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Chapter or Story
DISCLAIMER: The characters of this story belong to "The Pretender," a protected trademark of MTM Television and NBC. They have been used without permission for the purpose of fan fiction and not for any type of compensation. The events are my invention and any resemblance to real events is purely coincidental.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS STORY IS RATED NC-17 FOR MALE / FEMALE SEXUAL SITUATIONS
Resolutions
Part One of Two
Lynn. M Schumann
Jarod sat in the dark, watching Miss Parker sleep. It had been easier to get into the private quarters of the Centre than he had anticipated, although he knew he could be discovered at any moment.
Silently he rose and stood near her bed. It was oddly thrilling to be so near her and have her be unaware of him. After all the close calls and near misses, what would she think when she woke up and saw him? She'd probably think she was still dreaming.
She looked peaceful in her sleep, and for the first time he noted the physical resemblance between her and Nia. His throat caught at the thought of her. Nia had introduced him to the kind of intimacy two people could share, and even if he never saw her again, he wouldn't forget her.
Jarod shook his head to clear it. He was getting side tracked and he couldn't afford it. He reached out and touched her shoulder.
"Miss Parker," he said in a low voice. "Wake up."
She mumbled something and turned over.
"Miss Parker, it's Jarod," he said, shaking her again and raising his voice.
"Jarod's gone," she mumbled. As if saying the words brought her to consciousness she rolled over and stared into his face.
"Oh my G. . ." she got out before he clamped his hand over her mouth.
"Don't bother shouting or trying to activate any alarms. I've disabled them all, and this part of the building has been evacuated." Slowly, he removed his hand.
"How did you get in here?" she asked through clenched teeth, reaching for her cigarettes.
"Really, Miss Parker, I wouldn't think you'd have to ask that."
"Where the *hell* are my cigarettes?"
"I took the liberty of removing them. They really aren't good for you."
She gave him a withering look. "Your concern is touching. What *are* you doing here? Don't tell me you're homesick."
"If I were 'homesick' I wouldn't know where to go, would I?"
"You went to all this trouble to come to my room just to whine? When are you going to get over this self-pity trip Jarod?"
"I guess when I know where I came from. And since you're probably not going to furnish me with the information I want to know, I guess I'll just have to take you with me."
"Take me? You mean hold me for ransom? Who do you think will pay for my return? Sydney? My father? The Centre?"
"Your father *is* the Centre. No, I do plan on 'kidnapping' you, but not for ransom."
"Then what. . ."
"To stop you," he cut her off.
"Stop me?"
"You're the driving force behind this effort to get me back to the Centre. If I've got you, you can't get me."
"What about Sydney and Broots?"
"Oh they're very capable, but without your, shall I say 'charm?' they're not very committed."
Miss Parker sat up, pulling her knees to her chest, under the blankets. "And you expect me to just walk out of here with you? When I've done everything in my power to get you here? It's not going to happen."
"The debate is over Miss Parker," he said, tossing her some clothes. "Get dressed."
She started towards the bathroom, but he stopped her. "No. Out here, where I can keep an eye on you."
"Of all the things you've become, I didn't think you'd added voyeur to the list."
"The 'eye' was figurative of course," he said, turning his back to her. He kept her engaged in conversation to hear if she were moving around too much.
"These aren't my clothes," she complained.
"They are now."
"A flannel shirt, blue jeans and hiking boots? You've *got* to be kidding."
Jarod turned around. "I never kid."
"Will you look the other way please?" She said sweetly. "I need to get dressed."
Jarod complied with a smile. He had no idea having her at *i>his* mercy for once would be so much fun.
"All right," she said, holding out her arms for his inspection. "Now what, Fred? Drag me by the hair back to Bedrock?"
Jarod just stared at her.
"You know, Fred? His wife Wilma? Barney? The Flintstones? Oh never mind. God I need a cigarette!"
"Those clothes are kind of big on you; it looks like you raided your father's closet."
"My father wouldn't be caught dead dressed like this."
"No, I don't suppose he would," Jarod agreed. "It's time to go," he said.
"You really think I'm going to just walk out of here with you?"
"That was the plan, but since you're not cooperating, I guess I'll have to resort to Plan B."
"Plan B?"
Jarod reached into his own flannel shirt pocket and withdrew a hypodermic needle.
"Trust me. This won't hurt a bit."
* * * *
The next thing Miss Parker remembered was waking up in the front seat of a car. It was a convertible and the top was down. The wind whipped her hair into her face as she struggled to sit up.
"Do you have any water?" She managed to croak through her dry mouth and throat.
"Good Morning! Or should I say 'good evening?' You're just in time for a lovely sunset."
"Spare me the chit chat and just give me some water."
"I don't have any. We'll have to stop at the next gas station."
"You? Mr.-I've-thought-of-every-angle doesn't have a bottle of water in the middle of the God-damned desert?"
"If we break down I know how to find water."
"That's *so* reassuring. Where are we?"
Jarod wagged his finger at her. "Now that would be cheating."
She looked around at the passing landscape. "We must be somewhere in the southwest."
"Very good, but that covers a lot of territory."
"How long was I out?"
"You know I can't tell you that either."
"You could if you wanted to. How much longer to that water?"
"About a half hour. Why don't you just relax and enjoy the scenery?"
"Why don't you just go to hell?" She said, rubbing her neck.
"Headache pretty bad? Sorry about that. I'll get you some aspirin when we stop."
