Synopsis: For the last two months, Sarah has been in hiding but the time has come to fight back. The lines have been drawn and a plan has been set in motion.

Spending the weekend with Megan and Adam had been nice. Still, things with Adam had been stressed. I had debated for a long time whether to tell him the truth about me and likely would have kept the truth from him except that I felt that he really deserved to know. I gave him as much space as I could. He was mourning the loss of Sarah in his own way, and there was nothing that I could do that would help him through that.

Conversation between Megan and Adam

He understood that I had nothing to do with her death. I was as much a victim as anyone else. It hurt me though to see him in pain and I regretted telling him. Megan told me later that I had done the right thing, but sometimes doing the right thing really hurts. Eventually she grew tired and asked Adam to take a walk with her, I was tired from the long bus trip and hit the bed early that night.



Megan: “It’s not her fault Adam, she never asked for any of this.”

“I know Megan, but she has been lying to me from the start.”

“She had her reasons Adam, but when it came to her loving you, it wasn’t a lie.”

“I know she loves me Megan. The problem is that those are Sarah’s memories and not hers.”

“You are wrong Adam. Maybe at first, but over time she really fell for you. I know, because she told me that she wanted to break it off with you because she was afraid you would get hurt. But the more time that she spent with you the more she loved you.”

“Megan, she is not the real Sarah, is she?”

“Really Adam, are you sure? She has all of Sarah’s memories and feelings and if the real Sarah had survived she would have been different and chances are she would have had major brain damage.”

“Think about this Adam, what are the things about Sarah that you loved and apply those things to the Sarah that you know now,” Megan said with a smile.

Adam sat there and thought about what Megan had said. He knew that Megan was right. Most of the reasons that he fell in love with the real Sarah also applied to the new one. The two of them were very much alike. Maybe that was because of the merger that Sarah had told him about. If that was the case then part of the real Sarah would live on.

“You’re right Megan. When I look at her, I can’t deny that I have feelings for her. I just don’t know where to go from here.”

“Just follow your heart, Adam. That is all you can do. Believe me though, she would never have told you the truth if she didn’t really care about you.”

Megan: “There is one other thing you need to consider, Adam. You asked her to marry you and she said yes, only a woman that really loved you would accept and she accepted because she was in love with you and responded like any woman would. When I look at her, I still see the girl I grew up with and she has always been there for me. She may be different now, but she is my best friend and always will be. Yes, it was hard losing the real Sarah but over time I grew to love this one. If you don’t think that you can, then tell her. It will hurt her but it would be better than her believing that the two of you have a future together, because that is what she believes.”

“Megan I can’t help but love her. That is something I can’t just turn off.”

“Then tell her that she has been through a lot lately and needs your support.”

“Thanks, Megan. It really helps having someone to talk this out with.”

“Anytime, Adam. Let’s get back to our room. It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow”

After returning to their room Adam climbed into bed next to Sarah and the motion caused her to wake up.

“Hi Adam,” I said as I moved closer to him.

“I know you’re different now, Sarah, but I don’t want to lose you.”

“Shut up, honey, and just hold me,” I said cuddling into his shoulder.

I looked over at Megan. She was in the spare bed and I mouthed the words “thank you.” I knew that whatever she said to Adam must have made a difference. Adam just held me close to him and I could feel the touch of his hand as it ran across my arm. I felt completely safe and content, just being in his arms, and was soon fast asleep.

It was around 8 am when I finally woke up, I had pretty much slept like a baby and there were no nightmares for a change. I looked over and found Adam next to me, I smiled and leaned over and gave him a kiss, while at the same time I caressed the side of his face. It didn’t take long before I felt him responding to my touch and within seconds he was kissing me back.

“Good morning, baby,” he said with a smile, “how did you sleep?”

“Exactly like a baby,” I said with a big smile. “God I missed you!”

“I missed you too Sarah. I am glad that you came back.”

“I am too, Adam. I hated not being able to see you.”

“What do you want to do today Sarah?”

“Let’s get Megan up so we can get ready, then grab some breakfast.”

It took Megan and me a half hour to get dressed and do our makeup, unlike the 10 minutes that it took Adam to shave and fix his hair. There was a restaurant inside the hotel so the three of us headed over for a breakfast of bacon and eggs with hash browns and toast. It was one of those all you can eat things. Megan and I only had the one serving while Adam with his endless appetite went up for seconds. After we paid the bill the three of us headed back to my room and started working on a plan.

