7:10 a.m. 12^th November 1999

The cool, late autumn morning sunlight reflected through the bright yellow cafe curtains of the kitchen window, dappling the table where the Peterson family sat eating breakfast.

Drinking his coffee while vacantly gazing out the window, Ray contemplated his tasks for the day.

"Honey?" said Grace, trying to catch his attention. "Are you dropping Matt off at school, on your way out this morning?"

As Ray turned to his wife, the telephone rang, breaking the peaceful mood of the early morning. Shrugging, he returned to the tranquillity of his morning coffee. Grace always thought he was a bear without his first cup of Java.

Seeing neither Ray nor her son move to answer the phone, she fondly shook her head and offered, "I'll get it. You two finish your food." Grabbing the phone on the kitchen extension, Grace said, "Hello...Yes, he's still here." Listening for a few seconds, she glanced at her husband's plate, and continued, "Not at all, I think he's through."

Ray looked inquiringly at his wife. "For me, hon?"

"Yes," she replied ruefully.

Ray smiled and walked to her side of the table and reached for the phone. Grace held it at arm's length away from him and asked, "So I suppose this means Matt comes with me this morning?" She knew the answer already, but she wanted him to say something.

Regretfully shrugging his shoulders, he took the phone from Grace and said, "Hello? Peterson here."

"Hi, Ray, its Tony."

"Hi, Tony. How are you doing?"

"Great," replied the FBI agent, who was Ray's longtime friend. "Sorry to bother you so early in the morning at home, but it's important."

"Yeah? What gives?"

"I've got some Intel I think you need to see," informed Tony.

"Uh huh? Sounds mysterious."

"Yes, it is," said Tony. "It has to do with that matter you asked me to look into. And it's got me worried, considering. Can you meet me this morning at the Texaco Gas Station near Whitney University?"

"Yeah, sure, I think I can manage that. Give me 30 minutes."

"Great," said Tony, "but don't tell anyone about this yet. There might be leaks."

Fondly watching his son leave the kitchen, Ray finally turned to Grace and caught her attention, grabbing her hand. "That was Tony Zindejas," he explained, nodding his head toward the phone. "Remember, we were in the same Marine unit in 'Nam?" Seeing recognition dawn on Grace's face, he continued, "We lost track of each other until about five years ago. He also attended that VCAP Course that the FBI ran in L.A. Well, to make a long story short, Tony ended up as Regional head of the FBI here and helps me out from time to time. I called him last week to see if he could assist with the disappearance of Tom Daniels. You remember that person from the new species who was helping Dr. Parker? Well, he's gone missing. He's disappeared from her apartment and she's worried silly."

Grace remembered, nodding her head. "Any idea why Tom went missing?"

"None. But I have my suspicions," answered Ray. "Anyway, baby, I'm so sorry. You'll have to run Matt into school again today."

"Oh, Ray," whispered Grace softly, "you can't be wrapping Matt an' me in cotton wool forever."

Ray shrugged his shoulder, helpless in the face of his feelings. "I haven't relaxed since that day he was kidnapped, honey. You know that."

Touching his arm gently, Grace said, "Look, Ray. I know you worry about us. But you've got a job to do, and you'll have to let me share some of the responsibility for this family or you'll become paranoid!" Smiling impishly, she said, "In fact, I think you are a little so, already!"

Ray shook his head, frustrated, "But baby! You don't know who we are up against here. The woman behind Matt's kidnapping is a very cold, ambitious person, who'll stop at nothing to achieve her aims - not even murder. She's the one who instigated the abduction of Tom Daniels, the Dragon Lady herself, Ms. Alexandra Luthor!" he exclaimed sarcastically.

Ray stopped, a haunted look entering his eyes as he remembered Tom that day, hurt and withdrawn, letting no one touch him. "You should've seen him when he got out of her clutches, recently. No member of that new breed is safe in her hands."

Reaching up, Ray held her hand against his cheek while he returned to the subject at hand. "I really worry about you two. She seems to have connections in so many places, right up the political ladder. I'm almost positive that some of my former colleagues at the police station could be under her command! Hell! Even the NSA or CIA could've been infiltrated by her spies."

Grace appeared shocked and pulled away. "Oh, Ray, are you sure? That couldn't be! You worked alongside those guys for so long they must have some loyalty to you. They wouldn't harm us - your family. Would they?" she whispered, turning worried eyes to her husband.

"But Grace, that's the problem," said Ray, sombrely. "I don't know who to trust any more! Between the CIA and the new species, I'm not sure who is on our side these days. And I'm so scared of losing the two of you to their schemes."

"Now see here, Ray Peterson," said Grace, exasperated, poking him in the chest with her forefinger. "When I married you 28 years ago, we agreed to share everything and that includes troubles, worries and responsibilities!" Grabbing his suit collar, she pulled his head down to her level. "You'll have to get a grip on yourself and allow me to shoulder at least some of the worry for our family. We drilled Matt not to take rides from anyone other than you or me. You know that's very hard for him at his age, to have to tell his friends he has to stay home with us." Placing her hands on his chest, she continued, irritated at his overprotective behaviour. "Face it, Ray, you can't take everything on yourself."

"Yeah, you're right, but what if she gets to our other three kids?" interjected Ray, quickly. "Ray junior is so far away in Washington. Then Jackie is all over the place with the airline." Sighing he said, "At least Danny's nearby, in L.A."

"Ray, you're getting worked up, again!" Glancing at her watch, she said, "Get out of here, or you're going to miss your meeting with Tony? It's near 7.30 a.m. now!"

"God, yes! I'd better go." Hurriedly kissing her on the lips, Ray whispered, "You take care, baby, you hear?"

Lovingly she kissed him back, and walked him to the front door. She playfully pushed him out. As he turned to wave goodbye, she suggested, "Try not to worry about us, we'll be okay. I'll see you this evening, honey."

"Okay. But you know me." Shrugging his shoulder, Ray turned, walked to his car, and entered. Starting the engine, he removed his cell phone from his pocket and hurriedly dialled Walter's number while his car warmed up. Almost immediately, his boss picked up the phone. "Hello, Walter. Listen, I may have a lead on Daniels."

"That's fantastic," he said.

"Yeah," muttered Ray, a little distrustfully. Walter seemed a bit too cheery. "I'm on the way to meet my contact right now, so I'll need to see you first thing this morning, after my meeting."

