Wrong Number

By Gemini-M

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: The Pretender and all its characters are not mine. They belong to NBC, MTM, TNT, and its Producers. I'm just borrowing these wonderful characters to write this story for entertainment. No infringement intended.

"However rare true love may be, it is less so than true friendship." Francois de La Rochefoucauld.

Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. Receiving these reviews is very inspiring. Also thank you for your patience. I wanted to end this story with this chapter, but decided against it because the chapter was going to be very long as well as the wait. My special thanks to AJeff, Teddy78, VisualIdentificationZeta, Nancy, imag1ne, KatieQ, NYT, Jefinner, Nans, Arica, Pricess of Rivendell, Dark1, harmswife, Miravisu, and any other readers too shy to enter a comment/review. Last but not least, a million thanks to my beta-reader, Jaccione.

Parker's words made the three men in the room go completely silent. After a long and agonizing pause, Sydney approached the fear stricken woman and sat down next to her. Miss Parker's words had hit him like a barrel of ice water and now he really feared that Jarod had put himself in jeopardy once more, but he had to be strong, control his fear and find out what was written in that darn letter. Grasping her hands gently Sydney asked, concern filling his voice, "Parker what do you mean by that?...What did Jarod said in that letter?"

Completely ignoring the old man's words, Parker sprang off the couch and began pacing the room nervously.

"THAT IDIOT!" Parker shouted angrily as she ran her free hand nervously through her hair. "I CAN'T BELIEVE JAROD WOULD GO AND DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS...IS HE TRYING TO COMMIT SUICIDE?"

Standing from the couch, Sydney cautiously moved toward the distraught woman and asked confused, "Parker what are you talking about?"

At the sound of Sydney's proximity, the tall woman suddenly stopped her pacing and looked at the old man with piercing grey eyes, but behind her ice-queen mask Sydney could see her shock and fear. Trying hard to hide the distress in her voice she sighed tiredly and began slowly, "I'll tell you what I'm talking about...Your GENIUS just went against the Triumvirate."

"What?" Sydney said stunned and then added struggling to control the trembling in his voice, "Miss Parker you're not making any sense."

"Read this." Parker replied handling the now wrinkled letter to Sydney.

With shaky hands Sydney unfolded the crumpled letter and began reading; immediately recognizing his protégé's fine penmanship.

Dear Miss Parker,

I sincerely wish that this letter finds you well and happy. No one deserves it more than you. After our meeting in the Island of Carthis and that last surprise encounter in New York, I finally realized that you never had control over your own life. In your eyes I saw the same sadness, pain and despair that dwelled in your mother's eyes when she used to visit me at The Centre. I now understand that you, like your mother, were trapped and powerless against the Centre's evil and its ruthless rulers.

Miss Parker, I know that you have a good and kind soul, like your mother, and that you had to do whatever was necessary to survive and to keep those important to you safe. I'm sorry for my stubbornness and blindness to see the truth.

As long as the old Center and The Triumvirate exists they will forever rule and dictate your future. This is why I had come to this decision.

The Centre is now at its most vulnerable phase after the death of Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines, but now you have in your hands the power to change The Centre's destiny and yours.

The Triumvirate will soon learn that their dominion over The Centre has come to an end and they'll call upon their prodigal son to return home, but this one will only bring them closer to their own ruin.

In forty-eight hours, you will receive a declaration from the Triumvirate releasing The Centre of all previous contracts and debts with them and relinquishing all the power back to the Parker family.

Miss Parker, The Centre shall rise again, but this time our mothers' dream will be fulfilled and you will be free.

I wish you Peace and Happiness.

Your friend always,

Jarod.

When Sydney finished reading the letter his face was blanched in terror. "Oh my God!" Sydney said inaudibly, unable to raise his voice. When he found his voice again, his eyes met with Parker's frightened gaze and he asked timidly, "What do you think Jarod is planning to do?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it will not end well." Parker replied her face mirroring the same fear.

"What are we going to do?" Sydney asked lost.

"I don't know." Parker replied and began pacing again, but stopped suddenly when she walked by the old box sitting on the coffee table. As the others watched with anticipation, Parker knelt down and opened the wooden box again. Gingerly, she removed one of the ancient scrolls Jarod had left in her care and began reading it.

