i) Thanks to gemini006007, Sabrina, Nancy, and Kimmi G for leaving such kind reviews.
ii) 'I'm in collision with every stone I ever threw, and blind ambition where the flame turns blue' ('Flame Turns Blue', D Gray)
Chapter Eleven
Sydney carefully transported the objects he wanted from The Centre into his briefcase. He didn't take his diplomas, his books, or any of the research he had most recently been working on; the only items he took were those that truly meant something, the keepsakes from Jarod. He cast one final long look around his office but there was nothing there to make him reconsider his decision. The two people he regarded as his children had fled, Broots was currently on his way to an agreed rendezvous point - his young daughter in tow. All Sydney had to worry about now was Angelo.
Angelo was the last charge that Sydney felt responsible for, all he needed to do now was find him. It had crossed his mind that Angelo may refuse to leave, The Centre had been his home all his life. However the consequences of Angelo staying, of either of them remaining, were too great to even consider. What would the Triumverate do with the man-child? What would they demand of himself?
He closed the door to his office for the final time, briefcase in hand, and made his way to the lab and,hopefully, Angelo. The biggest obstacle that faced Sydney wouldn't be persuading Angelo to leave, it would be locating him in the first place. Angelo was rarely where he was supposed to be, his jaunts into the ventilation system meant he could quite literally pop up anywhere.
Sydney's excursion to the lab was strangely quiet, employees were becoming a rare commodity at The Centre of late. The dwindling numbers of staff meant the whole building took on an even eerier feeling than usual, and yet Mtumbo carried on as normal revealing nothing about the future of The Centre.
"Angelo!" Sydney was surprised to find his quarry was already at the lab. He wondered how he had a knack of turning up at the right place, Angelo certainly knew more than he could ever communicate. "It's time to leave now, we need to go", he whispered at the hunched figure perched on a table.
Angelo looked up, "Leave." He nodded his head, "Time."
"Yes", Sydney breathed.
"Things bad. Bad things happening."
"That's right", Sydney agreed. There was some kind of understanding between them lately, he hoped it would be enough to convince the younger man to go. "Will you leave with me Angelo?"
Angelo smiled, the large grin covered half of his face. "Leave. Like friend, like daughter?"
"Yes." When Angelo nodded his head vigourously Sydney took this as confirmation. "I need you to meet me here", Sydney began as he pulled out a plan of The Centre and its surrounding area that he had Broots dig up for him. He pointed to a small dirt track a mile out from The Centre, "I'll be here waiting for you. Can you get there?" He couldn't brazenly walk out with one of The Centre's projects, even in the current climate somebody would surely notice. Besides, he had no doubt that Angelo was more than capable of escaping The Centre, he just never had a valid reason to before. Now, like Sydney himself, there was all the motivation he would ever need.
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"Has our problem been... solved?"
Lyle stood straight in front of Mtumbo's desk, "It's been taken care of."
Mtumbo allowed a small smile to play at his mouth. "I am most pleased with your loyalty, as will the Triumverate be when I inform them." He had no intention of doing that.
"You have always had my loyalty."
Mtumbo straightened his expression, Lyle was loyal to only one person; himself. In a different situation that might have been enough.
Lyle edged closer to the desk, "Can I ask what your plans are?"
Mtumbo raised one eyebrow, giving away nothing except his expectation of elaboration from Lyle.
Lyle smiled and played along. He knew the African was avoiding the bigger issues, "Are the Triumverate still interested in Jarod and his clone? Or my sister for that matter?"
Mtumbo's gaze bore deep into Lyle's eyes, "I'm sure you are aware of the changes at hand."
Lyle shifted his footing, bracing himself, "Yes. Do you want me to continue to look for all of them?"
"Brigette is in charge of returning Jarod and his father." Mtumbo eyed Lyle suspiciously.
