"What is going on out there?" Ares shouted over the din blaring from the security monitor and the agitated hum of the technicians in the security room.

"It would seem our ... forces are under attack," one of the guards said, pointing at the main screen, "we don't know who they are, and we don't know where they came from. Your brother is out there, but I think he got away.

"Why did he go out there?" Ares asked, in amazement, "he went out on his own?"

"Yes," the guard said, nodding, "he said he had to collect a target."

"Target?" Ares frowned, "what target?"

"There was a woman out there," the guard said, "with and young man, they seemed to be hiking, but your brother became very alert and insisted on going out without anyone."

"Who else is out there, and where is this target?" Ares asked.

"I'm not sure where they have gone, nor do we know where your brother is," the guard said, glancing over his shoulder as commands and orders came from the opposite side of the room.

"It has to be that woman from the compound," Ares muttered, frantically looking around, "she must be here; perhaps he thinks he needs to deal with her on his own."

"Ah ... no," the guard said, shaking his head, "we have been watching for the Headrow woman. We haven't seen her on any of our cameras. This woman was blonde."

"Cherry-Ann," Ares muttered, "she has arrived. That is not good ... not good at all. If she remembers, we're in trouble ... she has to be stopped."

"That's what your brother said before he left," the guard said, "if you'll excuse me, I need to check on something."

Ares stared at the screen; their forces were no match for the opposition. The generic black-clad outfits dripping in state-of-the-art weapons could be anyone who wanted to harm their operations, and their enemies were legion. The success of their empire was in that mountain, and they needed to get it out before their medical wings were discovered and investigated. It had been touch and go all those years before they had taken the daughter of that woman ... she was a Bassett now, but back then, she had been a Guillaume. It was frustrating that she had outsmarted them but coming from a long line of educators, linguists and academics, it made sense that she had succeeded until now. That long line of protectors had kept the ancient secrets of life hidden in that damn mountain. They knew there was something that would help them better their genetic enhancement programme. They had gotten this far by blood, sweat and tears ... none of those from themselves but other people's sacrifices or lives.

Turning from the bloody carnage on the screen, Ares stalked from the room; he had to find his brother. He had to get him out of there before they were captured or killed. If either happened, they were no use to their Uncle and Father. Although the Elders had begun the quest, it was up to the current generation to make sure it succeeded; that had been clear since they were boys. In the brutal world of the Tenderhook family, there had not been much room for failure. Scratch that; there was no room for failure. Success by any means was expected. If success did not happen ... Ares lifted his scared hand, opening the palm where the burn of the flame had left irreparable damage. His father didn't know anything about giving love; somehow, he knew how to let anyone who had disappointed him understand his displeasure. Places on his body were continuously covered to hide ugly disfiguring marks that reminded him of how often his father was disappointed and his expectations unmet. He learnt quickly that avoiding these events meant he had to succeed, even if that meant living outside the law, leaving murder and mayhem in his wake. By living this way, they had become known as people never to cross.

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Shaking his head, Ares continued through their base toward a wooden door at the end of the long passageway.

"I must find Andris and finish this," Ares muttered, "we must get that information and the doctor who can perform it. Then we can succeed. Then we will win our father's approval."

Pushing open the door, Ares stepped out, taking in the various trails leading from the wooden structure concealing their underground base; which way did he go? Andris could be anywhere? A sound came from the path on the right, swinging his gaze in that direction and stepping into the shadows cast by the structure he waited. Andris hurried toward the wooden building glancing over his shoulder frequently.

"Andris," Ares sighed, stepping from the shadows, "where have you been? I've been worried."

"Ares, we must get to the mountain," Andris panted, hurrying towards his brother, "we need to get in through the back way ... or what they call the back door of the mountain."

"We cannot," Ares said, frowning, "what has happened that you're insisting we risk our lives doing this?"

"Cherry ..." Andris panted, "Cherry remembers ... everything. I saw it in her eyes. We have lost control of her. The metal bead we implanted is no longer there," Andris bent from the waist, resting his hands on his knees, "I'm guessing it's that damn cat that they have had around for years."

"What cat?" Ares asked, puzzled, "you mean a domestic feline, right?"

"No, that Headrow woman communicates with it somehow," Andris said, straightening, "I saw it ... the thing is huge and perceptive... I'm sure it understands everything we say and think ...but I'm hoping I'm wrong."

"Was that in the area the force field equipment was activated?" Ares asked.

Andris nodded, "Little good it did ... Samantha sucked it inwards like a dry sponge with water."

"Not possible," Ares shook his head, "it should have fried her."

"Didn't," Andris sucked in air as he spoke, "she kept saying something about being designed to survive."

"No," Ares shook his head, "you sure she used those words."

Andris nodded, straightening, "Why?"

"Her father said exactly that before he died," Ares muttered, "he kept saying no matter what we did, they were designed to survive."

"No matter how often we hear that, it makes no sense," Andris growled, "obviously he wasn't talking about himself because he died ... or did he."

"A bullet to the brain definitely kills people," Ares said, nodding, "they are dead, but their daughter isn't. If what you're telling me is a fact, we have to assume that something was done to her to make her what she is. But what and when?"

"We will get all our answers and father's approval by getting to that mountain and following them in," Andris said. "If I remember correctly, we go down the middle path, and it will bring us to that waterfall we found. I'm pretty sure that is the way to their back door."

"We are so close, I can feel it," Ares said, "lead the way ... let us finish this and earn the prize."

Nodding, Andris preceded his brother down the path and their assured success.