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Chapter or Story
Author's Note: This is a repost. I removed a paragraph that I felt uncomfortable having up after the events of September 11, 2001 at Logan Airport. If you have read this before you know what I have chosen to remove. You can find the full version at www.the-pretender.de.
Once a Pretender, Always a Pretender
By RaajmdTMP
Part 7
"I can't believe they did it again! It was right under my nose, too!" Parker yelled. It was her turn to be upset.
"Parker, this wasn't your fault," Jarod said trying to calm her.
"I was head of Centre security for years, Jarod. I should have known about this," she said as she stormed out the door. Jarod ran after her. The bell rang.
'That went by fast!' Fiona thought.
It was a half-day. She went out in the hall and asked Melissa what the assembly was for.
"It was just about the magazine drive. Basically, it was boring."
Fiona went back in the classroom. She might as well wait for Jarod and Miss Parker there.
Outside Stanton Junior High
"Parker, wait a minute," Jarod said trying to catch up.
"I'm just taking a little walk, Jarod. Don't worry, I'm a big girl," Parker replied.
She needed a little time alone. All this was too much for her. It brought back too many memories she didn't know how to deal with.
"Parker, I…"
"Jarod, please," Parker interrupted.
"Parker, just let me say this," he waited to see if she would let him continue. When she didn't say anything he proceeded.
"I know this is bothering you but you really couldn't have done anything. You didn't even know about SL 27. How were supposed to find out about this?"
Miss Parker hesitated for a minute. She knew he was right but she couldn't help but feel responsible.
"Sydney feels the same way I do. We know in our hearts we really couldn't do anything about it, but we still feel responsible. That's why he tried to blow up SL 27 and why I tried to help your clone escape."
Jarod smiled. He got an idea and grabbed Parker's hand. He dragged her towards the annex building of the junior high.
"Hey, Jarod. Do you think it would be too much trouble to tell me where you're dragging me to in such a hurry?"
"I'm taking you to see an old friend."
When they got to the classroom, Parker was hesitant to go in. It had been too long.
"Go on. You can do it," Jarod encouraged her.
If anyone could help Parker it was her. Parker needed someone she knew she could trust, someone from her past.
Miss Parker knocked softly on the door and peaked inside.
"Mrs. McNulty?"
She looked up from the papers she was correcting.
"Miss Parker?"
"Yeah, I just came to…" she was interrupted when Mrs. McNulty hugged her.
"It's so nice to see you again, Parker. How are you doing?"
"Okay I guess. I've been going through a lot lately."
"If you want to talk, I'm here."
"Thank you. I could use someone to talk to."
Jarod was standing in the hall trying to mind his own business when he remembered Fiona. He had left her in such a hurry to catch Parker.
"Excuse me ladies, sorry to disturb you. I need to have a word with Miss Parker."
"Anything you want to say to me you can say in front of her, Jarod."
"Okay, well, I just wanted to let you know I was going to check on Fiona."
"Think I can't handle the walk back alone, Jarod?"
"No, but I know how angry you can get when I disappear on you," Jarod teased.
"You're right, I do. Too bad you didn't always ask my permission before leaving."
"Ha ha, very funny," he said as he walked out the door."
Mrs. McNulty looked at Miss Parker, confused.
"What?" Miss Parker said, almost laughing. "Too much for you?"
Before she could answer there was another knock on the door.
"Mrs. McNulty?"
"Good afternoon, Tiana. I haven't seen you all year."
"Well, we're pretty isolated up on the fourth floor. I got my report card today."
"How'd you do?"
"Really well."
"Let me see," she took the report card from Tiana's hand. "Five A+'s and three A's. This is good. Come over here."
She walked over to her desk and took out a bag of candy.
"Take some for your brother, too."
"Thanks Mrs. McNulty."
"Come visit again soon."
"I will."
Miss Parker smiled. She had come back to visit Mrs. McNulty when she was in seventh grade. She still had the same following.
