I am not an English-native, my own language is some sort of German. As a result there undoubtedly will be errors in the following little story. This one is unbetaed, well aside from Bill Gates’ spelling check program. And don’t we all know how well Mr. Gates’ inventions work?!





“House of Cards”



Part 1





Miss Parker enjoyed her second drink. She was in a small bar in downtown Dover. It was still early – barely past seven p.m. - and not many customers were present. Only one couple sat in the back and one older man munched on a king-size burger while his eyes were glued to the tv-screen in the corner.



She looked again at the barkeeper who had immediately piqued her interest. He was a good looking man, tall and very well build. His black hair was cut short, though one could see that it cringled slightly.



His eyes met hers again and he smiled. He had an enticingly beautiful smile that made her - almost involuntarily - reciprocate.



They had already been engaged in some small talk before, since he had only her as a customer on the bar. His name was Daniel and he was actually a student of economics, writing on his PhD during the day. It was not her style to engage in any meaningless small talk with strangers, but somehow she enjoyed the little nothings she exchanged with this attractive bar tender.



It wasn’t her style to leave work so early either. But her life had changed drastically lately and she didn’t care anymore.

Ever since she had come back from Carthis, everything went downhill. Her ‘father’s’ jump into the ocean, the revelation about her true paternity, her last conversation with Jarod, it all had taken its toll. She refused to stay at the Centre a second more than absolutely necessary, so she had left already at six with the strict order to call her only when there was a solid lead on the pretender.





Tonight she felt like having a drink or two in a bar rather than sitting at home all by herself. That’s why she had ended up here, now in the company of an incredibly good looking bar tender, who - she had realized at the very first second – was well aware of the effect his looks had on women.



Daniel was twenty eight but somehow looked older than that. He had told her his age in a side remark, and at her surprised expression he immediately elaborated on it with humor in his voice.

“What can I say, my way of living took at least three or four years off my lifespan and added at least three or four wrinkles to my face.”



“Living on the fast lane, uh?”



“Yeah that too,” he admitted with a chuckle. He also told her that he had attended evening school for four years while working full time for an insurance company. He clearly had done it the hard way. Since he also became a father when 22, he had to support his little girl who he adored but now lived with her mother.



He had taken two jobs at a time, sometimes even three. He worked during the week, went to classes at night and jobbed here at the bar every Friday and Saturday and sometimes worked as a DJ in a nightclub on Saturday after this bar had closed.





Miss Parker looked at him in awe. And she had thought her work schedule was demanding!



She indicated with a slight nod that she wanted another drink. The bar had filled somewhat but was not crowded. It was a weekday after all. Daniel placed another scotch in front of her and went on to tend to the other costumers. She followed him with her eyes. He was forthcoming and the perfect bartender to all of them.



Among the few new customers, most of them men in front of the TV-set, were two women, who sat in one corner ordering cocktails and tequila in between. They were literally tripping over themselves to get his attention. Chuckling and whispering to themselves, while as soon as he came around, unable to keep the hungry look from their eyes. He flirted with them, complemented them and even offered them a tequila ‘on the house’.



Miss Parker smiled inwardly. Daniel was a pro. They were hooked, line and sinker. She was ready to bet a fortune that, from now on these two would show up here on every Friday, every Saturday and every other day they could manage. And spend a whole lot of money on the drinks, as long as Daniel would be serving them.



Rather unusually, Miss Parker herself was – except once - neither hit on, harassed or offered a drink. That was thanks to a little story she and Daniel had made up earlier, for all the men on the bar to hear and see. She had offered Daniel quite an extra tip, if he’d go along with the ruse, and he played it very well. Though he refused any ‘compensation’ from the beginning, with the simple explanation that he knew why she did it, and he was only too happy to go with the story. She was his ex, and he had asked her to come and to talk, on the verge of getting her back.





After a few minutes he was again tending to her. With a curiously broad grin in his face he started to clean some glasses. Oh, he was so sure of himself.

He wore glasses, they accentuated his handsome face. It was a model with slim metal frames and the glasses had just a shade of blue. She was in the mood of teasing him a little.

“So tell me, your own bright and shiny appearance blinds you so much that you need shades indoors?”



He took off his glasses and glanced at her. “This you mean? No,” he said, looking around and lowering his voice. “I have some problems with my eyes and the lights in the bar are making it worse. So the optician prescribed them.”

They were not to offer better sight, he simply had to wear them as a protection from artificial lights. Outside he needed real sunglasses most of the time. And than he added with another trademark smile: “But you know, ever since you entered this rotten place, a certain light in here became so bright, I felt the need to put on the dark shades!”



She was about to give him an “Ooh please!” for this apparently very lame flirting when she looked up and saw his sincere face, still smiling but very sincerely so! He was truly adorable!



The bartender kept on flirting with her. With his eyes as well as with some remarks. He even mentioned that he’d be off duty at eleven. A not so subtle hint for her to wait for him. An invitation of sorts. She was tempted. Why not? He was good looking, and definitely the type of man who had engaged in more than one one-night-stands in his life. It was her chance of a promising night of sex without repercussions, without commitment. And it had been so long.





And what do you know, Parker thought dryly, it’s eleven and I’m still here.



Daniel exchanged a few words with what was apparently the owner of the bar, grabbed a jacket and a set of keys from underneath and looked up at her expectantly.



If he comes with ‘your place or mine’ I’m going to shoot him. Lost in that thought, she missed that Daniel had obviously said something.



“What?”



“I was just wondering, if you would want to go to a coffee-shop before you drive,” he offered with a slight nod at her empty glass in front of her.





Well, she had downed quite a number of drinks, not that it would keep her from driving if she’d really wanted to, but tonight she had a different idea.

“You got a car?” she asked while putting down a few bills on the counter and getting off the barstool.



“Ah, no, not tonight. I usually take public transportation when getting out early enough.”



“Good, I’ll tell you where to go,” she said, taking out her car keys and throwing them rather unceremoniously into his direction. Miss Parker was actually surprised that he really caught them, with a knowing smirk on his lips.



Since he didn’t come up with the cheap line she had expected, she decided to make the move. That was the way she did things: her way or the highway.

Jarod ran up the last three steps to his door. He had been jogging in the park, like he had been every morning for the last five weeks. He passed the hall of the apartment building and instead of taking the elevator, he ran up the stairs. He was sweating profusely but was not completely out of breath. He was in excellent shape. At his door he had to fumble a few seconds to produce the keys out of his shorts.



The morning paper was still on his doorstep. While trying to put the keys into the hole, he bent down to retrieve the papers. He heard an approving sigh behind him. Sylvia, his neighbor, stood in her door.



She leaned against the doorframe and glanced up and down his incredibly well shaped body. This man was a sight for sore eyes. The T-shirt clinged to his sweating torso, accentuating every muscle. His legs were tanned and strong, covered by a sheet of sweat. And, she concluded, he had the cutest tight ass in the world. She could not contain a lustful smile that clearly read ‘I wanna get my hands on this fine piece!’



“Good morning Sylvia, how are you?”



”Morning Jarod, I’m fine, just fine. How was the run?”



“Great, it’s a great day for a morning run.”



“I bet. It just occurred to me, my shift doesn’t start until noon. Want to come over and have breakfast with me?”



”Ah, well, ah. Thank you, but I think I’ll have a shower. And, well it would be nice but I need to run some errands this morning. Maybe another day?”



“Sure. Anytime Jarod, anytime.”



With a slightly disappointed face she closed her door and Jarod could finally enter his own apartment. Sylvia was nice and – he had to admit very attractive – but her greedy looks somehow frightened him. He was not sure if he should get involved with her more. They were just neighbors, occasionally exchanging small talk in the hall. She had been inviting him over for four weeks now, and was definitely interested in him. Maybe he should accept one of her invitations, it couldn’t do any harm, could it?



Jarod entered his bathroom and got ready for a long hot shower. The apartment was perfect, he loved it there. A friend he had helped on a previous pretend had offered it to him. Carl actually lived in Washington D.C., he had kept this place just out of convenience for any time he needed a place in New York City. He rarely did, but he was very well off and money didn’t matter in his case. Jarod could use this place for as long as he wanted and it had been more than a month now and he was in no hurry to leave.



He enjoyed the normalcy of living at one place enormously. He knew it was pretty dangerous to stay in one city too long, for the Centre was still after him. But for the moment Jarod just wanted some place that felt like ‘home’. And what better place to hide than in NYC?



The pretender had gone out of his way to come up with various false leads that would keep the Centre bounty hunters busy for another few weeks. He had every intention of staying just a bit longer. His longing for a ‘home’, for an every-day-routine, for living just like everybody else, was overwhelming him at the moment.



His thoughts went back two weeks. He had taken a two-day trip to Chicago to make a planned ‘appearance’ just to keep the Centre on their toes. He had been surprised there; not the usual suspects came after him in Chicago. The expected crew of two or three sweepers in tow of his most persistent pursuers had not shown up. No Sydney, no Broots and no Miss Parker. The only similarity to other pursuits, had been the fact that the team was led by a woman. Jarod had to admit she was good looking. Tall and great legs, but nothing to the huntress he was so used to.



As soon as he had taken in the situation, Jarod’s confidence to delude the team had grown infinitely. Compared to the expected team, this one would be child’s play.



This lady might try hard to imitate the Centre’s Number One in regards of her appearance and demeanor, but she had nothing but an ‘intimidation-lite’ factor to provide. Rather than ram spikes into the back of his head with a sheer look, this one could not even make him frown or raise a single hair in his neck.



This sweeper team never had a real chance at getting to him. The important thing though was, that the Centre still believed he changed his lairs every few days and he was playing the ‘game’.



Most of the time he deluded them from his apartment back in New York. He had enough fake phone connections wired up, enough old friends placed around the US as well as in other countries, to stay invisible for the time being. The preparations had taken him quite some time but, after Carthis he really dived into this task just to buy himself some ‘time off’ so to speak.



That’s why he was here now. Just the feeling of getting ‘home’ every day for a few weeks felt so good. So satisfying, so exciting.

Other people might get excited at the prospect of a trip, a holiday or moving out of one place to find a new place to live.



Jarod had felt like a child at Christmas Morning when he had bought himself some nails, bolts and a simple bookshelf at a hardware store. It had not been necessary, he simply wanted to know what it would be like to buy something to decorate a home.



The very next day Jarod had called Carl and asked him if it would be ok if he’d do some refurnishing and some home repair jobs.



He had offered his friend money in compensation for anything that Carl wouldn’t like, but his friend wouldn’t hear any of it. Carl simply told Jarod to go for it and that he had confidence in all the pretender’s choices.





For three weeks now Jarod had bought more furniture and appliances he needed. He got wallpapers as well as paint, and pictures in every size and style. He wanted to try it all out. Everything that he regarded as not really fitting after a few hours or days, found its way to a local charity organization. It was simply the task of ‘building’ himself a home just the way every other person in the world would, after moving into a new place. He hadn’t felt that good in a long time. He almost felt guilty when a thought occurred to him: this little endeavor boosted his spirit more than most of his successful pretends had.



Jarod exited the bathroom with a cloud of steam in his wake. He was clad in a pair of boxer shorts and a towel tangling around his neck. Feeling relaxed and good natured he entered the kitchen to grab a doughnut and a carton of orange juice. The pretender settled down on the newly acquired kitchen table, grabbed his laptop and dialed in. His daily check of mails was first on his list after the run.



The moment Jarod opened his account the broadest grin appeared on his face. After days of waiting, finally a message by his father. While Jarod stayed in New York, his father, sister and clone were still traveling; always searching for his mother. He had looked forward to hear from his Dad, but by no means was he prepared to read what appeared next on his screen:



‘Let’s have a little reunion, it’s about time.

Love, Dad’



Jarod’s emotions ran amok at this. While he felt like he was frozen still, his hands started to tremble uncontrollably. Those were the words they had agreed on in case either of them would finally find Margaret.



After a few breathing exercises he forced himself to concentrate on what to do first. Texas, he had to get to Houston immediately.



Just as Jarod wanted to disconnect from the net, the ‘You got mail’ sign popped up again. With a surprised frown he clicked on the inbox-icon. He anxiously hoped that it was not another message from his father, one that would tell him that everything had been a mistake.



After another second his worry proved to be unfounded. It was a message sent by Angelo. He briefly pondered to leave it unopened and get going, only to discard the idea quickly. His empathic friend at the Centre only contacted him with important information. This wouldn’t be any different.



Jarod opened the particular message, it contained one line of text and a rather large video file in the attachment. The text read: “Angelo just found. Jarod must see”



Damn, Jarod thought. I don’t know if I want to see this now.

He started to download the file while reaching for his cellphone with his other hand. He needed to book a flight, he needed to pack his few belongings, he needed to ask Gloria to take care of his plants. No, skip the last one, there was no time for that.



He left leg was constantly tapping on the floor, he was unable to contain his nervousness.

Finally the download was complete. He pressed ‘open file’ and waited for the clip to start. The screen became dark. In the upper left corner the time and date appeared. It was the day Jarod had confronted the pretender-gone-sociopath Alex on the docks. That happened two years ago, when Alex had fallen and disappeared. On the same day Miss Parker and Jarod had anonymously been sent a picture with both of their mothers on it.



The clip on his monitor showed Mr. Raines in a wheelchair in front of a computer. He was in a barely lit room, very sterile surroundings. He was probably somewhere in the Centre. Clearly visible, Mr. Raines clicked on ‘Send’, turned to the computer scanner on the left and retrieved what he apparently had just mailed.



Jarod couldn’t believe his eyes. Raines looked once more at the picture. It was the very same picture Miss Parker and the pretender had received on that fateful day: a close-up shot of Catherine Parker and his mother. And then Raines disconnected his computer and uttered “Godspeed my children.”



Jarod was beyond confused. Raines had sent that photo? Why? What does that mean? Does it mean anything at all after two years? And what the hell did he mean with his last words?



But he had no time to think all this at the moment. He needed to catch a plane. His family was waiting. His mother was awaiting him in Houston.

Miss Parker stifled a yawn and grabbed for her robe. She got up slowly and stretched her sore muscles. Her shoulders, her lower back and especially the muscles in her thighs hurt like hell. She had almost forgotten about the physical effects of a few hours of exquisite sex.

She turned her head and looked down at the still body in her bed. Oh yes, it had definitely been worth it. Daniel knew exactly what to do and where to touch. And he was a quick learner. He had realized very soon, that it was her who wanted to run the show. And he had succumbed to her demands immediately.

Miss Parker leaned down and gave him a soft pad on his shoulder.

"Time to get up. I’ll need to go to work."

It took the bartender a few seconds to come to senses. When he remembered where he was he smiled up at her. A face full of content and satisfaction.

"Uh, could I take at least a shower?"

"I’ll go first. You could be a good boy and prepare a decent coffee in the meantime. Then you can hit the shower if you want, but make it quick. I’m already late."

When she entered her kitchen twenty minutes later, Daniel already sat on the table with a mug of coffee in hand and one waiting for her on the counter. She filled her mug and simply told him the shower was now his.

"Yeah, thanks it’ll just take a minute. But I wanted to ask something first: You know, I confess, that there were women in my life whose name I had forgotten in the morning. But I never had been with one who would not even tell me her first name at all. Don’t you think last night rewards that?"

Parker turned and looked out the window, slightly shaking her head. "You better not expect another night like this. You sure as hell do know about the concept of a one-nighter, which this was all it was."

Daniel didn’t reply. He simply got up and headed for the shower. As promised, he returned minutes later, already dressed in last night’s cloths.

Parker grabbed for her coat and keys. "Let’s go. I can’t drive you back to Dover, but I’ll drop you off underway where you can grab a cab."

He followed her out the door, after she’d gotten on the road, he glanced over, and to her dismay, started again.

"Last night was incredible. Parker! And even after only two hours of sleep and a few drinks too many you’re breathtakingly beautiful. I’d really like to get to know you better. It doesn’t need to be a one-nighter, I actually hoped we could see each other again."

Miss Parker stopped her car at the corner of Main Street in Blue Cove. She glanced at her watch, it was almost nine. She was late.

"I’m late for work, I’m tired and even a little hung-over. It was great last night, it really was, but there is just no point in this. But," she added with a mischievous grin, "if it makes you feel any better, I might feel tempted to drop by again sometime. Just don’t expect it to happen anytime soon."

The bartender smiled up at her. He leaned over and gave her quick kiss. "All right lady, have it your way. I’ll just keep on hoping to see the most incredible pair of legs enter that undeserving place again."

He left her car quickly and went to look for a cab. Miss Parker turned her Porsche around and headed out of town. As she had expected, three minutes after nine her cell rang. She knew who that was. "Broots, grab a coffee and relax. I’m on my way!" She was not in the mood and ended the call before the computer-geek could say anything. She’d be there in ten minutes anyway and that was early enough.



*********



At the Centre Sydney and Broots were already waiting in her office. "Well boys, what’s up?"

"Good morning Miss Parker. This just was brought to our attention." The doctor offered her a red notebook which was found in a hotel room in Salt Lake City.

"Who found it? That hopeless incompetent amateur who so much wants to be a career sweeper? And by the way, tragically reminds me of Brigitte."

"Yes, that team followed a lead to Utah and just brought it in. Should I run a computer search on the information in here?" Broots really hoped this would be something worth to put his hands on. There hadn’t been any good lead for weeks and

Lyle showed up in the tech room too many times for his liking.

***

There were many sweepers working from Centre offices around the country but Lyle had organized this one a few weeks ago as another ‘active’ team; a team just like they had been for more than five years now. Operating mainly from the Centre and going after concrete leads.

Miss Parker had not taken this news very well. Broots recalled how she had reacted when Lyle had presented this ‘new strategic move’. His formidable sister had been ready to chew furniture and spit nails. She had stowed out of the office, dragging Broots along.

"Broots get me all the information about the new team you can find, everything, you hear!" Rolling her eyes she had pushed him towards the general direction of the tech-room and exclaimed with only marginally contained anger: "God, I must have been Hitler in another life to deserve this!"

She knew her brother had arranged this only because he wanted to have more control over the pursuit. Since Raines had brought up the ‘whoever wins, lives’ challenge, neither Lyle nor herself would ever consider in earnest to work together. Not that they had done much of that before, but both of them knew an ultimatum when they heard one.

****

Miss Parker went through the contents of the notebook. Newspaper clips just like so many times before.

"No. He isn’t there anymore, and there is simply nothing that tells us where he went. This is just the thing Jarod wants. Having us tied on a damned rope and leading us in circles."

"What’s on your mind Miss Parker?" Sydney was surprised at her lack of interest.

"Think about it logically Syd. That is, if you’re able to do so. When did we ever get close to Jarod? Certainly not when we had a lead like this one. The only times we were remotely successful was, when we – you or I – were given something by him. When he left something behind that we could actually work on. No, this is just the usual game of ‘getting nowhere fast.’ Leave it to the other team, I will not waste my time on this."



**************************



Jarod returned from the restroom and retook his seat. He was now on a plane to Houston.

The plan he and his father had agreed on in case they’d really find his mother, was for all of them to fly to GB Airport in Houston and take a room at the airport hotel of the Days Inn motel-chain. Whoever got there first should simply wait for the others to arrive.

The pretender had come up with this choice at one time passing through. It was a motel like a million others, but the remote area seemed perfect. It was fifty miles north of the city-center, located in a predominantly industrial area. Three highways and the outer city beltway in close proximity to the motel would make sure that one could leave quickly and without a trace if necessity dictates it.

He was full of apprehension and anxiety. He would meet his mother. He put so much hope in that single prospect, it frightened him. How many times had he come close and how many times was this hope crashed? He should contain his optimism, if only to safe himself from disappointment. He didn’t know how many turn-downs he could take.

Years ago he had seen his mother in Boston for the first time in decades; losing any trace of her after that had been devastating.

A few months ago, on Carthis, he had caught a glimpse of her, but again only from afar.

Once again the Centre had been able to keep him from a reunion. Well, not in the Centre in a literal sense. Miss Parker had come on her own agenda and had shown up alone. His mother had disappeared again before his very eyes; merely seconds before he could get to her.

Never in his life had he hated the Centre more than in that one moment he had seen his mother leave in that tiny boat.

Curiously enough, though she had been the only one to show up, he never really blamed Miss Parker for it. When exactly he had started to separate ‘them’ from ‘her’, he didn’t know. Maybe he always had. All he knew was that it had not been her fault. She never wanted his mother to get hurt, he knew that.

She actually wanted him to find his mother. She had said so, and Jarod was sure that she was telling the truth.



********************



She was finally alone in her office. Lost in thought, she scribbled on a pad in front of her. Nothing to do as long as there was no lead on wonderboy. Well, aside from watching her own back for some back-stabbings by her mutant brother.

She knew what Lyle was capable of but his newest ‘trick’, this new team he had assembled was nothing more than a joke. How Lyle ever considered they would be more successful in catching Jarod was beyond her. But it had made her furious nevertheless. Because it robbed her of some of the so few chances of actually getting after Jarod. That one job in Chicago should have been hers. She was sure she would have been able to catch up with him.

She wanted – no she needed - to get close to him. Just once again.

After their last conversation after Carthis she had thought a lot about ‘their’ future. And after a few days of pondering, thinking and re-evaluating, she had come to a conclusion. She needed to talk to him, face to face. One last time she wanted to meet her prey and tell him.

It was time to call it a day. Miss Parker rose from her desk and grabbed her coat. Out in the hallway she met Sydney who was completely lost in a paper, apparently heading for the research lab.

"I'm gone for today Syd. I'll treat myself for a much needed hour of massage. You should think of something else besides work too, you know."

"Oh yes I heard. Broots has told me that you have taken up massage with Ms. Clancy. Are you sure it is wise to have any off-work-association with a Centre employee?"

She raised her eyebrows in an amused expression.

"Are you kidding? Not since Sara Lee invented the double chocolate cheese cake has another woman given me so much pleasure! Besides, I am associated with you too, aren't I?"

She knew he was only worried about her, like always, cautious in her behalf. Suddenly the thought of how her comment could be interpreted occurred to her. A naughty mind could mistake it rather easily. But a second look into the face of her long time friend assured her.

Now she had to smile inwardly. No. Maybe Broots would have been the one, he would have become all red in his face, stuttering and at loss for words. But not Sydney. There was no need to clear that up.

"Don't worry Syd. I've checked her. She is a regular physical therapist engaged only in the Centre's more decent research. So, goodnight."

Miss Parker went for the elevator, definitely looking forward to the massage. Rose Clancy was in her mid-forties and, Miss Parker guessed that it came with the job, a rather big women. But she was nice. She didn't talk much and had hands that worked like magic on her stiff body. Clancy was actually working in a wellness center in Dover and was only partly involved in Centre research. As she had told Sydney, Parker had checked that woman thoroughly and felt safe succumbing her body to her magic hands.

At the thought of heading to Dover an idea popped up in her head; there was actually a different prospect for 'relaxation'. The face and the very nude body of Daniel suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Parker closed her eyes and shaked her head as if to wipe that picture from her mind.

Sydney had already disappeared down the hall and Miss Parker resumed her way towards the elevator when a distinct noise came to her attention. With a quick look around she made sure no one was watching. Feeling pretty safe, Miss Parker approached the very source of the noise: the ventilation shaft,

Angelo did not open the grid. He stayed hidden behind it and only after Miss Parker was close enough to hear him he whispered. "Angelo has surprise for Miss Parker. Go see in office."

