THE PRETENDER

Episode 1

DEJA VU

There are pretenders among us.

He's a pretender, a genius.

He has the ability to become anyone he wants.

He was taken from his family and

Since he broke out he is searching for his past.

He helps the weak.

The Centre wants this pretender back alive....

Preferably.

PRESENT

Jarod parked his jeep off the road near a road sign. He opened a new red notebook and looked at the paper clippings he had put in recently. He went through to the last page,

RANGER RETURNS TO DUTY AFTER PARTNER WAS KILLED BY POACHERS. KILLERS NOT YET ARRESTED

the paper clipping said.

The road sign showed him he had to go 20 miles further before he came to the town he wanted to go to. Charlton was a small town on the edge of a wood near Moab, Colorado. He tossed his notebook next to him on the passengers seat and drove his jeep into direction towards town.

THE CENTRE, BLUE COVE, DELAWARE

SL 20, INFERMARY, 19 YEARS EARLIER

When she woke up she couldn't see clearly, everything was blurry. She had great difficulty orientating. There was a bright lamp hanging above her, she was in some kind of operation room. She heard strange voices talking about how she woke up too soon, another voice nervously asking if he should sedate her again. A voice coming from the end of the bed said the operation was finished and had been successful. She couldn't remember having been in a car accident or had been in need of any operation. The last thing she could remember was that she was walking through the woods. Now she lay on an operation table.

When they were finished they brought her to some kind of cell. There were no windows, only one lamp hanging from the ceiling and in a corner stood a table with a chair. It was cold, not just the temperature but the whole atmosphere. As she was feeling nauseous and felt she had to throw up she wanted to sit up but she couldn't as she was tied to the bed. A bold man with a oxygen tank dragging behind him came into the room looking pleased, very pleased. He mumbled something about his own pretender.

THE CENTRE, BLUE COVE, DELAWARE

PRESENT

Sydney looked confused. In front of him on his desk was a copy of a file. The file was named:

Gemini II

He remembered when he first heard of Gemini. The Centre had taken DNA from Jarod and an ovum from Jarod's mother and had made a clone from Jarod, the most successful pretender the Centre ever had. Jarod could be anyone he wanted to be, had thought him that. He had been Jarod's supervisor as from the day he had been brought in til the day Jarod escaped several years ago. He had also been a sort of surrogate farther to Jarod, Sydney thought him everything and had guided him with the tests. When Jarod had escaped he had hated him and the Centre. Jarod had hated himself too when he had found out what was done with the results of the simulations he had done for the Centre. But over the years Sydney had helped him to find his parents, helped him and his father to free his clone and to find out who he was and Jarod began to trust him. They even became friends, after Jarod had escaped they had spoken to one another frequently. Jarod had even called him for advise once or twice and they had even met one another outside the Centre a few times. Once when the husband of his ex-wife was dying, their son Nicolas turned out to be his son. And again when his son Nicolas was kidnapped, first by a revolutionary group and later by Lyle, and Jarod helped him to save his son. Although Lyle had tortured him when Jarod was still at the Centre, Jarod hadn't been able to kill him when he had the chance. He only scared the death out of him, twice now. When, now five years ago, he had learned about project Gemini, the cloning of Jarod, he had managed to become the supervisor of Jarod's clone. The clone had been fourteen years old then. Jarod and his father had also found out about this and succeeded in kidnapping the boy from the underground lab not far from the Centre. The underground lab had been disguised as a farm. And now, again, here was a file named Genesis II. Did the Centre still have DNA from Jarod and an ovum from Jarod's mother? Why hadn't he thought of this earlier, he could have found and destroyed it. Now it looked like the Centre wanted to make another clone of Jarod. But who had ordered this? Raines had made the first clone but he had been shot by Mr Parker when he had put Mr Raines into a holding cell, he had gone too far on one of his secret projects, Ethan. He was know disabled and was moving about in a whealschair and had exposed himself as the real father of Ms Parker and Lyle.

It could be Mr Parker (Ms Parker's, she had thought to be, father) and founder of the Centre. Though, Sydney didn't think it was very likely. He was a man who was more worried about his place within the Centre and keeping Ms Parker, his daughter, from finding out the Centre's secrets and her mother's big plan. He had already secured his place within the Centre with his new born son, Richard. Mr Parker had been remarried just to have another child, his second wife, Brigitte, died while she gave birth. Mr Parker had ordered the house with Brigitte in it to be burned, he hadn't even asked what the baby was, a boy or a girl when he found them. Ms Parker had delivered the baby. She had tracked Brigitte down when she'd found out that Brigitte had killed her boyfriend, Thomas. Ms Parker wanted to revenge Thomas but ended up to be a midwife and delivered the baby, her half-brother. Ms Parker never found out who actually gave the order to kill Thomas. Mr Parker had jumped from the plain, while it was over sea, with some scrolls. Those scrolls were found by Jarod and Ms Parker on a Scottish Island, they had found them as they had been following a lead for their search for a link between their mother's. The scrolls held the secret of the Parker family and that of the Centre but they had also given Mr Parker, and therefore the Centre, the power they had. Maybe he had made another one of his surprise reappearances again, as he'd done several times before.

The more Sydney thought about it he was sure it was more likely to be Lyle, Ms Parker's twin brother. Catherine Parker, Mr Parker's first wife, never knew she had given birth to a twin. Lyle was brought up by another family and as it turned out the father was very sadistic. He had locked Lyle up frequently and had tortured him, Lyle had taken over a few of his stepfather's skills. Now Lyle regularly ordered Asian brides and killed them after he had tortured them as his stepfather had tortured him. He had buried the bodies near a cabin in the woods and Jarod had given them enough clues to find the bodies. But they couldn't actually stop him, they only could keep a close eye on him. When Lyle was a student he'd had killed two students but he had put the evidence with an ex-boyfriend of one of the students to clear himself. Lyle had lost his thumb when a deal with a Japanese gangster went wrong, Ms Parker's doing. He had taken Raines' thumb to replace his own and returned it when he found out that Raines was his real father.

There was also Mr. Cox but he was only an employee of Mr Parker and Lyle, he would only execute their orders. He was the one who burned the house with Brigitte's dead body in it.

His bet would be with Lyle. Sydney thought Lyle was the only one who could think up and do something like that, to make another clone of Jarod.

Sydney was thinking what he should or could do. Who would they want to use as the surrogate mother? Linda Harlan again? The woman they used the first time. They probably would want to, everything went the way they had planned to. There was one difficulty however, Linda had escaped about five years ago too, shortly before the boy was freed by Jarod and his father, Major Charles. He had been Linda's psychiatrist as from the day she had given birth. She had been drugged all the time since she'd given birth and at first he didn't understand what she was talking about. A few months before it became clear to him what Gemini was all about they had forgotten to give her drugs, or they didn't thought is was necessary anymore. From there on she slowly became herself again and then she herself told him the whole story. How she was kidnapped and being impregnated and had given birth, but he didn't believe her. It wasn't untill he saw a copy of a memo called Gemini that he did and understood what had happened to her and the baby. After that he had helped her to escape from the Centre and he had never told anyone about her, not even Jarod or Ms Parker. On occasion he had been in contact with her, she was a ranger now. It had taken her a long time trusting people again and had wanted to go somewhere quiet and remote. The last time he had spoken to her she had looked distracted. Her partner, Mark Anderson, had been shot and she had been severely injured. He was worried about her, he had been her psychiatrist for fourteen years and knew her quite well. He had only told her that the baby had been a boy, Linda had called him Billie. She had never actually seen the boy but he had sent her some photo's of Billie which he had made when he was given access to the boy. He had never told her who the father was or even that the baby was a clone for that matter, but she'd figured out herself that the baby was a clone. Probably with what she had picked up herself before and after they had drugged her. He never revealed to her who or what the boy would be when he grew up, although she would never see the boy again and it was very unlikely she would ever meet Jarod. He had to reach Jarod and ask him for his help, maybe Jarod could help him and make sure the Centre couldn't get to Linda again.

MEANWHILE IN THE WOODS NEAR MOAB, COLORADO

Linda carefully walked through the woods looking for any traps or wild animals. A few months earlier her partner had been killed by poachers, she herself had been seriously wounded. They had been surprised by the poachers while they were doing their rounds in the woods looking for traps. The poachers had shot them and left them for dead. When she woke up her partner was dead. With great difficulty she managed to drag her partner and herself out of the woods. She was picked up by the sheriff, Simon Nolan, who brought them to the hospital. They still hadn't caught the poachers. She had started working again just a few days ago. Maybe she wasn't up for the task yet but she was tired sitting at home, she had to do something. The fresh air and the smell of the woods did her good.

After a few hours walking through the woods she heard a cry. It sounded like an animal in distress. She carefully came closer. She saw it was a fox in a poacher's trap. She knew the scent of blood would draw other animals and the cries could also alert the poachers. Linda carefully looked around before she went to the fox. When she was almost close enough to touch the fox and free it she heard a noise, she heard the dry leaves rustle, it was already too late. One of the poachers, she had met a few months ago when her partner was killed, stood next to her. He pointed a gun at her. How could she be so stupid? Hadn't she learned from what had taken place a few months ago, the mistakes they made then?

"So", he said. "That was easy. You where easier to catch than that fox. We should have killed you the first time but I can now correct that mistake". Linda stood frozen to the ground, how could she let him surprise her like that? She was now conviced that she did go to work too soon but where did he come from anyway? She had looked very carefully, so she thought. There where no signs of another poacher. The poacher raised the gun higher and aimed at her head. Suddenly the poacher first fell on his knees and then on his face. Behind him stood a man in a rangers uniform with a large stick in his hand, he had knocked the poacher out. Linda was surprised. Apparently she and the poacher where so occupied with each other they didn't hear the man coming.

"Hi", he said, "I'm your new partner, just in time I see. Simon Nolan, the town sheriff said you would be here in the woods. My name is Jarod, Jarod Woods, I was assigned to this area a few days ago. Didn't you get the fax? It is dangerous to go into the woods on your own. Especially after what happened to you and your partner a few months ago".

