Part 10

It was her third night at the motel and she felt terrible. The stomach cramps had gotten worse, nausea had set in and she was beyond tired. She went out each night for her meals and she was forced to do a little shopping because she didn't want to go home yet. She had read and reread her mother's diary, her eyes greedily taking in the words to make sure she didn't miss anything, but nothing else stood out besides her mother's agony.

Sighing deeply, Miss Parker laid the book on the bed next to her and switched off the bedside lamp. She ignored her cell phone, which had nearly fifteen missed calls, all from Jarod. She wasn't as angry as she had been, but she just didn't feel like talking to anyone. At that moment, all she wanted was sleep and lots of it. Her eyes drifted shut and she immediately fell into a deep slumber.

Suddenly, she was a little girl again, roaming the dark hallways of the Centre. She walked along slowly wondering where Jarod was. She hadn't seen him or Sydney all day. The hallway seemed to get darker and darker as she continued on, but she bravely kept forward. She came to a set of steps and counted as she walked down them. "…thirteen, fourteen, fifteen."

Eventually, the darkness faded and she came to a huge glass window. It looked like a nursery of some kind inside. There was a crib and a chair, but none of the bright or childlike colors and toys that usually adorned a child's nursery. The room was gray and cold.

Little Miss Parker felt a presence behind her and turned around to see that it was her mother. "Mama?" she said with wide eyes full of adoration.

"Yes, baby," the beautiful woman smiled.

"Mama, where are we?" she asked.

"We're at the Centre. We're here to visit someone." She took her daughter's hand.

Miss Parker turned around to see that there was now a baby standing in the crib. He looked to be at least three years old with dark brown hair and wide blue eyes. Her mother led her into the room and they stood next to the crib. The baby smiled at her and reached out a hand to touch her face. Miss Parker returned the smile. "Who is he, Mama?"

"He's a very special little boy," Catherine told her. "He's a part of you."

Miss Parker turned around to look at her mother questioningly only to find that she wasn't there anymore. "Mama?" she called.

"Mama!" Miss Parker sprang up in bed breathing hard. Grabbing her cell phone off the nightstand, she saw that it was nearly two in the morning. She flipped the device open and hit the speed dial.

"It's me. I know where they're keeping my brother."

-----

"How can you be so sure, Miss Parker?"

"Because, Broots, I had another premonition. He's on sublevel fifteen," she said as she paced around the small hotel room. She had called Broots last night and told him to make sure he was into work bright and early. She was positive that was where her brother was and she didn't want to waste anymore time. "Check it out and call me back as soon as you've found something," she ordered, snapping her phone shut.

All of her things from the past three days were packed up and she was headed home.

-----

When she entered the front door, she was glad to find that no one was there. She headed straight for the bedroom and began unpacking her things. Looking around, she noticed that Jarod's items were still scattered about. She didn't really expect that he would leave and honestly, she didn't want him to; she just wasn't ready to tell him that. She packed a new bag with fresh clothes and then headed into the bathroom for her ulcer medication. All she was waiting for was Broots' call.

Going back into the living room, she paused when she heard the front door opening and let out the breath she was holding when Ethan appeared.

"Parker, are you okay? Where have you been the last few days?"

"I'm fine, Ethan. I promise," she told him. "Where's Jarod?"

"He left yesterday. There was a new lead on his mother in Indiana," he explained. "He's been worried sick about you."

"Ethan, listen. I know where my brother is inside the Centre. I had a vision." She explained what she saw to him in detail.

"How do you know he's on sublevel fifteen?"

"I remember going down fifteen steps in the vision and specifically counting them. That has to be what it means."

"What are we going to do? How are we going to get him out?"

"I'm not sure yet. It depends on what Broots finds out," she said.

"Maybe we should call Jarod," Ethan suggested.

"No," Miss Parker said dismissing the idea immediately. "Jarod needs to focus on finding his mother. I don't want to get in the way of that. I'll get my brother out of the Centre." Her phone rang. "What?"

"Miss Parker, you were right. They're keeping Baby Parker on SL-15 in a pretty drab looking nursery. He has a nanny that checks on him periodically throughout the day and there are two cameras in his room," Broots explained in a hurried whisper.

"Is he ever taken out of the Centre?" she asked.

