Disclaimer: The pretender is owned by Fox TV, TNT (& NBC??) as well as the great creators. I don't own any characters form the show.
Charity, Catherine (Not Catherine Parker), the Rogers family are my own creation.
Thank you Gables for all your help with the typos and ideas to make parts less confusing etc. It's great to have some one to edit my fic's. All mistakes are mine and mine alone.
This is a sequel to
Charity Alien Project-mp3-freeFor Catherine
By: StarbeamIntroduction: The Centre has been a part of Charity's life now for three years. The Centre muted her visionary ability and only let her use it when they want her to. Charity is Sydney's daughter and he's been able to keep her secluded from a lot of the evil at the Centre.
*********
"Charity, I'm sorry, but you have to wake up." Sydney said softly
"Um" I said
"Wake up I have to take you back to the Centre." He said
"Papa can't I stay here and go in tomorrow morning?" I begged
"Charity, you know the rules, I leave and you stay at the Centre until I return. He said "Now, come on, up you get."
I yawned and turned over.
"We're leaving in five minutes." He said walking out of my room and closing the door behind him.
"Can't they give him a normal schedule?" I muttered getting up. I pulled the outfit from my dresser that I'd gotten ready for the next time we had to leave at night and changed into in. Then I brushed my hair and tied in back with a cloth pony tail holder. My father knocked on the door.
"Are you ready?" He asked though it. I looked at my watch.
"I still have one minute." I said getting up and opening my door. "I just need to get my flute and laptop." I picked them up then grabbed my teddy bear off my bed. We walked to the car and headed back to the Centre.
*********
"We've been waiting for you, Sydney. Wait isn't she one of the Centre's residents?" The man at the door asked.
"Yes, she is. I'm bringing her back from the other side of the Centre. Sorry it took so long, we were in the middle of a project." My father said, making up the story as he went along.
"Why didn't you bring her back thorough the halls? We wouldn't want to lose one of our residents." The man said looking at me with a fake smile.
"Why would I want to leave?" I asked as my bear slipped out of my hand.
"We came this way to give her some time outside. Fresh air is good for people and it's the fastest way from that side of the Centre to this side." Sydney said
"Well better put um?" The man said as he bent down and picked up my bear. He handed it to Sydney.
"I'll see you on the jet." Sydney said taking my arm. We walked away leaving the man at the Centre's main door.
"Gee, what a very creepy man." I said "He's a very scary read. I think he might-"
"Charity stop" My father said suddenly.
"Empathic?" The man said walking up behind us. I didn't hear him coming nor was I trying to read anyone so I didn't feel him either. In fact after reading him I didn't want to feel anything from others for some time.
"Who?" Sydney asked
"Your young charge, whose name I didn't catch." The man said
"Yes, she is." Sydney said as the elevator doors opened and we both stepped in. The man stepped in just before the doors closed.
"Well, I hope you found me interesting, Miss." He smiled
"You seem a kind man." I lied
"Um" He said "And you would be?"
"Sydney's charge." I said
"Interesting name Miss Charge" He said "I'm Mr. Lyle"
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Lyle" I said as my father pushed the button to SL-4.
"I need to go to my office then I'll see you to your room." My father said. I nodded, seeing the problem as he did.
"Why don't I take Miss Charge to her room while you get ready to go. It would take less time that way. " Mr. Lyle said
"That's quite all right we're going to talk over the project on the way to her room." My father said quickly.
"Just don't be late , wouldn't want you left behind." Mr. Lyle said as the elevator stopped at SL-4. My father and I stepped out thankful that Mr. Lyle didn't join us.
"He works here?" I asked as we walked to my father's office.
"Yes" He answered
"But he's-" I stopped and looked around making sure that we were alone. "a murderer."
"Charity, never talk about what you just found out. He's one dangerous man and also a Parker."
"No way." I gasped.
"Afraid so." He said picking up some files.
We headed back to the elevator.
"As in Miss. Parker and Mr. Parker?" I asked as we stepped into the elevator.
"Yes" He said pushing to button to SL-16. "He's Miss Parker's brother."
"And Mr. Parker's son." I said "I feel sorry for both of them."
We stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hall to my Centre room. My father opened the door with his key card.
