In Front of Jefferson Heights

Jarod was sitting right behind him in a row of benches, just a short distance away from Jefferson Heights. The building that Cynthia Sloan had helped to restore. Way back then, he had been a male escort for the soul purpose of reaching to her. She would have destroyed her childhood home, to erase her past. He helped her rediscover it.

At that same time, he also had another client he had to take care of. Joyce had separated from Howard and was hungry for a man’s touch, but Jarod knew it wasn’t over yet for them. He kept dealing with them, on the side of his real mission, and ended up solving their problem too.

So, it was no big surprise, after hearing about the murder ‘Jarod Heart’ had committed, that his so-called clone was right there, in front of the building that had been his true mission. To save that home.

“I have always depended on the kindness of strangers,” Jarod said from behind his counterpart, making his presence known. He kept his voice level.

“Have you ever had these?” His clone said holding up a popcorn ball for Jarod to look at. “They took corn kernels, heated them up causing it to burst outward and then added marshmallow, and for some reason, thought they belonged together and sell them in balls.”

Jarod didn’t answer. “Did you kill Joyce and Howard? Did you kill Kevin Bailey?”

“Hm.” His clone took a bite out of his popcorn ball. “It was my mission. Nothing different than all the simulations you did at The Centre, Jarod. Oh. Apologies. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Jarod Hades.”

“There was a huge difference,” Jarod came back on him. “A huge one. What gives you the right to take innocent lives away?!”

“Well, if I don’t, my life ends.” He held up his arm as he took another bite. “See how putrid and green my arm looks? Yeah, it’s not pleasant, sorry. I have about a day to get back to The Triumvirate for the cure and go back into my hole. So, I’m just enjoying my last discovery of the day. This fascinating popcorn ball. Although the valentine stuff was okay,” he admitted. “It was really hard to find. Completely out of what they call ‘season’. But this Halloween stuff, mm, it’s everywhere. That’s how you found me, isn’t it?”

“Same city. Visiting Halloween shops, asking questions. One of them was bound to mention where you went,” Jarod said. “It didn’t even take a genius.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t have enough faith to risk everyone. Don’t feel bad though. I’m heading back home, my job is done for now. Won’t be messing up your Pretends. Jarod Heart was fun though. Bucky was a blast too! I loved his wings. You should go visit him again, he missed you.”

“So you think because you have to go to Africa, I should just let you go?” Jarod asked. “Because you are done with the game, I’m just going to forget that you strung up two people that I helped get back together? They sent me a postcard of their second honeymoon.”

“Sorry to hear. It doesn’t really make much difference to me. Not much does. Nothing’s really in my focus.”

Jarod sneered. “What is the focus of something like you?”

Jarod Hades threw a book in the air and it landed smack dab in Jarod’s lap. Hades finally turned around, bringing his shades down, to look Jarod in the eyes. “What do you think my focus is, Jarod?” He took another bite of his popcorn ball. “It’s making sure The Saddest Little Valentine stays right where she needs to, until I need her.”

“What do you need her for?” Jarod asked, not breaking eye contact.

“Nothing yet. And, nothing, if her little twins stay in The Triumvirate,” Jarod Hades said. “But, honestly? I really hope they don’t. Do you know what kind of world I live in, Jarod? Know the difference between The Centre and The Triumvirate?”

“I have an idea,” Jarod said. “It’s still not something I would kill three innocent people for.”

“We all have self-preservation habits,” Jarod Hades said. “No one knows how far they are willing to go until it comes down to it. Even you have to cut me some slack. You haven’t even bothered with a gun.” He took another bite of his popcorn ball. “You talk a big game, but you’re not going to do anything to me. I’m not going to do anything to you. We’re just two guys talking outside on a beautiful day, with one of us eating a popcorn ball.” He took his last bite.

“You’re going to leave, and be back out there waiting for me like a bad dream,” Jarod said. “You took my Pretend. My identity that helped to save people, and used it to kill.”

