Table of Contents [Report This]
PRICE OF FAILURE
By: RaChell
PLEASE NOTE: the description of a head injury patient in this story is in no way accurate. It has been artistry bent for the sole purpose of the story line. Just as NBC and the writers of The Pretender often do not portray events in a realistic manner but use their creative license to distort them to fit the plot.
"We got him Miss Parker! We got him!" Broots burst through the door into her office. Raising her head to stare at him, his words resounded like a giant bell in her head. Having gone head to head with Lyle in a drinking contest the night before had left her in a less than cordial mood. "Just who the hell do we have?" She snarled at the man standing before her. "Jarod Miss Parker, we've got him!" She pulled herself up and grabbed the papers out of his hands. It had been two months since they had heard anything from him. She barely heard Broots' account as she scanned the papers.
"He's in Denver, in a county run care facility for head injury patients. He's been there for almost two months. He's basically a 'John Doe'. They identified him from the missing person we sent out over the net. Are you listening Miss..." She pushed past Broots and headed towards Sydney's office. The displeasure showed on her face as Lyle enter the office before her, letting the door slam behind him. She entered just as Sydney finished a phone call. All she caught were the last few words.
"...be there as soon as possible. Thank you." The grim look on his face was not unexpected. After all his prodigy was in their grasp and if the diagnosis was correct, he was in no position to escape. Sydney cleared his throat. "I assume you are both here for the same reason."
"You assume correctly. Now if you don't mind, I want details." Lyle snapped. His color a shade greyer than usual much to Miss Parker's delight and his mood matched hers.
"According to the director of the care facility where Jarod is housed it appears he was found beaten and robbed in a alley in late June. He was taken to the emergency room and there they determined he was suffering from a head injury. He is..."
"Yeah I know Syd. Your little lab rat wants us to believe he's damaged goods with the mentality of a eight year old child. Do we look stupid?" She crossed her arms in front of her and scowled. "I say we move before he takes off and leaves us holding an empty bag."
"I agree. Jarod's not to be trusted. He would never just let us walk in and take him. If we want him we have to move fast. I understand the Centre's jet can be ready in less than an hour." Lyle turned to her and smiled. "That is if you think you're up to it."
***
The three of them sat in Mr. Johnson's office and listened to him drone on about head injuries and what to expect. Miss Parker shut out most of the boring conversation as she thought about bringing Jarod home. The last thing she needed was some idiot telling her what to expect. Damn she knew what to expect after all these years and it wasn't a eight year old. Sydney sat enthralled with Mr. Johnson's detailed observations of Jarod's behavior while Lyle slowly circled his head and rubbed the back of his neck. Lyle had suggested that since Jarod only remembered his first name and had no identification that she pretend to be his wife.
She leaned towards Lyle and in a very sweet voice said. "Would you like me to massage your neck for you?" One look at her face and it was clear she would rather break it.
"No thank you." Lyle sat up straight and looked at Mr. Johnson. "If you don't mind we would like to see Jarod now.
***
They were lead into a room with long tables and padded chairs. Several of the facility's residents were sitting at the tables stringing beads. At the far corner sat Jarod, looking intently at the project in hand.
"Hello Jarod." Sydney said as they approached. Jarod looked up and smiled.
"Do you remember these people Jarod?" Mr Johnson asked. Jarod's head shook slowly side to side instead of answering no. "They're friends of yours. Are you sure you don't remember them?" Mr. Johnson pressed.
"No." Came the quiet reply as a look of confusion settled on his face.
"Hello Jarod." Miss Parker smiled and down next to him. "Surely you remember me. We grew up together. Don't you remember?" He looked sadly away and shook his head. "That's alright. I'm sure once we're home things will be clearer." He knotted the end of the strand of beads with difficulty. Looking up he smiled shyly as he handed them to her.
"For you."
***
Three months later in Miss Parker's Office:
"Now hold the end of the wishbone Jarod. And when I count to three, you and Miss Parker pull." Debbie's voice rang out with enthusiasm.
"Why?" Jarod asked again. Miss Parker smiled sadly at Jarod lack of attention and Debbie patiently explained again.
"You make a wish and the one who gets the short piece of the turkey's wishbone gets his wish . It's a Thanksgiving tradition or something. Now ready? One...two...three!" The wishbone snapped and Jarod frowned as he looked at his half. Reaching over he pulled Miss Parker's hand close and compared.
"It's long. I don't get my wish." Sadness swept over him as Miss Parker took his piece.
"I was always told it was the person who had the longest half."
"Hey everyone the game's started." Broots' fervor for football took center stage as they crowded onto the small sofa. Jarod plopped down on the floor in front of Miss Parker's place on the sofa. Reaching out her hand she played aimlessly in his hair. Looking around her office, it was hard for to believe the transformation.
For months after Jarod's return she thought he was pretending. Going to see him under Sydney's care every day she finally realized he wasn't the same man she had chased all those years. At first it was pity then slowly it changed into something else.
For Halloween she dressed up and brought him candy. And now for Thanksgiving she had transformed her office into room of celebration. She brought in a large screen TV for Broots. She'd been surprised to find he was fan of football. Even Angelo crawled out for dinner and sat now next to Jarod on the floor fascinated. Sydney came not so much for dinner but to keep a eye on his charge.
She could feel Sydney's eyes on her as she ran her fingers through Jarod's hair. Remembering the day when she had walked in to find him upset with performing a simple task.
"Here, watch how I do it then you can try." Leaning forward to demonstrate Jarod had leaned forward too and pressed his face in her hair.
"Smells nice. And soft." He muttered. Bring herself up to face him,the look in his eyes was one of longing and desire, the same as she felt. Her lips moved closer to his.
"Miss Parker. Can I see you in my office?" Sydney's sharp tone broke the mood. Following him into his office, he had scolded her.
"Jarod has the body of a grown man but the mentality of a child, Don't think about taking advantage of him Parker. If you do , I'll see you're denied access to this part of the Centre. Understand?"
Now with Jarod on the floor below nestled against her legs, she thought back about her wish...to have him whole as he once was.
***
"Can I get this for Sydney?" He pointed to a picture in the catalog.
