Disclaimer: I don't own them, I'm just borrowing them.

There is a sort of prequel: Who Controls the Pastkeygen worldofwarcraft



What The Future Holds
part 1
By Wandering Spirit





Miss Parker's office
The Centre
Blue Cove, DE
April 15, 2002

Parker couldn't get her mind off him. Ever since the last time they had seen each other on the plane, right before it blew up she hadn't stopped thinking about him. Even though her head told her that she could never be with him, her heart said differently. As the plane crash-landed, aside from getting out alive, she also prayed that when Jarod made his escape that he'd take her with him. If he really loved me as much as he said he did, he would have taken me with him, Parker thought.

Jarod couldn't get his mind off her. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Everywhere he went, everything he saw reminded him of the woman he loved. He wanted so badly to make his last daring escape with her, but he knew he couldn't have. The last thing he wanted was to put her life in danger. If she loves me as much as I know she does, she'll understand, Jarod thought. He sighed and wiped a tear from his eye as he gazed around at his surroundings. Please let her understand.

"Parker? Miss Parker?" Sydney asked as he tried to rouse the sleeping Miss Parker. She had fallen asleep at her desk for the second time in the past three days. Ever since her last encounter with Jarod, she seemed to be somewhat dazed, tired. She didn't even try to snap at Broots anymore. Her heart wasn't in it. Scaring the living daylights out of her colleague had lost its fun. There was no point to it anymore...there was no point to anything anymore. Nothing mattered. Nothing except...

"Miss Parker!" Sydney raised his voice.

Hmm? Jarod?" Miss Parker inquired as she picked her head up from her desk and looked at her surroundings.

"No, Miss Parker. Just me," Sydney replied.

"Oh. Syd. Hey. What? Did you get a new lead on Jarod?" Miss Parker asked, drowsily as she smoothed back her hair.

"No. Not yet. Parker, I'm worried about you," Sydney said, sincerely. "You haven't been focused lately. Dare I say you've...lost your edge?"

Miss Parker sighed. Freud was right.

***

Raines's office
The Centre
Blue Cove, DE
same day, same time


"We caught Jarod. We had him," Lyle complained as he paced back and forth in Raines' office.

"It's like no matter what we do, he'll always elude us. I hate to say it, but I don't think we'll ever bring him back to the Centre," Raines agreed. "Of course, I never underestimated Jarod. Every plan needs a backup."

"What are you saying?" Lyle asked.

"Jarod is our most valuable pretender, not because of what he can do himself, but because of what he can give us," Raines explained.

"And what would that be?"

"The ultimate pretender. His and Miss Parker's DNA together would give us the ultimate pretender with gifts even more extraordinary than Ethan's," Raines declared.

"And how would we do that?" Lyle asked.

"You wouldn't believe what we have conveniently stored in the bodily fluids storage area, son," Raines replied as a sickening smile graced his lips. "We don't even need Jarod anywhere near the Centre. In fact, it would be best if he wasn't concerned in this at all."

"So we use a surrogate mother to create the perfect pretender," Lyle nodded as he smiled the same disgustingly malicious smile.

"Yes. But not just any surrogate mother."

***

Miss Parker's office
The Centre
Blue Cove, DE
same day


Miss Parker paced back and forth in her office, staring at her phone. She knew she couldn't call Jarod. The line wasn't secure. But she wanted to talk to him so badly. She took a swig of Pepto-Bismol as she continued pacing. With all her worrying, her ulcer had started to act up again.

"Miss Parker, I'm sure he's fine," Broots reassured his friend.

"He hasn't called or sent us anything, played any games with us in nearly three weeks," Miss Parker sighed. "I'm beginning to think something's wrong."

"The Centre is more determined than ever now to catch him, Parker," Sydney replied. "You know Jarod wouldn't just attempt to lead anyone directly to him. Not now. He's too smart for that."

"But you'd think he'd lead ME to him, Syd. I'm different!" Parker snapped.

"Parker? I don't understand," Sydney replied as he shook his head.

"Syd, I...I..." Parker couldn't focus. Everything was spinning. She hadn't eaten anything in a week and she hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep since the last time she saw Jarod.

"Parker?" Sydney asked with concern as he put his hand on his colleague's shoulder.

"Fine," Parker lied as she leaned forward and clutched her desk for support. "I'm fine."

"When was the last time you've eaten?" Broots asked as he too now stood at his friend's side.

