TITLE: "Let her go."

AUTHOR: Percy Smith

FANDOM: Earth 2

SERIES/SEQUEL: Maybe

DISCLAIMERS: The characters used in this story belong to their respective owners and are used here only for nonprofit and referential use. No ownership of material other than the words and plot are inferred.

SUMMARY: Yale digs to find out the truth behind Danziger and Morgan's pasts as Julia is found to be on the council's side once again.

All Earth2 characters and references are the property of Amblin Entertainment. No profit can be made from this author's work.

LET HER GO

By Percy Smith

It was like a bad dream Morgan thought as he sat on the ground underneath a huge tree which had to be older then any space station Morgan had ever been on. He knew there always was a possibility. A lot of people were genetically alter to make them better at what they do. But Morgan couldn't help but feel the pain of the concept. Was he even a real human being anymore? Could Bess still love him this way?

It all happened a few days back. We heard from the council again. We thought we had rid Eden project of all communication devises but the council knew how to find us. Not directly, but through one of our memories. One of us held a secret that would resurrect the council once again. But it also revealed a lot more about ourselves. Secrets that had been locked up for years and should have stayed that way. Secrets that would reveal who Morgan really was and more than that it revealed who John Danziger was, or should we say what he was.

"It's true," Morgan thought, "I always knew something was odd about that man, but this was more than I could handle." He looked up to see Devon standing next to the rail. She was laughing with John and looking so happy, didn't she know? Morgan grew weak as he saw Danziger's eyes gaze his way.

They made eye contact for a second and for Morgan that was enough. Although he knew John must realize he was avoiding him, what could he do. Could he face him now? Now that he knew the truth about them both.

Something soon caught his eye, it was Bess coming his way. Oh no, what would he say when she got there?

"Morgan," she said softly looking down at him, "Devon wants to move on today." She kneeled down next to him without looking at him in the eye.

"Oh?" Morgan could only mutter.

"Morgan," Bess continued and Morgan knew what would follow. She was going to make some remark to try and make things better, but would fail. Nothing could make him feel better. "Morgan, honey, are you listening to me?" He just looked at her and nodded. "You know what? John probably feels the same way you do."

"Bess, just stop."

"I just thought maybe you should talk to him. It's obvious that he is in a lot of pain as well." Bess looked at him as if it was her that had gotten the shock of her life. "Please, for me."

Morgan just looked at her for a bit, "Oh, all right."

"Thank you Morgan."

As he approached the rail Devon was still talking to John. As if he wasn't bad enough he had to face that man she had to be there as well
*****.

John's back was to Morgan as we walked up slowly. As Morgan caught her eye, Devon stopped in mid sentence. Danziger knew right away who was there. He turned towards Devon and followed her gaze over to the skinny man who stood there like a child, scared of the dark.

"I'll talk to you later, John." Devon said as she tried to smile at Morgan and then walked away. As soon as Morgan began to speak, Danziger knew this would be endless.

"Ah, Danziger," Morgan thought for a moment, "John," At that moment Danziger realized there was no easy way out of this, he knew Morgan knew that as well. "I thought maybe we should talk about what happened, I mean this whole mess with the council."

"I know what you mean, Martin." John said looking downward and began to fidget with the rail. He soon looked up to meet Morgan's eyes, "I'm sorry you had to find out like that."

"Your sorry?" Morgan asked, "You didn't know, how could you have prevented it?"

Suddenly Julia stepped out of her tent and the whole camp came to a stop. She looked up to see Danziger and Morgan talking and knew right away, this wasn't going to be good. She felt weak at the thought of the guilt she felt. She knew all along and kept it from both of them. She had betrayed them once before and they forgave her. She knew they wouldn't this time. She wasn't communicating with the council, she wasn't a spy anymore, but she kept the secret from them, from them all. She looked up to see the two men staring her down. She didn't mind Danziger as much, she had felt that stare before, but for Morgan to have so much hate in his mind for her was the ultimate betrayal. Julia tried to lose there glaze but failed. Even worse, as she walked across camp everyone gave her that same look, stopping all action.

Even Alonzo.

Al walked up behind John and placed his hand on John's shoulder. "Nevermind her. As far as I am concerned she isn't one of us anymore."

Danziger looked at Alonzo oddly. Was this the same man he knew just months before? The planet had changed him so much. He turned back to Morgan, "Like I said I'm sorry." He walked away slowly towards were his little girl sat. Morgan watched him go and wondered what he meant by sorry? He knew Danziger was a good man, but he couldn't help being afraid of him, especially now.
****

True was more important than anything in John's life and it hurt him to let her know what had gone about, but it was time she knew the whole story.

"True," He said sitting down on the rock behind her. "I want to talk to you about something." Everyone began to move about again, all of them ignoring Julia. They will let her travel with them, but not for long. She has no where else to go for now, but Devon said she will make sure she does not go with them to New Pacifica.

"Dad, I think I know what this is about." True said as she swallowed. "Julia kept a secret from us. That's what Yale said. She's a bad woman and she doesn't deserve to be trusted."

"I wouldn't say she's bad, I would just say she is weak and has poor judgment." He cocked his head to the side and looked at her. "Did Yale tell you what that secret was?"

"No," She smiled at him but that soon faded. "No one tells me much of anything around here."

"Now baby, you know that's..."

