Restoration
Authors ramble: Uhm. Okay, This is my first Pretender fic, please be a little gentle. It's going to get meatier, angst-ier, and possibly a little more graphic in the next chapter. Hence the R rating. But anyways, its not mine, if you think that youre crazier than Raines. And thats CRAZY. I'm having a lot of fun with this, I hope someone else does too. ^_^ Enjoy
Chapter One
Miss Parker took a deep breath, and tried not to roll her eyes as she walked into her father's office. "You wanted to see me, Daddy?" she tried to smile at the man she had thought the world of.
"How's my angel?" he called in a gruff, jovial tone, embracing her in a larger than life hug.
She fought back the urge to pull away. Or better yet, vomit.
"The Centre's new hero." And despite everything, the lies, the half-truths, the note of paternal pride in his voice made her feel good. Like Daddy's little girl. Except to hear that pride, she had sold her soul.
She stepped out of the hug, "I'm glad your proud. But now that I've done my job, I want to quit."
She recognized the look on her father's face the instant it graced his features. "What?" she wanted to snap. "You mean, I still can't leave the Centre? What lies now? What stupid secrets do I need to dig up now? I've caught Jarod. What else do you want to do to me!" Instead she settled for an audible sigh and a raised eyebrow.
Her father rubbed his arm against his neck, in an obvious nervous gesture. "Well...even if...you know too much, angel. They'd never let you just quit."
Miss Parker gave up on trying to control her anger. "What do /they/ want now?"
"Well, sweetheart, that's what I called you in here about..."
Miss Parker found herself pacing. More like stalking, through her Father's office. "Daddy. Listen. I just want out. No more. Please, no more of /any/ of this." She gestured to the office, the building, the Centre. She stared at him, into his eyes. She didn't want to sound like a whining child. But maybe that would be the key...maybe it work.
"I just want you to know, I'm proud of you princess."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Miss Parker whirled around as she heard the door open. Her eyes widened, as she saw the two armed sweepers standing in the doorway. "What is this about, Daddy?" she asked, her voice tipping closer to fear and further from anger than she had hoped.
"I had hoped to explain this to you in private. Before...but it seems, our time is up. Not to worry, angel, all will work out for the best."
One of the sweepers, coughed. "Mis Parker..." he motioned to the door. She didn't even turn around to look at her father. She glared at the sweepers outstretched hands, and handed over her gun. She didn't know what was happening, but she could at least pretend a semblance of control. Straightening her shoulders, she followed the sweepers out of the room.
~
Jarod's eyes flickered. Pain shot through his leg. A fog permeated his thoughts. Where was he? He should know that...the rapid beating of his heart, and the dropping of his stomach told him wherever he was, it wasn't good. He tried to open his eyes, but they were so heavy. He felt sweat on his forehead. And something wet, and cool.
"Is he ready to wake up? Ready to work?" a familiar raspy voice, said.
"He's been shot in the leg, no he's not ready to work yet," an unfamiliar, soft female voice said.
"Well, get him ready, Eva." A familiar squeak followed raspy-voice's last statement.
Finally he made his eyes work. A young woman stood above him, holding a wet cloth, glaring at the door. Her brown eyes danced with irritation under her brown curls. "Oh." she started, upon noticing that he was awake. "Hello. How are you feeling?"
He concentrated on making speech sounds. "I've been shot in the leg?"
"You don't remember?" Her eyes now sparkled with sympathy. He could tell right away, that she would be completely transparent. Her eyes told him every emotion she felt. She laid the cloth on his forehead once more.
"No."
He could tell be her eyes, that she wanted to tell him what happened. But for some reason she couldn't. "Where am I?"
Her eyes went through the emotions so fast, he couldn't keep track of them.
"Hell, or the closest thing to it on Earth," she answered sadly, and pulled the cloth away. "I have to get Dr. Raines," she whispered and walked away.
Raines...Raines...that name should mean something to him. Something bad. Why couldn't he remember?
~
Broots ran towards Sydney's office. Trying not act like it was too urgent. It's not like they were working together anymore. Oh great....what reason could he give if someone asked where he was going? He felt himself begin to get nervous. But he'd done worse. He could come up with...
"Mr. Broots, where to in such a hurry?" Broots froze like a deer caught in the headlights. It was Lyle. What was he gonna say to him? Oh..don't panic. Don't panic. "Uh...I...uh...just left something in Syd's office. Needed to get it."
"Whatever it is, it's not going anywhere. Watch where you're going."
He knows. Oh god he knows. Broots thought, as he heard the menace in Lyle's voice. "Uh...yeah...I can get it later..probably."
Lyle stared at him, penentratingly. He tried not to look guilty. "You're in my way," he finally said.
