Disclaimer: The Pretender and its characters are owned by NBC and TNT.
Chapter 5 A Mother's Promise
They huddled close together in a small dingy motel room a few blocks away from the school Jarod was working at. All Jarod could do was stare at his daughter. She had come up with a well thought out plan to help her family escape from the Centre. He listened and made and few changes her and there.
"Parker are you okay with the plan? I think it is a brilliant idea and it should work if we can find what sublevel our son is on." Jarod spoke confidently. He hoped to see some spark in her eyes. She was taking the news about the continual betrayal of her father rather hard.
"Mom it's going to be okay. We'll find my brothers and leave. Then we can all be together"
Parker was struck by the fact that Jewel was trying to take care of her when she should be taking care of Jewel.
"I'm sorry I've been acting out of sorts. Of course everything is going to be okay. Your father and I will take care of it." Miss Parker said as she stood up and crossed the room to where her daughter was sitting. She suddenly realized it was getting to be late.
"We have to leave now Jewel or people will start to get suspicious. Don't worry Jarod, we will tell the sweeper team that you left the school before Jewel got there and we will be back at the Centre before night fall."
Jarod didn't want to say goodbye to them, but if everything went as planned they would be together in less than two weeks.
"Take care of Jewel and yourself," Jarod said sharply.
"Don't worry Jarod. I would protect her with my life," Parker quickly added.
Jarod thought about what Miss Parker had just said and added, "I want both of you to be okay. You're both very important to me.
Jarod wanted to show Parker how much she meant to him but he wasn't exactly sure how to do that. So he did the only thing he knew to do; he walked them to their car but as they left the motel room, he took the hanks of the two women that meant the most to him in the world and to his surprise Miss Parker didn't jerk her hand away.
Jewel noticed the looks in her parents' eyes. There were uncontrollable emotions lying just below the surface, if they would only take the time to notice them.
The days had gone by quickly, and Parker, Jarod and Jewel worked hard to complete their parts of the plan. It took them longer to find the older boy than they had expected. In the end it wasn't the three of them who found him. Angelo found him and alerted Parker to her son's presence in an isolated corner of SL-15. How Angelo knew about their plan no one knew but they were happy to have his help.
Finally the day arrived to set their plan into action. Parker and Jarod had been in constant communication with one another during the two weeks. They spent a great deal of time discussing possible problems they might run into and where to take their children once they had them out of the Centre.
It was a perfect night for their escape. A storm had moved into the Blue Cove area bringing with it a substantial amount of rain. Jarod crept to a loose grate leading into the Centre. Meanwhile Miss Parker sat at her desk nervously watching the clock. Suddenly the entire complex was plunged into darkness. Jewel slipped into her mother's office with a huge smile on her face.
"Good work Sweetheart. Now let's go, we don't have much time,"
They removed the cover to the air duct and climbed into it. They were quickly joined by Jarod who had made his way undetected into the heart of the Centre.
"Okay does everyone remember what they are to do? We'll meet up with one another on SL-2 to leave." Jarod's words were strained and the tension was visible on his face.
The group disbanded and went their separate ways. Each one had an important task to complete before they could leave the Centre behind.
Miss Parker slowly made her way to the nursery Mr. Parker had installed near the tower. She could hear people frantically moving in the hallways trying to figure out the cause of the blackout. She silently slipped into her son's room and made her way to the crib that contained his sleeping form.
She carefully lifted him from the crib and held him in her arms. Parker's emotions threatened to over take her when she realized just how precious her son's life was to her. She quickly placed him in a carrier secured to her back and made her way back into the pipe work that ran throughout the Centre.
Parker couldn't help but worry over the others and she hoped their parts of the plan was going as smoothly as her had gone.
Meanwhile in a research lab Jewel crept through the ominous medical equipment and found what she was looking for. The genetic samples of her parents were located somewhere in this laboratory and she was determined to make sure that the Centre was not able to create any more children without her parent's knowledge.
She found the storage unit and it was protected with an electronic lock that had been deactivated during the blackout. She searched through the samples until she found the right ones. She quickly destroyed all the genetic material that was stored in the unit. As she was leaving she couldn't help but feel satisfied over how easily the plan was falling into place. As she crept into the pipe work, she failed to see the sweeper making his rounds but the sweeper did not fail to see her.
Jarod felt the strain of his activities settle upon him as he diligently moved to the last room in SL-15. It held his son and he was determined to rescue him from the hell he was in.
He looked down into the room and saw for the first time his little boy. Jarod couldn't help but notice the way his son looked. He was a small boy no more that 9 or 10. He looked like a perfect combination of both his parents' features. His dark brown hair lay across his forehead and hid part of his eyes. Jarod couldn't help but notice the resemblance the boy held to Jewel. Jarod felt the sting of salty tears making its way down his cheeks.
