Matter of Blood
Part 1
by N.R. Levy



Miss Parker hated being late, especially now that her jerk of a brother was in charge. Still, it couldn't be helped. Her chipped tooth had turned out to be a little more severe, and she'd had to go today to the dentist's office to get her new permanent crown. God, when she found Jarod she was going to ship him somewhere - preferably in tiny pieces in the smallest Fedex envelope possible.

She stormed into her office, dropping her things on the desk, just barely missing a brown paper wrapped package that sat in the middle. Parker couldn't help but roll her eyes as she looked at the handwriting on the package - another gift from Wonder boy.

She was just about to open it when her most dearly despised twin walked in without bothering to knock.

"You're late."

"You're a moron, big deal."

Lyle fought the urge to snipe back at his sister. Today, he actually needed something from her, which meant he had to watch his step. He noticed the package on the desk and reached out to touch it. Parker slapped his hand away and he withdrew it quickly as she picked up the box and held it away from him.

"See what I mean, you can't even read. It says, "Miss Parker," not her mutant twin."

"My, my, we are in a good mood today, aren't we?" That made Parker glare harder. She didn't know why she had pulled the package away from him. He was in charge; he eventually got his hands on everything these days. Still, something inside of her wouldn't let him have that kind of control over her - at least, not with her consent.

"Was there something you wanted, Lyle?"

"As a matter of fact - There's a board meeting today. I could use your support on something."

Parker raised her eyebrow. "And that would be?"

Just then, Broots entered, also without knocking. Geez, was she going to have to post a 'Knock Before Entering" sign on her door? She turned her attention to her favorite computer geek.

"What is it, Broots?"

"I, uh, I - um, Sydney just called. He isn't feeling well, so he's not going to be in today."

"Great, like we don't have a mountain of work to do. Lyle, can this wait?"

Lyle wanted to argue, but he couldn't afford to piss her off. If she went against him at the meeting, there was a chance his position could be in jeopardy. He wondered if she had any idea the kind of power she could wield now that their father was gone if only she wanted to.

"I'll stop by later - we can have lunch."

The thought of eating with her brother made her lose what little appetite she had, but Parker simply nodded and watched him leave. Only once he had closed the door did she begin to unwrap the package from Jarod.

"What's that, Miss Parker?"

"Do I look like I have x-ray vision?" She shook her head as she finished unwrapping the package, finding a plain brown shipping box. Quickly, Parker grabbed the scissors and ripped open the tape that secured the box.

Broots knew that Jarod enjoyed playing games with Miss Parker, and though he knew that sometimes the results were painful disclosures about her family, Broots was certain what Jarod wanted was for Miss Parker to find the truth about herself. He also knew he didn't need to be a genius to see that what was in the box was having a profound affect on Miss Parker.

"Miss Parker?"

Carefully, Parker reached inside the box and pulled out a leather bound scrapbook. The book's cover was embossed with the name "Catherine Parker."

Broots saw the name and was about to turn and leave when Miss Parker's voice stopped him.

"No, Broots. Stay." She uttered the words as a plea more than as a command, and that more than anything froze Broots in place.

Miss Parker opened the book and began to slowly turn the pages. Inside was a chronology of her mother's entire life - report cards, baby pictures, a newspaper clipping from the time she'd won the swim competition. Clearly, whoever had assembled the book had done so with a great deal of love and care, and Miss Parker suspected that person had known her mother her whole life.

"Miss Parker, does it say who it belongs to?"

She shook her head. "No, there's nothing but what's on the pages. And of course, it would have been too simple for Jarod to just tell me where he got it."

"What next?"

Miss Parker was about to shake her head when a thought suddenly burst into her mind.

"Have you seen Angelo today?"

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

Lyle slammed out of Miss Parker's office, his fury evident to anyone who saw him. Where the hell was she? He had to find her before that meeting. He had to make sure she would vote with him.

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


Miss Parker was getting frustrated, and Broots was worried he was about to become the target of that building head of steam. They'd been looking for Angelo for nearly four hours, and he was in none of his usual hiding places. Finally, Miss Parker had headed toward the storage room where she knew Angelo liked to sleep.

They reached the door and Broots pushed it open and he breathed a sigh of relief. Angelo was lying on his cot, apparently asleep.

"He's here, Miss Parker."

She pushed by him, the photo album in her hands, and made her way to Angelo.

"Angelo? Angelo, wake up."

When he didn't respond, Miss Parker's temper quickly flared, and she reached out to turn him onto his back. Instead, she felt herself go cold with worry.

"Angelo!" Miss Parker did move him onto his back, gently, hoping that she was mistaken. Instead she saw that his appearance confirmed what she'd felt when she touched him. Angelo was burning up with a very high fever.

"Oh, my God. Broots, get a medical unit down here now."

"Okay."

Broots ran from the room as Miss Parker grabbed one of Angelo's blankets, wiping his forehead. His skin felt like it was on fire, and she knew that he was in very grave danger. She leaned closer to him, her hand coming to rest on his arm.

"Angelo -"

Her words were cut off by a cry of pain, and Angelo tried to turn back on his side, his body shrinking as he pulled into himself.

"Angelo, what is it? What hurts?"

He looked back at her then, and she could see that he was trying desperately to find some way to tell her. But Angelo didn't know how to communicate what he felt, only what others felt, and she knew he was fighting a losing battle. He cried out again, and tears began to stream from his eyes.

Moments later, Broots returned with the medical team. They were just putting Angelo on the stretcher when Lyle burst into the room.

"Where the hell have you been? Did you forget we were having lunch?"

Miss Parker glared at her brother, her worry for Angelo quickly turning to anger for Lyle.

"Angelo is ill, if you hadn't noticed."

"So what? I never liked him anyway."

Miss Parker looked at him, again amazed that he could be connected to her in any way. He looked at Angelo like he was nothing when it was so clear to her that Angelo was much far more worthy man than her twin could ever hope to be.

"I want him taken into town." Before the words were even out of Parker's mouth, Lyle began to object.

"No way in hell. The freak stays here."

"I'll take him myself."

Lyle had always seen his sister's concern for Broots, Sydney and the freak as weakness, but now, he saw that he could use it to his advantage. He could get what he wanted and he didn't even have to be nice to do it.

"Then we'll strike a deal - Broots here can take the science project to the hospital in town, and you can attend this afternoon's board meeting with me."

Miss Parker knew an ultimatum when she heard it, and her first instinct was to tell Lyle to go jump off of a cliff. Still, her gut told her that Angelo needed to be out of here, in a real hospital, and so she nodded her acquiescence.

"Broots, tell them he's my autistic brother and that you've called me and I'm on my way. If there's any consent issues, call me here."

"Okay, Miss Parker."

The medical team and Broots left, leaving the two Parker siblings alone with each other.

"Just what is it that's so important about this damn board meeting, Lyle?"

"Let's just say what happens today will determine our future course where Jarod is concerned."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I'm going to suggest to the board that we change our strategy. Jarod wants his damn family so badly, I say we give it to him -- One piece at a time."

Parker couldn't fight off the chill that ran through her as Lyle spoke.

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


Hours later, Miss Parker arrived at the hospital, her mind whirling. What in God's name had she just agreed to? Had she really given her word to dangle Jarod's sister in his face as bait? God, what was she thinking?

'You were thinking about helping Angelo. For now, that's all that matters. You'll deal with the rest later.'

She heard the words in her head, but they still didn't make sense. Why was she so worried about Angelo anyway? Why had she been so certain he needed to be here, in the hospital, instead of in the Centre infirmary?

She walked to the area where Broots had said to meet her and she took in a breath when she saw that he was standing in front of a sign that read "Intensive Care."

"Broots, what's going on?"

"Um, uh, the doctor, she said - I mean, she wouldn't tell me anything. She said she'd wait until you got here."

Just then, a woman in her early forties walked out of a nearby room, and turned her attention toward Broots and the new arrival.

"Miss Parker?"

"Yes. How is my brother?"

"Has he been sick for very long?"

"I'm not sure, to tell you the truth. I've been out of town and I'm afraid my brother doesn't like to let anyone else get very close to him."

"I see. Well, I'm still waiting for some test results to come in, but I'm reasonably certain I know what's wrong."

Miss Parker felt her heart beating more quickly. What the hell was going on with her?

"What is it?"

"Your brother has a severe infection in his liver. Once the tests come back, we'll begin treatment with antibiotics, but if we don't see any difference in the next 24 hours, we'll have to go in and remove the diseased portion of the organ. I understand that he's A/B negative, are you?"

"What? Oh, yes, yes, I am."

"If you could donate some blood, that would help us out a lot. I'll let you know when I get the test results back."

Miss Parker nodded, not even realizing the doctor had left. Broots directed her to a nearby couch, and they both sat down.

"Boy, it's a good thing you brought him here, huh? How did you know he was so sick, Miss Parker?"

She looked at him, her face showing a mixture of confusion and worry.

"We need to call Sydney."

Broots stood, pulling out his cell phone.

"I'll do it."

Miss Parker stayed seated, her ears hearing but not listening to Broots explain Angelo's condition to Sydney. How the hell had she known he was so sick? He hadn't told her anything, there had only been that look between them, yet she'd known in her heart that he needed help - better help than the Centre would give him.

"What the hell is going on with me?"

Broots stood, staring at his friend, wondering if she knew she had spoken those last words out loud.

Matter of Blood
Part 2
by N.R. Levy


Jarod sank onto the bed that occupied his latest lair, his mind and body exhausted. He had been in San Diego for two weeks now. He had arrived so full of hope, but his lead on Emily had again turned up empty, and had he not stumbled onto the newspaper article about Stefanie Hart, he would have left days ago.

Instead he had felt compelled to help the young woman who lay in a coma in the Intensive care unit of University Hospital. She had been ended up there courtesy of a serial rapist who had plagued the city for months now. The man had previously assaulted his victims, then left, but clearly, with his attack on Stephanie, his psychosis had driven him to need further violence. He had beaten the young woman nearly to death, and she still might never recover.

He had spent his days between the hospital, where he posed as a physical therapist in charge of Stephanie’s recovery, and the police station where he was working as a criminologist. He had gained several leads on potential suspects, but he knew now that this pretend would not be easy. It would take a great deal of time to uncover the assailant, and who knew how long Stephanie’s recovery might take. And that all added up to many weeks of not searching for Emily, his father or the boy.

Tired, he laid back against the pillows, wishing he could sleep, but that had been a hard commodity to come by since his recent return trip to the Centre. His nightmares had never been so horrible. He wasn’t sure which was worse – the memories of what they’d done to him during those terrifying 21 days, or the constant vision of Miss Parker falling into her father’s arms, her blood flowing down her back.

She was still angry with him for the shipping container, and while that didn’t surprise him, he hoped that underneath her anger was a bit of understanding. She hadn’t mentioned the watch to him, but Sydney had told him she’d worn it every day since she’d gotten it back. He wondered if she remembered telling him about that day at the lake – how scared she had been. He certainly remembered how much it had frightened him to hear how close she had come to dying. But she hadn’t died, not then and not at the airfield.

What worried him was that she would ignore his message. Lyle was her brother, but he didn’t give a damn about her – God, he’d tried to blow her up just weeks ago. She had to see how dangerous he was, no matter what Jarod had to do to make that clear.

He reached over and picked up his cell phone, hitting the preprogrammed button that held her number.

"What?" Her voice sounded instantly different to him – she was worried about something.

"What’s wrong, Miss Parker?"

In a Delaware hospital, Miss Parker leaned heavily against the wall of the hallway outside of Angelo’s room. The sound of Jarod’s voice was the last thing she’d expected to hear, and with a guilty rush she remembered her conversation with Lyle.

"Jarod, now isn’t a good time."

"What’s wrong?"

Miss Parker was about to respond when she saw the doctor approaching her.

"Jarod, I have to go." She hung up quickly before he could argue, and she turned her full attention to Dr. Keller.

"Miss Parker, I got the rest of your brother’s results back."

"And?"

"Well, the CT scan confirms what we found in the blood tests. Your brother has a pyogenic liver abscess. Now in English, that means that for any one of a myriad of reasons, he’s developed an infection in his liver and we are going to have to go in and cut it out."

Parker felt her heart beginning to pound again. She still couldn’t figure out what was happening to her. She’d always had something of a soft spot for Angelo, but where was all this concern coming from? A hold over from those days when she’d hoped it was he and not Lyle who was her brother? She didn’t know. She only knew that she felt a sense of fear and worry that she apparently had no control over.

"How much danger is he in?"

"Well, I have to be honest with you, even with treatment we lose between 20 and 40 percent of patients with this condition. But your brother seems very strong – he’s got a good chance. We’re starting him on massive doses of IV antibiotics, and we’ll do the surgery at 5:00."

Parker nodded, the words sinking in. The doctor walked away and Parker reflexively began to rub the area on the inside of her arm where the blood bank needle had been only an hour or so ago.

‘I wish I could have known the real you.’ She’d said the words to him more than a year ago, and she had meant them.

‘I wish I could have known the real you.’ His response had touched her heart, and she remembered how hard it had been to watch Timmy disappear, his soul once again becoming trapped inside the tortured space that was Angelo’s mind.

She walked into Angelo’s room, glad that she had sent Broots back to the Centre. The last thing she needed was for anyone to see her turning into a marshmallow over the man who now lay helpless in the bed. She sat down in the chair beside his bed, her hand taking hold of his.

"You’re going to be okay, Angelo. I promise."

*****

Sydney paced angrily around his house, furious that he had to choose now to be sick. Angelo needed him, and yet Sydney couldn’t go anywhere near him. The last thing the poor man needed was to be exposed to any more possible infections, and Sydney’s flu virus was definitely a risk.

The phone rang, and Sydney hurried to it, hoping it was Broots with more information on Angelo’s condition.

"Hello?"

"Sydney, what’s wrong with Miss Parker?"

"What do you mean, Jarod?"

"Something’s wrong and she won’t tell me what it is."

"When did you speak to her?"

"A little while ago. She said it wasn’t a good time."

"She’s at the hospital, Jarod, with Angelo."

Sydney could tell from the silence that followed his comment that Jarod didn’t know what to deal with first – his concern for Angelo or his shock that Miss Parker was with him. Sydney briefly explained the other man’s medical condition, then waited for some response from Jarod.

"Why is he in the hospital? I can’t believe Lyle let him outside."

"Because Miss Parker insisted, at least, that’s what Broots tells me."

"Why, Sydney?"

Sydney thought for a moment, not certain what the answer was. He had seen Miss Parker’s loving nature come out before – with Debbie, with Broots, even with Angelo, but certainly she had rarely taken such a big risk as taking Angelo out of the Centre.

"I don’t know, Jarod. But I do know that she probably saved his life."

****

Lyle leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile crossing his face. He had her. Mr. White had located Emily again, and this time, they would make the most of the opportunity. Even better, with Miss Parker’s help, Jarod wouldn’t know what hit him.

His phone buzzed, and Lyle reached over to answer it.

"Yes?"

"Is your plan in place?" Lyle smiled again at Mr. White’s question.

"We’re almost ready. I’m just on my way to make sure Miss Parker is onboard."

"How can you be sure you can trust her?"

"Don’t worry about my sister, Mr. White. Family is everything to her. She’ll do what she has to do to protect hers."

*****

Miss Parker watched nervously as the orderlies took Angelo away for his surgery. He had been unconscious since his arrival at the hospital, and she hoped that if had felt her presence, he’d felt only her good wishes and none of her concern or fear.

Dr. Keller approached just as Angelo was wheeled down the hall.

"Dr. Baxter is a fantastic surgeon. Your brother is in good hands."

Miss Parker only nodded, sinking down onto the couch in the hallway. She was surprised when Dr. Keller sat down beside her.

"Miss Parker, there is something else I wanted to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

"Well, it’s nothing to worry about, just something I wanted to make sure you were aware of."

Parker looked at him, a question on her face.

"Has anyone ever mentioned to you a condition called Hageman’s factor or Factor XII?"

"No." Miss Parker’s voice faltered a little, concern taking hold of her. The doctor noticed the change in her composure.

"Miss Parker, really, this is nothing to worry about. The condition simply means that both you and your brother's blood is prone to over coagulation. It’s not dangerous, it’s just something you should be aware of."

Parker shook her head, taking in what the doctor had said. Then two word’s jumped out at her. ‘your brother’

"I’m sorry, did you say that my brother has this, too?"

"Well, yes, but that’s not all that surprising. Hageman’s is an extremely rare disorder, but you are siblings, so..."

Miss Parker’s mind began to reel. What exactly was she hearing?

"What would be the chances of two people who knew each other but weren’t related both having this disorder?"

"Oh, my goodness, one in fifty million. It’s even rare in siblings, but it does happen."

"And if the siblings are twins?"

"Then they would both have the disorder, no question. But like I said, Miss Parker, it’s nothing to worry about, just something you should know."

The doctor stood and walked away as Miss Parker stood and began to anxiously pace the hallways. ‘Something you should know.’ Oh, god. Angelo was – But Broots’ tests? He would never have deceived her, which meant that somehow, Lyle must have known...

Quickly, she drew out her cell phone and began to dial Broots’ number, but her action was interrupted by the sight of Lyle walking down the hallway toward her.

"So, how’s your science experiment?"

Parker fought the urge to glare at him. God, all these months of thinking this bastard was – she wanted to kill him. But something purely instinctual kept her from flying at him in a rage. If Lyle had manipulated the tests, if he had altered the results, then he knew that Angelo was really...her brother, yes, he was her brother, and if Lyle knew that, then Angelo would be in grave danger if she tipped her hand. For now, she would play his game.

"What do you want, Lyle?"

"I came to talk to you about Jarod. It’s time for our new game to begin."

And she listened to him detail how they would find Emily, how they would force Jarod to come for her, and how the trap they set would give them both their Pretender and a potential breeder for the Gemini program. It was all she could do not to throw up right in front of him.

"I assume I can count on your full support?" Lyle smiled down at her as he stood up, readying himself to leave.

"I gave you my word, didn’t I?"

That made his smile grow, and he turned and walked down the hall. He had just rounded the corner when her cell phone rang. She looked down to see that she was still holding it from her earlier attempt to call Broots.

"What?"

"How is Angelo?" Jarod. God, how did he always know when to call?"

"In surgery."

There was silence as each read the other’s emotions as well as they could over the phone. She needed to speak to him about something, wanted to; Jarod could feel it. But he wasn’t certain how to make sure she knew it. Finally, he spoke.

"I’m thinking of taking a vacation."

"Really? Care to tell me where?"

"I hear Maine is beautiful this time of year."

Miss Parker tightened her grip on the phone. He was issuing an invitation – a truce. That was the only reason he would ever bring up Maine, to remind her of Lake Catherine. Now all she had to do was decide if she was going to take the chance he was giving her.

"I think you should, Jarod. We could all use some rest."

She hung up quickly, her hands beginning to shake. What exactly had she just decided to do?

Matter of Blood
Part 3
by N.R. Levy


Miss Parker sat in her regular seat onboard the Centre jet contemplating all that had happened in the past few days. She still had no idea where Jarod had gotten the photo album, or why he had sent it to her. She still didn't know who Lyle had paid to alter the tests Broots' had run that "proved" the thumbless wonder was her brother, and she didn't know how she was going to get herself out of the mess she was in regarding Emily Russell.

In all that confusion, Parker found herself certain of only two things, Angelo was her brother, and she would never, ever, let the Centre do anything else to hurt him.

Thankfully, Sydney had been well enough to take over at the hospital following Angelo's surgery. He had come through the procedure well, and Sydney had called her while she was packing this morning to tell her that his fever had finally dropped down below 100. Dr. Keller thought that was a sign that Angelo had turned the corner. All she could do now was hope that was true.

Parker glanced over at Broots, still furious that Lyle had insisted on dragging him along on their hunt for Emily. She knew it was driving the tech crazy to think about catching Jarod's sister - an innocent if there ever was one in all this craziness - and she couldn't tell him that she had no intention of allowing it to happen. Broots' was a dear, but he was too damn afraid of Lyle for her to give him such dangerous information.

The problem was, how was she going to stop her broth - oh, she had stop thinking that - how was she going to stop Lyle from getting his hands on Emily? If she'd had more time to formulate a plan, but no, Lyle had simply called last night to say that they had the woman's location and they were moving out today to "retrieve her."

That meant she would have to improvise. She hated that - after all, she might be a pretender, but she didn't know how to use that to her benefit. A partial smile crept on her face as she thought her next thought - 'to bad Jarod's not around.'

"What's so funny, Sis?" The sound of Lyle's voice turned her stomach and the smile quickly vanished. She glared at him, giving him a look that said, 'none of your business,' and turned her face away from him.
She glanced at Broots, regretting again that she was currently keeping two secrets from her friend. Still, it was for the best. That kind of information got people killed in the Centre, and she'd be damned if she'd be the reason that Debbie grew up without a father.

Broots watched the exchange of dirty looks between Miss Parker and Lyle, his mind trying to figure out what exactly had changed in the past two days. There was definitely something different about the way Miss Parker dealt with her brother. Almost as if she no longer cared that he was her brother. Not that they'd ever been close, but still, Miss Parker had started at least trying to act like they were some kind of family. Now that appearance was completely gone, Miss Parker showing only her contempt for the terrifying man.

He wondered if that was because of what they were about to do. He'd have given anything to not be involved in this, and he knew that Miss Parker had tried to get Lyle to leave him behind. Still, here he was, on his way to help the Centre take away Jarod's sister. And that, Broots knew, meant that Jarod's freedom was in dire jeopardy. He had already lost one sibling, and remembering the heartbroken look on Jarod's face as Kyle's life slipped away that horrible night in Arizona, Broots knew that Jarod would do anything, even surrender, if meant saving his baby sister.

Looking back at his computer screen, Broots' wondered where the Pretender was right now, and if he had any idea what was about to happen.


Jarod raced down the hallway of the hospital, his heart pounding. He'd been at the police station analyzing the clues from the various rape scenes again when his hospital pager had beeped. He knew it was about Stephanie, and so he'd made quick excuses and left immediately to come and check on her.

He pushed open the door to her room, and ran in, expecting the worst. Instead, he saw his patient sitting up, her eyes open for the first time since she'd come into the hospital three weeks ago. Her physician, Dr. Cassidy Hamilton, stood beside her.

"Hey, there Jarod. I thought you'd want to see that sleeping beauty is awake."

Stephanie managed a weak smile at Dr. Hamilton's words. She was still clearly weak, but she was alive and she was awake. It was nearly more than Jarod had hoped for.

Dr. Hamilton walked over to where he stood, leaning close to him.

"Jarod, she asked to see you. I don't know how she knows who you are, I mean, she's been out the whole time you've been here, but it was clearly your name she said."

Jarod nodded at the doctor's words, then watched as she exited. Quickly, he moved to Stephanie's bedside.

"Stephanie, you wanted to see me?"

The woman nodded, her whole body tensing with the effort. She began to try to form words, the struggle to do so obvious on her face. When she did finally speak, her voice came out slowly, long pauses falling between the words as she tried to catch her breath.

"I heard you. I know."

Jarod nodded knowingly. He knew that unconscious patients were often very in-tune with their surroundings, so he had made it a point to talk to Stephanie through each of the therapy sessions he'd given her. As he worked her badly bruised muscles, calling on all of the knowledge he'd absorbed from his SIM materials, he had talked to her about who he was, about the fact that he was here to help her, that he would stop at nothing to catch the man who had hurt her. Now he smiled at her, not sure how much she remembered, but understanding she had retained the important part - he was here to help.

"Stephanie, I'm still working on it. He's making himself very hard to catch."

She reached for him, her arm sliding slowly across the bed and seeking his hand. He took hold of her hand gently, leaning closer.

"Big - so strong. Knife had - the handle, it had a silver moon."

Jarod nodded again. In a few moments, Stephanie had faded into sleep, and Jarod sat back in his chair trying to sort out his thoughts.

The rapist who'd earned the nickname "the Silk Scarf Stalker" had come closer than any other criminal to stumping Jarod. The man was careful, methodical, and clearly nurturing a building psychosis. Yet he'd remained silent since his attack on Stephanie. Jarod had used every clue available to him to seek the man out, but his SIMS came up empty. He couldn't get a clear hold on the man's personality - and so he was having to rely on good old-fashioned police work to catch him.

But now he had a new clue - something else to help him. He had to start searching for a knife with a silver moon on the handle.

He stood, giving one last look back at Stephanie before heading home. He had a work to do, and an email to send.


Miss Parker paced anxiously in the run down room at Mrs. Hatton's Boarding House in New Orleans. She was just 75 feet from the room where Emily had been staying for nearly three weeks. Lyle was in the hotel across the street, waiting with Mr. White. She knew the two were waiting to catch sight of her, then follow her in, herding her toward what to them was an inescapable fate. Which was exactly what it would be if she didn't come up with something, fast.

She stopped pacing long enough to lean over Broots anxious shoulder. He had a camera set up outside that fed directly into his laptop so they could watch the alley behind the boarding house, in case that was the way Emily came in. There was a sweeper team in the lobby, another in her room. Parker knew that she had to get to Emily once she had passed through the lobby and before she made it to her room, and she knew she had to do it without attracting the attention of any of her coworkers. She began pacing again, seeing nothing of interest on the screen.

A few moments passed and Broots stretched, his eyes tired from constantly watching the camera feed. That was when he saw the small, flashing icon on the bottom left side of his screen. He clicked on the icon, opening a smaller screen.

"Miss Parker?"

Miss Parker stopped mid stride and turned to Broots.

"There's an email for you. It says it's urgent."

Parker felt herself start to go cold. Her only thought was that it was from Sydney, and that something bad had happened to Angelo. Quickly, she moved to the computer.

"Open it."

Broots double-clicked on the icon, and the e-mail sprang to life. He immediately averted his eyes to the open window above, searching for Emily. But he had caught sight of what was in the e-mail - a scan of a note, written in what was unmistakably Jarod's secret code.

Miss Parker read the note quickly, her hand reaching out to delete it as soon as she was done. Jarod had a lead he needed to follow. He would be in Maine the end of next week if all went well.

Pulling her body straight, Parker moved to the bed in the room, sinking down on it. She was grateful Broots seemed to know better than to ask about the email, even though she'd been able to tell from his body language that he'd seen it. Broots was the only one who knew that she could read Jarod's secret code. Jarod had taught it to her the year she turned 10.

So Jarod would be in Maine. What did that mean to her? She still wasn't sure. Part of her wanted desperately to tell him about Angelo - she knew that was the reason she'd encouraged him to go. She needed to tell someone the truth, someone she knew would never hurt her brother. But telling him gave him so much power over her, and she wasn't sure she was really ready to do that. Besides, if she couldn't get Emily out of here, what would it matter? Jarod would hate her as soon as he heard that she'd been a part of this.

"Miss Parker?"

Broots' voice again startled her from her thoughts, and glanced over at him.

"She's coming."

Parker stood, moving to the computer. Emily was just entering the back door of the building. Instinctively, she reached for her gun, and moved to the door.

"Broots, stay here. Give me thirty seconds, then call Lyle."

The bemused tech looked on as his friend dashed from the room. He had no idea what was happening, but he knew that she was about to do something reckless. So, he decided it wouldn't be such a big deal if he waited 45 seconds to make the call.

Miss Parker flew down the stairs, her steps having only slowed when she passed by Emily's room, trying not to attract the attention of the sweepers. She had no idea what she was going to do. She only knew that she had to reach Emily. The rest would take care of itself.

She rounded the corner to the first flight of stairs just as Emily was taking the last step. She saw Parker, saw the gun in her hand, and instantly filled with fear. Reflexively, Parker raised the gun, simultaneously bringing her left index finger to her lips, indicating that the girl should remain silent.

"If you want to live to see your family, again, come with me."

Emily had no idea why she should believe this formidable woman standing in front of her. She knew who she was. She'd heard her described enough times when she met people who knew Jarod and had had the distinct pleasure of meeting Miss Parker as she dogged her brother's tracks. She was the Centre. She was danger. Yet, something told Emily to go when Miss Parker indicated that she should move up the stairs and then exit out of the door to the second floor - the one between the lobby and her own room.

The women moved down the hall, Miss Parker checking behind them to make sure no one was on their trail. As they passed the main stairwell, she could hear her brother's voice booming from the lobby, and she knew they had very little time.

As they raced ahead, Parker checked around her, trying to see what her options were. That was when she saw the door to the laundry. Quickly she pushed Emily inside. The girl turned immediately to face her.

"What are you doing here? What do you want with me?"

Miss Parker holstered her gun, reaching for Emily's purse. She found a piece of paper and pen inside as the shocked girl looked on. Parker began writing as she tried to answer her questions.

"Look, they want to use you to catch Jarod. You've got to get out of here."

"Why do you care? You've been trying to catch him."

Parker shoved the pen and paper back inside Emily's purse. She reached in her own pocket, dropped something inside, and then handed it back to her.

"It would take a lifetime to explain that to you. Just listen to me. When you get out of here, go to the address I wrote on your pad. Tell the man there I sent you. He'll take care of you. Just stay put and I promise you, your brother will be with you soon."

"But -"

"Emily, you have to go, now." Miss Parker opened the doors to the laundry chute, evaluating Emily's chances of hiding inside of it. It would be hard, but she could do it.

"Listen, Emily, climb in here. I'm going to get them away from this floor. You count to 100, climb out, and run like hell down the front steps and out of here, do you understand?"

Emily nodded, still dumbfounded by what was happening. She climbed into the chute, and tried to keep breathing as she began counting. Miss Parker slammed the door shut. Quickly she moved, running back toward the stairs. Once there, she pulled out the radio she had in her pocket.

"Sam." Her shrill yell went out over the airwaves, and caught the attention of every Centre employee.

"Yes, Miss Parker?"

"Do you have her?"

"No, she isn't in her room."

"Well, she came up the back stairs, I saw her. I'm waiting down by the back door to make sure she can't come back through."

Up in Emily's room, Lyle gritted his teeth. Where the hell was she? He was about to order a building search when he heard Parker's voice again.

"Sam, check the roof. Maybe she got spooked and kept going up. I'll keep watch over the doors."

Parker waited, knowing that every sweeper on the first and second floors was headed upstairs. She counted silently, hoping that Emily could make it out of the building. Then she leaned against the wall, beginning to formulate the defense she'd use when Lyle tried to blame Emily's escape on her.

Emily could hear her heart pounding in her chest as it raced faster and faster. She moved through the lobby quickly, praying that she'd been wise to trust Miss Parker. She had pulled her shawl up over her head, using it to obscure her face as she walked through the big entry way and onto the street outside. Once there, she forced herself to fight the urge to run. She wanted to, desperately, but she knew that would attract attention, and that was the last thing she needed now.

She walked block after block until finally, she stepped inside a small diner that caught her attention. She pulled down her shawl and walked to the bathroom, leaning against the wall of the stall as soon as she locked the door.

Oh, God, what had just happened? She had no idea, really. The woman she'd always thought was her enemy, an enemy to her family, had just helped save her. Remembering everything that had happened, Emily sat down on the closed lid of the toilet, opening her purse. She pulled her note pad out and found the page that Miss Parker had written on.

18557 Benton Way
Lake Catherine, Maine.

Emily read the words again, then closed the note pad, wondering how in the hell she was going to get to Maine when all of her resources were back in her room at the boarding house. As she put the notebook back in her purse, she caught sight of something else - Miss Parker had dropped 2 $1,000 bills in her purse.

Two thousand dollars, an address where her brother might be, and her freedom - Miss Parker had just given Emily the world.

Matter of Blood
Part 4
by N.R. Levy



Jarod stared at his laptop, his eyes beginning to blur from a combination of lack of sleep and frustration. He had found out the history of the knife Stephanie remembered from her attack, he had even had the Detective Hanson, the man in charge of the investigation, re-interview some of the other victims, all of whom remembered something resembling the weapon Stephanie had described.

It had been made by a specialty manufacturer in North Carolina, 1 of only 10 made with that particular handle. Unfortunately, there were only records of where the knives had been shipped for sale, not of the buyers, and none had been purchased in San Diego. That made for a lot of ground for Jarod to cover, and all the while the clock ticked. How long did they have before the Silk Scarf Stalker selected another victim?

Thankfully, Stephanie continued to improve, which meant that he would be able to keep his date with Miss Parker in Maine. That thought made Jarod smile. "A date" with Miss Parker? Then the smile faded. It was a thought that conjured up too many images, and Jarod decided he better distract himself, and quickly.

With a heavy heart, he checked his email, hopeful as always that there would be word from his father and the boy. But still, there was nothing. He knew his father was probably worried that the Refuge mailbox was being monitored, and in truth, it probably was. He just wanted to find them again so badly. Them, Emily, his mother, God, it seemed that he'd never be finished searching for his family.

Feeling anxious, Jarod decided to pick up the phone and instinctively, he dialed Miss Parker's number. After 10 rings, he knew she wasn't going to answer, and he hung up. Then he dialed Sydney.

"This is Sydney."

"Sydney, how's life in the bowels of hell?"

"A little dangerous right now, Jarod. I can't talk long."

Jarod felt his body tense at Sydney's words. He thought about Miss Parker not answering her phone, and his worry increased 10-fold.

"Sydney, what's going on?"

"There was a failure in the search for you, today. One that could cost Mr. Lyle a great deal, which means, he's looking for a scapegoat."


"Where's Miss Parker?"

"She's in front of a T-Board, Jarod." Sydney sensed the tension emanating from his protégé from the other end of the phone. It made him shake his head, as he again marveled at the large amounts of energy Miss Parker and Jarod wasted in pretending not to care for one another.

"She'll be fine, Jarod. She always is."

"I don't understand. I haven't sent you any leads, so..."

"It was indirectly about you, Jarod. I really can't say more than that now."

Sydney hung up the phone then, and Jarod knew it was because the older man was trying to protect both himself and Miss Parker. Still, he had to know what had happened.

Anxiously, he returned to his laptop, carefully navigating the established corridor that Mr. Broots had set up for him inside the Centre's mainframe. He knew the man had only done so because at the time, he had been desperately worried about Miss Parker, and wanted Jarod's help, but it was a useful tool, and one that Broots had never bothered to take away.

As he waited for the files to download, Jarod thought about those days. It seemed a lifetime ago since Thomas' murder, since Broots had emailed him asking him to find out what happened. Not that he hadn't already been searching, but it had still touched Jarod deeply to see the concern Miss Parker's friend had for her. If only he had been able to find those answers.

The file opened, and Jarod's eyes widened in disbelief.

Mr. White had located his sister, and Mr. Lyle had gone to New Orleans to capture her...

and Miss Parker had gone to help him.

****

The questions came at her again and again, but Miss Parker remained stoic. She would not let them get to her. Certainly, this T-Board was different from the last. Her father wasn't there to save her, for one, though she still harbored some doubt as to whether he would have stopped the board from taking action against her the last time. There was, however, a new danger now. Her brother was in charge. He was furious, and he was looking to blame someone for Emily's escape.

Five hours after she walked into the room, Miss Parker walked out. Her nerves were still visibly steely and she strode out of the interrogation as if she'd spent the day at the salon. 'Thank God they can't see inside me,' she thought to herself. 'Then they'd know just how right they'd been.'

She knew that Broots and Sydney were worried about her, and so she forced herself to stop by Sydney's office before leaving the Centre for the day. Briefly, she recounted the T-Board to them, then excused herself with some treacherous barb and left. She couldn't bear to be close to them right now. They knew what she had done, even if they weren't saying so, and the urge to confide in them was too overwhelming. 'Overwhelming and dangerous,' she reminded herself. The risks she was taking were her own, and she would not involve them anymore than they already were.

Exhausted, she drove to the hospital, stopping briefly at the gift shop on her way to Angelo's room. He was improving steadily, at least, that's what the doctor's had told her last night when she'd returned from New Orleans. That was good and bad news. He was going to be all right, but he would also soon be well enough to return to the Centre.

She pushed open the door and found her brother sound asleep. Smiling, Parker pulled up a chair beside him, and reached out to take his hand, placing her package on the table beside her, and her briefcase on the floor. Angelo's eyes sprung open at her touch, and he smiled happily.

"Sister home."

"Yes, I'm home, Angelo. But remember, that's our secret."

"Only you here."

She laughed at that for some reason, and reached over to pick up the package she had bought. It was still inside the blue plastic bag from the gift shop. She saw his eyes light up when she lifted it and shook it, revealing a strong rattling sound.

"I have a surprise for you."

Angelo reached out and touched her hand, and his smile widened.

"Toy surprise for Angelo."

That made her laugh, and she let him take the package, which he opened to find a king-sized box of Cracker Jacks. It was probably not something on his approved diet, but she figured it couldn't really hurt him. He ripped open the package, and immediately began crunching the treat as he searched for the small toy inside.

Parker watched him for a moment, then reached down for her briefcase. She opened it, pulling out the photo album that Jarod had sent to her days earlier. She still wasn't certain why he had sent it, or for that matter, where he had gotten it, and it was driving her insane. She turned the pages, trying to get a handle on the answers to her questions when Angelo reached over and touched her hand.

"Sister need answers."

"Yes, Angelo. I do need answers."

Angelo motioned for her to hand him the book, and he took it in his lap, carefully turning the pages. He stopped when he found a photo of their mother as a little girl.

"Mother?"

Miss Parker moved to sit beside him on the bed, her hand raising to brush his hair back from his face.

"Yes, that's our mother when she was a little girl."

Angelo smiled, his hand running over the picture several times.

"Elizabeth loves mother very much."

The words shocked Parker, and she turned to look Angelo in the eyes.

"Who is Elizabeth, Angelo?" She watched as her twin tried to find the answer to her question, and she saw the furrow that appeared in his forehead.

"Don't know. Loved mother very much."

Parker smiled up at him, letting him know it was okay that he didn't know the answer. He had given her something to work with. Now all she had to do was find out who Elizabeth was.

She sat back in her chair, watching as Angelo continued looking through the book. God, she wanted so much to tell someone that this strange, sweet man was her brother, not that horrible creature Lyle. No, she reminded herself, she wanted to tell Jarod. Somehow, he was the one person she knew could handle her secret.

She would have had the chance in Maine, but now it was too dangerous for her to go. She couldn't let anyone follow her, not after everything she'd done to get Emily to safety there at Ben's inn.

She only hoped that she could keep her own brother as safe as she had managed to keep Jarod's baby sister.

Just then she felt something touch her hand, and she looked up to see Angelo reaching for her. She moved closer so that he could have access to her hand, and then felt him push something onto her finger.

She looked down to see a small plastic ring on her left pinky. It was a red heart.

"Toy surprise."

And then she laughed, happy just to be so close to another part of her mother left in the world.

****

Jarod drove up the road to Ben's at dangerous speeds, his anger increasing with every mile he covered. He had told himself he wouldn't be this angry, that he'd give her a chance to explain. It was possible she hadn't known, wasn't it? Possible that Parker had been ordered on the plane to New Orleans, and that she had not willingly gone to capture his sister?

The more he thought about it, though, the less that seemed likely. Parker wasn't the type to follow anyone blindly, even on orders. She routinely asked Broots to find more information on situations even her father had asked her to handle, which meant...which meant she had known. She had gone to New Orleans to take away his sister.

He parked in front of the inn, questioning whether or not he should even go inside. He had almost not come at all. Stephanie was well enough to move to a rehabilitation hospital, which meant he'd had more time to devote to his search for her attacker. Leaving now had been risky - the man's timetable was close to expiring, and Jarod needed to try and stop him. But he had promised her he would be here.

Now it seemed amazing to him that that piece of information had swayed him. A promise to Parker? What was that worth, really? If she could do this, if she could plot to steal his family, to use them against him?

His anger again raging at full force, Jarod threw open the car door and headed to the front door of the inn. His angry gaze fell on Ben as he opened the door, ushering the younger man inside.

"She's out back, Jarod. She's been waiting for you."

Ben was taken aback by the intensity of the glare he received from Jarod, and he wondered what on earth had made his friend so angry.

He watched Jarod head toward the kitchen, and heard the back door open and close.

Jarod stormed down the path, his rational side warring with the rage inside of him. He saw her standing near the lake, and he was about to call out to her when it hit him.

The woman standing in front of him wasn't Parker.

She was shorter, several inches shorter, and her dark hair was longer.

And then she turned around, and Jarod thought his heart was going to stop.

The woman in front of him was Emily.

Her eyes brightened as she realized who he was, and she ran toward him, her arms open to embrace him. Jarod was unsure how to respond, his mind whirling with confusion, but somehow her voice found it's way through the haze in his brain.

"It's okay, Jarod. It's real. And I'm here alone, it's safe."

Only then did Jarod begin to realize what was happening, and he wrapped his arms around the woman he had been searching for for so long.

"Emily, is it really you?"

"It's me, Jarod. It's us, here together."

Finally, he pulled back from her, his eyes scanning her the way a child would a wonderful surprise gift on Christmas morning. God, she was real.

"But, Emily, how? How on earth did you know about this place?"

"Your friend sent me."

"Friend?"

"Miss Parker, Jarod. She helped me get away from the sweepers in New Orleans. She sent me here to find you."

Matter of Blood
Part 5
by N.R. Levy


Lyle slammed the door to his penthouse apartment, his anger boiling over inside of him. Someone at the Centre had betrayed him. There was no other way to explain Emily's escape. Despite the T-board's findings, he was certain he knew who that someone was.

He couldn't explain why he was so sure that Parker had betrayed him, but he could feel it in his gut. She had helped Jarod's sister, but why? She still believed she'd be granted her freedom upon Jarod's return to the Centre, so what possible explanation was there for her to set the girl free? The questions rattled around in his mind, but still his certainty remained. Parker had betrayed him, and no matter why she had done it, she would have to pay an appropriate penalty. What that would be remained to be seen.

And then there was the other matter. Mutumbo was not pleased that their mutual friend was out of control, running amuck again, this time on the west coast. Something was going to have to be done about him before he attracted the wrong kind of attention. They hadn't saved his miserable life just so he could end up in prison somewhere.

*****

She was there, in front of him, and still he couldn't believe it. Emily was sitting in front of the parlor fireplace of Ben's inn, recounting for him every detail of her escape from the Centre, and despite the constancy of her voice and her physical presence, Jarod still could not believe that she was there.

She continued to speak, and though he loved hearing her, learning the lilts and peaks of the way she spoke, what fascinated Jarod most was the utter admiration his sister conveyed for Parker. Every time Emily mentioned her name, her face lit up in clear devotion. It was a feeling Jarod knew he had felt many times, yet just hours ago, he'd thought that was all over. Now he knew that he had underestimated her. Worse, he had thought the worst about her, and for that he carried a heavy heart. He should have known better.

"So when I looked in my purse and saw the address and the money, I just can't tell you, Jarod. I felt like I had a new lease on my life."

"But did she say why she did it, Emily?"

"I asked. She said it would take her a lifetime to explain. I'm not really sure what that meant, but I guessed she was saying that things with the two of you are, uh, complicated."

Jarod only nodded. Complicated - that was the understatement of the century. Everything about Parker was complicated - their relationship was downright impossible. One day friends, the next day sworn enemies - when all he really wanted was for the two of them to spend five honest minutes with each other. What in God's name had made Parker do this? She was risking her life - and she had done it to help him, his family.

He wished she were here so he could ask, but he knew Parker was too smart to come to Maine after sending Emily. She wouldn't risk undoing what she had worked so hard to accomplish.

Which left him to wonder why she had done it.

"Jarod?" Emily's voice brought him back to the room, and he silently chided himself for wandering away with his thoughts. He had waited forever to meet his sister, and that was where his focus should stay.

"I'm worried about her, too. You don't think they found out what she did, do you?"

"They'll talk to everyone, Emily. That's what they do at the Centre. Call it being thorough. But Parker can take care of herself."

"You thought I was her, didn't you?"

"Well, we were supposed to meet here. She needed to talk about something."

