Vanished

By Gemini-M

Chapter 13

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Author's Note: Once again, I'm sorry for the delay in posting this
chapter, but sometimes Real life gets in the way and then the imagination and
creativity goes out the window. This chapter is the longest so far, so I hope it
makes up for the long break. Good news, one more chapter and this little
adventure is over. Hope you all have enjoyed the ride. Thanks to everyone who
have read my story and to NYT, JLC, imag1ne, Mono20, Nans and Sirus183 for your
latest reviews and patience.

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the
strong." Mahatma Gandhi.

The Centre5:20 a.m.

In the midst of all the chaos created by the bomb threat, the little group
managed to escape the Centre without detection. To Miss Parker's relief, Sam
once again came through for her. Without delay her loyal sweeper expertly
started Sydney's car, but Parker decided to take control of the get-away
vehicle. She needed to keep her mind focused on something to avoid thinking
about Angelo and Ethan's frightening message. They both had sensed that
something was very wrong and lives were at stake, but she had to think positive
and pray that they would find Jarod and Sydney in time to save them from
whatever peril they were in now.

The sunrise just ahead of them was magnificent. The storm clouds had
finally dissipated and were slowly vanishing in the horizon, but as the rays of
sunlight broke through the remaining clouds it created a heavenly tapestry with
beams of light that made the clouds glow against the early morning sky. For a
moment, Miss Parker became mesmerized by the beautiful sunrise, and found
herself embraced by the warm light, rewarding her with a sensation of peace and
hope. "Every cloud has a silver lining." Parker murmured inwardly, her
lips curving into a soft smile. Maybe this was a sign pointing her to a new
beginning and the freedom she had craved for the last six years.

Suddenly, a thunderous sound behind them made her jump, but Parker kept
her eyes focused on the road ahead. Her alarmed little brother, on the seat next
to her, and the other passengers in the back turned around in their seats to
witness with shock the destruction of the Centre in the distance, but she would
not look back. The Centre was gone and that was all that mattered. Now her new
mission was to find Jarod and Sydney. Then, she would start a new life leaving
her dark and painful past behind forever. An inner sense of peace told her that
this was the plan her mother wanted her to complete. For her and the others
Centre's children to finally leave this cursed place and live a normal life.

"OH MAN. IT'S GONE!" Sam exclaimed, bringing her back to reality.
"Miss Parker, I think we're unemployed as of right now."

"GOOD, I can use a long vacation."

Ethan was speechless, his panicked eyes fixed on the black smoke and
flames that danced above the huge building. On the other hand, Angelo was
ecstatic. The little man was screaming, laughing and jumping from one window to
another trying to catch a better view of the Centre's annihilation.

Miss Parker glanced in the rear-view mirror and could not help but smile
at Angelo's reaction, for she knew exactly how the empath felt. For the first
time in his lonely life he was free from that horrible place and the people who
had trapped him there a lifetime ago. Yes, it was the beginning of a new life
for her little friend as well, and that joy brought tears to her eyes.

"Miss Parker, should we call Broots?" Sam asked suddenly.

Immediately, Parker diverted her eyes from the rear-view mirror in an
effort to hide her emotions from her sweeper. "NO!...Lets retrieve the Centre
car we left on that deserted road and then we will rendezvous with Broots."
Parker said wearily. "If I call Broots now, he's going to drive me insane
with his questions."

"What about Sydney and Jarod?" Sam enquired with concern.

"First, I need to get Ethan, Broots and Angelo to a safe place. Then we
will worry about locating Sydney and the Lab rat." Parker said
frustrated.

"White Clouds." Ethan whispered.

"WHAT?" Parker's attention was instantly on her brother. "Ethan,
what do you mean?"

"The voices...her voice." Ethan paused, his troubled eyes meeting
his sister's questionable gaze. "Our mother...She is saying that Jarod is
there and he's in danger."

"Miss Parker what is he mumbling about?" Sam asked leaning forward
in the back seat.

"Sydney's cabin!" Parker replied stunned, completely ignoring the
man behind her.

"What about Sydney's cabin?" Sam asked again, now more
confused.

"Ethan is saying that Jarod and Sydney are in White Clouds...That's
where Sydney's cabin is located." Parker answered trancelike.

"And how does he know that?" Sam asked incredulously.

"It's hard to explain Sam, but he knows...Ethan can hear my mother's
voice." Parker said almost inaudibly.

"But Miss Parker, your mother is...Dead."

"Yes Sam, but Ethan has a gift...He can hear her voice."

"Man that's freaky!" Sam said impulsively, obtaining an angry look
from his boss.

"S...sorry Miss Parker, I...I didn't mean that he's a freak or anything
like that...It's just that..."

