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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Blue Cove, Deleware
The Centre
April 11, 1970
Heads turned as they felt the presence of power. Backs straightened and hands typed faster. The presence was routine, but its air was always in charge and stunningly sweet. Mrs Parker tended to come across this way every day. Stilleto heels soon reached the desk she always searched out. She loathed the way every head turned her way and the authoritee she held over these people. Standing behind the man, her manicured violet nails grabbed Jacob's shoulders slowly and delibratly. Soon, his coffee was spreading over the keys of his keyboard.
"C-Catherine! Oh no. That's the second keyboard this week. You've gotta stop doing that," he said. Catherine's left eyebrow jutted up in her teasing manner.
Their playful banter continued for a moment, until Jacob noticed how solemn and serious his colleague was.
"I'm sorry Catherine, was there something you wanted?"
"I want Jarod," she paused, "out of here, tonight. I want you and Sydney to meet me in the office across from the sim lab. Jarod has sent me yet another surprise."
"Oh, uh, yea sure. I'll be there as soon as I can. I need to order another keyboard from SL 8. Oh and I'll tell Sydney. Did you want-" he turned in his chair to face her, but realized she had left. A few people were staring at his spilled coffee while the rest were wondering who he was talking to. "I'm switching to decaff," he mumbled under his breath, "she could care to do the same."
*****
Like an eager tiger, Catherine Parker eyed the package sitting on her desk. She clicked the pen up and down and then casually dropped it into the pen cup.
"Good morning, Catherine."
"Where's Jacob?"
"He'll be here in an hour. He ran into some problems," replied the calm accented voice.
"Well, your subject has sent another goody to smash our heads with."
Sydney eyed her cautiously until she continued, "that is all he is isn't he, Sydney? A subject. An experiment?"
The young man found it difficult not to get lost wandering in her eyes, but he attempted to formulate a plausible response, "What has Jarod sent you?"
"Sydney! I know you care more than you let on. He's a boy! A boy who needs love from someone besides my daughter," she gestured toward the two-way mirror where they could see Jarod and Miss Parker laughing together, sitting at the stark table, a worn chess set between them.
Sydney ambled toward the glass and turned the knob to the right, causing the childrens' voices to echo throughout the room.
"Check," Jarod murmured, thouroughly concentrated on the game.
"I thought this was Chess, Jarod, not Checkers," Miss Parker joked.
"Move your biship in front of my knight," the young Pretender suggested wihout catching her comment.
Little Miss Parker bit her bottom lip and stared at the pieces intimidatingly. Her hand rose and passed over the biship to her pawn which took his queen. She returned her piercing blue eyes to his and grinned, "Never forget the little people, Jarod."
Jarod nodded and smiled along with the girl's mother who turned the volume down once again, eying her friend.
"She does him good," Sydney stated, crossing his arms difinitively.
Catherine nodded, "she does. It goes both ways however. Its like praising eachother's child as they play together."
"Never say that again, Catherine," Sydney collapsed into the chair with a sigh.
"There seem to be plenty of things I should never say or do and I wonder why, Sydney."
"Some things are better left to others and out of our reach. That includes us both. There are so many secrets at The Centre."
"Yes, but I need to share one with you before your brother arrives. Confidentially, please."
The doctor stared at her before glancing at the children through the window, "sit down."
*****
"She knows doesn't she?" came the eerie voice of Dr William Raines.
Mr Parker shook his head, "I'll say this one more time, Doctor, my wife has not read the scrolls and is no longer interested in helping these children."
"Watch it, Parker. I know more than you may think."
"I stand by my words."
Raines eyed Catherine's husband, "We both know that we are connected in ways unknown to anybody else."
"Raines, don't! Don't bring that into this. Things are complicated enough without family affairs involved."
"Wouldn't that be Able to you, brother?" he grinned maliciously while Mr Parker's eyes widened, "connected. Now tell me, brother, what is your wife up to?"
"Nothing."
"Fine, you will regret this moment until your dying day. I'll make sure of that. Just one more thing to keep your mind idle: the test on Miss Parker's blood showed that she was indeed a potential Pretender, but it also said something else. The DNA shows that she is in the same blood line, but at a different branch. Therefore, she has an uncle and a father that she never knew about."
