Title: It's All Relative
Author: Lori
Rating: PG13 and maybe R at times
Category: Romance/Action/Adventure
Pairings: Darien/Darcy, Ed/Claire, Hobbes/Tara, Tom/Sloan
Description: This picks up three weeks after the events in "Gemini Effect" and will span over the course of a year. Ed starts his research on the true origins of the Dominants as he tries to come to terms with what happened at Area 51. A Dominant plot to exterminate the humans sends Hobbes and Ed to Scotland to investigate the newest threat against mankind. There's more but you'll just have to wait and find out what they are…
Chapter One
Ed once again found himself in another precarious situation just three weeks after returning home. Sweat beaded on his body and streaked down the sides of his face as he contemplated his next move against his latest foe. His heart thumped hard and his chest heaved with every hard breath. He could feel his heart beating inside his head. He had to make it. It was survival of the fittest.
*Crunch*
The blow came so fast that Ed did not have a chance to defend against it. The blow to his ribs caused him to double over and yelp in pain. "You bas..."
"What? I'm sorry…did you say something?" His adversary remarked smugly. "Next time you will learn not to turn your back on me."
Ed shook off the pain. He took a deep breath and then stared defiantly at his challenger. "If you do that again, I'm taking you out."
"Really...you and what army?"
Ed stretched out his hand in front of his opponent's face, "The army of five," then he proceeded to make a fist. His adversary smiled apathetically.
Ed snatched the basketball out of Darien's grasp and proceeded to the free throw line. Ed twirled the ball on his finger. "Alright, Darien. That last shot to the ribs was foul number four on you. Did you always play with your elbows like that? What kinda ball did you play in high school anyway?"
"I was in juvie by then. So I only learned how to play 'A-holes and Elbows' basketball."
"Figures. Well remember, you're not in the pen anymore, and you're not playing against Big Daddy for a pack of smokes, okay?"
"Alright..."
Ed stood with his feet parallel to his shoulders and his knees bent. He bounced the ball on the hard court. Darien whispered under his breath, "...Whimp…"
Ed held the ball firmly in his hands. "WHAT?"
"Nothin'."
Ed eyed him with suspicion, "Yeah, right." He tossed the ball to Darien for check. Darien twirled the ball and then tossed it back to Ed. He proceeded to reset to take the first of two free throws.
"Okay, monkey boy, let's see what you got," Darien mused as he stood near the hoop.
Ed smiled as he bounced the ball, "I'm 'bout to take you back to school." Ed lined up his shot and released the ball.
*Swoosh*
Ed raised his arms, "And the crowd goes wild."
Darien picked up the ball, "Lucky shot. Bet you can't do that again."
"Luck has nothing to do with it. It's called 'skills' my man." Ed bounced the ball again and lined up his second shot. He released the ball again and followed it to the hoop just incase he needed to rebound. He didn't have to.
*Swoosh*
"Oh yeah!!! You have just been served!" Ed said as he pointed at Darien. Claire and Darcy who were sitting nearby started to clap. Darien shot Darcy a glare.
"What? You cheering against me now?" Darien said with his hands on his hips as the ball rested near his feet. Ed continued to dance around the court.
"C'mon, hon, you have to admit he's good," Darcy said smiling.
"When I get you home…"
Darcy stood up and put her hands on her hips, "You're gonna do what?"
Darien wiggled his brow, "You'll see."
Darcy sat back down and Claire laughed. Darien picked up the ball and tossed it to Ed for check this time. He tossed it back and Darien started his charge for the net.
"They really get into this don't they?" Darcy smirked.
"Boys will be boys, no matter how old they are. I think it's all that testosterone that builds up," Claire added with a jovial tone.
After a moment of silence, Darcy spoke. "Ed seems to be doing pretty well these days, huh?" Darcy asked as she took a sip of water.
Claire pursed her lips together. "He's doing better. The medication is helping his nightmares."
"That's good. It's hard seeing him so miserable."
"Yeah, it is." Claire stared at the men playing. "He still has his moments, but he's improving day by day."
Darcy smiled, "He does seem more chipper today."
"Being back at work has played a major part in that, although he's been staying late. He's really opened up in our sessions too. I guess he's feeling more comfortable knowing that the chances of him hurting any of us are actually very slim." Claire paused and thought back to some of their talks. She turned and looked at Darcy, "He went through hell both mentally and physically. It's going to be a long road for him, but he'll make it through."
