I FINALLY GOT THE INTERNET BACK. SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN POST.
CHAPTER 27
THE BODY
March 10, 2003
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker's Home
10:00am
It was Lyle who found the body. He had gone to her house to tell her about Peter's apparent poisoning. Lyle was a man who in his course of life had both scene and done many a gruesome thing. Yet the sight of his twin's body covered in blood caused him to vomit. Lyle slumped against the wall, shaking and dry heaving. Once he had himself under control he called the Centre.
"Dad it's me. You'd better send some cleaners over here. She's dead, gunshot wound to the chest." Lyle said quickly, never letting his father speak. Twenty minutes later the cleaners and sweepers arrived, along with Jen and Sam. One had to wonder if Raines was wrong about Sam lacking any pretender abilities, for that day his performance was Oscar worthy. He had acted as both enraged friend and protective loyal sweeper. When one of the cleaners made a motion to touch Parker Sam let out a quite but deadly threat.
"Touch her and you too will get to experience death first hand." The cleaner immediately backed away.
Lyle had left the house as soon as Sam arrived. He never spoke to the cleaners, Sam or Jen. Lyle appeared extremely pale, and the puddle of vomit did not go unnoticed by Sam. It appeared the murder of his sister was too much for Lyle to handle. Sam supposed that it made Lyle realize that he could be next.
There was no doubt in Lyle's mind that the Centre was behind his sister's death. He believed that some one felt that Parker had been meddling in Centre affairs for too long. Parker's involvement with the Black Files was probably the last straw. Lyle was afraid he knew that some one was after the Parker family. He vowed that he would not be the next to fall.
Sydney and Broots arrived at Parker's just as her body was being removed. Sam walked over to the men.
"Sam is it true?" Broots asked.
"Yes, last night someone broke into Miss Parker's home and shot her in the chest." Sam told him. A solitary tear fell from Sydney's eye.
"Oh, God." Broots moaned. "What am I going to tell Debbie?"
"I'm sorry Sydney." Sam said extending his hand to the psychiatrist. "Why don't you two take the rest of the day off." Sam suggested.
"I think that we can manage that." Sydney replied.
"Sam did you hear about Baby Parker?"
"Why don't we discuss it later Broots?" Sydney said.
"I'll be over in a few minutes Sydney. I'm almost done here." Sam said. The techie and the older man left. Once in the car Sydney unfolded the note that Sam had slipped into his hand. It read "I'm fine Freud. Free in fact, to raise my children and little brother. Don't worry Sam will explain."
And explain Sam did. Sam arrived at Sydney's house twenty minutes after Sydney and Broots left Parker's home. He told them about Peter and the other children. He explained how Jarod and Parker had deiced to raise the children and Peter together as a family. Both Sydney and Broots were relived after Sam had finished his tale.
"So she finally got the life she wanted. I'm happy for her."
"As am I. I had always hoped that she and Jarod would be able to put aside their differences to see how much the two loved each other." Sydney said.
"I believe that a toast is in order." Sam spoke. "Sydney I know you have to have a bottle of wine around here you've been saving for a celebration. I think that today is the perfect occasion."
Meanwhile Jen was helping a disguised Jarod and Ethan switch Parker and Peter's bodies for the mannequins in the Centre morgue.
"Good luck." Jen called out to the two men as they left the morgue with Peter and Parker's drugged bodies on a stretcher. If anyone asked where the two men were going they would say that they were taking a former Center employee to the funeral home the Centre kept on tab.
The two placed the sleeping duo in the back of a hearse and then drove to a secluded spot in the woods were they had stashed Jarod's jeep. The two men placed the dozing pair in to the jeep and sped off. Parker and Peter woke up an hour later.
"You're awake." Ethan said when he noticed movement from the back seat. "Here drink this." He said handing Parker a thermos with coffee.
"Thanks." She croaked taking the coffee from her brother.
"Hello Peter." Ethan said to the little boy.
"Hi." The child replied shyly.
"Do you know who I am?" Ethan asked the child.
