Crazyrussiangal- Glad you like how things are moving. And just so know there are two chapters left.


CHAPTER 55

AN ATTEMPT AT FREEDOM


May 4, 2001

6:13am

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

"Jake do we have to do this tonight?" Cassie asked the older boy.

"Cassie, we need to get the hell out of here. I wanted us to be gone months ago. I'm tired of waiting around for them to hurt us again. What if the next time It's not me, or Jerry, that Cox takes. What if instead it's Alex and Lyle takes her instead of Cox. Lyle wants to hurt her, I wont allow him," Jake said

"I really hate it when you talk about me like I'm not here," Alex grumbled

"Why can't we tell Sam or Jen?" Greg asked changing the subject. He knew that Alex was already angry that Jake was uprooting the group and that they would all be going their separate ways. It hadn't come to blows between Alex and Jake just yet but all of the other children knew that given time it would Greg was trying his best to delay the inevitable.

"It'll only put them in danger," Rachael replied. "We can't afford that."

"What do we do once we get outside?" Alex whispered. Jake sighed.

"We discussed this already baby girl. We have to split up. We can't stay together. But I promise you I'll keep tabs on all of us, and once things die down we can be together again," Jake told Alex.

"We'll get stuck in an orphanage, or a group home. We may be cute and young but lets be realistic, we've simmed people who want to adopt. And there aren't a lot of people who are willing to adopt six year old twins, no less five year old triplets," Greg stated.

"Jake if we're sent to an orphanage we might as well just stay here. The Centre will find us," Andros argued.

"Not if we lay low," Jake rebutted.

"Fine. But when we get brought back here, just remember we told you so," Aaron said.

"What about Jarod?" Rachael said softly. Jake shot his twin a look.

"No." Jake replied firmly.

"Jake he could help us. Hell he's probably the only person capable enough to," Rachel protested.

"Damn it Rach I said no, let's just leave it at that!" Jake yelled. Rachael scowled at her brother, got up from he spot on the floor and walked off. Jake followed her "Where are you going?" Jake hissed grabbing her arm.

"I'm pissed at you right now Jacob, and I don't trust myself not to pull and Alex and hit you," Rachael snapped.

"Rach..."

"Why can't we go to him Jake? You know he can help, besides he has a right to know. They have a right to know," Rachael stated.

"Jarod is still searching for clues to his past. If we go to him he'll stop. And if he stops then the Centre will never be brought down," Jake told her.

"Bull. See I think , no I know that you're mad at Jarod. You blame him for Daddy's death. Will there's nothing Jarod could have done to save Daddy. Don't blame him for what that sociopath Alex did. And don't punish him by taking away what's rightfully his. Because not only are you punishing him, you're punishing them," Rachael said casting a glance at Aaron, Andros and Alex.

"Fine. We'll contact him once were out," Jake sighed.

"Good. Now what about Will?" Rachael asked.

"He won't come," Jake said hesitantly.

"Have you even talked to him about this?" Jake shook his head in response. "They're his brothers and sister." Rachael hissed.

"Rach, he's waiting for Jarod to play hero. I'm not going to stand back and watch them get hurt as we keep waiting to be saved. Will is more than capable of escaping on his own. Don't worry, once he finds out we're gone he'll come after us anyway. Okay?" Jake said.

"Okay," Rachel replied.


May 5, 2001

12:15am

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

"So the children are planing to escape. Are you certain?" Lyle asked the sweeper next to him.

"Positive sir," Miller replied.

"We'll then it seems that the children need to be taught a little lesson. Let them sneak out of their room. In fact let them get out of the Centre. Have your men waiting for them outside in the fields. Make sure not a single one of them gets away, especially not Alex. I have plans for her," Lyle said a grin crossing his face.

"Yes sir," Miller replied and he turned to go and for a team.

"Oh and Miller," Lyle called over his shoulder, the sweeper turned to face the other man. "Sam is not to learn about this. We can't have him screwing anything up."

"Yes sir," Miller sais again and left.


May 5, 2001

1:02am

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

"I'm I the only one who fells like this is way too easy?" Marc asked as he and the others crawled through the air vents.

"No you aren't the only one," Aaron replied, he had an uneasy feeling all day concerning the escape, and at that moment Aaron just wanted to turn around and head back to his cell.

"Relax we're almost there," Jake hissed as they came to the ladder that would take them outside. "Wait until I give the all clear. Marc, Cassie you two will come first. Terra, Toby come up as soon as the other two are out. Jer, Maddie, Greg are next. Mike, Maddie, Andy, Air, and Alex follow them. Rach you'll bring up the rear."

The children nodded their heads, and Jake began to climb the ladder. Jake lifted the manhole cover and smiled as the moonlight hit him. He looked around seeing no signs of sweepers, Jake let out a low whistle signaling Marc and Cassie that the coast was clear.

One by one the children took their first steeps outside of the Centre, each were unable to stop the grins that crossed their faces.

"Come one lets make it to the road. I rented us an apartment in town. From there we'll call Jarod, and ask us to come get us," Jake instructed.