Jarod walked over to where the boy lay and tried to gently nudge him awake. The boy opened his eyes and jumped at the site of an unknown man in his room.
"I want hurt you. I'm here to get you out of here." Jarod said confidently. "What's your name?" his son asked quizzically.
"My name is Jarod and I'm a friend. What's yours?"
"My name is Jason. At least that's what Mr. Raines calls me."
"Well Jason we have got to go. There are some people waiting on us and I would hate to let them down. You need to be very quiet and stay close to me, okay."
Jason shook his head nervously as he climbed in behind Jarod.
Each member of the rescue group worked their way quickly to their meeting place. Miss Parker arrived first, quickly followed by Jewel, and finally Jarod and Jason joined the huddled group. Miss Parker held the baby close to her heart as the stood and had a quiet reunion of sorts. She felt the urge to hug her older son but thought better of it since the boy looked quite shaken up over the recent events.
As they were hurrying to leave, they heard movements in the tunnels close to were they were. A team of sweepers led by Mr. Lyle was making its way towards them. Jarod tried to hurry his family through the tunnel but in his mind he knew that they would be caught if they didn't act fast.
Jewel also realized this fact and she was determined to do what ever she had to do to ensure her families' safety. She slipped her mother's gun from the holster and turned to her parents.
Jarod realized what his daughter was doing and turned to stop her.
"No Jewel we're all getting out of here together."
"Dad you know that we can't all out run the sweeper team. You and Mom have your hands full with the boys and they will need you when you get to the outside world. Besides if you sacrificed yourself it would be harder for me and mom to get you out. At least this way you have a better chance of protecting the boys and I know you will come and get me out as soon as you can."
"No Jarod! We can't let Jewel do this. They might hurt her or worse. I won't let her so it." Parker was practically screaming.
"Parker do you think I want our daughter to do this, but she's right our best chance of survival is to let her."
Tears were rolling down mother and daughter's cheeks as they quickly said goodbye.
"We will be back for you. Don't ever give up hope. Never forget that we love you Jewel." Parker told Jewel.
The last time Miss Parker saw her daughter before they escaped the Centre was Jewel running towards Lyle and the Sweepers. Her gun was aimed right in the middle of them and she had them all stopped in their tracks.
To be continued.
As I have said before, this is my first fanfiction and I really need some feedback on the progress of the story, so please let me know how I am doing.
Chapter 5 A Mother's Promise
They huddled close together in a small dingy motel room a few blocks away from the school Jarod was working at. All Jarod could do was stare at his daughter. She had come up with a well thought out plan to help her family escape from the Centre. He listened and made and few changes her and there.
"Parker are you okay with the plan? I think it is a brilliant idea and it should work if we can find what sublevel our son is on." Jarod spoke confidently. He hoped to see some spark in her eyes. She was taking the news about the continual betrayal of her father rather hard.
"Mom it's going to be okay. We'll find my brothers and leave. Then we can all be together"
Parker was struck by the fact that Jewel was trying to take care of her when she should be taking care of Jewel.
"I'm sorry I've been acting out of sorts. Of course everything is going to be okay. Your father and I will take care of it." Miss Parker said as she stood up and crossed the room to where her daughter was sitting. She suddenly realized it was getting to be late.
"We have to leave now Jewel or people will start to get suspicious. Don't worry Jarod, we will tell the sweeper team that you left the school before Jewel got there and we will be back at the Centre before night fall."
Jarod didn't want to say goodbye to them, but if everything went as planned they would be together in less than two weeks.
"Take care of Jewel and yourself," Jarod said sharply.
"Don't worry Jarod. I would protect her with my life," Parker quickly added.
Jarod thought about what Miss Parker had just said and added, "I want both of you to be okay. You're both very important to me.
Jarod wanted to show Parker how much she meant to him but he wasn't exactly sure how to do that. So he did the only thing he knew to do; he walked them to their car but as they left the motel room, he took the hanks of the two women that meant the most to him in the world and to his surprise Miss Parker didn't jerk her hand away.
Jewel noticed the looks in her parents' eyes. There were uncontrollable emotions lying just below the surface, if they would only take the time to notice them.
The days had gone by quickly, and Parker, Jarod and Jewel worked hard to complete their parts of the plan. It took them longer to find the older boy than they had expected. In the end it wasn't the three of them who found him. Angelo found him and alerted Parker to her son's presence in an isolated corner of SL-15. How Angelo knew about their plan no one knew but they were happy to have his help.
Finally the day arrived to set their plan into action. Parker and Jarod had been in constant communication with one another during the two weeks. They spent a great deal of time discussing possible problems they might run into and where to take their children once they had them out of the Centre.
