Chapter 14
Sidney felt a sickening dread, as the car her and Lyle were in, screeched to a halt. They were in front of Ms. Parker's house. Mr. Lyle took out his gun, screwing on the silencer. Sidney tried to keep from gaping at him. Was he serious? Was he really going to follow the joint directive of the Covenant and the Triumvirate, and execute his own sister?
'What's the matter?' he asked, eyeing her.
Sidney took out her own gun and screwed on a silencer.
'Nothing.' she said. What was she going to say? That she didn't want to do this? That the tape they had viewed of Ms. Parker slipping something into Sloane's drink, had to be a mistake? What? All she could do, is pray that Ms. Parker was not inside.
Lyle got out of the car. Sidney followed suit. They both looked around, to see if anyone was watching them. Lyle then hurried up the porch steps, and kicked in the door.
They both had their guns drawn, as they checked the front room, and the ensuing ones. Sidney came out of the kitchen, just as Lyle finished in the bedroom.
'She's gone.' he said.
Sidney raised a brow.
'What are you talking about? Everything is still here, even those DSA's.'
Lyle shook his head.
'My sister wears mostly leather, with a few other pieces. Her closet is damned near empty. She's gone.'
Sidney looked away. Jarod had left the protection of the CIA to see Ms. Parker. Was it possible she was with him? Had he helped her get away?
'What now?' Sidney asked, hoping his answer would be that they should return to the Centre. She still needed to get to Broots and look for those notes for Abigail's cure.
'Let's get back to the Centre and 'interrogate' Mr. Broots.' Lyle answered. 'Surely he knows something. In fact, I'm counting on it.'
Sidney took a deep breath. That was not quite the answer she had been hoping for.
'Lyle, I just can't believe this is easy for you. I mean it's not everyday, that one is asked to kill their own twin sister.'
'It's the Centre. There's always a chance you'll be asked to do exactly that. Or you may lose a thumb...one never knows.'
Sidney's eyes moved to his hand without the thumb. Lyle moved closer to her.
'Are you alright?' he asked.
Sidney smiled and shrugged.
'Yes, why do you ask?'
'No, what I mean is, is the 're-training' you were put through, wearing off? You appear to be concerned about people's feelings, and things like that. It makes me wonder if that Sweeper didn't have a point about you.'
Sidney was on her guard.
'Excuse me?'
'About your killing Sydney...and the Sweepers. The Centre doesn't like loose ends. That's why clean-up teams are always sent, to recover bodies...items. There are two Sweepers and a shrink unaccounted for.'
Sidney began to back away. Lyle's whole demeanor had changed. It was almost as if he had picked this moment, when they were totally alone, to bring all of this up. And she suspected that nothing she said, would allay his suspicions. It was time to take Mr. Lyle into custody...early!
Lyle suddenly pointed his gun at her! Sidney raised her hands.
'I'm sorry about this Sidney, I really am. I really liked you. You were the first woman I had cared for, and did not want to murder right away, in a long time. I knew we had a connection, when I saw you shoot that Sweeper in cold blood, back at the apartment complex. But now...now my instincts are telling me that something is not right...starting with you.'
Sidney knocked the gun from his hand! Lyle swung to punch her, but she ducked and punched him in the stomach! Lyle groaned and tried not to double over, but did anyway, giving Sidney the advantage. She backhanded him and he fell down. Sidney then took out her cuffs and put his hands behind his back.
Lyle tried to struggle. Sidney kicked him in the face, knocking him unconscious. Breathing hard, she then took out her special phone, the one she used to call in to the CIA on. She got Vaughn right away.
'I need you to get a team out to Ms. Parker's house, right away. And find her and Jarod. There is big trouble.'
'I'm coming myself, and I'll bring back up.' he answered.
****
Jarod was driving on the highway, when he asked Ms. Parker to get his phone out of the glove compartment. Ms. Parker opened it and pulled it out. She handed it to him. Jarod managed to punch some numbers with one hand.
