LIFE OR DEATH
PART 1: THE BEGINNING AND THE END
by SpaceCadet
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
It was a beautiful June day in the modest-sized town of Blue Cove, Delaware. The buzz of children's voices could be heard as they played in the streets, content to enjoy their summer holidays. The smell of sizzling meat could be smelled as neighbors got together for barbecues and to have a good time. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the nice weather. Everyone, it seemed, except for one man. At the Centre, Broots sat, as usual, in front of his computer screen typing ferociously, looking for a lead, even a small one, on where Jarod might be. The office was small and windowless, showing no sign of the beautiful weather, or of the people enjoying themselves outside. The desk surrounding Broots was cluttered with not only paperwork and electronics, but also with an abundance of fast food wrappers and pop bottles, obvious evidence to anyone that Mr. Broots had been working for quite a stretch without much of a break. Broots knew that he couldn't afford to take a break. Due, he could guess, to Mr. Lyle's continued presence around her and her father, Miss Parker had been in an especially bad mood lately and he knew that if he didn't find a lead soon, Miss Parker would take her frustrations out on him. So he had sent his daughter to her godmother's for the weekend and had hunkered down to work. Many people would find this boring. But not Broots. He enjoyed his job (when he wasn't running for his life or sneaking into Raines' office) and despite his moral objections to what the Centre did, it paid extremely well, and most of the time he enjoyed working with Sydney and Miss Parker. So, he was quite content just to work quietly, checking out leads for hours on end.
Broots was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice Miss Parker storm into the office angrily, with Sydney right behind her.
"Broots" she shouted shrilly, making him jump and spew his bag of chips all over the place.
"Wh... what is it?" he replied, attempting to clean the pieces of chip off the front of his pants.
"Tell me we have a lead. Please. Anything."
"Well, there's not really anything yet, but..."
"Don't give me 'but' Broots. There's got to be something."
Just then Broots computer beeped causing he, Parker and Sydney all to turn towards it. It beeped again. "Oh, hey wait I think I got something..."
"What?" said Miss Parker bluntly.
"Well, according to this, Jarod might be in Tulsa, Oklahoma working as a cop."
"Well then what are we waiting for, let's go."
"Yes, let's go." said a voice from the doorway.
At the sound of the voice, Miss Parker shuddered slightly. Parker, Sydney and Broots all turned around to see Mr. Lyle standing in the doorway, looking very smug. Lyle had been a real pain lately, always sticking his nose into everything Miss Parker did. Miss Parker stepped towards him slowly and menacingly, as Sydney and Broots both backed away slightly.
"What do you think you're doing, Lyle. Have you been standing there the whole time?"
"It doesn't matter." Lyle replied. "All that matters is that you have a lead on Jarod, and I'm coming with you."
"That won't be neccessary." Miss Parker cooly replied.
"Oh I think it will be, Sis." Lyle shot back. "I'll call for the jet and pick up a couple of sweepers. See you on the plane."
With that, he turned sharply and walked away, leaving Miss Parker to fume silently and turn to face Broots and Sydney. "Well, you heard the man, boys." she said quietly. "We're headed to Oklahoma."
Outside of Jarod's Lair
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Outside of a small apartment building in downtown Tulsa, Jarod was quietly making his exit. His Pretend was now over, and he knew that Miss Parker and the Centre would find him soon, so he had no reason to stick around. His Pretend this time had been fairly easy. As a cop, he had come to Tulsa to try and find the truth about a fellow cop who had been shot during a mugging. Jarod uncovered that the cop was shot by one of his colleagues after he uncovered that the man took bribes. The mugging had been staged, and the crooked cop had claimed that the mugger had gotten away. But Jarod had proved otherwise. And now, he was moving on with the knowledge that he had helped the slain officers widow deal with the tragedy and find out what really happened to her husband and get justice. And now he was confident that a murderer would go to jail, and he would quietly slip away, as he always did. He didn't know that this time would be different.
As Jarod ran briskly down the alleyway next to the apartment carrying his DSA's and a small duffelbag, he heard a gunshot ring out behind him. Thinking someone was in trouble, he turned around just in time to feel the full force of a bullet tear into his head. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious and bleeding profusely, as the gunman ran away unseen, leaving him there to die.