The first step was to get Dr. Picard somewhere alone where I could question him. I needed to know if he had played a part in what happened to me. If he was not involved then it was possible that he would be of use later, but first we had to get him alone. I looked over at Megan, then Adam.

Sarah: “I am going to asking a lot from the both of you, and it is possible you could get into a lot of trouble. If you don’t want to help then I will understand.”

Adam: “What do you need done?”

“I need to talk to Dr. Picard. Someone will need to bring him to me.”

“What if he refuses?”

"If he refuses, you will have to force him. He may know something. If not, he can help”

Megan: “What do you need me to do?”

“I will need your help later. Once I get hold of Dr. Anna Vandervolt’s computer and have a look at her contacts…provided that they haven’t wiped it clean by now.”

“Alright, let me know when you are ready. What about Jessica and Amy? I am sure that they would be willing to help if we asked them.”

“It’s dangerous with just the three of us involved. There may be a time that we need their help but it is too early and the more people that know, the greater the chance that we will be found out. I really don’t feel like having to pull another disappearing act.”

“You’re right, Sarah.”

Adam: “When do you want to start?”

“It would be best to watch Dr. Picard for a few days before making a move.”
 

Now that Megan and Adam knew the plan all we needed to do was wait to implement it. Adam’s grandparents owned a cottage near the beach. It was pretty much deserted this time of year and would be my home for the near future. It was too dangerous if we were seen coming back and forth so we would have to be careful and make sure none of us were followed. I also told them to leave their cellphones at home. Any calls made could be traced and most of the newer phones had built in GPS, which could lead the authority’s right to our door. The only real way the three of us could reach one another was to exchange phones with a friend or use a payphone. I wasn’t really worried about my own phone because it was pay as you go and set up under a false name.

Later that night Adam dropped me off at the cottage and I said my goodbyes to the two of them after they helped carry in the groceries that I had bought on the way to the cottage. I had enough to last me for a few weeks. I felt lonely as I watch the two of them drive off. Then I went inside and started putting everything away. I slipped into my nightgown and took a coke out of the fridge. I grabbed a blanket and headed outside where there was a porch swing. I stretched out on it and just covered myself up, looking up at the stars. It being way from the city lights, you could see everything much more vividly than in the city.

I just lay there for about an hour, then headed back inside and found some clean linen in the closet. I made up the bed in the master bedroom and climbed into bed for the night. That night I dreamed of being home with mom and dad. I missed them so much and wanted nothing more than to be home with them, at least for a while. Even if it had only been a dream it felt real enough and I couldn’t help but feel upset when I woke up.

The following morning Adam was up early and drove to Dr. Picard’s address, parking a few houses away from his home. He followed him to work and marked down the time he left and arrived at the hospital and the time he left for his office. Over the next few days, he was able to come up with the best time to grab him. He then picked up the cell phone that he had borrowed from his friend and dialed a number.

“Hi Sarah, how are you doing?”

“I am doing great. How are things going?”

“I have been watching him and we should grab him before he leaves for the hospital. It’s the only time he is pretty much alone.”

“How are you going to get him to come?”

“Adam, my dad has a gun locked in a lock box. I know where he keeps the key”

“Be careful, Adam! There maybe someone watching him.”

“I thought of that too, Sarah, but it needs to be done. I will be there around 9 am.”

“Alright, bring Megan with you and I will see you tomorrow. I love you Adam.”

“I love you too, Sarah.”

The following morning Adam picked up Megan and the two of them made their way to Dr. Picard’s home and waited for him to leave as he stepped outside of his house. He was met with the barrel of a gun pressed to the back of his head.

“Make a noise and you are dead.”

Adam then placed a hood over Dr. Picard’s head while Megan tied his hands behind his back, they then put him into the back seat of Adam’s car and started driving.

“Why are you doing this?” asked Dr. Picard.

Adam: “We don’t have a choice. There is someone who needs to talk to you.”

“Who wants to talk to me?”

Megan: “You will see soon enough. Just relax and everything will be alright.”

Adam: “If you cooperate, then there is no reason to that you need to be harmed.”

It was 9:20 am when Adam pulled into the driveway of the cottage and brought Dr. Picard inside, sitting him down in a chair. I walked over to Adam and Megan and told them to wait outside and that I would call them if they were needed. After they left, it was just Leo and me. I walked over, removed his hood and took a seat in front of him.

He looked over at me in shock and said, “Why, Sarah?”

End of Part 10

To be continued in Part 11