Oh no, Miss Parker thought, not tonight. But her curiosity as well as a healthy sense of self-preservation made her turn on her heels. Angelo had to have something important when he actually dared to approach her that way. He'd never done it before.

Back in her office, she looked around for anything unusual. Something that would account for a 'surprise' left by the empath. When she couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary she was ready to leave. Tomorrow she would give Cousin It a piece of her mind. He would not start that game with her!

Just then the ventilation grid in her office started to rattle. After a minute, Angelo had managed to get it loose and jumped out of the vent; a pack of Cracker Jack between his teeth.

He handed the pack of treat over. Miss Parker knew what that meant. She grabbed for the package and found, just like she had years ago, a shiny little disc amidst the sweet contents.

Though she knew there was no concrete answer (was there ever) she couldn't stop herself: "What is it, Angelo? What's on it?"

"Must see. Need to see," was all Angelo offered. He didn't leave, he stayed with her, pointing towards her DSA-Player. "Play."

Miss Parker was grateful that she had either Broots or Sam sweep her office for bugs or hidden cameras on a daily basis. She walked up to her door and locked it. There was no privacy in this place, she had to make sure no one would interrupt. Whatever was on that disc should probably stay in this room only.

She inserted her 'surprise' into the player and started the program. Angelo got down on the floor, he crossed his legs and kept quiet, not averting his eyes from the formidable woman. He had sent his friend the same file, it concerned them both. His friend and Miss Parker wanted to know where the picture of their mothers had come from, and Angelo had found the answer.

Miss Parker watched the scene in awe. Raines had sent them the photo? Why? "Jesus, are there only questions and never answers in this god-forsaken place?"

With a rampart move she ripped the disc out of its slot and paced back and forth across her office. Angelo followed her with his eyes. If he would know the experience he would feel like a tennis fan at Flushing Meadow who watches two baseline players engaged in a long exchange of shots.

Thankfully, Miss Parker stopped before he got dizzy. She stood right in front of him and crouched down. "Angelo, do you know why Raines did that?"

Angelo didn't, not yet anyway. He carefully raised his hand towards her. He needed the disc. Miss Parker quickly realized what he wanted and handed him the object. Angelo would try to get a hold of the feelings Raines had on that particular day. But she also went to her briefcase and retrieved the concerning photo as well. Maybe he needed both in order to feel the connection here.

Five minutes went by, five minutes during which Angelo didn't utter a single intelligent word. But suddenly he looked up, right into a pair of impossible blue eyes.

"Raines knows." It was clear to her that whatever Angelo felt, had surprised him as well. His big eyes and frightened look told her so.

"What does he know?"

Angelo shut his eyes tight as if to collect his thoughts, he had to concentrate to express himself.

"Jarod's mother knows the truth about Catherine's plan. Raines wants the truth for himself."

The empath suddenly opened his eyes. The revelations of his own words hit him hard.

"Raines wants her. Raines sends the picture. Wants Miss Parker and Jarod to find her. Raines wants to find her, find the truth. Wants her dead."

That was probably the longest monologue Angelo had ever stuttered.

Miss Parker was shocked. Not really at the news that Raines had brought the stones into rolling. That's why they were aware of her endeavor to Carthis, he was watching her. Of course. She wasn't surprised either that the monster wanted Jarod's mother dead. But the astonishing fact was, that Margaret apparently knows about her mother's plan.

Jarod's mother was the last living soul who knew about it. That left Miss Parker with one more thing to do. Now she needed not only to find Jarod to talk to him, now she needed to find Margaret as well.



********



Jarod had almost missed the right exit that led to the motel. With screeching tires he barely made it off Route 57. He exhaled with relieve when the car was again under his complete control. The last thing he needed was any more delay because of his occupied mind. It was raining dogs in Houston. The announcer on the local radio station warned of flooded streets and said something about closed roads from and to Houston. Jarod said a prayer in the hope that his family had arrived by plane as well.

Finally he got the motel. He jumped out of the car and didn't even try to dodge the downpour. It was a loosing battle anyway. The pretender was drenched even after the few yards from the parking spot to the lobby. That was not how he wanted to meet his mother for the first time, all messed up and wet. But he'd rather do it like this than wait another second. At the lobby Jarod went straight to the reception. He asked for his reservation and while waiting for the employee to check, he turned and looked around in the hope of seeing the familiar face of his father.

"There you go sir, apartment no. 224. I'm sorry but you'll have to get outside again to get to that one. It's the last condo to the left, with the most privacy just like you requested. Oh, and your family has already arrived and moved into 223. They've arrived about two hours ago and asked for you."

"They're already there?" All his hopes and wishes in his life, all his dreams seemed to cumulate in front of his eyes. Everything would be fulfilled within the next few minutes. He could barely keep his emotions in check. Jarod thanked the receptionist and dashed out of the lobby. Not caring for the rain, not bothered by his appearance anymore he only wanted to meet his family.

In front of door No 223 Jarod stopped a moment to catch his breath. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Before he could knock, the door opened. The major stood in the door smiling broadly.

"Jarod! It's so good to see you, we've missed you!" Jarod's father wrapped his arms around his son in an affectionate embrace. The long lost son succumbed to the warm and heartfelt hug. He took the contact like a man would take a glass of water after spending a week in the dessert.

After a few moments Jarod entangled from his father's arms and looked up expectantly.

"Is she really here?"

"Well son, I'd say it's time for you to meet your mother. Come on in."

The pretender followed his father through but stopped right after he crossed the doorstep. His mother stood across the room in front of an open fireplace. Her eyes were focused on the arriving man. A nervous look of awe and expectation was written on her face. She seemed a little insecure on how to approach her son who she hadn't seen in more than thirty years.

Jarod knew only too well how his mother felt. But when he saw tears running down his mother's face, every feeling of his own insecurity faded. With three large steps he crossed the room and simply took her into his arms.

The whole family was present. His sister Emily, his clone Ryan and even his half brother Ethan. Jarod had only seen them out of the corner of his eyes. He would tend to them later, they had time. Now the only thing that mattered was to hold his mother as close as physically possible. His own tears came down in an unending flow, but he never had felt better in his life. Mother and son were joined together, still in front of the fire place, rocking back and forth, each comforting the other with soothing motions and silent "It's ok now. Everything is ok now."

Almost ten minutes had passed when Margaret finally chose to take a closer look at her son. Jarod took her hands into his and lead her to the couch. Everyone else now found the ability to move again too. Emily wiped her own tears of joy off her cheeks as did Ryan and the Major. Only Ethan had the broadest satisfied grin plastered on his face. He had known it would come down to this. The voice had guided him to find Margaret and finally put together what belonged together.

The whole family gathered around the table, everyone settled on the two couches. While Jarod never let go of his mother's hand and rarely took his eyes from her, he listened to the stories everyone offered. Each member told a part of how Ethan had found Margaret and all could be planned to meet here.

After the first things were told and it was clear that millions of other things could be said and done over the course of the next days or weeks, Jarod decided on bringing up something right now.

"Mom, I know you've met Catherine Parker. I've got a picture with you both on it. This photo was sent to me by Raines. Do you know why he would do something like that? You've been to Carthis, do you know something about the scrolls maybe?"

Jarod stopped briefly before he continued. He wasn't sure if he should ask this now in front of everyone, but he wanted, he needed to know. And there shouldn't be any secrets left within his family. Not anymore and never again. So he went on.

"And I'm sorry to come out like this," he looked up into his father's eyes, "but I do know I was conceived via in-vetro fertilization and ... I, ... Raines had said something that made me think. I... am I ...," Jarod had to take a deep breath before he could go on, "mom, dad are you sure that I really am the son of the both of you?"

Jarod was scared for the answer. Raines' comment on the video had opened up some awful possibilities. He told them about the "Godspeed, my children" and shivered inwardly.

His parents exchanged a knowing look before Margaret continued.

"Oh Jarod. Believe me, if I am sure of one thing, then it is that we ARE your parents. The centre's science was incredible for the time being, but the process of invetro was still a rather simple one. We both were present all the time and everything was running on a strict time table. There was no time or chance for any interference by Raines."

Again all Jarod could do was close his eyes in relieve. One more time he grabbed for his mother and hugged her tightly, a show of affection he paid to his father as well.

The thought that by any means that monster could somehow be his father was so horrible. Now he felt sure again, safe again.

When the second implication crossed his mind he had to smile. The other possibility had been something Jarod had not even dared to think about for long. He had simply suppressed that thought. Thankfully he was relieved of the burden to even consider it anymore. If Raines was not his biological father as he had briefly feared, she was not his sister either.

His mother watched the emotions playing on Jarod's face.

"About the scrolls, Jarod, no I haven't read them and neither did Catherine. We were looking for them but never got anywhere. Back then we had actually other more important things to do. We were too busy on bringing Catherine's plan into being. That is what I know. And I can only imagine that this is the reason that monster was after me. Because I know about Catherine's plan."

"What plan? Saving the children you mean? Was that her plan?"

"That and much more. I'll tell you all about it maybe over dinner? How about some nice food everyone?"

All the faces lit up, the prospect of a family dinner with all of them present was something none of them ever had before. Only Jarod was not yet ready to let go. If his mother knew about Catherine's plan then there was one more person they needed to be present.

"Mom, I hope you don't mind, but if you're going to reveal Catherine's plan I really think that Miss Parker should be here as well. After all, it's about her mother."

At this, the whole family - except Ethan - looked up. The surprise was evident, no one expected Jarod to suggest that they should meet his enemy.

"Yes Jarod, you're right. I should meet her. But I'd rather meet her alone without endangering the whole family. Maybe you could arrange something?"

The pretender smiled confidently and assured the rest of his family that it would be ok. He was happy that finally the both of them would get some answers. She deserved them just as much as he did. And the prospect of meeting her again only added to his excitement. And this time he would actually be able to give her some good news, that could count as a watershed moment in their relationship.

At least he hoped so.

I can happily announce that my beta-angel found time again to help me out! I am eternally grateful especially since I know that she has a whole lot of things to do! *a big hug is sent mentally over the Atlantic*





House of Cards

Part 5





It was half past eleven at night. Miss Parker contemplated on whether to go straight to bed or return to the living room and finish the bottle of scotch that was left from last night. She was well aware that her consummation of alcohol had skyrocketed lately.

Jarod was still as elusive as ever. She had been on the edge for weeks now and it got worse every day. Earlier that day her temper got the best of her and Broots and Lyle had to bear the brunt. While she knew Lyle deserved nothing less, she felt sorry for Broots.

But Miss Parker was sure that her technician would forgive her; he always did. Maybe she’d make it up to him tomorrow. She was certain that a single heartfelt smile would make his day, hell, his week. It still amazed her how easily he forgave her every horrible word or thing she’d ever said or done.

Broots was supposed to have cleared some data for her by late afternoon. Miss Parker had been waiting and her patience had already run out. At six o’clock the computer-geek finally knocked and opened her office door slowly. He had not even crossed the threshold; he had only sneaked his head between the door and frame.

"Uh, Miss Parker I'm sorry. I will have everything you asked me for done by tomorrow morning. I... I had to do something else. Well, anyway, tomorrow, I promise. Ah, I really gotta go now."

"Broots, something else? What was so important? Why are you standing there? Get in here and enlighten me of the oh so important work!"

"I don't really have to come in. This is more of a stick-your-head-in-the-door kind of conversation."

"If you don't come in it will be a slam-your-head-in-the-door kind of conversation. So get your sorry ass in here NOW!"

Before she had yelled the last word, Miss Parker had gotten up from her desk and was already at the door. She had grabbed Broots by his shirt and yanked him rather forcefully inside.

Only after she had seen the scared expression on his face did she back off. His helpless but desperate look had immediately registered with her and she had calmed down to at least give him a chance to explain.



That morning Mr. Lyle had apparently shown up in the tech room with the 'I must be obeyed' attitude all the Parkers seemed to be so good at and the order to leave everything else on the back burner. He had to decipher one of Jarod's leads, which Lyle's team had found. Lyle had not left until Broots was finished. It had been a hoax, like so many times before, but the day was over and Broots had promised his daughter to be home by seven.



Miss Parker was in her bathroom drying her hair while thinking about this little incident. She still had to decide between her bed and a drink.

Just then her phone rang. Someone else had decided for her. She went into the living room to pick it up and pour herself the drink. She was sure she needed it to deal with whoever was on the line. It was probably someone from the Centre, most likely Lyle. But she honestly hoped that it would be the pretender.

"What?"

"How is everything at the hellhole?"

"Hmm, Jarod what an honor!"

"Miss me?"

"Oh, we miss you everyday labrat. Don’t you know?"

Jarod was not in the mood for playing their usual game. So he decided to cut to the chase.

"Miss Parker, what would you say if I asked you to meet me?"

"What?"

"Listen. I have information that concerns you too, and I’m willing to share, if you’re ready to leave them behind just this once. Are you?"

Miss Parker was about to yell at him when she realized that she didn’t want to fight with him. Not tonight, and not over this. The other day her only wish was to meet him again and talk to him. He was offering her just that.

"Ok. When and where?"

Now it was Jarod’s turn to become incredulous. "What?"

He had expected her to fight him. He had actually prepared a rather long speech that could convince her.



***************



Jarod was still surprised she had agreed so easily to meet him. Could it be a trap? Would she deceive him? He had been willing to believe in her but old habits and his sense of self-preservation had kicked in. The pretender had prepared the scenery and had simmed every possible incident. If it had been only about him he would’ve put his life on the line, if only to prove himself - as well as her - that he indeed did trust her. But this was about his mother too and he was not ready to put her in danger, not even for Miss Parker.

So he had left his mother behind, safe in a rented house a few miles away. He first needed to talk to his long-time quarry alone anyway. And he wanted to prepare her for what was about to happen. Jarod was sure that Miss Parker’s temper would flare after he told her the news. He’d let her vent a little and then talk to her. Really talk to her. His plan was to convince her to join him and his family in the fight against the Centre. Whatever the details in Catherine’s plan were, it had to be about fighting them. As soon as they both knew about it, they could do it together. And along that line they could become friends again; well, she could learn to see him as a friend again. Because in Jarod’s opinion she had always been his best friend in life.



******



Miss Parker waited on a bench beside the big baseball field in Central Park. Various teams, mostly Little League, were occupying different parts of the field practising. Her eyes wandered from her left to the field and then to her right. From what direction would he appear? Maybe he would just fall from the sky; in an attempt to surprise her he’d decided to jump out of an airplane.

She knew he had checked the area as well as her trip up here. She understood his need for safety. She would do the same. Ironically, that perfectionism in ensuring no one uninvited would show up saved her the trouble of doing the same. If Jarod would show up, she’d be safe from prying Centre-eyes. If he wouldn’t, it meant someone had followed her; either way they’d both be safe.

Her mind went back to what actually made her want to meet him. Whatever information he had, she wanted to clear some unresolved issues first.

Jarod watched her from behind a tree a few yards to her right. She looked incredible. He saw a bypassing jogger who tried to impress the seated woman by stopping nearby and doing some stretching, clearly hoping she would notice him and appreciate the sight. He saw a couple pass by and the male partner would crane his neck to catch another look at her legs. But Jarod himself couldn’t take his eyes off her for long either. How was it that a look at this woman always made his heart jump and his head feel light?

As unimpressed as possible he finally walked up to her. She felt him before he even had said a word.

"Central Park Jarod? All kinds of vermin, drunks, junkies and insane people. Couldn’t you think of a nicer place for this ‘truce’? You know, maybe the Plaza or at least the Tavern on the Green?"

"I don’t know Miss Parker. From what I could tell, you looked rather relaxed, almost as if you enjoyed this place. And by the way, I can’t imagine anyone insane enough to actually want to get into a fight with you."

The pretender had taken the spot on the bench to her left. Sitting side by side they watched the children hit balls and run, both careful to not touch each other. They were not even looking at one another.

After a few moments of silence Jarod couldn’t hold back anymore.

"I found my mother."

That made her turn and face him for the first time. She saw the pride and joy in his eyes.

The unexpected news made her smile. It was one of those few pure and honest smiles that she graced people with so rarely. It reached her eyes and he saw the joy in them. Jarod bathed in that sight, now more happy than he could ever remember being.

"I’m happy for you, I really am." This would make it a lot easier, she thought.

"She wants to meet you."

"She what?" The precious smile disappeared and instead her eyes grew bigger and bigger. She must have misunderstood something there.

"Miss Parker, as you know, she has met your mother. And not only that, your mother told her about her plan."

"My mother’s plan?" She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to hear it.

"I don’t know anything about it yet. When my mother told me, I suggested that you should hear it as well. You deserve to hear it first."

"Where is your mother?"

"At a safe house out of town. I’ll take you there." Jarod rose from the bench and got ready to leave. When she didn’t follow him, he turned around expectantly. "I have the car nearby, we can go right away."

"No. Jarod sit down. I need to talk to you first."

The pretender was at a loss here. She had the chance of hearing about a secret she’d been trying to uncover for years. The usually impatient woman now somehow hesitated. She looked more tense now, something important was on her mind.

After Jarod had returned to his spot beside her she suddenly felt uncomfortable sitting so close to him. Now the woman rose to her feet, but she didn’t go anywhere. Parker placed herself right in front of him and looked down.

"Jarod, I appreciate your effort to help me uncover my mother’s secret. I want to meet your mother. But I’d rather go alone. I won’t betray you, or her, for that matter. I promise. I just want to go alone."

"Why?"

"Because…because I came here today to tell you to leave. For good I mean. I wanted to tell you to let go. And it’s easier now, since you’ve found the last piece of your family. I’ll go see your mother, hear what she has to tell me. Then you can get her and leave. No more games. No more breadcrumbs. Just live the life you’ve been searching for for so long."

"As soon as we know about the plan, I intend to do just that. But I actually had someone else in mind to come along. Come with us Miss Parker. Come with me!"

"Jarod, that turning point you’ve been talking about is yours to take now. Not mine. I can’t leave and I won’t. And the last thing I want is to run with your family of all people."

"They’d understand. If they don’t, I’ll make them. And if I hadn’t made myself clear, I’m asking you to come with me, not them."

"It won’t work Jarod."

"Why not? Miss Parker you are my best friend. Don’t you see? I can’t leave you behind! I won’t."

"Hell Jarod, don’t be so dramatic about it! It won’t work. And I see very clearly what is going on here. You’re the one who tries so hard to deny the facts!"

Panic rose in Jarod. "I am not the one denying anything here! You are denying all of it. You deny our friendship, the feelings we have, our past, US!"

"Listen to me very carefully now. I’m only gonna say this once: I regard you as my friend, my best friend as well. Always have, always will. Whatever other feelings we might have don’t matter because of our past. Our past is what made me say all of this in the first place!"

"This is…"

"No, I told you to listen. Let me finish. Neither of us can really ever escape the Centre's influence. We were born into it, raised in it and screwed up royally by it and for good." Miss Parker paused a moment. She looked straight into his dark unbelieving eyes.

"Jarod, you can become everyone you want to be. You can pretend everything. But you CAN’T pretend your past away!"

In the following minutes the words were coming out of her mouth in an unending flow. She wanted to get it out now and get it over with. If he was too damn stubborn to face it, she’d make him see.

She explained how she saw the things. Starting with how he was a part of the Centre just as much as she was. Their past, their history was marked by the Centre. Miss Parker used all comparable situations that came to her mind: Just like no one ever really could run away from his childhood experiences, they couldn’t run from theirs. If one had a bicycle accident as a five year old the scar would always be there.

A child who had been constantly badgered by the chief bully in class would be affected for the rest of its life.

If a child was beaten by its father or abused by the new boyfriend of its mother, the horror of those incidents would stay forever.

"You can take therapy and get over most of your issues if you're ready to deal with the demons in your life but you could never abandon it or forget. Those experiences are part of who you are, part of what you became. And trying to deny it is like trying to deny your own existence. No matter what we do in the future there is no place for us together in it."

Jarod interrupted with a brief comment in an effort to stop her: "As you’ve just said, a person can deal with childhood issues."

"Maybe. But not when constantly reminded about those issues."

She again fell into a long monologue. Again she used the examples that seemed the closest and most immediate to him: The way he looked at children playing in parks, at how children would run up to their parents to show them something; at a kid that would come to its parents in tears, for it fell off the swing. Jarod would always look at a scene like that with hurt and pain, for he would feel the sting in his heart at not having been able to go through that experience in life himself.

Miss Parker didn’t shy away from giving him a look at her own emotions as well.

Every time someone would tell her 'trust me' she would look for the hidden agenda, for the lie. How could she trust anyone when in fact she had trusted someone for decades who had lied to her for as long as she could remember?

And as much as she hated the thought, every glimpse at a picture of her mother made her awfully aware of how much she missed her. As much as it had always served her as a lifeline, it also was the road to eternal damnation for her. The pictures reminded her of what she had lost.

Together they would only exaggerate those feelings. They would mutually serve as a reminder of their horrible past. They had to sever their connection. If it was impossible to do it mentally, they at least should do so physically. But on good terms she insisted: shaking hands, a pat on the shoulder maybe even a kiss on the cheek.

But the truth was: there was no future for them together. No future they could enjoy together.

All that came out in a furiously held monologue, without interruption, without many pauses. She wanted him to see it her way, and she was ready to fight, struggle, and kill if necessary: fight his objections, struggle with her own conscience, throw the words into his face and kill all of his hopes.

She was almost finished when she sat back down at his side. She looked and saw tears rolling down his face. And in a whisper she added:

"We are walking a fine line here -- we always were -- between being friends and being enemies. Friendship and hatred have always been the ingredients of our relationship. And neither of us can safely say what it is at certain moments. Hatred, compassion, irritation, embarrassment, insults, it’s all been there. We are lost here. There is no twosome Jarod. There is only a threesome for us: you, me and our past. The truth is: There is no hope in 'us' Jarod."

Jarod had kept quiet for the most part. He had simply listened and filed away every word until she was finished. He would dissect and counter all her arguments when she was done. He couldn’t let it end like this. But how could he ever make her see the things his way?

When did he ever?

Her last statement was simply too much. He saw in her determined expression that nothing he had to offer as a reply was getting through to her. She had already made up her mind. He became more and more angry with her.

"Parker, you’re talking about the Centre when I talk about us! Couldn't you just focus on what is important here? When it comes to the two of us, when we are together, they are bound to lose. Remember all the times we worked together, hmm?"

Yes, he thought, she would remember. She HAD to.

"God Jarod, don’t you get it? We ARE a part of that fucked up place! We always were. And while I just reminded you what that godforsaken hellhole did to us, I could also tell you what WE, the two of us, did to each other over the past years! How many times have we hurt each other on a very personal level, uh? What was it you kept saying when I tried to delude myself and told you my hunt for you was nothing personal?"

Jarod's face suddenly changed from an angry into a rather forlorn expression. He did remember. Back then, she’d told him that he was just 'a job’, that the hunt was ‘nothing personal’. He had challenged her with his response: ‘It’s personal to me!’

Now he didn’t know what to reply anymore. For all his genius, he couldn’t come up with anything at the moment. The pretender felt how it all slipped away from him.

