Outrage
by Samantha
Rating: PG or PG13
Category: Sequel to Breakdown and Resurrection. Please read those two
first, or you will be totally lost!
Summary: Jarod's paradise soon crumbles to the ground.
Disclaimer: I don't own them(wish I did), but I am using them solely for my pleasure. Don't sue me, I am a college student, therefore I have absolutely no cash.
Author's Note: I never really meant for the story to go past Resurrection, but it started getting so long that I couldn't include any of the real Centre action that I wanted to get in. So here comes the third part. I'll have to wait until this part ends to see if I'm finished or not. Oh, well. Enjoy!
Harrison, Kentucky
Parker opened her eyes as if they were weighted down with lead. She squinted against the bright glare of the sun as she moved to sit up. When did I fall asleep? she wondered. Once she was settled, she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes.
"Good morning, Angel. Or should I say good afternoon?" came a deep voice from just behind the bedroom door. Angela smiled as she leaned back against the oak headboard of her king-sized bed.
"How long have I been asleep, Jarod?" Parker practically purred as Jarod came forward to sit on the edge of the bed. He smiled his boyish smile and replied, "Oh, since about three this morning. We were kind of busy last night." Jarod winked and caused Angela to give a throaty laugh. She pulled him forward and kissed the man she loved.
Never in a million years would Parker have guessed that she would end up being so comfortable away from the Centre. But she was.
A year had passed since Jarod stumbled upon the formerly deceased, but very much alive Miss Parker on a road trip in Kentucky. Now, she couldn't believe that she could hold so much love for the one person she'd been trained to hate.
Four months after Jarod and Angela became a couple, much to the delight of the many elderly ladies Parker had befriended over the years, they got married in a quiet ceremony outside of town.
Angela Parker Russell, widow became Mrs. Angela Parker Woodman, newlywed. Her husband, the tall, dark, handsome, and ever so dashing Jarod Woodman was a master carpenter. It was clear to everyone that they made a great couple, and that Jarod obviously loved Catherine like she was his own. And soon, she was his own. He had legally adopted her, making her Catherine Marie Woodman.
Sometimes, Jarod still called her Parker. But that sort of made sense, because Angela made her middle name Parker, and because that was what he called her when he showed up in Kentucky.
Parker smiled as she settled back against the headboard once more. Jarod backed up to the door, blew her a kiss, then left her to get ready to run the horses. Her heart contained so much love for him. He got her through the worst possible thing she could have imagined. Then, after she'd left, he showed up again. He showed her how to love.
Angela stretched luxuriously, then got out of bed. She quickly put on a pair of faded jeans and a lightweight, tan cotton sweater. She pulled her long, curly hair back into a ponytail at the nape of her neck and put on some socks and her boots.
She grabbed some coffee in the kitchen on her way out to the stables and met up with Jarod halfway there. She could hear Catherine giggling.
She was almost three and becoming more and more intelligent as the days went by. She definitely got a lot from her mother. The only difference between the two was that Catherine had light blonde curls. She inherited that from her "father." Catherine actually seemed more like her namesake than her mother. She was a kindred spirit, even at two and a half. She always shared her things and was extremely polite. But whenever she focused on something, she wouldn't let go of it. She had her mother's tenacity.
Right now, she was riding Maggie. The dear and lovable Maggie was getting on in years. She had mild arthritis in her joints, so she became Catherine's horse.
"Daddy! Look-a!" cried Catherine as she nudged Maggie into a run. Parker's heart melted each time she heard Catherine call Jarod her Daddy. She had an idea that her daughter remembered life without Jarod, but also that it didn't bother her at all.
Angela laughed as Jarod ran towards Maggie, picked up Catherine off the horse, and swung her around in the air in one fluid movement. Parker crossed her arms and leaned back against the wooden fence. It was amazing how fast Jarod had conformed to being "Daddy". But then, it probably had been amazing to Jarod how fast she'd conformed to being "Mommy".
Angela chuckled softly to herself. Catherine was being tossed in the air by Jarod while Maggie lazily nibbled at the sweet Kentucky bluegrass. When Jarod put their daughter on the ground, he caught Parker's warm blue eyes. He walked over to her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her thoroughly on the mouth. Parker couldn't help but think that life was perfect.
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Two Days Later
"Mommy! Look-a!" Angela looks up from the wooden swing and smiles at Catherine, who is running around under a sprinkler. Parker, laying lengthwise on the swing, feels the gentle summer breeze play with her loose curls.
"That's great, Sweetie," she replies. Parker's hand absently moves to her abdomen, smiling at her beloved daughter. A voice whispers, "Your next one will accomplish great things." Parker smiles at her mother's voice. She gently rubs her stomach and wonders when she will begin to have--
Angela awoke to water sloshing. She blinked a couple of times, then looked at her surroundings. She sighs and leans back. She had fallen asleep in the tub again. That was the third time this week. Normally, Parker normally didn't take too many baths, but this was mid-fall, and the weather was cool enough for her to do so.
Parker's hand drifted to her stomach as she remembered the dream from moments ago. She'd had her suspicions. Also, her Inner Sense had been whispering to her about her condition for two months. She knew now. That was the third dream she'd had while asleep in the tub this week. I wonder when I'll tell Jarod, she thought with a smile on her face. She couldn't wait to tell him. He'd be so excited. A child of his own! His flesh and blood.
Angela closed her eyes, but they flew open again when she heard a loud thump coming from the hallway. Curious, she got out of the tub, walked across the towels she'd laid down so she wouldn't slip, and pulled on her terrycloth robe. As she tied the belt, she walked toward her bedroom door. Hurry!!!! screamed her mother's voice inside her head. Parker rushed across the span of her room.
Stunned, Parker realized she'd been brought to the floor very quickly. She looked up, and saw a face she would never forget.
Blonde curls and sinister blue eyes stared back at her. The man snarled, "I'm back, and this time I'll finish the job." For a second, Parker cowered in fear. Then her instincts took over. She would not let this man ruin her life again. She kicked out at his ankles and took him down beside her. She punched him in the face before jumping up and looking for her gun.
The man shook his head and stood up, charging at Parker. He jumped onto her, knocking her down. While on top of her, he began to beat her. As Parker received blow after blow to her face, arms, and stomach, she planned a way to escape.
When he paused for only a second, she kneed him hard in the groin. He groaned and doubled over in pain, allowing Parker to head for her nightstand. She pulled her pistol from the drawer and aimed at him. With a sneer, the attacker rushed toward her. Parker's gaze became icy as she pulled the trigger twice. Two staccato bursts sounded as his body was jerked upward by an invisible string, then slumped lifeless to the ground.
Parker kept on shooting, emptying the magazine. She continued squeezing the trigger, not really hearing the click it made.
Jarod found her like this moments later. He'd heard the gunshots while he was walking into the house and dropped the pizza boxes he'd been carrying in.
"Angela, honey," he whispered as he gently took the gun from Parker's trembling hand. He made her sit down on the bed. When he felt her shaking, he pulled her into a tight embrace, running his fingers through her thick mop of curls.
"He's dead, baby. It's okay, now," he whispered over and over again. Parker didn't cry. Instead, she gave a shuddering sigh and pulled slightly away.
"It's him. He came back. He found me. How, Jarod?" she asked in a small voice. Now he knew why this affected her so much.
"I don't know, Angel." Parker then realized that she didn't hear any crying from Catherine's room. Normally, loud noises frightened her.
"Catherine," Parker whispered in horror as she ran to her daughter's room. She flipped the switch and fell to her knees at the scene.
