Ty scooped up a squealing Helia into his arms.

"What'd you do today at school?"

"No school, no school!" She bounced.

"No school?" Ty echoed.

He directed his question more at Damon and Sam, who both had the day off.

Sam crossed her arms. Lately, she was defensive. Every time Ty would ask her about her day, about Antoinella, or about anything, she was obstinate in her lack of response. Her reaction to his latest prompting was hardly any different.

"I took her out of school early today," she sniffed.

Ty kissed Helia on the temple before putting her down. "Why's that?"

Recently, Ty had enrolled Helia in a pre-kindergarten program. Damon was taking more classes, and spent little time at home. Ty thought it was on purpose, but he was already pushing Sam for answers, so he left his brother alone. Both Ty and Sam worked steady hours, and it was easy to afford Helia's new school program. He hated to admit it, but it was easy to afford things since Jennifer's departure. She had always asked him for money, or had outright stolen money from his wallet. Money was a sore subject for Ty, and because he had paid Helia's tuition in advance, he was mildly annoyed Sam had thought to pull Helia out of school without consulting him.

"I took her out because I don't like that school. Have you seen the actual lesson plans? There's hardly any student/teacher contact. They put the kids in front of their own interface, and the interface is the teacher." Helia climbed onto Sam's lap. In response, Sam kissed Helia on the temple, and Ty thought of how he still wasn't used to his twin. "I came to the school early to bring her lunch, and saw rows of three-year olds, staring like robots, listening to the interfaces, tapping the screen when they were told. In the two classrooms next door, it was the same story, only a different age group. After seeing that, I brought her home. It's my day off anyway. I'd rather she spend the day doing activities and experiencing human contact than learning about life from a damn screen."

He hated to admit his twin was right, so much so that he overlooked her cursing in front of Helia. "Huh. Kinda makes me want to--."

"To home school her." Sam finished the sentence for Ty. "I felt the same way. But we'll have to make it work between our scattered schedules."

Ty nodded.

From the kitchen, Damon called, "You're gonna be late!"

Sam checked the time on her phone before scrambling off the couch. "He's right. I've gotta go to a meeting."

As Sam got ready to leave, Ty approached her. "When are you going to be done with these meetings?"

She was putting on her shoes, not looking him in the eye. "Wish I knew."

"Can you say hi to Martine for me?"

At the mention of Martine, Sam stopped what she was doing.

"She's not in my group anymore." A thought occurred to her. "You haven't seen her at work?"

Ty was shocked his clone had revealed a detail about her life. He had asked about Martine to make conversation, but now he saw there was more to her disappearance.

"I haven't seen her lately, no."

"Me neither."

They shared a contemplative silence.

"Did Pen fire her?" Sam asked.

"No." Ty paused. "Actually, I don't think he did. I don't know."

Sam stared at the floor, chewing on her cheek. It took a moment for Ty to realize he was doing the same thing. He only chewed on his cheek when he was thinking, or sometimes, he did it when he was lying.

He read into Sam's tell-tale signs. "You know what happened to her. Where is she?"

"I really don't know, but I have an idea." Deep breath. "It was probably the Staties that took her."

"Took her?" It didn't seem possible. "Why would you say that?"

"It's just a guess. I don't---."

"Yes, you do know!" He barely raised his voice, even less so since Jenn had left, but the way Sam ducked his questions frustrated him.

It was like looking into an evasive mirror. There was no lying to him because he read each of the lies on Sam's familiar face. Somehow, he knew what she had to say would mean a great deal, and he wanted to hear the words.

"Tell me the truth. You've been avoiding me for weeks."

Finally, Sam met his gaze. "I didn't mean to. And I only know what Martine told me. Agents threatened to take her away a couple weeks ago. Somehow, they knew we'd gone on a date."

"That was enough probable cause for them?" Ty didn't believe it.

But Sam confirmed the far-fetched story. "Yes. Maybe she did something else to anger those prudes."

He continued to give her the suspicious eye. Even if she was telling the truth, her story was incomplete. If Ty hadn't felt so drained from the day's work, he would've dragged the facts from hee. As it was, he dropped his glare and sighed.

"They can't just take people away like that. You're wrong."

Sam tightened her jaw. "I hope I'm wrong."

When Ty walked away, Sam took in more deep breaths, releasing the tension from her shoulders. She was lucky he had chosen not to push, because he wouldn't have liked what he would've heard. She had told him the truth, as she knew it to be.

Ty was right to doubt. It was a familiar feeling for Sam. She had her own doubts. Once she found out what had really happened to Martine, then she would have a better picture of what really happened to Jennifer.

~*~

No one at group remembered who Martine was. Every group member Sam asked gave her a confused scowl in lieu of an answer. She felt like she was going insane. The groups members had shared the meeting room with Martine for at least three weeks. After interviewing the sixth member, Sam rebounded loudly against their ignorance.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Excuse me?"

But Sam would not be excused.

She addressed the entire group: "It's not goddamn rocket science, people. Martine, a hot Cuban woman that was in group only last week, and not one of you can remember her?"

Group Leader Campion approached Sam, and right away, she knew she had been asking the wrong people about Martine. Of course the sheep wouldn't know.

He led her by the shoulder, a concession Sam allowed for the moment. She planned to get answers and it wouldn't happen if she was a mega-dickhead. A semi-dickhead would suffice.

Campion's face was hardened like that of a disappointed father. Since Sam had hardly seen her father when he had been alive, the look did not move her.

"Young lady, the issue of Martine has already been settled. Why are you upsetting the Group?"

"I know she switched Groups. What I need to know now is what you cunt-nuts did with her."

"Nothing's happened to Martine. Let's get back to Group, because today's theme is---"

"Screw today's theme. You know something, you pube-bearded fuck?

Her words finally had an effect. The Group Leader's mask slipped for a second, and in that second, he chose to smile. Sam's heart nearly stopped. Exposed, Campion was cold, cruel, and still smiling.

"Let's stop pretending. I know what you are, and why you're really here."

Lightning fast, Campion's hand shot out to tweak Sam's nipple. She smacked him away, her eyes wide.

"A living doll. Crendan told me to watch you, little doll."

Sam shook her head, trying to sift through Campion's crazy.

"Crendan? She took Martine? Why?"

"Martine was taken because she was adverse to converting, as you obviously are. But, Crendan's willing to waste more time on you, because you're special."

Sam could've swore from Campion's crotch stare that he had x-ray vision.

"Where is Martine?" she asked.

"Gone," was all Campion would say.

He turned from her, clapping his hands and calling for the Group to take their seats.

Sam left, having learned all she needed for a lifetime.

A/N:  Campion is the epitome of creepy, and the creepiest part is, he doesn't even know it.

Jab the star button, but not too hard. Don't wanna break your phone :D

I dedicate the chapter to KatKruger, who's written an intense werewolf series, The Night Has Teeth. Definitely worth reading more than once!