"I'd settle for a cigarette."
"Maybe if you're a good girl."
They rode the rest of the time in silence. Jarod really did feel bad about her headache, but there wasn't an easy way to sedate her for two days and not have her wake up with a splitter.
"There it is, up on the left."
"Thank God," she moaned.
As they pulled up to the gas pumps, Miss Parker was practically out of the car before it halted.
"Not so fast honey," Jarod said, hoping the attendant would over hear him and assume they were a couple. "You know what the doctor said about moving too quickly."
Miss Parker grabbed her head as her vision swam. What had he given her?
Jarod purchased a couple bottles of water and some aspirin and handed them to her. Lunging for the water, she drank down half a bottle in one gulp, then after taking a breath, she finished it off. She opened the second and popped three aspirin in her mouth and downed another half a bottle.
"It's been a long way between stops," Jarod explained to the astonished clerk. "Maybe we should take two more."
"Cigarettes," Miss Parker gasped, trying to catch her breath. "Get me some cigarettes."
Jarod smiled apologetically to the woman behind the counter and pointed to a pack.
"Not those you idiot!" Miss Parker barked. "The ones next to them!"
The woman gave Jarod a sympathetic look then asked, "Anything else?"
"No, thank you. Just the gas." He saw Miss Parker eyeing up the phone. Jarod smiled and handed her a calling card.
"I'm sure you're dying to call home. Go ahead. Let Sydney and Daddy know you're all right."
She snatched the card from him and marched to the phone. Aggressively she punched in the numbers. Tapping her nails impatiently, she waited for the connection to be made.
"This is Sydney," he answered, sounding tired, as if he were expecting to have to explain, once again, why they couldn't find a trace of Miss Parker.
"Sydney, it's me," she breathed into the phone.
"Miss Parker!" He exclaimed, pointing to Broots, signaling him to start recording the conversation.
"Are you all right? Where are you? What happened?"
"I'm fine, I guess. I'm in the southwest somewhere with Wonder Boy."
Sydney suppressed a smile. When he found a typed note in Miss Parker's room stating she was off to have some fun for awhile, he had known immediately from the tone of the letter she hadn't written it, but he hadn't suspected Jarod had either. To think he had been right there and they *still* hadn't caught him!
"You've got Jarod; it's what you've always wanted," he said cryptically.
"Not exactly. Unfortunately he's calling the shots. For the moment," she added, giving Jarod an icy stare. Jarod had been mentally ticking off the seconds she'd been on the phone and knew he didn't have much time before Broots would have enough information to trace the call. He gabbed the home from her, quickly telling Sydney, "She's fine. You know I won't hurt her. Unless I have to," he said, returning her stare. "I know it won't do any good to tell you not look for us, but I'll say it any way. Bye Syd. Give my regards to Broots and Daddy." He hung up then and said, "Shall we go?"
"Speaking of 'going' I really have to."
"Go where?"
"To the bathroom you moron! Jeeze for a genius you can be so dense!" She stalked off towards the restroom without asking further permission.
Jarod watched her go then headed back into the store.
"I wonder if you could do me a favor," he asked the female clerk. "You remember my girlfriend?"
"Kind of hard to forget," the woman replied.
"Well she went into the restroom and I was wondering if you could check on her. You see she was released from the hospital today. She had a head injury, and she's still feeling the effects of the medication they gave her, so she's not quite herself."
"That explains a lot."
"Yes, well, could you see if she's O.K.? If she starts rambling about me having taken her or something, just ignore it. She's confused right now."
"Oh the poor thing!" The woman cried as she came around the counter. "Of course I'll make sure she's all right! At first it was you I felt sorry for, saddled with, well, she did seem a bit of a . . ."
"Bitch?" Jarod supplied. "It's all right, I get that a lot."
The woman knocked on the door of the bathroom. "Honey? Everything O.K.?"
"I'm fine!" Miss Parker almost screamed. "Is it too much to ask for five minutes of peace?"
"Well, it's just that your boyfriend asked me to check on you and. . ."
The door suddenly slammed open. "My *boyfriend*! Is *that* what he told you? Listen honey, he comes to my room in the middle of the night, dresses me in these *ridiculous* clothes, drugs me and brings me to the dead center of nowhere, and now he's claiming to be my *boyfriend*? Like we're out on some romantic discover the 'real' America tour?"
The clerk stared at the ranting woman before her. "You poor thing! He said you'd been hit on the head. I guess it was pretty hard, huh?"
Miss Parker just groaned and pushed passed the woman.
Jarod was leaning against the driver's door, reading a map. Before she could see what state it was for, he folded it up and shoved it into the back pocket of his jeans.
"Everything all right?"
"You bastard!"
"What?"
"A head injury? Couldn't you come up with something a little more original?"
Jarod smiled. "It worked, didn't it?"
She climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. "Do we have to have the top up?"
"Aren't you cold?"
"Not really. I would just like to keep the top down. I'd like a little more air." He complied with her request, and quickly folded the top back down.
Jarod pulled out on to the highway. "Remember that night Sydney took us up on the roof? He said he wanted to see if I could pick out the constellations after having seen the star charts."
"And I bugged him so much, he had to bring me too," she recalled.
"I remember how vast it all seemed after the confines of the labs at the Centre. Look," he said, pointing to the east. "There's Orion. I always thought of him as some kind of guardian. Someone to watch over me."