"It just goes to show you how far that Welsh woman was willing to go for survival, even sacrificing her own." Darcy glanced at Claire, "Unfortunately, the other side will go just as far if not further," she turned her attention to Darien. Claire followed her gaze and watched as the two men battled for a rebound.
Claire returned her gaze to Darcy. "You mean, Darien?" Claire asked with concern in her voice and written on her face.
"Yeah," Darcy took a deep breath, "Lewis won't give up on trying to control him. Lewis could care less about the High Council, that's no secret. But the time I was with him, all he talked about was the Council of the Chosen."
"There are two Councils?"
"Yeah, just like the two branches of Government. The High Council is merely waiting for the time when all the Chosen will finally come together. That was supposed to happen during Kewley's Comet."
"How many Chosen are there?"
"No one knows for sure, but it's believed to be seven or nine." Darcy looked at Claire, "Tom was selected to be the leader of the Chosen."
"Mmmm," Claire sighed as she watched Darien score a basket and prance around with the ball in his hands. He stretched out his arms, leaned to one side and let the ball roll down from one hand to the other. He flicked it up towards Ed. "Well, don't celebrate too much, cause you're going down," Ed commented as he caught the ball.
Darcy and Claire shook their heads and giggled. Darcy turned towards Claire again, "So, are you ready for the joint Bridal Shower/Bachelorette Party?"
"Oh yeah, I'm looking forward to it. We're going to have a lot of fun." The tone in Claire's voice hinted that they were going to have a party they would never forget.
"I can't wait either. So, you're going to make one for you, for Ed or both?"
"Both. I picked the Tarzan and Jane set."
Darcy laughed loud which made Ed and Darien take notice. "I don't want to know," Ed commented. Darien tried to take advantage of the distraction and tried to steal the ball but Ed held on fighting back with all his might. The struggle between the two men for control of the ball appeared to be more of a tug of war match than an actual game of one on one. Claire and Darcy ignored them and continued their conversation.
"Those are so cute. I thought of making the Indian set for Darien and me," Darcy wiggled her brow. They watched as Ed finally regained possession and drove for the net.
"I've never made novelty thongs before and I have to admit, it seems rather intriguing." Claire said with a slight blush.
"Do you think Ed will wear them?" Darcy asked as Ed scored a slam dunk. "Oh, nice one, Ed."
Claire chuckled, "I'm not sure. He's not to keen about…'nut huggers'."
Darcy's eyes widened at the remark. "What was that? Nut huggers?"
Claire smiled and shook her head, "Yeah, it's another one of those surfing slang terms. You should have heard him when he wore Darien's jeans. I had told him that he looked really good in jeans and that he should wear them more often. He said that he didn't like anything squishing his 'Hardy Boys'."
Darcy nearly fell off the bench she started to laugh hard. "Men sure do love to give their body parts names don't they?" Darcy was finally able to comment after getting herself under control.
Claire laughed along with her, "Yeah, they sure do. But Ed's names appear to be unique."
Darcy looked up to see Darien fake going one way and then shifted quickly to get around Ed. He tossed the ball in the air and it spun around the rim before going in. "Whooo!! I just took you around the world, my friend!" Darien yelled as he pointed at Ed.
Ed shook his head dejectedly, "Damn," he hissed under his breath as his hands rested on his hips. He bent down to pick up the ball then glared at Darien and went to the line dribbling the ball as he walked, "I won't be fooled again."
Darien laughed, "C'mon, Roger Daltrey, show me what you got inside."
Darcy and Claire watched for a minute as Darien tried to pull Ed's inner strength and determination to the surface. Claire smiled at his attempt to help Ed overcome his troubled emotions.
"Has uh…Claire, if I get too personal let me know, but have you and Ed…" Darcy stopped when she noticed Claire's face became serious. "I'm sorry, I got to personal didn't I?"
Claire looked at her apologetically, "No, you didn't. And the answer is no, we haven't, not since that night in the hotel room three weeks ago. He still has this mental block about getting too intimate. It's kind of strange actually. I have to treat him as if he's a rape victim and the attacker. He just can't seem to get pass this phase." Claire paused and took a deep breath, "I'll just have to be patient that's all and help him as best I can. I know it's very frustrating for him, but I can't push him into something he's not ready for."