"Ahuh." Peter said nodding his head. "You my big brother Ethan. Momma told me 'bout you." The child told him. "Where we goin'?" He asked.
"Home baby. We're going home." Parker said smiling not at him but at Jarod, who smiled back at her in the rearview mirror.
"We gonna see Will and tha' others?" Peter asked.
"Yes sir." Jarod told him. "And wait until you see room. The kids made it especially for you. And if you and Chris get along well enough he'll more than likely take you out for a ride."
"A ride on what."
"A horse Pete." Ethan told him. "We have a horse farm at the house. We even have a few ponies."
"Really?"
"Would I lie to you?" Ethan asked. The boy cocked his head to the side as if listening to something.
"Momma says no. And I believe her."
"Good." Ethan said in reply. "Well then who's hungry?"
"I'm famished." Parker said. "I haven't eaten in over twelve hours." The group stopped at a fast food place to grab something to eat.
"Morgan?" Ethan said when they had returned to the car. "Do your friends know that you and Peter aren't dead."
"If they don't by now they will soon. Sam is to inform them." She replied. "So Jarod how much longer before we get to the house?"
"About another hour, as long as there's no traffic." He told her.
"God I hope that there isn't."
"You in such a hurry to see my Father, Chris and Em?" Ethan asked.
"No, no I'm just tired." His sister told him. "I can't wait to get out of this car."
"Is that all?" Ethan asked wondering if she was keeping something from him.
"Maybe you should tell um?" Peter said.
"Tell him what?" Jarod asked.
"Bout Will and da others silly." Peter replied.
"He knows? How?" Jarod asked.
"My momma told me." Peter said proudly.
"What did our mother tell him Morgan?" Ethan asked his sister.
"That Will, Aaron, Andros and Alexandra are my children as well as Jarod's." She said. Ethan turned back around to face the front. Shock evident on his face. He said nothing for a while as he tried to comprehend this new development.
"Okay I can see it." He said after a while. "I mean Alex is a lot like you. She even has you attitude."
"My daughter does not have an attitude. She's just spirited." His sister protested.
"Sure she is." Ethan replied.
Half an hour later the four of them were greeted with the site of the children sitting on the patio, anxiously awaiting their arrival. Will and the triplets ran to their mother and enveloped her in a hug.
"You told them didn't you." Morgan said glancing over at Jarod.
"Will already knew so it was only right to tell the others." Jarod told her
"I did Mom. Dad's not lying." Will told her. Morgan nearly burst in to tears when she hear he son call her Mom. Instead she kissed each one of her children on the forehead.
"Come on why don't we go inside." Morgan told her children. Will held is mother's hand and led her to the house. His younger sibling following in suite. Halfway to the house Aaron turned around and ran back to his father and three uncles.
"Aren't you four coming?" He asked them. "You can unpack later. Sides Peter needs to see him new room."
"Of course we're coming." Jarod said scooping his son up into his arms. "We can't let you mother face you Aunt Emily alone now can we?"
"I don't think its momma we need to worry about. Now Aunt Emily that's a different question." Jarod laughed at his son as he His brothers and Peter –who was in Ethan's arms- walked to the house. On the front porch Morgan and the Children waited for them. Jarod sat Aaron down and opened the door.
"Dad, Em we're back." He said entering the house.
"My God Jarod this place is huge." Morgan told him as they stepped into the house.
"I see tha you four made it here safely." Charles said relived.
"Hello Major." Morgan spoke.
"Please Miss Parker, call me Charles I'm no longer with the air force."
"I will as long as you call me Morgan, for I am no longer with the Centre nor am I a Parker."
"It will be my pleasure." Charles replied. "Why don't the children show you and your baby brother to your rooms. Once settled in you two can come down and have a bite to eat. I'm sure you two are starved. And then over dinner you and my eldest son can explain to me the truth surrounding your children." Charles said as he headed back to the kitchen leaving the group shocked. Jarod and Ethan followed their father as Morgan and Peter were led upstairs by the other children.
"How did he know?" Andros asked.
