Above and Beyond by CK, admin

1. Part 1 by CK

2. Part 2 by CK

Part 1 by CK
Disclaimer: The characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots etc. and the fictional Centre, are all property of MTM and NBC Productions and used without permission. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended.




Above and Beyond
Part I

by CK





Miss Parker’s short skirt was tight around her thighs. Her silky shirt barely hiding her voluptuous curves. She leant towards him; slowly exhaling with a look no one could misinterpret. Her lips gently brushed his own, then firmly kissed the nape of his neck. She grasped his hands and directed them towards her shirt – inside her shirt. Then the shirt was off. She used her tongue to unbutton his own. Her black velvet bra pushing up those delicious curves pressed against his chest. He held her face in his hands as he tenderly but sensuously kissed those lips.

"Take me, I need you" she whispered in his ear as she gently nibbled on the lobe…

Broots awoke in a hot sweat. Damnit why doesn’t that dream ever get any further than that? He took a deep breath. No he can’t think about her in that way any more. Where were her handcuffs that time? Stop it, you’re a grown man stop having these adolescent fantasies. Yes, she is a very attractive women, and he probably wouldn’t say no if she did come on to him. But the possibility of that happening was slim, and that was optimistic. Broots sighed as he settled back down in bed again. He knew sleep would be hard coming. He couldn’t get the image out of his head.

*****

"What are you doing here" Miss Parker spat at Brigitte. "Get out of my chair".

"No kisses for Mommy? Doesn’t matter. Daddy dearest sent me to find out how Jarod is taking his return." Brigitte didn’t move from the chair. Her eyes stared through Miss Parker like she already knew the answer, but was just playing games.

Miss Parker hated that. She didn’t even try to hide the look of contempt that crossed her face.

"Wunderkind is just fine. He’s not happy of course, but soon we’ll break him and he’ll be everyone’s favourite pretender again."

Brigitte slowly got out of the chair and crossed the room towards MissParker.

"Good job, princess. Continue on". With that, Brigitte patted Parker on the shoulder – the one that had taken the bullet. Pain burnt into her body, but Parker didn’t allow Brigitte the pleasure of showing it.

She merely stared Brigitte out of the room, then calmly shut the door. She then let out her breath with a grunt of pain.

Parker checked her desk thoroughly, ensuring that Brigitte hadn’t taken, touched or seen anything. Parker was fairly confident that she hadn’t, but still the paranoia was suffocating. Mr. Parker had no need to send the little woman to find out about Jarod. He could observe the sessions Sydney and Broots were running himself. Or ask Sydney. He was the onewho understood the mumbo-jumbo of the freak’s mind. She merely observed herself, as the simulations ran.

Sydney said they would curb Jarod’s sense of individuality, his longing for life outside of the Center. She thought a few more physical demonstrations of the Center’s power might just break his will. But Sydney was right. Having Jarod completely willing to do the Center’s bidding would be better for all concerned.

It was just taking too long. But she would never admit that to Brigitte or her father in case they decide it was time to put Raines on the case. She shivered as she thought of what that nutcase could do to warp Jarod’s mind. What he had done to the young Jarod clone was bad enough, but if he was let loose on his experiments… Miss Parker would free Jarod herself rather than let Raines have control over a pretender. And that was why she was still at the Center, despite capturing Jarod. Raines was going down. And she needed Jarod for that. Jarod in complete mental health that is.
Part 2 by CK
Disclaimer: The characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots etc. and the fictional Centre, are all property of MTM and NBC Productions and used without permission. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended.



Above and Beyond
Part II

by CK




Jarod was huddled in the darkest corner of the room. He tried desperately not to respond to anything around him, or to anything done to him. He rocked slowly as he collected his will. The barriers he had built in his mind to protect himself were eroding. Jarod hid himself within his sub-conscience, allowing the actions around him to buffet his body, but never harm his soul.

But his will was failing. Jarod’s grip on his own sanity, on himself was slipping. All that he had learnt – freedom, individuality, right and wrong – was leaving him. He was finding it harder to resist the temptation to simply give in, to do the Center’s bidding once more, to give up the person he had become and be the people they wanted him to be.

