Chapter 7
The next day, Jarod pulled his rental car along the side of the road of an L.A. beach. Down the hill, were many beach goers.
Lyle was sitting in the driver's seat of an SUV. Sam, the Sweeper, was watching someone through binoculars.
Sydney and Broots were in the backseat. Sydney got out and walked to Jarod, as he approached.
"Is everything okay with Zoey?" he asked. "I know she seemed upset that the party had to end so soon."
Jarod glanced over the driver's window. Lyle was still looking in the direction of the beach.
"I wasn't delayed because of Zoey. Ms. Parker suffered a miscarriage last night."
Sydney shook his head and closed his eyes. Lyle, turned in his seat and saw Jarod and Sydney and got out. He grinned at Jarod.
"Jarod! Glad to see you could finally catch up!"
"You left me little choice." Jarod said tightly, still angry that he had had to leave Ms. Parker in her time of need. And even though she had sent him away, if he had not been ordered to be here, he would not have left her side, no matter what she had said she wanted.
"Oh come on, Jarod! Don't be pissed! Did you fix things with Zoey or what?"
Jarod walked up to Lyle.
"We run the Centre together. Don't you ever threaten me like that again!"
Lyle backed off.
"I didn't mean that! I was just stressed...I mean we can't keep failing here or the Triumvirate will be all over our asses! Jarod, you're like a brother to me!" Lyle then hugged Jarod! Broots's mouth dropped open from inside the car. Sydney looked away. Jarod got Lyle off of him.
"Okay, okay. So, where is Banner?" Jarod asked, unsettled by Lyle's warm and fuzzy moment.
"He's been doing a 'Rockford Files' on the beach here." Lyle said sarcastically. Broots got out of the car. Sam was still watching through his binoculars.
"Rockford Files?" Jarod asked. Broots smiled.
"You know, that old TV show where James Garner lived in a trailer on the beach. He was a private eye."
Jarod was now totally confused!
"David Banner has somehow, in this short period of time, went from Salesman to Private Eye?" he asked.
Lyle glared at Broots.
"You know he never watched any of those shows, Broots! God, you are an idiot! No, Jarod, I just meant the fact that he's living in a trailer on the beach."
Jarod still didn't understand what the two men were trying to get at. But he didn't really need to. The point was, they were watching Banner's trailer.
"So, how are we going to proceed this time?" Sydney asked Jarod. But Lyle spoke.
"We're going to establish that he's inside, then rush in and grab him."
"Lyle, I don't think..."
"Jarod, your attempt at psychology the other time was a valiant effort, but what we need to do is get to him, tranquilize him, then get him back into this car and off to the airstrip. We then take him back to the Centre, see what he can do, then turn him over to the Triumvirate. Simple as that!"
"Lyle, we've all seen what happens when David Banner gets angry, or scared or who knows! We don't want to cause a panic on a public beach!"
"We won't if we tranquilize him right away."
"How?" Jarod demanded. "How in front of all of these witnesses?"
Sam suddenly shouted from inside the car.
"It's him! He's coming out of the trailer!" the Sweeper shouted. Lyle moved away from Jarod, just as Sam got out on his side. Jarod hurried behind Lyle. Lyle looked back at Sydney and Broots.
"You two stay here! We'll need someone to be ready to take off if there's trouble!" Lyle ordered.
Broots looked at Sydney.
"'If there's trouble'? Sydney, this guy's probably going to turn into that thing again! Why do we have to keep chasing this guy? I mean this assignment sucks worse than when we were chasing Jarod! At least Jarod didn't change into a monster!"
"It will be alright, Broots." Sydney said soothingly. "Jarod won't let it get that far."
"You know, he's been saying he has a plan! I don't believe him anymore! I mean why didn't he come with us from the start on this thing?"
Sydney watched as Lyle, Sam and Jarod eased down the hill onto the beach. Dr. Banner was sitting on the beach outside of his trailer. His back was to them.
"Jarod was with Ms. Parker, Broots."
"Ms. Parker? Why? I mean she hates Jarod!"
"Ms. Parker does not hate Jarod, though she does a good imitation of it."
Broots stopped babbling. He knew deep down as well, that Ms. Parker didn't hate Jarod. But still, he kept waiting for some big event to happen, that would end this madness called the Centre. How long did Jarod plan to pretend to be Lyle's partner? Or was it possible that their former prey, was beginning to enjoy his newfound power?
****
David Banner would never know what it was that caused him to turn around. A sixth sense maybe.
But when he saw those same Centre bastards running towards him...he jumped up and began to run down the beach!
