CHAPTER SIXTEEN
March 10, 2007
Miss Parker, hoping that her former driver's family got the sympathy card and the flowers, decided to buy a beach house large enough for a family rather than the small cottage recommended by the real estate agent. She also bought a car, hoping that driving along the coast would make the scumbag who ran out on his wife think that they were following the boats or whatever they called it in California.
Jarod telling her about the death of her mother made her change her mind. True, he gave it to her a piece at a time, but that was as he received it, a piece at a time. She tried to convince Sam of that, the last year of the pursuit, but Sam thought she was getting weak. That was the real reason she let him go to visit his non- existent aunt. She did not want Jarod dead, suffering, but not dead.
"Wait. Something struck me!"
"What is it? You want the chest of drawer moved some place else? And where's that MacLean?" He was getting angry with Miss Parker telling him that it should go to that corner.— no it looks better near the bed — on second thought why don't you move it back were it was. If it were not for the Dominant Book, he would have killed her.
"You know as well as I that when we landed, he spotted that movie star and has gone to get an interview with her."
"Her? Did you see her hair? The red is of an artificial nature."
"Yes. That's reporters for you, the gaudier the better." Miss Parker pointed to the chest of drawers that Jarod was going to move some other place in the room. "Perfect! Keep it there!"
The location was familiar. Of course. It was the first place Jarod had put it. And now that everything was in order, she had to bring up more wounds. "When the Dominants started their uh culling of the Centre staff, they did not just kill them, they butchered their families. When the FBI came in to a few of the houses, they found the only survivors, a six- year girl, a girl of nine, and a teenaged girl of fourteen. I believe the latter was Sammy's illegitimate daughter. Oh he died earlier. Seems to be a pattern."
Jarod sneered. "Missed some."
"No, I think they kept the girls alive to tell us something, but I have no idea what."
Jarod sat down on the couch, half-fuming with anger. "They killed Kyle and if it weren't for you making Raines swear on your mother's Bible, they would have killed Frederick and had they known about Antonio, they would have killed him too."
"Look the Centre kept your other eight children alive."
"And I should be grateful for that? I'd bet Raines planned to tell them that eight were unmarked, and would have pointed them out if he hadn't lost his head."
Miss Parker smiled. "Great pun, Jarod." She became serious, sitting down besides him. He started to unzip his fly. "No, I don't want that. I need proof that Raines actually planned such a thing. The Centre put a lot of money into you, so there's no reason for Raines to kill them, especially since they are also my children."
"Lambourni's almost here anyway and besides Miss Parker, great families eliminated their members to hold onto inheritances and Raines would have balked at having eight more Parkers to divide the company's profits with."
"Is this the five minute sense, Jarod?" She got up from the couch. "I hope the place looks all right. Say how did you know he'd come?"
"He might have read the obit column and found out about Sam's death and probably come here to persuade you not to hire anymore like him, which would mean that he'd convince Broots to let him fly his own plane. He'd take along Debbie as well as some of his children and grandchildren. I'd suppose he'd bring along a card and flowers. I believe he might have a flower shop owner among his clients and would get a discount."
Miss Parker smiled, imagining Lambourni piling all the kids in, and Broots's nose pressed against the window with the crowding him while Antonio did a few of those tricks he learned in the Top Gun program.
"I fail to see your appearance in humor. It's obvious that your Sam the Sweeper had this condition for some time, and that the Centre's medical facilities either did not catch it or did not care."
"I was thinking of Lambourni showing off and giving Broots a heart attack, figuratively, of course."
"I misinterpreted your expression Miss Parker."
"I'll need some extra groceries," she said, going to her purse, "Plenty of steaks, hamburgers, and the usual sweets, ice cream, cakes. Oh and throw some vegetable and salad stuff as well. Believe it or not, females prefer them," and handing him a five hundred dollar bill. "That should be enough. I have to stay here and wait for the mob."
Jarod put on his jacket and headed for the door only to be confronted by a small boy who stared up at him with a "I want to go along as well."
"Jeremiah?" asked his mother.
"I want to see the homo sapien food distribution store."
"Come on then." Jarod picked up his son and walked out to the car.
Miss Parker watched them go, and started to tidy up the house, dusting the furniture, cleaning the bathtub, putting the clothes in the laundry, and finding that made her extremely tired since she was used to her small house and at the Centre they had the cleaning staff to attend to such matters. She sat down for a rest, and turned on the television, but nothing was on so she went back to cleaning the floor. By the time she was done, someone was knocking on the door.