Jarod followed behind her, but he took a step back at the sight. He covered his mouth as his stomach threatened to spill out all he'd consumed that day. Written on the wall in blood was the sentence, "We found you, Miss Parker." Catherine was nowhere to be found. The room had been ransacked. All her stuffed animals were gutted, the filling coming out of them and laying on the floor.
Tears filled Parker's cold blue eyes. Two words were gritted past her teeth.
"The Centre."
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The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware
"Well done, Lyle." Lyle nodded his head in false graciousness and listened as Raines went on about what the new subject would bring to the Centre.
"This child will be very special. She is the daughter of a genius. Her mother would have been a Pretender, had not her own mother prohibited it. This child, however, will no longer be called Catherine. She will be renamed Cassandra. She has inherited her mother's gift of the Inner Sense, as well as her intelligence. We expect great things from her." Raines's audience applauded him as he nodded and left the room, wheeling his squeaky tank behind him.
Lyle relaxed as soon as Mr. Emphysema and his disciples were gone. Deep down, he hated Raines. Someday, though, he would take Raines's place. After all, he was the sole heir to the Parker legacy. His sister gave that up by taking the route of their mother. History always repeats itself.
Deep down, Lyle also hated doing this to her. Like it or not, they were siblings. Twins. They shared a very unique bond. But, a job was a job. He had to do it to ensure his future at the Centre.
Of course, only the few in the room with Raines and Lyle knew that Miss Parker faked her suicide. It was decided that Sydney, Broots, and Angelo should never know. Sydney would be needed to raise young Cassandra. Already, she looked like her mother. Soon, Sydney would have to be removed because of the strong physical resemblance to Miss Parker. Broots had stayed on at the Centre only to honor the memory of a woman he respected. He might leave if he knew the truth. Angelo, well, Angelo probably already knew. He just hasn't said anything, thought Lyle with a smirk. Everyone underestimated Angelo. But Lyle knew better. In fact, he knew almost for certain that Angelo had a part in Parker's plan.
Lyle sighed and booted up his computer once he reached his office. He sat down in his chair and picked up a picture frame. In the simple silver frame was a photo taken of the three Parkers at their father's wedding. Mr. Parker, Miss Parker, and Mr. Lyle. He looked into his sister's haunted blue eyes and whispered a heartfelt apology into the empty space.
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Harrison, Kentucky One Day Later
"Angel, we'll find her. We'll find her and make the Centre pay," stated Jarod, trying to console his distraught wife. She hadn't cried too much, but she did punch a few holes in their bedroom wall, causing the smooth skin of her knuckles to split and bleed.
"Angel?" inquired Jarod tentatively. She had fallen silent, staring out the window, not responding. He gently touched her shoulder.
Miss Parker turned toward him and stopped all words with her icy blue eyes. She whispered, "Oh, we will. They will pay." Her jaw clenched as she walked into the bathroom and slammed the door. Jarod started slightly at the loud noise. He had tried so hard to keep away the Ice Queen over the year. She was back.
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The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware
"Hey, Syd?" asked Broots. The silver-haired psychiatrist swiveled his chair around and motioned for the nervous tech to sit.
"What do you want, Broots?" came the pleasant greeting. Broots licked his lips and looked around.
"Y-you know that new girl, Cassandra? Well, every time I s-see her, she just r-reminds me of someone. I-I couldn't really put my finger on it until just an hour ago. S-see, I was surfing around on the net for some leads on Jarod, you know, j-just to look busy. Oh! You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I found! Articles, tons of them, all about how a mystery man named Jarod helped these people out in their time of need and--"
"Broots, your point?" The tech chuckled nervously and continued.
"Well, after searching the net, I looked in the Centre's records and came across a picture of Miss Parker...at Cassandra's age. They looked almost exactly alike, except for the hair! And, I realized that Cassandra had a lot of Miss Parker's behavioral traits." Sydney's eyebrows rose slightly.
"I think you're on to something, Broots. In my sessions with the girl, she keeps repeating the name Catherine. Everytime I ask her what her name is, she replies 'Catherine'."
"And," Broots continued, "she kinda reminds me of Jarod, too." Sydney nodded and replied, "Yes, she has that inquisitiveness and innocence."
"Syd, Cassandra is what, almost three?" Sydney nodded.
"Think, Syd, when did Miss Parker 'kill herself?'" Sydney's eyes widened as the realization hit him.
"He'd found someone," he muttered under his breath, "he said it was like their relationship had been resurrected!" Broots smiled and nodded, somewhat proud of himself for putting that together.
"But, if Cassandra is Jarod's child as well, how does that explain his grief and near-suicide if he was in on the plan?" asked Broots, now curious.
"He couldn't have known. He probably didn't even know Cassandra was his. But Parker wouldn't have done that to him. She wouldn't have left him without taking him with her." They both thought for a second, then Broots came up with an idea.
"What if she didn't know it was his?"
Sydney scoffed.
"Parker didn't sleep around, Broots." Then another realization hit.
"The rape!" he exclaimed quietly.
"W-what rape?" asked Broots, getting a little more nervous by the second. Sydney explained, "Parker was raped about a few months before her suicide. I thought she'd killed herself because of the trauma of the rape and the pressure the Centre put on her regardless of what she'd been through. But it wasn't. She was pregnant from the rape! I'll bet the Centre knew about it. They would have taken the child. So she made up a plan and left."
"But Syd, if the girl is Jarod's, then he and Miss P were getting along pretty well before the rape." Sydney shook his head. Then he offered, "Maybe the behavioral coincidences to Jarod are just that. Coincidences. And, unless I miss my guess, Jarod has been raising her for the past year or so. She's bound to imitate him." Broots nodded.
"Good work, Broots. I'll have to keep my eye on the action around Cassandra. I'll try and get some information out of her when we have some privacy." Broots turned and left, wringing his hands slightly.
Sydney waited until he was gone to cover his face with his hand and sigh deeply. Then, he wept. He wept for the two's stolen happiness.
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Harrison Kentucky One Week Later
Parker paced the room as Jarod's fingers flew over the laptop's keyboard. They had a potential lead on Lyle. For some reason, her Inner Sense was urging her to seek him out. He was their answer, their key. And the Sense wasn't whispering this time; they were practically screaming.
"Found him," Jarod declared, "He's in Missouri. St. Louis, to be exact. And my, my. He's not on business. I think your brother needs a visit from his sister." Jarod gave a smirk that he hadn't given in a year.
"And his brother-in-law," gritted Parker. Jarod gave her a quick kiss and rushed upstairs to pack. Angela sat down on the couch, overwhelmed. She felt so schizophrenic these days. There were times when she craved a cigarette so badly her hands shook and her fingers itched. Those times were when she cussed like a sailor and hit almost anything that moved. Then, Angela Woodman took over. She felt near tears and exhausted. When she was Angela, she felt the pressing need to announce to Jarod about their newest addition to the family. Then, Miss Parker would come and remind her that he would keep her home if he found out she was pregnant.
She needed Sydney.
The man who was like a father to her still thought she was dead. That idea saddened Angela and Miss Parker. But, she could maintain no contact. That was for certain. Even though her cover had been blown by the Centre, Sydney (and Broots, as well) could never be involved. No matter how much it killed her inside.
"Ready?" Jarod's deep voice rumbled. Parker nodded and they both walked out to the blue minivan she owned. As Jarod drove the van down the driveway, she gave one last glance at her beloved home. It might be the last time you see it, whispered a wicked voice that had left her alone for the better part of two years. She shuddered slightly and began to rub her hands over her upper arms.
