Chapter Eleven
Cara waited for the guests Jarod had announced. She still dind't know the whole story.
But Jarods explanation that those people coming to her were in grave danger had made her agree. She would hide them until Jarod came back.
When she heard a knock on the door she turned around in her office chair. A young man stood in the doorway.
"Ms. Mattison?"
Cara hesitated but then nodded.
"Yes. What can I do for you?"
The young man entered her office followed by an older man. The older one looked suspicious and tense.
"This is Dr. Green. Jarod sends him."
With these words the young man turned around and left the office before Cara could reply. Both, she and Dr. Green watched the door closing slowy.
"Well, Ms. Mattison, please call my Sydney. I suppose you are a friend of Jarod?"
Sydney looked her up and down and instantly liked her. Cara smiled back.
"Please call me Cara. I guess we'll be spending some time together so why be formal..."
Sydney smiled again and Cara was taken by his natural charm.
"So, what is going to happen now?"
He sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk. Cara let herself fall into her chair as well. She shrugged.
"I don't know. Jarod said I should wait for three people to arrive here. Then I shall bring them to a safe place only I know of. The rest is waiting for Jarod..."
Sydney wrinkled his forehead.
"That's what Jarod said?"
Cara nodded. Sydney leant back thinking. Somehow he didn't like the development. Regarding Jarods plan he was supposed to arrive together with Miss Parker. He never mentioned that Miss Parker would come alone...
***
Jarod woke in the early dawn.
The drug had not worn off completed so he felt slightly disoriented. But he remembered where he was.
And after sending a short inspecting glance around the cell he knew that this was where he would stay for the moment. He was locked up in one of the high security cells.
They were quite comfortable, not like the cage he had been locked up in last time. It was well tempered and clean, no water running down the walls and no rats to train...
Looking around made him dizzy. The world stopped spinning around after he closed his eyes. His clothes were mainly gone. So much he felt immediately. His injuries had been treated and his pain was soothed by painkillers. So far, so good.
Carefully he shoved away the blanket and tried to come into sitting position. After a while he succeded but the world was spinning again. Like a merry-go-round.
A tray with food stood on the floor. Jarod smelled chicken broth and fresh bread. Then his stomach remembered him that being captured was no reason to be hungry.
Slowly he tried to stand up, but almost collapsed to the ground. His knees where shaking. Before you walk you have to learn how to crawl, Jarod thought and carefully kneeled until he could crawl over to the tray.
He took care not to charge his bad leg excessively. Finally he leaned against the wall and sipped the broth, enjoying the warmth in his stomach. Suddenly he thought that the food might be mixed with sedatives or other drugs. But then he shook away this thought. He was locked up. Where should he go? If they wanted to drug him they only needed to do it.
Why play hide and seek...?
***
Lyle and Raines watched Jarod on the screen.
It was a mild surprise that Jarod showed calmness like a pro. Lyle assumed it was connected to the fact that Sydney and Broots were safe. No way of blackmailing him. Even a bluff wouldn't do. But there still were other ways of gaining obedience. On this area Lyle was the pro.
Showing a mean smile he turned to face Raines. The walking death envied Lyles success but couldn't act against him. The triumvirate was informed and approved of Lyles commitment.
"Shall we give him a little time? Maybe we can annoy him a bit...."
Even Raines couldn't prevent a smile on this thought. Annoying Jarod like the Pretender had so many times annoyed Raines sounded to good to be true.
"His state of health will improve. Tomorrow morning he will be strong enough to survive our treatments."
He stated dreaming of all the mean things he wanted to try on the Pretender. He had to be careful, of course. The triumvirate still had hopes of Jarod coming home.
Raines didn't share this hopes. The Pretender had learned to hate the Centre. Nothing would change that. The only way to make him cooperate was to blackmail him. Sydneys presence was of basic importance. More than ever before.
Lyle checked some ampoules filled with different drugs. Mind altering, paincausing and truth bringing....
