The Centre. Jarod’s old room . . .

“Isn’t it comfy, to be home?” Raines asked in front of him.

Jarod looked around. Like always, they knocked him out with a sedative before bringing him in. Except this time, he was actually in his exact same room, not a torture chamber. Or did it just seem that way? He got up and looked around at the tiniest of details that he made on objects, to make sure they couldn’t deceive him.

“Same room,” Raines said. “No, I don’t know how you escaped. No, I don’t know if you had help,” he wheezed. “But, if you want to save little Debbie’s life, that you so grossly overlooked, then escaping again would be a bad idea.”

Jarod looked out of the plexiglass but didn’t say anything.

“Now, I didn’t come up with this plan,” Raines wheezed. “It was Lyle. He can’t . . . talk right now to give you the details. All I know is, it’s botched up.” He took another deep breath. “I didn’t lie to Broots. I have no idea what’s wrong with that girl. It could be anything. The Centre really doesn’t consider it a high priority issue.”

“Of course you don’t,” Jarod practically spat. “Since when has The Centre ever given a damn about children’s lives?”

“The Triumvirate owns The Centre, so I can’t answer that easily,” Raines said. “The things you will need will be distributed to your room at 8 AM until 11:59 PM. After that, they will be collected again.”

“Of course,” Jarod said. “So if I do escape, Broots’ daughter dies, unless I find the cure, or the entire collection of what I’m working with.”

“How the tears will fall,” Raines said without remorse. “We are currently examining the daughter. You’ll have all the analysis you need. If you need something else, you’ll make use of your gopher to fetch for you. Extra data. Utensils,” he wheezed. “He’ll sign back and forth for them, keeping track of it, so that everything stays accounted for.”

“And how do I call for my ‘gopher’?” Jarod asked. “I very much doubt I’m getting a phone.”

“He’s already here,” Raines said. “He can’t see you. He’s just waiting over by the entrance door. A regular call from you will stir him. He’ll be here day or night, unless something unforeseen happens.”

It was obvious who it had been. “His name’s Broots, not gopher,” Jarod corrected him. “And he’s doing what he can to save his daughter. He is a good dad, unlike you.” He leaned closer on the plexiglass. “Fine. I’ll do what I can for that innocent girl, but don’t expect me to do any Sims for you.”

“Not. Yet,” Raines said.

“And I want to see Miss Parker,” Jarod demanded.

 “Ever the considerate daddy, aren’t you?” Raines answered. “Later. She’s under the knife.”

Jarod banged on the plexiglass. “There’s no way whatever you’re trying with her is a hundred percent safe right now!”

“It’s fairly safe. It’s better than waiting for her mind to keep roaming. I need her to be of sound mind first,” Raines told him. “After that, I can worry about the heirs.”

“I’m warning you,” Jarod said, “don’t mess with me, Raines. I am not in the mood for play! Those kids, both of them, if I haven’t figured a way out . . . no matter their intelligence, they better stay safe, and together, with Parker.”

“So considerate. Together, with Parker,” he wheezed. “Such compassion for the one who’s wanted you locked up the most. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of my grandchildren,” Raines said. “Just like I’ve done with my daughter. I never missed an important moment in her life.” A slight, almost smile as he rolled his gas tank away.

“Raines!” Jarod yelled one more time.

Raines turned around. “What? Shouldn’t you be getting started?”

“Miss Parker wanted me to name our boy,” Jarod said. “I have his name now.”

Raines took a deep breath. “And what is the name of my grandson?”

“Onyssius.”

------------------------------

Centre’s Health Ward

Miss Parker groaned as she looked around the room. Broots was over in her corner. “Broots?”

“It’s okay.” It didn’t sound like it from his voice. “Everything was a success, according to Raines.”

A success? No more other voice? She looked toward the ceiling. She heard no other voice at all. “What happened?”

“It’s been four days,” Broots answered. “Jarod is . . . trying to find a cure for Debbie. I’ve been aiding him, but he wanted to know how you’ve been, so I’ve left. Otherwise, I don’t leave.” He looked back toward her. “No one knows what’s wrong with her.”

“Lyle knows what’s wrong with her.” She groaned and tried to pull herself up, but didn’t succeed.

“No one’s heard from Lyle at all though.”

“Trust me. No one dies at The Centre.” She tried to roll herself out.

“Miss Parker, just hang on.”

“Fine, I’m fine,” Miss Parker said. “I need to talk to Raines.”

“The deal’s still on,” Broots said. “Everyone knows you’re having twins. Even Frosty who loves Mountain Dew too much that it’s starting to rot out his front teeth down on Sl-26, he knows too.”