Giving herself a once look over in the mirror, she opened and saw Lambourni and his invading for — correction, part of his family, a stranger who had a hat over his eyes and walked with a slouch, and Ethan. The younger children were quiet, translation: Ethan probably threatened to blow them up if they did not behave.
"Come in, I hope," she said.
"I don't want to bother you," said Antonio, "Oh here's some ear plugs."
Miss Parker took one look at Bill and Constance's four infants. "Thanks. I hope I can hear you after I put these in." She struggled with her earrings.
"Just place the tabbed ends of the plugs up. That will cancel out the high tones. They might help with the problem of you seeing things. You know visions. That usually means you are ultra sensitive to noises in the higher range. Oh do you mind helping with the small ones? Debbie, the Prof, and I are going to San Francisco afterwards. There's a computer show down there."
"I gather you had an ulterior motive other than to help Broots, but I had no idea you were a geek. You don't seem the type. By the way where is Broots?"
"Oh I guess he's around somewhere, so I'd better get things ready. I've a friend who has communion with social services about the ex wife and child. I can transfer the necessary files and have a few more surprises that would be beneficial for you." He opened up his backpack that contained a Think pad, files, a box, and handed her the latter. "I might as well get this set up for you in the living room." He pushed past her, went over to the laptop, and plugged one end of the cord in his computer and one in Jarod's. After, he transferred the necessary files, he opened his box and took out a Cd, handing her the book of instructions. "It's a face recognition program. Since you're in the investigative business, you have your state license, but if you want to use it all over the United States, it's one hundred and thirty dollars, plus twenty dollars for each extra computer. Works in Windows or Mac"
"I wonder if I should try it on you. See what you looked like as a boy," mumbled the 'stranger' after Antonio finished installing it.
"No," he snapped. "Miss Parker, do you have a picture of that creep you are looking for?"
"Jarod has one in the drawer." Going over to it, she took it out, seeing Lambourni turn towards the door. She did not hear anything, but her son probably sensed that Jarod was driving up.
"Where did my progenitor go?" asked Antonio.
"Just went for groceries and took Jeremiah with him."
"The young one needs to outward stimulation, but were something to happen to him, I'd hate to be in that person's position."
"I doubt Jarod would let anyone harm any of his children," said Miss Parker who as she heard the car drive up, and footsteps climbing up the steps, caught a glimpse of the stranger's face, recognizing him as someone she saw everyday at the Centre.
Some people are not that good at disguises, she thought and when she caught Antonio snickering and pointing to the hairpiece; she knew he knew as well. Well she was always one for a good laugh and maybe Jarod would not recognize the computer geek, but she was certain, then the door opened and Jarod walked in.
"What's going on?" he asked with a look of middle surprise, as he handed Miss Parker a carton of Baskin Robbins. "I notice part of the tribe out there and Ethan."
"When you have very dangerous kids, have someone who's a demolition expert to watch them," said Lambourni.
Jarod recognized Broots instantly, and had he not been a Dominant and an excellent Pretender, he would have dropped the packages and let out a roar of laughter. Besides seeing Miss Parker's failing attempt at trying to keep under control, he decided to have a little fun at the situation. "So you're Broots's brother, Ron or is it Ronathon," he said with the appropriate expression.
Miss Parker could not hold out any longer. She excused herself, went into the bathroom, practically convulsed with laughter, washed her face, reapplied her makeup, and came back a few seconds later after taking a couple of deep breaths, and thinking very serious thoughts to keep from doing it over again.
"Broots is sort of, say, ordinary. His brother's better looking in a scruffy sort of way, although I can't say much for the hair. It reminds of the style worn by, what you call them, aged hippies. They stank, but although they had their hair long, they kept it in a precise condition. Miss Parker you should know of these things about the Flower Children Movement, a short period in American History following the nineteen fifties which…."
Miss
Parker was beginning to enjoy this. "I do. San Francisco used to
be a hangout for the hippies. I remember hearing from Willard that
he saw you in San Francisco, some time about four years ago, but by
the time we found out, you disappeared. He questioned them in case
you showed up. Wait a moment! Willard told me of a Mike what was
it, Sanders? He's out of the movement, into construction and might
recommend a good barber."
