Providential Pretender
by Andrea Christine
Written for the Pretender Story Auction, May 2002
The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware
"Scared. Want to go home." Angelo peered through the vents into a previously unused room in SL-39. As an empath, he was able to experience other people's feelings, but this intensity of emotion was unlike any other. He narrowed his eyes, hoping to get a glance of the person in the room below, but a tall black screen was blocking the view. Angelo turned around and crawled through the vent in the opposite direction. Something terrible was happening at The Centre, and he knew what he had to do. As he exited the vent on the other side of the building, Angelo saw a small black object on the floor. He bent down slowly and picked it up. Smiling, he now knew just how he could help.
* * *
University of New Mexico at Las Cruces
"Jarod Maxwell," Jarod answered the phone in his university office as he packed up his belongings. For the past several weeks, he had been teaching anthropology while exposing a fossil thief. It wouldn't be long until Miss Parker and her team would be on his path, so there wasn't much time. He had to move and do so immediately.
There was no sound on the other end of the line. "Hello?" Jarod repeated. "This is Dr. Maxwell."
"Scared," A haunted voice spoke in Jarod's ear. "Want to go home."
Jarod frowned. "Angelo? Is that you?" Since when did Angelo use a telephone? "Don't you know how dangerous it is to contact me like this?"
"Scared," The voice spoke again before hanging up.
Jarod shook his head in disbelief. Angelo typically sent pictures or clues through either the mail or the Internet, but the telephone was new territory. Sydney was the only one with whom Jarod had regular telephone conversations. Jarod and Miss Parker spoke occasionally, but it was usually only when they were trying to uncover another secret from the past. A smile tugged at Jarod's lips with the very thought of the woman who had chased him around the globe for over five years. "Wait a minute," Jarod reasoned. "If neither Sydney or Miss Parker are calling me, it must mean that there is some reason why they haven't called. Something's wrong. Very wrong." It was then that he glanced down at the Caller ID box next to the phone, one of his latest discoveries. The display read DR. SYDNEY HANSEN 555-0914.
Briefly forgetting the urgency of vacation Las Cruces, Jarod turned his laptop on and connected to the Internet. Within an hour, he knew almost everything there was to know about Dr. Sydney Hansen.
* * *
One Day Later
The Hansen House
Providence, Rhode Island
Joanie Hansen was frantic. Her four-year-old daughter Hannah watched her mother pace with large, frightened eyes. "It's just not like Syd to vanish," Joanie told her father, Jim. "She's not at the clinic and she's not answering her cell phone. Why aren't the police doing anything?" Her older sister Sydney was timely to a fault. When she had not arrived at the family's favorite restaurant for their late mother's birthday celebration the night before, everyone knew that something was amiss.
Jim tried to keep his voice steady, despite the fear that threatened to overwhelm him. "The officer said that it has to be over twenty-four hours before anyone can be officially declared missing. I'm sure that they'll do everything they can by tomorrow morning." His voice was flat and his face was grim. "Maybe she's with Owen. They could have gone somewhere for a couple of days and not told anyone about it." Jim couldn't imagine why his daughter and her lawyer boyfriend would be so inconsiderate, but he wanted to believe that the cause of Sydney's disappearance was something as simple as a romantic getaway.
The doorbell rang. "I'll get it," Joanie said. "I need to walk anyway."
A tall man with dark hair and deep brown eyes stood before her. "Hi, I'm Detective Jarod Lewis, from the Missing Persons Division. I'm here to help."
* * *
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker was in an especially foul mood as she strode into Broots' area. "Anything new, Broots?" she snapped.
"No, uh, not much," the tech stammered. "Just that the Las Cruces tip was bogus. Well, not bogus," Broots had a tendency to ramble when nervous, "but too late. Useless. He left no bread crumbs, so we have no idea where he's going to turn up next. It's as though his plans changed at the last minute."
"Great," Miss Parker replied, sarcasm dripping from her words. She slumped into the chair next to Broots' desk and sighed stormily.
"What's wrong, Miss Parker?" Sydney appeared in the doorway with his cup of morning coffee in one hand and a memo in the other. "Could it have something to do with this message from the Tower?"
"You guessed it, Freud." Miss Parker uncrossed her legs and stood up to pace. "They're putting another operative on our case. It's not bad enough that Lyle has been poking around here, then Raines has been more of an oddball than ever. Now we have yet someone else who will think they know everything about Jarod but will be completely useless."
Sydney said nothing, but listened sympathetically. "You may be pleasantly surprised, Miss Parker. Perhaps our new teammate will have a new and different perspective to offer our search for Jarod."
Miss Parker rolled her eyes. So they were all siding with the Tower. The Centre was a twisted enough place, but she could usually count on her own team to see things in the same way she did. Usually.
"Excuse me," Broots stood up. "I'm going to go get the mail." He was grateful for any reason to get away from the surly woman sitting opposite his desk.
He returned in a clearly shaken state. "You guys are not going to believe this," he muttered, holding a picture of a young woman with dark hair styled in long curls. Across the picture were the words SAVE HER, written in a childish scrawl.
Syd took the picture and studied it. "Have either of you ever seen this woman before?"
Miss Parker glanced at the woman. "No, how about you, Broots?"
"Never," Broots sat down at one of his many computers. "But something tells me we're about to find out."
* * *
Many levels below them, in SL-39, Dr. Sydney Hansen sat alone in the darkness, a tear streaming down her cheek. "Why do they want me?" But the shadows held no answer. She wished she could fall asleep, for at least when her mother appeared in her dreams, she wouldn't be alone.
* * *
The Hansen House
Providence, Rhode Island
"When did you notice your sister was missing?" Jarod pulled a pad of paper and pen from his briefcase as he began to question Joanie.
"Last night at the River Club," Joanie's large brown eyes were filled with tears. "Yesterday was our mother's birthday, she's been gone for over four years, but we still celebrate. Syd would never miss one of Mom's birthdays, ever."
Jarod nodded. "I see," he replied, jotting something down in his red notebook. The sadness of being separated from his own mother began to cloud over his soul, but he was determined to maintain professional conduct. He knew that the relentless melancholy would find him again, alone in the motel room in the middle of the night, but it could not interfere with saving a woman's life.
"Then I called the clinic, it's called St. Claire's, where Syd works," Joanie continued. "But Syd's assistant Izzy hadn't seen her since early yesterday morning. She had gone out to see a patient in the hospital but never came back."
"Is the hospital far from the clinic?" Jarod asked.
"Yes, about twenty minutes," Joanie replied.
Jarod wrote something else in his notebook. "She could have been followed. Do you know if anyone was stalking her?"
"No," Joanie answered, "not anymore. Syd had some trouble with a schizophrenic patient a few months ago. He even tried to burn the clinic down, with Syd inside, but he's been locked up ever since then."
"Thanks," Jarod forced a smile, frustrated that these interviews had yielded no useful information. He said nothing about the phone call, not wanting to unduly alarm the family. What he needed was a solid tie to The Centre or any of its operatives. Due to Angelo's inside information, Jarod knew more about The Centre and its staff than anyone else. However, at the moment, there was no evidence to conclusively connect Dr. Sydney Hansen's disappearance with The Centre. Nevertheless, Jarod couldn't let it go at that. He would surely find the answers if he only asked the right questions.
"Does Sydney live here?" Jarod inquired.
Joanie nodded. "She has the guesthouse around back."
"Can I go there and have a look?" Jarod didn't want to appear intrusive.
Joanie led him outside. "It's over this way."
