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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Related By Blood
pretender_gurl
Mr. Raines's Office
Centre Biological Research Facility
Donoterase, Maryland
April 13, 1994
01:20
Jonas lifted the manhole cover and peeked out. He was in the corner of Mr. Raines's office. Across the room was a surveillance system. Jonas slithered out of the sewer and walked closer to the technological Mecca. He came close to giggling when he saw the looped feed from his room, but of course Jonas did not know how to smile. He also didn't know that he tripped a silent alarm walking past the door.
Jonas sat before Mr. Raines's computer and was prompted for a password. He closed his eyes and focused on his mentor. A girl's face entered his mind and Jonas found himself typing A-N-N-I-E. The computer sprang to life and Jonas scanned the computer's hard drive. There you are, he thought as he saw a file labeled "Gemini." Double clicking on the document, Jonas had just opened the file when the door behind him slammed open. He spun around to find Mr. Lyle, Mr. Raines, and two Sweepers standing in the doorway.
Lyle crossed the room in two steps and lifted Jonas out of the chair by his collar.
"What the hell are you doing?" Lyle shouted.
Jonas tried to stammer out an answer, but he couldn't seem to put together a coherent sentence.
Playing his part to the letter, Raines stepped forward and ordered Lyle to let go of the boy. "Jonas, what Mr. Lyle meant was, what are you looking for?"
"I-I just wanted…" he broke off and looked at Mr. Raines. Raines inwardly rolled his eyes, but gently prodded the boy. Jonas nodded and continued. "I just wanted to find out where I came from."
Raines smiled inwardly and nodded. He turned to the sweepers and told them to prepare the SIM lab.
"All right, Jonas. It's time you learned the truth."
Parker Mansion
Blue Cove, Delaware
03:00
Miss Parker was curled up in the rocking chair in the corner of her bedroom. Tears began to fill her eyes as she fingered the intricate carving of the armrests and remembered her mother's embrace.
June 11, 1976
"…and they lived happily ever after," Catherine finished.
Little Miss Parker giggled with delight on her mother's lap. "Tell me another, Mama!" she cried.
"Not tonight, baby. It's late and you need your sleep. You wouldn't want to be tired when we go to the zoo tomorrow," Catherine replied. She started to get up from the rocking chair, but Miss Parker interrupted her.
"Please, Mama, will you stay with me tonight?"
"What for, baby girl?" her mother asked with concern.
"Well, what if the mean old witch from the story comes?" Miss Parker asked with wide eyes.
"Oh, sweetheart, that old witch couldn't hurt a hair on your head!"
"But what if she takes me away from you? I don't want you to leave me, Mama!" Miss Parker began to sob.
Catherine held her daughter close as she rocked back and forth. When the little girl had stopped crying, Catherine lifted her up so mother and daughter were looking into each other's eyes.
"Baby, I'm going to tell you something that I want you to always remember, okay?"
A small, dark head bobbed up and down.
"Good," Catherine said. "I will always be with you. No one could ever take me away from my baby girl. I love you too much!" Catherine said as she tickled her daughter playfully.
Miss Parker giggled and then hugged her mother. "I love you too, Mama - for always."
The memory faded and left Miss Parker feeling even more alone.
"You lied, Mama," she whispered to the shadows. "You said you'd never leave me. You said you'd always be with me, but you're not… you're not."
Her words were lost in an onslaught of tears.
Simulation Laboratory 2
Centre Biological Research Facility
Donoterase, Maryland
03:19
Jonas was standing before a large projection screen that was flashing pictures of a vicious murder. A woman was lying on the floor of a nicely furnished living room. Her nightgown was torn and soaked from the pool of blood surrounding her. A man was nearby, his body beaten so badly that it didn't look human.
"Why do I have to see this?" Jonas asked, a tear escaping the corner of his eye. He brushed it away quickly, but Mr. Raines saw and slapped him.
"Keep your emotions in control! They cloud your objectivity!"
Jonas instinctively put a hand to his cheek where a bruise was already forming, but he nodded.
"Good," Raines said. Then turning back to the projector screen he said, "These are your parents." Raines looked quickly to Jonas, monitoring the boy's reaction.
Jonas's eyes grew wide as he watched the images flashing across the screen. "My - my parents? They're dead?"
Jonas knew that Mr. Raines was watching him closely, so he pushed his feelings down in his heart, afraid that if he acknowledged them, he would break down in front of his mentor. "What happened to them?"
"They were murdered when you were very young. We took you in, cared for you, and raised you," Mr. Raines said. He and Lyle had been planning this for quite some time and it was going beautifully. Now he could lay it on thickly. "When you were all alone in the world, the Centre became your home."