“Good. What about Jarod?” She asked.

“He’s . . . he’s working on the cure, in his room,” Broots said. “Here.”

“He’s contained. After six long years.”

“He’s been caught more than once, Miss Parker.”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t here to see it. There’s a difference, Broots.” Now she really wanted to get up.

“I?” Seeing she wasn’t giving up, Broots helped her up. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” She listened to the sound of her breathing. Nothing. No voice. She looked toward Broots. “How’s Debbie doing?”

Broots looked down. “It’s um. It’s a slow process. The Centre is putting her in limited access to anyone. Says, for all they know, she could be contagious. I just don’t think they want to risk me pulling her away.”

“Hm.” Her tone didn’t change. “How are you doing?”

“ . . . it’s a slow process,” he whispered. “Jarod’s trying, but there are so many different things it could be, Miss Parker. They had a whole area, a whole room dedicated to everything. And, they only let him work on it from 8 AM to 11:59 PM. Even if he thought he was onto something, they wouldn’t let him continue.” He scoffed. “I-I don’t know how to feel.”

“What do you mean? You feel bad for Debbie. It’s not complicated, just hard.”

“What do I mean?” He sighed deeply. “It’s more than Debbie. I chased Jarod for years, for my job. He’s helped me more than once, and now he’s . . . spending every minute he can to try and hopelessly  . . . find something.”

Miss Parker sighed. “Don’t tell me Sydney got to you. Jarod belongs in The Centre. He’s right where he should be. At least he’s making a difference instead of doing Sims for The Centre. He should feel grateful about that.”

“Grateful?” Broots couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You spent almost four weeks, all day long, with Jarod.”

“Three and some change, he was doing his psychotic twirl a whirl mind screwing in the last week,” she said.

“You don’t feel bad at all, that they put him back away?”

“Should I?” She took a deep breath and moved toward the window. “I’m having children with him, Broots. That can’t be changed, but he’d be out there, ready to take them away from me. He’s safely behind the glass again. That’s all that matters.”

“I don’t. I don’t think so,” Broots disagreed. “I. I think he was okay, outside of the glass.”

“What is so wrong with you?” Miss Parker complained. “You chased him for six years, Broots, you should be celebrating.”

“He’s the only thing, the only hope Debbie has, and . . . I should be celebrating?” Broots scoffed. “What the hell did Raines do to you?”

She held her hand out, like she was holding a cigarette, but there was none. “Nothing.” She pretended to puff on the invisible cigarette and blew it in the air.

“I don’t think . . . he would have ever gone psycho,” Broots said, staring at her.

“He was halfway on the looney bin all the time, Broots.” She did the same thing again, puffing on her invisible cigarette.

“Sydney said a long time ago that-that the stuff he was doing, it kept him well.”

“So?” Broots could almost visualize the smoke encircling her. “He’s old Broots, and very connected to Jarod. He wasn’t going to believe anything.”

“You were connected to Jarod.”

“I detached myself a long time ago,” she said as she flicked the imaginary cigarette out of her hand. “Only thing I wanted was him trapped. Now I’m free.”

“Good to hear that.”

Broots jumped as he saw Raines coming in. He still didn’t know what to make of him. On one hand, he could have just let Debbie die. On the other, he could have spoken up faster. It was only because of what Sydney did that Raines sped things up.

But, he was also in charge, and crossing him, meant crossing Debbie’s life off. “Mister Raines, Sir.”

“Why aren’t you down by Jarod?” Raines asked.

“He wanted me to check on her,” Broots said. “Make sure she’s safe, Sir.”

“You better have one hell of a deal for me,” Miss Parker said, focused on Raines.

“All in writing. All contracted. Everyone knows. Everyone can see the birth if they want. The children can be right here, while you work. Watched only by those you approve of. There will be cameras on them at all times,” Mister Raines said. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked for.”

“Hm. It’s apparent you need me,” she said. She looked out the window. “I missed this view.”

“No one can forget about home,” Raines said.

“And now that Jarod is nicely tucked away, I don’t have to worry about him.” She gave a small chuckle.

“By the way?” Raines said. “Jarod said that you allowed him to name the boy?”

“Well, I was out with him. I had to give him something,” Miss Parker said. “If I remained unbreakable, he might take them away. But I didn’t break. Just a tiny crack, he thought he could work with.”

Raines smiled. A flat out smile. “You are my daughter.”

“Don’t smile at me you bastard.” She pointed straight at him. “You’ve been watching me on a DSA all my life. That’s creepy as hell. Stay away from me.” She groaned. “Before you go, what did Boy Wonder want to name him?”

“Onyssius.”

