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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: The Pretender belongs to its creators, NBC and all those people listed on the credits. As Jarod would say "You know the dance, Miss Parker." I don't own them; I'm just borrowing them and having them play out scenes from my overactive imagination.
Author's Note: This is definitely going to be a long story, if not a long series. Hope you enjoy and please send comments.
Entanglement and Lies
By Apollo's Girl
(aka AG)
* * * * * * * * * Part 2 * * * * * * * * * *
Miss Parker walked into the apartment that would be her home for the next couple of months. She had to admit it was breathtaking even if it was somewhat empty. Jarod came in behind her and watched her as she walked around. The foyer opened up to a living room and beside it a kitchen. There were high windows that went up to the second floor. She looked up at the indoor balcony and questioned Jarod with her eyes.
"That's the master bedroom, you can close it off with the screens." He replied, pointing to the oriental screens hidden at the two corners.
"Through that hall is the study, a bathroom, an extra bedroom, and the stairs leading upstairs. Up there is the master bedroom, an open room and another bedroom. Also another set of stairs leading to the roof."
"Wow!" Miss Parker replied quietly. "I'm going to take a look around. By the way, are we going to be getting any more furniture? It's a bit bare."
"I thought you could decorate it the way you want. After all you're a lot more picky about things like that."
"Gee thanks."
"You have the rest of the week to decorate and shop." Jarod replied as he followed behind her. Parker just nodded and wondered through the apartment. She noticed the study was filled with computers, Jarod's DSA case among other electronic equipment.
"Looks like you're prepared."
"One needs to be when working against these corporations."
Miss Parker just nodded in reply. She walked up the stairs and looked around. When she got to the master bedroom she stopped.
"Jarod where will you be sleeping?" She asked as she sat down on the bed.
"I thought in here."
"Sorry, but this is my room."
"Our room."
"Excuse me?"
"We're married remember?" Jarod asked a mischievous gleam in his eye.
"Pretending to be." Parker replied. "You'll sleep in one of the other rooms, not here!"
"Take all the fun out of being married." Jarod whined.
"Men!" Parker muttered under her breath.
"I'll sleep in the other room up here." Jarod replied. "That way if you need me, I'll be close by."
"I'm quite capable of taking care of myself, Jarod."
"Uh-huh."
Miss Parker got up and looked around the apartment some more. When she was finished she turned to look at Jarod.
"How tired are you?" She asked, her head tilted to the side studying him.
"Not much, I slept a lot on the plane."
"Good, cause we are going out."
"Where?"
"Shopping."
"What?"
"We need to buy furniture, food and I mean real food not the junk food you have stored in the kitchen and I need clothes among other things. So be a man and get your butt out that door." Miss Parker ordered.
"I thought you were going to do that yourself."
"We're married now- everything is to be done together." Parker replied waving her ring bound finger at him.
"Does that now mean we can sleep in the same room?" Jarod asked as he opened the door for her.
"No!"
"Well it was worth a shot."
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Lyle stalked through the halls of the Centre angrily. If he heard another remark from Brigitte he would take that lollipop of hers and shove it down her throat. As he neared his office, he saw his father walking towards him. 'Oh great what now?' He thought. He was so sick and tired of his family right now that he wouldn't mind reverting back to his previous psychotic self so that he could kill everyone.
"Son." The older man greeted seriously.
"Dad." He replied with as much respect as a son could give.
"We need to talk." Mr. Parker said as he gestured Lyle into the office.
"What about?"
"Hmph. Your sister." He replied as the office door closed.
"I'm working on finding her. However the last trace we have of her is at her house. I went through it myself. Nothing is out of place. My guess is that she was taken from the house." Lyle replied.
"I don't want guesses, son. I want answers. And I want them now."
"I-"
"I know you're working hard and that losing your sister is hard on you. It is on me too." Mr. Parker replied in a fatherly comforting voice. "But the sooner we find her the better. I don't know what she has gotten herself into and I don't like it one bit."
