Later that night, as she prepared for bed, Usagi had time to reflect on all the things that had happened the day before. Her mind was still reeling at what she had seen her son do. But another part of her, a part that she knew she couldn't ignore, was insisting that it wasn't over yet. And what mainly concerned her was what might have happened inside her daughter's mind while she was unconscious. Usagi had had visions of her own during times of crisis; she couldn't help but wonder about Chibiusa.

When Mamoru's hands came to rest on her shoulders she nearly jumped out of her skin. She met his eyes in the mirror and saw he was grinning. He bent and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"I called to you, but you were sunk so deep in thought you didn't hear me," he said. "What's on your mind?"

Usagi smiled sadly. "What do you think?"

Mamoru gave her shoulders a squeeze before moving away. "Chibiusa and Seiya," he said. "You can't spend all your time worrying about them. "You have to trust that they can work together and figure this out."

Usagi sighed, stood, and slid into bed. "I know. They've already made a start."

"How do you know?"

She gave her husband a significant look. "They went to the park this morning."

"Ah," Mamoru said. It was a single syllable full of understanding. He sat on the bed beside his wife. "So do we agree to leave them alone to try and work themselves out?"

Usagi extended her hand to be shaken. "Agreed."

"Now that that's settled would you like to hear how I spent my day?" Mamoru asked as he moved to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

"Not if it involves the sort of technical jargon that gives me a headache."

"No technical jargon, but I did manage to arrange a meeting with Aaron Henderson."

"WHAT?" Usagi exclaimed, leaping from the bed and racing to Mamoru. "Why? And why without consulting me?"

Mamoru took her hands in his, rubbing the back of one hand with his thumb. "We can't afford to waste any more time," he said, meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't talk to you first, but we need to act. Yesterday's attack proved that they're one step ahead of us."

"Whoever they are," Usagi muttered. "We don't even know that for sure."

"Then this will be a chance to eliminate Henderson from consideration. We can't wait, Usako. Waiting could be fatal."

Remembering the previous day, and watching her daughter and son collapse, Usagi could only agree.

Three days later Usagi had an early meeting at the school so she was out of the house before the children even awoke. Both Chibiusa and Seiya expressed unflattering surprise when they came downstairs and saw their father in the kitchen making breakfast.

"What?" he asked, mildly irritated at their dumbfounded expressions. "It's not like I've never cooked before."

Seiya grinned and slid into his accustomed seat. "True, but I think the last time it happened I was about six." He grunted as his sister jabbed the back of his head before sitting down.

"I'm sure breakfast will be fine, Seiya," Chibiusa said, giving her brother a wink. "After all, how much can anyone ruin scrambled eggs?"

Mamoru was on the verge of asking how she knew that was what he had made when he saw the two of them stifling laughter. He couldn't hide his own grin. "OK, fine. You've had your laugh at my expense." He dropped two plates in front of the teenagers. "Now eat."

For a while the only sound was forks scraping on plates and the crunch of toast as they ate, but Mamoru was aware of every glance being cast his way. Most of them came from Seiya, but he waited until all of them were done eating before opening the subject. He was standing at the sink and could feel two sets of eyes burning a hole in his back.

"Out with it, one of you, before you both explode."

There was a hurried, whispered conversation, and what sounded like a scuffle involving elbows behind him before Seiya spoke up.

"We can't help but wonder why you're here at this hour," he said. "Usually you're already at work when we get up." There was a grunt which Mamoru guessed was another elbow from Chibiusa. "Not that you owe us an explanation," Seiya continued, his voice sounding slightly pained.

"But you and Mom did promise to talk to us more," Chibiusa added. "You said it was important that we know things."

Mamoru poured himself another cup of tea and sat at the table before replying. "So I did," he said, addressing Chibiusa's comment. "Which is why I'll tell you both exactly what I'm doing today. I'm meeting Aaron Henderson."

They were both too stunned to speak for a moment, but Chibiusa recovered quickly. She swallowed audibly before saying "The number one suspect?".

"Why?" Seiya asked.

"Because we can't continue to speculate and do nothing about finding out who, exactly, the enemy is. What happened this weekend showed us all that." Mamoru took a deep breath before continuing. "Either this meeting gives us more reason to suspect Henderson -"

"Or it clears him of all suspicion," Seiya finished his father's thought, Chibiusa nodding in agreement.

"Exactly."

"But can you really learn enough in just one meeting to decide either way?" Chibiusa asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

Mamoru shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. But it's worth a try, I think. And your mother agreed."

Seiya nodded. "I agree; anything that you can learn will make it worth the attempt." He glanced at his sister, who was staring at her hands clasped together on the tabletop. "Usa?"

Chibiusa looked up and met her father's eyes. "If I don't agree will you not go through with it?" she asked.