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The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware
The little toddler with curly blonde hair picked up the stuffed rabbit and sat down. Sydney smiled as he observed her from the corner. He took a deep breath and made his way over to her.
"Cassandra--"
"Not Cassandra," the girl interrupted, "Catherine." Sydney smiled softly.
"Do you want me to call you Catherine?" The blonde head nodded as she smiled.
"Mommy told me about you," she remarked in her childish voice, "you're Paw- Paw Sydney." Her little dimples appeared as she smiled once more. Sydney had to wait before he went on when he heard this information. Parker had told her daughter about him. And, it seemed like he was a grandfather- figure. Amazing.
"Catherine, what did your Mommy say about me?" Sydney asked, curious.
"That even though you weren't her Daddy, she always thought of you as her Daddy. That she loved you." He blinked back tears that had suddenly appeared with this new information. Also, he still was amazed at the intelligence with which Catherine spoke.
"Daddy told me about you, too. He thought I was sleeping. He cried." Sydney turned towards Catherine and stared at her.
"Daddy said he loved you very much, and missed you terribly. And that he was sorry that we'd never meet each other."
"When did he tell you this?" Sydney asked.
"When I turned two. I wasn't sleeping, but I wanted to hear what he was saying, so I stayed quiet. I didn't tell him that he was wrong."
"Wrong?" Sydney commented, his brow lowered for a lack of understanding.
"I knew we'd meet. Gramma told me." Sydney stared at her some more.
"Gramma?"
"She always speaks to me. She sounds a lot like Mommy. Her voice, it whispers the future to me." Sydney swallowed and asked, "You hear voices?" Catherine nodded and smiled again.
"I can hear Gramma. I know she's Gramma, she told me. I can hear a man, too. His name's Thomas, but I call him Tommy. He plays with me sometimes. Oh! And I hear another man, called Kyle. He's my uncle." Sydney's mind reeled with this revelation. He waited before he spoke, trying to calm his racing thoughts.
"Tommy and Kyle?" She nodded.
"Sometimes, Angelo would talk to me. He hasn't visited yet. But he's promised to, when the time is right."
"Angelo?" Before Sydney got even more confused, he asked a question that had been on his mind since he discovered she was Parker's child.
"Do you remember a time when your Daddy wasn't around?" Catherine nodded.
"Uh-huh. Daddy wasn't always there. He came when I was one and a half. Mommy was sad before. Then he came. Mommy became happy! Tommy told me once that he loved Mommy. But now, it was Daddy's time to love her, and be loved by her. I like Tommy. He smiles a lot." Sydney swallowed.
"You can see him?" he asked with a slight tremor in his voice.
"Uh-huh," the blonde head bounced up and down, "I can see them all, Paw-Paw Sydney." He shook his head in amazement. This girl was truly gifted.
A soft chirping noise brought Sydney out of his thoughts. He picked up his cell phone and looked at the caller ID. It was unknown. He opted not to take the call, but he did notice the time. Their session was over.
"Well, Catherine," he stated sadly, "I must be off. I have other little boys and girls I have to see. Thank you, for talking with me." The little girl smiled, moved toward his sitting form, and gave him a big hug around his neck. She kissed his cheek, then went back to playing with her stuffed animals, humming a certain tune. Sydney's favorite song.
He blinked back tears as he tried to make his way out normally, so as not to cause any suspicion. His next appointment was in a half hour.
Sydney sat down at his desk after closing the office door, and wept.
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Busch Stadium St. Louis, Missouri One Day Later
"Well, well, Lyle. Fancy, meeting you here," came Jarod's voice from behind Lyle's shoulder. He closed his eyes and turned around. His sharp intake of breath could be heard over the crowd as he saw not only Jarod, but his sister as well.
"Parker, I-I--"
"Save it, scumbag." Parker's voice dripped with hatred for her twin. She knelt to him and whispered menacingly in his ear, "Tell me where my daughter is. Or this time, you'll lose more than a thumb. You'll lose your life." Jarod pulled Parker away from Lyle's face, then moved them to sit in the two vacant seats beside Lyle.
"Lyle, we know the Centre has Catherine." Lyle was still working out his sister's threat when he heard Jarod make that statement. He sighed as he looked to his feet. Then he glanced around cautiously.
"It is not the time, nor the place, to be discussing matters such as this, Jarod. You, of all people, should know that. Go," he paused as he took out a pen and wrote an address down on his napkin, "here. In one hour. The game's almost over. It's a place I have swept for bugs and taps daily. Sometimes twice daily. See, I'm a very paranoid person. Comes with the job. You can find your answers there." Lyle looked into Jarod's eyes for a long time while he passed the napkin their way. For the first time, Lyle's eyes were gentle, almost apologetic. Jarod nodded, took Parker, and left the stadium.
"Jarod," Parker began once they'd reached the van, "I could have handled it! I would've gotten answers then." Jarod looked over at her and saw tears flowing down her cheeks. He reached between them and took her hands in his. He rubbed them gently as he whispered, "It's okay. I saw something in Lyle's eyes. Something that wasn't there before. I have a feeling he'll cooperate, and nobody will have to be shot. Although I'm sure that might make you feel better." He looked over to the love of his life with a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth and teasing glinting in his eyes.
Parker looked over at him and saw his jest. For the first time in little over a week, she smiled.
"Yes, Jarod. It would," she replied dryly. They both chuckled softly as silent tears made their way down their cheeks.
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An Hour Later Lyle's Safe House
"Sis, I'm sorry," apologized Lyle. He held his sister's hands as tears of shame slid through his tightly squeezed shut eyelids. Parker could tell it was a heartfelt apology.
"It's okay, Lyle." She pulled him into an embrace as he began to sob silently. She stroked the back of his head, performing a very motherly action.
He pulled back and looked her in the eyes. He whispered raggedly, "I've known for some time now, but, it just never seemed real. I saw you, in that casket! And my heart broke!" A fresh batch of tears came to Parker's eyes as her brother bared his soul.
"I'd always thought I'd hated you, but I realized I didn't. And it really hurt me that you'd killed yourself. I concealed it as best as I could, but I had to visit Sydney a couple of times." Jarod and Parker shared a look at this revelation.
"That's right. Sydney helped me get back to a pseudo-normality. When we found out you were alive, I didn't know what to do. I wanted to kill you and hug you at the same time." Parker arched an eyebrow and muttered sarcastically, "Welcome to motherhood." Lyle smiled a bit, then continued.
"I had been spying on Raines for awhile. His activities seemed extra- suspicious, if you can even begin to imagine that. I found out who he was tracking, and why. Turns out, he was looking for a guy by the name of Marcus Willmore. He was the one who...um...raped you. The reason Raines wanted Marcus was to provide a distraction so Sweepers could take baby Catherine. He gave Marcus free reign over how you should be treated. Rumor was, he was going to rape you and kill you in front of Jarod." Parker and Jarod exchanged worried glances once more.
"But, don't worry, Sis. Sydney is taking very good care of Catherine. But Raines decided to call her Cassandra. It seems...she can predict the future. With the help of voices." Lyle let that information sink in.
"She's also a great Pretender," he remarked heavily. Parker gasped. She moved her mouth a couple of times before she could say anything.
"They 'need' her more than ever. She's more valuable to them. They...she..." Parker closed her eyes and moved her hands to her head, trying to stop the room from spinning. She felt her stomach jump slightly, and she ran to the bathroom. Moments later, retching could be heard. Both Jarod and Lyle ran to her side. Jarod held her head while Lyle pulled her hair back.