Inside Jarod's Lair
Tulsa Oklahoma
Within three hours of getting the lead, Parker, Sydney, Broots and Lyle were examining Jarod's last lair accompanied by several stone-faced sweepers. Jarod's latest lodgings were small and cramped, but livable. 'This is a far cry from some of the dives he's lived in before, including the Centre' thought Miss Parker, almost smiling at the thought. The place had the look of being lived in recently, but Parker could tell it had been cleaned out. Jarod had left almost nothing behind. The only evidence he had even lived here at all was a Garfield Pez dispenser left behind on the desk in front of the window, with a note underneath.
"Miss Parker,
Don't forget- the truth can kill you or set you free.
- Jarod"
Sydney appeared to have seen the note too, because Parker noticed that he looked casually over in interest. "It's nothing, Syd. Your boy just left me a little goodbye note, that's all." said Parker quietly, pocketing the note and the dispenser in her long leather trenchcoat before Lyle could see them.
Just in time, as Lyle sauntered over half a second later, peering out the window onto the fire escape. "What, Lyle? Do you actually think he's still out there. Jarod is nowhere near that stupid. Only you would even consider that possiblility, especially considering the evidence we've found. Jarod cleared out of this hole hours ago" Miss Parker barked.
At this comment, Lyle got a devious look in his eyes, like he knew something she didn't. At the same time, though, he also looked slightly perplexed. "He may have cleared out but he left his DSA's behind."
Lyle may as well have said that he had decided to give all of his worldly possessions to charity with the reaction he got. Broots dropped his 4000 dollar laptop on the floor with a thud, while Parker and Sydney both went as white as ghosts. "Lyle," said Miss Parker calmly, "You have to be mistaken. Jarod wouldn't do that. Those DSA's are his bargaining chip, and the key to his past. He needs them."
"I'm not mistaken, Sis." replied Lyle, but then he paused to look out the window again. "At least, I don't think I am. I can see the case in the alleyway from here. Come look."
Parker looked from where Lyle was standing and sure enough, there they were. The DSA's, just sitting there. "I'll be damned."
Within minutes, all four of them were at the front of the door, running around the corner into the alley. But when they got there, none of them were prepared for what they found. "Oh my God," said Sydney solemnly. "Somebody call an ambulance."
LIFE OR DEATH
PART 2: A RACE AGAINST TIME
Everyone stood there not knowing what to do, stunned by what they saw. "Well, why are you all just standing there? Somebody call an ambulance..." repeated Sydney. He still didn't move. Even Miss Parker could not move.
After what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was only a few seconds, Parker, Broots and Lyle began to react. Parker tentatively walked over and leaned down to check his pulse. Lyle took out his phone and began dialing. Broots said "Excuse me" very quietly and stepped away for a second to throw up on the pavement. Sydney still did not move.
As Lyle's phone rang, he casually asked Miss Parker "Is he still alive?"
All of Miss Parker's attention had been focused on Jarod's wrist so when she looked up to reply to Lyle, she shuddered and had to turn away at the gruesome scene in front of her to look directly at Lyle. "Yes. Yes he is Lyle. Barely, if you care... We have to get him to a hospital." Her comment hung in the air for a moment, giving it time to sink in. "I'm on it." he replied.
Miss Parker noticed that Sydney still hadn't moved. She got up slowly and walked towards him, genuinely concerned. "Syd..." she said. "Are you OK?"
For a moment it looked as though he was still in shock. Finally, he carefully and slowly answered "Yes, Miss Parker. I'm fine. I think it's Jarod we should be worried about right now." He looked as though he was about to start sobbing right there in the alley.
"Yeah, I know Syd. I just wanted to make sure you were still with us." replied Miss Parker.
Their conversation was cut short when Miss Parker heard who Lyle was talking to.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Miss Parker shouted. "There is no way in hell that we are taking him back to the Centre now. Not like this. We have to get him to a hospital!" She ripped his phone out of his hand mid- conversation. It fell hard on the pavement and shattered into several pieces.
"What do you think you're doing?" Lyle yelled. "I was getting a Centre helicopter to come pick us up and take him to the Centre infirmary. That's what you said, 'Get him to a hospital'. That's what I was doing! Did you have something else in mind?"
"Yes," replied Miss Parker, quickly covering for her moment of weakness. "We take him to a closer hospital. He may not make it to the Centre."
