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: Ronnie is betrayed by someone in the Resistance and captured by the Taelons.  What will they do to him?  How will the Resistance get him back?   All words in ** are thoughts and all words in [] are telepathic communication.
RATING:  PG

SILENCE'S FIRE

FBI Agent Ronald Sandoval was waiting for his son to meet him.  Over the last few weeks quite a lot had happened in the agent's life-not the least of which was finding out that he had two sons.  Sandoval had never planned to become part of the Resistance, but since it now housed the two most important things in his life, he had joined to make sure that Zo'or wasn't able to carry out the plans he had for destroying the Resistance.
As time passed, Sandoval began to worry.  He knew he was overreacting to the boy being a few minutes late, but he couldn't help it.  He had had an eerie feeling of impending doom all day and it just seemed to be getting stronger as time went on.   Ronnie was supposed to be picking up a disk of information for the Resistance and then drop it off at Headquarters before coming to see him.  Not exactly a hard job considering all parties involved were trusted Resistance members.  Liam wouldn't let the boy do anything that would put him at the slightest risk of being captured by the Taelons.  Ronnie hated it, but Sandoval had to agree with Liam's thinking. 
Suddenly, Ronald's global went off.  As he reached for it, his heart froze and warning sirens went off in his head.  Because of his reaction, he wasn't surprised when he saw his caller was Zo'or.
"Yes, Zo'or?" Sandoval asked.
"Report to the Mothership as once," Zo'or ordered.
"What is it Zo'or?  Has something happened?" Sandoval said.
"Yes," Zo'or replied.  "Our son has been returned to the fold.   He is to be implanted within the hour...."

Agent Sandoval would have given anything to take the place of his son who was now  lying unconscious on the table in front of him.  Returning to forced slavery to the Taelons wasn't something he would have wanted to do now that he was free of his MI, but he would have done it to keep Ronnie from experiencing the he** having an MI caused.  Unfortunately, there was no way to trade places and slavery would be all Ronnie knew until Sandoval and Liam could find a way to release him from it.  The thought of Ronnie being at Zo'or's beck and call made Sandoval shiver.  He knew what it was like and it was a fate he wouldn't have wished on his worst enemies, let alone on someone he loved more than life itself.
Sandoval looked around the room and wasn't really surprised to see that neither Da'an nor Liam were there.  They were lucky.  Zo'or had told them when the implantation was going to happen, but hadn't required their presence.  Unfortunately, Sandoval had been told to be there or else in not so many words.  He really didn't know how he was going to make it though without killing Zo'or. At the moment the Taelon was smirking at him almost as if he knew how much watching this was ripping him apart inside.    Sandoval forced a stony look to his face and looked back at Zo'or.  He wasn't going to let the Taelon know that watching the needle move toward his son was killing him as much as the CVI it carried would kill Ronnie's free will...

Augur looked down at the child who had finally cried herself to sleep in his lap and smoothed the hair back off her tear-streaked face. Danella hadn't taken the news of Ronnie's capture well.  He had been, after all, the one stable thing in her life and now he was gone.  Augur hadn't known what to do with her after Liam had gone to the Mothership to see if there was anything he could do to stop the implantation.  There wasn't, of course, and he had called a few hours ago to tell them that it was done.   Up until the call came, Augur had been able to keep the girl's hopes up and her attention focused on helping him with a computer program.  After the call, she had stopped communicating and had just stared at the ceiling.  Augur had been scared when he saw her actions.  He was even more scared about how much he was worrying about her.  He hadn't realized how much he had come to care about her over the last few weeks.  She now seemed like a daughter to him, and he wanted to protect her from everything he could.  He sighed and wondered why fate seemed determined to make him a father.  First Liam and now Dani.  Not that it was a bad thing...* I just don't know what the he** I'm doing * Augur thought. 
Suddenly, Dani telepathically cried out and sat up.  Augur winced when he felt the fear in her cry.
"What is it, D?" He asked.
She just looked at him for a moment and then wrapped her arms tightly around him, holding on for dear life.
Augur, not knowing what else to do, whispered that everything would be all right and then held her until she fell asleep again.

