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Disclaimer: I don’t own these characters, they belong to NBC and MTM and I don’t make money of this...and so on!
Note: MANY MANY thanks to Dianne for beta-reading it for me! You are such a big help! Thanks really a lot!
Also: I’ve finished the story so as I get the chapters back from my wonderful beta, I’ll upload them. I know it’s been an awfully LONG time since I updated last so a short summary: After a late night at the Centre, Broots disappears without any trail. Jarod joins Sydney and Miss Parker looking for him, -even with Parker’s “lack of enthusiasm” about it-and after saving him from Lyle at the very last minute, they find out a secret that changes their lives. But the Centre would not be the Centre if they wouldn’t do WHATEVER it takes to find them and they catch up. Broots, Ethan, the Major and Sydney has to “rescue” Jarod and Miss Parker from the Centre which tehy can manage only with one person’s help; Angelo. After their escape… :
Note: MANY MANY thanks to Dianne for beta-reading it for me! You are such a big help! Thanks really a lot!
Also: I’ve finished the story so as I get the chapters back from my wonderful beta, I’ll upload them. I know it’s been an awfully LONG time since I updated last so a short summary: After a late night at the Centre, Broots disappears without any trail. Jarod joins Sydney and Miss Parker looking for him, -even with Parker’s “lack of enthusiasm” about it-and after saving him from Lyle at the very last minute, they find out a secret that changes their lives. But the Centre would not be the Centre if they wouldn’t do WHATEVER it takes to find them and they catch up. Broots, Ethan, the Major and Sydney has to “rescue” Jarod and Miss Parker from the Centre which tehy can manage only with one person’s help; Angelo. After their escape… :
Under The Surface
Chapter 18
“Where are Sydney and Miss Parker?” Broots finally asked. Major Charles looked up at him, but didn’t reply. “Major?” Broots asked in a bit of a worried tone then looked at Ethan, expecting the answer from him. Ethan opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Broots tried not to panic, but it was hard. He wanted to know where they were.
“I’m here, Broots,” came the familiar voice from behind him.
Jerking his head to that direction, Broots spotted Sydney; the feeling of relief quickly passed when he noticed his clothing. Jarod obviously wasn’t the only one in bad shape. There was a cut on Sydney’s mouth and his shirt was torn.
“What happened?” Sydney winced before he replied.
“We had trouble getting out.”
“Wh-what trouble?”
“There’s no time for this now.” The Major interrupted. “We have to get the hell out of here. They are coming!” He said and walked pass Sydney.
Broots saw the glance the Major threw at his old friend and knew that something had happened between them while they were gone. Turning his head, the tech finally spotted Miss Parker. He let out another sigh of relief. They were all alive, but he had a feeling that under the surface, things were not so peaceful at all.
Broots sank into the seat in front of Miss Parker and heard the noise of the door. Several seconds later, Ethan appeared in the cabin again and took the seat next to his sister. Turning his head, Broots watched as Sydney secured Jarod’s seatbelt before taking care of his own. For the first time in his life, he didn’t understand Sydney, but it was none of his business and he decided to be quiet instead of causing more arguments. They had enough problems without that and the tech hoped that Sydney knew what he was doing. Letting out a sigh, he heard the jet finally start. It was an old model and had some problems; that was obvious. For a moment, Broots was worried whether they would be able to leave at all, but then they started to move and he sighed.
The Major finally took off, and just in time. Looking through the window, he saw the Centre cars arriving at the airport, but their shots were of no use anymore. A small, half smile appeared on his face. The Centre had lost this time, but was it really over? Most likely not. Images of his son flooded into his mind and his satisfaction quickly disappeared.
Raines seemed to have caused damage again; he just hoped they weren’t too late with the rescue. A rescue that didn’t quite turn out the way they’d planned it. And that was because of Sydney; he was the one who wanted to wait and it was his fault that they hadn’t gotten to them sooner.
Shaking his head, Major Charles decided to concentrate on the jet instead. He had a lot of time to deal with Sydney later. Their sole aim now was to get to the safe house.
The Centre
Chairman’s office
20:02 pm
“HOW?” Imamu shouted the question with a powerful slam of his fist on the top of the desk. Lyle winced at the sound, casting his eyes down. The African was way beyond furious. Lyle felt Raines stiffen next to him and at that moment, he was grateful that he wasn’t the Chairman.
“We…” Raines started, but the African cut him off.
“This is the CENTRE! THE CENTRE!” He shouted, staring at Raines. “How could three men take them from THE CENTRE!”
Lyle kept his eyes on the floor. He was sure the African could be heard throughout the entire building. “They had inside help, sir,” he finally said.
“Yes!” Imamu said in a disgusted tone. “And that is your fault!” He added, his accent heavy. “You can’t keep your lab rats in their cages! You never could!” He said, gazing straight into Lyle’s eyes. “That is why we are in this situation!” He spat the last word then walked around to the chair and sat down.
“That problem has been dealt with, sir.” Lyle said, but the other man just stared at him.
“We will get them back… sir!” Raines breathed, taking a step forward.
“You should not have to GET them! You should have KEPT them!” Imamu said angrily, leaning forward on the desk. Raines didn’t reply, just stared at the African. “I’m contacting the Triumvirate. I will tell you later what will happen to you. Until then, get out of my sight. And spend your time doing something good. Go and find them!” Imamu said, picking up the phone as he turned away.
The Centre
Corridor
20:12 pm
“I should have killed him years ago!” Raines said with a great deal of hatred in his voice.
“Who?” Lyle asked in an annoyed tone.
“Sydney! He has too much influence!”
“On who?” Raines stopped, turned to Lyle and looked him straight in the eyes.
“On all of them!” Lyle had an idea of whom Raines was talking about. “I told you that, but you always said we needed him because of his connection to Jarod. Parker said the same. And see where we are now!” Lyle said, the anger finally surfacing.
