Life or Death
By Samantha
Part 19: If Tomorrow Never Comes
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Author's Note: Okay, it's crucial time. I'm going to try to write the action to the best of my ability and not skip out on stuff. There. That said, enjoy the next part. ~~Bethe
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"M-Miss Parker!" She turned around and saw the balding techie standing behind her. She smiled at the sight and walked to him, gathering him in her arms. "You--you can see again!" he exclaimed before pulling back slightly to look in her eyes. "I hadn't really believed it yet."
"Well, it's all true, Broots. Syd helped out."
"I also heard about--about." The man was unable to finish, his glance inadvertently dropping to her abdomen, then back again.
"That too," she whispered, a look of sadness in her eyes.
"Broots!" exclaimed Sydney, who was walking into the den. He pulled the younger man into a bear hug. "So good to see you again!' While the two got reacquainted, Parker's eyes found Jarod, who was leaning in the doorway and watching her. The thought that his eyes were on her alone sent her heart racing. What was wrong with her? Parkers didn't take to flights of fancy. Perhaps she was more like her mother than only looks.
The two watched each other for a few moments more, then went about their tasks.
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Jarod rolled out the building plan for the Centre onto the kitchen table. He then placed a finger at a spot on the map.
"This is where you two will enter," he said to Sydney and Broots. "There you will meet up with Angelo. He'll guide you the rest of the way to the power station. From there, you will cut all the lights and surveillance power for five minutes. After five minutes have passed, they go back on. By that time, Parker, Lyle, and I should have made our way to the Triumvirate meeting, complete with weapons. Then it will be time for a little. . .negotiating," he murmured with a wicked smile on his face.
As Parker watched, she imagined that this must be what he would go through for every pretend, and that the satisfaction of the bad guy getting what was coming to him was just as great, if not greater.
"If something goes bad," he continued, his expression turning more serious, "I have a fallback plan that includes only me." He looked at each member before continuing. "If I say the word 'Refuge' at any time, get out." He said nothing more, but the look on his face said many words to Parker.
"What else does the plan entail, Jarod?" she asked, a hard edge to her voice. He looked at her for a long time, his brown eyes burning into her own.
"You escape, I stay behind. The Centre must be stopped." She raised her eyebrows, showing that she wasn't satisfied with the amount of information. Jarod continued. "I'm having a bomb planted in SL-15. If I say Refuge, you have five minutes to get out, or you'll die," he murmured calmly. But his eyes were anything but calm.
Parker swallowed and looked down, a myriad of emotions surging through her. Then she looked up and whispered, "How dare you? How dare you think your life is the least valuable, the most expendable? There is no way you are going through with that plan, even if I have to drag you through the hallways myself!"
"Parker--"
"No," she spat, "You are not going to die. Not on my watch." With that, she walked coldly out of the room. Jarod rubbed his face and sighed.
"She's right," Broots spoke up, sounding brave for the first time in his life. "We won't let you do this."
"You have no choice," Jarod whispered in response before leaving the room to find Parker.
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Parker paced in her room, not quite sure of whether she should scream or weep. She remained silent, however, fuming all the while.
"Chaela," she heard him whisper. She stiffened, then turned to him.
"What makes you think you have the right?" she whispered. "You think you'll be a martyr? No one will know your name. It can't be disclosed, because your family will be run through the mud. All you'll be is just another suicide terrorist." She laughed mirthlessly. "Hell, you'll probably become Iranian just to appease the reporters."
"Chaela," he began again, moving forward to place his hands on her shoulders.
"No," she murmured while shaking her head. Then she hung her head and whispered one question through her tears: "Why can't you let me die with you?" Jarod grimaced, then took her in his arms.
"I can't do that, honey. You have to go on; you and the baby. Remember that he or she needs to be brought into the world," he murmured into her hair while rubbing her upper arms. "And besides, it probably won't come to that anyway. That's just a last resort on the chance that something goes terribly wrong. Don't dwell on what will only cause you heartache."