'This is Jarod and I am on secure line! I need to know where the safe house is. I have Ms. Parker with me.'
Ms. Parker glanced over at him, while he nodded. She looked out of the window. She then looked at him again. He had ended the call, and had handed her back the cell phone. She held it in her hands.
'Take the next exit. That will be the fastest way to Broots's house. School has let out by now...I know Debbie stays by herself until Broots gets home.' she said, still holding the cell phone.
Jarod nodded, but glanced over at her.
'What is it?' he asked. Ms. Parker decided that since they were giving one another bad news, she might as well impart some more.
'Irina Derevko came to see me this morning.'
Jarod glanced over at her again, while getting over in the far right lane, so he could take the proper exit.
'Why?'
'Jarod, she told me, to tell you, to get in contact with her. She said you have something that could help her find your mother.'
Jarod shook his head.
'If I had something that could find my mother, then I would know where she is right now.'
'Okay, but I got the feeling that she thinks you don't know what it is you have. I don't think you should deal with her.'
Jarod got off on the proper exit. They ended up on a busy street, stopped at a light.
'Ms. Parker...'
But Ms. Parker touched one of his hands, as they rested on the steering wheel.
'Honey, listen to me. That woman is not looking for your mother for sentimental reasons. You said yourself that the raid is tomorrow. There's nothing she can do, if you don't get in touch with her. But I thought you should know. What you decide to do, is up to you.'
Jarod smiled over at her. The light turned green and Jarod resumed driving. Ms. Parker gave him a confused look.
'I don't know why you would be possibly smiling, and I don't think I want to know!'
Jarod kept his eyes on the road, but he was still smiling, no, grinning!
'You called me, 'honey'.'
'Jarod, for crying out loud...'
'But you will admit, that you addressed me with an endearment? I mean, you do realize what a monumental occasion this is?'
'Just drive, Jarod!'
'Oh, come now! You're not going to let me have some fun? I'll tell you what: I will think up an endearment that suits you as well.'
'Uh, that's alright! Let's just pick up Debbie, okay?'
'Let me think,' Jarod continued, 'you don't look like a 'sweetie'...'
'Jarod!'
'You could be more of a 'baby'...'
Ms. Parker rolled her eyes and looked back out of the window. As per the norm, she found his teasing maddening!
Jarod looked over at her again. He was still smiling.
'You know, you're taking my teasing much better than you used to. I do believe you've mellowed.'
'Yeah, well amnesia and childbirth will do that for you!'
Jarod stopped smiling.
'Seriously though,' he said, 'you will learn to play again...something the Centre made you forget how to do. We'll all play again, once this is over....and we're with both of our children again.'
Ms. Parker didn't answer him. She then sat up, as Jarod found Broots's house and pulled into the drive. She looked over at him.
'I take it you've been here before?'
'Many, many times. Though not as much as I've been to your home...though it was usually when you weren't there.'
'Ah!' Ms. Parker nodded, getting out of the car.
'I'll be right back. Hopefully she's home.' she said.
Jarod nodded and watched, as Ms. Parker headed up to the door. His phone rang. Ms. Parker had set it in her seat. He reached over and answered it.
'Hello?'
'Jarod? It's Sidney! Ms. Parker and you have to get to the safehouse right away! No more fooling around!'
'I'd hardly call what we're doing, 'fooling around'! We've just stopped to pick up Mr. Broots's daughter, Debbie. We wanted to make sure she's safe as well!'
'Jarod, I had the CIA pick up Mr. Lyle. He and I were sent to Ms. Parker's home to kill her!'
Jarod's breath caught. He looked around. He saw no one.
'What the hell do you mean?' he asked. He had thought they were safe for now!
'There is a tape of Ms. Parker putting something into Arvin Sloane's drink! Whatever it was, killed him! Now Sloane's organization, the Covenant, and the Triumvirate, want her killed! You have to get in here!'