Darcy put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "What he was going to do is so out of character for him. Like you said, he's the victim in this and because of what they did to him, he turned into the attacker as well. Talk about a double-whammy."
"Yeah, tell me about it. There's nothing in the books about this."
"There's a first time for everything. I know he'll come around eventually. He's got too many people who love and care about him. And don't forget, we're here to help you too. You need just as much support in this as he does."
Claire smiled at Darcy and they hugged. "Thanks, Darcy. I really don't know what I would do without all of you. I certainly couldn't handle this on my own."
"That's what friends are for." They broke the hug and Darcy decided to get back to the conversation about their impending party. "Well, I can't wait to see this piñata that Sloan ordered," Darcy added. There was a slight pause and then they started to laugh loud again. They had seen the piñata that Sloan wanted to get for the party in a catalog.
"Yeah, I can't wait to take a…whack…at it," Claire added.
"And I can't wait to see what…comes…inside." Both women began to cry they were laughing so hard.
Darien and Ed stopped for a moment. "They're at it again aren't they?" Ed asked.
"Yep, you know something, Ed, women complain about the Bachelor Party but look at them…" Darien paused as he gestured to Darcy and Claire who were laughing so hard they had to support each other. "…They're as bad if not worse then us."
"So I've heard." Ed patted Darien on the back, "Let's take a timeout, I'm gettin' thirsty anyway."
The two women stopped laughing as the men approached. "Oh please, don't stop on our account," Darien quipped.
"Yeah, we certainly don't want to break up your little party," Ed added.
"So, ah…who's winning?" Darcy asked.
"Darien is," Ed said as he took a nice long drink of Gatorade.
"Yeah, but not by much, Ed's hanging tough…" Darien paused and patted his scientist twin on his back, "…Just like I knew he could." The men had rested for a bit and then went back out to play the rest of the game. Ed went on to lose the game, but he had kept it close.
Later on in the day, the two couples had a beer, pizza and movie night, except for Darcy. She stuck to her traditional healthy diet. They decided to have a Lord of The Rings movie marathon. When Elrond, Master of Rivendell showed up on the screen to greet Frodo, Ed couldn't resist and said, "Hello, Mr. Anderson." Darien began to laugh and that started the ad-libbing adventure. Claire and Darcy proceeded to throw pillows at the men, but that only encouraged them to continue.
In Los Angeles, Lewis found himself once again before the High Council. "We don't want to hear any more of your excuses, Lewis."
The white haired dominant didn't change his countenance, he remained prideful and steadfast. He wasn't about to let a bunch of opinionated men behind a large desk in a fancy room phase him. His lack of respect for the High Council was well known mostly because he let it be known. "I don't give excuses because I have nothing to hide," Lewis answered vehemently.
John Barrette, the leader of the High Council leaned back in his chair and quizzically stared at Lewis. His head moved in an up and down motion slowly as if contemplating what to say next to the man standing before him. "What about Kewley's Comet, don't you take full responsibility for that?"
Lewis shook his head, "No, the failure at the time of Kewley's Comet was Tom Daniels' betrayal."
"So, you believe that Tom Daniels' betrayal was not your fault either since he was under your training?" Barrette asked.
"No not at all. That solely belongs to Tom himself. He's weak and allowed himself to be swayed by the Parker woman."
"Hmm…" Barrette sat quickly for a moment before continuing. "What about Agent Darien Fawkes? How could you not realize that the man you were holding was not Dr. Ed Tate?"
Lewis thought back to that time in the warehouse where he first met Darien Fawkes. Barrette was right of course, he should have been able to tell just from the electrical impulses that the man that Lynch had brought to him was not Ed Tate. He could understand why Lynch was fooled, after all the clones obviously were not perfect, but he should have been able to tell. "They both have the similar signatures. I believed that Tom Daniels may have taught Dr. Tate how to mask himself and it changed his signature slightly."
"A human capable of masking? That's absurd, Lewis, and you know it!" Barrette rose to his feet. "We're going to give you one more chance to prove yourself to this Council. We had to postpone our efforts during Kewley's Comet, but now the time is near for the Council of Chosen to come together and lead our people." Barrette glared at Lewis, "We want Darien Fawkes brought to us before this happens. The humans, Attwood, Parker and Tate must be eliminated." Barrette sat back down, "Those are your orders, Lewis, and you had better make sure you don't fail us again."
