I do not own the Pretender or any of the characters. If I did they would have finished the third movie and wrapped up the series!
The trip back to Centre was mostly silent. Lyle and Raines were both undoubtedly plotting against each other and for the moment ignoring her which suited her just fine. Her mind was in turmoil nothing was right and things seemed more complicated and insurmountable than ever. Jarod had escaped the plane quickly after landing it. Leaving them all chasing their tails. Same old, same old.
Come with me.
Sometimes she really did hate Jarod. He made it sound so easy and it wasn't.
Chose another path.
She would love to.
Run away with him.
No.
If she was going to be honest she would love to do that to. Jarod was her first and only real friend and she did have feeling for him. But it wasn't that simple with the Centre it never was. She had two brothers that were missing and little Daniel was only 2 and she did not even want to think of what they were doing to Ethan if they had their hands on him. And if she left what would happen to Broots and little Debbie the Centre was not kind to people that had out lived their usefulness. As for Sydney most likely his connection to Jarod would keep him alive but what happened the next time she was not there to cover up his small indiscretions.
Leave. Run away. How?
She had hurt Jarod she could see it before they left on the plane. Another bridge burned but she could not help it. Besides Jarod was safer and better off without her people who were involved with the Parkers had a nasty habit of turning up dead. The two of them on the run together would be far too easy to track. And that ship had sailed. She laughed a little remembering his cool, well planned escape and Lyle's quick cover up. Lyle looked at her and she gave him an evil smile. The man might be her brother but he made her skin crawl. Looking at Raines she gave a shrug, some apples did not fall far from their trees. Jarod should have known there was no possibility of a private conversation in the limo the Centre always listens. He tended to lead with his heart instead of his head and she did not have that luxury. Any weaknesses in that direction had died with Tommy and she was not going to let them take anything else away from her.
She gave herself a quick mental shake and went back to planning. She had to find her brothers remove those she cared for from harm and develop an exit strategy. Her father, Mr. Parker not the sperm donor in front of her had set the wheels in motion by destroying the scrolls; it was up to her to take down the Centre. The Parker legacy of evil died with her and Lyle. Her brothers were the future and she would do whatever she had to keep them from that taint. Planning was everything and the first thing was Broots. He and little Debbie were going to disappear and the Centre would never find them. The first stone pulled from the foundation and she was going to enjoy watching it all tumble down.
The Centre might have decided that females would never make good Pretenders. They were too soft, too emotional, too caring. But they did that study before they made Miss Parker. And Miss Parker was none of those things and all of those things. They really didn't stand a chance. They had about 6 months before she took them down. She had begun her plans shortly after Tommy's death and had just been waiting for the right time to execute them. It was just a matter of time.
