Table of Contents [Report This]
Title: Timeless
Author: Rising Sun
E-mail: jagrslc@yahoo.com
The FF of Rising Sun is archived at: http://www.geocities.com/jagrslc
For updates on FF by Rising Sun join: jagrslc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Classification: Crossover
Summary: Jared feels an affiliation with his latest cause but the friendship leads to danger.
Spoiler: None
Disclaimer: Pretender characters portrayed belong to NBC and TNT. No copyright infringement intended. All other characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely coincidental.
Author’s Notes: Part one of a cross over story arc that includes:
The Pretender/Timeless
JAG/Statutes of Limitations
First Monday/… and Justice for All
Star Trek/Cold Case
All available at http://www.geocities.com/jagrslc/cross_over/cross_story/onefftoc.htm
Feedback: Please?
Story Written February 18, 2002
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1972 - 0500 LOCAL
SUMMIT OF PETIT PITON AT 2,438 FEET
SAINT LUCIA
The scream of the female climber split the early morning silence. The guide came running up. “Wha happen!”
The male half of the duo replied, “I don’t know! I think she lost her footing!” he peeped over the cliff.
The guide was annoyed. How many times did he have to warn tourists to be careful? Petit Piton was not a mountain to treat lightly no matter how spectacular the view from the top. “You see her?”
“Yes she landed on a ledge. She’s not moving though… what do we do now?”
The guide ignored the man, pulled out his hand held radio and called base. “Sheila! You there! Sheila! Answer me woman!”
There was a burst of static and a woman’s voice came through. ”What!”
The guide lapsed into the Creole language indigenous to the country. “The damn woman lost her footing and fell off the piton.”
Sheila snorted “Errol…” she too spoke in Creole even as she laid into him. “If it’s not one it’s another with these people. What you want to do?”
“Call the fire department.”
“For what! They ca help you up there you need a helicopter!” She pointed out.
“An you know someone that have one?” He asked. “Woman call the fire department! They responsible for search and rescue. If they need a helicopter they will inform the Governor who will call who he have to call and they will come get these fools.”
“All right… stand by.” Sheila grumbled.
=================================
2002 – 1201 LOCAL
ONE MILE FROM THE CENTER
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE
Jared sat in the motel and found it amusing that Miss Parker was in Utah searching for him when he was just one mile away from the hell that had been his home for far too long.
As a Pretender he could be who ever he wanted to be, but all he was, was Jared X. He’d just discovered Malcolm X and liked the idea of the X. What he really wanted to be was belong. To a family but having been stolen by the Center because of his genius, he had been robbed of that. Now all he had was this burning desire to remain free and maybe do a good deed here and there.
He had just finished his latest good deed and was taking some time off by reading his e-mail. He liked e-mail and the Internet … so much information out there to be had! Today he was checking the news. He was fascinated by the fact that there was no need to buy a newspaper. Every one from CNN to Info beat was willing to e-mail you the news and those who didn’t had an e-version of their newspaper.
A particular item caught his eye… “THIRTY YEAR OLD COMA VICTIM AWAKES.” Now there was something novel. Someone with about the same level of knowledge of the world as himself. He stretched out his lanky frame and studied the article.
=================================
0908 LOCAL
BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL
Althea awoke and felt like she’d been through a war. Was she alive? She wasn’t quite sure. Then she heard the regular beeps of the hospital machinery. She relaxed … wherever she was dead, alive … in limbo there was nothing she could do about it. Well not yet anyway.
She couldn’t see her body but it felt different she could feel the tubing and electronic monitoring devices. She had something in her mouth. Apparently she’d had a tracheotomy for not only was it in her mouth but the huge tube went down her throat. How long have I been here? She thought. Instinctively she opened her mouth to talk but of course the tube prevented that.
She remembered when her grandmother had had the stroke; they had fed her through her nose. She’d hated that now here she was with her own personal feeding apparatus… up her nose.
She rolled her eyes in an effort to examine her surroundings what she saw was Frankenstein’s Monster. There were ivs sticking out of her from all parts with yet another tube through her right clavicle. Later she found out that it was where the medics injected the antibiotics. In the mean time she could glimpse the additional tubes sticking out of her stomach. It was explained that these were in place so as to drain the liquids from the stomach cavity; it eventually drained into bags hanging at the side of the bed. Ughh! It was hers but … Ughh!
