i) Thanks to thestrokes5551, Staceysedge, gemini006007, Miss Dynamite, Sabrina, Michelle and Nancy for your reviews. Hope you keep reading and enjoying.
ii) 'Because the people who kill the king are the people who move from within.' (OCS, Expensive Chair)
Chapter Five
Lyle sauntered into the hunting shack maintaining a cool exterior, this was strictly a tip about Jarod and the major after all. Brigette had followed the tip earlier that day and once he heard about it, by snarling at Broots, he followed her. He was beginning to feel that she would have the better deal, after all Jarod would often taunt The Centre with clues to his whereabouts and would keep in touch because of Sydney - he couldn't see Miss Parker doing anything similar. He decided his best option was to stay close to Brigette and not just for the obvious reasons. He still thought that Jarod must have something to do with Miss Parker's escape, despite the lack of evidence to prove this. He plastered on his best smile as Brigette approached him.
"Hello love", Brigette purred. "What brings you here?" He had followed her out to Donoterase as well, in fact he had been shadowing her very closely of late.
Lyle glared at the only sweeper present until the man took the hint and left. Lyle could see this lead was cold, Jarod was long gone if he ever was there, so he moved on to more important matters. "I just can't seem to keep away from you." He would be keeping a very close eye on her and not just because his father had asked him to; it was more why he had been asked to and it was something he planned to use to his advantage, ushering in a new era at The Centre. "We need to work more closely from now on, old man's orders."
Brigette smiled at Lyle, unaware she was reflecting his own false features. "Is that right?" She hadn't heard about that but her husband's increasing agitation had drawn her attention. Since Mtumbo's encampment at The Centre there had been a collective 'walking on eggshells' approach.
Lyle nodded his head, "It is." He walked over to the window of the shack and checked for any 'ears', confident there were none he turned his gaze back to Brigette. "It's a time of great change, but you and I we can take advantage of that." For a moment he thought that she wouldn't bite, he could easily back pedal if she wouldn't play along - it would just be easier if she did.
Brigette's smile did not falter as she contemplated Lyle's offer. He was right things were changing and, at this point in time, not necessarily in her favour. Marrying Mr Parker had been an advantageous move at the time, and it had pissed Miss Parker off no end - she had enjoyed that immensely. But it hadn't panned out as she had imagined, Mr Parker was more concerned with producing more offspring. Couldn't he be content with a psychotic son and a treacherous daughter? No, she had a feeling she had been played from the start of her dealings with The Centre. "And how would we do that?" Brigette asked her handsome step son.
Lyle grinned devilishly. That they had a history, albeit a strange one, only made it easier to manipulate her. "The way I see it there are only two people standing in our way." He let the words sink in as he closed the gap between them. "Two very incompetent people. Losing one pretender is sloppy, losing two is unforgivable wouldn't you say?"
Brigette understood where he was going with this. "And how would we pull this off?" She didn't trust him but there was no reason to let him in on that. No better to go along with him and have a back up plan just in case, standard procedure really.
"Some people have a nasty habit of trusting the wrong people." Lyle explained prophetically, it was all too easy. She would understand what he meant, hopefully not applying it to herself. Miss Parker's betrayal was whispered about in the corridors of The Centre when employees thought no one was listening. Mr Parker trusted the wrong people: Catherine, Miss Parker, Raines and now he had placed his trust in his only son and heir.
Brigette stared into Lyle's eyes, at the confidence that lay there and also at the twinkle - the one that screamed 'untrustworthy' at her. "And Raines?"
"I believe you can handle him". Lyle winked conspiratorally at her. He never tired of playing these games and he would do anything to be the one in charge.
Despite, or maybe because of, the nagging doubts she agreed. She passed off such doubts as hormones, besides she'd have her ass covered in other ways. But she couldn't shake off the thought that she had sold what remained of her soul to the devil himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mtumbo stood at the window observing the view from what had previously been Miss Parker's office. She had been gone a week and he had removed all trace of her from the room and made it his own, even though he wasn't intending to stay long. He was originally supposed to be in Africa now with the boy, instead he was stuck here with this mess. And the boy, by all accounts, was supposed to have been more talented than the original, and would have been under the triumverate's control too. Mtumbo was aware of Mr Parker and Raines waiting patiently but he let them simmer a bit longer. He trusted neither despite Raines' position as the inside man for the Triumverate. As he finally turned around to face them he asked about their progress.
