Salvation
by Samantha
airhead_1984@hotmail.com
Rating: G or PG
Spoilers: Ya never know
Category: Sequel to Breakdown, Resurrection, and Outrage. Please, I beseech
thee, read those three first or this installment will make absolutely no
sense, and it will ruin the experience for you.
Keywords: JMPR, JML/F, others
Summary: Salvation comes from an unlikely source at an unlikely time.
Disclaimer: I really hate typing these disclaimers. It's not like the creators of the Pretender actually care about we poor Fan Fic writers and the universes we create for their characters. I doubt they even look at the sites. Oh, well. As I've said before, this is purely for fun, and no infringement is implied.
Author's Note: Really, I meant for Outrage to be the final installment, but it got so long. Again. I really need to acquire revision skills. Well, hopefully the title says it all.
Author's Note 2: Oh yeah, I've noticed that my italicized words aren't italicized on this website, so I've marked the thoughts and Inner Sense conversations with little hyphens. Sorry about any confusion! :) I'm also sorry that it took soooooo long to get this chapter up. I hope it was worth the wait
Lyle's Safe House
St. Louis, Missouri
Miss Parker paced back and forth while she waited for phone confirmation that Catherine had been retrieved. Minutes went by. Then an hour. Frustrated, Parker picked up her cell phone and hit a button. While it rang on the other end, she wondered about what possible repercussions her impending conversation would bring.
"This is Sydney." Parker closed her eyes briefly at the sound of that voice, the beautiful accent.
"Syd...it's me," she whispered, hoping that no further explanation would be necessary.
"Parker!" he exclaimed quietly, "What are you doing calling me? Especially here?" She mentally kicked herself for not thinking and answered, "How's my baby?"
Sydney could hear the desperation in her voice, and he knew she wasn't speaking just of Catherine.
"Your daughter is fine. She hasn't been harmed. But they took Jarod and Lyle to SL23. That was an hour ago." Tears slid down Parker's cheeks as she listened to the information. She knew there had been some risk involved in a venture like this. She just never expected the worst to actually happen.
"Syd, I've got to get them out. All of them. Hear me?" On the other end, Sydney almost smiled at the old Miss Parker that was showing through. Then he became gravely serious.
"Take us with you," he whispered pleadingly, "Broots, Angelo, and myself." Parker clenched her jaw to try to stop the tears from coming.
"All right. Watch over them for now. I'll keep in touch." She pressed another button on the phone and tossed it on the couch. The distraught woman backed up against the wall, then slid into a sitting position. She held her head with her hands and wept.
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The Centre
Blue Cove Delaware
"Broots, we must make sure that Jarod and Lyle stay safe," whispered Sydney as the two men acted like they were making coffee. Broots nodded almost imperceptibly and grabbed the creamer. After he poured some of the nutty tasting liquid, he asked in a low tone, "What about Catherine?" Sydney paused slightly, then continued with his actions.
"Somehow, I get the feeling that Catherine will be okay by herself. Right now, the Centre's focus is on Jarod and Lyle. And, she can fend for herself." The two looked at each other briefly, and they both hoped that Sydney was right.
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Catherine sat in the corner and rubbed her eyes. They were puffy and red from a recent cry. Every time the voices visited her, they made her weep for her father and her uncle.
She sniffed and picked up her favorite toy. She worked to get rid of the tears. She didn't want the Mean Men to see her tears. Tears meant weakness. Weakness meant punishment. With a will made of steel, she stopped all outward expression. She just sat there.
Suddenly, she started when she saw the crouched figure in the shadowed corner across the playroom. She gasped and whispered, "Angelo?"
"Yes, I'm here." She stood up and walked over to him on trembling little legs. He looked just like her visions of him. He smiled up at her and grabbed her hand. The smile left his face upon touching her. The feelings that were emanating from her were overwhelming. He looked in her eyes and saw a trace of ice. He knew he must get her out of the Centre before they turned her into a stony shell of herself.
"Catherine, don't be sad," he mumbled while stroking her hand with his callused fingers. The three year old whispered, "Oh, Angelo. I feel like I can't do anything. I want to help Daddy and Uncle Lyle." A couple of tears fell onto her hand, and he wiped them with his.
"You can help. Not now. Time's not right. Don't worry. Salvation is coming!" A boyish grin spread seemingly from ear to ear.
"Salvation?" she whispered. Angelo nodded emphatically and whispered one word.
"Salvation!"
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Lyle's Safe House
St. Louis, Missouri
Two Days Later
Parker pumped an arm in the air as a signal of victory as she hung up the phone.
"Finally," she muttered, leaning back in the black leather chair and rubbing her face with her hands. A plan had been formed! It would take two weeks, but she hoped that it would prove successful.
-"It has to, because Jarod's life is on the line."- Parker dropped her hands at this voice.
"Kyle?" she whispered incredulously. A strange feeling came over her.
-"You mean to tell me you forgot my lovely voice, Miss Parker?"- came the voice of Kyle, Jarod's dead brother.
"Why are you speaking to me, Kyle?" she asked of the voice, closing her eyes and relaxing against the chair.
-"Your daughter wanted me to help you,"- he stated calmly. Parker sat up in the chair and her eyes flew open.
"She's...not...she's not...is...she?" Parker stammered. She had to know.
-"No,"- Kyle's voice chuckled, -"we speak to each other, but she is alive, Parker."- Puzzled, she asked, "How is it she can hear you?"
-"I'm a part of her Inner Sense."-
She swallowed and replied weakly, "But I thought that only relatives and lost loved ones could be in the Inner Sense. She never even knew you, much less of you."
-"Tsk, tsk. I always thought you were smarter than that, Parker. You really should have done your research! You were so bent on believing that Catherine is the rapist's daughter. That's what the Centre wanted you to believe."- Even though she knew deep inside what he was referring to, she felt very clueless.
-"Parker, check your email. Angelo has sent you a copy of a DSA that should explain everything. And don't worry, we're watching over our Catherine."- As the voice faded into silence, Parker stood up and looked around, even though she knew it was useless.
She sat back down and logged onto her email account. Sure enough, Angelo's video file was the only email she'd received since Catherine had been stolen.
She took a deep breath, moved the mouse to the bright blue link with a trembling hand, poised her finger above the button tentatively, then clicked.
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The Centre
SL23
Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod sat down in the corner of his gray cell and sighed heavily. It seemed the Centre was placing all of its focus on him for the time being. The Powers That Be were running him through an exhaustive battery of tests and sims. Jarod was doing his best not to perform like they wanted him to. But it was getting harder.
"Psst! Jarod!" whispered Lyle from the next door cell. Jarod scooted over to the vent and whispered back, "What?" In the back of his mind, he marveled at the fact that the Centre hadn't changed their cells at all.
"Angelo sneaked a visit to me. He said that Sis has a plan. Two weeks." Jarod's eyes slid shut. He replied, "I don't want her to risk herself for me. She should worry about getting Catherine and then leaving the Centre behind for good." Lyle scoffed.
"She would say the same thing about you. She loves you, Jarod. She's not going to take this sitting down. Just trust Syd and Broots to take care of her." Jarod nodded, even though he knew Lyle couldn't see him.
"What about Catherine?" Jarod asked softly, emotion almost overtaking him.
On the other side, Lyle swiped away the tears that came so quickly at the mention of her name and answered, "Just fine."
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"Paw-Paw Sydney!" The blonde three year old ran up to the older man and hugged onto his legs. He chuckled slightly and picked her up. He tossed her in the air a couple of times and then held her against his side.
