The Me Series by RRP
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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
by RRP
"Broots, talk and it will all be over!" Mr. Cox coaxed, as the Sweeper once again punched Broots in the stomach. Broots tried to double over, his body naturally responding to the inward push of muscle and tissue, but he couldn't. His body was slanted at a forty-five degree angle, and his hands were shackled at the top of the metal table, and his feet at the bottom. Cox sat on a chair, enjoying the show.
"I still don't know what you want!" Broots managed to gasp. Cox shook his head.
"That attitude kills people, Mr. Broots." Cox waved the Sweeper over, and whispered something in his ear. The Sweeper nodded, and left the room. Only seconds later, he reappeared, with a large board. Cox took it, and walked over to Broots.
"See this, Mr. Broots? These are all pictures of terrorist and persecution victims. Burned, maimed, torn, forever. People donate money to help them, Mr. Broots. But, no one is helping you. No one even knows you're here. If the people donating money to these poor people in foreign countries knew what I'm planning on doing to you if you don't cooperate, they would be rushing here as fast as they could to save you. But they aren't." Broots looked at the board, which was indeed covered with pictures of people missing limbs, or with large third-degree burns and scars. He hung his head.
"What do you want to know?"
"Now that, Mr. Broots, is much more like it." Cox chimed, setting the board down. "Now, your first lesson will be a punishment. You must learn that disobedience does not go unpunished." Cox waved his hand in the air, and the Sweeper stepped forward again, this time with a silver case. Cox popped the case open, revealing a syringe and a vial of greenish liquid. Broots started to struggle again, as Cox slid the syringe into Broots' arm.
"Ah, ah!" Cox pushed the liquid into Broots' bloodstream, and Broots' relaxed involuntarily, as the warm drug rushed through his veins. "Now, Mr. Broots," Broots heard Cox chorus cheerfully, as the drug took over. "I want to know how you found out about that baby, and what you know about it."
"T...thas's all?" Broots mumbled, his speech slurred because of the drug. "Wh..wha is this?"
"The drug? I call it, 'AH1a'. It stands for 'Addicts Horror'. It's one of the most addictive drugs ever known to man, and the withdraw can kill you. I gave you the raw version, and the two Sweepers I tried the purified version on didn't survive. Sleep tight, Brootsie. I'll see you in the morning, if you have one."
Jakebs heard the door close as Riley left, and he smiled at the small sleeping figure. He had already grown to love the little guy. And, for the first time in years, he felt like he had family besides Riley. Everyday brought fear that someone would claim Alec, and everyday passed with no one coming, concreting his belief that no one would come.
Meanwhile, Alec slept peacefully among the dreamy, light blue, star-sprinkled comforter and sheet set, with a soft blue bulb dimly lighting the room that had been chosen as the nursery. A yellow diaper bag sat on top of the new, light pine changing table. Over in the other corner stood a matching dresser, full of adorable outfits. Riley had meant serious shopping when she said shopping. The Gap, Old Navy, Carters, JCPenny, and Sears had all been visited, resulting in a packed Sport Explorer, and a tired trio.
The last stop had been a Burger King, where Jakebs introduced Alec to the wonderful world of soda, amidst all of Riley's protests. Root Beer was quickly dubbed the favorite of the two, and Alec seemed to love the tingling sensation of soda bubbles.
Jakebs looked one last time at Alec, before turning, and leaving the room.
Jarod stared restlessly at the laptop screen, with the vague feeling that something wasn't right. He needed to go somewhere, do something! Anything! His gaze turned to one of his numerous red notebooks, and he picked it up. Inside was a clipped article, about a church in Fairmount, West Virginia. A boy had been murdered, on the property of a large church, and the church had been under the shadow of suspicion ever since. Time for another Pretend!
Jarod turned the laptop off, gathered his stuff, and left the hotel room. Out in his car, he grabbed a map, and calculated that it would take him five hours to get to Fairmount. That was okay with him. He had plenty of time.
Jarod pulled up to the large white building, and read the sign as he got out of his car. 'Trinity Assembly of God'. He looked around, and saw a few people walking towards the building. He looked at his watch, which read six fifteen. He stopped one of the men walking briskly towards the church.
"Excuse me, but can you tell me what time service starts?"
"Oh, hello! You must be new. It starts at seven tonight."
"Thank you!" Jarod was surprised by the genuine friendliness of the man. The man disappeared through the double doors, and Jarod followed. Most of the church was still quiet, but he could hear music coming down one of the halls. He wandered down the hall towards the sound, and marveled at how big the church was. He passed a set of steps leading to the sanctuary, and around a corner, and down another hall. The music became louder, and louder. He rounded another corner and came to a small door. The music was coming from behind it, and Jarod paused. Should he go in, or not?
He decided on going in, and was met by a large room, decorated in road signs, and factory signs. A sound booth sat to the right of the door, and it was enclosed in chain link fence material. A bright yellow '60's car sat by the stage, and on the stage were several people playing music. They were all young, and Jarod judged them to be between sixteen and nineteen in age. In the sound booth he could see a man, who looked to be about twenty-five, and a girl with short cropped hair who was probably about fourteen or fifteen. The music stopped, as the song ended, and Jarod heard someone say,
"That's great!" Followed by a baby's excited squeal. He looked around and saw a lady sitting in a chair, holding a baby girl in her lap. He stood there a minute, unsure of what to do. This must be the youth group he came to investigate, but he wasn't sure how to start, for once in his life. The man in the booth saw him, and walked over.
"Hi, I'm Pastor Patrick Grach, what can I do for you?" Patrick stuck out his hand, with a smile.
"Oh, um, I'm Jarod." Jarod stuttered, unsure of what else to say. A loud ping was heard from the stage, and a groan.
