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Chapter or Story
Disclaimers and such in Part 1
To Catch A Pretender
part 2
by SaraC
~~~~~~~~~
Ten hours later Jarod was enclosed in a small hotel room in Blue Cove, scanning reams of printouts Broots had sent him from the Centre.
Sydney had gotten a hold of Miss Parker's hospital records as well, not to mention her entire medial history.
Jarod felt sicker and sicker as he scanned the printouts.
The virus was deadly, no doubt. Centre reports and even the few DSA's Broots had gotten a hold of showed more than 20 people had died after being infected with it, unable to be cured.
It still shocked him that the Centre was involved in such deadly practices, even though he should have been used to them by now.
But deliberately infecting Miss Parker, deliberately to get him to come back, that was the final straw.
He'd develop that cure, he'd save her life.
But only over his dead body would the Centre be getting it.
>From the several classified reports Broots had managed to get, it seemed the government would expose the Centre's evil deeds if the antidote were not forthcoming.
That would work perfectly with his own plans to cure Miss Parker and get the hell out of Dodge, letting the government easily do what he'd been striving to for years.
Unfortunately, finding the antidote was not going to be easy.
He absently reached for the ringing phone, flicking it open as Sydney's voice began to flow over the line.
"You got the reports then?"
Jarod sighed as he rubbed his temples.
"I got them. It doesn't look good," he offered truthfully. "These are some sick people you work for Syd, and this pretty much tops the list of sick and twisted experiments," he finished as his friend remained silent.
"You know I had nothing to do with those experiments. Pretenders were one thing, the Centre's darker business was not mine," he began as Jarod cut him off.
"I know Syd, I'm sorry. I'm just worried. It's going to take some intensive research and I'm going to need to have Miss Parker with me to accomplish it," he murmured.
Sydney looked at the phone in his hand for a moment before replying.
"Right Jarod. You're simply going to waltz into the hospital, spirit her away with you, without the Centre's goons noticing anything is wrong, not to mention the fact that she's more at risk away from hospital care," he offered incredulously.
"I'm not," Jarod replied quietly. "You and Broots and Sam are."
Sydney remained silent for a moment.
Jarod sighed.
"Trust me Syd. I know what I'm doing. I've got a place set up where Miss Parker will be taken care of and her immune system protected. It just won't be under Centre watch," he replied, hearing his friend sigh quietly.
"You are the only one who can save her now, tell me what you need us to do," he offered quietly.
Jarod sighed, thanking whomever was watching over him for giving him Sydney.
Still studying the reports, he began to explain his plan.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker stared at the white ceiling above her, a hundred thoughts flying through her mind.
None of them made sense.
Then again, it was hard to concentrate through the massive pain of the headaches she seemed to wake up and fall asleep with.
They had given her plenty of painkillers, but as the doctors had told her, it wasn't the pain that would kill her.
Her immune system was breaking down, putting her at risk of death from any type of infection.
And as Sydney had told her, what she'd suspected when she heard the doctor's diagnosis, was true.
The Centre was behind it.
They were willing to kill her, to get Jarod to do their dirty work for them.
Normally, she would have put on her "Ice Queen" attitude and begun demanding answers.
But she didn't have the strength.
The fact was, if Jarod couldn't find a cure, she was going to die.
For the first time in her life, she was utterly and truly terrified.
When Sydney had quietly told her the prognosis, she had remained calm on the outside, while her insides erupted into a screaming mass of emotions.
She might hate her life, but she was not ready to have it end.
She still had things to do and people to do them with.
It wasn't fair that the people she'd spent most of her life working for, the 'family' that claimed to love her, was now killing her.
And forcing Jarod to do the one thing he'd sworn never to do again.
Help the Centre carry out its diabolical plans.
She couldn't hold back her tears as she realized that he would do it.
For her.
It was more than anyone had ever done for her in her life, except her mother.
And for the first time in years, she allowed the walls around her heart to melt as she sobbed for the one man in the world who would risk his freedom, for her life.
Jarod.
~~~~~~~~~
Two hours later Sydney quietly assumed his position by Miss Parker's door, praying that Jarod's plan went off without a hitch.
He scanned the halls, noting the Centre sweepers positioned all along the hallway, Lyle sitting next to him outside Miss Parker's door, all waiting for Jarod to make his move.
Sydney smiled to himself.
They wouldn't catch his pretender this time.