She had all forgotten about the fax. "Thank you, I'm Linda Harlan. I was tired to sit at home and wait, Linda said. The walls where closing in on me so I just wanted to go into the woods again, to smell the air. Once you're hooked, it doesn't let you go anymore". "Yeah, I know what you mean", her new partner said,  "but you still should have waited. It is too dangerous as the killers haven't been caught yet. We better take this one back to town before he wakes up or his friends come looking for him". Jarod took the poacher over his shoulder and they walked back to town.

They went to the police office, there a chubby officer opened the door to let them in. They entered a typical small town police office. A counter with a deputy behind it to help anyone and behind him two desks to work on, although there was only one deputy and the sheriff had his own office. In the back was an open door which led to the sheriff's office. On  the right was a door which led to the kitchen, and on the right of that door was another door with a sign which said toilets. The hall was covered with posters of missing people and the wanted posters. The chubby officer greeted them and opened the passage in the counter so Jarod could come through with the unconscious poacher. "Hello Linda, the sheriff said. Good morning Simon, this is my new partner Jarod Woods, I had totally forgotten he would come today. He found me in the woods, just in time. He saved me from this poacher and his rifle". Simon smiled, "yes we have met this morning when he came to town and couldn't find you at the ranger's office. Well done Jarod" and Simon shook his hand. "This is my deputy Dennis Conner, together we hold the fort in Charlton. You can put the poacher in of the cells over there", the sheriff said and pointed to the door opposite of the entrance. Jarod took the key's from the sheriff and locked the, still unconscious, poacher in one of the cells and returned the key's to the sheriff.

The poacher looks familiar", Simon said, and he walked to a archive standing against the wall behind the desks. He opened a drawer and took out a file. "Yes here he is", Simon said, "David White. Mark and I had arrested him and his brother, Harry, last year when you where on training. I didn't know they where out again, they are notorious poachers. They where working with a group who where operating in the entire state. Probably they came back to take revenge or to finish the job". Simon didn't know exactly how big the group was that worked in this region. It was possible that the brothers worked alone here, but there also could be up to ten people in the woods. Linda sat down behind a desk. The way she acted and looked, Jarod was doubting her rangers abilities. He was surprised they hadn't killed her the first time. But suddenly she seemed to come to life. "Well", she said, "we better make sure we catch them and do it right this time so we won't run in to them later because of a technicality". She looked very determined now and Jarod was pleasantly surprised at this sudden energetic and lively attitude, but Simon just smiled pleased. "Good to have you back again", he said. Apparently she was her self again. She had woken up from her daze which almost killed her as she hadn't noticed the poacher who now lay unconscious in one of the three cells, which were mostly used only for drunken townies to sleep it off. Linda just smiled.

They also took out the file of the poacher's brother, Harry. And began to read both files. They contacted the FBI and received a lot of additional information about possible poachers who could belong to the poachers group working in the county by fax. It didn't take long or all their desks where covered with paperwork and as the ranger's office was too small, they had set them selves up in the sheriff's office. After plenty of coffee, tea, sandwiches, other tasteful goodies, for Jarod that was mostly pez, and when it became dusk they had made considerable progress and decided to get a good night sleep and to proceed in the morning.

As Jarod had come to town just this morning and had gone straight to the ranger's and police office and then into the woods to find Linda, he hadn't found a place to stay yet and went with Simon to stay the night with him and his wife. After a good meal Jarod and Simon went to the living room and talked for a while. Simon told him he had lived here all his life and had always been a police officer, he had worked himself up from being a deputy to a sheriff. Linda came to town about five years ago. She was, and is, a good ranger and she kept much to herself, especially when she first came here. It had taken her some time to feel at home and to trust everyone, he couldn't tell Jarod much about her only that in the fourteen years before she came to this town she didn't had a happy life. She had a son who was taken from her right after he was born and hadn't seen or heard from him since. Although she had received some photo's of him from a friend. Jarod remembered how he was taken from his family, though he wasn't a baby when he was taken from his parents.

The next morning they had an early start and by the end of the morning they had made a review of all the people they thought could belong to the group of poachers operating in this county on a board. It could be a group of a total of eight poachers, they probably lived deeper or on the other side of the woods as they only saw them the first time about a year ago when the White brother's had been arrested and then a few months ago when they had killed Mark and had left Linda for dead. They now had to find their camp and that could take some time as the woods were vast.

After the lunch break they made a strategy of how to catch the rest of the group before the group would come to Moab and try to free their brother and friend. They bought provisions, tested and cleaned the equipment for the next day. 

After they had a good night sleep they went on their way early morning. Simon and his deputy would stay in town to keep an eye on the poacher, to keep contact and hold the fort in case any of the remaining poachers would come to town. Linda and Jarod would take the radio and go into the woods in search for the rest of the group. In the woods were several cabins, both under and above ground, where they could hide and rest. There were provisions, a radio and beds or stretchers.

Although Jarod had been a ranger for just two days he didn't feel very uncomfortable as he had been in the army with several different divisions, among which the commando's, and had helped forest rangers with their search for a lost student and he just loved walking in nature.

As they walked through the woods they were very careful not to make too much noise. They listened to every sound. But they didn't expect anything to hear or see from the poachers until they would come deeper into the woods but they didn't want to alarm them. If they would find the rest of the group they wanted to have the element of surprise to be on their side.

THE CENTRE, BLUE COVE, DELAWARE

PRESENT

Ms Parker was deep in her thoughts with a glass of whisky in her hand. She was thinking about her mother, Catherine Parker. On the DSA video, on which she saw he mother talking to the young Jarod and had seen her mother giving birth to Ethan and being executed by Raines later, her mother had spoken about her plan. But what plan? She knew her mother wanted to take her, Jarod, Angelo and other children out of the Centre. Even Raines never knew what that plan could be, he did know it was somewhere on a dsa disk. She was thinking why she was still staying at the Centre at all. The Centre had killed her mother and Thomas, her boyfriend. Her father, who wasn't her father after all, had lied to her so often and felt no sorrow when his second wife had died at childbirth. And she didn't trust her evil twin brother, Lyle, either. He'd even gone as far as attaching Raines' thumb on his hand as his own, he was sadistic and dangerous. She also thought about how it was possible that, if they were right, Raines was her father. The investigation of Sydney and Broots showed that, although she shared a few genes with her father, it was almost impossible that Mr Parker was her father. They'd said that the chances where 1 to 10, small but still. It was still possible her parents had used artificial insemination, like Jarod's parents had, at NuGenesis. Maybe their mothers met each other there and Mr Parker could still be her father then as she couldn't believe that her mother would get involved with a monster like Raines. But he had impregnated her mother with Jarod's father semen once before. He could have switched his semen with that of Mr Parker. On the other hand Mr Parker had impregnated Brigitte or wasn't that his child either. He had undergone thorough medical examinations and was given medicine to get Brigitte pregnant still. And hadn't Jarod implied that Ben Miller was her father or had that just been one of his games? So far he had been right about everything, about how her father had lied to her about Raines' hitting her mother or that her mother had killed herself and about many other things for that matter.

She loved her mother and wanted to honor her wishes, in order to do this she had to find out what her mothers plan was and who had actually given the order to kill her mother and Thomas. Within the Centre it was her job to catch Jarod and return him to the Centre. She felt uncomfortable about this, a part of her mothers plan was to free Jarod and she had to bring him in. But if she was to find out what her mother's plan was she had to stay with the Centre. That meant she had to keep tracking down Jarod and try to catch him. But she had grown up with Jarod, they had given each other their first kiss when they were about ten years old, he even had saved her once and they'd had spent quite some time together on a Scottish island looking for his mother and Centre's secrets. There they even had almost kissed each other, again. Jarod had also helped her to find the Thomas' killer and together they had found Ethan, their half-brother (Jarod's father was Ethan's father too). And where was Ethan, one moment he safed her and was gone the next. As she was in thoughts she played with her tear shaped ring, the ring her mother had worn in her vision and the ring she'd found in a safe belonging to Tommy Thomson. He had been a doctor, hired by her mother, at the Centre.

Broots came storming into Ms Parker's office waving a memo and trying to speak quickly. Ms Parker became agitated as he had startled her and she couldn't make out what he wanted.

"Calm down Broots, speak calmy and no details, facts only", she said irritated. Broots took a deap breath and gave her the piece of paper. "They are doing it again", he said as quickly as he could. "Doing what?", Ms Parker said angry as she was still a bit shaken by Broots' sudden appearance. Broots gave her the piece of paper. On the top it said: Gemini II.

Ms Parker was astonished. She knew very well what Gemini was. The Centre had made a clone of Jarod, created a new pretender, someone who could become anyone he would want to be. They hoped the clone would be better than the real Jarod as much information would already be in the cloned DNA. The boy had indeed been quicker in several tests, just a few seconds though. But this would mean the Centre wanted to make another clone.

"We have to go to Sydney", she said and took the piece of paper and stormed out of her office towards Sydney's room with Broots in her tracks. It was completely empty. "Oh" ,she said irritated, "he is never there when you really need him". Broots walked to the desk and saw the copy of the file lying on Sydney's desk, "he already knows", Broots said. Ms Parker took the copy and read it. She was puzzled, Sydney hadn't come to her to bring her up to date. That could only mean he was working on his own again as he had done with the first clone. Maybe he was trying to contact Jarod asking him for his help. If she could find Sydney, he could bring Jarod to her.