"Fine. You can meet me in the lab," suggested Walter. "Want to tell me what you need to know?"

"I'll explain when I see you." Thinking about the highway, Ray said, "I'll see you later."

As he switched off his cell phone and replaced it in his pocket, he checked the rear-view mirror. 'All clear,' he thought. Reversing out of the driveway, he didn't notice a silver sedan car parked a discreet distance from the house.

The driver in the mysterious car turned to his distinctive passenger and said, "There he goes now, boss."

"Follow him, Parr," ordered the passenger, "but not too close. And be ready for anything. He's a sharp one." Turning to him, she stressed, "I don't want him to pick us up in his rear-view mirror." Parr hastily started the silent engine and pulled their car into the traffic while the tinted electric passenger window slid gently down.

A neighbour jogged by and cursorily glanced at the tanned arm with a silver wristwatch, holding a pair of minuscule binoculars. She appeared to be watching her neighbour's red car as it increased speed and entered traffic. A few seconds later, the watcher's car followed, cruising into a space about three or four cars behind the other.

Just as eagles' eyries are normally so inaccessible to Humans, this one, a big rambling Georgian house, was obscured from public view by a large stand of Californian Redwoods, White Pines, Jack Pines and other thick growth. The protection of the trees made it the perfect private retreat.

The nearest town, Potawatomi, represented a typical small Canadian town in the middle of nowhere. The main street is so short, one could traverse it from one end to the other in less than five minutes. It didn't contain much, and all the town's amenities could be counted on one hand. A simple supply store for basic-necessities and, of course, a bar to cater to the few thirsty souls who lived within a 20-30 km (~12-18 mi.) radius of the village.

The Council had chosen this location for Nead an Iolair because of its isolation, about 50 km (~31 miles) from Potawatomi. The road leading to the house was little more than a dirt track that was impassable in the depths of winter. Heavy snowdrifts impeded any progress.

All these disadvantages helped to discourage anyone but the very determined from visiting the secluded mansion. This suited the Dominant purposes perfectly, as the complex was also a sanctuary, a place of recovery for the Chosen who were severely injured or traumatised, as Tom was wounded now. All of the Chosen had an innate instinct programmed into them during their training, to find his or her way to this place if ever they were severely hurt, mentally or physically.

As they rested, Lewis broke the silence. "You went through hell with Alexandra Luthor and her team of torturers, didn't you, Tom?"

"Yes," mumbled Tom, reluctant to open up just yet, staring anywhere but at Lewis, his mentor.

"I know how hard it is, Tom. Don't forget I was there, too, thanks to you!" reminded Lewis.

Tom looked up at him, rather surprised at Lewis' honesty and transparency. He responded apologetically as his ex-mentor allowed him to see what it cost him. "I'm sorry about that, Lewis. I never intended to hurt you and I certainly didn't think you'd end up under her control as a lab-rat, her personal monkey in a cage."

Sighing, Lewis confided, "You know, Tom, I've always held you in the highest regard and I trusted you to do the right thing. So how do you repay me? With betrayal at your first opportunity."

"I know," Tom replied, very lamely. "I don't blame you for not trusting me, now. After all we've both been through, it must be harrowing for you to face me now, knowing I was the cause of your torture, Lewis."

 Lewis leaned back and stretched his legs out in front of him as he contemplated Tom's words. 'Amazing, an apology from Tom! Who would have thought it? He's up to something or else he's more affected than I anticipated.' Stealing a sideways glance from the corner of his eyes, Lewis thought, 'It's going to be very hard, relying on him again, but I'll have to steel myself. We need to put the past behind us if I'm to succeed in winning Tom back into the fold.'

Lewis closed his eyes and fully shielded himself from his protégé. He knew Tom's reluctance to use his sensing, stemmed from his time in the tank, and that it was painful for him to try. But during some very rare occasions, Lewis had found Tom trying to sense him and he had let him. It was important for Tom to re-learn his instinctive sensing in their fight against the Humans. 'However,' Lewis realised, 'this time, it's necessary I shield myself from him. I need to show strength. Otherwise, Tom will deem me unfit to counsel him during this time of need. He has to accept me as his mentor again if the overall plan is to succeed.'

Tom flinched briefly as he felt Lewis shut him out. Although he shied away from the pain of using it, Tom knew that his sensing was essential for his survival here. He also noticed his empathic strength returning and realised, thanks to his defection to the Humans, he had lost one very important aspect his species relied on to exist emotionally.

Dominants depended very much on their loyalty to one another, and his betrayal of Lewis outside the Whitney Lab had extremely damaged their relationship. Tom had known that the moment he'd pulled the gun on him that fateful night. He'd seen the shock in Lewis' eyes. That alone had disarmed Lewis more than having a weapon pointed at him. That was the reason Attwood and Peterson had had no trouble arresting him - Tom's treachery had immobilised Lewis.

Tom also knew he needed Lewis at this stage in his crisis. He recognised he was going to have to overcome his disdain for the man and his harsh methods of training that he recalled only too well. 'How am I going to win his trust back? I know I'll have to work hard to convince him I've reformed my attitude to our struggle.'

Ray relaxed briefly as he noticed Tony's car parked inconspicuously about 200m (650 ft) away from their appointed meeting place. He had worried a little when he didn't see his friend's car anywhere near the gas station. Thinking about it, he realised Tony's choice to meet a little distance away from the gas station gave them greater secrecy and he was glad. At least then, their chances of discovery using the camera security footage at the gas station were slim. You never know who'd have access to such data.

Moving into a space not far from Tony's position, Ray parked his car and turned off the ignition. He grabbed his briefcase and left to join his friend in his car. Ray pulled open the car door and entered. He was unaware of the silver car slipping in to another space, about 100 m (330 ft) down the street.

********************

Tony stared at the unknown car as Ray settled himself. 'I'd better keep an eye on that,' he thought, alarmed that Ray hadn't spotted his tail. 'It may be nothing, but then again you can never tell in this business.'

Tony glanced at Ray. He asked, "Did you notice the recent arrival?" Tony motioned slightly towards the silver car with his head.

Surprised, Ray turned nonchalantly, squinting to see in the distance. After a few seconds, he asked in exasperation, "Do you have your miniature binoculars with you?"

"Yeah. They're in the glove compartment in front of you." Scanning the silver car again, Tony suggested, "While you're at it, take out that envelope I stashed in there. It contains the evidence we discussed."

