Disclaimer: I don't own it or anything for that matter...
AN: Please review!
Learning to Run Again
Part 16: Links of The Chain
Aqua
Miss Parker stood there, frozen, while Broots and Molly eyed her cautiously. She turned back around, "What are you two looking at? This isn't WWF!"
And then she was gone. Like a tornado in Kansas she had disappeared in a huff.
"I don't wanta be the one to settle that argument," Broots muttered.
"You won't have to be," Molly assured him mysteriously.
"You know its just a little weird that you can do that. I mean, does it ever freak you out that you can know what people are thinking? Telling the future? Hey, I once had a college professor who just dropped her classes and left to go give people their fortunes; she said that she could tell the future and that we weren't worth her visions. She was always kind of weird though, with thick black frames on her glasses and her hair in one of those tight migrane-ejecting buns. She kinda looked like a beaver. I mean- not that you're weird. I like you and all and you definitely don't look like a beaver-"
"Stop. You lost me a few beavers back," Molly's blue eyes were wide, but smiling.
"Oh, sorry. I tend to have like a twenty track mind. You know, your eyes look exactly like Miss Parker's, only yours are more um innocent. But uh- please don't tell Miss Parker I said that."
She laughed, "I won't."
"Wow. Miss Parker doesn't laugh much but yeah, you sound alike when you do."
"I'm kind of tired, Broots. Where do I sleep?"
"Oh um. Well, just find a room I guess. I never really got the chance to ask Miss Parker."
"All right. Goodnight then."
"Night," Broots watched her leave. Then, reaching around the couch he picked up the one constant in his life. His computer. Flipping it open on his lap, his face was soon illuminated from the light it cast. Fingers flying wildly, he searched through the mainframe for any scrap of knowledge that their presence had been detected. When he found none he contemplated his next move. Chatroom Charlene's or snooping? He really didn't want Miss Parker to walk in on him and catch him in Charlene's so he decided to search for anything of any use to either she or Jarod. After about forty minutes of some wandering through cyberland and some interesting yet irrelevant facts he was left with nothing except the knowledge that The Centre had raised a clairvoyant who had succeeded in predicting that llamas would one day rule the world. As interesting and disturbing as this was to him, it wasn't what he was looking for.
"You've got mail."
"I've got mail," Broots said to himself.
Opening the file, he waited for it to download. Curious as to who CJ was, he tried to think back. Still clueless, Broots waited. When his screen was full of words and pictures, his eyes scanned the screen with a deep sunken look glazed over them like a lurking shadow.
*****
"Under the circumstances, Nurse, I'm afraid the security has got to be maximized for both patients."
"I understand, Mr Parker, but all these clearance checks make it difficult for me to attend to both of my patients."
Mr Parker growled, "As I've said before, it won't take long for Jarod and my daughter to discover where your patients are. You are just a caretaker. You can be easily replaced, so do as I say."
"How do you know that they will even find out about the child and the woman?" The nurse replied boldly, her chestnut brown curls bouncing with every syllable.
"Ever since they were children they've managed to get into things together that they had no business getting into. I have no reason to believe it will stop now. And when they do find out. They will be back. And we will be ready."
"What if they don't come back?"
"They will. Jarod can't let the ones he cares about suffer for long. He's too weak."
"And Miss Parker?"
"I have my ways with her," scratching his chin in the dark room, Mr Parker suddenly met the woman's green eyes, "why am I telling these things to you? Get back to work, Nurse!"
Narrowing her eyes, she obeyed and left the room without a word. Mr Parker paced towards the center of the room stealthily eyeing the solitary occupant. Leaning over the rail, he bent down into the crib and lifted the young boy into his arms. Milk chocolate eyes returned his gaze, and the infant suddenly began to shriek as though the world was coming to an end. Gently placing the child back under the pale blue blanket, he muttered under his breath, "The last piece. This is just the beginning." Eyeing the camera's snooping lens, he quickly exited the sterile room.
*****
Jarod sat in the chair beside Sydney's bed pondering his earlier eruption. He had never snapped at Miss Parker like that. Call her father? Why on earth would she want to do that? Sometimes, Parker was completely unexplainable. He needed Sydney. Sydney would know what he should do. Just feeling his familiar presence was a comforting thought though. Standing, he walked over to the window. He wondered what his family was doing right now. Were they together? Were they safe? Were they even alive? Sometimes that question snuck up on him and it put him to shame thinking thoughts like that. The full moon was up now. The same moon that his father or mother or sister or brother could be staring at right at this very moment. How had his life ended up this way? Jarod remembered asking Parker the same thing once. Parker. Sighing, he turned away from the view of the glistening lake outside. She was out there. Every time he thought about her he felt guilty all over again. The surge of emotions couldn't be stopped, so he had finally let the dam break.
"What did she do?" a raspy voice whispered.
"Sydney?" Jarod swept beside the bed and dropped to his knees smiling, "you're awake! How do you feel?"
"Like I've been shot. I didn't think I'd make it. Must have been some operation you performed," he searched for the wound and then resumed contact with his young pupil, "what time is it? How long have I been out?" his accented voice enveloped Jarod who was in awe at this miraculous recovery. The peace of knowing he was okay was overwhelming.
"Well, I thought you'd be out for a lot longer. You really gave us all a scare, but its uh," Jarod looked at the clock for the first time in a few days, "wow, its two in the morning."
"What are you doing in here then?" Sydney mocked.
"Up past my bedtime, Syd?" Jarod grinned.
"You never answered my question, Jarod. Miss Parker, what did she do" his voice was now serious.
Jarod sighed, looking out the window once again at the image of the brunette tossing stones into the water, "she didn't do much. I just lost it."
When Sydney remained silent, he continued, "Parker wanted to use my phone to call her father. I wouldn't let her and we argued and-" his voice trailed off.
"Your intentions were fine, Jarod, but could have been done more tactfully I'm sure. You know how Parker is. She dances to the beat of a completely different drummer."
"Yeah, I know I should have gotten all the facts before making assumptions."
"I've been telling you that for years, Jarod," Sydney smiled.
Shaking his head, Jarod smirked, "I know! I can't help it. I just don't know what to do now. Do I apologize?"
"You know how hard a time she has with apologizing. It might be more wise if you make the first move."
"That's what I thought. Thanks, Sydney. What would I do without you?" Jarod's smile was sincere and Sydney's full of paternal affection. Unsure of what to do next he stood there awkwardly.
"Go to her, Jarod. If I know you as well I think I do, then you'll never sleep if you don't."
Jarod smiled, "Call for Broots or Molly if you need anything. I won't be long."
Nodding, Sydney watched as the pretender left the room.
*****
Angelo peered through the vent openings at the woman sitting on the cot in her tiny cell. She felt lonely and pain. For Jarod. She wanted her family. She had suffered all of her life. Her autumn-colored hair hung low down her back as she clutched her biceps, seeking a warmth that only her heart desired. The empath placed his palm against the chilling shaft of metal separating him from this woman. Angelo couldn't feel. So, he wondered why it was that he wanted.
Wanted to take her pain away.
*****
A chain reaction. The rings repeated one another again and again until there was nothing but a few solitary bubbles left. The water, still and steady as sunlight, was broken once more by a small stone thrown by a guilty woman. Guilty of feeling. Was feeling a weak thing like her father had always told her or a precious thing like Jarod had always told her? It was so hard to tell.
"Feeling lonely?" a low voice questioned.
Speak of the devil.
"Jarod. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Jarod sat down on the little dock next to Miss Parker, grasping one of the stones in her plentiful pile rounded from the lake's shore. Tossing one in, he sighed, "I'm sorry, Parker."
"For what? Apparently I'm just a hazard to all of you. Why even communicate with you?" she snapped back. When he started to explain she cut him off, "I'm through with remorse. Right now I'm just ticked off!"
"With every right. I shouldn't have made assumptions. I never did hear your side of the story. And I'm sorry, Parker. I'm really sorry I snapped at you and said all of those things about you endangering us. You don't, but you do ignore the truth and stick with the perfect Centre routine," Jarod persisted in an almost whispering voice.
"I know," Miss Parker admitted, folding her arms and staring at the glistening waters.
The two remained silent for minutes, both pondering what had led them to this moment.
"Sydney's awake," Jarod stated.
"Really? He's okay and everything?" Parker's face was one of joy, at this hour even she couldn't conceal all of her emotions.
