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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: The Characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots and The Center are all property of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and are used without permission. No money has been involved here and no infringement is intended. 11/10/2002
A Voice Heard in Ramah (Part 2) By Phenyx
Parker stared at the ceiling above her bed as darkness faded with the dawn. With a sigh she looked out the window to contemplate the red and yellow leaves on the trees in the yard. The newborn sunshine gave the yard a serene glow that was so beautiful it took Parker's breath away.
Sitting up on the edge of her bed, Parker stared in awe at the multi- colored panorama. How long had it been since she had really noticed how wonderful autumn could be? She couldn't remember. How many times had she ignored such simple pleasures? For those children like Jarod, trapped for years inside The Centre, the changing colors of the autumn leaves must seem like magic.
Parker sighed heavily and promised herself that she would try never to take such things for granted again. She finished watching the sun come up. After a time, she glanced at the clock beside the bed. Despite the fact that she had gone to bed barely 90 minutes ago, Parker stood and headed to the bathroom to shower and get dressed. She knew that she wouldn't be able to get any sleep so why bother trying? After what she had learned in the wee hours of this morning, she felt that sleep would elude her for many more days to come.
A short time later, clad only in black slacks and a simple white blouse, Parker padded barefoot toward the kitchen. She stopped at the couch to check on her houseguest.
Jarod had slept like the dead. It didn't look like he had even moved since Parker had thrown a blanket on him several hours ago. Parker leaned over him a bit guiltily as she checked to make sure he was still breathing.
"Have you ever had a hangover, Jarod?" she whispered to his inert form. "You're going to have a whopper today." Parker gently brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead as she spoke. She would need to wake him soon. She had a couple of hours before she needed to meet with the funeral director about arrangements for the burial services. But there was a great deal that she and Jarod needed to discuss before she left.
'Coffee first' Parker thought to herself as she stood and headed toward the kitchen.
~~~~~~~~
"Jarod," at first the voice sounded very far away. "Jarod?"
He groaned and threw one arm across his eyes in a feeble attempt to keep the soft but insistent voice away.
"Ah," the voice murmured, "it shows signs of life."
Jarod groaned again and tried to roll away from his tormentor. The slight movement sent sharp spears of pain to his temples causing him to cry out softly.
"Come on, Franken-rat." The voice was now followed by a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking Jarod awake. "Rise and shine."
"Go away." Jarod finally managed to growl.
Soft laughter followed. "Now, Jarod. Is that any way to talk to the person who holds your salvation in the palm of her hand?"
Jarod's eyelids felt like heavy wool blankets that had been pasted to his eyeballs. After several failed attempts, Jarod finally managed to peel his eyes open and look at the woman before him.
Parker was sitting on the coffee table beside him. She was dressed and looking far too amused for Jarod's liking.
"What salvation?" He moaned.
"Which would you like first? Coffee?" she held up a steaming mug in one hand. "Or pain reliever?" she asked, showing him three tablets cradled in the opposite palm. "Both are extra strength." She added.
Jarod rolled painfully into a sitting position and held out a hand to accept whichever item she decided to hand to him first.
"I gather that this your first experience with the consequences of inebriation?" She asked as she handed him the pills.
"First and last." He answered. He tossed the tablets into his mouth and started chewing them. "Why would anyone want do this to themselves more than once?"
Parker grimaced as she handed him his coffee. "Why would anyone want to chew on aspirin?"
"Shut up." Jarod moaned. "It will get the medication into my system faster." He gulped at his drink. "Can't you leave a dying man alone for a minute?"
"Sorry, my friend." She replied. "I am afraid that you're going to live. You look like death warmed over, but you are going to survive." Parker patted him gently on the knee. "Trust me, I have experience with this sort of thing."
Jarod stared thoughtfully into his near-empty cup, mulling her words over in his mind. Even in his current state, his foggy brain clung to the knowledge that Parker, for the first time in many years, had just called him 'friend'.
"Could I get some more?" Jarod asked, holding the cup toward her.
Parker smiled with understanding. "Sure, I'll be right back."
Jarod watched as she took the mug from him and sauntered into the kitchen. He noticed absently that she was barefoot. 'Naked feet.' The thought whipped through Jarod's mind so fast he couldn't stop it. The sudden jolt of arousal that followed startled him badly.
He shook his head to clear it and was rewarded with another stabbing pain that traveled from one temple to the other. With a groan, Jarod forced himself to stand and made his way to the restroom.