IN THE WOODS AT THE END OF THE DAY

Linda and Jarod had taken a break at lunch time but then walked straight through untill dusk fel in. They didn't see anyone or anything, but they hadn't expect it as they weren't far enough into the woods. They came to one of the ranger cabins, Linda removed padlock and opened the door. "Welcome to Rangers Cabin de Luxe, it has everything we need. Tomorrow, late in the afternoon when we go to the next cabin, you will discover why this one is called the luxe". As Linda walked towards the table to light the lamp, Jarod saw that the walls of the cabin were full with posters of animals and posters from WSPA, IFAW, WWF, EPA and Greenpeace. It wasn't a big cabin but big enough for two people to spend a few days in, it was nicely decorated but not too much as it wasn't meant to stay in for a long time. It was meant for only one of two nights. He entered the cabin which was really one big room with a table with two chairs on his left at the front of the cabin. Left, against the side wall, was a fireplace and in the back, in the front of him, was something like a little kitchen. On his right were two doors, as it seemed they were the bedrooms and they were both locked with padlocks. Jarod hoped Linda hadn't forgotten the keys as he didn't feel like sleeping on the floor. But Linda had already taken the keys from somewhere and opened one of the doors and handed him the key. "This used to be Mark's room, it's yours now", Linda said. "All his things have been removed already. The other room is mine", she continued as Jarod took the key from her. After Jarod had settled in he went back into the room and saw Linda was already making dinner. "Before I forget", she said, "this cabin has one disadvantage. The toilet is here behind this door right next to the kitchen", she said while she pointed to a door and Jarod nodded. "The toilet used to be outside but it was way too cold so a cupboard was sacrificed. Please, go after we have eaten. It was either a toilet outside or the toilet here next to the kitchen and believe me when I say that it can be really cold at night", she explained. "The canned food is bad enough without other delicious smells. After dinner we can look at the map and see what the best route is we can take through the woods. Tomorrow we will go deeper into the woods so there will be a bigger chance to encounter the poachers". After a not so bad dinner and dishes they looked at the map and decided to walk the next day to the next cabin which lay deeper into the woods near a creek. As they had a few hours to kill before they went to sleep, Linda stirred up the fire and Jarod made them some hot drinks. "Where did you work before you came here and how long have you been a ranger Jarod". "I've been a ranger for some time now. I've been roaming the mountains and forests at Toledo National Forest in Oregon, we searched there for a student once, Turners Ridge in Idaho and near Plano in Texas". "Well, I hope you won't leave anytime soon as I've already lost a partner recently", Linda said. "Don't worry I haven't planned on leaving any time soon". "How long do you do this work", Jarod asked her while sipping from his coffee. "I've been working here for about five years now, I love this work and I don't want to do anything else. Even after what happened to Mark and me a few months ago. The fourteen years before that I try to forget, they weren't very happy years. I had a son, Billy, they took him right after his birth from me, now about nineteen years ago. But I have made two very good friends back then who helped, and still are, me very well and probably saved my life. During thirtheen of those fourteen years I was in a kind of a daze, but since I'm here things are going a lot better. One of my friends has sent me several photo's of Billie. But even my friend lost sight of him about five years ago and couldn't sent me anymore photo's. Maybe it's better this way, if my friend can't find him neither can the people who did this to me". Jarod felt a bit uncomfortable, "I'm sorry to hear this, I was taken from my parents at a young age also.  I've been looking for them ever since. I was lucky, I've found almost all of them, my father, my brother, my sister and I've even found a half-brother I didn't know I had. Now we have contact again, though not often and I lost my brother shortly after I'd found him. He died when he dove in front of a bullet which was meant for me. Now and again we keep in touch so we won't loose each other again".  Jarod took out a few photo's from his jacket's inner pocket and gave them to Linda, somehow speaking to her like this felt, familiar and comfortable. "Here are some photo's of them", he said while he gave them to her. He felt at ease and he felt he could trust her as she and her son had gone through something similar. "They look like they are very nice people, but I don't see a picture of your sister and brother or half-brother". "I don't have any pictures of Emily, my sister, and Ethan, my half-brother, yet.  May I see a photo of Billie?"  "But of course", Linda said and walked to her room.  She came back from her room with a photo and handed it to Jarod. "This is the last picture I have of him, he's about fourteen years old and was taken just before he disappeared". When Jarod looked at it he got the shock of his life, this was a photo of him when he was about fourteen years old. There was a DSA date on it from about five years ago, it was his clone. How did Linda get this photo, was she the surrogate mother of his clone, who she called Billie? "Are you okay", Linda asked worried. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Do you know him?" "No", Jarod said with great difficulty, he had to swallow hard first . "He looks like someone I know", he quickly said. Jarod didn't know what to think but he had to speak to Sydney quickly, he needed some answers. Jarod felt a panic coming over him, he never had thought about how the clone was born. When he had found out the Centre had made a clone of him he could only think about how to free him. And now he was in one room with the surrogate mother and apparently she didn't know about him. Sydney probably didn't thought is was important to tell her about him and him about her, or Sydney wanted to keep her and his identity a secret to everyone. "I have to speak to someone, can I contact anyone and not over the radio?", he asked "How urgent is it?", Linda asked surprised. "I have a laptop but I use it only if I really have to". "It is very urgent", he said. "Okay it is in my room,  I will get it for you", Linda said after she'd thought about it. Linda went into her room, and although she thought it was real strange that, after he'd seen Billie's photo, Jarod wanted to talk to someone and didn't want to do that over the radio and returned with her laptop. "Here it is, I've to go outside and get some more wood for the fire", she said as she put the laptop on the table. As soon as Linda turned towards the door to go out Jarod opened the laptop and tried to make contact with Sydney. As soon as he made contact he didn't get a chance to speak. Sydney was so excited Jarod couldn't get word between it. "Finally", Sydney said relieved. "I've been trying to contact you for days. I've got a copy of a file named Gemini II. They want to make a new clone of you, a new pretender". Jarod was speechless. Sydney went on and explained a few things. "Five years ago, after I found out what the Gemini-project was and just before you and your father had freed the clone, I helped the surrogate mother to escape. You have to track her down and make sure the Centre can't use her again, I've tried to contact her but she doesn't answer my messages". "I think I've already found her", Jarod said. Now it was Sydney's turn to look surprised. "How?" Sydney asked. "I saw an article in a newspaper about a ranger going back to work after her partner had been killed and she had been seriously wounded. I thought it was a nice idea to look into it as the killers weren't found yet. She just showed me a photo of her lost son it was the boy, she calls him Billie". "You have to protect her Jarod", Sydney said. "They want to make another clone, I don't know who but I suspect it is Lyle. Raines has been shot by Mr Parker after he was put in a holding cell after the incident with Ethan, and he's seriously disabled. Although, he is capable of just about anything". Meanwhile Linda returned with her arms full with wood for the fire. When he heard the door open Jarod ended his conversation with Sidney abruptly. For now Linda didn't know who he was and he wanted to keep it that way, it would make things a lot more complicated if she new who he was. "Everything alright?", she asked. "Yes, but I think someone has a hard time trying to reach you. There are a lot messages on your laptop, I will chop some more wood so we have enough for the next time we have to be here and you can talk without being disturbed". Linda was surprised but before she could ask or say anything Jarod was already outside. Linda opened the laptop and saw she indeed had received several messages from Sydney. Although she felt very uneasy, she never knew if one of these calls could be traced by the Centre or not, she contacted Sydney anyway. It was always nice to hear his voice and see his calm face. He, besides Angelo, was the only one she completely trusted. "I'm sorry it took so long to answer your messages, Sydney", she said as soon as Sydney answered her call. "It's okay", he assured her. "What's the matter, everything alright?", Linda asked. "I have come across some disturbing news", Sydney began. "I've received a copy of a file, it was about something called Gemini II. I've seen only the name not the contense, but we both now it can only mean one thing". Linda was shocked, after a long time she had finally gotten her life back on track. "Are you sure?", she asked. "No, but knowing the Centre it is very likely it is what we're afraight of. Can you go somewhere safe, can you trust anyone?", Sydney asked. "I'm somewhere safe alright", Linda said. "I'm with my new partner, Jarod Woods, deep in the woods. We're trying to catch the poachers who killed Mark. Yesterday we, or rather I, bumped into one and he wanted to kill me but my new partner came just in time and knocked him out. The poacher is safe in jail now. We're now trying to catch the others before they can catch us or free the one in jail. I'm not sure I can trust my new partner though, I only now him for a few days and he looked shocked at Billie's photo". "Well", Sydney said. "You have to trust someone, that he saved your live it's a good start", Sydney tried. "I'll see", Linda said still not convinced. "Have you heard from your friend yet, you got worried about him when you hadn't heard from him in such a long time", Linda asked . "Yes, I've just spoken to him, everything is alright. Be careful Linda, the Centre has ears and eyes everywhere, your partner sounds like he's a good man and again you have to trust someone. As soon as I've found out more I'll contact you", Sydney said and discontected the line. As Linda closed the laptop she noticed the wood chopping had stopped and Jarod came in. "I've made a good stock and lay it behind the cabin, I think we have enough for an entire winter. Everything alright?" Jarod asked as he came in and saw Linda's troubled face. "Yes, my friend and I hadn't spoken to each other for quite some time, he got worried. But everything is alright". Linda wasn't sure what to think, Sydney with his news about Gemini and Jarod's sudden appearance and the way Jarod had looked at Billie's photo had worried her. Okay she had received a fax he was coming, but there was no photo included. On the other hand, if the Centre wanted to kidnap her again they just would have taken her. She decided she had to trust someone and as Jarod had saved her from the poacher she decided she would trust him. He had a kind face and Sydney was right, she had to trust someone. As it was getting quite late and the next day would be a long day  they decided to get some sleep. The next day they would go further into the woods in search for anything what could lead them to the poachers.

Jarod couldn't get to sleep, his new partner was the boy's surrogate mother and the Centre wanted to create a new one. He had to protect Linda but he didn't want her to know who he was. From now on it was going to be hard: catching the poachers and looking after Linda. After some debating and planning he finally fell a sleep.

Linda had also trouble sleeping. The Centre wanted to take her again as they wanted to make her pregnant again. She looked at Billie's photo and wondered where he was and how he would be like. With the photo in her hand she fell a sleep.