"It's alright Sam." Parker raised a hand to stop her sweeper's
apology. "My whole family is a FREAK SHOW."

After what Miss Parker said, Sam chose to remain quiet. He knew that his
boss was right in so many levels. This amazing woman had survived events that
would make a normal person go insane. She had witnessed her mother's suicide at
a very young age, but then later discovered, as an adult, that her mother really
didn't die on that date. She had a flesh-eating psychopath for a brother. She
had a monster for a father or fathers. She had been forced to hunt her childhood
friend, and now she had found a younger brother who heard dead people. And
through all this nightmare of a life she was also trapped in a ruthless
organization that stole children from their families and exploited them to
selfishly gain wealth and power.

"Sam we're here!" Parker's voice startled Sam from his thoughts.
"Get the car and we'll meet back at my house."

"Yes Ma'am!" Sam snapped to attention and exited Sydney's car in a
matter of seconds.

A cloud of dust was all that remained behind as both cars sped away
towards the highway leading out of Blue Cove, leaving in the distance the
glowing ruins of the ominous building.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sydney's Cabin, White Clouds.5:45 a.m.

Struggling between consciousness and the darkness that called to him,
Jarod fought against the nightmare images in his head and began to focus on the
muffled but familiar voice that persisted on pulling him out of that
abyss.

"Jarod, are you alright?" The accented voice repeated with concern.
"Jarod, please wake up!...Jarod!"

The pounding headache was unbearable, he felt like he had been hit with a
sledgehammer. All he wanted to do was to surrender into that dark void, where
there was no pain or nightmares, and erase his whole life, but that voice kept
calling him. Grimacing and trying to block the pain, Jarod shook his head slowly
to clear the cobwebs from his bruised brain. Finally focusing on that voice, he
forced his heavy eyelids to open, but his vision was all a blur.

To his disappointment, he quickly noticed that his hands were handcuffed
in front of him. "Damn" Jarod hissed to himself. He just couldn't believe
his bad luck. Testing the degree of his strength, Jarod cautiously raised his
head and shoulders of the floor and propped himself up on one elbows. After a
moments rest, the haggard pretender pushed himself to a sitting position on the
floor and leaned heavily against a lounge chair that was behind him. When he
finally managed to blink away some of the fuzziness, Jarod looked up and the
first image that came into focus was Lyle's face.

"LYLE." Jarod said through clenched teeth.

"Welcome back to the world of the living Jarod." Lyle said
smiling. "I thought you would never wake up."

Jarod's dark brown eyes bore into the other man, but he remained silent.
Lyle walked to the fireplace and casually leaned against the mantel piece while
he checked the rounds in his 9mm.

"Come on Jarod, don't you have some Genius remark for me?" Lyle
teased.

Averting Lyle's cold stare, the pretender darted his eyes around the room
to find Sydney sitting on a couch and a body stretched on the floor near the
kitchen entrance. Looking away from the body, Jarod swallowed hard and tried to
remain calm. His eyes traveled back to his mentor. The old man looked very weak
and had a new cut on his cheek, but for now he seemed fine. Words were not
needed to express the concern on his mentor's face. For as long as he could
remember, he and Sydney had learned to communicate with each other without a
single word. It was like they could read each other's mind. The pretender's
anguish filled eyes met his mentor's frightened gaze and nodded that he was
fine, obtaining a sigh of relief from his old friend. Jarod frowned as he looked
back towards the body, trying to get a grasp on what was happening and what Lyle
was planning to do with them.

"Well, aren't you happy to see me Jarod?" Lyle interrupted.

"Only if you were dead." Jarod hissed, returning his gaze back to
Lyle.

"Come on Jarod. You know me better than that...If there is one thing I
don't do easy it's dying."

"No, but you don't have any problem removing obstacles." Jarod said
eyeing the body.

"Oh that. Yes, Mr. Cox became an annoying obstacle." Lyle paused
for a moment enjoying the look of disgust in Jarod's face. "Mr. Cox and Alex
were working together. I intercepted an e-mail from Mr. Cox to Alex and found
out that they were planning to take over the Centre by eliminating all the
Parkers." Lyle laughed evilly. "But the idiot Mr. Cox didn't know that
Alex wanted revenge against everyone related with the Centre, including him."

"So you just beat Alex to the kill." Jarod finished for
him.

"Exactly!" Lyle said with pride. "Remember Jarod, I helped to
create him, so I knew Alex better than anybody."

A long pause followed as both men stared at each other with repulsion.
Lyle's words brought back the painful revelations of his own origin. Jarod just
wanted to leap off the floor and choke the life out of him. Not taking his eyes
away from the other man, Jarod tried to stand up but a wave of dizziness forced
him back down on the floor.