"I'll be back in a few days. Do you have everything?" He said. I put down my flute and checked my pocket for my key card then nodded.
We walked into my room and I put my laptop and flute down on my desk. Then I took my bear from my father and gave him a hug.
"I love you. papa." I said
"I love you too, Charity. Be careful, don't leave the sublevel and keep an eye on little you." He told me as he did ever time before he left.
"Yes, papa. Travis is here if I need him, right?" I asked not sure if he was back from his sweeper training exercise.
"No" My father answered. "He's still at training." I nodded. That left Mr. Parker as my caretaker.
"See you soon." My father said walking out of my room.
********
"Sydney" Miss Parker said as he stepped onto the Centre jet. "I almost thought it would be just Broots and I. What held you up?"
"Where's Lyle?" Sydney asked quickly as the jet taxied to the runway.
"My poor brother is sick. I'd thought that you'd be happy he wasn't coming with us." Miss Parker replied.
"God, no" Sydney said running to the cockpit.
"I need you to let me off." Sydney told the pilot.
"Sorry, but I can't" The pilot replied. "We're already in the air. Orders are, as you know, once up, down only at our destination."
"I need off now." Sydney said about to lose his temper.
"Look, Sydney, go back to your seat. I don't want to start something with you. You're a nice person. Please, just sit down. We'll land soon." The pilot said.
"Fine" Sydney said walking back to the seats. He sat in the front away from everyone else and pulled out his cell phone. He seed dialed Charity and waited for her to answer.
"Come on, pick up." He said. After the tenth ring he tried her pager.
He typed this message in hopes she'd get it "Charity, Lyle is still at the Centre. I don't know if he's up to something in regards to you meeting him, but STAY IN YOUR ROOM. I'll be back ASAP. Sydney." He sent the message and returned to his seat next to Broots.
"Sydney are you OK?" Broots asked never seeing Sydney act that way before.
"I'm fine." He lied
***********
I laid down on my cot a looked up at the cameras.
'I'll never get use to being watched like this.' I said to myself as I turned over and faced the wall. 'I'd hate to have to live here all the time.' I drifted off to sleep.
*********
Sydney looked at his beeper wishing that he'd get an answer from Charity. Then he turned to Broots. "I need to use your laptop to send a coded message."
"What?" Miss Parker asked turning to Sydney.
"I'm not going to send anything to Jarod. I just need to get a message to a friend and I don't want the Centre to know." He said
"Fine with me." Broots said. He opened his laptop. He booted it up and opened a file called. Then he logged onto the net.
"To who?" He asked
"I'll type and send it myself." Sydney replied.
"I need to do it, so if we start being tracked I can dump it without them finding out it was us" Broots said
"Um, Samatha." Sydney said
"Samantha." Broots said typing in the name. "Message?"
"Please, stay where you are. Back soon, Sydney." Sydney said
"Fine." Broots said typing in the message and sending it to the address Sydney gave him.
"Thank you." Sydney said sitting back, sighing as he did.
"Who's Samatha?" Broots asked
Disclaimer: The pretender is owned by Fox TV, TNT (& NBC??) as well as the great creators. I don't own any characters form the show.
Charity, Catherine (Not Catherine Parker), the Rogers family are my own creation.
Author's's note: Thank you Gables for all your help with the typos and ideas to make parts less confusing etc. It's great to have some one to edit my fic's. All mistakes are mine and mine alone.
For Catherine
Part two
By: Starbeam
Mr. Lyle smiled down at his find and pushed the button to SL-27. The elevator reached SL-27 and the doors opened to two sweepers. They each picked up one of the girls and carried them down the hall to one of the remaining labs.
"What have we here?" Raines asked as the sweepers put both sleeping girls down hospital beds.
"Miss Charge and her sister, or so she says." Lyle told him
"Both young and healthy looking." Raines said "They younger one is most likely Miss Charge's clone. You found them both on Sydney's sublevel?"
"Yes they were together." Lyle said
"Wonderful and both you belive to be Multiple Gifted. This is much better then I'd hoped for, Lyle. I asked for two young heath MG's and you find me two so alike. Well done." Raines said looking at the two girls as they slept.
"We need their name's so I can get you their files." Lyle said looking at Charity. Raines nodded as he went about restraining the two girls to their respected hospital beds.