After relieving himself, Jarod turned on the cold water, removed his shirt and bent to put his head under the tap. For long minutes, he allowed the icy chill to run through his hair and over his face. When he finally stood, with chilly rivers running down his back, Jarod was beginning to feel almost life-like.
Jarod grabbed a fluffy towel from the rack and buried his face in its softness. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror as he rubbed at his hair. Parker was right. He did look terrible. He had two days worth of stubble on his chin and dark circles underlining puffy, bloodshot eyes.
He closed his eyes and sighed heavily as the events of last night replayed in his mind. His memory treated him with a graphically vivid image of a small, dissected body on a metal table and he snapped his eyes open quickly. Jarod shook his head and forced the mental photograph into one of the darker corners of his psyche.
A moment later, Jarod grabbed his cotton shirt from where he had dropped it and made his way to the living room as he slipped the garment over his head. Once there, he found Parker sitting in an armchair with her legs curled beneath her. She was sipping at a cup coffee. A second mug sat cooling on the end table beside her.
"Are you okay?" she asked as Jarod picked up the other mug and plopped down on the couch.
"Yeah." He replied simply.
They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments before Parker finally asked, "Do you remember last night?"
He nodded. "I'm sorry Parker." Jarod said with chagrin. "I totally lost control. It was a complete emotional breakdown on my part. The situation must have been very, ." he paused with embarrassment, "uncomfortable for you."
Parker shrugged. "I figured you were entitled."
Jarod shook his head in disagreement. "I shouldn't have blown a fuse on you like that. I apologize."
"Apology accepted. But I didn't mind." She continued. "I felt I owed you for putting you through this to begin with." Parker leaned forward to place her cup on the coffee table. "I asked you to make sure the post mortem was authentic. I knew that you would want to do it yourself."
Jarod nodded. "This will sound horrible, but in a way, I'm glad I did the procedure personally. If I hadn't, we never would have known."
Parker stared down at the diamond ring on her finger as she twisted it nervously. The silence in the room stretched ominously between them. Parker took a deep breath and said, "Jarod, we need to talk about the others."
Jarod stared miserably into his coffee and nodded in agreement. "I wasn't sure how much of the situation I was able to convey to you last night."
"Well," Parker admitted, "you really weren't making any sense after that first bomb shell you dropped on me. But these," she said handing him a half dozen sheets of paper that had been tucked in the cushion beside her, "these explained the situation to me in more detail."
The first sheet of paper was a copy of a page from Parker's own medical file. Jarod quickly recognized it as a list of nursing notes from Parker's hospital stay when her ulcer had ruptured. Three quarters of the way down the page was a sentence highlighted in yellow. If not for the color, the line would have been lost in the jumble of information scribbled on the page.
It read, "Hrvsd 10 oocytes. Trns Progeny asap" But Jarod knew what it said. He had highlighted it himself less than twelve hours ago. His mind automatically translated the abbreviated words into their true meaning. The hospital staff had harvested ten eggs from Parker's body. Those cells had been immediately transferred to project Progeny, most likely located at The Centre.
The other papers were Centre memos, addressed to or from Mr. Parker and Raines. Jarod had seen them all when he had printed the sheets yesterday. The first memo, sent from Raines to Mr. Parker, was dated only two days after the note from Parker's medical record.
"Progeny is currently at a 90% success rate. Surrogates are being carefully screened and the project will proceed as each individual is approved. With an estimated final success rate of 59.7%, we will need additional material in order to achieve the desired Progeny population. The female cellular resources are readily available. However, the entire male sample at our disposal has been utilized for this first wave of the project. As a result, we must increase our efforts to bring Jarod back into our possession. Perhaps addition personnel could be assigned to the pursuit."
Jarod felt his skin crawl at the impersonal attitude that Raines had demonstrated in the brief letter. The bald cretin had such a cavalier attitude about Miss Parker, calling her ova "readily available". Jarod and Miss Parker were being treated like prize cattle, bred in a petri dish like some twisted science experiment. Jarod's indignation rose another notch at the injustice of it all.
The other memos were dated randomly over the next five years and contained several references to Progeny, but little actual information.
"Progeny Alpha development is measuring at estimated levels" one memo read simply.
Another memo, dated less than a year ago, read, "Progeny Epsilon environment is delaying any immediate returns on the investment. However, long-term results seem promising. Delta simulations and resulting income can be used to support the project until such findings can be produced."