Miss Parker laughed. “My ass.” She moved past Raines. “I am getting something to eat. This pregnancy drives me crazy,” she groaned, “and then, I will go see Jarod for myself. See him where he really belongs.” She imagined the sound of her stiletto heels clicking on the ground, instead of the regular shoes Jarod made her wear. “Broots, get me a pair of my old stilettos. No, scratch that. I want a ride back to my house. I need to get dressed. I can finally get out of these drabs and back into some style.”

“Yes, Miss Parker.” His voice sounded low. “Anything you say. Home’s probably safer anyhow.”

“He’ll find it, Broots,” she said looking toward him. “Jarod’s got skill, don’t worry.”

“Yeah. Pardon me.” Broots shuffled out of the room and down the hall.

It was normal, but it wasn’t. And puffing on an invisible cigarette? What was that, when did she start that? Almost four weeks. Not even a smidge of sympathy. I mean . . . she still believed he’d go crazy outside? Even he had started to have doubts by the third year Jarod wasn’t better off outside. He helped a lot of people, did a lot of good, but catching him was his job.

Sydney told them very early on that Jarod would be okay, but Miss Parker kept saying he wouldn’t. It was hard to tell who to believe. And now, Jarod was the only thing giving Debbie even a slice of hope. “Jarod even saved my life once. I.” He looked back at Miss Parker who followed him out. “Hello?”

“Hello?! Did you forget I need a ride back home, so I can get out of these draggy clothes? Gaw.” She passed by him. “After that, I’ll have my car. I’ll be fine. Everything will be back to normal.”

Broots looked toward her. She turned and stared at him.

“What?!” she demanded.

“Nothing,” he said. “Nothing at all. I-I’ll give you a ride back to your place, and then get back to Jarod.”

---------------------

“Just a few more years, tops, Broots,” Miss Parker said as she got out of the car. “The Centre will be mine.” She looked toward him. “Don’t expect a pay raise.”

“I don’t . . . think I’ll be working there,” Broots reminded her. It’s like, her mind was half scrambled.

“Hm. Sorry. Maybe you won’t. If you are? Don’t expect a pay raise.” She took a deep breath and walked away without saying a word.

When she entered into her house, she closed the door. She moved to look at the picture of her daddy. Oh, how I miss you. But at the same time . . . why’d you do this to me? She set it back down and looked at her grand view. “I hate fighting this.” She rubbed her mouth. “And I’m starting to miss that voice of mine.” She moved away.

“Jarod is a danger.”

“Jarod will be fine, Miss Parker. You know him.”

“Jarod is a sweet boy, and I’m sure you could be good friends.”

“You are not pure enough anymore to be his friend.”

“He will go insane. Listen to yourself. You’ve studied them all.”

“He saved me. What do you think of Jarod?”

“Perhaps Jarod has gone off the deep end?”

Conversation after conversation reared its ugly head, in her head. Where is that other voice anymore? Gone. Fixed forever. She tried to walk away, think about something else. Did anyone know how hard it had been?

The Parker focus. “I have to do this.” There wasn’t much choice. Her whole instinct was screaming that it was wrong, a bad idea, and everything between here and there was going to burn for her action. There was not a single voice that would cheer her the other way anymore. “No. No, I will make this feeling my bitch.” She marched toward her old laptop, booted it up, put in her password, and easily got the information she wanted. The Centre kept up with so many people, she was bound to find someone.

She sent an email and waited.

How did you find me?! What are you going to do?!

She sent another quick email back, and waited again.

Awwwww hell! Nah, nah, that’s bad! Aw, poor J-Dog. J-man. That’s awful.

Oh god. Who the hell did I pick up? She closed her eyes. She had to start this way, any other would be too high and look suspicious. Bottom of the barrel. She sent another email, and retrieved what she needed for the next step before answering her phone. Be nice. She cleared her throat. “Hello?”

“Hey, hi! Um, It’s me. You know, that guy you just messaged? You found my thing? So, Jarod’s in trouble? Man, that’s bad, that’s real bad. So the people got him? He gonna like make like a Houdini and split?”

Keep it together. “He can’t just leave. He has needs that need to be fulfilled. I need you to get a message to an address. And if anyone calls asking about me, I need you to tell them I was a total bitch to you.”

“But you sound nice? Hey? Real nice. Um. So. Um. How are you involved?”

Gaw. “I’m the mommy.”

“Jarod’s?”

Gaw! “No, of his soon to be kids. I’m. Concerned.”

“Being a mommy, that’s gonna be crazy.  And to J-man’s kids, aw man. I mean, it’ll be great. Ace school, no homework problems or whatever. And hey, the kids, they will probably be bringing home plenty of green so you don’t have to worry about them.”