"A group of stars?"
"It represented a person to me. Someone I could talk to who would always hear and understand me."
"Why Jarod, I had no idea you were such a romantic."
"I never claimed I wasn't. I haven't had much of a chance to express it."
The tension in the car was getting thick. Miss Parker lay her head back on the seat and stared up into the sky.
"I never had a favorite," she said, and they rode the rest of the night in silence.
* * * *
The sun was beating down on her when she woke up. Rubbing her stiff shoulders, she noted that they were now in the mountains rather than the flat stretch of desert of the day before.
"Don't you ever sleep?"
Handing her the water before she could ask, he replied, "Yes, I did, for awhile last night."
"Sorry I missed it."
"Where would you have gone?"
"This road *has* to lead to somewhere."
"Yes, but you don't know where you are. How would you know if you had enough gas to make it to the next town, of if there was a town?"
"You seem to think we'd make it to gas on this road."
"But what if I turned the car around while you were sleeping, and we were actually headed back the way we'd come? Would you have enough gas then?"
"All right! You've made your point! Even if I could 'disable' you, I'd still be stuck here. Are you going to tell me where 'here' is yet?"
Jarod just gave her one of his looks.
"O.K., but you can't blame a girl for trying. Speaking of trying, I've been a good girl, can't I have a cigarette?"
"I guess you've earned it," he said, handing her one.
"Just one? Who do you think you are rationing out cigarettes like I was Pavlov's dog?"
"I was thinking it was more along the lines of being Sydney's pet at the Centre."
"He never mistreated you," she said, lighting the cigarette from the car's lighter.
"No, I don't suppose he 'mistreated' me in the physical sense."
"He went to bat for you more times than you realize. My father wanted a lot more from you and Sydney was the one who stopped him." She picked a piece of tobacco off her tongue and changed the subject. "Where did you get the car anyway? It looks like something out of 'Thelma and Louise.'"
"Thelma and who?"
Miss Parker sighed, "You really need to get yourself a VCR."
"The car's on you," Jarod said, choosing to ignore her last remark.
"Excuse me?"
"You paid for the car. Our whole vacation as a matter of fact."
"Oh, 'vacation' we're calling it now? It does have a nicer ring to it than kidnapping." She took a long drag off her cigarette. "And how is it I'm financing this little adventure?"
"With your credit card of course."
"Of course. I won't even ask how you got the numbers and managed to rent stuff in my name."
"It was quite easy actually, I. . ."
"Please Jarod, spare me the details. If I was having a lousy time before, it just got worse. I *did* have enough left on my card for you I hope?"
"Oh yes, plenty. There might even be some left over for emergencies."
"How reassuring." She tossed her burning cigarette from the car without a thought.
"What did you do? You could start a forest fire!"
"Well I guess somebody will find me then, won't they? All they'll have to do is look for the smoke." Miss Parker pulled on the front of her shirt, trying to cool herself off. "Are we almost there? I feel like I've been in these clothes for a week." She looked at Jarod. "Have I?"
He smiled. We're almost there In fact, there's the turn off."
He pulled off onto a gravel side road that turned into two tire tracks with weeds growing nearly three feet tall between them. He stopped the car and turned off the engine.
"What? This is it?"
"It's as far as we can take the car. We walk the rest of the way."
"Walk, as in hike?" She asked, staring at the steep slope before her.
"Actually, I walk, you get to ride."
"I don't understand."
"Well, I can't have you walk up this mountain, you'd know how to get back, so I'm going to have to carry you."
"Carry me. Right. I suppose you're pretending to be Superman now too? And how will carrying me keep me from finding my way back?"
Jarod held up another syringe.
"Oh no, I still feel like shit from the first one."
"This one isn't nearly as bad."
"If you think I'm going to stand here and just let you dope me up again, you're more deluded than I thought."
Jarod stood patiently waiting for her tirade to end.
"Well?" She said. "What now?"
"I've got a pack of cigarettes that says you will."
Rolling her eyes and tossing her hair, she extended her right arm and pushed up her sleeve. "Have I told you lately that you're a bastard?"
* * * *
It was only a matter of seconds before Miss Parker slumped against him. Catching her as she was heading for the ground, he slung her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.
"I knew a job as a firefighter would come in handy," he smiled to Miss Parker's inert form.
Adjusting her weight, he headed up the mountain. Although he was in good shape physically, her added weight and the altitude soon took their toll. Pausing to rest against a tree, he wondered why he'd been so adamant that she not know the way down, and why he hadn't made her walk. Maybe it was the mercy thing again?
It was nice to have her dependent on him, but he was beginning to wonder if he'd make it to the cabin before night fall, or it started to snow. He'd already noticed the temperature had dropped several degrees, and the higher he climbed, the more noticeable it became.
About an hour later he saw the cabin on the rise before him. From the first time he'd seen the pictures in the brochure, he knew it would be perfect--completely isolated, no where for her to run.
He had been up there last week, stocking the wooden structure with food, extra clothing, all the things he thought they'd need. He wasn't sure how long they'd be there. That would depend on Miss Parker. He told her he had taken her so she couldn't take him, but how long could that last? He couldn't hold her prisoner indefinitely. He'd be no better than the people at the Centre. He had to wonder if he didn't have some other motive as well. If all he wanted to do was convince her to let him live his life, he could have done that anywhere--a motel room in Akron.
Why had he chosen what would be termed a romantic get-away?