Bracing himself, he jumped up as three paramedics and a flustered front lobby attendant came flying through the hallway with an unconscious Broots on a gurney.
"What the hell happened?" Lyle roared, running to the gurney as the sweepers moved with him.
"A man in a black leather jacket in the parking lot," the attendant wheezed as Broots was rolled off to the ER. "He was fighting with him, when the man pulled a gun and shot him!" The attendant finished.
"Jarod! Let's go, I want every entrance to this hospital sealed off. Sam, stay by Miss Parker's room, he's bound to show up here unless we get him first," Lyle called as he and the other sweepers took off down the hall.
Sydney and Sam watched the group disappear around the corner.
When the coast was clear, Sam slipped into Miss Parker's room, Sydney close behind, holding open the door as the gurney carrying Broots was wheeled into the room by a paramedic.
"Sam, Sydney, what's going on?"
Miss Parker's senses went on high alert as the two men entered and she saw Broots seemingly lifeless body rolled into the room.
"Miss Parker, we're taking you out of here," Sydney whispered as he began disconnecting the IV and other monitors she was hooked up to as Broots jumped off the gurney.
"Out of here? Why the hell are you moving me, I'm on the verge of death," she tried to utter in her normal cynical voice, but instead it came out as a weak whisper.
"Trust me, Jarod has something ready. He needs you with him to find the cure," Broots offered as he helped Sam lift her body onto the gurney.
"But what about Lyle and the sweepers?" she asked quietly as she watched Broots climb into the hospital bed, quickly pulling the covers up and over his head.
She cursed herself for being so weak she couldn't do more than let them all take control of her life.
At least what was left of it.
"They're searching for Jarod outside. They think you're safe in here. We're going to take you out the back way. Trust me, Jarod's waiting," Sydney whispered as he pulled the sheet over her.
Miss Parker locked eyes with him before her face disappeared from view.
She knew it could be the last time she'd see him.
"Thank you. If I don't make it," she began, only to be stopped as Sydney pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Jarod will save you, and bring down the Centre. Never fear, we will meet again Miss Parker, trust me on that," he replied, fighting back tears as the doctor began to move the gurney out the door.
Miss Parker nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat as she watched his face disappear from view.
Part of her was terrified.
But a larger part was relieved.
Jarod was here and no doubt had a plan.
A plan that would not please the damned Centre.
Suddenly, she felt better than she had in weeks.
~~~~~~~
Sydney smiled to himself as he heard a flustered Lyle trying to explain to Raines why Miss Parker had suddenly disappeared.
He knew that Raines would be relieved, if only to know that Jarod was back and doing what he could to find a cure.
But he would have loved to see the look on the bastard's face when he realized Jarod had successfully taken the hospital out of the equation.
He'd moved the battle off Raines' playing ground.
There would be hell to pay for that.
He sighed as he settled back and closed his eyes, praying Jarod and Miss Parker could find a cure before it was too late.
~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker whimpered as the ambulance hit a bump on the road, jostling her already aching body.
Dear lord, where was Jarod taking her?
He could have at least chosen a smoother route.
"Hang in there Miss Parker, we're almost there," the dark-haired man replied, smiling around the mask he wore from his position on the seat beside her.
She sighed, finally able to breath after keeping deathly still as they'd snuck her out of the hospital.
Mustering up enough energy, she pried open her eyes to see who it was had rescued her.
"Who are you?" she asked curiously.
"Friends of Jarod. He saved my daughter's life and the man driving this ambulance owes him his life. We were only too glad to help him out," he offered with a smile.
She nodded, closing her eyes, too tired to think any more.
The last thought she had before sleep claimed her was how glad she was that Jarod had helped so many people.
And that he damn well better have a comfortable bed ready for her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jarod was pacing frantically as he waited for Miss Parker to arrive.
"Jarod, you'll do yourself no good if you don't calm down. The last thing she'll need is to see you looking worried."
Jarod turned to smile tiredly at the petite woman standing next to him.
"I can see why Joe is always talking about your calming influence Rose," he offered as the woman smiled.
"My Joe is a talker all right. And he's still mine, thanks to you," she replied quietly as Jarod shrugged.
"I'm just glad I could help. And that you're able to help me now," he replied, looking around again at the small sanctuary he'd set up inside the small cabin in the Blue Cove woods.
Rose smiled.
