Living Room at Castaways,

New York State

0121Hrs Saturday 19th February 2005

'You sound like you have the heads up on this "female terrorist's" identity,' Dan observed, rubbing the five o'clock shadow on his chin. Allowing his attorneys mind free rain over the information he'd gathered tonight, most of the pieces started to fit together. 'You've told us so much already, Trix. Why don't you let us in on your suspicions? Who do you think this woman is?'

'I don't have any proof, Dan,' Trixie eyed him wearily, realising he'd figured it out by himself. As she quickly stole glances at her brothers, Trixie understood Dan wasn't alone in his presumptions.

'You're not going to like what I have to tell you,' Mart warned, sensing a riot about to occur over his sister's latest bomb shell and attempting to change the subject.

She can't see Jim's expression, Mart realised, wondering when his sister would look at the man sitting next to her. If only you could see Jim's face, drained of all colour at your veiled accusation. Honey's wearing a hunted expression because she's just realised what I'm about to tell you. Jim, Mart knew, didn't have a clue about Trixie's alligation because Mr Wheeler protected his son from his growing suspicions. Incidentally Matthew's come to the same conclusion as you because there just isn't anyone else at Bathurst who would do this.

'Jim, Honey,' tensing at the tale he'd rather his friends never discover, Mart became determined to tell the absolute truth. His hand forced by Trixie, he mustered all his strength. 'I'm sorry to have to inform you about this. Your Dad called me in three months ago when he became aware of a problem with Bathurst International's accounts department. As you can appreciate, Mr Wheeler didn't want anyone to know about the problems, so I signed a confidentiality agreement.' Pausing, Mart's gaze lanced through his sister's hard fought composure, seeing into her soul for a split second. He saw the anger in her eyes caused by the way they'd been exploited.

I wonder how this woman has used you, Mart reasoned, or are you thinking about how the CIA has kept you and Jim from each other the last six years partly because of her?

'Mart,' Honey's voice sounded as defeated as her expression, 'I'm sure if Dad knew the circumstances, if he were here now and heard about Trixie's investigation, he wouldn't keep you to that clause in your contract.'

'Thank you,' he nodded his gratitude, before continuing in the logical, professional way he'd developed when working in his speciality area. 'It didn't take me long to find the virus infecting Bathurst Corporations system because it wasn't the first time I'd come across it. Mr Wheeler came to me. I'd been recommended from a business associate who contracted me a month earlier. The virus turned out to be very similar.'

'Like the version you have, Trix, this one capability included collecting data and sending it off to a third party. Do you remember our trip to the Mississippi, when you got involved with an FBI gun running operation?' Trixie nodded at her brother, unsure how this piece of information fitted into his story. 'Mr Wheeler purchased his first aeronautical and space aviation research and development business. In the ten years since his involvement has grown and expanded. Bathurst Corporation now has several military contracts.'

'When we realised this programme inserted itself into both the accounting subroutines and mailing address routines, Mr Wheeler and I attempted to trace the reason for this new code. That's when I discovered the virus captured confidential data and we set out to trap the thief, without success. We did manage to track some data packets sent to Jim's private computer in his office. Mr Wheeler and I knew Jim couldn't possibly be involved.'

'Jim appeared to be logged onto the computer terminal in his office at the time the data's retrieval but video evidence demonstrated neither Jim nor anyone else actually occupied his office during these collections. We guessed the perpetrator remotely accessed the information somehow. I pulled Jim's computer apart one evening, discovering a wireless device cleverly incorporated into the motherboard. It allowed someone to tap into the system remotely yet pretend to be logged on via the slave PC.'

'What happened to your Laptop, Jim?' Honey asked, becoming concerned by a string of occurrences which only now made some kind of sense to her.

'I've had two stolen in the last year, losing a huge amount of data in the process,' he answered with a sudden frown, suspicions beginning to coalesce in his mind. 'After the last machine had been liberated, I decided a desktop at the office and another one at home might be the way to go.'

'It makes sense to me,' Mart remarked with raised eyebrows. 'If someone was willing to go to the lengths it took to insert this virus into the system through your computer, they wouldn't allow a little thing like stealing your laptop to get in their way.'

