And then there were five For Amethyst Part 8 At Isabelle's urging, David had acquired some special boxes. Isabelle helped Mark choose which of Madeline's things he wanted to keep close, and then Jason joined them to help solemnly and carefully pack the rest away. Only when Mark pronounced that they were finished did David allow the movers to take the furniture that didn't belong -- such as the hospital-style bed -- and replace it with Isabelle's. Anything else of Madeline's they didn't have room for went into storage, except for a few items David himself choose to keep around the place. He promised Mark they could visit the rest from time to time. Of course, there were tears. Whenever Mark started to sniffle, Jason was there, quietly supporting his new best friend from within his own aura of sadness. It only then occurred to David that Jason had been forced to pick up and move entirely. If Mark had trouble giving up a room, how much worse had it been for Jason? Speaking of Jason, David noticed the boy glancing nervously to Isabelle. Once all of her things were in her room, she finally saw as well, and went to sit next to him. "What's wrong, Jase?" He kicked his feet against the couch. "If you stay in there, will you get sick and go away?" Now there were two children with tear-filled eyes. Isabelle slid her arms around both of them, hugging them tight. "No. What made her sick wasn't catching." "Promise?" David found himself relieved that he wasn't the focus of those earnest gazes. He watched Isabelle crouch in front of them, taking both of their hands. "There's nothing wrong with the room. It won't make me sick. I promise." They stared at her a moment longer. Then in some kind of unspoken signal, the two relaxed. "Now, shall we set up your room?" The boys looked at one another. A moment later, they thundered off toward what was now their shared bedroom. Isabelle smiled. "They'll be good for each other, I think." "Let's hope so." David made sure all of Jason's boxes were in the right place, then paused a moment in the bedroom doorway, pleased at how easily Isabelle handled the pair. Not just that, but Mark seemed perfectly happy to give up half of his space. One more worry he could brush away. David did some work during the redecorating. It wasn't like his projects took a break whenever he had personal obligations. He had reams of paperwork to read and either reject or sign, dozens of preliminary test results on potential candidates arriving per hour, scientist and engineer applicants to accept or reject, and enough other tasks piling up to tip him toward occasional despair. Then Isabelle poked her head into his office. "Is it all right if I take the boys shopping?" Was it all right? He imagined trying to control two of them in a store. "It's your sanity." Next thing David knew, he was alone for the first time since he'd moved. Trying to work became an unexpected challenge. Everything was too still, too quiet. He resorted to doing something he'd always staunchly avoided: turning on the television for background noise. He had instructor lists to finalize for Mark and Jason. After that, he had to review more preliminary tests to find the next candidate. If he found one soon, would Chief Paulson make him house that child as well? Hopefully not. Getting Mark to let Isabelle use his mother's room was one thing. Convincing the boy to move out of the place all together could get ugly. CHAPTER FOUR David spent the next two years frustrated as hell. The problem wasn't the boys. Mark and Jason were learning and training together, something that Chief Paulson all but ordered and Charles encouraged during their infrequent check-ins. It didn't hurt that Mark seemed happy to have a "brother." The added benefit was that Jason had someone his own age and size to train against. Both boys took to martial arts and gymnastics with all the enthusiasm of hyper-energetic children. Time and time again, their instructors expressed great pleasure with both of their progress, along with disappointment that Mark wasn't under official consideration for the program. As they started with their private tutors, though, it was Mark who had the patient and studious nature to excel. More than once, the tutors told David that Jason could do just as well as Mark, if only he'd focus. The project's child development specialists suggested adjustments to the program, ensuring that Jason properly burned off his excess energy before being expected to settle. That helped to a point. The rest, they assured David, was simply a matter of personality types. Mark was more cerebral and driven to excel for and please those he looked up to, while Jason of course liked praise, but didn't see the point of going into extra effort as long as he got the job done. Then, of course, the tutors gushed about what a formidable pair the boys would make for the team. David was ready to strangle the next person -- with his own tie -- who hinted that when they got older, the boys would balance each other perfectly. It was a conspiracy, one that came to a head when they were finally ready for their first implantation. In two years, he'd only found one other potential candidate, and he'd postponed her next level of evaluations to wait until Jason's surgery was complete. He'd only avoided sending Mark in as well by pointing out it was best to see how Jason did, first. Why risk something going wrong with two potential candidates? Work on one, then adjust. A logical position. One that won him agreement from even Paulson. The ease with which David made it, though, made him a little sick. Was he really trying to keep Mark out of the program? Or was he just happier to experiment on a true orphan, one who wasn't Madeline's child? If only the process worked on adults. When they'd discovered that only prior to puberty could a human -- along with the other Federation races, all being so similar -- handle the immense physical changes the implantation program would cause, his entire team had fallen into a deep funk of mourning. Even he had been sure that their years of exhaustive work and preparations would be relegated to a top secret vault, never again to see the light of day. But the need was too great. David reminded himself that as experiments went, this one was relatively low risk. They'd done numerous practice runs and simulations. His team would bring Jason through the surgery, of that he had no doubt. Instead, his main concern was whether the cerebonics lived up to expectations. Every year, the estimations on when Spectra would begin its attacks were rolled forward. Each year, they realized the team would be activated younger, would have less time to adjust, train, and prepare. And chilling new factors kept coming to light about the Spectran threat. Expectations for the G-Force project weren't just high. They were desperate. As it was, their hope to create multiple teams had been set aside. At this rate they'd be lucky to have one fully-functional team in time, between the youth required for the body to accept the implants, genetic issues of build and health, and the technology required to create and perfect their gear. David took a deep breath, then signed the order to commence Jason's surgery in three days. He'd already warned Isabelle, giving her all of the dietary and rest information she needed to ensure that the boy was physically ready for the intensive time on the table. Fortunately he'd already explained to her why Jason had been brought to him, and the boy's parents had explicitly left paperwork behind asking for Jason to be tested. Otherwise, he had the feeling Isabelle might have openly revolted. Now, more than ever, he badly needed her support. Glancing at the picture of Mark and Jason on his desk, David knew this was the beginning of the end. They sat there grinning like fools, both still in shorts and sparring gear after completing a course in mixed martial arts. It didn't seem to matter that Mark had a split lip and Jason had a black eye. They'd done well and they were thrilled. Mark was nearly seven, with Jason five months behind. Both boys were so fearless, so tenacious, but his promise to Madeline ensured that the surgery would end their physical training together. Once Jason had his surgery, it wouldn't even be safe to put them in the same room. Not until Jason learned to control his new strength and speed. How would Mark react? David removed his glasses, cleaning them. If only Paulson hadn't insisted on him housing both boys together. The Chief would continue pushing him, and if David couldn't find enough candidates as Mark approached puberty, there was the distinct possibility he might not be given a choice. In the meantime, he'd do his best to keep Mark safe. There had to be a way to make him understand. Though, this was the same boy who still asked about his father. Why was it that Jason accepted that his parents were gone, but Mark refused to believe that his father was? Shaking his head, David put his glasses back on. One step at a time. He had arrangements to finish making. Figuring out how to tell a child that his best friend would soon be beyond his reach ... that would have to wait. # Acting low-key about the surgery, for the sake of the boys, turned out to be much harder than David had hoped. Especially when the only thing Jason could eat or drink for the last forty-eight hours was the special prep fluid. How his staff had managed to make the noxious substance taste exactly like fruit punch remained a mystery, but David considered handing out bonuses on that achievement alone. Rather than coaxing a child into drinking significant quantities of something disgusting, all they had to do was make sure Mark got some kind of "special" drink so he wouldn't sneak any of Jason's. Then came the big day. David watched Isabelle try, and fail, not to