Jarod sighed, not really in the mood to run. He slowed down a bit, hoping that Sam and Lyle would get so winded, that Banner could get away.
But, Lyle jogged 20 miles a day. He took the lead, closing in on Banner. Sam did stop, obviously winded. He looked over at Jarod, who was then forced to speed up to back up Lyle!
But Banner looked behind him and cut through a couple's picnic and jumped into the ocean! Lyle began to curse!
"I don't believe this shit!" he screamed. "I'm going to get wet now!"
Jarod caught up to him. He grabbed his arm.
"It's not worth ruining our clothes, Lyle! Let's just wait for him to get out of the water!"
"No!" Lyle snapped. He looked back at Sam.
"Get your shoes off! We're going in after him! We are not returning to Blue Cove empty-handed!" he yelled, before taking off his shoes and diving in.
Jarod refrained from rolling his eyes, as he took off his shoes. Sam went running past them and into the water. Jarod's eyes darted around. Just as he suspected, beach goers were beginning to stare at the three men who were diving into the water with their clothes on!
Jarod had no choice but to dive in as well. He could see that Lyle had caught up with Banner, and was holding him underwater.
"You thought you were so smart, didn't you?! Didn't you?!" he raged, like a man out of control.
Jarod began to yell.
"Stop it, Lyle! Stop it! You know what can happen!"
Sam, who had seen Banner the night he tore about the Centre, turned and began to swim back to shore!
But Lyle, who was beyond reason, finally snatched some of Banner's hair and pulled him up. Jarod coughed out water.
Banner had transformed into the creature underwater! Lyle screamed as he was picked up by the throat, and damned near thrown out to sea! Jarod watched his form become smaller, as he flew away, then arched down into the ocean! God! They would need a boat to find him!
The creature then turned to Jarod. Jarod put his hands up, while treading water.
"I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU!" Jarod said loudly, but calmly. The creature growled and flung water at him, then made his way out of the water. People began to scream! He growled loudly, before running off down the beach.
Jarod began to paddle towards shore. They would have to rent a boat to go and pick up Lyle!
****
Ms. Parker had had herself released from the hospital that morning. She walked into her house feeling totally drained. She stopped short when she saw her father standing in her living room.
"Daddy? What are you doing here?"
"Angel, why aren't you with the others?"
"The others?" she asked, moving so she could sit down on the couch. Mr. Parker rolled his eyes with disgust!
"California, Angel! Why aren't you in California? Or are they back already?"
Ms. Parker was not in the mood for any of her father's cryptic messages. She had just lost Tommy's baby. She had just lost the last good thing in her life. She put her feet up on the couch and laid back. Her father peered down at her.
"Angel? What's the matter? You look kind of peaked?"
"I had a miscarriage last night, Daddy." was all Ms. Parker said, closing her eyes. Mr. Parker's mouth dropped open. He then cleared his throat.
"Oh...well I'm sorry. Was it...it...uh, that poor carpenter that..."
Ms. Parker's head jerked up and her eyes flew open!
"HIS NAME WAS THOMAS, DADDY!!! THOMAS!!! AND NOW I HAVE NOTHING!!!"
Mr. Parker hurried over to her and took his daughter in his arms. She began to sob against him.
"There, there, Angel. Now, I'm sorry about this. You know I am. But you're a strong woman. You'll survive this. You can't lose your focus."
"Oh, Daddy, I don't know if I can deal with this right now..."
Mr. Parker jerked her away from him!
"Angel, now is not the time to let your guard down! If Lyle and Jarod are successful in turning over that creature to the Triumvirate, I'm a dead man! Brigitte and your little brother or sister, are dead as well!"
Her father's desperation calmed Ms. Parker down a bit.
"Daddy, have you seen the thing? It's green and huge...what can I do to change things?"
"If they bring that creature back here, you have to let it out again. Let it get away. The Triumvirate will be livid at Jarod and Lyle's failure."
"Daddy! You're asking me to tangle with some wild beast!"
"Honey, you're a smart cookie! You'll think of something."
Ms. Parker moved away from her father and stood up. She walked over to a window and stared out of it. She then spoke.
"What happens if they never bring the creature in, and the Triumvirate allows Lyle and Jarod to keep running things?"
Mr. Parker stood up as well. Ms. Parker turned around.
"Then, Angel, we do things a different way. Your brother's as heartless as they come, but if we can break up the team of Lyle and Jarod, we can then find a way to unseat your brother."
"How do you plan to do that?" Ms. Parker asked tiredly.
"By killing that sweet little red-headed woman Jarod lives with. What's her name again? Zena? Zippy?"
"Zoey." Ms. Parker said quietly, looking out of the window again.