'We'll be right in!' Jarod said sharply, before hanging up and jumping out of the car. He would bet his life that Ms. Parker and Debbie had stopped to pack! He ran towards the house, pondering what his cousin had told him. Ms. Parker poisoned Arvin Sloane? She wouldn't do anything like that...even if she wanted to!
Jarod ran to the front door and burst in, finding it unlocked! Ms. Parker and Debbie, who looked like a pre-teen now, were just coming towards the door. They jumped back, startled!
'What?!' Ms. Parker snapped, knowing they were in for trouble. Debbie moved behind Ms. Parker.
'Ms. Parker, who is this man?!' she squealed. Ms. Parker turned to her.
'Debbie, this is Jarod. He's a friend of mine and your father's! We have to go now!'
Jarod pulled Ms. Parker away from Debbie.
'My cousin Sidney just called me. She said that her and Lyle were sent to your house to murder you! She had to take Lyle into custody!'
'What?!' Ms. Parker asked in a whispering hiss. 'That makes no sense! As far as Sloane knew, I was going to marry him!'
'Sloane is dead, Ms. Parker!'
Jarod watched her reaction very carefully. She didn't look appalled, yet, it was clear she was puzzled by the turn of events.
'What do you mean, 'dead'? I just had lunch with that piece of garbage not two hours ago! He dropped me off at home!'
'Sidney said that there is a tape of you slipping some poison into his drink.'
Ms. Parker still looked confused. Then, understanding crossed her features.
'That bitch!' Ms. Parker screamed. Debbie looked over at them. Jarod looked over at her as well. He would hope that once they were together with their children, she would try not to swear in front of them!
'What, Ms. Parker?'
'Remember when I told you that your dear 'Aunt Irina' paid me a visit this morning? Yeah, well, she gave me something. It was supposedly a vial of that memory drug, used on the both of us!'
Jarod tilted his head.
'Why?'
Ms. Parker took a deep breath.
'It was for when I was forced to have 'marital relations' with my dear husband.' she said, lowering her voice, so that Debbie would not hear her. 'I would slip him the drug, then tell him we did the deed.'
'Oh. Well I think that was very nice of her.' Jarod said, smiling. He couldn't help it! He could just picture the scenario now! Poor Sloane, thinking that he had made rapturous love to Ms. Parker. Ms. Parker, smoking a cigarette, telling him he was wonderful!
'Yeah, well, I couldn't take much more of his conversation at lunch! That and...I wanted to get home and look at the DSA's....I slipped some of it into his drink...Jarod, he thought we had already eaten our lunch! The drug must've worked or...'
'Or, he knew what you had done and faked it?' Jarod asked, just as perplexed. 'Maybe someone poisoned him after you left the restaurant? Anyway, it doesn't matter! We have to get to the safehouse now!'
Ms. Parker nodded and ran to Debbie. When she saw the red dot on the child's forehead, she wished to God her and Jarod had not spent so much time yacking! She dived on Debbie, throwing her to the ground!
Jarod dove to the floor as well, as machine gun fire, tore into the house! Jarod reached Ms. Parker and Debbie, and while keeping low to the ground, they managed to crawl quickly to the back door. Debbie was crying.
'Honey, we're going to be alright!' Ms. Parker yelled, as Jarod reached up for the back door, only to be met with gunfire! Debbie began to cry and scream.
Then, suddenly, the gunfire stopped. They waited for several moments, then, Jarod and Ms. Parker slowly raised their heads. Debbie began to, but Ms. Parker ordered her to stay on the ground.
Jarod began to slowly rise to full height. Just as Ms. Parker was about to, she saw a pair of black boots standing in the dining room. She looked up and Jarod, who could clearly see whom they belonged to. Ms. Parker looked back down at Debbie.
'Stay in here. We'll be right back.' she said in a low voice. But Debbie reached up and grabbed her wrist.
'Ms. Parker, I'm scared! Where is my father?'
