Chapter Ten
Parker entered the Centre.
There was no need to pretend anger. She was angry. The Centre was in chaos. Jarod really had come here while she was sitting in jail. Armed Sweepers were standing at the doors and checked her ID. They had not been doing that in a long time. She wasn't used to it anymore. But it was protocol.
"What's going on?"
She asked one of them. He looked at her ID and straightened.
"We have some software problems and there was an intruder reported on the office level, Mam."
Parker nodded and gave some curt orders. She had been head of the security staff long enough to see how disorganized they were. No wonder Jarod had no problems to get in and out as he wished.
Following the hallway she headed towards her office. In the hallway she found Lyle leaning against the wall. His clothes were messy and he had a distant smile on his face. If she had not known better she would have thought he was high. But he definitely was not.
As he heard her coming down the hallway he turned towards her, grinning triumphantly.
"Sis, you missed the party. What kept you away?"
Parker composed herself.
"Labrat provided me with the unwanted attention of the forces of law. I spent the night in jail for speeding..."
Lyle chuckled.
"Maybe you'll learn from this, Sis. But I have good news for you. Your revenge will come soon. The genius finally overestimated his abilities. He's locked up downstairs..."
Parker narrowed her eyes.
"Where?"
Lyle grinned maliciously.
"You may see him tomorrow. The doctors are taking care of him at the moment."
Parkers heart stopped for a moment. Jarod was injured? Or did they try their drugs again?
"I'll take your word for it. Did you call Sydney?"
Lyle shook his head.
"Unfortunately I wasn't able to reach him. He disappeared at aproximately the same time we caught Jarod."
Parker used her best icy cold stare on her twin.
"What do you mean?"
Lyle shrugged.
"I bet Jarods presence in our holy halls was just distraction. He helped Sydney and Broots to run from the Centre..."
Parker played innocent.
"So Broots is gone, too?"
Lyle nodded agreing.
"Right after the dinner you three shared. What did you talk about at the restaurant."
Parker pretended to think about the converstion.
"I told Sydney that I knew he warned Jarod off and that it was foolish. I asked him if he lost his mind to betray the centre. But he didn't come up with an answer."
Lyle looked sceptically.
"Well?"
Parker asked.
"What should I have done? I am not responsible for the deeds of a senile old psychatrist. I was angry. He saw the DSA and still believed in Jarods innocence. And he hindered me in my job. We would have had Jarod if not for Sydney..."
Parker focused her fear and anger about the centre into this speech. She was pretty convincing. She saw it in Lyles expression, when he remembered the passed afternoon in Pittsburgh.
"You should have brought him in while you had the chance."
He stated and Parker knew Raines would argue on this fact, too.
"Why should I? Sydney often enough chose to change sides. The Triumvirat always let him be. He never had to bare the consequences of his disloyalties."
Lyle shook his head, disbelieving.
"That was open betrayal."
With a gesture Parker wiped his objections away.
"Rubbish. The sweepers had him in touch the whole evening, The Centre knew where both of them were. It is not my fault that the sweepers are incompetent to arrest an aged psychatrist and a cowardish computer geek..."
Lyle shot her a look. He didn't like the fact that she was right. She had not been instructed to bring them in. Her job was to bring Jarod in. Now she was kind of unemployed.
"Ok, Sis. You're on the team. We need to find Sydney. Get him!"
Parker gave him wondering stare.
"Okay, but what about Broots?"
Lyle turned around and walked away.
"I don't care about Broots. Just find Sydney!"
Parker followed him down the hallway.
"Wait, Lyle. How do you think I am supposed to find Sydney without Broots help? I mean, he does the research, doesn't he?"
Lyle shrugged.
"You claim you are good. Find him. I don't care about the how."
Parker watched him as he entered the elevator. The doors closed and Parker nearly collapsed. She was more tense than ever before.
Steadying herself on the wall she composed herself again. There was work to do. If she was right she already knew where Sydney and Broots would go. But she did not intend to tell Lyle.
Then she had a thought and went into her office smiling.
