Table of Contents [Report This]
Disclaimer: The Pretender and the characters of Jarod, Miss Parker, Sydney, Broots, Brigitte, Mr. Lyle, Sam, Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines are the property of NBC. No copyright infringement is intended.
Full Circle
Gillian
Pike’s Market
Seattle, Washington
Jarod walked through Pike’s Market in downtown Seattle. He stopped at the fish shops where the vendors threw the daily catch out at the customers. Man he loved Seattle! Briefly, he wondered if Miss Parker had ever been here and if she would like it as much as he did. That thought quickly passed when he felt two strong hands on his shoulders and a gun pressed into his back.
"Walk." The man said. Jarod obeyed. They pushed him out of the marketplace and into a black limousine where Jarod felt a needle prick his upper arm.
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Daddy, you wanted to see me?" Miss Parker asked, allowing the heavy glass doors to slide shut behind her. She scowled as she noticed Raines cowering in a corner. Why the hell can’t he stand in daylight like the rest of us? She leaned forward and gave her father a perfunctory kiss on the cheek.
"Sit down." Mr. Parker motioned to a chair across from his. Miss Parker sat down; dreading what she knew was about to come. "It seems, that Jarod is now in the hands of some competitors." Mr. Parker said. Miss Parker did all she could to keep her mouth from dropping open. She quickly regained her composure when she realized someone else had captured Jarod. Damn! Her father tossed her a file. She opened it and her eyes widened as she saw the photograph on the top. Jarod was strapped to a chair with electrodes attached to his head. He had obviously been drugged – she could tell by his eyes – and had cuts and bruises all over his face.
"Oh my God," Miss Parker whispered. This was Jarod she saw before her. "Who did this?" She asked, looking up at her father.
"Our friends in Moscow." He replied. Moscow? She thought. Mr. Parker noticed her confused expression and continued. "There is an organization there whose objectives are similar to our own. Most of their research is with paranormals – those damn Russians love a good telepath. They’ve been aware of our Pretender Project. Somehow they found out about Jarod’s escape and they caught him. And you are going to get him."
"Me?" Miss Parker asked. They’re sending me to Russia? Her stomach tightened. Something about this whole situation was wrong.
"You will leave immediately. Alone."
"Alone? Daddy, what if I just take Sam?" Now her stomach was in a knot.
"No!" Mr. Parker boomed as he slammed his fist down on his desk. "Jarod is your responsibility and yours alone. You will go. You will not tell anyone – not even Sydney – about this." She nodded as tears filled her eyes. Damn, I can’t cry – not here. She took a deep breath.
"Of course Daddy. Whatever you say." She managed to squeak out. Just get Ratboy and come back. Then you’re free.
"That’s my girl. You will take one bag – pack warm, the facility is located in Siberia. I will have someone send you a change of clothes for Jarod within the hour. Your itinerary is on your desk, as is your passport. Do not speak anything but Russian. No one is to know you are an American. You will stay at an apartment leased in the name on the passport." Mr. Parker stood up and walked around the desk. Miss Parker stood up as well. He put his hand on her shoulder and tilted her head up. "Be careful, Princess. These are very dangerous people. Trust no one." He gave her a small smile and a wink. "You’d better get going."
Miss Parker walked out of her father’s office stunned. What was going on here? Why the cloak and dagger? What had Jarod…Jarod. Miss Parker closed her eyes and saw the image of Jarod’s bruised body. As much as he was a pain in her ass, she still didn’t want to see him hurt. Somewhere, deep inside her, lay the compassion her mother possessed. Miss Parker took a deep breath. It is now my responsibility to rescue Jarod from whatever hell he’s in….and then bring him back here . Damn! She put her hand on her stomach. I’m going to need a refill on my pills.
"Miss Parker! Miss Parker!" Broots ran down the hall to catch up with her. She kept on walking and he walked beside her. "Miss Parker."
"What?" She growled.
"I’ve got a line on Jarod. It seems he’s been in Seattle. See, I was running a random search through some databases and…"
"Broots, I don’t care what you think you found." She kept walking.
"But, Miss Parker…it’s Jarod. I thought you’d at least want to check it out."
"Look, if you want to fly all the way to Seattle to hunt down Ratboy, do it yourself. I have more important things to do."
"Oh, like what?" Sydney asked, catching the last bit of the conversation as they walked through the door. Miss Parker folded her arms, turned and stared at Broots. He fidgeted.
"Out!" Miss Parker yelled, shoving him out the door.
"Miss Parker! What is the matter with you?" Sydney asked. He had seen some outrageous behavior from her in the past, but this…
"I can’t talk about it, Syd." Miss Parker collapsed into his desk chair, and burying her head in her hands.
"Is this about Jarod?" He asked, kneeling down in front of her. She looked up into his caring eyes. Why couldn’t he have been my father? She nodded.
"He’s not in Seattle?" Sydney asked. Miss Parker shook her head in confirmation. "He’s in some sort of danger?" Miss Parker nodded her head. "You’re in danger too?"
"I think so," she whispered. Sydney cupped her face with his hands.
"Be safe." He said and kissed her forehead. Miss Parker looked into his eyes and saw the conviction behind his words. She nodded and allowed the tears to spill from her eyes. He’d always been so kind to her. Especially since her mother died. Momma. Miss Parker closed her eyes. ‘Be nice to Jarod’, she had told her one day. ‘He’s a very lonely little boy who needs a friend like you’. Yeah, some friend I turned out to be.
"I have to go." Miss Parker pushed past Sydney and headed for her office.
Miss Parker’s cabin
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker opened the passport the Centre had given her. ‘Olga Smirnov’? No thank you. You want me to go in cognito, she thought, well that’s just what I’ll do. ‘Trust no one’ he said. Two can play that game. Miss Parker opened the floor safe hidden under the couch. She pulled out a dozen or so passports – passports the Centre had no knowledge about, passports that would one day be her ticket out.
Here we go, Miss Parker thought as she pulled a passport from the stack. ‘Iliana Komorov’. She picked up another ‘Mariko Thomas’, and another ‘Bianca Donovan’. She packed the new passports in her bag and put the Centre issue passport in her safe. Now, for the ticket. Miss Parker made a few phone calls and soon she had a different ticket on a different airline under a different name.
The doorbell rang just as she was finishing packing. Sam had brought long underwear, heavy pants, shirts, boots and a jacket for Jarod. She took the clothing from him and slammed the door in his face. Miss Parker had to do some rearranging to make his clothes fit in with hers. Finally she finished and headed out the door.
Olga Smirnov’s Apartment
Novosibirsk, Russia
Miss Parker had wanted to call her good friend Vasily in Moscow the second she arrived, but she took her fathers words seriously and decided to go it alone. Not that Vasily couldn’t have helped her. He had many black market connections, but she couldn’t afford to take advantage of him this time. It was too bad, really, she could have used a little recreation at that point of her journey. Oh well. Time for recreation after Jarod’s back where he belongs and I’m back where I belong. Instead she focused on her mission. The apartment in Moscow contained a folder instructing her to take a train to Novosibirsk to attain the blue prints to the facility she was to infiltrate. Miss Parker had searched the entire apartment – not that there was much to search – and came up empty. Obviously The Tower had intended her to locate the blue prints on her own.
Miss Parker took her clothes off and started the shower. She stepped in and allowed the hot water to wash off the dirt and grime that came along with two days of traveling. Jarod is probably dead by now, she thought. The image of Jarod’s broken body entered her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut. No, Jarod is alive. But not for long , the little voice inside her said. She rarely listened to it, but this time she trusted it – she had no choice.
The water turned cold and Miss Parker abruptly shut it off. She stepped out and allowed her body to drip dry. First thing, was to find another place to stay. She didn’t trust ‘Olga Smirnov’ any more than she trusted Raines. Second, was to locate the blueprints. But where? She had no clue where this "facility" was located, much less who designed the damn place. Damn that Jarod! If he had only stayed where he belonged, I wouldn’t be in this nightmare. You know he didn’t belong at the Centre. Sydney was right, Jarod should have had a normal life. There’s still a chance. You can rescue him. No. Get him out, then bring him home. Then I can have a normal life. Think, Parker. What would Jarod do?
Facility Six
Yakutsk, Russia
Jarod opened his eyes. He could see blurred silhouettes of people hovering over him. He tried to move. Either he was too drugged or tied down because every inch of his body felt like lead. Where am I, he thought. Is this The Centre? He could hear something faint. Somebody was speaking. It wasn’t English. What was it? He strained to hear. Something about losing track of somebody in Novosibirsk. They were angry. It was not going according to plan. Russian! That’s what it was. Russian. They were speaking Russian…Jarod felt a prick on his arm and everything went black.
Hotel
Novosibirsk, Russia
Miss Parker opened the envelope her father had given her at their last meeting. ‘The Russian facility is located in Yakutsk in the Eastern Siberian Uplands. The Russians attained Jarod in Seattle on 16 January. We believe he is being held in the lower levels of the Yakutsk facility’.
The Russian facility…the Yakutsk facility…the facility is located…That’s it! Miss Parker jumped up from her chair. It’s called The Facility. Of course, how could I be so dense. The Centre The Facility …these people are notorious for nondescript names, which is what makes them so obvious. Time to pay a visit to the Admiral.
Admiral Padorin’s Cottage
Novosibirsk, Russia
Miss Parker stood up as Admiral Yuri Padorin entered the room. He was a handsome man – 6’0", dark hair, eyes you could become lost in. Miss Parker briefly remembered the long, hot college summer they spent together – long walks in Moscow, long evenings at his estate. He took her hand and lightly kissed it.
"You are looking quite well, Parker," He said, allowing his eyes to travel the length of her body, stopping briefly at her tight fitting, low cut top.
"As are you, Admiral," she returned, favoring him with her most seductive smile. He leaned in and kissed her hard on the lips. She returned the kiss eagerly and when they parted, he left her wanting more – just like the old days.
"So what brings you this far away from Blue Cove?" He asked. Miss Parker took a deep breath and tried to gather herself after that kiss.
"Would you believe I finally took a vacation?" She said. Yuri roared.
"Vacation! You? You are all work and no play, Parker."
"No play?" She asked, unbuttoning his dress shirt. Yuri grabbed her hands to stop her.
"Even when you are playing, you are working." He forced her hands off his body. "Parker, you are enticing. Just the way I remember you. You have an air of mystery around you – an air of sadness." He tilted her head up and forced her to gaze into those incredible brown eyes. She felt her heart quicken with desire. "No, I will sleep with you. You are far too talented for me to waste an opportunity. But first, you must tell me what you are doing in Novosibirsk."
"I am looking for a secret research center known as The Facility. I need the blue prints." Miss Parker told him. Echoes of her fathers last words played in her mind, but she chose to ignore them. Yuri was the only one who could get her what she needed.
"The Facility, eh?" Yuri nodded slowly. "Yes I have heard of it. Perhaps I can be of assistance. But you must tell me, why is it you are so interested in The Facility?"
"They have something I need. Something that belongs to the Centre." She told him. She shifted her legs so Yuri got a full view of what he would later enjoy.
"I will not ask you more. Your eyes betray you, Parker. You are looking for someone, no? Someone in your heart, no? Do not answer. Come, we will go to bed now. You will give me what I need tonight, I will give you what you need tomorrow." Yuri stood up and took her hand. She hesitated, only for a moment. Although Miss Parker had little qualms about using her body to get what she wanted, this felt to be too much in his favor. He had taken control, leaving her to sit there like a teenager with her first lover. Damn him! But then, she looked up into his big brown eyes and surrendered to him, just as she had in the past.
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"She is not doing what you said she’d do!" Lyle practically screamed in frustration. This was one contract he could not afford to blow. After the Tanaka fiasco, The Tower had little confidence in him and this was his only chance to redeem himself. Unfortunately he had to involve Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines. He had no choice. Mr. Parker assured him his daughter would behave according to the plan, and three days into the mission, she’d already deviated. "You said she would contact Vasily Ivanovich. He was supposed to provide her with the blue prints – the fake blue prints! We lost her for a day and a half. She’s not even staying at the apartment you set up, hell she didn’t even fly under the name you provided. This was supposed to have gone off without any complications. It’s all your fault, you and you’re little ‘trust no one’ advice – what the hell do you think this is, the X-files!" Lyle was frantically pacing Mr. Parkers office.
"My daughter is doing her job! She went into this mission knowing nothing of the circumstances. She thinks she is there to rescue Jarod and bring him back. She is using all her resources to accomplish that." Mr. Parker said calmly. Good for her for following his advice. She was a smart girl. Maybe, just maybe, she’d even come out of this alive.
"But she’s using the wrong resources. You told me she knew Vasily. That she knew about his black market connections. That she would go to him . Now my sources tell me she spent the night with Admiral Yuri Padorin. Padorin isn’t in on it. Padorin doesn’t have the phony blue prints. Padorin has the real blue prints." They just didn’t understand, or perhaps didn’t care, that this mission had to go according to plan.
"You…are in charge of this…project," Raines wheezed. "You should have planned on…Miss Parker going…her own way."
"I planned on you two being able to control her." Mr. Lyle turned and walked out.
Hotel
Novosibirsk, Russia
Miss Parker packed the last of her belongings in her suitcase. She had spent the evening going through the motions of an enthusiastic and ardent lover, but the real desire wasn’t there and although she left with the blueprints, she also left frustrated – something which had been happening all too frequently. After she woke up in Yuri’s arms, dressed and left, she found the blue prints waiting for her on the table with a note. ‘Things may not be what they seem. Trust no one.’ She knew she was in some sort of trouble, but what, she didn’t know.
Miss Parker spent the remainder of the morning going over the blue prints of Facility Six in Yakutsk. She booked passage on a railroad that would take her to Svobodnyy, then she would have to find some sort or car to take her to Yakutsk. That would mean a full day traveling and she wasn’t sure if she – if Jarod – had that much time to waste.
Facility Six
Yakutsk, Russia
Jarod opened his eyes. His vision had not improved since the last time he woke up. Maybe it wasn’t his eyes that weren’t working, maybe it was his brain. He heard different voices this time – still speaking Russian. He closed his eyes and concentrated. They were talking about someone…Parker. He heard the name Parker. What does Mr. Parker have to do about all this – is he here? No, wait. They said she. It’s Miss Parker they’re talking about. The mission was not going according to plan…improvise…Lyle, he heard the name Lyle, and The Tower. What else? Not to fail…must achieve objectives…terminate Jarod and Parker. Terminate! They were going to kill Miss Parker! He had to get out. Jarod squirmed, or tried to. He was tied down to an examination table – or rather tied up, since he was up-right. Quickly his fuzzy brain tried to make sense of what he just heard. Miss Parker was on her way. Why? To get me, of course and take me back to The Centre. But if Lyle and the Russians are communicating, then the Russians know about her. Lyle is working with the Russians. No, The Centre is working with the Russians. They said The Tower. The Tower issued a termination order on Miss Parker and Lyle arranged for the Russians to execute her – and me. I have to stop her from coming. I have to get out.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" A female voice asked Jarod . He struggled to focus on her, but she quickly placed some kind of drops in his eyes and he couldn’t see a thing. "You are awake, no?"
"Miss Parker…help…" He managed to get out. "Have to warn…"
"I don’t think so, Jarod. When your Miss Parker shows up, I assure you, she will be quite dead. As will you, I might add."
"No…Miss Parker…have to…" Jarod felt yet another prick in his arm and the voice vanished.
Military Convoy
En route from Svobodnyy to Yakutsk
Thanks to Yuri, Miss Parker was able to hitch a ride with the Russian army headed to Yakutsk for maneuvers. The train ride had been long, but uneventful. She spent the time strategizing and planning her infiltration. The task she now knew was much more dangerous than she thought. What had Yuri meant by ‘things may not be what they seem’? And what was the ‘trust no one’ all about. Both Yuri and her father said that to her. Were they trying to warn her of some specific danger? This entire mission was not what it seemed and it made Miss Parker wish she had remembered to get a refill on her ulcer pills. She took a deep breath. Jarod, she thought. She had to focus on getting Jarod out. No matter how much he annoyed her and how much she thought she hated him, remembering images of his beaten and drugged body brought tears to her eyes. Was he still alive? Yes. She knew deep down in her soul he was alive – but barely, and how much longer did he have? He was alive and that was all that mattered. Yuri was wrong, she wasn’t searching for someone close to her heart, she was searching for someone in her soul .
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"You told Padorin…about the plans?" Raines asked.
"Of course I did!" Mr. Parker hissed back at him. They had to keep their voices low for fear of eavesdroppers. "It’s bad enough I had to send my daughter into the lions den, knowing she would never return."
"Maybe…she will."
"If she does, she’s dead anyway. You saw to that?" Mr. Parker asked. Raines nodded.
"Good. Call Sydney. Tell him that Miss Parker died in a plane crash in Brazil. He knows about our operations there and about her former involvement in them. He’ll buy it. Tell him the funeral is tomorrow."
