Omega Web: Trial of Honor by JayVitolo
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Please don't sue, I'm poor.
Notes: This has been half a month in the making. Simply put, Writing 2 has burned me out of writing in general. Sorry for how long it has taken. Now that I have a few ideas, the next chapter should come rather quickly. Keep reading my stories and rating them, that's all I can ask.
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"His name is Daniel St. Brolier." He looks up from the paper with a shocked expression on his face. "A disavowed Federal Agent."
The name sends a chill down Jarod's spine as he stares at the wall across from him. He's lost in thought, unaware to the change of mood around him. Unaware of the woman now standing before him waving her hand. Unaware of the elder man standing before him calling his name. Unaware of the drying sensation in his throat. Aware only of his past and the name Daniel St. Brolier. He slowly comes back to reality and the world he resides in.
"Jarod, are you okay?" Marie Parker is snapping hr fingers in front of his eyes. She still receives no response. She looks over Jarod's shoulder at Sydney who is still trying to get his attention.
"Jarod?" Sydney's started poking Jarod in the shoulder blades, but still receives no response.
Without a second thought, Parker slaps Jarod across the face. The sudden hit brings Jarod back. His cheek is red at the point of impact and Parker's ring has put a small cut in Jarod's flesh. Instinctively he rubs the bruised skin, but sees the blood after pulling his hand away.
He looks Parker in the eyes before speaking. "It's usually a better idea to just nudge somebody."
"I did. You didn't answer." She smiles before starting to wipe the blood from the small cut.
"What were you thinking of Jarod?" Sydney quickly cuts to the subject.
"Nothing really. Just remembering simpler times." Jarod lies, knowing that Sydney and Parker will figure it out.
"I know you're a genius Jarod, so trying to fabricate a better lie than that." The Ice Queen takes a shot, Parker didn't even know what she said until the look on Sydney's face hit her.
"Yes." Sydney continues to stare at Marie Parker but continues to speak to Jarod. "You seemed to lose focus when I mentioned the stalker's name."
"Fill us in Jarod." Parker pulls Jarod into a seat beside her and stares him in the eyes. "What is the connection between you two?"
Jarod slowly loses focus as he remembers the man. "I met him during my first pretend. I was working as an undercover FBI Agent with Daniel on a narcotics sting."
"Wait, I thought you worked on the oil rig when you first got out." Parker quickly interrupts drawing Jarod's attention.
"You think I left clues during EVERY pretend I did? I already had done half a dozen by the time you guys discovered that one." Jarod almost sounds offended at the assumption. "Now can I continue?"
He looks at Sydney and then towards Parker. They offer no resistance and he continues. "Thank you. Now, I joined the ranks because I read about an assassination contract taken out on Daniel's wife. I went in to discover the truth, but found out that Daniel had a few more skeletons in his closet."
Jarod slowly inhales and then exhales before continuing. Remembering this whole episode is bringing pain Jarod would like to forget. "It turns out he was accepting bribes from the dealers of the drugs to look the other way, so to speak. The contract was taken out on his wife because she found out about the deals. She decided the best way to handle the situation was though letters to Daniel's superiors, but he got them instead."
Parker is visibly upset at Daniel's character. How could a man treat a wife this way? All she wanted to do was help him, even if that meant losing him.
"I was able to stop the bribes Daniel kept receiving, but I could prevent his wife's murder. I did manage to get Daniel removed from the force, but he never received jail time. There wasn't enough evidence to convict him of any crimes, so he disappeared. The police found a body that was identified as Daniel and his case was closed."
Sydney looks at the folder in his hands. "Evidently the body was not Daniel."
"Yeah. Evidently." Jarod sighs as he looks at the floor.
"That's in the past Jarod. You can't blame yourself for what happened." Parker wraps an arm around Jarod and places her head on his shoulder.
"Yes I can and I often do." Jarod keeps looking at the floor and sighs heavily. "If I would've gone after Daniel's wife first, she'd still be alive. That is innocent blood on my hands, I allowed her to die."
He looks up at Marie sitting next to him. "I blame myself and so does Daniel, and now he wants to hurt you, the closest one to me. I have to meet him tonight to end this."
Parker starts to speak but Jarod covers her mouth. "You have to stay away. I don't know what he'll do if you're seen."
Jarod quietly stands and heads for the door. He grabs the cold metal handle; the chills recede down his spine as he looks at his reflection in the glass. How appropriate the face looking back is transparent, just like how he feels now. An error of the past came back to haunt him, it's time to finish this before anybody else gets hurt.
He slowly pulls the door open before sighing and looking back. "I've got to finish this before any of you get hurt." He looks at the hallway in front of him. "Alone." He turns to walk down the hallway as the door closes behind him with a hush. Jarod doesn't care what Marie is thinking; this is for her own good. Unfortunately, she'll be there one way or another.
