Chapter 4

Disclaimer: If I spoke what was on my mind right now, the kiddies would not be able to read this story... Oh fuck it. Fuck you all. Fuck the fucking lawyers; they are evil money grubbing bastards that tear people apart. So that is why I will not disclaim my work. Stories are the right of the people so all you fucking grey suited dickheads can fucking well piss off. Phew, glad I got that of my chest.

Parker's Pretender: Wow, a polite reviewer. I can tell that you're desperate.

Brandy: It's nice to know that you're paying attention, but how about a little bit of hush? You're stealing my story here ;)

Nans: There wasn't going to be Sydney angst, but there might be now. I'll think about it. Thanks for the thought.

Pretender Fanatic: A review fairy? meh, why not.I was going for minimalist with the parker kidnapping. I like constructive critism though, it really helps. I'll take a look at that scene. Now, I'll turn this back on you; KUTGWRS (The R is for 'review')

mfkngst: It looks like your review was typed in a hurry ;). Thanks a lot for the review, it made me smile. I like knowing that this or that line is appreciated.

Jarod looked up as the door to his small cell was opened and the woman that had bought him to this place was shoved in, before the door clanged shut again. He watched as she got up and straightened her somewhat crumpled clothes, anger showing through in her every movement. When her cold blue eyes turned on him he flinched and found himself suddenly lost for words. A small muscle under her eye twitched then she sighed and sunk to the floor, leaning her back against the wall. Tipping her head back she closed her eyes.

'Are you alright?' he asked finally.

'Oh, I'm just peachy. My crazed twin has taken over the Centre, locked me in a cell with the one person in the world who I believe is fully capable of killing me out of sheer irritation, is holding my second oldest friend hostage, and to top it all off, I have a roaring headache.'

'So we know each other then?'

'Yes Jarod, we know each other.'

'Oh' he said, once again lost for words. They were silent for a while. 'Why did he lock you in here?'

'Because when you remember who and what you are, he can start making lots of money.'

'And... you're... supposed to help me remember?'

Parker opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling then lowered her gaze to rest steadily on the man that sat on the small cot across the room. 'Has your IQ dropped along with that bump on the head?'

Jarod narrowed his eyes and frowned at her. 'I have no idea,' he replied levelly, his annoyance barely contained under the surface, 'not only can I not remember what my IQ was before I was hit on the head, I also have no premises from which to work off when I make assumptions. As far as I know, I have never met you before, except for that once when you brought me here, like I said, although you do seem to be quite familiar with me.'

'At least it clearly hasn't affected your ability to be self-righteous.'

'Look, while you're here, could you at least tell me who I am? What's going on? You keep on making all these references that I don't understand'

'You have no idea how ironic that statement is do you?'

'No.'

Parker smiled slightly as she sighed dramatically. 'You're Jarod' she said simply.

'I gathered that much. What about my last name, my age...?'

'You're not the only one who doesn't know those two. If you remember, let me know, I'm curious.'

'This is only making me more confused.'

Parker smiled wryly. Her situation presented itself to the forefront of her mind with crystal clear clarity and she suddenly gave out a hysterical bark of laughter. It all had a strange sort of humour to it. Jarod looked at her strangely, cocking his head on one side in a way that was just so familiar to her. 'Why is it that everything I do will always be somehow connected to you?' she asked him rhetorically.

Jarod's handsome features softened and he leaned forwards towards her. 'Tell me your name and we can go from there. Maybe I can tell you why.'

In the clarity of the moment, Parker understood that the only person that would get her out of this would be Jarod. Either by Lyle keeping his promise or by them both escaping, she would only leave if Jarod regained his memory. So she needed Jarod to be on her side, she needed to be on Jarod's side. In that strangely clear moment, Parker made a decision. She put her hands on the floor and pushed herself upright. Jarod watched as she took the two steps towards him. 'My name...' she began, then bent down and whispered the rest in his ear. 'But call me Miss Parker.' She continued, straightening. With that she turned and went back to sit with her back against the wall and crossed her legs. 'It's a pretty name' he offered, 'why do you want me to call you Miss Parker?'

'Just because' she replied calmly, although her mind abruptly whipped images of her mother smiling and mouthing her first name before her eyes. He shrugged, accepting this.

'What do you remember?' she asked. Jarod frowned in thought. 'It's like the world started when I woke up in that alley. I try, but there's nothing. I just can't...' he stopped, overcome with frustration, and pressed the palms of his hands against his closed eyes.

'You seem to have muscle memory or something' Parker reassured him the best she could, 'I've seen you make that gesture hundreds of times. When we were kids you would do it when ever we got lost in the vents or you thought you were about to get caught.'

Jarod raised his head and met her gaze. His deep liquid brown eyes held such hope and innocence in them that Parker's heart nearly broke. 'We first met when we were about five' she confirmed for him. 'Why was I afraid of getting caught? Who was chasing me?'

Parker paused as she wondered about how to explain the Centre to him. His beautiful eyes bored into her so she evaded the question. 'Jarod, does the name 'Angelo' mean anything to you?'

'I ...don't...no.' he said finally, shaking his head. He was frowning once again in frustration.

'Then can you remember any nursery rhymes?'

'Nursery rhymes?'

Parker shrugged. Sometimes it is the things that are to unimportant to forget that stay. Jarod frowned again, this time in thought

'There's something. It doesn't make sense...'

'Nursery rhymes rarely do'

Jarod paused a moment longer, then sang 'Cree craw toad's foot, geese walk bare foot'

Parker broke into a smile, despite herself. 'Does it mean something?' asked Jarod hopefully.

