Disclaimer: see part one

Thanks to:

gemini006007: I totally agree with you. Jarod is confused and broken at the revelation that his friend is part of this. We will have to see how things will go on from here. Thank you for the review Mercy and now go on reading.

Grace: Glad you liked it that much. Thanks for the compliments - and for reviewing of course. Won't keep you from reading further any longer. Thanks again and enjoy.

Brandy: Thanks for the compliments. I'm really glad that you liked the last part. You will get to know what Parker had wanted to tell him eventually but if they are escaping together? Read and find out. Thanks for reviewing and now have fun.

Mfkngst: Are you sure that I will take the story into that direction? #grins# Well, we'll see. Thanks for the wonderful review and now enjoy the next part of the story.

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The Call Part 9

Breaking free

God was he tired. Jarod knew that he was quickly coming to his strength's limits but that didn't matter. He ignored the signs his body sent. He couldn't afford to listen to him, not if he wanted to stay alive and get out of the Centre which, for him, was one and the same aim.

Panting heavily, he crawled out of the manhole and quickly shut the cover over it.

He swiftly observed the area and started running without hesitating.

His looking around was only his instincts telling him to look out but in fact he knew that it didn't matter if there were sweepers or not.

There was no going back now.

He half limped half ran over the clearing towards the woods where he had left his car,… what? Six days ago?

He didn't know and at the moment it didn't matter.

Jarod kept going despite the pain that shot through his body. His chest felt as if he was breathing fire and the rational side of his brain told him that it was coming from the bruised or broken ribs.

The rational side of his brain also told him to rest or he would be in danger of damaging his body further.

His instinct told him that he could rest later and that his body would be damaged further if the Centre got their hands on him now.

The rational side of his brain lost.

He ran.

Behind him, he could hear the sirens of the Centre blaring and there were also shouts form the sweepers and barking dogs.

It didn't matter. His only goal was to get to his car and to reach that, he had to go on running till he either got to it or dropped dead from exhaustion or pain or whatever.

He could worry about that once it got that far.

Knowing the area as well as he did, he dodged several trees and still kept a fairly straight line to where he knew his car would be standing.

If it was still standing there and had not been found by the Centre by now. He had hidden it well but…

Jarod determinedly concentrated back on running and getting to his destination.

He finally broke through the last group of trees that separated him from his car.

He could hear the sweepers behind him, gaining on him.

And there it was, still standing where he had left it several days ago.

Breathing a sigh of relief and fumbling to get the key out of its hiding place nearby the car, he then made his way to the vehicle and quickly climbed in.

Before he had even shut the door, he gunned the engine and only a heartbeat later, he shoved the gas pedal to the floor.

Just then, a group of sweepers broke through the last row of trees.

They were swiftly levelling their guns and firing but the car was already too far away.

Jarod had parked the car on a small path and had to drive the first few meters to get out of the wood and onto a real street.

The muddy earth beneath the tires made his escape difficult and Jarod fought hard to control the car on the slippery soil of the wood road.

Fishtailing onto the road, he accelerated the moment the tires gripped properly and sped away.

To be continued…

Author's Note: Ok, this was just as short as the last one and I formally apologize for that. I could have stretched it but it would have diminished the action. So I didn't. You will have to live with it. There will be longer chapters to come in the future. Promise!

Update will be next Tuesday at the earliest.