A/N: Well folks, this is finally ending. The very last episode to put a cap on my season 8. I want to first thank my best friend and editor for the countless hours of her time that she has dedicated to helping me give polish and care to these episodes. This last installment took her 5 hours to process: 40 pages. This season would not have been what it was without her help. Second, I would like to thank each and every one of my readers who took the time to read through all the episodes of this season. It's been hell of a ride and your feedback made it even better. I'm sorry it took me so many years to complete but life frequently got in the way. Enjoy the final episode and please review!

All recognizable characters in this fic are the property of Showtime. I claim ownership only to the story written and any characters not recognized (OC).

Season 8: Episode 12: A Twist of Fate

Dexter stood motionless taking in through his eyes what he had created. The oh so familiar sight of a room decked out in plastic sheets. What seemed out of place was the awaiting kill. His eyes focused on Debra, bound in plastic on her bed.

"Betrayal. It can drive a person to do things that would have once seemed unfathomable. Lines become drawn: to kill or be captured. It was a game I had been willing to play before, but never like this. Never with Deb."

Dexter shifted his focus to his roll of kill tools that was opened on the edge of the bed. He placed his hand on one of his knives. It his favorite knife that had carried out the majority of his kills, quick and painfully. He saw his brother Brian's reflection in the shiny blade.

Brian: "And it has finally come to this. You and I with Debra on the ta... bed. Back where we started all those years ago. Only this time you are truly free; free of Harry's code. You've embraced who you are now."

Dex slid the knife from its pocket. He gripped it firmly in his hand and turned to gaze at his sister who was bound in plastic.

"I have to do this. She's left me no choice. It's Deb or my wife and children. I warned her to back off, begged her, but she's so stubborn!"

Brian: "Yes. This ends now, finally. You can end all of the chaos for you and Hannah with the stroke of your blade. Put her out of her misery."

Morgan was seething. He blamed his foster sister for putting him in this position. Having to make the choice between her and his wife. She was forcing him to be the monster; painted him into a corner that there was only one way out. He hated her for it.

It was when Dexter attempted to venture over to where his sister was bound that Harry appeared, cutting off his stride. He was standing tall staring at his adoptive son.

Harry: "What are you doing, Dexter? This is your sister! Think of how much she has sacrificed for you: her code. She killed Laguerta, covered up evidence, lost her career in the force! It was all to protect you, protect Harrison! You won't be able to live with yourself if you go through with this!"

Dexter was pacing back and forth.

"She's been building evidence against my family. She wants to destroy what I've built with Hannah. If she loved me then she would accept us. She needs to be put down for the safety of the ones I love. She's a threat I have to eliminate."

Harry: "Listen to yourself! You're no better than Hannah, or Brian! The code is what had set you apart. Without it you are just another killer! A monster!"

Dex's face shifted to a look of disdain. His imaginary father's words piercing his consciousness. The word 'monster' like a shard of glass ripping through his brain. Deep down, he knew it was how Harry had seen him. The night he walked in on his kill; the look of disgust on his face. It was the same look as he had now. Dex placed the knife next to Debra before shifting to the collection of research nearby.

Morgan's eyes fell upon the photographs of Albert Hollister from outside the motel. He walked over to it as well as the rest of the evidence that his sister had in her possession.

Dexter's hand grasped a digital recorder. His thumb pressed play causing the silent room to be filled with the recorded conversation of Hannah and Debra:

"See that's where you're wrong. You thought Tom was the one on to you but it was me. I'm the one who saw Albert Hollister enter that motel room. I'm the one who found your Wayne Randall killing reenactment that my brother helped you plan. I called it in."

The audio caused Deb to stir as she was finding her consciousness. The dosage of the M99 her brother had given her was small. He had no plans of keeping her under the entire time. When Debra's eyes fluttered open, they quickly became wide at the sight of her brother's face glaring down at her. Memories flashing in Debra's head about what had transpired the moment before her world had faded to black.

"Did the recording wake you? You can imagine how shocked I was when I first heard it." Dex muttered in a monotone voice as he watched his sister squirm within the plastic. He stopped the recording and let the device fall to the bed.

Without warning her brother lunged toward her, his face only inches from hers. Dexter spoke with an intensity that was like a demon possessed, "You came into my house with a fucking wire? You tried to make me think you cared about me, about Harrison, yet you were doing everything you could to destroy our family! You betrayed me!"

Debra let out a moan that was muffled by the piece of silver masking tape that was covering her mouth. Her brown eyes were sparkling with tears, silently pleading with him not to end her life. She had never seen him like this. It wasn't him, not the Dexter she knew; more like Rudy Cooper, the man she thought she loved who turned out to be Brian Moser, the Ice Truck Killer, and Dexter's brother. It was surreal. A nightmare she was going to wake up from at any moment. She prayed for it. It couldn't be real, her brother could never do this. Not to her.

The sight of his adoptive sister's fear caused Dex to reel in his emotions. He calmly grasped the knife that was lying next to Deb. He raised it over her, spreading his feet apart to shoulder's width. It was just like he had done so many times before as he prepared to give the fatal knife plunge that would snuff out the life of his prey. "I'm sorry it has to end this way."

Debra was trying to scream his name and she fought against the plastic wrap that was unforgiving. Her eyes were focused on the sharp knife that was directly above, ready to come down at any moment.

Dexter held his stance as his eyes stayed fixated on Debra. He felt the presence of both Harry and Brian standing at either side of him, like a proverbial angel and devil on each shoulder.

Brian: "Do it, Dexter. Finish it!"

Harry:"Dexter, don't! Think about what you are about to do! If you kill your sister you will be lost!"

Brian: "No baby brother, you've finally found yourself! Found your true family who accepts you! You may have been raised as Dexter Morgan, but you are Dexter Moser, my brother! Hannah's husband, Harrison and Lily's father! This needs to end for them!"

Harry: "If you bring that knife down and end your sister's life then I will turn my back on you! I will not be witness to what you've become!"

Brian: "Harry has forsaken you! Just like Debra! Your real family never will! You know that, now do it!"

Dexter was breathing hard. The voices of both Brian and Harry were ringing in his ear, bombarding him to sway his action from one extreme to the other. He was being ripped in two, conflicted at his very core. His thoughts spiraling out of control. He couldn't take it anymore. His voice cut through the voices, "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

Silence followed his cry leaving him with his decision. He felt the grip on his knife tighten. He was ready. Dexter was going to do what needed to be done. He had to. It had to be Deb. His muscles tensed, as he prepared to bring the knife down with a fatal blow.

"Freeze! Don't you fucking move!"

Morgan's eyes darted in the direction of the voice. He saw a man standing in the doorway, a gun drawn and pointed at him. It was Nicholas Porter. Despite not knowing who this guy was, Dexter was sure that he was not Miami Metro. The handgun was not a standard issue that was given to a cop. Morgan stayed frozen in place as he continued to assess the man standing before him. He noticed that the gun was shaking slightly in Porter's hand.

"He doesn't seem too skilled with his weapon of choice."

Nick snorted hard through his nose, and repeated his command again. Dexter's eyes followed his movement as he reached into his coat pocket and brought out a cell phone. Porter's focus shifted to the phone to dial, and that was when Dexter sprung into action, moving forward. Nick caught his advance in his peripheral and immediately fired a shot.

Dexter winced and stumbled off course. His arm burned like it had been engulfed in a flame. A bullet had grazed his left deltoid. Without a second thought, Dexter took off across the room toward the window. Another shot fired but did not find its target thanks to his quickness. With the sound of shattered glass hitting the floor, Dexter Morgan had escaped.

"He got away, Deb. Are you okay?" Porter asked with concern as he went to Deb and removed the tape from her mouth. He then proceeded to dial 911.

Debra let out a painful sob and began to cough and hack. She couldn't answer him. The reality of what had just transpired was crashing down upon her. She knew what would have happened if Nick had not arrived when he did. She would have been murdered by the man she had once thought of as her protective older brother. She now saw the real him. He was no different than Hannah. He was a serial killer that had to be stopped.

Dexter's Ford Escape was moving at full speed. He had to get as far away from Debra's house as he could and quickly. Miami Metro would be in route thanks to the gunman. He was lucky that he had made it out of there with just a bullet graze. The guy must have followed Deb. Perhaps she had asked for backup to follow her home, not fully trusting him. Dexter had underestimated her.

Morgan knew what was to come. He was going to have to take Hannah and the kids and run. He quickly dialed his wife's cell phone number. It rang over and over again. "Come on, Hannah, pick up!". Her voicemail played. Dexter ended the call and dialed again. She did not answer.

"Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, FUCK!" Dexter screamed as his fist slammed into the car's center console. He stomped on the brakes when he saw a line of traffic in front of him. Brian was seated next to him and commented:

Brian: "Of all the nights to have road work? See if you can get around this, Dexter. You need to get home."

Dexter spun his wheel, forcing the vehicle into a sharp U-turn that came close to colliding with a car on the other side of the road. A horn blared not causing Morgan to bat an eye. He was going to have to take another route back home.

Batista had not been asleep for long when his cell phone rang out. He jolted from his slumber and peered at the bright screen that illuminated the darkness. It was Dispatch. He turned over onto his back and let out a sigh. The duties of the Lieutenant of Homicide seemed endless. With one motion he reached back over to his nightstand and answered the call.

"Batista." He said with his eyes closed. "...What? Deb?"

The news of the call that had come through had caused Angel to shoot upright. He was completely awake now. His eyes wide with shock. His mind struggling to grasp what was being told to him about Debra.

"Dexter?" He questioned, shifted himself so that his legs were off the bed before he replied with his course of action:

"Okay, I'm on my way. Send a patrol officer over to Dexter's place."

Thanks to the road construction, Dexter had been forced to take the scenic route home. He pulled up in front of the house, not bothering to park in the driveway. He hastily entered, calling his wife's name as he searched from room to room.

Hannah wore a look of concern when her husband entered the baby's nursery. She had been sitting in the rocking chair trying to get their daughter to sleep.

"Oh my God, are you okay? Your arm is bleeding. Did you kill Debra?" She asked rising to her feet.

"I was interrupted, had to escape. Where were you? I tried calling your cell several times." Morgan inquired as had cupped his hand over his arm to shield his wound.

"I left my phone in the bedroom. Lily was having trouble-"

"We need to leave, now! Pack clothes, only the essentials, get the kids!" He cut off his wife before she could finish her sentence. His words compelled her to place the baby in her crib so she could attempt to care for her husband.

Dexter traveled to their bedroom and into their first aid kit. Hannah followed after and helped him dress the wound. He winced in pain as she applied the pressure of the bandage.

Hannah attempted to ask follow up questions, but Dexter didn't have time to explain. He refocused her on packing. She did as he asked, working quickly. Drawers pulled out, handfuls of clothes stuffed into duffel bags. Morgan went to their closet and obtained his getaway pack: a bag containing cash, new identities, a burner phone, and credit cards. They were going to need all of it if they were on the run.

Harrison was groggy and confused as his mother woke him from his slumber. She gave him a few quick kisses on his cheek and guided him out of bed. "Come on sweetheart, we're going to go on a trip. You, me, Daddy, and Lily."

Dexter's stride into the living room was halted when he saw red, white, and blue lights reflected into his front window. A Miami Metro Police cruiser was now parked behind his Ford Escape in front of his house. He saw a single officer exit.