Hotel
Yakutsk, Russia
Miss Parker looked at herself in the cracked mirror. She was wearing the skin-tight black body suit she bought in Novosibirsk. Her hair was pulled back into a french braid – style she hadn’t worn in years, ever since her mother…Stop it, Parker! She reprimanded herself. Focus. Remember the plan. Her stomach tingled in an irritating reminder that she did not have her medication. She closed her eyes and saw her mother. She was so beautiful. Jarod needs you.. Miss Parker nodded involuntarily. She opened her eyes and finished dressing and soon no one would suspect she was anything but a village woman in Siberia. She gathered her bag and left.
The Tower
Blue Cove, Delaware
"And where is Miss Parker now, Mr. Lyle?" The woman asked. Lyle fidgeted in his seat.
"She is in Yakutsk. Where she should be." He answered, feigning confidence. The woman nodded.
"How do you know she in is in Yakutsk? My sources indicate you lost track of her after she left the cottage of Admiral Padorin." A man asked. Lyle began to sweat. How did they know about Padorin?
"I know she needed to get to Yakutsk to retrieve Jarod. Why would I think she would be anyplace else?" Lyle answered, knowing that his response would not be good enough.
"Mr. Lyle, your outline of the plan indicated that Miss Parker was to rendezvous with one Vasily Ivanovich. My sources tell me she didn't. Your plan mentioned nothing about Padorin, in fact, I know that her contact with Padorin was contrary to your objectives. Miss Parker has done everything opposite of what you predicted. What makes you so certain she is where she is supposed to be?" The man asked.
"Sir, Miss Parker has a history with Jarod, you are all aware of that. No matter what her current relationship with him may be, I believe she would not turn her back on him when he’s in danger."
"And what do you base your conclusion on, Mr. Lyle?" The woman asked. "You have no authority in the area of human behavior. Also, you have had very little contact with Miss Parker and thus little opportunity to know her. How can you possibly predict her motivations and her movements?"
"Uh, from talking with her. And with those around her – Sydney, her father, Raines. They have all known Miss Parker since she was a girl. They all know the history between her and Jarod. They believe she would not turn her back on him – even to save herself."
"You better hope you are right," The man said. "For your sake."
Facility Six
Yakutsk, Russia
Miss Parker had easily disabled the security system – too easily. It should have been harder. She moved quickly through the ventilation system toward the room she believed Jarod might be in. That was a big might, though. The blue prints indicated several rooms on sub-level nineteen in which Jarod might be in. Hopefully she had guessed the right one. If not, she would have to check the other rooms and that would cost time.
She had poured through the blue prints on the train, on the convoy, and in her hotel room. She knew every inch of the place backward and forward. She knew the only way to get where she thought she needed to go was to enter through an abandoned maintenance hatch on the north end then find the entrance to the ventilation shafts. The ventilation system was a confusing maze of twists, turns and dead ends. Miss Parker only hoped her photographic memory was working.
Miss Parker peered through the slats of the vent. She saw a tray with medical supplies – syringes, vials of liquids she guessed were what they had been drugging Jarod with. She twisted her head to the left to try to see in the far corner. There! She almost cried out loud. She saw Jarod – he was strapped to an up right examination table and out cold. Miss Parker kicked the vent cover off and jumped down into the room. She ran over to where Jarod lay.
"Jarod, Jarod," She whispered, trying to rouse him. He stirred, but his eyes did not open. "Jarod, Jarod!" Miss Parker shook him harder. He had to wake up! There was no way she could get him out in this state. You don’t have much time, Parker. I know that, dammit! She didn’t need her little voice to remind her. She unbuckled the restraints holding Jarod and his limp body collapsed on top of her. "Jarod. Jarod, you have to help me. I can’t get you out by myself."
"Parker…have to.." Jarod mumbled. Miss Parker caught her name.
"Yes, Jarod, it’s me. I’m going to get you out of here, but you have to wake up." She put her hand behind his neck to support his head. Slowly his eyes opened.
"Who…who?" he asked.
"Jarod, it’s me. We have to get out of here. Wake up!" She slapped him lightly on the cheek when she noticed his eyes start to close again. He opened his eyes.
"Can’t see…Have to…Miss Parker…trap." Jarod slumped back down and closed his eyes. Damn! He’s so out of it, Miss Parker thought. She looked around the room, searching for something that might help her. She looked over the syringes on the tray. One was labeled as a stimulant. Yes! This was it. She took the syringe over to Jarod and tapped the air bubbles out. Quickly she injected the stimulant in his arm and tossed the syringe aside.
"Jarod, Jarod!" She shook him a bit harder this time. He had to wake up. Time was running out and…
"Who…?" Jarod mumbling, opening his eyes. This time there was some semblance of alertness.
"Jarod. Get up," Miss Parker helped him sit up again. "We have to go."Hurry.
"I can’t see," He told her.
"That’s okay. Hold on to me Jarod. We have to hurry." Miss Parker grabbed him around the waist and helped him stand up. Get out now, Parker.
"Who…who are you?"
"Jarod, it’s me." Miss Parker answered in a soft voice. Had his memory been affected too?
"Miss Parker?" He asked.
"Yes. Let’s go." Hurry.
"No. Hurt you…it’s a trap." Jarod’s mind was racing with what he had discovered, but he couldn’t make his mouth obey.
"No, Jarod, they hurt you . Now let’s go." Miss Parker pushed a chair under the vent and helped Jarod climb in. Luckily the vents were as large here as they were at the Centre or they never would have made it.
Control Room, Facility Six
Yakutsk, Russia
"She did not use the south entrance." The woman grumbled. This entire mission had been a disaster from the beginning.
"Lyle said she had deviated." The man answered.
"Yes, but now she has a legitimate chance of escape."
"I thought you fixed that problem?" The man asked.
"Yes, but this Miss Parker is very smart, no? She could have found her way around it." The woman leaned in to look at the monitor. "There," she pointed to the image of Miss Parker half pushing Jarod through the ventilation system. "Send a team to retrieve them." The man ran out of the room.
Ventilation Shaft, Facility Six
Yakutsk, Russia
"Jarod, you have to hurry." Miss Parker said pushing Jarod back out the way she came in. At least she hoped it was the right way. She was crawling behind Jarod and had to keep turning around to check behind her. It would be easy to get turned around in a place like this. "No Jarod, go right." They crawled along until they found another fork in the vents. "Stop." Which way? She looked to the right, then to the left. They looked the same. Each was a long corridor of vents with a fan at the end. Damn! Miss Parker closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. Which way?
"Miss Parker…Miss Parker," Jarod whispered.
"Shhhh. I’m trying to figure which way to go."
"Miss Parker, you’d better figure it out fast. I hear foot steps." He told her. Her eyes flew open. Yes. She heard them too. They were getting closer. She looked again down the shafts. Which way, dammit? Left.
"This way," She pushed Jarod to the left and they crawled faster through the shafts, trying not to notice that the foot steps were becoming faster and closer.
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Sydney stared at the casket being lowered into the hole in the ground, unable to believe that it really was Miss Parker inside. Or rather not actually inside, but symbolically. Mr. Raines had called him to inform him Miss Parker was involved in a plane crash in South America two days ago. Her body had not been found, but they had found her square ring she wore on her index finger. He sat in her office all night in shock – a million thoughts raced through his mind. Foremost on that list was the thought that it was all a rouse – that Miss Parker had not died in that crash. Watching Mr. Parker go through the motions of a funeral convinced him.
The casket rested in the hole next to Mrs. Parker’s. If Miss Parker were dead, this is where she would want to be buried. Sydney heard Little Debbie sobbing softly next to him. He looked over and saw her clutching the copy of Little Women Miss Parker had given her. Broots put his arms around his daughter. Poor girl, Sydney thought. Just when she had found the much needed maternal role model…He looked up. I can’t be thinking of Debbie right now. Where is Miss Parker?
The Facility
Yakutsk, Russia
Miss Parker jumped out of the vent after Jarod. She looked up and saw the crooked smile of a man in a dark suit pointing a gun at her.
"Nowhere to run, Miss Parker," he told her in Russian.
"Leave her alone," Jarod said, stepping back so his body kept Miss Parker out of the line of fire. He still couldn’t see anything, but there was nothing wrong with his hearing. He silently thanked Sydney for making him perform the sim of the blind man. The man stepped closer and Jarod stepped back, pinning Miss Parker to the wall. "Your heroics, while a valiant effort, are ineffective, Jarod. Both of you will die. I can shoot you first, or her first. It makes no difference to me."
"No, I’m sure it doesn’t." Jarod responded. "But I have a proposition for you, or rather for The Facility."
"Sorry. I have been instructed to kill you." The man cocked his gun.
"The deal is," Jarod continued. "You let her go. In exchange I will agree to stay here and work for you. I’m sure you are well aware of my abilities."
"No deal."
"Jarod, what the hell are you doing?" Miss Parker hissed in his ear. He shook his head and put his hand up.
"Are you authorized to refute deals?" Jarod asked. The man leaned his ear against his lapel, listening to the instructions being dictated.
"Go on." The man said.
"It’s simple. You let Miss Parker go. And by that I mean, you let her live . No fair killing her upon release." Jarod wagged his finger at the man. "In exchange, I run simulations for you – for The Facility."
"Jarod are you crazy?" Miss Parker whispered. Trust him.
"You do simulations for us?" The man asked. Jarod nodded.
"All you have to do is let Miss Parker go." Jarod said. The man smiled, then started laughing.
"Interesting proposition, Jarod. Unfortunately the answer is no." He aimed and fired his gun at Jarod’s chest. Jarod had anticipated this response and he flung himself and Miss Parker to the ground just in time. Before the man had time to prepare to fire another shot, Jarod and Miss Parker were on their feet. Miss Parker kicked the man hard in the groin. He fell and dropped the gun. Jarod kicked the man in the stomach while Miss Parker grabbed the gun.
"Nowhere to run you son of a bitch." She pointed the gun at his head, aimed and fired once. The man slumped down, blood pouring from the wound. "C’mon," She grabbed Jarod and they ran out of the room and to the maintenance hatch she had entered through. "Jarod, help." She said, trying to unscrew it. He pushed her out of the way and opened the hatch. Frigid air blasted his face.
"Where are we?" He asked, climbing out.
"Siberia." She answered following him. "This way." Miss Parker led Jarod to where she had stashed her bag and took out their jackets. "Put this on," she said, helping him into his jacket.
Miss Parker’s cabin
Blue Cove, Delaware
Sydney unlocked the door and stepped inside. He stopped suddenly at the smell of her perfume and cigarettes. Oh Miss Parker, he thought, his eyes starting to mist. Sydney shook his head. She’s not dead, he tried to convince himself. He looked around. He saw the heels she had been wearing the last night he saw her on the floor near the door. How she ran around in those things he’d never know.
He looked around the living room. Something was wrong. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He rifled through the things on her coffee table – not much, just an ashtray, magazines she probably never opened…Wait a minute! Sydney looked up at the couch. It was crooked. That’s odd, he thought. Why would Miss Parker move her couch before leaving? Unless…Sydney strained to push the heavy couch away to reveal the small floor safe. A safe. He touched it, tried to turn the dial. It was locked. Sydney took his phone out of his pocket and hit the speed dial.
Road
Yakutsk, Russia
Miss Parker looked over at Jarod’s inert form. The stimulant she had given him must have worn off because he had been out for hours. She reached out and touched a red streak on his face. What was he trying to tell her? What was all that back there? The deal? He kept trying to convince them to let her go. Why? Did this have something to do with what her father and Yuri were trying to tell him?
She drove for hours. She knew she had to get out of Russia. They were in danger as long as they were in Russia. Her only hope was to head for Alaska. Unfortunately that would mean crossing the Verkhoyansk Mountains, the Cherskiy Mountains, the Gydan mountains as well as the Anadyr Range and she didn’t think either of them had the strength for that. They could possibly get a boat in Magadan, but that was still an awful lot of traveling.
"Trap...have to…Miss Parker…no…trap." Jarod mumbled, stirring. Miss Parker gently shook his shoulder and his eyes snapped open.
"Jarod,"
"What?" He asked, blinking rapidly.
"How…how are your eyes?" She asked.
"Well, instead of a big black blur, I see a big white blur." He rubbed his eyes and squinted, trying to see something of his surroundings. "They put some sort of drops in my eyes. It could be awhile before I regain my vision." Miss Parker nodded. "Where are we?"
"Siberia." She told him.
"Yeah, I know that. But where are we?" He asked, rolling his head to face her.
"We’re heading east. We have to get to Alaska." She told him.
"Miss Parker, we can’t go back to the Centre."
"Oh, you would just love that, wouldn’t you, Jarod?" She drawled. I need a cigarette. She drove faster.
"No Miss Parker. You don’t understand…"
"No Jarod, you don’t understand. I was sent to get you out of the Facility and bring you home."
"Miss Parker, you can never return to The Centre, To Blue Cove, to Delaware, even to The United States." Why couldn’t he make her understand?
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
"You were never meant to succeed. They were supposed to kill you, and me, at the Facility."
"Well, they didn’t and I can bring you home to Daddy." She was glad Jarod couldn’t see, because she knew her ambivalence was written all over her face. Was this what her father tried to warn her about?
"Oh, you just don’t get it do you?" Jarod shook his head in disbelief. "This whole thing was a charade. The Facility had been ordered to kill you by the Centre. Both of us."
"You’re lying." No he’s not.
"Miss Parker, I heard them. They were talking, I heard…I heard your name…and Lyle’s." Jarod tried to explain. He replayed the events in his mind, but he wasn’t sure if he got it right. "The Tower issued a termination order for you, for us . Lyle arranged an elaborate scheme to carry it out."
"That’s ludicrous, Jarod. Why would The Tower want me dead?"
"How about those rescued children you found out about? Or Kyle? You know about Raines’ experiments with Kyle. Or, that little maneuver you did against Tanaka?"
"What does that …?"
"Oh come on, Miss Parker, I took that money after you averted it to your fathers account. Don’t you think that certain people might be under the impression that we were working together ?" He turned his head and his eyes bore into her. "What about Fenigor?"
"That’s still crazy, Jarod." She said. Isn’t it?
"Call Sydney."
"What?"
"Call Sydney. I’m sure by now he’s returned from your funeral. If I know Daddy, I’ll bet they buried you next to your mother – just to send Sydney a message." He said. Perhaps his words were too harsh, but he knew she would never call Sydney unless she was really angry with him.
Miss Parker swerved the car and slammed on the brakes. The car skidded off the road and landed in a ditch. Miss Parker got out of the car and marched over to Jarod’s side and threw open the door. She grabbed his jacket and pulled him out of the car.
"You son of a bitch!" She swung and hit him hard in the mouth. Jarod fell down and Miss Parker was on top of him, swinging with blind rage.
"Jesus Christ, what the hell is the matter with you?" Jarod finally was able to wrench her off of him. She was breathing hard and tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"You arrogant bastard. You leave my mother out of it." She stormed off.
Miss Parker’s cabin
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Come in, come in," Sydney grabbed Broots’ elbow and ushered him and Debbie in.
"What’s this all about, Syd?" Broots asked as Sydney closed the door behind them. Sydney looked down at Debbie. She was still clutching that book Miss Parker had given her.
"I need you to open Miss Parker’s safe." Sydney whispered.
"Her safe?" Broots asked. "Why?"
"She’s not dead, is she Sydney?" Debbie asked. Sydney kneeled down and looked into her big blue eyes.
"I don’t think so."
"What? Sydney are you sure?" Broots asked.
"Pretty sure." Sydney answered, standing up. "She has a safe under that sofa. I noticed that the sofa had been moved. I need to look inside that safe. Will you help me?" Broots looked at Sydney, then looked at his daughter. She nodded.
"Uh, okay."
Broots left then returned with some equipment he needed to open Miss Parker’s safe. Once he had what he needed, it wasn’t too difficult to open. Sydney reached in and pulled out a passport.
"Oh my God," He whispered, looking at it. He handed it to Broots.
"What does it mean?" Broots asked, looking at the name.
"It’s Centre issue, and it’s Russian," Sydney explained. "That means The Facility is involved. Which translates into big problems for Jarod and Miss Parker."
"The Facility?"
"Sort of the Russian version of The Centre." Sydney said. "They do research similar to ours. Jarod must have been captured by The Facility and Miss Parker sent after him."
"Why?" Broots asked. "I mean, if they wanted her dead, why send her to Russia and fake a plane crash in South America?"
"I don’t know." Sydney answered.
"Daddy," Debbie said, her eyes wide. "Someone’s coming." Broots and Sydney jerked their heads up to see over the couch and through the window. They saw headlights outside.
"We have to go." Sydney said. "They’re after us now."
"Us?"
