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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
A Voice Heard in Ramah (Part 5 - The Rescue) By Phenyx 11/19/2002
Parker could barely see Jarod in the dark car. The vehicle, one of those all-terrain sports utility things with a ski rack, had enough room to easily seat six adults. They had driven to this spot several hours ago and had parked in the woods not far from The Centre.
Once Jarod had been sure that they were safely hidden, the two of them had waited for the cover of darkness. They had talked little while the time passed. Jarod had checked the contents of his backpack repeatedly, until Parker had wanted to slap him.
Parker glanced at the duffel lying on the floor in the back seat. It seemed pitiful somehow. She had her entire life stuffed into that bag. To make matters worse, her things hadn't filled the case. Some of the items within belonged to Jarod.
Granted, when they had stopped at her home this afternoon, Jarod had told her to pack only those things that could not be replaced. "You can fill this duffel." He had told her. "No more. So choose what you want to keep very carefully."
It had taken Parker only a few minutes to grab some photos, the music box Jarod had given her and several pieces of jewelry that had gained sentimental value over the years. She had wanted one of her mother's paintings, but none would fit in the space that Jarod had provided. Parker felt that he probably would have allowed her the painting if she had asked but choosing only one would have been too difficult.
As they had left, Parker watched the house for as long as she could. She stared out the back window long after she lost sight of the building. When she had finally turned toward to front windshield, there were unshed tears shimmering in her eyes.
"It was my home." She had whispered.
Jarod had patted her shoulder gently in understanding. "I know." He said gently. "We'll find a new one. I promise."
She studied Jarod now. He was dressed like Parker, all in black. Frequent glances at his watch and a constant gentle tapping of his fingertips against the steering wheel, gave evidence of Jarod's nervousness.
Parker knew that Jarod was edgy at being so close to The Centre. She could feel the tension radiating from him in waves. His posture and attitude seemed laid back but Parker knew him too well to be fooled. They were both wired and as time dragged on, the strain increased.
She reached out and touched Jarod's hand as it lay on the steering wheel, bringing a halt to the annoying tap of his drumming fingers.
He must have seen the anxiety in her eyes because he took her hand in his own and said, "Soon. We wait just a few more minutes."
Parker nodded. She was eager to move into action.
Jarod glanced out the side window, quickly surveying the area. Parker looked down. Her fingers entwined with Jarod's comfortably as he gently held on to her hand. He was watching out the window intently, as though he didn't realize that their hands were still clasped. Parker tilted her head and hid a tiny smile.
Neither of them said anything but the simple act of holding hands spoke volumes. During the past 24 hours, they had talked at great length about rescue plans and ways to help the children cope afterward. However, Parker realized that Jarod had carefully avoided any discussion about how this arrangement was going to affect the relationship between the two of them.
Sure, they had managed to coexist and even cooperate for short periods of time in the past. But now they were about to start a life long partnership in raising their children.
Parker squeezed his hand gently to get Jarod's attention. He shot her a questioning look.
"Do you think we can survive living together?" she asked seriously.
He studied her for a moment. "Maybe." Jarod answered. "After all, it has been more than a week since you last threatened to shoot me." He added, his eyes twinkling.
"I think we'll manage." Jarod continued with a tilt of his head. "As long as I don't eat your cooking." He teased.
"I happen to be a very good cook." Parker said defensively. "I just don't do it often."
The alarm on Jarod's watch went off. He slung his pack over one shoulder and glanced at Parker. "Are you ready for this?"
"Not really, but lets go anyway." She answered truthfully.
They left the car and moved several yards to the edge of a field. At the tree line, Jarod dropped into a crouch and scanned the meadow carefully. Parker copied his actions.
Once Jarod seemed ready, he looked to Parker and said softly, "Follow me."
They dashed across the field through the moonless night. Parker barely saw the large cylindrical shape sticking out of the ground.
Jarod stopped next to the pipe and pulled a flashlight from his pack. The pack then went on his back, strapped tightly to his shoulders to leave his hands free.
With a single shove, Jarod slid the cover of the pipe over and guided the flashlight beam into the void below. The pipe was an exhaust outlet for The Centre's ventilation system. Parker could see metal rungs leading down to an abyss.
