Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Let It Be
Chapter 3
Melanie-Anne
Miss Parker was driving home from her prenatal checkup when her cell phone rang. She thought for a moment that it was Jarod but then remembered that he was back at the Centre. She hadn't been allowed to see him since he'd been brought back. She missed him. Sydney had told her that he wasn't coping too well in solitary confinement so they'd extended his living area and allowed him some of the luxuries he'd grown accustomed to in the outside world. Like Pez. And ice cream. She'd only found out later that these were rewards for SIMS. It sickened her how they treated him like an animal.
Her phone stooped ringing. She didn't care. All she wanted was for Jarod to escape so they could live together and raise their child far away from the Centre. And maybe get married. And have more babies. She smiled and thought that there could be nothing better than a life like that.
A golden M signaled a MacDonalds and Parker suddenly found herself craving apple pie. She pulled into the parking lot and entered with a distinct feeling that this baby was going to share Jarod's addiction to junk food.
The phone rang again and Parker answered with a mouthful of apple pie.
"What?"
"Miss Parker?"
She swallowed. "Sydney?"
"Parker, where are you? Can you come back to the Centre?" Sydney sounded worried or upset, she couldn't decide which.
"Sure. You like apple pie?"
"Parker?" He sounded surprised.
"Yeah, I know. Not the healthiest option on the menu but-"
"Please, just hurry." The urgency with which he uttered those words shut her up. She left, taking apple pie for Sydney and Broots. Pregnancy had brought out Parker's generous side. The hormonal changes meant that she was happier and friendlier, although her bad moods were considerably worse.
She ate Broots and Sydney's apple pies on the way to the Centre and blamed it on the baby. Sydney and Broots were waiting for her in her office but before they could say anything her chair swiveled around to reveal a smug Lyle.
"Well, Sis. It looks like your lab rat is dead."
Parker stared at Lyle in shock. "Liar," she hissed.
"He tried to escape and he, uh…proved to be…expendable."
Parker's knees collapsed. She couldn't help it. Luckily Broots caught her before she hit the floor and guided her to the couch. Lyle smirked at Parker's loss of control and left, congratulating himself on a job well done.
Parker looked at Sydney. "Is it true?" she whispered.
He didn't answer. He didn't have to. Parker saw the loss in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," Broots said, his hand on Parker's shoulder.
She felt sick. It's not fair, her mind screamed. She ran to the bathroom and threw up.
***
Lyle looked at the man in front of him. He contemplated telling him what he'd done, but decided it wouldn't be as destructive as a lie.
"Parker's pregnant, Jarod. Did you knock her up?"
Jarod glared at Lyle, a look of pure hatred in his eyes.
"You know, I don't appreciate you fooling around with my sister. Look at you, you'll never see her again. Do you want to know why she hasn't been down to see you?"
Jarod didn't speak.
"She's ashamed. She doesn't want your child. But then again, it's funny how everything works out for the good of the Centre in the end." He paused, wanting his next words to have an effect. "She's decided to give it to the Centre. With your genes and Parker's genes we'll finally have the perfect Pretender."
Lyle smiled when he saw the look of agony on Jarod's face. Mission accomplished. He punched Jarod hard in his stomach and whispered, "That's for sleeping with Parker. You're lucky, really. I killed her last lover."
Angelo watched the scene from a ventilation shaft. He could hardly move for the pain he felt from his friend.
***
"Syd, could you drive me home?" Parker asked when she returned to her office. Sydney didn't look up. He was sitting on the couch, his head in his hands. Parker looked at Broots.
"I'll drive," he offered.
She nodded, afraid to speak for fear of crying. Broots gently guided Sydney out of the Centre, Parker following. He drove them all to Parker's house.
"Uh, can Sydney stay here tonight?" he asked.
"Yeah. You're welcome to as well."
Broots shook his head. "Thanks, but I gotta get back to Debbie."
"Thank you, Broots," Parker said. He drove off and Parker went back inside, sitting beside Sydney. Beyond words, she hugged him and the two of them finally gave in to tears.
