Disclaimer: Ok so what I don't own The Pretender… OK fine I don't own The Center!!!…. All right all right I don't own any of the characters either… and your not getting me to confess anything else… besides that I am just borrowing the characters and that no infringement is intended. Please don't sue I am only doing this so that I do not blow up form all these story ides swimin around in my head.
A/N ok this is my first Pretender fanfic. I have been reading you guy's fanfiction for awhile so I think that I know what to do but if I messed up please feel free to tell me. I don't mind flames I can deal with them but I like constructive criticism better *smiles* Oh and I wrote this story like a year ago and I know that it is not very good and needs work but the only thing is that I am afraid that if I erase it and start all over that I will end up with the same exact thing so I promise the next story will be better… well may be not that one because I started that one a year ago too but the one after that. *smiles crosses her heart and hopes to die* So on with the story. Charge!!!!
Oh uhhh HALT!! Haha I forgot to tell you guys where I got this idea. Well the truth is… I got it from you guys you guys are always drugging Jarod and then dragging him back to The Center only to have him wake up and escape of something like that… Well I thought what if some one drugged Jarod before The Center even got there?? Well that is what the story revolves around. So… resume charging!! *Horses and men charge down a big hill and fall right off the huge cliff at the bottom still screaming and yelling*
May 11, 1995
7:00 AM
Mike's Lawyer services
Scottsdale, Arizona
Jarod took one last look at his red notebook. The headlines were "Child's Parents Killed in Car Accident," "Drunk Drivers Crash into Elderly Couple," and "Child Left Parentless after DUI Accident." Jarod did not believe after reading the articles that the parents of this 13-year-old girl would really do this. He found out that the girl's (whose name was Lauren) lawyer worked here. He wanted to find out what really happened to her parents. He took a look at his fake ID and walked confidently into the building.
Same Place
7:00 AM
Mike's Office
Scottsdale, Arizona
'It is surprising,' Dr. Earl thought to himself, 'What a little bribing and a lot of money can get you.' Dr. Earl was no longer a real doctor, after they caught him doping up that one girl with heroin. He liked to be called a doctor still though. After all he did get his doctors degree. It is just that he could not go within a mile of any sort of hospital with a lab coat on and not get arrested. Earl was waiting to talk to Mike, his lawyer. He just so happened to look out the door of Mike's office when Jarod walked up to the front counter and showed his ID to the clerk. Stating that he was the lawyer sent up from Texas to investigate the case about the DUI accident. Earl quickly turned his back to the door and started to panic. 'How the heck did he get here!' Earl thought. Apparently Jarod did not know he was there other wise he would have noticed something was up. After all Dr. Earl was suppose to be in prison for life. Earl thought to himself over all the possibilities of what he could do. If Jarod did not know he was here and he just started working here he would know soon. Earl could not let that happen. He began to think more slowly and rationally. He then came up with a solution to his little problem. Why did it take him so long to think of it? He only thought about it every day for the last two years of his life. He only thought about how to kill the person who sent him to jail at least ten times a day. He knew just how to kill him too. All he had to do was find out where he lived. If he worked here that would not be too much of a problem. Just follow him home. It was so simple. Now he could get his revenge on Jarod, the man who sent him to jail.
Jarod's Hideout
9:30 PM
Scottsdale, Arizona
Jarod did not think that he could solve that case that quickly. He thought that the DUI accident would have been a harder case than that. It took him 24 hours to solve the case and to find out who did it. It was Lauren's lawyer. He was not very good at covering up his tracks. By tomorrow he would have proof that this guy killed Lauren's parents by messing with their car and making it look like a DUI accident the whole time. He decided that he would put him in a car with the doors locked and remote control steering and a two-way hands free walkie-talkie. He would threaten to crash the car unless he told the truth. While he was thinking about his decision to tell the truth he would drive the car around with the remote control just to make him think that he was not afraid of crashing it over a cliff. Jarod had a lot of work to do before his 'date' with Lauren's lawyer the following night.
The same night
One hour later
Outside Jarod's hideout
Scottsdale, Arizona
Dr. Earl could not wait any longer he snuck up to Jarod's door and broke in. He found Jarod's bedroom but Jarod was not in bed he looked around the building some more until he found him working on his computer.
"Nightie night sweet prince!" yelled Earl as he raised the crow bar. Jarod had just enough time to turn around and see a man with a crow bar raised coming at him. The crow bar came smashing down on his head, and complete darkness enveloped him.
A short time later
Jarod's Hideout
Scottsdale, Arizona
Earl was looking though Jarod's stuff after he had handcuffed Jarod to a bar in the closet so that his toes where barely touching the ground. He came across an odd looking silver case. When he opened it he found a computer type thing and some tiny disks. He put one of the disks in the slot and pressed play. A picture of Jarod came onto the screen. Down at the bottom of the screen it said "Jarod for Center use only" There was a film of Jarod getting shocked by a car battery by some men in black suits. Then there came a film of a man telling Jarod if he ever wanted to see his family alive again he should behave. Earl thought about it for a moment while watching some more of the disks then he made a new plan. This place looked like a living heck. This would be much better than killing Jarod. Apparently from the disks he watched Jarod had escaped The Center and now they were after him. Earl continued to root around in Jarod's things. Then he came across his cell phone. He looked at the speed dial numbers. There was Sydney and Miss Parker along with others. He remembered that in the disks it said that Miss Parker was trying to recapture Jarod. Earl decided to call her.
Ten Minutes Later
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker practically ran down the hall. Her high heals giving the impression that if anyone came close to her that she would bite their heads off. She slowed her pace when she came to Broot's hole. She went in and saw Sydney working with Angelo and Broots on his computer.
"Broots come!" She walked out the door not even looking to see if Broots was following. A couple seconds later Broots stumbled out the door.
"Yes Miss Parker?" Broots mumbled.
"I just got a call. Some Dr. Earl caught Jarod. He wants money as well as revenge on Jarod. I want you to trace the call. Now!"
"Yes Miss Parker." Broots murmured as he went back to his hole.
5.30 AM
Jarod's Hideout
Scottsdale, Arizona
Jarod regained conciseness sometime during the night. He could not remember ever seeing the man that knocked him out before. He knew that it was not a sweeper or else he would be in a holding cell back at The Center by now not stuffed in a closet. Earl walked up and opened the door, interrupting his thoughts.
"Good morning. Did you have a nice sleep?" As soon as Jarod saw the man's face he knew who he was.
Two years ago he did a pretend as Jarod Jones a drug addict. When he was a child back in The Center they doped him up on heroine. An orderly helped him through withdraw. Since the man got to close to Jarod The Center killed him. That pretend two years ago was to help his daughter. Dr. Earl was pumping her up on heroine so that she would have to stay in the rehab center. Earl's high school sweet heart wanted to have custody of her son. Jarod found out and gave both Earl and his 'love' a drug to make them think that they were on heroine. He made them confess that way.
"How the heck did you get out? You were suppose to be in prison for life." Jarod said in a startled tone.
"I had a lot of money and after the trial I got another lawyer. He figured out that I was under the influence of drugs when I confessed. I denied it every other time the question was asked. I was let free due to the fact that I could have said anything while under the influence," Earl said in a matter of fact tone. "But I did have to spend two years in jail and I still hate you so I am getting my revenge on you. I called that Center place and I am getting some money and they are getting you. I thought that they might not beat you though so I made up this little drug in my spare time. It will knock you out for two days then when you wake up you will be extremely weak and you will have headaches, nausea, hallucinations, cold sweats, hot flashes, and other nasty side affects for almost a week afterwards. Nice isn't it? Earl said in almost a too a happy tone.
"When you called The Center did you use my cell phone?" Jarod asked in a rushed sort of way.
"Well Duh how was I suppose to get Miss Parker's number?"
"Did you put on the scrambler?" Jarod asked his voice filled with terror.
