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.



Betrayal
part 1
by Amy





Jarod strolled down the street, holding back a smile. That idiot of a police officer had been no match for him. As he passed a dark alley, he jerked to a halt when he heard a muffled scream. He looked around, but the other people ducked their heads and kept walking. One kid stopped and started pulling on Jarod's arm.

"Just forget it man. I'm telling you, you don't want to get involved."

Jarod frowned, confused. He couldn't be serious. He turned down the alley and cautiously edged his way towards a deadend where he heard angry voices and an occasional thud. He stopped and listened silently.

"You will do this job!" the voice yelled.

Jarod started with the realization that the other voice was a teenage girl's.

"Please," she begged. "Don't make me do this."

Jarod started around the corner, just in time to see a middle-aged man hit the girl in the face, knocking her against the wall. She hit her head and slumped to the ground, motionless.

"Hey!" Jarod yelled, running forward. The stranger spun, glowering, but he took one look at Jarod’s face and turned white as a sheet. He turned and ran down the alley, tripping over some trashcans. Jarod didn’t have time to think about the man’s strange behavior. He suddenly remembered the teenage girl and turned to see her lying in a growing pool of blood with a gash just above her left eye. He ran over and gently turned her on her back, feeling her pulse. She was alive. Her breathing was ragged and she had horrible bruises and scars covering her face and arms, showing years of terrible abuse. He looked around and realized that he was under his building. He lifted the girl gently from the ground, along with her pack, and carried her up the emergency stairwell and into the room he was renting. When he got there, he placed her on the sofa and went to the sink to get a washcloth to wash the cut on her face. As he tenderly cleaned away the grime and dirt from her face, he thought of the time his sister had fallen when their parents had been out. He had had to help her into the house and clean her up. She had told him that she wouldn’t be afraid as long as he stayed with her.

Suddenly, the girl woke up screaming, and seemed even more afraid when she saw Jarod. She tried to get up, but slumped backwards with a moan. Jarod tried to talk to her.

"It’s ok," he soothed. "I’m not going to hurt you."

She calmed down and sat up again, more slowly this time, and sat with her head in her hands. Jarod stared quietly at her, trying to decide whether to ask what he so desperately wanted to know.

"What did that man want?" he asked finally.

She looked at him, seeming to measure him up. Finally, she shook her head sadly.

"Could I have some water, please?" she whispered.

"Of course."

Jarod frowned thoughtfully as he pulled a glass from the cabinet. What was it this girl felt so guilty about? As he handed her the cup, he picked up the cloth and started to clean her face again. She jerked away and shielded her face, her eyes wary.

"It’s all right," he said again.

She slowly lowered her hand and let him clean and bandage the cut. It was so strange. Every time he tried to be kind to her, she only seemed to get even more upset. She sat staring into space for a long time until Jarod finally asked, "What is your name?"

She seemed to suddenly remember he was there and hesitantly held out her glass.

"Could I have some more?"

He sighed, exhasperated, but nodded. He went to the sink and noticed a rustling sound behind him and turned to see the girl digging around in the pack he had found lying beside he, but thought nothing of it. As he turned to give her her drink, she was standing, leaning against the arm of the sofa with her hands behind her back. He walked toward her, holding out the glass.

Without warning, she lashed out, plunging a needle into his arm. The glass fell and shattered on the floor, but Jarod didn't hear it. The sedative seeped through his blood and he stared at the girl, not understanding, as she sat heavily on the sofa, tears streaming down her face. Then the blackness of unconciousness closed around him and everything was gone.

The girl watched the kind stranger fall to the floor and hated herself for betraying his trust. She sat for a long moment, wanting to stop, to run away from what she had done. But that was impossible, he would never let her go. She quickly brushed away the tears and cleared her throat, she couldn't let him know she had been crying. She dialed a number and waited for a moment. When the voice came on the other line, she turned white and cleared her throat again. Then she informed Mr. Lyle that his package was ready.




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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.



Betrayal
part 2
by Amy






The girl set to work quickly. Mr. Lyle would not stand for imperfection in the plan. She pulled a pair of handcuffs out of her backpack and kneeled next to the stranger. Mr. Lyle had warned her that he was cunning and deceptive, but she had not been prepared for his kindness towards her. There was something in his eyes when he looked at her...a kind of sadness or guilt... She shook away the thought and turned back to him and rolled him over, cuffing him. She left him where he was and sat on the sofa, watching him sleep. He looked so innocent...Mr. Lyle had told her that this man was a murderer who had been wanted by the police for years, but somehow, she could not believe him.