Keep. It. Together. “Will you write this address down, and what I want in each message?”

“Sure, but um, hey, uh? I owe Jarod. I do, a lot. A whole lot. But, uh. Yeah, uh. I haven’t seen him in like two or three years or so? But, favor’s a favor and I owe him. But, uh, I’m not like resourceful, you know, like him? He’s uh, he’s got a real big brain. Like giant brain, and mine isn’t quite so high.”

“Which is why I can contact you,” Miss Parker said boldly. “You’re the idiot who was sending out signals in newspapers clearly to Jarod, signals so big nobody could miss them for very long! So big that nobody took it seriously after awhile. The Centre kept watching you, but you’re no one important. You are at the very bottom of the bucket, someone won’t check you except to wring out the last of the water. Now, shutup and listen to me!” Hey, she could only take so much. “Argyle, right?”

“Yep, that’s me. A-R-G. Y-L-E. See, that’s my name on account of this-“

“I don’t care,” She groaned. “I just need you to listen to me. Write down this address, and this information.”

“Hey. This is safe, right? ‘Cause I have more than me to watch out for? I got my dad, and I got my girlfriend.”

“It’s. Fine,” she said as calmly as she could. Where the hell did Jarod pick this guy up from? She didn’t know, but asking him how they first met would just get him talking and he needed to shut up. This was hard enough. She was fighting pure instinct to get this done.

After she gave him all the information she could, she had him read it back to her. “No, idiot. The Centre, not center. C-E-N-T-R-E! It’s the place!”

“Oh. You know, when I was a kid, I used to spell center like that for years, until-“

“Shut up!”

“Well, I was, but what about this word center next to Centre?”

“I hope you have mercy on your soul, if you were here right now . . .”

“I could put mid maybe?”

“You do that,” she said in a harsh whisper.

“Wow. You know, you’re mad, but like, you sound really sexy too. J-man found a good thing. But okay. Um. I got the email. I spelled the name right, and the messages. Two. Uh, One asking for a new email address to be deleted quick after. And then uh, the real message. Right?”

“Yes,” she seethed, trying to stay calm. Hopefully. He got it right. “Thank you. Argyle.” At least the weeks of trying to be nice was good training for dealing with this man. “If anyone calls you, checking to see what the emails were about from me, say a total bitch was threatening to kill me for information on Catherine Parker.”

“Yeah, yeah. No. I don’t know her.”

“I know you don’t know her, but if I’m poking around, it’s for her, so just go with it.”

“Yeah. Okay, I’ll say I know her.”

“No. You say. I asked about her,” Miss Parker said. “Saying you know her, will probably get you killed.”

“Oh! Aw no, man!”

“Yeah. Try not to confuse them.” She hung up the phone. He owes me. He owes me soooo big.

Emily. Her email was discovered again. Not surprising, The Centre was good.

There was no way Miss Parker trusted Raines to keep his deal with her children. If she could come back to The Centre, it wouldn’t be dragged in like this, and it would be after the birth. Not before. And Jarod wasn’t going to be restricted on how much he could help Debbie either. Her health was not a condition for him to stay put. She knew Genius Boy did better with things on his own terms than when it was forced on him. It could mean the difference between saving Debbie and not.

And that’s about as far as her decision making could go. For now, she just had to pretend like everything was back to normal. That she didn’t just help out the man she’d been chasing for six years to break out.

Oh, and find his damn family for him while she was at it.

---------------------------

It wasn’t a hundred percent safe, nothing was.

In fact, it was probably overkill, but she wasn’t going to take any chances. Unlike Argyle who the Centre wouldn’t be giving a shit about, they would be watching closely for anything about Jarod’s family.

She drove away and towards the grave of her mother. It was somewhere, after getting back home, she would go to feel better. Especially since she would feel safer with her children. At least, to them. It should be the perfect place to get a call. And even if surveillance was on her, they wouldn’t catch shit from her mouth.

Her phone rang. “What.” She kept everything casual, and still, like always, like she was talking to anyone about anything.

“How can I help?” Soft. Feminine. Emily.

“Well, I don’t know why you’re so worried,” Miss Parker said out loud. “The only way Jarod could find out what he was working with would be to bust into The Centre section it’s stored in. But there are huge locks all over that door, and tons of security. With him stuck in that glass, he couldn’t work on a cure anymore. And he’ll never leave, not with a little girl’s life on the line.”

“Okay. Someone’s life is on the line, and if Jarod leaves, that’s it.” Good. She knew how to read between the lines. She figured his family would have experience with what she was doing. “He’s working on a cure, so he’s stuck? How are you involved though, with my brother? Can you say?”

