For Disclaimer: See Part One
Part 6 Veritas
She was sound asleep in her bed. Her soft waves of hair were cascading across her pillow as she clutched the covers. Broots couldn't help admiring her. His only daughter. She was a pretty little thing, with a reserve of steel. It had been a struggle for them both at the very beginning. And just as things were falling in place for both of them, he had to usher her and himself out of their lives .The situation had grown stranger then fiction at present. Not only had Raines been breathing down his neck, Sydney had seemed all the more further away from him since Parker had mysteriously left. It was time. He had packed himself and Debbie off to a cottage, given to him by colleagues. Chasing Jarod had turned out to be a very dangerous job indeed, but he was dragged into it, often kicking and screaming. He had done things that he had never expected to do, seen things that he had never wanted to see. He had witnessed the darkest dealings of men, and enough goodness to give him hope. That's all he had now, that and a child to protect. He sighed and rubbed his brow. It was just then that there was a sound. First soft and then unmistakable, it was the sound of heels on the stairs. Broots drew a sharp intake of breath. It was too late. No time to shut the door or grab his gun. Not that he'd have the guts to fire one anyway. At the top of the stairs, the figure paused. It was dressed in pair of patent leather stilettos and a leather coat.
"Hello Broots."
Her bright led lips curled into a smile, strawberry blond hair framing unmistakable blue eyes.
"MMM-Miss Parker?!!?"
*************************************
The dark brunette paused as she approached the door. For a split-second, she worried that she had misinterpreted the address and was at the wrong house. She was a classic beauty, long hair that went past her shoulders and doe-like brown eyes. Pretty enough to be in front a camera. She exhaled deeply and tears began to run down her face. The door had already opened, and she realized that she had never been alone. He stood before her, reaching towards her with his arms. She looked deep into his eyes and recognized them as her own. How long did she hear his voice, so desperate to open her eyes but couldn't?
"Jarod." She whispered. She reached to place her hands on top on his, which were now on her wet cheeks.
The last time they had met, he had taken her in after she had been thrown out of four-story building, compliments of a man with a missing thumb. By the time she had gotten back on her feet he was already gone. She had been looking for her family for years only to suddenly be thrust into a situation she had barely understood. Her whole family had been on the run and in efforts to find them she was forced to run herself. She had never been to the Centre, but had heard enough to steer clear away from anyone who was working for them, including the man with missing thumb.
His arms were wrapped tightly around her now. She closed her eyes and whispered:
"I'm so glad we've finally met."
************************************
"Miss Parker.your hair?!" Broots cried out.
"Broots, this is not the time to discuss the hair." Marianne smile grew wider.
Broots was dumbfounded. He opened his mouth to speak but then decided against it.
"Broots?" Marianne was growing impatient.
Broots was so flabbergasted all he could manage was: "You even dyed your eyebrows."
"I need your help."
Before Broots could even answer, Marianne entered the doorway. Her eyes misted over as her thoughts traveled back to the week she watched Broots' daughter. Debbie had driven her insane. She tried to remember what Sydney had told her. They had shared an all too common loss. Debbie had sensed that she had gotten through it and had wanted guidance on just how to get through hers. It was then Marianne had realized that Debbie, on some level, had understood just what she had gone through, more then anyone else.
She turned back to face Broots. With a soft voice, she implored him.
"Help me. Help me find my little brother."
"How did you find this place? And why did you dye your hair? You look like."
Broots covered his mouth. Again without thinking, he had said too much.
Marianne narrowed her eyes.
"Brigette?"
She ran her fingers through her hair and smiled once more.
"That's what I was counting on."
********************************* After Emily was briefed over the day's events, the whole family sat themselves down as Margaret began her story. "You're a prophecy come true, my son." Margaret exhaled deeply. "The catalyst of a race that had long ago been extinct until now." Jarod was glad that he had been sitting down, but he still wasn't sure of what was going to come next. Margaret exhaled once more. "The scrolls prophesized that a boy named Jarod would be the beginning of a new and more powerful race, and whoever attained this boy would rise and gain ultimate power. This boy-" Margaret paused and clutched Jarod's hands once more "would propagate this race with the one whom had the power of the inner sense."
"The inner sense?" Jarod repeated, dumbfounded. He peered at his mother through narrow eyes, incredulous. It only took one look from her to make him suddenly glad that Marianne had left. In his heart, he felt that this was just the beginning of the ironies in his life.
