Disclaimer: Please see Chapter 1 for the usual cautionary statements.
Acknowlegements: I wish to extend my most sincere thanks to those who have taken the time to write reviews and share their thoughts with me. This 2nd chapter release in one week is for you! Ginger, you're the best!
Teddy's forest house
Prairie's Point, CO
The weekend had been one of the most memorable she had ever experienced. At the onset of this assignment, it had never crossed her mind that she would run into Jarod, much less spend some quality time with him in this intimate setting and to have him pamper her at every opportunity. The thing causing her the most surprise was the extent to which she enjoyed his attention and affections. In truth, she was floating and loving every minute of it but she kept the depth of her emotions well hidden, having already learned caution in openly expressing her feelings for anyone she learned to care about. Oddly enough, the defining moment of the weekend occurred only a couple hours ago.
She had woken up abruptly to find herself alone in bed. Jarod's now familiar warmth had been removed, all that remained was the faint and pleasant scent of him. Parker glanced around to see if he were still in the room when the sounds of someone in the cabin's lone bathroom softly reverberated through the walls. Quickly, she got up, meaning to tip toe stealthily on her lover, however the frigid chill emanating from the wooden floors caused her to practically run into the warmth of the bathroom. She slipped through the door silently to find Jarod brushing his teeth. What she hadn't expected was to find Moriyama, with his back to Jarod and the door, putting away the accoutrements of his recent toilette. Parker's eyes swiftly took in the scene and immediately assessed that her bodyguard would have an eyeful of his employer's nakedness in approximately 30 seconds if she didn't act fast. Turning to Jarod, who apparently hadn't noticed her entrance, she slid over to him and lightly pushing him away from the sink, she untied his bathrobe sash, opened the garment and wrapped her rapidly cooling body around him. Jarod paused, stunned not only by her unexpected appearance but by what she had done. He looked at her with an intently focused expression. Whatever was going on his mind, he wasn't sharing but stared at her through the mirror with a strange intensity--an expression similar to what Moriyama had witnessed yesterday morning. Parker missed Jarod's initial reaction, since she had swiftly pulled him in an embrace and watched her bodyguard over Jarod's shoulder while his body heat warmed her. When Jarod didn't move or react, she pulled away to look in his face and found him staring at her. The look on his face gave her goose bumps as Jarod moved around her to spit the residue of his toothpaste in the sink. After he straightened up, Jarod looked into her eyes and pulled her tightly against him. It was then that Parker realized belatedly, that he wasn't wearing anything under the robe. With a quiet smile, Jarod enclosed both of them in his robe and held Parker tighter, inhibiting her from breathing easily.
By this time, Moriyama had turned back around to find his boss had joined them in the bathroom. Realizing that although he had been the first one to claim this room, he was now an unwanted third wheel. Giving Parker a fleeting glance, Moriyama was about to leave, when he caught the non-verbal message in her eye. Without responding, the large man collected his belongings but before leaving the room, he took the spare bathrobe from the back of the door and laid it across the sink for his boss to put on. He gave her a polite bow of his head, then left.
The clutch Jarod had her in was strangely comforting--despite his grasp partially constricting her ribcage. Sensing her labored breathing, he relaxed his grip, allowing her to move away from him. She looked into his face again, this time, he tried to kiss her but she avoided him. Jarod was determined and bringing his hands up to cup her face, he kissed her passionately. Parker felt herself slowly give in to his influence as they began to make love again. Her thoughts were torn between wondering where he got all the energy from and thinking this must be what it felt like to be a Pez--one of Jarod's passing obsessions.
Now as she prepared to leave, Parker began to reconsider her first impressions. The look on Jarod's face suggested that she was far more than one of his usual obsessions and that he had quite possibly invested more than she had originally thought in their unlikely liaison. She had never seen that look on his face before and his intensity left her mildly puzzled.
Having Parker to himself and away from the influence of the Centre, Jarod had the chance to interact with her on a completely different level. The past 2 days were almost unimaginable and the partially obscured sight of her body behind the dressing screen in Ocee's parlor was only a teaser to the far more satisfying reality. The idea of their relationship taking on an intimate aspect was a challenge hoped for and a desire realized. The emotional fallout for him led to a territory that he hadn't traversed since he was a teenager--not wanting to let her go. His plans were quickly solidifying along with his resolve. Jarod realized he had within his grasp a lasting solution to his loneliness and that was Parker.