"Which means she probably still does. Why don't you call her?" Jarod shook his head, standing to move closer to the fire.

"No, I'll talk to her later. Right now we have a lot to discuss."

Emily stood up then, crossing to the end table near the entry way. She returned with the phone, which she presented to Jarod at the fireplace.

"We have time, Jarod. Call."

*****

Parker leaned back against the hard wood of the window seat, her eyes fixed on the moon that hung above her window. Emily and Jarod would be together by now. She had left her own brother just a few hours ago, and only then because the nurses had threatened to call security if she didn't go home.

She knew Angelo needed his rest, but leaving him each night was getting harder and harder. She knew that once he returned to the Centre, their time together would be limited. Being able to see him whenever she wanted to, to hug him and let him share her emotions was a luxury she had quickly become accustomed to. Now it would be taken away.

It amazed her how quickly their bond had grown. Despite his handicap, despite the years of separation they had endured, they were as much brother and sister now as if they had spent their whole lives together. That, she thought, should have been her first clue to Lyle's lie. She had never felt that way about him. Just trying to feign concern or familial emotion toward him had been a chore. And now she had to fake it everyday. She had to. It was the only way to keep Angelo safe.

The phone's ringing sent a chill through her. Even though she knew that Angelo was out of danger, she still worried that something could go wrong. Her concern was so great that she momentarily forgot that only one person called her at 2 a.m.

"What?"

There was a slight silence, and Parker felt her stomach tighten. Was she wrong? Was Jarod not on the other end of the line?

"Did you get the package I sent? I forgot to ask."

Yes, it was Jarod. His voice sounded different - nervous, hesitant.

"Yes, Jarod. I got it. Want to tell me where it came from?"

"Oh, the search is part of the journey, Miss Parker. I've told you that before. But I'm sure you'll find the answer. Family is the most important thing after all."

"Is that who Elizabeth is? Is she my family?"

That caught Jarod off-guard. So, she knew Elizabeth's name.

"She's someone you need to talk to, Miss Parker, soon. Because - because I want you to find your mother again."

Parker closed her eyes against the emotion those words brought out of her heart. Her mother - she had begun to find her again, the part of her that lived inside the daughter who missed her so terribly. Jarod's clues, Thomas' love, they'd combined to help her start searching. Then it had all stopped. Somehow, she'd begun to shut down again after the airfield. Jarod was asking her not to let it happen.

Now more than ever, she wanted to tell him about Angelo, share her news with him, but those weren't words you could say over a phone the Centre might be monitoring.

"It's late, Jarod. I have to go."

"Me, too. I'm catching up with an old friend. Thankfully, someone told her how to reach me."

And then he hung up. And Parker pulled her knees into her chest and cried.

*****

"Did she tell you?" Emily watched her brother's face to see if she could read any emotion there as she waited for the answer to her question. There was some concern, but that was all she could see.

"No. Whatever it is, she can't talk about it like this."

"You should go there." Jarod turned and looked at his sister as if she'd lost her mind, and she rolled her eyes at him.

"She risked her life for us, Jarod. She needs you, you said so yourself."

Jarod turned away from his sister, his heart pounding in his chest. Part of him wanted nothing more than to get back in his car and drive to Blue Cove, to see her. But he had to get back to San Diego. He had to stop the Stalker before he ended up taking a life, or hurting another woman as badly as he had injured Stephanie.

"Emily, I have to get back to California. I had only planned to stay until the morning."

"Then I'm going with you. We'll have the whole plane ride for you to explain to me just what the heck is going on between the two of you."

That made Jarod smile, his worry about Parker temporarily pushed aside.

"Emily, we're flying to California, not the moon."

*****

Broots sat at his terminal, coffee in one hand, doughnut in the other, as he waited for the results of his latest search to print out. Miss Parker would not be happy. He had found a trail of breadcrumbs that Jarod had left behind in Seattle. There was little doubt that Jarod had already left, but Lyle would probably insist on their going, which meant Miss Parker's mood would surely be less than pleasant.

He heard the sound of her heels approaching, and he quickly downed the rest of his doughnut, gulping coffee to wash it down. He was just swallowing as she rounded the corner into his office.

"Anything?"

"There's traces of him in Seattle, but -"

"Get the jet ready. We'll leave in an hour."

"O-okay." She turned and was about to leave, Broots relieved that she hadn't taken off his head. Then she stopped in the doorway, and turned around.

"Broots, when I ask you to take things to the lab, who do you have run the tests?" Broots looked at her with confused eyes, and she wished that she could just tell him why she wanted to know. Lying to her friends was becoming more and more difficult.

"W-well, I like dealing with one person, so Gus has been doing our stuff for, like, the last two years."

"Everything?"

"Yes. Miss Parker, do you need me to -"

"No, Broots. I don't need anything." With that she turned on one of her six-inch heels, and walked off down the hall.

Shaking his head, the tech reached for the phone to arrange the preparation of the jet. Well, he thought, add that conversation to the list of weird concerning Miss Parker lately. He and Sydney were both certain that Miss Parker had somehow warned Emily off in New Orleans. The how and the why of it still eluded them, but they knew she had. Which meant that she had taken a dangerous chance. Now they both just hoped that Lyle didn't figure it out for himself.

*****

As soon as Jarod had Emily settled into his apartment, he went to the police station. Thankfully, when he checked in with Hanson, he found that there had been no more attacks. And there was news on the knife.

Hanson had found a private collector in town named Daniel Morris who had owned a knife similar to the one Stephanie described. He had bought it in Pennsylvania, which is why his name hadn't showed up in any of the purchase searches. It had, however, shown up in a search of stolen weapons - the knife had been taken in a bizarre robbery more than one year ago.

"Did they take anything else?" Jarod asked the question, his gut telling him that somehow, he was about to move significantly closer to the man he was trying to catch.

"Yeah," Hanson said, his eyebrows raising, "which is the really weird thing. The guy took the knife, some guns and ammo, and then, of all the stuff, he took a book."

"A book?"

"Yeah, he took a first edition copy of rare book called "The Devil's Providence."

Hanson would never be sure what the look he received from Jarod had meant, or why it had sent such a chill down his spine. What he did know was that his friend the criminologist had a very dark side, one that had been triggered by something about that book.

******

Back at his apartment, Jarod stormed in, slamming the door shut as he ripped off his jacket and hurled it across the room. He picked up the DSA case, carelessly dropping it on to the coffee table as he searched through DSA's, throwing those he did not want onto the ground. It was several minutes before he realized that Emily was standing in the corner, frightened and stunned by his behavior.

"Emily, maybe you should go in the other room."

"I'm not leaving you like this, Jarod. What in the world is wrong with you?"

"Not now." He practically growled out the words as he tightened his grip on one particular DSA and shoved it into the player. He watched the scene, the words flowing over him as Emily moved behind him, her eyes locking on the events that played out in front of them.

"Who is that, Jarod?"

Suddenly, her brother reached out and switched off the machine. Wordlessly, he moved to his computer, his fingers deftly striking key after key until he found what he was looking for. Then he grabbed his cell phone.

*****

The Centre team was boarding the jet for their return trip to Blue Cove following an uneventful afternoon in Seattle. Sydney had just settled into his seat when his phone rang.

"This is Sydney."

"Damon is alive."

Miss Parker, Broots and Sam all saw Sydney sit up straighter, his eyes narrowing at whatever he had just heard.

"What are you talking about, Jarod?"

"He's alive, Sydney. And he's hurting people - innocent people. They let me think I killed him, and he's been alive the whole time."

"How did you find this out?" The words made Miss Parker lean closer. Something was very wrong with Jarod, and she fought hard to keep her concern invisible to those around her.

"Someone there is protecting him, Sydney. I need to know who."

"I'll see what I can find out." After hearing Sydney's words, Jarod broke the connection. Sydney leaned back in his chair, his eyes locking with Miss Parker's.

"What, Syd?"

"Damon is alive."

The silence that enveloped the plane could have only been termed as deafening.

****

The roar of the beach as the waves crashed against he rocks below gave Damon a sense of peace. He had not known much peace in the last two years, but he would have it again, soon. Once his work here was finished. Once the one who had tried to destroy him had paid.

He wondered if Jarod had any idea yet just who he was looking for. He had left enough clues. The knife, the silk scarves, all of them designed to lead Jarod to him. Of course, nothing had been as wonderful as his discovery of the book at Morris' home. "The Devil's Providence." He had given that book to Jarod during their time as "friends" at the Centre. Hopefully, the police had stumbled onto Morris by now. He hoped so. There was no way Jarod could miss that clue.

Which was exactly what Damon wanted. He had begun the attacks knowing that they were exactly the kind of crime that would grab Jarod's attention. Sweet, beautiful women, all in their mid-20's to early 30's, all beloved by everyone around them, all permanently scarred by the vicious rapist who had entered their lives.

With a sigh of pleasure, Damon remembered sneaking into the hospital where Stephanie Hart had been taken, only to see Jarod there, his mask of concern on his face.

The trap had been set, and soon, it would be time to spring it. He would get Jarod alone, and then he would exact his revenge.

He just had to hope that the Centre didn't try to interfere in his plans. If they did, he would have to find a way to stop them. Jarod had to pay for what he'd done.

His mood darkening, Damon moved to the mirror to look once again at the scars he now carried on his face. The bullet that Jarod had fired had not killed him, but it had destroyed him, and he would make the Pretender suffer for it.

Wit his blood beginning to pound in his veins, Damon moved to his files of potential victims, trying to pick the one that Jarod would most identify with - the one who would drive him to the brink. She had to be the right one because this one had to die. This one had to bring Jarod to the edge so that Damon could push him over.

And then he found her.

She was tall and she had dark hair, and her eyes were blue. Blue as ice.

*****

Miss Parker was more than exhausted after her day trip to Seattle, but she knew she'd never be able to rest if she didn't stop at the hospital to check on Angelo. So she went, quickly making her way to his floor.

Where found Lyle waiting for her in an empty room.

"Lyle, what's going on?"

"Just finishing up here, actually. I had your little buddy transferred back to the Centre today, or rather, I should say to a Centre facility. I've decided he can be more useful elsewhere."

Parker fought to stand as still and calm as her "brother" was used to seeing her. So, this was his game. He knew that Angelo mattered to her, and he suspected she had helped Emily. So he took what she cared about in retribution. 'Thank God he doesn't know I know the truth.' Parker thought. 'There's no telling what he would have done to Angelo if...'

She cleared her throat trying to shake those images from her mind. No, he wouldn't hurt Angelo, not yet.

"And you expect me to say what about this?" She stared at him with her most steely gaze, hoping he couldn't see through it.

"Well, it just seems to me that you've taken quite the interest in Raines' little freak of late. I just didn't want you to be worried about him."

'Liar,' Parker thought.

"Lyle, I have better things to do with my time than care where Angelo is. He is a Centre investment. I was just trying to make sure he didn't become a loss."

"Whatever you say, Sis." Lyle moved triumphantly towards the door. She could pretend all she wanted that she wasn't upset - he knew better, he knew her better. If only she knew the truth, he thought, then she'd be downright terrified.

Parker watched as Lyle smugly strode from the room, and she waited a full 30 seconds to make sure he was gone before she slumped down onto the bed where her brother had just been.

Angelo was gone - taken away from her again by Lyle. She had to find him.

She was about to stand up to go home when she saw the Cracker Jack box on the floor next to the bed. For some reason, she stooped down and picked it up. She was about to throw it away when she heard a slight rattle from inside. Looking in, she saw a folded piece of paper. She pulled it free from the cardboard box, and opened it up, discovering instead of paper, a folded photograph. Her breath caught as she realized what it was, and she understood instantly that Angelo must have pulled it free from the photo album Jarod had sent to her. Instinctively, she turned the photo over, and tears formed in her eyes when she saw her brother's childlike scrawl on the back.

"Elizabeth and mother - find."

Parker turned the photo back over, and then realized what she was looking at.

Her mother - and another little girl - one who looked just like Catherine Parker.

Matter of Blood
Part 6
by N.R. Levy



Broots was vaguely aware of his environment and of the people around him. He knew they were still on the plane, an hour away from Blue Cove. He knew that Miss Parker and Sydney were comparing notes on what might be happening with Jarod - and he knew that Damon was alive.

His mind traveled back to that day in the church as he sought some kind of clarity. They had been sure, hadn't they? He was dead. They had all been sure. Now, however, in retrospect, he wondered why.

Jarod had fired, and the bullet had hit Damon, throwing him backwards to the ground. Broots remembered standing frozen in place for a moment before a brief glance down at Damon's "body" made him move away. All too clearly, he saw the twisted mass that had been Damon's head - his face was ripped open and there had been blood everywhere. He had to have been dead.

Then Jarod had begun to shake, and he dropped the gun on the floor and ran out of the room. Broots had not tried to stop him or called out to the Pretender. Somehow, he knew that Jarod needed to be alone at that moment in order to deal with what had just happened. Frightened and alone, Broots had moved to the front of the church and phoned Miss Parker, only to learn that she was on her way to him.

He remembered glancing back over his shoulder at least a half a dozen times, Damon's legs remaining in the same position each time. Thankfully, he could not see the rest of the body from his vantage point, but he had simply accepted the fact that the horrible man was dead. Then Miss Parker had arrived, and after taking one glance at the wreckage in the church, she had called a cleaner team in to handle things. Then she'd guided him to her car, and she and Sydney had gotten him back home.

So was it possible that none of them had ever actually confirmed Damon's death? Had they all really just assumed that the precision of Jarod's aim had ended the reign of terror that was Damon?

Broots nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt Miss Parker's hand drop down on his shoulder. He looked up at her, his eyes a little distant and wild, and he had to admit that he felt a bit of surprise by what he saw in her eyes. She was worried - more than that, she was worried about him.

"Broots, Sam goes with you, and he stays until I say otherwise. No arguments." Miss Parker moved away from him quickly as her words finished, and it was only as she headed out of the plane door that Broots realized they were on the ground. Soon, he felt the imposing presence of Sam by his side.

"You ready to go, Brootsie."

"Sam, I've asked you not to call me that."

"And?"

Broots saw the playful look in Sam's eyes, and he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop the sweeper from doing whatever he damn well pleased. Besides, he wanted Sam around. If Miss Parker was worried about him and Debbie, then there must be reason to worry.

"And nothing, let's go."



Emily paced anxiously, uncertain of what her next move should be. Jarod had locked himself in the bedroom after ending his phone call with Sydney, and he refused to answer her attempts at contacting him. She had even kicked the door, howling in pain as her foot made far too hard of contact with the immobile piece of wood.

That had been two hours ago, and still no sounds came from the bedroom. She wanted desperately to help him, but she realized that she barely knew her brother. Loved him yes, but she knew it was far too soon for her to have any real insight into who he was or what he was feeling. Still, it didn't sit well with her that he was in there all alone.

Unable to think of anything else constructive she could do, Emily wandered over to Jarod's workstation, and pushed the play button on the silver case. A black and white movie appeared in front of her, and she saw Jarod sitting at a table with a man he called Kenny. Then two more men came in, and Emily brought her hands to her mouth to cover a scream of horror when they proceeded to kill the other man in front of Jarod.

Quickly, Emily reached out and shut off the disc. God, she'd always tried to imagine the place that had taken her brothers away from her. She knew without knowing that they were evil men, and that they must have been willing to do almost anything to get what they wanted if they had resorted to stealing two little boys away from their home. But now, to see this, to know just how far they had gone to control Jarod, it chilled her soul.

Emily looked up as she heard the knob on the bedroom door finally click. Jarod, looking weary and a little bit ill, emerged, heading straight to the kitchen where he grabbed a full bottle of water. She watched as he nearly drained the bottle dry, his body obviously suffering from serious dehydration. Finishing, Jarod placed the bottle on the counter, then walked to the table and sat down in the chair beside her.

"I'm sorry, Emily. I know this isn't what you were expecting to have to deal with."

"I didn't expect anything, Jarod. I just want to help. Will you do that? Will you let me help you?"

"I don't know if I can," Jarod admitted, more than a little sad. He could see the genuine concern in his sister's eyes, and he hated that he had caused that. "This is all going to get very ugly, and I don't want you to be a part of it."

"I'm already a part of it, Jarod. Whatever is going on, I'm here, and you should at least talk to me about it. Maybe if you get it all out, maybe then you'll find the answers easier."

Thinking about her words, Jarod let his eyes scan the room, and he saw that the DSA image of Damon looming over Kenny's body was frozen on the screen of the silver case.

"That man, his name is Damon. He is a monster, one of the worst in a place that breeds them. I thought he was dead. I thought that I had killed him."

"But, I can't imagine you..." Emily's words trailed off. Again, she knew her statement was built on her image of Jarod rather than on real knowledge of him. She just couldn't see him as capable of killing anyone.

"He had a friend of mine, and he was going to kill him. As you saw, I had good reason to believe that he would do it. So for the first time in my life, I pulled a trigger, and I took a human life. At least, I thought I had."

"But he's alive? You're sure?"

Jarod nodded, then continued, really beginning to feel an ease to the tightness in his chest as he laid out the story to Emily.

"These attacks, the ones I told you I was investigating. Something about them was bothering me. I couldn't get a handle on the attacker. That's what I do when I pretend. I use what I know about someone, about what they've done, and I try to get inside their heads, but for some reason, I couldn't. Now I see that it was because Damon is that man. He was playing a game with me, trying to lure me into a trap of his making."

"But why, Jarod? Why would he do this? He's hurt so many people."

"Because he enjoys hurting people, Emily. That's who he is. Life has no meaning to him. Getting to me, setting me up was his goal, but believe me, he's enjoyed everything he's done to these women. And now I have to live with that, too. He hurt them all - Stephanie -- all of them, just to get to me."

Sadness filled Jarod's eyes, and Emily quickly left her seat and knelt beside her brother, pulling him into her arms. She felt him resist at first, but then he let go, bringing his head to rest on her shoulder as she held him tightly.

"You listen to me, Jarod. You did not do this. This isn't your fault. Don't let him do that to you, do you understand me?"

Jarod pulled away from her, and looked at her face. Then, miraculously, he smiled. That surprised Emily, and she looked at him with confused eyes.

"What?"

"You just remind me a lot of someone I know, that's all." And with that Jarod stood, needing to move again. Emily stood then, taking her seat again, waiting for Jarod to make the next step forward.

"Emily, I need to take care of this. Maybe you should go -"

"Don't even suggest it. It's taken me five years to find you, and that's not counting the years I spent running from place to place with Mom hoping we'd find you or Kyle or Dad."

"I know, but this could be dangerous, and -"

"And that's exactly why I'm staying, Jarod. I couldn't do anything to help Kyle, and I have no idea where Mom or Dad is, but I have you back and I'm not letting you go, so you can just push that thought out of your head."

Jarod wanted to argue more, but he realized suddenly how tired he was of being alone, of having no one to stand by his side and fight with him. Fight him, well, there was always Parker for that, but to have someone on his side...

"All right, but I mean what I say. This could get very, very dangerous. And I'm not just talking about Damon."

Emily stood now, curious as to what was coming next.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning," Jarod began, "that now that I know who the attacker is, I can SIM him, and as much as I hate the thought of doing it, I'm going to have to get inside his head in order to figure out how to stop him. That means, Emily, that I'm going to have to become him for a little while."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to come with me to a place I have. Then I want you to lock the door behind you, and not come back until I call you and tell you to do so."

Emily felt her stomach knotting up with a mixture of fear and worry. Clearly, this was something Jarod had to do, at least, that he felt compelled to do, but she could sense the danger in it. Her first impulse was to refuse to go along with this request, but then she realized that he would just go on without her, and she didn't want that either.

"All right, Jarod. Let's go."


Miss Parker's head pounded as she looked up from the files on her desk at the clock. It was nearly 2 a.m., and she was still at the office, trying to get some idea of just who in the Centre had helped that bastard Damon. The thought that anyone had done so made her cringe, and the fact that she suspected the culprit might have been her father made her sick to her stomach. She had been right all those months ago, when she'd seen Jarod's clone for the first time - there was no depth to which the Centre was unwilling to sink - even protecting a psychotic killer like Damon.

Of course, she thought, that applies to Lyle, too, and he could just as easily be behind this.

Tired, Parker stood and stretched, walking quickly to her sofa where she laid down for a few minutes of rest. Her mind, of course, didn't feel like cooperating. It wasn't like she had nothing to think about.

For now, Broots and Debbie were safely under Sam's care, and though she didn't think Damon would really waste time coming after her friend, she wasn't about to risk it.

Then there was her brother, who still was missing thanks to her pseudo-brother's machinations. Broots had already begun a search of Centre facilities to try and figure out where Angelo had been transferred, but so far, he had found nothing, and that meant that Lyle was working overtime to keep her twin out of her reach.

And then there was Jarod. She was worried about him, more than she would've liked to admit. Sydney had tried to downplay the younger man's reaction to the news of Damon's survival, but she knew Jarod well enough to know that he was walking a fine line between being angry and being vengeful, and that could get him into trouble.

Not for the first time, she wondered why she cared. Hadn't Jarod been a source of nothing but embarrassment and irritation for her for four years now? So why in the hell...

Parker stood, knowing she couldn't get any rest with her mind whirling as it was. She walked back to her desk and reached into her briefcase, pulling out the photo Angelo had left behind for her. Elizabeth - who was she? Did her mother have a twin as well? A cousin who shared a remarkable similarity of appearance? Somehow, she had to find out.

Putting the picture away, Parker returned to the task in front of her. At present, she knew that she had to get to the bottom of the Damon mystery once and for all.


Emily paced nervously in the apartment, waiting for Jarod's call. He had taken her to a storage facility near the area surrounding Qualcomm Stadium, and he had directed her to lock him in one of the garage-style units. He had given her a cell phone, instructing her not to try and call him, but instead to wait for his call. Then he had told her that in case of emergency, she could use the buttons at speed dial two or three in order to get help.

After locking him inside, Emily had done as Jarod asked and returned to the apartment. He had been gone for nearly five hours, and her worry was growing with every passing minute. She looked at the cell phone in her hand for the hundredth time, making certain that it was still active. Then, her curiosity got the better of her, and she pressed the button marked speed dial two.

When she heard a man's voice answer, she quickly hung up. The voice did not sound familiar to her, and it had an accent, possibly European.

Then, she wondered, who is at speed dial three?

Pushing the button, Emily waited, ready to hang up again quickly if another strange voice answered, but this voice sounded very familiar.

"What?"

"Parker?" There was a long pause, and Emily knew Miss Parker was trying to figure out if she recognized the voice speaking to her.

"Who is this?"

"It's Emily."

"So, you ready to turn yourself in?" Emily felt immediate confusion at Parker's words, but then she realized how foolish she'd been. She had called Miss Parker at the Centre - and she could not speak freely to her there.

"I just wanted to tell you that it's a shame we didn't get to meet. My brother sends you his regards."

"Yeah, well, tell him next time, oh, like maybe an hour from now, Monty Hall will be waiting behind door number four."

With that, Parker disconnected the call, and then she grabbed her things, hurrying home, and hoping that Emily had picked up on her clue.


An hour later, exactly, Parker's phone rang at her house, and she let out a deep sigh as she answered. Thankfully, she had just had her house swept for bugs, and Emily was smart enough to try the speed dial buttons until she'd found the one Jarod programmed with her home number.

"What?"

"It's me again. I'm sorry about earlier. I wasn't sure whose number it was."

"Emily, it's okay. Is everything all right?" The silence that came back at Parker made her start to worry, and that made her ulcer twinge. That had been happening a lot lately. She reached for her pain medication as she waited for Emily to respond.

"I don't know, Parker. I think - you know about this Damon person?"

"Unfortunately. Jarod's going after him?"

"Yeah. He's, um, he's trying to figure out what Damon's plan is so he can stop him."

"You mean he's simming Damon?"

"Yeah. He went away from me until it was over. I guess he was afraid he'd do something."

"Emily, listen to me. You've got to keep Jarod away from Damon."

"But..."

"No, listen. Your brother doesn't have it in him to kill in cold blood, and that's what it's going to take to stop Damon. Tell him I'll handle it."

Emily knew that her face registered shock at that statement. Parker knew her brother, so she accepted her assessment of his nature, but did that mean Parker really thought herself capable of such an act?

"Parker, I don't think I can stop him."

"Then I will. Emily, tell me where you are."


Broots sat in his office, his nerves on edge as he continued searching the archive files for information on Damon. Simultaneously, and under cover of a new cloaking program he'd designed, he was searching for information on Angelo.

And he was very, very worried about Miss Parker.

Something was happening with her, something that he wasn't sure she even realized. Ever since Angelo's illness, she had been acting strangely, and, more to the point, she'd been acting like herself - her real self. She was changing, and for the better as far as Broots was concerned.

Still, she had looked so tired this morning when she'd come to the Centre, telling him only that she was going to follow up a lead on Damon, and to cover for her if Lyle asked where she had gone. He had fought down the urge to react when he saw her hand move to her stomach, holding it the way she did when her ulcer was bothering her. That did nothing to alleviate his worry.

Before she left, She gave him an old photograph of two little girls, standing together in front of a church. She told him it was taken, she believed, somewhere on the east coast nearly 60 years ago. She also told him the girls in the photo were named Catherine and Elizabeth, and asked him to find out what he could. He knew without asking who Catherine was, and he decided he would work on this project from home in order to keep Miss Parker's private life private.

His computer beeped, and Broots moved to see which of his searches had born fruit. Though he was anxious to solve the mystery of Damon's return from the dead, he was happy to see that what he'd found was a list of three possible locations on Angelo. Quickly he downloaded the information, then used a mild virus to eat away at the file, making it impossible for anyone else in the Centre to determine who had searched for it.

He thought about calling Miss Parker, but decided against it. She would call him soon enough, and he would tell her then. Besides, he needed to plant a false itinerary for her in the travel logs in case Lyle got suspicious.

He was typing in that information, plotting a course from Delaware to Vancouver, Canada when he suddenly remembered one of those odd conversations he'd had with Miss Parker.

"Broots, when I ask you to take things to the lab, who do you have run the tests?"

"W-well, I like dealing with one person, so Gus has been doing our stuff for, like, the last two years."

"Everything?"

The conversation flashed through his mind, and now, it made a connection that he hadn't computed before. Everything included the test that he had run on the DNA from Miss Parker, Lyle and Angelo.

"Oh, God. Oh, no." Broots spoke the words out loud, although he didn't hear them. Quickly, he grabbed the information he had found on Angelo and headed to Sydney's office. He found the shrink watching the infamous DSA of Damon and Jarod, and he felt a chill run down his spine as he came face to face with the image of the man who had almost become his executioner.

"Broots, is everything okay?"

"Uh, no, Syd, it's anything but okay. I think - Syd, we need to talk."

"About?"

"About Angelo."


Emily jumped up into a sitting position when the cell phone rang, the device still clutched in her hands. She wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep on the couch, only that she felt like she hadn't slept at all.

"Hello?"

"Emily, you can come and get me."

"Are you - Jarod, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Emily. We have a lot to do. Hurry."

Jarod disconnected the call, and Emily stood, anxious to get to him. She was halfway to the car before she realized that she had not told him Parker was on her way.


Damon stood, stretching after a long night of watching his prey. The woman he'd selected was perfect. Her resemblance to Miss Parker was not absolute, but it would be enough to send Jarod into a tailspin, and then, Damon knew, he would be vulnerable.

Now it was time to go check on Jarod. He had hacked into the records of the police department and found the address Jarod had listed as his place of residence. Of course, it had been a fake, so Damon had had to wait until Jarod returned to town, the sensor he'd placed on Jarod's police issue vehicle giving him the exact location of the Pretender's lair.

And since he was probably at the police station, hard at work on catching him, now was the perfect time to head over and check out the place where he and Jarod would play out the final part of his plan.

Matter of Blood
Part 7
by N.R. Levy


Sydney sat silent, watching Broots pace back and forth across the office. Clearly, he was troubled by the news he'd just relayed to Sydney, and though it had come in a somewhat confused dialogue, the shrink had been able to pick out the important parts. Angelo was missing and Parker was searching for him. Parker was asking about who handled lab work for Broots, work that included the test of her brother's DNA. And Parker, who had always worked harder than any human should have to to hide her feelings was suddenly spending vast amounts of energy on a man she had referred to as Cousin It on more than one occasion.

"Syd, do you think - I mean, could Lyle have, you know?"

"This is the Centre, Broots. Anything is possible."

"But I mean, if she thought that, why wouldn't she tell us?"

"I don't know, Broots. Maybe she just felt it was safer if she was the only one who had the information."

"You mean, she doesn't trust us?"

"Of course she trusts us, Broots. She asked you about the tests, didn't she? She knew it wasn't anything you did that caused this. No, I mean it was safer for us not to know."

"Oh." The look on the technician's face made it clear to Sydney that he was still a little uncertain, and maybe, just a little bit guilty.

"Broots, you couldn't have known that Lyle might have reason to influence the tests."

"Couldn't I? No one around this place ever tells the truth, Syd, except maybe Miss Parker. She was so worried about him finding out. I should have taken the samples somewhere else, somewhere he couldn't get to them."

"And he would have found another way back in here."

That truth Broots couldn't deny, and so he forced himself to stop thinking about his own feelings and start thinking of a way to help his friend.

"Syd, I'm working on hacking into the computer files at the hospital, to see what tests they might have run. The problem is, I'm having to do it inside a dark cloud - I mean, I can't let anyone here figure out what I'm checking."

"No, you can't. Once you find out, let me know. Meanwhile, we need to start checking the locations you found where Lyle might have Angelo hidden."

"Well, okay, but, I mean, even if I find him, you and I can't go in there and get him. Can we?"

"Maybe not. But I think I know someone who can - and who'll be willing to do it for Miss Parker.

"But Miss Parker doesn't want anyone else to know. I wasn't even supposed to tell you."

"I understand that Broots, but we need to get Angelo away from Lyle as soon as possible. If what you're suggesting is true, then Lyle knows what would happen if the truth about his identity were revealed. He'll do whatever he has to do to keep himself in Mr. Parker's chair."

Much to Sydney's relief, Broots finally stopped pacing. Now the tech stood in front of his desk, looking exhausted and worried. He decided it was time to ask about the other search the man had been conducting.

"Broots, you mentioned something about a photograph?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, Miss Parker gave me this photo of two girls, about six, seven years old. She said their names were Catherine and Elizabeth."

Sydney stood, the names catching his attention.

"Catherine as in Mrs. Parker?"

"Yeah, well, I mean, I think so. Miss Parker didn't say. She just asked me to see what I could find."

"And did you turn up anything?"

"Well, I did find a birth record for an Elizabeth Jamison, but that was it. I mean, it was like all of the records that would tell me anything about her just disappeared."

"Meaning?"

"Well, I don't know. I have a feeling Jarod probably does, but -"

"Jarod?"

"Yeah. He sent her a photo album the other day filled with stuff about her mom. I think the picture came from that."

Broots watched as Sydney's brow furrowed. He imagined that the shrink was tracing his memory banks, trying to see if he could recall Mrs. Parker mentioning anyone named Elizabeth. From the look on his face, it was clear that he wasn't having any luck.

"Keep searching, Broots, for Elizabeth and for Angelo."

"Well, I should call Miss Parker -"

"No, Broots, you shouldn't."

"But she said -"

"Broots, Miss Parker went after Damon. She needs all of her focus on him right now."

Nodding, Broots turned and headed back to his office. He had to work on his cloaking program to be sure that his search for the truth about Angelo remained private. Hopefully the tests from the hospital would give him some answers.

*****

Damon parked his car in the rear alley of the apartment building he'd traced Jarod to earlier. He had already checked the front of the building, seeing no signs of his prey anywhere in sight. Hopefully, that meant the Pretender was off playing detective, trying to figure out exactly who might be next on Damon's list of victims.

He had calculated the risk, and Damon decided that even if Jarod figured out that Linda Whitman was his selected target, it would still work to his advantage. He would simply have to alter his plan a bit, improvise - something the Centre had taught him to do well. Of course, they'd taught Jarod the same, but he knew his adversary had one distinct disadvantage in his way - he still had a soul.

Placing a call to the police station, Damon asked for the crime lab, and then for Jarod. He was told by a sultry sounding voice that Jarod had called in sick. Smiling, Damon disconnected the call. So, the Pretender was out hunting - which meant it was time for him to go see just how much Jarod knew.

He was just about to step out of his car when he saw another dark sedan pull into the alley and take a position similar to his own at the opposite end of the narrow street. Curious, he waited to see who was in the car, wondering if there was a possibility that it might be Jarod. Then, as he saw the figure emerge, his eyes widened in a mixture of joy and disbelief. Apparently, Linda Whitman was going to live to see another day - the fates had dropped the sword with which Jarod could be mortally wounded right in his lap, and he was going to take full advantage.

*****

Miss Parker made her way from the alley up the back stairs of the apartment Emily had directed her to. On edge, she pulled her gun out of habit as she neared Jarod's door, keeping it concealed along the side of her right thigh.

When there was no answer to her knock, Parker put the gun away and pulled out her lock-pick, which she expertly maneuvered to spring the deadbolt. Quickly, she pulled her gun free of its holster again, and stepped through the door.

Many times she had found her way to the places Jarod temporarily called home, always, of course, several hours or days after he'd left. Somehow, stepping into a place she knew he was still living in, a place he would return to, gave her a different feeling. If she really thought about it, it was almost a feeling of anticipation.

Sighing, she put her gun away and looked around to see if there was any note from Emily. Seeing none, Parker paced anxiously, not certain what to do next. She hated feeling uncertain, and that was becoming her regular state of being these days. What to do about Angelo? About Lyle? And Jarod, always the question of what to do with Jarod.

Part of her couldn't wait to see him, mostly because she wanted him to know about Angelo. That's what she told herself, anyway. She just wanted to confide in someone that she knew who her brother was, and how happy that knowledge made her.

She would never admit that just the thought of seeing Jarod standing still, not running away from her or afraid of her, was something she also wanted very much.

Trying to change her chain of thought, Parker considered calling the Centre to check on Broots' search for Angelo, but decided against it. If Lyle was up to his usual games, the call would be intercepted, and he would know how frantic she was to find her brother. And that could only add to the danger Angelo as facing.

Still, her mind stayed on her brother, on the new and thriving connection they had started to build in the hospital. As her ulcer twinged, sending shooting pain through her abdomen, she distracted herself by drifting back over the stories she'd told Angelo about their mother, and remembering his movements as he'd scanned the photo album Jarod had sent, his hands gently touching the photo of their mother from her high school graduation.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts, that Parker did not hear the nearly silent approach of the man who walked down the hall. He was, of course, careful to get such a result. He knew the woman's reputation well, and knew that she would be a worthy adversary. Keeping surprise on his side was the best defense to what he was certain would be Miss Parker's quality offense.

He didn't even try the knob, expecting that she had locked the door behind her, and instead, sank to his knees as he began to work the action of the dead bolt the same way he imagined Parker had done minutes earlier.

Correctly, he assumed that she had heard the last click of the movement, and he waited, anticipating what she would do next. Pulling her gun, moving cautiously out of sight range of the door, in case, just in case, whoever was coming in was not Jarod.

And that was when the door flew open. Parker's eyes locked on it, her gun raised, her body concealed behind the door jam of the kitchen. There was no movement. Nothing. Someone was playing a game with her - and she was certain it wasn't Jarod.

Parker tried to bide her time. Whoever it was clearly wanted her to expose herself - and though she wanted nothing more than to charge at the door and shove the barrel of the Smith & Wesson into the face of the person or persons standing outside, she resisted.

That was when the noise came from the back alley.

For a moment, just for a moment, Parker turned her head to see what had caused the noise, her eyes falling on two boys who were shooting at cans with a BB gun. Realizing she'd been distracted, Parker turned her eyes back around.

And came face to face with Damon.

He was on her before she could react, and it took a half-hearted defensive move to block his fist as it moved toward her. She absorbed the blow, riding it out of range of his arms, but not before her gun fell from her hands.

Now they stood three feet apart, Damon smiling at her, and Parker glaring at him with all the frigid glory the Ice Queen could muster.

"So, Miss Parker, at last we meet."

"Can't say it's a pleasure."

"Oh, but it will be, Miss Parker, at least, for me."

With that he sprang at her. Parker eluded his movement, her years of training serving her well. The fight raged, Parker landing a surprising number of blows, but Damon continued to come at her. She could not hold in a groan as he landed a powerful kick to her back, sending her flying toward the couch. Parker stumbled and nearly fell down onto the piece of furniture, but quickly pushed herself away just in time to watch as Damon landed on the soft cushions instead.

Grinning, he stood and advanced toward her again. Parker saw that her gun was lying cleanly exposed near the kitchen door, and she began to move toward it, quickly wondering if any of Jarod's neighbors were wondering what the hell was going on in the apartment above or next to them.

Damon saw Parker moving to her left, and he knew she wanted nothing more than to get her hands on the gleaming semi-automatic lying on the floor. He pretended not to know this. It gave her the confidence to keep moving. And as she took her chance and dove toward it, he extended his right leg, delivering a stunning kick to her stomach.

The kick would have felled any adversary for several moments, but Damon was not prepared for the reaction it caused in the woman he had been battling for more than 10 minutes. Parker seemed unable to breathe, her body doubling over as she sank to her knees. Pain was the only thing visible on her face, and he watched in wonder as she crumpled to the ground, her arms crossed over her abdomen.

She was still struggling, still fighting, but she was clearly in trouble. With clear futility, she reached for her gun, but Damon was already beside her and he easily kicked it out of her reach. She was lying on her side, left arm clutching her stomach. Short gasps of pain continued to escape her lips.

Curious, Damon reached over and pulled Parker toward him. She tried to push his hand away, but she was barely conscious and the effort was more instinctive than it was a real movement. That was when he saw the thin line of blood running from the corner of her mouth.

He could have taken her then, but somehow, Damon knew he had inflicted all the damage needed to enrage Jarod into a frenzy of revenge. It was not what he'd had planned - but as he checked her pulse and it found it fading, he knew that it was going to have the same result.

He didn't know why - but he knew Parker was dying, and though he would miss the pleasure of humbling her, his goal was accomplished.

*******

Emily had not anticipated the trouble she'd have with the lock, and she could hear Jarod's frustration from the other side of the door. Finally she got the key to work and in moments the door flung open. Jarod emerged, heading straight for the car, barely glancing at his sister.

"Jarod, what did you find out?"

"The bastard's been using an insurance company database to pick his victims. They all purchased homeowners or renter's insurance in the last 18 months - all indicating they were single and lived alone."

Emily watched the way Jarod moved as they both climbed into the car. Something was different than it had been before. There was an economy to his movements, as if he had temporarily turned into an efficient machine. Was that was "simming" did to him?

Jarod started the car and soon they were on the freeway, headed back to their apartment. That was when he continued relating the information he had discovered while inside Damon's head.

"I know who the next victim is. He picked her to try and break me." He glanced over and saw the confused look on Emily's face. How could she understand? How could she know the sickness that permeated the minds of the monsters that lived in the Centre?

"He picked someone who looks like Parker."

That forced Emily's eyes wide, and she felt a knot begin to coil in her stomach. This man sounded like pure evil to her, and that he would use Jarod's feelings for Parker - whatever they were - to try and destroy him made her sick.

Jarod glanced to his right to do a head check before he moved into their exit lane, and he saw something cross Emily's face. It was a mixture of fear and guilt, and he had a feeling whatever had caused it was going to add to his already intensely boiling anger.

"Emily, what is it?"

"I - Jarod, I didn't know. I mean, I had no idea this guy would know about her or -"

Jarod felt his skin go cold, and he pulled the car over, stopping next to the guardrail and turning his eyes toward Emily.

"About who?"

"Parker. S-she's - she's on her way here. I was worried about you and I called her, and she said you couldn't do kill him -"

"So she came to do it for me? And you let her?" Jarod could hear himself screaming at Emily, and part of him hated that he was doing it. But his fear was beginning to overwhelm him. He didn't know if he could kill Damon - not after all the emotions he'd faced when he'd thought he'd pulled the trigger last time. But he also knew he could not let the sick creature anywhere near Parker.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just didn't know what to do. I'm sorry, Jarod." She was crying, tears streaming down her face, but they were more from her own sense of disappointment than from any pain over Jarod's tone. She was letting him down. More than anything, Emily had spent her life wanting to find her brother and help him, and in just a few days, she had managed to do little more than make him feel guilty and cause him worry. Now she had endangered Parker, a woman to whom she knew she owed her freedom and her life.

Jarod saw his sister's tears and knew he had let his emotions get the better of him. She had just been trying to help, and he knew better than anyone that there was no stopping Parker once she made up her mind to do something. Softening, he reached over and placed his hand on Emily's shoulder.

"Where is she headed, Emily?"

"I told her where we were staying. I know she's been tracking you, but I knew we could trust her this time."

Jarod nodded, his hand moving reassuringly on her arm to add to the gentleness of his tone.

"You were right to trust her. Damon could hurt some people she cares about, and she won't want that to happen. Come on, we better get back and talk to her."

Emily tried to smile, feeling at least a little better about things as she wiped the remaining tears from her face. With one last smile in her direction, Jarod started the car and they headed off again toward the apartment.

They were there in less than five minutes, and as soon as they parked, the two headed inside. They were barely in the lobby before Mr. Jenson, the building superintendent, was there to greet them, a worried look on his face.

"Jarod, thank goodness you're all right."

"Mr. Jenson, what's wrong?"

"Oh, there was at terrible commotion. We thought you might be hurt. But then the noise just stopped, and well, no one answered -"

"In my apartment?"

"Yeah..."

Jarod didn't hear the rest of what the old man said because he was racing up the stairs, taking them two at a time and leaving Emily to follow as quickly as she could. He arrived at the door and found it locked and for a moment, he had a faint hope that Mr. Jenson had been wrong. The noises had come from somewhere else - they had to have.

Then he opened the door. He could see that a struggle had taken place in the living room, and he was just heading toward the bedroom when something near the kitchen caught his eye. Turning, he looked with horrified eyes at Parker's unconscious form lying on the floor.

Quickly, he moved to her, urgently checking for a pulse. It was there, but it was weak, and he knew that whatever had happened, Parker was in desperate trouble. The doctor inside of his mind took over, checking her body for injury. When his hand grazed over her abdomen, he felt something wrong, and he unfastened her the buttons of her shirt. He stared down at the dark purple stain that spread across her skin from the inside - a sure sign that she was bleeding internally.

Emily ran into the room, and as she glanced over Jarod's shoulder, he heard her intake of breath and he could sense panic rising up inside of her.

"Emily, call 9-1-1. Now!"

Trying to compose herself, the young woman ran to the phone, dialing the three-lifesaving numbers. Soon she was spewing information to the operator on the other end.

Jarod ran into the bedroom for a blanket, and as he was pulling it over Parker, she stirred, her eyes barely opening. He saw her grimace as pain overtook her, and he leaned close to her, hoping his words would give her some comfort.

"The ambulance is on the way, Parker. Just hang on."

Her only response was a single whisper.

"Damon..."

******

Sydney had kept journals on his patients for his entire career, and those he counseled at the Centre were no exception. Often, he had filled book after book with thoughts on how to treat them, on theories about what had caused their traumas.

In 1970, he had filled nearly 10 journals with information, and it had taken him several hours of searching to find the book he was looking for. He scanned the pages until his eyes fell on the passage he had been seeking.

"Catherine seems plagued by recurring dreams of a woman named Elizabeth. She recognizes the woman as someone close to her, and feels a strong emotional connection to the figure, yet she is unable to identify how or why she knows the person. Is she someone from her childhood? A forgotten friend who now seems suddenly important? No, Catherine says the woman looks like her. So who is she, and why is Catherine only now beginning to remember her?"

