Chapter 3: All my Dreams Pass Before my Eyes a Curiosity

The Pretender is the Copyright of TNT.  The characters Jarod, Sydney, Miss. Parker, Broots, and Mr. Raines etc. are all the copyright of TNT.  The song Dust in the Wind belongs to Kansas.  No profit intended, no harm intended.   This is my first take at fan fiction and any errors are mine alone.

Chapter 3: All my Dreams Pass Before my Eyes a Curiosity

Mr. Parker's office – the Centre

CONFIDENTIAL: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

To: Mr. Parker

From:  Pretender Background Committee

Subject:  Background of Recaptured Pretender: Jarod

We have created an extensive background for the Pretender named; "Jarod" to coordinate his loyalty and support of the Centre and it's directives.

To avoid unwanted questions, all of the family members must be dead.  His parents died from different types of Cancer a couple of years apart.  His mother June died of Breast Cancer in 1986, his father Daniel of Colon Cancer in 1989.  There was a second son named Ricky that died at birth.  He would have been 3 years younger than Jarod.  We have established the family name as Jacobs. 

NOTE:  Records, family pictures and graves have been established to support this scenario.

 

Both of his parents were doctors.  His father worked on exotic airborne diseases and his mother was a psychiatrist.  They were both long time employees of the Centre until they died.  Recognizing Jarod's exceptionally high I.Q, he was volunteered into the Pretender program by his parents.   The Jacobs lived on Centre grounds to cut down on outside distractions and for their own safety.  Jarod's father had received threats by terrorists for eliminating some dangerous pathogens.

Dr. Sydney Greene has acted as his mentor since his acceptance into the Pretender program.  His parents worked with Dr. Greene to create a program that they felt would allow Jarod to reach his full potential.  He was trained at the Centre but has attended several colleges.  His personal security is still of paramount importance.  Miss Parker, his friend and confidant has acted in this capacity for the past five years.

Jarod lives at the Centre to be close to his work.  We have established a suite of rooms on SL10.  We chose not to house him in the rooms he had occupied before as Dr. Sydney Greene felt that he could have subconscious memories of his earlier residency.  We have established a high-tech workspace that combines ergonomics and encourages relaxation and comfort. 

NOTE:  Evidence of his manufactured past exists in this living space in the form of verifiable Degrees, family pictures and "knick knacks" taken from confiscated items of his former hideouts.

Jarod is retained to do consultant work for the Centre.  His Pretender background allows him to work in any field, in any discipline.  He is a great asset to the Centre and receives an annual salary equivalent to the level of Executive E5.  This adds another justification for his personal security.  There could be kidnapping potential.  He has never been married but dated several women in college.  He has known Miss Parker since childhood and they have always been best friends.

He was attending a seminar in Denver and despite the advice of Miss Parker, chose to drive up into the mountains for the day.  After his accident, he was immediately returned to the Centre for his recovery.

Miss Parker has been assigned living quarters next to Jarod's at the Centre.  She insists on retaining her home in the mountains for weekends and getaways.  Her personal items have been moved to support this background story. 

All records have been established by Mr. Broots and can withstand close inspection.  All personnel that will have access to the Pretender have been thoroughly briefed.  Any violations of the guidelines set here will not be acceptable.  It comes from the highest level that inappropriate references or behavior will be grounds for extreme termination.

Please refer all questions to the Pretender Background Committee

Mr. Parker read the file and nodded.  Standing up, he walked over to his picture window and looked out at the cove this area was named after.

"Good, that is taken care of.  Angel, you can fill him in on his background now.  Get him situated and back to work as soon as possible." 

Barely turning around, he tossed the file onto his desk.  His casual discard of the file symbolized his equally as casual discard of his daughter's life.  He turned back to the window giving Miss Parker a non-verbal dismissal.

Miss Parker didn't reply to this, just turned and walked from the room.  Her emotions telegraphing through the loud click of her heels as she stalked down the hall towards the infirmary.

Miss Parker was both angry and relieved.

Angry because she had been promised a return to corporate when she brought in the Pretender.  She wanted out of the clandestine darker side of the Centre.  She had bargained this with her father when he first transferred her out of corporate.  Now she was sold back into the slavery called the Centre.  She had been written into Jarod's new life to keep tabs on him.  What about her life? What about what SHE wanted?

After she had vented her anger, she thought of why she was relieved.  Jarod would be back in Sydney's care.  Mr. Raines and Lyle had "hands off" orders.  At least he would be safe.  He would get a nice little life all planned out for him.  With her influence in the background story, at least he would have more freedom in this life.  She had to admit that Jarod had a gentle, compassionate soul, when he wasn't being an Ass and baiting her.  This Jarod had not done anything like that since he woke up.  He was less confident, more insecure.  No surprise since he couldn't remember anything about himself.  That was her job now.  Convince him that he had lived the life they made up for him.  A life that secretly took away his freedom, and now hers.

By the time she reached the infirmary she was ready to put on her "long time friend and personal security person" face.  She took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

Sydney was sitting beside the bed.  They were talking about Jarod's medical condition when she walked in.

"Well, how are you feeling today Jarod?"

"Tired, sore.  I will be glad when I can sit up without getting dizzy."

"I hear that should be soon.  You are coming along better than can be expected after what you've been through.  I tried to talk you out of your little joy ride, at least you could have rented a roadster!"

"Huh?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat that telling him lies brought, she began to tell him the carefully constructed story of his past.

Jarod was silent when she finished.  He didn't meet Sydney or Miss Parkers eyes when he asked to be alone to absorb the information.  Sydney put a reassuring hand on Jarod's shoulder and said he would return later to check on him.  Miss Parker jumped into the role and leaned down and kissed Jarod on the forehead.