"Thank you," Jarod said as Joanie turned the key and let him inside. "I find it helpful to know something about the person I'm looking for, to get inside their lives, see what they're thinking."
"Anything you think might help," Joanie exclaimed. "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. It's so weird, you're the only policeman to get this involved. Every time I call the station, they just put me off."
"I'll do my best to help," Jarod promised.
Joanie excused herself and left Jarod alone in the guesthouse.
Jarod glanced around the apartment, searching for anything that could lead him in the right direction. It wasn't long until he found exactly what he needed. A stack of unopened mail on Sydney Hansen's bedside table. The first item in the pile was a large envelope with the Nu Genesis logo emblazoned in the upper left hand corner.
"They want you, Dr. Hansen, and I'm about to find out why," Jarod muttered as he opened the envelope.
* * *
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker's phone rang. "What?"
"Angel," Her father's rich baritone voice sounded the way it did when he needed a favor.
"Daddy," Miss Parker tried to be civil. "What is it?"
"I need you to come down to my office," Mr. Parker stated. "It's time you meet the new operative who will be working with you on Jarod's case."
Miss Parker groaned, remembering when Lyle and Brigitte had been put on the case. They had done nothing to help, only causing her more aggravation. "I've told you, Daddy, we don't need . . ."
Mr. Parker cut her off. "Come to my office NOW. There's no use in avoiding it." He hung up the phone with an audible click.
When she got to her father's office, Miss Parker was most displeased to note that Raines was among those at the meeting. She had expected her father and Sydney, but the garish ghoul was more than she could take.
"Miss Parker," Raines hissed. "So nice of you to join us."
Mr. Parker gave Raines a warning glance. "Angel, this is Molly."
A young woman with long red hair and intense brown eyes stepped into the room. Not intimidated by the other woman's frosty exterior, she looked Miss Parker directly in the eye and smiled. "It's very nice to finally meet you. Syd has told me so much about you."
"Sydney?" Miss Parker shrieked in disbelief. "You've been in on this, too? Plotting and scheming???"
Syd shook his head. "I haven't been plotting anything, Parker. Molly is a research psychologist, and the best place to utilize her skills is in our search for Jarod."
"Well, that's just peachy," Miss Parker snapped, turning to leave the room.
"Angel," her father warned. "You're staying right here."
Trying to keep her anger as hidden as possible, she stopped and sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs opposite her father's desk.
* * *
The darkness was closing in on her. Sydney Hansen didn't know how much longer she could hold out. "What do you want?" Her voice was full of fatigue and defeat.
A handsome man with a sinister smile stepped into the small pool of light in the chamber. "You're here because you're special," he said sarcastically. "We've been watching you." His tone suddenly became serious. "You see, Dr. Hansen, we're missing someone who can perform great services for us. This, of course, was devastating to The Centre. That is, until we found someone who can more or less fill his shoes. That's you, my dear." He gestured toward Sydney, and she noticed that he wore a tight black glove on one hand. Despite exposure to maimed bodies in her years of medical practice, Sydney shuddered when she realized that the man was missing his thumb.
* * *
The Hansen House
Providence, Rhode Island
Inside the guesthouse, Jarod read through the letter from Nu Genesis. It requested Dr. Sydney Hansen's attendance at a fundraiser, but he had a feeling that there was more to it than a social event. He dialed the number on the RSVP card.
"Nu Genesis, Genetic Profiling Department," A man answered at the other end.
"Hello, I'm calling to RSVP for the fundraiser," Jarod said.
"Fundraiser? Sir, you must be mistaken." The line disconnected as if it had been cut off from an outside source.
He surveyed the apartment one last time, closing the door behind him. Knowing what Nu Genesis had been capable of doing in the past, Jarod felt the urgency to disclose part of his assessment of Sydney's disappearance.
Dr. Jim Hansen was pacing back and forth in the yard behind the entrance to his veterinarian's clinic, unable to focus on his work as long as his daughter was missing. He forced a smile when he saw Jarod emerge from the guesthouse. "Detective Lewis, did you find anything that might help us?"
"Yes, I did," Jarod began in a cautious tone. "Dr. Hansen, have you ever heard of a place called the Nu Genesis Fertility Clinic? I have reason to believe that they are behind what's happened to your daughter."
Jim's face turned pale. "I think we should discuss this privately. Let's go down to my office."
* * *
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"That bad?" Broots asked, trying to discern the outcome of the meeting by the expression on Miss Parker's face. He decided that it must have been a disaster.
"Worse," she confided in one of the few people she secretly considered to be a friend, "they've brought in this research psychologist. Apparently, The Centre sponsored a grant that paid for her graduate work, and now she's working here as part of the arrangement. Syd was in on it from day one."
"Syd? Really?" Broots was astonished.
"It looks that way," Miss Parker answered cryptically.
She needed the solace of her own office, where she could at least brood in silence. As soon as she opened the door, she saw the research psychologist sitting across from her desk. "Don't tell me that they've given you my office!"
Molly smiled, shaking her head. "No, I'm here to see you."
"What do you need?" Miss Parker's patience was wearing thin.
"I'd like to talk to you about Jarod," Molly began. "If I'm going to be looking for him, I need to know about him from someone who's known him a long time. Syd said you two had practically grown up together."
Molly did not appear to be impertinent like Brigitte, so Miss Parker reluctantly decided to cooperate.
"Yes, we did," she stated. "We met when we were about nine years old." Then, for no reason at all, she found herself telling the strange woman every memory she had of herself and Jarod as children, including how he had tried to comfort her after Catherine Parker's
death.
"There's only one thing that doesn't make sense," Molly said after Miss Parker was finished. "Why is The Centre still trying to catch Jarod if they've found someone to replace him?"
"Replace Jarod?" Miss Parker was shocked. "That's news to me."
"Please, don't tell anyone what I said," Molly asked, "but I heard Mr. Raines say something to your father about a new Pretender Project in SL-39."
"SL-39? But no one has used it for decades," Miss Parker declared. Even assuming this improbably story was true, why would Molly tell her something like this? Who was Molly, in reality? Had Raines sent her for more than a research position? Miss Parker suddenly regretted telling Molly details of her early relationship with Jarod.
Molly glanced at her watch. "It's almost three o'clock. Syd is supposed to show me around the research facilities."
* * *
Hansen Veterinary Clinic
Providence, Rhode Island
Jim showed Jarod to his office and shut the door behind them.
"What I'm about to tell you is very personal, Detective Lewis, but I'd do anything to get Sydney back," Jim began. "When my wife, Lynda, and I were first married, we had trouble, it took a while to conceive a child. A friend told us about this clinic out of state, so we decided to give it a try."
"Nu Genesis," Jarod said.
Jim nodded. "At first it seemed like an up-and-up place, but some of the doctors gave me the creeps. They asked if we'd like to have any genetic testing done. This would probably not seem unusual to anyone today, but back then this type of science was unheard of. It had only been a couple of decades after the discovery of DNA. Anywy, the people at Nu Genesis told us that they could find out if our child had any special gifts. Lynda and I declined the offer, but something just didn't feel right. We were eventually able to have our family; Sydney and her sister and brother, Joanie and Robbie, and we heard nothing from Nu Genesis ever again. Until Sydney received this letter."
"I called this number for the RSVP," Jarod told Jim. "I pretended to contact them about the fundraiser, but they didn't know what I was talking about."
"Why am I not surprised?" Jim sighed and looked down at his hands.
"We ARE going to get Sydney back," Jarod assured the older man.
* * *
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Broots," Miss Parker spoke in a hushed tone, in order to not be overheard, "I want you to run a search on anything having to do with a new Pretender Project."