*********
I woke with a start and looked around. My sister laid on a hospital bed restrain as did I. I turned my head and came face to face with Mr. Lyle.
"I hope you slept well. " He said smiling. "Now I'd like you to let me your real name, young lady."
"If you have permission to do whatever it is you're up to, then you'd have our names on the permission forms." I answered.
"You see, Miss Charge, I work here and you live here. I asked you your name so you're to give it. Understand?" He said
"No" I answered "You see, Mr. Lyle, I know you'd have no need to ask if you had the forms-"
"That's enough." I heard from the shadowed area behind Lyle. "Tell us your name, young lady."
I shook my head.
(Flash back)
"You're to tell no one that you are related to each other." One of the Triumvirate member's said. "Do you understand, Charity?"
"Yes" I answered
"If you do you will lose the privilege to stay at your father's house while he is in Blue Cove and we will make him forget who you are."
He man stepped into view carrying a syringe. I flinched at the sight.
""I'm Mr. Raines and you're?" He said
"Mr. Raines, please just talk to Mr. Parker." I said as he walked over to me.
"I'm asking you." He said
"I don't belive you have the Tower's permission to have us be a part of this." I said
"I have all the permission I need." He told me
"From who?" I asked
"Miss Charge this is drug number 12,342. I invented it and I must say it's quite useful. I call it pain." He said holding my arm. "I only asked for your name's."
"Sir, please." I cried closing my eyes.
"Name's?" He asked
I said nothing.
"I really don't want to use this on you, but I'm left with little choice." He said poking the needle into my vein. I shuddered. "Your name's?"
"I can't" I said weakly.
Suddenly ever muscle in my body shook with pain.
"Please" I cried out. "I can't tell you. Mr. Parker, please sir, talk to him."
"Young lady, just your name's" He said softly.
I laid there as my muscles shook and throbbed. An hour later I could take in no more.
"Mercy." I wept beginning to feel faint. "I-I-I-"
"Do you understand who is in charge now?" He asked
I nodded.
"Good girl." He said then gave me another shot. My body went numb then back to normal as if the hour of pain had never happened, but my mind remembered.
"Charity" I cried
"And your clone?" He asked
I looked at him and sighed.
"Her name is Catherine." I said
"And she is your clone right? Not your sister as you told Mr Lyle?" He asked
"Yes sir, Catherine is my clone." I said
"Who" Lyle stormed putting his face inches from mine. "Who gave that thing that name?"
I read pure rage from him and began to shake with fear. There was no way to get away from him and I didn't understand why he was so mad.
"I don't know" I answered
"I don't belive you." He took my arms and began shaking them. "Who gave that thing that name." He spat. The restraints tore at my skin.
"I don't know." I cried "Please, sir, you're hurting me."
"Enough!" Raines barked pulling Lyle back.
I trembled looking up at Mr. Lyle trying to understand his anger.
"Go get their files from Sydney's office." Raines told him.
"Fine" Lyle huffed looking at me. Then he turned and stormed out of the lab.
I looked over at Catherine with tears in my eyes.
"It's only her name." I cried softly.
Raines took off one of the restraints from my right risk and cleaned the wound then he wrapped gauze around it and put the restraint back. He did the same with my left risk.
"Please let us go." I asked as I felt another needle in my arm. I soon fell asleep.
I woke and turned to Catherine after hearing her whimpering.
"No, please leave her alone.." I cried "She's only a baby."
Three men stood around her each in a white lab coat. One was drawing her blood. Another was writing on a chat as the other looked on.
"Young lady" Raines said angerly. I turned to him.
"Y-Yes, sir?" I asked
"I want your name's, NOW." He ordered.
"Ch-Charity and Ca-Catherine." I said softly.
"How come we can't find your files, Miss Charity?" He asked angrily.
I closed my eyes for a second then looked at him.
"I don't know, sir. Maybe Sydney took them with him? He did that some files on his trip. I was in his office when he got them. We were on our way back from a project." I told him.
"Every well." He nodded "He might have them."
Lyle bent down and said to me. "Catherine is not a name for a thing."
"She's NOT a thing." I barked "She's a person."
"She's a copy of a person. A copy is not real." He said watching the men walk away from Catherine and out of the room.
