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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Darkness Is Coming
pretender_gurl
McCarthy Household
Dover, DE
16:42
Evelyn smiled as she pulled into her driveway. Sam was home from Blue Cove and his mother's beat up Buick was gone which meant he was probably playing with Lucy. Their little girl always missed her father when he was working. She reached over to the passenger's seat and grabbed her briefcase before exiting the car. The front door flew open and Lucy flew out of the house and attached herself firmly to her mother's legs.
"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" she cried. Evelyn planted a kiss on the curly head and followed the bouncing four year-old into the house.
Evelyn set her briefcase down in the foyer and walked into the kitchen where Sam had baby Joey on his hip and a hot mitt on his hand. An overdone roast was cooling on the stovetop and rosemary potatoes were waiting in a bowl. Evelyn snuck up from behind and covered Sam's eyes with her slender hands.
"Guess who," she whispered seductively in his ear. Sam spun around and caught her lips in his own.
"How was your trip?" he asked. Evelyn had been in North Carolina for the past week on business. She was a women's athletics talent scout for Wesley College in Dover.
"Profitable. I found a prospective basketball player at this school for gifted kids. Her name's Emily and I think she'd be a real asset to the Wolverines. Unfortunately, her mother doesn't want her to leave home for college. I tried talking with her during half-time, but she was adamant that Emily stay in North Carolina. I can't say I blame her, though. The family has endured more than their share of tragedy."
"Oh, yeah? How so?" Sam asked, handing Evelyn the baby and turning to carve the roast.
"Well, their two oldest were kidnapped twenty years ago and the father has been away searching for the boys ever since," Evelyn said with a frown.
"I hate it when that stuff happens to kids," Sam said, thinking of the little girl he'd met earlier.
"Yeah, it's a shame," Evelyn agreed. "Honey, I'm going to change Joey. Can you keep an eye on Lucy?"
"Two eyes," Sam said, giving his wife a peck on the cheek and setting dinner on the table. He turned to his daughter. "Come here, Princess!" Sam called, holding out his arms to the little girl. Lucy ran to her father who caught her in a crushing embrace and began to tickle her until she collapsed on the floor in a fit of laughter.
Evelyn watched the two romp about the kitchen as they set the table and couldn't help smiling to herself. She was truly blessed to have such a wonderful family.
Containment Ward: Cell 4
Centre Biological Research Facility
Donoterase, Maryland
17:27
Jonas had finished his supper of optimized nutritional supplement and a large glass of distilled water. Well, he had finished most of it. After noticing a white crystalline solid suspended in his water, Jonas became wary and decided he wasn't going to drink the water. However, he knew that if he just left the glass on his tray, the Sweepers, or worse - Mr. Lyle, would force him to drink it. So he placed the cup precariously on the edge of his desk and "accidentally" knocked it onto the floor. The plastic cup did not break, but all of the water spilled onto the concrete floor.
Jonas went into SIM mode for the cameras and pretended to be frightened at having spilled. He used his napkin to mop up the upset liquid and then picked up the glass. Glancing at the bottom, his suspicions were confirmed by the presence of a white residue. Why are they drugging me? Jonas asked himself, racking his brain for every possible answer, but none seemed adequate.
Pushing the question to the back of his mind, Jonas's thoughts returned to the escapade he had planned for tonight. He was going to hack into Mr. Raines's computer files in search of any information on "the other twin."
Any moment now the Sweepers should be returning for his tray and then Jonas would be left to work on Mr. Lyle's simulation. They would not check on him for at least thirty minutes, probably closer to an hour. Jonas had figured out how to loop the camera feed years ago. All he had to worry about was getting into Raines's office undetected.
As an idea entered Jonas's mind, the door to his space was opened and two Sweepers entered. The younger of the two men looked at the damp spot on the concrete floor and raised his brow.
"What happened here?" he asked.
"I-I spilled. I'm sorry. It won't happen again," Jonas stammered, now in full pretend mode.
The younger man looked to his counterpart, revealing the other man to be the dominant personality. The older Sweeper just shook his head. He didn't have time to deal with the kid right now. The Orioles game started in an hour and he still had to finish his rounds. The younger Sweeper picked up Jonas's tray and the pair left the space, locking the metal door behind them. As soon as the bolt snapped into place, Jonas went to work.
Parker Mansion
Blue Cove, Delaware
17:00
"You're… you're a girl."
In a futile attempt to keep her mind off the disturbing DSA, Miss Parker was perusing the training manual she had received from her father. She was working in the Surveillance and Internal Security division of the Centre. Her mother had once been the head of SIS. Miss Parker was starting at the bottom, in internal affairs. She had been assigned two Sweepers, Sam and Larron, and would begin security sweeps of the Blue Cove facility the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow belonged to someone else.
"You miss your mother, don't you?"
Miss Parker shook her head as she tried to forget the boy's sincere concern.
"My parents are gone, too."