"The chopper could make it here in 10 minutes," replied Lyle. "It would take me that long just to get through to 911. Besides, the helicopter would have paramedics and doctors on board. Do you really think I'm stupid enough to let the Centre's greatest asset die Parker? Believe me when I tell you that the Centre doctors will take way better care of him than any hospital you could possibly get him to."
Parker looked at Sydney who still looked not quite all there. Then she looked at Broots who was leaning against the brick looking very sick. It looked as though the decision would be up to her. She shot a glance at Jarod, but again had to turn away in anger and sadness. Tentatively, she took her phone out of her purse and handed it to Lyle. "Here, you can use my phone."
"No," said Sydney quietly.
"What?" said Parker, while Lyle dialed.
"No," Sydney said again. "You can't let them do this, Miss Parker. He can't go back to the Centre like this." As he said this, he began to cry. "He could die. And even if he lives..." His words stung Miss Parker worse than anything anyone had ever said to her. Even Lyle looked almost upset while giving the Centre their location.
"Syd, we haven't got much of a choice."
Sydney was quiet for a few moments, obviously realizing that there was no real argument left. In silence, the four of them stood there, with Parker occasionally checking Jarod's pulse until the helicopter arrived and the paramedics moved him to a stretcher and strapped him in. Then they quickly began hooking him up to machines that would monitor his life signs and the helicopter took off.
Once the helicopter took off, everyone except the paramedics sat in silence, listening to the beeping of the monitors and the beating of the propeller. Meanwhile, the paramedics discussed Jarod's condition in terms that noone else there except perhaps Sydney could understand. Parker noticed that Sydney held Jarod's hand the whole way there. About five minutes from Blue Cove, Miss Parker's heart skipped a beat as the monitors went crazy and the paramedics informed them that Jarod might not even make it back to the Centre. They asked the four of them questions while they frantically tried to keep him alive about how long he'd been out there, what exactly had happened and did he he have any medical conditions they should know about. They didn't know the answers to any of the questions except the last. At this point Sydney began reciting Jarod's entire medical history and Broots began to chant "Oh my God" over and over. Normally Parker would have told him to shut up, but she was very close to behaving the same way herself. The paramedics stabilized him and they finally landed at the Centre, where Jarod was rushed into the building with Sydney, Parker and Broots following close behind. The paramedics informed them that he would be going into surgery immediately.
Sydney still held Jarod's hand the whole way into the Centre, but the three of them were stopped at an elevator by Mr. Parker, who was flanked by two sweepers. "Angel!" he said happily. Miss Parker was shocked that he seemed so upbeat.
"Daddy. I see you've heard the news. What are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm here to make sure that the Centre's prize possession doesn't die, obviously." he said.
"We have to..." said Miss Parker nervously, "We have to stay with Jarod Daddy. We're worried about him we want to make sure he's all right. You have to let us through."
"Sorry, no can do Pumpkin. The three of you should head home for the night. I'm giving you all the night off. When you come back tomorrow Jarod should be out of surgery and you can see him them."
"But Mr. Parker..." interrupted Sydney, more composed, but looking very worried.
"No buts Sydney. Take the night off. You too Mr. Broots. I'll see you all tomorrow." Mr. Parker said, completely dismissive as he stepped into the elevator and followed the paramedics up, leaving the sweepers behind. Miss Parker tried to push her way through them but they wouldn't let her. She decided against trying again and reached in her pockets for her car keys, coming up with Jarod's Pez dispenser. She began to cry, but stopped herself, focusing on the trinket for a moment. Finally she put it back in her pocket and turned to Sydney.
"Come on Syd. We can come back tomorrow," she said without emotion. Sydney gave one last hopeful glance at the elevator before he turned around and followed Miss Parker and Broots out of the building.
LIFE OR DEATH
PART 3: MOMENTS OF WEAKNESS
From the moment Parker stepped out of the Centre doors and stepped into her car, she felt as if time had slowed to a stand-still. The drive home seemed like it took hours, even though Parker's house wasn't far away. When she finally walked through the door of her house, the only thing she could do was collapse instinctively onto her couch and sob uncontrollably. She wept openly for hours, unable to stop herself no matter how much she tried. She hated to admit it to herself, but she was scared. She was genuinely scared not just for Jarod, but for Sydney. She knew that if something were to happen to Jarod, Sydney would never get over it. It would crush him. If only there was something more she could have done...
