Matty ran upstairs to his parent's bedroom. He tapped on his dad's forehead, "Wake up dad, It's important.'

His dad groaned, "Five more minutes, Amanda... Matty? What's wrong? What time is it?"

"It's almost 7PM. Leann just came home. Come quick. Something is wrong. Karbala tried to take her. Mom sent me up here to wake you up."

His dad shot right up out of bed, "What? God damn it. Jenkins was supposed to be following her. Is she alright?"

Matty spoke, "I don't know. I didn't really hear the story. Mom sent me upstairs to get you before I heard exactly what happened."

His dad looked angry. "Let's go."

His dad went downstairs quickly. "I never should have agreed to having the freshman agents guarding you kids this weekend." he grumbled under his breath.

Leann saw their dad and ran over and hugged him, "Daddy, they tried to grab me. There were two guys. They weren't speaking English. They didn't expect me to fight back. I got one of the guys pretty good. But I'm pretty sure they actually wanted Matty. They weren't speaking English They kept talking about Alexander and Scarecrow mixed in with whatever language they were speaking."

His dad grabbed her and looked her over, "Did they hurt you? Why on Earth did you walk home from Phillip's by yourself? You should have called home. Had one of us pick you up. Where was Jenkins? He's supposed to be watching you?"

Leann was upset and started crying, "I don't know, Daddy. We don't usually see the guys trailing us. I'm sorry Daddy. I've walked home from Phillip's a million times. He's only a couple streets over. I'm sorry."

His Dad hugged her. "I'm sorry too, Junior. You kids should not have to worry about stuff like this. I want you kids to go back to the basement. Amanda call Irene. Make sure nobody went after her and the grand kids. After that call Phillip. Have him arrange an agency escort to bring Irene and the grand kids back over here."

Jamie interjected, "Mom, when you call Irene can you ask her to bring my bag and squishy pillow when she comes?"

His mother nodded, "How about you call her from your cell phone and tell her what's going on while I call Phillip."

Jamie nodded. He pulled out his cell phone and walked away. Matty felt helpless. He looked at his Dad.
"What can I do to help?" Matty said.

His Dad looked at him. "Stick with your sister. You two together are a lot harder to take. All those martial arts you both have been learning. It sounds like it worked tonight."

Leann spoke, "It really did. The guy that grabbed me. I think I compromised his ability to ever have children."

His dad smiled at her and ruffled her hair, "That's my girl. Your mother and I are going to go to the Agency. Jamie and Irene will take care of you kids."

Matty felt so helpless. He did not want to be the one that had to hide all the time. He wanted to fight back They hurt his sister. He was willing to do anything.

Matty looked at his dad, "Can I help with research or anything? I'm not a little kid anymore dad. I can help."

His dad looked at him, "Matty, please just stay in the basement. Let me make sure your safe. They want to hurt me. But you are the one they want the most. Leann they would just sell. But you, they think they can turn into a high priced mercenary. I think Birol wants you to be the one that kills us all. "

Matty spoke, "I wouldn't. I could never hurt any of you. The brainwashing doesn't work right on me because I have an eidetic memory."

His mother piped in, "Phillip is arranging everything. Matty, they know about your eidetic memory now. They've adjusted their brainwashing techniques just for you. They want you very badly. They want to capture you first. Train you. Then capture your daddy and have him watch as he kills all of us. And then they are going to have you kill your daddy."

Matty looked at them. "I would never do that. I don't care what they do to me. I wouldn't. I'll kill myself first before I hurt any of you."

His mother grabbed him, "Nobody is going to touch you. Alright? It won't come to that. I am going with your daddy to the agency. We won't rest until you kids are safe. Mother's line was busy. Matty, go run over to the loft really quick and get your grandmother. Have her come into the house."

Matty nodded and went outside to the yard. A man stepped out of the shadows. A very familiar man he hadn't seen in over ten years, but he looked exactly the same. It was Lazlo.

He had a gun. "I have not seen you before. You are the ex-husband's son, yes? I guess you'll do as a message. Is Alexander in the house?"

How could Lazlo not recognize him? Matty then realized that Lazlo had not seen him in ten years. He decided to play along.

Matty looked at him and lied, "Yes, Alex is in the house. So is my Uncle Lee. This place is surrounded by the agency."

Lazlo scoffed, "I took care of the agents watching the house. Now I am going to take care of you."

Lazlo took out a gun and he aimed at Matty. Matty thought fast and dove out of the way as the gunshot rang out.
Then Matty got up and tackled Lazlo. Matty straddled Lazlo and started beating on him. All the pain that this man had inflicted on him and his family. All the hurt. Robbing Matty of his childhood. Matty let all of his anger out on Lazlo's face.

All of the sudden he felt arms grab and try to pull him off of Lazlo. He was about to flip this new attacker on his back. But Matty stopped as soon as he realized it was his father.