The inspection confirmed her initial thoughts… she was dead. She sure as hell would not call this life!
Attached to her chest to keep track of her every move voluntary and involuntary were countless electrodes to monitor heartbeat, blood pressure, and God knew what else… yep voluntary and involuntary motions. To complete the Bride of Frankenstein electrodes were also attached to her head. She couldn’t see but she could feel that the electrodes were also attached to her ankles. At lest she hoped it was an electrode.
So! This is life! She thought. She wondered at how long she had to have been in a coma for her to deteriorate to this state. It had to have been while as everyone seemed to be making the effort not to tell what her eyes were begging. She was becoming irritated.
Every four hours two nurses gently rolled her over. It seemed to be a routine that had not started because she had woken up. This had been going on for a while… the action was too smooth. Well her body may be shriveled up but it seemed her mind was still sharp.
She didn’t know what she hated most. The pins and needles sticking out of her… the nurses turning her over or the nurses having to change bandages need, taking the soiled wads out and putting clean ones in. She decided they were all symptoms of her real distress… helplessness. She was at the mercy of everyone and their aid.
She didn’t know how long she’d been in that blasted coma, she didn’t know how long she had been awake but she sure as hell knew that it was going to take months to recuperated from this fall. Fall? Yeah… she’d fallen. She’d focus on that. If her mind was going to wander while her mouth was still too full to work she’d focus on her memories.
Something to do at last!
=================================
NINE MONTHS LATER - 0918 LOCAL
PRIVATE HOSPITAL, LOCATION: CLASSIFIED
Jared pushed the door to Lieutenant (JG) Althea Auguste’s room open. “Good morning Lieutenant.” He smiled.
She stared at him then finally relied “If you say so.”
“Ah not so happy to be alive.” He observed.
“Are you a doctor?” She snapped.
“I am today.” He smiled. He thought the reply was funny … she didn’t.
“Well you are or you aren’t.” she said.
“I’m Dr. Jared Toussaint.” He ignored her foul mood and looked at her file. “Says here that you will still need physical therapy.”
“Obviously.”
“Obviously.” He echoed. “Seems to me you also need some counseling … it’s a brand new world out there and we need to catch up.”
“What’s this we thing.”
“I too lost some time. That’s why I now specialize in cases where people loose time. Usually amnesia victims… but every now and then a former coma patient will do.”
She looked at him with a little more interest. “Really?”
“Mmmm. As we get to work together you’ll be surprised at the world out there.” He told her. “Interested?”
“Maybe.”
“Progress already.” He teased. “I’ll leave you for now… see you later.”
She nodded. This one seemed different to the other doctors who had been poking her since she awoke.
=================================
2008 LOCAL
MISS PARKER’S RESIDENCE
“What!” She snapped into the cell phone.
“Welcome home honey.”
“Jared” Angel Parker groaned.
“Happy to hear you too. By the way how was your trip?”
“What do you want this time?” She growled.
“Did you ever consider that your time at the Center as being lost? You know As The World Turns you miss the Day’s Of Our Lives.”
“I see someone has discovered Soap Operas?” she taunted.
“Soap … Opera.” This was a new concept to Jared. “He’d just thought of them as day time drams.”
She cut across him before the tirade of questions began. “You called for a reason?”
“Lost time. Miss Parker. Don’t spend too much time chasing me or staying at the Center. Lost time cannot be regained. Treat your time as a precious gem.” He hung up.
She shook her head. Jared got weirder with each call he made to her.
=================================
TWO DAYS LATER - 1430 LOCAL
PRIVATE HOSPITAL
Lt. (JG) Althea Auguste was wheeled into Jared’s office for her first session. “I thought you had changed your mind.” She accused.
“Never.” He assured her. “Nice to see the change in attitude.”
She shrugged. “Can’t fight fate.”
“But you can rage against it.” He pointed out. “How much do you remember? Do you remember the accident?”
“I am … was a Lieutenant Junior Grade on the USS Guadalcanal stationed to patrol Caribbean waters. I had shore leave coming to me so I took it and went mountain climbing…” she frowned in an effort to remember the events of thirty years ago. “I went with a friend… we… we had a guide.” She stopped.
