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This is the second part of my story Brothers in Arms.
I recommend you to read it first to understand this story.
I've always avoided to give Miss Parker a first name. However, I couldn't leave it out this time without starting to sound strange.
I'd like to thank Elora for her comments and for beta-reading. :-) What would I do without all these nice people who tend to erase my mistakes...
Return from the Light
A Pretender Fan Fiction by Mareen
Part 1: Running
SEVEN YEARS LATER
Jarod stopped the car in front of their house with the loud sound of screeching wheels. He could smell something like burned rubber coming from his car's wheels when he jumped out of it, but he didnīt care.
When he reached the house, he stumbeled through the door, hardly able to breath.
"Mae?" he screamed. "Mae!"
She came out of the kitchen, ready to go to work.
"Jarod? What are you doing here? I was just about to go. The babysitter isn't here..."
"Get the children", he said.
Her face went blank.
"Oh no", she wispered.
"I was nearly inside the school when I met Mrs Webster. She told me there are men, searching for us. And they came with three Limos. If I hadn't met her..."
"I'll get the children. You go and pack the things."
He watched her running upstairs to the children, taking two stairs with every step.
There wasn't much to pack, but hardly any time to do it.
He grabbed the suitecase with the DSA's he'd taken from the Centre 10 years ago now, some family pictures and all cash they had.
Upstairs he could hear the children complaining about being forced out of their beds and made to get dressed.
Their mother tried to be as calm as possible, but he could hear the fear in her voice even downstairs in the living-room, where he was picking up the last stuff.
Jarod was once again glad that they'd chosen this home a few miles away from the town. Having a small plane was quite usual here, even if it wasn't usual to have it in a garage next to the home, just like their own landing strip.
But both of them, Parker and he, had thought a plane to be the perfect way to escape if ever they were forced to.
Parker.
He couldn't really remember the last time when he'd called her that. Since their first child had been born, Jamie, she had always been only "Mae" to him.
"Miss Parker" was hardly there anymore. "Mae" was the person that was left.
He took the things he'd gathered and ran out of the house to make the plane ready for their escape.
How could they've ever been so stupid?
Seven years!
Seven. Damn. Years.
And they'd even started to feel secure.
As if the Centre would ever give up on searching for something that had once been theirs.
"Mom!"
"Mom!"
She came back to reality and gave her son a little smile.
"What is it, Jamie?"
"Don't I have to go to school today, Mom?"
Her little boy had been fighting to put on his socks. When he looked up to meet her eyes, she was once again surprised at just how much he looked like his father.
"No, Darling. Not today", she answered. She then closed her daughter's cardigan and kissed the two-year-old on the forehead. "We're going on a little vacation."
She wanted to cry, but there wasn't any time to be weak now, and she could already feel Miss Parker taking over again.
Outside, their plane's engines went on and she listend to its sound while Jarod brought it out onto the landing strip. The engine went out again.
"Hurry", she told Jamie. "We have to go."
Jarod came running into the children's room.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes", she answered.
"I'm so sorry", the voice in her head said. "I'm so sorry, babies, that I couldn't protect you from this."
Jarod's hand was suddenly on her face, caressing her. As always, he knew what she'd felt.
"Give me Meg", he whispered.
She gave him the girl and took Jamie.
They started to run then.
Part 2: Remembrances
She hadn't wanted to, but the slight on-going movement of the plane and soft voice Jarod always had when he was telling a story to the children, had made her sleepy.
She hadn't had the dream for a long time now.
Crawling through the vent. Following Angelo's path of Cracker Jacks.
But in her dream, it had never ended like in reality. In her dream, when she had gotten to the end of the Cracker Jacks, there was Mr Lyle sitting where she was supposed to meet Jarod, putting one of the little sweets into his mouth, grinning at her.
"You didn't *really* think I would let you go, did you?" he asked.
She would always go into labor as soon as he had said that. Jamie would be trying to get into the world, down in the Centre's dirty ventilation system.
She would try to stop him. She would always scream, "Not now!" and put her hands between her legs, trying to push him back, because she knew that to get out of the Centre before the birth.
But she never made it.
Jamie would be born looking at her with those dark eyes, he'd gotten from his father, and then Raines would be hovering over her, smiling, and then taking her baby away.
She would try to hold on to Jamie, or was it Meg?, but Raines was always stronger than her, and her father, Lyle, and Brigitte would laugh and watch her cry.
It had always been that moment, when she'd wake up, screaming.
This time was no different.
She was screaming after Jamie and Meg and fighting against a hand that was touching her.
Then, she realized that it was Jarod's hand, trying to calm her.
Parker opened her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes...yes, I'm fine. Just that dream."
Meg was crying in the back seat and when she turned around to take care of her, she saw Jamie`s terrified expression.
"I'm sorry. Mommy just had a bad dream..."
She caressed the faces of both her children.
"I'm sorry", she said again. "You know what? You both try to get some sleep, okay? We'll be there soon."
"Where are we going?" Jamie asked.