"For my own good." She finished the sentence for him.

"Well, that's right, but that's not what I was going to say." She looked at her and smiled. "I was going to say that's because we all care about you. You know that don't you?"

"Sure." She looked up at him. "So, are you going to tell me what it is or not?"

Danziger sighed heavily and looked in to her wide eyes, "It all began two days ago...."
****

Two days back:

"Devon!" Yale walked wearily towards her.

"Yale!? What is it Yale? You look terrible." Devon was obviously concerned for the man's well being. "Yale, come on, out of the sun."

She pulled him in the shade as Danziger ran up. "What's wrong? Julia! We need your help." He looked at the old man holding his head in his hands. "Yale? What's wrong?"

"My head!" He screamed in the most pain filled voice. "Oh, my head is pounding!"

Danziger turning to see Julia running towards them. Devon was panicking as her tutor and long life friend doubled over in pain. John thought of the chip on the side of Yale's head. Could that be it? He reached up and touched the man's head lightly. Suddenly the pain is gone.

As Julia reaches Yale, she realizes that he is slowly recovering. "Danziger, what did you do?" She scans Yale with her diaglove and receives no answer from John, "I don't understand this, Devon. Nothing is wrong." She looks up at Yale puzzled, "Your in perfect health." She looks at Danziger out of the corner of her eye as he gets up and walks away. As Devon began to fuss over Yale, Julia couldn't help but think how odd Danziger acted.

"I don't understand it. I feel fine now." Yale said as he looked up, Julia followed his eyes across the camp to where Danziger now stood. John looked back at her with a look she had never seen before. He was scared. Julia took the opportunity in all the confusion to slip away.

She made her way over to John. "What was that?" She asked unsure how to approach him. "I mean one minute Yale is screaming in pain and the next he is feeling better than before."

"I don't know." Danziger said under his breath. "I just all the sudden knew what to do. It was a sound, or a transmission that cause the pain.....I heard it." He looked at her with a strange glare, "Don't ask me how I know this. I don't know why, but that is what it was."

"A transmission?" She asked puzzled. "Like on our gear?"

"Yes," Danziger bit his lip, "but not our gear, something else."

The conversation ended there when Yale suddenly moved her aside. "John! I..." He stopped and looked a Julia who was so confused it showed on her face. "I need to know what you just did! I was hearing things, painful things and then you came to me and it stopped. What did you do?!"

Danziger looked to see everyone gathering around starring at him, "Honestly, I don't know, it was like I wasn't myself."

"Oh man, no!" Baines piped in, "We ain't going through that again!"

"What ya gonna do Baines?" Walman started in, "Lock yourself in the Transrover?"

"Man, shut up!" Baines snared at him, "All I am saying is that we should be aware of our surroundings. That was some weird shit right there. That is all I'm saying Walman, and you know that."

Alonzo jumped in, "Baines, lay off!" He could see Danziger starting to cringe, "Nothing's wrong with anyone." Going to John's side, "I think I know what you mean. Was it like you were outside your body? I have dreams like that all the time. I feel weak and helpless, but I always end up helping in someway." "I just don't know," Danziger said in almost a whisper. "I don't know what it was." Suddenly getting louder Danziger moved Alonzo aside to make his way out of the center of attention. "I'm sorry Yale, but I just don't know." He looked at him one last time and then walked away.

Yale looked at Devon and then at Julia who still was puzzled over the whole thing. He thought, "This planet changed Uly so much, could it be that it is changing the rest of us as well?"
****

The morning past without another word about it. Danziger worked away on the rail even though no one was really sure that it needed work. True sat by his side talking about everything but what had happened that morning.

Yale sat at a distance just watching. It unnerved everyone who noticed including Morgan who sat not too far away.

"What ya lookin' at Morgan?" Bess made him jump as she asked from behind.

"Shhhhh! He'll hear you!" Morgan whined.

"Who'll hear me?" Bess asked confused.

"Yale, just look at him Bess!" Morgan twitched with the thought of it. "He is just starring and not even out in space but straight at Danziger."

"Oh yeah." Bess said, as she observed, rather calmly, "Wonder why?"

"Why? Why Bess?" Morgan looked at her like she had lost her mind. "Cause he has finally cracked! Look at him, if he starts to foam at the mouth, I am out of here."

"Morgan, really!" Bess looked straight ahead filled with confidence and began to walk over to Yale.

"Bess?! What are you doing?!" Morgan called after her which got Danziger's attention. Morgan had been wondering for the last hour if Danziger had noticed Yale yet. "How could he not?" Morgan thought. Danziger had, but he had not acting if so. He wondered what Yale was thinking, but didn't want to know. Danziger was still a little freaked about what had happened that morning, of course he would never let on that. Nothing scared him, or at least that is what he wanted them to think.

"Yale?" Bess called as she reached him. Receiving no response she thought to try again, "Yale?" The older man just keep looking forward toward the rail with no reaction. "Yale?" Bess asked a third time while putting her hand on his shoulder. The moment she touch him he jumped.

"Bess?! What are you doing?" Yale said quickly.

"I was just trying to....."

"Bess, don't scare me like that!" He said standing up.

Morgan thought about going over to them, but decided it would be better to watch from afar.

"Yale, you looked like you weren't here." She said getting more worried by the second.