“That doesn’t matter anymore. We have to concentrate on finding them. The Triumvirate will not be happy about the latest development. We have to give them an elaborated plan!”
Lyle nodded in agreement. This was one of the times when he had to stick with Raines. Alone, they wouldn’t survive. It was just temporary anyway. Before Lyle could say anything, they heard footsteps. Turning around, they both spotted Raines’ pet sweeper, Willie, and two others. Stopping in front of them, Lyle eyed the cuts on the sweeper’s face.
“Willie!” Raines said, waiting for him to report.
“He’s dead, sir!” Raines let out a sigh.
“What a waste!” The old man said and walked away. Lyle let out a sigh and followed him.
Unknown Place
22:38 pm
Upstairs
Sydney stood at the foot of the bed with his arms folded, looking down at Jarod, who was asleep on the bed. Something was wrong. Jarod was sweating heavily and he was restless. Even though he was unconscious, he was murmuring to himself and he seemed to be having nightmares. Major Charles sat next to his son with a worried look on his face.
Since their arrival, the Major hadn’t left Sydney alone with Jarod; he hadn’t even wanted to let him examine him. All he’d let him to do was check that he wasn’t suffering from anything life-threatening. Sydney was sure that the Triumvirate wouldn’t let Raines do anything to Jarod that could cost his life, but knowing Raines’ methods, he needed to take a better look at him.
Sydney was about to try to talk some sense into the Major about letting him have a look at Jarod when Broots entered. Turning his head, he watched as the tech slowly walked up to him.
“Ho-how is he?” He asked, scratching the back of his head. Sydney knew that movement, it was clear that Broots felt uncomfortable.
“I don’t know.” He said, knowing that Jarod’s father could hear him. Broots felt the tension and felt bad because, unintentionally, he had caused another stressful situation.
“Um… Sydney, maybe you could have a look at Miss P in the meantime?” He suggested. It was about time anyway since he hadn’t spent much time with her yet.
“Yes, good idea, Broots.” Sydney interrupted his thoughts. With his arms folded, the old man turned around and walked out of the room and Broots followed suit.
“Syd… Sydney….” Jarod murmured, jerking his head from one side to the other.
“Shhh… it’s alright son. I’m here.” Major Charles said, trying to soothe his son.
Unknown Place
22:47 pm
Upstairs
Broots followed his old friend into the room and quietly closed the door behind them. The tech watched as Sydney slowly sat down on the bed next to Parker who was still unconscious. She was totally different from Jarod. She had no nightmares and she was not sweating. She seemed very peaceful and in fact, she was clean and looked well cared for, while Jarod was a total mess. If they didn’t know where she had been, they would have thought she’d just gone to sleep at home.
But that wasn’t the case and that peacefulness was also a bit bothering. For a moment, Sydney stared down at her as if she was an exhibit in a museum. Broots was about to ask if anything was wrong when he finally lifted her wrist. About 5 minutes passed in total silence, but it felt like eternity to Broots. Finally, with a sigh, Sydney stood up.
“Is she alright?” Broots asked. He was no doctor and he had no clue if the calmness was good or bad.
“She seems fine. Everything’s all right. She’s been sedated, we just have to wait until she wakes up.”
“So, she didn’t get the same treatment as Jarod.”
“No, she did not. Thankfully.” The old man said, looking down at her.
“And what about Jarod? Will he be alright?”
“I need to have a better look at him to find out.” Sydney said and Broots nodded in response. “Right now.” The psychiatrist said.
“Are you going to leave her alone?” Broots asked confused.
“She’s not alone, you’re here with her.” Sydney stated, but Broots saw that his thoughts were elsewhere. The old man had heard what the tech told him and replied, but he was already somewhere else in his mind.
“Yes, but I… I have to help Ethan with some stuff, so I won’t be…” Sydney placed a hand on Broots’ shoulder.
“Broots, Miss Parker is fine. You can see it with your own eyes. Right now, Jarod needs more help.”
Broots nodded and decided to keep his opinion to himself. It was Sydney’s business and he didn’t want to interfere. Sydney patted him on the shoulder and then walked out of the room, leaving him alone with an unconscious Miss Parker.
Unknown Place
23:03 pm
Upstairs –Jarod’s room
“Syd…Sydney!” Jarod’s cries were louder and he’d become even more restless. The Major did everything he could to calm him down, but nothing seemed to work. “Sydney… where are you?”
“I’m here, Jarod.” The psychiatrist said as he closed the door behind him. The Major suppressed his anger as the other man sat down on the bed next to his son.
“Sydney!” Jarod jerked his head from one side to the other while he spoke, but he didn’t seem to have regained consciousness yet.
“I’m here.” Sydney said and took his hand into his. The Major’s eyed darkened. He had that inner struggle every time that Sydney helped his son, but still he couldn’t forget the fact that Sydney knew more about HIS son than he did.
“Sydney! Help me! Please! Don’t! Don’t let him do it!”
“Who are you talking about, Jarod?” Jarod’s mentor asked, his brows furrowed.
“Please, Sydney! Help me!” They both noticed that the young man was not only sweating heavily, but he was also shaking. And that was definitely not a good sign.
“Do something for God’s sake!” The Major said finally, hating himself for asking for help from the other man. “Give him something.”
“I can’t help him… physically.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Raines must have used a drug on him to get him under control. He fought it, so he must have given him more. They want him alive, so this will probably wear off soon. Considering the fact that I have no clue what Raines has given him, we have to wait. Jarod is under the effect of the drug, he’s in a world of illusions where he doesn’t feel safe.”
“You are the psychiatrist and… the… the one who knows my son the best.” Major Charles said in an even tone, making sure Sydney didn’t miss the message.
“Major, I understand that you are-“
“Don’t get me wrong, Sydney, but I don’t want you to understand me. All I want is my son to be healthy again!” Jarod’s father said in a firm voice. Sydney nodded.