"Heck no"
"Well then in that case The Center will be here in a matter of minutes"
"Who do you thing I am? A dimwit? You are not going anywhere. Any ways it is time for your shot."
"No you can't do this. The Center will kill you. You can't trust any of them," Jarod yelled as the needle entered his arm. He passed out shortly after.
Half an hour ago
Mr. Lyle's office
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Willie marched into Mr. Lyle's office.
"Mr. Lyle we intercepted an e-mail from Broots to Miss Parker as to Jarod's where abouts."
"Well! Where is he?"
"He is in Scottsdale, Arizona sir."
"When is my sister leaving to get him?"
"One hour sir."
"Then I want to leave now!"
"Sir there is a man named Dr. Earl that wants ransom and revenge on Jarod. He is holding him hostage. Sir!"
"Then we will give him ten thousand dollars in return for Jarod, and then we will kill him."
"Yes sir!"
"Go get the jet ready Willie" With that Lyle left with a team of sweepers to retrieve Jarod.
A couple Hours Later
Scottsdale, Arizona
Jarod's not so secret hideout
Sweepers slammed open the door.
"Hey what are you doing here? We had a deal," said Earl.
"Where is he?" Lyle asked while looking around the room.
"He is in the closet," said Earl. "Where is my money?" Lyle handed him a briefcase full of money as two sweepers drug the limp form of Jarod out of the closet
. "What is wrong with him?" asked Lyle. Earl pulled a bottle of clear liquid out of his pocket.
"I drugged him with this narcotic that I made up. It works pretty much like heroine," Earl said with a smirk.
"How long will he be asleep?" Lyle asked.
"Two days," said Earl
"We will be leaving now," stated Lyle. Lyle turned to Willie.
"Do 'im" A single shot rang out and Earl fell on the floor, dead. Lyle turned back around to face the dead form of Dr. Earl. He took the bottle out of his unmoving hands and put it in his own pocket
"I could have some use for this," he stated to the corpse. With that Lyle turned and left the building with the sweepers dragging Jarod right behind him.
1:00 PM
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Lyle walked into his office where a woman was waiting for him.
"I wanted to talk to you about the security in the Pretender's room. We don't want another escape. What do you suggest?" Lyle asked the woman as he sat down in his chair by his desk.
"I suggest that we put him in a room with four cement walls at least 15 cameras and two doors instead of one. No bed just a block of metal built into the wall. No bathroom, you can take him out of his room to do his business," said the woman calmly
"Thank you Kim I will be in touch," said Lyle. With that he left his office to go down to the sim lab where he temporarily had the Pretender.
2:00 PM
The Sim lab
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod awoke slowly and painfully. His head was spinning and he felt really weak. He opened his eyes to see Lyle staring at him straight in the face. Terror filled his eyes and Lyle broke into a smile.
"Did you miss me?" Lyle asked. Jarod swore underneath his breath. He was back at The Center. He looked around and figured out that he was chained into a lying position on a table.
Lyle smirked, "We just wanted to make sure that Dr. Earl's drug wouldn't kill you, but now that we see that it didn't we might use it on you more often if your not good." Jarod felt a hot flash coming on. Then he started to hallucinate. He saw images of when Lyle tried to stop his heart. He started to scream.
"Take him to his room," Lyle said in disgust. Jarod struggled feebly as two sweepers took him by his arms, still screaming.
2:10
Jarod's Cell
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
The two sweepers quickly threw Jarod into his room and locked the door, not wanting to be too close to the crazed Pretender. Once the sweepers left Jarod lifted his head from of his knees where he was sitting in the corner and started to laugh. To the common eye it looked like another one of his hallucinations, but the real reason why Jarod was laughing was because he outsmarted The Center. It was true that he suffered from hot sweats, cold flashes, headaches, and nausea, but he did not believe the images that he saw before his eyes. He did see the hallucinations but he did not believe them. He was doped up on heroine before and he knew how to cope with withdraw. It was not as bad as it seemed. He took a look around his cell. Whoever designed this cell was no fool. There was no where to go. There was no where to hide. There was no escape. It was a one-roomed cell with four cement walls. There was a block of metal that was meant for a bed. There was a door to his right and another door right after that one. What bothered him the most were the cameras. There were eight in full view and who knows how many hidden. They were like stalkers. There was no relief from them. There were no cracks what so ever in the room. There was no where to hide anything which meant no escape. He would just have to bide his time until The Center got careless.
2:30
Sam's house
Atlanta, Georgia
Sam walked around her house anxiously. Jarod was suppose to be there an hour ago to meet her for his monthly visit. With his last visit he told her about his life in The Center. They planned on bring The Center down. Now he was missing. Sam remembered how Jarod showed her how to hack into The Center's mainframe on the computer during his last visit. Sam decided to search there for answers as to where Jarod was. In the mean time she would have to go on with 'Operation Erase' which was the FBI operation to bring down The Center. She just hoped that Jarod was not in any trouble.
2:30
Lyle's office
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker slammed the doors open to her brother's office.
"Jarod was my assignment to bring back! You had no right!" she yelled into her brother's face. Lyle calmly sat there taking in her angry expression.
"Mr. Raines ordered me to bring him back," He stated. "He did not think that you were doing your job."
"The heck I wasn't I had him and you went behind my back and brought him back!" she yelled some more.
"Well he belongs to me and Mr. Rains now. He is our project to do what ever we want with, and I forbid you to go near him," Lyle said keeping up his calm front.
"Then in that case Jarod is probably on death row right now. Right?" said Miss Parker as she turned to leave.
Two days later
3:00 am
Jarod's room
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Come on lab rat time for another sim," said Willie as he entered the room to find Jarod asleep on the shelf that served as his bed. Jarod had been exhausted lately due to the amount of beatings he had received. Whenever he did anything wrong at all they beat him in an attempt to break him. He had gotten a total of three hours of sleep while he was at The Center, and those three hours were all haunted with nightmares from the drug plus his usual nightmares. He wondered what they had in store for him today. The hallucinations from the drug were wearing off but he was left with a massive headache. Earl thought wrong when he thought that the drug would last for a week. Jarod could feel the stuff wearing off. He really needed some sleep if he was going to be any use. The sweepers practicality dragged his exhausted body down to the sim lab. They strapped him down in a chair and retreated to guard the door. As the restraints were tightened around Jarod's neck, arms and, ankles, he began to come more alert and struggled feebly. He had been beaten so much that his body was almost useless to him. The only part of him that was still sharp was his mind. He was constantly looking for a way out but never found any. It would be harder to escape this time than it was the last two times. Lyle walked in and put a file in front of Jarod.
"You are going to help us locate Major Charles and Gemini today!" Lyle said excitedly.
"You must be nuts if you think that I am helping with that. I'm not some sort of traitor like you," Jarod said trying hard to stay awake.
"Oh but you will help us the way I see it," Lyle exclaimed Then he started to reefer to Jarod as Major Charles. Asking him where he took the boy. Jarod tried to resist as long as he could but eventually the sim pulled him in. He told Lyle where they were.
3:00 PM
The FBI secret headquarters
Conference room
Atlanta, Georgia
Sam walked in the room and set down a bunch of folders all marked Project Erase. She turned to face all the other agents in the room.
She spoke to them, "Good morning agents. Most of you are aware of Project Erase. Just in case you are not it is a project to bring down a secret organization that has been performing illegal activities. I have hacked into their main frame and figured out the exact location of this building. I also figured out that they have captured the man that knows the most about The Center. I have run off a list of all the major key players in this corporation that should be brought down before everyone else. I also have a plan of action. We have to get out the children and captives that they have in The Center first so that they can not hold them hostage. Mel, you and Dave, along with Mike and Sid are going to be our under cover agents. You are the best agents to do the job and I know that you can do it. I have already gotten Mel, and Dave jobs as sweepers, and Mike and Sid doctors in the infirmary. I have also erased any evidence of you every being connected with the FBI. Take note of where all the captives are especially Jarod. Don't make contact with us and be ready in five days at 11:00 PM at the nearest ventilation system. All personal in The Center carry a weapon so you do not have to worry about that. Tim, you and your squad take the front of the building. Bill, you and your force take the back. My force will take the sides, and Sara will mange the captive rescue. More details will be sent to you. Mel, Dave, Mike, Sid come with me. I have to tell you guys some things about your jobs. Meeting dismissed.