"I don't remember," Parker replied. "Broots, I'm not a little girl anymore. I can take care of myself," Miss Parker insisted, although she didn't even sound too sure of herself.
"Parker don't do this to yourself," Sydney chided. "It's not healthy. Jarod's fine.
I worry about him too, but this has got to stop. You're obsessing over nothing, and you're the one paying the price for it."

"I'm not obsessing over nothing! Jarod is not nothing!" Miss Parker snapped. "He means everything to me and if anything happened to him that I could've prevented, I swear Sydney, I'll lose it."

There was silence. Miss Parker's hand flew to her mouthed as she gasped. She couldn't take it back, nor did she want to, but now that she had admitted it, she knew there was going to be trouble. It didn't matter if Broots and Syd didn't tell anyone what she had just said. They were in the Centre. And as long as they were inside those walls, nothing could be kept a secret for long. She might as well finish her thought. She might as well say it.

"I love him, Syd," she sobbed as she hung her head.

Sydney tried his best to repress the smile that was tugging at the corners of his mouth. He hated to see her like this, but she had finally admitted to what Syd had known all along. Parker and Jarod were meant for each other. He didn't know why she didn't see it before.

"Miss Parker, that's nothing to be ashamed about," Sydney reassured his friend.

"I know," Miss Parker replied. "But I just sealed my fate. Now that I've admitted to it, it won't be long before everyone knows. Do you know what they'll do to me if they find out what I just admitted to? I might as well have just waltzed right up to Raines and Lyle and said it to their faces!"

"Miss Parker, everything will be fine. We'll help you if there's trouble. We promise," Broots said.

"Thank you, Broots. But I'd rather you not get involved. The last thing I want is for either of you to get hurt because of me. In fact, I probably shouldn't be here at all. I should probably just walk right out of the Centre, hop in my car, drive away, and never come back. I'm probably in more danger now than Jarod is. At least he's out there and no one knows where he is."

"So why don't you, Parker?" Syd wondered. "There's no incentive for you to stay."

Parker didn't answer. She groaned as she clutched her stomach and collapsed to her knees.

"Parker!" Sydney exclaimed in surprise as he knelt down by his friend's side. "Broots, get a doctor."

Broots nodded as he ran out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him.

***

Moore High School
Suburban Philadelphia, PA
April 15, 2002


"Good morning, class," Jarod greeted the group of eighth graders before him. "My name is Jarod Dalton, Mr. Dalton to you, and I'll be your substitute until your real teacher returns.

A curious eighth grader raised her hand. Jarod glanced down at the seating chart and called on his pupil.

"Yes, Natalie," Jarod responded.

"Yeah, uh, are you an actual chemistry teacher, or are you gonna wing it until Mrs. Mitchell returns?" Natalie wondered.

Several students chuckled in reply.

"No, actually, I know a lot about science. Some substitutes are smarter than you give them credit for," Jarod replied with a half smile.

Disclaimer in part 1




What The Future Holds
part 2
By Wandering Spirit





T-board
The Centre
Blue Cove, DE
May 3, 2002



Broots was in the holding cell, watching through the tiny window as Lyle and Raines questioned Sydney.

"Help us all," Broots murmured with a depressed sigh.

What would happen to Sydney? What about Miss Parker? Was she with Jarod? What about his own fate? And Debbie. God, he'd do anything for Miss Parker...unless the Centre threatened his little girl.

"Tell me, Sydney," Lyle questioned in a superior tone. "When did you last see Sis? What did she say to you?"

Expressionless, Sydney drew in a deep breath before answering.

"Yesterday was the last time I spoke with your sister, Mr. Lyle," he replied, cooly. "We last discussed some possibilities as to why Jarod hasn't communicated with us in so long."

"Yes, we all know that Parker is...an important part of our team when it comes to dealing with Jarod," Lyle responded as he rested his feet on the surface of the T-shaped table and leaned back in his chair. "We wouldn't want to lose her, now would we?"

"No. Most certainly not," Sydney replied.

"Tell me, Syd," Lyle continued. "How many times has Jarod slipped through your fingers in the past five years?"

With a small chuckle, Sydney answered, "Too many times to count, I'm afraid."

"Have you been helping him?" Raines interjected.

"No," Sydney replied without pause.

"Has my daughter been helping him escape?" Raines inquired.

Sydney grimaced. He hated to think that Raines was Miss Parker's father. The poor girl had been betrayed by so many people in her life, including both of the father figures she's know in her lifetime.