"A new Pretender Project?" Broots wasn't sure he had heard Miss Parker correctly.
"Yes, but be quick."
"Right away." The tech turned to the computer and began to search. On their last covert mission, Broots had discovered a discreet, electronic method of tracking Raines, one that did not involve breaking into his office. "Oh!" His eyes grew large over what he saw in a file code-named PROVIDENCE. "Miss Parker! Raines HAS found someone!"
"Another child?" Miss Parker's stomach turned at the thought of Raines and his associates doing more experiments on helpless children.
"No, this time they've kidnapped a woman," informed Broots. "Her name is Sydney Hansen and she's a doctor from Providence." He scrolled down the page for more information. "Her parents went to Nu Genesis in the 1960's, where they performed secret testing to see if she had the Pretender gene."
Miss Parker bent down to look at the screen. "Then why wasn't she listed in the Red Files? I've never heard of her."
Broots squinted as he read. "She was on a backup list, in case any of the others didn't work out. Apparently, she doesn't have as much of the trait as those in the Red Files."
"Miss Parker? Broots?" Syd called out as he entered Broots' area. "Oh, here you are. It didn't sound like anyone was around. Broots, I need you to search for something, discreetly and quickly."
"All right," Broots agreed. "It doesn't have anything to do with a doctor from Providence, does it?"
Syd's face turned white. "Yes, it does. Molly told me."
"She told me earlier today about some experiment," Miss Parker stated. "But I didn't think it was real."
"It's real," Syd answered. "Frighteningly real."
Out in the hallway, Molly took a cell phone out of her pocket and dialed a number. "They've found the truth," she said with a smile.
* * *
The Hansen House
Providence, Rhode Island
"I need to go out of town for a couple of days," Jarod told Jim, Joanie and Robbie. "I have a lead on your sister, and the less time I delay, the better."
"Where are you going?" Joanie asked, desperate for information.
Jarod smiled sadly. "Joanie, I would tell you if I could." His voice was gentle, full of sympathy for someone who craved unavailable answers. He knew he could divulge nothing further than what he had discussed with Jim. "I'm going to do everything possible to get your sister back."
* * *
Lyle was waiting in the hallway of SL-39 when Raines emerged from the isolation room.
"How are things going with the good doctor?" Lyle asked Raines. "Is she doing any sims yet?"
"Something tells me she's going to cooperate one of these days," Raines growled. "If she wants to see her family alive again." He held a picture of the Hansen family, recently taken on a vacation to Martha's Vineyard.
"Very good," Lyle affirmed. "Does my sister know about this? If she hasn't found out yet, she will, the way she's always snooping around here with Syd and Broots."
"If she does, she'll find herself at the bottom of the Providence River with the Hansens," snarled Raines. He reached for the phone on the wall and dialed the transportation
department. "I need a jet. We're going to Providence, after a little stop to Nu Genesis."
* * *
Four Hours Later
Outside The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
The thought of returning to The Centre made Jarod's skin crawl. He had found it necessary to break in on certain occasions, such as the time he had rescued his father, Major Charles, and his thirteen-year-old clone. Jarod pushed away his revulsion; saving Sydney Hansen's life was worth every bit of effort he could muster.
Jarod lowered himself through the manhole that led to one of the numerous vents and tunnels in The Centre's vast underground network of levels. Once inside, he saw a familiar form at the other end. "Angelo!" He was overjoyed to see his childhood friend, but had to keep his voice low as not to be discovered.
"Jarod going to help." Even though it was dark and they could not see one another, Jarod knew Angelo was smiling.
"Yes, I am, Angelo."
"Must see helper first," Angelo signaled to Jarod to follow him.
* * *
The Centre
Broots' Area
Miss Parker stood up. "Broots, there's only one thing to do."
"What-what would that be, Miss Parker?" The tech was still astonished from his discovery of Raines' new project.
"My father may be able to hold me here until I've caught Jarod, but there's no way he or anyone else can make me just sit here and watch while they make another lab rat of someone they've literally dragged in off the street. I'm going down there." She looked down at Broots, who was still staring at the computer screen through eyes glassy with shock. "You coming, Broots?"
The tech switched off his computer. "You bet." He stopped for a second. "Are we going to leave word with Syd?"
"There's no time," Miss Parker replied. "He'll have to figure it out."
* * *
Above SL-39
"This way," Angelo guided Jarod to the end of the vent. "Down there."
"Jarod!" A woman was waiting in the shadows. Her dark eyes glistened with hope. "Finally!"
"Molly!" Jarod was pleased to see his helper. "I wouldn't have known where to turn next if you and Angelo hadn't kept me up to speed."
"I'll distract Lyle," Molly whispered. "He's guarding the isolation room."
Jarod nodded and stood covered in the darkness.
Lyle stood against the isolation room door, clearly pouting over his lack of success with Sydney Hansen.
"Mr. Lyle," Molly approached the sullen man, "I'm here to relieve you for a while. Syd gave me some new sims to try on her."
"Good," Lyle said, scowling. "Maybe you'll have better luck with her. She's as frustrating as they get. Try these." He shoved a stack of folders into Molly's hands. "I won't be back for the rest of the day. I've got a date with a waitress at The Hidden Truth."
Molly watched Lyle leave and waited a few seconds before signaling to Jarod. "He's gone, but you'd better go in the back door, just in case."
"Thanks, Molly." Jarod slipped inside as quietly as possibly, not wanting to alarm the already distraught woman inside.
Sydney was sitting in a chair against the wall in the darkest portion of the room. Her dark, curly hair was messy and her face was discolored from crying. "Whatever you want, I won't do it!"
"Shh," Jarod tried to comfort Sydney. "I'm not going to hurt you." He turned on the light in the hidden panel on the wall.
Sydney covered her eyes as the light flooded the room.
"I'm here to help you," Jarod began. "I know all about being trapped in The Centre. I was kidnapped when I was a small boy. They stole my entire life until I escaped a few years ago. Now I'm looking for my family while keeping The Centre from getting me back in this place."
"You're Jarod?" Sydney asked.
"Yes, I'm Jarod."
"But how do I know you're telling the truth?" Sydney was still skeptical.
"I've been to Providence, trying to help your family while I searched for you. I met Joanie, Robbie, your father, and your niece Hannah, too." Jarod tried to think of a detail that would convince her to trust him. "Hannah told me that the two of you had special plans for next weekend, when Joanie and Burt go to Maine. She said you're going to the apple orchard where your mother would take you and your sister when you were little. You would buy several barrels of apples and then spend the day..."
"Making homemade applesauce," Sydney finished. "That's all Hannah's talked about for the last week." Fresh tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Let me help you," Jarod entreated. He took her hand and gently led her to the back
door.
On the other side of the door stood Miss Parker and Broots. They nearly ran into Jarod and Sydney.
"Jarod?!?" Miss Parker couldn't believe her eyes.
"Don't tell me you were in on this," he growled.
"Of course not!" She seemed insulted by this accusation.
"I'm getting Sydney out of here," Jarod tried to push past Miss Parker and Broots.
"Not so fast, Jarod. You see, Broots and I came down here to help Dr. Hansen, too, but you and I are going to have a compromise. Sydney can leave, but you're staying."
"Miss Parker!" Jarod admonished. "Don't make her," he gestured to the frightened Sydney Hansen, "part of your quest to capture me. This is a chance to do something good. I know you're not really like these people in here. Prove to me that you're still the little girl who gave me my first kiss."