Lyle plastered on his best naughty boy look, "Unfortunately whilst dealing with our problem Brigette became a hindrance." He felt Mtumbo's eyes cut into him but continued on, "She wouldn't co-operate."
Mtumbo stared at the man in front of him and briefly cursed his choice of assassin. He should have chosen Brigette after all, pregnant or not. "She is dead?" He watched the younger man nod his head reluctantly and mutter an excuse. "Quiet!", Mtumbo cut him off. At the last meeting he'd had with Mr Parker the chairman had pleaded for his position, arguing that he had another project that would be more profitable than any other. He had revealed all the details to Mtumbo in an effort to secure his own place. "Do you know whose child she was carrying?", he demanded.
Lyle looked up at the question, he was unaware that anyone else had any knowledge of Brigette's involvement in Project Silence. The best thing he could do was bluff his way out of it. "She was carrying my brother or sister... wasn't she?"
"Indeed. Do you feel no remorse?" Mtumbo wasn't quite sure if Lyle was being deceitful or not, most likely he was, he just couldn't understand why he would destroy such a project if he was actually aware of the potential outcomes. He watched the younger man shrug his shoulders uncommittedly and was reminded of his small grandson back home, a five year old who believed he could charm his way out of any situation. "Where are the bodies?"
"They're at the house. I made it look like a robbery that had gone wrong", Lyle replied with a hint of pride.
"Very well, you are to continue Brigette's search too. We are relying upon you." He dismissed Lyle with a wave of his hand. He would send his people to the house straight away, maybe they could still salvage something from the project or it may prove Mr Parker was bluffing. He pressed a button on the intercom, signalling for one of his guards to enter. Giving the guard instructions to terminate Lyle's employment he then dismissed him too.
He sank back into his chair and pondered the recent events. When Mr Parker had revealed details of Project Silence, Mtumbo had been pleased; the Triumverate would get their pretender after all and still be rid of The Centre. He had made plans to transport Brigette back to Africa. Now, again, they would have nothing, with the exception of The Centre's demise - and that was something he had been quite content with previously. Since Jarod's escape The Centre had fallen out of grace, the only thing stopping the Triumverate from taking action earlier had been the promise of Project Gemini. And now that was lost too. Unlike Mr Parker, Mtumbo was not arrogant enough to believe that Jarod would be returned, the pretender's capabilities were well documented and he had adjusted to the outside world rapidly. No, he was quite happy to draw a line under the whole business and expend efforts elsewhere.
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Sydney drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and checked his watch yet again. Angelo had agreed to meet him but he was half an hour late. Thoughts of a disaster pressed into his mind and he tried to keep faith, Angelo had survived thirty years at The Centre; what was another hour or so? He let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding when he spotted a familiar figure slowly plotting his way towards the car.
Sydney got out of his car and gestured to the younger man to hurry. He opened the passenger door and, once Angelo had deposited himself inside the car, he closed it and quickly retook his own seat. With a smile he turned to Angelo and started the car. Pulling away he finally turned his attention to the box that Angelo had been clinging onto, "What's in there Angelo?"
Angelo grinned and, opening the box, he pulled out the camcorder Sydney had viewed previously. "Bad men, talking."
Sydney could see that the bottom layer of the box was lined with DSA's. "Where did you get those, Angelo?"
Angelo fingered the discs, a different emotion passing his face with each disc, "Secrets", he whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jarod slunk into the kitchen. He rested against the counter and observed Miss Parker silently.
"He beat you again, huh?" Miss Parker asked as she turned around to face him, leaning against the sink.
Jarod nodded, "You let him play too much", he whined.
Miss Parker smirked then admitted, "He beats me every time, too. Thanks for stepping in."
Jarod smiled in return and decided to broach the subject of his father. "I found my father in one piece when I got back to the motel, thanks for giving him a chance to explain." When he and Matthew had returned from the park the previous day he had been slightly worried when they had found Miss Parker alone.