"Do you know why your father and I were so happy to see Marianne?" Margaret asked.
"Both of you knew her mother." Jarod replied quietly.
"Yes I did. Catherine was my best friend. You don't know how I failed her, Jarod.. I swore to her that I would protect her little girl if anything happened to her." Margaret said slowly, as the tears began to run down her face.
"Mom." Jarod began.
"No." Margaret interrupted.
"No it's true. I failed her. I wasn't there when she died. I was already on the run, my eyes wary of a dark suit. It was only years later that I learned that she died trying to save you. It was then I decided that I would try to return the favor. But I was too late. Marianne had been sent off to a fancy boarding school in Europe, out of my reach. By the time I had found her, she was already a woman, so cold and calculating. But I'm getting ahead of myself. In search for her, I stumbled upon the truth, so to speak. The Veritas Project. Not only did I learn why Catherine had begged me to save her daughter from the centre, I also learned why they had taken you from me."
She paused, suddenly seeming tired. Jarod's heart ached for her, he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.
Margaret's eyes had suddenly taken a darker shade of blue. She exhaled slowly, and flatly spoke.
"The Veritas Project was launched in 1960, to ensure that the will of the prophecy would be carried out."
Jarod raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Marianne was the first girl you ever laid eyes on, right?" Margaret asked with a bitter smile.
Jarod nodded, unsure of where her question was headed.
"They made sure that she would be the last girl you would ever love."
*****************************************
"Go back to the centre? What are you, nuts? You might as well ask me to commit suicide."
Broots was for once, indignant. He had just escaped out of harms way, only to be asked to dive into the fire once more.
"I'm not asking you to go back there, I'm asking you to get me back in there. There's a difference." Miss Parker quipped, trying to make light of the situation. She knew exactly just what she was asking of him, but she had no other choice.
"But why Miss Parker? Why risk everything for someone that you don't know whether he is alive or worse.if he's been turned into a vegetable."
"He's alive." Marianne replied, with conviction.
"And he's the only family I have left." She said sadly, as she smoothed her skirt.
Broots recognized the look in her eyes. He knew that he couldn't say no once she gave him that face. He was such a pushover, and she was so beautiful, so powerful, could he ever deny her anything? ***************************************
"You mean to tell me.that what I feel for Marianne is a sham?!" Jarod had already risen off the couch, all color drained from his finely chiseled features, in obvious shock.
"No my son, your feelings might have been engineered, but it doesn't make what you feel for her ."
Margaret paused, stood up and placed her hand over Jarod's heart.
"Any less genuine."
The look that Jarod gave her then was one that would have broken any mother's heart. She didn't like that what she was saying was hurting him. But he had searched and he had waited for so long, just these hear these words, to know the truth. The truth was that he was better off not knowing.
"What about her?" Jarod asked suddenly, his voice gruff.
"What?" Margaret asked, the look of worry never leaving her face.
"What they put in me..did they put feelings for me...in her?" "I don't know." Margaret replied frankly, casting a look of concern towards her son.
"The truth is.I wasn't the only one that had trouble conceiving you, Catherine Parker had trouble conceiving as well."
"Nugenesis." Jarod said, as he sank down into a nearby chair. "You were both at Nugenesis at the same time."
"No." Margaret said. "Catherine came to Nugenesis several years afterwards. By then they had their pretender. They just needed a suitable child with the right bloodlines. Once Marianne was born,"
"They took me from you." Jarod finished, as he put his face in his hands.
What else could someone feel at this moment who has felt ultimate betrayal, but the most poisonous form of rage. Jarod could barely breathe. He struggled to compose himself in his mother's presence.
Margaret was hesistant. This was already too much for her son to take but there was more. There was no time to waste.
"However obvious this may sound, your escape threw their carefully laid plans into upheaval."
Jarod snorted in reply but his hands had not once left his face.
"The Veritas Project came to an untimely end, or so I thought."
Jarod lifted his face from his hands slowly, his brown eyes flashing.
His mother's eyes were rimmed with red. She had been holding her breath. She was trying to steady herself, gripping the arms of the chair.
"Three years ago, the objectives of the project changed, and a new test subject was brought in."
Jarod approached his mother and took her by the shoulders.
"Tell me mother, who is Veritas exactly?" Jarod demanded. He was wild-eyed, completely unaware of the shaky tone of his voice.
"Deep within the bowels of the centre, a child is being held prisoner by Dr. Raines. Find him Jarod, and you will find Veritas."