Mamoru stared at his daughter, surprised at the worry in her face. He reached out and laid his hands on top of hers and shook his head. "We can't let the chance go, no matter what. I know you're worried, but I need you to understand." He smiled slightly. "You don't have to like it, just understand why it needs to be done."

Seiya laid a hand on her shoulder, and Chibiusa turned to look at him. He smiled and nodded, and she understood him without a need for words. He didn't like it anymore than she did. She glanced back at her father. "I don't like it," she said. "But I won't object."

Seiya rested one of his hands on the entwined hands of his father and sister. "I'm glad that got settled quickly," he said with a grin. "It was nearly making us late for school!"

An hour later Mamoru left the house, giving himself plenty of time to negotiate his way across town to the hotel Henderson was staying at. He decided to stop by his own lab and bring some of his research in order to keep up the appearance that he was interested in sharing work with Henderson. He also took out the motorcycle that was rarely used anymore; it would get him through traffic much easier than the car. He'd have to accept the possibility that Henderson might think little of him when he showed up in boots and leather jacket.

Henderson was quite the opposite, however. When Mamoru was ushered into his suite with his helmet tucked under one arm the American expressed interest in the bike and talked about how he owned a 1948 Indian motorcycle.

"Although I don't have many opportunities to ride," he said with a sigh. He moved across the room and stared out of the window for a few moments. "But I don't imagine you came to see me to discuss motorcycles," he continued, turning around and coming back to the chair across from where Mamoru sat.

"Not really," Mamoru replied with a smile. "Although it is a subject I enjoy discussing. But I'm more interested in some of your recent genetic research."

"Genetic research?" Henderson asked, unable to keep the surprise from his voice and face. "I have to admit that is the last thing I expected you to say. You're not a geneticist, after all."

Mamoru managed to keep himself from asking how Henderson knew his specialty. Obviously the man had learned all he could about his visitor. Mamoru tried not to think about how thorough Henderson's research on him may have been, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking again.

"I'm not a geneticist, no. But the firm I work for has been heavily involved in a variety of genetic topics over the years." He took a deep breath, ready to plunge into the true purpose of his visit. "In fact, the main reason I wanted to meet you was I recently noticed a large number of similarities between your work and studies that were done by Souichi Tomoe about twenty years ago."

"Tomoe?" Henderson asked, steepling his fingers in front of his face. "I'm not familiar with the name," he continued, a slight smile crossing his face. "But twenty years ago I was in medical school, so it may have just passed me by."

Something in that smile made Mamoru seriously doubt Henderson's word, but he kept that to himself. "I'm not surprised you never heard of him or his research; it wasn't exactly mainstream. In fact he ran into a few bits of trouble on more than one occasion and was eventually ostracized from the scientific community."

"Really?" Henderson asked, looking shocked. "And you say that some of my research is similar? Should I look forward to being blackballed?"

Mamoru shook his head. "I doubt it; times have changed in twenty years. What was outside the pale when Tomoe was working is business as usual today. Especially the experiments into combining genetics and cybernetics."

That strike hit home; Henderson's jaw dropped and his eyes widened in genuine shock for a brief moment before he pulled himself together. "How do you know so much about Tomoe's research, anyway? Considering genetics isn't your specialty I'm surprised you'd have any interest in it."

"My firm has had custody of Tomoe's records for years," Mamoru replied. That was the most telling statement; if Henderson had been involved in the disappearance of those records Mamoru knew that he had just given his knowledge of the theft away. "I also had a personal experience with one of Tomoe's failed experiments years ago."

"Really?" Henderson commented, sounding bored. His eyes said he was anything but, though, and Mamoru felt a chill wrap around his heart as all his suspicions of this man were confirmed. He stood up then, suddenly desperate to be out of the room.

"I've taken up enough of your time," he said, forcing an apologetic note into his voice. "I'm sure you have more than enough to do for the upcoming conference." He jerked his head in a slight bow of acknowledgement, bending to retrieve his helmet from where it rested on the floor between his feet.

Henderson stood as well, accepting the apology. "I'll not deny that I am busy," he said. "But if you're interested why not come to my presentation tomorrow evening? And the dinner I'm hosting afterwards? I have a pair of extra tickets," he went on, crossing the room to the desk and pulling an envelope out of the center drawer. He handed it to Mamoru while keeping hold of it himself. Their eyes locked. "I look forward to the chance to meet your lovely wife."

The chill around Mamoru's heart dropped down to his stomach, and he had to exert all his self-control to not snatch his hand away from the envelope as if it burned. When Henderson let go of it Mamoru slid the envelope into one of the pockets of his jacket. "I'd be honored to attend," he said, meeting the other man's eyes again. "Until tomorrow evening, then."

