Matty looked at his mother, "Thanks mom. The day dad and you rescued me. It was just a regular day. We were in the dorms. I remember sitting in the corner of the dorm room. I was reading a book in my head. I saw you first. I remember thinking how pretty you were. We rarely saw any women. But then you saw me. You came over to me. I remember you calling me Alex and asking if it was me. I nodded yes. I didn't know who Alex was but I wanted to be him. We all had buzz cuts and I know I was way thinner because they did not feed us enough. The first thing you did was pull up my pant leg and look at the scar on my calf and then you hugged me.

Dad came up behind you and you turned to him and told him that it was me.
I remember dad hugged me too. Then he asked me if I wanted to get out there.
I did. More than anything.

I did not think I was Alex. But I didn't care. I liked you and dad. I wanted to escape. I didn't realize you were my real parents back then. I know that you are my real parents now. But honestly, I wasn't sure until the DNA results came back when I first came home to Arlington.

Anyway, Dad picked me up and we started to leave. But then I heard the chaos erupt outside. There was shouting, explosions and gunfire. Then a window broke and there was a little explosion. I think it was a grenade. A fire started. That's when dad looked around and none of the kids were moving.

"Alex, how do we get the kids to leave the warehouse?" Dad asked me.

I told him what orders to yell. He yelled it and the other kids started to leave the dorm. Then there was another explosion, and you fell over mom. Some shrapnel hit your leg. Dad put me down and crouched down next to you. The fire was starting to get worse in the warehouse. We were right next to the trap door for the sub-basement.

Dad picked you up. The fire was getting really bad. "Put me down there, Lee. Just come back for me later. Get our baby to safety. All that matters is getting him out of here. Worry about me later."

Dad carried you down the ladder. I followed behind. Then dad took off his jacket and he ripped off some of the fabric from the inner lining of the jacket and tied it around your leg where you were bleeding. Then he put the jacket behind your head as a makeshift pillow.

"I will come back for you once I stash Alex somewhere safe. I promise. I love you." Then he kissed you.

Dad and I then went up the ladder and back into the warehouse. The fire had gotten way worse while we were down there. He picked me up and he started running towards the entrance. We got to the doorway and there was a loud explosion. That was actually the last sound I ever heard. The shock wave from the explosion flung dad and I forward.

I remember having a face full of dirt and spitting it out. I sat up. I turned and looked at dad.

Dad looked devastated. He was on his knees just staring at the warehouse. He kept running his hands through his hair and he was rocking back and forth a little. He looked like he was about to cry. He didn't cry though. He did later but not then. I could not hear what he was saying but it looked like he was just saying "no" over and over again.

Then I moved a little and he looked at me. His face just changed. It was like he flipped a switch and turned his emotions off. He was saying something to me, but I had no idea what he was saying. He just looked me over and then picked me up and we started running away from the warehouse.

We were running through shipping crates when all the sudden we ran into Gregor. Dad pointed at a shipping crate and motioned for me to get in. I did. Dad and Gregor started fighting. I watched the fight.

Gregor only got a couple punches in on dad. Dad's face was intense. He looked so angry. Dad got the upper hand quickly and he just started beating the crap out of Gregor. Dad was still punching him even after Gregor stopped moving. Then dad took out his gun and shot Gregor in the head. Then he rifled through Gregor's pockets took out Gregor's wallet and car keys. And dad put his own wallet, keys and his ISP in Gregor's pocket. Then dad dragged Gregor's body over by the dock and threw Gregor in the Potomac.

I know seeing that should have been scary for me. It wasn't. I was glad Gregor was dead. I did not know that dad was actually my real father then. But I figured if dad could take out the scariest person in my life like that. I would be safe with him. I would follow dad anywhere.

Dad came back to the crate I was in, and he picked me up again. We ran to a parking lot and dad just started pulling on car doors until we found a car that was unlocked. We got in and dad hot-wired the car. Then he just started driving."

Matty stopped telling the story because his father walked into the hospital room. His dad smiled at him. "Hey buddy, you woke up. How are you feeling? You gave us quite the scare."

Matty smiled at his dad and said, "They gave me some really good drugs, Dad. I actually feel really good right now."

His dad looked at his mom in shock, "Amanda, did you hear that too? Did he just speak?"

His mother smiled, "Yes. He has been speaking since he woke up. He has also been telling me quite the story."

His dad grinned and came over and hugged Matty, "It is so good to hear your voice again, kid."

Notes:

Brought Lee back into the hospital room so he can help Matty tell the rest of the story. It makes it easier because Matty could not read lips back then.

Next chapter: Lee & Matty go on the run.