What Comes Next
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters they belong to NBC and the Centre
Summary: After "Island of the Haunted" their lives change after certain huntress has a change
of heart.
Miss. Parker's house:
I know I was probably making a mistake coming here but after our time on the island I just couldn't get her out of my mind. I watch her through the window and I marveled at the majesty and grace that flowed off of her with the force of a raging waterfall. Her beauty on the outside only hid the crushing pain I knew she was feeling on the inside she had lost so much in her life. Her mother had been murdered by Raines, then her boyfriend Tommy was murdered by Bridgette and now the man that she had called father all her life committed suicide after reading the scrolls and learning the truth. I have been considering what Mr. Parker said before he jump 'It's the only way to stop… the madness that started the Centre' I hope that turns out to be true that madness caused a great deal of pain for everyone ever involved with the Centre either by choice or in my case force. I wonder what truths he learned by reading the scrolls but to have those questions answered the scrolls would have to be found and since we were over the Atlantic that would be next to impossible.
I watch her debating on whether or not I should try to talk to her face to face, mostly because I know that she considers me her key to finally being free of the Centre, I push my fear to the back of my mind and approach her front door. I knock on the door and I am surprised as to what happens next.
"Come in Jarod the door is open" I hear her call to me. I enter her home with of course extreme caution fearing that since she was apparently expecting that there might be a Sweeper team nearby.
"Don't worry, there is no Sweeper team, and I am too tired to drag you back to the Centre tonight" she states from her position on her couch. I step further into my enemies' territory as it were, and watch the shadows just in case she was lying and there was a Sweeper team.
As I approach her side of the couch I see a half empty bottle of Scotch sitting on the coffee table and two glasses she must have been expecting me to drop by "Are you alright Miss. Parker" I inquire as I sit next to her.
"Yeah, I am just great. My world was just turned upside down a few weeks ago and now that my "father" is gone Mr. Raines is in charge of the Centre" she states as she pours herself another glass of Scotch. As she leans back she sees the disapproving expression I apparently have on my face.
"I don't suppose you'll join me in toasting the new regime" she opens the bottle again and poured me a drink then hands it to me.
"I won't drink to that but I will drink to the end of Raines's regime and the start of a better one" I declare and down the amber liquid in one gulp.
"Ok I must be drunk, because I think you have lost your mind genius" she laughed as she downed her drink just like I had in one gulp "It is impossible to take down the Centre even for you lab-rat" she continued still laughing.
I knew she would think that I am out of my mind especially in her present state "It is not impossible if you and I work together" I tell her.
"What makes you think that I am going to help you" she snaps as she got up from the couch and went over the hearth and sat in front of the roaring fire. I get up and join her in front of the fire and I remember when we were on the island in front of Ocee's fire.
"Do you remember when we were on the island sitting just like this" I ask her as I sit.
"Yeah, I asked you why is it that the one person I've been trained to distrust, to hate, to capture is always with me during the most difficult moments of my life, just like now" she replies without hesitation.
"And like I told you then, maybe it is suppose to be that way" I reply and just like back on the island I lean in to kiss her, but this time we were not interrupted by anyone. Are lips touch and the pain and hatred that came between us over the years just melted away. She didn't pull away and to my surprise she just deepened the kiss.
When we finally part we were both breathless. "I have wanted to do that again ever since we were kids all those years ago" I tell her as I pull her forward so that our foreheads touch.
To my surprise she placed her hands on either side of my face and pushed me back so that I was now looking directly into her sparkling blue eyes "Now that you have, what comes next, genius. How are we going to bring down the Centre" she inquires slightly amused which I contribute to the half bottle of Scotch she had consumed before I arrived.
"First I am going to get you some coffee and second I am going to put you into bed so you can get some rest. Then tomorrow I will explain everything and don't worry I won't be sneaking out in the middle of the night" I tell her as I help her to her feet and lead her upstairs. When we get to her room I head for her bathroom to draw her bath but soon realize she has other intentions.