"She's a person. It not her fault she's a clone." I snapped
"Debate this later." Raines ordered "We have our subjects and that is was we needed."
"At least we won't need to use a Real person for the experiment." Lyle said to me. "You're a pain, but you're worth something or the Centre wouldn't have cloned you."
"No" I yelled "Please, Mr. Raines, d-don't hurt her. U-use me."
"You really seem to care about her." Raines said turning to me. "You are older and your heart in stronger."
I nodded
"Every well." He said "Put Catherine back to sleep."
"No" Catherine cried
"Sleep, baby" I said softly "You'll be OK. I'll be fine"
"Charity" She said "I love you."
"I love you too, baby." I said as she fell asleep.
"How touching." Lyle stormed."I'll go check to see how the lab work is going, but I must say that it's foolish to use a real person when you have a fake right there." He pointed at Catherine.
"She as a mind and a heart. She is as real as you and me." I said coldly.
"Hardly" He snapped before leaving.
Raines pulled a IV tube next to my hospital bed and put it into the vein on my left arm. Then he pulled on over to Catherine's bed and did the same to her.
'I don't understand why her name got him so upset.' I said to myself as Raines hooked my finger in a heart monitor. A cold shiver ran down my back. Then the door opened and two machines were pushed in. They each had a multitude of electrodes hooked to them with multiple colored wires. Each was pushed to the head of our beds.
"You said you wouldn't use her." I cried out.
"She will take your place as you did hers. I need some one to us as comparison." He said walking to the head of my bed as the sweepers left the room. "I'll let her sleep through the whole thing for your complete cooperation."
"Thank you" I said weakly as I nodded. He removed my restraints. I rubbed my risks as he walked over and removed Catherine's.
Yep I don't own tP or any of the characters of the show. God like I know all who does at this time. Well I think it's TNT, Fox TV and maybe NBC still does but I have no clue at this time so I'm putting them down just to be safe. I'll put them all back to where ever they belong when I'm done if I can find the place. A ever confused and hopeful Star. Hopeful of course that a TV station will be so kind as to help us out with the new-runs.
Note: I know that Sydney's last name is still unknown, but I'm using Green just because I needed a last name. Thank you Gables for your help.
For Catherine
Part Three
By:Starbeam
A lab worker came back into the room and began connecting the electrodes to Catherine's head. I watched until Raines started moving my bed to an up right poison.
"Lets see." He muttered to himself taking my head in his hands. He massaged my head for a minute then stopped at the spot were the lobes came together. My stomach turned and I began to shake. Then he began the task of connecting the electrodes to my head.
"You seem close to your clone. How long have you known her?" He asked
I sighed. "All her life, sir." I answered.
"Interesting the Centre never permitted that before." He said
**********
(Flash back)
I slowly walked down the hall listening for any noise.
"Damn" I said quietly "Which way?"
I'd never been to the South side of the Centre but really felt the need to go there. It was as if I could tell something bad was happening. If I got caught I'd end up facing Mr. Parker and then my father, but I had to find out what was going on. I turned down another hall and pushed open the one of the double doors.
"Damn another failure." A man wearing a mask said. I heard the new born baby cry and gasped covering my mouth. Then the man laid the baby down in a cradle and turned to a nurse.
"Should I take it away?" She asked.
"Tell Mr. Parker that Project Gem isn't going well and ask him what to do. This one has two of Miss Charity's abilities, but I can't clone her exactly." He said shaking his head. "At least it's alive."
"No" I whispered "God, no."
The nurse started my way. I quickly walked to the door next to the lab and went inside. There in the room were the failed attempts.
'Why?' I asked myself 'They were able to clone others. What happened?' I looked away.
*********
Raines turned my head to the right continuing the task. I laid there wishing for away out.
"You really see her as a person?" He asked
"If you didn't know she was a clone then you would, too. She is a person. She's has her own mind and all that goes with being a human." I told him.
"You called her your sister before. Is that how you see her?" He asked
"Yes, sir." I answered wondering why he was asking these questions. I wanted to read him, but I held back because I fearsome that I'd know what he was going to do to me and be unable to stop from trying to fight to get away. I had to do what I could to keep Catherine safe. We was trapped anyway, the door was opened by key card and there to many people to stop me especial carrying Catherine.