The next morning, as early as was possible, it was a completely different Parker who walked through the doors to her fathers office. She had shed her tears and then pushed her emotions back inside her, making sure that she was calm, cool and composed. She didn't want to show any weakness, not only in front of her father but in front of Sydney. She needed to be strong for him, to keep him going no matter what happened. As she entered his office, he looked up at her, jovial as always. "Angel!" he exclaimed. "I was just going to see if you were in. We have to have a talk."
"I want to see Jarod, Daddy." she stated very clearly, not wanting to waste any time. Her father seemed taken aback at her abruptness.
"Did you hear me?" she asked. At this his broad grin disappeared, and he looked more concerned.
"Sweetheart, why don't we go out and get a big breakfast at Lowell's Diner this morning. It's so beautiful out after all." he replied, obviously trying to avoid the question. Parker's stomach did a flip-flop.
"Lowell's Diner, Daddy. But we haven't eaten there since Mom..." she trailed off, as a realization hit her.
"Angel..." her father began. "I just think that maybe it might be a good idea today."
"Daddy I want to see Jarod. Right now." said Miss Parker sternly, feeling as though she would collapse.
"Well, I'm afraid that might not be possible, Angel." he replied, causing Parker to force her tears back. "Jarod... well he didn't make it through the surgery. He died last night from massive head trauma."
Hearing this, Parker couldn't hold back anymore. She stifled a cry before telling her father to excuse her and bolting for a bathroom in which to throw up. She locked herself in a stall and sobbed to no end, not caring about anything- the Centre, her father, her job. She only thought about Jarod and all that he had been through in his life, all the pain that the Centre had caused him- that SHE had caused him. Then she thought about Sydney. 'Oh my God..." she thought. Then she sobbed some more.
What must have been several hours later -she hadn't been keeping track- she heard the door creak open and someone enter the bathroom. "He... hello?" said a raw quiet voice slowly. "Miss Parker?" It was Broots. He could hear her wracked sobs from inside the stall.
"B...broots..." said Miss Parker between moans, "This is a ladies room."
"Yeah... I, I know..." he said breaking down himself. "I had to find you. To make... to make sure you're ok."
His concern touched her deeply, causing her to break down again. "Will... will you come out?" he said next, leaning down against the door to sit on the floor.
"No." she replied, her voice almost a whisper.
"OK." he said, and he left it at that.
They sat there, the two of them in the ladies room for the rest of the day sharing in each other's grief. Broots had never seen this side of Parker before, and he hoped he would never have to again. It hurt him, but also scared him to see Parker like this. She had always been the one he had looked up to for her cool headedness and her strengh. He didn't blame her for being upset though. Broots had only known Jarod for a short time and only met him twice but he had had a deep respect for the man who helped him so many times. Without Jarod, he wouldn't have Debbie. He was so thankful for that. Jarod had helped him, even though he had chased him for so long, and now Broots would never be able to pay back the favour. So, he sat there with Parker in silence for hours on end while the rest of the Centre's employees worked on as usual.
There was one other person for whom the day was not business as usual though. Several floors below Broots and Parker in a cluttered white room, Sydney sat in a desk chair watching a projection play out on a screen attached to the wall. As he watched the specifications of one of Jarod's old sims play out in front of him, surrounded by souvenirs of Jarod's time at the Centre, he remembered all the pain that Jarod had experienced as a child. He remembered all the ways he had let him down, had failed to protect him, had lied to him. He couldn't bring himself to cry, because he couldn't believe that Jarod was really dead. He simply couldn't. He had trained him better than that. After all the things that Jarod had survived in his life Sydney could not believe that he had been taken down by something as simple as a bullet. No, Sydney was certain that Jarod was still alive. He had to be.
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
SL-27
Far below the Centre, there was a place that very few people in the Centre knew about, and even fewer had been in, a cold clean hallway with doors leading to equally cold, clean rooms. This area was separated from the charred remains of Mr. Raines' former labs by large steel walls. Dr. Cox sat in one room, a small sanitized hospital room in a chair next to the cold, still form of Jarod. He was hooked up to many different machines and tubes ran in and out of him. His eyes were taped shut, and there was a large machine hooked up to breath for him. His head was wrapped tightly in gauze bandages. The only sound in the room was the steady beeps of his heart monitor and the humming of the machines. Slowly, Dr. Cox took his hand and a small grin crept over his face. His eyes lit up with anticipation. "Jarod," he said quietly. "You and I are going to have a lot of fun together..."
