THE NEW PRETENDER

Chapter One:

It was in the middle of June when all the flowers are still in bloom and the trees are changing for the fall. It is a nice warm sunny day and you see people walking their dogs, bike riding, roller skating or just walking. It was a fine day in Shadow Hills, Delaware. It was very quiet and peaceful in this town until it was broken by a scream from one of the houses down the road.

The house was in nice shape even though it is 30 yrs old. It had yellow aluminum siding and a brick fireplace. It had 4 steps leading up from the driveway to the front door. There were 2 small trees planted in the front yard overlooking the street and they were just beginning to grow. A nice blue cadillac was parked in the driveway and everything looked fine. But, inside the house is another matter.

"What is all the screaming going on?" asked an old lady as she walked into her living room. It was lite up with very pretty standing lamps. The room looked very peaceful with paintings of her husband who has long passed and her children and grandchildren. There was a plant underneath the window overlooking the backyard. And another one overlooking the street hanging. The carpet was made to look like a tapestry. And the couches were the color of deep dark blue. The future were a nice dark finish wood. And there on the floor sat a young 7 yr old girl with pigtails watching the tv when the old lady came walking in. "What is it?" "Grandma, my mommy and daddy are gone!" "What are you talking about?" "Mommy and daddy went on to airplane and now the plane is broken!" The grandma started walking to the tv when she saw the most dreadful site. A plane was broken into 2 pieces on the ground in Kansas. There were no survivors. "Are you sure you're mommy and daddy were on the plane?" "Yes, grandma. Don't you remember seeing them off with me at the airport?" the young girl asked as she looked up at her grandma. "Oh, dear." the grandma said as she looked down at the girl who had tears in her eyes. "Now, I remember. I believe your parents were on that plane. I'm so sorry, Catherine." she said as she knelt down on the floor holding the young girl.

Just as the two started to get calmed down someone busted through the front door and as they looked behind them one of the intruders shot the grandma and the girl was too frightened to run so she just sat there. Then another intruder came in and stood above the girl and looked down. The girl saw terror and hatred in the intruders eyes. Then she was lifted up and was taken out into a black unmarked limo. She looked around and noticed that 2 of the intruders got into the car next to her. As she was sitting in the limo she tried to keep from showing any emotion so that the intruders won't try to kill her. Just as she lifted her head she saw both intruders take their face masks off. One was a young man probably in his early 30s with short brown hair and deep brown eyes that were cold. She looked on the other side of her and saw another man but a slight older with grey hair and a jaw that could kill someone. They both looked at her and then looked out the windows. It was a silent ride to wherever they were taking her. She heard the young man address the driver: "Take us to Blue Cove." "Yes sir, Mr. Lyle." said the driver who was a man. So, the rest of the car trip was made in silence.

The silence was beginning to get to her and she started to fall asleep but kept making herself wake up. She was tired from all of the playing she did when she went to school and came back to her grandmas. And how she missed her grandma. She kept trying to figure out why they came for her and why they killed her grandma. As she pondered she noticed a great big tan building that stretched for miles. It looked creepy and none inviting but there was nothing that she could say about it. So, they drove in and stopped at the front door. The older man got out and tugged the girl out of the car and brought her up the stairs to the front door. As he opened it, Catherine too one more look behind her to see the sky and everything else and Mr. Lyle as he got out of the car as the older man took her inside the building.

Then Catherine and the older man got into an elevator and he pressed #7 and the doors were just about to close when Mr. Lyle made it into the elevator with them. He stood there and just waited til the doors opened. Catherine looked around and noticed also there was no music so this must be a very secretive building for no music. She heard the ding sounding the seventh floor and the doors opened. She looked out and saw so many people walking around and talking. She saw young kids with no expression on their faces. They didn't even acknowledge her presence. The 2 men brought her in front of a double door that had windows in it but you couldn't look in or out of them. The older man opened the door and they brought Catherine into the room. It was lit up and she noticed a wooden desk in the front behind some windows. She also noticed a roomful of people just talking and then stopped when they walked into the room. There was a young woman sitting behind the desk and she looked up when Catherine came in being escorted by the older man and Mr. Lyle. She got up and walked in front of the desk. She was very beautiful...she had dark brown hair up to her shoulders and dark blue eyes. Her lips were blood red and her suit was the same color as her lips. The skirt she wore was worn halfway up her thighs showing a lot of legs which were held up by six inch black heeled shoes.

She had her arms crossed and smiled. As they neared the young woman she told the older man who she called "Sam" to let go of her and step away. She looked over at Mr. Lyle and for a minute they just looked at each other. Then Mr. Lyle went and sat down on one of the leather couchs in the room. And "Sam" walked out of the room instructed by the young lady. The brunette lady spoke and her voice was low. "Hi. You must be Catherine. My name is Miss Parker. I hope your ride was very nice." she said as she looked at Catherine then at Mr. Lyle. Mr. Lyle spoke, "well, we did the job. We found the girl and took care of the people she had around her." he said as he smiled. Miss Parker looked down at Catherine and said, "you look exhausted. Why don't you go and sit down here and rest. Here is some water for you." she said as she handed Catherine some very cool water in a plastic cup. As she walked back to her desk she called for an older man over to her. Catherine heard Miss Parker address him as Sydney. She said, "Sydney, I want you to take her under your wing and make her a Pretender. I'm still looking for Jarod but Mr. Raines wants another one. So, I want to leave her in your care." Miss Parker said as she looked at Sydney. Sydney was just about to say something when a bald headed man with an oxygen tank he was wheeling came into the room. Everyone looked and there was shock and horror in their eyes. She heard Miss Parker address him as "Mr. Raines."

The bald man spoke in a scratchy voice, "She is NOT going with Sydney. There is too much at stake to have him take her. I have someone else in mind that will do better." Miss Parker spoke next, "really, and who would be the BEST person to take the job?" she said as she walked up to him. "Me. I will take her and make her a Pretender that should have been done with Jarod." "You? You can't be the person to train her. You can hardly think let alone act like a man." "Remember, Miss Parker, I did train the young Jarod..." "Yea, that's right. You did...you also drilled lies into his head about Jarod killing the younger Jarod's parents. You, should not even be allowed to train her...you son of a b...." she almost finished when she saw an older man walk through the double doors behind Mr. Raines. "Angel, Mr. Raines is the person that will train the girl. He is the best person and I know how much you want to object but this is how it's going to be." he said firm and looking at Miss Parker. She then looked at Sydney, then the girl and proceeded to walk out when she stopped right next to Mr. Raines. In his right ear she spoke very low so no one could hear, "go ahead and train her. But if you make one wrong move with her, I will be next to you with a gun drawn at your life force." she said as she tapped the oxygen tank. As she said that Mr. Raines skipped breathes from the threat. She then opened the double doors and walked out leaving the older man, Mr. Lyle, Mr. Raines, Sydney and Catherine in the room.