THE CENTRE, BLUE COVE, DELAWARE

"Finally, there you are", Ms Parker came running through Sydney's door with Broots behind her following her like a little puppy. "Where have you been al that time? And don't lie to me, I know about Gemini II  and I know you know about it too". "The Centre want to make another clone of Jarod, Sydney said very  calm. I've tried to find or contact the surrogate mother of the first clone, I wanted to make sure the Centre can't use her again". "You know who she is?", Ms Parker asked surprised angry. "And you've never told me?"  "I was her put under my care for about fourteen years, right after the clone was born and was taken from her. I didn't know it back then as she was heavily sedated, I couldn't understand what she was saying. It wasn't until they'd forgotten to give her drugs and she became herself again that she told me the whole story. I couldn't believe what they'd done at first, the Centre had done a lot of horrible things but this... It wasn't until I saw the memo about Gemini that I believed her. It wasn't much earlier then when you found out about Gemini. She escaped just before Jarod and his father freed the clone and now I want to make sure the Centre can't find her and use her again. And I hadn't told you this before because it didn't seem to matter then". Ms Parker relaxed a bit but wasn't happy about the fact Sydney hadn't told her anything. She knew Sydney was very fond of Jarod, he practically raised him as his own son. Sydney would help her to catch Jarod but he wouldn't lead Jarod into a trap. But she had caught Jarod on her own once before, she could do it again. They had to do something, to get more information, a nice job for Broots. "Broots we have to know more then just history, she said. Go to Lyle's office and get me as much as information about Gemini II as you can find". "But Ms Parker what if he comes in?", Broots complained. "Don't worry, he's on one is his trips so you better hurry before he comes back and finds you snooping around in his office". "But Ms Parker...", Broots tried again. "Go Broots", Ms Parker said brisk and Broot didn't dare to say anything more. Broots, reluctantly, went out the door towards Lyle's office. He didn't want to think what Lyle would do to him if he would find him snooping around in his office. In his mind he saw the photo's of the mutilated Vietnamese girl they had found near the cabin in the woods. He shivered and walked faster towards Lyle's office, he wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible.

NEXT DAY IN THE WOODS

It was very misty when they came out of the cabin and started walking again. They got up early and after freshen up and a quick breakfast they contacted the sheriff to look out for any strangers and set of for another day walking through the woods. They didn't talk much as they were searching for signs of the poachers or their traps. They were afraight the poachers could hear them if they talked too loud and too much and they wanted to have the element of surprise to be on their side as there were only two of them and the poachers could be with no fewer then eight, now seven as one was in a holding cell already. With the lunch break they didn't make a fire to warm water for tea of coffee, although it was quite cold as autumn was falling in, as they were afraight the smoke would alarm the poachers. So they sat there quietly eating and drinking. They walked the whole afternoon without seeing any traces of the poachers. They did, however, see several traps. They fixed the traps so they couldn't hurt an animal and them anymore should they step into one when they had to make a run for it. When the evening fell Jarod started to wonder if they were to spend the night under the stars as he couldn't see a cabin. Just when Jarod wanted to ask her, Linda asked if he could see their place for the night and she had to laugh when she saw his surprised face. "It is very well hidden", she said. "It's hobbit like", she continued and Jarod looked for a while but couldn't find anything. Linda walked towards a few fallen trees and sat on her heels, she removed a large branch and opened a hatch. "Here it is", she said. "This is our economy cabin. There isn't much space in here, everything is in one room. The toilet is outdoors, we have to make a hole in the ground and the beds are small stretchers. You can's even stand straight up and you can't really walk but we can make ourselves something to eat. Don't expect too much though" Linda said as she held the door open. She wasn't kidding. When Jarod went into the cabin he couldn't stand straight and he couldn't make more then a few steps. The stretchers were opposite of one another, feet towards each other and served also as benches or chairs. To make dinner there was only one gas burner. Tonight's dinner was to be soup and sandwiches only. The gas burner had to function as a heater as well. This was going to be a long evening and a cold night too. As good as it went they settled themselves in. Linda opened a hatch in the ground, "tomato or goulash" she asked. "Tomato will do", Jarod replied. "Tomato it is", she said and she took out the gas burner and a large can of tomato soup.  It was Jarod's turn cook, although warming up soup can hardly be consired cooking. Linda sat on her stretcher, she seemed miles away. Without thinking she took Billie's photo out of her jacket and looked at it. "Do you miss him?", Jarod asked when he saw her looking at the photo. "Yes, but I haven't really known him. After he was born they took him away and drugged me. They didn't drug me during the nine months of pregnancy of course, so I really consciously experienced the pregnancy. I do wonder what he looks like, if he's happy and if he leads a normal life, like any child should. This photo is at least five years old, and I can't stop wondering if he has changed much, has he a family taking care of him and is he going to school?" "I'm sorry it must have been hell there", Jarod said. "After the nine months I haven't consciously experienced anything. Those nine months were special and I've even made two friends there, one friend who helped me escape, Sydney his name is and Angelo is my other friend, I met him first and like me he was taken too. Angelo looked bewildered and spoke like a little child, but I think he was smarter than everyone else there tough. He knew everything and could get everywhere within that place where he wanted to go to, I enjoyed talking to him. He had good friend, also named Jarod", she told him. Linda had, without thinking, spoken very freely about her time at the Centre, as she felt quite comfortable with Jarod. He was calm, friendly and made her feel at ease. "It was later that I met my other friend Sydney, he kind of looked after me. I don't know why though, as they had drugged me I don't think he could do much for me or understand anything I tried to say. When they forgot to give me drugs or thought it wasn't useful anymore it was quite awful but Angelo helped me through it". Jarod had to think about the time he had to go into detox, Dave Arnold, an orderly at the Centre, had helped him then as Sydney had been a guinea pig himself. "Back then he was the only one I trusted, Sydney was away at that time", Linda continued. "So Sydney didn't know I wasn't onto drugs anymore, and I didn't tell him. He used our time together to help himself too I think, as he couldn't understand what I was saying and he thought I didn't understand him. During these conversations he had with me while I wasn't on drugs anymore, I learned to trust him. He told me more about this Jarod, a lady he called Ms Parker, her mother, Angelo and all kind of other things. This Jarod was just a little boy when he was brought at that place and Sydney was assigned to be his supervisor, he had to teach and guide the little boy. Although he didn't want to admit it I think he grew to love the boy like he was his own son, he still holds a special place in his hart for him. I think Sydney was both sad and happy when Jarod left that place. Sad for not having him around anymore but happy he was free now, Sydney was really very fond of him. I think he escaped after they'd taken me", Linda said and looked at Jarod who was silent and looked sad and she saw his eyes were becoming wet. "You are the Jarod, aren't you?", Linda said as she saw Jarod's expression. Jarod looked a bit startled and tried to deny it. "Don't say anything I can see it in your eyes, you have the same eyes Billie has. But I'm glad to finally meet you, now I know I can trust you. I wasn't sure before as you appeared so sudden and you looked so strangely at Billie's photo". "I try to keep my identity as much a secret as I can so the Centre has to try harder to find me", Jarod said. "For a while I wasn't even sure if Jarod was my real name or who I was, Sydney helped me to make it in the outside world. Finding my father, and sister also helped of course. I've also found my brother, Kyle, he was also taken by the Centre. They did the same things to him as they had done to me but Raines was his mentor instead of Sydney. Raines turned him into a killer, just like he wanted to do with Ethan. Kyle was killed shortly after I'd found him, he dove in front of me when Lyle wanted to shoot me", Jarod said. "I'm so sorry", Linda said.  "I've seen my mother only once for a brief moment, she had to flee from the Centre just after we saw each other. She just came out of a taxi when and the Centre had been waiting for us", Jarod continued. "But everything is so double. I practically grew up with Ms Parker and Sydney, they are also my family. Ms Parker tries to catch me and bring me back to the Centre and Sydney..., well he has to help her but ..."

"From what I understood from my conversations with Sydney", Linda said,  "Ms Parker isn't quite sure either. You helped her so often with so many things, the death of her mother and the murder of her boyfriend to name a few. She has caught you, or had a big chance of, on several occasions and you are still here outside the Centre. She let you go when she'd caught you, when you were trying to find Ethan. She wants to find out what her mother's big plan is but to do that she has to stay within the Centre and that means she has to try and catch you. As I understood, the only time you were recaptured and was brought back into the Centre wasn't by her but by her brother Lyle and Raines. And Ms Parker even got shot by someone from the Centre, okay the bullet was meant for her father but still....". "How come you know so much?", Jarod asked surprised. "Many things happened after you left". "Sydney still talks to me very openly about everything, he knows I don't know everyone from the Centre. I've never met  Ms Parker, Lyle or Broots, and up till now, you. After he'd found out I hadn't been drugged for some time he got a bit angry and we had a good talk, it was mostly about trust. He could understand why I didn't trust him right away and why I didn't tell him that I wasn't drugged anymore. I'm also planning to stay outside of the Centre, so he can be sure that everything he says to me about the Centre stays with me. The Centre wouldn't ever know about it. It's also a relief to be able to talk to someone so freely about the Centre so you don't get the idea you're mad as it all sounds like an episode from the X-files. It is also nice to have friends who understands you, know what you have been through". "Yes", Jarod said and nodded approvingly. "It is nice to be able to talk to someone outside the Centre so freely, to someone who knows what I've gone through and who knows me for who and what I am and not who I pretend to be as I always pretend to be someone else. I could never really talk about my past, no one would ever believe it". Linda nodded, she understood how he felt. "But if you are the Jarod that would mean the baby I carried is your ... son or half-brother?" "I try not to think about it, I'm just glad the boy will grow up, and hopefully stay, outside the Centre, that thay can't hurt or use him the way they hurt and used me and my brother", Jarod said sadly and looked down to the ground and stirred some more in the soup. "How did you manage all this time, you've been inside the Centre for so long, for over thirty years. You're helping people but who helps you?" "I have Sydney and of course Angelo, and I have made a lot of friends along the way who have helped me. And helping people, pretending to be someone else, doing what the Centre taught me helps too. It is something familiar, something I know how to do. Helping Ms Parker with her mother's plan and try to find her mother's and boyfriend's killer, unfolding the secrets of the Centre also means fighting against the Centre. That is how I take revenge, to fight them from within. No matter what they did to me I can't kill anyone in cold blood, I just don't have it in me. I've killed only once and I hope I don't have to do it again, I had a chance to kill Raines but that would make me no better than them". "I know and that time you did kill someone it was to save Broots and a lot of other people. Sydney also once told me how you had pinned Lyle down when he had taken Sydney's son and how you had let him go. I think that's admirable after what they've done to you and I think Lyle is very scared of you. You have caught him several times and frightened the life out of him on those occasions", Linda said. "I just hope to stay away from them as far and as long as I can", she said. "I'm too scared to help other people, strangers that is, afraid that one of them might be someone from the Centre and will bring me again. So I help the animals and bring in people who wants to hurt them". "I think that is what separates us from them. We have our humanity, dignity, a conscious and a sense what is right and wrong", Jarod continued. "But I don't think I can just help everyone. What if one of them is with the Centre, Jarod. Then what?" "That's a chance I have to take, this is what I want to do, to help those in need and to put right what the Centre has done". "Like Onysius, the god of retribution., you help the weak and helpless". "Yes, something like that", said Jarod with a smile, "but enough talking for now, we better get something to eat and then get some rest for tomorrow as the poachers are still out there somewhere and we also have to watch out for people from the Centre. Before we go tomorrow I want to contact Simon if the poachers have come to town or if they have spotted any strangers. And of course to give him an update of our progress". "Maybe he can tell us what the weather will be like too", Linda said. Because it was such a small room it was still warm from warming up the soup, so it wasn't that cold anymore.

