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Chapter or Story
An Overwhelming Sense Of Impending Doom
pretender_gurl
SL-21: Sydney's Office
The Centre
14:55
"Working hard I see," a familiar voice wheezed from the shadows of the doorway.
Sydney's hands were clasped and his elbows rested on his desk as he stared at the telephone. He had asked on of the techs to inform him when the Sweepers arrived with Jarod so that he could meet them before Jarod was taken anywhere.
"Can I help you with something, Raines?" Sydney asked, clearly unwilling to offer his colleague any aid at the moment.
"Unfortunately," said Raines as he stepped into the room. "The Triumvirate has ordered a full psychiatric evaluation be done on my Pretender before she works with Jarod."
"You want me to have a psychiatric session with Project Gemini?" Sydney asked.
"No, I don't want you to, but it cannot be avoided," Raines growled. He had realized that the best way to ensure Sydney's cooperation was to act as if he did not want Sydney's help. Raines's analysis proved successful.
"Very well. I can see her this evening," Sydney agreed.
Raines shook his head. "She has a simulation exercise scheduled in an hour due to last all night. You want to psychoanalyze her, you do it now."
Sydney sighed and looked again at the phone.
"This is your only chance, Sydney."
"All right, Raines. Bring her up," Sydney said, staring coldly at the bald man.
Mr. Raines turned towards the door and motioned to someone standing outside. Sydney heard a small whimper and Gemini was pushed into the office. Sydney stood up and nodded to the young girl.
"Hi, Jira. My name is Sydney. I'd like to talk to you for a while."
Jira looked at Mr. Raines for permission to speak. Raines gave a slight nod and Jira turned back to Sydney, who had not missed the exchange.
"Hello, Doctor," Jira said.
Sydney reached out to direct Jira to a chair, but Jira jumped away from his outstretched hand. Sydney looked up at Mr. Raines whose face was beaming with pride. Sydney shook his head in disgust at his colleague and motioned for Jira to take a seat.
"You have on hour, Sydney. Not a minute more," Raines instructed, giving Jira one last warning glance before he left the room.
SL-5: Tech Room
The Centre
14:57
"Y-You want me to h-ha-hack into the doctor's files?" the nervous technician stammered.
"No, I want you to walk in and take his hard drive!" Mr. Lyle replied sarcastically. The techie just looked at him with bug-eyes. "Yes! Hack! Now!"
"Y-yes, sir!" Broots said, jumping at the volume of Lyle's voice. "Wh-what exactly am I looking for?"
"I'll tell you when you find it," Lyle said, leaning over Broots's shoulder to view the screen. Broots shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Mr. Lyle was in his personal space, and a thing sheen of perspiration began to show on Broots's bald head.
"There!" Lyle cried, causing Broots to jump again. "That's it! Copy the file labeled 'ESP: Identical Twins' to this disk."
Broots did as he was instructed and Mr. Lyle left the Tech Room with a smile on his face.
"I need a new job," Broots muttered under his breath.
SL-25: Isolation Ward
The Centre
15:00
Mr. Raines closed the door behind him, leaving four men in the isolation cell behind him - three very large Sweepers and one handcuffed Pretender. He waited until he heard Jarod's first escaped grunt of pain and then turned to Garr.
"Do you think he told her anything?" Raines asked in a low voice.
"No. She was not exactly thrilled to see him."
"Goood," Raines said, drawing out the word into a long hiss.
"Sir, what about Sydney?" Garr asked.
"He is currently occupied," Raines motioned to the door that he had come from. "When they're done with the Pretender, take him to his space and have him cleaned up. The Triumvirate is waiting."
SL-21: Sydney's Office
The Centre
15:00
"So, are there any questions that you would like to ask me first?" said Sydney.
Jira was dazed by all of the new emotions that emanated from this stranger. She perceived sadness and guilt the most strongly and tuned in to these emotions.
>She's so small and fragile! Oh my god, look at the bruises on her face and arms! What has Raines been doing to this poor little girl? If he touches her again, so help me…<
Sydney watched as Jira pulled her sleeves down over her hands and lowered her head, trying to hide her face.
"It's all right. You have permission to say anything you'd like while you're here," Sydney encouraged.
Jira absently twirled a strand of her dark hair around her finger and bit her lower lip as she debated asking her question. Her curiosity finally won out.
"Why don't you like Mr. Raines, Doctor?"