"You'll see", Jarod answered. "It's a wonderful place. A surprise."
Parker looked at him.
"I don't know", was what his face told her.
She took his hand and squeezed it.
XXX
Their life had just been too good to stay that way forever.
After they'd escaped from the Centre seven years earlier, they had hidden in a hotel not far away from the Centre. They were sure, the Centre would search everywhere for them except right under their noses.
They'd spent three days in the hotel room, playing the part of a just- married couple.
But the truth was, most of the time, Parker had felt terrible.
She'd had to have her head over the toilet every morning. After they'd finally accepted the fact that her illness wasn't from the drugs they'd been exposed to in the Centre, Jarod had bought a pregnancy test.
The test had come out as positive.
And though they were hiding, though the Centre was after them and they had no idea how to go on, they had been happy.
Jarod had had a stupid grin on his face for the next two weeks.
They had just vanished then.
They had taken a new name, moved into the middle of nowhere in Montana, and went on living.
Jarod wasn't sending messages to the Centre anymore and the only two times they'd let anyone know that they were still alive was when they'd sent Sydney and Broots a picture of newborn Jamie and newborn Meg four years later.
Jarod and Mae Charles had become just an ordinary couple in an ordinary small town.
Jarod took a job as a teacher at their town's high school, and Mae, formerly known as Miss Parker, was one of the founders of a small orphanage. They had a few friends, and everyone in town seemd to like them and their two wonderful children.
Parker would have never imagined that she could be happy with so little, but she had been.
Everything had seemed to be so perfect.
They'd even thought the Centre would just forget about them.
But the Centre *never* forgets anything.
And now they had been found.
She was torn out of her thoughts by the ringing of Jarod's cell-phone.
Both of them looked at each other in surprise.
"I'd totally forgotten it", Jarod said. "Who do you think it is?"
"Well, let's find out."
Before Jarod could stop her, she'd taken the phone out of his jacket and answered it with a "What?", which had seemed to be long forgotten.
"Oh!" the voice on the other side said. "It's you."
Parker had hoped she would never hear that voice again.
"Lyle", she hissed, and got a quick, shocked look from Jarod about the name of the caller.
"What do you want?"
"Sis, it's good to hear that you haven't changed", there was a soft laugh coming from the man. "Well, I'm just calling, to remind Jarod...you are still with Jarod, aren't you?...Well, I'm just calling to remind Jarod that he still owes me. And now I want what's mine ."
Part 3: Guess, who's coming to dinner...
"You can't be serious."
"Oh yes, I am. And from what I know about Jarod, he'll take me seriousously, too."
"Give me the phone!"
"What?" Surprised, Parker turned toward Jarod.
"I said, give me the phone."
He grabbed it from her before she could say anything else. The expression on his face was hard, unmoved. She had never seen him like this before.
"Lyle. I'm here."
"Jarod. It's good to hear your voice. How are the kids?"
"What do you want?"
"I already told Sis. When I helped you escape, we made a deal. And now I want the favor you owe me."
"I'll call you back."
Jarod hung up.
From his harsh breathing, Parker could tell how much the call had upset Jarod, just as it had upset her.
She couldn't say why she was so angry.
Probably because Jarod had just taken the phone out of her hand as if she was some kind of stupid bimbo. Or maybe because she was just terribly afraid, like he was.
"Why did you even talk to him?" she asked through pressed lips.
"I owe him. You know that."
"You owe him nothing, Jarod. He killed your brother. And he would just as soon as kill you, if it was in his best interest. I want you to stay away from him. For them."
She gave the children a short look. They were sleeping peacefully. There was a thought in her mind for a second, about how every fight that might lay ahead of them was worth it, just for these two.
Parker smiled.
"For them," she said again. "I'm asking you to stay away from Lyle. Whatever kind of *deal* you two made seven years ago, you shouldn't care about it anymore."
"I gave my word."
"I don't give a shit about your word, dammit! I don't want to loose you."
She gave their two children another quick look, but they only stirred in their sleep from her outburst for a second and went on sleeping peacfully again.
"I'm sorry," Parker said. "I don't want to..."
"No", he said. "You're right. But maybe we should consider to *really* talk to him. After all, the Centre just found us...nearly caught us. Maybe if I give him what he wants, he'll leave the three of you alone."
"Do you ever listen to yourself? Are you aware of what you just said? ... I won't let you go, Jarod."
He looked at her, then bent over and kissed her.
"I love you", he said.
"I know."
"Then please just let me call him, to find out what he wants. I gave my word. And I would never endanger anything *we* have for him."
She took his hand and just held it, listening to the light snorring of their babies.
XXX
They finally decided to go to Los Angeles. It was a big town which, made it easier to vanish. For the next couple weeks, there would even be enough money. They had stored 20,000 dollars in their plane when they bought it. Just in case.
They had chosen a big and expensive hotel, not exactly what anyone on the run was expected to do, so they thought it to be the safest thing to do, at least for the next few days until they`d decided where to go next.
