CHAPTER FIFTY
Dec.15 – Dec 18 2001
Miss Parker gasped as she read the account of Lambourni's adoption and the description of one of the workers at the Black Market Baby Market describing the man who brought the young pregnant girl, a man that Miss Parker recognized as an older sweeper, one who had died, unusually, of natural causes. She handed the paper over to Jarod who also read it, his eyes not showing a thing as he waited for the next pieces of evidence (for what?)
It was an account of a sweeper's employment at the Centre during the year in which she and Jarod had first come together and which she thought she was sick from eating too much ice cream. She handed that to Jarod, who was of course, better at interpreting it, and read the next one, and the next.
The pieces of paper and certificates showed the girl's recruitment as a secretary for a minor office in the Centre, the evidence of a visit to the Centre infirmary, and her mysteriously pregnant — with no mention of the father, of course. Evidence from the coroner in examining her that there was no sign of sexual activity, that she had gotten pregnant through as said in the old term "a turkey baster or similar device."
But the most damming piece of evidence were three pieces of paper, one containing her DNA, one Jarod's, and one Antonio Waldo Lambourni's, evidence taken at a highly reputed DNA clinic and the words on the certificate said that Antonio Waldo Lambourni was 99.9 positive the son of Miss M. Parker and Jarod.
"But Broots said the DNA samples were contaminated."
"And who did you think did that? I just removed the true samples, replaced them with others, and took the rest to New York. The true samples are now returned to their rightful places," said Lambourni.
"The Centre usually gives all its employees a DNA test," said Miss Parker, "I wonder why they were neglectful on yours. Ouch!"
"Something wrong Miss Parker?" asked Jarod.
She put a finger in her mouth. "These dentures."
"I thought they were your real teeth."
"They are. Bought and paid for by the Centre. That's one thing I inherited from Daddy, bad teeth. Do you know what it's like at twenty when the dentist tells you that you've got so many cavities and not even crowns or root canals can help?"
"So that's the reason you were out to get me. I still have my own teeth," said Jarod.
"Right," said Miss Parker with a toothy smile, "Could you think of a better reason? And being able to eat all those Pez and candies with no effort. Grr!!"
"I was thinking of bringing in an excellent dental plan once we take over the Centre," said Lambourni in an effort of bringing Miss Parker and Jarod back to reality. "I'll be sure to get your children enlisted and get a dentist to give you a better fit or have him give you implants. Why that wasn't done already, I'll never know. Yours are too large. Makes you look like an evil witch."
"Thank you," said Miss Parker with a smile. "By the way, Lyle still has his."
"Must be all the human protein he digests," said Jarod under his breath and spoke aloud to the lawyer, "Miss Parker says that Mr. Lyle did not show up to work."
"Maybe he's in Hong Kong recruiting his next me – I mean wife," said Lambourni, "or he could have met with an unexpected demise. Why so pale mother?"
Miss Parker gasped and Jarod remembered how furiously Ted and the others had pounded the column into the snow covered ground and the look of triumph in his eye. Was Lyle buried crushed below the column or had he been killed elsewhere and someone else paid the price? Jarod suspected it was the former for why would Ted be looking after the children outside the Centre on the grounds? However, that question could be asked later.
"You might explain to the others and Miss Parker who is still dumb-folded, how you suspected you were mine and Miss Parker's son," said Jarod.
"Remember the Church and the priest doing that blessing? Before that I thought it was that someone had lost a child born on my name day and idolized anyone on that particular date. I changed after that day and when I checked the others employed, there was no alteration. The Council said I was an educated Randall Lynch. I heard he was a rogue," said the lawyer.
"The Pretenders, excuse me, Dominants who carved and constructed the Pillar, were once children in the Inner Sanctum, and who talked to those taken out by you. Revenge, Antonio?" asked Miss Parker.
"We are fighting for our survival," said the lawyer, "When the Centre brought in that Dora onto their grounds so that she could have Ted as her, um, sex slave, they knew very well she was sterile. The Centre not only takes DNA of us, but has a record of the whole town and any guests. Took quite a lot of trouble, destroying or removing the appropriate samples, However, I will not blame him nor Michael who altered the schedule so that Lyle's guards were not available."
Jarod recalled the particular day when they assumed the Doctor went to the health spa, and the absence of the bodyguards especially of Willy. One would think that the sweeper had left for a family emergency, but everyone in The Centre knew that it was impossible. Willy had no family, his own father, having disgraced his Nazi father by marrying a colored woman, and when Willy's father and mother died, the grandfather placed Willy in a foster home, one of many until the sweeper developed the callus nature so needed by The Centre. Besides Raines varied Willy's days off, so nobody could assassinate him.
The only one that could possibly mess things up was Michael who knew who kept him in the Inner Sanctum, without an education, nor clothes, dirty and filthy. On learning there were other Dominants, he would help them and although Mr. Lambourni was very vocal on his hatred of Raines, the boy dared not contact him, but only speak to Ted who was of the same class. It was like telling a wolf that there was a fat lamb ready for the slaughter.
"I'll make sure that nothing happens to Michael," said Jarod. "He could be construed as a hero. I hear that you're leaving for California. Is it something to do with Mr. Parker?"
"I know how get him off balance."
"I suppose you do. How do you plan to accomplish this?"
"You'll know when I get back. If you want to know more, ask Lewison. As a Mentor, he is high up in the Council and for spiritual matters, ask his half brother."
"It's unsafe for you and the children to return to your residence at present," said the principal. "We have found certain hidden cameras in strategic places." He had already contacted the United States Secret Service who sent out a man to examine the evidence and use them in their investigations.