“It’s ok. There’s no rush.” Jared assured her. “I am here to help and there is not timetable for this. We’ll move at your pace and no faster.”
She nodded, but she still continued to focus on the frayed memories.
=================================
2338 LOCAL
JARED”S RESIDENCE
Jared popped a sweet into his mouth. “Did you know that soap operas had nothing to do with either soap or the opera?” he said to Sydney.
The relationship between Sydney and himself had developed beyond that of ringmaster and caged beast. Sydney had become his protector … dare he admit it? Even surrogate father. Now he was talking with the older man about his latest obsession – lost time.
“Interesting.” Sydney replied.
“Yeah … Taylor … that’s one of the characters in Young and the Restless was kidnapped but now she’s back and has to catch up on all the events that she missed while she was gone.” He enthused.
“… and you identify with this character.” Sydney was always in an analysis mode.
“Syd no matter how long I elude the sweepers, no matter how much I learn about this world even if I find my family … I will never gain that lost time.” He replied, “You think the Center can ever give me that back?”
“Every one’s memories and experiences are different Jared… as are yours.” Sydney tried to ease his pain.
“The hell you say!” Jared shouted. “You and Miss Parker and Brootes may choose to stay there I had no choice in the matter!” suddenly he said “Gotta run.” He hung up the phone.
=================================
1020 LOCAL
THE CENTER
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE
Angel Parker walked into the office of Sydney unannounced. Used to her abrupt ways he simply waited for her to indicate the reason for her visit. She got straight to the point. “Pack your bags boys we are on the move.”
“Jared?” Brootes asked nervously. Brootes may be the tech wizard at the Center but he feared everything including his shadow and especially Miss Parker.
She gave him a vampire smile “No. There is more to life than Jared. A sleeper has awakened.”
“Sorry?” Sydney said.
Parker sighed. “We had a Pretender Althea stationed on the USS Guadalcanal… thirty years ago she had an accident and went into a coma. The Center had been monitoring her condition. She’s now awake. We have to go get her.”
“Why didn’t the Center just take her into custody from the get go?” Brootes asked nervously.
“Next time I meet a member of the Triumvirate I’ll ask.” She sneered. “Now move!”
=================================
SAME TIME
JARED”S RESIDENCE
The nurse had argued with Jared “Dr. Toussaint … Lt. Auguste cannot leave yet!”
But he was resolute in his decision. “Nurse… “ He read the tag. “Nurse Turner… I am discharging the Lieutenant and taking her into my care.”
Now they were relatively safe.
“Why the sudden move?” Althea asked.
He took a gamble and told her the truth. If it proved to be a mistake he could be out of the state in record time. “I did some research on you. It’s amazing on what one can find on the Internet.”
“Internet?” she repeated.
“One of the latest inventions to rock our world. It’s a global network of computers that allows you to access information on anything. And I do mean anything. In your case the Internet has revealed a number of red flags regarding you.”
She was silent.
“For example before you joined the USS Guadalcanal you didn’t exist… like Athena you appeared full grown.” He passed and waited for her response.
She fidgeted she was at the mercy of this man and she was still an invalid. Thirty years of inaction had reduced her to such. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“I understand far more than you suspect. You’re a Pretender… and you obviously are not suffering much on the area of memory loss.”
She gasped and her eyes narrowed. “What do you know… you’re a Pretender too!”
“The question is are you are willing pawn in the plans of the Center?” He responded.
She had her answer. “Why do you think the murder was attempted?”
“What murder?” He asked.
She was becoming agitated. “It came back to me recently like it was yesterday.” She chuckled “Well actually for me it was yesterday.” She got sober. “I didn’t slip off that mountain… I was pushed.”
Jared relaxed slightly. “I suspected your connection to the Center the reason I removed you from Bethesda… they will know by now that you are awake. Parker will probably be the one to come looking for you.”
“Mr. Parker?” She was surprised.
“MISS” he informed her. “The daughter and the more deadly of the two.”
“God someone more deadly than Parker.” She groaned.
He was grim. “We need to talk about this **accident ** of yours.”
She nodded.