'It will be alright...just stay here.' she said. She stood up and saw a smiling Irina Derevko, standing there, holding a machine gun.
'The police will be here in a few seconds. Which means that the three of you will be caught up in the red tape of local police bureaucracy. And while you're explaining that you need to get in contact with the CIA, that will be enough time for the next assassin to make another attempt on your life.' Irina explained calmly.
Ms. Parker looked back at Debbie in the other room, before glaring at Irina.
'Then we don't have time to get into specifics. What is it that you want?' she snapped.
Irina looked at Jarod.
'I want the set of keys, to the car you first left Chicago in.'
Jarod squinted at her, then looked over at Ms. Parker. He then looked at Irina again.
'That was not my car...'
'I'm aware of that. They belonged to Dr. Kovach. I want the keys.'
'Why? What the hell does Luka Kovach have to do with anything?! Does he know my mother?'
'Give me the keys, Jarod. If you give me the keys, then I will be more than happy to tell Ms. Parker's would be assassins, that we discovered that Arvin Sloane's true murderer, was none other than Mr. Lyle! And let me tell you something, there is not enough government protection on this earth, to keep these type of killers from chasing you! So, Jarod, the keys!'
Ms. Parker looked over at Jarod.
'I don't have them.'
'I won't even ask what that means.' Irina said coldly.
'It means, that I left Dr. Kovach's car in an underground garage at O'Hare airport! I then mailed him a letter, along with the keys, before flying out, to thank him and tell him where to find his car! He probably has them again.'
'Wait a minute!' Ms. Parker snapped. She then looked at Jarod.
'If this Dr. Kovach's car, was the one we drove to Milwaukee...then your dear 'aunt' here, could've asked for the damned keys, when you gave us that safe house to go to in Chicago! Why didn't you just get them then?' she asked, turning back to Irina.
'I didn't know that what I needed was among Dr. Kovach's keys at the time. Now I do. Thank you for letting me know. And if I find out that you're lying to me, Jarod, well, then you, and Ms. Parker here, will ever know a moment's peace.'
A cell phone rang just then. It turned out to be Irina's. She pulled it out of her jacket pocket and answered sharply. Her face suddenly changed...relaxed. She then hung up.
'I'll be going now. I guess I won't be taking that trip to Chicago after all.' she smirked. Irina then turned and ran out of a side patio door! The police sirens grew louder. Jarod looked at Ms. Parker. Debbie got up off of the floor.
'That had to be my mother on the phone.' Jarod said quietly.
Ms. Parker touched the side of his face.
'I know. You'd better follow Derevko. Go!'
Debbie coughed.
'My friend Eddie has a car you can use. He probably has one we can use too, Ms. Parker.' she offered, her face looking bright and hopeful. She didn't seem to look so scared anymore.
'Eddie? Does your father know about this 'friend'?' Ms. Parker managed to ask with a smile.
Jarod smiled as well, but not as Debbie's words. He could imagine Ms. Parker asking Abigail that same question, when she got to be Debbie's age...if she got to be her age...
As if sensing his sadness, Ms. Parker turned back to Jarod.
'I'll be fine. I will stay with our daughter. But you have to help your mother. Once Irina Derevko gets what she wants from her...' Ms. Parker's voice trailed off. She didn't like talking like this in front of Debbie.
Jarod nodded. They turned and headed for the back door. Debbie stepped out first. Jarod was about to follow, when he stopped, then turned back to Ms. Parker. He grabbed the back of her head and kissed her hard, and soundly. He then let go of her and walked out of the door. Ms. Parker hesitated, touching her lips and smiling, before following him out.
****
Broots sat before his computer, his mouth hanging open. He had just finished doing what Ms. Parker had asked of him. He had discovered what Irina Derevko wanted with Jarod's mother.
Just as he was about to pick up the phone, to try Ms. Parker at home, a black hood was suddenly forced onto his head from behind! Broots screamed and thrashed wildly, as he was dragged from his office.