She had built a wall between them for decades. He had been trying to break through it ever since. After all these years, he suddenly realized that this wall had somehow protected them. Saved them from what was actually happening at this very moment.

Now it was her who broke that wall down, piece by piece, brick by brick to a sub-atomic level, if there was such a thing. The wall came tumbling down. But instead of bringing them closer as he always had hoped, she put more and more space between them with each and every word she said.

Miss Parker was ready to push the envelope. She had become aggravated at his continuing effort to deny the obvious.

"Though I admit, you've helped me at times, been there for me when I needed a friend, you've also hurt me Jarod! You’ve dangled information in front of me like the carrot for the proverbial donkey. You’ve insulted me, humiliated me so many times that I lost count. And while you probably always told yourself it was in good fun and I deserved to be badgered, ‘cause you’d never really physically hurt me, I tell you it was more than that. I was the one who had to return time and again into that hellhole and explain to the devil and his followers how exactly you got away!"

Without missing a beat she continued.

"You’ve invaded my privacy for years. You’ve been to my house, through my things Jarod! Hell, you’ve sent a man into my bed! I will not even go there now, but how do you think that made me feel? And what did I do to you? I shot at you at numerous times, I brought your long lost brother back to the Centre for gods sake. I burned information on your mother and I hunted you down like an animal for more than five years! Yes Jarod, I agree, it was personal, very much so. Because what we did to each other on a personal level was almost as bad, if not worse, than anything they ever did to us."

Miss Parker shot him a determined look. He lowered his eyes to avoid looking into hers. He didn't want her to see his tears forming.

"So, what do you intend to do? Go back to hell and serve the devil, return home every night to get laid by an ‘after-every-skirt-gigolo’ kind of bartender?"

So he knew about Daniel. No surprise there. He always knew what she did and when she did it.

"Like I said Jarod, my life, especially my private life is MY business. If I decide to see someone, it’s my decision to make. Hasn’t that been your quest in life too?"

The thought of that gigolo-barman tugged at his heart, so much that he forgot his anger for a moment.

"This guy isn’t worth your time," Jarod mumbled almost pleadingly. He knew that this attempt was rather soft. What he actually wanted to say wouldn’t come out of his mouth. He wanted to yell at her and curse that bartender in words that would make grown men blush.

The woman who seemed to be the cause for his eternal bliss and pain at the same time didn’t look at her quarry. She glanced at the playing field and answered with a voice full of venom: "Anyone who ends up in my bedroom does so – and only so - because I want him to. Be it a truck driver, a banker or a bartender; who is or isn't worth my time is not up to you."



Jarod had never felt more insecure in his life. He had already told her how he felt. At this very moment he seemed unable to repeat it. Out of nowhere Jarod became afraid that she would make fun of him.

He was actually convinced that that Daniel-guy was nothing more than a brief affair. But his own experience on that matter was limited. He had never been involved with anyone he hadn't cared for deeply. Nia, Rachel, and of course Zoe.

He had never had a ‘meaningless’ sexual encounter in his life. Jarod knew that Parker had slept her way through quite some beds. He had found out about her amorous adventures in college and afterwards. And it troubled him deeply. Because, for all his talents at pretending, he had never been able to grasp her feelings or to make much sense of her actions.

After Carthis he had been certain that her feelings for him might be more than she was ready to admit. But it had him also wondering: was he just one of those men? If given the opportunity, would she take him to bed and dump him afterwards like a cheap toy?



He was too dumbfounded by her words to actually voice anything at all.

He had to let her go. Feeling completely lost, Jarod looked back up. He had successfully fought back his tears.

The pretender did not need to apply his skills to growl out with distaste: "Fine Miss Parker. I guess then all that's left for me to say is good luck. With the life you've chosen, you're gonna need it."

And then, in a swift motion, Jarod stood up and walked away. Miss Parker watched him in surprise.

"What about meeting your mother?"

Without turning around, Jarod stopped. Keeping his back to her he said in an accusing and sarcastic tone: "You're so hell bound on making a clean break. Well, you're gonna get it. Congratulations."

"Jarod," she yelled after him, "Raines! He knows! That monster actually knows that my mother told yours about her plan. He's after her!"

Jarod was already twenty yards away, when he stopped again. This time he did turn his head to look at her.

"He's always been after all of us. It doesn't make any difference. I'll take care of my family now."

With that he disappeared behind the trees and bushes. He had left her behind with his last words full of disdain and contempt. If she could hurt him, he could do the same to her.

In the back of his mind Jarod could hear a little voice of reproach. This was exactly the behavior she'd been talking about, wasn't it? They'd ultimately be hurting each other, and deliberately so. The pretender cursed himself to 'shut up' and chose to ignore his own conscience.



Miss Parker watched him leave, feeling both empty and relieved at the same time. She wasn't sure if she wanted to hear about her mother's plan in the first place. She just didn't care. Well, at that very moment she couldn't think of a single thing in life that she cared about.

The conversation had drained her emotionally. He had left upset, confused, hurt and ... beyond angry. She had seen it in the way he walked: sagging shoulders, and hands constantly running through his hair. And Miss Parker knew that she was the sole reason for it.

This might have been their last meeting and it had ended like this. She only hoped that he would find his way. Then, and only then, would all of this have been worth it.

She felt absolutely miserable. Only twice before had she actually felt worse. And both of those times someone she had loved had died.



***********************



Margaret poured herself some of the coffee she had prepared to occupy herself while waiting. Her son and Catherine’s daughter should be here by now. The moment the older woman approached the window to peek outside, she heard someone fumble with door keys. As Jarod finally entered, he simply crossed the room and let himself fall on the couch.

"Jarod, where is she? Didn’t you meet her? Did something happen?"

Her son had his elbows on his knees and his face concealed in his hands. Panic rose up in Margaret at that sight. Something awful must have happened. The Centre!

But Jarod could alleviate her worries. He didn’t raise his head, he simply mumbled into his hands.

"I met her. And yes, something happened. But don’t worry, it’s not the Centre. Miss Parker happened," he added wryly.

Margaret took a seat beside her son and took in his demeanor.

"What do you mean by that, Jarod? Or, don’t you wanna talk about it now?"

"Now, later, tomorrow, next year, it doesn’t matter, because it doesn’t change things."

He looked straight into his mother’s face. Margaret could see nothing but utter defeat in his eyes.

"She didn’t come here, because I didn’t take her. She has her own idea of how things should work, and I disagreed. End of story."

Margaret took one of his trembling hands into hers. She felt her son’s misery.

"You think she would betray us?"

"No, no! It’s about….," Jarod didn’t know how to explain thirty years of history, three decades of an impossible relationship. He decided to delay it for now.

"I decided to hear about that plan myself for now. Then I’d see if she’d need to know about it. It’s a thirty year old plan by a woman who had been dead for as long. I don’t think it needs both of us at this time."

He paused for a second and added in an almost scared tone: "Does it?"

His mother smiled. "No, actually the way things are now, not anymore. Why don’t you call the others to join us here and we get to the details then."

Miss Parker had returned to Blue Cove right after Jarod had left her behind. She had gone through the events again and again while driving down from New York. There had been nothing she could’ve done differently she concluded. It had to be done.



But that didn’t change the fact that she felt awful and even a little scared. If in fact Jarod would stay away from now on – and his recent behavior indicated it – what would become of her? When she had decided that it was absolutely necessary for them to part ways, she had never thought about her own future: her life at the Centre or her life without him in it.



Parker was nevertheless determined to see it through. Whatever they would throw at her, she would withstand it. And she would uncover the truth about her mother’s plan on her own.



She arrived at the Centre late in the afternoon. Parker simply wanted to pick up some files and return home quickly.



When she was just about to leave, Lyle stood in her doorway. Her brother had entered, as usual, without knocking.



"Hey Sis! Can I have a word with you?"



"Make it a one-syllable word. I'm busy."



"Busy. Right. So, what were you doing today? Where have you been?”



“None of your business!” She sat back into her chair and rifled through some papers. Parker deliberately didn’t look up. She hoped her attitude would give that imbecile the hint.



Of course he wouldn’t get it. “Careful Parker. If you’ve got something on Jarod you should share! You know, I was just thinking that..."



Raising her eyebrows, she interrupted him, her voice colored with mock humor. "Thinking? You? Now that's an oxymoron if I ever heard one."



"Listen, that attitude is not helping. You and me, we're both only doing everything in the Centre's best interests, aren't we? So when you have something, you’d better tell us. This would be in YOUR interest. We are all in this together."



“Together, yeah sure. If you have something to say, which I seriously doubt, tell it to someone who gives a rat’s ass. Now, just get lost.” She went back to her paperwork, when she added in a clear ‘you still here?’ attitude: “Oh, and Lyle?"



“What?”



"Don't catch your tail in the door.” Her smile now was almost a real one. Parker had won, it was a small victory but it sure felt sweet. Lyle did not know what to reply, he turned and left rather quickly. His plan to aggravate her, to challenge her, had obviously backfired.





**************



Broots dreaded what was about to come next. Why did he always have to be the one to tell her the bad news?

It had been such a good day, as good as possible at the Centre. No real problems had occurred. Lyle, for once, hadn’t shown up in his tech-room at all. He had shut down his computer and he had looked forward to a nice quiet evening: a game of checkers with Debbie and there was a Star Trek marathon scheduled on NBC. But as always, things would go royally wrong for him.



At his car Broots dropped his keys. When he bent down to retrieve them, he overheard Willie talking into a phone while walking up to his car.

Raines’ personal sweeper was unmistakably talking to Lyle. And what Broots could hear was not good news.



"No Mr. Lyle. ….. Yes, I understand completely….. Yes, Mr. Lyle. …. I tell you, from now on, you’ll know where she goes before even she does."



Willie entered his car and drove off, thankfully without recognizing the eavesdropping Broots, who was still crouched on the floor hiding behind his own vehicle.



With an exasperated sigh Broots returned to the elevator and looked heavenward thinking to himself: 'For a split second I allowed myself to enjoy life. God, you ask me to sit down and then you just yank the chair away, don't ya?'



But the news he just overheard was not good. Miss Parker needed to know that.





***********************





Margaret glanced sidewards once again. Her son was driving and seemed lost in thought. She hadn’t asked him what exactly had happened between him and Parker, but it obviously bothered him deeply. She briefly wondered if he’d ever come to her to talk about it.



The truth was that they barely knew each other. Jarod had told them very little about his past so far, but – aside from Miss Parker – one other name had come up a few times: Sydney -- the man who had taken care of her son for so long. The man Jarod still called to ask about things he had trouble understanding.



As they drove into Connecticut, Margaret watched houses and trees pass by. She silently vowed to herself that things would finally change forever. Jarod had her, a father, a whole family now. He didn’t need anyone associated with the Centre anymore.



She was determined to bring Catherine’s plan into being. And in Margaret’s opinion, it was to their advantage that they didn’t need to rely on anyone in the Centre anymore. Catherine did, but it only had led to her failure and, ultimately, to her death.



The red-headed older woman once again pondered about her own plan. As much as she had liked and admired the late Mrs. Parker, Margaret had thought thirty years about it and had come to the conclusion that it had to be altered.



Catherine had put her faith into two young innocent children and one child not even born. She had believed that a twelve year old boy would be able to rewrite history. And she had trusted two men closely attached to the Centre: Fenigor and Jacob.



None of this mattered anymore. The plan could still work but now they were much better prepared for it. There was her son, a grown man and a fully experienced pretender; there was Ethan, with his unnatural gift and his devotion to his new family. And there were the notes Margaret always carried with her.



The contents of these notes were the result of one of Jarod’s own simulations. He wouldn’t know about it anymore of course. Jacob had been very careful. It had been a simulation Jacob did without the knowledge of the Centre or his own twin for that matter. And Sydney’s brother had been careful enough to suppress Jarod’s memory of doing it.



Tragically, Jacob had paid the price for it with his life, and so of course had Catherine. Unfortunately that could not be undone, but a few other things could, because the plan itself had never been uncovered.



Soon, Margaret thought, soon the truth will come unraveled and her son would finally end what should’ve never started.





They arrived at the rented house near Hartford, Connecticut. As Jarod pulled to a stop, the whole family was already standing on the front porch -- Ethan and Ryan sitting on the steps seemingly engaged in a brotherly argument, his father standing behind them, his left arm loosely around Emily’s waist.



Everybody seemed to talk at the same time about all sorts of things when they all entered the house, but Jarod couldn’t make out any of it. He was sure there were a hundred questions somewhere in the cacophony of voices but he wanted everyone to calm down before they’d get to the point. Somehow, he also enjoyed the rather chaotic reunion. His family was safe and happy, they all wanted to have his attention; he loved it.



Until a voice raised above all the others, loud enough to suddenly quieten everyone. The desperate tone cut right through Jarod like a knife would through butter.



“What about Miss Parker?”



Ethan.



Jarod wasn’t able to say anything at the moment, his mind was racing with emotions. He looked into a pair of questioning, reproachful - and therefore even more familiar looking - blue eyes.



Margaret took in the situation immediately and decided it was time for some explaining.



“Ethan my dear, let’s all sit down and then I’ll tell you all what this is about.”



Jarod’s half brother was about to raise an objection when Margaret put an arm around him and guided him to the living room.



“Don’t you worry about your sister. She is safe. Jarod just decided to change plans slightly. Nothing more.”



“Did you talk to her?”



“No. Like I said, we changed plans. And now it’s time for me to tell you all about my – your mother’s plan.”



“I thought my sister is a part of it.”



“Well, she actually never was an ACTIVE part of it. That’s why there’s no need for her to become involved. But, please Ethan, let me tell my story, then you’ll understand.”





When everyone had found a seat, Margaret took a deep breath and looked into each and everyone’s eyes. She saw curiosity in the faces of Ryan and Emily. Charles’ eyes promised nothing but love and support. When her eyes met Jarod’s, she saw a kaleidoscope of indescribable emotions while Ethan’s look was still defiant.





And then she began to tell her story. .



Catherine’s original plan was not only to save all the children; first she wanted to save the most endangered ones -- Angelo, her daughter and Jarod -- with the help of the Major, Fenigor and Jacob.



But the central idea of her plan included Jarod's ability to invent a specific medication to be used on an impregnated woman; a medication that would actually disrupt the genius-sequence in the pretender DNA so there would be no more pretender ‘breeding’.

While Fenigor was lured to the ‘dark side’ via blackmail, Jacob of course was killed.



In between they had found out about some mysterious scrolls. They were both searching for them, but neither Margaret nor Catherine were ready to put everything on that card. Even though both women were faithfully catholic, neither of them was ready to put their faith before the safety of each of their children.



After the Centre had impregnated Catherine with Ethan, she had to change her own plan and side with evil incarnate. She had thought it the only way to get through it. Catherine intended to fake her death and put her life into the hands of the devil to escape hell. She’d wanted to give birth to Ethan and then get her daughter and leave the country for England.



She still wanted Jarod to complete the research and her Inner Sense had told her Miss Parker would be an essential part in it and also in finding and helping Ethan.

Catherine had been six months pregnant when Margaret had last heard from her.





The narrating woman took a break here and, similar to when she and her son had arrived an hour ago, everyone spoke up at the same time. Margaret rose her hands in a sign of defeat.



“Hey you all, quiet! I wasn’t finished yet, ok?” She picked up her purse and produced some neatly folded papers. The woman handed them to Jarod.



“Jarod, Jacob had you do a simulation. You don’t have any memory of it because he used a hypnosis-technique. These are the notes you’ve taken.”



Utterly confused, Jarod interrupted his mother again.



“I did what? When? Why did he suppress that memory?”



Charles had told Margaret that Jarod hated how the Centre had used his ‘gift’. Her son still suffered from the knowledge of how much harm his simulations had caused.



“Catherine, Jacob, none of us wanted to abuse your ability. But we knew you could do it and it was for a good cause. And he had to hide everything from Raines. If you wouldn’t remember it, there was no danger for you to involuntarily tell it to someone. It was a necessity for all of our sakes. Read the notes. I want you to go through it again and finish it. But I also thought you could add a twist.”



Jarod shook his head slightly as if to clear his mind. All this had to be sorted out. Before he could go through the details, his mother’s last words echoed in his mind.



“Mom, what twist? What are you thinking about?”



“As long as you, Emily and Ryan have that pretender gene, we will never be fully free. So I thought that maybe you could alter the interrupting sequence in a way that it would not only work on fetuses but could work on you NOW. You know, suppress the gene INSIDE you today. That way the Centre would have no reason anymore to be after you. We’d be finally free.”



“Mom, I don’t know if…”



“Take a look at them. Jacob believed it would work. I have faith in your ability, Jarod. I know you can do it.”



The others were looking rather flabbergasted at Margaret. Only Emily had a slightly hopeful smile on her face.



Margaret continued to make her case, telling them how excited and hopeful Jacob had been. She talked about them living their lives without the Centre on their heels. It was a beautiful image none of them could resist.



Almost none of them.



Ethan took it all with more than skepticism. He saw how Jarod’s initial resistance fell. Ethan understood very well that his older brother couldn’t really deny any of his mother’s wishes.

But what worried him was that his sister was left out completely here. His own Inner Sense had been rather quiet lately, but for the last two hours he heard it again. Not loud, and not clear, but what he could make of it was that Miss Parker was supposed to be here.



Finally the family had agreed on going to try Margaret’s idea. Jarod would do some more simulations, while the rest of them would be careful to check for any signs of Centre hunters.

Jarod had guessed that he would need a few days to complete the research. He had to get a few things from a lab first, and wanted to do that first thing in the morning.



For the moment, Jarod decided that dinner was in order so he offered to cook. The pretender had never cooked for his family before and looked forward to doing it. Emily as well as Ryan volunteered to help, which he accepted gratefully. It would be fun and talking to them would also keep him from contemplating about the whole day too much.



Charles looked after his three children with delight. He rose, kissed his wife and let her know that he’d be in the studio. It was time for the daily check on the Centre.



Margaret relaxed on the couch with closed eyes. She enjoyed the low voices now coming from the kitchen. She concluded that it was the most beautiful sound in the world.



Suddenly she remembered someone. Opening her eyes she looked around. Sure enough he was still there standing in front of the fireplace with his arms crossed. The reproachful look was something she had almost expected.



“Ethan, my dear, please don’t misunderstand me. I liked your mother, admired her, and I would have followed her through hell and back. But the truth is that she put her trust and the life of the children into the hands of people who did less to deserve it.”



“She was listening to her Inner Sense.” Ethan kept his voice low but his disapproval was palpable.



“Yes, but that gift also had her rather biased in some ways.”



“Biased?”



Margaret had known it would come to this. She had to explain her motives. But his unbelieving eyes made it hard for her. The woman rather unconsciously went into the offensive.



“She wanted to save all the children, yes. But what I see now is that it was HER daughter she wanted safe in the first place. She had planned to take her to England, keep her out of the quagmire. I don’t blame her for that, believe me. But all the while she had made MY son the central figure in the whole plan.”



“Margaret, don’t you see? Jarod was, hell he, well maybe Ryan too, are the last of us who actually aren’t in any life-threatening danger. While they wouldn’t hesitate with any of us, they’d never kill HIM. My mother knew that. She would not endanger him or anyone else knowingly just to save herself or Miss Parker!”



“Oh Ethan! I’m sorry if I sounded revengeful in any way, for I’m not. I only think that Jarod could do it now without any of them. You’ll be safe too from now on.”



The young man wasn’t ready to forget about Parker. “And my sister?”



Margaret emitted a heavy sigh. “Your sister has been in their clutches forever. The way I understand it, she’s had her chances, but she refused to take ‘em. Of course I don’t want her harmed in any way, but she is not an essential part anymore. Actually she has never been. Catherine only wanted to get her safe.”



Ethan interrupted: “My mother wanted her to find me, to tell me about her.”



“Well, she HAS found you, hasn’t she. And she could again. If her mind and heart is into it, she could. Let her decide Ethan. That way you can find out her real intent!”



“She’s my sister, Margaret! Do you really believe I’ll leave her behind or in the dark like that?”



“You’d better Ethan. For now anyway. Don’t make the same mistakes your mother did. Don’t put your trust and faith into people who’ll betray you!”



That was it, Ethan concluded. He wouldn’t allow anyone, not Margaret or anyone else, to even remotely accuse his mother of some wrong doing.



“Oh, but I should believe in you? You of all people! A mother and a father who weren’t even able to protect their own children? Parents who were hiding for thirty years and didn’t know how to rescue their own children?”



Margaret’s jaw dropped and her expression was one of profound misery. Ethan realized just about a second too late what had blurted out of his mouth. He intended to be harsh but never wanted to hurt her.



“I’m sorry. Margaret I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean it! I was angry and wanted to lash out. Usually when I get this way I just tear my room into pieces.” In an attempt to lighten the mood, he added with a half-hearted smirk, “Or I get into a fist-fight with Ryan. A few bruises at his expense always seem to do my temper wonders!”



His playful grin indeed did help a bit. Margaret knew that she’d been unfair herself in projecting decade old grudges on the mother of this innocent young man. She shot Ethan a scolding look but added in an almost longing tone.



“You really are your mother’s son, honey! I could never be angry with her either. And you’re also your sister’s brother. You know, I asked Ryan once where the bruises on his arm came from, not to mention his blue eye a few weeks back. Though he didn’t tell me, I had a faint idea. Somehow it seems to be always the same. You and Ryan. Jarod and her.”



Ethan was utterly confused now. “What do you mean?”



“Years before you were born, they met for the first time. Jarod and your sister I mean. And what Catherine had told me, they’d reacted to each other immediately. Depending on circumstances, it would be a reaction like either milk and honey or like oil and fire.”



Anticipating his inquisitive look, Margaret continued. “Your mother told me that those two together were a sight to be seen. It warmed my heart to hear about it. But she also told me that your sister would get angry rather quickly and Jarod would be the first one, most of the time the only one, she could project that anger at. He of course would take it, and they – so Catherine would tell me – would fight. Miss Parker was apparently more than once successful and Jarod would show up with a blue eye or a few bruises. Catherine told me that, the first time she’d seen him with a black eye, she almost went berserk. Of course she had thought he’d been beaten by the Centre ghouls. I never forget the twisted smile on your mother’s face when she told me the truth. That, after interrogating Jarod for hours, her daughter had come forward and told her. It must be in the genes Ethan, the Parkers and the Taylors at each other’s throat.”



Jarod stood in the adjoining door. He had wanted to ask his mother about her likes or dislikes of some spices. Hearing the last few words made his heart heavy. He remembered well those incidents when Miss Parker was fighting with him. But what almost brought him to tears was Catherine’s comparison of their friendship as being like ‘milk and honey’. Yes, Jarod thought, that was it. For him the ‘oil and fire’ part came later, much later.



Because, even when he had returned to his room with a split lip he had enjoyed every minute he had spent with the little girl who was his best friend. Back then the light of his life, well, the honey in his milk.



Jarod closed the door undetected. He didn’t want to talk about it yet to anyone. This was something he had to go through alone for now. But the pretender sure wished he could call Sydney about it. Maybe he should?

AN: please, whoever reads this and is from the beautiful state of Louisiana, no offense intended!! I’m using a particular quote that I’ve heard somewhere a while back and it stayed with me. MP in a cranky mood would be soo the woman to say something as offensive as this.

