“Does it have to be this way?”

 

“You already know the answer to that question.”

 

“I know but, with everything that we are capable of, you would think there would be another way to do this. What if something goes wrong? What if we didn’t account for something?”

 

“Something always goes wrong, it’s how we respond to those consequences that determines the real outcome.”

 

“We can’t fail at this. He will never forgive us if we do. I can’t bear to stomach the thought of what might happen if something happens, to him or to you. ”

 

“It won’t. Are you sure you can do this?”

 

“I should be the one asking you that question.”

 

“Honestly, I’m terrified. I never thought things would come to this. But I’ll do anything to avoid the alternative. Just promise me that he will never find out, I don’t care what you have to do. Lie, manipulate, scheme, but he can never find out.”

 

“And if he does?”

 

“If things go as planned, he’ll understand. He’ll find it in his heart to forgive me.”

 

“You mean forgive us?”

 

“No. He must never know that you were involved, please.”

 

“But –“

 

“No. It has to be this way. If things don’t go as planned, he needs to have at least one of us to hold on to.”

 

“What if…what if the treatments don’t work?”

 

“They will.”

 

“You can’t be certain of this, you can’t be certain of anything!”

 

“I have to believe they will, because if not, then all of this, what we are about to do, is pointless.”

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

 

WEST COAST OF CALIFORNIA

 

Parker trained her gun on the door. With a half hearted nod at Sam, she braced herself, as the sweeper kicked the door down. It was the same dance she had been doing for the past six years. Day in, day out, he run, she chased, but it always turned out the same; she empty-handed and he the increasingly arrogant pretender.

 

She had long given up hope that one day they would find Jarod unsuspectingly sitting in one of his lairs. Their pursuit efforts were more of a formality now, done just to appease the Triumvirate and to feed Raines’ fantasy that everything would return to normal; his final glory as chairman of the Centre. Only she and Sam went on these escapades now, they didn’t bother wasting time by having Broots and Sydney there to analyze the results. They never led anywhere productive, only where Jarod wanted them to end up.

 

After returning from Scotland, Parker had received one last phone call from Jarod. After that, the pretender had dropped off the Centre’s radar completely. Parker had genuinely believed that Jarod had chosen to disappear, but two months ago, after nearly half a year of nothing, Jarod’s lairs had once again resurfaced. Parker didn’t know why, but something about them was bothering her. Nothing that had transpired in the last eight weeks felt exactly right. However she continued to ignore her gut feeling, citing it was due to paranoia after six long years of hunting, or just damn annoyance that she was still stuck in hell playing rat in Jarod’s maze.

 

The Centre was now focusing its efforts on rounding up the remaining members of Jarod’s family, especially the clone. Oddly enough, there had been more close calls with the fragmented members of the pretender’s family than with Jarod himself. It surprised Parker that after decades of successful escaping the Centre’s detection, for the most part anyways, that Jarod’s family was popping up like weeds in a garden. Something again wasn’t right. 

 

Her demented brother was in charge of rounding up Jarod’s family. Parker had been ordered by Raines to keep gunning for Jarod, and had been consequently left out of the other hunt entirely. They knew she didn’t agree with anything to do with Jarod’s clone, his imprisonment or his creation. Parker fully suspected that the wheezing bastard simply didn’t trust her enough to have her on the other pursuit. That was fine by her. Parading around the globe after one egotistical genius was more than enough to torture her. It was the promise of being freed from the endless chase that kept her motivated. At the end of the day it came down to simple mathematics – her life for Jarod’s.

 

There had been one very close call with the pretender’s family. Lyle had trapped Jarod’s clone at gunpoint, sweepers ready to pounce. Parker wasn’t sure of the details, she knew only that Lyle had returned to the Centre sporting a bullet-wound in his arm, and no clone in tow. He had not been very forthcoming with the details.

 

It was only after that incident that Jarod’s lairs had started to pop up again on the Centre’s radar. Several scenarios played out in Parker’s head, but she didn’t know what to believe. Jarod’s pretends were a lot less involved then they had previously been in the past. The last two months showed evidence that Jarod was still out there, helping the little guy, but as was increasingly becoming her motto; something wasn’t right.

 

Things were far from the status quo they had been before Scotland. But what had changed?  She had a hunch Jarod was trying to draw the Centre out and away from his family. Catch one – you catch them all. Jarod knew that, but she didn’t doubt for a second that Jarod was smart enough to keep his family safe from the Centre’s detection, constantly on the run, but safe. Why had he resurfaced, why now?

 

“It’s clean.” Sam confirmedm bringing Parker out of her thoughts.

 

She sighed in frustration. “Dance, puppet, dance.” She muttered. She was so damn tired of being Jarod’s marionette. “Call the cleanup crew and get this stuff shipped back to Oz.” She ordered, Sam nodding his agreement.

 

Parker idly grabbed the signature red notebook, uncaringly leafing through the headlines pasted within it. “Anonymous tip leads to discovery of new Cancer Therapy.” “New Cancer therapy could potentially save thousands.”

 

Parker snorted as an image of Jarod huddled around a microscope came to mind. She tossed the book aside, walking over to the window just as her cell began to ring.

 

“If it’s our boy-wonder, I swear I’m going to go postal.” She muttered to herself, flipping the cell open. “What?” Parker snapped, knowing it would likely be Jarod, ready to taunt her with another failure.

 

“Missed me again, did you now Miss Parker?” Jarod’s voice sounded, his taunting tone clairvoyantly obvious.

 

“I’m not even going to waste my breath on that Jarod. What do you want?” Parker snarled back.

 

The pretender remained silent. “Will it ever end Parker?” He questioned sadly.

 

“Will what end, Jarod?” She sighed, her voice edgy.

 

“The game. I run, you chase.” Jarod stated as it should have been nothing short of obvious.

 

“It will end the day you’re back in a 6x8 on SL-21 Jarod. You know that.” Parker snarled into her phone. She was not at all in the mood to wax philosophical with the pretender. He had Sydney to get him through his little ‘poor tortured me’ moments.

 

“And for my family?” The pretender questioned with a heavy sigh.

 

“You know the rules Jarod. No loose ends. Raines will not rest until you and your little carbon copy are back home.” Parker replied evenly. ‘And until the rest are dead.’ She added silently to herself.

 

“You honestly think, after all of these years, that you can still call the Centre my home?” Jarod questioned thickly, accusation ringing in his tone.

 

“It doesn’t matter what I think Jarod.” Parker muttered dejectedly.

 

“It matters to me.” The pretender replied emotionally.

 

Parker shook her head in frustration, yanking out her cigarettes, and angrily lit one. She had started smoking again after returning from Scotland, her life clearly was not going to be long or prosperous, she might as well indulge. Why was it that Jarod would not let it alone that she simply did not have it in her anymore to care? Why did he continually taunt her, question and dissect all her motives and decisions? It was damn annoying and she had long ago tired of it.

 

“How many times must I tell you that it’s strictly business, not personal Jarod. This dance is getting old.” She finally stated dryly, inhaling deeply as the nicotine worked its magic.

 

“How can you still stay that, after everything that has happened in the past six years Miss Parker?” Jarod asked. Parker instantly opened her mouth for her cold rebuttal, but hesitated as she heard the distant wail of a siren in the background of Jarod’s cellular.

 

“It’s the only way Jarod.” She informed the pretender. Moving to the window, Parker watched as a police cruiser flew by the low-rise apartment complex, the soft wail of the vehicle’s sirens penetrating the thick walls of the apartment she stood in. With a stark revelation Parker heard the siren slightly fade on Jarod’s end of the connection, in sync with the car her eyes had just witness fly by. Keeping up her end of the conversation, she continued on so Jarod would not get suspicious. “I gave up feeling a long time ago Jarod. So should you. Feelings, they only make you weak.”

 

He was here, somewhere outside, some where very close. For the first time in a long time, Parker felt herself come alive with the adrenaline of the chase.

 

“The second I stop caring, is the second they get what they want.” Jarod rebutted harshly. “Is that what you want Miss Parker?” He questioned accusingly.

 

“I’ll do anything Jarod, to get out of this nightmare you have forced me into.” She replied, her tone menacing as she walked onto the balcony of the apartment, scanning the people below. Jarod was no where to be seen.

 

She knew he wouldn’t so bluntly risk his safety, he would be somewhere out of sight, somewhere they would never think to look while checking out an abandoned lair; perhaps the roof?

 

“Unfortunately, this hell doesn’t end for me, not until you are back where you belong. Nothing can ever change that. It’s your ass for mine, mine for yours.”

 

“Well than, I’ve guess we have really reached our turning point Miss Parker. I only wish that it was in the direction your mother would have wanted for you.” Jarod informed her bitterly, before terminating the call.

 

Parker didn’t waste energy trying to decipher Jarod’s last words; she refused to be baited by another ‘missed turning-point’ speech.

 

“Sam.” She barked, pulling the sweeper away from the cleaner crew he was now directing.

 

“Roof. Let’s go.” She ordered the sweeper, not failing to notice the predatory hope that Sam showed on his face. She apparently wasn’t the only one growing tired of this game.

 

The pair ran up the last two flights of stairs, pausing briefly when they reached the rooftop. With a deep breath, Parker slowly opened the door, trying to minimize the element of surprise should the pretender actually be up here.

 

She couldn’t believe her eyes, as Jarod’s form stood only meters from her, his back to them. Why would he risk his freedom to taunt her when she was only floors below him? The pretender was dressed in a formal looking pinstripe suit, indicating he had likely just finished his pretend.

 

 

“You just couldn’t resist, could you Jarod?” Parker announced her arrival with a teasing tone.

 

“Miss Parker.” Jarod replied evenly, fear dancing in his eyes as he turned to meet her and Sam, the ever faithful sweeper was just a few feet behind the huntress. The suit filled out his slender frame nicely, and Parker had to admit he looked good; damn good.   

 

“It’s always the smart ones that do something stupid isn’t it now Sam.” The sweeper grunted his reply, cocking his gun at pointing calmly towards Jarod. Parker predatorily approached the pretender, continuing on her sarcastic tirade. “You were so sure of your abilities; you didn’t even bother to leave the building before taunting me with another failure.”

 

“I would rather use the word enlighten Miss Parker.” Jarod replied calmly. “I don’t taunt.”

 

“Whatever Jarod. Six years of you run and I chase – it’s finally over.” Parker couldn’t keep the smile off her face.

 

Jarod made a show of looking around, sighing contently in the strong California sun. “We are far away from the Centre, Miss Parker. What is the saying again? It’s not over until the fat lady sings?”

 

Parker snorted. “When the bald man wheezes more like it.” Hardening her eyes, she turned to the sweeper, keeping her gun trained on her prize. “Sam, restrain him.” She held her gun steady, knowing Jarod would likely try to bolt.

Parker raised her eyebrows as Jarod barely flinched as Sam approached him, the open handcuffs clinking. The pretender kept his eyes on her, barely moving as his hands were restrained behind his back. Jarod hadn’t attempted so much as one step away from them. She heard her earlier thoughts echoing once again in her head. ‘Something isn’t right’.

 

“Consider this your Centre reality check Jarod. You’re coming home. There are no hurricanes, no planes to crash land, no little boys to save. The chase is ending the way it was always meant too, me dragging your sorry ass back to where it belongs.”

 

“I don’t belong there. No one does.” The pretender returned, hardness in his voice.

 

Parker stood back, watching as Jarod sighed heavily. She could easily read the resignation in his eyes. She gave the pretender a cruel smile before turning to Sam. “Take Jarod to the car.” She ordered.

 

“Yes Miss Parker.” Sam replied, his normally gruff voice notably more upbeat.

 

Parker followed closely behind Sam and Jarod as they ascended the six floors to ground level, exiting into the back alley. It had been too easy, much too easy.

 

“I don’t suppose you want to tell me where the DSAs are Jarod?” Parker asked as Sam let go of Jarod’s arm and opened the back door to their town car. She stepped up to the pretender, grabbing onto his bicep. His submissive behaviour wasn’t going to fool her for one moment.

 

The pretender shrugged. “Not especially.” He responded as if distracted.

 

“Didn’t think so.” Parker replied as she shoved Jarod into the back seat, before tossing Sam the keys.  She didn’t really care as the other two members of her demented family were much more adept at extracting information. If they wanted their little home movie collection back, it was their own damn problem.

 

As Sam pulled the town car back onto the main road, Parker studied Jarod, watching as the pretender squirmed slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position. He had his face almost pressed against the window, his head tilted upwards, as if he was trying to absorb every last solar ray.

 

‘He is.’ Parker realized bitterly. She turned away from the pretender, instead studying the cell phone she held clutched in her hands. She should be feeling nothing but glee at this moment. Parker had waited six long years to be able to make this call. She had visited more backwards towns than she ever wished to know existed, pretended to Broots’ wife, been strip-searched in Las Vegas, just to name a few on an exhaustive list. She should be relishing this moment; it was what she had dreamed off all of these years. So why was it so damn hard to make the call? Something just didn’t feel right.

 

“Inner-conflict, Miss Parker?” Jarod questioned bitterly. She met the pretender’s eyes, giving him a cold hard stare as her defences snapped back into place.

 

“Just enjoying the moment Jarod.” She informed him as she snapped her flip-phone open, as if trying to prove a point. Without breaking eye contact with the pretender she activated her speed-dial. She had won.    

 

With a tight smile only for Jarod’s benefit, Parker spoke confidently as her call was answered. “Chairman’s office.” She paused briefly, allowing Raines’s secretary to respond.

 

“It’s Parker. Tell him that his pretender is on his way home.”

 

Victory was sweet.

 

So why did it feel so damn wrong?

Chapter # 2 – Homecoming

“Are you sure you are right?”

“It’s Raines, the man is more predictable than a soap opera.”

“You’re gambling with your life.”

“But you realize this is the way it has to be? That there is no other option.”

“I came to the same conclusion. It doesn’t mean it has to be this way.”

“It has to be - for him.”

“But what about you? What about me?”

“Right now, he’s the most important thing to both of us. If you were in my position, wouldn’t you do the same thing?”

“Without hesitation.”

“Then let me go.”

SOMEWHERE OVER COLORADO – CENTRE CORPORATE JET

“Are you sure this is how you want it to end?” Jarod taunted Parker from his seat across from her. As much as she wanted to shove the arrogant pretender into a dark hole at the back of the jet, her instincts had kept her from doing so. Parker needed Jarod right in front of her, where she and Sam could baby-sit his every move. She was not going to lose the Houdini-like lab rat, especially since a very gleeful Raines would be waiting on the tarmac in Delaware, personally ready to escort his prize back to the bowels of the Centre.

“What’s not to want Jarod? No more chasing your sorry ass across the country, no more late night phone calls, no more of your petty torments about my past. It’s the ending dreams are made of.” She informed the pretender, a false smile plastered on her face. “You said yourself, if I changed my story, the ending would be up to me.” She finished sarcastically, knowing full well this wasn’t even close to what Jarod had been getting at when he had said those words. She had to wonder where his playful demeanour was coming from. Since dragging him off the rooftop, Jarod had been despondent and submissive, barely uttering a word.

Jarod gave her a cheeky smile. “Come on Miss Parker, admit it, you’ve had fun. You’ll miss the thrill of the chase. So what’s it going to be? Back to Corporate, or a little battle with brother dearest for the affections of dear old Uncle Raines? Or is that Daddy now?” He taunted playfully.

Parker had heard enough. She reached across, grabbing the blue silk tie around the pretender’s neck, pulling him towards her. Jarod grunted slightly, but maintained his smug expression. “At least my family is around to gain affection from.” She whispered spitefully, smiling as the smirk fell from the pretender’s features.

“Not so fun when I turn the game around, is it now Jarod.” She finished, shoving the pretender back into his seat.

Jarod remained silent. Parker studied him intently, acutely aware of the resignation in Jarod’s eyes. When they had last shared frequent flyer miles, he again the prisoner, his eyes had shown nothing but fight. Where had his fire gone?

Shaking her head slightly, Parker pushed the thoughts out of her mind. This was not the time to go all mushy. Jarod was nothing but a job, nothing more. It was the way it had to be. Let Sydney do the couch routine; now that Jarod was back, the pair would have all the time in the world. She didn’t have the will or the energy to contemplate confronting any residual guilt she may or may not be feeling as a result of returning Jarod back to the Centre.

“Sam, can you handle boy wonder for a few minutes?” Parker questioned sharply, the sweeper nodding his response. Without a backwards glance at the restrained pretender, Parker headed for the front of the plane, more specifically the corporate in-flight alcohol cabinet.

Pouring herself a generous glass of scotch, Parker attempted to force down the remorse that was slowly surfacing. It was easier to think that Jarod would be returned to the status quo that had existed before Jarod ran away. However, Parker was far from naive. Jarod’s last return to the Centre had brought him nothing but a one-way ticket to Africa. Although this time her idiot brother, the official corporate leech wasn’t running the show, Raines was. She was sure that Old Wheezy’s personal issues with the errant pretender would be enough for him to fight any Triumvirate transfer order. As long as Jarod wasn’t in Africa, she knew he could survive whatever Raines and Lyle would dream up for the pretender. At the end of the day they wanted the revenue from his simulations, nothing else.

But would she be willing to live with the consequences if she was wrong?

CENTRE AIR STRIP, 30 Min from BLUE COVE, DELAWARE

Parker groaned inwardly as she walked down the steep airplane staircase, taking in the sight of Lyle and Raines waiting eagerly below her, four sweepers standing directly behind them. Jarod was close-behind, being encouraged forward by Sam’s tight grip on his bicep.

“You just couldn’t resist the urge to come see the return of your favourite toy, could you now Lyle?” Parker taunted sarcastically as she reached the ground, stepping aside, forcing Jarod into the limelight. Parker had to admit it was a slightly ridiculous sight, Jarod clad in a dark pin-stripe suit, sporting a brilliant blue tie, securely handcuffed.

Lyle chuckled as he saw the pretender. “You look like you are dressed for a funeral Jarod, although I guess considering the circumstances, it’s oddly appropriate. Nice tie though.”

“I thought you might like it, its Thai silk.” Jarod replied mockingly, his eyes daring. “Anything Asian, right Lyle?”

Parker instantly noticed how Lyle’s eyes darkened at that remark. Trust Jarod to bring up her brother’s Asian fetish, if only discreetly. Jarod’s demeanour had switched once again, from sullen to playful. Was it simply a display of false bravado to mask his own fears?

Lyle menacingly stepped towards the pretender, but Jarod held his ground, giving her twin a long hard stare.

“Get him.” Raines wheezed, nodding to the sweepers behind him. The handcuffed pretender was soon surrounded, Parker smiled as Jarod flinched as his other arm was grabbed. So wonder-boy did have a little fight left in him. She could see the fear the pretender was trying to suppress, hiding it behind his defiant demeanour. His eyes always had been his weakness.

“Welcome home Jarod.” Raines informed his much sought-after runaway, the glee evident in his voice.

“What? The Africans haven’t pulled rank and demanded my presence?” Jarod questioned sarcastically as he tried to shake himself loose from the sweepers’ hold. “I was really looking forward to my visit last time I was here.” He stated confidently, grimacing slightly as Sam cuffed him on the head, trying to cease Jarod’s struggles.

Parker had to admit, the pretender had nerve. It was one thing for him to throw his taunting remarks in her direction, but to openly provoke the very man that determined the quality of his captivity, she wasn’t sure if it was bold, or just plain stupid, most likely an unhealthy combination of the two.

“They have yet to be told of your timely return, Jarod.” Lyle informed the pretender. Parker didn’t miss the dark look that Raines flashed her twin; her little brother obviously had a big mouth. So that’s how they were going to play the game, a little hide and seek with the Triumvirate. “It’s our discretion as to when they will be notified.” Lyle finished, clearly attempting to intimidate Jarod.