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Jarod is sitting in his car at a red light when his phone starts to ring. The beeping breaks the calm night air, catching the pretender off guard. He reaches into his coat pocket to retrieve the ringing phone and flips it open without checking the number. It's at his ear as he breathes deeply.
"Hello?"
"Where are you Jarod? It's not nice to keep people waiting." The voice on the other end has a taunting tone to it as the man continues. "Please tell me the 'Great Pretender' didn't chicken out. Did you bring your spitfire with you? I've been dieing to meet her."
"Listen Daniel. I know what this is about."
"Do you now?" A slight chuckle can be heard on the other line. Daniel responds with a sharper tone. "You have no idea my old friend."
"You're still mad at me about your wife."
"I was wrong. You do know what this is about. However, did you know I have ever intention of taking your precious Marie?"
Jarod's fingers dig into the steering wheel as the last words reverberate though his mind. "You so much as touch her, Daniel, and I will send you to whatever god you wish."
"Now, now Jarod. Is that anyway to talk to an old partner?"
"Only if it's you Daniel."
"You have one hour. You show up, we talk. You don't, I hunt Marie down like the dog she is."
The dial tone flows into Jarod's ears as he stares at the green light. Without blinking, the cellphone is thrown from the car as the engine starts to growl. Jarod puts the car into gear as the phone hits the ground, and he is gone.
Jarod's black Mustang slides to a stop in the gravel parking lot of the Chester County Glass Mill. He quickly gets out and enters the darkened building, walking to the center with a purpose. He quickly looks around and notices the inside has been gutted, the lights hand from the ceiling on long wires and the equipment is no longer inside.
The lights quickly switch on causing a temporary blindness to overcome Jarod, but it quickly passes allowing him to see a room about ten feet from the floor. This room is separated from the main building by a balcony that leads to a room with marbleized glass windows. These windows slowly turn back as a dark figure walks up to them.
"Hello Jarod."
The lights switch off as Jarod continues to look at the figure above him. They quickly switch back on causing Jarod to wince from the brightness.
"Daniel." Jarod's voice is cold with no detectible emotion.
"Come on, cheer up." Daniel leans against the windows. "I brought you a present, made it myself. It's on the table in front of you."
Jarod's eyes fall on the old wooden table before him. He slowly walks up to the black box and carefully lifts the lid off. He reaches inside and pulls out a noose, a smirk crosses his face as he holds it up to Daniel.
"I supposed this is to mean I deserve the death penalty." Jarod shakes the noose while looking at Daniel's shadow.
"No. It's the noose you made for yourself all those years ago, when you killed my wife." Daniel walks away from the window and through the door of the small room. He is now standing ten feet above Jarod and looks at him from the balcony.
Jarod drops the noose on the floor without removing his eyes from Daniel. "Get this through your head. You are the one that called for her death."
Daniel starts to walk down the stairs but stops halfway at Jarod's comment. He spins the face Jarod and grabs the handrail. "You were the one that didn't watch her. You brought her in to convince me to stop. You were the one that put her in harms way."
He finishes walking down the stairs and stands in front of Jarod. "You were the one that was so obsessed with bringing me down. You were the one that neglected her."
Jarod grabs Daniels shirt and pulls him close. "You forgot something." Jarod's face is full of anger and his voice is full of rage.
A smile crosses Daniel's face as he realizes he got under Jarod's skin. This is a small personal victory. "What's that?"
"I'm also the one that got you removed from the FBI."
Daniel's smile fades at the comment. Jarod's right. "I suppose I should thank you. Because of you, I've had so much free time to find a new wife." Daniel removes a picture of Miss Parker from his back pocket. He shows it to Jarod as the smirk returns.
"Your Marie Parker." The grin of Daniel's face finally breaks Jarod, he lashes out.
Jarod can't take it anymore and hits Daniel with a right to the jaw causing the other man to stumble backwards. Jarod grabs him by the shirt and pulls him to his feet before connecting with a second shot. Then things take a turn for the worst. Daniel was counting on this outpour of Jarod's emotions, and then he strikes. Jarod never saw the Tranquilizer in Daniel's hands, at least not until it was too late.
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Marie Parker has been watching the exchange from outside the glass plant and listening with a hearing piece. She wanted to run in there to help Jarod out, but she forced herself to stay here. Jarod told her to stay and she would, even though it was eating her from the inside. The conversation made her want to help Jarod even more, but then the fighting started.
Then it was the scene from her dream. One of the men fell over and the other left. As if on queue, the fire started followed by the explosion. This time, no red book fell. In its place was a piece newspaper, detailing the trial of Daniel St. Brolier. Out of instinct, she turned around to see the man standing behind her. It all happened so fast, he hit her with the gun in his hand and everything went black. The last sound she heard was the fire.
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"Jarod."
No answer.
"Jarod. It's time to wake up, sunshine."
Still no answer.
"The hell with this."
