CHAPTER 2

An hour later Miss Parker walked down the halls with Jarod in cuffs and Sydney and Broots in toe. Whispered words flew around them like the wind and glances cast like drops of rain in a spring storm.

Jarod was back.

She shoved him into the elevator and pressed the button 23.

"It'll look suspicious if we go straight to level 26. Theres nothing down there, we'll have to walk the stairs from there on." Parker said to her captive

"I know I wasn't questioning you."

"Broots the cameras on 26 are…"

"out of order… temporarily. I looped the feed, but we've only got an hour before it switches off so move your tails."

"Thank you both." Jarod said

"Its our pleasure. Congratulations Jarod. Im happy for you."

"Sydney, you're the closest thing to a real father that I can remember. Thank you for that."

"Im touched Jarod. I know that this is probably the last time I will see you again, at leased I hope" he smiled briefly " You have been the son I never had, do try to keep in touch, I'd love pictures of my quasi-granddaughter." He laughed with his eyes as only Sydney could.

"I'll secure a post box and contact you in a few weeks once everything has cooled down" Then he turned to Broots.

"You have no reason to help me, yet you do anyway. Thank you so much. I'll make sure you get your due." He said thinking of the 4.6 million dollars he had bouncing around his multiple bank accounts.

"Jarod…you don't have to do anything for me…im just...ya know…happy to help." He saluted.

"Well then think of it as a college loan for your daughter. Princeton, full ride, housing books, transportation, wardrobes. The works. Your just about to inherit 3 million dollars from your dead Aunt Ida."

Broots paled 3 shades and Sydney chuckled.

"You seem optimistic Jarod." The older man observed

"To be anything else could jeopardize this mission. I need to be positive and focus. You taught me that." They both looked knowingly at each other.

"All right this is it." The loan woman on the elevator breathed out. The door opened.

"clear" Broots whispered. Sydney and Jarod hugged their final goodbye and Jarod patted Broots's shoulder on the way out. "Thank you so much" and like a trick of light both Parker and Jarod had slipped into the stairwell and were gone.

Getting into sub level 27 was easier than either had anticipated. There was virtually no security at all, Probably because virtually no one at the Centere knew of the little experiments going on down here. Infact, virtually no one knew that down here existed.

Jarod gave memorized instructions on how to find the holding keep for his little girl while Parker kept her gun trained on their continually winding path. Astonishingly they found no security along the way either. The only two guards were those placed at the baby's door. Easily disposed of.

Jarod opened the door to find a brightly colored room filled with stuffed animals, play blox multiplication tables, flash cards, a large wall of t.v.'s and one senior partner of the Centere

"Daddy?"

"Angel what are you doing here? Jarod!"

"Daddy what is this? Tell me you didn't have anything to do with this."

"oh Angel don't be so naïve. Do you really think that a corporation like the Centere got where it is today by playing it safe? By being nice and moral and polite. I did what had to be done"

"What are you talking about?"

"He's talking about the rape of his only daughter." Jarod said

"but… I… oh daddy no." she said with the realization that this baby was not only Jarod's daughter, but hers. Why? Why not as her father would say

"Angel, Im sorry. Truly I am, but this had to be done, it was a matter of survival for the Centere. "

"how could you justify that to yourself. Your daughter is more than a survival tool for your morally corrupt hierarchy in this corporation"

"You shut up boy. You were trouble from the start. Ever since you were brought here. Endless trouble."

"that's what happened when you through a good, morally sound innocent boy in with scum like you." Parker snapped

"You'll not talk to me like that young lady!" He raised his hand to her and brought it down into Jarod's waiting hand.

"You don't touch her." He seethed before ramming his fist straight into his nose thrusting the small bones and hard cartilage into the old mans brain.

"Oh god, Jarod" she put her hands up and covered her mouth gasping and crying

"Im sorry" he said. She sniffed.

"no. its all right. He got what he deserved" She straightened herself "lets go"

The baby began to scream and Parker picked her up

"Hello my darling, hello. Yes, were here to take you away. Were gonna take you home. Don't worry. Its all right now. Its all going to be ok…" She hesitated, looked at Jarod then back to her daughter. "Daddy wont let anything happen to you. No. he wont." The baby quieted and cooed. Just then an alarm sounded.

"Parker, run!" they flew up 20 flights of stairs in 5 minutes fueled purely by adrenaline.

"how do we get out Jarod?"

"The ventilation system." He pulled a grate open and took the baby from her arms.

"you first" She climbed in and reached for the yellow swaddling bundle. It was passed and Jarod climbed in and replaced the grate.

"Go up about 50 feet." He said and the ducked an ran

"left" he instructed from memory. And on they went for 20 more minutes. Up a shaft, turn right, left, left right again, up 30 more feet. When they came to the exit Jarod leapt out first, scouted and took the baby from Parker while she pulled herself from the hole. She emerged and dusted off her clothing then reached for the infant who had fallen asleep in the escape. She looked so much like her father.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to after we got Catherine out of there. I just didn't think if I told you before hand that you'd be clear minded enough to help to the best of your abilities. Im sorry"

"Catherine?"

"I thought you'd like it, For your mother. Is it all right?" She smiled and nodded. Truth be told she loved it. Its exactly what she planned to name her daughter while fantasizing as all women do.

Then her smile faltered. The reality of what had just happened and what could have happened came down on her like a ten-ton weight. She almost fainted but remembered her daughter, her precious, vulnerable, fragile daughter that she held in her hands.

"Jarod.." The tears came like a wild river

"Parker, look at me," He took her face in his hands and met her gaze with his.

"were out. We never have to look back. We made it. Its all going to be okay. I promise. I promise, Parker. It will all be all right." When her sobs didn't stop her pulled her to him in a soothing warm embrace cradling their baby girl between their bodies. "its okay Parker, its okay" She was in such a state of shock that she never felt Jarod scoop her up into his arms and carry her to a care about 1 mile into the woods while she clutched to her sleeping child for dear life.