The next day also began with a lot of mist and, as they learned from Simon, it wouldn't get much better, the autumn was really setting in. It was cold and it started to rain, it wasn't the best day to be a ranger. "Are you already regretting to pretend to be a ranger now Jarod", Linda asked quietly? "It would have been better if you had started to work again at the end of spring or in the summer",  Jarod said with a smile. As they went further into the woods they saw more traces of the poachers. Apparently the poachers thought they were safe as they were deeper in the woods. Jarod and Linda were now even more on their guard, they had the feeling it wouldn't take much longer before they would find the poachers.

THE CENTRE, BLUE COVE, DELAWARE

Broots came running into Ms Parker's office. He was out of breath but tried to speak anyway. "Mmmms Parker .... I have found something". Ms Parker was in deep thoughts when Broots came in and he gave her a fright. "What do you want Broots", Ms Parker said brisk. "What is it?", Sydney asked, as he just came in. "I've found wonderful things. Luckily Mr Lyle didn't came in, I was so scared he would caught me right there when I was searching in his desk or computer but he didn't. Oh I could see the horrible photo's of those poor Vietnamese bride's right in front of me and ..." "Broots, get on with it facts no details", Ms Parker said to cut him short and got annoyed. Broots always babbled on and on before he got to the information she wanted to know. "Sorry Ms Parker I'm just so relieved Mr Lyle didn't came in when I was searching his office". "It's okay Broots, just tell us what you've found", Sydney said. "You were right, Sydney, It was Lyle's idea to start Gemini II. He probably wants to do it at the farm in Delaware, Donoterasse, the same place as were the other clone was held. Not very smart of him, is it. Everyone knows that place now, including Jarod and major Charles". "Anything else Broots?" "Yes Ms Parker, they want to do everything as Raines did. Including the surrogate mother, a lady named Linda Harlan". "You know her, right Sydney", Ms Parker asked. "Yes, as I said earlier, she was a patient of mine after the boy was born. But she escaped from the Centre about five years ago just before Jarod and Major Charles freed the boy". "I'm sure you had nothing to do with her escape, right Sydney?" "Of course not Ms Parker", Sydney said with all his innocence. "Then you don't know where we can find her Sydney?" "No, I am sorry Ms Parker I can't help you there". "Yes sure, we have to do some more digging then. Broots", she said. "You have to go back to Lyle's office to find out where this Linda Harlan is". "But Ms Parker, Lyle can come back any minute now",  Broots tried. "Broots stop whining and get a move on it", Ms Parker said irritated. Just as Broots came out of Ms Parker's office he saw Lyle coming out of the elevator, he was relieved he didn't have to go into Lyle's office anymore. As he walked back into Ms Parker's office Ms Parker was surprised to see him already. "Forgotten something Broots?" "Mr Lyle just came out of the elevator so I can't go into his office". "Get that smile of your face Broots", she said. "Then we have to dig in the DSA archives. Maybe we can find something more about the mysterious Linda Harlan there. Let's go Broots", Ms Parker said and pushed him out of her office and  Sydney follewed them. As they went towards the elevator they met Lyle. "Had a nice trip Lyle, found a new bride yet?" "No Ms Parker, I haven't been that lucky yet, bye Ms Parker", Lyle answered as he walked to his office. "Come on Broots, Sydney we better hurry up. He's looking too happy for my likings, the plan is apparently going very well. I don't want to find everything out when the clone is already fourteen years like last time". "Maybe we should get Angelo to help us", Broots suggested. "No, I'm sure he doesn't know anything about the woman", Ms Parker replied annoyed. "Angelo has shown before he knew about things we never thought he would know". "Broots, if you think cousin It could know anything then you go and ask him, But first we go to the archives", Ms Parker replied. Sydney was now glad he had destroyed the DSA disks about Linda. The search would take a lot of time, time which he could use to try to contact Linda and Jarod again and make sure they were somewhere the Centre couldn't find them. 

MEANWHILE IN THE WOODS

Soon after they had lunched and continued their search they found the traces of the poachers they had been looking for, they saw smoke coming out of the tree's about a mile ahead of them. The poachers obviously were confident nobody were searching for them. That meant they didn't miss one of the brothers yet. As Jarod and Linda came closer they saw the poachers had made their camp near a stream. There were about six poachers and they were all sitting around the fire drinking coffee and eating sandwiches. As they had calculated there were to be eight poachers they weren't sure if they had made a miscalculation or if there was one poacher elsewhere in the woods. Number eight was in jail in town, maybe the brother was searching for him. They hoped that wasn't the case as that meant he could be anywhere. Jarod and Linda went back about half a mile so they could discuss their next actions and make plans how to catch them. They only had few options, they could barge into camp with the element of surprise but as one poacher was missing and they were outnumbered by three to one it wasn't a very good idea. They also could go back to town and get reinforcement but that would take roughly two days back to town and two days back through woods. By the time they would get back to the poacher's camp the poachers might have left already. So they chose the third option, they would try to capture the poachers as they would go their separate ways into the woods to see if anything was caught in their traps. Jarod and Linda stayed together so they could take out a poacher together and prevent that one of them would be caught by surprise and be used as a hostage. As they'd feared the poachers left two by two. Though, this made their odds more even. They followed the two poachers who left last, the two poachers went upstream and walked along the bank. Jarod and Linda followed them parallel but more into the woods and tried not to make too much noise. As it had been raining for almost the entire morning the leaves weren't dry, so they could safely follow the poachers through the woods without being heard. The poachers talked loud, they thought they were safe so far into the woods and didn't think they were being followed. Jarod and Linda saw them killing trapped animals and emptying several traps but they hadn't found the right surroundings to overpower the poachers as the ground was quite flat and there wasn't much cover for themselves let alone enough so they could come closer and overpower the poachers. As the bank along the stream began to shelve and the poachers still followed the bank along stream the poachers began to walk on lower grounds than Jarod and Linda. When the poachers stopped to look at the traps which lay besides the bank Jarod and Linda used this opportunity to overpower them. They surprised the poachers completely and had little trouble to overpower them. To Jarod's surprise Linda new some good moves. Together they knocked the poachers out and tied them up. "Two down five to go", Linda said triumphically though not too loud. "We make a good team", she continued. "Where did you learn those moves", Jarod asked surprised. "After I'd escaped from the Centre the first thing I did was taking a course in self defense, you probably once was an instructor in self defense or something like that yourself". "Not exactly but close enough, I owned a dojo once", Jarod said with a smile. Jarod and Linda went back in the direction they had come from. They still walked careful, tried not to make any noise and didn't speak. They were heading back towards the poachers camp, they had to be careful as they didn't know where everyone was. When the two poachers, they had caught, had gone into the woods they had been the only ones who went this way but they didn't want to take any changes. As they came closer to the camp they saw someone standing near the fire. When they came closer they recognized him as Harry, the other half of the White brothers, he was probably waiting for his brother to return. Jarod and Linda decided he was going to be their next victim, they tried to get as close as possible. When Harry went into the big tent they ran as swiftly and silently as they could towards the tent. As Harry came out again Jarod took a good swing at him. Harry went down but Jarod looked at his fist to make sure it wasn't broken, by the looks of Jarod's face it hurt a lot. Harry had a hard jaw. "We better get him out of sight and tie him up before anyone comes back", Jarod said. While Linda tied the poacher Jarod went into the big tent. When he came back they brought the poacher into the woods so the other poachers wouldn't see him as they came back to camp. Three down four to go. They now were outnumbered only by two to one, these were much better numbers. These three poachers were easy to catch as the element of surprise had been on their side but if any of the other poachers would come back and at some point notice three them were missing they would be alarmed and the element of surprise would be gone. The only thing they could do now was waiting for the other poachers to come back to camp. Jarod and Linda decided they would stay at the place in the woods where they were when they checked out the camp, it was a good hiding place as they would be out of sight but could still see the camp. All the poachers would come from the other directions. They had to wait for a long time before the other poachers came back. All four remaining poachers came back together. This would be or could be a hard fight and it wasn't unlikely the poachers would win this fight. The poachers weren't alarmed when they didn't see any of the other poachers. They lay the caught animals down by a pile of wood and made a fire to make some coffee, this was good as Jarod had put something in the coffee while he was in the tent. Now the poachers had to drink from it, hopefully a whole pot. When the poachers started to drink Jarod and Linda looked hopeful but soon the poachers spit the coffee out as it tasted horrible. They emptied the pot and started to make new coffee. This wasn't going as easy as they had hoped. Jarod and Linda hoped the poachers would drink the next pot of coffee as it was very cold and rainy, and the coffee was about the only thing that would get or keep them warm. Even if the poachers just drank one cup to keep warm they would be happy. It meant that the poachers wouldn't fall to sleep but they would at least be drowsy and therefore easier to overpower. They hoped they didn't have to fight as they needed all their strength to get the poachers back to town. That would be a real problem as there was no open space where a helicopter could land, there was only the water and the way back through the woods. That was something to worry about later, they first had to capture the poachers, they would contact Simon about transport later. Luck appeared to be on their side, although the poachers didn't like the first cup of coffee they now were drinking their second cup as it was too cold and rainy not to. After about half an hour the poachers became sleepy and the poachers drank even more coffee to stay awake. Jarod and Linda could use something warm as well as they had been sitting in the bushes, the rain and cold for some time now. They wanted to wait as long as possible as they were still outnumbered and didn't want to take any risks. After waiting for  another half an hour they thought the poachers were sleepy enough and went to their camp. The poachers wanted to get up to stop them but they were too drugged to actually do anything. Jarod and Linda tied them up and went of to get the other three poachers. Jarod had, in the meantime, disabled their guns, they didn't want to be surprised by anyone if they returned with the other three poachers. When all the poachers were together on one place it was easier to keep an eye on them. Jarod radioed to tell Simon they had the remaining seven poachers and to ask him if he had any ideas of how to get them back to town. Jarod also asked Simon if any strangers had come to town. Simon told Jarod the only way to get the poachers to town was through the woods or across the water. As the poachers didn't have a boat they decided to walk over the banks along the stream and Simon would meet them with a boat along the way. And no, Simon hadn't seen any strangers. As Simon ended the radio call he felt guilty as he had to lie to Jarod as these strangers held a gun to his head. He knew for certain if he hadn't lied to Jarod they would have shot him, they had already killed his deputy. As long as he was alive he could maybe help them, he thougth but as soon as the radio call was ended one of the strangers killed Simon. They didn't shoot him as that would make to much noise and alarm other people. Before Simon could say anything to the strangers behind him, one was holding a gun to his head, the other stranger strangled him. Simon fell with his head on the table as if he was sleeping. Lyle looked pleased, not only did he find Linda, the surrogate mother, he had also found Jarod. They were together in the woods and without any help.