"He'll be fine if nothing goes wrong," Jarod reassured her.
"Thank God. I thought you might have been tricking me again," she muttered, feet dangling carefree.
"I wouldn't joke about something like that. And you have always been the one who manipulated me!" Jarod protested.
"How could that be true? You are the one who had lead me on a wild goose chase for the last five years of our lives. You always manipulate me!"
"Well, you started it!"
"Please. You sound like a nine-year-old."
"And that was about the time you did start it. 'Oh, Jarod, look its a dead body! We should follow it. Mr Raines will never notice!' Remember that? Or, 'my daddy has a present for me hidden in his office why don't you figure out where it is?' 'Come with me in the ventilation system! You can see the rest of the world!' You have always been the troublemaker!" he contradicted with an imitating child's voice.
"You enjoyed that!"
"No I didn't," he replied.
"Yes you did!"
"For the purpose of this conversation, no I did not."
"Well, maybe if you had used some of that genius ability, we wouldn't have ever gotten in trouble. Its just as much your fault as mine."
"'Let's play with the rabbits, Jarod.' There's one experiment down the drain for The Centre. We were the only ones who actually saw the results! 'Jarod, if you go up to the roof you can see the snow!'" he continued on.
"I get the point! You can stop now!"
"'Jarod do you wanta-'" But Jarod's next recitation was short-lived, for he was now visiting the fish. Parker remained on the dock laughing. Laughing, that was a new one. Her head was propped up against her knee while she laughed hysterically. When Jarod's head erupted from the water, she looked at him for a moment and proceeded to cracking up completely. "You think this is funny?" Unable to halt her laughter, she nodded dramatically.
Death wish. He must have had a death wish. She looked around from her view in the water. Jarod had pulled her in and now he was having his own giggling fit, "Well, I think that was funny!"
"You do have a death wish! I'm going to murder you and every fish that gets anywhere in my proximity what so ever on the spot!" she spat out.
"That's not very good for the environment," Jarod said, his eyes twinkling with laughter while he shook his head.
"You'll get over it, Captain Planet! This was an expensive outfit!" she splashed her hand down into the water, spraying Jarod's face and causing him to wipe his eyes.
"That was intentional."
"I know."
She kicked her way to him and thrusted out of the water like a rebellious dolphin and landed with her palms on Jarod's shoulders. The surprise attack worked like a charm and she began laughing again. She leaned back and floated peacefully. Wondering what he was doing, she looked around. Before she could reach a logical verdict she felt a tug on her foot and she was instantaneously seeing the coal-black view of nighttime water. That jerk had dunked her, too.
Returning to the surface for a great gasp of air, Jarod pulled up his captive as well, "There's one thing you have never learned, Parker. I never lose."
"Neither do I, Wonderboy."
He pressed her shoulders up against the post of the dock, "Everyone's gotta go sometime."
A bead of water dripped down his face. Their eyes locked and the world seemed to go away. Things weren't amusing anymore, but perfectly serious. Time stopped and things were suddenly more clear than ever to both of them.
"You're forgiven," Miss Parker whispered, cocking her head to the right slightly.
Jarod smiled though she remained immobile. There faces, mere inches apart moved inward and their lips brushed. Realizing what she was doing, Miss Parker sliced into the water swiftly before activities went farther. Jarod remained on surface and let loose a small sympathetic smile. Reappearing behind him, she rested her chin on his shoulder and sighed, "I'm sorry."
"I know," he whispered back.
She propelled her way to the rusting discolored ladder, emerging out of the water upward to the dock, she grasped the metal and allowed a tear to fall silently. Taking a deep breath, she climbed, with Jarod watching from below, up to the dock. Standing on the wooden planks, shivering, she watched Jarod follow suit and they slowly ambled toward the rest of the world; his arm wrapped around her, comfortably shielding her from the cold.
Learning to Run Again
Part 17: Dim Sunlight
Aqua
The woman opened her eyes gently and stretched peacefully until she remembered where she was. She sighed, somehow she always knew she would eventually end up here at some point. She glanced up into the lense, staring straight into her soul, wondering if she would ever be free of this Hell she'd suffered through for so long now. She wanted her family and her freedom. That was all she had ever wanted. Closing her sky-blue eyes she fell back against the sorry excuse for a bed she had been granted by The Centre. Fitting name, they thought they were the center of the world. Well, she hated to admit, but they were the center of her world. One day that would change though. There she lay pondering life, her life. The red head thought back to a time where she had been happy, a time before the world had corrupted her innocent view on life. A time before a cloud had engulfed her only light and her only hope. Her ruby lips curled up and she basked in the memory of their family before she had learned the truth, about her family. The shadow she had been living under. One day, she thought, we will all be back together. All of us, together, happy, and it will not be just a daydream or a memory like those that I rely on today. Sighing she opened her eyes, smile immediately vanishing, surprised to find she was already looking into those of another.
"Good morning, Sweetie."
*****
"Hurry up! I don't want anyone to see me like this, Jarod," Miss Parker's harsh whisper chastised at his negligent slow pace. The two were standing against the wall of the outside of the log cabin they were occupying. Both were completely soaked to the skin, so it was no wonder why Miss Parker was in such a hurry. Then again, she was always in a hurry.
"Broots is in there, typing. I'm not sure exactly what he's doing though," Jarod explained.
"Well, use your amazing Pretending abilities to make him go away before I shoot my way through you."
"All right. One, pretending is not magic, it is logic; you just like to think that its magical because I couldn't possibly be outsmarting you," his eyes shifted to the left and then back to make eye contact with her, "and two, your gun is currently unaccesible, so you're going to have to take that sly remark back."
"Watch it, Jarod. You are tap-dancing on my last nerve," she snarled, hugging her arms around her midsection more tightly in an attempt to trap some heat.
"Now Parker, you know I would never intentionally agrivate you," Jarod protested in a cheerful sing-song voice.
"Hmph," was her skeptic reply.
"Ouch. I'm hurt, Parker," he whined.
"You don't know the meaning of the word. Now lets hurry up the tank engine, Thomas."
"I'm Jarod," he said, looking deeply concerned for her health, "Thomas died a while ago, Parker."
Miss Parker growled in frustration, "I know! You don't have to bring it up! Just- nevermind, Jarod!" Exhasperated, she threw her hands up simultaneously and clutched her head, smiling sadly.
"Um, okay." Jarod reached for the handle, but Miss Parker instantaneously slapped his hand away and glared at him like a child reaching for the cookie jar. He started to protest but was silenced by her arm's sudden whip-like movement. His mouth closed and his eyes stared at a pointing index finger before it backtracked to point at herself, implying that she go first.
She silently moved the door across its rail and, like a prowling tiger, entered the room. Broots' back facing her. She could see the moonlight reflecting off of the back of his balding head. She started giggling, but the sound was muffled by Jarod's hand as they crept together towards the door. He smiled when he realized what she found so amusing.
"You're dripping on the floor," Broots said, "what were you doing out there at this time of night anyway? And in the lake? Why?"
"Just taking a dip, Scooby," Parker sighed, Jarod's hand having fallen back to his side.
"Huh?" he replied.
"We fell into the lake, Broots," Jarod interrupted before Miss Parker permanently scarred the poor man.
"Fell? You pulled me, WonderBoy!"
"Yes, from my spot in the water that I had been pushed into." He crossed his arms in defence. She stared at him, frustrated, before turning around and walking out of the room.
A moment later, she returned, "Where do I sleep?"
"You are asking us?" Broots said in amazement.
"I just don't wanta wind up lying down on an innocent little girl who may already be inhabbiting my bed as we speak."
"Debbie is in the last room. I assumed that she and I w-would share that room. I m-mean if that's all right with you, Miss Parker," Broots mumbled.
"Fine. That leaves one room left-" Jarod began.
"And one couch." Parker walked over to the closet and stood there briefly before tossing Jarod an aged brown and tan quilt and white pillow, "Sweet dreams." And she departed like a cool breeze that had never been there to begin with.
*****
"What do you want, Lyle?" the woman questioned.
"Is that how you always treat your visitors?" She remained silent, "not even going to open your eyes? Mommy didn't raise you very well."
"Don't speak to me of my mother you son of a bitch."
"That's more like the girl I know. You know who you remind me of?" Once again he elicted no response, "Jarod."
"What do you know about Jarod?" she immediately perked up and sat erect.