4:00 PM
The Sim Lab
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
At the end of the simulation Jarod knew that Lyle had injected him with something but he was so out of it he did not struggle. When the sweepers unstrained him from the chair he started to come back to reality and started to struggle. He immediately felt weak and vomited. Lyle looked at Jarod with disgust and said to him.
"That drug that Dr. Earl made came in use. We modified it and you no longer fall asleep. It is more use to us like that." The sweepers dragged the Pretender back to his room. Jarod was too weak to even struggle at all any more. The beatings plus the drugs were taking their toil on him and all he wanted now was a bottle of Advil and a good sleep.
4:30
Jarod's cell
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
After the sweepers left Jarod went over to the corner and started to shiver uncontrollably. He felt like he was going to pass out. His whole body hurt and he probably had some broken ribs. He had whip marks all over. It was another order from Mr. Lyle. He then started to gag and heave. Then Jarod mercifully passed out.
4:30
Lyle's office
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Lyle watched the whole episode of Jarod passing out. As much as he wanted to just let the Pretender die he couldn't. If Jarod died then he died. He turned to the sweeper next to him who happened to be Mel, and said with a sigh,
"Get a medical team down there." Mel made sure that he got Mike and Sid to be on the medical team. Then he went down to see if he could help before they arrived. He got to Jarod's cell and ordered the door to be opened. When he went inside he saw Jarod lying on the floor in the far corner. He went over to the downed Pretender and knelt over him. He could see that Jarod was conscious again but in bad shape. While he had the chance he bent down like he was looking at his wounds and whispered in his ear that he was a FBI agent sent to get him out of The Center. Jarod groaned to show that he understood and opened his eyes and gave him a look that told him that he was not really all that bad in mind and spirit. Then he closed his eyes again and passed out once more. Just then the medical team arrived with Mike as head doctor. He went over to Jarod and as he bent down to inspect him Mel whispered to him that he told Jarod. Mike nodded to show that he heard but did not make eye contact. Then Mike asked Mel how long he had been like this.
"He has passed out twice," stated Mel
He has some bruised ribs that probably are getting close to puncturing his lung," confirmed Mike. He then ordered his medical staff to take him to the infirmary and tend to him.
"He should be ok. It was probably all the pain from the beatings plus the cracked ribs that caused him to pass out." The medical team took the Pretender to the infirmary to care for him.
Two Days Later
FBI secret headquarters
Sam's Office
Atlanta, Georgia
Sam was worried about Jarod. She knew that he could take care of himself, but nonetheless she was still worried. When she went into The Center's mainframe she found out about all the sims that they were planning to do. She had to stop them. They could put many lives in danger. She just couldn't let it happen. She had told Mel to try to stay as close to Jarod as possible with out looking suspicious. She wanted the corporation to be brought down as soon as possible. Just then one of her colleges walked in.
"Sam we found Jarod's family compliments of the sim that he performed on them. We went to their house before The Center got there. They are all sitting in the lounge right now. I told them that you would tell them all you knew about Jarod." Said the man.
"Thanks," said Sam as she walked out the door to talk to them.
12:00
FBI Secret Headquarters
Lounge
Atlanta, Georgia
Sam had talked with the Major and Michael (the boy) along with Margaret, Emily, and Ethan whom they found else where due to Jarod's sims on them. Michael had asked to help with the sting operation. He showed his abilities on breaking and entering, cracking code, over riding system security on the computer, and his knowledge of The Center. Sam had agreed to let him help only because he knew so much about The Center.
1:00 PM
Mr. Lyle's Office
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Mr. Lyle we have a new project that we would like you to handle," wheezed Raines. "We want Miss Parker to have Jarod's baby. Put this in her food. It will make her ulcer act up. We will put her into surgery to fix it and impregnate her then. We were told that Miss Parker and Jarod would have the perfect Pretender. Do you understand Lyle?"
"Yes Sir! It will be my pleasure sir!" said Lyle
1:30 PM
Miss Parker's Office
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Lyle walked in to Miss Parker's office just as she dropped to the floor with a groan. Lyle had a look of horror on his face, but really inside he was grinning from ear to ear.
"Sis! What's wrong!" he said running over to her side.
"My stomach hurts like heck." She muttered in between groans.
"It must be your ulcer. We have to get you some medical attention." Lyle said as the doctors came in the room. The doctors had been hand picked by Ranies and neither Mike nor Sid were on the team.
1:30
Infirmary
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod woke up and realized that he was strapped down to a bed. He remembered the sweeper saying that he was an FBI agent right before he passed out. Pain burned though out his whole body. He could hear a doctor say that he was not ready to go back to his cell yet because of the beatings and the cracked ribs. Jarod thought that she might be an FBI agent too because besides the pain he felt fine and was probably ready to go back. He thought that he would just play along though and pretended to fall back asleep.
A little while later
Infirmary
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod heard someone come into his room and cracked his eye open to see who it was. It was Sid. He could tell by her voice that she was the doctor that said that he should not go back to his room yet. He groaned and rolled over on his uninjured side to face her and to turn his back to the camera.
"The Center is going down three days from now at 11:00," she said "Be ready." Jarod opened his eyes and nodded.
"Thanks for telling them I was not ready to go back to work. Lyle probably would have driven me off the deep end with that drug of his," said Jarod
"Your welcome. Now get some rest," she said as she left the room.
11:00 PM
Three Days Later
Outside The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
FBI agents were surrounding the building. Michael had given them specific instructions on how to bring down The Center. It was an ingenious plan. Just then Jarod and Miss Parker along with some other children captives came stumbling out of the darkness covered in dirt and all of them breathless.
"Jarod! Over here." whispered Sam. Jarod turned and broke into a huge smile.
"Sam. I thought that you were behind all this," he whispered back as walked over to her. "I hope that you have a plan to bring this place down or else we are all dead meat."
Don't you worry I have a plan. Your clone, Michael, thought it up." She said in a happy tone of voice.
"My family is here?" Jarod asked in aw.
"Yeah. You can go see them soon."
One week later
Charles place
Outside Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod had a happy reunion with his whole family. Seeing as Jarod did not have to worry about The Center chasing him anymore the FBI offered him a job. Jarod accepted. The whole family would go back to Atlanta, Georgia along with Miss Parker the following week. Lately Jarod and Miss Parker had been seeing each other as a couple. Just then the phone rang. Jarod answered it. It was Miss Parker
"Parker. What's wrong? Are you all right?" Jarod asked as he heard Miss Parker crying on the other end of the phone.
"Jarod. I am going to have a baby. A couple of days before The Center was brought down my ulcer was acting up. I went in for surgery. Now I am pregnant because The Center wanted to make sure they had another Pretender if you ever ran away again. Apparently we would make the perfect Pretender. Jarod, I was one of their projects."
Thirteen Years Later
Jarod's House
Atlanta, Georgia
Over the last thirteen years Jarod got married to Miss Parker. Miss Parker even though she got married still liked everyone to call her Parker. She did not like her first name, Angel. It was her dad's pet name for her and it brought back bad memories. They had a little girl whom they named Andy, short for Andrea. Jarod stayed with the FBI bringing down all the other places that The Center ran around the world. All the main Center players got life in prison or worse. Most of the people like Sydney and Broots were let go due to the fact that they were forced into doing what they did. Andrea was a pretender like her father but she still went to regular school. Parker and Jarod told Andy about their past and about The Center. She seemed to understand. She knew that her father still had nightmares of the place that he was forced to grow up in. Major Charles and Margaret owned a house near by. Raising Micheal was a full time job. He went to a collage near by. He was studing to be… well every thing. He wanted to get all of his diplomas so that as he put it he "did not have to pretend anymore." They all wanted to lead as normal as a life as possible. Major Charles worked as a FBI agent with his son. Emily and Ethan bought houses of their own close by and were starting families of their own.
