A few days before graduation, George Sorenson called his youngest son and Julien to the main Makyhira office building. Marlene and Allie refused to be without a Penguin around, so Kowalski and Private stayed behind while Rico went to the building. He stayed downstairs, chatting about security details with Clover and a slightly nervous looking man named Ted.

An even more nervous twenty year old was waiting by the office when George and the teens arrived.

"U-um do you have an appointment?" The man asked, twirling a fidget cube in his hands.

"Yes, Claire's expecting her son and two Sorensons."

"O-oh, you're Julien!" The man nervously glanced at Julien, then hastily grabbed a clipboard and gave it to them. "Sign in there." George made no comment on the man's behavior as he did so. Skipper opted to ignore that too.

Julien, however, was one to ask questions bluntly without thinking first.

"Why are you all neurotic?"

The man spluttered incoherently, turning pink.

"Julien?" Claire had come out of her office. "Ah, the three of you are here. Willie, take a moment and collect yourself."

Willie whimpered, nodded, and sat down quickly, burying himself in random papers.

"Sorry." Julien said.

"He'll be fine. He's a relatively new hire as well as Ted. Willie's grandfather, the previous secretary, retired after your father passed and recommended his great nephew. He can do his work when focused."

Claire had them enter her office, George shut the door behind him. She sat behind the desk as the other three sat in chairs set out for them.

"I was surprised when you requested me to be present." Claire asked. "I won't be in charge much longer."

"It's mainly for our sons, but I thought you should hear it because this concerns something your husband never told either of you as per my request." George began. "I am deeply grateful that he honored that. We were roughly nineteen and he saved my life."

"Was it a classified mission?" Skipper asked.

"No, the organization wasn't quite what it is now."

"I thought it started because-do the agents not know or do they like not telling us?"

"Our goals changed over the years, so current quarries get primary focus depending on threat level. The organization is actually around seventy years old, forming in 1946. It came about after World War Two when people were concerned about spies, but didn't like how the government was handling certain aspects and treating people, so they rescued who they could and asked if they wanted to be placed in a safe village. Some saw it as exactly the same and some accepted and appreciated it.

"Resources were not abundant, so they had to make do with what they had. Comfort, stability, and life were focused on. They were always free to leave and there were those who did, but most stayed. We've gone through our ups and downs as an organization. You used to have to be twenty-one to join, but I had an old friend from my military school who wanted me to join when I was eighteen. She was already old enough, in it, and the granddaughter of the man who formed this organization."

"Oh." Skipper seemed to have understood something, but didn't voice it.

"What will this have to do with Skipper besides that he is your son?" Julien asked.

"He and his three friends are part of a newer group called the teen division, which started maybe thirteen years ago." George answered. "My children are all involved in some way of their own volition."

"Volley what?"

"Their decision, not mine."

Julien nodded. "Was my dad part of the organization?"

"No, and I never told a soul that my first mission nearly ended in disaster. If not for your father, I wouldn't have had my family and my girlfriend would have been devastated."

"What happened?"

"An ocean expedition gone terribly wrong. This takes place in September 1985, about three years before my eldest son was born."

...

September 1985

"Do you have a fear of the ocean, Sorenson?" General Greenberg, George's commanding officer, asked.

"Slightly, sir." The young man responded, standing stock still at attention.

"At ease." George relaxed slightly. "Would it prevent you from a mission?"

"No, sir. What's the mission?"

"You will be joining a crew in search of the RMS Titanic."

"May I ask why such a mission is required?"

"We have intel that someone may attempt sabotage of the search. We would ordinarily tell the people involved and let it go from there, however, circumstances require us to send an agent out. A very important man by the name of Julien Makyhira is aboard this ship. Your mission is to protect him."

"Who is he, sir?"

"Not many know, just a man who was born into wealth and chooses to spend it on projects he cares for. He wanted to personally oversee where a large portion of his money has gone. We must not dwell on conversations; do you accept the mission?"

"Yes, sir."

...

George found himself staring out to sea, thinking of his girlfriend's face. Sapphire had been sad, but supportive. She knew he always wanted to do the right thing and follow his gut feeling, which he was...mostly.

His gut was currently churning as he tried not to think about it. He looked over the edge of the ship and shuddered. He took a deep breath of the salty sea air and wanted to throw up.

"Hey, are you seasick?"

George turned to see Julien Makyhira, whom he'd been assigned to guard. They met briefly several hours ago in the early morning, Julien unaware of George's mission.

