Disclaimer: “The Pretender” and its characters do not belong to me they belong to TNT and NBC and are being used without permission. Please don’t sue because I have no money.


Back Again
By: 24


He yawned and stretched as he woke up from a deep sleep. A deeper sleep that he’d ever had while he was inside the Centre and free. He had no nightmares and was glad of that. He opened his eyes and blinked looking around him in a state of panic. He should have kept on sleeping because what greeted him when he awoke was his worst nightmare. He was back inside the Centre and he didn’t know how he had gotten here and who caught him. He tried to think if Mr. Lyle, or Miss Parker had captured and drugged him, but he couldn’t think of anything. He was at a loss.



*****

A Day Ago

Dallas, Texas



Walking down the street a sweeper named Gavin had been tailing the runaway pretender. He was very good at what he did because Jarod hasn’t even seen, or felt him. The Centre in an effort to catch Jarod had sent sweepers in almost every State and town there was in America. Gavin was just luckily enough to catch sight of Jarod and phoned in to tell them. That night Gavin watched as Jarod got out of his car and walk up the walkway to his temporary lair. He saw the pretender unlock the door and go in shutting it behind him. Gavin quickly went to the van he had around the corner to watch what Jarod was doing. He had planted mini cameras in the house, so he can keep track of where he was and what he was doing. He watched as Jarod open his laptop and turn it on. Waiting for it to load he went into the kitchen and get himself something to eat. As he ate he checked his mail and then did some research on the Internet. After that he picked up the Halliburton case and watched as Jarod opened it and watches some of the DSA’s that it contained.



After that Jarod sat on the couch and watched a video that he had gotten from somewhere. Probably from his pretend Gavin thought to himself. Well, he won’t finish this pretend he smiled. You are going home wayward pretender. When Jarod was done he turned the video off and watched the news and then turns it off after it was done.



He watched as Jarod got into bed and go to sleep. Gavin turned to the box that was near the screen and pushed it. He waited a few minutes to then started up the van to park it right in front of the house. He got out and broke in and walked into the bedroom taking a moment to watch the drugged man sleep. Not only had he planted the cameras in the house, but he also planted something in the house near the bed to go off when he pushed a button. He picked up the sleeping man and carried him in a fireman’s hold. He had already opened the door to the van and dropped Jarod on the ground. He then went back in and gathered Jarod’s belongings. He then called the Centre to tell them that he had their pretender and to send a Centre jet to pick them up.



The Centre jet arrived and two sweepers grabbed the pretender and loaded him in the jet. Gavin grabbed the rest of Jarod’s things and followed the sweepers inside. He sat down and looked at the drugged man and smiled. He had done what Miss Parker could have never done, what Mr. Lyle had never done. He had captured The Centre’s most prized pretender and brought him to the Centre.



When they landed they were all taken to the Centre and took Jarod to his space. He was congratulated on a job well done and he would be Jarod’s guard while he was inside the Centre. He took one last look at the man and smiled.



“Welcome Back to The Centre.” He said to the sleeping man and then he walked away. He would be in for a surprise when he woke up he thought to himself. He wouldn’t want to be in his shoes when he wakes up.

Disclaimer: “The Pretender” and it’s characters do not belong to me they belong to TNT and NBC and are being used without permission. Please don’t sue because I have no money.



Back Again
Conscience
By: 24



Miss Parker

Miss Parker watched through the one-way mirror as Jarod and Sydney did a simulation. She watched as Jarod was subjected to a traumatic experience that someone else had lived through. He was getting into the mind of the person to see why a person had done something. Sydney had gone into his office to check something out and watched Jarod as he turned pain filled eyes towards the glass. She was shocked to see him looking right at her. It was like he knew that she was there watching him. She remembered before the reeducation when he was free how he would call her and give her clues to her past. How he would always whine about what he had done inside the Centre.



The next day Miss Parker watched again through the one-way mirror and watched as Sydney and Jarod did another simulation. This one was about how just one person could infiltrate an organization and bring them down with some bloodshed. After they were done Sydney once again went into his office. Once again Jarod turned to the window zeroing on where Miss Parker was. She then remembered what she had said to Gemini the boy that looked like Jarod did at that age. She had told the boy that she saw the same pain in another boy’s eyes and she looked away. She also remembered that she wouldn’t look away again and here she was looking away from Jarod’s pain. She had only seen a few of Jarod’s simulations and the one where her brother and Mr. Raines had killed him and brought him back again.



She made up her mind as she looked through the window and then walked away. She was going to help Jarod and she needed help.



Sydney

Sydney watched as his brilliant student gets into the mind of someone and then looked into his eyes and saw the pain there. It reminded him of when he was free and would talk about his painful past. He couldn’t take it any longer, so he left to go to his office. He couldn’t get watch Jarod as he went through a traumatic experience.



The next day Sydney watched as his pretender did a simulation that would cause some damage. He knew that it was a military contract and so he knew that it would cause bloodshed. He also knew how angry Jarod was when he found out what his Sims was used for. Once again he couldn’t face what Jarod was doing, so he went to his office.