"They already sent a patrol car. I'm going to have to deal with this head on."

Dexter ran to Harrison's room and informed Hannah that they had a visitor. She instructed Harrison to stay in his room. It was Mrs. Morgan who would be answering the door when the the officer knocked. Dexter hid in the next room, M99 at the ready.

The officer was polite as he spoke once Hannah opened the door, "Sorry for the late hour, Ma'am. I need to see speak with your husband, Dexter."

"Oh, he's just inside, please come in." She replied without missing a beat. Hannah stepped away from the door and allowed the officer access to their home.

The cop entered. His eyes taking in his surroundings as he was trained to do so. Hannah led him into the living room, knowing exactly where her husband was lying in wait. Dexter approached with stealth from behind. He was careful not to make a noise. His wife continued small conversation with the officer to keep his focus on her.

"Daddy!"

Harrison's small voice rang out as he stood in his doorway. He was peering over at his father with a loving gaze. Dexter instinctively changed his focus to his child.

The officer was also distracted, he immediately shifted his focus at whom the child was speaking to. Before Morgan could react, the officer spotted him. Dexter attempted to snap into action, going in with the needle. Unfortunately the cop was able to block it. The syringe went flying out of his hand as the cop landed a blow sending Dex reeling backward. The officer attempted to restrain him, as Dexter fought back with a few well placed shots. A lamp and framed picture were knocked over in the in struggle as the officer was sent careening against a bookshelf. Hannah grabbed Harrison and got him out of the living room. Morgan attempted to reach for the syringe that had fallen under the sofa, but felt a sharp pain. The officer had grabbed by his wounded arm and was pulling him to his feet.

Before Dexter could get to his feet, Hannah approached and quickly ran her switchblade across the officer's gut, just below his bulletproof vest. The cop cried out yet managed to push Hannah away, forcing her to the floor. The policeman doubled over in pain, placing his hands to add pressure to his wound. This gave Dexter the opportunity he needed to gain the advantage. He kicked the officer, sending him face first to the floor. Dex then knelt beside him, binding his hands together with his own cuffs.

Hannah was back to her feet, holding her bloody knife. "Aren't you going to finish him?"

Morgan didn't reply, he grabbed the officer, flipped him on his back, and began to drag him through the house. He called to Hannah and told her to get everything loaded into his car. Dexter then pulled the cop out the back door and into the garden shed that was nearby.

"Please don't kill me! I've got a wife and kids at home. You can just let me go!" The officer begged, defenseless with tears in his eyes.

Dexter stared down at him. The gaping hole that Hannah left would mean a slow, agonizing death for him if not treated quickly. Brother Brian appeared next to Dex. He too was staring at sister-in-law's handiwork.

Brian: "Dead cop tell no tales, Dexter."

"A dead cop speaks for itself."

Brian: "You don't think Debra is already talking? With all of the evidence that is in that kill room? There's no going back now, little brother. This cop is one loose end you can take care of."

Moser had ventured into the shed and wielded a box cutter knife. He held it out to his little brother who was still focusing on the injured officer. The uniform; it reminded him of Harry. He had been a man with a wife and children too. His thoughts of his foster father were fleeting, and his focus shifted back to Brian.

The cop's eyes were wide. He started shaking his head adamantly as a shadow loomed over him, getting closer and closer. And just as the cop attempted to scream, the box cutter tore across his throat. Blood began to seep along the path of the swift blade. Gurgling: the sound of death. Dexter tossed the bloody weapon to the wooden floor. His eyes witnessing what he had just done. For a brief moment he saw Harry's face on the cop: wide eyed with terror until the eyes balls rolled upward, leaving only white. The gravity of what he had just done. The vision of dead Officer Harry Morgan bore witness to the monster Dexter had allowed himself to become. There was no time for retrospection. Morgan swiftly slammed the doors shut. They needed to get out of there.

There were a number of officers at Debra's place by the time Batista arrived. Debra was seated in her living room. She said nothing when she saw her long time friend now standing before her. She was without words, appearing catatonic after what had taken place. She had almost been murdered by her brother.

"Jesus, Deb. Are you okay?" Angel asked going in for a hug. "I sent a patrol car to Dexter's place. I haven't got any word back from him yet."

She just sat there, erect in her seat, not bothering to put her arms around the Lieutenant when he hugged her. Porter looked upset with Angel. He spoke up.

"You sent one cop? Are you kidding me? How about YOU go check out that room and the knife set that sicko had! This is a fucking serial killer YOU'RE dealing with."

"Hey, take it easy, cabrón. This is a Miami Metro investigation. I've known Dexter and Debra for years. You have no right throwing accusations-"

Nick rose to his feet and got in Batista's face before he spoke again, "Accusations? Debra would be dead right now if I hadn't followed her home! That fucker would have killed both of us if I hadn't gotten a shot off on him!"

Before Angel could reply, an officer called for him to come into the bedroom. Batista's jaw fell open the moment he walked into the plastic covered room.

The officer who had been in charge pointed out the photos and tape recorder that was still sitting on the bed. None of the items had been moved.

"Dexter..." Angel voiced, his eyes falling upon the open roll of knives.

One of the officers used his gloved hand to hit play on the tape recorder. It started mid-recording. The voices of Hannah and Debra filled the room as they had been discussing Matthews' death.

"Holy shit, LT, Dexter's wife is in on it too."

"His wife, Hannah? Turn it off, bag it as evidence, we can listen to the full tape back at the station."

Sergeant Angie Miller stepped into the room, her purse still on her shoulder as she had just arrived on the scene after getting the call. She too was gobsmacked by the sight she was taking in. She commented aloud:

"This looks just like the motel room where we found Hollister: The plastic sheets, the knives."

Angel nodded, his eyes taking in the entirety of the room before replying, "All of it is just like the Bay Harbor Butcher. Maria had been adamant that Doakes was innocent and that Dexter was the real butcher who framed him. She didn't have the proof, and the evidence on Doakes was overwhelming."

Porter was now standing in the doorway, being blocked from entering by an officer. He added a comment of his own, "And what happened to Maria?"

"I thought I hired you to tell me that, Mr. Porter. You came up with nothing. Nada."

Miller looked confused, "Wait, I thought that the FBI concluded that Estrada had killed Maria Laguerta. Why would you still be investigating her death, Angel?"

In the heat of discussion, the homicide team did not notice that Debra had made her way to the bedroom doorway. She stood next to Nick and broke her silence:

"It was me. I shot Maria thinking I was protecting Dexter." She muttered aloud, followed by a number of sharp breaths. She almost couldn't believe her own words. That she was speaking the words that condemned herself to Miami Metro. Letting the truth out was like a breath of fresh air after being submerged in a sea of darkness.

"Holy shit.." Angel muttered, putting his hands on his hip. He let out a deep breath and walked out of the room, not wanting to believe what he had just heard.

Angie placed her hand on Debra's shoulder, "It may be best if we get you down to the station."

Porter interjected, "With all due respect, you guys need to get over to Dexter's place. He could already be in the wind. I'll be happy to take Deb. She's really a mess right now. I'm going to give her a few minutes outside before we leave."

Sergeant Miller nodded in approval allowing them to step out.

Dexter's Ford Escape was traveling down the highway at a high velocity. He kept having to bring his speed down with the fear of getting pulled over. Blending in with the traffic was important. Harrison was asleep in the back with his infant sister. It had been no easy task getting him calmed down from the altercation he had witnessed in the family room. He asked many curious questions, but most were put to rest with lies that the four year old easily bought into. Hannah was seated in the passenger seat.

"They are going to be looking for this car, Dexter."

"I know, I'm just trying to get us as far away from the house as possible. I took the cop's scanner. It should help us keep track of Miami Metro's movement."

Hannah shifted in her seat, facing her husband as she spoke, "Why don't we hop on a flight? Get out of the country while we can with those identities you got us."

Morgan shook his head, "Richard Thompson, his wife Claire, and their son, Daniel, all have identification. I hadn't gotten a chance to get Lily a fake birth certificate yet. We would never get past airport security."

"So isn't that just a phone call away? We could hide out until you could get one."

Dexter was quiet for a moment before he replied, "Maybe the kids should go to Astor and Cody's grandparents. They're in Orlando, we know they will be taken care of."

Mrs. Morgan frowned at her husband's suggestion. "No, I'm not abandoning our kids."

"It's not abandoning them, it's keeping them safe. How far do you think we are going to get with a four year old and a newborn?" Dex replied quickly, his voice sounded a bit annoyed.

Hannah folded her arms in front of her in defiance. Her eyes began to glisten over with forming tears. She was thinking about the idea of having to part with the children she loved so dearly.

"I don't care, I won't leave my babies. They are my life, Dexter." She proclaimed with the utmost sincerity. There was a moment of silence before she spoke again.

"We can drive across country, find somewhere to settle down. You could get Lily a new identity. We could start a whole new life."

Dexter sighed and gave a weak smile. He glanced over at his wife who was smiling hopefully in his direction. He reached out with his right hand toward her, she grasped it in hers.

"Hannah still wants her Argentina. An escape from justice to live out a new life with our children. Killers like us don't get a happy ending. I was once the one who made sure of that. Can I rewrite our future? Give my wife her 'happily ever after'?"

Debra paced back and forth across the sand. She was behind her beach abode, taking in the Miami night air. She couldn't stand being in her house a moment longer: the sea of officers who populated the killer room her brother had created just for her.

Deb couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible that it had gotten to this point. She had found out what her brother was that night in the church when she witnessed the death of Travis Marshall. She could have turned him in then. But she didn't want to see him as a monster. What sister would want to see her own brother in that light? And now she was paying the price for her blind loyalty. The price that could have been her life if not for Nick. Thank God her father wasn't alive to see any of this. It would have been the death of him.

Nick approached his girlfriend who was muttering obscenities to herself. His presence caused her to come back to reality.

"I should be there leading the charge when they storm Dexter's place."

"Deb, you almost died by the hand of your own brother. There is no way they are going to let you be a part of the investigation. You are the epitome of too close."

His words caused Deb to stop pacing and reply, "don't I fucking know it!"

"Come on, you know that they're not going to find Dexter and Hannah there. But don't worry, they aren't going to get far from us."

Debra's eyebrows narrowed. She took note of the confidence in Porter's voice and wondered what had caused it. "Do you know something I don't?"

Porter let out a chuckle before responding, "I didn't want to say anything in front of Miami Metro but I stuck a tracker on Dexter's car when I first got here. If he's in his car then we can monitor his location from an app on my phone."

Debra's mouth pulled taut into a smile. "Fuckin' A. Let's go! We need to catch them! I'm going to take them down!"

"Now there's the Debra Morgan I love. But we need to smart about this. Let's get in the car as if I'm taking you down to the station and then we'll switch up and you can drive."

The Miami Metro Police Department had descended on Dexter and Hannah's home. Four or five cop cars lined together blocking the road. Their colorful beacons illuminated the entire street. Many of the neighbors stood outside wondering what was going on at this late hour.

Batista noted that patrol car that he had ordered had been sitting in front of the home when they had arrived. The officer had never checked in, and because of that, Angel had told his men to proceed with great caution. After witnessing that plastic room at Deb's place, the Lieutenant had to be ready for anything.