"Lots of things. I can share them with you, too. If you share something with me."
"You're a liar, Lyle. Always have been. Always will be."
"It couldn't possibly hurt you to just tell me, so come on. What's the big deal, Hon?"
"Don't call me that! Unlike you, I believe in protecting those I care about before myself. Apparantly it didn't work out for you, judging by the casts on your arm and leg. Maybe it was Jarod who did that. What, he got the best of you again, Lyle?" she grinned a familiar grin to Lyle, much too like that of a pesky Pretender he knew all too well. The worst thing about what she had said is that it was true. Frustrated beyond belief, his eyes darkened and he backhanded the woman across the face, wiping that cocky, smug, smile away as well.
"Don't ever contradict me, Girl! Others aside from yourself will pay for it." He threatened her in a menacing voice, yet she remained strong as stone. Never let on the storm of emotions hurling inside, she thought.
Lyle slammed the door on his exit, this girl reminded him far too much of Jarod. It was aggrivating. Now, he finally understood what his sister's problem had been with that Pretender.
"Lyle!" a voice echoed down the corridor. Some sweepers stood at attention but he ushered them back.
"Yes," his replied in a smooth proffesional voice.
"How is the search going for Jarod and the others?" Mr Parker inquired as though Lyle were simply another sweeper to order about as he pleased.
"Nothing. We think they headed south though. Maryland possibly?"
"Possibly isn't good enough. I want them found, Lyle! Do I make myself clear? Or do I need to put Briggite or Cox on the job?"
"Crystal. I'll get right on it, Dad," Lyle cringed as the last word fell off his tongue.
"Good now get back to work. You have no business meddling around over here, this patient has nothing to do with you and your work."
Lyle left and as he paced out of the corridor, no business. What right did he have to tell him what was his business? This was getting out of hand and he would have to end this soon. His vision of light was becoming less and less dim.
*****
Dim sun rays cascaded over her closed eyelids. Debbie sat up slowly, absorbing all the warmth from it that was possible. She groggily glanced over at her sleeping father in the bed next to her. He was clutching his pillow like a lifeline. She had heard voices last night while she had been attempting to fall asleep, something that came to her only with time. Certain that the voices were of Miss Parker and Jarod, she decided to ask about it as soon as she saw them this morning.
Placing her feet onto the cold floorboards she clutched her arms as the cold shot through her young body. After a trip to the bathroom and she was completely dressed, she ventured along the hallway, pulling her warm chestnut hair back into a tight ponytail as she walked. She noticed a portrait of the very lake they were on on the wood paneled wall. Stopping, her gray eyes scanned it and she soon continued on her way. The sun was just coming up, but she didn't care. She was on an adventure away from school and she wanted to watch the sun rise.
Passing by the living room, she was about to head out when she saw Jarod. Beneath a layer of chocolate colors, his figure was lying comfortably against the armrest with his hands clutching the couch on either side of him. She could see beads of perspiration collecting on his forehead as his panting became more rapid. If she had been a foot closer she'd have bet she could hear his heart beating a mile a minute. Soft moans started erupting from the back of his throat and he started thrashing violently. Finally, she could make out some of the words he was mumbling.
"No. Please. Please no. Not ... no!"
Startled at his sudden cry, she slumped against the walls, gray eyes wide, and stared at the terrifed man who had finally woken from his nightmare. He sat there inhaling and slowly exhaling until his breaths were even. Jarod placed his palms against his clammy forehead and sighed. Releasing them, he realized he had a witness.
"Debbie," he said in a hoarse voice, "what are you doing up?"
"I just, woke up," She shrugged, "you had a really bad dream."
"I've never really been much of a sound sleeper. Its more unusual that I don't have them than I do," Jarod explained, his voice even more raspy than before.
"What was it about?"
Jarod stared at the child. The question was innocent enough, yet he wasn't sure how to answer it. He didn't want to terrify the child with the possibilities that it could be, but he wasn't sure exactly what his dreams were about. Usually past experiences. Wouldn't it be great to tell a young girl that he was simply reliving one of his many torturous past experiences?
"Its really nothing you need to worry about, Debbie. Its so difficult to explain. I don't even understand all of it myself."
"And you're a genius, too!" She said in awe.
He laughed, "Yes, that I am."
"I was going to go outside to watch the sun finish rising. Do you wanta come with me?"
"I would like nothing more," Jarod smiled.
Learning to Run Again
Part 18: Soon
Aqua
Information sent. Jarod. Daughter. Come. Must come. Sister. Centre. Lost. Lost. Centre. Lost.
The thudding of two curious feet dissipated into silence.
*****
The sunlight poured in and flooded the dozing man. His eyes struggled to flutter open and he woke to the feeling of drowning in light. Blocking the rays with his arm, Broots groggily put his feet on the cold floor and hurried to the window, throwing the curtains shut. He immediately flung them open again. There, outside, was a picture-perfect scene of his daughter and Jarod. Both were walking along the perimeter of the lake, laughing. Broots was glad that his daughter wasn't afraid of Jarod after all the horrific things The Centre had done to him. He had made sure when telling her about it, to leave out some of the more gruesome details, but still, the fact that he was kidnapped and had yet to meet his family was awful enough. He opened the door leading to the hallway, and heard Miss Parker's voice and the laughter of another, presumably Molly. Miss Parker would never permit Loony Tune pajamas in her sight, especially Porky Pig. He shut the door silently and hurried to the pile of clothes lying on the end table. There had been no time to pack, so he was forced to wear yesterday's wrinkled apparal. Finally decent, he wandered into the kitchen where he found Miss Parker and Molly drinking coffee at the kitchen table. He had never seen either so happy.
"Well good morning Sleeping Beauty. Have a nice night?" she greeted him.
She was being awfully kind, he thought, "Uh yeah as a matter of fact I did. Well, wait no not really, I couldn't sleep. I kinda had a dream about llamas taking over the planet and-"
"Llamas?" Miss Parker said bluntly as if she'd never heard of them.
"Yes. You know, they look kinda like goats and camels combined and they like to spit-"
"Save me the Animal Planet trivia, Broots." She rose a hand and took a sip of coffee.
"Good morning, Broots," Molly spoke up before an arguement could arouse.
"Oh uh, morning Molly," Broots replied, glad to be properly acknowledged.
He poured himself some juice and stared at the clock, 9:26. He had overslept.
"Wow. I can't believe its so late. I've never slept this late before. I only went to bed at around um 3:30 or something."
"What in the world could have kept you up so long?" Miss Parker asked, rising from the table.
"You mean aside from two people who decided to take a swim and-" Miss Parker cleared her throat abruptly, her eyes looking daggers at him, so Broots stopped his train of thought, "uh, I found something in The Centre database."
"And you didn't notify me?" her eyes were wide and piercing eyes of ice.
"Well, uh, it actually, um, has to do more with Jarod than with you, so I thought he should be the first t-to know," he stuttered out.
"Obviously he can't be since you already know, so why not just tell me!?"
"I just thought Jarod should know first. That's all."
"Know what first?" Jarod's voice echoed.
Debbie looked curiously from her father to her new-found friend. Silenced fogged up the room.
"Hey Debbie, why don't you fill me in on the average teenager's life?" Molly piped in. Her sapphire eyes glancing nervously at Jarod and then to Debbie.
Understanding, Broots reinforced her propostion, "Yeah, Honey, go show her some cool stuff to do."
"Like what?" she asked.
"Like braiding your hair," Miss Parker murmered solemnly. The room grew quiet as Debbie nodded and led Molly back to her room to find a brush. Jarod looked sympathetic toward Miss Parker's grim expression. Broots was in obvious confusion, so Jarod took over.
"What did you need to tell me, Broots?" he asked cautiously. Most news directed to him had never been good.
"Well, I found something that I thought you should know before Miss-"
"Yeah yeah we get that. We don't need an entire overview," she faced Jarod, "Broots found something in the mainframe that he thought you should know before me. Which is ...?" she waved her hands a little to show that he was supposed to fill in the thought.
"A prisoner in SL 26. As I'm sure you already know, prisoners, or 'patients' as they are referred to, in SL 26 are under maximum security, therefore they are vitally important to The Centre."
"Who is the prisoner. Do we know him?"
"She. And well, yes, you do."
Jarod's eyes grew into round circles of chocolatey concern, "My mother." He hurried to Broots' side and grabbed his arm tightly, "Broots, please, tell me they don't have my mother!"