"I think Sydney would like that very much." She replied. Jarod's christmas shopping was limited to catalogs. Sydney had tried to take him out of the Centre but they still had their doubts.
"This...for you." His eyes gleamed as he pointed to sexy night gown.
"I think Sydney had better help you pick my gift. " She rose from the chair and headed for Sydney's office.
"What's wrong Syd?" Miss Parker eyed the man seated behind the desk with an angry face. He slowly looked up from the stack of medical reports on Jarod and replied with frustration .
"Did you know that Jarod was taken to a private hospital who did nothing for him simply because they thought he was a vagrant? That he had no money, no insurance... no worth? Do you know they treated him as if he were..."
"I know Syd." Miss Parker's hand reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "I know he was brought in on June twentieth and shipped out to county several hours later without any treatment. And he laid there for another nine hours before someone even looked at him. It's called the system Syd." He angrily brushed her hand from his shoulder.
"The system Miss Parker is suppose to prevent things like this. The system is ....it's not the system, it greed. Greed like the private hospital. That damn greedy hospital, that Doctor..."
"Doctor Mc Duffy? I know Syd. It's been taken care of." Cold blue eyes stared back and the look on her face sent a chill through Sydney.
"What do you mean... 'taken care of'? " . Taking his hands in hers she looked at him.
"I said it's been taken care of. The doctor's license to practice has been taken away, the hospital has lost it's accreditation and is under state and federal investigation for fraud and a few other details."
"How can you do that? Do you know it takes a act of God to revoke a doctor's license and even then ..." He shook his head. "It will never happen, Parker."
"But it already has. Syd, you forget there are certain 'privileges' working for the Centre. I read the reports, I know what happened and I'm just as upset as you are." Tears welled up in her eyes, as her voice tried to soothe him. " But it will never happen to anyone else again. It's the best I can do...it's what Jarod would do."
***
"Three! Two! One! Happy New Years!" Everyone shouted. Miss Parker leaned over and kissed Jarod. The second time in one week. Debbie had smuggled in some mistletoe and instructed Jarod in it's use. He had surprised her with it at their Christmas party . The withered clump still hung next to the tree decorated with the child like ornaments that had kept Jarod occupied for the past month.
Christmas had come and gone. And now New Years. Her office had under gone a transformation since Thanksgiving. The cold room was now homey and warm.
"Miss Parker." Sydney touched her shoulder, breaking the kiss. "I need to speak with you. Jarod why don't you go and talk with Broots?"
"What now Syd?" She asked expecting to be scolded again. "Am I going to be denied access to Jarod because of a New Year's kiss?"
"No. I wanted to tell you that your father and the Triumvirate have finally agreed to let me be Jarod's guardian. I'm taking him out of here."
*****
Several weeks later...
Reaching across the bed she realized he was gone. The spot where he had laid next to her was still warm and she could hear soft hushed movements in the other room. Slipping out from the covers and pulling a robe over her naked body, she quietly walked into the other room. His face was light from the soft glow of the computer screen, fingers flicked swiftly over the keyboard and he was fully dressed. Standing behind him she could see files from the Centre downloading .
"Going some place Jarod?"
"Yes."
"You never suffered any brain damage did you? " He didn't look at her, didn't even pause what he was doing.
"No." It was a simple pointed reply. She shifted her weight before speaking again.
"The robbery, the beating... was that real or part of your pretend?"
"It was something that happened. The doctor at the hospital thought I was a head injury patient. It was the advantage I needed to get back into the Centre." His voice now contained a hint of arrogance.
"Why? What's so important? After being your ... I feel I have the right to know." Her voice remained calm but he could detect a under current of hurt and betrayal.
"I need to know who I am. As long as I was in the outside world, I knew the Centre would do everything they could to prevent me from learning about my past. But once they thought I was compromised and no longer a threat to their security, they would relax their guard. Everything I've searched for is here."
"If it was just another one of your 'pretends'., why did you let it go on for so long? You had plenty of time to retrieve what you needed at the Centre." Sucking in her breath. " Why wait until now?"
"I couldn't get to the computers while I was there. Sydney's no longer employed and his computer couldn't access what I needed but yours can." The tone of his voice cut more than the words.
"So you had Sydney invited to the seminar on head injuries. You knew I'd baby-sit while he was gone." A small laugh punctuated her words.
"Baby-sit...that's a good..."
"It worked." His voice cold and calculating cut her off.
"And tonight, was that just part of the pretend?" She pulled the robe tighter and felt a chill.
"Well I am a pretender now aren't I?" He paused for a moment, his tone of voice sharper than intended. "You didn't complain. You took control just like you always do, Miss Parker. I got the impression you enjoyed it." The words burned through like acid as he continued working in front of the computer. She hugged herself as a shiver ran through her body. Several moments of silence past before she could gather strength to speak again "Now that you have what you came for, you will be leaving. How am I ... how am I or Sydney suppose to explain what happened?" She bit her lower lip. She had never expected this from him.
"You won't have any problems. The Centre created me, they know what I'm capable of. And Sydney, he's always been able to fend for himself in the Centre. After all, he did leave me in your care. As for you, well you have Daddy and your brother Lyle. They'll protect you." There was more than just a hint of sarcasm as he continued to keep his back to her. The silence made the air feel like lead.
"Daddy and Lyle," A small laugh punctuated the words. "Yeah, I'm sure they will protect me." He could hear her take a deep breath. "Don't forget to lock the door on your way out." She walked back to the bedroom and locked her door behind her.
"You don't need to worry about me Miss Parker. I won't invade your privacy." He regretted what he had said to her, he had planned to be gone before she woke. He slipped the disk into his pocket and debated if he should speak to her or just leave. Part of him wanted to go back, hold her like he had a few hours before. Another part enjoyed seeing her pain, feeling it gave him a sense of pleasure. He was angry at her. The rage he felt towards the Centre seemed directed at her. They never asked him...just took what they wanted and now he had done that to them. Finally he slipped out the front door, locking it as asked.