***
A week had passed and Miss Parker felt like dying. The one thing holding her to sanity was the life growing inside her. She didn't want to face life without Jarod but she knew she had to. Sydney wasn't coping any better than she was. They both came to work late and left early. Only Broots was holding them together. But Parker didn't know how much longer she'd be able to last. Each day drove her further to the edge and her hatred for the Centre, and Lyle in particular, increased each time she entered the building.
***
"Friend!"
Jarod woke to Angelo's voice.
"What is it?"
"Follow Angelo. Daughter needs you."
Jarod obeyed. He climbed into the shaft and followed Angelo to freedom.
***
Miss Parker stared at the gun in her hands. She turned it over carefully before closing her eyes and putting it down. She headed into her bathroom, picked up her razor blade and smiled sadly.
Yes. This one. I'm sorry, Jarod. I wish I could have gone on but I can't do it without you.
She took a deep breath and slowly drew the blade along her wrist. She bit her lip at the pain and watched in fascination as the blood ran down her arm and into the basin. Tears poured down her cheeks and she wished that things had happened differently. Wished that she had stayed on that beach with Jarod.
I'm sorry, Mama. I can't. I'm not strong like you.
"Jarod," she whispered, barely feeling the pain as she opened her other wrist.
I love you, Jarod. I wish I'd told you. See you soon.
"What the hell are you doing?" a voice growled from behind her.
She looked up and saw Jarod's face reflecting in the mirror. Knowing that she'd gone mad she cried harder and turned around, expecting no one to be there.
Jarod grabbed two towels and wrapped her wounds.
"Are you really ashamed?" he asked. "Don't you want our baby?"
She looked at him, lost for words. You're alive? Am I dreaming? Am I already dead?
"Jarod," she whispered. "I missed you so much."
And then she passed out, Jarod catching her. He carried her to her car and drove to a hospital, praying that he wouldn't be too late.
***
"Gone?"
"Yes. I don't know how-" Lyle began.
"He's a genius! That's how!" Mutambo snapped.
"Well, we still have Parker's baby."
That seemed to pacify Mutambo who then hung up. Lyle sat down and cursed his bad luck.
***
Jarod carried the unconscious Miss Parker into the emergency room. The attending physician took one look at them and rushed over.
"She cut her wrists…I don't know why…please," Jarod was babbling. He was scared that Parker would die. He blamed himself because of what Lyle had told him.
"We'll take her from here, sir," the doctor said.
"Please, I'm a doctor too." Jarod wanted to be near her.
"Alright, but you're in no state to help. You can watch, okay?"
Jarod nodded. Don't die on me, Parker! He thought back to a time when he'd been so depressed. It was Parker who had told him that death was not an option. "What about me, Jarod? Would you just leave me alone?" He had though, the first time he escaped he'd left her to the Centre. He had left her alone.
"I'm sorry, Parker," he whispered.
Parker woke up to two voices. One was Jarod's - no, he's dead! - and the other was a woman's.
"I'll call you when she wakes."
"Mr. Stevens, I have a busy schedule. I'd like to speak with her now," the woman said.
"Please?"
"Jarod?" Parker said. Her throat was dry and it was hard to speak.
Both Jarod and the woman turned to Parker. Jarod rushed to her side, kissing her forehead.
"Mr. Stevens, I need to speak with her alone." The woman's voice was firm but the last thing Parker wanted was to let Jarod out of her sight.
"It's alright. He can stay," she whispered.
Jarod looked at the woman with a look of triumph.
"Very well. Mrs. Stevens, I am Dr. Fisher. I'm a psychiatrist."
Parker looked at Jarod and asked to speak to Sydney. "He doesn't know you're here," Jarod told her. "They won't release you until you speak to her."
Parker sighed. "Fine."
"Mrs. Stevens, are you unhappy at all?" Dr. Fisher asked.
"No," Parker said softly. "Everything's fine now." She squeezed Jarod's hand and smiled at him. Dr. Fisher noted this and wrote Seeks attention in Parker's file.
"Mrs. Stevens, what made you hurt yourself? Do you remember hurting yourself?"
Parker switched into Ice Queen mode and turned on the doctor. "Don't patronize me! My brother told me Jarod was dead and I decided I didn't want to live without him. Okay? And don't try to psychoanalyze me - there's no way you've got enough experience or training to deal with my demons!"
Jarod hid his smile and Dr. Fisher nodded, writing aggressive behavior in her file. Then she left.