April 21
3:00 PM
George Hill Rd.
Michael and Andy along with some friends were walking home from school. Michael stopped dead in his tracks his face filled with terror. All around Mexican men in black suits were stepping out of black town cars with Mexican license plates that said TC1 and TC16.
"Andy," said Michael in a sort of trance. "TC, The Center. They found us." Michael took a paper and pen out of his backpack and wrote down the licenses plate and the words 'They found us. Mexico Trace us' He called Andy over to him.
"There is no way out of this. They have got us surrounded. We can't get away but they can," he said pointing to their friends. Andy went over to her friends who knew nothing of The Center.
"Guys we need you to give this to my dad," she said handing them the piece of paper she took from Michael. "Don't look back just keep on walking. No matter what. Got it?" Her friends nodded with all seriousness, and started to walk away. All they knew was that. Andy's father and grandfather were FBI agents and that Michael was Jarod's brother. Andy turned to Michael.
"So I guess I get to see what The Center looks like," she said.
"Yeah but not with out a fight," said Michael. They both knew how to fight. As the men advanced on them they threw caution to the winds and attacked them. After some struggle the men pinned them both against a car. That was just what Michael was waiting for. He slipped a tracking device that Jarod given him from his shirtsleeve to under the car. Men handcuffed both of them and put them in a car.
3:30 PM
Jarod's house
Atlanta, Georgia
Andy's friends walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. Jarod answered the door. A girl named Erica gave him the piece of paper that Andy had given her. The group walked down the steps and up the sidewalk. Jarod quickly read the note in disbelief. He rushed to his study and logged onto his computer. His experienced hands flew over the keys and he soon knew where The Mexican Center was. How could he have missed it in his searches for any corporation remotely connected to The Center? He grabbed his jacket and went into the kitchen where Parker was working on cooking a meal. He quickly explained to her about the kidnapping and told her he was going to find them.
"Let the agency help you Honey. You can't do this by yourself," said Parker.
"I have to," said Jarod. "Too many lives would be at risk. I could not put any one in the agency in danger like that. I am going alone. Tell dad where I went. Here is the location and the over ride code on the computer for their mainframe. I will get them back." He kissed Parker and left.
12:00 Midnight
The Mexican Center
The cell where Andy and Michael were being kept
Jarod dropped to the floor from an air vent and went over to Michael and Andy.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"They are fine," said a voice as a man entered the room from behind a steel door with a team of sweepers. "Get him," said the man. Jarod started to back up against a wall to protect his back. He went into a fighting stance. He brought down a few of the sweepers before they finally apprehended him. "Take him to the beating room," said the man that seemed to be the leader. Jarod struggled the whole time. It took six sweepers to get him out of the room. "Now we have three pretenders," said the man with a smile. He left the room with the remaining sweeper at his heels.
1:00 AM
Jarod's house
Atlanta, Georgia
"Good old Jarod," said The Major smiling to Parker. "He left an e-mail on his computer with instructions to bring down The Center in Mexico. The operation will commence in one day. The instructions are simple enough. We have to get the children out of there. Jarod probably got caught trying to rescue them. I think that that was his plan to keep them from suffering. I have to go and tell the agency about this."
One Day Later
12:00 Midnight
The Mexican Center
Jarod had been beaten. His whole body hurt but he bared with it knowing that he was saving his brother and daughter the pain. He knew by the guard change what time it was. It was time to go. He hopped into the air vent and slowly crawled his way to the room where they had Michael and Andy. He looked the screen on the vent and whispered to them. They had already picked the locks on their handcuffs and were ready to go. They climbed into the vent and crawled behind Jarod. They climbed out some where in the woods. All of them were silent. Alarms began to wail and they all took off through the woods. They found the rescue team and Michael and Andy went with a man and a woman while Jarod took his gun from Sam and got behind some bushes.
"You know you don't have to do this. Go get fixed up. You look like crap," said Sam.
Those men kidnapped my brother and my daughter for goodness sakes Sam. They used them as bait to get to me. I am staying and helping. Shortly after some men came crashing through the underbrush. Jarod tackled one while Sam brought the back of her gun slamming down on another one's head. The men were read their rights and hulled off.
Hours later
Jarod's house
Atlanta, Georgia
Jarod opened the door to find his whole family sitting worriedly in the living room. Parker ran up to him and gave him and Andy a big hug.
"I missed you both so much," she said. She lifted her head from Jarods shoulder "And Mr. never go gallivanting off like that again." Parker picked up Jarod's hands, which were lying limply at his side and noticed the deep cuts all the way around his wrist. She knew that he was beaten because when she gave him a hug she could feel the whip marks. She knew that he probably got the cuts on his hands by hanging from them by a pair of handcuffs. She figured that he did not want to talk about it but made a mental note to get him to a hospital within the hour. The family went around giving hugs and kisses to all of them. After a while they all retired to their own houses. Parker gave Jarod a look and said,
"You should have gone straight to the hospital with all those cuts."
"I didn't want to worry you and make it seem worse than it was. Any ways they are not that deep," stated Jarod. Parker drove Jarod and Andy to the hospital to get them checked out and make sure they were all right.
1:30 AM
The Hospital
The Waiting Room
Apparently Jarod had been lying about not hurting. He had to go into surgery to fix his broken ribs, cut wrists, a fractured arm, and numerous deep cuts on his back. Parker had no idea why anyone would want to beat him. A doctor came out of a room And over to Parker.
"Your husband is out of surgery now. He should be fine. I do not know how anyone could have put up with that kind of beating though and not have complained," said the doctor.
"He has had his experience with dealing with stuff like that," Parker said. "Hopefully it is all over."
7:00 PM
The Hospital
Jarod's Room
Jarod was sitting up in bed with his wrists and chest rapped in bandages and his arm in a sling when Parker walked in.
"You should have told me it was that bad," she said again. "You should have gone straight to the hospital."
"I'm telling you it is not that bad," protested Jarod. "I wanted to make sure that Andy and Michael got home safely any way. I think that they will probably let me go home today. If it were really all that bad I would be in here longer than just a day." Just then one of Jarod's buddies from the agency walked in saving him from farther scolding.
"Hey man how are ya feelin?"
"Great Mel! In fact they're letting me out of here today," said Jarod
"Yeah well I have something here that won't brighten up your day any," said Mel as he laid some newspapers on Jarod's bed. Jarod read the articles. The headlines were, 'There is a Genius Among Us' and 'Illegal Corporations Being Brought Down Around the World with Help of Genius' and 'Man that Once Killed People Now Working for the FBI'.
"Apparently some reporter found out about you and it hit the papers. I'd hate to be you right now man. Them scientists are gona be crawlin all over," said Mel.
"Yeah. But the up side to this is that now we get to find out about all the corporations connected to The Center that we missed," stated Jarod. Just then a man with a gun walked into the room.
"Told ya," said Jarod.
"Ok now all of you people stand real still now and no one gets hurt. Got it?" the man said in a shaky voice. Obviously the man was an amateur and did not know what he was doing. He came too close to Mel as he tried to take his gun away and Mel landed him a hit to the back of the head knocking him out cold.
"Wonder, who hired him," said Jarod as if nothing had happened. Mel called security and got the man taken down to the FBI headquarters.
"I'm going down to the headquarters to question the rookie," said Mel.
"Yeah and I'm going to persuade my lovely wife to check me out of here," said Jarod with a smile in Parker's direction.