"There has been no indication of that, Mr. Raines," Sydney replied.

***

Beechwood Hotel
Room 107
Suburban Philadelphia, PA
May 3, 2002
4:15 PM


Jarod stood in the doorway, numbly staring at Miss Parker. Since when did she use her first name? It did seem rather appropriate, however. No longer was Jarod staring at Miss Parker, the Ice Queen. He was looking into the sad blue eyes of the little girl he had met so many years ago. Even so, he had to be careful around her. It's not that he didn't trust her, rather that he knew his role just as well as she knew hers: she was the predator, and he was the prey. Why was now any different?

"Where's the sweeper team, Miss Parker?" Jarod asked, smugly. "Usually you make more of an entrance."

"Shut up, Rat Boy," Miss Parker replied, defensively. She had wanted to sound like her usual venomous self, but somehow her reply ended up to be...well, a rather pathetic whimper.

Jarod couldn't help but broaden the smirk on his face.

"All right, Parker. You win. Go ahead. Take me back to the Centre," he joked as he held both of his hands out in front of him, ready to be handcuffed.

I shouldn't even have come here, Parker thought attempting to hold back the tears she felt coming.

"I'm not here to take you back to the Centre, Jarod," she answered, honestly, her voice wavering.

"Well what, then?"

"Jarod, I'm never going back there," Miss Parker said.

There was a pause. Jarod's smile broadened as he began to laugh.

"That's a good one, Parker! Really. You almost had me fooled," Jarod laughed. He stopped abruptly when he noticed the hurt expression on her face. "You're really not going back...are you?"

Miss Parker shook her head as she stared down at the floor. She couldn't look at him, for fear of crying.

"Parker, what's going on?"

She finally decided it was safe to look up at him and responded, "I need your help."

"Par-"

She held her hand up to silence him. "Stop this 'Parker' business, Jarod. I don't want to be a Parker any more than you want to go back to Hell. I'm Myra. Plain and simple. Now, I need to talk to you...preferably somewhere more private than this hallway."

Jarod stepped back inside and gestured for her to enter. Miss Parker accepted his offer, stepped inside, and shut the door behind her.

"You look tired," Jarod observed aloud as he looked Parker over.

"Haven't slept in days," Miss Parker replied as she sat down on the edge of the comfortable double bed. "The only sleep I've gotten is when they put me under a few weeks back."

"Put you under? What for? Par-...Myra are you all right?" Jarod inquired with an eyebrow raised as he sat beside her.

"My ulcer was giving me trouble, " she answered simply, as her hand drifted to her abdomen once more. "Let me tell you, the Renewal Wing is not the most settling place to wake up."

"I can't imagine it would be."

Okay, there's your cue. Keep going, Myra! Tell him! Tell him now, her brain screamed.

"Jarod, there's something else," Miss Parker continued, cautiously.

"I'm listening," Jarod confirmed.

"Jarod, when they put me under...they-...what I mean is-..." she faltered.

"Take your time. You can tell me," Jarod reassured the woman beside him as he took her hand in his own.

"It's really not that simple," Miss Parker said, with a nervous laugh. She was laughing, yet there were unshed tears sparkling in her sad crystal blue eyes.

"Myra, just tell me."

"Jarod, I know family is extremely important to you," she began. "Which is why I've decided to leave the Centre and join you."

"I'm not sure I understand. Parker, did you find my family?" Jarod asked, his excitement growing.

"No, Jarod," Miss Parker shook her head sadly.

"Well, what is it then?"

"There's...another member of your family that-"

"Another family member? What? An uncle? Aunt? Cousin?"

"No, Jarod. Please let me finish," Miss Parker requested. "This is hard enough without you interrupting."

"Myra, did something happen?" Jarod wondered with growing concern.

"As far as I know, your mother, sister, father, even your clone are doing fine," Miss Parker confirmed. "But...when I had my ulcer, apparently they...the Centre...Jarod, I..."

"Just come out and say it," Jarod urged. "What's wrong? Myra, what did they do to you?"

"I'm pregnant, Jarod," Miss Parker finally said.

Jarod sat there dumbfounded.

"I hadn't been feeling quite right after I got discharged from the Renewal Wing, and I had a nagging feeling that the Centre doctors had missed something or had done something to me," Miss Parker explained, slowly. "I had a 'gut feeling' that I was in danger, so I took the liberty of doing some digging through the Centre mainframe. I found some information, and...Jarod, they played God again. They created this baby...using our genetics. I went to the doctor, a real doctor. I had to know for sure...and the reality of the whole thing is that I'm having your child."