"She said she was okay and that she knew what she was doing. And everything she is doing is to bring Jarod back." Lyle replied. He really didn't care if he found his sister right now. Hell, he didn't care if his whole family disappeared right now, with the bad day he was having. Although deep down inside he knew he would be devastated at losing his family again.
"I still want her found. I don't like not knowing!" Mr. Parker said as he walked out of the office.
"Yes sir." Lyle replied to his father's retreating back. He walked around his desk and sat down in his chair. Ready to kill the next person who walked into the door as he heard a knock.
"What?"
"You sound just like your sister." Sydney replied as he walked into the room.
"What do you want?" Lyle replied his facial expression clearly annoyed. Then noticing that Sydney was wearing glasses. "I see you got your vision back."
"Partly. As for your first question, I came to give you this." Was the Belgium man's reply as he handed Lyle a folder. "Just some interesting reading material on the Gem project I was working on."
Lyle's eyes opened wide as he heard the word Gem. It was his and Sydney's secret code word for his search. "I'll take a look at it later Syd." He replied as he placed it into his briefcase, locking it after he closed it.
Sydney nodded and walked out as Lyle wondered what the old man had found.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
As soon as he got home, Mr. Lyle pulled out the folder and read through the contents. What caught his attention was a photograph. He ran a finger along the girls face, a tear falling from his eye.
"She certainly has grown to be a beautiful young lady."
Lyle looked up at Sydney. "Where?"
"By chance. I found it slipped under one of my folders at the Centre. I don't know who it is from."
"Do you know where this was taken or when?" Mr. Lyle asked.
"No, only it was within the last two years by the looks of it. She looks a lot like her mother."
"Must run in the family." Lyle replied, a small smile on his face. "Daughters looking like their mothers."
"I know you don't want anyone else involved Mr. Lyle, but I asked Broots to find out where the picture was taken." Sydney said quietly. "I didn't tell him anything."
"He's a good man. She is beautiful isn't she?"
"Yes, Jade is."
"I need to find her Sydney. I need my daughter back!" Lyle replied, his anguish clear in his voice as tears streamed down his face.
"I know. I know son." Sydney said quietly as he put his hand on the younger man's shoulder. Squeezing in hope of giving Lyle some comfort, but finding that he could only stand behind the man and listen to him cry.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Miss Parker woke up and was disoriented in her new surroundings. As she realized where she was, she gave a small moan and pulled the covers over her head, wondering what the hell it was that she had gotten herself into. The past few days had been spent on shopping and getting, the apartment in order, as well as planning and practicing for their pretend. She heard a knock at the door and ignored it in hopes that Jarod would leave her alone. Unfortunately he didn't get the hint.
"Rise and shine, honey." Jarod said cheerfully as he came into the room.
"Oh shut up Jarod!" Miss Parker shouted from underneath her covers. "Let me go back to sleep and don't call me * honey *!"
"Well you better get use to it since you're suppose to be my wife." Jarod replied as he pulled the covers from her, only to find Miss Parker in a skimpy silk tank top and underwear.
"Have you no shame!" Miss Parker yelled at him as she pulled the covers back up.
Recovering from his shock, Jarod grinned at Miss Parker. "As your husband, I think I have every right to see you in your, um, night clothes. Plus its not like I haven't seen you in less."
"Seeing me in my bikini doesn't count!" Miss Parker retorted as she remembered the time when Jarod decided to surprise her on her vacation in the Bahamas.
"Who said I only saw you in that?" Jarod asked with raised eyebrows.
"JAROD!"
"I was just kidding." Jarod replied. "Breakfast is ready. Better come down before it cools."
He walked out of the room, closing the doors behind him. She waited in bed listening to the sounds of him walking down the stairs and into the kitchen. Parker heard him placing plates out on to the table. After a few minutes of listening she got up and pulled the long silk robe around herself. She opened up the screens and looked down onto the lower floor.
Jarod hearing the screens open, looked up and gave her a questioning look. "You coming down or not?"
"I'll be there in a minute." Miss Parker replied in an almost gruff voice. When she made her way downstairs she saw that Jarod made a light breakfast of fruit, yogurt and a cup of coffee for her. She frowned a bit at how Jarod knew the small details about her.