Parker nodded, but she still didn't quite believe his words. She had a feeling, a bad one, that this thing might just escalate into the "terribly wrong" category, and fast.
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The next day, on the plane to Delaware, the air was tense between the four friends. The very thought that Jarod would not be on the return flight loomed over their heads. The only conversation that took place was Jarod going over the plan repeatedly.
Parker sat off by herself, not wanting to cry in front of Sydney or Broots. The previous night, she had slept in Jarod's arms, knowing that it might be the last time he ever got to hold her. She wept into his shoulder for hours while he stroked her hair. Even though she was inconsolable, he tried his best to provide comfort. She eventually fell asleep, only to uncover a multitude of nightmares.
Now, on the plane, she didn't even want to take over the Centre. It almost didn't seem worth it. Was it worth losing the one person she loved?
Wait, loved? Did she love him? The thought caused Parker's eyes to dart around to see if anyone noticed she was sweating. She mentally nodded. Yes, she loved him. There was no doubt about that, now. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes at the regret of not finding this out before. Jarod couldn't die. Could he? Not if love conquers all. . .
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Jarod looked at the solitary Parker after he had finished recounting the plan. His heart felt a twinge of sadness that he had even brought up the drastic measure he was planning to take if things went wrong. It had cost him too much. It almost cost him the woman he loved.
Yes, by now he knew that he loved her. He knew the previous night while she cried herself to sleep in his arms. He didn't say anything because he was too scared to tell her; too scared that she didn't feel the same way.
In a way, though, he'd always known. He knew when he first met her that glorious day. It was the only reason he was ever thankful for being in the Centre when he was. As far as he could see, there were only two explanations of why his "imprisonment" was worth it: He met Parker, and he found of the Centre's nefarious doings so he could put a stop to them.
Jarod looked at his love once more before rolling up the map and walking up to the cockpit.
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They landed just outside of Blue Cove, not wanting to attract Centre attention with their arrival. The four got in their rental car and quickly made their way towards their destination. Parker looked at the thunderheads rolling in with dread growing in the pit of her stomach. She knew that something bad would happen. And she feared for Jarod's life.
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Lyle discreetly passed a slip of paper to Angelo while pretending to berate him. The two shared a glance, and Angelo's smile was barely discernable. Lyle knew then that he was clear; Angelo knew he was genuine.
After the empath left, Lyle casually walked to his predetermined meeting point. He looked at his watch. At that exact moment, the Triumvirate would be commencing their meeting.
He knew he was doing the right thing. Maybe, with his sister's help, he could rebuild the Centre from the ground up, and right the wrongs that had been made.
He knew that Parker still didn't completely trust him. Jarod, oddly enough, did. And that, Lyle guessed, was enough for him.
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"Okay, we know the plan. Time to split up," Jarod whispered. The group was a few miles away from the complex so as not to draw attention to themselves. Parker swallowed as her heart jumped. She had to be brave, at least for herself. With a will of steel, she forced all thoughts of Jarod's seemingly imminent death from her mind and focused on the task at hand.
Sydney gave both Jarod and Parker a tight hug and then turned away. Broots saluted the both of them and moved with Syd. Jarod looked to the woman at his side.
"Let's go," she murmured.
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"I don't know about this, Syd," Broots breathed in a whisper. The older man looked at him while walking casually.
"It has to be done, Broots," he murmured, his eyes darting around for any sight of Sweepers.
"I know," he replied, "and that's what makes it so hard."
The two then moved in silence. When they reached the manhole that they were supposed to go in, they looked at each other. Sydney nodded his head slightly to indicate that Broots was to enter first. The techie did so, and Syd followed. Soon, they were shin-deep in a slimy muck. They followed the tunnel until it led to a similar manhole on SL-27.
