Chapter Four
Broots' Area
You were right, there was a pretender we knew nothing about.
Parker shook her head in disgust, Does the deception in this place never end?
Unfortunately, I couldn't reconstruct the entire file, just some pieces.
Well what are you waiting for? Spill it, Scooby.
Broots looked at Parker with a well worn look, I'm getting there. The pretender was created in 1978--
Broots shrugged, Yeah, that's what it says, created'...I suppose that could be the year of birth, or the year the child was brought here. The aptitude of this pretender was pretty close to Jarod's with an IQ near 180.
Male or female, Broots?
Don't know. I don't have a name either, those lines in this file were corrupt. It was referred to as Project Gabriel though.
Could that have been the name of the pretender?
Sure it could have. No way to know.
Whose signature appears as head of the project?
Parker shook her head, Figures. I guess the ghoul didn't get enough jollies with the pretenders he already had. What else do you have?
They were performing some.....strenuous experiments on the pretender, and a fire accidentally broke out on SL-24 in 1983. The pretender was killed, and Raines almost died from smoke inhalation.
Too bad it wasn't the other way around.
Well, it says here that Raines' lungs were irreparably damaged. I guess that's the reason he's on the O2.
Parker pursed her lips, Is there any mention of Sydney?
Sydney? No.....I can't believe that Syd would have gone along with another pretender project.
Parker began pacing, I don't know, Broots. He seemed off-balance when I mentioned SL-24. I find it hard to believe that Dr. Doolittle would have been kept completely in the dark about a pretender project. Parker felt her stomach turn, He's kept things from us before.
Broots stood and moved toward her, Syd wouldn't have been involved with experiments of this nature, Miss Parker. I know he wouldn't.
Parker stopped pacing and fixed her steady gaze on the technician, I hope you're right, Broots. I really hope you're right. Come on.....
Wh-where are we going?
Exactly where you think.
N-no, Miss Parker, I don't think we should--
Parker grabbed his shirt and pulled him out the door.
*************
Centre Elevator Car
Parker placed the key in the elevator floor lock.
I thought you had to give that to Raines.
Parker smiled, The freak never stopped to think that I might give him a different key.
The elevator pushed into motion and Parker looked at Broots.
Don't be so enthusiastic, Broots....
Well damn, Miss Parker. You're dragging me into who knows what.....
Parker rolled her eyes as the elevator came to a halt. The doors opened, allowing Broots and Parker to step into the dark corridors of SL-24. Parker illuminated her flashlight and went to the generator switch. A moment later, the lights hummed into action. Parker led Broots quickly to the cell at the end of the hallway.
See what you can dig up in here, Scooby.
Hey...where are you going?
Relax Broots, I'm just going to look around some more and see if there's anything else I missed. Jarod was sure that the email came from a terminal down here, so there's got to be functioning equipment somewhere.....
Parker left the room, and Broots set to work, collecting samples of the wreckage. He took scrapings from several artifacts, placing them into plastic bags, and labeling them carefully. The hand he felt on his shoulder made him scream.
Ahhh! Damnit Miss Parker, do you have to--
Broots turned and found himself face to face with Angelo. He screamed again.
Ahhhh! Damnit, Angelo!
Angelo stared at Broots, then began babbling, Not one but two......
Two? Two what, Angelo?
Two! Two! Exact....two!
Angelo was agitated and confused, walking in circles, and pulling at his own hair. Broots tried to calm him.
Angelo, take it easy......come on now....
No! No! Fire, hot! Two!
Angelo ran from the room, and Broots took off in pursuit, almost mowing down Parker on his way out of the room. He screamed yet again.
Why do you keep doing that? I heard you from the other side of this level.
Didn't you see him?
See who?
Egg brains is down here?
Yeah, and more scrambled than usual.
What happened?
He kept talking about two not one.
Two not one of what?
I don't know. He seemed confused.
And that's different from every other day, how?
The squeaky rolling of wheels on a shiny floor, stopped their conversation.
Great, we're about to have company.
Miss Parker...what the hell are we gonna do?
Parker looked up at the air vent, What Angelo always does. Come on....
The cover of the vent was barely in place when Raines entered the room, followed by his entourage of henchman. His wheezing voice filled the chamber.
I know they're here. Find them.