“Get him in the car.” Raines commanded before Jarod could reply. Jarod gave the two men his best glare of defiance as he pushed into a nearby town car, resisting futilely against the men who held him.

“Nice work Sis.” Lyle uncharacteristically praised as the back doors were slammed shut on the town car. “How did you do it?” He questioned curiously. It was no secret that they had long given up on catching Jarod at one of his lairs. Parker smiled, catching the jealously in her brother’s tone that he was trying to hide. For once Big Sis had the leg up.

“Let’s just say his arrogance finally for the best of him.” She shot back, indicating that their conversation was over.

Lyle shrugged nonchalantly as he sauntered over to the town car holding Jarod. “I’ll look forward to reading all about it your report.” He added playfully before entering the vehicle.

The remaining Centre employees moved towards the awaiting limo as the town car carrying their catch of the day sped out of sight. Parker flashed Sam a nod of approval as he climbed into the front passenger seat. He had been her right-hand man in the physical aspect of the Jarod pursuit over the past six years. He was a loyal sweeper, and damn good at what he did, despite all the times Jarod had managed to humiliate them.

“It’s time to shift our entire focus on bringing in the rest of the members of Jarod’s family.” Raines informed Miss Parker as the limo exited the airstrip. “Gemini is to be brought in alive, the rest are expendable.”

Parker scoffed. Immediately after returning from Scotland, Raines had played her and Lyle against each other as an attempt to motivate them to capture Jarod. She suspected he had soon learned the error of his ways, as three months later he had reassigned Lyle to tracking Gemini and whatever leftover member’s of Jarod’s family that happened to be straggling along with the clone.

“I’ve upheld my end of the deal. Jarod 2.0 is Lyle’s mess to clean up. I’m going back to my rightful place in Corporate.” Parker informed the chairman, her voice projecting nothing but determination.

“That is not your prerogative to decide Miss Parker.” Raines wheezed.

“That’s a shame. I’ll have to be sure to personally send the Triumvirate my report on the successful capture of their favourite project.” Parker threatened, staring down the chairman.

The second his eyes diverted from hers, Parker knew she had won the battle, at least temporarily.

“I’ll have your transfer papers drafted for Monday.” Raines wheezed, obviously not pleased by the concession he was being forced to make.

The limo fell into an uncomfortable silence and Parker couldn’t shake the feeling of apprehension that was slowly prying its way in. The Jarod she and Sam had dragged onto the airplane, was much different than the one that Raines and Lyle had been privy to on the tarmac.

Alone, on the plane Parker had seen nothing but resignation and acceptance in Jarod’s eyes. His behaviour on the tarmac spoke of defiance and strength.

Nothing about this right; nothing at all.

SL-24 – UNCLASSIFIED AREA

Lyle walked smugly behind the trio of sweepers escorting Jarod. The half hour ride to the Centre had been spent mostly in silence, Lyle only trading barbs with the pretender on several occasions.

Jarod had struggled madly against the sweepers as they had dragged the pretender out of the car and into the Centre. It had taken a couple of blows to the head, but Jarod was now following the sweepers obediently, not that he had much of a choice given the strong hold they had on his arms.

Lyle smiled as he detected the small groan that left Jarod as he was escorted into the small room containing the pathetic cell he had been locked in upon his last return to the Centre.

“Nothing like home sweet home, is there now Jarod?” Lyle said mockingly, patting the pretender on the back as he was pushed past the twin, and into the cage. Lyle could imagine the discomfort that must be coursing through the pretender’s limbs, given his hands had been restrained behind him for well over ten hours. It was a long flight between California and Delaware.

“I can’t say I’ve missed the place.” Jarod finally responded with disinterest, his eyes travelling to the security camera in the back right corner. He turned to face Lyle, letting out a sigh as Sam moved in behind him, freeing him from his restraints. The pretender’s limbs instantly fell limply to his sides.

Feeling Jarod’s expectant eyes on him, Lyle flashed the pretender an overconfident grin. “You know what to do.” He informed the pretender. They had been through this dance last time Jarod had been returned to the Centre.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to refresh my memory.” Jarod responded coldly.

Lyle rolled his eyes, boy-wonder knew damn well what was coming, he was simply stalling. “Alright Jarod.” He stated, walking over to the sweeper that held Jarod’s Centre uniform in his hands.

“Here is your Centre reality check. In my hands are your new clothes. They allow us to differentiate between the labrats and the people who actually matter. In that suit, as nice as that tie really is, you are going to confuse the wrong people. Now, strip.” Lyle spoke patronizingly, as if he was talking to a misbehaving toddler. He smiled in satisfaction as he saw the anger dance in Jarod’s eyes.

The pretender hadn’t been willing to give up his wardrobe last time he had been dragged back to the Centre. Lyle had enjoyed great satisfaction watching the sweepers strip Jarod of every last item. He was almost willing Jarod to defy him. He observed patiently as Jarod wrestled an internal war, finally submitting as he removed his suit jacket, letting it drop carelessly on the floor.

“Good boy.” Lyle praised thickly, knowing it would only further taunt Jarod. It was just too easy with the pretender. He watched impassively as Jarod removed his clothing, flinching slightly as sweepers physically searched him. Satisfied that Jarod wasn’t harbouring anything that could aid in his escape, Lyle handed over the dark grey uniform.

“It’s official. The rat is back, trapped in our maze; or maybe the hamster running in the wheel is a better analogy for what we have here.” He taunted as Jarod angrily tugged on his new clothing.

“What do you want Lyle?” Jarod snapped, looking around wearily as two sweepers moved in and grabbed his arms.

“Everything Jarod; but you know that.” Lyle informed the pretender with a dull tone. “However, what I want mostly right now, is your little carbon copy.”

Jarod scoffed. “I’ve got nothing to say about that. I haven’t seen him for months. I have no better idea where they are than you do.”

“I don’t believe you.” Lyle replied impatiently, watching as Jarod shrugged his shoulders, the ring of his cell postponing the pretender’s rebuttal.

“Lyle.” He answered impatiently, straightening up as he heard Broots on the other end. There was a lead on the clone.

“Get Parker on it.” He angrily informed the tech. “I have more important matters to attend to.” He continued, flashing Jarod a dangerous look. The pretender returned his stare with a bored gaze while attempting to shake off the hold the sweeper’s had on his arms.

Lyle’s clenched his jaw as the tech relayed the message that Parker would not be joining him on the pursuit team for the clone.

“Try her anyways. Get the jet fired up, I’ll be ready to go in thirty minutes.” He ordered clearly irritated. Playtime with the pretender would have to be postponed. He would have some words with Raines to get his sister on that plane. His position was much too significant at the Centre to have him waste his time schlepping across the country now that Jarod was back.

“That sounded important.” Jarod stated, feigning interest.

Lyle chuckled inwardly, knowing the pretender believed he had bought himself a few hours before he really would be at the twin’s mercy.

“Sam. See what you can get out of him. I want to know all about daddy and his replacement son.” He commanded, enjoying as Jarod’s eyes nervously darted towards the sweeper. Lyle was tempted to personally participate in the little extraction session, but he knew he had to act on the lead now. Jarod obviously would never disclose any information he may have on the whereabouts of his family. It was just an excuse for Lyle to play, a little re-education if you will.

There would be time to torture later; the prodigal son was clearly not going anywhere. Maybe this was also Lyle’s day to get lucky. His twin had definitely fared well, capturing their golden boy.

He had to smile at the thought of dragging Gemini in here, taunting the original copy with threats and a dead daddy. If anything would break Jarod, it would be seeing the little dysfunctional group the pretender called his family destroyed before his very eyes.

MISS PARKER’s OFFICE – TOWER LEVEL 2

“Sydney, come on in.” Miss Parker said dryly as the psychiatrist entered her office unannounced.

“It’s true then?” The shrink asked softly, surprisingly with no accusation in his voice.

“What? Didn’t make the distribution list?” Parker asked uncaringly. “Don’t worry, there will be unlimited time for you to play shrink. That boy of yours has a lot of issues. They’ll be calling you eventually.”

Sydney sighed heavily. “You know I was not allowed access to Jarod last time he was brought in Miss Parker. Why should it be any different this time around? Raines has gunned his whole life for control over Jarod, over the entire Pretender Program. Your father…Mr. Parker, was always the voice of reason. I fear what will happen to Jarod now that Raines has no one to control him.”

Miss Parker raised her eyebrows, not missing the psychiatrist’s slip up over her questionable parentage. “Relax Sydney, you and boy-wonder have an emotional umbilical cord. They need you.”

“Do you honestly believe that Miss Parker? Have you learned nothing in the past six years? It won’t be long before the Africans try to interfere. They want him just as badly as the Centre does.”

Parker sighed, growing uncomfortable at the psychiatrist’s obvious distress.

“He’ll be fine Sydney. He always is.” She said softly, a weak attempt to comfort the older man. It was blatantly obvious to her, after six years on the search that Sydney’s feelings for Jarod ran as deep as any normal father-son bond would. She had half expected Sydney to come barging in with some ‘how could you’ speech. Maybe he really did understand the cruel conclusion to the game they had been playing for the last six years. At the end of the day it was Jarod’s life or hers. Either way one of them was screwed.

“How did he look?” Sydney questioned, the concern evident in his voice.

“He came willingly if that’s what you mean. Relax Sydney, I’m not Lyle. I think Sam only had to encourage him once or twice. Jarod wasn’t exactly thrilled about getting off that airplane.” Parker answered honestly.

The pair was interrupted as Parker’s office phone rang. She impatiently grabbed the receiver, noting it was the extension of the tech-room. “What?” She snarled impatiently, knowing it was Broots. The tech had consistently bad timing.

“Miss Parker, it’s Broots. I have a lead on Jarod’s family.” The tech stated.

“Where?” She asked sharply.

“California.”

“Big surprise.” She replied sarcastically, before continuing. “It’s my brother’s problem. I’ve done my part with the original labrat. Version 2.0 is Lyle’s responsibility. Tell him. It’s his turn to stumble around the west coast.”

Sydney reached over and grabbed Parker’s arm, trying to get her attention. “Not now Sydney.” She growled.

“Parker please! If Jarod’s family is really there, you can’t let Lyle go alone. We both know it won’t turn out for the best. Lyle will not allow any member of Jarod’s family to walk away. He will murder them.”

“That’s not my problem Sydney.”

“Then make it your problem. If anything was to happen to Jarod’s family, you know as well as I do, that he’ll be lost forever. If he’s ever meant anything to you, if any one thing he has done affected you positively in the smallest of ways, I ask you to please not turn your back on this. If you can’t do it for him, then do it for me. Please.” Sydney pleaded desperately.

“Miss Parker?” Broots questioned uncertainly, he had obviously overheard Sydney’s begging.

With a deep sigh, Parker studied the psychiatrist before her.

“I’ll be ready to go in twenty minutes. Make sure my idiot brother is there, I will not wait.”

“Yes Miss Parker.” Broots replied dutifully, before terminating the call.

“Thank you Parker.” Sydney whispered gratefully.

“Don’t misinterpret this Syd. I didn’t drag your boy across the country only to have him go postal on us. I’m doing this to protect the Centre’s investment, nothing else. One last favour; Monday I’m back in Corporate. There is no pretender circus over there.”

She wondered if Sydney believed her, anymore then she believed herself.

Chapter 3 – A Matter of Timing

“Damn, that was close way too close.”

“How many times have you done this? How?”

“What other choice did I have?”

“Point taken.”

“This is not going to work. We need to change the game. They are getting too close, too fast. He needs time to rest, to fight this.”

“At least Lyle didn’t see you.”

“I’ll consider that a small consolation.”

“If he had, the ramifications would have been disastrous.”

“I know.”

“What are we going to do?”

“There is no we, just me.”

“Why must you insist on doing everything alone?”

“It’s how I was raised.”

“You have a plan then?”

“Not yet – but we will. Together, we will think of something.”

“So now there is a We?”

“You can’t let him know we are planning anything. He’ll try to talk us out of it.”

“He’ll know something is up. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already on to us.”

“We’ll just have to be smarter than him.”

“I don’t like the thought of deceiving him.”

“Neither do I. But what choice do we have?”

SL-24 – UNCLASSIFIED AREA

Sam watched in satisfaction as Jarod curled up into a pitiful ball on the floor as the rest of the sweeper team exited the cell.

Jarod had humiliated him one too many times. The final straw had come when the pretender had left the sweeper shackled on the African bound airplane. Retribution had never tasted so sweet or had been more fun.

Sam nodded at one of his men, as the other sweeper activated the electronic lock on Jarod’s cage, enjoying the grimace on the pretender’s face as the strobe-like was turned on, it’s constant flashing lighting up the dull room.

Mr. Lyle had given him free reign to attempt to extract information from the defiant pretender. Given flight time between Delaware and California, he estimated he still had a good two or three sessions left with Jarod before the man returned. Until then Sam had more then enough revenge of his own to distribute.

It was days like this that made him love his job.

WEST COAST OF CALIFORNIA

Parker looked into her brother’s eyes as their small group silently gathered at the front entrance of the small cabin they were about to penetrate. Trust Jarod’s family to hide out in some retro love-shack out in the woods. It must be genetic. She could see Lyle’s predatory hunger; he honestly believed that today was his day.

“Whoever you are looking for - they are not there.” A voice drawled behind them, causing both Parker and Lyle to startle. The two swung their guns around to face the man behind them.

“Whoa… easy now.” The tall man announced, placing his hands up in a placating gesture. Parker sighed in frustration, holstering her weapon, as she looked at the elderly gentleman in front of them.

“Who is not there?” Lyle demanded angrily.

“Well based on your guns, I’d say it was the Major you are after. Not that he would deserve those things pointed in his face, the boy or his sweet sister neither.”

Parker had to suppress her sigh of relief. The rules concerning her and Jarod had been forged long ago, but she didn’t want to participate in dragging Gemini back to his prison as well. He was still a boy, quickly approaching on the beginnings of manhood – but he still had a chance. The verdict may be written for her and Jarod, but the clone still had a chance at a normal life. She didn’t want to be the one to take that prospect from him.

“They left a good hour ago, like the devil was after them. I suppose that would be you.” The elderly man continued, as if having a casual conversation amongst hillbillies.

Parker heard Lyle swear angrily behind her. Brother dearest wasn’t getting his happy ending, not today.

“Sweep the place.” Lyle ordered the sweepers around them authoritatively.

Parker, feigning interest in the hunt, casually approached the man. “I suppose you're going to play deaf and dumb as to where they were heading to.” She stated, somewhat sarcastically.

“What would I know? I just run the place.” The elderly gentleman replied politely.

“I bet you do.” She replied half-heartedly, taking a disinterested glance around the property. Her instincts screamed that this man knew a great deal more than he was owning up to.

“Shame though, the boy dropped this.” The man informed Parker holding up a leather bound book, obviously intended to be used a journal.

Parker reached over, but Lyle snatched the book away before she could catch more than a glimpse. The elderly man seemed oblivious to the silent power struggle between the twins as he continued on.

“That boy carried it everywhere with him. Kept talking about how they were going to meet up with his brother soon. They had been separated for a long time apparently. Sad tale that family; Mother was missing too you know. Wonder what could happen to drive a family apart like that? They were nothing but fragmented pieces. Anyways, I never saw the boy without it. He’d often take it out to the lake, where he just sat and wrote.” The man reminisced. “Maybe it will help you find where they were headed.” The man offered with false sincerity.

Parker gave him a tight smile back. “Thank you.” She offered in a tone that indicated their conversation was officially over. She turned back over to Lyle. “Anything?” She demanded. Her mind was questioning the authenticity of the journal. It seemed too damn convenient.

“It’s written in short-hand. We’ll have to take it back to the Centre and have it analyzed. Maybe the original lab-rat can decipher it.” Lyle said smugly. Parker shot him a look of disgust as she saw the anticipation on his face, knowing he was thinking of ways to coerce Jarod into giving them what they wanted.

“In your dreams Lyle.” Parker sneered.

Her brother shrugged uncaringly. “There are always ways to persuade Parker.”

She huffed. “Jarod may prance around your three ring-circus if that is what it takes to save his family, but you know damn well as much as I do, that he will not do a thing that would see them destroyed.” Parker reminded her twin as the two made their way into the small cabin that had been occupied by the Major and co.

“Everyone has a breaking point Parker.” Lyle rebutted.

Parker ignored him, instead glancing around the cabin. The beds were unmade, a few scrunched up tissues in the small trash bin in the bathroom, but other than that, there was nothing.

It felt a little too clean to Parker, years of chasing Jarod had honed her instincts. It was the little things that made a difference. The unused bar of soap, the TV remote perfectly placed next to the TV, as a housekeeper would place it; something wasn’t right. She wasn’t about to share that insight with Lyle though.

SL-24 – UNCLASSIFIED AREA

“Jarod,” Sydney whispered sharply as he crept towards the cage. He hadn’t even bothered going to Raines to ask for permission to see the pretender. How could he defy an order that technically had not yet been spoken? He figured if Lyle and Raines were intent on keeping Jarod away from him, they would have found another dark corner of the Centre to hide him away. Lyle knew damn well that Sydney had located Jarod the last time, and that he would be hell-bent on doing it again.

His stomach twitched as he saw Jarod curled up on the ground, bare-chested. It was obvious that the sweepers had paid the pretender at least one visit. Sharp bruises were already forming on his back, and Sydney could see vicious red marks tracing around Jarod’s wrist.

It was so unnecessarily cruel, and he was entirely powerless to stop it, more so than ever. With Raines and Lyle at the top of totem pole, it was dangerous times at the Centre, especially for the pretender who had smugly rubbed his freedom in their noses.

Jarod painfully stood and gripped the bars that separated him from Sydney.

“Are you alright Jarod?” Sydney asked genuinely, squeezing his protégé's hand in comfort. He felt sickened speaking to Jarod through a set of bars, as if the pretender was some low-form criminal. There would be no sugar coating his imprisonment this time, no glided cage with all the amenities, nothing to hid behind in this bare cell.

Jarod ignored the question. “There was a lead on my family, wasn’t there?” He asked, the concern heavy on his voice.

Sydney nodded, “I’m sorry Jarod.” He offered sincerely. “Miss Parker and Mr. Lyle are in California, I have heard nothing about what they have or not found. Apparently they were headed just slightly north of where they found you.” He suspected that Jarod was supposed to meet up with his family.

The pretender sighed deeply. “They’ll get away. They always do.” He muttered, glancing backwards at the camera. Apparently Jarod was not going to disclose his intentions with his family, whether he had known they were in the area or not.

Sydney knew they didn’t have much time. In retrospect, it would have been wiser to get Broots to loop the camera, but he had been too impatient to bother with the tech. He would save that more desperate measure for more urgent times.

“Is there anything I can do?” Sydney asked weakly, knowing full well there wasn’t.

Jarod gave him a sad smile. There was no point in replying, they both knew Sydney was powerless to stop Raines and Lyle.

“Leaving would be a good start.” Raines wheezed from behind them, announcing his unwanted arrival.

Sydney flashed Jarod a concerned look, not much had changed since the pretender had been a younger boy. If Jarod was up to something, Raines was almost bound to be lurking around.

The chairman continued on. “Sydney, you will be informed if and when your presence is needed with regards to Jarod. Until then, your access to anything regarding the pretender project is prohibited. Am I understood?” The old man wheezed.

Sydney turned and stared down Raines, noting with disgust that Willie stood right behind the man. “It is your inability to separate your personal agenda and need for control from professional reality that caused you to lose your medical license. We are much beyond the medical review board now Raines. One wrong step and Africa will take your life. I’ll be watching you, carefully. One missed step, and I’ll be forced to notify the proper powers. ”

“You are overstepping your bounds Sydney.” Raines wheezed sharply. “People have been questioning your usefulness ever since your pet project ran away. Now that he is back, your value has only plunged even further.”