Parker turned to Jarod and reached up to touch his face. "I'm so sorry. Lyle said-"
He held a finger to her lips, shushing her. "He lied. About a lot of things."
"I love you." She said it. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her.
"And I love you."
"I couldn't visit you. Daddy wouldn't let me. I wanted to, so many times but-"
"It's okay, Parker. We're going to get away, somewhere they'll never be able to touch us and we'll raise our baby together and everything will be perfect."
"I- I'm a Pretender too, Jarod. They were going to create a child from us and use it-"
"Shh. I know."
"So I told Daddy I didn't know who the father to keep her safe."
"Her?" Jarod's face lit up.
"I'm not sure yet. It-"
He silenced her with a kiss.
***
"She's missing too?"
Lyle nodded. "There was blood in her bathroom. Her blood. I don't know if she went willingly or not. I don't even know if she is still alive. There was a lot of blood."
"What were you doing there anyway?" Mr. Parker asked.
"Uh, I was worried about her. I thought Jarod might go after her. He's obsessed with her, you know."
Mr. Parker took a deep breath. "Find her, Lyle. If he does anything to her-"
***
One month later…
Parker was standing on the front porch of the house she and Jarod shared. She felt the baby kick and smiled, wondering what her child would grow up to be like. She hoped they wouldn't have to have a life on the run. Absentmindedly rubbing the scar on her wrist, she cursed herself for being so foolish. If Jarod hadn't come when he had-
She pushed the thought aside and went inside. It was time for bed.
They were woken by a noise downstairs.
"Stay here," Jarod whispered.
She nodded and slid her gun underneath her pillow, taking it off safety. She waited. Jarod didn't return. A muffled thump made her sit up, her heart pounding wildly. She noticed movement from the corner of her eye but before she could react she was shoved down.
"Miss me?" a voice asked.
"Where's Jarod?"
"Don't worry. He won't be permanently damaged. Willie's taking care of him."
"Lyle, if you-"
"Shh, Sis. We've got some unfinished business." He kissed her roughly and she slipped her gun out and shot him. The bullet pierced his heart, leaving him conscious long enough to hear Parker say, "I hope you burn in hell, brother."
She was about to go downstairs when Willie appeared in the doorway, his gun held to Jarod's head.
"You're coming back with me," he said.
Parker looked helplessly at Jarod. "I'm sorry," he mouthed.
"Okay," Parker said to the sweeper. "Let's go."
***
"You worthless tramp!" Mr. Parker accused. "You're just like your mother!"
"I'm glad I'm like my mother. Rather her than you!" Parker shot back.
He slapped her. "You killed your own brother!"
"He wanted to rape me! How sick is that?"
"Liar!"
"I'm glad he's dead. I wish he wasn't my brother. I wish you weren't my father!"
Mr. Parker stared at her for a long time. When he spoke again his voice was cold and hard.
"Is it Jarod's?"
"Yes." Parker looked him straight in the eye.
Mr. Parker nodded slowly and summoned Willie. "Get her out of my sight," he ordered.
Sydney and Broots watched helplessly as Miss Parker was taken to a room. Mr. Parker turned to Sydney, hostile and accusing.
"I don't want them too see each other. When the child is born it will be taken away and you will tell them nothing of it."
Sydney nodded, the lump in his throat preventing him from speaking.
"Good. Jarod is waiting for you in the SIM-lab."
***
Miss Parker lay on the bed, her arms crossed protectively over her stomach. She couldn't believe her father had reacted so badly. What hurt her most was that he clearly cared more about Lyle than her. She didn't regret killing him. If anything, she regretted that she hadn't put an end to him sooner. It astounded her how sick he was. She tried not to think about the fact that he had been sexually attracted to his sister.
She thought about Jarod, wondering what they were doing to him, and prayed that he was okay. She heard a noise in the ventilation shaft and sat up sharply.
"Angelo?" she asked quietly.
"Daughter follow. Hurry."
She didn't question him. Pulling on her shoes she climbed into the vent and followed him. When they reached freedom Angelo pressed a case into her hands and telling her to go to Debbie, disappeared back into the Centre.
***
"Is she okay?" Jarod asked worriedly.