Da'an stared out over the city and cursed it.  He knew it wasn't its fault that he felt as if part of his soul had been ripped out, but it was an easy target, sitting there in all its strange beauty, looking as still as if everything was perfect when he knew it wasn't.  The news of Ronnie's capture and implantation had destroyed any semblance of perfection in the Da'an's world.  He worried for the boy.  A forced implantation was dangerous, but on top of that, Ronnie wasn't even fully human.   All kinds of things could go wrong and just because the procedure had seemed to go well, didn't mean something wouldn't show up later.
Of  course, Da'an's worries weren't all for Ronnie.  What was really upsetting him had to do with one who he shared more than just a concern for.  He could feel that his daughter was...well...lost.  Her mind was in turmoil and Da'an wanted to help her, he just didn't know how.  The Taelons shut his eyes and just stood there for a moment.  A feather shift in the Commonality alerted him that there was someone now in the room with him.  He opened his eyes and looked down to see Liam standing there.
"You wanted to talk to me?" the Major asked.
"Yes," Da'an replied.  "How much danger do you think you are in now that Ronnie has been implanted and will tell Zo'or whatever he asks?"
Liam shook his head, "I don't know.  Belman told me that between Ronnie's telepathic abilities and his unwillingness to be implanted, there was a  chance he may come out of this with self-induced amnesia."
Da'an nodded, "His subconscious will block any Resistance related information from his conscious mind, so that he can't hurt those he loves?"
"Exactly, but just to be safe, I am going to move Dani to another safe house," Liam stated.
Da'an got really quiet a moment and then looked at Liam, "I want to see her."
Liam shook his head, " I don't think that is a good idea Da'an.  It is too risky now."
Da'an looked directly at Liam, " I do not care.  I am the only family she has and she needs me.  I will give you a few days to get her settled into the safe house, and then I want to see her."
Liam thought for a moment...and then nodded yes.

Agent Sandoval watched as his son entered the room and greeted Zo'or.   Ronald shivered as he realized that a few years ago it had been him doing that.   It was eerie seeing his son reenacting the biggest mistake he had made in his life.
"You are feeling well, I trust," Zo'or stated.
"Yes, Father," Ronnie replied.  "Except for a few blank spots in my memory, I am well."
Sandoval suppressed a smile.  At least on thing was going for them.  Ronnie seemed to have forgotten everything he had known about the Resistance.  It didn't make Zo'or happy, but there wasn't anything the Taelon could do about it.
Zo'or just nodded, "Then you are ready to go and find Danella Boone."
Sandoval desperately searched his son's face for any trace of the feelings he knew the boy had for Dani.  Unfortunately, the boy's face was as blank as his voice was when he answered yes.
"And what are you going to do when you find her?" Zo'or inquired.
The boy's face hardened in a way that froze Sandoval.  When he finally spoke, Ronnie's voice was low and dangerous.
"I'm going to kill her."

Danella rolled over in the bed.  She was having the most horrid dream, but couldn't wake up no matter how hard she tried, and she was trying really hard.  Augur kept expecting her to wake up, but she wasn't.  He was worried about her, but there wasn't anything he could do but sit and watch.  Meanwhile, Dani sank deeper into the dream she was fighting so hard to escape...

