Authors Note: Hey guys sorry about the wait. For those of you who didn't see my little note, my grandfather had died Tuesday and I had to got to some one horse town, which did have internet on the one computer in the lobby but I forgot to bring my floppy drive. Sorry about the wait.
Pretender Fanatic- Glad you like Zeak's character. I'm thinking I might bring him back latter on but I'm not sure what role he'll play. And actually the Centre won't use Devin's corpse they all ready got the genetic material from Devin unbeknownst to him
LJP- Devin's musings did take place in the past. But his vision took place in the future. About Jarod and Parker's kids this chapter will help shed some light. Angelo has a plane to stop the future Devin saw from occurring but it does not involve a data chip. It like Devin's plan involves a bullet. You'll find out more about it later. As for the twins there explained in this chapter. And I'm going to try to update on Thanksgiving so you don't have to wait so long. Had kept their promise and been done at 12am this chapter would have been posted then.
CHAPTER 22
PHOENIX RISING
May 30, 1988
2:25am
Blue Cove, Delaware
The Centre
On one early May morning a male pretender, was born. His birth was the dawn of a new era of the Centre. The Triumvirate along with the Centre's Chairman met at the Chairman's home toasting to the success of the Centre.
"Parker If all goes well with Gemini there the sky is the limit." Mutombo said clinking his glass with Mr. Parker.
"If all goes well with Gemini, Mutombo, then there will be no limits on what the Centre will be able to accomplish." Raines said walking over to the two men.
"Ah Raines and how are things looking with Gemini?" Mutombo asked.
"Well Sir, it still is to early to tell. I have run the child's blood work and there are no apparent anomalies other than those of a normal pretender, and his immune system is much stronger than any other the other clones."
"Good. Good. And how are things going with Project Phoenix?" The African asked.
"The Genetic manipulation of the embryos has been tricky. You must remember that we are trying to push the embryos in to the next level of evolution, bringing out their maximum potential. It will be quite difficult to determine the maximum potential due to the fact that it is unsure where the parents potential lies. Gemini will help to establish just how far we will be able to push Phoenix. We hope to have the embryos completed with in the next two years. Truthfully we don't want the birth of Gemini and Phoenix to be so close. Phoenix will be compared to Gemini." Raines informed the Triumvirate leader
"And Phoenix will be twins correct?" Mutombo asked.
"Yes and at the age of seven they will start their true training. Most of their abilities should become apparent by then. By that time the first of the Black files should be three, the youngest two." Mr. Parker replied
"And the Black files are to be kept together?"
"Yes all fifteen of them. Three groups of twins and three groups of triplets. They will be conditioned to rely on one another and have complete loyalty to the Centre."Raines answered
"Very good gentleman. These next few years shall push the Centre further along the path of greatness."Mutombo spoke and then left the two men alone.
"And what are we to do with Miss Parker?" Raines asked as he walked Mutombo walk away.
"There is no reason to eliminate her. Who knows when we might need more of her ova. And if things don't go well with production of my heirs, she may just make a decent chairwoman one day. She may not be a Parker by blood but she's on her way to becoming one." Mr. Parker spoke.
"And if she learns of Phoenix and the Black Files?" Asked Raines.
"Reeducation, or termination depending on which ever mood I'm in," The chairman replied.
"There is something else as well. Sydney reported that Jarod has become distracted. I believe it has to do with the Grey murder. What do you suggest?" Raines asked the chairman.
"He you can reeducate. The last thing we need is for Jarod to be distracted." Mr. Parker told the doctor.
May 9, 1991
1:54pm
Blue Cove, Delaware
The Centre
Mr. Parker stared in to the nursery at the pair of sleeping twins. They both had a mop of black hair and eyes so deep a shade of blue that they would remain blue and in time would become flecked with gold. As Mr. Parker watched the twins he thought of his dead wife and their, no her child. Had things gone the way they should have, the set of twins would be the legitimate future rulers of the Centre, and their creation would not have been kept secret. But no the children's mother was the bastard child of Catherine Parker and that damned psychiatrist.
The chairman watched the sleeping babies and not for the first time did he begin to wonder if he was doing the right thing. A part of him loved the woman who called him Daddy. But a part of him hated her, hated what she resembled. Often Mr. Parker wondered that had Catherine's daughter not resembled her so much if he would have loved her more. Looking at Miss Parker was like a knife in his heart. He hated Catherine for betraying him in such a way. Mr. Parker knew that he hadn’t been the best of husbands but he was devoted to his work he thought that Catherine would have understood that. The Centre was to be his legacy for his family. But now he had no family save his brother.
No matter the sleeping twins, his grandchildren or not would still lead the Centre to greatness. Granted it was not the way he envisioned decades before he learned the true parentage of his "daughter" but it would do.
May 31, 1992
11:04pm
Blue Cove, Delaware
The Centre
A set of twins rolled across the floor giggling as they wrestled. They were now a year old and far beyond anything the Centre had expected. They spoke as well as a child twice their age. And had the intelligence beyond that of a six year old. William and Alyssa were the pride and joy of the Centre. Granted Gemini was a clone, the Centre’s first prefect clone and that was an accomplishment all in it’s self. But the twins too were another miracle of science.
Mr. Parker chuckled as he watched the children through the glass. It had become ritual for him to view their behavior everyday around noon. He did it out of remorse though he did not realize it. Had any one questioned his behavior he would have replied that he was just overseeing his investment. But subconsciously he visited the children each day because he was guilty. He had stolen his daughter's children. But he had to remind himself that she wasn't his daughter.