'Jim,' Honey's voice reflected the trepidation with which she asked the next question. 'Did Sabina suggest you trade your laptop for a PC?'

Lowering his head to hide his shame and embarrassment, Jim simply nodded his head. I'm beginning to see Sabina and our supposed "relationship" in a whole new light. Thinking back all the pieces fit together. She had the opportunity to infect Di's computer system when I took her to Serendipity before Christmas in '03. Then my stupid pride over Josh allowed her access to Dad's business and who knows how many other companies through her association with me.

'This person could guarantee access to the system almost anytime with the remote I found,' Mart continued his explanation in an attempt to draw attention away from Jim. 'Mr Wheeler and I searched your office Jim, for any other clues. We discovered Trixie's mini data disk but couldn't crack the code to gain entry to the information stored on it. Mr Wheeler took it and now has it hidden in a safe place, believing it could be tangible evidence if the case ever went to court.'

'I knew at this stage, there had to be another viral subroutine in the systems controllers' areas allowing this person such easy access. I only found the code earlier this week after months of careful debugging. We've set a trap, the next time our data thief attempts to login, they'll get the surprise of their life,' Mart smiled with secret glee. 'Mr Wheeler and I came to the same conclusion about the identity of this data thief and how best to deal with them. I believe, Trix, you think it's the same woman as both Mr Wheeler and I do.'

'But do you have any proof?' Trixie asked with an exasperated sigh. 'I need to catch this woman in the act of stealing sensitive information or transferring funds to her private accounts.'

'We will, Trix,' Mart promised, becoming excited as he spoke. 'Give me another week or so and I guarantee we'll have your woman trussed up like a Thanks Giving turkey. It's taken me longer to work through this assignment than any other. At first I couldn't figure out why. What confused me until last week is the constant evolution of the bug. The first version I found had been inserted in March 2004 but it's been updated on at least three occasions over the last year. That's never happened before to my other clients, making me suspect someone with intermittent access to the system. It took me some time to realise the programmer played me, keeping one step ahead of my anti-viral solutions.'

'Wasn't March last year about the same time as you met up with Sabina once again, Jim?' Brian asked, giving full event to his dislike of the woman with the ammunition Trixie gave him earlier. Immediately contrite, Brian wondered why he hurt Jim just because he'd discovered a secret about his little sister and his best friend. Which, Brian thought sarcastically, I'm finding nearly impossible to come to terms with.

'What do you mean, met up with again?' Trixie asked perplexed, turning to face Jim with a somewhat astounded expression entering her blue eyes. 'Jim this is really important, did you know…did you know Sabina before…before I'd been ordered to try and nudge the two of you together?'

What I really mean is before I was ordered to interfere in your love life and tear my own dreams of one day leaving the CIA and having a family with you to shreds. Trixie squashed the thought before she even finished thinking it.

'Know her!' Dan snorted, turning it into a pretend smothering of a yawn. 'In a manner of speaking I guess you could say that.'

As much as this hurts, I have to know, Trixie fought hard to keep her tears at bay. I know too much about Sabina's modus operandi to doubt what I will discover next. Oh, Jim, for the last year I've eaten my heart out over pushing the two of you into a relationship when I really didn't have too. Sabina, Trixie realised, had already targeted Jim. Targeted Matthew Wheeler's son because the head of Bathurst International stated he'd take over the company one day in the future. I can't believe I didn't see this revelation coming or the implications for several European Companies who have suffered the same fate.

'When did you first meet her, Jim?' she asked gently, seeing the mortification in his expression at the interest her question had generated. 'I wouldn't ask, but it's important, Jim, more important that you realise.'

'A few weeks before you moved back from DC,' he stated slowly, obviously not liking the interrogation into his personal life or the realisation his worst fears echoed in Trixie's eyes. 'Are you sure your not chasing leads that aren't real. I mean it Trix, because I'm not comfortable discussing my relationship with Sabina in light of the accusations you're making, or trying not to make.' And the accusations I'm trying to hide from myself although I now know them to be true, Jim confessed inwardly. Earlier tonight I thought Trix used me all those years ago. Now I realise those ideas have been subtly planted in my imagination by someone I trusted to keep my relationship with Trixie terse at best.