"Jarod - I can't say," Sydney replied.
Jarod cursed and slammed his hand against the wall in frustration.
"That won't help you," Sydney said.
Jarod glared at the man he had once thought of as a father.
"I love her, Syd."
"Shh, talking like that will only get you killed."
"I would rather be dead than not have her."
The finality with which Jarod uttered those words surprised Sydney. Jarod had often said that he would die rather than be a prisoner again but this was the first time that Sydney believed he truly meant it.
***
Mutambo was pleased. The runaway Pretenders were back and very soon the Triumvirate would have their super-Pretender. He smiled at Mr. Parker and Dr. Raines.
"We have no further use for Jarod," Raines was saying. "He is uncooperative and refuses to listen to even Sydney."
"Kill him," Mr. Parker suggested.
Mutambo studied the two men carefully before continuing. He knew that Raines wanted Jarod to experiment with and he knew that M. Parker hated Jarod because of his relationship with Miss Parker. He nodded.
"Very well. And when the child is born you may dispose of its mother after removing more eggs."
Both Mr. Parker and Raines nodded and left the Tower office, leaving Mutambo alone with his thoughts.
***
Jarod followed Angelo through the ventilation shafts. This is becoming a little too familiar, he thought. Sydney was waiting for them outside. Angelo looked back at the Centre and smiled sadly as they drove away.
"Now," he said, and Sydney dialed a number.
They met Broots, Debbie and Miss Parker in a motel just outside of Blue Cove. Then they waited.
***
The FBI was waiting for Sydney's call. When it came they swept into the Centre, arresting anybody who wasn't already locked away on the various sub-levels.
It as finally over. The case Angelo had given Parker contained the whereabouts of Jarod's family as well as the truth regarding the death of Catherine Parker. Miss Parker was devastated to read of how involved her father had been in ruining her life and not once did she visit him in prison. Jarod and his family were reunited and Jarod and Parker were married one month after the birth of Catherine Faith.
The members of the Triumvirate mysteriously died before the case went to court and Raines committed suicide while awaiting sentencing.
Jarod and Parker finally had their happily-ever-after.
*******
FINIS
Chapter 3
Melanie-Anne
Miss Parker was driving home from her prenatal checkup when her cell phone rang. She thought for a moment that it was Jarod but then remembered that he was back at the Centre. She hadn't been allowed to see him since he'd been brought back. She missed him. Sydney had told her that he wasn't coping too well in solitary confinement so they'd extended his living area and allowed him some of the luxuries he'd grown accustomed to in the outside world. Like Pez. And ice cream. She'd only found out later that these were rewards for SIMS. It sickened her how they treated him like an animal.
Her phone stooped ringing. She didn't care. All she wanted was for Jarod to escape so they could live together and raise their child far away from the Centre. And maybe get married. And have more babies. She smiled and thought that there could be nothing better than a life like that.
A golden M signaled a MacDonalds and Parker suddenly found herself craving apple pie. She pulled into the parking lot and entered with a distinct feeling that this baby was going to share Jarod's addiction to junk food.
The phone rang again and Parker answered with a mouthful of apple pie.
"What?"
"Miss Parker?"
She swallowed. "Sydney?"
"Parker, where are you? Can you come back to the Centre?" Sydney sounded worried or upset, she couldn't decide which.
"Sure. You like apple pie?"
"Parker?" He sounded surprised.
"Yeah, I know. Not the healthiest option on the menu but-"
"Please, just hurry." The urgency with which he uttered those words shut her up. She left, taking apple pie for Sydney and Broots. Pregnancy had brought out Parker's generous side. The hormonal changes meant that she was happier and friendlier, although her bad moods were considerably worse.
She ate Broots and Sydney's apple pies on the way to the Centre and blamed it on the baby. Sydney and Broots were waiting for her in her office but before they could say anything her chair swiveled around to reveal a smug Lyle.
"Well, Sis. It looks like your lab rat is dead."
Parker stared at Lyle in shock. "Liar," she hissed.
"He tried to escape and he, uh…proved to be…expendable."
Parker's knees collapsed. She couldn't help it. Luckily Broots caught her before she hit the floor and guided her to the couch. Lyle smirked at Parker's loss of control and left, congratulating himself on a job well done.
