Mr. Parker almost fainted when he saw his wife. Of course, he always suspected that she was still alive, but he’d never hoped he would see her again, for real. He was sure she would rather die than get back to The Centre. Hasani, on the other hand, couldn’t believe his luck: that was easily becoming the more amazing day of his life, seeing that the persons he had been searching for during the last few years were unexpectedly showing up in front of him. 

Even if he was starting to feel numb, Sydney had noticed the changes on Miss Parker and Jarod’s expressions. Their faces had been lightened up by innocent childlike smiles. Maybe he was dying, still he realized that just one thing would cause such a relief. The sight of their mothers.

“Mom.” Jarod whispered, unable to keep his eyes away from her. “Catherine!” he screamed, standing up from his position at Sydney’s side.

“Mom!” Miss Parker uttered, fighting the urge to move towards the woman, who was smiling and hardly keeping her tears. 

“Sweetheart…Jarod.” Catherine answered to both of them.

They  wanted to run and hug them, but the guns that the two parties were mutually aiming against each other dissuaded Jarod and Parker from doing it.

Raines smiled in satisfaction, “I knew my plan to lure you here would work, Catherine.”

The woman smiled slyly, “It’s a pity I wasn’t the only one dragged here, William.”

At that moment they all heard a loud roar coming from the superior sublevels and for a couple of seconds the light went off, leaving them in darkness. Then The Centre general alarm started to resonate in all the corridors.

Angelo smiled and squeezed Sydney’s hand.

“Others…arrived.” he whispered. The wounded man managed to ask, “Who?”

“Zane.” Jarod sighed in relief as his formerly panicked expression turned into a victorious grin.

“What the hell is going on, Parker?” Hasani screamed, addressing himself to the man against whom Major Charles was still aiming his shotgun.

“This is your last stop, gentlemen.” Jarod stated, giving a look of encouragement to his brother Ethan, who nodded at answer, guessing that the authorities have finally joined the party.

“I want you to split into little groups, this place is full of sublevels. Every team must check every single room, every hole, every cellar, every air duct that you’re going to find in the subterranean labyrinths of this building!”

Zane was giving orders to the agents that were entering the building with her. There were at least a hundred of them, belonging to every known government agency: NSA, FBI, CIA… Jarod had contacts almost everywhere and many of these men had specifically volunteered to help an old friend that had done so much to solve mysteries, unresolved cases, kidnaps, homicides. Zane hadn’t needed to struggle to convince her bosses to give authorization for this blitz, which had the main goal to destroy The Centre for good. 

“Somewhere down there, you will also find Agent Jarod Morse and his family. Obviously, we don’t want anything bad to happen to them, are we clear?” she asked her agents. 

“Yes, Agent Zane!” different answers could be heard.

“The majority of the people working here don’t know squat about the dirty business of the Centre. Take them prisoners, don’t hurt them.”

Zane stopped for a moment, taking something form a man beside her.

“And now the cool part. You don’t want to get out from this building before finding these three men.”

So said, she raised three pictures that portrayed Jarod’s lifelong nemesis.

“This is Mr. Parker, he’s the chairman of this place by heritage. First one who brings me his head – possibly still attached to his neck – gains an instant promotion.”

A few laughs arose while the commando kept walking towards the corridors that leaded to the first sublevels - they had already stepped triumphantly through the office corridors in the upper area. Worried secretaries and unaware employers were being dragged away, terrorized, and afraid for their own destiny.

“This is Mr. Parker’s son, they called him Mr. Lyle, but friends just know him as Bobby. He’s guilty of many crimes but he was cleared up for each of them, even for a few murderer accusations. After today, I’ve got the feeling that a few cold cases will be reopened.”

Again, Zane’s men laughed for her joke while they were reaching the elevators area.

“This is Dr. William Raines, The Mengele of the Centre.” Zane continued. “He ruined dozens of children’s lives; he guided all the worst experiments carried out in this place. He also destroyed Agent Morse’s family firsthand.” 

Zane interrupted her speech for a second, weighing her last words.