“Maybe so, but even you can’t deny the fact that Jarod is more valuable than even you.” Sydney threatned in a low, calm voice. “I’d be careful if I were you. In a place as dangerous as the Centre, an old man such as myself would be a fool to not have certain backup procedures in place should anything unfortunate happen.”

“I think you’re bluffing.” Raines replied.

Sydney shrugged his shoulders. “Try me.” He said nonchalantly.

Raines ignored him, instead the chairman turned towards Willie. “Get Jarod.” He ordered.

Sydney stood back apprehensively as the dark sweeper moved towards Jarod’s cell. He could see Jarod’s eyes sparkling defiantly, something that gave Sydney’s heart hope as well as filling it with fear. Jarod had changed so much in years of freedom. He was no longer the naive little boy trapped in the body of man, the bulging muscles of the sweepers no longer served to intimidate him.

It was dangerous times at the Centre. Lyle and Raines were in reality high-functioning psychopaths. Mr. Parker had always been reasonable, the bottom-line was nothing but dollar and cents, the ultimate ruthless businessman. Lyle and Raines were far more extreme, but as an added vice, put their personal desires ahead of most business practicalities.

Jarod had instilled so much anger between the two men in the last six years. Not only had he been the one to get away, but he had paraded around his successes and personally antagonized the two men.

Sydney knew Lyle was cruel, the man had demonstrated his insane qualities when Jarod had been returned last time. The psychiatrist didn’t want to imagine what he and Raines would dream up, if they worked together if and when Jarod proved to be uncooperative.

“A field trip already?” Jarod asked sarcastically as Willie approached the pretender, handcuffs at the ready.

“Lose the attitude Jarod.” Raines warned.

“I think you forgot the or else.” Jarod shot back, his voice dripping with disdain.

Sydney heard Raines huff in frustration. “You know what I am capable of Jarod. A little birdie told me you finally remembered about our little heart experiment a few years back. Ever wondered if there might be any more happy memories hidden away in your head? I can arrange a few flashback exercises at a moments notice.” Raines threatened.

Jarod’s cocky smirk fell off his face instantly. Sydney knew how much Jarod had struggled with that particular memory of the heart drug experiment. The pretender’s anguish had been obvious, despite the fact that the two had spoke only over the phone. Sydney believed it was the seeming senselessness behind it all that bothered Jarod the most. The psychiatrist had long ago given up finding method to Raines’ madness. It simply wasn’t worth it. He watched as Jarod barley flinched while Willie restrained him, hands behind his back. His protégé didn’t deserve this.

The smile on Raines’ face was sickening as the pretender was pushed out of his cell and hauled to a stop just a few feet from the man.

“One chance Jarod. SIM lab or my lab. The choice is yours.” Raines asked evenly.

Sydney watched silently as Jarod shook his head. “I will not deal death for you people, never again.” The pretender stated strongly. He might be back in a cell, his body under their control, but his mind was still his and that was something they would never own again.

“Too bad little brother wasn’t around. He was always very good at deciding who lived or died.” Raines replied, his grin widening. Sydney winced, praying Jarod would find enough self-control to not respond to the taunting barb.

The pretender’s muscles visible tensed as he took a furious step towards Raines, only to be held back by Willie. Jarod eyed the sweeper’s hold on his bicep before retreating back with a heavy sigh. Sydney released his own breath in relief as he watched Jarod fight to regain control of his emotions.

“Shouldn’t you be pushing papers upstairs in the big leather chair?” Jarod finally questioned Raines bitterly.

Raines just kept on smiling. “I’m the chairman Jarod. I can do whatever I want, with whoever I want.” The wheezing ghoul took a deep breath before turning to Willie. “Let’s go.”

Sydney exchanged a concerned look with Jarod, as the younger man was guided forward by Willie. He could see his protégé was scared, although trying hard to keep his fear suppressed.

Sydney liked to think that he had changed in the last six years, he certainly had been enlightened. Yet here he stood, watching Jarod being dragged off by Raines, again doing little to stop it.

Perhaps things hadn’t changed as much as he thought, likely they never would.

CENTRE JET – CENTRE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP

Parker breathed a sigh of relief as the Centre jet touched down. The past two days had been excruciating, involving two trips to California in less than a twenty four hour period. She was exhausted, in need of a shower and a very large quantity of alcohol.

Parker grimaced as her cell phone rang. It was evening in Blue Cove and her phone would only ring for one of two reasons: Sydney whining about Jarod or Broots with another lead on Jarod’s family. She wasn’t sure which of the two was worse.

“What?” She sneered into the phone.

“Miss Parker, there is another lead.” The timid voice of Broots announced.

“If you say it’s in California Broots I’m going to kill you.” She replied evenly. If it had been Jarod running the show, she would have sworn that the leads were coming this close together simply to torment her. But it wasn’t now, was it?

“It’s not California, by a few miles anyways.” The tech informed her.

“Don’t tell me they’ve hoped the border and gone ‘el gringo’ on us.” She sneered.

“Wrong direction Miss Parker. They are in Washington State, in a small town just north of the Californian Border, if you leave now you can be there in…”

Parker couldn’t take it, she brought the phone down to her side, not caring that she could still hear Broots’ overenthusiastic planning.

“Another lead?” Lyle asked her from behind.

“Looks like you’re heading to Washington State Lyle. Bon Voyage.” Parker offered sarcastically tossing him her cell. “Mr. Funyons will fill you in with all the details.”

“Not going to join me on this one Sis?” Lyle asked, holding the phone at his side. Parker could hear Broots calling her name through the earpiece. Moron.

“It’s a waste of time, it always is. We’ve got the original back, why don’t you just go play with him?” Parker snapped.

“Even you know that play time will be a lot more effective when boy wonder’s mini-me is there working beside him. Gemini has to be recovered, no matter what the costs.”

“As I said Lyle, have a good trip, and don’t lose the phone. I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Raines won’t be happy.” Lyle stated. Parker couldn’t figure out why he was so damn eager to have her accompany him while they played musical states with Jarod’s family.

She simply shrugged. “I’m back in Corporate now. I caught my lab-rat, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s over. It’s your turn to hop around the damn country.”

With that she strode away, leaving Lyle holding her phone, Broots still calling her name out.

Six long years, her days as a huntress had finally come to an end.

SL-24 – UNCLASSIFIED AREA

Angelo grinned as the sweeper’s finally left Jarod’s cell. Things had been much easier when his friend had been kept in his old room where he had lived before escaping the Centre. He could just hop into the pretender’s room through the vents.

As much as he was happy that Jarod had finally been able to leave the Centre, he missed his friend terribly. Although their communication had been somewhat limited throughout the years, Jarod had radiated nothing but kindness towards him.

“Friend... Hurt…” Angelo stuttered as he crept around the corner, approaching the bars his friend was kept behind. He missed the days when verbal communication had been easy. Angelo’s brain was still highly functioning, but the wires were crossed. His life was nothing but a cloud of fog, so dense that he could get lost inside himself for days. He couldn’t afford to do that now. Jarod needed him.

Jarod shifted out of the small ball he had curled into on the floor and pushed himself upwards painfully. “Angelo!” He exclaimed with warmth, wincing as he tried to stand. Angelo frowned as Jarod gave up on his attempt, instead propping himself against the cinder blocks. Jarod smiled sadly up at Angelo. “How have you been my friend?”

Angelo gave him a crooked smile. “Angelo here to help.”

Jarod frowned as he glanced behind him at the camera propped in the back corner.

“Safe.” Angelo replied, ignoring the frustration building up inside of him. Raines had stolen so much from him, his ability to communicate. He could understand and feel so much from within. He could almost feel the pain that was coursing through Jarod from the drug he knew Raines had cruelly given the pretender, the dejection the pretender was feeling at being locked up behind bars, the apprehension of what would happen when Lyle and Sam would return, but most of all overwhelming concern for his family.

Jarod scoffed as his eyes lingered over the puncture mark on his left arm from Raines’ needle. “For now.” He finally replied, his tone neutral.

Angelo sunk down onto the floor in a kneeling position, grabbing at the bars that separated him from Jarod. He looked into the deep brown eyes of his friend. There was so much pain, so much fear.

“Jarod scared.”

Jarod smiled sadly. “Very.” He whispered.

“Hurt.” Angelo stated blankly.

Jarod only nodded slowly, dropping his gaze to the floor. Angelo felt shame radiating from his friend as the pretender’s thoughts briefly drifted to his past two days of captivity.

“Tell Sydney” Angelo stated knowingly.

Jarod eyes shot up.

“Jarod’s Sick.”

Jarod shook his head. “No Angelo. Just hurt. It’s nothing.”

Angelo shook his head.

“You need help. Sydney needs to know.” He continued.

“I’ll be fine. I promise.” Jarod replied softly.

“No. Sick, but Jarod knows. Need doctor.”

Jarod scoffed. “What am I suppose to do? Go begging to visit the infirmary? They won’t believe me if I tried. Raines will think it’s just a game to avoid his little lab of torture.”

“Angelo can help.” The empath persisted. In some ways Jarod was more stubborn than even Miss Parker.

Jarod looked at the empath, fear dancing out in his eyes. “They’ll figure it out eventually.”

Angelo stared at Jarod thoughtfully for a moment. “Friend meant to come back.” He finally stated, smiling as the pretender’s eyes widened in surprise. Jarod had returned to the Centre willingly.

“How did you know?” Jarod stated with shock.

Angelo gave him another awkward smile. “Angelo knows everything in here.”

Jarod chuckled lightly. “Somehow I don’t doubt that.”

Angelo’s smile faded from his face. “But only Timmy could have shared the secrets.” He finished sadly, before shaking his head. He couldn’t disappear into the cloud of darkness. Jarod needed him to be sharp, to be strong.

“Need to tell Sydney, tell him everything, the truth.” He continued on. He knew Jarod was deeply conflicted over what he felt about Sydney. If only his friend could feel the concern, the fear and affection the psychiatrist had towards Jarod. Angelo couldn’t use his words to express how he felt, his brain allowing him nothing more but constrained sentences. Jarod and Sydney had all the words in the world to use, but neither could say what they really felt. Miss Parker too, the little girl who used to bring him Cracker Jacks was buried beneath layers of betrayal and pain.

“I can’t Angelo. You know that.” Jarod responded with a heavy sigh. “You should go, Raines will be back soon.”

“Jarod can trust Sydney. Sydney can make things better. Angelo knows.” The empath again tried to reason with his friend.

“This is something I need to do alone. Sydney can’t help fix things, no one can.” Jarod replied despondently.

Angelo frowned. “Need family.”

“My dad doesn’t know I’m here. I hope he never finds out. I never told him that I was recaptured after he rescued Jay. If he knew I was here, why I am here, he’d - ” Jarod’s voice trailed off brokenly.

Angelo watched as his friend took a few moments to compose himself. Unfortunately time had run out of his favour, and he became aware of an angry presence from behind him.

“Recess is over boys.” Raines stated evenly.

Both Jarod and Angelo looked up at the ailing man with apprehension. Angelo shrank back at the angry stare that Raines gave him. He knew they would shove him back in his little hole, watch him vigilantly for a few days until they grew bored and he would be back running through the air vents again. Angelo honestly believed that Raines didn’t care, as long as he stayed out of trouble. He wouldn’t empath Raines, the emotions and thoughts radiating from the chairman were beyond terrifying. Although the evil doctor had been the one to curse Angelo with his empathetic abilities, he was the first to underestimate his limits. This had and would continue to work in his favour.

“Put Angelo back in his space.” Raines ordered as Angelo was pulled to his feet and dragged away from Jarod’s cage. The empath watched with a bowed head as Jarod attempted to rise to his feet, clearly still fighting the lingering effects of whatever drug he had been given. With a sigh of frustration Jarod fell back to the ground, his humiliation obvious to those in the room.

Angelo frowned with concern as he was escorted roughly out of the room. Jarod needed help. Jarod needed Sydney.

He would bring Sydney to Jarod. His friend needed him, whether he knew it or not.

Chapter Four

“How is he?”

“The same. He misses you, we all do. I can’t keep lying to him. It’s only been two weeks, and I’m running out of things to say.”

“I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

“It doesn’t. We can find another way, I promise.”

“We already tried, and failed. We are out of time. He’s given so much to us, it’s about time I did something for him.”

“Does that something have to be the one thing he’ll quantify as unforgivable?”

“If all goes according to my plan, he’ll never have to know.”

“How can you believe for a second that we can keep something this big a secret?”

“My entire childhood was based on secrets and lies. I guess along the way I became an expert.”

“Don’t hide behind them. Just because it was their way, doesn’t mean it is yours. It’s not. You are just making excuses.”

“Maybe.”

“Is this where we have to say goodbye? I don’t know if I can do this. What if I need you? What if he needs you? What if … ”

“It WILL be okay.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“I’ll try my best, is that good enough for you?”

“Of course. But it’s not me you have to worry about. It’s him.”

SL-24 – UNCLASSIFIED AREA

Parker strode towards Jarod cell, concentrating on the sharp sound her stilettos made as she walked down the nearly deserted corridor in SL-24. Only the two sweepers posted outside the door alerted her to the fact that someone was even down here. The hallway had an eerie emptiness about it, which was saying something in the Centre.

It was Monday, her first day back in Corporate. She was finally free of Jarod, yet here she was, and why? Ever since Sam had slapped the handcuffs around the pretender’s wrists, Parker’s gut instinct at been screaming at the fact that something wasn’t right. Jarod’s submissive demeanour, the abandoned cabin in the woods that had been occupied by the Major and Gemini, something was not adding up. Hell, all of it wasn’t adding up. The pursuit of Jarod had fine tuned-her already excellent ability to pay attention to detail. There were missing pieces in this puzzle, and by the amount of sleepless tossing and turning she had enjoyed over the weekend, she wasn’t going to rest until this was resolved.

Parker had chased Jarod for six years and had enjoyed nothing but failure, a few hours in the Florida Keys and about 1 minute in an apartment building notwithstanding. Any residual guilt towards sentencing Jarod to further imprisonment aside, it was nice to think that she had for once been able to take control of her destiny. Her ‘Daddy’ was gone, she hadn’t brought the genius home for his approval. She had done this because it was her job, because she was a Parker, but mostly, because it was time for the game to end; Once and for all.

The nagging feeling that the past few days weren’t as they seemed, was taking away from Parker’s feelings of success. She needed answers, the kind only the lab-rat could provide. She had spent the last six years chasing answers that Jarod had dangled in front of her, it was about time that boy-wonder was forthcoming with her about something. No more games.

Parker suppressed a smile as the sweepers let her into Jarod’s room without question. She was partially surprised that she hadn’t made Raines’ list of forbidden visitors, a privilege that seemed reserved only for Sydney. The shrink had practically jumped her as she had made her way into the building this morning. It was obvious that Sydney had slept very little this weekend, his concern for Jarod overwhelming him. Sydney became less of scientist and more of a mommy with each passing day.

As Parker walked over to the barred cage, she stopped suddenly, as she caught sight of Jarod. Six long years of chasing, and she had barely spared a second thought to exactly what might happen when the pretender was returned. She knew Lyle had abused Jarod terribly that last time he had been here, but she had purposely ignored the implications of a few references to jumper cables that the pretender had made after escaping Centre custody. Whatever shreds of success she was still holding onto quickly turned to guilt. Parker pushed it aside, Sydney was worrying enough for the both of them.

The Centre was certainly a more dangerous place without her father running the show, and Jarod was far from immune.

Parker watched as Jarod lifted his head slightly as he became aware of her presence in the room. He was curled up on the floor on the left side of his cage, as if trying to hide in the dark. The lights barely lit up the room as it was, just breeding irritation as they flickered with a near strobe like intensity. It was as if Jarod hadn’t moved much from where the sweepers had likely dumped him when they had returned him here.

“Miss Parker.” Jarod whispered hoarsely, as he pulled himself to a sitting position, using the bars as support.

“Looks like Raines threw you one hell of a homecoming party.” Parker stated with forced indifference, noticing Jarod’s wince as he leaned against the bars.

Jarod just looked at her tiredly, his brown eyes dull. “Did you enjoy California?” He asked, his tone falling flat.

Parker gave him a false smile. “Which trip Jarod, the one that led me to you, or the one in which we supposedly missed your family unit shacking up in the woods?”

“I can see the California sun did nothing to improve your mood.” Jarod stated sarcastically.

She ignored his remark. Parker and Jarod could banter for hours. She didn’t come here to make idle chitchat with the great pretender. She needed answers and he owed her more than one.

“So Jarod, tell me, where are we going to find your twisted little family next? Lyle is on his way to Oregon, only a few miles north from allowing me to classify it as the third trip to California in as many days.” Parker baited.

Jarod narrowed his eyes, still clutching the bars of his cell. “If I knew that, I’d be there with them, instead of being in here.” He replied bitterly.

“Cut the crap Jarod. You are up to something.” Parker stated boldly.

“The jet-lag must be getting to you then. What kind of game do you think I play, that would involve me being in here? I'd rather be dead than perform another simulation for the Centre.” Jarod informed her cynically.

“Tell me this Jarod. Lyle’s been hunting your family for almost a year. I could count the number of times he got close with one finger. I’m supposed to believe that the very day you fall into my lap that coincidentally your little family starts leading my brother on a zig-zag race across the country? Three hits in as many days?”

“Life is filled with coincidences Miss Parker.” Jarod replied neutrally, looking up at her.

“As far as Centre business is concerned, there is no such thing as coincidence. I’m not buying your ignorant act Jarod. It may work for Captain Wheezy and my idiot brother, but it’s not cutting it for me.” Parker sneered. She was so tired of his damn games.

“Why do you even care Miss Parker?” Jarod asked with a heavy sigh. “You’ve won, you caught me. I’m back where you’ve wanted to put me for over six years. I thought this is the last place you would be coming to on your first day of freedom. Did Daddy Raines not agree for your transfer to Corporate?” Jarod taunted weakly.

Parker inhaled sharply, surprised at the bluntness of Jarod’s words. “I’m doing my job Jarod, protecting what belongs to the Centre.” She snapped.

Jarod looked away from her briefly, mostly likely due to her reference to him as Centre property.

“Continuing your mother’s work, how proud she would have been.” Jarod retorted bitterly. Parker refused to be baited by his remark. It was expected. The second he ran out of ammunition, he lashed out with some remark about her mother. It wasn’t going to work – not today. It was an old game, one Parker knew how to win.

“As proud as yours will be, to find out she has a son who has to be kept in a zoo-cage.” Parker almost smiled as the last traces of confidence fell from Jarod’s face, not wasting a breath she continued on. “Just because I’m back in Corporate doesn’t mean I’m not watching you Jarod. As long as your ass is behind these bars, I can get on with my life. I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep it that way. You are up to something. I know it.” She stated with conviction.

“Don’t you feel at least a little bit guilty that your new found freedom comes at the price of mine?” Jarod questioned, his eyes now downcast on the floor. “There was a time when we would have done almost anything for each other.”

“We do what we need to do to survive, Jarod. Our fate is just this, whatever one does, condemns the other.” She replied, her tone softening slightly, despite her efforts to remain strong. She could hear the door behind her opening, Parker turning her head behind her to find Willie and Sam standing in the door frame, a pair of handcuffs waiting in the latter’s hands.

“I’ll be watching you Jarod.” Parker warned again as Sam entered the pretender’s cell.

“Get up.” The sweeper commanded.

Jarod clenched the bars in front of him, swaying slightly, as if dizzy, as he reached a standing position after a moderate effort.

“I’m counting on it.” The pretender replied to her, with conviction, not resisting as Sam pulled him away from the bars and restrained him.

Parker frowned as Jarod sagged between the two sweepers as they dragged him out of his cell, almost as if the pretender couldn’t support his own weight.

