Chapter One
Jarod had finally gotten control of his visions. Well, mostly, he could now decipher what he was seeing. He could even stop them from coming at inconvenient times. Parker had just walked into his office.
"Hey Jarod, I have this new file for you. It may be a new match for the family of Angelo." Parker said as she placed the file on his desk.
As Jarod opened the file, he was immediately taken to a scene. In a small kitchen, with red and white wallpaper, iron ornaments adorning and an old telephone mounted on the wall. The couple sat staring at the phone, willing it to ring. There were tears running down the woman's face, in the same path that they had travelled for the last week. Her husband sat grasping her soft hands in his rugged ones, worn and strong from years of work on a farm in the middle of Wisconsin.
"It has been a week," she said as she wiped a tear away from her eyes, "if they were going to call…."
"No, we must never give up hope. He is out there. Timmy is a strong boy, if anyone can survive he can." He said trying to assure her as much as he was himself.
Jarod's Office
Jarod came out of his catatonic state, looked across the desk and saw a concerned Miss Parker and a proud Sydney looking back at him.
"What do you see?" Sydney said in his accented voice.
Jarod replied, "They are the family we have been looking for."
On the Road
Jarod started the long drive to Wisconsin with his wife; he took this trip after arguing with Miss Parker and Lyle. He believed that he would have the most tact and poise in dealing with the family. Sydney might be the exception, but he was busy with his psychiatric duties.
Jarod and Zoe approached the dilapidated farm house. The paint was peeling off the walls. The weeds looked like an army overtaking the house, and the screen door was hanging on two hinges. Jarod approached the door and knocked. An old man with a kind face opened the door. Jarod knew the man. He recognized his tired gray eyes from his vision.
"Hi. My name is Jarod. I have some good news for you. We found your son."
The man's mouth dropped open in shock as he stepped outside the house.
"Really?! You found our Timmy? Where is he?" He said excitedly but with an air of caution.
"Yes, we did find your son. But we need to talk through some things before you can actually see him. May we go inside and discuss them?"
"Sure." The man said as he opened the door for Jarod and Zoe.
As they walked into the front room, they saw a piano that looked as if it hadn't been touched in years, the dust an inch thick, and the keys yellowing with age. There were two couches surrounding it. The man directed Jarod and Zoe to one couch and then sat in the other. A woman called from the kitchen and said,
"Who was at the door?"
The man whispered to Jarod and Zoe, "I'll be right back," and walked into the kitchen.
Suddenly, Jarod and Zoe heard a loud bang from the kitchen and exchanged concerned glances.
"I am sorry about the noise. But have you really found our Timmy?" the woman said entering the living room. Her excitement clearly showing on her face.
"Yes ma'am, but we need to discuss a few things." Jarod said deciding how best to proceeded.
"Oh, where are my manners, can I get you anything to drink, eat, or anything at all?" the woman said trying to remain calm.
"No, thank you," Zoe said with a comforting smile.
"I was wondering if I could get your names." Jarod said as he looked between the older couple sitting across from them.
"Well my name is Mitch, and this is Sarah." He said after taking a drink of coffee out of his large coffee mug.
"It is nice to meet you," Jarod said as he paused deciding how to describe Angelo's situation. "Your son Timmy, was taken to a place called the Centre. While there, a person named Mr. Raines tried to increase your son's intelligence and make him into a pretender. Unfortunately, the process did not go as planned, and your son has suffered some side effects. He is now what we call an empath. This means that he feels other's emotions and fails to have a real personality of his own. He is currently still living at the Centre, but you are more than free to come and visit him. What questions do you have?"
Mitch tried to comprehend all this man had just explained to him. Finally, he did come up with something to say. "Would our son be able to leave the Centre and join us here?"
Jarod paused a moment contemplating Angelo's situation. "We will have to look into the situation, but I am afraid he may not be able to live an enjoyable life outside the Centre's protection."
When Sarah heard this news, she fell into her husband's arms and too weak to cry. Zoe took the lead on the conversation, attempting to comfort the pair before them. "We did discuss this situation before we left, and the Centre will provide temporary housing for you, and a permeant job at the Centre if you want it."
"My wife and I would like to discuss this with each other before we give you an answer." Mitch said kindly.
"I do understand that perfectly, in the meantime if you have any questions here is my card." Jarod said pulling out a card out of his wallet.
"I do have a question right now if you would not mind answering it." Mitch said taking Jarod's card.
"No problem." Jarod said with a smile.
"If the Centre are the people that took Timmy, then aren't you part of the people who kidnapped my son?" Mitch asked cautiously.
"Well, I am not sure how much you have been following the fall of the company in Delaware, but we are the ones who caused the Centre to be destroyed. We are attempting to change the purpose of the Centre." Jarod said trying to ease the man's mind.
"I hope that you don't mind my asking this, but what gives you the qualifications for taking down the Centre?" Sarah said as she returned with a plate of snacks.
"I actually grew up with your son in the Centre. I was also taken from my parents, and needless to say once I escaped I realized I would never be free until that place was gone." Jarod said trying to take the focus off of himself.
"I am so sorry," Sarah said with a sympathetic look on her face, "how is the process going of turning the Centre around?"
"Um… We are still working on finding some key employee's, a doctor, another psychiatrist, and some teachers." Jarod said thankful for the change in topic.
"Well, we happen to have a family friend who is a doctor and psychiatrist that is looking for a job." Mitch said grabbing some of the food from the table.
"I would love to have him, send him down to the Centre." Jarod said excitedly.
"Are there any other questions we can answer for you?" Zoe said smiling warmly.
"I don't think we have anything." Sarah said smiling back.
"Great, well if you think of anything else, don't hesitate to give us a call." Jarod said as he shook Adam's hand and left.
A disappointed Jarod and Zoe started back to Blue Cove. They were both fearful that Timmy's parents would never come.