PART 1: THE BEGINNING AND THE END
by SpaceCadet
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
It was a beautiful June day in the modest-sized town of Blue Cove, Delaware. The buzz of children's voices could be heard as they played in the streets, content to enjoy their summer holidays. The smell of sizzling meat could be smelled as neighbors got together for barbecues and to have a good time. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the nice weather. Everyone, it seemed, except for one man. At the Centre, Broots sat, as usual, in front of his computer screen typing ferociously, looking for a lead, even a small one, on where Jarod might be. The office was small and windowless, showing no sign of the beautiful weather, or of the people enjoying themselves outside. The desk surrounding Broots was cluttered with not only paperwork and electronics, but also with an abundance of fast food wrappers and pop bottles, obvious evidence to anyone that Mr. Broots had been working for quite a stretch without much of a break. Broots knew that he couldn't afford to take a break. Due, he could guess, to Mr. Lyle's continued presence around her and her father, Miss Parker had been in an especially bad mood lately and he knew that if he didn't find a lead soon, Miss Parker would take her frustrations out on him. So he had sent his daughter to her godmother's for the weekend and had hunkered down to work. Many people would find this boring. But not Broots. He enjoyed his job (when he wasn't running for his life or sneaking into Raines' office) and despite his moral objections to what the Centre did, it paid extremely well, and most of the time he enjoyed working with Sydney and Miss Parker. So, he was quite content just to work quietly, checking out leads for hours on end.
Broots was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice Miss Parker storm into the office angrily, with Sydney right behind her.
"Broots" she shouted shrilly, making him jump and spew his bag of chips all over the place.
"Wh... what is it?" he replied, attempting to clean the pieces of chip off the front of his pants.
"Tell me we have a lead. Please. Anything."
"Well, there's not really anything yet, but..."
"Don't give me 'but' Broots. There's got to be something."
Just then Broots computer beeped causing he, Parker and Sydney all to turn towards it. It beeped again. "Oh, hey wait I think I got something..."
"What?" said Miss Parker bluntly.
"Well, according to this, Jarod might be in Tulsa, Oklahoma working as a cop."
"Well then what are we waiting for, let's go."
"Yes, let's go." said a voice from the doorway.
At the sound of the voice, Miss Parker shuddered slightly. Parker, Sydney and Broots all turned around to see Mr. Lyle standing in the doorway, looking very smug. Lyle had been a real pain lately, always sticking his nose into everything Miss Parker did. Miss Parker stepped towards him slowly and menacingly, as Sydney and Broots both backed away slightly.
"What do you think you're doing, Lyle. Have you been standing there the whole time?"
"It doesn't matter." Lyle replied. "All that matters is that you have a lead on Jarod, and I'm coming with you."
"That won't be neccessary." Miss Parker cooly replied.
"Oh I think it will be, Sis." Lyle shot back. "I'll call for the jet and pick up a couple of sweepers. See you on the plane."
With that, he turned sharply and walked away, leaving Miss Parker to fume silently and turn to face Broots and Sydney. "Well, you heard the man, boys." she said quietly. "We're headed to Oklahoma."
Outside of Jarod's Lair
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Outside of a small apartment building in downtown Tulsa, Jarod was quietly making his exit. His Pretend was now over, and he knew that Miss Parker and the Centre would find him soon, so he had no reason to stick around. His Pretend this time had been fairly easy. As a cop, he had come to Tulsa to try and find the truth about a fellow cop who had been shot during a mugging. Jarod uncovered that the cop was shot by one of his colleagues after he uncovered that the man took bribes. The mugging had been staged, and the crooked cop had claimed that the mugger had gotten away. But Jarod had proved otherwise. And now, he was moving on with the knowledge that he had helped the slain officers widow deal with the tragedy and find out what really happened to her husband and get justice. And now he was confident that a murderer would go to jail, and he would quietly slip away, as he always did. He didn't know that this time would be different.
As Jarod ran briskly down the alleyway next to the apartment carrying his DSA's and a small duffelbag, he heard a gunshot ring out behind him. Thinking someone was in trouble, he turned around just in time to feel the full force of a bullet tear into his head. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious and bleeding profusely, as the gunman ran away unseen, leaving him there to die.
