JAROD's ROOM - HIGH SECURITY WING

"Sydney– I don't want to talk about it." Jarod stated firmly, fighting the urge to adolescently roll his eyes. He was impatiently pacing in his cell, he just couldn't shake his feeling of restlessness from earlier in the morning.

"Keeping your emotions bottled up will only result in similar outbursts Jarod". The shrink countered. "Please, just talk to me."

"Talk to you Sydney, or the four cameras?." The pretender countered, sighing heavily before continuing his tirade. "As far as you people are concerned, my feelings are simply an inconvenience." The pretender moved over to his bed, flopping onto his back, and folding his hands under his head, feigning interest in the ceiling – not that he didn't have it's every nook and cranny memorized from his many sleepless hours as he was locked up overnight.

Sydney sighed heavily. Over the past few years, Jarod had become increasingly and more openly bitter about his treatment at the Center, and rightfully so. However his disdain was at the point where it was almost consuming him.

"Just tell me what I can do to make it easier for you Jarod. Anything, and I will do my best."

Jarod remained silent. He knew Sydney was genuinely trying to ease the situation, although he suspected they both knew that what Jarod desired, was simply not obtainable under the strict watch of the Center.

"I'm just so tired Sydney." Jarod admitted absent mindedly. “I….” the pretender started, clearly unable to find words. After a few seconds of silence Jarod finally managed. “There is a lot to miss.”

Sydney gingerly moved over to Jarod's bed, and seated himself near the pretender's feet. "I can imagine, that with everything you've learned, and experienced in the last few years, must make being back here that much more difficult."

Jarod nodded softly, feeling his throat choke up as he thought about his long fought freedom. The feeling of sunshine on his face, playing in the snow, the endless supply of sugary goodness, the human interaction he had come to crave so much. Everyone in here was constantly trying to manipulate him, control him, or study him. He missed just random moments with the special people he had met on his pretends. His heart lurched at the thought of Mrs. Finnegan, the old lady was probably starting to worry that he not returned to Seattle –if only he could contact her in someway, make up some lie, as not to cause her any worry.

Jarod reluctantly allowed his thoughts to turn to his family – they tortured his thoughts enough as he lay awake, staring at the ceiling in his cell every night. He had never felt as alive as when he received that first big hug when first meeting his father. He had last met up with them in early November, but Center pressure had forced them to part ways hastily. Jarod suspected that Corporation Zero had pushed his father, Jay and Emily further underground, as Jay would be a well earned asset for them, never mind the fact his family would make nice collateral for luring Jarod into willing submission.

Their last weekend together had been special, as the four family members had rent a cabin in the mountains and had been treated to an early winter snowfall.

The Major and Emily had taught the two pretenders the concept of snowforts and snowball fights, and needless to say, Jarod and Jay were both instantly hooked.

Angelo had alerted the family to the fact that the Center was beaming into their location. Jarod had no idea how they had figured it out, pining it either on a dumb luck random sighting, or the fact that Broots' finder software was a much larger threat than it had been in the earlier years. Face it, the guy was a computer genius. The Major had been adamant that they run as a family, although he knew as well as Jarod did, that it made much more sense for Jarod to separate from the group. Although the Center had a small team in-charge of finding Jarod's family, in reality their efforts were focused mostly on Jarod. If he ran with his family, all the Center's radar would be searching for them, making it a much more unified and dangerous threat. The Major promised he would make contact with Jarod, as soon as the threat had passed, but the pretender had spent yet another Christmas apart from his family. Fortunately Mrs. Finnegan had kindly welcomed him into her home, before leaving to spend Christmas Day with her grandchildren in the suburbs.

Jarod and the Major had entertained many a discussion about simply disappearing off the Center's radar, but Jarod was adamant about not, fearing that he would lose any hope of finding his mom if his whole family simply were to vanish. They had temporarily agreed to keep up the status quo– but Jarod could feel his father was beginning to give up any real hope of finding Margaret. Jarod had been so agonizingly close on Carthis, but that had been over a year ago, and there simply was no trace of Margaret. Jarod feared that she herself had given up, and she had simply decided herself to disappear without a trace. But as long as he had fight in him, Jarod would never give up the chance to find his mother – and hence he kept running.

Sydney studied Jarod, as the pretender had become oblivious to the psychiatrist's presence, obviously lost somewhere in his own thoughts. However as he became aware of movement down the hallway, Sydney decided it was best to rein-in Jarod from his reverie.

"Jarod." His accented voice soothed, as the pretender jerked himself back to real-time – obviously a bit embarrassed at the fact he had drifted away.

The pretender moved as if to say something, but thought otherwise, as the electronic lock was disengaged. Sydney was terribly disappointed to see Lyle flanked by Sam and three other nameless sweepers – instead of Parker. Lyle never seemed to miss an opportunity to provoke the pretender, and given Jarod's current mood, Sydney was afraid of how the pretender might respond to it.

"Father-son picnic is over boys." Lyle announced.

Sydney stood from Jarod's bed, giving the pretender's should a squeeze as Jarod stood himself up.

"Wall, Jarod." Lyle commanded.