Miss Parker shrugged her shoulders, "You thought I'd killed him and hidden the body didn't you?" Jarod had made her promise to keep her cool when she met his father and she had enjoyed making him squirm about what she would do before finally agreeing. It was only when talking to the Major she realised that Jarod had reached a similar compromise with his father too. The Major had been just as suspicious of her as she was of him.
Jarod smiled wryly, "A couple of months ago I'd have been more concerned." He waited for her to respond to his comment but she remained silent. "You don't believe him do you?"
"I don't know what to believe, or who for that matter Jarod." She sighed and crossed her arms in front of her. When she had taken Matthew she had resolved to leave all the questions unanswered, she wanted The Centre to remain in her past but it kept intruding in her life whichever path she took. When the opportunity presented itself to meet the man she had been told killed her mother, she felt she couldn't pass it up.
"That has to be your decision, who to trust." Jarod was glad he had waited til now to broach the subject, she'd had time to sleep on it - if that was possible. His father had remained tight lipped about the meeting, only saying they'd each heard the other out. When he pushed the Major on the subject he would only add further that he may have been wrong about Catherine's daughter. Jarod took this as a good sign.
She eyed him cautiously, "I trusted my father and he betrayed me. What your father said was plausible, that he knew my mother... " She shrugged her shoulders again. There had been so many lies surrounding her mother's death, for years she'd believed it was suicide. Discovering that it was in fact murder only added more questions that she would lose sleep over. The possibilty that it was Jarod's father who was responsible had only served to drive a bigger wedge between herself and Jarod; looking back she was surprised to realise how appropriate it was that she should find that out just as she was beginning to rely upon the pretender.
Jarod waited patiently for her to continue.
According to the Major her mother had planned to take herself, and the remaining children, away from The Centre. And that sounded much more like her mother than any lies The Centre ever spun. "He said I look just like her." She glanced down at her feet, "That in taking Matthew it must be more than just a resemblance." She looked back into Jarod's eyes, "Do you think she would be proud of me?"
"Yes", Jarod didn't hesitate in answering.
She smiled at his response and continued to gaze at him. There was one person she trusted in all this mess, despite the fact he annoyed the life out of her most of the time.
"What?", he asked cocking his head to one side.
"You would say that." She unfurled her arms, "You're biased."
He grinned at her lighter mood, "Maybe." Most definitely he was and it was becoming increasingly more obvious to him everytime he spoke with her. He was considering elaborating on that theory when his phone broke through the atmosphere. He answered it automatically thinking it was his father, the older man had expressed his interest in returning. Instead he heard a more familiar voice.
"Jarod?"
"Sydney", he identified the caller and caught Miss Parker's attention.
"Have you been following recent events at The Centre?" Sydney asked cautiously.
"No, I've been following other leads. What's going on Sydney?" Jarod asked.
"Have you managed to find Miss Parker and the boy?", Sydney asked hopefully.
Jarod nodded his head as he answered, "Yes. She's here with me now." He chided himself at the sound of concern in his mentors voice, he had promised to let Sydney know when he found Miss Parker.
Sydney smiled at his companions and covering the phone with his free hand whispered to Broots that Miss Parker was safe.
"Where are you Sydney?" Jarod asked as Miss Parker approached him, intrigued. He held up one hand to stop her asking the questions that he knew must be on the tip of her tongue.
"I'm at a diner, Jarod. With Broots, his daughter and Angelo." Sydney launched into an abridged version of the recent changes that had forced them all to part company with The Centre. And of Raines' 'accident'.
"He's really dead?", Jarod asked, making Miss Parker even more curious. She scooted up closer to him and placed her ear as close to the phone as she could in an attempt to listen in.
"Yes. There was an incident with his oxygen tank. There's something else too."
"What?", it was Miss Parker who asked the question, an image already crossing her mind of exactly what.
"I'm sorry Miss Parker but your father is also dead."