Inside Jarod's Lair
Tulsa Oklahoma
Within three hours of getting the lead, Parker, Sydney, Broots and Lyle were examining Jarod's last lair accompanied by several stone-faced sweepers. Jarod's latest lodgings were small and cramped, but livable. 'This is a far cry from some of the dives he's lived in before, including the Centre' thought Miss Parker, almost smiling at the thought. The place had the look of being lived in recently, but Parker could tell it had been cleaned out. Jarod had left almost nothing behind. The only evidence he had even lived here at all was a Garfield Pez dispenser left behind on the desk in front of the window, with a note underneath.
"Miss Parker,
Don't forget- the truth can kill you or set you free.
- Jarod"
Sydney appeared to have seen the note too, because Parker noticed that he looked casually over in interest. "It's nothing, Syd. Your boy just left me a little goodbye note, that's all." said Parker quietly, pocketing the note and the dispenser in her long leather trenchcoat before Lyle could see them.
Just in time, as Lyle sauntered over half a second later, peering out the window onto the fire escape. "What, Lyle? Do you actually think he's still out there. Jarod is nowhere near that stupid. Only you would even consider that possiblility, especially considering the evidence we've found. Jarod cleared out of this hole hours ago" Miss Parker barked.
At this comment, Lyle got a devious look in his eyes, like he knew something she didn't. At the same time, though, he also looked slightly perplexed. "He may have cleared out but he left his DSA's behind."
Lyle may as well have said that he had decided to give all of his worldly possessions to charity with the reaction he got. Broots dropped his 4000 dollar laptop on the floor with a thud, while Parker and Sydney both went as white as ghosts. "Lyle," said Miss Parker calmly, "You have to be mistaken. Jarod wouldn't do that. Those DSA's are his bargaining chip, and the key to his past. He needs them."
"I'm not mistaken, Sis." replied Lyle, but then he paused to look out the window again. "At least, I don't think I am. I can see the case in the alleyway from here. Come look."
Parker looked from where Lyle was standing and sure enough, there they were. The DSA's, just sitting there. "I'll be damned."
Within minutes, all four of them were at the front of the door, running around the corner into the alley. But when they got there, none of them were prepared for what they found. "Oh my God," said Sydney solemnly. "Somebody call an ambulance."
LIFE OR DEATH
PART 2: A RACE AGAINST TIME
Everyone stood there not knowing what to do, stunned by what they saw. "Well, why are you all just standing there? Somebody call an ambulance..." repeated Sydney. He still didn't move. Even Miss Parker could not move.
After what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was only a few seconds, Parker, Broots and Lyle began to react. Parker tentatively walked over and leaned down to check his pulse. Lyle took out his phone and began dialing. Broots said "Excuse me" very quietly and stepped away for a second to throw up on the pavement. Sydney still did not move.
As Lyle's phone rang, he casually asked Miss Parker "Is he still alive?"
All of Miss Parker's attention had been focused on Jarod's wrist so when she looked up to reply to Lyle, she shuddered and had to turn away at the gruesome scene in front of her to look directly at Lyle. "Yes. Yes he is Lyle. Barely, if you care... We have to get him to a hospital." Her comment hung in the air for a moment, giving it time to sink in. "I'm on it." he replied.
Miss Parker noticed that Sydney still hadn't moved. She got up slowly and walked towards him, genuinely concerned. "Syd..." she said. "Are you OK?"
For a moment it looked as though he was still in shock. Finally, he carefully and slowly answered "Yes, Miss Parker. I'm fine. I think it's Jarod we should be worried about right now." He looked as though he was about to start sobbing right there in the alley.
"Yeah, I know Syd. I just wanted to make sure you were still with us." replied Miss Parker.
Their conversation was cut short when Miss Parker heard who Lyle was talking to.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Miss Parker shouted. "There is no way in hell that we are taking him back to the Centre now. Not like this. We have to get him to a hospital!" She ripped his phone out of his hand mid- conversation. It fell hard on the pavement and shattered into several pieces.
"What do you think you're doing?" Lyle yelled. "I was getting a Centre helicopter to come pick us up and take him to the Centre infirmary. That's what you said, 'Get him to a hospital'. That's what I was doing! Did you have something else in mind?"
"Yes," replied Miss Parker, quickly covering for her moment of weakness. "We take him to a closer hospital. He may not make it to the Centre."
