"That is the actual place Daisy is being kept," Jonathan said, indicating a point on the computer screen. "These are the plans for the building she is in," he looked at a third screen, "this is the plan of the floor she is being kept on."

"You got everything correct," Calla chuckled, "what is tripping you up?"

"The area," Jonathan frowned, "look at the areas in which the address, building and actual location are in."

Kyle stopped next to Jonathan, "Two have similar layouts, but the third … is either at a different angle or it's being scrambled, or it's an entirely different area."

"Go with the scrambled," Tina said from where she stood, her arms crossed over her chest, staring unblinkingly at the screens.

"That doesn't make sense," Trevet shook his head, "why would two areas be the same with the third scrambled?"

"If I had a place to hide a pawn or a hideout, or perhaps people willing to do anything I say for a price," Tina sighed. "I wouldn't worry about the street or the area, but the actual location … that would be worth scrambling. Keep whoever looks running in circles."

"But, all those systems should have gone down when Darcia died," Trevet said, rising from the table, "why would it be running now?"

"Excellent question and there could be many different reasons," Tina nodded, "it could still mean it's scrambled."

"I don't agree ..." Trevet said, leaning on the table, "everything that was scrambled was linked to Darcia and has gone down. We need to look at a different reason."

"It doesn't mean this scrambler was linked to Darcia," Tina said, "it's worth looking into."

"That doesn't hold to Darcia's way of doing things," Trevet said.

"Perhaps not, but is there anything Darcia has done that has any pattern?" Tina asked, meeting his furious gaze.

"I do not agree ..." Trevet said.

"She says it's probably scrambled," Craig said, cutting across the other man's words, "then it is something to look into."

Silence met his outburst, "Anyone else going to argue the possibility?"

A few heads shook while others silently returned to work.

"Kyle, look at this," Calla called, drawing everyone else's attention to the screen.

"Thank you," Tina murmured as Craig stopped next to her, "I appreciate your vote of confidence."

"You have a valid point and idea," Craig shrugged, "Trevet shouldn't have pushed the argument that far."

"He probably felt I didn't know what I was talking about," Tina looked sideways at Craig, "I am a civilian."

"You may be," he nodded, "but you have solid instincts."

"Are you going on patrols?" Tina looked down at his fatigues and gear dripping around his waist and shoulders.

"Someone has to do the job," he smiled tightly, "we need to talk, but now is not the time."

"Will it be on your mind while you're out there?" Tina whispered.

"Probably, but I don't usually allow my emotions to intrude while I'm out there," he sighed, "this may be a first, but I'll make sure I come back."

"Then we'll have to make sure you have a focused mind," Tina turned to face him, "I would like to get to know you, I'm not sure about the fifty years, and you will have to explain just what you expect. The next time you assume something without letting me say anything or at least asking what I am thinking or feeling, you may not live to regret it."

"Wow," Craig's eyebrows rose, "I left the conversation too early, didn't I?"

"I don't think I'd say that was a conversation," Tina grinned, "more like one-sided information laid on the table, and everyone walks away."

The doors swished open just then, "Craig, we're waiting," Simon said, looking between the two before giving a quick nod to Tina.

"I'll be there in a minute," he said without looking away from Tina, "there is hope?"

"Yes," she nodded, "be careful and come back alive. We have a lot to talk about."

Craig smiled and then nodded before heading toward the door. Tina watched as he walked to the departure point with Simon and sighed.

"Nice way of making amends," Calla said, startling Tina, "boy, you are off somewhere else."

"What?" Tina shook her head.

"Craig's way of opening communications between the two of you," Calla said, "the man knows a thing or two."

"Calla," Tina sighed, "we're talking, yes, I got to answer his questions, and we'll talk when he gets back."

"Then, why are you worried?" Calla asked.

"It's one thing knowing how you feel about someone, but when you see a little of what they feel, and there is hope ..." Tina shook her head, "it makes you want more."

"You'll get more," Calla whispered, "he will come home, and you two will have more of everything you want."

"I hope so; he has chosen a perilous line of work. I cannot even join him out there," Tin shook her head, "I'm ... too normal."