Jarod jerks awake as a cold bucket of water hits him in the face. He looks around, taking in the room he is sitting in. It's a dark room, used for developing photos. Pictures of Miss Parker line the walls. The bins to develop the photos are stored on the table beside him and the red light is turned on. Everything he sees has a red outline, even the man standing in front of him. Jarod tries to move but realizes he is duct taped to the chair.
"Welcome back to reality." The man starts to walk over to him carrying an object. The block is set before Jarod and the man switches the lights back on.
"I thought I was rid of you Brolier." Jarod's eyes take their time adjusting to the white light. Eventually the sharp pain subsides and Jarod can see clearly.
"You can only wish." Daniel pulls the top off the box and starts to remove the contents. Before anything is pulled out, he looks at Jarod with a grin. "So how do you wish to be tortured today?"
"You mean I have a choice?" The sarcasm flows from Jarod's mouth like venom from a snake.
"Not really. But this is a democracy isn't it?"
Jarod smiles a false grin as he tries to pull his hands up from the chair.
"Don't waste your time. You aren't going anywhere." Daniel sits on the table with the box beside him. He starts to place the 'instruments' on the table while talking with Jarod.
"Let's see. I could break your fingers with this hammer, stick acupuncture needles in you, give you paper cuts in the webbings of your fingers." Daniel trails off as he reaches the last item. "Or do my personal favorite, its one I know you enjoy, electro-shock therapy."
Jarod grimaces at the last one.
"That's the one. Electro-shock it is. Good choice." He puts the other tools back in the box but leaves the battery sitting before Jarod. "Of course it all depends on Marie. You could say she holds your life in her hands."
Daniels looks at his watch before leaving the room. "She should be waking up right now. I'll see you soon, partner." He winks before closing the door behind him.
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Miss Parker awakens on a bed in a ruby red room. She looks around the room to see there are no pictures and no windows. The only way into and out of the room is the wooden door in the corner. Parker gets to her feet, but notices she is no longer wearing the clothes she had last night. Instead, she is wearing a pair of silk pajamas. Without a second thought, she reaches for the door. The door opens before she reaches it, catching her off guard.
"Marie, you're awake!"
"Wha, how do you know my name?" Parker's face is full of confusion.
"I know all about you."
A dim bulb brightens in Parker's head. "You're Daniel."
The man smiles as he runs his hand through her hair. "Correct."
She knocks his hand away and glares at him. All Daniel does is smile back as he grabs a hand full of her hair. He pulls her hair, causing her to grimace in pain. Out of instinct, she spins on her feet and takes a swing at Daniel. He ducks the shot and strikes back with a backhand to her face, causing her to fall to the bed.
He kneels next to Parker as she rubs her cheek. "Now, I wouldn't want to spoil that pretty face."
She lies on the bed staring at the man that hit her. "You're lucky I don't kill you now."
"Oh, I like spunk. Now I see why Jarod likes you so much." He grins at the look of distain on her face. He stands and looks down at her before continuing. "I have a present for you."
"I don't want anything from you." Her defiance comes in the form of the 'Ice Queen'.
"I'm sure you'll want this present." He leans in to look her in the eyes. "Now do I have to make you come?"
Without saying a word, Parker punches Daniel. The shot splits his lip causing blood to flow, but hardly phases him. Instead of trying to stop the bleeding, he simply licks the blood as it coats his teeth.
Daniel grins even as the blood starts to pass down his chin. "Clearly I do." He shrugs his shoulders. "Have it your way."
He returns the punch to Miss Parker, dazing her, and pulls her off the bed by the hair. Without letting go over her hair, he forces her through the door and into the adjacent room. Once they are inside, he spins around to face her and plants a kiss where the punch hit. He pulls away only to receive a slap to the cheek, but he still smiles.
"So who wears the pants in your relationship with Jarod?"
"None of your concern." Parker's response is cold as ice. The words seep through clenched teeth as she plots Daniel's demise.
"Maybe not mine." Daniel steps to the side to show Parker that Jarod is sitting in the room as well. "But definitely his."
Parker's jaw nearly hits the floor as she sees Jarod again. His hands are taped together and his shirt has been removed. His chest and stomach are covered with welts, cuts and burn marks, but he doesn't seem phased. "Jarod! You're alive!"
Jarod looks up to Marie standing in the front of the room. He barely cracks a smile as she attempts to get to him. Daniel stops her before she can go anywhere.
"Not so fast Marie. It's time to play a little game I like to call 'Truth or Consequence'." Daniel grins as she stares a hole through him. He looks down at the table and runs his hand over the tools.
"It's really simple." Daniel walks around the table to where Jarod is sitting. He picks up the two cables attached to the battery and touches them together, causing sparks to fill the air.
"I ask you a question, you give me an answer. If the answer is the truth, Jarod is okay. But if the answer is false, Jarod gets to play with my toys." Daniel's grin grows as he sees Parker is getting worried.
Daniel pulls Jarod to his feet and attaches his arms to a hook that is hanging from the ceiling. "The game begins now."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because Jarod took away the only thing that made me happy." Daniel throws the cables onto the table and punches Jarod across the jaw. He turns back to Parker.