"Oh..right," Broots said, scampering out of his way. Right. Don't breathe sigh of relief. Just find Sydney. Finally he made it to the older man's office and knocked on the door. Only then feeling relieved.
And then feeling panic again, as he saw Sydney packing his desk into boxes.
"Mr. Broots, come in. What's wrong?" Sydney asked, a deadness to his voice.
"I should probably be asking you...."Broots looked at the boxes, littering the psychologist's office.
"You haven't heard. I've been transferred."
"What...no...you can't, where?"
"I have not been given the details of my reassignment yet."
"Uh...Syd...I really need to talk. Maybe we could go...get some lunch, or something."
"I think that can be arranged." Sydney looked at Broots, hard.
"Lunch, Syd."
~
Eva stared at her hands. She couldn't bear to look at Raines. He might see the hate in her eyes. Or she might have to strangle him.
"He's awake," she said softly.
"How long?"
She wondered how he could stand listening to himself, wheezing, every breath.
"Since just shortly after you left." Tell yourself the truth Eva, you can't look at him, because he's conditioned you to look down. Or something. Her voice sounds so meek. Why does she work for him, again? Right. No choice.
"I want him moved to his room. Immediately."
"But..."
"Are you questioning me? I let you get away with it in there. But you know we're not watched here."
"No, Dr. Raines." She can't look at him because she's afraid to, afraid he'll see the hate in her eyes. She turned and walked towards the examining room.
"Jarod," she called softly, entering the room.
"Eva. Your name is Eva, right?" He sounded so desperate, so frightened.
She tried not to look at him. Not to see his eyes, pleading with her.
"Yes," she whispered.
"And that man, with the raspy voice?"
"Dr. Raines." She went over to the closet and pulled out a wheel chair. "You're being moved. To your room."
"I live here? Please...tell me where I am. It's important."
The pleading in his voice hurt her head, and her heart. "Home, I guess," she said defeatedly, wheeling the chair over to the bed.
"I...I don't know how much I'm supposed to tell you."
"I /need/ to know." He stared up at her. She looked towards the door, ignoring him.
"James, Alan?"
The two men walked out of whatever shadows they were in, and headed towards her and Jarod.
"These men are going to help you into the chair." She continued to stare at the door.
~
Miss Parker folded her arms over her chest. "Why did you bring me here?" She motioned to the room, cell, whatever they wanted to call it.
The sweepers just stared at her, not talking, not budging. She stalked up to the shorter one. Who was still taller than her. Damn. Well.
"So?" she sneered in his face. "Why here? Why Jarod's old /room/?" She put so much sarcasm into the word room, that she was sure everyone watching knew she meant cell.
"Because, Miss Parker, you'll be sharing it with him from now on."
Miss Parker quit glaring at the sweeper and headed straight for the speaker.
"Raines. What. do. you. mean?" Her hand flew for her gun, but she remembered just in time that she didn't have it, and sent towards the Dr.'s throat instead. Only to feel someone strong grabbing both her hands and pulling her out of the way.
Her heart pulsed with anger, and yes, fear. What was going on? Obviously her father knew about this, and approved? Raines stepped into the room, and she saw him. Jarod. Looking terrible, confused, and in pain. He was handcuffed to a wheelchair, and being followed by four armed sweepers. His eyes were blinking, trying to stay open.
"Jarod?" she heard herself squeak, despite everything.
"Do I know you?" he asked, his words slurred, eyes distant.
"What did they do to you?" And then she remembered she did it. She shot him. In the leg. To bring him here.
"I'm sure his amnesia is temporary," Dr. Raines informed her, as if she had asked him.
"Now you're eager to answer questions?" she stared at the frail man.
"Leave him. And her. All in due time Miss Parker." The sweepers wheeled Jarod in, and turned to leave, and Miss Parker made a show of pulling away from the monkey restraining her. Acting like she could have done it all along if she had wanted to.
"Raines, I want to speak to my father. Now."
"I'm afraid that's not possible at the moment. Make yourself comfortable." She glared after him, as he and the sweepers left, locking the door behind them.
~
Broots found himself adjusting random parts of his clothing, just to keep from twitching. Or making a fool of himself. Or something. Sydney was late...he needed to hear this before he left. It was important.
"Finally," he said as the older man sat down across the table.
"I apologize for being late, but Mr. Parker had returned with the details of my reassignment. It seems I am to be sent to a Centre office, half way around the world, in Russia."
"Well. Uhm. You might want to find a way to stall that. I found, this," Broots checked around, anxious that someone had followed him or Syd. No black cars. But that would be too obvious. It seemed okay. But. Well. He pulled a file folder out from under his jacket, and placed it on the table, hunching as far over it as he could.
"It's a new project...uhm...it's called Project Restoration...and uhm. Well.." he opened the folder. "It seems they want to use Miss Parker and Jarod to create a baby..."
