CHAPTER THIRTY

The computer show had been a success. Of course, with the sign up in front of them, no one recognized Lambourni and Broots, besides the camera did not dwell on them too much. Much of it was on the host of the show and the other geeks who were explaining the registry edit, showing various hardware, or answering questions.

"I liked that interview," said Lambourni, "although it was on a screen."

"Too bad Debbie did not want to go. So what did Miss Parker want you for?"

Lambourni got in his car and fastened his seatbelt. "We have to go to Los Angeles. Something about a Regetta. Oh there's a law in this city about using a cell phone while driving." He handed it to Broots. "Ethan's number is the first one registered and I think the sixth belongs to MacLean. She told me to give them the message as well."

"I thought Ethan was supposed to look after the children."

"Mine although my daughter and son-in-law are there as well. Looking at the boats." He waited until Broots got a connection.

"Yes, Los Angeles." Broots stammered as he gave Miss Parker's half brother the information. "Ye-yes that man that Jarod was after — Arrested, no, you know of a Sam? Sam the Sweeper's driving them to the airport—Miss Parker explained everything. Your half brother's not in any danger. — a couple of hours," He then called MacLean, telling him when they were to be at the airport. By the time, he disconnected, Lambourni had taken off, not giving him much time to put on his seatbelt.

"What's this about Sam being a Sweeper?" he asked maliciously.

"Oh he works for Miss Parker. He went home, a sick aunt,"

"A sick aunt if I can believe that," said the lawyer, swerving to avoid hitting a schoolgirl in her uniform. "Just wanted to escape our wrath."

"The Centre fed Sam the same line they fed Miss Parker, Sydney, and me that Jarod was vital to the Centre and by running away, he was stealing information. Besides Sam is really nice."

"Oh sure." He drove a little faster, going over the speed limit.

"Can't you slow down? You're a lawyer after all."

"Yes a very angry lawyer. When Miss Parker gave the order to kill Jarod — the Centre had the place bugged and I found them — before she went to that accursed island, was he eager to do it?"

Broots shook his head. "He figured that if Jarod shot at him or attacked him, he'd shoot, but otherwise he'd just wound him. Sam told me he didn't like killing anyone but if he did not, they'd kill them and his family. He has relatives you know."

"And you believe that Jonathan? If the Centre had given him the order to kill, he would have obeyed. Family or no family"

"But Antonio, he's Jewish. All the Centre had to do is find those with the same last name and kill them as well as their wives. At least they used to. They ha-had Sydney's brother killed and they went after his son, but he's a teacher so he's too important. They'd have t-to wipe out the whole school."

Lambourni nodded half-heartedly. . The trees were now thinning out and the breeze was becoming warmer but with a salty air. They had to turn off the highway and go down an off road, past a service station, and a housing division until they came to a restaurant. Once at the restaurant, they would turn left and then continue for a mile or so and then they would see the airport.

The lawyer filled up the car, made a notation in his book, and bought a package of Dad's cookies, Almond Roca, Tacos, some oranges, and cheese flavored crispies.

"We'll have them on the plane."

They ordered a light lunch "to go" at the restaurant, and took turns one eating and the other driving. Broots felt it was not necessary since they were almost there, but he figured that Lambourni needed all his energy for doing things like jumping four stories to a concrete sidewalk without hurting himself, hide in a closet, or touch a door and have it fall down.

When they arrived at the airport, the mechanics were already refueling both planes. Jarod and Miss Parker were there with Debbie and children who seemed relatively well behaved. Constance and her husband were just getting out of the car that Ethan had driven over to the rental pickup stand.

As for the notorious Sam the Sweeper, he was already at the rental counter, filling out several forms, and waiting for the receipts and did not jump when Lambourni came behind him.

"Where's MacLean?" he asked.

Sam turned around. "You mean the reporter? He should be here soon, something about the housing situation and building it too close to the shore."

"Earthquakes. I guess we never met."

"I heard of you. You're the lawyer who took the other sweeper up to the roof of the Centre and threatened to drop him to the ground below."

Lambourni nodded. "Yes. I should have, but they acceded before I did."

"You're the first one who tried that," said Sam, putting the change in his pocket, "but what if they killed your kids?"

"They would not succeed. We survive because we fight. You don't understand, do you?"

Sam told him about when Jarod first escaped, how the Centre sent not only Miss Parker, Sydney, and Broots after the Pretender, but also Raines sent along his sweepers and Mr. Parker sent his. At first he thought they were back up, but he soon learned that Raines never intended Jarod to live, while Mr. Parker wanted Jarod back down below doing simulations. Miss Parker was very angry, but Sam remembered Mr. Parker saying that Jarod was just a lab rat, and he had no feelings at all until she hated the Pretender. It was a gradual process, taking many years, as Mr. Parker made sure that neither would meet, until she thoroughly despised him. When they did, Miss Parker would either kill him, or beat him into submission. And Mr. Parker's sweepers were there to make sure to snatch Jarod from Miss Parker and lock him back below before she even had a chance to mete out her wrath or change her mind..

"I wonder what would have happened if Jarod just agreed to go back to the Centre."

"Then we'd not be here. Miss Parker would be in Oregon and Jarod in the Centre."

"You don't believe it and neither do I. Miss Parker will be in the Tower, and Jarod below. And when he died, you would willingly go and grab another or Raines make a duplicate Jarod. Think of what will happen in the future, no more geniuses, no more people telling their children to study to be a brain surgeon or be excellent at everything. The Centre would have been after them. Of course, they would mistakenly use Sapiens with AB negative blood, because Raines and Mr. Parker thought only people with AB negative, Pretenders. However all us Homo Dominants can do the Pretenders and most of us have A, and O blood negative and positive. Oh there are a few with Bs as well. Too bad for you."

They started to walk to the planes, Lambourni noticing that Sam, for all his coolness, was perspiring a little bit.

Fortunately, MacLean drove up and asked what was going on.

"You just stopped a fight," said Ethan who was carrying the bags aboard Lambourni's plane. He started to count. "We could divide them up equally."

"Oh Lambourni's that bad, huh?"

"He hasn't done any of those loops — yet."

At this moment, Miss Parker told everyone to get on the plane, getting a rather angry rebuff from her son, Antonio. "All right, you do it."

"All aboard. I'm the pilot and Jarod will be the co-pilot." He smiled evilly at Broots with a little "Heh-heh-heh-heh!"

"Oh no," said the computer geek, "he's going to those loops he did when he was Top Gun."

"Don't be silly, Broots," said Miss Parker and pushed him in front of her into the plane.