The passageway reminded Tina of the old movies they watched as children. Candle-like lamps were placed on wooden half-moon tables shedding enough light to walk but not enough to intrude into the rooms and suites. Pushing open their suite door, she stood, feeling the silence around her. Craig had been there, the lamps were shining in the sitting area, and the kitchen light was on, but she could sense his absence. The hope of the tech room sputtered, trying to stay alive.

"Looks like your father is going to be another of those genetic enhancements that are absent from everyone's life," Tina whispered as she moved toward the sensational wafting aroma from the kitchen. "He's been avoiding me, shutting me out and ignoring me. I'm really trying not to take it personally. There is only so much a girl can take before she realises moving on will be the only way to hold onto her sanity."

A covered dish caught her attention; frowning, she cautiously raised the dome to find a hot meal with all her favourites.

"Whoever did this," she smiled, "thank you."

Taking the plate and sitting at the counter, Tina slowly moved through the food, enjoying every mouthful. The only thing she felt was missing was Craig's presence. Thinking of his behaviour only brought tears and pain. Every time he rejected her attempts to talk made it too painful to stay in the same space. He was never around for her to chat about the opportunities presented to her with the upcoming missions. She knew he had been around them when she was asleep, as the babies were calm and doing well. Her ultrasounds also showed them to respond to her voice, and the shy twins seemed eager to hear her talk to them. She didn't presume human pregnancies went this way. She wasn't sure that anything experienced so far would be rated average but ordinary women. Pushing her empty plate away, she drank the glass of water before washing them and leaving them to dry.

The bedroom door stood ajar. Had Craig come home too tired to wait for her? Pushing the door wider, she found the bed empty with a single red rose on her pillow with a note. Pulling the message from under the rose, she read: "A rose from my heart to yours. Enjoy your dinner. Love Craig."

Tears gathered as she picked up the rose, smelling the heady scent and wishing he was there to hold her, but he wasn't, and it made it harder to bare knowing that she would be leaving soon.

She had promised herself to always help those who needed it, and she was going to keep that promise. Striping her clothes off, she dropped them in the laundry basket inside the bathroom door. Turning on the shower and stepping under the hot water allowing the warmth to wash over her tired body before she began to scrub away the grime. Overwhelming emotion rose in her solitude until she finally rested her head on the cold tiles and sobbed.

Craig pushed the suite door open, glancing around. The empty sitting area and kitchen told him Tina was not waiting for him, although she had eaten her dinner. Releasing a breath that she had at least accepted the meal, he hoped the rose had worked in his favour. Striding to the open bedroom door, he found her lying on her side, her hand tucked under her cheek and her damp hair around her shoulders and sprayed over the pillow. Frowning as he took in her swollen, red-rimmed eyes, Craig sank to the edge of the bed. Gently resting his hand on her side above the growing swell where their offspring lay.

"I wanted to talk to you," he whispered, "but you need your sleep. Haven't treated you as I should, and I'm sorry."

Tina murmured as she shifted in her sleep, rolling onto her back. Craig watched as her hand moved to rest on her belly protectively. She would be a fantastic mother. He could only hope he would live up to the expectation for him to be a good father. FollowingTina'sss earlier actions, Craig turned on the shower. Something on the basin caught his eye. Moving toward the object, Craig stared, confused at what he was looking at. Picking up the square, he stared at four faces staring at the camera. He had only encountered two of the four, but Tina somehow got the other two to respond. The feeling of awe-filled him. Would they react to him as well? Propping the picture where he had found it, Craig showered and dressed. He sat on the bed, gently rubbing the area where their offspring grew.

"I have met two of you," he whispered, "but I do not know the other two. I would like to meet you without harming your mother's body."

Craig waited, but nothing happened. Sighing, he rose from the bed, turning toward the cupboards. Slightly movement caught his attention. Turning back, he found one of Tina's hands glowing.

"This is new," he whispered, "I know what two can do. What can the other two do."

"Much," the whisper came from Tina, who continued to sleep, "we do not require the entire body to show you what we do."

"What can you do?" Craig asked, sitting on the end of the bed.

"Our abilities are ... dark," the whisper came, "a pair of twins with light and dark."

Craig swallowed hard, "When you say dark," he gently rubbed where they lay. "Can you harm others without effort?"

"If necessary, but mother teaches us emotion, and we learn it's not always necessary to harm others," they whispered. "She teaches us you are a good and kind man. We may feel our anger toward you but are not to physically show it."

"You're angry with me," Craig asked, frowning.

"We all are," four different voices whispered, "mother cries because of you."

"I'm so sorry," Craig shifted, gently stroking Tina's hair from her cheek, "I love you all so much."