"Whatever they thought Miss Parker knew or was involved in, they must think we’re involved too. Broots, you and Debbie are going to have to come too. You can’t go back home." Sydney explained. He reached back into the safe and pulled out the rest of the contents – mementos from Miss Parker’s mother: a photograph of an infant Miss Parker in her mothers arms, and her mother looking up at some man Sydney didn’t recognize, Mrs. Parker’s hospital records, the DSA dated April 13, 1970, a box containing her mother’s wedding ring. Sydney grabbed all these things and guided Broots and Debbie out the back door and into the forest. Once away from the house, they heard an explosion. They turned around to see Miss Parker’s cabin engulfed in flames.
"Now we’re dead too." Debbie stated.
Road
Siberia
"Miss Parker?" Jarod called out. He heard her storm off. She wasn’t going to just leave him here…was she? "Miss Parker…Miss Parker!" He called emphatically. He couldn’t hear her footsteps anymore. Had she stopped, or was she too far? Jarod wasn’t sure. He deduced that she couldn’t be too far away. It was rather cold…but she was angry. Maybe her adrenaline was pumping and she...
"Are you coming, or are you just going to stand there and freeze to death?" She asked, touching his arm. He nearly jumped out of his skin at her touch. He put his other hand over hers. He could feel her shivering and could hear her teeth chattering. "Jarod?"
"I didn’t know if you were coming back." He told her.
"Yeah, well neither did I." She dropped her hand from him.
"I still can’t see."
"C’mon," Miss Parker held on to his elbow and guided him through the snow. "You know," she said. "Just because I came back doesn’t mean I believe you. And you’re still a bastard."
Inn
Siberia
Miss Parker and Jarod trudged through the snow for about an hour before they finally came to a mining town with lodging – and a phone. Both were exhausted. Miss Parker knew that if they didn’t find a place to stop soon, they’d both collapse. Jarod convinced Miss Parker to call Sydney and confirm what he, and she, knew to be true.
"Sydney?" Miss Parker had to shout into the receiver, the connection was so bad.
"Parker…th…you?" She heard him ask.
"Sydney, it’s me. Sydney, what’s going on there?"
"Where….?" He asked.
"Sydney, I’m in Russia. With Jarod. We’re in Siberia. What’s going on there?"
"…Dead…Tried to kill…Br...Debbie and I…Funeral yesterday…next to…mother…Your father…Lyle…deception…Kill you…Jarod." From the bits and pieces she got from Sydney, Miss Parker realized that Jarod had been telling the truth. She was dead. Tears spilled from her eyes and froze almost the instant they hit her cheek. She felt Jarod take the phone from her hands.
"Sydney?" He asked. "Sydney! It’s dead."
Hotel
New York City
Sydney turned off his cell-phone and breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive – they both were. And he was right about the passport – she was in Siberia. The Facility had to be involved. At least they were both alive and safe, for now at least. He looked up. Debbie stood in front of him.
"She’s alive," He whispered. She smiled and threw her arms around Sydney. "They both are," he told Broots, who was standing behind his daughter.
"I’m glad. But Sydney, what are we going to do?" Broots asked. It was a question that weighed heavily on Sydney’s mind ever since he opened that passport. What were they going to do?
"We’re fugitives now." Sydney told him. "We have to get out of the country."
"Sydney, are you sure, I mean…"
"They tried to blow us up, Broots. They want us dead just as much as they want Miss Parker and Jarod dead. I know it’s hard for you, with Debbie’s mother still…around."
"My mother’s not coming back." Debbie said, shaking her head.
"Oh, honey, when she straightens out, she’ll…" Broots started.
"No daddy. She’s not coming back. I know . If Sydney says we have to leave, then let’s leave." She said with conviction.
"Okay. Sydney, where are we going to go?" Broots asked.
"I don’t know. We have to go somewhere where the Centre won’t find us, but Jarod will."
Inn
Siberia
Miss Parker unbuttoned Jarod’s shirt and pushed it off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. A small smile flickered across her face when she felt his heart thumping. One thought entered her mind from the moment she heard Sydney say she was dead. Freedom. No more Centre, no more Raines. No more chasing Jarod. She was finally free to live her life as she wanted – with Jarod. She helped him into the large metal washtub. He was struggling to control his breathing. She took off her own clothes and slipped in the tub behind him. She picked up the sponge and soaked it under the hot water. Miss Parker put the sponge on Jarod’s shoulder and squeezed, washing off dried blood and dirt. She continued with his back, then reached around and washed his chest. His heart was racing and his breathing was heavy. She pressed her body against his back. Just to be so close to him, holding him, felt so…right. Jarod moaned. She moved her hands lower, massaging him.
"Miss Parker," Jarod whispered. Miss Parker put her hand over his lips.
"Don’t speak," she said as Jarod started kissing and nibbling her hand. She slid around him so they were face to face and straddled him. She put the sponge in Jarod’s hand. He soaked it under the water and placed it on her shoulder. He moved it lower and let it rest on her breast. He washed each breast slowly, touching and caressing them. Miss Parker gasped as he moved lower. His hands worked their way under the water and between her legs. Miss Parker shifted to allow him access. She began kissing his neck and face. Sensing they were both ready, she put her hands between their legs and guided him inside her. Jarod grabbed behind her neck and pulled her toward him. He kissed her on the mouth, his tongue working its way among her teeth and tongue. Water splashed out of the tub as they moved faster and faster. Miss Parker felt a warm sensation. She closed her eyes, moving faster and taking Jarod with her. The warm sensation intensified until her whole body exploded in ecstasy. Miss Parker opened her eyes. Jarod was close to hyperventilating. She felt him still inside her. She leaned in and kissed his neck and face and mouth. Jarod eagerly returned her kisses.
"Are you ready for more?" Jarod whispered, nibbling her ear. She nodded. He slowly pushed her off of him and got out of the tub. "Come on." He held out his hand and helped her out. She guided him to the small cot in the corner. It was made for one, but somehow she figured they would make it work. Miss Parker started kissing him, moving her hands lower and lower. "No." Jarod said. He knew what she was doing. This time, he would be in control. He made her lay down on the cot, under the warm blanket. He crawled in beside her. It was a tight fit, but that made it all the more exciting.
Jarod began kissing her neck, moving his fingers through her thick hair. She ran her fingers down his spine, pressing them into his flesh and pulling him down. His face moved lower to her breast. He tasted each nipple, rolling them around in his mouth, savoring the taste and feel of her.
He felt her heart pound as he nibbled the area around her nipple. She likes this, he thought, continuing. He bit down a little harder and Miss Parker let out a small scream. Jarod moved his mouth lower, licking and nibbling her stomach until he felt her hair tickling his chin. Miss Parker opened her legs and guided Jarod’s head between them. He kissed the inside of her thighs as Miss Parker massaged his hair and scalp. He moved his mouth until it was between her. He kissed her and licked her and nibbled her. Miss Parker screamed again when she felt his tongue dart inside her. She pushed his head in, wanting his whole body inside her.
"Jarod," she moaned. Jarod retraced the path he took back up to her lips. Miss Parker pulled him to her and kissed him, tasting her on his tongue. She spread her legs and wrapped them around his torso, pushing him down. He reached his hand down between them. Miss Parker arched her back, expecting him to thrust inside her. Instead, she felt him slowly glide inside. She gasped and bit his lip, tasting the sticky sweet blood. He moved deliberately, making every thrust count. Miss Parker hooked her arms through his shoulders, forcing his body even closer to hers. They moved faster and faster until they both came together and every nerve in their bodies felt like the fourth of July. Jarod kept kissing her – her mouth, her face, her neck, her ears. He stayed inside her after the moment had passed and felt her come again. Her pulsating skin felt like waves beating the shore. Jarod was hard again and he began thrusting faster and faster. With one last powerful thrust they both screamed with pleasure.
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Mr. Lyle, it seems that your plan to terminate Miss Parker and Jarod has failed. In fact, it has been a complete failure from the beginning." The woman said. Lyle wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. The woman couldn’t help but stare at his missing thumb.
"It’s just clear now that Miss Parker and Jarod have been working together for, uh, a long time. This is just, uh, a temporary setback. I, uh, assure you that, uh, the mission will be accomplished. Jarod and Miss Parker will die."
"What about the others? My sources tell me Dr. Green and Mr. Broots were not in Miss Parker’s cabin when it exploded." The woman said. How did they know about that ? "A minor detail that was not in your report of the incident."
"My team has just finished, uh, sifting through the wreckage. Uh, I just found out myself, uh, about their, uh, absence." Lyle stammered. He thought he had covered his tracks quite well.
"Mr. Lyle, let me be blunt." The woman continued. "You are on very shaky ground here. Two sensitive operations you were put in charge of have failed. You have one last directive – terminate Jarod, Miss Parker, Dr. Green and Mr. Broots. You have forty-eight hours." Lyle squirmed. "Mr. Lyle, I don’t think I need to remind you of the consequences should your third mission fail."
"No, you don’t." Lyle whispered, shuddering.
Inn
Siberia
Miss Parker opened her eyes. She felt Jarod’s body wrapped around hers and smiled. Last night was the most incredible night of her life – and that was saying a lot. It wasn’t that Jarod was good in bed – he was good, sensational even. They knew each other so well. Last night was a culmination of all the years of being forced together yet driven apart. They belonged together. And last night…Miss Parker darted her eyes around the room, straining to see if she heard what she thought she heard. There it was again. She was right. She jabbed Jarod in the ribs with her elbow and flung the covers off of them.
"Jarod, they’re here. We have to go." She said, putting on her underwear. Jarod sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Can you see?"
"Yeah, but it’s like I need glasses." He squinted at her as she pulled her sweater on over her head. They both froze as they heard a knock on the door a couple rooms down.
"Jarod…"
"I know, hurry." He jumped out of bed and threw on his clothes. Seeing that Miss Parker had their bag, he opened the window and they both climbed out. He grabbed her hand and they ran along the back of the rooms, hoping their pursuers would not detect them. They turned a corner and Jarod stopped. Gun fire exploded around them. Jarod dove behind the next building, taking Miss Parker with him.
"Now what?" She asked, breathless.
"You make a run for it. Go in those woods."
"Jarod, what…no." She said, realizing what he had planned. "I’m not leaving you. We go together or not at all." Her eyes began to fill with tears. She knew his plan was the only way out, but it only guaranteed the survival of one.
"Miss Parker, it’s the only way. I’ll be fine. Just go."
"No, you go. I’ll create the diversion and you run to the woods." The tears flowed freely now. She just had Jarod, she didn’t want to take the chance of losing him again.
"Miss Parker, I’m not going to argue with you. Just do it." He said, trying to pry her hands off his shoulders.
"Jarod, how will I find…"
"Go, Miss Parker. Go. I will find you. Go."
"I love you." She told him, kissing his mouth, not wanting to part.
"I know." Jarod said. Miss Parker grabbed the bag and ran into the woods. Almost instantly she heard another round of gun fire and felt like each bullet was tearing through her body.
Magadan
Siberia
Miss Parker ran through the woods, not looking back. She had wanted to turn right around and find Jarod, but her little voice told her to keep going. She had made it to Magadan in record time and hoped that Jarod would find her – if he was even alive. She had to believe he was. She didn’t want that one night to be it. She walked along the pier in a fog. Was he alive or wasn’t he? Her little voice wasn’t answering and she tried to focus on him, but her emotions clouded her thinking.
"Well, well, fancy running into you here." Miss Parker turned around at the sound of the familiar voice.
"What do you want?" She asked the grinning woman.
"Not so high and mighty, are you luv?" She pulled out her gun and aimed it at Miss Parker.
"Go ahead and shoot. Jarod’s dead. There’s nothing left for me." Miss Parker put down the bag and stood in the middle of the sidewalk. The pier was fairly deserted and the few people who were milling around thought it best to stay clear of other peoples business – especially when those other people were going around pointing high caliber weapons.
"It’s nothing personal, luv. Just business." Brigitte pulled back on the safety and put her finger on the trigger. A shot fired. Miss Parker stumbled back, expecting to feel a bullet rip through her heart. She didn’t.
"Are you okay?" Miss Parker heard someone say behind her. No she wasn’t okay, she was dead. Or at least she was supposed to be. Brigitte fired her gun…or did she? Miss Parker turned around.
"Jarod!" She whispered, flinging herself into his arms. She ran her fingers through his hair and over his face. "I thought you were…"
"I told you I would find you." He said as she smothered him with kisses.
"Don’t ever leave me." She said, holding his head in her hands and shaking it gently.
"Never." He said, holding her tight.
"I hate to break up this reunion, but we do need to go." Miss Parker stepped back at the sound of another familiar voice.
"Yuri?" She asked. She walked toward him, confused. "What…?"
"Your father sent me." He told her in her ear. "He told me to make sure you two were safe – well, that you were safe. Jarod I was supposed to kill."
"Why…"
"Your eyes Parker." He said. "Your eyes betrayed your love for another the first day we met. It wasn’t until recently I knew who that other was. True love, Parker, no?" Miss Parker nodded. "We must hurry. Brigitte wasn’t the only one they sent." Yuri led Miss Parker and Jarod to a military ship about to leave the harbor bound for Japan. Yuri said a few words to the Captain and turned to Miss Parker and Jarod. He shook hands with Jarod and Jarod boarded the ship.
"Yuri, I don’t…" Miss Parker started. He put his hand to her mouth to stop her.
"I know the other night, how shall I say? Your heart wasn’t in it?" Miss Parker chuckled and nodded.
"I’m sorry," she told him.
"Don’t be. One night with you is always worth it. Even if you do scream for another." He said, smiling as she turned bright red. "This is for you." He handed her a briefcase. She looked up at him confused. "In here lie all the truths you have been searching for."
"I don’t understand." She said, taking the briefcase from him.
"Parker, I will tell you something. Then I must go. My father was an American. Like you, he worked for The Centre. His last name was Fenigor."
Military Vessel
En route from Magadan to Japan
The first thing Miss Parker did after she and Jarod were taken to their room was open the briefcase. Inside was a red file with the familiar code word 'Prodigy' stamped on the front, a DSA dated April 12, 1970 and other files with various labels.
"Another Prodigy file." Miss Parker said, opening it. The file was much thicker than the ones she and Jarod had discovered. She read the file from page one to page one hundred thirty three, handing Jarod each page as she finished. "Oh my God, Jarod," she said after he read the last page. "It was a lie." Her eyes filled with tears. "My whole life was a lie. From conception. The Centre arranged the affair between my mother and my real father because they knew he had the Pretender gene, as did she. They separated my brother and I as an experiment. They knew about you, and had been planning on taking you when the time was right. They needed someone they could control from birth. My whole life was a lie, Jarod! An experiment. They just wanted to use me for their sick experiments. My father wanted to raise me to be just like him only better, a Pretender. There was only one thing that stood in his way. My mother. That's why he had her killed." She looked up at Jarod who had tears in his eyes, not so much for her pain as for what they discovered about him. "Jarod, I know Jacob wouldn't have shot her unless they were holding something terrible over his head. He was like Sydney, a good man."
"He was my father." Jarod said, still stunned from the discovery that Jacob willingly allowed his sperm to be used to fertilize Margaret Russells' eggs and produce Jarod and finally Kyle. Jacob was his father and Sydney was his uncle. He looked up at Miss Parker, helpless.
"Jarod, don't blame yourself. I don't." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed his forehead. "Blame the Centre. Blame my father. He's the one who did this to us. God I can't believe I wasted my entire life trying to gain his approval!" She stood up and crossed the room, her back to Jarod. "I hurt the people I care about most, the people who care about me, all for that son of a bitch. And he's the one who killed her, Jarod. Jacob may have pulled the trigger, but John Patrick Parker killed her because she was fucking up his little experiment! I was becoming too soft, he decided. I was becoming a decent human being and he couldn't have that, oh no."
"Parker…"
"No, no, couldn't have his little angel going around loving people and caring for people, could he? That would ruin his legacy. He took her from me!" She sobbed and turned around. "God, Jarod I loved her so much. I miss her so much it hurts inside everyday I can't be with her. And he did that! He did that! He killed her! He killed my mother, he killed her!" She was screaming and sobbing.
"Miss Parker!" Jarod shook her. "Melissa!" He slapped her across the face. She stood there stunned.
"You hit me Jarod." She said, rubbing her cheek.
"I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Miss Parker, I had to. You were going into shock." He explained, still holding on to her.
"What did you say?" She asked.
"I said I was sorry. You were going into shock. I didn’t mean to hurt you."
"No, not that . Before."
"I…Miss Parker. I…called you by your name."
"I haven’t heard that for so long. Say it again, Jarod."
"Melissa." He smiled and drew her into his arms and held her. She nodded. He could feel his shirt getting wet.
"I like that."
Hotel
London, England
Broots managed to create new identification for himself, Debbie and Sydney. They made it to England, but Sydney knew it wasn’t far enough. He paced the floor in their room. Broots was busy at his computer, trying to create yet another set of identification. Debbie sat at the table drawing. The only problem was where to go next. He was sure The Centre would find them in London. He thought of Belgium. Jarod would surely find them there. But that was too big of a risk. Italy? France? Germany? No, not Germany. Never Germany. Austria? Perhaps Austria, or Switzerland. Switzerland was neutral…
"Okay, Syd. I got it." Sydney walked over to Broots was peered over his shoulder. Three passports were on the screen ready to be forged. ‘Patrick Gries’ ‘Andrea Gries’ and ‘John Bauchau’.