***
She sat on the edge of the bed next to him just as she had that night when he asked her to read to him. White skin contrasted against the red satin, thin straps threatening to fall off the shoulders and the outline of her breasts beneath the thin material. But what caught his attention was the small smile on her face. Pushing himself up on his elbows, he swallowed hard and asked, "What do you want from me?"
"Someone to trust, Jarod." As soon as she answered she was gone, disappearing like a ghost into thin air. He shook himself awake, flung back the covers and shivered. He was soaked with sweat and the cold air sent a chill through him. It was the second time that night he had seen her. This time was the same as before.
It had been a week since that he had left Miss Parker's house with the information he had stolen from the Centre. Everything was there. His real name, his parents' names, where they had lived, who they were, everything except where they were now. He was no closer to finding them than he had been before. Then two days after he left it had started. He thought he saw her on the corner of a busy street, in a crowd and again watching him from a window. On the third day she was more elusive, he would catch a quick glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, only to turn and find her gone. Then he started seeing her in his dreams. She always answered his question with the same reply, "Someone to trust." Picking up his phone, he placed a call to Sydney's apartment.
"The number you have dialed is no longer a working number. Please hang up and place your call again. If you think..."Next he tried Sydney's cell phone but received the same message stating it had been disconnected. He called Miss Parker's house only to get her answering machine.
'It should be about four in the morning there, maybe she's at the Centre.' He thought but her phone at the Centre was answered by a man who transferred him to the operator.
"Miss Parker's office, please."
"Sorry, but Miss Parker is no longer employed here."
"Do you have a number where I can reach her?" Panic was beginning to set in.
"Sorry sir. I don't have that information."
He tried to remain calm as he waited for Broots' home phone to ring. 'Come on Broots, pick it up!' After the third ring he heard Broots' voice but realized it was his answering machine. Next he tried Broots' cell phone. 'Answer Broots, answer damn it.'
"Broots here."
"Broots! Where's Miss Parker and Sydney?" By now he was pacing the floor of the motel room.
"Jarod? My god, are you alright?"
"Yes, but where is Miss Parker and Sydney? " The background noise at Broots' end didn't sound like the Centre. "Where are you?"
"I'm at the airport. I'm putting Debbie on a flight out of here in case something ... happens."
"What's going on?"
"I'm ... I'm not sure. It's crazy. Two days after you left I saw Miss Parker and Sydney go to the Tower with Lyle and no one has seen them since. I tried to go to Sydney's but the apartment is...it's empty. Just like it's been cleaned and it's up for rent. Miss Parker's house has a moving van from the Centre parked in front. Everyone is saying that they helped you, that they knew all along you weren't hurt that... that it was just another one of your pretends. Is that true Jarod?"
"See what you can find out for me, Broots. "
"Jarod.. Debbie's plane is ready to leave. I've got to..."
"Take care of Debbie. I'll be in touch." He felt sick almost to the point of vomiting. After pacing the room for what seemed like eternity while possibilities flooded his mind, he called Miss Parker's house again. At least her phone was still connected and if nothing else he could hear her voice when the answering machine picked up. This time after the second ring someone picked up the receiver.
"Yes, what is it? " It was Lyle's voice on the other end. There was silence in the background. "Hello? Hello?" The sick feeling returned as he hung up. He collapsed back on the bed . He was tired, he couldn't sleep without dreaming about her. He thought about the question she had asked him that night...why he had waited so long to escape again. How could he tell her that for the first time in his life he had spent the holidays with the people close to him in the only place he had ever known as home. For once he knew what it was like to have a Thanksgiving dinner, a Christmas and celebrate a New Years with people who were the closest thing to a family he had. For the first time he was experiencing it, not looking in on someone else's life.
Opening his eyes he saw her off to the side watching him and as always she disappeared when he tried to look at her. "'Stop this! You're not real. You're trying to make me feel guilty. You're good at doing that aren't you Parker? You're trying to make me feel bad for something that's not my fault. Well I'm not going to let you!" The sound of his angry voice startled him. He laid back and covered his eyes with his arm.
***
Broots turned up the heater in the car as he headed for the Centre. It was dawn and the sky in the east was beginning to glow, the world seemed caught between night and the impending day. On any other morning, he would have enjoyed the drive but not this morning. Ahead he could see the flashing red and blue lights of the state patrol cars as one officer waved the cars in front of him past an accident. As he passed he recognized the car that was smashed into a tree. "Oh no! Oh no!" He quickly pulled to the side of the road and tried frantically to unbuckle his seat belt. An officer walked over to the car and Broots rolled down the window.
"Got a problem there son?" The officer asked as he peered in through the open window.. "Hey Broots, is that you?" A smile of recognition crossed the trooper's face.
"Gregg. the woman in the car...is she, is she alright?"
"Sorry, but they both dead. We got the call from a passing motorist who said they saw it happen." By now he had his seat belt unbuckled and was out of the car.
"They? You mean there are two people in there?" Broots pushed pass the officer as he made his way to the car. Miss Parker was behind the wheel, her head was twisted in a strange position, her blue eyes starting into a void, blood oozed down the side of her face. Sydney had been thrown through the windshield. Broots quickly turned his head from the sight, covered his mouth and sucked in his breath..
"....that's what happens when you drive drunk. You can smell the alcohol and there's a open bottle of scotch in the backseat. We have the witnesses to the accident over there." Turning he could see a blonde dressed in a colorful outfit. She waved and smiled at him.
"Brigitte." He felt weak as the blonde walked over to him and pulled the red candy from her mouth..
"Well Luv, can't say I'm surprised. She never did take failure very well." She looked at the car and shook her head. "Of course drinking doesn't help. I understand she had been hitting the bottle of late."
***
She stood at the foot of the bed, dressed in a black leather skirt and the soft heather colored sweater he loved. She had a small smile on her lips but there was sadness in her eyes.
"You're not real. You only exist in my imagination. Go away!" But she didn't move. "You are not real. You are not real. This is my imagination." He closed his eyes but when he opened them she was still there. "What do you want from me?"
"Someone to trust Jarod." He squeezed his eyes together as hard as he could and she was gone when he opened them again. Looking at his watch he realized he had drifted off to sleep for three and a half hours. Pulling himself up he called Broots' cell phone.
"Broots here."