Lewis merely bowed his head and turned on his heels to leave. The double doors opened and he left the chamber. A woman had been waiting for him outside and met as he walked down the hall. She ran her hand up his arm, "What did they say?"
Lewis looked at her with his sky blue eyes, "I'm troubled, my dear."
"You troubled? I thought that would be impossible," Tabitha said.
"They are pushing for the Council of The Chosen to form too quickly. I believe they are afraid of losing their power. Something else is going on, they even want Ed Tate dead instead of joining us."
"Really? Hmm…we could still turn him you know. I had caught his eye one time before, I'm sure I can catch it again and then you can give him the gene therapy. Problem solved."
Lewis turned and cupped her face in his hands, "My dear, still fascinated about him after all these years. He was a mission and nothing more. You did your part, besides; he has devoted himself to another woman. His heart will not fall prey to another's passion but hers." He leaned down and kissed her lips gently. He pulled away from her and rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip, "I have another mission for you that I'm sure you'll enjoy just as much."
Tabitha pressed her body against his, "Mmm...what is it?"
Lewis smiled, "It's time you met Darien Fawkes. I'm sure you'll find him just as…fascinating."
She wrapped her hands around Lewis' neck and pulled him down closer until her mouth was close to his ear. "I'm sure I will," she whispered seductively. She pulled away from him just enough so she could cover his mouth with hers. The kiss deepened.
Lewis regretfully broke the kiss and gazed at her with lust filled eyes, "Shall we go?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
Lewis wanted to find out what plan the High Council had. He had wanted to use Fawkes to get rid of the Council so he could replace it with one that shared his own agenda. Why would they want Tom to take his rightful place? If Fawkes was under their control then he would be used to get rid of the Chosen Council along with Tom. Sloan and Ed were smart, very smart, surely they would figure it out and be a threat to their plan. If the High Council was going to take over then they would have to remove all those that could stop them. Once eliminated, then they can resume power over the species and the world.
Lewis wasn't sure if this was their plan, but if he could bring them Darien, then he could find out for sure. A plan had already begun to form in his mind on how he would turn Darien…permanently.
TBC….
Author: Lori
Rating: PG13 and maybe R at times
Category: Romance/Action/Adventure
Pairings: Darien/Darcy, Ed/Claire, Hobbes/Tara, Tom/Sloan
Description: This picks up three weeks after the events in "Gemini Effect" and will span over the course of a year. Ed starts his research on the true origins of the Dominants as he tries to come to terms with what happened at Area 51. A Dominant plot to exterminate the humans sends Hobbes and Ed to Scotland to investigate the newest threat against mankind. There's more but you'll just have to wait and find out what they are…
Chapter One
Ed once again found himself in another precarious situation just three weeks after returning home. Sweat beaded on his body and streaked down the sides of his face as he contemplated his next move against his latest foe. His heart thumped hard and his chest heaved with every hard breath. He could feel his heart beating inside his head. He had to make it. It was survival of the fittest.
*Crunch*
The blow came so fast that Ed did not have a chance to defend against it. The blow to his ribs caused him to double over and yelp in pain. "You bas..."
"What? I'm sorry…did you say something?" His adversary remarked smugly. "Next time you will learn not to turn your back on me."
Ed shook off the pain. He took a deep breath and then stared defiantly at his challenger. "If you do that again, I'm taking you out."
"Really...you and what army?"
Ed stretched out his hand in front of his opponent's face, "The army of five," then he proceeded to make a fist. His adversary smiled apathetically.
Ed snatched the basketball out of Darien's grasp and proceeded to the free throw line. Ed twirled the ball on his finger. "Alright, Darien. That last shot to the ribs was foul number four on you. Did you always play with your elbows like that? What kinda ball did you play in high school anyway?"
"I was in juvie by then. So I only learned how to play 'A-holes and Elbows' basketball."
"Figures. Well remember, you're not in the pen anymore, and you're not playing against Big Daddy for a pack of smokes, okay?"
"Alright..."
Ed stood with his feet parallel to his shoulders and his knees bent. He bounced the ball on the hard court. Darien whispered under his breath, "...Whimp…"
Ed held the ball firmly in his hands. "WHAT?"
"Nothin'."
