Briefly she wondered how her colleagues would react to her presence. They had all witnessed her arrest and she knew there were some who questioned her motives. Shrugging she briskly walked to the entrance. Once through the doors she quickly wished she were somewhere else as she saw who was waiting for her.

�Agent Sandoval. How can I help you?� she asked and it was all she could do to keep her voice from shaking. He frowned slightly.

�Dr. Park, I�m glad that you could come.� he said in his normal crisp manner.

�I�m glad to be here, despite the fact that your Volunteers nearly cost me my job three days ago.� Was it her imagination or had Sandoval actually flinched at the tone of her voice?

�An unfortunate misunderstanding, Dr. Park. The situation has been rectified and on behalf of the Taelons I�m offering you our sincere apologies.�

Right, little weasel, thought Melissa, like the word `sincere` has any meaning to you.

�Apology accepted, also on behalf of the patient I was operating on when your goons pulled me from the theatre. Is Major Kincaid here yet?�

�Not yet, but he should be here shortly.�

�Good, in that case I�ll be preparing myself for his arrival.� With those words she left him standing there smack in the middle of the hall. Inside she felt like cheering. Had she actually said those things to the mighty Agent Sandoval? Her heart was thumping so loudly she feared he might hear it as she made her way over to the elevators. Stepping out onto the second floor she suddenly realized that her hands were shaking and she felt like giggling.

Her friend and colleague Suzan was waiting for her at the nurses� station and she wordlessly embraced Melissa. Releasing her Suzan looked her up and down.

�Are you alright, Melissa? You look tired.�

�I am. These last few days have been quite nerve wrecking,� smiled Melissa.

�Major Kincaid isn�t here yet.�

�Yes, I know. Agent Sandoval told me as much downstairs. Is everything ready?�

�It is,� nodded Suzan.

�Good. Now if you�ll excuse me? I�m going to see if the Volunteers have left me an office or not.�

Her office lay at the end of the long hallway and the closer she got the harder her heart pounded in her chest. She was sure her office had been searched after her arrest. Only now did she realize that some of the information she kept in her office should really be in a much safer place. Like for instance the file she kept on Liam Kincaid. Not the Protector of the North American Companion, but the 7 months old Human/Kimeran Hybrid. His file was something the Taelons would love to have.

Pushing the door open she gasped in shock as she regarded the mess inside what had not too long ago been a cozy little office. The furniture had been moved and the file-cabinets overturned. Files littered the floor. Even the paintings that had hung on the walls had been taken down in an effort to find incriminating evidence. They had found nothing. Quickly she walked to her desk. Sitting down on her knees her fingers searched the underside of the top drawer for the tiny latch. She pushed it and a secret compartment opened. Reaching inside she sighed her relief when she found the file to still be there. Pressing it to her chest she send a heartfelt thanks to whoever it was that had kept the Volunteers from finding it.

Her global beeped and she reached for her bag. Augur�s face appeared when she opened it.

�Hi, Melissa. Did you made it?� he asked and she nodded.

�Yes, I�m at DC General. Have Renee and Liam left yet?�

�A couple of minutes ago. Why?�

�The hospital is swamped with Volunteers. They have to be warned.�

�I�ll send Renee a message. What happened to your office? Did a tornado strike?�

�Something like that. It was searched by Volunteers. Luckily they did not find this.�

She held up the file.

�What�s that?�

�Liam�s real medical file, not the one on Major Liam Kincaid. It contains all information I currently have on him. From a detailed report on his birth down to the results of the tests I ran on him a couple of weeks ago. Augur, I need to store this somewhere safe. If this ever falls into the hands of the Taelons Liam is dead.�

�Why don�t you bring it here? I can�t think of another place where it will be safer.�

�Thanks, Augur. I�ll drop it off as soon as I can.�

�Okay. I�ll send Renee and Liam a warning. Let me know when he�s with you, alright?�

�I will,� nodded Melissa and she closed the connection. Looking at her watch she saw that she still had about half an hour until Liam�s arrival. Sighing she set out to clean her office.