Parker looked at Sydney. "Is it true?" she whispered.
He didn't answer. He didn't have to. Parker saw the loss in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," Broots said, his hand on Parker's shoulder.
She felt sick. It's not fair, her mind screamed. She ran to the bathroom and threw up.
***
Lyle looked at the man in front of him. He contemplated telling him what he'd done, but decided it wouldn't be as destructive as a lie.
"Parker's pregnant, Jarod. Did you knock her up?"
Jarod glared at Lyle, a look of pure hatred in his eyes.
"You know, I don't appreciate you fooling around with my sister. Look at you, you'll never see her again. Do you want to know why she hasn't been down to see you?"
Jarod didn't speak.
"She's ashamed. She doesn't want your child. But then again, it's funny how everything works out for the good of the Centre in the end." He paused, wanting his next words to have an effect. "She's decided to give it to the Centre. With your genes and Parker's genes we'll finally have the perfect Pretender."
Lyle smiled when he saw the look of agony on Jarod's face. Mission accomplished. He punched Jarod hard in his stomach and whispered, "That's for sleeping with Parker. You're lucky, really. I killed her last lover."
Angelo watched the scene from a ventilation shaft. He could hardly move for the pain he felt from his friend.
***
"Syd, could you drive me home?" Parker asked when she returned to her office. Sydney didn't look up. He was sitting on the couch, his head in his hands. Parker looked at Broots.
"I'll drive," he offered.
She nodded, afraid to speak for fear of crying. Broots gently guided Sydney out of the Centre, Parker following. He drove them all to Parker's house.
"Uh, can Sydney stay here tonight?" he asked.
"Yeah. You're welcome to as well."
Broots shook his head. "Thanks, but I gotta get back to Debbie."
"Thank you, Broots," Parker said. He drove off and Parker went back inside, sitting beside Sydney. Beyond words, she hugged him and the two of them finally gave in to tears.
***
A week had passed and Miss Parker felt like dying. The one thing holding her to sanity was the life growing inside her. She didn't want to face life without Jarod but she knew she had to. Sydney wasn't coping any better than she was. They both came to work late and left early. Only Broots was holding them together. But Parker didn't know how much longer she'd be able to last. Each day drove her further to the edge and her hatred for the Centre, and Lyle in particular, increased each time she entered the building.
***
"Friend!"
Jarod woke to Angelo's voice.
"What is it?"
"Follow Angelo. Daughter needs you."
Jarod obeyed. He climbed into the shaft and followed Angelo to freedom.
***
Miss Parker stared at the gun in her hands. She turned it over carefully before closing her eyes and putting it down. She headed into her bathroom, picked up her razor blade and smiled sadly.
Yes. This one. I'm sorry, Jarod. I wish I could have gone on but I can't do it without you.
She took a deep breath and slowly drew the blade along her wrist. She bit her lip at the pain and watched in fascination as the blood ran down her arm and into the basin. Tears poured down her cheeks and she wished that things had happened differently. Wished that she had stayed on that beach with Jarod.
I'm sorry, Mama. I can't. I'm not strong like you.
"Jarod," she whispered, barely feeling the pain as she opened her other wrist.
I love you, Jarod. I wish I'd told you. See you soon.
"What the hell are you doing?" a voice growled from behind her.
She looked up and saw Jarod's face reflecting in the mirror. Knowing that she'd gone mad she cried harder and turned around, expecting no one to be there.
Jarod grabbed two towels and wrapped her wounds.
"Are you really ashamed?" he asked. "Don't you want our baby?"
She looked at him, lost for words. You're alive? Am I dreaming? Am I already dead?
"Jarod," she whispered. "I missed you so much."
And then she passed out, Jarod catching her. He carried her to her car and drove to a hospital, praying that he wouldn't be too late.
***
"Gone?"
"Yes. I don't know how-" Lyle began.
"He's a genius! That's how!" Mutambo snapped.
"Well, we still have Parker's baby."
That seemed to pacify Mutambo who then hung up. Lyle sat down and cursed his bad luck.
***
Jarod carried the unconscious Miss Parker into the emergency room. The attending physician took one look at them and rushed over.
