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Chapter or Story
Disclaimers:
“The Pretender” and its characters do not belong to me they belong to TNT and NBC and are being used without permission. Please don’t sue because I have no money.
“Charmed” and its characters do not belong to me they belong to TNT and NBC and are being used without permission. Please don’t sue because I have no money.
Charmed- another alternative.
Jarod sat in his latest lair reading a book when the computer beeped signaling that it had a message. He clicked on the icon and a video played. It was of a young woman who had dark, short hair and she was drugged as she was lying down strapped down to a table. He quickly abandoned his lair in mid pretend and packed his things into the car. He went towards Blue Cove and the Centre. He had to help this young woman before something happened to her. He made his way to the cell where he knew where she was.
He kicked in the vent and dropped down to the floor. When he got back up and looked for the young woman she was awake and there was two other women in the room with her.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Jarod and I’m here to help her get out of here.”
“Oh, well we were doing the same thing.”
The sisters thought that they would have to think of a different way to get out of here.
“Look just go into the vent and follow it up to the outside.” He had helped the last women into the vent when he heard the sound of the door unlocking. There was no way that he would escape before, so he told the girls. “Cover the vent and go. You know the way.” He turned to the door as it opened and the vent was covered.
“Well, well, well. We caught a young woman and look who comes to rescue her the Centre’s prized lab rat. Welcome home Jarod. You know she wasn’t a trap for you, but it looks like it worked well. Come on pretender back to your room.”
“This is not my home, Lyle.”
“Oh, yes it is.”
“Yes, Welcome Home Jarod.” The man carrying an oxygen tank said. “Welcome home indeed. The best thing is that Sydney does not know that you are back. You will be put in my charge. Finally I will have you as my pretender.”
“I’m not working for you Raines.”
“Oh, yes you will Jarod. Lyle didn’t you have fun managing him the last time?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Take him to the same room that he was in the last time he was in here.”
Jarod let the sweepers put handcuffs on him and lead him out.
“Wait before you take him. Where is the young woman who was here?”
“She’s gone. I told her where to go and she went.”
“Well she’s no loss because we now have the bigger prize.”
They led him out to the cell that led him to the cell where he was in the last time.
“What were they talking about?” Pheobe said.
“I don’t know.” Piper said.
“We have to help him because he did try to help me.”
“Paige can you orb us to where he’s at without being seen?”
“Yes.”
She orbed the three to the cell where he was. They listened and watched to what was happening.
“Finally you are back where you belong, back inside the Centre’s walls.”
“I don’t belong locked up here. I belong outside in the world.”
“Don’t you know you weren’t meant to be in the outside world.”
“I was meant to be with my parents that I was stolen from.”
“They already have another you why would they want you? After all Gemini’s younger than you.”
Jarod hung from his wrists above him and he was shirtless. The cart was wheeled in as one of the sweepers wheeled it in.
“You may start.”
Lyle watched as the sweeper shocked Jarod. Jarod screamed as he was continually shocked with the car batteries. Then his cuffs were unlocked, he put on his shirt and he sat on the cot without a mattress
“Are you ready to do sims Jarod?”
“No, I’ll never work for you.”
“Oh, you will Jarod. I’ll leave you alone a while and I’ll come back.”
Jarod watched as they left and he laid down on the cot. Then he heard someone walk towards his cell and he sat up again. He looked at the camera and then back to the women who stood there. The camera was not working which was good.
“What are you doing here? I told you to leave.”
“Were here to rescue you.”
“Leave before they get back.”
“No you were going to help me now it’s our turn to help you.”
“Look I survived before I know what to do. Please leave now.”
“We can help you.” One of the girls unlocked the door and they went in.
“How did you do that?”
“Don’t worry about it. We told you we can help.”
Jarod walked out with them and they left the building and got into Jarod’s car. As they were driving away.
“We heard that you are a pretender and you do sims.”
“I did sims, but I escaped. They have a team after me to bring me back. I won’t do anymore sims because they used them to hurt and kill people and I won’t have that anymore. I now go from place to place doing pretends to help people.”
“How did you know that I was in there?”
“I have someone who’s in there who gives me information.”
“Who is it?”
“I’m sorry I can’t tell you.”
“Jarod I’m sorry that you had to go through that.”
“It’s okay I went through that before and I went through worse.”
Jarod checked the mirrors to make sure that they weren’t being followed. Finally they stopped at a hotel.