"We've totally sanitized this place, made sure the area Miss Parker is in is germ free and we'll make sure it stays that way. Only you and she will be here and we've already run enough checks on you to make sure you're perfectly fit and healthy, so relax," she murmured quietly.
Jarod sighed and nodded as he settled back onto the sofa and picked up the papers scattered on the table.
"If I can just figure out how they managed to speed up the break down process, I might be able to figure out how to reverse it," he muttered, his mind working overtime to figure out what was missing from the picture in front of him.
Rose sighed as she watched him, knowing he'd called just about every medical or scientific colleague he'd ever worked with in an effort to develop a cure.
She said a quick prayer he would find it before he lost the woman who was obviously so important to him that he would risk his life and his freedom for her.
~~~~~~~~~~
Ten minutes later Rose's head perked up as she heard the sound of an engine approaching.
Jarod too picked up the sound and with a leap was off the sofa and out the front door.
Pacing with impatience, he watched as the ambulance pulled up, immediately heading for the back doors and wrenching them open.
He knew he wouldn't be able to breathe quite right until he'd seen with his own eyes that she was alive and well.
Jumping up into the back, his eyes immediately went to the pale figure lying so still on the gurney, so unusual for the bright, feisty woman he was used to dealing with.
He felt his breath catch as his eyes met the beautiful blue ones that were just beginning to flutter open.
~~~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker sighed, thanking God the bumpy ride had come to an end. Her ears perked up as she heard the back doors flung open and felt the ambulance shake with the force of the body that jumped into the back.
She knew even without opening her eyes that it was Jarod.
"You couldn't have picked a place that has nice, paved roads leading to it could you?" she managed, hoping for some of her usual sarcasm but instead finding the words were more a harsh whisper.
For the first time in the past two days, Jarod began to breathe easily again.
That was his Miss Parker.
"I had to make sure no one could find us, and Joe's little cabin retreat was the perfect place, I'm sorry the ride was so bumpy," he managed, moving to her side and smiling apologetically into her eyes.
Miss Parker's heart did a strange little flip-flop.
It seemed to be doing that a lot more lately when she looked into Jarod's eyes.
"Yeah well, you'd better have a nice, comfortable, germ free environment set up for me, preferably with a nice, big bed," she muttered, blushing as she suddenly realized how the words might have sounded to their fascinated audience.
Jarod couldn't hold back his smile.
It was the first one he'd managed in days.
"Trust me, I think you'll find everything to your liking, and germ free, myself included," he offered, reaching down to lift her into his arms.
She sighed as her tired body sank against his broad chest, immediately snuggling into the arms that were wrapped so securely around her.
Normally she'd be protesting being carried, insisting she could walk.
But at this moment, it felt too good to let him do all the work.
Jarod fought down the lump in his throat as her head came to rest against his chest.
She was so frail, a far cry from the vivid, determined and annoying woman she could usually be.
It only served to bring out even more of his protective instincts.
Muttering soothing words and nonsense phrases, he carried her from the ambulance and onto the porch, smiling as she lifted her head to look around as they entered the cabin.
"Not bad, for a rustic cabin in the middle of nowhere," she murmured, no heat in her words.
Jarod smiled.
"Joe and Rose are letting us stay here while we work on the cure. Rose is a nurse so she's going to help take care of you as well," he offered, nodding to the woman who had come up to meet them.
"I guess you're Miss Parker then, it's a pleasure to meet you," Rose offered quietly, noting the surprise in the tired eyes that met hers. She had a feeling not many people were welcoming to this strong willed woman.
"Thank you," was all Miss Parker could think of to say as she noted the concern on the other woman's features. Concern for a woman she'd never met, but was agreeing to take care of.
She felt a lump grow in her throat.
It was all because of Jarod.
Rose nodded as she followed them into the room Jarod had designated as hers.
Miss Parker couldn't help but smile as saw the huge king size bed, covered in blankets and quilts, all smelling of wildflowers and sunshine.
"It's beautiful," she whispered, suddenly reminded of her room as a little girl.
Jarod smiled as he placed her gently onto the bed.
"I remembered you said once, long ago, that you loved wildflowers in the sunshine. Your mother did too," he whispered softly, seeing the moisture appear in her eyes.
"Jarod, I miss her, but I'm not ready to be with her yet."
The heartfelt words surprised her even as she uttered them.
She watched as Jarod swallowed hard and settled himself on the bed next to her.
"I swear to you Miss Parker, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Together we're going to find this cure and then bring down the Centre," he whispered softly, determination in every word.