She jumped at the sound of a knock at the door, and found Mr. Lyle standing there with a smug grin on his face.

"Hello Nancy," he smiled. "I trust you had no trouble?"

Nancy stepped back, revealing Jarod's limp form on the floor. Lyle walked forward and rolled him over with his foot. He crouched beside him, cocking his head slightly as he stared at Jarod's face.

"Amazing," he said quietly. "Three years he eluded us, and what finally got him was a little tramp we picked up off the street."

Nancy dropped her head, the heartless words piercing her like arrows.

"So, what do you think of her, Parker?" Lyle looked at someone behind the door and a stunning woman stalked into the room. She didn't even throw the girl a sideways glance as she walked briskly over to where Jarod lay. She glared down at him with more hatred than Nancy knew someone could have for a person. She knelt down beside him and whispered, "Congratulations wonder boy, you're coming home." She lingered for a moment longer, and Nancy thought she saw a flash of concern in her eyes, but it vanished and she stood, motioning to several men who had just entered the room with a stretcher.

"Get him to the Centre"

Nancy watched her leave, then turned to find Lyle smiling down at her.

"How would you like to come for a ride with us?" he asked quietly, fingering her hair. She jerked away and glared hatefully at him.

"All I want is for you to leave me alone," she snarled.

Lyle sighed, "Teenagers. They make things so hard on themselves. Before she knew what was happening, someone from behind her pressed a damp cloth against her face, and everything went black.

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

Jarod woke slowly, not knowing where he was. Thanks to the Centre, he
had had many nights like this, not knowing what he was supposed to do, or who
he was supposed to be. As sensation began to return to his limbs, he
realized that his hands were pinned painfully behind him and suddenly, reality came crashing down on him. He had been betrayed. The last thing he remembered was that strange girl picking up the phone. He shook his head to try and clear his thoughts, then looked around him. His hands were tied behind him, holding him to a pillar. He looked up and finally realized why his surroundings were so familiar. He was in SL-5 of the Centre. Panic began to sweep over him, but was cut short by a soft moan. He searched the darkness and directly across from him, he saw the girl. She was tied, like he was, to a pillar and her head slumped nearly to her chest. As she slowly, began to lift her head, Jarod tried to decide what to do. He should kill this girl. She had betrayed him, returned him to this hell-hole that he had eluded for so long. But as she looked up at him, he saw in her eyes so much terrible guilt, that the hatred inside him died instantly.

"What is your name?" he asked quietly.

"Nancy," she whispered, avoiding his eyes.

"They made you do this, didn't they?"

She looked up suddenly, surprised by his understanding. There was more to this man than she thought. She nodded slowly and finally began to speak.

"Mr. Lyle found me in a shelter a couple of weeks ago. He said that he had job for me that would mean some cash. I didn't have any other choice but to accept. He took me down this alley and showed me a picture of you, saying you were a mass murderer that he was trying to track down. He said that if I helped him catch you, that he would give me enough money to last me a lifetime. I didn't believe him, but I thought I could probably get a couple bucks off him if I worked hard enough. When he told me how he wanted me to do it, I walked away right there. So he picked up this homeless kid that was walking by and held a gun up to his head. He said that for every step I that took walking away from him, he would shoot that many kids. I thought he was bluffing, so I kept going. He shot a six year old boy right there in front of me. I haven't gotten away from him since."

Jarod sat soaking in all that she said, hatred like he had never know, boiling up inside of him. That bastard. If he had known, he would walked back to the Centre on his own. But Lyle knew that. He was jerked from his reverie by the girl's voice.

"Why does he want you so bad?" she asked.

"It's a long story," Jarod muttered sardonically.

She thought for a long moment, then looked up at him.

"You aren't a murderer, are you?"

Jarod chuckled quietly, "What do you think?"

For the first time since they had met, Nancy smiled.

Lyle swaggered into the room and smiled, "Well, I am glad you two are getting along so well."

He started to say more, but was cut off by that Ms. Parker.

"Shut up, Lyle," she growled. He cleared his throat and stepped out of her way. He was still a little afraid of her, despite of the facade he tried so hard to put up. She walked slowly forward and crouched in front of Jarod.