"Perhaps that is what he needs," Calla smiled, "everything in his world is abnormal. You may be the one thing that reminds him of what he loves about being alive."

"Thanks, Calla," Tina smiled, "what did you find?"

"Kyle is working on the unscrambling," Calla nodded to Trevet, "wonder what his problem is?"

"No idea," Tina sighed, "he seems more edgy than usual."

"I would be," Cara said, joining the two women, "he had a run-in with Tania. Some harsh truths were shared, and she basically handed him his ass."

"That could definitely have something to do with his bad mood," Tina nodded, "then why take it out on me?"

"You're the easiest target we have," Cara said, "the rest of us girls will hand him a beating. You're… normal."

"Great," Tina rolled her eyes, " this will be the first time in my life I wished I was not normal."

"Normal is something we all wish we could be," Cara said, her expression becoming serious, "don't knock it."

"Hey, I got something," Kyle called, "you were right, Tina. It's an automatic scrambler. It doesn't matter if Darcia is alive or dead; it continues."

"Can you break the code?" Cara asked.

"It scrambles every twenty seconds," Kyle said, frustration lacing his words, "every time I'm close … there it goes again."

"Let me try," Trevet said, rising from the table, "perhaps I can tap into the algorithm and get a feel for it or some control."

Trevet moved to the keyboard. Calla and Tina glanced at each other with raised eyebrows.

"Maybe all he needs is to feel wanted," Cara murmured.

"You may be right," Tina sighed, "something we all need."

The constant beeping hurt her ears. Heavy arms prevented her from touching the head resting on her bed.

Why can I not wake up? Why can I not open my eyes?

The thought filtered through and out of her; they seemed to ooze from her pores. Gripping the hand that she still held, anchoring her to reality and life. She tried once more to wake up. Something was stopping her.

The sound of the door whooshing open came to her sensitive hearing. She felt Jesse stir next to her.

"What are you doing here?" Jesse's voice sounded angry, cautious and wary.

"She's trying to wake up," a woman's voice spoke, one Valencia didn't recognise.

"Don't touch her," Jesse snarled.

Valencia gripped his hand harder, felt him wince but needed him to stay next to her.

"Please," the unknown voice pleaded, "let me help her."

"What's going on?" Hana's voice queried.

"She came in here saying she wanted to help Valencia wake up," Jesse said, "I don't believe her."

"Can you help her wake up?" Hana asked.

"I heard her questions," the unknown voice said, "she is trying to wake up. She cannot understand why she won't wake up."

"What do you need to do?" Hana asked.

"I think somehow I'm linked to her," the unknown voice spoke with determination, "please, let me help her."

"Answer my question," Hana said evenly.

Valencia had heard that voice. Nothing would happen if the question was not answered.

You have to answer the question with honesty.

"Oh my," a soft gasp came from the unknown voice, "okay, I need to find the mental connection," she said, "I put my hands on either side of her head and find the connection, disable it, and she'll wake up."

"How come you didn't do this before?" Jesse asked, anger heavy in his voice.

"I didn't know about this before," the woman said, "have you heard her voice again?"

"No," Jesse said, "but that is not unusual."

"Please believe me when I say this is what I sense is the problem," the woman said, "please, let me help her."

"Do what you have to," Hana said, "but I'll leave you to Jesse if you make it worse."

Valencia could sense the fear and uncertainty race through the woman, but she stepped up to the side of the bed. A heat on either side of her face could be felt; the heaviness receded after a moment's hesitation. She moaned with relief. Slowly she opened her eyes to find the flaxen-haired woman standing next to her, eyes closed, breathing evenly, intensely focused. Valencia wondered if her waking had gone unnoticed.

"Stay still," the woman whispered, "I need to uproot the link. I don't like you in my head any more than I like you unconscious."

Valencia felt her toes move, her ankles rolled, her fingers flexed, and the weight on her spine lifted, leaving her in charge of her own body.

"There," the woman said, "sorry, Valencia. I really didn't want to hurt you."

"I'm awake and breathing," Valencia's husky voice whispered, "thank you for figuring out what is happening here."

"See if you can sit up," the woman moved away.