Sighing, Sydney closed the book. He had spent thirty years ignoring the pain of the two people he loved most in the world. Even now, with Nicholas and Michelle back in his life, there was no denying how much Parker and Jarod meant to him. They had been his reason to live after Jacob's death.

Somehow, he knew that finding Elizabeth was something that he had to do for Parker. It was time to put Catherine's ghosts to rest - and to give her daughter some peace, if there was still a chance for that.

Matter of Blood
Part 8
by N.R. Levy


The sweeper had no idea how to handle the situation he was currently faced with. His only duty had been to stand outside the metal door, making certain no one approached and that the occupant behind it did not leave. No one had told him that this could happen.

The screams were beginning to make his skin crawl. He knew that the person was yelling words mixed in with anguished howls of pain, but he had no idea what was being said and he did not want to get close enough to find out. When the screams lessened, the sweeper could hear the meager furnishings in the room being thrown about the room in a frenzy, and he had no wish to see the results of the efforts of the room's occupant.

Finally, having no idea what to do, he pulled out his cell phone and called Mr. Lyle. He was told in no uncertain terms that Mr. Lyle was unavailable. Even after he explained that it was an emergency about Mr. Lyle's special project, the acting chairman's secretary still refused to connect him. He called his immediate supervisor next, but was told that the man had left town in pursuit of a Centre fugitive named Jarod, so he, too, was unavailable.

With his own frustration growing, and the cries growing more and more agitated, the young sweeper did the only thing left he could do. Quickly he dialed another number and listened as a gruff male voice answered.

"This is Sam."

"Sam, um, this is Jake Barnes. Um, look, I've got a problem here, a real bad one, and I got no clue how to deal with it."

"Where are you?"

"It's 22755 Commonwealth -- and Sam, I wasn't supposed to tell anybody about this place. Mr. Lyle's gonna be pissed, but --"

"Don't worry about him, kid. I'm on my way."

Happily, Jake snapped shut his cell phone and sighed, glad that someone who might have a means of dealing with the situation was on his way.

******

The ambulance ride redefined the word excruciating for Jarod. Twice,
Parker's heart had stopped beating, and both times he had sat helpless watching the paramedics try to save her. He wanted nothing more than to push them all out of the way, using his vast knowledge to save her himself, but some part of his rational mind kept him from doing so. He was too close now, too far removed from his objectivity.

Once they arrived, the ER doctors, led by a Dr. Harry Sanders began working on her. Trying to remain helpful, Jarod quickly recounted her history of ulcer problems.

Within minutes, Parker was taken away from him as she was rushed into an O.R. Jarod ran with her as far as he could, his hands helping to speed the gurney along as he looked down at her, willing every ounce of strength he had to her. Finally, he felt a nurse push him away, telling him that he could go no further.

Returning to the waiting room, Jarod caught sight of Emily. He had no idea how she'd even gotten here. He remembered yelling at her to call 9-1-1, and then hearing her crying, saying over and over "I'm sorry, Jarod. I'm sorry."

Then he saw Hanson, the lead detective from the Silk Stalker case. The man walked up to Emily, handing her a cup of water as he patted her on the shoulder, trying to reassure her.

His worry for Parker was so strong he felt as if he would suffocate under its weight, but now Jarod knew he had another problem to deal with. Hanson was going to want answers, and he had to figure out what they were going to be.

As Jarod approached, Hanson looked up. The man he had come to know as Jarod Pembleton, ace criminologist, looked as if he'd aged five years in the past hour. Still, he needed to know what had happened, and why violence had found it's way to Jarod's home.

"Hey, Jarod. Sorry about your friend."

Jarod saw Emily look at him, guilt and pain still filling her eyes. He knew they needed to talk, and soon. For now, however, there was Hanson to face.

"Can we talk over here. I don't want to upset my sister."

Hanny, as he was frequently called, nodded, and he and Jarod crossed the hallway, leaving Emily alone.

"So, what the hell happened, Jarod?"

"It was him -- the Stalker."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. I know who he is."

"And that's why he came after you? You expect me to believe this guy knew you figured out who he was?"

"No, I..." Jarod trailed off, his voice catching. He was so used to
concocting grand stories to cover his sudden bursts of knowledge during his pretends, but this time, he felt an overwhelming urge to tell the truth. His mind simply didn't have the will or the energy to do otherwise.

"Hanny, I used to do research for a company that -- well, let's just say they didn't always do what I thought they were doing with that research. This man, his name is Damon, he was one of the people who used what I found to hurt people."

"And what, you blew the whistle on him?"

"In a manner of speaking. Look, what I can tell you is that Damon is doing all of this in order to get back at me -- the attacks, all of it was a set-up to get me involved in the case."

"But you didn't even transfer into San Diego until after the first attack."

"You can believe me or not believe me, but if you find a woman named Linda Whitman, you'll see that she bears an uncanny resemblance to my friend -- the one that's fighting for her life right now. She was going to be his target until..."

Hanson couldn't suppress the feeling that the whole story was simply too much, too far-fetched to be believed. He would have dismissed it out of hand, except for one thing -- the look in Jarod's eyes told him that it was the truth.

"Is there any way you can back this up?" Jarod looked at him silently,
offering no reply. "Jarod, you want me to go in there and tell them I know who the suspect is with nothing else but your say so? Do you realize how that's going to look?"

"Check the D.C. police logs. You'll find a report of a man who failed in a terrorist attack on a church during a political service to promote peace. His photo and his fingerprints are in the file. He wasn't careful at my place today, I know it. Compare the prints."

Hanson had been a cop for nearly twenty years, and his gut always told him when to move and when to stay put. Right now, it was telling him to get back to the station and get the file from D.C.

"All right, Jarod, but I'm leaving two uniforms here. If he came after you, and he knows your friend is still alive, he might be back."

Hanson walked away, not waiting for a response from Jarod, and so he missed the muttered words that escaped Jarod's lips.

"I'm counting on it."

******

Sam arrived at the location Jake had given him, and he was barely in the building before he heard the screams that were coming from the other room. Something about the sounds was vaguely familiar to Sam, but at the moment, he couldn't place it. He found Jake pacing nervously in front of a well-secured door.

"Have you gone inside?"

"Are you nuts, man? Listen to him."

Sam rolled his eyes at the rookie sweeper, and wondered what the hell Lyle had been thinking, sending a new kid to handle a special project.

"Unlock the door." Sam saw Jake's eyes open wide and his mouth fall open.

"You're going in there?"

"Open the door."

Shocked, Jake moved to the locks, entering the computerized security codes that would release the raging lunatic inside the room. The door opened, and Sam entered quickly -- and, to Jake's continued amazement -- without his gun drawn.

Sam was barely through the door before he realized who was in the room. He still had no idea what was happening, but he knew something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

Angelo was in a rage, his physical efforts at destroying the room having left him drenched in sweat. Tears streamed down his face, and his voice was becoming hoarse from the hours of screaming. Sam moved toward him slowly, trying not to startle him.

"Angelo, it's Sam. What's wrong, buddy? What's going on?"

Angelo turned on him, and for a moment, Sam thought the strange man was going to charge him. Then Angelo dropped to his knees, his hands in his hair as he began to wail, a new onslaught of tears coming. Sam moved in, sinking to his knees and wrapping his arms tightly around Angelo to keep him from moving away.

"What is it, Angelo? What's happened?"

"Angel dying! Have to save. Must help Angel."

Sam felt his heart stop at the other man's words. There was only one person in the Centre who was called Angel, and Sam would be damned if he was going to ever let anything happen to her. Keeping hold of Angelo with one arm, he reached for his cell phone and began to dial.

"Sydney, this is Sam. I'm going to give you an address. Get her right away. Miss Parker's in trouble, and I need your help to find out where she is."

******

Emily could not believe how stupid she'd been. It was all her fault. She'd brought Parker here, and now the woman who'd saved her life was dying. On top of that, she was certain her brother hated her. He had barely said two words to her since finding Parker, and after he returned from his talk with Detective Hanson, he had simply begun to pace the halls, refusing to even look at her. She didn't even know where he was right now.

She tried again to stop crying, but found it was a losing battle. Emily was just wiping away still more tears when the doctor walked into the room. From almost nowhere, Jarod materialized by her side, and he quickly cut off any speech any one else might have uttered.

"How is she?"

"She's in critical condition. Her ulcer was torn open by the attack, and on top of that, it caused new damage to the abdominal cavity. She lost a lot of blood, and her blood pressure is all over the place. We're doing everything we can."

"Can I see her?"

"For a few minutes."

The doctor began to walk away, and Jarod followed. He turned back momentarily, glancing at Emily. She saw something in his eyes, maybe a half-hearted attempt to reassure her? She wasn't sure.

******

Jarod entered the room, his spirits sinking as he saw Parker lying there like a lifeless porcelain statue. He moved to her bedside, his eyes filling with tears as he leaned close to her.

"I'm sorry, Parker. Please, please, don't go."

Matter of Blood
Part 9
by N.R. Levy


Damon watched the activity at the hospital from the hotel room he had secured across the street. From here, he could see the plainclothes police officers walking to and from the parking lot as well as the uniformed officers who kept a silent track around the hospital perimeter.

Clearly, Jarod had told the police who he was. They were nervous. He had called the hospital to check on Miss Parker's condition, and when they refused to give him any information, Damon knew that either she was alive and they were afraid he was coming for her, or she had died and they didn't want him to know so he would not disappear.

Of course, Jarod knew better. He knew the attack on his blue-eyed nemesis had been an invitation, and the Pretender would not refuse that meeting. His pride, his desire to help those who needed help would not allow it.

He wondered again at the strange connection between Jarod and Miss Parker. He knew, thanks to his Centre contacts, that they had been friends as children, but bitter enemies in adulthood. So why then had his study of Jarod proved her to be his Achilles heel? There was no one, not even a member of his family whose loss would affect his adversary as deeply as hers in Damon's estimation.

Well, another problem for another time. He had to make sure his final preparations were in order. Tonight, it would end - one way or another.

****

Emily woke with a start, panic setting in because she did not know where she was. It took several moments and a couple of deep breaths for her to realize she was still at the hospital in San Diego. She had fallen asleep on the couch outside of Parker's room in ICU. A quick glance at her watch told her it was now nearly 7 a.m.

Standing and stretching, she moved to the window of the room, peeking in to see if anything had changed. It was instantly obvious that nothing had. Parker still lay motionless, and Jarod still sat beside her, willing her to live.

The silence between she and her brother was torturing her, and Emily was not sure how much more she could endure. She needed Jarod's forgiveness even if she didn't deserve it. There was no denying she had caused this, and she understood why it was he could not tell her that everything was going to be all right. Still, she longed for the feeling of his strong arms hugging her, reassuring her. Funny, she thought, how quickly she had become accustomed to that.

Quietly, she entered the room. She slowly made her way to Jarod's side, sinking down to her knees next to his chair. His eyes remained on the unconscious form in the bed, but she noticed a change in his breathing. For a moment, Emily was almost afraid he was going to send her away.

"It wasn't your fault, Emily."

The words came out low, almost to low for her to hear, but she clung to them as they registered inside of her. Cautiously, she leaned forward, letting her head come to rest on his shoulder.

"I never should have called her."

"You never could have stopped her. Nothing stops her, at least..."

Emily heard the emotion in his voice as his words trailed off. She let her arm snake around him, trying to give him some kind of comfort.

"What are you going to do, Jarod?"

"Find him."

"Jarod, she wouldn't want you to do that."

Silence was the only response to that comment, and she knew that inside, he knew she was right.

"I have to stop him."

"She needs you now, Jarod. Let the police -"

"He won't let the police find him. He'll come for me, and when he does, I have to go."

Now Emily sat back from him, moving so that she could look him in the face. He tried to keep his eyes averted from his sister's, keeping them focused on Parker instead. To counteract his attempt, Emily reached up and put her hands on his face, turning it so that he had to face her.

"What am I supposed to tell her when she wakes up if you aren't here? What do I say if you don't come home?"

Jarod sat there for a long time, looking from his sister to his - what? What word described Parker when it came to him? Friend? Enemy? Or was there more? He thought he knew, but his heart wouldn't let him say it out loud. Hell, he couldn't even think it. Right now the only thing he knew was that Parker was hurt because he had not taken care of her, and he had to make sure Damon could never, never get near her again.

"Tell her I said goodbye."

Emily was stunned by his words. She opened her mouth to argue, but her voice got stuck in her throat. Had he really just said that? Suddenly, and for the first time, Emily felt anger toward her brother.

"You want me to tell her what? You selfish, hypocritical bastard! She came here to save you. She's lying there because she wanted to help you, to help us. She deserves better than for you to just go get yourself killed as a way of saying thank you!"

Emily hadn't realized she was screaming until she heard her words echoing in her head. She also hadn't realized that she had struck out at him, or that Jarod had reached for her, his strong hands keeping her arms locked against her sides. And only now, with the string of near-curses out of her mouth did she know that she was crying.

Jarod saw that she was beginning to calm down, and he reached out, pulling Emily toward him.

"I'm sorry, Emily. I'm sorry I left you alone so long. I'm sorry I made you think it was your fault. Please, don't do that to yourself."

"But it was, it was, and now you're going off after him and I might - I might lose both of you, Jarod. I don't think I can handle that."

Emily dissolved against him then, her tears turning to full-out sobs, and her body shaking against his. No, she couldn't lose her brother, or her friend, and she didn't know what she could do to protect either of them.

"I have to go, Emily. He'll come after her. He'll do it just to spite me. I can't let him hurt her again."

Jarod pushed himself back, setting Emily at arms length so he could look at her.

"I can't let that happen."

She hated it, and hated that there was nothing she could do to stop him, but Emily nodded, letting him know that she understood.

"He'll contact me when he's ready, of that I'm certain. Until then, I'll be here. After that, I'm counting on you to take care of her for me. Can you do that?"

Again Emily nodded, and glancing over her shoulder, she let her eyes fall on Parker. As she watched her friend, Jarod's hand reached out and took the sleeping woman's in his own.

"She'll be all right, Jarod. She has to be."

Emily didn't need to look at her brother to hear the tears in his voice.

"Yes. She has to be."

****

Sydney had been stunned by Sam's phone call, and though he couldn't imagine what it was that made the sweeper sound so frantic, the mention of Miss Parker's name was all it had taken for the shrink to grab Broots away from his computer and race to the car.

As they drove to the location Sam had given them, Broots could feel the concern coming from his friend. He hadn't even told him what had happened, only that Miss Parker needed them.

Clearly, Miss Parker was involved in too many dangerous things right now. The search for Damon, and, if he and Sydney were right, her search for her real brother, not to mention the continuous hunt for Jarod were all placing strain on her. Remembering the way she had grabbed her stomach yesterday, Broots wondered if she was sick again.

To try and distract himself from those thoughts, Broots tried to solve the mystery of the hospital records he had searched earlier today. Angelo's files were clearly incomplete. Test results were missing, and a doctor's note had been deleted. He could not be certain if it had been Miss Parker or the Centre who had done that, but it further added to Broots' suspicions that Mr. Lyle had somehow altered the genetics tests done two years ago in order to steal Angelo's place in the Parker family.

Broots had also stopped by the lab that morning in order to try and gage Gus. He hated to think that someone he trusted had betrayed him, worse, betrayed Miss Parker, but this was the Centre and he knew that few people's loyalties could be counted on. The lab technician had given nothing away, but Broots realized he was the only one who could have altered the tests for Lyle.

Sydney slammed the car into park as he reached the destination Sam had given to him. It took the both of them less than a second to realize that the place was one of those from the list of potential hiding places Broots had compiled regarding Angelo.

Once inside, they found the main room was nearly empty save for a chair near another heavy metal door. That door was open, and so the two men headed there.

Sam was sitting on the floor, Angelo's head cradled in his lap. The room had been torn apart, every stick of breakable contents smashed into pieces. Sydney immediately raced to his protégé, sensing the deep emotional pain that Angelo was in. Broots walked behind Sam, leaning close to the sweeper.

"Sam, w-what happened?"

"The kid freaked. He tore the room apart and started screaming that Angel was dying."

Sydney reached out and stroked Angelo's hair, trying to soothe him. He raised an eyebrow at Sam.

"Angel as in Miss Parker?"

"Do you know anyone else he calls that?"

Broots felt panic begin to build inside of him. If Angelo could feel Miss Parker dying, then -

"Oh, God. She didn't say where she was going. Does he know where she is?" Sam shrugged at the technician's words.

"Don't know. He's not exactly big on words, but I thought maybe, Sydney, you might know a way to reach him."

"I can try."

Gently, Sydney took Angelo from Sam, bringing the man into his arms. He rocked the damaged young man back and forth, creating a soothing rhythm he had used year after year to calm Angelo down.

"Angelo, it's Sydney. I know that you're very, very upset right now, and that you're worried about Miss Parker."

"Angel...Angel in trouble. Dying..."

"Do you know where she is, Angelo? Can you help us find her?"

"Angelo find sister - save Angel."

The fact that he said those words aloud spoke volumes about the trust he felt in the three men surrounding him. His sister had told him that it was a secret that no one could know, only now her life was in danger, and he needed their help to help her. He could feel their concern, even their love for her, and it was that sense that told him to let them inside.

"Angelo," Sydney continued in a soft, gentle voice, "can you tell us where she is?"

"Water - by the water with Jarod."

****

Jarod held his cell phone in his hands, trying again to decide whether or not to call Sydney. He knew the old man would be worried about Parker, and that if he did call, Sydney would do his best to keep the Centre away. But could he do it? Jarod simply couldn't allow them close to her right now. She was too vulnerable, far too easy prey for Lyle or Raines or anyone who might want to make sure she didn't recover.

Deciding again that it was best not to call, he began to put the phone away when it's ringing stopped his action. A knot in his stomach told him who the caller was. He had been waiting all day for the call to come.

"Hello?"

"So, how's the little woman?"

"Damon."

"You didn't answer my question."

"You didn't really expect me to, did you?"

"Come, come, Jarod. I didn't mean to play rough, but, you know, she doesn't exactly inspire one to be gentle, does she?"

"What the hell do you want from me?" The words came through gritted teeth, and Jarod felt his hand tightening around the arm of the chair.

"I want your blood, Jarod. I want it in exchange for mine."

****

Emily had not wanted to leave the hospital, but Jarod had insisted she take the time to go home and shower and change because he didn't know when he would have to leave. She thought that meant he wouldn't leave before she got back, but when she returned to the room, his chair was empty.

She scanned the room, wondering if he was simply someplace else. Then the nurse walked in, and Emily turned toward her.

"Excuse me. Have you seen my brother?"

"Oh, yes, miss. He told me to tell you that he left something on the bedside table for you, and to take good care of his friend."

Emily felt instantly nauseous as she watched the nurse leave. After a moment, she made her feet move and she headed toward the table. On it sat Jarod's cell phone and a book. It was called "The Devil's Providence."

She saw an envelope sticking inside of the book and opened it to where it fell open. The envelope had her name written on it and she opened it, pulling free two pieces of paper with Jarod's handwriting on them.

"Emily, I'm sorry to leave without saying goodbye, but I had to go. I'll do my best to get home. Just in case, this is a safe place for you to go, you and Parker. She'll be able to get well there, and she'll find some of the answers she needs. I love you, Jarod."

She looked at the second sheet of paper, and found an address written on it in upstate New York. As she was returning the sheets to the envelope, her eyes fell on a passage in the open pages of the book.

"And the hero looked into the Devil's eyes, and wondered if he was strong enough to do what had to be done. Could he vanquish the monster from the world, protecting those he loved from the evil it spread over them like a dangerous, poisonous blanket? Then he looked into the eyes of the angel who had guided him, and he knew - to die trying was better than to live knowing he had failed."

Emily felt her heart tighten, and she would have dissolved completely into tears had a sound not caught her attention and forced her to look toward the bed.

Parker's eyes were open.

"Jarod?" The word came weakly, barely audible and had Emily not been standing so close, she would have missed it. Quickly, she moved to lean closer to her friend, her hand reaching for Parker's to give it a reassuring squeeze.

"He isn't here right now, Parker, but he has been. He's been here every moment."

"Can't go."

"Can't go where, Parker?"

"He can't go after...please, stop him."

Emily watched as Parker's eyes closed again, and though she felt full of relief at this hopeful sign that Parker would recover, her fear for her brother grew to new proportions. Knowing she had to do something, Emily picked up the hospital phone and dialed the operator.

"Yes, I need the to get the number for the San Diego Police Department. I need to reach a Detective Hanson."

****

Lyle's rage had rarely been pushed to the breaking point since his reinstatement at the Centre, but he knew he was in danger of doing something very, very stupid out of little more than anger. The loss of Angelo was infuriating, but he had to be careful. If anyone suspected why he had really done it, his position here could be very precarious, and he needed to keep the veil drawn over his true motivations.

At the moment, the young sweeper responsible for his dark mood cowered before him, trying to explain why it was that his prize prisoner was now gone, in the custody of "unknown persons."

For his part, Jake Barnes was trembling with fear. Mr. Lyle had a reputation, and he knew the man could kill him as easily as flicking a piece of lint off of his jacket if he wanted to. But he was more afraid of Sam. Sam would not kill him, he would torture him until he begged to be killed - and Jake would rather go quickly any day. So he kept to his story, that strangers had burst into the warehouse, seizing the prisoner and disappearing. Thankfully, the state of the freak's room at least made it look like a struggle had really occurred.

Lyle glared at the man, trying to decide what to do. Then, a thought occurred to him that made him smile.

That smile sent a shiver of fear through young Jake Barnes.

"Jake, I have a new assignment for you. A friend of mine I need you to find for me."

Nervously, Jake switched his weight from one foot to the other, and Lyle knew he had the man under his absolute control. Even if he failed in his mission, he would probably end up dead, which was just as well after the hideous mistake he'd made today.

"Who is it you want me to find, sir?" Fear in the voice - another good sign as far as Lyle was concerned.

"A man named Damon."

Matter of Blood
Part 10
by N.R. Levy


Two planes streaked across the sky on their way to San Diego, California. Each plane contained men with pointed objectives, the occupants completely oblivious to the plans of the other.

A private charter arranged by Sydney carried him, Broots, Angelo and Sam to the city where they hoped to find Miss Parker. Sydney had worked with painstaking precision to use specific triggers as he unearthed the small details Angelo was able to provide. After putting the pieces together, they had all agreed that San Diego was the most probable location of their friend and so they worried men had all found reasonable excuses for disappearing and headed to the airport.

Sydney watched as Angelo tossed in a dreamless sleep, his body twitching and jerking as he fought off images of Miss Parker suffering. Broots moved to the sleeping man and tried to soothe him, but Sydney knew it was no use. The only thing that was going to help Angelo was finding his sister and making certain she was all right.

His sister --- Sydney was still trying to get his mind wrapped around that fact because its truth carried with it some very hard to take implications. Namely, that Catherine's little boy, the one she had mourned so completely, had been alive and waiting to grown old enough to suffer at Raines' hands. He knew Miss Parker's thoughts would have run along these lines - the betrayal of her mother and the suffering that her twin had endured.

And then there was the logic of the choice - why had it been the boy sacrificed to the Centre, not the daughter? Certainly, there were many reasons possible, but Sydney was hard pressed to narrow it down to any of the possibilities. All he did know was that if they didn't hurry, there was a chance Miss Parker would still be a sacrificial lamb for the Centre.

On board the second plane, Jake Barnes sat back in his seat drinking a rather large glass of scotch as he tried to calm his nerves. His orders from Mr. Lyle were best described as terrifying, and Jake knew the acting chairman did not intend for him to return home. He had sent him on a suicide mission after a man that he sensed Mr. Lyle himself was a bit afraid of.

His gut told Jake to try and reach Sam again to ask for help, but Mr. Lyle had made it clear to him that he was going to be tracking his every move and that he was to have contact with no one. As much as he wanted to not believe that the Centre could watch everything, could know everything - I mean, they still didn't know the truth about the freak he'd handed over to Sam, right? He still worried that somehow the boss would know exactly what he was up to.

His confidence a little high for the moment, Jake pulled out his cell phone. He partially dialed Sam's number, then stopped. Sam had been around to make sure that the call between their two phones was erased before...what if he couldn't reach him now? The call would be there, and Lyle would know he had tried...

Jake snapped the phone shut and tried to force himself to focus on the man he was going to "find." Right, he, Jake Barnes was going to be able to find a guy that had been eluding the authorities for nearly a decade.

He had read the file Lyle had given him on Damon. The man was a monster of the first order - the kind of guy that would make kids have nightmares if they knew about him. Thankfully, they didn't know about him, and it was supposed to be Jake's job to make sure they never did. Apparently the guy had snapped and was attacking innocent people in San Diego. His job was to get out there and "subdue" him before the police found him.

The problem was, Jake knew he was overmatched. Why then, had Lyle sent him? He wasn't sure - maybe just to let Damon know the Centre wasn't just sitting back doing nothing? But then why send him - a virtual novice - after a guy like this?

The questions threatened to drive the young sweeper insane, and so he decided he was better off just finishing his glass of scotch. Who knew, it might be his last one.

****

Emily sat beside Parker's bedside, her heart pounding. Ever since Parker had opened her eyes earlier and begged her to stop Jarod from going after Damon, she had been trying to find a way to accomplish that goal.

It had taken two different tries to reach Detective Hanson, and once she had, Emily found she wasn't certain what to tell him. She couldn't risk revealing all of Jarod's past to him, but she had to tell him enough to get him out looking for Damon.

She was relived when Hanson's answers made it clear to her that Jarod had told him enough to get him out following up leads on Damon. When she told him that Jarod was going after Damon on his own, she had noted that he didn't really sound like it was unexpected news. She wasn't sure if that made her feel better of worse.

Parker stirred and Emily moved closer to her friend, wishing that she would wake up. Parker would know what to do to help Jarod. Slowly, Parker's eyes fluttered open, and she began scanning the room, looking for anyone who might be there.

"Emily, where is he?"

"Parker, he's not here right now. Don't worry, Detective Hanson is looking for him."

"Did he take his phone?" Emily glanced over at the bedside table where Jarod's phone sat on top of the book he had left her.

"No, he left it with us. He wanted me to get help if...um, if I needed to get you out of here.

"Hand it to me." Emily was about to protest, but then she remembered her earlier wish. Parker probably did know exactly what to do right now, so she picked up the phone and moved it toward Parker.

"Speed dial two." Speed dial two - as Emily pushed the button, she remembered the night she'd called Parker, a slight chill running through her. As the phone began to ring, Emily moved so she could hold it to Parker's ear.

"This is Sydney."

"Syd..."

On the plane, the look that passed over Sydney's face at the sound of that one spoken syllable told the other men on board who he was speaking with. Leaning forward, almost as if it would get him closer to her, Sydney began speaking.

"Miss Parker, Thank God. Where are you?"

"San Diego. I'll have...someone will tell you where in a minute, okay? Syd, you have to get here and find Jarod."

"Parker, what happened?"

"Please, Syd, just hurry." Emily could tell that Parker's energy was gone, and she pulled the phone over to her own ear.

"Hello?"

"Hello. This is Sydney. Who is this?"

"Sydney - Jarod's mentioned you. I'm Emily."

A knowing smile passed over Sydney's face. So, Parker had helped Emily escape...and now it seemed, she was receiving help herself from the young woman she'd saved.

"Emily, where are you?"

"We're at University Hospital. Damon, he -- I told Parker where we were and he got to her. She's hurt pretty bad."

"We know. We're about half an hour from landing. I'm going to send three men named Sam, Angelo and Broots there to be with the two of you. Emily, what can you tell me about where Jarod might have gone?"

"I don't know. He left behind this book and his phone and told me somewhere safe to take Parker to if he didn't get back. That's all he told me."

"Before that, before all this happened, he was looking for Damon?"

"Yeah, he - oh, that's why I called Parker. He had gone off to do some simulations and I was worried about him."

"Did he have his computer with him?"

"No, I think he had a separate one set up at the storage place."

"Emily, can you tell me how to get there. Maybe I can find something to help me figure out where he's gone."

Sydney wrote furiously as Emily recounted the directions Jarod had given her just a day earlier. Once he'd read them back, he lowered his voice and tried to make it as soothing and comforting as he could.

"We'll do our best to help him, Emily. Tell Miss Parker her brother loves her very much, and he'll be with her soon. If you need anything before we get to you, just call us back on this line."

"Okay, Sydney. Thank you."

Emily hung up the phone, and glanced over at Parker. She was asleep again, and so Emily leaned close to her, whispering.

"Your brother loves you very much, Parker. He'll be here with you soon."

And then, much to Emily's surprise, a small smile slid across Parker's face.

****

The waves of fear that washed through Jarod were undampend by the anger and rage he felt towards Damon. As he drove to the place he knew his enemy waited for him, the Pretender tried to remind himself to act only for justice, to let his feelings of vengeance slip away. He was finding this far easier said than done.

Every time he began to calm himself, he started to see Parker in his mind. She had looked so positively lifeless lying there on the floor of his apartment. And the sound of her voice as she whispered Damon's name...it wouldn't leave him. He knew Damon was probably counting on this. Emotion would distract him, and it would take away his edge. For the first time, he understood why it was Parker tried to keep her emotions locked away --- she could never have done the things she did if she let her heart have free reign, and she had to do them to survive.

But Parker had years of practice at shoving her emotions down deep inside of her. For Jarod, it was a new exercise, one he had to master in a very short period of time because Damon was waiting for him, and Jarod knew that only one of them could walk away from this confrontation. It was time to end it.

He arrived at the deserted military base, his hands gripping the steering wheel. With a slight chill, he remembered the point in his SIM in which he'd picked up on this place --- the things he knew that Damon had done here horrified him. Apparently, the rapes were not the only activity he'd been keeping himself busy with while he waited for Jarod to fall into his lap. Contract killing was a lucrative business, and this place had been the scene of more than one of Damon's crimes.

Moving cautiously, Jarod began his assault on the base. He knew that care was of the utmost concern. Damon was a master at using explosives, and the place was bound to be booby-trapped. He had barely traveled 50 yards inside the fence when he found the first one - a trip wire that would have left Jarod bleeding profusely from cuts in his leg where 3-inch metal spikes would have caught him.

Next, he stumbled upon something Jarod knew had been designed especially for him in order to keep his emotional level in an uproar - Damon had set up a table in the corner of the courtyard - it had two items on it. One was an origami swan, the other, a Polaroid of Parker lying on the floor of his apartment.

Jarod's first instinct was to reach out and pick up the items, but he knew that's what Damon wanted. Careful inspection revealed a pressure sensitive device on the table - one so finely tuned that even a few ounces of pressure one way or the other would arm the small explosive pinned to it.

Sighing heavily, Jarod moved past the obvious trap, and eyes pealed, he continued to search for his enemy. An open door 200 yards in front of him caught his attention, and he headed there knowing that these other diversions were just for Damon's entertainment. There was no chance Damon wanted any result to occur here today but Jarod's death at his hands.

Jarod moved into the warehouse, and he knew instantly that Damon was somewhere inside. Where would be the problem. Damon had chosen a room filled with old obstacle course equipment, and it made the cavernous space both difficult to navigate and easy to hide in.

>From his vantage point atop the warehouse in the communications office, Damon watched Jarod enter the building. There were so many more little diversions waiting for the Pretender before they met face to face, yet he felt his pulse rising with anticipation. It was not surprising that Jarod had not fallen for the small traps he'd set outside - he hadn't really counted on him doing so - but there were bigger, more dangerous hazards awaiting his nemesis, and he couldn't wait to see how this whole ordeal played itself out.

****

Hanson had tried to sound surprised when he'd finally spoken to Jarod's sister, but he'd been worried all along that Jarod was planning to try and take on this psycho on his own, and now he knew his timetable had been drastically reduced - if he didn't get to this Damon guy soon, then he just might take another victim with him.

Clearly, Jarod was not who he had first appeared to be, and he had no idea who the woman in the hospital really was, only that she was extremely important to Jarod - important enough to drive him over the edge, which meant Damon would have the upper hand when they met.

He had been at the station for hours trying to find a possible location on the guy when Emily called again.

"Detective Hanson?"

"Yeah, Emily. Any news?"

"Kind of. Some other friends of my brothers are on the way. His, um, well, Dr. Greene wanted you to meet him at this address, 27550 Rio San Diego Drive. He thinks you might be able to find some leads on Jarod there."

"Are you sure you can trust this guy?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Jarod told me to call him if there was any trouble."

"Okay, I'm on my way. Emily, how's your friend doing?"

"Better. If you see Jarod - tell him she's going to be fine, and he needs to get back here."

"I will."

Emily hung up the phone, certain that she was doing all she could to help her brother, and yet hating that she could do no more. Still, she knew her most important task was to be here for Parker.

When the door opened and the three men walked in, Emily felt a momentary sense of panic, especially when she saw the man she remembered being called Sam - a Centre sweeper. Her nervousness was somewhat offset, however, by the movement of the one who was a bit strange looking -- with big, wild eyes and a tight crew cut. Quickly, he made his way to the bed and he took Parker's hand in his own, his head leaning down to rest on her shoulder.

"Sister hurt, but better. Worried about Jarod."

Emily looked up from the two people at the bed to the two men who still stood near the doorway.

"How does he know that?"

"Angelo is Miss Parker's twin," Broots tried to keep his normal shakiness out of his voice as he explained, "They have a - well, a pretty tight connection. That's how we knew she was hurt."

Sam looked over at Broots, impressed with the poise the little nerd was showing. There was no sense trying to explain what still seemed unexplainable about Angelo to the girl, and Broots had done a good job of covering. His attention turned back to the girl as she stood and walked over to them.

"I'm Emily." Broots extended his hand first, followed by Sam.

"We know. I'm Broots and this is Sam. Don't worry, he's on our side for the time being."

That comment got a small smile from Emily and a harrumph of disdain from Sam. The sweeper's eyes fell on Miss Parker, lying so still in the bed, and he felt his hands turning into tightly fisted balls.

"Sydney should have let me go after that freak!"

Emily was about to be insulted, thinking Sam meant her brother, when Broots quickly stepped in.

"Sam, you know he's worried about Lyle showing up. Miss Parker needs you right now. Damon will get what's coming to him, don't worry."

That seemed to make Sam feel at least momentarily better, and he stepped out into the hallway to begin standing guard as Broots moved over to Angelo.

"Angelo, she's going to be okay?"

The savant picked his head up, turning slightly to look at his friend.

"Sister better."

As he said the words, Parker again began to open her eyes, and the rooms occupants all stepped a little closer to the bed as she managed to get a real focus on the room around her.

"Oh, God. I'm dying after all, aren't I?"

Broots couldn't keep back the chuckle her comment brought to him, or the sense of relief he felt at hearing her voice, weak as it sounded.

"No, Miss Parker, you're not getting away from us that easily."

Parker smiled and looked at Angelo, her face immediately gaining color at the sight of him. She reached a hand toward her brother, prompting him to move closer to her, her hand clutched in his.

"Brother knows. Missed you too."

Emily again watched mystified, suspecting there was more to Miss Parker's brother than had been explained to her, but for now, she would leave it alone.

"Did they find Jarod yet?"

"Sydney's working on it, Miss Parker." Broots reached out, placing his hand on her arm to try and reassure her. "We'll find him. He...he faced Damon before."

"Not like this, Broots. He's too angry this time. I know it."

Broots nodded, knowing she was right. His eyes found Emily's and he could see the concern on her face, too.

'Please, Sydney,' he thought, 'please find Jarod soon.'

*****

The storage unit was exactly the type of place Sydney imagined Jarod using to run his SIMs outside of the Centre. Small, confined, dark - it gave him the ability to create any mental atmosphere he needed in order to make the simulation more believable. Thankfully, he still used a computer to record all of his observations, and the computer was there when he arrived.

He had just finished reviewing the materials in Jarod's file when a gruff looking man in his early 40's walked into the open door of the unit.

"Dr. Greene?" Sydney stood at his words and moved toward the man.

"Detective Hanson. I'm glad you could make it."

"Look, I don't know who this guy is, but I know he wants to stop this sicko, which is what I want, only I don't want him taking Jarod out with him."

"No, neither do we. I may have found a lead on where they are. Jarod's files indicate that Damon was operating his murder-for-hire business out of an abandoned military facility. Any ideas?"

"Well, throw a rock in San Diego and you can hit one. Anything to help me narrow it down?"

"There was nothing more specific, only that it was an old training base and that..."

"Training base, well, why didn't you say that? Yeah, I got an idea."

"Then we better get going."

*****

Jarod had already been inside the warehouse for more than an hour, his clothes now torn and dirtied from the nasty surprises Damon had left for him throughout. He had narrowly escaped being knocked unconscious by a 20-pound bag of sand after tripping a well-camouflaged wire-trigger. Minutes later, he'd received a deep cut in his side as a pile of shrapnel was released into his body by what could only have been a timed explosive.

Now Jarod felt his nerves nearing the breaking point. He wanted this over with. He had tried putting himself into a SIM to break the tension, returning to the military survival skills he'd learned in Texas, but it hadn't helped. His own emotions were too raw now for him to suppress them, and he realized he was wasting precious energy.

Instead, he tried to move forward, all the while thinking not like himself, but like Parker. She was the most efficient hunter he had ever known, and she would have moved through this building with uncanny ease - that he knew. He had not always believed that to be true about her. She had fallen into so many of his traps so easily - it was only after careful observation that he realized she was usually trapped in them by the people around her -- Broots, the sweepers, and Lyle, definitely Lyle, were always stumbling over his triggers, usually after stern warnings from Parker to watch their every step.

No, she was an expert at surviving, at finding the hidden trick, and so he focused on what she would do, how she would handle the situation. Immediately, he felt his nerves begin to relax. That was the key, stay relaxed, stay focused on your goal, and know what your enemy wants. Jarod knew Parker was always certain that despite his tricks, he had never really wanted to see her hurt. Damon was a different story. Damon wanted him weakened, disadvantaged, and so Jarod would have to try hard not to give him the results he sought.

Again, he began to move through the warehouse, Parker with him in his mind as he locked on to her instincts. Deftly, he avoided three more traps Damon had laid for him, and with some sense of relief he saw that there was now only 25 feet of space between him and the stairs that would take him to the top of the room and a better vantage point.

He was almost to the stairs when he heard the muffled cries. He began to look around, nearly losing the calm he had so recently found, but he heard Parker's voice reprimanding him, reminding him to be calm - panic would only get him killed.

Slowing down, Jarod began to edge up the stairs, toward the source of the sounds he'd heard. He reached the landing, a louder, more desperate cry reaching him. It's coming from behind me, he thought, and he turned cautiously in that direction.

A woman was kneeling on the floor in the doorway at the end of the hall. She was bound and gagged with heavy electrical tape and her eyes were wide with fear. It took Jarod less than two seconds to realize who it was.

Stephanie Hart.

How Damon had managed to get her out of the rehabilitation hospital was irrelevant, she was here and now Jarod had to get her out. Destroying Damon had to remain a priority, but now he had a life to save. Quickly, he forced his mind to bring Parker forward again, knowing that he needed her tactical edge right now in order to get him through this. Funny, the very skills she used to make his life a living hell were quite possibly the ones that were going to save him today.

Jarod used his eyes to tell Stephanie that he'd get her out of this. Slowly, he scanned the rest of the hallway, trying to find Damon. Seeing nothing, he weighed his options. He could move toward Stephanie, but Damon would have expected that and it probably would lead to another trap. He could go search for Damon, but that would leave Stephanie all alone and at Damon's mercy, which he also could not do. Finally, he thought about Parker. When she chased him, when she knew she had him cornered, she frequently called out to him, trying to make him react. Sometimes, if he were especially anxious, it would work, and he would make a sound that told her the general direction he was in.

"Damon, I'm here. I'm waiting for you."

Click. A gun cocking. It came from the room behind Stephanie, Jarod thought. That's where he is.

"Come on, Damon. You got me all the way down here. Don't you want to come show me how tough you are? Or do you only beat up on women?"

"I'd hardly call that thing in the hospital a woman. She's a viper, Jarod, and you're throwing your life away for her."

Trying to get me angry, Damon? Jarod thought. Fine, I'll let you think you're winning.

"You shut your mouth, Damon. Don't say anything about Parker, do you hear me?"

Jarod could almost hear the smile crossing Damon's face, and he could almost hear Parker in his head, telling him what a good job he'd done at "pretending" to be angry. 'That's what you do, Jarod, she whispered, 'just keep letting him think he's winning.'

"Let Stephanie go."

Now Damon stepped out of the shadows. He moved to Stephanie, pushing a gun toward her head.

"Now why would I want to do that? You can consider Stephanie a visual aid. I'm going to use her to show you what I'm going to do to your precious little bitch once I take care of you."

For a moment, Jarod felt his rage flicker inside of him. The thought that he might put his hands on Parker...but no, that's what he wants. He wants you to see that, to imagine it. Parker's safe. Emily will get her to New York and...

Barely a second passed and Jarod had his control back, though he carefully constructed the look on his face to mirror the surge of anger he'd momentarily felt. 'Think you're winning, Damon. Keep thinking it.'

"If you touch her again..."

"Oh, I'm going to, Jarod. I'm going to do more than touch her. I'm going to use her until there's nothing left of her. And I'm going to tell her over and over again that it's your fault because you weren't man enough to kill me, not in D.C. and not here."

"I will kill you." Jarod screamed the words, watching as a satisfied smile crossed Damon's lips. 'Keep thinking you're winning.'

"Not if I kill you first."

Jarod watched as Damon brought the gun up from Stephanie's head to aim it his direction. Think, Jarod, what do you do? What would she do?

'Use what you have, Jarod.' As quickly as her voice appeared it vanished again, and he looked at Stephanie, hoping she would understand, see the movement his hand was making as he raised the other, Parker's 9mm extended forward in it.

Stephanie threw her body back, knocking Damon several steps back into the room. Jarod surged forward, using the little time he had to push Stephanie out of the room and lock the door, at least temporarily shielding her from Damon.

Damon recovered his footing and moved across the room, his gun trained on Jarod just as Jarod's was on him. The two men circled each other, each trying to decide what to do next.

"You showed more control than I thought, Jarod. Maybe she isn't as important to you as I thought. Maybe you just want her in your bed, but you feel disgusted by having her in your heart, hmm? Maybe I almost did you a favor by killing her? Excising the sickness, so to speak. Maybe you should thank me."

Jarod could feel his control slipping away with every word Damon said. Parker was slipping away under the power of his hatred for this man standing in front of him. He tried to reach out to her with his mind, holding on to her strength, but his rage was stealing it away. He could only now see her, helpless and dying in his arms, and Stephanie, the night he'd first gone to the hospital, and the photos of all the women he'd hurt, and the bodies of all the people Damon had killed, and finally, the rage boiled over inside of him, clouding his eyes with a haze of hatred.

Damon saw the change and knew he was back in control. He also knew how he wanted this to end. He stopped moving, taking his gun and dropping it on the floor. Then he raised his hands.

"Go ahead, Jarod. Kill me. Take your gun and get revenge for all the little whores. Get back at me for how much pleasure I took in tearing apart their lives. Make me pay for the joy I felt when I saw that Parker was dying."

Jarod tightened his grip on the gun. He wanted to do it so badly. He wanted more than anything to pull the trigger. 'Don't!' He didn't know whose voice was in his mind now, but it made him hesitate. This wasn't like D.C. Damon had dropped his gun - if he pulled the trigger, he would be committing cold-blooded murder.

"Go ahead, Jarod. Do it. Or are you not man enough? Oh, not a fair fight, hmm? Can't bring yourself to do it? Then how about this? Put your gun down, and we'll settle this like two highly uncivilized men.
Come on, then you can kill me without feeling all guilty. Come on, Jarod."

Jarod dropped his gun and lunged at Damon, his fury driving him as the two men began to beat each other in a wild frenzy.