"No!" Parker cries out as Daniel hits Jarod. Daniel loves the emotion he feels in the room, from both the aching Jarod and his lover Marie Parker.
"Who is your father?"
"Mr. William Raines." Tears start to form in Marie's eyes. She can't watch this torture; there must be something she can do.
"Wrong answer." Daniel punches Jarod in the stomach causing him to groan in pain. "Shall we try this again?" Daniel grabs a whip that was sitting on the table. "Who is your father?"
She winches at the punch but manages to speak. "Ben Harper."
"Correct." Daniel wraps the whip around his wrist before speaking the next question. "Do you love Jarod?"
"Yes."
"Wrong answer!" Daniel slaps the whip across the small of Jarod's back causing him to yell out in pain. The tears are now flowing down Parker's cheeks. Even through the blurry vision, she thinks Jarod is smiling at that answer.
"Let's try that one again. Do you love Jarod?"
Parker lowers her head to avoid Jarod's eyes. "No." The response has a submissive tone to it, as if she is about to give up.
"Good answer." Daniel puts the whip down and grabs the two battery cables. "Now for the tough one."
Daniel walks up to her and rubs the cables together, sending in the air before her face. She pulls her head away to avoid the sparks getting in her eyes, but she secretly wants to shove them down his throat. She looks back when Daniel finally walks back to Jarod.
"Here is the question." He looks at Jarod and then glances towards Parker. "Do you love me?"
Marie is surprised at the question; she is truly caught off guard by it. "I, I, I."
"Come on, it's not that hard."
Jarod looks at her and cracks a smile. "Answer him Marie."
"Shut up." Daniel punches Jarod in the kidney causing the pretender to grimace in pain. Daniel then looks at Miss Parker. "Well?"
"What the hell kind of . . ." Parker trails off as she hears sirens.
Daniel hears the too. They cause enough of a distraction for Jarod to kick him, knocking the man over. Parker follows suit and kicks the fallen man in the chest, causing him to roll over in pain. She helps Jarod down and they both start to leave as Daniel manages to pull a gun out of his pants. Jarod and Parker make it to the door leading outside before the gun goes off. Jarod falls forward as the bullet lodges itself in his back. Parker instinctively reaches for her gun as she spins, but realizes she no longer has it as she hits the ground. She sees Jarod lying on the ground next to her and rushes over to him as the police make their way into the building.
"Jarod!" She starts to shake him. Tears start to form in her eyes.
"God no." She rolls him over to see the lifeless expression on his face. She can't lose him, not now.
"Jarod, please." Parker throws her body over him as the tears fall. "Don't die. I need you."
She looks up to his face and cries, kneeling next to him. "Please don't die. Come back."
The police are now standing around her and Jarod. The chief starts to bark orders at the other officers. "Get a damn ambulance, NOW!"
"Don't leave me Jarod. Please, come back." She grabs his shoulders and leans over him crying. "Don't leave me."
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After a few hours pass, the ambulance crew finally loads Jarod onto the stretcher and into the awaiting ambulance. The ambulance drives off just after Sydney and Broots arrive at the scene. Marie Parker sits alone on the hood of a police car, wrapped in a blanket and holding a tissue.
"Parker? Parker!" Sydney rushes to her but slows down at the sight. He's never seen her crying like this before.
"What happened?" Broots stands beside Sydney, reaches for Miss Parker, but is stopped by Sydney. The older man just holds Broots' arm and shakes his head, a frown is visible on Sydney's face.
Parker looks up from the hood and wipes a tear from her eye. She inhales and slowly exhales before speaking. "Jarod was shot."
"Is it bad?" Broots can't help himself, he needs to know.
"He wouldn't respond to anything the ambulance crew did." She looks at the spot where Jarod fell. "It's like he was never there."
"Is he in a coma?" Sydney jumps right to the point. Marie visibly winces at the word 'coma', but maybe that's what it is.
"I don't know. They just rushed him off, like, two minutes ago. Never said anything." She wipes her nose as the tears start to form again. "Just into the car and then off."
She starts crying again. "Not even a word." She can't get the image of the defenseless Jarod out of her mind. He just lay there next to her, never answered her. He was barely even breathing.
"Did they say which hospital?" Sydney asks Miss Parker as he and Broots sit next to her.
"Holy Mercy Medical. But I can't see him until tomorrow."
Broots takes a deep breath before asking the next question. "What about Daniel St. Broiler?"
Sydney looks across to the man that must have a death wish. His face is etched with distain as Broots looks to the ground in front of him. Parker never takes her eyes of the dirt or even draws a breath. She just quietly sobs before speaking again.
"The cops didn't find him." She puts her head in her arms. "He got away."
She continues to sob as Sydney pulls her close. He runs his hands through her hair as he looks at Broots. "And now Jarod is on his death bed."