"Will!" the girl cried out her brother was lying on the floor sizing. Mr. Parker ran into the room and scooped the boy into his arms and carried him to the infirmary Alyssa running as fast as her tiny legs would carry her.
"Help the boy," Mr. Parker said to the doctor, placing the tiny child on the bed. Alyssa climbed on top the cot next to her brother taking her hand into his. Jennifer Mackenzie rushed over to the sizing form of the toddler. She quickly looked him over and then rush over the a cabinet pulling out a vial and a needle she filled the needle with a clear liquid and injected it into William. Slowly the boy's thrashing subsided.
"What was it?" Mr. Parker asked.
"It was as believed would occur, the twins have a chemical imbalance, and their brains aren't making enough serotonin."
"I'll get Raines working on it immediately. We can't have anything going wrong with our two top pretenders."
"Of course not sir." Dr. Mackenzie replied. "If the children aren't need at the moment I'd like to run some test and save Doctor Raines the hassle."
"That will be fine." Mr. Parker replied and left leaving the twins with the doctor.
"You're such a little faker William," Dr. Mackenzie whispered so that the camera couldn't hear. Will looked up at the doctor grinning, and Alley began to laugh.
"Wan see you," Will spoke.
"And what you two just couldn't sneak down here like you normally do?" The doctor teased.
"Could of," Alyssa replied. "We wan pre-tend"
"I wouldn't let Raines hear you saying that" Sam said entering the room cradling his arm. His face was pale and contorted in pain.
"Sam what happened?" Mackenzie asked walking over to the sweeper.
"Some ass of a sweeper-in-training broke my damn arm," Sam said hopping onto a cot next to the twins.
"I see that you're in pain but could you please watch your language around the twins."
"Sorry Jen," Sam replied. "So who what are the two of you?" Sam asked the twins as Jen looked at his arm.
"We nix," The twins said each pointing a finger proudly at their chest.
"Their project Phoenix, the one on the left is Will, the one on the right is Alley. They're supposedly Pretenders." Jen clarified. "Yeah it's defiantly broken Sam. You need to go down to radiology and get an X-ray and then I'll set it." Jen said looking up from Sam's arm.
"I'll be back in a bit. Don't go any where," Sam said walking out of the room and going down the hall to get his arm x-rayed. As Sam was gone Jen went to get plaster and the other materials see would need for mending Sam's arm.
"Whatch do Mac?" Alley asked curious when Sam returned and Jen began to tend to the sweeper's arm.
"I am setting Sam's arm. He broke it while training."
"Dat silly. Shouldn't brake arm 'Ammy," Will said shaking his finger at Sam.
"I'll keep that in mind kid," Sam replied grinning despite himself. "So how old are you two?"
"We is one," Alley answered. "How old you?"
"Older than you," Sam told her, and Alleystuck out her tounge
"How older?" Will asked hopping off of his cot and climbing up next to Sam, Alley right behind him.
"Guess?" Sam said. Will, and Alley each placed one of their tiny hand on either side of Sam's face. Wondering what was going on Sam and Jen stared at the tots.
"Three 'n one," The children said simultaneously. Sam and Jen gaped at the twins.
"How did you know that?" Sam gasped. The twins shrugged their shoulders and laughed.
"Help down Mac," Alley commanded the doctor. Still in shock of the demonstration of the twins abilities Jen helped the children off of the bed not realizing what she was doing. The twins then sat off exploring the infirmary.
Jen and Sam stared at each other trying to comprehend what just happened.
"Looks like the Centre has a new set of money makers," Sam said bitterly as he watched the children. "I was one once upon a time you know. One of the Centre's top pretenders killed my parents."
"No believe Cent lies!" Alley yelled at Sam.
"No 'tender kill parents was Cent. 'Tenders 'ave no choice. Do wha' telled." Will said.
"What are they saying?" Sam asked not understanding the children.
"Something that they shouldn't be saying with the cameras on," Jen replied.
"No cams Mac," Alley said nodding at the camera just above them. Sure enough the red light was out.
"I'll be damned," Jen whispered.
"Okay then what in the hell are they saying then. I'm not fluent in toddler," Sam said a bit harshly.
"They said that you should believe Centre lies. That the pretender didn't kill your parents it was the Centre. Pretender's don't have a choice they do what they are told." Jen translated.
"Truth." Will said pulling a DSA out of his sleeve.
"Watch," Alley continued.
"You two planed this," Jen said looking at the children. The twins just smiled in response. "Your powers are developing aren't they!" Jen said her voice becoming hysterical. Alley and Will began to giggle.
"Jen what in the blazes is going on?" Sam said softly.
"The twins knew that you'd be hurt today. Will faked sick so that he and Alley would be here when you got here. They know something about your parent's murder. The truth apparently." Jen said locking eyes with the children. Will and Alley nodded their heads in agreement.
"We go now," Alley said.
"Go, go where?" Sam asked.
"Wit Sophie," Will replied, as a woman entered the infirmary.
"I was told you two would be here," A blonde hair woman said picking up the two children. "Have you two been naughty?" She asked. The twins nodded their heads grinning deviously.
"Alway naughty Sophie." The twins replied. The woman laughed carrying the twins back to their room.
Sam stared after them his jaw down to his chest.
Up next Sam watches the DSA with Parker and the two get into a spat.
English gentelmen do not beg. Since I'm neither Please please please review.
