CHAPTER TEN


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Jarod looked around the room, he almost started to panic. He wasn't sure but that voice on the phone had really sounded like Lyle's. Was it a trap, or should he do as he said? Jarod thought for a minute, than he recalled the phone call. As he remembered the desperation in Lyle's voice, he realized he should do as he said. He had no idea of why Lyle was trying to help them, or more exactly, help Miss Parker, but in this moment he was glad he did.

Jarod rushed up to the bed, waking Miss Parker up. She looked around the room, confused, then she looked at Jarod.

"Where am I? What are you doing here?" she asked weakly

Jarod felt as if he'd gotten a punch in the stomach. He looked at her in shock. Was she loosing her memory? Oh god let her be okay…

Suddenly he realized there was no time to waste. He carefully lifted Miss Parker up in his arms and hurried towards the door.

They could come back for their stuff later. Right now they just had to get out of there.

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Just as Jarod had gotten to Miss Parker's car and placed her in the passenger seat, a black car came towards the hotel in full speed. Jarod got into the car and started it as fast as he could. It drove off before the sweepers managed to reach them.

Jarod let out a breath he wasn't aware of holding. To his surprise Raines's didn't try to follow them, it seemed like they just turned and headed back to the Centre. Jarod was confused and scared. And it wasn't because of Mr. Raines. It was Miss Parker he was concerned about.

And he had a feeling Lyle knew the secret to this whole puzzle. Maybe it was time to pay him a visit.

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It was late, Jarod didn't want to leave Miss Parker at a hotel somewhere so he decided she'd come with him. The car silently stopped outside the building, and Jarod just sat there for a while. He touched the gun he had inside his jacket, Miss Parker's gun.

"Jarod? Why are you doing this?" Miss Parker suddenly said. Jarod looked at her. She was sitting in the passenger seat, leaning heavily against the door. She looked tired. Jarod knew she had a fever and he felt really bad about dragging her around like this. She should be in a bed somewhere to rest.

"I just need some answers, it's okay," he said softly. "Can you call me if you see anything suspicious?" he asked.

Miss Parker nodded. Jarod leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek. He didn't want to do anything she didn't want him to do, but a kiss on the cheek was rather innocent wasn't it?

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Lyle was lying in his couch watching TV when a loud knock on the door sounded. Lyle was shocked, no one had visited him since he had moved in, and that was a long time ago. With a frown, he went to open.

"Hello Lyle, can I come in?" Jarod asked with a grin.

Lyle couldn't believe his eyes. Jarod was outside his door. Should he call the Centre? Than he came to think of his sister and decided he couldn't do that. This is just too weird.

"How dare you come here?" he asked instead.

"Oh I dare," Jarod brought his gun out. "You gonna let me in or what?" he asked and Lyle stepped aside so Jarod could walk in. Lyle closed the door, keeping an eye at the gun as he walked back to the couch and sat down. Jarod walked to stand in front of him.

"What do you want?" Lyle leaned back in his couch.

"The truth, and you're gonna tell me everything," Jarod pointed the gun at Lyle. "Now," he growled. And don't you dare lie to me!

Lyle raised his hands in defence. "Easy, you can put that gun away, I'm not gonna call the Centre," he said.

Jarod didn't listen to him.

Lyle sighed.

"Miss Parker's life may depend on it; she is in a very bad condition right now," Jarod said.

Lyle was thinking. He believed Jarod, but could he really tell him? Could he betray the Centre like that?

Jarod lowered the gun. "You sent your assistant to warn her, you called today to warn her, there's no turning back now Lyle, you have to help her," he said. I can't believe I'm doing this!

Lyle sighed a second time. He had made up his mind, and he couldn't believe what he was about to do. He had a feeling he would have to pay for this later, but if he didn't tell Jarod what the Centre did to Miss Parker and she didn't make it through, he would never forgive himself.

Lyle gestured for Jarod to sit down in the couch. And to his surprise Jarod obeyed.

Jarod looked at the other man. Shit, I must be crazy…

"When Raines found out the truth about you and Parker's marriage, he was furious… if it hadn't been for my idea to use this against you… he would have killed Parker…" Lyle started. "That's when he got the crazy idea of blowing up her house, I tried to talk him out of it, but he followed through with it."

"I don't understand the reason for all of this," Jarod said bitterly.

Lyle sighed sadly. "The reason was to get Parker to turn to you, I guess… and I thought Raines would settle with that. It wasn't until I heard Miss Parker was in the infirmary, I realized Raines had lied to me…"

"Why did he shoot her?" Jarod asked angrily.

"It was just a cover for the real thing he did, we made it all up, and she was told she was in the garage, when someone tried to kill her. But the truth is…" Lyle paused. Jarod was not going to be happy. Lyle wouldn't be surprised if he decided to shoot him, out of pure rage.

"I put something in her drink that made her pass out and Raines took her to the infirmary, inflicted the gun shot wound in her shoulder and…" Lyle didn't know how he was going to put it. Whatever he said, it wouldn't be nice… "The little gash she has in her head… she didn't hit her head… Raines did that, the truth is, he made that cut himself, to place some kind of chip inside of her head, to…"

Jarod cut him off. "Are you out of your mind? How can you do something like that to her!" he almost screamed.

Lyle sighed miserably. "Let me finish before you start to yell," he said and Jarod did his best to control his anger.

"It was supposed to trace her, whatever she went, and since we was sure she would turn to you, or that you would be with her in some way, because of what happed between you two. Well, we could see exactly where she was, and in that way, we could capture you." Lyle explained.

"And those headaches, I talked to Raines about it, he doesn't care a bit, but I do, that's why I tried to warn her.
Something must have gone wrong; I think that the chip is doing something to her brain…" Oh great, he will kill me for this, well I do deserve it…

Jarod just stared at him as if he was an alien. He slowly shook his head, trying to grasp what he'd just found out. He couldn't believe how anyone could be that cruel. Raines had almost killed Miss Parker just to catch him.

What a bastard.

"And, Raines planned to kill Parker when he got you, that's why I had to do something, Jarod you don't have to kill me now, but I completely understand if you do," Lyle said. "But I'm pretty sure Raines will take care of that later," Lyle added and Jarod noticed he actually looked sad.

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TBC