"What are you talking about Raines?"
"Don't you get it? You know what went on between myself and your wife that Thanksgiving night when you failed to come home from work, there's simply nothing you could do about it without losing your career. Do you honestly believe that that was the first time anything had happened. I could be that girl's father, because, face it, its near impossible for you to ever be a father. Uncle? Maybe," Raines pointed at him with a stone glaze over his eyes, "think about it, Mr Parker."
*****
"So, Jacob is my daughter's father. You are her uncle, Sydney," Catherine whispered after her long explanation. Little did she know, but Sydney had given this information almost a year ago by his brother. Still, he had his word to keep and his oath as a phsyciatrist.
"I don't know what to say, Catherine. Have you told Miss Parker?" he inquired.
"No, she can never know. Its safer if my husband believes that he is the father, even if it is a lie. She doesn't have a chance without him, no matter how difficult that is to believe. My poor little girl. I just wish there was something I could do to make it easier for her."
"You are doing everything you need to, Catherine. Look at her," he gestured to the window pane once again, "she is a vivid reflection of you, so bright and happy."
"Thank you, my friend. Its people like you that she needs in her life." The two quickly embraced before Jacob entered the room, knocking over a stack of documents as he did so.
"Oh, sorry about that. Am I interrupting something?" he said.
Catherine laughed and rushed to help him pick up the papers, "No, my friend, not at all. I've received a letter from our young Pretender, Jarod, via Sydney. And he says there's a new variable in our plan. My husband and Mr Raines could dampen our plans."
"So that's what that note was for," Sydney gazed through the window to his pupil.
"Well, I'm not sure what to do now," Jacob pondered, "but Doctor Raines gave me the most frigid look on my way here. My suspicion is growing. We must act swiftly."
"What are you two talking about?" Jacob's twin interrupted, "Please, I beg of you, brother, Catherine, do not be hasty. This could result in death!"
"You worry too much, Sydney. We will be fine," Jacob assured his brother, "now its time for you to drive me home, remember?"
"Oh, yes, I forgot. Let's go, Jacob. Good-bye, Catherine. God bless."
Catherine smiled and nodded as the brothers departed. She walked down the hall to retrieve her child. She couldn't wait until she could go home and call Jacob, with her new plan. The thought never occured to her that she would never get to hear his voice again or that her husband would be the cause for the devestating car accident he would soon suffer.
*****
Blue Cove, Deleware
The Centre
April 12, 1970
"Fennigor, we have to get Timmy and the children out of here tonight. Erase the tapes, especially this one, and carry out with the plan with or without Jacob. I still can't believe it," she paused a moment to brush away her tears, "Poor sweet Jacob. Gone. I must go see Timmy. I fear Raines will do something after my last visit. Godspeed, Fennigor."
*****
Catherine could see the flashing lights down the corridor coming from Timmy's room. She rose her hand and screamed out into the dark, "No!"
Her shadow may have reached the door in time, but she did not. Upon opening it, she screamed in terror at the horrific site before her. She immediately pulled the restraints off of the small boy and slumped with him against the wall. Stroking his hair, she watched as Timmy struggled to keep his own head balanced upright.
"What are you going to do with Timmy, now?" she struggled to say between her cries, her voice cracking slightly.
"There is no more Timmy anymore. From now on, he is to be called Angelo," Raines replied as he walked out of the door with a slight grin. It was as if she had never heard him, as she continued to weep for the lost child while she tried to comfort him as best she could.
*****
Blue Cove, Deleware
The Centre
April 12, 1970
Catherine Parker fled down the hall anxiously. Tears fell from her cheaks to the frigid concrete floors like rain droplets from a summer leaf. The young woman stumbled along the halls, choking back all of the sobs that threatened to erupt. She clutched the silver handle like a lifeline and placing a palm to her clammy forehead she took a deep breath and flung the door open.
"Oh, Sydney, my dear Sydney!" she weeped desperately.