“Why are we here?”
“Because we need to sleep and keep a low profile. Don’t worry we’ll leave tomorrow bright and early. I haven’t asked where do you live?”
“San Francisco.”
“I’ve been there once.”
“On a pretend?”
“Yes.”
“So did you see the sights?”
“No, I was too busy with my pretend then after that I had to leave.”
“Because of the Centre.”
“Yes. I have another question for you. Why would the Centre want you?”
The girls looked at each other and made up their minds to tell him because he risked his life for them and he didn’t even know them. He deserved the truth.
“We are witches.”
“Witches?”
“Yes, our mother was a witch. We are what is called the Charmed Ones. I am Pheobe the middle child, this is Piper the oldest child and this is Paige the youngest. We had a sister named Prue, but she died.”
“I’m sorry. I know what it’s like to lose a sibling.”
“You lost a sibling?”
“Yes, my brother Kyle. He was killed by Lyle when he stepped in front of a bullet that was meant for me. I didn’t even get a chance to know him.”
“You didn’t know him?”
“We were stolen from our parents when we were very young and kept inside the Centre in almost isolation. I did a couple of sims with Kyle, but I didn’t know that he was my brother. It wasn’t until a year later after I escaped that I found out that the person that I accidently spilt acid on was my brother.”
“You accidently spilt acid on someone?”
“Yes. My mentor and Kyle’s mentor was involved in the sim we were doing. We were doing a sim on anticipating pain. I had a vial of what they told me was water, but instead it was acid.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”
“I have another question. If you return to San Francisco will they know where you live?”
“No. I never told them my name plus I was on vacation in Delaware. They took me at the park by surprise and they didn’t know that I had sisters.”
“Good.”
*********
Next day.
They drove to the nearest airport and boarded the plane. The sisters had asked him to come to San Francisco with them and see the sights. They had told him that he could stay with them.
He rented a car at the airport and then drove to their house. He pulled up to the curve and looked at the big red house as he shut off the engine.
“That’s a nice house.”
“Thank you. It’s in the family.”
Jarod took his things and helped the girls with their stuff too.
Piper unlocked the door and went in. She wondered where Leo and Wyatt was at. She peeked into the kitchen and found Leo cooking. She quietly went into the living room and found Wyatt who was in the crib. Jarod and the three sisters came into the living room too at the same time. The three went to baby Wyatt and glanced down at him. Jarod decided to see the baby and decided to go to the crib too. He smiled down at the sweet baby and Wyatt smiled at him.
“Can I touch him?”
“I don’t know. You can try.”
He leaned down to the baby and touched Wyatt’s hand. Wyatt grabbed Jarod’s hand and wouldn’t let go and then Wyatt smiled at him. With a big grin on his face he started talking to Wyatt. Then he pulled his hand away and the baby reached out for him. He looked at Piper’s surprised face. “Can I pick him up?”
“Yes, you can pick him up.”
Jarod picked up the baby and sat on the couch holding the baby and talking to him.
“He’s not usually this good with strangers.”
“Maybe he knows I won’t hurt him.”
“Maybe.”
Leo came in and looked at the stranger holding his baby.
“Leo what are you cooking?”
“Lunch. Who’s this?”
“I’m sorry. Let me introduce myself.” Jarod replied as he got off the couch with the baby and held out his hand. “I’m Jarod.”
“Hello Jarod. I’m Piper’s husband, Leo.”
“I know. Piper told me.”
“Really.”
“Piper can you come into the kitchen and help me with the rest of the lunch?”
“Sure.”
She followed him into the kitchen and looked around. “What do you want me to do?”
“Who is that guy really? Why does he have our child?”
“His name is Jarod, but he doesn’t know his last name. Remember when I told you that Pheobe was in Delaware taking a much needed vacation and something was wrong? We finally found out where she was and was inside the building when he rushed in from the vents. He wanted to help free her and he did, but he got caught instead. You see he was kidnapped by the people who work there when he was a child and was held there for 30 or so years in near isolation. He’s what is called a pretender, a genius who can become anyone he wants to be. He found out that the sims he was doing were killing and hurting people instead of helping, so he escaped. He found out that the little boy that he did a sim with inside the Centre was his brother a year after his escape, but Kyle died by the hands of a Centre person. He’s so lonely you can see it in his eyes. Trust him Leo. He’s a good man. Don’t you think that Wyatt would have sensed something if he wasn’t. He would have raised his shields up to protect himself, but he didn’t he even wanted Jarod to hold him.”