"Something wrong?" Jarod asked as he put in a mouth full of blueberry pancakes.
"No, nothing." Parker said as she sat down to eat her breakfast. "So what's on today's list?"
"More practicing of the Pretend. I was able to get some blueprints of the building, but most of it we'll just have to get once we get started there."
"How much more practicing can there be? I mean we just act like a happily married couple."
"Practice makes perfect!" Jarod replied drinking his orange juice.
"Uh-huh! I think you just want to kiss me!"
"Is that so wrong?" Jarod asked with raised eyebrows.
"I can think of classier ways of trying to kiss me." Miss Parker replied getting into the teasing conversation, although part of her was taken aback by it.
"Such as?"
"Such as…" Miss Parker paused, at a lost for words. "A romantic dinner or after a date. Definitely not a Pretend!"
"So if I gave you a romantic dinner you would kiss me?"
"Not on your life."
"I thought you just said-"
"I said I could think of classier ways of 'trying' to kiss me, not actually succeeding!" Parker retorted, swallowing the last bite of her fruit cup.
"We'll see about that!" Jarod replied as he swiped the bowl from her and put the stuff in the sink. We'll see about that!"
Parker could only look at him in bewilderment. 'What the hell did I just get myself into?'
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Broots sat at his desk typing away on the computer, searching for the building in the photograph. He's mind wondered as to why he was doing this. It bothered him that he was helping Mr. Lyle at Sydney's request. He was beginning to question Sydney's loyalties. He studied the photograph and couldn't help but smile at the girl in the picture. She was Asian with long black hair. She looked to be in her teens and there was a smile on her face, however he got the sense from her eyes which were a surprising blue that she was not all that happy. As he was about to turn off the computer, a beeping sound let him know that a match had been found. Looking up at the screen he read, "Citadel Eugenics."
He took the mouse and hit the print button, listening as the whir of the machine began to spit out the paper. Broots then went in search of more information of the place and began to make a folder of information for Mr. Lyle and Sydney. As more information came out he wondered one more time why they were so interested in the girl. 'Lyle sure has a fetish with Asian girls.' He began to worry that he may be the one who might be helping Lyle to find his new mail-order-bride. Then he shook his head realizing that Sydney would never do anything that would help Lyle do something bad. He was pretty sure. 'Yeah, I'm sure, I think…'
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Lyle sat at his desk shifting through the folder Broots had just handed to him. Citadel Eugenics was a company he was vaguely familiar with. He only knew that they were a research company for new birth techniques and disease related research. Lyle found nothing in the folder that said anything different. What he couldn't figure out was why his daughter was there.
It had been five years since he had seen his daughter. One of the reasons he worked at the Centre was to find his daughter. She disappeared when she was eleven. He could still remember that day. The day he lost her and his wife…
Lyle sat at his desk working on some financial papers, one of the few things he hated about being a criminal. You always needed to make sure you had enough money to buy the things you wanted. As his fingers pushed out numbers on the calculator he could hear the door open slowly. He didn't look up, but just continued to work.
"Bobby."
"Yes?"
"Are you almost done yet?" He looked up at his wife, Sylvia. She stood by the door leaning against it with a smile on her face.
"Almost. Trying to figure out why these numbers aren't working."
"Maybe you pushed the wrong button?"
"Always the helpful one aren't you?" Lyle teased. Sylvia laughed.
"Why don't you take a few minutes off and go tuck your daughter in. She's waiting for you to read her a story."
Lyle smile widened at the mention of his daughter. He got up and made his way towards his wife, stopping to take her into his arms.
"I love you." He whispered as he kissed her on the lips, then burying his head into her neck. Sylvia sighed with happiness and kissed her husband back.
"I love you too!"
"Good, cause I was thinking that we should take care of that little thing you wanted tonight."
"Little thing?" Sylvia asked.
"Having another baby."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. I love Jade, I love being a father, and I want another one." Lyle seriously replied.