"Good, Broots." Sydney nodded.
"Just tell me where to and I’ll type it in." Broots turned to face Sydney. "Syd…"
"Switzerland. And get us separate flights. You and Debbie – Andrea – on one, me on the other."
"Sure thing, Syd."
Japan
"Now where?" Miss Parker asked Jarod as they watched the ship leave the harbor.
"I know some people in Japan." He told her.
"So do I."
"Somehow I don’t think the Tanaka family would be too thrilled to see either one of us." He took her hand. "C’mon." He said, walking toward a row of taxis. A driver saw them coming and opened the door. Jarod and Miss Parker got in and the driver shut the door. Jarod gave the man directions and they drove off. They sat in silence, thinking about all that happened and all they discovered along the way.
The DSA was not much help. Mrs. Parker had gone to see Jarod. He was performing a sim with Sydney, so she watched from the alcove. She knew Sydney would never hurt Jarod the way Raines hurt Timmy. But Jarod still deserved a normal life. Some of the information in the Russell file said as much. A few of the files were transcripts from Sydney’s sessions with Catherine. Jarod and Miss Parker didn’t read those. Some files were details about Jarod’s past. They were not too much help now, as they dealt with the whereabouts of his family thirty years ago. He did learn his mother’s name –Margaret. And his father’s name was Eugene. In fact, Jarod’s middle name was Eugene – Jarod Eugene Russell. No mention of a hometown or birth records were found. Records of the fact that Catherine Parker had helped Jarod’s family hide from The Centre were included.
The cab stopped in front of a modest house. A woman was outside tending to the garden. She looked up when she heard them walk up the path.
"Jarod-san!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "Good to see."
"Mrs. Wantanabe-san." Jarod bowed respectfully. "May I present Miss Parker." He motioned to Miss Parker who was a few steps behind him. She came out from behind Jarod and bowed.
"Melissa." She told Mrs. Wantanabe, and Jarod. "You have a beautiful garden. You must work very hard." She complimented in perfect Japanese.
"Ah, thank-you, Melissa-san. I work hard, but the weeds are stubborn. They like to come up and mask my pretty flowers. Come, come, inside." Mrs. Wantanabe ushered them in the small house. "You here for vacation?" She asked in halting English.
"You’ve been practicing!" Jarod complimented.
"Oh, how you tease an old woman!" Mrs. Wantanabe said, blushing. "No one to speak English to in Japan. Not speak English since travel from Seattle – filthy place!" She spit in the sink.
"I don’t know," Jarod said. "I kind of liked Seattle."
"You never answer my question. You are not on vacation?"
"No. We’re not. We need a place to stay for a couple days."
"I see. You need place to ‘lay low’? I watch tv. I know how American fugitives talk." She told him, bustling about the kitchen making tea. Jarod laughed.
"Can you help us?"
"Of course I help you! You help my grandson in Seattle," she spit again. "I return the favor and help you and Melissa-san."
"Thank you." Jarod bowed again.
Cottage
Switzerland
Sydney, Broots and Debbie managed to escape London just as a sweeper team ascended on the hotel. Broots had set up so many dead ends and false trails that it would take them quite a while to figure out where they had actually gone. Sydney was confident it would take Jarod considerably less time to find them. In the mean time, they had rented a small two-bedroom cottage in a village outside Bern. All they had to do now was wait.
Sydney, Australia
Jarod and Miss Parker had stayed with Mrs. Wantanabe for two days. While there they decided to settle in Australia, and Sydney seemed to be the natural choice. Jarod found a large estate on the outskirts of the city for sale. It needed some work, but it had a guest house and could easily accommodate a large family. The search for Sydney, Broots and Debbie proved to be more difficult than Jarod thought. He followed their trail to London, then lost them. He had several names to check out and it had been about three months since they escaped The Facility.
"God damn it!" Miss Parker swore, trying to zip her jeans. She didn’t understand why they didn’t fit – she just bought them a couple weeks ago. It’s Jarod, she thought. He’s up to his old tricks again. He’s discovered Betty Crocker, and now I’m turning into the Good Year blimp. I just won’t eat any more of his food. I’ll have to diet. Even thinking that word gave her a bad taste. Miss Parker was proud of the fact she could maintain a slim figure and eat just about anything she wanted.
"Breakfast" Jarod called from the kitchen. Miss Parker could smell the French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon Jarod cooked. Damn him.
"I’m coming, I’m coming," she grumbled, finally zipping up her pants. She stomped downstairs and sat down at the table. Jarod placed a generous plate of food in front of her.
"What?" He asked, responding to the all-too-familiar icy glare.
"Bastard." She said, regretting it the instant the hurt look took over his face. Too bad. He’s the one trying to ruin my life.
"I don’t understand." Jarod said, watching Miss Parker devour her breakfast. "Were the eggs too runny?"
"The eggs were fine, Ratboy." Miss Parker didn’t really mean to call him that.
"Just tell me what’s wrong with your breakfast and I’ll fix it." He told her, trying to hold back the tears.
"God Jarod, you are so naïve." She rolled her eyes at him. "I should have shot you when I had the chance." This time the tears did roll down Jarod’s cheeks. Why was she so mad? Miss Parker got up and stormed up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door. She laid down on the bed and cried. Why was I so mean to him? He didn’t deserve that. She heard him close the front door and knew he had left to check out a lead on Sydney and wouldn’t be back for a couple days – if he came back at all. Of course he’ll come back. He’s Jarod . And he loves me. It must be PMS, she thought, trying to regain control. I always get mood swings when…wait a minute. How long has it been? She counted the weeks on her fingers. She was supposed to get it that week she broke Jarod out – that week they were first together. Miss Parker sat up. I’m pregnant.
Sydney, Australia
Three Days later
Miss Parker paced the floor of the living room. Jarod called to say he was on his way home – without Sydney and the others. She had to tell him. The doctor confirmed her suspicions and even did an ultra sound. She carried the tape as she paced. Jarod would be happy about this. I have to apologize. Apologize first? Or tell him about the baby first? How should I tell him? Just come right out and say it? Maybe I should cook dinner or something. Or tell him when we’re in bed…that would be romantic.
"Miss Parker?" Jarod called out tentatively. He closed the door and stepped inside the house.
"In here." She called. Jarod walked into the living room. Miss Parker wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. "I missed you."
"I don’t understand…" He started. She began kissing him and he soon forgot what he was about to say.
"Oh God, I need to throw up." Miss Parker covered her mouth and ran into the bathroom. Jarod watched her go confused. Did I do something? Is she still mad? Miss Parker walked back in the room holding a tape and wearing a sheepish grin.
"Sorry," she said.
"What’s that?" Jarod asked, pointing to the tape. Miss Parker stared at it as if she’d never seen it before. Then she held it out to him.
"Here." She said. Jarod took the tape. "Put it in." Jarod turned on the tv and the vcr and put the tape in. It started automatically. His eyes widened as the image of a 12 week fetus appeared on the screen. The words ‘Ultra-sound, Russell, MP’ were in the top right corner.
"You?" He turned around to look at her. She smiled and nodded.
"We’re going to have a baby." She told him. "That’s why I got so mad at you. It’s wasn’t you, really. It was…"
"Hormones." Jarod supplied.
"Yeah, hormones." She smiled.
"We’re gonna have," Jarod glanced over at the screen. "A little girl."
"You can tell?" She asked, tears in her eyes. Jarod nodded. "A little girl?"
"Yeah, actually, two girls. They’re identical." Jarod told her, holding her tight.
"Twins?" Miss Parker took a step back. Twins? Two babies?
"Yeah, see watch." Jarod stopped the tape and rewound it. He played it back. "There." Jarod pointed to a shadow on the screen.
"Dr. Meridian said that was a shadow, she said…"
"But watch." Jarod rewound the tape and played it back at a slower speed. "Watch the shadow…there did you see it?" Miss Parker nodded. The shadow moved but the baby didn’t. Miss Parker stumbled back and slid down the couch and sat on the floor. Tears spilled out of her eyes but she did not say a word. "Melissa? Are you okay?" Jarod asked, sitting down next to her. She shook her head. "I don’t know…"
"I want my momma," She sobbed. "She should be here. She should be with me, Jarod. And she’s not. She’s not because my father took her away from me."
"I know how you feel." He put his arms around her.
"No you don’t Jarod," She wailed. "You don’t. Your mother is alive . She’s…alive and out there somewhere. And…and you’re going to find her, and have her with you. My mother’s gone. She’s gone and she shouldn’t be. She should be here with me. I want her Jarod. I want her so bad it hurts."
"I know you do." Jarod held her tight and she cried into his chest.
Sydney, Australia
Two weeks later
Miss Parker glanced out the window for the twentieth time. When would they get here? Jarod called the night before to tell her he was on his way home – with Sydney, Broots and Debbie. She had been jumpy all morning. She woke up at around 5am and cooked a huge breakfast for herself. Then she went through the bedrooms they would be staying in until the guest house was finished; she checked the bedding – made sure the comforters matched the curtains, she checked the hand towels and soap in the bathrooms. Everything she had done the night before, she checked and double checked. Jarod said they would be in around noon. It was…There they are! Miss Parker practically jumped out of the chair when she heard the familiar sound of Jarod’s Outback. She ran to the door and threw it open.
"Sydney!" She cried, throwing herself into his arms. A bit surprised by her exuberant display of emotion, Sydney returned the embrace and held her close.
"Miss Parker, it’s so good to…Miss Parker?" Sydney pushed her away when he felt her growing abdomen press against him. "Are you?" She nodded. "Pregnant?"
"You’re going to have a baby, Miss Parker?" Debbie piped in. Miss Parker kneeled down to Debbie’s level.
"Yes I am. Two babies, actually." She looked up at Sydney. "It’s twins. Identical twin girls. And you know what else, Debbie?"
"What?"
"You can call me Melissa."
Sydney, Australia
Six Months Later
"Melissa! We’re here!" Jarod called and he flung open the front door. The only person in sight was Debbie sitting on the bottom step. "Where is she?" Jarod asked her. Before Debbie could answer, Jarod heard a scream from the master bedroom.
"She went into labor twelve hours ago. Sydney and my dad are with her. Sydney came down a few minutes ago and said she’s almost ready. They won’t let me watch, though." Debbie told him. Jarod rushed upstairs just as a woman with graying red hair walked in, accompanying by a younger woman with similar features and a three-year-old boy.
"Melissa!" Jarod ran into the master bedroom and saw Miss Parker sprawled out on the bed drenched in sweat. Sydney had his hands between her legs and Broots was holding her hand.
"Miss Parker you have to push." Sydney told her. She shook her head.
"No Syd, no…Can’t do it, Sydney, I can’t."
"Jarod, take her hand. She needs you. She has to push now." Sydney said, seeing Jarod’s stunned expression. Jarod snapped to attention and took over for Broots.
"Good luck," Broots whispered in his ear. "A few minutes ago she was shouting more swear words than I have heard in my lifetime."
"Push Miss Parker!" Sydney ordered.
"No Syd…no…too tired…I can’t."
"Melissa, you have to." Jarod leaned down and kissed her. "You have to. Our babies need you. Just a couple pushes and it will be over." Their eyes locked and Jarod saw the intense fear Miss Parker had toward her role as a mother.
"Okay," She said. Jarod helped her sit up half-way. She closed her eyes and screamed as she pushed as hard as she could. A second later, her scream was matched by another, shriller wail. She opened her eyes and saw Sydney pull the tiny infant from her body. She looked up at Jarod. He was staring at the child stunned. "Jarod…" He looked down at her and smiled. Then he leaned in and kissed her.
"I love you so much," He told her between kisses. Suddenly she fell back and screamed again.
"It’s okay, it’s just her sister." Sydney told her. "She’s ready to come out. Push!" Miss Parker sat up again and pushed. After a couple tries a second cry joined the first. Miss Parker opened her eyes as Jarod cut the cord from the second baby. She watched as they washed the infants and wrapped them in blankets. Jarod and Sydney brought the babies to her and laid them down on her chest. Tears flowed from her eyes, as well as Sydney and Jarod’s, as Miss Parker cradled her daughters.
"Hello Catherine," She said to the first twin. "Hello Margaret. Cat and Meg." She looked up at Jarod. "I love you so much." He smiled and kissed her.
"I, I better go downstairs and announce their arrival." Sydney said. "Congratulations Miss Parker. You too Jarod."
"Sydney," Miss Parker said. "Thank you so much."
Sydney, Australia
6 hours later
"How are you feeling Melissa?" Jarod’s mother asked as she walked into the bedroom. The babies were sound asleep in their bassinets next to Miss Parker.
"A little tired and sore."
"Well, that’s to be expected. I had such a difficult time with Jarod, I thought the pain would never go away. But it did." Margaret sat down on the bed next to Miss Parker. She was holding a large manila envelope in her hands. "Your mother would be so proud of you."
"You knew my mother?" Miss Parker asked, fresh tears covering her cheeks.
"Oh, sweetie, don’t cry," She ran the back of her hand down Miss Parker’s cheek. "I knew your mother for a long time. Before you were born."
"How…?"
"I used to live in Maine. There was a man she used to visit every spring. One spring she came into the diner and sat at a booth all alone. She looked so sad…so lost. I sat down. We started talking. Well, she did most of the talking. She told me about her husband, her marriage, her job…Every day for a week she came in – same time. We talked and talked and finally laughed. Then I didn’t see her for a year. She came back and had a beautiful baby girl with her. Three months old. I had just had Jarod, so we had a lot to talk about. She came to my house every afternoon with you. I remember thinking how wonderful it was to see her so happy and so full of life. Every year she came up – every April. She always brought you. I have so many wonderful memories of you and Jarod playing together by the lake or in our yard…and then I had Kyle," Her eyes clouded and Miss Parker could tell that what happened to Kyle put a great strain on her. "Anyway, Jarod was so cute. He was so protective of you. He couldn’t say your name. He called you…"
"Missa." Miss Parker supplied. Margaret nodded.
"Missa." She confirmed. "He adored you," Margaret reached over and pushed a strand of hair off Miss Parker’s face. "He would always ask when you were coming…he never wanted you to leave. You both would cry buckets when it was time to part. Especially that last time…"
"Tell me what happened." Miss Parker said softly.
"I think they must have found out about Jarod. They must have followed your mother one time and found out about his…abilities. Even then at two and three I knew he was special. I knew he was gifted. They came at night. We were all sleeping, I heard noises coming from the boys' room. I ran in there and there were two men in dark suits taking them out the window. I screamed and tried to pull Jarod away from them, but I couldn't. The next thing I remember is being on my sofa with your mother next to me. She said she knew something was wrong because you kept screaming and crying about Jarod. You kept telling her they were hurting Jarod. She came right away, but she was too late." Margaret stopped. She reached across Miss Parker and pulled a tissue out of the box. "I think she blamed herself for their abduction. She promised she would do whatever she could to get them out. She told us we had to leave, that we were in danger too. She hid us in a farm house that belonged to a friend of hers – a nun. She came twice after that. She told me Jarod was well-cared for. That he was loved. He must have been around eight then. But Kyle…Kyle was in danger. She had already tried to get Kyle out, but couldn’t. The next time she came was in 1970 – April 1970." Miss Parker’s eyes widened. "She knew she was…in trouble…she made me promise that if anything happened to her…that I would try to get you…I never saw her again. I heard she died…my husband got into your house…he tried, but couldn’t get close. You were being guarded. They knew, I think, about us and about her promise. Somehow they knew. We tried a couple more times, but couldn’t get in. Then we had Emily and we had to leave our hiding place…" Margaret started sobbing.
"It’s okay." Miss Parker said, holding the older woman’s hand.
"She loved you so much. You were such a happy little girl – a free spirit she called you. I saw you once after her death and I could see the sorrow and my heart just broke for you. You were her world!" Margaret cupped Miss Parkers face with her hands. "She would be so proud of you."
"No she wouldn’t!" Miss Parker cried. "I failed her, I failed you, I failed Jarod. I hurt everyone who mattered to me. After Jarod left…I had to catch him. I almost killed him. I was supposed to bring him back and I would have…"
"Oh sweetie, you didn’t fail anyone! Look at you now! A beautiful, strong, intelligent woman who had the courage to walk away from the only life she’s known. And now, you’re a mother! You have the chance to make right everything you feel you should have done in the past. You are with Jarod who loves you more than anything in this world…" Margaret reached behind her and picked up the envelope. She opened it and took out a stack of photographs. She pulled the top one off and handed it to Miss Parker. It was a photo of Miss Parker and Jarod and Kyle when she and Jarod were about three. Miss Parker and Kyle were grinning at the camera with Jarod between them. Jarod had his arms around Miss Parker’s waist and was looking down at her. The love was obvious. "You and Jarod are soul mates." Margaret told her. "You were meant to be together."