"Jarod, I wouldn't do that if I were you." Lyle taunted. "You
might have another concussion."

Cautiously, Jarod felt the back of his head and winced when he found the
painful lump. When he retrieved his hands, they were stained with blood.

"How long was I unconscious?" Jarod asked in a low rasping
voice.

"I don't know...a couple of hours." Lyle spat back and turned his
back on the pretender. Lyle walked over to the window and stood there staring at
the lake in the distance.

Jarod looked at his watch. It was almost 6:00 a.m. He closed his eyes
trying to relieve the pain and the dizziness, but his thoughts immediately went
to those who were most important to him. 'I hope that Miss Parker and Angelo
succeeded in finding Ethan and left the Centre in time before the explosion.'
Jarod sighed tiredly. 'When is this nightmare going to end?' Now he
had to deal with another psycho. One who was an expert at cheating death and
thanks to that talent, Lyle had gotten away with murder too many times. He had
spared his life the last time they met, but it was time to make things right and
make Lyle pay for all the atrocities he had committed.

"Looks like you had a bad day GENIUS." Lyle's pestering tone
recaptured Jarod's attention. "First, you almost got blown-up at my apartment
by a bomb set by your brother, Ethan. Next, the Centre re-captures you. Then,
Alex tries to kill you and Sydney and after all that you walk right into my
trap."

"You knew about Ethan planting the explosives in your apartment."
It was more of a statement than a question.

"I know many things Jarod. That's what makes me a SURVIVOR."

"Then you know that Alex is dead." Jarod said simply.

"I know." Lyle said with a smirk on his face.

Jarod looked at the man stunned.

"Don't look so surprised Jarod." Lyle paused again adding to the
suspense. He simply enjoyed tormenting the pretender, especially when it came to
anticipating his every move. "I had Sydney's house bugged a long time ago and
it finally paid off. It is so much easier when you know your opponents' every
move."

"With all your rivals eliminated, why bring Mr. Cox here?"

"Good question Jarod!" Lyle responded with enthusiasm. "And that
will be answered when I tell you my brilliant plan."

Jarod's face grew tense and his dark eyes narrowed as he followed Lyle's
movement across the room.

"Mr. Cox here." Lyle pointed at the dead man with his gun. "Came
here to kill the good Doctor, but in the struggle he also gets shot...So when
the authorities arrive they will find them both dead."

Jarod and Sydney shared a nervous glance. They both knew they would have
to work together if they were going to stop Lyle. Sydney could see the muscles
of Jarod's jaw tightening with anger, but he prayed that the pretender would
think before doing something drastic. At the moment, Jarod and he were in no
shape to go against Lyle. The longer they kept Lyle talking, the better chance
they had to think of a plan to over power this psycho and live through this
nightmare.

"Lyle, the Centre is finished." Jarod said with delight, obtaining
a smile from his mentor. Just like he hoped, Jarod was working on a plan to get
them out alive. "Lyle, there's no place for you to rule anymore."

"Oh, I also knew about Alex's plan to blow-up the Centre, but I don't
care about the Centre anymore."

Jarod gave Lyle a quizzical look.

"Jarod, you and I are going to take a little trip to Africa."
Lyle's lips twisted into a wicked smile. "You see, when I return you to
the Triumvirate everything will be back to normal and I will be amply rewarded
for bringing back their prized Pretender. Plus I will be in charge of your
re-education and the new Pretender project."

Lyle began to laugh maniacally when he saw the look of shock and panic in
Jarod's eyes. "Jarod, I wish you could see your face."

"I WILL NOT ALLOW THAT!" Sydney erupted and began to stand from the
couch, but before Jarod was able to tell Sydney to stop, Lyle advanced on the
old man and struck him violently across the face with his fist. Unable to defend
himself against the younger man, Sydney crashed to the floor with a loud thud.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Jarod screamed enraged.

The battered pretender managed to get to his feet, struggling against the
spell of vertigo that assaulted him again. Jarod stumbled momentarily, regaining
his balance when his handcuffed hands grabbed hold of the arm of the couch
Sydney occupied a few minutes earlier. Still a little wobbly, Jarod knelt on the
floor next to his mentor.

"Sydney, are you alright?" Jarod asked with concern, gently tapping
the unconscious man's face. "Sydney come on, don't give-up on me now."

"Oh how sweet, the PRODIGAL SON caring for his SURROGATE
FATHER." Lyle mocked.

Briefly, Jarod's dark eyes clashed with Lyle's emotionless gaze, but the
pretender looked away. He was not going to let Lyle manipulate him into a
confrontation. Now his main concern was to help Sydney.

"I don't understand you Jarod." Lyle said folding his arms across
his chest. "Here you are trying to help him after he kept you locked-up for
thirty years and treated you like a Lab Rat."

