DISCLAIMER:  Earth:  Final Conflict and all of Earth:  Final characters in this story are property of Tribune Entertainment.  No infringement of rights is intended. Danella and Ronnie are creations or my own.  Please don't use them without my permission.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: What if the Taelons were finally able to create Human/Taelon hybrids?   And what would happen if they escaped?  All words in ** are thoughts and all words in [] are telepathic communication.
RATING:  PG

CHILDREN OF A GREATER LOVE
By Roguemoon (AKA: Agent Sandy)

        If a person had been watching for someone to be leaving the Taelon Research Facility, the two shadows that slipped out around midnight would have been seen and stopped.  Fortunately for them, the person who was supposed to be watching them was laying in the hallway unconscious.  The two shadows cautiously crossed the street and vanished into an alley as a police car drove past. 
For a moment the car's headlights lit up the faces of the two teens. One was a girl who looked to be about 19.  She had shoulder-length, curly reddish brown hair, green eyes and a determined, if slightly scared look on her face.  The other, a boy, also looked about 19.  He had dark slightly wavy hair and dark eyes to match it.  If he felt any fear about their break out, it didn't show on his face-a face that would look eerily familiar to anyone who knew anything about the Taelons...
        "You wanted to see me, Zo'or?"   Agent Sandoval asked, after greeting both Zo'or and Da'an.
        "We will begin as soon as Major Kincaid joins us," Da'an replied when it became obvious that Zo'or wasn't going to answer Agent Sandoval.
Sandoval nodded to Da'an and they waited.  A few minutes later, Major Kincaid entered the room.
Kincaid greeted Zo'or and Sandoval and then turned to Da'an.  After greeting him, Liam spoke, "I'm sorry I'm late.  I had shuttle trouble."
Zo'or barely acknowledged the Major's statement.  Instead he began to explain why they had been asked there.
"As you know, Da'an has been heading a project that is attempting to create the first Taelon/Human hybrids.  The main research site is just outside of the city."
Major Kincaid nodded.  "Is this the same project that Sandoval spoke about at the last news briefing? "
Zo'or looked slightly annoyed at the interruption but answered yes.
"I thought he said that that particular project had been turned over to you," Liam pointed out.
Da'an nodded at Liam and spoke before an annoyed Zo'or could, "It was.  I am still overseeing parts of it though."
"The project was dying under Da'an's leadership.  I took over and the new, aggressive, tactics have worked," Zo'or straighten his posture and tried to look superior.  "Two hybrids were created, each using the DNA of two humans and one Taelon."
"This is great news for the Taelons," Sandoval said in his usual butt-kissing manner.
Liam Kincaid also looked interested, but for a far different reason.  * They would be 2/3 human, just like me.   I wonder if there would be a way for me to meet them? No, it would just be asking for trouble, but... *
"Last night something unexpected happened," Da'an stated.
Zo'or picked up where Da'an left off, " The hybrids escaped."
Liam and Sandoval both looked surprised, but before they could speak, Da'an did.
"Their names are Danella and Ronnie.  They both looks 19, but have only been alive for about 2 months," Da'an looked at Liam for a moment and then continued.   "We need you to track them down and return them to us before they are harmed."
"Do you think that they will fight returning?"  Sandoval asked.
"To the death," Zo'or stated.  "The female has been scheduled for termination; she may be killed if she resists.  The male is to be returned unharmed at all costs."
"Why is the girl so expendable?"  Liam asked.
"She hasn't shown the gifts that Ronnie has," Da'an's voice was tight with a pain that Liam didn't miss.
"Gifts?" Sandoval inquired.
"They both are very strong telepaths.  The male has also shown some talent toward channeling energy to hurt and to heal," Zo'or replied.  "Talk with Dr. Belman.  She will fill you in on the details and give you descriptions.  You are to return the hybrids to us without letting the word out to anyone else."
Liam was about to ask a question when Zo'or dismissed them.  He gave Da'an a questioning look and then left.
Silence stretched for a few minutes between the two Taelons after their Protectors left.   Then Zo'or spoke.
"You told Dr. Belman not to reveal anything that would give away the fathers' identities."
Da'an responded yes in a whisper.  "How will you explain to Agent Sandoval why Ronnie looks just like him?"
"Agent Sandoval is my implant, and he will accept whatever answer I choose to give him," Zo'or replied.
"He and Ronnie deserve better than lies," Da'an stated.
"Agent Sandoval and the hybrid will get what I give them," Zo'or stood and walked toward the door.          "And if I choose never to tell Agent Sandoval that the boy is his son then that is how it will be...

       That night Ronnie and Danella found an abandoned warehouse to spend the day hiding in.  It would be hazardous enough for them to travel at night let alone during the day.  They both knew that people would be looking for them soon, and if they were found before they found who they were looking for, well....
        *Don't think about it Dani, * Danella thought to herself.  * Ronnie won't let them kill you, but what if he can't stop them?   I'm so scared. *
Dani's thoughts were interrupted as a pair of arms wrapped around her and a familiar thought pattern mixed with hers.
        [You know I won't let you down.  We just have to find my brother and then we'll be safe,] Ronnie thought to her.
        [But we don't even know what he looks like,] Dani's thoughts sounded sad.
        [Dad has an idea who he is and some of the memories I have from Zo'or also point the finger at this same person,] Ronnie replied.   [It has to be him.]
        [How do you know he'll help us?  Just because he would also be a hybrid doesn't mean that he'll do anything to help us,] Dani argued.
Ronnie turned Dani to face him, [He will.  I know he will.  Come on, we need to get some rest-tonight will be a long night.]
Dani nodded and they curled up together to go to sleep-though it was a long time in coming for her.
       