=================================
1340 LOCAL
PRIVATE HOSPITAL
Nurse Turner had the misfortune to be spotted by Miss Parker “You!” She snapped “Which room to Lt. Auguste?”
“You family?”
Parker snorted “Not hardly.”
Sydney tried to smooth over matters. “Concerned friends.”
The nurse scanned them. She was uncomfortable but the tall brunette scared her so she replied, “Dr. Toussaint took her away two days ago.”
“Dr. Toussaint.” Parker pounced on the name.
“Yes Dr. Jared Toussaint.” Nurse Turner explained.
“Thank you.” Sydney said as he followed Parker who was already halfway down the hallway to the elevator.
As they descended she said “JARED Toussaint and ALTHEA Auguste. Want to bet that the two Pretenders have found each other?”
“Coincidence Parker.” Sydney warned.
“Don’t believe in it.” She replied.
=================================
2355 LOCAL
MISS PARKER’S HOTEL ROOM
“What!” Parker gave her usual reply into the cell phone ring.
“Oh did I wake you?” Jared’s voice came through.
“Talk.” She ordered.
“Why would the Center want to kill a Pretender? After all they want to catch me… not kill me.” He speculated.
She gave him the answer she had given to Brootes days before “Next time I meet a member of the Triumvirate I’ll ask.”
“Tut! Tut! Tut! Miss Parker be nice your ulcer demands it.” He mocked.
“Is there a point to this call?” She demanded.
“I just wanted to let you know that I am here and that we will catch the assassin you hired.” He hung up.
She flung the phone across the room and tried to go back to sleep.
+ + +
Brootes opened his room door and Parker swept in. She ignored his Flintstones boxer shorts and began to rattle orders.
One hour later Sydney joined them; he had an instinct when Parker was on the move. “What’s happening?”
“We are going to find out why we are try to catch a Pretender while another was targeted for elimination.” She snarled.
“…and any progress?”
“Well…” Brootes said. “…for one thing she was young. She was only twenty when the order went out. Seems she was defective.”
“Defective?” Sydney asked hoping for more information.
Parker paced. “No such thing. The Center always finds a use for it’s **people** look at Angelo.”
“… what it says here.” Brootes insisted.
“Look at Kyle. They killed him.” Sydney pointed out.
She made no comment to that but instead focused in Brootes. “What else does that thing of yours say?”
That though the kill was not complete the result was satisfactory as she was in a coma.” He read off the screen.
“Any mention of the killer by name?” Sydney inquired.
“Nope.” Brootes replied.
Parker was not happy. “Grrr!” She said as she walked out of the room.
=================================
SAME TIME
JARED”S RESIDENCE
Althea slept.
Jared worked.
Brootes may be a computer wizard but he was no match for Jared. As Brootes surfed the intranet that was The Center Jared followed on his own computer screen. Once Brootes had shut down Jared continued the probe.
It took some time but he found what he was looking for.
=================================
2028 LOCAL
MISS PARKER’S RESIDENCE
Parker dropped her bag on the nearest chair and herself on the sofa. It had been another wild goose chase. She’d face her father and brother in the morning all she needed now was the strength to get up and head to the bath for a soak.
The phone rang.
“What!” She said lackadaisically.
“Now is that any way to greet a fellow Center inmate?” Jared replied.
“Jared I’m tired make it short.” She mustered her strength to stand and head for the bathroom.
“Ah time… the elusive element. As elusive as your Pretenders, which of us will you chase now, Miss Parker?” He asked.
“Even that answer should be obvious to you.” She replied and switched the tap on.
“A bath… just what the doctor ordered.” He heard the water running.
She poured bubble bath in. “There is a point to the call. I assume.”
“Not all killers are Center bred.” He hung up.
She looked at the phone “Now what did he mean by that?” she placed the phone on the sink counter, stripped and slipped into the hot tub, too content to bother with Jared at that moment.
=================================
ONE WEEK LATER - 1110 LOCAL
THE CENTER
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE
Brootes came dashing in clutching a package. “For Miss Parker.”
She snatched it and ripped it open. A red notebook fell out together with a copy of the Washington Post. The headline shouted at her: “ADMIRAL MORRIS ACCUSED OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.”
She bundled up the newspaper and flung it across the room.