"We love you too," the glow disappeared, and Tina muttered once more before turning her head into his hand, gently kissing his palm.

Craig swallowed, "Even in rest."

He wished he could pull out of the current patrols, but every person was needed. He had hoped he could catch Tina awake before getting a few hours of sleep and going on the first patrol, but it wasn't working that way.

Sliding into bed, wrapping her in his arms, nuzzling her neck and planting a soft kiss on her shoulder. Craig closed his eyes, relishing the feeling of having her close.

The consistent hum of voices came from nearly every area of the house. Cases of gear were stacked against walls while supplies were being boxed for various safe homes for incoming families.

Craig walked between the working groups of people, looking for one face in particular. But Tina didn't seem to be anywhere. Waking alone had thrown his plans of talking with Tina into disarray. Now she was nowhere to be found.

"Cara," Craig called as he spotted her in the maze of people, "have you seen Tina?"

"She went with Clio to one of the safe houses," Cara said, smiling a little, "never seen someone so excited to get a space ready for other families."

"She's gone," Craig frowned, swallowing hard, "Tina's already left."

"Yeah, didn't you know?" Cara asked, her penetrating gaze watching him, "don't you two talk?"

"Not last night," Craig sighed, propping his hands on his hips, "by the time I got to our rooms, she was asleep. This morning she was already gone when I woke up."

"Ships in the night," Cara nodded, "David and Simon are in the armoury checking the gear. Breanna wants to see you in the tech room. She has the team's lists. David takes one, Clio the other, and you the third."

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Craig nodded, "Who is in my team?"

"Ask Bre," Cara said, walking away to a summons from across the room.

Craig headed to the armoury to check the packs with David and Simon, trying to put Tina out of his mind and focus on the upcoming mission. The team members assigned to him deserved his focus. Craig paused at the training room entrance; usually, he displayed levels of self-control physically and emotionally that rivalled a guru. Lately, his emotions have fluctuated everywhere on the chart. Anger rose and blossomed as quickly as irritation and happiness. Concern rolled through him. Even though he had been stabilised, it concerned him that he should lose control in the field. Putting his team and innocents in danger was unforgivable as it was becoming the same as those he fought.

Shaking the disturbing thoughts from his head, Craig passed through the busy training room into the armoury, finding David and Simon checking through a pack.

"Nice of you to join us," Simon nodded while checking a D-Link connection, "you get to bed too late?"

"Past two this morning," Craig nodded, "is the gear packed correctly?"

"So far," David muttered, checking the thread of a rope and the relevant belay devices, "Bre is looking for you."

"So I hear," Craig nodded, "I can see her after we finish up here."

"Craig," Simon said, stopping what he was doing and staring at him, "we've got this … go see what Breanna wants."

"Fine," Craig nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Craig turned, quickly leaving the room, unusual anger churning in his gut. He had to get a handle on his emotions. It had become a continuous fight of late which he was determined to win. Winding through the passageways, Craig entered the tech room. Valencia and Breanna had their heads together over a papered clipboard. Daisy and Iris sat at a bank of computers glancing between screens and talking to each other. He was sure they had seen him enter but did not acknowledge him. He knew; they knew what was going on with Tina. Their link was still as strong as it had been when Tina was cloned. Sighing, he headed for the round table.

"Craig," Breanna called, drawing his attention, "glad you could join us."

Craig nodded, "You were looking for me."

Breanna nodded, handing him a sheet of paper, "Your team."

Craig looked at the list of names, "Jonathan, Tania, Simon and Frank. Simon? Frank? What do you think we'll be going up against?"

"I put them there for the people around you," Breanna said, "you have an ability they are immune to. I don't know what's going on with you, but after looking at the footage from the body cams, you're too volatile for your own good."

"So I need to be handled?"

"Do you?" Breanna placed her hands on her hips, meeting his gaze squarely.

"No," Craig said, "I have total control over myself."

"I see," Breanna nodded, "then why is Tina volunteering to be anywhere else but where you are?"

"What are you talking about?" Craig felt the ice begin to seep through his veins, "I was told she went to set up. I assumed she would be back tonight."

"She arrived with her packed gym bag and volunteered to stay at the base until everyone settled," Breanna said, staring him down.

"How long will that be?"Craig sighed.

"Could be as short as three days or as long as a month," Breanna shook her head. "I take it you didn't talk to her. Really, bro, you messed up." "Yeah, I felt I was protecting her, I wanted to talk last night, but she was already asleep," Craig sighed.

"Protecting her from what? You? She is with you willingly. What more does she need protecting from?" Breanna asked.

"My past," Craig muttered.

"You're kidding," Breanna sputtered.