"You can forget the coffee and the bath, which I know you are planning. And your right you won't be disappearing in the middle of the night because you are going to be with me all night" she insists. Then she pulled me toward the bed by the lapel of my leather jacket.
"Miss. Parker this isn't a good idea you have had quite a lot to drink this evening and you're not thinking clearly" I try to reason with her as she pushed me back so I had no choice but sit down on the bed.
"You're right it isn't a good idea, it is however a great idea" she tells me as she straddles my lap and plants another deep kiss on my lips. That second kiss was my undoing and I shut the logical part of my brain off and just let the moment happen. I could tell by the way she was acting that she really needed someone to love her, and right now that is all I want to do.
The next morning…
I awoke first a little confused as to where I was, and then I see the beautiful Miss. Parker sleeping against my chest. I place my hand on her shoulder and start to rub my hand up and down her arm softly hoping that I don't disturb the Angel in my arms. I watch her sleep and remember the prior night's events, silently hoping that what happened between us only hours ago didn't cause further problems. Lost in my thoughts I didn't realize that Miss. Parker had awakened.
"You know you're going to fry some of those brain cells if you keep thinking so much" she tells me jokingly. I pull her tightly against me and place a kiss to the top of her head.
"I think I have plenty to spare, don't you think" I tell her as I laugh at her attempt at humor.
"So tell me Jarod, how are "we" going to bring down Raines and the Centre" she inquires as she repositions herself so she is now lying on my shoulder.
"I have already put events in motion; I just wanted you to join me for the final downfall. Figured you'd enjoy seeing Raines and Lyle getting what they have coming to them" I explain to her with a large smile on my face.
"Then why did you come here asking for my help, if you already planned everything out" she asked as she propped herself up onto her elbow and looked into my eyes.
"I said 'If you and I work together' not for your help. What I did before I came here last night only took away his physical power but seeing us walking in standing together on the same side will take away all his emotional power. So he will know what it means to be powerless" I state as I brush away the tears that started to flow down her face, "As for your psycho twin he along with Raines are going to be arrested for murder" I continue to explain.
"Spare me all the technical crap and tell me when do we, get to wipe the smirks off their twisted faces" she said gleefully as she resumed her position on my shoulder and kissed my neck.
"Glad to see last night hasn't changed you" I laugh as I again place a kiss on her head lovingly. "But anyway to answer your question, anytime you want I just have to signal the SWAT team to meet us at the Centre".
"Well I guess that would involve getting up and getting dressed huh" she mused.
Going along with her train of thought "Sadly it does but it doesn't have to be right away" I tell her.
A few hours later…
We had finally made it out of bed and got cleaned up. Then while she was in the shower I took the opportunity to make us some lunch. We had eaten lunch in moderate silence the only words that were spoken was Miss. Parker's complements on my cooking skills. I was almost finished with the dishes when Miss. Parker came up behind me wrapping her arms around waist and then started to run her hands along my chest from behind.
"I didn't know that you cooked. You never left any indication at any of your hide-outs" she mused as she pressed her head against my back.
"Actually I taught at a culinary for a few weeks, I guess you missed that one" I laughed and took hold of one of her roaming hands and kissed it loving. I am so happy that we are no longer huntress and prey but I have a feeling that something was wrong with this picture and I think she senses it.
"What's wrong Jarod" Miss. Parker inquired as I turned around still in her embrace. I leaned against the sink and considered her question.
"Nothing is wrong everything is going to go according to plan, but the only thing that is wrong is that I have never fully told you how much I love you" I tell her as I cup her face with my hands and draw her to me and place a long deep kiss on her lips.
"Oh Jarod, I have known ever since we were kids and I gave you your first kiss. I am so sorry that I never told you how I felt because then it was too dangerous for you and especially for me" she tells me in the most loving tone, a tone that I thought I would never hear from her. After she said that I knew the time was right for the other part of my plan to be put into effect.