'I wouldn't pry into your private life, if I didn't think it vitally important, not after the way I've been forced to hurt you.' Trixie didn't try to keep the melancholy out of her tone this time. It told Jim how little she enjoyed this interrogation into his love life. 'So you met her in London, in early July 2003?'

'Yes,' he agreed slowly, realising Trixie needed details to fit his part of the story to Sabina's movements over the last two years. 'She picked me up at a bar in Covent Garden's one Friday night. I'd gone out for a quiet drink after a harrowing day of negotiations with one of Dad's London subsidiaries. With Mother and Dad at some charity function in Kew Gardens, I found myself at a loose end. They had a full weekend of social engagements in Scotland with old friends. I wasn't overjoyed to tag along and be introduced to Mr Andrew McTavish's three unwed daughters. When Sabina offered to show me around for the weekend, I jumped at the chance.'

'And you saw her next…' Trixie enquired, knowing her worst fears were being realised when Jim's gaze refused to meet hers.

Oh Jim, she cried silently to herself, do you really have any idea how devious this woman is? I wonder how she captured you so easily when you're usually such a good judge of character.

'The second last week in December 2003,' he affirmed lightly, not having to work to hard remembering the date, nor the co-incidence with Di's earlier revelations. 'Sabina dropped me an e-mail at work stating she'd be in town for a conference and would I think about meeting up for a pre-Christmas drink. When I met Sabina, she'd been offered a position in New York as the company she partly owned expanded into America.'

'Did you have any contact with her before she moved to New York permanently in March 2004?' Trixie's voice became horse with emotion she attempted to hide. Her mind whorled in a maelstrom, attempting to link this new information to the where-a-bouts of Jake Hanky, Tim Foster and Enrich Johansson during the time periods Jim outlined.

Whatever misinformation I've been fed in the past, my friends are making up for now. Jake's right, Jim is the key to all of this because he has the dates I need to prove who the mole is and who planted the viruses in the computer systems at Serendipity and Bathurst Corporation. I have you now, Trixie knew, because you know I'll be in London with Jim on Monday morning. Only the surprise would be on Trixie's side because the mole didn't expect her to gain this information from Jim so easily. You didn't expect me to get this close to Jim again after what happened in D.C. and how you handled the situation to your advantage. Even being cooped up with him over the weekend and into next week, you thought you had destroyed my past life and the trust between me and my friends. You didn't do your homework on the Bob Whites of the Glen every well if you think you could destroy the ethos we've lived by since I turned thirteen.

'I met up with Sabina in February last year, around Valentine's day,' Jim confirmed, 'after e-mailing me in January. She confirmed she'd be in New York on business for a week and wanted to know if I could show her around. Return the favour, so to speak. When she arrived, Sabina asked for help to search out the right environs for an office to base her companies operations in New York. She also wanted look at apartments as she would be heading up the new division.'

'So you guys started dating in March, when she finally immigrated to the US on a business visa?' Once again Trixie swallowed hard to keep her feeling tightly balled.

'We never actually dated, Trix,' Jim finally confessed, but only because he felt cornered and his honesty compelled him too. 'I guess we had a relationship of sorts, but it never contained any commitment to each other. We both knew it to be fleeting and just on the surface. You sort of tried to push us together after you started dating Josh, so I let you and the rest of the Bob Whites believe your assumptions were true, without ever actually lying. And I found it easer to explain her constant presence that way. It hurt less, seeing you with Josh, if I had someone by my side too.'

Shaking her head, Trixie wondered how and when life had become so complicated. Watching her silent friends smother yawns and fight off sleep, Trix doubted how much of the information imparted tonight had been really absorbed.

'Well, if no one else has any questions, I think its time we all called it a night,' she said looking at her wrist watch pointedly. 'It's almost two in the morning,' she stated, hoping the others would take a hint and make their way to bed so she could complete the tasks she had set for herself.