"Angela," Jarod whispered, "what's wrong? You've been throwing up quite often." An upset Angela looked into Jarod's eyes and whispered back, "Jarod, I'm pregnant."
Lyle's concern was apparent as he pleaded, "Sis, you can't go back there! They'll find you and keep you, especially now that you're going to have another baby. Jarod's baby." Lyle looked to Jarod with eyes that were filled with fear for his sister's well-being. Jarod nodded.
"He's right, Angel. They'll find out. And, I don't want risk losing this baby as well. Either to the Centre, or to death." Parker looked at him, internally debated for a moment, then nodded.
"I won't go," she whispered, defeated. Lyle moved over and hugged her. He stated, "You can stay here. The only people who ever come here are the housekeeper and the bug sweeper."
Jarod agreed with the idea. It was settled. Parker would be staying in St. Louis. Silent tears fell down her face as she listened to her brother and her husband make plans to get Catherine back.
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The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware One Week Later
"Syd," Broots whispered shakily, "you need to see this." He motioned towards the older man with fear in his eyes. Sydney got up and walked over to the computer. His eyes scanned the content. Then his blue glass coffee mug shattered on the floor after it slipped from his hands.
"Oh, my..."
"Yeah, I know." Broots swiped a few tears from his eyes and sighed.
"I know what the Centre is capable of, but I never expected this. Not in my most horrible nightmares." Sydney shook his head sadly and blinked back the tears that caused the ache behind his eyes. His thoughts instantly flew to baby Catherine. Then to Miss Parker. Then to Jarod.
The Centre would pay for the pains it had caused the people who were most precious to him.
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"Paw-Paw Sydney, you're sad," came the childish voice. Sydney pulled himself out of the depths of his pain and looked at the beautiful girl.
"Yes, Catherine." Sympathy and understanding filled her clear blue eyes. She whispered, "It's because of what they did to Mommy. Before I came here." He nodded, not even surprised that she knew. Catherine had so many gifts.
"It's because they used the Bad Man to make Mommy think he was my Daddy." Sydney nodded again. Tears filled her eyes as her voice became so low that it was almost unnoticeable.
"But he's not." Sydney looked at her, half-questioningly, half-surprised.
"The Bad Man isn't my Daddy, Paw-Paw Sydney. Jarod is."
"Catherine," he began, "I know Jarod seems like a father figure to you, but- -"
"No!" Frustration flamed in her eyes. Her eyes became cold and like stone as she gritted out, "Jarod is my Daddy. The Bad Man was a front!"
Sydney felt a shock of pain flow through him as her anger flared. Partly because she sounded so like her mother, partly because she inflicted it on him while being mad.
Catherine calmed down considerably and whispered tearfully, "I'm sorry, Paw- Paw Sydney. They taught me to do that. Here. I found it in my bunny." She handed him a DSA and walked over the corner of her playroom and picked up her bunny. She sat facing the corner and stroking the synthetic fur.
Sydney stood up and walked out of the room, glancing over his shoulder to have a parting look at her.
Once in his office, he shut the door and sat down at his desk. He popped the DSA into the player and watched as the scene played out in full color.
"Shh, we can't risk waking her, even though she's had a sedative," whispered Raines to a nameless Sweeper. In the Sweeper's hand was a turkey baster.
Raines chuckled silently as the Sweeper pulled back the bed sheets and looked at a sleeping Miss Parker. She was wearing an oversized hockey team tee shirt. The Sweeper then proceeded to artificially inseminate the sleeping woman.
"At last," whispered Raines, "we will have the perfect Pretender. Imagine, Miss Parker and Jarod's child. All their gifts combined to make the ideal package." He smiled sinisterly.
The screen became filled with static. Sydney swallowed as he remembered the date that went with the scene he'd just viewed. He almost turned off the player, but another scene started. Sydney sat forward and watched intently.
A weary Miss Parker sat down on her bed, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Then a man came from behind her and subdued her before she could react. Then the phone interrupted. A few rings went by before she was allowed to pick up the phone.
"Hello? Hi, Mamma. I'm sorry I couldn't make it to lunch. I had to catch up with an old friend...No, I can't see you tomorrow, but Friday's free...Uh- huh, yeah. That'll work...No, not yet. But I think he will. He would be great for that job, Mamma...Okay, Mamma. See you on Friday. Love you, bye."
Instantly, she was thrown on the bed and the menacing man with curly blonde hair ripped open her blouse. He proceeded to beat her savagely. Then, the unimaginable happened. He began to rape her violently.
After he finished, he stabbed her with his sharp knife. A crash outside caught his attention. He smirked and whispered to the quivering woman, "I'll be back to finish the job, sweetie." He hit her on the face once more, broke her bedroom window, then jumped out of it.
Moments later, a breathless Jarod came into the room. He watched as she sobbed harshly, curled into the fetal position.
"Miss Parker," he whispered painfully as he touched her shoulder. She backed up on all fours. Then she seemed to focus. She made a small whimper in the back of her throat and moved toward Jarod. She threw her arms around him and clung to him ferociously. They both cried silently as Jarod stroked her hair.
"I'm here, Parker. We need to get you to the hospital." Parker shook her head and held on tighter. Jarod wrapped an arm around her waist and held her. He stroked her hair with his other hand.
Sydney had wept while he watched the scene. Seeing Miss Parker like that...it drove him to want to kill the man in cold blood. Then, Sydney noticed the date of the rape scene. He gasped as bitter understanding dawned in his mind.
"What's the matter, Syd?" Broots asked with concern in his voice. He had walked in on Sydney while he watched the last of the DSA.
"Raines!" Sydney growled. Broots took a step back at the older man's rage.
"Miss Parker wasn't pregnant from the rape. The rape was a cover. Catherine is Jarod's child! Raines had Miss Parker inseminated the night before the rape! I'll kill him!"
Broots swallowed and stammered, "N-now, S-Sydney. Let's not m-make any r- rash decisions that you'll r-regret. P-please?"
The rage in Sydney's eyes subsided as he listened to the voice of reason. He let out a shaky breath and nodded. He whispered, "I'm sorry, Broots. I let it get to me."
"Syd, we need to get Catherine out of here. I'm hearing rumors that they're making her do terrible things with her powers. She's been starting fires, throwing objects and people around with her mind. The next step may be a murder." Their eyes met, and agreement passed between them.
"Angelo," they whispered simultaneously.
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"Angelo, thank you for helping us." Angelo smiled and said, "Anything for Friend." He looked at Lyle with a hint of uncertainty in his eyes and whispered, "I watch you." Lyle swallowed and nodded. He understood why Angelo wouldn't trust him. But he hoped to redeem himself in this new venture.
The three crawled through the ventilation shafts until they reached the one above Catherine's room. Jarod inhaled sharply when he saw her blonde head. She was sitting in a corner, crying in a way that three year-olds shouldn't be crying. His own tears began to fill his eyes. Lyle put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "I'm backing you up."
They looked at each other, nodded, then removed the shaft cover.
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Catherine felt them before she heard them. Baby, whispered her grandmother's voice, they're coming to get you. It's a trap. They will be captured. But don't be scared. Someone else will come to save you.
Catherine had begun to cry when she heard the statement. She could see all the people from her head. They looked brave, but fearful tears came from their eyes. That didn't make her feel any better.
She heard them hit the floor behind her. She turned and looked at them. She could see the pain in Daddy's eyes. Uncle Lyle looked the same way.
"I'm sorry, Daddy. Uncle Lyle." Then, Sweepers flooded the room, taking the two men into their custody.
"Catherine!!!" Jarod cried out. Catherine turned back and stroked the bunny while her tears fell on the fur.