She cocked her head and looked at him silently. With out warning, she lashed out, slapping him in the face. As he shook his head, shaking away the sting of the blow.

"That's for all those nights you played with my head, you son of a !#**%. Jarod met her angry gaze as evenly as he could, but he couldn't deny how much her hatred for him really hurt him. He heard something behind her and as she stood he saw Lyle's men yanking the girl up to her feet.

"Where are you taking her?" Jarod asked warily.

Lyle turned and smiled, "Don't worry Jarod, you'll get to watch."

Someone untied the ropes that held Jarod and pulled him to his feet, only to cuff him again. He and Nancy were pushed down the hall and into a room that was so familiar...

"Recognize it Jarod?" Lyle asked. "This is where you first stayed when you came to the Centre. This was where you performed most of your sims. I thought it would be the appropriate place to start your next sim."

Jarod looked at Lyle, a smile creeping over his lips.

"You're joking," he said. "Why the hell would I do that?"

Mr. Raines walked smugly into the room.

"Because if you don't, then this young woman will be tortured and killed," he rasped.




Feedback please!

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.



Betrayal
part 3
by Amy




Jarod stared, unbelieving, at Raines. Not even he would...but he would. Raines smiled at him, no emotion, no feeling in his eyes. Jarod glared back with all of the hatred he could muster, but he knew he that he had no other choice. He looked over at Nancy and dropped his head in submission.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

He saw Lyle hold back a smile out of the corner of his eyes, but one look from Ms. Parker silenced him. Raines held his hand towards a table in the center of the room and bowed, mocking his sacrifice. Jarod was shoved forward and he threw a reassuring smile over to Nancy as he passed by her. He sat obediently in the uncomfortable chair and waited for his instructions.

"Willie," Mr. Raines rasped. "Tie the girl up over there as a reminder of what will happen if Jarod fails to comply."

Nancy’s hands were cuffed behind her and she was thrown to the floor. A Center operative was stationed beside her a gun in hand.

Lyle placed a lap top computer on the table and pointed to the screen. "These are your subjects, Jarod. These are the wife and child of a scientist who has discovered an enzyme which can be used as a catalyst for certain diseases. It’s called-"

"Mortis in Vita," Jarod cut him off. "It was discovered by an acclaimed scientist by the name of Dr. Jake Morose, and is now being researched by the government. Because of Dr. Morose’s mysterious death a little over four years ago, the research is being headed up by someone who worked for him. Kevin Turner."

He stared emotionlessly at the surprise on Lyle’s face.

"I once exposed a scientist who had discovered the formula and was testing it on innocent people."

"Ah yes," Lyle mocked. "The benevolent genius at work. Well, we want the formula. I know you won’t develop it, but you will find Mr. Turner, who seems to have disappeared."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Jarod asked.

Lyle turned and motioned, and a woman was shoved in, clutching a young child close to her.

"This is his wife. She knows where her husband is but, despite repeated threats against her and her child, she refuse to tell us. You are going to find out."

Jarod stared at the woman, pity washing over him, but he could do nothing to help them. Not now. He stood and walked slowly towards them, feeling a stab of guilt from the fear in the eyes of the little girl.

"I won’t say anything," the young mother muttered stubbornly, pressing herself into the corner farthest from him and sitting quietly. Jarod watched her, seeing the horrible bruises on her face and turned on Lyle.

"She’s been beaten?" he asked calmly.

Lyle scowled, "We even hit the kid and she wouldn’t say anything."

Jarod turned quickly back to the mother, knowing that if he looked at Lyle again, he would kill him, thus killing the young girl. He walked forward and crouched beside the woman, trying to ignore the sobs that shook the body of the toddler she held.

"May I hold her?" Jarod asked quietly.

"You're not touching her!" the mother yelled, holding her closer. Jarod glance behind him at the sweepers.

"I think you know that if I wanted to, I could have her taken from you. I would rather you just gave her to me. It would be much easier on the child."

The mother thought for a moment, then reluctantly handed the child over. Jarod smiled and took her, cradling her close to him.

"She's beautiful," he said, wincing at the sight of bruises on her fragile arms.

The mother frowned, confused. She watched as Jarod played with her child, bringing a smile to her lips. He turned to the sweepers and used as commanding a tone as he could.

"Bring me some water for the child."