“Uh huh. Can I have my book back?” Jarod Hades asked pointing to his book. “I know I’ve got all the copies in Bucky’s shop, but man, they don’t survive  home too well.” He looked back toward Jarod. “Can’t even smack me, can you? It’s okay, Jarod, there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s not in our nature, buddy. Now, if I attacked you, you would attack me. It would also give you the perfect excuse to kill me.” He shrugged. “But, I’m not doing that. My book please?”

Jarod proved him wrong, landing a punch right on his nose.

Jarod Hades took off his cracked shades. “Darn. I liked those.” He rubbed his nose. “Ouch, Jarod. That was violent. What provoked that?”

“Acting innocent isn’t going to make me want to let you go!” Jarod warned him.

“If you don’t let me go, I die. You don’t like death on your conscience. It’s brutal.” He looked at his hand. “I miss my popcorn ball. Hey, do you want one? I could buy one for you.”

“Well, something tells me that I could pull it off,” Jarod said bending closer to him.

“You mean handcuff me and leave me to die?” Jarod Hades asked. “That’s not nice at all. You’ve been hanging out with Alex and Kyle too much.”

Kyle? “What do you know about Kyle?”

“Just another guy in the hell of the place that I call my life.” Jarod Hades pointed down again. “Can I have my book back yet?”

Jarod held it. “No.”

“I like having my book,” Jarod Hades said. “I already wasted two copies for evidence to connect me.”

“Some evidence.”

“Well.” Jarod Hades shrugged. “I can’t help it. I mean, she is my focus. And I am normally a really nice guy. Truly,” he said. He looked at his watch. “But when the day comes that I get to take care of my focus? I mean, damn Jarod. I’m you, and that’s the estranged Miss Parker you’ve been gaga with forever. It’s the only lovely thing I’ve seen since I’ve been out in the wilds, the only one I get to concentrate on night and day with pictures and, of course, your book. So when I come for her, I’ll leave a bigger body trail than I did to that mass of school children over there that I bought lovely candies for because they remember me as the guy who ‘saved their home’. They’ve got about five minutes before side effects kick in. Let them die, or catch me. Your choice.”

Jarod’s eyes went wide as Jarod Hades ran off. There was no time to chase him! He ran to the kids quickly, insisting each of them get to the hospital now.

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

The Centre

“Doctor Connors,” Sydney greeted as he stood beside a co-worker. He. Had wanted to do this. For a long, long time. No one ever gave permission though because Doctor Connors was a highly sought after individual, and his ‘side projects’ shouldn’t damper it. “May I speak to you for a moment?”

“Sydney,” Doctor Connors said.

“Actually, Miss Parker says it must be Mister Sydney now,” Sydney said, giving him a taste of what was to come. “She took over The Centre today.”

“I heard that,” Doctor Connors said. “Getting some recognition you haven’t had in some time I hear?”

“Mm. And I’m afraid I need to give you this news. Doctor Connors. Your ethics to improve the psychic quality by temporarily blinding your patients, which could lead to being truly blind, has been an issue.”

“It was never an issue before. By losing one sense, the psychic connection was even stronger.” Doctor Connors said. “I’ve done exquisite work for The Centre.”

“I’m afraid it’s not enough to put a child’s eyesight at risk like that.” He handed him a pink slip. “Please remove yourself from the facility,” he said. “Miss Parker will discuss your severance pay later.”

“What?! No! I have done nothing but fantastic work for The Centre!” Doctor Conners objected.

“Hm.” Sydney motioned from behind himself. Out of the corner came four sweepers. “I’m afraid we are cleaning house today for those who don’t feel they’ve been given a fair handshake.” The four sweepers came up from behind Sydney and toward Doctor Connors.

Doctor Connors looked at them. “Okay.” He backed off slowly. “Fine. I-I’ll go, but under protest.”