"But with your line of work?" Sylvia asked, her tone showing her disapproval of his job.
"Honey. I know you hate it, but it was what I was trained to do. And you know I would do anything for this family."
"I know, I know. I just hate what you do." Sylvia replied. Then putting on a seductive smile. "And no I wouldn't mind if we took care of it tonight. Although you know tonight might have to be a practice night."
"You don't think we had enough of that? With Jade and last night?"
"Well practice makes perfect."
Lyle laughed and pulled her into another passionate kiss. Their kiss was interrupted by the cough of their little girl.
"Daddy, you're suppose to be tucking me in!" Jade said her hands on her hips.
"Sorry, I was just giving your mother a good night kiss." Lyle explained as he squatted down to his daughter's eye level.
"And you were talking about having another baby."
"Would you like that?"
"Yes. But I think I could of gone without knowing when the two of you were going to do it."
Her parents looked at her in shock. Jade looked at them slightly bewildered.
"What? You think I don't know what the two of you do? I am eleven."
Lyle and Sylvia began to laugh. "Why don't you go to bed sweetheart? I'll see you in the morning."
"Come on, Princess, I'll go tuck you in now."
"Alright. Night mom, I love you." Jade said giving her mother a kiss.
"Night sweetie."
"Come on." Lyle said as he picked up his daughter, throwing her over his shoulder.
"Daddy!" She squealed.
Lyle bounded up the stairs and playfully threw her down onto her bed. She laughed and crawled underneath her sheets. He helped tuck her in and gave her a kiss on her forehead.
"I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too daddy."
"Have good dreams tonight and I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
Jade sat up in her bed and looked at her father. "I really do love you."
"I know. Is everything alright?"
"Yes it is."
"Are you sure?" He asked worried by the look he saw in her eyes. She looked half frightened and half like she was about to lose something. "Because if something is wrong, I want to know."
"I don't think anything is wrong. I just, I feel like I'm never going to see you again."
"Honey, I'll be fine. You will see me in the morning and you know that mom and I will be in our room, right down the hall."
"I know. I guess I'm just worrying about nothing." Jade relented as she sunk down into her sheets. Lyle smiled at his daughter.
"I love you." He kissed her again and turned out the light. He got up and made his way towards the door, looking back at his daughter as he closed the door.
He walked back downstairs to find his wife in the kitchen. She was pulling out a champagne bottle and two wine glasses. When she saw him she could see his worry.
"What is it?" She asked as she came up to him.
"Jade. She said she had the feeling that she wouldn't see us anymore."
Sylvia looked at him getting uneasy. Both of them knew that their daughter had a special sixth sense.
"It could just be one of her fears getting the best of her." Lyle reasoned.
"That or something bad is going to happen." Sylvia replied. "Maybe tonight we should just keep an eye on her."
"Maybe." Lyle said as he hugged his wife.
"I think I'll go up and check on her." Sylvia stepped back from the embrace, looking up towards where her daughter was.
"I just left a few minutes ago."
"I know but I would feel better if I could see that she's okay."
"Alright. I'll meet you upstairs after I bring out the trash." Lyle relented. Sylvia nodded as she made her way upstairs.
Lyle went over and picked up the trash to take it outside. As he put the trash in the bin outside of the house he saw someone climbing into his daughter's window.
"JADE!" He screamed as he rushed into the house. When he stepped in, he could hear the screams of his daughter and wife. Then he heard a gunshot. He quickly grabbed the gun hidden by the stairs and rushed upstairs. He stopped as he saw his wife lying on the floor, blood seeping through her shirt. He knelt down beside her.
"They have her. In her room… Get her. Don't let-let them take her." Sylvia said through labored breathing.
"I won't. Hold on. I'll get you help." Lyle hushed her, placing a quick kiss on her forehead. He got up quickly and rushed towards his daughter's room. When he walked in he saw some man pulling Jade out of the window.
"Daddy!" She screamed as she struggled with the man.
"Jade! Let her go!" He yelled as he aimed his gun at the man.