“Does he know that you three are witches?”
“Yes and you are our whitelighter and my husband.”
“Okay, I’ll trust him.”
“Thank you.”
They took the goodies out and set them on the table in the living room. They also brought out Cheetos and other chips.
“What is this?” Jarod picked a Cheeto up and studied it.
“It’s a Cheeto.”
“A Cheeto?”
“Taste it.”
Jarod took a bite of it and smiled. “It’s very good and it’s very messy.” He said as he grabbed another one. He looked up to find that Leo was staring at him.
“I wasn’t allowed junk food when I was inside the Centre. I’m trying to catch up for lost time. My very first discovery when I escaped was ice cream and then Pez.”
Leo nodded and then looked at his son who was sleeping in Jarod’s arm.
“You have a way with him.”
“I guess so. I remember when I was running from Miss Parker and her sweepers and I hid in a garbage dumpster hoping that they wouldn’t find me. I found a baby boy who was inside a box there. I took him and made my way to my latest lair. I had finished my pretend and didn’t plan on going back, but with the baby I knew I had to help him. I finally found his mother who was in a hospital. The father was a well known politician in town and didn’t want his wife to know that he had a son with another woman, so he had the woman killed. It was made to look like a suicide and then dump the boy.. I knew that it wasn’t the mother who had put the baby inside the box because I saw the license plate of the man who did it and he was a detective. I got revenge on what he did to the mother and Michael. It was only after that, that I left.”
“That’s why you know a little bit about babies.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for helping my sister in law.”
“You’re welcome. I couldn’t let her suffer in there. She had no idea what the Centre was really like.”
“How did you find out about her?”
“An inside source.”
“Who?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you.”
“Do you ever keep in touch with anyone inside the Centre?”
“Sydney my mentor and Miss Parker. Plus someone else.”
“Your informant?”
“Yes.”
“Why Sydney and Miss Parker?”
“Sydney because in my mind he’s my father. Miss Parker because she’s an outsider just like me. She is the chairman’s daughter and we used to be friends until she was sent to boarding school.”
“Oh.”
Jarod stayed and took in all the sights that San Francisco had to offer and then he left.
“The Pretender” and its characters do not belong to me they belong to TNT and NBC and are being used without permission. Please don’t sue because I have no money.
“Charmed” and its characters do not belong to me they belong to TNT and NBC and are being used without permission. Please don’t sue because I have no money.
Charmed- another alternative.
Jarod sat in his latest lair reading a book when the computer beeped signaling that it had a message. He clicked on the icon and a video played. It was of a young woman who had dark, short hair and she was drugged as she was lying down strapped down to a table. He quickly abandoned his lair in mid pretend and packed his things into the car. He went towards Blue Cove and the Centre. He had to help this young woman before something happened to her. He made his way to the cell where he knew where she was.
He kicked in the vent and dropped down to the floor. When he got back up and looked for the young woman she was awake and there was two other women in the room with her.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Jarod and I’m here to help her get out of here.”
“Oh, well we were doing the same thing.”
The sisters thought that they would have to think of a different way to get out of here.
“Look just go into the vent and follow it up to the outside.” He had helped the last women into the vent when he heard the sound of the door unlocking. There was no way that he would escape before, so he told the girls. “Cover the vent and go. You know the way.” He turned to the door as it opened and the vent was covered.
“Well, well, well. We caught a young woman and look who comes to rescue her the Centre’s prized lab rat. Welcome home Jarod. You know she wasn’t a trap for you, but it looks like it worked well. Come on pretender back to your room.”
“This is not my home, Lyle.”
“Oh, yes it is.”
“Yes, Welcome Home Jarod.” The man carrying an oxygen tank said. “Welcome home indeed. The best thing is that Sydney does not know that you are back. You will be put in my charge. Finally I will have you as my pretender.”
“I’m not working for you Raines.”
“Oh, yes you will Jarod. Lyle didn’t you have fun managing him the last time?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Take him to the same room that he was in the last time he was in here.”
Jarod let the sweepers put handcuffs on him and lead him out.
“Wait before you take him. Where is the young woman who was here?”
“She’s gone. I told her where to go and she went.”
“Well she’s no loss because we now have the bigger prize.”
They led him out to the cell that led him to the cell where he was in the last time.
“What were they talking about?” Pheobe said.