"The covers on these things are supposed to be welded on." Parker said in surprise.
Jarod hopped onto the edge of the vent and shot her one of his 'gotcha' grins as he swung his legs into the opening and began climbing downward.
Parker shook her head as she followed him.
With the flashlight attached to Jarod's belt as he descended below, Parker could see little of her surroundings. For a moment, she worried about what critters could be hiding in the dark around her. But she pushed the concerns aside. Jarod was placing a huge amount of trust in her, just by having her with him now. The least Parker could do was trust in him enough to lead her safely through the dark.
Parker guessed that they had climbed downward for about fifty feet when her feet finally met the ground. They were in some kind of maintenance tunnel. Parker could see pipes and ductwork wherever Jarod pointed his beam of light.
"This way." He quipped as he took off down the corridor.
All Parker could do was follow the bobbing light Jarod held as they ran through the darkness. After a time, Jarod stopped abruptly in front of a heating duct. He pulled the grate off of the front and crawled in.
"These things are smaller than I remember." Parker groused.
"Shh." Jarod hissed. "We're inside." He whispered.
They traveled the twisted route to SL-22 in silence. Parker didn't bother trying to remember the way. They had decided earlier that if anything were to go wrong or if they should get separated, Parker would just walk to the nearest hallway and act like she was supposed to be there.
Once they reached the correct level, Jarod popped a grate off and they hopped down into an unobserved hallway.
Using hand gestures, Jarod indicated where they were headed. When they reached a door at the far end of the hallway, Jarod slid the pack from his back and crouched on the floor to remove several items. Parker watched the corridor for any approaching staff.
Jarod unfolded a small three-step ladder and tucked it under one arm. Into one pocket he shoved a zip-lock bag containing a damp cotton cloth. In his right hand he held a digital camera, in his left he had a security clearance card.
"Ready?" he asked.
Parker nodded once. With a quick glance down the hallway in either direction, Jarod swiped the card through the access slot to open the door. Jarod slid through as soon as the door had opened far enough.
With his back pressed tightly against the wall, he used the ladder to reach the surveillance camera. The digital camera he'd brought with him was used to snap a still frame of the room. Within seconds he had attached his camera to the observation device and transmitted the still frame to the system.
Parker slid wordlessly into the room behind Jarod and pulled the door nearly closed behind her. At first glance, the barren gray room seemed empty.
Without hesitation Jarod crossed the room in two long strides. As he pulled the cloth from the bag in his pocket with one hand, he grabbed the metal bed frame with the other and flung the cot across the room.
The small ragged bundle of a child that had been hiding under the bed now screamed at Jarod's feet and scurried against the wall. She tried to dash around him to hide beneath the twisted cot but Jarod snatched her from the air as she sped past him. With an ear-piercing scream the little girl twisted in his grasp, clawing futilely at the arm Jarod had wrapped around her waist.
Pulling her close so that her back pressed against his chest, Jarod closed his eyes and whispered into the girl's ear "Forgive me, little one."
Jarod then quickly placed the damp cotton over the child's face. He hugged her tightly as the chloroform took effect and the little girl's struggling stopped.
Less than a minute had lapsed since Parker had entered the room yet she was visibly shaken by the emotional scene that had just been played out. Jarod sighed, rocking gently, as he held their daughter close and stroked her tangled hair.
A moment later, Jarod's face took on a stony determined look and he stepped toward the door. "Check the hall." He commanded.
Parker grabbed the stepladder and poked her head out the door. Nodding that the coast was clear, she crept into the hallway and dashed to the first corner. Jarod, with the little girl cradled in one arm, followed Parker closely.
They moved quickly through the hallways and ducked into the stairwell. They ran up the stairs to the next level. Parker stopped for a moment at the landing to check on the surveillance camera posted in that location. The red indicator on the camera was not lit. As Jarod had promised, this camera was not functioning.
Their luck continued to hold as the two moved quickly down the next hall. Parker took the key card that Jarod held toward her and used it to open the next door. Jarod pressed himself and his little passenger into an alcove across the hall as Parker tip-toed into the room.