“So do I.”
“Then do something. After all, you are from that place.” Major Charles knew that he was being unfair, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t have any problems with Sydney, in fact, he found him a very pleasant man, but he couldn’t help feeling jealous.
“Then I will have to ask you to leave.”
“I don’t think I understood you.” The Major said with a bit of a stunned expression.
“I need to talk to your son, to try to make him understand that he’s in a dream world.”
“I don’t see the problem with me staying.”
“It’s for privacy.”
“For whose privacy?”
“For all of us.” Sydney replied in a friendly tone.
“You don’t get it, do you?”
“Get what?”
“He’s NOT your son! Jarod is MY flesh and blood. You may have raised him, but it was not our choice.”
“I’m aware of the fact that he’s not my son. Major, you don’t know my relationship with Jarod. He’s been looking for you ever since his escape, but I’ve been the stable figure in his life. It’s natural that he–“
“No, it is NOT!” The Major said angrily, losing control at last. “Make peace with the fact that he has found his family. That place took almost all of my children away and I WON’T. LET. THEM. Do it again!”
“Major, I don’t mean any harm to your son.”
“But you do. If he had broken contact with you, he would be far away now and he wouldn’t be in such a bad shape.”
“Jarod knows what he’s doing and it was his choice.” Sydney remained calm as usual. If he could take Parker’s outbursts, the Major was an easy case. He knew he was hurt, he knew that feeling. He still remembered the feeling when he’d found out that he had a son and someone else had raised him. But the difference was… he had Jarod. And even though he had always known that Jarod was not related to him at all, he did think of him as his son. As a forbidden son, to be precise; a son whom he had to protect.
“NO! No! I won’t! I won’t tell you! Let go of me! NO! Get off me!”
“Jarod, it’s alright. He’s not there. He’s NOT there.” Sydney tried to shake him, but it didn’t work.
“Jarod! Son, it’s me, your father. Can you hear me?”
“No! Dad! No! Don’t hurt my father! Let him go! You’re not here. No, you’re not! They… they just want me to believe that! No! You’re NOT real! YOU’RE NOT REAL!” Jarod was almost violent now, tearing the blanket away from his body. That was the moment when Ethan stepped in, confusion all over his face.
“Ethan!” Sydney looked at the younger man, calling to him to get his attention. “I need you to help him.”
Ethan, even though he hadn’t had a really long conversation with Sydney and had no clue what was his older brother’s relationship to the man was, he knew that they shared a special bond. And that special bond was needed now in order to help Jarod.
“Major, let’s leave them alone!” He turned to his father.
Major Charles was furious, but decided not to show it. With a last look at Jarod, he walked out of the room. Ethan saw the obvious signs of his battle. He wanted to stay, but decided to do what was best for his son. With a last look at his brother, Ethan followed suit.
Hearing the closing of the door, Sydney let out a sigh. He didn’t want to interfere in the relationship of the Major and Jarod. But even with his little knowledge of Charles, he knew he would see it soon. He hoped he would see very soon that even though he’d done everything he could for Jarod, he could not replace or fulfill the place of a father.
Downstairs
Living Room
23.31 pm
After entering the living room, Major Charles made his way to the window. He needed to clear his mind. Jarod was upstairs suffering and he couldn’t help him. He heard footsteps and turned his head in time to see Ethan enter the room. He watched as his son sat down on the couch.
Almost five minutes passed in total silence. Suddenly a thought that had been bugging the Major occurred to him. The old man let out a sigh then slowly walked up to the sofa and took a seat next to Ethan.
“Ethan.” He said and turned to him. He watched as the younger man raised his head to look at him. “Son, you don’t have to call me ‘Major’, you can call me ‘Dad’.” The old man saw the hesitation in Ethan’s eyes and knew he shouldn’t have pushed.
However, their relationship was pretty good and though Ethan seemed to accept the fact that he had a new family, he still hadn’t started to call him ‘Dad’ and it was a bit strange for him. Major Charles knew that they were total strangers to each other, but guessed that this first step might make their case easier. It had with Jarod.
Ethan didn’t talk much, but when he did, he was friendly and open. But not open enough to talk about feelings, personal problems or anything private with them. The only people he seemed to let get close was Jarod and Miss Parker.
Ethan didn’t reply, he just nodded, as if he had accepted his offer, but was still considering it. Major Charles was about to say something else when the door opened again and Broots entered. The old man let out a sigh and leant back on the couch as he watched the tech walk in.
“How is your arm, Broots?” He asked.
“Oh, it’s um… fine thank you. It’s getting better. It wasn’t too bad an injury after all.” Broots said and an awkward silence settled between them again. “And… how’s your head?”
“My head? Oh, yeah. I’ll survive! I’ve gone through much worse.” Broots nodded and the silence seemed to return.
“I think it’s time for us to go.” Ethan said finally and stood up.
“Go? Where?”
“Broots and I are going to use a public phone to get in touch with the others.”
“Yes, I also need to talk to my daughter. I’m worried about her.” The tech said.
“Alright, but be careful.”
“Of course.” Broots replied. With a glance at Ethan, he turned around to head to the door. Ethan stepped out of the room first, but Broots turned back.
“Major, you know Sydney is taking care of… um, Jarod and… there’s no one… um… I mean… ah, never mind!” He stammered and left.
The Major stared after him confused and watched the door. He was alone. Again. He hoped all this would end soon because he was getting tired of it. He and his family needed something positive so much and it wasn’t happening. His son was calling out for the man who’d lied to him for thirty years, his other son didn’t know him at all and kept a safe distance between them, his beloved wife was only God knew where and all these misfortunes were the fault of the Centre. He’d even lied to Broots about his head, which was pounding heavily.