"No, just a bit uncomfortable. Pardon, you don't sound French."

Julien laughed. "No, I suppose I don't. I have French lineage, hence my first name, and I was born in India. My family's also originally from Madagascar, which is why I appear darker than your average Indian person. George, was it?" George nodded. "Why did you come on the expedition if you're uncomfortable?"

"My boss requested me." George told him. "I can't really say too much."

"Do you dive?"

"No, I've only done it once."

"Did your boss know? I don't think it's a great idea to send an inexperienced diver on a literal dive."

"I'm just on supervision."

"Oh, okay. I've been diving for years, so I've picked up on nervous habits."

"Years? You've been deep sea diving as a minor?" George looked at him doubtfully.

Julien laughed again. "No, no, scuba diving in shallow water, gradually going further over the past six years. I've been training since I was seventeen to deep sea dive. I don't think I'll be allowed to go as far as some of them. We're just the extras, really. We got some spare equipment aboard and people ready to send an emergency signal if needed."

"I'll be fine, got an iron stomach."

"I'll believe that."

"Makyhira, over here!" They looked around to see annoyed looking man waving Julien down.

"Yeah, I'm talking to someone!" Julien called back. He turned to George, rolling his eyes. "He's my PR manager. He doesn't like when I talk to people. Anyway, where do you come from?"

"New York mainly, though I'm well traveled. Can't say I've ever heard of you before."

"My family's always been one to keep to themselves. I decided to break out of that mold. One day when I have kids, I don't want them to be scared of their past or feel like they have to hide who they are. My kid or kids are going to be free to decide their own paths."

"You got a past to be scared of?"

Julien thought about it. "Not scared, necessarily, just...secretive. The past has always been something my family wants to move on from. I don't know if I could explain it better without giving everything away. It's nothing dangerous, I'm sure of that."

"Alright, I'll take it." George shrugged.

"Is there anything I can do to take your mind off feeling bad?"

"You talking is helping. And thoughts of my girlfriend."

"What's she like?"

"Perfect." George sighed happily. "Any flaws aside, she's amazing, caring, and we're crazy for each other. Her name's Sapphire, we've been together for almost a year and I know she's the one."

"I wish I could meet the one." Julien said. "I haven't had a serious relationship."

"Really? A guy as handsome as you?"

Julien blushed. "I'm flattered. I've had requests to date, but none of them ever felt like they were a match for me."

"Is that why you went to France?"

Julien snorted. "Yeah, my PR manager loves that idea, I'm going to France solely to pick up French girls."

"Speaking of, he's angrily walking over here."

"Hm?" Julien looked. "Oh, he's not angry...I think...y'know he makes that face for a lot of emotions so I have no idea what that face is."

"Makyhira, are you giving away sensitive information?" The annoyed man hissed.

"Yes, Sebastian, this guy I just met has all my credit information."

George laughed.

"That's not funny!" Sebastian snapped.

"Lighten up, we're the cleanup crew basically, why not chat? And you're not my age so I found someone my age to talk to...how old are you?" Julien asked George.

"Nineteen. You?" George responded.

"Same, almost twenty." Julien turned his attention back to the frustrated man. "And I've told you a million times to call me Julien."

"It's unprofessional of an upstanding man like yourself." Sebastian scowled.

"Upstanding? I really haven't done much." Julien said. "My parents said what I choose to do with the family fortune is my decision. They took their part and let me be an adult."

"I'm here to make sure you remain acting like an adult."

"I may be one, but I'm also a teenager and I want to hang out with another teenager."

"But-"

"No, buts, Sebastian." Julien said firmly. "Now, go see if that annoying reporter will leave me alone and focus on the job she's supposed to be doing."

"I hired her to be an extra reporter for your side of the story-"

"Without my permission."

"I had to make sure-"

"Your sister has a job?"

Sebastian spluttered unintelligibly.

"Yeah, I know she's your sister. You hired someone with no nautical experience to come aboard the boat so she can hold a camera. She's been throwing up and the last time she tried to interview me, I could smell her breath from five feet away. You might want to get her seen by someone."

"But there are other reporters..."

"Two. They were picked specifically because they had experiences on a boat. I've asked them."

"You spoke to reporters without me?"

"They don't really know who I am and their job is the dive, not me."

Sebastian had no response. Julien shrugged and gestured for George to follow him. They went to look at the equipment. A tech specialist was happy to answer any questions they had.

Once the dive started, Julien was approached by a worried looking captain.

