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Chapter or Story
"How is Lyle doing, Doctor?" Mr Parker's gruff voice inquired.
"His condition is critical I'm going to have to send him to the ICU. Whether he will survive or not is unpredictable at this point. He has lost a lot of blood," the doctor paused, "but you are his father. You could donate some blood couldn't you?"
"I don't see why someone else can't do it. I have other places to be. He doesn't have a rare blood type."
"Well, I mean, it would be quicker if you did it now. Is it a problem?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact it is a problem because I can't waste my time."
"Your son's life is a waste of time?"
Mr Parker stared at this man who dared to contradict him for a moment, "Find someone else with the correct blood type. Now!"
"Um, yes, Sir."
Mr Parker watched him leave and stared at his unconscious son lying in a sterile white sheeted bed. The constant sounds of the humming and beeping machines were aggravating his last nerve, so he quickly made his exit. He had things to do.
*****
The squeaking of dilapidated old wheels indicated that Raines was nearby. Cox's head looked up to meet that dead face of his.
"Raines," he stated.
"Molly is gone," Raines returned.
"So I've heard. Do you think that this could possibly be a coincidence that she escaped at the same time as Jarod and Miss Parker did?"
"No. And I don't believe that Jarod and Miss Parker managed to escape on their own along with Molly. They had to have had help."
"What are you trying to say, Raines."
"I'm saying that someone else helped them or more than someone," Raines took a raspy breath, "and I know who two of those people are."
"As do I. I'm assuming that you discovered the same DSA's as I."
"Then you know that Sydney and Angelo are to blame for their escapes."
"We cannot, I repeat- we cannot allow for Molly to have contact with Jarod and especially Miss Parker!" Cox slammed his fist on his desk for reinforcement.
"Yes, it would be," he thought for a moment, "devastating, if Miss Parker discovered the truth."
"And the longer she is out there with them, the sooner that Jarod will undoubtedly unbury another of our secrets. Jarod always shares his findings with Miss Parker," Cox muttered his thoughts aloud, "we have got to find them."
"Our best are already on the job."
"That's the problem," Cox stood up and walked around his desk, "Jarod and Miss Parker are our best."
*****
The vehicle was silent apart from the occasional sniffle from Miss Parker. Neither she, nor Jarod could look at the fragile form of their guide, Sydney, for the pain was too intense.
"He's not dead you know," Molly whispered from the front.
"What?!" Miss Parker yelled, outraged, "How the hell would you know if he was dead or not?!"
"Parker, she's only trying to help," Jarod reminded her.
"Check him, Jarod. See if she's right," Miss Parker whispered.
Jarod's face presented his fear, but he took a deep breath and grasped Sydney's hand. Never once losing eye contact with Parker, he felt for a pulse. A sad smile smeared itself upon his face, "He's alive."
"Thank God," Parker returned.
"He's either unconcious or has slipped into a coma," Jarod told her.
"Well, is he going to wake up?"
"Its too soon to tell, but he has a chance. There's always a chance," he reassured her.
Molly cleared her throat, "We're here."
*****
"Debbie, Sweetheart, we're here. It's time to wake up. Please, Honey, wake up," Broots coaxed his sleeping daughter.
"Daddy?" a groggy Debbie answered, "Where are we?"
There were certainly enough trees to last a life time here. Great branches of massive oaks sagged down, making the noon sun appear dim.
"We are in Shady Oak, Virginia."
Debbie sat up and looked around, "Kind of 'Little House On The Prairie' isn't it?"
"Well, Honey, we need to stay down low for a while."
"You mean, we're hiding."
"No! Of course not. Well, not-," he paused after seeing his daughter's knowing look, "yes, we are hiding."
"Why, Daddy?" Debbie demanded.
"Listen Sweetheart, I'll try to explain this to you later. Its all very complicated, and I'm just not sure if you're ready to handle this."
"Daddy! Why do you always treat me like a child? I'm an adult now and should be treated like one. I'm sick of being left out of the loop!" she said with a bitter tremor in her voice.
"Me, too. I mean-"
"No! You just don't understand me anymore," Debbie threw the door open and slammed it shut before Broots could utter a word. She soared into the cabin they had arrived at, not caring what got in her path. Her father was always keeping secrets from her and this was the last straw.
"Oh boy," Broots muttered. He was somewhat in shock. His little girl had never blown up like that, not that he could blame her.
*****
"Broots, help us get Sydney inside," Miss Parker instructed firmly. When he only stared at her she reinforced her demand, "Today!"