Their eyes locked for a fleeting moment. Jarod could see Miss Parker's wall of ice lower, her steely gaze replaced by a tender one. "All right, but hurry up. I've never seen either of you." She threw Jarod an annoyed glance. "You're not dumping any suspicion on me with this one. Come on, Broots, we're out of here."
"OK, I think that's a good idea," Broots said, beleaguered by the events of the day. He nearly jumped a foot in the air when the phone on the wall rang loudly enough to jar the receiver off its cradle.
"Let me handle this," Molly whispered, picking up the phone. She put a hand over the mouthpiece and listened intently to the other end before hanging up. "It was for Raines. Transportation was confirming his booking for a jet to Providence."
"My family!" Sydney moaned. "Jarod, what are we going to do?"
"We," Miss Parker announced, her anger at Raines growing stronger than her desperation to capture Jarod, "are going to get there before Raines does." She turned to Jarod. "Get her out of here. We'll meet you outside. The best thing you can do is disappear once she's with us."
* * *
Providence, Rhode Island
"Stay down," Miss Parker ordered Sydney as they drove through the streets of Providence in a rental car. "Molly and Broots will help you get somewhere safe." Molly and Broots had were following them in a second car, rented in case they needed to split up.
"What about St. Claire's?" Sydney suggested.
"No," Miss Parker answered. "They would expect you to go there. It wouldn't be safe."
"The orchard!" Sydney exclaimed. "It's a few miles outside of town, they'll never think of it." Given the interaction she had witnessed between the original Pretender and Miss Parker, she thought it best not to mention Jarod's name.
Miss Parker called Broots on her cell phone, and they pulled over to transfer Sydney to the other car. Molly got in the car with Miss Parker and they continued toward the Hansen house.
For time's sake, they didn't bother to knock. Miss Parker was dismayed to find the house empty. "Molly!" She called to the other woman in a hushed tone. "Did you find anyone upstairs?"
"No," Molly answered, "but I hear a car pulling into the driveway."
Miss Parker pushed the curtains aside. "It's Raines! And Lyle."
Molly reached for something in her purse while Miss Parker went to meet Raines and her brother.
"Too late, Raines," she announced. "They're not here."
"That's impossible," Raines barked. "Jarod must have gotten to them first."
"Jarod?" Miss Parker appeared bewildered. "Jarod has nothing to do with this. When I found out what the two of you *monsters* were doing, I had to draw the line. And this is it."
"Out of my way," Lyle got out of the car and started up the walk.
"I thought you had a date!" Molly appeared in the doorway. "The Hidden Truth, right? What a shame. You must have missed it."
"Luckily for the girl," Miss Parker muttered.
"Molly! You're supposed to be with our new Pretender." Lyle was clearly incensed.
"I thought about it," Molly answered. "But then I decided that it would be much more enlightening to try a few experiments of my own. Like this new drug The Centre is developing." She took two syringes out of her purse and plunged them into Raines' leg and Lyle's arm before either man knew what was happening. "Good night, boys." They slumped over onto the concrete, suddenly in a deep sleep.
"Not bad," Miss Parker observed. Maybe Molly would be able to help their team after all.
"They'll be out several hours," Molly stated. "Let's get going."
* * *
Providence Orchards
Broots noticed that Sydney appeared to relax more with every mile they traveled outside the city.
"This is a beautiful countryside," Broots observed. "I can see why you want to take your niece out here. My daughter Debbie would love it."
Sydney smiled. "It's one of my favorite places."
Broots continued to talk to her about Debbie and other lighthearted things until they reached the orchard.
Sydney peered into the distance. "My family is here!" She got out of the car and ran into her father's arms. "How did you get here?"
Before anyone could answer, Jarod stepped out from behind a large, leafy apple tree.
"Jarod!" Sydney was amazed. "You didn't disappear outside The Centre after all."
"Hello, Sydney," A man with a Belgian accent, about her father's age, was standing beside Jarod. "My name is also Sydney. I'm so sorry for everything that's happened. As soon as I found out, I waited for Jarod. We came to Providence and moved your family to safety. The orchard was Jarod's ideal; he knew you would be safe here."
Sydney's head was spinning. The past couple of days had seemed like a strange nightmare, but she felt as if she was at last waking up.
Broots stepped back from the happy reunion and smiled to himself. Ever since he had worked at The Centre, he had the nagging suspicion that he had been part of terrible things which no one could envision. Today, however, he, James Broots, had been part of something good. He watched with pride as the reunited family laugh and cry together.
His reverie was interrupted as Miss Parker and Molly approached in the second car. Please, he prayed, let them say they've found Raines and Lyle. He couldn't bear to see this time of joy shattered by The Centre's sinister deeds.
"Everyone safe?" Miss Parker asked as she sprinted across the orchard toward Jarod, Broots and Syd. "Jarod. I should have known."
Jarod smiled. "Come on, Miss Parker. Don't pretend to be vicious, just for one hour."
She said nothing, trying not to smile. She couldn't let Jarod know that he had won.
"We're going to need a couple strong guys to round up our outlaws," Molly told Jarod. "They're sleeping peacefully in the driveway over at the Hansens'."
"I understand the drug worked effectively?" Syd asked.
"Absolutely," Molly affirmed. "I guess I didn't get a chance to mention that my other specialty is making people forget. As soon as we're back in Blue Cove, I'll have those two in the Renewal Wing so quickly it will make your head spin. They won't remember a thing about Sydney Hansen or her family."
"You're not really a research psychologist, are you?" Broots inquired.
"Actually, I am," Molly answered. "Or I can be." She winked at Jarod.
* * *
Sydney Hansen's Apartment
Once Sydney Hansen returned home, she did everything she could to break loose from the horrors of the past two days. She took a thirty-minute shower and wrapped up in her favorite bathrobe. As soon as she sat down on her bed, she could feel her eyelids growing heavy. Sydney was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
"Well, dear, you're lucky to have friends in the right places," A middle-aged woman in a blue dress stepped into the room.
"Mom," Sydney murmured sleepily. "Where were you when I was in Delaware?"
"I was there with you, always when you needed me the most."
Sydney was silent for a moment. "I guess I've never asked you this, but can you go into anyone else's dreams? Or just mine?"
Lynda Hansen sat down on the edge of the bed, thinking it over. "I suppose I can go wherever I want."
"Good," Sydney replied. "Because there's someone I know who needs a comforting friend, someone who misses his own mother as much as I miss you."
"Jarod." Lynda said.
Sydney nodded.
"I'll see what I can do," Lynda promised.
* * *
Jarod was sleeping fitfully on a pull-out sofa bed in his newest hideout, a seedy motel in Portland, Maine. Since Miss Parker expected him to leave the area, he had assumed that he would be safe in New England if just for a few days.
He was dreaming of the years he had spent running from The Centre, searching for his family when a woman in a blue dress appeared and spoke his name.
"Do I know you?" Jarod asked, not entirely sure he wasn't asleep.
"No, but you know my daughter, Sydney Hansen. I'm Lynda." She sat down in the chair facing the sofa.
"But I thought you were..." Jarod began, confused.
"I am," Lynda said, "but I visit Sydney in her dreams. I wanted to find you and thank you for everything you've done for my daughter."
"I'd do it all over again if I needed to," Jarod replied. "No one should have to be locked up in a place like that."
"Especially not little boys," Lynda said tenderly. "I know you're looking for your family, and I want to tell you to never give up. Just as I find Sydney in her dreams, your mother will find you. We're always here when you need us the most."
She faded from sight a few moments later. Jarod slept soundly for the rest of the night, more peacefully than he had slept in years.