Logically Parker suspected that Jarod could just be pretending, knowing if he appeared vulnerable and at risk, it could force Raines to back off slightly. As much as the wheezing chairman had it out for the pretender, he wouldn’t dare destroy him beyond repair, Jarod was simply too valuable.

With a heavy sigh, Parker followed the sweepers out of the room, her eyes never leaving Jarod’s form. She had come here hoping for resolution to the questions that had tortured her for the past three days. However, Parker was leaving as confused as when she arrived, but more certain than ever that something was very wrong.

Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area, Oregon State

(~ 10 miles north of the California State Border)

Lyle grimaced as they pulled up to the entrance of the small state park. Jarod’s sordid family was taking the concept of rustic to whole new heights. He loved the forest as much as any small-town American would, but not like this. Three thousand dollar business suits didn’t belong trudging along the rugged coastline of Oregon.

Broots’ lead indicated that Major Charles and Gemini had been seen camping around this area. Local sweeper teams had been dispatched as Lyle had made the long five hour flight across the country, for the second time in as many days, but had turned up nothing. He was here only as a matter of formality, to question those around the campsite to see if anyone had seen something, anything that could lead them to finding their precious asset in the flesh.

He still had Gemini’s journal to go on. The whole thing was written in some indecipherable form of shorthand. Logically, Lyle knew that he should have handed it over to Parker when they had landed ever so briefly in Blue Cove, but he simply didn’t trust her. It would have to wait until he could personally hand it over to the tech department back at the Centre. She likely would have given it to Jarod for some comforting bedtime reading. While Parker had exhibited nothing but resolve to catch Jarod, except on occasions when her focus shifted towards her own family secrets, her motivation towards the reacquisition of Gemini was shaky at best. She had, however, brought home the prize, and now it was his turn to follow suit. Lyle patted his gun that was carefully hidden beneath his suit pocket, he would relish the moment when he would pump Major Charles full of lead. Only then would Jarod and Gemini truly belong to the Centre, to him.

“Here, Mr Lyle?” The sweeper driving the black town car asked politely as they pulled up beside the campsite registration cabin.

Lyle remained quiet, knowing the sweeper would interpret his silence as agreement.

The second the car pulled to a stop, Lyle exited the car, striding purposely into the small building. What had to be a middle-aged card carrying hippie was seated behind the desk.

“Ahh return of the suits. I don’t know who you are looking for, but they must have done something bad – real bad.” The man stated with disinterest, barely looking up from the crossword he was completing.

Lyle frowned with impatience; the man was obviously referring to local Oregon team that had combed the area while he was flying across the continent.

He threw two pictures in front of the hippie. “I assume you saw these two, they were apparently here until last night.”

The man barely glanced at them for two seconds, instead continuing with the puzzle in front of him. “Yup.” He stated simply.

Lyle had enough. Damn hippies and their lack of respect towards authority. Menacingly, he snatched the crossword puzzle from the man, crumpling it up in a small ball.

“Now tell me, have you seen these men?” He asked again threateningly, his eyes cold and his voice impatient.

The man sighed heavily. “I don’t believe I have seen your identification. What are you, FBI, CIA?”

Lyle scoffed. “You don’t get to. Answer my questions now.”

That grabbed the man’s attention. “The ever elusive secret government organization. What? Is Major Charles some ex-air force veteran gone crazy terrorist?”

Lyle sneered. “This is how this works. I’m not here to answer your questions; rather you are here to answer mine. Now start talking.”

With a heavy sigh the man studied the pictures again. “They checked in yesterday around 10am, set up camp and everything. That boy was wandering around here, eyes lit up like he had never seen a forest before. I figured them for big city folk. Something came up however, and around six in the evening they packed up in a big hurry, didn’t even ask for their deposit back.”

“Any idea where they were heading?” Lyle snapped.

“Nope,” The man smiled. “And for their sake, I hope it’s in the opposite direction of you and your band of merry little men.”

Lyle ignored him, instead storming out of the cabin in frustration as his cell phone started ringing.

“Lyle.”

“Uh.. Mr. Lyle, it’s Broots. We have another hit on Major Charles and Jay.”

Lyle frowned. “For your sake it better be in the North-west.” He was beginning to feel like he was being led on a wild goose chase by Major Charles and the boy. Still the leads seemed genuine, and he hadn’t been this close for months. He could almost taste the victory.

“Umm … They’ve changed direction and gone south.. Well more like south east.”

“Where are they?” He growled, not in the mood for the tech’s rambling.

“The Military base in Pensacola, Florida reported an unauthorized landing at a small air field outside just outside the city limits. I did some checking, turns out the plane was meant to land in nearby Montgomery, Alabama. The original flightplan indicates the plane took off from…”

“Let me guess, Brookings, Oregon?” Lyle finished for Broots, naming the small city close the state park they were currently in.

“They landed forty minutes ago.”

Lyle swore under his breath. “I want sweeper teams on the ground from our local office, every man that is available. They won’t get away, not this time.” He barked, making a note to lecture the tech on the quality of his leads when he returned to the Centre.

“Back to the airstrip.” He commanded his sweeper team.

They were getting closer. Question is, was it going to be close enough?

THE CENTRE - SL-16 Isolation Wing

Sydney rushed down the hallway frantically, having received a call that Angelo was having a psychotic episode. He assumed he had been called down only because Raines was occupied with a seemingly more important matter in the form of Jarod. What he couldn’t figure out is why Angelo was currently being housed in the Isolation wing, and not in his normal space. The empath had obviously done something to earn a brief stay here. Angelo was very difficult to contain, but for whatever reason, he seemed incapable of leaving the isolation wing. Unfortunately the empath always emerged nearly cationic after more than a few days, and hence it was used only when absolutely necessary.

Sydney could see the relief on the sweeper’s face as he approached Angelo’s doorway.

“What happened?” Sydney asked with concern.

“He just started freaking out about two hours ago Doc.”

“Why is he here, and not in his normal wing?” Sydney asked, fishing for information.

“Mr. Raines orders sir.” The sweeper responded dutifully. “He just started screaming. We’ve restrained him, and with your permission he’ll be sedated.”

“Let me in.” Sydney commanded with authority, again questioning why Raines would order Angelo to be placed in such a high security area. He knew the answer likely had something to do with Jarod – few things in the Centre didn’t, one way or another.

Angelo was seated in the corner of the small cell, rocking madly back and forth. He had been placed in a straightjacket, and was fruitlessly jerking his shoulders, as if trying to free himself from his restraints. “DANGER. DANGER. DANGER. HELP FRIEND.” Angelo screamed, causing Sydney to flinch back.

He had only seen such furious emotions radiating from Angelo a handful of times before, the most recent being when Jarod had been threatened by a previous victim of one of his pretends.

Sydney cautiously knelt down in front of the screaming empath, placing his hand on Angelo’s shoulders, trying to bring him back to reality.

“DANGER. DANGER.” Angelo screeched, tears flowing freely down his face.

“What is it Angelo?” Sydney questioned with concern.”

“Jarod. Help Jarod!” Angelo screamed, ignoring Sydney and continuing on with his violent jerking back and forth.

“What is wrong?” Sydney asked, his stomach clenching at the mention of Jarod’s name. Angelo had never led them astray in the past, and he knew this time would be no different.

“Friend sick. DANGER.” Angelo moaned. “Help Jarod.”

“What is wrong with Jarod Angelo? Please tell me.” Sydney pleaded, again reaching out to comfort the empath.

Angelo shrank away from Sydney’s touch, as they both became aware of a squealing wheel behind them. “DANGER. DANGER. DANGER!!!” The empath continued to scream, his jerking become more violet with each passing second.

Sydney stood back up turning to face Raines, a nervous orderly cowering behind the man.

“Sedate him.” Raines ordered to the poor man behind him, his eyes boring into Sydney’s.

Sydney ignored the chairman momentarily, instead bending down and assisting the orderly in injecting Angelo with the strong sedative. He didn’t bother arguing with Raines, he knew Angelo couldn’t go on in this over-excited state for much longer. He rubbed the empath’s back in comfort as Angelo quickly succumbed to the drug.

“Angelo has never led us astray before Raines, if he says something is wrong with Jarod, there is or soon will be.” Sydney tried to reason with the man, as he turned to face him.

“Jarod is no longer your concern Sydney.” Raines wheezed back.

“Jarod will always be my concern. If there is something wrong with him, I will find out about it. I won’t stand by while you destroy him.” Sydney replied angrily as he pushed past the former doctor.

Raines wasn’t going to give him answers, but there were two people left in this building who could still help.

With any luck, it wasn’t already too late.

Outside the confines of these walls, Sydney could at least fall back on the belief that Jarod could use his mind, the numerous resources available to him to survive. At the Centre, under Raines’s strict and oppressive control, Jarod was at their mercy. The pounding heart in his chest was betraying exactly how much fear he had for his protégé.

Raines wasn’t going to ruin another life, not this time. No matter what the cost.

THE CENTRE, TECH-ROOM, 48 hours later.

“Faster Broots.” Miss Parker commanded with irritation.

“I’m trying Miss Parker.” Broots snapped back. She raised her eyebrows at his unusual show of resolve, before turning to Sydney who was pacing nervously behind her.

“Stop the pacing Syd, it’s not helping.” She ordered with a heavy sigh. The shrink didn’t seem to even register her words.

“Think boys. Where would Raines have hidden them?” She growled, clearly frustrated.

“Maybe if we focus our efforts on finding Angelo? He’ll be able to find Jarod is no time.” Broots suggested.

Parker shook her head. Sydney had shown up in her office two days ago, pleading with her that they needed to help Jarod. She had been reluctant to help, until the psychiatrist had gotten Broots to bring her the DSA of what had transpired down in the Isolation ward with Angelo. She hadn’t seen the empath that worked up since Jarod had been supposedly cornered by Bartlett .

Without hesitation, she had immediately gone down to Jarod’s cell only to find it empty. The camera in the back corner had been deactivated making it glaringly obvious that the pretender had been moved. But to where?

Coincidentally, Sydney had returned to where he had left Angelo safely sedated only hours earlier on SL-16, only to find the empath himself had vanished.

Raines was hiding them, Parker knew it. The question was why?

Broots had been looking non-stop for nearly a day and a half, but Jarod was nowhere to be found.

“It’s a waste of time Broots. Even if we do find Cousin-It, Dr. Jekyll likely has him doped on some nice narcotics. He’ll be useless to us. Focus on the camera feeds. I have a gut feeling that is where our answer lies.” Parker took a step back from the tech, rubbing her temples with annoyance.

“After six damn years, your boy is finally back in the Centre Syd, and here I am still hunting his sorry ass down.” Parker commented dryly.

Sydney ignored her once again, continuing his distracted pacing behind the computer terminal where Broots was frantically typing away.

Parker had to admit her concern for the pretender was growing. The whole situation had stunk of foul play the moment she had caught up to Jarod. The plot was simply thickening, and Angelo’s episode had only confirmed her worse suspicions. Wrong didn’t even begin to explain what was going on here.

Walking over to Sydney, she placed her hand on the shrink’s shoulder in an attempt to get him to stop his pacing. It was only adding to her frustration.

“Don’t worry Syd, We’ll find him. If I have learned one thing about Jarod in the last six years, it is that he’s always at least four or five steps ahead of us. He’s stuck in one place now, it’s just a matter of catch up.” She offered sympathetically.

The psychiatrist’s haunted eyes met hers. “But will we be in time?”

Parker was spared from answering as Broots sprung up from his chair.

“I got something, I think anyways…” Broots announced excitedly.

“You think?” Parker questioned heavily. “We don’t have time for hunches Broots. You need to be damn sure.”

The tech stiffened slightly, but ignored her remark. “I compared the security digital data archive from the past three days. They are identical, except for two new feeds, coming from the same wing.”

“I don’t care how, I just want to know where Broots.” Parker snapped impatiently.

“SL-22, Corridor 8.” Broots replied neutrally.

“Pull up the feed.” She ordered.

“It’s downloading as we speak.” Broots informed her, as she and Sydney moved towards the computer bay where the tech was seated.

Parker placed a comforting hand on Sydney’s shoulder as the live feed starting playing on Broots’ computer.

“I can see Raines didn’t bother with the basic amenities.” Parker commented wryly as Jarod came into focus on the monitor. The wheezing bastard had apparently found an even more decrepit cell for the pretender. It was a small room, at least half the size of where he had been previously housed. The cell was completely barren, a large viewing window the only thing breaking the monotonous nature of the dark grey room. A small tray sat beside the door, the green mush that every Centre inmate was forced to choke down on a daily basis was untouched.

“Can you focus in on Jarod, Broots?” Sydney asked anxiously, concern evident in his tone.

A few simple keystrokes and Jarod filled up the entire screen. Deep bruising was visible on the parts of his body that weren’t covered by his grey clothing, and a thin layer of a sweat was evident on his face. As the streaming feed continued, Parker became aware that Jarod was trembling violently, clearly the victim of an intense fever.

“What do you think Syd?” Parker inquired, “Raging flu or after effects from one of Raines’ pharmaceutical concoctions?” She proposed softly.

Sydney shook his head. “I don’t know. I need to see him.”

Parker studied the psychiatrist carefully, knowing Raines had forbidden him to step foot anywhere remotely near to Jarod. Sydney was obviously not thinking clearly, and the last thing she wanted to do was allow him to put himself at unnecessary risk. She would never forgive herself if anything were to happen to him.

“Broots, how long will it take you to set up a camera loop – one that cannot be detected by the archives?” Parker questioned sharply.

“A few hours.” Broots answered honestly.

“I’ll go figure out what time Raines leaves for the night…” Parker stated, turning as if to leave the room.

“Nine-thirty, give or take ten minutes.” Broots interrupted without hesitation as both she and Sydney shot him a surprised look.

“How many times did you make me break into his office?” The tech replied sheepishly as even Sydney managed a contrived grin.

Three pairs of eyes darted nervously to the screen as the sound of an electronic lock disengaging was heard on the live feed.

Parker swore under her breath, it was Raines followed by his favourite puppy dog Willie.

“On your feet.” Raines commanded tersely as Jarod looked up from his spot on the floor.

The pretender closed his eyes slightly, but obeyed, rising slowly as if the simple act of rising to a standing position was almost impossible. Parker saw Sydney tense as Jarod immediately was assaulted by a violet coughing fit. The pretender swayed back and forth slightly as his coughs subsided, clearly dizzied by the physical exertion of standing.

“You don’t look so good Jarod.” Raines commented without concern.

Jarod looked at him with pure hatred. “Maybe I should go see one of your beloved doctors, could be something serious.”

Raines let out an amused chuckle. “Between the two of us I’m the only one with actual medical training. My diagnosis is that you’re pretending. If you think a few sniffles and contrived coughing sprees are going to spare you… then I must regretfully inform you that you are mistaken.” The man wheezed slowly.

“I’m sure the AMA revoked your license over a trivial matter.” Jarod replied sarcastically as Raines’ glare darkened.

“Willie.” Raines ordered angrily, his eyes not leaving the pretender.

Jarod’s eyes darted towards the sweeper nervously as the tall dark man approached him, handcuffs at the ready.

With the pretender carefully restrained, Raines walked over to him. “As a precaution to your supposed illness, I’ll be sure to keep you under strict isolation orders. Wouldn’t want you infecting your beloved Sydney now would we?”

Jarod huffed in amusement. “You’re concern is overwhelming. I guess the Hippocratic Oath is still in you– somewhere.” He replied, before falling victim to another violent coughing attack.

Raines stood back in disgust. “Quit with the act Jarod.” He wheezed, before turning around. Willie pushed Jarod forward harshly, causing the pretender to crash into the wall across from him with a heavy grunt.

Parker glanced over at Sydney as Jarod disappeared from view, sagging under Willie’s tight hold. It was obvious that the pretender was suffering from something, but as to what, and how serious it was, neither had any idea.

However Angelo’s frantic screaming was fresh on her mind. Angelo wouldn’t go postal over as something as trivial as the flu.

“10 pm Sydney. We’ll go down and see him.” Parker offered.

Sydney simply nodded. She recognized the far away look on the psychiatrist’s face, he was deep in thought and would likely stay that way until he could fret over his protégé in person.

Eight hours; How much could change?

“You have the results?”

“Yes.”

”And?”

“That prognosis was what I expected.”

“Why? What did any of us do to deserve this? Why him? Have we not all suffered enough?”

“You can’t think like that. We have to be strong, for him.”

“You’re worried aren’t you?”

“How could I not be? Things are more dangerous now than they ever were before.”

“We’ll figure out a way, I know we can, just like we always do. Have you told him yet?”

“I thought we could do it together.”

“He probably already knows. What is the survival rate?”

“It varies, there are several experimental therapies, new drugs, anything is possible.”

“Don’t sugar coat it.”

“Forty percent.”

“It’s about time the odds went in our favour. If you ask me, fate owes us.”

“He has a long fight ahead of him.”

“I know.”

“I don’t know how long I can be here, with him..”

“How can you even begin to think like that?”

“Because I have to, Because it’s my fate. The moment I forget that, we are all done for.”

“As long as you believe that, they will always have some control over you.”

“You don’t know how much I wish that were true, that it was just that easy.”

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

“They didn’t just vanish.” Lyle informed the sweeper team in front of him. The six men just shrugged, all at a loss for words apparently. Just his luck.

He had landed in Pensacola twenty minutes ago. Despite Broots’ lead coming in only forty minutes after the Major’s plane had landed, their trail had disappeared into an apparent blackhole, even though sweepers had been combing the area frantically. Every car rental agency, every transport company – nothing had surfaced. Typical incompetence.

With an angry sigh, Lyle turned around, hitting the speed-dial for the tech room at the Centre.

“Talk to me Broots.” He said with authority as the awkward tech answered the phone.

“I’m sorry Mr. Lyle, their trail has just disappeared – the electronic one anyways.”

Lyle growled, rubbing his forehead in frustration.

“I want every satellite office within a three state radius on alert. Every airport within 200 miles of here is to be monitored. They didn’t just vanish Mr. Broots, they are here, whether in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, wherever. If your job means anything to you, you will find them.” He threatened before hanging up the phone.

It was like chasing Jarod all over again.

SL-22, CORRIDOR 8.

Parker quickened her steps as the elevator came into sight. For once Sydney was having no trouble keeping up with her brisk pace. Six years they had worked together, and she had never seen him move so quickly.

It had been a long eight hours, waiting for Raines to vacate the building. They were almost at Jarod’s current location. Sydney was clearly beside himself with worry for Jarod, and even Parker had to admit her concern was growing for Jarod.

The pair stopped as Parker’s cell phone rang, echoing in the deserted hallway.

“What is it Broots?” She spat into her phone, easily recognizing the number on her caller ID.

“I just finished looping the camera system Miss Parker…”

“What do you want Broots, a gold star?” She sneered sarcastically.

“No Miss Parker, you don’t understand… He’s gone!” Broots exclaimed.

“What do you mean gone?” Parker asked, frowning as she realized her first instinctual thought was that perhaps Jarod had somehow managed to escape the Centre.

“The room is empty, and the special security feed that was set up twenty four hours ago, it’s dead.”

Parker sighed in frustration, hanging up the phone. She hesitantly brought her eyes up to meet Sydney’s worried stare.

“I’m sorry Syd. Back to finding the proverbial needle in the haystack.” She remarked, before turning around and walking back in the direction of the elevator. It was going to be a long night.

THE CENTRE, UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

Angelo continued his constant rocking, repetitively muttering the word danger over and over again, pausing only to suck in a few desperate breaths.

He looked, his eyes scanning over the tiny dimensions of the padded cell he was being kept in. Closing his eyes, he could feel the pain the walls had witnessed through the years, the anger Raines had demonstrated as he had ordered the empath to be imprisoned in here.