This man was so nondescript that no one had noticed him, until Lewison brought it up, and the agent was too occupied in examining the cameras. He soon left his seat, went up to Lewison, thanked him for his cooperation and said that he would be amply rewarded. If anyone had asked if an FBI agent had been there, the answer would have been a blank look of incomprehension.
"Who knows we might come to a peaceful solution between our two Species," Lewison said with a sneer.
Lambourni left for Calfornia the next morning and Miss Parker and Jarod sorted out several letters from high profile firms addressed to the lawyer, opening those that said "URGENT" and one with an official seal to it. The latter was a form letter listing the requirements for the legal profession in several states as well as whom to contact, etc. and started with the usual, "Thank you for your inquiry."
Having passed the examination for three states, New Jersey, New York, and now Delaware, Lambourni, as evidenced by brochures and letters from the licensing boards from out of state, must have planned to work anywhere he pleased in the good old United States. Miss Parker looked for a letter from the Attorney General's office offering Lambourni a position as the future district attorney but assumed it was still stuck in the mail.
Miss Parker thought of asking Jarod if Lambourni had confided to him, but the Pretender was now busy elsewhere. It seemed that even Dominants celebrated Christmas and he was helping getting out the cards (which probably had writings such as : Merry Christmas and good Hunting along with pictures of Dominants standing over the bodies of Sapiens,) and wrapping some the presents that looked suspiciously like guns. She listened to the blur of the Kitchen aid and Cuisinart as the oldest girls along with the servants prepared the Christmas goodies plus some elaborate dishes that only they could know.
She tried to reach her father on her cell, but the secretary informed her "Mr. Parker left in his helicopter — when that lawyer did. He was quite angry."
Jarod did not care. He was now outside, putting a cover on the pool so that any neighborhood children would not drown and checking the voltage on the electronic fence, while keeping an eye on Miss Parker's house. There were two men sneaking around, but their efforts were in vain since the neighbors of the particular spoiled brats who would have swum in Lambourni's swimming pool were also looking in their direction. The two men got in their black LTD and drove back to The Centre. He went inside, seeing Miss Parker on her cell, asking the secretary to telephone her when Mr. Parker returned and getting the reply that he would get back on Thursday.
Miss Parker decided that rather than stalk around in boredom, to show the babies a film recently converted to DVD of a concert put on by the dancing school her mother had attended when she was young.
"That's your grandmother," she said, pointing to the small girl with dark hair who was one of the Sugar Plum Fairies.
Lewison, who was staying temporarily at Lambourni's house, spent his time teaching the younger Lambourni children mathematics and languages and Jarod instructed the younger bond Dominants in how to handle a weapon. Miss Parker felt out of the loop since she being a non-Dominant was considered unable to handle Dominant juveniles and when she asked why, Lewison said just one word, "Kevin."
The Mentor made certain rules that the Lambourni children were to follow his orders, that Miss Parker and Jarod keep their affections behind closed doors, so they had to use the guest room. However Miss Parker just moped, and Charles Lewison rather than figuring she had post partum depression, assumed it was due to another matter.
"I am unacquainted to the emotional needs of Sapiens," he said in as consoling a manner as he could. "Perhaps you would rather be upstairs. I am sure that your son would not deny you the use of the master bedroom."
"If Baby Parker is really my brother or my half-brother, will he be harmed? What if he isn't?"
"In that case, his life will be saved," said the principal. "You need not show concern."
Jarod tried to comfort her and she moved away to the couch in the living room, but he refused to let her stop him. They spent a few moments on the couch doing the "dirty deed." Lewison ushered the younger children into Lambourni's study and closed the door. He did not bother with the older ones. They knew that under Dominant law, anyone who became the property of another had no right to privacy in that matter after the Merging.
As soon as it was over, Jarod and Miss Parker were back to normal, the latter being rather upset but since Jarod belonged to her, she felt she had better regard the former incident as a temporary weakness and not trying to keep her mind off Baby Parker. "I hope he doesn't go and blab and he'd better keep a close eye on those children," she snapped.
"I have heard that one way of making something unattractive is to make it so mundane," Jarod replied, calling for a girl of fourteen who brought a portable folder found among Miss Parker's stuff. She handed it to Jarod and smiled, but he took no notice so she went back to the other room and came out with Ethan, giving the latter an "I'll-make-your-jealous-look" before smiling at Jarod again.
It had the desired effect because Ethan snarled at her at which the girl got this triumphant look as she walked to the kitchen, humming under her breadth.
"Lyle made Miss Parker head of the Centre," said Jarod as he tucked in his shirt and took a package from the portable folder, "and we've been removing the evil."
In the package were several photographs of Centre offices, devoid of certain pagan statues and books on demonology. One photograph showed a priest of the Roman Catholic faith performing a ritual to remove evil spirits. "I don't have any on the Protestant side," said Ethan, who had a digital camera, "but I gather Lambourni told his son not to go in his office."
"Did you take these?" asked Miss Parker. "Why?"
"It was on my orders," said Lewison. "We realized rather that Mr. Parker only threw the scroll in the sea to save his. So in order to protect you, and risk your father from harming you, we intend to eliminate the major players. As for you, the Council wants that child in the Centre protected and for his true parents to rescue him, Lady Angela." He gave a slight bow and disregarded Miss Parker's gasp of surprise. "Tomorrow early before dawn we will act before the Centre makes the child disappear permanently. Oh and Geraldo will accompany you. You need his ability."
With that, Geraldo, who had been listening, came through the front door.