I pull her into a tight embrace, I hold her like that for a while letting all the pain and distrust we shared melt away. I finally release her from our embrace and I drop down to one knee "I have been waiting a lifetime to hear you say that. I feel that the time is right to tell you my true intentions in coming here" I reach into my shirt pocket and pull out a small box.
"Would you be willing to do me the great pleasure of becoming my wife from now until the end of time" I ask her as I place the ring on her delicate but powerful left hand and kiss it tenderly, and then I look up into her beautiful blue eyes again which, are now sparkling with tears threatening to fall. She had her right hand over her mouth obviously speech less from my proposal she knelt down to my eyelevel and let the tears fall.
"If you were really a genius then you would already know the answer to that, but since I am guessing you want me to say it. In that case boy-genius my answer is YES" she replied then kissed me again. "I just hope that I can keep a straight face when we take down Raines and Lyle" she and I both laughed at that it was really going to be a sight to behold.
A little while later…
We had made out way back to the living room and were again on the couch. I was sitting staring at the fire roaring in the fireplace and Miss. Parker was curled up next to me with her head resting on my shoulder. We had been discussing my plan to take down the Centre once and for all.
"You know Jarod the one thing that you haven't told me about your master plan is how you plan on getting into the building. There is a standing capture on sight order out on you" she inquired.
"Funny that you ask that, cause I plan on walking in the front door" I tell her as I bring her hand up to my lips and kiss it ever so gently.
"Oh I get it, like when you came in to trade for you father a couple of years ago, by the way how is he doing" she stated curiously as she repositions herself into my lap.
"Last I heard he and the boy were doing well. Anyway back to your original question, it is going to similar to that time but this time I won't be making a show in the lobby, I will be in your custody. You will pretend to have captured me and to show your loyalty, you will present me to Raines in handcuffs" I explain to her with a large smile on my face. "But of course the cuffs will be loose enough to look secure but not totally locked so the I can slip out of them and pull my gun that will be hidden in my waist band under my jacket" I continue to explain how events will unfold.
"You really have everything planned out down to every detail, haven't you" she states in jest.
"I can't hold my excitement anymore let's get to it" Miss Parker exclaims as she gets up and pulls me to my feet and plants another deep kiss on my lips.
After she pulled backed from the kiss, she ran upstairs to her room to I suspect change before we start our show.
About an hour later…
"Parker, do you plan on coming back down any time this decade" I holler up the stairs I was starting to get a little impatient since I have been ready for quite a while.
"I coming, if you don't calm down I might just turn you in for real" she snapped. Just then I see her starting to descend the stairs and I realize what had taken her so long. She was dressed in high stiletto leather boots that ran up her leg to stop just below her knee, a black leather mini-skirt that matched her boots, a bright red satin blouse, and a full length black leather coat that showed her power and grace. No man in their right mind would attempt to cross her that is if they wanted to live.
"I might just let you do that. You are absolutely stunning I pity Raines and Lyle like the saying goes "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned", they won't know what hit them" I tell her as I cup the back of her head and claim her bright red lips, which of course match her blouse, in a passionate kiss.
"You keep kissing me like that lab-rat and we will never make them pay for what they have done" she tells me as she breaks the kiss and makes for the door grabbing her gun as she goes.
We exit her house and she climbs behind the steering wheel of her Centre issued black sedan and I climb into the passenger seat and pull out my cell phone.
"This is Special Agent Jarod Dillon, have the SWAT team meet up with me at the facility in about an hour. There will be no further contact until the rendezvous point" I put my cell phone back into my jacket pocket and settle into the seat.
"Special Agent? Which agencies credentials did you forge for your final pretend" she inquired as we made our way to Blue Cove.
"Since you asked so nicely, the FBI was happy to provide me with the credentials after I got the agents to listen to what had happened over the last thirty years; the murders, the kidnappings, the lives they have ruined. So I didn't need to forge the credentials, as a matter of fact I got them to issue you a set along with a set for Sydney and Broots" I tell her in a humorous tone. I pull her new identification out of my inside jacket pocket and hand it to her.
