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Author's Chapter Notes:

Thank you to all of you who left reviews, Porkywine, Jacci, Runner Sims, Ann, earthdrago, and Blademistress!! And thank you for being so patient with me as I stalled, procrastinated, stalled some more, and finally set my patootie down to write the rest! Now it's as perfect as I can get it.


And, another also, g there's a part in here that I got from a line in my all-time favorite movie "Princess Bride"... see if you can spot it! wink There's also a part that I got from a fanfic earthdrago wrote (BTW, thanks, earthdrago! wink, g ); it's from the fanfic, "Car Crashes and Change".


Disclaimer: For the official disclaimer, read it in Chapter 1. Otherwise, I'll have to assume you're too lazy to read it, and therefore too lazy to care, so you're probably not gonna sue anyway, so there. :-p And, oh yeah, the phrase from a certain writer's fanfic, as well as the quote from the "Princess Bride", aren't mine either. Obviously.

A Different Kind of Pretend

Chapter 2: Creativity In A Solution

Passing the desk, Jarod spotted a paperclip in the midst of the neat clutter and a small smile escaped. The genius brain strikes again , he thought, hiding the smile again. Nonchalantly glancing around to ensure his action would go unnoticed, he quickly picked it up.

He had no reason to worry. The sweepers were too busy keeping watch for unwanted company, as well as possible escape routes they thought Jarod could take if left to his own devices.

Mistaking the pause for a delay tactic, Miss Parker smirked and shoved Jarod forward. "Move, genius. Delay tactics will only put off the inevitable; you're still headed back to the Centre."

"Yes, well, it was worth a shot, so I couldn't resist," Jarod sardonically replied, discreetly slipping the paperclip in his pocket. The covert action went undetected.

Within seconds, they were at the bathroom door.

"Now just do it and make it snappy, Labrat." Miss Parker snapped. "And the sooner the better, we don't have all day. And you two," turning to the guarding sweepers, "stick with him like glue."

Jarod raised his eyebrows. "Whatever you say, Miss Parker," his mild tone overwhelmingly clear. He entered the bathroom, ignoring the sweepers behind him. The door closed with a soft thump, leaving behind Miss Parker.

Jarod imperturbably looked around the bathroom while doing his business and spotted a can of shaving cream. He bowed his head, pretending to be concentrating, and smiled. This was going to be fun. But first, to get the sweepers' minds off their job. "So, you two been working for her long?" he asked casually. "You don't seem to be the dumb kind she usually goes for."

One of the sweepers was quick to reply. "Long enough to know not to listen to slippery pretenders. Now shut up and get done."

The other one, a musle-toned bulky man with dirt-brown hair spoke up. "Aw, Jim, he can't be that clever, if we caught him this soon into the search." He turned to the pretender. "Me and him, we started around the same time."

Jim added, "and smart enough, so don't get any funny ideas," with a scowl.

Jarod agreed. "Yes, you are. I was definitely caught unaware. Nice job," he smiled.

Jim just harumphed and kept silent.

Jarod turned his head to the other sweeper and offhandedly asked, "Now I know Jim's name, but what's yours?" The muscled sweeper flushed. "You know, so I can recommend you two for a raise." He turned on the water and dispensed the soap.

"Tony." Tony beamed with pleasure from the praise.

He finshed rinsing his hands and grabbed a towel. He could hear Miss Parker shouting through the door as he turned the water off.

"No more yammerin', now, I mean it." Jim ordered and raised his gun to show his sincerity.

"Okay," Jarod replied nonthreateningly. "I'll be quiet."

"Good." Jim lowered the gun, his tone even and his eyes like slits.

Miss Parker sighed and leaned against the wall. She ran her fingers through her hair with one hand, pulling out a cigarette box from her pocket with the other. She lit one and sighed. It's been seven minutes, according to her watch. How long could a labrat take in the bathroom? She looked around the room in front of her. One sweeper was guarding the entrance door, the other guarding the window. Good . She's got sweepers that know what they're doing. Miss Parker smirked at the thought. Sweepers who are constantly alert are aware of their surroundings at all times. Sighing again, she turned to the door.

"C'mon, Boy Wonder!!" she yelled through the door. "No more stalling!" She smirked when she heard the faucet turn off. Finally. She rolled her eyes.

Jarod put the towel down, shifting his gaze from the shaving cream to Jim then back again. If her voice is any clue, it's now or never. Jarod thought as he grabbed the shaving cream and squirted it in Jim's face. "Sorry to have to rush out of here like this, but you look busy anyway," he commented. Jim's reply was a startled gasp and an angry growl. Jarod twisted his body to face Tony.

Jarod kicked him in his groin before Tony had a chance to react. "Sorry Tony, you seem a nice enough guy, but I can't have you following me, either." Jarod apologetically continued and bowed, remembering a recent multi-faceted movie he saw recently and quoted the hero of the story, as Tony collapsed to the floor with a groan. " 'Please understand I have only the highest respect for you.' " Tony could only squeak out a response.

Jarod searched through Tony's pockets and fished out keys, unlocking his cuffs and cuffing the sweepers' hands together. He briefly rubbed his wrists and went to the window, opening it the rest of the way from its cracked position. He climbed through it as quietly as he could. Any noise now would drastically reduce the little escape time he already had. He knew Miss Parker and her unwelcome entourage would not wait outside the bathroom door for much longer. He landed with a soft ping. Quietly closing the window, he cautiously grabbed hold of the silver case containing his life sitting next to him. He made his way down the stairs of the fire escape, dropped to the ground with a thump, and ran.

Jarod turned around the next corner and stopped, cautiously looking back behind him. He cautiously looked back over his shoulder. There was no one following him, but that could change very quickly if he didn't get out of there. He continued running until he saw a Greyhound bus with a line of people waiting to get on. He looked up at the sign for the bus' destination. "Austin", he read. He smiled and went in the bus station to get a ticket. Fortunately, there wasn't much of a line. He went out to the bus and boarded, smiling as he went. Watching the scenery go past, he thought about the city he was leaving. Navasota was a nice town, as was Conroe, the city preceding this one on his exploration of Texas, and he wished he didn't have to leave so soon. He'd have to come back and visit again sometime, but now wasn't the time. Now, it was time to go west. Miss Parker and Company would never suspect he'd simply go to another city in the same state.










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