"Do you still have a big group of girls gathered around you during lunch?" Parker asked. The more time she spent in this school the more good things she remembered growing up.
"Every day," she paused. "I've known Tiana for eight years. I taught elementary school for a while and I had her in first grade. Back then the kids were always racing to hold my hand as we walked down the halls."
"You've always been a great teacher. I'm sure that none of your students will ever forget you. I know I haven't."
"Thank you, Miss Parker."
"Coming from her, that's quite a compliment."
"Jarod!" Miss Parker said like an annoyed teenager. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Just long enough to hear you pour your heart out to Jessie."
"That's funny, I've known her for thirty years and I still call her Mrs. McNulty."
"You've known me for thirty years and you still call me Jarod."
"What else am I supposed to call you?"
"Good point."
"Jarod, will you get on with it? I thought you were going to see Fiona."
"I did. I came to get you. We have to get moving if we're going to catch the plane to Boston."
"To where!?" she asked confused.
"Boston, Massachusetts," he said matter of factly.
"I know where Boston is. What's the rush?"
"We have to meet an old friend."
"Another one?"
"Yeah and Fiona is anxious to see him again," he hinted.
"Oh, okay," she turned to Mrs. McNulty. "I do have to go. We've been waiting to hear from our friend for a while. I'll come and visit again when we get back."
"Okay, Parker. Be safe."
"I will."
Once Jarod and Miss Parker were down the hall she decided to find out how Jarod suddenly knew Patten was in Boston.
"How'd you know he was in Boston?"
"He's not in Boston; he's in Gloucester."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"I simmed him. Actually Fiona simmed him."
"Why hadn't she done that already?"
"She told me that she had never simmed anyone so close to her. She felt uncomfortable."
"Do you know why he's in Gloucester?"
"He was kidnapped, probably by someone he knew. Gloucester is his hometown so all signs point to the fact that he knew this person for a while."
Logan Airport
Boston, Massachusetts
4:00pm
Jarod, Parker and Fiona stepped off the plane. They walked around looking for where they could get their luggage.
"Can I help you with something?"
"Ah, yes," Jarod paused looking at her nametag. "Jo-Ann. We can't seem to find our luggage. Could you point us in the right direction?"
"Yeah, sure. It's right over there."
"Thanks. Oh, there's one more thing. We're new around here. Can you tell us the fastest way to Gloucester?"
"Yeah, actually you could rent a car and follow me. My shift's over in a few minutes and I live up in Rockport."
"You don't have to…"
"It's no trouble. You can rent a car over there. I'll meet you at the entrance in fifteen minutes."
The Crow's Nest
Main Street
Gloucester, Massachusetts
5:00pm
"Jarod, you're sure that staying here is going to help find Mr. Patten?" Miss Parker asked standing outside the building. "Because if you're not, I can think of a few other places I'd rather stay."
"Parker, I assure you it will help. We shouldn't be here too long anyway and you can't come to Gloucester without seeing this place. It's a landmark," Jarod explained.
"Yeah, Mr. Patten always talks about it up here. It's kind of amazing. I've never seen anything like Gloucester before. After we get settled, would you mind if I take a look around?" Fiona asked.
"There's no reason why you shouldn't."
"Thanks," Fiona said as she ran into the building.
Jarod followed her in and got the last available rooms. Parker and Fiona would have to share a room. Fiona volunteered to sleep on the couch. Jarod brought the luggage in from their rented car. Fiona intercepted him in the hallway and grabbed her backpack. She ran into the room that Parker was inspecting and unzipped her backpack. Parker looked up just in time to see about 200 pens pour out of the bag.
"Need a pen?" Miss Parker asked sarcastically.
Fiona blushed, "I collect them. I was just looking for my copy of The Perfect Storm. I want to visit the places in the pictures."
"Well, you can go as long as you clean that up when you come back."
"Yes! Thanks, Parker." Fiona ran for the door.