Jarod left their hotel room shortly after they arrived.
They didn't talk about it, and they didn't want to. It would all just end in screaming at each other. Parker still didn't want him to call her brother but she knew she couldn't stop him.
She knew Jarod much to well for that.
He would never be angry with her about it, but there would always be a part of him, accusing *himself* for not doing what he promised and for betraying what he believed it.
If Lyle asked him to give himself or anyone in his family to the Centre, there would be a *cause* for not giving into the promise.
But first, he needed to know for sure.
So he chose a public phone far away from their hotel and called Lyle.
"This is Lyle."
"Jarod here."
"Jarod! I knew you'd call back. Where's Parker?"
"Not here. Cut the crap and tell me what you want."
"I want the favor you still owe me."
"And what is it going to be, Lyle? A pretend?"
"No, not at all... I'm hearing you have visitors?"
Jarod gritted his teeth.
"You know we have. After all, they were sweepers from the Centre. Why do you even ask?"
"Because they *weren't* sweepers from the Centre."
"What?" Jarod said, very slowly and carefully.
"Have you ever hear the name 'The Nimrod'?"
All the blood left Jarod's face.
He had been fifteen years old and there had been loud shouting and shooting and screams and men had tried to get him and sweepers fought the men.
"You have, haven't you?" Lyle said.
"I thought the Nimrod was destroyed in the 70s, when they tried to get..."
"...you? Yes, we thought that, too. But it seems as if they are back with a vengeance. And they seem to be working with the remains of the 'Group'. You do remember the 'Group', also, don't you?"
"Yes", Jarod answered cooly. "I remember."
"As does Mr Broots."
Jarod could hear a slight laugh coming from Lyle.
"So, Jarod, it seems as if we are back at the same place again."
"Yes", Jarod answered.
And his world seemed to be turned up-side-down again.
Part 4: Considering
After hanging up the phone, Lyle just sat at his desk for a second, doing nothing but staring at the wall until one of the sweepers entered.
Lyle gave him a questioning look.
"Los Angeles", the sweeper said. "Public phone."
"He'll be long gone before we get anyone over there. Leave it alone."
The sweeper nodded and continued standing in the door frame, as if waiting for Lyle to say something more, but all Lyle gave him was a dark look from half closed eyes.
"Leave", was all he said.
The door closed behind the sweeper immediately.
Lyle then fully closed his eyes.
He had to think. He had to come up with a conclusion for this.
But all he could think of was that he was about to become leader of a black hole. A cemetary.
The Nimrod was about to destroy every single one of their field agencies.
Sometimes they killed everyone. Sometimes they bought everyone outand killed the few who resisted.
When it had first started, everyonce in a while the Centre had been able to fight them. But these occasions had become fewer and fewer, and he had no idea how to stop them.
Except for Jarod.
Jarod always had ideas. He always knew how to stop something.
He would find a way out.
He just had to make him help them.
And he desperately needed a break.
XXX
"Debbie."
No response was coming from his daughter's room, so Broots called her again. She had been listening to all kinds of strange music lately. She was also wearing lots of dark make-up and these *short* clothes, and she never really listened no him anymore.
When had it all started to get out of control?
But Broots had always known the answer. Seven years ago, when Mr Lyle had become the one who was in control. When the man had started to demand more and more of his time.
He came to their house. He invited himself to lunch.
Mr Lyle was always there and there had been nothing Broots could have possibly done to stop him.
It had taken time for Debbie to drift apart from him, but in the end, it had finally happened.
She had been such a beautiful, sweet girl.
But just as Broots had not been able to recognize himself anymore, he'd also not been able to not recognize Debbie, this 18-year-old who had once been his little girl .
The Centre was destroying his life, just as it had destroyed the life of everyone who came to near it.
"Debbie!" he called again.
He decided to just go into her room. He could still do that. He was still her father. Even if she would give him that *look* again which always let him know that she thought he was a complete idiot,
a coward and a traitor for what he had done.
But when he entered her room, all he found was an empty room, an open window, and terribly loud music.
Debbie was gone.
XXX
"You don't believe him, do you?"
"He said the Centre is about to be destroyed."
"So what?" Parker hissed. "Let it be destroyed."
"What he also said, was that the Nimrod was the one who nearly caught us. Not the Centre. What I'm saying is that right now an existing Centre seems to be in our best interest since they've never been able to find us. The Nimrod did. And I suppose they could do it again if the Group really works with them. So what are we supposed to do? Always be on the run? A new town every single week for the rest of our lifes? What about Meg and Jamie?"
"Are you trying to tell me you *do* believe Lyle? And you intend to help him? Help the *Centre*? Dammit, Jarod!"
"We don't have another choice. We have to destroy the Nimrod and the Group. If we don't, they'll catch us sooner or later. And our best chance of destroying it is with the help of the Centre."
He took her arm and pulled her to his chest, embracing her with all the strength he had.
"I don't like it", he heard her whisper. "I don't like it at all. What if Lyle lied to you?"
