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the lurker
The Centre
Main Foyer
The warm mug of coffee was already growing slightly cold, and she had yet to take a sip of it. She leaned up against one of the marble pillars in the corner of the main foyer, waiting. The voice from behind her almost made her jump.
"Good morning, Miss Parker," Broots smiled at her, "What are you doing?"
Her voice was tinged with annoyance, "None of your business, Scooby Doo...."
"Well okay then..." Broots muttered as he wandered away.
Sydney entered at the opposite end of the corridor, moving quickly in the direction of the Sim Lab. Parker stepped out from behind the pillar and smiled in the psychiatrist’s direction as he neared.
She called out to him, smiling, "Good morning, Syd..."
He was so concentrated, he didn’t notice her and almost blew past her. Parker’s voice turned cold.
"Hey....Sydney...."
He turned, "Hmm? Oh, Miss Parker, good morning. I’m sorry, but I’m in a bit of a hurry." He started down the hall again, "I’ll catch up with you later."
Broots observed Parker from a short distance away. She reminded him of a puppy who had just been smacked with a newspaper for peeing on the carpet. Sydney had been a little preoccupied for the past month with a new project, which seemed to annoy Miss Parker to no end. He watched her as she walked away, dejected. He hated to stick his nose into it, but he made a mental note to broach the subject with Sydney if the opportunity arose.
The Centre
Sim Lab
The young girl studied the picture, her brow furrowed deeply in concentration. After a few minutes, she stared up at her teacher, her cherry red lips spreading into a large grin of triumph.
"The man is blind." Her mentor’s eyebrows raised in question, and she continued, "Given the halations caused by the sun shining off the windows in the picture, he would have to be blind in order to stare directly into the windows without at least squinting."
Sydney smiled at the girl, "Verrrryy good, Janelle!"
He handed her another picture and waited patiently while the ten year old stared at it. Her face darkened as she looked at the image, and her eyes filled up with tears. Sydney took a step or two closer, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I know this image is more difficult, but I want you to tell me what you see...."
She swallowed hard, "I don’t like this one..."
"Janelle, concentrate and tell me what you see."
The child gripped the old black and white photo hard by its edges. The psychotic eyes of the man in the picture stared out at her; into the very core of her. His lips smiled, but it evoked the gruesome nature of his heart, and the darkness of his terrifying eyes revealed the essence of his blackened soul. Tears began rolling down the girl’s cheeks and she had to look away.
She felt a large hand stroke the back of her head, "It’s all right...we won’t worry about this one for now."
The picture of Charles Manson was gently removed from her hands, but she couldn’t stop crying. Her body began to shake with a strong empathic emotion, and no matter how hard she tried to quell it, she couldn’t will it to stop.
Sydney knelt next to her chair and smiled gently at her, "It’s okay, Janelle."
She looked toward him then, the sadness in her eyes tugging at him, "Please Sydney, please don’t make me look at any more pictures like that..."
"We’re just here to explore your gifts, Janelle, if anything makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to do it. All right?" The girl nodded, and Sydney stood up, "Okay, I think we’ve done enough for today."
He started away from her, but she grabbed his hand, gripping it with a surprising force. Sydney looked at her, and although she said nothing, the sadness in her eyes cried out to him.
His voice was as soft as a velvet glove, "Are you frightened?"
Janelle swallowed hard and nodded. Sydney pulled her out of the chair and knelt down again, taking the child in his arms to hold her. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, trying to bury her face there.
"Shhh," he comforted, "it’s okay."
***************
The Centre
Sim Lab Catwalk
"I see Dr. Frankenstein is getting along quite well with his new monster."
Miss Parker’s voice held more than just disdain in it, and Broots frowned in her direction. It was the wrong thing to do.
"What, moron?" Her voice was cutting, "You have something to add?"
"Uh, no, no, I don’t," he mumbled, looking away.
"Good." Parker paced along the observation catwalk above the Sim Lab, "Wasn’t Dr. Giggles supposed to be done half an hour ago?"