"The chopper could make it here in 10 minutes," replied Lyle. "It would take me that long just to get through to 911. Besides, the helicopter would have paramedics and doctors on board. Do you really think I'm stupid enough to let the Centre's greatest asset die Parker? Believe me when I tell you that the Centre doctors will take way better care of him than any hospital you could possibly get him to."
Parker looked at Sydney who still looked not quite all there. Then she looked at Broots who was leaning against the brick looking very sick. It looked as though the decision would be up to her. She shot a glance at Jarod, but again had to turn away in anger and sadness. Tentatively, she took her phone out of her purse and handed it to Lyle. "Here, you can use my phone."
"No," said Sydney quietly.
"What?" said Parker, while Lyle dialed.
"No," Sydney said again. "You can't let them do this, Miss Parker. He can't go back to the Centre like this." As he said this, he began to cry. "He could die. And even if he lives..." His words stung Miss Parker worse than anything anyone had ever said to her. Even Lyle looked almost upset while giving the Centre their location.
"Syd, we haven't got much of a choice."
Sydney was quiet for a few moments, obviously realizing that there was no real argument left. In silence, the four of them stood there, with Parker occasionally checking Jarod's pulse until the helicopter arrived and the paramedics moved him to a stretcher and strapped him in. Then they quickly began hooking him up to machines that would monitor his life signs and the helicopter took off.
Once the helicopter took off, everyone except the paramedics sat in silence, listening to the beeping of the monitors and the beating of the propeller. Meanwhile, the paramedics discussed Jarod's condition in terms that noone else there except perhaps Sydney could understand. Parker noticed that Sydney held Jarod's hand the whole way there. About five minutes from Blue Cove, Miss Parker's heart skipped a beat as the monitors went crazy and the paramedics informed them that Jarod might not even make it back to the Centre. They asked the four of them questions while they frantically tried to keep him alive about how long he'd been out there, what exactly had happened and did he he have any medical conditions they should know about. They didn't know the answers to any of the questions except the last. At this point Sydney began reciting Jarod's entire medical history and Broots began to chant "Oh my God" over and over. Normally Parker would have told him to shut up, but she was very close to behaving the same way herself. The paramedics stabilized him and they finally landed at the Centre, where Jarod was rushed into the building with Sydney, Parker and Broots following close behind. The paramedics informed them that he would be going into surgery immediately.
Sydney still held Jarod's hand the whole way into the Centre, but the three of them were stopped at an elevator by Mr. Parker, who was flanked by two sweepers. "Angel!" he said happily. Miss Parker was shocked that he seemed so upbeat.
"Daddy. I see you've heard the news. What are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm here to make sure that the Centre's prize possession doesn't die, obviously." he said.
"We have to..." said Miss Parker nervously, "We have to stay with Jarod Daddy. We're worried about him we want to make sure he's all right. You have to let us through."
"Sorry, no can do Pumpkin. The three of you should head home for the night. I'm giving you all the night off. When you come back tomorrow Jarod should be out of surgery and you can see him them."
"But Mr. Parker..." interrupted Sydney, more composed, but looking very worried.
"No buts Sydney. Take the night off. You too Mr. Broots. I'll see you all tomorrow." Mr. Parker said, completely dismissive as he stepped into the elevator and followed the paramedics up, leaving the sweepers behind. Miss Parker tried to push her way through them but they wouldn't let her. She decided against trying again and reached in her pockets for her car keys, coming up with Jarod's Pez dispenser. She began to cry, but stopped herself, focusing on the trinket for a moment. Finally she put it back in her pocket and turned to Sydney.
"Come on Syd. We can come back tomorrow," she said without emotion. Sydney gave one last hopeful glance at the elevator before he turned around and followed Miss Parker and Broots out of the building.
LIFE OR DEATH
PART 3: MOMENTS OF WEAKNESS
From the moment Parker stepped out of the Centre doors and stepped into her car, she felt as if time had slowed to a stand-still. The drive home seemed like it took hours, even though Parker's house wasn't far away. When she finally walked through the door of her house, the only thing she could do was collapse instinctively onto her couch and sob uncontrollably. She wept openly for hours, unable to stop herself no matter how much she tried. She hated to admit it to herself, but she was scared. She was genuinely scared not just for Jarod, but for Sydney. She knew that if something were to happen to Jarod, Sydney would never get over it. It would crush him. If only there was something more she could have done...