"No one's in trouble, we just have rigging issues. We were testing out the durability and we've gotten ourselves stuck on something. We need someone to go down there. No one else on this boat has the diving experience that you do, Mr. Makyhira."

"How far?" George asked.

"Our problem is at about thirty meters."

"A hundred feet?"

The captain nodded. "That's what my rig specialist told me. It may be further, but I don't want you more than that."

"Alright, I'll gear up." Julien said.

"I'll do it. It's not that far." George said. "I have a feeling that you shouldn't do it."

"I'll be fine. I've done this before."

"Then I'm going with you."

Julien nodded, knowing George wasn't going to change his mind.

They put on suits and the oxygen tanks were being prepped. George swapped the tanks as Julien was putting his goggles on. The captain looked at him curiously, but George shook his head.

"Ready?" Julien asked once they were ready.

"My specialist was concerned about how much oxygen was in your tank." The captain told Julien. "I tested the tanks this morning as I usually do and they were fine."

"Oh? I should hold on?"

"May I do one more test? He wasn't insistent, but I wouldn't be a good captain if I didn't check."

"You can start, it shouldn't take too long." Julien told George. "His is safe, right?" He asked the captain.

"Yes, he said he marked the one he was concerned about, but I noticed your friend took the one closer to you."

George's slowed heart rate didn't have time to skip a beat, but the nasty feeling increased. He'd wiped the mark off his tank.

"George?"

He took a breath and dove. The water was cold, but he took the air in through his tank. The deeper he went, the more he tasted salt and felt like he was breathing through a straw. He found the line that was snared in kelp. There were no markers to tell how deep he went. His headlight didn't give him as much as the search team's.

The air started tasting extra funny and his vision blurred. He grabbed the line and pulled up.

Nope, it was stuck. He used it to go deeper, seeing a shiny metal claw. It was clenched on a rock and looked odd. He studied the mechanism. It was crooked. Broken. He yanked it and the cable snapped. He tugged down, hoping to get someone's attention. He decided to use it to climb back up.

The cable shook as he used it to climb, pretending he was back at school, climbing ropes and everything else his commanding officers had him climb. At one point he saw his siblings and himself playing pirates.

Roxanne chased him up the treehouse and his heart had been racing as he climbed up. Delighted shrieks and giggles echoed in his ears. His other older sister and his brothers would always make him be the one to 'swab the poop deck', mainly because they wanted to say the word poop without getting into trouble.

He heard young Roxanne yelling that she was going to capture him. He would respond she could never catch him. He was the best rope climber ever. He pulled himself up and kicked, trying to keep calm. His child self would have a difficult time with the calm part. The child was having too much fun and the adrenaline was pushing him to get away. The rope burned sometimes but he always made it up to the safe ground where she couldn't get him. Then the rope snapped.

Wait, no. The treehouse stayed intact until Trent accidentally set off a firecracker last year.

The loose cable started coming down around him. He pulled, but felt no resistance. Were they giving him slack? No, this was too much and why would they give him more when he was so far down? He kicked furiously, thinking the cable would be too far from him.

He felt something wrap around his leg. He shakily took out his knife and starting cutting. It was kelp and cable. How far was he? He was panicking, his heart rate increasing and his breathing quickening. He was dizzy, but ignoring it.

That is until he inhaled salt water. He coughed and tried to hold onto whatever oxygen was left. The tube had snapped off. He had a feeling that the other tubes had been scratched too. His body was freaking out. He slashed his knife at the cable and plant and kicked. Why wasn't this working?

He looked up, the faint sunlight was mocking him. And now there was a shark. Maybe. It was a shadow coming towards him. He looked down and realized he'd cut his suit and nicked himself. It wasn't deep, but it was probably enough for a shark.

George shakily cut himself free. His head was hurting and he felt the water pressure getting to him. The shadow descended upon him. He clenched his fists, knife in hand.

But he couldn't move. He was running out of the minimal air he got. His lungs started burning, his chest was straining from lack of oxygen. He felt like his organs were screaming at him.

BREATHE!

BREATHE!

Why not? He was about to be shark bait in...wait...that shark was awfully small. And had webbed feet, gloved hands, and a light. He blearily looked at it.

The diver grabbed his tank to stop him from sinking. He took the mouthpiece out of his mouth and let go of the tank to grab George's mouthpiece. Instinctively, George tried to stop him, but the diver yanked it out and shoved the new mouthpiece in.

