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Disclaimer: The characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots etc. and the fictional Centre, are all property of MTM and NBC Productions and used without permission. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended.
part XXXIV
By Rebeckah
part XXXIV
By Rebeckah
Sydney placed a comforting arm around J.J.’s shoulders, although it was questionable as to who was comforting who. It was all he could do to keep his spine straight and his face impassive as the black Towncar that held them sped north. He’d never felt so old before, not even when Catherine had died.
“It’ll be okay.” J.J. murmured to him, his brown eyes belying his words. They held apprehension, and a certain fatalistic acceptance of coming pain that struck Sydney to the core of his soul.
“I know.” Sydney tried to find a reassuring smile, but failed miserably.
Where is Jarod? He wondered. Is he safe, is Miss Parker safe? Were any of them ever going to be safe again?
“Broots will think of something.” J.J. continued. “He’s very smart.”
“He certainly is.” Sydney agreed, trying to believe in Broots, if only for J.J.’s peace of mind.
“What do you think they’ll do to us?” J.J. finally asked, getting to the heart of their worry. “When we get back to the Centre, will they give me back to Raines?”
“I don’t know.” Sydney sighed, praying as hard as one who’d given up on God years ago could. “I don’t know what’s been happening at the Centre, and I don’t know who’s in charge now.”
“I hope Broots just turns everything we found over to the FBI or the CIA!” J.J. burst out, a frown that was a mixture of anger and fear contorting his young face. “I don’t care anymore what happens to me, if they just close down the Centre!”
“Broots will do what’s best, J.J., don’t worry.” Sydney soothed him, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. “He’s a very resourceful person.”
“I just wish I knew what they were going to do to us, when we get back.” J.J. sighed, before lapsing into a brooding silence.
‘I do too.’ Sydney thought tiredly, wishing he had something positive to say and knowing that J.J. was far too clever to be reassured by platitudes.
*****
“No!” Major Charles gazed at the computer screen that Angelo had brought up, his face expressing his horror even more than the pain in his voice. “What about Sam? Did they get him too?”
He tore his gaze from the screen to look at the man-child next to him. Angelo shook his head solemnly from side to side.
“Sam, Karen, Broots, Debbie, free. Miss Parker, Jarod, Catherine, Alexander, free soon.” Angelo replied.
“Free soon? What do you mean by that?”
Angelo looked at the Major blankly, having no way to explain matters further. Major Charles sighed and shrugged disconsolately.
“I don’t suppose it really matters anyway.” He muttered, studying the computer screen. “What matters is closing this place down so that we can all be safe again.”
“Close the Centre.” Angelo nodded eagerly. “All closed, all safe.”
“I think it’s time I called in a few favors.” Charles murmured thoughtfully, his hands moving across the keyboard with increasing confidence.
“Soon, all safe.” Angelo whispered with quiet satisfaction. The Major didn’t hear him, or notice when he slipped quietly out of the room to carry out his own plans to help his friends.
*****
“Talk to me, Parker.” Jarod urged patiently, his head clear now that Marion’s drugs had left his system. “We have to work this out.”
“I’m not a broodmare, Jarod.” She answered him frostily, not deigning to look at him as she spoke. “I won’t simply be the mother of your child, accepted on sufferance.”
Jarod smiled with relief. At last, something he could understand! All of her life Parker had felt not quite good enough where her father was concerned, and Lyle’s appearance and acceptance by the man hadn’t helped matters at all. When her baby brother had been born, she’d probably felt even more insecure than before.
“Parker, I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember.” He assured her with quiet intensity. “When you bleed, I bleed. You are the reason I didn’t vanish completely from the Centre’s radar. Even when you were chasing me, it was a connection between us. Don’t ever believe that I want you for any reason other than I love you.”
“And the baby? What if I told you it wasn’t yours?” She demanded with brittle hardness.
Jarod blinked. Not his? He looked up and saw Parker watching him out of the corner of her eye, and his face settled into a new determination.