The next morning, as early as was possible, it was a completely different Parker who walked through the doors to her fathers office. She had shed her tears and then pushed her emotions back inside her, making sure that she was calm, cool and composed. She didn't want to show any weakness, not only in front of her father but in front of Sydney. She needed to be strong for him, to keep him going no matter what happened. As she entered his office, he looked up at her, jovial as always. "Angel!" he exclaimed. "I was just going to see if you were in. We have to have a talk."
"I want to see Jarod, Daddy." she stated very clearly, not wanting to waste any time. Her father seemed taken aback at her abruptness.
"Did you hear me?" she asked. At this his broad grin disappeared, and he looked more concerned.
"Sweetheart, why don't we go out and get a big breakfast at Lowell's Diner this morning. It's so beautiful out after all." he replied, obviously trying to avoid the question. Parker's stomach did a flip-flop.
"Lowell's Diner, Daddy. But we haven't eaten there since Mom..." she trailed off, as a realization hit her.
"Angel..." her father began. "I just think that maybe it might be a good idea today."
"Daddy I want to see Jarod. Right now." said Miss Parker sternly, feeling as though she would collapse.
"Well, I'm afraid that might not be possible, Angel." he replied, causing Parker to force her tears back. "Jarod... well he didn't make it through the surgery. He died last night from massive head trauma."
Hearing this, Parker couldn't hold back anymore. She stifled a cry before telling her father to excuse her and bolting for a bathroom in which to throw up. She locked herself in a stall and sobbed to no end, not caring about anything- the Centre, her father, her job. She only thought about Jarod and all that he had been through in his life, all the pain that the Centre had caused him- that SHE had caused him. Then she thought about Sydney. 'Oh my God..." she thought. Then she sobbed some more.
What must have been several hours later -she hadn't been keeping track- she heard the door creak open and someone enter the bathroom. "He... hello?" said a raw quiet voice slowly. "Miss Parker?" It was Broots. He could hear her wracked sobs from inside the stall.
"B...broots..." said Miss Parker between moans, "This is a ladies room."
"Yeah... I, I know..." he said breaking down himself. "I had to find you. To make... to make sure you're ok."
His concern touched her deeply, causing her to break down again. "Will... will you come out?" he said next, leaning down against the door to sit on the floor.
"No." she replied, her voice almost a whisper.
"OK." he said, and he left it at that.
They sat there, the two of them in the ladies room for the rest of the day sharing in each other's grief. Broots had never seen this side of Parker before, and he hoped he would never have to again. It hurt him, but also scared him to see Parker like this. She had always been the one he had looked up to for her cool headedness and her strengh. He didn't blame her for being upset though. Broots had only known Jarod for a short time and only met him twice but he had had a deep respect for the man who helped him so many times. Without Jarod, he wouldn't have Debbie. He was so thankful for that. Jarod had helped him, even though he had chased him for so long, and now Broots would never be able to pay back the favour. So, he sat there with Parker in silence for hours on end while the rest of the Centre's employees worked on as usual.
There was one other person for whom the day was not business as usual though. Several floors below Broots and Parker in a cluttered white room, Sydney sat in a desk chair watching a projection play out on a screen attached to the wall. As he watched the specifications of one of Jarod's old sims play out in front of him, surrounded by souvenirs of Jarod's time at the Centre, he remembered all the pain that Jarod had experienced as a child. He remembered all the ways he had let him down, had failed to protect him, had lied to him. He couldn't bring himself to cry, because he couldn't believe that Jarod was really dead. He simply couldn't. He had trained him better than that. After all the things that Jarod had survived in his life Sydney could not believe that he had been taken down by something as simple as a bullet. No, Sydney was certain that Jarod was still alive. He had to be.
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
SL-27
Far below the Centre, there was a place that very few people in the Centre knew about, and even fewer had been in, a cold clean hallway with doors leading to equally cold, clean rooms. This area was separated from the charred remains of Mr. Raines' former labs by large steel walls. Dr. Cox sat in one room, a small sanitized hospital room in a chair next to the cold, still form of Jarod. He was hooked up to many different machines and tubes ran in and out of him. His eyes were taped shut, and there was a large machine hooked up to breath for him. His head was wrapped tightly in gauze bandages. The only sound in the room was the steady beeps of his heart monitor and the humming of the machines. Slowly, Dr. Cox took his hand and a small grin crept over his face. His eyes lit up with anticipation. "Jarod," he said quietly. "You and I are going to have a lot of fun together..."