I need time to survey the house and property, to find out how secure it is, Trix realised. She also needed space to assimilate the information Jim gave her. Only some vigorous exercise would help clear her tired mind and put all the facts into prospective. I can't do that with everyone around, Trixie reminded herself, and I need to speak with Jim without everyone listening and watching expectantly now I know the truth about his feelings for Sabina. The one thing I can't fathom is why he played along with her for so long. It came to her in a flash. I know he has another secret he's not sharing. I'm sure of it but after everything that's occurred between us. Unable to make Jim uncomfortable by forcing the issue, Trixie attempted to get the other Bob Whites to leave them alone. He has enough to deal with from tonight. Yet I have to know what this woman has over him.

'As its now Saturday,' Nick commented, 'and as Trix, Mart and Dan have come clean with their secrets, I guess its time Di and I told everyone why we got you up here under false pretences as you're going to find out in a few hours anyway.'

Unable to take much more in the way of surprises, the male Bob Whites groaned, along with Trixie, while the girls smiled secretly to each other.

'What now?' Brian groaned. 'I don't think I can take much more honesty and soul bearing tonight.'

'This is good news, Brian, I promise,' Di had suddenly become animated. 'You all know Nick and I moved in together just over two years ago.' Waiting for her friend's nods, a blush rose on Di's cheeks as she buried her head in Nick's shoulders. 'You tell them,' she whispered too embarrassed to continue, 'I can't.'

'We're going to be parents in six and a half months,' Nick announced proudly, smiling like the Cheshire cat of Alice fame. The news didn't take everyone by surprise but a ruckus erupted anyway.

'Di went to the doctor on Tuesday after feeling unwell for the last couple of weeks,' Nick explained after everyone quieted down enough for him to be heard. 'We thought all the hard work we've put in getting ready for the exhibition last night caused Di's fatigue. It turned out to be a little more than that. So, with the help of Honey and Sarah Lynch we planned our wedding in three days. Tomorrow is the rehearsal and Sunday the big day. After which, Di and I are going somewhere warm for a couple of weeks vacation to soak up the sun.'

'But we'll be back for your blessing ceremony,' Di promised, turning to Jo and Dan. 'I couldn't miss that even if I wanted too.'

'So where is the engagement ring?' Linnie inquired. A few minutes earlier she had been on the verge of sleep. The sudden bout of excitement caused a general second wind among the Bob Whites. 'I've seen so many tonight…Oh…' she stoped suddenly, realising what she'd said.

'It's alright Linnie,' Peter laughed good-naturedly. 'I knew my Fiancée couldn't keep it a secret until her parent's arrived back in the country on Wednesday. If fact,' he put his arm around Honey's shoulders, 'I'm proud of you keeping it a secret this long, Darling. I must say you've exceed my expectations.'

'I tried, honestly I did,' Honey fretted in a mock falsetto.

Taking Honey in his arms, unafraid of showing his affection for his future wife, he picked her up, placed her on his knee and kissed her soundly. 'I'm sure you did. Now our secret is out, how about you wear the ring I gave you and we will deal with the rest of the questions I can see gathering in everyone's eyes in the morning. I'm tired and don't mind admitting to it.'

'Amen to that, Brother,' Brian cried. 'I've been awake since four yesterday morning and would like to hit the hay sometime before the sun rises.'

'Spoil sport,' Sally quipped, trying to keep the rancour out of her voice, still upset with him and Brian knew it.

'Honey, you're in charge of the sleeping arrangements,' Di reminded her friend with a wink, glad this task had fallen to someone else. 'While you explain where everyone is sleeping, Nick and I are going up to our room.'

'Not so fast Miss Lynch,' Honey berated her friend, realising she'd been left to handle the ire of at least two couples who wouldn't want to fall in with her plans. 'I've already shown Linnie, Jo and Sally to the bedrooms they will be using down stairs, but we may need to do some rearranging.'

'So where am I sleeping,' Mart asked, opening a can of worms he would rather not, yet he felt he had no choice knowing Linnie's feeling on the subject.

'Looks like you and I are sharing old buddy,' Jim quickly picked up on his friends hidden message while eyeing Di and his sister with more than a little suspicion. How can they even think of making Trix and I share a room, let alone a bed, after all the explanations of tonight, he wondered and Brian's less than tactful comments.

'Actually, there is only one room with a double and single,' Diana confessed, unable to met Jim's gaze. 'So if you and Linnie don't mind sharing the room, I'll take you up stairs to the "Blue Suite" where we were originally going to put Trix and Jim.'