She was running from someone that she never thought she would have to fear.   If that wasn't bad enough, she knew that she wouldn't be able to escape from him.   No road seemed to lead away.  Still she ran.  Suddenly, the night got colder and  it began to rain.  She was quickly soaked, but that wasn't much of a worry when she realized that she had run into a dead end.  A tall fence was blocking her path, and she knew there was no way around it.  Fear welled up inside her as she turned to face her assailant.
A dark figure walked into her line of vision, but stopped so she couldn't see his face.   That didn't matter though because she knew him better than anyone else ever would.   Still, right now, he was stranger.  He had changed and become something she didn't know at all...something that scared her to death
[Fear isn't a bad thing, child] then man said.
Dani desperately tried to close her mind to his voice, but couldn't. [Leave me alone!!!!   I don't know you!!!]
She couldn't see the smile her comment brought to his face, but she knew it was there.
[You can't hide from me, Danella.  I will find you and when I do, I will kill you,] he stated calmly.
[No! ]  Danella cried.  [Leave me alone!  I loved you!  Why are you doing this?]
The man didn't answer.  Instead, he began to walk toward her.  Dani backed up against the fence, but had no where to go.  Soon the man, her lover, Ronnie, was standing just a few feet from her.  He raised his hands, and she could see that they were glowing.  He was going to fire at her....he was actually going to fire at her!
Dani froze for a moment, then, when he fired, she threw her hands up to protect her face...

In her dream, Dani cried out as Ronnie's blast came at her.  In reality, she did too.  When he felt her telepathic cry, Augur sat blot upright in the chair that he had fallen asleep in and looked at her.  Then he froze.  Dani's hands were glowing...

"Augur is there a specific reason you are wearing a hole in the rug?"   Liam asked when he entered the apartment that they had hidden Danella in.
Augur stopped pacing and turned to Liam, "It's about time you got back here.  I need to talk to you about..." Augur paused when he realized Liam wasn't alone.
The short figure with Liam nodded at Augur, "I am here to see my daughter.  Is she well?"
For a minute, Augur just stared at the Taelon, shocked to see him there.  Then he found his voice and turned back to Liam.
"It's about, Dani.  She..."
Augur paused again, this time because a telepathic scream rang through all of their heads.   Augur, Liam, and Da'an all sprinted to Dani's room.  Inside, Dani was sitting up on the bed looking at her hands, which were again glowing.   She looked up when they entered the room.
"That is what I was going to tell you about," Augur said.  "It's been happening on and off all day."
Liam looked at Dani, unsure of what to do.  Suddenly, he realized that her attention had switched from her hands to Da'an.  The Taelon had a concerned look on his face.  
[What's wrong with me, Daddy?]  Dani asked.
After a moment of silence, Da'an moved to Dani's bedside and sat down in front of her.   Once seated, he took her hands in his and, after a few seconds, hers stopped glowing. 
"There is nothing wrong with you, my child," Da'an said softly.  "It seems that we were wrong to give up on the further development of your Taelon abilities so quickly.  The reason your hands are glowing is because you have developed shakarava."
Liam unconsciously started to rub his own pair of shakarava.  * I'm not the only one now... *
[Is that bad?]  Dani asked.  [Ronnie doesn't have them.]
"No it is not bad,"  Da'an answered.  "Ronnie's abilities have always been different from yours.  His are more psychic-therefore more human, in nature.  It seems on ordering your death, Zo'or has thrown away the one of you that is actually closer to the Taelon race than the Human race.  But I am worried about you.  Your mind is extremely unbalanced.  Danella, my daughter, what aren't you telling us?"
A look of fear crossed Dani's face.  Would they believe her if she told them about her dreams?
Dani dropped her eyes, [I'm afraid to say.]
Da'an held his hands out to her, "Please join with me, daughter.  The Commonality will know shortly that you are now connected to it.  There is no sense in hiding."
"Wait a minute," Liam objected.  "Won't that lead Ronnie right to us?"
Da'an turned to look at Liam for a moment, "No.  Ronnie has no connection to the Commonality.  It was one of the things that disappointed Zo'or the most about his son.  As you know, I am already distanced from the Commonality myself.  By the time Zo'or or any of the others are able to track her, she will be trained enough to hide herself.  As you do."
"And you will be doing the training?"  Liam asked.
Da'an nodded and turned back to Dani,  "Will you join with me?"
Dani looked a little unsure for a moment, then her look changed to one of complete trust, and she nodded yes.
Da'an placed his hands against hers and began the joining.  He opened himself up to her, letting her know how he had always loved her and wanted only to protect her.  He also gave her something more precious than his love-memories of her human father, William Boone, memories that, up until that point had been blocked from her conscious mind...