****

Jake Barnes arrived at the location Mr. Lyle had given to him after spending three hours lost in the city. He knew that would have given his fellow sweepers a good laugh, but it didn't really matter. He wasn't getting out of this alive anyway, was he?

He moved to the gate and seeing that it was padlocked, he climbed up it and dropped over, pulling his gun as he walked across the courtyard. He had barely gone 50 yards when he tripped over something, and then felt a searing pain in his leg as something ripped through it. As he fell to the ground, Jake's fingers tightened reflexively around his gun, and he fired two shots into the air.

In a car not half a mile away, Sydney and Detective Hanson were trying to decide which entrance to use when they heard the gunshots. Quickly, they moved their car in that direction, where they soon found the startled and badly injured young man.

The gunshots brought both Jarod and Damon's heads up for a moment, the carnage of their fight stopping. Each man had suffered painful injuries, eyes blackened, ribs broken, and muscles in agony as the war went on and on. Then the shots had gone off, and they had stopped for one second.

Damon's thoughts were simple. Someone is here. End this now.

Jarod's thoughts were simple. Someone's here, you don't have to do this alone.

Then the Pretender felt Damon's arm slip around his neck and he knew the man was trying to finish him. He fought against the hold, protecting his neck so that a fatal injury couldn't be inflicted. Then his eyes fell on Parker's gun, now lying near the door where it had been pushed in the fight.

Jarod tried to move toward it, knowing he had limited time. Even if Damon couldn't get an angle to break his neck, he was still limiting Jarod's oxygen supply and eventually, the Pretender knew he would weaken and be unable to defend himself. He also knew from his position, he couldn't get Damon off of him, so he tried using his adversary to his advantage. Using Damon's weight, Jarod threw his body toward the door, the two of them rolling twice before Damon managed to stop them. Now the gun was just out of reach, and Jarod struggled to get to it, his body beginning to show the first signs of oxygen deprivation.

That's when the footsteps on the stairs began to sound. Damon's full focus was on keeping Jarod's hand away from the gun, and so he did not respond to the sounds that barely reached him, but Jarod did. With every last ounce of strength he could muster, he called out to whomever was on the other side of the door.

"In here!"

Suddenly the door flew open, and a gunshot rang out, sending Damon flying away from Jarod's body. Jarod, light-headedness now taking over, slumped to the floor, hoping only that whoever had just saved his life wasn't yet another sworn enemy.

Detective Hanson kept his gun trained on Damon from the same spot where he'd fired. It had taken less than a second for it to happen, and only the sight of Jarod in clear trouble to tell him that he had a righteous shooting in front of him.

As he moved forward to check on the man he'd just shot, he saw Dr. Greene step to Jarod's side, turning the injured man over on to his back.

"He okay, Doc?"

"Yes," Sydney said with some relief, "He'll be fine, but we should get him to the hospital."

Detective Hanson nodded as he leaned down over Damon, checking for any signs of life. There were none.

"Well, this one needs a meat wagon."

"Be sure. Make sure." Jarod's voice was ragged as it tore from his badly bruised throat.

"I'm sure, kid. No more return visits for this guy. His ticket's been permanently punched."

Jarod nodded, his eyes heavy with exhaustion and relief, but he managed to focus on Sydney for one moment.

"Parker?"

"She's going to fine, Jarod."

And with that Jarod let unconsciousness take him. He had no idea how they were going to clean up the mess around him, but he didn't care. Parker was safe, and that was all that mattered.

****

Jake Barnes had never much fancied himself anybody's hero, and when Sam showed up at the hospital offering him a chance to be one, he decided to take it. After all, he couldn't go back to Blue Cove, not with Mr. Lyle gunning for him, and after failing to bring back this Damon guy, and not dying in the process, he was definitely living on borrowed days.

So Jake became Matthew Hart, Stephanie's previously unknown brother, who had arrived in town to visit his sister only to find out what had happened to her. Angry, he had tracked down her attacker using his skills as a private detective and he had confronted the killer, but not before placing a verifiable call to Detective Hanson from his cell phone. That call brought the detective to both Stephanie and Matthew's rescue, ending the vicious attacks of the Silk Scarf Stalker forever, and making Matthew into the biggest hero in California, though he would shun media attention to protect his privacy.

Mysteriously, no mention of Jarod or the brunette woman who was lying in University hospital ever made it into Detective Hanson's report.

As the cover story came into place, Sydney marveled again at the loyalty both Jarod and Miss Parker inspired in the people around them. Detective Hanson was risking his career to protect them, and Sam was risking his life by helping them, and yet neither man seemed to question that they were doing the right thing.

Jarod, meanwhile, was resting in the room next to Parker's, his own body battered beyond belief from his confrontation with Damon. He had been asleep for more than twelve hours, and therefore knew nothing about what was happening around him. It had fallen to Broots then to create Jake's new life as Matthew, which included stealing a few hundred thousand Centre dollars for him and Stephanie to use to disappear as soon as their statements were given to the police.

****

Back in Blue Cove, Lyle wasn't sure what was making him more furious, the complete lack of intelligence of anyone around him or the lack of results that every more he seemed to make these days were showing. He'd been about to burn his "sister" with the Triumvirate when she'd called in, reporting that her ulcer had flared up while she was following the Major and the boy, and that she'd been rushed to the hospital. She'd only just recovered enough to phone him, and assured him she'd be back in a week or two, as soon as her doctor said she could travel. He'd had his computer guys check out her story, but sure enough, there she was, admitted to a hospital in Fallbrook, New Jersey, and so he had nothing to use against her for the moment.

There had been no report from Jake Barnes, which meant the inept little creep was probably dead, and that Damon was still on the loose. Not that he hadn't predicted that outcome, it meant he could at least create the illusion he had tried to handle the situation for Mutumbo, and he had done it without risking his own neck, but the thought of Damon still on the loose sent chills up his spine -- what if the psycho came after him?

And still there was no trace of Angelo. The idiot had just disappeared, and now he had nothing to use as leverage against Parker when she came back.

All in all, it was one really shitty day.

****

Jarod knew that they would yell at him for being out of bed, so he waited until he was sure that Broots and Sydney had taken Emily home for the night. He maneuvered himself into the wheelchair beside his bed and then started on his way to Parker's room.

When he got there, Sam's imposing figure was standing outside the door. The man never turned his eyes to look at Jarod, but as the Pretender reached for the doorknob, he spoke.

"I'll let you go this time, for her. Don't expect it to happen again."

Jarod nodded and opened the door, wheeling his way to Parker's bedside. She was doing much better. Her color was back and the doctors were ready to let her go home provided she had somewhere to get a lot of rest. Clearly, that wasn't Blue Cove, so Jarod had come to plead with her to follow one bit of advice from him.

She woke when he took her hand, and she turned to him, looking at the bruises and cuts on his face and wondering how much worse he was hurt in the places she couldn't see.

"Jarod, you shouldn't be here. Sam..."

"Sam and I have a temporary understanding. Parker, I want you to take this and I want you to follow it."

He took a piece of paper and put it into her hand.

"Jarod, I don't have the energy for any more bread crumbs."

"No crumb, the whole piece this time. Take Angelo and go to this house. You'll be able to rest there, and, I think you'll really enjoy the people you meet there."

Parker looked at the address, and though her natural instincts were to argue with Jarod about everything, she found herself only wanting the peace he seemed to be promising her.

"All right, I'll go. I have to find a safe place for Angelo, anyway. I can't take him back home with me."

"This may be exactly what you're looking for. By the way, what exactly is going on with Angelo anyway?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why the sudden interest in him?"

Parker looked at him a little wide-eyed.

"You mean, no one told you?"

"Parker, I've been asleep since I got to the hospital. I barely know what day it is."

"Sorry, I just thought...Angelo is my brother, Jarod. My real brother. Lyle doctored the tests."

Jarod could see the obvious happiness that those words brought to Parker, and now he realized that must have been what she'd wanted to tell him in Maine. More than ever, he realized what it had cost her to send Emily to him instead of coming herself.

"So, it looks like we both have a family to fight for now, doesn't it?"

"Yes, Jarod. I guess we do."

The sat there looking at each other, unable to say the myriad of other things they wanted to say to each other as silence filled the room. He didn't tell her that she had saved him in the warehouse and she didn't tell him that every time she had woken, her first thoughts had been of him.


When Sydney returned in the morning to check on Jarod he found an empty bed. Moving quickly to Parker's room, he found the Pretender asleep in the chair next to Parker's bed, their hands clasped as they dreamed.

Matter of Blood
Part 11
by N.R. Levy


Parker stared up at the giant stone building and tried to remind herself why the hell she had come back here before heading off to the address Jarod had given her. She knew it was to put her cover story more firmly in place and to throw off any suspicions Lyle might have about where she'd been, but all she wanted was to climb back into bed and pull the covers over her head.

She felt awful. She had left the hospital early, against the doctor's advice and flown back to Blue Cove with Sydney, Broots and Sam. Jarod had agreed to take Angelo to the "safe place" he wanted her to go to as well. Parker had been hesitant to agree, not that she didn't trust Jarod with Angelo, she knew he would never let any harm come to her brother, it was just the thought of being separated from her twin again that she had rebelled at. Jarod's promise that Angelo would be happy where he was going had made her give in, though she suspected his ulterior motive was insuring her decision to follow up the lead he had given her. There was no way she'd stay away from the house in upstate New York now that her brother was there.

Slowly, she made her way up the entrance stairs and then through the lobby, stealing herself for the two very different confrontations she was about to have.

Entering her office, she was immediately greeted with the looks of displeasure she'd expected to see on the faces of both Sydney and Broots. Parker knew that they were only reacting this way out of concern for her, so she fought the urge to snap at them and simply crossed to her desk and sank down into her chair, grimacing as pain rippled through her abdomen.

"Miss Parker," Sydney leaned forward, taking her wrist in his hand, his eyes falling on his watch as he checked her pulse, "you know you aren't supposed to be out of bed yet."

"Thanks, Mom, but I'm old enough to decide when to get out of bed."

Sydney shook his head slightly when he released her wrist, and sat down on the edge of her desk.

"You're still weak, and whether or not you like hearing it, you need to rest."

"Yeah, Miss Parker, I thought you were going away for a while." Parker's eyes shot toward Broots as he spoke, and he was stunned to find that even her best glare didn't have the energy in it to scare him today. That, more than anything, made him worry more.

"Geez, Broots, I've been back two minutes and you're ready to get rid of me already? Nice."

"I just meant..." Broots trailed off as Miss Parker rolled her eyes and looked at him. Sometimes it was really hard to tell when she was kidding and when she wasn't, and though they'd become very close over the past four years, he still felt that navigating their friendship was akin to walking through a minefield - in the dark.

Miss Parker turned her eyes to Sydney and saw that his concern was now masked behind his usual look of general disinterest, yet she knew better. He would watch her like a hawk all day, ready to report any misdeeds to Jarod. That's all she needed was for the lab rat to think she wasn't taking care of herself. He'd probably show up out of nowhere and strap her to a bed until she'd recovered to his satisfaction.

'Oh, well,' she thought, 'now that I've faced these two I might as well head off to see the idiot.' Standing, Parker moved slowly, hoping not to ignite another shot of pain in her very tired body. She walked toward the door feeling Broots' and Sydney's eyes on her the whole way. It was as she reached the door that the idea struck her, and she turned back to focus on the techie.

"Broots, do you have any objections to my picking Debbie up today?"

"Uh, no, but I thought you were leaving?"

"Not until tomorrow. I'd like to spend some time with her, if you don't mind. We have some unfinished business to take care of."

"What kind of business?"

"Private girl business, Broots. 2:30, right?"

Broots nodded, wondering what all the secrecy was about, but happy to agree. Debbie loved spending time with Miss Parker, and though he had initially been terrified the first time his daughter had stayed with her, he now welcomed their time together. With his ex-wife basically in a perpetual state of drugged-out nothingness, Miss Parker was the closest thing to a mother Debbie had, and though no one would have believed it, she was doing pretty well at the job.

Miss Parker made her way down the hall toward the office where she used to go anxiously to visit her father. She still felt anxiety, but now it was different. She hated Lyle so much; more every time she thought about the months he had stolen from her and Angelo. Of course, that was nothing compared to the years Raines had taken from them, and sooner or later, she was going to have to make sure he paid for it.

The vengeful thought of Raines at the end of her gun sent pain shooting through Parker's abdomen, and she grabbed at her stomach reflexively as she approached the door to the Chairman's office. 'Deep breath, walk in,' she told herself.

Lyle looked up as the door opened, and he immediately pasted on the fake smile he wore for his "sister." The subtle dance he did with her in order to maintain the ruse of their relationship was key - the Triumvirate had only agreed to his new strategy toward Jarod because she had gone alone with it. The why of it all was still a mystery to him, but one he intended to solve. Someone in the Triumvirate considered Parker very important, and he had to know why before he could make his final grab for power.

She crossed the room in three strides and stood in front of his desk momentarily before sinking down into a chair across from him. Lyle raised an eyebrow as he surveyed her. She was definitely pale, and she looked about five pounds lighter than when he'd last seen her. So, she really had been sick. He had doubted her story even after seeing the admitting papers from the hospital, but now it seemed that she was telling the truth, at least about this. He still had his suspicions where Emily's mysterious escape was concerned.

"Ready to get back to work?"

Parker glared at him, and he smiled in response, making her already tense nerves tighten more. She just wanted to do this and get out of here, but she had to keep her cool. The whole point was to keep Lyle off of Angelo's trail.

"Not hardly. I came to file my reports on what little I found about the Major and the boy, then I'm out of here. Taking some vacation time."

"Vacation? You were just gone for nearly two weeks."

"And I'm going to be gone for nearly two more, or didn't you ever hear of recovery time? It's already been cleared, Lyle, so get a grip."

'Already been cleared,' he thought with an edge. 'The Triumvirate again, acting without his knowledge. He was going to have to speak to Mutumbo about this - he hated being kept out of the loop. Who did they think he was, that fool Mr. Parker?

"Well, then, Sis. Take care of yourself. We want you back in tip top shape."

"The reports are already in the mainframe. If you have any questions, I'll be home tonight, then I'm taking off."

"Where too?"

"Maine. I have a friend there I want to visit." No more detail than that. Ben had already agreed to cover for her if Lyle called or sent someone to check on her, and he had promised to contact her immediately if either event happened.

"How remarkably unremarkable of a choice." He smirked at her and knew that he'd gotten his desired reaction as her glare increased. Good. He didn't want her getting too comfortable.

Parker stood and headed toward the door, her thoughts now on getting to her car and getting to Debbie so they could finish the Christmas gift she'd been helping Debbie prepare for her father. She had almost forgotten about it until this morning, and since she didn't expect to be back before the holidays, she wanted to get it taken care of now so Debbie wouldn't be disappointed. She was just about to leave when she heard Lyle clear his throat to get her attention.

"By the way, have you heard anything about the freak?" The words sunk into Parker's brain, and she forced herself to remain steely calm. 'So, that's your game, Lyle? Fine.' Turning, she faced her enemy.

"Excuse me?"

"Angelo. He's missing, or didn't you know?"

"No, actually I hadn't heard anything. Guess you shouldn't have transferred him to a new facility after all, huh? What's the Triumvirate think about another one of its pets getting away?"

With that Parker turned and left before her anger and her protective streak for her brother took over and left Lyle a bleeding heap on the floor. For his part, Lyle watched her go, his feelings a muddle. He hadn't gotten the reaction he'd hoped for, but it still seemed she was in the dark about the dummy's real identity. For now, that was enough.

****

Nothing surprised or delighted Parker more than the look of sheer joy that crossed Debbie's face every time the two met. Debbie was a child free of the demons that had so often plagued Parker as a little girl, and she was unable to hide her emotions away, which was a tribute to just what good father she had. Her face lit up, her eyes widening as she walked to the front of the school and saw the black Porsche Boxster waiting with Miss Parker leaning against it. Debbie immediately ran toward the car, her arms open for a hug.

"Miss Parker! I was so worried about you. Daddy told me you got hurt." Parker squatted down to receive the hug, her stomach not yet up for the deep bend that would have been required had she simply leaned over, and enjoyed the feeling of Debbie's arms tightening around her. If anyone had ever told her she'd feel this way about this kid...

"I'm fine. Still a little sore, but okay. Are you up for some Secret Santa work today?" Debbie pulled back her mouth open from a small gasp as she began to speak.

"You mean I finally get to see it?"

"Yes. We'll put on all the finishing touches today and get it ready for you to take home. I don't think I'm going to be back by Christmas and I didn't want you not to have your dad's special gift."

"Great!" The two separated completely and Parker opened the passenger door for her to climb in. She made her own way to the driver's door and after starting the car, pulled away to head toward her house. She never noticed the dark car parked several blocks away, its occupant watching the happy reunion with great interest. It seemed Miss Parker had more to lose than she imagined.

******

Mutumbo read the final report on the Damon situation with a growl of displeasure escaping him the moment he'd finished. What the hell had Lyle been thinking, sending a novice after a man trained in Centre tactics for the better part of a decade? That the boy had been killed only to have some random victim's brother dispose of Damon was a miracle. Still, they had hoped to recover Damon alive, and his loss would have to be dealt with.

The work Damon had done for them had all been sanctioned by Garvey, and if he was angered by his loss, then they were all going to have to answer. Mutumbo was fairly insulated from any real punishment, but Lyle was not. Mutumbo smiled evilly as he closed the report and buzzed his secretary. She entered a moment later.

"Yes, sir?"

"Have this taken to Mr. Garvey, now."

The woman took the folder he offered and left immediately. Now, Mutumbo thought, I'll just wait and see what happens.

****

Sydney sat back in his chair, closing his eyes for a much needed moment of rest. Things were finally getting back to normal. Well, at least as normal as anything got at the Centre. Lyle was slithering the halls trying to uncover everyone's secrets, Broots was jumping at shadows, and Sam was once again living behind the mask of stone that he used to deflect unwanted attention.

Sydney felt Angelo's absence deeply, but would never have said so. He understood all to well why Parker had sent him away with Jarod, and why she would not bring him back here, yet the man was so much a part of Sydney's life until now, that knowing he would not receive anymore late night visits from the air vents touched him with a small sense of regret. He knew that was a selfish thought. After all, Angelo was free now. And he wanted the same for Parker and for Jarod - he just hoped it didn't mean he would never see them again.

Parker and Jarod - what a mystery the two of them were to him. He'd know her since birth and Jarod since age four and yet he felt now that he had no idea what was going on inside them. The two had been bitter enemies for nearly four years now, and yet they had both almost lost their lives in recent weeks trying to protect the other. On top of that, Emily had confirmed Parker's role in her escape, which meant that again, Parker had risked herself for Jarod's family.

He knew better than to call her on it. She would only deny that she'd done anything "for" Jarod and come up with an excuse about trying to undermine her brother by letting Emily go or simply doing what was right by trying to catch Damon, but Sydney knew better. Something was definitely going on with those two, something he thought had died years ago. He only hoped that the time away from the Centre would help Miss Parker figure that out.

The phone rang and pulled him out of his thoughts. He reached out to answer, certain already of who was on the phone.

"This is Sydney."

"Hello, Sydney."

"Jarod. How are you?" There was a long pause, and he knew that Jarod was honestly thinking about the answer to the question rather than just throwing out a pat response to him.

"I'm...better. Still a lot to sort out."

"I understand. And how is your charge doing?" Sydney smiled at his own caution. He knew that Jarod often scrambled their phone calls so that the Centre could not record them, but still, it didn't hurt to use a little discretion.

"He is doing fine. Adjusting to his new home quite well, actually. Though he misses his sister very much."

"She should be there tomorrow."

"So she hasn't backed out?"

"No. We thought so when she came into work this morning, but she's already left for the day to spend the afternoon with Debbie."

"Good. Make sure she gets on that plane, Sydney. She needs to do this."

"Jarod, does this all have something to do with that photo album you sent her? The one Angelo said was from Elizabeth?"

"Just get her on the plane, Syd."

With that, Jarod disconnected the line, and Sydney stared at the receiver in his hand for a moment.

Definitely something going on with those two.


****

Parker walked into the studio in a pair of jeans and one of Tommy's old white thermal shirts and sat down in front of the project she and Debbie had been working on the last few months. It needed far less finishing then she'd imagined. Just a few last additions of color and then after it dried, it would be time to wrap it up and let Debbie take it home.

Debbie bounded into the room wearing the pretty green velvet dress that Miss Parker had bought her to wear for Christmas and for their project. The girl smiled as she thought about their secret. She loved that she had a special secret with Miss Parker.

It was still fresh in her memory, the day she had been snooping in the studio and found the sketchpad sitting on the chaise lounge. She had opened it and her eyes fell on a collection of beautiful pencil sketches of the house and the woods outside and of the man she knew was named Thomas. It made Debbie sad to think about him. Even though she had never met him, she knew Miss Parker had loved him very much, and losing him had made her very sad. She hated the thought of anyone or anything making Miss Parker more sad than she had always been.

She was startled when Miss Parker snuck up on her in the studio, but her fear at being in trouble quickly vanished as she saw the woman smile down at her. Then Miss Parker had dropped down to the chaise, unable to keep her smile out of her voice as she tried to sound stern.

"What are you doing in here, young lady?"

"Looking. Did you do those drawings? They're so pretty."

"Yes, I did, but they are a big, big secret so don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Why do you want to keep them a secret?"

"Well, sometimes it's nice to have something special that you do that you only have for yourself, something that you don't share with anyone unless they're very, very special to you."

"Kind of like writing in a diary?"

"Kind of. I like to draw things that are important to me. That way I know that I'll never forget them."

That's when the idea for her daddy's present had been hatched. The two would pick out a special dress and Miss Parker would sketch and paint Debbie's portrait.

Miss Parker looked up and saw Debbie's smiling face and she waved the girl over to her. Up to now, Debbie had not been allowed to see the picture. As she rounded the canvas and looked at it - herself in the green dress sitting on the chaise and framed by the fireplace her smile widened. She loved it.

"Oh, Miss Parker, it's beautiful. You're the best!"

"No, it's just because you're so pretty that it's so good. Now hop over there and let me finish these touch ups so we can get it ready for you to take."

The touch ups took less than a hour, and after Debbie changed and carefully hung up her dress to take it home, she and Miss Parker met up on the couch in the living room for some hot chocolate while the sunlight streaked through the skylights in the studio, drying the portrait to perfection.

The two chatted happily, and Parker felt a lot of the loneliness she had been feeling lately slip away. It wasn't often she could do something like this, something that didn't require money or sacrifice, to please someone around her. That Debbie asked only for her time and her affection made her unique in Parker's world, and she wondered if she would ever be able to properly explain that to anyone.

'You wouldn't have to explain it to Jarod. He would understand.'

The thought passed through her mind quickly, and she wondered if he would still be at this mysterious house when she arrived. Part of her hoped so, so they could finally talk. The hospital had always been swarming with people and given them little chance to discuss any of what had happened to them, and she felt that they needed to talk about it. Then he'd decided to take Angelo off with him, and so Parker had headed home ready to do battle with Lyle if need be to keep her brother safe.

She knew that Jarod was sending her to get answers to the Elizabeth mystery. You didn't need to be a genius to figure that out. What she wondered was why? Was he feeling guilty about her getting hurt? Is that why he'd finally just given her an answer instead of doling out bits and pieces of information? Or did he just finally understand what Parker had come to feel but never been able to tell him - that she needed a family, one she could count on. Certainly her father and Lyle had never fit that bill, and though she loved Sydney and Broots dearly, it wasn't the same as being physically connected to someone she loved. Isn't that what Jarod had been trying to tell her all that time? Why had it take her so long to figure out that he was right?

The night passed and Debbie and Parker carefully wrapped the portrait so that it would not smear in case of still wet paint, and then they carefully loaded all of her things into the car and headed to the Broots home. Parker laughed as she saw the quizzical look on Broots' face as they walked in with the Christmas gift, and her only response was to glare at him and say, "You'll find out on Christmas."

After a kiss for Debbie and an admonishment to Broots to look after himself, she headed for the car and for home. She was exhausted, though it was worth it to have seen the happiness on Debbie's face that she'd seen today. She wondered if Broots would figure out who the artist of the portrait was. She had not signed it, but somehow she thought he might guess. It didn't matter, if there was anyone on earth she didn't mind knowing other than Debbie, it was Broots. Of course, if he told anyone, she would have to kill him, she'd have to remember to tell him that.

Once she got home, Parker dove into a quick shower and then climbed into one of Thomas' flannel shirts and into bed. Though she had accepted his death, it still made her feel some sense of comfort to keep a few of his things close to her...and it helped her remember what she would be risking if she let her heart become too vulnerable. Her brother was one thing, but she wasn't going to be letting anyone else get too close to her anytime soon.

Her eyes slowly fluttered closed, and Parker dreamt about the picture of the two identical little girls and the secrets their smiles held.

*****

Sydney arrived promptly at 8:00 a.m. to pick up Miss Parker and drive her to the airport. She was surprised when he drove past the public terminals and headed for the private airstrip instead.

"Syd, what gives?"

"You have alternative travel arrangements." Off of Miss Parker's raised eyebrow, Sydney continued. "Jarod wanted to make certain your route couldn't be traced."

Miss Parker only nodded. He wondered what she was thinking, but decided against prodding her. She seemed happier than he had seen her in a long time, and he didn't want to do anything to spoil her mood.

They stopped in front of a new Lear jet, and Sydney quickly moved to the trunk to get her bags, knowing she would try and do it on her and that she should not. He'd had to practically tear the thing out of her hands at the house earlier to get her to let him carry it. Sydney handed the bag to the waiting attendant, and then turned to Miss Parker.

"I hope this trip bring you some answers, Miss Parker, and some peace."

"I hope so, too, Syd, and watch your back. I don't need you and Broots getting into trouble."

Sydney was both surprised and delighted by what happened next. The tall brunette leaned closer to him and then suddenly wrapped her arms around him.

"I mean it, Syd. Be careful."

With the words said, she stepped back and walked toward the plane, not wanting Sydney to see the emotion in her eyes. Damn, what was going on with her lately? All these sentimental thoughts were getting a little old.

Once on the plane, Parker settled back into the luxurious leather seat. She fought the urge to look out the window for Sydney and instead tried to focus on what was coming. She didn't know what exactly was coming, but she knew that it was going to change her life.

*******

Jarod paced on the porch of the restored farmhouse, his mind a jumble of questions. Should he leave now or stay to make sure Parker arrived safely before disappearing again? He wanted so much to just see her, to know that she was all right, and yet his natural instincts were telling him to leave. She had so much to face once she got here, maybe it was better for him to be gone.

Emily stepped out onto the porch, a cup of coffee for herself in one hand, and a glass of chocolate milk for her brother in the other. The last few weeks had given her a chance to really get to know him. She knew for instance that he loved Yoo-hoo and chocolate milk and that they shared a deep abiding addiction to Pop Tarts. She knew that he hardly ever slept and that he could eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner and that he thought about finding their family almost all the time.

She had also figured out that his endless quests to "help the little guy" were something that he could not stop, even if the Centre had disappeared. That was evident from the way he cared for Angelo and worried over Parker and in the activities he'd filled up his days with since they'd arrived at he farmhouse in New York state. He had spent hours helping the local town doctor update his office, ordering equipment that they needed to bring their services up to Jarod's standards and treating patients with specialized medical problems the local internist normally had to send people to the city for. He was constantly amazing her, and she would be forever grateful to Parker for sending her to her brother.

It seemed that months had passed since that fateful day, and yet it had only been five weeks. How so much could have happen in that little time amazed her, and yet it had all been terrifyingly real. Jarod still would not open up to her about what had happened with Damon, and somehow she sensed that that was a conversation he needed to have with Parker, so she didn't push.

Now she watched him pacing, certain all of his anxiety was due to Parker's impending arrival. He wanted to see her so much, but she knew he was nervous about it. So often it seemed when he spoke of their meetings, even a pleasant conversation turned into a fight, and she knew Jarod didn't want to fight with her, not now. Just the snippets of information Emily had learned about Parker's twisted family history since arriving here made her realize that her savior was going to need all of her strength to deal with what was coming.

Emily decided to approach him, and she handed him the glass of milk as he tried to focus on her.

"Thanks, Em." He turned his eyes back to the road, waiting for the car to arrive even though he knew it was still too early.

"She wanted to see you in Maine, Jarod. She probably still does."

"That was about Angelo. I mean, she doesn't need me here."

"I think she does, Jarod. You can't really just leave her here all alone to deal with this. When she finds out how far back all of it's gone, what they did to her mother...she's going to need you, Jarod."

"Or hate me for making her face it."

Emily walked up and hugged her brother from behind, resting her cheek against his back.

"Parker could never hate you, Jarod. That part I'm sure of."

Jarod accepted the warmth of his sister's embrace, but he wasn't certain he could accept her words. Every time he forced Parker to face another piece of her past, their relationship seemed to get more strained. Could he really expect this time to be any different, despite all they had just been through together?

Just then the screen door opened, and Jarod knew that Elizabeth was walking toward them. He turned, still stunned a bit by this woman's resemblance to the woman he was waiting for, and returned the warm smile she gave him despite his own worries.

"That boy is so excited, I don't think I'm going to be able to do a thing with him today."

"He's always really cared about Parker." Jarod spoke remembering the joy that had always somehow worked its way to the surface when they'd been children and Angelo had seen Miss Parker enter a room. "Now that they know about each other, I'm sure that's just gotten stronger."

"Apparently so." Elizabeth's voice had the same timbre as Parker's, but it was tinged with a bit of a New York accent. Jarod took in the sound and then turned his eyes back to the road.

"I'm planning on dinner for six, Jarod. Harry will be back from the city tonight, and I expect you and Miss Emily here to be around. You weren't thinking of running off anywhere, where you?"

Jarod turned to her, his eyes wide as he wondered if Elizabeth had been listening to them or if she just had those mother instincts that told her what he was thinking. He considered her words and made his decision.

"No, we're not going anywhere for good, Elizabeth, but I do think maybe the two of us shouldn't be here when she first arrives. Parker needs a chance to see Angelo and settle in, and I'm sure she'll have a ton of questions the minute she lays eyes on you."

"As long as you're home for dinner, you two do whatever you want."

Elizabeth turned and headed back into the house, and Jarod felt suddenly that he knew now what it felt like to have a mother around telling you what to do, and he was pretty sure that he liked it.

"So, Big Brother, if we're not going to be here, where are we going?"

"Let's head into town. I want to check up on a few patients at the clinic and then we can do some shopping or something."

Emily nodded in response and headed inside to grab her jacket and the car keys.

****

The limo was waiting for her when she got off the plane and Parker had to suppress a small laugh. She could tell from the address that the house Jarod had sent her to was in the middle of nowhere. They had probably never even had a limo drive through town let alone pull up at one of the houses. Only Jarod would think this was appropriate.

She climbed into the car and though she usually felt very uncomfortable with someone else driving her, the fact that Jarod had sent the man let her relax a bit. She leaned back closing her eyes, wishing she had been able to sleep on the plane. She was so tired, but her anxiety wouldn't let her rest. What was it she was going to find?

The drive took about three hours and then the driver turned onto a long dirt road that led to a beautiful white farmhouse with blue shutters. The place had clearly been redone in the past few years, and it was breathtaking.

The car stopped near the front door, and the driver quickly got out and opened Parker's door. He went to get her bag as she made her way toward the front steps of the house. Suddenly, the screen door burst open and a familiar smile greeted her as a tornado of man-child headed he way.

"Sister here!" Angelo rushed to her, his excitement all over his face as he threw his arms around her. It still amazed her how affectionate he was with her since he so frequently pulled away from others to protect himself from their emotions, but she loved it so much that she didn't question it too hard. She returned his embrace happily.

"Yes, Angelo, sister's here. I missed you very much."

He pulled back and smiled at her, and she realized that he seemed better somehow than he had the last time she'd seen him, as if he had learned more about how to be "normal." She wanted that so much for him, but she never let herself think it or wish for it, and yet it seemed to be happening of its own accord. Unless Jarod...

Angelo began to pull her toward the house and she saw the driver had placed her bag on the porch and was back in the car ready to leave. She made it up onto the porch and was about to try and tell Angelo they needed to stop so she could get her things when the door opened.

Parker knew that the woman she was going to meet looked like her mother, but she was not prepared for how that was going to make her feel in reality. She was tall, like her and her mother, and she had Catherine's face - their face, though it was older and lined. Her dark hair was rinsed with gray, but it was still thick and beautiful and hung down her back in a long braid. Parker stared at her, letting out a deep breath that she didn't realize she was holding until Angelo nudged her, reminding her to breathe.

That was when the woman stepped closer, and put out her arms to Parker.

"Welcome home, Little Cat. I'm glad you're finally here."

Matter of Blood
Part 12
by N.R. Levy


Parker blinked, trying to will herself to have some reaction. She needed to speak, to move, to do something to let the woman before her know she had not been struck deaf, dumb and blind. She could not. As she felt Elizabeth step forward and embrace her, all Parker could think was that her world was about to be turned upside down.

Elizabeth stepped back from the embrace surveying the young woman before her. She was Catherine duplicated, only with shorter, darker hair. Watching the ice blue eyes stare at her, Elizabeth could only imagine what thoughts must be swirling through Parker's mind. Soon enough, all of her questions would be answered - but there was no reason the older woman could see to start prattling off secrets at the poor thing the moment she hit the porch.

Smiling, Elizabeth stepped away and moved to the door, taking the suitcase from the front porch. Parker still thought herself unable to move, but a gently prodding hand from Angelo finally got her underway, and before she knew it she was inside a house that glowed with warmth. Angelo pulled her into a comfortable living room and as Parker's eyes scanned it, her eyes fell on the quilts, which draped the couch and chairs inside. She thought of the old quilts she kept at her own house. These looked so much like them, only hers had all come from her mother.

Angelo stopped moving once they reached the edge of the couch, and Parker sank down onto it, needing support beneath her. Her brother then did something else that surprised her...he kissed her hand and then walked away.

Now that she was alone again, her brain began to function, and it closed in on the first thing she'd noticed upon her arrival -- there had definitely been a change in her brother since she'd last seen him, and she was burning to know what had happened.

That led her to another thought - after all the years of wondering about her mother, and the weeks of wondering what answers Elizabeth could bring, suddenly her priorities had shifted - for the first time since Thomas' death the present was finally as important to her as the past.

Elizabeth returned to the room carrying a tray of tea and a delicious looking pound cake, and Parker forced herself not to revert back to the state of shock that had held her in its grip earlier. Yes, the woman looked like her mother, but that was no reason to get all...well, to start acting like Broots. Soon, the two women were seated side by side, and the tray was on the table in front of Elizabeth, who was pouring two cups of the steaming liquid.

"Well, I see you're starting to get comfortable around here. Good. Now, I want you to settle back and have a snack, and no arguments. You probably didn't eat a thing the whole way here."

Parker smiled, and took the offered cup of tea. This woman had to have children. She had the tone down pat. Parker placed her cup on the table to take the next offering from Elizabeth, and her mouth watered at the scent of the amazing looking cake. She was just about to take a bite when she was rocked by a memory from her past...

"Momma, what is pound cake, anyway?"

"Well, you put in a pound of sugar, a pound of butter, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour, mix it up and then..."

Catherine Parker picked up her five-year-old daughter and squeezed her tightly in her arms.

"You add in about 100 pounds of love and some giggles." The little girl laughed hysterically as her mother tickled tummy.

"Parker, are you all right?"

Parker felt a gentle touch on her leg, and she looked first down at Elizabeth's hand and then up at the woman herself.

"Where'd you go, Little Cat?"

"I'm sorry, I just...why do you keep calling me that?"

"It's what I've always called you." That made Parker's eyes widen with curiosity, and she took a sip of her tea to calm her nerves before continuing.

"Always?"

"Since we met, the year your mother died. A few weeks before, actually." Elizabeth could see the confusion growing in Parker the moment the words were out of her mouth, and it only confirmed the awful suspicions she and Jarod had formed after discussing Parker's lack of memories regarding her childhood.

"I don't remember you. I don't remember ever seeing you or being here."

"But you were. You and your mama came here because...well, for the same reason you're here. She needed answers, too."

Parker was becoming agitated, partly from her own confusion and partly because some part of her was already beginning to sense the Centre at work in her life again.

"That's impossible. I was old enough to remember being here, and I don't."

Elizabeth said nothing. She took a drink from her tea and waited. Jarod was right. Parker was definitely volatile when it came to the truth. Elizabeth knew it was only from fear - fear of knowing that she'd been lied to again, manipulated again, but that fear was a powerful force, and it had to be navigated carefully.

"Are you planning to explain this to me?"

"Are you planning to listen?"

The question rocked Parker not only because of the words themselves, but because of how they'd been said. For just a moment, she would have sworn her mother was standing in front of her, scolding her for being impolite. It was then that Parker realized that she had crossed her arms defensively in front of her, assuming her best "I'm in control" posture. Forcing herself to relax, she eased her arms down to her sides and sat back against the sofa. Seeing Elizabeth glance at her teacup, Parker reached out and took it and slowly sipped from the cup.

"All right then, first things first. My full name is Elizabeth Jamison, and I'm your aunt. Your mom's twin sister."

That had always been the most obvious answer of course, but Parker had not let herself believe it. If her mother had a twin sister, then... She felt her aunt's eyes on her and knew that Elizabeth was waiting for her full attention before continuing.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, honey. I know this isn't easy for you. It wasn't easy for her when she started to remember."

"Remember?"

"There was a lot about your mom's past that had been, well, for lack of a better word, stolen away from her. I was part of that."

Unease crept up in Parker again. Stolen away - that could only mean the Centre. Suddenly she felt a very strong urge to go and hide. How much truth was she ready for? Picking up on these feelings, Elizabeth decided to change the subject.

"Your brother couldn't wait for you to get here." The mention of Angelo brought a renewed brightness to both the younger woman's eyes and her smile.

"Is he - I mean, has something happened since he came here?"

"I've been working with him some. Before I settled down here with Harry, I was a doctor - a specialist. I worked with autistic children."

"Angelo isn't autistic."

"I know, but he does suffer from some similar symptoms. His emotional withdrawal, his difficulty communicating - clearly caused by physical trauma, but they respond to some of the same techniques I used to use with my kids."

Parker nodded, her thoughts on her brother and on how amazing it had made her feel to see his excitement and feel his arms around her.

"I would really appreciate anything you can do for him."

Elizabeth reached out and took her niece's hand, squeezing it tightly. It was clear that she loved her brother very much. It was unclear how much progress Angelo could make using her techniques, but Elizabeth intended to go as far as Angelo - and Parker were willing to go.

"Did my father...is he the one who made my mother forget you?"

The change of subject came in a hush of words that Elizabeth barely heard, but she completely understood the question Parker had just asked her. So much to tell her, and all of it so painful, the older woman sighed, only wishing there was a way to spare her. What was it they said, "the truth will set you free?" That was their hope for Parker, hers and Jarod's. Elizabeth only hoped that it didn't crush her under its weight.

"No, honey, our father did."

****

The name Garvey was little heard in the Centre. The only people who actually knew who he was were the Triumvirate and, of course, Mr. Parker, and a select few operatives who worked directly for him. That Mutumbo's secretary was trusted to come and go from his office was evidence that her loyalty was above reproach, and that she had been hand-selected for her position by the man himself.

She arrived and handed him the report that detailed Damon's demise. Without a word, she turned and left the room. Garvey picked up the report and opened it, scanning its contents. Damon's loss did not please him, and once again, he found himself thinking of the pros and cons of Mr. Lyle's continued involvement in the Centre.

The man had his uses. He was an effective manager, and he had a reputation that kept fear in both employees and enemies alike, and he had stepped into the power void left by Mr. Parker's forced absence admirably. The problem was he was power hungry. Sometimes, Garvey had allowed that driving need a wide berth in which to grow. He had, of course, known that Lyle faked the lab results that "proved" he was the other Parker sibling. He was the only one that did know. The only one who knew the truth about the decision made all those years ago, and the placement of the Parker boy. He had handled it all personally knowing that a secret kept by more than one man is not a secret.

It had been unfortunate when Jarod had accessed the Red Files and determined the potential identities of Miss Parker's twin. Still, Lyle's interception of the test results and his manipulation of them had accomplished two things - it had kept Miss Parker in the dark about Angelo, and it had allowed him a reason to grant Lyle re-entry into the Centre. As he said, the man had his uses, and handling Damon for him had been one of them.

Now he was becoming a problem. He had let Damon slip through their fingers after all the careful steps that had been taken to keep him alive following the shooting in Washington D.C. He, too, had had his uses, now that was all lost to them. On top of that, his "extracurricular activities" involving the young Asian women in the area were getting out of hand.

It was time to teach Mr. Lyle a lesson, and his current obsession with tracking down Jarod's family might be just the thing to use to trap him in his own arrogance.

Picking up the phone, he dialed a number he rarely used and then sat back and waited for his operative's arrival. In less than three minutes, he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in."

The door swung open and Mr. Cox entered. The man's icy blue eyes were always a bit unsettling, and Garvey wondered again why that was. After all, they were a family trademark, weren't they?

"You and I need to talk, Mr. Cox, about Mr. Lyle."

****

Elizabeth looked at her niece as she settled deeper into the pillows and blankets of the guestroom bed. The sight made her sigh. She'd made the decision to put the sedative in Parker's second cup of tea when she'd seen the horror her revelation had caused the younger woman. She hated to do it, but there was so much more that Little Cat had to hear, and she needed her strength to handle it. Clearly, the physical ordeal Parker had recently endured had taken its toll, and the realization that her mother had been little more than a pawn to all of the men in her life - save one - had been very difficult for her to hear.

The teacup had fallen out of her hands when Elizabeth spoke the words "our father." According to Jarod, Parker had always believed her maternal grandparents had died when her mother was 10 years old, and she had never known that Catherine had a sibling. Of course, Elizabeth knew the latter to be untrue. She had once known about her mother's sister, but the Centre had stolen that knowledge away, just as they had stolen so much of Catherine's past, and, Elizabeth acknowledged, her own.

"My father was - is a man determined to have all of the power he can get. He is ravenous for it." Elizabeth spoke as she cleaned up the teacup mess. She left with the dishes and returned with a fresh cup. Parker had had no idea the sedative was in it and had drunk it down quickly, trying to calm her nerves.

"Who was he? Was his name even really David Jamison?"

"Yes, it was, and he really did found Jamison Medical Technology and he did a lot of good, but it was all just a front for what he really wanted, which was to develop the cutting edge technologies that would revolutionize medicine - and give him an empire beyond anyone's dreams."

"I don't understand." Elizabeth could see that the sedative was slowly beginning to take effect. She leaned back and waited as Parker spoke. "If my mother didn't remember you - I mean, how did that happen?"

"My father's doctors were always trying to outdo each other, wanting to be the one who found the great scheme that would please him. We used to see them instead of going to the hospital for check ups and things, and apparently, they detected an anomaly in our blood - one that, at the time, they had only seen in Catherine and myself.

"They began trying to find out what it was, and through research, they realized that it predisposed us to a naturally heightened intelligence. We had both always tested above average in our I.Q. testing, so that wasn't such a surprise, but that it was organic in nature was.

"They began finding reasons to conduct massive clinical trials, searching to see how common the trait was. That's when they began to identify in certain people what they then called "The Genius Gene.

"What they didn't know then, what they only discovered as we reached adulthood, was that if we were paired with men who also carried the gene, our children would have super-intelligence - gifts that could not occur without both parents being carriers of the gene."

Parker's eyes were growing heavy, and she fought to keep them open. What she was hearing horrified her, and yet she had to know more. She couldn't imagine how she could feel so tired when everything she'd ever known was being turned upside down.

"I don't understand."