"Jarod?" Parker interrupted. "Those memos are talking about our children, aren't they?"
Jarod closed his eyes and nodded miserably. "My guess is that there were at least three successful surrogates. In vitro fertilization of donor eggs has an average of 20 to 30 percent live birth rate. If they started with ten eggs, that calculates to be about three births."
"Brigette was one of the surrogates." Parker stated knowingly.
Jarod looked at Parker. She was chewing thoughtfully at her lower lip as unshed tears began to fill her eyes. Jarod ached to go to her, to wrap her in his arms and somehow get through this nightmare. But years of isolation and rejection kept him rooted to his seat.
"What now?" Parker asked.
Jarod admired her strength. He felt his own determination rising as he saw Parker's eyes flash with resolve. Jarod didn't realize that he had made a decision until the words began to tumble from his mouth.
"I'm going to find them." Jarod answered with sudden certainty. "The Centre has stolen one family from me. I won't let them take another."
"What should I do?" Parker asked firmly.
Jarod blinked at her for a moment in surprise. It was easy enough to share information with his old rival. But she seemed to be proposing a combined effort and Jarod wasn't sure how far she'd be willing to take her involvement. Simply knowing about Progeny would put Parker's life in jeopardy. This was going to get far more dangerous for them both as events unraveled.
"Don't look so shocked, Jarod." Parker snapped as she stood and began pacing the length of the room. "Those children are mine too. They've been stolen from me just as much as they were from you. For the past four years, I thought that little boy was my brother and I loved him." Her blue eyes shimmered with moisture. "His death affected me deeply, even before I knew that he was my son."
Jarod pondered her words for a moment then asked carefully, "How involved do you want to be?"
Parker frowned, "What do you mean?"
With a troubled look on his face, Jarod chose his words very carefully. "You've always said that you couldn't leave The Centre." He glanced at Parker cautiously. "I run and you chase. That's our fate you said."
He watched her reaction warily. Parker shot him a glare and said, "What's your point?"
"Once I find my children, I am going to get them away from The Centre." Jarod promised. "Nothing is more important to me than their safety." He stood and began pacing excitedly himself. "I'm going to find them and I am going to run far away. No one in The Centre will ever hear from me again."
Jarod abruptly stopped pacing behind the chair Parker had vacated. He gripped the seat back tightly and flashed an angry look at Parker who stood across the room. "I'm done playing games." Jarod vowed. "No more clues, no more notebooks. No more digging for information about my parents. I'm a parent myself now, that has to come first."
Parker folded her arms across her chest in a defensive posture. "I'm a parent too! Of course their safety comes first. I can't leave my own children in that hellhole to be raised like . like."
"Like me?" Jarod hissed caustically.
"I didn't mean it that way." Parker said softly.
Jarod sighed and pressed the heels of both hands against his eyes. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't snarl at each other this way." He deliberately moved back onto the couch to take a less threatening position. "My point is, that I'm going to take them and run."
Jarod took a deep breath and plunged on. "Are you going to chase us?" He paused for a moment then added, "Or are you going to finally break from The Centre and run away with us?"
Jarod watched a series of emotions run across Parker's face. Irritation melted into sadness, which was followed quickly by uncertainty, embarrassment and a touch of fear. She glanced at him, seemingly searching for some support. Jarod pasted a blank look on his face. He didn't want to influence her decision in any way. Parker needed to choose her own path, no matter how much Jarod wanted her to follow his.
Parker hugged her arms around her body. "I'm their mother." She whispered desolately.
"Yes. You are." Jarod agreed simply.
She laughed in a sad way. "I'm not exactly your typical soccer mom. Minivans and bake sales aren't really my style."
Jarod stood and shortened the distance between them. "After four years under the influence of The Centre, I doubt that these will be typical kids." He tilted his head at her compassionately. "All they'll need from their mother will be a great deal of love. And I happen to know that you have a lot of that to share, Parker."
He could see the longing in Parker's eyes. Jarod held his breath as he watched the fear return to her face.
"Raines will never stop looking for us, hunting us." She whispered.
Jarod stood silently, waiting.
Parker looked up at him uncertainly for a moment. Then Jarod saw the decision take shape in her blue eyes. "You'll need my help to protect them. I'm coming with you." She stated firmly. "If. if that's okay with you." She added with concern.