The police surrounded the home. Each of the entrances were covered. Angel gave them the go ahead to move in. Guns were drawn and at the ready as the home was searched for their occupants. When Batista entered, he noticed the living room in disarray. He looked down at his feet where he saw a cracked family photo of the Morgans. A seemingly loving and normal family, which was anything but.

One of the officers approached the Lieutenant, "Sir, it looks like they left in a hurry. We've got drawers pulled out with clothing missing in all of the rooms. No sign of their kids either. They must have taken them along."

Before Batista could respond to the officer, another policeman called out for him, "LT, I think we've got blood out back!"

The officers stood by the gardening shed, waiting for their superior to give the go ahead to open the door.

Angel approached and noticed the red pool that was seeping from the door of the shed. "Ay dios Mio, open the door."

One of the officer's kept her gun drawn, while the other cop gained access to the shed. The look of shock resonated on everyone's face when they saw the dead body of one of their own.

Angel grabbed one of his officer's radios and proceeded to give out orders, "Dispatch, put out an APB on Dexter and Hannah Morgan. Wanted as prime suspects for the murder of a police officer, as well as connection in an active investigation. Have Vince Masuka called into the scene: 4065 S. Begonia Street."

The Morgans were continuing along the highway. The traffic had let up as the later hours of the night were approaching. Hannah had drifted off to sleep, but was awoken by the sound of the police scanner that up until now had occasional chatter, but mostly mild static. Their names rang out, causing her to sit up straight in the passenger seat and turn to look at her husband as he spoke to her.

"They are going to be setting up roadblocks on the major highways. We need to get off, stick to back roads." Dex muttered, quickly making a maneuver across the highway so that he could take the approaching exit.

The hard shift of the car caused both of the children in the back to be awoken. Harrison questioned where they were as Lily began to cry.

"We're driving on the road, buddy. We're going to a really cool place." Dexter quickly replied to his son before Hannah spoke up.

"We need to stop, Dex. I need to nurse her."

"We should get some fuel too. I've got about a quarter of a tank left. We'll stop at a gas station."

Debra's BMW was barreling down the highway. She was zooming in and out of the different lanes, in hot pursuit of her brother who she knew was ahead of her. Her brown eyes were focused on the cars in front of her, hoping desperately to see Dexter's Ford Escape.

"You want to slow down, Mario Andretti?" Nick commented as he grabbed hold of the car door handle.

"Do you want to catch these fuckers or not?"

"I do, I just don't think we need to get pulled over before that happens. Last time I checked you aren't a cop anymore."

Debra ignored his comment about her speed, "I need to get to Harrison. Miami Metro won't put out an Amber alert. Dexter and Hannah are his legal parents so it doesn't qualify as a kidnapping. Do you believe that shit?"

"The media put out the information about both of the kids, that's all that matters. Besides, do you really think they would hurt their own kids?"

"I didn't think Dexter would hurt me, his own fucking sister. My poor nephew..." Debra retorted with a long sigh. She was trying to fight back the tears.

"Just relax, okay?"

Nick removed a small vile from his pocket. He dipped some of the white powder onto his finger before sniffing it up his nose. Debra noticed this from her peripheral view. Her eyes darted from the road to him as he took yet another hit.

"Give me a bump." She muttered.

"No, you swore off of this, remember?"

"It will help me stay focused."

"I'm not going to let you ruin your sobriety."

"Fuck you, you're not my father! Give me a fucking bump!" Screamed Debra throwing herself back against her seat like a spoiled child, not getting her way.

When Nick told her 'no' again, she attempted to grab it out of his hand, which caused the car to swerve right. The BMW almost hit into another automobile. A car horn blared as Nick implored her to drive the car.

Debra spoke again when she brought the focus back to her driving, "My brother is a serial killer and he tried to kill me tonight. Fuck sobriety! Give it to me!"

Nick finally handed the cocaine over and watched as she tilted her head up, and brought the entire vile to her nose. She snorted hard. Letting out a moan, she felt the rush of the drug hit her body like an electric shock. She then slammed her foot on the accelerator.

"Come on, Deb! You're driving like a maniac! We're tracking them. They aren't far up ahead."

The mention of the tracker caused Deb to inquire, "How far ahead are they now?"

"Hang on let me check." Porter replied, fiddling with his cell phone.

This caused Debra to get annoyed, "You don't have it up right now? What the fuck?"

"The app drains the shit out of my battery!" Nick said in defense.

"So fucking plug the phone in to charge it, Nick! Jesus!"

"I don't have my charger! It was in my car!"

"Well fuck, use mine! It's in my purse!"

It took Porter a few moments of fumbling before his phone was plugged in to the car and he was able to pull up the tracker.

"Oh shit." He commented, staring at the screen.

"What now?"

Nick took a quick take behind him before speaking again, "I think they got off the highway. We're not behind them anymore. Now we are miles ahead."

"Are you fucking kidding me? We have to double back? What road are they on?"

"Country Road 858. It's a few exits back the way we came. You're going to need to get off at the next exit and get back on in the other direction."

"Fucking, sucking, mother fucking, FUCK!" Debra hollered slamming her fist into the steering wheel. "You keep that tracker on or I swear to God I will throw you out of this moving car!"

Dexter had parked at the fuel pump. He wore a gray hoodie up over his head as he stood outside of the car. A 'Richard Thompson' credit card slid in and out of the machine. Hannah had taken the free backseat to tend to the children. As soon as the pump began to fill the Escape, Dexter jumped back into the driver seat, closing the door.

Harrison was wide awake now and peering out the window at the gas station. Luckily for them, they were the only car at the pumps. The four year old turned and looked at his mother who had been nursing his sister. "I'm really thirsty, Mommy."

The child's comment compelled Hannah to offer to run into the store to get the child food and drink. It was then that Brian appeared in the front passenger seat next to Dexter.

Brian: "Oh yeah, a gorgeous blonde whose face is probably all over the news doesn't stand out at all."

Dexter spoke up before Hannah could place her newborn back in the car seat. "No, stay with the kids in the car. I'll go in."

He left the automobile before his wife could reply. Morgan moved with a fast stride across the lot and into the store. He kept his head down, systematically making his way up and down each aisle, grabbing juice boxes, snacks, and a few other items that he knew his four year old would eat. In the final pass, his eyes caught sight of the muted TV monitor. A photograph of him and Hannah from their wedding day was displayed. He read the headline below the picture to himself.

"Wanted and dangerous, do not attempt to approach. Call the police if spotted."

The next screen that was shown provided even more details about them. The make and model of the car, a description of their children. Morgan stopped watching the monitor. He needed to get his family out of there.

Dex moved to the register. He tossed the items on the counter. He was careful to not make eye contact with the cashier. Dexter turned his body slightly so that the attendant could not get a good look at his face.

"How ya doin'?" The young gentleman asked, who wasn't even looking at Dexter, but up at the television monitor.

"Okay." Morgan muttered, focusing on the credit card machine. He slipped the Thompson credit card into it and waited for it to approve the transaction before the clerk could even read the total to him.

The approval flashed across the screen, and Dexter took it as his cue to grab his bags and leave. He was almost to the door before the attendant hollered after him:

"Hey! Wait a minute! Stop!"

Morgan froze in place. His back to the clerk. Was it possible that the kid had noticed him from the television? Should he make a run for it? His car was only a few feet away from outside the store. The gas nozzle, still plugged into the gas tank. He heard the sound of footsteps and spun around to see that the clerk was coming from around the counter. Quickly Dexter's eyes shifted to the cameras that were perched at each corner of the room. If the clerk had to be dealt with, would he have access to that video tape?

"You forgot one of your bags." The attendant commented as he held the it out to Morgan when he approached him.

Dexter quickly thanked him, took it, and left the store. He could feel his heart racing with the adrenaline that came for a brief moment when he thought he had been made. Hannah received the bags from where she sat in the front passenger seat. Dex returned the gas nozzle, and closed his tank before getting in the car.

"We're all over the news. Our faces, the make and model of this car. It's only a matter of time before someone spots us and calls it in." He told his wife as he started the engine and took off.

"We need a new vehicle now." Hannah replied, fixing a juice box for her son before she handed it back to him.

"Easier said than done. Either we take one by force or we happen upon one that we can take and hot wire. One involves great risk, the other might be hard to come by on this back road. As you can see, there isn't much of anything, let alone an unattended vehicle. The one thing we have on our side is the night. We will need to find something else come tomorrow."

Just as the Escape had cleared the view of the gas station, Debra's BMW pulled in. The car came skidding to a halt. Debra surveyed the empty lot.

"What the fuck? There's no one here, Nick!"

"The tracker pinpointed them at this location. I've got nothing now, it's like they disappeared!" He replied with a look of confusion.

Deb muttered a few of her favorite obscenities under her breath before she drew in a deep breath and exhaled with questions.

"How is that possible? Do you even know how to work that thing?"

She snatched the cell phone from Porter's hand and began tapping frantically on the interface while he replied to her:

"We lost the signal. I think it's because we are far from a cell tower or the GPS can't connect to the satellite or something. I don't know, I'm not a I.T. guy."

Deb's anger began to rise and she tossed the phone back at him. "What kind of piece of shit tracker did you buy?"

"I ordered it off the internet! Hey, in case you didn't notice, we are in the middle of nowhere! Double back to the main highway. It should let us regain a signal. We can try and head them off once we get around this dead zone."

Debra punched the gas petal and made a tight circle in the gas station lot. Her car then shot back on the road from where it came. It was only a few miles back to the highway. They couldn't afford to lose any time. She only hoped that the main highway would run parallel to the back road.

Upon reaching the interstate, Porter announced that he had regained a signal. The Morgans were heading North. Unfortunately for Nick and Debra, the interstate they were on was moving them west. They had to find another route. It was going to put distance between them, but it was their only shot.

The Miami Metro Homicide division was pulling an all-nighter. They were a skeleton crew inside the otherwise dead police station. Caffeine and adrenaline from the Morgan home crime scene kept them going. Everyone was gathered in their conference room for the case presentation led by Lieutenant Batista.

"I want to thank each and everyone of you for your dedication and the hours you put in on such short notice."

Sergeant Miller interjected, "The Morgans' faces are all over the local media. We have put roadblocks up for all major highways. Someone will see something."

Batista held up his hand, and continued, "Word came down from the higher ups. The FBI is taking over the case. Since Dexter was one of our own, they don't want us running the investigation, which is understandable."

Masuka commented on the news, "They're probably going to send another Special Agent rock star like Frank Lundy."

Vince's mention of the late FBI agent caused Angel to think back to the Bay Harbor Butcher investigation. It was the last time where a member of the homicide team had been under scrutiny by the Federal Government. "I just can't believe this. Dexter and Hannah Morgan? I've known Dexter for years and always thought he was a stand up guy."

"Wasn't his first wife found dead in a bathtub?" Miller asked.

"The work of the Trinity killer, or at least that's what we thought." Masuka replied back. He spoke again, this time with his findings at the crime scene, "That cop we found in the gardening shed, Henry Murray, had two wounds: the slice across his neck, made by the box cutter that had Dexter's prints on it. The other, across his lower abdomen by a different, smaller knife."

Angie's questions followed, "So two different knife wounds? Does that mean two killers?"

"As in Dexter and Hannah both took out Officer Murray?" Batista responded with a look of shock.