When the joining had first began, Dani had been afraid.  It was so different, so strange, but even as she was feeling that fear, a soft, gentle presence wrapped around her and guided her.  It showed her how to use the ancient organs that had appeared on her hands.  It also showed her how to hide herself from the Commonality.  Once the lessons were learned, Dani became afraid again.  She didn't want the presence to leave.  She didn't want to be alone again.
[Do you know I will never leave you, my love?]  The presence asked.  [We will always be together no matter what happens.  Now come, I wish to show you one more thing before we go.]
Dani nodded and suddenly she was overwhelmed by memories-memories of a man who had lived and died before she was ever born.  Even though she had never meet him, she felt a connection to him that was unmistakable.
[Daddy,] she whispered.  Tears filled her eyes as she realized what a brave and wonderful man he had been. She also realized that she, a person who was always too afraid to do anything, would have been a big disappointment to him.
[Never!] Her guiding presence stated.  [He would have loved you forever, just as I will.  You are his daughter in that you would do anything to see the wrongs righted.   You are also my daughter in that you carry my gentle soul.  I am afraid that I did not do a good job protecting that gentle soul from Zo'or, and for that I will always be ashamed.]
[Father, no!]  Dani cried.  [ You did all you could.  You have given me so much.  I will never feel anything but love for you.]
Da'an was quiet for a moment and then Dani felt a warmth wrap around her, [And you have given me more than you could ever know, my Life.]
[I love you, Daddy]  Dani whispered.
[I love you, Daughter," Da'an stated as he ended the joining.

Liam and Augur watched them come out of the joining.  Liam noticed that there were tears in Dani's eyes, but it was Augur who noticed that something had changed in the girl.  Something about the look in her eyes was familiar to him.  He scanned his memory and then a face wearing the same determined expression popped into his head.  At first, seeing the look again was like seeing an old friend back from the dead.  Then his heart froze as he realized, that, if that look meant the same thing on her face as it had meant Will's, if she wasn't careful she could soon be dead too...

        Danella watched as Liam took all of his aggression out on the punching bag in front of him.  It had been a rough few weeks.  Ronnie and Zo'or were getting more aggressive about trying to find her and in protecting her, both Liam and Sandoval had put themselves into harm's way more than once.   Right now, Sandoval, as a punishment for not finding Dani, was being forced to work under his son. Ronnie had a foggy feeling that Sandoval and Liam knew more than they were saying, but couldn't prove it.  He was hounding and threatening them, but hadn't found out anything yet.
* But it is only a matter of time.  It is a good thing that I'm getting better at controlling my shakarava.  Dad left me enough knowledge on how to use them.    I just hope it works when the time comes.  I miss dad so much. * Dani looked up when a loud noise came from where Liam had been working out.  She shook her head when she saw the Liam had destroyed yet another bag because his anger had caused his shakarava to activate unconsciously.
[Liam, are you all right?] She asked.
Liam kicked at the remains of the bag and shrugged his shoulders, "Augur is going to hate me when he has to go and get a new one.  At this rate, he would be wise to buy stock in the company that makes them."
Dani laughed silently, but knew his joke was only a cover up for his true feelings.   [Liam, if you wish, I could help you learn to control your shakarava.]
Liam looked at his hands for a moment and then sighed.  "I try to forget that they are there.  They are only a reminded of the fact I'll never be normal.   I'll never have a normal house, a normal job, or a normal life.  I'll never get married; I'll never have kids..." Liam's voice trailed off.
The loneliness and sadness on his face saddened Dani.  She crossed the room and gently touched his arm;  [You don't know that.]
"I can't.  I won't pass this curse onto someone else," Liam stated.
[It is no curse, Liam.  It's a gift, a wonderful gift.  You just need someone to show you how to use it.  Let me show you,] Dani looked up at Liam and the pair locked eyes for a moment.  Something silent that neither of them could name passed between them.  The feeling's intensity made Liam slightly uncomfortable, and he looked away after a moment, then walked across the room.
"Maybe if we are still all alive after we get Ronnie back, I'll let you," Liam picked up his towel and wiped off his face.  "Right now, getting him back takes precedence."
[Happiness is also important Liam,]  Dani replied, still a little shaken up from what she had felt a moment before.
"Yes, but something's are..." Liam stopped when Dani flinched.
He took gently her shoulders in his hands, "What is it?"
Dani looked up into his concerned eyes, [I don't know how he found out I was here.]
"Who?  Who found out?"  Liam asked when she paused.
Dani shivered slightly, [Ronnie's coming for me.]