The End
by Andrea Christine
Written for the Pretender Story Auction, May 2002
The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware
"Scared. Want to go home." Angelo peered through the vents into a previously unused room in SL-39. As an empath, he was able to experience other people's feelings, but this intensity of emotion was unlike any other. He narrowed his eyes, hoping to get a glance of the person in the room below, but a tall black screen was blocking the view. Angelo turned around and crawled through the vent in the opposite direction. Something terrible was happening at The Centre, and he knew what he had to do. As he exited the vent on the other side of the building, Angelo saw a small black object on the floor. He bent down slowly and picked it up. Smiling, he now knew just how he could help.
* * *
University of New Mexico at Las Cruces
"Jarod Maxwell," Jarod answered the phone in his university office as he packed up his belongings. For the past several weeks, he had been teaching anthropology while exposing a fossil thief. It wouldn't be long until Miss Parker and her team would be on his path, so there wasn't much time. He had to move and do so immediately.
There was no sound on the other end of the line. "Hello?" Jarod repeated. "This is Dr. Maxwell."
"Scared," A haunted voice spoke in Jarod's ear. "Want to go home."
Jarod frowned. "Angelo? Is that you?" Since when did Angelo use a telephone? "Don't you know how dangerous it is to contact me like this?"
"Scared," The voice spoke again before hanging up.
Jarod shook his head in disbelief. Angelo typically sent pictures or clues through either the mail or the Internet, but the telephone was new territory. Sydney was the only one with whom Jarod had regular telephone conversations. Jarod and Miss Parker spoke occasionally, but it was usually only when they were trying to uncover another secret from the past. A smile tugged at Jarod's lips with the very thought of the woman who had chased him around the globe for over five years. "Wait a minute," Jarod reasoned. "If neither Sydney or Miss Parker are calling me, it must mean that there is some reason why they haven't called. Something's wrong. Very wrong." It was then that he glanced down at the Caller ID box next to the phone, one of his latest discoveries. The display read DR. SYDNEY HANSEN 555-0914.
Briefly forgetting the urgency of vacation Las Cruces, Jarod turned his laptop on and connected to the Internet. Within an hour, he knew almost everything there was to know about Dr. Sydney Hansen.
* * *
One Day Later
The Hansen House
Providence, Rhode Island
Joanie Hansen was frantic. Her four-year-old daughter Hannah watched her mother pace with large, frightened eyes. "It's just not like Syd to vanish," Joanie told her father, Jim. "She's not at the clinic and she's not answering her cell phone. Why aren't the police doing anything?" Her older sister Sydney was timely to a fault. When she had not arrived at the family's favorite restaurant for their late mother's birthday celebration the night before, everyone knew that something was amiss.
Jim tried to keep his voice steady, despite the fear that threatened to overwhelm him. "The officer said that it has to be over twenty-four hours before anyone can be officially declared missing. I'm sure that they'll do everything they can by tomorrow morning." His voice was flat and his face was grim. "Maybe she's with Owen. They could have gone somewhere for a couple of days and not told anyone about it." Jim couldn't imagine why his daughter and her lawyer boyfriend would be so inconsiderate, but he wanted to believe that the cause of Sydney's disappearance was something as simple as a romantic getaway.
The doorbell rang. "I'll get it," Joanie said. "I need to walk anyway."
A tall man with dark hair and deep brown eyes stood before her. "Hi, I'm Detective Jarod Lewis, from the Missing Persons Division. I'm here to help."
* * *
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker was in an especially foul mood as she strode into Broots' area. "Anything new, Broots?" she snapped.
"No, uh, not much," the tech stammered. "Just that the Las Cruces tip was bogus. Well, not bogus," Broots had a tendency to ramble when nervous, "but too late. Useless. He left no bread crumbs, so we have no idea where he's going to turn up next. It's as though his plans changed at the last minute."
"Great," Miss Parker replied, sarcasm dripping from her words. She slumped into the chair next to Broots' desk and sighed stormily.
"What's wrong, Miss Parker?" Sydney appeared in the doorway with his cup of morning coffee in one hand and a memo in the other. "Could it have something to do with this message from the Tower?"
"You guessed it, Freud." Miss Parker uncrossed her legs and stood up to pace. "They're putting another operative on our case. It's not bad enough that Lyle has been poking around here, then Raines has been more of an oddball than ever. Now we have yet someone else who will think they know everything about Jarod but will be completely useless."
Sydney said nothing, but listened sympathetically. "You may be pleasantly surprised, Miss Parker. Perhaps our new teammate will have a new and different perspective to offer our search for Jarod."
Miss Parker rolled her eyes. So they were all siding with the Tower. The Centre was a twisted enough place, but she could usually count on her own team to see things in the same way she did. Usually.
"Excuse me," Broots stood up. "I'm going to go get the mail." He was grateful for any reason to get away from the surly woman sitting opposite his desk.
He returned in a clearly shaken state. "You guys are not going to believe this," he muttered, holding a picture of a young woman with dark hair styled in long curls. Across the picture were the words SAVE HER, written in a childish scrawl.
Syd took the picture and studied it. "Have either of you ever seen this woman before?"
Miss Parker glanced at the woman. "No, how about you, Broots?"
"Never," Broots sat down at one of his many computers. "But something tells me we're about to find out."
* * *
Many levels below them, in SL-39, Dr. Sydney Hansen sat alone in the darkness, a tear streaming down her cheek. "Why do they want me?" But the shadows held no answer. She wished she could fall asleep, for at least when her mother appeared in her dreams, she wouldn't be alone.
* * *
The Hansen House
Providence, Rhode Island
"When did you notice your sister was missing?" Jarod pulled a pad of paper and pen from his briefcase as he began to question Joanie.
"Last night at the River Club," Joanie's large brown eyes were filled with tears. "Yesterday was our mother's birthday, she's been gone for over four years, but we still celebrate. Syd would never miss one of Mom's birthdays, ever."
Jarod nodded. "I see," he replied, jotting something down in his red notebook. The sadness of being separated from his own mother began to cloud over his soul, but he was determined to maintain professional conduct. He knew that the relentless melancholy would find him again, alone in the motel room in the middle of the night, but it could not interfere with saving a woman's life.
"Then I called the clinic, it's called St. Claire's, where Syd works," Joanie continued. "But Syd's assistant Izzy hadn't seen her since early yesterday morning. She had gone out to see a patient in the hospital but never came back."
"Is the hospital far from the clinic?" Jarod asked.
"Yes, about twenty minutes," Joanie replied.
Jarod wrote something else in his notebook. "She could have been followed. Do you know if anyone was stalking her?"
"No," Joanie answered, "not anymore. Syd had some trouble with a schizophrenic patient a few months ago. He even tried to burn the clinic down, with Syd inside, but he's been locked up ever since then."
"Thanks," Jarod forced a smile, frustrated that these interviews had yielded no useful information. He said nothing about the phone call, not wanting to unduly alarm the family. What he needed was a solid tie to The Centre or any of its operatives. Due to Angelo's inside information, Jarod knew more about The Centre and its staff than anyone else. However, at the moment, there was no evidence to conclusively connect Dr. Sydney Hansen's disappearance with The Centre. Nevertheless, Jarod couldn't let it go at that. He would surely find the answers if he only asked the right questions.
"Does Sydney live here?" Jarod inquired.
Joanie nodded. "She has the guesthouse around back."
"Can I go there and have a look?" Jarod didn't want to appear intrusive.
Joanie led him outside. "It's over this way."