"Special Agent Angelica Parker, issue date December 12, 2001" she read aloud. "December 12th, that was two days after our time on the island, you really have been planning this for a long time" she continued. "Angelica, huh. I didn't think that you still remember my first name, nobody uses it so I almost forgot that I almost forgot that I even had one" she laughed.
"Do you think that I would ever forget the first name of the girl that gave me my first kiss all those years ago" I tell her lovingly, as I take hold of her hand and entwine our fingers together.
We stop at the main gates that lead up to the Centre's main building. It's time to put everything into motion and bring down the Centre once and for all time.
"Angelica, it's time to do the one thing that you have been wanting to do for years" I tell her as I pull a set of handcuffs out of my jacket pocket and hand them to her.
"That is Miss. Parker to you lab-rat" she snapped in her famous cold and threatening tone, but I can tell by the look in her eyes that she was being sarcastic as she snatched the cuffs from me.
I scoot forward in my seat so that I am leaning against the dash and place my hands behind my back. "Remember they have to be loose enough for me to be able to slip out of them when the team arrives" I tell her as I feel her fastening the cuffs.
"You keep pushing my buttons boy wonder and I might just turn you in for real, I know what I am doing" she snaps slipping back into her role of 'take no prisoners' huntress.
I couldn't help myself from getting one more rise out of her "I never thought that I would ever be saying this, but as sadistic as your brother is he is right about one thing" I start as I lean back in the seat for the remainder of the drive up hells highway.
"And what might that be that you are a pain in the ass" she quips going along with me.
"That is also true" I laugh but then continue "But what I was referring to was, you are beautiful when you're angry" we both laugh at that for a moment then from out of the blue she slaps me across the face.
"Hey what was that for" I question as I recover from the surprising attack.
"Wouldn't want them to be suspicious that this "capture" was planned, now do we" she explains. She was right and a few bruises would help her convince Raines and Lyle that I gave her a fight when being captured.
"Good point, but next time you could give a guy a bit of a warning" I tell her as I lean my head against the seats headrest.
A few moments later…
We arrive at the front doors and even though I know that this whole thing is just another pretend, but I just can't help but be nervous, considering that I spent most of my time on the outside trying to keep as far away from this place as I could get and now I am walking in the front door willing.
"Time to make your presence known" Parker chimes gleefully. I can tell that she is really enjoying this as she gets out of the car and walks around the front to my side. As I watch her cross in front of me I am again blown away by her overwhelming grace and strength in her stride; that told most people to back off and not to mess with this woman you might live long if you do.
She opened the door and pulled me out rather roughly. Parker knew as well I as did that as soon as we pulled up to the front doors we were being watched so we had to give them a good show. She grabbed me by my arm and shoved me towards the doors, to help our plan I start to struggle and drag my feet as she leads me up the steps, making sure to show my defiance. We enter the doors and the normal Centre daily routine came to a standstill everyone that was in the lobby immediately stopped what they were doing and looked our direction.
"See Jarod, I am not the only one who has been waiting for this day" Parker quips as she leads me towards the elevators. As we make our way across the lobby Sweepers start to appear but Parker just glares at them silently telling them that she doesn't need their help. We get to the elevator and we file in, I start to let a mischievous grin creep across my face. Parker noticed and elbowed me in the gut, which knocked the air out of me and caused me to fall to one knee.
"Wipe that grin off your face or you'll blow the plan" she whispered sternly as I rise from the floor and lean against the back wall, I look at her and show that I have removed all emotion for my face. As the compartment comes to a stop she pulls me to the center of the elevator, and then slips me the key to the cuffs but making it look like she was making sure I couldn't get free for the camera that was in the corner.
We exit the compartment and silently make out way down the hall to Raines's office, the only sound in the corridor is the snaps of Miss. Parker's stilettos hitting the tile floor effectively announcing our arrival. We stop just outside the glass doors leading into Raines's office; I look at her and wink telling her that everything is going be alright we both take and deep breath to calm ourselves so we can stare down our lifelong devils and put an end to the Centre forever.