Danella was scared and nervous.  Of course, anyone in her shoes would have been.  She was facing a situation in which she or someone she cared about to get hurt or killed-and, at the moment, she was facing it alone.  It had taken a long time to convince Liam that he had to leave her and go get help.  She knew somehow that the help wouldn't arrive in time, but she didn't tell Liam that.  He would never have left then, and she felt his staying would only make things worse.  So, she got him to go and find Sandoval, who wasn't answering his global for some reason.
Dani looked around.  It was late; night had long since fallen, and it looked like it was going to rain any minute..  Somehow she thought it was fitting that her and Ronnie's final confrontation would take place in a setting very similar to the ones that had been in her dreams.  Only now she wasn't running anymore.  She knew now that running and hiding wouldn't solve anything.  She had to face her fears, just as both of her fathers had so often done.
The expected rain started to fall, and suddenly, a familiar feeling crossed her mind, causing her to look up.  There, standing in the shadows of the apartment's parking lot, was Ronnie.
[You're not going to run?] He asked after a few minutes of tense silence had passed between them.
[No,]  Dani stated, trying to sound as confident as he looked.
Ronnie raised an eyebrow and took a few steps toward her, [I am going to kill you.   Nothing you can do will change that.]
Dani fought the urge to step back away from him, because she knew doing that would only let him know just how much he was intimidating her.
[I'm not afraid of you,]  Dani thought at him.
Ronnie smirked, [You should be.  I am going to kill you, slowly so you suffer for all of the trouble you caused my father.]
[Zo'or is not your father.]  Dani argued.
Ronnie's face angered, [He is more my father than Sandoval will ever be!]
Dani winced and was glad that Ronald wasn't there.  Hearing those words from his son would have broken his heart.
Ronnie shook his head when he saw the pain on her face, [You were always so soft, so weak.   I had to babysit you all of the time.  Do you know how much that annoyed me?]
Dani flinched at those words and let herself take a step back when he again advanced on her.  * He doesn't mean it; he doesn't mean it, * She repeated to herself.
[Oh I mean it,] Ronnie said after picking the thoughts out of her mind.  [I hated it and I hated you.  The only reason I let you come when I broke out was because I needed a bargaining chip in case I was caught.]
Dani paled and shivered-and neither action had the slightest to do with the cold rain that had soaked her to the skin.
Ronnie's smirk widened and he continued, [I hate you.  I always have, Reject.   You are nothing and will always be nothing.]
Dani's hands closed into fists as her hurt turned to anger, [Ronnie please stop.   This isn't you talking.]
[Sure it is.  It's just the real me, and you can't handle it.  Now, why don't you step over there and let's get on with this.  I'd like to get out of the rain and find out if Agent Sandoval is still breathing.] Ronnie sneered.
Dani's eyes widened, [What did you do to Ronald?]
[Ronald, how sweet.  Cute, and why exactly would you be calling a Companion Agent by his first name?  Hmm, maybe I had an actual reason to do what I did.] Ronnie replied.
Dani's mind was spinning.  *Oh, God, * she thought.  *That's why he wasn't answering his global.  Please let Liam find him in time. *  She shut her eyes a second to clear her head.
That second slip in Dani's focus was exactly what Ronnie had been waiting for.  He wasted no time forming an energy blast and sent it at her.  Alarms went off in Dani's head a split second too late, and she was only able to dodge half of the blast.  The impact sent her to the ground.
* Stupid, stupid, stupid,* she thought to herself as she forced herself to her feet.   Pain shot through her body from the blast, but she blocked it out.  If she was going to die, she had to at least set Ronnie free of the CVI first.  Da'an had showed her a way to use her shakarava to kill the MI, she just had to get close enough to Ronnie to do it.
Ronnie sent another shot her way.  This one Dani saw coming, so she was able to use her shakarava to slingshot the blast back at Ronnie.  When he saw her hands glowing, he froze in surprise and was hit by his own blast. 
Ronnie hit the ground semi-conscious, and Dani wasted no time running over to him.   She straddled him and placed a hand, palm down, on either side of his head.   She shut her eyes and focused all of her shakarava's healing power into him. Using Da'an's knowledge of how the MI and CVI worked, she disengaged them and then repaired the damage the CVI had cause to his mind.  Once she was done, Dani managed to stand up and walk a few steps away from him before exhaustion and pain forced her to the ground.  
        She had only been there a few seconds when a comforting hand touched her shoulder and its owner's worried voice spoke to her, "Dani, are you okay?"
Dani looked up into Augur's concerned face and nodded, [You and Liam help Ronnie inside.   Did Liam find Ronald?]
        Augur's face got grim but he nodded yes.   Dani wanted to ask how the agent was, but was too tired.  She sat on the wet ground and watched as Augur and Liam got a groggy Ronnie to his feet.  They led him into the apartment.  Dani started to get up, but her body wouldn't cooperate, so she just sat.  A few moments later, Liam came out after her.
        He started to help her up, "Are you okay?"
She started to reply yes, but stopped when a sudden pain ripping through her chest and stomach sent her back to the ground.  Liam was immediately on the ground beside her.
        "Dani, what is it?"  Liam asked.
        Dani placed her hand against her stomach and then drew it back.  It was covered in blood.
She looked at Liam and smiled sadly, [I guess he got me worse than I thought he did.]
Liam began to pick her up to carry her inside, but she stopped him with a sharp no.
        "What do you mean no?  We have to get you to a doctor," Liam argued.
        [It won't help,]  Dani's thoughts were weak.  [Just stay here with me until it's over.  I don't want Ronnie to see this.]
Liam's voice was tight, "There has to be something we can do."
Dani looked up at him, and they locked eyes.  Liam shivered when he recognized the look in her eyes.  It was the same look that had been in his mother's eyes right before she died in his arms.
        [There is nothing,] she whispered.  [Just hold me close until it is over.]
        Liam blinked back tears as he pulled her against him.  Her head rested against his chest, and after a moment, he realized she was unconscious.  He looked down at her, and then a tingling in his hands drew his attention from Dani.  His eyes opened wide when he saw that they were glowing softly.   Suddenly, one of Ha'gel's memories jumped to the front of his mind, and he knew what he had to do.
        Liam quickly placed his hands over Dani's stomach and did his best to focus his shakarava's healing abilities into her.   Minutes passed, and then Liam sat back to wait.  He prayed that it had worked.   For some reason, the thought of her dying, was ripping him apart in a way that he had never felt before.  When Amanda and his mother had died, he had felt pain too, but this was a different pain, sharper and more lasting.
        The pain he was feeling continued to increase until he could barely breathe.  Then she suddenly opened her eyes.
        Dani turned her head to him.  [See,] she thought wearily, [gift, not curse.]
Liam started to breathe again and then smiled,  "Let's get you inside."
Dani didn't argue this time when he scooped her into his arms.  She laid her head against his chest and shut her eyes.  Feeling safe and protected in his arms, she quickly fell asleep...