Masuka continued on: "Exactly, Dexter's missus is not afraid to get her hands dirty. Too bad the FBI is going to be taking over the case. It looks like Deb did a lot of the heavy work for us. We have a cigar tested positive for aconite and a DNA match for Tom Matthews through saliva."

"Mierda, this just keeps getting crazier and crazier. We had her once with that pen we thought she used to kill Sal Price. Hannah said on tape that Dexter took care of the Sal Price pen. He tampered with our evidence." Angel muttered, bringing his hands to his face.

Vince commented, "I knew I didn't botch the forensics on that Sal Price case. Why are the hottest ones always the most homicidal? Dexter had his hands full in more ways than one. Huhuhuhuh."

The detectives all gave Masuka dirty looks for making a joke that was, as usual, in poor taste. Sergeant Miller spoke again, "Who knows how many times Dexter interfered in our investigations."

"I don't think we'll ever know. It's in the FBI's hands now. At least we now know the truth behind Maria's death."

Mention of Laguerta caused Miller to inquire, "Speaking of which, do you know if anyone's questioned Deb yet?"

Angel shook his head. "No, we've been busy with the crime scene."

Another officer spoke up, "We don't have her in custody. Porter never brought her in."

Debra drove through the night. Porter asked her several times to allow him to take over, but she wasn't having it. She couldn't. Her life had been so out of control from the second she shot Maria at the don of the new year. Cocaine fueled her drive. It kept her laser focused on the road ahead, numbing her from the emotions that plagued her conscience.

It had seemed like forever on the main highway before they had caught a break. A secondary highway snapped them back on the trail of Dexter and Hannah. The murderous pair were not too far ahead. The red dot on the tracker, continuing to make pace on the back country roads. It wasn't until the break of day that the dot stopped in place. Nick was quick to announce it:

"They've stopped. If we hurry we can catch them."

The words prompted Debra to slam on the gas. The car veered off the highway and onto a back road. This was their chance.

Dexter had stopped at an old rest stop along a road that must have been a major highway at one time. He, Hannah, and the children were the only ones parked. It was the perfect stop for Hannah to take Harrison to use the rest room as well as change the baby. He had contemplated attempting to catch a quick nap, but immediately thought better of it. The make and model of his vehicle was out to the media. Dex needed to stay sharp, be ready to be on the move at a moment's notice.

Morgan's eyes quickly shifted in his rear view mirror when he saw an RV pull into the rest area. He swiftly turned his head, staring intently at the motor home through his sunglasses. An elderly man and woman emerged. The man had what looked like a paper map in his hand. Brian appeared next to his brother, he too was eyeing the new arrival.

Brian: "I'd say luck is definitely on your side, little brother. An RV, perfect for a Thompson family road trip. Top of the line, and look, it even has plenty of storage along the sides there. Two bodies would fit rather nicely."

Dexter continued to stare at the couple from afar. His imaginary brother's words dwelt in his consciousness. He felt a cognitive dissonance with what he was hearing and seeing. These were not the type of people he would go out of his way to harm. He had been willing to kill those who threatened him, but this was different.

"They are innocent people, probably grandparents."

Moser tossed his head back against the headrest and exhaled sharply before giving his response:

Brian:"And you are a husband and father of two children that you will never see again if you get caught. You are on the run and running out of choices. How long before you're spotted in this car? This is your chance."

"I could sedate them, just leave them there."

Brian: "And leave them to report their RV stolen by a couple matching the description of the one the police are looking for? Not to mention, leaving behind the vehicle that is out to the media. Are you thinking this through, Dexter? Spare me the moral reasoning bullshit and do what you have to do."

Dexter exited his Ford Escape and began to make his way over to the couple who were still attempting to decipher the map. He approached them with a smile and spoke, "You guys look lost."

His comment caused the elderly man to chuckle. His glasses slid down the bridge of his nose, his kind eyes peering at Morgan. "Are we that obvious? I got off the highway to avoid traffic and now we seem to be lost on these back roads. I can't make heads or tails of this map."

Dexter looked at the back of the map, "Well this map is from 1997, safe to say it's outdated. Why not try a GPS?"

"Oh I don't mess with those things. Wouldn't know how to if I wanted to, don't even bother with a television. Figure life's better without all that. Simpler, ya know. Say, you wouldn't happen to know how to get back on the highway would you?"

Dexter glanced back at his Escape and then over to the entrance to the building where his family were due to reemerge from at any moment. "Yeah, I'd be happy to help you. My wife and I are kind of in a tough spot. Our car broke down and we've got two young kids-"

Mention of children caused the elderly woman to comment, "Oh that's just awful."

Before Dexter could follow up with more detail, he saw his wife and children. He smiled and raised his hand. His action caused Hannah to halt her stride. She looked a bit confused by the fact that her husband was standing by with two others.

When the couple caught sight of the family that Dex had mentioned, the man quickly made an offer, "Listen, we would be more than happy to give you guys a lift. We don't want ya stranded out here."

Dexter smiled and gave a nod, "That would be great, let me just go and tell the wife."

With that said, he made his way over to where Hannah and Harrison were still standing. She narrowed her eyes when he approached her. Once he got close, she questioned, "What's up? Why were you talking to them? I thought we were keeping a low profile."

Dexter responded in a low voice, "I think this is the answer to our vehicle issue. I don't think they've seen any of the media coverage, they don't even own a TV. I say we hitch a ride with them. It gets us out of Florida, passed the road blocks on the main highway."

Hannah brought her infant closer to her while peering at the seemingly nice couple who was standing a few feet away. "What if they figure out who we are?"

"Then I'll handle it."

Dex's words caused Hannah's eyes to snap to his. She looked a bit surprised by his admission as the couple in no way fit Harry's code that her husband had once clung to. The look in his eyes was one of sincerity. She knew he wasn't lying.

The family ventured over to the RV. It was then that the elderly couple introduced themselves as Jim and Martha Wagner. Dexter replied back without hesitation:

"I'm Richard Thompson, this is my wife, Claire."

Hannah gave a polite smile. Before Dexter could introduce the children, Martha bent down and asked the four year old directly: "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Harrison." The child replied with a shy smile before either parent could interject.

"Well hello, Harrison, aren't you precious. You remind me a lot of my grandson." Martha gushed.

"That's my sister, Lily." Harrison added pointing up at the baby in his adoptive mother's arms.

Dexter and Hannah both exchanged a glance. An unspoken exchange between them that signified their decision to wrap things up and get on the road. Hannah spoke out, "We should probably get going. It's going to be a long trek back to the highway."

The Wagners agreed. They graciously allowed the Thompsons to stow their family luggage before getting themselves and the children situated in the RV. Jim was at the helm as the RV rolled out of the rest stop. The large motor home accelerated, keeping pace behind a tractor trailer. A car traveling in the opposite direction flew by and sped into the rest area.

"There's their fucking car! They're still here!" Debra exclaimed as she pulled up behind the Ford Escape.

In one fluid motion, she killed the engine and exited the driver seat. The vehicle was empty. She let out a few obscenities as Nick walked up next to her.

"Maybe they're inside with the kids." Nick nudge in the direction of the building. "We should go in and look for them."

Debra shook her head and pointed to the back seat, "No, they ditched the car, look, no car seats for the kids in the back."

She slammed her hands into the side of the car in anger. "God damn it!"

Nicholas moved to the back end of the vehicle, he bent over and removed his small tracking device before he spoke again, "Well, doesn't look like they know they were being tracked. That's a good thing."

"What the fuck does that matter now? The tracker is here and they aren't! Now what are we suppose to do? It's a motherfucking dead end!"

Debra's outburst dissolved her into tears as she crouched down and began to sob into her hands. Porter was quick to move to comfort her. He was apprehensive to speak out again. He didn't think anything he could say would help the situation and not get him cursed. He provided her with a loving kiss on the side of her face which she quickly retracted from.

"Fuck off." She muttered through her tears as she snapped to her feet. Nick watched as she retreated to her car and retrieved the vile of cocaine.

A few snorts and her crying subsided and was replaced by a deep sigh of relief. A burst of energy coursed through her veins giving her the second wind that she needed. Her eyes were closed for a few moments before they fluttered open. She stared intently at the building in front of her. She pointed before she spoke again.

"There's a security camera. Do you think it's recording? We could get a look at what they are driving, maybe a plate number."

"I could try and call in a favor. I know a guy in a local police department around here. Not promising you anything though. This place looks like it's seen better days. I wouldn't be surprised if the camera isn't operating"

"It's the only chance we've got to find them."

The Federal Bureau of Investigations had arrived Miami Metro Homicide. A number of officers in suits confiscated the evidence from the lab. Dexter's lab was made off limits. A number of forensic specialists were sent into the small room, checking it for any incriminating evidence. The FBI were set to begin interviewing each member of the homicide team who worked with Dexter. It was like everyone was under investigation. Batista was watching from his office as the head member of the team entered.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Batista. I appreciate your cooperation in the investigation of the Morgans. I understand that this is a sensitive matter as your team worked side by side with Dexter Morgan for a number of years."

Angel gave a slight nod before he inquired, "Are you any closer to finding them?"

"No sign of them yet, but it's only a matter of time. All airports are on alert, check points set up on the highways. Traveling with two small children should make them easier to find. We are trying to locate Debra Morgan. She's our main person of interest in relation to finding her brother and sister-in-law."

"I haven't been in touch with Deb since last night. After what happened with her brother, she made it clear that she wanted to be left alone. I can't imagine what's going through her head. We aren't as close as we used to be. I saw a lot more of her back when she worked with us at Miami Metro."

Angel's words seemed to peak the agent's interest. He took a seat and continued the conversation, "Any idea why she left the job?"

The question about Deb employment status gave Angel pause. He could tell the FBI about her admission from last night. It was certainly another piece to the puzzle that they were trying desperately to solve. But Batista decided against it. Adding a new layer of complexity to the investigation now could potentially cause the team to lose focus on finding the Morgans. The details surrounding Maria's death would need to be a conversation for a later time.

"She left right after Detective Joseph Quinn passed away. He was a former boyfriend and partner on the force. She took it hard, especially since it was a suicide."

The agent seemed unfazed by Batista's words and continued to speak about Debra, "We've been looking through the photographs she had of Albert Hollister that were taken outside of motel where he was found murdered. I think it's safe to say that she was the last person to see him alive. We have a recording of her discussing the motel murder, which makes it clear that she had information that she never disclosed to law enforcement."

Batista let out a sigh and made his way over and took a seat at his desk. He leaned back in his chair and re-situated the fedora on his head before he replied. "I think Deb has been going through a lot. First losing Quinn and now this shit with Dexter."

The FBI Agent got to his feet and began to make his way over to the door. He placed his hand on the doorknob before turning back to Angel to finish the conversation.

"I appreciate you vouching for your former colleague, Lieutenant Batista, but I don't think you nor your department have a clue about what's been going on right under your nose when it comes to the Morgans. The way it looks now, Debra could be facing a charge of aiding and abetting."

Angel had no reply as the agent left his office, closing the door behind him. What was there left to say? Much of what the man had said was true. There was so much that the homicide team didn't know. Some of which Batista wished he did not know either.

The Wagners' RV had made it back to the highway under Dexter's direction. Jim was in the driver seat while Dex hung back in the living area with his wife, Martha, and the children. Mrs. Wagner was kind enough to fix Harrison something to eat while Hannah tended to the baby. In a short amount of time, the Morgans knew that the Wagners were grandparents to three grandchildren who they were driving up to Indiana to visit.