Mr Parker hesitated, as did Raines. Mr Parker sighed inwardly, as chairman the responsibility was his - though currently he felt he had very little power at The Centre. "We have our best people working on the 'problem'."
Mtumbo rested his large frame into what was now his chair. "You have always had your 'best people' on it with little success. The longer the boy is out there the more corrupted he will become and harder to manipulate. He will be spoiled, wouldn't you agree Mr Raines?"
Raines grabbed the opportunity he was given. "Yes. Project Gemini's increased success was due to the fact there have been no outside influences." He paused to catch his breath. "Miss Parker should have never been given access to the boy, she's too much like her mother." Raines had no problem laying down his allegiences, belittling Mr Parker in the process.
Before Mr Parker could defend himself Mtumbo stepped in. He was tired of the in fighting that had erupted the past week. "Gentlemen please." He waited for them both to return their attentions to him. "Your energies could be better spent retrieving what has been lost." They both nodded their agreement. "I am not a patient man and what patience I have is wearing thin. Do you understand?" Again both men nodded and he dismissed them with a wave of his hand.
Mtumbo waited until they had left the room before rising and standing at the window once more. The other members of the Triumverate had been as dismayed as himself at the recent events. He would keep in regular contact with them for as long as need be. There were plenty of questions being asked, the most pertinent challenging The Centre leadership and Mtumbo found himself agreeing. But who would replace them? On the other hand would it be better to close operations all together? The Centre was no longer attracting the kind of revenue it once did, their best of source of income had disappeared and now so had the replacement. Mtumbo took a deep breath and released it slowly. Yes, even Donoterase had gone now, what did The Centre have to offer? And was it becoming a liability?
Angelo sat hunched in the vent of his old friends office. Bad. Things were bad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mr Parker returned to his office to find Lyle waiting there for him. He had not spoken to Raines as they had left Mtumbo's office, Raines had made it clear where he stood. Once again he found his thoughts turning to ways of eliminating the 'problem' that was Raines.
"How did it go with Mtumbo?" Lyle asked the question even though it was obvious from Mr Parker's expression things had not gone well at all. He watched as the older man slumped into his chair apparently deep in thought. "That well huh?"
Mr Parker raised his eyes to look at Lyle, the one person he had entrusted the future of The Centre to. "Could have been worse." As he spoke he noticed his desk had been tampered with but he never mentioned it to Lyle. He was angry that Lyle would do that, he was sure Lyle was responsible - everything had been in place before the meeting with Mtumbo-, but he was more angry that Lyle had been so sloppy about it. "Are you taking care of our future?" Was he being that sloppy with everything else?
"It's in hand." Lyle replied but added, "Don't worry, I'm taking care of it", when Mr Parker narrowed his eyes at him.
"Anything else on the boy's whereabouts?"
"No. Just the few false sightings we've had of Miss Parker." He noticed his father flinch at her name. "I have Broots and Sydney under surveillance should she try to contact either of them."
"Dammit Lyle, Mtumbo is not going to wait forever." Mr Parker shouted through gritted teeth, frustration evident on his face. He figured they had one or two months, three at the most, before the Triumverate took matters into hand. Did Lyle not realise he would be in the firing line too? Or did he have something up his sleeve, could he really trust his son? He had thought he could trust his daughter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raines arrived back at his office, escorted by Willie, to find Brigette sat on his desk. He sent Willie away and moved to his seat. "Well?" He growled the words out so they sounded more like a demand than a question.
Brigette pouted and made her way around to Raines' side of the desk and placed herself down in front of him. "There were some papers in his desk. They referred to another project at Donoterase." Brigette smiled triumphantly.
"What 'other' project!?" Raines was perturbed to hear this, he knew everything that went on at The Centre, didn't he?
"I need some assurances. You're asking me to betray my husband, my family." Brigette said seriously, losing the smile. She was quite pleased at herself about the papers she had found. She was more pleased that by coincidence, or by a stroke of luck, Lyle was the next one into Mr Parker's office - she had left the desk disrupted hoping to pin the blame on Lyle anyway.
Raines snorted his disgust. He attempted a smile to cover for this but gave up, it just wasn't in him. "There will be a place for you, I have always promised you that. Now, what was the project?"
Brigette shrugged her shoulders. "It followed on from Project Gemini, the paper wasn't very explicit. There was no project name or any hints at what it involved." Brigette was being half truthful - the papers had also mentioned a second DNA sample. It was something she wanted to look into herself.