"I'm going to ask Syd about it. He'll know if the Nimrod is back."
"Just promise me something."
"Anything", he answered.
"If Lyle betrays us, *I'm* the one who gets to break his neck."
Jarod let out a laugh, until he realized she was deadly serious.
Part 5: Home
"You look shaky, Mr. Broots."
"I didn't think you'd notice."
Broots gave Lyle a quick look and then sat down on his chair in front of his computer. Strange, the only thing in his life that hadn't changed was the place he worked at, though he was leader of the Tech-Section in the Centre now.
"Something wrong?"
One day.
She had been gone for one day now. Vanished without a trace. He couldn't eat. He couldn't sleep. If even Mr. Lyle could see it, he must be looking really awful.
"No...", he said though, not wanting to make Lyle a part of his family problems.
Lyle was looking down at him with an unreadable expression in his eyes.
"Well, strange, Mr Broots, because I was of the opinion that you are missing your little daughter."
XXX
He took the next Pan Am flight to Delaware, leaving his wife and the children behind. They had discussed the possibility of all of them going there together but had decided that it would be too risky. Jarod would call them later... as soon as he was sure that what Lyle had told them was the truth.
He had then sent Sydney an E-mail telling him of a meeting place and that was where he was waiting now, excited and frightened at the same time.
Seven years ago was the last time he'd seen Sydney. Had he changed? Had their relationship changed? What would Sydney say? Hell, what would *he* say?
"You are getting grey, Jarod."
Jarod turned around and looked into Sydney's face. He was standing behind him, a few meters away, and somehow everything was the same as in the past.
"And you are balding", he answered.
They smiled at each other.
Then suddenly, Sydney came nearer, grabbed him, and pulled Jarod close to him, embracing him as hard as he could.
"I'm so glad to see you again", Sydney whispered. "How are you? How is Miss Parker....And the children. My God, you two have two beautiful children. I'm so happy for you. I'm so happy."
Jarod could feel Sydney`s tears running down his neck and became aware that he was crying himself.
"Sydney", was all he said and held him. "It's been so long."
They stood like that for a few minutes, only holding each other and shedding some tears.
"How is everything going, Syd?" Jarod asked at last. "How are Nicholas and Michelle?"
"They are fine, Jarod. Just fine."
Sydney smiled, what made Jarod laugh.
"You're back together?" he asked and Syndey gave him an obviously happy nod.
"I'm so glad for you."
"Tell me, Jarod", Syd said, becoming earnest very suddenly, "why did you take the risk to meet me here?"
"Lyle. He wants the favor. He told me the Centre is about to be destroyed by the Nimrod and he wants me to help him. I'm not sure I can believe him."
"Do it", Sydney answered. "At first, there were just rumors going around. But lately, the Tower has not been able to hold it a secret any longer. Too many people have already died. And if Lyle wants your help, itīs worse than I thought. - But why are you here? If the Centre is gone, that would be the best thing that could possibly happen for you and Miss Parker."
"No. The Nimrod seems to be working with the Group...you do remember the Group?"
Sydney went white.
"I knew they would be back sooner or later", he whispered. "But there was still hope... I understand now. If the Group is working with the Nimrod they will catch you."
"Exactly", Jarod answered. "So, that seems to make working with the Centre our only option."
"I am so sorry, Jarod....And there's something else you may want to tell Miss Parker."
"What?"
"Mr Parker is dying."
XXX
He must be dreaming. This was incredible. His worst nightmare come true.
"Debbie", Broots whispered. "Wha...what are you doing here?"
His once so little girl stood up from the couch she had been sitting on and stared at him with that look she had. The look that said "You're an idiot, Dad."
"I came here yesterday", was all she said. "And I won't come back to you. This is my home now."
"What do you mean?" He could bearly keep his voice at a normal tone. Actually, he was close to screaming.
"I'm saying I'm staying here. With someone who *does* understand me!"
"Understand you?" This time he *was* screaming. "Understand you?"
Lyle was suddenly there, grabbed his arm and pushed him out of the room.
"What is this supposed to mean?" Broots screamed at Lyle. "What is going on here?"
"She came to my house yesterday and asked me if she could stay."
"What does that mean, 'someone who understands her'? What have you done with my daughter!? Did you touch her?"
He was very near to hitting Lyle and for the first time he wasn't even afraid of the man.
"Are you saying you believe I seduced your daughter? Mr Broots, do I look as if I would do something like that to a child?"
Broots gave him a look.
"I assure you, your daughter and I are just...friends." Lyle smiled at him, then put his hand on Broots shoulder and squeezed. "Maybe you should consider leaving her here with me? Just until she wants to come back to you. And she will sooner or later. I'm sure of that. She just needs some time off. She's a teenager."
"Yes, a teenager", Broots whispered. A teenager who called Mr Lyle a *friend*! When did he loose her? How could he have missed it?
"Will you leave her here with me?"
"Yes," Broots said. "If that's what she wants.... Just take care of her. And if you hurt her..."