He was shaken from his thoughts, literally, as Miss Parker began to stir on his shoulder. He climbed the last stretch quickly and managed to get her inside before she woke completely.
* * * *
As Miss Parker's vision slowly cleared, she saw what she thought was a huge fieldstone fireplace. Jarod was before it, lying wood to start a fire.
"Well, isn't *this* cozy?" She drawled, pushing her hair behind her ears. "You really *did* drag me back to your cave, didn't you Fred?"
"It'll look better when there's a little more light," he reassured her. Walking around the room, Jarod lit several oit lamps, all the while Miss Parker followed him with her eyes.
"Really Jarod, you could just turn on a light--I don't need any atmosphere."
"This *is* the light. No electricity, no running water, no phones."
"No running water? As in no bathroom? Well I've got another one for you--no way!"
"Feel free," he said, gesturing toward the door.
Tossing off the quilt he had covered her with, she marched towards the door. She half expected it to be locked, especially since he had gone to such lengths prior to this to keep their location a secret.
She yanked on the door and stepped onto the porch. The view from the plank verandah was spectacular. Through the trees she could see most of the valley below. The sun had nearly set, and the landscape was bathed in an orange-red glow. Looking at the sky she noticed the clouds moving in fast, and she stood shivering on the porch, as the first snowflakes began to fall. Ignoring the beauty around her she continued her survey of the clearing that extended a short distance beyond the cabin. Off to the right was a small building made to look like a miniature of the cabin.
"How quaint," she said, hugging herself in the sudden chill of twilight.
In the opposite direction of the out house was a hand pump, which Jarod was now heading for.
"Looks like it's going to really snow," he said, glancing at the sky. "I should get some extra water in."
"I suppose you were a meteorologist once too?"
"No, but I have read a lot about it," he said, referring to Sydney's instruction. "It's getting cold, you should go in."
"I'll go back in when I'm good and ready!" She bit back at him.
"Suit yourself," he replied, unaffected by her acid response.
Miss Parker stayed rooted to the spot, not wanting to be seen taking his advice, or giving in.
Jarod walked towards the cabin carrying a five gallon container. The weight of it hardly fazed him, and when she thought of him carrying *her* up the mountain, she realized anew just how strong he was, both mentally and physically.
When he reached the porch he touched her arm and said, "Come on Wilma, let's go inside. It's freezing out here."
Jerking away at his touch she replied, "Go ahead. I'll just be a minute." Much as she dreaded it, she knew it was the cutesy outhouse or the woods. At least the outhouse had walls.
* * * *
Miss Parker stepped through the cabin door and shook the snow out of her hair.
"It's really starting to come down out there," she said, stamping her feet.
Jarod stood near a wood cook stove, heating a pan of water. "Why Miss Parker!" He exclaimed, "I believe those are the first civil words I've heard from you!"
"Don't push it." She rubbed her neck and shoulders, trying to relax. Her ulcer was acting up as well.
"Do you have another headache?" He asked with genuine concern.
"Yes, but not like the last one."
"Would you like something for it?"
"No, my stomach's killing me. I'll take a cigarette though, Daddy," she said with a plastic smile.
"Here," he said, handing her the pack. "You can have them all. Just remember they have to last; that's all there is."
"And how long will it be? So I know how many I can have.?" She added.
"That's up to you."
"Up to me?"
"When you and I can come to some kind of understanding, you can go."
"What kind of 'understanding?'" She asked, knowing he could meant several things.
"I saw a television show once. It was about this Chinese man, well half Chinese actually, and he was locked up in this monastery and his 'teachers' told him when he had mastered all they could teach him, it would be time for him to go."
"Kung Fu," she confirmed. "So?"
"I've learned all you could teach me. It's time for me to go."
"It's not that simple Jarod and you know it. Kwai Chang didn't have a head full of military secrets."
"Is that what I was doing?" He asked, his eyes wide with mock innocence. "Sydney said they were 'simulations'--just pretend."
"Don't play dumb with me Jarod. You might be naive as a two year old, but you're not stupid."
"You're right," he said, his eyes boring into hers, making her turn away from their intensity.
The steam from the boiling water caught his attention. "There's some hot water and soap for you if you want to clean up," he said. "I'll rig a screen for you."
"Thanks," she said, feeling like she was suddenly thrust into a "B" movie where the leading man gallantly offers to provide for the modesty of the female companion he's 'inadvertently' saddled with.
Jarod stood at the window, staring out at the snow, but he didn't see it. All he could think of was Miss Parker standing nude, or partially nude behind the blanket he'd suspended from the rafters. When ever he caught her eyes, he got that funny twisted feeling in his stomach, the same was he had felt when he had been near Nia. Was it just the solitude and her proximity? He had never had a reaction to her like this before. No, he thought, there had been another time. After they had met when he held out his hand and she had done the same, and their palms had touched. It was if someone had given him a jolt of electricity. Perhaps she had.
"All done," she announced, coming from around the curtain.
He turned to see her dressed in nothing but a clean flannel shirt, and her head wrapped with a towel. He swallowed at the picture of domesticity she presented.
"You look so. . .different," he managed with a hoarse voice.
"Yeah, well, don't get any ideas Valentino. That couch has your name written all over it."
"It does?" Jarod turned and looked at the sofa. He noted an Indian motif, but no where did he see his name.
"Just go!" She snapped impatiently. "I left you some hot water."
