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Thanks for the reviews guys, they are wonderful. Hopefully it didnt take me as long to update this chap as it did last one. Hope you all enjoy! As always, this is co-written.
"I will see you in the SIM Jarod.” She said, calling in the sweepers to take him back to his room to wait.
Jarod didn’t bother responding as they dragged him away. He was fully capable of walking by himself, but they seemed to take a perverse delight in grabbing him. It was extremely difficult for him to stop himself from fighting them, but he reminded himself how pointless it was and just went along with them.
Gracie moved to the testing rooms on level 17 and saw Collins outside watching Jarod sitting at the desk through the glass on the door. "Is he ready?” She asked without bothering with small talk. "Are YOU ready?” She asked as well.
He looked at Jarod, not really sure. "I don’t know to be honest. I have watched the DSA's and as far as I can tell, all Sydney really did was be there for him to talk to, keep him focused and relaxed. Sydney had no real expertise in anything, just manipulating his emotions, trying to keep him balanced. He doesn’t know me, probably won’t like me, I may not be able to do anything for him, not until he gets used to me.” He turned to face her. "But I will try." He needed time to adjust and Collins would be viewed as nothing more than a replacement, and a resented one at that. He was expecting hostility at worse and apathy at best.
"That’s all I ask.” She nodded and opened the door, walking in. "Jarod, after this you will be allowed to have lunch." Gracie told him. She wondered how bad the food was at the Centre, thinking either way it was pretty good here. Lunch today was sandwiches and fresh fruit salad. Healthy but tasty.
Jarod looked up at her, wondering what had happened to breakfast. He saw the man by her side and guessed he was going to be the SIM manager or whatever they might call him.
"Jarod, I am Dr Collins, pleased to meet you." Collins said to him in his most pleasantly professional voice.
Grace moved over and sat on the corner of the desk, watching them. She listened as Jarod's stomach growled loudly, almost in response to Collins greeting. She knew a man of his size would have to eat quite a lot, but he had only just been feed a couple of hours ago.
"What do you want me to do?" Jarod asked looking up at the man with disinterest.
Gracie frowned. "A SIM. As far as I am aware it is a basic problem solving one. But I am more concerned about your stomach. Breakfast was only a few hours ago.”
"For some of us with special privileges. Guess I am going to have to earn that too."
"Now Jarod, we can’t do this if you are being so hostile, you need to relax, nobody here wants anything but for this to go well." Collins wanted to work with him, but if he wouldn’t cooperate, then he was more than happy just to observe. He would give in eventually and Collins would be there, prepared and ready.
"What are you talking about Jarod?" Gracie asked, ignoring the man behind her. She knew he was doing what he thought was right, trying to calm Jarod down. But right now she was more worried with the fact that he hadn’t been fed.
He looked at her, trying to decide if she was toying with him again. "I guess breakfast is on my 'to earn' list, along with things like towels, warm water, bed, bathroom privileges... the list is pretty endless." Jarod made no attempt to keep the animosity out of his voice, he wanted it clear to everybody that he was not happy here and he would resist them with everything he had.
"No Jarod, it’s not. You don’t earn basic food, they will always feed you. I already explained how food went. You get fed, if the cooks are in a good mood, it will be something a bit more special and if you do extra well, you may be allowed to tell them what you want for the meal."
He sighed, the animosity running it’s course. His moods were swinging and he didn’t really care to try and control them. Anger swung from anger to depression to apathy, and he did nothing to try and stabilise himself, just allowing himself to wallow. He did not really care about the intricacies of the internal politics of this place. "What do you want me to do?” He repeated, just wanting to get it over with.
Collins saw his attitude and thought that this did not bode well. It was so much easier with projects born and raised here than those they had nabbed from the outside, there was always such a long period of attitude adjustment.
Gracie's mouth dropped a little as she realised why he had this attitude over food and earning it. "You didn’t get breakfast did you?” She asked not caring about anything else right now, wondering what had happened to his morning meal.
"No, what are we doing?" He wanted this over and done with, he was not about to be their performing seal for breakfast. He would starve to death rather than be manipulated like that.
Ignoring his question, she shook her head. "They must not have gotten the order you are here still. Last meal was a little thing we do for the newbie’s. I will talk to the cooks after this and make sure they remember to send your food. I am sorry Jarod.” She apologised sincerely. She may do many things to him, but starving him was one thing she hated to do and would try to get out of it if it were possible.
"Thank you,” He told her and then looked at her companion. If she wanted him as a project, he would be one, she couldn’t have it both ways. "What do you want me to do?” He tried directing the question to him instead. This girl was hard for him to deal with. He felt sorry for her, and then she did something completely callous and he wanted to hate her for it, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He knew she was a victim of her upbringing, programmed to do what she was doing. He was torn alternately between wanting to save her and bringing her to his special form of justice. It would be just easier to deal with the man.
Gracie clicked her fingers for the file and gave it to Jarod. "We need you to perform this for us please."
He took the file and flicked through it. He looked at it and wondered if they were joking. It was just a simple series of mathematical problems. "Alright, I will need some time, and something sweet to eat, helps me concentrate."
Gracie snorted. "Nice try Jarod. We know how it worked in the Centre. You were never allowed anything sweet, let alone food while you worked." She couldn’t blame the guy for trying though. Had to give him points at trying to manipulate them into giving him sweets.
"I know but that was years ago. It has been a long while since I worked like that, I am used to it now. If you want this quicker, if not... I don’t really care."
"As long as it is done, and done correctly Jarod, I don’t care how long it takes you. And we know this sort of thing would be done within no more then an hour and a half, and that was when you were ten."
"I need a pen and some paper, and some quiet,” He looked at the two of them pointedly, making it clear he didn’t want either of them there.
Collins looked at her, wondering what she would do. They couldn’t just leave him in here alone to work.
Gracie got up and retrieved a pencil and some paper and handed it to him and sat on the corner of the desk again, watching him. She made it very clear no one was leaving Jarod alone, and that he had to live with that.
When he realised she wasn’t going to leave, he leant back in the chair, picked up the pencil and paper and got to work without a word, working slowly and methodically, as if he were unsure of what he was doing. After he had ascertained that there was no way for them to use this in a negative way, he had decided to do it to make it a little easier on himself. He had to pick his battles and this would be foolish to waste valuable energy on earning himself a punishment. They already knew what and who he was, so it wasn’t like he was giving them anything they didn’t already know.
When Jarod placed the paper back on the table, Gracie smiled. He had only been 45 minutes. Picking it up she looked through it and frowned. "This makes sense to you?” She asked, the maths looking like a LOTE.
He shrugged. "Yes. Was that it?"
She narrowed her eyes at the paper and looked closer and it still made no sense to her. Grace finally handed the results back to Collins to go have them checked out. "Yes, that’s all of the work today." She told him, glad he had done it.
Collins took it, flicking through it, it meant nothing to him as well, it had only been a test, the first step in what he guessed was going to be a slow and lengthy process of teaching Jarod to cooperate. But if even half of what he had heard about him was true, it would all be worth it.
"I'll have the sweepers take you back to your room now Jarod, and I will bring some food down soon." She did not want him to miss yet another meal and it was not fair on him. He had done the exam and his work, he shouldn’t be punished like this.
Jarod stood up and moved towards the doors without a backwards glance, waiting for them to take him. He knew he was behaving poorly, but at the moment he just didn’t care. He was sore, tired, cold and hungry. His clothes were damp and he had just had a 7 year old girl used against him effectively, which did not give him much hope for any kind of real resistance. He had expected more torture, the threat of physical violence and pain, not little girls.