Cara waited for the guests Jarod had announced. She still dind't know the whole story.
But Jarods explanation that those people coming to her were in grave danger had made her agree. She would hide them until Jarod came back.
When she heard a knock on the door she turned around in her office chair. A young man stood in the doorway.
"Ms. Mattison?"
Cara hesitated but then nodded.
"Yes. What can I do for you?"
The young man entered her office followed by an older man. The older one looked suspicious and tense.
"This is Dr. Green. Jarod sends him."
With these words the young man turned around and left the office before Cara could reply. Both, she and Dr. Green watched the door closing slowy.
"Well, Ms. Mattison, please call my Sydney. I suppose you are a friend of Jarod?"
Sydney looked her up and down and instantly liked her. Cara smiled back.
"Please call me Cara. I guess we'll be spending some time together so why be formal..."
Sydney smiled again and Cara was taken by his natural charm.
"So, what is going to happen now?"
He sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk. Cara let herself fall into her chair as well. She shrugged.
"I don't know. Jarod said I should wait for three people to arrive here. Then I shall bring them to a safe place only I know of. The rest is waiting for Jarod..."
Sydney wrinkled his forehead.
"That's what Jarod said?"
Cara nodded. Sydney leant back thinking. Somehow he didn't like the development. Regarding Jarods plan he was supposed to arrive together with Miss Parker. He never mentioned that Miss Parker would come alone...
***
Jarod woke in the early dawn.
The drug had not worn off completed so he felt slightly disoriented. But he remembered where he was.
And after sending a short inspecting glance around the cell he knew that this was where he would stay for the moment. He was locked up in one of the high security cells.
They were quite comfortable, not like the cage he had been locked up in last time. It was well tempered and clean, no water running down the walls and no rats to train...
Looking around made him dizzy. The world stopped spinning around after he closed his eyes. His clothes were mainly gone. So much he felt immediately. His injuries had been treated and his pain was soothed by painkillers. So far, so good.
Carefully he shoved away the blanket and tried to come into sitting position. After a while he succeded but the world was spinning again. Like a merry-go-round.
A tray with food stood on the floor. Jarod smelled chicken broth and fresh bread. Then his stomach remembered him that being captured was no reason to be hungry.
Slowly he tried to stand up, but almost collapsed to the ground. His knees where shaking. Before you walk you have to learn how to crawl, Jarod thought and carefully kneeled until he could crawl over to the tray.
He took care not to charge his bad leg excessively. Finally he leaned against the wall and sipped the broth, enjoying the warmth in his stomach. Suddenly he thought that the food might be mixed with sedatives or other drugs. But then he shook away this thought. He was locked up. Where should he go? If they wanted to drug him they only needed to do it.
Why play hide and seek...?
***
Lyle and Raines watched Jarod on the screen.
It was a mild surprise that Jarod showed calmness like a pro. Lyle assumed it was connected to the fact that Sydney and Broots were safe. No way of blackmailing him. Even a bluff wouldn't do. But there still were other ways of gaining obedience. On this area Lyle was the pro.
Showing a mean smile he turned to face Raines. The walking death envied Lyles success but couldn't act against him. The triumvirate was informed and approved of Lyles commitment.
"Shall we give him a little time? Maybe we can annoy him a bit...."
Even Raines couldn't prevent a smile on this thought. Annoying Jarod like the Pretender had so many times annoyed Raines sounded to good to be true.
"His state of health will improve. Tomorrow morning he will be strong enough to survive our treatments."
He stated dreaming of all the mean things he wanted to try on the Pretender. He had to be careful, of course. The triumvirate still had hopes of Jarod coming home.
Raines didn't share this hopes. The Pretender had learned to hate the Centre. Nothing would change that. The only way to make him cooperate was to blackmail him. Sydneys presence was of basic importance. More than ever before.
Lyle checked some ampoules filled with different drugs. Mind altering, paincausing and truth bringing....