Chp. 25 "Eye Opener"

I stared at my mom in disbelief, feeling a sense of regret and sorrow wash over me. My biological father was dead, and he had been dead for nearly 10 years of my life. As I sat there in silence I had done the math in my head; Teal was 39 years old and my father would've been 40 now. He died back in 2004 which meant he was 30 when he died, and that means I was given up to the Brocks when my mom, Teal, was just 21 years old.

It was all so much to take in, and ignoring the ache in my heart was now becoming impossible. I leaned back in the chair and gazed into Teal's eyes, seeing the look of pain and longing to see Fred again. At the moment she had told me he died I regretted coming here, but looking at my mom now I was glad I did. I was relieved that I knew the truth, but I needed to know why and how he died.

For my sake.

The table had remained silent for a while but it was about to be broken, I questioned, "Do you mind me asking... how?"

Her eyes glazed over, as if she was completely lost in the memory of Fred's death. She shook her head, "No honey, I'll tell you, you have the right to know..."

My eyes took in Avery, Max and Gage's statue-like figures, knowing they were just as shocked as I was about all of this. Avery's eyes took me in first and I saw pity in her gaze, which only made me more depressed because the last thing I needed was everyone's pity.

If anyone in here needed pity, it was Teal. Then again, if she was anything like me I'm sure she wouldn't want it either.

"Fred was an ambitious man, and out of everyone in that Bureau he was the one that wanted to take down the F.P.S. the most, I'm sure of it. Andy, after you were born we wanted out of the agency, we wanted to live a normal life with you but we couldn't..."

I listened to her speak and I could hear the desperation in her voice, which let me know she was telling the absolute truth.

She continued, "I was granted freedom to leave but the problem was your father. The F.P.S. was looking for him, and back then they had a kill list of people they believe posed a threat to them and the entire country. Your father was on that list, and that was because of the power he possessed. They saw him as a threat, someone that needed to be taken out, which is why we could never make contact with you while you grew up. He couldn't get out of the Bureau's agency either because of the F.P.S., because the Bureau was afraid your father would be murdered at any time. He had no choice but to continue running missions against the government."

I felt a familiar hand slip through mine under the table, and I turned to see Avery giving me a weak smile of support. There was nothing she really could do at the moment besides sit here and listen, but she was trying to be there for me. I gave her a grateful smile before returning my gaze to my mom, "So what happened? Since Fred couldn't get out of the Bureau agency and the F.P.S. was after him?

"The only thing he could do; to keep fighting against the F.P.S. When you were born we raised you for a year Andrea. Fred and I fell in love with you, and when we were practically forced to give you up we were heartbroken. We knew we couldn't give you to someone who had no idea about the supernatural, which would've been a disaster in the years to come. So we called up Ryan and Sandra Brock and told them everything that was going on, and they took you in, no questions asked."

I thought back to my parents and how they selfless they were, knowing they were raising a child that wasn't their own. Raising me simply because their friends needed help in a dire situation, and how amazing they were for that. I found myself smiling at the thought of my parents, my real parents, the ones who raised me and loved me unconditionally.

"Fred and I were two different people, I understood that giving you up to Sandra and Ryan was best for you, and that one day we would be reunited. Your father on the other hand, he understood it was best for you but he also knew that it didn't have to be that way. He knew that it was possible to be able to raise you without worrying, but that would involve a world without the F.P.S."

Soon I started to understand what was happening, and how this was leading up to my father's death.

"Your father started going crazy, and while I told him he needed to lie low from the F.P.S. he refused to listen to me. I was rational, and I knew that his life was at stake because he was one of the most wanted men for the government. He continued working against the F.P.S. for years with the Bureau, even going so far as attacking them and doing these small missions that would wipe out 10 to 15 people at the time. This only put a bigger target on his head, and as a result, he started absorbing every power he could get his hands on."

Soon I saw the bigger problem, the reason as to why he had become such a huge target. People were threatened by him, and all he wanted was to live a normal life with his family. He just wanted peace and quiet, and the F.P.S. wasn't allowing him to have it.

Then Teal's hand pulled me out of my dream-like state, "Honey, do you know what happens when you have too many powers?"

I looked into her eyes and shook my head, "N-No..."

She smiled weakly, obviously remembering the horrible death of Fred, "Your body begins to lose control of itself, and it begins deteriorating even faster than normal. For the longest time I begged your father to at least find a Healer, and I knew it was rare to ever run into them because they usually hid themselves from the world. We both knew if he could find a Healer he would be ok, and his body would repair itself but..."

I realized she was avoiding the truth, she wasn't letting me know how he died, but I wanted to know. I needed to know the truth about my real father, and the reason he wasn't here today.

I questioned, "What happened?"

Her eyes became heavier as she nodded, "He was on his last mission. Back in 2004 there was a Healer that was in trouble. He had been kidnapped by the F.P.S. and your father was assigned to get him out. We didn't have any idea why the F.P.S. would kidnap one of us but we just knew it was vital to get them out of there. So your father set out to find him, along with a man of the name Roger Boyd."

My breath hitched in my throat, Roger was the name of the man Blaine gave me at graduation. Could it be that this man was the man that accompanied my father on this mission?

"I don't know all the details or exactly what happened that night, but Roger was the only man that returned to the Bureau, along with the Healer that was captured. Roger came see me the night of and broke the news to me, that your father had died that night at the headquarters they had breached. He didn't really tell me the exact way Fred died or what had happened, but knowing your father I know he didn't go down without a fight."

I saw the sorrow in her eyes as I gripped Avery's hand in my lap. My dad had died saving a Healer, and if he hadn't been so untimely he could've survived simply by touching him. I felt a burning rage in my body while I tried to comprehend everything I had just heard but the hate for this F.P.S. was overpowering.