"My father wanted to have these children, the special ones who would be capable of greatness, but he needed to engineer their creation. The chances of it occurring naturally were too slim. He needed a place that would allow that to happen. Your father had already founded The Centre, and they were already doing groundbreaking work in fertility studies - and he wanted in. So he made your father a deal he couldn't refuse...Catherine for the Centre."

"But Mama told me she met Daddy during a trip to New York when she was dancing there..."

Elizabeth knew that Parker was close to losing her battle with the sedative. Quickly, she stood and reached out for her niece's hands.

"You come and rest now. We'll talk more later."

She guided Parker to her room and settled her into the bed. Parker was still fighting, wanting desperately to know more, yet her body felt as if it were being weighed down by cement. Still, she managed to turn to Elizabeth for one last question.

"Elizabeth, how did Jarod find you?"

"He didn't, honey. I found him."

The words had barely reached Parker before her eyes closed for good. She'd been sleeping now for close to an hour, and Elizabeth had just stayed close to her, hoping that the rest would renew her spirit so she could hear the rest of her mother's story.

The sound of a car door alerted Elizabeth to someone's arrival, so she stood and headed out of the room, closing the door behind her. She reached the front door just as Jarod entered, his arms laden down with shopping bags. Emily followed close behind.

"Is she here?" Elizabeth could sense his nervousness and though she thought it terribly endearing, she decided it was better not to say anything to him about it just now.

"Yes, but she's sleeping."

"Sleeping?" Jarod set the bags he had down on the dining table as they headed into the room, and glanced back over at her. "I figured she'd have you talking for hours, or be ready to kill me, one or the other."

"She got pretty upset by just the little I told her. I decided it was better if she got some rest."

"How did you get Parker to do anything she didn't want to do?" The comment came from Emily, but it was exactly what Jarod was thinking. He looked back at Elizabeth again as he unpacked the items he'd purchased in town, waiting for an answer. When none came, his brow furrowed as he began to frown.

"Elizabeth, what did you do?"

"Jarod, she needed to rest, and..."

"Do you have any idea how angry she's going to be when she wakes up? She hates being drugged. She wouldn't even let the nurses in the hospital give her painkillers once she was awake enough to argue."

"Well, she's never had to fight with me before. You just don't worry about it, Jarod. I'll make sure that she knows it was all my doing."

Emily looked from Elizabeth's determined face to Jarod's worried one and she could not help but let go of a small laugh. That was when both faces turned toward her, both now showing confusion.

"What, little sister, is so funny?"

"You two. Would you both stop trying to guess how Parker's feeling or what she might think and let her tell you, for goodness sake? She has managed to survive the Centre for 32 some odd years. Give her a little credit."

Now Elizabeth's face turned into a smile and Jarod began to blush slightly. They were both kind of underestimating her, after all, Parker was the most formidable woman either had ever known, and they wouldn't have brought her here if they'd really thought she couldn't handle the truth. Shaking her head at her own overprotectiveness, Elizabeth began waving her hand at the Russell siblings.

"You two out of my kitchen, I got to put dinner on."

*****

Mr. Cox sat in his car, watching as Lyle walked around the side of his car and helped the attractive young woman out of the passenger side. Not surprisingly, she was Asian, about 25, and had legs that would have rivaled Miss Parker's if such a thing were really possible.

Mr. Garvey would not be pleased to know Lyle was back at it. Clearly, the man thought his sickness had gone undetected by the Centre, and he felt free to do whatever he wanted.

It amazed Cox that this man had been able to pass himself off as Miss Parker's brother for so long. Though he pretended to be Lyle's friend, he did so only because it was part of his job. He found the man offensive in nearly every way -- too obvious, too slick, and definitely too careless. Miss Parker was none of those things. Everything about her was a contradiction, and he loved it, loved watching her. He knew what everyone else thought of her, that she was arrogant about her looks, that she was merciless, and that she cared about no one. It was the image she kept in place for the world. Their few encounters, however, had told him that none of these things were remotely true.

He was glad that Mr. Garvey had not called him in to discuss Miss Parker again. He knew the Centre was watching her to get to her father, and though he had no love for Mr. Parker, he did not want to be used against the woman he had come to admire so much. Then again, Garvey seemed predisposed to keeping Miss Parker out of the line of fire. It was he who had made certain the sweeper who had shot her last year had died a long and most painful death. Curious. He would have to keep his eye on that.

Though it was Garvey who brought him into the Centre, Cox felt he knew little about the man. He had said once that he knew Cox's father, but when he had asked his father about it, the man remembered no one by that name. Well, another mystery for another time. Right now he had to focus on Lyle. He'd been told to gather as much information as he could on the man, and then formulate a plan of attack to teach him the lesson Garvey wanted him to learn: nobody played the Centre and got away with it.

A few more days of observation and then he and Mr. White would meet to discuss the status of the search for Jarod's family. Then he would know how to proceed.

*****

Parker woke, stretching as she came up out of the bed. Her eyes immediately fell on her brother. Angelo was sitting on the floor beside her bed, his eyes fixed on a picture book he held on his lap.

"Hey, there, handsome. What you doing?"

"Pictures. Happy place for sister."

Parker leaned down to look at the book, and saw that he was in fact looking at photos of a place that made her happy every time she thought of it. The English countryside - she had loved touring it when she went abroad after high school. The gardens made her think of her mother, and she dreamed of someday owning one of the old, sprawling estates, though she had no idea who, other than Angelo, she would have to share it with.

Ruffling her brother's hair, she climbed from the bed and stood in front of the mirror. She was rumpled from her nap and so she grabbed her makeup bag and headed out into the hallway in search of a bathroom. She found it behind the third door on her left, and as she tied back her hair and washed her face, she slowly began to let the words she'd heard earlier to rise up in her mind.

Was it possible that her mother's whole life had been a lie? It broke her heart to think so. She remembered the stories her mother had told her about her friends at the convent growing up and the days when she'd first fallen in love with her father - was it all just some fabrication the Centre had created? If it was, she could only hope that her mother had never known - and yet, if she'd come here looking for answers, she must have at least begun to suspect some of what had been done to her.

Parker dried her face with the soft towel she'd found in the cupboard and then let her hair down. She brushed it and briefly considered putting on more makeup, but then thought it silly.

After returning her things and finding that Angelo had taken his book and left, Parker decided to venture downstairs. She could hear laughter coming from the kitchen, and recognized the sounds of both Elizabeth's and Emily's voices. She was about to head there when she heard hammering coming from the back part of the house, and then another familiar voice uttering the word "damn" very loudly. Parker ignored the sensation of butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she stepped toward that voice.

She found Jarod sucking on his thumb, trying to alleviate the pain he had caused himself by hitting it with the hammer he held in his other hand. He moved his thumb to look at it and survey the damage, his distraction allowing her to make it all the way into the room without him noticing.

"Guess carpentry's not a genius kind of thing, huh?"

Jarod's eyes rose up and as soon as she saw her he felt his stomach begin to do loops. He could tell from the flush in her face that she had just washed it, and he could see that without so much as a spec of makeup on she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

"Um, hi. Yeah, I, uh, really haven't done too thorough of a pretend on the subject."

She smiled at him and his heart melted. She wasn't yelling and she hadn't pulled her gun on him, those were both good signs, weren't they?

After a moment, the smile disappeared and she looked down at the floor, her feet moving nervously. As she began to speak she crossed the room and headed for the window, her eyes focusing on what lay outside.

"So, um, Elizabeth said she found you? Can you please explain how that happened? I mean, I look for you all day everyday and I never find you."

Jarod put down the hammer and crossed over to her. He could feel how confused and scared she was, and he wanted so much to take that away.

"You'd be surprised how close you've come. I've had to make some very fancy moves to escape your clutches more times than I care to remember."

She smiled slightly, and hugged her arms a little tighter around herself. She fought the urge to look over at him, not sure why she wanted to or why she would not let herself.

"As for your question, well, she noticed my web site, the one I have about my family, and started sending me messages. At first, I thought it was a trick, but I did some checking and realized she might be legitimate. I agreed to meet her and when I saw her..."

"I know what you mean. I'm surprised I didn't pass out on the porch. I mean, I know I'd seen the picture, but I just wasn't prepared for how much she looks like..."

Parker's voice trailed off and Jarod decided to let the silence stand until she broke it. She leaned more into the window frame, her eyes casting downward.

"She's going to tell me some really awful things, isn't she?"

Jarod looked at her, seeing the same face he remembered when he had told her that Faith was dying. God, he wanted to spare her this, but he knew that what she learned here would be what finally pulled her away from the Centre, and he wanted that for her more than anything.

"Yes, she is, Parker. I wish you didn't have to hear it, but I think you need to."

Parker nodded, her teeth grazing her lower lip. After a moment, she finally brought her eyes up, her gaze falling on him, and he could see tears glistening in her eyes.

"Will you stay?"

"Yes, I'll stay, Parker. As long as you need me to."

She nodded again and lowered her eyes back to the floor. Suddenly Elizabeth's voice floated in from the doorway.

"Okay, you two, dinner's ready."

Parker's mood clouded further as she turned and looked at her aunt, her eyes narrowing.

"Did you drug me?"

Elizabeth crossed her arms in front of her and dug in, ready to stand her ground though the glare she was receiving from her niece definitely qualified as frosty.

"Yes, I did. You needed the rest. Any problem with that?"

Parker crossed the room, stopping only when her eyes were level with Elizabeth's. She, too, crossed her arms in front of her body.

"Since you're new, I'll let it slide, but no one makes decisions for me anymore, got it?"

"I'll do what's best for you, young lady, whether you like it or not."

The two women stood there, eyes blazing with determination, and when it was clear that neither would back down, Jarod stepped forward putting his arms around both of them. 'Oh, God,' he thought, 'two of them!'

"So, ladies, what's for dinner?"

He began to walk them toward the door and both Parker and Elizabeth allowed him to do so. Dinner was soon on the table, and it though it began with a cool edge to it, by the time the dishes were cleared away, both Parker and Elizabeth were talking again and Emily and Jarod were breathing a sigh of relief.

The Russells excused themselves to do the dishes, and Elizabeth and Parker moved into the living room again. Parker sat down in the arm chair this time, needing some distance from the woman who was already becoming such a presence in her life.

"I'm sorry you're upset about the sedative, Little Cat, but you were exhausted and you did just get out of the hospital a little while ago."

"Whatever, it's over." As much of an attrition as she would make, and Parker watched Elizabeth, her gaze saying that it better be enough. She relaxed some when her aunt leaned back against the couch.

"Do you remember everything I told you earlier?"

"Yes."

"Are you ready to hear more or should we wait?" Good, Parker thought, she was going to let her set the pace.

"Can you please explain what you meant when you said my father took my mother in exchange for the Centre?"

"It wasn't just your mother, of course," Elizabeth began, "he got all of the power that came with the Jamison empire. By then, our father had disappeared from public life. He was consumed with his quest for power. He forced our mother to take us away to Switzerland the year we turned 11, and we went to convent school there until we were 18. She was not allowed to come back or to take us out of the school even for holidays, and she didn't know that my father had faked a plane crash, which had supposedly killed them both. He completely cut us off from the rest of the world."

'So,' Parker thought, 'at least the convent part was true, but what about the rest of it?' "Why would he do that?"

"It's easier to take what you want when no one knows you're out there trying to take it. He absorbed company after company that would serve his purposes, and built his sick little empire. Problem was, he still didn't have a facility advanced enough to do what he wanted - engineer genius children. Then he heard about the Centre, and he met your father.

"Mr. Parker was a young ambitious man, a lot like our father had been, and though the Centre had given him prestige and power, he wanted more. When he saw your mother, realized he could have her and all that went with her, he agreed to sell the Centre to our father, provided he retain the Chairmanship and a position on the executive board. If it means anything at all, I don't think he had any idea what my father was planning to turn the Centre into. He was ambitious, Parker, but not evil."

Parker nodded, again trying absorb all the information that was coming at her.

"So, you and Mama were together all that time? How could she forget you then?"

"Mr. Parker wanted a perfect wife, one devoted solely to him. My father's companies had already done a great deal of development in mind altering drugs, and so he...he let them erase the parts of her life that weren't "convenient." That included me, and our mother. He gave her the life she needed to have to be ready to meet your father. Afterwards, she went to New York and a meeting between the two of them was arranged."

"So that part was true? I mean, about how he saw her dance and then came to take her to dinner?"

"Basically, and it all worked exactly as they hoped. Your mother believed she had lost her entire family, that she'd been alone for years, and now here she was with a man who could care for her and loved her...how could she resist?"

"But you remember everything? You had the gene, too, right? Didn't they do the same thing to you?"

"No, it turned out they didn't need to."

Parker felt her body cool suddenly, as if she had been hit with a burst of cold wind. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked at Elizabeth.

"Why not?"

"Catherine was the good girl. I...well, let's just say I wasn't. The year we turned 18, I got pregnant."

"By the man they wanted?"

"No, but my father decided to allow the pregnancy to progress. I guess he thought the child might be useful anyway. I gave birth to a son."

"What happened to him?" Parker was shaking now. Somehow, she didn't want to know, yet she knew she needed to.

"They told me he died. I've never been sure if that was true or not. I also had some complications, so I was of no further use to them - I couldn't have any more children."

"And your father just let you go?"

"No, Little Cat, he didn't. He made it clear to me that I could go do whatever I wanted, have a life, pursue my own goals, but that if I ever tried to find Catherine, he would kill her and my mother. I had no reason to think he didn't mean it. So I just disappeared."

This time, it was Parker who could see the pain the words were causing Elizabeth. She was reliving all of the pain, all of the grief she'd experienced when she'd been forced away from her family. No longer able to keep her distance, Parker stood and moved to the seat next to her aunt.

"I think I'm going to need some time before we do anymore, okay?"

Elizabeth tried to smile as she nodded, aware of what Parker was doing, but too grateful to do anything but accept the gesture. The two women said goodnight and both retired to their rooms to deal with the heavy emotions that were weighing them down.

*****

Hours later, Parker sat in her room staring out at the moonlight. She knew she needed to try and sleep more, yet she could not. Her mind was a tortured jumble, and every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was her mother's innocent, beautiful face, and it broke her heart to remember it.

Suddenly, the sound of Jarod's voice calling out into the night caused her to jerk out of her seat, and Parker moved into the hallway, finding the room where the sounds were coming from. She opened the door and entered quietly so she would not startle him.

He was in the bed, barely covered as he thrashed about, fighting an invisible enemy. His body was covered with sweat from his efforts.

"No, I won't let you hurt her. I won't let you hurt Parker again."

She heard the words and suddenly knew exactly where it was Jarod was trapped. Damon. She knew he felt that what happened to her was his fault, and though she had tried in the hospital to tell him otherwise, she had suspected the words had fallen on deaf ears. Now, she was positive. Cautiously, she moved toward the bed, her hands reaching out for him.

When she first touched him, he jerked away, and it was only when she began to whisper to him, her hand stroking his face, that he began to calm down.

"I'm sorry, Parker. I'm sorry he hurt you."

She knew he was still talking to the Parker in his dream, but she answered him anyway, needing to give him whatever comfort she could.

"It wasn't your fault, Jarod. I'm okay, I promise."

He did not wake, but he did settle down, and Parker was able to sit down beside him, her hands moving through his hair and against to his cheek.

"It's okay, Jarod, I promise. It's all going to be okay, somehow."

She wasn't sure what made her feel capable of making or keeping such a promise. Her whole existence was being revealed to her to be a giant conspiracy, and Jarod's life...well, what more needed to be said about that? Yet sitting there, watching him, she was suddenly desperate to make the promise come true.

It was nearly sunrise when Jarod stirred again, his body leaning back against the warmth behind him. He felt arms tighten around him, and soft voice filtered into his consciousness as he drifted back into a deep sleep.

"I won't leave you either, Jarod. I'll stay as long as you need me, too. I promise."

Matter of Blood
Part 13
by N.R. Levy


The sound of a creaking truck door woke Jarod. He was startled, and he fought the urge to jump out of bed when his eyes fell on the figure lying next to him. She was on her side, her eyes closed, her left arm still draped lightly over him. The sight warmed him and brought a smile to his face as he relaxed back down into the bed.

She had stayed. He vaguely remembered Parker coming into his room last night, her voice making its way through the haze of the nightmare that had gripped him. It was only the sound of her voice that had allowed him to let go of the ghastly images in his mind of Damon and of Parker - no, he wouldn't think about it again. She had come and chased the demons away and he would not let them come back.

He remembered her voice, warm and soft, as she had promised to stay with him. Then he had slept, a deeper, more relaxing sleep than any he could remember in his life.

Now he watched her. She was always beautiful, but in slumber, relaxed and free of the burdens she carried around with her every day, she was spectacular. Jarod sighed, his eyes staying on her as he thought of his own responsibility in creating the heavy weight the bore down on her all of the time. The last few months, such thoughts had plagued him constantly.

He had never thought of his actions as harmful to her. Instead, he had always seen himself as her savior. After all, it was he who gave her the truth, who fought to open her eyes and free her from the Centre's tyranny, wasn't it? Then she had almost died. It was still so odd to him, sort of mystical, that both he and Parker had almost lost their lives on the same day, albeit in very different ways. He remembered the cold of the mountain in Wyoming - the cold and the deep sense of dread he'd felt when thinking about her. His throat had gone dry when, two days after his own rescue, Sydney had told him about Parker's ulcer hemorrhaging and about how close she'd come to dying.

He'd called her, and they had talked and had perhaps the most civil, most heartfelt conversation they'd shared since his escape. They both knew that somehow, Faith had saved their lives, though why and how were still unclear to them. He'd hung up the phone after speaking with her, his heart filled with relief that she had survived her close encounter with death.

It was a few days later when he was first asked to face his own culpability in Parker's situation. He'd called her house, expecting to hear her voice, but instead he had been greeted with a deep, warm hello from a male voice. For some reason, it has surprised him that Thomas would answer, and Jarod had sat silent for just long enough to allow the other man to reach a full understanding of who was on the phone.

"Jarod, is this you?"

He didn't answer. Still, he wasn't sure what had caused his silence, but clearly it had irked Thomas because his next statement was short and tinged with anger.

"I know this is you. Why don't you answer me?"

"Sorry, I, uh, I was just surprised..."

"Why, that I'm actually doing what I'm supposed to be doing?"

"Thomas, I -"

"Look, just let me take care of her."

"I was just calling to talk to Parker."

"She's sleeping. Can you please just leave her alone?"

"Um, sure, I'll call back."

"No, Jarod." Thomas' voice had filled with force as he spoke, and Jarod remembered the immediate sense of jealousy that had filled his own body at hearing it. Before this moment he'd had nothing but respect and good feelings toward Thomas, but now - just who the hell did Thomas Gates think he was anyway?

"What do you mean, no?"

"I mean, leave her alone. I thought you cared about what happens to her. She almost died, Jarod. I almost lost her. I'm not going to let that happen again. Just stay away from her."

"You don't know anything about us, Thomas, not really."

"I know that half the time, when she finishes talking to you, she can barely keep herself from crying. Every time she gets one of your little "gifts," time bombs more accurately about something from her past, it tears her apart. Don't you ever even think about that? Or do you just not care that you're destroying her a piece at a time?"

Jarod could tell the man was fighting to keep his voice down and his temper under control - probably worried about waking Parker. Jarod had no such concerns, though, and his voice boomed over the phone.

"Don't you presume to tell me anything about Parker. You've known her what, five minutes?"

"I love her. More, I think, than you or anyone else around her can say."

"You don't know what you're talking about. You have no idea -"

"I'm not a fool, Jarod. I see what her family is like. I see what it does to her to go to that place every day. That's all bad enough. Then she has you on top of all of that. You've taken away everything she ever believed in, Jarod. How much more of that do you really think she can take? You think you're doing the right things, but you're not. You care about her? Stay away from her."

Thomas had hung up then, abruptly, and Jarod felt himself choking back the angry words he wanted to yell at the man who was walking around Parker's home right now, acting as if he owned it. Parker was his best friend, his, and no one needed to tell him what was good for her. To hell with Thomas Gates and his opinions.

It was only after Thomas' murder, after her shooting, that Jarod had again replayed that conversation in his mind, and now he saw what clearly what Thomas had been trying to tell him. Just who the hell was he to decide what was good for Parker and what wasn't? In the past four years, she'd nearly lost her life three times, and each of those incidents could be directly attached to some involvement on Jarod's part - the ulcer rupture was in part from all the pressure had put on her to face the truth about her family, the shooting in North Carolina had only happened because he had kidnapped her father, and now, Damon.

Then there was the sin for which he was most guilty, the one she had no idea he had committed. Someday, it would be time to tell her. When, he didn't know. All he did know was that he hoped she blamed him and not Thomas.

He had pledged after his second escape from the Centre to take more care in the way he handled the truth, at least, where it concerned her. He had admittedly suffered a small relapse into old behavior when he'd trapped her in that damn box with Lyle, and looking back, he was lucky she hadn't held that against him more. It had been a mean prank -- and who in their right mind would want to be stuck with Lyle anywhere for 24 hours?

He'd made certain that his warnings about Cox and her father's dangerous situation came in more subtle ways, and hoped that he would be able to keep helping her without adding to the pain she already faced too much of every day.

Then Elizabeth had tracked him down, and he'd learned about Centre horrors even he had never imagined, and they'd had to decide whether or not Parker should be told. Elizabeth had been certain she did, but Jarod, having seen everything she'd been through, had been unsure. After Damon's attack, he had almost changed his mind about sending her here. She needed to recover, to get strong. It was again Elizabeth who swayed him. Parker needed the truth, she argued, needed all of the facts once and for all so that she and she alone could decide what her next stop should be.

Now here she was, sleeping next to him, her own problems having been pushed aside so that she could come to his rescue last night. So far, she seemed to be handling the information her aunt was giving her. Still, the worst was yet to come, and he knew it. He wished there was some way to keep her safe from it. He wanted her to be free, but more than anything, he wanted her to be whole again.

Jarod heard footsteps making their way from the house toward the barn, and he carefully slipped out of the bed, moving toward the door. Glancing back, he saw her reach out for his pillow and pull it close to her, her arms wrapping around it.

After making his way downstairs, Jarod pulled on his coat and headed out to the barn. As he reached the door, he caught sight of Harry near the stable, and headed that way.

"Good morning, Harry."

"Mornin', Jarod. What are you doing up at this hour?"

"Just ready to get up I guess. What happened? I thought you were coming home last night." Jarod waited for his answer, annoyed at himself for forgetting last night that Harry had been due home. Elizabeth had not mentioned him being delayed, and in all the excitement of Parker's arrival and her subsequent encounters with her aunt, Jarod had completely let it slip his mind.

"Oh, I was on my way back and I got a call 'bout some patients, so I ended up at the Brucker farm all night. Got themselves one nice set of pups, but they were having some troubles. We got 'em back on their feet though, except for one."

"What's wrong with it?"

"He's just the runt. A little slow, too. Don't know if he's going to make it. Too bad, too, 'cause he's a sweet little thing."

Jarod nodded and automatically began to mix the feed that Harry would dole out to horses.

"So, how the girls doing?"

"Well, I thought we were going to have trouble last night, but they seem to be getting along okay. Parker can be quite a handful."

"And Lizzie can't? Believe me, Jarod, that young lady of yours hasn't seen ornery like Lizzie's ornery before." That brought a smile to Jarod's face, and a laugh to Harry. Soon, however, his mood darkened.

"How's Lizzie handlin' all this, Jarod. I mean, she hates talking about the past. I know she thinks she needs to do this, for Parker's sake, but...well, I know it's got to be hard on her, and she wouldn't say nothing to me about it."

"She's okay, Harry. You're right, it's not easy for her, but she's hanging in there. I think she just keeps her mind on Catherine, on doing what she can for her sister's little girl - that seems to be getting her through. I am sorry that all of this is coming up, though."

"Had to happen sometime. No one can hide from the past forever."






Parker made her way downstairs, a little nervous about what the day might bring. She was still shaken from the night just past - about the sorrow she'd heard in Jarod's voice as he called out to her, the way he'd clung to her in his sleep - it was all a bit overwhelming. When she'd first woken and found him gone, a sense of panic had filled her. Had he gone away? Had he hurt himself? Immediately she'd sprung from the bed ready to run off in search of him. Only when she heard his laugh filter in from the horse stalls had she been able to breathe easy. He was all right - not perfect, but he was still here and from the sound of it, he was having a far better morning than the night just past.

Now, as she walked through the house, she forced herself to move her thoughts away from Jarod. The subject was bringing things up inside of her heart that she would rather not think about just now. She had other worries, other questions that needed attention first.

She entered the kitchen and found Elizabeth working on dough with a rolling pin. The older woman looked up to acknowledge her presence, but said nothing to Parker as she made her way to a stool and sat down. Silence stood between them for a while, and then Parker closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and asked the question that had been in her mind ever since she'd gone up to her room last night.

"Elizabeth, why didn't you come for me after mama was killed? You must have known they killed her. How could you have left me there?"

The older woman drew in a long breath and slowly released it. She had been dreading this question, not because Parker didn't have the right to ask it, but because she felt her answer was so woefully inadequate.
She glanced up and looked at her niece, her brain trying to find a way to make the insignificant answer seem more plausible.

Parker grew impatient waiting for the reply. She wanted an answer. In fact, as each moment passed, her need for one grew more and more intense. Suddenly no other question had ever seemed so important in all of her life.

"You said she came here. She must have known what they'd done to her. You knew. I just don't understand how you could have stayed away."

"Little Cat -"

"Don't call me that." Parker's eyes blazed with anger now, and Elizabeth knew the anger was directed at her.

"I'm sorry. I did know what they'd done, of course, and, yes, by the time she came here, so did your mother. She'd started remembering me, our childhood, and she asked a friend of hers, Charles, to help find me."

"Jarod's father?" This news managed to momentarily break through Parker's fury, and she leaned against the hard brace of the stool backing in order to ground herself.

"I didn't know that then, but yes. He didn't really know the whole story, only that I was someone Cat needed to find. He actually found Harry, and I told him to tell Charles he could send her."

"So you were hiding?"

"It took me years to find any kind of peace, Lit- Parker. I became a doctor to help children because it was the only thing I could think to do, but at night, once I left...well, let's just say I didn't lead the happiest of lives. I drank, smoked, and slept my way through ever bar in the city."

That struck a cord, one a little too close to home, and Parker looked away. Her life had been just like that before Thomas had shown her she deserved more.

"When I met Harry, he saw through all that. He brought me here and he gave me peace. I was terrified of losing that."

Parker said nothing, only nodded. She understood better than Elizabeth could ever imagine.

"When Cat came and I saw her, saw you, and realized everything that she'd gone through, I was determined to help her. We planned everything. She had someone she trusted on the inside, and they were going to get Jarod and another boy out, and then the four of you were supposed to meet me here. We were going to drive through Canada to a preserve that Harry knows and hide out there long enough for Charles to meet us. Of course, that never happened."

"But that still doesn't answer my question. Once you knew what had happened, why did you leave me there?"

Elizabeth's eyes rose up from her work and turned to her niece. So much like her mother - and yet, she had such a core of steel in her, something Elizabeth knew neither she nor Cat had ever had.

"Because I'm a coward. I didn't have the guts to come in there and take you. So, I betrayed my sister, and her memory, and I just tried to forget you."

The words sank in and Parker closed her eyes, willing herself to listen and not react to what she was hearing. Jarod told her that often enough - listen to the words. But still, as they usually did from him, these words hurt so much, and she wanted to turn her hurt into anger. She opened her eyes and focused on Elizabeth, ready to let her feel all of the pain she felt, then she saw that it was too late - her aunt was buried in the pain that Parker had carried with her for a lifetime.

"When I see now what it cost you...oh, Little Cat, I'm sorry. I should have been stronger. I wish I'd been...but I can't change what I did. What I can do is offer you a safe place now...a place where Angelo can be free to live without the Centre poking and prodding him - a place that you can call home.

"That's why I found Jarod. I started thinking about you, wondering how you were, and I used some contacts I still had to find out where you were. That was right around when your friend Thomas was killed. I knew I couldn't hide anymore, even if it meant you'd hate me."

Parker felt herself speechless and she finally dropped her gaze from Elizabeth. Could she do this? Could she be strong enough, be the woman she knew her mother would want her to be, and give Elizabeth a second chance? So many people had failed her in her life. Only in the last year had she come to see that. Only a handful - Thomas, Jarod, Angelo and Broots -- had stayed true to her, even when she'd hated them for it. Could she trust someone else?

"I need to think. I'm sorry. I know you need to hear something else from me right now, but I-I can't."

Elizabeth only nodded as Parker rose from the stool and headed upstairs. Quickly she pulled on fresh clothes and shoes and a heavy jacket and in moments, she was on her way to where she'd heard Jarod's voice earlier.

She found him in the barns with an older man and Angelo. Despite her ill mood, a smile crept on her face when she rounded the corner and saw Angelo beaming with pride as he milked a cow who stood patiently allowing him to do so.

She had been there only a moment when Jarod's eyes fell on her. He could see instantly that she was troubled, but he did not push her. That was not what she'd expected. Usually he was all over her to talk about her feelings, but she was grateful that this time, he could see what she needed was just to be close to him.

"Sister, look." Angelo stood up from the milking stool, and as he did so, he picked up the steaming bucket of milk he'd just produced with his milking efforts. Carefully, he made his way to where Parker stood so she would inspect his accomplishment.

"Angelo, that's fantastic. You are a farmer at heart, aren't you?"

He laughed at her statement, and then looked back at the older man for further instructions.

"All right, son. Let's get that up to the house before Lizzy comes looking for it."

The man stepped closer to them and as he did so, he tipped his hat toward Parker and then extended his hand.

"Morning, miss. I believe I'm your Uncle Harry."

His tone was warm and gentle, and he instantly reminded her of Sydney on the days he was "mothering" her. He, too, managed to bring a smile to her face.

"Nice to meet you, Uncle Harry."

"Well, I better get this boy and his milk taken care of. Come on, Angelo."

Harry slipped a protective arm around Angelo, and to Parker's amazement her brother not only allowed the contact, he seemed happy to have it. The two headed off toward the house, and soon she felt Jarod standing just behind her. She turned and saw the concern in his eyes, concern she knew was mirrored back in her own. Without thinking, she reached out and placed her palm against his cheek.

"How are you doing this morning?"

He stood there, a little stunned by the fact that she'd voluntarily touched him - again. Slowly, he brought his hand up to hers and he clasped her fingers in his own. She did not pull her hand away.

"Better. Thank you for staying with me."

Parker stared at him a moment, her usual self wanting to toss out a well-placed barb to show him that she didn't really mean the concern she was displaying. The only problem was she did mean it, and so she bit her tongue and moved to sit down on a bale of hay. He followed and sat beside her.

"Jarod, please do something for me."

"What?"

"Let Damon go. It wasn't your fault, none of it. Not what he did to those women, and not what he did to me.

"Of course it was my fault. You were there to help me."

"So I'm supposed to feel guilty for the rest of my life because you spent three hellish weeks at the Centre after you stayed behind in North Carolina to help me?"

"That's different."

"No, Jarod, it's not different. We both sacrificed ourselves a little bit for the other, end of story. It's over, for both of us.

Jarod opened his mouth to say something else, but he had no argument to give her that didn't make it sound like she had owned him for the airfield, which she did not, at least in his opinion. After a moment, he closed his mouth. That got a laugh from Parker.

"Have I finally managed to win an argument with you? Oh, Lord this may be a miraculous Christmas after all."

That made Jarod laugh, and the two enjoyed a good chuckle until Jarod saw that her laughter was about to leave her dissolved in tears. He reached out his hand instantly to push back her hair, and Parker's hand followed, pressing his against her shoulder.

"I can't talk about it yet, okay? Please, just not yet."

"Whenever you're ready, Parker."

They sat there in the quiet of the morning for a while. Finally, Parker stood and extended her hand to Jarod.

"Do you know what we need to do today? We need to go Christmas shopping."

"Christmas shopping?"

"Well, excuse me, but Christmas is two days away and I haven't bought anything for my brother yet. This is his first real Christmas and I want to make it special for him. Besides, this is your first Christmas with Emily - don't you want to her something nice?"

"If you help me pick it out."

"You don't need my help, Jarod. You pick great gifts."

Jarod stood and took her hand and the two headed back toward the house, his smile the only thing that betrayed the tumult of emotion she was causing him. She had given him help without his asking, had taken his help without fighting, and now, she was complimenting him? Just what in the world was happening between them?






Sydney packed up the last of the files he was taking with him and closed his briefcase. His flight left in an hour, and soon, he would be spending his first Christmas with Michelle and Nicholas. He couldn't wait to see them, and only his concern over Jarod and Miss Parker kept his mood from being extremely high.

Neither of them had called since Parker's arrival. That meant that either they had killed each other, or they were getting along, which in itself brought up a whole new set of worries for Sydney. He knew the two had far deeper feelings than they'd ever acknowledged before. The incident in San Diego had proven that. Still, he did not know if either was ready to deal with them.

Knowing they would call if they needed him, the doctor picked up his briefcase and his gift for Broots and headed out of the door. He was just closing it when Mr. Cox appeared in front of him.

"Dr. Greene, headed out for the holidays?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. Will you be going away?" Sydney fought to keep a smile on his face. This man gave him the creeps almost as badly as Lyle did - almost.

"My father is close by, actually. I was wondering though, will Miss Parker be returning before the holidays?"

"I don't believe so. Did you need something?"

"Just curious."

The man stared at him just a little too long, and then he headed down the hall as Sydney let go of a deeply held breath. Maybe he did give him the creeps as badly as Lyle after all.


Cox returned to his lab, his body melting into the contoured chair he kept there for moment just such as these. He had plans to make. White had located Jarod's father and clone, though he would not reveal how. They could move now, and secure the Pretender's interest while Miss Parker was away. That was their best move certainly. The Centre had long suspected Miss Parker for having a soft spot where Jarod was concerned, and she would not be here to get in the way of his recapture.

That served Cox's personal interest as well. For reasons that still cloaked themselves in mystery, his initial assignment to watch Miss Parker had turned into a personal desire to watch over her. She intrigued him in a way no living creature ever had. The feelings weren't romantic or sexual. They were almost familial, at least, in the narrow understanding of that word's definition that Cox knew.

No, having Jarod return during Miss Parker's absence was the best way to keep her out of harm's way. If she were inclined to help him, this would nip that action in the bud, and the Pretender would be back under lock and key before she knew what had happened.

Then it was almost time to move. Christmas day would certainly be a good time. No one with a curiosity problem around the Centre, and Major Charles would be too busy doting on the boy to notice their approach until it was too late.

Christmas day it was.




The little town reminded Parker a great deal of the village in Blue Cove. Though it was devoid of the upscale restaurants and shops that her hometown had put in to appease its wealthier citizens, it was filled with family owned specialty shops that offered just about everything you could want.

Harry had driven them into town, and Emily, Jarod and Parker had gone off to shop. They had wandered for over two hours, each picking up small things here and there for each other and for their hosts. Parker had been careful to pay for everything in cash so the Centre could not trace her, and she was grateful she'd had the foresight to bring enough with her.

Still, the trip was ending unsuccessfully in Parker's mind. She had found a few interesting gifts for Angelo, but she had yet to find him something really special.

Harry had driven Elizabeth's station wagon to accommodate the large group of shoppers more comfortably than his truck. They met him back at the car, and he chuckled at the look of consternation on his niece's face.

"Didn't find what you wanted, Parker?"

"No, not really."

"Well, there's still another day left. Maybe tomorrow."

She shrugged and the group climbed into the car. They had driven for nearly three miles when Harry spoke.

"Y'all mind if I stop by the Brucker's place? I want to check on them puppies."

The group replied unanimously that they did not mind, and so Harry turned another half mile down the road and headed for a large farm in the distance.

They arrived, and the group climbed out of the wagon. Since they had nothing better to do, the trio of shoppers headed after Harry. They stopped at the open doors of a large barn, and as Harry entered, he waved them in.

Emily was immediately delighted with the sight of the five yapping Labrador pups who seemed fully recovered from whatever had ailed them the previous night. They jumped excitedly as the young woman leaned over into the pen that housed them, and as Harry reached in and picked each up for a closer inspection.

It was then that Parker heard the whimpering coming from the other side of the barn. She headed there, her eyes seeking the source of the noise. Finally, she found the culprit curled up in a discarded box. It was another puppy - this one smaller than all the rest, and when he finally looked up at her, she could see that he had a slightly misshapen face.

"Harry, why is this one all by himself?"

Harry heard her question and walked over, another of the puppies still held in his arms.

"Herself -- That little lady had some trouble being born, and Brucker thinks she ain't worth the trouble of taking care of. I tried to tell him he was a being an ass, but he won't listen. Says if she lives, he'll just let her run wild. Says she's an freak."

Jarod first, then Harry saw the spark of anger that flew through Parker's eyes at the word "freak." Harry thought she was feeling defensive of the little, lonely puppy, but it was Jarod who knew exactly what she was thinking. Angelo - a cast off, a freak - at least as far as Raines and the Centre were concerned.

Defiantly, Parker reached into the box and pulled the little puppy out. The dog instantly curled into her arms, grateful for the warmth of whoever was finally holding her. Then she turned and looked at Harry.

"How much is he going to sell the other dogs for?"

"$1,500 a piece."

"Tell him I'm taking her, and I'll pay full price."

With that Parker turned and began walking back to the car. Harry turned to look at Jarod, a quizzical look on his face.

"Damn stubborn thing, isn't she?"

"Harry, you don't know the half of it."

Jarod followed after Parker, reaching the car in time to find her hand extended with the money in it.

"Take this, will you? I might shoot that man if I see him."

"I thought you left your gun at home?"

Her rolled eyes told him the obvious - Miss Parker went nowhere without her gun.

"So what are you going to do with her? Take her back to the Centre?"

Parker picked the puppy up again from the seat of the car and snuggled against her.

"Nope, she's going to be Angelo's. She can watch over him for me when I'm not around. You can do that, can't you girl? You can do anything."

Jarod watched her shower the little dog with attention, even allowing it to lick her face, and his heart began to pound. There she was - the woman he'd known was inside of her all along -

The woman he loved.

That thought moved like molasses through Jarod's brain as it seeped into the crevices that had tried to deny or push away the simple fact in the past, but it was a losing battle. He loved her, not a friendly, I-worry-about-you kind of love, but a real, true love that had, he now realized, driven him for most of his life.

He was staring at her. Parker couldn't imagine what was wrong with him, but suddenly he had the strangest look on his face, and his eyes were locked on her. Something about the gaze was slightly discomfiting to her, and she snuggled the puppy closer as she furrowed her brow and glared at him.

"What?"

"Uh, uh, nothing. I better, um, I better go pay for you, I mean, the puppy, pay for her for you, I mean."

With that he turned and stumbled away toward where Harry stood talking to a man Parker assumed was Brucker. For the life of her she couldn't imagine what had gotten into Jarod, but she was glad to be out from under the heavy scrutiny of his stare. It made her feel things she wasn't ready to feel - things she was only allowed to feel in her dreams.

Emily watched the whole scene play out. Jarod's sudden change in demeanor, the discomfort it caused Parker, and the utter silliness of Jarod's escape from the situation. Smiling, she returned the puppy she had been playing with to the rest of its family and headed toward the car. She was going to have to pay close attention to this. Something told her that things were about to change - and for Jarod and Parker, it was going to be a change for the better.

Matter of Blood
Part 14
by N.R. Levy



Parker woke up in her bed, her room as familiar to her as the sound of her own voice. She glanced at the chair and found the comfortable, soft flannel shirt she'd known would be sitting there. She sat it aside for after her shower, then headed into the bathroom.

Suddenly, she was in her bathrobe, walking through her torn apart home, seeing blood on the floor. She ran outside and around the corner, and once again, the horror she had known would be there met her -

Thomas lying dead.

She woke screaming, her body trembling with the force of the image she'd seen so many times in her head. She could feel hot tears on her face, and she was about to run for her favorite nightmare cure-all -- a good glass of vodka -- when she heard him.

"It's okay, Parker. It's over. I'm here." The voice reached her disbelieving ears, and she turned, her eyes meeting with Thomas'.

"Tommy? You're alive?" Her voice was soft, but her confusion couldn't be missed. His face immediately concerned, Thomas reached for her, pulling her into his arms.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I'm right here." He held her for a moment before she pushed away from him, looking into his eyes.

"But how -- it was so real." She looked around, realizing she didn't remember the room they were in. "Where are we?"

"Our house. Babe, we've been in Portland for almost a year. Parker, are you okay?"

She returned her eyes to his, and a wave of unbelievable relief washed over her. He was alive. It was all a horrible, intense nightmare and he was still alive. She leaned forward, pulling him into her arms and holding him.

"Parker, I'm here. I'm never going to leave you."

She smiled, her hand stroking the back of his head. That was when she felt something wet on her hand and she moved it to where she could see it.

Blood - Thomas' blood.

She pulled back and his face was covered with blood, his eyes fixed and staring ahead.

"Oh, God! Oh, Thomas, no. No!"

Jarod ran into the room, not bothering with the light because there was no mistaking Parker's position. She was in bed, sitting up, screaming, her eyes still closed in whatever nightmare sleep she was in. Elizabeth ran to the doorway, but as he took Parker into his arms, he waved the older woman away. Quietly, Elizabeth closed the door and left the two of them alone.

Parker fought Jarod's embrace, her mind still trapped in the vision of Thomas' lifeless face. Jarod refused to let her go, and finally, after what seemed a long fight, she surrendered, her body collapsing against his. She still had not really awakened, and she sobbed against him, crying out to Thomas not to leave her.

"It's okay, Parker. I'm here. I'm here with you. It's okay."

"No, it was just a dream. You're gone."

Jarod realized now how deeply asleep she still was. She had heard him, but thought he was Thomas. Carefully, he climbed further into the bed, lying down as he pulled Parker to him.

"Shh. Just let it go, Parker. Let it go."

She continued to weep against his chest, and Jarod's own eyes filled with tears at her pain. This was his doing. He had interfered in her life again and this was the result. He didn't know what had brought up her grief about Thomas - maybe the approach of Christmas, the emotional whirlwind she was on with Elizabeth - who could say for certain. It didn't really matter what had caused it, the nightmare had devastated her, and he could do nothing but hold her as she had held him just a few nights earlier.

That and be man enough to tell her the truth, but for now, he still didn't know how.

Finally, she slept. Her breathing eased and her crying stopped and he knew she was now somewhere safe in her subconscious, the horror of the nightmare pushed away. Reaching carefully to pull the blankets over them, Jarod settled in beside her.

How was it possible that he could feel about her the way he did and yet still make so many mistakes? Clearly these feelings weren't new. If he thought about it at all, he knew that much was true. Then why did he keep doing things that hurt her? Not that Thomas had been a mistake exactly. But the way it had turned out...he should have expected something like it from the Centre. Why hadn't he?

Jarod's ramble of thoughts stopped as Parker whimpered against his chest and he moved his hands to rub her back and sooth her. After a few moments, she calmed, and he allowed himself to drift back into a far from restful sleep.

*****

Parker woke slowly, her mind warning her to be sure of what was real when she opened her eyes. She remembered the horrible dream all to well. Her eyes blinked open and she knew instantly that she was still in Elizabeth's guest room. Another glance told her Jarod was the warm, strong figure she felt beside her. He was still sleeping, and since she was still exhausted herself, she simply snuggled against him and closed her eyes again.

She didn't notice that she was crying again, a steady stream of silent tears running from her eyes.

The emptiness the nightmare had left inside of her was overwhelming. She'd had him back. She could feel him, his arms around her, the heat of his breath against her neck, and for a minute she'd actually believed that Thomas was alive. The horror of realizing it wasn't true, that he was still gone had been like finding him all over again.