He watched her slowly pull on her dark, fashionably cut wool overcoat while cleverly avoiding looking in his eyes. Jarod wanted to smile at her diffident reluctance in leaving him which only added fuel to his plans. Their current predicament was uncomfortably similar to their first parting. That time, promises had been made, not kept and engendered an ingrained resentment on his part. Her explanation in front of the fireplace on Carthis helped a great deal and cleared the way for him to see beyond the Centre in her to the neglected, conditioned and trapped woman.
"…it goes both ways you know," she said, her last words finally catching Jarod's attention. He looked at her blankly and she repeated with edgy cynicism, "Our joint venture? The information flow goes both ways, you'll let me know if you catch our little murderer, right?"
"Of course, Miss Parker. I'll hold up my end of the bargain, rest assured," he replied with an abrupt smirk. Allowing his smile to slowly fade, he said in a quietly, inquisitive voice, "I want to see you again." It was a statement of fact spoken in the manner of a question.
Parker tied the sash of her coat tightly around her waist. She was about to answer him when Moriyama appeared in her peripheral vision. When she looked at him, the bodyguard immediately spoke.
"Oyabun, four sites have already been ruled out. Chairman Raines called once asking for an update from Sam and there have been three inquiries into your federal employment file by the state Task Force. The Strike team leader believes he has found the target but has reported this only to me," Moriyama stated matter-of-factly.
"Perfect. Tell Lucien to hold his position and to have his team surround the site. Have him advise you when he's done. Then inform him, his team and the backups that we are going dark and staying that way until I say otherwise. I don't want anyone speaking to the Centre except me. Have team one back up Lucien and absolutely everyone is to stay out of sight. We'll be leaving, shortly. Give me a minute," she replied softly. Turning to Jarod she noticed the bemused and interested expression on his face. Today, however she wasn't in the mood for explanations. "Walk me out to the car," she invited with a slight smile.
"He's very devoted to you. Why does he refer to you as Oyabun?," Jarod inquired softly.
"We have an understanding," came her incomplete reply. "My strike team is in Lakewood at an abandoned bottling warehouse on the western edge of the city limits. If you want to join us, then you're welcome to do so but I'll wait only until this piece of spineless waste decides to move." She was about the let his prior comment slide by without answering but suddenly changed her mind. In a soft, firm voice she said, "I would like to see you again but obviously we understand the risks on both sides. There's no need for you to take any unnecessary chances with your freedom. I think I can understand the concept of a one weekend stand. Let's call it our own private intermezzo. Sometimes it's best when its not repeated," she answered definitively.
Jarod stared at her with a hint of defiance in his eyes, "You should remember how I always hated obstacles. I usually will think my way around them or remove them entirely. Happy hunting Parker," he said as he watched her get into the black Lincoln Town Car Moriyama drove for her. Once the door was shut and the large vehicle was pulling away, Jarod added to himself, "It will be a pleasure seeing you again--soon, very soon." With that the Pretender slowly reentered the cabin. Moriyama had just laid another card on the table in calling Parker Oyabun, alerting Jarod to another potential obstacle. It was a tidbit Sydney's research hadn't provided but help neatly tie up the loose ends left dangling by the sweeper's dossier.
Moriyama drove away from the cabin in silence. Glancing in the rearview mirror often, he watched his boss closely. He placed the counter-eavesdropping device she designed on the dashboard, then finally he spoke in fluent Samoan, "You've done something to him. Something he is aware of and struggles to come to terms with."
Parker glanced up and leaning back against the comfortable cushions she replied in the same language, "What ever I've done, he'll get over, quickly."
"From the look on his face, I doubt it. This will turn out to be situation you will have to face and deal with, Oyabun," the bodyguard/advisor stated with calm certainty. He had seen the blissful look on her face while the Pretender held her tightly in his embrace. It was this expression which assisted Moriyama in making a fateful decision.
"One thing at a time, Moriyama. First the bug hunt. What were you able to find out from Raines' inquiry?"
"That unless ordered, Sam tells the Chairman the truth. His loyalties lie with the Centre. Mark has been assigned to shadow Jarod, he will start phoning in updates within the next 10 minutes. Lucien is personally attending to the search of the upper area of Hemmings' lair."