Jarod remained silent as he thought about what was just said. He couldn't believe it. He was going to be a father! Yet, this is most definitely not how he wanted things to turn out. The Centre had created this child to use for its own purpose. A mixture of emotions ran through him: joy, sorrow, fear, worry. He was going to be a father...but he knew that his family was in grave danger.

When Jarod didn't respond to the news Miss Parker had been waiting to tell him, she became very concerned.

"Jar?" she asked, using the nickname for him she hadn't used in ages. "Jarod? Are you okay?"

For a moment, he had forgotten that she was sitting there, right in front of him.

"Myra, you know I'll do whatever I can to protect my-...our family," Jarod replied as he wrapped her in a protective embrace.

Miss Parker was so relieved that Jarod was willing to accept her and her unborn child. But then again, how could she have ever thought that he'd reject them? He'd never reject his family.

It was then, sitting there, huddled in Jarod's arms, that it hit her: she would finally have the two things she's ever truly wanted in her life. She'd finally have someone to love, actually two someones. She'd also have a loving family. For the first time in her life she felt as if she was on the right team, the right side of the battle. Maybe she would have the picturesque family that she had always secretly dreamed of.

She said his name as she gazed into his eyes.

"I love you," she told him.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I love you too. I love both of you," he added as his hand came to rest over her abdomen.

***

T-board
The Centre
Blue Cove, DE
May 3, 2002
5:30PM

Sydney breathed a sigh of relief as he was escorted back into the holding cell. He had chosen the answers to their questions carefully. Though he knew they would interpret his responses as testing his loyalty to the Centre, he was testing his loyalty to Jarod and Miss Parker.

I hope you find her, Jarod, Sydney wished silently to himself.

"Mr. Broots!" Lyle called to the nervous computer tech.

Broots and Sydney exchanged glances as the techie walked out of the cell and sat in the chair at the end of the T-board. For the love of God, please don't let me say anything stupid, Broots prayed. For Miss Parker's sake, I'd better not say anything stupid.

"Mr. Broots, we are ready to begin," Lyle announced from the other end of the table...

***

Air Vents
The Centre
Blue Cove, DE
May 3. 2002
Same time...


A pair of watchful eyes glanced about, from Lyle to Broots and back again.

"Broots...scared," the figure said. "Broots scared for daughter...scared for daughter and daughter's daughter!" he whispered in realization. He smiled to himself.

"Daughter...the new Parker legacy begins with you," he quoted as he disappeared into the darkness of the air vents.

Disclaimer in part I
Note: Pre-Pretender material from this story is also used in my other (separate) story, Who Controls the Past. I felt that the Pre-Pretender material gave way to an entire story in itself! I encourage you to please read WCTP also, if you end up liking this little "preview."




What The Future Holds
part 3
By Wandering Spirit




Beechwood Hotel
Suburban Philly, PA
May 3, 2002
7:00PM

Jarod awoke from a wonderful dream and noted the woman asleep in his arms. They had stayed in each other's embrace until they had fallen asleep; their minds heavy with thought. Parker stirred in his arms and let out a soft cry.

"No...don't take her...please, no...help, Mamma...No, please...Help me, Jarod...Mamma...I don't know what to do...save my baby," she whispered in distress.

"Par-...Myra, wake up. Myra, wake up," Jarod urged as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Mmhh?" Miss Parker whimpered as she awoke. She looked at her surroundings and relaxed.

"You all right?" Jarod asked in concern.

"It was just a dream...a horrible dream, but it was just a dream," Miss Parker replied, obviously shaken by the whole ordeal.

"It's over now," Jarod comforted. "They won't find you here. I'll protect you. I won't let anything happen, I promise."

********************************************************************************

The Centre
1970

A young, distraught Miss Parker hurried through the bowels of the Centre, desperately searching for her companion. She instinctively headed toward the direction of the Sim Lab, where she knew he would be at the time of day. She burst through the door to the lab, and Sydney, who had been intently observing Jarod, whirled around to confront the intruder.

"Oh God, Jarod," Miss Parker sobbed.

"Miss Parker, what wrong?" Jarod asked, worried, as he abruptly forgot about the simulation and hurried to his friend.