Jarod exhaled gratefully. He moved toward Parker until they were only separated by a few inches. "It's okay with me." He smiled. "To be honest, I'm relieved. Becoming a single parent to multiple four-year-olds was a rather daunting prospect."
The smile on Parker's face glowed in her eyes. "Dealing with a bunch of pre- schoolers will be simple. Living with me is going to be your real challenge." She teased.
"I think can handle you." Jarod responded. "I've done some lion taming in the past, though none of those beasts had claws quite as sharp as yours."
"Watch it Rat-boy." Parker warned.
Jarod chuckled in response.
Parker looked at the watch on her wrist. "Damn." She swore. "I'll need to hurry or I'll be late for my appointment with the funeral director."
Suddenly serious again, Jarod nodded and glared at the floor while Parker rushed to her room to grab some shoes.
A few minutes later, Parker reappeared, looking as though she had just stepped out of a salon. Her hair and makeup were flawless. She had donned a pair of her signature stiletto heals and a black jacket that flared at the waist, ending just above the knees.
"Parker?" Jarod stressed as she stopped before him. "You can't let anyone know what we have learned about Progeny. No one."
She nodded in agreement. Hesitating for a moment, Parker reached in to her jacket pocket and pulled out a photograph. With a sad look in her eyes she held the photo toward Jarod.
"Here." She said. "This is the most recent one I have."
Jarod looked at the smiling young face that appeared on the print. The little boy was sitting in front of a candle lit cake, decorated with balloons and streamers made of icing. Sandy brown hair hung down his forehead to hide his eyebrows. Ice blue eyes twinkled with glee toward the camera and its unseen operator.
Jarod caressed the image. "He loved you very much." Jarod whispered.
Parker looked over Jarod's shoulder so she could see the photo as well. "The feeling was mutual." She nodded.
"He was lucky to have you." Jarod's lip trembled as he spoke. With a sigh, Jarod began to hand the picture back.
But Parker waved him away. "That's yours, Jarod. Keep it. I have plenty of others."
Jarod was stunned. To him, the generosity of Parker's gift was boundless. "Thank you, Parker." He murmured, his voice catching in his throat. "Thank you so much."
Miss Parker patted his arm in understanding, then turned and headed for the door.
"Parker?" Jarod's soft voice stopped her. "Don't let my son spend eternity alone." He said softly.
Parker sighed sadly. "There's a plot beside my mother's." She answered gently. "She may not be buried there, but I've always felt her presence at that spot. She'll watch over him, don't you think?"
Jarod blinked hard at the tears that stung his eyes. He nodded. "I think she'll like that."
Parker paused for a moment on the threshold, one hand on the doorknob, as though she wanted to say more. But with a brief shake of her head she left without another word, pulling the door closed behind her.
~~~~~~
It was after three in the afternoon by the time Parker returned. She was hungry and tired but everything was ready for the services to be held tomorrow.
She unlocked the front door and stepped into the house. For the second time in as many days, Parker was shocked by the appearance of her home.
The place was immaculate. Papers and bottles that had littered the living room and the dining table were gone. Shards of glass that Parker had been forced to tip toe around this morning, had disappeared. The cushions on the couch had been fluffed and the hardwood floors had that just waxed glow. Shaking her head, Parker noticed that the bar had even been restocked.
The entire house had been meticulously cleaned. Dishes had been washed and towels laundered.
"Jarod?" Parker called. But the house had that empty feeling to it and she knew that Jarod wasn't there.
Parker wandered from room to room, hoping to find some sign that Jarod had been around. She needed reassurance that the last twelve hours hadn't been a strange dream.
There was no trace of Jarod anywhere. Parker sighed in frustration. If a sweeper team should happen to descend on this place now, they wouldn't find a single indication that the pretender had ever been here. Jarod had probably even wiped away any fingerprints he may have left.
Parker sighed heavily again. She knew that when Jarod was ready, he would contact her. There was a great deal of work to be done. They needed to find out more about the Progeny project. Specifically, how many children were involved and where those children were being housed.
Jarod had specifically told her not to let anyone know that she had even heard of the Progeny project. So, Parker couldn't work on that aspect of their problem. But, she and Jarod were about to become responsible for several small children. Her little ones would need food and clothing. Parker decided that, until she received word from Jarod, she would find a way to begin secretly gathering supplies.
With this vague plan forming in her mind, Parker headed toward the kitchen to make herself a snack. She felt confident that when Jarod called she'd be ready.