The pretender seemingly hesitated, but slowly moved himself to the wall. He was nervous about Sam's presence, given he had sucker punched the sweeper earlier in the morning. He knew the sweeper would be out for revenge. It might as well be official Center protocol. He swallowed his nervousness away as he gave Lyle a cocky smirk.

"Face it." The twin stated.

Jarod's cocky grin fell from his face, as he gingerly turned around, not wanting to encourage Sam to intervene. He caught Sydney's worried glance as he complied with Lyle's command.

"What's this about Lyle?" He questioned.

"Listen carefully Jarod – I'm only going to ask you this once. Where is it?"

Jarod had a sinking feeling in his stomach, as he suspected Lyle was here about the paperclip. He had safely stored it in his left shoe. How could they have known? Only the Center would get his bent out of shape about a seemingly insignificant item.

"I don't know what you are talking about Lyle." Jarod stated confidently, turning around to meet the twin's glare. "Did you lose your soul on the way to sim-lab?"

Lyle refused to respond to the pretender's provocation. "I said face the wall. You do it, or Sam will do it for you."

Jarod met Lyle's glare, until again complying with his wishes with a nervous side-glance at Sam.

"Strip." The twin demanded.

Jarod's and Sydney's protests erupted simultaneously. Lyle shook his head. "Sam, show Sydney to the door."

"Jarod you heard me." Lyle stated evenly as Sydney was forcibly removed from the room. Ten seconds or we'll do it for you. 10 – 9 –8.."

Jarod knew this was one battle not worth fighting, as much as it despised him, and he quickly removed the Center uniform from his thin frame. He could confess the location of the paperclip, but if there was any chance they wouldn't find it – he had to take it, as foolish as it may seem.

"Good-boy. Now spread your arms and legs, and touch the wall."

Jarod sighed. It wasn't the first time he had been forced to endure a strip search while at the Center – although probably only the second time it was 'justified' paranoia. He complied hesitantly, as he was aware of his current vulnerability.

Jarod remained silent as he felt the sweepers approach him, and refused to let himself be provoked as Sam roughly slammed his head against the wall – apparently he wasn't as intimate with the wall as they wished him to be. As the rough hands explored virtually every inch of his exposed flesh, Jarod had to fight the feeling of nausea that overcame him. It seemed as if everything within Centre walls were orchestrated to make him realize that he had nowhere to hide, no privacy. He let out a grateful sigh of relief when the hands stopped their unwanted protrusion and quickly slipped back into his pants when they were offered to him. The second he had pulled them back on, he was slammed back against the wall, and carefully restrained. Sam grabbed his arm with a bruising grip, and pushed the off balance pretender roughly, causing Jarod to crash onto the floor, landing at Lyle's feet with a thud.

The twin bent over and grabbed a wad of Jarod's hair. He stared into Jarod's eyes. "Search the bed." He commanded, slamming Jarod's head to the floor.

Jarod attempted to slide himself towards the wall, but was stopped as Sam stepped his foot into the small of his back. "Where do you think you're going?" The sweeper mocked, as Jarod squirmed under his hold. "Apparently nowhere." The pretender retorted sarcastically, only to rewarded with the foot being further forced into his back. He stopped struggling in resignation, waiting for the inevitable.

The sweepers found nothing in the bed, as Jarod knew they wouldn't. He watched as Lyle scanned the room, checking the air vent, to make sure Jarod hadn't snuck it up there. His eyes finally rested on Jarod's shoes, hiding under his shirt. "Check those" The twin ordered to one of the sweepers.

The sweeper turned them over and was rewarded with a metallic ping. Jarod groaned inwardly as his prize was discovered.

Sam grabbed a fistful of Jarod's hair, and pulled the pretender to a kneeling position as Lyle approached him, paperclip in hand.

"And what exactly were you planning on doing with this?" Lyle questioned smugly.

Jarod shrugged nonchalantly. "I just thought I'd get a jump on making next year's Christmas decorations."

"Sam." Lyle commanded. Jarod braced himself as the sweeper delivered a wicked backhand, but still failed to prevent himself from faceplanting into the awaiting floor. He did however succeed in preventing the painful groan that threatened to surface. Sam didn't give him a second to recuperate, immediately yanking the fallen pretender upwards by the hair, back into a kneeling position.

Lyle predatorily circled Jarod before kneeling down to meet him at eye level. "When will you learn Jarod, we will never let you go. I expect more than these childhood stunts from you. Now, Miss Parker informs me that you have a revelation you wish to share with the group, and they are unfortunately waiting. You will be punished for this later." Lyle threatened, patronizingly speaking to Jarod as if he were a toddler.

Jarod remained silent as leg shackles were attached to his feet, before being pulled to a standing position. Sam didn't give him a moment to regain his balance before careening the pretender forward. Jarod caught his right foot on the chain dragging between his legs, and lurched forward, not failing to notice as Sam's normally iron-clad grip seemed to fail as he fell harshly onto his knees.

"Get moving." Sam sneered as he grabbed one of Jarod's restrained arms, a second sweeper following suit. They didn't give Jarod a chance to regain his footing, instead electing to drag the down the hall, his bare feet protested about being dragged along the linoleum.