Gracie watched as Jarod was grabbed and led back down to his room, "Make sure Mr Marcus gets that after it has been checked over.” She told Collins as she walked out.
"I will,” He told her distractedly, on his own way out.
Gracie went to the medical wing and grabbed some pain killers before getting some hot food from the kitchen. Just like her little sister, she was loved in this place and the cook had no worries about giving her a nice big hot meal and some coffee and dessert. Walking, balancing the tray, she made her way to Jarod's room and let herself in to find him sitting back in the same corner. The 6 or so thick blankets and pillow still on the floor like a makeshift bed.
Jarod looked up at her, trying hard not to resent her. He understood completely and he even believed that she believed that she wasn’t using her sister. He was grateful when he saw she had made good on her promise and brought the food and he promised himself to try and be civil. "Thank you,” He said, not moving from his spot. It was the least visible spot in the room from the camera and that offered him some small comfort.
Gracie sat down next to him and offered the tray. "We have a small bowl of spaghetti Bolognese, a roast dinner with gravy, a cup of coffee, and I thought about you wanting something sweet, so I got some ice cream.” She said, pushing the tray in front of Jarod.
"Ice cream?” He said with genuine interest, pushing everything else away.
"Yeah. I didn’t know what flavour you liked so just got vanilla, hope that’s ok.” She smiled seeing how the hot food, which to most people would have been a comfort was pushed aside. She dug into her pockets and brought out three pain killers. "I also got you those, thought it might help."
He took them from her and put them on the tray. "Thank you,” He said once again, digging into the ice cream, closing his eyes as the taste, texture, everything about it took him away to someplace else. Jarod had experienced many wonderful things since he had escaped from the blandness of the Centre, but nothing was as close to his heart as ice cream. He still remembered that very first taste, it was one of the premiere experiences of his life. And no matter how bad things looked, he could always lose himself from his reality for a few moments eating ice cream.
Gracie sat there watching him, amused at the pure pleasure on his face as he ate the ice cream. "Thank you for behaving. I should be allowed now to take Bailey outside. And she will just love it. She is rarely allowed out."
He nodded, reminding himself that she did not see this from his perspective. That she was only young and didn’t know anything different. "I am sure she will have a nice time.” He started eating the main meal slowly once the ice cream was all gone.
"I know she will. We are going in town, getting some medicine from someone I know to help heal these bruises. I can bring something back for your arm. I’ll get enough to use each day, and there won’t be a scar left form the stiches at all." Grace said, trying to please him, unsure why. She thought if there wasn’t a scar left, it would make him happy his body wasn’t ruined.
"I don’t really care,” He told her. It was just another testament to the abuse he had suffered in his life. One more scar wasn’t going to make any difference to him one way or the other.
Gracie sighed heavily. "I guess I’ll leave you to it then.” She said sadly as she stood up, mindful of her ribs. She was upset Jarod hadn’t been more appreciative over her trying to lessen, or even get rid of his scar.
"Thank you for the food, and the tablets,” He told her, taking them and washing them down with the coffee.
Gracie simply nodded and moved to the door, "Someone will be in in a few minutes to collect the tray, anything uneaten will be taken. Good day Jarod."
"Have a good time,” He said as she closed the door.
Gracie went to her room first and got changed into a short skirt and t-shirt and a pair of thongs before moving to Bailey's room and walking in. "Bailey? You here?” She asked looking around the half decent room.
When Bailey wasn’t in her room, seeing Walter asleep in the box, she left and went in search of her sister. Finding her in a testing room with her handler, Gracie didn’t bother knocking and just walked in. She quite enjoyed being here with the perks of being a handler.
Bailey smiled when she saw her, but didn’t dare get up.
"Miss Jones.” She said politely, nodding her head, moving over to Bailey and taking her hand, making her stand to her feet.
"Miss Jones?" Bailey asked softly. "Is it time to go yet?"
"No, it’s not Bailey.” She said watching them with disapproval, "Gracie, what do you think you are doing? We are working," Of course she knew Gracie had the best new assignment, good for her for being promoted but how dare she come into a lesson and take her project from her.
Bailey sat back down on the chair, taking her hand back and looking at the floor.
"Come on Bailey, we are going.” She said, picking her up on her hip, hissing at the pain. "Miss Jones, I have permission to take her from Mr Marcus, you can check with him."
"I’m too big for you to carry now,” She whispered to her, knowing she was hurt.
"I will do that Grace. I do no appreciate you interrupting us, let alone taking her in the middle of working." She said in clear disapproval.
"No you're not Bailey,” Gracie said gently. "You can finish your work when we get back.” She said, turning and walking out with Bailey.
"Will I get in trouble for this?” She asked very quietly, torn between fear and excitement. Gracie was a handler now, so things were different.
"No, we have permission Bailey. I wouldn’t take you unless I was allowed.” She walked back with her on her hip to her room and put her down. "Go get changed into going out clothes we are heading into town.”
Bailey didn’t know about going out clothes. She had never really gone out before but she put her New York t-shirt on and left her normal pants on.
Gracie sighed and led Bailey to her room and searched through her clothes. She found a skirt she had brought when she first was out and slipped it onto Bailey, removing her pants and used a belt for it to keep it up. It was way too small for Grace now, since she had hips and a butt, but Bailey didn’t, so it would fit her a lot better, albeit, a little too big. "There, that’s better."
She fidgeted for a moment, and then forgot about the clothes as the realisation that she was going to go outside sunk in, and became very nervous.
"Come on. We need to get the car and get going. We only have two hours.” She took Bailey's hand and led her out. It took 15 minutes alone to get to one of the exits to a car park.
Bailey looked around, drinking it all in, too excited to do much of anything but gape. Even the clothes felt so different. She was going outside, and that changed everything, although, deep down she was very scared, and she hoped Walter would be alright all by himself. She had seen outside a few times but had never really GONE outside. Outside was almost like some kind of mythical place that other people came from or went to. It was scary but exciting too.
Getting to the car park, she spoke with the guard and he handed the keys to her assigned vehicle and she walked Bailey over opening the door and letting her climb in. "I know you haven’t been in a car before Bailey,” She said as she pulled the seat belt across her, "But this is called a seat belt, in case we got into an accident and the car crashed, this will keep you safe.” She told her before walking around and climbing in herself.
Bailey doubted that very much, but she was too busy gaping at the car and the car park to argue with her. This could not have been more exotic for her than if she was going to the moon.
Starting the old Ute, she drove out to the exit and up the ramp. She waited until the trap door roof rose up and she pulled out into the open. Grace stoped the car and watched in the rear view mirror as the huge door slowly closed and became invisible again before heading off to where she needed to go.
Bailey’s jaw dropped completely. She knew about outside of course, had been on the edge of it, but being in it was so different. Lots of people that worked there come from 'outside' but it was so big, it went on forever and it was so bright and very hot.
Gracie glanced at Bailey a few times as she drove. "You don’t remember when you were out last do you Bailey? You were only small. About 3 years old I think.” She said, watching her smile. It wasn’t anything special, at the moment just endless red grounds, a few gum trees and shrubs every now and again.
"No,” She whispered, “I was just a baby then. Oh Gracie, is this what it is like in New York too? And where you were?”
Gracie laughed, "Oh no Bailey. You won’t find any place on earth like it is here. Nowhere. New York was a city. Do you know what they are?" She asked, expecting Bailey to tell her off for asking such an idiotic question.
"Places with lots of people. I am not completely stupid Grace,” She said, giving her a stern look.
"I’m sorry Bailey.” She apologised, trying not to smirk. "Well New York has lots and lots of people. Millions and millions. It has more people in that one city then we have in all of Australia."