"Pastor P, my string broke again!" Patrick spun around, and sighed.
"Umm, Steve, see if you have any extras, hold on Gabe, Jordan, help me with the sound for a sec, and Audrey," The girl back in the sound booth looked up, "If Steve doesn't have any extras, go see if anyone in main has any." Patrick turned back to Jarod.
"Can I help?" Jarod offered, seeing a chance.
"I'm not sure, and I'd hate to have to ask a guest to help out," Patrick looked around the room, as if he would find someone hiding that could help. Jarod smiled.
"I don't mind. Just show me what to do," Patrick looked back to the sound booth, where Audrey was playing with the PowerPoint slides.
"Can you work a sound board?" Jarod nodded.
"Yes,"
"Great! Come here," Patrick jumped up the three stairs to inside the booth, and Jarod followed. Audrey looked up,
"Hi, Jarod, right?" Jarod nodded, with a smile. Another guy now sat in the booth, one Jarod recognized as the drummer from earlier.
"Jordan, show him how everything's connected, okay?" Jordan nodded, and Patrick left the booth.
"Wow. Pretty impressive." Jarod gave a low whistle as he surveyed all their sound equipment. Audrey laughed, as she pulled a laptop out of a nearby backpack.
"It took us hundreds of calendars to get this far."
"Calendars?" Jarod asked, confused.
"Yeah, Pastor P had us selling calendars last year to save up for all this stuff. Complete upgraded system, the works." Jordan explained with a grin. Audrey click angrily at the other computer in front of her, laptop abandoned while it loaded.
"Except for a new computer. This one is so sllloooooowww." She dragged the last word out. Jordan stood up and offered Jarod the seat in front of sound. He started pointing,
"This one is for Steve's guitar, he's the one right over there," Jordan pointed to a stocky teen with a shaggy haircut, "and this is for his mic, he's lead. This is for Gabe's guitar, he's the one with the black hair and the broken string." Jarod nodded, digesting the information.
After Jordan finished showing what was connected to what, he left for his drum set, and Jarod looked around. Audrey had picked the laptop back up, and was typing furiously. She stopped, as she felt his eyes on her, and he smiled, trying not to appear threatening. She grinned back, seemingly oblivious to the fact that danger could enter her youth group. She bent down, rummaging in her backpack, as she pulled out something small, and long. She held it out to Jarod.
"Want a Pez?" Jarod grinned, and nodded. She tossed him the dispenser. "Keep it, I've got tons more." He looked at the laptop, and nodded towards it.
"What are you writing?"
"I'm working on part of my book. The Drigian Wars. A friend and I are writing it."
"Drigian?" Jarod's eyes echoed his confusion, and Audrey smiled.
"Drigian, a race similar to elves, and man. The book has Drigians, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Wraiths, Undeds, Ryennais, Fairies, and Smithens. Here, see what you think." She handed him the laptop, and Jarod read it carefully.
"One light still shone, so strong that the darkness could not cover it. The light was the Blade, the Golden Blade. The darkness paled, and became a swirling, thunderous ball of black. It continued to spin, with such velocity that it knocked down all those who were near. As it spun, it became smaller and smaller, and Ivengod stood in the center of it. He opened his mouth, and with a deep breath, he sucked the darkness in, and it became one with him. He walked to the bearer of the Golden Blade, Armein, the Drigian General, knocking down all those in his path with the sheer force of his black power. He stopped in front of Armein, and pulled out a Black Blade, intertwined with sickening chromes, and lifted it in a challenge."
"What do you think?" Audrey asked, taking the laptop back. "We've got a lot to do before it's finished."
"I like it! That's very good!" Jarod said, as the door opened, and another person entered the large room. Audrey stood up,
"Hey, Josh!" She waved to one short boy, who waved back before running to talk to Steve. Audrey sat back down, and looked at Jarod. She cocked her head slightly, "You look familiar." Jarod laughed.
"I can assure you that you've never met me before." Audrey shook her head as she put the laptop away and turned back to the older computer. She looked up at him again, gasped, pulled the laptop out and began connecting wires as fast as she could. Jarod leaned toward the computer curiously, but he couldn't see the screen. The computer beeped and hummed as it made it's way online.
"Yes!" Audrey breathed, as she clicked violently. She looked back up at Jarod, down at the screen, and back up at him again. "Ohmygosh," She gasped again, and Jarod looked at her quizzically. "Um, your, um...Jarod." He nodded.
"Yes, my name is Jarod."
"No, you're the Jarod. The Pretender Jarod." Audrey explained in an awed whisper. Jarod paled.
"How do you know that?" She spun the laptop around, and Jarod was greeted by his file page on the Centre mainframe. He stood up, and Audrey caught his arm.
"Hey, hey, I just hacked into their site. I'm not turning you in or anything. Although I would like to meet Broots..." Jarod sat back down, and fingered the Pez dispenser.
"You, you can't talk to Broots..."
"Of course, I'm not calling him or anyt-"
"No, you can't talk to Broots." Jarod said forcefully. "He's...he's dead." Audrey stifled a laugh, sensing that the situation was serious.
"No, he's not. Says so right here, in Cox's project files." She shoved the computer towards Jarod, and he skimmed it. He almost let out a joyful yell as he read the page. Audrey frowned.
"But if you didn't know, that means Cox is still...." She didn't have to finish. Jarod read the file, and saw what she was talking about. Cox was still using Broots. But, what was he using him for?
"You have a place, yet?" Audrey interrupted Jarod's thoughts, and he shook his head. "I can see if you can stay with us." Jarod looked up.
"Are you sure that's okay with your parents?"