“Under protest?” One of the sweepers asked him.

“I mean,” Doctor Connors fidgeted. “I’ll be back to discuss things later.”

“No, I’m afraid you are being escorted out, and all access to The Centre is to be taken away,” Sydney said. “Now. Miss Parker will contact you soon about severance pay. Gentlemen?” He watched the sweepers escort him out. Sydney grabbed everything Doctor Connors had and scooped it into the medical waste. As he left the room, he caught the smile of one little girl in the corner.

He simply gave a small smile back.

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

Hospital near Jefferson Heights

“Sir, you really should go home. You aren’t family, and it’s past time to go.”

Jarod didn’t want to leave. Those children. Fifteen in all. “I just want to know they are okay. It’s my fault they are in there. I didn’t think, I just wanted to get to him.”

“You couldn’t have known, and they’ll be okay.”

“Doctors never tell anyone, anything,” Jarod said. “I know that.”

“I know they’ll be okay, because I already looked over them.”

Wasn’t he talking to a nurse? “Are you a doctor?”

“I was today. Now I’m a nurse.”

Jarod looked up, hearing the strange choke in the voice, and the words, and almost fell off his seat. She was smiling wide, the large smile she had when he first saw her five years ago for that brief bit of time. “Mom?” He plummeted into her, holding her deeply. It was real. It was her. It was finally her! “Mom!”

“Jarod. Miss Parker has The Centre. As long as the Angel’s beyond the glass there, everything will be alright and I can see you!” His mother held him back as hard as she could with tears in her eyes. “Jarod! Oh, how you’ve grown so much. The last time we met, it wasn’t meant to be. I’m sorry I rushed it.”

“Mom.” Jarod didn’t care. Her voice. Her voice was just how he thought it’d be. One of those things that continued to linger within him, even when everything else faded away. “I have so much to tell you! I have so much I want to ask you!”

“Then come with me, Jarod. Let’s get out of here.”

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

Jarod’s Mother’s Car

Jarod memorized everything in her car. Miss Parker did get the music, but there was so much more. A mish mash of lives. He touched the hulu girl on the front dash. His mom’s car.

“It’s a mishmash of stuff,” she confessed as she hopped into her car and put it into drive.

Jarod looked down past the CD albums and saw all the ID tags. “Art museums. Ballet. Nursing. Restaurant worker.” He was flying through them. “Parachute Jumping Instructor. Plumber. Artist.” There were hundreds of them, just like he had. “I got Pretending from you.”

“A little bit of everything is inside each of us,” she said as she turned on her music, Wanted Dead or Alive by Jon Bon Jovi, and drove off. “Tell me, Jarod. How are you doing?”

“Better now,” he said, smiling as he looked at her. “Much better. Those kids will be okay?”

“Yes. The devil only put the scare in them. They needed to be out there for at least an hour more with it to do any damage,” she said. “You know doctors though. They never tell you anything. Just the fake doctors work the best,” she joked. “Jarod. It’s so good to finally meet and talk to you.”

“It is.” He wanted to memorize everything around him, but he heard his mother’s urgent voice.

“No need to waste your time. Most of this stuff isn’t me.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of butterscotch candy. “What you see is what you get, not the stuff around me.”

His breathing felt erratic. “Where are we going?”

“To go see the angel carrying your angels,” she answered. “Do you want to come pretend with momma like the old days?”

Jarod laughed. “Did I?”

“Oh, yes, you did. You and Kyle used to get out of the car with me and . . .” she faded off. “Well, it was a long time ago.”

“Kyle’s still alive,” Jarod said. “I found information on him, at The Centre. He was replaced with a clone before he died. He’s inside The Triumvirate. I’m going to get him out, I promise.”

She laughed with joy. “Kyle’s alive!” Her whole face lit up. “I wish I had known, but The Triumvirate is a maze. You could search your whole life looking for something there, and never find it, without knowing what it is you need. Where you saved Miss Parker, was nothing but the tiniest of buildings in its structure. You’ll find that out later.”