"Hello, my girl. What have you been up to?" he asked. The girl giggled and rested her head against his shoulder.
"I've been playing, Paw-Paw Sydney. What about you?"
"Oh," he shrugged, "not much, really." Catherine looked up at him and asked, "Why did you come?"
"I came," he grunted as he set her down on the floor, "to play!" The blonde curls bounced up and down as she nodded her head excitedly and giggled.
The two played with puzzles and stuffed animals. They even played basketball. The playtime lasted for about an hour. Then, Sydney read Catherine her favorite story. After saying the last words of the story, he looked down and saw she had fallen asleep. He picked her up and gently placed her in her bed. He kissed her lightly on the forehead and shut off the light.
"Goodnight, my dear," he whispered before closing the door behind him.
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Lyle's Safe House
St. Louis, Missouri
Parker sighed heavily and threw the last of her Kleenex away. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. She muttered to herself, "Great, now I'm gonna have a headache for the rest of the day."
At first, she had been shocked when she viewed the DSA. Then, her shock led to anger, then deep pain. She had cried for hours. She had never believed the Centre capable of something like this.
-"I'm sorry, Miss Parker,"- Kyle's voice floated in. She scoffed mirthlessly, but didn't reply.
-"Parker, there is a bright side,"- he continued, -"Jarod has a child. With you. While she wasn't conceived in love, she was brought up in love, especially with Jarod acting as the father figure. You wondered why Catherine took so well to Jarod, and why she loved him so much. Now you know."- Kyle's voice drifted away as Parker realized he was right. She had always wondered why Catherine was so willing and anxious to call Jarod "Daddy", even though Parker knew that Catherine somehow remembered life without him.
Catherine knew all along.
The thought hit Parker like a ton of bricks. Her daughter knew. Why didn't she say anything? She knew Catherine was intelligent, probably a genius. But she never guessed anything like this.
She smiled when she remembered what all this meant for Jarod. He had a child! Parker placed her hand over her abdomen and looked down at it. Even though she wasn't showing yet, her clothes were getting tighter every day. She ate everything these days. Her nausea was gone.
Exhausted by the emotional roller-coaster she had just been on, Parker put on some pajamas and fell into a deep sleep.
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Where to, sir?" The older man smiled at the man behind the counter.
"St. Louis." He passed over his cash with one hand and took the ticket with the other. He picked up his luggage and walked on to the bus.
He found an open seat and sat there. After sighing, he looked out the window and found himself tapping his fingers on his legs. -Patience,- he told himself mentally, -patience-.
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The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
One Week Later
-"Catherine,"- whispered a voice, awakening the sleeping child. She sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"What, Tommy?" she asked. She opened her eyes and saw his figure sitting across from her. He smiled.
-"How're you doing, sweetheart?"- She shrugged.
-"Good news. Mommy has a plan. In one week, you'll be with her. Daddy, too."- The transparent figure smiled again. Catherine's eyes widened slightly as she gasped.
"That soon?" she asked excitedly. Tommy put a finger to his lips and looked around. Then he murmured.
-"Yes, babe. That soon. Your Uncle Kyle told Mommy the truth about Daddy. And, Salvation is coming."- A puzzled look came across Catherine's face.
"Who is Salvation?" Tommy smiled again.
-"You'll find out, soon enough."-
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"Syd, you don't sound surprised. Don't tell me you knew about this," demanded Miss Parker over the phone. Sydney cringed and thought about his reply.
"Parker," he began. He cringed again when he heard her utter a few profane words. He tried once more.
"Hear me out. I've only just discovered this information. Catherine found a DSA in one of her stuffed toys. I believe Angelo put it there. It was the same one he sent you. I'm sorry, Parker." He listened as she did the unthinkable.
She laughed.
"I'm okay, Syd. Sorry for acting like that. Hormones. When this is all over, I'll have to pay for some repairs to Lyle's house. I just get so punchy." Sydney chuckled.
"It's perfectly normal, Parker. But, I have a question. How far along do you think you are?" A pause came over the line as she mentally calculated.
"About...three months. Why, Syd?"
Sydney looked at Broots, who was listening to the conversation over the speakerphone. Then he remarked, "How's your morning sickness?" She laughed.
"Totally gone. Has been for a week now. I'm eating everything in sight."
"Parker, have you been to see a doctor yet?"
"No. Why?"
"You need to, Parker. You need to for the safety of you and your child. Also, I think you might be having more than one." Silence before Miss Parker replied.
"Oh, my. Maybe you're right, Syd. I'm already wearing maternity clothes. That's kind of early, isn't it?" Sydney hesitated.
"Look, Syd, I'll go see a doctor when this is all over with. I remember what I did with Catherine. I've got plenty of stuff with folic acid. I'll be fine."
"Parker," Sydney murmured.
"Sydney," Parker gritted out in warning, "I'll take care of this later. If this seems to be taking too long, and not a week like we've planned, then I'll see a doctor. But for now, we go by my way." Sydney said nothing in reply. All he could do was hope that she would take his advice.
"I'll talk to you later Syd. For now, we start phase one of the plan. Email me if you have any difficulties." Miss Parker hung up the phone. Sydney sighed and shook his head as he replaced the phone in its receiver.
"M-man," Broots stuttered, "sh-she gets worse when she's pregnant."
"All women do, Broots, " chuckled Sydney.
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SL23
Two Days Later
"Well, Jarod," snarled Raines, " you have cooperated very nicely this past week." Jarod scoffed and turned his head. He had been anything but cooperative through the week. He had an idea that Raines was being sarcastic, but he couldn't pick it up in that oxygen-deprived voice. The older man walked over to Jarod's side, his tank squeaking slightly.
"If you want Miss Parker's little girl to survive, you will do as I say," Raines whispered menacingly into Jarod's ear. Some of the fight went out of his eyes at the mention of Catherine. Raines had him and he knew it. All he had to do was begin to say the name and Jarod would snap to attention.
"What do I need to do?" asked Jarod in a voice that was made gravelly by depression. He so desperately wanted to be sure that Catherine was safe. His daughter of his heart was the most precious thing to him, next to his beloved wife.
Parker.
Just the thought of her brought tears to his eyes. His arms practically ached at the absence of her. Jarod closed his eyes and inhaled softly. In that brief moment, his memory played back a faded picture. She was laughing, as she was more apt to do in the past few years. Her curly hair fell in loose tendrils from her ponytail. Her cheeks were slightly rosy from cool weather. Her blue eyes sparkled with joy and life, life that he had previously thought extinguished. The picture began to move, and she slowly tilted her head back. Then she brought her head down and began to hunch over. As if there was a delay, Jarod heard her throaty laugh. Everything moved in slow motion, and her laughter had an eerie echo to it.
He sighed imperceptibly and opened his eyes. He focused back on reality just in time to hear Raines respond.
"You need to be extra cooperative during this next sim, Jarod. It is a very important one. And if you behave, Catherine will be released to her mother, and they will be left alone." Raines let that hang in the air. Jarod's inner voice screamed at him not to listen, but his heart took over. He nodded defeatedly, his head hanging. He didn't care if Raines knew that he was conquered. All he wanted was safety for Catherine. He didn't care about himself. She was all that mattered.
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-"Catherine."- whispered a voice. The sleeping child awoke suddenly, sitting up straight in her bed. Her curls bounced on her shoulders as she looked frantically from side to side. Her eyes wide, she waited for the voice to speak again. She was not disappointed.