"Be back in a half hour. We'll look at more places tomorrow!" she called after her. "And take Jarod with you!"
There was a definite change in Miss Parker over the past couple of days. She didn't notice it. Neither did Jarod. She was acting more and more like her mother's daughter. Perhaps they were both just so comfortable with the new, or should I say old, her that they didn't see it. She was still far from losing the "Parker" edge. So was someone else.
Fisherman's Memorial
Stacy Boulevard
Gloucester, MA
Jarod and Fiona stood by the railing overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The wind was blowing lightly and the sea air was something strange to both of them.
"It's really nice here," Fiona said enjoying the breeze and spray from the water. "If I could, I would…" she stopped in mid sentence as a Coast Guard ship came into view.
*****
"Alton, there's a man off the coast of Sable Island that needs help. He may loose his hand. You up for it?"
"Yeah sure. The weather's fine. It's not gonna be too hard. You comin' with us tonight, Richie?"
"No, I'm stuck here. It's my shift for answering calls."
"Well, I'd better go get my crew. See you when we get back."
Alton started down the hall only to bump into one of his crew.
"Bobby, we got a call off Sable Island. You up for it, little brother?"
"How many times have I told you? Don't call me little brother. You're all of five minutes older than me."
"Okay, okay. Well are you?"
"As always."
*****
"Fiona? Fi, are you okay?" Jarod asked.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," she said distracted. She stood there for a few seconds before running as fast as she could in the direction of the Crow's Nest.
"Hey! Where are you going? What's wrong?" Jarod yelled as he ran after her.
She was back at the Crow's Nest in five minutes with Jarod a few feet behind. She ran upstairs almost knocking over a few tables in the process.
Fiona burst in the room and ran for her computer bag. She quickly plugged in the modem and went online.
"Fiona, what was that?"
"Shh!" Parker stopped him.
"Why is this thing so slow?" Fi mumbled under her breath.
"Yes! I found it."
"Found what?" the both asked at the same time.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I kind of went into my own little world for a second there. This is a local newspaper article from the mid 70's. It may just be the key to finding Mr. Patten."
Once a Pretender, Always a Pretender
By RaajmdTMP
Part 7
"I can't believe they did it again! It was right under my nose, too!" Parker yelled. It was her turn to be upset.
"Parker, this wasn't your fault," Jarod said trying to calm her.
"I was head of Centre security for years, Jarod. I should have known about this," she said as she stormed out the door. Jarod ran after her. The bell rang.
'That went by fast!' Fiona thought.
It was a half-day. She went out in the hall and asked Melissa what the assembly was for.
"It was just about the magazine drive. Basically, it was boring."
Fiona went back in the classroom. She might as well wait for Jarod and Miss Parker there.
Outside Stanton Junior High
"Parker, wait a minute," Jarod said trying to catch up.
"I'm just taking a little walk, Jarod. Don't worry, I'm a big girl," Parker replied.
She needed a little time alone. All this was too much for her. It brought back too many memories she didn't know how to deal with.
"Parker, I…"
"Jarod, please," Parker interrupted.
"Parker, just let me say this," he waited to see if she would let him continue. When she didn't say anything he proceeded.
"I know this is bothering you but you really couldn't have done anything. You didn't even know about SL 27. How were supposed to find out about this?"
Miss Parker hesitated for a minute. She knew he was right but she couldn't help but feel responsible.
"Sydney feels the same way I do. We know in our hearts we really couldn't do anything about it, but we still feel responsible. That's why he tried to blow up SL 27 and why I tried to help your clone escape."
Jarod smiled. He got an idea and grabbed Parker's hand. He dragged her towards the annex building of the junior high.
"Hey, Jarod. Do you think it would be too much trouble to tell me where you're dragging me to in such a hurry?"
"I'm taking you to see an old friend."
When they got to the classroom, Parker was hesitant to go in. It had been too long.
"Go on. You can do it," Jarod encouraged her.