“I don’t know.” Piper said.
“We have to help him because he did try to help me.”
“Paige can you orb us to where he’s at without being seen?”
“Yes.”
She orbed the three to the cell where he was. They listened and watched to what was happening.
“Finally you are back where you belong, back inside the Centre’s walls.”
“I don’t belong locked up here. I belong outside in the world.”
“Don’t you know you weren’t meant to be in the outside world.”
“I was meant to be with my parents that I was stolen from.”
“They already have another you why would they want you? After all Gemini’s younger than you.”
Jarod hung from his wrists above him and he was shirtless. The cart was wheeled in as one of the sweepers wheeled it in.
“You may start.”
Lyle watched as the sweeper shocked Jarod. Jarod screamed as he was continually shocked with the car batteries. Then his cuffs were unlocked, he put on his shirt and he sat on the cot without a mattress
“Are you ready to do sims Jarod?”
“No, I’ll never work for you.”
“Oh, you will Jarod. I’ll leave you alone a while and I’ll come back.”
Jarod watched as they left and he laid down on the cot. Then he heard someone walk towards his cell and he sat up again. He looked at the camera and then back to the women who stood there. The camera was not working which was good.
“What are you doing here? I told you to leave.”
“Were here to rescue you.”
“Leave before they get back.”
“No you were going to help me now it’s our turn to help you.”
“Look I survived before I know what to do. Please leave now.”
“We can help you.” One of the girls unlocked the door and they went in.
“How did you do that?”
“Don’t worry about it. We told you we can help.”
Jarod walked out with them and they left the building and got into Jarod’s car. As they were driving away.
“We heard that you are a pretender and you do sims.”
“I did sims, but I escaped. They have a team after me to bring me back. I won’t do anymore sims because they used them to hurt and kill people and I won’t have that anymore. I now go from place to place doing pretends to help people.”
“How did you know that I was in there?”
“I have someone who’s in there who gives me information.”
“Who is it?”
“I’m sorry I can’t tell you.”
“Jarod I’m sorry that you had to go through that.”
“It’s okay I went through that before and I went through worse.”
Jarod checked the mirrors to make sure that they weren’t being followed. Finally they stopped at a hotel.
“Why are we here?”
“Because we need to sleep and keep a low profile. Don’t worry we’ll leave tomorrow bright and early. I haven’t asked where do you live?”
“San Francisco.”
“I’ve been there once.”
“On a pretend?”
“Yes.”
“So did you see the sights?”
“No, I was too busy with my pretend then after that I had to leave.”
“Because of the Centre.”
“Yes. I have another question for you. Why would the Centre want you?”
The girls looked at each other and made up their minds to tell him because he risked his life for them and he didn’t even know them. He deserved the truth.
“We are witches.”
“Witches?”
“Yes, our mother was a witch. We are what is called the Charmed Ones. I am Pheobe the middle child, this is Piper the oldest child and this is Paige the youngest. We had a sister named Prue, but she died.”
“I’m sorry. I know what it’s like to lose a sibling.”
“You lost a sibling?”
“Yes, my brother Kyle. He was killed by Lyle when he stepped in front of a bullet that was meant for me. I didn’t even get a chance to know him.”
“You didn’t know him?”
“We were stolen from our parents when we were very young and kept inside the Centre in almost isolation. I did a couple of sims with Kyle, but I didn’t know that he was my brother. It wasn’t until a year later after I escaped that I found out that the person that I accidently spilt acid on was my brother.”
“You accidently spilt acid on someone?”
“Yes. My mentor and Kyle’s mentor was involved in the sim we were doing. We were doing a sim on anticipating pain. I had a vial of what they told me was water, but instead it was acid.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”
“I have another question. If you return to San Francisco will they know where you live?”
“No. I never told them my name plus I was on vacation in Delaware. They took me at the park by surprise and they didn’t know that I had sisters.”
“Good.”
*********
Next day.
They drove to the nearest airport and boarded the plane. The sisters had asked him to come to San Francisco with them and see the sights. They had told him that he could stay with them.
He rented a car at the airport and then drove to their house. He pulled up to the curve and looked at the big red house as he shut off the engine.
“That’s a nice house.”
“Thank you. It’s in the family.”
Jarod took his things and helped the girls with their stuff too.