Yale sighed as he looked at her more humanly, "I was searching my files for something, that's all. Now, please, if you could I'd like to get back to what I was doing."

"What files?" She leaned in closer to him, "About Danziger?

Danziger stepped up beside Bess, who didn't even see him move. "Somethin' wrong, Yale?"

Bess jumped higher than Yale did at that point.

"Bess? You alright?" Danziger said placing his hands on his hips.

"Yeah," Bess answered slowly wondering if he had heard her asking that question.

"Alright then." Danziger looked at them both one last time and then walked back to where True was waiting for him. He sat back down at the rail but still looked at them with a glare that Bess couldn't shake.

"Yale?" She asked quietly as she took one look back at John, "Should you be looking at that? I mean, they are just public files right? I just wouldn't let John know that is what you are doing."

Yale gave her no response again.

"Yale?" He was gone already into the files in his mind. She backed away slowly as not to disturb him.

"Bess? ........ Bess?" Morgan whispered as she neared him, "What did he say? What is going on?"

"Calm down Morgan." She said looking back at John and True and smiling. True smiles back but John just leered at her from under his blond hair.

"I am calm!" Morgan franticly said, "Now what in God's name is he doing over there?"

"Please don't take the Lord's name in vain Morgan."

"What?" Morgan shrugged and quickly answered. "I was praying. Now what is he doing?"

Bess rolled her eyes. "He is checking files he said."

"On who? Oh God Bess, is he looking for files on me? What did I do!?"

"Morgan! Not on you, on Danziger. And I asked you not to do that!"

"Do what?" He asked as she simply walked away, "What did I do?"
****

Julia sat alone in her med-tent looking for something that could have cause the reaction Yale has that morning, but few things came to mind. She had been thinking for so long she had to take a break. She stood up just as Danziger entered the med-tent.

"John? Can I help you with something?" She asked as it became apparent that he was most uncomfortable. "John?"

"Um," he said looking upward as if to avoid eye contact, "I was wondering if you had any idea what was wrong with Yale?"

"It seems that some sort of radio waves where interacting and causing his memory to seem as if the these waves where a part of it." Julia tried to catch his eyes but couldn't.

"What caused these waves?" John asked still not quite looking at her.

"The waves could be caused by a number of things, John. Um, waves bouncing off satellites in space, space craft communication, even Terrain's communication. We are still not sure how the dream plane works. It could even be as simple as our gear signals." She glanced up at him realizing that he was finally looking at her.

"Gear signals?" He asked as if that was the sure fire answer.

Julia smiled as she tried to ease John's worries. "I bet that is it. Someone was using the gear across camp and it just hit a nerve that Yale never knew he had. I bet that was all."

"You remember when Yale could hear those rocks?"

"The Morganite?" She asked in a mock attempt at Morgan's voice.

"Yeah, you know how he could hear it, but we couldn't. Do you think it was something like that?"

"Very well could have been. We may never know." She caught his eye and realized that this wasn't about what caused Yale's reaction, but rather John was searching for the answer of why it stopped and was it him at made it. Yale seemed to think so. Julia was unsure. "That was very smart of you to press his memory chip." He looked up at her quickly. "What made you do that?"

He just shrugged. She knew he honestly didn't know.

She thought for a moment and then decided it was time tell him something she didn't know if she should have. She knew she didn't want to tell him, ever. She would have to wait for the right moment, but first she would prepare him, "John, you know that I am genetically altered, right?"

John took his glaze away from her immediately. Anytime someone brought up the topic, John would get odd. He didn't like it. Mainly she thought it was because only the wealthy had it done for there children, or those with Council connections. She didn't wait for an answer. "Since we know very little about Yale's past, the fact might remain that he might have been genetically altered as well. Maybe his hearing was increase."

"I heard it too." He muttered as if he almost didn't want her to hear.

"Yes, you said that this morning. What did it sound like?"

"A radio, old fashion kind, you know, when people used to use freedom of speak before it became limited. Only with many voices, talking all at once. As if it was inbetween stations and couldn't quite choose one." John looked back at her. "It was painful to hear. Maybe that was magnified for Yale."

"Did you hear it before you touched Yale?"

He just looked up at her without an answer.
*****

Morgan looked up at Yale. He was still searching his files. What could he be looking for? Yale was now starring at the spot where Danziger was, but wasn't anymore. It was just too odd. Walman walked across Yale's stare up to Morgan. "He has been doing that all day I hear."

"Yes." Morgan answered.

"You documenting it?" Walman asked in an almost mocking manner.

"I just might." Morgan said as the idea came into his head of just how to do so.

"Anyone planning on asking him what he is doing?"

"Bess already did. He is looking at files."

"Should we tell Danziger?"

Morgan jumped towards Walman, "Why?!"

"Calm down Morgan. We all know that is who he has to be looking for. What else would he do after this morning?" Walman asked as if Morgan had a screw loose.

"Danziger knows." Morgan whined.

"How do you know that he ...." Walman was cut short by Yale's sudden rise to his feet.

"Found it." The Cyborg said under his breath. Then looked at Morgan and Walman who were both starring at him like a pair of fools. "Good day Gentlemen."
****

"Julia!" Yale came bursting into her tent. "Where is Danziger?"

"Shhhh." Julia quieted him. "Right here." She said placing a hand on Danziger who was lying quiet and very still on the Med-tent cot. "He needed some sleep. I gave him a sedaderm."