Miss Parker swallowed her own tears as she realized that for once, she truly believed him.
"So let's get started, I guess I'm on borrowed time here," she whispered, wincing as the pain shot thorough the eyes she was fast realizing she could lose herself in. "Sorry, it's just that the only way I know to cope is with sarcastic humor," she offered quietly.
Jarod simply nodded as he stood and tucked her under the covers.
"I think you should rest a little first, in a 'comfortable' bed," he offered with a smile.
She smiled in reply.
"I am tired, but when I wake up, we have to get started," she whispered, her eyelids already beginning to droop.
"I'm already working on it Miss Parker, relax, there will be time when you wake," he whispered, watching as her eyes completely shut. After a few minutes, he noted her steady breathing and realized she was asleep.
A wave of tenderness swamped him as he noted how innocent and young she looked.
Even facing death, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
Sighing, he leaned down and brushed a gentle kiss across her forehead.
Then he turned and headed back to the living room.
He had serious work to do if he was going to save her life.
And he now had only three days.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker awoke several hours later feeling much better than she had just a few hours ago.
At first she looked around in confusion, unable to remember where she was, but within a few moments, it all returned.
She was safe, with Jarod, working to find a cure.
She tried moving, glad to find most of the headache gone and her body feeling more mobile than it had in days.
She wondered if the doctors at the hospital had been giving her something to make her stay still.
She shuddered at the thought.
Using her hands for balance, she attempted to place her feet on the floor, noting the world only rolled slightly as she struggled to her feet.
"Here, let me help."
She turned to see Rose's kind face smiling at her, and with a tired smile of her own, let the other woman help her into the living room.
She smiled as she watched Jarod's eyes light up as he caught sight of her.
"Miss Parker, you look much better," he replied, moving to take over for Rose, lifting her gently in his arms and carrying her to the sofa.
"Jarod, I can walk you know," she muttered, secretly thrilled at his action.
"I'm not taking any chances, you've had a rough few days," he replied as he settled down next to her.
Miss Parker frowned.
"Jarod, were they giving me something to keep me lethargic and unable to move?" she asked quietly, knowing he would have all her charts.
Jarod's smile turned into a frown.
"Yes. I'm not sure what, but it was a muscle relaxant, guaranteed to make any person literally unable to move," he muttered darkly.
She sighed and reached out to touch his arm.
"Jarod, I'm fine now, I feel better than I have in days, and for the first time in years, I am not under the watchful eye of the Centre's goons. It's going to be all right," she found herself reassuring him, noting the irony in her being the one to try and give comfort.
Jarod swallowed hard before answering.
"We don't have much time, so we have to start with what you know. Did you ever hear any word or whisper of Project Immunity?"
She wracked her brain, trying to remember if her father or Raines had ever mentioned it.
"I don't think so, it doesn't ring a bell," she offered quietly as Jarod nodded.
"It was a project they started right around the time I escaped. They needed me to come up with the antidote though, but I escaped before they could give me the task," he muttered darkly.
Miss Parker sighed, knowing what he was thinking.
"Don't go there Jarod," she replied sharply as he turned haunted eyes to her. "It was not your fault. You needed to get away and you did. You have nothing to feel guilty for," she replied, reaching out to squeeze his arm.
Jarod sighed, turning from her penetrating gaze.
"Dozens of people died because there was no antidote, I could have saved them, could save you now, if I hadn't escaped. I've probably killed more people than I've saved," he whispered brokenly, fighting to hold back the tears.
Miss Parker felt the ice around her heart completely melt as she reached for him, pulling him into her arms and holding him tightly as he finally broke down.
'I'm so sorry, so, so sorry," he sobbed against her, his arms clenching her tightly to him. She simply held him, rocking him while murmuring soothing nonsense words against his head.
Finally, the sobs stopped and he lifted his gaze to hers.
"You don't blame me?" he whispered when he could finally speak.
If he hadn't had her heart for years, he would have stolen it in that moment.
"No Jarod. The Centre is to blame, I can admit that now. And once we find this cure, I'll help you bring it down. It and the evil people behind it did this to me and they will suffer for it," she vowed, seeing the fire come back into his eyes.
She felt her own strength returning as well.
She wasn't alone in this fight.
She had Jarod.
"Well then, let's get to work and see if we can't figure out some answers," he muttered, handing her a stack of papers as they settled down to work.
