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Chapter or Story
Blue Cove, Delaware
Thursday October 21
Miss Parker climbed out of the back seat of the Centre car and waited for the other occupant to slide out through the door she held open. Before he could get out Miss Parker heard the voice of her father behind her, "Angel what's this all about? What was so important that you called us out of a meeting for?"
Miss Parker turned towards the voice and saw Mr. Parker, Mr. Raines, and Lyle approaching her. With a smile on her face she spoke, "I found our missing friend." At that moment a handcuffed Jarod exited the car. Pleased with the shocked faces of her co-workers she then turned to Jarod and spoke to him gently, "Let me take you back to your room. You're probably exhausted. Besides maybe your old room will help you recover your memory." As she started to lead Jarod into the depths of the Centre she also turned to her audience of three, "I'll explain all of this in ten minutes in my office."
Jarod merely looked at Miss Parker with an unsure but trusting look on his face as he followed her to his old room.
-----
"Jarod has amnesia. He vaguely recalls his childhood at the Centre, he recognized me but didn't know my name. Apparently he was in an accident four days ago and suffered some head injuries. When he came to he had no idea who he was."
Over the next hour Mr. Parker, Mr. Raines, and eventually Mr. Cox interrogated Miss Parker about Jarod's condition and discussed what they should do with Jarod. Throughout the discussion Lyle kept to himself as his world collapsed, if Jarod couldn't remember who he was then he would never find Simone, and he was so close to getting her back himself.
"Daddy I need to take a vacation. I have been chasing that lab rat around the country for the past five years, I need a break."
"Yes you do Angel. I'm so proud of you! Take a couple of weeks off to relax and when you come back we can discuss your future here at the Centre Angel." Mr. Parker then walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the top of her forehead.
"Thank you daddy." Even though her outer appearances showed gratitude, internally she was disgusted at the man who kissed her forehead.
Mr. Parker, Raines and Cox all then left Miss Parker's office to continue their plans, leaving Lyle behind with his sister. Lyle just stood there shocked, he still couldn't think straight. Miss Parker looked at Lyle and saw the devastation in his eyes. "Lyle don't you have somewhere to be?" she asked him coldly. She had to stick to the plan.
Lyle awakened from his trance and looked at his sister. 'I need to tell her about Simone. She has to help me get her back. We have to get Jarod out of here, if not then I'll lose her forever… How could she do it? How could she bring him in so calmly and unemotionally? I didn't think she could ever do that… I thought she was too attached to him in that weird way that they share… If I had told her before about my deal with Jarod maybe she wouldn't have brought him in… But he still has amnesia, he doesn't remember any of that… And what about the phone call from Simone's guardians? Oh my god, I have to do something…'
Miss Parker watched Lyle as he racked his mind trying to figure what to do, she sensed what was going through his mind and actually wanted to reach out to him but she stopped herself. Finally Lyle spoke as he rapidly walked out of the room, "I have to go talk to Dad."
"Dad I need to take a vacation as well," he told his father as he walked into his office.
Mr. Parker looked at his son and considered what he said. 'Well it will get him out of our way as we re-evaluate Jarod and he's been such a burden of late…' "I think that's a good idea, you've been just as involved in this search for Jarod as my little Angel has. Take two weeks off."
"Thanks Dad. I'll see you in two weeks, I'll be leaving tonight."
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Blue Cove, Delaware
Friday October 22
Lyle crouched in the ventilation shaft above Jarod's room as he checked his watch. When the alarm went off he removed the vent cover and jumped down into Jarod's room. Once he located the startled Jarod he ran over to him, "Come on Jarod. We have to go?"
"What? What are you talking about? Go where?"
"Jarod you don't belong here. I need your help so come on let's go!"
"I don't understand. This is where I belong, this is my home… Wait a minute are you trying to kidnap me like they did six years ago?"
"No Jarod I swear- Wait a minute they told you that you were kidnapped from here six years ago? Whatever it doesn't matter, Jarod I have to get you out of here!"
"Why do you want to get me out of here? I don't even know you."
"Because you're the only one who can get my daughter back! Now come on, the security interruption is only going to last for another twenty seconds." Lyle was starting to worry that he wouldn't be able to get him out. He then started to plead, "Please Jarod. Come with me and help me."
Jarod looked at him for a few moments before following him up the ventilation shaft. The two of them crawled through the ventilation system for fifteen minutes before coming to a small room where they stopped and waited before the next loop was set for the camera covering their exit.
Jarod turned to Lyle and asked him a question, "What did you mean that I don't belong here?"
Lyle looked at Jarod and was almost saddened to see the lost look on Jarod's face, "Jarod you don't belong here. They'll try to twist you and make you do things that'll hurt others. You never belonged here in the first place. And they lied to you when they said that you were kidnapped six years ago. You escaped from here because you saw the Centre for what it really was."