The men took off in several different directions, leaving a huffing Raines in the middle of the room.
Broots leaned into Parker's ear, whispering, What do we do now? Parker looked down the ventilation corridor, and Broots swallowed hard, No, no. I'm not crawling through miles of air vents.
Fine, you stay here and deal with Raines then....
Parker began crawling, Broots begrudgingly on her heels.
****************
Centre Air Vent
They had been creeping on their hands and knees for the better part of an hour, heading upward through the air shafts, when they heard the steady thumping. Parker stopped and silenced Broots with a finger to her lips. She peered around the corner and saw Angelo, hands pulling at his hair, head thudding rhythmically against the vent. They carefully approached him.
Angelo? Angelo...what's the matter?
Angelo's eyes snapped open, a haunted look in them, No! Please......go away. Two! Two!
Take it easy, Angelo. No one's going to hurt you.
Parker gently reached out to touch him, and faster than they could follow, Angelo scooted away. Broots looked down where the confused man had been sitting, and his eyes grew wide.
Miss Parker, look...
Broots picked up a scarred DSA, holding it into Parker's flashlight beam.
It looks damaged. Will you be able to download the images?
Won't know until we get back to my computer.
Then let's get moving....
***************
Broots' Area
Broots was at his computer, his brow furrowed in deep concentration when Parker entered, slamming the door. The tech jumped.
Do you have to do that, Miss Parker?
That oxygen snarfing ghoul.......he actually had the nerve to accuse me of lying about going back down to SL-24. I cannot believe the gall of that man. It took a half an hour just to get him out of my office...over stuffed bag of wheezy wind.
Uh Miss Parker?
You were lying.
That's beside the point, you moron.
Have you had any luck with the DSA?
Not yet, Miss Parker. This could take a few days.
Hey....this thing is partially charred, not to mention really old. I'm doing the best I can.
Parker backed down slightly, I know. I'm sorry. She plopped wearily in a chair, Did you get the scrapings to the lab?
Yeah, my friend Jake's got the stuff.
Yeah, you know, the guy with the hair that comes out in clumps because he--
--No, no, please don't tell me. I don't want to hear about any more members of your freak parade.
Jeez, Miss Parker....
Can it, Scooby.
Broots watched Parker for a few minutes as she stared at her hands. His voice was soft and tentative when he finally spoke.
Have you considered asking Sydney about all this? He might at least have heard of Project Gabriel....
Parker took in a long sigh of air, He's been having some pretty bad nightmares, Broots, I don't want to add to his stress level.....
You're really worried about him.
It was a simple statement of fact, even Parker couldn't deny it.
Broots nodded, studying her, You think he might be involved in this.
It was another statement, but this time Parker rallied.
Parker looked at him sharply, Of course not. Her voice softened, doubt entering her mind, I don't know.
Broots turned back to the computer, and Parker stared at her hands, thinking. It seemed highly unlikely that Raines would have been the only one to know about the mysterious pretender of SL-24. But who was he and what experiments did they need to do on him as opposed to the other pretenders? Whatever had transpired, reeked of a sinister air, and it was somehow tied into the person who attacked Sydney. The biggest problem at the moment, however, was keeping Raines at bay, and Parker knew it.
**************
Raines' Office
They were down there, I know it, and I'm not interested in hearing your excuses. I want results. Do you understand?
Ray shuffled from one foot to another, Yes sir.
Get out.
In his rush to exit the office, Ray bumped into Mr. Parker, who glared at him.
Excuse me, sir....
Parker glared first at the sweeper, then at Raines, Sloppy work, Raines.
Raines turned to him in anger, We wouldn't be in this mess if you had done what I told you twenty years ago.
That was out of the question then, Raines, and it's out of the question now.
You're too emotionally attached, Mr. Parker. It's only a matter of time before she starts to assemble the pieces--
--Don't you think I know that? She mustn't learn the truth, Raines.
On that issue, we agree. At any cost.
Parker looked at Raines sharply, What does that mean?
You know exactly what it means, Mr. Parker.
Parker stepped closer to Raines, If you harm her, Raines, so help me--
--You're running out of options.
I'll take care of it....but in my own way.
Then do so.
Parker exited the room and let out a long breath of air. Sydney's silence would have to be assured. And he would have to handle it personally......