~~~~~~~~~~
To Catch A Pretender
part 2
by SaraC
~~~~~~~~~
Ten hours later Jarod was enclosed in a small hotel room in Blue Cove, scanning reams of printouts Broots had sent him from the Centre.
Sydney had gotten a hold of Miss Parker's hospital records as well, not to mention her entire medial history.
Jarod felt sicker and sicker as he scanned the printouts.
The virus was deadly, no doubt. Centre reports and even the few DSA's Broots had gotten a hold of showed more than 20 people had died after being infected with it, unable to be cured.
It still shocked him that the Centre was involved in such deadly practices, even though he should have been used to them by now.
But deliberately infecting Miss Parker, deliberately to get him to come back, that was the final straw.
He'd develop that cure, he'd save her life.
But only over his dead body would the Centre be getting it.
>From the several classified reports Broots had managed to get, it seemed the government would expose the Centre's evil deeds if the antidote were not forthcoming.
That would work perfectly with his own plans to cure Miss Parker and get the hell out of Dodge, letting the government easily do what he'd been striving to for years.
Unfortunately, finding the antidote was not going to be easy.
He absently reached for the ringing phone, flicking it open as Sydney's voice began to flow over the line.
"You got the reports then?"
Jarod sighed as he rubbed his temples.
"I got them. It doesn't look good," he offered truthfully. "These are some sick people you work for Syd, and this pretty much tops the list of sick and twisted experiments," he finished as his friend remained silent.
"You know I had nothing to do with those experiments. Pretenders were one thing, the Centre's darker business was not mine," he began as Jarod cut him off.
"I know Syd, I'm sorry. I'm just worried. It's going to take some intensive research and I'm going to need to have Miss Parker with me to accomplish it," he murmured.
Sydney looked at the phone in his hand for a moment before replying.
"Right Jarod. You're simply going to waltz into the hospital, spirit her away with you, without the Centre's goons noticing anything is wrong, not to mention the fact that she's more at risk away from hospital care," he offered incredulously.
"I'm not," Jarod replied quietly. "You and Broots and Sam are."
Sydney remained silent for a moment.
Jarod sighed.
"Trust me Syd. I know what I'm doing. I've got a place set up where Miss Parker will be taken care of and her immune system protected. It just won't be under Centre watch," he replied, hearing his friend sigh quietly.
"You are the only one who can save her now, tell me what you need us to do," he offered quietly.
Jarod sighed, thanking whomever was watching over him for giving him Sydney.
Still studying the reports, he began to explain his plan.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker stared at the white ceiling above her, a hundred thoughts flying through her mind.
None of them made sense.
Then again, it was hard to concentrate through the massive pain of the headaches she seemed to wake up and fall asleep with.
They had given her plenty of painkillers, but as the doctors had told her, it wasn't the pain that would kill her.
Her immune system was breaking down, putting her at risk of death from any type of infection.
And as Sydney had told her, what she'd suspected when she heard the doctor's diagnosis, was true.
The Centre was behind it.
They were willing to kill her, to get Jarod to do their dirty work for them.
Normally, she would have put on her "Ice Queen" attitude and begun demanding answers.
But she didn't have the strength.
The fact was, if Jarod couldn't find a cure, she was going to die.
For the first time in her life, she was utterly and truly terrified.
When Sydney had quietly told her the prognosis, she had remained calm on the outside, while her insides erupted into a screaming mass of emotions.
She might hate her life, but she was not ready to have it end.
She still had things to do and people to do them with.
It wasn't fair that the people she'd spent most of her life working for, the 'family' that claimed to love her, was now killing her.
And forcing Jarod to do the one thing he'd sworn never to do again.
Help the Centre carry out its diabolical plans.
She couldn't hold back her tears as she realized that he would do it.
For her.
It was more than anyone had ever done for her in her life, except her mother.
And for the first time in years, she allowed the walls around her heart to melt as she sobbed for the one man in the world who would risk his freedom, for her life.
Jarod.
~~~~~~~~~
Two hours later Sydney quietly assumed his position by Miss Parker's door, praying that Jarod's plan went off without a hitch.
He scanned the halls, noting the Centre sweepers positioned all along the hallway, Lyle sitting next to him outside Miss Parker's door, all waiting for Jarod to make his move.
Sydney smiled to himself.
They wouldn't catch his pretender this time.