"GO TO HELL LYLE!" Jarod growled without taking his eyes away from
the old man next to him.

"No...not yet, but I'll go prepare myself something to eat." Lyle
replied with an evil smile. "I'm starving." When he reached the kitchen
door, Lyle stopped and warned in a low and threatening tone. "Don't get any
ideas Genius, I'm not my sister...If you try to escape, I will kill Sydney and
put a bullet in both of your knees, don't need to be able to walk to pretend now
do we?"

The pretender stared angrily at the man until he disappeared into the
kitchen. When he shifted his gaze back to Sydney, he was slowly regaining
consciousness.

"Sydney are you alright?" Jarod asked quietly.

Sydney's eyes fluttered open and he began to scan the room nervously. When
his eyes met those of the pretender he smiled slightly, but reality quickly set
in and Sydney remembered their grim situation.

"Where is Lyle?" Sydney whispered with fear.

"He's in the kitchen preparing some food." Jarod murmured glancing
in that direction.

"Good." Sydney replied and reached into his coat pocket. A second
later he placed something in Jarod's hand.

When Jarod looked down, his eyes widened with surprise. In his hand was a
small revolver. He had no idea how or when Sydney had obtained the gun, but he
was glad that his mentor still had a few tricks of his own in this game of
survival. Jarod quickly tucked the gun in his belt under his jacket and
proceeded to helping his mentor off the floor.

"How's your head Sydney?"

"Well, at the moment I only see one of you, so that must be an
improvement."

Jarod's lips curled into a sad smile. "Yes Sydney, that's an
improvement."

"Sydney, we have to find a way out of this..." Jarod said almost
inaudibly, his eyes traveling to the kitchen entrance momentarily. "So be
ready to follow my lead."

Sydney's eyes held the pretender penetrating gaze for a moment before the
silver head slowly nodded in agreement. Sydney felt old and broken. He had
promised himself that he was going to protect Jarod and now all he could do was
pray that Jarod could defeat the evil Parker twin. Sydney knew that Jarod was in
no condition to go against Lyle, but what he saw in Jarod's eyes frightened him
even more. The pretender's eye were cold and filled with hatred, something he
had never seen in all the years he had known this kind and gifted human
being.

"Jarod?" Sydney asked with fear.

"What?" Jarod replied coldly.

"Jarod...Please don't let Lyle destroy..."

"There's no other way Sydney." Jarod interrupted his voice
emotionless. "This time I will stop Lyle for good."

"But Jarod..."

"No Sydney, this confrontation is been a long time coming."

"Do you think REVENGE is the answer?" Sydney said in
a scolding tone. "Jarod, I'm not going to allow..."

"THIS IS MY FIGHT AND YOU'RE GOING TO STAY OUT OF IT!" Jarod spat
back angrily, his eyes hard and unyielding.

"How is the good Doctor feeling?" Lyle's voice drew Sydney's
attention away from the pretender and his angry eyes bore daggers at their
tormentor.

"Doctor, if looks could kill." Lyle teased. "Doctor, you know
very well that repressed anger could lead to madness and violence."

Sydney's piercing eyes followed Lyle's movements for a moment before he
looked away and shook his head annoyed. He was not going to get involved in a
war of words with this sociopath. At the moment, he was more concerned about
Jarod's decision. Sydney could feel his chest tightening and his breathing
becoming more labored. He felt helpless and at the mercy of this madman and, to
make matters worse, he feared that Jarod was headed on a path of
self-destruction.

Jarod simply ignored the other man's presence and sat next to his mentor
on the couch. The pretender averted his eyes to his handcuffed hands and closed
his eyes. He had to remain calm to try to run some kind of escape simulation in
his mind, but his colossal headache and Lyle's constant teasing was not helping.

"Okay gentlemen, is time to leave." Lyle said casually. "I have
important meetings to keep and plans to be made."

"Lyle, you said once that we could do great things together." Jarod
said as he stood.

"Yes, but you turned down my offer."

"I'll go with you with one condition." Jarod replied
simply.

"CONDITION?" Lyle spat furiously.

"Leave Sydney out of this." Jarod's voice was filled with loathing.
"This is between you and me."

Slowly, Lyle walked across the room and stood in front of the fireplace.
When he finally turned around, he glared at the old man next to the pretender.
"Sorry Jarod...Sydney is part of the plan."

"What plan?" Jarod asked nervously.

"You see Jarod... Your re-education starts here." Lyle said with an
evil smile.

Suddenly, the room became as silent as a tomb. Jarod and Sydney glanced at
each other with concern. Now that the Centre was gone, this Psycho was
determined to reach the top of the Triumvirate ladder at any cost and he was not
going to listen to reason.