“Mom? How did you know I’d be here though?” Jarod asked.

“The scrolls are very . . . vague, Jarod. It’s like trying to decipher Nostradamus. But, sometimes, after events occur, you figure out where you need to be. Don’t worry about that,” she insisted. “Tell me about yourself. Tell me all about yourself!”

“I . . .” Jarod didn’t know what to say. “I Pretend, like you, to help people.”

“But what do you like?” His mother asked again. “What’s your favorite music? Favorite color?”

Oh. “All of them.”

“Yes,” she chuckled. “Correct. You’ve always been that way. One day, you would be building skyscrapers out of blocks and the next, snowmen out of oreos. Oh my goodness,” she laughed. “One time after we went to sleep, you and Kyle snuck into the kitchen, took an entire three packages of oreo cookies to your quiet room, dug out all the cream filling, and made yourself a huge white snowman using chocolate as decoration for it.”

Jarod started to laugh. “I did?”

“Mmhm. Your father and I woke up to both you and Kyle stuffing your faces with the leftovers and ‘unusable decorational materials’,” she laughed. “Hoo boy, the major was mad at you!”

Jarod cracked up laughing. “Yeah! Kyle and I went together really well.” He looked at his mom. “Did you ever meet Ethan?”

“No, but, I don’t feel . . . bad or good about it. He’s your father’s other child.” She shrugged. “That sounds quite cold, doesn’t it? I’m not the warmest of mothers.”

“That’s not true,” Jarod said. “You’re a very warm mother.”

“Perhaps I wasn’t too bad,” she said. “I don’t know.”

“Kids . . . didn’t make you happy though,” Jarod said, letting her know Miss Parker told him that part too. “I don’t blame you. When you couldn’t Pretend anymore.”

“It was tough,” she said. “I should have trusted Charles, I know that now. I don’t know if he would have understood, or let me do anything. But. He should’ve known.” She looked toward Jarod.  “At least you’ll never have that problem.”

“What do you mean?” Jarod asked. “I’ve got kids coming soon. I’ve got dad and Emily. I’ve got-“

“The life of a man that can’t just be one person,” she said, “and there’s no way Miss Parker is ever going to really want to settle down. She could try. I imagine one day she might have, but her whole life was dedicated to The Centre. She’s never going to be an average mom. She’ll be a good mom, but not average.” She patted his leg. “Don’t screw up like I did. Ask her if she’ll continue with you. You might be surprised at the answer.”

“But, I go everywhere,” Jarod admitted. “A lot of places aren’t . . . family oriented.”

“Figure it out,” she said. “I used to daydream about it. What I would do if I just told him, and he understood it.” She looked toward him. “I started thinking about the risks, and how to reduce the risks. Things like sending you off to the next Pretend a day early, before the danger, and arriving that next night. A plan on what to do if I didn’t arrive. How you boys could grow and become my backup. Things like that.”

“Backup.” Jarod smiled. “I would have backed you up.”

They shared a smile together as they both shared special moments in their lives as his mother continued to drive. After about half an hour, Jarod’s cell started to ring. He looked at the number. “Why’s he calling already?”

“Why’s who calling, Jarod?” his mother asked.

“Thomas Gates.”

She slammed on the brakes, making the car come to a complete stop. “ . . . what?”

“You heard of him?” Jarod asked, seeing a strange look in his mother’s eyes. “He was dating Miss Parker years ago.”

“Yes, I know,” she said, her voice a little tense. “Just because I couldn’t meet you, Jarod, doesn’t mean I wasn’t watching for you, or those around you.” She scratched her nose. Anxiously. “Or the stupid shit you pulled either! Do I even need to bring up the fact that you wrote a romance novel with Miss Parker seductively on the front cover of it, and had it published?”

