Disclaimer: Please see Part I for usual statement.
Author's note: Please give me some feedback on this segment.
Memory Ronin
Part X
By Callisto
Jarod's family home
Franconia, NH
Jarod laid on the couch and lounged lazily. He was savoring the memory of their late evening lovemaking; when he woke up hours later, as with most mornings, he found himself alone wondering where Parker had gone. The door to the apartment softly closed and he heard her light step on the floorboards head directly to her bedroom. She must have seen him because he heard her change direction and almost silently pad barefoot over to him. He imagined he could hear her breathing and remained still enjoying her presence as she looked down at him.
When she kissed his throat, he was momentarily surprised. He didn't realize she had bent over and he enjoyed the sensation of her lips against his skin and her hair as it softly brushed against his face.
"Where do you go this early in the morning? I was under the impression you weren't a morning person," he said quietly.
Snaking her arms around his body she embraced him happily saying, "I go outside to practice the kata my Sensei taught me years ago. It's one of the few things that keep me sane." She ran her fingers through his hair, lightly scraping her nails across his scalp causing it to tingle before continuing, "How would you like to join me in the shower?"
"I have a better idea," he replied. Swinging his legs so he was in a sitting position on the couch and firmly holding her hand he tugged her towards him and led her to sit facing him in his lap. "How about you and I spend the day together, up here, in your apartment?"
"My apartment, is it?" she said with a laugh in her voice. "You sleep here every night. By the way, how is your family taking the change in our relationship?" She leaned over and kissed him deeply as he began to remove her clothing.
"As well as can be expected, I guess. I haven't taken a poll, I've been a little busy these past few weeks," he replied hoarsely as soon as he could speak. He began staring helplessly into her eyes.
She leaned over again and kissed him as he carefully guided her down onto the couch and started to finish the job of removing her clothing when there was a forceful knock on the door. Their collective groan was loud as they mutually protested the interruption. They were both sitting up on the couch, disheveled and aroused when the apartment fell into silence. Apparently the visitor decided to leave rather than continue to pound on the door. Smiling happily, Parker pushed Jarod back down on the couch and straddling his body quickly had him down to wearing only his boxers which were immediately being tugged at when the knocking began again, only louder this time and accompanied by the Major calling out Jarod by name.
Another collective groan followed as Parker looked down unhappily into her lover's face.
"Can I get a hug from you before you answer that door and disappear for hours?" she asked miserably.
Jarod gave her a grin that would have made a pirate proud and reaching up, pulled her into a tight embrace. Releasing her after a few moments, she climbed off him and watched mutely as he slipped back into his gray sweatpants. Parker still half naked flopped disgustedly back onto the couch.
"Hey, Dad, what's up?" Jarod asked after opening the door.
"I'm sorry to disturb you but I need to ask Miss Parker something, is she here?"
Nodding in the affirmative, Jarod closed the door and preceding his father walked barefoot into the living room. He was surprised to see Parker fully dressed and failed to suppress the grin her exasperated expression caused. Hiding his amusement from his father, Jarod placed a hand over his mouth assuming a thoughtful posture, as the Major walked up to face Parker.
"There's something I think you should see," he said and handed her a partially open notebook computer.
Taking the computer she looked at the contents on the screen and without removing her eyes from the screen she said evenly, "it's a payroll manifest from the Centre. What is it about this you wanted me to see?" The Major remained silent as she continued to browse though the screen and came upon something, which caught her attention. Her name was still on the payroll manifest and it showed her receiving her usual salary from the Centre.
"Now I've seen everything. Lyle has the Tower believing I'm still alive and according to these scheduling codes I'm supposedly working undercover," she scoffed. Looking up into the Major's concerned face she said, "it would seem the Tower's executive branch aren't the only ones believing him. I'm still a monster in your eyes and you believe this ruse that I'm working for them? Some kind of Mata Hari worming her way into your son's affections? I'm good but I'm not that good."
"I had to ask. You're so much like your mother in some ways but in other's completely different."
"My twin has figured out a new macabre way to rip off the Centre. My mother had an agenda which got her killed by a man she knew better than to trust, leaving Ethan in a lurch and me with nothing but questions no one wants to answer. My agenda, thanks to you, is to figure out where I go from here. I can tell you one thing, I'm not playing games with either my heart or Jarod's." She said this quietly, her stare drilling holes into the Major's head as she handed back the laptop.
Staring at her with a look of uncertain but wary embarrassment, he slowly nodded and with an apologetic glance at Jarod he left the room.
The Centre
Blue Cove, DE
After hours the sim lab outside Sydney's office seemed quieter than usual. Broots sat on the couch in his friend's office sharing an after-work drink with Sydney.
"It's fitting that Parker should have left you something to provide for Debbie's education. In retrospect, we both should have expected it. Parker's attachment to Debbie was one of the very few healthy relationships in her life. Have you told Debbie what Parker has done?" Sydney asked with an inquisitive lift of his eyebrows.
"No, not yet. She's still very upset over Miss Parker's death. I thought it would be better to wait awhile before telling her," Broots said quietly staring into his drink.