*********
(Flash Back)
I saw the door start to open and ducked behind a lab contained. I almost lost my lunch looking at it. Then I heard the baby cry. I looked in to see the lab worker, sitting on a stool, paying no mind to the baby.
'He has no heart' I said to myself. I watched him write notes for a few more minutes then tip- toed over to the bed. I picked up the baby and quickly carried the still crying girl out of the room. Then I started running down the hall. I stopped cold hearing voices from behind yelling for me to stop and steps from in front running in my direction. I turned a corner and was lost in the maze of halls.
"Shush" I whispered looking down at my clone. She stopped crying. I ran to the end of the hall and was stopped by a sweeper.
"I have them." He said over a radio.
"Sit down." He barked pushing me towards the floor.
*********
Raines finished my right side then turned my head to the left. I looked at Catherine. Her head was almost covered with the electrodes. I quivered.
"Are you cold?" Raines asked stopping what he was doing. He got up and walked out of the room. He came back in carrying two blankets. He covered me up with one then covered Catherine with the other. He went back to putting the electrodes on my head parting my hair as he did.
**********
(Flash Back)
"Charity" Mr. Parker said walking up to me.
"Sir" I said shaking.
I read him then started crying.
"No, please don't. Please, let her live." I sobbed. "I-It's not h-her fault"
Mr. Parker looked at me and nodded.
"Very well" He said "But she'll be yours and Sydney's responsibility. I'll assign her a caretaker and that is as far as I'll go." He walked away.
I got up and was escorted back my father's office.
**********
"When I'm finished you'll be the Centre's most valued Multiple Gifted." He said. I rolled my eyes.
'He obviously didn't know I was already considered that.' I said to myself.
"What I'm doing is called fusion." He said. "You'll be able to excise your abilities as if they're one. You'll still be able to use them separately."
'Just what I wanted another reason for the Centre to want me locked in their world.' I thought
"Sit up" He said after finishing my left side. I did as he ordered. I looked over at Catherine as the lab worked sat a tray in front of her and lifted her up. He placed her face turned towards me onto the tray. I turned back facing straight ahead.
**********
(Flash Back)
"Papa" I cried still shaking. The sweepers left.
"Charity, what happened?" He asked looking at me then the baby.
"They they were going to-" I cried "But Mr. Parker said we can raise her."
"Charity?" He asked "Who baby is she? Where did you get her?"
"S-she's me. Well not exactly." I said "M-my c-clone, but not exactly."
"God" My father said, already at my side on his couch.
"So they didn't w-want her." I said "Y-you're OK w-with-"
"Yes" He said holding out his hands. I gave her to him.
He took the blanket off and checked her over.
"Well, she seems healthy. We'd better make sure she is."
"Thank you" I whispered smiling.
**********
"All right lay back down and sleep." He said I laid down and watched him add a sedative to my IV. I fell asleep.
"She's awake." I heard Mr. Lyle say.
"Lets begin" Raines said. I looked around another machine had been added to the others that were around my bed. I closed my eyes.
"Charity" Raines said pulling the mask hooked to the machine next to my mouth. "Take slow, even breaths." Then he covered my mouth right after I closed my mouth. I breath in the oxygen through my nose.
"Turn off the oxygen." Raines ordered.
'No' I cried to myself turning my head to try to get the mask off.
"Now Charity" Raines said "Don't let me think that I need to use Catherine for this."
I opened my mouth and breathed in the unknown gas. My lungs started to burn. I grabbed at the mask tears in my eyes twisting to get it away as I took another unwanted breath as my brain screamed for me to breathe. My hands were grabbed way from the mask by a sweeper that was stationed on one side of my bed. The other hand was soon pined down, too. Then I felt the oxygen in my nose and breathed it in. My lungs started to hurt less then the oxygen was turned off again. I turn to Raines pleading with my eyes for him to stopped.
"We're almost done with this part." He said to me. "Breath it in."
Tears streamed down my face as my mouth opened and the gas field my lungs again I turned my head from side to side with no availe. The oxygen was on again and I breathed it in hoping it was the last time. After a minute it was off again and the gas soon entered my lungs once more. This time it was on longer and my lungs grow almost use to the pain. Then my body started to shake and someone lifted my head up. the tube for the oxygen was removed.