The End
Gillian
Pike’s Market
Seattle, Washington
Jarod walked through Pike’s Market in downtown Seattle. He stopped at the fish shops where the vendors threw the daily catch out at the customers. Man he loved Seattle! Briefly, he wondered if Miss Parker had ever been here and if she would like it as much as he did. That thought quickly passed when he felt two strong hands on his shoulders and a gun pressed into his back.
"Walk." The man said. Jarod obeyed. They pushed him out of the marketplace and into a black limousine where Jarod felt a needle prick his upper arm.
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Daddy, you wanted to see me?" Miss Parker asked, allowing the heavy glass doors to slide shut behind her. She scowled as she noticed Raines cowering in a corner. Why the hell can’t he stand in daylight like the rest of us? She leaned forward and gave her father a perfunctory kiss on the cheek.
"Sit down." Mr. Parker motioned to a chair across from his. Miss Parker sat down; dreading what she knew was about to come. "It seems, that Jarod is now in the hands of some competitors." Mr. Parker said. Miss Parker did all she could to keep her mouth from dropping open. She quickly regained her composure when she realized someone else had captured Jarod. Damn! Her father tossed her a file. She opened it and her eyes widened as she saw the photograph on the top. Jarod was strapped to a chair with electrodes attached to his head. He had obviously been drugged – she could tell by his eyes – and had cuts and bruises all over his face.
"Oh my God," Miss Parker whispered. This was Jarod she saw before her. "Who did this?" She asked, looking up at her father.
"Our friends in Moscow." He replied. Moscow? She thought. Mr. Parker noticed her confused expression and continued. "There is an organization there whose objectives are similar to our own. Most of their research is with paranormals – those damn Russians love a good telepath. They’ve been aware of our Pretender Project. Somehow they found out about Jarod’s escape and they caught him. And you are going to get him."
"Me?" Miss Parker asked. They’re sending me to Russia? Her stomach tightened. Something about this whole situation was wrong.
"You will leave immediately. Alone."
"Alone? Daddy, what if I just take Sam?" Now her stomach was in a knot.
"No!" Mr. Parker boomed as he slammed his fist down on his desk. "Jarod is your responsibility and yours alone. You will go. You will not tell anyone – not even Sydney – about this." She nodded as tears filled her eyes. Damn, I can’t cry – not here. She took a deep breath.
"Of course Daddy. Whatever you say." She managed to squeak out. Just get Ratboy and come back. Then you’re free.
"That’s my girl. You will take one bag – pack warm, the facility is located in Siberia. I will have someone send you a change of clothes for Jarod within the hour. Your itinerary is on your desk, as is your passport. Do not speak anything but Russian. No one is to know you are an American. You will stay at an apartment leased in the name on the passport." Mr. Parker stood up and walked around the desk. Miss Parker stood up as well. He put his hand on her shoulder and tilted her head up. "Be careful, Princess. These are very dangerous people. Trust no one." He gave her a small smile and a wink. "You’d better get going."
Miss Parker walked out of her father’s office stunned. What was going on here? Why the cloak and dagger? What had Jarod…Jarod. Miss Parker closed her eyes and saw the image of Jarod’s bruised body. As much as he was a pain in her ass, she still didn’t want to see him hurt. Somewhere, deep inside her, lay the compassion her mother possessed. Miss Parker took a deep breath. It is now my responsibility to rescue Jarod from whatever hell he’s in….and then bring him back here . Damn! She put her hand on her stomach. I’m going to need a refill on my pills.
"Miss Parker! Miss Parker!" Broots ran down the hall to catch up with her. She kept on walking and he walked beside her. "Miss Parker."
"What?" She growled.
"I’ve got a line on Jarod. It seems he’s been in Seattle. See, I was running a random search through some databases and…"
"Broots, I don’t care what you think you found." She kept walking.
"But, Miss Parker…it’s Jarod. I thought you’d at least want to check it out."
"Look, if you want to fly all the way to Seattle to hunt down Ratboy, do it yourself. I have more important things to do."
"Oh, like what?" Sydney asked, catching the last bit of the conversation as they walked through the door. Miss Parker folded her arms, turned and stared at Broots. He fidgeted.
"Out!" Miss Parker yelled, shoving him out the door.
"Miss Parker! What is the matter with you?" Sydney asked. He had seen some outrageous behavior from her in the past, but this…
"I can’t talk about it, Syd." Miss Parker collapsed into his desk chair, and burying her head in her hands.
"Is this about Jarod?" He asked, kneeling down in front of her. She looked up into his caring eyes. Why couldn’t he have been my father? She nodded.
"He’s not in Seattle?" Sydney asked. Miss Parker shook her head in confirmation. "He’s in some sort of danger?" Miss Parker nodded her head. "You’re in danger too?"
"I think so," she whispered. Sydney cupped her face with his hands.
"Be safe." He said and kissed her forehead. Miss Parker looked into his eyes and saw the conviction behind his words. She nodded and allowed the tears to spill from her eyes. He’d always been so kind to her. Especially since her mother died. Momma. Miss Parker closed her eyes. ‘Be nice to Jarod’, she had told her one day. ‘He’s a very lonely little boy who needs a friend like you’. Yeah, some friend I turned out to be.
"I have to go." Miss Parker pushed past Sydney and headed for her office.
Miss Parker’s cabin
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker opened the passport the Centre had given her. ‘Olga Smirnov’? No thank you. You want me to go in cognito, she thought, well that’s just what I’ll do. ‘Trust no one’ he said. Two can play that game. Miss Parker opened the floor safe hidden under the couch. She pulled out a dozen or so passports – passports the Centre had no knowledge about, passports that would one day be her ticket out.
Here we go, Miss Parker thought as she pulled a passport from the stack. ‘Iliana Komorov’. She picked up another ‘Mariko Thomas’, and another ‘Bianca Donovan’. She packed the new passports in her bag and put the Centre issue passport in her safe. Now, for the ticket. Miss Parker made a few phone calls and soon she had a different ticket on a different airline under a different name.
The doorbell rang just as she was finishing packing. Sam had brought long underwear, heavy pants, shirts, boots and a jacket for Jarod. She took the clothing from him and slammed the door in his face. Miss Parker had to do some rearranging to make his clothes fit in with hers. Finally she finished and headed out the door.
Olga Smirnov’s Apartment
Novosibirsk, Russia
Miss Parker had wanted to call her good friend Vasily in Moscow the second she arrived, but she took her fathers words seriously and decided to go it alone. Not that Vasily couldn’t have helped her. He had many black market connections, but she couldn’t afford to take advantage of him this time. It was too bad, really, she could have used a little recreation at that point of her journey. Oh well. Time for recreation after Jarod’s back where he belongs and I’m back where I belong. Instead she focused on her mission. The apartment in Moscow contained a folder instructing her to take a train to Novosibirsk to attain the blue prints to the facility she was to infiltrate. Miss Parker had searched the entire apartment – not that there was much to search – and came up empty. Obviously The Tower had intended her to locate the blue prints on her own.
Miss Parker took her clothes off and started the shower. She stepped in and allowed the hot water to wash off the dirt and grime that came along with two days of traveling. Jarod is probably dead by now, she thought. The image of Jarod’s broken body entered her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut. No, Jarod is alive. But not for long , the little voice inside her said. She rarely listened to it, but this time she trusted it – she had no choice.
The water turned cold and Miss Parker abruptly shut it off. She stepped out and allowed her body to drip dry. First thing, was to find another place to stay. She didn’t trust ‘Olga Smirnov’ any more than she trusted Raines. Second, was to locate the blueprints. But where? She had no clue where this "facility" was located, much less who designed the damn place. Damn that Jarod! If he had only stayed where he belonged, I wouldn’t be in this nightmare. You know he didn’t belong at the Centre. Sydney was right, Jarod should have had a normal life. There’s still a chance. You can rescue him. No. Get him out, then bring him home. Then I can have a normal life. Think, Parker. What would Jarod do?
Facility Six
Yakutsk, Russia
Jarod opened his eyes. He could see blurred silhouettes of people hovering over him. He tried to move. Either he was too drugged or tied down because every inch of his body felt like lead. Where am I, he thought. Is this The Centre? He could hear something faint. Somebody was speaking. It wasn’t English. What was it? He strained to hear. Something about losing track of somebody in Novosibirsk. They were angry. It was not going according to plan. Russian! That’s what it was. Russian. They were speaking Russian…Jarod felt a prick on his arm and everything went black.
Hotel
Novosibirsk, Russia
Miss Parker opened the envelope her father had given her at their last meeting. ‘The Russian facility is located in Yakutsk in the Eastern Siberian Uplands. The Russians attained Jarod in Seattle on 16 January. We believe he is being held in the lower levels of the Yakutsk facility’.
The Russian facility…the Yakutsk facility…the facility is located…That’s it! Miss Parker jumped up from her chair. It’s called The Facility. Of course, how could I be so dense. The Centre The Facility …these people are notorious for nondescript names, which is what makes them so obvious. Time to pay a visit to the Admiral.
Admiral Padorin’s Cottage
Novosibirsk, Russia
Miss Parker stood up as Admiral Yuri Padorin entered the room. He was a handsome man – 6’0", dark hair, eyes you could become lost in. Miss Parker briefly remembered the long, hot college summer they spent together – long walks in Moscow, long evenings at his estate. He took her hand and lightly kissed it.
"You are looking quite well, Parker," He said, allowing his eyes to travel the length of her body, stopping briefly at her tight fitting, low cut top.
"As are you, Admiral," she returned, favoring him with her most seductive smile. He leaned in and kissed her hard on the lips. She returned the kiss eagerly and when they parted, he left her wanting more – just like the old days.
"So what brings you this far away from Blue Cove?" He asked. Miss Parker took a deep breath and tried to gather herself after that kiss.
"Would you believe I finally took a vacation?" She said. Yuri roared.
"Vacation! You? You are all work and no play, Parker."
"No play?" She asked, unbuttoning his dress shirt. Yuri grabbed her hands to stop her.
"Even when you are playing, you are working." He forced her hands off his body. "Parker, you are enticing. Just the way I remember you. You have an air of mystery around you – an air of sadness." He tilted her head up and forced her to gaze into those incredible brown eyes. She felt her heart quicken with desire. "No, I will sleep with you. You are far too talented for me to waste an opportunity. But first, you must tell me what you are doing in Novosibirsk."
"I am looking for a secret research center known as The Facility. I need the blue prints." Miss Parker told him. Echoes of her fathers last words played in her mind, but she chose to ignore them. Yuri was the only one who could get her what she needed.
"The Facility, eh?" Yuri nodded slowly. "Yes I have heard of it. Perhaps I can be of assistance. But you must tell me, why is it you are so interested in The Facility?"
"They have something I need. Something that belongs to the Centre." She told him. She shifted her legs so Yuri got a full view of what he would later enjoy.
"I will not ask you more. Your eyes betray you, Parker. You are looking for someone, no? Someone in your heart, no? Do not answer. Come, we will go to bed now. You will give me what I need tonight, I will give you what you need tomorrow." Yuri stood up and took her hand. She hesitated, only for a moment. Although Miss Parker had little qualms about using her body to get what she wanted, this felt to be too much in his favor. He had taken control, leaving her to sit there like a teenager with her first lover. Damn him! But then, she looked up into his big brown eyes and surrendered to him, just as she had in the past.
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"She is not doing what you said she’d do!" Lyle practically screamed in frustration. This was one contract he could not afford to blow. After the Tanaka fiasco, The Tower had little confidence in him and this was his only chance to redeem himself. Unfortunately he had to involve Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines. He had no choice. Mr. Parker assured him his daughter would behave according to the plan, and three days into the mission, she’d already deviated. "You said she would contact Vasily Ivanovich. He was supposed to provide her with the blue prints – the fake blue prints! We lost her for a day and a half. She’s not even staying at the apartment you set up, hell she didn’t even fly under the name you provided. This was supposed to have gone off without any complications. It’s all your fault, you and you’re little ‘trust no one’ advice – what the hell do you think this is, the X-files!" Lyle was frantically pacing Mr. Parkers office.
"My daughter is doing her job! She went into this mission knowing nothing of the circumstances. She thinks she is there to rescue Jarod and bring him back. She is using all her resources to accomplish that." Mr. Parker said calmly. Good for her for following his advice. She was a smart girl. Maybe, just maybe, she’d even come out of this alive.
"But she’s using the wrong resources. You told me she knew Vasily. That she knew about his black market connections. That she would go to him . Now my sources tell me she spent the night with Admiral Yuri Padorin. Padorin isn’t in on it. Padorin doesn’t have the phony blue prints. Padorin has the real blue prints." They just didn’t understand, or perhaps didn’t care, that this mission had to go according to plan.
"You…are in charge of this…project," Raines wheezed. "You should have planned on…Miss Parker going…her own way."
"I planned on you two being able to control her." Mr. Lyle turned and walked out.
Hotel
Novosibirsk, Russia
Miss Parker packed the last of her belongings in her suitcase. She had spent the evening going through the motions of an enthusiastic and ardent lover, but the real desire wasn’t there and although she left with the blueprints, she also left frustrated – something which had been happening all too frequently. After she woke up in Yuri’s arms, dressed and left, she found the blue prints waiting for her on the table with a note. ‘Things may not be what they seem. Trust no one.’ She knew she was in some sort of trouble, but what, she didn’t know.
Miss Parker spent the remainder of the morning going over the blue prints of Facility Six in Yakutsk. She booked passage on a railroad that would take her to Svobodnyy, then she would have to find some sort or car to take her to Yakutsk. That would mean a full day traveling and she wasn’t sure if she – if Jarod – had that much time to waste.
Facility Six
Yakutsk, Russia
Jarod opened his eyes. His vision had not improved since the last time he woke up. Maybe it wasn’t his eyes that weren’t working, maybe it was his brain. He heard different voices this time – still speaking Russian. He closed his eyes and concentrated. They were talking about someone…Parker. He heard the name Parker. What does Mr. Parker have to do about all this – is he here? No, wait. They said she. It’s Miss Parker they’re talking about. The mission was not going according to plan…improvise…Lyle, he heard the name Lyle, and The Tower. What else? Not to fail…must achieve objectives…terminate Jarod and Parker. Terminate! They were going to kill Miss Parker! He had to get out. Jarod squirmed, or tried to. He was tied down to an examination table – or rather tied up, since he was up-right. Quickly his fuzzy brain tried to make sense of what he just heard. Miss Parker was on her way. Why? To get me, of course and take me back to The Centre. But if Lyle and the Russians are communicating, then the Russians know about her. Lyle is working with the Russians. No, The Centre is working with the Russians. They said The Tower. The Tower issued a termination order on Miss Parker and Lyle arranged for the Russians to execute her – and me. I have to stop her from coming. I have to get out.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" A female voice asked Jarod . He struggled to focus on her, but she quickly placed some kind of drops in his eyes and he couldn’t see a thing. "You are awake, no?"
"Miss Parker…help…" He managed to get out. "Have to warn…"
"I don’t think so, Jarod. When your Miss Parker shows up, I assure you, she will be quite dead. As will you, I might add."
"No…Miss Parker…have to…" Jarod felt yet another prick in his arm and the voice vanished.
Military Convoy
En route from Svobodnyy to Yakutsk
Thanks to Yuri, Miss Parker was able to hitch a ride with the Russian army headed to Yakutsk for maneuvers. The train ride had been long, but uneventful. She spent the time strategizing and planning her infiltration. The task she now knew was much more dangerous than she thought. What had Yuri meant by ‘things may not be what they seem’? And what was the ‘trust no one’ all about. Both Yuri and her father said that to her. Were they trying to warn her of some specific danger? This entire mission was not what it seemed and it made Miss Parker wish she had remembered to get a refill on her ulcer pills. She took a deep breath. Jarod, she thought. She had to focus on getting Jarod out. No matter how much he annoyed her and how much she thought she hated him, remembering images of his beaten and drugged body brought tears to her eyes. Was he still alive? Yes. She knew deep down in her soul he was alive – but barely, and how much longer did he have? He was alive and that was all that mattered. Yuri was wrong, she wasn’t searching for someone close to her heart, she was searching for someone in her soul .
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"You told Padorin…about the plans?" Raines asked.
"Of course I did!" Mr. Parker hissed back at him. They had to keep their voices low for fear of eavesdroppers. "It’s bad enough I had to send my daughter into the lions den, knowing she would never return."
"Maybe…she will."
"If she does, she’s dead anyway. You saw to that?" Mr. Parker asked. Raines nodded.
"Good. Call Sydney. Tell him that Miss Parker died in a plane crash in Brazil. He knows about our operations there and about her former involvement in them. He’ll buy it. Tell him the funeral is tomorrow."