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Parker and Jarod fought to make their way through the weeds and undergrowth. He looked at her and felt a stab at his heart. He knew that his plan would probably have to be implemented. The Triumvirate wouldn't give up without a fight.
They made their way in silence, soon coming up on their point of entry. The two shared a glance, then Jarod entered first. Parker followed closely, keeping her finger on the trigger. She kept her eyes alert for any activity other than their own. After five long minutes, they were in.
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Angelo met up with Sydney and Broots and led them through the ventilation system to the power station. Broots then stepped forward and sat down at the computer terminal. He cracked his fingers before leaning forward. His fingers tentatively hovered over the keys for a moment, then flew, entering in the codes that would shut the power down.
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Jarod and Parker quietly and efficiently went through the maze of ventilation shafts until they reached the meeting room. Jarod then lightly tapped out his signal to Lyle, who was waiting nearby. They watched until they saw the door burst open.
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Broots paused his typing and mentally recounted what he had entered, then poised one finger over the shift key. Closing his eyes and pursing his lips, he pressed it.
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The lights went out. Jarod and Parker took their cue and swung the vent cover down. They simultaneously jumped from their hiding places. Within moments, the power was restored, and the lights revealed a very frightened group.
"Angel?" Mr. Parker asked incredulously, not quite certain of what was happening.
"I'm not your angel anymore, Daddy," she gritted out, training her gun on him. "Don't move," she hissed. Raines began to stand, but was stopped by Jarod's gun aimed at his oxygen tank.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Jarod mused. "Just obey orders and sit down." Raines, surprisingly, did as he was told and sat. Jarod then looked at each member of the meeting. "Here's what's going to happen," he said authoritatively, "Each of you are going to sign these contracts that relinquish all control of the Centre over to me." He glanced at Lyle, who produced a thick stack of papers. He dropped them onto the glass conference table, and they landed with a thud.
"You think we're just going to give up our corporation to someone that we created?" snorted Mr. Parker, his ire clearly showing. Jarod's eyes glanced up momentarily, as if he were thinking the issue over.
"Yeah," he drawled slowly, slightly jabbing the gun in Mr. Parker's direction. "You will find that there are ink pens in front of you. Just pass the contracts around, and each of you sign one. Now," he ordered.
After hesitating for a moment, Mr. Parker reluctantly grabbed the stack of papers, pulled a packet from the top, and passed the rest around. He began to read over it, then looked up at Jarod. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, his look that of a petulant child. Jarod leaned forward.
"Why do you think?" he replied. "You stole my life from me, and from a multitude of other men, women, and children. So now, I steal yours from you." Mr. Parker then looked to his daughter.
"Michaela, please," he begged, using her first name for the first time ever, "Don't do this."
"You're a Parker, Daddy," she said with ice dripping from her words, "Parkers don't beg, do they? Sign," she ordered forcefully, yet quietly. He slowly went for the pen. Then, in one fluid movement, he pulled something from his pocket. In an instant, a gunshot rang out in the room and Jarod fell to the ground, a patch of red spreading on his middle.
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Broots and Sydney had been listening to the exchange happening in the upper levels with their headpieces. When the gunshot cracked, there was complete silence. The two men held their breath. One whispered word, however, caused their breath to leave them in a rush.
"Refuge."
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"No!!" Parker shouted. Without blinking, she took aim and squeezed the trigger three times, sending three bullets into her father's head. She then turned and fired her gun at Raines he slumped to the ground, rasping his last breath. Lyle took action and shot at the other members while Parker knelt by Jarod's side. Tears fell from her eyes as she stroked his sweat- soaked forehead.
"You. . .you have to leave," he whispered. Parker shook her head.
"No. No, I won't leave you. You're coming with me," she whispered, her voice breaking. Jarod worked to lift his arm, and he placed a bloody hand to her pale cheek. Parker met his eyes and whispered, "I love you."
Jarod's eyes closed, and his hand fell from her cheek.
