*startled*  Oh. My. Gosh. I'm simply speechless w/ this latest chapter in our young MP and J's lives. You have captured the essence of the enormity of the task given them for the good of humanity.

Such a cliff-hanger, though! Please tell me they succeed in their noble quest... and not die in the attempt. Oh, how I hate major (protagonists) character deaths.

Thank you, Jacci, for making such a difference in my life. *sniff sniff* I'm rooting for JMP all the way.

*stunned* Oh. WOW. That is so provocative! Such divine imagery as you relate how J and MP gather the courage to TEST the fortitude of the current ADMINistration and bring down the Centre! I've never seen the like in all my fanfic reading! Thanks!

Author's Response: It is such a releif to hear you say that.  You are spot on in your analysis too, it is amazing how perceptive you are and am pleased to have reached such like-minded people.

... Wow. That is such thought-provoking material! The way you described MP's heart turning toward J, the work she's willing to put into it... whoa! It's so moving, yet so in-character for both of them! I can really tell the angst and the emotional journey MP had to go through. Thank you for you vulnerability in this fic!

Author's Response: So very pleased you liked it. You may well imagine how much time it took me and I am glad it is paying off so well, and you are having the chance to enjoy it.

Wow... just wow... I am dumbstruck, speechless. I cant believe there is a story of this magnitude, of this calibre out in the world. You truly do know how to manipulate the words to trigger certain emotions and memories in your readers.

It is all so simple, yet so complex at the same time. So much is said in a few words, so many images flashing before your eyes as you read the chapters.

‘Just want to see if this works’… its just brilliance. Raines just wanted to see if cloning would work when he created Gemini. Jarod just wanted to see if escaping would work, if he could stay away from the Centre. Catherine just wanted to see if going to Raines for refuge when she had Ethan would work.

‘hey hey’… again, this is just a work of art. It rivals Di Vinci, Michelangelo… The childish playfulness, the innocence, the cheekiness. It reminds me of Jarod when he sneak out to see snow for the first time, then again for his first Christmas. Parkers teasing of poor Broots, the way Lyle drops little lines on Parker with that charming smile.

‘testing as admin’… This is just so fantastic, such imagination and seriousness. Testing as admin screams Mr (Dr) Raines. He is one of the high ptb’s in the Centre, right up there in the food chain. Just like admin is here. He loves to test. Test on Jarod, on Lyle, on Angelo, Timmy, Kyle, Ethan, Catherine… the list goes on. Life is all about tests. Tests of strength, of character, of love, of death. Tests physically, mentally, emotionally. Tests on your body and mind by those who are your keepers. Tests for the keepers by those who were once their projects.

‘It isn't easy.’ This, wow. The creativity and brilliance that comes from this screams genius! Life is never easy, nothing worth fighting for ever is. Everything in everyone’s life is never easy, in every little way.

‘the good news is I FINALLY got the damn centre function to work, yay!!!’ As everything else in your mind blowing story, even your foot notes are amazing. You seem to manage to work in the Centre into everything you write. How you do it just stuns me. I could not imagine The Centre ever working, or functioning at all. Not when you look at some of the people who run it.

I am eagerly awaiting the next chapter. I hope the full stop on the end of chapter four does not spell the End. Please, for all of your loyal readers, continue this soon. Do not put us through the pain Jarod has been through and make us wait.


Author's Response: Your analysis is truly amazing and i am amazed by it, and incredibly appreciatvie. It is giving me the motivation to proceed wrestling with this great epic.

Like Jarod, Centre permeates my thoughts and there is simply no escape for me.

RaChell, Broots wants to be her "puff daddy"! ;-)


Author's Response: Another nasty incident to witness...lol

I have to tell you, you summed up an entire lifetime with that chapter. It is so universal of the human family. Sydney would be in awe of it.

It is drama, with out TNT. It is the human condition. So intellectual. Amazing

Author's Response: Thanks so much Bucky, and the comment about Sydney, it means a lot to me. For those who know me well, they know how much I love Sydney, so I am deeply touched you think e would approve.

Oh my god, this has to be the best story I've ever read. You are so great with words. And you definitely deserve the title "Queen of Evil Cliffhangers". How can you leave us here? Pleeeeaaaasssseeeee give us another chapter!


Author's Response: A new chapter will be on the way soon, and i will try to wrap up some of the threads i have left dangle for far too long now. But it woudlnt be a Pretender story if i answered all those question too quickly now woudl it???

Oh Jacs, you have truly outdone yourself with this one! I cannot see how my humble self can write a review worthy of such genius, but I shall do my best.

The genius is in the simplicity. By stating the obvious you have forced me to re-examine my life and my choices. It is not easy, it truly is not.

And I love how you have combined "is" and "not" into the popular abbreviation "isn't". Such a casual way of saying life is hard. Showing that the POV-character, while might be struggling, is hiding his true feelings from the world, doing his best to get by. I have interpreted this as Jarod’s point of view, though it could fit just about any character. My reasoning is that it perfectly shows Jarod's appreciation for pop culture and desire to fit in, abbreviating “is” and “not”.

And ending with a punctuation, indicating that there is indeed no happy ending. "It" simply (to use your words)"isn't" easy.