"Jarod!" Sydney admonished. His expression mellowed, however, when he noticed the look of pain on the young lady's face.

"I need to talk to you," Miss Parker requested, desperately. "Not here though. Somewhere else. Hurry," she spoke rapidly as she pulled Jarod in the direction of the door.

"I'll be back Sydney. Don't worry," Jarod called as he exited the room.

He saw Sydney turn toward the observation camera and say something, his mark accompanied by a frustrated sigh.

Miss Parker slowed down as she approached one of the many hidden alcoves in the building.

"What is it, Miss Parker? Why are you so sad?" Jarod wondered.

"It's Daddy," she explained in a hushed voice. "Jarod, he told me I couldn't see you anymore. He told me that I'd be punished if I even tried to get anywhere near you. He threatened to-...Jarod, I don't wanna leave you. I can't leave you. You're my best friend, and I care about you so much. I wouldn't be able to live without you, Jarod. I can't imagine what my life would be like without you. Jarod, please help me. Think of something. I don't want him to do this. I don't know what to do."

"Shh," Jarod soothed as he pulled his friend close in a warm embrace, allowing her to sob on his shoulder. I won't let anything happen. I promise..."

********************************************************************************

Present
Room 107

"...I promise," Jarod said again.

"Last time you said that..."

"Last time," Jarod began. "We had no control over the situation."

Parker was silent for a moment. Then, looking at him with sad eyes, she said, "In my dream, they took her, Jarod. They took our little girl, and there was nothing anyone could do."

"It was just a dream. That won't happen. I'll protect both of you," Jarod assured her.

"Don't let us down, Jarod. Please don't let us down," she whispered.

********************************************************************************

The Centre
1970

Later that day, after her conversation with Jarod, young Miss Parker sat on the couch in her father's office emotionally exhausted. All she could think about was Jarod. She thought back to a discussion that she had with her mother, about a week before her death.

'Will I ever find someone to love, like you found Daddy?' she had asked her mother.

'I think you will,' her mother had replied.

She thought of that conversation often, especially in light of recent events.

"I've found that someone," Miss Parker whispered to herself. Then the tears came.

"Angel!" her father called as he stepped into the room. "You're a Parker. It's about time you started acting like one. Stop crying. You're a disgrace to the Parker name!"

"Daddy, I want to see Jarod," Miss Parker demanded as she stood up, gathering all the courage she could muster.

"I'm afraid that's out of the question."

"But, Daddy...don't you want me to be happy?" Miss Parker inquired.

"I know what's best for my Angel, and your...' relationship' with that...freak, that science experiment of unacceptable!" Mr. Parker growled.

"Mamma would want me to be happy," she protested. " She said so herself. She said that-"

"I don't give a damn about what you mother thinks!" Mr. Parker exploded as he approached his daughter, causing her to shrink back in fear and fall onto the couch. "Your mother is dead! She can't influence you anymore! From now on, you will do as I say, and if you don't obey me you will suffer the consequences!"

"No, Daddy! I'm going to see Jarod!" she protested as she began to stand up.

"How dare you defy me!" Mr. Parker spat as he shoved his daughter back down onto the sofa.

"Let me see him! You can't take me away from him, Daddy! I love him!" Miss Parker screamed as she stood and struck her father across the face.

"Why you little..." Mr. Parker threatened, outraged that his own daughter would strike him.

"Daddy, I'm sorry!" Miss Parker gasped. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was doing! Please forgive me!"

"You little bitch! You're just as defiant as your mother!" Mr. Parker growled as he hit her.

Miss Parker collapsed on the couch, facedown, with a grunt.

"Only she was never stupid enough to fight back," he added.

Miss Parker slowly rose, her crystal blue eyes sparkling with hatred and tears of sorrow.

"Mamma wanted me to be with him," Miss Parker declared. "She planned to take up away from here so we could be together and-"

"Your mother was delusional! She had no idea what she was talking about half the time. She was sick, Angel. You shouldn't believe a word she said. It's a bunch of rubbish! All that happily ever after nonsense is never going to happen, Angel. You don't deserve it," Mr. Parker sneered.

"I deserve it a hell of a lot more than you do!" Miss Parker retorted.

She braced herself for the pain.

She felt the rough hands firmly grip her shoulders. She felt a spray of his saliva on her face, inches from his, as he ranted and shook her. She felt her heels lift from the ground as she was thrown across the room.

She felt her head strike the rough edge of the thick glass-top desk.