*****
Cox looked at the security monitor. A black and white view of their 'patient's' world. She looked frustrated, and with good reason. His arms were folded over his neatly ironed navy-blue suit. He smiled at her apparant agony and decided to pay her a visit. Maybe he could cheer her up.
Walking down the halls of SL 22, Cox reached the elevator and once inside, stood, perfectly centered, facing the duo of bullet holes. Holes of remembrace. Almost a warning to all those inside The Centre of what fate they would meet if they did not act on The Centre's behalf only. Not that he had been around at that time, but even he knew that Catherine Parker had been a mistake and had lost The Centre billions. Where they would be today if she had not gotten in the way, they would never know. He had no doubt that things would be for the better. Jarod may still even be here. She is the one who turned Sydney into the feeling teddy bear he is now. And that is what made Jarod long for an identity. That is where they went wrong. They wouldn't go wrong with Cade. As long as there were no interferences. Everything was going perfectly according to plan.
Cox heard a loud squeal and felt a jolt. The elevator suddenly came to a halt and he grasped the railings along the wall. He had barely moved up one level, and stopping now was certainly not on his agenda. He was stuck in an elevator. The same elevator that had killed Catherine Parker. This was foolish thinking. The elevator hadn't killed her. The bullet of that gun had. Well, technically, but everyone knew what could have happened. The real story wasn't what was important. The fact that he was trapped in here was.
*****
Briggite grinned slyly. Now that Cox was out of the picture for the next few hours, her plan could take place. There were only a few more factors that she needed to take care of and then, her future would be set in stone. Scratch that. Set in marble. Time for step two. She clapped her hands together and popped a candy into her mouth before gleefully slipping around the corner.
Mischief dancing in her eyes.
*****
Broots looked from Jarod's hand grasping his arm panically, to Miss Parker's curious and almost concerned face, back to Jarod's eyes of fire. "I- uh, b- I" he looked back at Jarod's grip, "no."
"No?" Jarod's grip loosened and Broots subconciously rubbed his arm gently.
"They don't have your mother, Jarod."
"Then who?" Miss Parker demanded impatiently. Broots stared at her, bewildered, "enough of the melodramatics. Just spare Jarod the torment, though he may deserve a little, because I want to know, too."
Jarod attempted a grin, but the worry was more evident, "Broots."
"They have your sister," his eyes focused on the wood designs of the floor.
"Emily," he exhaled. He sank into one of the kitchen chairs and rested his chin on his clasped hands, thinking.
Miss Parker and Broots both knew what he was doing. Already, he was trying to devise some coy plan to free her.
"Jarod," Miss Parker said, sitting down next to him. He looked up at her as she continued, "don't do something stupid."
"I wouldn't-" he began.
"But you would. You and I both know that you would gladly run into that house of horrors alone to get your sister out. You've never had anything to lose before. This time you do. You have your sister to lose."
"Well, then what do you propose I do?" he asked.
"Let me go with you."
"What? And risk another life? I don't think so, Parker."
"Sorry, but you are not playing super hero this time. I have to help her get out. I owe it to myself, to my mother, to you," she added slowly, "please, Jarod. I need to start being a part of something positive, now. My mother always told me that if you're not a part of the solution, you're part of the problem. I will no longer be a part of the problem."
Jarod sighed in defeat. How was he supposed to argue with the memory of Catherine Parker? Parker always made things more complicated than they had to be. "All right, but just you. I'm not going to risk any more lives."
She smiled one of those rare Parker smiles, "Thanks, Jarod. That means a lot to me."
"I know," he stood up slowly, "I'm going to go check on Sydney."
Broots stared, confused as usual. Since when had they been so- what was the word? Civil.
*****
Sydney was in a half-upright position and struggling to finish his journey to a vertical status. Once leaning against his pillows, he felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him. He slowly moved his feet over the side of the bed. A wave of dizzyness passed over him and he closed his eyes until it passed.
"And just what do you think you're doing, Sydney?"
"Jarod. I just wanted to see if I could manage getting out of bed. Just experimenting."
"With your health," Jarod lectured, "don't ruin a miracle, Syd. Because that's what this is. We all thought you were dying."
"So did I, but I'm not."
"I'm not taking any risks," Jarod maintained.
"Fine. What if you helped me then?" Jarod's look of stone determination caused Sydney to know that he wouldn't be changing his mind anytime soon. He always knew that that determination was going to backfire on him some day, "I'm getting cabin fever. Come on, Jarod."
"That's probobaly because you are in a cabin."
"Its just an expresion meaning that I can't stay immobile for so long."
Reluctantly Jarod gave in, "Fine, but you're only going as far as the couch. And you have to promise to eat something."
Sydney smiled at his prodigy's sense of protectiveness, "Its a deal."
As Jarod bent an arm around his teacher Sydney cleared his throat, "I saw you and Miss Parker last night through my window. I assume you've made up with eachother?"
Jarod's face blushed red and Sydney smiled compassionately at the younger man's obvious embarassment, "Uh, yes. We're on good terms now."
The two hobbled along the hall, slowly preventing more injuries or damage to the bullet wound he already had.
"That's good to know," Sydney reassured. Jarod simply nodded in response.
Finally after a good five minute struggle, they reached the couch.
"Sydney! How do you feel?" Miss Parker asked.
She and Jarod helped Sydney to lay back, propping him up against two pillows.
"I feel better. A bit sore as can be expected."
"Well, I have something that can help with that," Jarod proclaimed, pulling a bottle of magic out of his pocket, "Voila."
He presented the bottle as though it were the cure for the common cold. "And what is it, Houdini?" Miss Parker skeptically inquired.
"Just a maximum pain killer. It will help with the pain. I promise."
"Well, good to know you're not poisoning me," Sydney said, attempting humor.
"I would never do that," he reassured him while opening the bottle. Sydney and Miss Parker exchanged looks and tried to hide their amusement.
"So Parker, are you ready?" he continued on.
"Ready? For what?"
"To get my sister."
"Your sister?" Sydney inquired.
"Emily is being kept prisoner in The Centre and I have to get her out," Jarod explained.
"Already?" Miss Parker asked.
"I won't have her in that place any longer than possible, Parker. Broots and Molly will take care of you until we come back, Syd. Do you think you can manage?"
"Of course, Jarod. Be careful. Watch eachother's backs."
"We will," Miss Parker affirmed, "Broots!"
No response, "Broots! Get in here, now!"
The feeble man entered the room, afraid for his life, "I'm s-sorry."
"You didn't do anything. Jarod and I are leaving. We'll be back- Jarod when will be back?" The words came out slurred together in a hurry.
"A day at the latest," he answered casually while tending to Sydney's wound.
She rose a brow and cocked her head towards Jarod's direction, waiting for his reaction, "Doctor Jarod says a day."
"Um, okay. Do you need any h-help?"
"No. We've got it covered," Jarod answered the question for her.
"Do we? Got a plan, WonderBoy?" Miss Parker
"I'll think of one in time."
"Comforting."
"Mmm." Jarod nodded and finally stood and faced Broots, who flinched when he knew he was about to be addressed, "make sure Sydney recieves three of these every four hours, Broots."
"I-I will."
Jarod handed something to Sydney and whispered, "Only for emergency."
Then, he stood and ushered Miss Parker to the door.
"Good luck," Sydney blessed them.
*****
Emily paced back and forth in the tiny room she occupied. How was she going to get out of here? Everything about this place just seemed to eat away at her innocence. Suddenly, Angelo dropped onto the floor beside her. She gasped in astonishment before realizing who it was.
"Oh, its just you. What is your name anyway?" she asked the strange man.
"An-ge-lo." It seemed to be quite an effort to get that out, so she just nodded and didn't press him to go on.
"Soon," he uttered.
"Soon? What's soon."
"Soon," he assured her as though that should have clarifed everything.
She shook her head, her gentle-blue eyes revealing her confusion. Angelo grasped her hand, "Sister. No fear. Soon."
"Sister? I'm Jarod's sister, yes. Angelo what are you trying to tell me?" Emily pleaded with him desperately.
He climbed back up into his vent and grinned down at her, "Soon."
"Yes," she said, solemnly slumping against the wall. She slid down until she was sitting on the cold ground, defeated. "Soon."
AN: FEEDBACK R/R please pretty please with sugar on top!