The emotions were overwhelming him, and Angelo knew he was slipping away, being pushed into the depths of his mind, the part that kept Timmy trapped. He had been forced there before, a dark place he did not wish to visit again. When Angelo was stuck in the dark with Timmy, it was like leaving his life behind. He always came back, but he had lost weeks of life, trapped in the darkness.

Aware that he was trembling, Angelo hugged his knees tighter, changing his rocking pattern so that his head hit the cushioned wall behind him in a desperate attempt to stay with reality. Jarod didn’t have much time left. He could sense Sydney desperately trying to find the pretender, and Angelo knew he wouldn’t be able to do so, without his help.

Closing his eyes he focused on the constant rhythm of hitting his head on the wall behind him, all too aware that he wouldn’t be able to keep himself from disappearing for much longer.

THE CENTRE, TECH-ROOM – 36 hours later

Broots rubbed his eyes tiredly. He had stayed at the Centre till nearly 3am, desperately trying to find Jarod’s location while simultaneously scanning through mounds of information trying to find another hit on Major Charles and Gemini. Lyle had admitted defeat in Pensacola, and had returned to Delaware, apparently with an item of high importance to be analyzed. His team had announcing failure after canvassing the better part of the gulf coast for twenty-hours, turning up no leads. Broots had no doubts that Lyle blamed him for the lack of success.

Parker and Sydney had stayed with him, the three of them trying desperately to find method to Raines’ madness and try to guess where the chairman might have locked Jarod away. Broots had scanned any new surveillance hook ups, but nothing had resulted from the search.

It was almost as if Jarod was more difficult to track when he was back in the Centre, then he had been while on the run.

Miss Parker had finally agreed that searching for Angelo was likely to yield more promising results. Raines obviously was trying very hard to keep Jarod isolated from Sydney, but likely wouldn’t have the empath so carefully hidden away. Broots had spent the better part of the day hacking into Raines’ personal archive, which included a necessary visit to the man’s office.

One of these days he was going to get caught. The laws of probability dictated that fact.

A few keystrokes later Broots found himself searching through Raines’s personal backup mainframe, hopefully undetected. Even he had to admit that for an old ghoul, Raines had incredible security, and given the capabilities of the tech staff employed at the Centre, Broots had a hunch that it was an inmate rather than an employee that had developed the system.

He smiled as he located the directory he needed. “I’ve got the feed from Raines’ lab.” Broots informed the two people waiting anxiously behind him.

“We’re not getting any younger Broots.” Parker snapped. Broots shook his head slightly, the more apprehensive Miss Parker was, the sharper her sarcastic remarks were. He quickly typed on the keyboard, pressing enter to reveal the last few minutes of the surveillance that had been taken of Jarod, before Raines had apparently relocated the pretender – the second time in as many days.

“Thank you Broots.” Sydney stated softly, moving in behind the tech. Broots turned back and gave him a sad smile, knowing how difficult this had been for the psychiatrist. He had barely spoken since returning yesterday from the failed attempt to visit with Jarod. It was rare to see Sydney so disengaged, and this alone added urgency to the tech’s desire to locate Jarod.

“How far back?” He asked as the security feed filled up the computer screen.

“Tower logs indicated Raines was in his office until about 11am this morning.” Parker replied. “I’m sure by 11:15 he was down playing with his new toy.”

Broots nodded as he entered he query, skimming through several minutes of footage before Jarod’s form, dragged in by Willie and Sam was seen on screen.

Jarod hung limply between the two sweepers as he was dragged through the door, literally. He let out a painful grunt as he dropped to the floor, remaining were he had fallen for nearly a minute before the familiar squeaking of Raines’ oxygen tank was heard.

“Anymore dramatic and I might have to nominate you for an academy award.” Raines wheezed.

Jarod turned his head slightly to Raines. “I’m not pretending.” He choked out bitterly, launching into a coughing fit.

“It’s why we keep you isolated Jarod. The world is a dangerous place. Pretender’s belong in sterile environments, free from disease and unnecessary emotions.” Raines replied evenly, nodding at the two sweepers who were still standing slightly behind Jarod.

“I’m not interested in your white leopard speech.” Jarod spat back as he was lifted back onto his feet, wincing as he was forced to sit at the nearby table.

Raines threw a folder in front of the pretender, the bitterness obvious in Jarod’s eyes as the pretender shivered violently.

“I’m feeling generous today Jarod.” Raines began “You complete what’s in that folder and….

“I don’t need your generosity; I need to see a damn doctor.” Jarod interrupted angrily.

“You seemed so fond of pretending to be one while you were out being contaminated in the outside world. Physician, heal thyself.” Raines replied, a rare exhibition of sarcasm from the man.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Jarod murmured under his breath, picking up the file before tossing it on the floor defiantly. “I will not do your dirty work.” He said with conviction, shrinking into himself slightly as the sweepers approached him once again.

“I’m sorry to hear that Jarod.” Raines replied with a chilling lack of concern as he handed Sam a small syringe. The sweeper painfully grabbed the pretender’s arm, forcing his sleeve up. Jarod didn’t bother struggling, instead eyeing the syringe suspiciously as it was jabbed into his arm painfully. He turned his head away from Sam, obviously frustrated with his lack of control.

“Enjoy the trip.” Raines stated as Jarod slid to the floor, curling up into a small ball, his shivering intensifying almost instantly.

“Stop it Broots.” Parker commanded, not wanting to watch Jarod suffer through another drug torture session with Raines. The man certainly didn’t believe in creativity and advancement.

“He’s going to kill Jarod.” Sydney stated helplessly. “We need to get to him Parker.”

“What more can we do Sydney?” She replied impatiently. “Angelo is gone, short of starting on SL-27 and checking every damn hole that Ripvanwinkle could have him hidden in this damn building, what can we do?”

Sydney reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a small handgun, clicking the safety off in anticipation, as he started to move out of the room.

“Where do you think you are going Syd?” Parker asked with warning in her tone.

“I can no longer sit by and watch them destroy Jarod, Parker.” Sydney stated, continuing on his pathway to destruction.

“You won’t be helping anything by getting yourself killed Sydney!” Broots pleaded, with a rare show of resolve. “I’ll continue searching through Raines’ archives, try to find the security footage with Jarod in it. Maybe Sam and Willie took him on an elevator, we can at least narrow down what floor he is one.”

Sydney shook his head with frustration. “I can’t sit by and do nothing.” He stated angrily.

“And going postal in the Tower is going to solve all of those problems. I am not going to save two people from Raines’s insanity.” Parker pleaded, moving forward as to block the shrink from exiting the tech room.

“All of these years I fooled myself into thinking I was protecting Jarod, when really it was simply blind ignorance on my behalf. Here I am, my vision clearer than ever, but yet again doing nothing but sit on the sidelines as he suffers.” Sydney replied with conviction.

“And shooting up the Tower is going to help your beloved labrat how?” Parker questioned harshly, holding out her hand, an obvious request for the shrink to hand over the gun.

Sydney sighed heavily, dropped the weapon in Parker’s outstretched hand.

“Jarod’s fine Sydney.” Parker stated confidently. “He always is.”

Sydney simply stood by the doorway, shaking his head slightly. The pretender had been forced to endure so much in his tortured lifetime, eventually he was destined to succumb. No one could fight the Centre forever, not even Jarod.

UNCLASSIFIED AREA, SL-17

Lyle frowned slightly as he made his way into the small observation room.

“I trust you are returning with good news?” Raines demanded, turning away from the viewing window to meet Lyle’s gaze.

“It seems that your Jarod Junior has picked up some rather annoying habits from his copy.” Lyle commented dryly.

“I do not need to remind you the price of failure.” Raines threatened, turning back to the window, his eyes smiling slightly as he refocused on the dark figure curled up on the floor, shivering intensely.

Lyle ignored his remark. His sister had chased Jarod for six years before having any measurable form of success. He wasn’t going to be taunted by Raines’ empty threats less than a year into the game.

“How is boy-wonder?” he asked approaching the viewing window with slight interest. Raines had clearly been enjoying his playtime with the errant pretender.

“Delightfully stubborn as always.” Raines replied.

“Is he coherent?” Lyle asked, pulling out the small journal he had recovered in California. The tech crew had gone through it and determined it wasn’t written in any modern language known to man, leading him to conclude it was some form of shorthand. Jarod had to know how to read it – he could feel it.

“We need to discuss how we are going to keep the Triumvirate at bay.” Raines informed him, ignoring Lyle’s question completely. “We can’t keep Jarod here indefinitely, without the Africans finding out that he is here, and subsequently demanding his immediate transfer.”

“There is not anything you can do to keep him here, on home soil?” Lyle questioned. “You and Mr. Parker managed just fine for over thirty years last time I checked. If it wasn’t for your sordid little scheme, I would say good-riddance. Sydney’s boy is more trouble than he is worth.”

“The loss of the scrolls was disastrous, and thanks to our little story to keep us alive, they believe Jarod knows where they are. It only intensifies their need to have him.” Raines replied.

“We still have a few hands left to deal.” Lyle reminded him. He studied the ailing pretender thoughtfully for a few moments before continuing. “Have you considered just coming straight with your intentions? Even Jarod might consider a deal with the devil if it keeps him out of Africa.”

“His cooperation is key.” Raines stated. “His years of freedom have changed him.”

Lyle let out a huff of amusement at this. “I assume you mean something deeper etched than his mastering of the art of sarcasm.”

“He’s lost his fear. He may still be wary, but he’s finally beginning to realize exactly how important he is to us. Threats against his well-being will do little to sway him. Something drastic has to be done. Before his escape, my presence alone was enough to send Jarod cowering into a corner.” Raines informed the younger man.

“Have you considered that the fear is still there, that your precious pretender has just gotten that much better at what his zoo keepers have trained him to do? Maybe he is still as terrified as ever; but now he just knows how to hide it from us.” Lyle suggested.

Raines shook his head. “I need Gemini.” He warned, his tone laced with unspoken threats.

“Why don’t you give Jarod to me for one week. Send Sis after the clone? I promise you that your pretender will be putty in our hands.” Lyle bargained, smiling slightly at the endless possibilities of having the pretender back under his total control.

Raines shook his head. “I don’t trust your sister and her intentions towards Gemini. She’s proven barely loyal concerning Jarod. Only you can bring him home.”

“And so it shall be done.” Lyle stated confidentially. “I’ve had about enough of cocky pretender’s flaunting their know-it all mannerisms in my face. It’s time for this to end.” He picked up the journal and moved towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Raines asked inferring Lyle’s presence was not welcome around Jarod.

“I need answers, the kind only Jarod can provide.” Lyle answered back smartly, entering the small, barren room.

He poked Jarod with his foot with a bit more force than was necessary. The pretender barely moved, moaning in obvious distress.

Lyle scowled, bending down and grabbing the pretender’s neck and pulling his face off the floor. He let it drop in surprise as he became aware of the feverish warmth that was emanating from Jarod. Raines must have given him one hell of a drug-induced ride.

He stood up, and turned to leave, the genius was clearly well under the throes of Raines’ drug to be of any use to him now.

He flinched as he felt resistance on his right foot. He looked down to find that Jarod’s hand had snaked its way over to him. He kicked it away as the pretender brought his head up slowly from the ground to meet Lyle’s angry stare.

“Please.” The pretender croaked, his face lit up with obvious fear. “Refuge.” He whispered, his eyes pleading with the other man for understanding.

Lyle frowned, turning to the mirror he knew Raines stood behind.

“Need doctor...please! ” The voice pleaded again, urgency obvious even through the whispered words.

“Over thirty years at the Centre Jarod, and I’m supposed to believe you are falling apart after just a few short days with Mr. Raines?” Lyle questioned suspiciously.

His words went unheard, as the pretender’s head had fallen back to the ground, obviously having slipped back in the unconscious realm.

Concerned, Lyle quickly exited the small cell, turning instantly to Raines. “You’ve done quite a number on him.” He commented dryly. “I never thought I would see the day Jarod would beg over something as trivial as an infirmary visit. Perhaps it’s a request you should consider.”

“Jarod is being re-educated as to the true nature of his status at the Centre. He’s playing us for fools.” Raines replied, exiting the room. “It is my prerogative to remind him of exactly how little control he has over his life.”

Lyle gave one backwards glance at the pretender before turning and following the sound of the squeaking wheels belonging to Raines’s oxygen tank out the door. He would come back in a few hours, when the pretender was off his drug-induced high. The glanced at the leather journal in his good hand; maybe boy-wonder was desperate enough to trade some answers in exchange for a visit from a doctor.

THE CENTRE, TECH-ROOM

“Miss Parker.” Broots called over excitedly as his eyes focused on the search queue results.

“Jarod?” Sydney asked hopefully.

The tech shook his head regretfully. “But I think I found the next best thing.” He offered.

“Angelo.” Miss Parker stated knowingly. “Where he is?”

Broots smiled as the words flew out of his mouth. “I’ve been monitoring all requests for the infirmary, as well as to the security station coming from the Tower. Fifteen minutes ago two calls were made, one requesting a large dose sedative, the other a two person escort service.”

“Where Broots?” Parker asked again, impatiently.

“SL-19, Corridor 2.” Broots replied confidently.

“Let’s move.” Parker ordered. “Broots stay here, if anything changes, call me on my cell immediately.” Broots nodded as she and Sydney disappeared from sight.

THE CENTRE, SL-19, Corridor 2.

Angelo couldn’t fight the panic that was consuming him anymore. Jarod was failing, and he needed help. The empath was trapped, and he could feel Raines’s presence moving in, ready to smother him, to make him disappear to his dark place. He didn’t want to be stuck there, not when his friend needed his help so badly.

“No.. no…no…” The empath repeated over and over again, trying to keep his mind from retreating away. The enforced isolation and confinement was taking their toll, and he was quickly losing grip on whatever reality he was still desperately clinging on to.

He startled as the small door to the cell was opened. He didn’t have much time left before he was lost in a catatonic state.

“NO!” Angelo screamed as Raines appeared, flanked by two sweepers.

“Settle down Angelo. I’m going to give you some nice medicine to sleep. You want to sleep don’t you?” Raines asked, his voice filled false kindness.

“NO!” Angelo screamed again, backing to the corner as the sweepers began to approach him, grabbing both of his arms roughly. He knew this kind of sleep. The moment Raines injected him, he would be lost, trapped with Timmy at the brink of insanity and desperation.

His fear for Jarod overwhelming, Angelo began to struggle madly against the sweepers as he was forced down to the ground. “Friend needs help!!” He pleaded desperately as Raines bent down towards him, a large needle at the ready. He was determined to stay with reality.

“You are causing too many problems Angelo. Now be a good boy and let me give you your medicine. The sleep will do you good.”

“Hurting Jarod.” Angelo yelled as the sweepers pressed against him, trying to reduce his struggles.

“I think he doesn’t want it.” A strong feminine voice projected from behind Raines.

“Angelo is not your concern.” He replied, taking in the brunette and the psychiatrist at her side.

“Save Jarod.” Angelo screamed again, ignoring the pain that surfaced as the sweepers pushed him further into the cold concrete floor. He lashed out with his feet, pulling at his limbs, desperately trying to free himself from their unforgiving grips.

“I think Cousin-It is making more sense than you are Raines.” Parker commented dryly.

“What I do with my subjects, is not your concern Miss Parker.” Raines warned.

Angelo continued his struggling as the brunette entered the cell.

“It is my concern if the very man I wasted the last six years of my life hunting dies because of whatever unresolved issues you have with him. One phone call Raines, and the Africans can be here. I’d hate to have them swarming around when you are trying to hide the prize.” Parker threatened.

“You’re bluffing.” Raines replied steadily. “Jarod is the key to our existence, you know that Miss Parker.”

“Hence the reason that your precious science experiment came back in one piece instead of with a bullet in his head. If you think I’m bluffing, then go ahead and try me.” Parker warned, cautiously approaching the man.

Raines shook his head, and without hesitation plunged the syringe into Angelo’s outstretched arm, the empath crying out as the drug entered his system.

Sydney rushed in and sank down to his knees. “Angelo.” He whispered, rubbing the empath’s shoulder kindly.

“Must save friend.” The empath pleaded, banging his head against the hard floor in an attempt to stay with reality.

“How Angelo? What is wrong with Jarod?” Sydney asked, ignoring Raines’ angry growl from behind.

“Jarod knows.” Angelo managed before submitting to the drug with a final deep breath.

Sydney turned around and faced Raines angrily. “I want to see Jarod now.” He demanded. “I will not allow you to destroy him.”

“Why can’t you understand that Jarod is no longer your concern?” Raines replied angrily.

Sydney sprang to his feet, stepping over Angelo and pushing the wheezing bald man against the wall with an uncharacteristic burst of anger. “If Jarod is harmed, there will be nothing left in this world that can save you.” He warned, with calm fury.

Raines opened his mouth to reply, not doubt with an another caustic remark as the sharp ring of Parker’s mobile phone cut into the threatening silence that had overcome the room.

“What.” She answered snidely. Sydney sucked in a breath as Parker’s eyes widened fearfully almost instantly. She brought down the phone, as if in disbelief.

“What is it?” Sydney asked apprehensively.

“It’s Jarod.” She stated simply, diverting her gaze to Raines.

“Jarod was just rushed to the infirmary. Apparently he collapsed while being escorted by your brainless goons.”

“He’s pretending.” Raines replied evenly.

“Not even Jarod is this good.” Parker remarked, her voice faltering slightly as she turned her gaze back to Sydney’s fearful eyes.

“The trauma team, they couldn’t find a pulse.”

“It’s me.”

 

“Can I take this call as a sign of good news?”

 

“That’s up to you.”

 

“Then you are not calling to say you’ll be returning home, that I can talk you out of this ridiculous plan?”

 

“I do recall you helping me conceptualize this so-called ridiculous plan.”

 

“It doesn’t mean I supported it.”

 

“I didn’t call to have yet another argument.”

 

“You just want to talk to him then? He asks about you, every day. I’m running out of things to say.”

 

“The game has a new player.”

 

“If you are calling and not e-mailing this news, I can assume that he or she will be of greater concern than Lyle.”

 

“Perhaps, but it’s all about perspective.”

 

“So they are not a key factor?”

 

“Oh he is most definitely a factor, it just that it is our turn to get a helping hand this time around.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Ethan.”

 

“How?”

 

“He just… appeared.”

 

“So this changes everything? Does this mean that you don’t have to follow through with the original plans.”

 

“No.”

 

“There has to be another way. Three minds strong –“

 

“It’s not enough. I still have to go through with this.”

 

“Why?”

 

“For him. It’s the only way to keep him safe.”

 

“Why can’t you think with your heart and not your head, just for once?”

 

“The moment I think with my heart, he’s…he’s..”

 

“He’s what – dead? Alone? Miserable? Why can’t you understand that you are seeing this situation in only black and white. There is another solution, I know there is.”

 

“And what is that?”

 

“I don’t know!! We just need more time, and if Ethan is willing to help…Time.. we just need more time.”

 

“Why can’t you understand? That’s the one thing we don’t have.”

 

 

 

THE CENTRE, INFIRMARY

 

“Sydney, you’re still here?” Miss Parker questioned gently as she entered the small infirmary room. “You should go home and get some rest.” she added with concern.

 

The psychiatrist turned slightly, but made no move to stand up from the chair he was occupying. It was late afternoon, but deep circles were evident under Sydney’s eyes, the emotional toll of Jarod’s collapse obvious.

 

“Sometimes I think you are more stubborn than I am Syd.” Parker remarked dryly, before turning her eyes to the prone figure on the bedside. “How is he?” she questioned, her tone taking on a hint of concern.

 

Sydney rubbed his eyes tiredly. “He hasn’t regained consciousness since he was resuscitated.”

 

“But he will be okay?” She probed further.

 

“For now.” He replied tersely.