"Thank you," Jarod said as Joanie turned the key and let him inside. "I find it helpful to know something about the person I'm looking for, to get inside their lives, see what they're thinking."
"Anything you think might help," Joanie exclaimed. "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. It's so weird, you're the only policeman to get this involved. Every time I call the station, they just put me off."
"I'll do my best to help," Jarod promised.
Joanie excused herself and left Jarod alone in the guesthouse.
Jarod glanced around the apartment, searching for anything that could lead him in the right direction. It wasn't long until he found exactly what he needed. A stack of unopened mail on Sydney Hansen's bedside table. The first item in the pile was a large envelope with the Nu Genesis logo emblazoned in the upper left hand corner.
"They want you, Dr. Hansen, and I'm about to find out why," Jarod muttered as he opened the envelope.
* * *
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker's phone rang. "What?"
"Angel," Her father's rich baritone voice sounded the way it did when he needed a favor.
"Daddy," Miss Parker tried to be civil. "What is it?"
"I need you to come down to my office," Mr. Parker stated. "It's time you meet the new operative who will be working with you on Jarod's case."
Miss Parker groaned, remembering when Lyle and Brigitte had been put on the case. They had done nothing to help, only causing her more aggravation. "I've told you, Daddy, we don't need . . ."
Mr. Parker cut her off. "Come to my office NOW. There's no use in avoiding it." He hung up the phone with an audible click.
When she got to her father's office, Miss Parker was most displeased to note that Raines was among those at the meeting. She had expected her father and Sydney, but the garish ghoul was more than she could take.
"Miss Parker," Raines hissed. "So nice of you to join us."
Mr. Parker gave Raines a warning glance. "Angel, this is Molly."
A young woman with long red hair and intense brown eyes stepped into the room. Not intimidated by the other woman's frosty exterior, she looked Miss Parker directly in the eye and smiled. "It's very nice to finally meet you. Syd has told me so much about you."
"Sydney?" Miss Parker shrieked in disbelief. "You've been in on this, too? Plotting and scheming???"
Syd shook his head. "I haven't been plotting anything, Parker. Molly is a research psychologist, and the best place to utilize her skills is in our search for Jarod."
"Well, that's just peachy," Miss Parker snapped, turning to leave the room.
"Angel," her father warned. "You're staying right here."
Trying to keep her anger as hidden as possible, she stopped and sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs opposite her father's desk.
* * *
The darkness was closing in on her. Sydney Hansen didn't know how much longer she could hold out. "What do you want?" Her voice was full of fatigue and defeat.
A handsome man with a sinister smile stepped into the small pool of light in the chamber. "You're here because you're special," he said sarcastically. "We've been watching you." His tone suddenly became serious. "You see, Dr. Hansen, we're missing someone who can perform great services for us. This, of course, was devastating to The Centre. That is, until we found someone who can more or less fill his shoes. That's you, my dear." He gestured toward Sydney, and she noticed that he wore a tight black glove on one hand. Despite exposure to maimed bodies in her years of medical practice, Sydney shuddered when she realized that the man was missing his thumb.
* * *
The Hansen House
Providence, Rhode Island
Inside the guesthouse, Jarod read through the letter from Nu Genesis. It requested Dr. Sydney Hansen's attendance at a fundraiser, but he had a feeling that there was more to it than a social event. He dialed the number on the RSVP card.
"Nu Genesis, Genetic Profiling Department," A man answered at the other end.
"Hello, I'm calling to RSVP for the fundraiser," Jarod said.
"Fundraiser? Sir, you must be mistaken." The line disconnected as if it had been cut off from an outside source.
He surveyed the apartment one last time, closing the door behind him. Knowing what Nu Genesis had been capable of doing in the past, Jarod felt the urgency to disclose part of his assessment of Sydney's disappearance.
Dr. Jim Hansen was pacing back and forth in the yard behind the entrance to his veterinarian's clinic, unable to focus on his work as long as his daughter was missing. He forced a smile when he saw Jarod emerge from the guesthouse. "Detective Lewis, did you find anything that might help us?"
"Yes, I did," Jarod began in a cautious tone. "Dr. Hansen, have you ever heard of a place called the Nu Genesis Fertility Clinic? I have reason to believe that they are behind what's happened to your daughter."
Jim's face turned pale. "I think we should discuss this privately. Let's go down to my office."
* * *
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"That bad?" Broots asked, trying to discern the outcome of the meeting by the expression on Miss Parker's face. He decided that it must have been a disaster.
"Worse," she confided in one of the few people she secretly considered to be a friend, "they've brought in this research psychologist. Apparently, The Centre sponsored a grant that paid for her graduate work, and now she's working here as part of the arrangement. Syd was in on it from day one."
"Syd? Really?" Broots was astonished.
"It looks that way," Miss Parker answered cryptically.
She needed the solace of her own office, where she could at least brood in silence. As soon as she opened the door, she saw the research psychologist sitting across from her desk. "Don't tell me that they've given you my office!"
Molly smiled, shaking her head. "No, I'm here to see you."
"What do you need?" Miss Parker's patience was wearing thin.
"I'd like to talk to you about Jarod," Molly began. "If I'm going to be looking for him, I need to know about him from someone who's known him a long time. Syd said you two had practically grown up together."
Molly did not appear to be impertinent like Brigitte, so Miss Parker reluctantly decided to cooperate.
"Yes, we did," she stated. "We met when we were about nine years old." Then, for no reason at all, she found herself telling the strange woman every memory she had of herself and Jarod as children, including how he had tried to comfort her after Catherine Parker's
death.
"There's only one thing that doesn't make sense," Molly said after Miss Parker was finished. "Why is The Centre still trying to catch Jarod if they've found someone to replace him?"
"Replace Jarod?" Miss Parker was shocked. "That's news to me."
"Please, don't tell anyone what I said," Molly asked, "but I heard Mr. Raines say something to your father about a new Pretender Project in SL-39."
"SL-39? But no one has used it for decades," Miss Parker declared. Even assuming this improbably story was true, why would Molly tell her something like this? Who was Molly, in reality? Had Raines sent her for more than a research position? Miss Parker suddenly regretted telling Molly details of her early relationship with Jarod.
Molly glanced at her watch. "It's almost three o'clock. Syd is supposed to show me around the research facilities."
* * *
Hansen Veterinary Clinic
Providence, Rhode Island
Jim showed Jarod to his office and shut the door behind them.
"What I'm about to tell you is very personal, Detective Lewis, but I'd do anything to get Sydney back," Jim began. "When my wife, Lynda, and I were first married, we had trouble, it took a while to conceive a child. A friend told us about this clinic out of state, so we decided to give it a try."
"Nu Genesis," Jarod said.
Jim nodded. "At first it seemed like an up-and-up place, but some of the doctors gave me the creeps. They asked if we'd like to have any genetic testing done. This would probably not seem unusual to anyone today, but back then this type of science was unheard of. It had only been a couple of decades after the discovery of DNA. Anywy, the people at Nu Genesis told us that they could find out if our child had any special gifts. Lynda and I declined the offer, but something just didn't feel right. We were eventually able to have our family; Sydney and her sister and brother, Joanie and Robbie, and we heard nothing from Nu Genesis ever again. Until Sydney received this letter."
"I called this number for the RSVP," Jarod told Jim. "I pretended to contact them about the fundraiser, but they didn't know what I was talking about."
"Why am I not surprised?" Jim sighed and looked down at his hands.
"We ARE going to get Sydney back," Jarod assured the older man.
* * *
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Broots," Miss Parker spoke in a hushed tone, in order to not be overheard, "I want you to run a search on anything having to do with a new Pretender Project."