“You could tell me it’s Raines’,” he informed her gently, “and all I would ever see in it was you.”
A tear trickled down Parker’s cheek, and Jarod switched seats to the one next to her. Silently, he turned her to face him and enfolded her in his arms, and his sigh of contentment rivaled hers.
“Not that this isn’t touching as all hell,” Mr. White’s bland voice sounded from the door to the cockpit, “but we’re about to land, so you’d all better buckle up.”
“We’ll be ready.” Catherine assured him, her blue eyes glittering with a determination that he mistook for fear.
Before White could turn again to slip back into the cockpit Marion spoke, her words backed by the subtle force of her talent.
“Take me to New York.” She asked softly, her pale blue eyes pleading.
“New York?” Sweat beaded on White’s forehead as he fought a command he couldn’t even hear. “I—I must…”
“You must take me to New York.” Marion insisted, her voice still soft, but demanding now rather than pleading. “To LaGuardia, to be exact.”
“LaGuardia, yes…” White murmured softly. “What was I thinking? Of course I am to take you to LaGuardia.”
“I’ll go with you, while you give the pilots their new orders.” Marion murmured, a slight smile of satisfaction curving her pale lips.
“And I will accompany you.” Catherine added, her gentle smile at odds with the steel lacing her words. “Just to make sure you have no problems.”
“Shouldn’t I go too?” Alexander asked worriedly. “You might need…”
“We’ll be fine, Alexander.” Catherine replied, rising to place a hand on Marion’s shoulder, both to guide and restrain the headstrong woman. “Marion knows just what to say.”
*****
“Now what?” Karen turned off the motor home and slumped tiredly over the wheel before turning to face Broots. Debbie was asleep in the bed over the driver’s compartment of the vehicle.
Broots chewed nervously on his lower lip, wondering what to do himself.
“Do you know who Frank’s contacts were?” He asked his sister-in-law finally.
“Only Carol Vaughn. She’s supposed to be Port Authority, but I’m pretty sure she’s an investigator for one of the government’s invisible agencies. Frank helped her to track down a particularly nasty group of slavers --- luring women in with promises of wonderful singing or acting careers oversees, and selling them to the highest bidder once they got them off American soil --- and she’s kept in touch with us ever since. I’m pretty sure one of the girls taken was related to her—her search was certainly personal.”
“Can you get in touch with her?”
“Of course, we meet a couple of times a week. But I don’t know if even she will have the resources to help unravel this mess.”
“Right now she’s our only hope.” Broots insisted doggedly. “Maybe she can’t do much, but I’ll bet she can hook us up with the people who can.”
“Should we, though?” Karen asked, a worried frown creasing her brows. “What if the Centre retaliates against Frank and the others?”
“Exposure is their only hope.” Broots told her with brutal honesty. “If we don’t break the Centre now, before they end up in the Renewal Wing or worse, the Centre will always hold them in the palm of their hands. Believe me, I’ve seen it happen.”
“I’ll make the call.” Karen agreed, her frown of worry deepening at the bleak pain in Broots eyes.
Broots nodded his approval and moved back into the RV to study his sleeping daughter. She was his life, and he was so grateful that he hadn’t sent her off with J.J. to call Sydney in. He didn’t know what he would have done if the Centre got their hands on her again. He knew he wasn’t a very brave man, but he’d do whatever was necessary to protect his child, including putting his brother and the man he trusted as a friend at risk. The Centre had to be stopped before they could threaten his baby again.
*****
Sam listened to the phone ringing over and over again before hanging up with more force than was strictly necessary. He’d called the number 5 times now, twice from the plane, as soon as they’d landed at LaGuardia, after he’d eaten what he could of an overpriced meal, and now, an hour later. It was clear that they were gone, but where? And why?
Tapping a finger on his lips he considered his next step. Return to Delaware? Or try to find the missing conspirators? Why hadn’t they considered a back up number to leave information at in case of emergency?