Unknown Place
23.43 pm
Upstairs –Jarod’s room
Sydney watched as Jarod finally stopped tossing around. His breathing became even again and he started to calm down.
“What is it you want, Jarod? Where do you want to be? Just imagine you are there and everything will be fine.” Sydney tried to reassure him. The drug seemed to keep him unconscious, but his mind was half-awake.
“I’m… I wanna be with my mom and dad.”
“You’re with them Jarod, you’re with them. Just believe that they are there with you. They have always been.”
“I can’t see them, Sydney, I can’t see them!” Sydney heard a slight trail of panic in his voice again.
“Of course you can. You are safe. You are with everyone you love, you just have to believe that!”
“Are they there, Sydney? Are you really there?”
A small smile appeared on his face, as he pulled the cover on him again. “Yes, Jarod, they are all here - your mother, your father, your sister and brothers. Everyone.”
Unknown Place
05.47am
Upstairs –Jarod’s room
Quietly opening the door, Major Charles stepped halfway into the room. He noted with relief that Jarod was asleep and he seemed peaceful. Turning his gaze, he spotted Sydney asleep in a nearby chair. For some reason, it made him jealous even more, but he knew he couldn’t interfere. He had no clue of Jarod’s condition and if Sydney thought it was better for him to stay there, then so be it. He would deal with the old man later; their time to discuss their issues would come.
He silently left the room, closing the door carefully behind him. It was very early in the morning and Ethan and Broots still hadn’t returned. He knew the house was quite far away from the next city and they had to make sure there were no trails to them after the phone call, but he also knew that they must be exhausted. He was totally worn out, but had managed to get some sleep for a few hours; the two other men hadn’t gotten any sleep at all. Thankfully, Broots hadn’t gone through everything, so he trusted that he was helping Ethan if it was needed. At least he’d better be.
The Major turned around to go back to the living room when it occurred to him that everybody seemed to have forgotten about Miss Parker. He remembered Broots’ confused babbling and finally understood what he had been trying to say. He’d wanted to ask him to check on her.
Unknown Place
Same Time
Upstairs –Miss Parker’s room
The silence was familiar, but all the other things were different. She didn’t hear the footsteps of the sweepers and she wasn’t roughly awakened. And the bed under her was soft, much softer than she remembered. It was a few minutes since she’d awaken, but she hadn’t opened her eyes. She needed to remember first. She needed to remember where she was and how she’d gotten there. But after several seconds, she got lost in the feeling that she was so comfortable and for some strange reason she couldn’t focus. Her attention and concentration slipped after a while.
Major Charles opened the door and quietly stepped in. After closing it behind him, he carefully walked inside, not to wake her. His head was still aching, but it didn’t matter, he was so upset and had so many other things on his mind that he didn’t give a damn. Most of all, he was angry. 30 years without his son, without his family, was a torture and now that he’d finally found him, there was still someone interfering. He was grateful to Sydney for what he had done for Jarod… but it was time to let him have a relationship with his real father!
With a sigh, he slumped into the chair next to the bed and sat silently. He stared out through the window for a short while before his gaze wandered to the bed; Miss Parker was still out. Though her head was turned the other way, he could see the resemblance. Every time he looked at Miss Parker, she reminded him of Catherine.
Oh Catherine, he thought and the memory of his conversation with Miss Parker surfaced.
“I don’t want to argue with you, Miss Parker. I... don’t know you, but I can tell you one thing. I was very sad to see you working for the Centre. Your mother wanted it differently.”
“There were a lot of things that my mother wanted differently, Major.” How true, he thought. Catherine wanted to free not only HIS son, but her own little girl too. She wanted to get away with her and have a normal life somewhere far away. And she wanted to help him and Margaret. He couldn’t stop wondering whether Miss Parker really was that cold-hearted, tough woman or if she was actually just like her mother.
“I just didn’t think that you... uhm... had...”
“The word’s ‘feelings’, Major!” After all everyone made mistakes. Even Catherine. Mrs. Parker was one of the most innocent, most wonderful people he had ever met in his life. Yet, he didn’t see how she could have gotten into the Centre. She was like a sheep that accidentally wandered into the lion’s den, but instead of escaping, she’d fallen in love with one of the lions.
People might think she’d paid the biggest price for trying to undo her ‘mistake’, but that was not entirely true. Everyone who had a connection to her suffered in some way - Ethan, his family, Jarod and even Fenigor. He still remembered the day when he’d found out about her death. And now looking at her daughter, his view changed a bit. He could imagine her pain, but he would never really know what she’d been through. Mostly because she did not have a Sydney to protect her.
He watched as she turned her head to face him. She blinked several times and let out a sigh before she seemed to acknowledge the unfamiliar place. For a moment, he considered going to get Sydney, but he was a grown man too and he surely could help on his own.
Parker watched as the older man stood up and sat down on the edge of the bed. She looked at him, indicating he was not to come any closer as she sat up, leaning against the headboard.
“It’s about time, Miss Parker.” He said calmly, looking into her eyes.
“Sorry. I just thought I’d use my only chance to take a good nap.” She said simply and even though her voice was harsh from the lack of use, it was easy to detect the sarcasm.
The Major let out a chuckle. “Yeah, I can imagine. You surely didn’t get much sleep in the last few days.” He said, trying to hit an accord with her.
“You must know!” She shot back, giving the obvious sign that they still weren’t boozing buddies!
Several minutes passed in silence, but the Major felt her gaze locked on him the entire time. Finally looking up, he asked, “Can I get you anything? A glass of water for your throat or…”
“Please, save the babble. Just bring it on.”
“Bring what on?” He asked with a frown.
“Geez…” Parker said, rolling her eyes. “ You should spend a bit more time with Lyle.” She said with a sardonic smile on her face. “You obviously have a lot to learn from each other!”