Hotel
Yakutsk, Russia
Miss Parker looked at herself in the cracked mirror. She was wearing the skin-tight black body suit she bought in Novosibirsk. Her hair was pulled back into a french braid – style she hadn’t worn in years, ever since her mother…Stop it, Parker! She reprimanded herself. Focus. Remember the plan. Her stomach tingled in an irritating reminder that she did not have her medication. She closed her eyes and saw her mother. She was so beautiful. Jarod needs you.. Miss Parker nodded involuntarily. She opened her eyes and finished dressing and soon no one would suspect she was anything but a village woman in Siberia. She gathered her bag and left.
The Tower
Blue Cove, Delaware
"And where is Miss Parker now, Mr. Lyle?" The woman asked. Lyle fidgeted in his seat.
"She is in Yakutsk. Where she should be." He answered, feigning confidence. The woman nodded.
"How do you know she in is in Yakutsk? My sources indicate you lost track of her after she left the cottage of Admiral Padorin." A man asked. Lyle began to sweat. How did they know about Padorin?
"I know she needed to get to Yakutsk to retrieve Jarod. Why would I think she would be anyplace else?" Lyle answered, knowing that his response would not be good enough.
"Mr. Lyle, your outline of the plan indicated that Miss Parker was to rendezvous with one Vasily Ivanovich. My sources tell me she didn't. Your plan mentioned nothing about Padorin, in fact, I know that her contact with Padorin was contrary to your objectives. Miss Parker has done everything opposite of what you predicted. What makes you so certain she is where she is supposed to be?" The man asked.
"Sir, Miss Parker has a history with Jarod, you are all aware of that. No matter what her current relationship with him may be, I believe she would not turn her back on him when he’s in danger."
"And what do you base your conclusion on, Mr. Lyle?" The woman asked. "You have no authority in the area of human behavior. Also, you have had very little contact with Miss Parker and thus little opportunity to know her. How can you possibly predict her motivations and her movements?"
"Uh, from talking with her. And with those around her – Sydney, her father, Raines. They have all known Miss Parker since she was a girl. They all know the history between her and Jarod. They believe she would not turn her back on him – even to save herself."
"You better hope you are right," The man said. "For your sake."
Facility Six
Yakutsk, Russia
Miss Parker had easily disabled the security system – too easily. It should have been harder. She moved quickly through the ventilation system toward the room she believed Jarod might be in. That was a big might, though. The blue prints indicated several rooms on sub-level nineteen in which Jarod might be in. Hopefully she had guessed the right one. If not, she would have to check the other rooms and that would cost time.
She had poured through the blue prints on the train, on the convoy, and in her hotel room. She knew every inch of the place backward and forward. She knew the only way to get where she thought she needed to go was to enter through an abandoned maintenance hatch on the north end then find the entrance to the ventilation shafts. The ventilation system was a confusing maze of twists, turns and dead ends. Miss Parker only hoped her photographic memory was working.
Miss Parker peered through the slats of the vent. She saw a tray with medical supplies – syringes, vials of liquids she guessed were what they had been drugging Jarod with. She twisted her head to the left to try to see in the far corner. There! She almost cried out loud. She saw Jarod – he was strapped to an up right examination table and out cold. Miss Parker kicked the vent cover off and jumped down into the room. She ran over to where Jarod lay.
"Jarod, Jarod," She whispered, trying to rouse him. He stirred, but his eyes did not open. "Jarod, Jarod!" Miss Parker shook him harder. He had to wake up! There was no way she could get him out in this state. You don’t have much time, Parker. I know that, dammit! She didn’t need her little voice to remind her. She unbuckled the restraints holding Jarod and his limp body collapsed on top of her. "Jarod. Jarod, you have to help me. I can’t get you out by myself."
"Parker…have to.." Jarod mumbled. Miss Parker caught her name.
"Yes, Jarod, it’s me. I’m going to get you out of here, but you have to wake up." She put her hand behind his neck to support his head. Slowly his eyes opened.
"Who…who?" he asked.
"Jarod, it’s me. We have to get out of here. Wake up!" She slapped him lightly on the cheek when she noticed his eyes start to close again. He opened his eyes.
"Can’t see…Have to…Miss Parker…trap." Jarod slumped back down and closed his eyes. Damn! He’s so out of it, Miss Parker thought. She looked around the room, searching for something that might help her. She looked over the syringes on the tray. One was labeled as a stimulant. Yes! This was it. She took the syringe over to Jarod and tapped the air bubbles out. Quickly she injected the stimulant in his arm and tossed the syringe aside.
"Jarod, Jarod!" She shook him a bit harder this time. He had to wake up. Time was running out and…
"Who…?" Jarod mumbling, opening his eyes. This time there was some semblance of alertness.
"Jarod. Get up," Miss Parker helped him sit up again. "We have to go."Hurry.
"I can’t see," He told her.
"That’s okay. Hold on to me Jarod. We have to hurry." Miss Parker grabbed him around the waist and helped him stand up. Get out now, Parker.
"Who…who are you?"
"Jarod, it’s me." Miss Parker answered in a soft voice. Had his memory been affected too?
"Miss Parker?" He asked.
"Yes. Let’s go." Hurry.
"No. Hurt you…it’s a trap." Jarod’s mind was racing with what he had discovered, but he couldn’t make his mouth obey.
"No, Jarod, they hurt you . Now let’s go." Miss Parker pushed a chair under the vent and helped Jarod climb in. Luckily the vents were as large here as they were at the Centre or they never would have made it.
Control Room, Facility Six
Yakutsk, Russia
"She did not use the south entrance." The woman grumbled. This entire mission had been a disaster from the beginning.
"Lyle said she had deviated." The man answered.
"Yes, but now she has a legitimate chance of escape."
"I thought you fixed that problem?" The man asked.
"Yes, but this Miss Parker is very smart, no? She could have found her way around it." The woman leaned in to look at the monitor. "There," she pointed to the image of Miss Parker half pushing Jarod through the ventilation system. "Send a team to retrieve them." The man ran out of the room.
Ventilation Shaft, Facility Six
Yakutsk, Russia
"Jarod, you have to hurry." Miss Parker said pushing Jarod back out the way she came in. At least she hoped it was the right way. She was crawling behind Jarod and had to keep turning around to check behind her. It would be easy to get turned around in a place like this. "No Jarod, go right." They crawled along until they found another fork in the vents. "Stop." Which way? She looked to the right, then to the left. They looked the same. Each was a long corridor of vents with a fan at the end. Damn! Miss Parker closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. Which way?
"Miss Parker…Miss Parker," Jarod whispered.
"Shhhh. I’m trying to figure which way to go."
"Miss Parker, you’d better figure it out fast. I hear foot steps." He told her. Her eyes flew open. Yes. She heard them too. They were getting closer. She looked again down the shafts. Which way, dammit? Left.
"This way," She pushed Jarod to the left and they crawled faster through the shafts, trying not to notice that the foot steps were becoming faster and closer.
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Sydney stared at the casket being lowered into the hole in the ground, unable to believe that it really was Miss Parker inside. Or rather not actually inside, but symbolically. Mr. Raines had called him to inform him Miss Parker was involved in a plane crash in South America two days ago. Her body had not been found, but they had found her square ring she wore on her index finger. He sat in her office all night in shock – a million thoughts raced through his mind. Foremost on that list was the thought that it was all a rouse – that Miss Parker had not died in that crash. Watching Mr. Parker go through the motions of a funeral convinced him.
The casket rested in the hole next to Mrs. Parker’s. If Miss Parker were dead, this is where she would want to be buried. Sydney heard Little Debbie sobbing softly next to him. He looked over and saw her clutching the copy of Little Women Miss Parker had given her. Broots put his arms around his daughter. Poor girl, Sydney thought. Just when she had found the much needed maternal role model…He looked up. I can’t be thinking of Debbie right now. Where is Miss Parker?
The Facility
Yakutsk, Russia
Miss Parker jumped out of the vent after Jarod. She looked up and saw the crooked smile of a man in a dark suit pointing a gun at her.
"Nowhere to run, Miss Parker," he told her in Russian.
"Leave her alone," Jarod said, stepping back so his body kept Miss Parker out of the line of fire. He still couldn’t see anything, but there was nothing wrong with his hearing. He silently thanked Sydney for making him perform the sim of the blind man. The man stepped closer and Jarod stepped back, pinning Miss Parker to the wall. "Your heroics, while a valiant effort, are ineffective, Jarod. Both of you will die. I can shoot you first, or her first. It makes no difference to me."
"No, I’m sure it doesn’t." Jarod responded. "But I have a proposition for you, or rather for The Facility."
"Sorry. I have been instructed to kill you." The man cocked his gun.
"The deal is," Jarod continued. "You let her go. In exchange I will agree to stay here and work for you. I’m sure you are well aware of my abilities."
"No deal."
"Jarod, what the hell are you doing?" Miss Parker hissed in his ear. He shook his head and put his hand up.
"Are you authorized to refute deals?" Jarod asked. The man leaned his ear against his lapel, listening to the instructions being dictated.
"Go on." The man said.
"It’s simple. You let Miss Parker go. And by that I mean, you let her live . No fair killing her upon release." Jarod wagged his finger at the man. "In exchange, I run simulations for you – for The Facility."
"Jarod are you crazy?" Miss Parker whispered. Trust him.
"You do simulations for us?" The man asked. Jarod nodded.
"All you have to do is let Miss Parker go." Jarod said. The man smiled, then started laughing.
"Interesting proposition, Jarod. Unfortunately the answer is no." He aimed and fired his gun at Jarod’s chest. Jarod had anticipated this response and he flung himself and Miss Parker to the ground just in time. Before the man had time to prepare to fire another shot, Jarod and Miss Parker were on their feet. Miss Parker kicked the man hard in the groin. He fell and dropped the gun. Jarod kicked the man in the stomach while Miss Parker grabbed the gun.
"Nowhere to run you son of a bitch." She pointed the gun at his head, aimed and fired once. The man slumped down, blood pouring from the wound. "C’mon," She grabbed Jarod and they ran out of the room and to the maintenance hatch she had entered through. "Jarod, help." She said, trying to unscrew it. He pushed her out of the way and opened the hatch. Frigid air blasted his face.
"Where are we?" He asked, climbing out.
"Siberia." She answered following him. "This way." Miss Parker led Jarod to where she had stashed her bag and took out their jackets. "Put this on," she said, helping him into his jacket.
Miss Parker’s cabin
Blue Cove, Delaware
Sydney unlocked the door and stepped inside. He stopped suddenly at the smell of her perfume and cigarettes. Oh Miss Parker, he thought, his eyes starting to mist. Sydney shook his head. She’s not dead, he tried to convince himself. He looked around. He saw the heels she had been wearing the last night he saw her on the floor near the door. How she ran around in those things he’d never know.
He looked around the living room. Something was wrong. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He rifled through the things on her coffee table – not much, just an ashtray, magazines she probably never opened…Wait a minute! Sydney looked up at the couch. It was crooked. That’s odd, he thought. Why would Miss Parker move her couch before leaving? Unless…Sydney strained to push the heavy couch away to reveal the small floor safe. A safe. He touched it, tried to turn the dial. It was locked. Sydney took his phone out of his pocket and hit the speed dial.
Road
Yakutsk, Russia
Miss Parker looked over at Jarod’s inert form. The stimulant she had given him must have worn off because he had been out for hours. She reached out and touched a red streak on his face. What was he trying to tell her? What was all that back there? The deal? He kept trying to convince them to let her go. Why? Did this have something to do with what her father and Yuri were trying to tell him?
She drove for hours. She knew she had to get out of Russia. They were in danger as long as they were in Russia. Her only hope was to head for Alaska. Unfortunately that would mean crossing the Verkhoyansk Mountains, the Cherskiy Mountains, the Gydan mountains as well as the Anadyr Range and she didn’t think either of them had the strength for that. They could possibly get a boat in Magadan, but that was still an awful lot of traveling.
"Trap...have to…Miss Parker…no…trap." Jarod mumbled, stirring. Miss Parker gently shook his shoulder and his eyes snapped open.
"Jarod,"
"What?" He asked, blinking rapidly.
"How…how are your eyes?" She asked.
"Well, instead of a big black blur, I see a big white blur." He rubbed his eyes and squinted, trying to see something of his surroundings. "They put some sort of drops in my eyes. It could be awhile before I regain my vision." Miss Parker nodded. "Where are we?"
"Siberia." She told him.
"Yeah, I know that. But where are we?" He asked, rolling his head to face her.
"We’re heading east. We have to get to Alaska." She told him.
"Miss Parker, we can’t go back to the Centre."
"Oh, you would just love that, wouldn’t you, Jarod?" She drawled. I need a cigarette. She drove faster.
"No Miss Parker. You don’t understand…"
"No Jarod, you don’t understand. I was sent to get you out of the Facility and bring you home."
"Miss Parker, you can never return to The Centre, To Blue Cove, to Delaware, even to The United States." Why couldn’t he make her understand?
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
"You were never meant to succeed. They were supposed to kill you, and me, at the Facility."
"Well, they didn’t and I can bring you home to Daddy." She was glad Jarod couldn’t see, because she knew her ambivalence was written all over her face. Was this what her father tried to warn her about?
"Oh, you just don’t get it do you?" Jarod shook his head in disbelief. "This whole thing was a charade. The Facility had been ordered to kill you by the Centre. Both of us."
"You’re lying." No he’s not.
"Miss Parker, I heard them. They were talking, I heard…I heard your name…and Lyle’s." Jarod tried to explain. He replayed the events in his mind, but he wasn’t sure if he got it right. "The Tower issued a termination order for you, for us . Lyle arranged an elaborate scheme to carry it out."
"That’s ludicrous, Jarod. Why would The Tower want me dead?"
"How about those rescued children you found out about? Or Kyle? You know about Raines’ experiments with Kyle. Or, that little maneuver you did against Tanaka?"
"What does that …?"
"Oh come on, Miss Parker, I took that money after you averted it to your fathers account. Don’t you think that certain people might be under the impression that we were working together ?" He turned his head and his eyes bore into her. "What about Fenigor?"
"That’s still crazy, Jarod." She said. Isn’t it?
"Call Sydney."
"What?"
"Call Sydney. I’m sure by now he’s returned from your funeral. If I know Daddy, I’ll bet they buried you next to your mother – just to send Sydney a message." He said. Perhaps his words were too harsh, but he knew she would never call Sydney unless she was really angry with him.
Miss Parker swerved the car and slammed on the brakes. The car skidded off the road and landed in a ditch. Miss Parker got out of the car and marched over to Jarod’s side and threw open the door. She grabbed his jacket and pulled him out of the car.
"You son of a bitch!" She swung and hit him hard in the mouth. Jarod fell down and Miss Parker was on top of him, swinging with blind rage.
"Jesus Christ, what the hell is the matter with you?" Jarod finally was able to wrench her off of him. She was breathing hard and tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"You arrogant bastard. You leave my mother out of it." She stormed off.
Miss Parker’s cabin
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Come in, come in," Sydney grabbed Broots’ elbow and ushered him and Debbie in.
"What’s this all about, Syd?" Broots asked as Sydney closed the door behind them. Sydney looked down at Debbie. She was still clutching that book Miss Parker had given her.
"I need you to open Miss Parker’s safe." Sydney whispered.
"Her safe?" Broots asked. "Why?"
"She’s not dead, is she Sydney?" Debbie asked. Sydney kneeled down and looked into her big blue eyes.
"I don’t think so."
"What? Sydney are you sure?" Broots asked.
"Pretty sure." Sydney answered, standing up. "She has a safe under that sofa. I noticed that the sofa had been moved. I need to look inside that safe. Will you help me?" Broots looked at Sydney, then looked at his daughter. She nodded.
"Uh, okay."
Broots left then returned with some equipment he needed to open Miss Parker’s safe. Once he had what he needed, it wasn’t too difficult to open. Sydney reached in and pulled out a passport.
"Oh my God," He whispered, looking at it. He handed it to Broots.
"What does it mean?" Broots asked, looking at the name.
"It’s Centre issue, and it’s Russian," Sydney explained. "That means The Facility is involved. Which translates into big problems for Jarod and Miss Parker."
"The Facility?"
"Sort of the Russian version of The Centre." Sydney said. "They do research similar to ours. Jarod must have been captured by The Facility and Miss Parker sent after him."
"Why?" Broots asked. "I mean, if they wanted her dead, why send her to Russia and fake a plane crash in South America?"
"I don’t know." Sydney answered.
"Daddy," Debbie said, her eyes wide. "Someone’s coming." Broots and Sydney jerked their heads up to see over the couch and through the window. They saw headlights outside.
"We have to go." Sydney said. "They’re after us now."
"Us?"
"Whatever they thought Miss Parker knew or was involved in, they must think we’re involved too. Broots, you and Debbie are going to have to come too. You can’t go back home." Sydney explained. He reached back into the safe and pulled out the rest of the contents – mementos from Miss Parker’s mother: a photograph of an infant Miss Parker in her mothers arms, and her mother looking up at some man Sydney didn’t recognize, Mrs. Parker’s hospital records, the DSA dated April 13, 1970, a box containing her mother’s wedding ring. Sydney grabbed all these things and guided Broots and Debbie out the back door and into the forest. Once away from the house, they heard an explosion. They turned around to see Miss Parker’s cabin engulfed in flames.