"I-I'm coming, Miss P-Parker," Broots replied while jogging over to the open door of the SUV, "who are you?"
"I'm Molly," the blonde replied.
Broots stuttered at first, "I-I'm, I mean, I'm B-Broots."
"Introductions can wait. Sydney cannot," Jarod reminded him.
"Oh, sorry," he replied.
The four adults carefully picked up the elder man and Jarod muttered instructions for Sydney's safety, "Be sure not to shake his head. Open the door before attempting to walk through it, Broots!"
"Right," Broots' face reddened. Here he was making a fool of himself in front of Jarod, the pretender he had been chasing for five years, quite possibly the smartest man on the planet. This day was just getting better and better.
When Sydney was finally settled in one of the twin sized beds, everyone took a breather while Jarod started setting up equipment. Soon, the rhythmic tune of a heart monitor rang through the bedroom. Pulling out his stethoscope, he checked for a beat himself and started to tend to the bullet wound. Parker made her way over to the operation.
"Can I help?" she asked hesitantly.
Jarod looked up at her, slightly surprised and nodded, "Of course, Miss Parker."
"All right, what's first, Doctor Jarod?"
He smiled, "Go wash your hands and then find us some clean towels."
*****
"Mornin,' Love," a liquidy voice greeted a very tired Lyle.
"What the hell do you want, now?" he responded.
"Oh, not having a good day are we?" Brigitte retorted.
"Don't you have a sniveling little brat to attend to, or was he just the light of your life for the first five minutes?"
"He is fine in the Centre infirmary. Now listen to me," Brigitte growled.
"Fine. I'm listening."
"We need to find my dear stepdaughter and her pet, before Raines and Cox do. Unfortunately, I'll need your help for that."
"Well, in the position I'm in right now, it doesn't seem like I'll be helping anyone, even if I wanted to," he stated as-a-matter-of-factly while adjusting the sheets that were crumpling around his casted arm.
"I need you to help me gain Daddy dearest's approval," she whispered before popping a green lollipop into her mouth, "are you in or not?"
After a moment's consideration Lyle answered, "Start talking."
*****
"Well, Nurse Parker, you did an exquisite job, for a rookie," Jarod complimented.
"Oh yes, I've always been known to hand over instruments with great precision, Doc," Parker replied sarcastically.
"Just being here makes a difference," he answered in all seriousness.
"Jarod," she muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Um, how is he doing?" Broots cut in after walking through the open door.
"Sydney most likely isn't going to suffer any permanent effects from this if he wakes from his coma. If he doesn't wake, well. He'll- he'll stay like this. For a while anyway."
"Do you think he'll wake?" Parker asked of Jarod.
Jarod looked at her. "Its impossible to tell," he whispered, "for now, we just have to wait."
"I hate waiting. I'm not the most patient person," Parker muttered almost to herself.
"Yeah, you are."
Parker scowled and threw a pillow at Jarod's smirking face.
"Hey! I was only agreeing with you!" he defended.
"Well, those are the kind of comments that can land your cocky ass back in The Centre," she threatened with a half serious half playful smile.
"Oh, you wouldn't do that."
Her eyebrow rose a notch as she slid out of the room.
"She's not serious is she, Jarod?" Broots asked apprehensively.
"Of course not, Broots. It's just her way," he still stared at the spot she had occupied thirty seconds ago, "you should know that after five years of hunting me."
"I'm sorry about that, Jarod-"
"Don't be sorry, Broots. I didn't mean it like that. I'd rather it be you than Cox or Lyle. It just gets to me sometimes at how ironic our lives have ended up after all these years."
"I know right. I mean, the two of you are like- paper and pen, always together but on opposite sides of the glass."
"Umm ... yeah. I guess so. It does always seem to work that way, huh?" Jarod chuckled a little at the irony that even Broots managed to find. The room was silent then, save for the steady beeping of the heart monitor.
"Jarod, I don't mean to be nosy or anything, but-" Broots stopped, "Never mind."
"What is it, Broots? After all The Centre has done to me, you can't possibly say anything to offend me," Jarod reassured the uneasy man.
"You really care about her don't you?" he uttered, barely audible.
"Well, yeah. Of course I care about her."
Broots patiently waited for more, that he knew would come.
Jarod looked down toward the ground, "She's all I've ever had, the only constant in my life. I- don't want to lose that."
"Is that all, Jarod?" Broots said cautiously.
"Yeah," he walked towards the door then turned back to reassure him, "that's all."