Now it was Miss Parker's turn to dwell on the activity behind the blanket. She heard the splash of water and imagined it running down his arms and chest, and lower. She sighed and went for her cigarettes. It was going to be a very long night.
Resolutions
Part One of Two
Lynn. M Schumann
Jarod sat in the dark, watching Miss Parker sleep. It had been easier to get into the private quarters of the Centre than he had anticipated, although he knew he could be discovered at any moment.
Silently he rose and stood near her bed. It was oddly thrilling to be so near her and have her be unaware of him. After all the close calls and near misses, what would she think when she woke up and saw him? She'd probably think she was still dreaming.
She looked peaceful in her sleep, and for the first time he noted the physical resemblance between her and Nia. His throat caught at the thought of her. Nia had introduced him to the kind of intimacy two people could share, and even if he never saw her again, he wouldn't forget her.
Jarod shook his head to clear it. He was getting side tracked and he couldn't afford it. He reached out and touched her shoulder.
"Miss Parker," he said in a low voice. "Wake up."
She mumbled something and turned over.
"Miss Parker, it's Jarod," he said, shaking her again and raising his voice.
"Jarod's gone," she mumbled. As if saying the words brought her to consciousness she rolled over and stared into his face.
"Oh my G. . ." she got out before he clamped his hand over her mouth.
"Don't bother shouting or trying to activate any alarms. I've disabled them all, and this part of the building has been evacuated." Slowly, he removed his hand.
"How did you get in here?" she asked through clenched teeth, reaching for her cigarettes.
"Really, Miss Parker, I wouldn't think you'd have to ask that."
"Where the *hell* are my cigarettes?"
"I took the liberty of removing them. They really aren't good for you."
She gave him a withering look. "Your concern is touching. What *are* you doing here? Don't tell me you're homesick."
"If I were 'homesick' I wouldn't know where to go, would I?"
"You went to all this trouble to come to my room just to whine? When are you going to get over this self-pity trip Jarod?"
"I guess when I know where I came from. And since you're probably not going to furnish me with the information I want to know, I guess I'll just have to take you with me."
"Take me? You mean hold me for ransom? Who do you think will pay for my return? Sydney? My father? The Centre?"
"Your father *is* the Centre. No, I do plan on 'kidnapping' you, but not for ransom."
"Then what. . ."
"To stop you," he cut her off.
"Stop me?"
"You're the driving force behind this effort to get me back to the Centre. If I've got you, you can't get me."
"What about Sydney and Broots?"
"Oh they're very capable, but without your, shall I say 'charm?' they're not very committed."
Miss Parker sat up, pulling her knees to her chest, under the blankets. "And you expect me to just walk out of here with you? When I've done everything in my power to get you here? It's not going to happen."
"The debate is over Miss Parker," he said, tossing her some clothes. "Get dressed."
She started towards the bathroom, but he stopped her. "No. Out here, where I can keep an eye on you."
"Of all the things you've become, I didn't think you'd added voyeur to the list."
"The 'eye' was figurative of course," he said, turning his back to her. He kept her engaged in conversation to hear if she were moving around too much.
"These aren't my clothes," she complained.
"They are now."
"A flannel shirt, blue jeans and hiking boots? You've *got* to be kidding."
Jarod turned around. "I never kid."
"Will you look the other way please?" She said sweetly. "I need to get dressed."
Jarod complied with a smile. He had no idea having her at *i>his* mercy for once would be so much fun.
"All right," she said, holding out her arms for his inspection. "Now what, Fred? Drag me by the hair back to Bedrock?"
Jarod just stared at her.
"You know, Fred? His wife Wilma? Barney? The Flintstones? Oh never mind. God I need a cigarette!"
"Those clothes are kind of big on you; it looks like you raided your father's closet."
"My father wouldn't be caught dead dressed like this."
"No, I don't suppose he would," Jarod agreed. "It's time to go," he said.
"You really think I'm going to just walk out of here with you?"
"That was the plan, but since you're not cooperating, I guess I'll have to resort to Plan B."
"Plan B?"
Jarod reached into his own flannel shirt pocket and withdrew a hypodermic needle.
"Trust me. This won't hurt a bit."
The next thing Miss Parker remembered was waking up in the front seat of a car. It was a convertible and the top was down. The wind whipped her hair into her face as she struggled to sit up.
"Do you have any water?" She managed to croak through her dry mouth and throat.
"Good Morning! Or should I say 'good evening?' You're just in time for a lovely sunset."
"Spare me the chit chat and just give me some water."
"I don't have any. We'll have to stop at the next gas station."
"You? Mr.-I've-thought-of-every-angle doesn't have a bottle of water in the middle of the God-damned desert?"
"If we break down I know how to find water."
"That's *so* reassuring. Where are we?"
Jarod wagged his finger at her. "Now that would be cheating."
She looked around at the passing landscape. "We must be somewhere in the southwest."
"Very good, but that covers a lot of territory."
"How long was I out?"
"You know I can't tell you that either."
"You could if you wanted to. How much longer to that water?"
"About a half hour. Why don't you just relax and enjoy the scenery?"
"Why don't you just go to hell?" She said, rubbing her neck.
"Headache pretty bad? Sorry about that. I'll get you some aspirin when we stop."
"I'd settle for a cigarette."
"Maybe if you're a good girl."
