Underestimated

Jason is already on his way out of the office to go home and exchange his truck for his motorcycle.

Just bring your helmet.

It doesn't take him too long to get across town and back, headed towards Katie's. He knew Ryder and Thirteen hadn't been back since going to TJY this morning, so he hoped Katie was doing alright by herself. Why he'd suggested a motorcycle ride, he didn't know. Maybe he just wanted Katie to get out of the house for a while. Maybe he wanted to give her something else to think about and knew she enjoyed it. Maybe he was trying to find something that felt as though it had been lost.

Pulling up to the house, he waits for Katie just as the firs few drops of rain fall from the sky. Seeing her emerge, he shifts on the bike to make it easier to get on behind him.

Hey, Beautiful. Hop on.

Revving the engine, Jason backs out of the drive, then heads down the street, picking up speed. Thunder shook the road and lightning streaked across the sky in front of them.

We better slow down, we're conducting electricity, he teases.

He had no destination in mind. No route planned out. He just drove. It started to rain harder, but he didn't mind. He and Katie would be getting soaked, but he knew she wouldn't mind either. Heading out of town he hits a back highway, sending spray from the wheels as they sped across the wet pavement.

Driving for about half an hour, they finally slow down. Jason takes a narrower, winding path that leads up to a ridge they hadn't visited in a long time.

Pulling the bike to a stop, Jason shuts off the engine and takes off his helmet, allowing himself to be pelted by the driving rain. A boom of thunder rattles the surrounding trees, and another flash of lightning illuminates the sky. The last time they were here, it was like this. Jason had brought Katie here on the motorcycle just like today, though at that time, she hadn't been able to walk. He'd taken her in his arms and they had been enveloped by the storm, enjoying the moment, for everything it was.

Turning in his seat, Jason reaches out to pull off Katie's helmet, staring at her through the rain, watching as her hair became soaked and hung down around her face. His hand runs down along her cheek.

I love you, Katie. I don't know how it happened... or why... but it did. I hope nothing I do ever makes you think otherwise.


"What is this?" Judge Barkley demands upon Carson's entrance.

"We're sorry," the officers apologize. "He just wouldn't stop and-"

"Carson, what on earth are you doing?!" Reese exclaims. "You know better than to-"

"But I found it." Carson holds up the papers. "I found the truth." His eyes beg the judge to listen. "Please... I need to talk to you... and Reese... and Brown..." His gaze finds Hope. She should know too. "And Miss Garrison. Please."

The judge frowns. "This is highly irregular, sir. Who are you?"

"Carson Banks. I... I used to be an Elite agent. Please... you've got to listen to me before you made a judgment."

Barkley thinks for several minutes and finally sighs and nods. "Officers, remove Mr. Johnson until I call you to return."

Scott looks around wildly for a moment, having no idea what was going on. He didn't have a clue what Carson would have found, and he was scared of things he didn't know. Being prompted up, he stands with the officers to be escorted out. A worried look is thrown at Hope as he passes by. What was happening?

Once the five are alone, Carson moves to the table with his papers. "I've been trying to get answers about Scott's assimilation," he explains hurriedly. "It always bothered me that they left him for dead, if the program had been a success. It being a success is why we're here today because that would mean he was a threat." He takes a deep breath. "I hacked into the Agency system to find answers. This morning I found a file that listed the day-to-day occurrences..."

Carson goes on to try and explain what he had seen on the account of Scott's assimilation, and the records that had shown the progress and finally, his failure. "So..." He shakes his head, finishing up. "I think it's obvious that... we underestimated Scott."

Reese folds his arms, confused. He looks to Barkley and Brown who seem equally confused. "What do you mean?"

Carson swallows hard. "I mean, I think he's got a mental strength that would put most of us to shame."

Now Barkley leans forward with interest. "Go on, Mr Banks."

"Well, the Agency files say the assimilation didn't work. They couldn't retrieve the information and they recorded that the program had failed - that he hadn't retained any information at all, and he was useless."

Reese frowns. "But you proved he did have the data. We know he does have the information."

"Exactly."

Reese waits, trying to figure it out. "I don't follow."

"Don't you?" Carson shakes his head, the amazement starting to sink in. "He fooled them, Reese. He was never brainwashed. He went through that entire program, without conforming. He received all of that data and went through all of their brainwashing techniques and even pretended to conform. When all along, it was just an act."

"Well how-"

"See, when they got done with the assimilation, he had to have led them to believe that the program hadn't worked. He didn't want to work for them, but he'd received a ton of information that could help us here, and he wasn't willing to give it up. So he hung on to it and resisted their attempts to withdraw the data from him, leading them to believe that he hadn't retained a bit of it. Once they thought he was a complete failure, they threw him in the dungeon and the rest is history."

Reese tries to process what he was hearing. "How could someone have resisted all of that, then even pulled off an act on top of it?"

"Ask Scott."

Barkley cocks his head. "You really think that's what happened?"

"You got a better explanation?" Carson points to his papers. "And I'd bet you anything that when he supposedly caved, that he didn't even give them any useful information - they just thought that he was." He pauses with seriousness. "I have never seen anyone or heard of anyone surviving that program without having been totally brainwashed and conformed to the Agency. But I'm telling you... Scott did it."

Reese shakes his head slowly. "Unbelievable. How come he doesn't remember?"

"Don't know. I'm not a psychologist." Carson glances to Hope. "But if he had the mental capacity to take in all that data, store it and resist their torture while they were trying to extract it... my only guess would be that he buried everything so deeply so they couldn't get it, and that his mind just tried to erase all of it, while he was blocking out the torture at the same time. It was traumatic, no doubt and it's not a surprise he doesn't remember a lot of what happened to him. But I think it was probably his effort not to let the Agency know he had the data that pushed it over the edge. He blocked it out... until he saw Phinox. Something was triggered and then he was willing, so I could extract the data, proving he had it."

Carson nods as he talks, thrilled that they'd finally found the answer. It had to be it. "That's why it was so confusing... because the Agency wouldn't throw away someone who had been assimilated, and we knew the program had been successful. The key was, that they didn't know that. They thought the program failed. Only Scott knew it hadn't, but that knowledge was locked away until a month ago when I discovered it was there."

"So... you think he didn't give them any information about the Elite either?" Brown asks.

"If you had the gumption to undergo that program and withstand it, do you think you would have spilled surface information?"

"No."

"I don't think Scott did either. I think he either gave them true information that was worthless, or he lied." Carson looks up at Barkley, the hope back in his eyes. "He's innocent, Judge. The Agency didn't train him as an agent or give him any special instructions because they thought it was a failed program. He's not a threat."

The judge leans back in his chair, heaving a heavy sigh. He couldn't deny what was in front of him. It was incredible that anyone could accomplish what Carson was suggesting Scott did... but he was right - it was the only explanation. Scott had been through so much... he had suffered the unthinkable with the Agency. It was no wonder he didn't want to remember all of it now. Barkley pushes an intercom button. "Wilson? Bring Mr. Johnson back in, please."

While waiting, the judge nods with decision. "Scott will be free to go."

Reese sighs one of the biggest sighs of relief he ever has as a smile slowly spreads on his face. Carson slumps in his chair, totally exhausted.

When Scott is brought in, his head is hanging slightly and he stares around the room at all the eyes that were on him. Why were they showing so much emotion? Why did Reese look so sad... or proud... or something? And why weren't they saying anything? He swallows hard and finally just looks to Hope, wondering what on earth was going on.