“Our superiors want us to catch Dr. Raines, they intend to prosecute him as major responsible for everything that ever happened at the Centre. Our official directive is to catch him alive, at any cost.”

At this revelation, many agents that had worked with Jarod before, people who believed he was a hero for saving the Swedish ambassador at the Opera House a few months before, started to mumble in dissent.

“Off the record, should you be forced to choose between Jarod and Raines’s life, you can walk over the S.O.B. dead body.”

The agents shouted with joy, approving every single word of Zane’s speech.

“Good hunting, gentlemen!” she concluded.

“What the hell is going on up there?” Lyle shouted.

Jarod was so excited to finally have intel that his enemies didn’t have, that he smirked with satisfaction, “Well, Lyle dearest. Despite all your attempts to put us against one another in the last – how many years have passed, Parker?” Jarod asked, looking at her, pretending to be serious.

“Thirty-nine, Jarod. Counting since the day they kidnapped you, obviously.” She replied, in an equal sardonic way. 

“Obviously. So, after thirty-nine years, The Centre era is eventually coming to an end.”

Again, rumble of explosions and cries of people could be heard from the upper floors. 

Jarod tasted Hasani’s look of terror, “But you should have known, Hasani. You read the Prophecies; isn’t it because of those Scrolls if The Centre exist in the first place?”

Margaret and Catherine observed their children with pride. 

To them, Jarod looked smart and brave, like he had no flaws. Parker, instead, was a fierce and stubborn woman, but she clearly hid a tender side that only very fortunate ones were allowed to see. 

Catherine could see it in the way she was still squeezing Sydney’s hand.

“If it’s true, there’s no time, we must leave at once.” Lyle whispered to his father’s ear.

Ethan approached Lyle and put the gun on his chest, “Nobody goes anywhere. Not until we get what we came for.”

“And what is it?”

“Truth.” Jarod said.

“Sublevel 1 clear!”

“Sublevel 2 clear!”

“Sublevel 3, one loss.”

Zane was listening to the team leaders reporting the progress of their mission. Even if she was very nervous, she tried not to show. 

Jarod, I hope you know what you’re doing, she thought.

“How did you find us?” Jarod asked Catherine and Margaret, looking at them with a questioning look.

“Ethan.” Catherine said, her eyes fixated on her son.

“Remember when I disappeared?” Ethan senses it was time to reveal his siblings the truth. “Well, not only I was searching the Triumvirate, but I also found Mom. The voices guided me to her and Margaret.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Miss Parker asked, feeling betrayed by her brother’s distrust.

“I’ve asked him not to, Sweetie. We needed to stay hidden, we couldn’t risk being found before you and Jarod were ready.” Catherine explained.

“Ready for what?” Jarod questioned.

“To fulfill your destiny, just like the Scrolls said you would.”

“The Scrolls became reality because of our intervention!” Mr. Parker complained.

Miss Parker took that moment to try and approach Raines; she wanted Michael, but a couple of sweepers aimed their guns at her obliging her to desist. 

“We’re clearly at an impasse.” she commented, sarcastically.

“Where have you been all this time?” Jarod asked his mother.

“In a safe place. Only Ethan and your father knew where we were.”

Jarod looked at Major Charles with shock, he couldn’t believe this.

“I’m sorry, son. Your mother’s orders, I’ve never been very good at disobeying her.” He said with a playful tone.

Margaret gazed back at him lovingly.

“Like father, like son.” Parker commented. 

Jarod’s trademark approval grin appeared on his face as soon as he heard this. Parker had always been so good at one-liners.

“Who sent us that picture outside the Alley Sports Bar? It was you?” Jarod asked.

“Actually, that was me.” Raines said, his voice sounding hoarser than ever.

“You?” Parker asked, incredulous.

“At that moment, it seemed the best bait to lure Catherine and Margaret. I knew that picture would mean something to you. But I couldn’t imagine that Jarod would start a crusade that would bring him on the Island of Carthis.”

“Raines, it might sound farfetched” Jarod said with a smirk. “But I’m pretty sure that sending that picture was the only good thing you’ve done in your pathetic excuse for a life.”