******~~~~~~~TBC. ~~~~~~~****** Read and Rate
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Please don't sue, I'm poor.
Notes: This has been half a month in the making. Simply put, Writing 2 has burned me out of writing in general. Sorry for how long it has taken. Now that I have a few ideas, the next chapter should come rather quickly. Keep reading my stories and rating them, that's all I can ask.
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"His name is Daniel St. Brolier." He looks up from the paper with a shocked expression on his face. "A disavowed Federal Agent."
The name sends a chill down Jarod's spine as he stares at the wall across from him. He's lost in thought, unaware to the change of mood around him. Unaware of the woman now standing before him waving her hand. Unaware of the elder man standing before him calling his name. Unaware of the drying sensation in his throat. Aware only of his past and the name Daniel St. Brolier. He slowly comes back to reality and the world he resides in.
"Jarod, are you okay?" Marie Parker is snapping hr fingers in front of his eyes. She still receives no response. She looks over Jarod's shoulder at Sydney who is still trying to get his attention.
"Jarod?" Sydney's started poking Jarod in the shoulder blades, but still receives no response.
Without a second thought, Parker slaps Jarod across the face. The sudden hit brings Jarod back. His cheek is red at the point of impact and Parker's ring has put a small cut in Jarod's flesh. Instinctively he rubs the bruised skin, but sees the blood after pulling his hand away.
He looks Parker in the eyes before speaking. "It's usually a better idea to just nudge somebody."
"I did. You didn't answer." She smiles before starting to wipe the blood from the small cut.
"What were you thinking of Jarod?" Sydney quickly cuts to the subject.
"Nothing really. Just remembering simpler times." Jarod lies, knowing that Sydney and Parker will figure it out.
"I know you're a genius Jarod, so trying to fabricate a better lie than that." The Ice Queen takes a shot, Parker didn't even know what she said until the look on Sydney's face hit her.
"Yes." Sydney continues to stare at Marie Parker but continues to speak to Jarod. "You seemed to lose focus when I mentioned the stalker's name."
"Fill us in Jarod." Parker pulls Jarod into a seat beside her and stares him in the eyes. "What is the connection between you two?"
Jarod slowly loses focus as he remembers the man. "I met him during my first pretend. I was working as an undercover FBI Agent with Daniel on a narcotics sting."
"Wait, I thought you worked on the oil rig when you first got out." Parker quickly interrupts drawing Jarod's attention.
"You think I left clues during EVERY pretend I did? I already had done half a dozen by the time you guys discovered that one." Jarod almost sounds offended at the assumption. "Now can I continue?"
He looks at Sydney and then towards Parker. They offer no resistance and he continues. "Thank you. Now, I joined the ranks because I read about an assassination contract taken out on Daniel's wife. I went in to discover the truth, but found out that Daniel had a few more skeletons in his closet."
Jarod slowly inhales and then exhales before continuing. Remembering this whole episode is bringing pain Jarod would like to forget. "It turns out he was accepting bribes from the dealers of the drugs to look the other way, so to speak. The contract was taken out on his wife because she found out about the deals. She decided the best way to handle the situation was though letters to Daniel's superiors, but he got them instead."
Parker is visibly upset at Daniel's character. How could a man treat a wife this way? All she wanted to do was help him, even if that meant losing him.
"I was able to stop the bribes Daniel kept receiving, but I could prevent his wife's murder. I did manage to get Daniel removed from the force, but he never received jail time. There wasn't enough evidence to convict him of any crimes, so he disappeared. The police found a body that was identified as Daniel and his case was closed."
Sydney looks at the folder in his hands. "Evidently the body was not Daniel."
"Yeah. Evidently." Jarod sighs as he looks at the floor.
"That's in the past Jarod. You can't blame yourself for what happened." Parker wraps an arm around Jarod and places her head on his shoulder.
"Yes I can and I often do." Jarod keeps looking at the floor and sighs heavily. "If I would've gone after Daniel's wife first, she'd still be alive. That is innocent blood on my hands, I allowed her to die."
He looks up at Marie sitting next to him. "I blame myself and so does Daniel, and now he wants to hurt you, the closest one to me. I have to meet him tonight to end this."
Parker starts to speak but Jarod covers her mouth. "You have to stay away. I don't know what he'll do if you're seen."
Jarod quietly stands and heads for the door. He grabs the cold metal handle; the chills recede down his spine as he looks at his reflection in the glass. How appropriate the face looking back is transparent, just like how he feels now. An error of the past came back to haunt him, it's time to finish this before anybody else gets hurt.
He slowly pulls the door open before sighing and looking back. "I've got to finish this before any of you get hurt." He looks at the hallway in front of him. "Alone." He turns to walk down the hallway as the door closes behind him with a hush. Jarod doesn't care what Marie is thinking; this is for her own good. Unfortunately, she'll be there one way or another.