"Broots, have you found anything out?" He could hear things falling as if Broots had been startled by his voice.
"Jarod, oh my God. I.. I've been waiting for you to call. Miss Parker, Sydney... Jarod, they're dead. They had a accident. I saw it on my way to work this morning. Miss Parker, she was driving and ...and her neck... it look like she broke her neck. And Sydney...I'm so sorry Jarod...he..he went through the windshield. I know one of the officers at the scene. They said they were drunk but ..."
"But you don't think so. I want to know . Are you sure it was them?" The knot in his stomach returned. He laid back on the bed.
"It..it was them. They're dead but I know them... they would never have been out there drunk." He could hear Broots lower his voice. " I...I don't think it was an accident. "
"Are you sure they're dead? Are you sure it isn't a Centre trick?" He sat up and shivered in the cold room.
"What's wrong Jarod? Don't you trust the police?" Lyle's voice answered him back instead of Broots'.
"Lyle! What have you done to Miss Parker and Sydney?"
"Like Broots told you, they had a little too much to drink and had a 'accident' coming to work. It must have been the stress of falling for one of your 'pretends'." Lyle laughed before he continued in a slow deliberate voice, as if he wanted Jarod to hear and remember each word. "You know my sister, well ..maybe you don't. Failure carried a high price tag for her... couldn't handle defeat. Remember the ulcer she got because she couldn't catch you? Just how close were you with her, Jarod?"
When Jarod didn't answer, Lyle took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Did you notice how sexy a woman smells in leather? Especially a short... tight.... leather skirt? And those long legs of hers. That soft sweater that she liked to wear ... damn, she was beautiful even if she was my sister." He paused for a moment. The silence was unbearable.
"What do you want?" He could feel the pain in every fiber of his body. He had regretted not going back and telling her he was sorry that night. But if he had stayed he never would have left and he was angry at her. So angry that it had felt good to see her hurt. And now he regretted that too.
"I want to know how well you knew my sister. That's all Jarod." He paused for just a moment. "Did you ever feel how soft her skin was? Smooth and soft, especially her neck. She had a beautiful throat, soft and supple... just the right amount of pressure and you could see the fear in those beautiful blue eyes. I was surprised at the struggle she put up. Are you still there?"
"I'm here." His throat dry and hoarse. He griped the phone so tight his hand ached. He wanted to put it down, run, run away from what Lyle was saying. But he couldn't, all he could do was listen and see what Lyle was describing flash before his eyes.
"When I snapped her neck . . . I thought I'd feel something, after all she was my twin. But there wasn't anything, it was... disappointing. She knew she was going to die, I could see it in her eyes as I stroked her neck. And do you know what she said to me when I asked her what she thought of you now?" He knew Jarod would answer.
"What? What did she say?" The emotion in his voice fueled Lyle's desire to torment him.
"She said 'someone to trust'. She thought you were someone who could be trusted." His laughter pierced him to the core. "Even drunk and facing death she still loved you... trusted you. Do you know why I killed her?"
"Why?" He didn't want to answer but felt compelled.
"I only killed her to prevent her from suffering in the accident. Well, I guess Mom will have company in the cemetery after all . You do think we should bury her next to Mom don't you?" Lyle paused as if expecting a response from Jarod but when he received none he continued with a heavy sigh. "Too bad about Sydney. I didn't plan for the old man to die so quick. I wanted him to suffer so you could suffer. I'm sorry Jarod. " The door burst open, he couldn't move although his mind screamed. They had him without a struggle. Brigitte took the phone and spoke to Lyle..
"We have him sir." She smiled. "That's right. Pity for him he got too emotionally involved with Miss Parker. Just a moment." She held the phone up to Jarod. "He wants to tell you something"
"What do you want now?" He realized that they had been able to trace him, he had stayed on the line too long this time.
"Just that it looks like you'll be home for the funeral after all Jarod. Shall I send flowers for you... or would you like to deliver them yourself?" Jarod lunged at Brigitte but the two sweepers held him back while a third punched him repeatedly. The sweeper's fist connected with the side of his face and a rivulet of blood flowed down as his eye began to swell. Another blow and he could feel the skin give way as the sweeper's ring cut into his flesh. Again the fist met with his face. His lip was split and he could taste the saltiness of his own blood. It was one of the last things he remembered.
***
People's voices and cries wafted around him. A child screamed "Don't! Don't leave mommy." Over and over. He was conscious of being restrained, his head held in a fixed position and tape running across his forehead. Opening his eyes he could make out a bright light over head and white curtains surrounding his bed. A woman in hospital scrubs slipped through an opening in the curtains and approached him with a business like manner.
"Hi, I'm Doctor Mc Duffy. Nice to see you're finally awake. Can you tell me who you are?" She wrote quickly on a chart on a metal clipboard and glanced at him from time to time.
"Jarod. My name is Jarod." He had trouble getting the words out, his lip swollen and the dry blood crusted on his mouth and face cracked as he spoke.
"What's your last name?" He had to think about that, he never knew his real last name and couldn't remember what he had been using.
"Don't know."
She did a cursory physical evaluation as she asked another question. "Do you know what day it is?" She shined a small light into his eyes.
"February. I don't know the day...I think it's the seventeenth. Where am I? What happen and why am I here?" It was difficult to talk. His throat was dry as a desert and the restraints were constricting. He remembered Miss Parker and Sydney. Brigitte and the sweepers, they must have brought him. Panic set in as he struggled to get up. "The blonde who brought me in ...where is she? I've got to get out of here, please."
"There's no blonde. Nurse! Get in here." A man in scrubs came through the curtains and took over. The doctor exited and he could hear her talking to someone.
"This guy's either a nut case or a head injury. What's his insurance status?'
"None. No ID, nothing. Who ever worked this guy over in that alley stole everything he had except for the clothes on his back." The unseen woman answered Doctor Mc Duffy.
"Well let's stabilize and ship this John Doe to county. He's their problem. I don't know why they bring bums like that to a private hospital. Don't they realize this isn't a charity ward?" He could hear the doctor turning away as the other woman called out to her.
"Oh Doctor Mc Duffy, it's June twenty second not February the seventeenth. Can you correct this before you go?"