"For your re-conditioning to work, changes must be made..." Lyle
paused, enjoying the fear in the pretender's eyes. "And OBSTACLES
removed."

"Obstacles?" Jarod asked with concern.

"Yes genius, your family and the others."

"Sydney, Angelo and...Miss Parker." Jarod said almost
inaudibly.

"If she's still alive." Lyle finished with a smile.

"Lyle, you don't have to do this." Jarod pleaded. "I've agreed
to go with you."

"WRONG JAROD" Lyle said in a low and threatening tone. "AS LONG
AS THEY'RE ALIVE, THEY'LL INFLUENCE YOUR ALLIANCE TO THE
TRIUMVIRATE."

"My family would have no knowledge of my whereabouts." Jarod argued
softly. "And with my capture, Miss Parker and the others are..."

"FREE TO LEAVE THE CENTRE?" Lyle laughed maniacally. "That was a
promise made by the late Mr. Parker, but after his untimely death conditions
have changed and new contracts made."

"New contracts?" Jarod asked with fear.

"Yes Jarod; A new contract was put in effect to eliminate all the
members of your family and to my advantage and thanks to Mr. White I know
exactly where they are at this moment." Lyle said with great joy. "It
would be a shame to waste such vital information. Don't you think?"

"What?" Jarod replied with a look of panic written all over his
face.

"And remember Jarod, I'm not like my dear SISTER." Lyle said with a
wild look in his eyes. "I'm very good at the hunt...I will track them down
and hunt them like ANIMALS."

"YOU BASTARD, LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE!" Jarod shouted in a murderous
tone. "IF YOU HARM THEM, I'LL..."

"YOU WILL NOT DO ANYTHING JAROD." Lyle interrupted loudly.
"BESIDES, THEY'RE NOT FAMILY...REMEMBER?

"FAMILY OR NOT, I'M NOT GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO HARM THEM...THE CENTRE
HAS DESTROYED TOO MANY LIVES ALREADY." Jarod shouted back.

From his place on the couch, Sydney watched both men nervously.

"And who said this was a Centre directive?...I'm calling the shots now
Jarod."

"YOU, SON OF A BITCH...I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Jarod growled and lunged towards the other man, but the sudden movement
rewarded him with another wave of vertigo, sending him to the ground on his
knees, while Lyle agilely moved out of his reach laughing. When Jarod looked up,
his eyes were black as night and filled with a fury that made Lyle swallow hard.
Suddenly, flashes of a previous confrontation with the elusive pretender flooded
Lyle's mind. He had survived Jarod's wrath after his involvement in Nicolas'
kidnapping, but a gut feeling was telling him that perhaps this time he had
pushed the pretender too far.

"JAROD, PLEASE STOP!"

Sydney struggled off the couch and tried to hold the pretender back, but
this one was out of control with rage. Jarod pushed the old man away from him
flipped the coffee table out of the way and staggered back to his feet. Even
thought his hands were still handcuffed, the crazed pretender was determined to
reach Lyle and make him pay for all the suffering he had inflicted on his family
and others. Jarod knew that this might very well mean his own destruction, but
in Jarod's eyes this was the only way to deal with this Centre monster.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On route to White Clouds.7:00 a.m.

"What time is it Sam?"

Sam glanced at his watch, keeping both hands firmly on the steering wheel,
"It's almost 7:00 a.m. Miss Parker."

"Step on it Sam." Miss Parker urged her sweeper.

"Yes Ma'am!" Sam replied and slowly accelerated as ordered, hoping
that they would not end up at a bottom of a cliff. He hated driving on mountain
roads especially when they were so slippery due to the rain and ice.

"Miss Parker why did you send Broots, Angelo and Ethan to stay with
that guy Ben Miller?" Sam asked suddenly, surprising his boss.

"Ben Miller was...a good friend of my mother and they will be safe with
him."

"Does anybody else know about this Mr. Miller?" Sam asked
cautiously

"Yes." Parker paused as she remembered how she discovered Ben
Miller's existence and his involvement with her mother. "Sydney and
Jarod."

"Jarod knows this guy?" Sam asked surprised.

"IS THERE ANYONE FROM MY PAST THAT BOY GENIUS DOESN'T KNOW?" Parker
spat back with sarcasm.

Sam glanced at his boss but decided that he better let that question go
unanswered. Miss Parker was right. The Lab Rat had a gift when it came to
digging up secrets and finding hidden skeletons in the Parker family asylum.
Already his boss was furious enough at the crazy pretender and he would rather
not share any of the heat.

Jarod, you're going to fry." Sam mumbled.

"WHAT?" Parker asked glaring at her sweeper.

"OH...Nothing Miss Parker, I was just saying that...It must be freezing
out there." Sam said nervously feeling the weight of her stare.

