A/N - Thanks for all the feedback and congratualtions. I'm going on a very long trip in a few days to meet my niece for the first time and I can't wait!

So read, enjoy and review my friends.

Chapter Six – Dance With The Devil

Trualific Sciences was busier than it had been on their previous visit. They managed to slip past the receptionist this time and made their own way to Dr James's office. They entered without knocking, finding Dr James behind his desk, his face in a file.

"Dr James, we need to speak to your scientists."

Dr James didn't appear to be surprised to see them, closing the file with a sigh.

"Why? They are busy with the research and I would rather not disturb them."

Olivia stepped around Peter.

"Either you disturb them or we will with a search warrant that will shut down the research for at least forty-eight hours. And that will be only if we find nothing. If we find something suspicious, then we are looking at much, much longer than that."

She caught the flicker of a smile move across Peter's face. He seemed to get an odd kick when she got overtly annoyed and aggressive. Perhaps he really did need help.

"Fine. Can you at least give me a chance to organise the meetings? Some of them are meeting with clients and that is a delicate process as even you may be able to imagine."

Olivia nodded slightly and moved further into the office, making herself comfortable in one of the seats.

"Before you do that, I need your assistance with something."

"What?"

"How is it that Katie Turlock had Down Syndrome?"

Dr James frowned.

"Who?"

"Brian Turlock's daughter was born with Down Syndrome."

"The lawsuit."

"Yes. I was hoping you could explain that for me."

"It is a risk of the IVF procedure. As our lawyer pointed out to Mr Turlock, he would have discovered the Down Syndrome before his daughter was born if he had followed the standard protocol that we recommend. If he had done so, he would have been able to terminate the pregnancy and his wife could have repeated the process."

"That's what you would have suggested?"

"Yes, of course. We stress the importance of this to our clients when they come into the facility. They need to remain vigilant in the pregnancy."

"And how often does this happen?"

"As I said, it is a risk."

"So why did it happen to Katie Turlock?"

Dr James shook his head.

"Agent Dunham, as I said before, this is not a eugenics programme. There are risks and Turlock agreed to them."

Olivia frowned.

"So why settle the lawsuit?"

"It was easier than spending years in court."

"Do you have other cases similar to this?"

"Yes.'

"Then while you are gathering your scientists, I would like you to get those files as well."

"Why?"

"Because unlike Turlock, not everyone would be happy to settle and let this lie."

"Give me a few minutes please."

Dr James passed a look over them before slipping from the room again.

"What's pressed your buttons?"

Olivia shook her head.

"This whole thing irks me. The way he spoke of termination just because a child is born with Down Syndrome."

"I read that research too, Liv. You can see why people would think like that."

"But it's not a terminal disease. It is something you can live with. Multiple Sclerosis I can understand, even removing the link that causes Dementia but something that isn't terminal? I don't understand it."

Peter sighed and took a seat beside her.

"So, I pose a question for you."

"What?"

"What if Etta had been born with Down Syndrome?"

"It would not matter. She's my daughter, in whatever form that she comes in. Walter was right when he said each child is a blessing."

"This has really upset you, hasn't it?"

Olivia frowned.

"Perhaps I shouldn't be on the case. Maybe it's too soon."

"Liv, this is why you need to be on it. Simply because of the way you feel. It makes you able to do this job."

"I know but-"

"You would rather be home with Etta."

At Etta's name, her heart twanged, and her arms ached for her little girl. She wondered if it was normal to miss her this much. She wondered if it was normal that after a year, she still wished to be with her daughter constantly. The last year of quiet had allowed her to miss nothing; she had seen all of her daughter's first milestones. But she never felt complete without Etta there. Peter was one piece of the puzzle and Etta was the rest.

"Wouldn't you?"

Peter took her hand, his thumb grazing her knuckles.

"There is nothing that I would enjoy more than spending endless, easy days with you and Etta. But the fact of the matter is no one else can do our job. And who better to make the world a little bit safer for Etta than her own parents? Plus, I kind of missed you with the gun. I forgot how damn sexy it could be."

Olivia laughed and squeezed his hand in hers. They sat in thoughtful silence until Dr James came back into the room, three other scientists following him. Olivia flicked through her memory, putting the names and faces together as she looked at each of them.

"These are the three scientists that were working with Brian Turlock and were around when the other children were cultivated."

Olivia stood and offered her hand to each of them, Peter doing the same before he moved back and allowed her to take the lead.

"So you all do the same work here?"

"Yes. We all assist in allowing childless couples to achieve the dream of parenthood."

Doctor Marion Chessler was a larger woman, with deep red hair and narrow eyes. She looked uncomfortable and Olivia could see why. Most of the scientists that they dealt with were the same, uncomfortable with normal situations and social interactions.

"Why are we here? I have two clients waiting for me."

Doctor Douglas Stone was the oldest of the scientists and the arrogance in his tone annoyed Olivia. His glasses were perched near his fraying, grey hairline and his mouth was tight with annoyance.

"We have some questions for you in regards to a few of your clients from six years ago."

"You expect us to remember that? We process hundreds of clients every year."

Dr Ramon Howell stood aggressively in the door way, his body vibrating with impatience. She could almost hear the wheels turning in Peter's head as he took each one in, measuring them. He had read the notes as well so knew what he was looking for.

"Yes we do. Because until we know what happened here, we will keep coming back. And it won't stop with us. We will get warrants and there may even be arrests."

She almost felt the shift in the room as the scientists exchanged glances, measuring each other as they took in her words.

"We don't deal with eugenics here."

Peter turned to Dr Howell, his face grim.

"From what I understand, IVF is a very small step from eugenics. How hard would it be for you to pick the best embryos?"

Dr Howell huffed slightly.

"We of course pick the best and healthiest. That is what we are paid to do."

"Yes but is it really that hard to think that you do more than that? Shuffle things around so that a baby has blue eyes and a talent for sport?"

Dr Howell turned to Dr James, his face hard.

"Surely we do not have to stand here and take this abuse."

Peter crossed his arms over his chest.

"I believe you do. And this is how we are going to do it. We are going to talk to each of you separately. And you are going to tell the truth."

Dr Howell opened his mouth to protest, clamping it closed as Peter moved forward.

"I don't care about you scientific pride. I don't care that you are smarting because you think this is an insult. I care about the children that were taken. I care enough to want them to get home safely to their families. Are you telling me that you don't want that too?"

There was a tense silence as Peter waited for his answer. He didn't back down until Dr Howell lowered his eyes, admitting silent defeat. Olivia turned back to Dr James.

"I assume that you have a spare office for us to conduct these interviews."