"Too late, Mr. Lyle." The man said just as Lyle was hit over the head by another man from behind him. Lyle started to black out and the last thing he saw was his daughter being pulled out of the window and her screams of "Daddy."
Author's Note: This is definitely going to be a long story, if not a long series. Hope you enjoy and please send comments.
By Apollo's Girl
(aka AG)
* * * * * * * * * Part 2 * * * * * * * * * *
Miss Parker walked into the apartment that would be her home for the next couple of months. She had to admit it was breathtaking even if it was somewhat empty. Jarod came in behind her and watched her as she walked around. The foyer opened up to a living room and beside it a kitchen. There were high windows that went up to the second floor. She looked up at the indoor balcony and questioned Jarod with her eyes.
"That's the master bedroom, you can close it off with the screens." He replied, pointing to the oriental screens hidden at the two corners.
"Through that hall is the study, a bathroom, an extra bedroom, and the stairs leading upstairs. Up there is the master bedroom, an open room and another bedroom. Also another set of stairs leading to the roof."
"Wow!" Miss Parker replied quietly. "I'm going to take a look around. By the way, are we going to be getting any more furniture? It's a bit bare."
"I thought you could decorate it the way you want. After all you're a lot more picky about things like that."
"Gee thanks."
"You have the rest of the week to decorate and shop." Jarod replied as he followed behind her. Parker just nodded and wondered through the apartment. She noticed the study was filled with computers, Jarod's DSA case among other electronic equipment.
"Looks like you're prepared."
"One needs to be when working against these corporations."
Miss Parker just nodded in reply. She walked up the stairs and looked around. When she got to the master bedroom she stopped.
"Jarod where will you be sleeping?" She asked as she sat down on the bed.
"I thought in here."
"Sorry, but this is my room."
"Our room."
"Excuse me?"
"We're married remember?" Jarod asked a mischievous gleam in his eye.
"Pretending to be." Parker replied. "You'll sleep in one of the other rooms, not here!"
"Take all the fun out of being married." Jarod whined.
"Men!" Parker muttered under her breath.
"I'll sleep in the other room up here." Jarod replied. "That way if you need me, I'll be close by."
"I'm quite capable of taking care of myself, Jarod."
"Uh-huh."
Miss Parker got up and looked around the apartment some more. When she was finished she turned to look at Jarod.
"How tired are you?" She asked, her head tilted to the side studying him.
"Not much, I slept a lot on the plane."
"Good, cause we are going out."
"Where?"
"Shopping."
"What?"
"We need to buy furniture, food and I mean real food not the junk food you have stored in the kitchen and I need clothes among other things. So be a man and get your butt out that door." Miss Parker ordered.
"I thought you were going to do that yourself."
"We're married now- everything is to be done together." Parker replied waving her ring bound finger at him.
"Does that now mean we can sleep in the same room?" Jarod asked as he opened the door for her.
"No!"
"Well it was worth a shot."
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Lyle stalked through the halls of the Centre angrily. If he heard another remark from Brigitte he would take that lollipop of hers and shove it down her throat. As he neared his office, he saw his father walking towards him. 'Oh great what now?' He thought. He was so sick and tired of his family right now that he wouldn't mind reverting back to his previous psychotic self so that he could kill everyone.
"Son." The older man greeted seriously.
"Dad." He replied with as much respect as a son could give.
"We need to talk." Mr. Parker said as he gestured Lyle into the office.
"What about?"
"Hmph. Your sister." He replied as the office door closed.
"I'm working on finding her. However the last trace we have of her is at her house. I went through it myself. Nothing is out of place. My guess is that she was taken from the house." Lyle replied.
"I don't want guesses, son. I want answers. And I want them now."
"I-"
"I know you're working hard and that losing your sister is hard on you. It is on me too." Mr. Parker replied in a fatherly comforting voice. "But the sooner we find her the better. I don't know what she has gotten herself into and I don't like it one bit."
"She said she was okay and that she knew what she was doing. And everything she is doing is to bring Jarod back." Lyle replied. He really didn't care if he found his sister right now. Hell, he didn't care if his whole family disappeared right now, with the bad day he was having. Although deep down inside he knew he would be devastated at losing his family again.