"No way,” She said in disbelief. "How can one tiny city have more people than our whole country?" But she didn’t take her eyes from all around her. Although, she was a little bit disappointed. It was all pretty much the same, just lots and lots of it.
"Because it’s not one tiny city Bailey. It’s very big. Most people that have lived in New York their whole lives don’t even know 1 tenth of it.” She promised herself she would take her there one day, take her to the city that never slept.
"Ohhh," Bailey said and then turned to Grace. "Gracie?"
"Yeah Bailey?” She asked, glancing at her between driving on the ground, no roads were around here.
She let out a breath and frowned. "I thought it would be... more exciting. It's just more of the same stuff over and over and over again Gracie, and it’s really, really hot too."
She smiled. "It’s very, very hot because we are in the middle of the country Bailey. There is no ocean breeze and the sun is hotter here. And I know it’s not very exciting. We are in the middle of nowhere. Maybe it will be more exciting when we get to one of the small towns. I promise Bailey, one day I will take you to a city. To the beach and waters." And she swore to herself one day she would. She wouldn’t let Bailey spend her whole life here. She would get permission to take her to one of the coasts and show her around.
"I hope so Gracie, I don’t think I like this very much."
"Very few people actually like this part of open land.” She told her as they made the 45 minute drive to one of the closer towns.
She nodded, hoping that this town they were going to was nicer. She hoped they had environmental controls as well. This being hot was not good.
Grace had been thinking how unfair it was on Bailey not to be allowed out more often. She was always so well behaved. She wanted to take her to Broome's beautiful beaches, Cairns tropical rain forests, Sydney's perfect city. Gracie wanted her to see her country, she wanted to take her back to America and show her what New York City was.
"I don’t think I like this Gracie, it is sticky."
Gracie reached forward and turned the air con on and wound the windows up. "This should help a little.” She said, feeling the cold, acritical air blowing into the car.
"Why didn’t you do that already?” She asked petulantly.
Gracie looked at her sister as she was told off. "I didn’t think we needed it. It’s not really that hot." But Gracie had forgotten she was used to the hot and cold weathers now, her sister wasn’t. Not to mention, Grace had spent a lot more time out in this heat then Bailey ever had or will.
"It’s not hot?" Bailey cried in exasperation staring at her sister in disbelief.
"You are just used to the cold air back home is all.” She said as they started to enter the town, a house here, a car there, slowly life began to show.
She looked at the small amount of activity. The houses all seemed very dirty and very small and she just bet they were hot inside too. "Why don’t these people come and live with us, I bet it is nicer there than here."
"Because this is their home. They like living here. They like their jobs. I don’t think they will like living underground being projects like we do. Each to their own Bailey."
She tried to imagine life differently than it might be back at home. It was nice and clean and cool there and people were nice to her and she was good at her job. She didn’t really like this place at all, and she hadn’t seen a single animal yet.
As they pulled up to the town centre and parked the car, people walking around, shops open and doing business, cars driving passed she turned to look at Bailey. "No speaking about home or what we do ok Bailey. These people are not authorised to know." If any of the wrong people were told by Bailey, all hopes of being allowed to bring her out again were gone.
Bailey understood that and although this was a bit more exciting, it was still too hot and she was afraid now, she didn’t know any of these people. "Gracie,” She whispered.
"It’s ok Bailey.” She climbed out and walked around to her side and opened the door and unbuckled the belt. "There is nothing to be scared about. These people are very friendly."
Bailey took her hand, and moved close to her. Her palm was sticky, just like the rest of her, and she was blinking in the brightness. "I won’t be scared,” She promised.
"I know, you are a brave girl.” She said, lifting her up to her hip, blocking out the pain and holding her close. She had Wil go change the rest of her American money for Australian yesterday when he went home. Grace had about $700 on her. "Why don’t we go get what I need first, then look quickly in some of the shops?” She suggested.
Bailey nodded, looking around, trying to take in everything at once.
She walked to one of the small shops and walked in. She looked around and saw no one so Grace sat Bailey down on the ground. "Stay here Bailey, don’t touch anything or walk off. I’ll be back in a second.” She said as she walked through the back to find who she was looking for.
She smiled as she moved closer to him, "Hello Enyeto,” She said warmly, forgetting how banged up her face was. She hadn’t seen this old man in years and missed him. But time was short, this was a simple in and out. She could catch up with him another time.
Enyeto looked up at her and shook his head. "Miss Gracie, you been getting into trouble 'gain."
"Sure have.” She smiled and stood in front of him. "I am sorry. I can’t stay, I have to get back quickly today, but I was wondering if you had some ointments for these bruises to get them down quicker?” Grace asked, knowing he would have something here that smelt bad enough to actually work.
He stood up and looked at them critically. "Is bad Miss Gracie,” He said slowly, "But don’t you worry none, old Enyeto will fix you up. Most as good as new."
"Thanks.” She smiled at him. Gracie wouldn’t show him her ribs, all she wanted right now was to get the bruises off of her face so she wasn’t a walking information board of what happens when you are bad.
"You have be more careful Miss Gracie, you gone and got yourself right banged up.” He got what he needed and handed them to her, looking at her critically.
"Yes I know. I promise not to come back in here looking like this again. One more thing. I need something to heal up a wound so there is no scar. Got anything left?" Jarod had told her he didn’t care about it, but she did.
He shook his head at her. "A girl so young and pretty as you should not be worrying 'bout such things Miss Gracie.” He rummaged around in his things and gave her a jar of smelly ointment. "Use this, is miracle cure,” He laughed.
"Thanks.” She dug into her skirt pocket and took out a $50 note and handed it to him. "You're the miracle cure."
"This gonna buy me some miracle cure too,” He grinned, looking at the note, thinking about the bottle of whiskey it would buy him.
"Stay away from the drinking.” She warned him. "I'll see you next time.” Grace said and walked out the door and into the front of the shop. "Hey Bailey, ready to go have a look around?" Grace asked, the bag of smelly ointments and creams in her hand.
Bailey nodded, having looked at everything there was to look at in here already. It was hot and dusty and there was nothing to do.
Taking her by the hand she walked her though the small town and into the lolly shop. "Pick anything you want Bailey."
"Ohhhhhhhhhh,” She said, looking at all the treats on offer. "Anything?"
"Anything.” She nodded and watched with a smile, trying not to laugh at Baileys eagerness.
Bailey didn’t know what to get really so she picked a little bit of lots of things that looked good, making numerous trips to deposit things on the counter.
She watched Bailey happily and asked the lady to all of her lollies in a separate bag. She added a small pile for herself, then another pile for Jarod. Grace paid for them and took the plastic bag and gave it to Bailey to hold, taking her other hand. "You ready to go home now?"
"Is that it?” She asked, wondering if this New York was much bigger. She still didn’t believe MILLIONS of people could live there, Gracie was just teasing her.
"There isn’t much to do in this town. And we are almost out of time, we need to get home and that takes 45 minutes.” She said, walking her to the car and letting her in, buckling her up. Gracie placed her items behind the seats and started the car, making her way back home following the invisible roads. She was careful not to run over any animal that might run in front of her while they drove through the wild land.
Bailey chatted on the way home, but soon grew tired because of the heat. Even with the air-conditioning on, it seemed unbearably hot.
Finally parking the car underground again, Gracie grabbed the bags and moved to Bailey and lifted her out gently, she was fast asleep and Gracie struggled to carry her and shut the door and locked the car. Making her way inside, dropping the keys off to the guard, she carried Bailey to her room and lay her down gently on her bed.
"Gracie?” She asked as she was laid down, all nice and cool again.