Ed eyed him with suspicion, "Yeah, right." He tossed the ball to Darien for check. Darien twirled the ball and then tossed it back to Ed. He proceeded to reset to take the first of two free throws.
"Okay, monkey boy, let's see what you got," Darien mused as he stood near the hoop.
Ed smiled as he bounced the ball, "I'm 'bout to take you back to school." Ed lined up his shot and released the ball.
*Swoosh*
Ed raised his arms, "And the crowd goes wild."
Darien picked up the ball, "Lucky shot. Bet you can't do that again."
"Luck has nothing to do with it. It's called 'skills' my man." Ed bounced the ball again and lined up his second shot. He released the ball again and followed it to the hoop just incase he needed to rebound. He didn't have to.
*Swoosh*
"Oh yeah!!! You have just been served!" Ed said as he pointed at Darien. Claire and Darcy who were sitting nearby started to clap. Darien shot Darcy a glare.
"What? You cheering against me now?" Darien said with his hands on his hips as the ball rested near his feet. Ed continued to dance around the court.
"C'mon, hon, you have to admit he's good," Darcy said smiling.
"When I get you home…"
Darcy stood up and put her hands on her hips, "You're gonna do what?"
Darien wiggled his brow, "You'll see."
Darcy sat back down and Claire laughed. Darien picked up the ball and tossed it to Ed for check this time. He tossed it back and Darien started his charge for the net.
"They really get into this don't they?" Darcy smirked.
"Boys will be boys, no matter how old they are. I think it's all that testosterone that builds up," Claire added with a jovial tone.
After a moment of silence, Darcy spoke. "Ed seems to be doing pretty well these days, huh?" Darcy asked as she took a sip of water.
Claire pursed her lips together. "He's doing better. The medication is helping his nightmares."
"That's good. It's hard seeing him so miserable."
"Yeah, it is." Claire stared at the men playing. "He still has his moments, but he's improving day by day."
Darcy smiled, "He does seem more chipper today."
"Being back at work has played a major part in that, although he's been staying late. He's really opened up in our sessions too. I guess he's feeling more comfortable knowing that the chances of him hurting any of us are actually very slim." Claire paused and thought back to some of their talks. She turned and looked at Darcy, "He went through hell both mentally and physically. It's going to be a long road for him, but he'll make it through."
"It just goes to show you how far that Welsh woman was willing to go for survival, even sacrificing her own." Darcy glanced at Claire, "Unfortunately, the other side will go just as far if not further," she turned her attention to Darien. Claire followed her gaze and watched as the two men battled for a rebound.
Claire returned her gaze to Darcy. "You mean, Darien?" Claire asked with concern in her voice and written on her face.
"Yeah," Darcy took a deep breath, "Lewis won't give up on trying to control him. Lewis could care less about the High Council, that's no secret. But the time I was with him, all he talked about was the Council of the Chosen."
"There are two Councils?"
"Yeah, just like the two branches of Government. The High Council is merely waiting for the time when all the Chosen will finally come together. That was supposed to happen during Kewley's Comet."
"How many Chosen are there?"
"No one knows for sure, but it's believed to be seven or nine." Darcy looked at Claire, "Tom was selected to be the leader of the Chosen."
"Mmmm," Claire sighed as she watched Darien score a basket and prance around with the ball in his hands. He stretched out his arms, leaned to one side and let the ball roll down from one hand to the other. He flicked it up towards Ed. "Well, don't celebrate too much, cause you're going down," Ed commented as he caught the ball.
Darcy and Claire shook their heads and giggled. Darcy turned towards Claire again, "So, are you ready for the joint Bridal Shower/Bachelorette Party?"
"Oh yeah, I'm looking forward to it. We're going to have a lot of fun." The tone in Claire's voice hinted that they were going to have a party they would never forget.
"I can't wait either. So, you're going to make one for you, for Ed or both?"
"Both. I picked the Tarzan and Jane set."
Darcy laughed loud which made Ed and Darien take notice. "I don't want to know," Ed commented. Darien tried to take advantage of the distraction and tried to steal the ball but Ed held on fighting back with all his might. The struggle between the two men for control of the ball appeared to be more of a tug of war match than an actual game of one on one. Claire and Darcy ignored them and continued their conversation.
"Those are so cute. I thought of making the Indian set for Darien and me," Darcy wiggled her brow. They watched as Ed finally regained possession and drove for the net.