"Jarod, Mamma...help me," she whimpered

Then she felt numbness before even falling to the floor.

********************************************************************************

Present
T-board
The Centre
Blue Cove, DE
May 3. 2002
8:00 PM

Broots had thought it was all over...how wrong he was. After being interrogated for nearly an hour both he and Sydney had been released. They had been called back to the T-board a few moments later in response to some "new developments" in the search for the runaways. This couldn't be good.

"Mr. Broots, have you made any attempts to locate my daughter after you discovered she was missing?" Dr. Raines inquired.

"Y-y-yes, Sir," Broots replied, earnestly. "Sydney and I were worried, so we decided to trace her cell phone and credit card."

"And did you come up with any clues as to her current whereabouts?" Raines asked.

"W-w-well...only one, Sir," Broots replied.

"Dammit! Broots, you moron!" Sydney swore, using the familiar "Parker-ism" as he paced back and forth in his cell.

"She appears to have m-made a withdrawal from an ATM machine in Blue Cove, but that was hours ago. She could be anywhere by now," Broots explained.

Raines sighed, knowing that he wouldn't get any useful information from the techie.

"I understand your concern, D-doctor Raines," Broots added. "I know that if anything happened to Debbie that I would search high and l-"

"Are you aware, Mr. Broots, that we have had someone reply to a message we have posted online, confirming a sighting of both Jarod and my sister?" Lyle asked, with an amused grin. He liked to make Broots squirm almost as much as his sister did.

Sydney held his breath.

"N-n-no," Broots replied. "Where d-did they say they were?"

"That is, of course, none of your business," Mr. Lyle replied. "I was just wondering if you were surprised at their...carelessness."

"W-why do you want Miss Parker back so badly?" Broots asked. "I mean I understand why you want Jarod. We've been chasing him for years, but Miss Parker could have taken a nice vacation, or-"

"Because!" Lyle snapped. "She...has something that we want."

"Such as?" Broots challenged, surprising himself with his bravery. * Watch it, Broots. *

Lyle laughed.

"Now, if I told you that, I'd hafta kill you," Lyle replied.

Broots gulped.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Beechwood Hotel
room 107
May 4, 2002
7:00 AM

While Miss Parker, who was physically and emotionally exhausted, had slept the whole night. She awoke expecting to find Jarod lying next to her. She was surprised to find herself alone. There was a note in place of his sleeping form.

Myra,
I've gone to work at the local high school. There are some things I need to take care of.
See you this afternoon.
-J

"Hmm," Miss Parker mused, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. "Should I? Or shouldn't I?...I should," she decided as she got out of bed, quickly regretting her decision as a wave of nausea greeted her.

"Oh, God," she sighed as she raced to the bathroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moore High School
Suburban Philly, PA
May 4, 2002
10:00 AM


"Okay, seeing as how we had a little too much fun with our lab yesterday, I thought it might be a good idea to give the class a quiz on lab procedure and the proper use of lab equipment," Jarod announced as he grabbed a stack of papers off his desk.

"Oh, come on!" Natalie protested. "Mrs. Mitchell would never do this to us."

"You've obviously been sleeping in class then," Meredith retorted. "Mrs. Mitchell has given us plenty of pop quizzes before."

"Meredith, you're NOT helping," Natalie grumbled. "Just because you never need to study for any test, in ANY subject, and still ace all of them doesn't mean you can have pleasure in watching the rest of us suffer."

Meredith smirked. "Yes it does," she replied smugly as she took a test paper and passed the rest of the pile to the student behind her.

Jarod's curiosity was peaked at hearing this exchange.

"Meredith is just lucky, I guess," Jarod replied.

"You kidding?" a student from the back row called out. "She's a genius or something! They pulled her out of class for an IQ test a few weeks back."

"A genius?" Jarod asked, cautiously. "Really..."

Meredith shrugged.

"If your school work is so easy, wouldn't your parents let you skip a grade or send you to another school with a more challenging curriculum?" Jarod asked.

"My parents would rather let me have a 'normal' education," Meredith replied using finger quotations in the appropriate place. "They thought that by integrating me into school with older kids or 'gifted' ones that it would have some horrible effect on my social skills. They say my social life is as equally important as my education."

"Jarod nodded," I guess it is important to know how to communicate with others in the outside world.

"Outside world?" Natalie questioned. "What planet are you from?"

"Earth, of course," Jarod replied, puzzled. * What planet did she think I was from? *

"Like that," Meredith laughed. "They don't want me saying stupid things like that."