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Jarod is sitting in his car at a red light when his phone starts to ring. The beeping breaks the calm night air, catching the pretender off guard. He reaches into his coat pocket to retrieve the ringing phone and flips it open without checking the number. It's at his ear as he breathes deeply.
"Hello?"
"Where are you Jarod? It's not nice to keep people waiting." The voice on the other end has a taunting tone to it as the man continues. "Please tell me the 'Great Pretender' didn't chicken out. Did you bring your spitfire with you? I've been dieing to meet her."
"Listen Daniel. I know what this is about."
"Do you now?" A slight chuckle can be heard on the other line. Daniel responds with a sharper tone. "You have no idea my old friend."
"You're still mad at me about your wife."
"I was wrong. You do know what this is about. However, did you know I have ever intention of taking your precious Marie?"
Jarod's fingers dig into the steering wheel as the last words reverberate though his mind. "You so much as touch her, Daniel, and I will send you to whatever god you wish."
"Now, now Jarod. Is that anyway to talk to an old partner?"
"Only if it's you Daniel."
"You have one hour. You show up, we talk. You don't, I hunt Marie down like the dog she is."
The dial tone flows into Jarod's ears as he stares at the green light. Without blinking, the cellphone is thrown from the car as the engine starts to growl. Jarod puts the car into gear as the phone hits the ground, and he is gone.
Jarod's black Mustang slides to a stop in the gravel parking lot of the Chester County Glass Mill. He quickly gets out and enters the darkened building, walking to the center with a purpose. He quickly looks around and notices the inside has been gutted, the lights hand from the ceiling on long wires and the equipment is no longer inside.
The lights quickly switch on causing a temporary blindness to overcome Jarod, but it quickly passes allowing him to see a room about ten feet from the floor. This room is separated from the main building by a balcony that leads to a room with marbleized glass windows. These windows slowly turn back as a dark figure walks up to them.
"Hello Jarod."
The lights switch off as Jarod continues to look at the figure above him. They quickly switch back on causing Jarod to wince from the brightness.
"Daniel." Jarod's voice is cold with no detectible emotion.
"Come on, cheer up." Daniel leans against the windows. "I brought you a present, made it myself. It's on the table in front of you."
Jarod's eyes fall on the old wooden table before him. He slowly walks up to the black box and carefully lifts the lid off. He reaches inside and pulls out a noose, a smirk crosses his face as he holds it up to Daniel.
"I supposed this is to mean I deserve the death penalty." Jarod shakes the noose while looking at Daniel's shadow.
"No. It's the noose you made for yourself all those years ago, when you killed my wife." Daniel walks away from the window and through the door of the small room. He is now standing ten feet above Jarod and looks at him from the balcony.
Jarod drops the noose on the floor without removing his eyes from Daniel. "Get this through your head. You are the one that called for her death."
Daniel starts to walk down the stairs but stops halfway at Jarod's comment. He spins the face Jarod and grabs the handrail. "You were the one that didn't watch her. You brought her in to convince me to stop. You were the one that put her in harms way."
He finishes walking down the stairs and stands in front of Jarod. "You were the one that was so obsessed with bringing me down. You were the one that neglected her."
Jarod grabs Daniels shirt and pulls him close. "You forgot something." Jarod's face is full of anger and his voice is full of rage.
A smile crosses Daniel's face as he realizes he got under Jarod's skin. This is a small personal victory. "What's that?"
"I'm also the one that got you removed from the FBI."
Daniel's smile fades at the comment. Jarod's right. "I suppose I should thank you. Because of you, I've had so much free time to find a new wife." Daniel removes a picture of Miss Parker from his back pocket. He shows it to Jarod as the smirk returns.
"Your Marie Parker." The grin of Daniel's face finally breaks Jarod, he lashes out.
Jarod can't take it anymore and hits Daniel with a right to the jaw causing the other man to stumble backwards. Jarod grabs him by the shirt and pulls him to his feet before connecting with a second shot. Then things take a turn for the worst. Daniel was counting on this outpour of Jarod's emotions, and then he strikes. Jarod never saw the Tranquilizer in Daniel's hands, at least not until it was too late.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Marie Parker has been watching the exchange from outside the glass plant and listening with a hearing piece. She wanted to run in there to help Jarod out, but she forced herself to stay here. Jarod told her to stay and she would, even though it was eating her from the inside. The conversation made her want to help Jarod even more, but then the fighting started.
Then it was the scene from her dream. One of the men fell over and the other left. As if on queue, the fire started followed by the explosion. This time, no red book fell. In its place was a piece newspaper, detailing the trial of Daniel St. Brolier. Out of instinct, she turned around to see the man standing behind her. It all happened so fast, he hit her with the gun in his hand and everything went black. The last sound she heard was the fire.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Jarod."
No answer.
"Jarod. It's time to wake up, sunshine."
Still no answer.
"The hell with this."
