The Pretender and the characters in it are under copyright Enough said.

This takes place after the fall of the Present Centre and what occupations Jarod and Miss Parker would take. You thought Miss Parker would go into childcare and Jarod become a psychiatrist specializing in children who were the victims of abuse, right? Or maybe he would be a killer for hire? Well Jarod on the Island of the Haunted referred to Miss Parker as the Centre bounty hunter and Jarod did some of his best pretends as a detective, working under cover, etc. So why not go a step further and make them do something they are both good at?

This story takes place before the Iraqi invasion, so if anyone points out something, that is why. It starts first in Africa, the headquarters of the Triumvirate.

DEAD BEAT

December 26 – 27, 2001

CHAPTER ONE

It was the story of a lifetime. Going to Africa, talking with that Mumboto or whoever he was (it being rather difficult to get those Zulu names right) and finding about the Triumvirate — well not anymore because Mumboto and the others were dead.

After learning about that incident on that Island, MacLean returned to Africa to talk to the new head of the Triumvirate who was coping with his diminished staff. A limousine picked MacLean up at the airport and drove him through the African countryside of small villages and old-fashioned water pumps. The standard uniform seemed to be khaki shorts for men and long dresses for women who covered their hair with colorful bandannas. They spoke English, Afrikaans, and their own language. His host's residence was a large mansion surrounded by an electrified fence and an iron gate. Several packs of dogs roamed the area as well as a pet lion kept close to starvation. If that were not enough, his host also had six armed guards who were expert shots.

His host introduced himself as Mr. Georges. He was a broad dark man, with the noble bearing of an Aristocratic Zulu.

He gave him a song and dance about no one wanting to join as someone had put a mojo on the organization as if a silly spell from a witch doctor could stop the Triumvirate.

"Naturally we were disappointed at not getting the scrolls. Mr. Parker said that Jarod killed my associates, but I find that hard to believe. It's not his style," said Georges, his black eyes swimming in the glass of sherry.

"So I gather this Jarod disappeared."

"Not for long," said Georges, "Lamech Parkers, the father of Abel Raines and Me. Parker wanted to keep track of their Pretenders. They have a gene in them, makes them different." He arose from his seat and went over to his desk where he took out a microscope and placed it on the top. In a minute, he inserted a slide underneath it. "I'll adjust the magnification."

To MacLean, the object looked something like a cross between a bar code and what they placed in dogs. It contained a series of numbers and letters plus the code for DNA. "Whose is it? Jarod's?"

"This was taken from one of those rescued by Catherine Parker, after his death, of course."

"What are the numbers and letters? Date of birth or acquisition by the Centre?"

"Neither," he said as he took out a pen. "This was made in Japan, series box A43512e, model E200. They all have them inserted into there at birth or shortly after." He pointed to a part of MacLean's skull. "Then they're sent home with their parents or guardians and the Centre retrieves them later."

"Why?"

"Because they're property of the Centre. Don't be surprised Mr. MacLean. Here in Africa we've had the same system for centuries and even those who worked in Caesar's household never were free. Think of the Centre as a type of Caesar."

MacLean was shocked. Here was Georges speaking casually about people owning others in the same manner as he discussed his horse and Rolls Royce. He hoped this Jarod was free of them, but Georges's face told a different story. "You said he was away until now. What do you mean? Did they kill him?"

"They kept part of his DNA to create other Pretenders, but decided that cloning too many Jarods would not be feasible. You heard of the Dolly incident, haven't you? Clones are less healthy, and for some reason get the full blast of the inherited conditions. Your family, for example, has a high stroke factor, but you were born lucky. If someone were to clone you, your clone would get a stroke about your age or sooner. Same with someone who had a mother with diabetes, and did not have it, her clone would get the disease even though both were careful in their diets."

"I get the picture."

"First when he had wet dreams and then — I believe there was a VD epidemic and everyone had to be tested. Created a few more Pretenders that way as well as the usual manner of which Jarod was unaware until recently, but we won't speak of it. We had to destroy most of them and try another way. I believe Miss Parker assisted in that case. They're dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"That gene makes them more vicious and intelligent unless controlled by a certain chemical substance inserted into their food and drink. However, Jarod's escape meant the Centre could no longer monitor him, the effects wore off, and Miss Parker deemed not to replenish it."

"She has him?"

Georges spread his hands wide. "In every sense of the word. Mr. Parker gave him to her as a present. Do you want to see what she did when she retrieved him? Why we thought she would kill him, or render him inoperable, but Mr. Raines and Mr. Lyle, our loyal employees, decided to teach Jarod a lesson in humiliation."

MacLean saw something, the lowering of Georges's jaw. It appeared the humiliation did not work. "What went wrong?"

"By isolating Jarod in the Centre and keeping him from learning about human behavior even from certain films, he thought his treatment was normal. Now he does not protest when Miss Parker demands and gets in that certain position so that she —" Att this Georges snickered — "and since the Centre has been taken away from us, along with the Parkers, we want to know why."

Georges showed MacLean a video showing Miss Parker and Jarod in a compromising position, putting it mildly, it being the humiliation which did not work. MacLean could see why. The face of the Pretender did not show any shame, anger, or passive acceptance, just normal. Why, Jarod was even asking Miss Parker if she would get on him again as if she was giving him a Christmas present.

MacLean did not want to spend another night in the house of that odious man, and certainly no longer in this country where there was no snow in December, and the sound of bells of the Christmas season seemed rather unnatural ringing in hot summer heat. Besides, he missed home so he first telephoned the Edinburgh office, saying that he would send his interview by wire, and then went to the embassy to get a working visa to the United States.

After spending the night in the hotel nearby, he was off the next morning bound for Delaware.