"I'll handle Sam. When he works for me, he's with me all the way. Lets get over to Lakewood immediately, so we can set up before the calvary arrives."
Bradley's Bottlery
Lakewood, CO
The joint State and Federal Task force arrived in full strength at the warehouse. Without having any concrete intelligence beyond the tip obtained by Douglas, the force deployed a SWAT team as backup, just in case. Their base of operations was contained in an oversized van out of sight and two blocks away. All appeared quiet when 30 minutes later with a proper warrant in hand, Lieutenant Randall ordered his people to cautiously proceed inside the building and take the suspect into custody. In a flurry of activity, 6 fully suited SWAT team members entered the premises, found the suspect and took him into custody without incident. Lt. Randall, along with Special Agent Sommers and key members of the task force entered the building to get a look at their elusive quarry. As a special favor for the Feds, all of the local and most of the national news networks were waiting eagerly to record the event that had captured the horror and fascination of the rest of the country.
Entering the warehouse, Randall looked at the man who had murdered at least a dozen people and injured twice as many. He was standing between two tall SWAT team members and stared with arrogant, disdain at the people who had hunted him to this conclusion. "It's about time you were brought to justice and we'll make sure that happens in front of a jury of your peers and a few million in the television audience." Randall stood with satisfied arrogance before the bio-terrorist, flanked by an equally overconfident Agent Sommers, the two Special Agents who usually accompanied her and by a glory-seeking Elliot.
"You really think they will let you do that? You think I came out of nowhere, with no funding and no direction? Well, for my part, I look forward to your so-called trial, that should make the old bald, breathless fart sit up and take notice," Hemmings taunted with warped pleasure. The scientist/terrorist was a portly man with a violently receding hairline, a gut that strained the buttons of a too-tight shirt and eyes that slightly protruded, which served to explain Parker's derisive metaphor for him. At Randall's poor attempt to conceal his confusion, Hemmings laughed haughtily.
A sudden anger rose from deep inside his chest with a surprising heat at the chutzpa of this dirtbag laughing at him, Randall stated in a forcibly calm voice, "We'll see who's laughing when you get a taste of your own medicine, complements of the State of Colorado."
"Not so fast there, Charlie Chan. You'll have to stand in line for that privilege." A clear, slightly amused female voice stated with finality.
Everyone in the warehouse looked towards the source of the voice. Walking around a screen of over a dozen 30 gallon barrels stacked 8 feet high, the slim, dark suited figure of a woman came into view. She was tall, sleek, sophisticated and stylish as her boots clicked a reverberating rhythm on the concrete floor. Her dark hair was tightly contained in a beautiful chignon, her eyes obscured by black Ray-Ban sunglasses, her pale complexion showed only in her face since every other inch of her was swathed in dark fabric or leather.
"Who the hell are you?" Randall asked in a deeply irritated voice.
"A collector and right now you will turn over that little piece of crap your men are holding up," Parker replied calmly. The expression on his face told her he was about to lose his temper, and as a defusing mechanism she continued speaking, effectively cutting Randall off before he could get going. "Now, Lieutenant, let's not argue over this worthless example of human depravity. Your time and efforts are of better use elsewhere."
While she was speaking, Parker noticed Elliot step up to his Lieutenant and whisper into his ear, "Sir, that's the same woman I saw Douglas with in the warehouse down the street from the sorority house."
Jarod, who entered the warehouse along with the rest of the team, saw what was happening with dismay. Parker had showed up far ahead of schedule and now the added complication of Elliot advising Randall about her identity was turning this whole operation into a waking nightmare.
Elliot's comment to the Lieutenant also caught Teddy's attention and made him look even more closely at Parker. From her manners it was obvious she was used to supervising others in less than ideal situations. It was her class, looks and accent which told Teddy that this was the ultimate recipient of Jarod's notes and gifts. There was no question that she was Jarod's love interest. He sighed deeply, feeling vindicated in his original assessment of Jarod's sexuality. Teddy believed it was these attributes that explained the increased venom in Elliot's jealousy. It was nice to know that his ability to read people retained its accuracy at a steady 98%. As far as his ego was concerned, this discovery was practically on a par with finally catching up to the murderer.
"So you're the woman from IIB Douglas invited to the party. I've heard about you. I'm telling you this straight out, this guy stays with us and for good measure, I believe you should accompany us also, so you can explain your actions to your bosses," Randall declared smugly.