Valencia let go of Jesse's hand to push herself into a sitting position. Jesse moved to help her as Hana called Rose to get Breanna, then checked her.

"How are you feeling?" Hana asked while flashing light in Valencia's sensitive eyes.

"Hungry and in need of a cup of coffee," Valencia said, "it's nice to be awake."

"It's fantastic you're awake," Jesse whispered, slipping an arm around her shoulders and hugging her to him.

Fingers of dust played in the streaming sunlight dancing through the Tudor paned glass of the study. Breanna stood to the side, watching with fascination as the tiny particles danced across the air. Staring at the ambling garden paths opening up onto an expanse of well-kept forest green lawn outside the window, the splashes of colour rose from flower beds and birds. Beauty for the soul.

The opening of the study door brought her pondering mind to the current matters. Breanna smiled as David closed the door and crossed the space between them.

"Wondered where you were hiding," he said, slipping his arms around and kissing the top of her head.

She leant against him. It was good to have someone like him on her side. Sliding her arms around his waist, she sighed.

"Thanks for looking for me," she whispered, "just needed space to think."

"A lot is going on," his voice rumbled, "why do you need to hide to think?"

"I need to process," Breanna said.

"Talk to me," David walked her to the couch, "maybe just having someone to listen will help."

"Darcia has gone, but there are still her fanatics out there," Breanna sighed, "then we have all these newbies appearing from heaven knows where."

"Did Michael report more sightings?"

Breanna nodded, "Ten."

"Damn," David leaned back against the cushions, "that is a few. All military?"

"That's where he is now," Breanna said, "he's finding out. Don't forget the new arrival. I still need to talk to her. Don't forget the tension between Tania and Trevet. Never mind what is happening between Craig and Tina."

"What have budding romances got to do with anything?" David frowned.

"They have to work together. We need to keep everyone's mind focused," Breanna pointed out, "we already have Valencia and Jesse out of commission."

"How are they doing?" David asked.

"Last I heard, Valencia is recouping her energy and strength, and Jesse has learnt to do most things with one hand," Breanna smiled. "Hana says the only time Valencia is distressed is when Jesse goes to his quarters to shower or uses the bathroom in the infirmary."

"A lot on your mind right now," David murmured, "never mind what is happening between us."

Breanna blushed, "I'm glad you decided to stay with the team."

"I didn't decide to stay with the team," David said, "I decided to stay with you."

Breanna swallowed hard as tears filled her eyes, "Thank you."

"Come here," he pulled her against his side pushing his fingers through her shoulder-length luscious brown hair. Lifting her face to his, he gently brushed his lips against hers.

Breanna ran her hand up David's chest as their sweetly intoxicating lips caressed. Her hand wrapped around his neck as his slow, bone-melting kiss moved from lips to eyelids across cheekbones and back to her lips. Ever since the Summit, they stole moments like this. It reminded Breanna of an overly careful lover, not pushing but wanting and yet still giving her space to run if she wanted to.

Sighing as he ended the sweet kiss Breanna realised she wanted more. She didn't want to run. She wanted more with David.

Taking a breath, she opened her eyes to meet his heated gaze.

"David ..." a knock on the door interrupted her as it opened.

"Sorry to interrupt, Breanna, but Hana needs you in the infirmary," Rose said, flushing with embarrassment and clearing her throat.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Breanna sighed. Giving a nod of acknowledgement, she moved away from David. Stood and followed Rose from the room.

"What is happening in the infirmary?" Breanna asked.

"You'll see," Rose whispered, "Breanna, I'm sorry for the intrusion. I know there is very little time you have for yourself."

"Rose," Breanna stopped walking, gently touching her arm, "it's okay."

Nodding, Rose rounded the corner with Breanna, and they entered the infirmary.

Breanna glanced at Rose, "It's silent."

"In there," Rose indicated Valencia's room.

Breanna stopped in the doorway, looking around. Valencia sat up in bed, eating like she had never seen food. Jesse sat next to her, leaning back, watching and grinning. Jasmine stood near the door, her arms crossed over her chest, a smile playing across her lips. Hana stopped next to Breanna in the doorway.