THE END
Author: Rising Sun
E-mail: jagrslc@yahoo.com
The FF of Rising Sun is archived at: http://www.geocities.com/jagrslc
For updates on FF by Rising Sun join: jagrslc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Classification: Crossover
Summary: Jared feels an affiliation with his latest cause but the friendship leads to danger.
Spoiler: None
Disclaimer: Pretender characters portrayed belong to NBC and TNT. No copyright infringement intended. All other characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely coincidental.
Author’s Notes: Part one of a cross over story arc that includes:
The Pretender/Timeless
JAG/Statutes of Limitations
First Monday/… and Justice for All
Star Trek/Cold Case
All available at http://www.geocities.com/jagrslc/cross_over/cross_story/onefftoc.htm
Feedback: Please?
Story Written February 18, 2002
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1972 - 0500 LOCAL
SUMMIT OF PETIT PITON AT 2,438 FEET
SAINT LUCIA
The scream of the female climber split the early morning silence. The guide came running up. “Wha happen!”
The male half of the duo replied, “I don’t know! I think she lost her footing!” he peeped over the cliff.
The guide was annoyed. How many times did he have to warn tourists to be careful? Petit Piton was not a mountain to treat lightly no matter how spectacular the view from the top. “You see her?”
“Yes she landed on a ledge. She’s not moving though… what do we do now?”
The guide ignored the man, pulled out his hand held radio and called base. “Sheila! You there! Sheila! Answer me woman!”
There was a burst of static and a woman’s voice came through. ”What!”
The guide lapsed into the Creole language indigenous to the country. “The damn woman lost her footing and fell off the piton.”
Sheila snorted “Errol…” she too spoke in Creole even as she laid into him. “If it’s not one it’s another with these people. What you want to do?”
“Call the fire department.”
“For what! They ca help you up there you need a helicopter!” She pointed out.
“An you know someone that have one?” He asked. “Woman call the fire department! They responsible for search and rescue. If they need a helicopter they will inform the Governor who will call who he have to call and they will come get these fools.”
“All right… stand by.” Sheila grumbled.
=================================
2002 – 1201 LOCAL
ONE MILE FROM THE CENTER
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE
Jared sat in the motel and found it amusing that Miss Parker was in Utah searching for him when he was just one mile away from the hell that had been his home for far too long.
As a Pretender he could be who ever he wanted to be, but all he was, was Jared X. He’d just discovered Malcolm X and liked the idea of the X. What he really wanted to be was belong. To a family but having been stolen by the Center because of his genius, he had been robbed of that. Now all he had was this burning desire to remain free and maybe do a good deed here and there.
He had just finished his latest good deed and was taking some time off by reading his e-mail. He liked e-mail and the Internet … so much information out there to be had! Today he was checking the news. He was fascinated by the fact that there was no need to buy a newspaper. Every one from CNN to Info beat was willing to e-mail you the news and those who didn’t had an e-version of their newspaper.
A particular item caught his eye… “THIRTY YEAR OLD COMA VICTIM AWAKES.” Now there was something novel. Someone with about the same level of knowledge of the world as himself. He stretched out his lanky frame and studied the article.
=================================
0908 LOCAL
BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL
Althea awoke and felt like she’d been through a war. Was she alive? She wasn’t quite sure. Then she heard the regular beeps of the hospital machinery. She relaxed … wherever she was dead, alive … in limbo there was nothing she could do about it. Well not yet anyway.
She couldn’t see her body but it felt different she could feel the tubing and electronic monitoring devices. She had something in her mouth. Apparently she’d had a tracheotomy for not only was it in her mouth but the huge tube went down her throat. How long have I been here? She thought. Instinctively she opened her mouth to talk but of course the tube prevented that.
She remembered when her grandmother had had the stroke; they had fed her through her nose. She’d hated that now here she was with her own personal feeding apparatus… up her nose.
She rolled her eyes in an effort to examine her surroundings what she saw was Frankenstein’s Monster. There were ivs sticking out of her from all parts with yet another tube through her right clavicle. Later she found out that it was where the medics injected the antibiotics. In the mean time she could glimpse the additional tubes sticking out of her stomach. It was explained that these were in place so as to drain the liquids from the stomach cavity; it eventually drained into bags hanging at the side of the bed. Ughh! It was hers but … Ughh!