*****
Miss Parker ambled down the hallway to seek any form of peace. Seeing a closed door, she ventured into the bedroom for some quiet, to just get away from the stress in the adjacent room. Shutting the door and turning around, she saw a weeping Debbie huddled in the corner.
"Debbie? Are you all right?" Miss Parker asked of the young girl. A sniffle was all she received in reply. "What's wrong?"
Another sniffle, "It's Daddy. He-he just d-d-doesn't understand."
"Doesn't understand what?" Miss Parker slid down along the wall until she was right beside the distressed child. She started combing her rumpled hair with her fingers and this seemed to relax her into telling her more.
"He won't t-tell me anything. I know that we're here because of that p-place you all work for, but I don't know why or-or who or what is going on. I'm just always d-dragged along on his escapades! I'm thirteen years old and can handle the truth. I deserve some answers don't I, Miss P-parker?"
"Yes, you do. Debbie, your father's work is very complicated, and we really shouldn't have to keep it a secret from you. I understand why he did though, I would do the same."
"But why?" she protested.
"Honey, it's not that you wouldn't understand. It's that you would be in danger if you knew what we did."
"What? Are you like secret agents or something? This is crazy talk."
"These are crazy times. The Centre is a crazy place."
"Yeah. You know, its nice to just talk to someone- someone who understands."
"I know the feeling."
"Why? Did you not have anyone to talk to when you were young, too?"
"Oh no. I had people to talk to. I had my mother until she died. And I had Sydney until now. And I had Jarod. Still do I guess."
"Jarod? Is this the same Jarod that you work with? I've heard Daddy tell you stuff about him," the innocent question was difficult to answer for Miss Parker.
"Yes," she replied hesitantly.
"You knew him when you were my age?"
"And before. Now why don't we demand some lunch from him."
Debbie laughed and Miss Parker grinned. Both spirits had risen to higher peaks.
*****
"Molly free. Daughter soon know the truth. Daughter deserves the truth. Daughter find Jarod. Jarod find Daughter."
The occasional sound of a solitary pearl of water diving into a pool of muck on the stretching ground of SL 27 was all that could be heard. Sydney's bomb may have stopped the unfolding horror temporarily, but renovations were again being made, and only two blue eyes could see what was to come. Only two eyes could see the whole truth. Only two eyes knew what was so close.
"His condition is critical I'm going to have to send him to the ICU. Whether he will survive or not is unpredictable at this point. He has lost a lot of blood," the doctor paused, "but you are his father. You could donate some blood couldn't you?"
"I don't see why someone else can't do it. I have other places to be. He doesn't have a rare blood type."
"Well, I mean, it would be quicker if you did it now. Is it a problem?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact it is a problem because I can't waste my time."
"Your son's life is a waste of time?"
Mr Parker stared at this man who dared to contradict him for a moment, "Find someone else with the correct blood type. Now!"
"Um, yes, Sir."
Mr Parker watched him leave and stared at his unconscious son lying in a sterile white sheeted bed. The constant sounds of the humming and beeping machines were aggravating his last nerve, so he quickly made his exit. He had things to do.
*****
The squeaking of dilapidated old wheels indicated that Raines was nearby. Cox's head looked up to meet that dead face of his.
"Raines," he stated.
"Molly is gone," Raines returned.
"So I've heard. Do you think that this could possibly be a coincidence that she escaped at the same time as Jarod and Miss Parker did?"
"No. And I don't believe that Jarod and Miss Parker managed to escape on their own along with Molly. They had to have had help."
"What are you trying to say, Raines."
"I'm saying that someone else helped them or more than someone," Raines took a raspy breath, "and I know who two of those people are."
"As do I. I'm assuming that you discovered the same DSA's as I."
"Then you know that Sydney and Angelo are to blame for their escapes."
"We cannot, I repeat- we cannot allow for Molly to have contact with Jarod and especially Miss Parker!" Cox slammed his fist on his desk for reinforcement.
"Yes, it would be," he thought for a moment, "devastating, if Miss Parker discovered the truth."
"And the longer she is out there with them, the sooner that Jarod will undoubtedly unbury another of our secrets. Jarod always shares his findings with Miss Parker," Cox muttered his thoughts aloud, "we have got to find them."
"Our best are already on the job."
"That's the problem," Cox stood up and walked around his desk, "Jarod and Miss Parker are our best."
*****
The vehicle was silent apart from the occasional sniffle from Miss Parker. Neither she, nor Jarod could look at the fragile form of their guide, Sydney, for the pain was too intense.