"Catherine? What's wrong?" young Sydney asked, hastily rushing to comfort her, the paperwork on his desk left forgotten, "are you all right?"
"No. I'll never be all right again! The Centre has gone too far once again."
"Sit down, sit down." Sydney lead the distressed woman to the bland sofa in his drabby office. Hands clamped together, the two faced eachother, but Catherine couldn't bear to look him in the eye in fear of breaking down once again.
"Talk to me, Catherine. Everything will work out. Just talk to me of what has you in this state."
"Sydney, Raines has destroyed another child. His name is Timmy and his brain has been scrambled by that bastard. I feel so alone. The plan has changed dramatically. I must convince the world that I am gone, and that I trust Mr Raines."
"What are you talking about, Catherine?" Sydney replied while her daughter and his student were conversing together in the next room.
"I am going to fake my own suicide. I've already seen Jarod to take care of any memories he might have. I can't explain everything, but just promise me that you will never tell my daughter. She's my gift from God," her fingertips trembled as they touched pursed her lips.
"Catherine, I-"
"Please," she whispered.
He leaned forward and clasped hands with her, "Godspeed, Catherine."
The distraught woman nodded and stood abruptly, blowing a kiss before closing the door, her tear shaped ring reflecting the one ray of light in the office. Sydney put his head in his hands and began to weap. Weaping for his brother and now Catherine. What more could possibly go wrong? Suddenly, he heard the gunshot and quickly rushed out the door to see Miss Parker being dragged away from the elevators' doors by the sweepers guarding Jarod's sim lab.
"Mama! Mama!" came the child's shrill voice through her own salty tears.
"Sydney, we have to help her!" Jarod started to the elevator doors, but Sydney only clung to the child, preventing his mobility.
"No! Sydney, let go! I have to help!" Sydney's face was emotionless as he dragged Jarod back into his room where he eventually let him go.
"Sydney, how could you do that? Don't you even care? That was Miss Parker's mother!" the child scorned him.
Sydney shook his head, and willed his own tears back before turning to go, attempting to not ignore the accusing cries from the boy behind him. Here he was alone, again.
The Centre
April 11, 1970
Heads turned as they felt the presence of power. Backs straightened and hands typed faster. The presence was routine, but its air was always in charge and stunningly sweet. Mrs Parker tended to come across this way every day. Stilleto heels soon reached the desk she always searched out. She loathed the way every head turned her way and the authoritee she held over these people. Standing behind the man, her manicured violet nails grabbed Jacob's shoulders slowly and delibratly. Soon, his coffee was spreading over the keys of his keyboard.
"C-Catherine! Oh no. That's the second keyboard this week. You've gotta stop doing that," he said. Catherine's left eyebrow jutted up in her teasing manner.
Their playful banter continued for a moment, until Jacob noticed how solemn and serious his colleague was.
"I'm sorry Catherine, was there something you wanted?"
"I want Jarod," she paused, "out of here, tonight. I want you and Sydney to meet me in the office across from the sim lab. Jarod has sent me yet another surprise."
"Oh, uh, yea sure. I'll be there as soon as I can. I need to order another keyboard from SL 8. Oh and I'll tell Sydney. Did you want-" he turned in his chair to face her, but realized she had left. A few people were staring at his spilled coffee while the rest were wondering who he was talking to. "I'm switching to decaff," he mumbled under his breath, "she could care to do the same."
*****
Like an eager tiger, Catherine Parker eyed the package sitting on her desk. She clicked the pen up and down and then casually dropped it into the pen cup.
"Good morning, Catherine."
"Where's Jacob?"
"He'll be here in an hour. He ran into some problems," replied the calm accented voice.
"Well, your subject has sent another goody to smash our heads with."
Sydney eyed her cautiously until she continued, "that is all he is isn't he, Sydney? A subject. An experiment?"
The young man found it difficult not to get lost wandering in her eyes, but he attempted to formulate a plausible response, "What has Jarod sent you?"
"Sydney! I know you care more than you let on. He's a boy! A boy who needs love from someone besides my daughter," she gestured toward the two-way mirror where they could see Jarod and Miss Parker laughing together, sitting at the stark table, a worn chess set between them.