Sydney watched as Broots became pensive once again. He realized Broots was unaware of his lapses in attention; it was something he sympathized with since he too was going through something similar but with less obvious signs. The two men sat in companionable silence when her unpleasant twin interrupted their separate reveries over their lost friend.
"Late night, boys?" Lyle asked with smooth derision.
"We're discussing an endowment Parker left Broots in her will," Sydney replied casually. He was fully aware that Miss Parker had left her twin nothing of any significance from her estate while her two colleagues received considerably larger endowments. She even remembered her favorite sweeper Sam. Lyle's smarmy disdain irritated him.
Walking a few steps into the office, Lyle bore his cold, angry stare into Broots. It was clear Sydney's small dig had found it's mark.
"So, it would seem that your pining for her from afar didn't go unnoticed or unappreciated. Congratulations, Broots. How much did my ungrateful twin leave you?"
"Her lawyer's haven't told me yet. They only said that I was left an endowment and a special account was being set up for it." Broots paused, his eyes still fastened on Lyle's. "What exactly did Miss Parker do to deserve being called ungrateful?"
Slightly taken aback at Broots' unexpected and shrewd insight, Lyle broke the eye contact and replied distantly, "It took some fancy maneuvering to get us all out of Africa with our heads still attached. You do remember that little incident I'm sure."
"Yes, of course Mr. Lyle. Miss Parker was my closest friend. I'm sure you can understand that I feel protective of her memory. She liked to tease me and often gave me a hard time, but she was never cruel, ungrateful or anything like that," Broots answered with an uncharacteristic forcefulness.
Lyle stood in the middle of the office, speechless. It was as though his sister's spirit took up residence in Broots' usually spineless body. Deciding this trembling twerp wasn't going to get the last word in, Lyle scornfully curled his lip. "My, my it seems like my sister left you a bit more than just an endowment. There is something you should never forget, Broots. You're expendable."
Sydney who had also been surprised into his own speechlessness over Broots' showing his rare streak of aggressiveness chose this moment to redirect Lyle's attention.
"Lyle, why has the search for Jarod gone to the wayside? Why has the pursuit team been disbanded? It's hardly likely the Triumvirate has lost interest in him."
"The Triumvirate has enough irons in the fire. It's a new day at the Centre and for once Jarod is off the front burner," Lyle replied, unintentionally echoing Mr. Parker's words. His stare and attention was still riveted on Broots.
"Miss Parker is gone and all of a sudden the Triumvirate loses interest? Did they believe she was the only one capable of returning Jarod? What about Sydney?" Broots inquired with sudden curiosity. His eyes lost their heat after spotting a certain something in Lyle's.
"Parker failed and lost her life as a result. It's been finally recognized that should we ever eventually reacquire Jarod, his resistance to the status quo would be too resource consuming. Besides, since her death how many phone calls has your little lab monkey made? He killed her, possibly accidentally and has gone to ground—we'll never find him now. Changes are in the works and new plans are being implemented." Lyle shifted his hard stare pointedly to Sydney. "Not to worry, there will be plenty for you to do in the interim." Lyle turned on his heel and left the room.
"Broots, please be careful. Lyle remains an extremely volatile and dangerous man. If you have to antagonize him, do it when it will be to your advantage. I have a feeling those type of opportunities won't present themselves too often." Sydney said worriedly. He realized he was giving Broots some of the same advise he had often given Parker. Her influence on the normally nervous man was becoming more apparent each day since her death.
"Did you see the look in his eyes Sydney? He misses her too, all this time I thought he was incapable of any positive emotion. I think in his own twisted way he's lonely without her," Broots said with a note of wonder in his voice.
"I would agree with you Broots, if it weren't for this nagging suspicion that keeps telling me he had something to do with her death. There is nothing either he or Raines could say that would convince me Jarod had anything to do with Parker's death," Sydney said confidently.
Broots gave his friend a sympathetic smile. He knew as well as Sydney how focused Parker could become when she was in hot pursuit of Jarod. The Pretender had often used her obsession with catching him to his own advantage. Usually the result was a nasty prank but this wouldn't have been the first time Parker had inadvertently put herself in mortal jeopardy. Rising from the couch, Broots sat his glass on the desktop.
"I've got to get home. Debbie promised to make dinner but she still has trouble gauging how long to leave food in the oven before it begins to burn."
Sydney smiled vaguely at his friend as he watched the other man leave. He knew Broots had little trouble believing the conclusions of the elite cleaner team Raines had assigned to evaluate the scene. Sydney sat mulling sadly over the possibility they were right. Jarod had accidentally killed Parker and was now racked with guilt. A small noise in the ceiling caught Sydney's attention. Looking up he saw a figure behind the air duct grating. A soft smile came to Sydney's lips as he whispered his visitor's name.
Angelo looked down at the man who always tried to help him. Overwhelming feelings of sadness and loss washed over him from the older man. Angelo remained still until he had regained his own emotional equilibrium. Without removing the grate or fully revealing himself, Angelo decided to relieve some of Sydney's guilt. Projecting his whisper so the psychiatrist could hear him, he said clearly, "Daughter free. Friend protect, find love." Smiling happily to himself, Angelo silently scurried away, leaving Sydney confused but grasping at the slight tendril of hope.