i) Thanks to Sabrina, Staceysedge, Miss Dynamite, Michelle and gemini006007 for leaving a review, at least I know someone is reading this! Sorry this is a bit shorter but there is more on the way.
ii) 'So amazed, never saw it coming. Left me dazed and I don't know where to turn' (If I Fall, Aqualung)
Chapter Four
Miss Parker watched the boy from across the room. He was attempting to both watch television and read a book, seemingly drawn from one to the other, neither holding his attention for too long. After a moment he became aware of her presence and looked up at her.
"Are you my mother?" he asked hopefully.
Miss Parker's head spun as she walked over to him. "Your mother?"
The boy put down his book, the one about names that they had picked up along with his new clothes. "Just today, that lady at the diner she called you my Mom... So did the lady at the store." Both times Miss Parker had not heard the comments and he had been unwilling to correct the assumption. The truth was that he hoped she was.
Miss Parker sat down beside the boy, she had been waiting for the time when his questions became more about his own identity than the outside world and she had already promised herself that she would not lie to him. She wouldn't become her father. "What did Raines tell you about your parents?" She already had a feeling what the answer would be.
"He said they were dead. Is that true?" Despite what Mr Raines had told him he had always clung on to the hope that his parents were alive. He couldn't remember them, he once asked for a photo of them but Mr Raines had gotten angry with him - as he always did when he asked questions. Often, on the coldest, lonliest nights, he woud try to imagine what they were like and that just maybe it had all been a mistake and that his parents were looking for him.
Miss Parker took a deep breath and began. "Raines wasn't honest with you. Your parents..." Miss Parker paused, she knew this would be difficult but she hadn't counted on becoming so attached to the boy, the same thing had happened with Debbie. "Do you remember that I said you reminded me of a boy I used to know?" He nodded and she continued. "How he looked exactly like you?" Again, the boy nodded. "Raines copied that boy's DNA and he created you. He cloned you."
The boy swallowed hard. It was not the answer he had hoped for and his hopes had been dashed. "I have no parents."
"I'm sorry", Miss Parker whispered as she once again comforted him.
"That man," the boy began, "the one at Donoterase who you were chasing." He had an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach. "It's him isn't it? I'm him." He couldn't stop the tears from falling.
"Yes. His name is Jarod."
"Why were you chasing him? Is it because he's bad?" He hoped that if Mr Raines had been lying to him about his parents then maybe he had lied to him about Jarod too.
Miss Parker shuffled restlessly at the question but she had promised herself she wold tell the truth. "No Jarod is not a bad man - quite the opposite." She began to explain how Jarod had escaped from The Centre too and that he now spent his time helping people.
"Then why were you chasing him?"
Good question. "It's complicated. We used to be close as children but I let myself believe things about him that I knew weren't true just so I could avoid seeing him." Miss Parker frowned at the memory. "When he escaped I was given the job of returning him to The Centre - I made a deal, his freedom for mine."
"Mr Raines told me that Jarod had killed my parents and he would hurt others too." He watched the surprise flitter across Miss Parker's face. "If you wanted to leave why didn't you just go?" She had obviously made plans to, the money and fake identification were proof of that.
Another good question. "My father is the chairman, for a long time he was the only family I had - I would have been walking away from that." That wasn't really the truth she knew that. "For a long time I pretended that things that were happening in The Centre weren't really happening. When I started looking for Jarod he began to open my eyes as to what was really going on." She paused for a moment and smiled at the boy. "But by then I had also found out some things about my Mom, I needed more answers so I had to stick around."
"But you've left all that behind now, haven't you?" He was relieved when she nodded her assent. "What about your answers? What will you do?"
"What I promised you I would do, give you a chance to live." She could leave the answers about her mother for now, in her experience most questions at The Centre were only answered with even more questions anyway.
The boy smiled at her. When she grinned back at him he knew everything would be okay. He didn't have to do SIMs and he was away from Mr Raines. That he didn't have parents really didn't bother him too much, he reasoned it was because he had no idea what he was missing out on, having never experienced that. He ony had his imaginings but Miss Parker was exceeding all of those.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jarod brought the truck to a halt a short distance from Ben's. He could see the house from there but was disappointed to note it seemed quiet. Now he just had to tell his father to wait in the truck. He had been tempted initially to leave his father at the hunting shack and come alone but he had discarded that thought, they had only just been reunited. Instead he had roused his father from sleep and with a quick, and very abridged, explanation they were on their way. Jarod was certain his father had questions even though they had both been silent throughout their journey. "Why don't you wait here Dad?"
"I've come this far Jarod, what harm is a few more feet going to do?"
Jarod didn't want to speculate what harm Miss Parker may inflict if she saw the Major - she was still under the impression that Charles had murdered her mother. "I just think it's best if I go alone - we don't know who, if anyone, is in there."
Charles shifted in his seat to face Jarod. "What is it really, son?"
Jarod sighed and explained the situation to his father, reiterating that he didn't believe his father could be responsible for Catherine's death.
Charles digested the information and agreed to stay behind even though he thought he would be able to convince Miss Parker he had not harmed her mother.