"Now add oxygen to the drug." Raines ordered putting a mask over my mouth and nose. He snapped a strap around my neck in the back and put my head back on the bed. Soon I was breathing the gas with the oxygen. My body shook harder. Then it went limp.
"Ok turn the drug down to one." Raines ordered. The sweepers let go of my arms. I tried to lift an arm to remove the mask but I was so weak that it dropped back to my side. I laid there sobbing. Then Rains looked down at me.
"She's ready." He said
'No' I cried to myself 'Please no more.'
" Lets begin" He ordered
The room went dark then white.
**********
I woke to see white all around me.
'Where am I?' I asked myself turning around to see white as far as I could. I walked for a little while the sat down and started crying.
"Child" I heard. I looked up wiping my tears.
"I-I did what he asked." I sobbed "Where's Catherine?"
"She's there" The woman said pointing behind me. I turned and look down into the room. Catherine laid sleeping on her hospital bed.
"Can't you just let her go?" I asked the woman. She pointed back to the room.
"Look again" She said. I looked back into the room.
"No" I yelled seeing myself with Raines standing over me, busy working at my head. I couldn't see what he was doing.
"Am I-I dead?" I asked sobbing.
"No" She said holding her hand out. I took it and she helped me up.
"Your between there." She pointed to the room "And there" She pointed to a yellow light that was far away.
"So where is here?" I asked walking with her
"Between" She said
I looked up at her.
"Who are you? I think I've seen you before?" I asked
"You've meet my daughter." She said "I'm the caretaker of the Centre's children with Faith."
"Faith? Caretaker? Your daughter?" I asked "You're M-Miss Parker's mom."
She nodded "I took you from there." She pointed to the room.
"Why?" I asked
"To keep you from the pain." She said
"What about Catherine?" I asked "They'll hurt her. I need- have to go back. I can't leave her with them."
"Charity" She said looking into my eyes "You'll be able to decide and when the times right if you want to go back. Catherine is safe and you're still alive in the room. You're here to keep you from feeling what their doing."
"Thank you" I said "You'll tell me when It's OK to return?"
"Yes" She said taking my hand "You're a very strong and caring child."
"Charity" I heard some one say from in front of us. Then a girl appeared.
"I'm Faith" She smiled "Why don't I tell you about somethings that happened at the Centre before you came."
I looked back at Catherine.
"She'll be fine" Catherine Parker told me. "I promise."
I sat down with Faith. She told me story after story. I looked back at Catherine often as I listened in amazement. Then Catherine bent down and took my hand.
"Charity it time you decide." She said looking back at the room. I turned and looked. Raines saw sitting on a stool by my bed waiting for me to wake up. "There will still be much pain, but I know you can handle it."
I nodded looking at the spot where my hair was now missing.
"Catherine and my father need me." I said. "I have to go back."
**********
I found myself in darkness. I tried to wake up, but couldn't.
**********
"Catherine" I cried "I can wake myself."
"Sleep for now, child." I heard her voice.
"But-" I cried
"She's fine." She answered
**********
I fell into a deeper sleep that was warm and light. I could hear what was going on in the room. The door to the room opened then I heard Mr. Parker.
"I take it your project was a success. I'd like to meet your subject." He said
"She's not awake yet." Raines said "She should be soon."
"Charity" He said upset. "Raines, did you or did you not get the same notice from the Triumvirate as everyone else. She's not to- and Catherine too God, they're not to be used by anyone for experiments."
Then I heard noise all around the room. Voices yelling orders and then quite.
"Charity" Mr. Parker said "You'd better wake up. I won't allow you to just sleep all you want to."
'You actually sound concerned.' I said to myself 'If I weren't the subject would you even care?'
"Charity Angelic Desir'ee Green, I'm ordering you to wake up." He stormed.
'Order' I said 'Angelic just where did that come from?'
After awhile I heard him again.
"Move them to the large lab next to the infirmary." Mr. Parker ordered. "And be careful."
"Raines finally did it this time and I heard that Lyle was in on this too. Mr Parker isn't cutting him any slack. The word around the main lobby is that they were taken to the Tower."