-"Catherine, don't be afraid. I'm Salvation."-
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Lyle's Safe House
St. Louis, Missouri
Parker sat up in bed, gasping for air. She had been having unsettling dreams over the past couple of days. Reflecting on the most recent one, she placed her hand over her racing heart and tried to slow her breathing. Closing her eyes, she conjured up images of her daughter. Catherine riding Maggie, Catherine giggling at her favorite television show. Catherine playing with Jarod.
Jarod.
Parker's features relaxed slightly as memories of Jarod flooded her mind. He was so vividly emblazoned in her mind. She could smell his cologne, feel a day's growth of stubble on his cheek, and hear his voice as it turned from a playful growl to an intimate caress. She could see his eyes, his beautiful deep brown eyes. She recalled the day after the rape when he so tenderly washed her hair, unknowingly expressing all that he felt for her in those very eyes. Parker's fingers went to her lips as she recalled the myriad of kisses they'd received. Each kiss, she'd noticed, was slightly different. Her eyes still closed, she tilted her head a little to the right as she remembered his first night in her house, the night they shared their first kiss in years. Tears flooded down her face while she thought of how tenderly he took care of her. She could feel his strong arms holding her, and for a moment, felt completely safe.
She opened her eyes after the tears had ceased. She looked around again, this time more calmly. She sighed and got out from under the covers. She walked over to the computer, which was still on. She checked her email account again for any word from Sydney or Broots. Nothing. She sighed again and signed out, rubbing the bridge of her nose afterward. There was less than one week before her plan was implemented. And she could do nothing else until that day.
She felt utterly helpless. She sat in that safe house all day and all night, working on the computer. Occasionally, Kyle would come and talk to her, giving her information on her daughter. Less often, her mother would speak to her. Never in her life had Parker felt so completely and utterly alone. -Well-, she told herself, -there was the stretch of time after you faked your own suicide, Parker.- She shook her head in denial. No, the time after she'd escaped wasn't the most terrible time she'd experienced. Then, she had no one else to love her, other than her daughter. No one else that she loved, and that knew she was alive. This time, the two loves of her life were involved. And she had no clue who would make it out alive, and who wouldn't.
Parker began to cry once more. Harsh sobs racked her frame as she wished that Jarod were there to hold her, and to soothe her. The shrill chirp of the phone startled her. She wiped her face with her hand and picked up the phone.
"What?" she answered, reverting to her old lingo, but somehow it wasn't the same.
"Um..who is this?" asked a hesitant male voice on the other end. She sighed and wondered how to reply.
"My name is Angela Parker Woodman, but I'm answering the phone for Mr. Lyle right now. He's out of town on business."
"Oh. Wait. Parker?" the male voice asked incredulously. Parker shook her head slightly, thinking that this voice sounded familiar.
"Yes, some call me that." She waited for him to go on.
"Parker!" whispered a trembling voice. She had to wait a few seconds before a name popped into her mind.
"Ethan," she whispered right back, "goodness, it's really you!" She heard a breathless chuckle on the other end.
"I.I..I thought you were dead. We all thought you were dead," he stated painfully. Parker let a sob escape.
"Oh, Ethan, I'm so sorry. I had to make you all believe that. I wouldn't have been able to escape from the Centre without that deception. I had to get out of that place, Ethan. For the safety of my.my daughter." She heard Ethan gasp on the other end.
"Who's child, Parker? And who is this Woodman fellow?" Parker swallowed before telling him about the rape. After she'd finished explaining that the child was a result of the rape, she listened to what Ethan had to say.
"Parker.I'm sorry. I don't know what to say to you. How do you come back after that one, huh?"
"Well, Ethan, that's not the whole story," she started. She told him the general information about how the Centre orchestrated the rape so she would have a good reason to be pregnant. She saved who the real father was, and who Mr. Woodman was for last.
"And Ethan, I think you'd be happy to know the real father. In fact, you do know him. His name is Jarod, Jarod Woodman," she finished with a smile in her voice. Silence followed for a few minutes.
"Jar.Jarod? Our Jarod? My brother, Jarod?" Parker laughed at Ethan's words.
"Yes, Ethan.our Jarod. He found me two years after my death. We fell in love.and got married," she ended on a chuckle. There was a pause for a few moments.
"Wait, Parker. Does Jarod know that Catherine." Ethan let the question hang, although it sounded like he already knew the answer.
"No, little brother. He doesn't. And right now they're both at the Centre. Syd, Broots, Angelo, and I are desperately trying to get them out. It's the waiting that's the worst part." Ethan made a sound of agreement. The look in Parker's eyes changed a bit.
"Ethan, why are you calling Lyle?" A pause, then a chuckle.
"Well, ever since your 'death', let's just say that Lyle has become more friendly with family. I am, after all, his half-brother too. He's been taking it really rough lately, especially with this new acquisition to the Centre. Now I know who he was talking about." Parker sighed and leaned back in her chair. She nodded, even though she knew Ethan couldn't see her.
"It's been so good catching up with you, little brother."
"Yeah," Ethan agreed, "but I feel like I should be doing something more." Parker thought on this for a little bit.
"Why don't you come to visit? I'm all alone here, and I could use the company while waiting for the rescue plan to kick into high gear." Parker waited.
"Well.of course I'll come! My previously deceased sister is raised from the dead, that's a cause for a reunion!" The two half-siblings laughed for a minute or so until Parker yawned.
"That's my cue to get off," chuckled Ethan, "you need to sleep. I'll be making arrangements and try to get there in a day or so. Still the same house?"
"Yeah," Parker commented sleepily.
"Sleep well, Sis. I'll see you later." Ethan hung up before Parker could get a chance to say anything more. -So like his brother,- she mused to herself. She smiled and put the phone back down. Then, she crawled under the covers of Lyle's bed and fell into a deep sleep, filled with dreams of Jarod and Ethan together.
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SL23
Two Days Later
Jarod fell to the ground, gasping for breath. He couldn't stop shaking. Even though he had been through a withdrawal sim before, this one was far worse. He had no idea what drug he was dependent on now. In fact, he couldn't recall what Raines had said to him earlier. His withdrawal was making him lose sleep. If this would have happened before he reunited with Parker, he wouldn't have had a problem with sleep-deprivation. But he had become accustomed to sleep now. He had "grown soft."
Jarod shook his head. If he didn't concentrate, he would go insane! He focused his mind on Catherine, Parker's beautiful daughter. He felt himself calming slightly at the vision of her. Even though she was a genius, she was still a baby at age three. She was so innocent, so pure. Jarod hoped with all of his might that the Centre wouldn't take that away from her like they did with her mother. Parker was getting better, but she never completely left the "Miss Parker" persona behind. Yes, the Ice Queen was definitely more agreeable now, but she was still there. Jarod also knew that the Ice Queen would never leave his precious Angela. It had been instilled in her from a very young age. And if he didn't cooperate, they would do it again to her daughter.
He shivered as the symptoms returned as quickly as they left. All thoughts of Catherine forgotten, Jarod hunched down in a corner of his cell, desperately trying to muster up every extra degree of warmth.
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"Syd, we only have a few days until the plan is implemented," remarked Broots nervously. The two were in an abandoned sublevel. Broots had rerouted the security camera feeds, but that would last for only about 15 minutes. So, the two tried to squeeze their conversation in before they would be caught.
"Broots, I know it seems like we're cutting it close, but we're actually ahead of schedule. Angelo has accomplished a lot. Really all that needs to be done is your work with the security system," replied Sydney. Broots looked at his feet anxiously. Sydney sighed and lightly grabbed the younger man's shoulders.
