Author: Zsazsa
Rating: PG
Warning: Language
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, they belong to NBC and MTM and I don't make money of this...and so on!
Please note that this story was NOT corrected by a beta-reader! I am going to have one for my next fic but for this last time –please ignore my mistakes, considering I'm not native English!
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Under The Surface
Chapter 16
Dover, Delaware
Thursday
16.00 pm
„Oh man! That's impossible!" Broots
said, lowering his head.
„Why don't you lay down a bit, Broots? You've been
working for more than 10 hours without break. You look tired."
„You are right. I really could use some sleep." He said and he leant back in
his seat. Major Charles entered the room and placed a mug down in front of him.
He had to admit that the tech needed to rest to be able to help. As much as he
wanted his son out, the only hope was Broots in that
moment.
The Centre
Thursday
17.05 pm
SL-27
Room 206
Glancing down at Jarod,
Raines smiled evilly. He picked up a syringe and plunged it into Jarod's arm.
„You remember the drug that makes the pain much worse than it actually is. Now. I give it to you. And I think you remember the other
one which caused so much pain in the last couple of days."
„No idea what… you are talking… about." He said
weakly.
„Oh really? You were screaming from it. Well together
the two…mhm you can imagine what it will do to you."
Raines waited several seconds to let his words sink in before he spoke again.
„Just tell me where the DSAs are and…"
„Never!" Jarod said,
clenching his teeth. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Raines emptied the syringe
into his arms.
„You wanted it." He said.
Jarod felt as the too-familiar nausea started to
return and his head pounded again. His muscles felt a bit sore and he had difficulties
keeping his eyes open. But whenever he closed it, he didn't lose consciousness.
It was like suffering from insomnia but he got more tired and felt more
horrible minute by minute. He knew the pain was going to be intense in several
seconds and his heart started to beat faster as he saw Raines picking up a
scalpel. But he tried to hold on. He couldn't tell him where the DSAs were!
Those were his only chance. He may have suffered but he remembered and he
didn't want to lose everything that he had learnt and found out in the last
more than 5 years since he escaped. He closed his eyes as he felt the sharp
item tear the skin on his upper arm.
Raines was only scratching his arm with the scalpel but Jarod
was already screaming. The sight and sound offered him nothing but
satisfaction. He could finally get his hands on the pretender and he couldn't
wait till he was under total control. After that there was nothing and no one
to stop him and the Centre. There was one thing that disappointed him though,
but made a mental note to try and fulfill his other wish as well. The
Triumvirate's plans ruined his unfortunately but he was determined to get his
hands on his other 'interest' too. After all it had been promised to him years
ago and with Mr. Parker out of the way there wasn't anyone who could have been
against it.
Jarod's screams got louder and it startled him in his
thoughts. He decided to bring it to the next level and applied more pressure with
the scalpel, this time blood appearing on Jarod's
arms.
Angelo covered his eyes with his hands as he watched them from the vents. He
tried to shake those feelings out of his head. „Friend.
Worried. In pain." He
murmured.
Dover, Delaware
Thursday
19.37 pm
Sitting on the sofa, Sydney was
lost in his thoughts. It's been almost one week since they have been back in
the Centre. And one week was long. Mostly when Raines was in charge. He could imagine the
satisfied expression on his face when he saw them back there. A shiver ran down
Sydney's
spine at this thought and he knew they had to do something.
Looking up, he noticed Broots sitting back to his
lap-top. Major Charles had just returned several minutes ago and Ethan was
already sitting on the couch. He too was lost in his own world and it was
obvious what the younger man was thinking of. With a sigh, he looked at Broots.
"Are you alright, Broots?"
"Ye-yeah, I am. But I have bad news!"
"What?"
"I can't break the system. It's just like Jarod's. Impossible to get in without the passwords and codes."
"Well, Mr. Broots thank you all your hard work
that you have done but it's finally time to get my son
out." The Major said and stood up. Sydney saw
the determination on his face and he jumped up.
"Major, I know it's NOT easy but…"
"You have no idea what does it feel to have your child in that place." The
Major growled, cutting him off. Sydney
just took a deep breath and ignored his remark. He was about to say something
when Ethan spoke.
"Sydney, I
think he's right." He said silently. We haven't been able to do anything for a
week and… the time is running."
"I know." Was all he could say though he didn't like the idea of running to the
Centre.
"Hey, wait a minute." Broots said suddenly. They all
turned their heads to look at him, seeing as a frowned appeared on his face.
"What is it, Broots?"
"I got a… a mail." Sydney
just raised his eyebrows, waiting for him to go on. He didn't understand why
was this fact that he got a mail so important to cut them off, unless…
"It's from Angelo!" Broots said and looked up at Sydney,
gazing into his eyes.