"A new Pretender Project?" Broots wasn't sure he had heard Miss Parker correctly.
"Yes, but be quick."
"Right away." The tech turned to the computer and began to search. On their last covert mission, Broots had discovered a discreet, electronic method of tracking Raines, one that did not involve breaking into his office. "Oh!" His eyes grew large over what he saw in a file code-named PROVIDENCE. "Miss Parker! Raines HAS found someone!"
"Another child?" Miss Parker's stomach turned at the thought of Raines and his associates doing more experiments on helpless children.
"No, this time they've kidnapped a woman," informed Broots. "Her name is Sydney Hansen and she's a doctor from Providence." He scrolled down the page for more information. "Her parents went to Nu Genesis in the 1960's, where they performed secret testing to see if she had the Pretender gene."
Miss Parker bent down to look at the screen. "Then why wasn't she listed in the Red Files? I've never heard of her."
Broots squinted as he read. "She was on a backup list, in case any of the others didn't work out. Apparently, she doesn't have as much of the trait as those in the Red Files."
"Miss Parker? Broots?" Syd called out as he entered Broots' area. "Oh, here you are. It didn't sound like anyone was around. Broots, I need you to search for something, discreetly and quickly."
"All right," Broots agreed. "It doesn't have anything to do with a doctor from Providence, does it?"
Syd's face turned white. "Yes, it does. Molly told me."
"She told me earlier today about some experiment," Miss Parker stated. "But I didn't think it was real."
"It's real," Syd answered. "Frighteningly real."
Out in the hallway, Molly took a cell phone out of her pocket and dialed a number. "They've found the truth," she said with a smile.
* * *
The Hansen House
Providence, Rhode Island
"I need to go out of town for a couple of days," Jarod told Jim, Joanie and Robbie. "I have a lead on your sister, and the less time I delay, the better."
"Where are you going?" Joanie asked, desperate for information.
Jarod smiled sadly. "Joanie, I would tell you if I could." His voice was gentle, full of sympathy for someone who craved unavailable answers. He knew he could divulge nothing further than what he had discussed with Jim. "I'm going to do everything possible to get your sister back."
* * *
Lyle was waiting in the hallway of SL-39 when Raines emerged from the isolation room.
"How are things going with the good doctor?" Lyle asked Raines. "Is she doing any sims yet?"
"Something tells me she's going to cooperate one of these days," Raines growled. "If she wants to see her family alive again." He held a picture of the Hansen family, recently taken on a vacation to Martha's Vineyard.
"Very good," Lyle affirmed. "Does my sister know about this? If she hasn't found out yet, she will, the way she's always snooping around here with Syd and Broots."
"If she does, she'll find herself at the bottom of the Providence River with the Hansens," snarled Raines. He reached for the phone on the wall and dialed the transportation
department. "I need a jet. We're going to Providence, after a little stop to Nu Genesis."
* * *
Four Hours Later
Outside The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
The thought of returning to The Centre made Jarod's skin crawl. He had found it necessary to break in on certain occasions, such as the time he had rescued his father, Major Charles, and his thirteen-year-old clone. Jarod pushed away his revulsion; saving Sydney Hansen's life was worth every bit of effort he could muster.
Jarod lowered himself through the manhole that led to one of the numerous vents and tunnels in The Centre's vast underground network of levels. Once inside, he saw a familiar form at the other end. "Angelo!" He was overjoyed to see his childhood friend, but had to keep his voice low as not to be discovered.
"Jarod going to help." Even though it was dark and they could not see one another, Jarod knew Angelo was smiling.
"Yes, I am, Angelo."
"Must see helper first," Angelo signaled to Jarod to follow him.
* * *
The Centre
Broots' Area
Miss Parker stood up. "Broots, there's only one thing to do."
"What-what would that be, Miss Parker?" The tech was still astonished from his discovery of Raines' new project.
"My father may be able to hold me here until I've caught Jarod, but there's no way he or anyone else can make me just sit here and watch while they make another lab rat of someone they've literally dragged in off the street. I'm going down there." She looked down at Broots, who was still staring at the computer screen through eyes glassy with shock. "You coming, Broots?"
The tech switched off his computer. "You bet." He stopped for a second. "Are we going to leave word with Syd?"
"There's no time," Miss Parker replied. "He'll have to figure it out."
* * *
Above SL-39
"This way," Angelo guided Jarod to the end of the vent. "Down there."
"Jarod!" A woman was waiting in the shadows. Her dark eyes glistened with hope. "Finally!"
"Molly!" Jarod was pleased to see his helper. "I wouldn't have known where to turn next if you and Angelo hadn't kept me up to speed."
"I'll distract Lyle," Molly whispered. "He's guarding the isolation room."
Jarod nodded and stood covered in the darkness.
Lyle stood against the isolation room door, clearly pouting over his lack of success with Sydney Hansen.
"Mr. Lyle," Molly approached the sullen man, "I'm here to relieve you for a while. Syd gave me some new sims to try on her."
"Good," Lyle said, scowling. "Maybe you'll have better luck with her. She's as frustrating as they get. Try these." He shoved a stack of folders into Molly's hands. "I won't be back for the rest of the day. I've got a date with a waitress at The Hidden Truth."
Molly watched Lyle leave and waited a few seconds before signaling to Jarod. "He's gone, but you'd better go in the back door, just in case."
"Thanks, Molly." Jarod slipped inside as quietly as possibly, not wanting to alarm the already distraught woman inside.
Sydney was sitting in a chair against the wall in the darkest portion of the room. Her dark, curly hair was messy and her face was discolored from crying. "Whatever you want, I won't do it!"
"Shh," Jarod tried to comfort Sydney. "I'm not going to hurt you." He turned on the light in the hidden panel on the wall.
Sydney covered her eyes as the light flooded the room.
"I'm here to help you," Jarod began. "I know all about being trapped in The Centre. I was kidnapped when I was a small boy. They stole my entire life until I escaped a few years ago. Now I'm looking for my family while keeping The Centre from getting me back in this place."
"You're Jarod?" Sydney asked.
"Yes, I'm Jarod."
"But how do I know you're telling the truth?" Sydney was still skeptical.
"I've been to Providence, trying to help your family while I searched for you. I met Joanie, Robbie, your father, and your niece Hannah, too." Jarod tried to think of a detail that would convince her to trust him. "Hannah told me that the two of you had special plans for next weekend, when Joanie and Burt go to Maine. She said you're going to the apple orchard where your mother would take you and your sister when you were little. You would buy several barrels of apples and then spend the day..."
"Making homemade applesauce," Sydney finished. "That's all Hannah's talked about for the last week." Fresh tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Let me help you," Jarod entreated. He took her hand and gently led her to the back
door.
On the other side of the door stood Miss Parker and Broots. They nearly ran into Jarod and Sydney.
"Jarod?!?" Miss Parker couldn't believe her eyes.
"Don't tell me you were in on this," he growled.
"Of course not!" She seemed insulted by this accusation.
"I'm getting Sydney out of here," Jarod tried to push past Miss Parker and Broots.
"Not so fast, Jarod. You see, Broots and I came down here to help Dr. Hansen, too, but you and I are going to have a compromise. Sydney can leave, but you're staying."
"Miss Parker!" Jarod admonished. "Don't make her," he gestured to the frightened Sydney Hansen, "part of your quest to capture me. This is a chance to do something good. I know you're not really like these people in here. Prove to me that you're still the little girl who gave me my first kiss."