"Mmmm?"
"I think I like it better in here."
Gracie stroked her hair back. "That’s alright, you can like it better in here. You have a nap before dinner.” She said, watching her.
"Yes Gracie, thanks for showing me outside Gracie,"
"I'll show you better places next time.” She said standing up, putting Bailey's lollies on her dresser. "See you later honey.” Grace blew her a kiss, and walked out, dimming the lights so she could go to sleep.
"Bye Gracie,” She whispered, drifting off to sleep still in her outside clothes.
Grace dumped her lot of things in her room before going to Jarod's cell with the bag, and his certain little goodies. She didn’t think he would like the ointment for his arm much, she knew how bad some of these things could smell. Opening the door, she walked in, Jarod in his usual spot. Gracie was dirty with red dirt from her trip bit didn’t care, even though Bailey had whined about the heat, she had enjoyed the trip.
Jarod looked up, glad at the moment for any respite from the boredom. "I see you got to go, did you take Bailey with you?” He asked her.
"Sure did. She didn’t like it much thought,” She said, sitting down next to Jarod.
"She didn’t?” He asked in surprise. "I suppose it is pretty frightening.” He was remembering the first time he had snuck out, how exhilarated and scared he had been.
"Not so much that. It was boring." She couldn’t blame her much, it was quite boring out here.
"Oh," Jarod said, eyeing off the packets she had, and sniffing experimentally.
"And she thought it was way too hot. She asked why the people that lived in the houses we saw wouldn’t rather live here."
"It would probably be quite a shock to her system but I am glad she got to go.”
"Me too. I will try to take her to more exciting places next time.” She moved over to sit in front of Jarod. "I brought you back a couple of things." Grace said, hoping he liked them.
"I hope I don’t have to eat it,” He said, unable to hide his disgust at the smell any longer.
"Depends on what I give you.” She pulled the jar out. "Come sit next to me Jarod, take your top off please.”
Jarod prayed that this wasn’t going to be another lesson in how she could touch him however she wanted.
When his top was off, Gracie removed the dressing on his wound and opened the jar, using the paddle pop stick to get some of the thick, sticky ointment out and put it onto Jarod's wound. She winced as she heard it sizzling and the atrocious smell. She knew how well these medicines worked, but god damn it, why couldn’t they make them smell nice?
"Ohh," Jarod moaned, not sure what was worse, the stinging or the smell. "Let me guess, some kind of tribal remedy.”
Gracie nodded, "You think this is bad, you should see the stuff I have for my bruises.” She mumbled and put the ointment away and rewrapped Jarod's arm with tenderness.
"Why are you even bothering?" Jarod asked her curiously. He was much calmer now he had had a couple of hours to do nothing but stare at the wall and try to ignore the camera. He was slowly finding his balance again, adjusting to being imprisoned once more. But it was a very difficult struggle for him.
"Does it really matter Jarod? You are getting some extra attention and help. Why must you question that?"
"I am just curious about your motivation. It will heal in time if it is permitted.” He wondered if she was feeling guilty over it.
"Yes, but now it will heal in less then half the time, and will leave no scar.” She informed, sitting back a little to watch him. Why couldn’t he just accept the help and not question?
"Why should it matter if it leaves a scar? Since I am never to leave here again, and my body is no longer my own, as you demonstrated so clearly this morning, why should I care?"
"You shouldn’t care because you are right, it isn’t your body anymore. It is mine.” She told him with a calm professional voice. "I am your handler and if I don’t want a scar, then I won’t permit a scar on you."
"My mistake," Jarod snorted at her. "I guess you can put them there too, as you wish."
"Yes of course I can Jarod. Any one can.” She said, sensing his anger. "Wanna see what else I got you?” Gracie said, not hiding her excitement, trying to get Jarod to forget about his anger and his displeasure of this situation.
"What?” He asked, not really caring again. She just had a certain way of just pushing his buttons.
She reached in to the plastic bag and pulled out a smaller, paper one. It was filled with all sorts of lollies. Gummy bars, banana's, old fashioned hard candy. Anything they had she had gotten a bit of for Jarod. She handed the bag over and waited, hoping he liked them.
He took it from her and opened it, smiling despite himself. "Are these for me?” He asked in honest surprise.
Gracie smiled broadly and nodded, "Yes they are. I saw your reaction to the ice cream ad thought you would enjoy them."
“Thank you,” He said, looking through them, trying one. "It is very good,” He said, offering her the bag.
"No thanks, I have my own in my room. Sir said not to give you too many privileges at once. It would spoil you. But I couldn’t help it, I knew you would like them.” She said, happy that she had made him smile.
"I appreciate that,” He told her, putting another one in his mouth.
"Now before you work, if you work. Or late at night or just after lunch, or whenever you really feel like some sugar. You have some." Gracie grinned happily.
"You say ‘if I work’ as if there is some choice open to me."
"There is choice. You can decide not to work, but it just means there is a punishment after wards anyway.”
"Tell me about these punishments?” He asked her, wanting to know what he might be getting himself in to.
"These punishments all depend on me Jarod. What I decide is relevant to your disobedience.” She said with a shrug.
"Such as? Or do I have to guess?”
Gracie shrugged. "Beatings. Removal of food, water. Sleep deprivation." It was all pretty basic, but she knew it was very effective.
"If you employ any of those techniques, you must realise that they will certainly prevent me from being able to work for you. Isn’t it kind of defeating the purpose?"
"No, because you will still be expected to work, and each time you say no, it’s just another punishment. Even if you are weak and sore, we will ask you to work."
"You can ask," Jarod said under his breath.
"And you can deny Jarod. And it seems to me it will just be one big vicious circle."
"Seems so," Jarod agreed. "Everybody getting nowhere."
"There is never a nowhere here Jarod. After a few weeks or months of not working, all depending on Mr Marcus, he will just simply decide to breed you and then sell you to another organisation. And it will all start again for you. But we will have something that is of value."
There was nothing he could do to prevent that at the moment, but he still could not accept the notion of cooperating with them. His apparent helplessness here was infuriating him, but no matter how hard he tried, he had not yet managed to come up with a viable escape plan. He had so little information to go on and he knew that time would be both his ally and his enemy. He needed time to garner the knowledge required to launch a successful escape attempt, but time also acted against him, the longer he was here the harder it would be for him to continue to resist, and if the diet of beatings and starvation she had laid out for him was used, he would only become weaker and more susceptible to their methods of coercion.
"Come on Jarod, it will be so much easier for you to just work.” She pleaded. "If you do not like the use of your work, I can try to influence the choice to go in humanitarian ways."
Jarod barked out a short laugh. "There is no money in that."
"There is enough to keep you safe for now.” Gracie said looking at the ground. "I plan on keeping my promise Jarod, I just need time."
"Do not risk yourself on my account. I am not a naïve newcomer to this game, and I know how it is played."
"I will risk myself if I want to Jarod, it is my choice.” She shuffled to sit in Jarod's corner. There was no sound in here, but she knew people could read her lips. "I will offer you a way out but you must work on what is given you in the mean time. To get the focus off of the new toy."
"A way out?” He repeated, not believing her.
"Get out of the view of the camera you idiot.” She hissed harshly. "They can read your lips."
He turned his head. "Why don’t they just put sound on?” He asked her, wondering at such a gross oversight.
"There is no need for sound in here. Normally whoever is staying in here won’t get visitors and the cameras are not equipped with sound."
"You can get me out?” He asked her quickly.
She got up and slapped him hard over the face before grabbing his arm and pulling him back in the corner out of the sight of the camera. "What did I just tell you Jarod about them reading your lips? The camera was right on you damn it. You're going to get me killed."