Using the ladder and a second digital camera, Parker disabled the security system in the way that Jarod had done only minutes before. As Parker completed this task, she noticed a dark haired child blinking at her in surprise from one of the three beds in the room.
"Wake up children." Parker said firmly.
Seconds later, the blinking child was standing beside his bed at attention while the other two woke and quickly followed suit.
"I am your new instructor." Parker stated. "Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am." The three replied in unison.
"Come here." Parker ordered. "I want you to all hold hands, okay?" She waited a moment while the boys did as she ordered without question. Parker crouched down in front of them and took the hand of the child closest to her.
"We are going on a very special assignment." Parker told them solemnly. "I don't want you to be afraid but it is important that you move quickly and be very quiet. Understood?"
Three small heads nodded gravely. Their eyes grew wide as Parker opened the door and led the trio into the hallway. She hurried down the hall and into a broom closet located at the end. Jarod came up the rear and closed the closet door behind them.
He handed the unconscious little girl to Parker, then Jarod shoved aside a metal shelving unit to reveal a grate in the wall located halfway between ceiling and floor. Grabbing the metal screen with both hands, he yanked it open and turned to Parker. The little girl was passed back so that Parker could take the flashlight from Jarod's pocket and crawl into the duct.
Holding the girl against his shoulder with one hand, Jarod used the other hand to boost the boys into the duct one at a time.
"Follow the light." He instructed them.
Parker felt her heart pounding as she searched the dark vent in front of her. Just when she was sure that she would get them all lost, she saw a glimpse of florescent yellow. As she reached an intersection in the ductwork, she found yellow tape forming an arrow. The beam from the flashlight made the arrow glow brightly.
One arrow led to another at a second intersection several yards further down. After several similar arrows, Parker reached an opening with an X taped above it. The grate had already been removed, allowing Parker to wriggle out of the shaft and into a maintenance corridor.
Once everyone had crawled out of the vent, Jarod took the lead and rushed through the dark tunnels. The little boys ran to keep up while Parker followed a step behind them so that no one would get lost.
Finally, they reached the metal ladder that would take them out of The Centre.
Jarod gently laid the sleeping girl on the floor and removed the pack from his back. The boys watched with huge eyes as Jarod pulled a series of harnesses and straps from the pack. He handed one harness to Parker and quickly began buckling another around the unconscious little girl.
"Step your foot between those straps, sweetheart." Parker said to a nearby child.
Parker glanced up the ladder in concern. She and Jarod were only two people. There were four children they needed to get up the ladder. The climb was much too far for even the tallest of the boys to attempt alone.
Looking like parachute jumpers, all four youngsters were quickly equipped with harnesses. Jarod tied the sleeping girl to his body so that her head cradled on his chest. Parker helped him strap one of the boys on his back.
Jarod then hefted a second boy onto Parker's back. The child instinctively wrapped his small arms around Parker's neck. Parker felt like she was carrying a heavy backpack on some strange hike.
A shadow in the far corner shifted and Angelo suddenly appeared from the gloom.
"Right on time." Jarod smiled.
Startled by the strange man's appearance, Parker watched silently as Angelo turned around and allowed the last child to be saddled on his own back.
Without another word, Jarod grabbed one of the metal rungs and began climbing. Parker followed closely while Angelo brought up the rear. For the next several minutes they climbed, the only sound was the labored breathing of the adults.
By the time Parker had reached the top of the ladder, her arms were starting to feel like jelly. She threw one leg over the edge of the ventilation shaft while Jarod helped her down. As Angelo scrambled out, he began to unfasten the harness he wore.
"There's no time," Jarod stopped him. "We need to go. Come on." He urged as he began to move toward the trees.
"No." Angelo said simply as he slipped the straps from his shoulders and let the little boy drop softly onto the grass. Angelo then stepped back to the exhaust pipe and began to climb in.
Jarod grabbed Angelo by the arm. "Angelo," Jarod pleaded. "Come with us."
With a crooked smile on his face, Angelo cupped Jarod's cheek with his palm. "Angelo belong here."
"No." Jarod whispered sadly.
"Yes." Angelo insisted. "Powerful here. Only lost out there."