Sydney ambled toward the glass and turned the knob to the right, causing the childrens' voices to echo throughout the room.
"Check," Jarod murmured, thouroughly concentrated on the game.
"I thought this was Chess, Jarod, not Checkers," Miss Parker joked.
"Move your biship in front of my knight," the young Pretender suggested wihout catching her comment.
Little Miss Parker bit her bottom lip and stared at the pieces intimidatingly. Her hand rose and passed over the biship to her pawn which took his queen. She returned her piercing blue eyes to his and grinned, "Never forget the little people, Jarod."
Jarod nodded and smiled along with the girl's mother who turned the volume down once again, eying her friend.
"She does him good," Sydney stated, crossing his arms difinitively.
Catherine nodded, "she does. It goes both ways however. Its like praising eachother's child as they play together."
"Never say that again, Catherine," Sydney collapsed into the chair with a sigh.
"There seem to be plenty of things I should never say or do and I wonder why, Sydney."
"Some things are better left to others and out of our reach. That includes us both. There are so many secrets at The Centre."
"Yes, but I need to share one with you before your brother arrives. Confidentially, please."
The doctor stared at her before glancing at the children through the window, "sit down."
*****
"She knows doesn't she?" came the eerie voice of Dr William Raines.
Mr Parker shook his head, "I'll say this one more time, Doctor, my wife has not read the scrolls and is no longer interested in helping these children."
"Watch it, Parker. I know more than you may think."
"I stand by my words."
Raines eyed Catherine's husband, "We both know that we are connected in ways unknown to anybody else."
"Raines, don't! Don't bring that into this. Things are complicated enough without family affairs involved."
"Wouldn't that be Able to you, brother?" he grinned maliciously while Mr Parker's eyes widened, "connected. Now tell me, brother, what is your wife up to?"
"Nothing."
"Fine, you will regret this moment until your dying day. I'll make sure of that. Just one more thing to keep your mind idle: the test on Miss Parker's blood showed that she was indeed a potential Pretender, but it also said something else. The DNA shows that she is in the same blood line, but at a different branch. Therefore, she has an uncle and a father that she never knew about."
"What are you talking about Raines?"
"Don't you get it? You know what went on between myself and your wife that Thanksgiving night when you failed to come home from work, there's simply nothing you could do about it without losing your career. Do you honestly believe that that was the first time anything had happened. I could be that girl's father, because, face it, its near impossible for you to ever be a father. Uncle? Maybe," Raines pointed at him with a stone glaze over his eyes, "think about it, Mr Parker."
*****
"So, Jacob is my daughter's father. You are her uncle, Sydney," Catherine whispered after her long explanation. Little did she know, but Sydney had given this information almost a year ago by his brother. Still, he had his word to keep and his oath as a phsyciatrist.
"I don't know what to say, Catherine. Have you told Miss Parker?" he inquired.
"No, she can never know. Its safer if my husband believes that he is the father, even if it is a lie. She doesn't have a chance without him, no matter how difficult that is to believe. My poor little girl. I just wish there was something I could do to make it easier for her."
"You are doing everything you need to, Catherine. Look at her," he gestured to the window pane once again, "she is a vivid reflection of you, so bright and happy."
"Thank you, my friend. Its people like you that she needs in her life." The two quickly embraced before Jacob entered the room, knocking over a stack of documents as he did so.
"Oh, sorry about that. Am I interrupting something?" he said.
Catherine laughed and rushed to help him pick up the papers, "No, my friend, not at all. I've received a letter from our young Pretender, Jarod, via Sydney. And he says there's a new variable in our plan. My husband and Mr Raines could dampen our plans."
"So that's what that note was for," Sydney gazed through the window to his pupil.
"Well, I'm not sure what to do now," Jacob pondered, "but Doctor Raines gave me the most frigid look on my way here. My suspicion is growing. We must act swiftly."
"What are you two talking about?" Jacob's twin interrupted, "Please, I beg of you, brother, Catherine, do not be hasty. This could result in death!"