He didn’t bother arguing with her that his head was turned. He had precisely calculated the angle.
Jarod didn’t bother responding as they dragged him away. He was fully capable of walking by himself, but they seemed to take a perverse delight in grabbing him. It was extremely difficult for him to stop himself from fighting them, but he reminded himself how pointless it was and just went along with them.
Gracie moved to the testing rooms on level 17 and saw Collins outside watching Jarod sitting at the desk through the glass on the door. "Is he ready?” She asked without bothering with small talk. "Are YOU ready?” She asked as well.
He looked at Jarod, not really sure. "I don’t know to be honest. I have watched the DSA's and as far as I can tell, all Sydney really did was be there for him to talk to, keep him focused and relaxed. Sydney had no real expertise in anything, just manipulating his emotions, trying to keep him balanced. He doesn’t know me, probably won’t like me, I may not be able to do anything for him, not until he gets used to me.” He turned to face her. "But I will try." He needed time to adjust and Collins would be viewed as nothing more than a replacement, and a resented one at that. He was expecting hostility at worse and apathy at best.
"That’s all I ask.” She nodded and opened the door, walking in. "Jarod, after this you will be allowed to have lunch." Gracie told him. She wondered how bad the food was at the Centre, thinking either way it was pretty good here. Lunch today was sandwiches and fresh fruit salad. Healthy but tasty.
Jarod looked up at her, wondering what had happened to breakfast. He saw the man by her side and guessed he was going to be the SIM manager or whatever they might call him.
"Jarod, I am Dr Collins, pleased to meet you." Collins said to him in his most pleasantly professional voice.
Grace moved over and sat on the corner of the desk, watching them. She listened as Jarod's stomach growled loudly, almost in response to Collins greeting. She knew a man of his size would have to eat quite a lot, but he had only just been feed a couple of hours ago.
"What do you want me to do?" Jarod asked looking up at the man with disinterest.
Gracie frowned. "A SIM. As far as I am aware it is a basic problem solving one. But I am more concerned about your stomach. Breakfast was only a few hours ago.”
"For some of us with special privileges. Guess I am going to have to earn that too."
"Now Jarod, we can’t do this if you are being so hostile, you need to relax, nobody here wants anything but for this to go well." Collins wanted to work with him, but if he wouldn’t cooperate, then he was more than happy just to observe. He would give in eventually and Collins would be there, prepared and ready.
"What are you talking about Jarod?" Gracie asked, ignoring the man behind her. She knew he was doing what he thought was right, trying to calm Jarod down. But right now she was more worried with the fact that he hadn’t been fed.
He looked at her, trying to decide if she was toying with him again. "I guess breakfast is on my 'to earn' list, along with things like towels, warm water, bed, bathroom privileges... the list is pretty endless." Jarod made no attempt to keep the animosity out of his voice, he wanted it clear to everybody that he was not happy here and he would resist them with everything he had.
"No Jarod, it’s not. You don’t earn basic food, they will always feed you. I already explained how food went. You get fed, if the cooks are in a good mood, it will be something a bit more special and if you do extra well, you may be allowed to tell them what you want for the meal."
He sighed, the animosity running it’s course. His moods were swinging and he didn’t really care to try and control them. Anger swung from anger to depression to apathy, and he did nothing to try and stabilise himself, just allowing himself to wallow. He did not really care about the intricacies of the internal politics of this place. "What do you want me to do?” He repeated, just wanting to get it over with.
Collins saw his attitude and thought that this did not bode well. It was so much easier with projects born and raised here than those they had nabbed from the outside, there was always such a long period of attitude adjustment.
Gracie's mouth dropped a little as she realised why he had this attitude over food and earning it. "You didn’t get breakfast did you?” She asked not caring about anything else right now, wondering what had happened to his morning meal.
"No, what are we doing?" He wanted this over and done with, he was not about to be their performing seal for breakfast. He would starve to death rather than be manipulated like that.
Ignoring his question, she shook her head. "They must not have gotten the order you are here still. Last meal was a little thing we do for the newbie’s. I will talk to the cooks after this and make sure they remember to send your food. I am sorry Jarod.” She apologised sincerely. She may do many things to him, but starving him was one thing she hated to do and would try to get out of it if it were possible.
"Thank you,” He told her and then looked at her companion. If she wanted him as a project, he would be one, she couldn’t have it both ways. "What do you want me to do?” He tried directing the question to him instead. This girl was hard for him to deal with. He felt sorry for her, and then she did something completely callous and he wanted to hate her for it, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He knew she was a victim of her upbringing, programmed to do what she was doing. He was torn alternately between wanting to save her and bringing her to his special form of justice. It would be just easier to deal with the man.
Gracie clicked her fingers for the file and gave it to Jarod. "We need you to perform this for us please."
He took the file and flicked through it. He looked at it and wondered if they were joking. It was just a simple series of mathematical problems. "Alright, I will need some time, and something sweet to eat, helps me concentrate."
Gracie snorted. "Nice try Jarod. We know how it worked in the Centre. You were never allowed anything sweet, let alone food while you worked." She couldn’t blame the guy for trying though. Had to give him points at trying to manipulate them into giving him sweets.
"I know but that was years ago. It has been a long while since I worked like that, I am used to it now. If you want this quicker, if not... I don’t really care."
"As long as it is done, and done correctly Jarod, I don’t care how long it takes you. And we know this sort of thing would be done within no more then an hour and a half, and that was when you were ten."
"I need a pen and some paper, and some quiet,” He looked at the two of them pointedly, making it clear he didn’t want either of them there.
Collins looked at her, wondering what she would do. They couldn’t just leave him in here alone to work.
Gracie got up and retrieved a pencil and some paper and handed it to him and sat on the corner of the desk again, watching him. She made it very clear no one was leaving Jarod alone, and that he had to live with that.
When he realised she wasn’t going to leave, he leant back in the chair, picked up the pencil and paper and got to work without a word, working slowly and methodically, as if he were unsure of what he was doing. After he had ascertained that there was no way for them to use this in a negative way, he had decided to do it to make it a little easier on himself. He had to pick his battles and this would be foolish to waste valuable energy on earning himself a punishment. They already knew what and who he was, so it wasn’t like he was giving them anything they didn’t already know.
When Jarod placed the paper back on the table, Gracie smiled. He had only been 45 minutes. Picking it up she looked through it and frowned. "This makes sense to you?” She asked, the maths looking like a LOTE.
He shrugged. "Yes. Was that it?"
She narrowed her eyes at the paper and looked closer and it still made no sense to her. Grace finally handed the results back to Collins to go have them checked out. "Yes, that’s all of the work today." She told him, glad he had done it.
Collins took it, flicking through it, it meant nothing to him as well, it had only been a test, the first step in what he guessed was going to be a slow and lengthy process of teaching Jarod to cooperate. But if even half of what he had heard about him was true, it would all be worth it.
"I'll have the sweepers take you back to your room now Jarod, and I will bring some food down soon." She did not want him to miss yet another meal and it was not fair on him. He had done the exam and his work, he shouldn’t be punished like this.
Jarod stood up and moved towards the doors without a backwards glance, waiting for them to take him. He knew he was behaving poorly, but at the moment he just didn’t care. He was sore, tired, cold and hungry. His clothes were damp and he had just had a 7 year old girl used against him effectively, which did not give him much hope for any kind of real resistance. He had expected more torture, the threat of physical violence and pain, not little girls.
Gracie watched as Jarod was grabbed and led back down to his room, "Make sure Mr Marcus gets that after it has been checked over.” She told Collins as she walked out.