(I don’t even remember where I heard it and neither am I sure if Louisiana was mentioned or (ab)used. For all I know, it was my own little home-state here in Austria. But I couldn’t use that one, could I? So again, sorry!)



Part 8



Broots returned to the office level as fast as he could. He felt awful. On the one hand he’d let his daughter down tonight, and on the other hand he once again had bad news for his boss.



In a nervous hurry he crashed into her office, only remotely remembering how she hated an entrance like that. But he was not just a subordinate anymore. He was a friend.



“Miss Parker…. I …I just …you need to know….”



The addressed woman shot him an evil look. Well, almost a friend.



“Broots stop it. The brain, even yours, needs oxygen, so you'd better take a breath about now!”



Miss Parker was royally pissed. The incidents with Jarod and then Lyle were more than enough to bring her to the edge. And now Broots had decided to act in his typical nervous way.



Broots didn’t heed her advice and just blurted out: “You know what just happened? What I just heard?”



“Let me guess. The state of Louisiana just announced a new holiday where they let you marry someone who ain’t a relative.”



She wasn’t even sorry for her sarcastic reply when she saw his dreadful look. She simply didn’t want to hear any more Centre-related news.



“Miss Parker, listen! Lyle has Willie following you. I just overheard a conversation down in the parking lot. Your brother ordered the devil’s sweeper to watch your every move!”



“He what? Since when?” If Willie had been in New York today, then…Parker reminded herself that this was a needless worry. No, she had been alone. Otherwise Jarod would already be in chains down in SL 12 - and she’d be dead.



“Apparently Lyle just issued the order. So from now on, you’ll have a shadow. Miss Parker, what’re you gonna do about that?”



“I’m gonna go home, take a shower, drink a glass of scotch, go to bed and sleep like a baby. If Lyle is interested in that…well, so be it.”



She grabbed her coat and purse and passed by Broots in deliberate steps. At the door though, she turned around and looked at her co-worker. With eyes blazing and in an impossibly low voice – a voice that, he knew, most often left death in its wake - she growled:



“And tomorrow, brother dearest will face the consequences and call off the surveillance.”



The double glass-door closed behind her in a ‘whoosh’. She was gone. Broots still stood inside; a bit taken aback by her non-committal behavior. But when he thought about the way she said ‘face the consequences’, a cold shiver ran down his spine. The soundtrack of ‘Dead Man Walking’ was suddenly playing in the back of the tech’s mind.



He could already imagine what was going to happen. The technician had seen it more than once. He scratched his bald head and thought about the inevitable. When the Parker twins were at each other’s throat, no one was safe anymore. If only he could be somewhere else tomorrow…



The futile hope of a computer emergency at a Centre affiliate far away, maybe the one in Vancouver, rose within him. A trip to Canada would spare him from witnessing a terrible scene. With a deep sigh, Broots got on his way. He would not be that lucky, he knew that. [u1]





****************************



It was way past midnight. Ethan stood outside on the porch. He had not said much during dinner. The topic of ‘their’ future plans had been mostly evaded. They all enjoyed a ‘normal’ family dinner.



But the troubled young man hadn’t been able to enjoy it. The voice inside his head had kept on mumbling. Someone was amiss here. Ethan knew who that ‘someone’ was, but didn’t know what to do about it.



“Aren’t you cold?” came suddenly from behind.



Ethan turned around and faced his half-brother. He could barely see him for there were no lights coming from inside. The whole house had become quiet; everyone else had gone to bed.



“I’m fine.”



“You sure?”



“I…yeah.”



“You’re thinking about leaving, aren’t you?”



“I don’t know what to do Jarod. Everything is so …I’m not sure if you should do this at all. But I do know that she should know about this. I don’t understand much of what my mother is telling me, but I FEEL that mom wants her to know.”



Ethan stepped towards his older brother to make his point in the dark. Heavy clouds hid the stars and the moon. When he made out the contours of his brother’s face, Ethan pleaded: “Don’t do this without her.”



“Ethan, it wouldn’t make any difference. She doesn’t want to leave. She is not going to change her mind.” He paused momentarily and then admitted “And I can’t face her again like that.”



“I’m not talking about her leaving. I’m talking about her KNOWING, Jarod. If you - for whatever reason - can’t, let me go. I’ll tell her about the plan. Then we’ll see.”



“I won’t force you to stay, you know that! But I really hope you wouldn’t go. Your sister,…she’s so unpredictable and I don’t want her involved in this. We can do this without her. Don’t forget, she’s safer not knowing anyway.”



“I don’t know what happened this afternoon, what she said to you. But, I’m wondering, are you sure this is about her safety and not yours?”



Jarod squeezed his eyes to adapt his sight to the dark. His brother’s words hit a sore spot.



“If you think I’m afraid of her betraying us, you’re wrong. I’m simply following HER own wishes. She made it clear today that she wanted me, all of us, gone for good.”



Ethan almost smiled at these words. He had already expected something like that: His half-sister had turned Jarod down – again - and that had hurt him deeply.



“Jarod, this is about Catherine’s legacy, and my sister IS a part of it – no matter what your mother says. It should be Miss Parker’s decision to follow it through or not. Just because your mother says so, and you’re angry with Parker, doesn’t make it YOUR plan.



“All I can ask of you Ethan, is, don’t go. Don’t tell her, at least not yet. Leave her out of this as it is. We go with the plan and then, then you can tell her and she can decide, again.”



Ethan’s aggravation rose, he fell into his brother’s words. “No, Jarod. She’s been left out of too much before. I won’t become a part of it. I’m going. That’s final!”



The younger man stepped down the porch and disappeared in the dark. Jarod fought with his conscience to either follow and stop him or just let him go. At the end he still stood there when the sun rose a few hours later. He was unable to move, unable to decide.



Catherine’s plan, his own simulations, of which he had become aware of just a few hours ago, his mother’s alteration of that plan, Ethan’s demand to get Miss Parker into the game, everything had become so confusing.

Jarod felt as if it all had gotten out of his control somehow. He hated it.



The pretender didn’t know if his mother’s idea was a good one in the first place. Altering his own DNA-sequence was a dangerous thing. It had to be perfect, because it meant also fumbling with Ryan’s as well as Emily’s DNA. But his mom had put all her trust and faith into his ability. He didn’t want to let her down.



Ethan’s decision to leave and talk to Miss Parker was another thing. She already knew that Catherine had wanted to leave the country with her. What would she say about the new revelations of the plan? Jarod himself always had thought that Miss Parker was a central figure in that plan, as he was sure, had she. How will she react at the news that once again she was on the sideline while he was the key player?



Dangerous situations, or the terrible prospects of a violent death, she had gone through them many times. She had never taken them easily; if something or someone crossed her, she had fought back. But what she hated most was being ignored, being left out of the loop. Jarod shivered at the thought of that.



Somehow, in the back of his mind, Jarod agreed with his brother: she should know. Maybe Catherine had – for the sake of her daughter – left out some details in her conversations with Margaret.



Somehow Jarod doubted that. Yes, Catherine had kept secrets to protect her daughter from the truth. But those were secrets of her family’s tragic history, not her plan.

Jarod remembered his brief encounter with Catherine in Raines’ country-house. Mrs. Parker had told him that her plan, her legacy, was for her daughter, him and her unborn son, Ethan, to finish that plan.



Jarod squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head at a thought that crept up in his mind: maybe it was his mother that had left out some of those details in order to keep Miss Parker away. He had to talk to his mom again about it.





***************************



Miss Parker closed the front door with her left foot and threw her purse and keys on the side table. On her way to the kitchen she took off both of her high heels and left them where they fell. When the kitchen light didn’t turn on she cursed out loud. Now she needed to find a flashlight and a new light bulb. Instead of falling back on her couch with her choice of stress relief, she was forced to do an annoying home repair chore.



She was about to leave the dark kitchen again when someone grabbed her from behind. One arm around her waist the other hand covered her mouth. In that short moment, Miss Parker promised herself that Willie would die tonight if she could just reach back to her gun. She fought the tight, but curiously not violent grip, when a small whisper reached her ear.



“Shhhh. Miss Parker, it’s me, Ethan. Please, calm down!”



That immediately stopped her from fighting back. She felt how her little brother slowly took away his hands and stepped back. Parker turned around and shot her ‘attacker’ an incredulous look.



“Ethan, damn! You planning on killing yourself? I could’ve shot you!”



The young man smiled at her attempt to calm her nerves. He had had her cornered. He knew it and she knew it. But this was not a woman to give in, he was sure of that.



“I’m sorry, but I could not just knock on your front door, could I?”



That reminded Parker of her shadow. She suddenly pushed Ethan back into the darkest corner of the already dark room.



With a voice barely audible she advised: “Listen, there is a sweeper outside my house. This place might even be full of bugs. I need to get you out of here.”



“Don’t worry. I checked the place. I arrived a few hours ago, and no one saw me entering. We’re ok for now.”



A bit calmer, Miss Parker went to the window to look outside. All she could see in the dark were the outlines of her backyard. Willie was probably still in his car somewhere in the front. But she wanted to be sure. With a raised hand that showed Ethan to stay put, she left the room. She turned on the lights in the dining room, as well as the TV. Then she went upstairs to turn on the lights in her bathroom and the shower.

Careful to stay away from all windows she returned to the kitchen. Ethan was patiently sitting at the table.



Even before she took a seat opposite her brother, she blurted out in a whisper:



“What the hell are you doing here?”



“It’s good to see you too,” came the deadpan retort.



She smiled broadly at that. Her eyes had adapted to the dark, she could make out his facial contours. He was a good looking young man, though too many lines of worry and despair were visible, even in the dark.



“I’m sorry Ethan. I’m actually glad to see you. It would just be better under different circumstances.” She left out that she wondered if the two of them would ever be able to meet under those ‘different circumstances’. He heard it anyway.



“I had to come. We need to talk.”



“Has something happened?” When he only nodded in response she continued “Jarod?”



“Not Jarod per se. His mother happened. They found each other, they’re all together now.”



“I know. Jarod told me. So, what’s wrong?” Miss Parker already knew that it must be about her – their – mother’s plan. Margaret apparently had finally told them about it.



“You do know that Margaret was aware of Catherine’s plan?” Ethan asked carefully.



“Yes. I guess you’re here to tell me.”



He nodded and was about to begin “Miss Parker…,” but before he could continue, his sister suddenly took one of his hands with both of hers. Surprised, he looked down at the table. She intertwined her fingers with his with one hand while the other covered both of them in an endearing move. Ethan could see the square silver ring in the dark. He was unable to continue at this unexpected show of affection by his sister.



“Ethan, before you reveal this next secret of OUR mother, maybe you should stop talking to me as if I were a stranger.”



He rose his head and looked squarely into her face. Though it was quite dark, he saw her eyes shimmering with moisture. He could see they were watered with unshed tears. He was completely confused now.



“You’re my brother. And though we don’t know each other very well, I’m glad you are a part of my family, a part of her. And now I think it’s time for you to stop calling me ‘Miss Parker’. I do have a name, you know.”



Ethan was too dumbfounded to say anything in response. He knew that she had kept her first name a secret; a secret, even less than a handful of people knew about.



This incredible woman, who was not known to be overly affectionate or emotional in front of other people, then headed forwards and took him into a long heartfelt embrace. While she held her brother close, she whispered her best kept secret into his ears.



The young man smiled from ear to ear. Enjoying every second of it, he patted her softly on the back. Ever since his foster parents had died, no one – except for Jarod – had shown him such an amount of love. He had gone through a lot of horrors in his life, but in this very moment he concluded that it all had been worth it. Because this embrace by his beautiful sister was as close as he could ever come to his real mother. And it felt great.

It had become late but the two siblings were still in the kitchen. A bit earlier Miss Parker had closed the curtains tightly and had turned on the small light above the stove. Still holding hands, Ethan told his sister about Catherine’s plan. She listened closely without interrupting - it had been a long time coming.



It was when she got up to pour them some more tea that Ethan actually got to the part about Margaret’s ‘addition’ to the plan. The moment he explained what Margaret wanted to do, she stood with her back turned on the kitchen counter. Miss Parker’s whole body tightened within an instant. With a loud ‘thud’ she put the cups back on the counter.



Ethan immediately detected the change in her. He braced himself for what was coming next.

Parker’s over-the-shoulder glare was epic, even for 2 a.m.



“She WHAT?” Parker asked, restraining herself not to yell at him She shook her head in disbelief. “And he agreed to do it, didn’t he?”



Her brother tried to calm her down, but it was a futile effort. She fumed with rage at the new revelations. For the next hour, Parker paced furiously up and down; partly mumbling to herself how impossibly stupid that woman was, partly cursing Jarod for his weakness to stand up against his mother and partly demanding answers from Ethan of how he could’ve let this happen - without giving him time to respond or defend himself though.



It was around three in the morning when Ethan explained he would sneak out the back door and hide somewhere near for the next few days. Miss Parker glared at him as if he’d grown a second head.



“No. You go back to the family and you’ll go tonight. Get Jarod. Tell him I want to meet him. If none of you can do anything about this, then I will. I will talk him out of this even if it’s the last thing I’ll ever do.”



At his rather skeptical look she added: “If he refuses to come, lie. Tell him whatever you want. Tell him I killed someone if you like. Or if that’s not enough, tell him I’ve gone over the edge, that I’ve cried into your shoulders about how much I ‘love’ him! But get him away from them.”



“But where do you suggest we meet M…?” Already anticipating that question, Parker interrupted her brother mid-word.



She needed a place out of the Centre’s grasp but close enough to get to fast. “Maine. Take him to Lake Catherine. When you two arrive up there, he’ll know where to go. I’ll meet you there.”



With a last heartfelt embrace, the two siblings said goodbye. Ethan, though aware of his sister’s troubled emotional status, felt relieved. She would stop this. His faith in her ability was supported by the sudden silence in his head.



With a huge smile on his face the young man ran, covered by trees, across her backyard. He was still grinning when he reached his car and drove off. His sister not only had acted the way he hoped she would, she had also said something important. Even if she had meant it in a more than sarcastic way, she had used the ‘l’ word.



Ethan was pretty sure about Jarod’s feelings towards her. But until now he had only been suspicious about hers. Her actions tonight gave those suspicions way to assurance.

She loved him.





***********





Miss Parker entered her office while stifling one more yawn. Parker went straight to the coffee maker that was now in her office at her demand. Ever since she had it, her secretary had specific orders to have the coffee ready every morning.



The bleary-eyed woman grabbed the biggest mug available and poured some. The hot and bitter liquid burned her throat on the way down just the way she liked it.



She was dead tired and furious. Jarod planned on playing God just to please his mother, and Lyle had her observed. She had to do something about both.



She would not stand by and knowingly watch how ‘boy-wonder’ walked into something with possibly horrible consequences, simply because Jarod thought he owed it to someone he loved.



Later that day she would drive up to Maine and knock his head against a – preferably concrete – wall.



Parker also felt a bit apprehensive at the prospect of meeting Jarod so soon again. She chalked it up to the circumstances but it became harder and harder to deceive herself. She still tried to not admit to herself that she already missed Jarod. She missed his calls. Even if they were mostly snarling at each other, she missed talking to him.



It had only been two days, but she had felt more alone than ever. It was not that he had called her everyday, but this time she knew he wouldn’t call again. That knowledge had nagged at her ever since their parting in New York.



But before she could go, she had to deal with someone else: Lyle. She was damned if she’d allow her twin to play around with her like that.



At that moment Broots stuck his head in the door and searched the room for her.



“Oh, there you are,” the bald man sighed. He entered and carefully closed the door behind him. “I wanted to … Miss Parker, you... are you alright?”



She looked anything but alright and Broots started to worry.



“I’m fine. Just …peachy,” she answered. Collecting herself, she turned and continued with more vigor in her voice, “Brother dearest already in?”



“I, I’ll check. Miss Parker, are you sure you want to get into this. I mean, tell him you know and …”



“Don’t pee in your pants, Broots. He won’t find out you’ve been the acting tattle-tale of the day.” Parker slid into her chair and crossed her legs regally.



Broots hurried to explain himself. “I didn’t mean that!” he blurted out with hurt audibly in his voice.



“I know,” she relented in a soothing tone. More determined she added, “Don’t worry. I’ll be very … diplomatic.”



The feral grin on her face told him that she’d be anything but. Broots felt the need to give it one more try.



“If you look at it objectively, then maybe you’d…” anything else he wanted to say died mid- sentence. Detachment? Objectivity? He was talking to the wrong person here and he knew it.



She sighed heavily. “Broots.”



In a low voice as cold as ice, while accentuating every syllable, she continued: “I will NOT allow my mutant brother to follow my every move! Not now, not ever.”



Somehow it had gotten colder in the room. Broots remembered his wish of the day before. Yeah, Canada couldn’t be THAT cold.



Saying nothing further, she got up, put her cup on the table and left the room. Passing her co-worker, she cocked her head to the right and left Broots with one final glare.



Outside in the hallways, the busy morning routine was in full progress. Aware of the chairman’s daughter’s moods, the employees gave her a wide berth. Despite her fatigue, she still felt the power she had over them.



She entered his office in her usual way. Parker opened both of the murky-glass door wings in one swift motion. She could almost ‘feel’ her twin’s exasperated sigh.



“Sis. Why don’t you come on in!”



Lyle rose from his desk and walked towards her. Parker didn’t even bother to say anything. Meeting him nose to nose in mid-room, she grabbed him by his tie; one fist was clenched to her side, itching to punch. She pulled at his tie just as much as she needed to see that he had trouble breathing.



Two ego-centered personalities were locking eyes, both challenging the other.



“Two things, bro. First: I take it personally if you have me followed by someone whose IQ is below that of a doormat. Second: don’t do it again, ever!”



Her voice was as serious as it was deadly. He realized that. But he also knew that he was the ace when it came to misleading people.



“Sis, trust me. I had you followed for your own good. With all that happened lately, I just wanted to make sure you’re OK.”



She shook her head, “Lyle…”



“It’s true Parker! We all know Jarod would contact you first. Recent developments suggest that he wouldn’t be too happy. So I just wanted someone around to make sure you’re alright.”



“Whatever you say Lyle, whatever you say. Just listen to this…”



He grabbed her hands, which were still on his tie, and removed them. Lyle tried another technique. He knew what worked most often when dealing with his sister. After all, he was a pretender too. With a smile that portrayed fake hurt, he locked eyes with her again.



“You don’t believe me, right? Well, you never did, no matter what I said or did.”



“Not once in your pathetic life you’ve been honest. Why would you start now?”



Lyle went from sounding hurt to sarcastic: “Tell you what sis: since nothing I have to say is to your liking, why don’t you write down what you want to hear and I'll act like a twenty-dollar-hooker, trying to say it as if I really mean it.”



She bored into him with her eyes, daring him to mess with her. “Cut the crap and listen you imbecile. I’ll make this short. Willie or anyone else following me will meet his maker today. Call off the order, or I’ll shoot first and ask questions later. That’s a promise. You might as well call the Centre’s undertaker now, because there’s gonna be a body to dispose of. And I’m going to come back here, and then you’ll be very sorry!”



“Whatcha gonna do? Shoot me too?” There was only a trace of a smile left on his face. He always had to be very careful around her. She was a worthy opponent. But she also was, in his eyes, the key in catching Jarod.



She didn’t respond, so Lyle raised his arms in a sign of defeat, already thinking about ways to continue watching her without getting caught.



Parker pulled on his tie once more and then pushed him away with a disgusted grunt. She turned around on her heels. At the door she shot him a last parting glare and snarled: “Watch it, Lyle. If you really wanna play, all I’d say is: welcome to my playground!"





*********************



The Major paced in the living room. He was concerned for his younger son. Jarod had told them earlier that morning that Ethan had left. The young man had gone straight into the very hell they all tried so hard to stay away from.



Charles felt a deep compassion for Ethan. That boy had gone through a lot in his life and now he simply tried to cling on to the last strings of his sanity. One of those strings was his connection to his sister.



Margaret was in the kitchen, Charles could hear her preparing lunch. The way she used - and abused - the appliances and kitchen-tools indicated that she was still angry.



When Jarod had informed them of Ethan’s intent, Margaret had become mightily upset. Ryan and Emily had been especially surprised at her reaction. In a concerted effort, Charles and Jarod had eventually calmed everyone down.



**



Jarod was on his way back to their house. He had gone to collect a few medical tools he needed for their first tests. Tools like a high-sensitive microscope, vials, needles and the newest medical journals on gene-altering experiments and successes.



Though he was still uncomfortable with the idea, he wanted to get the plan moving. With the help of Ryan and lots of encouragement by his mother he had already run a few computer calculations on DNA-sequences this morning.



The pretender parked the car in the driveway and ran up to the house. He needed some help with all the packages and wanted to get Ryan. In the living room, Jarod met his father and immediately heard the noise from the other room. With a knowing, but dreadful, smile he looked at his father for some reassurance.



“She’s still venting, huh?”



“Yeah, a bit. But for now we’re safe. I think the roast chicken is bearing the brunt now.”



Both men smiled at this and went back outside to pick up the stuff from the car.



***

Later that afternoon, Jarod lay down on the couch, his left arm covering his eyes. He was taking a break from their work.



Ryan had been helpful but Jarod had observed that the young man had gotten increasingly nervous. The boy’s look would wander, ever so slightly, from the laptop to the window. Outside the day slowly faded away.



Finally the older brother concluded they both could use some distraction. So he had sent Ryan outside to play some basketball.



After Jarod had slumped back on the couch, he had realized he needed this break just as much as Ryan had.





A slight tap on his shoulder brought him back to the present. His mother stood there with a cup of steaming coffee in her hands:



“Here. I thought you needed a jolt of caffeine.”



“Thanks mom. You read my mind.”



Jarod rose into a sitting position. Margaret took a seat. “So, how is it coming along?”



“Fine, I guess. Though there is still a lot of work to do. This isn’t a matter of hours you know.”



“We’ve waited thirty years for this. A few more days won’t matter. But I can hardly wait. With Ethan gone to talk to his sister….”



“Mom, we’ve been through this before. Miss Parker won’t blow the whistle on us. Not over this. You have to trust her.”



“How can I trust her Jarod? She did nothing but hurt my family. How can YOU trust her?”



Jarod briefly contemplated on an answer.



“I guess on some level I always did. Mom, we’ve been through so much together: the good as well as the bad. And even if she did sometimes hurt me, she …” His words faded into nothingness. He was unable to finish this thought.



With an exasperated sigh Jarod looked into his mother’s eyes.



“Mom, don’t worry. I don’t think that Ethan could talk her into coming here. She has made up her mind. “



“But you would want her to come, wouldn’t you Jarod? Even if she has nothing to do with this, you’d like her to come.” This was more of a statement then a question, but Jarod answered it anyway.



“When we finish this, everything will change. Mom, our success here is not going to be the last chapter of the story. When we finally disappear and they realize that there’s no more pretender, the cards the Centre are made of, will falter and come down. I just want her on the safe side, just like her mother had planned it.”



In a whisper full of despair Jarod added: “I only want us to be friends again.”



Watching all the visible emotions crossing his face, Margaret realized something that had eluded her before. Her son did not only ‘care’ for his childhood friend, he was in love with Catherine’s daughter.