"How do you know all that?"
Lyle looked down as he explained, "Because I was a part of it. I helped them hurt you. I became twisted just like they wanted. And then almost two years ago I screwed up, I lost something very important to me. You've made me see how screwed up I had become. I needed your help and so I changed."
Jarod listened to Lyle as he spoke and detected the sadness and remorse it conveyed. He also noted that Lyle took responsibility for his separation from Simone. "Listen to me Lyle. You-"
A shocked Lyle looked up when he heard his name mentioned. He also realized that Jarod's voice was different, it was now determined and resolved. "What? You- Amnesia?"
"Shut up and listen to me. If you want to see Simone again do exactly what I tell you. Go to Murphy's Bar down on Pine Street. At 1AM walk in and place a phone call to 555-3871. When the other end picks up say the following phrase: Our mutual friend sends his regards, but will not be able to join us this weekend. Once you've said it hang up and leave the bar immediately. You'll be contacted later and told what to do. You get all that?"
"What? I thought you had amnesia…"
"I'm a pretender, you figure it out. Now did you understand everything I told you?"
Lyle continued to stare at him in awe, finally he processed Jarod's question, "Yeah. Murphy's at one. 'Our mutual friend sends his regards, but won't be able to join us this weekend.' Why'd you come back?"
"That doesn't concern you quite yet. Now you need to get out of here now and I have to get back to my room." Jarod turned his back on Lyle and returned to his room as Lyle continued to look after Jarod.
-----
Lyle exited Murphy's and turned to the right to walk back to his car. Thinking about how long it would take before he was contacted he paid no attention to the homeless man walking towards him down the street. The two passed each other at the entranceway to the alley beside the bar. As the two passed each other the homeless man grabbed Lyle's near hand as he pivoted behind him, pulling his arm behind his back. With his other arm he forced a rag into Lyle's mouth muffling the sounds of confusion and anger coming from him. From behind another homeless man who had been following Lyle ran up and grabbed onto Lyle's free arm. The two then proceeded to drag Lyle into the alley towards a waiting van. They pushed him up against the side door and held him there.
Steve who had been waiting in the shadows then stepped forward and confronted Lyle. "Jarod sends his regards and won't be able to join us this weekend. Now relax will ya!" Learning that this was his contact Lyle ceased struggling and yelling through the gag.
Thursday October 21
Miss Parker climbed out of the back seat of the Centre car and waited for the other occupant to slide out through the door she held open. Before he could get out Miss Parker heard the voice of her father behind her, "Angel what's this all about? What was so important that you called us out of a meeting for?"
Miss Parker turned towards the voice and saw Mr. Parker, Mr. Raines, and Lyle approaching her. With a smile on her face she spoke, "I found our missing friend." At that moment a handcuffed Jarod exited the car. Pleased with the shocked faces of her co-workers she then turned to Jarod and spoke to him gently, "Let me take you back to your room. You're probably exhausted. Besides maybe your old room will help you recover your memory." As she started to lead Jarod into the depths of the Centre she also turned to her audience of three, "I'll explain all of this in ten minutes in my office."
Jarod merely looked at Miss Parker with an unsure but trusting look on his face as he followed her to his old room.
-----
"Jarod has amnesia. He vaguely recalls his childhood at the Centre, he recognized me but didn't know my name. Apparently he was in an accident four days ago and suffered some head injuries. When he came to he had no idea who he was."
Over the next hour Mr. Parker, Mr. Raines, and eventually Mr. Cox interrogated Miss Parker about Jarod's condition and discussed what they should do with Jarod. Throughout the discussion Lyle kept to himself as his world collapsed, if Jarod couldn't remember who he was then he would never find Simone, and he was so close to getting her back himself.
"Daddy I need to take a vacation. I have been chasing that lab rat around the country for the past five years, I need a break."
"Yes you do Angel. I'm so proud of you! Take a couple of weeks off to relax and when you come back we can discuss your future here at the Centre Angel." Mr. Parker then walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the top of her forehead.
"Thank you daddy." Even though her outer appearances showed gratitude, internally she was disgusted at the man who kissed her forehead.
Mr. Parker, Raines and Cox all then left Miss Parker's office to continue their plans, leaving Lyle behind with his sister. Lyle just stood there shocked, he still couldn't think straight. Miss Parker looked at Lyle and saw the devastation in his eyes. "Lyle don't you have somewhere to be?" she asked him coldly. She had to stick to the plan.
