Jarod finished typing in the final codes to download the security footage from Sydney's office to his laptop. It would only take him a few minutes to edit out his appearance and make it look as though Sydney had been alone all night. As Jarod rewound the digital clip he saw Sydney on the floor, and a man taking a DSA, and file folder that were lying next to him. He rewound further and saw the same man hit Sydney hard across the back of his head, and Jarod felt a slight panic insinuate itself into his heart. He quickly looped the footage, removing not only himself, but also the man and the missing items. If anyone checked, it would look like Sydney had been simply sitting alone at his desk all night, staring into space. For good measure, Jarod removed any signs of the DSA and the file folder, then he uploaded the new footage to the Centre's mainframe. Not even Broots would be able to tell the difference.
Jarod picked up the phone and dialed Miss Parker. If something had happened to Sydney, she'd know about it. But the voicemail answered. Parker was not picking up. He dialed another number and waited.....
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Broots looked again at the security footage and shook his head. There was nothing. All night long, Sydney was sitting at his desk staring into space. He shrugged, Miss Parker had been mistaken. The phone ringing next to him made him jump.
"Tech room. Broots."
"Mr. Broots...."
"J-jarod?"
"Yes."
"W-what are you doing calling me here?"
"I need to know if Sydney's all right, Mr. Broots. Have you heard from him?"
The computer tech frowned, "Well, as a matter of fact, he has a bad concussion. He was in his office, and somebody hit him from behind. He doesn't remember much about it. Miss Parker took him home, and is there with him."
"Did she ask you to check the footage from his office last night?"
"Yeah. I just did, but there's nothing on it. I mean nothing. Just Sydney staring into space all night."
"Imagine that. Don't work too hard, Mr. Broots. I'll be in touch."
The line went dead, and Broots quickly hung up the phone. He knew he needed to call Miss Parker, but it would have to wait a few minutes until his nerves settled down. The last thing he needed was to have her scream at him for finding nothing....
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Mr. Parker looked down the hall, and saw no one. He opened the door to his daughter's office and quietly entered. He set the file folder and DSA in his hands on her desk, and smiled to himself. Once she saw the doctored images and read through the documents, all signed and authorized by Sydney, she would have nothing more to do with him. Mr. Parker would let Sydney live long enough to feel the pain of Miss Parker's rejection, then he would put the man out of their collective misery. It had been a long time in coming. But after his angel saw the evidence, she'd be the first one to send the man to the wolves. After all, on some level she was a Parker....