"They probably won't mind, considering they won't have much time to think about it." Audrey took the laptop back and shut it off, and Jarod noticed that the room was almost full of young people. "Get ready..."
"Hey, how's everybody doing?" Jarod listened, as Pastor Patrick started speaking, "We're gonna do something different tonight, aight?" Patrick's voice was twinged with a New Yorker accent, and Jarod noticed that the teens in the room had a casual attitude, one of enjoyment, not 'why'd we have to come to church?' "First of all, are you happy?" Patrick asked, and the answer almost knocked Jarod out of his seat. Every single teen in the room yelled back,
"No!"
"Good, and why not?"
"'Cause you can't be happy inside of a box, and the first step to getting out is being unhappy!" One of the teens answered, and Patrick nodded.
"We're going to sing some praise now, everybody up on your feet!" Patrick got off the stage, and Steve stepped forward. With a pluck of his string, the others joined in, and Audrey put a slide up on a white screen that sat above the stage. Steve began singing, and everyone joined in.
"In the secret, in the quiet place,
In the stillness, You are there,
In the secret, in the quiet hour I wait,
Only for You
'Cause I want to know You more,
I want to know You!
I want to hear Your voice,
I want to know You more,
I want to touch You,
I want to see Your face,
I want to know You more!
I am reaching for the highest goal,
That I might receive the prize,
Pressing onward, pushing every hindrance aside,
Out of my way,
'Cause I want to know You more,
More and more!
I want to know You!
I want to hear Your voice,
I want to know You more,
I want to touch You,
I want to see Your face,
I want to know You more!
Without so much as a breath, Steve started the next song, and Jarod watched in amazement, as every single teen in the building sang along, with a love that was almost tangible. An hour and a half later, Patrick dismissed the group with a prayer, and immediately everyone stood up and started talking to each other. Audrey looked over at Jarod curiously, and saw his wide smile.
"What'd you think?" She asked, and he turned.
"This place, is, is almost on fire!"
"We're not Ignite Youth Ministries for nothing!" Audrey chorused loudly, and got several enthusiastic,
"We are Ignite!"'s in response, from nearby teens.
"Ready to go?" Jarod nodded, and stood up as Audrey led him out of the room and down the hall. They rounded a corner, and Audrey walked up to a man who had several kids jumping all around him, and talking all at once.
"Dad, Jarod needs a place to stay tonight, can he come over?" She asked, innocently batting her eyes. The man looked up, and sighed.
"Sure, as long as your room's clean." He said, as another kid starting jumping and yelling a question.
"Where'd you park?" Audrey turned to Jarod, and he pointed.
"Right out there. How many brothers and sisters do you have?"
"Six. All of them younger than me. Come on, it'll be easier to take your car." Jarod nodded, eyeing the large group around Audrey's dad again.
Once they were in the car, Audrey sighed.
"You can leave tomorrow."
"What do you mean?" Jarod asked, his eyes shining with curiosity about this strange girl.
"I know why you're here, Jarod. It's about Henry. Don't worry about us, right now. You need to get Broots away from Cox." Jarod nodded silently, thankful that Audrey wouldn't blame him for leaving so soon.
"Let's go." He started the engine, and they left.
"Hey, Ri." Jakebs opened the door and smiled. "Alec's asleep. Come on in."
"Jakebs, I just came by to tell you something." Riley stepped in, forcing a smile.
"What?" He asked, leading her into the kitchen.
"Jakebs, there's never been anything between us, right?" She questioned. He cocked his head.
"What do you mean?"
"Any, 'feelings'?" Riley specified, wincing slightly as she said the word. Jakebs turned bright red.
"Is, is it that obvious?" Riley looked down quickly, avoiding his eyes.
"Please, Jakebs, just say no. Just say no! It will make this a lot easier!" She begged, turning away from him.
"What do you mean, Ri?"
"Just say no, Buddy." Riley commanded, as firmly as she could.
"Um, no, then." Jakebs stuttered, surprised by strange attitude and request.
"Okay. I'm going to tell you this slowly, and calmly. I don't want you to say anything until I'm finished, okay?" Riley said, taking a deep breath. Jakebs nodded. "I met a guy, a really sweet guy, and we both like each other a whole lot."
"Do you want love advice, Ri?" Jakebs asked suspiciously.
"No! Just, please! Hear me out! I like you, Jakebs. You're a nice guy, but, I don't want to get into a serious relationship. You chose Alec, and I'm not ready for a small child. I need to start fresh. I requested reassignment, and Carpelli granted it. I'm moving to New York with Peter tomorrow." The news hit Jakebs hard in the stomach, and he sat down fast. Riley gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and was gone before he could say anything.
Alec started crying, and Jakebs gathered his wits as fast as he could, and he stumbled into Alec's bedroom. He picked the baby up wordlessly, and sat down in a rocking chair, staring blankly ahead, as he rocked Alec. Alec hiccupped for a few minutes, but slowly calmed down, and sucked on his pinky as he fell asleep.
Jakebs finally looked down at Alec, and the familiarity of Alec's pinky in his mouth brought a small amount of comfort to Jakebs, and he finally managed to whisper,
"Welcome to my life. The newest installment of DFBI Blue."
~~*~~
Sydney walked into his office, and glanced at the computer. Mail Waiting circled the small mailbox icon, and he sat and clicked it.
"Broots is alive." Was all it read. He clicked the reply box, and typed.
"Where is he?" Yes, it could be some cruel joke, but with the Centre, no one was sure. He pressed send, and leaned back in his chair.
Sydney thought back to the day it had happened. Who had actually seen Broots dead? No one except, except Sam! Could he have betrayed them? Was it possible? In the Centre anything was possible, Sydney reminded himself. At that moment, Miss Parker walked in. She eyed him for a minute, before saying anything.