"Broots, it will all be okay. Trust me on that," he commented, accentuating every word. Broots looked up.
"Something isn't right, Syd. Something is missing. I can feel it. There's something someone isn't telling us. And it's driving me nuts," stated Broots. Sydney thought on this for awhile. Then he looked back at Broots.
"You may be right. Why don't you do some investigating and see what's going on. Now, we must go. I will talk to you later." The two men looked each other in the eyes for a few moments, then parted silently.
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St. Louis, Missouri
The Next Day
The sound of the doorbell roused Parker from her deep sleep on Lyle's sofa. She sat up and looked around before hearing the doorbell again. She shook her head and muttered, "Ethan," to herself. She combed her fingers through her hair. She pulled the fleece blanket away from her and she got up from the sofa. She walked to the door and opened it with an expectant look on her face. Her face fell as she took in the person before her. She moved her lips but no sound came out. She lifted a trembling hand to her mouth and gasped.
"Daddy!?"
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SL23
Jarod plopped down on his cot, sweating profusely. He honestly didn't know if he could survive anymore. Thoughts of Catherine were fleeting now; thoughts of Parker even less so. He pulled himself into a tight fetal position and sang the only lullaby he could remember with a halting, breaking voice.
"Cree craw toad's foot, geese walk barefoot."
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Lyle could overhear Jarod's simple song from next door. Tears streamed down his face at the anguish in his voice. Lyle had no idea what kind of drugs Jarod was on. He knew they weren't good. And he hoped that Jarod would be able to break his addiction once out of the Centre. He sat with his back against the wall. Closing his eyes, he recalled his earlier conversation with Angelo.
-"Angelo, I don't think Jarod can hold on much longer. We need to get him out of here because he could get too addicted."-
-"It's okay, Lyle. Salvation is coming."-
-"Salvation? What's Salvation?"-
-"Who. He's coming soon. With Daughter now." A smile came across Angelo's face at his own mention of Parker.-
-"What do you mean, he's with Parker?"-
-"Salvation help, he good. Help with escape." Angelo smiled even wider. He said nothing more, though. He simply led Lyle back down to his room and left him there to wonder what was meant by the conversation.-
Lyle shook his head slightly. He so wanted to contact Parker right now and ask who was with her. Instead, he focused his attention on Jarod, who had fallen silent. He only hoped that the silence meant sleep.
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St. Louis, Missouri
Parker sat back in awe. Her tears had finally stopped. Now she sat with her hand running through her hair. After a few moments, she spoke.
"Why, Daddy? Why the deception like that?" she asked with a tremulous voice. Mr. Parker, formerly deceased, sighed heavily.
"It was needed, Angel. I had to get away from the Centre. Once I'd seen the reality of all that I'd done, I knew that I had to leave. That included you. I also knew that I would be needed in the future. What for, I had no idea. So, I waited until the time was right. Now is that time." Mr. Parker shrugged slightly. Angela sat forward and stared into his blue eyes with her own.
"Why. Are. You. Here?" she asked, accentuating every word with emotion making her voice ragged.
"I'm here.to help you get Jarod out. And your daughter." The two held their gaze for a few moments more. Then Mr. Parker looked away. Angela nodded imperceptibly. She swallowed a couple of times before saying what she said next.
"Let's get to work. We need to alter the plan a bit, but it honestly will work better with the extra hands." She stood up and headed for the computer. Her father watched her for a moment, then followed hesitantly.
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The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Two Days Later
Catherine sat amongst her many stuffed animals. She looked over each of them with solemn eyes. She picked up her bunny. She then apologized with her eyes to the rest of them. Then she got up and stood a few paces in front of the door, waiting patiently. She wasn't disappointed.
The door burst open and there was her Mommy. Catherine reached up her arms expectantly. Angela picked her up and savored the feel of her in her arms for a moment. Then Broots and Sydney came in and closed the door behind them.
"Parker, you need to get out. Now," he whispered. She nodded and headed towards the ventilation shaft. She carried her daughter up and into the shaft and waited for Sydney to follow. Once he was behind them, they crawled through the tunnels until they had reached the opening to the outdoor vent. On swift and silent feet they ran as far as they could until they were past the boundaries of the Centre. There, they waited for Jarod to appear, along with Lyle, Ethan, Angelo, and Mr. Parker.
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SL23
Jarod rocked back and forth, mumbling his song to himself. He was beyond any comprehension of what was going on. He could see Lyle standing in front of him, shouting something. Then Mr. Parker was there.wait! Mr. Parker was dead. So, Jarod deduced this to be a hallucination caused by the drugs he had been on.
Lyle gave up on shouting at Jarod and began to move toward him. He watched as his father did the same. Mentally, Lyle was still in disbelief and shock. But there was no time for that. Together they picked Jarod up and began to move him towards the ventilation shaft opening, where Angelo's and Ethan's hands were waiting.
Finally, after some struggle, the two lifted Jarod up into the shaft. Lyle was about ready to head in when he heard a voice that made his blood run cold.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," wheezed Raines. Both Lyle and Mr. Parker turned slowly and looked at the old man before them. Raines sneered at Mr. Parker.
"I thought you were dead!" he spat out. Mr. Parker cocked an eyebrow.
"Apparently not, Oxygen Tank," he retorted. He moved towards Raines quickly. He had just about tackled the man when he stopped short and almost as if jerked backward, he fell to the ground. Raines stood over Mr. Parker and laughed dryly. Lyle took this opportunity to get Raines. He wrestled the gun from him and pointed it at his head once Raines was on the floor. Lyle spat in his face.
"This is for Sis," he ground out through gritted teeth and pulled the trigger. A soft 'pfft' sound was made, and a red hole appeared in the middle of Raines' forehead. Lyle knelt by his father's side and placed a hand on the spreading patch of red on his white shirt. The elder Parker gasped for air.
"Tell Angel.I'm.sorry," he exhaled a long breath, and was gone. Lyle worked his jaw to keep from crying. He touched his father's face, nodded curtly, and disappeared into the shaft.
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Outside the Centre
Parker nearly cried out with relief at the sight of her husband stumbling into the sunlight. She quickly counted heads. There were two missing. Her father and Lyle weren't among the escapees. Once the other three had reached her, she asked, "Where's Lyle, and Daddy?" Her eyes frantically searched Ethan's. He looked down and swallowed.
"Raines.he got to them before.I'm so sorry, Parker." She fell to her knees as the emotion overcame her. After some time, the sobbing stopped. She just sat there and watched Jarod, who was lying down on the grass and muttering something to himself.
"What did they do to you, sweetie?" she asked softly. A voice from behind startled her.
"They drugged him up on something really serious, Sis," came Lyle's response. She turned around and instantly stood up and hugged him fiercely.
"I thought I'd lost you," she whispered. When she backed away, she noticed the look on Lyle's face, and the blood on his hands. She looked back into his eyes questioningly.
"Dad said that.he's sorry. I'm sorry, Sis. Raines shot him before I could get to him." Her lower lip trembled, but amazingly she kept from tearing up. She looked back at Jarod.
"We need to get him some help, Lyle. Fast," she whispered. He nodded. They looked at each other, sighed, then went to move everyone to the cars.
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Epilogue
St. Louis, Missouri
Two Weeks Later
Parker sat beside her sleeping husband. She placed one of her hands over her now obviously swollen abdomen. She used the other hand to stroke Jarod's cheek. She watched as he stirred, then looked up at her. Parker smiled and asked, "How are you feeling, babe?" He stared at her blankly. Parker's smile faded as she heard his reply.