The Centre
Thursday
21.05 pm
SL-27
Room 206
"So, is everything arranged?!" Raines asked Cox, watching Jarod's
unconscious form through the window.
"Yes, Mr. Raines! The transport will take place tomorrow. Early
tomorrow."
"Good! Imamu will be satisfied." Cox just
smiled in satisfaction. Finally things were going on their own terms.
Everything else was only a matter of time.
The Centre
Thursday
Same time
SL-27
Room 206
"Are you ready?" Sydney
asked the others, watching as Broots settled back
down on the couch.
"I would have been ready a lot earlier." The Major said and Sydney
tried to ignore the remark. Jarod's father was bitter
and he could understand him.
"Broots. You stay here. But
be ready because as soon as we are back… " Sydney
took a deep sighed before he went on. "… we will have
to move very fast."
"What if you… uhm you can't get out both of them?" At
the question both the Major and Sydney stiffened a bit.
"We better go." Ethan said, not wanting to hear the answer. "They are going to
transport my sister early in the morning! We have to get there!" The Major just
nodded and left the room. Ethan let out a sigh and looked at Sydney
before they both followed suit.
Sitting on the couch, Broots prayed they were going
to be able to free both of them. No one deserved to be in the Centre mostly
when Mr. Raines was in charge.
The Centre
Friday
4.55 am
SL-27
Room 210
Entering the room, Lyle nodded at the sweeper who had
been escorting him to leave him alone. The man nodded and stepped out, closing
the door behind him. Taking a deep breath, a smile appeared on Lyle's face as
he caught sight of the bed. Adjusting his tie, he slowly walked into the room,
rubbing his glove-covered hand. Stopping in front of the bed he smiled down
before he slowly sat down. He watched as the woman awoke with a start as she
felt the bed dip under his weight. She managed to sit up half way when she
spotted who was sitting next to her. She let out a small sigh before she
crawled back a bit to be able to sit up straight.
"Good Morning!" He said with an annoying cheerful
expression on his face! "I really don't like to disturb you but there is one
thing that I have to do! The duties, you know!" He said and with that he raised
a syringe.
"Why, it's…"
"Time for
training? Not today!" He said
cutting her off and with that took her arm and stung the needle into her flesh.
Parker let out a short gasp and Lyle looked up at her with a strange gleam in
his eyes. Parker could have bet he liked the way he 'hurt' her but she wasn't
sure!
After he was finished, Lyle stood up and put his hands into his pockets.
"Today you won't have to go to the gym. You're in a good shape so instead… we
are going somewhere else." He said, the annoying smug expression never leaving
his face.
Before Parker could have wondered or asked what it was, the too familiar
dizziness attacked her and she had to lie back, supporting herself on her right
elbow. She saw as Lyle nodded at the sweeper who just entered a second before
but then blackness came over her.
Angelo, peeking in from the air vents, just watched the events with a sad
expression on his face. „Daughter. Lost."
He whispered to himself.
Outside The Centre
Backyard
Same time
"I can't believe I'm here! I swore to God that I will
never return to this place! And yet, I'm here again!" Major Charles said,
crouching beside Sydney and Ethan! "If only I could have prevent
them taking my son again."
Ethan knew how he felt. His father was not only angry but also blamed himself
for letting it happen. Again. It felt kind of strange
for him to know that both men had their own child in that place and he hoped
that they won't have to leave one of them behind!
"Everything's going so easy." Ethan spoke. Even though he didn't know the
Centre because he couldn't remember being there but he thought it was a very
securely guarded place. And so far, they could slip inside the backyard without
any problem.
"This is ONE weakness of the Centre's security system."
Sydney
replied. "They know that no SANE man would try to come here on their own so we
could easily get in. Because it's just the three of us."
"I see." Ethan replied and watched as Sydney
turned back to make sure no sweeper was nearby. "What if Jarod
isn't here anymore?" The young man spoke again.
"Then I go after him even if it means hell itself!" The Major said and Ethan
knew that he did mean it.
"No, Jarod must be here. I don't think they would
send him to Africa as
long as they don't know where the DSAs are." Sydney
replied.
"So we have to be very fast and… smart to get them out."
"Or quite the opposite for coming here 'alone'." Sydney
murmured under his breath.
The Centre
Friday
5.20 am
SL-27
"The Triumvirate is waiting!" Imamu said, gazing into Lyle's eyes as the younger man stood straight,
next to Mr. Raines. "You go on with your project in Africa as
long as it is needed!"
"Sure, Sir I-"
"Mr. Raines! The Triumvirate is, however, not hundred percent satisfied." Imamu said, cutting Lyle off. Lyle just let out a sigh to
calm down. Imamu was too 'high' for him but he knew
if he could do his project, he would be high enough as well. Soon.
"I know, sir. But he can't hold on any longer. Just take a look at him, he
won't be able to take it any longer!"