"What is it Sydney?" Sydney almost didn't tell her, but decided that if he didn't say anything now, she would probably find out later.
"I just got an email saying that Broots is alive."
"Impossible."
"I know." At that moment, a box popped up on the computer screen.
"RivenRebelPoet wants to Private Chat. Accept?" Two buttons sat underneath the message, one said Accept, the other said Decline. Sydney looked up at Parker, who shrugged. He slowly clicked 'Accept', and the small box grew into a large private chat room.
"Hi Sydney!" RivenRebelPoet said quickly.
"Who are you?" Sydney tentively typed back.
"A friend of Jarod's." Came the reply.
"How do you know Jarod?" Sydney asked, as Miss Parker looked on with interest.
"He's right here!" RivenRebelPoet typed, and at that moment, another person came into the chat room as 'OnePretender'.
"Jarod!" Sydney exclaimed, smiling.
"Hello Sydney. Did you get our email?"
"Yes, I got it. What does it mean?"
"Broots is alive."
"But Sam said he was dead! We were there!" Sydney protested, and RivenRebelPoet replied first.
"*moan* not Sam! He's so cool! And Gamgee's gonna kill him!"
"Where is he, Jarod?"
"Centre safehouse, seven b. It's in Yoder, North Dakota."
"What do you want us to do?" Sydney asked, but he was sure he already knew the answer.
"Get him out of there, Sydney. Go talk to Sam, see what you can find out."
"I wish I could come." RivenRebelPoet lamented. "I'm sending Sam's address, now." Sydney's mailbox icon beeped, as the Mail Waiting, once again circled it.
"Goodbye, Sydney." OnePretender left the chat, and Sydney sighed.
"Visit me when this whole thing blows over, okay? I'll send my address after Jarod leaves. \//. Live long, eat Pez!" RivenRebelPoet left, and it was Miss Parker's turn to sigh.
"Sydney, get the address." Parker snapped after a minute, and Sydney opened the mailbox.
*
"Let's go." Miss Parker snapped, as she slid into the black Lincoln towncar. "Here's the address." She shoved a small slip of paper towards the driver, and then leaned back in the seat.
"My only question," Sydney began in his usual methodical self, "Is why he lives in Dover, and drives two hours to work every morning when it would be just as easy to live in Blue Cove."
"I don't know, Syd. Maybe he likes to drive." Miss Parker growled, preventing any further conversation. Sydney watched the passing scenery, as Miss Parker stared out the window, not really watching anything.
Two hours later, they pulled up in front of a two story stucco house in a nice, spread out neighborhood. Miss Parker sighed.
"Are you sure this is the place?" She asked through clenched teeth, before getting out of the car.
"This is it." Sydney confirmed, nodding as he opened his door and stepped out, and Miss Parker flung her door open, and slipped out. Sydney followed Parker patiently, as she thundered up the walk and to the front door. She rapped sharply, and seconds later it flung open.
A teenage boy stood there, and he eyed them with hidden interest.
"Can I help you?" He asked quietly, sticking one hand in a pocket. Miss Parker sighed, automatically assuming that it was the wrong house.
"Can you tell me where Sam Grant lives?" She asked with a fake air of politeness. The boy's answer surprised both of them.
"He lives here," The teen said easily. "He's my dad. Come in, I'll get him for you." He opened the door wider, and they stepped in as he jogged down a hall. "Hey, Dad! Some people are here to see you!" The shock on Parker and Syndey's face's was unmixable, as Sam the Sweeper strode out of the kitchen, wearing blue jeans and a polo. He saw them, and froze for a second, before striding forward.
"Miss Parker." Sam's greeting was really a statement, but Parker ignored it.
"Sam, we need to talk." He nodded. The teen looked back and forth, at all of them. Miss Parker was slightly annoyed, because the kid was making it seem as if he was watching a tennis match.
"What are you here for?" Sam asked, with unusual gusto, as he led them into the living room.
"Broots may not be dead." Sydney said flatly, waiting to see Sam's reaction. Sam paled,
"But, but, I saw him lying there!"
"Are you sure it was Broots?" Miss Parker asked, watching the emotions play across Sam's face.
"I, I swear it was him!" Sam replied, his voice rising a little in pitch.
"Jarod says he's found him in a Centre safehouse." Sydney leaned back on the couch, now pretty sure of Sam's honesty. Parker, however, was still not satisfied that Sam wasn't lying.
"Sam, what reason do we have to believe that you're not lying?" Miss Parker snapped, and the hurt look in Sam's eyes was visible. Sam was a mix of emotions. She still doubted him, and that hurt. It also made him mad, to think that she could doubt him after all these years of him protecting her. The teen had been silent up till that point, but he finally spoke.
"Okay. Some dude's not dead, my Dad is the only one who saw him dead, and you think he's in on it. Congrats, you've just won the National Lie-A-Thon. Will that be an illegal check, or counterfeit cash?"
"Stosh!" Sam exclaimed, throwing his hand over the boy's mouth. The boy grinned through the hand.
"Too much soda, as usual." He muttered, pulling his Dad's hand away. Sydney didn't hide his grin. It was already obvious that the two were complete opposites, except in looks. Their personalities clashed in such a way that they fit together, and it was very comical to watch.
"Stosh, kitchen, now." Sam ordered. Stosh gave a mock salute, grabbed a Mountain Dew off the coffee table, and headed for the kitchen. "Him. My son." Sam said quietly, as soon as Stosh was out of earshot.
Miss Parker relaxed a little. He did have a point, Broots was, or had been, the same way.
"Okay, then, will you help us rescue Broots?" Sydney asked the question, and he ignored the glare he got from Parker. Sam was silent, and for a minute, Sydney thought he wouldn't answer, or he would say no.