Still reeling from the salt water intrusion, he breathed in the fresh oxygen, feeling the rattling through his chest. His vision started to clear slightly, though his head still buzzed. The two of them slowly started swimming back up. They stopped several times so the diver could take in some air.

George kept wanting to cough, but was trying his best to resist. That is until they ten feet from the surface and the diver, who he now recognized as Julien, took a breath. George coughed, accidentally inhaled, and felt pain like no other he'd experienced. His lungs were screaming again. He didn't feel the mouthpiece, just saw lights popping and the world going darker.

The next thing he knew, he felt someone doing compressions a second before he coughed and spluttered, expelling the seawater from his lungs. A rattling noise indicated it wasn't all gone, but he could breathe even if was just barely. Julien's terrified face came into focus.

George's ears were filled with the rushing of blood as his heart pounded furiously. He thought he heard a faint "Oh god..."

"George?"

George could only groan weakly. He passed out again.

When he woke, it was to the most terrible migraine and chest pain he'd ever had. He realized he wasn't in his suit and an IV drip in his arm. He was confused until he realized he was in an actual hospital room and not on the ship.

The door opened and his dad came in, relief washed over his face at the sight of his son. He explained that Julien had rescued him from over a hundred feet down.

"I don't want to lose anyone else for a long time, George." The man said. "Not when your mother's dying and I can't even explain what's going on with you. Not while I'm still alive."

"I'm...sorry..."

He sighed and shook his head. "Don't be. Julien told me someone sabotaged the tank. He called your commanding officer somehow and was told you'd been sent to protect him."

"Julien?"

"He's outside. Sapphire and I wanted to see you first. She's almost-"

The door opened and Sapphire ran in. Julien sheepishly waited at the door. Sapphire threw her arms around her boyfriend and sobbed.

"I'm sorry." George repeated weakly. "S-Sapphire...I'm okay...I swear..."

"No, you're not." Sapphire said. "Why didn't you tell me you'd actually be diving? Or your family?"

"You'd be worried."

"No duh. But we could have given you advice like 'don't go diving if you think your tank's been sabotaged'."

"It was the rigging guy, they caught him. They think he was trying to kill me and start up international conflicts or something." Julien said. "I guess he got wind of me being well known. I talked with your boss. He told me not to say anything so I won't."

"Thanks." George said.

The doctor came by later to tell them to give his patient rest. George was told they had to perform a procedure called thoracentesis to drain the liquid from his lungs. The teen was told he almost had heart failure form all the strain. He was on a strict schedule to exercise his lungs and take care of his body.

George and Sapphire had Chris three years later. He'd been conceived after Sapphire wanted to celebrate her university graduation and the two of them got carried away when everyone else left.

They waited until Chris was six months old to get married. They loved the pictures with him in it and Roxy loved watching him when they needed time to themselves. Julien was invited to the wedding. George was surprised to see him with a girlfriend, then again, the two hadn't seen each other in a few years and Julien had asked if he could bring a plus one. They'd communicated a lot, but nothing in person as they were both busy men.

Claire and Sapphire got along well. They both remarked how happy the two men looked at reuniting. Sapphire had asked her husband later if Claire knew and George said probably not since Julien said he wouldn't tell a soul.

Julien would send a present every time George said he was having a kid. What semi surprised him was that the two of them were having sons at the same time. George said this was his last kid while Julien was going to be a first time father.

George had gone to Claire and Julien's wedding. Their wild children and being between babysitters didn't allow for Sapphire to attend with him. That and Rocky was just a few weeks old. Roxanne came by to help while George went. George admitted to his wife later that he got strange feelings from some of Julien's associates who came to the wedding. He didn't entirely like the company Julien was keeping.

He put the feelings away when the family was moved to Madagascar and he was stationed close to where the Makyhira family lived. The Sorensons weren't there that long and George blamed himself for how the friendship ended.

Julien had just made an investment in a sketchy sounding stock. George entered his office to see the tired looking man signing papers.

"George, my old friend! How's it going?"

George returned the sincere smile with one that didn't reach his own eyes. Julien's smile faltered.

"What's the matter?"

"Do you know the person you're giving your money to?" George said, getting to the point.

"I-huh? Do you? Are they a bad guy?"

"I won't pretend to confirm they are. However, I don't have a good feeling about the people you've been meeting with."

"One of them is my brother, I trust him."

"Your...brother?" George frowned. Every bit of information he'd gained about Dom Makyhira over the years wasn't much, but it was enough to be suspicious. "Why do you think he knows more than you or I do about these things?"