Aquagirl157@cs.com
AN: Please review!
Learning to Run Again
Part 16: Links of The Chain
Aqua
Miss Parker stood there, frozen, while Broots and Molly eyed her cautiously. She turned back around, "What are you two looking at? This isn't WWF!"
And then she was gone. Like a tornado in Kansas she had disappeared in a huff.
"I don't wanta be the one to settle that argument," Broots muttered.
"You won't have to be," Molly assured him mysteriously.
"You know its just a little weird that you can do that. I mean, does it ever freak you out that you can know what people are thinking? Telling the future? Hey, I once had a college professor who just dropped her classes and left to go give people their fortunes; she said that she could tell the future and that we weren't worth her visions. She was always kind of weird though, with thick black frames on her glasses and her hair in one of those tight migrane-ejecting buns. She kinda looked like a beaver. I mean- not that you're weird. I like you and all and you definitely don't look like a beaver-"
"Stop. You lost me a few beavers back," Molly's blue eyes were wide, but smiling.
"Oh, sorry. I tend to have like a twenty track mind. You know, your eyes look exactly like Miss Parker's, only yours are more um innocent. But uh- please don't tell Miss Parker I said that."
She laughed, "I won't."
"Wow. Miss Parker doesn't laugh much but yeah, you sound alike when you do."
"I'm kind of tired, Broots. Where do I sleep?"
"Oh um. Well, just find a room I guess. I never really got the chance to ask Miss Parker."
"All right. Goodnight then."
"Night," Broots watched her leave. Then, reaching around the couch he picked up the one constant in his life. His computer. Flipping it open on his lap, his face was soon illuminated from the light it cast. Fingers flying wildly, he searched through the mainframe for any scrap of knowledge that their presence had been detected. When he found none he contemplated his next move. Chatroom Charlene's or snooping? He really didn't want Miss Parker to walk in on him and catch him in Charlene's so he decided to search for anything of any use to either she or Jarod. After about forty minutes of some wandering through cyberland and some interesting yet irrelevant facts he was left with nothing except the knowledge that The Centre had raised a clairvoyant who had succeeded in predicting that llamas would one day rule the world. As interesting and disturbing as this was to him, it wasn't what he was looking for.
"You've got mail."
"I've got mail," Broots said to himself.
Opening the file, he waited for it to download. Curious as to who CJ was, he tried to think back. Still clueless, Broots waited. When his screen was full of words and pictures, his eyes scanned the screen with a deep sunken look glazed over them like a lurking shadow.
*****
"Under the circumstances, Nurse, I'm afraid the security has got to be maximized for both patients."
"I understand, Mr Parker, but all these clearance checks make it difficult for me to attend to both of my patients."
Mr Parker growled, "As I've said before, it won't take long for Jarod and my daughter to discover where your patients are. You are just a caretaker. You can be easily replaced, so do as I say."
"How do you know that they will even find out about the child and the woman?" The nurse replied boldly, her chestnut brown curls bouncing with every syllable.
"Ever since they were children they've managed to get into things together that they had no business getting into. I have no reason to believe it will stop now. And when they do find out. They will be back. And we will be ready."
"What if they don't come back?"
"They will. Jarod can't let the ones he cares about suffer for long. He's too weak."
"And Miss Parker?"
"I have my ways with her," scratching his chin in the dark room, Mr Parker suddenly met the woman's green eyes, "why am I telling these things to you? Get back to work, Nurse!"
Narrowing her eyes, she obeyed and left the room without a word. Mr Parker paced towards the center of the room stealthily eyeing the solitary occupant. Leaning over the rail, he bent down into the crib and lifted the young boy into his arms. Milk chocolate eyes returned his gaze, and the infant suddenly began to shriek as though the world was coming to an end. Gently placing the child back under the pale blue blanket, he muttered under his breath, "The last piece. This is just the beginning." Eyeing the camera's snooping lens, he quickly exited the sterile room.
*****
Jarod sat in the chair beside Sydney's bed pondering his earlier eruption. He had never snapped at Miss Parker like that. Call her father? Why on earth would she want to do that? Sometimes, Parker was completely unexplainable. He needed Sydney. Sydney would know what he should do. Just feeling his familiar presence was a comforting thought though. Standing, he walked over to the window. He wondered what his family was doing right now. Were they together? Were they safe? Were they even alive? Sometimes that question snuck up on him and it put him to shame thinking thoughts like that. The full moon was up now. The same moon that his father or mother or sister or brother could be staring at right at this very moment. How had his life ended up this way? Jarod remembered asking Parker the same thing once. Parker. Sighing, he turned away from the view of the glistening lake outside. She was out there. Every time he thought about her he felt guilty all over again. The surge of emotions couldn't be stopped, so he had finally let the dam break.
"What did she do?" a raspy voice whispered.
"Sydney?" Jarod swept beside the bed and dropped to his knees smiling, "you're awake! How do you feel?"
"Like I've been shot. I didn't think I'd make it. Must have been some operation you performed," he searched for the wound and then resumed contact with his young pupil, "what time is it? How long have I been out?" his accented voice enveloped Jarod who was in awe at this miraculous recovery. The peace of knowing he was okay was overwhelming.
"Well, I thought you'd be out for a lot longer. You really gave us all a scare, but its uh," Jarod looked at the clock for the first time in a few days, "wow, its two in the morning."
"What are you doing in here then?" Sydney mocked.
"Up past my bedtime, Syd?" Jarod grinned.
"You never answered my question, Jarod. Miss Parker, what did she do" his voice was now serious.
Jarod sighed, looking out the window once again at the image of the brunette tossing stones into the water, "she didn't do much. I just lost it."
When Sydney remained silent, he continued, "Parker wanted to use my phone to call her father. I wouldn't let her and we argued and-" his voice trailed off.
"Your intentions were fine, Jarod, but could have been done more tactfully I'm sure. You know how Parker is. She dances to the beat of a completely different drummer."
"Yeah, I know I should have gotten all the facts before making assumptions."
"I've been telling you that for years, Jarod," Sydney smiled.
Shaking his head, Jarod smirked, "I know! I can't help it. I just don't know what to do now. Do I apologize?"
"You know how hard a time she has with apologizing. It might be more wise if you make the first move."
"That's what I thought. Thanks, Sydney. What would I do without you?" Jarod's smile was sincere and Sydney's full of paternal affection. Unsure of what to do next he stood there awkwardly.
"Go to her, Jarod. If I know you as well I think I do, then you'll never sleep if you don't."
Jarod smiled, "Call for Broots or Molly if you need anything. I won't be long."
Nodding, Sydney watched as the pretender left the room.
*****
Angelo peered through the vent openings at the woman sitting on the cot in her tiny cell. She felt lonely and pain. For Jarod. She wanted her family. She had suffered all of her life. Her autumn-colored hair hung low down her back as she clutched her biceps, seeking a warmth that only her heart desired. The empath placed his palm against the chilling shaft of metal separating him from this woman. Angelo couldn't feel. So, he wondered why it was that he wanted.
Wanted to take her pain away.
*****
A chain reaction. The rings repeated one another again and again until there was nothing but a few solitary bubbles left. The water, still and steady as sunlight, was broken once more by a small stone thrown by a guilty woman. Guilty of feeling. Was feeling a weak thing like her father had always told her or a precious thing like Jarod had always told her? It was so hard to tell.
"Feeling lonely?" a low voice questioned.
Speak of the devil.
"Jarod. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Jarod sat down on the little dock next to Miss Parker, grasping one of the stones in her plentiful pile rounded from the lake's shore. Tossing one in, he sighed, "I'm sorry, Parker."
"For what? Apparently I'm just a hazard to all of you. Why even communicate with you?" she snapped back. When he started to explain she cut him off, "I'm through with remorse. Right now I'm just ticked off!"
"With every right. I shouldn't have made assumptions. I never did hear your side of the story. And I'm sorry, Parker. I'm really sorry I snapped at you and said all of those things about you endangering us. You don't, but you do ignore the truth and stick with the perfect Centre routine," Jarod persisted in an almost whispering voice.
"I know," Miss Parker admitted, folding her arms and staring at the glistening waters.
The two remained silent for minutes, both pondering what had led them to this moment.
"Sydney's awake," Jarod stated.
"Really? He's okay and everything?" Parker's face was one of joy, at this hour even she couldn't conceal all of her emotions.