Jarod had heard something in the background while he was talking to Simon and didn't trust it. As he new when Broots was in the room when he was talking to Ms Parker as sure he was now that Lyle had been standing next to, or behind, Simon. Where Lyle was, Cox wasn't far away. As now both Lyle as Cox were in town Jarod didn't want to take any risk, they new about the plan of walking along the stream. He discussed it with Linda, and although it was going to be very difficult, they decided they would go the same way back as they had come, through the woods. They would tie the poacher's feet less tight together as they did with prisoners so the poachers could walk a bit faster in front of them but couldn't make a run for it as they would fall. The hands of the poachers were tied on their backs, with a rope hanging from their hands so Jarod and Linda could hold them and pull if the poachers should try anything. They wouldn't sleep and walk straight on to town. They hoped they would be in town and put the poachers into a cell before Lyle and Cox would notice they had taken a different route back into town and had returned to town to await for them there. They had to hurry, the poachers weren't happy but their wasn't anything else they could do then walk as fast as they could. They had overheard Jarod's conversation with Linda about how he thought Lyle and Cox were there with the sheriff and that he was sure they would find the deputy and Simon dead. The poachers thought that if Lyle and Cox were able to kill the sheriff and his deputy they wouldn't hesitate to kill them to. They thought they would have a better chance of survival with Jarod and Linda than with those two other men. It was a long and difficult walk. It had taken Jarod and Linda almost two days to get to camp and now with the poachers legs tied it didn't go very fast and Jarod feared for the worst. They walked all day, night and all the next day, they had taken only very short breaks. They came to town when the last lights of day were going away. They first looked around very careful if they could see anything or anyone that would suggest that Lyle and Cox were waiting for them. They went around town through the woods and were glad they would come into town this time of day as there wasn't much daylight left so they would be difficult to spot. They went through the back of the police station en went straight through towards the cells and put the poachers in the three cells, Jarod kept them tied. Jarod and Linda carefully went to the front and found the deputy dead on the floor, with his own knife through his heart. Simon lay with his head on the table, as they came near they saw he had been strangled with the telephone wire. With great relief they noticed Lyle and Cox had left the office that meant they had gone through the forest to look for them and hopefully hadn't come back yet. However, as they looked more closely they saw that the radio and telephones were out of order. They couldn't call in for help. "As our portable radio isn't strong enough one of us has to go to the rangers office, there is a radio there", Linda said. "We can try calling in for help from there. One of us has to stay with the poachers here, we can't leave them alone but it means we have to split up". "That's a chance we have to take", Jarod said. "You better hurry, they can come back any moment", Jarod said and Linda nodded and went out the back. Just as the way they had approached the town Linda went to the rangers office as much through the bushes as she could. When she came to the rangers office she first contacted Jarod with their walky talky she had reached the office safe, then she called the police of the nearest town. She then called Jarod again to let him know she had made the call and would come back. Just before she hang up she asked Jarod to stand by as she heard something from the next room. Before Jarod could warn her not to go into the next room but to get out Jarod could only hear Linda scream and then it was al silent. Jarod called her name but when he only heard some scuffling sounds he lay his walky talky down and went through the back door towards the rangers office. When he was closing in on the rangers office he could see how Lyle en Cox lay an unconscious Linda into their car. He couldn't do anything as they would capture him also. As he remembered the laptop in the rangers cabin, where they'd stayed the first night, he decided to go there to contact Sydney. Maybe he could do something. When Jarod came to the cabin in the morning he had to destroy the lock on the door as Linda still had the key. He remembered where Linda had put the keys to the bedrooms and opened hers to get out the laptop. In het bedroom he saw she had a few more pictures of Billie and hurried even more. He had to prevent that they would do this again, make another clone of him. He took out the laptop and contacted Sydney, Sydney didn't answer to his call. He couldn't do anything else than take the laptop with him to town and try again later. The police from the nearby town would come there soon now to take over the prisoners, they had agreed to come the next morning. It was hard to wait but if he rushed into things he could fall into a trap and then he would be taken to the Centre also. He couldn't do much for Linda then.

THE CENTRE, BLUE COVE, DELAWARE

SL20, INFERMARY, THE NEXT MORNING

As Linda woke up she had a déjà vu. This had happened to her once before, she felt the same. The same nauseousness, the same light, the same room. She was waiting for the bald man with the oxygen tank to come in, instead a middle aged man came into room smiling. "You are going to make me important here", he said. As he came closer Linda saw he had no thumb on his left hand. This must be the infamous Mr Lyle, the man of who Jarod and Sydney had been talking about. She understood from them he wasn't a very pleasant man, not a man one should make angry. She kept silent and pretended to be sleepy still. As soon as Mr Lyle had gone she went out of bed to stand under the ventilation grill, they hadn't tied her to her bed this time. If anyone could get around in the Centre and help her it was Angelo, she was sure he already knew she was here. When she was under the ventilation grill she whispered Angelo's name. "Angelo, I know you are there and that you can hear me. They did it again, they used me again to make another clone of Jarod. Tell Sydney I'm here. He has to help me to get out of here, they can't have this baby too. Angelo do your hear me, go to Sydney and tell him. I think Jarod knows by now the Centre has me, but we thought they would bring me to the lab in Delaware where they had taken Billie. Jarod will go to the wrong place, Sydney has to warn him. Angelo? Are you there?" Linda heard whispering and shoveling noises, Angelo was there, she hoped he could get to Sydney in time to warn Jarod. She was afraid Jarod was already on his way to the lab (disguised as a farm) at Donoterasse, near Blue Cove not far from the Centre and would walk right into a trap. Linda returned to her bed, she was tired and couldn't do much but sleep and wait.

Ms Parker was in her office when she got the telephone call. A guard who was on her side told her Angelo was going mad, shouting and raging, he only wanted to talk to Sydney. She told the guard she was coming down. Ms Parker called for Broots and together they went down to Angelo's room. He was going frantic, shouting and raving but Ms Parker couldn't make head or tale of what he was saying. "Get Sydney", she told Broots. "Maybe he can make some sense out of it, he can usually calm him down". When Sydney came in Angelo calmed down a bit. Sydney went into the room softly talking to Angelo to calm him down. "Angelo, it's me Sydney. What is it Angelo", Sydney asked calmly. "What's wrong?" Angelo sat down and tried to speak. "It's happening again", he said. "She's here, they have done it again", he said in horror. "Hurt Linda, another Jarod". "Calm now", Sydney said to Angelo. "Calm down and tell me the whole story". Angelo started talking. Still agitated but calm enough for Sydney to understand. "She's here, Linda here in a cell. Lyle with her, made another Jarod. Got to get her out. You have to help her". Broots looked triumphant to Ms Parker, he'd said that Angelo might know more. Ms Parker was as shocked as Sydney was. While they were searching for Linda's whereabouts Mr Lyle had already found her, brought her to Centre and impregnated her. She was right under their noses and they didn't know it. "That horrible creep", Ms Parker said.  "How can he do something like that. He can't catch the real one, lost the other so now he tries to make Jarod number three", Ms Parker continued. "Where is she Angelo",  Sydney asked. Angelo was now sitting in a corner saying nothing. "He will not say anything anymore", Sydney said. "We better go and try to find out for ourselves". "So far, they have done everything the same as Raines maybe they've put her in the same room", Broots said. "It's a long shot but it's a better place to start than anywhere else. It's on the same level as where they kept Angelo and where your mother was operated", Sydney said.  "We better hurry then", Ms Parker said and walked away. All three of them went off and left Angelo alone again. Sydney had to contact Jarod to tell him Linda was here and was already operated. He was also afraid Jarod had gone to the lab near the Centre from where he and his father had taken the boy, Jarod could walk right into a trap.