Engineer, assassin, pilot, terrorist. Anything they told him to be. Jarod occasionally forgot why he had to resist. He had to fight his own weaknesses in order to remain himself. But he was losing. Jarod knew this. But they didn’t. He had to outlast them; make them give up. Then he could escape again. He could be free again. He could see his father again. But it was too hard…

He will never give in, was the thought that popped into Sydney’s head every morning when he first sees Jarod. His personality has grown to strong to be overcome with the simulations. But they were sentiments Sydney never shared with anyone. They could just get Jarod killed.

Sydney watched Jarod for the observation balcony overlooking the bare room that had be Jarod’s cell since his return. His stomach churned as he saw Jarod curled up in his corner, ignoring all outside stimuli. It was like those mental patients in hospitals, completely in their own little world.

Sydney knew Jarod was scared. The simulations incorporated all of Jarod’s fears as a child – something only Sydney would know. But Jarod remained in his shaking huddle, refusing to play the Center’s games. It hurt Sydney to see Jarod like this. Jarod had become a wonderful person: strong, principled and caring. But now that man was slowly being shattered. And Sydney had no one to blame but himself.

"Um, Sydney? I’ve got the latest results from Jarod’s … reintroduction program. They’re coming up now." Broots voice broke through Sydney reverie. "There’s no change, I don’t think".

"You’re right Broots. Jarod’s personality is still … intact." Sydney paused, sensing the discomfort of Broots and himself. My God, what am I turning into. Sydney bent over the monitor looking for something, anything. "Continue the simulation sessions as planned. There is a slight change in the brain wave pattern in comparison to when he was brought in. It’s not a perceivable change from yesterday, but it’s something."

"Okay. Um, Sydney?" Broots stepped away from the other technicians and dropped his voice. "Sydney, now that the simulations are designed, do I really have to be here? You know I’m just a guy with a computer, I don’t know anything about whatever it is you do with a pretender. And besides," Broots dropped a nervous glance down at Jarod, "I don’t think I want to know what you can do with a pretender."

"You’ll stay here as long as I say you’re useful," Miss Parker’s voice sneered from behind him. "And I say you’re useful." Broots eyes widened, and his face paled as he froze to the spot he was standing. Sydney concealed a smile as he witnessed Broots’ reaction to Miss Parker. Without fail, Parker managed to reduce Broots into a quivering mass of fear and nerves by simply walking into a room. And she never seemed to notice.

"Oh, um, Miss Parker, I didn’t, that is to say, um, where did you, um…"

"Sydney, how is our beloved Jarod today?" Miss Parker strode across to the computer, brushing aside Broots. She glance at it, then focused on her real interest here. Jarod. That name had haunted her for too many years. Jarod. That cocky, arrogant bastard that kept flaunting his genius in her face. Jarod. She had hunted him to return him to his rightful place here at the Center. Jarod. That pathetic figure huddled in the corner where he had been since almost the very moment he had returned. She knew what was in store for the rest of his life. Simulation after simulation. Test after test. She understood why he had escaped. She pitied him, more than she would ever admit to.

"We are making process, although it is slow." Sydney said, keeping his voice even. Parker caught his eye. They spoke volumes. "These simulations were originally designed for new pretenders being inducted into the center. Very young children, with personalities easy to mold. Broots and I adapted them to Jarod’s developed personality. I believe, with time, that Jarod will accept the Center as his home again." Sydney spoke with more confidence then he felt.

"Good. I’m sure Father will be pleased with the progress you have made with your simulations." Brainwashing is a better term for it, Parker was tempted to add but didn’t. She knew Sydney was embellishing the truth. "Jarod will be his normal freak self under your dutiful care soon enough." Parker wasn’t afraid of a few white lies either.

The Tower had to think that Sydney’s methods would bring Jarod around. Otherwise, Raines might take over. And that was the unwritten vow that Parker, Sydney and even Broots had taken. Raines must not be let anywhere near Jarod. If Parker pitied Jarod before, the thought of what Raines could do to him terrified her. They must protect Jarod from Raines no matter what the cost. That’s why Broots was handy. He could watch Sydney’s back. Not the greatest comfort in the world, but incompetent backup is better than no back up.