With honest feeling she whispered, "I'm glad you're safe.  I missed you.  I'll check back later."

She stepped out of the infirmary and saw Sydney waiting just a little bit down the corridor.  Her warm feeling quickly dissolved into irritation knowing that she was going to get the "Shrink" treatment from him.

"How are you feeling Miss Parker?"

"How do you think Syd?  I should have been back in corporate now, instead I get to play nursemaid.  My only hope is that he settles into a nice little routine and I can get my life back."

"Jarod is empathic, he will be able to feel your anger or deceit if you are not convinced that you are doing the right thing for him."

"Thanks Syd, I'm aware of that."  She stalked off to her office.

Sydney mentally compared what she had said against what her face had shown when she walked out of the infirmary.   He headed for his office to review the stack of potential simulations for Jarod's return to work.

Jarod closed his eyes and tried to fight off his whirlwind of feelings.  He couldn't remember any of the things he had been told.  His whole life was blank.  Some of what he had been told felt familiar but he still felt overwhelmingly lost.

His attempts to force his memory brought back the headache.  He was rubbing his temples to try and relax his head when the door opened and the younger, well-dressed man came in with a big smile.  Jarod remembered that he had been in the room earlier and seemed to have some issues with his lack of memory.

"Hello again, I don't think I introduced myself before.  I'm Lyle Parker, Miss Parker's twin.  I wanted to have a minute alone with you to let you how sorry I am about that confusion earlier.  There are a lot of politics at our executive level and I was miss-informed by my staff on the extent of your injuries.  When I checked my sources I realized that it was posturing within my own department.  I have taken care of my little problem.   I hope that we will be able to work with each other as we have in the past.  You rest and get better.  We'll talk after you are up and around again."

Lyle shook his hand and still smiling, left the room confident that he had set things straight between himself and the Pretender.

Jarod was reviewing the conversation in his mind when the door opened again.  This time it was the older man with the oxygen tank.  He had been identified as Mr. Raines.

"Jarod, are you feeling better?" rasped Mr. Raines.

"I guess, considering what I have been through, I am doing okay."

"I understand that Miss Parker has briefed you on your forgotten memory.  Did you have any additional questions?"

"What exactly was I working on?"

"You had completed your last project so you attended the seminar in Denver.  We were preparing your next project during your absence.  Perhaps when you are feeling better we can send you the preparations to keep you occupied during your stay in the infirmary."

"I would like that.  I think a little distraction would make me feel less disoriented."

"I'll arrange to have some files sent to you right away.  I'll leave you to your rest."

The squeaking of the oxygen tank sent shivers up Jarod's spine.  He couldn't hold back the feeling that the last two visits were not ones he would have welcomed in his past.

His head still hurting, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"Jarod, come here and eat, you can play with your plane when you're done."

Young Jarod turned towards his mother, deeply banking the plane to a new flight path.  Climbing to a higher altitude he raced towards the blanket and picnic set up in the shade.  His father and Kyle were already digging into the fried chicken.  His mother hugged him and kissed his forehead. 

"Come on Captain, land your plane…" 

Her tone indicated that no argument would be accepted.  Jarod made a perfect landing with the plane and grabbed a drumstick.

"That was a pretty good landing son, that could have passed for a carrier landing."

"Really! Can you show me?"

"After you eat," his mother interrupted.

"After we eat son, the Commander-in-Chief has spoken."  His father said laughing.

In his darkened office, Lyle continued his plotting.  He had the list of the accepted Sims that Jarod would be working on when he left the infirmary.  It would be easy for him to insinuate himself into the workings of them.  Picking up the recorder, he left a list of instructions for his assistant.  So much was at stake here.  Having the Pretender back and helping could end this quickly.

Mr. Raines was alone in the technician room viewing the surveillance tapes.  He raised an eyebrow when he saw Miss Parker kiss Jarod's forehead.  Against his advice, she had entirely too much power in this manufactured story.  She was going to require close monitoring to ensure she kept up her part.  Now that this scenario was going, he could insert his own people into key positions.

His mind was re-focused when he saw Mr. Lyle drop in.  Miss Parker he suspected, Mr. Lyle he totally distrusted.  He had no place in the manufactured Pretender's history.  With this unscheduled visit, he had successfully written himself in.  Mr. Raines called his assistant and issued new orders.

Sydney quietly stepped into the darkened infirmary.  It appeared that the Pretender was sleeping.  As he turned to leave, he was stopped by Jarod's voice.

"Dr. Greene?"

"You used to call me Sydney."

"I wish I could remember that."

Sydney crossed the room and sat next to the bed.

"How are you dealing with this?"

"I'm overwhelmed.  A few days ago I had a life that I don't remember any part of.  Who am I?  My head hurts every time I try to remember."

"The pain will recede.  Your brain is trying to repair damaged pathways.  Luckily the damage was only to your memory and not to the functions of your brain.  You can start creating new memories, find yourself again."

"Dr. Greene, I mean Sydney.   I am afraid.  I don't know who I am."

Sydney thought of all the other times that he had heard the Pretender say that.

"But we've told you who you are.  The rest we can work on together.  I understand that Mr. Raines had some research material sent down for you to review."

"Yes, I read through it.  I'm anxious to get to work.  Something just doesn't seem 'right' about being here."

Uncomfortable, Sydney scrambled to come up with a response.  Desperately he spoke the first thing that came into his mind.

"I think you are emotionally connecting with Miss Parker.  She and you were developing a closer relationship than she told you.  She was concerned about discussing it with you now that your memory is gone."

"Closer than friends?"

"She thought it would be in your best interest to keep that to herself.  She didn't want to put any more pressure on you than you were already feeling."

Sequel