"You worry too much, Sydney. We will be fine," Jacob assured his brother, "now its time for you to drive me home, remember?"
"Oh, yes, I forgot. Let's go, Jacob. Good-bye, Catherine. God bless."
Catherine smiled and nodded as the brothers departed. She walked down the hall to retrieve her child. She couldn't wait until she could go home and call Jacob, with her new plan. The thought never occured to her that she would never get to hear his voice again or that her husband would be the cause for the devestating car accident he would soon suffer.
*****
Blue Cove, Deleware
The Centre
April 12, 1970
"Fennigor, we have to get Timmy and the children out of here tonight. Erase the tapes, especially this one, and carry out with the plan with or without Jacob. I still can't believe it," she paused a moment to brush away her tears, "Poor sweet Jacob. Gone. I must go see Timmy. I fear Raines will do something after my last visit. Godspeed, Fennigor."
*****
Catherine could see the flashing lights down the corridor coming from Timmy's room. She rose her hand and screamed out into the dark, "No!"
Her shadow may have reached the door in time, but she did not. Upon opening it, she screamed in terror at the horrific site before her. She immediately pulled the restraints off of the small boy and slumped with him against the wall. Stroking his hair, she watched as Timmy struggled to keep his own head balanced upright.
"What are you going to do with Timmy, now?" she struggled to say between her cries, her voice cracking slightly.
"There is no more Timmy anymore. From now on, he is to be called Angelo," Raines replied as he walked out of the door with a slight grin. It was as if she had never heard him, as she continued to weep for the lost child while she tried to comfort him as best she could.
*****
Blue Cove, Deleware
The Centre
April 12, 1970
Catherine Parker fled down the hall anxiously. Tears fell from her cheaks to the frigid concrete floors like rain droplets from a summer leaf. The young woman stumbled along the halls, choking back all of the sobs that threatened to erupt. She clutched the silver handle like a lifeline and placing a palm to her clammy forehead she took a deep breath and flung the door open.
"Oh, Sydney, my dear Sydney!" she weeped desperately.
"Catherine? What's wrong?" young Sydney asked, hastily rushing to comfort her, the paperwork on his desk left forgotten, "are you all right?"
"No. I'll never be all right again! The Centre has gone too far once again."
"Sit down, sit down." Sydney lead the distressed woman to the bland sofa in his drabby office. Hands clamped together, the two faced eachother, but Catherine couldn't bear to look him in the eye in fear of breaking down once again.
"Talk to me, Catherine. Everything will work out. Just talk to me of what has you in this state."
"Sydney, Raines has destroyed another child. His name is Timmy and his brain has been scrambled by that bastard. I feel so alone. The plan has changed dramatically. I must convince the world that I am gone, and that I trust Mr Raines."
"What are you talking about, Catherine?" Sydney replied while her daughter and his student were conversing together in the next room.
"I am going to fake my own suicide. I've already seen Jarod to take care of any memories he might have. I can't explain everything, but just promise me that you will never tell my daughter. She's my gift from God," her fingertips trembled as they touched pursed her lips.
"Catherine, I-"
"Please," she whispered.
He leaned forward and clasped hands with her, "Godspeed, Catherine."
The distraught woman nodded and stood abruptly, blowing a kiss before closing the door, her tear shaped ring reflecting the one ray of light in the office. Sydney put his head in his hands and began to weap. Weaping for his brother and now Catherine. What more could possibly go wrong? Suddenly, he heard the gunshot and quickly rushed out the door to see Miss Parker being dragged away from the elevators' doors by the sweepers guarding Jarod's sim lab.
"Mama! Mama!" came the child's shrill voice through her own salty tears.
"Sydney, we have to help her!" Jarod started to the elevator doors, but Sydney only clung to the child, preventing his mobility.
"No! Sydney, let go! I have to help!" Sydney's face was emotionless as he dragged Jarod back into his room where he eventually let him go.
"Sydney, how could you do that? Don't you even care? That was Miss Parker's mother!" the child scorned him.
Sydney shook his head, and willed his own tears back before turning to go, attempting to not ignore the accusing cries from the boy behind him. Here he was alone, again.