No I didn't write, produce, put it on TV are any of the other stuff so I don't own the show tP in any way.
For Catherine
Part Four
By: Starbeam
I laid there wishing I could wake then I heard some one crying.
'Papa' I thought 'Papa I'm here.'
"I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have yelled at you, Charity. I just-" I heard
'M-Mr. Parker' I said to myself confused by his emotional state. ' I-I had no idea you cared so much about me.'
"Please wake up. I promise I'll try harder to keep you from harm. You weren't to be their subject. God, will you forgive me? I called your father. He'll be here soon, please sweet child, wake up for him I know you wouldn't for me and I can see why. I never treated you like I should have, but I don't know how to show love. My heart left after your grandma died." He said sobbing.
'Not this-this can't be true.' I told myself 'You'll do anything say anything to-to get me to wake. You're right I'm only here because of my family. I don't trust you. You've hurt Cathrine and me to many times.'
"Sir, he's here. Do you want me to send him in?" I heard an unfamiliar voice ask.
"Yes" Mr Parker replied "I'll keep you safe, Charity."
"Sir" I heard
'No!' I screamed inside 'Y-you lied again.'
"Do what you can for her. If she dies you'll pay. You really missed up, Raines." Mr. Parker said angrily.
"Yes, sir, but remember I was doing a job for the Centre. I had no clue who the child was. If I knew she was a hands-off resident then I'd have never touched her." Raines told him.
"You're only hope out of this is Charity being awake and well." Mr. Parker said
"I see from the brainwave machine that she's in a dream state. Do you want me to wake her?" Raines asked
"Will it harm her in any way?" Mr. Parker asked
"No, sir. She should wake fine. The rewiring of the brain will be in the last stages of completion. After that she'll be the Centre's top resident." Raines said
"Very well." Mr. Parker answered
'No please keep that monster away from me. God no I can't take this any more.' I cried. Then I felt myself slipping from the warm white place I was in to the darkness of the first stage of sleep to consciousness. My entire body was ravaged with pain.
"She's awake now, sir." Raines said
"Charity" Mr. Parker asked me.
I made no attempt to answer him.
"Why isn't she responding." Mr. Parker asked
"Maybe she doesn't want to or maybe the rewiring is interfering." Raines replied
"How long until it's completed?" Mr. Parker asked
"I'm sure it won't be much longer, sir" Raines said
"Charity, can you hear me?" Mr. Parker asked
"There it's done, sir. According to the brainwaves she's fully awake and the procedure is complete." Raines said
'Great' I said to myself 'My mind is a mess and it's to stay this way?'
I tried to open my eyes. The task was extremely painful. Upon success I found my world dark. I quickly closed my eyes.
"I don't take that as a good sign, Raines." Mr. Parker raged.
"I not understand what happened." Raines told him "She should be fine."
"Well, should isn't is." Mr. Parker bite.
I felt a hand on my face next to my right eye and turned my head away. I wasn't about to let Mr. Raines touch me again.
"Charity, I'm trying to see what's wrong." Raines told me "If I can't get her to cooperate I'll need to restrain her."
"Charity" Mr. Parker said "Let Mr. Raines look at your eyes."
I slowly turned my face to the side where their voices where coming from and slightly shook my head.
"She seems able to understand us." Raines said "I need a way to check her eyes without harming her."
"Very well" Mr. Parker said
'No' I cried turning my head back to where they wanted it. I slowly opened my eyes again, but I couldn't keep them open.
"I think you got her cooperation." Mr. Parker said "No restraints."
I felt Raines' hand by my right eye again. This time I let him open it with his finger and thumb.
'Get done.' I cried 'Oh the pain it's too much.' I grabbed his hand with both of mine and tried to pull his from my face. I was too weak to give much of a fight. I felt a hand remove mine and restrain them.
"Mm" I moaned
"She made a noise. That's a good sign." Raines said opening my other eye. I pulled my face away.
"Listen, young lady, you need to be still." Mr. Raines snapped moving my face back where he wanted it.
"You'd better remember to be careful not to harm her. I don't like your tone either, change it." Mr. Parker ordered.
"Yes, sir" Raines said noticeably irritated.
"Careful" Mr. Parker warned
Raines opened my left eye again and looked at it.
