One week

Troy retreats slightly, sensing Rosetta's strong stance, not to mention her husband's. Was this family always this intense? "I understand. But we have a couple different issues here. For one, Eric's gonna have to approve or make the request for the paternity test. I shouldn't accept a phone call, but I would. Second, I can't leave the babies here without some sort of signed agreement. I'm under contract and if I left them without any documentation, I could be in a whole heap of trouble."

He looked between all three of them, simply not knowing what to do. "Look, I know this is an unusual situation, but that's what I do...I deal with the unusual. But what I don't want to do is get anyone in trouble - myself, or you." He glanced over his shoulder, out the window to where the car was parked before returning to the conversation. "I'd stay - this place seems nice. But I've got another client waiting for me, and I won't be back through this area for another week. When do you expect Eric back?"

Mick sighed and ran a hand over his face. "You don't understand. He's a trucker. He's not due back for another three weeks at least."

"Oh." Troy's brow furrowed as he tried to figure out a solution. "What if you would simply sign an agreement to take responsibility for the babies just for one week? And at the end of that week, when I come back through, either Eric provides written consent to take them, or they go with me to social services? We can do it over the phone and by fax - not the best methods, but doable."

"Aw, I don't know." Mick shook his head. "I don't think doing any of this over the phone is a good idea. I mean, he doesn't even know he's a father. I certainly wouldn't want to find out via phone, and at the same time have to make up my mind about custody." He looked at Rosetta again. "I know we want what's best here, but..."

"Can you get him to come home early?" Troy interrupted. "Within this next week? I just..." He folded his arms around his papers, pursing his lips. "As many things as I've seen in my line of work, I'll never get used to a mother just giving away her kids like this. If I could adopt them all myself, I would. If these two girls can end up with their father, here, at least they'll be with family. I want to make this work - I simply can't leave them without someone signing to take on responsibility, even if it's temporary. But even then, I can't let it go for more then a week. I'm risking my neck even suggesting any of this - if you're all nuts and run off with the babies, I'd probably wind up in jail. But I'm willing to risk it. I don't know why, but I am. A week's all I can afford though, before going to social services. My contract with Dana is legally binding."

Mick thought for a moment before gesturing for Rosetta to follow him into the adjoining room. "Give us a minute."

"Sure." Troy stood by awkwardly, giving Stacy a polite smile as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Once in the other room, Mick's eyes searched Rosetta's face. "I'm not sure what to do," he admitted quietly. "I keep thinking this is just a ploy of Dana's, but why would she come up with an idea like this, when a paternity test is all it will take to prove or disprove her? She may be evil, but she's just not that stupid to think he wouldn't have them tested. As much as I don't want to turn Eric's world upside down, I'm having a hard time believing this is all a farce." He paused, mulling over Troy's offer... and what this might do to Eric. He was emotionally sensitive to begin with, and not only would this change everything, but it would also dredge up some pretty painful issues from a not-so-distant past with Dana. "What do you think about getting Eric back here like he suggested? We could go ahead and tell him...but... I don't know. He's your brother and you predict him better than I do... how do you think the best way is to handle him?"


It was Reese's turn to laugh, and he shook his head at Victoria's suggestion. "Not on your life. This is exactly the kind of ploy I've been talking about. You may think it would be a stupid pan, but what's even more stupid is the thought of me letting you and Garret roam free - you're the only leverage we have to get my agent back. No...that's not how this is going down."

He turned to leave and nodded to Pete, who shut and locked the door again. "Now what?"

"Now we go see if Nate got anywhere with Garret. This whole thing is turning into a circus."


"Aaron won't kill unless he's backed into a corner. Without a hostage he has no leverage." Garret shuffled a couple feet to the table to sit on the edge. "Make no mistake - whether he's acting on his own or not, he's a fairly high ranking agent who has saved my butt more than once. He may not be doing what Victoria wants, but he's not an idiot."

Nate's speculation of Victoria halted Garret's train of thought for just a moment. Did Nate know? Had he somehow found out? No...otherwise he wouldn't be fishing for information. "Victoria has no more pull with our superiors than anyone else," he responded evenly. His eyes stared into Nate's. "She's simply capable of making anyone's life miserable if she wants to, which should make Aaron tread lightly. But he's too loyal to me to sit back and do nothing."

He paused a moment, refusing to say more about it. "If Reese wants to send an extraction team, let me go. Aaron won't listen to anyone else. He won't like it that I've turned, but that alone would throw him off long enough to get your officer out." A new desperation filtered into his eyes. "And maybe I can prove to Reese I'm on your side." 

The door suddenly opened, and Reese stepped inside, Pete and shotgun still behind him. Reese looked to Nate. He hadn't given him much time, but they didn't have much time to begin with, and he was to the point where he didn't care about talking in front of Garret. "Anything?"


Eli wandered into Ryan's room and sat on the edge of her bed before giving her leg a pat. "There's nothing for you to be sorry for. I'm sorry we were that loud." He sighed and shook his head. "Tal has a lot to work through...and I'm sure he will. Maybe things could have been handled differently on all sides, but what's done is done. And... now that the wound has been completely ripped open... maybe now it can really heal."