Ray extracted the envelope and placed it on the dashboard. Digging further, he found the binoculars, pulled them free and studied what he could see of the car. Ray frowned. It finally dawned on him he wasn't as careful as he should have been and someone had followed him to this meeting. "My God!" whispered Ray. "That vehicle looks remarkably like Alexandra Luthor's car! Why didn't I notice that before?" Gripping the binoculars tighter, he thought, 'Am I slipping? Am I that distracted that my instincts didn't kick in this morning?' Shaking his head, he thought, 'By rights, I should be dead right now.' Slowly, Ray lowered the binoculars and sighed, "That car is very much like the one used by a certain ex-CIA agent that I have reason to worry about!"

"You mean the woman who took your son, don't you?" asked Tony.

"Yeah," he answered, slightly worried. "Alexandra Luthor. I must be losing it, because I didn't see them tail me this morning. That's not like me at all!" Ray said dejectedly. Opening the glove compartment, he replaced the binoculars and sat back, staring off into the distance. Suddenly he turned towards his friend and said apprehensively, "I just hope that was the only time I've been caught off-guard, especially now that I've hidden Dr. Bob Santiago in a safe house. He's the scientist who helped the rescue mission retrieve Tom. Of course, he's no longer in her good graces and she probably wishes he didn't exist. He's persona non-grata with her now."

Tony looked gravely at his friend as he suggested, "You'd better increase the guard there and warn 'em about this possibility. Have you enough people to cover that situation, Ray?"

The ex-cop regarded his pal earnestly, and paused briefly before replying, "Yeah, I think we can take care of things. Don't forget the connections we have now. I'd better get onto it immediately, just in case. Give me a minute, Tony." Reaching into his pocket, Ray pulled out his cell phone and dialled an emergency NSA number. It was answered instantly. Ray briefly explained the situation to his contact and promised to call later that day to check in on the scientist. He depressed the disconnect button, refolded the cell phone and returned it to his pocket.

As Ray noted his friend's concern, he pointed to the cell and mentioned it was a NSA toy, which was untraceable and so private, the satellites' connections couldn't be tapped. He also revealed a small device hidden in his pocket. A quiet buzz emanated from it. "It prevents anyone from listening in on our conversations. Of course, I have to remember to turn it on during the times I need it."

Tony smiled, relieved that Ray had these new toys. "Thank God."

Ray chuckled and quietly revealed, "At least that matter is in hand. I'll have to be more vigilant."

"Yes, you do."

"Ah well," sighed Ray. "Did I tell you? Apart from the security on my family, I have a new partner, André. He's NSA and is very astute. This morning he called just before you did and mentioned he would be delayed. He had punctured two tyres on his way to my place. Now isn't that a coincidence? He wanted to send a replacement bodyguard, but stubborn me! I declined. I didn't see the need and I told him so."

Tony contemplated on these events and declared, "Sounds very suspicious to me, Ray. It appears you may have been set up. What do you think?"

"You could be right," replied Ray. Sighing heavily, he slammed his hands together. "How could I have missed that? She must've been waiting in my neighbourhood." Ray's disposition was a mixture of shock, annoyance and anger. He wouldn't be in such a hurry to turn down a replacement again. It was clear that Alexandra Luthor was as dangerous as any member of the new species, if not more so.

"Well, now you know," stated Tony, "so you can keep an eye out as you go. So will I, for that matter." Spotting the envelope on the dash, he gestured to it and said, "Anyway, here's why I called you this morning. That's my agent's report of what went down this morning at daybreak."

Ray opened the envelope and glanced over the telephoto prints of the camp, pushing the report aside for the moment.

"A team of FBI agents on surveillance captured some shots," said Tony, "and included them in their debriefing and summary. I found something interesting in one of them." Ray shuffled through the pictures and stopped suddenly at one photo, Tony tapped it and said, "Yes, Tom and Lewis, together."

"Shit!" said Ray. Quickly looking at the remaining photos, he asked, "How did you get this?"

Tony explained, "I sent two FBI agents north on a joint-agency undercover investigation into a smuggling operation conducted by a community of Native Indians in the Canadian Rockies. Their scheme involved the illegal importation of cigarettes." Pausing to point out one photo, Tony continued, "Some Canadian companies that manufactured tobacco products were shipping them across the border to the U.S., supposedly for re-sale. However, it turned out that several of those shipments were being smuggled back into Canada through their Reservations and resold to Canadian vendors. This meant that no taxes were paid on the product."

Pulling out a map of the border area from the report, Tony pointed out the X's delineating their area of operations. "Because this smuggling had occurred on both sides of the border, the Canadian Government asked for the U.S. Police Forces and the FBI to work with the RCMP in apprehending the ringleaders in this operation. The FBI's assistant director placed me in charge of this investigation. And as such, I got to look over all the information gathered." Tony smiled suddenly. "The Canadians really wanted to break this smuggling ring because it had already cost Revenue Canada millions of dollars in unpaid tariffs."

Pulling out another set of photos, Tony handed it to Ray. "So far, their investigations had revealed that the ringleaders held their meetings in the quiet obscurity of the tourist resorts in the Canadian Rockies, and the joint forces discovered they'd planned and executed their major financial transactions there as well.

"During their investigations, the RCMP had searched through some satellite pictures on a hunch. They discovered by accident a huge complex just below the tree line of a mountain called Mount Pilan, in the Macdonald Range of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada. What they found was my reason for calling you," explained Tony.

Earlier in the week, Tony had recalled that Ray had given him photos of Tom Daniels when he had requested his assistance in finding him. These included a few of Lewis... just in case he came to their attention. Ray had explained that Lewis had recently escaped from Alexandra Luthor and that the possibility of the two meeting, however slight, couldn't be ruled out.

'As things turned out,' thought Tony, 'those photos proved to be very useful indeed.' Perusing the intelligence data gleaned by his agents, he recognised both Tom Daniels and Lewis as the two hikers on the mountain. 'To top it all off, this wasn't the only occasion they were photographed together.'

Shuffling through the pile of photos again, Tony extracted one and handed it to Ray. "Two males were spotted on what appeared to be an early morning hike up the mountain. While that type of activity isn't abnormal, especially in highly populated tourist areas, this locale isn't one of them. It's in the middle of nowhere. Because these two men are very different in appearance to the People of the First Nation who inhabit the locality, the joint forces probed further. After your request last week, I realised this picture was the red flag you'd been waiting for."