The men stood for a moment until a brisk nod from Mr. Raines urged them out of the door. They returned with a small glass and handed it to him. He whispered something to the man and he left again, returning with a small vile. Jarod took it and emptied the contents into the drink. He turned back
to the mother, still holding the young girl in his arms. As realization began to dawn on the woman, she lept to her feet and tried to take her child from his grasp, but was held back by sweepers. Jarod continued to look at the child until his attention was jerked away as Sydney and Broots walked in.

Sydney looked from Jarod to the child to the young girl tied up in the corner and looked to Jarod with question in his eyes.

"I do think you want to give me that code now, Mrs. Turner."

He watched with unimaginable guilt as the woman stared at her child, unwilling to let her die, but unable to betray her husband's safety. Jarod gave the child the glass and she drank it eagerly. She handed it back to him and grinned. But her smile faded quickly and her eyes became so very heavy... She slumped backwards in Jarod's arms, her lips turning to a deep blue.


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Feedback please!

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.



Betrayal
part 4
by Amy






Nancy was led through the halls of the Centre, so deep in thought that she didn't notice that they were going about twenty stories down. Why had Jarod helped her? She had betrayed him, given him to Lyle, and yet he saved her life. She jumped as the elevator pulled to stop, and when it opened, instead of a door leading to freedom, she saw a dark hallway leading nowhere.

She looked questioningly at the men who had taken her here, but they looked straight ahead, refusing to look her in the eye. They shoved her into the hallways of SL-22 and pulled out their guns, aiming them straight at her head.

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

Angelo woke from another fretful nightmare to the sound of a girl’s screams. He looked out of the air vent into the hallways and was startled to see a young girl running by with two Centre operatives hot in pursuit.

"Trouble," he muttered, deep in thought. Finally he started crawling hurriedly through the vents towards the girl. At just the right moment, he lunged out, pulling her inside alongside him. She kicked and screamed, but took one look at his face and quieted as he pressed his fingers against his lips. he pointed down the vent and said, "Jarod."Without a word, she followed.

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

Jarod leaned forward on his cot, cupping his head in his hands. He had to do something. He couldn't let that woman or her child die. He looked up as the door opened and met eyes with Sydney. He stood, but was motioned to sit again by a gesture from Sydney's hand. He noticed suddenly the tension in Sydney's face and frowned.

"What is it Sydney?" he asked.

Sydney shook his head and began to pace.

"The triumvirate has decided that I will no longer have custody of you Jarod. The Pretender project is to be handed over to Mr. Raines."

Jarod stood.

"What?"

Sydney stopped and finally looked up at him.

"I'm sorry Jarod, but I am not permitted to say anything else."

Without another word, he turned and knocked on the door.

"Sydney? Sydney!" Jarod yelled, but the psychiatrist never even turned around.

Jarod sat again and lay down on his cot. He had to think.

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

Raines turned to Willie, a sadistic smile spreading over his lips. Finally, Jarod was his. The triumvirate had just informed him that he was to attempt to improve Jarod’s cooperation by any means necessary. As he looked at the file he was holding, Willie prepared a syringe. A paper dropped to the floor, revealing one word: "Control".

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

Jarod was startled from his thoughts as the door opened and Raines stepped through.

"You will come with us Jarod," he rasped.

"Go to hell," Jarod said calmly, returning his gaze to the ceiling.

Raines smiled, "Get him to SL-30."

Two sweepers walked briskly into the room and pulled Jarod roughly to his feet, dragging him through the door.




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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.



Betrayal
part 5
by Amy






That night, Sydney shook Jarod awake and hushed him frantically as he began to speak.

"Jarod," he whispered urgently. "You must leave tonight. I have convinced Parker to keep you here one more night unitl she takes you back, but she is forcing Broots and me to return to the Centre tonight. Leave before dawn."

"Thank you, Sydney," Jarod whispered, his innocent eyes overflowing with gratitude. Sydney smiled briefly and hurried out of the room. Jarod immediately stood and studied the one window in his cramped room. Good. The iron bars were old and rusted with age and should be easy to pry from the wall. After he had pulled and maneuvered enough of them to make his time better when he escaped without showing any trace of tampering, he settled down to wait.

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

Nancy crawled as quickly as she could after Angelo, her heart pounding with apprehension. She had nearly screamed when she saw Jarod crumple to the floor moments before, but Angelo had clamped his hand gently but firmly over her mouth

just in time. He reassured her with his clumsy speech that Jarod would be fine, then pointed down the vent whispering "out". Understanding that he would help her escape the Centre, she had nodded quietly and followed. Now, she was crawling out of a vent on the outside of the Centre, and turned to smile at Angelo.