"I've never made novelty thongs before and I have to admit, it seems rather intriguing." Claire said with a slight blush.
"Do you think Ed will wear them?" Darcy asked as Ed scored a slam dunk. "Oh, nice one, Ed."
Claire chuckled, "I'm not sure. He's not to keen about…'nut huggers'."
Darcy's eyes widened at the remark. "What was that? Nut huggers?"
Claire smiled and shook her head, "Yeah, it's another one of those surfing slang terms. You should have heard him when he wore Darien's jeans. I had told him that he looked really good in jeans and that he should wear them more often. He said that he didn't like anything squishing his 'Hardy Boys'."
Darcy nearly fell off the bench she started to laugh hard. "Men sure do love to give their body parts names don't they?" Darcy was finally able to comment after getting herself under control.
Claire laughed along with her, "Yeah, they sure do. But Ed's names appear to be unique."
Darcy looked up to see Darien fake going one way and then shifted quickly to get around Ed. He tossed the ball in the air and it spun around the rim before going in. "Whooo!! I just took you around the world, my friend!" Darien yelled as he pointed at Ed.
Ed shook his head dejectedly, "Damn," he hissed under his breath as his hands rested on his hips. He bent down to pick up the ball then glared at Darien and went to the line dribbling the ball as he walked, "I won't be fooled again."
Darien laughed, "C'mon, Roger Daltrey, show me what you got inside."
Darcy and Claire watched for a minute as Darien tried to pull Ed's inner strength and determination to the surface. Claire smiled at his attempt to help Ed overcome his troubled emotions.
"Has uh…Claire, if I get too personal let me know, but have you and Ed…" Darcy stopped when she noticed Claire's face became serious. "I'm sorry, I got to personal didn't I?"
Claire looked at her apologetically, "No, you didn't. And the answer is no, we haven't, not since that night in the hotel room three weeks ago. He still has this mental block about getting too intimate. It's kind of strange actually. I have to treat him as if he's a rape victim and the attacker. He just can't seem to get pass this phase." Claire paused and took a deep breath, "I'll just have to be patient that's all and help him as best I can. I know it's very frustrating for him, but I can't push him into something he's not ready for."
Darcy put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "What he was going to do is so out of character for him. Like you said, he's the victim in this and because of what they did to him, he turned into the attacker as well. Talk about a double-whammy."
"Yeah, tell me about it. There's nothing in the books about this."
"There's a first time for everything. I know he'll come around eventually. He's got too many people who love and care about him. And don't forget, we're here to help you too. You need just as much support in this as he does."
Claire smiled at Darcy and they hugged. "Thanks, Darcy. I really don't know what I would do without all of you. I certainly couldn't handle this on my own."
"That's what friends are for." They broke the hug and Darcy decided to get back to the conversation about their impending party. "Well, I can't wait to see this piñata that Sloan ordered," Darcy added. There was a slight pause and then they started to laugh loud again. They had seen the piñata that Sloan wanted to get for the party in a catalog.
"Yeah, I can't wait to take a…whack…at it," Claire added.
"And I can't wait to see what…comes…inside." Both women began to cry they were laughing so hard.
Darien and Ed stopped for a moment. "They're at it again aren't they?" Ed asked.
"Yep, you know something, Ed, women complain about the Bachelor Party but look at them…" Darien paused as he gestured to Darcy and Claire who were laughing so hard they had to support each other. "…They're as bad if not worse then us."
"So I've heard." Ed patted Darien on the back, "Let's take a timeout, I'm gettin' thirsty anyway."
The two women stopped laughing as the men approached. "Oh please, don't stop on our account," Darien quipped.
"Yeah, we certainly don't want to break up your little party," Ed added.
"So, ah…who's winning?" Darcy asked.
"Darien is," Ed said as he took a nice long drink of Gatorade.
"Yeah, but not by much, Ed's hanging tough…" Darien paused and patted his scientist twin on his back, "…Just like I knew he could." The men had rested for a bit and then went back out to play the rest of the game. Ed went on to lose the game, but he had kept it close.
Later on in the day, the two couples had a beer, pizza and movie night, except for Darcy. She stuck to her traditional healthy diet. They decided to have a Lord of The Rings movie marathon. When Elrond, Master of Rivendell showed up on the screen to greet Frodo, Ed couldn't resist and said, "Hello, Mr. Anderson." Darien began to laugh and that started the ad-libbing adventure. Claire and Darcy proceeded to throw pillows at the men, but that only encouraged them to continue.