Dexter was quick to capitalize on this information, "We were actually headed up to Indiana ourselves. My wife's family lives up there."

His fictitious admission caused Hannah to gaze in his direction. She was allowing him to make all the moves since they had hitched a ride with the elderly couple. A number of scenarios had come across her mind in the event that the couple discover who they really were. Hannah knew that they had to be prepared for anything.

Jim turned back for a brief moment before replying, "You're kidding, what a small world. That's a long way to travel by car with two little ones. I would have thought flying would have been the better bet for y'all."

This time it was Hannah who chimed in, "I didn't want to fly. With everything going on in the world today. I thought we could take our time and drive up North. Now with no way of getting up there-"

"Well Martha and I would be happy to give you a lift up there to your family."

Dexter and Hannah's eyes were still locked as Dex replied, "Are you sure? We wouldn't want to be an inconvenience."

Mrs. Wagner took a seat on the sofa next to Hannah and the children before she replied:

"Yes, we insist. Just think about how much you could save in hotel rooms. Heaven knows how many times you would have to stop for bathroom breaks, diaper changes, and food. It would be our pleasure."

Hannah gave the woman a warm smile before she placed her daughter back in her car seat. She then got to her feet and moved over to the sink in order to wash her hands after the diaper change. It was the wife's comment to Dexter that caused her to turn back around.

"Oh Richard, is that blood on your shirt? Right there on your sleeve?"

Dexter instinctively brought his hand up to left arm. Blood laced his fingertips when he touched his clothing. He then locked eyes with his wife who was now staring at him intently with wide eyes. Quickly, he gave an explanation:

"Oh, yeah, I cut my arm when I was trying to work on my car. It must have bled through the bandage."

Dexter got to his feet and Hannah moved to meet him. It was then that Mrs. Wagner spoke up, "That's an awful lot of blood for a small cut. Why don't you let me take a look at it? I was a registered nurse for over forty years before retiring."

"No, no thank you. It just looks worse than it is. I'll just go re-bandage it and it will be fine." Dex replied as he moved quickly into the single back bedroom where he and his wife had deposited their things. Hannah followed after him with a look of concern. When the door was shut, she spoke in a whisper.

"Are you okay? I can't believe it's still bleeding like that. You probably need stitches."

Dexter had disrobed his hoodie and removed the small first aid kit they had placed in the baby's diaper bag. "Probably, the shot went clean through, but it's just a flesh wound. I'll be fine. We don't need our the retired nurse asking how stand up citizen, Richard Thompson, was a victim of a gunshot wound while trying to fix his car."

Hannah removed a small cloth from the diaper bag and made her way to the bathroom in the RV. She ran the cloth under the faucet. She noticed a folded newspaper at her feet in the small quarters. Bending down, she lifted it. It was today's paper. Her lips parted when she saw a picture of her and her husband on the front page. With both the wet cloth and newspaper in hand, she made her way back to her husband. He accepted the cloth and held it to his arm, wincing slightly.

"Look at this, it was in their bathroom."

She held the newspaper out to her husband. He looked at it and then focused on her. "If they saw the front page then they know who we are."

Hannah took a seat on the double bed next to her him before replying, "Do they? Wouldn't they have called the police to turn us in if they knew we were running from the police?"

Dexter looked away from her gaze briefly. He looked to be processing everything. It took him a minute before he spoke again, "Unless they are waiting to call. They haven't had an opportunity to be alone since we met them. You should go back out there, watch them. I'll finish up with the bandage and I'll be right out."

His wife ignored his request for her to retreat. She was intent on helping him redress the small hole in his arm as she continued to process the potential threat in the Wagners.

"Maybe they haven't put two and two together. They could have skipped the front page story. I mean, they offered to give us a ride. No one would go out of their way to knowingly help two serial killers."

Hannah assisted him in applying the new bandage. Dexter grimaced in pain, he spoke through grit teeth, "It's possible. Let's just get out of Florida. After that we can figure out what we want to do with them."

She nodded before moving to give him a peck on the lips. They then rested their foreheads together. Both breathed in and exhaled. They had gotten this far and were both willing to do whatever it took to continue.

Porter had finally convinced Debra to allow him to take a shift at the wheel. They were headed north on the nearest highway they had come cross after leaving the rest area. Nick had put a call into his friend in the local PD. The guy was going to try and email him the surveillance from earlier in the day, but there was no guarantee.

Deb had been hard to handle ever since they had left the rest area. She was now out of cocaine and was coming down hard. Any attempt she had made to get some sleep resulted in the haunting vision of her brother looming over her in his plastic hell. Ironically, her big brother had once been her protector from the scary shadows in her childhood bedroom, but now he, himself, was the ominous monster she feared in her slumber.

She forced her passenger seat into the upright position. Porter took note of this and glanced over at her before bringing his attention back to the road, "Were you able to get any sleep? You look exhausted."

"Not a fucking wink. I keep seeing him every time I close my eyes. This needs to be over. You should speed up. They're ahead of us."

"But we don't know where. They could be on another highway for all we know. Where do you think they're headed? I mean after they get out of Florida. What's Dexter's plan?"

His questions irritated Debra as she lashed out in her typical fashion, "Go out west to become a fucking lumberjack, the fuck if I know, Nick! Jesus! Can you just shut the fuck up and drive?"

Nicholas fell silent. He hated when she got like this. She was clearly in pain due to her brother's betrayal but was not willing to accept any comfort whatsoever. He was continuing this hunt with her because he loved her. Someone had to. Dear Debra was damaged beyond repair. Her mind was struggling to process that her brother had attempted to end her life. Nick could only wonder what would happen if and when Debra was able to catch her brother. Would she have the ability to do what needed to be done?

Batista walked across his homicide division bound for an interrogation room. The FBI had been hard at work questioning all of his officers one by one and he was the next one on the list. It was quite a role reversal. He had been in those rooms so many times, only he had been the one who was drilling a suspect with questions. Now the tables would be turned. His leadership as Lieutenant of Homicide was surely going to be called into question. His stride slowed when he saw Vince Masuka walking toward him. He did not look happy. When his Forensic Specialist approached him, he spoke in a low tone of voice:

"That was brutal. They grilled me worse than an Alabama whore at a Sunday church barbecue. I'd rather have each of my sack pubes pulled out one by one and be forced to swallow them than spend another minute answering questions. Fucking, Dexter."

"At least it's over now. Just go back to your station and try and look busy. It's my turn in the hot seat." Angel replied as he adjusted his LT badge that hung from his neck.

"Stay strong, LT." Masuka said, raising a closed fist in front of him before walking off.

Batista was escorted into one of the rooms and he took a seat. The FBI agent who was going to question was professional and polite as much as he was prepared with documents in front of him on the table. He kept his introduction brief before commencing with the hard hitting interview:

"Lieutenant, what can you tell me about the water damage to the Hollister crime scene? We have in the report that there scene was being held overnight until the morning for investigation."

"It was my call to retain the crime scene until the morning. Dexter's wife had gone into labor and he was unavailable until then. I had two patrol cars stationed at the scene. Unfortunately for us the sprinkler system burst contaminating the majority of the crime scene. That's on me, I take full responsibility."

"So you are telling me that you put the investigation on hold because your blood spatter analyst was unavailable? Why not request the services of the nearby county?"

"I should have, but Dexter has worked our cases for years. I trusted his work and felt like he was the right man for the job."

The agent flipped through his stack of papers before speaking again, "The man who has direct ties to the victim, Albert Hollister? We see in your files that Hollister's son, Jay was in the same class as Dexter's son, Harrison. You have photographs of Mrs. Morgan taken from Hollister's computer that proved he was at their four year old's birthday party-"

"We obviously didn't have that information at the time. Come on, what is this? Are you suggesting we would knowingly compromised our own investigation?" Angel was getting a bit irritated by the line of questioning.

"Please calm down, Lieutenant, we are just trying to get the facts straight."

"The only facts we had at the time that we examined the crime scene was that it looked premeditated, plastic sheets covered the room. One of Michelle Hollister's hair strands was found at the scene leading us to question her as our prime suspect."

"Found by Dexter Morgan. At least that's what the scene report says. It's kind of strange that the blood guy was the one to find your single piece of evidence. A single hair in a flooded room. Kind of a needle in a haystack, isn't it?"

"I get what your saying. You think Dexter planted the evidence. Hey, I knew this guy for years, it's not like I had any suspicion. We had no idea the Morgans were even involved in this case until later. And if we had-"

"Did you call Dexter and his wife in for questioning once you discovered the connection?" The agent asked, cutting off Batista before he could finish his sentence.

"No, shit went sideways with Debra before we were able."

More pages shifted and the agent spoke again, "Speaking of Debra Morgan, you have documented that she was hired as a private investigator to follow the victim. She admitted to you in her interview that she was following him the night he died. We have pictures that were found in her home of Hollister outside of the motel where he was killed. She was the last one to see him alive."

"She didn't tell us that. We had no idea that she had been there. We heard on the recording that she was the one who called it in. I don't know why she wasn't forthcoming with me."

The agent adjusted his posture and responded, "Probably because she was trying to protect her brother. We've got her on tape proving that she knew about the murder, knew that her brother and his wife were responsible and yet she kept this to herself. In my book that's obstruction of justice."

The agent pressed on, "Then there's the cigar that was tested at an independent lab. We had our lab run it for traces of aconite as well as DNA from Tom Matthews. We got a hit for both. Tom's niece was nice enough to provide a familial sample that we ran it against. Hannah Morgan's finger prints were found on the cigar. This along with the tape conversation leaves little doubt that Dexter's wife poisoned Captain Matthews. This is yet another piece of evidence that Debra was sitting on."

"So what happens now?" Batista asked. He knew what the reply was going to be but some part of him just wanted to hear it said aloud.

"We're putting out a warrant for Debra's arrest. If we can get her, there's a good chance we will be able to catch her brother and sister-in-law. She might be willing to cut a deal in exchange for rolling over on them."

Batista realized that this was his moment to mention Debra's confession of killing Maria. He opened his mouth, preparing to speak when the interview was interrupted by another agent who entered the room.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but we got a call from Glades County, Dexter Morgan's Ford Escape was found. There was no sign of him or his wife and children."

"Any possible witnesses? If they are on the move in another vehicle then surely one was reported stolen in the area."

"Their car was abandoned at a rest area. There were security cameras, we've requested the footage. It should be sent to us within the hour."

Sleep had found Debra. She was lying reclined in the passenger seat of her BMW. Porter had stopped for gas and avoided waking her. He knew she needed the rest. It wasn't until he had received an update on the search that he decided he needed to interrupt her slumber. He knocked on her window, causing her to jerk upright. She was clearly startled as she let out a steady stream of profanity. Porter opened the door and presented her with a cup of coffee before he spoke:

"Glad you got some rest. I heard back from my cop friend. He was unable to send the footage. He said it was requested by the FBI. Seems like they are on to your brother as well."

Debra took a long sip of her coffee before she replied, "I'm not surprised. Miami Metro wouldn't be allowed to go after one of their own. Batista and the guys must be shitting bricks. What are we going to do now without the footage?"

"We don't need the footage. My buddy pulled a plate number of the vehicle from the surveillance. Turns out they hopped on an RV. I told him that grand theft auto was suspected and he's going to put out an APB. He said he'd call me back if anything turned up."