Broots looked at his watch, "Yeah, I guess so--"
"--You guess so? Get him out of there. We can’t wait all day for him to finish coddling his little science project."
Parker left the area quickly and Broots just stared in her wake, quietly answering, "Yeah, okay..."
**************
The Centre
Broots’ Area
Parker paced behind the chair in which Broots was seated. She was aware that her pacing always made him nuts, but today she was doing it anyway. From her demeanor, Broots knew better than to say a word. A moment later, Sydney entered the room. Parker stopped pacing, glared at her watch, then at Sydney.
The edge in Parker’s voice was unmistakable, "What took you so long? Did you have to change her diaper too?"
Sydney’s eyebrows raised slightly in surprise, "Janelle is a child, and she was upset, Miss Parker, I couldn’t just leave her."
"The Centre has people to babysit, Sydney, I needed you here, twenty minutes ago." Sydney didn’t answer, and Parker leaned into Broots, "Put up the schematic Scooby Doo...."
Broots hit a few keys on his keyboard, and an electronic blueprint of the Social Services building of Hoboken, New Jersey appeared on his screen.
"This blueprint was downloaded two days ago to a computer terminal whose signature is very similar to Jarod’s...."
Sydney wondered aloud, "What are you up to now, Jarod?"
Parker glared at him, "It’s your job to know the answer to that, Freud." He looked over at her, confused by the anger in her tone, Parker continued, "But we’ll go to Hoboken this afternoon and hopefully ask Jarod in person...."
"This afternoon....I can’t."
Parker glared at him, "Can’t?"
"I already have something scheduled in the Sim Lab, and--"
"--Your first priority at the Centre, Sydney, is helping me to capture Jarod. Or have you forgotten? I don’t care what little exercise you have planned for your new toy, reschedule it."
"You don’t understand the parameters, I can’t just--"
"--Then get someone else to run it for you. I’m sure Miss Thing won’t even notice...."
Parker stalked out of the room. Sydney let out a sigh of air, and looked at Broots, who was shifting in his chair uncomfortably.
"She seems to be in a rather foul mood today..."
Broots kept his voice nonchalant, "Yeah, she’s been a little out of sorts lately."
"Hmph, I hadn’t noticed."
Broots looked up at the older man, "That’s uh, partly why I think she’s out of sorts, Sydney, at least a little."
"What are you saying, Broots?"
"Well Syd, you’ve been a little preoccupied lately--"
Sydney’s voice was defensive, "--Janelle is a very special child, who needs a lot of attention."
Broots stood up and moved closer to Sydney, "I understand that, Syd, but Miss Parker--"
"--Miss Parker is not a child. To insinuate that she is jealous of a ten year old is absurd. She certainly doesn’t need my undivided attention."
"Maybe not your undivided attention, but she’s used to getting a good chunk of it. Frankly, I’m surprised you didn’t pick up on it, Sydney, I mean, you’re usually a little more in tune with those around you."
Sydney started to open his mouth to say something, and then thought better of it. Instead, he stared into Broots’ eyes, and saw the concern there. After a long moment, Sydney spoke, his voice very soft and low, in acknowledgment of the obvious.
"You’re right. I should have seen it." The corners of Sydney’s mouth curved into a grin, "Every once in awhile she reminds me of the little girl I used to know; although this is very silly, and she should know better."
The computer tech frowned, "You think she’s being silly?"
"Broots, the affection for one child, does not replace the affection for another, you know?"
"I know, but it isn’t to me you should be saying it...."
"No, I suppose not."
Broots smiled and sat back down at his computer. Sydney patted the tech’s shoulder gently.
"Thank you, Broots."
Broots smiled as he watched Sydney walk out of the room. He drained the last of his coffee mug and grimaced at the mouthful of grounds. He looked once again in the direction of Syd’s exit and had a second thought; maybe he should have stayed out of it....
**************
The Centre
Roof
It was a cold and cloudy day, the grey clouds in the sky, matched the grey eyes staring into them. The air was filled with a dampness that made it dense and heavy, typical for early spring. She shivered and folded her arms across her chest for warmth. The wind blew through her hair, and cut right through her suit jacket. She didn’t really care.