"Thank you," she whispered quietly. "Angelo, if you can, tell if they catch Jarod.

I-I can't do much, but I can't let them hurt him. Not because of me."

Angelo chuckled quietly and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Ms. Parker keep Jarod safe. I keep Ms. Parker safe."

With that, he disappeared back into the vent, and she turned and walked away...

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

Jarod waited until two o'clock that morning before he made his move. He knew that Parker was probably sleeping outside his door. She had refused to look at him, much less sleep in the same room as him since that first night. He quickly yanked the bars off of the window and opened the window as quietly as he could, wincing when it squeeked. He jumped the fire escape and had nearly made it to the second step when Parker leapt out of the window, her gun drawn.

"Jarod!" she yelled, bringing her gun to bear. Jarod turned and lunged down the stairs three at a time, not even stopping to look back. Cursing loudly, Parker took off after him, but her heel caught in the mesh flooring of the fire escape and she plunged head-first down the steps, her head slamming into the metal stairs. She rolled painfully to the bottom and lay still blooding seeping down her face.

Jarod panicked. No! No, this couldn't happen. He had to get out of there, he could never return to the Centre. He stood fighting with himself for only a moment until he leapt back up the stairs and knelt at her side. His hands trembled horribly as he gently brushed her hair out of her eyes. She was so beautiful... he pushed the thought away and lifted her limp form in his arms, carrying her into the darkness.



feedback?!?!

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.



Betrayal
part 6
by Amy



Sydney and Broots strolled into the psychiatrist's office, struggling to look as casual as possible. Lyle strolled in and glanced at Broots, who took one or two steps back and stared nervously at the floor. Sydney stood his ground and looked straight at the monster, "What can I do for you, Mr. Lyle?"

Lyle continued to stare at Broots, reveling in his fear. "I need you to find Angelo for me, Sydney. I know that you and Parker always keep him on a short leash."

Sydney nodded obediently, "We’ll get right on it."

"Speaking of which," Lyle glanced around casually. "Where is dear old sis?"

"Ms. Parker is continuing in the pursuit of a lead we received in New Jersey. She asked us to return to the Centre in case Jarod made contact."

Lyle nodded slowly and spun on his heel, making sure to brush lightly against Broots on his way out.

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

Jarod was working at his computer researching the affects of different head-traumas when he heard a crash in the next room. He rushed through the door and found a small lamp shattered on the floor, but his attention was immediately diverted to Ms. Parker. She was sitting hugging her knees closeto her chest with her back pressed up against the headboard. Jarod took a tentative step towards her, but she let out a whimper and squeezed her legs closer to herself. There was something very wrong here.

"Ms. Parker?" Jarod was puzzled and very worried, she should have said something by now. But when she spoke, there was no cruel jab, no hatred or sarcasm.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

Jarod felt shock ripple through him and he took a step backwards.

Amnesia.

"You don’t remember?" Jarod stepped forward again.

She frowned slightly and released one of her hands, reaching up and touching the cut on her head. She jerked back and whimpered again. Jarod finally recovered from his shock and picked up a washcloth from the nightstand, sitting beside her.

"Let me help you," he said gently. She pulled back, but he refused to give up.

"Please," he pleaded. "I just want to clean it."

She studied him for a long moment before turning so that her legs rested on the ground. He smiled approvingly and carefully cleaned the cut and bandaging it. When he finished he stood to put the cloth in the sink, but Ms. Parker caught his hand and held him.

"Please don’t leave me," she begged.

Jarod felt the silky touch of her hand enfolding his and a thrill ran up and down his spine. She had never touched him before without cuffing him or pushing him. Not since they were children. He swallowed hard and sat back down, forgetting the cloth as it fell to the floor. She refused to look at him, and instead stared at his hand as she held it. The hairs on his neck rose as she caressed his hand very gently and slowly, never looking up. Finally she picked her feet up from the floor and curled them under her, leaning over and resting her head in his lap. He watched, his heart racing, and finally began to clumsily caress her back, still trying to adjust. She eventually moved over to the pillow and he covered her with a light blanket, then sat, watching her sleep, enraptured by the beauty of her face when the ice was gone from her eyes.

TBC

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