And what is “it”? A curiosity is awakened deep within my soul.

I will be left in deep contemplation until the next update which I am sure will be just as soul-tearing and beatiful.

"Testing"
Wow, it says it all in chapter 3! I have to agree with M. Doc and Manoline, it truly fits the Centre.

Testing...that is what they are about! Sydney testing Jarod growing up and now twins and who ever else he can get his hands on to test. Raines testing the loyalties of others, Catherine Parker, Angelo and Ethan. And Mr. Parker, always testing Lyle and Miss Parker, even against each other. Who can forget the episode where he sends her to kill Lyle!

Then there is Jarod, always testing Miss Parker's faith in her father, the Centre and some times even her soul. The episode Keys comes to mind, when he tested her humanity re: saving the little girl's life. When they made their way through the storm to obtain vital antibiotics and forcing her to face the truth about her mother's beating. What about Bank? Testing her even there with Mr Feingor.

Miss Parker is not above testing herself. Watch how she tests Broots' loyalty. And what has he suffered for her? Sitting under Raines' desk while he attended to his personal needs. Stealing vital information, lying to Lyle (Flesh and Blood).

And what about Brigitte? She was tested and sadly for her it didn't turn out well in the end. Mutumbo even tested them in the season finale of season 3. Who can forget the power of his speech, what a dramatic delivery it was standing on the platform above them at the Centre, telling them they could not have chaos in the Centre. Ah yes, testing defines the Centre.

But it was Chapter 2 which brought tears to my eyes and really hit me in the gut. "Hey, Hey." Blade is right and no one could have put it better, "childish innocence, golden age of comedy", it sums up Jarod. But not only Jarod, it sums up the other characters too.

Mr. Parker in IOTH just before he jumps. "Hey, hey." describes that look on his face so well.

Mr. Raines when he washes Willie's feet. Nothing describes it better then "hey, hey".

"You're beautiful when you're angry." It's the look in Lyle's eyes, that little sparkle, that cute little grin. Akin to what Broots said in "Flesh and Blood" about the look that Lyle has when he's about to eat a steak raw. I could be wrong about the quote but still.... Nothing else can describe the look of raw passion for his sister.

"Hey, hey." You can almost hear it in the conversations between Sydney and Jarod with each phone call.

And don't forget that throaty look of"Hey, hey" between Miss Parker and Thomas when she's standing there wearing his shirt! It reeks of sexual connotation!

"Hey, hey", ........ two simple words that say so much.


Author's Response: I could not agree more with your analysis. It is insigtful and very accurate. It is like you are.... Angelo, and knew exactly what i was feeling as i was writing it. Truly amazing

Oh dear.

This story really does quite manage to touch the unsuspecting heart, and to move it to great depths of feeling. It is like one did not know what to true poetry meant, and upon reading the words "hey hey" one awakens to a new world, filled with meaning and hope.

It truly invokes the characters of the Pretender on an entirely new level. Certainly it is one of the most poignant portrayals out there of their never-ending plight 

I'm all moved, and such. Good thing I have that extra-large box of Kleenex nearby. 

Such delightful wickedness in this story, I'm sure you need to be putting a higher rating. Surely, you can't be getting away with merely a PG rating!!

Such spell-binding complexity, you must give us a chapter four soon! 'Hey Hey' and then 'testing as admin'. What stroke of genius will you favour us with next?!

Author's Response: You might be right about the rating, it is a tightrope I am walking ad will have to be very careful in future chapters.

Well, I’m not sure if we all understand what you’re trying to tell us with this kind of stoic words. Is it Miss Parker or Jarod who wants to see if this works? Or maybe Catherine?

It’s quite poetic and it’s really a whole-time-job to interpret it! You could become a doctor by writing a book about it.

P.S. Sorry RaChell to tell you this, but you’re wrong: It’s not U2! It’s a line of the live-version of Nelly Furtado’s “Hey, man”. The “testing” also is a part of the story:

Hey, man, don't look so scared.
You know I'm only testing you out. <- TESTING
Hey man, don't look so angry,
You're real close to figuring me out. <- Miss Parker is afraid that he finds out about her feelings …

We are a part of a circle. <- prophecy!
It's like a mobius strip,
And it goes round and round until it loses a link. <- “missing pieces”
And there's a shadow in the sky and it looks like rain,
And shit is gonna fly once again.

Hey, man, we look at each other with ample eyes, <- Carthis!
So why not some time to discover what's behind your eyes?
I've got so many questions that I want to ask you. <- all the secrets, her mother’s past …
I am so tired of mirrors- pour me a glass of your wine! <- well, not wine …

And there's a shadow in the sky and it looks like rain,
And shit is gonna fly once again!
I've got a bunch of government cheques at my door.
Each morning I try to send them back but they only send me more. <- Sweepers!
I look at myself in the mirror; am I vital today?
Hey, man, I let my conscience get in the way!

And there's a shadow in the sky , and it looks like rain,
And shit is gonna fly once again,
And I don't mean to rain on your parade,
But pathos has got me once again...
And I don't want ambivalence no more, <- ambivalence: she loves him, but she has to return him to the Centre!
I don't want ambivalence no more,
I don't want ambivalence no more,
No I don't want ambivalence no more!