He crawled as quickly as he could through the ventilation system, until he reached the area where Angelo usually spent most of his time. And sure enough, the strange little man was there.

Jarod smiled. "Angelo! Are you all right?"

Angelo seemed more than a little agitated. "Sydney...help Sydney."

"I don't know that we can. Did you understand my message?" Angelo nodded. "Good." He looked at his watch. "If Sydney was somehow able to cut a deal with Lyle, the first part of this should just about be handled..." He looked at the empath. "The real question is whether or not Mr. Parker's going to follow through with his end."

Angelo smiled then. "To save the daughter, he will help."

Jarod looked into the bright blue eyes. "I hope you're right, my friend. Now, help me find the files I told you about."

"They are no more."

Jarod grasped Angelo's shoulders. "I know there are copies somewhere. There have to be. We have no chance to save Sydney without them."

Angelo frowned, and then scurried off, with Jarod moving as quickly as he could to keep him in sight.


Willie froze as he heard the gun cocking in his ear.

"Put your gun down, or your brain matter's gonna be all over that window."

Willie swallowed, but forced his voice to sound cutting, "Manny, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm doing what Mr. Lyle told me to do."

Watching it all unfold from the rearview mirror while still driving, Broots unsuccessfully tried to keep the panic from his voice. "Uh fellas, what the hell is going on back there?"

Both sweepers looked at the computer technician and shouted, "Shut up!"

Manny pushed the gun harder into Willie's temple. "I ain't playin' so you'd better put up that gun."

Slowly, Willie let the gun dangle on his finger, and Manny took it, shoving it into his pants belt. Keeping the gun and his eyes trained on Willie, he spoke to Broots.

"Mr. Broots, we have a new destination."

"W-we do?"

"Yes. You're heading to the airport, and you and Miss Broots are getting on a plane bound for the Caribbean."

"Cool!"

"Debbie, honey, just don't get too excited here..." He looked in the rearview at Manny. "And just what are we going there for?"

"You were trying to get away from the Centre, weren't you?"

"Y-yes."

"Well then, Mr. Lyle is helping you do just that."

"Mr. Lyle? N-no, h-he wouldn't help me..."

Manny's voice showed his impatience, "You wanna stay here with Willie, or go to the Caribbean with your daughter, Mr. Broots?"

Broots nodded nervously. "W-well, when you put it that way, I'll take the Caribbean with Debbie..."

Manny pulled two plane tickets from his pocket and threw them into the front seat. "Here, complements of the Centre."

Broots turned the car toward the airport, and tried to understand what just happened. But no matter how many times he turned it around in his head, it didn't add up. He humor them all, and they'd start in the Caribbean; but then he and his daughter would fly and drive through several more cities until he was sure that no one would ever find them, especially anyone from the Centre.