Tony continued, "My agents discovered that the compound was known locally as a rest home. With that in mind, both forces took a greater interest in these two guys. They hardly fit the description of the inmates or the occupants, and somehow they didn't seem like doctors or nurses, either. We all agreed it was unusual to see such people out exercising at such an ungodly hour. Only military personnel did that sort of thing. Our suspicions were aroused, so I ordered closer surveillance on the rest home in case that was part of the illegal operation." Chuckling dryly, he divulged, "What came to light was very interesting indeed, but not in the way the FBI expected."

Ray was rather surprised to see these photos. He recalled the night Daniels had helped them to capture Lewis. He had told them at the time how dangerous Lewis was and seemed relieved to see him in custody. Nobody knew that Alexandra Luthor had plans for Lewis. She wasn't present when they arrested the Chameleon.

Ray placed the photos back in the envelope and skimmed the accompanying report. Finally, he stuffed it back into the envelope as well. He asked, "I presume these are copies. Can I keep them? I'll need some proof to show Walter Attwood since he really trusted Daniels!"

"Sure! Those are yours." Smiling slightly, Tony gazed at Ray from the corner of his eyes and asked, "Is this the famous Dr. Attwood, who doesn't exist in the Federal Government records?" Waiting for a reply, he laughed at Ray's expression.

"Yeah, the one and only," Ray said dryly.

"No wonder I didn't find him on that first search. He exists so high-up the ladder that he's a secret! He's a friend of the President's National Security Advisor, John Maxwell!"

"Of course, Ray. I've always wanted to visit Canada. But this trip will have to be unofficial. You know our jurisdiction is limited to the United States."

"I know that," sighed Ray. "Maybe we can call the RCMP in on this, when we need them."

Ray thought for a few moments and shuffled through the envelope, searching for the map included with the report. He pulled it out and studied it. Ray slowly explained, "Based on the situation of the Homo dominant Camp in Alberta and jurisdictional problems, our best bet is to set up a headquarters of our own in the U.S. just south of the border, in northern Idaho. Tactically, I'll also have to arrange for continual surveillance of the camp through Military Observation Satellites and use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) as well as the Russian Space Forces GLObal Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS)."

Laughing at Tony's expression, he expanded, "Yeah, yeah, I took a crash course in all this technobabble recently. I still don't know the NSA's complete inventory, but I will before our next meeting."

"Wow, I'm impressed, Ray."

"Yeah, well, I've a lot to learn yet. You know the NSA. They have lots of technology confiscated from other sections of the government and public that no one ever hears about. Anyhow, using the data we collect from the satellite observations, and the team we'll put together, will allow us to enter Alberta, probably by way of the Selkirk and Purcell Mountains. This is all tentative, of course. I'm just talking by the seat of my pants." Looking at the envelope in his hands, Ray explained, "I'll have a detailed plan after I've studied your agent's report and photos."

Glancing up at his friend, he continued, "According to your report, this camp is in the Macdonald Range, which is actually nearer the border with Montana and The Lewis Range of the Rockies." He withdrew the report again from the envelope to confirm his point. Scratching his chin, Ray mentioned, "I know Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park straddles the U.S.-Canadian border there, but I believe the camp is further north of that. It helps that this area of Idaho is more remote than that of Montana. Perhaps when we're ready to make our move, we can arrive unannounced in the Homo dominant Camp. They don't know we've uncovered their location yet, and I want to keep it that way."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," replied Tony.

Ray folded the map and the report, then slid it back into the envelope. Placing it inside his breast pocket, he said, "I'll give you a call tonight to arrange another meeting. It'll probably be for tomorrow morning in my home. We can go over the details there without worrying about bugs. The boys sweep the place every day to make sure. I take no risks since Matt... well, you know."

Tony reached out and squeezed his friend's arm in sympathy. "I understand, Ray. Our line of work brings a lot of stress for our families. Luckily, we spotted Alexandra Luthor this morning! At least you know to watch your back."

Chuckling, Ray said, "Tony, you're a real pal. Thanks to everything that's been going on these days, I hardly know who're still my friends. I have to suspect everybody now." Glancing sideways at his friend from the corner of his eyes, he asked, "I suppose that makes me paranoid?"

"No, Ray. That makes you safe. I think I'd be the same if I were in your shoes. You can never be too careful. As long as you know I'm the same guy you knew 27-28 years ago, in the Marines." Smiling a bit, he ran his hands through his hair and said, "Of course, I'm a little older and showing a bit of wear and tear, but other than that, there's no difference. Hell! After what we went through together, we'll always be buddies. Right?"

Ray agreed and placed his hand on Tony's arm, showing his renewed trust for his friend as he departed. "I'm gone. Talk to you later, and Tony... thanks. You've renewed my faith in mankind. Even if it's hard to tell what that is these days!"

As each car left the scene, the silver car parked a small distance from their meeting place hung back. The distinctive passenger told her driver to follow the unknown car. She wanted to know with whom Ray was in league.

"Ah, Ray," Walter said quickly, "do you have some news on Tom Daniels?"

Ray cursed under his breath. He realised this question deliberately cut off his opportunity to ask anything about the phone call he had interrupted with his arrival. "Yeah, my contact in the FBI is involved in some undercover work on an illegal smuggling operation up in The Canadian Rockies. Some of the surveillance footage revealed some interesting pictures. Care to hazard a guess what they found?"

"Not really," responded Walter slowly, with a touch of acerbity.

"They have pictures of Tom Daniels and Lewis. Together! The FBI discovered a camp in the middle of nowhere, housing both Tom and Lewis, and they seemed awfully chummy!"

"Really? Very interesting indeed," replied Walter, somewhat distracted and fiddling with his beard.

Ray couldn't believe his eyes or ears. Walter didn't appear particularly surprised by this disclosure. He'd suspected Walter knew a lot more than he was letting on, but he hadn't had much time to pursue this line of thought. Speed was essential if they were to catch Tom and Lewis together. Sighing, he thought, 'I'll have to keep a closer eye on Attwood. But, first things first!'

"Walter, we need to go over a few details on the various surveillance apparatus available to the NSA. While I've studied the technical specs available right now, I know what they offered me wasn't a full list. I need to see the top-secret material if I'm going to collect more positive information than the zoom-lens photographs taken by the FBI." Leaning against the office wall, he said, "I won't prejudge Tom Daniels without an in-depth investigation."