By Samantha
Part 19: If Tomorrow Never Comes
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Author's Note: Okay, it's crucial time. I'm going to try to write the action to the best of my ability and not skip out on stuff. There. That said, enjoy the next part. ~~Bethe
----------
"M-Miss Parker!" She turned around and saw the balding techie standing behind her. She smiled at the sight and walked to him, gathering him in her arms. "You--you can see again!" he exclaimed before pulling back slightly to look in her eyes. "I hadn't really believed it yet."
"Well, it's all true, Broots. Syd helped out."
"I also heard about--about." The man was unable to finish, his glance inadvertently dropping to her abdomen, then back again.
"That too," she whispered, a look of sadness in her eyes.
"Broots!" exclaimed Sydney, who was walking into the den. He pulled the younger man into a bear hug. "So good to see you again!' While the two got reacquainted, Parker's eyes found Jarod, who was leaning in the doorway and watching her. The thought that his eyes were on her alone sent her heart racing. What was wrong with her? Parkers didn't take to flights of fancy. Perhaps she was more like her mother than only looks.
The two watched each other for a few moments more, then went about their tasks.
----------
Jarod rolled out the building plan for the Centre onto the kitchen table. He then placed a finger at a spot on the map.
"This is where you two will enter," he said to Sydney and Broots. "There you will meet up with Angelo. He'll guide you the rest of the way to the power station. From there, you will cut all the lights and surveillance power for five minutes. After five minutes have passed, they go back on. By that time, Parker, Lyle, and I should have made our way to the Triumvirate meeting, complete with weapons. Then it will be time for a little. . .negotiating," he murmured with a wicked smile on his face.
As Parker watched, she imagined that this must be what he would go through for every pretend, and that the satisfaction of the bad guy getting what was coming to him was just as great, if not greater.
"If something goes bad," he continued, his expression turning more serious, "I have a fallback plan that includes only me." He looked at each member before continuing. "If I say the word 'Refuge' at any time, get out." He said nothing more, but the look on his face said many words to Parker.
"What else does the plan entail, Jarod?" she asked, a hard edge to her voice. He looked at her for a long time, his brown eyes burning into her own.
"You escape, I stay behind. The Centre must be stopped." She raised her eyebrows, showing that she wasn't satisfied with the amount of information. Jarod continued. "I'm having a bomb planted in SL-15. If I say Refuge, you have five minutes to get out, or you'll die," he murmured calmly. But his eyes were anything but calm.
Parker swallowed and looked down, a myriad of emotions surging through her. Then she looked up and whispered, "How dare you? How dare you think your life is the least valuable, the most expendable? There is no way you are going through with that plan, even if I have to drag you through the hallways myself!"
"Parker--"
"No," she spat, "You are not going to die. Not on my watch." With that, she walked coldly out of the room. Jarod rubbed his face and sighed.
"She's right," Broots spoke up, sounding brave for the first time in his life. "We won't let you do this."
"You have no choice," Jarod whispered in response before leaving the room to find Parker.
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Parker paced in her room, not quite sure of whether she should scream or weep. She remained silent, however, fuming all the while.
"Chaela," she heard him whisper. She stiffened, then turned to him.
"What makes you think you have the right?" she whispered. "You think you'll be a martyr? No one will know your name. It can't be disclosed, because your family will be run through the mud. All you'll be is just another suicide terrorist." She laughed mirthlessly. "Hell, you'll probably become Iranian just to appease the reporters."
"Chaela," he began again, moving forward to place his hands on her shoulders.
"No," she murmured while shaking her head. Then she hung her head and whispered one question through her tears: "Why can't you let me die with you?" Jarod grimaced, then took her in his arms.
"I can't do that, honey. You have to go on; you and the baby. Remember that he or she needs to be brought into the world," he murmured into her hair while rubbing her upper arms. "And besides, it probably won't come to that anyway. That's just a last resort on the chance that something goes terribly wrong. Don't dwell on what will only cause you heartache."