The older man’s eyes darkened. She wasn’t only being hostile with him, she was provoking him with the man who’d killed his son. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, Miss Parker, but be careful. You are not on your own ground anymore.” He said coldly.
“Unlike you, it didn’t take me too long to figure that one out! Now… the only question is… what field is THIS exactly?”
“I can’t tell you. It’s safer that way.” The Major replied. If she had asked that five minutes ago, he would have told her, but she was acting hostile and he had learned not to trust everyone. At that moment, he was starting to doubt in his belief that she wasn’t really the enemy.
“As you like!” She said and rolled her eyes before she turned away to look around.
The older man stood up, from this point on, it was Sydney’s field. “I’ll be back soon!” He said and turned to leave, but her voice stopped him.
“You know my name. Now it’s your turn.”
“For what?” He asked with his eyebrows raised.
“To tell me who the hell you are?” She said nonchalantly.
To Be Continued…
I need feedback…..
Chapter 18
“Where are Sydney and Miss Parker?” Broots finally asked. Major Charles looked up at him, but didn’t reply. “Major?” Broots asked in a bit of a worried tone then looked at Ethan, expecting the answer from him. Ethan opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Broots tried not to panic, but it was hard. He wanted to know where they were.
“I’m here, Broots,” came the familiar voice from behind him.
Jerking his head to that direction, Broots spotted Sydney; the feeling of relief quickly passed when he noticed his clothing. Jarod obviously wasn’t the only one in bad shape. There was a cut on Sydney’s mouth and his shirt was torn.
“What happened?” Sydney winced before he replied.
“We had trouble getting out.”
“Wh-what trouble?”
“There’s no time for this now.” The Major interrupted. “We have to get the hell out of here. They are coming!” He said and walked pass Sydney.
Broots saw the glance the Major threw at his old friend and knew that something had happened between them while they were gone. Turning his head, the tech finally spotted Miss Parker. He let out another sigh of relief. They were all alive, but he had a feeling that under the surface, things were not so peaceful at all.
Broots sank into the seat in front of Miss Parker and heard the noise of the door. Several seconds later, Ethan appeared in the cabin again and took the seat next to his sister. Turning his head, Broots watched as Sydney secured Jarod’s seatbelt before taking care of his own. For the first time in his life, he didn’t understand Sydney, but it was none of his business and he decided to be quiet instead of causing more arguments. They had enough problems without that and the tech hoped that Sydney knew what he was doing. Letting out a sigh, he heard the jet finally start. It was an old model and had some problems; that was obvious. For a moment, Broots was worried whether they would be able to leave at all, but then they started to move and he sighed.
The Major finally took off, and just in time. Looking through the window, he saw the Centre cars arriving at the airport, but their shots were of no use anymore. A small, half smile appeared on his face. The Centre had lost this time, but was it really over? Most likely not. Images of his son flooded into his mind and his satisfaction quickly disappeared.
Raines seemed to have caused damage again; he just hoped they weren’t too late with the rescue. A rescue that didn’t quite turn out the way they’d planned it. And that was because of Sydney; he was the one who wanted to wait and it was his fault that they hadn’t gotten to them sooner.
Shaking his head, Major Charles decided to concentrate on the jet instead. He had a lot of time to deal with Sydney later. Their sole aim now was to get to the safe house.
The Centre
Chairman’s office
20:02 pm
“HOW?” Imamu shouted the question with a powerful slam of his fist on the top of the desk. Lyle winced at the sound, casting his eyes down. The African was way beyond furious. Lyle felt Raines stiffen next to him and at that moment, he was grateful that he wasn’t the Chairman.
“We…” Raines started, but the African cut him off.
“This is the CENTRE! THE CENTRE!” He shouted, staring at Raines. “How could three men take them from THE CENTRE!”
Lyle kept his eyes on the floor. He was sure the African could be heard throughout the entire building. “They had inside help, sir,” he finally said.
“Yes!” Imamu said in a disgusted tone. “And that is your fault!” He added, his accent heavy. “You can’t keep your lab rats in their cages! You never could!” He said, gazing straight into Lyle’s eyes. “That is why we are in this situation!” He spat the last word then walked around to the chair and sat down.
“That problem has been dealt with, sir.” Lyle said, but the other man just stared at him.
“We will get them back… sir!” Raines breathed, taking a step forward.
“You should not have to GET them! You should have KEPT them!” Imamu said angrily, leaning forward on the desk. Raines didn’t reply, just stared at the African. “I’m contacting the Triumvirate. I will tell you later what will happen to you. Until then, get out of my sight. And spend your time doing something good. Go and find them!” Imamu said, picking up the phone as he turned away.
The Centre
Corridor
20:12 pm
“I should have killed him years ago!” Raines said with a great deal of hatred in his voice.
“Who?” Lyle asked in an annoyed tone.
“Sydney! He has too much influence!”
“On who?” Raines stopped, turned to Lyle and looked him straight in the eyes.
“On all of them!” Lyle had an idea of whom Raines was talking about. “I told you that, but you always said we needed him because of his connection to Jarod. Parker said the same. And see where we are now!” Lyle said, the anger finally surfacing.
“That doesn’t matter anymore. We have to concentrate on finding them. The Triumvirate will not be happy about the latest development. We have to give them an elaborated plan!”
Lyle nodded in agreement. This was one of the times when he had to stick with Raines. Alone, they wouldn’t survive. It was just temporary anyway. Before Lyle could say anything, they heard footsteps. Turning around, they both spotted Raines’ pet sweeper, Willie, and two others. Stopping in front of them, Lyle eyed the cuts on the sweeper’s face.
“Willie!” Raines said, waiting for him to report.
“He’s dead, sir!” Raines let out a sigh.
“What a waste!” The old man said and walked away. Lyle let out a sigh and followed him.