"I will,” He told her distractedly, on his own way out.
Gracie went to the medical wing and grabbed some pain killers before getting some hot food from the kitchen. Just like her little sister, she was loved in this place and the cook had no worries about giving her a nice big hot meal and some coffee and dessert. Walking, balancing the tray, she made her way to Jarod's room and let herself in to find him sitting back in the same corner. The 6 or so thick blankets and pillow still on the floor like a makeshift bed.
Jarod looked up at her, trying hard not to resent her. He understood completely and he even believed that she believed that she wasn’t using her sister. He was grateful when he saw she had made good on her promise and brought the food and he promised himself to try and be civil. "Thank you,” He said, not moving from his spot. It was the least visible spot in the room from the camera and that offered him some small comfort.
Gracie sat down next to him and offered the tray. "We have a small bowl of spaghetti Bolognese, a roast dinner with gravy, a cup of coffee, and I thought about you wanting something sweet, so I got some ice cream.” She said, pushing the tray in front of Jarod.
"Ice cream?” He said with genuine interest, pushing everything else away.
"Yeah. I didn’t know what flavour you liked so just got vanilla, hope that’s ok.” She smiled seeing how the hot food, which to most people would have been a comfort was pushed aside. She dug into her pockets and brought out three pain killers. "I also got you those, thought it might help."
He took them from her and put them on the tray. "Thank you,” He said once again, digging into the ice cream, closing his eyes as the taste, texture, everything about it took him away to someplace else. Jarod had experienced many wonderful things since he had escaped from the blandness of the Centre, but nothing was as close to his heart as ice cream. He still remembered that very first taste, it was one of the premiere experiences of his life. And no matter how bad things looked, he could always lose himself from his reality for a few moments eating ice cream.
Gracie sat there watching him, amused at the pure pleasure on his face as he ate the ice cream. "Thank you for behaving. I should be allowed now to take Bailey outside. And she will just love it. She is rarely allowed out."
He nodded, reminding himself that she did not see this from his perspective. That she was only young and didn’t know anything different. "I am sure she will have a nice time.” He started eating the main meal slowly once the ice cream was all gone.
"I know she will. We are going in town, getting some medicine from someone I know to help heal these bruises. I can bring something back for your arm. I’ll get enough to use each day, and there won’t be a scar left form the stiches at all." Grace said, trying to please him, unsure why. She thought if there wasn’t a scar left, it would make him happy his body wasn’t ruined.
"I don’t really care,” He told her. It was just another testament to the abuse he had suffered in his life. One more scar wasn’t going to make any difference to him one way or the other.
Gracie sighed heavily. "I guess I’ll leave you to it then.” She said sadly as she stood up, mindful of her ribs. She was upset Jarod hadn’t been more appreciative over her trying to lessen, or even get rid of his scar.
"Thank you for the food, and the tablets,” He told her, taking them and washing them down with the coffee.
Gracie simply nodded and moved to the door, "Someone will be in in a few minutes to collect the tray, anything uneaten will be taken. Good day Jarod."
"Have a good time,” He said as she closed the door.
Gracie went to her room first and got changed into a short skirt and t-shirt and a pair of thongs before moving to Bailey's room and walking in. "Bailey? You here?” She asked looking around the half decent room.
When Bailey wasn’t in her room, seeing Walter asleep in the box, she left and went in search of her sister. Finding her in a testing room with her handler, Gracie didn’t bother knocking and just walked in. She quite enjoyed being here with the perks of being a handler.
Bailey smiled when she saw her, but didn’t dare get up.
"Miss Jones.” She said politely, nodding her head, moving over to Bailey and taking her hand, making her stand to her feet.
"Miss Jones?" Bailey asked softly. "Is it time to go yet?"
"No, it’s not Bailey.” She said watching them with disapproval, "Gracie, what do you think you are doing? We are working," Of course she knew Gracie had the best new assignment, good for her for being promoted but how dare she come into a lesson and take her project from her.
Bailey sat back down on the chair, taking her hand back and looking at the floor.
"Come on Bailey, we are going.” She said, picking her up on her hip, hissing at the pain. "Miss Jones, I have permission to take her from Mr Marcus, you can check with him."
"I’m too big for you to carry now,” She whispered to her, knowing she was hurt.
"I will do that Grace. I do no appreciate you interrupting us, let alone taking her in the middle of working." She said in clear disapproval.
"No you're not Bailey,” Gracie said gently. "You can finish your work when we get back.” She said, turning and walking out with Bailey.
"Will I get in trouble for this?” She asked very quietly, torn between fear and excitement. Gracie was a handler now, so things were different.
"No, we have permission Bailey. I wouldn’t take you unless I was allowed.” She walked back with her on her hip to her room and put her down. "Go get changed into going out clothes we are heading into town.”
Bailey didn’t know about going out clothes. She had never really gone out before but she put her New York t-shirt on and left her normal pants on.
Gracie sighed and led Bailey to her room and searched through her clothes. She found a skirt she had brought when she first was out and slipped it onto Bailey, removing her pants and used a belt for it to keep it up. It was way too small for Grace now, since she had hips and a butt, but Bailey didn’t, so it would fit her a lot better, albeit, a little too big. "There, that’s better."
She fidgeted for a moment, and then forgot about the clothes as the realisation that she was going to go outside sunk in, and became very nervous.
"Come on. We need to get the car and get going. We only have two hours.” She took Bailey's hand and led her out. It took 15 minutes alone to get to one of the exits to a car park.
Bailey looked around, drinking it all in, too excited to do much of anything but gape. Even the clothes felt so different. She was going outside, and that changed everything, although, deep down she was very scared, and she hoped Walter would be alright all by himself. She had seen outside a few times but had never really GONE outside. Outside was almost like some kind of mythical place that other people came from or went to. It was scary but exciting too.
Getting to the car park, she spoke with the guard and he handed the keys to her assigned vehicle and she walked Bailey over opening the door and letting her climb in. "I know you haven’t been in a car before Bailey,” She said as she pulled the seat belt across her, "But this is called a seat belt, in case we got into an accident and the car crashed, this will keep you safe.” She told her before walking around and climbing in herself.
Bailey doubted that very much, but she was too busy gaping at the car and the car park to argue with her. This could not have been more exotic for her than if she was going to the moon.
Starting the old Ute, she drove out to the exit and up the ramp. She waited until the trap door roof rose up and she pulled out into the open. Grace stoped the car and watched in the rear view mirror as the huge door slowly closed and became invisible again before heading off to where she needed to go.
Bailey’s jaw dropped completely. She knew about outside of course, had been on the edge of it, but being in it was so different. Lots of people that worked there come from 'outside' but it was so big, it went on forever and it was so bright and very hot.
Gracie glanced at Bailey a few times as she drove. "You don’t remember when you were out last do you Bailey? You were only small. About 3 years old I think.” She said, watching her smile. It wasn’t anything special, at the moment just endless red grounds, a few gum trees and shrubs every now and again.
"No,” She whispered, “I was just a baby then. Oh Gracie, is this what it is like in New York too? And where you were?”
Gracie laughed, "Oh no Bailey. You won’t find any place on earth like it is here. Nowhere. New York was a city. Do you know what they are?" She asked, expecting Bailey to tell her off for asking such an idiotic question.
"Places with lots of people. I am not completely stupid Grace,” She said, giving her a stern look.
"I’m sorry Bailey.” She apologised, trying not to smirk. "Well New York has lots and lots of people. Millions and millions. It has more people in that one city then we have in all of Australia."
"No way,” She said in disbelief. "How can one tiny city have more people than our whole country?" But she didn’t take her eyes from all around her. Although, she was a little bit disappointed. It was all pretty much the same, just lots and lots of it.