"Julia. I was searching my files for Danziger and I found something."

"What did you find?"

"No, Julia, it's not what I found, but what I didn't find."

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"Danziger's parents. It is almost as if they don't exist. No personal files, no medical records, no job records. Danziger doesn't have a birth certificate on file - anywhere." Yale said in a most excited manor. "It is if they did not live."

Julia panicked. She knew what this meant. Yale was too close to it, to the secret she was sent here to cover up. "You shouldn't be doing that Yale."

"What?" Yale asked as if his world had suddenly stopped.

Julia suddenly changed. Yale had never seen her so dark before. "Those are private files. You shouldn't be looking at them."

"That was the odd thing Julia. The files were not there. As if they were private, not public." Suddenly it all closed in on Yale. Julia knew something, she gave it away. Yale thought that John had tried to cover up something by getting rid of these files. But that was not the case at all. The files were never there. They were not public, which could only mean one thing - the council. They had the power to cover up murders by taking a man's memory, could they cover up something by cleaning people completely away?

"What do you know?" Yale asked as it all came into focus.

"Nothing." Julia said defensively but with the dark tone still lingering.

"I look up for the others as well Julia. They are all there. The Adairs, the Hellers, the Solaces, the Baines and so forth, but one other. The Martins. There are no files on Martins. It is as if Morgan and John dropped from the sky. Can you explain it Julia? What did you learn from Reilly?" He said almost accusingly.

"Get out!" Julia said rather loudly. "I mean it Yale. How dare you come in here and accuse me of something. I don't even know what. I don't know anything, if you want information on Danziger's parents, the person to ask is him."

"Julia, I..."

"No! I mean it - get out!" She pointed to the tent flap on last time. Yale took what he could from the conversation and left the tent. Julia looked down at John, who was still fast asleep. She wished he would never have to know. Why did that cyborg have to keep digging? She wished he would leave it alone.
*****

"I told you Yale, I don't remember them." True said looking over his shoulder at Uly at play. "Can't this wait? I am done with school for the day, can't I go."

"I just asked you a question True. Can't you answer it?" Yale said rather calmly and as if he had all day to wait for an answer. True was hesitant.

"I said, I don't remember them. I don't remember dad even talking about my grandparents. It has always been just dad and I and that is it." One could tell by the conviction in her voice that she liked it that way and intended on keeping her father to herself for as long as she could. "Firestein and Wentworth. That was it. They were the only other people around. She used to watch me when my dad had to work. He always had to work."

"Thank you, True." Yale said. "That is all I wanted to know."

"Good, then can I go?"

"Yes, you may." And with that she took off like a bullet.
*****

Yale wasn't ready to let this go any time soon. He was often laid back, but when he got an idea in his head, it stuck. Maybe this is where Devon learned it from. "Bess?" he called to her as she was loading up the Transrover. She was away from Morgan and that is how Yale preferred it. He wanted to know what the others knew about the missing-file-parents before he asked Danziger or Morgan themselves. "I know this is an odd question, but did you ever meet Morgan's parents."

Bess continued to load up the supplies. "Shouldn't you get some rest Yale, we are going to move on in an hour or so, and after this morning. Why don't you lay down for a while?"

"I will have time to rest later. We can't be moving on, Danziger is resting under Julia's orders. I just wanted to know about the Martin's, who were they?"

"Yale, Devon told me after this morning she wanted to move on, she said the same waves that caused your reaction could be occurring all around us and it could happen to any of us next, so she said it is best we move, if even a little bit."

"Bess, I'll talk to Devon later, but now, about the Martins."

"Yale, you have been acting odd today. You sure you feel alright?"

Yale began to wonder why she wasn't answering him. Bess was smart. She wouldn't show her emotions to him, but she was avoiding the question. "Bess, did you ever meet them?"

"No." She said finally. "I never did. Morgan said they both died when he was very young."

"How did they die?" Yale asked inquisitively.

"Maybe you should be asking me that and not her." A voice from behind Yale came, he turned to see Morgan who had been listening for a while now.

"Morgan, I was just looking for you." Yale smiled. Morgan didn't.

"She never met them and neither did I." He said as he turned and walked away. Yale followed him as Bess watch unable to help. She knew it hurt Morgan to talk about it, so she didn't ask. They had kept it that way for a long time now.

"Morgan." Yale called after him. "I'm sorry, I should have asked you, but now, I have to know..."

"Why?" Morgan said quickly cutting him off in mid-sentence. "Why do you have to know? For the same reason your asking True about Danziger's parents. You know, Danziger and I had this conversation before." It was almost as if Morgan had lost it at that point. "They are dead as well if you must know. Very tragic, left behind a huge debt for their little son to take care of. It is amazing Danziger is even alive, I know I wouldn't be. The moment I lost the mother of my child and was left with a baby to raise alone, I would have taken a gun to my head, but not Danziger. He is too brave, or is that stubborn? Wouldn't you know, Yale? You have the answer for everything else! But Danziger is the one you should be asking all this, not me."

"I didn't ask you about Danziger, Morgan. I asked about you." Yale said as calmly as possible to settle the disturbed Morgan that stood ranting before him.