"You go ahead to the DSA archive to be sure. If she isn't there we would only alarm them, I've to do something else first". Sydney hurried back to his office and opened his laptop to contact Jarod. Jarod had already sent him a message and to his relief Jarod answered very quickly. "Sydney", he said, "Lyle and Cox have taken Linda yesterday afternoon. I have waited for you to contact me in town". "That was a wise decision, Linda is here in the Centre and not at Donoterasse and according to Angelo they have already operated on her. We now are trying to locate her within the Centre. I don't know how yet but we have to get her out of here". Jarod looked angry they couldn't waist any time, he had to go to the Centre as fast as he could. "Jarod, contact me if you are near the Centre. I'm going to need your help getting her out of here". "As soon as I'm near the Centre I'll contact you", Jarod said and closed the laptop before Sydney could tell him to be careful.

Sydney went to join Ms Parker and Broots in the DSA archives. "She is where we thought she would be and we've tapped into the DSA system so we can watch her", Broots told Sydney as he came closer. Sydney looked at the screen and saw that Linda was sleeping. It wasn't an calm sleep, she lay there very restless. "What are we going to do?", Broots asked. "We have to plan this very carefully", Sydney said. "But I'm not sure we should intervene now though". "Sydney how can you say something like that", Ms Parker said surprised. "You are the one who says the Centre has to stop this and most likely helped Jarod, Linda and the clone escape. You can't let the Centre use children as they did with Jarod and Angelo. You yourself said the first clone was something that shouldn't had happened in the first place and wasn't something they should try again", Ms Parker said angry. "I haven't helped Jarod or Linda escape". "Whatever", Ms Parker said not believing him. "But you didn't intervene either". "I hope Lyle and Cox too know that I didn't help them escape or free the boy. I want to let them think I want to help them just as I did Raines with the first clone. Maybe I can let them think I'm on their side on this. They don't trust us now, I'm sure they are counting on it for us to do, or at least try, something. They will be watching out for us, so anything we might do is doomed to fail. We have still time to make plans, and they better be good plans as we have only one chance to free Linda and the baby. And if I can get them to trust me, how little it might be, our plans will have a better chance of succeeding". Ms Parker wasn't happy with it but she new Sydney was right. Mr Lyle and Cox would be on their guard so it was better for them to lay low for a while. Sydney had to play it right thought, just going to Mr Lyle wouldn't work, he had to be careful. He first would carefully let them know he knew about project Gemini II, but not that he already new that Linda was here and that she had already been operated on. He would pretend he only had heard they wanted to make another clone from Jarod and that he was interested in guiding the clone as he did with Jarod and the first clone for Raines. He also had to let Linda know they where trying to help her, that she wasn't alone. Maybe Angelo could be their go-between, Angelo could get anywhere without being noticed and Linda and Angelo already knew each other. He would wait for Jarod to contact him to give him an update of their plans.

EARLIER IN CHARLTON

When Jarod came into town the police of the neighbouring county just arrived at the sheriff's office. They had a police van with them. Jarod introduced himself and gave them an update. They would take the poachers to their own jail and a deputy would stay here until the FBI had arrived to take over the investigation to the murders of Simon and his deputy en the disappearance of Linda. When everything was arranged Jarod made use of the activity to leave town and go to the Centre. He didn't know yet how to get there as he had to leave his jeep behind and it was a long way to the Centre but he was sure something would come up along the way. It would have been easier to rescue Linda from the underground lab in Delaware than from the Centre. The Centre has a much better security, although he had escaped from the Centre and had been in and out to rescue his brother. He had to rely on Sydney for his help. He would call him as soon he was near the Centre for an update. He was on his own as he couldn't get into touch with his father, but it was also important not to get too many people involved. Last time he could free the clone and his father but got caught himself in the process. The less people involved the more chance they could all get away with it.

THE CENTRE, BLUE COVE, DELAWARE

Sydney went to Lyle's office he wanted to try to make it clear to them he was the only one and the best one to be the clone's protector just like he was with Jarod and the first clone. Lyle was surprised to see Sydney come walking into his office. Sydney came right to the point. "I've come across something called Gemini II. Someone wants to make another clone from Jarod and I guess you are that person. When the baby is born, I want to be the baby's supervisor like I did with Jarod and Raines' clone". Sydney could see a slight hesitation with Lyle but it was just for a very brief moment. "Where did you get this information?" Lyle asked. "That doesn't matter, what does matter is that I know and I want to be involved all the way. Jarod came to us as a young boy and the first clone was older when I became his supervisor. I want to know how the baby evolves when it is still in the womb, when it is born and when he grows up. So when you have found a suitable surrogate mother and performed the operation I want to be involved from the start". "How do you know we haven't found the surrogate mother or performed the operation already Sydney", Lyle asked. "I don't, but knowing you, you could have". "What will Ms Parker think of this when she hears about this. She wasn't too happy when she heard you helped Raines with the first clone". "That's her problem, I'm not one her puppy's like Broots. So may I be the supervisor of the second clone and follow him right from growing inside the womb and from birth?". "You don't want to know why we want to make another clone and what we want to do with it?" "Right now this isn't my concern, he isn't even born yet. Why, do you want to use him like Raines used Ethan or Kyle?" "Maybe", Lyle said. "But for the first 18 years he will be too young for that anyway, in the meantime we can do other things with him". "Who better then me to guide him and compare him to the original and the first clone", Sydney said. "Yes, it's true you have valuable knowledge and it's mostly in your head. Okay, you're on board but you only report to me and not to my sister dearest. Understood?". Sydney only nodded and left Lyle's office, the first part of the plan had succeeded. Now he had access to Linda whenever he wanted. He could inform her about the plan and discuss how to proceed as she might know more than, undoubtedly, Lyle would tell him. This made things a lot easier but he still wanted to use Angelo as a go-between. Lyle and Cox would keep a close eye on him so he had to be careful when contacting Jarod and give an update to Ms Parker. As Jarod had to be closing in on the Centre by now, Sydney went back to his office to wait for Jarod to make contact. He also had to let Ms Parker know the first part of their plan had worked, he would be the clone's protector and guide. But he didn't think Lyle would trust him completely so Ms Parker and Broots had to keep digging for information which Lyle wouldn't give to him. When he came into his office he saw Ms Parker coming towards him he just nodded to her as a sign everything went as planned with Lyle. She just gave a little smile as she had understood it and walked on. They had to be careful now. Sydney sat behind his desk and opened his laptop to see if Jarod had contacted him. He couldn't do much more than wait. He didn't had to wait for long, Jarod contacted him after about an hour. Sydney told Jarod he had gone to Lyle to ask him if he could be on his team like he did with Raines so he would be closer to Linda and the baby and that Lyle had agreed. "I'm a bit surprised Lyle would let you come close to the clone considering your relationship with me and what happened to the first clone", Jarod said. "You better be careful Sydney". "I want to try to get Linda moved to another location. Maybe we can get her to the underground lab in Donoterasse as there is less security there. If everything goes alright we can try to free her during transport. But we have to be careful though and we can't hurry things up otherwise Lyle and Cox will get suspicious. The baby will not be born for another nine months but it would be easier for everyone, especially Linda, if her belly hadn't grown too much. Now it is important to be patient and wait until an opportunity presents itself". "It's the best thing we can do", Jarod agreed. "In the meantime again, be careful Sydney. Lyle and Cox can't be trusted, they are capable of anything, they've killed the sheriff and the deputy. Before you know it they might be using you instead". "I will be careful but it is the only way to get close to Linda and the baby and it is important that you stay out of sight too. If they even think you are near the Centre they will increase security and it will be more difficult to carry out our plan". "I've been near the Centre more often than you know and even you didn't know I was here. I promise no one will know I'm here and I will wait for your call". "Okay Jarod I will contact you as soon as there are new developments and again be careful. Ms Parker is helping us to free Linda but she is still after you". "I will keep it in mind". It would take a long time before Sydney would contact Jarod again, but that was foreseen.

