Disclaimer: Details are in Chapter 1.
Jarod's Lair
Red Cliff, CO
"I was imprisoned by the Centre most of my life and I must say none of you are acting much like the usual Centre sweeper," Jarod said to Moriyama. He was hoping to get a clue as to what the sweeper's next move would be but Moriyama remained inscrutable.
"The Centre produces two types of sweeper; those who work for the Centre and those who have a boss," Mark replied easily. "We're Team 2, Miss Parker's personal squad. Team 1 is headed by Sam and Team 3 is headed up by Lucien, both who work for the Centre with Miss Parker as an executive director. It may seem like semantics to the uninitiated but it is an important distinction which determines who we will work for or with."
Jarod had already partially arrived at this conclusion, Mark's brief explanation added flavor to the dry details contained in the sweepers personnel files. Moriyama returned Jarod's stare calmly, his eyes never leaving the Pretender's face for a second. With slow deliberation, Parker's eyes fluttered open as she regained a groggy consciousness. Everyone in the room remained silent as they watched the lone woman in the room look around in confusion. When her eyes finally settled on Jarod, it was as though a sudden memory slammed into place forcefully. Her brows furrowed and an angry expression sprang eagerly in her eyes.
A sinking feeling invaded Jarod's heart at the look in his lover's eyes. His plan was only halfway completed and although he had anticipated this reaction from her, he had still hoped that his motives would have become clear to her, thus acquitting him of any undue blame. Never a pessimist, he returned her stare composedly and waited with his usual patience for a time to explain himself to her.
"He kidnapped me," Parker said thickly, her voice still affected by the deep sleep the chloroform had imposed on her.
"Hai, Oyabun. We followed him here and are now awaiting your orders. Are you injured in any other way?"
Parker took a second for self evaluation, then slowly shook her head once in the negative. "What's the situation? Do we still have Hemmings? Was the package found?"
"Hai, Oyabun. I checked in with Sam, they arrived at the rendezvous point almost 20 minutes ago. Team 3 found the package along with all of the scientist's paperwork, then met up with Sam's team shortly afterward. I told Sam that we ran into a slight glitch and to leave for the Centre without us--explaining that we would catch up to them later," Moriyama clarified immediately.
"Good. This 'glitch' is over, call the Centre and have another jet come and get us," Parker ordered crisply. She wasn't happy about what happened, even less so with her bodyguard, though she knew it wasn't entirely his fault. Jarod had pulled slicker moves on her in the past. The room remained silent, a sign to Parker that something was wrong. Her teams always followed her orders immediately--always. Looking up, she noticed Moriyama still had his weapon pointed at Jarod. A quick lift of her eyebrows conveyed her question to the sweeper.
Mark answered for Moriyama, who by the look of it missed Parker's non-verbal question. "Oyabun, what do you want done with him?" Mark asked nodding in Jarod's direction.
Slowly, Parker came to her feet with Mark standing close, ready to assist or catch her if necessary. Without her fashionable heels, Mark was the same height as Parker, but with heels on, she had a few inches on him--in testy attitude she dwarfed everyone in the room. As a result, Mark used his body to provide protection from an unarmed Jarod who was trying not to smile at the caution being exercised by Parker's sweepers.
Parker frowned faintly at Mark's behavior, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder she relaxed against the wall and said with weariness, "Let him go. He's not coming with us."
"Ma'am? He kidnapped you and the whole incident was recorded by Team 3, we can't return without him," Mark stated quietly.
A sudden and sharp anger flared hotly in Parker's eyes. Fortunately for Mark, he had his back to her or he would have been deeply embarrassed by engendering this emotion in his boss. Before Parker could fully express her displeasure, Moriyama spoke up.
"You order us to let him go, however Mark is right we can not return. It is the alternative which causes me to pause, Oyabun."
"What are you talking about? What's going on?" Parker asked, upset that she had apparently been left out of the loop.
Giving Mark a significant glare, Moriyama nodded once for the other sweeper to start speaking. Parker saw the silent exchange and grew impatient. "Now, damn it!" she practically yelled.
"Oyabun, I found out some information that you should know," Mark started uncertainly. At Moriyama's additional nod, Mark continued,
"The reason I was late getting on the jet is because I had accidentally overheard two high level executives discussing something of a confidential nature."