Morgan looked at him and the concerned Bess who stood at the Transrover witnessing the whole thing. Suddenly calmer and back to his senses. "They died. That is all I know. I was raised by my grandparents. They never told me anything. Ever." Morgan glance into Yale's large eyes one last time and then walked away, not looking back.
*****

Devon sat on the edge of her cot listening as Yale relayed the events of that day to her in full detail. She sighed heavily when he told her of Morgan's story of what Danziger had been through. She knew it was bad, but she never realized how bad. "Did you talk to Danziger about it?"

"No. No one, not even Morgan really knows why I am asking."

"Why are you asking, Yale?"

"People don't just disappear. To have two of our member's pasts gone from record is out of the ordinary."

"Their records are not gone, just their parents." She said as if she was trying to solve a great mystery. "Your right Yale, the sun is almost down. We can forget about moving on."

Yale shook his head, it didn't make sense. Four people disappear, and so do their files. Or could it be, that they never really existed.
****

Danziger opened his eyes slightly. Julia placed her diaglove over his face. "Welcome back." She said clicking away at the glove as she pulled it away. "You are well rested?"

"Sure." Danziger said slowly waking up. "How long was I out?"

"All day."

"Ah, I shouldn't have....."

"No. You shouldn't have, but you needed to." She smiled at him. The smile faded away quickly as most of Julia's smiles did. "Have you been eating alright lately?"

"Huh?" John asked still quite sleepily.

"When was the last time you eat?" She asked.

"I don't know, breakfast?"

"You didn't eat anything for lunch?"

John looked as if he was thinking, but unable to remember.

Julia crossed her arms, "I take that as a no."

John smiled as he was a kid caught in a lie. "I couldn't eat. True was hungry. She is growing up, she needs energy and she needs to eat...."

"So do you."

"I know."

"So, you gave True yours." Julia asked in an irritated tone. John didn't answer her. "Great, we'll have a healthy ten year old running around with her mal-nutritioned father unable to take care of her."

John just laughed.

"I mean John." It surprised him to hear Julia call him by John instead of Danziger. As he sat up, Julia sat down beside him. "I bet when you were a kid you were just as bad as True, right?"

"Probably worse." John grinned. "I was always getting into trouble. Harassing authorities." He almost laughed. "I got into my fair share of troubles. I got out of them too, considering....." He stopped short and looked at her as if he was not sure what to say.

"Considering what?" She said still smiling, hoping he would think it was ok to tell her. She knew what he was going to say. She had known all along, but she had to use this time to get close to John. She had to have him trust her. It would be hard after all that had happened before, but she would need him to understand.

"Julia, I'm sure someone has told you. Devon has had all of our pasts dug up and read. It's was really unfair for her to do tha...." Once again he dropped off. Julia could tell he was not sure if he could trust her. She put her arm around his shoulders. Maybe, if she could get him to believe in her, trust her, she could tell him. Tell him the truth. The secret she had to carry around all this time. He looked at her. "I got away with a lot considering my parents were dead. Life in the quadrate was bad, but many people knew I had no where to go. I had nothing. I lived with Les and Alex. They weren't much older than me, but they took care of me. And they took care of True. Julia could see the pain on his face as he recalled the day he lost them both, back in that valley. One of the first memories he had of this planet was his best friends dying. "You know something Julia? I wouldn't go back."

"Hmm?" She asked smiling as she realized he was opening up to her. A step closer to what she knew she needed to do.

"I couldn't go back. You know, to the space stations. I could never leave here. Not after all we have been through." He looked at her. "I figured you not going anywhere. Not with Alonzo still here, right?"

Julia smiled and looked forward. Success, she thought. She was in alright and he was going to trust her. "No, I wouldn't go. Plus, they are going to need a good doctor around here."

"Well, I'll let you know when I see a good one." He grinned as she elbowed him playfully.

"The planet the only thing keeping you here John?" She asked. He knew what she was asking, but he wasn't going to answer her. "I mean, I have noticed the way you and Devon tease..."

"No." Danziger said hopping off the cot quickly with a most mischievous grin.

"No what?" Julia stood up and cocked her head to the side. "No, not Devon? Or no, your not answering that?"

"No, we are not having this conversation." He grinned widely. Julia smiled contentedly. Not only had she bonded with Danziger and gained his trust, she had gotten him to admit he liked Devon. That was something no one else had done yet.

She patted him on the back as the walked out of the tent together. "Let's get something to eat." She had to choose her timing perfectly now. If only John knew what she knew. If only he could know his potential. That would be a great thing she could share with him.
****

As they sat around the camp fire that night, Danziger volunteered to take first watch since he had rested all day. Julia, who stood not too far away, thought that was her opportunity. Talking to him while everyone was asleep. She would make the same mistake she had made the time she tried to confide in Morgan. She would make John understand why she kept it from him and why she had to keep it a secret from the others. He was a smart man, he would understand.

The rest headed off to bed in different directions. She lingered around waiting for it to be her and John alone. As soon as she thought it was so, she walked toward him as he laid back next to the fire and a Mag-Pro. Suddenly, someone pulled her back. She turned around quickly. "Alonzo, you scared me!"

"Sorry," he smiled, "I was just wondering where you were going."

"I have to talk with John." It was the last thing she wanted to say, but it was all she could think of.