"Yes." Sam looked down the hall Stosh had disappeared down, and sighed. "Yes, I'll help." At that moment, they could hear the front door open, and someone step inside. "Miss Bower?" Sam asked the unseen person.
"It's me, Sam. Do you have company? I saw the car out front." A elderly lady asked and answered, coming into view.
"And who are you?" Miss Parker asked as politely as she could manage. Sam shot her a glare. Apparently, she realized, he wasn't as respectful or pliable at home as he was at work.
"Oh, hello. I'm Sam and Stosh's housekeeper. They have to have someone to clean up after them, or the house would be overrun with soda cans, guitar picks, and dogs." Miss Bower looked at Sam fondly, before questioning brightly,
"Coffee?" Everyone nodded grimly.
"Can I have some?" Stosh asked from the foyer.
"No," Sam answered. "You've already had three cans of Mountain Dew." Silence.
"Dogs, Sam?" Miss Parker questioned dryly.
"Stosh has a couple of strays he found. They're downstairs." Sam answered. At that same moment, the sound of another door being opened reached their ears, followed by a puppy-like yelp, Stosh yelling something unintelligible, scrambling paws on the stairway, then heavy human footsteps.
Three balls of flying fur flew into the room. Sam was on his feet in a flash, and grabbed two of the mutts by their collars, and Stosh skidded into the room to grab the last one. All three were big, scruffy dogs, that bounced and struggled so joyously against their collars that neither Sydney nor Miss Parker could keep from laughing, in spite of the situation.
"I'd like you to meet Hobbes," Stosh announced, grinning, as he pointed with his barely free hand to a mangy, orange sort of dog that Sam was clinging to, "Strider." He pointed to the dog, almost not contained in Sam's second grip, a black wiry dog, "And, Whatchacallit. More commonly known as What." Stosh ruffled the head of the last dog, who was drooling blissfully on the floor, tail stub moving a hundred miles an hour as he heard his name. The dog certainly fit his name, his coat such a mix of colors, the color's name didn't quite exist, and lopsided ears that weren't the same length, and to top it off, he was scrawny, and thin in a comical, and not unhealthy, sort of way.
"Stosh! How'd they get out?" Sam demanded, trying to drag Strider and Hobbes out of the room.
"I was looking for more coffee creamer, in the garage fridge, and they pushed their way in." Stosh explained, holding on to What's collar with both hands. "Can't they stay in? I'll make them calm down." Stosh promised, begging.
"I don't know." Sam paused. "Sit." He commanded the dogs. All three dogs jumped.
"Calm down, shutup, sit down!" Stosh bellowed. Immediately, all three dogs sat and panted eagerly. "Like that, Dad."
"Not quite as easy to handle as Sweepers, Sam?" Miss Parker asked dryly.
"No." Sam admitted, shaking his head. "Sweeper's understand guns. These three understand nothing but Stosh." The teen beamed, looking proudly at his dogs. Miss Bower walked in, carefully balancing a tray with coffee cups on it. She set one in front of each seat: Sydney's, Miss Parker's, and Sam's unoccupied chair.
"Thanks, Miss Bower." Sam acknowledged her, cautiously releasing his grip on the collars. Both dogs cocked their heads in a puppy like manner, and remained where they were. "Stay." Sam ordered slowly. Both dogs bounced up and began trotting after him.
"Calm down, shutup, sit down." Stosh repeated firmly. Both dogs dropped where they were. What watched with interest, and Stosh pointed to other two dogs. "Join." What made it to Strider and Hobbes in one bound, skidding into them, and falling over top of Strider. What straightened himself out, and wedged himself between the two. Meanwhile, Strider and Hobbes acted like nothing had happened. Miss Bower watched with delight, before leaving the room. Stosh followed her, but was back with a new can of Mountain Dew before anyone could say anything.
"Watch." He ordered gently, snapping the top open. He walked over to the dogs, and waved the Mountain Dew can above them. "Open the hatch." He commanded. Simtameously, the dog's head's went up, and the jaws dropped. Stosh poured a small amount of Mountain Dew into each dog, before gulping down the rest of the can. "Bombs away." He ordered the dogs, and at the same time, dogs and master belched. Stosh bowed, and the dogs looked immensely pleased with themselves.
"Stosh!" Sam exclaimed, sneaking a glance at Miss Parker to see her reaction to his son's strange actions.
"Like I said, too much Mountain Dew, and way too much spare time. Never provoke the bored. Never anger the insane. Strange things may result." He snapped his fingers. "Follow the leader." He finished, and the dogs jumped up, and trailed after Stosh, who sauntered down the stairs.
"I have to get him off that soda." Sam muttered under his breath. Miss Parker looked at him strangely.
"Don't. He's rather amusing that way. A heck of a lot more comfortable around adults then most teens."
"So, about Broots," Sydney began awkwardly. "Jarod contacted us this morning, with the help of someone, known online as RivenRebelPoet-" That was all the further he got.
"RivenRebelPoet?" Sam asked incredulously. "Hey, Stosh!" Within seconds, the boy bounded into the room, minus the dogs. "Isn't RRP short for RivenRebelPoet?"
"Yeah. Why? Did she orange mail you at work again?" Stosh asked. Sam sighed.
"No, thank goodness, she did not orange mail me again. But, can you talk to her now? They may know her." Sam nodded his head towards Sydney and Miss Parker.
"She should be on, terrorizing Elfie and lon. I'll see." Stosh left the room, and Sam looked over at Miss Parker to explain.
"RRP's a friend of his, online. She's pretty bright, for a teen. And you do not want to know what Orange Mailing is." Sam answered the unasked question.