Jarod blushed.

"Besides," Meredith continued. "Back when they were looking at gifted programs, they came across this weird place in Delaware..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beachwood Hotel
Room 107
May 4, 2002
10:00 AM

Miss Parker had spent most of the morning developing her new identity: Myra Seraph. She chuckled for a moment. She was no longer a Parker, or a Raines. But somehow having a last name that meant "angel" seemed okay. Sure, it was Mr. Parker's nickname for her, but she still wasn't ready to let go of the fact that she had trusted her father at one point in time, and that back when her mother was alive, her father had seemed so much happier, more kind, somehow. Despite everything that had happened she still wasn't ready to let go of the only man she knew as her father. Plus now, without a doubt, she'd be traveling with Jarod righting wrongs and bringing justice to the world. She would be a guardian angel of sorts. Either way, it seemed appropriate.

Miss Parker, a.k.a. Myra Seraph, had falsified her life from her birth certificate to her job credentials.

Ironic, she thought. All my life I have been living a lie, and I still will be. Now, least I'm making the lie a happier one.

She checked her appearance in the mirror. Nodding with approval at her modest outfit, she stuffed her papers, ID, etc. into her shoulder bag and left the hotel room.

Nodding hello to the clerk in the lobby, who was busy talking on the telephone, Myra walked out of the hotel, and headed to her rental car.

"Yes, the woman just left," the clerk talked into the phone. "You said her name was Parker?"

"That's correct," a voice on the other end of the line wheezed. "My...associates and I should be arriving in about an hour."

Disclaimer in part I
By the way, I apologize in advance for any "copyright infringement" due to the use of certain "chemistry vocabulary words" in this story, but they just begged to be used SOMEWHERE in Jarod's chemistry class. (Just think, Jarod learned something new to add to his list of discoveries from my real-life chemistry class, and he's got my teacher to thank...she knows who she is * grin *). And to think these words somehow ended up in my daily vocabulary. I wonder how that happened? "Shuntah!" * Grin again * I'm just borrowing, honestly (by the way, I hope I spelled them correctly). No "Pooh Bears" intended..."So nice!"

No more rambling; on with the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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What The Future Holds
part 4
By Wandering Spirit






Moore High School
Science Room
May 4, 2002
11:00 AM


"...So when you need to balance the chemical equation and then take the spectator ions out of the equation to get the net ionic equation, and-" Jarod rambled.

"Slow down! Slow down!" a student called.

"Sorry. Am I going to fast?" Jarod inquired. "I apologize."

"So you remove the spectator ions, and then what?" Natalie asked.

"And then it goes, 'shuntah'!" Meredith exclaimed dramatically, sending the entire class into a fit of laughter.

"What? What's so funny?" Jarod wondered.

"And for my next impression..." Meredith continued.

"Mrs. Mitchell always uses the word, 'shuntah', for some odd reason," Natalie explained as she rolled her eyes. "Like, instead of saying, 'the chemicals combine' she says, 'and the chemicals go-"

"Shuntah!" Meredith finished.

"Interesting," Jarod concluded. "And what, exactly, does this, 'shuntah' word of hers mean?"

"Nobody knows," Meredith replied with a shrug.

"Interesting," Jarod repeated.

Suddenly, the classroom door flew open, and in rushed...

"Myra?" Jarod asked.

"Jarod, they're here!" Myra panicked. What had started out as a surprise visit from Substitute Teacher, Myra Seraph had suddenly turned into a nightmare.

"The Centre? Here? Now?" Jarod asked with concern.

"Wait! That gifted school?" Meredith wondered.

"More like a nuthouse," Myra replied. "Jarod, we gotta go."

"Thank your parents for not sending you there," Jarod said to his student as he rushed out the door, only to come face-to-face with...

"Who was going to be sent to the Centre?" Raines asked, accompanied by his ten sweepers who restrained Jarod and Parker.

Meredith's eyes widened in horror when she saw the bald man with sunken eyes enter the room.

"Why are you taking them?" the girl demanded.

My, my. Isn't she the bold one?" another smug voice added as a younger, dark-haired man entered the room.

"Lyle!" Myra spat as two sweepers grabbed a hold of her. Meanwhile, Jarod was struggling to free himself from the grasp of four more sweepers.

"Hold still, Sis. This won't hurt a bit," Lyle said with mock comfort as he revealed a syringe from his coat pocket.