Each non-explanatory word caused Parker to wake up a bit faster but unfortunately for Mark, caused her irritation to rise as well. Roughly pushing the sweeper away, Parker glared at him and Moriyama unhappily. "The reason you were late was because you were loafing around as usual."
"He was awoken by a conversation about you between your brother, Mr. Lyle and Mr. Royce, the Director's assistant. Apparently Mr. Lyle has made some preemptive arrangements regarding your future which he has failed to share. I suspect that he will act on his plans when we return," Moriyama explained to his boss.
"What were they planning?" Parker asked with a feeling of dread.
"Mr. Lyle has been given the authorization to have you drugged and removed to the Renewal Wing, where you are supposed to undergo 'psychological restructuring'. Part of the treatment included giving you a series of psychotropic drugs which would leave you compliant and suppress any moral inhibitions. Lyle was assuring Royce that should he continue to support Lyle's bid to replace you as Executive Operations Director, he would make sure Royce would be allowed to do what he pleased with you for an evening and with the help of the drug. A generous fee would be paid to Mr. Lyle for this privilege. From what I could gather, a mate had already been chosen for you by Mr. Raines and with the proper psychological training and maintenance, you would perform and serve the Centre according to his specific directives," Mark answered. As he started the story, his anger at his own powerlessness to protect her from the plot, left his mouth dry and with the unfulfilled desire to hit someone. The room was silent while Jarod and the sweepers watched Parker reconsider her current options.
"So, returning me to the fold would be a waste of time. Raines and Lyle will still go ahead with their plans whether you bring me back there or not. Why not do as she asks and let me go?" Jarod inquired of Moriyama who was still aiming his weapon squarely at the Pretender's head.
"You've been used most of your life. When you let me see your true nature, I saw an opportunity and decided to join the bandwagon and use you myself," Moriyama answered tersely, purposely trying to irk Jarod.
The neutral look slipped off Jarod's face as he gave Moriyama a hard, livid stare. Both Parker and Mark saw the abrupt change in Jarod. In response Parker smoothly intervened, "No one is using anyone. Jarod is free to go and I'll deal with this situation on my own. Mark, I need you to get Team 2's families out of harm's way. Take them all to the safe house and keep them there until I'm finished dealing with this situation. Have Doyle help you as well, there's only a two hour window before Raines views that tape."
Mark listened carefully, then bowed slightly and left to carry out her instructions. Once he had left the room, Parker turned to see Moriyama and Jarod still sizing each other up. With a firm voice she interrupted their staring contest. "Moriyama, you should have told me about this plan of Lyle's before hand."
"Lyle was cautious, always watching. If I had told you before now, he would have detected a change in you and altered his plans accordingly. However, for you to return to the Centre now would be problematic."
"So this is the reason you allowed Jarod to kidnap me?" Parker asked Moriyama with deadly calmness.
"Hai, Oyabun. With both the Chairman and his son aligned against you, I would have been unable to insure your safety. I suspected the seriousness of your relationship and his possessiveness over you would inspire him to try something, the boldness of it was the only surprise."
"Leave us alone for a few minutes," Parker demanded shortly. Only the tiniest of pauses delayed Moriyama as he bowed deeply and quickly left along with the sweeper Paul.
The room remained quiet for several seconds, Jarod watched Parker warily wondering exactly how angry she still was. She kept her breathing even and slow, endeavoring to keep her temper in check. The urge to walk over to Jarod and slap him into next week was almost overpowering.
"I didn't want a repeat of the past and I've never heard of a one-weekend stand. I've been offered one-night stands and even tried it on occasion but that's not what I'm interested in from you."
"I don't give a damn what your are or not interested in, you must have lost your mind. Our relationship will be whatever I say it'll be and all the kidnapping in the world won't change that. God, I was actually visualizing you sneaking into my house for a late night's erotic tryst. Somewhere there's a petulant, fickle deity waiting in the wings to make sure I'm the proud owner of nothing but failed, doomed and damned romance," Parker ranted sarcastically.
Jarod stared at her back as she sat on the bed and refused to look at him. He was tempted to duck into the bathroom and repeat drugging her but knew she would be beside herself with rage once she awoke in the lair he had carefully planned for them. There were still numerous details he had to work out for their final disappearance, one of which was notifying his overly patient family. Everything in his gut told him that hanging on to her was the right thing for both of them but getting her to see that would take some work.