A Voice Heard in Ramah (Part 2) By Phenyx
Parker stared at the ceiling above her bed as darkness faded with the dawn. With a sigh she looked out the window to contemplate the red and yellow leaves on the trees in the yard. The newborn sunshine gave the yard a serene glow that was so beautiful it took Parker's breath away.
Sitting up on the edge of her bed, Parker stared in awe at the multi- colored panorama. How long had it been since she had really noticed how wonderful autumn could be? She couldn't remember. How many times had she ignored such simple pleasures? For those children like Jarod, trapped for years inside The Centre, the changing colors of the autumn leaves must seem like magic.
Parker sighed heavily and promised herself that she would try never to take such things for granted again. She finished watching the sun come up. After a time, she glanced at the clock beside the bed. Despite the fact that she had gone to bed barely 90 minutes ago, Parker stood and headed to the bathroom to shower and get dressed. She knew that she wouldn't be able to get any sleep so why bother trying? After what she had learned in the wee hours of this morning, she felt that sleep would elude her for many more days to come.
A short time later, clad only in black slacks and a simple white blouse, Parker padded barefoot toward the kitchen. She stopped at the couch to check on her houseguest.
Jarod had slept like the dead. It didn't look like he had even moved since Parker had thrown a blanket on him several hours ago. Parker leaned over him a bit guiltily as she checked to make sure he was still breathing.
"Have you ever had a hangover, Jarod?" she whispered to his inert form. "You're going to have a whopper today." Parker gently brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead as she spoke. She would need to wake him soon. She had a couple of hours before she needed to meet with the funeral director about arrangements for the burial services. But there was a great deal that she and Jarod needed to discuss before she left.
'Coffee first' Parker thought to herself as she stood and headed toward the kitchen.
~~~~~~~~
"Jarod," at first the voice sounded very far away. "Jarod?"
He groaned and threw one arm across his eyes in a feeble attempt to keep the soft but insistent voice away.
"Ah," the voice murmured, "it shows signs of life."
Jarod groaned again and tried to roll away from his tormentor. The slight movement sent sharp spears of pain to his temples causing him to cry out softly.
"Come on, Franken-rat." The voice was now followed by a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking Jarod awake. "Rise and shine."
"Go away." Jarod finally managed to growl.
Soft laughter followed. "Now, Jarod. Is that any way to talk to the person who holds your salvation in the palm of her hand?"
Jarod's eyelids felt like heavy wool blankets that had been pasted to his eyeballs. After several failed attempts, Jarod finally managed to peel his eyes open and look at the woman before him.
Parker was sitting on the coffee table beside him. She was dressed and looking far too amused for Jarod's liking.
"What salvation?" He moaned.
"Which would you like first? Coffee?" she held up a steaming mug in one hand. "Or pain reliever?" she asked, showing him three tablets cradled in the opposite palm. "Both are extra strength." She added.
Jarod rolled painfully into a sitting position and held out a hand to accept whichever item she decided to hand to him first.
"I gather that this your first experience with the consequences of inebriation?" She asked as she handed him the pills.
"First and last." He answered. He tossed the tablets into his mouth and started chewing them. "Why would anyone want do this to themselves more than once?"
Parker grimaced as she handed him his coffee. "Why would anyone want to chew on aspirin?"
"Shut up." Jarod moaned. "It will get the medication into my system faster." He gulped at his drink. "Can't you leave a dying man alone for a minute?"
"Sorry, my friend." She replied. "I am afraid that you're going to live. You look like death warmed over, but you are going to survive." Parker patted him gently on the knee. "Trust me, I have experience with this sort of thing."
Jarod stared thoughtfully into his near-empty cup, mulling her words over in his mind. Even in his current state, his foggy brain clung to the knowledge that Parker, for the first time in many years, had just called him 'friend'.
"Could I get some more?" Jarod asked, holding the cup toward her.
Parker smiled with understanding. "Sure, I'll be right back."
Jarod watched as she took the mug from him and sauntered into the kitchen. He noticed absently that she was barefoot. 'Naked feet.' The thought whipped through Jarod's mind so fast he couldn't stop it. The sudden jolt of arousal that followed startled him badly.
He shook his head to clear it and was rewarded with another stabbing pain that traveled from one temple to the other. With a groan, Jarod forced himself to stand and made his way to the restroom.