Walter sighed. "I agree with you, of course. Why don't you grab that list from your desk and bring it here? I'll see what I can do."

Walter watched Ray leave his office and wondered if he had overheard his conversation on the phone. Ray had said nothing, but that didn't prove anything.

Walter leaned back wearily in his chair. It had been a long morning. John Maxwell's assistant had called him at 5:00 a.m. with similar information regarding Tom's whereabouts. During the course of the call, Maxwell's aid had finally voiced the Agency's serious doubts about Tom's loyalty. 'Funny how this was the first he'd heard that they had never fully trusted him in the first place.'

Since that phone call this morning, the telephone had felt like an extension to his ear. He was tired. Walter knew he had an agreement with Tom and that all this traitorous activity was just a cover, but no one else knew of this plan. Tom couldn't supply him with information on his whereabouts or his intended destination, because he didn't know where he was being led. So Walter had to play along, and he'd set the wheels in motion to get Ray every possible toy that the NSA possessed, as well as the strategic devices only accessible to the topmost levels of the NSA.

"Okay, Walter," said Ray, entering the office with the list in his hands. "Here's the list."

Walter took the list and glanced over the various surveillance devices made accessible to Ray. While the list was impressive, it wasn't anywhere near complete. Walter shook his head, exasperated by the NSA. This was one of their own and they were still pulling crap like this. Granted, he was a newbie within the department, but he shouldn't have to go through this initiation period. He picked up the phone and dialled the NSA's surveillance division.

"This is Walter Attwood with Whitney University Laboratories. The list of surveillance apparatus' you made available for Ray Peterson and his team is totally inadequate." He tried to keep the anger from his voice, but didn't succeed very well. With calm, even, measured tones, he ordered, "Give Peterson the complete list as well as their operating specs. I expect it to be in my office within the half hour!" Angrily, he slammed the phone down.

Walter glanced up and caught the bemused expression on Ray's face. Chuckling, he asked, "What? You thought I didn't have it in me?"

Ray swallowed his sarcastic reply. "So? What am I missing? What have they been keeping a secret from me?"

Walter picked up the list and shook it in the air. "Judging by this list, a lot. There's some very powerful and fully working toys many have only dreamed of - that we've developed or have access to."

Ray tried to keep the surprise from his face as he sat down and made himself comfortable. Walter pulled out some keys from his pocket and unlocked his desk drawer. Searching through the files, he found the one he was looking for and placed it on his desk.

"Ray, what I am about to show you has Top-Level Security Clearance. What we discuss here must never go beyond this room."

Ray nodded. "Fine. But I'll have to tell Tony something, considering he'll see the end-results of this surveillance. He'll wonder where I've received this information otherwise. And nothing will stop him then."

"Well," said Walter slowly, "we'll think of something." Shoving the papers across his desk, he said, "Take a look at these while I wait for some paperwork."

Twenty minutes later, a man dressed in a poorly-fitted black suit rushed into the lab and handed Walter a thick envelope. Walter smiled his thanks and dismissed the individual with a nod. Opening the envelope, he nodded to himself, quite satisfied with the list and its details.

"Ray?"

"Hmm, yeah, Walter?" he said, barely glancing up at his boss.

"It's here. These specs I've just received from NSA headquarters discuss a major portion of what is available for our use." Walter spread the papers over his desk as Ray stood and studied them one by one. Walter pointed towards two of the most important pieces of technology at their disposal. "These two pages describe the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology and the Military Observational Satellites (MOS's). You already know about GPS technology, but you're probably unaware of the MOS's. Both were introduced for military use long before Desert Storm made the lay person aware of them. The GPS's allowed us to track or locate individuals/installations of strategic importance with mm accuracy and the MOS's permitted us a view down to a minimum 2m² area. The picture is so clear, you can count the hairs on a person's arm."

Walter shuffled the papers and pointed to another page. "Of course, the military maintains Selective Availability (SA) in peace time. It works by decreasing locational precision from 1 mm to 200m. Because MOS's require pinpoint accuracy or exact locational information, we'll have to submit a request through the NSA for the use of the P-Coded Signal as encrypted by the Pentagon." He stood up and skimmed the page in front of him while Ray glanced over his shoulder. Walter tapped his finger over the page. "If I remember correctly, this Anti-Spoof mode (AS) caused unauthorised receivers to skew the information slightly on the GPS's Signal Band. It's the perfect tool while SA is activated." Chuckling slightly, he said, "After all, we can't let some foreign government target the White House using GPS technology. Hell, I don't know if you're aware of this, but during Desert Storm, all GPS's measured within 1 mm."

Walter's eyes expressed his mirth. Ray's eyes widened as he realised the implications of that statement. After a few minutes, Walter continued. "There are some limitations to this technology. As long as we know the location of individuals or the camp, we can zoom in on any person or persons there. But we'd need to keep track of them during this time. We have no way of finding them if we lose them. Our only hope is to somehow tag them with some locator transmitter."

Ray scratched his chin and said, "That would be difficult because they could sense us coming."

"Yes," agreed Walter. "This leads me to my other suggestion. We can have a truck based in the village assigned to tracking the camp's activities. Satellites will be appropriated and dedicated to your use for gathering our evidence. Of course, no one must know of this operation outside of those in the loop or the need to know. For those in the NSA and the FBI who are out of the loop, we'll disguise this as a STO, a standard training operation."

"Fantastic," said Ray. "STO's will give us the manpower and the techno truck will collect plenty of data. For conversations recording their activities, we can tap their phones."

"Yes," agreed Walter. Shuffling through the papers, he pulled another tech spec out of the pile. "But we'll take it a couple of steps further. We'll track their activities using Infrared imaging and a system that uses a kind of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technology. We'll be able to tell whether a person is physically or mentally fit, and even if they are lying. Any time anyone leaves that camp and uses any public phone facility, that call will be tapped. If at any time some person in that camp utters, either on the phone or on the grounds, the words 'president', 'bomb', 'White House', or 'new species', then we can storm the house and place them under arrest. Conspiracy to commit treason and murder would be the charges."

Ray's mouth was open, in awe of what he was hearing. "My God! Big brother is watching us. How long has the NSA held such broad-based powers to do whatever they please?"

Walter reached over and squeezed Ray's shoulder, trying to infuse comfort into the jaded ex-cop who thought he'd seen it all. "They've been like this for a long time my friend, for a long time."