Bracing himself, he jumped up as three paramedics and a flustered front lobby attendant came flying through the hallway with an unconscious Broots on a gurney.
"What the hell happened?" Lyle roared, running to the gurney as the sweepers moved with him.
"A man in a black leather jacket in the parking lot," the attendant wheezed as Broots was rolled off to the ER. "He was fighting with him, when the man pulled a gun and shot him!" The attendant finished.
"Jarod! Let's go, I want every entrance to this hospital sealed off. Sam, stay by Miss Parker's room, he's bound to show up here unless we get him first," Lyle called as he and the other sweepers took off down the hall.
Sydney and Sam watched the group disappear around the corner.
When the coast was clear, Sam slipped into Miss Parker's room, Sydney close behind, holding open the door as the gurney carrying Broots was wheeled into the room by a paramedic.
"Sam, Sydney, what's going on?"
Miss Parker's senses went on high alert as the two men entered and she saw Broots seemingly lifeless body rolled into the room.
"Miss Parker, we're taking you out of here," Sydney whispered as he began disconnecting the IV and other monitors she was hooked up to as Broots jumped off the gurney.
"Out of here? Why the hell are you moving me, I'm on the verge of death," she tried to utter in her normal cynical voice, but instead it came out as a weak whisper.
"Trust me, Jarod has something ready. He needs you with him to find the cure," Broots offered as he helped Sam lift her body onto the gurney.
"But what about Lyle and the sweepers?" she asked quietly as she watched Broots climb into the hospital bed, quickly pulling the covers up and over his head.
She cursed herself for being so weak she couldn't do more than let them all take control of her life.
At least what was left of it.
"They're searching for Jarod outside. They think you're safe in here. We're going to take you out the back way. Trust me, Jarod's waiting," Sydney whispered as he pulled the sheet over her.
Miss Parker locked eyes with him before her face disappeared from view.
She knew it could be the last time she'd see him.
"Thank you. If I don't make it," she began, only to be stopped as Sydney pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Jarod will save you, and bring down the Centre. Never fear, we will meet again Miss Parker, trust me on that," he replied, fighting back tears as the doctor began to move the gurney out the door.
Miss Parker nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat as she watched his face disappear from view.
Part of her was terrified.
But a larger part was relieved.
Jarod was here and no doubt had a plan.
A plan that would not please the damned Centre.
Suddenly, she felt better than she had in weeks.
~~~~~~~
Sydney smiled to himself as he heard a flustered Lyle trying to explain to Raines why Miss Parker had suddenly disappeared.
He knew that Raines would be relieved, if only to know that Jarod was back and doing what he could to find a cure.
But he would have loved to see the look on the bastard's face when he realized Jarod had successfully taken the hospital out of the equation.
He'd moved the battle off Raines' playing ground.
There would be hell to pay for that.
He sighed as he settled back and closed his eyes, praying Jarod and Miss Parker could find a cure before it was too late.
~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker whimpered as the ambulance hit a bump on the road, jostling her already aching body.
Dear lord, where was Jarod taking her?
He could have at least chosen a smoother route.
"Hang in there Miss Parker, we're almost there," the dark-haired man replied, smiling around the mask he wore from his position on the seat beside her.
She sighed, finally able to breath after keeping deathly still as they'd snuck her out of the hospital.
Mustering up enough energy, she pried open her eyes to see who it was had rescued her.
"Who are you?" she asked curiously.
"Friends of Jarod. He saved my daughter's life and the man driving this ambulance owes him his life. We were only too glad to help him out," he offered with a smile.
She nodded, closing her eyes, too tired to think any more.
The last thought she had before sleep claimed her was how glad she was that Jarod had helped so many people.
And that he damn well better have a comfortable bed ready for her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jarod was pacing frantically as he waited for Miss Parker to arrive.
"Jarod, you'll do yourself no good if you don't calm down. The last thing she'll need is to see you looking worried."
Jarod turned to smile tiredly at the petite woman standing next to him.
"I can see why Joe is always talking about your calming influence Rose," he offered as the woman smiled.
"My Joe is a talker all right. And he's still mine, thanks to you," she replied quietly as Jarod shrugged.
"I'm just glad I could help. And that you're able to help me now," he replied, looking around again at the small sanctuary he'd set up inside the small cabin in the Blue Cove woods.
Rose smiled.
"We've totally sanitized this place, made sure the area Miss Parker is in is germ free and we'll make sure it stays that way. Only you and she will be here and we've already run enough checks on you to make sure you're perfectly fit and healthy, so relax," she murmured quietly.