"No way in hell am I going to that presentation," Usagi said the next day. "Even without Henderson's creepy reference to me when he gave you the tickets I'm sure it'll be full of all the scientific and technical references that do nothing but give me a headache. I'd be bored stiff within five minutes."

Seiya held up his hands when his father glanced his way. "Don't look at me; I've got that school project due next week and I'll be up to my nose in work." Although his voice sounded somewhat regretful his grin was the exact opposite; Mamoru had to repress the urge to childishly stick his tongue out and instead turned to his daughter.

The look on her face almost made him burst out laughing. She was clearly making a concerted effort to think of an excuse and just as clearly having no luck. When she met her father's eyes and saw the laughter he was struggling to contain she threw her hands up in surrender.

"OK, fine! I'll go." She exhaled a gust of air that lifted her fringe and crossed her arms over her chest. "I suppose two sets of eyes on Henderson are better than one."

"Not to mention a second opinion on the man himself," Seiya added, giving his sister a look of admiration.

"Yeah, well, I don't know how useful my opinion would be," Chibiusa said, a grudging smile curving her lips.

"I wouldn't worry if I were you," Mamoru replied, standing and giving his daughter a hug from behind her chair. "You've seen too many things in your short life to be fooled by the likes of Henderson." He grinned. "Assuming, of course, that he is out to fool us."

"Always assuming that," Usagi said, sounding rueful. "But his reaction to your mentioning experiments that combine genetics and cybernetics would seem to transform assumption into likelihood." She stood and crossed the kitchen. "I'd better get something cooking so you can at least be fed before you leave." She pointed a wooden spoon at her husband. "You're not keeping her out late for that black tie dinner on a school night!"

Even with Usagi's warning it was nearly eleven o'clock when they managed to get away. They had stayed for part of the pre-dinner reception, but both Mamoru and Chibiusa had grabbed onto the school night excuse to avoid staying longer. They were walking through a downtown plaza on their way to the train station before Mamoru asked his daughter what she thought about the evening's events.

Chibiusa made a face. "I didn't understand a word of that presentation," she said. "But I definitely got the feeling that Henderson likes toying with people and doing things to shock them. He gets a rush off of it." She shuddered slightly. "He's power hungry and thinks he can be a god. Not a good combination in someone who plays with DNA."

Mamoru smiled, but it looked more like a grimace. "I agree. And by meeting him today and coming to his presentation we've definitely tipped him off. He knows we'll be watching, so we'll have to be that much more careful and vigilant."

Chibiusa sighed. "Vigilance would be easier with three more guardians," she said, sitting on the edge of a nearby fountain. "Four, if Seiya is meant to be one as well."

"What do your instincts tell you about that?" Mamoru asked.

She shrugged. "Nothing, really. But we can't ignore the fact that he used the power of the Silver Crystal, and much more effectively than I ever have."

"Does that bother you? That he got more of a reaction from the crystal?"

"Of course it does! I'd hardly be human, or an overly critical big sister, if it didn't! But. . ."

"But what?" Mamoru prompted when she didn't continue right away.

Chibiusa was quiet, thinking. Then she squarely met her father's gaze. "Dad, do you know anything about an old temple and its connection to the ancient Earth Kingdom?"

Mamoru tried, unsuccessfully, to conceal his surprise at her words, but held up a hand to forestall any comments from his daughter. "Why are you asking this? And why now, of all times?"

"The other day, after that fight, I had a dream while I was unconscious. Or a vision. I was in that temple with its guardian priest. There were flowers everywhere, all around us. Red roses. It felt familiar, like I had been there dozens, if not hundreds of times. And the priest. . ." Her voice trailed of and a blush stained her cheeks. "He told me that the bond between us still exists and that I would be seeing him again." She blinked rapidly and gave her head a shake. "See him again? That was the first time I've ever seen him! And what bond?" She laughed without humor. "It makes no sense."

Mamoru had thought he was past surprise by this point in his life, but he was wrong. If it was Helios she had spoken to in her vision, and there was no reason to doubt that, it meant that whatever had changed the destiny of his entire family had not had an effect on the priest of Elysian. As far as Helios was concerned this Chibiusa was the same as the one he had known before. Or perhaps the altered destiny had effected him but the connection between the pair of them transcended that - an eternal bond; was, is, and always will be.

But then Mamoru remembered something from his own vision of the temple. "This priest," he began, coughing to clear his throat. "Did he say anything to you about a Golden Crystal?"

Chibiusa glanced aside at her father. "No. Why would he?" She laughed. "It's bad enough I have to deal with the Silver Crystal. No you're telling me there's a Golden Crystal out there as well?"

He didn't answer, just smiled as if he was sharing the joke with her. But he couldn't shake the memory of the golden light that had filled his vision of the temple, or the words someone had whispered immediately before that light had exploded outward.

Terra Crystal Power. Earth Crystal Power.