"I still want her found. I don't like not knowing!" Mr. Parker said as he walked out of the office.
"Yes sir." Lyle replied to his father's retreating back. He walked around his desk and sat down in his chair. Ready to kill the next person who walked into the door as he heard a knock.
"What?"
"You sound just like your sister." Sydney replied as he walked into the room.
"What do you want?" Lyle replied his facial expression clearly annoyed. Then noticing that Sydney was wearing glasses. "I see you got your vision back."
"Partly. As for your first question, I came to give you this." Was the Belgium man's reply as he handed Lyle a folder. "Just some interesting reading material on the Gem project I was working on."
Lyle's eyes opened wide as he heard the word Gem. It was his and Sydney's secret code word for his search. "I'll take a look at it later Syd." He replied as he placed it into his briefcase, locking it after he closed it.
Sydney nodded and walked out as Lyle wondered what the old man had found.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
As soon as he got home, Mr. Lyle pulled out the folder and read through the contents. What caught his attention was a photograph. He ran a finger along the girls face, a tear falling from his eye.
"She certainly has grown to be a beautiful young lady."
Lyle looked up at Sydney. "Where?"
"By chance. I found it slipped under one of my folders at the Centre. I don't know who it is from."
"Do you know where this was taken or when?" Mr. Lyle asked.
"No, only it was within the last two years by the looks of it. She looks a lot like her mother."
"Must run in the family." Lyle replied, a small smile on his face. "Daughters looking like their mothers."
"I know you don't want anyone else involved Mr. Lyle, but I asked Broots to find out where the picture was taken." Sydney said quietly. "I didn't tell him anything."
"He's a good man. She is beautiful isn't she?"
"Yes, Jade is."
"I need to find her Sydney. I need my daughter back!" Lyle replied, his anguish clear in his voice as tears streamed down his face.
"I know. I know son." Sydney said quietly as he put his hand on the younger man's shoulder. Squeezing in hope of giving Lyle some comfort, but finding that he could only stand behind the man and listen to him cry.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Miss Parker woke up and was disoriented in her new surroundings. As she realized where she was, she gave a small moan and pulled the covers over her head, wondering what the hell it was that she had gotten herself into. The past few days had been spent on shopping and getting, the apartment in order, as well as planning and practicing for their pretend. She heard a knock at the door and ignored it in hopes that Jarod would leave her alone. Unfortunately he didn't get the hint.
"Rise and shine, honey." Jarod said cheerfully as he came into the room.
"Oh shut up Jarod!" Miss Parker shouted from underneath her covers. "Let me go back to sleep and don't call me * honey *!"
"Well you better get use to it since you're suppose to be my wife." Jarod replied as he pulled the covers from her, only to find Miss Parker in a skimpy silk tank top and underwear.
"Have you no shame!" Miss Parker yelled at him as she pulled the covers back up.
Recovering from his shock, Jarod grinned at Miss Parker. "As your husband, I think I have every right to see you in your, um, night clothes. Plus its not like I haven't seen you in less."
"Seeing me in my bikini doesn't count!" Miss Parker retorted as she remembered the time when Jarod decided to surprise her on her vacation in the Bahamas.
"Who said I only saw you in that?" Jarod asked with raised eyebrows.
"JAROD!"
"I was just kidding." Jarod replied. "Breakfast is ready. Better come down before it cools."
He walked out of the room, closing the doors behind him. She waited in bed listening to the sounds of him walking down the stairs and into the kitchen. Parker heard him placing plates out on to the table. After a few minutes of listening she got up and pulled the long silk robe around herself. She opened up the screens and looked down onto the lower floor.
Jarod hearing the screens open, looked up and gave her a questioning look. "You coming down or not?"
"I'll be there in a minute." Miss Parker replied in an almost gruff voice. When she made her way downstairs she saw that Jarod made a light breakfast of fruit, yogurt and a cup of coffee for her. She frowned a bit at how Jarod knew the small details about her.