Sidney felt a sickening dread, as the car her and Lyle were in, screeched to a halt. They were in front of Ms. Parker's house. Mr. Lyle took out his gun, screwing on the silencer. Sidney tried to keep from gaping at him. Was he serious? Was he really going to follow the joint directive of the Covenant and the Triumvirate, and execute his own sister?
'What's the matter?' he asked, eyeing her.
Sidney took out her own gun and screwed on a silencer.
'Nothing.' she said. What was she going to say? That she didn't want to do this? That the tape they had viewed of Ms. Parker slipping something into Sloane's drink, had to be a mistake? What? All she could do, is pray that Ms. Parker was not inside.
Lyle got out of the car. Sidney followed suit. They both looked around, to see if anyone was watching them. Lyle then hurried up the porch steps, and kicked in the door.
They both had their guns drawn, as they checked the front room, and the ensuing ones. Sidney came out of the kitchen, just as Lyle finished in the bedroom.
'She's gone.' he said.
Sidney raised a brow.
'What are you talking about? Everything is still here, even those DSA's.'
Lyle shook his head.
'My sister wears mostly leather, with a few other pieces. Her closet is damned near empty. She's gone.'
Sidney looked away. Jarod had left the protection of the CIA to see Ms. Parker. Was it possible she was with him? Had he helped her get away?
'What now?' Sidney asked, hoping his answer would be that they should return to the Centre. She still needed to get to Broots and look for those notes for Abigail's cure.
'Let's get back to the Centre and 'interrogate' Mr. Broots.' Lyle answered. 'Surely he knows something. In fact, I'm counting on it.'
Sidney took a deep breath. That was not quite the answer she had been hoping for.
'Lyle, I just can't believe this is easy for you. I mean it's not everyday, that one is asked to kill their own twin sister.'
'It's the Centre. There's always a chance you'll be asked to do exactly that. Or you may lose a thumb...one never knows.'
Sidney's eyes moved to his hand without the thumb. Lyle moved closer to her.
'Are you alright?' he asked.
Sidney smiled and shrugged.
'Yes, why do you ask?'
'No, what I mean is, is the 're-training' you were put through, wearing off? You appear to be concerned about people's feelings, and things like that. It makes me wonder if that Sweeper didn't have a point about you.'
Sidney was on her guard.
'Excuse me?'
'About your killing Sydney...and the Sweepers. The Centre doesn't like loose ends. That's why clean-up teams are always sent, to recover bodies...items. There are two Sweepers and a shrink unaccounted for.'
Sidney began to back away. Lyle's whole demeanor had changed. It was almost as if he had picked this moment, when they were totally alone, to bring all of this up. And she suspected that nothing she said, would allay his suspicions. It was time to take Mr. Lyle into custody...early!
Lyle suddenly pointed his gun at her! Sidney raised her hands.
'I'm sorry about this Sidney, I really am. I really liked you. You were the first woman I had cared for, and did not want to murder right away, in a long time. I knew we had a connection, when I saw you shoot that Sweeper in cold blood, back at the apartment complex. But now...now my instincts are telling me that something is not right...starting with you.'
Sidney knocked the gun from his hand! Lyle swung to punch her, but she ducked and punched him in the stomach! Lyle groaned and tried not to double over, but did anyway, giving Sidney the advantage. She backhanded him and he fell down. Sidney then took out her cuffs and put his hands behind his back.
Lyle tried to struggle. Sidney kicked him in the face, knocking him unconscious. Breathing hard, she then took out her special phone, the one she used to call in to the CIA on. She got Vaughn right away.
'I need you to get a team out to Ms. Parker's house, right away. And find her and Jarod. There is big trouble.'
'I'm coming myself, and I'll bring back up.' he answered.
****
Jarod was driving on the highway, when he asked Ms. Parker to get his phone out of the glove compartment. Ms. Parker opened it and pulled it out. She handed it to him. Jarod managed to punch some numbers with one hand.