Jarod sighed heavily and nodded with understanding. He stepped closer to the pipe and threw his arms around Angelo's shoulders. "Goodbye, my friend." Jarod choked. The hug was awkward with the two children still strapped to Jarod's body, but Parker could see the emotion conveyed between the two men.
"Goodbye, friend." Angelo whispered. The contact ended and Angelo turned toward the open vent again.
"Angelo, wait." Parker called as she rushed toward him. She put an arm around her strange friend's shoulder, pulled him close and kissed his wrinkled cheek. "Goodbye. Take care of yourself." She said.
Smiling broadly, Angelo took her face in both of his hands and looked affectionately into Parker's eyes. "Goodbye." He said. "Take care of each other." A moment later, he was gone and the cover was sliding back onto the exhaust pipe.
Blinking away tears, Parker turned toward Jarod.
"We need to go." He repeated.
Jarod picked up the fourth child by the harness, carrying him like a piece of luggage, and sprinted across the meadow toward the hidden car. Parker's feet flew across the grass as Jarod's obvious anxiety created a flower of panic in her own gut.
They reached the safety of the trees and found their vehicle before they quickly slid the children out of the harnesses. As they piled everyone into the car, Jarod swiftly closed the doors, slid behind the wheel and started the engine.
The car had already started to move when Jarod ordered, "Get them all buckled up."
Parker swayed clumsily as she crouched in the back seats, fastening seatbelts. One of the boys, slightly taller than the others, frowned at her as Parker pulled the strap across his waist.
"It's okay." She reassured him. "They are for your safety in case the vehicle should stop suddenly."
The little boy seemed to think that over for a moment before his frown disappeared.
Once she had buckled the children in and propped the sleeping girl up in a seat, Parker clambered over the gearshift and into the front passenger seat. The SUV fishtailed slightly and the tires squealed as the car left the woods and bounced onto a paved road.
Glancing anxiously out the rear window, Parker watched for signs of pursuit.
With a sigh, Jarod glanced in the rearview mirror at the boys and said, "Well done children."
The three boys looked at each other nervously.
Parker turned in her seat so that she could see their little faces. "It's alright." She said in a soothing voice. "We're going on an adventure."
Parker could barely see Jarod in the dark car. The vehicle, one of those all-terrain sports utility things with a ski rack, had enough room to easily seat six adults. They had driven to this spot several hours ago and had parked in the woods not far from The Centre.
Once Jarod had been sure that they were safely hidden, the two of them had waited for the cover of darkness. They had talked little while the time passed. Jarod had checked the contents of his backpack repeatedly, until Parker had wanted to slap him.
Parker glanced at the duffel lying on the floor in the back seat. It seemed pitiful somehow. She had her entire life stuffed into that bag. To make matters worse, her things hadn't filled the case. Some of the items within belonged to Jarod.
Granted, when they had stopped at her home this afternoon, Jarod had told her to pack only those things that could not be replaced. "You can fill this duffel." He had told her. "No more. So choose what you want to keep very carefully."
It had taken Parker only a few minutes to grab some photos, the music box Jarod had given her and several pieces of jewelry that had gained sentimental value over the years. She had wanted one of her mother's paintings, but none would fit in the space that Jarod had provided. Parker felt that he probably would have allowed her the painting if she had asked but choosing only one would have been too difficult.
As they had left, Parker watched the house for as long as she could. She stared out the back window long after she lost sight of the building. When she had finally turned toward to front windshield, there were unshed tears shimmering in her eyes.
"It was my home." She had whispered.
Jarod had patted her shoulder gently in understanding. "I know." He said gently. "We'll find a new one. I promise."
She studied Jarod now. He was dressed like Parker, all in black. Frequent glances at his watch and a constant gentle tapping of his fingertips against the steering wheel, gave evidence of Jarod's nervousness.
Parker knew that Jarod was edgy at being so close to The Centre. She could feel the tension radiating from him in waves. His posture and attitude seemed laid back but Parker knew him too well to be fooled. They were both wired and as time dragged on, the strain increased.
She reached out and touched Jarod's hand as it lay on the steering wheel, bringing a halt to the annoying tap of his drumming fingers.