"Because it’s not one tiny city Bailey. It’s very big. Most people that have lived in New York their whole lives don’t even know 1 tenth of it.” She promised herself she would take her there one day, take her to the city that never slept.
"Ohhh," Bailey said and then turned to Grace. "Gracie?"
"Yeah Bailey?” She asked, glancing at her between driving on the ground, no roads were around here.
She let out a breath and frowned. "I thought it would be... more exciting. It's just more of the same stuff over and over and over again Gracie, and it’s really, really hot too."
She smiled. "It’s very, very hot because we are in the middle of the country Bailey. There is no ocean breeze and the sun is hotter here. And I know it’s not very exciting. We are in the middle of nowhere. Maybe it will be more exciting when we get to one of the small towns. I promise Bailey, one day I will take you to a city. To the beach and waters." And she swore to herself one day she would. She wouldn’t let Bailey spend her whole life here. She would get permission to take her to one of the coasts and show her around.
"I hope so Gracie, I don’t think I like this very much."
"Very few people actually like this part of open land.” She told her as they made the 45 minute drive to one of the closer towns.
She nodded, hoping that this town they were going to was nicer. She hoped they had environmental controls as well. This being hot was not good.
Grace had been thinking how unfair it was on Bailey not to be allowed out more often. She was always so well behaved. She wanted to take her to Broome's beautiful beaches, Cairns tropical rain forests, Sydney's perfect city. Gracie wanted her to see her country, she wanted to take her back to America and show her what New York City was.
"I don’t think I like this Gracie, it is sticky."
Gracie reached forward and turned the air con on and wound the windows up. "This should help a little.” She said, feeling the cold, acritical air blowing into the car.
"Why didn’t you do that already?” She asked petulantly.
Gracie looked at her sister as she was told off. "I didn’t think we needed it. It’s not really that hot." But Gracie had forgotten she was used to the hot and cold weathers now, her sister wasn’t. Not to mention, Grace had spent a lot more time out in this heat then Bailey ever had or will.
"It’s not hot?" Bailey cried in exasperation staring at her sister in disbelief.
"You are just used to the cold air back home is all.” She said as they started to enter the town, a house here, a car there, slowly life began to show.
She looked at the small amount of activity. The houses all seemed very dirty and very small and she just bet they were hot inside too. "Why don’t these people come and live with us, I bet it is nicer there than here."
"Because this is their home. They like living here. They like their jobs. I don’t think they will like living underground being projects like we do. Each to their own Bailey."
She tried to imagine life differently than it might be back at home. It was nice and clean and cool there and people were nice to her and she was good at her job. She didn’t really like this place at all, and she hadn’t seen a single animal yet.
As they pulled up to the town centre and parked the car, people walking around, shops open and doing business, cars driving passed she turned to look at Bailey. "No speaking about home or what we do ok Bailey. These people are not authorised to know." If any of the wrong people were told by Bailey, all hopes of being allowed to bring her out again were gone.
Bailey understood that and although this was a bit more exciting, it was still too hot and she was afraid now, she didn’t know any of these people. "Gracie,” She whispered.
"It’s ok Bailey.” She climbed out and walked around to her side and opened the door and unbuckled the belt. "There is nothing to be scared about. These people are very friendly."
Bailey took her hand, and moved close to her. Her palm was sticky, just like the rest of her, and she was blinking in the brightness. "I won’t be scared,” She promised.
"I know, you are a brave girl.” She said, lifting her up to her hip, blocking out the pain and holding her close. She had Wil go change the rest of her American money for Australian yesterday when he went home. Grace had about $700 on her. "Why don’t we go get what I need first, then look quickly in some of the shops?” She suggested.
Bailey nodded, looking around, trying to take in everything at once.
She walked to one of the small shops and walked in. She looked around and saw no one so Grace sat Bailey down on the ground. "Stay here Bailey, don’t touch anything or walk off. I’ll be back in a second.” She said as she walked through the back to find who she was looking for.
She smiled as she moved closer to him, "Hello Enyeto,” She said warmly, forgetting how banged up her face was. She hadn’t seen this old man in years and missed him. But time was short, this was a simple in and out. She could catch up with him another time.
Enyeto looked up at her and shook his head. "Miss Gracie, you been getting into trouble 'gain."
"Sure have.” She smiled and stood in front of him. "I am sorry. I can’t stay, I have to get back quickly today, but I was wondering if you had some ointments for these bruises to get them down quicker?” Grace asked, knowing he would have something here that smelt bad enough to actually work.
He stood up and looked at them critically. "Is bad Miss Gracie,” He said slowly, "But don’t you worry none, old Enyeto will fix you up. Most as good as new."
"Thanks.” She smiled at him. Gracie wouldn’t show him her ribs, all she wanted right now was to get the bruises off of her face so she wasn’t a walking information board of what happens when you are bad.
"You have be more careful Miss Gracie, you gone and got yourself right banged up.” He got what he needed and handed them to her, looking at her critically.
"Yes I know. I promise not to come back in here looking like this again. One more thing. I need something to heal up a wound so there is no scar. Got anything left?" Jarod had told her he didn’t care about it, but she did.
He shook his head at her. "A girl so young and pretty as you should not be worrying 'bout such things Miss Gracie.” He rummaged around in his things and gave her a jar of smelly ointment. "Use this, is miracle cure,” He laughed.
"Thanks.” She dug into her skirt pocket and took out a $50 note and handed it to him. "You're the miracle cure."
"This gonna buy me some miracle cure too,” He grinned, looking at the note, thinking about the bottle of whiskey it would buy him.
"Stay away from the drinking.” She warned him. "I'll see you next time.” Grace said and walked out the door and into the front of the shop. "Hey Bailey, ready to go have a look around?" Grace asked, the bag of smelly ointments and creams in her hand.
Bailey nodded, having looked at everything there was to look at in here already. It was hot and dusty and there was nothing to do.
Taking her by the hand she walked her though the small town and into the lolly shop. "Pick anything you want Bailey."
"Ohhhhhhhhhh,” She said, looking at all the treats on offer. "Anything?"
"Anything.” She nodded and watched with a smile, trying not to laugh at Baileys eagerness.
Bailey didn’t know what to get really so she picked a little bit of lots of things that looked good, making numerous trips to deposit things on the counter.
She watched Bailey happily and asked the lady to all of her lollies in a separate bag. She added a small pile for herself, then another pile for Jarod. Grace paid for them and took the plastic bag and gave it to Bailey to hold, taking her other hand. "You ready to go home now?"
"Is that it?” She asked, wondering if this New York was much bigger. She still didn’t believe MILLIONS of people could live there, Gracie was just teasing her.
"There isn’t much to do in this town. And we are almost out of time, we need to get home and that takes 45 minutes.” She said, walking her to the car and letting her in, buckling her up. Gracie placed her items behind the seats and started the car, making her way back home following the invisible roads. She was careful not to run over any animal that might run in front of her while they drove through the wild land.
Bailey chatted on the way home, but soon grew tired because of the heat. Even with the air-conditioning on, it seemed unbearably hot.
Finally parking the car underground again, Gracie grabbed the bags and moved to Bailey and lifted her out gently, she was fast asleep and Gracie struggled to carry her and shut the door and locked the car. Making her way inside, dropping the keys off to the guard, she carried Bailey to her room and lay her down gently on her bed.
"Gracie?” She asked as she was laid down, all nice and cool again.
"Mmmm?"
"I think I like it better in here."
Gracie stroked her hair back. "That’s alright, you can like it better in here. You have a nap before dinner.” She said, watching her.