"This all happened about minutes ago," Hana smiled, "Jasmine realised she was still attached to Valencia as an energy source. She came in here and did something with her hands over Valencia's forehead. We all thought Jesse was going to kill her. But Valencia woke up minutes later."

"Good news indeed," Breanna nodded, moving into the room, "glad to see someone is rearing to go."

"I'm ravenous," Valencia said, biting into a sandwich, "don't remember the last time I ate."

Glancing at Jasmine, who shrugged apologetically.

"It's residual from Jasmine," Valencia said, "but the best treat was having Jesse here when I woke."

Breanna took Jasmine in, a little taller than herself, flaxen hair falling past a pair of tense shoulders. A fair figure, perhaps on the thin side, but the slightly sunken cheekbones caught Breanna's gaze.

"When was the last time you had a decent meal before coming here?" Breanna whispered, avoiding the attention of the others in the room.

Jasmine glanced over Breanna's shoulders at the room before looking back at Breanna, "Maybe four days."

"You were the one who helped me at the office in Mexico," Breanna stated, "am I right?"

Jasmine swallowed, "If I said yes, would there be repercussions?"

"Why would you think that?" Breanna asked.

"I was never allowed to use my ability in the Facility," Jasmine said, "then I realised I could vaporise. The necklace held the energy I needed when I retook form. That was how I got out of the Facility. They took the necklace to get fixed, and I thought of anywhere I would rather be and ..." she shrugged, "just ... vanished."

"Have you ever used your abilities on someone like us?" Breanna asked, "someone who has been enhanced and experimented on."

"Not to my knowledge," Jasmine shook her head, "why?"

"I think you may have unlocked something in Valencia," Breanna shook her head, "or perhaps push a developing ability into something more … potent."

"What are you talking about?" Jasmine frowned, "all I did was draw energy from her."

"I don't think that is your only enhancement," Breanna shook her head, "there is more to you than you know."

"How do you know?" Jasmine whispered.

"We all have more to us than we know," Breanna said, "everyone who has been in The Madhouse has more to them than they know. Darcia never told us everything that was done to us."

"What is going to happen to Valencia?" Jasmine paled, "this was not her doing."

"What are you talking about? Nothing will happen to Valencia," Breanna frowned, looking at the beseeching hand on her arm. "We're going to help Valencia get through whatever has changed, so she can control and understand it."

"You're not going to ..." Jasmine's eyes narrowed, "you're not unstable, are you?"

"Why would I be unstable …" Breanna shook her head, "Darcia's lies again. I'm not going to what? Destroy Valencia?"

Jasmine swallowed hard, "That's what we were all told."

"I left that unstable behaviour to my sister," Breanna sighed, "I'm dealing with her fallout."

"We're all dealing with her fallout," Valencia said, pushing food into her mouth, "you can talk as quietly as you like; I'll still hear you."

Breanna turned, looking at Valencia, "Explain."

"I can hear two people entering the infirmary," Valencia said, holding Breanna's eyes, "very sensitive."

"Eyes?" Breanna asked.

"Undecided at the moment," Valencia grinned, biting into a sandwich.

"Where are you putting all of this?" Hana asked, entering the room with a tray filled with a chocolate bar and a hot mug of milk, "that is your second sandwich, and now this."

"She's eaten all that?" Breanna asked, looking Valencia over; something was off. Something was very wrong.

"Sir, we picked up a surge of power."

"The same as the last one?"

"Yes, it seems to be coming from the same coordinates," the uniformed young man said, "it could just be an … anomaly, but there hasn't been any reading like this before."

"Yes," the mechanical-sounding voice said, "you said that last time."

"Do you think it's her?" a black fatigued military man stopped a few feet from the young officer, looking at Dr Madden.

"It could be," Dr Madden said coldly, "her energy readings usually are not that high."

"Maybe it's another experiment," the military man said.

"Perhaps," Dr Madden murmured, "find out exactly where that surge came from. We may have all the answers to our questions sooner than we thought."

"If it is another experiment, what will we do?"

"Bring them in," Dr Madden said, turning away from the panels, "whoever it is will be very helpful to me. Very helpful indeed."