Helping Jarod
Chapter 7
Parker turned over the pages of her favourite book. She had bought herself a new version. The original she had given to Debbie Broots as a present. She loved the story as her mother had done. It didn't matter that she had already read it dozens of times.
But in the last five years she had had no time for reading. No, she corrected herself, she had not allowed herself to do so. First her only goal had been to do as daddy asked her. To bring back what belonged to the Centre. Then, after Jarod had demonstrated that it would not be as easy as expected to catch him, it had become personal. And then, after Jarod had been digging up all the secrets concerning the red files and the mysterious suicide of her mother, it had become a crusade of her own against the wall of lies the Centre was keeping up on her past.
Only recently, after both, Jarod and her, had discovered the existence of their younger brother, Parker had started to come to her senses again. Day after day she had been thinking. She had been collecting information about the Centre, charging information.
She had a lot of files and discs stored away in a safe place. No one knew about that, not even Sydney or Broots. Parker wondered if Jarod knew about her change of sides...
She eyed the sleeping Pretender, thinking. He had always trusted her, never believing the ice queen she presented to the world was her true self. And he had put himself into more danger helping her all the time. No he was laying her, nearly dead. But he had trusted her enough to put his fate into her hands. Even if she had wanted to betray him this boundless trust in her would have kept her from doing it.
He stirred, moving his head slightly, murmuring something Parker couldn't understand. She knelt beside him and felt his forehead. He was still feverish but it decreased. He would be better soon. Relieved she stroked a strand of his hair out of his face. It had become quite long in the past few months. He looked different, older, but nevertheless attractive to her. Smiling she shook her head.
"Why are you smiling?"
Parker started.
While deep in thought she had not seen that Jarod had opened his eyes. He had watched her for some seconds, still the feel of her cool hand on his face.
She looked beautiful, nowhere near the woman she pretended to be. He had never seen her smile this way before and he wondered what it was that made her do so. He felt dizzy and somehow floating above the floor. His body ached everywhere. He assumed it could be worse.
Parker smiled again, softly, and this time Jarod would have bet the smile was meant for him. He smiled back faintly not managing much expression.
"I was wondering why I never considered you a man, Genius."
Irritated he stared at her until she giggled.
"Don't worry, Jarod. I've not lost my senses..."
Still mistrustful Jarod tried to sit up. Immediately she leant over him and pushed him back. She had not much resistance since he felt as weak as a baby. But she smelled good. Jarod inhaled deeply her fresh scent reminding him of a meadow of flowers.
"If you are planning to ruin my work I'll make you regret it."
She had a serious edge in her voice even though it was mostly concern he read out of her expression. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Thank you, Parker."
He whispered the words and Parker smiled again.
"No, Jarod. Thank you for never giving up on me. I am a hard case...."
Sighing she reached over for the jug of water she had prepared for him. She filled a mug and held it to his lips. He refused slightly.
"Come on, Jarod. You've been losing a lot of liquid recently....blood, water etc..."
Jarod was not thirsty but he knew she was right. He sipped some water and instantly relaxed at the feel of the cool liquid in his throat. He smiled ruefully.
"You should have become a doctor. You are good with people..."
Saying this he fell back to sleep. Parker tugged the sheets in and made sure he was comfortable, before she leant back again.
Chapter 7
Parker turned over the pages of her favourite book. She had bought herself a new version. The original she had given to Debbie Broots as a present. She loved the story as her mother had done. It didn't matter that she had already read it dozens of times.
But in the last five years she had had no time for reading. No, she corrected herself, she had not allowed herself to do so. First her only goal had been to do as daddy asked her. To bring back what belonged to the Centre. Then, after Jarod had demonstrated that it would not be as easy as expected to catch him, it had become personal. And then, after Jarod had been digging up all the secrets concerning the red files and the mysterious suicide of her mother, it had become a crusade of her own against the wall of lies the Centre was keeping up on her past.
Only recently, after both, Jarod and her, had discovered the existence of their younger brother, Parker had started to come to her senses again. Day after day she had been thinking. She had been collecting information about the Centre, charging information.
She had a lot of files and discs stored away in a safe place. No one knew about that, not even Sydney or Broots. Parker wondered if Jarod knew about her change of sides...
She eyed the sleeping Pretender, thinking. He had always trusted her, never believing the ice queen she presented to the world was her true self. And he had put himself into more danger helping her all the time. No he was laying her, nearly dead. But he had trusted her enough to put his fate into her hands. Even if she had wanted to betray him this boundless trust in her would have kept her from doing it.
He stirred, moving his head slightly, murmuring something Parker couldn't understand. She knelt beside him and felt his forehead. He was still feverish but it decreased. He would be better soon. Relieved she stroked a strand of his hair out of his face. It had become quite long in the past few months. He looked different, older, but nevertheless attractive to her. Smiling she shook her head.
"Why are you smiling?"
Parker started.
While deep in thought she had not seen that Jarod had opened his eyes. He had watched her for some seconds, still the feel of her cool hand on his face.
She looked beautiful, nowhere near the woman she pretended to be. He had never seen her smile this way before and he wondered what it was that made her do so. He felt dizzy and somehow floating above the floor. His body ached everywhere. He assumed it could be worse.
Parker smiled again, softly, and this time Jarod would have bet the smile was meant for him. He smiled back faintly not managing much expression.
"I was wondering why I never considered you a man, Genius."
Irritated he stared at her until she giggled.
"Don't worry, Jarod. I've not lost my senses..."
Still mistrustful Jarod tried to sit up. Immediately she leant over him and pushed him back. She had not much resistance since he felt as weak as a baby. But she smelled good. Jarod inhaled deeply her fresh scent reminding him of a meadow of flowers.
"If you are planning to ruin my work I'll make you regret it."
She had a serious edge in her voice even though it was mostly concern he read out of her expression. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Thank you, Parker."
He whispered the words and Parker smiled again.
"No, Jarod. Thank you for never giving up on me. I am a hard case...."
Sighing she reached over for the jug of water she had prepared for him. She filled a mug and held it to his lips. He refused slightly.
"Come on, Jarod. You've been losing a lot of liquid recently....blood, water etc..."
Jarod was not thirsty but he knew she was right. He sipped some water and instantly relaxed at the feel of the cool liquid in his throat. He smiled ruefully.
"You should have become a doctor. You are good with people..."
Saying this he fell back to sleep. Parker tugged the sheets in and made sure he was comfortable, before she leant back again.