Their eyes locked for a fleeting moment. Jarod could see Miss Parker's wall of ice lower, her steely gaze replaced by a tender one. "All right, but hurry up. I've never seen either of you." She threw Jarod an annoyed glance. "You're not dumping any suspicion on me with this one. Come on, Broots, we're out of here."
"OK, I think that's a good idea," Broots said, beleaguered by the events of the day. He nearly jumped a foot in the air when the phone on the wall rang loudly enough to jar the receiver off its cradle.
"Let me handle this," Molly whispered, picking up the phone. She put a hand over the mouthpiece and listened intently to the other end before hanging up. "It was for Raines. Transportation was confirming his booking for a jet to Providence."
"My family!" Sydney moaned. "Jarod, what are we going to do?"
"We," Miss Parker announced, her anger at Raines growing stronger than her desperation to capture Jarod, "are going to get there before Raines does." She turned to Jarod. "Get her out of here. We'll meet you outside. The best thing you can do is disappear once she's with us."
* * *
Providence, Rhode Island
"Stay down," Miss Parker ordered Sydney as they drove through the streets of Providence in a rental car. "Molly and Broots will help you get somewhere safe." Molly and Broots had were following them in a second car, rented in case they needed to split up.
"What about St. Claire's?" Sydney suggested.
"No," Miss Parker answered. "They would expect you to go there. It wouldn't be safe."
"The orchard!" Sydney exclaimed. "It's a few miles outside of town, they'll never think of it." Given the interaction she had witnessed between the original Pretender and Miss Parker, she thought it best not to mention Jarod's name.
Miss Parker called Broots on her cell phone, and they pulled over to transfer Sydney to the other car. Molly got in the car with Miss Parker and they continued toward the Hansen house.
For time's sake, they didn't bother to knock. Miss Parker was dismayed to find the house empty. "Molly!" She called to the other woman in a hushed tone. "Did you find anyone upstairs?"
"No," Molly answered, "but I hear a car pulling into the driveway."
Miss Parker pushed the curtains aside. "It's Raines! And Lyle."
Molly reached for something in her purse while Miss Parker went to meet Raines and her brother.
"Too late, Raines," she announced. "They're not here."
"That's impossible," Raines barked. "Jarod must have gotten to them first."
"Jarod?" Miss Parker appeared bewildered. "Jarod has nothing to do with this. When I found out what the two of you *monsters* were doing, I had to draw the line. And this is it."
"Out of my way," Lyle got out of the car and started up the walk.
"I thought you had a date!" Molly appeared in the doorway. "The Hidden Truth, right? What a shame. You must have missed it."
"Luckily for the girl," Miss Parker muttered.
"Molly! You're supposed to be with our new Pretender." Lyle was clearly incensed.
"I thought about it," Molly answered. "But then I decided that it would be much more enlightening to try a few experiments of my own. Like this new drug The Centre is developing." She took two syringes out of her purse and plunged them into Raines' leg and Lyle's arm before either man knew what was happening. "Good night, boys." They slumped over onto the concrete, suddenly in a deep sleep.
"Not bad," Miss Parker observed. Maybe Molly would be able to help their team after all.
"They'll be out several hours," Molly stated. "Let's get going."
* * *
Providence Orchards
Broots noticed that Sydney appeared to relax more with every mile they traveled outside the city.
"This is a beautiful countryside," Broots observed. "I can see why you want to take your niece out here. My daughter Debbie would love it."
Sydney smiled. "It's one of my favorite places."
Broots continued to talk to her about Debbie and other lighthearted things until they reached the orchard.
Sydney peered into the distance. "My family is here!" She got out of the car and ran into her father's arms. "How did you get here?"
Before anyone could answer, Jarod stepped out from behind a large, leafy apple tree.
"Jarod!" Sydney was amazed. "You didn't disappear outside The Centre after all."
"Hello, Sydney," A man with a Belgian accent, about her father's age, was standing beside Jarod. "My name is also Sydney. I'm so sorry for everything that's happened. As soon as I found out, I waited for Jarod. We came to Providence and moved your family to safety. The orchard was Jarod's ideal; he knew you would be safe here."
Sydney's head was spinning. The past couple of days had seemed like a strange nightmare, but she felt as if she was at last waking up.
Broots stepped back from the happy reunion and smiled to himself. Ever since he had worked at The Centre, he had the nagging suspicion that he had been part of terrible things which no one could envision. Today, however, he, James Broots, had been part of something good. He watched with pride as the reunited family laugh and cry together.
His reverie was interrupted as Miss Parker and Molly approached in the second car. Please, he prayed, let them say they've found Raines and Lyle. He couldn't bear to see this time of joy shattered by The Centre's sinister deeds.
"Everyone safe?" Miss Parker asked as she sprinted across the orchard toward Jarod, Broots and Syd. "Jarod. I should have known."
Jarod smiled. "Come on, Miss Parker. Don't pretend to be vicious, just for one hour."
She said nothing, trying not to smile. She couldn't let Jarod know that he had won.
"We're going to need a couple strong guys to round up our outlaws," Molly told Jarod. "They're sleeping peacefully in the driveway over at the Hansens'."
"I understand the drug worked effectively?" Syd asked.
"Absolutely," Molly affirmed. "I guess I didn't get a chance to mention that my other specialty is making people forget. As soon as we're back in Blue Cove, I'll have those two in the Renewal Wing so quickly it will make your head spin. They won't remember a thing about Sydney Hansen or her family."
"You're not really a research psychologist, are you?" Broots inquired.
"Actually, I am," Molly answered. "Or I can be." She winked at Jarod.
* * *
Sydney Hansen's Apartment
Once Sydney Hansen returned home, she did everything she could to break loose from the horrors of the past two days. She took a thirty-minute shower and wrapped up in her favorite bathrobe. As soon as she sat down on her bed, she could feel her eyelids growing heavy. Sydney was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
"Well, dear, you're lucky to have friends in the right places," A middle-aged woman in a blue dress stepped into the room.
"Mom," Sydney murmured sleepily. "Where were you when I was in Delaware?"
"I was there with you, always when you needed me the most."
Sydney was silent for a moment. "I guess I've never asked you this, but can you go into anyone else's dreams? Or just mine?"
Lynda Hansen sat down on the edge of the bed, thinking it over. "I suppose I can go wherever I want."
"Good," Sydney replied. "Because there's someone I know who needs a comforting friend, someone who misses his own mother as much as I miss you."
"Jarod." Lynda said.
Sydney nodded.
"I'll see what I can do," Lynda promised.
* * *
Jarod was sleeping fitfully on a pull-out sofa bed in his newest hideout, a seedy motel in Portland, Maine. Since Miss Parker expected him to leave the area, he had assumed that he would be safe in New England if just for a few days.
He was dreaming of the years he had spent running from The Centre, searching for his family when a woman in a blue dress appeared and spoke his name.
"Do I know you?" Jarod asked, not entirely sure he wasn't asleep.
"No, but you know my daughter, Sydney Hansen. I'm Lynda." She sat down in the chair facing the sofa.
"But I thought you were..." Jarod began, confused.
"I am," Lynda said, "but I visit Sydney in her dreams. I wanted to find you and thank you for everything you've done for my daughter."
"I'd do it all over again if I needed to," Jarod replied. "No one should have to be locked up in a place like that."
"Especially not little boys," Lynda said tenderly. "I know you're looking for your family, and I want to tell you to never give up. Just as I find Sydney in her dreams, your mother will find you. We're always here when you need us the most."
She faded from sight a few moments later. Jarod slept soundly for the rest of the night, more peacefully than he had slept in years.
The End