Raines grunted his dissatisfaction. He would find out what this project entailed. The files wouls not be in the mainframe if it had been kept a secret from him for so long. He surmised that any information would be at Donoterase - or would have been there.
ii) 'Because the people who kill the king are the people who move from within.' (OCS, Expensive Chair)
Chapter Five
Lyle sauntered into the hunting shack maintaining a cool exterior, this was strictly a tip about Jarod and the major after all. Brigette had followed the tip earlier that day and once he heard about it, by snarling at Broots, he followed her. He was beginning to feel that she would have the better deal, after all Jarod would often taunt The Centre with clues to his whereabouts and would keep in touch because of Sydney - he couldn't see Miss Parker doing anything similar. He decided his best option was to stay close to Brigette and not just for the obvious reasons. He still thought that Jarod must have something to do with Miss Parker's escape, despite the lack of evidence to prove this. He plastered on his best smile as Brigette approached him.
"Hello love", Brigette purred. "What brings you here?" He had followed her out to Donoterase as well, in fact he had been shadowing her very closely of late.
Lyle glared at the only sweeper present until the man took the hint and left. Lyle could see this lead was cold, Jarod was long gone if he ever was there, so he moved on to more important matters. "I just can't seem to keep away from you." He would be keeping a very close eye on her and not just because his father had asked him to; it was more why he had been asked to and it was something he planned to use to his advantage, ushering in a new era at The Centre. "We need to work more closely from now on, old man's orders."
Brigette smiled at Lyle, unaware she was reflecting his own false features. "Is that right?" She hadn't heard about that but her husband's increasing agitation had drawn her attention. Since Mtumbo's encampment at The Centre there had been a collective 'walking on eggshells' approach.
Lyle nodded his head, "It is." He walked over to the window of the shack and checked for any 'ears', confident there were none he turned his gaze back to Brigette. "It's a time of great change, but you and I we can take advantage of that." For a moment he thought that she wouldn't bite, he could easily back pedal if she wouldn't play along - it would just be easier if she did.
Brigette's smile did not falter as she contemplated Lyle's offer. He was right things were changing and, at this point in time, not necessarily in her favour. Marrying Mr Parker had been an advantageous move at the time, and it had pissed Miss Parker off no end - she had enjoyed that immensely. But it hadn't panned out as she had imagined, Mr Parker was more concerned with producing more offspring. Couldn't he be content with a psychotic son and a treacherous daughter? No, she had a feeling she had been played from the start of her dealings with The Centre. "And how would we do that?" Brigette asked her handsome step son.
Lyle grinned devilishly. That they had a history, albeit a strange one, only made it easier to manipulate her. "The way I see it there are only two people standing in our way." He let the words sink in as he closed the gap between them. "Two very incompetent people. Losing one pretender is sloppy, losing two is unforgivable wouldn't you say?"
Brigette understood where he was going with this. "And how would we pull this off?" She didn't trust him but there was no reason to let him in on that. No better to go along with him and have a back up plan just in case, standard procedure really.
"Some people have a nasty habit of trusting the wrong people." Lyle explained prophetically, it was all too easy. She would understand what he meant, hopefully not applying it to herself. Miss Parker's betrayal was whispered about in the corridors of The Centre when employees thought no one was listening. Mr Parker trusted the wrong people: Catherine, Miss Parker, Raines and now he had placed his trust in his only son and heir.
Brigette stared into Lyle's eyes, at the confidence that lay there and also at the twinkle - the one that screamed 'untrustworthy' at her. "And Raines?"
"I believe you can handle him". Lyle winked conspiratorally at her. He never tired of playing these games and he would do anything to be the one in charge.
Despite, or maybe because of, the nagging doubts she agreed. She passed off such doubts as hormones, besides she'd have her ass covered in other ways. But she couldn't shake off the thought that she had sold what remained of her soul to the devil himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mtumbo stood at the window observing the view from what had previously been Miss Parker's office. She had been gone a week and he had removed all trace of her from the room and made it his own, even though he wasn't intending to stay long. He was originally supposed to be in Africa now with the boy, instead he was stuck here with this mess. And the boy, by all accounts, was supposed to have been more talented than the original, and would have been under the triumverate's control too. Mtumbo was aware of Mr Parker and Raines waiting patiently but he let them simmer a bit longer. He trusted neither despite Raines' position as the inside man for the Triumverate. As he finally turned around to face them he asked about their progress.
Mr Parker hesitated, as did Raines. Mr Parker sighed inwardly, as chairman the responsibility was his - though currently he felt he had very little power at The Centre. "We have our best people working on the 'problem'."