Matty was breathing hard, "Uncle Lee, he tried to kill me. He's after Alex."

Matty got out of his dad's arms and kicked Lazlo in the side one more time. He wasn't five years old anymore. He turned around had a conversation with his father with his eyes. He hoped his dad would catch on that they had no clue he was Alexander Stetson.

His dad seemed to understand and in a voice that was beyond anger said, "Go into the house, Joey. I'll take care of this son of a bitch. Just like I took care of his buddy."

Lazlo looked at his father, "I am just one of many, Scarecrow. We are coming for your son. We will not stop until you watch every member of your family die by your son's hands."

His dad took his gun and put it in the center of Lazlo's forehead and cocked the trigger.

But his father didn't shoot. A slew of agency cars pulled up to the house. Matty watched his father. He had never seen is father's eyes so full of hatred before. Matty was pretty sure had the agency cars not pulled up. His father would have shot Lazlo right between his eyes.

His father looked at the agents that were surrounding them, "Get this son of a bitch out of my face before I tear him from limb to limb!"

The agents brought Lazlo to his feet. Lazlo groaned in pain.

His dad looked at over at Matty and yelled, "Get in the house. Now!"

Matty nodded and went inside. His mother grabbed him as soon as he walked in the door and looked him over, "Are you alright? That gunshot. God I wasn't thinking when I sent you to get your grandmother. It's just across the driveway."

Matty spoke, "I'm fine, Mom. I dove away from it and the bullet missed me. They are arresting Lazlo now. I wanted to kill him, Mom. I think I might have if Dad hadn't come out. Lazlo didn't recognize me. He thinks I'm Joey for some reason."

His mother said, "They think your deaf and don't speak. They probably don't know about the surgery. You had that growth spurt over the summer and grew about a foot. That was very smart going with that."

Matty spoke, "Jimmy's five. They probably won't mistake him for me. But he should have extra protection too. What about my friend Jeff? He was at the house today. If they were watching the house. I haven't really left the house at all in a few days because I've been sick. We need to make sure Jeff has protection as well."

His mother nodded, "That's no problem. We will send agents to Jeff's house. Now go in the basement with the other kids, sweet boy."

Just then the door opened and a couple of agents in suits came in with his grandmother.

His Grandmother looked at his mother "Amanda dear, What on Earth is going on? I was on the phone with Lillian. When I heard all that ruckus in the driveway. Was that a gunshot I heard?"

Jamie took his grandmother's arm and took her to the basement door. "Come on, Grandma. Let's go downstairs. I'll explain everything."

Jamie and his grandmother went down the basement stairs.

His mother looked at Matty, "Go downstairs with them."

Matty looked at his mom, "No. Mom, take me to the Agency. I can help. I know Lazlo. He was Gregor's right-hand man. I can help. Let me. Please. I'll be just as safe in the agency with you and dad as the basement. Probably even safer in a building full of agents."

His mother looked at him and touched his face, "You aren't fully recovered yet."

Matty looked at her, "Mom, I'm fine now. I finished the last of the pills yesterday. Please mom? I want to help. I need to help. I don't want to feel helpless anymore. I want to help."

His mother sighed, "Let me talk to your father. I don't know."

His father came in the house. "Ok. They are taking Lazlo back to the agency. Irene and the grand kids are en route. Let's say goodbye to the kids and go. Matty, why are you still upstairs?"

His mother spoke, "Matty wants to come with us."

His dad put his hand on Matty's shoulder, "No. Sorry kid. It's too dangerous. You aren't leaving this house again until your at least thirty."

Matty looked at him, "Dad, I can help. I'll be just as safe at the agency with you and Mom. I know Lazlo."

His dad sighed, "He didn't recognize you. He thought you were Joey. That was quick thinking going along with that."

Matty spoke, "I know. That's why he was just going to kill me. Look he doesn't need to see me. I can help with research. I can give you information on him. I know how he thinks. I can look through the pictures of known Karbala operatives that are currently in the dad. You know I can help."

His dad ran his hand through his hair, "Fine. But you do everything your mother and I say. No wandering off."

Matty nodded, "Yeah, I promise. I'll stay wherever you want me to. I won't wander off. I mean when I do that it's usually either to see Stamps or Leatherneck. Or to get ice cream from Dr Pfaff. But I know how serious this situation is. I'll stay with you, Mom, or Phillip at all times. I promise."

His dad spoke, "I'm having agents take you home if you get sick or if there's more trouble."

His mother spoke, "Let me just tell them downstairs and we'll go."

His mother disappeared down the basement stairs. Then his dad looked at him, "Don't make me regret this, kid."

Matty smiled, "I won't. I promise."

His dad nodded and grabbed him and hugged him.

His mother came back upstairs. "Ok are you two ready? Let's get going."

Notes:

Finally Matty is getting out of the house and gets to be a part of the action.

Next chapter - Matty helps with research. Lazlo gets interrogated.