A/N ok I know it did not have much detail and things should not happen that quick but I wrote this story when I first started out and it is the longest story that I have ever written down. I promise you when I write more it will be better *scratches her head guiltily* the only problem is that I am stuck as to what else to write. Trust me writers block for a whole year is an awful long time. To please R&R and I hope to get more chapters up soon but I need you guys to remind me so until then. Adios!! *Waves enthusiastically*
Pretender Fanatic
A/N ok this is my first Pretender fanfic. I have been reading you guy's fanfiction for awhile so I think that I know what to do but if I messed up please feel free to tell me. I don't mind flames I can deal with them but I like constructive criticism better *smiles* Oh and I wrote this story like a year ago and I know that it is not very good and needs work but the only thing is that I am afraid that if I erase it and start all over that I will end up with the same exact thing so I promise the next story will be better… well may be not that one because I started that one a year ago too but the one after that. *smiles crosses her heart and hopes to die* So on with the story. Charge!!!!
Oh uhhh HALT!! Haha I forgot to tell you guys where I got this idea. Well the truth is… I got it from you guys you guys are always drugging Jarod and then dragging him back to The Center only to have him wake up and escape of something like that… Well I thought what if some one drugged Jarod before The Center even got there?? Well that is what the story revolves around. So… resume charging!! *Horses and men charge down a big hill and fall right off the huge cliff at the bottom still screaming and yelling*
May 11, 1995
7:00 AM
Mike's Lawyer services
Scottsdale, Arizona
Jarod took one last look at his red notebook. The headlines were "Child's Parents Killed in Car Accident," "Drunk Drivers Crash into Elderly Couple," and "Child Left Parentless after DUI Accident." Jarod did not believe after reading the articles that the parents of this 13-year-old girl would really do this. He found out that the girl's (whose name was Lauren) lawyer worked here. He wanted to find out what really happened to her parents. He took a look at his fake ID and walked confidently into the building.
Same Place
7:00 AM
Mike's Office
Scottsdale, Arizona
'It is surprising,' Dr. Earl thought to himself, 'What a little bribing and a lot of money can get you.' Dr. Earl was no longer a real doctor, after they caught him doping up that one girl with heroin. He liked to be called a doctor still though. After all he did get his doctors degree. It is just that he could not go within a mile of any sort of hospital with a lab coat on and not get arrested. Earl was waiting to talk to Mike, his lawyer. He just so happened to look out the door of Mike's office when Jarod walked up to the front counter and showed his ID to the clerk. Stating that he was the lawyer sent up from Texas to investigate the case about the DUI accident. Earl quickly turned his back to the door and started to panic. 'How the heck did he get here!' Earl thought. Apparently Jarod did not know he was there other wise he would have noticed something was up. After all Dr. Earl was suppose to be in prison for life. Earl thought to himself over all the possibilities of what he could do. If Jarod did not know he was here and he just started working here he would know soon. Earl could not let that happen. He began to think more slowly and rationally. He then came up with a solution to his little problem. Why did it take him so long to think of it? He only thought about it every day for the last two years of his life. He only thought about how to kill the person who sent him to jail at least ten times a day. He knew just how to kill him too. All he had to do was find out where he lived. If he worked here that would not be too much of a problem. Just follow him home. It was so simple. Now he could get his revenge on Jarod, the man who sent him to jail.
Jarod's Hideout
9:30 PM
Scottsdale, Arizona
Jarod did not think that he could solve that case that quickly. He thought that the DUI accident would have been a harder case than that. It took him 24 hours to solve the case and to find out who did it. It was Lauren's lawyer. He was not very good at covering up his tracks. By tomorrow he would have proof that this guy killed Lauren's parents by messing with their car and making it look like a DUI accident the whole time. He decided that he would put him in a car with the doors locked and remote control steering and a two-way hands free walkie-talkie. He would threaten to crash the car unless he told the truth. While he was thinking about his decision to tell the truth he would drive the car around with the remote control just to make him think that he was not afraid of crashing it over a cliff. Jarod had a lot of work to do before his 'date' with Lauren's lawyer the following night.
The same night
One hour later
Outside Jarod's hideout
Scottsdale, Arizona
Dr. Earl could not wait any longer he snuck up to Jarod's door and broke in. He found Jarod's bedroom but Jarod was not in bed he looked around the building some more until he found him working on his computer.
"Nightie night sweet prince!" yelled Earl as he raised the crow bar. Jarod had just enough time to turn around and see a man with a crow bar raised coming at him. The crow bar came smashing down on his head, and complete darkness enveloped him.
A short time later
Jarod's Hideout
Scottsdale, Arizona
Earl was looking though Jarod's stuff after he had handcuffed Jarod to a bar in the closet so that his toes where barely touching the ground. He came across an odd looking silver case. When he opened it he found a computer type thing and some tiny disks. He put one of the disks in the slot and pressed play. A picture of Jarod came onto the screen. Down at the bottom of the screen it said "Jarod for Center use only" There was a film of Jarod getting shocked by a car battery by some men in black suits. Then there came a film of a man telling Jarod if he ever wanted to see his family alive again he should behave. Earl thought about it for a moment while watching some more of the disks then he made a new plan. This place looked like a living heck. This would be much better than killing Jarod. Apparently from the disks he watched Jarod had escaped The Center and now they were after him. Earl continued to root around in Jarod's things. Then he came across his cell phone. He looked at the speed dial numbers. There was Sydney and Miss Parker along with others. He remembered that in the disks it said that Miss Parker was trying to recapture Jarod. Earl decided to call her.
Ten Minutes Later
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker practically ran down the hall. Her high heals giving the impression that if anyone came close to her that she would bite their heads off. She slowed her pace when she came to Broot's hole. She went in and saw Sydney working with Angelo and Broots on his computer.
"Broots come!" She walked out the door not even looking to see if Broots was following. A couple seconds later Broots stumbled out the door.
"Yes Miss Parker?" Broots mumbled.
"I just got a call. Some Dr. Earl caught Jarod. He wants money as well as revenge on Jarod. I want you to trace the call. Now!"
"Yes Miss Parker." Broots murmured as he went back to his hole.
5.30 AM
Jarod's Hideout
Scottsdale, Arizona
Jarod regained conciseness sometime during the night. He could not remember ever seeing the man that knocked him out before. He knew that it was not a sweeper or else he would be in a holding cell back at The Center by now not stuffed in a closet. Earl walked up and opened the door, interrupting his thoughts.
"Good morning. Did you have a nice sleep?" As soon as Jarod saw the man's face he knew who he was.
Two years ago he did a pretend as Jarod Jones a drug addict. When he was a child back in The Center they doped him up on heroine. An orderly helped him through withdraw. Since the man got to close to Jarod The Center killed him. That pretend two years ago was to help his daughter. Dr. Earl was pumping her up on heroine so that she would have to stay in the rehab center. Earl's high school sweet heart wanted to have custody of her son. Jarod found out and gave both Earl and his 'love' a drug to make them think that they were on heroine. He made them confess that way.
"How the heck did you get out? You were suppose to be in prison for life." Jarod said in a startled tone.
"I had a lot of money and after the trial I got another lawyer. He figured out that I was under the influence of drugs when I confessed. I denied it every other time the question was asked. I was let free due to the fact that I could have said anything while under the influence," Earl said in a matter of fact tone. "But I did have to spend two years in jail and I still hate you so I am getting my revenge on you. I called that Center place and I am getting some money and they are getting you. I thought that they might not beat you though so I made up this little drug in my spare time. It will knock you out for two days then when you wake up you will be extremely weak and you will have headaches, nausea, hallucinations, cold sweats, hot flashes, and other nasty side affects for almost a week afterwards. Nice isn't it? Earl said in almost a too a happy tone.
"When you called The Center did you use my cell phone?" Jarod asked in a rushed sort of way.
"Well Duh how was I suppose to get Miss Parker's number?"
"Did you put on the scrambler?" Jarod asked his voice filled with terror.
"Heck no"
"Well then in that case The Center will be here in a matter of minutes"
"Who do you thing I am? A dimwit? You are not going anywhere. Any ways it is time for your shot."
"No you can't do this. The Center will kill you. You can't trust any of them," Jarod yelled as the needle entered his arm. He passed out shortly after.