"Who are you?"
TO BE CONTINUED..
Disclaimer: I really hate typing these disclaimers. It's not like the creators of the Pretender actually care about we poor Fan Fic writers and the universes we create for their characters. I doubt they even look at the sites. Oh, well. As I've said before, this is purely for fun, and no infringement is implied.
Author's Note: Really, I meant for Outrage to be the final installment, but it got so long. Again. I really need to acquire revision skills. Well, hopefully the title says it all.
Author's Note 2: Oh yeah, I've noticed that my italicized words aren't italicized on this website, so I've marked the thoughts and Inner Sense conversations with little hyphens. Sorry about any confusion! :) I'm also sorry that it took soooooo long to get this chapter up. I hope it was worth the wait
Lyle's Safe House
St. Louis, Missouri
Miss Parker paced back and forth while she waited for phone confirmation that Catherine had been retrieved. Minutes went by. Then an hour. Frustrated, Parker picked up her cell phone and hit a button. While it rang on the other end, she wondered about what possible repercussions her impending conversation would bring.
"This is Sydney." Parker closed her eyes briefly at the sound of that voice, the beautiful accent.
"Syd...it's me," she whispered, hoping that no further explanation would be necessary.
"Parker!" he exclaimed quietly, "What are you doing calling me? Especially here?" She mentally kicked herself for not thinking and answered, "How's my baby?"
Sydney could hear the desperation in her voice, and he knew she wasn't speaking just of Catherine.
"Your daughter is fine. She hasn't been harmed. But they took Jarod and Lyle to SL23. That was an hour ago." Tears slid down Parker's cheeks as she listened to the information. She knew there had been some risk involved in a venture like this. She just never expected the worst to actually happen.
"Syd, I've got to get them out. All of them. Hear me?" On the other end, Sydney almost smiled at the old Miss Parker that was showing through. Then he became gravely serious.
"Take us with you," he whispered pleadingly, "Broots, Angelo, and myself." Parker clenched her jaw to try to stop the tears from coming.
"All right. Watch over them for now. I'll keep in touch." She pressed another button on the phone and tossed it on the couch. The distraught woman backed up against the wall, then slid into a sitting position. She held her head with her hands and wept.
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The Centre
Blue Cove Delaware
"Broots, we must make sure that Jarod and Lyle stay safe," whispered Sydney as the two men acted like they were making coffee. Broots nodded almost imperceptibly and grabbed the creamer. After he poured some of the nutty tasting liquid, he asked in a low tone, "What about Catherine?" Sydney paused slightly, then continued with his actions.
"Somehow, I get the feeling that Catherine will be okay by herself. Right now, the Centre's focus is on Jarod and Lyle. And, she can fend for herself." The two looked at each other briefly, and they both hoped that Sydney was right.
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Catherine sat in the corner and rubbed her eyes. They were puffy and red from a recent cry. Every time the voices visited her, they made her weep for her father and her uncle.
She sniffed and picked up her favorite toy. She worked to get rid of the tears. She didn't want the Mean Men to see her tears. Tears meant weakness. Weakness meant punishment. With a will made of steel, she stopped all outward expression. She just sat there.
Suddenly, she started when she saw the crouched figure in the shadowed corner across the playroom. She gasped and whispered, "Angelo?"
"Yes, I'm here." She stood up and walked over to him on trembling little legs. He looked just like her visions of him. He smiled up at her and grabbed her hand. The smile left his face upon touching her. The feelings that were emanating from her were overwhelming. He looked in her eyes and saw a trace of ice. He knew he must get her out of the Centre before they turned her into a stony shell of herself.
"Catherine, don't be sad," he mumbled while stroking her hand with his callused fingers. The three year old whispered, "Oh, Angelo. I feel like I can't do anything. I want to help Daddy and Uncle Lyle." A couple of tears fell onto her hand, and he wiped them with his.
"You can help. Not now. Time's not right. Don't worry. Salvation is coming!" A boyish grin spread seemingly from ear to ear.
"Salvation?" she whispered. Angelo nodded emphatically and whispered one word.
"Salvation!"
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Lyle's Safe House
St. Louis, Missouri
Two Days Later
Parker pumped an arm in the air as a signal of victory as she hung up the phone.
"Finally," she muttered, leaning back in the black leather chair and rubbing her face with her hands. A plan had been formed! It would take two weeks, but she hoped that it would prove successful.
-"It has to, because Jarod's life is on the line."- Parker dropped her hands at this voice.
"Kyle?" she whispered incredulously. A strange feeling came over her.
-"You mean to tell me you forgot my lovely voice, Miss Parker?"- came the voice of Kyle, Jarod's dead brother.
"Why are you speaking to me, Kyle?" she asked of the voice, closing her eyes and relaxing against the chair.
-"Your daughter wanted me to help you,"- he stated calmly. Parker sat up in the chair and her eyes flew open.
"She's...not...she's not...is...she?" Parker stammered. She had to know.
-"No,"- Kyle's voice chuckled, -"we speak to each other, but she is alive, Parker."- Puzzled, she asked, "How is it she can hear you?"
-"I'm a part of her Inner Sense."-
She swallowed and replied weakly, "But I thought that only relatives and lost loved ones could be in the Inner Sense. She never even knew you, much less of you."
-"Tsk, tsk. I always thought you were smarter than that, Parker. You really should have done your research! You were so bent on believing that Catherine is the rapist's daughter. That's what the Centre wanted you to believe."- Even though she knew deep inside what he was referring to, she felt very clueless.
-"Parker, check your email. Angelo has sent you a copy of a DSA that should explain everything. And don't worry, we're watching over our Catherine."- As the voice faded into silence, Parker stood up and looked around, even though she knew it was useless.
She sat back down and logged onto her email account. Sure enough, Angelo's video file was the only email she'd received since Catherine had been stolen.
She took a deep breath, moved the mouse to the bright blue link with a trembling hand, poised her finger above the button tentatively, then clicked.
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The Centre
SL23
Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod sat down in the corner of his gray cell and sighed heavily. It seemed the Centre was placing all of its focus on him for the time being. The Powers That Be were running him through an exhaustive battery of tests and sims. Jarod was doing his best not to perform like they wanted him to. But it was getting harder.
"Psst! Jarod!" whispered Lyle from the next door cell. Jarod scooted over to the vent and whispered back, "What?" In the back of his mind, he marveled at the fact that the Centre hadn't changed their cells at all.
"Angelo sneaked a visit to me. He said that Sis has a plan. Two weeks." Jarod's eyes slid shut. He replied, "I don't want her to risk herself for me. She should worry about getting Catherine and then leaving the Centre behind for good." Lyle scoffed.
"She would say the same thing about you. She loves you, Jarod. She's not going to take this sitting down. Just trust Syd and Broots to take care of her." Jarod nodded, even though he knew Lyle couldn't see him.
"What about Catherine?" Jarod asked softly, emotion almost overtaking him.
On the other side, Lyle swiped away the tears that came so quickly at the mention of her name and answered, "Just fine."
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"Paw-Paw Sydney!" The blonde three year old ran up to the older man and hugged onto his legs. He chuckled slightly and picked her up. He tossed her in the air a couple of times and then held her against his side.
"Hello, my girl. What have you been up to?" he asked. The girl giggled and rested her head against his shoulder.
"I've been playing, Paw-Paw Sydney. What about you?"