Parker nodded, but she still didn't quite believe his words. She had a feeling, a bad one, that this thing might just escalate into the "terribly wrong" category, and fast.
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The next day, on the plane to Delaware, the air was tense between the four friends. The very thought that Jarod would not be on the return flight loomed over their heads. The only conversation that took place was Jarod going over the plan repeatedly.
Parker sat off by herself, not wanting to cry in front of Sydney or Broots. The previous night, she had slept in Jarod's arms, knowing that it might be the last time he ever got to hold her. She wept into his shoulder for hours while he stroked her hair. Even though she was inconsolable, he tried his best to provide comfort. She eventually fell asleep, only to uncover a multitude of nightmares.
Now, on the plane, she didn't even want to take over the Centre. It almost didn't seem worth it. Was it worth losing the one person she loved?
Wait, loved? Did she love him? The thought caused Parker's eyes to dart around to see if anyone noticed she was sweating. She mentally nodded. Yes, she loved him. There was no doubt about that, now. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes at the regret of not finding this out before. Jarod couldn't die. Could he? Not if love conquers all. . .
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Jarod looked at the solitary Parker after he had finished recounting the plan. His heart felt a twinge of sadness that he had even brought up the drastic measure he was planning to take if things went wrong. It had cost him too much. It almost cost him the woman he loved.
Yes, by now he knew that he loved her. He knew the previous night while she cried herself to sleep in his arms. He didn't say anything because he was too scared to tell her; too scared that she didn't feel the same way.
In a way, though, he'd always known. He knew when he first met her that glorious day. It was the only reason he was ever thankful for being in the Centre when he was. As far as he could see, there were only two explanations of why his "imprisonment" was worth it: He met Parker, and he found of the Centre's nefarious doings so he could put a stop to them.
Jarod looked at his love once more before rolling up the map and walking up to the cockpit.
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They landed just outside of Blue Cove, not wanting to attract Centre attention with their arrival. The four got in their rental car and quickly made their way towards their destination. Parker looked at the thunderheads rolling in with dread growing in the pit of her stomach. She knew that something bad would happen. And she feared for Jarod's life.
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Lyle discreetly passed a slip of paper to Angelo while pretending to berate him. The two shared a glance, and Angelo's smile was barely discernable. Lyle knew then that he was clear; Angelo knew he was genuine.
After the empath left, Lyle casually walked to his predetermined meeting point. He looked at his watch. At that exact moment, the Triumvirate would be commencing their meeting.
He knew he was doing the right thing. Maybe, with his sister's help, he could rebuild the Centre from the ground up, and right the wrongs that had been made.
He knew that Parker still didn't completely trust him. Jarod, oddly enough, did. And that, Lyle guessed, was enough for him.
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"Okay, we know the plan. Time to split up," Jarod whispered. The group was a few miles away from the complex so as not to draw attention to themselves. Parker swallowed as her heart jumped. She had to be brave, at least for herself. With a will of steel, she forced all thoughts of Jarod's seemingly imminent death from her mind and focused on the task at hand.
Sydney gave both Jarod and Parker a tight hug and then turned away. Broots saluted the both of them and moved with Syd. Jarod looked to the woman at his side.
"Let's go," she murmured.
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"I don't know about this, Syd," Broots breathed in a whisper. The older man looked at him while walking casually.
"It has to be done, Broots," he murmured, his eyes darting around for any sight of Sweepers.
"I know," he replied, "and that's what makes it so hard."
The two then moved in silence. When they reached the manhole that they were supposed to go in, they looked at each other. Sydney nodded his head slightly to indicate that Broots was to enter first. The techie did so, and Syd followed. Soon, they were shin-deep in a slimy muck. They followed the tunnel until it led to a similar manhole on SL-27.