"I'm sorry, Daddy."
TO BE CONTINUED...
Disclaimer: I don't own them(wish I did), but I am using them solely for my pleasure. Don't sue me, I am a college student, therefore I have absolutely no cash.
Author's Note: I never really meant for the story to go past Resurrection, but it started getting so long that I couldn't include any of the real Centre action that I wanted to get in. So here comes the third part. I'll have to wait until this part ends to see if I'm finished or not. Oh, well. Enjoy!
Harrison, Kentucky
Parker opened her eyes as if they were weighted down with lead. She squinted against the bright glare of the sun as she moved to sit up. When did I fall asleep? she wondered. Once she was settled, she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes.
"Good morning, Angel. Or should I say good afternoon?" came a deep voice from just behind the bedroom door. Angela smiled as she leaned back against the oak headboard of her king-sized bed.
"How long have I been asleep, Jarod?" Parker practically purred as Jarod came forward to sit on the edge of the bed. He smiled his boyish smile and replied, "Oh, since about three this morning. We were kind of busy last night." Jarod winked and caused Angela to give a throaty laugh. She pulled him forward and kissed the man she loved.
Never in a million years would Parker have guessed that she would end up being so comfortable away from the Centre. But she was.
A year had passed since Jarod stumbled upon the formerly deceased, but very much alive Miss Parker on a road trip in Kentucky. Now, she couldn't believe that she could hold so much love for the one person she'd been trained to hate.
Four months after Jarod and Angela became a couple, much to the delight of the many elderly ladies Parker had befriended over the years, they got married in a quiet ceremony outside of town.
Angela Parker Russell, widow became Mrs. Angela Parker Woodman, newlywed. Her husband, the tall, dark, handsome, and ever so dashing Jarod Woodman was a master carpenter. It was clear to everyone that they made a great couple, and that Jarod obviously loved Catherine like she was his own. And soon, she was his own. He had legally adopted her, making her Catherine Marie Woodman.
Sometimes, Jarod still called her Parker. But that sort of made sense, because Angela made her middle name Parker, and because that was what he called her when he showed up in Kentucky.
Parker smiled as she settled back against the headboard once more. Jarod backed up to the door, blew her a kiss, then left her to get ready to run the horses. Her heart contained so much love for him. He got her through the worst possible thing she could have imagined. Then, after she'd left, he showed up again. He showed her how to love.
Angela stretched luxuriously, then got out of bed. She quickly put on a pair of faded jeans and a lightweight, tan cotton sweater. She pulled her long, curly hair back into a ponytail at the nape of her neck and put on some socks and her boots.
She grabbed some coffee in the kitchen on her way out to the stables and met up with Jarod halfway there. She could hear Catherine giggling.
She was almost three and becoming more and more intelligent as the days went by. She definitely got a lot from her mother. The only difference between the two was that Catherine had light blonde curls. She inherited that from her "father." Catherine actually seemed more like her namesake than her mother. She was a kindred spirit, even at two and a half. She always shared her things and was extremely polite. But whenever she focused on something, she wouldn't let go of it. She had her mother's tenacity.
Right now, she was riding Maggie. The dear and lovable Maggie was getting on in years. She had mild arthritis in her joints, so she became Catherine's horse.
"Daddy! Look-a!" cried Catherine as she nudged Maggie into a run. Parker's heart melted each time she heard Catherine call Jarod her Daddy. She had an idea that her daughter remembered life without Jarod, but also that it didn't bother her at all.
Angela laughed as Jarod ran towards Maggie, picked up Catherine off the horse, and swung her around in the air in one fluid movement. Parker crossed her arms and leaned back against the wooden fence. It was amazing how fast Jarod had conformed to being "Daddy". But then, it probably had been amazing to Jarod how fast she'd conformed to being "Mommy".
Angela chuckled softly to herself. Catherine was being tossed in the air by Jarod while Maggie lazily nibbled at the sweet Kentucky bluegrass. When Jarod put their daughter on the ground, he caught Parker's warm blue eyes. He walked over to her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her thoroughly on the mouth. Parker couldn't help but think that life was perfect.
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Two Days Later
"Mommy! Look-a!" Angela looks up from the wooden swing and smiles at Catherine, who is running around under a sprinkler. Parker, laying lengthwise on the swing, feels the gentle summer breeze play with her loose curls.
"That's great, Sweetie," she replies. Parker's hand absently moves to her abdomen, smiling at her beloved daughter. A voice whispers, "Your next one will accomplish great things." Parker smiles at her mother's voice. She gently rubs her stomach and wonders when she will begin to have--
Angela awoke to water sloshing. She blinked a couple of times, then looked at her surroundings. She sighs and leans back. She had fallen asleep in the tub again. That was the third time this week. Normally, Parker normally didn't take too many baths, but this was mid-fall, and the weather was cool enough for her to do so.
Parker's hand drifted to her stomach as she remembered the dream from moments ago. She'd had her suspicions. Also, her Inner Sense had been whispering to her about her condition for two months. She knew now. That was the third dream she'd had while asleep in the tub this week. I wonder when I'll tell Jarod, she thought with a smile on her face. She couldn't wait to tell him. He'd be so excited. A child of his own! His flesh and blood.
Angela closed her eyes, but they flew open again when she heard a loud thump coming from the hallway. Curious, she got out of the tub, walked across the towels she'd laid down so she wouldn't slip, and pulled on her terrycloth robe. As she tied the belt, she walked toward her bedroom door. Hurry!!!! screamed her mother's voice inside her head. Parker rushed across the span of her room.
Stunned, Parker realized she'd been brought to the floor very quickly. She looked up, and saw a face she would never forget.
Blonde curls and sinister blue eyes stared back at her. The man snarled, "I'm back, and this time I'll finish the job." For a second, Parker cowered in fear. Then her instincts took over. She would not let this man ruin her life again. She kicked out at his ankles and took him down beside her. She punched him in the face before jumping up and looking for her gun.
The man shook his head and stood up, charging at Parker. He jumped onto her, knocking her down. While on top of her, he began to beat her. As Parker received blow after blow to her face, arms, and stomach, she planned a way to escape.
When he paused for only a second, she kneed him hard in the groin. He groaned and doubled over in pain, allowing Parker to head for her nightstand. She pulled her pistol from the drawer and aimed at him. With a sneer, the attacker rushed toward her. Parker's gaze became icy as she pulled the trigger twice. Two staccato bursts sounded as his body was jerked upward by an invisible string, then slumped lifeless to the ground.
Parker kept on shooting, emptying the magazine. She continued squeezing the trigger, not really hearing the click it made.
Jarod found her like this moments later. He'd heard the gunshots while he was walking into the house and dropped the pizza boxes he'd been carrying in.
"Angela, honey," he whispered as he gently took the gun from Parker's trembling hand. He made her sit down on the bed. When he felt her shaking, he pulled her into a tight embrace, running his fingers through her thick mop of curls.
"He's dead, baby. It's okay, now," he whispered over and over again. Parker didn't cry. Instead, she gave a shuddering sigh and pulled slightly away.
"It's him. He came back. He found me. How, Jarod?" she asked in a small voice. Now he knew why this affected her so much.
"I don't know, Angel." Parker then realized that she didn't hear any crying from Catherine's room. Normally, loud noises frightened her.
"Catherine," Parker whispered in horror as she ran to her daughter's room. She flipped the switch and fell to her knees at the scene.