The End!
By: RaChell
PLEASE NOTE: the description of a head injury patient in this story is in no way accurate. It has been artistry bent for the sole purpose of the story line. Just as NBC and the writers of The Pretender often do not portray events in a realistic manner but use their creative license to distort them to fit the plot.
"We got him Miss Parker! We got him!" Broots burst through the door into her office. Raising her head to stare at him, his words resounded like a giant bell in her head. Having gone head to head with Lyle in a drinking contest the night before had left her in a less than cordial mood. "Just who the hell do we have?" She snarled at the man standing before her. "Jarod Miss Parker, we've got him!" She pulled herself up and grabbed the papers out of his hands. It had been two months since they had heard anything from him. She barely heard Broots' account as she scanned the papers.
"He's in Denver, in a county run care facility for head injury patients. He's been there for almost two months. He's basically a 'John Doe'. They identified him from the missing person we sent out over the net. Are you listening Miss..." She pushed past Broots and headed towards Sydney's office. The displeasure showed on her face as Lyle enter the office before her, letting the door slam behind him. She entered just as Sydney finished a phone call. All she caught were the last few words.
"...be there as soon as possible. Thank you." The grim look on his face was not unexpected. After all his prodigy was in their grasp and if the diagnosis was correct, he was in no position to escape. Sydney cleared his throat. "I assume you are both here for the same reason."
"You assume correctly. Now if you don't mind, I want details." Lyle snapped. His color a shade greyer than usual much to Miss Parker's delight and his mood matched hers.
"According to the director of the care facility where Jarod is housed it appears he was found beaten and robbed in a alley in late June. He was taken to the emergency room and there they determined he was suffering from a head injury. He is..."
"Yeah I know Syd. Your little lab rat wants us to believe he's damaged goods with the mentality of a eight year old child. Do we look stupid?" She crossed her arms in front of her and scowled. "I say we move before he takes off and leaves us holding an empty bag."
"I agree. Jarod's not to be trusted. He would never just let us walk in and take him. If we want him we have to move fast. I understand the Centre's jet can be ready in less than an hour." Lyle turned to her and smiled. "That is if you think you're up to it."
***
The three of them sat in Mr. Johnson's office and listened to him drone on about head injuries and what to expect. Miss Parker shut out most of the boring conversation as she thought about bringing Jarod home. The last thing she needed was some idiot telling her what to expect. Damn she knew what to expect after all these years and it wasn't a eight year old. Sydney sat enthralled with Mr. Johnson's detailed observations of Jarod's behavior while Lyle slowly circled his head and rubbed the back of his neck. Lyle had suggested that since Jarod only remembered his first name and had no identification that she pretend to be his wife.
She leaned towards Lyle and in a very sweet voice said. "Would you like me to massage your neck for you?" One look at her face and it was clear she would rather break it.
"No thank you." Lyle sat up straight and looked at Mr. Johnson. "If you don't mind we would like to see Jarod now.
***
They were lead into a room with long tables and padded chairs. Several of the facility's residents were sitting at the tables stringing beads. At the far corner sat Jarod, looking intently at the project in hand.
"Hello Jarod." Sydney said as they approached. Jarod looked up and smiled.
"Do you remember these people Jarod?" Mr Johnson asked. Jarod's head shook slowly side to side instead of answering no. "They're friends of yours. Are you sure you don't remember them?" Mr. Johnson pressed.
"No." Came the quiet reply as a look of confusion settled on his face.
"Hello Jarod." Miss Parker smiled and down next to him. "Surely you remember me. We grew up together. Don't you remember?" He looked sadly away and shook his head. "That's alright. I'm sure once we're home things will be clearer." He knotted the end of the strand of beads with difficulty. Looking up he smiled shyly as he handed them to her.
"For you."
***
Three months later in Miss Parker's Office:
"Now hold the end of the wishbone Jarod. And when I count to three, you and Miss Parker pull." Debbie's voice rang out with enthusiasm.
"Why?" Jarod asked again. Miss Parker smiled sadly at Jarod lack of attention and Debbie patiently explained again.
"You make a wish and the one who gets the short piece of the turkey's wishbone gets his wish . It's a Thanksgiving tradition or something. Now ready? One...two...three!" The wishbone snapped and Jarod frowned as he looked at his half. Reaching over he pulled Miss Parker's hand close and compared.
"It's long. I don't get my wish." Sadness swept over him as Miss Parker took his piece.
"I was always told it was the person who had the longest half."
"Hey everyone the game's started." Broots' fervor for football took center stage as they crowded onto the small sofa. Jarod plopped down on the floor in front of Miss Parker's place on the sofa. Reaching out her hand she played aimlessly in his hair. Looking around her office, it was hard for to believe the transformation.
For months after Jarod's return she thought he was pretending. Going to see him under Sydney's care every day she finally realized he wasn't the same man she had chased all those years. At first it was pity then slowly it changed into something else.
For Halloween she dressed up and brought him candy. And now for Thanksgiving she had transformed her office into room of celebration. She brought in a large screen TV for Broots. She'd been surprised to find he was fan of football. Even Angelo crawled out for dinner and sat now next to Jarod on the floor fascinated. Sydney came not so much for dinner but to keep a eye on his charge.
She could feel Sydney's eyes on her as she ran her fingers through Jarod's hair. Remembering the day when she had walked in to find him upset with performing a simple task.
"Here, watch how I do it then you can try." Leaning forward to demonstrate Jarod had leaned forward too and pressed his face in her hair.
"Smells nice. And soft." He muttered. Bring herself up to face him,the look in his eyes was one of longing and desire, the same as she felt. Her lips moved closer to his.
"Miss Parker. Can I see you in my office?" Sydney's sharp tone broke the mood. Following him into his office, he had scolded her.
"Jarod has the body of a grown man but the mentality of a child, Don't think about taking advantage of him Parker. If you do , I'll see you're denied access to this part of the Centre. Understand?"
Now with Jarod on the floor below nestled against her legs, she thought back about her wish...to have him whole as he once was.
***
"Can I get this for Sydney?" He pointed to a picture in the catalog.