Miss Parker turned away and Jarod instinctively reached out to her, grabbing hold of one hand. The action stopped her from walking away but she remained with her back facing him, head down.
"Jarod?" Sydney asked at the long pause.
"I'm still here Sydney."
Sydney swallowed thickly and continued on with his narrative. Angelo had urged him to watch the recording on the camcorder; his lateness at the meeting point had been because he was taping a meeting between Mtumbo and Lyle. Broots had ushered Debbie out of the booth once he knew Miss Parker was safe, effectively shielding his daughter from the truth about his ex employers. Sydney wished he could shield Miss Parker in some way too, she had lost the only remaining family she cared about; her despised twin's eminent demise would not bother her so much.
Jarod gripped the phone tighter at the news of Brigette's death and Lyle's impending one, "Can you call back later, Sydney?" When the older man consented he disconnected the call and, giving in to the impulses he had resisted previously, swept Miss Parker into his arms. He brushed away the single tear that had fallen and she didn't resist.
"After everything he did, why am I crying for him?", Miss Parker mumbled into Jarod's chest.
Jarod spoke softly into her ear, "Because he was your father and you loved him." He felt her nod against him and tried to process the information Sydney had passed on, but all he could think about was the woman in his arms.
She pulled away slightly from him, not enough to break all contact, but enough to look at his face. "What happened to him?" She wasn't sure why she needed to know. Just hours ago earlier she had been contemplating how to make him suffer for what he'd done to her.
"The Triumverate are closing The Centre down", he explained all that Sydney had told him. Relaying the news allowed it to sink in some more; he hoped Miss Parker was strong enough to come through it all.
Miss Parker stared blankly at Jarod's chest, slowly digesting the news. "If they sanctioned Brigette's death too, then doesn't that mean she wasn't carrying our child?", she choked out as a fresh set of tears begun to roll down her cheeks.
"I hope so." He held her again as she sank back into his body. If it was right it meant she had then lost a sibling; either way The Centre had managed to hurt her yet again. The only light at the end of the tunnel was The Centre's imminent collapse.
ii) 'I'm in collision with every stone I ever threw, and blind ambition where the flame turns blue' ('Flame Turns Blue', D Gray)
Chapter Eleven
Sydney carefully transported the objects he wanted from The Centre into his briefcase. He didn't take his diplomas, his books, or any of the research he had most recently been working on; the only items he took were those that truly meant something, the keepsakes from Jarod. He cast one final long look around his office but there was nothing there to make him reconsider his decision. The two people he regarded as his children had fled, Broots was currently on his way to an agreed rendezvous point - his young daughter in tow. All Sydney had to worry about now was Angelo.
Angelo was the last charge that Sydney felt responsible for, all he needed to do now was find him. It had crossed his mind that Angelo may refuse to leave, The Centre had been his home all his life. However the consequences of Angelo staying, of either of them remaining, were too great to even consider. What would the Triumverate do with the man-child? What would they demand of himself?
He closed the door to his office for the final time, briefcase in hand, and made his way to the lab and,hopefully, Angelo. The biggest obstacle that faced Sydney wouldn't be persuading Angelo to leave, it would be locating him in the first place. Angelo was rarely where he was supposed to be, his jaunts into the ventilation system meant he could quite literally pop up anywhere.
Sydney's excursion to the lab was strangely quiet, employees were becoming a rare commodity at The Centre of late. The dwindling numbers of staff meant the whole building took on an even eerier feeling than usual, and yet Mtumbo carried on as normal revealing nothing about the future of The Centre.
"Angelo!" Sydney was surprised to find his quarry was already at the lab. He wondered how he had a knack of turning up at the right place, Angelo certainly knew more than he could ever communicate. "It's time to leave now, we need to go", he whispered at the hunched figure perched on a table.
Angelo looked up, "Leave." He nodded his head, "Time."
"Yes", Sydney breathed.
"Things bad. Bad things happening."