******************************* tbc
Part 6 Veritas
She was sound asleep in her bed. Her soft waves of hair were cascading across her pillow as she clutched the covers. Broots couldn't help admiring her. His only daughter. She was a pretty little thing, with a reserve of steel. It had been a struggle for them both at the very beginning. And just as things were falling in place for both of them, he had to usher her and himself out of their lives .The situation had grown stranger then fiction at present. Not only had Raines been breathing down his neck, Sydney had seemed all the more further away from him since Parker had mysteriously left. It was time. He had packed himself and Debbie off to a cottage, given to him by colleagues. Chasing Jarod had turned out to be a very dangerous job indeed, but he was dragged into it, often kicking and screaming. He had done things that he had never expected to do, seen things that he had never wanted to see. He had witnessed the darkest dealings of men, and enough goodness to give him hope. That's all he had now, that and a child to protect. He sighed and rubbed his brow. It was just then that there was a sound. First soft and then unmistakable, it was the sound of heels on the stairs. Broots drew a sharp intake of breath. It was too late. No time to shut the door or grab his gun. Not that he'd have the guts to fire one anyway. At the top of the stairs, the figure paused. It was dressed in pair of patent leather stilettos and a leather coat.
"Hello Broots."
Her bright led lips curled into a smile, strawberry blond hair framing unmistakable blue eyes.
"MMM-Miss Parker?!!?"
*************************************
The dark brunette paused as she approached the door. For a split-second, she worried that she had misinterpreted the address and was at the wrong house. She was a classic beauty, long hair that went past her shoulders and doe-like brown eyes. Pretty enough to be in front a camera. She exhaled deeply and tears began to run down her face. The door had already opened, and she realized that she had never been alone. He stood before her, reaching towards her with his arms. She looked deep into his eyes and recognized them as her own. How long did she hear his voice, so desperate to open her eyes but couldn't?
"Jarod." She whispered. She reached to place her hands on top on his, which were now on her wet cheeks.
The last time they had met, he had taken her in after she had been thrown out of four-story building, compliments of a man with a missing thumb. By the time she had gotten back on her feet he was already gone. She had been looking for her family for years only to suddenly be thrust into a situation she had barely understood. Her whole family had been on the run and in efforts to find them she was forced to run herself. She had never been to the Centre, but had heard enough to steer clear away from anyone who was working for them, including the man with missing thumb.
His arms were wrapped tightly around her now. She closed her eyes and whispered:
"I'm so glad we've finally met."
************************************
"Miss Parker.your hair?!" Broots cried out.
"Broots, this is not the time to discuss the hair." Marianne smile grew wider.
Broots was dumbfounded. He opened his mouth to speak but then decided against it.
"Broots?" Marianne was growing impatient.
Broots was so flabbergasted all he could manage was: "You even dyed your eyebrows."
"I need your help."
Before Broots could even answer, Marianne entered the doorway. Her eyes misted over as her thoughts traveled back to the week she watched Broots' daughter. Debbie had driven her insane. She tried to remember what Sydney had told her. They had shared an all too common loss. Debbie had sensed that she had gotten through it and had wanted guidance on just how to get through hers. It was then Marianne had realized that Debbie, on some level, had understood just what she had gone through, more then anyone else.
She turned back to face Broots. With a soft voice, she implored him.
"Help me. Help me find my little brother."
"How did you find this place? And why did you dye your hair? You look like."
Broots covered his mouth. Again without thinking, he had said too much.
Marianne narrowed her eyes.
"Brigette?"
She ran her fingers through her hair and smiled once more.
"That's what I was counting on."
********************************* After Emily was briefed over the day's events, the whole family sat themselves down as Margaret began her story. "You're a prophecy come true, my son." Margaret exhaled deeply. "The catalyst of a race that had long ago been extinct until now." Jarod was glad that he had been sitting down, but he still wasn't sure of what was going to come next. Margaret exhaled once more. "The scrolls prophesized that a boy named Jarod would be the beginning of a new and more powerful race, and whoever attained this boy would rise and gain ultimate power. This boy-" Margaret paused and clutched Jarod's hands once more "would propagate this race with the one whom had the power of the inner sense."
"The inner sense?" Jarod repeated, dumbfounded. He peered at his mother through narrow eyes, incredulous. It only took one look from her to make him suddenly glad that Marianne had left. In his heart, he felt that this was just the beginning of the ironies in his life.
"Do you know why your father and I were so happy to see Marianne?" Margaret asked.