"I won't let any harm come to her", Lyle answered.
And smiled.
To be continued...
I recommend you to read it first to understand this story.
I've always avoided to give Miss Parker a first name. However, I couldn't leave it out this time without starting to sound strange.
I'd like to thank Elora for her comments and for beta-reading. :-) What would I do without all these nice people who tend to erase my mistakes...
A Pretender Fan Fiction by Mareen
Part 1: Running
SEVEN YEARS LATER
Jarod stopped the car in front of their house with the loud sound of screeching wheels. He could smell something like burned rubber coming from his car's wheels when he jumped out of it, but he didnīt care.
When he reached the house, he stumbeled through the door, hardly able to breath.
"Mae?" he screamed. "Mae!"
She came out of the kitchen, ready to go to work.
"Jarod? What are you doing here? I was just about to go. The babysitter isn't here..."
"Get the children", he said.
Her face went blank.
"Oh no", she wispered.
"I was nearly inside the school when I met Mrs Webster. She told me there are men, searching for us. And they came with three Limos. If I hadn't met her..."
"I'll get the children. You go and pack the things."
He watched her running upstairs to the children, taking two stairs with every step.
There wasn't much to pack, but hardly any time to do it.
He grabbed the suitecase with the DSA's he'd taken from the Centre 10 years ago now, some family pictures and all cash they had.
Upstairs he could hear the children complaining about being forced out of their beds and made to get dressed.
Their mother tried to be as calm as possible, but he could hear the fear in her voice even downstairs in the living-room, where he was picking up the last stuff.
Jarod was once again glad that they'd chosen this home a few miles away from the town. Having a small plane was quite usual here, even if it wasn't usual to have it in a garage next to the home, just like their own landing strip.
But both of them, Parker and he, had thought a plane to be the perfect way to escape if ever they were forced to.
Parker.
He couldn't really remember the last time when he'd called her that. Since their first child had been born, Jamie, she had always been only "Mae" to him.
"Miss Parker" was hardly there anymore. "Mae" was the person that was left.
He took the things he'd gathered and ran out of the house to make the plane ready for their escape.
How could they've ever been so stupid?
Seven years!
Seven. Damn. Years.
And they'd even started to feel secure.
As if the Centre would ever give up on searching for something that had once been theirs.
"Mom!"
"Mom!"
She came back to reality and gave her son a little smile.
"What is it, Jamie?"
"Don't I have to go to school today, Mom?"
Her little boy had been fighting to put on his socks. When he looked up to meet her eyes, she was once again surprised at just how much he looked like his father.
"No, Darling. Not today", she answered. She then closed her daughter's cardigan and kissed the two-year-old on the forehead. "We're going on a little vacation."
She wanted to cry, but there wasn't any time to be weak now, and she could already feel Miss Parker taking over again.
Outside, their plane's engines went on and she listend to its sound while Jarod brought it out onto the landing strip. The engine went out again.
"Hurry", she told Jamie. "We have to go."
Jarod came running into the children's room.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes", she answered.
"I'm so sorry", the voice in her head said. "I'm so sorry, babies, that I couldn't protect you from this."
Jarod's hand was suddenly on her face, caressing her. As always, he knew what she'd felt.
"Give me Meg", he whispered.
She gave him the girl and took Jamie.
They started to run then.
Part 2: Remembrances
She hadn't wanted to, but the slight on-going movement of the plane and soft voice Jarod always had when he was telling a story to the children, had made her sleepy.
She hadn't had the dream for a long time now.
Crawling through the vent. Following Angelo's path of Cracker Jacks.
But in her dream, it had never ended like in reality. In her dream, when she had gotten to the end of the Cracker Jacks, there was Mr Lyle sitting where she was supposed to meet Jarod, putting one of the little sweets into his mouth, grinning at her.
"You didn't *really* think I would let you go, did you?" he asked.
She would always go into labor as soon as he had said that. Jamie would be trying to get into the world, down in the Centre's dirty ventilation system.
She would try to stop him. She would always scream, "Not now!" and put her hands between her legs, trying to push him back, because she knew that to get out of the Centre before the birth.
But she never made it.
Jamie would be born looking at her with those dark eyes, he'd gotten from his father, and then Raines would be hovering over her, smiling, and then taking her baby away.
She would try to hold on to Jamie, or was it Meg?, but Raines was always stronger than her, and her father, Lyle, and Brigitte would laugh and watch her cry.
It had always been that moment, when she'd wake up, screaming.
This time was no different.
She was screaming after Jamie and Meg and fighting against a hand that was touching her.
Then, she realized that it was Jarod's hand, trying to calm her.
Parker opened her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes...yes, I'm fine. Just that dream."
Meg was crying in the back seat and when she turned around to take care of her, she saw Jamie`s terrified expression.
"I'm sorry. Mommy just had a bad dream..."
She caressed the faces of both her children.
"I'm sorry", she said again. "You know what? You both try to get some sleep, okay? We'll be there soon."
"Where are we going?" Jamie asked.
