When they reached the hallway, Jane asked, "Where do you suggest we go?"

"Either somewhere really crowded or somewhere really open—where we won't be overheard."

"All right. I know a couple of secluded beach spots. They won't have anyone at this time of year. Will that suit you?"

She nodded.

The roughly two hour drive was made mostly in silence, but when they reached the San Francisco Bay Area, Jane heard a gasp, and glanced over at his companion. He couldn't quite read the look on her face, but he could tell that something about the area was familiar to her.

"Did you see something you recognize?"

"This area—it seems like I've been here before. I'm not sure why."

Jane filed that information away for later and kept driving. A few minutes later, he pulled into a beach side lot and parked in a space near the trail that led to the beach. He walked around and opened the door for her, offering her his arm to help her walk. She didn't take it. Determined to move under her own power, she climbed out of the car, finding her legs a bit shaky after the lengthy trip.

She followed Jane down the sandy path, surrounded on both sides by palms and undergrowth. As they walked further down the trail, the vegetation thickened and the trail grew darker, until the vegetation finally opened up to dunes, and the trail ended in a boardwalk.

Jane, watching his charge carefully, noticed that she wasn't as steady on her feet as she would like for him to believe she was, and so he fell back to walk step for step beside her, content to allow her to support herself as she was able, but ready to reach out and help her if she needed it.

A few dozen feet down the boardwalk sat a bench. Jane seated himself on it, and motioned for her to sit beside him. She did so. After a moment, when he hadn't said anything, she asked, "Why did you stop here?"

"You are unsteady on your feet. We don't know what your body has been through in whatever happened. I thought you could use a rest."

"Thank you."

After a few more minutes had passed, Jane spoke again.

"Are you ready to walk further or do you want to talk here?"

"I would like to be where there are no close spaces to hide—no way that we can be overheard."

He put a hand under her elbow and helped her stand, and walked with her out to the beach.

He got her settled on the sand and seated himself beside her. Studying her for a moment, he finally spoke. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm all right." She fell silent, and sat, staring out at the water and not speaking.

Finally, Jane spoke again. "What did your colleague mean when she said that you should let me go into this with my eyes open?"

"To be honest, Mister Jane, I don't know. I didn't tell her that because I can't afford for anyone from my organization to know that my memory is compromised. I'll understand if you don't want to go in to this blind, but if you choose to do so, you have my promise that I'll do what I can to protect you when, and if, this comes to light."

"I have to ask you—that card you showed to Agent Lisbon and to me—are you saying you don't know why you have it?"

"Obviously, I seem to have some ties to an organization that would have issued that card, and it has something to do with National Security. Beyond that, no idea."

Jane searched her face for any type of deception, but he found none. She was either a very good liar or she was telling the truth. After a moment, he nodded.

"All right."

She shifted position and winced. Jane noticed and said, "Are you in pain?"

She nodded. "My head is killing me, and I seem to have injured my right knee."

"Let me see what I can do about that. Take my hand."

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I'll be all right. Answer a question for me, Mr. Jane."

He nodded.

"What can you tell me about where you found me?"

"You were found in a large house out on the outskirts of Sacramento."

"And why were you there?"

Jane hesitated for a moment, as if debating what to tell her. Finally, he said, "A man was murdered there. I was there with the CBI team to investigate."

"Yet, when I came back to myself, in the barn, you were with me. Why?"

"You were found in the same room the man who had been murdered was dragged from, showing signs of shock, and unable to talk to us. It's my job to figure out why he was murdered, and it stands to reason that you might have some information about that. I wanted to find out what you know."

"I see. You think I killed him?"

"I don't know. I'm reserving judgment until I find out what you know."

"I told you before that I have no recollection of what happened, so I don't see what information I can give you."

"The memory is there. We just need to bring it back."

"And you can help with this?"

Jane nodded.

"You need to remember what happened. I need answers about the murder. If I put you in a light trance, we may be able to solve both problems at the same time."

She was silent for a while, considering. Finally, she nodded.

Jane put a hand on her shoulder. She stiffened.

Jane spoke again, quietly, his voice close to her ear. "Close your eyes," he said, in a little more than a whisper.

She did so.

"Just relax. Breathe. Deep breath in. Feel the breath. And out. Good. Again."

She was visibly starting to relax. "Listen to my voice. You hear no other sound but the sound of my voice."

He paused for a moment, and then continued.

"I want you to think back to a this same date a month ago. Tell me who you are."

Her mind focused in on blackness. At first, it seemed blank, but then there was a flash of an image, too quick to make out what it was…then darkness again and a light in the center of the circle, bobbing up and down through the darkness, always the same distance away. She couldn't explain why, but the light filled her with an anger that burned white hot.

Jane watched her with fascination. She still hadn't spoken a word since he put her in the trance. Suddenly, without warning, she rose and hit him hard in the jaw, knocking him down. Moving blindly, she picked up a large rock and moved over to where he lay. He watched horrified as she raised it over her head, about to bring it down on him, and then crumpled to the ground, rapidly losing consciousness. As the darkness rose to meet her, she croaked out, "Help me."

(0o0)

Lisbon hurried into the place where her consultant and the woman he was questioning were settled. She had received word that there had been an incident, and the two of them needed medical attention, and she wanted to make sure that everyone was okay. She had been out of the office, questioning a suspect in another investigation when the call came in, but Cho had set Jane and his charge up in the CBI's nearby safe house, and called a friend of his to meet them there to render medical attention.

She flashed her badge to the local police who were assisting by guarding the door, and walked inside to find Jane waiting for her, with a cup of tea in one hand and an ice pack in the other, which he held against the side of his face.

She looked at Jane with concern. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Oh, right as rain, Lisbon," he said. He gave her one of his signature Jane smiles and shifted the ice pack.

"What happened?"

"I was trying to help her remember who she is and what she knows about the murder when she suddenly attacked me."

Seeing the look on her face, he spoke up. "It wasn't her fault. Judging by the way she acted, I'd say she's been brainwashed. More than likely, the attack was a suggestion planted by whomever it was who did the brainwashing. I can help her remember, but we'll need to be careful."

"You still plan to help her? After she attacked you?"

He studied Lisbon with interest, but didn't answer.

"Why?" She asked, unable to help herself.

"Because she's going to need somebody's help, and if we don't help her, her life may be in danger. Besides, I'd rather know if she's the one who killed our murder victim, and we won't get that information if her military friend gets involved. We'll be shut out of this."

As much as Lisbon wanted to protest, she couldn't argue with what he said. It made sense. For now, she would be grateful that everyone on the team and their charge were all safe and no one was hurt seriously. She would deal with the rest later.