"He's not dead you know," Molly whispered from the front.
"What?!" Miss Parker yelled, outraged, "How the hell would you know if he was dead or not?!"
"Parker, she's only trying to help," Jarod reminded her.
"Check him, Jarod. See if she's right," Miss Parker whispered.
Jarod's face presented his fear, but he took a deep breath and grasped Sydney's hand. Never once losing eye contact with Parker, he felt for a pulse. A sad smile smeared itself upon his face, "He's alive."
"Thank God," Parker returned.
"He's either unconcious or has slipped into a coma," Jarod told her.
"Well, is he going to wake up?"
"Its too soon to tell, but he has a chance. There's always a chance," he reassured her.
Molly cleared her throat, "We're here."
*****
"Debbie, Sweetheart, we're here. It's time to wake up. Please, Honey, wake up," Broots coaxed his sleeping daughter.
"Daddy?" a groggy Debbie answered, "Where are we?"
There were certainly enough trees to last a life time here. Great branches of massive oaks sagged down, making the noon sun appear dim.
"We are in Shady Oak, Virginia."
Debbie sat up and looked around, "Kind of 'Little House On The Prairie' isn't it?"
"Well, Honey, we need to stay down low for a while."
"You mean, we're hiding."
"No! Of course not. Well, not-," he paused after seeing his daughter's knowing look, "yes, we are hiding."
"Why, Daddy?" Debbie demanded.
"Listen Sweetheart, I'll try to explain this to you later. Its all very complicated, and I'm just not sure if you're ready to handle this."
"Daddy! Why do you always treat me like a child? I'm an adult now and should be treated like one. I'm sick of being left out of the loop!" she said with a bitter tremor in her voice.
"Me, too. I mean-"
"No! You just don't understand me anymore," Debbie threw the door open and slammed it shut before Broots could utter a word. She soared into the cabin they had arrived at, not caring what got in her path. Her father was always keeping secrets from her and this was the last straw.
"Oh boy," Broots muttered. He was somewhat in shock. His little girl had never blown up like that, not that he could blame her.
*****
"Broots, help us get Sydney inside," Miss Parker instructed firmly. When he only stared at her she reinforced her demand, "Today!"
"I-I'm coming, Miss P-Parker," Broots replied while jogging over to the open door of the SUV, "who are you?"
"I'm Molly," the blonde replied.
Broots stuttered at first, "I-I'm, I mean, I'm B-Broots."
"Introductions can wait. Sydney cannot," Jarod reminded him.
"Oh, sorry," he replied.
The four adults carefully picked up the elder man and Jarod muttered instructions for Sydney's safety, "Be sure not to shake his head. Open the door before attempting to walk through it, Broots!"
"Right," Broots' face reddened. Here he was making a fool of himself in front of Jarod, the pretender he had been chasing for five years, quite possibly the smartest man on the planet. This day was just getting better and better.
When Sydney was finally settled in one of the twin sized beds, everyone took a breather while Jarod started setting up equipment. Soon, the rhythmic tune of a heart monitor rang through the bedroom. Pulling out his stethoscope, he checked for a beat himself and started to tend to the bullet wound. Parker made her way over to the operation.
"Can I help?" she asked hesitantly.
Jarod looked up at her, slightly surprised and nodded, "Of course, Miss Parker."
"All right, what's first, Doctor Jarod?"
He smiled, "Go wash your hands and then find us some clean towels."
*****
"Mornin,' Love," a liquidy voice greeted a very tired Lyle.
"What the hell do you want, now?" he responded.
"Oh, not having a good day are we?" Brigitte retorted.
"Don't you have a sniveling little brat to attend to, or was he just the light of your life for the first five minutes?"
"He is fine in the Centre infirmary. Now listen to me," Brigitte growled.
"Fine. I'm listening."
"We need to find my dear stepdaughter and her pet, before Raines and Cox do. Unfortunately, I'll need your help for that."
"Well, in the position I'm in right now, it doesn't seem like I'll be helping anyone, even if I wanted to," he stated as-a-matter-of-factly while adjusting the sheets that were crumpling around his casted arm.
"I need you to help me gain Daddy dearest's approval," she whispered before popping a green lollipop into her mouth, "are you in or not?"
After a moment's consideration Lyle answered, "Start talking."
*****
"Well, Nurse Parker, you did an exquisite job, for a rookie," Jarod complimented.
"Oh yes, I've always been known to hand over instruments with great precision, Doc," Parker replied sarcastically.
