The secretary looked up from her desk, surprised to see a ptite shoulderlength black haired woman smiling down at her.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes. I'm looking for the administrator, Dr. Fisher. I have a meetingwith him regarding a position on staff," the woman replied, still smiling.

"Dr. Fisher was called away on due to a family emergency but Dr. Lockeris taking over his appointments. If you will just give a moment, I'll lethim know that you are here. Your name, please."

"Dr. Tempest Sterling."

"Hello, Dr. Locker, Dr. Sterling is here. Yes of course. Right away."

"He said to go to his office. It's down the hall, third door on theleft."

"Thank you!"

The woman quickly made her way to the office that the secretary haddirected her to. She knocked on the door, opening the door when she hearda familiar voice bid her enter.

"Well?" she asked.

"She's all ready. I've erased all records of her stay here, nothingremains. I have it all here, everything that will be needed to show theothers," the tall dark-haired man replied.

"What about the staff?"

"Not to worry. The nurse that looked after her decided to retire. Seemsher inherited a small sum of money. Enough to disappear forever," he chuckled,"They'll never find her."

"So, where is she?"

"In here. Come on."

The two entered the small waiting room that was off the office and sittingin a wheelchair, staring out the window, sat an older woman, her red locksmuted and tinged with gray, her skin still smooth and flawless, but devoidof any makeup, her peircing blue eyes oblivious of anything. Empty.

"My god! What have they done to her?" she asked.

"She drugged. It was the only way they could control her. Once out ofhere and into an environment that's safe, she'll start to respond, butI couldn't take her off all her medications."

the man approached the wheelchair bound woman and knelt down on hishaunches, taking hold of her hand, he cups her face with his other handand turns it to face his, a sad smile on his features.

"Would you like to see them again? I know one in particular that willbe overjoyed to see you," his hand brushed a strand of stray hair out ofher face.  A flicker of knowing glimmered in her eyes as she lookeda the young man.

"You got out?" she whispered, her fingers curling around his.

"Yes, I got out." he responded, caressing her cheek.

 "Mmmmm. . . . .?" she stuttered.

"Hush, Catherine. It'll come back to you in time. Don't force it! It'stime, Beth. Take her home."

"You forgot something, didn't you?'

"No, she's wearing it, see. He pushed the sleeve of the woman's blouseup and there on her thin wrist was a gold bracelet shaped like a scroll,inscribed with the following, Now I Conquer Everything Nothing Escapes.

"So, Jarod, when do we tell Parker and Wynne that their mother is alive?"
 

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Part 2