"Oh," he shrugged, "not much, really." Catherine looked up at him and asked, "Why did you come?"
"I came," he grunted as he set her down on the floor, "to play!" The blonde curls bounced up and down as she nodded her head excitedly and giggled.
The two played with puzzles and stuffed animals. They even played basketball. The playtime lasted for about an hour. Then, Sydney read Catherine her favorite story. After saying the last words of the story, he looked down and saw she had fallen asleep. He picked her up and gently placed her in her bed. He kissed her lightly on the forehead and shut off the light.
"Goodnight, my dear," he whispered before closing the door behind him.
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Lyle's Safe House
St. Louis, Missouri
Parker sighed heavily and threw the last of her Kleenex away. She rubbed the bridge of her nose. She muttered to herself, "Great, now I'm gonna have a headache for the rest of the day."
At first, she had been shocked when she viewed the DSA. Then, her shock led to anger, then deep pain. She had cried for hours. She had never believed the Centre capable of something like this.
-"I'm sorry, Miss Parker,"- Kyle's voice floated in. She scoffed mirthlessly, but didn't reply.
-"Parker, there is a bright side,"- he continued, -"Jarod has a child. With you. While she wasn't conceived in love, she was brought up in love, especially with Jarod acting as the father figure. You wondered why Catherine took so well to Jarod, and why she loved him so much. Now you know."- Kyle's voice drifted away as Parker realized he was right. She had always wondered why Catherine was so willing and anxious to call Jarod "Daddy", even though Parker knew that Catherine somehow remembered life without him.
Catherine knew all along.
The thought hit Parker like a ton of bricks. Her daughter knew. Why didn't she say anything? She knew Catherine was intelligent, probably a genius. But she never guessed anything like this.
She smiled when she remembered what all this meant for Jarod. He had a child! Parker placed her hand over her abdomen and looked down at it. Even though she wasn't showing yet, her clothes were getting tighter every day. She ate everything these days. Her nausea was gone.
Exhausted by the emotional roller-coaster she had just been on, Parker put on some pajamas and fell into a deep sleep.
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Where to, sir?" The older man smiled at the man behind the counter.
"St. Louis." He passed over his cash with one hand and took the ticket with the other. He picked up his luggage and walked on to the bus.
He found an open seat and sat there. After sighing, he looked out the window and found himself tapping his fingers on his legs. -Patience,- he told himself mentally, -patience-.
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The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
One Week Later
-"Catherine,"- whispered a voice, awakening the sleeping child. She sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"What, Tommy?" she asked. She opened her eyes and saw his figure sitting across from her. He smiled.
-"How're you doing, sweetheart?"- She shrugged.
-"Good news. Mommy has a plan. In one week, you'll be with her. Daddy, too."- The transparent figure smiled again. Catherine's eyes widened slightly as she gasped.
"That soon?" she asked excitedly. Tommy put a finger to his lips and looked around. Then he murmured.
-"Yes, babe. That soon. Your Uncle Kyle told Mommy the truth about Daddy. And, Salvation is coming."- A puzzled look came across Catherine's face.
"Who is Salvation?" Tommy smiled again.
-"You'll find out, soon enough."-
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"Syd, you don't sound surprised. Don't tell me you knew about this," demanded Miss Parker over the phone. Sydney cringed and thought about his reply.
"Parker," he began. He cringed again when he heard her utter a few profane words. He tried once more.
"Hear me out. I've only just discovered this information. Catherine found a DSA in one of her stuffed toys. I believe Angelo put it there. It was the same one he sent you. I'm sorry, Parker." He listened as she did the unthinkable.
She laughed.
"I'm okay, Syd. Sorry for acting like that. Hormones. When this is all over, I'll have to pay for some repairs to Lyle's house. I just get so punchy." Sydney chuckled.
"It's perfectly normal, Parker. But, I have a question. How far along do you think you are?" A pause came over the line as she mentally calculated.
"About...three months. Why, Syd?"
Sydney looked at Broots, who was listening to the conversation over the speakerphone. Then he remarked, "How's your morning sickness?" She laughed.
"Totally gone. Has been for a week now. I'm eating everything in sight."
"Parker, have you been to see a doctor yet?"
"No. Why?"
"You need to, Parker. You need to for the safety of you and your child. Also, I think you might be having more than one." Silence before Miss Parker replied.
"Oh, my. Maybe you're right, Syd. I'm already wearing maternity clothes. That's kind of early, isn't it?" Sydney hesitated.
"Look, Syd, I'll go see a doctor when this is all over with. I remember what I did with Catherine. I've got plenty of stuff with folic acid. I'll be fine."
"Parker," Sydney murmured.
"Sydney," Parker gritted out in warning, "I'll take care of this later. If this seems to be taking too long, and not a week like we've planned, then I'll see a doctor. But for now, we go by my way." Sydney said nothing in reply. All he could do was hope that she would take his advice.
"I'll talk to you later Syd. For now, we start phase one of the plan. Email me if you have any difficulties." Miss Parker hung up the phone. Sydney sighed and shook his head as he replaced the phone in its receiver.
"M-man," Broots stuttered, "sh-she gets worse when she's pregnant."
"All women do, Broots, " chuckled Sydney.
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SL23
Two Days Later
"Well, Jarod," snarled Raines, " you have cooperated very nicely this past week." Jarod scoffed and turned his head. He had been anything but cooperative through the week. He had an idea that Raines was being sarcastic, but he couldn't pick it up in that oxygen-deprived voice. The older man walked over to Jarod's side, his tank squeaking slightly.
"If you want Miss Parker's little girl to survive, you will do as I say," Raines whispered menacingly into Jarod's ear. Some of the fight went out of his eyes at the mention of Catherine. Raines had him and he knew it. All he had to do was begin to say the name and Jarod would snap to attention.
"What do I need to do?" asked Jarod in a voice that was made gravelly by depression. He so desperately wanted to be sure that Catherine was safe. His daughter of his heart was the most precious thing to him, next to his beloved wife.
Parker.
Just the thought of her brought tears to his eyes. His arms practically ached at the absence of her. Jarod closed his eyes and inhaled softly. In that brief moment, his memory played back a faded picture. She was laughing, as she was more apt to do in the past few years. Her curly hair fell in loose tendrils from her ponytail. Her cheeks were slightly rosy from cool weather. Her blue eyes sparkled with joy and life, life that he had previously thought extinguished. The picture began to move, and she slowly tilted her head back. Then she brought her head down and began to hunch over. As if there was a delay, Jarod heard her throaty laugh. Everything moved in slow motion, and her laughter had an eerie echo to it.
He sighed imperceptibly and opened his eyes. He focused back on reality just in time to hear Raines respond.
"You need to be extra cooperative during this next sim, Jarod. It is a very important one. And if you behave, Catherine will be released to her mother, and they will be left alone." Raines let that hang in the air. Jarod's inner voice screamed at him not to listen, but his heart took over. He nodded defeatedly, his head hanging. He didn't care if Raines knew that he was conquered. All he wanted was safety for Catherine. He didn't care about himself. She was all that mattered.
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-"Catherine."- whispered a voice. The sleeping child awoke suddenly, sitting up straight in her bed. Her curls bounced on her shoulders as she looked frantically from side to side. Her eyes wide, she waited for the voice to speak again. She was not disappointed.