After relieving himself, Jarod turned on the cold water, removed his shirt and bent to put his head under the tap. For long minutes, he allowed the icy chill to run through his hair and over his face. When he finally stood, with chilly rivers running down his back, Jarod was beginning to feel almost life-like.
Jarod grabbed a fluffy towel from the rack and buried his face in its softness. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror as he rubbed at his hair. Parker was right. He did look terrible. He had two days worth of stubble on his chin and dark circles underlining puffy, bloodshot eyes.
He closed his eyes and sighed heavily as the events of last night replayed in his mind. His memory treated him with a graphically vivid image of a small, dissected body on a metal table and he snapped his eyes open quickly. Jarod shook his head and forced the mental photograph into one of the darker corners of his psyche.
A moment later, Jarod grabbed his cotton shirt from where he had dropped it and made his way to the living room as he slipped the garment over his head. Once there, he found Parker sitting in an armchair with her legs curled beneath her. She was sipping at a cup coffee. A second mug sat cooling on the end table beside her.
"Are you okay?" she asked as Jarod picked up the other mug and plopped down on the couch.
"Yeah." He replied simply.
They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments before Parker finally asked, "Do you remember last night?"
He nodded. "I'm sorry Parker." Jarod said with chagrin. "I totally lost control. It was a complete emotional breakdown on my part. The situation must have been very, ." he paused with embarrassment, "uncomfortable for you."
Parker shrugged. "I figured you were entitled."
Jarod shook his head in disagreement. "I shouldn't have blown a fuse on you like that. I apologize."
"Apology accepted. But I didn't mind." She continued. "I felt I owed you for putting you through this to begin with." Parker leaned forward to place her cup on the coffee table. "I asked you to make sure the post mortem was authentic. I knew that you would want to do it yourself."
Jarod nodded. "This will sound horrible, but in a way, I'm glad I did the procedure personally. If I hadn't, we never would have known."
Parker stared down at the diamond ring on her finger as she twisted it nervously. The silence in the room stretched ominously between them. Parker took a deep breath and said, "Jarod, we need to talk about the others."
Jarod stared miserably into his coffee and nodded in agreement. "I wasn't sure how much of the situation I was able to convey to you last night."
"Well," Parker admitted, "you really weren't making any sense after that first bomb shell you dropped on me. But these," she said handing him a half dozen sheets of paper that had been tucked in the cushion beside her, "these explained the situation to me in more detail."
The first sheet of paper was a copy of a page from Parker's own medical file. Jarod quickly recognized it as a list of nursing notes from Parker's hospital stay when her ulcer had ruptured. Three quarters of the way down the page was a sentence highlighted in yellow. If not for the color, the line would have been lost in the jumble of information scribbled on the page.
It read, "Hrvsd 10 oocytes. Trns Progeny asap" But Jarod knew what it said. He had highlighted it himself less than twelve hours ago. His mind automatically translated the abbreviated words into their true meaning. The hospital staff had harvested ten eggs from Parker's body. Those cells had been immediately transferred to project Progeny, most likely located at The Centre.
The other papers were Centre memos, addressed to or from Mr. Parker and Raines. Jarod had seen them all when he had printed the sheets yesterday. The first memo, sent from Raines to Mr. Parker, was dated only two days after the note from Parker's medical record.
"Progeny is currently at a 90% success rate. Surrogates are being carefully screened and the project will proceed as each individual is approved. With an estimated final success rate of 59.7%, we will need additional material in order to achieve the desired Progeny population. The female cellular resources are readily available. However, the entire male sample at our disposal has been utilized for this first wave of the project. As a result, we must increase our efforts to bring Jarod back into our possession. Perhaps addition personnel could be assigned to the pursuit."
Jarod felt his skin crawl at the impersonal attitude that Raines had demonstrated in the brief letter. The bald cretin had such a cavalier attitude about Miss Parker, calling her ova "readily available". Jarod and Miss Parker were being treated like prize cattle, bred in a petri dish like some twisted science experiment. Jarod's indignation rose another notch at the injustice of it all.
The other memos were dated randomly over the next five years and contained several references to Progeny, but little actual information.
"Progeny Alpha development is measuring at estimated levels" one memo read simply.
Another memo, dated less than a year ago, read, "Progeny Epsilon environment is delaying any immediate returns on the investment. However, long-term results seem promising. Delta simulations and resulting income can be used to support the project until such findings can be produced."