It was a perfect night for their escape. A storm had moved into the Blue Cove area bringing with it a substantial amount of rain. Jarod crept to a loose grate leading into the Centre. Meanwhile Miss Parker sat at her desk nervously watching the clock. Suddenly the entire complex was plunged into darkness. Jewel slipped into her mother's office with a huge smile on her face.
"Good work Sweetheart. Now let's go, we don't have much time,"
They removed the cover to the air duct and climbed into it. They were quickly joined by Jarod who had made his way undetected into the heart of the Centre.
"Okay does everyone remember what they are to do? We'll meet up with one another on SL-2 to leave." Jarod's words were strained and the tension was visible on his face.
The group disbanded and went their separate ways. Each one had an important task to complete before they could leave the Centre behind.
Miss Parker slowly made her way to the nursery Mr. Parker had installed near the tower. She could hear people frantically moving in the hallways trying to figure out the cause of the blackout. She silently slipped into her son's room and made her way to the crib that contained his sleeping form.
She carefully lifted him from the crib and held him in her arms. Parker's emotions threatened to over take her when she realized just how precious her son's life was to her. She quickly placed him in a carrier secured to her back and made her way back into the pipe work that ran throughout the Centre.
Parker couldn't help but worry over the others and she hoped their parts of the plan was going as smoothly as her had gone.
Meanwhile in a research lab Jewel crept through the ominous medical equipment and found what she was looking for. The genetic samples of her parents were located somewhere in this laboratory and she was determined to make sure that the Centre was not able to create any more children without her parent's knowledge.
She found the storage unit and it was protected with an electronic lock that had been deactivated during the blackout. She searched through the samples until she found the right ones. She quickly destroyed all the genetic material that was stored in the unit. As she was leaving she couldn't help but feel satisfied over how easily the plan was falling into place. As she crept into the pipe work, she failed to see the sweeper making his rounds but the sweeper did not fail to see her.
Jarod felt the strain of his activities settle upon him as he diligently moved to the last room in SL-15. It held his son and he was determined to rescue him from the hell he was in.
He looked down into the room and saw for the first time his little boy. Jarod couldn't help but notice the way his son looked. He was a small boy no more that 9 or 10. He looked like a perfect combination of both his parents' features. His dark brown hair lay across his forehead and hid part of his eyes. Jarod couldn't help but notice the resemblance the boy held to Jewel. Jarod felt the sting of salty tears making its way down his cheeks.
Jarod walked over to where the boy lay and tried to gently nudge him awake. The boy opened his eyes and jumped at the site of an unknown man in his room.
"I want hurt you. I'm here to get you out of here." Jarod said confidently. "What's your name?" his son asked quizzically.
"My name is Jarod and I'm a friend. What's yours?"
"My name is Jason. At least that's what Mr. Raines calls me."
"Well Jason we have got to go. There are some people waiting on us and I would hate to let them down. You need to be very quiet and stay close to me, okay."
Jason shook his head nervously as he climbed in behind Jarod.
Each member of the rescue group worked their way quickly to their meeting place. Miss Parker arrived first, quickly followed by Jewel, and finally Jarod and Jason joined the huddled group. Miss Parker held the baby close to her heart as the stood and had a quiet reunion of sorts. She felt the urge to hug her older son but thought better of it since the boy looked quite shaken up over the recent events.
As they were hurrying to leave, they heard movements in the tunnels close to were they were. A team of sweepers led by Mr. Lyle was making its way towards them. Jarod tried to hurry his family through the tunnel but in his mind he knew that they would be caught if they didn't act fast.
Jewel also realized this fact and she was determined to do what ever she had to do to ensure her families' safety. She slipped her mother's gun from the holster and turned to her parents.
Jarod realized what his daughter was doing and turned to stop her.
"No Jewel we're all getting out of here together."
"Dad you know that we can't all out run the sweeper team. You and Mom have your hands full with the boys and they will need you when you get to the outside world. Besides if you sacrificed yourself it would be harder for me and mom to get you out. At least this way you have a better chance of protecting the boys and I know you will come and get me out as soon as you can."
"No Jarod! We can't let Jewel do this. They might hurt her or worse. I won't let her so it." Parker was practically screaming.
"Parker do you think I want our daughter to do this, but she's right our best chance of survival is to let her."
Tears were rolling down mother and daughter's cheeks as they quickly said goodbye.
"We will be back for you. Don't ever give up hope. Never forget that we love you Jewel." Parker told Jewel.
The last time Miss Parker saw her daughter before they escaped the Centre was Jewel running towards Lyle and the Sweepers. Her gun was aimed right in the middle of them and she had them all stopped in their tracks.
To be continued.
As I have said before, this is my first fanfiction and I really need some feedback on the progress of the story, so please let me know how I am doing.