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Chapter 24: Love Conquers All
"Oh, my word, Kyle." Miss Parker whispered in horror as she stared down the barrel of the gun he had aimed at them all. She noticed in a blink of an eye that one of his arms was wrapped tightly in a sling. Unfortunately, it wasn't his fighting arm. She also noticed his eyes and how blank they were. Like a slate completely wiped clean. Fear gripped her insides. What had they done to him?
"It's what I was trying to tell you all earlier. Kyle's been brainwashed again." There was a sharp intake of breath from Jarod as Catherine said this. Kyle just glared back at her.
"Shut up." He demanded, waving the gun around. "If you make one wrong move, I won't hesitate to shot you. Any of you." Miss Parker resisted the urge to cry. How could this have happened? Memories drifted through her mind of what Raines had done to the Kyle in her world. Had his influence been so ingrained that at a snap of his fingers, Kyle became a monster again?
"Kyle, this isn't you." Catherine pleaded. She took a step forward and Kyle aimed the gun at her. Catherine didn't flinch. "Kyle, fight it. Fight the darkness. I know you can. We did before, remember? Remember when you were rescued? Remember all the good times we've had? Please, Kyle. Don't let it take you back." Catherine took another step forward, but Jarod grabbed her arm.
"Memories are nothing. Raines was right: you didn't do me any good. You've limited my potential. And just so you all know…" He said, an evil grin sweeping across his features. "Raines and the others are all on their way. You probably didn't realize that there are cameras here, like there is everywhere else in the Centre. In a few minutes, this place will be crawling with sweepers and you will all be in cells again."
"No." Catherine whispered. Without thinking, she jumped forward and grabbed the gun Kyle was holding. A short struggle ensued. Kyle was the stronger of the two, but he had a broken arm while Catherine had both her arms. She clutched the gun and tried to pry her son's fingers from it. Everyone else just watched in cold horror. In a sudden turn of the tables, Kyle kicked out with his foot and hit Catherine in the knee. She yelped in pain, releasing her hold on the gun.
"Mom!" Miss Parker yelled, as Kyle struck Catherine with the gun. She collapsed onto the floor and her eyes pleaded with her son. Miss Parker tried to step between the two, but Jarod held her back.
"Don't get yourself killed." He hissed into her ear. Miss Parker cried out and struggled, but Jarod would not let her go. Even despite his weakened state, he was still stronger than her. And that's when the impossible happened: Kyle raised the gun Catherine had tried to get away from him and pulled the trigger. Miss Parker screamed as Catherine was shot. Jarod released her as she ran to her mother's side. Kyle just smirked.
The wound wasn't bad. The bullet had penetrated Catherine's side, but not far enough in to do any major damage. Catherine was biting her lips, trying not to cry out in pain. Jarod knelt down next to them and proceed to check the wound. He ripped a piece of his shirt off and pressed it into the wound. Kyle just watched the proceedings, not making any move to stop Jarod or Miss Parker from helping Catherine. He knew there was no escape for them now.
"Parker." Jarod whispered, as he held the strip of cloth against Catherine's side. "You have to talk to Kyle. You have to convince him to fight the darkness around him."
"Why me?" Miss Parker asked, as she held her mother's hand. Understanding dawned in Catherine's eyes and she squeezed her daughter's hand.
"You're the only one who can." She whispered, pain lacing every word. "He'll listen to you in a way he wouldn't to us."
"I don't understand." Miss Parker was confused. What would make Kyle listen to her? Broots, Sydney, and Angelo had all crowded around them while Kyle watched, gun at the ready.
"He's in love with you." Miss Parker started and Jarod explained. "It's the only sore point between the two of us. He loved you, but so did I. In the end, you ended up falling in love with me and Kyle moved out. That's why he doesn't live with us anymore. He couldn't stand seeing you with me. Oh, he's mainly gotten over it now, but he still loves you." Jarod looked deep into Miss Parker's eyes. "Talk to him, Parker. He'll listen to you. Because he loves you."
She gulped. Talk someone out of the darkness in their soul? She couldn't even do that with herself. But she knew she had to try. Raines and the others would be here any minute and they needed to get Catherine out of here. Squaring her shoulders, she stood and walked toward Kyle. He took an involuntary step back and Miss Parker saw something flash across his face. Hope soared up inside her. He could be saved.