The inspection confirmed her initial thoughts… she was dead. She sure as hell would not call this life!
Attached to her chest to keep track of her every move voluntary and involuntary were countless electrodes to monitor heartbeat, blood pressure, and God knew what else… yep voluntary and involuntary motions. To complete the Bride of Frankenstein electrodes were also attached to her head. She couldn’t see but she could feel that the electrodes were also attached to her ankles. At lest she hoped it was an electrode.
So! This is life! She thought. She wondered at how long she had to have been in a coma for her to deteriorate to this state. It had to have been while as everyone seemed to be making the effort not to tell what her eyes were begging. She was becoming irritated.
Every four hours two nurses gently rolled her over. It seemed to be a routine that had not started because she had woken up. This had been going on for a while… the action was too smooth. Well her body may be shriveled up but it seemed her mind was still sharp.
She didn’t know what she hated most. The pins and needles sticking out of her… the nurses turning her over or the nurses having to change bandages need, taking the soiled wads out and putting clean ones in. She decided they were all symptoms of her real distress… helplessness. She was at the mercy of everyone and their aid.
She didn’t know how long she’d been in that blasted coma, she didn’t know how long she had been awake but she sure as hell knew that it was going to take months to recuperated from this fall. Fall? Yeah… she’d fallen. She’d focus on that. If her mind was going to wander while her mouth was still too full to work she’d focus on her memories.
Something to do at last!
=================================
NINE MONTHS LATER - 0918 LOCAL
PRIVATE HOSPITAL, LOCATION: CLASSIFIED
Jared pushed the door to Lieutenant (JG) Althea Auguste’s room open. “Good morning Lieutenant.” He smiled.
She stared at him then finally relied “If you say so.”
“Ah not so happy to be alive.” He observed.
“Are you a doctor?” She snapped.
“I am today.” He smiled. He thought the reply was funny … she didn’t.
“Well you are or you aren’t.” she said.
“I’m Dr. Jared Toussaint.” He ignored her foul mood and looked at her file. “Says here that you will still need physical therapy.”
“Obviously.”
“Obviously.” He echoed. “Seems to me you also need some counseling … it’s a brand new world out there and we need to catch up.”
“What’s this we thing.”
“I too lost some time. That’s why I now specialize in cases where people loose time. Usually amnesia victims… but every now and then a former coma patient will do.”
She looked at him with a little more interest. “Really?”
“Mmmm. As we get to work together you’ll be surprised at the world out there.” He told her. “Interested?”
“Maybe.”
“Progress already.” He teased. “I’ll leave you for now… see you later.”
She nodded. This one seemed different to the other doctors who had been poking her since she awoke.
=================================
2008 LOCAL
MISS PARKER’S RESIDENCE
“What!” She snapped into the cell phone.
“Welcome home honey.”
“Jared” Angel Parker groaned.
“Happy to hear you too. By the way how was your trip?”
“What do you want this time?” She growled.
“Did you ever consider that your time at the Center as being lost? You know As The World Turns you miss the Day’s Of Our Lives.”
“I see someone has discovered Soap Operas?” she taunted.
“Soap … Opera.” This was a new concept to Jared. “He’d just thought of them as day time drams.”
She cut across him before the tirade of questions began. “You called for a reason?”
“Lost time. Miss Parker. Don’t spend too much time chasing me or staying at the Center. Lost time cannot be regained. Treat your time as a precious gem.” He hung up.
She shook her head. Jared got weirder with each call he made to her.
=================================
TWO DAYS LATER - 1430 LOCAL
PRIVATE HOSPITAL
Lt. (JG) Althea Auguste was wheeled into Jared’s office for her first session. “I thought you had changed your mind.” She accused.
“Never.” He assured her. “Nice to see the change in attitude.”
She shrugged. “Can’t fight fate.”
“But you can rage against it.” He pointed out. “How much do you remember? Do you remember the accident?”
“I am … was a Lieutenant Junior Grade on the USS Guadalcanal stationed to patrol Caribbean waters. I had shore leave coming to me so I took it and went mountain climbing…” she frowned in an effort to remember the events of thirty years ago. “I went with a friend… we… we had a guide.” She stopped.