"She's on!" Stosh called from another room. Sam stood up, and waved the two after him. They stopped in front of a computer, and watched as Stosh held a quick conversation with RRP.
Shorah RRP!
Shorah Gamgee. How ya been?
Good. Listen, my Dad has some friends here that want to talk to you.
Quick guess. Miss Parker and Sydney?
Uh, yeah. I'm not going to ask.
It's all down to the same basic fact, Gamgee, you know that. Never provoke...
the bored. Never anger the insane. Strange things may result.
You got it. So, Sydney, how are the plans to rescue Broots coming? Sam, you there too? Betcha didn't know I knew about the Centre.
"You want the keyboard?" Stosh asked, offering the chair and board to one of the three adults. Sydney sat down.
Well, actually, we need more detail.
Gotcha. Safehouse 7b, Yoder, North Dakota. J-man, more commonly known to Miss Parker as 'Labrat' (i did too read that note about you during the T-board. That was cold.)
Stosh handed Sydney a piece of paper with the location scribbled on it.
"Have fun." He remarked dryly, in the most depressed tone Miss Parker had heard him use since she met him. "Miss Bower and I will be fine, Dad. Don't kill yourself." Sam looked down at his son, and embraced him in a quick hug, not really caring what Miss Parker thought.
"I'll go get my suit on. Be right back."
"You want this back?" Sydney asked, motioning to the keyboard. Stosh nodded eagerly.
Arpy, turn your vidcam on! Puleese?
lol. only if you will.
Stosh reached up, and flicked on a small round camera like object that sat atop the computer monitor.
mine's on. turn yours on. i'll hit connect.
Stosh rapidly clicked button after button, until a square black screen appeared. It faded into focus, and there sat a young teenaged girl, with glasses and silver hair.
"Silver?" Stosh questioned with a laugh.
"Corkster's idea. I had the orange for three days." RRP replied. "Hey, Miss Parker! Hey, Sydney! Good luck. Don't get killed, okay?"
"I'll try not to." Miss Parker snapped back.
"We'll try." Sydney replied at the same time.
"Gamgee, have you made them a MO, yet?" RRP directed the question towards Stosh.
"Nah. Not yet. Maybe if they come back some time..." Stosh trailed off, grinning wickedly.
"Hey, where's your Dad? I don't see him." RRP questioned, eyes darting around on the screen.
"Getting his suit." Stosh answered, as Sam reentered the room.
"Hey Sam!" RRP waved, and he allowed himself a small smile.
"Hey kid. Keep my soda leech out of trouble while I'm gone, okay?" Sam asked, ruffling Stosh's hair. RRP saluted goofily.
"No prob, Mr. S. Go help Freud and Ice Queen get the lovable moron out of danger!" Then, with a smirk, "It's amazing what kind of things they put in reports these days, isn't it?"
Jarod looked out the window of the large passenger plane, and sighed. Broots was in danger, and he was going to save him. Jarod the Hero. The title, however noble, sometimes bothered him. Why couldn't he be normal? His night at Audrey's house had been surprisingly comforting, as Audrey revealed that she too, never felt 'normal'. But she had been okay with it! She actually enjoyed it. He wished he could be like her, but, as he had reminded himself, she still lived with her parents, and got to do normal teenage things. It wasn't as bad for her. His cell phone rang, jarring him out of his thoughts, and he answered it.
"Hello."
"Jarod!" Sydney's familiar voice greeted him, and he smiled a little.
"Hello, Sydney," He said slowly.
"We're on our way, Jarod. Sam didn't know about Broots."
"Is he with you?" Jarod suddenly asked,
"Yes." Sydney's answer surprisingly comforted Jarod, and he wondered why.
"Good. Goodbye, Sydney. Good luck. Live long, eat Pez!" Jarod chimed, almost happily, pleased with the new saying.
"You're not going?"
"Not if you are."
"Jarod, what if he needs medical attention?" Sydney almost pleaded, and Jarod sighed.
"Fine, as long as Parker and Sam promise not to take me back this time." He heard the phone transfer hands, and he waited.
"What, Jarod?" Parker snapped.
"I'll come help, as long as you and Sam don't drag me back to the Centre this time."
"Fine. I promise."
"Okay." Click. Jarod smiled, and put the phone back in his bag, satisfied with Parker's answer. He would still proceed with extreme caution, of course, but he could temporarily rest assured. His only wish was that Broots wouldn't need medical attention.
"Landing in ten minutes. Please buckle up! No smoking, please." The voice of the captain came over the statiky intercom, and Jarod snapped his seatbelt pieces together. Mission: Rescue Broots, Slightly Impossible, would soon be underway.
"Carpelli, this is Jakebs," Jakebs said bluntly into the phone.
"Jakebs! How are you faring?" Carpelli asked worriedly. "I haven't seen you for several days." Jakebs knew that if there was any one he could confide in, it was Chief Joe Carpelli, but, he didn't feel like opening up at that point. It had only been twenty-four hours since he found out Riley was moving, but it had felt like twenty four years.
"Fine." He lied.
"You don't sound fine." Carpelli acknowledged, and Jakebs sighed.
"Can I take an extended leave? I've taken on some new responsibilities lately, and I need some time to adjust."
"Sure, Jakebs. I understand. Ri leaving must have hit you pretty hard, eh?"
"Yeah. Something like that." Jakebs replied, still in a sort of daze in any areas pertaining to Brooke Riley.
"Take your time, Jakebs. Up to two months. You're due for several weeks of vacation anyway. See you in a few, Jakebs." Click.
