Grace Kingsley sat at her table looking out the window at the lush green grounds, sipping her glass of Chardonnay while she waited. Eventually, the Maitre'd approached followed by Brian Taylor. As Brian took the seat across from Grace, the Maitre'd handed him a menu saying, "Your waiter will be with you in moment." Brian nodded at him and as he went away turned to Grace.

"Thank you for making the trip," Grace said.

"You told me that Jessi needed me," Brian said. "That it was a matter of life and death. Obviously I was going to take the risk of coming."

"Is it really a risk?" Grace asked.

"Adam Baylin's security chief, Tom Foss, made it clear that it would be unhealthy for me to stick around," Brian said. "Foss usually means what he says. I don't plan on sticking around long enough to find out."

"You may have to change your plans after I've explained the situation," Grace told him. She saw the waiter approaching, "Let's get lunch ordered and we can talk."

The waiter said, "Good afternoon, I'm Steve, do you have any questions?"

Grace said, "I think we're ready, I would like the Petrale Sole."

Brian said, "I'll have the Caesar Salad – with the blackened steak. And Scotch, neat."

"Thank you," Steve noted down their orders and left their table..

As the waiter left, Grace said, "I know you have your sources. Have you been keeping up with what has been going on?"

"I know that Sarah Emerson has disappeared again, and is once more presumed dead," Brian looked at her with a cold stare. "The word is that your son, Michael Cassidy, had something to do with it."

Grace waved her hand dismissively, "We are not going to be talking about that. I brought you here for Jessi's sake."

Brian looked down and took a breath, controlling himself. When he looked back up he said, "I've also heard that both Kyle and Jessi were on the Latnok board. Is that true? How did that happen?"

"It's true," Grace confirmed. "After a number of unpleasant events, involving threats to the ones around Kyle, they made contact with me and said they wanted to meet the board. They wanted a working arrangement that would eliminate the threats. I arranged for them to attend the board meeting. At the meeting a number of the board members apparently became convinced that Kyle was Adam, back again to lead us." She smiled at Brian, "He does look a lot like Adam, doesn't he?" She sighed and then concluded, "They wanted him to take Adam's seat on the board. He refused unless Jessi was included. So they gave them the seat to share."

"I didn't think they were interested in Jessi," Brian objected. "I worked hard for them to even consider looking at her."

"They wanted Kyle and he was adamant, he said that they were a team. It was the two of them or nothing," Grace said. "There was grumbling but, in the end, they agreed."

"Are they lovers?" Brian asked.

"No, Kyle is besotted with the little blonde girl next door – much to Jessi's dismay. Jessi is devoted to Kyle, though. I suspect that sooner or later the boy is going to notice her," Grace smiled. "In the meantime, Jessi has invented a new solar cell structure that is going to make her about ten million dollars over the next five years. The Latnok board has taken notice. There have been mutterings that they had been wrong not to listen to you."

Brian smiled, "I'm glad to see that they are starting to recognize her potential. A lot of problems could have been avoided if they had done so sooner."

The conversation paused as the waiter returned to the table and served their meals.

As the waiter left, Brian continued, "So, what's the life or death issue?"

"Well, the kids with stars in their eyes have decided to emulate Adam Baylin and fight for 'truth, justice and the American way'," Grace chuckled grimly. "When they got the financial information for the Latnok board meeting they dug in at an astonishing rate."

"And they've dug up some of your less savory activities?" Brian asked.

"They haven't dug anything up, yet," Grace said. "But they are clearly on the trail of a number of operations that the board as a whole would not approve of. I admit that I have some interests that I would rather they not find, but there are others with deeper and more dangerous secrets." She leaned forward for emphasis, "They have an 'us or them' mentality and think that if Jessi simply disappeared, Kyle would lose interest in digging into Latnok finances and spend his efforts looking for her – in vain." She leaned back and shrugged, "They're probably right."

"They plan to kill Jessi?" Brian asked, dismayed.

"It hasn't come to that yet, but the idea is on the table. I've convinced them that we might be able to convince the kids to focus on the flowers and sunshine and stop digging into the dirt. Look at the good things they can accomplish and leave the unsavory operations alone."

"That's what Adam Baylin did," Brian objected. "And in the end, someone killed him."

"I think he was doing some digging," Grace said. "He always worked on a number of levels. Anyway if we don't take action, this is going to come to a head in a matter of weeks. We need to at least buy some time."

"So what do you want me to do?" Brian asked.

"You need to build their trust and see if you can guide them away from the danger," Grace said.

"Why don't you do that, you seem to be able to work with them?" Brian asked.

"They don't trust me," Grace admitted. "And my hands are dirty, I'm involved with this – if I try to do it, they will follow the trail right through me. I think you'll have a better chance. I want to put some distance between me and them."

"Well, they don't trust me, either," Brian said. "The last time I saw Jessi, she was barricaded with Kyle and the Tragers and it was made clear to me that I was unwelcome. Then Tom Foss showed up and made it clear just how unwelcome I was. I don't think they'll even talk to me."

Grace explained, "I want to put you in as the head of the University of Washington Latnok student group. I only took the job temporarily. I've made no secret of the fact that I want to find a replacement. You're going to be that replacement. They work there and would continue in assistant positions. That will give you a basis for dealing with them without pounding on the door of the Trager house and demanding your daughter." She smiled thinly, "That wouldn't go well."

"She is my daughter," Brian objected.

"Let me give you some advice, from the parent of one pod child to another," Grace waved a hand. "The time for us to read them bedtime stories and tuck them into bed is long gone. It never really existed. If you or I are going to build a relationship with them, it's going to be as adults. Kyle is utterly committed to being in the Trager household, he adores Nicole. In my very first contact with him I made it clear I had no intention of interfering with his family. That helped cool the tension a lot. It works for me."

"I'm well aware of how important living with the Trager's is for Kyle." Brian sighed, "So you think I should leave Jessi with the Tragers?"

"Yes, she isn't as tied to them as Kyle is, but she's rapidly becoming integrated into the family. She trusts Nicole and is functioning well. I suggest you leave the family intact. She won't be with them much longer anyway, they are both growing up. And, I have to admit, Nicole Trager is probably better equipped for the job than you or I. She's raised a couple of teenagers and is a licensed psychologist. She's also spent the last year successfully working with Kyle. I think that if you can build a bridge to Nicole Trager, Kyle and Jessi will follow her across it."

Brian looked out the window for a minute then looked back at Grace, "I don't really have a choice, do I? Ok, I'll do it. When do you want me to start?"

Grace said, "As soon as you can. Time is of the essence."

Brian nodded, "Give me a couple of days. I guess I have to pay Nicole Trager a visit, and then come to terms with Tom Foss." He took a breath and let it out slowly, "I'm not looking forward to that."

"Good," Grace said. "And, Brian, if you can manage this I might be able to help you get your ring back."

Brian Taylor looked at his bare hand, "That would be nice, I do miss it." He shrugged and continued, "But really, it's for Jessi."