Half an hour ago
Mr. Lyle's office
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Willie marched into Mr. Lyle's office.
"Mr. Lyle we intercepted an e-mail from Broots to Miss Parker as to Jarod's where abouts."
"Well! Where is he?"
"He is in Scottsdale, Arizona sir."
"When is my sister leaving to get him?"
"One hour sir."
"Then I want to leave now!"
"Sir there is a man named Dr. Earl that wants ransom and revenge on Jarod. He is holding him hostage. Sir!"
"Then we will give him ten thousand dollars in return for Jarod, and then we will kill him."
"Yes sir!"
"Go get the jet ready Willie" With that Lyle left with a team of sweepers to retrieve Jarod.
A couple Hours Later
Scottsdale, Arizona
Jarod's not so secret hideout
Sweepers slammed open the door.
"Hey what are you doing here? We had a deal," said Earl.
"Where is he?" Lyle asked while looking around the room.
"He is in the closet," said Earl. "Where is my money?" Lyle handed him a briefcase full of money as two sweepers drug the limp form of Jarod out of the closet
. "What is wrong with him?" asked Lyle. Earl pulled a bottle of clear liquid out of his pocket.
"I drugged him with this narcotic that I made up. It works pretty much like heroine," Earl said with a smirk.
"How long will he be asleep?" Lyle asked.
"Two days," said Earl
"We will be leaving now," stated Lyle. Lyle turned to Willie.
"Do 'im" A single shot rang out and Earl fell on the floor, dead. Lyle turned back around to face the dead form of Dr. Earl. He took the bottle out of his unmoving hands and put it in his own pocket
"I could have some use for this," he stated to the corpse. With that Lyle turned and left the building with the sweepers dragging Jarod right behind him.
1:00 PM
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Lyle walked into his office where a woman was waiting for him.
"I wanted to talk to you about the security in the Pretender's room. We don't want another escape. What do you suggest?" Lyle asked the woman as he sat down in his chair by his desk.
"I suggest that we put him in a room with four cement walls at least 15 cameras and two doors instead of one. No bed just a block of metal built into the wall. No bathroom, you can take him out of his room to do his business," said the woman calmly
"Thank you Kim I will be in touch," said Lyle. With that he left his office to go down to the sim lab where he temporarily had the Pretender.
2:00 PM
The Sim lab
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod awoke slowly and painfully. His head was spinning and he felt really weak. He opened his eyes to see Lyle staring at him straight in the face. Terror filled his eyes and Lyle broke into a smile.
"Did you miss me?" Lyle asked. Jarod swore underneath his breath. He was back at The Center. He looked around and figured out that he was chained into a lying position on a table.
Lyle smirked, "We just wanted to make sure that Dr. Earl's drug wouldn't kill you, but now that we see that it didn't we might use it on you more often if your not good." Jarod felt a hot flash coming on. Then he started to hallucinate. He saw images of when Lyle tried to stop his heart. He started to scream.
"Take him to his room," Lyle said in disgust. Jarod struggled feebly as two sweepers took him by his arms, still screaming.
2:10
Jarod's Cell
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
The two sweepers quickly threw Jarod into his room and locked the door, not wanting to be too close to the crazed Pretender. Once the sweepers left Jarod lifted his head from of his knees where he was sitting in the corner and started to laugh. To the common eye it looked like another one of his hallucinations, but the real reason why Jarod was laughing was because he outsmarted The Center. It was true that he suffered from hot sweats, cold flashes, headaches, and nausea, but he did not believe the images that he saw before his eyes. He did see the hallucinations but he did not believe them. He was doped up on heroine before and he knew how to cope with withdraw. It was not as bad as it seemed. He took a look around his cell. Whoever designed this cell was no fool. There was no where to go. There was no where to hide. There was no escape. It was a one-roomed cell with four cement walls. There was a block of metal that was meant for a bed. There was a door to his right and another door right after that one. What bothered him the most were the cameras. There were eight in full view and who knows how many hidden. They were like stalkers. There was no relief from them. There were no cracks what so ever in the room. There was no where to hide anything which meant no escape. He would just have to bide his time until The Center got careless.
2:30
Sam's house
Atlanta, Georgia
Sam walked around her house anxiously. Jarod was suppose to be there an hour ago to meet her for his monthly visit. With his last visit he told her about his life in The Center. They planned on bring The Center down. Now he was missing. Sam remembered how Jarod showed her how to hack into The Center's mainframe on the computer during his last visit. Sam decided to search there for answers as to where Jarod was. In the mean time she would have to go on with 'Operation Erase' which was the FBI operation to bring down The Center. She just hoped that Jarod was not in any trouble.
2:30
Lyle's office
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker slammed the doors open to her brother's office.
"Jarod was my assignment to bring back! You had no right!" she yelled into her brother's face. Lyle calmly sat there taking in her angry expression.
"Mr. Raines ordered me to bring him back," He stated. "He did not think that you were doing your job."
"The heck I wasn't I had him and you went behind my back and brought him back!" she yelled some more.
"Well he belongs to me and Mr. Rains now. He is our project to do what ever we want with, and I forbid you to go near him," Lyle said keeping up his calm front.
"Then in that case Jarod is probably on death row right now. Right?" said Miss Parker as she turned to leave.
Two days later
3:00 am
Jarod's room
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Come on lab rat time for another sim," said Willie as he entered the room to find Jarod asleep on the shelf that served as his bed. Jarod had been exhausted lately due to the amount of beatings he had received. Whenever he did anything wrong at all they beat him in an attempt to break him. He had gotten a total of three hours of sleep while he was at The Center, and those three hours were all haunted with nightmares from the drug plus his usual nightmares. He wondered what they had in store for him today. The hallucinations from the drug were wearing off but he was left with a massive headache. Earl thought wrong when he thought that the drug would last for a week. Jarod could feel the stuff wearing off. He really needed some sleep if he was going to be any use. The sweepers practicality dragged his exhausted body down to the sim lab. They strapped him down in a chair and retreated to guard the door. As the restraints were tightened around Jarod's neck, arms and, ankles, he began to come more alert and struggled feebly. He had been beaten so much that his body was almost useless to him. The only part of him that was still sharp was his mind. He was constantly looking for a way out but never found any. It would be harder to escape this time than it was the last two times. Lyle walked in and put a file in front of Jarod.
"You are going to help us locate Major Charles and Gemini today!" Lyle said excitedly.
"You must be nuts if you think that I am helping with that. I'm not some sort of traitor like you," Jarod said trying hard to stay awake.
"Oh but you will help us the way I see it," Lyle exclaimed Then he started to reefer to Jarod as Major Charles. Asking him where he took the boy. Jarod tried to resist as long as he could but eventually the sim pulled him in. He told Lyle where they were.
3:00 PM
The FBI secret headquarters
Conference room
Atlanta, Georgia
Sam walked in the room and set down a bunch of folders all marked Project Erase. She turned to face all the other agents in the room.
She spoke to them, "Good morning agents. Most of you are aware of Project Erase. Just in case you are not it is a project to bring down a secret organization that has been performing illegal activities. I have hacked into their main frame and figured out the exact location of this building. I also figured out that they have captured the man that knows the most about The Center. I have run off a list of all the major key players in this corporation that should be brought down before everyone else. I also have a plan of action. We have to get out the children and captives that they have in The Center first so that they can not hold them hostage. Mel, you and Dave, along with Mike and Sid are going to be our under cover agents. You are the best agents to do the job and I know that you can do it. I have already gotten Mel, and Dave jobs as sweepers, and Mike and Sid doctors in the infirmary. I have also erased any evidence of you every being connected with the FBI. Take note of where all the captives are especially Jarod. Don't make contact with us and be ready in five days at 11:00 PM at the nearest ventilation system. All personal in The Center carry a weapon so you do not have to worry about that. Tim, you and your squad take the front of the building. Bill, you and your force take the back. My force will take the sides, and Sara will mange the captive rescue. More details will be sent to you. Mel, Dave, Mike, Sid come with me. I have to tell you guys some things about your jobs. Meeting dismissed.