 

“You sure know how to inspire confidence.” Parker replied with a hint of sarcasm, moving over towards the bed where the pretender lay, the regular beep of the heart monitor adding to the atmosphere of tension and apprehension that occupied the small infirmary room. His skin was pale and sunken, covered with a thin sheet of perspiration.

 

“A man of Jarod’s age doesn’t just fall into congestive heart failure. He was brought back in top physical condition.” Sydney added impassively. “Until we figure out the underlying cause…”

 

“I don’t have to be a doctor to figure that one out. It’s a blood-sucking parasite in the form of Raines.” Parker sneered, touching Jarod’s face briefly. It was warm, much too warm.  She jerked her hand back, aware that Sydney was watching her intently.

 

“While I believe he is to blame for the severity of Jarod’s condition, the root cause lies with what Jarod was doing before he was brought back to the Centre.” Sydney informed Parker, urgency in his tone.

 

Miss Parker shook her head. “How do you know that Sydney?” She turned over Jarod’s bare left arm, revealing several small, yet obvious, puncture marks on his arm. “He has more holes in him than a pin cushion. Connect the dots, they spell Raines.”

 

“If it was a side effect from a drug, the symptoms would have been acute. Jarod’s condition steadily, although rapidly, has decreased since his return. It has to have been something that was in his system before he arrived.” Sydney argued back.

 

“So Raines’ playtime was nothing but a catalyst?” Parker reaffirmed as Sydney nodded his agreement. The older man reaching forward to feel Jarod’s pulse, despite the regular beep emanating from the heart monitor the pretender was attached to.

 

“I believe the answer lies in what Jarod was doing before you caught up to him.” The psychiatrist suggested, frowning slightly as he gently touched his hand to Jarod’s forehead.

 

Miss Parker leaned against the wall heavily, retrieving memories buried behind three days of perpetual jet lag. “I only glanced the red note book briefly, there was something about cancer research…” She trailed off, noticing how Sydney paled slightly at the mention of the word cancer. “Tell me that heart failure and cancer research have nothing to do with each other.”

 

“Unlikely, however the heart is a very unforgiving muscle. If it were to be infected, this prognosis would not be unexpected.” Sydney informed her, almost in a state of disbelief, as if wishing the words that were exiting his mouth not to be true.

 

Parker pulled out her small cell phone, pushing a familiar speed-dial on her phone. “Broots, I need to see you – now.” She commanded as the hesitant voice answered on the other end of the connection.

 

She raised her eyebrows as the tech replied.

 

“I don’t care if you think Gemini is holed up next door to your little suburban love shack – this is important.” Parker growled impatiently, wondering why Broots hadn’t learnt to jump when she said so yet.

 

Sydney could hear Broots’ protests from across the room.

 

“You tell Lyle that …” Parker stopped suddenly, and Sydney could tell from the muffled tone emanating from the cell phone that Lyle had taken over the conversation.

 

With a frustrated sigh Parker slammed her cellular shut.

 

Sydney met her gaze questioningly.

 

“I’m on my way to rescue our faithful tech.” She explained. “Lyle’s convinced they are hot on another lead for Gemini. I’m convinced it’s nothing but another dead end. My brother excels at finding them, almost as effective as he was at creating them.”

 

“Then what?” Sydney probed.

 

“We find out what your lab-rat was up to before his luck ran out.” Parker replied determinedly, making her way towards the door, before turning back to studying Jarod’s unconscious form a few seconds longer.

 

“You don’t think he -…” Parker asked, the unspoken question of her revelation of Jarod’s red notebook content, before he was captured in California lingering in the air. “Any chance he’ll regain consciousness and volunteer this information on his own?”

 

“With the drugs in his system, I would estimate it will be at least another eight hours, but the rest is up to him.” Sydney informed the younger woman. Parker could hear the strain in his voice and he tried to maintain a clinical tone.

 

“Your boy is more damn work when he is back in the Centre than out of it.” She remarked, pausing at the doorway.

 

“Are you saying you prefer him outside these walls?” Sydney asked with almost an amused tone, under different circumstances Parker would have expected a small smirk to have dominated his features.

 

She ignored the question.

 

THE CENTRE, TECH ROOM

 

“So which constellation are you after today Lyle?” Miss Parker mocked as she entered the tech room. “I hear you might have a good shot of catching up to Leo at the Delaware State Zoo.”

 

“For your information, Broots has uncovered a very promising lead on the location of not only Gemini but Major Charles as well.” Lyle responded in his classic patronizing tone.

 

“I’m just quivering in my stilettos to see how this one turns out.” Parker replied back fiercely, crossing her arms with obvious disdain for her brother as his eyes sized up her slender figure.

 

“Why the sudden interest? I hear you pulled some special favours from Daddy Raines to get back to your beloved position in Corporate – and away from anything to do with the recapture of our property.”

 

“Let’s just say you’re not the only one interested in a zodiac sign at the moment.” Parker stated unhelpfully, moving into Lyle’s personal space. “Let me offer you a free piece of advice, this goosechase you’ve been parading around in the last week screams set-up. Jarod only let us get close when he wanted us to, or when something worth risking his freedom stood in the way. His family isn’t bound to the same need for answers. They want you chasing them for a reason. In my professional opinion you’re nothing but a rat in their maze.”

 

Lyle smirked wasting no time to reply confidently, “Your time chasing Jarod has ruined your instinct. Broots is good at what he does. Why can’t you accept that maybe this time we are really one step ahead of them?”

 

“You are nowhere except for where they want you to be. Tell me, has any one of your so-called leads confirmed the physical appearance of Major Charles and Gemini?”

 

Lyle’s silence indicated he hadn’t bothered checking.

 

Parker smiled bitterly. “Broots may be damn good at what he does,” She stated, glancing over at the tech as he subconsciously puffed out his chest slightly. “But he’s no match for your little golden goose and paternal figure.” With a step back she snapped at the deflated tech. “Let’s go Broots.”

 

Lyle grabbed her arm as she walked by him. “We are not done here.”

 

Parker pulled herself out of Lyle’s tight grip, sending him an icy glare. “Broots’ skills are required elsewhere. Get another monkey to play with you in the rat maze.” She sneered as Broots scurried by. With a false smile, she exited the tech room, meeting the tech’s questioning gaze as the made their way to the elevator.

 

“Another zodiac sign?” Broots inquired, with disbelief. Parker couldn’t help but let a small smirk escape, realizing he was contemplating the existence of another clone.

 

“Relax Broots, I meant it figuratively. Jarod was doing medical research before I caught him, so word of the day is cancer.” She informed him, pressing the elevator call button, stepping back with her arms crossed.

 

“How is Jarod?” Broots asked with obvious concern.

 

“He hasn’t regained consciousness, and the infirmary doctors are all but mystified. Sydney’s holding vigil at his bedside.”

 

“I don’t understand what I can do.” Broots admitted with a halting tone.

 

“Syd’s convinced that whatever Jarod has, he had it before his well received home-coming. With boy-wonder sleeping off his new found drug-induced haze, we have to do the digging for him.” Parker informed the tech.

 

“Lyle is desperate to find Gemini.” Broots replied, his look turning towards the tech room they had exited moments earlier.  

 

“Don’t wet your pants. I’ll keep Lyle off your back. In the meantime we need to focus on learning everything we can about what Jarod was up to before he ended up back here.”

 

“We?” Broots commented dryly as the pair stepped into the elevator.

 

Parker raised her eyebrow. “Last time I checked, the Jarod pursuit was a team effort.” She responded with an equally neutral tone.

 

“I didn’t see you breaking into Raines’ office.” Broots muttered, barely audible.

 

Parker shot him a dangerous look, but harmless by all accounts.

 

She deeply treasured the friendship she had forged with the gifted computer tech over the past few years. Not that she would ever readily confess that to him.

 

As much as she hated to admit it, the lustre of Corporate was not as radiant as it had been five years ago.

 

THE CENTRE, INFIRMARY

 

Sydney stirred in the uncomfortable infirmary chair. He glanced briefly towards Jarod’s still form on the small hospital bed, before giving his watch a bleary glance.

 

Half past eleven. Perhaps he should have heeded Parker’s advice and left for the day. His aging physique was not meant for holding vigil in the Centre infirmary. With a heavy groan, Sydney pushed himself out of the chair, and moved towards the far-side of Jarod’s bed. He knew he didn’t have it in his heart to leave the pretender alone. He could only imagine the panic and helplessness that Jarod would be overcome with once he returned to consciousness. The infirmary staff were not renowned for their nurturing nature.

 

Inspecting the IV line unnecessarily, Sydney placed a gentle hand on the pretender’s forehead. It was still noticeably warm with fever, his concern for his charge amplifying further.

 

Sydney pulled his hand back, as Jarod began to stir slightly, a small moan erupting from the pretender as he opened his eyes.

 

“Jarod?” Sydney whispered in relief, as the pretender’s head rocked back and forth, as if struggling to keep his eyes open. Given the cocktail of drugs that were flowing through the IV line, Sydney could well imagine the haze that Jarod was having to fight through to return to the here and now.

 

With a painful swallow, Jarod’s eyes finally remained opened blearily. The defeated brown orbs instantly located his mentor. “Sydney?” Jarod questioned weakly, a hint of panic escaping.

 

“It’s okay Jarod. You are in the Centre infirmary, do you remember what happened?”

 

Jarod looked up impassively at Sydney. “I…” The pretender started with obvious exertion. As his voice trailed off, Jarod squeezed his eyes tight, unable to find the words or memories to answer his mentor’s question.

 

Sydney placed a comforting hand on the pretender’s bare shoulder. “It’s okay Jarod. You collapsed as you were being escorted back to your room. You were brought here with congestive heart failure. We had to restart your heart.” The psychiatrist informed his protégé with as much clinical professionalism as he could muster.

 

Jarod’s eyes flew open at this. “Stay calm Jarod. We have you on a combination of drugs, beta blockers, diuretics. You’re heart function has returned virtually back to normal. It’s important that you stay as relaxed as possible. We can’t risk any unnecessary strain on your heart.” Sydney stressed, not wanting Jarod to get worked up.

 

“It’s too soon Sydney. This isn’t right.” Jarod practically moaned, as he began to sit up. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.”

 

Sydney placed two strong hands on the pretender’s shoulders. “Jarod, please relax.” He ordered, as the younger man struggled against his grip. Two sweepers appeared at Sydney’s side almost instantly, and with their assistance, the pretender was lying prone on his back, his eyes wide with panic.

 

“Please Jarod, you need to stay calm. Your heart has been under a lot of stress.” Sydney pleaded, as the beeps emanating from the heart monitor began to sound with a higher frequency.

 

Jarod was virtually attempting to claw his way out of the sweeper’s grips as the two men pulled out a set of soft hospital restraints.

 

“NO!” Jarod protested, his struggling increasing instantaneously, the panic on his face was obvious.

 

“Those are not necessary! You are doing him harm and I will not allow this.” Sydney commanded authoritatively.

 

“Mr. Raines has specified that he was to be further secured the second he regained consciousness. If you have a problem with it, take it up with him.” The nameless sweeper stated professionally as he easily restrained Jarod’s flailing wrist.

 

“Sydney… please.” Jarod pleaded desperately. “I… I…” The pretender pleaded, before his head fell back against the flimsy pillow on his bed, the heart monitor beginning its screeching warning that something was going very terribly wrong.

 

“Jarod! Stay with me.” Sydney cried, pushing his way through the two sweepers.

 

“I… It wasn’t suppose to happen like this.” Jarod whispered, no energy left to fight.

 

Sydney looked up to find the infirmary nurse injecting a sedative into Jarod’s IV line, a fact that obviously did not escape the pretender’s attention.

 

“No.” He whispered fiercely. “Please Sydney… I need to stay awake.”

 

Sydney gave a frantic glance to the heart monitor, its warnings become more vocal and frantic. He was desperately worried at Jarod’s physical capability of being able to handle the stress of his situation. Turning his back to the nurse, he squeezed Jarod’s hand tightly, the pretender now thrashing madly against the restraints.

 

“We’ll get you better Jarod I promise. Please, don’t fight the medication, it will allow you to sleep. You’re heart simply can’t handle this stress right now.” Sydney pleaded, guilt in his voice.

 

“Gee, I wonder why.” Jarod snarled, yanking on the soft hospital restraints around his wrists that now kept him tethered to his bed.

 

Sydney ignored the pretender’s well-warranted remarked, giving his hand another squeeze in an attempt to offer some sort of comfort as the sedative slowly worked it’s way to Jarod’s body. “Don’t fight it Jarod. You’re safe.” Sydney offered lamely, almost picturing the unimpressed snort the pretender likely would have shared had he been fully conscious.

 

As the sedative claimed control, Sydney breathed in a sigh of relief as the heart rate monitor return to normal.

 

Jarod was safe – for now.

 

Alarm bells sounded in his head, as Jarod’s words finally absorbed into his brain.

 

“It wasn’t suppose to happen like this.”

 

What was wrong with his protégé? The more he thought about it, the more realized he probably didn’t want to find out.

 

 

THE CENTRE, MISS PARKER’S OFFICE

 

Broots didn’t bother knocking as he blustered into Miss Parker’s office. They had given up on such formalities years ago.

 

He found her sitting at her desk, her chair tilted in the direction of her window, obviously lost in thought – and oblivious to his presence.

 

He cleared his throat, as he had done many times in the past to get her attention, preparing himself for her legendary bite. It no longer phased it, as it was nothing but a harmless defence mechanism. The more she ailed, the worse it was.

 

“How is he?” Parker asked softly, her right hand tracing the top of her empty scotch glass.

 

Broots moved to the desk and sat down heavily, tossing a small file folder on the desk.

 

“Sydney is on his way up. Jarod apparently came to, but had to be sedated after two of Raines’ sweepers interfered.” Broots informed his boss.

 

“I should get on that elevator right now and shoot that son of a bitch dead on the spot. If it’s a choice between the lab-rat or Captain Wheezy, I doubt anyone in this building would hesitate to make that decision.”

 

Broots just huffed his response dutifully. Parker had ranted about offing Raines more than once in the past. She didn’t have it in her, as much as she wanted to believe she did. Not execution style anyways.

 

The two didn’t look back as the office door opened, and the slow gaited walk of Sydney approached the desk.

 

“You look like hell Syd.” Parker commented dryly as the shrink took a seat beside Broots. Her facial features softening visibly as she commented further, “I’m surprised we were able to tear you away from your boy’s bedside.”

 

“Time is of the essence Parker. We are awaiting several key test results, but Jarod’s fever is increasing, his heart function is beginning to deteriorate.” Sydney informed the pair, with obvious urgency and distress.

 

Broots swallowed as two pairs of eyes focused on him.

 

“I finally was able to track down Jarod’s old boss at the Best Institute. It was no small feat. He was on vacation in Peru, some remote Jungle lodge in the Amazon. I got that guy, Ricardo, who works in Archives to translate, anyway we finally were able to track him down, but he was out on a three day trek with his family, so we…”

 

Broots stopped his story-telling midrant as Parker held up her hand. “The point?”  She asked impatiently.

 

“He had nothing but wonderful things to say about Jarod – confirming what we already knew from the red notebook, that he had developed a promising new therapy for pancreatic cancer.”

 

“Did Jarod give any indication that he himself was unwell?” Parker grilled aggressively.

 

“No. His boss did say that no one he had ever employed had stamina like Jarod’s. He said it was almost like Jarod was racing against some sort of invisible clock. He did say that he suspected that Jarod had a personal connection to the disease, but that he played dumb when confronted about it.”

 

Parker rubbed her forehead tiredly. “This is a waste of time. The more we discover, the more I am once again convinced that we are chasing answers that likely lie in Raines' skull. Jarod doesn’t have cancer, and it’s likely whoever he was trying to help was just one of his infamous little guys that matter to no one but him.” She spat out, standing from her desk.

 

“How do you know that Miss Parker?” Sydney asked hautingly.

 

“Because this whole situation stinks. Jarod has been nothing but complacent and relatively cooperative since I cornered him on the rooftop. I’ve seen nothing of the freedom fighter I’ve come to know over the past five years. If he had a terminal disease, he would have simply disappeared. This is the last place he want to be.” Parker argued, her memory finding images of Faith, lying alone and scared on her deathbed.

 

“Please Broots, is there anything else?” Sydney asked pleadingly.  

 

Broots shrugged. “The guy also mentioned something about some big grant that Jarod helped them secure, researching bird flu, and how it is transferred to humans.”

 

“Remind me to buy him a parrot.” Parker commented dryly.

 

Broots ignored her. “Apparently the project involved studying avian-human disease transfer for a variety of species… parrots, pigeons even. Apparently the NSA is worried about a potential terrorism plot that would involve infecting city pigeons with some deadly virus. They are studying not only the bird flu but a variety of other diseases that can be transferred to humans from avian species. ”

 

Sydney let out a frustrated sigh. “There is nothing else Broots? Nothing else that is significant that this man mentioned?”

 

Broots paused. “No. He wanted to know if Jarod had changed his mind about the parrot he befriended at the institute. It was one of the test birds, but apparently he’s been sulking after him since he left.”

 

“Only Jarod.” Parker interjected. “See I told you Syd – nothing but dead ends. We can chase pigeons till the homeless lady drops the birdseed, the answer to what you need is in Raines’s head – I know it.”

 

Sydney stood up and numbly moved to the door.

 

“Syd?” Parker questioned.

 

“I… I have an idea.” He stated haltingly as he exited the room, as if in a daze.

 

“Syd??” Parker called out again, ignoring the confused look Broots was giving her.

 

“What was that about?” The tech finally asked, staring at the door like an abandoned child.

 

“Would you follow him already?” Parker growled, not reacting as the tech scurried out, following the path the psychiatrist had taken only moments ago.

 

Was this cause for hope?

 

 

 

Chapter # 7 – Recovery

“It’s me.”

“I thought we agreed that the goodbyes had been said.”

“I know, it’s just…”

“It’s okay. I’m glad you called. I can think about nothing else.”

“He’s still in the dark, right?”

“Suspicious as always, obviously a genetic trait we all share, but he just thinks you are away, not…”

“I might have to call you on that nature vs. nurture debate.”

“We’ll save that for when you are back.”

“That, and a pint of ice cream.”

“You sound so strong, so fearless.”

“I wish I could say I was. It’s a façade, one I’ve been forced to wear for many years.”

“But you are. Few would do what you are about to.”

“You would.”

“I’d like to think so, but honestly, I don’t know.”

“I know you would.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Maybe that’s the real genetic curse.”

THE CENTRE, INFIRMARY

Parker and Broots stood in the doorway quietly watching, as Sydney gently felt Jarod’s forehead while giving a nod of satisfaction before sinking down into the nearby chair.

Three days had passed and Parker could not recall a time she had popped in to check on the pretender and not seen Sydney at his bedside. She had purposely ignored the psychiatrist’s state of dress, not even wanting to hazard a guess for how many days he had been sporting that same outfit.

Sydney clearly had caught on to there presence as he turned in their direction, giving another curt nod. His face looked as if he had aged a decade in the past four days, his look haggard and unkempt, however for the first time in days, his eyes no longer held a look of controlled fear.

Jarod was stable – for now.

“So you were right,” Parker finally commented, as she and Broots entered the small infirmary room.

Sydney sighed his agreement, “Bacterial endocarditis – inflammation of the heart valves, normally easy to diagnose, but some pathogenic strains give a negative culture, as was in Jarod’s case. We overlooked it… If he had been at a real hospital, seen a cardiologist, they would have…”

“Hey Syd, lighten up. He’ll be okay. You caught it, end of story.” Parker said almost sharply.

The psychiatrist shook his head. “As I’ve said before Miss Parker, the heart is a very unforgiving muscle. It is extremely unlikely that he made it through this without long-term damage.”

Parker studied the pretender thoughtfully, his chest rising regularly and slowly. They were keeping him in a medically-induced coma in order to help reduce his blood pressure until they were certain he wouldn’t relapse into congestive heart-failure. Jarod had always defied the odds, he had survived so much. It seemed so hard to believe that perhaps this time his nine-lives were up.