"John?" Alonzo asked leaving it up to Julia to wonder if he meant why was she talking to John or if he meant why was she calling Danziger, John. "Come on, you spent all day with him. Don't I get a turn?" He asked leaning in to kiss her. She was irritated by this, she didn't have time for him right now. She loved Alonzo, but telling Danziger this was all she could think about Didn't Alonzo know how important this was to her.

"Alonzo. Another time, this is important." She said pushing him away and turning to see if John had heard the on-goings. He hadn't.

"You know Julia, your a piece of work!"

"You've said that before, you know. Is all that you can say when your anger?" She said emotionlessly.

"Bye Julia." Alonzo said just walking away. He was tired of her being so cold and rejecting.
*****

Danziger laid on the ground thinking of all that had gone by in that day, he almost didn't see Julia sit down next to the fire across from him. "Danziger." She said with a friendly smile.

"What's wrong? Can't sleep?" He asked surprised to see her up and awake so late.

"No," she shrugged "It's not that."

He sat up slowly and raised his brow, "Got somethin' on your mind?"

"A lot actually." She looked down. "You talk to Yale today?"

"Not since this morning." John pushes back his hair. "To tell you the truth, I found myself avoiding him. And I'm not sure why."

"He has been asking about you." Julia told him.

"I know." Smiled at her surprised look. "Martin told me. He was worried about Yale again. He said something to the extent that Yale was an elephant that no one wanted to talk about. I have no clue what he meant."

Julia laughed. Morgan was an odd one, she thought. "Did he tell you what he was asking?"

"About my parents." Danziger told her. "Why he cares, I don't know."

"He wanted to know why they are have no files." Julia thought to gain his honestly, she would have to give him hers in return. Here I go, thought Julia.

"Have no files?" Danziger asked surprised. She could tell he had no idea about what she was about to tell him. "What does he mean?"

"No records, no history. It's like your parents didn't exist."

"They didn't." Danziger said almost joking, but with obvious frustration. "Never in my life anyway."

"Do you know what happen to them?"

He just shrugged. "They died when I was young. That's all I know."

Julia stood up, she was about to let it all out and it would take all her energy to handle how she thought Danziger would react. He hated her kind of people, council members, council products, the generically altered. I would kill him to know that he was one of them. "No, they didn't."

Danziger just looked at her not knowing what she meant. She continued as she began to pace. "They didn't die. Your right, they didn't even exist."

"What are you talking about Julia?" He stood up and looked at her. She could feel his stare even as she turned away.

"Danziger, it's not easy to understand, or except. You are not who you think you are." She looked at him finally and could see the confusion and pain he was feeling, fearing the worse. "That is why you could hear that noise this morning."

"What?"

"Yale was the only one that should have heard that. He being a cyborg, but you are much more. That is why you could hear it." Julia was almost excited. She knew John didn't understand yet. He couldn't get the full picture. It was something truly wonderful, if he could just understand it. "You are more like me than you know." She Smiled. "Morgan too, John. He is like us also." She stepped toward him.

"Julia, I don't know what you are talking about." He backed away from her.

"No," she said still coming closer, "John, don't do this. I can help you. I can make you understand. Let me help you."

As she reaches out to touch him, Danziger moved out of reach. "What do you want? Try to help me how? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Your scared, I can understand that. I was scared by this once to. But you have to understand, you have a gift, given to you by the council."

"You have been talking to them again?" He said drawing nearer. She took the opportunity to grab on to him. As her hands clutched his shoulders he jumped back and shook her off. "Don't touch me!" The Adair tent flew open and Devon rushed out, Yale not to far behind. The Martin's as well as Alonzo reemerged.

"What is going on here?" Devon asked as she reached Julia who was now standing back from John, not sure what to do or what to say. Julia and Danziger both just starred at each other. "Julia?" Devon asked as she looked back and forth between the two cold stares. "Danziger, answer me."

"I was trying trying to help you." Julia said in a weak helpless voice. "Why?" She asked him as if no one else was there.

Alonzo felt cold, betrayed. He was pushed aside once that night for Danziger, and now it seems the emotion connection he couldn't quite find with Julia was pouring from her soul to a man she knew little about. Or he thought she did. How long had this been going on? And what was this? Alonzo thought of terrible things, was Julia in love with Danziger, was she playing him the whole time? Alonzo had never felt jealous of another man before and here he was feeling hate for Danziger, a hate which he knew inside was undeserved. "Why the hell don't you say something Danziger?" He stepped to Julia's side. She may not have loved him anymore but he would still protect her.

Danziger's stare never changed. He, like Julia, never even heard Alonzo. "Why?" He shook his head at her. "Your asking me why?" She could feel the coldness from his gaze, how stupid she was to think she could get close to him.

She turned around to see Morgan. She should have told him first. He was more understanding, a fool at times, but not as cold as John. "I'm sorry." She whispered. She turned around again to look at Danziger. "I'm so sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like this." She could feel herself slipping. "Why wouldn't you listen?" She hated emotion reactions, she hated being emotional or even seeing someone else become emotional, but she began to cry. "You don't know, you can't know what you are, how great you are."

Alonzo had heard enough. He took one glance at Julia and walked away. Finally Danziger moved, but not for Julia. "Alonzo!" He called as he walked quickly to catch him. "'Lonz, it's not what you think."

"You know, you have a lot of nerve!" Alonzo said. The rest of the camp had made there way out of their tents. Everyone could hear every word, even True. "I trusted you, I thought you were my friend!"