"That's right," responded Walter, sitting down and leaning back in his chair. "There've been some developments in the search for Tom. Sit down, both of you, please. Ray, will you brief them?"

"Tell us what?" implored Sloan, sitting down next to Ed.

"What is it, Ray?" questioned Ed at the same time.

Ray straightened and faced them. From the dispirited look on his face, it was obvious he was the bearer of bad news. Intelligence they probably didn't want to hear. Sighing, he walked to the last vacant chair and sat down heavily. After a few seconds of contemplation, he explained the story, as related by Tony only a short while before.

When Ray finished, Walter matter-of-factly informed the two stunned associates, "It seems pretty obvious that Tom has defected back to the Homo dominants' side. And I'm afraid I don't mean the Peace Faction, either."

Sloan and Ed stared at Ray, open-mouthed. Neither was sure what to do, where to look, or what to say. Ed slumped in his chair, staring at the floor, shock written all over his face. 

Sloan was shocked as well and, in desperation, she jumped from her chair and defended Tom. She stared deeply and penetratingly into Ray's hooded eyes and vehemently demanded, "How can you be sure it was Tom that they saw out there? You know what he thought of Lewis. He hated him! We all knew that."

Seeking reassurance from the others, she suggested, "It could just as easily have been another brother of Tom's or even a clone. Have you thought of that?" When Ray didn't answer immediately, she pressed him, "Have you?"

 Walter regarded her, shaking his head with pity. "Sloan, I know that's a possibility, but highly unlikely in this instance, considering his state of mind when he left." Seeing he was getting nowhere, he reminded her, "You do recall that he had been through some devastating torture and experiments while Alexandra Luthor held him in captivity? Hell!" he stressed, his voice raising slightly in frustration, "he was catatonic for weeks. Who knows what state of mind he was in after that? He wouldn't talk, wouldn't let anyone touch him."

"Come on, Sloan, you saw it for yourself," piped in Ed, concerned over her behaviour and the distressed look on her face. "You said yourself he wasn't the Tom you knew three months ago."

"Yes, I know," whispered Sloan, turning to face her long-time friend as she sat in her chair dejectedly. "But he hadn't changed that much. He would never want to return to them and the Chameleon programme. I saw the hatred he had for Lewis, hatred for what they did to him. He was taken from his mother at 11 years old and all his childhood memories erased."

Turning to Ray, she emphasised, "Why, he was ready to kill Lewis that night we found him at the mansion. But after his former mentor jumped off the balcony and escaped, Tom attacked Lisa. He would've killed her as well, but I stopped him."

Walter stared in disbelief, "Oh come on, Sloan. That night I met Tom at your apartment, he was in a dreadful state. You saw what he did to me." He reached a hand behind his neck and rubbed. "Don't tell me Tom hasn't changed." Walking around the desk, he continued, "I'm not saying he meant to hit me. But any Human who went through what he did would be in a straight-jacket and in one of those soundproof rooms in an asylum."

"Walter," interrupted Sloan, suspiciously. "Don't try to blame someone else for this mess. You were the last one to see him. What did you do or say to him that made him act that way and disappear? It had to be something to push him over the edge."

"Whoa there, Sloan," said Ed leaning over to grasp Sloan's arm. "Walter's right, you know. Tom's been through hell and probably only got through it because he's Homo dominant."

"Now hold on a minute, Ed," said Sloan, heatedly. "He was still under the influence of your geno-genesis serum when they took him." Holding her hand out to stall Ed's interruption, she said, "Yes, I know he was returning to 1.6 differentiation, but how long did that take? Who knows?" Shrugging her shoulders, she suggested, "Maybe Alexandra Luthor's barbarous crew used the serum again on Tom, for experimentation purposes. Remember I never got into the lab that night because her goons had changed the security locks. By the time Walter got things sorted out, those vials were nowhere to be found in the lab!"

"Well, Sloan," cut in Walter, "you must admit those drugs did affect his mental state. He was always very stoical and could think clearly in any crisis. His training as a Chameleon and interrogator practically guaranteed that." Walter sighed and stared Sloan in the eyes. "The man that returned was not the Tom you knew. I found it hard to believe he was even the same guy."

That was the last straw for Sloan. She stood up and yelled angrily at her boss. "Don't give me that crap, Walter! He left my apartment that night after something that happened between the two of you. Don't try to tell me he'd go running back to Lewis!"

Ray watched as Sloan went to pieces, casting blame on everyone and anyone who tried to convince her that her dearest love, Tom, had returned to his own kind. He decided it was time for him to intervene.

Walking up to Sloan, he folded her into his arms. "Hey," he said gently. "Take it easy, Sloan. We're only telling you the facts as we see them." Pulling back to stare in her eyes, he brushed the few strands of hair from her eyes and stated, "Look, we're not going to leave it at that. I'm heading up to Canada myself to verify all the facts before we act on any of it. Don't think we're taking the word of anyone else on this." Smiling slightly, Ray continued, "If this is true, which I hope it's not, you'll know for sure when I get back. Walter and I have to work out a few details, first. As soon as we're through, I'm on my way."

Sloan calmed down as she listened to Ray, comforted in his arms. After a few seconds, she pulled away. "I'm coming with you!" demanded Sloan, tilting her head slightly with her stubborn chin jutted forward.

Ray sighed and said, "No, Sloan. You can't. You have work to do here. You and Ed have to discover a way to defend ourselves against them."

Sloan stared at him in frustration for a long moment, and then sat down. "Yes, you're right, of course." Catching the eyes of everyone there, she apologised. "Look, I'm sorry! Everything seems to have caught up with me this morning. Tom gave up so much when he agreed to help us. That night he took me to the cave, the place where Lynch set himself on fire, that incident cinched his defection in the eyes of his species." Locking gazes with Ed, the one person she knew would understand this, she stressed, "At that time, he admitted to me he felt very alone. He'd risked his life too many times to enable us to learn more about his species. Why would he leave now, when we had all accepted him? He was a part of our team." Turning to Walter, she stated, "You even welcomed him to the team that day in the warehouse when we were studying the pillar." Letting tears well in her eyes, she hesitantly whispered her most important fact, "And I love him!"

Ed felt her pain as though it was his own. He remembered that night in her apartment when Tom had started to show signs of reverting after the geno-genesis serum. Sloan was against trying a booster shot, but Tom had insisted. When Sloan had asked, "Does it mean that much to you?" Tom had answered, "YOU mean that much to me." That was the only time Tom had admitted his love for Sloan in front of Ed. Now Sloan had decided that they should all know that she reciprocated Tom's feelings.