Jakebs set the phone down, and Alec began crying without reason for the fourth time that day. Jakebs once again stumbled into the room, rocked him to sleep, set him back in bed, and sat back down on the rocking chair, still trapped in a foggy daze. Riley's words replayed in his head over and over again, and the desperate loneliness of the situation fell upon like a soggy cloak, and he slid off the chair, and onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Syd, we've been waiting here for half-an-hour! I don't think he's going to show!" Miss Parker practically whined to Sydney, as she pulled a cigarette out. The trio- Parker, Sydney, and Sam- sat in the airport lobby, waiting for Jarod. Almost as soon as she said it, Jarod came around the corner, dressed in black designer slacks, a tight, black, silk shirt, and his infamous black knee-length trench coat.
"Hello!" Jarod ejaculated happily, as he neared them.
"Are we going sometime today?" Parker snapped, and Jarod's eyes portrayed his hurt look.
"Yes. I was busy planning our rescue." He said quietly. "I've got a car outside." He turned to lead them to the car, and Sydney jumped forward to walk next to Jarod, as Parker and Sam trailed behind.
"Jarod, who is RRP?" Sydney asked the burning question, and he thought he saw a smile on Jarod's face.
"RRP is a fourteen year old girl, in West Virginia. Her name is Audrey, and she managed to hack into the Centre mainframe last year. She is especially interested in the Pretender Project, specifically me, and has been following the reports for the past year. She's hacked into all the employee files, and has practically memorized everything on you, Parker, Sam, and Broots."
"She's only fourteen?" Sydney asked incredulously. Jarod nodded, this time a full-blown grin on his face.
"She's erased all records with information on herself. Even though she's a potential pretender, according to the Centre, she doesn't even exist."
"She's done all that? Without anyone detecting her?"
"She's using Raines code, and password. Anyone looking at who's accessed the files would just think Raines was doing review work."
"Amazing! She's developed a whole new online identity!" Sydney exclaimed, his strides long, to keep up with Jarod.
"She's a big fan of the Matrix. I watched it for the first time at her house,"
"The Matrix?" Sydney questioned slowly, and Jarod pushed open the double doors they had come to.
"We have more in common than most think, Sydney."
"Broots, wake up!" Mr. Cox slapped Broots lightly on the face. "Come on, Brootsie. Wake up." He slapped again, a little harder this time, and Broots eyes opened. They were sunk deep in his skull, red, and begging. Devoid of emotion, just begging. "More?" Cox held the syringe up, waving it temptingly in front of Broots face.
Broots slowly managed to nod, and Cox acted as if he were going to inject the deadly fluid, but then pulled it away.
"P...please!" Broots begged in a hoarse whisper, hating himself for being addicted, and at the same time not being able to resist the need for it.
"Not until you tell me what else you know about that baby, and who you told."
"I...I told Sydney, and Parker. That's all!" Broots released with a sigh. How he hated himself!
"Very well." Cox pushed the syringe into Broots arm, and squeezed the liquid into Broots' veins. Broots laid his head back on the table, and closed his eyes.
Suddenly, someone started banging violently on the door to Broots' cell. He forced himself to open his eyes, and saw Cox striding angrily to the door, and someone outside, yelling at him. The door opened, and Broots could hear what was being said.
"What are you doing here?" Cox demanded of the hysterical man.
"You, you promised! You promised you wouldn't use that! How dare you!" The man yelled at Cox, and Cox nodded to a nearby Sweeper. The Sweeper grabbed the man's arms, and started pulling him away.
"Eli, calm down. It's out of your hands now." Cox reprimanded calmly, and Eli attempted to pull away from the Sweeper, as if to hit Cox.
The door was slammed shut, and Broots fell into a black, dreamless, drugged sleep.
"Peter! It's perfect!" Riley exclaimed, stepping into the high ceiling apartment. "Are you sure we can afford it?"
"Yeah! Of course!" Peter assured her, setting a cardboard box down in the empty dining room.
"Okay. If you're sure." Riley agreed, smiling.
"Aren't you glad you left that horrid town, and came here with me?" Peter asked, stepping close to Riley. She suddenly felt uncomfortable, and forced a smile.
"Yeah." She blocked all thoughts of Alec, and Jakebs, and concentrated on just enjoying being in Peter's arms.
"You're lying, aren't you?" Peter asked, shoving her away in disgust.
"No! Peter! I love you!" Riley cried out, trying to make him happy again, briefly wondering if it was worth it.
"Sure, babe. Sorry 'bout that." Peter stepped up to her again, pulling her close to him, and smiling.
"See that door? There's an air vent right above it." Jarod pointed to the door, and Parker found it in the binoculars.
"Yes," She snapped, and Jarod went on.
"Sydney and I will go in that way, and exit out the other door in the back. You and Sam cover for us."
"How do you expect us to do that?" Parker growled, lowering the binoculars and looking at Jarod.
"Walk through the front doors. Everyone will come running, and while you explain that your father sent you to get Cox, we'll have time to get Broots."
"Wonderful, genius. But what happens when he finds out my father didn't send me?" Parker asked, and Jarod smiled. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.
"I get the blame. Tell them you got this note, and you thought it was your father." Parker snatched the paper and looked over it.
"Fine. Let's go." The doors of Jarod's dark green Suburban opened, and the four began their half-mile trek towards the building.
"Jarod, if someone gets killed, it's your fault." Parker snapped after a few minutes.
"Why?" Jarod demanded, scowling at Parker.
"Because this whole thing was your idea."
"Look, Parker, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even know that Broots was still alive!" Jarod thundered, and Parker yelled back at him.
"Are you sure? What if-" As they continued to argue, Sydney fell back to talk to Sam.
"It's amazing the way they interact. I could probably publish a book based on the things I've learned from listening to them."