He must have seen the anxiety in her eyes because he took her hand in his own and said, "Soon. We wait just a few more minutes."
Parker nodded. She was eager to move into action.
Jarod glanced out the side window, quickly surveying the area. Parker looked down. Her fingers entwined with Jarod's comfortably as he gently held on to her hand. He was watching out the window intently, as though he didn't realize that their hands were still clasped. Parker tilted her head and hid a tiny smile.
Neither of them said anything but the simple act of holding hands spoke volumes. During the past 24 hours, they had talked at great length about rescue plans and ways to help the children cope afterward. However, Parker realized that Jarod had carefully avoided any discussion about how this arrangement was going to affect the relationship between the two of them.
Sure, they had managed to coexist and even cooperate for short periods of time in the past. But now they were about to start a life long partnership in raising their children.
Parker squeezed his hand gently to get Jarod's attention. He shot her a questioning look.
"Do you think we can survive living together?" she asked seriously.
He studied her for a moment. "Maybe." Jarod answered. "After all, it has been more than a week since you last threatened to shoot me." He added, his eyes twinkling.
"I think we'll manage." Jarod continued with a tilt of his head. "As long as I don't eat your cooking." He teased.
"I happen to be a very good cook." Parker said defensively. "I just don't do it often."
The alarm on Jarod's watch went off. He slung his pack over one shoulder and glanced at Parker. "Are you ready for this?"
"Not really, but lets go anyway." She answered truthfully.
They left the car and moved several yards to the edge of a field. At the tree line, Jarod dropped into a crouch and scanned the meadow carefully. Parker copied his actions.
Once Jarod seemed ready, he looked to Parker and said softly, "Follow me."
They dashed across the field through the moonless night. Parker barely saw the large cylindrical shape sticking out of the ground.
Jarod stopped next to the pipe and pulled a flashlight from his pack. The pack then went on his back, strapped tightly to his shoulders to leave his hands free.
With a single shove, Jarod slid the cover of the pipe over and guided the flashlight beam into the void below. The pipe was an exhaust outlet for The Centre's ventilation system. Parker could see metal rungs leading down to an abyss.
"The covers on these things are supposed to be welded on." Parker said in surprise.
Jarod hopped onto the edge of the vent and shot her one of his 'gotcha' grins as he swung his legs into the opening and began climbing downward.
Parker shook her head as she followed him.
With the flashlight attached to Jarod's belt as he descended below, Parker could see little of her surroundings. For a moment, she worried about what critters could be hiding in the dark around her. But she pushed the concerns aside. Jarod was placing a huge amount of trust in her, just by having her with him now. The least Parker could do was trust in him enough to lead her safely through the dark.
Parker guessed that they had climbed downward for about fifty feet when her feet finally met the ground. They were in some kind of maintenance tunnel. Parker could see pipes and ductwork wherever Jarod pointed his beam of light.
"This way." He quipped as he took off down the corridor.
All Parker could do was follow the bobbing light Jarod held as they ran through the darkness. After a time, Jarod stopped abruptly in front of a heating duct. He pulled the grate off of the front and crawled in.
"These things are smaller than I remember." Parker groused.
"Shh." Jarod hissed. "We're inside." He whispered.
They traveled the twisted route to SL-22 in silence. Parker didn't bother trying to remember the way. They had decided earlier that if anything were to go wrong or if they should get separated, Parker would just walk to the nearest hallway and act like she was supposed to be there.
Once they reached the correct level, Jarod popped a grate off and they hopped down into an unobserved hallway.
Using hand gestures, Jarod indicated where they were headed. When they reached a door at the far end of the hallway, Jarod slid the pack from his back and crouched on the floor to remove several items. Parker watched the corridor for any approaching staff.
Jarod unfolded a small three-step ladder and tucked it under one arm. Into one pocket he shoved a zip-lock bag containing a damp cotton cloth. In his right hand he held a digital camera, in his left he had a security clearance card.
"Ready?" he asked.
Parker nodded once. With a quick glance down the hallway in either direction, Jarod swiped the card through the access slot to open the door. Jarod slid through as soon as the door had opened far enough.