"You'll see", Jarod answered. "It's a wonderful place. A surprise."
Parker looked at him.
"I don't know", was what his face told her.
She took his hand and squeezed it.
Their life had just been too good to stay that way forever.
After they'd escaped from the Centre seven years earlier, they had hidden in a hotel not far away from the Centre. They were sure, the Centre would search everywhere for them except right under their noses.
They'd spent three days in the hotel room, playing the part of a just- married couple.
But the truth was, most of the time, Parker had felt terrible.
She'd had to have her head over the toilet every morning. After they'd finally accepted the fact that her illness wasn't from the drugs they'd been exposed to in the Centre, Jarod had bought a pregnancy test.
The test had come out as positive.
And though they were hiding, though the Centre was after them and they had no idea how to go on, they had been happy.
Jarod had had a stupid grin on his face for the next two weeks.
They had just vanished then.
They had taken a new name, moved into the middle of nowhere in Montana, and went on living.
Jarod wasn't sending messages to the Centre anymore and the only two times they'd let anyone know that they were still alive was when they'd sent Sydney and Broots a picture of newborn Jamie and newborn Meg four years later.
Jarod and Mae Charles had become just an ordinary couple in an ordinary small town.
Jarod took a job as a teacher at their town's high school, and Mae, formerly known as Miss Parker, was one of the founders of a small orphanage. They had a few friends, and everyone in town seemd to like them and their two wonderful children.
Parker would have never imagined that she could be happy with so little, but she had been.
Everything had seemed to be so perfect.
They'd even thought the Centre would just forget about them.
But the Centre *never* forgets anything.
And now they had been found.
She was torn out of her thoughts by the ringing of Jarod's cell-phone.
Both of them looked at each other in surprise.
"I'd totally forgotten it", Jarod said. "Who do you think it is?"
"Well, let's find out."
Before Jarod could stop her, she'd taken the phone out of his jacket and answered it with a "What?", which had seemed to be long forgotten.
"Oh!" the voice on the other side said. "It's you."
Parker had hoped she would never hear that voice again.
"Lyle", she hissed, and got a quick, shocked look from Jarod about the name of the caller.
"What do you want?"
"Sis, it's good to hear that you haven't changed", there was a soft laugh coming from the man. "Well, I'm just calling, to remind Jarod...you are still with Jarod, aren't you?...Well, I'm just calling to remind Jarod that he still owes me. And now I want what's mine ."
Part 3: Guess, who's coming to dinner...
"You can't be serious."
"Oh yes, I am. And from what I know about Jarod, he'll take me seriousously, too."
"Give me the phone!"
"What?" Surprised, Parker turned toward Jarod.
"I said, give me the phone."
He grabbed it from her before she could say anything else. The expression on his face was hard, unmoved. She had never seen him like this before.
"Lyle. I'm here."
"Jarod. It's good to hear your voice. How are the kids?"
"What do you want?"
"I already told Sis. When I helped you escape, we made a deal. And now I want the favor you owe me."
"I'll call you back."
Jarod hung up.
From his harsh breathing, Parker could tell how much the call had upset Jarod, just as it had upset her.
She couldn't say why she was so angry.
Probably because Jarod had just taken the phone out of her hand as if she was some kind of stupid bimbo. Or maybe because she was just terribly afraid, like he was.
"Why did you even talk to him?" she asked through pressed lips.
"I owe him. You know that."
"You owe him nothing, Jarod. He killed your brother. And he would just as soon as kill you, if it was in his best interest. I want you to stay away from him. For them."
She gave the children a short look. They were sleeping peacefully. There was a thought in her mind for a second, about how every fight that might lay ahead of them was worth it, just for these two.
Parker smiled.
"For them," she said again. "I'm asking you to stay away from Lyle. Whatever kind of *deal* you two made seven years ago, you shouldn't care about it anymore."
"I gave my word."
"I don't give a shit about your word, dammit! I don't want to loose you."
She gave their two children another quick look, but they only stirred in their sleep from her outburst for a second and went on sleeping peacfully again.
"I'm sorry," Parker said. "I don't want to..."
"No", he said. "You're right. But maybe we should consider to *really* talk to him. After all, the Centre just found us...nearly caught us. Maybe if I give him what he wants, he'll leave the three of you alone."
"Do you ever listen to yourself? Are you aware of what you just said? ... I won't let you go, Jarod."
He looked at her, then bent over and kissed her.
"I love you", he said.
"I know."
"Then please just let me call him, to find out what he wants. I gave my word. And I would never endanger anything *we* have for him."
She took his hand and just held it, listening to the light snorring of their babies.
They finally decided to go to Los Angeles. It was a big town which, made it easier to vanish. For the next couple weeks, there would even be enough money. They had stored 20,000 dollars in their plane when they bought it. Just in case.
They had chosen a big and expensive hotel, not exactly what anyone on the run was expected to do, so they thought it to be the safest thing to do, at least for the next few days until they`d decided where to go next.
Jarod left their hotel room shortly after they arrived.