Was it possible that this could've been Blaine that they were saving at the time?

I remembered the talk we had months ago with this kid, and then I recalled that he wasn't a kid, he was 40 years old. The exact same age as my father would've been if he were still alive...

There were connections, and puzzle pieces that had been missing before were replaced, and suddenly I started to see the big picture.

If I found Roger Boyd, I would be able to finish the puzzle, but we needed to find him quick.

~ ~ ~ ~

I hugged my mom tighter, knowing that leaving her was going to break my heart but we had to get a move on. I hated that fact that she was here all alone, but I knew that she had held up pretty well considering it had been 10 years since Fred had died.

Her arms hugged me tighter, letting me know that she was going to miss me, "Please feel free to come and see me anytime Andy."

I felt the tears threaten to spill from my eyes but I knew I couldn't let that happen, not now anyway. I nodded against her shoulder, sniffing up any tears that threatened to fall. "I will, don't worry..."

She pulled away and squeezed my shoulders, looking straight into my eyes, "You may look like me on the outside, but I can tell you're like your father. I can see it in your eyes, the burning passion to do what is right, and I envy you for that. But Andy, please be careful. If the F.P.S. finds out about your powers they're going to come after you."

I felt my heart clench at her words about my father and then race from the mention of the F.P.S., "Thank you... and I'll be fine mom."

I had told her about my encounter with Blaine, and how I was almost 100 percent sure that he was the boy my dad rescued on that mission. She had been excited in learning that I had obtained the healing power but she didn't know what curse it set upon me.

I told her how I didn't age, and how I could survive almost any wound. She had been shocked when I demonstrated it to her with a steak knife, and when she found out I didn't age she nearly cried. We also told her about the BD3 disease, which she knew about, but she didn't know the true reason as to why Blaine was kidnapped in the first place. We told her everything, and now we were leaving, possibly for a good amount of time, and I hoped I would see her again soon.

Even in this short amount of time I had grown attached to her.

I looked into her eyes, praying that she would be okay without me here and knowing all of this information. I had a feeling she would contact Roger before I would, which I was okay with because I was still nervous.

She whispered, "Andy... please know that I love you, and what your father and I did was for your protection. I can't let you leave thinking that it was a selfish motive."

I smiled, I had felt no hate towards her or Fred for giving me up to the Brocks, and in a way I was grateful. I shook my head, denying the tears once again, "Mom, I could never hate you for that. I know it was the best for me."

She petted my shoulders, as if wiping invisible lent off of my clothes, "Well... you four better get going. At this time you won't be getting back to Jacksonville till 1:00 in the morning."

I nodded, realizing it was time to part with my mom, but hopefully not for the last time. I would see her again, and maybe I would see her sooner than planned. I spoke softly, "Bye mom," I heard Avery, Max and Gage entering the black Tahoe, "I love you."

She smiled, allowing a few silent tears to fall down her cheeks, "I love you too."

I walked slowly to the Tahoe to join my friends when I heard one last sentence from my mom, "And Andy, practice your powers before you use them... it's for your own safety."

I looked at her and nodded, knowing she was referring to the new power I had just obtained from her. I smiled, "Don't worry, I catch on pretty quick."

And then I got into the car, only to be surrounded by complete silence by the three people that joined me. It was awkward, and I knew it was because they didn't know how to react to everything they had heard today. They were shocked, and they didn't know how to approach it, but in a way I was grateful because I didn't want to talk yet.

Everything I heard had pertained to me, it was because of me, and I couldn't blame them for not knowing what to say.

So I rested my head against the window and watched as we pulled out of my mom's drive and hit the road, heading away from Monroe, Louisiana.

Knowing I was leaving a part of my heart here behind with my mom.

~ ~ ~ ~

I watched in awe as Teal Mason hugged this child that goes by the name of Andrea Brock. From what I picked up with my Spy Audio, there was more to this than meets the eye. I listened carefully while I hid low in my seat, careful not to be seen. If I was caught Teal would for sure grow suspicious and come over here, likely to try and kill me.

Even after all these years I knew she wouldn't forget my face.

I listened carefully to Andrea, "Bye mom," she seemed to be turning to leave but she stopped and spoke once more, "I love you."

Teal and Fred Mason had a daughter! I was right all along, and no one believed me through all these years. I was grateful I had the Spy Audio on record, that way no one would doubt me when I revealed the truth.

Boss was going to have a field day with this, and it was all because of me. I thought to myself victoriously, Screw you Jim, I'm getting that promotion now, and I'll have the biggest case we've had all year.

I continued listening to Andrea and Teal's goodbyes, hoping they would reveal a little more information that I couldn't quite read clearly in the house.

"And Andy, practice your powers before you use them... it's for your own safety."

I was forced into reality, listening to those words and making sure the Audio was recording for damn sure this time. My heart beat sped up in my chest as I replayed it into my headphones, "And Andy, practice your powers before you use them... it's for your own safety."

My breathing hitched in my throat, that sentence could mean only one thing. My thoughts flashed back to Fred and his ability, and how we had finally taken him down in 2004. If his daughter was anything like him... we were in trouble.

And if Andrea needed to practice her powers, well, that only meant one thing...

We had another Mason on our list.

***A/N***

Uh oh, looks like there's a Snitch involved with Andy now! Hope you guys enjoyed this post, I can't tell you how many times I've reread and edited this chapter to try and make it not confusing. Hopefully it wasn't! :( Anyways, I also wanted to thank my readers for the support once again, and please Vote if you enjoyed it! It'll only take a second! ;) Happy reading guys!