"Not according to any of the DSAs that I managed to find in Raines' office. The only way to get him out is to actually enter the Centre."

Miss Parker sighed. "Listen, I'll be in Blue Cove by tonight. I need you to stay at the Centre until I contact you again."

"Okay," he agreed.

"Thanks, Broots." She snapped the phone closed and sighed. She would forever be grateful to him for all of the help he had given her over the years.

"I'm going with you," Ethan said pulling her from her thoughts. She stared at him for a long time before nodding.

"You have to promise me that you'll do everything I tell you," she said pointing at him. He nodded. She didn't want him to get hurt in this mess. "Come on then. We've got a plane to catch."

-----

Elkhart, Indiana

Jarod pulled up in front of the cozy bed and breakfast, quite a step up from the last motel he and Miss Parker had visited when searching for his mother. A woman fitting her description had once again been spotted.

Taking a deep breath, he exited the car and walked up the steps of the two-story building. Once inside, he was greeted by an older woman behind a counter.

"Welcome to the Elkhart Bed and Breakfast. Will you be checking in with us?" she greeted politely.

"Uh, no actually," Jarod smiled kindly. "I've been looking for someone and I was told I could find her here." He took the photo of his mother out and handed it to her. "This woman, she's my mother."

"Oh yes, Margaret has been staying with us for nearly a week now," said the trusting old lady. "Her room is right upstairs at the end of the hall."

Jarod was alarmed at how easily the woman gave him the information. If it had been anyone else, someone from the Centre, his mother's life would have been at stake. "Thank you," he told her all the same as he hurried to the staircase. He stood outside the door trying to calm down. He had dreamt of this moment for years, only to be disappointed time and time again. Forcing himself to relax, he knocked on the door lightly and listened as he heard someone moving around inside.

"Who is it?" came a soft, muffled voice. Jarod couldn't be sure if it was his mother's or not.

He wasn't quite sure what to tell her. If he said Jarod, she might think it was a Centre trick, but if he didn't answer her soon, she was sure to get spooked. "It's Jarod," he said, having no other choice. A few long moments passed before he could hear footsteps advancing toward the door and then another few uncertain moments before he heard the door unlocking and opening slowly. He looked at the widening crack in the door and his heart nearly beat out of his chest at the sight of his mother.

"Jarod, is it really you?" asked the older woman, tears glistening in her eyes.

Jarod nodded, too choked up to speak. She opened the door completely and reached out to take his hand. "Mom, it's okay now. You don't have to be afraid anymore," he finally managed. He stepped closer and she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Oh, my son, my beautiful, beautiful son," she cried. "I didn't think I would ever see you again." They hung onto one another for dear life.

-----

Blue Cove, Delaware

The four hour flight to Blue Cove seemed to take forever. Ethan could see Miss Parker from where he sat, but they weren't able to get seats next to each other. She didn't look too well. Her face was pale and she looked extra tired. Once, he had even seen her rushing to the bathroom, only to come back with a clammy looking face. Earlier she told him it was just her ulcer, but now he wasn't so sure. He just knew that he wasn't going to let her out of his sight.

Once they had finally landed, they rented a car from the airport and were on their way. "Still no word from Broots yet?" he asked.

"Not yet."

"Where are we going to go until then?"

"We need to get some things from the store first. There's a park not far from the Centre. After we're done, we'll stop there and lay low for a while," she told him.

"Parker, are you sure we should do this tonight? Maybe we should wait a few days until we have a better plan."

Miss Parker sighed. "Look, Ethan, I know you're worried. Hell, so am I, but something inside is telling me that we have to get him out tonight," she said. "We have no idea what Raines has been doing to him and I don't plan on letting him have anymore time to do it."

Ethan nodded. He had spent enough time around his sister to know that once she had made up her mind that was it. He stared out the window as the scenery sped by.

Miss Parker looked at her brother and noticed the bright smile spreading across his face. "What are you smiling at?"

"It's Jarod…he's found his mother." Miss Parker raised her brow in shock. "The voices told me. I can feel his happiness," Ethan said continuing to smile.

Miss Parker was happy for him, too, but her worry for her baby brother was overshadowing it.