Agent Sandoval shut his eyes and listened to the quiet all around him.   Being at peace, even for a few seconds, wasn't something that he was used to.   He took a deep breath and then opened his eyes and looked around the garden he was sitting in.  He didn't remember much about the night Ronnie had attacked him, but he didn't really care.  Ronald knew that the boy had, had no control over his actions.   After all, not too long ago it had been him who couldn't control his actions.
Sandoval sighed.  He wanted so badly to talk to his son right then and tell him he knew how he was feeling, but Ronnie wouldn't talk to anyone-not even Dani.  No one could make him understand that they didn't blame him and had forgiven him. 
[He has to forgive himself before he can let us forgive him,]  Sandoval turned his head and smiled as Dani and Liam walked up to him.
"I know, but I am his father and I want to make things right for him so badly,"   Ronald stated.
Dani nodded in understanding.  She and Liam both felt the same need to make things right, but at the moment, Ronnie was the only one who could do that.
[How are you doing today?]  Dani asked.
Ronald dropped his head and his hands gripped the arms of the wheelchair, "Still in he** and by the looks of it, I'm going to be there a while."
Liam looked at his father and tried to hide the pain he was feeling for him.  When Ronnie had attacked him, one of the blasts had severly injured his back.  Now Sandoval was paralyzed from the waist down, and he wasn't taking it well.  Liam could understand, though.  He would have gone crazy being forced to sit at a safe house and do nothing when so much needed to be done.
"Dr. Belman said it was only going to be temporary," Liam said.   "You'll be back in the game in no time."
"Not if Zo'or has anything to say about it.  Da'an may have gotten the Synod to agree to give me rehabilitation time instead of getting rid of me straight out, but Zo'or will find away to get rid of me.  It is only a matter of time," Sandoval answered.
Dani gently touched his shoulder, {We won't let that happen you know that.]
Ronald took her hand and squeezed it, "I know, but it is hard to be positive when you are stuck in a wheelchair."
Dani nodded, knowing nothing she or Liam could say would make him feel better.  Only walking again would do that.
"Well, Dani is about to totally humiliate me, so if you would like to watch, feel free.  If watching that doesn't cheer you up, nothing will," Liam stated.
[Your control of you shakarava is getting better,]  Dani smirked.  [At least now you know the difference between shaq off and shaq on.]
Liam blushed as his father and Dani started to laugh.  He waited for Dani to stop laughing and then looked her in the eye.
"All right Miss Smarty, lets go, and I'll show you what I can do."