"Yes Gracie, thanks for showing me outside Gracie,"
"I'll show you better places next time.” She said standing up, putting Bailey's lollies on her dresser. "See you later honey.” Grace blew her a kiss, and walked out, dimming the lights so she could go to sleep.
"Bye Gracie,” She whispered, drifting off to sleep still in her outside clothes.
Grace dumped her lot of things in her room before going to Jarod's cell with the bag, and his certain little goodies. She didn’t think he would like the ointment for his arm much, she knew how bad some of these things could smell. Opening the door, she walked in, Jarod in his usual spot. Gracie was dirty with red dirt from her trip bit didn’t care, even though Bailey had whined about the heat, she had enjoyed the trip.
Jarod looked up, glad at the moment for any respite from the boredom. "I see you got to go, did you take Bailey with you?” He asked her.
"Sure did. She didn’t like it much thought,” She said, sitting down next to Jarod.
"She didn’t?” He asked in surprise. "I suppose it is pretty frightening.” He was remembering the first time he had snuck out, how exhilarated and scared he had been.
"Not so much that. It was boring." She couldn’t blame her much, it was quite boring out here.
"Oh," Jarod said, eyeing off the packets she had, and sniffing experimentally.
"And she thought it was way too hot. She asked why the people that lived in the houses we saw wouldn’t rather live here."
"It would probably be quite a shock to her system but I am glad she got to go.”
"Me too. I will try to take her to more exciting places next time.” She moved over to sit in front of Jarod. "I brought you back a couple of things." Grace said, hoping he liked them.
"I hope I don’t have to eat it,” He said, unable to hide his disgust at the smell any longer.
"Depends on what I give you.” She pulled the jar out. "Come sit next to me Jarod, take your top off please.”
Jarod prayed that this wasn’t going to be another lesson in how she could touch him however she wanted.
When his top was off, Gracie removed the dressing on his wound and opened the jar, using the paddle pop stick to get some of the thick, sticky ointment out and put it onto Jarod's wound. She winced as she heard it sizzling and the atrocious smell. She knew how well these medicines worked, but god damn it, why couldn’t they make them smell nice?
"Ohh," Jarod moaned, not sure what was worse, the stinging or the smell. "Let me guess, some kind of tribal remedy.”
Gracie nodded, "You think this is bad, you should see the stuff I have for my bruises.” She mumbled and put the ointment away and rewrapped Jarod's arm with tenderness.
"Why are you even bothering?" Jarod asked her curiously. He was much calmer now he had had a couple of hours to do nothing but stare at the wall and try to ignore the camera. He was slowly finding his balance again, adjusting to being imprisoned once more. But it was a very difficult struggle for him.
"Does it really matter Jarod? You are getting some extra attention and help. Why must you question that?"
"I am just curious about your motivation. It will heal in time if it is permitted.” He wondered if she was feeling guilty over it.
"Yes, but now it will heal in less then half the time, and will leave no scar.” She informed, sitting back a little to watch him. Why couldn’t he just accept the help and not question?
"Why should it matter if it leaves a scar? Since I am never to leave here again, and my body is no longer my own, as you demonstrated so clearly this morning, why should I care?"
"You shouldn’t care because you are right, it isn’t your body anymore. It is mine.” She told him with a calm professional voice. "I am your handler and if I don’t want a scar, then I won’t permit a scar on you."
"My mistake," Jarod snorted at her. "I guess you can put them there too, as you wish."
"Yes of course I can Jarod. Any one can.” She said, sensing his anger. "Wanna see what else I got you?” Gracie said, not hiding her excitement, trying to get Jarod to forget about his anger and his displeasure of this situation.
"What?” He asked, not really caring again. She just had a certain way of just pushing his buttons.
She reached in to the plastic bag and pulled out a smaller, paper one. It was filled with all sorts of lollies. Gummy bars, banana's, old fashioned hard candy. Anything they had she had gotten a bit of for Jarod. She handed the bag over and waited, hoping he liked them.
He took it from her and opened it, smiling despite himself. "Are these for me?” He asked in honest surprise.
Gracie smiled broadly and nodded, "Yes they are. I saw your reaction to the ice cream ad thought you would enjoy them."
“Thank you,” He said, looking through them, trying one. "It is very good,” He said, offering her the bag.
"No thanks, I have my own in my room. Sir said not to give you too many privileges at once. It would spoil you. But I couldn’t help it, I knew you would like them.” She said, happy that she had made him smile.
"I appreciate that,” He told her, putting another one in his mouth.
"Now before you work, if you work. Or late at night or just after lunch, or whenever you really feel like some sugar. You have some." Gracie grinned happily.
"You say ‘if I work’ as if there is some choice open to me."
"There is choice. You can decide not to work, but it just means there is a punishment after wards anyway.”
"Tell me about these punishments?” He asked her, wanting to know what he might be getting himself in to.
"These punishments all depend on me Jarod. What I decide is relevant to your disobedience.” She said with a shrug.
"Such as? Or do I have to guess?”
Gracie shrugged. "Beatings. Removal of food, water. Sleep deprivation." It was all pretty basic, but she knew it was very effective.
"If you employ any of those techniques, you must realise that they will certainly prevent me from being able to work for you. Isn’t it kind of defeating the purpose?"
"No, because you will still be expected to work, and each time you say no, it’s just another punishment. Even if you are weak and sore, we will ask you to work."
"You can ask," Jarod said under his breath.
"And you can deny Jarod. And it seems to me it will just be one big vicious circle."
"Seems so," Jarod agreed. "Everybody getting nowhere."
"There is never a nowhere here Jarod. After a few weeks or months of not working, all depending on Mr Marcus, he will just simply decide to breed you and then sell you to another organisation. And it will all start again for you. But we will have something that is of value."
There was nothing he could do to prevent that at the moment, but he still could not accept the notion of cooperating with them. His apparent helplessness here was infuriating him, but no matter how hard he tried, he had not yet managed to come up with a viable escape plan. He had so little information to go on and he knew that time would be both his ally and his enemy. He needed time to garner the knowledge required to launch a successful escape attempt, but time also acted against him, the longer he was here the harder it would be for him to continue to resist, and if the diet of beatings and starvation she had laid out for him was used, he would only become weaker and more susceptible to their methods of coercion.
"Come on Jarod, it will be so much easier for you to just work.” She pleaded. "If you do not like the use of your work, I can try to influence the choice to go in humanitarian ways."
Jarod barked out a short laugh. "There is no money in that."
"There is enough to keep you safe for now.” Gracie said looking at the ground. "I plan on keeping my promise Jarod, I just need time."
"Do not risk yourself on my account. I am not a naïve newcomer to this game, and I know how it is played."
"I will risk myself if I want to Jarod, it is my choice.” She shuffled to sit in Jarod's corner. There was no sound in here, but she knew people could read her lips. "I will offer you a way out but you must work on what is given you in the mean time. To get the focus off of the new toy."
"A way out?” He repeated, not believing her.
"Get out of the view of the camera you idiot.” She hissed harshly. "They can read your lips."
He turned his head. "Why don’t they just put sound on?” He asked her, wondering at such a gross oversight.
"There is no need for sound in here. Normally whoever is staying in here won’t get visitors and the cameras are not equipped with sound."
"You can get me out?” He asked her quickly.
She got up and slapped him hard over the face before grabbing his arm and pulling him back in the corner out of the sight of the camera. "What did I just tell you Jarod about them reading your lips? The camera was right on you damn it. You're going to get me killed."
He didn’t bother arguing with her that his head was turned. He had precisely calculated the angle.
