Grace Kingsley sat in a chair reading, a cup of tea at her side. The room was well lit by the large windows that afforded a view of her well manicured flower garden and the grassy expanse beyond it.

The doorbell rang. She froze for a moment, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She deliberately set the book down placing a bookmark in her current position and rose, squaring her shoulders as she went to face whoever had come.

She opened the door to find Kyle standing on her doorstep. She let out a sigh of relief and relaxed at the sight of him. "Kyle, I certainly didn't expect to see you. Would you like to come in?" She waved him in and he came through the door past her. She closed the door and led him back to where she had been sitting.

"Have a seat," she indicated a chair near hers. "I'm having some tea. Would you like anything?"

"No, thank you," Kyle said, sitting in the indicated chair.

She sat back in her chair and held up the book she had been reading, it was a book speculating about future human development. "I've had a lot of time to catch up on my reading lately," She added with a smile, "It's amazing how many of the author's predictions have already happened and he just doesn't know about them." She set the book back down and leaned forward, "I suspect there is a reason for this visit? Not that it's unwelcome, of course."

"Grace," Kyle began somberly, "I'm afraid I have some bad news." He paused for a moment and then said, "Michael's dead."

Grace closed her eyes while she absorbed the news. She took a long breath and then opened them again, "What happened?"

"We found out about the experiment he had started again with the pods," Kyle began.

From Grace's heart rate and other physiological data, it was obvious that she had been involved in the new project as well.

"That you and he had started again," he corrected. "He came upon us unexpectedly. He had a gun and tried to kill me. He was shot instead."

Grace sat for a moment, "The stupid boy always was too eager to use violence. I told him that it would be his undoing." She thought for another moment then observed, "Since you're here instead of the police, I assume this is being handled quietly, in the traditional Latnok fashion?"

"I'm not sure what the traditional Latnok fashion is," Kyle said. "But we couldn't involve the police with the pods and everything."

"I suppose not," Grace agreed. She sat a moment, and then asked, "What did you do with his body?" She sighed, "That's the kind of thing a mother needs to know."

"I understand," Kyle nodded. "We buried him respectfully in a nice place. I'm sorry I can't tell you where, at least not at present."

"Without a body, it's my word against yours," Grace observed.

"Yes," Kyle agreed. "It's a problem that Jessi and I have been on the other side of."

"Sarah," Grace nodded. "Well, I guess Jessi got the justice she was demanding."

"We didn't mean for it to happen, Grace," Kyle opened his hands. "He just started shooting."

"I'm not surprised," Grace said. "Don't worry. I'm not going to pursue a vendetta on my only surviving son."

"I'm not your son," Kyle objected. "I'm Nicole's son."

"Emotionally, that's certainly true," Grace agreed. "But it's my DNA in your cells, Kyle." She shrugged, "There's no point arguing about it, we are whatever we are."

"That's certainly true," Kyle agreed.

Grace looked out the window for a moment, "When you rang the doorbell, I expected that it was going to be the FBI. I know what happened to Robert and Paul. When is it going to be my turn, Kyle?"

"You don't have to have a turn," Kyle said. "You closed down or sold most of the things you were involved in. Your remaining investments appear to be passive. I don't think you're threatening anyone." He looked around the room, "This is a very nice house." He gestured out the window, "And a beautiful garden." He smiled meaningfully at her, "I think catching up on your reading is a good thing to do."

Grace nodded, "So if I stay out of the game, I'll be left alone? I should relax and enjoy my forced retirement?"

"It looks very pleasant to me," Kyle said. "I can't guarantee that the authorities won't find something, on their own, to pursue but we won't feel the need to encourage them."

"That's reasonable," Grace agreed. "I can certainly live with that." She paused for a moment and asked, casually, "Out of curiosity, what happened to the pods and their contents?"

"We've taken care of them," Kyle said.

"That's a shame," Grace said. "Adam's experiment deserves to be successfully completed." She sighed, "But not, apparently, this time. It will be some day, you know. Science never really goes away."

Kyle shrugged, "I guess time will tell." He took a breath, "I should be going now," and rose from his chair. Grace did so as well. He added, "I just wanted you to know."

"Thank you, Kyle," Grace led him to the door and opened it. He went through and turned back toward her. She asked, "Am I going to see you again?" Her composure wavered briefly and she added, "You're the only family I have left."

"I don't know, Grace," Kyle said. "As you say we have a connection of some sort. I suspect our paths will cross. Let's hope it's on a happier basis."

"I hope so too, Kyle." Grace agreed. Kyle turned and walked back toward his car. Grace watched him leave, then closed the door and went back to her chair, sat down and looked out toward the garden. There was glint of tears in her eye for a moment and then she sighed and picked up her book again, opening it to the place she had marked.