"That's right", Sydney agreed. There was some kind of understanding between them lately, he hoped it would be enough to convince the younger man to go. "Will you leave with me Angelo?"
Angelo smiled, the large grin covered half of his face. "Leave. Like friend, like daughter?"
"Yes." When Angelo nodded his head vigourously Sydney took this as confirmation. "I need you to meet me here", Sydney began as he pulled out a plan of The Centre and its surrounding area that he had Broots dig up for him. He pointed to a small dirt track a mile out from The Centre, "I'll be here waiting for you. Can you get there?" He couldn't brazenly walk out with one of The Centre's projects, even in the current climate somebody would surely notice. Besides, he had no doubt that Angelo was more than capable of escaping The Centre, he just never had a valid reason to before. Now, like Sydney himself, there was all the motivation he would ever need.
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"Has our problem been... solved?"
Lyle stood straight in front of Mtumbo's desk, "It's been taken care of."
Mtumbo allowed a small smile to play at his mouth. "I am most pleased with your loyalty, as will the Triumverate be when I inform them." He had no intention of doing that.
"You have always had my loyalty."
Mtumbo straightened his expression, Lyle was loyal to only one person; himself. In a different situation that might have been enough.
Lyle edged closer to the desk, "Can I ask what your plans are?"
Mtumbo raised one eyebrow, giving away nothing except his expectation of elaboration from Lyle.
Lyle smiled and played along. He knew the African was avoiding the bigger issues, "Are the Triumverate still interested in Jarod and his clone? Or my sister for that matter?"
Mtumbo's gaze bore deep into Lyle's eyes, "I'm sure you are aware of the changes at hand."
Lyle shifted his footing, bracing himself, "Yes. Do you want me to continue to look for all of them?"
"Brigette is in charge of returning Jarod and his father." Mtumbo eyed Lyle suspiciously.
Lyle plastered on his best naughty boy look, "Unfortunately whilst dealing with our problem Brigette became a hindrance." He felt Mtumbo's eyes cut into him but continued on, "She wouldn't co-operate."
Mtumbo stared at the man in front of him and briefly cursed his choice of assassin. He should have chosen Brigette after all, pregnant or not. "She is dead?" He watched the younger man nod his head reluctantly and mutter an excuse. "Quiet!", Mtumbo cut him off. At the last meeting he'd had with Mr Parker the chairman had pleaded for his position, arguing that he had another project that would be more profitable than any other. He had revealed all the details to Mtumbo in an effort to secure his own place. "Do you know whose child she was carrying?", he demanded.
Lyle looked up at the question, he was unaware that anyone else had any knowledge of Brigette's involvement in Project Silence. The best thing he could do was bluff his way out of it. "She was carrying my brother or sister... wasn't she?"
"Indeed. Do you feel no remorse?" Mtumbo wasn't quite sure if Lyle was being deceitful or not, most likely he was, he just couldn't understand why he would destroy such a project if he was actually aware of the potential outcomes. He watched the younger man shrug his shoulders uncommittedly and was reminded of his small grandson back home, a five year old who believed he could charm his way out of any situation. "Where are the bodies?"
"They're at the house. I made it look like a robbery that had gone wrong", Lyle replied with a hint of pride.
"Very well, you are to continue Brigette's search too. We are relying upon you." He dismissed Lyle with a wave of his hand. He would send his people to the house straight away, maybe they could still salvage something from the project or it may prove Mr Parker was bluffing. He pressed a button on the intercom, signalling for one of his guards to enter. Giving the guard instructions to terminate Lyle's employment he then dismissed him too.