-"Catherine, don't be afraid. I'm Salvation."-
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Lyle's Safe House
St. Louis, Missouri
Parker sat up in bed, gasping for air. She had been having unsettling dreams over the past couple of days. Reflecting on the most recent one, she placed her hand over her racing heart and tried to slow her breathing. Closing her eyes, she conjured up images of her daughter. Catherine riding Maggie, Catherine giggling at her favorite television show. Catherine playing with Jarod.
Jarod.
Parker's features relaxed slightly as memories of Jarod flooded her mind. He was so vividly emblazoned in her mind. She could smell his cologne, feel a day's growth of stubble on his cheek, and hear his voice as it turned from a playful growl to an intimate caress. She could see his eyes, his beautiful deep brown eyes. She recalled the day after the rape when he so tenderly washed her hair, unknowingly expressing all that he felt for her in those very eyes. Parker's fingers went to her lips as she recalled the myriad of kisses they'd received. Each kiss, she'd noticed, was slightly different. Her eyes still closed, she tilted her head a little to the right as she remembered his first night in her house, the night they shared their first kiss in years. Tears flooded down her face while she thought of how tenderly he took care of her. She could feel his strong arms holding her, and for a moment, felt completely safe.
She opened her eyes after the tears had ceased. She looked around again, this time more calmly. She sighed and got out from under the covers. She walked over to the computer, which was still on. She checked her email account again for any word from Sydney or Broots. Nothing. She sighed again and signed out, rubbing the bridge of her nose afterward. There was less than one week before her plan was implemented. And she could do nothing else until that day.
She felt utterly helpless. She sat in that safe house all day and all night, working on the computer. Occasionally, Kyle would come and talk to her, giving her information on her daughter. Less often, her mother would speak to her. Never in her life had Parker felt so completely and utterly alone. -Well-, she told herself, -there was the stretch of time after you faked your own suicide, Parker.- She shook her head in denial. No, the time after she'd escaped wasn't the most terrible time she'd experienced. Then, she had no one else to love her, other than her daughter. No one else that she loved, and that knew she was alive. This time, the two loves of her life were involved. And she had no clue who would make it out alive, and who wouldn't.
Parker began to cry once more. Harsh sobs racked her frame as she wished that Jarod were there to hold her, and to soothe her. The shrill chirp of the phone startled her. She wiped her face with her hand and picked up the phone.
"What?" she answered, reverting to her old lingo, but somehow it wasn't the same.
"Um..who is this?" asked a hesitant male voice on the other end. She sighed and wondered how to reply.
"My name is Angela Parker Woodman, but I'm answering the phone for Mr. Lyle right now. He's out of town on business."
"Oh. Wait. Parker?" the male voice asked incredulously. Parker shook her head slightly, thinking that this voice sounded familiar.
"Yes, some call me that." She waited for him to go on.
"Parker!" whispered a trembling voice. She had to wait a few seconds before a name popped into her mind.
"Ethan," she whispered right back, "goodness, it's really you!" She heard a breathless chuckle on the other end.
"I.I..I thought you were dead. We all thought you were dead," he stated painfully. Parker let a sob escape.
"Oh, Ethan, I'm so sorry. I had to make you all believe that. I wouldn't have been able to escape from the Centre without that deception. I had to get out of that place, Ethan. For the safety of my.my daughter." She heard Ethan gasp on the other end.
"Who's child, Parker? And who is this Woodman fellow?" Parker swallowed before telling him about the rape. After she'd finished explaining that the child was a result of the rape, she listened to what Ethan had to say.
"Parker.I'm sorry. I don't know what to say to you. How do you come back after that one, huh?"
"Well, Ethan, that's not the whole story," she started. She told him the general information about how the Centre orchestrated the rape so she would have a good reason to be pregnant. She saved who the real father was, and who Mr. Woodman was for last.
"And Ethan, I think you'd be happy to know the real father. In fact, you do know him. His name is Jarod, Jarod Woodman," she finished with a smile in her voice. Silence followed for a few minutes.
"Jar.Jarod? Our Jarod? My brother, Jarod?" Parker laughed at Ethan's words.
"Yes, Ethan.our Jarod. He found me two years after my death. We fell in love.and got married," she ended on a chuckle. There was a pause for a few moments.
"Wait, Parker. Does Jarod know that Catherine." Ethan let the question hang, although it sounded like he already knew the answer.
"No, little brother. He doesn't. And right now they're both at the Centre. Syd, Broots, Angelo, and I are desperately trying to get them out. It's the waiting that's the worst part." Ethan made a sound of agreement. The look in Parker's eyes changed a bit.
"Ethan, why are you calling Lyle?" A pause, then a chuckle.
"Well, ever since your 'death', let's just say that Lyle has become more friendly with family. I am, after all, his half-brother too. He's been taking it really rough lately, especially with this new acquisition to the Centre. Now I know who he was talking about." Parker sighed and leaned back in her chair. She nodded, even though she knew Ethan couldn't see her.
"It's been so good catching up with you, little brother."
"Yeah," Ethan agreed, "but I feel like I should be doing something more." Parker thought on this for a little bit.
"Why don't you come to visit? I'm all alone here, and I could use the company while waiting for the rescue plan to kick into high gear." Parker waited.
"Well.of course I'll come! My previously deceased sister is raised from the dead, that's a cause for a reunion!" The two half-siblings laughed for a minute or so until Parker yawned.
"That's my cue to get off," chuckled Ethan, "you need to sleep. I'll be making arrangements and try to get there in a day or so. Still the same house?"
"Yeah," Parker commented sleepily.
"Sleep well, Sis. I'll see you later." Ethan hung up before Parker could get a chance to say anything more. -So like his brother,- she mused to herself. She smiled and put the phone back down. Then, she crawled under the covers of Lyle's bed and fell into a deep sleep, filled with dreams of Jarod and Ethan together.
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SL23
Two Days Later
Jarod fell to the ground, gasping for breath. He couldn't stop shaking. Even though he had been through a withdrawal sim before, this one was far worse. He had no idea what drug he was dependent on now. In fact, he couldn't recall what Raines had said to him earlier. His withdrawal was making him lose sleep. If this would have happened before he reunited with Parker, he wouldn't have had a problem with sleep-deprivation. But he had become accustomed to sleep now. He had "grown soft."
Jarod shook his head. If he didn't concentrate, he would go insane! He focused his mind on Catherine, Parker's beautiful daughter. He felt himself calming slightly at the vision of her. Even though she was a genius, she was still a baby at age three. She was so innocent, so pure. Jarod hoped with all of his might that the Centre wouldn't take that away from her like they did with her mother. Parker was getting better, but she never completely left the "Miss Parker" persona behind. Yes, the Ice Queen was definitely more agreeable now, but she was still there. Jarod also knew that the Ice Queen would never leave his precious Angela. It had been instilled in her from a very young age. And if he didn't cooperate, they would do it again to her daughter.
He shivered as the symptoms returned as quickly as they left. All thoughts of Catherine forgotten, Jarod hunched down in a corner of his cell, desperately trying to muster up every extra degree of warmth.
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"Syd, we only have a few days until the plan is implemented," remarked Broots nervously. The two were in an abandoned sublevel. Broots had rerouted the security camera feeds, but that would last for only about 15 minutes. So, the two tried to squeeze their conversation in before they would be caught.
"Broots, I know it seems like we're cutting it close, but we're actually ahead of schedule. Angelo has accomplished a lot. Really all that needs to be done is your work with the security system," replied Sydney. Broots looked at his feet anxiously. Sydney sighed and lightly grabbed the younger man's shoulders.
"Broots, it will all be okay. Trust me on that," he commented, accentuating every word. Broots looked up.