Unknown Place
22:38 pm
Upstairs
Sydney stood at the foot of the bed with his arms folded, looking down at Jarod, who was asleep on the bed. Something was wrong. Jarod was sweating heavily and he was restless. Even though he was unconscious, he was murmuring to himself and he seemed to be having nightmares. Major Charles sat next to his son with a worried look on his face.
Since their arrival, the Major hadn’t left Sydney alone with Jarod; he hadn’t even wanted to let him examine him. All he’d let him to do was check that he wasn’t suffering from anything life-threatening. Sydney was sure that the Triumvirate wouldn’t let Raines do anything to Jarod that could cost his life, but knowing Raines’ methods, he needed to take a better look at him.
Sydney was about to try to talk some sense into the Major about letting him have a look at Jarod when Broots entered. Turning his head, he watched as the tech slowly walked up to him.
“Ho-how is he?” He asked, scratching the back of his head. Sydney knew that movement, it was clear that Broots felt uncomfortable.
“I don’t know.” He said, knowing that Jarod’s father could hear him. Broots felt the tension and felt bad because, unintentionally, he had caused another stressful situation.
“Um… Sydney, maybe you could have a look at Miss P in the meantime?” He suggested. It was about time anyway since he hadn’t spent much time with her yet.
“Yes, good idea, Broots.” Sydney interrupted his thoughts. With his arms folded, the old man turned around and walked out of the room and Broots followed suit.
“Syd… Sydney….” Jarod murmured, jerking his head from one side to the other.
“Shhh… it’s alright son. I’m here.” Major Charles said, trying to soothe his son.
Unknown Place
22:47 pm
Upstairs
Broots followed his old friend into the room and quietly closed the door behind them. The tech watched as Sydney slowly sat down on the bed next to Parker who was still unconscious. She was totally different from Jarod. She had no nightmares and she was not sweating. She seemed very peaceful and in fact, she was clean and looked well cared for, while Jarod was a total mess. If they didn’t know where she had been, they would have thought she’d just gone to sleep at home.
But that wasn’t the case and that peacefulness was also a bit bothering. For a moment, Sydney stared down at her as if she was an exhibit in a museum. Broots was about to ask if anything was wrong when he finally lifted her wrist. About 5 minutes passed in total silence, but it felt like eternity to Broots. Finally, with a sigh, Sydney stood up.
“Is she alright?” Broots asked. He was no doctor and he had no clue if the calmness was good or bad.
“She seems fine. Everything’s all right. She’s been sedated, we just have to wait until she wakes up.”
“So, she didn’t get the same treatment as Jarod.”
“No, she did not. Thankfully.” The old man said, looking down at her.
“And what about Jarod? Will he be alright?”
“I need to have a better look at him to find out.” Sydney said and Broots nodded in response. “Right now.” The psychiatrist said.
“Are you going to leave her alone?” Broots asked confused.
“She’s not alone, you’re here with her.” Sydney stated, but Broots saw that his thoughts were elsewhere. The old man had heard what the tech told him and replied, but he was already somewhere else in his mind.
“Yes, but I… I have to help Ethan with some stuff, so I won’t be…” Sydney placed a hand on Broots’ shoulder.
“Broots, Miss Parker is fine. You can see it with your own eyes. Right now, Jarod needs more help.”
Broots nodded and decided to keep his opinion to himself. It was Sydney’s business and he didn’t want to interfere. Sydney patted him on the shoulder and then walked out of the room, leaving him alone with an unconscious Miss Parker.
Unknown Place
23:03 pm
Upstairs –Jarod’s room
“Syd…Sydney!” Jarod’s cries were louder and he’d become even more restless. The Major did everything he could to calm him down, but nothing seemed to work. “Sydney… where are you?”
“I’m here, Jarod.” The psychiatrist said as he closed the door behind him. The Major suppressed his anger as the other man sat down on the bed next to his son.
“Sydney!” Jarod jerked his head from one side to the other while he spoke, but he didn’t seem to have regained consciousness yet.
“I’m here.” Sydney said and took his hand into his. The Major’s eyed darkened. He had that inner struggle every time that Sydney helped his son, but still he couldn’t forget the fact that Sydney knew more about HIS son than he did.
“Sydney! Help me! Please! Don’t! Don’t let him do it!”
“Who are you talking about, Jarod?” Jarod’s mentor asked, his brows furrowed.
“Please, Sydney! Help me!” They both noticed that the young man was not only sweating heavily, but he was also shaking. And that was definitely not a good sign.
“Do something for God’s sake!” The Major said finally, hating himself for asking for help from the other man. “Give him something.”
“I can’t help him… physically.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Raines must have used a drug on him to get him under control. He fought it, so he must have given him more. They want him alive, so this will probably wear off soon. Considering the fact that I have no clue what Raines has given him, we have to wait. Jarod is under the effect of the drug, he’s in a world of illusions where he doesn’t feel safe.”
“You are the psychiatrist and… the… the one who knows my son the best.” Major Charles said in an even tone, making sure Sydney didn’t miss the message.
“Major, I understand that you are-“
“Don’t get me wrong, Sydney, but I don’t want you to understand me. All I want is my son to be healthy again!” Jarod’s father said in a firm voice. Sydney nodded.
“So do I.”
“Then do something. After all, you are from that place.” Major Charles knew that he was being unfair, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t have any problems with Sydney, in fact, he found him a very pleasant man, but he couldn’t help feeling jealous.
“Then I will have to ask you to leave.”
“I don’t think I understood you.” The Major said with a bit of a stunned expression.
“I need to talk to your son, to try to make him understand that he’s in a dream world.”
“I don’t see the problem with me staying.”
“It’s for privacy.”
“For whose privacy?”
“For all of us.” Sydney replied in a friendly tone.
“You don’t get it, do you?”
“Get what?”
“He’s NOT your son! Jarod is MY flesh and blood. You may have raised him, but it was not our choice.”