        "Da'an, may I speak to you?"   Liam asked as he entered Da'an's office.
        "Of course, Liam.  What do you need?"  Da'an replied.
        "Answers.  Real ones, not just half truths," Liam stated.
        "Concerning what?"  Da'an looked confused.
        "The two teens that escaped last night," Liam said.  "Both Zo'or and Belman were very vague in what they told Sandoval and me about them.  What is going on?  What are you hiding?"
Da'an was silent a minute and Liam could see how torn the Taelon was about whatever was going on.  Finally, Da'an spoke. 
        "You realize that in order to create the hybrids we needed the DNA of two humans and one Taelon."
Liam nodded yes and Da'an continued. 
        "The human DNA that was used was actually used without the humans' knowledge.  Most of them worked for the Taelons at one point or another."
Liam looked puzzled a minute and then asked, "How did you get the DNA then?"
        "Everyone who works for the Taelons must have a sample of their DNA taken every few months for security purposes.  Of course, I managed to get that by-passed in your case," Da'an replied.
        * It's a good thing too,  * Liam thought to himself.  * Or else some people and Taelons would be in for the shock of their lives. *
Liam nodded to Da'an, "Is there a reason you haven't told us their parents' names?"
        "Yes," Da'an stated. "But I will tell you now because you need to know.  Danella's human parents are William and Kate Boone."
Liam's eyes opened wide in shock, but he didn't speak.
Da'an continued, "Ronnie's human parents are Ronald Sandoval and Siobhan Beckett."
Liam had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping.  * Ronnie's my bother!  I have a brother! * 
Liam's shock was so deep that he barely heard Da'an's next words.
        "Zo'or donated his DNA for Ronnie because he had taken over the program at that point, but I requested a different Taelon donor for Danella."  Da'an voice got quiet and sad.  "Since Will had been my implant, I donated my DNA for her.  She is my daughter as much as she is Will's..."

Liam wasn't happy.  Sandoval was suppose to have waited for him, but when he came out of Da'an's office he found the agent had already left.  Now Liam was moving toward Sandoval's location in the south part of the city.
Suddenly, Liam stopped walking and looked around.  For some reason he, felt like he was being watched, but a look around the area revealed nothing.   He started to walk again.  As he did, he suddenly felt something touch his mind.  It was just there and then gone, leaving the question...Will you help us?
Danella waited impatiently for Ronnie to return to the warehouse.  She didn't like the idea of him going out after Liam alone once they had picked up his unique brain wave pattern, but one of them was less likely to draw people's attention than two.   Danella started to stand up and then froze when she sensed a thought pattern downstairs that wasn't Ronnie's...
Ronnie had meant to confront his brother after making contact with his mind, but Dani's frightened telepathic message had sent him running back to the warehouse instead.  He cautiously entered it and then froze when he saw who was looking around the room.   Part of him wanted to run to the man, but the other part knew that that would result in him returning to the Taelons and Dani's death.  * Sorry, Dad, * Ronnie thought, * but no one is going to keep me from keeping her safe...*
Ronald Sandoval had just decided to leave the building when he spotted a set of rickety stairs leading up to the building's second floor.  The steps had been hidden well by a few old crates.  Sandoval slid around the crates and cautiously moved up the steps.  When he reached the top, he saw that there was a room on the other side of the catwalk. Ronald tensed, ready for anything.  Raven hissed lowly, showing that the skrill was as ready for action as its host was. 
Sandoval slowly crossed the catwalk and then entered the room.  At first it appeared to be empty.  Then he noticed a shadow being cast in the corner that shouldn't have been there.  He looked toward where an old box sat and realized that person casting the shadow must have been on the other side of it.  Ronald brought Raven into firing position and moved around the box...
Danella heard Sandoval enter the room and her heart froze.  She knew Ronnie was downstairs, and she was afraid of what would happen if he and his father were forced to meet like this.  Dani curled into a tighter ball and continued to think to herself * He won't find me.  He can't see me. *   She hoped that her telepathy might relay those words to him and keep him from seeing her.  Of course, she also knew it was a long shot because her telepathic training with anyone other than Ronnie had been little to none.
Suddenly a shadow dropped across her and Dani looked up-right into a glowing skrill.
"Don't move," Sandoval ordered.
As soon as Ronnie felt Dani's fear at being discovered, he was out of his hiding spot and on his way up the stairs.  He sprinted across the catwalk and entered the room.  He knew now, that there was only one way out of this...
Sandoval had just got the girl into the middle of the room, when he heard someone coming across the catwalk.  He quickly turned toward the sound-ready to fire at whoever it was, but froze when he saw the person that entered the room.  For a minute, he couldn't breathe.  The boy looked exactly like him...

TO BE CONTINUED...