Jarod sighed and nodded as he settled back onto the sofa and picked up the papers scattered on the table.
"If I can just figure out how they managed to speed up the break down process, I might be able to figure out how to reverse it," he muttered, his mind working overtime to figure out what was missing from the picture in front of him.
Rose sighed as she watched him, knowing he'd called just about every medical or scientific colleague he'd ever worked with in an effort to develop a cure.
She said a quick prayer he would find it before he lost the woman who was obviously so important to him that he would risk his life and his freedom for her.
~~~~~~~~~~
Ten minutes later Rose's head perked up as she heard the sound of an engine approaching.
Jarod too picked up the sound and with a leap was off the sofa and out the front door.
Pacing with impatience, he watched as the ambulance pulled up, immediately heading for the back doors and wrenching them open.
He knew he wouldn't be able to breathe quite right until he'd seen with his own eyes that she was alive and well.
Jumping up into the back, his eyes immediately went to the pale figure lying so still on the gurney, so unusual for the bright, feisty woman he was used to dealing with.
He felt his breath catch as his eyes met the beautiful blue ones that were just beginning to flutter open.
~~~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker sighed, thanking God the bumpy ride had come to an end. Her ears perked up as she heard the back doors flung open and felt the ambulance shake with the force of the body that jumped into the back.
She knew even without opening her eyes that it was Jarod.
"You couldn't have picked a place that has nice, paved roads leading to it could you?" she managed, hoping for some of her usual sarcasm but instead finding the words were more a harsh whisper.
For the first time in the past two days, Jarod began to breathe easily again.
That was his Miss Parker.
"I had to make sure no one could find us, and Joe's little cabin retreat was the perfect place, I'm sorry the ride was so bumpy," he managed, moving to her side and smiling apologetically into her eyes.
Miss Parker's heart did a strange little flip-flop.
It seemed to be doing that a lot more lately when she looked into Jarod's eyes.
"Yeah well, you'd better have a nice, comfortable, germ free environment set up for me, preferably with a nice, big bed," she muttered, blushing as she suddenly realized how the words might have sounded to their fascinated audience.
Jarod couldn't hold back his smile.
It was the first one he'd managed in days.
"Trust me, I think you'll find everything to your liking, and germ free, myself included," he offered, reaching down to lift her into his arms.
She sighed as her tired body sank against his broad chest, immediately snuggling into the arms that were wrapped so securely around her.
Normally she'd be protesting being carried, insisting she could walk.
But at this moment, it felt too good to let him do all the work.
Jarod fought down the lump in his throat as her head came to rest against his chest.
She was so frail, a far cry from the vivid, determined and annoying woman she could usually be.
It only served to bring out even more of his protective instincts.
Muttering soothing words and nonsense phrases, he carried her from the ambulance and onto the porch, smiling as she lifted her head to look around as they entered the cabin.
"Not bad, for a rustic cabin in the middle of nowhere," she murmured, no heat in her words.
Jarod smiled.
"Joe and Rose are letting us stay here while we work on the cure. Rose is a nurse so she's going to help take care of you as well," he offered, nodding to the woman who had come up to meet them.
"I guess you're Miss Parker then, it's a pleasure to meet you," Rose offered quietly, noting the surprise in the tired eyes that met hers. She had a feeling not many people were welcoming to this strong willed woman.
"Thank you," was all Miss Parker could think of to say as she noted the concern on the other woman's features. Concern for a woman she'd never met, but was agreeing to take care of.
She felt a lump grow in her throat.
It was all because of Jarod.
Rose nodded as she followed them into the room Jarod had designated as hers.
Miss Parker couldn't help but smile as saw the huge king size bed, covered in blankets and quilts, all smelling of wildflowers and sunshine.
"It's beautiful," she whispered, suddenly reminded of her room as a little girl.
Jarod smiled as he placed her gently onto the bed.
"I remembered you said once, long ago, that you loved wildflowers in the sunshine. Your mother did too," he whispered softly, seeing the moisture appear in her eyes.
"Jarod, I miss her, but I'm not ready to be with her yet."
The heartfelt words surprised her even as she uttered them.
She watched as Jarod swallowed hard and settled himself on the bed next to her.
"I swear to you Miss Parker, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Together we're going to find this cure and then bring down the Centre," he whispered softly, determination in every word.