A spark of hope glimmered brightly as her words sank into his mind, 'she was hoping I would break into her house to make love to her?' Apparently, Teddy's little book on subconscious suggestions actually worked--just not in the way he had expected. Her admitting to a desire which included him was highly unusual and deeply imbedded in her subconscious. Forcefully smothering a lecherously delighted grin, Jarod said solemnly, "Moriyama is right, returning to the Centre for you is out of the question. So, why not use the exit strategy that I planned for you?"
"Which was?"
"At this stage, I had planned on telling you what was going on and why. Then we were supposed to drive to the border, switching cars often and using several pseudonyms. Once over the border, we would board a flight to our destination."
"And after that? What am I supposed to do with myself? I've spent all of my life in, around or working for the Centre," Parker said with a tendril of apprehension in her voice.
"You'll have the time and freedom to figure that part out on your own, without anyone pressuring or blackmailing you into doing something against your will," Jarod reasoned evenly. He had already thought of a solution to her dilemma. The ease and extreme distaste of becoming bored would eventually lead her down a destructive path that would alert the Centre and it's minions to her location. As far as he was concerned, it would never happen. He would take great care and pleasure in distracting her and keeping her busy.
"And you? Where will you be, what would you be doing? Running around the world doing pretends and saving the masses from the intrigues dreamt up by Raines?"
"I had planned on being with you, being there for you during this transition," Jarod answered soothingly as he gingerly sat next to her on the bed. Easing in a deep breath, Jarod decided on being up front with her, it would be an example of how their relationship would progress, if they could maintain the one they had. "I want you. I know now that you're what I need. Consider this the most reasonable solution I've found to our mutual loneliness."
Parker looked into his eyes as he made this admission and saw that the truth was there, laid bare for her to see. A weight seemed lifted from her at the thought of him being there for her yet again. She knew if she spent any more exclusive time with Jarod that she would be unable to send him away. Without warning, she turned back to Jarod's anxious face and swiftly kissed him and deepened the kiss with unbridled passion. As abruptly as she started it, she ended the kiss, leaving the Pretender hanging with puckered lips.
"You have no idea how tempting that sounds but I've people who depend on me," she said firmly. Parker stood up and started slowly pacing. "You go ahead, I'll have to think my way around Lyle and Raines. It's not the first time and from the way things look, it won't be the last."
"I spoke with Sydney right after finding you at Hemmings abandoned lair. He told me about some of the threats Raines was using to keep you in line. There is a way for Broots and his daughter to get away without being harmed," Jarod said convincingly.
Slowly shaking her head, Parker replied, "No. Broots is nervous enough as it is. A life on the run would rattle his cage beyond recognition. He would probably suffer from either a nervous breakdown or heart attack within 6 months. I don't have any other choice but to go back. Believe me the thought of returning turns my stomach."
"Lyle sold you to a subordinate in order to get his support for a corporate takeover," Jarod stated with unbridled anger. Parker glanced at him and saw the deeply offended and disgusted look in Jarod's face. She noted the expression in her lover's face and knew if given the chance Jarod would have thought up something truly inventive to punish Lyle. He would have to wait his turn, her brother would have to sample her particular brand of revenge first.
"I already have an idea on how to reward brother-dearest for this latest betrayal. I have three sweeper teams and two cleaner teams at my disposal. When I get back, he's going to wish that he had never been born," Parker responded.
With a sinking feeling, Jarod realized she was determined on returning to the Centre. His plans had been put on hold but this wasn't a contingency he hadn't already considered. Looking up, he stared at her and asked, "What do you have in mind?"
"Having his ass tossed in jail seems to be a pleasant way to start the festivities. That should give me some time to thoroughly undermine everything he managed to set up for my visit to the Renewal Wing."
A sly smile slowly creased Jarod's features as he looked at her suggestively, then said, "I have an idea. Something that would serve the both of us. Better yet, it'll be at Lyle's expense." He gave her a quick outline of his idea.
Parker returned Jarod's smile with a slow nod of agreement. Sometimes having a genius for a friend and lover was extremely beneficial. "With a few modifications, I believe your idea has brilliant possibilities. This little joint venture is turning out to be far more productive then merely catching one maniac."