He sank back into his chair and pondered the recent events. When Mr Parker had revealed details of Project Silence, Mtumbo had been pleased; the Triumverate would get their pretender after all and still be rid of The Centre. He had made plans to transport Brigette back to Africa. Now, again, they would have nothing, with the exception of The Centre's demise - and that was something he had been quite content with previously. Since Jarod's escape The Centre had fallen out of grace, the only thing stopping the Triumverate from taking action earlier had been the promise of Project Gemini. And now that was lost too. Unlike Mr Parker, Mtumbo was not arrogant enough to believe that Jarod would be returned, the pretender's capabilities were well documented and he had adjusted to the outside world rapidly. No, he was quite happy to draw a line under the whole business and expend efforts elsewhere.
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Sydney drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and checked his watch yet again. Angelo had agreed to meet him but he was half an hour late. Thoughts of a disaster pressed into his mind and he tried to keep faith, Angelo had survived thirty years at The Centre; what was another hour or so? He let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding when he spotted a familiar figure slowly plotting his way towards the car.
Sydney got out of his car and gestured to the younger man to hurry. He opened the passenger door and, once Angelo had deposited himself inside the car, he closed it and quickly retook his own seat. With a smile he turned to Angelo and started the car. Pulling away he finally turned his attention to the box that Angelo had been clinging onto, "What's in there Angelo?"
Angelo grinned and, opening the box, he pulled out the camcorder Sydney had viewed previously. "Bad men, talking."
Sydney could see that the bottom layer of the box was lined with DSA's. "Where did you get those, Angelo?"
Angelo fingered the discs, a different emotion passing his face with each disc, "Secrets", he whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jarod slunk into the kitchen. He rested against the counter and observed Miss Parker silently.
"He beat you again, huh?" Miss Parker asked as she turned around to face him, leaning against the sink.
Jarod nodded, "You let him play too much", he whined.
Miss Parker smirked then admitted, "He beats me every time, too. Thanks for stepping in."
Jarod smiled in return and decided to broach the subject of his father. "I found my father in one piece when I got back to the motel, thanks for giving him a chance to explain." When he and Matthew had returned from the park the previous day he had been slightly worried when they had found Miss Parker alone.
Miss Parker shrugged her shoulders, "You thought I'd killed him and hidden the body didn't you?" Jarod had made her promise to keep her cool when she met his father and she had enjoyed making him squirm about what she would do before finally agreeing. It was only when talking to the Major she realised that Jarod had reached a similar compromise with his father too. The Major had been just as suspicious of her as she was of him.
Jarod smiled wryly, "A couple of months ago I'd have been more concerned." He waited for her to respond to his comment but she remained silent. "You don't believe him do you?"
"I don't know what to believe, or who for that matter Jarod." She sighed and crossed her arms in front of her. When she had taken Matthew she had resolved to leave all the questions unanswered, she wanted The Centre to remain in her past but it kept intruding in her life whichever path she took. When the opportunity presented itself to meet the man she had been told killed her mother, she felt she couldn't pass it up.
"That has to be your decision, who to trust." Jarod was glad he had waited til now to broach the subject, she'd had time to sleep on it - if that was possible. His father had remained tight lipped about the meeting, only saying they'd each heard the other out. When he pushed the Major on the subject he would only add further that he may have been wrong about Catherine's daughter. Jarod took this as a good sign.
She eyed him cautiously, "I trusted my father and he betrayed me. What your father said was plausible, that he knew my mother... " She shrugged her shoulders again. There had been so many lies surrounding her mother's death, for years she'd believed it was suicide. Discovering that it was in fact murder only added more questions that she would lose sleep over. The possibilty that it was Jarod's father who was responsible had only served to drive a bigger wedge between herself and Jarod; looking back she was surprised to realise how appropriate it was that she should find that out just as she was beginning to rely upon the pretender.
Jarod waited patiently for her to continue.
According to the Major her mother had planned to take herself, and the remaining children, away from The Centre. And that sounded much more like her mother than any lies The Centre ever spun. "He said I look just like her." She glanced down at her feet, "That in taking Matthew it must be more than just a resemblance." She looked back into Jarod's eyes, "Do you think she would be proud of me?"
"Yes", Jarod didn't hesitate in answering.