Jarod followed behind her, but he took a step back at the sight. He covered his mouth as his stomach threatened to spill out all he'd consumed that day. Written on the wall in blood was the sentence, "We found you, Miss Parker." Catherine was nowhere to be found. The room had been ransacked. All her stuffed animals were gutted, the filling coming out of them and laying on the floor.
Tears filled Parker's cold blue eyes. Two words were gritted past her teeth.
"The Centre."
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The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware
"Well done, Lyle." Lyle nodded his head in false graciousness and listened as Raines went on about what the new subject would bring to the Centre.
"This child will be very special. She is the daughter of a genius. Her mother would have been a Pretender, had not her own mother prohibited it. This child, however, will no longer be called Catherine. She will be renamed Cassandra. She has inherited her mother's gift of the Inner Sense, as well as her intelligence. We expect great things from her." Raines's audience applauded him as he nodded and left the room, wheeling his squeaky tank behind him.
Lyle relaxed as soon as Mr. Emphysema and his disciples were gone. Deep down, he hated Raines. Someday, though, he would take Raines's place. After all, he was the sole heir to the Parker legacy. His sister gave that up by taking the route of their mother. History always repeats itself.
Deep down, Lyle also hated doing this to her. Like it or not, they were siblings. Twins. They shared a very unique bond. But, a job was a job. He had to do it to ensure his future at the Centre.
Of course, only the few in the room with Raines and Lyle knew that Miss Parker faked her suicide. It was decided that Sydney, Broots, and Angelo should never know. Sydney would be needed to raise young Cassandra. Already, she looked like her mother. Soon, Sydney would have to be removed because of the strong physical resemblance to Miss Parker. Broots had stayed on at the Centre only to honor the memory of a woman he respected. He might leave if he knew the truth. Angelo, well, Angelo probably already knew. He just hasn't said anything, thought Lyle with a smirk. Everyone underestimated Angelo. But Lyle knew better. In fact, he knew almost for certain that Angelo had a part in Parker's plan.
Lyle sighed and booted up his computer once he reached his office. He sat down in his chair and picked up a picture frame. In the simple silver frame was a photo taken of the three Parkers at their father's wedding. Mr. Parker, Miss Parker, and Mr. Lyle. He looked into his sister's haunted blue eyes and whispered a heartfelt apology into the empty space.
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Harrison, Kentucky One Day Later
"Angel, we'll find her. We'll find her and make the Centre pay," stated Jarod, trying to console his distraught wife. She hadn't cried too much, but she did punch a few holes in their bedroom wall, causing the smooth skin of her knuckles to split and bleed.
"Angel?" inquired Jarod tentatively. She had fallen silent, staring out the window, not responding. He gently touched her shoulder.
Miss Parker turned toward him and stopped all words with her icy blue eyes. She whispered, "Oh, we will. They will pay." Her jaw clenched as she walked into the bathroom and slammed the door. Jarod started slightly at the loud noise. He had tried so hard to keep away the Ice Queen over the year. She was back.
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The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware
"Hey, Syd?" asked Broots. The silver-haired psychiatrist swiveled his chair around and motioned for the nervous tech to sit.
"What do you want, Broots?" came the pleasant greeting. Broots licked his lips and looked around.
"Y-you know that new girl, Cassandra? Well, every time I s-see her, she just r-reminds me of someone. I-I couldn't really put my finger on it until just an hour ago. S-see, I was surfing around on the net for some leads on Jarod, you know, j-just to look busy. Oh! You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I found! Articles, tons of them, all about how a mystery man named Jarod helped these people out in their time of need and--"
"Broots, your point?" The tech chuckled nervously and continued.
"Well, after searching the net, I looked in the Centre's records and came across a picture of Miss Parker...at Cassandra's age. They looked almost exactly alike, except for the hair! And, I realized that Cassandra had a lot of Miss Parker's behavioral traits." Sydney's eyebrows rose slightly.
"I think you're on to something, Broots. In my sessions with the girl, she keeps repeating the name Catherine. Everytime I ask her what her name is, she replies 'Catherine'."
"And," Broots continued, "she kinda reminds me of Jarod, too." Sydney nodded and replied, "Yes, she has that inquisitiveness and innocence."
"Syd, Cassandra is what, almost three?" Sydney nodded.
"Think, Syd, when did Miss Parker 'kill herself?'" Sydney's eyes widened as the realization hit him.
"He'd found someone," he muttered under his breath, "he said it was like their relationship had been resurrected!" Broots smiled and nodded, somewhat proud of himself for putting that together.
"But, if Cassandra is Jarod's child as well, how does that explain his grief and near-suicide if he was in on the plan?" asked Broots, now curious.
"He couldn't have known. He probably didn't even know Cassandra was his. But Parker wouldn't have done that to him. She wouldn't have left him without taking him with her." They both thought for a second, then Broots came up with an idea.
"What if she didn't know it was his?"
Sydney scoffed.
"Parker didn't sleep around, Broots." Then another realization hit.
"The rape!" he exclaimed quietly.
"W-what rape?" asked Broots, getting a little more nervous by the second. Sydney explained, "Parker was raped about a few months before her suicide. I thought she'd killed herself because of the trauma of the rape and the pressure the Centre put on her regardless of what she'd been through. But it wasn't. She was pregnant from the rape! I'll bet the Centre knew about it. They would have taken the child. So she made up a plan and left."
"But Syd, if the girl is Jarod's, then he and Miss P were getting along pretty well before the rape." Sydney shook his head. Then he offered, "Maybe the behavioral coincidences to Jarod are just that. Coincidences. And, unless I miss my guess, Jarod has been raising her for the past year or so. She's bound to imitate him." Broots nodded.
"Good work, Broots. I'll have to keep my eye on the action around Cassandra. I'll try and get some information out of her when we have some privacy." Broots turned and left, wringing his hands slightly.
Sydney waited until he was gone to cover his face with his hand and sigh deeply. Then, he wept. He wept for the two's stolen happiness.
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Harrison Kentucky One Week Later
Parker paced the room as Jarod's fingers flew over the laptop's keyboard. They had a potential lead on Lyle. For some reason, her Inner Sense was urging her to seek him out. He was their answer, their key. And the Sense wasn't whispering this time; they were practically screaming.
"Found him," Jarod declared, "He's in Missouri. St. Louis, to be exact. And my, my. He's not on business. I think your brother needs a visit from his sister." Jarod gave a smirk that he hadn't given in a year.
"And his brother-in-law," gritted Parker. Jarod gave her a quick kiss and rushed upstairs to pack. Angela sat down on the couch, overwhelmed. She felt so schizophrenic these days. There were times when she craved a cigarette so badly her hands shook and her fingers itched. Those times were when she cussed like a sailor and hit almost anything that moved. Then, Angela Woodman took over. She felt near tears and exhausted. When she was Angela, she felt the pressing need to announce to Jarod about their newest addition to the family. Then, Miss Parker would come and remind her that he would keep her home if he found out she was pregnant.
She needed Sydney.
The man who was like a father to her still thought she was dead. That idea saddened Angela and Miss Parker. But, she could maintain no contact. That was for certain. Even though her cover had been blown by the Centre, Sydney (and Broots, as well) could never be involved. No matter how much it killed her inside.
"Ready?" Jarod's deep voice rumbled. Parker nodded and they both walked out to the blue minivan she owned. As Jarod drove the van down the driveway, she gave one last glance at her beloved home. It might be the last time you see it, whispered a wicked voice that had left her alone for the better part of two years. She shuddered slightly and began to rub her hands over her upper arms.
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The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware
The little toddler with curly blonde hair picked up the stuffed rabbit and sat down. Sydney smiled as he observed her from the corner. He took a deep breath and made his way over to her.
