Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters.
A/N: Hi everyone. Hope your weekend went well. Well, I have some good news and some bad news. Good news is that I am not abandoning this story. I love it too much to do that. Bad news is that I'm going away for ten days so I won't be able to post any new chapters. I'm sorry. I will post the next chapter as soon as I get home on Tuesday, May 16th. Okay? Have a great ten days! Bye!
Chapter 9: Conspirators
Her heels echoed strangely through the abandoned hallways. Miss Parker glanced around, making sure no one was watching her head for sub-level 5. She had it on good authority that Broots would still be working this evening. Apparently, her brother had sent him on a wild-goose chase through e-mails connected to Jarod. Like her husband would be that stupid. Miss Parker started at that thought. Her husband? No, she couldn't consider him that. He was Jarod; the one person in the world she should hate but had never had the strength to.
The elevator door opened and Miss Parker got inside, shuddering. Elevators always brought back bad memories. Memories of her mother lying on the floor, dead. Of her being grabbed by two sweepers who were trying to keep her from seeing her mother. They hadn't succeeded. The elevator came to a halt on sub-level 5 and Miss Parker shook her head to clear her thoughts. Here, in this world, her mother was very much alive.
Miss Parker glanced around to make sure no one was watching and headed for the tech room. She walked in and saw Broots sitting at a computer desk. She smiled. Though she always hid it, she did appreciate the techi and all that he did. In a world of darkness, he was one of her few friends. At the sound of her approaching footsteps, Broots turned and became pale.
"Miss… Miss… Miss Parker." He stammered, shocked at seeing her downstairs in his tech room. He had heard about the resurrection of Mr. Parker's daughter but had not really thought anything of it or that she would come down and talk to him.
"Who did you expect? Santa Clause?" She questioned, one hand resting comfortably on her hip. It was always such fun to terrorize the poor guy. Before Broots could reply to the odd statement, Miss Parker continued. "I need your help with something."
"Anything." Broots said, watching Miss Parker closely. He had never truly seen Catherine Parker in the flesh. A picture which had circled around the mainframe before promptly disappearing along with the guy who sent it was the only clue he had to her looks. And from what he could remember, Miss Parker looked exactly like her mother.
"I need you to dig up what might be some hidden files for me from the mainframe." Broots held up his hands to protest.
"I can't do that. Not unless you have a clearance or permission or…"
"Broots! Did I ask you for excuses? Now, before you wet your diaper, just hear me out." Broots quieted his protests, though he was now slightly confused. Miss Parker realized that her sarcasm would not help in this situation and while her Broots was used to it, this man before her was not. She needed to go gently with this guy. "It's nothing too dangerous."
"Yeah, right. This is the Centre. Everything is dangerous." Broots muttered but a glance from Miss Parker silenced him.
"I hate to say this, but this request might sound odd. I need you to dig through the mainframe and see if you can find any Centre projects relating to portals, alternate universes, or anything of that nature. Got it?"
"Why? What's so important about all that stuff? I mean, doesn't stuff like that not exist anyway? Before I risk my neck, I want to know why you want me looking for that stuff." Miss Parker sighed.
"Because, I just do. Don't question me. I'll tell you why if and when you find out anything. Now, can I count on you or do I have to make a threat?" Broots gulped and nodded.
"You can count on me, Miss Parker." Miss Parker nodded and turned to walk away, before remembering her other instructions.
"Not a word of this to anyone. I don't want them to know. This is our secret. Got it? And if you need anything or if you find anything, here's my number to my apartment. Whatever you do, though, don't tell me any important information over the phone. Most of these lines are tapped. Got it?" Broots took the card she handed him and placed it in a pocket.
"Got it. I won't tell a soul."
"Good. And if you do, you'll wish you had never been born." Without turning to glance at his expression, Miss Parker walked out of the room. Even though he wasn't her Broots, she knew she could trust him. Broots was always trustworthy and he wouldn't let her down. After all, he was the best computer technician this side of the continent. Whatever the Centre may be hiding, he would be sure to find out.
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Miss Parker flopped down on her couch, cup of tea in hand. She smiled as the sweet aroma found its way into her nose and she took a tiny sip. This apartment was amazing. It was hard to believe that the Centre would have put her up someplace so quickly. She could still see the look on Lyle's face when he had been ordered to go buy some furniture. It was priceless. She laughed and took another sip of tea.
Calmness over took her as she breathed in the scent of the tea. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander. The last thing she wanted to think about was Jarod, so her thoughts turned to Tommy. Tommy. How she loved that man. He was so good and kind and honest, the exact opposite of all she knew. She sighed and snuggled deeper into the couch. She had to hand it to Lyle, when it came to nice expensive furniture; he was great at picking out the best.
A startling memory entered her mind, making her jump. A conversation she had had with Thomas the day before she left for Oregon. A conversation she had forgotten due to being thrown in jail and suddenly finding herself in an alternate universe. They had been talking about fixing up the old house and selling it. She remembered him telling her he had a new job, in Oregon. Funny, the place he wanted to move to happened to be the one place she had been heading. Thomas had asked her to move with him. She said no or, at least, an answer resembling no.
Miss Parker turned on the couch which was no longer comfortable. She had done the right thing. She couldn't move to the West Coast, not with the chase for Jarod still on. Twisting on the couch, Miss Parker finally gave up, grabbed the cup of tea, and headed to the kitchen. And what did it matter now anyway? She was a lifetime away from her home. There probably wasn't even a Thomas Gates in this world. Dumping the tea and cup into the sink, she headed for the bathroom.
A nice cold shower would hopefully clear her mind off all these confusing thoughts. She needed to be on her toes for tomorrow. Who knew what the Centre or her father would throw at her? As the hot water raced down her body, Miss Parker buried the thoughts of Thomas and his moving in the farthest corner of her mind.