"Something wrong?" Jarod asked as he put in a mouth full of blueberry pancakes.
"No, nothing." Parker said as she sat down to eat her breakfast. "So what's on today's list?"
"More practicing of the Pretend. I was able to get some blueprints of the building, but most of it we'll just have to get once we get started there."
"How much more practicing can there be? I mean we just act like a happily married couple."
"Practice makes perfect!" Jarod replied drinking his orange juice.
"Uh-huh! I think you just want to kiss me!"
"Is that so wrong?" Jarod asked with raised eyebrows.
"I can think of classier ways of trying to kiss me." Miss Parker replied getting into the teasing conversation, although part of her was taken aback by it.
"Such as?"
"Such as…" Miss Parker paused, at a lost for words. "A romantic dinner or after a date. Definitely not a Pretend!"
"So if I gave you a romantic dinner you would kiss me?"
"Not on your life."
"I thought you just said-"
"I said I could think of classier ways of 'trying' to kiss me, not actually succeeding!" Parker retorted, swallowing the last bite of her fruit cup.
"We'll see about that!" Jarod replied as he swiped the bowl from her and put the stuff in the sink. We'll see about that!"
Parker could only look at him in bewilderment. 'What the hell did I just get myself into?'
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Broots sat at his desk typing away on the computer, searching for the building in the photograph. He's mind wondered as to why he was doing this. It bothered him that he was helping Mr. Lyle at Sydney's request. He was beginning to question Sydney's loyalties. He studied the photograph and couldn't help but smile at the girl in the picture. She was Asian with long black hair. She looked to be in her teens and there was a smile on her face, however he got the sense from her eyes which were a surprising blue that she was not all that happy. As he was about to turn off the computer, a beeping sound let him know that a match had been found. Looking up at the screen he read, "Citadel Eugenics."
He took the mouse and hit the print button, listening as the whir of the machine began to spit out the paper. Broots then went in search of more information of the place and began to make a folder of information for Mr. Lyle and Sydney. As more information came out he wondered one more time why they were so interested in the girl. 'Lyle sure has a fetish with Asian girls.' He began to worry that he may be the one who might be helping Lyle to find his new mail-order-bride. Then he shook his head realizing that Sydney would never do anything that would help Lyle do something bad. He was pretty sure. 'Yeah, I'm sure, I think…'
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Lyle sat at his desk shifting through the folder Broots had just handed to him. Citadel Eugenics was a company he was vaguely familiar with. He only knew that they were a research company for new birth techniques and disease related research. Lyle found nothing in the folder that said anything different. What he couldn't figure out was why his daughter was there.
It had been five years since he had seen his daughter. One of the reasons he worked at the Centre was to find his daughter. She disappeared when she was eleven. He could still remember that day. The day he lost her and his wife…
Lyle sat at his desk working on some financial papers, one of the few things he hated about being a criminal. You always needed to make sure you had enough money to buy the things you wanted. As his fingers pushed out numbers on the calculator he could hear the door open slowly. He didn't look up, but just continued to work.
"Bobby."
"Yes?"
"Are you almost done yet?" He looked up at his wife, Sylvia. She stood by the door leaning against it with a smile on her face.
"Almost. Trying to figure out why these numbers aren't working."
"Maybe you pushed the wrong button?"
"Always the helpful one aren't you?" Lyle teased. Sylvia laughed.
"Why don't you take a few minutes off and go tuck your daughter in. She's waiting for you to read her a story."
Lyle smile widened at the mention of his daughter. He got up and made his way towards his wife, stopping to take her into his arms.
"I love you." He whispered as he kissed her on the lips, then burying his head into her neck. Sylvia sighed with happiness and kissed her husband back.
"I love you too!"
"Good, cause I was thinking that we should take care of that little thing you wanted tonight."
"Little thing?" Sylvia asked.
"Having another baby."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. I love Jade, I love being a father, and I want another one." Lyle seriously replied.
"But with your line of work?" Sylvia asked, her tone showing her disapproval of his job.
"Honey. I know you hate it, but it was what I was trained to do. And you know I would do anything for this family."