Suddenly frightened, Parker tightened her hold on Jarod. She knew it was Christmas Eve, knew she had been waiting for days to give Angelo the special gift that sat hidden in the barn under Harry's doting care -- now all she felt was empty and sad and alone. Her excitement for the day had vanished under the horror of her own imagination.

Jarod stirred beneath her and Parker held still, not wanting him to wake. Her eyes jerked open as she waited. She did not want to talk about how she felt, or about the dream. She just wanted to lie here and feel warm and at least temporarily safe. Is this the feeling she had given to him when she'd chased away his bad dreams? If it were, then she understood why he'd been so grateful.

When he did not move again, she knew he was still asleep. Tired, Parker allowed her eyes to fall shut again.

Jarod felt her drift off and was glad he hadn't given away his waking when he'd moved. Clearly, she needed him to still be asleep - a silent guardian as opposed to a concerned friend. Happy to oblige, he tightened his hold on her and allowed his own eyes to close again.

****

Emily yawned, her mind and body not quite awake as she spooned sugar into her coffee cup. She glanced up as Elizabeth's footsteps approached, and smiled as the older woman entered the room.

"They up yet?"

Elizabeth shook her head and moved to the oven so she could check on the biscuits that baked inside.

"Poor thing. She was so upset. Can't help feeling like I had something to do with that."

"Elizabeth, she needs to know the things you're telling her. Jarod thinks so, too. It's the only way she's ever going to get free of that place."

"But she doesn't trust me. I understand that. She's got no reason to after I just left her at the Centre to fend for herself. She was just a little girl, Emily."

"And Jarod was just a little boy. At least they had each other." Emily sipped her coffee as she sat down in one of the comfortable kitchen chairs, pulling her knees up to her chest. Elizabeth moved to pour herself a cup of coffee, her attention turning toward her younger companion.

"Emily, did either of them ever mention what happened? I mean, why they stopped being friends...or at least, why they thought they'd stopped?"

"No. I've asked Jarod several times, but he just says 'I don't know.' I'd bet money that father of hers had something to do with it."

A blind woman could not have missed the way Elizabeth's whole body tensed at the mention of Mr. Parker. Emily sat, uncertain of what to do next. Did she acknowledge the emotions she'd just seen in her new friend, or did she ignore it? It wasn't really any of her business - if you didn't count the fact that Parker had saved her life and given her back her brother. If what was bothering Elizabeth was going to cause Parker more pain, then Emily wanted to be ready to help her through it.

"Elizabeth, I know it's not my place -- "

Emily cut her words short as Parker rounded the corner and entered the kitchen. She had to fight the urge to smile as her friend's appearance fully registered. Except for the hospital, she had never seen Parker in anything but designer clothes. Even through her whole visit here at Elizabeth's farm, she had worn her normal work clothes. So to see her in jeans and sweater, her face clean of makeup, was to say the least a shock.

Parker noticed the silence in the room and realized it had been caused by her entry. She looked from her aunt to Jarod's sister and suddenly felt more self-conscious than she could remember being in her adult life. They had heard her screaming last night. They knew about the nightmare. Is that what they'd been talking about?

"Um, morning." Parker's words were barely loud enough to be heard, and before either woman could answer, she was out the door and headed through the back yard. Emily turned toward Elizabeth and the two caught each other's glance.

"Do you think one of us should go after her?" Emily stood as spoke, moving to look out the window and watch Parker make her way toward the barn.

"I think maybe she just needs some time alone."

*****

Parker reached the barn and peaked inside, glad that Harry was nowhere in sight. She liked her uncle very much, but she didn't want anyone's eyes on her, not just now. The nightmare had unsettled her at the deepest of levels.

A few steps brought her to the ladder that led to the loft. Harry had constructed a temporary holding pen for the puppy so that she would be safe and Angelo would not find her. Parker made it into the loft and headed toward the sounds of happy panting that were coming from the far corner.

"Hey there, little girl. How you doing?"

The puppy began to yip and run around excitedly as Parker neared her. Reaching into the pen, Parker brought the little dog to her chest and stroked her gently.

"You are going to make my brother so happy, little girl. Yes, you are."

Parker moved to a stack of hay and sat down, letting the puppy have a chance to run free in the loft under her careful supervision. The little dog was scared to go very far, uncertain of her surroundings or of what potential dangers might be lurking around her.

'I know how you feel,' Parker thought as the events of the horrible night passed came back to her.

Her world over the past few years had become more and more murky, a once clear picture now blurred with dark clouds and shadowy corners. Parker felt that she no longer knew who she was or for that matter what she was doing. If anyone at the Centre knew that she had spent the last week in the same house as Jarod without even so much as once thinking of bringing him in...well, they'd lock her in Renewal Wing on a psych watch.

Why didn't she want to bring him in anymore? And who the hell was this mysterious grandfather who had apparently set her entire fate in motion years ago? Was he still alive? And where in God's name were her father and the troll?

Overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of questions, Parker stood and crossed to where the puppy was playing with a piece of cloth that Harry had tied into a string of knots. She picked it up and began to move it around and the puppy chased it, pouncing on it again and again.

It reminded her of the way she followed Jarod's clues around from place to place. Those clues had all somehow led her to this place. The question was, who would she be when she left?

******

Jarod stood in the shower, the heat of the water kneading into his shoulder muscles. His thoughts were full of Parker. She had been so upset last night, and clearly, she was not ready to talk about what was happening yet. That had been obvious by the way she had snuck out of bed this morning. For the second time, he had pretended to still be sleeping, sensing her desperation to get away. What he didn't understand was why.

They had gotten so much closer, both of them learning to lean on the other for support. God, it was in many ways like the relationship they'd had as children, yet far deeper. Perhaps because of the years they hadn't had each other? Jarod wasn't sure. What he did know was that he didn't want her to pull away. He needed her too much.

Maybe she thought he'd be jealous or upset that she'd been dreaming about Thomas. Not that he was above that, and yes, it did give him a slight pang in his heart to realize again how much she had loved another man, but he didn't regret her time with Thomas and so jealousy wasn't really the right word for what he felt.

Turning off the water, Jarod climbed from the shower. He had to be careful and give her enough space, otherwise, she would panic. She wouldn't want to, he knew that, but she was so afraid to trust. Jarod sighed as he threw his towel aside and began to dress. He was partly responsible for that. Showing her how deceptive her father was had a backlash affect he had not expected...the less she trusted him, the less she trusted everyone.

Still, there was so much he had to tell her - about how she'd saved his life in San Diego, about Thomas, oh, and that little thing about being in love with her. When was the question. He had to do something, and soon, and he had to be careful. He couldn't lose her again.

*****

The morning passed in a blur to Parker. She returned to the house and showered and changed, then headed downstairs. Jarod and Emily were busy putting the finishing touches on the tree, and Angelo was happily spewing tinsel all over the tree, them, and the rest of the living room.

Despite her overwhelming love for her brother, Parker kept her distance from Angelo. She knew she was hanging on to her emotional stability by a thread, and she did not want him to absorb that anxiety from her. Instead, she left him to his good time with the Russell siblings, and headed into the kitchen.

Elizabeth was dividing her time between scolding Harry, who kept picking at the vegetables she was trying to cook, and checking on the variety of dishes she was monitoring at various locations throughout the room. When Parker entered, they both looked up at her.

"Anything I can do to help?"

Elizabeth shook her head, but waved her niece further into the kitchen.

"Just come keep me company, and help me keep an eye on this veggie thief."

Parker smiled and crossed to one of the kitchen chairs. Harry, sensing that the two women needed to talk, snatched one last carrot then ran from the room. Elizabeth managed to hit him with a dishcloth just before he made it out of the door.

"And stay out, you."

Chuckling, Elizabeth returned to her cutting board, her eyes staying down, but her attention really across the room on Parker.

"You got something on your mind, Little Cat?"

Parker tensed slightly at the name, but then told herself to let it go. She did have something she needed to know, a question that had plagued her for years, and maybe now she had someone who could answer it for her.

"When Mama came here, you two, I mean, you talked about a lot, right?"

Elizabeth noticed the nerves evident in Parker's voice. Wherever she was headed was clearly not someplace she was sure she wanted to go.

"Yes, we did. At least, as much as we both knew."

"Is...um, do you know...is this grandfather of mine still alive?"

The question hung in the air as Elizabeth considered her niece. This was not what she really wanted to know, but still, it was information she could use.

"I don't know. Catherine hadn't actually seen him since he had her brainwashed, and I hadn't heard a word from him since I was sent away. If he is, I guarantee you he's still involved in the Centre somehow. It was all he ever really cared about."

Parker nodded, her eyes falling on the floor.

"What -- I mean, you said he knew that you and Mama had this special trait. I mean, he would have wanted you both to be with men that had it, too, right? So he could get these special children he wanted."

Elizabeth's kept her face the same even though now she knew what it was Parker so desperately needed to know.

"Yes, Parker, that is true."

There was silence for a moment as Parker tried to build her courage.

"Did he sacrifice that? I mean, to get control of the Centre did he give up on that with Mama?"

Elizabeth sat down the knife she had been cutting with and reached for a dishtowel to dry her hands. She crossed the distance between herself and Parker and knelt down in front of the girl who was a mirror image of the sister she had loved so much.

"If you're asking me if Mr. Parker is your father, Parker, the answer is yes."

Parker's eyes filled with tears as she looked up to Elizabeth. There was a time, back when Jarod had first alerted her to the potential that Ben Miller could be her father that she would have jumped for joy at confirmation of her real paternity. Now, she didn't know how she felt. Suddenly, she realized that she was more of a lab rat than Jarod had ever been. Her very existence had been planned even before her parents' marriage.

Elizabeth reached out her hand, wiping the tears that streamed down her niece's face. The touch seemed to be more than Parker could handle. She stood, wiping her own tears away, her face hardening right before the older woman's eyes.

"Parker..."

Before her aunt could finish speaking, Parker was gone through the back door. Through the window, Elizabeth saw her. She suddenly stood taller, her shoulders straight, her whole body suddenly made of granite. Confused, Elizabeth was left wondering. What in the world had just happened?

****

The rest of the day, no one could get close to Parker. Emily and Elizabeth had both encouraged Jarod to try, but he could tell that at this moment, all contact between them would accomplish would be to push her farther away. She was shutting down on all of them, and right now, he didn't know how to stop it.

Elizabeth had told him about their earlier conversation, and he knew Parker was reeling. He had never asked Elizabeth about Parker's paternity. He had truly hoped for her sake that Ben was her father, for no other reason than to give her someone decent and good to run to in a crisis, but that was clearly not meant to be.

For a while, it seemed even Angelo could not get through to her. He had tried to approach her several times, but he would stop within a few feet of her, turning away with a hurt look in his eyes.

Then as the others began to open up their special Christmas Eve gifts, Parker excused herself to retrieve Angelo's present. They all wanted to wait for her, but she insisted that they go on without her.

Emily opened hers first. She had chosen the package from Jarod, and her heart swelled when she opened it. Inside was a doll - one just like the one she had told Jarod about during their first few days together. It had been her first, and it had been lost during one of the frantic times she and their mother had run from the Centre. She had mourned its loss for a long time, and still thought of it occasionally. She had no idea where he had found this one, but that he had made the effort touched her more deeply than anything she could imagine.

As Emily moved to embrace her brother, Parker returned, again taking her seat alone on the side of the room rather than around the tree with the rest of the group. Jarod looked at her, trying to catch her eye, but she kept her gaze firmly fixed on the tree.

Next came Jarod's turn, and Emily handed him a gift addressed from Parker. He saw Parker tense when he picked it up, but she did not try to discourage him from opening it. Curious, he tore into the paper. He had to force himself to remember to breathe when he saw what it was - a copy of "The Devil's Providence."

For a moment, he sat confused, uncertain of what it was she had been thinking when she decided to give this to him. He hadn't even seen it since he'd left it at the hospital the day he'd gone off to confront Damon. Then he saw the small strip of silk ribbon sticking out of the top and he opened the book to the place it marked. His eyes fell on a passage that Parker had marked for him.

"The hero, having vanquished the devil, now wondered what came next. Did he return to his life as it had been before, or did this moment somehow change him? Did he need to fight any longer? Did he need to try and hold on to the force that had driven him on for so many days?

"Then he heard the voice of his angel, and though she spoke a million words, it was those she did not say that he heard the loudest.

"Please, do not leave me."

As he finished reading, Jarod looked up, his eyes wide as they searched for Parker, but she was gone. Through the door that stood standing open in her wake, came a slight whimpering sound, and a few moments later, the small puppy, a red ribbon tied around her neck, came wandering into the room. She immediately found her way to Angelo, who scooped her into his arms and pulled her into an embrace.

"Friend from sister."

Jarod smiled, but his eyes looked for Parker. When she did not return, he moved to go and find her. That was when he felt Angelo's hand on his shoulder.

"Needs time."

Though he hated to do so, Jarod nodded agreement and returned to his seat. Emily moved closer to him, sensing his turmoil. She placed a hand on his arm as she looked to Angelo.

"What are you going to name her?"

Angelo did not think for more than a second before his answer came.

"Angel."

****

Upstairs, Parker sat on her bed, her whole body shaking. Why hadn't she taken the book out from under the tree? Damn it, she should have thought of it, but her mind had been so muddled since she'd spoken with Elizabeth this morning. Why had she even given it to him in the first place?

Collapsing back on the bed, Parker was about to close her eyes in frustration when she saw the scroll of paper on her pillow. She reached over and picked it up, taking off the small ribbon that held it closed.

Her eyes filled with quick escaping tears she looked at what it was. Surely, she should not have been surprised that she and Angelo shared their mother's gift for art, but what he had done, the image he had created, was both beautiful and startling.

The drawing was of her looking in a mirror...the reflection staring back at her from the mirror was their mother.

"Her voice is inside you."

Jarod had said those words to her once, and she had wanted to believe them, but she just didn't. Even staring at the amazing image her brother had created, Parker still doubted the real force of her mother inside of her.

But if she wasn't there, Parker's mind argued, if she wasn't part of you, then why did you love Thomas? Why did you help Emily? Why did you risk everything for Angelo and Jarod?

Standing, leaving the drawing on her bed, Parker made her way to the mirror.

"Are you really there, mama?"

*****

The group downstairs was now finished with their gifts, and as Angelo carefully fed his new puppy the warm milk Harry had given to him, the rest of the family gathered at the table for dinner. Jarod again had to fight the urge to go after Parker when a glance from Angelo seemed to remind him to stay away.

They were just serving the first dish when she entered the room. He could see that she'd been crying, and he wanted to ask her what was wrong, wanted to know about the book, but something inside of him told him to wait. Instead he stood and pulled out a chair for her. Smiling weakly, she accepted the offered seat and joined them.

Dinner progressed smoothly, and though Parker was not chatty, she at least participated, which was more than any of them had expected after the way she'd disappeared from the living room earlier.

It had taken a superhuman effort for her to come back downstairs, and Parker was beginning to feel the toll. She wanted to try and be a part of this, to join in to the family, but she felt like the last 24 hours -- the nightmare, her thoughts about the Centre and her father -- they were suddenly unraveling all that had happened the last few months. She no longer felt strong and brave. She felt scared and alone. She felt like that little girl who had been left alone so many years ago.

Excusing herself, Parker went upstairs to bed. Surprisingly, sleep came quickly and for a while, it seemed that it would be the balm that healed her frazzled nerves and sad heart.

Then, it happened again.

This time, she woke in her bed at home in Blue Cove. She walked through the house, seeing nothing out of place except for an open front door. Some bright, shining light seemed to be burning from outside the door, and a curious Parker headed toward it...

and into Hell.

Her mother and Thomas stood before her, their bodies bloodied with the bullet wounds that had taken their lives. Slowly, they both raised their hands and pointed behind her. Terrified, Parker turned to see what was waiting there, and she screamed when her eyes fell on the sight that befell her eyes.

Jarod and Angelo...all bloodied and ghostly, just as her mother and Thomas had been...

To her right side, she heard weeping, and she turned to see Emily, Charles, and Sydney standing there, pointing at her. In unison, their tear-filled voices reached her.

"It was you. They died because of you."

Then, from her left came laughter, and Parker turned to see her father and Lyle and a man she had never seen before, but instinctively knew was the man who had begun the hell that had become her life - her grandfather. They all pointed at her, their laughter continuing as they spoke.

"It was you, Parker. We killed them because of you."

Back in reality, Parker shot out of bed, sweat pouring down her face as she fought to chase the horrible images away. This time there was no screaming, only the cold truth of what she had to do.

*****

Jarod had come downstairs because he could not sleep. The day had been too full of emotions and he had been left with too many questions. He was startled when he heard the sound of a trunk closing, and even more surprised when he looked outside and saw a cab driver climbing into his car. Parker was climbing into the back seat.

Running, Jarod made his way to the car before it could pull out of the driveway. The driver stopped, and Parker reluctantly threw open the door and faced Jarod.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going home, Jarod. It's where I belong."

"Parker, you have a family here -"

"No, Jarod. Angelo has a family here, and I'm glad for that, but I don't belong here."

"And you think you belong there?"

"It's who I am."

"Then why did you leave me the book? Why did you mark that passage, Parker?"

"MISS Parker."

The sound of her voice was so cold, so filled with ice that it caused Jarod to move away from her. Parker slammed the door, and the car quickly sped away.

It was hours later when Emily found Jarod still outside, his body nearly blue from the time in the freezing cold. He was kneeling in the driveway, his head in his hands.

"Jarod, what is it, what happened?"

"She's too afraid. She's too afraid and she ran away."

Emily pulled her brother into her arms and rocked him gently as his tears fell. His worst fear had come true...he had lost her again.

Matter of Blood
Part 15
by N.R. Levy


Christmas day came to Boston along with more than a foot of snow. Charles was happy about that. Jare had never really seen a good snow before. They had seen a few inches in Rhode Island, but this was a real storm, the kind where teenage boys could go outside and make snowballs and make his sled go as fast as possible down the hill a few blocks from their house.

The Major had gotten up early to make sure every detail had been taken care of, right down to the filled stockings that hung from the mantle. How many years had it been since he had even bought a Christmas tree, let alone hung stockings and lights and piled badly wrapped presents for eager hands to open? So many years of empty holidays...and though he knew he had been just a few feet away from spending this holiday with Jarod as well, Charles promised himself he would not spend the day trapped in regret as he had so many other times. This year he had someone to spoil and to share family traditions with, and he was going to make the most of it.

Still, he couldn't help wondering where his eldest son was today. Was he free? Was he alone? Charles hoped not. Somehow, he hoped that Jarod was sitting beside someone he loved.

As a yawn escaped his body, Charles stretched and moved to start a pot of coffee. He had just hit the brew button when he heard Jare behind him clearing his throat.

"Hey, son. You ready for Christmas?"

"I guess, sir."

"Jare, I've told you before. You don't have to call me sir. Charles is fine. Dad when you're ready, okay?"

Jare only nodded and walked to the other side of the counter where Charles stood.

"Charles, I know that you've done a lot for me, and I hope you know that I really do appreciate it."

"I've been happy to do it, son. Gives me a chance to make up for some of the time I lost out on, you know, being a father to my kids."

"Do you remember when we talked the other day? When you were telling me that you didn't expect me to be Jarod. That you wanted me to be who I really was?"

Charles poured a cup of coffee from the half-finished pot as he brought the conversation back to his mind.

"Mm-hmm."

"I've been thinking about that, and I think you're right. I think I have to be the person I am. The person I was meant to be."

"That's what we want for you, son -- me, Jarod, Miss Parker, all of us."

Before Jare could respond to the Major's last statement, the front door of the house flew open. Charles immediately ran toward his gun, but he found it with the chamber open, the clip missing entirely. Confused, he spun around to face those who had invaded his home.

The five black-suited sweepers were unmistakable. Two other men stepped to the front of the room, and Charles realized he had never seen either of them before. One was pale, nearly an albino. The other was tall and thin with piercing blue eyes that for some reason seemed vaguely familiar to the Major, though he pushed that thought aside as the man he was considering spoke.

"Major Charles, pleasure to meet you. I have heard so much about you. I believe we'll be getting quite a few chances to talk in the next few weeks. My name, by the way, is Mr. Cox with an 'X'."

Charles's eyes scanned the room, trying desperately to seek out a way to get Jare and get out of the room, but there was none. For the moment, they were trapped. Maybe if he could get a signal to Jare...but as that thought dropped off in his brain, the Major realized that Jare had moved "toward" the sweepers when they'd entered, not away.

"Jare, what's going on?"

"Just being who I am, sir. By the way, my name is William."

As the reality of what had happened, as the enormity of the betrayal he'd just fallen victim to grew inside of the Major's heart, his mind reeled. The albino looking man stepped forward and placed his prisoner in handcuffs, the major offering no resistance as his heart broke. He watched helplessly as Mr. Cox with an "X" stepped to Jare...to William, and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"So, you were Mr. White's little tattletale? I'm sure Mr. Raines will be very proud indeed."

*****

Broots had known which present he would open first because the mystery surrounding it had driven him nuts for weeks. Ever since Miss Parker and Debbie had brought the beautifully wrapped gift into the house, he'd been dying to know what was inside of it.

Unlike most mysteries, the solution lived up to what he had imagined, mainly because it opened up another mystery for him.

The portrait was beautiful. Debbie had never looked happier or more radiant than she did in the picture, and her obvious pride at giving him such a gift only intensified his joy at receiving it. But it was the tiny scrawl in the bottom right hand corner of the portrait that truly made Broots feel as if he would cry.

The work of art, which is what it was, had been made by his friend...by his best friend, and though he suspected she did not want him to know that, he was thrilled that he had that knowledge.

He wondered if she had been hesitant to sign it. The small "M" and "P" were barely decipherable, except that Broots had spent hours looking at her handwriting, and therefore knew it very well. Debbie had only said that Miss Parker had "helped" get the picture, not that she'd painted it, and he was proud of his daughter's loyalty. Still, clearly, Miss Parker had painted it. Not only the initials had given her away. Only someone who loved his little girl could have captured her so well.

As he watched Debbie open another of her gifts, he wondered where Miss Parker was now. He hoped wherever she was, she was as happy as her gift had made both he and his daughter today.

****

Sydney accepted the cup of coffee offered by Michelle, and though he was fascinated by the conversation he was sharing with Nicholas, his thoughts were split between the people he was with and the two people he was worried about.

It was not so strange to him that Miss Parker hadn't called. She had left a gift for him in his office, and so had taken care of Christmas between them. What was odd was that Jarod had not contacted him. This would be the first year since his escape that the pretender had not called or sent some message.

Sydney hoped that the absence of such contact meant that Jarod and Miss Parker were sharing the holiday he had wished for them.

Still, something nagged at him. What the feeling was remained unclear to him, but Sydney could swear it felt reminiscent of fear. The question was, who should he be afraid for, and what could he do to help them?

*****

Despite the five people in residence, the farmhouse was empty. It was empty of the joy it should have been filled with, the happy sounds of people opening gifts and saying "thank you's" and "you're welcome's." Instead it was filled with silence.

Harry, knowing that Elizabeth felt responsible for Parker's flight, simply sat beside his wife, stroking her hand as they sat opposite each other at the dining room table. Periodically, Elizabeth would draw in a breath as if she meant to speak, but after just a moment she would settle her chin back on her hand, silence remaining in the room.

Angelo was curled up in the bed his sister had occupied less than 12 hours ago. Angel, his new friend, lay on his chest, her wet nose resting on his chin. Even she seemed to sense the terrible weight of sadness that had fallen on the house.

But nowhere was that weight more heavily felt than in the living room, where Jarod sat on the sofa, a pile of blankets around him. Emily had been frantic when she'd found him outside and felt how cold his body was. He had refused for a long while to come inside, and only when she had cried and lifted his face with her hands to make him see her tears had he agreed to move. She had settled him on the couch, running for blankets to warm him. He had not moved since.

Emily sat beside him, her hand gently stroking his cheek.

"Jarod? Jarod, what happened?"

"She ran away. I told you."

"No, I mean what happened between the two of you? What did she say?"

"She didn't say anything. She just said she wanted to go home."

"That place isn't her home."

"She thinks it is. They made her think that."

"But she knows better, Jarod. She was going to leave there, wasn't she? Didn't you tell me she was going to leave before Thomas was killed?"

"Yes, she 'was' going to leave, Em. 'Was.' But she's too scared. She's still grieving for Thomas, and...Em, she doesn't trust me enough."

"Jarod, that's ridiculous. She came here because you asked her too."

"That's not what I mean. With her heart, she doesn't trust me with her heart, and why should she?"

"Because you would never hurt her, Jarod."

"But I did. I...Emily, I caused that. Thomas tried to tell me, but I wouldn't listen, and then what they did to him...I should have known."

"How on earth could you have known that the Centre would kill him?"

Jarod turned and looked at his sister as if she'd grown horns suddenly. A look of total disbelief on his face, he stood, casting off the blankets that had surrounded him for hours.

"How? I'm the genius, Em. I was supposed to know that they would do anything to keep her, even kill the man she loved."

"She loves you, Jarod."

Those words stopped the frantic pacing that Jarod had undertaken during his explosion.

"That's why she came to San Diego, Jarod. She came to protect you because she loves you."

"She loved him, Em. She did. It was real and it was...I wanted that for her, I did. I wanted it so much that I...I sent Thomas Gates to Blue Cove. I sent him to her."

Now it was Emily's turn to wear a mask of disbelief.

"You what?"

"You didn't know him. He was...I've never met a man I respected more in my life than Thomas. He had the most amazing heart, and one day he saw a picture of Parker sitting on my table. Do you know what he said, Em? He said, "That is the prettiest, saddest woman I have ever seen in my life." He knew. He could see how much she needed someone and he didn't even know her. I knew I could trust him not to hurt her, Em. So, I sent him to Blue Cove on a lead about a house and from the moment they met, I knew that she was safe and that someone was finally going to love her the way she needed to be loved."

"Jarod, you could -"

"Could what? Give her that? Make her safe? Clearly not, Em, because look at this. All I've done is hurt her again, make her even more afraid. It doesn't matter how good my intentions are, I only seem to end up hurting her."

Jarod stopped speaking, the emotion of what he'd said exhausting him. He collapsed back down on the couch. Emily reached over and embraced him.

"Give her some time. Then make her see that she can trust you, even with her heart."

"And how do I do that?"

"Tell her the truth, Jarod. Tell her about Thomas. Tell her how you feel. Once she sees how much you care about her happiness, she'll realize that she doesn't have to be afraid."

Sighing deeply, Jarod pulled away from his sister and sank back against the couch cushions. He knew that Emily was right. How could he expect Parker to come to him with her fears when he was keeping such a big secret - two big secrets from her? He would give her time to heal, and he would use that time to try and find the answer to Thomas's murder once and for all. Let her finish grieving, let her deal with his killer, then he would give her his heart and hope that she still had enough strength to accept it.

****

The cold in the house was no match for the cold Parker felt in her soul. She lay motionless in her bed, the room dark, her body wrapped in the flannel shirt of Tommy's she always wore when she felt alone.

It was Christmas day, and the only thing she'd managed to give to the people that mattered to her was grief. Parker was no fool; she knew what she had left behind in her wake. She had ripped Jarod's heart out. She had abandoned her brother. She had left Elizabeth hanging, giving her no answers about how their relationship might end up.

No, she had just turned back into the Ice Queen and frozen them out - all of them.

It was better this way. That's what she kept telling herself. Now none of them would get hurt, hurt by her or by those who would use them to control her.

She could handle being alone. What she couldn't handle was losing anyone else, especially...no, she wouldn't even think that. That, Parker knew, would kill her once and for all. It was time to let go of things that could never be, and focus in on salvaging what was left of her life.

****

Mr. Cox beamed with pride as the limousine pulled up to the side entrance of the Centre. The place was nearly a ghost town, and so there were few if any eyes on hand to notice the gray-haired man, his hands and feet shackled as they brought him to his new home. Nor did they see the teenage boy whose eyes scanned the area for the only two people he felt connected to.

The small group headed inside the Centre, and Mr. White left to escort the Major personally to his cell. That was when Mr. Raines stepped forward, his arms opening to his namesake.

"William, welcome home."

The boy stepped into his arms. Yes, this was what he knew -- this man, this place, and her. Where was she? As he stepped back from Mr. Raines, he looked around for her again. She was the only one who had ever actually asked him what he wanted or how he felt. Even Jarod and the Major had just taken him, never imagining that he had no desire to leave this place or the people that mattered to him.

That's why he had turned the Major in. He had to prove his loyalty to Mr. Raines. It was the only chance he had of ever getting close to her again. He had to be the perfect pretender...and then he would get what he really wanted.

"I let you down, sir."

Raines patted the boy's shoulder, and then slowly began to guide him toward the elevator.

"Nonsense. This was God's will. Our original plan was flawed. Now you have delivered us. We have the means to capture our wayward sheep, and you have returned to us unharmed. We have much to be grateful for, my son."

Cox watched as Raines walked away with the boy and the rest of the sweeper team. Something about the boy troubled him, though he couldn't yet put his finger on it. How unthinkable that anyone given a chance at freedom from this place would voluntarily return.

At least the boy's loyalty had allowed him to accomplish his main goal. He had completed the assignment from Mr. Garvey, and he had done so without any involvement on Miss Parker's part. Now all he had to do was make certain the Major was buried inside the Centre until they were ready to spring their trap for Jarod.

It was curious to him that he still had no understanding of his protective feelings toward the woman. Still, he had survived this long by following his instincts, and they were telling him three things: keep Garvey happy, keep parker safe, and keep everyone guessing as to just what it was he was up to.

****

SIX MONTHS LATER

Emily sat inside the coffee shop waiting for her brother to arrive. They had worked out a system of separations and reunions over the past few months in order to keep the Centre hunters on their toes and to follow up the leads they'd found on their parents. Unfortunately, none of those leads had proved fruitful. A few weeks ago, someone in Boston had thought they remembered seeing her father, but she had been unable to find any other trace of him.

Every three weeks, Emily met Jarod where he was "pretending" and then they stayed together for three weeks before she moved on. Now that they had found each other, they were careful to make certain they would never be separated permanently again, and though the goodbyes were always painful, both siblings knew that for now they were necessary.

Nervously, Emily glanced at her watch and wondered where Jarod was. She knew that the last few months had been extremely hard on him. Purposefully, he had kept his distance from Parker doing what he had vowed to do back at Elizabeth's farm - he had given her time to heal, and he had investigated Thomas's murder. That had led him to the Rumor wiretap, but it had also taken him on some difficult adventures.

He was still reeling a bit from his encounter with Zoey. Emily knew that he had really believed he loved her at the time, but now, he realized that she was a surrogate for the woman that really held his heart. Someone that he could, at least temporarily, save, but no amount of space or distance had been able to quell his concern for Parker. That concern had taken him to Blue Cove, and now she was waiting to hear what had happened.

The bell on the front door of the diner rang, attracting Emily's attention, and she looked up to see Jarod already inside, his left arm already out of his leather jacket. He finished removing the jacket as he looked over and saw her. A faint smile graced his face, and he moved quickly to her table. Emily stood to greet him, and the two shared a warm hug before sitting back down.

"You look good, sis."

"You too. Now don't keep me waiting. How did it go?"

"Gee, Em, can I actually make contact with my seat first?"

"No. What happened?"

Jarod took a deep breath, smiling at his sister.

"I told her."

"Thank goodness. It's about time. What did she say?"

"She was upset at first, at least, I think she was. I told her over the phone."

Jarod anticipated her ire and dropped his eyes as Emily's mouth fell open and her hands pressed against the table.

"The phone? What happened to meeting her at the cemetery?"

"I went, but it was a bad idea. She wasn't...she couldn't handle that."

"She couldn't handle it, Jarod, or you chickened out?"

"Will it make you happy if I say both?"

A silence fell between the siblings then, and the waitress approached and took their order. As soon as she departed, Emily zeroed in on her brother again.

"So she was upset at first, but then?"

"Then she asked me about him, how I met him. I think it helped her to know that. And now she knows what happened to him. I think that she's ready to move on now."

"You found out who killed him?"

"She did. It was Brigitte."

"Parker didn't -"

"No, but Brigitte is dead. She died in childbirth. If you can believe it, Parker had to deliver the baby."

Emily's eyebrows rose at that. What an idea that Parker would have to deliver the child of her most hated enemy.

"But she's okay? I mean, Parker got through it?"

"Yeah. I think she's finally said goodbye to Thomas. The question now is how long do I wait to tell her the rest."

"You'll know, Jarod. You just have to listen to your heart. You timed this right. You'll get the rest right, too."

Jarod nodded, his hand reaching for Emily's.

"I hope so, Em. I hope so."

****

Miss Parker walked down the hallways of the Centre with a strange feeling inside of her. In some ways, it could be called peace. Finally, she had said her farewell to the man she loved. The weight that had taken off her shoulders was immeasurable, but a curious new burden had fallen into her arms at precisely the same moment.

Turning the corner, Parker took in a deep breath and made her way toward the observation window of the lab at the end of the corridor. Inside was a baby boy. Her brother. A child who she felt an unexplainable connection to, and one she was ready to do battle for if it became necessary.

So far, it had not. Cox was proving to be a good caretaker despite her reservations. Still, the baby was only a few weeks old, and Parker knew the kid gloves would come off as soon as he was old enough to test for his potential as a pretender. That this was her father's plan was a certainty to Parker.

Her father - did she even consider him that anymore? She didn't know who the hell he was - a man who could let his wife die, who could hand his child over to the Centre without blinking an eye or finding out whether he had a son or a daughter - could this have been the man she had given a lifetime of loyalty to? Added to all that she had learned from Elizabeth, the sum left her with one thought -- she saw him now as a monster - something she had never imagined she would think of her precious daddy.

Inside the nursery, Cox looked up from the crib and saw Miss Parker standing at the window. He waved her in, not caring that Mr. Parker had instructed him to limit her contact with the child. Cox was grateful that his months of "helping" Mr. Parker regain his position were over, and though he had been further instructed by Mr. Garvey to remain close to the Chairman, it was no longer imperative that the rest of the Centre regard him as a potential hit man or as Mr. Parker's right hand. Instead, he had two assignments - care for the new pretender and prepare for the launch of Project Retrieval.

He picked up the infant as Miss Parker approached and immediately held him out toward the woman who still held a mystical fascination to him. He had tried, unsuccessfully, to find out where she had been during the holidays, mostly because she had been so depressed upon her return. Wherever she had gone, it had affected her deeply, and like all things that concerned Miss Parker that made it of interest to him.

Cox watched as Miss Parker cradled the little boy in her arms. The bond between them was unmistakable. He assumed that it was because she had delivered the baby, but the concern Mr. Parker showed over their attachment made him wonder if there were more to it than that. Another mystery for another time. Cox turned on his smile and directed it at Miss Parker.

"Pleasure to see you again, Miss Parker."

"Wish I could say the same."

"Now, now, we don't want any tension around the little one here, do we?"

"Cox, don't you have work you need to do elsewhere?"

Cox smiled, taking the cue and removing his lab coat.

"As a matter of fact, I do. And since Master Parker is in such good hands, I suppose I can be off to it."

Miss Parker watched as Cox walked out of the room. Who he was and what he wanted were still mysteries that required her attention, but for the moment, they could wait. She had a little boy to play with, and she had to decide what was going to happen next with Jarod.

Their meeting at the cemetery had been decidedly tense. In her heart, she knew he had come to the cemetery that day to tell her the truth about his involvement in her meeting Thomas, but all she'd been able to feel is anger - anger at him for intruding in her life, her home and her heart. The question she didn't have the answer too was what would she would have done had her gun worked. She had been angry enough at him to strike out without thinking - and he had clearly anticipated that. Because of that, some small part of her was grateful he had broken in and tampered with her gun. God would not have been able to help her had she pulled that trigger. Still, he did deserve to have that smug look smacked off his face when he'd bragged about her gun, and she regretted that she hadn't taken advantage of his proximity to do so.

Jarod - so much of her energy was spent trying to figure out how she felt about him. Since their bitter parting at Elizabeth's, they'd barely spoken until he'd showed up at Thomas's grave. Now that she had seen him, she knew that distance had done little to quell the feelings she'd begun to feel during their time together in San Diego and at the farm. Problem was, she still didn't believe she could face those feelings, and that left her uncertain of what to do next.

Sighing, she moved to the rocking chair in the corner and sat down with her brother. It amazed her how spending time with this baby - Brigitte's baby - made her feel so at ease. For the moment, she pushed every other thought aside and focused all her attention on the little bundle in her arms. These would be the only precious minutes of this day that would be spent on a focus other than Jarod and her own incredibly messed up life. Parker intended to enjoy them.

****

Mr. Raines beamed as William handed over the DSA of the completed simulation.

"Very good work, William. You feel certain of your results?"

"Absolutely, sir. If you follow this plan, Project Retrieval will be a complete success."

"Wonderful. You've done outstanding work since your return. I wonder, is there anything you might like to do or have, as say, a small reward?"

William smiled. This was what he had been aiming for. His work with the Major, helping them to "prepare" the older man for their plan had been horrible, but he had done it in order to reach this moment.

"Yes, sir, there actually is something I'd like very much."

"And that is?"

"Miss Parker."

Matter of Blood
Part 16
by N.R. Levy


Mr. Raines paid careful attention to the bowls and cloths in front of him as he prepared for his afternoon session in the washing room. Still, years of balancing important tasks allowed him to complete his actions as he thought back over the strange conversation he had shared with William earlier in the day.

"Miss Parker? I'm not sure I understand what you mean, William."

"I want to be able to see her. I've been back six months, I've done everything you've asked, and you're offering me a reward. I want to visit Miss Parker."

"Miss Parker does not know that you've returned."

"So tell her. Tell her that I got separated from the Major, and that with nowhere else to go, I came back here. She won't have any reason to doubt that."

As William spoke, Mr. Raines circled him, intrigued by the new components in his young protégé's personality. Gone was the insecure boy who had looked at his captors with childish eyes. In place of that boy was a confident young man, one who clearly knew what he wanted.

His request did clear up a bit of a mystery. Raines had wondered what it was that made the boy call after so much time - clearly his motivation was a chance to reconnect with Miss Parker. That was also new. William had never shown any real emotional connection to anyone except Jarod, and that only in passing during the boy's training. No, his connection to the Centre huntress was both interesting and dangerous, and it required careful consideration before the former doctor gave his answer. It was certain that allowing them to see one another was the equivalent of opening Pandora's box.

Now, standing with his hands around the basin as it filled with water, Mr. Raines understood what was happening. God was giving him his chance. There had been no way to prove his new-found faith to Miss Parker before, but this mission could do what nothing else could - it could show her how truly sorry he was for what he had done in the past.

Raines looked up from the basin as Sam entered.

"Sam, good of you to come. Please, sit down."

Sam smiled mutely and moved to the chair. He automatically began to remove his socks and shoes. Nothing made him feel as creepy as his visits here, but Miss Parker had asked him to stick close to Raines since the Veritas project was discovered. True, it did seem that Raines had freed the baby from his breathing problems, but still, Miss Parker didn't trust the old weirdo, and that meant Sam would do what she asked and watch him - even if it did mean getting his feet washed every day.

He kept coming because he was sure Raines was up to something. He spent too much time in Renewal Wing these days for Sam not to notice. The problem was, the sweeper didn't want to say anything to his boss without more to go on. Miss Parker was working hard to keep up appearances, but Sam had been around her long enough to know that something was truly bothering her. He didn't want to add to her burden by giving her false hope that he was on to whatever Raines's scheme might be.

"Sam, you seem distracted today."

The sweeper heard the old man's voice and looked up at him. Sometimes, Sam could swear he saw a true difference in Raines's eyes, as if he really had changed. But other times, especially when he saw the man looking at Miss Parker, Sam felt that he was as evil as ever, and that all of his plots were directed right at the woman who held Sam's loyalty firmly in her grasp. The question was what did Raines want from her, and what could Sam do to make sure she came out of it okay?

******

Charles Russell had endured many hardships in his life, not the least of which was losing his family. Still, little had prepared him for his days in the place called Renewal Wing and the man named William Raines. Raines knew more ways to inflict pain on a human being than a Hollywood writer could ever dream of, and he had no conscience about using the techniques perfected through years of practice. Yet despite the pain in his body, Charles knew that nothing physical could equal the pain in his heart.

The pain of the boy's betrayal.

It was the curse of having nothing but time on his hands and only his thoughts to distract him. Why? Why would Jare - no, that wasn't his name, was it? Why would William do it? How could he choose the Centre over his own family? It was something Charles knew he would never understand.

Along with his struggle to comprehend all that had happened in the last six months, Charles was consumed with fear for Jarod. He did not know what happened during the sessions where Raines's men strapped him down to a table and an IV delivered drugs into his system, but somehow Charles knew that the results of these encounters were directly aimed at his son's capture. He was so certain of it, Charles had actually contemplated ending his own life to keep himself from being used against his son, but apparently Raines could read his thoughts because that very day sweepers had cleaned the Major's room of anything he might use to accomplish the task.

Now all he could do was wait and wonder and pray for his children.

*****

Miss Parker could feel her body fighting its natural urge to reach out and snatch what little hair Broots still had clean off his head. She was fighting that feeling only because she knew it wasn't him she was truly angry with. That honor belonged squarely and solely to Jarod, though she knew it was for far different reasons that those around her would think.

Parker no longer seethed with rage when Jarod escaped her. More to the point, she celebrated it. She never wanted him back here where Raines and Lyle could hurt him. That this meant she would spend her life trapped inside the Centre was something she had accepted. It was the cost of finally being able to protect someone, anyone in her life from being destroyed by the powers that be.

What was frustrating her now was Jarod's complete refusal to pay attention to the sacrifice she was making. He would not leave her alone, would not just disappear despite her best efforts to make him do so. He brushed off her caustic comments and threats as easily as snow on his shoulders now, and Parker didn't know how to get through to him anymore. That was why she was ready to kill today. How can you protect someone who doesn't want to be protected?

"Miss Parker, did you hear me?"

"What, Broots? What?"

"I said that I'm going do a mainframe search. You know, you asked me to check up on Lyle and Cox. I just wanted you to know that's where'd I'd be."

"Fine. Go."

Broots nodded and left, though what he wanted to do was say, "Miss Parker, please don't let them get to you. Forget this place, forget Jarod and just run." Of course he knew that he'd be wasting his breath. Still, she was his friend, his best friend, and he wanted her to have a chance at a real life. He'd seen her come close to happiness with Thomas, and then again when she'd discovered that Angelo was her real brother. But even that, even her brother, had been taken away from her. He knew that she missed Angelo every day, and though it was true he was safer wherever she had hidden him, Broots knew that she ached to be with her brother again.

Resigned that there was little he could do to make her feel better, Broots made his way to the mainframe and began to run his search. As usual, he picked a random set of keywords so that there was no pattern to the records he accessed. After a few minutes, the screen was covered with a list of 12 names, files that had been hit on in the search. He scanned the list looking for anything that seemed worth checking out. Three files caught his attention: GEN2FILE, HIERARCHY, and PJRETRIEVAL.

With a cautionary glance over his shoulder, Broots downloaded the files and began reading. Maybe something in one of these would brighten Miss Parker's day.

*********

The squeaking of Raines's oxygen tank wheels always alerted Parker to his impending arrival. That he was about to intrude on her time in the nursery with the baby made her instantly tense. No one came in here when she was with her brother, including Cox. As the door to the nursery opened, Parker turned to face her nemesis, but not before shifting the baby in her arms so he was held safely and securely against her body.

"What do you want, Raines? I thought I told you to stay away from him."

"I'm here to see you, Miss Parker, not the baby." His voice seemed raspier than normal, and the sound of it aggravated Parker's already frayed nerves.

"What?"

"I have some news for you. I know how you hate secrets."

That got him an even more intense glare. Raines took this as a good sign. She would of course doubt him and go to check on the information he was about to give her.

"Gemini is back in the Centre."