Surprised at this newest change of events, the older woman leaned forward to embrace her son. She didn’t like this but she knew she would need to accept it.



“That’s how it’s meant to be, my son. That will make Catherine’s plan complete.”



Gently Jarod slipped out of her arms and gave her a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”



“The whole plan of course. You’ll change the DNA, we will all disappear. I believe that afterwards Miss Parker will be ready and she will follow us. Ethan could stay in contact with her and when she decides, he can lead her to us.”



Margaret finally thought she understood. In her interpretation it was this that Catherine intended when she had continuously talked about her own girl and Jarod.



Margaret patted his knee reassuringly. “The history that you two share will be the safety net she can fall back on. I’m sure that eventually she’ll realize that. It will all be fine,” she encouraged, rose and took the empty cup with her into the kitchen.



But Jarod was not so sure. He remembered what Parker had said to him in New York: that they could never be together because there was too much history between them.

And once again, people please remember I am ‘no-english’. Though my beta is truly an angel, she cannot perform any miracles and turn me into a native here. So please remember that when reading! Thanx





House of Cards



Part 10



Parker stomped out of Lyle’s office. On her way to the elevator she spotted Willie at the corner. After stepping inside she shot her hand forward to stop the automatic door from closing.



With a raised eyebrow and a dangerous smile she asked in a sarcastic inviting tone: “Care to follow.. er.. join me?”



Willie tried to hide his surprise and mumbled: “Ah, no Miss Parker.”



“Good. Because,” she said, stepping out of the elevator again, “if I ever see you in the vicinity of my house again, you won’t have the time to be sorry for it.” Parker stood face to face with the huge sweeper. Despite her high heels he was taller by a few inches. But she nevertheless managed to stare him down.



She stepped back, slamming at the call button without looking. “Don’t mess with me, Willie! Trust me, not even Raines would be able to help you if you do!”



The elevator car had arrived again. Parker stepped in once more and waited for the door to close. She kept him locked with her look, shooting daggers at him with her eyes. Willie was virtually unable to move.



When she was gone, the sweeper swallowed hard and dared to breathe again. This little incident had shaken his courage mightily. It took him quite a while to collect himself. Going face to face with a pissed Miss Parker was a recipe for humility.



But he needed to talk to Mr. Lyle about that. He only hoped that Lyle would not order him to keep her under surveillance.





******************



Ethan more stumbled than walked up the steps to their current home. He was dead tired, but glad he was back. It was eight in the morning and he hoped Jarod was already up.

This unspoken question was immediately answered when he entered the house. With a stack of pancakes in front of him, Jarod watched morning-television -- cartoons as usual.



When Jarod noticed his brother’s entrance, he was more than surprised. Thinking that something must have gone fatally wrong, he jumped up.



“Ethan you’re back! I didn’t expect you so soon! What happened? Did you see your sister? Is she all right?”



Ethan raised his hands in a calming way and offered him a tired but assuring smile. “Hey, it’s ok. Everything is fine. I saw her, I talked to her and she sent me right back.”



Though relieved, Jarod braced himself for more. “I see. But you told her about the plan?”



“Yes Jarod. That’s why she wanted me back here today.”



This was what Jarod had expected and dreaded. She was not interested in participating and much less in coming along with them. She had even sent her own little brother away. She must have been quite angry.



“She thought I sent you, didn’t she? She thinks I didn’t get it, and now she’s angry at you. I’m sorry Ethan.”



“You’re right. Miss Parker is angry but not at me big brother. At you. And not because she has mistaken my appearance as one of your games.”



“Huh?”



They were interrupted when Margaret and Charles entered the room. “Ethan,” both exclaimed synchronically. Margaret approached him quickly and started her questioning.



“You’re back so soon. Did Miss Parker come with you?”



“No. Not yet anyway.”



Ethan struggled with how to explain why he was back so soon; how to tell them what, or rather who it was he had come back for. He didn’t know why, but he felt that it was better if the others stayed in the dark for now. So he had to lie. Well, his sister had told him to do just that if necessary. That she had suggested it thinking about different circumstances shouldn’t matter now.



He more felt than saw the curious and rather confused look Jarod gave him at his ‘not yet’ answer. He hurried to continue: “She wanted to come, but there is something she needs from Jarod first. Miss Parker wants me to take Jarod to a safe place where they could meet.”



Now it was Charles who interrupted his son. “Again? So why didn’t she come here in the first place? And what does she want from Jarod?”



“Dad, Margaret, please try to understand. This is a big step for her. All she wants to do is to talk to Jarod again. Then she could leave too. There is something she needs help with first.”



Jarod couldn’t believe what he heard. She wanted to see him again. And apparently she thought about leaving too. But if that also meant leaving with him was still unclear. And his brother’s earlier words were still clear in his mind: ‘she’s angry at you’.



“When and where?” Jarod asked.



“We should get going soon. Parker wants to meet us later this afternoon at a place called Lake Catherine.”



Jarod smiled knowingly. Ben’s place. A good choice. He watched Ethan closely and realized how tired his younger brother was.



“Ethan, you’re dead on your feet. You need some sleep. I’m sorry, but would you mind sleeping while I drive. I’d like to get up there as soon as possible. You know, to make sure it’s alright there.”



“I’ll be fine sleeping in the car, Jarod. We can go right away.”



They left within half an hour with Jarod’s parents waving goodbye. Charles wasn’t worried much, He had faith in his sons. Margaret was a bit more nervous. This would take another day off their work on the plan and she was a bit apprehensive about Miss Parker’s motives.



***



A few miles down the road, Jarod couldn’t hold back anymore. He wanted an answer to at least two questions before Ethan could fall asleep.



“Is it about her baby brother?”



“Huh?” the sleepy man replied, ripped out of his reverie. “Her baby brother? No. She…”



“Is she really planning to leave?”



“Jarod, I know you want answers, but please, be patient.”



“At least tell me what you meant when you said she was angry at me! Ethan, please!”



“A little while ago you said she was always angry at you.” He shot his older brother a sad smile before he added: “I’m sorry bro, I really don’t think it’s my place to interfere here. This should be between you and her. You’ll find out soon enough.”



Jarod slammed his head a few times against the head-piece of the car seat. He would not get any answers here.



Ethan had his eyes already closed, but before he succumbed to sleep, the broadest grin appeared on his face. A sudden need to share the incredible news rose within him.



“She told me her name, you know,” Ethan whispered before finally giving in to sleep.



Jarod looked at his brother in awe, surprise and joy. Parker had obviously shared her secret with her brother. It was her way, her beautiful way, of showing complete trust and love. He knew that, because once -- a long time ago -- he was at the receiving end of this trust, this love.





**************



The sweeper knocked politely at the glass door, though he rather wanted to rush in to the room. He impatiently awaited the ‘come in’ grunt by the occupant and entered as if haunted. “Mr. Lyle, I …”



“Oh Willie, good. I wanted to talk to you anyway.” Lyle looked up at the sweeper and was caught off guard by the look on his face.



“What?” The only thought that the sweeper had was that his boss sounded more and more like his sister.



“Sir, I just,… I just ran into your sister and she … apparently she … though I don’t know how…. I was very cautious…. but she’s found out anyway that…..”



“Oh that. I know. That’s why I wanted to see you. We have to change strategy. You do as follows. You’ll assign your two best men to do it. Your best men. And two she wouldn’t recognize of course. Send them over right away, and when she arrives later they better not let her out of sight anymore. Got that? And tell them they are not to be caught. Because if they do and my sister doesn’t finish them, I will.”



Willie nodded and left. He was more than relieved that Lyle had not assigned him to do it anymore. Another encounter with the Ice Queen was not on his wish-list.



**************



Three hours later the two brothers arrived at Lake Catherine. Jarod tapped Ethan’s shoulder to wake him up. The younger man grunted and stirred slightly, obviously fighting to stay asleep.



“Hey little brother! We’re almost there. Get. Up!” This time Jarod patted a bit more forcefully on the sleeping figure’s left knee with apparently more success.



“Are we there?” Ethan still struggled to gain his wits.



“Yep. Almost.”



“Almost? Jarod, I haven’t slept for two days!”



“Stop the whining. We are just five minutes away. Besides, I bet you wouldn’t give that attitude to your sister if she’d been the one waking you up!”



Jarod said it in a teasing way, but there was a slight hint of jealousy in his words. Ethan detected it nevertheless. Thinking about his position, the younger man sighed heavily. Standing in the middle of two strong, stubborn and oh-so-complicated people -- two personalities he liked and he depended on -- was very hard for him.



To lighten up the mood Ethan fell into a teasing tone as well: “You might be right there, big bro. But she has a gun, you know. And contrary to my current driving companion, she is a sight to behold. A presence. Who would want to fall asleep around her?”





Jarod immediately knew what his brother was doing. But he could only agree to what he had said. It was true. HE definitely wouldn’t fall asleep around her! And not because of the fact that she was the one who chased him with a gun.



The memory of their earlier conversation was still very fresh in Jarod’s mind. He glanced over at his brother with a slight smirk on his lips.



“And,” Jarod said, “she told you her first name.” No teasing in his tone this time, and no trace of jealousy at all.



“Yes she did.” A broad and proud smile appeared again on Ethan’s face. Nodding his head as if to assure himself of the fact, he repeated, “She told me her name.”



The brief moment of being two of the very few people who shared the same knowledge ended when Jarod steered the car into a dead-end driveway. He killed the engine in front of a medium-sized house that looked rather abandoned. No other car was around and the window shades were closed.



While he got out of the car a rush of panic rose in Jarod as he looked around suspiciously. Nothing else was out of the ordinary, but it was so quiet. Too quiet.



“Jarod? What’s wrong?” came from the other side of the car. Ethan had seen the hunted look on his brother’s face before.



“I don’t know. But I’m gonna find out.”



As the pretender headed towards the front door, a voice from behind stopped him in his tracks.



“It’s not open, ya know!” Jarod whirled around, ready to grab his brother and run. He looked in the direction of the voice. Then he saw a grey haired woman, barely looking over the bushes which created a natural fence between Ben’s property and his neighbor. The woman waved with her hand to be more visible.



Both men let out a concerted sigh of relief at the sight.



“Excuse me, Ma’am, but where is Ben? We’re friends of his and wanted to say hello.”



“Oy, that’s a shame! You’ve missed him by a day. He left yesterday for Arizona. Went for a week to see his brother over there. He too rarely allows himself a holiday, but once in a while he….”



Jarod interrupted the woman’s story about Ben’s habits.



“I see. Well we’re really sorry that we missed him, but I’m sure it’ll do him good!”



The older woman went on, wanting to be helpful: “If you need a place for the night, there is this other …”



Again she was interrupted, this time from Ethan though. “Thank you Ma’am. But we’re just passing through. We only wanted to meet with our sister here and say ‘Hi’ to Ben. Since she hasn’t arrived yet, I guess we’ll just wait a bit here in our car. Then we’ll move on. We need to get up to Vermont tonight to see family.”



Jarod was surprised - and impressed - at this. Ethan usually was rather people-shy and stayed back. But his handling of the situation and the intended ‘hint’ at Vermont was ingenious.



“Oh well,” came from the bushes. The woman was already walking back to her own house. “I’ll tell Ben that you were here next week. Have a good trip, y’all!”



The two brothers looked at each other smiling. “Well done,” Jarod complimented.



Ethan was about to give a sheepish reply, something he got more and more accustomed to when around either one of his siblings, when another car drove up the driveway.



It was not her own car, not her beloved Boxter. Though a sports car that had definitely just been used to its limits for the first time, it was a rental.



**********************



What the two sweepers assigned to wait for Miss Parker at her house didn’t know was that Miss Parker never had the intention of going home that day. By the time she left the Centre, only half an hour after her run-in with Willie, she got into her car and drove north. She didn’t tell Broots or Sidney where she went. Parker simply stopped at her older colleague’s office and told him her ulcer was pretty bad and she would work from her home.



After a few hours of waiting, Roger, one of the sweepers, called his superior to tell him that she still hadn’t arrived.



When Willie, along with a handful of cleaners and sweepers got there a bit later, the team-leader could only conclude – to his misery – that she’d never went back there in the first place. She was gone without a trace. Willie contemplated on what to do next. Call his boss? Well there maybe was another chance before getting into trouble big time.



“You two stay here in hiding. Keep me informed if she shows up. Mike, you’re with me. The rest of you, go back to the Centre and wait for instructions. C’mon, lets go and see how much the good doctor knows ‘bout this.”





***********************



Ethan immediately walked up to the parked car. His beautiful sister stepped out of it, looking around expectantly. Ethan approached her to give her a hug which she reciprocated easily. Jarod looked at the scene with another wave of jealousy rushing through him. Would she ever greet him like that?



“Hi little brother. I see you at least talked some sense into boy-wonder here.”



Parker got out of the embrace and regained her usual goal-intended posture. The young man smiled and greeted her. He let her name roll off his tongue in endearment, beaming with pride.



She was rather disappointed to hear that Ben was not around. But she reminded herself that she hadn’t come up here to catch up with her mother’s old friend. She had come to do some serious business.



“Ethan, would you mind if ….”



The addressed man interrupted her. He already knew what she wanted to say. “Listen, what if I go back to the car and wait, so you two can talk. I have some sleep to catch up on anyway.”



His sister flashed him a grateful smile and gave him one more hug. All the while Jarod watched the scene from a few yards away. She had yet to pay any attention to him.



With a heavy sigh she finally walked up to him. But she didn’t acknowledge him, nor face him nor did she stop. Parker simply passed by and motioned Jarod to follow with her hand. As they strolled down towards the lake and she still kept quiet, Jarod’s patience finally ran out.



“Only a few days ago you asked me to leave; to stop contacting you, quit leaving breadcrumbs. And now, look who contacts me! Funny, how things turn out sometimes, don’t you think?”



Parker briefly closed her eyes. She had expected this, but she refused to get into it. Collecting her thoughts, she replied:



“Grew a little overconfident lately, huh? Having done all the jobs there are, now you’re planning on playing God?”



Jarod immediately changed from his earlier taunting tone to a defensive one: “I can do it,” he said with more conviction than he felt. “I’ve figured it all out. Checked and double-checked. It’ll work.”



Parker stopped in her tracks, whirled around and faced him for the first time since they met there. Her eyes were flashing angrily. A jolt, as if electrified, rushed through Jarod when he realized how beautiful she was. He had often been the reason for her rage, but he rarely had the chance to actually see her up-close at those times.



“Yeah. Genius-Boy has it all covered, hasn’t he? You’ve ventured into the gene-manipulation and DNA-sequencing with mighty success, I believe. I’m sure you even dissected Dolly and you re-did all the newest experiments in the field,” she spat out.

Aside from being rushed over by his emotions, Jarod was also confused. Why was she so upset about her own mother’s plan?



“What if I have? I don’t plan on risking lives, unborn or grown up.”



“Jarod, are you even aware of the difference here? Between the unborn and Ryan or yourself?”



She sighed once more before she could continue. “For the unborn, well, maybe it could work. Maybe my mother’s idea has some merits. I’m sure medicine has come quite a way with that. I don’t even wanna know the details, but if you found a way to …to. Hell I don’t even know what to call it! Let’s call it ‘dampen’ the pretender gene, then do it. Then the unborn children, destined to be ‘special’, would never even become endangered.”



Parker saw that Jarod wanted to say something in return. Raising her left hand, she pointed her index finger at him.



“But Jarod, don’t you even start to think about playing with breathing humans like Ryan, Emily…” she trailed off and her voice became almost inaudible, but she finished with “or yourself!”



With one pat she hit him with her flat hand on his chest. It was not meant to hurt him. It was simply a try to break through, to emphasize her words.



“Damn it Jarod!” Yelling at him again now, Parker added, “Playing with the DNA on the breathing! Hasn’t the Centre done enough of that? Whatever my mother had planned, think about it genius! She had lived at a time when altering genes was little more than sci-fi. And she had seen what happened to children the Centre had tampered with! She could never have wanted it that way!”



With her last sentence she again placed her hand on his chest for just a matter of seconds. Not in a caring way, but not hitting this time either. Jarod looked down at her hand and right into her face when she had taken it away.



The emotion running through him during those few seconds exceeded the feeling of an electrifying jolt. He had to control his every cell not to grab her hand and embrace this woman. After a few controlled breaths he was able to concentrate on the matter at hand again.



“Parker, if I could get the message across that we are useless, the Centre would have no interest in us anymore! We’d be free! We could live a normal life, damn it!”



With a low voice barely above a whisper, she replied:



“Aside from the fact that this is not entirely true, and you know that Jarod, what do you know about being ‘normal’? Nothing! You were born special, raised special, you lived your whole life like that. Now you wanna change forty years of your history, of your life?”



He could hear and feel the accusation as well as the compassion in her aggravated tone.

With another more violent slap on his shoulders she continued, again yelling:



“Playing around like that would change who you grew up to become, who you ARE. And I’m not even talking about possible fatal consequences here. I’m talking about what that could mean for YOU!”



Enticingly beautiful as she was, her words had hit a sore spot in him. Jarod was completely focused on his reply now. “I don’t wanna be special anymore!”



“I know.”



“I never wanted it in the first place!”



She knew better than anyone how true that was. He had never lied to her, and he had no reason to start now. But Parker reminded herself that he was determined to follow his mother’s wish. Desperate to break through, she continued.



“Jarod, were you even listening to what I said to you the other day?”



“What has that got to do with this?” he growled at last, trying to look as determined and not give away his own reservations at the gene-experiment, nor his hurt at the memory of New York.



“Everything. I told you that you cannot, no matter what, pretend your past away. Being a pretender is your past, your present and your future, like it or not. What you do with your gift in the future is up to you, but it is there. If you choose, it can be an ability that will lie dormant in the back of your mind. But don’t tamper with it! If you lose that….,”



Parker trailed off. It took her some time to regain her composure to finish what she wanted to say.



“Let’s say you’re mightily successful, and no side-effects turn up, what will it mean to lose that part of yourself? What will it mean for Ryan? Maybe Emily would not feel any difference, since she never was a trained pretender, but what about that innocent young man? You saved him from the worst in time, and now you’re not only ready to endanger him, you’re going to rip away a part of his life?”



“Why do you even care? Why does it matter to you what happens to Ryan, Emily…or me?”



She took a deep breath and looked right into his brown eyes. Again she had to fight with her emotions. Parker was now faced with what he had not only once, but many times issued to her: an expectation to get an honest answer. In his opinion - and in hers too - the least thing a friend could expect.



“I care … because I think that Ryan deserves a better life than the one we had. I care because I liked a little boy I’ve met almost three decades ago. And, though you might not believe it, I care because I also like the man this little boy has become. All of him. Smart-alleck, pain-in-the-ass genius and all. It’s all … essentially YOU.”



Jarod was caught off guard by her answer. He not only knew that this was the most honest she had been to him in a very long time. Her whole expression, her aggravation and her welled up eyes told him how much she really cared.



Parker was also right with her concern about the experiment. He had his own problems with the concept. But his mother had been so sure that Catherine’s plan could be extended for all of their good.



And he also had doubts about what really would happen afterwards. What about the secrets he had revealed over time? What about all those horrible facts that he and his family knew about the Centre? And, of course, he still had the DSA’s the Centre wanted back almost as desperately as they wanted him. Even if he would succeed, and neither he nor Ryan were ‘real’ pretenders anymore, they would still have reason enough to hunt them.



“It will never end, will it?” he asked devastated, sounding almost defeated.



“I told you Jarod. Disappear. Go into hiding and they’ll never find you. As long as you are still the genius, you’ll always be a few steps ahead.”



In an attempt to counter his last statement, to make the obvious not as unbearable as he may feel it, she added, “Maybe you cannot end the hunt, but you can end the game.”



He wanted to ask her what this would mean for her. How she would end her servitude to the house of horrors, but he knew she would not answer him, at least not to his satisfaction. Because the only answer he wanted to hear was that she would come with him. And he saw in her eyes that that still wasn’t her intent. But he wouldn’t give up. All he needed was a little more time.



“Parker, it’s getting late. Let’s check into the motel down the road and get some rest. We could all use it, most of all Ethan.”



Parker had wanted to stay the night at Ben’s anyway; she had planned to take the first plane back in the morning.



***********



Willie continuously knocked on the front door. When the Psychologist finally opened, and realized who had disturbed his little time of peace, he was more angry than surprised or scared to see a sweeper. Syd was too old and he was in this business far too long to be scared anymore by a Centre minion.



“Willie, what a surprise!” Sarcasm was dripping heavily from his words. In a fake sweet tone Syd asked, “What can I do for you?”



“Doctor, did Miss Parker tell you where she wanted to go today. She is needed at the Centre immediately. She is not answering her cell-phone, and her brother needs to talk to her ASAP.”



“Well, have you called her at… no, if she had turned off her cell-phone she wouldn’t pick up that one either. Maybe you should try this ‘house-call’ at her place, not mine.”



“She isn’t at home,” Willie said before he realized that he had never intended to reveal that much. But it was too late now. “If you hear from her, tell her Mr. Lyle wants to see her.”



With that the sweeper turned and left. On the way to his car he was wondering what to tell Mr. Lyle.



Sydney waited a few minutes, then he went into his studio to retrieve his ‘emergency’ mobile. It was the first time he used it, and it was the first time that the recipient’s phone would ring. A few months ago Broots was ordered to acquire three mobiles registered under fake names. Just in case she had said. She had become more and more suspicious that their phones where tapped.



The doctor pressed one of the two speed-dials installed.



****************



The three unlikely travelers drove down the road to the Bed and Breakfast. It was already dark and all three of them felt the fatigue. The day had been a long one with a lot of traveling and heavy in emotions.



Obviously, they got two rooms: one for Miss Parker and one for the ‘boys’. The owner explained with an apologetic look that only one of the rooms was equipped with a bathroom. Without batting an eye, Parker grabbed for the keys, turned and left her two companions behind. They couldn’t help but smile at her attitude. Apparently they got the room with the bathroom in the hall. No surprise there.



Already halfway up the staircase they heard her commanding voice telling them ‘goodnight’ and to be up and ready at 6h30.



Parker came out of her bathroom; she wore only her underwear and put on her blue silk bathrobe. Thankfully she always had a small bag with ‘emergency-overnight-equipment’ in the trunk of her car. It was a bit colder than she had expected and she was shivering. Parker turned on the heating only to realize that it didn’t seem to work. Cursing at her bad luck she decided to go downstairs to ask the owner about it.



On her way down the hall, another door opened and Jarod stepped out barefoot and clad only in his jeans. He carried his shirt and socks in his hand. A green towel was wrapped loosely around his neck. The two people in the hall stopped in surprise -- both feeling out of place at this more than awkward moment. Jarod was the first to collect his wits.



“Did you need anything, Parker?”



“I… The heating isn’t working. I wanna go down and ask about it.”



“Maybe I could take a look at it.”



The last thing she wanted or needed at this moment was Jarod in her bedroom. Like this, only wearing pants, his enticingly beautiful male body for her to look at.



“No, I can take care of it myself. You go and get….” Before she could finish, he had passed her and was already entering her room. “…dressed.”



“Or not.” She sighed and followed him.