****

"Jarod is making no progress. He is refusing to cooperate." Lyle stood before Mr. Parker’s desk. Brigitte was squirming on his father’s lap.

"He has been back a month and there has been no real impact on him. We should cut our loses with Jarod, and concentrate on the boy. The young Jarod is already molded to our needs. The more time he spends out there with the Major, the more independent he will become."

"The work on Jarod will continue. The Center did not invest so much money and man power into getting him back to give up so soon." As Mr. Parker spoke, Brigitte fixed her ‘come hither’ look on Lyle. Although pregnant, Brigitte was still a good-looking woman. Lyle could not forget just how attractive she was.

He could still remember her body being entwined around his own; their unquenchable desire for one another. But that was long ago. She was his stepmother now, pregnant with a sibling for him and his sister. The thought of having a family still unnerved him.

"I want that boy" wheezed a voice from the corner. Lyle unconsciously flexed his thumbless hand. Raines stood, hawk-like, watching the
proceedings in front of him. "He’s mine to deal with. Sydney is too weak to handle him. Hand both Jarods over to me and they will exceed all previous expectations."

"My daughter has reported some improvement in Jarod’s condition. Both she and Sydney believe that he will respond to treatment soon enough."

"She’s lying. She’s not objective. Her perceptive is not professional. I warned you when Jarod first escaped that she letting
personal feelings interfere with the hunt for Jarod. Now they are interfering with his reintroduction. Give him to me and he will become one of us again."

Mr. Parker considered Raines. He knew how Raines handled pretenders. They usually turned into psychopaths. Lyle, his own son, was an example of that. He had once been a child called Bobby. Then Raines re-entered his life. Another potential pretender called Dannie was so damaged by Raines he became two people. Raines was useful, but Mr. Parker would not risk turning this natural pretender into a … killer. Jarod was needed too much to allow that to happen.

"No Mr. Raines. Jarod shall remain where he is for now. Leave us. We have a family matter to discuss."

Raines turned and stalked out of the room, his oxygen tank squeaking behind him. When he had left, Lyle turned back to the desk to find Brigitte retrieving a file.

"We have a lead on the young Jarod" Mr. Parker informed his son. "You are going to find him and bring him back. The Major as well – dead or alive. I don’t want your sister to know about this. Raines has a point there. You will bring him back, and we will leave it up to my superiors as to what to do with him then. Keep Raines out of the loop as well. The young boy will probably go to Sydney. He has the best record."

"Here’s the file. I will be working with you. Just like old times," Brigitte leant forward arching her eyebrow. She then brushed her hand over her expanding stomach. "Perhaps not just like old times."

"Thank you Father. I won’t let you down. Young Jarod will return to the Center, and the Major will never interfere with us again."

Above Lyle’s head was an air vent. His voice floated down the airshaft towards a junction. Angelo sat cross-legged at the junction, listening to the conversation. He often did this. He knew more about what went on in the Center then most did. People mistook his withdrawn appearance for stupidity. But he wasn’t stupid. He had tricked them all. No one knew about him. He had hid himself within the recesses of his mind so long ago. He was safe there – no one could hurt him again. Angelo protected his true self from outsiders. Angelo made every one forgetthe real him.

What was his name again? It doesn’t matter, I’m safe. Jarod was Angelo’s friend. He had helped him so much. Now Jarod’s father was in trouble, and another boy needs saving from the Center. Angelo knew what to do. He would tell Miss Parker. She was his friend too. She would stop that little boy from being hurt like he had been hurt.

Angelo made his way to an empty room and dropped silently into it. He tapped the computer keyboard until Mr. Parker’s personal files came up. He sent a copy of them to Broots. Broots helped Angelo too. Broots would make sure Miss Parker got the files. Angelo crept back into the air vent and crawled around the ventilation system. No one bothered him in here. He found his favourite spot with his blanket and Cracker Jack box and lay down. He was safe. No one would hurt him again. No one will hurt me again.


This story archived at http://www.pretendercentre.com/missingpieces/viewstory.php?sid=4519