"He'll be fine if nothing goes wrong," Jarod reassured her.
"Thank God. I thought you might have been tricking me again," she muttered, feet dangling carefree.
"I wouldn't joke about something like that. And you have always been the one who manipulated me!" Jarod protested.
"How could that be true? You are the one who had lead me on a wild goose chase for the last five years of our lives. You always manipulate me!"
"Well, you started it!"
"Please. You sound like a nine-year-old."
"And that was about the time you did start it. 'Oh, Jarod, look its a dead body! We should follow it. Mr Raines will never notice!' Remember that? Or, 'my daddy has a present for me hidden in his office why don't you figure out where it is?' 'Come with me in the ventilation system! You can see the rest of the world!' You have always been the troublemaker!" he contradicted with an imitating child's voice.
"You enjoyed that!"
"No I didn't," he replied.
"Yes you did!"
"For the purpose of this conversation, no I did not."
"Well, maybe if you had used some of that genius ability, we wouldn't have ever gotten in trouble. Its just as much your fault as mine."
"'Let's play with the rabbits, Jarod.' There's one experiment down the drain for The Centre. We were the only ones who actually saw the results! 'Jarod, if you go up to the roof you can see the snow!'" he continued on.
"I get the point! You can stop now!"
"'Jarod do you wanta-'" But Jarod's next recitation was short-lived, for he was now visiting the fish. Parker remained on the dock laughing. Laughing, that was a new one. Her head was propped up against her knee while she laughed hysterically. When Jarod's head erupted from the water, she looked at him for a moment and proceeded to cracking up completely. "You think this is funny?" Unable to halt her laughter, she nodded dramatically.
Death wish. He must have had a death wish. She looked around from her view in the water. Jarod had pulled her in and now he was having his own giggling fit, "Well, I think that was funny!"
"You do have a death wish! I'm going to murder you and every fish that gets anywhere in my proximity what so ever on the spot!" she spat out.
"That's not very good for the environment," Jarod said, his eyes twinkling with laughter while he shook his head.
"You'll get over it, Captain Planet! This was an expensive outfit!" she splashed her hand down into the water, spraying Jarod's face and causing him to wipe his eyes.
"That was intentional."
"I know."
She kicked her way to him and thrusted out of the water like a rebellious dolphin and landed with her palms on Jarod's shoulders. The surprise attack worked like a charm and she began laughing again. She leaned back and floated peacefully. Wondering what he was doing, she looked around. Before she could reach a logical verdict she felt a tug on her foot and she was instantaneously seeing the coal-black view of nighttime water. That jerk had dunked her, too.
Returning to the surface for a great gasp of air, Jarod pulled up his captive as well, "There's one thing you have never learned, Parker. I never lose."
"Neither do I, Wonderboy."
He pressed her shoulders up against the post of the dock, "Everyone's gotta go sometime."
A bead of water dripped down his face. Their eyes locked and the world seemed to go away. Things weren't amusing anymore, but perfectly serious. Time stopped and things were suddenly more clear than ever to both of them.
"You're forgiven," Miss Parker whispered, cocking her head to the right slightly.
Jarod smiled though she remained immobile. There faces, mere inches apart moved inward and their lips brushed. Realizing what she was doing, Miss Parker sliced into the water swiftly before activities went farther. Jarod remained on surface and let loose a small sympathetic smile. Reappearing behind him, she rested her chin on his shoulder and sighed, "I'm sorry."
"I know," he whispered back.
She propelled her way to the rusting discolored ladder, emerging out of the water upward to the dock, she grasped the metal and allowed a tear to fall silently. Taking a deep breath, she climbed, with Jarod watching from below, up to the dock. Standing on the wooden planks, shivering, she watched Jarod follow suit and they slowly ambled toward the rest of the world; his arm wrapped around her, comfortably shielding her from the cold.
Learning to Run Again
Part 17: Dim Sunlight
Aqua
The woman opened her eyes gently and stretched peacefully until she remembered where she was. She sighed, somehow she always knew she would eventually end up here at some point. She glanced up into the lense, staring straight into her soul, wondering if she would ever be free of this Hell she'd suffered through for so long now. She wanted her family and her freedom. That was all she had ever wanted. Closing her sky-blue eyes she fell back against the sorry excuse for a bed she had been granted by The Centre. Fitting name, they thought they were the center of the world. Well, she hated to admit, but they were the center of her world. One day that would change though. There she lay pondering life, her life. The red head thought back to a time where she had been happy, a time before the world had corrupted her innocent view on life. A time before a cloud had engulfed her only light and her only hope. Her ruby lips curled up and she basked in the memory of their family before she had learned the truth, about her family. The shadow she had been living under. One day, she thought, we will all be back together. All of us, together, happy, and it will not be just a daydream or a memory like those that I rely on today. Sighing she opened her eyes, smile immediately vanishing, surprised to find she was already looking into those of another.
"Good morning, Sweetie."
*****
"Hurry up! I don't want anyone to see me like this, Jarod," Miss Parker's harsh whisper chastised at his negligent slow pace. The two were standing against the wall of the outside of the log cabin they were occupying. Both were completely soaked to the skin, so it was no wonder why Miss Parker was in such a hurry. Then again, she was always in a hurry.
"Broots is in there, typing. I'm not sure exactly what he's doing though," Jarod explained.
"Well, use your amazing Pretending abilities to make him go away before I shoot my way through you."
"All right. One, pretending is not magic, it is logic; you just like to think that its magical because I couldn't possibly be outsmarting you," his eyes shifted to the left and then back to make eye contact with her, "and two, your gun is currently unaccesible, so you're going to have to take that sly remark back."
"Watch it, Jarod. You are tap-dancing on my last nerve," she snarled, hugging her arms around her midsection more tightly in an attempt to trap some heat.
"Now Parker, you know I would never intentionally agrivate you," Jarod protested in a cheerful sing-song voice.
"Hmph," was her skeptic reply.
"Ouch. I'm hurt, Parker," he whined.
"You don't know the meaning of the word. Now lets hurry up the tank engine, Thomas."
"I'm Jarod," he said, looking deeply concerned for her health, "Thomas died a while ago, Parker."
Miss Parker growled in frustration, "I know! You don't have to bring it up! Just- nevermind, Jarod!" Exhasperated, she threw her hands up simultaneously and clutched her head, smiling sadly.
"Um, okay." Jarod reached for the handle, but Miss Parker instantaneously slapped his hand away and glared at him like a child reaching for the cookie jar. He started to protest but was silenced by her arm's sudden whip-like movement. His mouth closed and his eyes stared at a pointing index finger before it backtracked to point at herself, implying that she go first.
She silently moved the door across its rail and, like a prowling tiger, entered the room. Broots' back facing her. She could see the moonlight reflecting off of the back of his balding head. She started giggling, but the sound was muffled by Jarod's hand as they crept together towards the door. He smiled when he realized what she found so amusing.
"You're dripping on the floor," Broots said, "what were you doing out there at this time of night anyway? And in the lake? Why?"
"Just taking a dip, Scooby," Parker sighed, Jarod's hand having fallen back to his side.
"Huh?" he replied.
"We fell into the lake, Broots," Jarod interrupted before Miss Parker permanently scarred the poor man.
"Fell? You pulled me, WonderBoy!"
"Yes, from my spot in the water that I had been pushed into." He crossed his arms in defence. She stared at him, frustrated, before turning around and walking out of the room.
A moment later, she returned, "Where do I sleep?"
"You are asking us?" Broots said in amazement.
"I just don't wanta wind up lying down on an innocent little girl who may already be inhabbiting my bed as we speak."
"Debbie is in the last room. I assumed that she and I w-would share that room. I m-mean if that's all right with you, Miss Parker," Broots mumbled.
"Fine. That leaves one room left-" Jarod began.
"And one couch." Parker walked over to the closet and stood there briefly before tossing Jarod an aged brown and tan quilt and white pillow, "Sweet dreams." And she departed like a cool breeze that had never been there to begin with.
*****
"What do you want, Lyle?" the woman questioned.
"Is that how you always treat your visitors?" She remained silent, "not even going to open your eyes? Mommy didn't raise you very well."
"Don't speak to me of my mother you son of a bitch."
"That's more like the girl I know. You know who you remind me of?" Once again he elicted no response, "Jarod."
"What do you know about Jarod?" she immediately perked up and sat erect.