They rode the rest of the time in silence. Jarod really did feel bad about her headache, but there wasn't an easy way to sedate her for two days and not have her wake up with a splitter.
"There it is, up on the left."
"Thank God," she moaned.
As they pulled up to the gas pumps, Miss Parker was practically out of the car before it halted.
"Not so fast honey," Jarod said, hoping the attendant would over hear him and assume they were a couple. "You know what the doctor said about moving too quickly."
Miss Parker grabbed her head as her vision swam. What had he given her?
Jarod purchased a couple bottles of water and some aspirin and handed them to her. Lunging for the water, she drank down half a bottle in one gulp, then after taking a breath, she finished it off. She opened the second and popped three aspirin in her mouth and downed another half a bottle.
"It's been a long way between stops," Jarod explained to the astonished clerk. "Maybe we should take two more."
"Cigarettes," Miss Parker gasped, trying to catch her breath. "Get me some cigarettes."
Jarod smiled apologetically to the woman behind the counter and pointed to a pack.
"Not those you idiot!" Miss Parker barked. "The ones next to them!"
The woman gave Jarod a sympathetic look then asked, "Anything else?"
"No, thank you. Just the gas." He saw Miss Parker eyeing up the phone. Jarod smiled and handed her a calling card.
"I'm sure you're dying to call home. Go ahead. Let Sydney and Daddy know you're all right."
She snatched the card from him and marched to the phone. Aggressively she punched in the numbers. Tapping her nails impatiently, she waited for the connection to be made.
"This is Sydney," he answered, sounding tired, as if he were expecting to have to explain, once again, why they couldn't find a trace of Miss Parker.
"Sydney, it's me," she breathed into the phone.
"Miss Parker!" He exclaimed, pointing to Broots, signaling him to start recording the conversation.
"Are you all right? Where are you? What happened?"
"I'm fine, I guess. I'm in the southwest somewhere with Wonder Boy."
Sydney suppressed a smile. When he found a typed note in Miss Parker's room stating she was off to have some fun for awhile, he had known immediately from the tone of the letter she hadn't written it, but he hadn't suspected Jarod had either. To think he had been right there and they *still* hadn't caught him!
"You've got Jarod; it's what you've always wanted," he said cryptically.
"Not exactly. Unfortunately he's calling the shots. For the moment," she added, giving Jarod an icy stare. Jarod had been mentally ticking off the seconds she'd been on the phone and knew he didn't have much time before Broots would have enough information to trace the call. He gabbed the home from her, quickly telling Sydney, "She's fine. You know I won't hurt her. Unless I have to," he said, returning her stare. "I know it won't do any good to tell you not look for us, but I'll say it any way. Bye Syd. Give my regards to Broots and Daddy." He hung up then and said, "Shall we go?"
"Speaking of 'going' I really have to."
"Go where?"
"To the bathroom you moron! Jeeze for a genius you can be so dense!" She stalked off towards the restroom without asking further permission.
Jarod watched her go then headed back into the store.
"I wonder if you could do me a favor," he asked the female clerk. "You remember my girlfriend?"
"Kind of hard to forget," the woman replied.
"Well she went into the restroom and I was wondering if you could check on her. You see she was released from the hospital today. She had a head injury, and she's still feeling the effects of the medication they gave her, so she's not quite herself."
"That explains a lot."
"Yes, well, could you see if she's O.K.? If she starts rambling about me having taken her or something, just ignore it. She's confused right now."
"Oh the poor thing!" The woman cried as she came around the counter. "Of course I'll make sure she's all right! At first it was you I felt sorry for, saddled with, well, she did seem a bit of a . . ."
"Bitch?" Jarod supplied. "It's all right, I get that a lot."
The woman knocked on the door of the bathroom. "Honey? Everything O.K.?"
"I'm fine!" Miss Parker almost screamed. "Is it too much to ask for five minutes of peace?"
"Well, it's just that your boyfriend asked me to check on you and. . ."
The door suddenly slammed open. "My *boyfriend*! Is *that* what he told you? Listen honey, he comes to my room in the middle of the night, dresses me in these *ridiculous* clothes, drugs me and brings me to the dead center of nowhere, and now he's claiming to be my *boyfriend*? Like we're out on some romantic discover the 'real' America tour?"
The clerk stared at the ranting woman before her. "You poor thing! He said you'd been hit on the head. I guess it was pretty hard, huh?"
Miss Parker just groaned and pushed passed the woman.
Jarod was leaning against the driver's door, reading a map. Before she could see what state it was for, he folded it up and shoved it into the back pocket of his jeans.
"Everything all right?"
"You bastard!"
"What?"
"A head injury? Couldn't you come up with something a little more original?"
Jarod smiled. "It worked, didn't it?"
She climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. "Do we have to have the top up?"
"Aren't you cold?"
"Not really. I would just like to keep the top down. I'd like a little more air." He complied with her request, and quickly folded the top back down.
Jarod pulled out on to the highway. "Remember that night Sydney took us up on the roof? He said he wanted to see if I could pick out the constellations after having seen the star charts."
"And I bugged him so much, he had to bring me too," she recalled.
"I remember how vast it all seemed after the confines of the labs at the Centre. Look," he said, pointing to the east. "There's Orion. I always thought of him as some kind of guardian. Someone to watch over me."
"A group of stars?"
"It represented a person to me. Someone I could talk to who would always hear and understand me."
"Why Jarod, I had no idea you were such a romantic."