"We didn't tell um." Replied his sister.
"I think he knew because I didn't hide it from him." Will told them.
"What do you mean Will?" His mother asked. Will explained his telepathic abilities to his mother. "I see." She replied
"So Tiger ready to see your new room?" Will asked when they arrived to Peter's room.
"Show me, show me show me!" The boy chanted.
"Close your eyes short stuff." Chris told him. Peter complied. Alex opened the door. Her mother let out a small gasp when she saw the room. "Okay you can open them."
The child's jaw dropped. "This is the best room ever." He said awe struck.
"Why don't you four get the bags out of the jeep. Chris and I will show Mom to her room." Will told the your group as he and Chris led Morgan to her room.
"There aren't any supper heroes decorating my wall are there?" Morgan asked the two boys. Will just smirked. "William Aiden Russell if I find a single..." She trailed off as will opened the door and she saw the walls were lavender, and the drapes and sheets gold.
"Dad and Uncle Ethan weren't sure if you would like it or not." Will said.
"It's perfect." She said as she walked around the room. She stopped at a cluster of pictures that adorned her dresser. There was one of her mother, ass well as one of Ethan, Peter, and a recent one of the children. So absorbed in the pictures she didn't notice Aaron drop off her luggage. Will placed her bag on the bed.
"Mom we'll leave you to get settled in and changed." Will told her.
"Yeah and don't worry about Pete. We'll take him down stairs once we wash him up for dinner." Chris said.
"Thank you boys." She replied. The boys walked back to Peter's room. There they found the four children placing Peter's few possessions into his dresser.
"Hey you three go and get cleaned up." Will told the triplets.
"Kay." They replied and walked towards their room.
Downstairs Jarod and Ethan were talking to their father as they prepared dinner.
"So Dad how did you find out?" Jarod asked his father.
"Son, who do you think you inherited your brilliance from?" Charles asked him. Jarod and Ethan exchanged bemused glances. "Okay. Okay. I over heard the children talking." Charles admitted.
"You mean you eavesdropped on my children?"
"I wouldn't call it eves dropping." Charles said
"Really then what would you call what Em is doing now?" Ethan asked as he as he open the door his sister was leaning on and she fell.
"Ow." She said as she hit the floor.
"Sorry." Ethan said, helping her up.
"Don't talk to me." Emily said in mock anger. "How come I'm always the last to learn any thing around here?" She asked her father and brothers.
"Well if it makes you feel any better I just found out a few hours ago." Ethan told her
"Hell I just found out last week." Jarod said. "Besides Morgan and I planed on telling the four of you after we told the kids.
"Miss Parker..." Emily began
"Morgan." Charles corrected her.
"Morgan is their mother" Emily said.
"Obviously Aunt Emily." Aaron said entering the kitchen, Alex and Andros behind him.
"Dad, where's Pete's high chair?" Andros asked.
"Behind the fridge." Jarod told him. "Where's your mother?"
"Upstairs." Alex told her father. Jarod left the kitchen and went to Morgan's room. Will, Chris and Peter entering the kitchen as Jarod left.
"You and my Mom aren't going to have any problems are you Aunt Emily?" Will asked.
"Of course not." Emily told the boy
"Everyone I have an announcement." Chris said
"Shut up." Will hissed.
"Our boy Will here has received a middle name.
"Chris." Will warned.
"What is it?" Ethan asked.
"Chris I swear if you tell them I will set you room on fire." Will threatened.
"William Aiden Russell. What would your mother say if she heard you making such threats." Chris teased.
"Take him." Will said giving Peter to Ethan. Chris ran out of the room laughing. "I'm so going to kill you." Will said running after his uncle.
"No running I the house!" Charles yelled after the two boys "So this is what it's going to be like with six kids." Charles muttered under his breath. The triplets began to laugh. "One of you go and get you parents and tell them that dinner is ready." The three children exited the kitchen in search of their parents. "I said one of you." Charles called after them
"I don't think they listing." Peter told him
"I think your right." Charles sighed.