He jabbed the needle into his sister's arm as she uttered a groan of pain.

"Nighty-night," Lyle said as Myra lost consciousness.

"No! Myra, wake up!" Jarod urged. "Raines, what have you done?"

"Let them go!" Meredith ordered, boldly, noting that she was the only student confronting the strange men. The rest of her classmates had shrunken back towards the other side of the room. She looked around her for something to aid her teacher in his escape, finding only a near empty bottle of diluted hydrochloric acid on a nearby shelf. * I can make this work. *

"That governMENTAL agency you were talking about wasn't just make-believe," Jarod replied as a needle entered his arm. "Run, Meredith," he ordered before his body went limp.

There was no way of just running out of the room. She was outnumbered, and Lyle was blocking the door. Instead of running, Meredith reached for the bottle of HCl, unscrewed the nearly open cap (hardly anyone in her class ever followed proper lab procedure, and this was the ONLY time their laziness would come in handy), and trust the contents in the direction of Lyle's face.

"Ahh! Bitch!" Lyle screamed, covering his burning eyes as Meredith knocked him down in the attempt to run out of the room. "Grab her!!"

Before she knew what was happening Meredith felt the cold, clammy hands of the man her teacher had referred to as "Raines" restraining her.

"Let...me...GO!" the teenager ordered as she struggled. * He's stronger than I thought. *

Two other sweepers aided Raines, in restraining the rebellious teen, while another tended to Lyle. The last remaining sweeper administered a tranquilizer to the squirming girl.

Somewhere in town car
God knows what time


Jarod awoke to find himself in the back seat of a Centre town car, cruising down a long stretch of deserted country road at an unearthly speed. His one arm was handcuffed to the door handle to his left, and the other to a sleeping Miss Parker. Jarod waited for his head to stop spinning before he made further observations.

Miss Parker was handcuffed to Jarod and the girl next to her...Meredith. Meredith was cuffed to Parker and the door at her right. She too was unconscious.

I let them down, Jarod thought. I broke a promise, and I let them down.

"Planning your escape?" a voice from the driver's seat inquired. It was Willie, Raines's most loyal sweeper. "Well, we're almost to the Centre, and I doubt you can concentrate on anything since the tranquilizer is still in your system. Still tired, I presume?"

It was true. Jarod felt as though he were going to pass out again. He tried his best to fight the effects of the drugs, but to no avail. His eyes closed; he slept.


The Centre
May 4, 2002
2:00 PM

Broots ran frantically to the Sim Lab where he knew Sydney would be.

"Syd!" Broots called as he burst through the door, calling his colleague's attention away from the set of twins Sydney had been observing.

"They're here! Raines brought Jarod and Miss Parker back!" Broots announced. "Oh man, Syd. What are they going to do to them? To us? We have to do something!"

"Dammit!" Sydney swore, scaring the two young girls who had suddenly been forgotten.

"I know! Raines and Lyle brought them in," Broots continued. Well, Lyle was being led to the Infirmary with a funky stain all around the shoulder of his jacket. Bleach maybe...anyway, they brought this girl in too. Some teenager."

"A person Jarod was trying to help on one of his pretends?" Sydney mused.

"Possibly. Why would they want her though? To pump her for information?"

"Maybe," Sydney replied.

"Syd, this isn't good," Broots said, stating the obvious. "We need a plan, a plan to help them escape again. If I know Raines he's going to take care in closing off every possible exit and have guards watching them 24 : 7," he rambled.

"Yes, Broots."

"But I don't think there's anything we can do to help them."

"I know, Broots."

"And I sure as hell don't want them doing anything to my Debbie."

"Broots! Get a hold of yourself, Man!" Sydney ordered, grabbing the techie by the collar of his brightly colored Hawaiian shirt.

The two men's argument was interrupted by the voice of a third.

"Mr. Broots! Sydney!" Dr. Raines called from the doorway.

The twins simultaneously shuddered and exchanged worried glances.

"Come with me," Raines ordered as a sweeper team stormed the room and lead Miss Parker's colleagues out the door and down the hallway, leaving the two young girls in the Lab alone.

They took the elevator all the way down to SL-26 and were lead to a room labeled,
'Re-education'.



Dun, dun, dun! I know. I'm mean. Sorry to leave you hanging there, but Part 5 is in the works.
Don't worry; be happy! :-D


What do you think? Feedback at CAT2886@aol.com