They didn't talk about it, and they didn't want to. It would all just end in screaming at each other. Parker still didn't want him to call her brother but she knew she couldn't stop him.
She knew Jarod much to well for that.
He would never be angry with her about it, but there would always be a part of him, accusing *himself* for not doing what he promised and for betraying what he believed it.
If Lyle asked him to give himself or anyone in his family to the Centre, there would be a *cause* for not giving into the promise.
But first, he needed to know for sure.
So he chose a public phone far away from their hotel and called Lyle.
"This is Lyle."
"Jarod here."
"Jarod! I knew you'd call back. Where's Parker?"
"Not here. Cut the crap and tell me what you want."
"I want the favor you still owe me."
"And what is it going to be, Lyle? A pretend?"
"No, not at all... I'm hearing you have visitors?"
Jarod gritted his teeth.
"You know we have. After all, they were sweepers from the Centre. Why do you even ask?"
"Because they *weren't* sweepers from the Centre."
"What?" Jarod said, very slowly and carefully.
"Have you ever hear the name 'The Nimrod'?"
All the blood left Jarod's face.
He had been fifteen years old and there had been loud shouting and shooting and screams and men had tried to get him and sweepers fought the men.
"You have, haven't you?" Lyle said.
"I thought the Nimrod was destroyed in the 70s, when they tried to get..."
"...you? Yes, we thought that, too. But it seems as if they are back with a vengeance. And they seem to be working with the remains of the 'Group'. You do remember the 'Group', also, don't you?"
"Yes", Jarod answered cooly. "I remember."
"As does Mr Broots."
Jarod could hear a slight laugh coming from Lyle.
"So, Jarod, it seems as if we are back at the same place again."
"Yes", Jarod answered.
And his world seemed to be turned up-side-down again.
Part 4: Considering
After hanging up the phone, Lyle just sat at his desk for a second, doing nothing but staring at the wall until one of the sweepers entered.
Lyle gave him a questioning look.
"Los Angeles", the sweeper said. "Public phone."
"He'll be long gone before we get anyone over there. Leave it alone."
The sweeper nodded and continued standing in the door frame, as if waiting for Lyle to say something more, but all Lyle gave him was a dark look from half closed eyes.
"Leave", was all he said.
The door closed behind the sweeper immediately.
Lyle then fully closed his eyes.
He had to think. He had to come up with a conclusion for this.
But all he could think of was that he was about to become leader of a black hole. A cemetary.
The Nimrod was about to destroy every single one of their field agencies.
Sometimes they killed everyone. Sometimes they bought everyone outand killed the few who resisted.
When it had first started, everyonce in a while the Centre had been able to fight them. But these occasions had become fewer and fewer, and he had no idea how to stop them.
Except for Jarod.
Jarod always had ideas. He always knew how to stop something.
He would find a way out.
He just had to make him help them.
And he desperately needed a break.
"Debbie."
No response was coming from his daughter's room, so Broots called her again. She had been listening to all kinds of strange music lately. She was also wearing lots of dark make-up and these *short* clothes, and she never really listened no him anymore.
When had it all started to get out of control?
But Broots had always known the answer. Seven years ago, when Mr Lyle had become the one who was in control. When the man had started to demand more and more of his time.
He came to their house. He invited himself to lunch.
Mr Lyle was always there and there had been nothing Broots could have possibly done to stop him.
It had taken time for Debbie to drift apart from him, but in the end, it had finally happened.
She had been such a beautiful, sweet girl.
But just as Broots had not been able to recognize himself anymore, he'd also not been able to not recognize Debbie, this 18-year-old who had once been his little girl .
The Centre was destroying his life, just as it had destroyed the life of everyone who came to near it.
"Debbie!" he called again.
He decided to just go into her room. He could still do that. He was still her father. Even if she would give him that *look* again which always let him know that she thought he was a complete idiot,
a coward and a traitor for what he had done.
But when he entered her room, all he found was an empty room, an open window, and terribly loud music.
Debbie was gone.
"You don't believe him, do you?"
"He said the Centre is about to be destroyed."
"So what?" Parker hissed. "Let it be destroyed."
"What he also said, was that the Nimrod was the one who nearly caught us. Not the Centre. What I'm saying is that right now an existing Centre seems to be in our best interest since they've never been able to find us. The Nimrod did. And I suppose they could do it again if the Group really works with them. So what are we supposed to do? Always be on the run? A new town every single week for the rest of our lifes? What about Meg and Jamie?"
"Are you trying to tell me you *do* believe Lyle? And you intend to help him? Help the *Centre*? Dammit, Jarod!"
"We don't have another choice. We have to destroy the Nimrod and the Group. If we don't, they'll catch us sooner or later. And our best chance of destroying it is with the help of the Centre."
He took her arm and pulled her to his chest, embracing her with all the strength he had.
"I don't like it", he heard her whisper. "I don't like it at all. What if Lyle lied to you?"
"I'm going to ask Syd about it. He'll know if the Nimrod is back."