"Shut up!" Danziger finally yelled at him frustrated. "Your making a fool out of yourself! I never touched her." He turned around to see them all starring at him, including Julia. "I wouldn't want to."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Alonzo pushes him hard.

"I just think you should know what your girlfriend is up to late at night." He said coldly with a dark stare.

Alonzo's anger grew and pushed Danziger again. "Go to hell!"

"Your an idiot." Danziger said through his teeth, grabbing Alonzo's shoulder's and throwing him to the ground. "Let me explain! I don't know what she wants from me. Only thing she has made clear so far is the council."

"Julia?" Devon asked hoping Danziger was wrong.

Julia just shook her head. "He doesn't understand, Devon! How can you?" She was crying harder.

Alonzo began to stand up realizing he had made a grave mistake. Yale ran to him, not sure if he needed to help him stand up or to keep John away from him. Danziger was still angry and it would take a lot of him to forgive Alonzo. "I'm fine!" Alonzo yelled pushing Yale away from him as he stood up. Danziger took several steps back, he knew he had to, to avoid killing Alonzo. He knew Alonzo was wrong and he just wouldn't listen to him. Julia was hiding something and Danziger intended to find out what it is.

"What is he talking about Julia?" Devon asked again.

Julia answered, "I haven't been talking to the council. I swear to you I haven't. I have to tell him, and Morgan. I can't keep it from you anymore."

Morgan piped in. "Keep what from who? What are you talking about Julia?"

She just began pace again, almost as if she was a tiger in a cage.

"Maybe we should all sit down and finish this the main tent. Huh?" Devon tried to interject.

"She's crazy." Bess said suddenly. "And I'm tired of it. She tried to hurt Morgan before and now she's lost it again. Have you been experimenting again? Huh, Julia?"

"No!" Julia said looking for someone to turn to, but she found herself in a sea of non understanding faces. "I haven't been doing anything. I just wanted to..... John please!"

"What?!" He asked her again. "I don't understand what you want from me!?"

"Your, your not who you think you are. Neither is Morgan." She was almost sick from crying. She tried to reach out to him again. This time Danziger didn't move away, he could see the pain she was in. "Please?" She asked him as she reached out for him. She just wanted him to understand what she was going through and what he would be going through soon as well. He knew she couldn't turn to Alonzo to understand, not now. John didn't move as she put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Danziger had no idea what to say to do, he put his arms around her and hugged her slightly. It was very awkward and she was sobbing on his shoulder.

"It's ok." He said almost as a natural reaction. That is what he told True whenever she ran to him. "It's ok." He even almost kissed her on the head, but Alonzo's eyes were on him like a hawk.

"Your not mad?" She asked. "I'm so sorry, I should have told you." She held him tightly for a moment longer as the others watch unsure of what to say or do.

"Told me what? What is this about?" He asked her.

She pulled back from his embrace and dried her eyes as she realized he was finally going to listen to her. She walked away briefly and then came back to him, she sighed and pushed her hair back. "It's a long story, but you and Morgan are what they called......" She swallowed hard as she stopped to get control of her emotions, "GAC - Generically alerted children."

Danziger's face fell and his eyes went unfocused. She could tell his mind was racing.

She turned to Morgan who was walking backwards away from it all shaking his head. "No. My parents died when I was young. I would have known."

"Honey?" Bess said reaching out to him, "She doesn't know what she is talking about. That can't be true."

"The council tried to cover it up." Julia tried to explain quickly. "It was like the Yale program, only successful. They wanted to create perfect humans. Something that could work twice as hard, and be smarter and quicker than the average person. Survival skills and intelligence beyond human understanding."

"I don't believe you." Danziger said quickly, "Then why did I end up in the quadrant? Huh, near homeless and motherless?"

"I don't know."

"I want to know why, Julia!" He demanded.

"The project was discovered. They had to hide it from normal people, people like the Adairs, people who didn't want to be overrun by these super-humans. There were only six of you. The other four didn't make it out of childhood. There were side effects. And I can see them in both of you."

"No." Danziger said. "I am not one of those people, I was never altered. I am as human as you Julia."

"No one said you are not human, John." She looked at him. "You are as human as any of us, but you are also created, in a lab. You never had parents. That is why they don't have files, they didn't exist."

"She's a lair." Morgan said rushing over to John. "I don't believe her!"

John stood expressionless.

"They had to hide the remaining two. They slit you up. I can only guess the quadrate was the best place to hide you. The doctors behind the project were killed before we left. Reilly told me it all then."

"I can't beli........" John dropped off.

"Did you think it was by chance that you were both here? They wanted to kill you, get rid of you. How better to do so then to blow you up with Devon and the ship. I was on that ship too, but only after we landed safely did Reilly tell me that much."

Morgan and Danziger both had nothing to say. Julia looked between them. She knew all this time and had betrayed them again by not telling them sooner.

"Danziger, do you really think that the job posting would have been in the quadrate for a job like this. You were the only one meant to see it. Wentworth and Firestein only came cause you told them about it. And Morgan, you were not supposed to be on that ship, I know, but wasn't it lucky that you were there at take off. Think about it."

"What side effects?" Baines said from behind Devon. "You said you can see them."