Her eyes burned from the salty tears which had formed in her them. She was tired; so tired of always winding up second. Or third, or fourth.... No matter how hard she worked at being the best, or the smartest, it didn’t make a damned bit of difference. She had never been good enough for her father, and certainly Sydney had always preferred Jarod. She had only been the apple of one person’s eye, except even her mother had abandoned her for another child. An ironic smile tugged at Parker’s mouth; her own mother had faked death, abandoning her daughter, so that she could give birth to Ethan. It was sort of the crowning glory to always being the after thought.
Parker shook her head and let the tears fall. Why did she even care? How many times had she gone through it? But Syd had never been so blatant with his pets. Unlike her own father, Sydney had always taken the trouble to at least try and cover his favourtism. Maybe that’s why it hurt so much; he had always made an effort with her, and now he didn’t even notice her. The soft deep voice behind her, startled her.
"It’s awfully cold to be up here without a coat today."
Sydney. Of course he would know where to find her. She didn’t respond, nor turn to acknowledge him. Parker heard the rustling of fabric as he shrugged out of his coat, and a moment later, she was wrapped in the warmth of a garment which was many sizes too large for her.
Sydney rubbed his hands up and down her arms, trying to warm her, "You’re so cold."
Parker still said nothing, for fear of what she might say. Gently, he turned her around to face him, and she wouldn’t meet his eyes.
"I’m sorry," his voice was as soft as she’d ever heard it. He bent down trying to catch her eyes with his, "I didn’t mean to hurt you."
Her eyes darted to his, her voice dripping with venom, "Don’t flatter yourself."
His hands dropped from where they were holding her arms, "I see."
She turned away from him and moved toward the edge of the roof, putting distance between them. His voice was still soft, but carried an edge of anger behind it.
"I do know what it feels like, to be replaced."
She didn’t turn around, and she let the sarcasm in her voice pierce him, "Yes, I’m sure when Major Charles showed up on the scene, and Jarod didn’t need you anymore it caused a little pang. The truth hurts, doesn’t it?"
He moved closer to her, "Yes. And it’s been no less painful when you’ve done it."
She whirled on him, "What are you talking about?"
He looked into her eyes, "If we’re going to be honest Parker, then surely you have to realize that I’ve been just a convenient replacement for you whenever your father has been too busy. As soon as he nods in your direction, you’re off and running. How used do you think that’s made me feel over the years?"
Miss Parker stared into the depths of the dark eyes holding hers. It wasn’t hard to read the hurt, he wasn’t making any effort to hide from her.
Parker stepped toward him, "That’s absurd, Sydney. Are you actually standing there telling me that I can’t love both of you?"
"You mean it’s possible to be fond of more than one person at a time?"
His lips dissolved into a smile as the truth of her own statement hit her and the reality of it began to dawn in her eyes.
She shook her head at him, "Oh don’t you stand there and smile at me." He couldn’t help but grin more, which caused her to growl at him, "I hate being ignored, you know."
His grin disappeared and his eyes turned serious, "I said I was sorry, Parker, I meant it. I didn’t mean to be insensitive."
"Yeah, that’s usually my job."
He laughed, "Come on, it’s cold, let’s go have a coffee."
He held his arm out to her, and she slipped under it, allowing him to hold her as they walked toward the exit.
"Sydney, were you ever really jealous of my father, or were you just blowing smoke up my skirt to prove your point?"
He smiled at her, "Jealousy and regard go hand in hand, Miss Parker."
"That’s not an answer, Sydney."
He opened the roof door, and held it for her. She didn’t move, but instead stared at him, waiting.
He kissed her forehead, "You already know the answer.”
He tried to guide her inside, but she put her hands on his chest, blocking him, "Maybe I need to hear it.”
Sydney’s head tilted down, then his eyes shifted up to look into hers, "Yes.”
She blinked away the tears from her eyes and took his hand in hers, pulling him along like a little girl leading her father, "I’ll buy the coffee...."
fin