Authors ramble: Uhm. Okay, This is my first Pretender fic, please be a little gentle. It's going to get meatier, angst-ier, and possibly a little more graphic in the next chapter. Hence the R rating. But anyways, its not mine, if you think that youre crazier than Raines. And thats CRAZY. I'm having a lot of fun with this, I hope someone else does too. ^_^ Enjoy
Chapter One
Miss Parker took a deep breath, and tried not to roll her eyes as she walked into her father's office. "You wanted to see me, Daddy?" she tried to smile at the man she had thought the world of.
"How's my angel?" he called in a gruff, jovial tone, embracing her in a larger than life hug.
She fought back the urge to pull away. Or better yet, vomit.
"The Centre's new hero." And despite everything, the lies, the half-truths, the note of paternal pride in his voice made her feel good. Like Daddy's little girl. Except to hear that pride, she had sold her soul.
She stepped out of the hug, "I'm glad your proud. But now that I've done my job, I want to quit."
She recognized the look on her father's face the instant it graced his features. "What?" she wanted to snap. "You mean, I still can't leave the Centre? What lies now? What stupid secrets do I need to dig up now? I've caught Jarod. What else do you want to do to me!" Instead she settled for an audible sigh and a raised eyebrow.
Her father rubbed his arm against his neck, in an obvious nervous gesture. "Well...even if...you know too much, angel. They'd never let you just quit."
Miss Parker gave up on trying to control her anger. "What do /they/ want now?"
"Well, sweetheart, that's what I called you in here about..."
Miss Parker found herself pacing. More like stalking, through her Father's office. "Daddy. Listen. I just want out. No more. Please, no more of /any/ of this." She gestured to the office, the building, the Centre. She stared at him, into his eyes. She didn't want to sound like a whining child. But maybe that would be the key...maybe it work.
"I just want you to know, I'm proud of you princess."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Miss Parker whirled around as she heard the door open. Her eyes widened, as she saw the two armed sweepers standing in the doorway. "What is this about, Daddy?" she asked, her voice tipping closer to fear and further from anger than she had hoped.
"I had hoped to explain this to you in private. Before...but it seems, our time is up. Not to worry, angel, all will work out for the best."
One of the sweepers, coughed. "Mis Parker..." he motioned to the door. She didn't even turn around to look at her father. She glared at the sweepers outstretched hands, and handed over her gun. She didn't know what was happening, but she could at least pretend a semblance of control. Straightening her shoulders, she followed the sweepers out of the room.
~
Jarod's eyes flickered. Pain shot through his leg. A fog permeated his thoughts. Where was he? He should know that...the rapid beating of his heart, and the dropping of his stomach told him wherever he was, it wasn't good. He tried to open his eyes, but they were so heavy. He felt sweat on his forehead. And something wet, and cool.
"Is he ready to wake up? Ready to work?" a familiar raspy voice, said.
"He's been shot in the leg, no he's not ready to work yet," an unfamiliar, soft female voice said.
"Well, get him ready, Eva." A familiar squeak followed raspy-voice's last statement.
Finally he made his eyes work. A young woman stood above him, holding a wet cloth, glaring at the door. Her brown eyes danced with irritation under her brown curls. "Oh." she started, upon noticing that he was awake. "Hello. How are you feeling?"
He concentrated on making speech sounds. "I've been shot in the leg?"
"You don't remember?" Her eyes now sparkled with sympathy. He could tell right away, that she would be completely transparent. Her eyes told him every emotion she felt. She laid the cloth on his forehead once more.
"No."
He could tell be her eyes, that she wanted to tell him what happened. But for some reason she couldn't. "Where am I?"
Her eyes went through the emotions so fast, he couldn't keep track of them.
"Hell, or the closest thing to it on Earth," she answered sadly, and pulled the cloth away. "I have to get Dr. Raines," she whispered and walked away.
Raines...Raines...that name should mean something to him. Something bad. Why couldn't he remember?
~
Broots ran towards Sydney's office. Trying not act like it was too urgent. It's not like they were working together anymore. Oh great....what reason could he give if someone asked where he was going? He felt himself begin to get nervous. But he'd done worse. He could come up with...
"Mr. Broots, where to in such a hurry?" Broots froze like a deer caught in the headlights. It was Lyle. What was he gonna say to him? Oh..don't panic. Don't panic. "Uh...I...uh...just left something in Syd's office. Needed to get it."
"Whatever it is, it's not going anywhere. Watch where you're going."
He knows. Oh god he knows. Broots thought, as he heard the menace in Lyle's voice. "Uh...yeah...I can get it later..probably."
Lyle stared at him, penentratingly. He tried not to look guilty. "You're in my way," he finally said.