Jonas walked slowly to the screen in a trance-like state. He reached out to touch the screen as it showed a picture of his mother's face. Her eyes were wide, a bullet hole in her forehead. Jonas turned away before his fingers brushed the screen.
"I don't want to see anymore," Jonas whispered. "May I go now?"
Raines nodded and motioned to a Sweeper who led Jonas out of the room. Mr. Lyle entered and congratulated Raines.
"That couldn't have gone better!" he exclaimed.
"Lyle, I want you on surveillance. If Gemini so much as frowns, I want Sweepers in there. I will not have his work suffer due to senseless emotion!"
"But Mr. Raines, those pictures were -"
"Don't tell me you're going soft, Bobby."
Mr. Lyle flinched at that. He had not been called by his first name in years, and it dredged up memories that Lyle preferred to keep hidden.
"I didn't think so," Raines wheezed with satisfaction. "I have to return to Blue Cove. I don't want to hear about any problems while I'm gone."
"Yes, sir," Lyle managed to reply with some degree of composure. Hatred and anger were burning inside of him with an intensity that could not be squelched.
SL-23: Room 2309
The Centre
06:58
>Stop sniveling, you worthless piece of shit!<
Jira awoke to an aching body and tear-streaked face just moments before the buzz of the alarm came over the speaker in the corner of Jira's room. She had been Perceiving that boy again - Jonas. He was in trouble, hurting, and there was nothing she could do to help him.
>Hang on, my friend! Hang on!< she thought, sending all encouragement she could across the distance.
Miles away, Jonas heard her comforting words and braced himself against Mr. Lyle's fury.
>You will be all right, Jonas. I will find you.<
Jira's thoughts were interrupted as one of the few female Sweepers entered the room. This woman was large and masculine. She came for Jira every morning and insisted that Jira call her Ma'am.
"Shower," was all that Ma'am said.
Jira slipped out of bed, shivering as her bare feet touched the cold concrete floor. She followed Ma'am to the end of the hall where she stripped and was tossed into a large stall with one shower head that had one temperature setting - freezing.
"You have three minutes," Ma'am called as she did every morning, tossing Jira a bar of soap.
The skeletal child's lips turned blue as she vigorously scrubbed herself, taking more care across scarred flesh. Just as she finished rinsing, the flow of water ceased and Jira was left shivering and dripping wet. Ma'am tossed her a set of Centre clothes and Jira managed to tremble her way into the drab garb, still wet. Ma'am stood with a brush in her hand which she dragged through Jira's long hair. Then she pulled her hair back and braided it so tightly that Jira winced at the strained roots. When one long plait hung down Jira's back, she was handed a bowl of optimized nutritional supplement that stuck to the roof of her mouth. But it was warm and for that she was grateful.
When the remainder of the morning routine was completed, Jira was brought to a SIM lab where she was instructed to wait. She didn't have to wait long.
The door opened and a tall, dark man was ushered into the room. He stared at Jira with wide eyes and an open mouth. He walked forward slowly, growing pale as if he had seen a ghost.
Jarod couldn't take his eyes off the girl standing before him. She had the same silvery blue eyes, dark hair, and pronounced cheekbones as another young girl he used to know.
"Ah, I see you've met," Mr. Raines said, entering the lab. "Jarod, this is Project Gemini. We call her Jira. Jira, this is Jarod, Project Prodigy."
"Jira - Swahili for 'related by blood'?" Jarod said with curiosity. Then looking around the room, he noticed a face missing from the crowd. "Where's Sydney?"
"Sydney will not be participating in this endeavor," Raines said with the most evil grin Jarod had ever seen.
Jarod shook his head. "I'm not doing a simulation without Sydney."
Raines glared at the Pretender. "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, Jarod."
Willie the Sweeper stepped forward with a long, black stick in his hand. It was a type of cattle prod used by the Centre Sweepers called a Motivator. Jarod steeled himself for its sharp bite, but instead, Willie reached out to Jira. The Motivator crackled and lit up with electricity. Jira, still wet from her shower, futilely attempted to hold back a scream as the current ripped through her small body. Jarod shouted in protest and tried to claw his way to Willie, but two more Sweepers held him back. After a minute or so, Willie stepped back and Jira slumped to the floor, gasping for air. As soon as she caught her breath, she scrambled back to her feet. Jarod's stomach turned to lead as he realized this little girl was used to this type of treatment. Looking at her tiny frame, Jarod guessed her to be about six or seven, but knew from her file that she was almost nine. How could Raines abuse such a small child?