“You also sent him the one taken outside the manor in New Haven?” Parker asked.

Raines nodded, “I wanted to be ahead of times, I wanted Jarod to find Catherine and Margaret for us. And I was right, because that’s what brought them here today.”

Jarod was very good at judging people, he’s whole life as a pretender was determined by his opinion. But for the first time ever, he couldn’t interpret Raines’s expressions. 

His eyes looked different. 

He looked almost – sorry.

And the mad doctor was actually feeling that way. 

After so many years he had achieved his own goal, but he would never benefit behind bars.

Miss Parker had at least a thousand questions in mind, but there was one that needed an immediate answer.

“Mom. How could you –”

“Survive?” Catherine interjected her daughter. Miss Parked nodded.

“Raines had taken me to that safe house to give birth; Ethan was his biggest project, but also his biggest secret.” She turned her face to Raines. “I trusted you, William. I couldn’t imagine that you’d betray me.” she lashed out against him.

“If I helped you faking your death in that elevator, it was just because I wanted Ethan.” He confessed.

At these words, Ethan changed his target, aiming his gun towards Raines and leaving to Jesse the task of keeping Lyle at gun point. 

“You had me for too many years. If it hadn’t been for Jarod, I’d still be your puppet!” he groaned. Jarod had never seen his brother so furious.

“William shot me in the chest, but fortunately it wasn’t a fatal injury.”

“But – t-the videos –” Parker stuttered.

“You couldn’t see me in those videos when he shot, could you?”

Parker remembered those terrible images; she had assumed that Raines had executed Catherine, that he had shot her in the head, but evidently he didn’t. 

“It was my biggest mistake, believing you dead and leaving you alone in that room.” Raines admitted.

“Margaret had infiltrated among the nurses. Raines never knew, but she was there to save me. As soon as she had the chance, she took me out of there.” 

“Raines found out about her disappearance long after the birth, he was too busy checking on Ethan. After performing all the tests on his newborn pretender, he finally got back to Catherine’s room and found it empty.” Margaret continued.

“Finally a Centre story that I like.” Jarod stated, smiling at his mother.

A noise came from behind him, catching his attention; Sydney’s condition was worsening. Jarod felt guilty at the realization that his mother’s appearance had distracted him considerably.

“J-jarod –”

“Sydney…bad.” Angelo murmured.

“He’s still losing blood.” Broots explained, worried like never before.

“D-don’t t-think about me, go away.” Sydney told the pretender.

Jarod looked at his mentor with affection. When he stroked his face, he felt it cold. 

Seeing this, Major Charles felt a tinge of envy. He was sadly aware of the fact that Jarod would never love him as much he loved that man. He had known since the moment he had spoken with Sydney on the route to the flight school, the day he had left with Jesse.  

“It’s going to be okay, Sydney.” Miss Parker whispered to him, bended again next to him.

“Reunion time is over, I need to take Sydney to a hospital.” Jarod decided, standing up again.

Hasani aimed the gun against him. “You’re not going anywhere, Jarod. We’re leaving, and you come along with us, together with your son. And seeing that they were so kind to show up unexpected, your little brothers will join us, too.”

Jarod gritted his teeth, “In case you hadn’t noticed, in less than five minutes a bunch of government agents will seize this sublevel to arrest you. You can’t use your Get Out of Jail Free card.”

Lyle smiled, “Well, Angelo taught us that The Centre air ducts always lead somewhere, Jarod. And you got in and out many times by using those holes, didn’t you?”

“I won’t go with you.” the pretender sentenced.

Parker suddenly smelled trouble.

Hasani sighed. “I thought I made my point clear, before.” He aimed his gun threateningly towards Miss Parker. 

Jarod rapidly simulated the situation, deciding to change tactics and put himself in front of her, shielding Parker with his own body.

“Now it’s my turn to tell the truth, Hasani. I didn’t kill Adama. That was –” Jarod sighed with disgust. “…one of the many lies they have told you all these years.” 

While saying this, he made a nod at the direction of Lyle, Raines, and Mr. Parker.

Jarod noticed uncertainty appearing on African’s face, then he continued. 