-----

Lancaster, South Carolina

Jarod stood on the porch looking out into the dark backyard. His family had gone to bed, everyone tired after an emotional reunion with Margaret. He never thought this day would come, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure the Centre never found them. He was a hair's breadth away from having everything he wanted in his life. Now, all he had to do was get his girlfriend to stop being mad at him. He still couldn't help the grin when he referred to Miss Parker as his girlfriend. The night she found the diary in his bag was still a sore spot; the hurt that had been in her eyes, the tears. As hurt as she had been, she hadn't thrown him out or told him it was over and he wasn't going anywhere until she told him to and maybe not even then. He had lost track of the number of messages he'd left on her cell phone and as much as he was itching to call her right then, he decided it would be best to give her space. It had been almost a week though.

Just as he'd flipped open his phone to dial Ethan and see if she had returned home at least, it rang. It was Sydney.

"Sydney, what is it?" Jarod asked worried. Sydney knew only to call when it was absolutely necessary.

"Jarod, have you spoken to Miss Parker?" came the psychiatrist's distinguished voice.

"It's been a few days actually." He wasn't sure whether or not Sydney knew about his and Miss Parker's relationship. He knew they had resumed their friendship, but that was as much as he had told him. "Is something wrong?"

"Miss Parker has figured out where her brother is," Sydney informed.

"How?"

"She had another premonition and she told Broots about it. He's helping her set up a plan to rescue her brother."

Jarod's heart began pounding for the second time that day. "Why wouldn't she tell me about this?" Saving her brother was far too important to let their argument get in the way of it.

"I don't know, Jarod. She's here in Blue Cove now. I've made Broots promise to keep me informed."

"I have to go, Sydney. I need to try getting into contact with her."

"Good luck, Jarod," the psychiatrist said just before the line disconnected.

Jarod hit the speed dial for Ethan's cell.

"Jarod."

"Ethan, are you with Parker?"

"Yes, but…"

"Let me talk to her."

"Jarod, it's too late…she's already gone in."

"Damn it!" the pretender cursed. "Listen, when she gets out with her brother, I want you to go to this address." He gave Ethan the location. "Don't let Parker talk you out of it. You'll all be safe there until we can make further arrangements. I'm leaving right now and I'll meet you there." He hung up the phone, not giving Ethan the chance to say goodbye.

Heading into the house and up the stairs, he knocked softly on his parent's bedroom door and waited for the okay to enter.

"Son, what is it?" his father asked concerned.

"Mom, Dad, I have to leave. I need to go and help Parker. She's found her brother and is rescuing him from the Centre as we speak."

"Parker?" his mother questioned. "Catherine's daughter? The woman who's been chasing you?"

Jarod sighed. He understood his mother's concerns, but he was tired of having to explain his and Miss Parker's relationship. "Mom, it's a long story," he said kissing her cheek. "I have to hurry though. I'll call you all soon."

Charles and Margaret watched as their son raced from the room. "How can he have anything to do with that woman? Aside from Catherine, I've never met a Parker who was any good," Margaret commented shaking her head.

Charles wondered how he was going to explain to his wife that their son was in love with a Parker.

-----

Miss Parker moved quickly through the dark forest on her way to the vent Broots had directed her to enter through. Her ulcer chose that moment to flare up and she nearly lost her balance from the bought of nausea.

"Please, not now," she whispered holding her stomach and leaning against a tree for support. She had to keep moving. Her brother needed her and she would die before she let him stay in that hell for another day. Finally breaking through the trees, she spotted the vent a few yards away and made a dash for it. The grate was easy enough to remove, but the smell coming from it didn't help her nausea any. "Just great, Broots. You couldn't have found a way other than the sewers," she grumbled to herself. She looked at her watch and then shimmied down into the hole. She wasn't able to contact Broots directly anymore, so she had to make sure and be at each checkpoint within five minutes.

After a short trek through the sewers, she came to an airtight, steel door. It was locked when she tried it and she assumed she must have arrived early. After a few more seconds, it finally opened and she hurried through it. Broots could only keep the door unlocked for fifteen seconds before an alarm sounded. Next, she had to make it past two cameras and to the air duct at the end of the hallway. She waited until the red lights on the camera went out and made her move. After traversing the warm vents, she came to the opening Broots had mapped out and pushed aside yet another grate. The rectangle plate on the wall read SL-15 and she wiped away the sweat that had formed on her brow.