"For your sake, you better be right! But now there are still several things
that I need to discuss with the two of you. But not here."
"Of course, sir. We can go to my off-"
"We GO to the Chairman's Office!" Imamu said and
walked out. Lyle just rolled his eyes and followed Raines out of the room.
The Centre
Friday
Same Time
"Okay we are in. But that's it." Ethan whispered. "I'm
not sure we could go on from here. There are lots of sweepers everywhere!"
"I've escaped worse situations before…" The Major growled looking around, making sure no sweeper was in the corridor.
"That is the Centre." Sydney
said. He had no idea how to go on from that. He knew this wouldn't turn out
well. He knew he needed Angelo for help and he didn't have to wait long.
Suddenly the air vent cracked open. And it was in time because in the minute
Angelo 'surfaced', they could hear sweepers coming along on the long corridor.
The Centre
Mr. Raines' office
5.30 am
Sitting in Raines' chair, Imamu
stared at Lyle and Raines. When Raines called him a week ago, telling him they
had Jarod back, he and the Triumvirate were very
pleased. But since one week, they couldn't get any further. Jarod
was stubborn enough to suffer instead of giving in, even if it cost horrible
physical pain. The only positive thing so far was Lyle's project. Which was proceeding at least.
"The Triumvirate has made several changes and I have to inform you about them."
"Changes?" Raines breathed.
"The Triumvirate gives you three more days, Mr. Raines! If you don't manage to
get out of Jarod, where the DSAs are, then we will
have to focus on his family. They must have them. After three days, they want
you to erase… EVERY SIGN of the outside world of Jarod's
mind! For the pretender, NOTHING can exist, except for the Centre!"
The Centre
Air Vents
5.35 am
"Angelo, stop!" Sydney
said, slowing down behind Angelo. The empathy looked back at the three men
behind him and did as Sydney
asked. He stopped.
"I think we should separate!" Sydney
said as he sat down.
"Why?" The Major asked, his brows furrowed. He
immediately tensed. What if Sydney was
still on the Centre's side? He wasn't sure in
anything and he didn't trust anyone anymore.
"I think he's right!" Ethan told his father.
"We are on our own. Three… well four against *The Centre*. We have to be
invisible and fast! So we need to get both of them at one time. And we will
have to do it through the air vents. That is the only place where we might have
a chance!" The Major considered the idea for a moment and the nodded.
"Okay. But who takes who?" Ethan asked.
"I take Jarod!"
The Major and Sydney said in union. Ethan just closed his eyes and hung
his head slightly. Ethan knew what was coming. It was obvious just from the way
the two were staring at each other. Ethan felt a sudden rage inside but
suppressed it! He spoke before they could have gotten into a fight.
"Fine! I go for my sister." He said. Sydney
finally looked at him and Ethan looked gazed into his eyes. The younger man saw
that he wanted to say something but he spoke first. "Where should we meet?"
Sydney
felt a bit uncomfortable. He knew he didn't have to explain his actions to
anyone and he had his reasons for everything but he did feel uncomfortable
under Ethan's gaze and had the urge to tell him. But they were running out of
time and he knew they had to act. With a sigh Sydney
turned to Angelo.
"Angelo!"
The Centre
Mr. Raines' office
5.50 am
"Is that understood, Mr. Lyle?" The African asked, raising his chin.
"Absolutely. Sir!"
"Fine! The Triumvirate is awaiting you. They have everything ready."
"Just like me, sir, I can assure you!" Lyle said with a proud gleam in his
eyes.
The Centre
Air Vents
SL-27
6.08 am
"Jarod must be there." Sydney
whispered to the Major.
"Are you sure that Angelo is right?" He asked doubtfully.
"Yes, he is." Sydney
replied and glanced at his watch. "We are in time. Broots
said all he managed to do something. He could get to the cameras so from 6.10 am, he is going to shut them off. We will have two minutes
time."
"Excellent!" The Major said. "Everything's going
according to the plan! And you were so against it!" He said bitterly.
"Major! I want to get both Jarod and Miss Parker out
of this place. But you know that the Centre is way too dangerous."
"You don't need to tell me! They have
kept my family apart for thirty years!" He said, gazing into his eyes. Sydney
just glanced down at his watch and knew it was time!
"Let's go!" As carefully as possible, they opened the air-vent and crept down.
Neither of them were too young anymore and it took
some time for them to finally get out. While the Major jumped down, Sydney
turned around to get Jarod ready for the escape.
As the Major straightened up and turned around, he saw the small shock on Sydney's
face. With a frown, he turned to the direction where he was looking and saw
what stuck him.
Jarod was sitting in the corner, shaking and sweating
heavily. He was pale, as white as the wall and circles covered the underside of
his eyes. He was unshaved and they weren't sure if he acknowledged their
presence at all.
To be continued………..