In Los Angeles, Lewis found himself once again before the High Council. "We don't want to hear any more of your excuses, Lewis."
The white haired dominant didn't change his countenance, he remained prideful and steadfast. He wasn't about to let a bunch of opinionated men behind a large desk in a fancy room phase him. His lack of respect for the High Council was well known mostly because he let it be known. "I don't give excuses because I have nothing to hide," Lewis answered vehemently.
John Barrette, the leader of the High Council leaned back in his chair and quizzically stared at Lewis. His head moved in an up and down motion slowly as if contemplating what to say next to the man standing before him. "What about Kewley's Comet, don't you take full responsibility for that?"
Lewis shook his head, "No, the failure at the time of Kewley's Comet was Tom Daniels' betrayal."
"So, you believe that Tom Daniels' betrayal was not your fault either since he was under your training?" Barrette asked.
"No not at all. That solely belongs to Tom himself. He's weak and allowed himself to be swayed by the Parker woman."
"Hmm…" Barrette sat quickly for a moment before continuing. "What about Agent Darien Fawkes? How could you not realize that the man you were holding was not Dr. Ed Tate?"
Lewis thought back to that time in the warehouse where he first met Darien Fawkes. Barrette was right of course, he should have been able to tell just from the electrical impulses that the man that Lynch had brought to him was not Ed Tate. He could understand why Lynch was fooled, after all the clones obviously were not perfect, but he should have been able to tell. "They both have the similar signatures. I believed that Tom Daniels may have taught Dr. Tate how to mask himself and it changed his signature slightly."
"A human capable of masking? That's absurd, Lewis, and you know it!" Barrette rose to his feet. "We're going to give you one more chance to prove yourself to this Council. We had to postpone our efforts during Kewley's Comet, but now the time is near for the Council of Chosen to come together and lead our people." Barrette glared at Lewis, "We want Darien Fawkes brought to us before this happens. The humans, Attwood, Parker and Tate must be eliminated." Barrette sat back down, "Those are your orders, Lewis, and you had better make sure you don't fail us again."
Lewis merely bowed his head and turned on his heels to leave. The double doors opened and he left the chamber. A woman had been waiting for him outside and met as he walked down the hall. She ran her hand up his arm, "What did they say?"
Lewis looked at her with his sky blue eyes, "I'm troubled, my dear."
"You troubled? I thought that would be impossible," Tabitha said.
"They are pushing for the Council of The Chosen to form too quickly. I believe they are afraid of losing their power. Something else is going on, they even want Ed Tate dead instead of joining us."
"Really? Hmm…we could still turn him you know. I had caught his eye one time before, I'm sure I can catch it again and then you can give him the gene therapy. Problem solved."
Lewis turned and cupped her face in his hands, "My dear, still fascinated about him after all these years. He was a mission and nothing more. You did your part, besides; he has devoted himself to another woman. His heart will not fall prey to another's passion but hers." He leaned down and kissed her lips gently. He pulled away from her and rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip, "I have another mission for you that I'm sure you'll enjoy just as much."
Tabitha pressed her body against his, "Mmm...what is it?"
Lewis smiled, "It's time you met Darien Fawkes. I'm sure you'll find him just as…fascinating."
She wrapped her hands around Lewis' neck and pulled him down closer until her mouth was close to his ear. "I'm sure I will," she whispered seductively. She pulled away from him just enough so she could cover his mouth with hers. The kiss deepened.
Lewis regretfully broke the kiss and gazed at her with lust filled eyes, "Shall we go?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
Lewis wanted to find out what plan the High Council had. He had wanted to use Fawkes to get rid of the Council so he could replace it with one that shared his own agenda. Why would they want Tom to take his rightful place? If Fawkes was under their control then he would be used to get rid of the Chosen Council along with Tom. Sloan and Ed were smart, very smart, surely they would figure it out and be a threat to their plan. If the High Council was going to take over then they would have to remove all those that could stop them. Once eliminated, then they can resume power over the species and the world.
Lewis wasn't sure if this was their plan, but if he could bring them Darien, then he could find out for sure. A plan had already begun to form in his mind on how he would turn Darien…permanently.
TBC….