----------
Parker and Jarod fought to make their way through the weeds and undergrowth. He looked at her and felt a stab at his heart. He knew that his plan would probably have to be implemented. The Triumvirate wouldn't give up without a fight.
They made their way in silence, soon coming up on their point of entry. The two shared a glance, then Jarod entered first. Parker followed closely, keeping her finger on the trigger. She kept her eyes alert for any activity other than their own. After five long minutes, they were in.
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Angelo met up with Sydney and Broots and led them through the ventilation system to the power station. Broots then stepped forward and sat down at the computer terminal. He cracked his fingers before leaning forward. His fingers tentatively hovered over the keys for a moment, then flew, entering in the codes that would shut the power down.
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Jarod and Parker quietly and efficiently went through the maze of ventilation shafts until they reached the meeting room. Jarod then lightly tapped out his signal to Lyle, who was waiting nearby. They watched until they saw the door burst open.
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Broots paused his typing and mentally recounted what he had entered, then poised one finger over the shift key. Closing his eyes and pursing his lips, he pressed it.
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The lights went out. Jarod and Parker took their cue and swung the vent cover down. They simultaneously jumped from their hiding places. Within moments, the power was restored, and the lights revealed a very frightened group.
"Angel?" Mr. Parker asked incredulously, not quite certain of what was happening.
"I'm not your angel anymore, Daddy," she gritted out, training her gun on him. "Don't move," she hissed. Raines began to stand, but was stopped by Jarod's gun aimed at his oxygen tank.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Jarod mused. "Just obey orders and sit down." Raines, surprisingly, did as he was told and sat. Jarod then looked at each member of the meeting. "Here's what's going to happen," he said authoritatively, "Each of you are going to sign these contracts that relinquish all control of the Centre over to me." He glanced at Lyle, who produced a thick stack of papers. He dropped them onto the glass conference table, and they landed with a thud.
"You think we're just going to give up our corporation to someone that we created?" snorted Mr. Parker, his ire clearly showing. Jarod's eyes glanced up momentarily, as if he were thinking the issue over.
"Yeah," he drawled slowly, slightly jabbing the gun in Mr. Parker's direction. "You will find that there are ink pens in front of you. Just pass the contracts around, and each of you sign one. Now," he ordered.
After hesitating for a moment, Mr. Parker reluctantly grabbed the stack of papers, pulled a packet from the top, and passed the rest around. He began to read over it, then looked up at Jarod. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, his look that of a petulant child. Jarod leaned forward.
"Why do you think?" he replied. "You stole my life from me, and from a multitude of other men, women, and children. So now, I steal yours from you." Mr. Parker then looked to his daughter.
"Michaela, please," he begged, using her first name for the first time ever, "Don't do this."
"You're a Parker, Daddy," she said with ice dripping from her words, "Parkers don't beg, do they? Sign," she ordered forcefully, yet quietly. He slowly went for the pen. Then, in one fluid movement, he pulled something from his pocket. In an instant, a gunshot rang out in the room and Jarod fell to the ground, a patch of red spreading on his middle.
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Broots and Sydney had been listening to the exchange happening in the upper levels with their headpieces. When the gunshot cracked, there was complete silence. The two men held their breath. One whispered word, however, caused their breath to leave them in a rush.
"Refuge."
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"No!!" Parker shouted. Without blinking, she took aim and squeezed the trigger three times, sending three bullets into her father's head. She then turned and fired her gun at Raines he slumped to the ground, rasping his last breath. Lyle took action and shot at the other members while Parker knelt by Jarod's side. Tears fell from her eyes as she stroked his sweat- soaked forehead.
"You. . .you have to leave," he whispered. Parker shook her head.
"No. No, I won't leave you. You're coming with me," she whispered, her voice breaking. Jarod worked to lift his arm, and he placed a bloody hand to her pale cheek. Parker met his eyes and whispered, "I love you."
Jarod's eyes closed, and his hand fell from her cheek.