"Just being here makes a difference," he answered in all seriousness.
"Jarod," she muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Um, how is he doing?" Broots cut in after walking through the open door.
"Sydney most likely isn't going to suffer any permanent effects from this if he wakes from his coma. If he doesn't wake, well. He'll- he'll stay like this. For a while anyway."
"Do you think he'll wake?" Parker asked of Jarod.
Jarod looked at her. "Its impossible to tell," he whispered, "for now, we just have to wait."
"I hate waiting. I'm not the most patient person," Parker muttered almost to herself.
"Yeah, you are."
Parker scowled and threw a pillow at Jarod's smirking face.
"Hey! I was only agreeing with you!" he defended.
"Well, those are the kind of comments that can land your cocky ass back in The Centre," she threatened with a half serious half playful smile.
"Oh, you wouldn't do that."
Her eyebrow rose a notch as she slid out of the room.
"She's not serious is she, Jarod?" Broots asked apprehensively.
"Of course not, Broots. It's just her way," he still stared at the spot she had occupied thirty seconds ago, "you should know that after five years of hunting me."
"I'm sorry about that, Jarod-"
"Don't be sorry, Broots. I didn't mean it like that. I'd rather it be you than Cox or Lyle. It just gets to me sometimes at how ironic our lives have ended up after all these years."
"I know right. I mean, the two of you are like- paper and pen, always together but on opposite sides of the glass."
"Umm ... yeah. I guess so. It does always seem to work that way, huh?" Jarod chuckled a little at the irony that even Broots managed to find. The room was silent then, save for the steady beeping of the heart monitor.
"Jarod, I don't mean to be nosy or anything, but-" Broots stopped, "Never mind."
"What is it, Broots? After all The Centre has done to me, you can't possibly say anything to offend me," Jarod reassured the uneasy man.
"You really care about her don't you?" he uttered, barely audible.
"Well, yeah. Of course I care about her."
Broots patiently waited for more, that he knew would come.
Jarod looked down toward the ground, "She's all I've ever had, the only constant in my life. I- don't want to lose that."
"Is that all, Jarod?" Broots said cautiously.
"Yeah," he walked towards the door then turned back to reassure him, "that's all."
*****
Miss Parker ambled down the hallway to seek any form of peace. Seeing a closed door, she ventured into the bedroom for some quiet, to just get away from the stress in the adjacent room. Shutting the door and turning around, she saw a weeping Debbie huddled in the corner.
"Debbie? Are you all right?" Miss Parker asked of the young girl. A sniffle was all she received in reply. "What's wrong?"
Another sniffle, "It's Daddy. He-he just d-d-doesn't understand."
"Doesn't understand what?" Miss Parker slid down along the wall until she was right beside the distressed child. She started combing her rumpled hair with her fingers and this seemed to relax her into telling her more.
"He won't t-tell me anything. I know that we're here because of that p-place you all work for, but I don't know why or-or who or what is going on. I'm just always d-dragged along on his escapades! I'm thirteen years old and can handle the truth. I deserve some answers don't I, Miss P-parker?"
"Yes, you do. Debbie, your father's work is very complicated, and we really shouldn't have to keep it a secret from you. I understand why he did though, I would do the same."
"But why?" she protested.
"Honey, it's not that you wouldn't understand. It's that you would be in danger if you knew what we did."
"What? Are you like secret agents or something? This is crazy talk."
"These are crazy times. The Centre is a crazy place."
"Yeah. You know, its nice to just talk to someone- someone who understands."
"I know the feeling."
"Why? Did you not have anyone to talk to when you were young, too?"
"Oh no. I had people to talk to. I had my mother until she died. And I had Sydney until now. And I had Jarod. Still do I guess."
"Jarod? Is this the same Jarod that you work with? I've heard Daddy tell you stuff about him," the innocent question was difficult to answer for Miss Parker.
"Yes," she replied hesitantly.
"You knew him when you were my age?"
"And before. Now why don't we demand some lunch from him."
Debbie laughed and Miss Parker grinned. Both spirits had risen to higher peaks.
*****
"Molly free. Daughter soon know the truth. Daughter deserves the truth. Daughter find Jarod. Jarod find Daughter."
The occasional sound of a solitary pearl of water diving into a pool of muck on the stretching ground of SL 27 was all that could be heard. Sydney's bomb may have stopped the unfolding horror temporarily, but renovations were again being made, and only two blue eyes could see what was to come. Only two eyes could see the whole truth. Only two eyes knew what was so close.