“It’s ok. There’s no rush.” Jared assured her. “I am here to help and there is not timetable for this. We’ll move at your pace and no faster.”
She nodded, but she still continued to focus on the frayed memories.
=================================
2338 LOCAL
JARED”S RESIDENCE
Jared popped a sweet into his mouth. “Did you know that soap operas had nothing to do with either soap or the opera?” he said to Sydney.
The relationship between Sydney and himself had developed beyond that of ringmaster and caged beast. Sydney had become his protector … dare he admit it? Even surrogate father. Now he was talking with the older man about his latest obsession – lost time.
“Interesting.” Sydney replied.
“Yeah … Taylor … that’s one of the characters in Young and the Restless was kidnapped but now she’s back and has to catch up on all the events that she missed while she was gone.” He enthused.
“… and you identify with this character.” Sydney was always in an analysis mode.
“Syd no matter how long I elude the sweepers, no matter how much I learn about this world even if I find my family … I will never gain that lost time.” He replied, “You think the Center can ever give me that back?”
“Every one’s memories and experiences are different Jared… as are yours.” Sydney tried to ease his pain.
“The hell you say!” Jared shouted. “You and Miss Parker and Brootes may choose to stay there I had no choice in the matter!” suddenly he said “Gotta run.” He hung up the phone.
=================================
1020 LOCAL
THE CENTER
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE
Angel Parker walked into the office of Sydney unannounced. Used to her abrupt ways he simply waited for her to indicate the reason for her visit. She got straight to the point. “Pack your bags boys we are on the move.”
“Jared?” Brootes asked nervously. Brootes may be the tech wizard at the Center but he feared everything including his shadow and especially Miss Parker.
She gave him a vampire smile “No. There is more to life than Jared. A sleeper has awakened.”
“Sorry?” Sydney said.
Parker sighed. “We had a Pretender Althea stationed on the USS Guadalcanal… thirty years ago she had an accident and went into a coma. The Center had been monitoring her condition. She’s now awake. We have to go get her.”
“Why didn’t the Center just take her into custody from the get go?” Brootes asked nervously.
“Next time I meet a member of the Triumvirate I’ll ask.” She sneered. “Now move!”
=================================
SAME TIME
JARED”S RESIDENCE
The nurse had argued with Jared “Dr. Toussaint … Lt. Auguste cannot leave yet!”
But he was resolute in his decision. “Nurse… “ He read the tag. “Nurse Turner… I am discharging the Lieutenant and taking her into my care.”
Now they were relatively safe.
“Why the sudden move?” Althea asked.
He took a gamble and told her the truth. If it proved to be a mistake he could be out of the state in record time. “I did some research on you. It’s amazing on what one can find on the Internet.”
“Internet?” she repeated.
“One of the latest inventions to rock our world. It’s a global network of computers that allows you to access information on anything. And I do mean anything. In your case the Internet has revealed a number of red flags regarding you.”
She was silent.
“For example before you joined the USS Guadalcanal you didn’t exist… like Athena you appeared full grown.” He passed and waited for her response.
She fidgeted she was at the mercy of this man and she was still an invalid. Thirty years of inaction had reduced her to such. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“I understand far more than you suspect. You’re a Pretender… and you obviously are not suffering much on the area of memory loss.”
She gasped and her eyes narrowed. “What do you know… you’re a Pretender too!”
“The question is are you are willing pawn in the plans of the Center?” He responded.
She had her answer. “Why do you think the murder was attempted?”
“What murder?” He asked.
She was becoming agitated. “It came back to me recently like it was yesterday.” She chuckled “Well actually for me it was yesterday.” She got sober. “I didn’t slip off that mountain… I was pushed.”
Jared relaxed slightly. “I suspected your connection to the Center the reason I removed you from Bethesda… they will know by now that you are awake. Parker will probably be the one to come looking for you.”
“Mr. Parker?” She was surprised.
“MISS” he informed her. “The daughter and the more deadly of the two.”
“God someone more deadly than Parker.” She groaned.
He was grim. “We need to talk about this **accident ** of yours.”
She nodded.