Parker's jaw dropped of its own volition and Parker felt herself clutch the baby more tightly, drawing a slight whine from her baby brother.

"Shh, sweetheart, it's okay. What do you mean, Raines?"

"Gemini - the clone - he is back in the Centre."

"How, and when did this happen?"

"A few days ago. Apparently there was an incident in Maryland with a sweeper team. The boy was separated from Major Charles, and with nowhere else to go, he came home."

"All on his own? I'm supposed to believe that?"

"The truth is what it is, Miss Parker. I just thought you'd like to know."

With that Raines turned and left. Miss Parker glanced down and saw that the baby had fallen asleep, so she returned him to his crib and gently laid him down before she allowed herself a deep and worried sigh. Why in God's name would the boy come back here?

As she left the nursery, Miss Parker pulled her cell phone out and hit the speed dial button that she knew would bring her Broots.

"Hel-Hello?"

"Broots, where are you?"

"The tech room."

"Stay there, I'm on my way."

Broots listened to her disconnect the line, then turned his attention back to the files. The first two had really told him nothing, and he was just beginning to read the one marked PJRETRIEVAL when he heard Miss Parker's high-heeled footsteps stalking toward him.

"Broots?"

"Over here, Miss Parker."

She moved to his desk and leaned against the front, her hands balled into tight fists. He knew her well enough to know that something was very, very wrong.

"Gemini is back."

"What? How?"

"That's what I want you to find out. Raines says he came back on his own. I want you to check on his story, but first, find out where they're keeping him."

"Miss Parker, maybe you should stay away -"

"Broots, did we or did we not agree that this boy deserved better than the life he's had here?"

"Of course we did, Miss Parker, but -"

"But what?"

"But you hadn't been shot or attacked by Damon then!" Broots heard himself yelling at her, his words flying out of his mouth before he could stop them. Her eyes widened and for a moment, the technician was certain she would pull her gun on him. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and glared at him, and he took that as a sign that now was the time for him to say his piece.

"Miss Parker, I know that you want to fix this, that you want to stop Lyle and his killing and whatever is going on with these kids, and I know that because I know how good your heart is even though you try to hide it. But you don't know what it's like to keep standing next to your bedside waiting for a doctor to tell you that this time your friend isn't going to live. Damn it, we need you. Sydney and Sam and Angelo and me and Debbie, we need you."

Few people could stun Parker into silence, but for the first time in a long time, that's exactly what had happened. She crossed her arms in front of her body and looked at the man in front of her. She knew, of course, what she meant to Broots - he found the silliest ways to show her, but never had she imagined that he would confront her so emotionally about anything. Part of her, the part she was just beginning to know wanted to hug him and say thank you. The part she was used to, though, told her to keep her distance. Caring about her was not good for people's health, and Broots was the last person on earth she wanted to see hurt.

Broots stood waiting for the explosion of angry words but it never came. Instead, Miss Parker uncrossed her arms and took a step toward him.

"I'm not going anywhere, Broots. Now go find the boy."

Broots nodded and returned to his computer. He listened to her take a few steps before she stopped.

"Did you turn up anything in the mainframe check?"

"N-not much. Two files that turned out to be nothing. I was about to read the only other one that I thought -"

"Give it to me. You focus on the boy."

Despite his misgivings about giving her information he hadn't read first, Broots picked up the file and handed it to her. As she reached for it, her eyes met his for a moment, and in that instant, Broots thought that he saw something there. Something that said, "thanks for caring."

Then she was gone, her heels echoing down the hall. Sighing, Broots began his work again, this time with a new goal - finding out the truth about Gemini.

*****

William paced in his room, his hands clenching and unclenching repeatedly. He had never had problems with nervous energy before his days of freedom, and he wondered now if the feeling of being trapped would ever go away. He had not anticipated this when he'd decided to return. No, he had been too focused on his goal to care about the consequences.

The plan was perfect, he knew that. In a few days time, Jarod would be back in the Centre and Gemini would be the hero who had done it. He liked that idea. And though some small part of him felt sadness when he remembered the hurt look in the Major's eyes that day in Boston, William knew he had done only what was necessary to take care of himself.

The doors opened, and Mr. Raines entered the room. William turned with expectant eyes. Today his mentor was to tell him if he would be allowed to see Miss Parker.

"Hello, William. How are you?"

"Good, sir."

"We would like one more run-through of Retrieval tomorrow."

"Of course, sir."

"Good. Oh, and Miss Parker has been informed about your return. Whether or not you see her is now up to her."

William only nodded in response and then he watched as Mr. Raines turned and left. She would come, he knew she would - and then everything would be okay.

****

All of her life, Emily had dreamed of having her family. She remembered so many years spent only with the comforting stories her mother told her about her brothers and her father. Now she had one of those mystical figures back in her life.

She knew that she had become someone Jarod depended on, and that meant a great deal to her. He trusted her with his secrets and now, he was even trusting her to become involved in his work. Currently, she was sitting behind a desk at Halmar Industries. She was employed as the executive assistant to the head of research technology, a man named Cirrus Martin.

What Cirrus Martin did not know about his new assistant was that she was carefully downloading files on a daily basis. She did this undetected because of software Jarod had developed to hide her activities. Emily wasn't entirely certain what the files contained, but she knew that Jarod felt the information would help him learn more about the death of a reporter who had been preparing an expose on the company's reported secret breakthroughs in cloning.

That word, cloning, always made Jarod nervous. Since finding out what had happened with Gemini, he suspected every company involved in the process of having Centre connections, and he was determined to find out if that was true. The reporter's death only added to his suspicions about Halmar.

Sometimes when Jarod spoke about his clone, Emily could see a look in his eyes that bordered on envy. After all, the boy was somewhere with their father, getting to know him. That was something Jarod had only had for a few brief days before the Centre took it away.

The leads on their father continued to turn up empty. Before starting her new job, Emily had returned from another search effort in California where she'd found some old contacts of Major Charles'. Unfortunately, none of them had heard from her father in months.

The screen on her computer began to blink, and Emily reached into her purse and retrieved her cell phone. She quickly dialed in the number to the apartment she shared with her brother and smiled when she heard his voice.

"Got it all."

"So little Gracie Maxwell can quit today?"

"Yes, sis," Jarod replied with a laugh in his voice. "Gracie can throw in the towel."

"See you in a few minutes. Chinese okay for lunch?"

"Get lots of egg rolls. I love those."

Laughing, Emily hung up the phone. If being with Jarod was any indication of what finding her whole family would be like, her future was going to be very, very good.

Thirty minutes later, Emily entered the apartment with two bags of steaming hot Chinese food. She expected to find Jarod hunched over his computer, but instead he was sitting on the windowsill, his eyes fixed on the view outside.

"Jarod, is everything okay?"

He turned and saw her, and then giving a half-smile, moved from the window and toward the table where Emily was now standing.

"I don't know. Something in one of the files, it just seemed wrong somehow."

"What do you mean?" Emily began unpacking the food, a sense of unease immediately creeping into her stomach. Jarod looked confused, and she had only seen that look on his face once before when he had been hunting Damon. That had been a bad time, and she did not want to watch him go through something like it ever again.

"Halmar is working with the Centre. Lyle sent White to take care of the reporter."

"Is this something you can use to expose them?"

"I'm not sure, Em. It's just - well, either the Centre is lying to Halmar or..."

"What, Jarod? What's bothering you?"

"Well, the file says that the company obtained genetic samples for cloning purposes from the Centre 10 years ago. Apparently, it was the backup facility to Donoterase."

"So what's the problem?"

"It hasn't worked. I mean, they've gotten results cloning the animals, but the human cloning project hasn't worked. Why would the Centre be able to complete one human clone, and then not produce any other viable subjects?"

"Jarod, you should be happy about that. No more unauthorized versions of you running around."

"No, I am. I just don't see what benefit there is to the Centre withholding part of the technology, and if that isn't it, then what, they just got lucky when they made the boy?"

Emily looked at Jarod's face and wished she had an answer for him. Personally, she was just glad to know they hadn't used him any more. She didn't understand why he wasn't just glad the project was failing.

"Jarod, look, just have lunch, okay? After that, you can take a fresh look and maybe you'll figure it out."

Nodding absently, Jarod sat down at the table and reached for a container of food. He would take another look and maybe even run a SIM after lunch. Something about this was very, very wrong.

*****

Miss Parker sat at her desk rereading the file in front of her for the third time. That they would do this, go this far, did not surprise her. What was so shocking is that she'd allowed herself to be so far off her game that she had not been aware such a plot was being undertaken.

Sighing, she stood and moved to pour herself some tea. Her first urge was to run straight to Renewal Wing and just grab the man sitting there, but she knew she needed to plan. Rash behavior had already almost gotten her killed more times than she cared to remember, and Parker was certain this situation would be more dangerous than any of those she'd already experienced.

God, she thought, thank goodness she'd gotten the file before Broots read it. The last thing she needed was for him or Sydney to try and be helpful and get the information it contained to Jarod. No, that was the last thing she could let happen. If he knew that his father was back in the Centre, she knew the pretender would risk anything to free him, and Parker was only sure of one thing at this point - that was a risk she was unwilling to let Jarod take.

So, Major Charles was back in the Centre. Amazing that Cox and Raines still stored this kind of information in the computer system when she had Broots at her disposal - proof that they underestimated the little man's brilliance. She had long ago learned not to do so, and that had paid off in spades now.

The question was how did she get the Major out. According to the file, they were planning to launch this Project Retrieval in less than 48 hours. That meant she had little time, and because she wanted to keep Jarod out of the loop, no help. She couldn't risk someone panicking and notifying him of what was happening.

There had to be a way to get him out, and Parker was determined to find it.

"Miss Parker?"

Parker's eyes flew to the doorway where Broots stood. Quickly, She moved back to her desk and closed the file.

"What is it, Broots?"

"I found the boy. He's in room 55 on Jarod's old level. No big security or anything, I guess because he turned himself in."

Turned himself in, Parker thought, or was dragged back here with the Major? Of course, if he were forced back, why was Raines seemingly inviting her to find Gemini?

"All right, I'm going down there. Get back to work on Jarod."

"Okay. Uh, Miss Parker, was there anything in that file?"

Miss Parker stopped in the doorway, fixing her best, disaffected look, then turned back to her friend.

"File?"

"That Retrieval thing?"

"Nothing. It was just a recycling project."

With that, Parker turned and walked off in search of some answers. She better find that boy in good health - physically and mentally - or Raines was going to pay.

****

Elizabeth had just begun making dinner when she heard the screams coming from upstairs. Racing, she made it to Angelo's attic room in half the usual time, and found her nephew frantically rocking back and forth, his head covered by his arms. His dog Angel sat right beside him, her head pushed against his back as if she were trying to comfort him.

"Angelo? Angelo, honey, what is it?"

"Danger, very bad danger. Sister. Have to help. Must help Sister."

"All right, all right, honey. What do we need to do?"

"Angelo must go. Go home. Must save sister."

Matter of Blood
Part 17
by N.R. Levy


Garvey had always been a patient man. That virtue had made it possible for him to turn an idea into an empire. He had taken the raw material the Centre had been and through careful tending, he had turned it into the reality of his vision. So it seemed almost amusing to him that now, in what he knew were the last years of his life, he had lost his ability to be patient. There were important matters to be attended to, and he wanted them settled.

Of the three who had been born with the potential to take over his position only two remained. Each of them were admirable in their own ways, living proof that the blood line he had established remained as he had hoped - a source of power and intelligence beyond measure. Yes, the two of them were remarkable. The question was which would succeed him. The boy had always been a source of pride, his obedience and loyalty to Centre goals balanced well with a sense of leadership and an intimidating manner. She was ferocity personified. Garvey had often been guilty of underestimating the female sex, but she had changed that. True, she had been prone to small bouts of emotional frailty, but he had seen to it that those distractions were eliminated from her path, and as her way became clear, she grew stronger and more decisive.

What remained was the final test. Though his own pride left him hoping that they would both pass and rule together once the light of truth was allowed to illuminate their petty differences and push them aside, Garvey was also practical. To have achieved two such wonderful contenders was much to be grateful for, but to expect both to attain this final level of achievement - it was perhaps asking too much.

Garvey took a deep breath and reached for his phone. He dialed three numbers and waited for the rasping voice of Mr. Raines to answer on the other end.

"Yes?"

"It's Garvey. It's come to my attention that Jarod may be searching for information that could compromise some of our more delicate secrets. You do understand what I'm speaking about, don't you?"

"Yes, sir. I do."

Garvey could hear fear in Raines' voice, and it was there with good reason. Jarod finding the information he was referring to would spell certain death for Raines. No amount of decency in the Pretender's makeup would prevent that.

"Then I expect you to take care of it."

Garvey disconnected the line. He had barely replaced the hand set in its cradle before a knock sounded at his door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Cox strode in. Garvey liked that Cox never seemed intimidated by coming into his presence. He sensed that she would react the same way, and he was only now beginning to be sorry that he had kept his existence a secret from her.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Garvey?"

"Yes. I suspect Miss Parker and her friends are looking in corners they should not. I would like you to keep a closer eye on them."

Cox took a deep breath and tried to keep any signs of disappointment from showing. So, it was Miss Parker he'd been called about. Damn it. If she'd stumbled onto Retrieval after all he'd done to keep her out of it...

"Of course, sir. I'll take care of it."

Garvey turned his back then and Cox knew it was his cue to leave. He turned and left the office, his mind trying to decide the best course for finding out just what Miss Parker knew.

The door closed, and Garvey turned back to stare at the space where his protégé had just stood. Well, he thought, may the best one win. The game has begun.

*****

When he had come to the Centre, Sam had been little more than a step above a street thug. It had taken training and careful honing to turn him into the man he now was - a man of cunning, deliberateness and incomparable skill. That his skill was in eliminating problems, mostly the human kind, seemed irrelevant. Some people were born to do the things others found immoral, and Sam had long ago accepted that he was one of those people.

He had focused on building a career at the Centre, on making himself one of the men people feared and respected. He had never counted on meeting anyone that could sway him from that course, but he imagined few people ever counted on someone like Miss Parker coming into their lives.

So now, 10 years after his first day as a Centre trainee, he was skulking around outside of Mr. Raines favorite lab in Renewal Wing. Something important was going on, he was certain of that. He had seen Raines conspiring with Lyle and Cox too much of late not to believe that things were about to get very interesting. What he needed before he went to Miss Parker were details.

What he got was another question - one that set an unstoppable chain of events into play.

Raines was in the lab on the phone. Sam heard him say, "I'll take care of it" to whoever was on the other end of the line. Quickly Raines hung up, gathered his oxygen tank, and headed for the door. Sam hid from view until the old man passed and then followed after him.

Raines took him on a circuitous route through the Centre's underbelly, taking the sweeper past rooms and places he'd never even known were there. After what seemed a good hour, they were in front of the main Centre laboratory. The old man entered and approached a technician named Gus. Though it was difficult to hear from outside of the room, Sam distinctly thought he heard Raines say the words "get rid" and "system download."

Along with being a man who had no problem accepting who he was, Sam was also a man who knew his limitations. Computers were one of them. Quickly, he decided his time would be better spent finding someone who could help him than following Raines any further. Instead he headed off toward the Sim Lab where he found Broots pacing anxiously back and forth across the floor.

"Broots, do you know where Miss Parker is?"

The technician looked up at him with nervous eyes and Sam knew more was going on than just Raines and his secret meeting with Gus.

"Uh, she, she's busy."

"Well, we need to find her. Raines is up to something. I heard him talking to Gus -"

"Gus? In the lab Gus?"

"Yes, why?"

Broots felt a cold shudder run through him. He had once trusted Gus implicitly, but now he knew the man's betrayal had left Miss Parker trapped believing Lyle was her brother. Thankfully that duplicity had been uncovered, but if he was working with Raines...

"Sam, what were they talking about?"

"I only got a bit of it, but something about getting rid of something during a system download. Does that mean anything to you?"

"Yeah, we're doing a system download tonight. They could delete files then and nobody would notice."

"Can you find a way to figure out which files?" Sam asked the question and got greeted with a look of pure confidence on Broots' face.

"Are Miss Parker's skirts short?"

****

He was sitting on his bed, his knees drawn up to his chest. His thoughts seemed to be far away. Parker watched him for a moment longer through the glass pane in the door, then knocked. His head turned quickly toward her, and she saw a light turn on in his eyes the moment he saw her. He added a smile, and Parker took that as her cue to enter.

He stood as she made her way inside. The boy had grown since she'd last seen him. Three inches at least. And he looked more and more like the man Jarod had become than the boy he had once been. Parker smiled and walked over to him. For a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of nervousness in his face, and so she opened her arms and welcomed him into them.

Will had waited so patiently for this moment to come that it was almost hard to believe it was here. Ever since he'd met her, he'd wanted to be closer to her, to know more about her. And here she was, standing in front of him, arms open to him. He stepped forward and took in everything about the embrace. She wore the same perfume. He'd found out during his days outside that it was called Chanel. Her suit was made of silk, and it felt smooth against his cheek as he rested it against her shoulder.

She held him like that for a moment before stepping back. He noticed she had cut her hair and she noticed the faint signs of stubble on his cheeks. Almost instinctively, Parker reached her hand out and brushed it along his face.

"Are you all right? Mr. Raines told me you came back." As she finished speaking, she took her hand away, and Will felt a sense of loss at the movement.

"I did. I got separated from the Major, and, well, I didn't know where else to go."

"That's what he told me."

She was quiet for a moment, and Will realized that she didn't believe the story. Not that it mattered. She was here, which was all he had wanted.

"I-I didn't know how to get a hold of Jarod. It just seemed best to come home."

Miss Parker only nodded and then moved to sit down on the bed he had occupied earlier. He sat down beside her.

"Are YOU all right? Last time I saw you..." Will let his voice trail off. Just asking the question had brought back the terrifying memory of Miss Parker's blood running at the airport that day, and he hated remembering that.

"Fine. Back gets a little stiff every now and then. Nothing I can't handle."

He smiled, and suddenly he felt a new wave of nerves. He felt that he had to keep talking to keep her here, yet all he wanted to do was be close to her. His mind raced for something else to say. Thankfully, she saved him.
"Has Raines done anything to you since you came back? I want you to tell me the truth. If he's forced you to do anything you didn't want to do...I just realized, I've never even known what to call you besides Gemini."

"Actually, my name is Will. And no, Mr. Raines has been fine. I've done some work, but no one had to force me. If I'm here, I might as well."

"Will." That was all she said as Parker thought about the name. Odd choice, but he had a right to it, she supposed. Still, to think of him wanting to be Raines' namesake...

The ringing of her cell phone pulled Parker's thoughts in a new direction, like how damn important this better be. She pulled the device from her pocket and hit the answer button.

"What? Now really isn't a good time. All-all right. I'll be there in a few minutes."

She hung up the phone and looked into Will's face. She could see disappointment beginning to cloud his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Will, the baby isn't feeling well and the nurse seems to think I'm the only one who can calm him down."

Will smiled half-heartedly as his mind raced. The baby. He had heard Raines and Cox talking about Mr. Parker's new baby. He had not realized that Miss Parker was so attached to it. He wasn't entirely certain he liked that, not at all.

"I will come back, I promise. Actually, you can even come see me. Sam will bring you anytime you want."

That perked Will's mood up again, and he turned his attention back to Miss Parker.

"Really? I mean, I could just come up when I want to?"

"Yes. Mr. Raines seems to think it's okay for us to visit, so I don't see why not. Now, I really do have to go. I'm glad to see you again, though." And she was, even if she wished she were seeing him anywhere but inside the Centre.

She hugged him again, quickly, and Will took one last inhale of her perfume before she turned and left. So what if she cared about the baby, he told himself. She cared about him, too, and in time he'd make sure that she didn't care about anyone as much as she cared about him.

****

Raines leaned back in his chair and allowed himself a momentary sigh of pleasure. Retrieval was going to work beautifully. Will had simmed it again today, and it was flawless. The first step was ready to go. They simply needed to wait for the appointed time.

Thankfully, his plans to eliminate the files Garvey had specified had also gone off without a hitch. It was still a miracle Garvey hadn't killed him when the ghost-like man had discovered the truth about the Gemini project. Raines knew his continued survival was dependent upon the complete destruction of those documents, so he'd stayed in the Centre all night just to be certain that there was no interference.

Now it was time for one last session with the Major. It was true there was no work left to be done for the success of Retrieval; he simply enjoyed watching Jarod's father suffer. He would have to be certain to offer a few extra prayers during his meeting with Father Guisseppe tomorrow night to atone for that.

****

Jarod was used to finding the answers he needed to whatever puzzle was posed to him. So it was especially troubling to him that he couldn't put his finger on what was wrong with the connection between Halmar and the Centre. And it was that mystery that was currently keeping Halmar in business.

Thanks to the information Emily had helped him gather, Jarod had a dossier ready to send to the police that would destroy the company and send Cirrus Martin to jail for a very long time. But Jarod was hesitant to deliver the file. He had to be certain that there was nothing more to be learned about their work with the Centre before he allowed outsiders into their company mainframe.

To that end, the last few hours had been spent with him going back over every report Halmar's technicians had filed on their cloning project. There had to be a reason it wasn't working, and he needed to know what it was. Was there some way to prevent the procedure? And if so, had it come from the Centre or from inside Halmar? He had to know. It might be the only way he could prevent his own genetic code from being duplicated again.

Anxious and frustrated, Jarod began to formulate a new set of random search programs that would check the Centre mainframe for anything that might answer his questions. He entered several keywords, and since he had the time, decided to add a few to search for any information on his mother and father. He knew it was probably pointless. He'd checked a hundred times. Still, it was worth a shot.

****

Elizabeth had never been to her sister's home in Blue Cove, Delaware. Catherine had described the place to her in detail, especially the summerhouse where she had spent such happy times with her daughter. It was these memories that Elizabeth depended upon now as she drove silently down the highway. Angelo sat quietly beside her, a troubled look on his face as he battled with the growing feelings of fear and danger that were enveloping him.

She still wasn't sure this was the wisest course, but after she'd found Angelo screaming about Parker being in danger, it seemed the man was ready to walk to Delaware if he had to, and Elizabeth hadn't doubted that he would find a way to do just that if it were necessary. So she had promised him they would leave for Blue Cove as soon as she could reach Harry.

She'd finally tracked her husband down at the Whitaker farm and told him what had happened. Harry agreed that it was best to take Angelo to Parker rather than risk calling her on the phone. They couldn't take the chance that someone in that vile place would trace the call and discover Parker and Angelo's safe haven.

They'd left just after 11:00 last night, and had been driving ever since. Elizabeth had considered trying to fly, but she couldn't imagine Angelo surviving a commercial flight without causing a scene, and she didn't have the first idea how to arrange a charter flight. She had also considered phoning Jarod, but decided against it. There was still the chance that Angelo was overreacting to what he was sensing from Parker, or that perhaps his own longing for his sister was clouding his perception. No, she would wait to find out if Parker was really in some kind of danger before she contacted Jarod.

Angelo whimpered slightly, and Elizabeth reached over with her right hand as her left steadied the wheel.

"It's okay, Angelo. We'll be with her soon. I promise."

"Sister needs Angelo. Needs help. Risk everything."

Elizabeth sighed and moved her hand back to the wheel. God, what in the world had Little Cat gotten herself into now?

***

Miss Parker had stayed awake all night trying to decide on her course where the Major was concerned. She knew that she was almost out of time. Project Retrieval was set to begin in 16 hours, and there was still the chance that during that time, Jarod would find out about Charles' captivity and attempt to rescue his father himself. She knew she could not let that happen. If Jarod came near the Centre and the Centre tried to use his father against him...well, she knew what would happen. It was the same reason she'd helped Emily escape in New Orleans. She could not let them use his family to hurt him.

It was nearly 5:00 in the morning before she ran through her final checklist for her plan to get the Major out. Satisfied, she headed off to prepare for work. After a quick shower, Miss Parker pulled a brush through her hair and pulled on one of her favorite suits. It was cranberry, and had a long coat and well-tailored pants. It had taken her a moment to decide to wear it. There was the chance that a short skirt and her exceptional legs would provide a nice distraction if anyone approached her in Renewal Wing, it had worked often enough before. Still, if she was required to go into heavy action, she wanted the comfort the pantsuit offered.

After a final check in the mirror, Miss Parker grabbed her keys and briefcase and headed out the door. She stopped short when she reached the porch. Broots was sitting in his car, which was parked in front of her house. Curious, she approached him. Clearly he was upset about something. He never even noticed her until she knocked on the glass of his driver's side window.

The technician nearly jumped out of his skin, but quickly composed himself when he saw who was waiting for him. Grabbing the files he had printed out, he climbed from the car. Never before had Broots dreaded anything as much as he was dreading this. The information had come from the files he had stolen while Raines and Gus tried to destroy it during the system download. The original computer files had all been deleted. He'd seen to that the moment he'd read what was in them. He could not let anyone other than Miss Parker see this. What happened next was up to her and only her. Enough choice had been taken away from her.

"Broots, what the hell are you doing?"

"Miss Parker, I need to talk to you."

"Well, I would've been at work in 20 minutes."

"Not there, and not in your house either. We should talk out here."

Broots was always nervous, but he was rarely paranoid without good reason. Parker knew that her house was regularly bugged by the Centre, and though she'd just had it swept, clearly Broots did not want to risk anyone hearing whatever it was he had to tell her.

"Broots, what is going on?"

"You know how you asked Sam to keep an eye on Raines?"

"Yes."

"Well, he got something yesterday, and --"

"Why didn't he tell me?" Parker narrowed her eyes as she spoke, sending an extra jolt of panic through Broots.

"Miss Parker, just listen, okay? Sam heard Raines talking about destroying some records. He had Gus do it during the download last night."

"Broots, why didn't -"

"Listen!"

Miss Parker blinked and stepped back a bit. Broots had directly challenged her yesterday and now he had raised his voice to her?

"Broots, get to the point."

"Look, you were busy with, well, with the baby and the boy and you couldn't have dealt with this anyway. I had to copy the files while they were deleting them."

"Broots, what did you find?"

"Miss Parker, I found, well, I - Miss Parker, some bad stuff. I found some very bad stuff, and it's about Jarod, and about you."

"Me?"

Broots extended the file towards her, and Parker sat her briefcase down on the hood of his car, and then took it from him. Her eyes began to scan the pages as Broots offered his own summary of what was contained inside.

"It's mostly about Gemini. It turns out that your Mom didn't have much to worry about. The project wasn't working, and Raines was about to get in big trouble with the Triumvirate, so he decided if he couldn't clone Jarod, then..."

"Then he'd use him to create a new pretender?" Parker's voice was flat, the shock of what she was reading and hearing beginning to take firm hold of her.

"Yeah. And he decided to try and make an even better version than Jarod, so he needed to use a female pretender to 'mother' the new baby."

Parker closed her eyes and leaned against the car, her hand tightening around the pages in her hand.

"Oh, my God, Broots. Are you telling me that Will isn't Jarod's clone? He's Jarod's son? Jarod's and, oh, God, and mine?"

"Yeah, Miss Parker, I am."

Broots stood silent for a moment, his eyes casting downward as he let his friend absorb this latest betrayal. He wished there were some way to let it end here, to not tell her the rest, but he would not keep any of this a secret from her. It was finally time for her to know the whole truth. He was about to speak when he heard her voice. This time there were tears in it, tears that matched those he found on her cheeks as his eyes returned to her face.

"How could he - Broots, they never did any experiments on me. How could they have been able to do this?"

"That's in there, too. They harvested some of your, um, some of your eggs while you were in the Centre infirmary. Remember, after your mother died? You had appendicitis?"

Parker brought her right hand to her forehead as she tried to push away another rash of tears. God, her father had let them violate her like that?

That thought was followed by a stern voice in Parker's mind. Why should she be surprised? He had let them kill her mother, let them kill Thomas. How could it still surprise her that he would do anything to anyone if it meant saving himself? Parker took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm herself.

"Bastards. Broots, does anyone else know about this?"

"No. I mean, no one else knows that we know. I told Sam that it was stuff only you should see."

"Good." She picked up her briefcase and angrily turned toward her car.

"Miss Parker, wait. That's - I mean, there's something else."

Parker stopped and turned back to face Broots.

"What?"

"They, uh, Raines made more than one successful embryo when he made the - I mean, Will. He kept the other one stored thinking that if he needed to, he could always make another pretender later on."

"And did he?"

Parker stepped toward Broots as she waited for his answer. His eyes lowered as he nodded his head. Parker was about to ask who or when when the truth dawned on her without any further words from her friend.

"The baby?"

Broots forced himself to meet Miss Parker's eyes. He could see all of the pain and sadness and betrayal that the Centre and her father had caused her. It was reflected in her eyes. He tried to actually answer her, but his mouth went dry. So he simply nodded his head.

Parker fought back more tears as she gave her own small nod, acknowledging that she understood what Broots was telling her. She turned to leave, but stopped after a few steps.

"Thank you, Broots. No one else knows about this, okay?"

"Whatever you want, Miss Parker."

She stared at him for a second longer, then walked to her car and got inside. Broots was still standing outside of his own vehicle as she pulled away and headed down the driveway.

As she drove, Parker's mind whirled. Will and the baby - they were her children -- her children and Jarod's. Damn them, she thought, her hand gripping the wheel tighter. Then she immediately chided herself. You don't have time for anger, you have to get the Major out of the Centre, and you have to find some way to save both of your sons.

****

The dark sedan sat half a mile from Miss Parker's home, its driver having pulled it deep into the brush the woods afforded him for cover. Now, as her car headed down the road, Mr. Cox returned to that sedan, his mind whirling. Something very serious had just transpired between Miss Parker and Mr. Broots, and Cox suspected his earlier fears that it was related to the Major were now something he wished for rather than hoped against. The look he'd seen on Miss Parker's face - He knew that she was headed down a very dark road, and she was on it alone.

Cox climbed back into his own car and sat staring out at the street. After a few minutes, Broots' car passed by, and Cox knew it was safe to pull from his hiding spot, but he did not turn the key. What was this strange connection he felt to Miss Parker, and why was he even remotely considering risking himself to help her? He had already gone to such lengths to try and protect her from the Retrieval Project, and now...hell, now he didn't even know what he was getting into. All he knew was that he had spent the better part of his life not caring about anyone, and he was starting to think that was far preferable to the unclear feelings this woman had brought up in him.

It was strange, he thought, it was almost like he could feel her in his blood.

Matter of Blood
Part 18
by N.R. Levy


"They're both gone?"

Will heard the sound of Mr. Raines voice out in the hall. He heard anger and shock in that voice, and it got the boy's attention. Quickly he moved to the door of his room and peeked out the window.

Raines stood there with his ever-present oxygen tank beside him. He had apparently addressed his words to the two men in front of him, Mr. Cox and Mr. Lyle. It was Cox who responded.

"The Major is gone, and no one seems to know where Master Parker is."

Raines tightened his hand around the handle of the cart that moved his tank from place to place and a vein began to stick out in his forehead.

"Is there any way the Major could have known about the boy?"

"Not that we can find," Lyle offered, his usual cool demeanor in place, "unless, of course, you left that information somewhere it could be found."

The men continued to talk as Will turned away, a cold, hard anger forming in his eyes. He knew why they were gone, and he knew who had helped them. She had done this. She had ruined his perfect Sim and she had left him here while she saved Jarod's family.

That's when Will heard his little voice start. This voice had guided him for so long, telling him when to give into Raines and save himself from punishment, telling him who to trust. It had willed him back to the Centre, back to Miss Parker, and now it was trying to tell him that she hadn't left, hadn't abandoned him. He heard the words in his heart, the place he always seemed to translate the sounds that played out inside of his head.

But today, something was different. Today he could not and would not listen to them. He was too angry. He had given up his freedom to come back to her and now she was gone. He could not let that go. He would not let that go.

Will turned back to the door and began to bang on it. It didn't take long for the noise to attract the attention of the men standing out in the hall and they moved as a unit toward him. Raines opened the door, and Will stepped out to face them.

"Will, is something wrong?"

"I know who took them."

Lyle narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to the boy. For a second, Will almost thought better of what he was about to do, but his anger surged again from just thinking of her holding that baby in her arms, and he straightened his shoulders and stood taller.

"Miss Parker, she took them both."

***

EARLIER THAT DAY


Many of the secrets she had learned over the past few years had threatened to send Parker reeling, but she had never been so close to the edge of blatant fury as she was now. They had stolen her children. She kept hearing Broots' words in her head as he had tried to explain the whole thing to her, his efforts to shield her both admirable and futile. Will and the baby - they were hers and Jarod's - and that meant only one thing: she had to get them out of the Centre.

What she didn't know yet was how to do that, and she had little time to decide. Project Retrieval was going to begin in fifteen hours, and she had to get Charles out before everything went to hell, and Jarod ended up going with it.

Out of her peripheral vision, Parker caught sight of the gas station where she stopped regularly to fuel her stable of cars, the gas station where her life had changed so dramatically two year ago when she'd met Thomas here. Stopping, Parker made a u-turn and pulled into a parking spot at the station. She wasn't sure why when she made the turn, but as she climbed out of the car and headed for the payphone, Parker suddenly instinctively understood why she had come here. Quickly, she moved inside the booth and closed the door, and then her fingers dialed a number she had never called, but had committed to memory.

"Hello? Elizabeth, is that you?"

Parker could hear a slight tint of worry in her Uncle Harry's voice, and it did nothing to alleviate the tension in her own body.

"No, Harry, it's Parker."

"Oh, Little Cat, thank goodness. Did they catch up with you yet?"

"What? Did who catch up with me?"

"Lizzie and Angelo. He got all upset about something, saying you were in trouble, so she left to bring him down -"

"They're coming here? No, Harry, you have to stop them. They can't come here, not now."

"It's too late, Parker. They left last night. They'll probably be at your house in a little while."

"Damn it." Parker closed her eyes in an effort to block out the new fear that was growing inside of her. Not her brother, too. She couldn't have to risk everything that mattered to her, not in one day.She had to warn them off, but how? She couldn't go back to the house; her absence at the Centre would surely go noticed on a day when a project regarding Jarod was being launched. No, she had to get them word some other way.

"All right, Harry, listen. If they call you, you tell them to wait at my house for a man named Sam. Tell them to do exactly what Sam says, do you understand?"

"Okay. Sam. I'll tell them."

Parker hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Carefully, she pulled her Ice Queen mask around her, hiding away all of the worry and anxiety she felt now. It was time to get to work, and it was time to do what needed to be done.

***

Miss Parker's arrival at the Centre was typical. She strode through the lobby, the heels of her boots clicking against the tile as she moved with grace and speed and her usual ignorance of those around her. She went straight to her office and shut the door and sat down at her desk. She pulled a sheet of paper from a drawer and wrote down the only words that were needed to communicate her goal. Then she took the sheet of paper, folded it, and put it in an envelope. Once it was sealed, she reached over and picked up the phone.

"Sam, meet me in the rose garden in five minutes."

Five minutes later, both Sam and Miss Parker strode into the Centre rose garden. After checking to make certain they were alone, she handed him the envelope.

"There's going to be two people arriving at my house sometime this morning, Sam. Give them this."

"Of course, Miss Parker." As he spoke, Sam reached out to take the envelope and noticed something he had never seen before - Miss Parker's hand was shaking.

"Tell them to follow the instructions exactly. My life may absolutely depend on this, Sam. Do you understand?"

Sam's only response was a nod, but Parker trusted him and knew that only death would stop him from delivering the message. She turned and walked away, leaving him standing there. He watched her go, then carefully put the envelope in his inside pocket. After stopping by to joke with the morning crew of sweepers to keep up appearances, Sam headed straight for his car and an hour after his meeting with Miss Parker had ended, he pulled into her driveway and waited.

Twenty-five minutes later, a car pulled up in front of the house. Sam watched carefully to be certain that this was no one from the Centre before he revealed himself. A woman emerged from the driver's side, and moved around to the passenger door. She opened it, and pulled out a man that Sam instantly recognized as Angelo. Satisfied that this was who he had been waiting for, Sam climbed from the car and moved toward the twosome. It was only when he got closer that he saw the woman's face clearly, and he froze in his steps as he saw an older version of Miss Parker's face looking back at him.

For her part, Elizabeth wasn't sure what to think about this man, and as she tried to think of some excuse for their being there, Angelo moved away from her and walked toward Sam, his hand rising to pat the man on the shoulder.

"Sam friend. Help sister."

Those words made Elizabeth relax, and she smiled warmly at the rather muscular person she now knew as Sam. She then extended her hand toward him.

"Well, then, Sam, I guess that makes you my friend, too. I'm Elizabeth, Parker's aunt."

Sam swallowed hard as he fought to regain the power of speech. Aunt? When did she get an aunt, and how in the hell did all the Parker women look so much alike? Trying to right his brain, Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out the letter.

"I'm supposed to give you this, ma'am, but maybe we should go inside?"

Elizabeth nodded, and the trio moved to the porch, where Sam produced a key and opened the front door. The three entered, and the sweeper had barely shut the door before Elizabeth tore open the envelope, dropping it to the floor as she pulled the letter free. Her eyes anxiously took in what was revealed on the page.

"Elizabeth, find Jarod. Tell him to meet me at the Harcourt exit of Interstate 85 at 8:00 tonight. Matter of life and death for both our families. All of you stay away from the Centre. Bring Angelo and meet me there Parker."

As Elizabeth read, Angelo scooped up the envelope from the floor, and his sudden intake of breath was the only thing that made his aunt tear her eyes away from the letter in her hands.

"Angelo, what is it?"

"Saving children. Sister is going to save family."

"Well, she won't if we don't do this. Sam, do you think these phones are bugged?"

"Knowing the Centre, ma'am, probably."

Elizabeth nodded and moved to her purse. As she pulled her cell phone out she noticed Angelo heading toward another door inside the house, but she did not stop him. Instead she struggled to remember the number she had memorized when Jarod left her farm, and then she dialed it into the keypad.

***

Emily stretched and finally sat up in bed. Her eyes sought out the clock, and she saw that it was almost 10:00 in the morning. Hmm, she thought, so nice to sleep in. She'd been getting up at 6:00 for work as her alter ego Gracie Maxwell for weeks now, and it was nice to just relax. The pretend had exhausted her, and she marveled again at her brother's stamina Jarod could stay immersed in a persona for months and just walk out of it as if nothing had happened. Of course, he had years of practice, but still, that he could do so with little ill effect amazed her.

The rumbling of her stomach told Emily that perhaps she had slept in a little too late this morning, so she got up to go forage in the kitchen for whatever real food there might be. Someday she was determined to convince her big brother that Pop Tarts were not a food group. As she smiled at that thought, she made her way through the apartment and toward the kitchen. She froze when she caught sight of Jarod.

He was standing by the dining room table, his hands clenched as he held on to the sides of the piece of wooden furniture as if his life depended on the support it gave him. Her eyes traveled to his face and soon found that his handsome features were twisted into a tight mask of fury.

"Jarod, what is it?"

"Damn them! Damn them!"

He pushed away from the table as he uttered the last "them" and began to pace frantically through the room. Emily had been to enough zoos in her time to recognize the look of a caged animal, the frenzy that crept through their bodies. That was exactly what her brother looked like now.

"Jarod, what is it?"

"They have Dad. Those bastards have our father, and they're planning to use him to catch me."

With that, Jarod moved through the apartment toward his bedroom. Emily followed, though, thanks to her own shock, she was two steps behind him. How in the hell had they caught Dad? She didn't have much time to entertain that thought, however, because she realized what Jarod had come into the room to do - he was packing.

"Where do you think you're going, Jarod?"

"I'm going to get Dad."

"That's a brilliant idea since you know they only caught him to get you to come after him so they could trap you. Amazing how little originality they have in that place. Same plan, different relative."

"Emily, we're not going to debate this."

"No, we're not because you're being stupid, Jarod, and that's something I didn't think I'd ever see from you."

That made Jarod stop in his tracks. He looked down at the clothes in his hand and then over at his sister, and he realized that he was running on pure adrenaline and emotion right now. Sighing, he sank down onto the bed. Emily was right. He was being stupid. Still, what he'd read in that file. He'd never expected his random search to turn up a file on his father, not really, but there it was. Project Retrieval - they had, God, it made him sick to think about it. They had brainwashed his father so that the sight of his oldest son would trigger a physical response that appeared to be a heart attack. That was their plan. Jarod would see his father collapse and expose himself, no matter what the danger, and then the Centre would take back their pretender. After his return, they would systematically strip away his memories of the last four years, and he would never remember being free.

Their plan was full proof. Jarod had read and read the file over and over and he knew that another pretender must have developed the profile. The location was perfect, a place without a lot of pedestrian traffic to give Jarod cover; the set up - as if there was any chance that Jarod would not go to his father's aid? And the brainwashing method they'd selected, that was the ultimate irony - it was one Jarod had developed himself during a pretend in 1980 about ways to minimize the long-term affects of capture on the American hostages who had been held in Iran.

Emily saw the tension in her brother's shoulders grow even stronger, and she moved to him, easing herself down next to him on the bed. Slowly, she extended her hand so it could move up and down his left arm in a gesture of comfort.

"We'll think of a way to get him back, Jarod, but we're not going to risk you to do it."

He nodded, and though it wasn't much, it was some kind of acquiescence on his part. Emily moved closer to him, sliding her arm around him as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I'm scared for him, too."

"I know, Em. I know."

"Maybe - Jarod, maybe we should call Parker and -"

Jarod stood the moment he heard Parker's name, his body suddenly filled with that dangerous energy again.

"No, absolutely not."

Emily looked at her brother carefully, her eyes narrowing. He could possibly think -- after all they had been though, he couldn't doubt Parker's loyalty now, could he?

"Don't you dare accuse her of being part of this. You know her better than that, Jarod, you know she wouldn't --"

Jarod put his hand up to stop her.

"That's not what I meant, Em. I'm not going to make the same mistake twice, and yes, I do know her better than that. But if she isn't involved in this, the damn it, I want her to stay uninvolved. She doesn't need this."

"She might not agree." Emily's words hung there in the air between them as Jarod thought about it. No, Parker would probably be furious with him for not telling her what was going on, but she had been hurt enough. Physically, he honestly didn't know how much more she could take and emotionally, well, if Christmas had been any indication, she was already at the breaking point. He was not going to be the reason for any more of her pain. He owed her that much at least.

"No, I don't want her involved. We'll figure out some other way. I'll email Sydney. Maybe he knows - "

The ringing of his cell phone cut off Jarod's words, and he rushed to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Jarod? Oh, thank goodness. Jarod, it's Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth? Is everything all right? Is Angelo okay?"

"He's fine except that he's worried sick about his sister. Jarod, something's going on. I'm not sure what, but Angelo was so upset I brought him to Blue Cove, and -"

"Is Parker with you?"

"No. She's at the - at that place. She sent someone named Sam here with a note for me. Jarod, she needs you to meet her. She said to meet her at the Harcourt exit of Interstate 85 at 8:00 tonight. She also says that it's a matter of life and death for both of your families and that we should all stay away from the Centre."

Emily watched as Jarod's hand tightened around the phone, and she felt her stomach sink as her brother spoke in barely audible words that might have been a prayer more than they were anything else.

"Oh, God, Parker, no."

Elizabeth waited on the other end of the line for some sign that Jarod had understood what she said. She heard something that sounded like a whisper, but she could not make out the words. Patiently, she continued to wait, not knowing that at the other end of the phone Jarod had sunk down on the bed, his mind instantly filled with a fear he could not control. Parker was risking her life for him and his family again. What would he do if this time she didn't survive?

"Elizabeth, tell Sam to stop her. Tell him he has to stop her."