When I enter the office I see to my pleasure Raines and Lyle, 'Good get to kill two birds with one stone sort a speak' I think to myself making sure not to show their presence effected me. They had been reviewing files when we entered, and upon seeing me they close their files and stare at us with their jaws slightly opened in surprise.
"I was starting to doubt if you were going to show me a sign of loyalty" Raines wheezed as he rose from behind his desk to stand in front of me. "See Jarod all those games and lies you kept tormenting my daughter with over the years were all for nothing, she is a Parker and has a strong survival instinct. Congratulations, Miss. Parker you have done your family proud" he praises, with a voice that would make even a dead man's skin crawl.
I just remained still and let him gloat because I knew in a few minutes their world will be coming to an end.
"What the matter Jarod, cat got your tongue" Lyle quips as he too approaches me, "As much as I am pleased my sister brought you back finally I wish I had so that I could have a little pay back" he continued.
"I have upheld my end of the bargain I am leaving the Centre for good, he his all yours" Miss. Parker announced as she released her grip on my arm.
"What do you mean, are you sure that you don't want to stick around to see what comes next" I tell her then give her another wink signaling that it was time. Before anyone could say anything else in protest the main lights went out and the emergency lights illuminated the office. I slip out of the handcuffs and pull my gun from my waist band.
"Miss. Parker is right she is leaving and I am going with her and you two are going to prison for the rest of your miserable lives" I announce as I aim my gun at Lyle and at this point Parker has her gun aimed at Raines.
Caught off guard Lyle tries to act as if he is still in control "What makes you think that you two are going to make it out of this building ALIVE. There are Sweepers everywhere" he insists.
"Mostly the fact that I didn't come here alone" and just as I reply the office doors burst open and my SWAT team enters the room, with guns drawn.
"The building is secured Agent Dillon" the team leader tells me.
"Thank you Sergeant, place these two under arrest and make sure to read them their rights" I instruct as I lower my gun and pull Parker close to me by her waist.
"Arrest? You don't have the authority to arrest us you're no Agent" Lyle screams as he is placed in handcuffs.
"Actually, I am a Special Agent with the FBI and so is my lovely fiancé, isn't that right sweety" I declare as I pull my badge out of my inside jacket pocket.
In total shock of my announcement Raines and Lyle stop resisting the other agents and stare at us. As they were led by us I pull my once huntress into a deep and passionate kiss. The other agents lead the former Centre elite out of the office leaving us alone.
We break our kiss and look into each other's eyes "I think that last part might have been a little over the top, Jarod" Parker tells me as we both break into a fit of laughter. She rests her head on my chest and then sighed a breath of relief.
"Yeah, your right but it was fun to see the look of utter defeat on their faces when they realized we were working together" I tell her as I hug her tightly "It is finally over and now we can get on with our lives" I continue.
We leave Raines's office and make our way back down to the lobby, picking Sydney, Broots, and of course Angelo up along the way. As we are standing outside the Centre's main doors I give Sydney and Broots their FBI credentials.
"Thank you Sydney for everything, now it is time for me to return the favor. You are now a Special Consultant with the FBI in Psychology and you live with your adopted son Angelo in Washington DC" I tell him and shake his hand. "As for you Mr. Broots you are also a Special Consultant with the FBI but in the field of cyber security and you live with your daughter in Washington DC" I also shake his hand but I can tell that he is very nervous about everything that has happened.
"Thank you Jarod. I think that I am going to take Debbie on that trip to France she has been begging me to take, then settle somewhere far from here" Broots states nervously as he continues to shake my hand.
"Ok Broots, just keep in touch" I tell him "You are free to do whatever makes you and your family happy" I assure him.
We all stand side by side and watch as Lyle and Raines are placed in the department of corrections vans. It is finally over for good now we can all get on with our lives without having to fear the Centre ruining our lives.
"So wonder boy, now that you have effectively put an end to the evil king's rule, what comes next" Miss Parker inquires as she pulls me into another passionate kiss in front of everyone.
To Be Continued…