Debra shifted in her seat and reached for her cell phone that had fallen onto the floorboard of the car when she had fallen asleep. She saw that she had a missed call from Batista as well as a voicemail. A few clicks with her thumb and she brought the phone to her ear. Nick waited patiently for her to listen to the message. He studied her face as he saw it change from indifference to shock.

"Mother fucking, fuck..."

"What?"

Deb didn't reply as she ended the message and tossed her phone into the cup holder of her car. She turned back and stared up at Nicholas. She looked like she was truly at a loss for words, which pretty much never happened to her. Finally, she regained her voice and informed him of what she was told in the voice mail:

"The FBI put a warrant out for my arrest. I'm wanted for aiding and abetting my fucking serial killer brother and sister-in-law. Batista says I need to turn myself in and cooperate with the investigation if I don't want to face jail time."

Debra's voice trailed off before she let out a sob that she attempted to stifle. She brought her hands to her face and began to hyperventilate. In a matter of a day, Debra had gone from victim to criminal accomplice. The FBI was using her own evidence from her investigation against her. The reality that she could be the one to be locked away instead of her brother was terrifying to her.

Nick bent over and leaned into the car to take her into his arms. She hugged him tightly, not wanting to ever let go. Nicholas Porter was all she had now as her entire life was imploding around her. She felt powerless to make it stop. He whispered his reassurance in a calm, loving voice.

Deb managed to mutter words through her tears, "I'm not going to go down with him, Nick. I can't do it anymore... It has to end..."

Dexter and Hannah were lying with the children between them in the RV's bed. They had finally gotten both Harrison and Lily down for a nap. They had been keeping a close eye on the Wagners, looking for any sign that they knew who they really were and would attempt to turn them in. So far it had been smooth sailing.

Hannah's arm was draped across her children. She reached further and gently caressed her husband's face before speaking in a whisper, "I love you."

Dex's lips pulled taunt into a smile, "I love you too."

After his admission, he leaned over his children and kissed his wife's lips. Their kiss broke as they felt the RV begin to slow down. Their eyebrows furrowed when the vehicle crawled to a stop. Dexter got to his feet and carefully peered through the the blinds of the back window. He saw a police car flashing lights behind them.

"We've been pulled over by a patrol car." He whispered to his wife.

Hannah's eyes were wide with worry as she sprung off the bed and joined him at the window, "Oh my God, do you think they called them? What are we going to do, Dexter?"

Before Morgan could reply, his attention was drawn to the door of the bedroom where he saw Brian leaning. In Moser's hand was Dexter's steel knife. He was holding it out to Dex.

Brian: "If the cop comes aboard, take him out first. Then go for the husband. Hannah can take care of the wife. You can get this RV rolling before anyone has a chance to call it in."

"Dexter?" Hannah said his name louder than a whisper, enough to get his attention, causing him to snap out of what looked like a daze.

He turned and looked at her before he spoke, "Be ready."

Those two words compelled Hannah to produce her switchblade from her back pocket. Morgan had moved to one of their bags by the bed. He brandished one of his steel blades. Slowly, he made his way over to the bedroom door. With care, he cracked it open to silently survey what was going on in the main cabin. Jim's voice could be heard as he spoke to the police officer.

"The wife and I are headed up to Indiana to see the grand kids."

Another male voice spoke, "This RV was reported stolen, can I see your license and registration please?"

"That's ridiculous, it must be a mistake. My wife and I purchased this RV earlier this year. Hang on a second, I've got the papers in my glove box."

There were a few moments of silence before the officer spoke again. "Do you mind if I peek inside your RV?"

"No, not at all. Come on in."

Dexter looked at his wife. Hannah moved to the other side of the door. Her back against the wall like her husband. Their children still asleep on the bed. She could only hope that they would sleep through what was to come.

The police officer climbed into the RV. His eyes scanned the surroundings before greeting Martha Wagner who politely introduced herself. Dex listened for footsteps that were coming closer to the bedroom door. Morgan hung back in wait, he saw the officer's shadow. Only a few more steps and it would be the last that he would ever take. Dexter's knife was at the ready.

Suddenly, the officer's radio broke the silence causing him to freeze in place. "We have a code 29 in progress, requesting back up."

The officer responded, acknowledging dispatch. He moved back away from the bedroom door and retreated to the front of the RV. He spoke again, this time to the Wagners. "Thank you for your cooperation, drive safely."

The Morgans both let out a sigh of relief. If not for the radio call from dispatch, things would have gotten messy very quickly. There was a brief moment of silence before Dexter heard footsteps again approaching; a knock on the door followed. They then heard Jim's voice from the other side of the door.

"Hey Rich?"

Dexter slipped his knife casually into the pocket of his khaki pants before he opened the door. He gave Jim a pleasant smile before bringing his right finger up to his lips, "Shh, kids are napping. Everything okay? We stopped and I thought I heard someone else talking to you guys."

"Oh well, we got pulled over. Some mix up, the cop thought the RV was stolen. We set everything straight."

"Oh, well that's good. I'm glad everything got cleared up."

Mr. Wagner nodded and started to close the door. Right before the door latched, he opened it again, "By the way, with all this excitement, I've got to hit the john. You haven't seen my newspaper that was in there have you? I didn't even get a chance to read it."

Dex shook his head nonchalantly. "Sorry, haven't seen it."

"Ah, well I'm sure it will turn up. We've got to stop at the next exit anyway, refuel. I'll pick up another paper then."

When the conversation ended and the door finally closed, it was Hannah who broke the silence as she whispered to her husband, "I guess they didn't see the newspaper."

It was when the RV began to move again that Dexter replied with what had been at the forefront of his mind. "Yeah, but I'm more interested to know who reported the RV as stolen."

Debra was back behind the wheel of her car when Porter received the phone call they were waiting for. She kept turning to look at him, gauging his reaction as he listened to what his cop friend was telling him. They were traveling along the same highway headed toward the last county of Florida before the Georgia line.

"So they were let go? No one else was with them? Are you sure?"

"What the fuck, Nick?" Deb snapped causing Porter to raise his hand up to her so that she would be quiet while he listened to his friend's reply.

"Did the officer see where the RV was headed? Like highway, exit number... Okay, thanks man. Bye."

"Where are they? What did he say?" She asked again, impatiently waiting to know what information he had obtained.

"A patrol car stopped the RV. The couple who owned it had their registration papers. No sign of Dexter and Hannah, but the cop had to leave on another call, didn't get to check the RV. They were pulled over on Interstate 75, and got off on the exit for Jasper."

"Fuck me, that's just up the highway."

Debra punched the gas causing her BMW to charge faster as she swerved into the left lane to pass a number of cars. Not only had they been on the correct interstate, but that they were only a few miles behind of them. The news gave Deb the second wind she needed to engage in her pursuit. There was no confirmation that her brother and sister-in-law were still in that RV, but the fact that it had not been searched left her with the hope that they were. It was her only shot of finding them.

The FBI was buzzing upon obtaining the security footage from the rest area. They had been like worker bees, diligently and systematically analyzing the footage before they took away from it exactly what they needed. Running the plates on the RV awarded them with the name: James Henry Wagner. It was when they contacted a number of Florida county police departments that they received surprising news.

"An APB was already out on the vehicle for suspected car theft. He was pulled over but let go just outside of Jasper." One of the agents announced to the team.

"No mention of the Morgans?" The officer shook his head, before another question was asked, "Who issued the APB?"

"It was Nicholas Porter who called it in. I was told that he goes way back with one of the cops on the force."

Batista had been observing the chain of events from the sidelines. He decided to speak up when the new information came to light, "Nick Porter owns the private investigation company. He's the guy Deb works for. He was there when Deb was attacked last night, he called it in. I think Deb's in a relationship with him. Are they tracking Dexter and Hannah?"

The lead agent commented, "All evidence leads back to Debra Morgan. Keep trying to reaching out to Jim and Martha Wagner. Notify their next of kin of the situation. They were last seen near the town of Jasper. Time might be of the essence, if the Morgans are with them. Dexter and Hannah have killed before, I'm sure they wouldn't hesitate to do it again."

Deb took the exit that the cop had mentioned. It was Nick who spotted an RV parked at a gas station. She had to slam on her breaks as to not miss the turn off. Could it be the motor home that they had been looking for? The BMW pulled up behind it. Porter checked the plate, it matched what his friend had told him earlier. Without missing a beat, she shut the car off before stepping out, slamming her car door behind her.

The sound of the car door could be heard inside the RV. Hannah had peered out the back window caught sight of Debra. "Dexter, it's Deb!"

The Morgans had been left alone in the home. Jim and Martha had gone into the convenient store, leaving the gas pumping into the tank. Dex was wide eyed when he saw Porter and his sister making there way toward the RV. "Shh, stay away from the windows. It must have been them who called the RV in stolen. They've been tracking us."

Hannah watched as Dexter fetched his knife once again. Slowly, he followed the path his sister took along the side of the RV. He crouched down, waiting to move into action if the door opened. Debra cupped her hands around her eyes and she peered in through the door window. The driver seat was empty.

Deb said aloud as retreated from the door. "Stay here, I'm going to see if the owners are inside."

Nick gave a nod and leaned back against the RV door as he watched his girlfriend make her way toward the nearby quickie mart. Dex watched her disappear into the store while the man who had shot him blocked the one exit. It was at this time that he made his way back into the bedroom where his wife was still with the children. "Get the kids, I'll grab our things. We need to leave now."

The moment Debra entered the store, she immediately raised her voice to get the attention of all the shoppers, "Hey! Who's the owner of the RV out there?"

Jim and Martha had been standing in line to check out when they turned around and made themselves known to Deb as she walked further into the store. Jim spoke up, "The RV is ours. Why what's going on?"

"Where's my brother and his wife? Is he still with you? Have you see my nephew? He's four years old, his name is Harrison."

Martha looked confused, she looked over to her husband and then back to Debra before she replied to the barrage of questions, "Richard and Claire? They are with the children in the RV. I don't understand what's going on. Who are you?"

Back in the RV, Hannah had both of the children while Dexter carried their bags. She waited behind him as he slammed his foot into the RV door, sending Nicholas forward into the gas pumps. Dex quickly exited and was ready for Porter when he turned back around. Morgan gave him a swift elbow across his face, knocking him off his feet. Nicholas screamed in pain, holding his nose that was surely broken. With him briefly subdued, Hannah stepped out of the RV. Dexter took the baby carrier from his wife that contained his infant.

Harrison pointed at the man on the ground, "What happened, Mommy? Is he hurt?"

Neither parent responded to the child as they took off across the parking lot. Dexter was leading the way as Hannah did her best to keep his pace with the four year old on her hip.

Meanwhile, inside the mart, Debra continued her conversation with the couple, "Richard and Claire?" Deb reached over and grabbed a newspaper from the nearby stand and held the headline photo in front of them. "Is this them? Their names are Dexter and Hannah Morgan and they are motherfucking serial killers!"

The Wagners were astonished by what Deb had presented to them. The look on their faces confirmed that it was Dexter and Hannah. Debra caught sight through store window of her boyfriend lying on the ground. "Oh shit! Jesus!"

She dropped the newspaper and ran out of the store to Porter's aid. He was struggling to get to his feet. Blood was spewing from his nostrils, as Debra reached him. "What the fuck happened? Where are they?"