'This is Jarod and I am on secure line! I need to know where the safe house is. I have Ms. Parker with me.'
Ms. Parker glanced over at him, while he nodded. She looked out of the window. She then looked at him again. He had ended the call, and had handed her back the cell phone. She held it in her hands.
'Take the next exit. That will be the fastest way to Broots's house. School has let out by now...I know Debbie stays by herself until Broots gets home.' she said, still holding the cell phone.
Jarod nodded, but glanced over at her.
'What is it?' he asked. Ms. Parker decided that since they were giving one another bad news, she might as well impart some more.
'Irina Derevko came to see me this morning.'
Jarod glanced over at her again, while getting over in the far right lane, so he could take the proper exit.
'Why?'
'Jarod, she told me, to tell you, to get in contact with her. She said you have something that could help her find your mother.'
Jarod shook his head.
'If I had something that could find my mother, then I would know where she is right now.'
'Okay, but I got the feeling that she thinks you don't know what it is you have. I don't think you should deal with her.'
Jarod got off on the proper exit. They ended up on a busy street, stopped at a light.
'Ms. Parker...'
But Ms. Parker touched one of his hands, as they rested on the steering wheel.
'Honey, listen to me. That woman is not looking for your mother for sentimental reasons. You said yourself that the raid is tomorrow. There's nothing she can do, if you don't get in touch with her. But I thought you should know. What you decide to do, is up to you.'
Jarod smiled over at her. The light turned green and Jarod resumed driving. Ms. Parker gave him a confused look.
'I don't know why you would be possibly smiling, and I don't think I want to know!'
Jarod kept his eyes on the road, but he was still smiling, no, grinning!
'You called me, 'honey'.'
'Jarod, for crying out loud...'
'But you will admit, that you addressed me with an endearment? I mean, you do realize what a monumental occasion this is?'
'Just drive, Jarod!'
'Oh, come now! You're not going to let me have some fun? I'll tell you what: I will think up an endearment that suits you as well.'
'Uh, that's alright! Let's just pick up Debbie, okay?'
'Let me think,' Jarod continued, 'you don't look like a 'sweetie'...'
'Jarod!'
'You could be more of a 'baby'...'
Ms. Parker rolled her eyes and looked back out of the window. As per the norm, she found his teasing maddening!
Jarod looked over at her again. He was still smiling.
'You know, you're taking my teasing much better than you used to. I do believe you've mellowed.'
'Yeah, well amnesia and childbirth will do that for you!'
Jarod stopped smiling.
'Seriously though,' he said, 'you will learn to play again...something the Centre made you forget how to do. We'll all play again, once this is over....and we're with both of our children again.'
Ms. Parker didn't answer him. She then sat up, as Jarod found Broots's house and pulled into the drive. She looked over at him.
'I take it you've been here before?'
'Many, many times. Though not as much as I've been to your home...though it was usually when you weren't there.'
'Ah!' Ms. Parker nodded, getting out of the car.
'I'll be right back. Hopefully she's home.' she said.
Jarod nodded and watched, as Ms. Parker headed up to the door. His phone rang. Ms. Parker had set it in her seat. He reached over and answered it.
'Hello?'
'Jarod? It's Sidney! Ms. Parker and you have to get to the safehouse right away! No more fooling around!'
'I'd hardly call what we're doing, 'fooling around'! We've just stopped to pick up Mr. Broots's daughter, Debbie. We wanted to make sure she's safe as well!'
'Jarod, I had the CIA pick up Mr. Lyle. He and I were sent to Ms. Parker's home to kill her!'
Jarod's breath caught. He looked around. He saw no one.
'What the hell do you mean?' he asked. He had thought they were safe for now!
'There is a tape of Ms. Parker putting something into Arvin Sloane's drink! Whatever it was, killed him! Now Sloane's organization, the Covenant, and the Triumvirate, want her killed! You have to get in here!'