As Parker read the decaying words on the scrolls, images of her last conversation with her assumed father kept invading her thoughts.

"I've read the scrolls, Angel and I'm returning them to the sea. That's the only way to stop the Parker madness. The madness that started the Center. The scrolls are real and so it's the pain they inflicted on your mother. It's time to fulfill her wishes and send this evil back where it belongs...Don't be sad. The New Parker Legacy begins with you. God be with you Angel."

As she continued reading, tears streamed out of her eyes. Now she understood her mother's pain and Mr. Parker's final sacrifice. The scroll's prophecies were real, but they had been twisted by evil men thirsty for power. Jarod was the Key all along and together they would start the New Parker legacy, the New Centre like Mr. Parker had said before leaping to his death.

"Are you alright Parker?" Sydney's concern voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"We have to find Jarod." Parker whispered, wiping away the tears she failed to control any longer.

"Parker what's going on?" Sydney asked alarmed. "Is Jarod in danger?"

"He will be if we don't stop him." Parker replied simply as she stood from the floor.

"What do you mean by that? Sydney asked frightened.

But before Parker was able to answer Sydney's question, Broots interrupted, "But what's the meaning of those old documents?"

"Those are the Vespasian Scrolls." Parker began slowly and paused for a moment. "The ones my fa...Mr. Parker took with him when he jumped of that flight over the Atlantic."

"Oh my God!" Broots exclaimed feeling somewhat queasy. "But...but how did Jarod find them?...D...does that means that your fa...Mr. Pa...Parker is alive?" Broots stuttered.

Parker glared at the techie, making him shrink away. When Broots finally found the courage to look into her eyes, he murmured, "I'm sorry Miss Parker, I didn't mean to..."

"It's alright Broots; I don't have time to think about that now." Parker interrupted, her face softening. Then her features became serious again, "Our priority now is to locate Jarod before he does something stupid."

"Sydney, take those scrolls and lock them somewhere safe." Parker ordered. "We will need them later to deal with the Triumvirate."

"Alright, I'll put them in my safe." Sydney replied automatically. He placed Jarod's letter on the coffee table, grabbed the box with the scrolls and headed for his study.

"The Triumvirate?" Broots asked petrified; his voice almost failing him.

"Yes Broots, The Triumvirate! It appears that Boy Wonder has made a deal with them and now we have to find him to save his ass." Parker shouted back.

Upon his return from the study and apparently hearing Parker's angry words Sydney added, "Miss Parker, rarely Jarod does anything without a reason."

"Yes I know Syd, but this time it might cost him his life." Parker replied quietly, her voice clearly expressing her fear.

"Miss Parker, but where do we start looking?" Broots asked timidly.

"I don't know." Parker replied quietly as she walked to the window and stared at the empty street. Suddenly, she turned and approached the old man standing by the fireplace. Her anxiety level clearly rising, she looked into his chestnut eyes and asked nervously, "Sydney, did Jarod say anything to you about where he was going?...Anything?"

Sydney thought for a moment and them suppressing a smile he replied, "He said he was going home."

"Home?" Broots asked surprise from across the room.

"But where is home?" Parker added as she began pacing the room again. "The Centre is the only home he knew and Jarod would rather die than to set foot back in that place again."

"He also mentioned that his father had contacted him with information about his mother's whereabouts." Sydney began enthusiastically but them his voice subsided, "But Jarod was very reserved and didn't give me any information as to where or when he was planning to meet with them."

"No, I don't think he would. I don't think Jarod would trust any of us right now, especially when so much is at stake." Parker said morosely

"Well remember what your mother used to say, Trust can kill you or set you free." Sydney said softly.

Parker shot Sydney a piercing stare, but quickly looked away to hide the emotions that were tearing her apart. Sydney was right; Jarod was playing a deadly game and he was all alone in this battle. He had begged for her trust and forgiveness, but once again she had raised that damn wall between them and crushed his last hope to regain her friendship. Her heart sank within her as she remembered how she had wounded him with her harsh words and pushed him away, but the stubborn fool was determined to help her and set her free at any cost. Her throat tightened when she remembered the sadness in his eyes and the anguish in his voice when he said good-bye. Perhaps this time she had gone too far and lost him forever. Approaching the wooden mantel she noticed, for the first time, an old picture of Jarod and her when they were children that Sydney had placed there. Looking at the photo with sadness she murmured inwardly, "Jarod if anything happens to you, I'll never forgive myself." Before turning to face the others in the room, Parker discreetly wiped away the errant tears that had traveled down her cheek. She had to be strong; emotions made her weak and clouded her mind. Parker thought about how Brigitte and her father were always telling her that she was weak and how it clouded her judgment. The irony there is that they were right, had always been right, but for all the wrong reasons. Now she needed a clear mind to think like Jarod and find him before it was too late.