With his back pressed tightly against the wall, he used the ladder to reach the surveillance camera. The digital camera he'd brought with him was used to snap a still frame of the room. Within seconds he had attached his camera to the observation device and transmitted the still frame to the system.
Parker slid wordlessly into the room behind Jarod and pulled the door nearly closed behind her. At first glance, the barren gray room seemed empty.
Without hesitation Jarod crossed the room in two long strides. As he pulled the cloth from the bag in his pocket with one hand, he grabbed the metal bed frame with the other and flung the cot across the room.
The small ragged bundle of a child that had been hiding under the bed now screamed at Jarod's feet and scurried against the wall. She tried to dash around him to hide beneath the twisted cot but Jarod snatched her from the air as she sped past him. With an ear-piercing scream the little girl twisted in his grasp, clawing futilely at the arm Jarod had wrapped around her waist.
Pulling her close so that her back pressed against his chest, Jarod closed his eyes and whispered into the girl's ear "Forgive me, little one."
Jarod then quickly placed the damp cotton over the child's face. He hugged her tightly as the chloroform took effect and the little girl's struggling stopped.
Less than a minute had lapsed since Parker had entered the room yet she was visibly shaken by the emotional scene that had just been played out. Jarod sighed, rocking gently, as he held their daughter close and stroked her tangled hair.
A moment later, Jarod's face took on a stony determined look and he stepped toward the door. "Check the hall." He commanded.
Parker grabbed the stepladder and poked her head out the door. Nodding that the coast was clear, she crept into the hallway and dashed to the first corner. Jarod, with the little girl cradled in one arm, followed Parker closely.
They moved quickly through the hallways and ducked into the stairwell. They ran up the stairs to the next level. Parker stopped for a moment at the landing to check on the surveillance camera posted in that location. The red indicator on the camera was not lit. As Jarod had promised, this camera was not functioning.
Their luck continued to hold as the two moved quickly down the next hall. Parker took the key card that Jarod held toward her and used it to open the next door. Jarod pressed himself and his little passenger into an alcove across the hall as Parker tip-toed into the room.
Using the ladder and a second digital camera, Parker disabled the security system in the way that Jarod had done only minutes before. As Parker completed this task, she noticed a dark haired child blinking at her in surprise from one of the three beds in the room.
"Wake up children." Parker said firmly.
Seconds later, the blinking child was standing beside his bed at attention while the other two woke and quickly followed suit.
"I am your new instructor." Parker stated. "Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am." The three replied in unison.
"Come here." Parker ordered. "I want you to all hold hands, okay?" She waited a moment while the boys did as she ordered without question. Parker crouched down in front of them and took the hand of the child closest to her.
"We are going on a very special assignment." Parker told them solemnly. "I don't want you to be afraid but it is important that you move quickly and be very quiet. Understood?"
Three small heads nodded gravely. Their eyes grew wide as Parker opened the door and led the trio into the hallway. She hurried down the hall and into a broom closet located at the end. Jarod came up the rear and closed the closet door behind them.
He handed the unconscious little girl to Parker, then Jarod shoved aside a metal shelving unit to reveal a grate in the wall located halfway between ceiling and floor. Grabbing the metal screen with both hands, he yanked it open and turned to Parker. The little girl was passed back so that Parker could take the flashlight from Jarod's pocket and crawl into the duct.
Holding the girl against his shoulder with one hand, Jarod used the other hand to boost the boys into the duct one at a time.
"Follow the light." He instructed them.
Parker felt her heart pounding as she searched the dark vent in front of her. Just when she was sure that she would get them all lost, she saw a glimpse of florescent yellow. As she reached an intersection in the ductwork, she found yellow tape forming an arrow. The beam from the flashlight made the arrow glow brightly.
One arrow led to another at a second intersection several yards further down. After several similar arrows, Parker reached an opening with an X taped above it. The grate had already been removed, allowing Parker to wriggle out of the shaft and into a maintenance corridor.
Once everyone had crawled out of the vent, Jarod took the lead and rushed through the dark tunnels. The little boys ran to keep up while Parker followed a step behind them so that no one would get lost.
Finally, they reached the metal ladder that would take them out of The Centre.