"Lots of things. I can share them with you, too. If you share something with me."
"You're a liar, Lyle. Always have been. Always will be."
"It couldn't possibly hurt you to just tell me, so come on. What's the big deal, Hon?"
"Don't call me that! Unlike you, I believe in protecting those I care about before myself. Apparantly it didn't work out for you, judging by the casts on your arm and leg. Maybe it was Jarod who did that. What, he got the best of you again, Lyle?" she grinned a familiar grin to Lyle, much too like that of a pesky Pretender he knew all too well. The worst thing about what she had said is that it was true. Frustrated beyond belief, his eyes darkened and he backhanded the woman across the face, wiping that cocky, smug, smile away as well.
"Don't ever contradict me, Girl! Others aside from yourself will pay for it." He threatened her in a menacing voice, yet she remained strong as stone. Never let on the storm of emotions hurling inside, she thought.
Lyle slammed the door on his exit, this girl reminded him far too much of Jarod. It was aggrivating. Now, he finally understood what his sister's problem had been with that Pretender.
"Lyle!" a voice echoed down the corridor. Some sweepers stood at attention but he ushered them back.
"Yes," his replied in a smooth proffesional voice.
"How is the search going for Jarod and the others?" Mr Parker inquired as though Lyle were simply another sweeper to order about as he pleased.
"Nothing. We think they headed south though. Maryland possibly?"
"Possibly isn't good enough. I want them found, Lyle! Do I make myself clear? Or do I need to put Briggite or Cox on the job?"
"Crystal. I'll get right on it, Dad," Lyle cringed as the last word fell off his tongue.
"Good now get back to work. You have no business meddling around over here, this patient has nothing to do with you and your work."
Lyle left and as he paced out of the corridor, no business. What right did he have to tell him what was his business? This was getting out of hand and he would have to end this soon. His vision of light was becoming less and less dim.
*****
Dim sun rays cascaded over her closed eyelids. Debbie sat up slowly, absorbing all the warmth from it that was possible. She groggily glanced over at her sleeping father in the bed next to her. He was clutching his pillow like a lifeline. She had heard voices last night while she had been attempting to fall asleep, something that came to her only with time. Certain that the voices were of Miss Parker and Jarod, she decided to ask about it as soon as she saw them this morning.
Placing her feet onto the cold floorboards she clutched her arms as the cold shot through her young body. After a trip to the bathroom and she was completely dressed, she ventured along the hallway, pulling her warm chestnut hair back into a tight ponytail as she walked. She noticed a portrait of the very lake they were on on the wood paneled wall. Stopping, her gray eyes scanned it and she soon continued on her way. The sun was just coming up, but she didn't care. She was on an adventure away from school and she wanted to watch the sun rise.
Passing by the living room, she was about to head out when she saw Jarod. Beneath a layer of chocolate colors, his figure was lying comfortably against the armrest with his hands clutching the couch on either side of him. She could see beads of perspiration collecting on his forehead as his panting became more rapid. If she had been a foot closer she'd have bet she could hear his heart beating a mile a minute. Soft moans started erupting from the back of his throat and he started thrashing violently. Finally, she could make out some of the words he was mumbling.
"No. Please. Please no. Not ... no!"
Startled at his sudden cry, she slumped against the walls, gray eyes wide, and stared at the terrifed man who had finally woken from his nightmare. He sat there inhaling and slowly exhaling until his breaths were even. Jarod placed his palms against his clammy forehead and sighed. Releasing them, he realized he had a witness.
"Debbie," he said in a hoarse voice, "what are you doing up?"
"I just, woke up," She shrugged, "you had a really bad dream."
"I've never really been much of a sound sleeper. Its more unusual that I don't have them than I do," Jarod explained, his voice even more raspy than before.
"What was it about?"
Jarod stared at the child. The question was innocent enough, yet he wasn't sure how to answer it. He didn't want to terrify the child with the possibilities that it could be, but he wasn't sure exactly what his dreams were about. Usually past experiences. Wouldn't it be great to tell a young girl that he was simply reliving one of his many torturous past experiences?
"Its really nothing you need to worry about, Debbie. Its so difficult to explain. I don't even understand all of it myself."
"And you're a genius, too!" She said in awe.
He laughed, "Yes, that I am."
"I was going to go outside to watch the sun finish rising. Do you wanta come with me?"
"I would like nothing more," Jarod smiled.
Learning to Run Again
Part 18: Soon
Aqua
Information sent. Jarod. Daughter. Come. Must come. Sister. Centre. Lost. Lost. Centre. Lost.
The thudding of two curious feet dissipated into silence.
*****
The sunlight poured in and flooded the dozing man. His eyes struggled to flutter open and he woke to the feeling of drowning in light. Blocking the rays with his arm, Broots groggily put his feet on the cold floor and hurried to the window, throwing the curtains shut. He immediately flung them open again. There, outside, was a picture-perfect scene of his daughter and Jarod. Both were walking along the perimeter of the lake, laughing. Broots was glad that his daughter wasn't afraid of Jarod after all the horrific things The Centre had done to him. He had made sure when telling her about it, to leave out some of the more gruesome details, but still, the fact that he was kidnapped and had yet to meet his family was awful enough. He opened the door leading to the hallway, and heard Miss Parker's voice and the laughter of another, presumably Molly. Miss Parker would never permit Loony Tune pajamas in her sight, especially Porky Pig. He shut the door silently and hurried to the pile of clothes lying on the end table. There had been no time to pack, so he was forced to wear yesterday's wrinkled apparal. Finally decent, he wandered into the kitchen where he found Miss Parker and Molly drinking coffee at the kitchen table. He had never seen either so happy.
"Well good morning Sleeping Beauty. Have a nice night?" she greeted him.
She was being awfully kind, he thought, "Uh yeah as a matter of fact I did. Well, wait no not really, I couldn't sleep. I kinda had a dream about llamas taking over the planet and-"
"Llamas?" Miss Parker said bluntly as if she'd never heard of them.
"Yes. You know, they look kinda like goats and camels combined and they like to spit-"
"Save me the Animal Planet trivia, Broots." She rose a hand and took a sip of coffee.
"Good morning, Broots," Molly spoke up before an arguement could arouse.
"Oh uh, morning Molly," Broots replied, glad to be properly acknowledged.
He poured himself some juice and stared at the clock, 9:26. He had overslept.
"Wow. I can't believe its so late. I've never slept this late before. I only went to bed at around um 3:30 or something."
"What in the world could have kept you up so long?" Miss Parker asked, rising from the table.
"You mean aside from two people who decided to take a swim and-" Miss Parker cleared her throat abruptly, her eyes looking daggers at him, so Broots stopped his train of thought, "uh, I found something in The Centre database."
"And you didn't notify me?" her eyes were wide and piercing eyes of ice.
"Well, uh, it actually, um, has to do more with Jarod than with you, so I thought he should be the first t-to know," he stuttered out.
"Obviously he can't be since you already know, so why not just tell me!?"
"I just thought Jarod should know first. That's all."
"Know what first?" Jarod's voice echoed.
Debbie looked curiously from her father to her new-found friend. Silenced fogged up the room.
"Hey Debbie, why don't you fill me in on the average teenager's life?" Molly piped in. Her sapphire eyes glancing nervously at Jarod and then to Debbie.
Understanding, Broots reinforced her propostion, "Yeah, Honey, go show her some cool stuff to do."
"Like what?" she asked.
"Like braiding your hair," Miss Parker murmered solemnly. The room grew quiet as Debbie nodded and led Molly back to her room to find a brush. Jarod looked sympathetic toward Miss Parker's grim expression. Broots was in obvious confusion, so Jarod took over.
"What did you need to tell me, Broots?" he asked cautiously. Most news directed to him had never been good.
"Well, I found something that I thought you should know before Miss-"
"Yeah yeah we get that. We don't need an entire overview," she faced Jarod, "Broots found something in the mainframe that he thought you should know before me. Which is ...?" she waved her hands a little to show that he was supposed to fill in the thought.
"A prisoner in SL 26. As I'm sure you already know, prisoners, or 'patients' as they are referred to, in SL 26 are under maximum security, therefore they are vitally important to The Centre."
"Who is the prisoner. Do we know him?"
"She. And well, yes, you do."
Jarod's eyes grew into round circles of chocolatey concern, "My mother." He hurried to Broots' side and grabbed his arm tightly, "Broots, please, tell me they don't have my mother!"