As the room fell into an uncomfortable silence, Miss Parker took Jarod's letter from the coffee table and began reading it again. As she read his words, a flashback from her conversation with the mysterious Dr. Bailey suddenly flooded her mind.

"And where is home?" Parker remembered asking the doctor during their phone conversation, and his replied had been, "I've been living in Scotland for almost a year doing some research, but I arrived here at the States about a month ago to attend a couple of seminars and visit old friends."

"I know where to start looking." Parker shouted making the three men almost jump out of their skin. "Sydney we'll need your computer."

"Yes, of course, it is in my study on top of my desk." Sydney replied. "If it survived your discussion with Jarod." Sydney added obtaining a sharp look from Miss Parker, but she bit down her lip and looked away. Now was not the time or place to talk about her confrontation with Jarod and bring out those raw emotions.

Turning to Broots she began, "Broots I need you to look up all the flights leaving for Europe, especially Scotland. Also check for flights going to Africa. Check all the major airports in the East coast.

"Africa?" Broots whispered nervously and remained frozen on the spot; a chilling sensation running through his entire body as thoughts of him, Miss Parker and the others chasing after Jarod all the way to Africa and into the Triumvirate headquarters.

"BROOTS NOW!" Parker's angry voice brought him back to reality.

Broots jumped to attention and still trembling he dashed towards the study mumbling, "Right away Miss Parker."

"Why Scotland?" Sydney asked candidly.

"Is a long story, but not now Syd." Parker replied tiredly.

Sam had preferred to remain silent during the whole discussion. He quietly moved back to his chair near the study entrance and sat down. Frowning, the husky bodyguard carefully observed his boss and Sydney, as they both paced the room nervously, waiting for Broots' search. He simply didn't understand the chain of events taking place. For over six years they'd been chasing after the elusive pretender, practically all over the globe, and now they were trying to find him to save him from the Triumvirate. What had happened between Miss Parker and Jarod that led to that violent confrontation? What did Jarod say to Miss Parker in the study that made her act this way? Why Sydney and Miss Parker looked so worried? Did they actually care about what happen to the Lab rat? This was just too confusing and when he had the chance, he was going to have a long talk with the old shrink to get some answers.

After what seemed like an eternity, Broots shouted from the study, "Miss Parker, I got something."

Sydney and Parker rushed into the study and stood behind Broots, whose eyes were fixed on the screen before him. Sam followed, but he remained standing by the doorway, observing his Centre colleges carefully.

"Okay Broots, talk to me." Parker ordered anxiously.

"I found four flights leaving for the destinations you requested." Broots began. "There are three flights leaving tonight for England from JFK Airport in New York and one flight leaving from Liberty town, Maryland for Morocco, Africa."

"Good job Broots." Parker said patting the techie on the shoulder and making him jump. Invading his personal space, Parker leaned forward and asked anxiously, "Did you check the passenger list for Jarod's name?"

"I...I did but...but didn't find any passenger with Jarod's name" Broots said nervously. "Maybe he's waiting until the last minute to purchase his ticket."

"Or he's using another alias...He knows what he's up against and he's being very cautious." After a moment of silence, Parker remarked darkly, "Or he could even be the pilot."

"What are we going to do Parker?" Sydney asked softly, but the tension was clearly present in his voice. "We need to find him."

"We will form two teams. You and I will go to New York and Sam and Broots will go to Maryland." Parker stated calmly.

At the sound of his name, Sam approached his boss and asked. "Do you want me to call the Centre and get the helicopter ready?"

Parker thought for a moment and then replied with a smile, "No, we are going by road...If the Triumvirate is tracking us to get to Jarod, we are not going to make it easier for them to find him."

"What time should we leave?" Sydney asked simply, looking at his watch.