She smiled at his response and continued to gaze at him. There was one person she trusted in all this mess, despite the fact he annoyed the life out of her most of the time.
"What?", he asked cocking his head to one side.
"You would say that." She unfurled her arms, "You're biased."
He grinned at her lighter mood, "Maybe." Most definitely he was and it was becoming increasingly more obvious to him everytime he spoke with her. He was considering elaborating on that theory when his phone broke through the atmosphere. He answered it automatically thinking it was his father, the older man had expressed his interest in returning. Instead he heard a more familiar voice.
"Jarod?"
"Sydney", he identified the caller and caught Miss Parker's attention.
"Have you been following recent events at The Centre?" Sydney asked cautiously.
"No, I've been following other leads. What's going on Sydney?" Jarod asked.
"Have you managed to find Miss Parker and the boy?", Sydney asked hopefully.
Jarod nodded his head as he answered, "Yes. She's here with me now." He chided himself at the sound of concern in his mentors voice, he had promised to let Sydney know when he found Miss Parker.
Sydney smiled at his companions and covering the phone with his free hand whispered to Broots that Miss Parker was safe.
"Where are you Sydney?" Jarod asked as Miss Parker approached him, intrigued. He held up one hand to stop her asking the questions that he knew must be on the tip of her tongue.
"I'm at a diner, Jarod. With Broots, his daughter and Angelo." Sydney launched into an abridged version of the recent changes that had forced them all to part company with The Centre. And of Raines' 'accident'.
"He's really dead?", Jarod asked, making Miss Parker even more curious. She scooted up closer to him and placed her ear as close to the phone as she could in an attempt to listen in.
"Yes. There was an incident with his oxygen tank. There's something else too."
"What?", it was Miss Parker who asked the question, an image already crossing her mind of exactly what.
"I'm sorry Miss Parker but your father is also dead."
Miss Parker turned away and Jarod instinctively reached out to her, grabbing hold of one hand. The action stopped her from walking away but she remained with her back facing him, head down.
"Jarod?" Sydney asked at the long pause.
"I'm still here Sydney."
Sydney swallowed thickly and continued on with his narrative. Angelo had urged him to watch the recording on the camcorder; his lateness at the meeting point had been because he was taping a meeting between Mtumbo and Lyle. Broots had ushered Debbie out of the booth once he knew Miss Parker was safe, effectively shielding his daughter from the truth about his ex employers. Sydney wished he could shield Miss Parker in some way too, she had lost the only remaining family she cared about; her despised twin's eminent demise would not bother her so much.
Jarod gripped the phone tighter at the news of Brigette's death and Lyle's impending one, "Can you call back later, Sydney?" When the older man consented he disconnected the call and, giving in to the impulses he had resisted previously, swept Miss Parker into his arms. He brushed away the single tear that had fallen and she didn't resist.
"After everything he did, why am I crying for him?", Miss Parker mumbled into Jarod's chest.
Jarod spoke softly into her ear, "Because he was your father and you loved him." He felt her nod against him and tried to process the information Sydney had passed on, but all he could think about was the woman in his arms.
She pulled away slightly from him, not enough to break all contact, but enough to look at his face. "What happened to him?" She wasn't sure why she needed to know. Just hours ago earlier she had been contemplating how to make him suffer for what he'd done to her.
"The Triumverate are closing The Centre down", he explained all that Sydney had told him. Relaying the news allowed it to sink in some more; he hoped Miss Parker was strong enough to come through it all.
Miss Parker stared blankly at Jarod's chest, slowly digesting the news. "If they sanctioned Brigette's death too, then doesn't that mean she wasn't carrying our child?", she choked out as a fresh set of tears begun to roll down her cheeks.
"I hope so." He held her again as she sank back into his body. If it was right it meant she had then lost a sibling; either way The Centre had managed to hurt her yet again. The only light at the end of the tunnel was The Centre's imminent collapse.