"Jarod?" Parker interrupted. "Those memos are talking about our children, aren't they?"
Jarod closed his eyes and nodded miserably. "My guess is that there were at least three successful surrogates. In vitro fertilization of donor eggs has an average of 20 to 30 percent live birth rate. If they started with ten eggs, that calculates to be about three births."
"Brigette was one of the surrogates." Parker stated knowingly.
Jarod looked at Parker. She was chewing thoughtfully at her lower lip as unshed tears began to fill her eyes. Jarod ached to go to her, to wrap her in his arms and somehow get through this nightmare. But years of isolation and rejection kept him rooted to his seat.
"What now?" Parker asked.
Jarod admired her strength. He felt his own determination rising as he saw Parker's eyes flash with resolve. Jarod didn't realize that he had made a decision until the words began to tumble from his mouth.
"I'm going to find them." Jarod answered with sudden certainty. "The Centre has stolen one family from me. I won't let them take another."
"What should I do?" Parker asked firmly.
Jarod blinked at her for a moment in surprise. It was easy enough to share information with his old rival. But she seemed to be proposing a combined effort and Jarod wasn't sure how far she'd be willing to take her involvement. Simply knowing about Progeny would put Parker's life in jeopardy. This was going to get far more dangerous for them both as events unraveled.
"Don't look so shocked, Jarod." Parker snapped as she stood and began pacing the length of the room. "Those children are mine too. They've been stolen from me just as much as they were from you. For the past four years, I thought that little boy was my brother and I loved him." Her blue eyes shimmered with moisture. "His death affected me deeply, even before I knew that he was my son."
Jarod pondered her words for a moment then asked carefully, "How involved do you want to be?"
Parker frowned, "What do you mean?"
With a troubled look on his face, Jarod chose his words very carefully. "You've always said that you couldn't leave The Centre." He glanced at Parker cautiously. "I run and you chase. That's our fate you said."
He watched her reaction warily. Parker shot him a glare and said, "What's your point?"
"Once I find my children, I am going to get them away from The Centre." Jarod promised. "Nothing is more important to me than their safety." He stood and began pacing excitedly himself. "I'm going to find them and I am going to run far away. No one in The Centre will ever hear from me again."
Jarod abruptly stopped pacing behind the chair Parker had vacated. He gripped the seat back tightly and flashed an angry look at Parker who stood across the room. "I'm done playing games." Jarod vowed. "No more clues, no more notebooks. No more digging for information about my parents. I'm a parent myself now, that has to come first."
Parker folded her arms across her chest in a defensive posture. "I'm a parent too! Of course their safety comes first. I can't leave my own children in that hellhole to be raised like . like."
"Like me?" Jarod hissed caustically.
"I didn't mean it that way." Parker said softly.
Jarod sighed and pressed the heels of both hands against his eyes. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't snarl at each other this way." He deliberately moved back onto the couch to take a less threatening position. "My point is, that I'm going to take them and run."
Jarod took a deep breath and plunged on. "Are you going to chase us?" He paused for a moment then added, "Or are you going to finally break from The Centre and run away with us?"
Jarod watched a series of emotions run across Parker's face. Irritation melted into sadness, which was followed quickly by uncertainty, embarrassment and a touch of fear. She glanced at him, seemingly searching for some support. Jarod pasted a blank look on his face. He didn't want to influence her decision in any way. Parker needed to choose her own path, no matter how much Jarod wanted her to follow his.
Parker hugged her arms around her body. "I'm their mother." She whispered desolately.
"Yes. You are." Jarod agreed simply.
She laughed in a sad way. "I'm not exactly your typical soccer mom. Minivans and bake sales aren't really my style."
Jarod stood and shortened the distance between them. "After four years under the influence of The Centre, I doubt that these will be typical kids." He tilted his head at her compassionately. "All they'll need from their mother will be a great deal of love. And I happen to know that you have a lot of that to share, Parker."
He could see the longing in Parker's eyes. Jarod held his breath as he watched the fear return to her face.
"Raines will never stop looking for us, hunting us." She whispered.
Jarod stood silently, waiting.
Parker looked up at him uncertainly for a moment. Then Jarod saw the decision take shape in her blue eyes. "You'll need my help to protect them. I'm coming with you." She stated firmly. "If. if that's okay with you." She added with concern.