4:00 PM
The Sim Lab
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
At the end of the simulation Jarod knew that Lyle had injected him with something but he was so out of it he did not struggle. When the sweepers unstrained him from the chair he started to come back to reality and started to struggle. He immediately felt weak and vomited. Lyle looked at Jarod with disgust and said to him.
"That drug that Dr. Earl made came in use. We modified it and you no longer fall asleep. It is more use to us like that." The sweepers dragged the Pretender back to his room. Jarod was too weak to even struggle at all any more. The beatings plus the drugs were taking their toil on him and all he wanted now was a bottle of Advil and a good sleep.
4:30
Jarod's cell
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
After the sweepers left Jarod went over to the corner and started to shiver uncontrollably. He felt like he was going to pass out. His whole body hurt and he probably had some broken ribs. He had whip marks all over. It was another order from Mr. Lyle. He then started to gag and heave. Then Jarod mercifully passed out.
4:30
Lyle's office
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Lyle watched the whole episode of Jarod passing out. As much as he wanted to just let the Pretender die he couldn't. If Jarod died then he died. He turned to the sweeper next to him who happened to be Mel, and said with a sigh,
"Get a medical team down there." Mel made sure that he got Mike and Sid to be on the medical team. Then he went down to see if he could help before they arrived. He got to Jarod's cell and ordered the door to be opened. When he went inside he saw Jarod lying on the floor in the far corner. He went over to the downed Pretender and knelt over him. He could see that Jarod was conscious again but in bad shape. While he had the chance he bent down like he was looking at his wounds and whispered in his ear that he was a FBI agent sent to get him out of The Center. Jarod groaned to show that he understood and opened his eyes and gave him a look that told him that he was not really all that bad in mind and spirit. Then he closed his eyes again and passed out once more. Just then the medical team arrived with Mike as head doctor. He went over to Jarod and as he bent down to inspect him Mel whispered to him that he told Jarod. Mike nodded to show that he heard but did not make eye contact. Then Mike asked Mel how long he had been like this.
"He has passed out twice," stated Mel
He has some bruised ribs that probably are getting close to puncturing his lung," confirmed Mike. He then ordered his medical staff to take him to the infirmary and tend to him.
"He should be ok. It was probably all the pain from the beatings plus the cracked ribs that caused him to pass out." The medical team took the Pretender to the infirmary to care for him.
Two Days Later
FBI secret headquarters
Sam's Office
Atlanta, Georgia
Sam was worried about Jarod. She knew that he could take care of himself, but nonetheless she was still worried. When she went into The Center's mainframe she found out about all the sims that they were planning to do. She had to stop them. They could put many lives in danger. She just couldn't let it happen. She had told Mel to try to stay as close to Jarod as possible with out looking suspicious. She wanted the corporation to be brought down as soon as possible. Just then one of her colleges walked in.
"Sam we found Jarod's family compliments of the sim that he performed on them. We went to their house before The Center got there. They are all sitting in the lounge right now. I told them that you would tell them all you knew about Jarod." Said the man.
"Thanks," said Sam as she walked out the door to talk to them.
12:00
FBI Secret Headquarters
Lounge
Atlanta, Georgia
Sam had talked with the Major and Michael (the boy) along with Margaret, Emily, and Ethan whom they found else where due to Jarod's sims on them. Michael had asked to help with the sting operation. He showed his abilities on breaking and entering, cracking code, over riding system security on the computer, and his knowledge of The Center. Sam had agreed to let him help only because he knew so much about The Center.
1:00 PM
Mr. Lyle's Office
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Mr. Lyle we have a new project that we would like you to handle," wheezed Raines. "We want Miss Parker to have Jarod's baby. Put this in her food. It will make her ulcer act up. We will put her into surgery to fix it and impregnate her then. We were told that Miss Parker and Jarod would have the perfect Pretender. Do you understand Lyle?"
"Yes Sir! It will be my pleasure sir!" said Lyle
1:30 PM
Miss Parker's Office
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Lyle walked in to Miss Parker's office just as she dropped to the floor with a groan. Lyle had a look of horror on his face, but really inside he was grinning from ear to ear.
"Sis! What's wrong!" he said running over to her side.
"My stomach hurts like heck." She muttered in between groans.
"It must be your ulcer. We have to get you some medical attention." Lyle said as the doctors came in the room. The doctors had been hand picked by Ranies and neither Mike nor Sid were on the team.
1:30
Infirmary
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod woke up and realized that he was strapped down to a bed. He remembered the sweeper saying that he was an FBI agent right before he passed out. Pain burned though out his whole body. He could hear a doctor say that he was not ready to go back to his cell yet because of the beatings and the cracked ribs. Jarod thought that she might be an FBI agent too because besides the pain he felt fine and was probably ready to go back. He thought that he would just play along though and pretended to fall back asleep.
A little while later
Infirmary
The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod heard someone come into his room and cracked his eye open to see who it was. It was Sid. He could tell by her voice that she was the doctor that said that he should not go back to his room yet. He groaned and rolled over on his uninjured side to face her and to turn his back to the camera.
"The Center is going down three days from now at 11:00," she said "Be ready." Jarod opened his eyes and nodded.
"Thanks for telling them I was not ready to go back to work. Lyle probably would have driven me off the deep end with that drug of his," said Jarod
"Your welcome. Now get some rest," she said as she left the room.
11:00 PM
Three Days Later
Outside The Center
Blue Cove, Delaware
FBI agents were surrounding the building. Michael had given them specific instructions on how to bring down The Center. It was an ingenious plan. Just then Jarod and Miss Parker along with some other children captives came stumbling out of the darkness covered in dirt and all of them breathless.
"Jarod! Over here." whispered Sam. Jarod turned and broke into a huge smile.
"Sam. I thought that you were behind all this," he whispered back as walked over to her. "I hope that you have a plan to bring this place down or else we are all dead meat."
Don't you worry I have a plan. Your clone, Michael, thought it up." She said in a happy tone of voice.
"My family is here?" Jarod asked in aw.
"Yeah. You can go see them soon."
One week later
Charles place
Outside Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod had a happy reunion with his whole family. Seeing as Jarod did not have to worry about The Center chasing him anymore the FBI offered him a job. Jarod accepted. The whole family would go back to Atlanta, Georgia along with Miss Parker the following week. Lately Jarod and Miss Parker had been seeing each other as a couple. Just then the phone rang. Jarod answered it. It was Miss Parker
"Parker. What's wrong? Are you all right?" Jarod asked as he heard Miss Parker crying on the other end of the phone.
"Jarod. I am going to have a baby. A couple of days before The Center was brought down my ulcer was acting up. I went in for surgery. Now I am pregnant because The Center wanted to make sure they had another Pretender if you ever ran away again. Apparently we would make the perfect Pretender. Jarod, I was one of their projects."
Thirteen Years Later
Jarod's House
Atlanta, Georgia
Over the last thirteen years Jarod got married to Miss Parker. Miss Parker even though she got married still liked everyone to call her Parker. She did not like her first name, Angel. It was her dad's pet name for her and it brought back bad memories. They had a little girl whom they named Andy, short for Andrea. Jarod stayed with the FBI bringing down all the other places that The Center ran around the world. All the main Center players got life in prison or worse. Most of the people like Sydney and Broots were let go due to the fact that they were forced into doing what they did. Andrea was a pretender like her father but she still went to regular school. Parker and Jarod told Andy about their past and about The Center. She seemed to understand. She knew that her father still had nightmares of the place that he was forced to grow up in. Major Charles and Margaret owned a house near by. Raising Micheal was a full time job. He went to a collage near by. He was studing to be… well every thing. He wanted to get all of his diplomas so that as he put it he "did not have to pretend anymore." They all wanted to lead as normal as a life as possible. Major Charles worked as a FBI agent with his son. Emily and Ethan bought houses of their own close by and were starting families of their own.