"How much longer?"

"About twenty more minutes Miss Parker."

"Go faster."

"Yes Ma'am!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sydney's Cabin

"JAROD, YOU BETTER LISTEN TO YOUR MASTER OR YOU MIGHT BE THE FIRST ONE
TO DIE." Lyle aimed his gun at Jarod's heart while taking a few steps away
from the enraged man. His icy stare clashing with the pretender's menacing black
eyes.

"NOT THIS TIME LYLE." Jarod said through clenched teeth. His pain
now forgotten, all he could feel was the adrenalin burning in his veins.
"PLUS YOU NEED ME ALIVE."

"Not necessarily GENIUS." Lyle replied with a malicious smile.
"Remember the BOUNTY."

"What bounty?" Sydney's concerned voice interrupted.

"Well well...You didn't inform Sydney about the latest development?"
Lyle teased enjoying the fire in Jarod's eyes.

"JAROD, WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?" Sydney approached his pupil once
again.

"SYDNEY, I TOLD YOU TO STAY OUT OF THIS." Jarod said, glaring
furiously at the man a few feet away.

"Sydney, your precious pretender is worth twenty million dollars, DEAD
OR ALIVE" Lyle said with amusement as he continued to aim the weapon at the
pretender. "And I'm planning to collect that REWARD."

"WHAT?" Sydney replied horrified.

"On the other hand, you're worth nothing to me." Lyle said with
spite as he changed his aim towards the old man. "So I'll start the
elimination process with YOU."

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

Jarod's terrifying scream echoed throughout the house an instant before it
was drowned by the explosion from the gun shot. In desperation, the pretender
jumped in front of his mentor pushing him out of the way, but unfortunately
placing himself in the path of the projectile.

Helplessly lying on the floor a few feet away, Sydney watched in horror as
Jarod collapsed to the floor with a cry of excruciating pain that almost made
his heart stop.

"JAROD!"

Sydney called his voice laced with panic. In desperation and with a great
deal of pain, Sydney started to crawl on the floor towards his pupil. He had to
reach Jarod and help him, but Lyle viciously kicked him back and blocked his
view of the downed pretender.

"NOT SO FAST DOCTOR...I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET." Lyle
growled.

"Lyle, please let me help Jarod." Sydney begged. "Then, you can
dispose of me as you please."

Lyle glared down at Sydney with such malice that made the old man cringe.
Sydney felt the blood ran cold with fear through his veins. It was as if he was
looking at the devil in the flesh. Still holding the gun on the old man, Lyle
glanced over his shoulder to look at Jarod. The pretender was lying on the floor
moaning in agony and trying to put pressure on his wounded shoulder.

"Don't worry Sydney, he'll live." Lyle said, his lips curling into
a wicked smile. "Jarod has a very high tolerance for
pain...Remember?"

Lyle's words cut like a blade into Sydney's heart. Yes, he remembered with
a sick feeling the tortures Jarod had been submitted to under Lyle's care, but
the evil twin had failed to control or break the pretender, making Lyle more
determined in his twisted quest to capture and control Jarod. Sydney also knew
that he had taught the pretender the many ways to control his emotions, fears
and physical pain, but there was something that frightened him more. This time
Jarod's emotional wounds ran deeper and he feared that Jarod was losing his will
to survive.

"LYLE PLEASE!" Sydney implored again pushing aside his fear.
"ARE YOU JUST GOING TO LET HIM BLEED TO DEATH?"

"The Lab Rat is no longer your concern Sydney." Lyle spat back,
aiming his gun at the old man's heart once again. "So, say GOODBYE to your
pet project DOCTOR. Your time has come to leave this miserable
world."

"He's not going anywhere Lyle, but you are...Straight to HELL!" A
low threatening voice from behind made Lyle turn around with a look of shock on
his face, but before Lyle was able to take aim at his deadly rival, the
pretender fired hitting him in the middle of the chest. With a sickening smile
on his lips, Lyle tumbled back a few feet and collapsed behind the lounge chair
by the window.

"JAROD!" Sydney cried out clutching his hands to his chest.

Weak from the blood loss, Jarod staggered over to his mentor and knelt
next to him. Sydney looked worse than he felt at the moment. His breathing was
labored and all the color had drained from his face.

"SYDNEY, WHAT'S WRONG?" Jarod asked alarmed, quickly realizing that
Sydney could be having a heart attack.

"Get my pills...they're...in the...kitchen...drawer." Sydney's
voice was barely a whisper, his face rigid with pain as he moved his aching body
into a sitting position on the floor and leaned against the couch.

"Okay Sydney but DON'T MOVE!"