If anyone could help Parker it was her. Parker needed someone she knew she could trust, someone from her past.
Miss Parker knocked softly on the door and peaked inside.
"Mrs. McNulty?"
She looked up from the papers she was correcting.
"Miss Parker?"
"Yeah, I just came to…" she was interrupted when Mrs. McNulty hugged her.
"It's so nice to see you again, Parker. How are you doing?"
"Okay I guess. I've been going through a lot lately."
"If you want to talk, I'm here."
"Thank you. I could use someone to talk to."
Jarod was standing in the hall trying to mind his own business when he remembered Fiona. He had left her in such a hurry to catch Parker.
"Excuse me ladies, sorry to disturb you. I need to have a word with Miss Parker."
"Anything you want to say to me you can say in front of her, Jarod."
"Okay, well, I just wanted to let you know I was going to check on Fiona."
"Think I can't handle the walk back alone, Jarod?"
"No, but I know how angry you can get when I disappear on you," Jarod teased.
"You're right, I do. Too bad you didn't always ask my permission before leaving."
"Ha ha, very funny," he said as he walked out the door."
Mrs. McNulty looked at Miss Parker, confused.
"What?" Miss Parker said, almost laughing. "Too much for you?"
Before she could answer there was another knock on the door.
"Mrs. McNulty?"
"Good afternoon, Tiana. I haven't seen you all year."
"Well, we're pretty isolated up on the fourth floor. I got my report card today."
"How'd you do?"
"Really well."
"Let me see," she took the report card from Tiana's hand. "Five A+'s and three A's. This is good. Come over here."
She walked over to her desk and took out a bag of candy.
"Take some for your brother, too."
"Thanks Mrs. McNulty."
"Come visit again soon."
"I will."
Miss Parker smiled. She had come back to visit Mrs. McNulty when she was in seventh grade. She still had the same following.
"Do you still have a big group of girls gathered around you during lunch?" Parker asked. The more time she spent in this school the more good things she remembered growing up.
"Every day," she paused. "I've known Tiana for eight years. I taught elementary school for a while and I had her in first grade. Back then the kids were always racing to hold my hand as we walked down the halls."
"You've always been a great teacher. I'm sure that none of your students will ever forget you. I know I haven't."
"Thank you, Miss Parker."
"Coming from her, that's quite a compliment."
"Jarod!" Miss Parker said like an annoyed teenager. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Just long enough to hear you pour your heart out to Jessie."
"That's funny, I've known her for thirty years and I still call her Mrs. McNulty."
"You've known me for thirty years and you still call me Jarod."
"What else am I supposed to call you?"
"Good point."
"Jarod, will you get on with it? I thought you were going to see Fiona."
"I did. I came to get you. We have to get moving if we're going to catch the plane to Boston."
"To where!?" she asked confused.
"Boston, Massachusetts," he said matter of factly.
"I know where Boston is. What's the rush?"
"We have to meet an old friend."
"Another one?"
"Yeah and Fiona is anxious to see him again," he hinted.
"Oh, okay," she turned to Mrs. McNulty. "I do have to go. We've been waiting to hear from our friend for a while. I'll come and visit again when we get back."
"Okay, Parker. Be safe."
"I will."
Once Jarod and Miss Parker were down the hall she decided to find out how Jarod suddenly knew Patten was in Boston.
"How'd you know he was in Boston?"
"He's not in Boston; he's in Gloucester."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"I simmed him. Actually Fiona simmed him."
"Why hadn't she done that already?"
"She told me that she had never simmed anyone so close to her. She felt uncomfortable."
"Do you know why he's in Gloucester?"
"He was kidnapped, probably by someone he knew. Gloucester is his hometown so all signs point to the fact that he knew this person for a while."
Logan Airport
Boston, Massachusetts
4:00pm
Jarod, Parker and Fiona stepped off the plane. They walked around looking for where they could get their luggage.
"Can I help you with something?"