Miss Parker swallowed her own tears as she realized that for once, she truly believed him.
"So let's get started, I guess I'm on borrowed time here," she whispered, wincing as the pain shot thorough the eyes she was fast realizing she could lose herself in. "Sorry, it's just that the only way I know to cope is with sarcastic humor," she offered quietly.
Jarod simply nodded as he stood and tucked her under the covers.
"I think you should rest a little first, in a 'comfortable' bed," he offered with a smile.
She smiled in reply.
"I am tired, but when I wake up, we have to get started," she whispered, her eyelids already beginning to droop.
"I'm already working on it Miss Parker, relax, there will be time when you wake," he whispered, watching as her eyes completely shut. After a few minutes, he noted her steady breathing and realized she was asleep.
A wave of tenderness swamped him as he noted how innocent and young she looked.
Even facing death, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
Sighing, he leaned down and brushed a gentle kiss across her forehead.
Then he turned and headed back to the living room.
He had serious work to do if he was going to save her life.
And he now had only three days.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker awoke several hours later feeling much better than she had just a few hours ago.
At first she looked around in confusion, unable to remember where she was, but within a few moments, it all returned.
She was safe, with Jarod, working to find a cure.
She tried moving, glad to find most of the headache gone and her body feeling more mobile than it had in days.
She wondered if the doctors at the hospital had been giving her something to make her stay still.
She shuddered at the thought.
Using her hands for balance, she attempted to place her feet on the floor, noting the world only rolled slightly as she struggled to her feet.
"Here, let me help."
She turned to see Rose's kind face smiling at her, and with a tired smile of her own, let the other woman help her into the living room.
She smiled as she watched Jarod's eyes light up as he caught sight of her.
"Miss Parker, you look much better," he replied, moving to take over for Rose, lifting her gently in his arms and carrying her to the sofa.
"Jarod, I can walk you know," she muttered, secretly thrilled at his action.
"I'm not taking any chances, you've had a rough few days," he replied as he settled down next to her.
Miss Parker frowned.
"Jarod, were they giving me something to keep me lethargic and unable to move?" she asked quietly, knowing he would have all her charts.
Jarod's smile turned into a frown.
"Yes. I'm not sure what, but it was a muscle relaxant, guaranteed to make any person literally unable to move," he muttered darkly.
She sighed and reached out to touch his arm.
"Jarod, I'm fine now, I feel better than I have in days, and for the first time in years, I am not under the watchful eye of the Centre's goons. It's going to be all right," she found herself reassuring him, noting the irony in her being the one to try and give comfort.
Jarod swallowed hard before answering.
"We don't have much time, so we have to start with what you know. Did you ever hear any word or whisper of Project Immunity?"
She wracked her brain, trying to remember if her father or Raines had ever mentioned it.
"I don't think so, it doesn't ring a bell," she offered quietly as Jarod nodded.
"It was a project they started right around the time I escaped. They needed me to come up with the antidote though, but I escaped before they could give me the task," he muttered darkly.
Miss Parker sighed, knowing what he was thinking.
"Don't go there Jarod," she replied sharply as he turned haunted eyes to her. "It was not your fault. You needed to get away and you did. You have nothing to feel guilty for," she replied, reaching out to squeeze his arm.
Jarod sighed, turning from her penetrating gaze.
"Dozens of people died because there was no antidote, I could have saved them, could save you now, if I hadn't escaped. I've probably killed more people than I've saved," he whispered brokenly, fighting to hold back the tears.
Miss Parker felt the ice around her heart completely melt as she reached for him, pulling him into her arms and holding him tightly as he finally broke down.
'I'm so sorry, so, so sorry," he sobbed against her, his arms clenching her tightly to him. She simply held him, rocking him while murmuring soothing nonsense words against his head.
Finally, the sobs stopped and he lifted his gaze to hers.
"You don't blame me?" he whispered when he could finally speak.
If he hadn't had her heart for years, he would have stolen it in that moment.
"No Jarod. The Centre is to blame, I can admit that now. And once we find this cure, I'll help you bring it down. It and the evil people behind it did this to me and they will suffer for it," she vowed, seeing the fire come back into his eyes.
She felt her own strength returning as well.
She wasn't alone in this fight.
She had Jarod.
"Well then, let's get to work and see if we can't figure out some answers," he muttered, handing her a stack of papers as they settled down to work.
~~~~~~~~~~