Ignoring the pain emanating from every muscle in his body and his bleeding
shoulder wound, Jarod stood and wobbled to the kitchen in search of Sydney's
medication. When Sydney heard the racket coming from the kitchen, the old man
turned his head towards the kitchen with alarm.

"Jarod, are you alright?"

The pretender did not reply and a few seconds later he returned to the
family room with the bottle of medication and a glass of water.

"Here Sydney." Jarod observed his mentor very carefully. A look of
concern plastered on his face.

With shaking hands Sydney quickly took his medication and closed his eyes
for a moment. When Sydney re-opened his eyes, he greeted his protégé with a
small smile, trying to ease Jarod's concern.

"How are you feeling?" Jarod asked timidly as he took Sydney's
wrist to check his pulse.

"Don't worry...Jarod." Sydney said between gasps of breaths.
"This old owl...is pretty tough...and...I don't have plans...to die on
you...especially after the hell...we both have survived."

Jarod nodded and sighed tiredly, his troubled eyes evading his mentor's
equally worried and penetrating gaze.

"Sydney, let me help you off the floor, so you can lie down on the
couch."

"No Jarod, I'm fine right here." Sydney said quietly and grabbed
the pretender's arm. His eyes begging the younger man to listen. "Jarod..."

Before Sydney had a chance to voice his concerns, Jarod pulled away and
cautiously rose off the floor. With his hands still handcuffed, Jarod was unable
to properly support his injured shoulder. Unable to hide the pain, Jarod
flinched and swore irritated when the sudden movement pulled at the bullet wound
on his shoulder.

"JAROD, you need to take care of that wound." Sydney said in a
demanding tone.

"NO, First I need to take these DAMN handcuffs off." Jarod spat
back and headed towards the kitchen again.

Sydney sighed tiredly and shook his head with disappointment. Jarod was
hurting but was not accepting his help. The trust they once had was slowly
crumbling and was being replaced by a wall anguish and resentment and all he
could do was watch him walk away.

Once in the kitchen, Jarod quickly found a small knife to open the
handcuffs. Lyle probably had the key to the handcuffs, but the idea of going
through the dead man's pockets in search of the key made him sick to his
stomach. Once the handcuffs were off, his next priority was to stop the
bleeding. Luckily, Sydney kept his cabin very well stocked, with a First Aid kit
and lots of clean towels. After placing all the things he needed on the small
table, Jarod dropped himself heavily on a chair. He grabbed some clean towels
and placed them like a bandage directly over the wound. Gritting his teeth
against the stabbing pain, he closed his eyes and applied as much pressure as he
could to stop the bleeding. Jarod knew that he needed proper medical attention
to remove the bullet, but for now this would have to do until he regained some
of his strength to remove the bullet himself or find a doctor to do the job.
Someone, who would ask no questions or fill out police reports.

Jarod's eyes snapped open with a start when he heard the sound of tires
braking on the gravel pavement just outside the cabin. Momentarily forgetting
about the pain in his shoulder, Jarod stood and rushed to the kitchen window.
The pretender froze as he stared at the scene just outside the window, a
sensation of uncontrollable fear running through every nerve in his body. A few
meters away, a Centre Black Sedan had come to a stop just behind Miss Parker's
sport car. Suddenly, both front doors flew open and Sam and Miss Parker stepped
out of the vehicle. Instantly, the tall woman began to shout orders at her loyal
sweeper and pointed toward the cabin.

Sydney was startled awake from his uneasy sleep, when the front door flew
open and Miss Parker stepped into the room followed by Sam with their guns
aimed. Parker's face had a haunted look as she scanned the room nervously, but
when her icy blue orbs meet Sydney's warm gaze and her transformation was
instantaneous.

"SYDNEY!" Parker cried out with relief and rushed to her old
friend's side. Impulsively, Parker dropped to the ground next to her friend and
wrapped her arms around his neck, obtaining a look of surprise from both men in
the room.

"Sydney, are you hurt?" Parker asked, her voice filled with
concern. "Oh God, I thought I lost you too."

"No...I'm fine Parker...Just a little bruised." Sydney replied
unable to hide the emotions that tightened his throat. "But please, you must
help Jarod...He was shot by Lyle."

"LYLE?" Parker replied angrily. "WHERE IS HE?"

"He's...dead...Jarod shot him to protect me." Sydney said
carefully, unsure of Miss Parker's reaction. "He's over there, behind the
lounge chair."

Simultaneously, Sam and Miss Parker turned to look at the spot where
Sydney had pointed near the window.

"There's no one here Doctor." Sam said frowning as he walked over
to the spot.

"WHAT?...But Jarod shot him point blank on the chest...I saw him
collapse right there." Sydney argued softly.

"Leave it to Lyle to cheat death once again." Parker said with
bitterness. "But don't worry Sydney, we'll find the
BASTARD."