"Both of you knew her mother." Jarod replied quietly.
"Yes I did. Catherine was my best friend. You don't know how I failed her, Jarod.. I swore to her that I would protect her little girl if anything happened to her." Margaret said slowly, as the tears began to run down her face.
"Mom." Jarod began.
"No." Margaret interrupted.
"No it's true. I failed her. I wasn't there when she died. I was already on the run, my eyes wary of a dark suit. It was only years later that I learned that she died trying to save you. It was then I decided that I would try to return the favor. But I was too late. Marianne had been sent off to a fancy boarding school in Europe, out of my reach. By the time I had found her, she was already a woman, so cold and calculating. But I'm getting ahead of myself. In search for her, I stumbled upon the truth, so to speak. The Veritas Project. Not only did I learn why Catherine had begged me to save her daughter from the centre, I also learned why they had taken you from me."
She paused, suddenly seeming tired. Jarod's heart ached for her, he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.
Margaret's eyes had suddenly taken a darker shade of blue. She exhaled slowly, and flatly spoke.
"The Veritas Project was launched in 1960, to ensure that the will of the prophecy would be carried out."
Jarod raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Marianne was the first girl you ever laid eyes on, right?" Margaret asked with a bitter smile.
Jarod nodded, unsure of where her question was headed.
"They made sure that she would be the last girl you would ever love."
*****************************************
"Go back to the centre? What are you, nuts? You might as well ask me to commit suicide."
Broots was for once, indignant. He had just escaped out of harms way, only to be asked to dive into the fire once more.
"I'm not asking you to go back there, I'm asking you to get me back in there. There's a difference." Miss Parker quipped, trying to make light of the situation. She knew exactly just what she was asking of him, but she had no other choice.
"But why Miss Parker? Why risk everything for someone that you don't know whether he is alive or worse.if he's been turned into a vegetable."
"He's alive." Marianne replied, with conviction.
"And he's the only family I have left." She said sadly, as she smoothed her skirt.
Broots recognized the look in her eyes. He knew that he couldn't say no once she gave him that face. He was such a pushover, and she was so beautiful, so powerful, could he ever deny her anything? ***************************************
"You mean to tell me.that what I feel for Marianne is a sham?!" Jarod had already risen off the couch, all color drained from his finely chiseled features, in obvious shock.
"No my son, your feelings might have been engineered, but it doesn't make what you feel for her ."
Margaret paused, stood up and placed her hand over Jarod's heart.
"Any less genuine."
The look that Jarod gave her then was one that would have broken any mother's heart. She didn't like that what she was saying was hurting him. But he had searched and he had waited for so long, just these hear these words, to know the truth. The truth was that he was better off not knowing.
"What about her?" Jarod asked suddenly, his voice gruff.
"What?" Margaret asked, the look of worry never leaving her face.
"What they put in me..did they put feelings for me...in her?" "I don't know." Margaret replied frankly, casting a look of concern towards her son.
"The truth is.I wasn't the only one that had trouble conceiving you, Catherine Parker had trouble conceiving as well."
"Nugenesis." Jarod said, as he sank down into a nearby chair. "You were both at Nugenesis at the same time."
"No." Margaret said. "Catherine came to Nugenesis several years afterwards. By then they had their pretender. They just needed a suitable child with the right bloodlines. Once Marianne was born,"
"They took me from you." Jarod finished, as he put his face in his hands.
What else could someone feel at this moment who has felt ultimate betrayal, but the most poisonous form of rage. Jarod could barely breathe. He struggled to compose himself in his mother's presence.
Margaret was hesistant. This was already too much for her son to take but there was more. There was no time to waste.
"However obvious this may sound, your escape threw their carefully laid plans into upheaval."
Jarod snorted in reply but his hands had not once left his face.
"The Veritas Project came to an untimely end, or so I thought."
Jarod lifted his face from his hands slowly, his brown eyes flashing.
His mother's eyes were rimmed with red. She had been holding her breath. She was trying to steady herself, gripping the arms of the chair.
"Three years ago, the objectives of the project changed, and a new test subject was brought in."
Jarod approached his mother and took her by the shoulders.
"Tell me mother, who is Veritas exactly?" Jarod demanded. He was wild-eyed, completely unaware of the shaky tone of his voice.
"Deep within the bowels of the centre, a child is being held prisoner by Dr. Raines. Find him Jarod, and you will find Veritas."
******************************* tbc