"I know, I know. I just hate what you do." Sylvia replied. Then putting on a seductive smile. "And no I wouldn't mind if we took care of it tonight. Although you know tonight might have to be a practice night."
"You don't think we had enough of that? With Jade and last night?"
"Well practice makes perfect."
Lyle laughed and pulled her into another passionate kiss. Their kiss was interrupted by the cough of their little girl.
"Daddy, you're suppose to be tucking me in!" Jade said her hands on her hips.
"Sorry, I was just giving your mother a good night kiss." Lyle explained as he squatted down to his daughter's eye level.
"And you were talking about having another baby."
"Would you like that?"
"Yes. But I think I could of gone without knowing when the two of you were going to do it."
Her parents looked at her in shock. Jade looked at them slightly bewildered.
"What? You think I don't know what the two of you do? I am eleven."
Lyle and Sylvia began to laugh. "Why don't you go to bed sweetheart? I'll see you in the morning."
"Come on, Princess, I'll go tuck you in now."
"Alright. Night mom, I love you." Jade said giving her mother a kiss.
"Night sweetie."
"Come on." Lyle said as he picked up his daughter, throwing her over his shoulder.
"Daddy!" She squealed.
Lyle bounded up the stairs and playfully threw her down onto her bed. She laughed and crawled underneath her sheets. He helped tuck her in and gave her a kiss on her forehead.
"I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too daddy."
"Have good dreams tonight and I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
Jade sat up in her bed and looked at her father. "I really do love you."
"I know. Is everything alright?"
"Yes it is."
"Are you sure?" He asked worried by the look he saw in her eyes. She looked half frightened and half like she was about to lose something. "Because if something is wrong, I want to know."
"I don't think anything is wrong. I just, I feel like I'm never going to see you again."
"Honey, I'll be fine. You will see me in the morning and you know that mom and I will be in our room, right down the hall."
"I know. I guess I'm just worrying about nothing." Jade relented as she sunk down into her sheets. Lyle smiled at his daughter.
"I love you." He kissed her again and turned out the light. He got up and made his way towards the door, looking back at his daughter as he closed the door.
He walked back downstairs to find his wife in the kitchen. She was pulling out a champagne bottle and two wine glasses. When she saw him she could see his worry.
"What is it?" She asked as she came up to him.
"Jade. She said she had the feeling that she wouldn't see us anymore."
Sylvia looked at him getting uneasy. Both of them knew that their daughter had a special sixth sense.
"It could just be one of her fears getting the best of her." Lyle reasoned.
"That or something bad is going to happen." Sylvia replied. "Maybe tonight we should just keep an eye on her."
"Maybe." Lyle said as he hugged his wife.
"I think I'll go up and check on her." Sylvia stepped back from the embrace, looking up towards where her daughter was.
"I just left a few minutes ago."
"I know but I would feel better if I could see that she's okay."
"Alright. I'll meet you upstairs after I bring out the trash." Lyle relented. Sylvia nodded as she made her way upstairs.
Lyle went over and picked up the trash to take it outside. As he put the trash in the bin outside of the house he saw someone climbing into his daughter's window.
"JADE!" He screamed as he rushed into the house. When he stepped in, he could hear the screams of his daughter and wife. Then he heard a gunshot. He quickly grabbed the gun hidden by the stairs and rushed upstairs. He stopped as he saw his wife lying on the floor, blood seeping through her shirt. He knelt down beside her.
"They have her. In her room… Get her. Don't let-let them take her." Sylvia said through labored breathing.
"I won't. Hold on. I'll get you help." Lyle hushed her, placing a quick kiss on her forehead. He got up quickly and rushed towards his daughter's room. When he walked in he saw some man pulling Jade out of the window.
"Daddy!" She screamed as she struggled with the man.
"Jade! Let her go!" He yelled as he aimed his gun at the man.
"Too late, Mr. Lyle." The man said just as Lyle was hit over the head by another man from behind him. Lyle started to black out and the last thing he saw was his daughter being pulled out of the window and her screams of "Daddy."