"The fucker hit me with the door and then broke my Goddamn nose! Shit, I feel like I'm going to black out!"

Debra seemed unmoved by the fact that he was in excruciating pain and yelled back at him, "Which way did they go, Nick?"

"Behind the building.." Porter winced as he tried to use Deb to lean on in order to get his bearings. Debra ran off causing Nick to stumble, trying to regain his balance.

"Get the car and follow me!" She called back to him as she ran across the parking lot toward the back of the building.

When Deb rounded the corner, she saw a car backing up out of a spot. When she ran closer, she saw her nephew in the backseat. He was straining to look out of his car window. Deb reflexively screamed his name as the car shifted to drive and began to speed off.

She continued to run after the car, when she caught sight of her BMW coming up along side of her. She veered off course, and immediately moved to enter the passenger seat.

"Go! Go! There they are! Don't lose them!" She hollered at Nick before her door was even closed. The BMW peeled out and took off in pursuit.

It did not take long for a call to come in to the FBI via the Hamilton County police department. The Wagners as well as a few other bystanders had called the police after witnessing the chaos at the gas station. It was the head FBI director that gave the orders to the local department in Jasper:

"Every officer in the county needs to be canvasing the area surrounding that gas station. They could not have gone far. Dexter and Hannah Morgan should be approached with caution. The Wagners told the police that the two were going under the aliases of Richard and Claire Thompson. There are two small children with them so this take down needs to be done with great care. Debra Morgan and Nicholas Porter are to be brought in as well. With Debra's history with the force, we can only hope she will be cooperatively taken into custody."

Another officer spoke up, "We've already frozen the credit lines under the aliases. The credit card companies have agreed to put a high alert on those accounts, they will contact us if they attempt to use them. Road blocks are up at the state border."

The lead agent spoke again, "This ends today. They will not be leaving the state of Florida."

Dexter was weaving in and out of traffic in his stolen automobile. His sister's BMW was not far behind him. His eyes kept scanning his rear view. A few unexpected turns down side streets had not been enough to shake the tail. Harrison kept asking questions from the back seat, testing his father's patience as he attempted to drive with precision.

It was Hannah who acknowledged the child in an attempt to pacify his curiosity, "Sweetheart, Daddy's trying really hard to find that fun place we are going to. When we do, we will do something fun. Maybe go and get some ice cream. Yeah?"

"Yay! Ice cream!" Harrison exclaimed raising his hands in the air with delight.

The promise of the tasty frozen treat was enough to silence the impatient four year old. It was in the new found silence that Dexter muttered, "Shit. Shit."

"We didn't lose them?" She asked, turning around to look behind them.

"No, and now we are headed out of town. There's not going to be any more back streets or secondary roads to lose them on. We're running out of options." He replied, pushing on the accelerator.

Hannah looked back at the children and then back to her husband before she spoke again, "If we can't lose them then maybe we just need to deal with them, head on."

Dex's eyes snapped to his wife's for a moment before he turned his attention back to the road. He said nothing, his lips parted slightly as the possible course of events played out in his mind.

"Hannah's right. I know Deb. She's unrelenting when she goes after something. She has no quit. I'd be foolish to think her hunt for us would end when we leave Florida. She would track us to the ends of the earth. It's who she is. This has to end."

Dexter jerked the steering wheel to the left causing the vehicle to swerve hard down a dirt road. He punched the gas again, causing a billow of dust to cascade behind. In front of them was what looked to be an abandoned trucking yard. Several forgotten cargo holds were lined up in rows of ten, many of which were filled with rust and decay. He drove to the end of the lot, coming to a stop behind the last row. When the car came to a stop, he and his wife exited and swiftly removed the children.

Morgan quickly gave his wife instruction as he armed himself with his trusty blade, "Find a place to hide with the kids. I'll come and find you when it's finished."

Hannah didn't argue or ask questions. She took the children down the row of trucking cargo holds until she reached the furthest one from where they had parked. Harrison asked what they were doing there. The four year old could obviously sense that something was wrong.

"We're playing hide and seek. Daddy's going to try and find us." She explained. She struggled for a moment opening the door to the hold. "Come on."

Hannah led the child into the container while carrying her baby in the carrier. She moved to the back of the structure, placing the car seat down. Harrison took a seat next to his sister. He watched with wide eyes as his mother moved back to the door and pulled it to, leaving it slightly ajar so that a bit of light was able to peek in.

"Mommy?" Harrison whined, "I'm scared. I want Daddy."

She moved back to comfort him with a loving hug and a whisper, "Shhh, there's nothing to be scared of. It's going to be okay. We just need to be quiet and wait for a little bit until Daddy comes and gets us."

Meanwhile outside, Dexter had found a place of his own to hide. He was at a vantage point where he was still able to see the car. Debra's BMW had not been far behind. She pulled up along side the stolen vehicle.

Upon exiting, Deb pulled a revolver from the inside of her glove compartment. She opened it, eyeing the bullets in the chamber before forcing it shut. Nick produced a gun from his sport coat pocket. A quick survey of the abandoned automobile caused the former cop to survey the area from where she stood. Debra knew her brother was lurking there, somewhere, waiting for her.

"We should split up. Each take a side of the yard. We can meet back up in the middle. Just be careful, my nephew is here somewhere."

"Maybe we should call for backup first before we approach. We could really use a leg up on the numbers game." Porter advised.

"And give him time to get away? Fuck no, we do this now. This is our chance to end this."

Debra pressed on, making her way down the first row of containers. Her gun at the ready as she moved carefully. Her instincts she learned from her time on the force were not going to fail her. Nick wanted to stay by her side but decided to follow her orders and investigate the opposite end.

Dex moved silently, tracking her steps as he stayed behind her. His stalking skills that Harry had taught him were needed for his survival. Deb would be a good shot. He was going to need the element of surprise in order to subdue her. Dexter took a small rock from nearby and threw it against a container, causing a clank that rang out in the distance. Like any trained officer, Debra honed in on the location. She approached with caution.

It was when she was at the sound's source, that Dex rushed toward her. She spun around just in time. Instincts took over as she avoided his blow with the knife. They both crashed back into the metal container, she attempted to turn the gun on him, but he grabbed her hands. With his might, he slammed her hands into the container, over and over again until the gun fell to the ground. Before he could capitalize, Debra kicked him hard in the groin causing her brother to double over in pain. Debra struggled to reach for her firearm, but Dexter knocked it away, before kicking her legs out from under her. She fell to the ground hard, her head hitting the side of the container. Debra was immobilized, buying him time to regain his composure and grab hold of his knife.

He struggled to get to his feet. Debra seemed to be unconscious. She was there, vulnerable to his impending attack. Before he could move toward her, he froze in place. He heard the sound of his infant daughter crying in the distance.

"Lily."

Hannah was trying her best to calm the crying baby. She gently rocked the carrier back and forth in an attempt to sooth her. She settled, and the silence was met with footsteps approaching. Harrison spoke out as he too heard someone outside the structure, "Daddy found us?"

She brought her hand up to her face to signal the child to stay quiet. Quickly, Hannah moved the doors of the container. She stood against the wall and waited silently as the person on the other side got closer. The left door swung open. Nick stepped into the container, his eyes focused on the two small children.

"Hey, you must be Harrison. It's okay, buddy. You don't have to be afraid. I'm here to help you. You're going to come with me okay?" He said in a calm voice as he moved toward them, putting his gun away.

Harrison was staring at him, wide eyed. Lily began to fuss again when Nick reached them. He talked to the four year old again, "Where's your mommy and daddy? Huh?"

His question cued the child to look in his mother's direction. She was slowly making her way toward them. The switchblade from her spree killings at the ready. Nick went to remove Lily from the carrier when Hannah attacked him, thrusting the knife into his back. Porter yelled out in pain, and immediately swung around, landing a punch to the side of Mrs. Morgan that sent her into the wall. Harrison began to cry at the sight of the man attacking his adoptive mother. He watched helplessly as Nick followed up his attack on Hannah who was now on her hands and knees. A hard kick met her side. She cried out in pain, collapsing on the floor.

Nick brought his gun out and pointed it as he hollered, "You really want to make a scene in front of these kids?"

"Don't hurt my mommy!" The child cried out in desperation. His words caused Porter to halt his offense. His attention turned to the child who was clearly beside himself in fear. The loud shrilling sound of the baby's cry echoed through the container.

Before Nick could make another move, he was tackled by Dexter. The gun dropped as did the two men to the metal floor. Morgan moved on the offense, hovering over top of him. Nick grabbed hold of Dexter's hands, as Dex tried with all his might to thrust his blade into Porter's chest. Both men grunted as their strengths were matched. Nick shifted his weight, sending Dexter into the side of the container. His arm hit hard into the metal, pressing with force. Dexter grimaced in pain as he lost his grip on his knife. His arm wound burned like a thousand fire ants had descended on it, tearing his flesh apart. Nick used this to his advantage and pushed Dexter off. He struggled to get to his feet before his foe.

Porter had the advantage now. He had grabbed hold of his gun and was ready to fire at Dexter when Hannah came from out of nowhere and jumped on his back. He struggled hard to shake her off as she began to choke him. This gave Dex the time he needed to regain his bearings. He grabbed his fallen knife and plunged it deeply into Nick's abdomen over and over again. The blows caused Porter to fall to his knees. Hannah released her grip, allowing her husband the opportunity to deliver the fatal blow: a single stab to the neck. Dex twisted the blade slightly, expertly severing the carotid artery. He retracted, and a heavy stream of blood gushed from the final puncture. Gasping and gurgling sounds emanated from Porter's mouth when he fell to the floor. His pupils dilated with terror as the murderous Morgans stood over him, watching the light leave his eyes.

Harrison was beside himself. His crying had intensified. His small hands were up over his mouth, muffling his sobs. His eyes taking in the sight of blood. Hannah was quick to move to comfort him. She took him into her arms and began rocking him back and forth, shielding him from the sights he had already witnessed. The child began to calm, his crying dissipating.

"Fucking freeze!"

Debra's voice rang out in the container as she stood at its entrance. Her eyes had been focused on her brother that she had not taken in the full sight of the trucking cargo hold. As she moved forward, her feet met the body of her lover. Her face contorted in anguish when she gazed upon him. For a split moment she had taken her attention away from her murderous brother and he tried to capitalize.

But Debra snapped back, bringing him into her focus as she drew the gun on him and screamed, "Don't fucking move, Dexter! I will fucking shoot you!"

Dexter froze in place. He spoke in a calm voice, "Deb, take it easy. I know you've been through a lot, okay? We all have. It doesn't have to be this way."

"You made it this way!" She screamed through tears pointing at gun her at him. It was shaking in her hands as she fought hard to regain her composure. She was running on adrenaline and pure nerves. She stepped over her boyfriend's body, moving closer to where her brother stood at gunpoint.

"Just let us go. This can end here. You'll never have to see us again."

Debra shook her head adamantly. "It's going to end here but not like you want it to. I'm turning you in. Both of you!"

Deb took notice of Hannah who was still holding Harrison toward the back of the container. "Get your hands off my nephew and stand against the wall!"

Mrs. Morgan slowly released her hold on the four year old. Harrison attempted to grab hold of her as she rose to her feet but was unable. He let out a whine and called out for her. Hannah spoke up at the sight of her adoptive son upset: "You are scaring my child! If you have a problem with us, then let's have it out but leave my children out of it!"