'We'll be right in!' Jarod said sharply, before hanging up and jumping out of the car. He would bet his life that Ms. Parker and Debbie had stopped to pack! He ran towards the house, pondering what his cousin had told him. Ms. Parker poisoned Arvin Sloane? She wouldn't do anything like that...even if she wanted to!
Jarod ran to the front door and burst in, finding it unlocked! Ms. Parker and Debbie, who looked like a pre-teen now, were just coming towards the door. They jumped back, startled!
'What?!' Ms. Parker snapped, knowing they were in for trouble. Debbie moved behind Ms. Parker.
'Ms. Parker, who is this man?!' she squealed. Ms. Parker turned to her.
'Debbie, this is Jarod. He's a friend of mine and your father's! We have to go now!'
Jarod pulled Ms. Parker away from Debbie.
'My cousin Sidney just called me. She said that her and Lyle were sent to your house to murder you! She had to take Lyle into custody!'
'What?!' Ms. Parker asked in a whispering hiss. 'That makes no sense! As far as Sloane knew, I was going to marry him!'
'Sloane is dead, Ms. Parker!'
Jarod watched her reaction very carefully. She didn't look appalled, yet, it was clear she was puzzled by the turn of events.
'What do you mean, 'dead'? I just had lunch with that piece of garbage not two hours ago! He dropped me off at home!'
'Sidney said that there is a tape of you slipping some poison into his drink.'
Ms. Parker still looked confused. Then, understanding crossed her features.
'That bitch!' Ms. Parker screamed. Debbie looked over at them. Jarod looked over at her as well. He would hope that once they were together with their children, she would try not to swear in front of them!
'What, Ms. Parker?'
'Remember when I told you that your dear 'Aunt Irina' paid me a visit this morning? Yeah, well, she gave me something. It was supposedly a vial of that memory drug, used on the both of us!'
Jarod tilted his head.
'Why?'
Ms. Parker took a deep breath.
'It was for when I was forced to have 'marital relations' with my dear husband.' she said, lowering her voice, so that Debbie would not hear her. 'I would slip him the drug, then tell him we did the deed.'
'Oh. Well I think that was very nice of her.' Jarod said, smiling. He couldn't help it! He could just picture the scenario now! Poor Sloane, thinking that he had made rapturous love to Ms. Parker. Ms. Parker, smoking a cigarette, telling him he was wonderful!
'Yeah, well, I couldn't take much more of his conversation at lunch! That and...I wanted to get home and look at the DSA's....I slipped some of it into his drink...Jarod, he thought we had already eaten our lunch! The drug must've worked or...'
'Or, he knew what you had done and faked it?' Jarod asked, just as perplexed. 'Maybe someone poisoned him after you left the restaurant? Anyway, it doesn't matter! We have to get to the safehouse now!'
Ms. Parker nodded and ran to Debbie. When she saw the red dot on the child's forehead, she wished to God her and Jarod had not spent so much time yacking! She dived on Debbie, throwing her to the ground!
Jarod dove to the floor as well, as machine gun fire, tore into the house! Jarod reached Ms. Parker and Debbie, and while keeping low to the ground, they managed to crawl quickly to the back door. Debbie was crying.
'Honey, we're going to be alright!' Ms. Parker yelled, as Jarod reached up for the back door, only to be met with gunfire! Debbie began to cry and scream.
Then, suddenly, the gunfire stopped. They waited for several moments, then, Jarod and Ms. Parker slowly raised their heads. Debbie began to, but Ms. Parker ordered her to stay on the ground.
Jarod began to slowly rise to full height. Just as Ms. Parker was about to, she saw a pair of black boots standing in the dining room. She looked up and Jarod, who could clearly see whom they belonged to. Ms. Parker looked back down at Debbie.
'Stay in here. We'll be right back.' she said in a low voice. But Debbie reached up and grabbed her wrist.
'Ms. Parker, I'm scared! Where is my father?'