*****
Cox looked at the security monitor. A black and white view of their 'patient's' world. She looked frustrated, and with good reason. His arms were folded over his neatly ironed navy-blue suit. He smiled at her apparant agony and decided to pay her a visit. Maybe he could cheer her up.
Walking down the halls of SL 22, Cox reached the elevator and once inside, stood, perfectly centered, facing the duo of bullet holes. Holes of remembrace. Almost a warning to all those inside The Centre of what fate they would meet if they did not act on The Centre's behalf only. Not that he had been around at that time, but even he knew that Catherine Parker had been a mistake and had lost The Centre billions. Where they would be today if she had not gotten in the way, they would never know. He had no doubt that things would be for the better. Jarod may still even be here. She is the one who turned Sydney into the feeling teddy bear he is now. And that is what made Jarod long for an identity. That is where they went wrong. They wouldn't go wrong with Cade. As long as there were no interferences. Everything was going perfectly according to plan.
Cox heard a loud squeal and felt a jolt. The elevator suddenly came to a halt and he grasped the railings along the wall. He had barely moved up one level, and stopping now was certainly not on his agenda. He was stuck in an elevator. The same elevator that had killed Catherine Parker. This was foolish thinking. The elevator hadn't killed her. The bullet of that gun had. Well, technically, but everyone knew what could have happened. The real story wasn't what was important. The fact that he was trapped in here was.
*****
Briggite grinned slyly. Now that Cox was out of the picture for the next few hours, her plan could take place. There were only a few more factors that she needed to take care of and then, her future would be set in stone. Scratch that. Set in marble. Time for step two. She clapped her hands together and popped a candy into her mouth before gleefully slipping around the corner.
Mischief dancing in her eyes.
*****
Broots looked from Jarod's hand grasping his arm panically, to Miss Parker's curious and almost concerned face, back to Jarod's eyes of fire. "I- uh, b- I" he looked back at Jarod's grip, "no."
"No?" Jarod's grip loosened and Broots subconciously rubbed his arm gently.
"They don't have your mother, Jarod."
"Then who?" Miss Parker demanded impatiently. Broots stared at her, bewildered, "enough of the melodramatics. Just spare Jarod the torment, though he may deserve a little, because I want to know, too."
Jarod attempted a grin, but the worry was more evident, "Broots."
"They have your sister," his eyes focused on the wood designs of the floor.
"Emily," he exhaled. He sank into one of the kitchen chairs and rested his chin on his clasped hands, thinking.
Miss Parker and Broots both knew what he was doing. Already, he was trying to devise some coy plan to free her.
"Jarod," Miss Parker said, sitting down next to him. He looked up at her as she continued, "don't do something stupid."
"I wouldn't-" he began.
"But you would. You and I both know that you would gladly run into that house of horrors alone to get your sister out. You've never had anything to lose before. This time you do. You have your sister to lose."
"Well, then what do you propose I do?" he asked.
"Let me go with you."
"What? And risk another life? I don't think so, Parker."
"Sorry, but you are not playing super hero this time. I have to help her get out. I owe it to myself, to my mother, to you," she added slowly, "please, Jarod. I need to start being a part of something positive, now. My mother always told me that if you're not a part of the solution, you're part of the problem. I will no longer be a part of the problem."
Jarod sighed in defeat. How was he supposed to argue with the memory of Catherine Parker? Parker always made things more complicated than they had to be. "All right, but just you. I'm not going to risk any more lives."
She smiled one of those rare Parker smiles, "Thanks, Jarod. That means a lot to me."
"I know," he stood up slowly, "I'm going to go check on Sydney."
Broots stared, confused as usual. Since when had they been so- what was the word? Civil.
*****
Sydney was in a half-upright position and struggling to finish his journey to a vertical status. Once leaning against his pillows, he felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him. He slowly moved his feet over the side of the bed. A wave of dizzyness passed over him and he closed his eyes until it passed.
"And just what do you think you're doing, Sydney?"
"Jarod. I just wanted to see if I could manage getting out of bed. Just experimenting."
"With your health," Jarod lectured, "don't ruin a miracle, Syd. Because that's what this is. We all thought you were dying."
"So did I, but I'm not."
"I'm not taking any risks," Jarod maintained.
"Fine. What if you helped me then?" Jarod's look of stone determination caused Sydney to know that he wouldn't be changing his mind anytime soon. He always knew that that determination was going to backfire on him some day, "I'm getting cabin fever. Come on, Jarod."
"That's probobaly because you are in a cabin."
"Its just an expresion meaning that I can't stay immobile for so long."
Reluctantly Jarod gave in, "Fine, but you're only going as far as the couch. And you have to promise to eat something."
Sydney smiled at his prodigy's sense of protectiveness, "Its a deal."
As Jarod bent an arm around his teacher Sydney cleared his throat, "I saw you and Miss Parker last night through my window. I assume you've made up with eachother?"
Jarod's face blushed red and Sydney smiled compassionately at the younger man's obvious embarassment, "Uh, yes. We're on good terms now."
The two hobbled along the hall, slowly preventing more injuries or damage to the bullet wound he already had.
"That's good to know," Sydney reassured. Jarod simply nodded in response.
Finally after a good five minute struggle, they reached the couch.
"Sydney! How do you feel?" Miss Parker asked.
She and Jarod helped Sydney to lay back, propping him up against two pillows.
"I feel better. A bit sore as can be expected."
"Well, I have something that can help with that," Jarod proclaimed, pulling a bottle of magic out of his pocket, "Voila."
He presented the bottle as though it were the cure for the common cold. "And what is it, Houdini?" Miss Parker skeptically inquired.
"Just a maximum pain killer. It will help with the pain. I promise."
"Well, good to know you're not poisoning me," Sydney said, attempting humor.
"I would never do that," he reassured him while opening the bottle. Sydney and Miss Parker exchanged looks and tried to hide their amusement.
"So Parker, are you ready?" he continued on.
"Ready? For what?"
"To get my sister."
"Your sister?" Sydney inquired.
"Emily is being kept prisoner in The Centre and I have to get her out," Jarod explained.
"Already?" Miss Parker asked.
"I won't have her in that place any longer than possible, Parker. Broots and Molly will take care of you until we come back, Syd. Do you think you can manage?"
"Of course, Jarod. Be careful. Watch eachother's backs."
"We will," Miss Parker affirmed, "Broots!"
No response, "Broots! Get in here, now!"
The feeble man entered the room, afraid for his life, "I'm s-sorry."
"You didn't do anything. Jarod and I are leaving. We'll be back- Jarod when will be back?" The words came out slurred together in a hurry.
"A day at the latest," he answered casually while tending to Sydney's wound.
She rose a brow and cocked her head towards Jarod's direction, waiting for his reaction, "Doctor Jarod says a day."
"Um, okay. Do you need any h-help?"
"No. We've got it covered," Jarod answered the question for her.
"Do we? Got a plan, WonderBoy?" Miss Parker
"I'll think of one in time."
"Comforting."
"Mmm." Jarod nodded and finally stood and faced Broots, who flinched when he knew he was about to be addressed, "make sure Sydney recieves three of these every four hours, Broots."
"I-I will."
Jarod handed something to Sydney and whispered, "Only for emergency."
Then, he stood and ushered Miss Parker to the door.
"Good luck," Sydney blessed them.
*****
Emily paced back and forth in the tiny room she occupied. How was she going to get out of here? Everything about this place just seemed to eat away at her innocence. Suddenly, Angelo dropped onto the floor beside her. She gasped in astonishment before realizing who it was.
"Oh, its just you. What is your name anyway?" she asked the strange man.
"An-ge-lo." It seemed to be quite an effort to get that out, so she just nodded and didn't press him to go on.
"Soon," he uttered.
"Soon? What's soon."
"Soon," he assured her as though that should have clarifed everything.
She shook her head, her gentle-blue eyes revealing her confusion. Angelo grasped her hand, "Sister. No fear. Soon."
"Sister? I'm Jarod's sister, yes. Angelo what are you trying to tell me?" Emily pleaded with him desperately.
He climbed back up into his vent and grinned down at her, "Soon."
"Yes," she said, solemnly slumping against the wall. She slid down until she was sitting on the cold ground, defeated. "Soon."
AN: FEEDBACK R/R please pretty please with sugar on top!
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