"I think Sydney would like that very much." She replied. Jarod's christmas shopping was limited to catalogs. Sydney had tried to take him out of the Centre but they still had their doubts.
"This...for you." His eyes gleamed as he pointed to sexy night gown.
"I think Sydney had better help you pick my gift. " She rose from the chair and headed for Sydney's office.
"What's wrong Syd?" Miss Parker eyed the man seated behind the desk with an angry face. He slowly looked up from the stack of medical reports on Jarod and replied with frustration .
"Did you know that Jarod was taken to a private hospital who did nothing for him simply because they thought he was a vagrant? That he had no money, no insurance... no worth? Do you know they treated him as if he were..."
"I know Syd." Miss Parker's hand reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "I know he was brought in on June twentieth and shipped out to county several hours later without any treatment. And he laid there for another nine hours before someone even looked at him. It's called the system Syd." He angrily brushed her hand from his shoulder.
"The system Miss Parker is suppose to prevent things like this. The system is ....it's not the system, it greed. Greed like the private hospital. That damn greedy hospital, that Doctor..."
"Doctor Mc Duffy? I know Syd. It's been taken care of." Cold blue eyes stared back and the look on her face sent a chill through Sydney.
"What do you mean... 'taken care of'? " . Taking his hands in hers she looked at him.
"I said it's been taken care of. The doctor's license to practice has been taken away, the hospital has lost it's accreditation and is under state and federal investigation for fraud and a few other details."
"How can you do that? Do you know it takes a act of God to revoke a doctor's license and even then ..." He shook his head. "It will never happen, Parker."
"But it already has. Syd, you forget there are certain 'privileges' working for the Centre. I read the reports, I know what happened and I'm just as upset as you are." Tears welled up in her eyes, as her voice tried to soothe him. " But it will never happen to anyone else again. It's the best I can do...it's what Jarod would do."
***
"Three! Two! One! Happy New Years!" Everyone shouted. Miss Parker leaned over and kissed Jarod. The second time in one week. Debbie had smuggled in some mistletoe and instructed Jarod in it's use. He had surprised her with it at their Christmas party . The withered clump still hung next to the tree decorated with the child like ornaments that had kept Jarod occupied for the past month.
Christmas had come and gone. And now New Years. Her office had under gone a transformation since Thanksgiving. The cold room was now homey and warm.
"Miss Parker." Sydney touched her shoulder, breaking the kiss. "I need to speak with you. Jarod why don't you go and talk with Broots?"
"What now Syd?" She asked expecting to be scolded again. "Am I going to be denied access to Jarod because of a New Year's kiss?"
"No. I wanted to tell you that your father and the Triumvirate have finally agreed to let me be Jarod's guardian. I'm taking him out of here."
*****
Several weeks later...
Reaching across the bed she realized he was gone. The spot where he had laid next to her was still warm and she could hear soft hushed movements in the other room. Slipping out from the covers and pulling a robe over her naked body, she quietly walked into the other room. His face was light from the soft glow of the computer screen, fingers flicked swiftly over the keyboard and he was fully dressed. Standing behind him she could see files from the Centre downloading .
"Going some place Jarod?"
"Yes."
"You never suffered any brain damage did you? " He didn't look at her, didn't even pause what he was doing.
"No." It was a simple pointed reply. She shifted her weight before speaking again.
"The robbery, the beating... was that real or part of your pretend?"
"It was something that happened. The doctor at the hospital thought I was a head injury patient. It was the advantage I needed to get back into the Centre." His voice now contained a hint of arrogance.
"Why? What's so important? After being your ... I feel I have the right to know." Her voice remained calm but he could detect a under current of hurt and betrayal.
"I need to know who I am. As long as I was in the outside world, I knew the Centre would do everything they could to prevent me from learning about my past. But once they thought I was compromised and no longer a threat to their security, they would relax their guard. Everything I've searched for is here."
"If it was just another one of your 'pretends'., why did you let it go on for so long? You had plenty of time to retrieve what you needed at the Centre." Sucking in her breath. " Why wait until now?"
"I couldn't get to the computers while I was there. Sydney's no longer employed and his computer couldn't access what I needed but yours can." The tone of his voice cut more than the words.
"So you had Sydney invited to the seminar on head injuries. You knew I'd baby-sit while he was gone." A small laugh punctuated her words.
"Baby-sit...that's a good..."
"It worked." His voice cold and calculating cut her off.
"And tonight, was that just part of the pretend?" She pulled the robe tighter and felt a chill.
"Well I am a pretender now aren't I?" He paused for a moment, his tone of voice sharper than intended. "You didn't complain. You took control just like you always do, Miss Parker. I got the impression you enjoyed it." The words burned through like acid as he continued working in front of the computer. She hugged herself as a shiver ran through her body. Several moments of silence past before she could gather strength to speak again "Now that you have what you came for, you will be leaving. How am I ... how am I or Sydney suppose to explain what happened?" She bit her lower lip. She had never expected this from him.
"You won't have any problems. The Centre created me, they know what I'm capable of. And Sydney, he's always been able to fend for himself in the Centre. After all, he did leave me in your care. As for you, well you have Daddy and your brother Lyle. They'll protect you." There was more than just a hint of sarcasm as he continued to keep his back to her. The silence made the air feel like lead.
"Daddy and Lyle," A small laugh punctuated the words. "Yeah, I'm sure they will protect me." He could hear her take a deep breath. "Don't forget to lock the door on your way out." She walked back to the bedroom and locked her door behind her.
"You don't need to worry about me Miss Parker. I won't invade your privacy." He regretted what he had said to her, he had planned to be gone before she woke. He slipped the disk into his pocket and debated if he should speak to her or just leave. Part of him wanted to go back, hold her like he had a few hours before. Another part enjoyed seeing her pain, feeling it gave him a sense of pleasure. He was angry at her. The rage he felt towards the Centre seemed directed at her. They never asked him...just took what they wanted and now he had done that to them. Finally he slipped out the front door, locking it as asked.
***
She sat on the edge of the bed next to him just as she had that night when he asked her to read to him. White skin contrasted against the red satin, thin straps threatening to fall off the shoulders and the outline of her breasts beneath the thin material. But what caught his attention was the small smile on her face. Pushing himself up on his elbows, he swallowed hard and asked, "What do you want from me?"