“I’m aware of the fact that he’s not my son. Major, you don’t know my relationship with Jarod. He’s been looking for you ever since his escape, but I’ve been the stable figure in his life. It’s natural that he–“
“No, it is NOT!” The Major said angrily, losing control at last. “Make peace with the fact that he has found his family. That place took almost all of my children away and I WON’T. LET. THEM. Do it again!”
“Major, I don’t mean any harm to your son.”
“But you do. If he had broken contact with you, he would be far away now and he wouldn’t be in such a bad shape.”
“Jarod knows what he’s doing and it was his choice.” Sydney remained calm as usual. If he could take Parker’s outbursts, the Major was an easy case. He knew he was hurt, he knew that feeling. He still remembered the feeling when he’d found out that he had a son and someone else had raised him. But the difference was… he had Jarod. And even though he had always known that Jarod was not related to him at all, he did think of him as his son. As a forbidden son, to be precise; a son whom he had to protect.
“NO! No! I won’t! I won’t tell you! Let go of me! NO! Get off me!”
“Jarod, it’s alright. He’s not there. He’s NOT there.” Sydney tried to shake him, but it didn’t work.
“Jarod! Son, it’s me, your father. Can you hear me?”
“No! Dad! No! Don’t hurt my father! Let him go! You’re not here. No, you’re not! They… they just want me to believe that! No! You’re NOT real! YOU’RE NOT REAL!” Jarod was almost violent now, tearing the blanket away from his body. That was the moment when Ethan stepped in, confusion all over his face.
“Ethan!” Sydney looked at the younger man, calling to him to get his attention. “I need you to help him.”
Ethan, even though he hadn’t had a really long conversation with Sydney and had no clue what was his older brother’s relationship to the man was, he knew that they shared a special bond. And that special bond was needed now in order to help Jarod.
“Major, let’s leave them alone!” He turned to his father.
Major Charles was furious, but decided not to show it. With a last look at Jarod, he walked out of the room. Ethan saw the obvious signs of his battle. He wanted to stay, but decided to do what was best for his son. With a last look at his brother, Ethan followed suit.
Hearing the closing of the door, Sydney let out a sigh. He didn’t want to interfere in the relationship of the Major and Jarod. But even with his little knowledge of Charles, he knew he would see it soon. He hoped he would see very soon that even though he’d done everything he could for Jarod, he could not replace or fulfill the place of a father.
Downstairs
Living Room
23.31 pm
After entering the living room, Major Charles made his way to the window. He needed to clear his mind. Jarod was upstairs suffering and he couldn’t help him. He heard footsteps and turned his head in time to see Ethan enter the room. He watched as his son sat down on the couch.
Almost five minutes passed in total silence. Suddenly a thought that had been bugging the Major occurred to him. The old man let out a sigh then slowly walked up to the sofa and took a seat next to Ethan.
“Ethan.” He said and turned to him. He watched as the younger man raised his head to look at him. “Son, you don’t have to call me ‘Major’, you can call me ‘Dad’.” The old man saw the hesitation in Ethan’s eyes and knew he shouldn’t have pushed.
However, their relationship was pretty good and though Ethan seemed to accept the fact that he had a new family, he still hadn’t started to call him ‘Dad’ and it was a bit strange for him. Major Charles knew that they were total strangers to each other, but guessed that this first step might make their case easier. It had with Jarod.
Ethan didn’t talk much, but when he did, he was friendly and open. But not open enough to talk about feelings, personal problems or anything private with them. The only people he seemed to let get close was Jarod and Miss Parker.
Ethan didn’t reply, he just nodded, as if he had accepted his offer, but was still considering it. Major Charles was about to say something else when the door opened again and Broots entered. The old man let out a sigh and leant back on the couch as he watched the tech walk in.
“How is your arm, Broots?” He asked.
“Oh, it’s um… fine thank you. It’s getting better. It wasn’t too bad an injury after all.” Broots said and an awkward silence settled between them again. “And… how’s your head?”
“My head? Oh, yeah. I’ll survive! I’ve gone through much worse.” Broots nodded and the silence seemed to return.
“I think it’s time for us to go.” Ethan said finally and stood up.
“Go? Where?”
“Broots and I are going to use a public phone to get in touch with the others.”
“Yes, I also need to talk to my daughter. I’m worried about her.” The tech said.
“Alright, but be careful.”
“Of course.” Broots replied. With a glance at Ethan, he turned around to head to the door. Ethan stepped out of the room first, but Broots turned back.
“Major, you know Sydney is taking care of… um, Jarod and… there’s no one… um… I mean… ah, never mind!” He stammered and left.
The Major stared after him confused and watched the door. He was alone. Again. He hoped all this would end soon because he was getting tired of it. He and his family needed something positive so much and it wasn’t happening. His son was calling out for the man who’d lied to him for thirty years, his other son didn’t know him at all and kept a safe distance between them, his beloved wife was only God knew where and all these misfortunes were the fault of the Centre. He’d even lied to Broots about his head, which was pounding heavily.
Unknown Place
23.43 pm
Upstairs –Jarod’s room
Sydney watched as Jarod finally stopped tossing around. His breathing became even again and he started to calm down.
“What is it you want, Jarod? Where do you want to be? Just imagine you are there and everything will be fine.” Sydney tried to reassure him. The drug seemed to keep him unconscious, but his mind was half-awake.
“I’m… I wanna be with my mom and dad.”
“You’re with them Jarod, you’re with them. Just believe that they are there with you. They have always been.”
“I can’t see them, Sydney, I can’t see them!” Sydney heard a slight trail of panic in his voice again.
“Of course you can. You are safe. You are with everyone you love, you just have to believe that!”
“Are they there, Sydney? Are you really there?”
A small smile appeared on his face, as he pulled the cover on him again. “Yes, Jarod, they are all here - your mother, your father, your sister and brothers. Everyone.”