"Cassandra--"
"Not Cassandra," the girl interrupted, "Catherine." Sydney smiled softly.
"Do you want me to call you Catherine?" The blonde head nodded as she smiled.
"Mommy told me about you," she remarked in her childish voice, "you're Paw- Paw Sydney." Her little dimples appeared as she smiled once more. Sydney had to wait before he went on when he heard this information. Parker had told her daughter about him. And, it seemed like he was a grandfather- figure. Amazing.
"Catherine, what did your Mommy say about me?" Sydney asked, curious.
"That even though you weren't her Daddy, she always thought of you as her Daddy. That she loved you." He blinked back tears that had suddenly appeared with this new information. Also, he still was amazed at the intelligence with which Catherine spoke.
"Daddy told me about you, too. He thought I was sleeping. He cried." Sydney turned towards Catherine and stared at her.
"Daddy said he loved you very much, and missed you terribly. And that he was sorry that we'd never meet each other."
"When did he tell you this?" Sydney asked.
"When I turned two. I wasn't sleeping, but I wanted to hear what he was saying, so I stayed quiet. I didn't tell him that he was wrong."
"Wrong?" Sydney commented, his brow lowered for a lack of understanding.
"I knew we'd meet. Gramma told me." Sydney stared at her some more.
"Gramma?"
"She always speaks to me. She sounds a lot like Mommy. Her voice, it whispers the future to me." Sydney swallowed and asked, "You hear voices?" Catherine nodded and smiled again.
"I can hear Gramma. I know she's Gramma, she told me. I can hear a man, too. His name's Thomas, but I call him Tommy. He plays with me sometimes. Oh! And I hear another man, called Kyle. He's my uncle." Sydney's mind reeled with this revelation. He waited before he spoke, trying to calm his racing thoughts.
"Tommy and Kyle?" She nodded.
"Sometimes, Angelo would talk to me. He hasn't visited yet. But he's promised to, when the time is right."
"Angelo?" Before Sydney got even more confused, he asked a question that had been on his mind since he discovered she was Parker's child.
"Do you remember a time when your Daddy wasn't around?" Catherine nodded.
"Uh-huh. Daddy wasn't always there. He came when I was one and a half. Mommy was sad before. Then he came. Mommy became happy! Tommy told me once that he loved Mommy. But now, it was Daddy's time to love her, and be loved by her. I like Tommy. He smiles a lot." Sydney swallowed.
"You can see him?" he asked with a slight tremor in his voice.
"Uh-huh," the blonde head bounced up and down, "I can see them all, Paw-Paw Sydney." He shook his head in amazement. This girl was truly gifted.
A soft chirping noise brought Sydney out of his thoughts. He picked up his cell phone and looked at the caller ID. It was unknown. He opted not to take the call, but he did notice the time. Their session was over.
"Well, Catherine," he stated sadly, "I must be off. I have other little boys and girls I have to see. Thank you, for talking with me." The little girl smiled, moved toward his sitting form, and gave him a big hug around his neck. She kissed his cheek, then went back to playing with her stuffed animals, humming a certain tune. Sydney's favorite song.
He blinked back tears as he tried to make his way out normally, so as not to cause any suspicion. His next appointment was in a half hour.
Sydney sat down at his desk after closing the office door, and wept.
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Busch Stadium St. Louis, Missouri One Day Later
"Well, well, Lyle. Fancy, meeting you here," came Jarod's voice from behind Lyle's shoulder. He closed his eyes and turned around. His sharp intake of breath could be heard over the crowd as he saw not only Jarod, but his sister as well.
"Parker, I-I--"
"Save it, scumbag." Parker's voice dripped with hatred for her twin. She knelt to him and whispered menacingly in his ear, "Tell me where my daughter is. Or this time, you'll lose more than a thumb. You'll lose your life." Jarod pulled Parker away from Lyle's face, then moved them to sit in the two vacant seats beside Lyle.
"Lyle, we know the Centre has Catherine." Lyle was still working out his sister's threat when he heard Jarod make that statement. He sighed as he looked to his feet. Then he glanced around cautiously.
"It is not the time, nor the place, to be discussing matters such as this, Jarod. You, of all people, should know that. Go," he paused as he took out a pen and wrote an address down on his napkin, "here. In one hour. The game's almost over. It's a place I have swept for bugs and taps daily. Sometimes twice daily. See, I'm a very paranoid person. Comes with the job. You can find your answers there." Lyle looked into Jarod's eyes for a long time while he passed the napkin their way. For the first time, Lyle's eyes were gentle, almost apologetic. Jarod nodded, took Parker, and left the stadium.
"Jarod," Parker began once they'd reached the van, "I could have handled it! I would've gotten answers then." Jarod looked over at her and saw tears flowing down her cheeks. He reached between them and took her hands in his. He rubbed them gently as he whispered, "It's okay. I saw something in Lyle's eyes. Something that wasn't there before. I have a feeling he'll cooperate, and nobody will have to be shot. Although I'm sure that might make you feel better." He looked over to the love of his life with a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth and teasing glinting in his eyes.
Parker looked over at him and saw his jest. For the first time in little over a week, she smiled.
"Yes, Jarod. It would," she replied dryly. They both chuckled softly as silent tears made their way down their cheeks.
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An Hour Later Lyle's Safe House
"Sis, I'm sorry," apologized Lyle. He held his sister's hands as tears of shame slid through his tightly squeezed shut eyelids. Parker could tell it was a heartfelt apology.
"It's okay, Lyle." She pulled him into an embrace as he began to sob silently. She stroked the back of his head, performing a very motherly action.
He pulled back and looked her in the eyes. He whispered raggedly, "I've known for some time now, but, it just never seemed real. I saw you, in that casket! And my heart broke!" A fresh batch of tears came to Parker's eyes as her brother bared his soul.
"I'd always thought I'd hated you, but I realized I didn't. And it really hurt me that you'd killed yourself. I concealed it as best as I could, but I had to visit Sydney a couple of times." Jarod and Parker shared a look at this revelation.
"That's right. Sydney helped me get back to a pseudo-normality. When we found out you were alive, I didn't know what to do. I wanted to kill you and hug you at the same time." Parker arched an eyebrow and muttered sarcastically, "Welcome to motherhood." Lyle smiled a bit, then continued.
"I had been spying on Raines for awhile. His activities seemed extra- suspicious, if you can even begin to imagine that. I found out who he was tracking, and why. Turns out, he was looking for a guy by the name of Marcus Willmore. He was the one who...um...raped you. The reason Raines wanted Marcus was to provide a distraction so Sweepers could take baby Catherine. He gave Marcus free reign over how you should be treated. Rumor was, he was going to rape you and kill you in front of Jarod." Parker and Jarod exchanged worried glances once more.
"But, don't worry, Sis. Sydney is taking very good care of Catherine. But Raines decided to call her Cassandra. It seems...she can predict the future. With the help of voices." Lyle let that information sink in.
"She's also a great Pretender," he remarked heavily. Parker gasped. She moved her mouth a couple of times before she could say anything.
"They 'need' her more than ever. She's more valuable to them. They...she..." Parker closed her eyes and moved her hands to her head, trying to stop the room from spinning. She felt her stomach jump slightly, and she ran to the bathroom. Moments later, retching could be heard. Both Jarod and Lyle ran to her side. Jarod held her head while Lyle pulled her hair back.
"Angela," Jarod whispered, "what's wrong? You've been throwing up quite often." An upset Angela looked into Jarod's eyes and whispered back, "Jarod, I'm pregnant."