"I never claimed I wasn't. I haven't had much of a chance to express it."
The tension in the car was getting thick. Miss Parker lay her head back on the seat and stared up into the sky.
"I never had a favorite," she said, and they rode the rest of the night in silence.
The sun was beating down on her when she woke up. Rubbing her stiff shoulders, she noted that they were now in the mountains rather than the flat stretch of desert of the day before.
"Don't you ever sleep?"
Handing her the water before she could ask, he replied, "Yes, I did, for awhile last night."
"Sorry I missed it."
"Where would you have gone?"
"This road *has* to lead to somewhere."
"Yes, but you don't know where you are. How would you know if you had enough gas to make it to the next town, of if there was a town?"
"You seem to think we'd make it to gas on this road."
"But what if I turned the car around while you were sleeping, and we were actually headed back the way we'd come? Would you have enough gas then?"
"All right! You've made your point! Even if I could 'disable' you, I'd still be stuck here. Are you going to tell me where 'here' is yet?"
Jarod just gave her one of his looks.
"O.K., but you can't blame a girl for trying. Speaking of trying, I've been a good girl, can't I have a cigarette?"
"I guess you've earned it," he said, handing her one.
"Just one? Who do you think you are rationing out cigarettes like I was Pavlov's dog?"
"I was thinking it was more along the lines of being Sydney's pet at the Centre."
"He never mistreated you," she said, lighting the cigarette from the car's lighter.
"No, I don't suppose he 'mistreated' me in the physical sense."
"He went to bat for you more times than you realize. My father wanted a lot more from you and Sydney was the one who stopped him." She picked a piece of tobacco off her tongue and changed the subject. "Where did you get the car anyway? It looks like something out of 'Thelma and Louise.'"
"Thelma and who?"
Miss Parker sighed, "You really need to get yourself a VCR."
"The car's on you," Jarod said, choosing to ignore her last remark.
"Excuse me?"
"You paid for the car. Our whole vacation as a matter of fact."
"Oh, 'vacation' we're calling it now? It does have a nicer ring to it than kidnapping." She took a long drag off her cigarette. "And how is it I'm financing this little adventure?"
"With your credit card of course."
"Of course. I won't even ask how you got the numbers and managed to rent stuff in my name."
"It was quite easy actually, I. . ."
"Please Jarod, spare me the details. If I was having a lousy time before, it just got worse. I *did* have enough left on my card for you I hope?"
"Oh yes, plenty. There might even be some left over for emergencies."
"How reassuring." She tossed her burning cigarette from the car without a thought.
"What did you do? You could start a forest fire!"
"Well I guess somebody will find me then, won't they? All they'll have to do is look for the smoke." Miss Parker pulled on the front of her shirt, trying to cool herself off. "Are we almost there? I feel like I've been in these clothes for a week." She looked at Jarod. "Have I?"
He smiled. We're almost there In fact, there's the turn off."
He pulled off onto a gravel side road that turned into two tire tracks with weeds growing nearly three feet tall between them. He stopped the car and turned off the engine.
"What? This is it?"
"It's as far as we can take the car. We walk the rest of the way."
"Walk, as in hike?" She asked, staring at the steep slope before her.
"Actually, I walk, you get to ride."
"I don't understand."
"Well, I can't have you walk up this mountain, you'd know how to get back, so I'm going to have to carry you."
"Carry me. Right. I suppose you're pretending to be Superman now too? And how will carrying me keep me from finding my way back?"
Jarod held up another syringe.
"Oh no, I still feel like shit from the first one."
"This one isn't nearly as bad."
"If you think I'm going to stand here and just let you dope me up again, you're more deluded than I thought."
Jarod stood patiently waiting for her tirade to end.
"Well?" She said. "What now?"
"I've got a pack of cigarettes that says you will."
Rolling her eyes and tossing her hair, she extended her right arm and pushed up her sleeve. "Have I told you lately that you're a bastard?"
It was only a matter of seconds before Miss Parker slumped against him. Catching her as she was heading for the ground, he slung her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.
"I knew a job as a firefighter would come in handy," he smiled to Miss Parker's inert form.
Adjusting her weight, he headed up the mountain. Although he was in good shape physically, her added weight and the altitude soon took their toll. Pausing to rest against a tree, he wondered why he'd been so adamant that she not know the way down, and why he hadn't made her walk. Maybe it was the mercy thing again?
It was nice to have her dependent on him, but he was beginning to wonder if he'd make it to the cabin before night fall, or it started to snow. He'd already noticed the temperature had dropped several degrees, and the higher he climbed, the more noticeable it became.
About an hour later he saw the cabin on the rise before him. From the first time he'd seen the pictures in the brochure, he knew it would be perfect--completely isolated, no where for her to run.
He had been up there last week, stocking the wooden structure with food, extra clothing, all the things he thought they'd need. He wasn't sure how long they'd be there. That would depend on Miss Parker. He told her he had taken her so she couldn't take him, but how long could that last? He couldn't hold her prisoner indefinitely. He'd be no better than the people at the Centre. He had to wonder if he didn't have some other motive as well. If all he wanted to do was convince her to let him live his life, he could have done that anywhere--a motel room in Akron.
Why had he chosen what would be termed a romantic get-away?
He was shaken from his thoughts, literally, as Miss Parker began to stir on his shoulder. He climbed the last stretch quickly and managed to get her inside before she woke completely.