“Ah.” Jarod looked at the phone, then back at his mom. “No?”

“Good. Answer it,” she demanded.

“Hello?” Jarod answered.

“Oh. Um. Hey, Jarod. You said that Miss Parker’s single now, right?”

“Right,” Jarod said slowly.

“She is pregnant though. Another man’s kid?”

“Uh. Yes,” He answered truthfully.

“But, they aren’t together?”

“No,” he answered back. “Don’t you have family?”

“Well, no. That was the family of a girl I’m seeing. Um. I don’t know. Missy and I . . . *sigh* it felt like paradise. I wanted her to come with me so bad. Sometimes, I think I should have called her but. Well, and now she’s carrying another guy’s kid. Yikes, I’m sorry to drop all this on you, Jarod. Maybe. Maybe I should try giving her a call. As a friend? See where things go?”

Jarod watched his mother shake her head no back and forth. “I don’t know if you should do that yet. Not everything’s quite final there, I’ll talk to you later about it,” Jarod finished. “I have to go.” He hung up the phone. “What?”

“Why is her ex-dead lover calling you?” she asked.

“Oh. We were friends first.”

“I know that, Jarod. Why’s he calling you now?”

Oh. “I just . . . if he wanted to.” Weird sensation. Really weird sensation, like he was a child trying to explain why they were doing something bad. “We could tell him the truth, and he could join Miss Parker. I’ve already agreed to set up a two house thing.”

“To share the kids?”

“Yes.”

“On each pretend.”

“Yes?”

“She has her house. You have your house.”

Why was she making this clearer? “Yes?”

“Oh my god. I’m sorry, I thought I raised a genius.” She took off in the car faster.

“Mom!” That was over the speed limit. “What are you doing?”

“Sometimes geniuses are too genius, and need a little common sense knocked into them.” She whacked his shoulder again. “Thomas is over three years in her past, Jarod, why are you trying to involve him in this whole mess?”

“He was . . . the love of her life,” Jarod said. “After everything that happened, I just wanted her to be happy.”

“Happy? You can’t bring normal people into the pretending world that easy,” she scolded him. “He’s as normal as they come. That’s why she was so into him. He was sweet, and warm, a handyman, and oh so cute. Those flannel shirts. Oh god, you could eat him up.” She glanced at him. “I’m a woman too, don’t judge me, and I haven’t seen your father in years.”

Jarod’s eyes went wide. “Mom!”

“I haven’t done anything, but I wouldn’t blame him if he has,” she said. “It’s hard, being lonely. Don’t do that yet. Don’t bring Thomas in yet.” She shook her head. “Momma didn’t raise no fool, Jarod, give yourself a fighting chance. Do you think she’s going to be happy in that kind of life?” She scoffed. “I wasn’t. Some people are made for different things.”

“Fighting chance?” Jarod questioned. “What do you mean?”

“Do you want to raise your twins?”

“Yes.” That was definite.

“Do you want to have Miss Parker beside you?”

“Yes. She is their mother.”

“Do you want to have Miss Parker beside you, while she’s having sex with Tommy in another house, or sex with you in yours?”

Okay. Miss Parker did warn him that his mother may not be the image of what he imagined.

“Just answer honestly. If not to me, then answer to yourself. Now, Jarod. Do you want her?”

He winced his eye. Carthis. “The feelings between, it’s just residual, from when we were kids. The her of her now, and the me of me now? We barely get along. Her and Thomas though. He made her happy.”

“He was there for her, psychologically, in a way you couldn’t be. You should have, but you couldn’t be, because she had to chase you.”

“You were in the psychiatric field too, weren’t you?” Jarod joked.

“You can be now,” she reminded him. “You’re not trapped behind glass anymore. Thomas is a wonderful man. Very,” she said dreamily. “But so are you, Jarod. Don’t light a torch for the wrong old flame yet. Don’t do it.”