“Excuse me, sir, but if you’re finished with your call there are people waiting behind you to use the phone.” The security guard’s tone was polite, but the steel in his gaze left no room for quibbling on Sam’s part. He nodded, excused his rudeness, and strode off as if he knew where he was going.
He’d wait one more hour and try again. If no one answered then, he’d catch the next flight back to Delaware.
“It’ll be okay.” J.J. murmured to him, his brown eyes belying his words. They held apprehension, and a certain fatalistic acceptance of coming pain that struck Sydney to the core of his soul.
“I know.” Sydney tried to find a reassuring smile, but failed miserably.
Where is Jarod? He wondered. Is he safe, is Miss Parker safe? Were any of them ever going to be safe again?
“Broots will think of something.” J.J. continued. “He’s very smart.”
“He certainly is.” Sydney agreed, trying to believe in Broots, if only for J.J.’s peace of mind.
“What do you think they’ll do to us?” J.J. finally asked, getting to the heart of their worry. “When we get back to the Centre, will they give me back to Raines?”
“I don’t know.” Sydney sighed, praying as hard as one who’d given up on God years ago could. “I don’t know what’s been happening at the Centre, and I don’t know who’s in charge now.”
“I hope Broots just turns everything we found over to the FBI or the CIA!” J.J. burst out, a frown that was a mixture of anger and fear contorting his young face. “I don’t care anymore what happens to me, if they just close down the Centre!”
“Broots will do what’s best, J.J., don’t worry.” Sydney soothed him, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. “He’s a very resourceful person.”
“I just wish I knew what they were going to do to us, when we get back.” J.J. sighed, before lapsing into a brooding silence.
‘I do too.’ Sydney thought tiredly, wishing he had something positive to say and knowing that J.J. was far too clever to be reassured by platitudes.
*****
“No!” Major Charles gazed at the computer screen that Angelo had brought up, his face expressing his horror even more than the pain in his voice. “What about Sam? Did they get him too?”
He tore his gaze from the screen to look at the man-child next to him. Angelo shook his head solemnly from side to side.
“Sam, Karen, Broots, Debbie, free. Miss Parker, Jarod, Catherine, Alexander, free soon.” Angelo replied.
“Free soon? What do you mean by that?”
Angelo looked at the Major blankly, having no way to explain matters further. Major Charles sighed and shrugged disconsolately.
“I don’t suppose it really matters anyway.” He muttered, studying the computer screen. “What matters is closing this place down so that we can all be safe again.”
“Close the Centre.” Angelo nodded eagerly. “All closed, all safe.”
“I think it’s time I called in a few favors.” Charles murmured thoughtfully, his hands moving across the keyboard with increasing confidence.
“Soon, all safe.” Angelo whispered with quiet satisfaction. The Major didn’t hear him, or notice when he slipped quietly out of the room to carry out his own plans to help his friends.
*****
“Talk to me, Parker.” Jarod urged patiently, his head clear now that Marion’s drugs had left his system. “We have to work this out.”
“I’m not a broodmare, Jarod.” She answered him frostily, not deigning to look at him as she spoke. “I won’t simply be the mother of your child, accepted on sufferance.”
Jarod smiled with relief. At last, something he could understand! All of her life Parker had felt not quite good enough where her father was concerned, and Lyle’s appearance and acceptance by the man hadn’t helped matters at all. When her baby brother had been born, she’d probably felt even more insecure than before.
“Parker, I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember.” He assured her with quiet intensity. “When you bleed, I bleed. You are the reason I didn’t vanish completely from the Centre’s radar. Even when you were chasing me, it was a connection between us. Don’t ever believe that I want you for any reason other than I love you.”
“And the baby? What if I told you it wasn’t yours?” She demanded with brittle hardness.
Jarod blinked. Not his? He looked up and saw Parker watching him out of the corner of her eye, and his face settled into a new determination.
“You could tell me it’s Raines’,” he informed her gently, “and all I would ever see in it was you.”
A tear trickled down Parker’s cheek, and Jarod switched seats to the one next to her. Silently, he turned her to face him and enfolded her in his arms, and his sigh of contentment rivaled hers.