Jarod approached the house cautiously and, after a quick surveillance to ascertain there were no sweepers lurking about, he knocked on Ben's door.
"Jarod!" Ben exclaimed at the sight in front of him. He had a feeling that Jarod would turn up and he ushered the younger man into the house.
Jarod had felt the anticipation building and then the biting disappointment as it became obvious that Miss Parker and the boy were not there. He listened half heartedly as Ben informed him about his earlier guests and how they had only just left. He sat down dejectedly on the sofa and tried to sort out his thoughts. Was this how Miss Parker felt every time that he had sent her a clue that he knew she wouldn't crack 'til he was long gone. How he had enjoyed those times when she and her team had arrived just in time to see him disappearing down the road; he would always wave and grin at her just to tick her off some more. And it was always Miss Parker who would be annoyed the most, Sydney and Broots would shrug it off. Of course he realised it depended on how badly one wanted something as to how frustated one would get; Sydney and Broots had no compunction in catching him. It niggled at him just how annoyed he was.
"Jarod?" Ben had seen the disappointment on Jarod's face and had stopped his explanation as it became obvious the younger man wasn't listening. He called again to get Jarod's attention.
Jarod looked up at Ben and offered his apologies. He listened more intently this time, Miss Parker and the boy had left a couple of hours ago. They hadn't told Ben where they were heading but they seemed okay. Mindful of his father waiting patiently in the truck and of losing their trail, Jarod made his excuses and, promising to let Ben know any developments, left.
Charles watched his son approach the truck, alone. As Jarod got into the truck he gave a brief explanation of what had happened but Charles sensed his osn was holding out on him and decided to try and get some answers for himself. "Are you going to tell me what is going on between you and Miss Parker?" He blurted out the question and couldn't take it back.
Jarod sighed deeply. "It's complicated Dad. I have trouble understanding it myself most of the time." He started the engine but made no attempt to drive away. At Charles' expectant gaze Jarod explained the intracacies of his relationship with Miss Parker; the stolen moments in the bowels of The Centre as children, the strange dance they had led the past three years and he found himself defending her character even though his father made no attempt to disparage it.
Charles sat back in his seat, sated by Jarod's explanation. He thought there might be problems when, and it would be a matter of when rather than if, they caught up with her and the boy but he would face that problem when it arrived. He told Jarod as much as he began to drive away. "Any idea where we are heading?"
Jarod shook his head, he really didn't know. According to Ben she had enough cash and a new vehicle so Jarod assumed she must have been making preparations to leave for some time. He was both pleased and saddened by this assumption: the former because she was away from that place; the latter because he assumed the plans were put in place because of Thomas, and if he was truthful because he would miss her.
ii) 'So amazed, never saw it coming. Left me dazed and I don't know where to turn' (If I Fall, Aqualung)
Chapter Four
Miss Parker watched the boy from across the room. He was attempting to both watch television and read a book, seemingly drawn from one to the other, neither holding his attention for too long. After a moment he became aware of her presence and looked up at her.
"Are you my mother?" he asked hopefully.
Miss Parker's head spun as she walked over to him. "Your mother?"
The boy put down his book, the one about names that they had picked up along with his new clothes. "Just today, that lady at the diner she called you my Mom... So did the lady at the store." Both times Miss Parker had not heard the comments and he had been unwilling to correct the assumption. The truth was that he hoped she was.
Miss Parker sat down beside the boy, she had been waiting for the time when his questions became more about his own identity than the outside world and she had already promised herself that she would not lie to him. She wouldn't become her father. "What did Raines tell you about your parents?" She already had a feeling what the answer would be.
"He said they were dead. Is that true?" Despite what Mr Raines had told him he had always clung on to the hope that his parents were alive. He couldn't remember them, he once asked for a photo of them but Mr Raines had gotten angry with him - as he always did when he asked questions. Often, on the coldest, lonliest nights, he woud try to imagine what they were like and that just maybe it had all been a mistake and that his parents were looking for him.
Miss Parker took a deep breath and began. "Raines wasn't honest with you. Your parents..." Miss Parker paused, she knew this would be difficult but she hadn't counted on becoming so attached to the boy, the same thing had happened with Debbie. "Do you remember that I said you reminded me of a boy I used to know?" He nodded and she continued. "How he looked exactly like you?" Again, the boy nodded. "Raines copied that boy's DNA and he created you. He cloned you."
The boy swallowed hard. It was not the answer he had hoped for and his hopes had been dashed. "I have no parents."
"I'm sorry", Miss Parker whispered as she once again comforted him.
"That man," the boy began, "the one at Donoterase who you were chasing." He had an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach. "It's him isn't it? I'm him." He couldn't stop the tears from falling.
"Yes. His name is Jarod."
"Why were you chasing him? Is it because he's bad?" He hoped that if Mr Raines had been lying to him about his parents then maybe he had lied to him about Jarod too.
Miss Parker shuffled restlessly at the question but she had promised herself she wold tell the truth. "No Jarod is not a bad man - quite the opposite." She began to explain how Jarod had escaped from The Centre too and that he now spent his time helping people.
"Then why were you chasing him?"