Jarod was already bent down at the heater when she entered. Parker shut the door behind her and walked up. She tried to look anywhere else but at his body.



Tucking rather nervously at the covers of the bed, she explained: “I turned on the thermostat, and the heater is on full force. I really think there isn’t much that you can do here, genius. Not without tools anyway.”



“There is,” Jarod replied, still crouching on the floor. “Usually an additional switch, which has a winter-summer kind of purpose. They probably haven’t changed it yet…. Maybe you could turn on the big lights? Ah, never mind, there it is.”



‘Click’ and suddenly the water started running, with some air-bubbles audible inside the pipe. Jarod rose and flashed her a victorious smile.



Exasperated, she smiled back. “Thank you.” She walked up to guide him to the door when she suddenly stopped, frozen by the look he gave her.



Jarod was completely caught at the sight. Parker was illuminated from the back, the bedside lamp was the only light in the room. And she looked incredible in that light. Her dark hair shimmered slightly red. The dim light that surrounded her, made her look more like an angel than ever before. Her dark eyes shone like stars about to fuse. Never in his life had he seen so much beauty.



They locked eyes, both of them aware of this extremely weird situation. While his mind told him to turn and leave, his body could not follow. The need to touch was unbearable. Slowly, very slowly, he dared to take one of her hands in his and lifted it to his face. Not moving his eyes from hers, he kissed the inside of her palms ever so slightly. The now familiar jolt of electricity ran through his whole body again. It was a heavenly experience.



Parker gazed surprised into his dark eyes, but she did not withdraw her hand. While a million warning bells rang in her head, she chose, just once, to ignore them and give in to the moment – weakness be damned. Almost involuntarily, she moved her hand from his soft lips and caressed his cheek.



Jarod closed his eyes at her tenderness. He wanted all his senses to focus on the more than welcome touch. He completely succumbed to his feelings and leaned into her hand.



Grateful for this silent moment of tenderness he re-opened them a moment later. While his left hand was still covering hers on his face, Jarod raised his other to brush softly with the backside of his fingers over her face. From her temples down to her cheeks to her neck and back up again.



Parker saw his chest muscles constrict, and she felt the need to touch. Her hand moved down from his face to his neck and reached his chest. In soft circles she moved from the left to the right and back again. Jarod’s hand, the one that had covered hers on his face, had fallen sideways when she had moved. They were still at arms-length from each other. And then he couldn’t hold back anymore.



His hand came forward and rested on her waist, but only for a few seconds. When he saw no resistance in her eyes, he wrapped it around her to cup her slightly. Then, more forcefully, he drew her closer until their whole bodies crushed into each other. Her hand on his chest was crunched in-between. Jarod felt her breasts touching his through her thin garment. Breathing heavily now, he couldn’t suppress a light moan. He could feel her arousal, and was sure she felt his just the same.



Parker felt both their bodies reacting. Her breathing had become labored as well and she also emitted a soft moan.



For a brief moment her mind wandered off to think about how many minutes had passed and how long it took for them to stand like that. Touching, feeling each other. To a woman like her – usually ‘getting it on’ rather quickly - it almost seemed comical, only it didn’t. It was a totally sensual thing, bordering on erotic. And she trembled.



Jarod’s eyes had darkened with need. “I’ve waited….we’ve waited half a lifetime for this. Please, don’t push me away. Not this time. Not now.”



The thought of pushing him away was a concept so common to her, but she usually did it out of necessity - or out of habit. Never out of want. And now she didn’t want to either. And she wouldn’t.



When she didn’t move away, his heart made a jump and he felt as if a million fireworks were going off in his head simultaneously.



Jarod watched her closely, waiting for a sign. And a sign he got. A mischievous smile appeared on her lips, almost undetectable, but not to him.

And with a smile in return he closed in to finally kiss her. The kiss that carried thirty years of friendship turned quickly into a kiss that portrayed thirty years of trust. Thirty years of love.



As the soft touch became more intense, she opened her lips to invite him in; their hands as well as their bodies followed the intensity suit. Touching, grabbing, probing until they realized that they were still half-dressed.



When her cell phone rang, both were caught off guard as if struck by lightening. Parker closed her eyes briefly to collect herself, trying to catch her breath.



It was not unusual for her to answer the phone in a rude way, but her “What?” portrayed all the anger and annoyance she felt to be disturbed here, now. There were only three people who would call her at this time and one of them was standing just a few steps away. Then Parker realized that this was not her ‘regular’ phone ringing. So this could only be either Sydney or Broots.



“Sydney,” she sighed. “What do you want?” Unconsciously she gazed at the bedside clock; it was 9:30. “Where I am is none of his damn business.” Parker listened and put on an evil smile. “Oh, goody. So the bastard still has me under surveillance. All you need to know is that I’m in good company. I’ll be back tomorrow morning.” Before she shut her phone she added in a softer voice: “Oh, and Syd? Don’t get into any trouble, ok!”



Parker disconnected the line and started to dial a number. She had thought of this kind of emergency, and she had come with a plan. While waiting for the answer, she walked into the bathroom and kicked the door shut without paying attention to the flabbergasted but still panting pretender.



“Parker here. Listen, I know it’s kind of sudden, but I really could use your help with something.” The person on the line had been surprised but more than happy to agree.

When she was finished, she made another call, this time she called the airport. Parker made a reservation for the 11h30 plane to Dover.





Before Parker was able to exit the bathroom again, she had to stop a moment to recollect herself. She leaned with her forehead against the door and stared at the floor tiles. Her bathrobe was open; he had already been all over her skin with his hands. And it had been a spectacular experience. How the hell did that happen? Why didn’t she stop it? But she knew the answers. It happened because she had wanted it to. And now, yet again, necessity dictated her to stop it and push him away.



It would never end. She had to end the game too.



Back in the room, she quickly started to grab all her things together while explaining.

“Jarod listen, they are looking for me. Lyle is playing his games and I need to go back now.”



“Parker!”



“No, Jarod don’t! You know how it is. Syd and Broots need me there. So don’t act as if it was that easy. I gotta go.”



Without giving him another look, mostly to hide her emotions from him, she shouldered her bag and opened the door. Knob in hand she hesitated a moment. Not turning around, knowing he was watching her intensely, she said softly:



“Promise me Jarod. Promise me to think about what I said. Go back and take care of Ethan and your family and end the game.”



“I will think about it. But could you just ….”



Finally, she turned to look at him once more. Fighting back her tears she admitted:



“I wanted it Jarod. I wanted it too.” Her voice faded with the last words. Unable to hear any other reply, she turned and left. The door closed behind her and the lone pretender fell back on the bed. The sadness that overwhelmed him was ripping at his heart. He understood her motives, but that didn’t alleviate the pain he felt.



***********



The tall waiving man in the crowd was hard to overlook. He stood out from the rest. Smiling in a catching way, dressed in dark blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a blue-white striped shirt hanging loosely over it, he looked devastatingly beautiful. He was unshaved but apparently he had been under the shower before he got to the airport to pick her up. His hair, a bit longer than the last time, was barely dry and looked tumbled. He had probably only ruffled through it with a towel. It fit him.



Daniel approached her and gave her a short but intense kiss. Parker realized the difference immediately. What a difference a kiss could make. The one a few hours earlier had made her knees almost buckle. This one was … well, not having the same effect.



She explained her ‘problem’ on the way to her car. She wanted him to drive her home since there was someone who had her house observed and she needed to appear completely drunk. And she wanted it to look like as if they had spent the evening together.



Daniel wondered what this was all about. But he didn’t ask questions. He told himself that it was probably a jealous wife who had her observed. This woman was a mystery to him and full of secrets. But he was caught by her spell from the first time he had laid eyes on her. And if this whole thing meant he could spend time with her, he would do as she asked.



In the car Parker was completely silent, grateful that her companion didn’t interrogate her about this weird situation. She knew she had to follow her ‘emergency-plan’ through. And that would mean that Daniel would come with her and stay the night. Thinking about the man she had just left behind and the things that were about to occur in that motel room, she suddenly realized that for the sake of being safe she not only had sold her soul a long time ago to that place. That night she would also sell her body.

AN: I thought I could make it through this time without bothering you with a certain musician. Apparently I can’t. Sorry for it, but listening to one of his songs inspired me again. So again, I used some of his lyrics and adapted them to my liking. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind that infringement - he still owes me! Lol. And of course he owns me! For those of you that are not familiar with my obsession, the musician I’m talking ‘bout is Bruce Springsteen, and the song I used is ‘Human Touch’.



House of Cards



Part 12





When they arrived at her house, Parker refused to pay any attention to the car that was a few yards down the street, hidden in a dead-end side road. The preying eyes would only see what she wanted them to see. Walking up to her house, she clutched at Daniel, pretending to have weak knees and trouble walking alone. To the sweepers watching, she would appear mightily drunk; not something out of character for her. After some purposeful fumbling with the keys, she finally ‘managed’ to open the front door.



She slammed the door behind them quickly and let go of her companion. Parker simply slumped onto her couch in the living room. She felt so desolate, so exhausted. Daniel watched all that without saying a word, but he followed her to the couch. She was grateful for his silence. There was a chance that the house was bugged as well.



But Daniel, watching her graceful figure and her beautiful face in the dim light of the living room, had other ideas than interrogating her.



He knelt down in front of her and started tender ministrations of endearment. He caressed her face and soon started to wander downwards. He opened one button of her blouse and then two, until his hands were able to wander underneath. Daniel was aware enough to look into her eyes for permission. . When he saw no resistance, his hands moved backwards to open her bra.



Her body didn't resist. She couldn't resist. Her whole being had been alert a few hours ago, waiting for more, waiting for release. Parker knew that this would happen; she actually knew that this SHOULD happen because everything else would have been suspicious for the knowing eyes outside.



It was not that she didn’t enjoy the tender touches, but that she had to suppress any thought of the circumstances. The first time she had taken Daniel into her bed were on HER terms. This time was different and it hurt. Feeling her body respond to the things the strong but gentle hands did to her, she concluded to discard all thoughts on that for the moment and deal with the repercussions later.





Parker's gaze moved up and down his perfectly built body. He had fallen asleep half an hour ago. Again she couldn't complain. Their lovemaking had been very satisfying. But for the first time in her life she had problems to come to terms with making love to a man she barely knew. She pondered about the whole mess, and looked at the beautiful man beside her. He was not the man she wanted to lie next to that night. For the first time in her life she felt as if she'd betrayed someone. It was stupid, she knew, but she felt like it.





While she looked at one man, her mind wandered to another.

‘Well, boy-genius, you were right. You and me, we were the pretenders. But we let it all slip away from us. We should’ve known better. Because, what we don’t surrender, the world WILL just strip away from us.’





Without getting any sleep Parker got up in the morning and went to the shower. She would wake up Daniel after it. She had to think of a good explanation for him.







************



In a car somewhere in New York State, on its way back to Connecticut, two men sat in silence, neither willing to talk. One was steering the vehicle and, except for the road ahead, was barely aware of his surroundings. He tried to figure out what had happened between his siblings.



The other man was even more lost in thought. He was not angry with her for leaving. He understood well why and for whom she had to return. What he didn’t know was if their brief moments of closeness and her final words meant that she’d come back to him one day. And the uncertainty almost drove him crazy.



Jarod wasn’t looking for praise or mercy, he wasn’t asking for any miracle. But he thought that in this world without pity he wasn’t asking for too much.

Just for someone to talk to, just for a little sign of her friendship. The sign. And that was what almost drove him over the edge – for a few minutes, she had shown him. He had seen it, grasped for it, but once again it had faded away. Eluding him just before he could hold on to it. It had disappeared with a ring of a cell-phone.



He knew that the feeling of safety they both prized came at a hard and high price. But in his opinion, they couldn’t shut off the risk, nor the pain without losing the love that remained in them. And more and more he thought it was worth the risk.



Thinking back at the things she had said in New York, Jarod realized that she had been right: they both had been broken and hurt. But he also knew that there wasn’t anyone out there who wasn’t. She needed someone to hold on to, and so did he. Because all the answers they were seeking, they didn’t amount to much without each other to talk to, to hold on to.







Why didn’t he tell her that? Where was she now? What had she on her mind? What did she do at the moment? ….a million questions. And no answers. At least not until he’d call.



Jarod grabbed for the phone and dialled her number.



A deep, sleepy – and male - voice answered with a suppressed cough. “Hello?” Jarod disconnected the line with the “..lo”. He looked down at his cell-phone in surprise, utterly shocked. When it registered what just happened, an unprecedented anger built up in him --anger at her that he had never felt before.





***********





Parker re-entered her bedroom already dressed for work. Daniel was fumbling through his discarded clothes. He looked around with a guilty expression on his face.



“What? I didn’t compliment you for your ‘talents’ and you think ‘mission unaccomplished’?”



“Huh? Ah, no.” He gave her a self-assured smile. “I don’t need compliments for things I KNOW I am good at.”



“Ooooh, there’s someone mightily sure of himself. So, why this look as if you’d committed a capital crime? You didn’t sneak into my drawer with the underwear, did you?”



“In fact, I do have something to admit, but not that. I’m sorry, but your cell rang earlier, and I wasn’t fully awake yet. I didn’t realize where I was, so I thought it was mine. I grabbed for it without really looking and answered. But the caller hung up immediately, so … I’m sorry for that.”



“Oh. He hung up you said? Without a word?”



“Yeah, nothing.”



“Ok. Doesn’t matter anyways.” Parker accepted the apology as a genuine one. Daniel wasn’t the kind of guy to pry into her business on purpose. He had proved that last night. She already knew who the caller was. She had expected her phone to ring today. It might as well be this way that he found out. And that he would had been a no-brainer for her. He always found out.



“So, Parker, tell me. Will I come face to face with a jealous ex-lover who apparently likes to keep close tabs on ya?” Daniel asked rather pleasantly. “Will I need a baseball bat with me now to defend myself?”



Parker looked at him and briefly wondered if she should suggest a Smith and Wesson instead. Not because of Jarod though, but because she had dragged him into her game with Lyle. She felt guilty for that, but somehow she knew that the Centre would have no interest in him if he stayed a one-nighter. And that was exactly what he was. She would not endanger Daniel anymore than that.



“Don’t worry. I’ll have everything under control.”





********************



Jarod threw his cell onto the glove compartment in front of him so hard that it bounced back from the car windshield and fell at his feet. He cursed and bent down to retrieve it, just to throw it once more -- only this time onto the backseat. He wanted it out of his sight. He wanted to get the phone call out of his mind.

He had had a bad feeling about her secret phone call in the bathroom, and now his worst assumption proved to be right.



She had gone literally out of his arms to spend the night in some other man’s arms. The rational part of his brain – usually the more prominent one – told him that she must have had good reasons to do that. Sydney’s phone call probably had meant big trouble for her. To spend the night with a man virtually unknown to the Centre, was her way of assuring that no one found out about her previous endeavour.



But the pretender had difficulties with this rationale. Because the emotional part of his superior brain was still working overtime. He could still feel her in his arms, he could still smell her, even taste her on his lips.



Ethan interrupted his thoughts. “Did you call Parker? What happened? Jarod?”



“Huh? Yeah. Nothing. Nothing happened.”





*********************





Parker was on her way to the Centre. She had given Daniel a kind of farfetched explanation, but he hadn’t seemed to mind much about that. If he really believed it or not was not that important.



She had asked him outside to talk to him in her backyard. There, in the early morning sun, Parker had talked about an important public figure who she had had an affair with.

The affair had been brief but the media as well as his wife had caught on and she was now under the scrutiny of both of them.



She told Daniel that she had been on a business trip in New York last night and she had felt observed. That’s why she had needed him to pick her up and wanted to appear drunk.



The young bartender had taken the story with a sympathetic smile. Apparently he knew about situations similar to her ‘predicament’. They had parted afterwards with a kiss and an open plea by Daniel that she’d call him soon. She had not answered him, only given him a smile that could be taken as a sign of promise. A promise that she didn’t intend to keep.





After she had passed the security at the main entrance to the Centre, Parker sighed in resignation. Here she was, again up against the devil and his minions. She wanted nothing more than to make Lyle pay for his intrusion into her life, despite her warnings.



Though this time she had to take a more subtle road. For the sake of Daniel as well as for last night’s event to appear even more real, she would not reveal to her twin that she had known about the surveillance. If Lyle thought that she had been oblivious to the sweepers, her night with Daniel would be so much more believable.



But Parker needed a plan to make Lyle pay nevertheless. She had told Jarod to end the game, but what she had not expressed openly to the pretender was that she planned to end it from her side as well.

It was time to face the music. Parker had the eerie feeling that something big was about to happen and she needed to be prepared for it. Even if Jarod would listen to her – and somehow she believed that he would – she knew that he would not let go of her mother’s plan completely. She only had to figure out how to use the momentum that certainly would present itself.



Her first destination was the tech-room. Broots was definitely already at his computer, tracing some useless lead on the ‘elusive’ pretender.





********************



Ethan felt the apprehension in his brother. He also felt his sister’s worry about something. And he heard his mother’s voice, whispering words of caution. The young man wanted to help his siblings more than anything else, but he didn’t know how exactly.



They arrived at the family’s safe house in Connecticut around noon. A few times Ethan had tried to get his brother to talk, without much success though. After a while he relented and decided to wait until his older brother was ready. The pretender needed to come to terms with what had occurred the night before and earlier that morning.



Before they got out of the car, Ethan started once more, this time not to interrogate Jarod about what happened, but about what would happen now.



“Jarod, what will you do? What will you tell them?”



Jarod ran his fingers through his hair in a futile attempt to calm his nerves. The knowledge of what she had been doing that night still bothered him tremendously. But he couldn’t let this influence him in his future actions. He would deal with his anger and hurt later.



“I don’t know Ethan. I don’t know. We have this once in a life-time chance to use your mother’s plan on the one hand, and your sister’s unequivocal demand to let it go.”



“She wants us to disappear.” Ethan offered.



Jarod closed his eyes briefly. Her face appeared in front of him. Like a movie in fast forward mode, their conversation at the lake in Maine replayed in his mind. The ‘movie’ came to slow motion the moment she faced him. Her eyes pleading with him telling him that she wanted this, needed this more than anything.



With sudden certainty and a new found determination Jarod opened his eyes and looked over to his younger brother.



“She wants me to end the game. And that’s exactly what I’m gonna do. My way.”



***



The two brothers entered a house full of activity. Emily was on a computer browsing the net. Ryan sat on the couch. Dozens of sheets of paper were spread in front of him. Chewing on a pencil he gazed at a book placed on his lap, trying to figure out a specific problem. The television was running on medium volume.



The door to the kitchen was open and they could see their father setting the lunch table while Margaret was busy on the stove with a spatula in one hand. With the other she was just about to bring a string of spaghetti to her mouth, apparently to check if it was al dente.



Emily was the first to realize their return.



“Jarod, Ethan! Mom! Dad! They’re back!”



The dishes, as well as the spaghetti, were immediately forgotten. Major Charles and Margaret left their respective chores and came running into the living room.



The family gathered around the two newcomers. All had a million questions on their faces. Margaret was the first to speak.



“Has everything gone alright? Has Miss Parker’s question been a genuine one? Can we move on now?”



Ethan was a bit hurt by Margaret’s implied accusation at his sister. But he didn’t say anything. He told himself she was just worried about them and he didn’t want to start a fight again.



Jarod hugged his family and began to assure his mother.



“It’s alright, Mom. We have settled everything. We can go on now. I will start right away.”



The Major put his arm around Ethan and looked at his oldest. “What was it all about?”



“Later Dad. I’ll explain later. Now the important thing is to adapt the plan to new circumstances.”



Margaret frowned at the news and began to update Jarod immediately. “Yes, the plan. You know, Ryan had been working on it almost all night. He made quite some progress.”



The young man twitched slightly at these words and felt the need to elaborate. With an apologetic look he explained. “Well, not too much progress. I did some calculations but somehow I always hit a wall at a certain point of the sequences.”



“It’s alright Ryan. We’ll look into it together.” For the first time Jarod flashed a smile at his family. “Do I smell some pasta here? Can’t we eat something first? We’re starving, right Ethan?”





After lunch Jarod grabbed a cup of coffee and went to the front porch. He wanted a moment of solitude to gather his thoughts and prepare for the work ahead. Everyone else was still in the kitchen, busy with the dishes, or in Ryan’s case, with the dessert.



Margaret appeared on the porch a few minutes later. She watched her son for some time. After a while she couldn’t hold back anymore.



“She won’t come, right?”



Jarod sighed heavily and looked at his mother with sad eyes. He saw the love of a mother in her face, but he also saw an expectation that he didn’t know how to fulfil. He tried to find the right words to prepare his mother for some setback, when she started again.



“I can see that you are hurt, and I am so sorry for that. But she has made her choice. She’s not your responsibility anymore Jarod. We will go on and finish this. If she doesn’t understand, doesn’t want it, so be it. We need to take care of us now.”



“It’s not that simple, Mom! She …. She doesn’t have a choice. Not yet anyway. There are people there she cares for! She had a point in the things that she said. And I promised her to ….”



“No Jarod, no! Whatever she said, whoever she cares for, I don’t give a damn! Because I care for you, for the people inside this house. That’s all that matters to me! Her mother never wanted her there, she knows that now. If she’s too stubborn, too entangled with this evil going on there, then we shouldn’t… you shouldn’t pay attention to her demands! You don’t owe her anything. Whatever you think she means to you, she isn’t anymore!”





For the first time in his life Jarod became really angry at his mother. He tried to control his emotions, but he couldn’t let her talk like that. She didn’t know the whole story, and he was adamant in making his mother realize that this was not only about this family.



“Stop it Mom! Stop it! You don’t know! I…. I care about her, a lot! And she cares about me too! You know why she’s against the plan? Because she cares for me, for Ryan, for all of us! This tampering with the DNA is dangerous and she knows that. This could have fatal consequences, and she doesn’t want anything bad to happen to any of us!”



“But Jarod….”



His own outburst frightened him. He never thought he would yell at his mother like that. At his mother’s attempt to interrupt, he fought back some of the anger. With a raised hand he shook his head sadly and continued in a calmer, but nevertheless determined, voice.



“No Mom, don’t! I will work on the plan. I’ll find a way to get us out of here safely. But I’ll also find a way to keep my promise to her. I owe her that. I do owe her.”



Jarod turned and left his mother alone on the porch. Margaret felt as if torn apart. She felt guilty for making her son so upset, but she also was a bit angry at this change of course. The day before everything was set to proceed and now all of it had changed. She was scared. For her son, her family.



For thirty years she had believed in something, thirty years of hoping for this one chance to come. And now the feelings of her son clouded his mind. The one woman who was the reason of Catherine’s initial conception of the plan, was now the woman to destroy thirty years of Margaret’s hopes.



The older woman decided to go for a walk. She needed to clear her head. Maybe she could talk to him later. He was so angry at the moment, and so was she. They both needed a little space to calm down.





The Major had watched in silence as Jarod came back into the house and stomped up the stairs. He heard a door slam and looked out the window. His wife was about to walk down the road. The older man could imagine what had just happened outside. Some of their arguing could be heard clearly in the house. He pondered which of his loved ones needed him more now. He decided to walk after his wife.