He made up his mind as he looked through the window of his office watching Jarod look through the one-way mirror. He would help Jarod, but he would need help.



Broots

Broots watched through the surveillance camera as Jarod went through a painful simulation. He watched as his normally bright kindhearted eyes turned to pain filled and worried eyes. He couldn’t watch anymore and so he turned away from the monitor.


The next day Broots watched another simulation through the surveillance camera. This one he knew would be used for evil. He remembered when he had stepped inside his house to get help because one of his simulations was used for evil. He remembered that Jarod had helped him by giving custody of his daughter Debbie to him and not his ex wife. He was grateful for what he had done. Then he remembered when Jarod had helped him when he was on the run from the Centre and Damon. He had watched as regret has crept into his eyes as he shot and killed Damon.



He made up his mind that he would help Jarod after what he had done for him. He would need help to do this.



All three of them met in secret at Sydney’s cabin. They all would each have a job to do when it was ready to get Jarod out, but first they had to set it all up.

Disclaimer: “The Pretender” and its characters do not belong to me they belong to TNT and NBC and are being used without used without permission. Please don’t sue because I have no money.




Back Again
Getting Out
By: 24


A Week Later

Jarod was in his room when Sydney came in. He was at the table studying for the next simulation and he needed to be ready. He looked up as Sydney opened the door and wondered why he was here.



“Jarod, we need to go.”


“Where are we going Sydney?”


“It’s a surprise.”


“A surprise?” Jarod asked curiously. He had never gotten a surprise and didn’t know what it was.



“You’ll like it.”



They walked towards one of the vents and Sydney took the cover off. Angelo was there as it was pulled off.


"Angelo, I haven’t seen you in a long time.” He hugged his friend.



“I need you to go with Angelo and he’ll take you to where you are supposed to go. I’ll see you later.”



He watched as Sydney made his way towards the elevator and then turned to his friend.



“Come on.”



Jarod went into the vent and put the cover back on. He then followed Angelo to wherever he was taking him. He would find out when they stopped at their destination. The cover was pulled off and they both got out. Jarod stood there as the night breeze ruffled through his hair. Suddenly there was a bright light in his eyes. Jarod brought his hands to cover his eyes.



“Jarod, it’s only me.”



“Sydney.”



“Come on we don’t have much time.”



“Where are we going?”



“I’ll show you.”



Angelo hugged Jarod and said goodbye. “Angelo’s not going with us?”



“No, I asked him and he said he didn’t want to go.”



“Goodbye Angelo.”



They went to Sydney’s car and took off. They parked in the driveway of Sydney’s cabin and waited until Miss Parker and Broots got here. Car lights could be seen coming up the driveway. Jarod looked out through the window and watched as they were turned off.



“Who’s here Sydney?”



“You’ll see.”



Sydney opened the door and let in Broots and Miss Parker. They both had brown bags and put them in the kitchen. A cardboard box was under one of the bags and it was put on the table.



“We got pizza, Sydney.”



“Thank you Broots.”



“Sydney, who is the man who is here?” He asked as Broots went into the kitchen.



“That’s right you don’t know who Broots is. I’ll introduce you when he comes back.”



Miss Parker and Broots came in and looked at Jarod.



“Jarod, this is Mr. Broots.”



“Hello Mr. Broots.”



“Hello Jarod.”



“Well, it’s time to eat. We brought Pizza.”



They all went into the kitchen and sat down at the table.



“Pizza? What’s pizza?”



“This Jarod.”



He lifted the lid and got a piece out and put it on a plate then he gave it to Jarod.



“This is good.” Jarod said as he swallowed his first bite.



After the pizza Miss Parker got out the ice cream.



“What’s that Miss Parker?”



“It’s ice cream.” Miss Parker remembered the first time she was put on Jarod’s case to capture him and he had sent her ice cream. She spooned out the ice cream and gave one to Jarod and then to everyone else.



“This is good.”



The next day Jarod woke up and looked around. He wasn’t at the Centre and then he remembered what had happened. He got up and looked out the window then he put his hand on the window.



“You can go outside Jarod.”



Jarod looked back to find Sydney there looking at him. “I can go outside?”



“Yes, but don’t go far. We still have to eat Breakfast.”



“Okay.” He opened the door and went out onto the porch. He squinted and put his hand up to his eyes to shield him. Sydney came out and gave him sunglasses to put on.



Jarod walked out into the lawn and just stood there as the sun shone on his face. He was outside and took the time to look around him. He heard the birds singing in trees. He smiled as the wind blew through his hair.



He was called in by Sydney and followed Sydney into the kitchen. He sat down in the chair and started to eat when Sydney started to eat. After dinner the phone rang. It was Miss Parker telling him that the Centre called telling her that Jarod ran away. They would have to go in.



Jarod was gone one day and there was a note on the table when he got home.



Sydney,



Thank you for getting me out of the Centre, but it’s time for me to leave. I’ll keep in touch with you and with Miss Parker. Tell Broots and Miss Parker Thank you for me. I appreciate what you did for me.



Jarod



Jarod had stayed a week, but it was time for the bird to leave the nest.



The End