=================================
1340 LOCAL
PRIVATE HOSPITAL
Nurse Turner had the misfortune to be spotted by Miss Parker “You!” She snapped “Which room to Lt. Auguste?”
“You family?”
Parker snorted “Not hardly.”
Sydney tried to smooth over matters. “Concerned friends.”
The nurse scanned them. She was uncomfortable but the tall brunette scared her so she replied, “Dr. Toussaint took her away two days ago.”
“Dr. Toussaint.” Parker pounced on the name.
“Yes Dr. Jared Toussaint.” Nurse Turner explained.
“Thank you.” Sydney said as he followed Parker who was already halfway down the hallway to the elevator.
As they descended she said “JARED Toussaint and ALTHEA Auguste. Want to bet that the two Pretenders have found each other?”
“Coincidence Parker.” Sydney warned.
“Don’t believe in it.” She replied.
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2355 LOCAL
MISS PARKER’S HOTEL ROOM
“What!” Parker gave her usual reply into the cell phone ring.
“Oh did I wake you?” Jared’s voice came through.
“Talk.” She ordered.
“Why would the Center want to kill a Pretender? After all they want to catch me… not kill me.” He speculated.
She gave him the answer she had given to Brootes days before “Next time I meet a member of the Triumvirate I’ll ask.”
“Tut! Tut! Tut! Miss Parker be nice your ulcer demands it.” He mocked.
“Is there a point to this call?” She demanded.
“I just wanted to let you know that I am here and that we will catch the assassin you hired.” He hung up.
She flung the phone across the room and tried to go back to sleep.
+ + +
Brootes opened his room door and Parker swept in. She ignored his Flintstones boxer shorts and began to rattle orders.
One hour later Sydney joined them; he had an instinct when Parker was on the move. “What’s happening?”
“We are going to find out why we are try to catch a Pretender while another was targeted for elimination.” She snarled.
“…and any progress?”
“Well…” Brootes said. “…for one thing she was young. She was only twenty when the order went out. Seems she was defective.”
“Defective?” Sydney asked hoping for more information.
Parker paced. “No such thing. The Center always finds a use for it’s **people** look at Angelo.”
“… what it says here.” Brootes insisted.
“Look at Kyle. They killed him.” Sydney pointed out.
She made no comment to that but instead focused in Brootes. “What else does that thing of yours say?”
That though the kill was not complete the result was satisfactory as she was in a coma.” He read off the screen.
“Any mention of the killer by name?” Sydney inquired.
“Nope.” Brootes replied.
Parker was not happy. “Grrr!” She said as she walked out of the room.
=================================
SAME TIME
JARED”S RESIDENCE
Althea slept.
Jared worked.
Brootes may be a computer wizard but he was no match for Jared. As Brootes surfed the intranet that was The Center Jared followed on his own computer screen. Once Brootes had shut down Jared continued the probe.
It took some time but he found what he was looking for.
=================================
2028 LOCAL
MISS PARKER’S RESIDENCE
Parker dropped her bag on the nearest chair and herself on the sofa. It had been another wild goose chase. She’d face her father and brother in the morning all she needed now was the strength to get up and head to the bath for a soak.
The phone rang.
“What!” She said lackadaisically.
“Now is that any way to greet a fellow Center inmate?” Jared replied.
“Jared I’m tired make it short.” She mustered her strength to stand and head for the bathroom.
“Ah time… the elusive element. As elusive as your Pretenders, which of us will you chase now, Miss Parker?” He asked.
“Even that answer should be obvious to you.” She replied and switched the tap on.
“A bath… just what the doctor ordered.” He heard the water running.
She poured bubble bath in. “There is a point to the call. I assume.”
“Not all killers are Center bred.” He hung up.
She looked at the phone “Now what did he mean by that?” she placed the phone on the sink counter, stripped and slipped into the hot tub, too content to bother with Jared at that moment.
=================================
ONE WEEK LATER - 1110 LOCAL
THE CENTER
BLUE COVE, DELAWARE
Brootes came dashing in clutching a package. “For Miss Parker.”
She snatched it and ripped it open. A red notebook fell out together with a copy of the Washington Post. The headline shouted at her: “ADMIRAL MORRIS ACCUSED OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.”
She bundled up the newspaper and flung it across the room.
THE END