AN: Grazie tanto è molti bacci to the wonderful Cassy, a gal with knowledge of genetics. She helped me out with the difficult stuff of gene- experimentation. I'm not going into any details, but she explained me where I was wrong.

This time a big hug goes to the land Down Under! Kat, thanks for stepping in as my beta at such a short notice! (My beta-angel from before didn't step down, she went on a much deserved vacation! Enjoy my dear!)

House of Cards

Part 13

The Major had a long talk with his wife. It was not easy to convince her to back down. He understood well her determination. So many years of sorrow, pain and loneliness. But Charles also knew that his son must not be put under this kind of emotional pressure.

The older couple had sat on a bench for a long time; the Major had held his wife in his arms and talked to her. He had told her that Jarod needed her support now more than ever. He needed her faith and trust, and she must show him that now.

When they returned to the house, Margaret had promised to try and not bring up the issue of Miss Parker anymore. She was the one factor that Jarod had to deal with on his own. If her son was ready to trust this woman, they had to support him in that.

Margaret didn't like what her husband had asked of her. She wasn't used to anyone telling her what to do or think. She had experienced too many decades of loneliness and too many years of sole decision-making to give in easily. But her love for her family had never changed. She still felt the connection to the man she had fallen in love with all those years ago. It felt like one of these miraculous once-in-a-life-time encounters, when even after thirty years of separation, you feel like you've just talked to this person the day before.

And her son. Her son was everything to her. She only wanted to see him happy, finally. Nothing else mattered except the happiness of the people inside the house. She would oversee her own reservations, forgo her own dreams for the dreams of the people in this house. And if Miss Parker was such an integral part of her son's happiness, well, she would survive that too.

But Margaret still had her doubts about the woman, and that place. In her opinion the Centre and Miss Parker where too intertwined to be seen as separate 'cases'. Parker was still there, still working for them. Why? The older woman still had difficulties to understand. Her husband, Ethan and of course Jarod had found reasons for it, but in Margaret's opinion those reasons were just not good enough.

***************

Jarod sat in his room on the bed with his legs crossed and the laptop sitting in his lap. He had taken all of his previous work from the days before as well as Ryan's most recent data.

The pretender was about to get into his most difficult pretend in his life, but not because the genetic work was so difficult.

He had found it almost impossible to block out his feelings. Never before had he been so personally involved. This was about him, about his own family. And the emotional upheavals during the previous day and hours weren't making things easier.

His fight with his mother was still vivid in his mind and nagging at him, and every other minute unpredictable thoughts about Parker flashed in his mind. It took him a long time to finally fall completely into the needed state of total concentration on the matter at hand.

It was completely dark in his room when he returned into a normal state of consciousness. The only light came from the computer screen in front of him; it was already past ten o'clock. He remembered slightly that Ethan had knocked to call him for dinner quite a while ago. His half brother had immediately realized where Jarod was and had quietly closed the door again.

The pretender shook off his pretend from his mind. He had decided on the appropriate action to be taken. He came to the conclusion, that a DNA- tampering on himself or Ryan was absolutely impossible.

His own work from thirty years ago was remarkable. As a young boy he had been twenty years ahead of his time with the extrapolation of the human gene. Jarod silently thanked Jacob and his mother for keeping his notes so secret for all those years.

But no matter how groundbreaking his work had been, it was essentially useless for what Margaret had wanted him to do.

It was eventually possible to block the protein, the substance, but definitely not to change the DNA-strand, though blocking was also only a remote chance because it would have - just as Parker had predicted - fatal consequences. Brain-damage was ultimately inevitable.

The DNA-strand is converted into proteins and those proteins are necessary regulators that control all human metabolism. But each protein interacts with many others and has many different functions. The final result of an alteration of even a single one is virtually unpredictable, in particular for proteins involved in brain functions. Too little was still known about the brain and its metabolism, that a change so radical had as many chances at success as an aimless shot in the dark.

In the middle of the pretend Jarod came to a completely different solution to the experiment. He would turn the entire idea around toward the opposite direction. Since it was not possible to alter his genes, he would alter the RESULTS. He could take some of his and Ryan's tissue-sample and alter the results regarding the EXPRESSION of the gene that was actually involved with showing the pretender phenotype.

Therefore, he would alter the DNA-sequence and make it appear to work. Jarod would send this to the Centre. Their conclusion must be that it worked; that he successfully had changed his superior brain into a 'regular' one.

The Centre would certainly check and double check the sample, but it would take them time. It would put them under enormous pressure, and the Centre never was at it's best when the runaway pretender was the one holding the cards. He could use the time to disappear and, maybe along the line, find another way to help Parker to do the same.

When he gathered his thoughts again, Jarod knew exactly what they needed to do. He almost buckled as he rose from the bed and put his weight a bit too suddenly onto his legs after been immobile for so long. They were bent and crossed for such a long time that he had to work out the kinks and stiffness in them before he could go downstairs to let his family into the newly formulated plan.

**************

The Centre was as dark and depressing as always. This place not only killed a person's spirit and hopes but people as well. Her heels clicked on the floor and echoed in the hallway. Employees of all sorts became quickly aware of who had arrived.

Two security man, sweepers actually, ducked back into the first elevator available. Without the actual intention of going anywhere, but a run-in with this woman was not something they wanted. Especially after they were ordered to accompany Willie last night to go to her house and later interrogate her older colleague about her whereabouts.

Sweepers of the Centre were not easily scared, they were professionally trained assassins and feared nothing. Well, almost nothing. But anyone carrying the name Parker, could make their skin crawl. One of the sweepers, a blonde mountainous guy who had killed with his bare hands, pondered about how - if she were to find out what they'd been doing last night - she would come at them like Godzilla running over a small Japanese town.

A male secretary almost ran into her, but could avoid an embarrassing - and ultimately dangerous - physical encounter at the last second. Miss Parker passed him by, shooting him a warning look, when she suddenly stopped and turned to call him.

"Yes, Miss Parker?"

"Go and get Broots and Sydney. I expect them in my office immediately!"

She didn't even wait for his reply. Parker was certain that he knew better than to not follow her order at once. She disappeared behind the glass doors of her office, and the secretary almost tripped over himself as he ran to the tech-lab to heed her wish.

With a mug of coffee in hand Parker sat down and looked rather forlornly around. She needed a plan, and quickly so.

Her two trusted co-workers entered her office a few moments later. Parker looked at them but didn't speak immediately. She couldn't help but wonder, just how her relationship to these two had changed over the years. Sydney knew her ever since she was a little girl, but only during the last 5 years she began - slowly and reluctantly at first - to open up to him.

Broots, nervous moronic Broots, had become a dear friend as well. He had always backed her up, he had always been there for her, even if it had meant considerable danger for him. And she would go to hell and back to protect him and his daughter now. It was a feeling of protectiveness that Parker hadn't known before. A few years ago she never considered anyone but her father as important enough to care about, and the woman realized that this side of her was what must have come from her mother: Protecting the people around her from the horrors that this house of hell poses.

Sydney took in her appearance worriedly. She looked tired and he wondered what the memo on Parker that Broots had found in the Centre security-files was really about.

Broots held several printed sheets clutched to his chest. He had come about it this morning while checking the mainframe for anything unusual. And unusual stuff was what he had found. It was what really started to scare him. Not immediately for his own sake, but for his boss, his friend. The woman sitting in front of him, the woman he had started to admire a long time ago, for her strength, her determination, and of course for her breathtaking beauty.

"Miss Parker, Broots has found something that you need to see." Sydney turned to his colleague and waved his hand at him. "Give it to her Broots."

"Ah. Yes, yes. Miss Parker, I.. this morning..I came across some memos on...well ..on."

"Broots! For once, stop the babbling! What is it? A memo on, let me guess: me?"

"Ah. Yes. Miss Parker, Lyle is keeping a very close eye on you. This memo is a report on you. Ah, your..ah, your."

"As I told you last night on the phone, Willie was looking for you at my place." Sydney interrupted the muttering tech.

Miss Parker leaned back in her chair. Her eyes were on Sydney, her look was astonishingly calm. But both men knew that inside she was like a volcano about to erupt.

"Gimme the memo! My demented brother has developed a rather close interest on me. Let's see what he has found out."

Broots handed her the sheets. He had been very surprised to read that Miss Parker had been with a man last night. A man that she had taken home and apparently spent the night with.

Parker took the three sheets and quickly ran through the content. It was a sweeper's account of last nights occurrences. With a close description of what Daniel looked like and her 'drunk' behaviour. The lines on Daniel made her a bit nervous, though she was sure that Lyle would conclude that this man was of no immediate interest to the Centre.

Finished with the memo she looked up at her colleagues, smiling dangerously.

"Broots ..." she was interrupted by her phone. With an exasperated sigh she looked annoyed at the ringing device. She had a fair guess who that will be, and she was not in the mood for it now. But it also could help her with something concerning her next step.

"What!"

"I'm surprised you didn't sleep in after last night's ..exhausting occurrences."

Jarod's voice was taunting but she heard the hurt in it as well. There was nothing she could do about it. She had to keep up her appearance.

"You're the reason for my tight work schedule, Jarod. Your game is controlling too much of it, so let me tell you frankenrat: my freetime schedule is none of your damn business."

The pretender knew that this was not a 'real' conversation. Her office- phone definitely was bugged by Lyle or Raines, or both. Nevertheless he was tempted to at least say something.

"Too bad I think. For once, you know, it would be nice to get to know you in your 'freetime'."

"Dream on labrat. The only thing you'll ever know about my freetime is when I walk out of your cell after I catch you. Shutting the door in your face will be my first real freetime activity."

"Right Miss Parker. Keep on deluding yourself. The Centre will never let the bells of freedom ring for you." Again Jarod wanted something more than playing their usual game. He lowered his voice, the tone was still taunting: "Let me ask you something: last night, did you get what you want?"

She immediately caught on with his question. 'What she wanted'. She briefly closed her eyes and prepared for the answer.

Jarod expected her reply with a heavy heart. He was certain that she knew what this was about. A little more than 14 hours ago she had told him that 'she wanted it too.' She had wanted to spend the night with him. But in the end she had left, gone to spend the night with another man. Now he was anxious at her answer.

"I always get what I want, Jarod!" Click.

Parker hung up before she could hear any other reply by him. Aside that it made her heart heavy at how sad and hurt he had sounded, she had got from the phone-call what she needed. If he had done it knowingly or not was of no importance to her.

She rose from her desk and grabbed her coat. "Come on boys. The hunt is on. Broots, call Sam to await us at the car."

While the tech was on the phone, the three hunters were on their way to the elevator. Sydney started to inquire on the mysterious 'lead' they were apparently on.

"He said something about 'freedom' and a 'bell ringing'. What would be your conclusion Freud?"

After a second of confusion, the doctor smiled knowingly. It seemed that they were on their way to Philadelphia.

Arriving in Philadelphia, the four Centre-hunters exited the black town- car. Miss Parker ordered her trusted sweeper to cover their backs from a distance. Sam should pay attention to any other sweeper team that might show up in the shadows of the streets. He was a bit surprised that his boss didn't include the order to watch out for the pretender but on the other hand: it wasn't the first time. He would do as she said, that's what he was here for: to follow her orders, and only hers.

The remaining three hunters strolled down the road until they arrived at the monument the city of Philadelphia was most famous for. Miss Parker walked up a few stairs and sat down. Sydney had been confused for a little while. Jarod had talked about the 'bells of freedom', so why weren't they at the Independence Mall which houses the Liberty Bell? But the doctor knew that she must have her reasons, so he shrugged slightly and sat beside her. As did Broots, but only after a little while. The tech was a bit distracted by the statue on the top of the stairs. He had seen the movie a thousand times, but never had the chance to actually come here.

Miss Parker started the conversation without further ado.

"Listen, I don't know what our lost monkey-boy is up to, but I have the feeling that things are gonna change. Fast. He IS up to something, and we need to be prepared for it."

Sydney had his eyes on her. "Parker?" She turned her head to face the doctor and shook her head. "Sydney, I don't know. Just.. pay attention to anything that seems out of the ordinary." The corner of her mouth went up, into a cynical smile, "and I know, how idiotic THAT sounds."

Parker turned her head into Broots direction who sat on her other side. "Especially the secret mainframe, Broots! You hear? If Jarod decides to play a new game, he's gonna hack in there, as usual. I need to know EVERYTHING!"

Naturally there was no sighting of the pretender in Philadelphia. Though Sam reported he did recognize a black sedan with tinted windows. Lyle was still having his team following her. For the sake of staying with her phone call, Parker and her three companions went to the other side of the city to the Liberty Bell and acted as if they were on one of their usual searches for Jarod.

When they returned to the Centre, Miss Parker wrote a report on the lead, just like all the other times to support her act and make it all appear more believable. She so wanted to go to Lyle and make him pay. She felt the deep urge to grab him by his throat and squeeze it tightly. She wanted to watch how he struggled for a breath, wanted to see his fear in his eyes. She at least wanted to beat the living shit out of him and stuff the damn report where the sun never shines. But she couldn't, she wouldn't. She swore to herself that the day would come. Soon. The image alone of the chance of getting back at Lyle made her feel better a bit.

******************

The room was dead silent. Everyone looked at Jarod in awe. He had just explained his newfound solution to his family; how he planned to fake the results and send it to the Centre.

To Jarod the silence was so loud that it seemed to echo in the room. He wanted them to talk.

"Well, what do you think?"

When still no one answered him, he turned to Ethan "Ethan? Any thoughts?"

Ethan looked into his brother's eyes. He had a serious but supportive expression on his face.

"I think it could work."

"But..." came from behind in a hesitant voice. Jarod turned to that voice. He wanted to hear all opinions.

He actually was ready to follow up on the plan in any case, but his family's opinion was important to him, especially on this. Maybe they would point out something that he had overlooked. The pretender was well aware of the uniqueness of the situation. On any previous pretend, he had never doubted his own conclusion, he had always made sure that he had thought of any possibility. But somehow he didn't feel so certain this time.

"But, Ryan? But, what?"

"I'm sorry Jarod, I just don't understand. Why would you do it, if you're sure they eventually find out anyway? What good would it do? Why not disappearing without this?"

Jarod smiled at this question. Ryan was thinking in 'pretender terms'. He calculated the pros and cons, thought about all possible ways and when he reached a conclusion he went for it. But Ryan didn't know all the variables, except for Ethan, no one really did.

"Because, I know it is difficult to understand, but I need to finish something else. And I need a bit more time. We will disappear, but I can't leave all of it behind just like that."

"What about Catherine's plan, Jarod?" Margaret's voice sounded defeated but also aggravated.

"Mom, listen. Whatever Catherine had thought could work, won't anymore. Too much has happened in the past for us to be able to ever feel safe. I will make sure we will disappear, but I can't promise you anything. We always will be chased, no matter what!"

In a last effort to convince her son of her idea, her dream of how they could finally find peace, Margaret rose and took her son by his upper arm. "But if you cease to be a pretender you will be useless! What reason would they."

"I'm sorry mom, but times have changed. As someone told me: we must face reality. They would still be after us. So, what I intend to do, is end the game from my end. I have what I wanted: you, my family. Now I will cut all contact to the Centre. No more leads, no more breadcrumbs.."

He looked at Margaret with pleading eyes. Jarod wanted nothing more than his mother's consent. He needed her support and her trust on this. A brief silence had fallen upon the room after his last words had died down. The pretender turned, to once again address Ryan and finally answer the real reason for the delaying tactic.

"And there is something else. Well, not something, someone." After a little pause, Jarod added: "I might not be able to actually make her come with us, but at least I could help her find her own way out of there."

The major smiled a sad smile at this, it took Emily a few more seconds to catch on, then she smiled as well.

Ethan was still looking rather seriously at his brother. But he felt relieved that his half-brother was not abandoning his half-sister. In Ethan's opinion it was just the way it should be. It was Catherine's plan. He never had believed in Margaret's 'solution' anyway, he always had his own idea about this old plan. Well, more than an idea, he had a 'feeling' about the real thing. Not on what his mother had planned in detail, but that it was Jarod AND his sister together that were essential to it. And Ethan somehow knew that this way it would work.

Ryan stared a bit dumbfounded at his 'older brother'. The young man knew that his brother meant Miss Parker, he knew about their connection. It was still quite a mystery to him what exactly this connection was, but he knew there was one. He had seen it in his brother, and he had seen it in her eyes. He remembered her eyes, it was a fond memory. The only good one he had from all the years at the Centre.

He adored his big brother, he wanted to learn to live in this weird world by learning from Jarod. If Jarod had concluded, that it was the right way, Ryan would follow him to any length. And if the woman with those incredible sad blue eyes could be helped, Ryan was even more for it.

Only Margaret looked at her son as if he had just explained he would go back to the Centre. Tears were forming in her eyes, but she didn't want anyone to see them. She simply turned on her heels and retreated to the kitchen.

Jarod watched her leave sadly. He turned to his father in search for any sign of support.

"It's gonna be ok Jarod. She's gonna be fine."

"Maybe I should go...."

Charles took him by his arm to hold him back. "No son. Don't. Leave her alone for a moment. I'm going to check on her in a little while. For now let's leave her alone. It's better that way."

With a deep sigh Jarod relented. He didn't want his mother to be upset. But apparently there was no alternative at the moment. And he was eternally grateful for his father's support in this. There was a lot of work waiting for him and he needed to get on with it.

After a bit more of consulting and explaining, he went to get some tissue- sample from Ryan and himself. With the appropriate tools and the secured sample, he returned to his room to pursue his intentions that very night. The change of the results was actually not too time consuming. He was finished by the next day afternoon with a little sleep in between.

Now all that was left for him to do was to send the results to the Centre. The missing thing in his plan was still exactly how he could help Miss Parker.

What he planned to do, was either to contact herself or make Ethan contact her the moment the Centre would be on its proverbial toes after he had sent the probe. They would be too involved in finding out about the merits of the results, than to pay her actions too much attention. Syd, Broots and herself, even Angelo, they all could use the moment of confusion to get out. He would help them of course in any way possible. The only question was, if she would take his help or once again turn down his offer.

********************

Raines and Lyle looked in utter shock at the computer screen. This morning the Centre's senior operatives had gotten the same mail by the elusive pretender. Jarod had sent an e-mail to Raines and Lyle as well as the actual sample by real mail.

Somehow Raines felt as if he couldn't get enough oxygen anymore. With erratic breaths he started to cough. In between he uttered:

"If this ........is true ..........everything .............we worked on ..........is ..........useless."

Lyle was confused and upset as well. But he was not completely convinced by the information they'd gotten. He tried to stay clear headed about it. "It might be a trap. I can't believe this can be done that easily."

Raines looked up from the screen. "He is a pretender. He did things you can't even start to imagine, when he was no more than 10 years of age. He could do this too."

The old man turned away from the screen and got up, dragging his oxygen tank along. Raines started to pace. An activity that did not fare well with his already drained lungs. But he wouldn't have survived that place without always finding a solution, without finding another way to seal his power rank. With a face, that told Lyle that the he had yet again an idea, Raines returned to his chair and sat back down.

"But you're right. It could also be a trap. Have the lab check up on this immediately. And I want the best people on this. But just in case, we need to start the child-search again. Immediately. We need a pretender, Lyle! And we need one fast. Our contacts want results."

"How do you propose to do this new 'search'?"

Raines' face turned into a secretive but nevertheless, evil grin.

"Lyle, the Centre never bets its existence on only ONE race horse. A few years ago we have invented a special search program and secretly installed it on all the big computer networks of clinics and laboratories in the country. Since we failed with NuGenesis and that boy, our tech people had worked on this search program. It is designed to find all matching data. Meaning, if the specific pretender pattern of a person, a child, is detected, we will know about it."

"Well, interesting. Why in the world didn't we use it before?"

"Because we needed to be careful. If Jarod found out, it would've been ultimately dangerous to us. But now we don't have a choice. And I have the feeling, that he not only pursued this little thing here to let us know he is useless. He has found his mother. That has always been his most important goal. I have the feeling he is trying to disappear for good now. Sydney had said that many times. The time might have come."

"What about my sister?"

"Whatever happens, she must not find out about this. Jarod has found Margaret before we could. We have failed there. Margaret knows things. She has probably told him all by now. This could be the result of what Catherine had wanted to do so many years ago. Have Miss Parker continue the search for Jarod but keep her under constant observation. We all know by now that she is too much like her mother when it comes to children. Too emotional. She could compromise the whole operation. And we both know how she can get, when it's about some secret of Catherine's. So keep her busy, Lyle, under any circumstances, keep her in the dark."

Lyle listened and wondered if the old man was really that blind or just plain stupid. Keeping close tabs on Miss Parker was not the problem. He already did that. But keeping her from uncovering the Centre's secrets, was a different story. Even Lyle had developed a healthy appreciation for his sister's determination and spunk. But Lyle wouldn't go into this discussion right now. As long as Miss Parker didn't get in HIS way, he would simply do as he was told.

"If Jarod is indeed gone, why have her continue to search for him?"

"I know what you're getting at Lyle. 'Whoever wins lives', isn't that what I said? Well, I was thinking of not wasting valuable resources. Your sister can in fact be still valuable. She has a powerful gift, if used correctly and for the right reason. We could still use her. I have actually a plan on doing so. But not yet. Not yet."

***************

Jarod had also sent the e-mail to Miss Parker and Sydney. They needed to be aware to what was going on.

It was late afternoon when Miss Parker read the e-mail for the hundredth time. She knew exactly what the graphics and genetic codes meant. But as shocked as she was, she refused to believe that Jarod had actually done it. 'If he did it, I'm gonna kill him. Slowly!' she thought, as the door to her office opened.

"Miss Parker?"

Broots entered the room with Sydney at his heels.

"What Broots? Anything?" she looked up and quickly added, remembering the prying ears at the Centre, "on Jarod?"

"Well ... actually... it could be something. Look at that." He handed her a printout. Two dozen sheets full of numbers. Line after line, each explicitly showing today's date. She used to be SIS, she knew what it meant. It was a printout of the mainframe-computer work program. And it meant that a specific program was working overtime since this very morning. The mainframe was hacking into hundreds of different networks and computers all over the country. And it was not one of the usual search-programs running a search for Jarod.

Someone had been very busy. But what she couldn't tell by the numbers was WHAT exactly the target of this search was. Margaret? Gemini? Broots interrupted her musing.

"Take a look at page 13 and then at 15 and 18. That could be interesting. Could be ... Jarod."

Broots had added the name of their prey with a hesitant but hinting voice. He also paid his 'tribute' to the listening ears he knew were always there.

She immediately took the pages out of the stack. Several lines were highlighted, and Broots had written something on the corner. Barely readable, but she had gotten used to his erratic handwriting. It was similar to his speech-pattern.

Aside each highlighted line, her tech had written its apparent source. 'Boulder Maternity Clinic', 'Central Unit for Advanced Children, San Diego University'; 'Children's Center at Phoenix Central Hospital'; CDC Genetic Research Unit, Atlanta. Even a few governmental labs belonging to the Department of Health, were hacked into.

All this indicated one thing to Miss Parker: the Centre was looking for a child. A special child. They had restarted the pretender-search again.

Parker processed this as if nothing happened. Inside though, she was boiling. This could not happen. She grabbed the papers and stuffed them into her handbag. She needed to think, but she couldn't do that here.