She pretended to turn on her cell
phone when —
Broots took off his headpiece. "It's me, Broots!" He took one look at their faces. Even, Jarod was smiling. "You knew all along!"
"There was no aged hippie case in San Francisco," said Jarod.
"I knew it."
Jarod and Miss Parker then got down to business. Miss Parker wanted to know if the Dominants cleansed the Centre of its former influence. Broots said it had, that they had already checked the client list and crossed off those of a world domination nature and tyrannical bent. The staff was now searching for appropriate organizations, although those whose members voted Republicans were giving preference and since Lambourni was a Republican; that was natural.
The Centre still used Pretenders, but Lambourni suggested that part of the grounds be used so they could get some sunshine. However, the Centre policy in keeping them isolated, still applied. That bothered him, but not Miss Parker.
"Why are they not allowed to see their reflection?" asked Broots.
"We have to wait until they are past the age of sensing they are not property," said Miss Parker.
"But Jarod knew what he looked like."
"He thought he did, until he escaped and saw his real reflection and we know how that turned out. All right, I'll set a time of fifteen years. That will ensure they concentrate on their work, and since it appears Lambourni does not want Pretenders working alone, a light punishment for those who tell their companion what they look like and see that all walls are painted a matte finish, puddles wiped up immediately, and anything that might show their reflection dulled or removed. I gather the connection still works."
Lambourni and Broots got on the latter's computer, it being that the Advocate's was fill of lawyer stuff, drafts of writs, legal documents, and other stuff he did not want others to see. The lawyer did do much of the writing, suggesting cleaning toilets and other disgusting duties, something not even a slave Dominant wanted to do, since they had a keener sense of smell than Sapiens.
The suggestions were Okayed, but they learned there was still trouble. It had to do with the now chief Pretender, Ted, who was writing on the walls, "We will rule in the kingdom of Man!" was being erased or wiped out minutes after he wrote it.
"They're still disappointed in him," Broots said, looking at Lambourni.
"Disappointed? From what you told us, Ted has a room just above the sub basement, with sunlight coming in the morning, a mate. What do you call them, Antonio?" asked Miss Parker.
"Mate will do. She is his female even though she had no choice. They went through the Joining later. Free Dominants of the lower classes go through the Union. It's something like you going to the Church and not being able to afford a ceremony. No wedding dress, no good suit, just your waitress uniform and the man or boy in his work clothes."
"I get the picture and their parents have already taken out the shotgun but were too late."
"Correction. The A.K.A.747," said Lambourni.
"So why are they disappointed in Ted?" she asked.
"Ted has the bar chip code in him and he already got a mate, that French Pretender girl. I believe Lyle arranged it."
"So he has someone to sleep with at nights and to have sex with. What's wrong with that?"
"The Dominant Council said that they'd be designated as potential Favorites for those Dominants who lost their spouses or were financially set to keep one. We already have enough soldiers and scientists and enough slaves."
"What has Ted to do with this? I thought you people wanted to reproduce."
"Yes we do, but that means two who will not be a concubine or a favorite of some wealthy Dominant or sapien who is a friend of a dominant. That would mean at least eight Dominants not being in the middle class." He moved his head slightly.
Broots was jumping up and down, now without the wig, trying to get his attention.
"Antonio."
"What?"
"He's the one who told Cox that Raines was planning to kill the Pretenders in the Inner Sanctum."
"So why is this important?"
"His trainer worked near the Inner Sanctum, and Ted saw Raines going in and out when he was a boy. I-I heard this from Gino. When Gino w-worked for Cox, h-he was his driver."
"I know," said Miss Parker, "and Jarod did as well. So what's this to do with Ted? All I heard was he spoke to Gino."
"Ted made Cox a duplicate of the key to the Inner Sanctum that he stole from Raines's office, and returned it. In gratitude, Cox gave him regular food every time the doctor went in to check the babies, unknown to Raines. It-it wasn't just Giuseppe and his brother because they couldn't, Lyle would have gotten mad."
Lambourni sneered. "I believe that Ted has risen in the estimation of the others. I will get the word out. Now Jarod, Lady Angela, we can get to business about this evil Sapien who defrauded his former wife and child."
No one spoke about Sam though, which was well because had the obit been false, Jarod and his offspring would have been in danger.