"Now we’re dead too." Debbie stated.
Road
Siberia
"Miss Parker?" Jarod called out. He heard her storm off. She wasn’t going to just leave him here…was she? "Miss Parker…Miss Parker!" He called emphatically. He couldn’t hear her footsteps anymore. Had she stopped, or was she too far? Jarod wasn’t sure. He deduced that she couldn’t be too far away. It was rather cold…but she was angry. Maybe her adrenaline was pumping and she...
"Are you coming, or are you just going to stand there and freeze to death?" She asked, touching his arm. He nearly jumped out of his skin at her touch. He put his other hand over hers. He could feel her shivering and could hear her teeth chattering. "Jarod?"
"I didn’t know if you were coming back." He told her.
"Yeah, well neither did I." She dropped her hand from him.
"I still can’t see."
"C’mon," Miss Parker held on to his elbow and guided him through the snow. "You know," she said. "Just because I came back doesn’t mean I believe you. And you’re still a bastard."
Inn
Siberia
Miss Parker and Jarod trudged through the snow for about an hour before they finally came to a mining town with lodging – and a phone. Both were exhausted. Miss Parker knew that if they didn’t find a place to stop soon, they’d both collapse. Jarod convinced Miss Parker to call Sydney and confirm what he, and she, knew to be true.
"Sydney?" Miss Parker had to shout into the receiver, the connection was so bad.
"Parker…th…you?" She heard him ask.
"Sydney, it’s me. Sydney, what’s going on there?"
"Where….?" He asked.
"Sydney, I’m in Russia. With Jarod. We’re in Siberia. What’s going on there?"
"…Dead…Tried to kill…Br...Debbie and I…Funeral yesterday…next to…mother…Your father…Lyle…deception…Kill you…Jarod." From the bits and pieces she got from Sydney, Miss Parker realized that Jarod had been telling the truth. She was dead. Tears spilled from her eyes and froze almost the instant they hit her cheek. She felt Jarod take the phone from her hands.
"Sydney?" He asked. "Sydney! It’s dead."
Hotel
New York City
Sydney turned off his cell-phone and breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive – they both were. And he was right about the passport – she was in Siberia. The Facility had to be involved. At least they were both alive and safe, for now at least. He looked up. Debbie stood in front of him.
"She’s alive," He whispered. She smiled and threw her arms around Sydney. "They both are," he told Broots, who was standing behind his daughter.
"I’m glad. But Sydney, what are we going to do?" Broots asked. It was a question that weighed heavily on Sydney’s mind ever since he opened that passport. What were they going to do?
"We’re fugitives now." Sydney told him. "We have to get out of the country."
"Sydney, are you sure, I mean…"
"They tried to blow us up, Broots. They want us dead just as much as they want Miss Parker and Jarod dead. I know it’s hard for you, with Debbie’s mother still…around."
"My mother’s not coming back." Debbie said, shaking her head.
"Oh, honey, when she straightens out, she’ll…" Broots started.
"No daddy. She’s not coming back. I know . If Sydney says we have to leave, then let’s leave." She said with conviction.
"Okay. Sydney, where are we going to go?" Broots asked.
"I don’t know. We have to go somewhere where the Centre won’t find us, but Jarod will."
Inn
Siberia
Miss Parker unbuttoned Jarod’s shirt and pushed it off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. A small smile flickered across her face when she felt his heart thumping. One thought entered her mind from the moment she heard Sydney say she was dead. Freedom. No more Centre, no more Raines. No more chasing Jarod. She was finally free to live her life as she wanted – with Jarod. She helped him into the large metal washtub. He was struggling to control his breathing. She took off her own clothes and slipped in the tub behind him. She picked up the sponge and soaked it under the hot water. Miss Parker put the sponge on Jarod’s shoulder and squeezed, washing off dried blood and dirt. She continued with his back, then reached around and washed his chest. His heart was racing and his breathing was heavy. She pressed her body against his back. Just to be so close to him, holding him, felt so…right. Jarod moaned. She moved her hands lower, massaging him.
"Miss Parker," Jarod whispered. Miss Parker put her hand over his lips.
"Don’t speak," she said as Jarod started kissing and nibbling her hand. She slid around him so they were face to face and straddled him. She put the sponge in Jarod’s hand. He soaked it under the water and placed it on her shoulder. He moved it lower and let it rest on her breast. He washed each breast slowly, touching and caressing them. Miss Parker gasped as he moved lower. His hands worked their way under the water and between her legs. Miss Parker shifted to allow him access. She began kissing his neck and face. Sensing they were both ready, she put her hands between their legs and guided him inside her. Jarod grabbed behind her neck and pulled her toward him. He kissed her on the mouth, his tongue working its way among her teeth and tongue. Water splashed out of the tub as they moved faster and faster. Miss Parker felt a warm sensation. She closed her eyes, moving faster and taking Jarod with her. The warm sensation intensified until her whole body exploded in ecstasy. Miss Parker opened her eyes. Jarod was close to hyperventilating. She felt him still inside her. She leaned in and kissed his neck and face and mouth. Jarod eagerly returned her kisses.
"Are you ready for more?" Jarod whispered, nibbling her ear. She nodded. He slowly pushed her off of him and got out of the tub. "Come on." He held out his hand and helped her out. She guided him to the small cot in the corner. It was made for one, but somehow she figured they would make it work. Miss Parker started kissing him, moving her hands lower and lower. "No." Jarod said. He knew what she was doing. This time, he would be in control. He made her lay down on the cot, under the warm blanket. He crawled in beside her. It was a tight fit, but that made it all the more exciting.
Jarod began kissing her neck, moving his fingers through her thick hair. She ran her fingers down his spine, pressing them into his flesh and pulling him down. His face moved lower to her breast. He tasted each nipple, rolling them around in his mouth, savoring the taste and feel of her.
He felt her heart pound as he nibbled the area around her nipple. She likes this, he thought, continuing. He bit down a little harder and Miss Parker let out a small scream. Jarod moved his mouth lower, licking and nibbling her stomach until he felt her hair tickling his chin. Miss Parker opened her legs and guided Jarod’s head between them. He kissed the inside of her thighs as Miss Parker massaged his hair and scalp. He moved his mouth until it was between her. He kissed her and licked her and nibbled her. Miss Parker screamed again when she felt his tongue dart inside her. She pushed his head in, wanting his whole body inside her.
"Jarod," she moaned. Jarod retraced the path he took back up to her lips. Miss Parker pulled him to her and kissed him, tasting her on his tongue. She spread her legs and wrapped them around his torso, pushing him down. He reached his hand down between them. Miss Parker arched her back, expecting him to thrust inside her. Instead, she felt him slowly glide inside. She gasped and bit his lip, tasting the sticky sweet blood. He moved deliberately, making every thrust count. Miss Parker hooked her arms through his shoulders, forcing his body even closer to hers. They moved faster and faster until they both came together and every nerve in their bodies felt like the fourth of July. Jarod kept kissing her – her mouth, her face, her neck, her ears. He stayed inside her after the moment had passed and felt her come again. Her pulsating skin felt like waves beating the shore. Jarod was hard again and he began thrusting faster and faster. With one last powerful thrust they both screamed with pleasure.
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
"Mr. Lyle, it seems that your plan to terminate Miss Parker and Jarod has failed. In fact, it has been a complete failure from the beginning." The woman said. Lyle wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. The woman couldn’t help but stare at his missing thumb.
"It’s just clear now that Miss Parker and Jarod have been working together for, uh, a long time. This is just, uh, a temporary setback. I, uh, assure you that, uh, the mission will be accomplished. Jarod and Miss Parker will die."
"What about the others? My sources tell me Dr. Green and Mr. Broots were not in Miss Parker’s cabin when it exploded." The woman said. How did they know about that ? "A minor detail that was not in your report of the incident."
"My team has just finished, uh, sifting through the wreckage. Uh, I just found out myself, uh, about their, uh, absence." Lyle stammered. He thought he had covered his tracks quite well.
"Mr. Lyle, let me be blunt." The woman continued. "You are on very shaky ground here. Two sensitive operations you were put in charge of have failed. You have one last directive – terminate Jarod, Miss Parker, Dr. Green and Mr. Broots. You have forty-eight hours." Lyle squirmed. "Mr. Lyle, I don’t think I need to remind you of the consequences should your third mission fail."
"No, you don’t." Lyle whispered, shuddering.
Inn
Siberia
Miss Parker opened her eyes. She felt Jarod’s body wrapped around hers and smiled. Last night was the most incredible night of her life – and that was saying a lot. It wasn’t that Jarod was good in bed – he was good, sensational even. They knew each other so well. Last night was a culmination of all the years of being forced together yet driven apart. They belonged together. And last night…Miss Parker darted her eyes around the room, straining to see if she heard what she thought she heard. There it was again. She was right. She jabbed Jarod in the ribs with her elbow and flung the covers off of them.
"Jarod, they’re here. We have to go." She said, putting on her underwear. Jarod sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Can you see?"
"Yeah, but it’s like I need glasses." He squinted at her as she pulled her sweater on over her head. They both froze as they heard a knock on the door a couple rooms down.
"Jarod…"
"I know, hurry." He jumped out of bed and threw on his clothes. Seeing that Miss Parker had their bag, he opened the window and they both climbed out. He grabbed her hand and they ran along the back of the rooms, hoping their pursuers would not detect them. They turned a corner and Jarod stopped. Gun fire exploded around them. Jarod dove behind the next building, taking Miss Parker with him.
"Now what?" She asked, breathless.
"You make a run for it. Go in those woods."
"Jarod, what…no." She said, realizing what he had planned. "I’m not leaving you. We go together or not at all." Her eyes began to fill with tears. She knew his plan was the only way out, but it only guaranteed the survival of one.
"Miss Parker, it’s the only way. I’ll be fine. Just go."
"No, you go. I’ll create the diversion and you run to the woods." The tears flowed freely now. She just had Jarod, she didn’t want to take the chance of losing him again.
"Miss Parker, I’m not going to argue with you. Just do it." He said, trying to pry her hands off his shoulders.
"Jarod, how will I find…"
"Go, Miss Parker. Go. I will find you. Go."
"I love you." She told him, kissing his mouth, not wanting to part.
"I know." Jarod said. Miss Parker grabbed the bag and ran into the woods. Almost instantly she heard another round of gun fire and felt like each bullet was tearing through her body.
Magadan
Siberia
Miss Parker ran through the woods, not looking back. She had wanted to turn right around and find Jarod, but her little voice told her to keep going. She had made it to Magadan in record time and hoped that Jarod would find her – if he was even alive. She had to believe he was. She didn’t want that one night to be it. She walked along the pier in a fog. Was he alive or wasn’t he? Her little voice wasn’t answering and she tried to focus on him, but her emotions clouded her thinking.
"Well, well, fancy running into you here." Miss Parker turned around at the sound of the familiar voice.
"What do you want?" She asked the grinning woman.
"Not so high and mighty, are you luv?" She pulled out her gun and aimed it at Miss Parker.
"Go ahead and shoot. Jarod’s dead. There’s nothing left for me." Miss Parker put down the bag and stood in the middle of the sidewalk. The pier was fairly deserted and the few people who were milling around thought it best to stay clear of other peoples business – especially when those other people were going around pointing high caliber weapons.
"It’s nothing personal, luv. Just business." Brigitte pulled back on the safety and put her finger on the trigger. A shot fired. Miss Parker stumbled back, expecting to feel a bullet rip through her heart. She didn’t.
"Are you okay?" Miss Parker heard someone say behind her. No she wasn’t okay, she was dead. Or at least she was supposed to be. Brigitte fired her gun…or did she? Miss Parker turned around.
"Jarod!" She whispered, flinging herself into his arms. She ran her fingers through his hair and over his face. "I thought you were…"
"I told you I would find you." He said as she smothered him with kisses.
"Don’t ever leave me." She said, holding his head in her hands and shaking it gently.
"Never." He said, holding her tight.
"I hate to break up this reunion, but we do need to go." Miss Parker stepped back at the sound of another familiar voice.
"Yuri?" She asked. She walked toward him, confused. "What…?"
"Your father sent me." He told her in her ear. "He told me to make sure you two were safe – well, that you were safe. Jarod I was supposed to kill."
"Why…"
"Your eyes Parker." He said. "Your eyes betrayed your love for another the first day we met. It wasn’t until recently I knew who that other was. True love, Parker, no?" Miss Parker nodded. "We must hurry. Brigitte wasn’t the only one they sent." Yuri led Miss Parker and Jarod to a military ship about to leave the harbor bound for Japan. Yuri said a few words to the Captain and turned to Miss Parker and Jarod. He shook hands with Jarod and Jarod boarded the ship.
"Yuri, I don’t…" Miss Parker started. He put his hand to her mouth to stop her.
"I know the other night, how shall I say? Your heart wasn’t in it?" Miss Parker chuckled and nodded.
"I’m sorry," she told him.
"Don’t be. One night with you is always worth it. Even if you do scream for another." He said, smiling as she turned bright red. "This is for you." He handed her a briefcase. She looked up at him confused. "In here lie all the truths you have been searching for."
"I don’t understand." She said, taking the briefcase from him.
"Parker, I will tell you something. Then I must go. My father was an American. Like you, he worked for The Centre. His last name was Fenigor."
Military Vessel
En route from Magadan to Japan
The first thing Miss Parker did after she and Jarod were taken to their room was open the briefcase. Inside was a red file with the familiar code word 'Prodigy' stamped on the front, a DSA dated April 12, 1970 and other files with various labels.
"Another Prodigy file." Miss Parker said, opening it. The file was much thicker than the ones she and Jarod had discovered. She read the file from page one to page one hundred thirty three, handing Jarod each page as she finished. "Oh my God, Jarod," she said after he read the last page. "It was a lie." Her eyes filled with tears. "My whole life was a lie. From conception. The Centre arranged the affair between my mother and my real father because they knew he had the Pretender gene, as did she. They separated my brother and I as an experiment. They knew about you, and had been planning on taking you when the time was right. They needed someone they could control from birth. My whole life was a lie, Jarod! An experiment. They just wanted to use me for their sick experiments. My father wanted to raise me to be just like him only better, a Pretender. There was only one thing that stood in his way. My mother. That's why he had her killed." She looked up at Jarod who had tears in his eyes, not so much for her pain as for what they discovered about him. "Jarod, I know Jacob wouldn't have shot her unless they were holding something terrible over his head. He was like Sydney, a good man."
"He was my father." Jarod said, still stunned from the discovery that Jacob willingly allowed his sperm to be used to fertilize Margaret Russells' eggs and produce Jarod and finally Kyle. Jacob was his father and Sydney was his uncle. He looked up at Miss Parker, helpless.
"Jarod, don't blame yourself. I don't." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed his forehead. "Blame the Centre. Blame my father. He's the one who did this to us. God I can't believe I wasted my entire life trying to gain his approval!" She stood up and crossed the room, her back to Jarod. "I hurt the people I care about most, the people who care about me, all for that son of a bitch. And he's the one who killed her, Jarod. Jacob may have pulled the trigger, but John Patrick Parker killed her because she was fucking up his little experiment! I was becoming too soft, he decided. I was becoming a decent human being and he couldn't have that, oh no."
"Parker…"
"No, no, couldn't have his little angel going around loving people and caring for people, could he? That would ruin his legacy. He took her from me!" She sobbed and turned around. "God, Jarod I loved her so much. I miss her so much it hurts inside everyday I can't be with her. And he did that! He did that! He killed her! He killed my mother, he killed her!" She was screaming and sobbing.
"Miss Parker!" Jarod shook her. "Melissa!" He slapped her across the face. She stood there stunned.
"You hit me Jarod." She said, rubbing her cheek.
"I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Miss Parker, I had to. You were going into shock." He explained, still holding on to her.
"What did you say?" She asked.
"I said I was sorry. You were going into shock. I didn’t mean to hurt you."
"No, not that . Before."
"I…Miss Parker. I…called you by your name."
"I haven’t heard that for so long. Say it again, Jarod."
"Melissa." He smiled and drew her into his arms and held her. She nodded. He could feel his shirt getting wet.
"I like that."
Hotel
London, England
Broots managed to create new identification for himself, Debbie and Sydney. They made it to England, but Sydney knew it wasn’t far enough. He paced the floor in their room. Broots was busy at his computer, trying to create yet another set of identification. Debbie sat at the table drawing. The only problem was where to go next. He was sure The Centre would find them in London. He thought of Belgium. Jarod would surely find them there. But that was too big of a risk. Italy? France? Germany? No, not Germany. Never Germany. Austria? Perhaps Austria, or Switzerland. Switzerland was neutral…
"Okay, Syd. I got it." Sydney walked over to Broots was peered over his shoulder. Three passports were on the screen ready to be forged. ‘Patrick Gries’ ‘Andrea Gries’ and ‘John Bauchau’.