"Broots those information look promising, but I need more details. Keep on searching. I want details by tomorrow morning. I'm not gonna run from one side of the country to another just because you and your tech-freak- colleagues are incapable of pinpointing the place he is!"

With that she waved at her two friends and left. But not without a grateful look into Broots' eyes and a concerned glance at Sydney.

Miss Parker sat in her dimly lit living room. The tv was running, but the sound was turned off. She looked forlornly at the screen, not really realizing the program. She held a glass of scotch in hand and mused about the day's occurrences and pondered about her next step.

Parker remembered the little boy, the Centre had once found due to the contact to NuGenesis. Davy. She recalled her feelings of regret and sympathy for that little boy when she had seen him lying there in Angelo's arms; completely subdued by the drugs and experiments Raines had put the kid under. Back then it had taken her some time to actually admit it. Too many other things had been swirling around in her head. Her search for her unknown twin, Angelo's state of complete sanity and, of course, Jarod, right in front of her.

But she had made the right decision then. She had decided to help Davy. She had never wanted that little boy to get hurt or abused, that it had worked out differently didn't change the fact. Davy had been freed, which had been the important thing.

What could she do now? How could she stop this before any other child would fall prey to the Centre's clutches? Would Jarod be aware of these new developments? Had he disappeared yet?

And yet again too many things happened at once. Margaret, Ethan, Daniel and Jarod. At the end it seemed to be always about Jarod. Well, Jarod and her, always had been and apparently always will be.

Jarod's mother had appeared, with all the secrets. Ethan had told her about the plan. A plan that Parker herself had tried to uncover for years. But the moment she had finally heard about it, she wasn't sure if she'd ever wanted to know. She refused to believe that her mother had come up with something so dangerous.

Parker's only hope was that Jarod was strong enough to withstand the blind faith of a woman that believed in something for so long. She didn't really blame Margaret, she couldn't. Parker herself had believed so many things for so long simply because she wanted to believe them. Jarod's mother was probably caught up in the same trap. But if anyone could convince her to rethink, than it was the annoying little shit of a pretender.

The tv was turned to the evening news. Pictures of government officials were flashing on the screen. The head of the new Department for Homeland Security apparently gave a lengthy interview. Somehow this peeked her interest. Parker grabbed for the remote and turned up the volume. Not because she was too interested in what he had to say, but because a thought in the back of her mind crept slowly forward.

A far away thought, that she couldn't grasp yet. The pictures, the interview and her current dilemma, something told her to connect it all together. What was the connection?

And then it struck her like lightening. The forlorn thought suddenly developed into an idea. An idea so obscure but so simple on the other hand. There, in the middle of her living room Parker just found a way to finish this. It was dangerous, success was a far chance and her own safety was even less certain.

She grabbed her things and made her way to the door. On her doorstep, she stopped abruptly. Parker remembered her 'shadows' somewhere out there on the road. She could not allow them to find out about her next destination. If it would be only about her, she would not give a damn. But some other lives were on the line here as well.



Miss Parker sneaked up to the car hidden behind some trees a few yards from her house. Crouching down to avoid being seen in the review mirror, she slowly made her way to the door. With one swift motion she opened the door on the driver’s side and trained her gun on the head of one sweeper.



"Don't even think of moving a finger or you'll be snoring dirt for the rest of eternity."



Both sweepers froze. They knew better than to tempt her.



"You," she motioned to the second one, "take your handcuffs and favor your friend here with them." The sweeper looked up and pondered about his options. He had his orders from Lyle.



Apparently he just got re-assigned. Lyle and Raines, both terrified him. But of course so did Parker when she was like this. And she was here, right in front of him, eyes blazing and gun in hand. Lyle was several miles away, and if the sweeper chose to cross Miss Parker now, there wouldn't be much left for his boss to terrify. So he did as he was told.



Parker threw in her own pair of cuffs and ordered him to put them on himself. Both sweepers were secured now, but not secure enough in her opinion. With her gun still trained on them, she ordered them out of the car. Both men, big as they were, were told to get into the trunk. She didn't care if there was enough room. In order to survive, they would arrange themselves somehow together in it.



Trunk closed shut, she allowed herself a sigh of relief. She was safe for now, but she knew that wouldn't last. Her only hope was that the newest developments at the Centre were enough to keep Lyle from thinking too much about his lost sweepers for just a little while.





On the way to her own car she took her 'emergency-mobile' from her pocket and dialled a well-known number. “Syd, I need you at Broots’ house. NOW!” She hung up without adding anything else. Parker knew that the doctor would immediately hop into his car, probably forgetting to get dressed and arriving there in his PJ’s, a robe and house-slippers.





She drove the short distance to her tech's home in a state of a marginally controlled frenzy. She had a plan now, and she wanted to get on with it. But impatience wouldn't get her there any faster. This needed some good thinking. She knew she needed to restrain herself and to work on her own tendency to act too quickly.



From her car Parker called Broots as well to let him know to expect them. Her devoted colleague was already waiting for her on the front porch.



When the doctor arrived as well – in his sleeping outfit, indeed - the three gathered in Broots’ backyard. None of them felt safe to discuss anything in the house. Illuminated only from the moon and the stars, Sydney and Broots looked at her expectantly.



Pacing around them like a caged tiger, Parker explained what she had planned. But in order for them to understand, she started at the beginning.



Something she had witnessed sitting in her car at a red light, had made her suddenly aware that she intended not only to tell them everything simply because they needed to know.



Shortly before she had arrived at Broots’ place, she had stopped at a traffic light. Impatiently waiting for it to change green, Parker had glanced around. It was semi-suburban Blue Cove at 12h30. There was a bar on the corner, she saw the doors opening up and three people came out. From their attire, they looked like business people, probably office colleagues who had taken a drink after work and apparently forgot the time. Two men and a woman walked out of the bar smiling. They looked very comfortable in each other’s presence, the friendship they shared wasn’t lost to Parker.



To Parker, those three people were the kind of friends that shared office-gossip over the Xerox-machine, colleagues who once in a while went for a after-work drink together talking about their families; what plans they had for the next vacation and the fears they had about their children’s choice of college.



All these thoughts went through her head during her the two minute drive from this red light to her destination. And in those two minutes she decided that the two men she had worked with so closely for the last six years, deserved to hear the whole story. Even more than they needed it to hear it, they deserved it.



Told in short-cut sentences they finally found out a few things about their boss’s latest endeavours. Parker told them a comprised version of everything that had happened over the last two weeks.



From Jarod’s initial contact to tell her about Margaret, to her demand that he finally leave. She told them about Ethan’s late-night visit as well as her last meeting with the pretender. And Parker told them also how her night with Daniel fit into this picture. The only thing she left out was how awfully devastated she had felt the night she had left Jarod behind and ended up in Daniel’s arms.



But this was something neither of her two friends really needed to hear. They saw it in her face, in her eyes. A pair of night-blue orbs that glimmered in the moonlight. Eyes that so often hid the pain and sorrow that this incredible woman had to bear for so long.



When she was finished, Broots and Sydney witnessed how the pain and sorrow in those eyes were replaced by sheer fire and determination. A fire that made the tech slightly afraid and the doctor mightily proud.



Parker told them about her idea, about her intention to end this once and for all. And both of them were sure that nothing could stop her anymore – not even the Centre!





****



It all happened at once, late afternoon the next day. Her plan had worked faster than she had expected, but she didn't want it any other way; the sooner the better.



Raines' final mistake was to order the search for a new pretender and - once again - underestimating Miss Parker.



What she had asked Broots to do was to hack into the new search program and overwrite it. Her idea had been mightily successful. The search program, originally designed to detect specific data on exceptional human DNA in networks of fertility and maternity clinics, was 're-written'. In miraculous speed, Broots had found a way to change the search pattern without being detected.



After only two hours he had managed to make it as if the Centre now hacked into the highest level security networks, searching for security data and defense parameters.



The offices at the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the Pentagon went stir crazy within a matter of minutes.





****************



Jarod looked in awe at the new developments on the screens of his laptop and his father’s, which was sitting parallel from his. One was tapped into The Centre’s Mainframe, the other followed some secret communication between the highest governmental defense offices.



The frenzy exchange at the latter was caused by the happenings of the first, which was clear to the pretender.

He had to smile at the development. She was damned good, but he had always known that. Though her latest stunt impressed him to a new extent.



His whole family was gathered around him as he explained what happened.



Still unbelieving he uttered: "She did it on her own. I can’t believe it. This is going to be their downfall !"



Only his mother was still too detached, still suspicious of what seemingly went on.



"What did she do, Jarod? Won't she be endangering all of us with this?"



Jarod turned around and looked straight into her eyes. He was ready to tell her once and for all in no uncertain terms to stop blaming Parker, to stop being so against her. But when he saw the sad and scared expression in his mother's eyes, he relented.



There was simply no way for his mother to forget thirty years of mistrust and hatred for that place. She still couldn't keep apart the Centre and Miss Parker. She needed time for that, and Jarod understood that he had to give her that time. There was no need to yell at her and force her to trust Parker within a matter of days. Hell, it had taken him some time as well. The day would come, he was sure of that. After this was over, even his mother would see Parker's good soul.



In a voice much softer than he originally had intended, he said with a loving smile:



"Trust me mom. If you can't trust her, at least trust me on this. Please!"



Major Charles wrapped his arms around her and whispered something into her ear. Margaret just let out a sigh and hid her face in her husband's chest.

Jarod realized, that she was still against this, still fighting, but was now ready to at least stay back and give them the benefit of the doubt.



He turned to his screen again and ordered Ryan to assist him on his next step. The new developments needed to get out, the media should be aware of this. In that case the government couldn't hide this 'breach' and secretly let the Centre off the hook.



No matter how good the contacts to the highest levels of the government were, the Centre would not get away with this. Jarod knew, that when the national media was made aware of this, the government would be ready to drop the Centre like a hot potato.



While Ryan worked on the task to send all necessary information to the major news-channels and print media, Jarod once more hacked into the Centre databanks. There was some data on the Centre personnel accounts that needed to be deleted.



Fifteen minutes later there was little to none information on a few people previously working for the powerful organization. Jarod deleted his own files from all the well-hidden places in the Mainframe, and he made sure that no data on Sydney, Broots and Miss Parker could be determined as criminal or compromising.





Ethan stood in the corner of the room with a satisfied smile on his face. Finally the Centre would fall, just as Catherine had planned. Raines’ eternal quest for power and his constant underestimation of the indescribable bond between Jarod and Miss Parker - that thirty years ago, he himself had initiated with a simulation - had become his final downfall. The two people destined to be separated by glass, by an external force, by indoctrinated hate, had found a way to overcome the enforced evil. Still separated but working together, the Centre didn't stand the least of a chance.




***************



The government had always been a secret partner of the Centre, but was now much more alert to security-breaches and not willing to let this go unpunished.



Especially since an unknown source had leaked the 'breach' to the national media. The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the CIA were over the Centre like a plague of grasshoppers.


Helicopters were circling around the huge complex like bees. Dozens of police cars were spread around the whole area, cutting off every possible way out. FBI agents as well as several high ranking NSA officers were gathered around and sweeping the whole building with guns ready and cell phones in hand. There was no doubt that this operation would end the Centre as it was.





FBI agent Clayton stood in Miss Parker’s office and took in her appearance. He had explained his orders to her and waited for her reply as well as for his colleagues to tell him that all offices were secured and all personnel accounted for.



The woman in front of him, though a high level operative, was cleared from charges and considered a crown witness. He had just asked her to assist in all following investigations and to work with the FBI as well as the DA.



Miss Parker hadn't said much ever since the agent had entered her office. Seconds before it had started, Broots had informed her of the curious changes in the mainframe and some 'Breaking News' on the internet and on CNN. She had expected it, though not that quickly. When she had turned on her TV in her office, she had to smile. Jarod. Of course, like always, he had known.



Now she only wanted to be told that Raines and Lyle were caught and secured. She would not feel safe before that, she would not talk to them before this was certain. Clayton was on his walky-talky, talking to colleagues, giving orders and cursing.



The agent was just informed that Lyle had been caught down in the garage while trying to hot-wire one of the FBI's own cars. He had apparently been putting up a fight, but in his very own best tradition knew when to step down. He had given up rather quickly and promised to spill his guts on every Centre secret he knew.



Parker listened in on the conversation and felt the urge to go down and ram a knife into her twin, preferably a sharp and rusty one. And every officer believing him should be punished in a similar fashion. Again, Lyle tried to dodge out of the situation, and again he seemed to find people who trusted him. She needed to clear up a few things about Lyle for agent Clayton.



As she turned to address the officer, he again started to yell into his walky-talky. He cursed and stomped his food into the ground.



Raines had disappeared.



Parker forgot her revenge on her twin immediately. Raines wasn't found. This news rang in her ears and screamed to her to get into action. Miss Parker, furious and determined not to let him get away yet again, decided then and there to go on a mission on her own.



The agent in charge followed her out of her office but quickly had to learn that this woman’s will was as fundamental as earth wind and fire. He soon lost her in the maze of the Centre, so unknown to him and so familiar to her.





***



Raines dragged along his tank as fast as he could. The authorities were sweeping the Centre, the sub-levels were crowded with officers and agents. All but the SIM Lab at SL-21. Raines had successfully retreated there without being detected. He had a plan how to get out. Down here was a vent that almost no one knew about; a vent that was not on the Centre blueprints. He knew about this vent only because Miss Parker had found it when they had been stuck there. It was when Brigitte had planned to kill Mr. Parker. It was the perfect way to get out.



Miss Parker arrived at SL-21 just as Raines tried to get his oxygen tank safely into the vent. From the moment she had heard about the old man’s disappearance she had known where to look for him.



Parker drew her gun and aimed it at her life-long enemy. The personification of death, of evil, of every horror in her life.



"Planning on hiding somewhere?" she growled dangerously.



"Miss Parker. Stay out of this, or you will be sorry."



"Ooooh. Now you don't sound as threatening anymore. But for the record you ghoul: I. Don't. Respond. Well. To. Threats." She accentuated every syllable to its deadly effect, her gun aimed right at his heart. Though, she wondered briefly if there was a heart to be hit after all.



"You will NOT get away. I'll make sure of that. It's over."



"If only you weren't so much like your mother, we could've ...."



"Don't you dare talk about my mother! You used her. You manipulated her. You betrayed her and of course there is this tiny detail that YOU EXECUTED her! I saw it, twice actually. And now...now I will watch you go down. It will not bring her back, but hell, if it will not bring me some sort of peace."



She cocked her gun, and slowly pulled on the trigger, just far enough, that he could hear it click. His eyes widened in disbelief. She had had many chances of killing him before, but she never had gone through with it. Raines thought desperately how to protract the situation. Where the hell was Willie?



"I still have answers, you so desperately seek."



"I don't care anymore. It's over."



Somehow he believed her. The feeling that she would not step down this time more and more settled in.



"Miss Parker! Take down the gun!" Agent Clayton had finally found her. He immediately understood what was going on here. The officer saw no alternative but to draw his own gun and aim it at her.



The situation granted that she felt a bit nervous - and she was - but she wouldn't show it. Parker didn't even look at the voice from behind. She kept her aim at the target and spoke to the agent.



"Clayton. You don't understand. He wanted to escape, I simply stopped him."



"Yes, Miss Parker. And it looks like you've caught him. And now, let me take over."



What neither Parker nor Clayton knew or had counted on, was that Raines had sent his loyal sweeper Willie to get an emergency oxygen tank from the infirmary. Raines wanted to make sure he wouldn't run out of air, while hiding in the secret vent.



A tall and armed figure crept around the corner.



"Anyone moving is dead!" Willie stepped out of the shadows, his own gun in hand, aimed at Clayton.



Miss Parker swirled around in surprise, but remembered her prime target and his attempt to get away. So she turned again towards Raines. "Looks like a dead end here. So what's it gonna be, Willie? Shoot, and Raines is dead."



There was a gun trained at her, maybe even two, but at this moment she couldn't care less. She had Raines, finally, and she had some things to settle with him. Raines' sweeper wasn't really scaring her, she was well beyond that now.



Death was certainly the last thing she feared. She had been waiting for death for years. The only thing she really feared at this moment was that Raines would get away, yet again. She would not allow this to happen, never again.





Willie pondered about his choices. His first priority was his own life. And as long as the federal agent was alive, he was as good as dead. The sweeper made up his mind. He shot. Miss Parker whirled in shock ready to shoot Willie. But she was a nanosecond too late. Willie had already chosen her as the next target and fired. The bullet hit her the very moment she took her own shot.



Willie was hit in the chest. He dropped his gun as his knees buckled.



Miss Parker looked down on her blouse. The spot of the impact was immediately coloured dead red. She was about to fall unconscious, but fought it with all her might. There was one more thing to do before she could give in. Wavering and faltering, she raised her gun again and aimed it at the bald man crouching in the vent.



During the shoot-out occurring before his eyes, Raines found time to draw his own gun from underneath his jacket. The time had come for him to shoot yet again at a female Parker.



Still fighting to keep standing, Parker saw him grabbing for his rifle. For a single second she closed her eyes, and hundreds of images flashed before her mind. All the images contained one common picture: Raines! Raines how he blew smoke into her face when she was a little girl. Raines when he was drugging Jarod as he was still a kid. Raines when he took away her twin from her mother. Raines in a dozens of more situations that all amounted to darken her soul. The last image was Raines as he shot her mother right after Ethan’s birth.



At this, her eyelids shot upwards, and with a last look in his evil eyes, a last look that portrayed all her anger, all her hatred, she pulled the trigger.



Raines was hit right between his eyes.



The last thing she saw, was the man who had destroyed her life, had taken away all her hopes and dreams, falling back into the vent, dead.



There was another shot, but Miss Parker didn't hear it anymore. She went down as well and lost consciousness. She didn’t see how a couple of agents arrived at the SIM Lab. One of them had taken another shot at Willie as he saw how the sweeper struggled to raise his gun and aim it at her one more time.

Epilogue: House of Cards



(AN: some images in this little piece were inspired yet again by a song by Bruce. It’s called ‘Missing’ and it spoke to my heart!)





Eleven people were gathered around the freshly covered grave. Mourning the death of a colleague, a friend, a sister - and a quarry. Some of them hadn't even met her, but mourned just the same. Because they knew why she had died, and they knew how much they owed her for it.



Even Margaret, who had been so suspicious of her until the very end, had tears in her eyes. She never had wanted her to die. Not like that. The older woman sent a prayer heavenwards, that God would forgive her of not trusting the woman who had sacrificed herself at the end.



She prayed, that Catherine would be expecting her daughter and they could be happy now in God’s graceful arms. And Margaret, prayed that Jarod could forgive her for all the things she had said to him about the woman now dead. The woman he seemed to love so much.





One of the mourners did not stand, he was crouched on his knees aside the gravestone. He looked at the inscription with tears falling unchecked. He hardly realized the people around him, all he could see through his watery eyes, was her name on the cold gray stone. Cold as death. Dead as she was.



Ethan had tried twice to approach his brother, but hesitated both times just before he had reached him. It was no use. His own feelings were so difficult to bear with, but on some level he felt not as empty as his brother did. Because with her death, Ethan was also relieved of the eternal pain in his head. Three days ago, at the very moment of her death - though then unknown to him - he had heard his mother's voice for the last time. Ever since that, he had experienced a silence and a sort of peace that he had not known before.



"I'll have her now. My love is with me, she is safe now, and so will you, my sweet boy." Those were the last words Ethan heard.



When he had told his brother about it, Jarod had immediately run out of the house and jumped into the car, with his cell phone in hand desperately trying to call her. But her phone was answered by an unknown man who allegedly was an agent by the name of Martins. Agent Martins refused to answer his questions until the desperate pretender had yelled at him, threatened him and then pleaded with him to tell him where Miss Parker was.



Jarod had been still on the driveway, steering the car down to the main road. He had been just about to put his foot on the accelerator, when the words of the officer had settled in. The shock had run through him so unexpectedly, that he had pushed on the breaks hard enough that his whole body had jolted forward and his chest hit the wheel. It didn't need much and the airbag would have come off.



The sky had gone black in front of his eyes, his arms had turned to stone. He had been waiting for her so long to walk with him and now she was gone.





His eyes were still on her name on the grave. Jarod had still trouble to grasp what had happened. There had been two things he had worked on all his life. All of it meant nothing now. He had found his family; they had found a way to bring down the Centre. Now one thing was certain: the price for his freedom had been too high.



She had paid the price, for all of them.



An emptiness filled his whole being, his body as well as his soul and mind. Jarod felt a void in his soul that seemed to drown him. Everything had become meaningless. Everything he had ever said and done in his life had lost its purpose. Even everything he had said to her. Even his love for her because now it felt as empty and meaningless as anything else, because now she was dead.



It all had come tumbling down. The Centre had fallen. His family was looking for his guidance into the free but unknown future but he felt unable to do it, incapable of leading his loved ones without her. Even though he had never really had her on his side, he missed her up to the point of physical pain. Everything was in place now, everything was all right, but she was missing.



The day had been sunny and bright. To Jarod it felt like God was smiling brightly at the world instead of crying for the loss his world had to face. He felt like he had to throw up at this cruelty. Jarod gazed down at the small lines that had formed on his dusty and dirty shoes . Lines that were drawn by his endlessly falling teardrops.



How would he go on? Without her in his life, without her sweet kiss that he had only experienced twice?



He didn't know how to begin again.



And then he looked around, looking for something in the faces of his family and friends. He saw the tears and loss and pain in each and every face. And though he missed the one face he most wanted to see, he also saw faith, trust and love in them. He looked at Broots and Debbie and felt their sorrow. Then he looked into the sad and teary eyes of his mentor and her supporter and friend. Jarod's eyes moved to Ryan and finally to Ethan. His half-brother gave him a sad but supportive smile and nod.



In this brief moment of silent exchange, Jarod suddenly remembered - as if transported through his brother’s gaze - the bits and pieces of their last few conversations: "I promise Jarod I won’t betray you. ...Just live the life you have been searching for so long. ....I care because I also like the man this little boy has become. All of him. …It's all essentially YOU. .... Promise me Jarod....go back and take care of Ethan and your family and end the game."



Jarod rose with a last look at her grave. And with all determination he could muster, he choked out his last words to her: "You ended the game and I will keep the promise."





The End



I killed her, I know! The thing is any 'happily ever after' for them both was simply impossible for me to do in this story. She went down - her way - doing as much damage as possible and taking the Centre down with her. My idea has always been that MP would be the one responsible for their final downturn - no matter what those damn scrolls say! *grin* At least I let him help her a bit along the way! *smiles evilly*



Last feedback and review? I’m expecting quite some now! Even if you think that was crap, tell me!

So all’s left for me to say here are some last words of gratitude!

Zsazsa: Köszönöm szépen! It’s been always a joy and helpful to hear your words on this one! You know i luv ya madly! Cassy, millie grazie e molti bacci! Mi hai aiutato moltissimo! (the surprise didn’t work lol) Lisa, danke und bussi!

All of you gave me advice and comments that helped me a lot!



And many hugs and kisses over the two oceans that separate me from my two beta-angels! One is sent Westwards and one Down Under to Kat! You guys are great, thanks for all the work, the comments and advice!