'Not that I've ever been able to tell' laughed Parker, 'it's the only thing you've ever remembered from your childhood.'

Jarod's face lit up with his trademark radiant grin. Then he became thoughtful. 'Why don't I remember my childhood? Have I had amnesia before?'

'No. It's just that...'

'It's this place isn't it? I've been here before'

'So you do remember some things' Parker told him, still trying to dodge the subject of the Centre.

'It's not so much remembering as... I don't know. I just get this feeling. This place gives me the creeps.'

'It gives most people the creeps'

'What is it? Why am I being held here? What do they want from me?' Jarod was becoming more and more agitated.

'Hey, Jarod.... Jarod! Calm down OK?' she paused to gather her thoughts. He watched her and she noticed with a small shock that he was almost on the verge of tears. 'This place is the Centre. It's a corporation that makes money out of exploiting people with... different... abilities.'

'I'm one of them aren't I?'

'Yes' said Parker, finding herself suddenly unable to meet his dark brown eyes. Jarod said nothing to this. He just sat and thought for a long time.

'I must have escaped then' he spoke slowly, uncertainly, waiting for her to stop him. She looked up but didn't speak, so after a long moment he went on. 'That's why you were in that alley in the first place. You...' he choked for a moment but then pushed on 'you were chasing me. Chasing me to bring me back here.'

'Yes.' answered Parker lowering her eyes, offering no defence .She was fully guilty; there was no point in denying it. Jarod was silent for another long moment. 'If that man who was there right before they locked me down here was your father, then you used to be in quite a powerful position. If you're down here, you're not in one anymore.'

Parker gave small sardonic snort. 'No. I'm what you would call 'completely out of power.''

Their conversation was interrupted at that point with a rattle from the door, before a hatch about halfway up the door slid up and a tray of food was slid through onto a small platform attached to the door. They both watched it for a moment, then Jarod stood up and retrieved the tray. He set in front of Parker then sat down the other side of it, mimicking her crossed legs and straight back.

'Huh. Thought maybe they'd double the rations with another person in here'

'They're like that' shrugged Parker. She wasn't hungry anyway, although she knew Jarod had an appetite like a race horse.

'Here, you should drink. It will help make your headache go away.' He offered her the single mug of water. She took it gratefully and had a sip. She had not drunken anything since a while before she was kidnapped. After she had drained what she estimated to be half the mug she placed it back down on the tray. He had been watching her. 'Better?'

'Yes.' She paused. 'How did you know I still had a headache?'

'Because you keep a muscle tensed in your forehead when you do.'

Parker suddenly snapped. 'Right, that's it! You are making this amnesia up.'

'But...'

'Lyle! Lyle, you psychotic son of a bitch. Let me out of here or I will disembowel you with a soup spoon!' She stood up and stalked over to the camera. Jarod leapt up and chased her the few steps across the cell.

'Miss Parker! I'm not making it up. I don't know how I knew that. Please, don't make Mr Lyle come'

Parker heard the desperation in his voice and managed to calm down. 'Since when have you been afraid of Mr Lyle?' she asked him quietly, tilting her head on one side and looking into his eyes.

'You mean I wasn't always afraid of him?' asked Jarod with a crooked half smile. 'You never showed it if you were. Yo were to busy humiliating the hell out of him.'

Jarod gave a soft chuckle of amusement then became serious as he stared back into Parker's eyes. His breathing stilled and he tilted his head on one side. Parker's memory flipped her a card. She held up her right hand, palm facing him. Jarod frowned, wondering what she was doing. 'Hold your hand up' she told him, repeating his words from so long ago. 'Can you feel it?' she closed her eyes, willing him to remember. She could hear her breathing and his, as they both stood like that. 'Do you remember anything?' she asked softly

'Just how soft your hands are.' Parker dropped her hand and they both opened their eyes. She smiled. 'You told me that once, a long time ago.'

'It's something' said Jarod.

'Well at least we can take refuge in the fact that your memory isn't completely gone. Even if you are only remembering strange and abstract things.' said Parker ducking around him and walking back to sit on her side of the tray. 'What?' said Jarod sharply. Parker looked up surprised. 'What did you just say?' he demanded.

'At least we can...' she started, unsure why he was acing like that.

Jarod gave a low cry then put his head in his hands and sunk to the floor. Parker hurriedly scrambled over to him. She realised now. The code word Sydney had devised in case his protégé ever wanted out from a sim worked both ways. If Jarod ever lost himself, he was conditioned to respond to 'refuge.' Not thinking about what she was doing she wrapped her arms around him as he started to rock backwards and forwards, making a low keening sound.

'Something are better not to know' he gasped.

Parker didn't know what to say, so she jut held him while he rocked and whimpered. Finally he quietened, but they remained wrapped around each other. In the loud silence of the Centre they both heard the door click and Parker quickly whispered in his ear. 'You have to get us out of here Jarod.' He looked up at her, surprised, then nodded. Parker smiled at him then stood to face who ever it was that would come through the door.

'Touching. Really. That was an excellent little show. Congratulations' said Lyle as he entered, clapping slowly. Parker's face was the picture of artic cold. 'Let me the fuck out of here little brother.'

'Touchy touchy.'

'You would be too if you had just spent two hours locked in a cell.'

'Perhaps. But I will never know.' He gave her a beatific smile then stood to one side to allow her to stalk past him. Glancing briefly at Jarod, who had curled into a ball at the far corner of the cell, Lyle shut and locked the door then followed after his sister.

TBC.