"You have no idea what happened in my life," Craig said. "Don't want that anywhere near Tina."

Breanna stared at him silently before shifting and looking at a document on the table.

"Right now, you need to get yourself together," Breanna said, "your team will be waiting for you, and you're leaving in an hour."

"Give me the details of the mission and the area," Craig said, clearing his throat. "Which area are we going to?"

Breanna stared at him for a moment before handing him a marked map and a set of keys for one of the military trucks Michael had acquired. After receiving directives and asking a few questions, he turned to leave.

"Craig," Breanna called, "when this is done … clean up your mess."

At the armoury, Craig found his team getting their gear together and re-checking their bags, weapons and utility belts. David nodded a greeting before continuing to brief his team. Craig frowned as he opened the map noticing David's evacuation area was close to his teams.

"Where we going?" Simon asked as the team gathered close to the spread map, "who are we evacuating?"

"No idea who we are getting out. We found families reported to have children with abilities in this area," Craig said, pointing to the map, "we are going in blind. Be prepared for anything."

"Do you know the children's abilities?" Frank murmured, "how do we know who they are?"

"We don't," Craig sighed, "but I'm guessing it will be those trying to hide. We need to find them and transport them to a base currently being stocked and prepared."

"Are you ready for this?" Tania asked, meeting his gaze with a steady evaluating look.

"Absolutely," he nodded, checking his watch, "we leave in half an hour."

Grabbing his own pack, he went to a clear table and began checking everything was packed for easy accessibility. He changed a few positions before zipping the bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

Various types of guns lay on a nearby table. Quickly loading the magazines with ammunition before clipping the magazines into place. Holstering a pistol at the ankle, the right thigh, and a smaller handgun in the utility belt while hanging the machine gun over the shoulder. Craig glanced to his right, noticing a sniper rifle ready and in its case. Each team had been assigned one. Should he take it or leave it?

Craig sighed. He wouldn't have thought about this before Tina. Instead, he would have automatically snapped the case shut and added it to the gear without thinking. If he was honest, he couldn't blame Tina for moving to a safe house as she had. Ever since he had seen Jaxon, the recurring nightmares and unrealistic idiotic decisions he had made didn't make anything easier. He knew the deciding factor for Tina was him shutting her out. Reaching out and checking the gun, added two extra ammunition boxes and snapped the lid closed. Grabbing a spare carry bag, Craig filled it with extra ammunition for all their weapons. Better safe than sorry.

"Are you prepping for Armageddo?" Tania ambled toward him, "or is there something you know that we don't."

"Just going with my gut," Craig said, swinging his own gear bag onto his shoulder with the ammo bag hanging on his other shoulder. Pulling the rifle case from the table, "see you at the departure point."

Tania watched him leave before turning to the others getting ready to follow.

"Is he ..." Tania started pointing at Craig's retreating back.

"Not himself?" Simon nodded "we've noticed." "We're on his team," Tania said, shaking her head, "what was Breanna thinking?"

"That we will be able to protect Craig and the innocents or simply make sure that no one gets hurt," Jonathan said.

"What is Craig's ability?" Tania asked, picking up her gear bag and swinging it over her shoulder.

"You don't know?" Jonathan glanced at Tania, "how do you not know?"

"I've never been told, never asked and never seen him use it," Tania shrugged.

"You should see him use it," Simon said, slinging his gun over his shoulder, lifting his gear bag off the table and walking toward the training area. "What do you mean?" Tania frowned, following him.

"Craig can command someone to do anything he wants, and it doesn't matter if you're human or enhanced," Simon said, "and the hold on your mind remains unless he releases you."

"Has he ever used it on one of us?" Tania asked, keeping pace with the men.

"Not yet," Jonathan said, "the only person it won't work on is Simon, and I think Frank."

"Bre put you on this team as the final line of defence," Tania came to a stop, staring off into space, "she's trying to protect everyone, even against her own brother."

"Correct," Jonathan said, "imagine finding it necessary to do that."

"What is it, Tania?" Simon said, seeing the expression in Tania's eye.

"We're not really that safe," Tania shook her head slowly, "think about the history of emotional breakdowns of other enhancements."

"Madden designed their enhancements so he could drain them of energy using their emotions," Jonathan said. "But Craig has never had an emotional break, plus we're all been stabilised." "Craig has not had an emotional break true ... until now," Simon said, "look at what happened with Val and even Bre."

"What if Craig loses it? Something he doesn't even know about comes to the fore," Tania sighed, "who will protect the innocent then?"

"All of you," David said, walking past them, "and my team will be in the area if it escalates."

The three watched him continue walking, falling in line with his team as they headed toward the departure area and the mission ahead.