She and Ethan had sat in the parked car for hours before the plan got underway. She decided that it would be best to wait until later that night when most of the Centre employees were gone home, minimizing the risk of being caught, and she was glad she did. The red lights went out on the cameras and she hurried down the hallway, much like the one in her premonition, only this didn't have any stairs. She continued to move stealthily until she came to a room with a large window. She stopped near the edge and peered around for the cameras. The lights went off and she thanked heaven for Broots. A tiny click indicated that the door was unlocked and she entered quietly.

The room was as drab as it had been in her vision. She moved to the crib, more like a cage, in the corner of the room and looked inside. Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked at her baby brother inside sleeping peacefully. She reached a hand over the top of the bars and gently rubbed his chest.

"Wake up, sweetheart," she cooed softly. The little boy's eyes drifted open after a few seconds and he smiled at her. "Hello," she said softly. He pushed the blankets off his body and stood up to face her.

"Hi," he waved.

Miss Parker looked at her watch. They only had a few minutes. "Do you remember me?" she asked. He nodded.

"Miss Parker…my sister."

"That's right," she smiled. "How would you like to go for a little trip?"

"Okay," he nodded. She lifted him out of the crib and sat him on the floor. She looked around to make sure there was nothing she was forgetting, but she figured she had made enough purchases earlier to replace anything he would need. She picked him up again and moved to the door, looking around one last time when she spotted a clipboard attached to a cubby at the end of his crib. Quickly grabbing it, she yanked the door open and rushed past the large window just as the cameras flashed back on.

-----

Ethan sat nervously in the driver's seat. Miss Parker only had a total of forty minutes to get in and out and she told him not to wait around if she took any longer than fifty, but there was no way he would leave her. It was approaching the thirty-five minute mark and he started the car, making sure to keep the headlights off. His fingers drummed impatiently on the steering wheel and his eyes were focused on the tree line.

"Come on, Parker," he whispered. A few seconds later, his mind was assaulted with the voices. He squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed his head.

She needs your help.

Go to her.

Hurry.

Looking around quickly, he exited the car and took off through the trees the way his sister had gone. After a minute or two of running, he stopped at the tree line and looked around frantically. He spotted her replacing the grate on the sewer vent while the little boy stood by.

"Parker," he yelled in a hushed voice. She looked up and waved him over.

"Take him," she panted as she finished replacing the cover. Ethan scooped the boy up and they took off for the trees. "Hurry," she said as they approached the car a few minutes later. She took her brother from Ethan's arms and slid into the back where a child seat was already set up.

Ethan put the car in drive and steered them out of the park toward safety. "Parker, are you alright? Is he?" he asked concerned.

"We're both fine," she reassured him. She looked at her baby brother who was looking at her calmly. He didn't seem the least bit bothered by all of the commotion. She smiled at him lightly and ran a hand through his short, brown hair. Her nausea had turned into dizziness while they were in the sewers and she was forced to stop, wasting precious minutes while she gained her senses back. She wasn't sure she could have made it to the car with him if Ethan hadn't shown up.

"Jarod isn't very happy with us right now," Ethan informed her. "He gave me an address for some place in Maryland. He thinks we should get off the streets."

Miss Parker was in no mood to argue. She felt awful. She kept her eyes on her brother as he fell asleep and eventually drifted off herself.

Nearly an hour and a half passed in silence and Ethan was surprised to find that his sister had gone to sleep. He figured she would have been on high alert until she was certain they got away safely. As he watched them sleep through the rearview mirror, he noticed how much they looked alike. He knew she had suspicions about whether he was really her father and Brigitte's child, but she wasn't her father's real daughter either. Why would his baby come out looking so much like her? His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his phone.

"Hello?"

"Ethan, its Jarod. Is everything alright? Have you made it to the cabin yet?"

"Not yet, but we should be their soon," he answered.

"Did Parker get her brother out okay?"

"She got him out safely. I'm not even sure if anyone from the Centre knows it yet. We haven't been followed."

"Good," Jarod sighed relieved. "I need to talk to Parker."

"She's sleeping."

"Sleeping?" Jarod questioned. How could she sleep at a time like this?

"Yes, they both are. I don't think she's been feeling very well lately."

"Alright, I'll see you later then," Jarod said rather dejectedly.

"Wait, how are we supposed to get in?" Ethan asked.

"Miss Parker knows how to pick a lock."