Unknown Place
05.47am
Upstairs –Jarod’s room
Quietly opening the door, Major Charles stepped halfway into the room. He noted with relief that Jarod was asleep and he seemed peaceful. Turning his gaze, he spotted Sydney asleep in a nearby chair. For some reason, it made him jealous even more, but he knew he couldn’t interfere. He had no clue of Jarod’s condition and if Sydney thought it was better for him to stay there, then so be it. He would deal with the old man later; their time to discuss their issues would come.
He silently left the room, closing the door carefully behind him. It was very early in the morning and Ethan and Broots still hadn’t returned. He knew the house was quite far away from the next city and they had to make sure there were no trails to them after the phone call, but he also knew that they must be exhausted. He was totally worn out, but had managed to get some sleep for a few hours; the two other men hadn’t gotten any sleep at all. Thankfully, Broots hadn’t gone through everything, so he trusted that he was helping Ethan if it was needed. At least he’d better be.
The Major turned around to go back to the living room when it occurred to him that everybody seemed to have forgotten about Miss Parker. He remembered Broots’ confused babbling and finally understood what he had been trying to say. He’d wanted to ask him to check on her.
Unknown Place
Same Time
Upstairs –Miss Parker’s room
The silence was familiar, but all the other things were different. She didn’t hear the footsteps of the sweepers and she wasn’t roughly awakened. And the bed under her was soft, much softer than she remembered. It was a few minutes since she’d awaken, but she hadn’t opened her eyes. She needed to remember first. She needed to remember where she was and how she’d gotten there. But after several seconds, she got lost in the feeling that she was so comfortable and for some strange reason she couldn’t focus. Her attention and concentration slipped after a while.
Major Charles opened the door and quietly stepped in. After closing it behind him, he carefully walked inside, not to wake her. His head was still aching, but it didn’t matter, he was so upset and had so many other things on his mind that he didn’t give a damn. Most of all, he was angry. 30 years without his son, without his family, was a torture and now that he’d finally found him, there was still someone interfering. He was grateful to Sydney for what he had done for Jarod… but it was time to let him have a relationship with his real father!
With a sigh, he slumped into the chair next to the bed and sat silently. He stared out through the window for a short while before his gaze wandered to the bed; Miss Parker was still out. Though her head was turned the other way, he could see the resemblance. Every time he looked at Miss Parker, she reminded him of Catherine.
Oh Catherine, he thought and the memory of his conversation with Miss Parker surfaced.
“I don’t want to argue with you, Miss Parker. I... don’t know you, but I can tell you one thing. I was very sad to see you working for the Centre. Your mother wanted it differently.”
“There were a lot of things that my mother wanted differently, Major.” How true, he thought. Catherine wanted to free not only HIS son, but her own little girl too. She wanted to get away with her and have a normal life somewhere far away. And she wanted to help him and Margaret. He couldn’t stop wondering whether Miss Parker really was that cold-hearted, tough woman or if she was actually just like her mother.
“I just didn’t think that you... uhm... had...”
“The word’s ‘feelings’, Major!” After all everyone made mistakes. Even Catherine. Mrs. Parker was one of the most innocent, most wonderful people he had ever met in his life. Yet, he didn’t see how she could have gotten into the Centre. She was like a sheep that accidentally wandered into the lion’s den, but instead of escaping, she’d fallen in love with one of the lions.
People might think she’d paid the biggest price for trying to undo her ‘mistake’, but that was not entirely true. Everyone who had a connection to her suffered in some way - Ethan, his family, Jarod and even Fenigor. He still remembered the day when he’d found out about her death. And now looking at her daughter, his view changed a bit. He could imagine her pain, but he would never really know what she’d been through. Mostly because she did not have a Sydney to protect her.
He watched as she turned her head to face him. She blinked several times and let out a sigh before she seemed to acknowledge the unfamiliar place. For a moment, he considered going to get Sydney, but he was a grown man too and he surely could help on his own.
Parker watched as the older man stood up and sat down on the edge of the bed. She looked at him, indicating he was not to come any closer as she sat up, leaning against the headboard.
“It’s about time, Miss Parker.” He said calmly, looking into her eyes.
“Sorry. I just thought I’d use my only chance to take a good nap.” She said simply and even though her voice was harsh from the lack of use, it was easy to detect the sarcasm.
The Major let out a chuckle. “Yeah, I can imagine. You surely didn’t get much sleep in the last few days.” He said, trying to hit an accord with her.
“You must know!” She shot back, giving the obvious sign that they still weren’t boozing buddies!
Several minutes passed in silence, but the Major felt her gaze locked on him the entire time. Finally looking up, he asked, “Can I get you anything? A glass of water for your throat or…”
“Please, save the babble. Just bring it on.”
“Bring what on?” He asked with a frown.
“Geez…” Parker said, rolling her eyes. “ You should spend a bit more time with Lyle.” She said with a sardonic smile on her face. “You obviously have a lot to learn from each other!”
The older man’s eyes darkened. She wasn’t only being hostile with him, she was provoking him with the man who’d killed his son. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, Miss Parker, but be careful. You are not on your own ground anymore.” He said coldly.
“Unlike you, it didn’t take me too long to figure that one out! Now… the only question is… what field is THIS exactly?”
“I can’t tell you. It’s safer that way.” The Major replied. If she had asked that five minutes ago, he would have told her, but she was acting hostile and he had learned not to trust everyone. At that moment, he was starting to doubt in his belief that she wasn’t really the enemy.
“As you like!” She said and rolled her eyes before she turned away to look around.
The older man stood up, from this point on, it was Sydney’s field. “I’ll be back soon!” He said and turned to leave, but her voice stopped him.
“You know my name. Now it’s your turn.”
“For what?” He asked with his eyebrows raised.
“To tell me who the hell you are?” She said nonchalantly.
To Be Continued…
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