THE CENTRE, BLUE COVE, DELAWARE

4 MONTHS LATER

Sydney had visited Linda often during the past four months. Although at first Sydney wasn't allowed to be alone with Linda, they still could give each other information by little notes on paper. It wasn't until Linda was in her third month that Sydney was allowed to be alone with her. Now Sydney could tell her more about their plans. As there had been a camera and a microphone in Linda's room most of exchanging information was still on paper but when Linda was allowed to have a radio that also changed. It was also very hard to keep Ms Parker up to date as Lyle had different men watching them. When Sydney thought the time was right to suggest to Lyle Linda should be moved to the underground lab he went to Lyle to give his weekly review and to make his suggestion and found that Cox was also in Lyle's office. Apparently Lyle had the same thought as Sydney. "Sydney", Lyle began, "I want to move Linda to a different location". Sydney was so surprised that an "oh" was the only thing he could say. "My sister is getting very nosy, more then is good for her, so I want to move Linda to a new underground lab. Not the one at Donoterasse which we used for the first clone, that one is too well know with my sister and Jarod. We have another underground lab with better security so we will be ready for Jarod, major Charles or my sister should they find out where this lab is". "When do you want to move Linda to this lab, where is it and who is going to bring her". "We are going to transport her this night, you are going to take her to the lab and you will be told where this lab is when you get the go-ahead. If we move Linda the normal way, with an escort of three cars and all the security, my sister or Jarod will find out and try something. You are going to transport her alone with only one car and tell my sister nothing". "I didn't think you would trust me that much, Lyle". "I don't, if something should go wrong I know it was you and I will kill you and your son Nicolas. I'll let you know what time you will leave and where you have to go to". Sydney nodded and went to his office, things were now going a lot faster and not as planned. He had to warn Jarod he had to be ready this evening, he wasn't sure what to do about Ms Parker though. She did want to free Linda but what then? He knew if she could she would bring Jarod back to the Centre. Jarod answered to his call immediately. "This is something unexpected. I did know they were building a new lab but I didn't know it was already finished", Jarod said to Sydney's surprise. "I didn't even know they were building another underground lab", Sydney said. "Sydney, I will work something out. During my waiting I already made a few plans. I did suspect they might try something different, but not this. Keep your cell phone open so I can here everything said and maybe I can figure out how they want you to drive. I'll be waiting for you and I will be alone". "Jarod there is something else you should now. If Linda doesn't arrive at the lab Lyle will have me and Nicolas killed". "I had thought he would do something like that. As you have helped me on several occasions he probably wanted to have some insurance. Don't worry Sydney I have already thought of something". Sydney had just ended his conversation with Jarod when Ms Parker came in. "What did Lyle say, did he agree to it?" "He wanted to think about it, I didn't get the impression that he trusts me completely, so I think he wants to think things over very carefully. He will let me know when he has made up his mind". Ms Parker wasn't happy. "Contact me when you hear anything when you do?" And she stormed out with Broots in her tracks. He was sorry he had to lie to her but he wanted to be sure both Linda and Jarod would be safe. With Ms Parker he didn't think Jarod would be safe, if she got the chance she would bring him in so she could leave the Centre without having to look over her shoulders every minute of the day. She had also let him go once but he couldn't trust her to do this again. Sydney went to Linda to fill her in. She was happy she would finally leave the Centre and promised to be ready. She was worried though when Sydney told her she was moved to an other underground lab then planned. However, Sydney thought this trip would take longer so they had more chance their escape was going to succeed. Sydney hadn't told her what Lyle would do if she didn't arrive at the lab. He had discussed it with Jarod and he had already thought of something. Sydney went back to his office and waited for Lyle to call him when they had to leave and where to go to. It took very long and Sydney began to think it was either cancelled or Linda was already taken to the lab by someone else. Finally at 03:25 Lyle called him to say that everything was ready at the lab and that Sydney had to take the car which stood ready in the garage, the route description would be in the car. Just before he answered the phone Sydney had called Jarod so he could listen in. Sydney went to Linda and took her to the garage and indeed, there were no guards as that could alarm Ms Parker. As said the car was parked just in front of the entrance. Sydney and Jarod had already counted on it the car would be bugged or having a tracking devise so they had to be careful and not go to far off the road of sidetrack. They left the Centre's garage and went on their way after Sydney had looked at the route description. It would be quit a long trip. At first they both were extremely tens as this was their only chance to free Linda and the baby but after half an hour driving they still hadn't seen a car following them and they felt a bit more at ease. Sydney tried the radio as that was the only way to speak freely and couldn't be overheard by Lyle's bugs, Lyle had to be satisfied with tracking them only. Sydney tried if Jarod was still listening in, he had charged his cell phone but one could never know, Jarod was still on the line. To be on the safe side they didn't speak up loud. "Jarod have you heard everything, have you made a plan?" "Yes I have, you'll drive past an abandoned airstrip but it will take a few hours before you'll get there. I have also thought about how we can keep you and your son alive after we have freed Linda. I will contact you in two hours then everything will be ready and you'll be near the airstrip", Jarod said and hang up before Sydney could say anything. He always hang up before you could say anything back. "Everything alright", Linda asked. "Yes, Jarod had already made several plans and he could use one off them but it looks like it will take about two hours before we can do anything. He has found an abandoned airstrip where you can change cars. Meanwhile, us driving for that long without any stops will put Lyle's mind at rest when he thinks everything is going as he had planned". Linda looked a bit more relaxed everything was turning out alright. "Thank you for taking so much risk in helping me escape, again. I mean what would they do when they would find out you helped me?" Sydney didn't say anything and just smiled at Linda. "That is not for you to worry about, but thank you for your concern, Jarod has already thought of something to prevent Lyle and Cox in thinking I helped you escape. I don't know what though, we will find that out in a few hours". "It is strange", Linda started. "You and Jarod were almost condempt to one another but you have build such a good relationship, he has learned to trust you". "It took a long time before he trusted me, he sure didn't trust me the first year he was out but he knew I could get more information about his past. It took a long time to build that trust but I'm glad he does trust me now". "Yes and I  know Jarod is like a son to you and I know he's very fond of you too". "He has found his real father now". "It isn't the same, his father wasn't there when he was growing up, when he was sick and other things like that. I know he holds a special place in his hart for you, you were the closed to a father for him for a long time and you have been a part of his life for such a long time. You have made him into what he is now and that isn't a bad person, he was lucky not to have fallen into Raines' hands. It is nice to know that he had someone was watching over him and taking care of him. I know he has spent so much time trying to find his father and that he was very happy when he did found him but I also know that you are still very important to him". "How do you know al this?", Sydney asked. "When we were in the woods, when we didn't know yet who the other one was, I kind of told him about my time in the Centre and by just looking at him when I told him about you, Angelo and the Centre I knew he had to be thé Jarod. And of course what he told me himself after he knew who I was. I also know you care for him a lot too, sometimes faces say more than words". "You're right, Jarod is important to me. I'm proud of what he has become, he's a good man. He himself has had such a horrible youth, he's been taken from his parents at a young age, tortured, drugged and all kinds of horrible things were done to him and still he only wants to help people. Sometimes at any cost, a few times the Centre almost caught him. It wasn't when it became very personal, like with Damon and his first clone and with Ethan that Ms Parker had the chance to capture Jarod". He only wants to do right, help those who done wrong". "Maybe that was your most important lesson you gave Jarod, to know what was right and what was wrong, a sense of justice", Linda said. "Have you ever told him how you feel about him", she suddenly asked Sydney. "No". "Why not?" "It isn't my place, I'm not his father and that is the end of this subject", Sydney said as he saw Linda wanted to say something else about it. Sydney might have said that a bit stronger than he had actually meant it and he saw that Linda saw his face and knew it was wise not to go into it any further. They sat there silent for about an hour just listening to the radio and watch the road, then Linda started the conversation again. "Sydney, have you ever thought of leaving the Centre? Jarod has escaped the Centre and Ms Parker doesn't need a protector". "No one leaves the Centre without their consent, not alive. They've proved that when they killed Thomas, Ms Parker's boyfriend. They were afraid she would leave the Centre to be with him. I don't know what they would do when I would leave the Centre but it can't be much good, I know too much. And as long as I'm in the Centre I can help Jarod, you and Angelo". They were silent again and the abandoned airstrip came closer, Jarod had to call any time soon now. They watched the scenery as it went by, listened to the radio and waited for Jarod to call. They could only hope everything went all right and that they could mislead Lyle and Cox. They didn't have to wait long for Jarod to call them. "It is time now and we have to do this quickly", Jarod said. "Shortly you will see on the right side of the road the sign for the airstrip, you have to turn left. After about a few hundred yards you will see the airstrip. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance". After fifteen minutes later they were standing face to face with one another. Jarod and Sydney looked a bit awkward not knowing what to do, they were glad to see each other but weren't sure how or if they should express it. Again they chose not to and the circumstances weren't as such they could celebrate their reunion. They had to do this fast. "I have a car ready and I've brought other clothes for Linda, they may also have put a tracking device on you so you have to change clothes". "I have to that here, in the open?". "You can change in the car, we won't watch. Now move it we don't have much time. I have to talk with Sydney about something". Linda didn't feel very comfortable changing clothes like this, not mention it was also a very uncomfortable place but she changed clothes as fast as she could. When she was ready she joint Jarod and Sydney. Jarod had thought carefully about how to keep Sydney out of trouble after this. He already had discussed it with Sydney, Sydney had agreed it was the only way. Jarod felt uneasy to do this. He got a gun out and Linda gave a cry, she was scared. "What are doing? You're going to shoot him, aren't you? Are you nuts, you will kill him. Besides Damon you have never shot anyone before, not even Lyle. This is nuts, Sydney say something", Linda said in great distress. Sydney, however, new this was the only way he would be in the clear and wouldn't be suspected. It was the only way to keep him and Nicolas safe. Jarod found it to be more difficult to do than when he had thought about it. Sydney had been like a father to him, Sydney had even sacrificed himself for him once and now he had to shoot him. Of course not to kill him but it had to look convincing. Sydney took place behind the wheel and Jarod shot him in his left shoulder as he would be when he would be driving. Linda understood it had to be done and turned away, she couldn't watch this. Sydney sat in the driver's seat when Jarod shot him. As soon as Jarod had shot him Linda ran to Sydney, Jarod already sat beside him. He had to struggle against his tears. "It was the only way Jarod, you had to do this. I won't hold it against you, I will be fine. You better go now before Lyle and Cox get here, they might have followed us on a larger distance". "I'll get the first aid-kit", Linda said. "No Linda", Sydney said with determination. "Leave it and go, it has to look convincing so you can't help me with that, now go so Jarod didn't shoot me for nothing". They found it hard to do but Linda and Jarod went away in the other car. Sydney waited for half an hour and called Lyle he had been shot and Jarod had escaped with Linda.

THE CENTRE, BLUE COVE , DELAWARE

A FEW DAYS LATER

The phone rang and Sydney picked up the phone. "This is Sydney", he answered it in his usual way. "So you're back to work already, how are you Sydney? Is everything alright?" Jarod asked. "I'm fine it was just a flesh wound. Are you feeling alright, are you safe?" "We're safe. Sydney with Damon this was the second time I shot someone and I'm sorry it had to you, it wasn't easy". "Like I said earlier Jarod, it was the only way. You did the right thing, it's okay. Don't blame yourself too much. You've saved my life and that of Nicolas". "Thank you Sydney, we have to go now, Lyle and Cox aren't taking it easy. Bye Sydney, I'll call you later". "Jarod, be careful en take care and tell Linda I'm okay and said hello". "I will", Jarod said and hang up.