Mtumbo rested his large frame into what was now his chair. "You have always had your 'best people' on it with little success. The longer the boy is out there the more corrupted he will become and harder to manipulate. He will be spoiled, wouldn't you agree Mr Raines?"
Raines grabbed the opportunity he was given. "Yes. Project Gemini's increased success was due to the fact there have been no outside influences." He paused to catch his breath. "Miss Parker should have never been given access to the boy, she's too much like her mother." Raines had no problem laying down his allegiences, belittling Mr Parker in the process.
Before Mr Parker could defend himself Mtumbo stepped in. He was tired of the in fighting that had erupted the past week. "Gentlemen please." He waited for them both to return their attentions to him. "Your energies could be better spent retrieving what has been lost." They both nodded their agreement. "I am not a patient man and what patience I have is wearing thin. Do you understand?" Again both men nodded and he dismissed them with a wave of his hand.
Mtumbo waited until they had left the room before rising and standing at the window once more. The other members of the Triumverate had been as dismayed as himself at the recent events. He would keep in regular contact with them for as long as need be. There were plenty of questions being asked, the most pertinent challenging The Centre leadership and Mtumbo found himself agreeing. But who would replace them? On the other hand would it be better to close operations all together? The Centre was no longer attracting the kind of revenue it once did, their best of source of income had disappeared and now so had the replacement. Mtumbo took a deep breath and released it slowly. Yes, even Donoterase had gone now, what did The Centre have to offer? And was it becoming a liability?
Angelo sat hunched in the vent of his old friends office. Bad. Things were bad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mr Parker returned to his office to find Lyle waiting there for him. He had not spoken to Raines as they had left Mtumbo's office, Raines had made it clear where he stood. Once again he found his thoughts turning to ways of eliminating the 'problem' that was Raines.
"How did it go with Mtumbo?" Lyle asked the question even though it was obvious from Mr Parker's expression things had not gone well at all. He watched as the older man slumped into his chair apparently deep in thought. "That well huh?"
Mr Parker raised his eyes to look at Lyle, the one person he had entrusted the future of The Centre to. "Could have been worse." As he spoke he noticed his desk had been tampered with but he never mentioned it to Lyle. He was angry that Lyle would do that, he was sure Lyle was responsible - everything had been in place before the meeting with Mtumbo-, but he was more angry that Lyle had been so sloppy about it. "Are you taking care of our future?" Was he being that sloppy with everything else?
"It's in hand." Lyle replied but added, "Don't worry, I'm taking care of it", when Mr Parker narrowed his eyes at him.
"Anything else on the boy's whereabouts?"
"No. Just the few false sightings we've had of Miss Parker." He noticed his father flinch at her name. "I have Broots and Sydney under surveillance should she try to contact either of them."
"Dammit Lyle, Mtumbo is not going to wait forever." Mr Parker shouted through gritted teeth, frustration evident on his face. He figured they had one or two months, three at the most, before the Triumverate took matters into hand. Did Lyle not realise he would be in the firing line too? Or did he have something up his sleeve, could he really trust his son? He had thought he could trust his daughter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raines arrived back at his office, escorted by Willie, to find Brigette sat on his desk. He sent Willie away and moved to his seat. "Well?" He growled the words out so they sounded more like a demand than a question.
Brigette pouted and made her way around to Raines' side of the desk and placed herself down in front of him. "There were some papers in his desk. They referred to another project at Donoterase." Brigette smiled triumphantly.
"What 'other' project!?" Raines was perturbed to hear this, he knew everything that went on at The Centre, didn't he?
"I need some assurances. You're asking me to betray my husband, my family." Brigette said seriously, losing the smile. She was quite pleased at herself about the papers she had found. She was more pleased that by coincidence, or by a stroke of luck, Lyle was the next one into Mr Parker's office - she had left the desk disrupted hoping to pin the blame on Lyle anyway.
Raines snorted his disgust. He attempted a smile to cover for this but gave up, it just wasn't in him. "There will be a place for you, I have always promised you that. Now, what was the project?"
Brigette shrugged her shoulders. "It followed on from Project Gemini, the paper wasn't very explicit. There was no project name or any hints at what it involved." Brigette was being half truthful - the papers had also mentioned a second DNA sample. It was something she wanted to look into herself.
Raines grunted his dissatisfaction. He would find out what this project entailed. The files wouls not be in the mainframe if it had been kept a secret from him for so long. He surmised that any information would be at Donoterase - or would have been there.