"Ah, yes," Jarod paused looking at her nametag. "Jo-Ann. We can't seem to find our luggage. Could you point us in the right direction?"
"Yeah, sure. It's right over there."
"Thanks. Oh, there's one more thing. We're new around here. Can you tell us the fastest way to Gloucester?"
"Yeah, actually you could rent a car and follow me. My shift's over in a few minutes and I live up in Rockport."
"You don't have to…"
"It's no trouble. You can rent a car over there. I'll meet you at the entrance in fifteen minutes."
The Crow's Nest
Main Street
Gloucester, Massachusetts
5:00pm
"Jarod, you're sure that staying here is going to help find Mr. Patten?" Miss Parker asked standing outside the building. "Because if you're not, I can think of a few other places I'd rather stay."
"Parker, I assure you it will help. We shouldn't be here too long anyway and you can't come to Gloucester without seeing this place. It's a landmark," Jarod explained.
"Yeah, Mr. Patten always talks about it up here. It's kind of amazing. I've never seen anything like Gloucester before. After we get settled, would you mind if I take a look around?" Fiona asked.
"There's no reason why you shouldn't."
"Thanks," Fiona said as she ran into the building.
Jarod followed her in and got the last available rooms. Parker and Fiona would have to share a room. Fiona volunteered to sleep on the couch. Jarod brought the luggage in from their rented car. Fiona intercepted him in the hallway and grabbed her backpack. She ran into the room that Parker was inspecting and unzipped her backpack. Parker looked up just in time to see about 200 pens pour out of the bag.
"Need a pen?" Miss Parker asked sarcastically.
Fiona blushed, "I collect them. I was just looking for my copy of The Perfect Storm. I want to visit the places in the pictures."
"Well, you can go as long as you clean that up when you come back."
"Yes! Thanks, Parker." Fiona ran for the door.
"Be back in a half hour. We'll look at more places tomorrow!" she called after her. "And take Jarod with you!"
There was a definite change in Miss Parker over the past couple of days. She didn't notice it. Neither did Jarod. She was acting more and more like her mother's daughter. Perhaps they were both just so comfortable with the new, or should I say old, her that they didn't see it. She was still far from losing the "Parker" edge. So was someone else.
Fisherman's Memorial
Stacy Boulevard
Gloucester, MA
Jarod and Fiona stood by the railing overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The wind was blowing lightly and the sea air was something strange to both of them.
"It's really nice here," Fiona said enjoying the breeze and spray from the water. "If I could, I would…" she stopped in mid sentence as a Coast Guard ship came into view.
*****
"Alton, there's a man off the coast of Sable Island that needs help. He may loose his hand. You up for it?"
"Yeah sure. The weather's fine. It's not gonna be too hard. You comin' with us tonight, Richie?"
"No, I'm stuck here. It's my shift for answering calls."
"Well, I'd better go get my crew. See you when we get back."
Alton started down the hall only to bump into one of his crew.
"Bobby, we got a call off Sable Island. You up for it, little brother?"
"How many times have I told you? Don't call me little brother. You're all of five minutes older than me."
"Okay, okay. Well are you?"
"As always."
*****
"Fiona? Fi, are you okay?" Jarod asked.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," she said distracted. She stood there for a few seconds before running as fast as she could in the direction of the Crow's Nest.
"Hey! Where are you going? What's wrong?" Jarod yelled as he ran after her.
She was back at the Crow's Nest in five minutes with Jarod a few feet behind. She ran upstairs almost knocking over a few tables in the process.
Fiona burst in the room and ran for her computer bag. She quickly plugged in the modem and went online.
"Fiona, what was that?"
"Shh!" Parker stopped him.
"Why is this thing so slow?" Fi mumbled under her breath.
"Yes! I found it."
"Found what?" the both asked at the same time.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I kind of went into my own little world for a second there. This is a local newspaper article from the mid 70's. It may just be the key to finding Mr. Patten."