Why hadn't she ever recognized the pleading in Jarod's voice - his longing for comfort? Because you were too busy feeling sorry for yourself, a voice said from within. Miss Parker slammed the manual shut in anger. She didn't have time for this.
She went into the kitchen and rummaged through the refrigerator. She pulled out a Styrofoam box of leftover pasta from the nearby Italian restaurant that her father frequented. Miss Parker stared blankly at the microwave oven while the pasta and marinara was being nuked. The last home cooked meal she could remember having was on this day, fourteen years ago.
"I miss you, Mama," Miss Parker whispered to the heavens.
"We both do, Angel," said a voice from behind her. Miss Parker whirled around to see her father standing in the doorway with his briefcase still in hand.
"Daddy! What are you doing home so early?"
"Well, my little girl is home from college! I think that's worth celebrating! Come on, we'll go to that Chinese place with the moo shu that you like."
"But I…" Miss Parker began, gesturing to the humming microwave.
"Never mind that. Come on, indulge me my parental pride, Sweetheart!"
Miss Parker caved for the second time that day. "All right…"
"Good! I'll get the car."
Mr. Raines's Office
Centre Biological Research Facility
Donoterase, Maryland
18:57
"What have you found in Sydney's research on twins?" Raines asked the younger man sitting across the desk.
"It seems the connection between identical twins is quite strong. Those separated from birth that are later reunited seem to share many traits, even though they have never met. One set that Sydney studied had both become policemen, had the same hairstyle, exact same model of glasses, and had the same favorite brand of beer. It's quite fascinating," Mr. Lyle reported. "Of course, the Gemini twins are not identical, but from what you've said, they're damn close."
"Yes, they are," Raines said absently. "So it's possible that they share such a connection."
"Yeah, which means Jonas could have shared a Perception with the girl," Lyle concluded.
"Dammit!"
"Mr. Raines, this doesn't have to be a bad thing. There has never been any research performed on genetically altered twins. The Centre could be the first to produce some," Lyle suggested.
Raines sat thoughtfully for a moment. "Yes," he murmured, "yes, that could work. I like that idea, Lyle. Draw up a proposed course of action immediately!"
Tower SIM Lab
The Centre
19:40
"You did that simulation well, Jarod," Sydney praised after the Pretender completed the Review Board's simulation.
Exhausted and sore as he was, Jarod beamed on the inside, but only let a twinkle shine through in his eyes. Locked in the darkness of indifference, Sydney's occasional praise was the fuel that kept Jarod's soul alive.
Sydney saw how Jarod's shoulders drooped and noticed that he appeared unstable on his feet.
"I believe that's enough for today," Sydney said, nodding to the Sweeper at the door. "I will see you in the morning, Jarod."
The Sweeper led Jarod out of the SIM Lab and Sydney turned and went through the only other door in the lab. With an audible sigh, he sat uncomfortably across the table from the five Triumvirate delegates who were assigned to the Pretender Program as reviewers.
"The subject's progress is satisfactory. However, I am concerned about the frequency of his insubordination," the chief delegate reported.
"Jarod is becoming frustrated with his work. I would like to offer him new stimuli to keep his increase his mental productivity," Sydney returned.
"Do you believe that the interaction with Project Gemini will remedy this behavior?"
"Frankly, I don't believe the joint simulation is a good idea. Jarod has always responded abrasively during simulations with small children. To force him into a situation like this is asking for insubordination," Sydney responded.
"And what does Mr. Raines say about this?" a Triumvirate member asked.
Sydney shook his head in frustration. "Mr. Raines believes that everything can be solved if the correct amount of force is applied to the subject."
"That sounds reasonable," the chief delegate concluded.
"Jarod's will is strong," Sydney warned.
"So is the Triumvirate's," the chief delegate said meaningfully. He looked at the other delegates who nodded once. "Doctor, we believe that the subject is becoming too… comfortable under your care."
"What are you saying?"
"Mr. Raines will be in charge of this project and its subjects - both of the subjects," the chief delegate said pointedly.
Sydney stood up and slammed his fists down on the table. "I won't allow this!"
"It is not yours to decide, Doctor. And if you refuse to accept our decision, it may become a permanent situation."
Sydney nodded without saying a word and took his cue to leave.
The chief delegate turned to his fellow board members. "He may complicate our objectives."
"I can draw up a contract," one woman replied.
"No," the chief said quickly. "Sydney is not expendable. The subject is clearly attached to him, and that is more incentive for the Pretender to cooperate. At this point in the project, it is imperative that we gain complete control over the subject. No one touches the psychiatrist."
A murmur of assent came from those seated around the table.
"Soon the next generation of Pretenders will be ready."
None of the Triumvirate members saw the figure hunkered down in the ventilation system. After they gathered their things and retired to the executive lounge, Angelo jumped down and placed a hand on the table where Sydney's had just been.
"Jarod sad. Sydney scared," Angelo whispered. "Darkness is coming, darkness is coming, DARKNESS IS COMING!"