"I don't understand. Her eyes seem to have rolled up to the point so you can see only white. She's blind, sir, and there's nothing to be done." Raines said "What do you want me to do?"
"Leave!" Mr. Parker stormed
"You're treating her like a non-resident." Raines said annoyed
"Out!" Mr. Parker barked "Now or so help me."
"Very well, you know where I'll be when you need me again." Mr. Raines said
I heard him walk out of the room.
"Charity" Mr. Parker said "Forgive me, please. I think it's best you leave us now. Tell Grandma I love her."
I felt a mask on my face once more. After a moment of trying to fight it I stopped and drifted off to sleep. The last sound I heard was the door opening again.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Not that I wouldn't mind owning tP.
For Catherine
Part five
By: Starbeam
I rested in the warm bright light as visions of my life floated by. My first steps while my mom, Mrs. Rogers, watched me. Playing with Terry in the backyard when we were younger. My first day of school. I realized I missed them, but I didn't want to go back to live with them. I missed the freedom and love I had while living there. Sydney's love was strong and I'd never wish to leave him or Catherine. But I hated the Centre and this world I was trapped in. The scene of meeting my father and the time at the motel floated by and my heart sank. I could see how he had hated what he was doing. Then the day I found Catherine. It stopped then.
"Wake now, child." I heard Catherine Parker say to me. "Your papa is with you."
*********
"Charity, baby please come back to me." I heard my papa cry. He was holding my hand in his.
"Mmmm." I moaned.
"Baby" He said softly "You came back."
'I wouldn't leave you.' I said softly to myself wishing I could say it to him.
I reached my hand up to his face and felt it until I was at it's side. I ran my hand down his face then put it down. I felt so weak that it took everything I had to do it.
"Baby, let me see your beautiful greens." He said softly. I slowly opened my eyes for him. A second after I did I felt his hands run down over them. "You keep them closed if it's painful. I'm so sorry, Cherub, I tried to get back to you sooner...... Damn them all."
"Mmmm" I said trying to let him know it was okay.
"She's still with us." I heard Mr. Parker say obviously surprised that I was alive.
"No thanks to you." My father stormed "Stay away from her."
"You seem to forget that the child is Centre property." Mr. Parker said
"I don't give a damn if that's how you see her. She's MY daughter and I won't let you harm her any more then you already have." My father shot back while running his hand down my face.
"I didn't do this, Sydney." Mr. Parker said changing his tone of voice.
"But you allowed them to use her." My father said matter-of-factly.
"No!" Mr Parker barked "I did not. I wouldn't let anyone do such a thing to Charity or Catherine. Raines use them as subjects without permission."
"Why?" My father asked
"She's in so much pain and there's nothing Raines can do to change her present state. I was trying to do what I could to-to........."
I heard the door open, then close.
"Charity, do you want to leave us now?" My father whispered as he ran a hand through my hair. I shook my head slowly.
'There has to be away to-to.......' I said to myself 'I can't stay this way, but I don't want to die.'
" I'll be back in a minute. Travis is back, too. I'll have him come watch over you until I come back." Sydney told me.
"Mmmm" I answered
The door opened and closed again and I was alone for a moment. Then the door opened and some one walked up to me.
"Hey, Charity, you're not allowed to leave without me saying you can." Travis said "God, kid you're a mess."
I tried to smile as I nodded.
"Teach me to go off to training. I can leave you alone for even a few days. Gee, kiddo some day you're going to have to learn to take care of yourself." He told me.
I nodded again.
"I-I'm sorry they did this to you." His tone changed from trying to cheer me, to grief by my state of being. "Catherine told me that you saved her life. That makes you the best thing around. I'll remember that next time I need help." He laughed.
I shook my head.
"Oh so you'll only help little you, um?" He asked running his hand through my hair.
"Mm" I said as I nodded.
"So you're not in a talking mood?" He said almost breaking the cheerfulness in his voice.
I nodded
"Well, when you are we have some things to talk about." He said
I turned my face to where his voice was coming from.
"I don't care for one way conversations." He laughed.
"Mmmm" I said
"Not till you're better, chum." He told me as the door opened again
"Mr. Parker won't let any of the Centre doctors help us, so I called the best and he's on his way." Sydney said walking back into the room.
.
TBC