Parker copied his actions and replied, "It's almost noon; if we leave around 2:00 pm it will give us plenty of time for both teams to make a few detours, in case we are being followed, and reach our destinations on time."

"Parker are we going in your car or mine?" Sydney asked with trepidation. He really was not looking forward to another wild ride in Miss Parker's little sports car.

"Don't worry Syd, you can drive this time." Parker remarked with a smirk. "But first I need to go to the Centre with Broots."

"W...Why...Th...The Centre?" Broots asked all jittery.

"Don't worry Broots, the Boogeyman is dead and Lyle is gone also...remember? The whole place is practically a ghost town." Parker remarked with loathing.

"Yes I know, but why are we going there now?" Broots asked still shaking. The idea of going into that evil place again made his hair stand on end and his over-active imagination kept throwing images of them running into Mr. Raines' evil spirit or worse Lyle's.

"After that ghoul left us, I did a little searching in his office and found a significant number of files in his computer that I need you to check for me...As you all know, Raines was the Triumvirate watchdog, so these files might give us some insight on what we're up against."

"Okay Miss Parker." Broots replied submissively glancing at Sydney to rescue him.

"Move Broots we don't have all day!" Parker barked as she folded Jarod's letter and put it in her jacket's pocket.

"I'll go, but I still don't like it." Broots murmured as he hurriedly followed the tall woman out of the study.

As soon as Sam heard Miss Parker's car speed away, the burly sweeper approached the older man and with a quizzical expression on his face remarked, "Sydney could you please explain to me what the hell is going on?"

"Miss Parker already told us what we need to do...What do you want me to explain Sam?" Sydney replied calmly as he returned to the kitchen with his tea cup in hand.

Frowning Sam followed the psychiatrist. Upon entering the kitchen, Sam continued, confusion and annoyance clearly evident in his voice, "Doctor, I just don't understand what Miss Parker is trying to do?...And why is she acting so strange?"

Frowning Sydney replies, "Strange?"

"Yes, Strange!" Sam confirmed; his deep blue eyes meeting Sydney's concerned gaze. "For over six years we have been chasing after Jarod and now Miss Parker is acting like she is trying to help him, to protect him."

"It's complicated." Sydney said simply.

"Well, I would like an explanation, because I hate to be in the dark." Sam replied angrily.

"I don't know exactly what Jarod is planning to do, but I think the outcome will affect us all." Sydney said with dread.

"Well I don't see it that way Doctor; with Mr. Raines and Mr. Lyle gone that means that Miss Parker is next in line for the position of Chairwoman." Sam began casually. "And as far as Jarod is concerned, I don't care what happens to the Lab rat...If the Triumvirate wants him, they can have him." Sam finished smugly.

"So, you're telling me that you don't mind if the Triumvirate takes complete control of the Centre." Sydney replied back sharply.

Sam suddenly became silent as images of the Triumvirate's last visit invaded his thoughts. Even the psycho of Mr. Lyle was spooked by their visit and Mr. Raines hid like a scared mouse. No, it would not be a pleasant change to work under the leadership of those crazy Zulus, and worse of all, Miss Parker would lose all her authority and simply become a hindrance; an obstacle that the Triumvirate would not hesitate to remove. "Damn." Sam murmured inwardly.

When the grandfather clock chimed the hour in the family room, Sam was snapped back to reality. Looking at Sydney, he asked with trepidation, "Do you think the Triumvirate will do that?"

"They have been running the Centre to a certain degree for a very long time, but now that Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines are gone the Centre has reached its zero hour. I have a bad feeling about this and I think The Triumvirate will try to overtake the Centre and..."

"Remove all those that might know too much about their devious operations or show any resistance." Sam finished for Sydney.

An uneasy silence followed as both man sat on the kitchen table, thinking about the future of the Centre and their own.

Abruptly, the ringing of Sydney's cell phone pulled both men from their thoughts. Quickly, the old man reached into his jacket pocket and removed his phone. After listening carefully to the person at the other end, he closed the small device and returned it to his pocket.

"Who was that?" Sam asked curiously.

"Miss Parker and Broots are on their way." Sydney replied simply. "She wants us to be ready to leave immediately."

"So is back to the hunt again." Sam said gravely.

"Not exactly; this time Jarod might be the key to our survival." Sydney replied seriously.

TBC