Sydney was taken aback at Jira's question. He hadn't been expecting such an insightful question so early in their conversation.
"What makes you think I dislike Mr. Raines?" Sydney asked, dancing around the question.
Jira looked at him a moment. "You don't like the way he has taught me."
Sydney frowned. This girl was indeed a gifted Empath. He would need to guard his emotions more carefully.
"It's true that I don't agree with some of Mr. Raines's methods of reinforcement, but I have no opinion concerning Mr. Raines as a person. Do you understand the difference?" Sydney asked.
Jira knew that Sydney was lying, but she could also see that he was uncomfortable talking about it.
"Besides," Sydney continued, "I believe you would be the better judge of Mr. Raines's character. I understand that you have worked with him for quite some time."
Jira nodded, but offered nothing more.
"So how do you feel about Mr. Raines?"
"Like you said, sir, Mr. Raines has always been in charge of my care, ever since I can remember. He has helped me with my abilities, and I'm very grateful," Jira said, repeating the lines that had been fed to her since she was small.
"So you're happy at the Centre," Sydney concluded.
Jira lowered her head and said nothing.
Sydney softened his voice to a gentle whisper. "I know that you've attempted to escape from the Centre on several occasions. Can you tell me why?" Sydney noticed the girl's hesitation. "I promise you that anything you say in this room, stays here. You have nothing to fear."
Reassured by Sydney's gentle tone and kind demeanor, Jira looked up at the psychiatrist. "M-Mr. Lyle," was all she whispered, but it was enough. Sydney understood.
At that moment the door to Sydney's office flew open and Mr. Lyle entered the room uninvited.
"I hate to interrupt, but Gemini is needed elsewhere."
Sydney noticed as the girl's entire posture changed in Mr. Lyle's presence. Her shoulders slumped and her eyes wouldn't leave the floor. She appeared to be trying to make herself as small as possible.
"Very well, Lyle. Give us a moment," Sydney commanded the younger man. Lyle was about to argue, but Sydney's expression told him not to push the old man. Lyle slammed the office door on the way out.
Turning back to the trembling little girl, Sydney's heart was breaking. He kneeled down to Jira's level and raised her chin so that he could look into her pale eyes.
"If you ever need someone to talk to, you are always welcome to find me, all right?"
Jira nodded and stood up to leave.
"One last thing, tomorrow you will be meeting another Pretender. His name is Jarod and he will be working with you for a while."
"Excuse me, sir. What is Jarod like?"
Sydney smiled at the girl's curious nature. It appeared to be a heritable trait. "You will find out soon enough, but do not worry. You have nothing to fear from Jarod.
Jira's countenance visibly relaxed.
"Well then, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow," Sydney said as he opened the door to reveal and impatient Lyle waiting outside.
"Come on, Jira," Lyle growled.
"Thank you very much, doctor," Jira whispered as she left with Mr. Lyle.
"See you tomorrow, Syd," Lyle said with a smirk. Sydney smiled back, but was interrupted by the shrill ring of his telephone.
"This is Sydney," he answered.
"Sydney? This is Broots in the Tech Room. I've been trying to get a hold of you for half an hour!"
"I was with a subject. Is Jarod here now?"
"Well, yes and no."
Sydney frowned at the receiver. "What does that mean, Mr. Broots?"
"They brought him in twenty minutes ago and Mr. Raines took him to one of the lower sublevels."
Sydney's heart sank. Twenty minutes! Lower sublevels? Mr. Raines? Jarod's in trouble.
"Where is he, Mr. Broots?" Sydney asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
"I-I'm not sure. I'm still working on it."
"Will you call me as soon as you find out anything?" Sydney could not keep the concern out of his voice.
"Of course, Sydney," Broots quickly replied.
"Thank you." Sydney's hand was shaking as he hung up the phone.
After a moment of thought, he reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a wooden box. His hands trembled as he lifted the lid and took the Colt .45 Defender in his hand. He had gotten the pistol in 1952, four years after the model was introduced. Jacob and Sydney had only been fifteen when they were liberated at Dachau. When they returned to their home in Lyon, there was no one to care for them and the twins were placed in one of the many crowded orphanages in France. When they were emancipated, Sydney had convinced Jacob that the two should come to America. Before leaving France, Sydney had purchased the gun as a security precaution. He had never fired it outside of the shooting range, but he was prepared to do so now.