Ed decided he'd have to help her through this. Sloan was his best friend, and as her friend, he should be there for her. 'Oh man!' he thought. 'This is going to be hard.'

Sloan took a few moments to collect herself and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her lab coat. Looking up, she mournfully turned to each of them and said, "Okay, Ray, you go up to Canada and survey this place where they say Tom and Lewis are holed up together. If you come back with solid evidence that Tom's loyalty to us is definitely over, then I'll have to accept that." Grabbing Ray's hand, she squeezed hard as she stressed, "If you believe nothing else, believe this. You had better be sure of your facts. I have a lot more at stake here than the rest of you, and nothing less than definite proof will satisfy me."

Ray nodded as he replied, "Absolutely, Sloan. You have my word on that."

'How can I prove them wrong? They had even swayed Ed slightly.' Frustrated, she ripped off her blouse and flung it onto the bed. All the buttons went flying and she didn't care. 'No way! Tom wouldn't defect! He said he'd always remain loyal to me and never leave me!' She pushed off her shoes and wiggled out of her skirt. Pacing her bedroom in her white silk slip, she tried to come up with a reason for Tom's disappearance.

'Maybe he needs something that I can't give him.' Tiredly, she slumped on top of her bed, burning for Tom's arms around her. "No way," she whispered, shivering dejectedly, "He wouldn't give up all he gained to return to Lewis, there has to be another reason."

Sloan stared at the floor. She ached to find that Tom had entered the apartment, to ask her if she was happy, did her day go well. She sighed. "He'll come back, I know he will."

Sloan's energy had drained entirely from her body within in the last few minutes. She stood and stared around her. All the little touches Tom had left in her place reminded her of him. His hairbrush next to hers, his black T-shirt folded on top of her dresser, his black pants crumpled next to the hamper.

Shaking herself, Sloan decided she needed to relax and relieve all the stress she suffered from. She padded to the kitchen and found some matches and three thick candles. Slowly, she made her way to the bathroom.

Sloan hummed softly to herself as she prepared a bath, singing a song that reminded her of Tom. She couldn't get it out of her mind. She had heard it just before leaving the lab tonight. Running hot water, Sloan poured a liberal amount of the aromatherapy bubble bath into the tub and waited, mesmerised by the bubbles that formed. They soothed and comforted her while they transformed, like a bud blooming into a large flower. Shaking herself from her reverie, she set the candles on the edge of the bathtub and lit them. She switched off the light and turned on the radio to that soft pop-rock station. Satisfied with the effect, she stripped and settled herself into the hot tub.

"Oh God, this is great!" Sloan lay back, closing her eyes and relaxing, totally submerging herself from her neck down. The hot water soothed her aching bones and the scent from the essential oils soothed her stress.

The song from the radio registered slightly on her tired mind..."Under the heavens, we journey far, on roads of life, we're the wanderers, So let love rise, so let love depart, Let hope have a place in the lover's heart. Hope has a place in the lover's heart. Look to love, and you may dream, and if it should leave, then give it wings. But if such a love is meant to be; Hope is home and the heart is free. Hope is home and the heart is free."

Soft lips played with her own, teasing her, asking her to open. The sensuous mouth nibbled from ear to mouth and back again.

"Mmmm," said Sloan.

The mouth smiled softly against her face, caressing her delicately wherever it touched. Wandering her face slowly, the soft lips returned to her mouth and pressed ever so slightly to gain entrance. Sloan sensuously smiled and parted her lips. Slowly, ever so slowly, the kiss deepened.

"Tom," she whispered.

The soft mouth moved to nibble her ear and answered, "Shhh."

"Oh Tom. I've missed you so." She lifted her bubble-covered hand and caressed his face. Tom's hand delicately covered hers and pressed it against his cheek, nuzzling her palm.

"I'll be back, I promise," whispered Lewis.

"Lewis!" Sloan woke up and realised it was a nightmare! She had fallen asleep in the bathtub thinking of that camp and Lewis' damned influence on Tom. "Oh God! That horrible man! I wish he were dead!" Determination set in her spine. "I don't care what Ray's found as evidence. Tom hasn't returned to Lewis and his species." Her conviction may be irrational, but who said love wasn't?

Sloan left the tub and dried herself. Making her way to her bed, she debated what needed doing. Pulling the covers back, she climbed in and settled herself comfortably. While staring at the ceiling, she resolved she had to get back to work. Tom would return on his own. That's all she needed to believe.

Tomorrow, she would meet with Ed and Walter and really get to work. They needed to develop some projects and devise a humane way of defeating the Homo dominants or at least of coexisting with them. As her eyelids drooped sleepily, she vowed never to lose faith in Tom.

Slowly Lewis spun on the stool and gazed around the room. He squinted as he tried to peer past the hazy smoke. This place was a typical watering hole in a small town, but he preferred it that way. No one could spy on this meeting. The music was loud and no one bothered you. While everyone knew everyone in these small towns, Lewis was a known commodity. He'd visited the bar so often in the past number of years, no one wondered who he was or why he was there.

The bartender slapped the beer glass on the counter behind him. Lewis turned and grabbed it, taking a long swig from it. He slammed the empty glass down to the counter and quickly ordered another one.

Jane Daniels whispered in his ear, "Wanna order me one?"

Lewis cursed inwardly as Jane defiantly ran her hand along the line of his back. He stared at her indifferently. "You're late."

Jane laughed mirthlessly as she squeezed in between barstools and leaned against him. Lewis gestured for two new beers. "Not really." She pushed in further, and leaned back against the bar, her arms folded against her chest. "So where is she?"

Lewis answered quickly. "I don't know, but it's about time we had a report. She was... wait... there she is." He gestured towards the entrance. Lewis leaned close and whispered softly against her ear. "Find us a place to sit down. I need to debrief her privately for a minute."

Jane stared hard at him before she grabbed both beers and threaded her way through the crowd.

Lewis watched his agent's progress and greeted her as she approached. "Faith."

The younger, dishevelled-looking woman nodded her greeting and waited for some direction. She appeared to be the epitome of a scientist, unconcerned about her appearance and casually dressed in jeans and ski sweater. Her slightly baggy clothes hid the power of her athletic body and she was a natural beauty with straight shoulder-length, auburn hair and sparkling chocolate brown eyes.