Jarod exhaled gratefully. He moved toward Parker until they were only separated by a few inches. "It's okay with me." He smiled. "To be honest, I'm relieved. Becoming a single parent to multiple four-year-olds was a rather daunting prospect."
The smile on Parker's face glowed in her eyes. "Dealing with a bunch of pre- schoolers will be simple. Living with me is going to be your real challenge." She teased.
"I think can handle you." Jarod responded. "I've done some lion taming in the past, though none of those beasts had claws quite as sharp as yours."
"Watch it Rat-boy." Parker warned.
Jarod chuckled in response.
Parker looked at the watch on her wrist. "Damn." She swore. "I'll need to hurry or I'll be late for my appointment with the funeral director."
Suddenly serious again, Jarod nodded and glared at the floor while Parker rushed to her room to grab some shoes.
A few minutes later, Parker reappeared, looking as though she had just stepped out of a salon. Her hair and makeup were flawless. She had donned a pair of her signature stiletto heals and a black jacket that flared at the waist, ending just above the knees.
"Parker?" Jarod stressed as she stopped before him. "You can't let anyone know what we have learned about Progeny. No one."
She nodded in agreement. Hesitating for a moment, Parker reached in to her jacket pocket and pulled out a photograph. With a sad look in her eyes she held the photo toward Jarod.
"Here." She said. "This is the most recent one I have."
Jarod looked at the smiling young face that appeared on the print. The little boy was sitting in front of a candle lit cake, decorated with balloons and streamers made of icing. Sandy brown hair hung down his forehead to hide his eyebrows. Ice blue eyes twinkled with glee toward the camera and its unseen operator.
Jarod caressed the image. "He loved you very much." Jarod whispered.
Parker looked over Jarod's shoulder so she could see the photo as well. "The feeling was mutual." She nodded.
"He was lucky to have you." Jarod's lip trembled as he spoke. With a sigh, Jarod began to hand the picture back.
But Parker waved him away. "That's yours, Jarod. Keep it. I have plenty of others."
Jarod was stunned. To him, the generosity of Parker's gift was boundless. "Thank you, Parker." He murmured, his voice catching in his throat. "Thank you so much."
Miss Parker patted his arm in understanding, then turned and headed for the door.
"Parker?" Jarod's soft voice stopped her. "Don't let my son spend eternity alone." He said softly.
Parker sighed sadly. "There's a plot beside my mother's." She answered gently. "She may not be buried there, but I've always felt her presence at that spot. She'll watch over him, don't you think?"
Jarod blinked hard at the tears that stung his eyes. He nodded. "I think she'll like that."
Parker paused for a moment on the threshold, one hand on the doorknob, as though she wanted to say more. But with a brief shake of her head she left without another word, pulling the door closed behind her.
~~~~~~
It was after three in the afternoon by the time Parker returned. She was hungry and tired but everything was ready for the services to be held tomorrow.
She unlocked the front door and stepped into the house. For the second time in as many days, Parker was shocked by the appearance of her home.
The place was immaculate. Papers and bottles that had littered the living room and the dining table were gone. Shards of glass that Parker had been forced to tip toe around this morning, had disappeared. The cushions on the couch had been fluffed and the hardwood floors had that just waxed glow. Shaking her head, Parker noticed that the bar had even been restocked.
The entire house had been meticulously cleaned. Dishes had been washed and towels laundered.
"Jarod?" Parker called. But the house had that empty feeling to it and she knew that Jarod wasn't there.
Parker wandered from room to room, hoping to find some sign that Jarod had been around. She needed reassurance that the last twelve hours hadn't been a strange dream.
There was no trace of Jarod anywhere. Parker sighed in frustration. If a sweeper team should happen to descend on this place now, they wouldn't find a single indication that the pretender had ever been here. Jarod had probably even wiped away any fingerprints he may have left.
Parker sighed heavily again. She knew that when Jarod was ready, he would contact her. There was a great deal of work to be done. They needed to find out more about the Progeny project. Specifically, how many children were involved and where those children were being housed.
Jarod had specifically told her not to let anyone know that she had even heard of the Progeny project. So, Parker couldn't work on that aspect of their problem. But, she and Jarod were about to become responsible for several small children. Her little ones would need food and clothing. Parker decided that, until she received word from Jarod, she would find a way to begin secretly gathering supplies.
With this vague plan forming in her mind, Parker headed toward the kitchen to make herself a snack. She felt confident that when Jarod called she'd be ready.