Lyle awakened from his trance and looked at his sister. 'I need to tell her about Simone. She has to help me get her back. We have to get Jarod out of here, if not then I'll lose her forever… How could she do it? How could she bring him in so calmly and unemotionally? I didn't think she could ever do that… I thought she was too attached to him in that weird way that they share… If I had told her before about my deal with Jarod maybe she wouldn't have brought him in… But he still has amnesia, he doesn't remember any of that… And what about the phone call from Simone's guardians? Oh my god, I have to do something…'
Miss Parker watched Lyle as he racked his mind trying to figure what to do, she sensed what was going through his mind and actually wanted to reach out to him but she stopped herself. Finally Lyle spoke as he rapidly walked out of the room, "I have to go talk to Dad."
"Dad I need to take a vacation as well," he told his father as he walked into his office.
Mr. Parker looked at his son and considered what he said. 'Well it will get him out of our way as we re-evaluate Jarod and he's been such a burden of late…' "I think that's a good idea, you've been just as involved in this search for Jarod as my little Angel has. Take two weeks off."
"Thanks Dad. I'll see you in two weeks, I'll be leaving tonight."
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Blue Cove, Delaware
Friday October 22
Lyle crouched in the ventilation shaft above Jarod's room as he checked his watch. When the alarm went off he removed the vent cover and jumped down into Jarod's room. Once he located the startled Jarod he ran over to him, "Come on Jarod. We have to go?"
"What? What are you talking about? Go where?"
"Jarod you don't belong here. I need your help so come on let's go!"
"I don't understand. This is where I belong, this is my home… Wait a minute are you trying to kidnap me like they did six years ago?"
"No Jarod I swear- Wait a minute they told you that you were kidnapped from here six years ago? Whatever it doesn't matter, Jarod I have to get you out of here!"
"Why do you want to get me out of here? I don't even know you."
"Because you're the only one who can get my daughter back! Now come on, the security interruption is only going to last for another twenty seconds." Lyle was starting to worry that he wouldn't be able to get him out. He then started to plead, "Please Jarod. Come with me and help me."
Jarod looked at him for a few moments before following him up the ventilation shaft. The two of them crawled through the ventilation system for fifteen minutes before coming to a small room where they stopped and waited before the next loop was set for the camera covering their exit.
Jarod turned to Lyle and asked him a question, "What did you mean that I don't belong here?"
Lyle looked at Jarod and was almost saddened to see the lost look on Jarod's face, "Jarod you don't belong here. They'll try to twist you and make you do things that'll hurt others. You never belonged here in the first place. And they lied to you when they said that you were kidnapped six years ago. You escaped from here because you saw the Centre for what it really was."
"How do you know all that?"
Lyle looked down as he explained, "Because I was a part of it. I helped them hurt you. I became twisted just like they wanted. And then almost two years ago I screwed up, I lost something very important to me. You've made me see how screwed up I had become. I needed your help and so I changed."
Jarod listened to Lyle as he spoke and detected the sadness and remorse it conveyed. He also noted that Lyle took responsibility for his separation from Simone. "Listen to me Lyle. You-"
A shocked Lyle looked up when he heard his name mentioned. He also realized that Jarod's voice was different, it was now determined and resolved. "What? You- Amnesia?"
"Shut up and listen to me. If you want to see Simone again do exactly what I tell you. Go to Murphy's Bar down on Pine Street. At 1AM walk in and place a phone call to 555-3871. When the other end picks up say the following phrase: Our mutual friend sends his regards, but will not be able to join us this weekend. Once you've said it hang up and leave the bar immediately. You'll be contacted later and told what to do. You get all that?"
"What? I thought you had amnesia…"
"I'm a pretender, you figure it out. Now did you understand everything I told you?"
Lyle continued to stare at him in awe, finally he processed Jarod's question, "Yeah. Murphy's at one. 'Our mutual friend sends his regards, but won't be able to join us this weekend.' Why'd you come back?"
"That doesn't concern you quite yet. Now you need to get out of here now and I have to get back to my room." Jarod turned his back on Lyle and returned to his room as Lyle continued to look after Jarod.
-----
Lyle exited Murphy's and turned to the right to walk back to his car. Thinking about how long it would take before he was contacted he paid no attention to the homeless man walking towards him down the street. The two passed each other at the entranceway to the alley beside the bar. As the two passed each other the homeless man grabbed Lyle's near hand as he pivoted behind him, pulling his arm behind his back. With his other arm he forced a rag into Lyle's mouth muffling the sounds of confusion and anger coming from him. From behind another homeless man who had been following Lyle ran up and grabbed onto Lyle's free arm. The two then proceeded to drag Lyle into the alley towards a waiting van. They pushed him up against the side door and held him there.
Steve who had been waiting in the shadows then stepped forward and confronted Lyle. "Jarod sends his regards and won't be able to join us this weekend. Now relax will ya!" Learning that this was his contact Lyle ceased struggling and yelling through the gag.