"Someone to trust, Jarod." As soon as she answered she was gone, disappearing like a ghost into thin air. He shook himself awake, flung back the covers and shivered. He was soaked with sweat and the cold air sent a chill through him. It was the second time that night he had seen her. This time was the same as before.
It had been a week since that he had left Miss Parker's house with the information he had stolen from the Centre. Everything was there. His real name, his parents' names, where they had lived, who they were, everything except where they were now. He was no closer to finding them than he had been before. Then two days after he left it had started. He thought he saw her on the corner of a busy street, in a crowd and again watching him from a window. On the third day she was more elusive, he would catch a quick glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye, only to turn and find her gone. Then he started seeing her in his dreams. She always answered his question with the same reply, "Someone to trust." Picking up his phone, he placed a call to Sydney's apartment.
"The number you have dialed is no longer a working number. Please hang up and place your call again. If you think..."Next he tried Sydney's cell phone but received the same message stating it had been disconnected. He called Miss Parker's house only to get her answering machine.
'It should be about four in the morning there, maybe she's at the Centre.' He thought but her phone at the Centre was answered by a man who transferred him to the operator.
"Miss Parker's office, please."
"Sorry, but Miss Parker is no longer employed here."
"Do you have a number where I can reach her?" Panic was beginning to set in.
"Sorry sir. I don't have that information."
He tried to remain calm as he waited for Broots' home phone to ring. 'Come on Broots, pick it up!' After the third ring he heard Broots' voice but realized it was his answering machine. Next he tried Broots' cell phone. 'Answer Broots, answer damn it.'
"Broots here."
"Broots! Where's Miss Parker and Sydney?" By now he was pacing the floor of the motel room.
"Jarod? My god, are you alright?"
"Yes, but where is Miss Parker and Sydney? " The background noise at Broots' end didn't sound like the Centre. "Where are you?"
"I'm at the airport. I'm putting Debbie on a flight out of here in case something ... happens."
"What's going on?"
"I'm ... I'm not sure. It's crazy. Two days after you left I saw Miss Parker and Sydney go to the Tower with Lyle and no one has seen them since. I tried to go to Sydney's but the apartment is...it's empty. Just like it's been cleaned and it's up for rent. Miss Parker's house has a moving van from the Centre parked in front. Everyone is saying that they helped you, that they knew all along you weren't hurt that... that it was just another one of your pretends. Is that true Jarod?"
"See what you can find out for me, Broots. "
"Jarod.. Debbie's plane is ready to leave. I've got to..."
"Take care of Debbie. I'll be in touch." He felt sick almost to the point of vomiting. After pacing the room for what seemed like eternity while possibilities flooded his mind, he called Miss Parker's house again. At least her phone was still connected and if nothing else he could hear her voice when the answering machine picked up. This time after the second ring someone picked up the receiver.
"Yes, what is it? " It was Lyle's voice on the other end. There was silence in the background. "Hello? Hello?" The sick feeling returned as he hung up. He collapsed back on the bed . He was tired, he couldn't sleep without dreaming about her. He thought about the question she had asked him that night...why he had waited so long to escape again. How could he tell her that for the first time in his life he had spent the holidays with the people close to him in the only place he had ever known as home. For once he knew what it was like to have a Thanksgiving dinner, a Christmas and celebrate a New Years with people who were the closest thing to a family he had. For the first time he was experiencing it, not looking in on someone else's life.
Opening his eyes he saw her off to the side watching him and as always she disappeared when he tried to look at her. "'Stop this! You're not real. You're trying to make me feel guilty. You're good at doing that aren't you Parker? You're trying to make me feel bad for something that's not my fault. Well I'm not going to let you!" The sound of his angry voice startled him. He laid back and covered his eyes with his arm.
***
Broots turned up the heater in the car as he headed for the Centre. It was dawn and the sky in the east was beginning to glow, the world seemed caught between night and the impending day. On any other morning, he would have enjoyed the drive but not this morning. Ahead he could see the flashing red and blue lights of the state patrol cars as one officer waved the cars in front of him past an accident. As he passed he recognized the car that was smashed into a tree. "Oh no! Oh no!" He quickly pulled to the side of the road and tried frantically to unbuckle his seat belt. An officer walked over to the car and Broots rolled down the window.
"Got a problem there son?" The officer asked as he peered in through the open window.. "Hey Broots, is that you?" A smile of recognition crossed the trooper's face.
"Gregg. the woman in the car...is she, is she alright?"
"Sorry, but they both dead. We got the call from a passing motorist who said they saw it happen." By now he had his seat belt unbuckled and was out of the car.
"They? You mean there are two people in there?" Broots pushed pass the officer as he made his way to the car. Miss Parker was behind the wheel, her head was twisted in a strange position, her blue eyes starting into a void, blood oozed down the side of her face. Sydney had been thrown through the windshield. Broots quickly turned his head from the sight, covered his mouth and sucked in his breath..
"....that's what happens when you drive drunk. You can smell the alcohol and there's a open bottle of scotch in the backseat. We have the witnesses to the accident over there." Turning he could see a blonde dressed in a colorful outfit. She waved and smiled at him.
"Brigitte." He felt weak as the blonde walked over to him and pulled the red candy from her mouth..
"Well Luv, can't say I'm surprised. She never did take failure very well." She looked at the car and shook her head. "Of course drinking doesn't help. I understand she had been hitting the bottle of late."
***
She stood at the foot of the bed, dressed in a black leather skirt and the soft heather colored sweater he loved. She had a small smile on her lips but there was sadness in her eyes.
"You're not real. You only exist in my imagination. Go away!" But she didn't move. "You are not real. You are not real. This is my imagination." He closed his eyes but when he opened them she was still there. "What do you want from me?"
"Someone to trust Jarod." He squeezed his eyes together as hard as he could and she was gone when he opened them again. Looking at his watch he realized he had drifted off to sleep for three and a half hours. Pulling himself up he called Broots' cell phone.
"Broots here."
"Broots, have you found anything out?" He could hear things falling as if Broots had been startled by his voice.