Good question. "It's complicated. We used to be close as children but I let myself believe things about him that I knew weren't true just so I could avoid seeing him." Miss Parker frowned at the memory. "When he escaped I was given the job of returning him to The Centre - I made a deal, his freedom for mine."
"Mr Raines told me that Jarod had killed my parents and he would hurt others too." He watched the surprise flitter across Miss Parker's face. "If you wanted to leave why didn't you just go?" She had obviously made plans to, the money and fake identification were proof of that.
Another good question. "My father is the chairman, for a long time he was the only family I had - I would have been walking away from that." That wasn't really the truth she knew that. "For a long time I pretended that things that were happening in The Centre weren't really happening. When I started looking for Jarod he began to open my eyes as to what was really going on." She paused for a moment and smiled at the boy. "But by then I had also found out some things about my Mom, I needed more answers so I had to stick around."
"But you've left all that behind now, haven't you?" He was relieved when she nodded her assent. "What about your answers? What will you do?"
"What I promised you I would do, give you a chance to live." She could leave the answers about her mother for now, in her experience most questions at The Centre were only answered with even more questions anyway.
The boy smiled at her. When she grinned back at him he knew everything would be okay. He didn't have to do SIMs and he was away from Mr Raines. That he didn't have parents really didn't bother him too much, he reasoned it was because he had no idea what he was missing out on, having never experienced that. He ony had his imaginings but Miss Parker was exceeding all of those.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jarod brought the truck to a halt a short distance from Ben's. He could see the house from there but was disappointed to note it seemed quiet. Now he just had to tell his father to wait in the truck. He had been tempted initially to leave his father at the hunting shack and come alone but he had discarded that thought, they had only just been reunited. Instead he had roused his father from sleep and with a quick, and very abridged, explanation they were on their way. Jarod was certain his father had questions even though they had both been silent throughout their journey. "Why don't you wait here Dad?"
"I've come this far Jarod, what harm is a few more feet going to do?"
Jarod didn't want to speculate what harm Miss Parker may inflict if she saw the Major - she was still under the impression that Charles had murdered her mother. "I just think it's best if I go alone - we don't know who, if anyone, is in there."
Charles shifted in his seat to face Jarod. "What is it really, son?"
Jarod sighed and explained the situation to his father, reiterating that he didn't believe his father could be responsible for Catherine's death.
Charles digested the information and agreed to stay behind even though he thought he would be able to convince Miss Parker he had not harmed her mother.
Jarod approached the house cautiously and, after a quick surveillance to ascertain there were no sweepers lurking about, he knocked on Ben's door.
"Jarod!" Ben exclaimed at the sight in front of him. He had a feeling that Jarod would turn up and he ushered the younger man into the house.
Jarod had felt the anticipation building and then the biting disappointment as it became obvious that Miss Parker and the boy were not there. He listened half heartedly as Ben informed him about his earlier guests and how they had only just left. He sat down dejectedly on the sofa and tried to sort out his thoughts. Was this how Miss Parker felt every time that he had sent her a clue that he knew she wouldn't crack 'til he was long gone. How he had enjoyed those times when she and her team had arrived just in time to see him disappearing down the road; he would always wave and grin at her just to tick her off some more. And it was always Miss Parker who would be annoyed the most, Sydney and Broots would shrug it off. Of course he realised it depended on how badly one wanted something as to how frustated one would get; Sydney and Broots had no compunction in catching him. It niggled at him just how annoyed he was.
"Jarod?" Ben had seen the disappointment on Jarod's face and had stopped his explanation as it became obvious the younger man wasn't listening. He called again to get Jarod's attention.
Jarod looked up at Ben and offered his apologies. He listened more intently this time, Miss Parker and the boy had left a couple of hours ago. They hadn't told Ben where they were heading but they seemed okay. Mindful of his father waiting patiently in the truck and of losing their trail, Jarod made his excuses and, promising to let Ben know any developments, left.
Charles watched his son approach the truck, alone. As Jarod got into the truck he gave a brief explanation of what had happened but Charles sensed his osn was holding out on him and decided to try and get some answers for himself. "Are you going to tell me what is going on between you and Miss Parker?" He blurted out the question and couldn't take it back.
Jarod sighed deeply. "It's complicated Dad. I have trouble understanding it myself most of the time." He started the engine but made no attempt to drive away. At Charles' expectant gaze Jarod explained the intracacies of his relationship with Miss Parker; the stolen moments in the bowels of The Centre as children, the strange dance they had led the past three years and he found himself defending her character even though his father made no attempt to disparage it.
Charles sat back in his seat, sated by Jarod's explanation. He thought there might be problems when, and it would be a matter of when rather than if, they caught up with her and the boy but he would face that problem when it arrived. He told Jarod as much as he began to drive away. "Any idea where we are heading?"
Jarod shook his head, he really didn't know. According to Ben she had enough cash and a new vehicle so Jarod assumed she must have been making preparations to leave for some time. He was both pleased and saddened by this assumption: the former because she was away from that place; the latter because he assumed the plans were put in place because of Thomas, and if he was truthful because he would miss her.