"They are obviously very different." She said looking back at each of them. "Danziger, look at you, your height, your build. The fact that you can track anything for miles. Did you ever notice how Alonzo, Baines and Walman want to stop and go back when something is too far ahead. Not you, right? You have the instinct to go after what you want until it is yours, never stop. That is the way you were made. Master mechanic, you know every vehicle outside and it, do you think that is because that was how you were raised? No, it's all built in there, like I was made to be a doctor."

"And Morgan" She continued. "Your intelligence. You cracked code after code. You can make any VR program we need. You can use any machine we find. Maybe you don't have the strength and agility of Danziger, but you have the brains for five people!"

"Side effects, Julia?" Baines asked again.

"I'm getting there. Temper loss, I can see that one in you." She said glancing at John. "That is from the strength and energy they gave you, all built up, it makes you angry. And complains. That is Morgan's side effect."

Morgan looked at her shocked, "I do not complain!" He looked at Devon for an answer, "Do I?"

"Whining and complaining comes from the intelligence," Julia continued on before Devon could answer. "You know more than the average person and you know how much the human body can take. You complain when your sub-conscience thinks it is too much for you. It was designed to protect you. I find it annoying."

The look of acceptance was on both of their faces, she knew too much for it to be not true. But, the look of defect was in John's eyes. He hated what he was made to be. He was his own great disappointment.

"There is only one thing I don't understand." Julia looked at John and whispered something to him.

His face dropped even more. "Your wrong!" He almost yelled at her. "That can't be! She is mine, I know it."

"That was the main side effect, John. I don't understand, unless she is not yours." Julia sighed.

With that he pushed her aside and walked past her. They all knew what they had meant. True. The side effect of not being able to have children. True ran to her father and he knelled down to hug her. Devon could have been wrong, but she swore she saw tears in his eyes. He held True tightly as she also began to cry. She was so scared. He was her daddy, she just knew it.

Bess wasn't happy either. She hid it well from her husband who was devastated as well, maybe even more. "I hate you." Morgan muttered as he past Julia. "Why couldn't you have kept it? Why did you have to tell us? I hope your happy, you've just ruined four lives and that is not counting your own." He disappeared with Bess into their tent as one by one everyone returned to their own tents. Danziger carried his baby girl back to bed. She was his. That much he knew.

Devon gave Julia a look of being betrayed. She should have told them sooner, or not at all as Morgan said. Julia had seen the look before. She and Yale just returned to their tent with Uly. They all left Julia alone outside. Even Alonzo was gone.
****

"It doesn't matter you know." True said as he tucked her in, still crying. Danziger rarely cried or even was emotional. Maybe that was another side effect of what he was, but that was his baby and his love that Julia was talking about. Elle was never with another man, he knew it. True was his, that was the only answer. The only.

"What doesn't matter, sweetheart?" He asked her as she sat up to whipped the tears from his eyes.

"If you really are my daddy."

He stopped and looked at her, she was so serious, it reminded him of Elle.

"I love you and your my father. No matter what. And you'll always be."

"I love you too baby." He kissed her and held her as tightly as he could. He laid down next to her. Soon after they were both fast asleep.
*****

Two days later:

"And now you know, baby." He smiled at his little girl. "That is the whole story."

"And your upset?" She asked. "I'd be glad if I was perfect. I wouldn't get into so much trouble."

Danziger smiled. "I'm not perfect."

"Your not too far off." She kissed his face. "Your a perfect father, that's what matters."

Julia walked up to him. "I just thought you should know....."

"I don't want to hear it." He answered her quickly.

"I know you don't, but she is yours."

Danziger stopped and looked up at her. "What?"

"I felt bad about it, so I did some tests. She is your child."

Julia walked away.

"I already knew that." True wrapped her arms around her father's neck.
***

Devon walked up to her. "I heard what you said to John, is that true?"

"She's his." Julia said. "Somehow, his DNA fixed the problem itself. That is how perfect he is. The only undesirable side effect and it fixed itself. If only the creators had lived to see it." Julia poured herself a drink. "I'm leaving Devon."

"What?" Devon asked her.

"I'm leaving. I'm be fine on my own. Yale has enough medical information on file to help you. I'm sure Morgan could learn it fast as well." Devon knew Julia wasn't coming back. "I can't take this anymore." Julia continued. "I'm not understood here and never will be. I have to say good bye." She walked away.

"Let her go." Morgan said as he walked up behind Devon. "Just let her go. She'll be fine on her own. Somehow I know that much is true." He patted her on the shoulder, "Or that could just be my wonderful brain talking." He raised an eyebrow at her and half smiled.

"For once, Morgan," Devon sighed, "I think you are right." She sighed. It was strange to know that Danziger and Morgan were from the same place. Could two more different men find each other to be 'brothers'? And did it take a journey to a distant planet to help them find each other?

Alonzo packed up his few remaining items on the Transrover and helped True in the rail next to her father. Her true father. He sighed hoping one day to he might have a child to call his own. He took one last look at her, his greatest love. Julia walked away from it all in the opposite direction. She walked away from Eden Project, she walked away from her life and she walked away from him. He looked at Danziger once more. "I'm sorry for the way I acted the other night."

"It's no big deal, Ace." Danziger smiled at him as Alonzo glanced back towards the raising sun to the horizon line where Julia had now disappeared. "'Lonz,...."

"I know, I know John. Let her go."

-30-