As Miss Parker's vision slowly cleared, she saw what she thought was a huge fieldstone fireplace. Jarod was before it, lying wood to start a fire.
"Well, isn't *this* cozy?" She drawled, pushing her hair behind her ears. "You really *did* drag me back to your cave, didn't you Fred?"
"It'll look better when there's a little more light," he reassured her. Walking around the room, Jarod lit several oit lamps, all the while Miss Parker followed him with her eyes.
"Really Jarod, you could just turn on a light--I don't need any atmosphere."
"This *is* the light. No electricity, no running water, no phones."
"No running water? As in no bathroom? Well I've got another one for you--no way!"
"Feel free," he said, gesturing toward the door.
Tossing off the quilt he had covered her with, she marched towards the door. She half expected it to be locked, especially since he had gone to such lengths prior to this to keep their location a secret.
She yanked on the door and stepped onto the porch. The view from the plank verandah was spectacular. Through the trees she could see most of the valley below. The sun had nearly set, and the landscape was bathed in an orange-red glow. Looking at the sky she noticed the clouds moving in fast, and she stood shivering on the porch, as the first snowflakes began to fall. Ignoring the beauty around her she continued her survey of the clearing that extended a short distance beyond the cabin. Off to the right was a small building made to look like a miniature of the cabin.
"How quaint," she said, hugging herself in the sudden chill of twilight.
In the opposite direction of the out house was a hand pump, which Jarod was now heading for.
"Looks like it's going to really snow," he said, glancing at the sky. "I should get some extra water in."
"I suppose you were a meteorologist once too?"
"No, but I have read a lot about it," he said, referring to Sydney's instruction. "It's getting cold, you should go in."
"I'll go back in when I'm good and ready!" She bit back at him.
"Suit yourself," he replied, unaffected by her acid response.
Miss Parker stayed rooted to the spot, not wanting to be seen taking his advice, or giving in.
Jarod walked towards the cabin carrying a five gallon container. The weight of it hardly fazed him, and when she thought of him carrying *her* up the mountain, she realized anew just how strong he was, both mentally and physically.
When he reached the porch he touched her arm and said, "Come on Wilma, let's go inside. It's freezing out here."
Jerking away at his touch she replied, "Go ahead. I'll just be a minute." Much as she dreaded it, she knew it was the cutesy outhouse or the woods. At least the outhouse had walls.
Miss Parker stepped through the cabin door and shook the snow out of her hair.
"It's really starting to come down out there," she said, stamping her feet.
Jarod stood near a wood cook stove, heating a pan of water. "Why Miss Parker!" He exclaimed, "I believe those are the first civil words I've heard from you!"
"Don't push it." She rubbed her neck and shoulders, trying to relax. Her ulcer was acting up as well.
"Do you have another headache?" He asked with genuine concern.
"Yes, but not like the last one."
"Would you like something for it?"
"No, my stomach's killing me. I'll take a cigarette though, Daddy," she said with a plastic smile.
"Here," he said, handing her the pack. "You can have them all. Just remember they have to last; that's all there is."
"And how long will it be? So I know how many I can have.?" She added.
"That's up to you."
"Up to me?"
"When you and I can come to some kind of understanding, you can go."
"What kind of 'understanding?'" She asked, knowing he could meant several things.
"I saw a television show once. It was about this Chinese man, well half Chinese actually, and he was locked up in this monastery and his 'teachers' told him when he had mastered all they could teach him, it would be time for him to go."
"Kung Fu," she confirmed. "So?"
"I've learned all you could teach me. It's time for me to go."
"It's not that simple Jarod and you know it. Kwai Chang didn't have a head full of military secrets."
"Is that what I was doing?" He asked, his eyes wide with mock innocence. "Sydney said they were 'simulations'--just pretend."
"Don't play dumb with me Jarod. You might be naive as a two year old, but you're not stupid."
"You're right," he said, his eyes boring into hers, making her turn away from their intensity.
The steam from the boiling water caught his attention. "There's some hot water and soap for you if you want to clean up," he said. "I'll rig a screen for you."
"Thanks," she said, feeling like she was suddenly thrust into a "B" movie where the leading man gallantly offers to provide for the modesty of the female companion he's 'inadvertently' saddled with.
Jarod stood at the window, staring out at the snow, but he didn't see it. All he could think of was Miss Parker standing nude, or partially nude behind the blanket he'd suspended from the rafters. When ever he caught her eyes, he got that funny twisted feeling in his stomach, the same was he had felt when he had been near Nia. Was it just the solitude and her proximity? He had never had a reaction to her like this before. No, he thought, there had been another time. After they had met when he held out his hand and she had done the same, and their palms had touched. It was if someone had given him a jolt of electricity. Perhaps she had.
"All done," she announced, coming from around the curtain.
He turned to see her dressed in nothing but a clean flannel shirt, and her head wrapped with a towel. He swallowed at the picture of domesticity she presented.
"You look so. . .different," he managed with a hoarse voice.
"Yeah, well, don't get any ideas Valentino. That couch has your name written all over it."
"It does?" Jarod turned and looked at the sofa. He noted an Indian motif, but no where did he see his name.
"Just go!" She snapped impatiently. "I left you some hot water."
Now it was Miss Parker's turn to dwell on the activity behind the blanket. She heard the splash of water and imagined it running down his arms and chest, and lower. She sighed and went for her cigarettes. It was going to be a very long night.