Jarod gently laid the sleeping girl on the floor and removed the pack from his back. The boys watched with huge eyes as Jarod pulled a series of harnesses and straps from the pack. He handed one harness to Parker and quickly began buckling another around the unconscious little girl.
"Step your foot between those straps, sweetheart." Parker said to a nearby child.
Parker glanced up the ladder in concern. She and Jarod were only two people. There were four children they needed to get up the ladder. The climb was much too far for even the tallest of the boys to attempt alone.
Looking like parachute jumpers, all four youngsters were quickly equipped with harnesses. Jarod tied the sleeping girl to his body so that her head cradled on his chest. Parker helped him strap one of the boys on his back.
Jarod then hefted a second boy onto Parker's back. The child instinctively wrapped his small arms around Parker's neck. Parker felt like she was carrying a heavy backpack on some strange hike.
A shadow in the far corner shifted and Angelo suddenly appeared from the gloom.
"Right on time." Jarod smiled.
Startled by the strange man's appearance, Parker watched silently as Angelo turned around and allowed the last child to be saddled on his own back.
Without another word, Jarod grabbed one of the metal rungs and began climbing. Parker followed closely while Angelo brought up the rear. For the next several minutes they climbed, the only sound was the labored breathing of the adults.
By the time Parker had reached the top of the ladder, her arms were starting to feel like jelly. She threw one leg over the edge of the ventilation shaft while Jarod helped her down. As Angelo scrambled out, he began to unfasten the harness he wore.
"There's no time," Jarod stopped him. "We need to go. Come on." He urged as he began to move toward the trees.
"No." Angelo said simply as he slipped the straps from his shoulders and let the little boy drop softly onto the grass. Angelo then stepped back to the exhaust pipe and began to climb in.
Jarod grabbed Angelo by the arm. "Angelo," Jarod pleaded. "Come with us."
With a crooked smile on his face, Angelo cupped Jarod's cheek with his palm. "Angelo belong here."
"No." Jarod whispered sadly.
"Yes." Angelo insisted. "Powerful here. Only lost out there."
Jarod sighed heavily and nodded with understanding. He stepped closer to the pipe and threw his arms around Angelo's shoulders. "Goodbye, my friend." Jarod choked. The hug was awkward with the two children still strapped to Jarod's body, but Parker could see the emotion conveyed between the two men.
"Goodbye, friend." Angelo whispered. The contact ended and Angelo turned toward the open vent again.
"Angelo, wait." Parker called as she rushed toward him. She put an arm around her strange friend's shoulder, pulled him close and kissed his wrinkled cheek. "Goodbye. Take care of yourself." She said.
Smiling broadly, Angelo took her face in both of his hands and looked affectionately into Parker's eyes. "Goodbye." He said. "Take care of each other." A moment later, he was gone and the cover was sliding back onto the exhaust pipe.
Blinking away tears, Parker turned toward Jarod.
"We need to go." He repeated.
Jarod picked up the fourth child by the harness, carrying him like a piece of luggage, and sprinted across the meadow toward the hidden car. Parker's feet flew across the grass as Jarod's obvious anxiety created a flower of panic in her own gut.
They reached the safety of the trees and found their vehicle before they quickly slid the children out of the harnesses. As they piled everyone into the car, Jarod swiftly closed the doors, slid behind the wheel and started the engine.
The car had already started to move when Jarod ordered, "Get them all buckled up."
Parker swayed clumsily as she crouched in the back seats, fastening seatbelts. One of the boys, slightly taller than the others, frowned at her as Parker pulled the strap across his waist.
"It's okay." She reassured him. "They are for your safety in case the vehicle should stop suddenly."
The little boy seemed to think that over for a moment before his frown disappeared.
Once she had buckled the children in and propped the sleeping girl up in a seat, Parker clambered over the gearshift and into the front passenger seat. The SUV fishtailed slightly and the tires squealed as the car left the woods and bounced onto a paved road.
Glancing anxiously out the rear window, Parker watched for signs of pursuit.
With a sigh, Jarod glanced in the rearview mirror at the boys and said, "Well done children."
The three boys looked at each other nervously.
Parker turned in her seat so that she could see their little faces. "It's alright." She said in a soothing voice. "We're going on an adventure."