Piper unlocked the door and went in. She wondered where Leo and Wyatt was at. She peeked into the kitchen and found Leo cooking. She quietly went into the living room and found Wyatt who was in the crib. Jarod and the three sisters came into the living room too at the same time. The three went to baby Wyatt and glanced down at him. Jarod decided to see the baby and decided to go to the crib too. He smiled down at the sweet baby and Wyatt smiled at him.
“Can I touch him?”
“I don’t know. You can try.”
He leaned down to the baby and touched Wyatt’s hand. Wyatt grabbed Jarod’s hand and wouldn’t let go and then Wyatt smiled at him. With a big grin on his face he started talking to Wyatt. Then he pulled his hand away and the baby reached out for him. He looked at Piper’s surprised face. “Can I pick him up?”
“Yes, you can pick him up.”
Jarod picked up the baby and sat on the couch holding the baby and talking to him.
“He’s not usually this good with strangers.”
“Maybe he knows I won’t hurt him.”
“Maybe.”
Leo came in and looked at the stranger holding his baby.
“Leo what are you cooking?”
“Lunch. Who’s this?”
“I’m sorry. Let me introduce myself.” Jarod replied as he got off the couch with the baby and held out his hand. “I’m Jarod.”
“Hello Jarod. I’m Piper’s husband, Leo.”
“I know. Piper told me.”
“Really.”
“Piper can you come into the kitchen and help me with the rest of the lunch?”
“Sure.”
She followed him into the kitchen and looked around. “What do you want me to do?”
“Who is that guy really? Why does he have our child?”
“His name is Jarod, but he doesn’t know his last name. Remember when I told you that Pheobe was in Delaware taking a much needed vacation and something was wrong? We finally found out where she was and was inside the building when he rushed in from the vents. He wanted to help free her and he did, but he got caught instead. You see he was kidnapped by the people who work there when he was a child and was held there for 30 or so years in near isolation. He’s what is called a pretender, a genius who can become anyone he wants to be. He found out that the sims he was doing were killing and hurting people instead of helping, so he escaped. He found out that the little boy that he did a sim with inside the Centre was his brother a year after his escape, but Kyle died by the hands of a Centre person. He’s so lonely you can see it in his eyes. Trust him Leo. He’s a good man. Don’t you think that Wyatt would have sensed something if he wasn’t. He would have raised his shields up to protect himself, but he didn’t he even wanted Jarod to hold him.”
“Does he know that you three are witches?”
“Yes and you are our whitelighter and my husband.”
“Okay, I’ll trust him.”
“Thank you.”
They took the goodies out and set them on the table in the living room. They also brought out Cheetos and other chips.
“What is this?” Jarod picked a Cheeto up and studied it.
“It’s a Cheeto.”
“A Cheeto?”
“Taste it.”
Jarod took a bite of it and smiled. “It’s very good and it’s very messy.” He said as he grabbed another one. He looked up to find that Leo was staring at him.
“I wasn’t allowed junk food when I was inside the Centre. I’m trying to catch up for lost time. My very first discovery when I escaped was ice cream and then Pez.”
Leo nodded and then looked at his son who was sleeping in Jarod’s arm.
“You have a way with him.”
“I guess so. I remember when I was running from Miss Parker and her sweepers and I hid in a garbage dumpster hoping that they wouldn’t find me. I found a baby boy who was inside a box there. I took him and made my way to my latest lair. I had finished my pretend and didn’t plan on going back, but with the baby I knew I had to help him. I finally found his mother who was in a hospital. The father was a well known politician in town and didn’t want his wife to know that he had a son with another woman, so he had the woman killed. It was made to look like a suicide and then dump the boy.. I knew that it wasn’t the mother who had put the baby inside the box because I saw the license plate of the man who did it and he was a detective. I got revenge on what he did to the mother and Michael. It was only after that, that I left.”
“That’s why you know a little bit about babies.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for helping my sister in law.”
“You’re welcome. I couldn’t let her suffer in there. She had no idea what the Centre was really like.”
“How did you find out about her?”
“An inside source.”
“Who?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you.”
“Do you ever keep in touch with anyone inside the Centre?”
“Sydney my mentor and Miss Parker. Plus someone else.”
“Your informant?”
“Yes.”
“Why Sydney and Miss Parker?”
“Sydney because in my mind he’s my father. Miss Parker because she’s an outsider just like me. She is the chairman’s daughter and we used to be friends until she was sent to boarding school.”
“Oh.”
Jarod stayed and took in all the sights that San Francisco had to offer and then he left.