Lewis got to the point directly without any preamble. "Why is this your first report?" demanded Lewis. "I was about to send in another Chameleon to take over your position."

The woman answered quickly. "With all the recent activity going on around the facility, the two moves and everyone's actions being watched since Daniels was delivered to us, this is the first time I could escape without arousing suspicions." Pushing her hair behind her ears, she reported, "After I infiltrated her group, no one was permitted to leave at any time unescorted. We didn't know this at the time, but Alexandra Luthor was taking no chances that her plan to kidnap Daniels would be foiled in any way."

Lewis weighed the report and without another word, he stood up and crossed the room, joining Jane at the table she had appropriated from some festive partiers leaving for the night, Faith following behind him. Settling themselves, both older Homo dominants sat upright and stared at the younger Chameleon as she snagged a waiter.

"Did you give Tom the shell during his captivity as ordered?" asked Lewis after Faith directed her attention back to her superiors.

Faith nodded her head. "Yes, I did as ordered. I noticed he calmed almost immediately and he seemed to derive some comfort from it."

Jane Daniels smiled smugly as she learned of this.

Lewis nodded slightly in her direction and acknowledged that her plan had worked perfectly. It had flawlessly triggered some deep programming they had implanted in Tom during his training.

Jane leaned forward and asked intently. "What happened after that?"

Faith grimaced. "All hell broke loose. It seems he surprised his guards and escaped his cage. He almost made it to his freedom, but they caught him just as he was about to leave the facility. If it weren't for his Chameleon training, he would never have gotten as far as he did. But Daniels' depressed immunity system, as well as his fever associated with the coming of Kewleys Comet, hindered him."

Jane stoically absorbed this information, but her eyes glinted with steel. "That woman will pay with her life for harming us and our programme!"

Lewis canted his head slightly and emotionlessly hissed as he steepled his hands beneath his chin, "Yes, she almost ruined our plans for Tom and our eventual world domination. But we have him back under my control and we have our spy in her group." Lewis turned his gaze to Faith. "Does she suspect who you are?"

"No, not yet," replied Faith. "She's all hell bent on finding that traitor who helped Daniels escape and plotting to retrieve him from Attwood."

"Good. Keep it that way," ordered Lewis.

Tom pondered on Alexandra's personality and realised that there were members of the Homo sapiens species who were as equally cruel as his own kind. She had proved that. In any case, you couldn't compare her with Sloan. His love was an emotional creature and he had found himself drawn to her because of this. In his assignments, Tom had discovered that it took all kinds to make a world, both good and bad. Indeed, each kind existed on both sides.

However, a big minus on Luthor's side of the evolutionary ladder was the fact that she, as Homo sapiens, was supposed to possess emotions. He recalled that he had never observed or sensed any signs of emotion in her during the five months he had spent in captivity. She'd stood there insensitively watching her scientists conduct her experiments on him.

Coming back to the present, Tom reflected on Lewis. While similar in nature, he believed Lewis had exhibited more humane traits than Alexandra had. Plus, as the last few days had unfolded, his former mentor had completely unmasked himself when he'd related his own experiences. It had opened Tom's eyes to the depth of the man's personality and dedication to his species. It was because of this that he knew Lewis was the only one who could support him through this psychosis. He still didn't trust him farther than he could throw him, but Tom also recognised that this went beyond his programming.

Tom knew his physical injuries were healing much faster than his psychological ones. The clear, fresh, unpolluted mountain air and organic food had done wonders for his physical recovery. There were homeopathic healers, aromatherapists and reflexologists as well as medical and surgical staff on call at Nead an Iolair. The psychologists, psychotherapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists aided the agents whenever required. Every possible amenity was provided to help a Chosen Homo dominant's recovery. All Tom required now was time and someone to assist him in rebuilding his confidence and empathic senses, to get his mental health back in top gear.

Glancing sideways out of the corner of his eyes, Tom watched Lewis walk alongside him. He shook his head. He couldn't believe it. In the past few days, he had come to realise his ex-mentor was the person who could best help him through all the horrors. Lewis had shown incredible patience for all of his nightmares, which he still suffered. Of course, he knew about Tom's suffering intimately. 'I wonder who had helped Lewis through his ordeal when he escaped?' thought Tom. He deliberated further on this and marvelled at how Lewis had gotten away. Maybe he would tell him and then again, maybe he wouldn't. 'That man was most unpredictable.'

As they headed back to the main building, Lewis' voice broke into his thoughts. "Well, Tom. Reminiscing, are we?" Waiting for an answer, he slanted his head slightly and asked quietly, "Or reliving the nightmare? Which is it? You know, you're an open book to me."

Tom was taken aback. The five months of imprisonment, sensory deprivation and the lack of contact with other Homo dominants had had some other unforeseen effects on him. He'd forgotten Lewis was able to sense his emotions. It bothered him that his enemy held knowledge of his vulnerability: the Human feelings he'd retained since the geno-genesis experiment.

Tom realised that living amongst the Humans for so long, he'd lost his edge. The only contact he'd had in captivity was through Doctors Bob Santiago, Jonathan Mitchell and David Samuels as well as Charles Dancer and the guards - all Homo sapiens. He'd become used to the fact that they didn't have any empathic powers. Now, that fact trapped him. Lewis could still sense his feelings and any deceptions he may try, while he couldn't or wouldn't reciprocate.

"Hmmm," said Lewis, contemplating Tom's face, "I see we have some work to do. Tom, I know you're still recuperating and you have some hesitations, but you're going to have to learn deeper shielding techniques and masking." Waving his hand in dismissal as he saw Tom about to protest, he reassured him and said, "Oh, you did fine learning the basic techniques, but you need to refine those abilities and learn them properly. If you hadn't defected to the other side, I would've personally taught you after you'd terminated Sloan." Tom raised one eyebrow. "Don't worry. As soon as I feel you're mentally fit, I'll help you in that respect. Meanwhile, let's grab some breakfast, and afterwards, I'll bring you on the Official Tour!" Lewis threw his arm around his protégé and urged him towards the breakfast room.

Tom aggressively suppressed a shudder and said quietly, "Thanks." He knew he wasn't his usual self, but he'd never been caught like this before with his hand in the so-called cookie jar. Tom made a mental note to be more careful in future about his innermost thoughts, especially around Lewis.