Author's note: Thank you for all the reviews. I would also like to take this time to ask for your help. Can someone out there please e-mail me on who is alive at the end of the fourth season. It is a must for the next parts of my story. My e-mail address is black_blade@austarnet.com.au any information at all that you have on the characters fates at the end of season four would help a lot. I would also like to add that I will be going away for a few days so the next part of the story may take a little longer to be posted but please stay on the line the next part is worth it, I hope.
Disclaimer: See chapter one.
10:30pm
Sunday evening
Jarod swerved the car sharply to the right narrowly missing the tree that came up fast on his left side. He was however to slow to miss the bush that snuck up on him. The dizzy spell lasted longer than the one before and was harder to shake. When it did subside Jarod looked around him, half his car was submersed in a large bush twenty metres away from the main road and two metres away from the tree that came close to disembowelling him. He put the car in reverse and pulled out of the bush. He was soon on the road again heading towards the McDonalds he had told Broots to meet him at. The pain building in his head made it hard for him to think, years later he would wonder just how he had ever made it to the McDonalds beside the east bound highway. At the time he was just glade that he had made it there at all. Sydney, Broots and George were waiting for him outside. Sydney rushed over to his side as he got out of the car.
"I'm staved, can we eat?" Jarod asked making his way to the fast food outlet.
"Yes, you need your strength." George told him. The three headed inside. Sydney took one last look at his car, he could clearly see the damage done to his car, which included a tree branch sticking out of his front grill. Again he wondered just what had happened to his life.
8:00am
Monday morning
Sydney walked into the centre as if his meeting with Jarod had never happened. He walked swiftly to his office and sat down to do some work. It had taken most of last night to find a hotel for Jarod and Broots. Jarod had not mentioned Max, his daughter or the non-centre people that were after him. He had been asleep when Sydney had left however it wasn't by choice, Dr Falconer had slipped sedatives into his burger when he was in the toilet. The clicking of shoe heels alerted him to danger and he looked up as Miss Parker strolled in. She wore her trademark clothes of mini skirt and tight short sleave shirt with a plunging neckline.
"Sydney, how nice to see you." Miss Parker said sweetly, Sydney immediately became suspicious.
"Nice to see you to Miss Parker." Sydney calmly replied.
"We had a hit on Jarod." Parker said moving closer to Sydney's desk. "Where were you?"
"I had business to attend to." Sydney told her.
"Jarod is your business." Parker hissed.
"Did you find anything?"
"No." Parker said picking up a lose piece of paper off Sydney's desk. "Nothing at all, not a scrap of paper. However the landlord did say something."
"What?"
"He told us that Jarod had a little girl with him and that they left together. What do you make of that?"
Parker dropped the paper on the desk and looked up at Sydney to see the older man's reaction when none was forecoming. She cocked her head to the side. "Sydney?"
"What did this young girl look like?" Sydney asked in thought.
"She was around seven, eight years old with long brown-gold hair and dark brown eyes. The dirty, grease bag said the girl was very good and would sit with Jarod in the back garden."
"The back garden?"
"He said they would sit there for hours not saying a word." Parker looked at Sydney for a reaction. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
"What?" Sydney looked up at Parker. "No, I cannot tell you, sorry."
Parker looked hard at Sydney then looked around. "Where's Broots?"
"He called in sick today." Sydney lied, he knew that Broots was watching over Jarod however he couldn't tell Parker that, he wished he could, but he couldn't. He didn't know how Parker would react if he told her what had happened over the last day and a half.
"I am sorry to hear that." Parker said without much meaning. She turned around and started to walk out the door.
"Miss Parker." Sydney called. She stoped midstride and turned back to the older man. "I was thinking of taking a few days off. I've heard the Refuge Inn in Georgetown is a good place to relax. What do you think?"
"Don't you like it here?"
"Being away for awhile wouldn't hurt anyone, would it?" Parker walked over to Sydney and bent down to whisper into his ear.
"What is the lab rat up to?" Parker hissed into his ear, referring to the third person in their conversation.
"He ran into some trouble and needs some time."
"He's your lab rat, I will not be dragged into this treason." Parker stood straight and walked out of Sydney's office hips swaying. Sydney shook his head and started writing. Unknown to him a man stood just outside his door and had listened to every word that had been said. He'd even caught the silent exchange between Sydney and Parker with the help of a bug he had planted under the doctor's desk.
The man walked down the near deserted hallway with a slight smile playing along his lips. The game had just became more interesting. He walked the hallways of the centre unnoticed as if he was part of the fixtures. He however was the one man that everyone in this building should be looking at for he was their judge, jury and executioner. What they did now could save or destroy them. He looked around at the people around him a smirk now planted on his face. How little they knew, if only they looked up for they would see the one that held their fates in his hands. He loved the feeling of power he received through their ignorance, if only they knew.
6:00pm
Monday afternoon
Sydney packed up his work table and tidied up his draws. It was time to betray his work again. He still wondered why he put himself through this torture day after day. He should retire and walk out the front doors of the centre and never look back, but deep down he knew the truth.
Miss Parker had not come back into his office all day and he had a feeling that she was up to something. Sydney walked down to his car. He could still see the dint in the grill from Jarod's adventure, 'I should get that fix before someone notices" he thought getting into the car and driving to where Jarod was staying.
If Sydney's mind wasn't focused on Jarod then he might have seen the car following him. As it was he wouldn't find that out until later on in this little story. It took him fifteen minutes to get were he wanted to be. He grabbed his workbag from the passage side seat, which contained some more medical equipment. He walked through the lobby/reception and pressed the button for level two, when he stepped off the elevator he walked down the corridor heading for number 29. As he passed each hotel room he could hear various noises from talking to music he even passed one where he heard a dish smash.
"Who is it?" Sydney heard as he knocked at number 29.
"Broots it's me." Sydney called through the door, he could hear Broots sliding across the chain lock. Sydney walked in through the open door, which Broots closed and locked after him.
"How's he doing?" Sydney asked quietly.
"He's been asleep all day with the help of the drug, he just woke up an hour ago. Last time I checked he was still eating, he hasn't stopped eating." Broots told him. "I need to go get more food from the shop down the road I'll be back soon."
Sydney walked into the kitchen, he could hear Broots leaving and the sharp click of the door locking behind him. Jarod sat at the table his head resting on his folded arms. He lifted his head when he heard Sydney walk into the room. His face was discoloured from the bruises and cuts that were slowly healing, it was still a pain full sight for Sydney.
"How are you feeling, Jarod?" Sydney asked siting down next to him, from this distance he could see the sweat on his face. Jarod had been slowly fighting a fever that had grabbed him in the early hours of that morning.
"Better, I think." Jarod's eyes still had a glazed look of a man in pain. "My wrist is itchy and it's driving me crazy." Jarod looked down at the plaster cast on his wrist in question.
"Miss Parker knows about the little girl." Sydney told him. Jarod looked hard at him for a long minute, he then ran his fingers through his hair.
"It doesn't matter she is now far away from me, the centre or anyone else that will hurt her."
Sydney said nothing the look in Jarod's eyes was of someone that had seen the truth of the world and accepted it. The good, the bad and the evil.
Shouting could be heard from the front door, which was closely followed by a loud bang. Sydney and Jarod looked up as Miss Parker and Sam came rushing into the kitchen guns drawn. Parker on seeing Jarod stopped still the words 'oh my God' passed over her lips. Jarod didn't move in fact he placed both hands on the table in front of him.
"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Parker the bringer of bad news." Jarod said smirking. "Well guess what I have bad news for you too. You want to know what it is?"
End of part four