"Something isn't right, Syd. Something is missing. I can feel it. There's something someone isn't telling us. And it's driving me nuts," stated Broots. Sydney thought on this for awhile. Then he looked back at Broots.
"You may be right. Why don't you do some investigating and see what's going on. Now, we must go. I will talk to you later." The two men looked each other in the eyes for a few moments, then parted silently.
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St. Louis, Missouri
The Next Day
The sound of the doorbell roused Parker from her deep sleep on Lyle's sofa. She sat up and looked around before hearing the doorbell again. She shook her head and muttered, "Ethan," to herself. She combed her fingers through her hair. She pulled the fleece blanket away from her and she got up from the sofa. She walked to the door and opened it with an expectant look on her face. Her face fell as she took in the person before her. She moved her lips but no sound came out. She lifted a trembling hand to her mouth and gasped.
"Daddy!?"
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SL23
Jarod plopped down on his cot, sweating profusely. He honestly didn't know if he could survive anymore. Thoughts of Catherine were fleeting now; thoughts of Parker even less so. He pulled himself into a tight fetal position and sang the only lullaby he could remember with a halting, breaking voice.
"Cree craw toad's foot, geese walk barefoot."
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Lyle could overhear Jarod's simple song from next door. Tears streamed down his face at the anguish in his voice. Lyle had no idea what kind of drugs Jarod was on. He knew they weren't good. And he hoped that Jarod would be able to break his addiction once out of the Centre. He sat with his back against the wall. Closing his eyes, he recalled his earlier conversation with Angelo.
-"Angelo, I don't think Jarod can hold on much longer. We need to get him out of here because he could get too addicted."-
-"It's okay, Lyle. Salvation is coming."-
-"Salvation? What's Salvation?"-
-"Who. He's coming soon. With Daughter now." A smile came across Angelo's face at his own mention of Parker.-
-"What do you mean, he's with Parker?"-
-"Salvation help, he good. Help with escape." Angelo smiled even wider. He said nothing more, though. He simply led Lyle back down to his room and left him there to wonder what was meant by the conversation.-
Lyle shook his head slightly. He so wanted to contact Parker right now and ask who was with her. Instead, he focused his attention on Jarod, who had fallen silent. He only hoped that the silence meant sleep.
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St. Louis, Missouri
Parker sat back in awe. Her tears had finally stopped. Now she sat with her hand running through her hair. After a few moments, she spoke.
"Why, Daddy? Why the deception like that?" she asked with a tremulous voice. Mr. Parker, formerly deceased, sighed heavily.
"It was needed, Angel. I had to get away from the Centre. Once I'd seen the reality of all that I'd done, I knew that I had to leave. That included you. I also knew that I would be needed in the future. What for, I had no idea. So, I waited until the time was right. Now is that time." Mr. Parker shrugged slightly. Angela sat forward and stared into his blue eyes with her own.
"Why. Are. You. Here?" she asked, accentuating every word with emotion making her voice ragged.
"I'm here.to help you get Jarod out. And your daughter." The two held their gaze for a few moments more. Then Mr. Parker looked away. Angela nodded imperceptibly. She swallowed a couple of times before saying what she said next.
"Let's get to work. We need to alter the plan a bit, but it honestly will work better with the extra hands." She stood up and headed for the computer. Her father watched her for a moment, then followed hesitantly.
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The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Two Days Later
Catherine sat amongst her many stuffed animals. She looked over each of them with solemn eyes. She picked up her bunny. She then apologized with her eyes to the rest of them. Then she got up and stood a few paces in front of the door, waiting patiently. She wasn't disappointed.
The door burst open and there was her Mommy. Catherine reached up her arms expectantly. Angela picked her up and savored the feel of her in her arms for a moment. Then Broots and Sydney came in and closed the door behind them.
"Parker, you need to get out. Now," he whispered. She nodded and headed towards the ventilation shaft. She carried her daughter up and into the shaft and waited for Sydney to follow. Once he was behind them, they crawled through the tunnels until they had reached the opening to the outdoor vent. On swift and silent feet they ran as far as they could until they were past the boundaries of the Centre. There, they waited for Jarod to appear, along with Lyle, Ethan, Angelo, and Mr. Parker.
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SL23
Jarod rocked back and forth, mumbling his song to himself. He was beyond any comprehension of what was going on. He could see Lyle standing in front of him, shouting something. Then Mr. Parker was there.wait! Mr. Parker was dead. So, Jarod deduced this to be a hallucination caused by the drugs he had been on.
Lyle gave up on shouting at Jarod and began to move toward him. He watched as his father did the same. Mentally, Lyle was still in disbelief and shock. But there was no time for that. Together they picked Jarod up and began to move him towards the ventilation shaft opening, where Angelo's and Ethan's hands were waiting.
Finally, after some struggle, the two lifted Jarod up into the shaft. Lyle was about ready to head in when he heard a voice that made his blood run cold.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," wheezed Raines. Both Lyle and Mr. Parker turned slowly and looked at the old man before them. Raines sneered at Mr. Parker.
"I thought you were dead!" he spat out. Mr. Parker cocked an eyebrow.
"Apparently not, Oxygen Tank," he retorted. He moved towards Raines quickly. He had just about tackled the man when he stopped short and almost as if jerked backward, he fell to the ground. Raines stood over Mr. Parker and laughed dryly. Lyle took this opportunity to get Raines. He wrestled the gun from him and pointed it at his head once Raines was on the floor. Lyle spat in his face.
"This is for Sis," he ground out through gritted teeth and pulled the trigger. A soft 'pfft' sound was made, and a red hole appeared in the middle of Raines' forehead. Lyle knelt by his father's side and placed a hand on the spreading patch of red on his white shirt. The elder Parker gasped for air.
"Tell Angel.I'm.sorry," he exhaled a long breath, and was gone. Lyle worked his jaw to keep from crying. He touched his father's face, nodded curtly, and disappeared into the shaft.
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Outside the Centre
Parker nearly cried out with relief at the sight of her husband stumbling into the sunlight. She quickly counted heads. There were two missing. Her father and Lyle weren't among the escapees. Once the other three had reached her, she asked, "Where's Lyle, and Daddy?" Her eyes frantically searched Ethan's. He looked down and swallowed.
"Raines.he got to them before.I'm so sorry, Parker." She fell to her knees as the emotion overcame her. After some time, the sobbing stopped. She just sat there and watched Jarod, who was lying down on the grass and muttering something to himself.
"What did they do to you, sweetie?" she asked softly. A voice from behind startled her.
"They drugged him up on something really serious, Sis," came Lyle's response. She turned around and instantly stood up and hugged him fiercely.
"I thought I'd lost you," she whispered. When she backed away, she noticed the look on Lyle's face, and the blood on his hands. She looked back into his eyes questioningly.
"Dad said that.he's sorry. I'm sorry, Sis. Raines shot him before I could get to him." Her lower lip trembled, but amazingly she kept from tearing up. She looked back at Jarod.
"We need to get him some help, Lyle. Fast," she whispered. He nodded. They looked at each other, sighed, then went to move everyone to the cars.
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Epilogue
St. Louis, Missouri
Two Weeks Later
Parker sat beside her sleeping husband. She placed one of her hands over her now obviously swollen abdomen. She used the other hand to stroke Jarod's cheek. She watched as he stirred, then looked up at her. Parker smiled and asked, "How are you feeling, babe?" He stared at her blankly. Parker's smile faded as she heard his reply.
"Who are you?"
TO BE CONTINUED..