Jarod jerks awake as a cold bucket of water hits him in the face. He looks around, taking in the room he is sitting in. It's a dark room, used for developing photos. Pictures of Miss Parker line the walls. The bins to develop the photos are stored on the table beside him and the red light is turned on. Everything he sees has a red outline, even the man standing in front of him. Jarod tries to move but realizes he is duct taped to the chair.
"Welcome back to reality." The man starts to walk over to him carrying an object. The block is set before Jarod and the man switches the lights back on.
"I thought I was rid of you Brolier." Jarod's eyes take their time adjusting to the white light. Eventually the sharp pain subsides and Jarod can see clearly.
"You can only wish." Daniel pulls the top off the box and starts to remove the contents. Before anything is pulled out, he looks at Jarod with a grin. "So how do you wish to be tortured today?"
"You mean I have a choice?" The sarcasm flows from Jarod's mouth like venom from a snake.
"Not really. But this is a democracy isn't it?"
Jarod smiles a false grin as he tries to pull his hands up from the chair.
"Don't waste your time. You aren't going anywhere." Daniel sits on the table with the box beside him. He starts to place the 'instruments' on the table while talking with Jarod.
"Let's see. I could break your fingers with this hammer, stick acupuncture needles in you, give you paper cuts in the webbings of your fingers." Daniel trails off as he reaches the last item. "Or do my personal favorite, its one I know you enjoy, electro-shock therapy."
Jarod grimaces at the last one.
"That's the one. Electro-shock it is. Good choice." He puts the other tools back in the box but leaves the battery sitting before Jarod. "Of course it all depends on Marie. You could say she holds your life in her hands."
Daniels looks at his watch before leaving the room. "She should be waking up right now. I'll see you soon, partner." He winks before closing the door behind him.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Miss Parker awakens on a bed in a ruby red room. She looks around the room to see there are no pictures and no windows. The only way into and out of the room is the wooden door in the corner. Parker gets to her feet, but notices she is no longer wearing the clothes she had last night. Instead, she is wearing a pair of silk pajamas. Without a second thought, she reaches for the door. The door opens before she reaches it, catching her off guard.
"Marie, you're awake!"
"Wha, how do you know my name?" Parker's face is full of confusion.
"I know all about you."
A dim bulb brightens in Parker's head. "You're Daniel."
The man smiles as he runs his hand through her hair. "Correct."
She knocks his hand away and glares at him. All Daniel does is smile back as he grabs a hand full of her hair. He pulls her hair, causing her to grimace in pain. Out of instinct, she spins on her feet and takes a swing at Daniel. He ducks the shot and strikes back with a backhand to her face, causing her to fall to the bed.
He kneels next to Parker as she rubs her cheek. "Now, I wouldn't want to spoil that pretty face."
She lies on the bed staring at the man that hit her. "You're lucky I don't kill you now."
"Oh, I like spunk. Now I see why Jarod likes you so much." He grins at the look of distain on her face. He stands and looks down at her before continuing. "I have a present for you."
"I don't want anything from you." Her defiance comes in the form of the 'Ice Queen'.
"I'm sure you'll want this present." He leans in to look her in the eyes. "Now do I have to make you come?"
Without saying a word, Parker punches Daniel. The shot splits his lip causing blood to flow, but hardly phases him. Instead of trying to stop the bleeding, he simply licks the blood as it coats his teeth.
Daniel grins even as the blood starts to pass down his chin. "Clearly I do." He shrugs his shoulders. "Have it your way."
He returns the punch to Miss Parker, dazing her, and pulls her off the bed by the hair. Without letting go over her hair, he forces her through the door and into the adjacent room. Once they are inside, he spins around to face her and plants a kiss where the punch hit. He pulls away only to receive a slap to the cheek, but he still smiles.
"So who wears the pants in your relationship with Jarod?"
"None of your concern." Parker's response is cold as ice. The words seep through clenched teeth as she plots Daniel's demise.
"Maybe not mine." Daniel steps to the side to show Parker that Jarod is sitting in the room as well. "But definitely his."
Parker's jaw nearly hits the floor as she sees Jarod again. His hands are taped together and his shirt has been removed. His chest and stomach are covered with welts, cuts and burn marks, but he doesn't seem phased. "Jarod! You're alive!"
Jarod looks up to Marie standing in the front of the room. He barely cracks a smile as she attempts to get to him. Daniel stops her before she can go anywhere.
"Not so fast Marie. It's time to play a little game I like to call 'Truth or Consequence'." Daniel grins as she stares a hole through him. He looks down at the table and runs his hand over the tools.
"It's really simple." Daniel walks around the table to where Jarod is sitting. He picks up the two cables attached to the battery and touches them together, causing sparks to fill the air.
"I ask you a question, you give me an answer. If the answer is the truth, Jarod is okay. But if the answer is false, Jarod gets to play with my toys." Daniel's grin grows as he sees Parker is getting worried.
Daniel pulls Jarod to his feet and attaches his arms to a hook that is hanging from the ceiling. "The game begins now."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because Jarod took away the only thing that made me happy." Daniel throws the cables onto the table and punches Jarod across the jaw. He turns back to Parker.