“Not that this isn’t touching as all hell,” Mr. White’s bland voice sounded from the door to the cockpit, “but we’re about to land, so you’d all better buckle up.”
“We’ll be ready.” Catherine assured him, her blue eyes glittering with a determination that he mistook for fear.
Before White could turn again to slip back into the cockpit Marion spoke, her words backed by the subtle force of her talent.
“Take me to New York.” She asked softly, her pale blue eyes pleading.
“New York?” Sweat beaded on White’s forehead as he fought a command he couldn’t even hear. “I—I must…”
“You must take me to New York.” Marion insisted, her voice still soft, but demanding now rather than pleading. “To LaGuardia, to be exact.”
“LaGuardia, yes…” White murmured softly. “What was I thinking? Of course I am to take you to LaGuardia.”
“I’ll go with you, while you give the pilots their new orders.” Marion murmured, a slight smile of satisfaction curving her pale lips.
“And I will accompany you.” Catherine added, her gentle smile at odds with the steel lacing her words. “Just to make sure you have no problems.”
“Shouldn’t I go too?” Alexander asked worriedly. “You might need…”
“We’ll be fine, Alexander.” Catherine replied, rising to place a hand on Marion’s shoulder, both to guide and restrain the headstrong woman. “Marion knows just what to say.”
*****
“Now what?” Karen turned off the motor home and slumped tiredly over the wheel before turning to face Broots. Debbie was asleep in the bed over the driver’s compartment of the vehicle.
Broots chewed nervously on his lower lip, wondering what to do himself.
“Do you know who Frank’s contacts were?” He asked his sister-in-law finally.
“Only Carol Vaughn. She’s supposed to be Port Authority, but I’m pretty sure she’s an investigator for one of the government’s invisible agencies. Frank helped her to track down a particularly nasty group of slavers --- luring women in with promises of wonderful singing or acting careers oversees, and selling them to the highest bidder once they got them off American soil --- and she’s kept in touch with us ever since. I’m pretty sure one of the girls taken was related to her—her search was certainly personal.”
“Can you get in touch with her?”
“Of course, we meet a couple of times a week. But I don’t know if even she will have the resources to help unravel this mess.”
“Right now she’s our only hope.” Broots insisted doggedly. “Maybe she can’t do much, but I’ll bet she can hook us up with the people who can.”
“Should we, though?” Karen asked, a worried frown creasing her brows. “What if the Centre retaliates against Frank and the others?”
“Exposure is their only hope.” Broots told her with brutal honesty. “If we don’t break the Centre now, before they end up in the Renewal Wing or worse, the Centre will always hold them in the palm of their hands. Believe me, I’ve seen it happen.”
“I’ll make the call.” Karen agreed, her frown of worry deepening at the bleak pain in Broots eyes.
Broots nodded his approval and moved back into the RV to study his sleeping daughter. She was his life, and he was so grateful that he hadn’t sent her off with J.J. to call Sydney in. He didn’t know what he would have done if the Centre got their hands on her again. He knew he wasn’t a very brave man, but he’d do whatever was necessary to protect his child, including putting his brother and the man he trusted as a friend at risk. The Centre had to be stopped before they could threaten his baby again.
*****
Sam listened to the phone ringing over and over again before hanging up with more force than was strictly necessary. He’d called the number 5 times now, twice from the plane, as soon as they’d landed at LaGuardia, after he’d eaten what he could of an overpriced meal, and now, an hour later. It was clear that they were gone, but where? And why?
Tapping a finger on his lips he considered his next step. Return to Delaware? Or try to find the missing conspirators? Why hadn’t they considered a back up number to leave information at in case of emergency?
“Excuse me, sir, but if you’re finished with your call there are people waiting behind you to use the phone.” The security guard’s tone was polite, but the steel in his gaze left no room for quibbling on Sam’s part. He nodded, excused his rudeness, and strode off as if he knew where he was going.
He’d wait one more hour and try again. If no one answered then, he’d catch the next flight back to Delaware.