"She cut her wrists…I don't know why…please," Jarod was babbling. He was scared that Parker would die. He blamed himself because of what Lyle had told him.
"We'll take her from here, sir," the doctor said.
"Please, I'm a doctor too." Jarod wanted to be near her.
"Alright, but you're in no state to help. You can watch, okay?"
Jarod nodded. Don't die on me, Parker! He thought back to a time when he'd been so depressed. It was Parker who had told him that death was not an option. "What about me, Jarod? Would you just leave me alone?" He had though, the first time he escaped he'd left her to the Centre. He had left her alone.
"I'm sorry, Parker," he whispered.
Parker woke up to two voices. One was Jarod's - no, he's dead! - and the other was a woman's.
"I'll call you when she wakes."
"Mr. Stevens, I have a busy schedule. I'd like to speak with her now," the woman said.
"Please?"
"Jarod?" Parker said. Her throat was dry and it was hard to speak.
Both Jarod and the woman turned to Parker. Jarod rushed to her side, kissing her forehead.
"Mr. Stevens, I need to speak with her alone." The woman's voice was firm but the last thing Parker wanted was to let Jarod out of her sight.
"It's alright. He can stay," she whispered.
Jarod looked at the woman with a look of triumph.
"Very well. Mrs. Stevens, I am Dr. Fisher. I'm a psychiatrist."
Parker looked at Jarod and asked to speak to Sydney. "He doesn't know you're here," Jarod told her. "They won't release you until you speak to her."
Parker sighed. "Fine."
"Mrs. Stevens, are you unhappy at all?" Dr. Fisher asked.
"No," Parker said softly. "Everything's fine now." She squeezed Jarod's hand and smiled at him. Dr. Fisher noted this and wrote Seeks attention in Parker's file.
"Mrs. Stevens, what made you hurt yourself? Do you remember hurting yourself?"
Parker switched into Ice Queen mode and turned on the doctor. "Don't patronize me! My brother told me Jarod was dead and I decided I didn't want to live without him. Okay? And don't try to psychoanalyze me - there's no way you've got enough experience or training to deal with my demons!"
Jarod hid his smile and Dr. Fisher nodded, writing aggressive behavior in her file. Then she left.
Parker turned to Jarod and reached up to touch his face. "I'm so sorry. Lyle said-"
He held a finger to her lips, shushing her. "He lied. About a lot of things."
"I love you." She said it. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her.
"And I love you."
"I couldn't visit you. Daddy wouldn't let me. I wanted to, so many times but-"
"It's okay, Parker. We're going to get away, somewhere they'll never be able to touch us and we'll raise our baby together and everything will be perfect."
"I- I'm a Pretender too, Jarod. They were going to create a child from us and use it-"
"Shh. I know."
"So I told Daddy I didn't know who the father to keep her safe."
"Her?" Jarod's face lit up.
"I'm not sure yet. It-"
He silenced her with a kiss.
***
"She's missing too?"
Lyle nodded. "There was blood in her bathroom. Her blood. I don't know if she went willingly or not. I don't even know if she is still alive. There was a lot of blood."
"What were you doing there anyway?" Mr. Parker asked.
"Uh, I was worried about her. I thought Jarod might go after her. He's obsessed with her, you know."
Mr. Parker took a deep breath. "Find her, Lyle. If he does anything to her-"
***
One month later…
Parker was standing on the front porch of the house she and Jarod shared. She felt the baby kick and smiled, wondering what her child would grow up to be like. She hoped they wouldn't have to have a life on the run. Absentmindedly rubbing the scar on her wrist, she cursed herself for being so foolish. If Jarod hadn't come when he had-
She pushed the thought aside and went inside. It was time for bed.
They were woken by a noise downstairs.
"Stay here," Jarod whispered.
She nodded and slid her gun underneath her pillow, taking it off safety. She waited. Jarod didn't return. A muffled thump made her sit up, her heart pounding wildly. She noticed movement from the corner of her eye but before she could react she was shoved down.
"Miss me?" a voice asked.
"Where's Jarod?"
"Don't worry. He won't be permanently damaged. Willie's taking care of him."
"Lyle, if you-"
"Shh, Sis. We've got some unfinished business." He kissed her roughly and she slipped her gun out and shot him. The bullet pierced his heart, leaving him conscious long enough to hear Parker say, "I hope you burn in hell, brother."
