DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN IT and MADE ZILCH SO SUE ME NOT!
Seeking But Not Finding
"That son of a…" Miss Parker muttered under her breath as she took out her cell phone to call Broots back at the Centre. The phone rang three times at the other end before someone finally answered it with a "what" that said Broots was busy and could careless right now to what she needed.
"Broots, listen carefully," she said in an icy tone that made the man at the other end gulp audibly. "Jarod left behind one of his *charming* traps for us. I need you to send someone who can get us unglued from a wooden floor ASAP. Got that?"
"What address are you at?" Broots asked.
"1214 Maple Drive, Apartment 37b," she answered.
"Okay, got it. I'll send someone as soon as possible. Hang tight."
"We're glued to the floor, idiot. We're not going anywhere," she replied and clicked the phone off.
* * * * *
Several hours later, an exhausted and very irritable Parker walked back into the Centre, wanting only to have a quick snarl at Sydney for what the latest trap his Boy Wonder had cooked up before she went to bed. Jarod's little stunt had only cost a pair of new shoes, leg cramps from waiting for Broots to send someone to get them unglued, and any patience she had had left for that day.
She found Sydney in Jarod's room, sitting in a chair with his legs propped up, listening to some sort of classical music she didn't recognize right off. He seemed oblivious to her presence as his eyes were closed, listening to the music. Parker threw onto the table in front of him the piece of wood from the apartment floor that still had her shoe attached to it, startling Sydney as it landed.
Sydney sat up and picked the shoe/wood off of the desk. "What pray tell is this?"
"A present from your little *genius*," her words were venomous.
Sydney pulled at the shoe on the board. "What exactly did he do to get your shoe glued like this?" He was fighting to keep the obvious amusement off of his face.
She snatched the shoe/wood from his hand, and turned to leave. "Sydney, one day I swear Jarod is going to regret the day he was born if I ever catch him."
"The Centre wants him alive," he calmly replied.
"Don't remind me," she replied. "I'm going home."
"Goodnight," Sydney said, watching her leave. "By the way, thank you for reminding me of the legacy of the work I've done here."
She paused only long enough to shoot an icy "It was my pleasure." over her shoulder before leaving him completely alone again.
After she was gone, he started the music Mozart's "The Magic Flute" up again from the beginning. Closing his eyes, he returned to as he was before Miss Parker's brusque entrance. His mind drifting to Jarod as he relaxed, remembering the night he'd let Jarod hear this piece of music.
Jarod had been ecstatic and so excited to hear such an imaginative piece of music. He declared it to be his favorite despite the fact he had never been allowed or was never allowed to hear any more music afterwards because it was feared such indulgences would distract him during any future simulations.
Sydney sighed, regretting some if not all of the things he'd done to Jarod all in the name of science and on the behalf of the Centre. He'd helped them to steal some much from Jarod, beginning with his childhood along with the knowledge of his parents. That was the one question driving him now-- WHO was he?
Leaning forward, Sydney finally shut the music off, unable to bear listening to it any more before it reminded him of how much he'd wronged Jarod. It reminded him of all the wrongs he was surely responsible for when Centre had used his research. He finally left Jarod's room, and after glancing at his watch to see HOW late it was, he decided to go home.
He was just outside of the Centre when his phone rang. Sighing with frustration and a little bit of annoyance, he answered the phone with Parker's signature phone greeting.
"What?"
"Hello, Sydney," Jarod's voice shot back.
"Jarod?"
"You know, you've been hanging around Parker too long when you start answering the phone like she does."
"At the risk of sounding rude and more like Miss Parker; Jarod, what do you want at this hour of the night?" he asked.
"Just wanted to ask if she and the Centre goons escaped the Roach Motel I set up for them," he replied and Sydney heard the gloating in his voice.
"Oh, yes, Jarod. They did, though the effort cost Miss Parker a new pair of shoes."
"Awwwww! Tell her I am sorry for that but at least this time I didn't leave behind another little bug for her."
Sydney smiled. "She really is starting to get annoyed with you, you know."
"Well I am past being annoyed with her and the Centre. I want to be left alone but I know that's not going to happen so we'll just keep playing this cat and mouse game with each other I guess," Jarod replied.
"Be careful, Jarod, the cat's claws can be sharper than you expect-- or deadlier."
"True, Sydney, but who said I was the mouse," Jarod replied. "Good-bye, Sydney."
"Jarod, wait!"
"Yes?"
"Will you ever be able to forgive me one day? Maybe someday down the road when this is all over?" Sydney asked.
A pause.
"Maybe, one day, Sydney, maybe. No promises but maybe one day we'll be able to forgive each other."
Sydney wanted to know what he had meant by that but Jarod hung up right at that moment. Jarod had promised forgiveness for him maybe one day and that was the best Sydney could hope for . . .
He stared at the phone for a moment before pocketing it even as he started again for home . . .
End
AN: Thanks to Nans for catching a typo!