"Just promise me something."
"Anything", he answered.
"If Lyle betrays us, *I'm* the one who gets to break his neck."
Jarod let out a laugh, until he realized she was deadly serious.
Part 5: Home
"You look shaky, Mr. Broots."
"I didn't think you'd notice."
Broots gave Lyle a quick look and then sat down on his chair in front of his computer. Strange, the only thing in his life that hadn't changed was the place he worked at, though he was leader of the Tech-Section in the Centre now.
"Something wrong?"
One day.
She had been gone for one day now. Vanished without a trace. He couldn't eat. He couldn't sleep. If even Mr. Lyle could see it, he must be looking really awful.
"No...", he said though, not wanting to make Lyle a part of his family problems.
Lyle was looking down at him with an unreadable expression in his eyes.
"Well, strange, Mr Broots, because I was of the opinion that you are missing your little daughter."
He took the next Pan Am flight to Delaware, leaving his wife and the children behind. They had discussed the possibility of all of them going there together but had decided that it would be too risky. Jarod would call them later... as soon as he was sure that what Lyle had told them was the truth.
He had then sent Sydney an E-mail telling him of a meeting place and that was where he was waiting now, excited and frightened at the same time.
Seven years ago was the last time he'd seen Sydney. Had he changed? Had their relationship changed? What would Sydney say? Hell, what would *he* say?
"You are getting grey, Jarod."
Jarod turned around and looked into Sydney's face. He was standing behind him, a few meters away, and somehow everything was the same as in the past.
"And you are balding", he answered.
They smiled at each other.
Then suddenly, Sydney came nearer, grabbed him, and pulled Jarod close to him, embracing him as hard as he could.
"I'm so glad to see you again", Sydney whispered. "How are you? How is Miss Parker....And the children. My God, you two have two beautiful children. I'm so happy for you. I'm so happy."
Jarod could feel Sydney`s tears running down his neck and became aware that he was crying himself.
"Sydney", was all he said and held him. "It's been so long."
They stood like that for a few minutes, only holding each other and shedding some tears.
"How is everything going, Syd?" Jarod asked at last. "How are Nicholas and Michelle?"
"They are fine, Jarod. Just fine."
Sydney smiled, what made Jarod laugh.
"You're back together?" he asked and Syndey gave him an obviously happy nod.
"I'm so glad for you."
"Tell me, Jarod", Syd said, becoming earnest very suddenly, "why did you take the risk to meet me here?"
"Lyle. He wants the favor. He told me the Centre is about to be destroyed by the Nimrod and he wants me to help him. I'm not sure I can believe him."
"Do it", Sydney answered. "At first, there were just rumors going around. But lately, the Tower has not been able to hold it a secret any longer. Too many people have already died. And if Lyle wants your help, itīs worse than I thought. - But why are you here? If the Centre is gone, that would be the best thing that could possibly happen for you and Miss Parker."
"No. The Nimrod seems to be working with the Group...you do remember the Group?"
Sydney went white.
"I knew they would be back sooner or later", he whispered. "But there was still hope... I understand now. If the Group is working with the Nimrod they will catch you."
"Exactly", Jarod answered. "So, that seems to make working with the Centre our only option."
"I am so sorry, Jarod....And there's something else you may want to tell Miss Parker."
"What?"
"Mr Parker is dying."
He must be dreaming. This was incredible. His worst nightmare come true.
"Debbie", Broots whispered. "Wha...what are you doing here?"
His once so little girl stood up from the couch she had been sitting on and stared at him with that look she had. The look that said "You're an idiot, Dad."
"I came here yesterday", was all she said. "And I won't come back to you. This is my home now."
"What do you mean?" He could bearly keep his voice at a normal tone. Actually, he was close to screaming.
"I'm saying I'm staying here. With someone who *does* understand me!"
"Understand you?" This time he *was* screaming. "Understand you?"
Lyle was suddenly there, grabbed his arm and pushed him out of the room.
"What is this supposed to mean?" Broots screamed at Lyle. "What is going on here?"
"She came to my house yesterday and asked me if she could stay."
"What does that mean, 'someone who understands her'? What have you done with my daughter!? Did you touch her?"
He was very near to hitting Lyle and for the first time he wasn't even afraid of the man.
"Are you saying you believe I seduced your daughter? Mr Broots, do I look as if I would do something like that to a child?"
Broots gave him a look.
"I assure you, your daughter and I are just...friends." Lyle smiled at him, then put his hand on Broots shoulder and squeezed. "Maybe you should consider leaving her here with me? Just until she wants to come back to you. And she will sooner or later. I'm sure of that. She just needs some time off. She's a teenager."
"Yes, a teenager", Broots whispered. A teenager who called Mr Lyle a *friend*! When did he loose her? How could he have missed it?
"Will you leave her here with me?"
"Yes," Broots said. "If that's what she wants.... Just take care of her. And if you hurt her..."
"I won't let any harm come to her", Lyle answered.
And smiled.
To be continued...