“I’m not a vindicative man. But if you touch her, I swear to God I’m going to kill you.” he promised.

Watching Jarod’s eyes as he threatened Hasani, Broots realized that yes, he would. Because now Jarod had it in his eyes.

“Sublevel 17 clear!”

“Sublevel 18 clear!” another agent screamed.

Zane smiled. It wouldn’t be long; Jarod had said the sublevels were 27. But they hadn’t found him, yet.

Noises became more insistent and closer; the agents should be there in a few minutes.

“You don’t have a choice, Hasani. Deliver Michael to me and surrender if you want to save yourself.” Jarod said.

Ethan pressed his weapon against Raines’s back, so the doctor decided to let Michael go. In a few seconds, the boy was in his grandmother Catherine’s hands. Parker felt like she could breathe again.

“Hasani, we can still make it.” Lyle stated, starting to be afraid of ending up in a prison for real, this time.

“Leave them. Let’s go. We make a new plan once we’re back to Africa.” Mr. Parker showed Hasani his hand.

Noticing their cowardice, this time it was Jarod’s turn to say, “Like father, like son.”

“But he’s not his father.” Parker interrupted him. “Not that his real father is much better.” she whined.

“That’s too bad it’s also yours!” Jarod quipped.

“I’ve had enough of you both!” Lyle snapped at them.

“Agent Zane, we’ve got some movement here! We have a glimpse on a group of armed guards and two groups of people involved in a conversation. It looks like they are teamed up, and with them – yes, that’s Agent Morse!” the nameless agent shouted in the earphone with excitement.

“Nice work, Braff! All units, we need cover at Sublevel 19, we found Morse!”

“It’s not just him, Agent Zane. Raines and the Parkers. They’re all here, together with a group of Africans. Just as you thought they would. How could you know?” Agent Braff asked her.

‘Yeah, how did you know, Jarod?’ Zane wondered. Then she headed towards Sublevel 19, too.

“Enough!” Hasani silenced everyone.

Jarod and Miss Parker shared a knowing glance. 

They were both thinking the same thing. 

Their only chance to survive was using words as a weapon against them. 

Words were always the leverage. 

With words, Jarod had convinced Miss Parker to discover the truth about her mother’s pretended suicide.

With words Parker had offended the pretender in every possible and imaginable way.

With words Jarod had made her realize that her father had feed her with lies for years. 

With words they had been able to reconcile, find each other, fall in love again. 

And now words would save them from that dangerous situation.

Jarod knew that he had found Hasani’s weakest point. 

It was the same Achille’s heel that he also had: family.

The memory of his brother Kyle, murdered by Lyle, was one of the most painful regrets he had to live with.

If he cared so much to get to Delaware to find vengeance, maybe the same could be said for Hasani, too.

“What, you can’t handle the truth?” Jarod spoke again. “It was them. Raines and Lyle killed your brother on that plane! And it was Mr. Parker who organized the escape plan in every detail. Adama’s death had been planned since the beginning!”

“No, you shot him!” Hasani snapped at Jarod, full of rage, but more and more confused.

Ethan sensed that Jarod was hitting the mark; Hasani was giving up.

“I was there, too. Raines shot your brother.” Miss Parker validated Jarod’s tale, approaching Hasani to emphasize her words. “He killed him mercilessly, and he made you believe that Jarod had done it in a fit of madness.”

Lyle moved his hand to his weapon slowly. He glimpsed at Raines, both realizing that the situation was getting worse by the second. 

Hasani’s sweepers, feeling the shift of trust, lowered their guns only to direct them against the three leaders of The Centre.

Hasani tried to deny the truth, again. “No. I’ve been told –”

“You’re an intelligent man, Hasani. Think about it” Jarod challenged him. “Adama was interfering with The Centre plans, he had to be killed. Maybe they would have reserved you the same treatment!” Jarod pointed out.

Zane reached her men, who had been waiting for her orders outside the corridor.

“What’s going on in there?”

“It looks like they’re still talking, sir.”

“Wait, who are those women. God, there’s a little boy! I don’t wanna go home with casualties, are we clear?” Zane said in the earphone.