Lyle's concern was apparent as he pleaded, "Sis, you can't go back there! They'll find you and keep you, especially now that you're going to have another baby. Jarod's baby." Lyle looked to Jarod with eyes that were filled with fear for his sister's well-being. Jarod nodded.
"He's right, Angel. They'll find out. And, I don't want risk losing this baby as well. Either to the Centre, or to death." Parker looked at him, internally debated for a moment, then nodded.
"I won't go," she whispered, defeated. Lyle moved over and hugged her. He stated, "You can stay here. The only people who ever come here are the housekeeper and the bug sweeper."
Jarod agreed with the idea. It was settled. Parker would be staying in St. Louis. Silent tears fell down her face as she listened to her brother and her husband make plans to get Catherine back.
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The Centre Blue Cove, Delaware One Week Later
"Syd," Broots whispered shakily, "you need to see this." He motioned towards the older man with fear in his eyes. Sydney got up and walked over to the computer. His eyes scanned the content. Then his blue glass coffee mug shattered on the floor after it slipped from his hands.
"Oh, my..."
"Yeah, I know." Broots swiped a few tears from his eyes and sighed.
"I know what the Centre is capable of, but I never expected this. Not in my most horrible nightmares." Sydney shook his head sadly and blinked back the tears that caused the ache behind his eyes. His thoughts instantly flew to baby Catherine. Then to Miss Parker. Then to Jarod.
The Centre would pay for the pains it had caused the people who were most precious to him.
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"Paw-Paw Sydney, you're sad," came the childish voice. Sydney pulled himself out of the depths of his pain and looked at the beautiful girl.
"Yes, Catherine." Sympathy and understanding filled her clear blue eyes. She whispered, "It's because of what they did to Mommy. Before I came here." He nodded, not even surprised that she knew. Catherine had so many gifts.
"It's because they used the Bad Man to make Mommy think he was my Daddy." Sydney nodded again. Tears filled her eyes as her voice became so low that it was almost unnoticeable.
"But he's not." Sydney looked at her, half-questioningly, half-surprised.
"The Bad Man isn't my Daddy, Paw-Paw Sydney. Jarod is."
"Catherine," he began, "I know Jarod seems like a father figure to you, but- -"
"No!" Frustration flamed in her eyes. Her eyes became cold and like stone as she gritted out, "Jarod is my Daddy. The Bad Man was a front!"
Sydney felt a shock of pain flow through him as her anger flared. Partly because she sounded so like her mother, partly because she inflicted it on him while being mad.
Catherine calmed down considerably and whispered tearfully, "I'm sorry, Paw- Paw Sydney. They taught me to do that. Here. I found it in my bunny." She handed him a DSA and walked over the corner of her playroom and picked up her bunny. She sat facing the corner and stroking the synthetic fur.
Sydney stood up and walked out of the room, glancing over his shoulder to have a parting look at her.
Once in his office, he shut the door and sat down at his desk. He popped the DSA into the player and watched as the scene played out in full color.
"Shh, we can't risk waking her, even though she's had a sedative," whispered Raines to a nameless Sweeper. In the Sweeper's hand was a turkey baster.
Raines chuckled silently as the Sweeper pulled back the bed sheets and looked at a sleeping Miss Parker. She was wearing an oversized hockey team tee shirt. The Sweeper then proceeded to artificially inseminate the sleeping woman.
"At last," whispered Raines, "we will have the perfect Pretender. Imagine, Miss Parker and Jarod's child. All their gifts combined to make the ideal package." He smiled sinisterly.
The screen became filled with static. Sydney swallowed as he remembered the date that went with the scene he'd just viewed. He almost turned off the player, but another scene started. Sydney sat forward and watched intently.
A weary Miss Parker sat down on her bed, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Then a man came from behind her and subdued her before she could react. Then the phone interrupted. A few rings went by before she was allowed to pick up the phone.
"Hello? Hi, Mamma. I'm sorry I couldn't make it to lunch. I had to catch up with an old friend...No, I can't see you tomorrow, but Friday's free...Uh- huh, yeah. That'll work...No, not yet. But I think he will. He would be great for that job, Mamma...Okay, Mamma. See you on Friday. Love you, bye."
Instantly, she was thrown on the bed and the menacing man with curly blonde hair ripped open her blouse. He proceeded to beat her savagely. Then, the unimaginable happened. He began to rape her violently.
After he finished, he stabbed her with his sharp knife. A crash outside caught his attention. He smirked and whispered to the quivering woman, "I'll be back to finish the job, sweetie." He hit her on the face once more, broke her bedroom window, then jumped out of it.
Moments later, a breathless Jarod came into the room. He watched as she sobbed harshly, curled into the fetal position.
"Miss Parker," he whispered painfully as he touched her shoulder. She backed up on all fours. Then she seemed to focus. She made a small whimper in the back of her throat and moved toward Jarod. She threw her arms around him and clung to him ferociously. They both cried silently as Jarod stroked her hair.
"I'm here, Parker. We need to get you to the hospital." Parker shook her head and held on tighter. Jarod wrapped an arm around her waist and held her. He stroked her hair with his other hand.
Sydney had wept while he watched the scene. Seeing Miss Parker like that...it drove him to want to kill the man in cold blood. Then, Sydney noticed the date of the rape scene. He gasped as bitter understanding dawned in his mind.
"What's the matter, Syd?" Broots asked with concern in his voice. He had walked in on Sydney while he watched the last of the DSA.
"Raines!" Sydney growled. Broots took a step back at the older man's rage.
"Miss Parker wasn't pregnant from the rape. The rape was a cover. Catherine is Jarod's child! Raines had Miss Parker inseminated the night before the rape! I'll kill him!"
Broots swallowed and stammered, "N-now, S-Sydney. Let's not m-make any r- rash decisions that you'll r-regret. P-please?"
The rage in Sydney's eyes subsided as he listened to the voice of reason. He let out a shaky breath and nodded. He whispered, "I'm sorry, Broots. I let it get to me."
"Syd, we need to get Catherine out of here. I'm hearing rumors that they're making her do terrible things with her powers. She's been starting fires, throwing objects and people around with her mind. The next step may be a murder." Their eyes met, and agreement passed between them.
"Angelo," they whispered simultaneously.
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"Angelo, thank you for helping us." Angelo smiled and said, "Anything for Friend." He looked at Lyle with a hint of uncertainty in his eyes and whispered, "I watch you." Lyle swallowed and nodded. He understood why Angelo wouldn't trust him. But he hoped to redeem himself in this new venture.
The three crawled through the ventilation shafts until they reached the one above Catherine's room. Jarod inhaled sharply when he saw her blonde head. She was sitting in a corner, crying in a way that three year-olds shouldn't be crying. His own tears began to fill his eyes. Lyle put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "I'm backing you up."
They looked at each other, nodded, then removed the shaft cover.
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Catherine felt them before she heard them. Baby, whispered her grandmother's voice, they're coming to get you. It's a trap. They will be captured. But don't be scared. Someone else will come to save you.
Catherine had begun to cry when she heard the statement. She could see all the people from her head. They looked brave, but fearful tears came from their eyes. That didn't make her feel any better.
She heard them hit the floor behind her. She turned and looked at them. She could see the pain in Daddy's eyes. Uncle Lyle looked the same way.
"I'm sorry, Daddy. Uncle Lyle." Then, Sweepers flooded the room, taking the two men into their custody.
"Catherine!!!" Jarod cried out. Catherine turned back and stroked the bunny while her tears fell on the fur.
"I'm sorry, Daddy."
TO BE CONTINUED...