As the group approached the simlab, Jarod couldn’t bring himself to meet Sydney's concerned gaze, as the shrink stood outside the door, Parker at his side. Jarod kept his eyes on the floor in submission, not in the mood to hear another lecture.

Sam and Mario, the other sweeper escorting Jarod, stopped in front of the pair, letting go of Jarod, and he fell the remaining distance to the floor with a groan.

"Get him on his feet." Parker commanded tersely. "Last time I checked he could still walk." She finished sarcastically. Jarod met her eyes as he was not so gently pulled to a standing position.

"I thought we had an understanding Jarod." Parker stated thinly.

"It was a damn paperclip Parker, this breathes of paranoia, especially for you." The pretender countered.

"Don't make this into something it wasn't, we are all aware of your Houdini tendencies Jarod, and you are mistaken for one moment if you think we were going to let you go that easily. I thought you were smarter than this." Parker responded smugly.

Jarod studied her face for a brief second. He had no idea how they had even discovered he had snatched the damn paperclip in the first place. He had planned it so carefully, to avoid detection from his guards and the cameras. It just didn't make sense. By the way he was being treated, he might as well have made an actual escape attempt.

Turning his attention to Sydney, Jarod continued. "You know me Parker, I'm not one to roll-over and give up. You can't hold on to me forever. I may be cooperating with you people now, but as soon as the lives of the innocent are no longer threatened, our truce is off. You people will screw up eventually, and I'll be gone, Corporation Zero or not." Jarod saw the obvious concern on Sydney's face.

Parker raised her eyebrows. "So that's how it's going to be?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Jarod replied.

Parker strode right up to Jarod, stopping inches from his face. Most men would have cowered under her glare, but Jarod remained tall, meeting her glare defiantly.

"Why must we also have the same recycled talk about false bravado Jarod? It's not becoming of you. You've been whiny and ungrateful about your accommodations since the moment you arrived here. However, I think you are about to realize, that we can makes things a lot more uncomfortable for you." Parker shifted her gaze to the sweepers that still were tightly gripping the pretender. "Please escort Jarod into the lab."

Jarod kept his gaze on Parker as he was pushed ahead into the lab. He didn't doubt that he would soon be regretting his actions, but one day they really would overlook something, and he would be gone.

Parker let her features melt as soon as Jarod had disappeared into the sim lab, knowing she was in for a lecture from Sydney.

"Parker, this was not what I had in mind earlier when we talked about Jarod's living conditions." The psychiatrist began.

Parker shook her head. "I can't trust him Sydney, he apparently has been brewing escape fantasies since we first brought him here. I thought we had declared a temporary truce that included him STAYING in the building. I'm not going to be responsible for Jarod slipping out of our fingers while we are here, I don't care if I have to keep him chained up 24 hours a day. He's the key to our survival. As long as he is here, we have a fighting chance."

"Parker, have you considered the possibility, that Jarod might have willingly assisted us from the outside?" The psychiatrist countered.

"I'm not a fool Sydney. I do not doubt for a second that he would have his slippery fingers firmly etched into this plot. But he needs to be here, under our terms. Knowing him he would probably manipulate it so both the Centre and Corporation Zero were dissolved."

Sydney shook his head. "The secrets to his past are hidden within the walls of the Centre. Until he's reunited with his mother, Jarod would never destroy us. Destroy the Centre, and all the secrets to his past, are gone."

Parker glared at the shrink. "His secrets, and mine. He's found every other family member, and it's just the threat of the Center that keeps them apart. One day they are going to write off Mommy, and he'll really be gone."

"I'm just asking that you let up on him a bit Parker. All he did was take a paperclip from the lab. You are treating him as if he made a full fledged escape attempt." Sydney continued.

"Don't patronize me Sydney, you know as well as I did what he was going to do. I know he designed this building, and a few minutes unsupervised, I do not doubt he would be long gone."

"Parker-" The psychiatrist continued, only to be silenced, as she held up her hand.

"This conversation is over Sydney. It's time for your boy-wonder to come clean about his work over the past few days."

Sydney sighed heavily as he watched Parker disappeared into the simlab, following Jarod's earlier footsteps. The situation was becoming more and more volatile, and Sydney was terribly concerned for Jarod's wellbeing. Parker was the pretender's his last true allie in Center hierarchy, and if the two continued to square off, well…Sydney couldn't bear to think of the possibilities. He was still haunted by the images of what had happened to Jarod in his last short stay at the Center under Lyle. He knew of the outstanding transfer order on Jarod, and he didn't doubt for a second that the Triumvirate would be seeking its completion, to get Jarod permanently sent to Africa, as soon as this was all over. Only a powerful force could negotiate for its revocation. Miss Parker was his only hope. Only she had enough pull in Center hierarchy to attempt to sway triumvirate interests. But she had to want it. Perhaps Sydney would fare better trying to reason with Jarod. Why was it that the two people he cared so much about in the world, were at such terrible odds against each other? He wouldn't give up – Jarod needed him.