"Jarod, oh my God. I.. I've been waiting for you to call. Miss Parker, Sydney... Jarod, they're dead. They had a accident. I saw it on my way to work this morning. Miss Parker, she was driving and ...and her neck... it look like she broke her neck. And Sydney...I'm so sorry Jarod...he..he went through the windshield. I know one of the officers at the scene. They said they were drunk but ..."
"But you don't think so. I want to know . Are you sure it was them?" The knot in his stomach returned. He laid back on the bed.
"It..it was them. They're dead but I know them... they would never have been out there drunk." He could hear Broots lower his voice. " I...I don't think it was an accident. "
"Are you sure they're dead? Are you sure it isn't a Centre trick?" He sat up and shivered in the cold room.
"What's wrong Jarod? Don't you trust the police?" Lyle's voice answered him back instead of Broots'.
"Lyle! What have you done to Miss Parker and Sydney?"
"Like Broots told you, they had a little too much to drink and had a 'accident' coming to work. It must have been the stress of falling for one of your 'pretends'." Lyle laughed before he continued in a slow deliberate voice, as if he wanted Jarod to hear and remember each word. "You know my sister, well ..maybe you don't. Failure carried a high price tag for her... couldn't handle defeat. Remember the ulcer she got because she couldn't catch you? Just how close were you with her, Jarod?"
When Jarod didn't answer, Lyle took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Did you notice how sexy a woman smells in leather? Especially a short... tight.... leather skirt? And those long legs of hers. That soft sweater that she liked to wear ... damn, she was beautiful even if she was my sister." He paused for a moment. The silence was unbearable.
"What do you want?" He could feel the pain in every fiber of his body. He had regretted not going back and telling her he was sorry that night. But if he had stayed he never would have left and he was angry at her. So angry that it had felt good to see her hurt. And now he regretted that too.
"I want to know how well you knew my sister. That's all Jarod." He paused for just a moment. "Did you ever feel how soft her skin was? Smooth and soft, especially her neck. She had a beautiful throat, soft and supple... just the right amount of pressure and you could see the fear in those beautiful blue eyes. I was surprised at the struggle she put up. Are you still there?"
"I'm here." His throat dry and hoarse. He griped the phone so tight his hand ached. He wanted to put it down, run, run away from what Lyle was saying. But he couldn't, all he could do was listen and see what Lyle was describing flash before his eyes.
"When I snapped her neck . . . I thought I'd feel something, after all she was my twin. But there wasn't anything, it was... disappointing. She knew she was going to die, I could see it in her eyes as I stroked her neck. And do you know what she said to me when I asked her what she thought of you now?" He knew Jarod would answer.
"What? What did she say?" The emotion in his voice fueled Lyle's desire to torment him.
"She said 'someone to trust'. She thought you were someone who could be trusted." His laughter pierced him to the core. "Even drunk and facing death she still loved you... trusted you. Do you know why I killed her?"
"Why?" He didn't want to answer but felt compelled.
"I only killed her to prevent her from suffering in the accident. Well, I guess Mom will have company in the cemetery after all . You do think we should bury her next to Mom don't you?" Lyle paused as if expecting a response from Jarod but when he received none he continued with a heavy sigh. "Too bad about Sydney. I didn't plan for the old man to die so quick. I wanted him to suffer so you could suffer. I'm sorry Jarod. " The door burst open, he couldn't move although his mind screamed. They had him without a struggle. Brigitte took the phone and spoke to Lyle..
"We have him sir." She smiled. "That's right. Pity for him he got too emotionally involved with Miss Parker. Just a moment." She held the phone up to Jarod. "He wants to tell you something"
"What do you want now?" He realized that they had been able to trace him, he had stayed on the line too long this time.
"Just that it looks like you'll be home for the funeral after all Jarod. Shall I send flowers for you... or would you like to deliver them yourself?" Jarod lunged at Brigitte but the two sweepers held him back while a third punched him repeatedly. The sweeper's fist connected with the side of his face and a rivulet of blood flowed down as his eye began to swell. Another blow and he could feel the skin give way as the sweeper's ring cut into his flesh. Again the fist met with his face. His lip was split and he could taste the saltiness of his own blood. It was one of the last things he remembered.
***
People's voices and cries wafted around him. A child screamed "Don't! Don't leave mommy." Over and over. He was conscious of being restrained, his head held in a fixed position and tape running across his forehead. Opening his eyes he could make out a bright light over head and white curtains surrounding his bed. A woman in hospital scrubs slipped through an opening in the curtains and approached him with a business like manner.
"Hi, I'm Doctor Mc Duffy. Nice to see you're finally awake. Can you tell me who you are?" She wrote quickly on a chart on a metal clipboard and glanced at him from time to time.
"Jarod. My name is Jarod." He had trouble getting the words out, his lip swollen and the dry blood crusted on his mouth and face cracked as he spoke.
"What's your last name?" He had to think about that, he never knew his real last name and couldn't remember what he had been using.
"Don't know."
She did a cursory physical evaluation as she asked another question. "Do you know what day it is?" She shined a small light into his eyes.
"February. I don't know the day...I think it's the seventeenth. Where am I? What happen and why am I here?" It was difficult to talk. His throat was dry as a desert and the restraints were constricting. He remembered Miss Parker and Sydney. Brigitte and the sweepers, they must have brought him. Panic set in as he struggled to get up. "The blonde who brought me in ...where is she? I've got to get out of here, please."
"There's no blonde. Nurse! Get in here." A man in scrubs came through the curtains and took over. The doctor exited and he could hear her talking to someone.
"This guy's either a nut case or a head injury. What's his insurance status?'
"None. No ID, nothing. Who ever worked this guy over in that alley stole everything he had except for the clothes on his back." The unseen woman answered Doctor Mc Duffy.
"Well let's stabilize and ship this John Doe to county. He's their problem. I don't know why they bring bums like that to a private hospital. Don't they realize this isn't a charity ward?" He could hear the doctor turning away as the other woman called out to her.
"Oh Doctor Mc Duffy, it's June twenty second not February the seventeenth. Can you correct this before you go?"
The End!