"How in the hell did you manage to rent an apartment?" Greg asked

"All I need was a credit card, and an e-mail adress. The guy left the key under the door mat," Jake replied "And look from here on out no talking until we get off of Centre grounds. Am I clear?"

"As glass," Marc whispered. Jake scowled, and then gestured for the others to follow him.


May 5, 2001

1:16am

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

"Sir still no sign of them," Spoke a sweeper into his walkie-talkie.

"Well keep looking, they should be making an appearance soon," Miller replied.

"Unless they've already managed to slip by," The other sweeper muttered.

"You better hope not or we're all dead," Said another sweeper.

"Wait I see something," The first sweeper hissed. "It's them."

"All units move out!" Miller yelled.


May 5, 2001

1:16am

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

"Something's not right," Alex said her blue eyes going wide.

"I said no talking," Jake hissed.

"Alex is right Jake. We should go back," Andros said his eyes darting back and forth.

"It's just nerves," Rachael said her voice unsteady. If Alex and her brothers' felt that something was wrong then Rachael thought they should be turning back.

"It's not nerves," Jeremiah whispered reaching for Melissa's hand.

"How do you know Jerry, since when were you physic?" Jake snapped.

"You don't need to be physic to see the sweepers! Run!" Greg yelled as a team of twenty sweepers came running out of the woods. The fourteen children scattered, scrambling to get away.

"Alex!" Aaron, and Andros yelled as their sister stumbled on a rock. The boys turned back to help her. They yanked her up by her arms helping her get to her feet.

"Air look out!" Jake yelled but he was too late. A sweeper pulled out a tazer zapping Aaron, due to his physic bond with Alex, Andros, Mike and Maddie the other four children collapsed.

Jake was torn as to what to do. He refused to leave his friends -no his family- behind. But the others were counting on him to help them escape. But the decision was made up for him. In the ten seconds he stood frozen contemplating what he should do Marc, Cassie, Terra and Tobias had been captured and two sweepers were closing in on Rachael. Jeremiah, Greg, and Melissa stood in a protective circle around the prone bodies of Mike, Maddie, Alex, Andros, and Aaron.

"Looks like you still don't know your place, Jacob," Miller sneered as he approached Jake.

"I know it's not in the Centre," Jake spat, Miller knocked Jake to the ground.

"Gather the rest of them up. Mr. Lyle would like to have a little talk with them," Miller said grinning as though he was the cat that ate the cannery.

Several sweepers picked up the unconscious children while Miller and the rest of the team escorted Jake, Rachael, Jeremiah, Melissa and Greg to Lyle.


May 6, 2001

2:09am

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

The children had been relocated to one of the sim-labs located on one of the lower sub-levels. All fourteen were each strapped to a chair. Alex, her brothers, Mike, Maddie, Marc, Cassie, Terra, and Tobias groaned in pain as they began to awake. Jake cradled his forehead in his hand, his head was swimming due to the blow Miller had dealt him.

"W-where are we?" Cassie asked as she returned to consciousness.

"Back at the Centre," Jake said softly.

"Do I need to say I told you so?" Aaron moaned.

"Next time we say we should turn around Jake maybe we, ya know, should," Andros snapped.

"You should of listened to young Andros here Jacob," Lyle said entering the sim-lab.

"Go to hell Lyle," Jake snapped.

"We're already here Jacob," Lyle grinned.

"Hey Lyle, digging the new thumb," Greg said darkly.

"Yeah why don't you stick it up your..." Andros was unable to continue for Lyle cuffed the young boy. Andros, Aaron, Alex, Mike and Maddie cried out in pain.

"You five must be hating that bond right about now," Lyle said. "You're about to hate it a bit more. I think that it's time for the fourteen of you to understand just what you are. You are Centre property. You were born Centre property, and you shall remain Centre property even unto death. Think of yourselves as livestock. You were breed from the best and once you all reach proper age you the next line of pretenders will generate from you. And they too will be Centre property."

"What are you going to do to us?" Jeremiah asked unable to meet Lyle's eyes. The man -the monster- that stood before him was Jeremiah's father. His father who had murdered countless woman including Jeremiah's mother.

"Oh you all won't be punished as a whole. Only one of you will suffer for what has occurred tonight. The rest of you won't suffer, physically anyway. Well actually let me rephrase that. Most of you won't suffer physically." Lyle answered.

"Then lets get this over with," Jake said raising his chin.

"Yes Jacob lets," Lyle smiled. "Miller, why don't you bring it in," Lyle called out to the sweeper. Miller nodded his head, the sweeper returned moments latter with a branding iron, and a metal trash bin. Miller lit a match and tossed it in to the bin setting the timber inside of it ablaze.

"You're going to brand me?" Jake asked incredulously.

"Oh not you Jacob," Lyle replied. "Her."

Thirteen pairs of eyes shifted to look at Alex.


Please, please review. I'm begging here


Up Next: Lyle brands Alex, and Jeremiah goes in search for help for the younger girl and finds it in the form of Will.