Somewhere in Washington, a heavy-set man nervously ducked into an empty alley.   He looked around for the hundredth time to make sure he wasn't being followed and then pulled out a global.
"I put that brat right into your hands.  How could you screw up like that?"   He asked the person who answered.
"We did not expect the female to develop shakarava.  She was a dead end.   It will not happen again," a calm voice stated.
"I better not.  I can find other way s to deal with this problem if you can't," the man threatened.
"Yes, you possibly could, but I doubt that the arrangement would be anywhere near as beneficial to you as our arrangement is," the voice said.
The man paused, knowing that the Taelon had him trapped.  He hated having to stoop so low as to have to work with the Leader of the Synod, but some things had to be done for the greater good.  He could always backstab the Taelon later, and for now, the arrangement was keeping certain sections of the Resistance from being raided and destroyed.
"We have a new plan to deal with the hybrids.  This one will not fail.  I will contact you shortly with the details," Zo'or stated and then cut off the transmission.
The man looked at the screen for a moment and then put the global away.  Kincaid had gone against his wishes one time too many by keeping those...freaks...around, and now he was even sheltering a Companion Agent in the Resistance.  It was unacceptable!   No, Jonathan Doors thought as he left the alley, Kincaid had been a thorn in his side too long.  Fortunately, it looked like that thorn was about to be removed...

THE END