"It's a wonder both of them are still alive." Sam whispered in reply, watching the two 'power' figures argue animatedly. Minutes passed before the two realized they were being watched.
"Something wrong, gentlemen?" Parker snapped, stopping and facing the two. Sydney shook his head.
"I'd give that one a nine and a half."
"Haha, very funny, Syd. I wonder why I'm not laughing?" Parker ground out through her teeth.
"Possibly because Jarod is?" Sydney asked with a smile, nodding towards the Pretender, who was trying to keep a straight face.
"I give up!" Parker muttered as she stormed ahead of them.
"I really should find time to write a book." Sydney whispered to Sam, before striding ahead to walk next to Jarod.
"You promised me that was only for the U.S. Military, to use as a war tool!" The mysterious Eli yelled at Mr. Cox, who smiled grimly at him.
"You should know better by now, Eli. I can't really promise anything." Cox replied smoothly, and for a short second, Eli saw him as a snake in the grass, smoothly talking his way out of everything, but ready to strike with a deadly poison if you denied the lies.
"So, the Government hasn't even heard of the drug?" Eli demanded, and Cox shook his head.
"No. I'm afraid not." Cox smiled at Eli again, and Eli wished he had a pair of brass knuckles.
"Afraid not? Cox, seriously! I've been in this, this torture chamber for twenty years!" Eli screamed at him, the anger and pain built up over the past twenty years flooding out.
"Don't pull anything, Eli." Cox warned drying, reaching in his jacket.
"I know, I know. More blackmail." Eli sank down onto a chair, with his head in his hands. Cox pulled a photograph out of his jacket, and waved it in Eli's face.
"You try anything, and we kill her." Eli looked up at the face of his twin, the twin he never even remembered meeting. But the connection was so strong between them, he couldn't bear to do anything to harm her.
"Fine. You know where to find me, Cox. I'll always be right here." Eli stood up, and shoved Cox out the door of his cell.
Jarod popped the air duct cover off, and pushed it aside, while silently hoping that it didn't make too much noise. He peeked out around the side, before crawling out, and motioning for Sydney to follow. Together, they sneaked down the hall, and to the room Jarod had pinpointed as Broots'. Clutched tightly in Jarod's right hand was a black bag, full of small lock picks and medical equipment. They came to the door, and Jarod made quick work of the simple lock, and pushed the door open. Jarod gasped, and Sydney turned his head.
Broots lay, stretched out on the metal table, and he was gray and listless. Jarod jumped forward and checked for a pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief when he found one. He started working on the shackles on Broots' arms and legs, while Sydney tried to revive Broots.
"Broots, can you hear me? Broots?" Broots eyes slowly opened, and he blinked at Sydney, gazing at him with a blank, sunken stare.
"They have him on drugs." Jarod whispered to Sydney, showing the red marks on Broots arms. Broots' eyes slowly came into focus, and he whispered,
"Sydney?"
"Yes, Broots, it's me!" Sydney assured him, and Broots blinked again.
"Don't leave, please don't leave! I'm sorry, so sorry..." He trailed off, as his eyes went out of focus, and Jarod cursed.
"He has a fever. Help me get him on his feet."
"We can't do that Jarod. He's completely unresponsive." Jarod looked helplessly around the room, and his eyes lit up.
"Help me get him onto this." He commanded Sydney, as he grabbed a strong, cloth tarp. "Then, we'll carry him between us." Sydney nodded, and helped Jarod lift Broots off the table and onto the tarp. Jarod folded it around Broots, wrapping him securely in it.
"More, please!" Broots whispered hoarsely. "Anything! Just give me more..."
"He's becoming delirious. Hurry up!" Jarod pushed the door open, and looked both ways up and down the hall. Empty. He and Sydney stumbled, with Broots between them, towards the exit door at the end of the hall. Jarod kicked the door open with his foot, and they staggered out into the bright, noon sunshine. Almost to safety...
"My father sent me!" Parker explained, shoving the note towards Cox with a annoyed glare. Cox looked over the paper, and sighed.
"Fine." Cox handed her the note, and looked around the building uneasily. "If that's all, tell him I'm on my way."
"Why the rush?" Miss Parker asked casually, striding forward. "You want me to leave?" Cox laughed nervously.
"Uh, no, it's just, um, you know your father! He wants his answers right away, and, uh, I'd hate to get in trouble!" He finished with another nervous laugh.
"Is that right?" Parker murmured, as she walked a little farther down a hall. Sam followed her immediately, not taking the chance that her back would be open to any 'stray' fire.
"Stop! Right there!" Cox barked, his territory threatened. Miss Parker ignored him, and strode forward.
Jarod and Sydney sneaked back to the car, through the woods surrounding the safehouse, and Broots mumbled things incoherently.
"No, won't tell...I'm sorry...stop! no! help me help me....please! won't tell..."
"What did they do to him?" Sydney exclaimed, panting, after several minutes.
"I don't know," Jarod answered truthfully, his tone clearly one of anger. "But I'm going to find out, and make them pay." They could see, in the clearing ahead, the Suburban, but no Parker or Sam.
"I hope they hurry, because it's not going to take them long to figure out he's missing." Sydney muttered, and Jarod nodded in unspoken agreement. They hurried forward, and made it to the Suburban just as Sydney felt like his arms were going to drop off. Broots was set gently on the ground, while Jarod flung the backdoors open, revealing a small stretcher among other medical equipment. He had brought it, hoping he wouldn't have to use it, and now he was wondering if he would need more.
"Help me get him in, now!" Jarod hissed, and Sydney bent to help pick up Broots. Jarod strapped him into the stretcher, and started reading Broots' vital signs. Broots gazed at the ceiling of the SUV, with a confused, lost, stare.
Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, coming from the building.