Careful. How could she do this one? “Huh? Yes, he wasn’t thrilled about naming our daughter Angel, but if he wants me to call our boy, Onyssius, he really can’t call me out on that.”

“Jarod’s having kids?! Wow. I didn’t know he was having kids. Jarod’s getting his own family. Making his own family on his own terms. That’s wonderful!”

No. She wouldn’t let them think that. They needed to understand that she wasn’t some sweet little girlfriend just ‘trying to help’. They needed to understand the position itself or they would be even more enraged when they found out. “I don’t know how I feel. All I know is that he threatened to take my children from me if I stayed at The Centre. As much as I tell him it was The Triumvirate who impregnated me, and The Centre wasn’t involved, he’s not going to accept it. And this is, this is not easy. He’s been my prey for six years. I hunted for him. I followed every lead for him. And now, we’re both stuck in this position.”

Silence. She continued.

“He’s finally locked up, and I don’t have to worry about him, but I still worry about Raines. He separated my mother’s children, you know that. I had a brother I didn’t know I had, Ethan. And Lyle? That horrible brother is the reason I am in this situation with Jarod. I hope he’s dead.”

A sigh. “You’re part of The Centre. Jarod. He?” Crying? Pathetic. “You’re only helping him because you’re worried about your children! And you should be, because they are Jarod’s! There’s no way anyone in our family is going to be in The Centre!”

“You really forgot the number again?” She didn’t give a shit what Jarod’s little sister thought of her any more than anyone else. She recited a number to her. “Don’t forget it again, Moron.”

Angry dial tone. “See that you do.” She acted like she hung up the phone and started to walk away. Emily probably couldn’t do much, but she might be able to reach Major Charles if she were lucky.

They would need one hell of a plan. The stockpile of everything Jarod would need to help Debbie, it would be massive. At least twenty boxes full, if not forty or fifty.

It wouldn’t be easy. She had no idea what to suspect, or when. She didn’t even know if Broots could help, but they had his number now.

All she knew was, before anything happened, she needed to find her brother and pay him a visit.

----------------------

“I. I don’t . . .” Broots looked behind him. Miss Parker kept her usual pace in her stilettos, even though she was almost six months pregnant. Talk about a feat. “I don’t know how long we have. Jarod said he wouldn’t need me for at least an hour, but still.”

It didn’t matter. And even though Broots was uncomfortable, he was bringing his ass too. She stopped right in front of a cell, where a familiar silhouette was seen. “It feels much better having the tables turned, Brother.”

Lyle looked toward her. He didn’t say anything.

“Cat got your tongue?” Miss Parker asked. “It’s not easy holding back when you just want to throw up when you see someone. Welcome to what I dealt with.”

He still didn’t speak.

“Where’s the cure?” Broots asked Lyle. “You made a cure. Where is it?”

Lyle still wasn’t talking.

Miss Parker looked at him. It was apparent he wasn’t walking for a reason. “Immobile there?”

Lyle gave a brief smile, then stopped.

“Can’t say I feel sorry for you. What, with, you know, you impregnating me with Jarod’s kids!” She yelled at him. “Where’s the cure, Lyle?”

“Is it at your house?” Broots asked.

Lyle didn’t answer.

“Your office?”

Lyle didn’t answer.

“Damn it, Lyle!” Miss Parker tried to reach in for him, but didn’t get too far with her stomach.

“He can’t answer you.”

Miss Parker looked back as Mister Raines came up.

“So. You found him. I knew you would,” Raines said. “Happy family reunion.”

“Reunion my ass, Lyle, where is the cure?!” Miss Parker shouted again.

“I told you. He can’t answer.” Raines looked straight at him. “He lied to me. So, I had his lying tongue removed.”

Broots gagged a second, but Miss Parker felt no reaction. “So. Cat really did get the tongue. Me-ow.”

“Play 20 questions all you want. He’s not giving the answer,” Raines said. “I’ve incapacitated him. Even if I forgive him in the future, he’ll never talk, and never walk, again. This cure is the last bit of joy he has.”

“Damn,” Miss Parker muttered her breath. “You don’t care. You want her to die. You have it, but you want her to die.”

Lyle smiled again.

Broots could barely breathe. “What do you want for it?” He pleaded. “Anything. Anything I can give you, just please, tell me where the cure is?! Please!”

“Broots. He once buried a pregnant woman in the middle of a desert for fun,” Miss Parker said, staring at him. “If he’s got nothing left but this last vindictive move.” She shook her head. “Jarod’s the only hope.”