'It will be alright...just stay here.' she said. She stood up and saw a smiling Irina Derevko, standing there, holding a machine gun.
'The police will be here in a few seconds. Which means that the three of you will be caught up in the red tape of local police bureaucracy. And while you're explaining that you need to get in contact with the CIA, that will be enough time for the next assassin to make another attempt on your life.' Irina explained calmly.
Ms. Parker looked back at Debbie in the other room, before glaring at Irina.
'Then we don't have time to get into specifics. What is it that you want?' she snapped.
Irina looked at Jarod.
'I want the set of keys, to the car you first left Chicago in.'
Jarod squinted at her, then looked over at Ms. Parker. He then looked at Irina again.
'That was not my car...'
'I'm aware of that. They belonged to Dr. Kovach. I want the keys.'
'Why? What the hell does Luka Kovach have to do with anything?! Does he know my mother?'
'Give me the keys, Jarod. If you give me the keys, then I will be more than happy to tell Ms. Parker's would be assassins, that we discovered that Arvin Sloane's true murderer, was none other than Mr. Lyle! And let me tell you something, there is not enough government protection on this earth, to keep these type of killers from chasing you! So, Jarod, the keys!'
Ms. Parker looked over at Jarod.
'I don't have them.'
'I won't even ask what that means.' Irina said coldly.
'It means, that I left Dr. Kovach's car in an underground garage at O'Hare airport! I then mailed him a letter, along with the keys, before flying out, to thank him and tell him where to find his car! He probably has them again.'
'Wait a minute!' Ms. Parker snapped. She then looked at Jarod.
'If this Dr. Kovach's car, was the one we drove to Milwaukee...then your dear 'aunt' here, could've asked for the damned keys, when you gave us that safe house to go to in Chicago! Why didn't you just get them then?' she asked, turning back to Irina.
'I didn't know that what I needed was among Dr. Kovach's keys at the time. Now I do. Thank you for letting me know. And if I find out that you're lying to me, Jarod, well, then you, and Ms. Parker here, will ever know a moment's peace.'
A cell phone rang just then. It turned out to be Irina's. She pulled it out of her jacket pocket and answered sharply. Her face suddenly changed...relaxed. She then hung up.
'I'll be going now. I guess I won't be taking that trip to Chicago after all.' she smirked. Irina then turned and ran out of a side patio door! The police sirens grew louder. Jarod looked at Ms. Parker. Debbie got up off of the floor.
'That had to be my mother on the phone.' Jarod said quietly.
Ms. Parker touched the side of his face.
'I know. You'd better follow Derevko. Go!'
Debbie coughed.
'My friend Eddie has a car you can use. He probably has one we can use too, Ms. Parker.' she offered, her face looking bright and hopeful. She didn't seem to look so scared anymore.
'Eddie? Does your father know about this 'friend'?' Ms. Parker managed to ask with a smile.
Jarod smiled as well, but not as Debbie's words. He could imagine Ms. Parker asking Abigail that same question, when she got to be Debbie's age...if she got to be her age...
As if sensing his sadness, Ms. Parker turned back to Jarod.
'I'll be fine. I will stay with our daughter. But you have to help your mother. Once Irina Derevko gets what she wants from her...' Ms. Parker's voice trailed off. She didn't like talking like this in front of Debbie.
Jarod nodded. They turned and headed for the back door. Debbie stepped out first. Jarod was about to follow, when he stopped, then turned back to Ms. Parker. He grabbed the back of her head and kissed her hard, and soundly. He then let go of her and walked out of the door. Ms. Parker hesitated, touching her lips and smiling, before following him out.
****
Broots sat before his computer, his mouth hanging open. He had just finished doing what Ms. Parker had asked of him. He had discovered what Irina Derevko wanted with Jarod's mother.
Just as he was about to pick up the phone, to try Ms. Parker at home, a black hood was suddenly forced onto his head from behind! Broots screamed and thrashed wildly, as he was dragged from his office.