The next day, Jarod pulled his rental car along the side of the road of an L.A. beach. Down the hill, were many beach goers.
Lyle was sitting in the driver's seat of an SUV. Sam, the Sweeper, was watching someone through binoculars.
Sydney and Broots were in the backseat. Sydney got out and walked to Jarod, as he approached.
"Is everything okay with Zoey?" he asked. "I know she seemed upset that the party had to end so soon."
Jarod glanced over the driver's window. Lyle was still looking in the direction of the beach.
"I wasn't delayed because of Zoey. Ms. Parker suffered a miscarriage last night."
Sydney shook his head and closed his eyes. Lyle, turned in his seat and saw Jarod and Sydney and got out. He grinned at Jarod.
"Jarod! Glad to see you could finally catch up!"
"You left me little choice." Jarod said tightly, still angry that he had had to leave Ms. Parker in her time of need. And even though she had sent him away, if he had not been ordered to be here, he would not have left her side, no matter what she had said she wanted.
"Oh come on, Jarod! Don't be pissed! Did you fix things with Zoey or what?"
Jarod walked up to Lyle.
"We run the Centre together. Don't you ever threaten me like that again!"
Lyle backed off.
"I didn't mean that! I was just stressed...I mean we can't keep failing here or the Triumvirate will be all over our asses! Jarod, you're like a brother to me!" Lyle then hugged Jarod! Broots's mouth dropped open from inside the car. Sydney looked away. Jarod got Lyle off of him.
"Okay, okay. So, where is Banner?" Jarod asked, unsettled by Lyle's warm and fuzzy moment.
"He's been doing a 'Rockford Files' on the beach here." Lyle said sarcastically. Broots got out of the car. Sam was still watching through his binoculars.
"Rockford Files?" Jarod asked. Broots smiled.
"You know, that old TV show where James Garner lived in a trailer on the beach. He was a private eye."
Jarod was now totally confused!
"David Banner has somehow, in this short period of time, went from Salesman to Private Eye?" he asked.
Lyle glared at Broots.
"You know he never watched any of those shows, Broots! God, you are an idiot! No, Jarod, I just meant the fact that he's living in a trailer on the beach."
Jarod still didn't understand what the two men were trying to get at. But he didn't really need to. The point was, they were watching Banner's trailer.
"So, how are we going to proceed this time?" Sydney asked Jarod. But Lyle spoke.
"We're going to establish that he's inside, then rush in and grab him."
"Lyle, I don't think..."
"Jarod, your attempt at psychology the other time was a valiant effort, but what we need to do is get to him, tranquilize him, then get him back into this car and off to the airstrip. We then take him back to the Centre, see what he can do, then turn him over to the Triumvirate. Simple as that!"
"Lyle, we've all seen what happens when David Banner gets angry, or scared or who knows! We don't want to cause a panic on a public beach!"
"We won't if we tranquilize him right away."
"How?" Jarod demanded. "How in front of all of these witnesses?"
Sam suddenly shouted from inside the car.
"It's him! He's coming out of the trailer!" the Sweeper shouted. Lyle moved away from Jarod, just as Sam got out on his side. Jarod hurried behind Lyle. Lyle looked back at Sydney and Broots.
"You two stay here! We'll need someone to be ready to take off if there's trouble!" Lyle ordered.
Broots looked at Sydney.
"'If there's trouble'? Sydney, this guy's probably going to turn into that thing again! Why do we have to keep chasing this guy? I mean this assignment sucks worse than when we were chasing Jarod! At least Jarod didn't change into a monster!"
"It will be alright, Broots." Sydney said soothingly. "Jarod won't let it get that far."
"You know, he's been saying he has a plan! I don't believe him anymore! I mean why didn't he come with us from the start on this thing?"
Sydney watched as Lyle, Sam and Jarod eased down the hill onto the beach. Dr. Banner was sitting on the beach outside of his trailer. His back was to them.
"Jarod was with Ms. Parker, Broots."
"Ms. Parker? Why? I mean she hates Jarod!"
"Ms. Parker does not hate Jarod, though she does a good imitation of it."
Broots stopped babbling. He knew deep down as well, that Ms. Parker didn't hate Jarod. But still, he kept waiting for some big event to happen, that would end this madness called the Centre. How long did Jarod plan to pretend to be Lyle's partner? Or was it possible that their former prey, was beginning to enjoy his newfound power?
****
David Banner would never know what it was that caused him to turn around. A sixth sense maybe.
But when he saw those same Centre bastards running towards him...he jumped up and began to run down the beach!