"Good, Broots." Sydney nodded.
"Just tell me where to and I’ll type it in." Broots turned to face Sydney. "Syd…"
"Switzerland. And get us separate flights. You and Debbie – Andrea – on one, me on the other."
"Sure thing, Syd."
Japan
"Now where?" Miss Parker asked Jarod as they watched the ship leave the harbor.
"I know some people in Japan." He told her.
"So do I."
"Somehow I don’t think the Tanaka family would be too thrilled to see either one of us." He took her hand. "C’mon." He said, walking toward a row of taxis. A driver saw them coming and opened the door. Jarod and Miss Parker got in and the driver shut the door. Jarod gave the man directions and they drove off. They sat in silence, thinking about all that happened and all they discovered along the way.
The DSA was not much help. Mrs. Parker had gone to see Jarod. He was performing a sim with Sydney, so she watched from the alcove. She knew Sydney would never hurt Jarod the way Raines hurt Timmy. But Jarod still deserved a normal life. Some of the information in the Russell file said as much. A few of the files were transcripts from Sydney’s sessions with Catherine. Jarod and Miss Parker didn’t read those. Some files were details about Jarod’s past. They were not too much help now, as they dealt with the whereabouts of his family thirty years ago. He did learn his mother’s name –Margaret. And his father’s name was Eugene. In fact, Jarod’s middle name was Eugene – Jarod Eugene Russell. No mention of a hometown or birth records were found. Records of the fact that Catherine Parker had helped Jarod’s family hide from The Centre were included.
The cab stopped in front of a modest house. A woman was outside tending to the garden. She looked up when she heard them walk up the path.
"Jarod-san!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "Good to see."
"Mrs. Wantanabe-san." Jarod bowed respectfully. "May I present Miss Parker." He motioned to Miss Parker who was a few steps behind him. She came out from behind Jarod and bowed.
"Melissa." She told Mrs. Wantanabe, and Jarod. "You have a beautiful garden. You must work very hard." She complimented in perfect Japanese.
"Ah, thank-you, Melissa-san. I work hard, but the weeds are stubborn. They like to come up and mask my pretty flowers. Come, come, inside." Mrs. Wantanabe ushered them in the small house. "You here for vacation?" She asked in halting English.
"You’ve been practicing!" Jarod complimented.
"Oh, how you tease an old woman!" Mrs. Wantanabe said, blushing. "No one to speak English to in Japan. Not speak English since travel from Seattle – filthy place!" She spit in the sink.
"I don’t know," Jarod said. "I kind of liked Seattle."
"You never answer my question. You are not on vacation?"
"No. We’re not. We need a place to stay for a couple days."
"I see. You need place to ‘lay low’? I watch tv. I know how American fugitives talk." She told him, bustling about the kitchen making tea. Jarod laughed.
"Can you help us?"
"Of course I help you! You help my grandson in Seattle," she spit again. "I return the favor and help you and Melissa-san."
"Thank you." Jarod bowed again.
Cottage
Switzerland
Sydney, Broots and Debbie managed to escape London just as a sweeper team ascended on the hotel. Broots had set up so many dead ends and false trails that it would take them quite a while to figure out where they had actually gone. Sydney was confident it would take Jarod considerably less time to find them. In the mean time, they had rented a small two-bedroom cottage in a village outside Bern. All they had to do now was wait.
Sydney, Australia
Jarod and Miss Parker had stayed with Mrs. Wantanabe for two days. While there they decided to settle in Australia, and Sydney seemed to be the natural choice. Jarod found a large estate on the outskirts of the city for sale. It needed some work, but it had a guest house and could easily accommodate a large family. The search for Sydney, Broots and Debbie proved to be more difficult than Jarod thought. He followed their trail to London, then lost them. He had several names to check out and it had been about three months since they escaped The Facility.
"God damn it!" Miss Parker swore, trying to zip her jeans. She didn’t understand why they didn’t fit – she just bought them a couple weeks ago. It’s Jarod, she thought. He’s up to his old tricks again. He’s discovered Betty Crocker, and now I’m turning into the Good Year blimp. I just won’t eat any more of his food. I’ll have to diet. Even thinking that word gave her a bad taste. Miss Parker was proud of the fact she could maintain a slim figure and eat just about anything she wanted.
"Breakfast" Jarod called from the kitchen. Miss Parker could smell the French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon Jarod cooked. Damn him.
"I’m coming, I’m coming," she grumbled, finally zipping up her pants. She stomped downstairs and sat down at the table. Jarod placed a generous plate of food in front of her.
"What?" He asked, responding to the all-too-familiar icy glare.
"Bastard." She said, regretting it the instant the hurt look took over his face. Too bad. He’s the one trying to ruin my life.
"I don’t understand." Jarod said, watching Miss Parker devour her breakfast. "Were the eggs too runny?"
"The eggs were fine, Ratboy." Miss Parker didn’t really mean to call him that.
"Just tell me what’s wrong with your breakfast and I’ll fix it." He told her, trying to hold back the tears.
"God Jarod, you are so naïve." She rolled her eyes at him. "I should have shot you when I had the chance." This time the tears did roll down Jarod’s cheeks. Why was she so mad? Miss Parker got up and stormed up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door. She laid down on the bed and cried. Why was I so mean to him? He didn’t deserve that. She heard him close the front door and knew he had left to check out a lead on Sydney and wouldn’t be back for a couple days – if he came back at all. Of course he’ll come back. He’s Jarod . And he loves me. It must be PMS, she thought, trying to regain control. I always get mood swings when…wait a minute. How long has it been? She counted the weeks on her fingers. She was supposed to get it that week she broke Jarod out – that week they were first together. Miss Parker sat up. I’m pregnant.
Sydney, Australia
Three Days later
Miss Parker paced the floor of the living room. Jarod called to say he was on his way home – without Sydney and the others. She had to tell him. The doctor confirmed her suspicions and even did an ultra sound. She carried the tape as she paced. Jarod would be happy about this. I have to apologize. Apologize first? Or tell him about the baby first? How should I tell him? Just come right out and say it? Maybe I should cook dinner or something. Or tell him when we’re in bed…that would be romantic.
"Miss Parker?" Jarod called out tentatively. He closed the door and stepped inside the house.
"In here." She called. Jarod walked into the living room. Miss Parker wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. "I missed you."
"I don’t understand…" He started. She began kissing him and he soon forgot what he was about to say.
"Oh God, I need to throw up." Miss Parker covered her mouth and ran into the bathroom. Jarod watched her go confused. Did I do something? Is she still mad? Miss Parker walked back in the room holding a tape and wearing a sheepish grin.
"Sorry," she said.
"What’s that?" Jarod asked, pointing to the tape. Miss Parker stared at it as if she’d never seen it before. Then she held it out to him.
"Here." She said. Jarod took the tape. "Put it in." Jarod turned on the tv and the vcr and put the tape in. It started automatically. His eyes widened as the image of a 12 week fetus appeared on the screen. The words ‘Ultra-sound, Russell, MP’ were in the top right corner.
"You?" He turned around to look at her. She smiled and nodded.
"We’re going to have a baby." She told him. "That’s why I got so mad at you. It’s wasn’t you, really. It was…"
"Hormones." Jarod supplied.
"Yeah, hormones." She smiled.
"We’re gonna have," Jarod glanced over at the screen. "A little girl."
"You can tell?" She asked, tears in her eyes. Jarod nodded. "A little girl?"
"Yeah, actually, two girls. They’re identical." Jarod told her, holding her tight.
"Twins?" Miss Parker took a step back. Twins? Two babies?
"Yeah, see watch." Jarod stopped the tape and rewound it. He played it back. "There." Jarod pointed to a shadow on the screen.
"Dr. Meridian said that was a shadow, she said…"
"But watch." Jarod rewound the tape and played it back at a slower speed. "Watch the shadow…there did you see it?" Miss Parker nodded. The shadow moved but the baby didn’t. Miss Parker stumbled back and slid down the couch and sat on the floor. Tears spilled out of her eyes but she did not say a word. "Melissa? Are you okay?" Jarod asked, sitting down next to her. She shook her head. "I don’t know…"
"I want my momma," She sobbed. "She should be here. She should be with me, Jarod. And she’s not. She’s not because my father took her away from me."
"I know how you feel." He put his arms around her.
"No you don’t Jarod," She wailed. "You don’t. Your mother is alive . She’s…alive and out there somewhere. And…and you’re going to find her, and have her with you. My mother’s gone. She’s gone and she shouldn’t be. She should be here with me. I want her Jarod. I want her so bad it hurts."
"I know you do." Jarod held her tight and she cried into his chest.
Sydney, Australia
Two weeks later
Miss Parker glanced out the window for the twentieth time. When would they get here? Jarod called the night before to tell her he was on his way home – with Sydney, Broots and Debbie. She had been jumpy all morning. She woke up at around 5am and cooked a huge breakfast for herself. Then she went through the bedrooms they would be staying in until the guest house was finished; she checked the bedding – made sure the comforters matched the curtains, she checked the hand towels and soap in the bathrooms. Everything she had done the night before, she checked and double checked. Jarod said they would be in around noon. It was…There they are! Miss Parker practically jumped out of the chair when she heard the familiar sound of Jarod’s Outback. She ran to the door and threw it open.
"Sydney!" She cried, throwing herself into his arms. A bit surprised by her exuberant display of emotion, Sydney returned the embrace and held her close.
"Miss Parker, it’s so good to…Miss Parker?" Sydney pushed her away when he felt her growing abdomen press against him. "Are you?" She nodded. "Pregnant?"
"You’re going to have a baby, Miss Parker?" Debbie piped in. Miss Parker kneeled down to Debbie’s level.
"Yes I am. Two babies, actually." She looked up at Sydney. "It’s twins. Identical twin girls. And you know what else, Debbie?"
"What?"
"You can call me Melissa."
Sydney, Australia
Six Months Later
"Melissa! We’re here!" Jarod called and he flung open the front door. The only person in sight was Debbie sitting on the bottom step. "Where is she?" Jarod asked her. Before Debbie could answer, Jarod heard a scream from the master bedroom.
"She went into labor twelve hours ago. Sydney and my dad are with her. Sydney came down a few minutes ago and said she’s almost ready. They won’t let me watch, though." Debbie told him. Jarod rushed upstairs just as a woman with graying red hair walked in, accompanying by a younger woman with similar features and a three-year-old boy.
"Melissa!" Jarod ran into the master bedroom and saw Miss Parker sprawled out on the bed drenched in sweat. Sydney had his hands between her legs and Broots was holding her hand.
"Miss Parker you have to push." Sydney told her. She shook her head.
"No Syd, no…Can’t do it, Sydney, I can’t."
"Jarod, take her hand. She needs you. She has to push now." Sydney said, seeing Jarod’s stunned expression. Jarod snapped to attention and took over for Broots.
"Good luck," Broots whispered in his ear. "A few minutes ago she was shouting more swear words than I have heard in my lifetime."
"Push Miss Parker!" Sydney ordered.
"No Syd…no…too tired…I can’t."
"Melissa, you have to." Jarod leaned down and kissed her. "You have to. Our babies need you. Just a couple pushes and it will be over." Their eyes locked and Jarod saw the intense fear Miss Parker had toward her role as a mother.
"Okay," She said. Jarod helped her sit up half-way. She closed her eyes and screamed as she pushed as hard as she could. A second later, her scream was matched by another, shriller wail. She opened her eyes and saw Sydney pull the tiny infant from her body. She looked up at Jarod. He was staring at the child stunned. "Jarod…" He looked down at her and smiled. Then he leaned in and kissed her.
"I love you so much," He told her between kisses. Suddenly she fell back and screamed again.
"It’s okay, it’s just her sister." Sydney told her. "She’s ready to come out. Push!" Miss Parker sat up again and pushed. After a couple tries a second cry joined the first. Miss Parker opened her eyes as Jarod cut the cord from the second baby. She watched as they washed the infants and wrapped them in blankets. Jarod and Sydney brought the babies to her and laid them down on her chest. Tears flowed from her eyes, as well as Sydney and Jarod’s, as Miss Parker cradled her daughters.
"Hello Catherine," She said to the first twin. "Hello Margaret. Cat and Meg." She looked up at Jarod. "I love you so much." He smiled and kissed her.
"I, I better go downstairs and announce their arrival." Sydney said. "Congratulations Miss Parker. You too Jarod."
"Sydney," Miss Parker said. "Thank you so much."
Sydney, Australia
6 hours later
"How are you feeling Melissa?" Jarod’s mother asked as she walked into the bedroom. The babies were sound asleep in their bassinets next to Miss Parker.
"A little tired and sore."
"Well, that’s to be expected. I had such a difficult time with Jarod, I thought the pain would never go away. But it did." Margaret sat down on the bed next to Miss Parker. She was holding a large manila envelope in her hands. "Your mother would be so proud of you."
"You knew my mother?" Miss Parker asked, fresh tears covering her cheeks.
"Oh, sweetie, don’t cry," She ran the back of her hand down Miss Parker’s cheek. "I knew your mother for a long time. Before you were born."
"How…?"
"I used to live in Maine. There was a man she used to visit every spring. One spring she came into the diner and sat at a booth all alone. She looked so sad…so lost. I sat down. We started talking. Well, she did most of the talking. She told me about her husband, her marriage, her job…Every day for a week she came in – same time. We talked and talked and finally laughed. Then I didn’t see her for a year. She came back and had a beautiful baby girl with her. Three months old. I had just had Jarod, so we had a lot to talk about. She came to my house every afternoon with you. I remember thinking how wonderful it was to see her so happy and so full of life. Every year she came up – every April. She always brought you. I have so many wonderful memories of you and Jarod playing together by the lake or in our yard…and then I had Kyle," Her eyes clouded and Miss Parker could tell that what happened to Kyle put a great strain on her. "Anyway, Jarod was so cute. He was so protective of you. He couldn’t say your name. He called you…"
"Missa." Miss Parker supplied. Margaret nodded.
"Missa." She confirmed. "He adored you," Margaret reached over and pushed a strand of hair off Miss Parker’s face. "He would always ask when you were coming…he never wanted you to leave. You both would cry buckets when it was time to part. Especially that last time…"
"Tell me what happened." Miss Parker said softly.
"I think they must have found out about Jarod. They must have followed your mother one time and found out about his…abilities. Even then at two and three I knew he was special. I knew he was gifted. They came at night. We were all sleeping, I heard noises coming from the boys' room. I ran in there and there were two men in dark suits taking them out the window. I screamed and tried to pull Jarod away from them, but I couldn't. The next thing I remember is being on my sofa with your mother next to me. She said she knew something was wrong because you kept screaming and crying about Jarod. You kept telling her they were hurting Jarod. She came right away, but she was too late." Margaret stopped. She reached across Miss Parker and pulled a tissue out of the box. "I think she blamed herself for their abduction. She promised she would do whatever she could to get them out. She told us we had to leave, that we were in danger too. She hid us in a farm house that belonged to a friend of hers – a nun. She came twice after that. She told me Jarod was well-cared for. That he was loved. He must have been around eight then. But Kyle…Kyle was in danger. She had already tried to get Kyle out, but couldn’t. The next time she came was in 1970 – April 1970." Miss Parker’s eyes widened. "She knew she was…in trouble…she made me promise that if anything happened to her…that I would try to get you…I never saw her again. I heard she died…my husband got into your house…he tried, but couldn’t get close. You were being guarded. They knew, I think, about us and about her promise. Somehow they knew. We tried a couple more times, but couldn’t get in. Then we had Emily and we had to leave our hiding place…" Margaret started sobbing.
"It’s okay." Miss Parker said, holding the older woman’s hand.
"She loved you so much. You were such a happy little girl – a free spirit she called you. I saw you once after her death and I could see the sorrow and my heart just broke for you. You were her world!" Margaret cupped Miss Parkers face with her hands. "She would be so proud of you."
"No she wouldn’t!" Miss Parker cried. "I failed her, I failed you, I failed Jarod. I hurt everyone who mattered to me. After Jarod left…I had to catch him. I almost killed him. I was supposed to bring him back and I would have…"
"Oh sweetie, you didn’t fail anyone! Look at you now! A beautiful, strong, intelligent woman who had the courage to walk away from the only life she’s known. And now, you’re a mother! You have the chance to make right everything you feel you should have done in the past. You are with Jarod who loves you more than anything in this world…" Margaret reached behind her and picked up the envelope. She opened it and took out a stack of photographs. She pulled the top one off and handed it to Miss Parker. It was a photo of Miss Parker and Jarod and Kyle when she and Jarod were about three. Miss Parker and Kyle were grinning at the camera with Jarod between them. Jarod had his arms around Miss Parker’s waist and was looking down at her. The love was obvious. "You and Jarod are soul mates." Margaret told her. "You were meant to be together."
The End