She was about to go downstairs when Willie appeared in the doorway, his gun held to Jarod's head.
"You're coming back with me," he said.
Parker looked helplessly at Jarod. "I'm sorry," he mouthed.
"Okay," Parker said to the sweeper. "Let's go."
***
"You worthless tramp!" Mr. Parker accused. "You're just like your mother!"
"I'm glad I'm like my mother. Rather her than you!" Parker shot back.
He slapped her. "You killed your own brother!"
"He wanted to rape me! How sick is that?"
"Liar!"
"I'm glad he's dead. I wish he wasn't my brother. I wish you weren't my father!"
Mr. Parker stared at her for a long time. When he spoke again his voice was cold and hard.
"Is it Jarod's?"
"Yes." Parker looked him straight in the eye.
Mr. Parker nodded slowly and summoned Willie. "Get her out of my sight," he ordered.
Sydney and Broots watched helplessly as Miss Parker was taken to a room. Mr. Parker turned to Sydney, hostile and accusing.
"I don't want them too see each other. When the child is born it will be taken away and you will tell them nothing of it."
Sydney nodded, the lump in his throat preventing him from speaking.
"Good. Jarod is waiting for you in the SIM-lab."
***
Miss Parker lay on the bed, her arms crossed protectively over her stomach. She couldn't believe her father had reacted so badly. What hurt her most was that he clearly cared more about Lyle than her. She didn't regret killing him. If anything, she regretted that she hadn't put an end to him sooner. It astounded her how sick he was. She tried not to think about the fact that he had been sexually attracted to his sister.
She thought about Jarod, wondering what they were doing to him, and prayed that he was okay. She heard a noise in the ventilation shaft and sat up sharply.
"Angelo?" she asked quietly.
"Daughter follow. Hurry."
She didn't question him. Pulling on her shoes she climbed into the vent and followed him. When they reached freedom Angelo pressed a case into her hands and telling her to go to Debbie, disappeared back into the Centre.
***
"Is she okay?" Jarod asked worriedly.
"Jarod - I can't say," Sydney replied.
Jarod cursed and slammed his hand against the wall in frustration.
"That won't help you," Sydney said.
Jarod glared at the man he had once thought of as a father.
"I love her, Syd."
"Shh, talking like that will only get you killed."
"I would rather be dead than not have her."
The finality with which Jarod uttered those words surprised Sydney. Jarod had often said that he would die rather than be a prisoner again but this was the first time that Sydney believed he truly meant it.
***
Mutambo was pleased. The runaway Pretenders were back and very soon the Triumvirate would have their super-Pretender. He smiled at Mr. Parker and Dr. Raines.
"We have no further use for Jarod," Raines was saying. "He is uncooperative and refuses to listen to even Sydney."
"Kill him," Mr. Parker suggested.
Mutambo studied the two men carefully before continuing. He knew that Raines wanted Jarod to experiment with and he knew that M. Parker hated Jarod because of his relationship with Miss Parker. He nodded.
"Very well. And when the child is born you may dispose of its mother after removing more eggs."
Both Mr. Parker and Raines nodded and left the Tower office, leaving Mutambo alone with his thoughts.
***
Jarod followed Angelo through the ventilation shafts. This is becoming a little too familiar, he thought. Sydney was waiting for them outside. Angelo looked back at the Centre and smiled sadly as they drove away.
"Now," he said, and Sydney dialed a number.
They met Broots, Debbie and Miss Parker in a motel just outside of Blue Cove. Then they waited.
***
The FBI was waiting for Sydney's call. When it came they swept into the Centre, arresting anybody who wasn't already locked away on the various sub-levels.
It as finally over. The case Angelo had given Parker contained the whereabouts of Jarod's family as well as the truth regarding the death of Catherine Parker. Miss Parker was devastated to read of how involved her father had been in ruining her life and not once did she visit him in prison. Jarod and his family were reunited and Jarod and Parker were married one month after the birth of Catherine Faith.
The members of the Triumvirate mysteriously died before the case went to court and Raines committed suicide while awaiting sentencing.
Jarod and Parker finally had their happily-ever-after.
*******
FINIS