“How long until you bring him back to life?” Parker finally asked, hearing Broots’ uncomfortably fidgeting from behind her.

“Assuming his vitals remain stable, later today. In addition to the IV antibiotics, he’s also on diuretics and blood thinners,” Sydney said almost absent-mindedly with a concerned, possibly apprehensive glance towards the pretender.

Turning her attention to the loyal tech behind her, Parker snapped her fingers as Broots knowingly handed her the small DSA he had prepared.

Parker inspected the disk before tossing it over to the psychiatrist. She had caught Broots preparing a copy of the infirmary footage from when Jarod had briefly regained consciousness, a private request from Sydney. Parker could only imagine the bitter earful that would be awaiting the psychiatrist, when his protégé returned to the land of the living. Jarod’s pleas to be allowed to stay conscious had gone ignored. She didn’t doubt that Sydney had made the right call, but she couldn’t quite imagine that Jarod would see it that way.

Parker didn’t fail to miss the unimpressed look the shrink flashed Broots, as she crossed her arms.

“Why the secrets Sydney?” She asked, “I can’t imagine what you possibly want with this disk. Jarod’s back, you’ve healed him. Besides his blatant disregard for the labrat’s well-being, Raines is more or less behaving himself. As far as the typical day in the Centre, this one is more lacklustre than most.”

Sydney sighed giving Jarod an almost inquisitive look-over.

“Call it a hunch,” he replied cryptically.

Parker raised her eyebrow, thinking back to Jarod’s capture, his unusual behavior and the brief visit she had paid him nearly two weeks back.

“I’ll be watching you Jarod.”

“I’m counting on it.”

A submissive Jarod, Lyle’s pursuit of Gemini littered with a trail of apparent near-misses; the situation had reeked of something contrived. It was after all too good to be true, at least from the Centre’s perspective.

After Jarod had fallen ill, Parker had forgotten all about her earlier suspicions, believing for once maybe the Centre had simply caught up to Jarod and his gene pool at the most vulnerable of moments.

She couldn’t ignore her earlier hunch any longer that there was more beneath the surface to be seen. What other explanation was there?

Private Airport, BIOLOXI, MISSISSIPI

Lyle stared at the sweeper team spread before him with annoyed disbelief.

“So you mean to tell me that despite a fool-proof lead, three witnesses and a dozen sweepers that Major Charles has managed to vanish with Gemini, without so much as a trace?” He practically yelled.

The twelve men stared stoically at the ground, as Lyle growled in frustration. Just then his phone began ringing. He glanced down at the screen, easily recognizing the number as belonging to Raines.

He threw his phone down angrily, overdoing it just enough to get a sharp flinch from most of the inept sweeper team, as it bounced on the tarmac.

Another Day, Another Failure.

The phone kept shrilling, as Lyle clenched his fist, wishing that it had smashed into a million pieces. Waging an internal debate, he finally took three threatening steps and snatched the phone from the ground, flipping it open in one fluid motion.

“Lyle,” he answered professionally, frowning as Raines voice greeted him.

“Did you get the boy?”

“No, the sweeper team in Bioloxi is more inept than all of our Florida satellite teams combined,” he offered lamely, his mind briefly flashing to Parker. She had kept up this pathetic excuse of a life for over five years. If Gemini started leaving them cryptic clues and god damn pez dispenser, he swore he would go postal.

Lyle heard Raines inhale deeply, but the older man didn’t bother vocalizing the threat that obviously was bobbing beneath the surface.

“How’s the original version doing?” Lyle asked.

“Latest report from the infirmary is promising. He should be awake by the end of the day.”

Lyle smiled as he ended the call, not bothering with a meaningless nicety such as goodbye. He thought back to the leather journal he had found at the beginning of this rat race. It was time for him and Jarod to have a little discussion.

“Tell the pilot to get the jet ready,” he commanded authoritatively, watching as the sweeper team scurried away.

He turned away from the group, surprised to find a stray sweeper running towards him.

“Mr. Lyle, sir, a search team found this in hangar,” the sweeper informed him, handing over a small package.

He took it in his hands, noting his name written in sharp block letters. Reaching into his suit pocket, Lyle pulled out his Swiss-army knife, fingering the sharp point before stabbing the box open.

It was apparent that mini-me was trying to continue his genetic source’s quest of pathetic annoyance.

A Lego airplane and a bag of jelly belly jellybeans; wonderful.

Thank god there wasn’t a red notebook.

THE CENTRE, INFIRMARY

Sydney rushed down the infirmary hallway, giving another frustrated look at his watch. He had overslept, his aging body requiring some much needed recovery time after nearly a week of running on nothing but anxiety, teetering on the brink of exhaustion.

He had failed Jarod again, missing the pretender’s return to consciousness. The more he tried to atone for the list of failures, the longer the list seemed to grow.

He didn’t give the two sweepers a second glance, as he entered Jarod’s infirmary room, admittedly relieved that they made no move to prevent his entrance. Raines had put down the welcome mat the instant Jarod had gone into cardiac arrest, but Sydney would be a fool to believe that the supposed ‘privileges’ would be extended for any significant period of time once Jarod was nursed back into ‘working condition.’

One glance at Jarod’s angry brown eyes and Sydney didn’t have to turn to the left to know there was another unwanted presence in the room. He did anyway, finding Lyle’s taunting face glaring down at the pretender, his hand clutching a worn leather bound journal.

“Well if it isn’t everyone’s favourite nurse-maid,” Lyle remarked dryly, as Sydney stared him down.

“Jarod needs his rest,” Sydney stated strongly, his arms folding across his chest.

“And I need Gemini. Did you not teach your boy the concept of ‘he scratches my back, I scratch his?’” Lyle mocked.

Sydney gave Jarod an apologetic look, as he moved in to read Jarod’s chart, comparing his latest set of vitals to those of the same time the day before. Remarkable improvement, the IV antibiotics coupled with blood thinners and diurectics were quickly working their magic. The improvement in the last seventy-two hours was remarkable.

“You’re just wasting time Lyle,” Jarod informed him briskly, “I thought it would be inherently obvious for a man of your moderate intelligence. It’s Jay’s journal, it’s about feelings, releasing memories and nightmares that you people created. It’s not a connect-the-dots treasure map that leads to recapture.”

“My request is not optional Jarod. You will read the journal and tell me what it says,” Lyle warned.

“Or what? You’ll have to be a lot more creative than this. No more jumper cables, doctor’s orders,” Jarod replied smugly. Sydney frowned, it was obvious that Jarod had been informed of his current condition and the significant scarring his heart had most likely sustained. The pretender gave a painful swallow before continuing, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke, “Even if I could decipher his shorthand, those are not my words to read.”

Lyle scoffed, “Is that a challenge Jarod?” he threatened, “You’re definitely not going anywhere in your current state,” he added, moving in and giving a not so gentle tug on the soft-restraint around the pretender’s wrist.

Jarod’s face darkened. “Don’t you have a flight to catch?” He asked with a tone of exasperation.

Lyle checked his watch and frowned. “Careful, one of these days I might just arrive back with your little carbon copy in tow. No need for me to throw out those jumper cables just yet.” He gave Jarod a demeaning pat on the thigh before walking past Sydney pausing briefly. “May I suggest you remind Jarod about the concept of taking orders and obeying them, before I am forced to find someone who will,” he added before exiting the room without a backward glance.

Sydney watched as Jarod put his head back on the flimsy pillow, an audible sigh leaving him.

“I’m sorry Jarod…” Sydney started gingerly, clamming up as the pretender’s face tightened.

“For what Sydney? Putting me in a coma? Giving me the pleasure of once again waking up alone, tied to an infirmary bed?” Jarod snapped, wincing as he struggled to swallow, his throat still sore from the ventilator.

Sydney moved over and poured Jarod a generous cup of water from the nearby sink, holding it to his protégé’s lips. The pretender stared at the cup before craning his neck to take a greedy gulp.

“Put yourself in my shoes Jarod. You nearly slipped back into cardiac arrest, what else could I have done?” Sydney pleaded.

“Listened,” Jarod retorted.

Sydney pulled the water away and moved to the nearby chair, his thoughts turning to the DSA he had reviewed with the remaining of his lucid hours. “I’m listening now,” he informed the agitated pretender.

Jarod turned his head in Sydney’s direction. “I don’t need the catheter anymore. Although maybe that’s the point, if I don’t require use of a washroom then what motivation is there to let me up from this bed.”

Sydney leaned heavily against the back rest of the chair. What did Jarod expect him to do? He supposed he could release him from the restraints, but the sweeper posted outside would be in within minutes. Logically he realized that Jarod knew that, and was likely just venting his pent-up frustration. So why did he feel so guilty?

Deciding to ignore Jarod’s remark, Sydney reached into his corduroy jacket, pulling out the silver DSA and holding it up for the pretender to see.

Jarod gave him a curious look, but said nothing.

“It’s a DSA of your time in the infirmary. Do you remember what happened when you regained consciousness?” Sydney asked, knowing full well Jarod did, given his earlier accusation.

“One of my more lucid moments since Miss Parker dragged me back here,” Jarod replied suspiciously.

“Do you remember what was said?” Sydney pried.

Jarod’s eyes darted away, as Sydney’s suspicions further increased. “I do remember being restrained after a few bleary moments of consciousness. I remember begging to stay awake and most of all I remember my request going unanswered and ignored.” The pretender recounted bitterly.

“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.”

The words that screamed in the back of Sydney’s brain, the phrase Jarod had repeated on more than one occasion before he had been forced back into oblivion.

“I think you remember more than that.” Sydney stated with certainty. “Endocarditis can be caused by a bacterial infection the spreads to the heart as with your case, most likely exacerbated by…”

“Raines,” Jarod interrupted softly, Sydney nodded his head in disgust.

“We know about your work at the Best Institute Jarod, your research into pancreatic cancer, about your involvement with the avian disease department.”

“I’m surprised Miss Parker bothered to send the bloodhounds on that trail. Is Corporate not the lustrous career she remembered it be?” Jarod questioned, still looking away. “I assume there is a point to you revisiting my path before fate intervened and I ended up back here.”

“There are several diseases known to mankind that are easily transferred from avian species to humans, a relatively rare disease known as psittacosis, for example. In your case we initially missed the diagnosis of endocarditis because the particular bacterial colony gave a false negative culture result.”

“Spare me the science lesson, I wrote the grant proposal for the Avian disease research program, or did you three not dig deep enough to find that one out?” Jarod informed his mentor.

Sydney studied the pretender’s taunt face, wondering if he realized how hard Broots had worked trying to save Jarod. He didn’t doubt that if it hadn’t been for the tech and his incessant rambling about the avian research project, Sydney’s mind would have never taken the path it needed to consider the possibility of bacterial endocarditis.

“What is going on Jarod?” He finally asked bluntly.

“According to your theory it would seem that I had a careless moment in the lab and got infected with one of the strains of avian bacteria that we worked with.”

“This is not an interrogation, I’m genuinely concerned for you.” Sydney stated with a fatherly tone.

Jarod finally turned and met his mentor’s concerned gaze. “That sentence sounded unfinished,” the pretender stated knowingly.

Sydney felt the corners of his lip curve upwards, almost in a small smile. At times it amazed him how well Jarod knew him.

“Something just feels wrong about this Jarod. Your behaviour, your words ...This isn’t about you being sick, it’s something else.”

Jarod frowned. “Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I do not belong here.”

Sydney looked away at the harsh delivery of Jarod’s words. He took a deep breath and tried a different approach.

“Jarod, you know you can trust me. You know I will do everything in my power to protect you. Please, let me in.”

“I don’t want in, I want out!” Jarod cried, frowning with disgust as the sweeper posted outside the infirmary room poked his head in the room, giving the pretender a warning stare, which was returned. “Seems like I upset the baby-sitter,” Jarod muttered.

Sydney reached over and placed two hands on Jarod’s forearm. “Jarod, let me help you. Tell me what is going on.”

For an instant Sydney believed he saw a flash of something in Jarod’s eyes, but the pretender quickly averted his gaze away from his mentor’s.

“I was dragged back here in handcuffs, shoved in whatever dark corner of whatever sub-level happened to be convenient, never mind the lovely series of events that led to my heart stopping for the second time in my life, and now you are suggesting that I am hiding something?” Jarod asked accusingly.

“It’s the Centre, everyone is hiding something.” Miss Parker informed the pair, as she strode in the room announcing her arrival. “I want the truth now Jarod, we went through this before, and now that your substitute mommy is suspicious I’m more certain than ever that this whole situation reeks of lies.”

“As your mother used to say, ‘the truth can kill you or set you free.’” Jarod countered, not fazed by Parker’s accusations.

“Don’t give me that crap Jarod. Besides, I think we’ve already established what end of that spectrum you are most likely to fall victim to.” Parker replied, fingering one of the soft restraints around Jarod’s ankle.

“Parker, please.” Sydney implored. Jarod and Parker had rare moments of kindness and understanding towards each other, but it seemed each good act had to be counteracted with instances such as this.

“Jarod, you don’t have to do this alone. I can help you, you just have to trust me.” Sydney pleaded gently.

Jarod wouldn’t meet Sydney’s eyes, instead keeping his eyes focused intently on his former huntress. “Trust is a dangerous thing, especially in here,” he stated bluntly.

Sydney shifted uncomfortably in the chair, watching as the two he cared most about in the world just stared in silence. Jarod, his eyes searching for a hint of compassion, a sign that he could trust the woman before him, and Parker, her eyes dangerous and cold, hiding the concern that Sydney knew she felt, trying to piece together exactly what was going on.

Their lives had reached a stalemate.

THE CENTRE, MISS PARKER’S OFFICE

Miss Parker stood impatiently at her window, waiting for Broots to grace them with his presence. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was more than amiss with Jarod, with the whole chain of events that led them to this moment. Five years spent chasing Jarod was more than enough to learn his mannerisms, his boyish quirks, even how he responded under the threat of recapture.

His behaviour was out of character, not just his recapture, but for the several months leading up to Jarod’s return, something just hadn’t felt right. Not until overhearing Sydney confront Jarod with similar feelings had she been able to dismiss the idea that maybe it was just overactive paranoia.

And here they were.

Broots finally blustered into her office, huffing slightly. She closed her eyes shaking her head slightly at his awkward mannerisms.

She turned and made her way to her desk, leaning against it, as she looked into Sydney’s worried eyes.

“I’m beginning to think that I’ll always be chasing after Jarod and his theatrics, Centre or not.” She commented.

“Has Raines hidden him away again?” Broots asked.

“Not yet.” Parker answered cryptically, “I need you to keep digging into what Jarod was up to before he arrived here.” She turned around, pulling a large sealed bag off her desk, pushing it into the tech’s unprepared hands, causing him to fall into the chair behind him.

“These are Jarod’s belongings that came back in with him. I want every fibre inspected, the contents of his pockets analyzed. I want to know every call that cell phone made, every door those keys opened, and how boy-wonder managed to get a corporate credit card without one of the idiots in here realizing it.” She ordered firmly.

Broots looked into the bag with slight apprehension. “For all of the unpaid overtime I’m going to have to pull to do this, I think I deserve to know.”

Parker raised an eyebrow, turning towards Sydney, seeing no objection she answered the question willingly. “Sydney and I share certain suspicions that Jarod is up to something. He was more obedient than your neighbourhood golden retriever while we dragged his ass back here from California. The moment he’s back, Lyle conveniently hits pay dirt with Gemini and hasn’t stopped running around the country since. Fate isn’t that kind, at least not to me. When it comes to the Centre, if it sounds too good to be true, it is.”

Broots’ expression grew distant, as he obviously processed Parker’s words with the events of the past few weeks.

Parker snapped her fingers, bringing him back.

“While your gnome friend in forensics..”

“He’s actually a double amputee…” Broots interrupted.

“Whatever! While you are having Jarod’s belongings analyzed, see if you can find Angelo, Uncle Fester conveniently has him hidden away, and he’ll have his slimy fingers back on Jarod the second it’s prudent to remove him from the infirmary. You need to work fast.” Parker warned.

“I’m on it.” Broots agreed, gripping the bag as he made his way into a standing position.

“What do you hope to accomplish with Angelo, Parker?” Sydney questioned curiously as Broots scurried out of the room.

“Jarod may not tell us what is going on in his over-sized brain, but Angelo will.” Parker answered tersely.

The psychiatrist frowned. “Angelo doesn’t betray, he uses his gift only to help, not to harm,” he cautioned.

Parker remained silent, contemplating Sydney’s words. Angelo had been an incredible ally, a wonderful resource, but Sydney was right, he had never once divulged a clue or secret that had put Jarod in her crosshairs.

“I think this time, even Angelo might be on our side.” She finally admitted, not entirely believing or disbelieving her words.

“Angelo will only be on Jarod’s side,” Sydney countered.

“Those two can be frat brothers for all I care. Jarod is up to something, and whether he knows it or not, it’s in his best interest not to keep me in the dark.”

“Jarod will never trust the Centre.” Sydney argued.

Parker raised her voice slightly, “I’m not asking him to trust the Centre, I’m asking him to trust me.”

Sydney raised his eyebrows at the conviction that sounded in her voice.

‘Is there a difference?’ She could almost imagine him saying.

For all of his annoyances and boyish short-comings, Jarod had never lied or misled her, at least about the important things.

Could she say the same?

THE CENTRE, INFIRMARY

Lyle smirked as the sweeper straightened his post while he took in the powerful crowd approaching Jarod’s infirmary. It was well after midnight, and the assigned guard probably hadn’t expected to see such power players paying the pretender a late night visit.

Willie turned on the light in the infirmary room not caring that the room’s occupant shied away from the harsh glow, his eyes blearily betraying the fact he had been asleep.

“Back so soon?” Jarod croaked as he focused on Raines.

Lyle didn’t bother responding, tossing a small package onto Jarod’s restrained form. He had returned from Biloxi and barely been in the Centre thirty minutes before Broots had informed him of a hit on Major Charles and Gemini in nearby New Jersey.

Jarod craned his neck slightly, “Jelly beans?” He questioned, taking in the small colourful bag in surprise.

“It appears that Gemini has developed tastes for something even more juvenile than Pez,” Lyle remarked, finally picking up the bag and tossing it towards Willie.

“What’s your point Lyle?” the pretender asked bitterly as he lay back onto his pillow.

“I think you know,” was the mocked reply as the thick leather journal landed squarely on the prone pretender’s chest.

“I thought we had been through this,” Jarod replied softly. He nervously eyed Raines, as the man stepped away from Lyle and wheeled his oxygen tank to Jarod’s other side.

“You’re the rat in my maze now Jarod. You will do as I say.” Lyle threatened, smiling as Raines pulled the IV out of the pretender, the restrained man grimacing with pain.

Jarod looked away as Willie came over and undid the four hospital restraints, and remained motionless as the sweeper stepped back.

“I suppose this is the part where I beg forgiveness for my actions to spare myself?” Jarod asked sarcastically.

Raines who had been uncharacteristically silent finally spoke, “Get up Jarod. You may have spared yourself from the more traditional games, but this is the Centre. This place hasn’t survived as long as it has without flexibility. An occasional change in strategy is warranted, when faced with new information. Consider this your one and only warning.”

Lyle watched as Jarod’s eyes darted between himself and Raines. With an exasperated exhale he weakly pushed himself to a sitting position, swinging his legs over the bedside.

Willie didn’t hesitate, marching straight over and pulling Jarod’s cupped hands up as he pulled out his handcuffs.

“Ohh I get them in front this time, your kindness is touching,” the pretender said sarcastically as he was pulled upwards, requiring Willie’s intervention to stay upright.