"He's older than me, he's taken university courses that are too difficult for me. He's smart and strategic."

"And cold and calculating."

Julien raised a brow. "I don't appreciate the insult to my brother." He said, his jaw set.

"I'm sorry, I have to tell you the truth. As your friend-"

"I don't tell you who to trust. I don't say anything about your friends or the organization. I kept my mouth shut and I trust you, but...I trust my brother too."

"Julien-"

"I understand my associates aren't the type to outwardly be personable, but they aren't nefarious."

"All I'm saying is be careful."

"It sounds like you're saying trust no one, not even my brother. Do I say the same for you? Extend it to your siblings and Sapphire?"

"Don't bring Sapphire into this."

"Don't bring my brother into this."

The two of them glared at each other. Julien shakily inhaled and turned around, breaking eye contact first.

"I think you should leave." Julien said, his voice strained.

"Goodbye, then." George said. He turned and left, hearing a soft 'goodbye' before closing the door.

The Sorenson family moved around until Skipper was ten and decided to stay in town. Skipper ignored everyone who talked to him and was withdrawn. Julien Jr, who was in a different class, was trying to be his friend as they were both new kids.

Julien Jr asked Marlene about Skipper and was told as much as she knew. He told his father, wondering if he could get his dad to call Skipper's parents to ask if the kid was okay. Julien Sr was surprised to hear the name Sorenson.

Julien Sr poked around a bit and found out that Skipper was indeed George and Sapphire's youngest son.

George had known from Skipper's first day that the Makyhira family was in New York and searched around for his office. Once he'd had his talk with his son, he ventured into the office on a school day.

The secretary almost didn't let George in, but Julien told him to cancel the next meeting and invited George in. Julien seemed as chipper as they'd known each other. It almost was like their last fight never happened...almost. There was still a certain awkwardness in the air.

"So, our sons are in the same school." Julien started.

"You didn't plan that, did you?" George asked.

"No, I honestly didn't know you'd come back to the city."

"Why did you come?" It came out a bit harsher than he wanted.

"Fresh scenery, my company expanded, and Claire always wanted to live in America."

"Did Dom suggest it?"

"George." Julien said sternly. "Let's not rehash that, please. For the sake of our kids."

"Fine."

"Julien tells me Skipper seems downcast."

"He had a difficult time leaving. He is a ten year old after all."

"Ah. Is there anything we can do to help? JJ would be more than happy to make friends with him."

"He just needs time." George said.

"Well, alright."

"I suppose I'll see you around."

"See you around, George."

They saw each other here and there, mostly focusing on their kids. The last time George and Julien met face to face was at the party where the boys discovered that Clemson was a spy. The two men walked the garden after everyone had dispersed and the boys were helping clean up.

"I should have trusted my gut." Julien sighed. "I knew there was something about him that seemed off. I don't know how to address it."

"Withdraw your support for the project." George stated. "Our main enemy wants to disperse my son's team. He targeted two of my sons, attempted to abduct my daughter, and would go after the others."

"They're a team? I thought you said you were a special case."

"I was until Blowhole came along and started recruiting teens. So we recruited mainly sixteen and up. However, one of our agents decided to jump the gun and get my fourteen year old son and his fifteen and twelve year old roommates. This was prior to Rico's sixteenth birthday."

"Ah. Does Julien know much?"

"Skipper said Julien suspected they were teen detectives and they're rolling with that."

"Do you know much of this Josie girl my son talks about?"

"Not really, she seems nice from what I've heard."

"He hasn't stopped talking about her. I think I'll let him go to her place sometime this summer, he could use a change of scenery. Thank you for telling me about Mikayla in advance so I could plan. We've had inquiries from a man claiming to be a relative, but we've stopped him from contacting her. I'm glad we had the window of time to prep anything for when she showed up again."

George nodded. The two of them were heading back towards the house when Julien stopped.

"George...I think you might be right...about Dom..." Julien looked troubled. "He hasn't been quite right. He was advocating this project, I think even working with Clemson. And he's been arguing with Claire over small things...hmm. I have another reason to send Julien out for a little while this summer. I don't want him involved."

"He'd love that. But you know, he's smarter than anyone gives him credit for. He'll figure it out."

Julien shook his head. "I can't let him or Claire get hurt."

"Julien, promise me you'll be careful." George said. "I don't know what's coming, but I know it'll be dangerous. Please promise you'll be smart about this. I know he's your brother and you don't want to think the worst of any family member, but...be smart."

"I promise."