"Kyle, it's me. Do you remember me?" She asked softly, taking another step toward him. He just looked at her. "Remember all the things we used to do back at home, with Mom?" Of course, she was bluffing slightly, but she knew there had to be some truth to it. "Kyle, come back to us. I know you're still in there. A lifetime of good can't be washed away with one day of evil. Fight it. I know you can." Sweat had broken out on Kyle's skin. His eyes spoke to her of pain. Unbearable pain.
"I…can't." He whispered. Miss Parker shook her head and stepped up to him. He was taller than her by quite a few inches, but she gripped his face in both her hands. The hallway was suddenly quiet. Deathly quiet, as everyone held their breaths. If she failed, they'd all be doomed. That was why she couldn't fail
"You can! I know you can. I can help. Let me help you, Kyle. Please!" He nodded slightly and the sound of the gun clattering to the floor could be heard. Not knowing quite why she did it, Miss Parker stood on tiptoe and kissed Kyle hard. He kissed her back. Gasps could be heard behind her, but she didn't care. Suddenly Kyle pulled back and the blankness that had been in his eyes before was gone. He smiled timidly at her.
"Jarod's right, Parker. You're a good kisser." Miss Parker let out a sigh of relief as she hugged Kyle. "Thanks. I couldn't have done it without you." She pulled back and just smiled at him. His eyes traveled to the rest of the group and then he saw Catherine. Kyle walked over to her and fell to his knees.
"Mom. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." He said, tears streaming down his eyes. Catherine placed her hand in his and smiled.
"I forgive you. I know you weren't yourself. And don't worry. It's just a flesh wound. I'll be back to normal before you know it." Kyle smiled through his tears. Everyone else smiled and they all began to breathe easier. That is, until they heard the sound of feet running across the floor.
"Sweepers!" Broots whispered, looking around fearfully. They could hear them coming closer and there was also the frightening sound of an oxygen tank being dragged across the floor mingled in among the sound of feet. Kyle reached over and picked up the gun he had dropped.
"We have to get out of here." Sydney whispered. With some help from Broots and Kyle, he helped Catherine up off the floor. "Can you walk?" He asked her. She nodded. Without another word, they all begin walking as fast as they could in the opposite direction of the sounds. They were a sorry group. Kyle, Angelo, and Broots supported Catherine who was wincing with every step she took. Sydney and Miss Parker, on the other hand, had to help Jarod who was also having problems.
"This isn't working." Miss Parker stated, as the sound of sweeper's feet came closer. "We need someplace to hide." Kyle's face lit up.
"There's a storage room down the next corridor. The door can be locked and there's another exit from there. It'll give us a few minutes to rest."
"Then, let's go." Sydney said. They picked up their pace and soon came to the hallway Kyle had indicated. They could all hear the yells and shouts of the sweepers and Raines ordering them to move faster. Kyle shoved open the door and they found themselves in a large storage room. It was about two stories tall, but filled with nothing since everything had been destroyed in the fire. After everyone was in, Kyle slammed the door shut and twisted the lock.
"There. That should keep them out for at least ten minutes." Gently, he and Broots lowered Catherine to the floor. Jarod also flopped down, his limps tired from lack of food and water. Miss Parker knelt beside him and asked if he was alright. He just nodded.
"We can rest here for only a few moments, though." Sydney stated, glancing at the tired group. The past few minutes, not to mention the past few days, were starting to take their toll on them. "We need to be long gone by the time they break through that door."
"I agree." Jarod said from where he was sitting down. "If we wait until they start breaking in, they'll catch us." He paused as if thinking. "Angelo, is in there some sort of ventilation shaft that goes to sub-level 26?" Angelo nodded. "Can we fit in it? And if we can, can we make it up with little or no difficulty?"
"I believe so. The grading isn't as steep as in other places. I think we can do it. If those of us who are strong help those who are weak." Everyone nodded. Their quick break was over. Kyle helped Catherine to her feet and she leaned on him for support. Sydney and Angelo gripped Jarod and helped him up also. Jarod was feeling slightly better and shrugged off both their hands.
"Well, then, let's move out." Kyle said. They started moving for the door on the other side of the room. No one noticed the figure crouching on the metal catwalk above their heads.
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The sweeper on the metal catwalk carefully raised his gun. He had figured that the fugitives would go into the storage area. It was the perfect hiding spot. He smiled coldly to himself. Raines had said to leave only Jarod alive, that everyone else was expendable. Those were orders the sweeper loved to hear. He took aim at Miss Parker. Another smile graced his face as he thought of the reward he'd get for killing her. It was known everywhere how much Mr. Raines despised the Parkers. Thoughts of money and promotions dancing in his head, the sweeper pulled the trigger and fired.