“Just call it, sir!”

Come on Jarod, give me a sign, because I don’t know what to do.

“Don’t listen to them, Hasani. I’ve worked with you for the last few, remember? I gave you the Prophecies!” Mr. Parker intervened, smiling to encourage his listener. 

Miss Parker chuckled, “You really are unbelievable, daddy.” 

“You haven’t changed, James.” Catherine noticed, disappointed.

Everybody turned to her; Catherine’s presence was still a miracle that nobody could really believe to.

“You’ve ruined our family, our daughter and Jarod’s lives. You never stopped lying. Just like you did when you swore that the insemination you were going to subject me to was with your semen, while you used your brother’s, instead.” she concluded, glancing at Raines.

“When did you find out?” Mr. Parker asked his wife.  

“The night of Thanksgiving of ’69.”

Miss Parker and Jarod shared a quick look, both surprised by that umpteenth revelation.

“That’s why Raines –” Miss Parker murmured.

Catherine just nodded, “I would have never wanted you to see me like that, sweetheart.”

“Let me see this straight.” Jarod recapped. “You hit your daughter’s mother, forcing her to go to the hospital with multiple fractures…just because she had discovered the identity of her child’s father?”

Raines grimaced, “I don’t expect you to understand.” he stated, bitterly.  

“God forbid!” Miss Parker replied, sarcastically. 

“A man who touches a woman even with a finger doesn’t deserve to live.” Jarod sentenced. Accidentally, both Jarod and Parker’s eyes fell on Lyle.

Catherine spoke again to Mr. Parker, “I ignored it for a year. It looked like you really cared about our daughter.”

“I’ve always loved her more than anything else in this world!” he shouted in answer.

“You have weird ways to show love to your child.” Margaret interjected. “Erasing her memories and make her forget the only beautiful things happened to her after her mother’s disappearance.”

Jarod and Miss Parker exchanged another knowing look. Mind Rain was something these men needed to pay for.

Hasani was speechless. 

Apparently, everything Jarod had said was true: Mr. Parker had told lies for years. To Mutumbo, then to Adama, and lastly, to himself.

“I’m just sorry that I trusted Raines when I should have followed my instinct and disappear with Margaret. Forgive me, sweetie, I would have spared you so much pain.”

“It’s okay, Mom.” Miss Parker reassured her. 

“The important thing is that we’re together, now.” Ethan agreed. 

“We’ll be fine, Mom. I found a family, in the end. And Ethan is the only brother I really care about.”

Catherine tightened her hold on Michael while she gave Lyle a disappointed look. She had been saddened when she had been told what kind of man her son had turned out to be in her absence.

“What do you want, Mommy? Not all of us were lucky enough to grow up with a friend like Saint Jarod.”

Jarod heard Sydney moaning behind him. His time was running out.

“So, what are you going to do, Hasani?” the pretender spoke again, looking at his mentor giving up and passing out. 

Angelo and Broots both looked terrorized.

“I don’t think he can hold on any longer!” the technician said.

Jarod approached the African, “You can still do the right thing. They didn’t give your brother the time to act, but you can still honor his memory. Adama would have ended the Centre, he would have taken the Scrolls back to Africa, he would have taken all the powers from Mr. Parker. The Centre would have disappeared for good. That’s why he had to die.”

Hasani started to shake his head, “Stop it.”

“ – so they could continue with this madness –”

“Stop it.”

“– so they could carry on their experiments, their crimes –”

“Enough!” the African shouted, silencing Jarod for good. 

The pretender obeyed and stopped talking, he was almost breathless for his speech.

“The only thing I want…” Hasani whispered. “ – is vengeance.”

“That won’t give you your brother back. Believe me, I’ve been there.” Miss Parker informed him.

Hasani smiled. “We finally agree on something, Miss Parker.”

She looked at Jarod, who was so proud of her for learning such an important lesson. She had really grown since Thomas’s death.

Hasani sighed. “Now I’m going to do what I should have done a long time ago. I’m sorry, Jarod.”

Jarod and Parker closed their eyes while the bang of a shot filled the air.