"Oh..right," Broots said, scampering out of his way. Right. Don't breathe sigh of relief. Just find Sydney. Finally he made it to the older man's office and knocked on the door. Only then feeling relieved.
And then feeling panic again, as he saw Sydney packing his desk into boxes.
"Mr. Broots, come in. What's wrong?" Sydney asked, a deadness to his voice.
"I should probably be asking you...."Broots looked at the boxes, littering the psychologist's office.
"You haven't heard. I've been transferred."
"What...no...you can't, where?"
"I have not been given the details of my reassignment yet."
"Uh...Syd...I really need to talk. Maybe we could go...get some lunch, or something."
"I think that can be arranged." Sydney looked at Broots, hard.
"Lunch, Syd."
~
Eva stared at her hands. She couldn't bear to look at Raines. He might see the hate in her eyes. Or she might have to strangle him.
"He's awake," she said softly.
"How long?"
She wondered how he could stand listening to himself, wheezing, every breath.
"Since just shortly after you left." Tell yourself the truth Eva, you can't look at him, because he's conditioned you to look down. Or something. Her voice sounds so meek. Why does she work for him, again? Right. No choice.
"I want him moved to his room. Immediately."
"But..."
"Are you questioning me? I let you get away with it in there. But you know we're not watched here."
"No, Dr. Raines." She can't look at him because she's afraid to, afraid he'll see the hate in her eyes. She turned and walked towards the examining room.
"Jarod," she called softly, entering the room.
"Eva. Your name is Eva, right?" He sounded so desperate, so frightened.
She tried not to look at him. Not to see his eyes, pleading with her.
"Yes," she whispered.
"And that man, with the raspy voice?"
"Dr. Raines." She went over to the closet and pulled out a wheel chair. "You're being moved. To your room."
"I live here? Please...tell me where I am. It's important."
The pleading in his voice hurt her head, and her heart. "Home, I guess," she said defeatedly, wheeling the chair over to the bed.
"I...I don't know how much I'm supposed to tell you."
"I /need/ to know." He stared up at her. She looked towards the door, ignoring him.
"James, Alan?"
The two men walked out of whatever shadows they were in, and headed towards her and Jarod.
"These men are going to help you into the chair." She continued to stare at the door.
~
Miss Parker folded her arms over her chest. "Why did you bring me here?" She motioned to the room, cell, whatever they wanted to call it.
The sweepers just stared at her, not talking, not budging. She stalked up to the shorter one. Who was still taller than her. Damn. Well.
"So?" she sneered in his face. "Why here? Why Jarod's old /room/?" She put so much sarcasm into the word room, that she was sure everyone watching knew she meant cell.
"Because, Miss Parker, you'll be sharing it with him from now on."
Miss Parker quit glaring at the sweeper and headed straight for the speaker.
"Raines. What. do. you. mean?" Her hand flew for her gun, but she remembered just in time that she didn't have it, and sent towards the Dr.'s throat instead. Only to feel someone strong grabbing both her hands and pulling her out of the way.
Her heart pulsed with anger, and yes, fear. What was going on? Obviously her father knew about this, and approved? Raines stepped into the room, and she saw him. Jarod. Looking terrible, confused, and in pain. He was handcuffed to a wheelchair, and being followed by four armed sweepers. His eyes were blinking, trying to stay open.
"Jarod?" she heard herself squeak, despite everything.
"Do I know you?" he asked, his words slurred, eyes distant.
"What did they do to you?" And then she remembered she did it. She shot him. In the leg. To bring him here.
"I'm sure his amnesia is temporary," Dr. Raines informed her, as if she had asked him.
"Now you're eager to answer questions?" she stared at the frail man.
"Leave him. And her. All in due time Miss Parker." The sweepers wheeled Jarod in, and turned to leave, and Miss Parker made a show of pulling away from the monkey restraining her. Acting like she could have done it all along if she had wanted to.
"Raines, I want to speak to my father. Now."
"I'm afraid that's not possible at the moment. Make yourself comfortable." She glared after him, as he and the sweepers left, locking the door behind them.
~
Broots found himself adjusting random parts of his clothing, just to keep from twitching. Or making a fool of himself. Or something. Sydney was late...he needed to hear this before he left. It was important.
"Finally," he said as the older man sat down across the table.
"I apologize for being late, but Mr. Parker had returned with the details of my reassignment. It seems I am to be sent to a Centre office, half way around the world, in Russia."
"Well. Uhm. You might want to find a way to stall that. I found, this," Broots checked around, anxious that someone had followed him or Syd. No black cars. But that would be too obvious. It seemed okay. But. Well. He pulled a file folder out from under his jacket, and placed it on the table, hunching as far over it as he could.
"It's a new project...uhm...it's called Project Restoration...and uhm. Well.." he opened the folder. "It seems they want to use Miss Parker and Jarod to create a baby..."