"No!" Parker cries out as Daniel hits Jarod. Daniel loves the emotion he feels in the room, from both the aching Jarod and his lover Marie Parker.
"Who is your father?"
"Mr. William Raines." Tears start to form in Marie's eyes. She can't watch this torture; there must be something she can do.
"Wrong answer." Daniel punches Jarod in the stomach causing him to groan in pain. "Shall we try this again?" Daniel grabs a whip that was sitting on the table. "Who is your father?"
She winches at the punch but manages to speak. "Ben Harper."
"Correct." Daniel wraps the whip around his wrist before speaking the next question. "Do you love Jarod?"
"Yes."
"Wrong answer!" Daniel slaps the whip across the small of Jarod's back causing him to yell out in pain. The tears are now flowing down Parker's cheeks. Even through the blurry vision, she thinks Jarod is smiling at that answer.
"Let's try that one again. Do you love Jarod?"
Parker lowers her head to avoid Jarod's eyes. "No." The response has a submissive tone to it, as if she is about to give up.
"Good answer." Daniel puts the whip down and grabs the two battery cables. "Now for the tough one."
Daniel walks up to her and rubs the cables together, sending in the air before her face. She pulls her head away to avoid the sparks getting in her eyes, but she secretly wants to shove them down his throat. She looks back when Daniel finally walks back to Jarod.
"Here is the question." He looks at Jarod and then glances towards Parker. "Do you love me?"
Marie is surprised at the question; she is truly caught off guard by it. "I, I, I."
"Come on, it's not that hard."
Jarod looks at her and cracks a smile. "Answer him Marie."
"Shut up." Daniel punches Jarod in the kidney causing the pretender to grimace in pain. Daniel then looks at Miss Parker. "Well?"
"What the hell kind of . . ." Parker trails off as she hears sirens.
Daniel hears the too. They cause enough of a distraction for Jarod to kick him, knocking the man over. Parker follows suit and kicks the fallen man in the chest, causing him to roll over in pain. She helps Jarod down and they both start to leave as Daniel manages to pull a gun out of his pants. Jarod and Parker make it to the door leading outside before the gun goes off. Jarod falls forward as the bullet lodges itself in his back. Parker instinctively reaches for her gun as she spins, but realizes she no longer has it as she hits the ground. She sees Jarod lying on the ground next to her and rushes over to him as the police make their way into the building.
"Jarod!" She starts to shake him. Tears start to form in her eyes.
"God no." She rolls him over to see the lifeless expression on his face. She can't lose him, not now.
"Jarod, please." Parker throws her body over him as the tears fall. "Don't die. I need you."
She looks up to his face and cries, kneeling next to him. "Please don't die. Come back."
The police are now standing around her and Jarod. The chief starts to bark orders at the other officers. "Get a damn ambulance, NOW!"
"Don't leave me Jarod. Please, come back." She grabs his shoulders and leans over him crying. "Don't leave me."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After a few hours pass, the ambulance crew finally loads Jarod onto the stretcher and into the awaiting ambulance. The ambulance drives off just after Sydney and Broots arrive at the scene. Marie Parker sits alone on the hood of a police car, wrapped in a blanket and holding a tissue.
"Parker? Parker!" Sydney rushes to her but slows down at the sight. He's never seen her crying like this before.
"What happened?" Broots stands beside Sydney, reaches for Miss Parker, but is stopped by Sydney. The older man just holds Broots' arm and shakes his head, a frown is visible on Sydney's face.
Parker looks up from the hood and wipes a tear from her eye. She inhales and slowly exhales before speaking. "Jarod was shot."
"Is it bad?" Broots can't help himself, he needs to know.
"He wouldn't respond to anything the ambulance crew did." She looks at the spot where Jarod fell. "It's like he was never there."
"Is he in a coma?" Sydney jumps right to the point. Marie visibly winces at the word 'coma', but maybe that's what it is.
"I don't know. They just rushed him off, like, two minutes ago. Never said anything." She wipes her nose as the tears start to form again. "Just into the car and then off."
She starts crying again. "Not even a word." She can't get the image of the defenseless Jarod out of her mind. He just lay there next to her, never answered her. He was barely even breathing.
"Did they say which hospital?" Sydney asks Miss Parker as he and Broots sit next to her.
"Holy Mercy Medical. But I can't see him until tomorrow."
Broots takes a deep breath before asking the next question. "What about Daniel St. Broiler?"
Sydney looks across to the man that must have a death wish. His face is etched with distain as Broots looks to the ground in front of him. Parker never takes her eyes of the dirt or even draws a breath. She just quietly sobs before speaking again.
"The cops didn't find him." She puts her head in her arms. "He got away."
She continues to sob as Sydney pulls her close. He runs his hands through her hair as he looks at Broots. "And now Jarod is on his death bed."
******~~~~~~~TBC. ~~~~~~~****** Read and Rate