"You bastard!" he screamed at Raines.
"Now, Jarod, there are children present!" Raines scolded.
Jarod just stared at the man in disgust.
"Let me be perfectly clear, Jarod," Raines said, moving directly in front of the restrained Pretender. "Unlike your dear friend Sydney, I will not tolerate any disobedience. If you so much as look at me the wrong way, little Jira will be punished. Do you understand?"
Jarod said nothing.
Willie grabbed Jira and slapped her across the face.
"All right! I understand!" cried Jarod quickly. The Sweepers let him go.
"Goooood," wheezed Raines.
Jarod hurried across the lab and knelt down in front of Jira, but she backed quickly away from him. There was so much anger radiating from this man that she began to tremble. Instinctively, she moved closer to Mr. Raines. While he sometimes hurt her, in Jira's mind it was only when she deserved punishment. This new Pretender was a stranger and Jira didn't know how he would deal with his rage. Besides, Mr. Raines was emanating nothing but joy right then.
"You'll have to be far more careful with your emotions, Jarod," Mr. Raines told the bewildered Pretender. "Even I can tell you're angry, and Gemini is a gifted Empath."
Realizing that the girl feared his wrath, Jarod took a few deep breaths and forced himself to relax. Then he approached Jira once more. This time she stayed where she was, though her body was shaking like a leaf.
"My name is Jarod. I'm here to help you, Jira. Would it be alright if I looked at your face?"
After a moment's hesitation, Jira nodded. Jarod smiled and reached out to lift her chin. When his fingers touched her skin, both Pretenders drew in a sharp breath. It was like something had passed through both of them at the same time.
>A small boy sat at a table, his arms crossed and his head buried in his arms. He slowly lifted his head and one could see he had been crying.
"I want to see my mommy! Let me go!"
"My name is Sydney, I'll be taking care of you for a while."
"Where are my mom and dad?"
"Sydney, I'm scared! I can't do this!"
"Jarod, remember, when you're doing the simulation and you become frightened and want to stop, say 'refuge.' All right?"
"Don't you love me, Sydney?"
"I'm tired. My legs hurt."
"There's nothing that can save us!"
"I can't do it alone!"
"I did tell the truth! I'm at peace!"
"It's not for me. I'll never give up."
"They can no longer trust their own leader."
"Finish the simulation and I'll make sure you see your family!"
"No! Please, Sydney, don't make me! I don't want to get inside his head! I don't want him in mine!"
"Jarod, the plane your parents were on, it crashed. There were no survivors."<
Jira pulled away, frightened by the images she had Perceived from this man. His life had obviously been far from happy. Jarod saw the pain and amazement in her eyes and knew that she had seen a darker part of him. He looked away in guilt.
Mr. Raines had been watching this exchange in fascination, but he was as surprised as Jarod at what happened next.
Jira felt Jarod's guilt when he looked away from her. Reflecting on her Perception, Jira was overcome by an emotion that she thought she had forgotten - compassion. Seeing this man's obvious pain, Jira reached out and gave him a hug, and one last Perception entered her mind.
>A tall woman with very long black hair and a pastel colored dress was walking toward her. Jira knew this woman - her name was Catherine and she was Jira's grandmother. Jira called out to her in greeting and the woman smiled back with bright dimples.
"Hello, Baby. I have something important to tell you."
Jira waited expectantly for her grandmother's news.
"This is your father, Baby, and he loves you very much, just like me. He will help you, just trust him. Trust Jarod, Baby. He is the One."<
Jarod blinked in surprise as thin little arms encircled his neck so tightly. He didn't know what to do for a moment. Then he relaxed and awkwardly returned the embrace, although it was like hugging himself because Jira was so small. Acting on pure instinct, Jarod stood up and lifted the girl with him. He was overcome by how right it felt to hold this little girl in his arms.
Mr. Raines's previous look of glee had dissipated to complete disgust and unchecked anger. He had spent four years training Project Gemini to repress emotions and practice complete obedience. He was now watching all of his hard work disappear. How dare she show such disregard! She will pay for this! Raines nodded to Willie who stepped forward and wrenched Jira from Jarod's strong form with the help of the two other Sweepers. Jira called out Jarod's name and tried to wriggle from Willie's hold in vain. But Jarod was being sedated by the other Sweepers as Raines approached Jira with a syringe filled with amber liquid. Within seconds, the cries of protest from the two Pretenders had ceased and Mr. Raines ordered that Jarod be taken back to his space.
"What about the girl?" Willie asked.
"The joint simulation is terminated. Take her to Renewal Wing."