"He's only scared because he's seeing you for what you are! You aren't even his mother! His mother died in a bathtub on Dexter's watch. Keep running your mouth and you'll see what happens to you. Get over against the wall!"

Hannah moved to the side, her back against the metal siding. Her eyes caught sight of her switch blade only a few inches away. "What? Are you going to kill me?" Hannah scoffed, "Arrest me? You aren't even a cop anymore. You're nothing. You have no life left so you had to ruin ours-"

"Shut the fuck up, I'm done hearing you spew your poisonous bullshit! You're done!" Deb screamed, cutting off Dexter's wife completely as she pointed the gun in her direction.

"Deb." Dex said calmly, causing her to shift her focus and the gun back on him. Seeing him standing there with seemingly no remorse infuriated her just as much as it hurt her.

She spoke through tears, "After everything I d-did for you, all the fucking sacrifice...And for what? For a fucking monster who wrapped me up in plastic and would have stabbed me in the heart?"

Dexter was unmoved by her display of emotion. His words were apathetic and cold. "So what now, Deb? Huh? Are you going to hold us at gun point until the police find us? And if we try to escape? Do you really want another kill on your conscience? Think about the pain you felt after killing Laguerta."

Debra sniffed back her tears, "It was nothing to the pain you caused me when you put me on your table. Any love I still had for you died in that moment, Dexter. It's over."

Deb changed her focus to her nephew who was whimpering quietly, his fingers at his mouth in an attempt to sooth himself after being separated from his adoptive mother. His eyes were still focused on Hannah.

"Harrison, it's going to be okay. I would never hurt you, I love you. You need to come with Aunt Deb. This is all going to be over soon. I promise, okay? Just come here."

The four year old slowly shook his head. He was trembling now. Many questions were swirling in his consciousness. The kills by the hands of his parents. The gun that his aunt now had pointed at his mother and father. It was too much for him to process. He wanted to run but instead he remained frozen in place, tears continuing to stream down his cheeks. Debra moved forward toward the child.

Hannah sprung into action at the sight of Deb making a move toward Harrison. She moved for her switchblade. Debra saw her movement out of her peripheral view. When Hannah rose to her feet her movement was impeded by a hard blast. The sound of gun fire echoed in the trucking container. Hannah was knocked off her feet. Her white blouse turned a vibrant red. Her hands grasped at the gaping hole in her chest. Fingers covered in a crimson mess.

"Mommy!" Harrison screamed over the sound of his infant sister's cries.

Dexter rushed to her, taking her into his arms. Her sparking blue eyes were tearing up as she looked into his. Her mouth parted. She attempted to speak to him, but was unable. And a final exhale left her limp in her husband's arms. He rocked back and forth, holding her as he saw her brilliant blue eyes go vacant. "No, no, no, no, please no! NO!"

Dex let out a deep sob as he brought her close in an embrace. His hands entwined in her blonde locks as he held her close. It was like nothing else existed anymore. Not Debra, nor his children. Just his wife lying dead in his arms. The sound of their crying children provided the backdrop to the bleak reality that the dream of their future,their Argentina, was gone forever.

Debra stood motionless. Her gun was now at her side. She watched as her brother grieved over his fallen wife. His emotions were real; raw even. She had never seen him like this. Not for Rita, or for Harry.

Slowly, Dexter allowed his wife's body to lie down in front of him. His hoodie smeared with a vibrant red. His eyes were wide as he began to breath heavy. And then a primal scream of pain and fury engulfed him. His eyes snapped to his sister standing before him. His demeanor had caused her to draw her gun again. The look on his face scared her. His eyes were staring at her, staring through her. The color was drained from his face.

"Dex?" She heard herself mutter.

Dexter's hand found his steel knife that he had dropped by his wife. He clutched the handle in his hand, squeezing it as he rose to his feet.

Debra instinctively began to back up. Her eyes were taking in the monster who was standing before her. He was gone. Out of his mind and focused in on carving her with his blade.

Deb's feet tripped over Porter's body as she fell backward and onto her butt. Her mind began to race with anxiety. She heard Maria Laguerta's words echo in her brain like a ghost of New Years past, "You have to end this. Shoot him!"

Dexter descended upon her quickly. Her eyes were wide with horror as she drew her gun in front of her. He raised his knife up over his head and lunged. Debra pulled the trigger. A shot exploded hitting her brother square in the center of his chest. He stumbled off course, screaming in pain, before moving toward her again. Debra squeezed the trigger again, and another bullet found its target, this one off center. He faltered again, this time falling to his knees. He clutched at his chest, still holding his knife in his right hand. His hatred filled eyes were glistening with tears. The tears spilled past the rim of his eyes and down his cheeks. He fell to the ground. His eyes now had a far away stare, empty.

"Daddy!" Cried Harrison. His crying reached new heights as did the infant beside him.

The reality of what had just transpired hit Debra like a freight train. Deb sat upon her knees. She crumbled to her knees and let out a painful shriek. When she had let all the breath out of her lungs, she heard the sound of the children sobbing. Deb's glassy eyes took in the sight of Harrison. Tears were streaming down his face. His face was contorted in anguish, the siren sound of his wails echoing in the container. His hands he held in front of him were covered in blood. There was no denying that she was the direct cause of his pain. She had just shot and killed his father and adoptive mother right in front of him.

Debra attempted to crawl toward the child. The moment she moved, Harrison coward, bringing his hands to his baby sister's carrier as he tried to duck his head behind it. "Don't hurt us!" He cried out, before continuing to sob.

His words broke Deb's heart. To think that her nephew now saw his aunt as the monster who was capable of hurting him. She let out a drawn out sob again. Her eyes taking in her surroundings: the blood, the bodies, the horror that had just transpired. There was no coming back from it. She knew it. Finally, her eyes fell on her revolver that she had dropped onto the blood soaked floor. Slowly, Debra lifted the gun. She was still kneeling, peering at her nephew as she brought the barrel end to the side of her head.

"Harrison..." She muttered through her tears, "Close your eyes.."

Her voice echoed through the structure, enough to be heard by the child who was much too upset and worked up to take her direction. Debra allowed herself to take a few deep breaths before she closed her own eyes. On her last exhale, she pulled the trigger. A final shot rang out and her world faded to black.

Police descended upon the abandoned trucking yard. The two vehicles were found quickly and so was the trucking container. Lily's crying had made sure of that. None of the cops were prepared for what they walked into: A sea of red. Bodies littering the container. A beautiful baby girl, face red from crying. Harrison was simply sitting there. His face tear stained, empty eyes staring off into space, catatonic. He was no longer weeping. There was no emotion on his face. His small mind had short circuited, warped by the horror taken in by his eyes.

Six months later...

A husband and wife approached the Miami Social Services building hand in hand. The husband got the door and held it open for his wife as he spoke, "You ready for this?"

The wife simply smiled and nodded as she crossed the building's threshold. He followed after her and took her hand again. A social worker greeted them when they reached the adoption services area.

"Thank you so much for coming down. I'm so pleased that we could get this put through so quickly. These children have been through so much, especially little Harrison."

Mention of the older child caused the wife to question, "How is he doing? Talking yet?"

"He's still withdrawn. It's going to take some time. But, he has created an imaginary friend who he was observed talking to. I think that's a good sign."

The woman looked a bit concerned by the worker's response. "Are you sure he's ready to be adopted?"

"The doctors in the children's psychiatric unit said he's going to be fine. The best thing for Harrison is to give him a warm, loving family. Lieutenant Batista of Miami Metro is facilitating the children's placement and he insisted that the children not be split up."

The husband placed a hand on his wife's back. He caressed her gently before replying, "No, of course not. We wouldn't want to split them up. I get it. My parents left my sister and I when we were kids. She and I were all each other had."

There was a brief pause before he spoke again, "Is Harrison here now?"

"They just brought him over from the children's hospital today. He's in our observing room."

The conversation was interrupted when Batista and Jamie both walked up to them. In Jamie's arms was a sleeping Lily Anne. Angel and his little sister had graciously volunteered to care for the Morgan's youngest child in the wake of her parents' death. The sight of the infant caused the potential adoptive mother to gush as she reached for the baby.

Jamie allowed the woman to take the child as she spoke, "She's such a sweet baby. Harrison is too once he warms up. Angel was telling me about you both. You're FBI agents from Burbank, California?"

The husband answered, "Yes, we came over to Florida to help work the case. When we found out that the two children had been orphaned my wife and I couldn't help but see it as fate. We had a really difficult last year and recently found out we can't have children."

Jamie frowned, "I'm so sorry. Well these kids are great. They deserve to have a fresh start."

Batista chimed in, "Which is why they are going to Burbank. They need to be as far away from Miami as possible. The Morgans are infamous now. Reports are calling them this generation's Bonnie and Clyde. Es asqueroso. I wouldn't want them to have to live their life with that shadow hanging over them."

The social worker interjected, "Should we go ahead and get Harrison? I'm sure you will want to be on your way. It's quite a long flight back to California."

Angel also took the cue for he and his sister to excuse themselves. They relinquished the baby's diaper bag before parting. Jamie had thought about saying one last goodbye to Harrison, but decided not to. She figured he had enough loss recently that he did not need another goodbye. The couple before them seemed nice, stable and willing to provide him with a whole new life. A fresh start that could assist him in making his life with two serial killers fade into a distant memory from the past as he grew older.

Harrison was seen in a child observation room. They were peering in at him through a two way mirror. He was seated at a child size table, coloring on a piece of paper. A red crayon was in the four year old's hand. It moved swiftly across the construction paper. His eyes focused intently. The wife commented how cute he was while she swayed the baby her in arms.

When the door to the room opened, the child immediately looked up, startled by the unannounced intrusion. Harrison quickly dropped his crayon and moved to hide underneath the table. The couple slowly made their way over to him. The child sat there on the floor, legs pulled to his chest. His eyes saw the legs of the adults who approached: jeans and converse shoes on the man, designer jeans and heels on the woman. More of the couple's appearance was revealed to Harrison as they crouched down to be on his level. They were both smiling warmly. The man had olive skin and curly brown locks of hair. Harrison saw the woman, which caused his lips to part while he took in the sight of her. She had straight blonde hair that came down to her shoulders. Her eyes were a vibrant blue. The woman's striking resemblance to his late adoptive mother captivated his attention. He saw his baby sister in the woman's arms. When she spoke, her voice comforted him.

"Hi Harrison. My name is Sarah, and this is my husband, Chuck. We would like it very much if you and your sister came to live with us. Is that okay?"

A few seconds passed before the child gave a weak nod. His nonverbal response prompted Sarah to slowly extend a hand toward him. He was timid at first, instinctively squirming away from her advance, but she was patient and waited. Slowly, the child began to crawl out from under the table. The couple rose to a standing position with the child. Harrison's eyes looked away from their gaze, as he took hold of Sarah's awaiting hand. They made there way to the entrance of the room. Chuck opened the door and began to lead his family out. When he reached the exit, Harrison stopped abruptly. He turned back around to the empty room and spoke out for the first time:

"Are you coming?"

The child's brown eyes focused on his imaginary friend who was still seated at the activity table. With his eyes staring back at Harrison, Brian Moser's lips pulled into a sinister smile.