Parker entered the Centre.
There was no need to pretend anger. She was angry. The Centre was in chaos. Jarod really had come here while she was sitting in jail. Armed Sweepers were standing at the doors and checked her ID. They had not been doing that in a long time. She wasn't used to it anymore. But it was protocol.
"What's going on?"
She asked one of them. He looked at her ID and straightened.
"We have some software problems and there was an intruder reported on the office level, Mam."
Parker nodded and gave some curt orders. She had been head of the security staff long enough to see how disorganized they were. No wonder Jarod had no problems to get in and out as he wished.
Following the hallway she headed towards her office. In the hallway she found Lyle leaning against the wall. His clothes were messy and he had a distant smile on his face. If she had not known better she would have thought he was high. But he definitely was not.
As he heard her coming down the hallway he turned towards her, grinning triumphantly.
"Sis, you missed the party. What kept you away?"
Parker composed herself.
"Labrat provided me with the unwanted attention of the forces of law. I spent the night in jail for speeding..."
Lyle chuckled.
"Maybe you'll learn from this, Sis. But I have good news for you. Your revenge will come soon. The genius finally overestimated his abilities. He's locked up downstairs..."
Parker narrowed her eyes.
"Where?"
Lyle grinned maliciously.
"You may see him tomorrow. The doctors are taking care of him at the moment."
Parkers heart stopped for a moment. Jarod was injured? Or did they try their drugs again?
"I'll take your word for it. Did you call Sydney?"
Lyle shook his head.
"Unfortunately I wasn't able to reach him. He disappeared at aproximately the same time we caught Jarod."
Parker used her best icy cold stare on her twin.
"What do you mean?"
Lyle shrugged.
"I bet Jarods presence in our holy halls was just distraction. He helped Sydney and Broots to run from the Centre..."
Parker played innocent.
"So Broots is gone, too?"
Lyle nodded agreing.
"Right after the dinner you three shared. What did you talk about at the restaurant."
Parker pretended to think about the converstion.
"I told Sydney that I knew he warned Jarod off and that it was foolish. I asked him if he lost his mind to betray the centre. But he didn't come up with an answer."
Lyle looked sceptically.
"Well?"
Parker asked.
"What should I have done? I am not responsible for the deeds of a senile old psychatrist. I was angry. He saw the DSA and still believed in Jarods innocence. And he hindered me in my job. We would have had Jarod if not for Sydney..."
Parker focused her fear and anger about the centre into this speech. She was pretty convincing. She saw it in Lyles expression, when he remembered the passed afternoon in Pittsburgh.
"You should have brought him in while you had the chance."
He stated and Parker knew Raines would argue on this fact, too.
"Why should I? Sydney often enough chose to change sides. The Triumvirat always let him be. He never had to bare the consequences of his disloyalties."
Lyle shook his head, disbelieving.
"That was open betrayal."
With a gesture Parker wiped his objections away.
"Rubbish. The sweepers had him in touch the whole evening, The Centre knew where both of them were. It is not my fault that the sweepers are incompetent to arrest an aged psychatrist and a cowardish computer geek..."
Lyle shot her a look. He didn't like the fact that she was right. She had not been instructed to bring them in. Her job was to bring Jarod in. Now she was kind of unemployed.
"Ok, Sis. You're on the team. We need to find Sydney. Get him!"
Parker gave him wondering stare.
"Okay, but what about Broots?"
Lyle turned around and walked away.
"I don't care about Broots. Just find Sydney!"
Parker followed him down the hallway.
"Wait, Lyle. How do you think I am supposed to find Sydney without Broots help? I mean, he does the research, doesn't he?"
Lyle shrugged.
"You claim you are good. Find him. I don't care about the how."
Parker watched him as he entered the elevator. The doors closed and Parker nearly collapsed. She was more tense than ever before.
Steadying herself on the wall she composed herself again. There was work to do. If she was right she already knew where Sydney and Broots would go. But she did not intend to tell Lyle.
Then she had a thought and went into her office smiling.