Jarod sighed, not really in the mood to run. He slowed down a bit, hoping that Sam and Lyle would get so winded, that Banner could get away.
But, Lyle jogged 20 miles a day. He took the lead, closing in on Banner. Sam did stop, obviously winded. He looked over at Jarod, who was then forced to speed up to back up Lyle!
But Banner looked behind him and cut through a couple's picnic and jumped into the ocean! Lyle began to curse!
"I don't believe this shit!" he screamed. "I'm going to get wet now!"
Jarod caught up to him. He grabbed his arm.
"It's not worth ruining our clothes, Lyle! Let's just wait for him to get out of the water!"
"No!" Lyle snapped. He looked back at Sam.
"Get your shoes off! We're going in after him! We are not returning to Blue Cove empty-handed!" he yelled, before taking off his shoes and diving in.
Jarod refrained from rolling his eyes, as he took off his shoes. Sam went running past them and into the water. Jarod's eyes darted around. Just as he suspected, beach goers were beginning to stare at the three men who were diving into the water with their clothes on!
Jarod had no choice but to dive in as well. He could see that Lyle had caught up with Banner, and was holding him underwater.
"You thought you were so smart, didn't you?! Didn't you?!" he raged, like a man out of control.
Jarod began to yell.
"Stop it, Lyle! Stop it! You know what can happen!"
Sam, who had seen Banner the night he tore about the Centre, turned and began to swim back to shore!
But Lyle, who was beyond reason, finally snatched some of Banner's hair and pulled him up. Jarod coughed out water.
Banner had transformed into the creature underwater! Lyle screamed as he was picked up by the throat, and damned near thrown out to sea! Jarod watched his form become smaller, as he flew away, then arched down into the ocean! God! They would need a boat to find him!
The creature then turned to Jarod. Jarod put his hands up, while treading water.
"I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU!" Jarod said loudly, but calmly. The creature growled and flung water at him, then made his way out of the water. People began to scream! He growled loudly, before running off down the beach.
Jarod began to paddle towards shore. They would have to rent a boat to go and pick up Lyle!
****
Ms. Parker had had herself released from the hospital that morning. She walked into her house feeling totally drained. She stopped short when she saw her father standing in her living room.
"Daddy? What are you doing here?"
"Angel, why aren't you with the others?"
"The others?" she asked, moving so she could sit down on the couch. Mr. Parker rolled his eyes with disgust!
"California, Angel! Why aren't you in California? Or are they back already?"
Ms. Parker was not in the mood for any of her father's cryptic messages. She had just lost Tommy's baby. She had just lost the last good thing in her life. She put her feet up on the couch and laid back. Her father peered down at her.
"Angel? What's the matter? You look kind of peaked?"
"I had a miscarriage last night, Daddy." was all Ms. Parker said, closing her eyes. Mr. Parker's mouth dropped open. He then cleared his throat.
"Oh...well I'm sorry. Was it...it...uh, that poor carpenter that..."
Ms. Parker's head jerked up and her eyes flew open!
"HIS NAME WAS THOMAS, DADDY!!! THOMAS!!! AND NOW I HAVE NOTHING!!!"
Mr. Parker hurried over to her and took his daughter in his arms. She began to sob against him.
"There, there, Angel. Now, I'm sorry about this. You know I am. But you're a strong woman. You'll survive this. You can't lose your focus."
"Oh, Daddy, I don't know if I can deal with this right now..."
Mr. Parker jerked her away from him!
"Angel, now is not the time to let your guard down! If Lyle and Jarod are successful in turning over that creature to the Triumvirate, I'm a dead man! Brigitte and your little brother or sister, are dead as well!"
Her father's desperation calmed Ms. Parker down a bit.
"Daddy, have you seen the thing? It's green and huge...what can I do to change things?"
"If they bring that creature back here, you have to let it out again. Let it get away. The Triumvirate will be livid at Jarod and Lyle's failure."
"Daddy! You're asking me to tangle with some wild beast!"
"Honey, you're a smart cookie! You'll think of something."
Ms. Parker moved away from her father and stood up. She walked over to a window and stared out of it. She then spoke.
"What happens if they never bring the creature in, and the Triumvirate allows Lyle and Jarod to keep running things?"
Mr. Parker stood up as well. Ms. Parker turned around.
"Then, Angel, we do things a different way. Your brother's as heartless as they come, but if we can break up the team of Lyle and Jarod, we can then find a way to unseat your brother."
"How do you plan to do that?" Ms. Parker asked tiredly.
"By killing that sweet little red-headed woman Jarod lives with. What's her name again? Zena? Zippy?"
"Zoey." Ms. Parker said quietly, looking out of the window again.