“Enjoy the rest of your evening Jarod. Tomorrow is a new day with new rules. Don’t forget that,” Lyle reminded him as Jarod staggered out of the room, the guard from the door intervening to give the pretender some much needed support.

Lyle looked towards Raines, “I still think you should tell him. Sometimes the path of least resistance is the most prudent.”

The older man just stared back, “Just get me the boy,” was the wheezed reply as the man disappeared from the room.

Lyle checked his watch unnecessarily, seeing it was half past midnight. Broots would likely still be in the tech-room. Perhaps a little motivation was in order.

Find the boy, rule the Centre.

Now that was something to smile about.

Chapter # 9 - Pawns

“It’s me.”

“I’VE BEEN WORRIED SICK! The plan was to contact me several days ago. What happened?”

“I’m sorry, there were some… complications,”

“I didn’t mean to yell, it’s just that I’ve been so scared, and it kills me that I can’t tell him where you are. He won’t stop asking.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Stop saying that. How are you, really?”

“I’m surviving, look, I don’t have much time. How‘s he doing?”

“The new treatment in combination with the chemotherapy is doing wonders. The next cycle is to begin early next week, but the doctors are optimistic that this may be his last treatment.”

“How much longer?”

“Best case scenario, three weeks.”

“We’re going to make it.”

“You still have to get out, besides how did you even make it to a phone in the first place?”

“I just asked Raines and said ‘please.’ “”

“Now that’s almost funny.

“Are you ready for your part?”

“I’ll get it done, tonight.”

“Thank you, I’ve got to go now.”

“Jarod?...”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

Chapter # 8 - Pawns

SYDNEY’s RESIDENCE, DOVER

Sydney groaned as the shrill of the telephone woke him. He fumbled around clumsily, his blurry eyes making out a time on the clock that was nowhere near a respectable time to wake.

“This is Sydney,” he managed to say eloquently, his pulse racing as the other spoke.

“Raines did what?” Sydney asked with a horrified expression, as the caller recounted in detail Jarod’s removal from the infirmary. Although the pretender was expected to make a full recovery, he was still very weak, and needed at least a week more on IV antibiotics before he could be safely moved and not risk a relapse of the infection.

Sydney tightly squeezed his eyes shut, as he was informed of the IV setup that Raines had ordered down to one of his private sections of the Centre. The wheezing ghoul had clearly lost all objective medical thought with regard to Jarod, and Sydney was beginning to wonder if Jarod might not be better off in the hands of the Africans.

How could he even think that? He appalled himself for the extent of his state of hopelessness.

OUTSIDE THE TECH ROOM, THE CENTRE, BLUE COVE

Parker strode down the hallway purposefully, crossing her arms confidently as she became visible to small group gathered outside the main tech work area.

It was worth dragging her ass out of bed at this hour just to see the expression on Lyle’s face.

“You rang?” she purred succinctly as she approached her twin and his entourage of sweepers. Her brother gave her a murderous look in return.

Parker winked at him as she made of show of loading the clip into her gun. “What wonderful babysitting skills you have Lyle. When I left, Jarod was tethered at four points to a hospital bed, one visit from you and Raines and he’s somehow managed to hole himself up in the tech-room.”

“I would save that cunning wit for the man behind the locked door. In case you forgot, Raines saw it prudent to keep Africa unaware of Jarod’s timely return, at least for the time being. Any suspicious activity on the mainframe, and the wrong people are going to start asking some very inconvenient questions.” Lyle replied tersely.

“You guys built that Titanic all on your own.” Parker remarked sourly. “So what are his demands?”

Lyle raised an eyebrow and quipped, “you make him sound like a terrorist.”

“What else would you call barricading himself in a room with only a keyboard separating his big brain from piles of files of our dirty little Centre secrets?”

Lyle rolled his eyes and Parker continued, “so what exactly have you tried - yelling threats through the door? I bet that was really effective.”

Parker could tell from her twin’s expression that she hit that nail on the head.

Lyle took a step back and with a tired rub of his forehead and summarized the situation, “it appears that Jarod somehow managed to overpower and disarm two sweepers and given the late night hour, easily made his way to the tech room. Thirty seconds after he entered the room, both video and audio feeds were disabled and the door irreversibly locked.”

“He’s holed up in there alone?”

“Broots was also burning the midnight oil, closing in on Gemini’s location.” Lyle made a show of checking his watch as he sighed in frustration. “

Parker ignored his ramblings and the twinge of concern towards her tech. She knew that Jarod wouldn’t hurt Broots, but the situation was very volatile and she would hate for anything to happen that would put him in real danger. Unfortunately the tech was probably the one person in the building who could override whatever damage the pretender was doing behind that door. Perhaps that was the point.

“Hell of slumber party those two are having,” she stated boldly before turning around and glaring at the small crowd of sweepers surrounding her brother. “So what’s your plan Lyle? Threaten Jarod into surrendering?”

“He can’t stay in there forever.” Lyle argued back, but his frustration at his lack of control was evident.

“You idiot,” Parker hissed. “The door isn’t the only way out.”

Lyle just looked at her impassively.

“The air vents?” she said with annoyance, turning towards a nearby sweeper. “I need a set of blue prints and the person in charge of the Centre’s air system,” she commanded with an authoritative snap directed at his face.

The sweeper looked helplessly at Lyle. Parker rolled her eyes and grabbed the sweeper’s chin forcing eye contact. “Now!” she ordered fiercely, smiling only after the man had scurried away down the corridor.

She looked back at her brother her eyes portraying the anger she felt, “It’s been two weeks Lyle, a full seven days short of your record for keeping Jarod in custody. I’m back in Corporate, where I plan to stay. I will not have your idiocy send me back into the field chasing after Jarod for another five years. If he’s not in that room, it’s on you and you alone.”

“Yet here you are, chasing after boy wonder like it’s your only true calling in life,” Lyle countered.

“Someone has to clean up the mess you and Raines made, before it leaves the building”

Lyle glared back at Parker, “Three hours ago Jarod could barely stand. If by some miracle the little imp has managed to get into the vent system, I can personally guarantee he does not have the strength to cover any appreciable distance.”

Parker raised her eyebrow, moving in close to her brother, “Nor overpowers two armed sweepers, stealing both of their weapons…”

“Look, I’ll be the first to admit there were some administrative errors made with regard to Jarod’s relocation from the infirmary, but this is not the time or the place to point fingers….”.

Parker pushed her twin out the way with her forearm, enjoying the small grunt when it landed squarely on his chest. “I’m tired of sounding like a broken record. This will be the last time I will clean up any mess of your or Raines’ making, period. I want absolutely nothing more to do with Jarod ever again; it that clear enough for you Lyle?” she sneered, striding away from the small crowd that had formed.

“Funny, last time I checked, Jarod was your own little crusade of the week. The meetings with Syd and Broots, the personal visits, I hear nurse Parker is up for next month’s Florence Nightingale award.” Lyle called out after her. He just couldn’t resist getting in the last word.

She just kept walking.

SL-8, THE CENTRE

Parker stared at the small screwdriver in her hands, standing back as the maintenance technician pulled the vent cover from the lid.

“Do you want to see the blueprints again?” the tech asked.

Parker shook her head, checking her watch impatiently. Nearly an hour had gone by, and they were no closer to even determining if Jarod was still contained in the tech room, or if he really was making a break for it. With a heavy sigh, she climbed into the vent, giving a small prayer of thanks that she had chosen a pantsuit over one of her skirts today.

A hand on her calf stopped Parker in her tracks.

“So this is the grand plan, crawling through the vents like the idiot savant?” Lyle’s sarcastic voice seemed to reverberate in the small vent space.

She yanked her foot out of his grasp, awkwardly turning to meet his dangerous blue eyes. “I’m just doing whatever it takes to fix your mess, Lyle. Jarod may not hesitate to shoot you or any member of your band of merry men, but I think by this stage in the game it’s safe to say he would think long and hard before sending a bullet in my direction.”

“Even still my men…”

“…are going to wait outside the tech room door. I will not have anyone else making this situation worse than it’s already become. We don’t even know if Jarod’s still in the tech room, chances are he’s taken refuge in the vents somewhere else.” Parker rolled her eyes as she interrupted her brother. He had made an already volatile situation immensely worse and here he was still fumbling for control.

Lyle sighed heavily, instead dropping a small two-way radio in the vent. “In case Jarod finally grows some balls, we’ll be but a quick phone call away.”

She took the radio without comment, and began the long climb towards the tech-room.

It seemed that she had been crawling nearly an eternity when she finally reached the back of the tech-room. She peered into the room, which was eerily silent, but it was hard to see much of anything from the limited vantage point the vent gave her. They had chosen this one for that reason alone.

It was now or never.

Parker kicked down the vent with one angry thrust, lowering herself gracefully onto the floor. With poise only a dancer could display she spun around, her weapon at the ready.

“Miss Parker.” Jarod’s confident smirk greeted her. The pretender stood mere feet from her, causing Parker to startle badly.

“You’re lucky I don’t shoot you right now,” Parker growled as she recovered, her gun not wavering from Jarod’s chest. She looked around the room, finding Broots sitting at a nearby workstation, watching the scene unfolding around him with interest. Parker raised the small handset she had carried with her, speaking into it. “It’s me. He’s here,” she curtly stated, tossing it aside once Lyle’s annoyed voice flooded the room.

Jarod remained unfazed as she turned her attention back to him, raking his form up and down. He looked ghostly pale, and the weight loss he had suffered since his return to the Centre was obvious by the way the loose fitting black clothes hung from his frame.

“So what was this all about Jarod?” Parker asked, motioning with her gun towards the nearest chair.

The pretender remained stubbornly planted where he stood. “We are all entitled to our secrets, Miss Parker.”

“Don’t preach to me about secrets of all things Jarod. You know damn well that in here, you do not call the shots. You are about thirty seconds away from having two sweeper teams in here to drag your sorry ass into Raines’ awaiting arms.”

Jarod scowled at her, finally moving towards the chair and sitting down with an unimpressed huff.

Giving the pretender a look of warning she walked over to Broots. “What has our little boy wonder gotten himself into?”

Broots look hesitantly at Jarod, who simply looked at the tech expectantly.

“Uh…he used that computer over there….”

“And?” Parker asked harshly.

“The phone.”

Parker raised her eyebrow at Jarod. “Got a little lonely, had to call a 1-900 number now did we?”

Jarod just gave her one of his damn annoying smirks. “Even the worst of criminals are entitled to one phone call.”

She turned her attention back to Broots, “Trace it!” was her authoritative command, her eyes rolling as the tech just looked at her helplessly.

“You think of everything don’t you Jarod?” she asked in exasperation. It was obvious the pretender had enlisted Broots to ensure his activities in the tech room were untraceable.

Jarod just gave her a cocky grin.

“Everything but your exit strategy. What went wrong Jarod?” Parker asked with mock sympathy.

“Who said something went wrong Miss Parker?” he asked annoyingly, lacing his fingers and setting them on his lap. “My exit strategy is right where I want her.”

Parker couldn’t avoid the surprised look that took over her features, her irritation increasing as the pretender tilted his head smugly.

“Unlock the door Broots,” was her angry reply, smiling as the tech scurried over to the computer Jarod had obviously been working from.

“Any last words Jarod?” she asked, collecting the two guns that lay beside Broots, the remnants of the pretender’s “suicide” mission.

“Aww come on now Miss Parker, the fun is just starting.”

“Fun?” Parker questioned with aggravation. “Nothing about this damn situation is funny Jarod. You had Sydney virtually chained to your bedside with worry for the past week, Broots working overtime to find and then save you from Raines, and now there are about fifteen angry sweepers, one wheezing corpse and a thumbless psychopath ready to make you pay for your latest theatrics. And here I am, two weeks back into the life in Corporate, and yet I spend more time chasing after America’s most wanted lab rat, including trudging through an air-vent in the god-damn middle of the night.”

Broots would have cowered under his desk at her tone, but Jarod simply stared at her. “Gee, I can’t imagine how terrible your life has been the last two weeks Parker. As a gesture of good-will, I’ll trade places with you.”

Parker strode over to the arrogant labrat, grabbing a wad full of his cropped hair until the pretender grimaced noticeably. “You are not the one in control this time Jarod,” she warned adding, “you are up to something, every fibre in my being screams it.”

“So you keep telling me.” Jarod replied neutrally, shaking out of her grip.

“I’ll find out.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

“And when I do…”

“There will be hell to pay.” Jarod finished for her, giving her a small smirk that only served to infuriate her further.

“Uhh.. Miss Parker, I’ve disabled the manual control system override that Jarod… that was put in place earlier.” Broots interrupted hesitantly, clearing his throat.

“Go get Lyle.” she ordered, watching while Broots stood up and glancing over at Jarod briefly.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly as he caught the pretender’s eye.

“Don’t be. There was only one way this could have ended. I don’t doubt for a second this was all part of his sordid little plan,” Parker answered for the pretender, watching as Jarod gave the tech a small nod of gratitude.

“Those consequences still feeling pretty good Jarod?” Parker asked, poking fun at his remark he had made years ago back in the Florida Keys.

It was Jarod’s turn to give her an unimpressed glare, his gaze shifting nervously to the door as Broots exited the room.

“Anything is better than a lifetime of simming reality, even this.”

“I think that reality check is coming quicker than you think Jarod.” Parker counselled, flicking her gun upwards. “Stand up, hands on your head,” she commanded, imagining the altercation that would almost definitely take place if the sweepers saw Jarod in anything less than a submissive pose.

Jarod looked at her pleadingly. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Do what?”

“Play the role of the huntress,” he answered smartly.

“I’ve already caught my prey. This is about control.”

“Why don’t I just bow at your feet expressing my profound regret for my actions?” Jarod sneered sarcastically as he rose to his feet.

“It’s for your own damn good Jarod.” Parker said tiredly, grabbing Jarod’s arm and forcing it upwards.

With a heavy sigh the pretender straightened his pose, placing both hands on his head. Together they stood watching as Lyle and his goon squad filed into the room, led by a very angry looking Willy.

“Thank you.” Jarod whispered as Parker stepped away, turning away from the crowd as she heard the pretender grunt in pain, followed by the clanging of shackles.

Without a word to Lyle she exited the room, Jarod’s word of gratitude still with her.

Thank you for what?

Another day, another puzzle.

Rubbing her forehead tiredly, Parker literally ran into Broots and a very concerned looking Sydney in the hall way. The look on the psychiatrist’s face was almost heartbreaking, the tech had obviously filled him in on what had transpired in the past few hours.

“Thank you for calling Miss Parker.” Sydney stated, ”although I see that I have arrived too late.”

“We never had a fighting chance on this Sydney. Your boy dug his own grave and he’ll have to face those consequences by himself.”

“He’s still not well. He should never have been removed from the infirmary in the first place; he still needs the IV antibiotics…”

“I know Syd! I’m not the one you need to preach to. Did you fail to teach Jarod anything about the concept of self preservation during your countless years together?” Parker said despairingly as the pretender finally emerged with his entourage of sweepers.

Together they watched Jarod’s hunched form shuffle awkwardly out of the room, his arms firmly in the grips of two sweepers, the rest of the team forming a circle around him. The look of glee on her brother’s face was sickening.

“What now?” Broots asked as the dark mass of bodies retreated down the hall way.

Parker turned and gave Broots a sultry little smile. “You are going to tell us every single thing that happened in that room.” She moved in the direction the tech-room, the two men obediently following behind her.

“An escape attempt gone wrong?” Sydney offered.

Parker shook her head. “Jarod was waiting for me, like I was a pawn on his demented chess board. Whatever this little episode was about, it was not about escape. If I didn’t know any better I would say he wants at the Centre.”

Broots held his chin thoughtfully. “That may not be completely off base. I don’t know who Jarod called, but I do remember him asking whoever it was he was speaking to ‘how much longer?’…”

“And?...” Parker asked expectantly as Broots sat down at his workstation.

Broots shrugged helplessly. “Think about it, he overpowered two sweepers, with two guns he could have gone pretty much anywhere. Why the tech-room, why not just shoot his way out?”

“You’ve been watching too many Westerns.” Parker remarked. “While I admit Jarod’s behaviour has been more erratic than the bozos kept locked up in renewal, there is nothing in the world that would make him want to be back here in the Centre. It would take one masochistic son of bitch to willingly throw himself into Raines hands.”

“Jarod will do anything to protect his freedom,” Sydney added, rather unnecessarily.

Parker started pacing behind Broots’ computer, “The Jarod I dragged back here was not the freedom-fighter I have come to cherish over the past six years. Let’s just say that Broots is right, that boy-wonder orchestrated his return from the get go. But, why? What could be worth losing his freedom over?” She thought out loud.

“Family, it’s the only thing that could possibly matter to Jarod more than freedom.” Sydney stated, furrowing his brow in concern. “Jarod always has motive, and a well thought out plan. We just need to connect the dots, and maybe his purpose will become clear?”

“Why does everything involving Jarod always turn into a damn puzzle?” Parker scoffed as her frustration continued to build.

“He was working on cancer therapy right before his recapture…” she stopped herself, as a scenario began to play out in her mind. “You don’t think that...”

“Wait a minute…” Broots anxiously picked up the train of thought, “Jarod’s boss did say that he couldn’t shake the suspicion that Jarod had a personal connection to the research.” Then he shook his head and with furrowed brows, continued, “but it doesn’t make any sense that it would be a family member, at least one that we know about, the clone has been popping up all over the map ever since Jarod was brought back. Lyle’s been to nearly a dozen cities in the last two weeks.”

Parker stood back, giving Sydney a thoughtful look. “The situation with the clone is too clean, just like the way I found Jarod standing like little Miss Sunshine on the roof of his apartment building.” Massaging her temples she turned back to Broots. “I want everything you’ve handed over to my thumbless genetic counterpart about the clone, Major Charles and their supposed whereabouts.”

Broots nodded, his eyes not leaving his workstation.

“What are you going to do Parker?” Sydney asked.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Parker asked impatiently, irritated at the typical psychiatrist-like question. Sydney knew damn well what she was doing, once again engaging herself as part of the Clone’s pursuit team, but that wasn’t why he asked. She crossed her arms, waiting for him to get to the point.

“What about Corporate?”

“My job is to bring Jarod back, until we’ve resolved the circumstances of just how and why he ended up back here, I won’t rest easy. The last thing I need is that dreaded early morning phone call telling me to get my ass back out into the field. Your boy made a big mistake the day he involved me in whatever scheme he’s playing out here.”

Sydney looked at her thoughtfully. “And if it’s true, that Jarod surrendered himself, then what? What will pursuing all of this accomplish?”

“Twelve hours ago Sydney you were desperately trying to figure out what Jarod was hiding, why are you changing your tune now?” Parker asked. She was used to the shrink’s constant ethical debates, but she had no patience to deal with his psychobabble tonight.

“Now that Jarod’s health is no longer a medical mystery…” Sydney took a deep breath as he collected his thoughts. “Maybe after all of this, Jarod is entitled to a bit of privacy.”

Parker glared at the shrink. “Fine Syd, have it your way. You can remain in the dark about this while Broots and I figure out what the hell is going on. Go stick your head back in the sand, you’ll be the first person I notify when Jarod makes his next idiotic move.”

She ignored the anger that flashed in Sydney’s eyes, instead turning back to Broots, “Call me when you have something.”

The two men watched as Parker disappeared from sight, her heels clicking sharply on the linoleum tiles.

“Broots, please try to figure out where they’ve taken Jarod.” Sydney pleaded.

“Already on it,” Broots answered back sympathetically.

With a tired sigh Sydney slowly exited the tech room, heading towards the infirmary. It may take Broots awhile to track down where Raines was going to keep the pretender, especially after the little episode that Jarod had clearly orchestrated. The best thing he could do at this moment is at least ensure that Raines had ordered the IV antibiotics that Jarod so desperately needed.

The more he thought about it, the less he wanted to know what was going on.