Looking over at Mr. Cox's body by the kitchen entrance, Parker replied
coldly, "And who iced The Grim Reaper?"

"NEVER MIND LYLE OR MR. COX NOW!" Sydney spoke in a tone more
forceful that he intended. "PARKER, PLEASE HELP JAROD...HE'S HURT
BAD."

"Okay Syd, where is Boy Wonder?" Parker finally agreed with
annoyance.

"He's in the kitchen."

"Sam." With a quick jerk of her head, Parker signaled her sweeper
to check the kitchen.

With her arms crossed, Parker turned around and faced her old friend. She
looked at Sydney with determination and said,"And YOU Sydney are going
to the hospital RIGHT NOW!"

"HE'S GONE!" Sam exclaimed re-entering the room.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S GONE?" Parker growled, approaching the burly
sweeper.

"Ma'am, the back door was opened and Jarod is nowhere in sight."

"Did you check outside?"

"Yes Ma'am...He's gone."

When Parker turned around, she found Sydney struggling to get up. She
rushed over to his side to help him to his feet and carefully guided him to the
couch. "Sydney, sit here. I'll get your coat."

"I'm not going anywhere until Jarod is found." Sydney said staring
at Parker hard and unyielding.

"SYDNEY, YOU NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION AND YOU'RE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL.
LOOK AT YOURSELF, YOU CAN'T EVEN STAND!"

Ignoring parker's outburst, Sydney gently reached for the tall woman's
hand and begged, his lips trembling with emotion, "PARKER
PLEASE!"

"Sydney, don't worry. BOY GENIUS knows how to take care of
himself."

"Parker, you don't understand." Sydney paused and looked down
shaking his head sadly. "Something happened."

"WHAT?" Parker asked with exasperation.

Finally, when Sydney's warm chocolate eyes met Parker's icy blue gaze, she
was taken aback by the deep sadness and fear in his eyes. Something terrible had
happened to Jarod during this ordeal and the realization hit Parker like a punch
in the stomach. She had never seen Sydney so frightened and this gave her an
eerie feeling.

Tiredly, Sydney wiped away the tears that threaten to fall. When he spoke
again, his voice was barely a whisper, "Parker...If we cannot find Jarod this
time...We'll lose him forever."

"Alright Sydney, we'll look for Jarod, but first you need to see a
doctor." Parker promised softly as she sat next to the old man and gently
squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Parker, I can't leave." Sydney said with desperation. "Jarod
might return."

Parker stood from the couch and began pacing in front of both men.
Anxiously, she ran one hand through her hair and sighed tiredly. Suddenly she
stopped and faced her sweeper.

"Sam, go to the nearest town, find a doctor and bring him here...Oh and
keep your eyes open for Jarod. He might still be in the area."

"Yes Ma'am!" Sam replied and rushed out.

Lost in her thoughts, Parker watched from the window as Sam's car
disappeared from sight. 'She always had known that there was an emotional
umbilical between the old psychiatrist and the pretender, but Sydney always hid
that fact from everyone, especially her. What had happened this time that made
Sydney so openly concerned for Jarod's welfare? And knowing that the Centre was
gone, why would Jarod run away now?'

Finally, Parker turned around and faced Sydney. He sat with his fingers
intertwined resting against his chin as if he was praying for something or
someone. A look of anguish written all over his pale face. Slowly, Parker
approached her old friend and sat next to him on the couch. She sighed tiredly,
alerting the old man of her presence. When Sydney raised his eyes towards the
woman, Parker's face turned serious.

"Okay Sydney, TALK"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Seven more miles." Sam read the road sign that indicated the name
of the nearest town. Keeping one hand firmly on the steering wheel, Sam rubbed
his eyes tiredly. He couldn't wait for this day to be over so he could go home
and get some well deserved rest. He was glad that they had found the good Doctor
alive, that the Centre was gone and Broots and the others were safe, but
something bothered him. "Why do we have to keep searching for that
CRAZY PRETENDER?" Sam murmured to himself angrily as he continued to
scan the side of the road for any signs of Jarod. After a few minutes, his tired
mind drifted back to thinking about their future. Now that the Centre was
destroyed and all its monsters gone, Miss Parker and Sydney should just leave
this place and never look back. Broots and his daughter would probably move away
and start a new life somewhere safe. And he already was making plans for a very
long vacation. Afterward, maybe he would go visit his cousin in California and
find a job there. Yes, California would be a nice change and a good place to
start his new life.

Suddenly, Sam felt the unmistakable feeling of a gun barrel pressed
against the back of his neck. A few seconds later a dark voice threatened,
"If you try anything, you'll die...Keep driving until I tell you to
stop."

TBC