April 21
3:00 PM
George Hill Rd.
Michael and Andy along with some friends were walking home from school. Michael stopped dead in his tracks his face filled with terror. All around Mexican men in black suits were stepping out of black town cars with Mexican license plates that said TC1 and TC16.
"Andy," said Michael in a sort of trance. "TC, The Center. They found us." Michael took a paper and pen out of his backpack and wrote down the licenses plate and the words 'They found us. Mexico Trace us' He called Andy over to him.
"There is no way out of this. They have got us surrounded. We can't get away but they can," he said pointing to their friends. Andy went over to her friends who knew nothing of The Center.
"Guys we need you to give this to my dad," she said handing them the piece of paper she took from Michael. "Don't look back just keep on walking. No matter what. Got it?" Her friends nodded with all seriousness, and started to walk away. All they knew was that. Andy's father and grandfather were FBI agents and that Michael was Jarod's brother. Andy turned to Michael.
"So I guess I get to see what The Center looks like," she said.
"Yeah but not with out a fight," said Michael. They both knew how to fight. As the men advanced on them they threw caution to the winds and attacked them. After some struggle the men pinned them both against a car. That was just what Michael was waiting for. He slipped a tracking device that Jarod given him from his shirtsleeve to under the car. Men handcuffed both of them and put them in a car.
3:30 PM
Jarod's house
Atlanta, Georgia
Andy's friends walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. Jarod answered the door. A girl named Erica gave him the piece of paper that Andy had given her. The group walked down the steps and up the sidewalk. Jarod quickly read the note in disbelief. He rushed to his study and logged onto his computer. His experienced hands flew over the keys and he soon knew where The Mexican Center was. How could he have missed it in his searches for any corporation remotely connected to The Center? He grabbed his jacket and went into the kitchen where Parker was working on cooking a meal. He quickly explained to her about the kidnapping and told her he was going to find them.
"Let the agency help you Honey. You can't do this by yourself," said Parker.
"I have to," said Jarod. "Too many lives would be at risk. I could not put any one in the agency in danger like that. I am going alone. Tell dad where I went. Here is the location and the over ride code on the computer for their mainframe. I will get them back." He kissed Parker and left.
12:00 Midnight
The Mexican Center
The cell where Andy and Michael were being kept
Jarod dropped to the floor from an air vent and went over to Michael and Andy.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"They are fine," said a voice as a man entered the room from behind a steel door with a team of sweepers. "Get him," said the man. Jarod started to back up against a wall to protect his back. He went into a fighting stance. He brought down a few of the sweepers before they finally apprehended him. "Take him to the beating room," said the man that seemed to be the leader. Jarod struggled the whole time. It took six sweepers to get him out of the room. "Now we have three pretenders," said the man with a smile. He left the room with the remaining sweeper at his heels.
1:00 AM
Jarod's house
Atlanta, Georgia
"Good old Jarod," said The Major smiling to Parker. "He left an e-mail on his computer with instructions to bring down The Center in Mexico. The operation will commence in one day. The instructions are simple enough. We have to get the children out of there. Jarod probably got caught trying to rescue them. I think that that was his plan to keep them from suffering. I have to go and tell the agency about this."
One Day Later
12:00 Midnight
The Mexican Center
Jarod had been beaten. His whole body hurt but he bared with it knowing that he was saving his brother and daughter the pain. He knew by the guard change what time it was. It was time to go. He hopped into the air vent and slowly crawled his way to the room where they had Michael and Andy. He looked the screen on the vent and whispered to them. They had already picked the locks on their handcuffs and were ready to go. They climbed into the vent and crawled behind Jarod. They climbed out some where in the woods. All of them were silent. Alarms began to wail and they all took off through the woods. They found the rescue team and Michael and Andy went with a man and a woman while Jarod took his gun from Sam and got behind some bushes.
"You know you don't have to do this. Go get fixed up. You look like crap," said Sam.
Those men kidnapped my brother and my daughter for goodness sakes Sam. They used them as bait to get to me. I am staying and helping. Shortly after some men came crashing through the underbrush. Jarod tackled one while Sam brought the back of her gun slamming down on another one's head. The men were read their rights and hulled off.
Hours later
Jarod's house
Atlanta, Georgia
Jarod opened the door to find his whole family sitting worriedly in the living room. Parker ran up to him and gave him and Andy a big hug.
"I missed you both so much," she said. She lifted her head from Jarods shoulder "And Mr. never go gallivanting off like that again." Parker picked up Jarod's hands, which were lying limply at his side and noticed the deep cuts all the way around his wrist. She knew that he was beaten because when she gave him a hug she could feel the whip marks. She knew that he probably got the cuts on his hands by hanging from them by a pair of handcuffs. She figured that he did not want to talk about it but made a mental note to get him to a hospital within the hour. The family went around giving hugs and kisses to all of them. After a while they all retired to their own houses. Parker gave Jarod a look and said,
"You should have gone straight to the hospital with all those cuts."
"I didn't want to worry you and make it seem worse than it was. Any ways they are not that deep," stated Jarod. Parker drove Jarod and Andy to the hospital to get them checked out and make sure they were all right.
1:30 AM
The Hospital
The Waiting Room
Apparently Jarod had been lying about not hurting. He had to go into surgery to fix his broken ribs, cut wrists, a fractured arm, and numerous deep cuts on his back. Parker had no idea why anyone would want to beat him. A doctor came out of a room And over to Parker.
"Your husband is out of surgery now. He should be fine. I do not know how anyone could have put up with that kind of beating though and not have complained," said the doctor.
"He has had his experience with dealing with stuff like that," Parker said. "Hopefully it is all over."
7:00 PM
The Hospital
Jarod's Room
Jarod was sitting up in bed with his wrists and chest rapped in bandages and his arm in a sling when Parker walked in.
"You should have told me it was that bad," she said again. "You should have gone straight to the hospital."
"I'm telling you it is not that bad," protested Jarod. "I wanted to make sure that Andy and Michael got home safely any way. I think that they will probably let me go home today. If it were really all that bad I would be in here longer than just a day." Just then one of Jarod's buddies from the agency walked in saving him from farther scolding.
"Hey man how are ya feelin?"
"Great Mel! In fact they're letting me out of here today," said Jarod
"Yeah well I have something here that won't brighten up your day any," said Mel as he laid some newspapers on Jarod's bed. Jarod read the articles. The headlines were, 'There is a Genius Among Us' and 'Illegal Corporations Being Brought Down Around the World with Help of Genius' and 'Man that Once Killed People Now Working for the FBI'.
"Apparently some reporter found out about you and it hit the papers. I'd hate to be you right now man. Them scientists are gona be crawlin all over," said Mel.
"Yeah. But the up side to this is that now we get to find out about all the corporations connected to The Center that we missed," stated Jarod. Just then a man with a gun walked into the room.
"Told ya," said Jarod.
"Ok now all of you people stand real still now and no one gets hurt. Got it?" the man said in a shaky voice. Obviously the man was an amateur and did not know what he was doing. He came too close to Mel as he tried to take his gun away and Mel landed him a hit to the back of the head knocking him out cold.
"Wonder, who hired him," said Jarod as if nothing had happened. Mel called security and got the man taken down to the FBI headquarters.
"I'm going down to the headquarters to question the rookie," said Mel.
"Yeah and I'm going to persuade my lovely wife to check me out of here," said Jarod with a smile in Parker's direction.
A/N ok I know it did not have much detail and things should not happen that quick but I wrote this story when I first started out and it is the longest story that I have ever written down. I promise you when I write more it will be better *scratches her head guiltily* the only problem is that I am stuck as to what else to write. Trust me writers block for a whole year is an awful long time. To please R&R and I hope to get more chapters up soon but I need you guys to remind me so until then. Adios!! *Waves enthusiastically*
Pretender Fanatic