“Why are you so adamant about that?” Jarod asked. “I want to get to know you, and you keep dwelling on Miss Parker.”

“Because, according to the scrolls, there is competition for the Angel’s hand,” she said. “And pardon me for being biased, but I think my boy who’s been forced to be stuck all alone nearly all of his life with no one else there for him, deserves to have his own Angel a little bit more.”

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

The Centre Cafeteria

Broots squeezed out the ketchup on his hamburger while he looked at Sydney. “So, um, Sydney? I-I don’t quite know what to choose here,” he said. “Miss Parker, she’s alone, up there in her office because if she isn’t, some nut job clone comes out and kills people that Jarod knew? And there’s no one here for her except me and you.” He placed the lid back on the ketchup and sat it down. “Then again, I don’t want Debbie so close to The Centre, that anyone wants to try and hurt her again. That anyone can try and hurt her. You know?”

“It is a dilemma,” Sydney said putting down his glass of water. “Miss Parker gave you outright permission to leave however you need to, Broots. I agree though. The situation she is in, is not of her own design. I will be here for her, regardless of what happens.”

“I know. I’m thinking that, even though my ex-wife is the devil,” Broots complained. “I mean a two-faced, lying . . .” He sighed. “She might be what Debbie needs right now.”

“Are you thinking of sending Debbie away for a little while again?” Sydney asked.

“Maybe. I mean, I missed her a lot when she was with you-know-who, but at least I knew she was safe,” Broots said. “It’s not like he was tearing down a road in Las Vegas somewhere, you know? And, The Centre had no idea where she’d been.”

“Perhaps Jarod could take her back?” Sydney recommended.

“No way, way too much to ask for, especially in his lifestyle,” Broots said. “Besides, like I said, her mom would work.”

“If you want to be here for her, you can be, Broots,” Sydney said. “Although, I fear that, even Miss Parker, will have trouble with the Angelo issue.”

“Oh, you got that right,” Broots scoffed. “Angelo attacked her once, when he was empathing Kyle, remember? And now, he’s gonna be, what? I mean, you told me what happened, about the biting and-“ He slammed his pop down. “I-I just can’t stand it! I mean, I know she can handle herself, but . . .”

“You still have feelings for Miss Parker, don’t you, Broots?” Sydney asked him directly.

“Imagining that little imp hurting her. I mean, Miss Parker, is almost unhurtable, but she’s been hurt. That time at the hospital, with her perforated ulcer?” Broots shook his head. “I couldn’t help her then either. How are we just supposed to sit back and let that happen?” He scoffed and took a drank of his pop. “She deserves better than that. I mean, maybe not me, but she deserves something better than that.”

Sydney smiled at his comrade. “I would have honestly felt much better in this situation, if it had been you, Broots. Angelo is dangerous.”

“Yeah, I know.” Broots took a bite out of his hamburger.

Sydney watched Mutumbo and Adama coming from behind them. Since they were Miss Parker’s ‘right-hand men’ he expected to see more of them, as Raines had with Mister Parker. However, as they were coming over, Broots said something.

“If only I could tell The Triumvirate it was my kids instead of Angelo’s, you know?” Broots said before taking another bite of his burger. “That the one in the bowels of The Centre Miss Parker had been with was me, this situation would be better. I mean, Angelo’s too fragile to even touch, let alone have any sexual relationship with her.”

“You are the father?!”

Sydney watched as Adama roughly grabbed Broots and spun him around.

“Oh?! Oh, oh, no. I-I.” Broots looked back toward Sydney.

Sydney, however, was thinking a different way. He wanted Miss Parker to survive and be safe, no matter how long the situation took to work it out. Angelo was a misfire. But Broots? “I don’t believe you can hide the truth anymore, Broots. I’m very sorry.”

“What?”

Sydney watched Broots being dragged away by Adama and Mutumbo. He smiled and took a last drink of his water and followed behind.