'I guess that would be OK,' Linnie stammered, suddenly finding the courage to say what was really on her mind. Squaring her shoulders, she faced Mart with piercing eyes, 'if I thought you'd commit completely to our relationship.'

'Really,' shocked, Mart hunted for something to say. Before Linnie could take back her rash words, he decided actions would speak for him in this situation, especially after his self-discovery surrounding the same topic. Getting down on one knee before her, Mart's cheeks coloured with embarrassment. 'I love you, Linnie. Marry me,' he said simply, making everyone present realise just how serious his intention with a lack of big words.

'Really,' she held off the tears of joy gathering in her eyes. Finally convinced of his sincerity, she stammered, 'Yes, oh yes.'

'Boy, the lengths some people will go to, to get a girl into bed,' Dan quipped with a sardonic smile, watching the pair now in each other arms. 'Well I guess that solves your sleeping arrangement problems, Honey.'

'Not quite,' she hedged, looking towards Trixie and Jim anxiously.

'Were adults, Honey,' Trixie reminded her friends in a teasing tone, 'I'm sure we'll work something out. Even if it is the great wall of china made from pillows down the middle of the bed,' Trixie joked with actions in an attempt to lighten the mood.

'It could become a new trend,' Jo retorted, biting her tongue to hide her mirth. 'What do you think of that idea, Dan?'

'Where's our room, Wife,' Dan teased as he heaved her off the couch and into his outstretched arms, 'You know the Great Wall of China is one we haven't done in a while. Lead me to it, before I ravish you right here before my friend's eyes.'

Jo laughed, taking Dan by the hand and making her way towards the hallway beyond the fireplace with a cheeky grin. 'You will just have to control that libido Mr Mangan when you see the mirrored tiles on the roof.'

'Oooh,' was all he got out before Jo elbowed him in the ribs.

''nite all,' she called over her shoulder before disappearing into the room after Dan.

'Newly weds,' Mart rolled his eyes in mock horror. 'Hey, that will be me soon. And you four,' he pointed to Honey, Peter, Di and Nick. 'Gee that doesn't leave many single Bob Whites.' Mart glanced at his elder brother meaningfully.

'Come on,' Honey chimed in tactfully, proceeding Peter off the couch. 'I'll take you and Linnie upstairs and show you to your room. I guess that leaves you and Trix to share the "Green Suite",' Honey told her brother, holding her breath for his reaction. Jim simply nodded deciding to go with the hand fate was dealing him.

''nite everyone,' Peter latched onto his fiancées hand and started for the stairs. 'You two coming?' he questioned Nick and Di.

'Right on your heels,' Nick replied, following them with Di tucked securely under his arm.

'I hope those newly weds don't snore too loudly,' Sally informed Brian with a roll of her eyes at the euphuism. 'We have the room next to them on the right and you two have the room on the other side. You can see the door from here.'

'I'll be along in just a minute,' Brian told Sally.

'Oh, no, you won't, Brian Harold Belden,' she injected just the right amount of heat into her words. Brian instantly glanced up at her and realised Sally meant business. 'Come on Dr Belden, you and I have our own private discussion we "need to have" before turning in for the night and it involves your behaviour towards you sister and Jim earlier tonight. So don't embarrass them any further by making me tell you what I think of you in public or spiling some of your deep, dark secrets.'

'I didn't realise you had a ring through your nose already, Brian,' Trixie teased her brother. 'I guess you don't need to make a sceptical of yourself like Mart.'

'You, young lady,' he told her seriously, ignoring her barb, 'and I will finish this discussion in private later this morning.'

'Brian,' Trixie retorted seriously, 'you're my brother and I love you in spite of it. But you are not my father and not my husband. What I do with my life is my business, wether or not you're happy about it.'

The pair eyed each other until Brian finally backed down. A shiver ran down his spine as he finally realised his little sister had grown up. The haughty, demanding gaze she levelled quelling any consideration of Trixie remaining naive and unworldly. Not only had his younger sibling matured, she'd been churned through a political machine he could never understand. She'd come out the other side jaded, suspicious and questioning everyone's motives.