As the young man's words registered, the woman to whom he spoke let her eyes scan the room. They stopped on a photo of her beloved sister holding her beautiful smiling baby girl in her arms. In that moment, Elizabeth understood the fear Jarod was feeling. Parker had lost so much in her life. Was it fair for her to risk what little she had left? She was about to express that to Jarod when she suddenly felt the phone being pulled from her grasp. She looked up to see Angelo standing beside her. Slowly, her nephew curled the receiver toward his mouth, and he spoke awkwardly into the device.

"Jarod do what sister says. Important. Find family."

Angelo's voice sank into the depths of Jarod's mind, and though he didn't want to accept what he had heard, how could he doubt Angelo? This man had so often saved all of them from danger, and he knew it would be folly to ignore his friend, yet Jarod wanted so much to say 'no, I won't do what she says. I'm going to stop her,' but he didn't say any of those things. Despite his worry, his heart told him to do what Angelo said.

By the time he made his decision, Angelo had handed the phone back to his aunt. He was now sitting on the couch with what looked like a sketchbook held tightly against his chest. The silence from the other end of the line, however, demanded she turn her attention away from her nephew and back to Jarod.

"Are you there, Jarod?"

"All right, Elizabeth. I'll do what she says, but, please, ask Sam to tell her to be careful. Please."

"I will."

Elizabeth heard him disconnect the line so she followed suit. After replacing the phone in its cradle, she moved to Angelo.

"Angelo, Jarod's going to help her. It's all right."

"Good. Jarod help sister save family."

As he finished speaking, Angelo handed the sketchbook to Elizabeth, then he moved off, she assumed, to explore the house again. She was about to open it when she remembered Sam, and turned to face him.

"Sam, Jarod asked me to have you tell Parker to be careful."

Sam smiled at that. He had known for months now, ever since the mess with Damon in San Diego, that things had changed somehow between Miss Parker and Jarod. Still, the Pretender should know better than anyone that to tell Miss Parker to do anything was a waste of breath, though he figured now wasn't the time to point that out to his boss's aunt.

"I'll do my best, ma'am. I better get back to the Centre. You should probably head off as soon as you can. If you have any problems, you can call me at this number."

Elizabeth smiled a warm, caring smile that reminded Sam of the way Miss Parker had smiled when Thomas Gates was alive. He hoped to see her smile like that again someday. He handed the woman in front of him a slip of paper with his cell number on it and then turned to leave.

It was some minutes after Sam had made his way back to his car before Elizabeth finally remembered the book she held in her hand. She opened it and scanned through the sketches she found inside. She did not need to see the small "mp" at the bottom of each page to know her niece had created these beautiful images of the house she now sat in, of the woods outside, of those the young woman loved - it was clear she had inherited more than Catherine's beauty. For just a moment, Elizabeth though about the beautiful paintings her sister had created during their long, lazy summers together in the country before their father had torn their lives apart. Those happy thoughts were soon replaced by startled realization, however, as she turned to the last pages of the book. Suddenly Angelo's earlier words held an entirely new relevance.

The final sketches were of a baby and a teenage boy. Elizabeth knew that each portrait contained every significant detail of how these children looked, their various expressions - laughter, reflection, contentment - drawn over and over again. Only someone who loved these two children deeply could capture that much of them on the pages of this book. That was a love Elizabeth knew all too well.

It was the love a mother felt for her child.

Again she heard Angelo's voice in her mind. 'Save children.' 'Save family.' Could it be possible? Could these children be...

"Angelo? Angelo?" Elizabeth got no response to her calls, and though that was not unusual, she couldn't help but feel instantly that something was very wrong. She stood quickly and began to search the house for her nephew. It was only after she had searched every room twice that she realized the reason for her growing sense of dread - Angelo was gone.

At the same time that Elizabeth was making this discovery, Sam pulled into his usual parking space. His task for Miss Parker was complete and as absurd as it sounded, he now had an errand to do for Jarod. The question was, could he still do it? Was Miss Parker still inside these walls, or had she already done whatever it was she meant to do today?

Sam was so focused on these thoughts that he never noticed the figure huddled on the amply spacious floor of the Lincoln's rear seat. He headed into the Centre blissfully unaware that he had just facilitated a break-in at his place of employment. The culprit lay in wait, calculating in his mind how long it would take for the security cameras, which had been activated by the arrival of the car he now hid inside of, to return to their original position. It normally took 90 seconds for a complete cycle. This was something he had learned in his years of life inside the building he was waiting to reenter.

The time elapsed, and the man carefully crept out of the back of the car. He knew somewhere inside his brain that the moment he stepped out of the car the camera would begin to turn back toward his hiding place. That meant he had to move quickly so he could get up against the building before he was discovered. Once that was accomplished, it was just a few hundred feet to the air duct that he would use to make his way inside.

Angelo breathed in the smell of the familiar tunnels once he had safely gained access to the Centre. He moved quickly, and it took him just over five minutes to reach the office air vent he needed to reach. Unfortunately for everyone, he had reached it too late. He could feel the rage coming from inside his sister's office as he watched Mr. Lyle, Mr. Parker and Raines question both Sydney and Broots.

"Sydney, you know everything in this place. Where is my daughter, damn it? Where is my son?" Mr. Parker stared hard into the eyes of the Belgian doctor, his anger a palpable force in the room. Angelo knew instantly that by son the man wasn't referring to him. No, his "father" was talking about the baby.

Angelo listened as Sydney and Broots denied any knowledge of what had happened today, and he sensed that they were not lying. His sister had completed her plan without involving those she cared for, and now she was gone. But she would be back. He could still sense her determination, the feelings of need and love that had pushed her into action. She would be back. There was still someone here she had to save, and so he would do the only thing he could. He would wait.

***

The moment Sam realized that the furor in the Centre had been caused by the disappearances of Baby Parker and Major Charles, he understood the cryptic nature of the message he had delivered to her aunt that morning, and he understood the importance of the warning Jarod had asked him to give to his boss, though now it was a moot point. Miss Parker's play had been made, and now all he could do was protect the people he knew she would want him to protect. He'd seen the trio of Centre ghouls - Mr. Parker, Mr. Lyle and Mr. Raines - head off toward Miss Parker's office, and he knew that if suspicion had fallen on her, then Sydney and Broots were probably about to face some harsh questioning. He was just heading that way when his phone rang.

"This is Sam?"

"Sam, it's Elizabeth. Angelo's gone."

"Gone, are you sure?" The sweeper lowered his voice as he looked around quickly to make certain no one was near him.

"Yes. I've looked everywhere."

Sam shook his head, unable to imagine where Angelo could be. Then for no real reason he could think of, his eyes moved upward and fell on the air vent above him. There was nothing there, but the sweeper's gut feeling told him that elsewhere, in another vent, a set of eyes would probably be staring out at him.

"I think I know where he is. I'll take care of it. You need to leave there, now. Some very important people are missing. If they suspect she's involved, they'll come there and search the house."

"I can't leave without Angelo. Parker trusted me to take care of him."

"Ma'am, trust me."

Elizabeth hated this. Now both of her sister's precious children were in danger, and the thought of leaving without them was unconscionable to her, yet it was Parker who trusted this man, and didn't that mean she should trust him, too?

"All right, I'll go, but find him, please."

"I will."

Sam disconnected the phone then, hoping that Miss Parker's aunt would get out of the house quickly. He couldn't spare much more time to worry about it. He had to focus on the task he had promised to handle. He moved through the hallways, searching the vents for the telltale pair of eyes that belonged to Angelo.

***

She had moved through the Centre like a specter, a force both undetectable and unstoppable, and though Parker wasn't certain how she'd accomplished this, she was simply grateful that she'd done it. As she drove along the twisted back roads that would take her to the small airstrip 40 miles from that Godforsaken place, she glanced over at Major Charles. He sat alert and on guard, his eyes scanning their surroundings for any potential threats. She also noticed that he spared the occasional glance back at the infant who sat sleeping soundly in his car seat behind them.

She hadn't told him yet that the baby boy she'd insisted they rescue was his grandson. That knowledge had to belong to Jarod before it belonged to another soul. Still, she wondered if Charles was already suspicious that he might somehow be connected to her son.

Her son. It was that thought that had fueled her though the Centre. She left her office 30 minutes after Sam had left to take her message Elizabeth. A short walk took her to a door that separated her from a boy she had come to love so much in such a short period of time, a boy she had really only seen twice, but who now meant so much to her she couldn't even define a quantity to describe it. Will was behind this door. She was careful not to get close enough to the window for him to catch sight of her, but Parker had felt an unbelievable urge to be near him. It was probably guilt. Guilt over what she was about to do. Because no matter how she had turned it over in her mind, she didn't see how she could get both of her boys and their grandfather out of the Centre at one time. That meant making a choice, and as much as it tore at her soul to do it, she had decided to leave Will behind until she could get her other two charges to safety. As soon as she'd done that, she would come back for her eldest son.

She knew her reasoning was sound. Will was too valuable to them to harm and since he was still completely ignorant of their connection to each other, he was no danger to them anyway. If, for some unknown reason, they tightened security around him, at least he was old enough to understand whatever signals or clues she might give him in order to aid in his escape. The baby was too young to defend himself, too easily moved from place to place, she heard the little voice inside tell her, and leaving the Major wasn't a choice at all. Leaving him endangered her children's father, and she couldn't do that.

So she stood outside of Will's door, her hand slightly touching the metal, hoping that somehow he felt her concern despite their separation from one another. 'Soon, she thought, I'll be back for you soon, baby.'

Parker moved from there to the elevators and headed for SL-22. She did this because she had an excuse to be on that sublevel - she needed to get the daily security reports, and the man who processed them, a blind man named Yancy, worked on that level. She also went there because she knew, thanks to her many childhood explorations of the Centre, that there was a sealed access tube that went directly from SL-22 to SL-24. It had been used before to send soiled medical linens directly to the decontamination unit. It was closed off since the infirmary had been moved yet again during the Centre's last renovation. SL-24 now possessed some of the most horrid holding cells the place had to offer. The Project Retrieval folder indicated that Mr. Cox had issued an order to move Major Charles to this sublevel. Why, she didn't know, but she was a bit grateful to him. A return trip to Renewal Wing certainly had not appealed to her. Ever since she'd found Fenigore there with his brain scrambled - well, she was in no hurry to go back.

Miss Parker picked up the report and mentioned to Yancy that she was heading out for an early lunch and that's why she wanted the report now. She knew it was futile to try and lay too much cover for herself, her father wasn't an idiot after all, but she needed to keep them distracted long enough to get away. If they honestly thought she might be in town on an errand, Lyle and Raines would wait that extra 30 minutes before condemning her so that they had a clean case for the Chairman.

She took the report and strolled down the hallway, her eyes scanning to make certain that no one was around. As she looked up and saw the tiny red light on the hallway camera go out, Parker thanked her lucky stars she had watched Broots run his security breach programs enough times to know how to throw one together herself. Now she just had to hope she'd done it correctly.

Moving quickly, she moved to the shaft and muscled open the twist lock that had kept it sealed for more than seven years. Parker turned her face away as the stench from SL-24 reached her nostrils. God, what did they have down there? Shaking her head, she moved forward. There was no time to worry about that. This floor's cameras would only show distorted snow to the security booth for two minutes. She had to be inside with the tube lid closed before that. She made it with 15 seconds to spare.

Parker had been doing a combination of Pilates, weight training and Karate for six years now, and it had not only made her lean beyond belief, but strong in a way that belied her slim build. She used that strength now as she slowly lowered herself alternately moving in a hand/foot combination that allowed her to slip partway down the tube while controlling her decent enough to stay silent. When she reached the bottom of the tube, she pressed her legs hard against one side, her back against the other. Once she released this stance, Parker would drop directly onto the floor below. That meant she had to be ready. There were four sweepers on this floor. Two would be directly in front of the Major's door. Two would come from posts at alternate ends of the hallway the moment they heard any trouble. Taking a deep breath, Parker pulled the second gun she had not in her holster, but tucked into the back of her pants. She noticed as she brought the gun forward that her hands were shaking. 'Think about your boys, Parker,' she told herself. The shaking stop.

She dropped down and fired instantly at the door. The two men fell to the floor immediately, their bodies paralyzed by the Centre engineered drug that would keep them unconscious for 48 hours, but leave them with little more than a hangover. Parker had made the decision to use a non-lethal weapon in her rescue. She had all the blood on her hands she could handle, that is until she got a crack at the bastards who had stolen her babies.

Then she heard the other two sweepers approaching. She listened for the footfalls and guessed correctly that the man approaching from the east would arrive first. He was falling as she turned and fired at the sweeper heading in from the west end of the hall. His body crumpled on the floor equaled four. That meant it was time to move.

The why of Cox moving the Major here still escaped her. These rooms were not equipped with the state of the art electronic locks that kept prisoners from even dreaming of escape. SL-24 was equipped with standard metal locks that could be opened easily as long as you had the key. Parker had it. Too bad she didn't still care about what happened to the Centre, or she might mention to her father how easily she had stolen that key from the main security desk on SL-5.

Major Charles turned the moment he heard the key hit the door. All he could imagine was that either Cox or Lyle had come back to torment him about how they were going to capture Jarod or Raines had come back to torture him again. The last thing he expected to see was the slightly mussed but beautiful woman who moved into the doorway with a gun extended in her hand.

"Miss Parker?"

"Ready to get out of here, Major? We only have 35 seconds, so I hope the answer's yes."

Charles didn't need to be told to move quickly again. He didn't understand quite yet what was happening, but he knew he should go wherever she directed him. That destination was a ventilation shaft 20 feet from the room he'd just occupied.

"The cameras will reactivate in 15 seconds. Climb in."

Charles did as he was told and once they were both inside she moved ahead of him, leading the way through the passages. He could tell they were moving upwards. They continued on for more than five minutes before Miss Parker stopped, glanced at her watch, and then looked at him.

"Major, we've got one stop to make. I'm going out then I'll hand you something up. If for some reason I don't make it back up, you take the package I give you and keep following this passage. It dead-ends at the rear of the building. Get out, go to the black Lexus and get the hell out of here. There are directions for where to go after that in the car."

He wanted to question her, but before the Major could open his mouth, Parker had popped the air vent shield off and was gone. He heard what sounded like her whispering to someone, then he heard footsteps coming toward the vent again. He nearly passed out when he saw what the "package" was.

A baby?

He took the child and waited for some sign of whether or not Parker was going to join him. After a moment, she pulled herself up into the passage again and closed the screen. Her eyes fell on him and then she reached for the bundle in his arms.

"Miss Parker, you get us out of here. I'll carry this one."

Reluctantly, she nodded and headed toward their escape route. Three of her four camera circumventions had worked. Now she just had to hope that camera trick number four would also be a success, and she had to pray that no one would try to blame Broots for what had happened here today.

They reached the exit point 10 minutes after Parker handed the baby up to Charles. She put up her hand to stop his movement and watched to see if the camera had stopped yet. No. She glanced at her watch. Still another minute to go before she'd set the timer. About now, she thought, they'd have found the sweepers. They'd know the Major was missing. It would probably be another 10 minutes before they noticed the baby gone. That gave them enough time to clear the compound if -

Bingo, the camera froze turned away from the Lexus and Miss Parker bounded out of the passage with the Major in close pursuit. She reached for the baby and directed him to get in as she moved to strap her son into the car seat she'd thankfully had the self-possession to stop and buy this morning after learning the truth about the baby from Broots. Within moments they were on the move, and they had traveled a full half-mile before the camera began to sweep the parking lot again.

They had barely spoken since then. Instead, Parker had focused on driving, and the Major had spent his time searching for any sign that the Centre was on their tail. Thankfully, her baby boy had fallen asleep, and though she wanted to do little more than hold him close, she knew right now she had to follow the plan she'd put into action. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the airfield came into view.

"Feel up to flying, Major?"

"As long as it's out of here, Miss Parker, you got it."

She smiled at him as she pulled to a stop on the tarmac. That smile reminded him so much of Catherine Parker's, and though he couldn't imagine what had made this girl turn on everything she'd ever known, he knew that somewhere her mother was beaming with pride. Smiling back at her, he began to climb out of the car, but stopped when he noticed a small red wire near Miss Parker's leg.

"I should cut that," he said as he motioned to the wire. "They'll be able to use your tracking system to follow us."

He was surprised when Miss Parker shook her head "no." She climbed out of the car and moved to the car seat where she managed to extricate the sleeping baby without so much as a whimper.

"But they'll know where we went."

"I want them to know, Major. This plane's got a flight plan for Miami. I want them to find that because we're not going to Miami."

"We're not?"

"Nope, we're flying to the last place they'd expect us to go. A little air strip in North Carolina, you might remember it."

"And why are we going there?"

She smiled as she held the baby closer and moved toward the plane.

"Because from there we drive to see your son, unless you'd rather not see Jarod today."

Miss Parker disappeared into the plane as Charles absorbed what she'd said. Jarod. He would see his son today, and they would owe it to this woman.

Twenty minutes later, they were airborne, and Charles spared a glance to the seat beside him where Miss Parker sat happily cuddling the still sleeping little boy. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen a child so at peace. It had to have been years - maybe even all the way back to Margaret cradling their baby Jarod nearly 40 years ago.

"Thank you for doing this, Miss Parker."

And though he hadn't really expected a response from her, he felt a surprising sense of happiness when she'd uttered very quietly, "you're welcome."

***

"You're sure about this, boy?" Will stared up into Mr. Parker's demanding eyes and now that earlier feeling he'd had, the one that Mr. Lyle had caused, grew deeper. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything, maybe...no, she had abandoned him. She had left him. Why should he be worried about her now?

"Yes, sir, I'm sure. Miss Parker is the one who took them both."

Mr. Parker held his icy glare on the boy as he quickly ran through his options here. Lyle had called him after the boy's initial revelation, and now he knew that his daughter had finally forced his hand. He could save her or he could save his position. Unfortunate for her that she had left him only that choice. Clearing his throat, the man turned to face both Lyle and Cox.

"Find them."

"And Miss Parker?" It was Cox who asked the question, his eyes wide with what Mr. Parker read as anticipation.

"Do what you have to do to bring them back. As for Miss Parker, Lyle, I'll expect you to handle that personally."

Cox watched as a grin even a Cheshire cat would envy spread across Lyle's face, and he had to fight down the urge to choke the weasely man right then and there. Mr. Parker had just signed his daughter's death warrant, and Cox, who had tried so desperately to keep her alive despite his own wondering at why he cared, now knew he was about to run out of time.

As they left the room and headed off to their various resources in order to track the Centre fugitives, Cox again marveled at his concern for this woman. She had ruined Retrieval, a plan he was central to creating, she had kidnapped the infant who was his responsibility, she had somehow managed to circumvent every play he had made to keep her out of harm's way, and now she had betrayed the Centre itself, the very entity which he had lived his whole life for. She had done all this, and still Cox found himself hoping against hope that Miss Parker was somewhere safe.

Those feelings aside, he had to do something to make it look like he was really trying to drag her back here. To that end, he opened the door to the Sim Lab and stood waiting for Mr. Broots to begin to cower. It took less than 15 seconds.

"M-m-mr. Cox. What, uh, what can I, uh what do you -"

"Miss Parker seems to have absconded with Centre property. I would like you to find her."

Cox watched for any hint that the technician, or Dr. Green, who had been sitting quietly beside him, had known what Miss Parker was planning. He knew the two men had been interrogated by Mr. Lyle and Mr. Raines, but he wanted his own read on the situation. What he saw were two men who were terrified that someone they loved was in grave danger. They couldn't have been more right.

"You do realize," Sydney began, "that Miss Parker could be completely uninvolved in this situation?"

"Not so, doctor. We have confirmation that she planned and executed the thefts."

"What do you mean by confirmation?"

Cox was staring so intently at Dr. Green that he didn't notice the eyes that now peered through the air vent in the lab. Those eyes were piqued with interest at what might be said next.

"Our young pretender William says she is the responsible party. Mr. Parker's response to that was to give Mr. Lyle carte blanche to do whatever he feels necessary to...well, you understand, don't you?"

This made both Sydney and Angelo's eyebrows rise. Why would Cox give them any kind of warning about what could happen to Miss Parker if she was found, that is if he were really here to search for her?

Just then Broots, who had been typing away at his keyboard, cleared his throat to get the attention of both men in the room.

"Um, uh, I found something."

Sydney couldn't help but feel a little sorry for his colleague. Broots was fiercely loyal to Miss Parker and would do almost anything to protect her, but his fear of Cox was overwhelming. Besides, they would find the information he had eventually, and it would be better in the long run for it to come from Broots than from someone else.

"Yes, Mr. Broots?" Cox watched as the little man shivered.

"Uh, Miss Parker's Lexus. It has a tracking system, and I know how to hack into it because of when we had to do it..."

"This year, Mr. Broots."

"I found it. It's at an airstrip 40 miles from here."

"Good work. Call me directly if you find anything else, Mr. Broots, understood? Me and only me."

Broots nodded then watched as the frightening man turned and left the room. Within moments he and Sydney were conferring in quiet conversation about what Miss Parker might have planned and where she might be. They spoke unaware of the man watching them from above. Though Angelo trusted them both completely, he didn't feel that now was the time to reveal himself. Instead, he had to sort out the odd feelings he'd just picked up from the tall, dark man named Cox, and he had to find out why the boy, what had Cox called him, William? Why had he turned Miss Parker in to the Centre?

****

The drive from North Carolina up route 85 was long and tedious, and Miss Parker had happily relinquished the task to Major Charles so that she could keep her focus on the baby. That, she thought, really had to stop. He wasn't the baby or Baby Parker -- he needed a name. Still, she would wait. She and Jarod would name their son together, and then they would figure out a way to get Will out of the Centre and bring their whole family back together.

Major Charles glanced in the rearview mirror again and stole another look at Miss Parker and the baby boy. Something about the child seemed so familiar to him, yet he couldn't place his finger on it. Perhaps it was just his nostalgia. The reminder of Margaret and Jarod earlier had stayed with him, and frequently as he neared a reunion with his son, his mind focused in on the days his family had been happy. Those days were so long ago, yet he hoped that even though they could never bring Kyle back and make their family complete, the future would bring chances for more happiness and joy.

Just as his eyes caught sight of the exit sign marked Harcourt his heart began to beat a little faster. He credited it to excitement about seeing his son, so he was surprised when he felt Miss Parker's hand on his shoulder.

"Major, pull over."

"What? We're almost there."

"Please, just trust me, pull over."

Though he didn't understand why, the Major pulled carefully over to the side of the road. No sooner had they stopped than Miss Parker climbed out of the back seat and made her way to the driver's side door. Seeing that, Charles unbuckled his seatbelt and slid over to the passenger seat.

"Miss Parker, what is going on?"

"Major, there's something I need to tell you. Something that you probably don't know about the Centre's plan to use you to catch Jarod."

"I'm listening."

"You had several sessions where Raines drugged you. Do you remember anything about those?"

"No."

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. He remembered that time last year when he'd seen her in the Centre, her gun pointed at him. That angry, frightened girl, and that's truly what she'd been in that moment, a girl, was gone. In her stead was a confident, strong woman who was not running on emotion, but using the brilliance and skill she had been born with.

"Then I need to tell you what happened in those sessions, and I need to do it before we see Jarod."

***

Jarod and Emily sat in the black Chevy Suburban he'd picked up in Atlanta, their nerves completely on edge. As they had driven to the meeting point, he had carefully explained to Emily the danger their father still faced. It was true that the Centre had only programmed his body to think it was having a heart attack, but the reality was that should the plan go into effect, there was no guarantee that his father would survive the simulation. A heart tricked into seizure had no way of knowing that it was not truly injured.

Using the pretender skills that had forever caused the course of his life to travel into these dangerous turns, Jarod simmed the situation and realized that there was no way to undo the evil done by the Centre without weeks of work, and even then he would have to break further into the Centre computers to try and locate more information on the process they had used. No, the best course of action was to try and control the simulated heart attack. He just had to hope now that Parker knew enough about Retrieval to know the danger his father was still in.

"There she is."

Jarod looked up at Emily's words, and his eyes instantly fell on the stunning figure of Parker walking toward them, her black-clad body illuminated by the bright lights of the rest area. He had not seen her since that very tense day at the cemetery when they had stood in front of Thomas' grave and argued. They had spoken on the phone since then, and they had seemed in those few conversations to have reached some kind of peace. Still, Jarod had sensed her need for space had not changed, and so he had tried to keep a safe distance from her. Clearly fate had other plans. He climbed from the Suburban and met her a few steps away from the truck. Almost instinctively, Emily stayed behind.

"Hi, Jarod." She smiled faintly, and though it was nothing like the amazing smiles she'd let him see back at Elizabeth's before everything had gone to hell, it was something. He smiled back.

"Hi, Parker."

They took a moment to just take each other in. Jarod scanned her face for some sign of what she was thinking, but Parker was doing everything she could to keep her thoughts hidden away because what she was thinking was how much she needed him. Finally, afraid she might lose the fight, Parker looked away and launched into what she'd planned to say to him.

"Jarod, your father is in the car, but -"

"Retrieval -- you know what they did?"

"Yes. I don't know how to stop it from happening."

"We can't stop it, but we can try to control it." With that Jarod reached into his pocket then handed her a capped syringe.

"I booked us into a motel a few miles down the road. You need to give that to my father. It has to be in his system for 30 minutes before you bring him to the room. His body will still go through the simulation, but this should help to keep him from succumbing completely. Hopefully that will keep him safe."

She looked down at the vial in her hand. Of course she would do it. She trusted him completely, but curiosity got the best of Parker.

"What is it?"

"A combination of a few things, adrenaline, litocaine, a few other things. I really don't see any other option."

"All right. You go ahead to the motel. I'll give it to him and meet you there. Which one?"

"The Sundowner. Room 201."

Parker nodded and turned to head back to the Major. Jarod watched and was about to let her go, but somehow he couldn't stop the words that slipped out without his consent or control.

"If anything had happened to you..."

Parker stopped and closed her eyes. Her worst fear had suddenly evaporated into the chilly night air, and even though he didn't know the gift he'd just given her, her heart filled with gratitude toward Jarod. She'd been so worried, so afraid that her harsh treatment of him at Christmas, the anger she'd felt when he revealed the truth about Thomas and the distance she'd forced between them might have somehow caused his feelings for her to diminish. His words made her see how foolish that had been. What existed between them was not something easily destroyed. If it had been, the Centre would have done it long ago.

She took a deep breath then turned around to face him again. This time when she smiled, she let it come from the place in her heart that only he could touch, and Jarod felt his breath stop. God, she was so damn beautiful.

"Nothing bad is going to happen, Jarod, not to any of us ever again."

With that she turned and headed for the car before she did something hopelessly silly and ran up and threw her arms around him. There wasn't time for that kind of thing now. Soon enough, Jarod would know the truth about their sons and about her feelings and then, then she would hold him in her arms.

***

The thirty minutes passed in what seemed like both seconds and years to Jarod and Emily. They couldn't wait to see their father. For Emily, it would be the first time she'd seen him since she was a little girl. Unfortunately, their joy was tempered with the fear of what was going to happen when Charles finally arrived. Jarod tried to express confidence to Emily that his plan would work, but she sensed his worry.

There was a knock at the door, and Jarod rushed to look out the window. Parker stood in front of the door holding something wrapped in a blue blanket. He quickly unlatched the door and opened it. It was then that he saw that her bundle was a baby.

"Parker?"

"Long story and we'll deal with it later. Emily, can you take him, please."

Jarod watched as his sister came for the infant, and Jarod immediately saw the logic of what Parker was doing. Emily would be too upset to help him with his father once the symptoms began, no matter how much she wanted to. That left Parker to act as his nurse. She stepped back after Emily took the baby and the bag Parker handed to her then looked at Jarod.

"Ready?"

He nodded and Parker stepped aside. Jarod moved further back into the room so that his father would be further inside once his body began to react to the Centre's programming. After a moment, his father came into the doorway and Parker immediately stepped closer to him, her hands going to his arm and back so she could support him when whatever was going to happen happened. Charles saw his son and joy spread across his face. He had enough time to move his eyes to the beautiful young woman that Parker had told him was his baby girl. He smiled at her, and then he felt his heart begin to pound in his chest. Charles tried to fight it, but he realized he was out of breath and he suddenly began to drop to his knees. Parker was there, keeping him upright and soon Jarod was beside him also.

As they moved deeper into the room, Parker kicked the front door shut, and then helped Jarod hoist Charles up onto the bed. She glanced up at Emily and motioned with her head toward the door.

"Lock it."

Emily moved quickly, the baby cradled in her arms. She did as Parker had told her and tried to focus on the child she was holding and not on the fear she felt for the father she hadn't seen in so long.

Jarod knelt beside the bed and quickly slipped into the doctor facade he used so often. His father's blood pressure was elevated, his heart rate was out of sight and his breathing was shallow, but he was still conscious and fairly lucid. Quickly Jarod hooked up the heart monitor he had brought with him and he began an IV drip that would help keep his father hydrated during what was going to be a difficult few hours. Still, the early signs were good. Though his body was reacting to what the Centre had done, Charles was holding his own.

"Don't fight the drugs, Dad," Jarod spoke softly and gently, his hand moving to grasp his father's strong, weathered one. Just relax and let them help you though this. You're doing fine. I know it probably doesn't feel like that, but you are."

Charles mustered his remaining strength to squeeze Jarod's hand, then he let his eyelids close and he drifted to sleep. Parker, who had stood by handing Jarod the items he needed and simply trying to offer moral support now decided to give father and son a much needed moment alone. She turned and walked to Emily, extending her arms for the baby. Emily surrendered the child then moved to her father's side.

Parker settled down into a chair and watched as both Russell children sat watch over their father. She could see so clearly how much they both loved him and needed him. As if thinking about the family unit in front of her somehow willed it to happen, she suddenly felt a small hand grip her shirt and pull on it. Looking down, she saw her son's face beaming as a wide grin put dimples in his cheeks. His other little hand reached up toward her face, and Parker took the chubby appendage and brought it to her lips planting a soft kiss on the palm. That made the baby giggle.

The soft sound of the baby's laugh caught Jarod's attention, and he looked over at the scene playing out across the room. Parker and the little boy were in a world of their own. He had never seen anything so fascinating or amazing as her with that baby. The serenity of the moment helped ease his mind, and after checking again and seeing that his father's levels were staying consistent, he leaned over and kissed Emily on the top of her head, then stood and moved to where Parker was sitting. She was bouncing up and down in her chair, and the baby's happy giggles grew louder as she turned her gaze toward the man who now sat beside her. Of course logic had finally kicked in and he now realized who the child must be. Smiling, he spared one more glance at his father before he finally spoke to her.

"He's beautiful, Parker. Not that I'm surprised, your father does make beautiful children."

She knew he'd meant it as a compliment to her, but she closed her eyes against the sting of what his words reminded her of -- betrayal, her father's deep, horrid betrayal of her and of this incredible man next to her. Her eyes were still closed when she felt his hand on her shoulder. She opened them to see him now kneeling beside her.

"Hey, I didn't mean to make you sad."

She shook her head, her hand moving to his. "You didn't, but we need to talk, Jarod."

"Dad's going to sleep for a bit. Now's as good a time as any."

Parker let out a half laugh and let her eyes drift downward. The whole way here, all she'd wanted to do was tell him the truth about this boy in her arms, about the other boy who sat waiting for her return. Now with the moment here, it seemed she didn't know the words. Still, it was time.

"Jarod, I need to tell you something about the baby. He isn't my brother."

"Then you were right. Lyle and Brigitte -"

"No," Parker shook her head as she said the word, and suddenly she felt her whole body shaking. "Would you take him for a minute?"

Jarod nodded and took the baby in his arms as he stood up tall. The little boy took to him instantly, and Parker felt her resolve strengthen as she saw father and son together for the first time.

"Jarod, he isn't my brother, he's your son."

This was how she'd planned it. She'd first reveal the baby's paternity to him. Then she would explain how she was his mother and finally, she would reveal the truth of Will to him. She knew from experience how daunting this discovery was going to be, and she was hoping to spare him some of the shock she had felt when Broots revealed the information to her this - God, had it only been this morning?

She saw Jarod pale, and he sat back down in his chair with his arms wrapped tightly around the small, squirming bundle in his arms. After a moment, he held the baby away from him, taking in this little boy's features. His son? This child was his son?

"How - Parker, how do you know this?"

"Broots and Sam caught Raines trying to destroy some records, and once Broots deciphered them, we knew."

Parker watched as he began to absorb this information. He was in pain and he was angry and it was only just beginning. Steeling herself, she went to continue on, but the sound of Emily's concerned voice stopped her.

"Jarod, I think something's wrong with Dad."

Jarod sprang up and handed the baby to Parker, then moved quickly to the bed. The Major's breathing had become more labored, and Jarod focused in on helping his father, blocking away the painful and yet joyous information Parker had just delivered to him.

It took more than an hour for the Major to be stabilized, and in that time Parker fed the baby a bottle of the formula she had brought and then changed him and lulled him to sleep. She set up a makeshift bed for him in the corner of the room on a pile of blankets, his favorite blue blanket covering him as he sucked on his fist and slept blissfully unaware of the dramatic changes occurring in his life. Once he was settled, Parker decided to slip out of the room and retrieve her laptop from the car.

While she was back at the sedan they'd driven in from Iversonville, Parker decided to use her wireless modem in order to contact Broots. It didn't give them much extra protection, but it did ensure that if the Centre picked up on her signal they would get a far broader area to work with than a direct phone line connection in the hotel. It took only moments for her to connect, however she was frustrated to find no word from Broots. She quickly wrote a message to him, explaining it was too risky to phone, but assuring him all was well. She hit send and then closed the computer, never seeing the flashing message that indicated her email had been blocked from the Centre mainframe.

Upstairs in room 201, Charles was beginning to toss and turn. His vital signs had stabilized, but his body was still suffering from a certain amount of trauma and so the restlessness was not surprising. Still, Jarod couldn't help but be a little unsettled by the odd words his father whispered in his sleep.

"You were my son. How could you? Betrayed. William."

"Dad, Dad, it's okay. I'm here. I'm here."

"Betrayed...don't understand."

The last few words trailed off of the Major's lips and Jarod sat trying to understand what they meant. That was when he heard the door open and he realized for the first time that Parker had left the room. He whispered to Emily that she should lie down as well and get some rest. Surprisingly, she agreed, and soon she was snuggled beside her father, her hand resting protectively over his.

Jarod made his way over to where Parker was checking on the baby - no, not the baby, he reminded himself, his son. He waited for her to move a bit away from the still sleeping infant and then he leaned close to her as he whispered the question he needed answered.

"Who is William, and what did he do to my father?"

"What?" There was a tinge of fear in Parker's voice and Jarod wondered why it was there.

"My father. While you were out he said something about betrayal and someone named William. What happened, Parker? Is he talking about Raines?"

"No...boy."

They both heard the Major's voice and turned toward the bed. He was blinking his eyes, trying to force himself to stay conscious this time.

"Dad, this can wait, get some sleep."

"William is the boy. He...he turned me over to Cox and his friends. He wanted to go back to the Centre."

Jarod and Parker both heard the same words, but they received them in very different ways. Parker, who had spent her whole life wrapped up in Centre lies understood the evil effect the place could have on even an adult's psyche. If that were the case, then what chance did a teenage boy have, especially one who had never had a family for even a few years to teach him any differently? No, though she was disappointed to know how completely the Centre had damaged her son, Parker's only instinct was to go back and get him before more harm could be done, and so she could give him the family he needed to heal.

Jarod, who did not know that the confused teenage boy was his son, who didn't know that the woman he loved was the boy's mother, had a very different reaction to the story the Major had related. All he heard was that someone he had risked his life and freedom for had betrayed him. Worse, had betrayed his father. He looked now at the older man lying in the bed. Yes, it was true his father would survive the ordeal he was currently going through, but he shouldn't have had to endure it at all. It was all this boy, this William's fault. Then Jarod remembered his thoughts after finding the file on Project Retrieval: "another pretender must have developed the profile."

He turned then and looked at Parker. She was standing slightly behind him, and he was stunned when he saw not upset or confusion on her face, but something bordering on a soft, generous look of forgiveness.

"I can't believe after everything we did for him -"

"Jarod, you have to understand that he was confused. He didn't know what he was doing. He's been trapped in that place his whole life."

"So was I, and it didn't make me betray people who tried to save my life, tried to give me freedom."

Parker took a step back from him. He wasn't just upset, he was yelling at her, and he was yelling about their son. She knew he didn't know that, but still, this reaction was not what she'd expected from Jarod, who had managed to forgive even her sins.

"You'll wake Emily and the baby, Jarod."

Gritting his teeth, he looked around to make sure the two parties she'd mentioned had not been disturbed, then he returned his gaze to her. She immediately began to try and talk to him again.

"Jarod, he didn't have your parents, hell, he didn't even have my mother for a few years to try and stop all the crap that Raines planted in his head. He's just a boy."

"He's a monster, a Centre-fabricated monster."

He said the last words in a low and harsh voice, and Parker felt a chill in her heart as he did so. Then Jarod angrily turned and headed for the door. He would have thrown it open except for a moment of reason when he looked back at his father and sister and realized he would frighten them if he did so. Instead, he stood in the open doorway for a few seconds, then walked out shutting the door quietly behind him.

Parker had never been so shocked by anything in her life. Never had she imagined Jarod unable to forgive a child for a mistake. Granted, it was a huge mistake and it had cost the Major months of pain and freedom, but it had been a mistake. Why the hell couldn't Jarod see that? And what was she supposed to do? She couldn't tell him that Will was their son, not now. Once he'd calmed down, certainly, but not in the state he was in tonight. Unfortunately, Parker knew she didn't have the luxury of time. She had to get back to the Centre before they found out the trail she'd left in Florida was only a ploy to lead them away from her real destination. Glancing at her watch, she realized she should already be on her way back.

Needing comfort that only two people right then could give her, Parker moved to the corner of the room and picked up her baby boy from his little temporary bed. He was awake, but he'd been playing quietly alone, and she was surprised that his father's yelling hadn't scared him, but no, the little boy seemed very much at peace. She held him tightly in her arms, inhaling his baby scent, which she had always loved, and thinking about him and his brother and all the truths still left to be revealed to Jarod. So much to do before the two of them could give their sons the life they deserved with a father and a mother...that was when the thought hit her..

'If he knows, Parker, he'll never let you go back.'

What was it he'd said earlier, if anything had happened to her? She knew how much she meant to him, how much he worried for her and about her. Their silence over the past few months had done nothing to change that. Now she was supposed to believe that he would let her, the mother of his child, go back for a boy he hated at this moment in time? No, he would not, and she could not let him stop her.

The moment that realization sank into her heart, tears began to spill out from Parker's eyes. They fell of their own volition, and nothing she could have tried to do to stop them would have worked because she had just realized that just as she had earlier today, to save one son she would have to leave the other behind. Of course, she'd known all along she'd have to leave him in order to rescue Will, but to leave him with so many secrets still unspoken...

Instinctively, her arms tightened around the baby. That was when he started to cry. Parker thought at first she had hurt him, but after loosening her hold and bringing him higher against her body, she realized that he had simply realized somewhere inside of him what was happening. He knew she was leaving him, and he was letting her know that he did not understand. That made her cry even harder. How could she do this? Then again, how could she not?

"Shh, baby, shh. It's going to be okay. I know that you don't know this, but you have a brother, a big brother who is going to be really important to you soon. He'll teach you all kinds of things, and he'll be your friend, but he can't do any of that until Mommy goes to get him."

Parker blinked back a few tears as she brought him up so that they were looking eye to eye. He smiled and that brought a small smile from her.

"You know that, don't you? Even though I never said it around you, you know that I'm your mommy, huh? I promise you, baby, that I will be back with you as soon as I can. Nothing in the world will stop me from watching you grow up, okay? We're going to go on long walks together, and I'll take you horseback riding, and I'll teach you how to draw pretty pictures... Me and your daddy, we're going to teach you everything you need to know, and we're going to let you have a happy, safe life."

Parker pulled her son close again, and he snuggled against her, his tiny fists holding tight to her blouse. She had to go, and she knew she had to do it soon. She kissed his head, then brushed her cheek against the soft, downy hair there.

"I love you, baby boy. I love you more than my life, and I will come back for you."

She kissed him one last time, then returned him to his makeshift bed. She watched as his face began to twist up, and she knew he was about to let loose with a scream. Quickly, Parker reached for his blue blanket and put it on top of him. He wrapped his fists into it and moved himself so he was on his side, holding tight to the fabric with one hand while the other moved to his mouth. Though tears still fell from his eyes, he seemed content, and Parker took this as a sign that she needed to leave now.

She briefly stopped in the mirror to try and hide the evidence of her tears, then she opened the door. Jarod was standing on the balcony outside, staring off into the night sky. He smelled her perfume the moment the door opened, but he did not turn to look at her. Instead he waited for her to walk to him. She did, but stopped short and leaned against the railing a few feet away from him.

"I have to go, Jarod."

"Go?"

"I have to get back to the Centre."

He did not face her. He couldn't. If he did, he would scream at her and he would grab her and shake her and demand to know why she kept going back there despite everything they did. So he kept his eyes focused on the sky.

For this, Parker was infinitely grateful. If Jarod had looked at her, she couldn't possibly have hidden the heavy heart that sat inside of her chest, the pain she knew was visible in her eyes. Soon, she thought, soon we'll be able to look at each other again, Jarod, and it won't hurt like this.

"Please, please, don't go back. Walk away this time, Parker."

A barrage of new tears threatened, but she held them back. "I have to go.. I'm sorry."

And a million questions threatened to remain unanswered. Jarod knew that he had not even scratched the surface of things he needed to know about his son, things like who his mother was, what the Centre had planned for him, but none of those things could take hold of his main focus, not when she was leaving to go back to that dangerous place again.

"You should name him, Jarod. He needs a name. A good, strong one, okay?"

"What name do you like?"

Parker had half turned so that some of her back was showing to him, and she was again grateful. She was losing her battle, and tears were streaming silently down her face. Had it not been dark, Jarod would have seen her body beginning to tremble.

"He looks like a Matthew to me, but really, it's up to you."

They stood there silent for a moment, and Parker decided to make her break for it. She had taken a few steps when she stopped and partially turned back to face him.

"He has to have his blue blanket to get to sleep. Remember that, okay? Without it, he feels lost."

Five minutes later, she was driving away. She didn't even remember getting back to the car, only that she had practically run there in an effort to outrun the pain she felt beginning to overpower her. Still, despite the tears, despite the agonizing burning coming from her ulcer, she continued on, driving into the night. The only way to heal the hurt inside of her was to be sitting in one room with the three most important men in her life. It would happen. Jarod's anger would cool and she would tell him the rest of the story of their sons and then the four of them would build a family together, but first, she had one very important task to complete.

Back at the motel, Jarod had finally returned to the room, his heart filled with anguish over Parker and the baby and the terrible things that had befallen all of the people he loved. Seeking some sense of comfort, Jarod moved to the sleeping baby boy and picked him up in his arms. The soft blue cotton blanket Parker had spoken of came with him, and as Jarod snuggled his son close, he realized why the baby loved it so much - it smelled like Parker's perfume.

"You love her, too, don't you, Matthew?"

***

He sat on his cot, knees pulled tight against his chest, the way he always did when he was upset. He had been so sure of himself yesterday when he'd revealed Miss Parker for the traitor that she was. The fact was she'd left him here alone after he'd done everything in his power to get back to her, and she deserved to be punished for that.

So why was he sitting here now in the early morning hours, he wondered, wracked with guilt about his decision? Part of it, he was certain, was the annoying little voice that kept telling him that she was coming for him, that she cared for him. If that was true, then it was he who had committed the betrayal, and how in the world could he ever expect to be forgiven for that? He, who could not forgive anyone, who was he to expect forgiveness if he was wrong about her?

Will squeezed his eyes tight to try to block out the image of Mr. Lyle's cruelly smiling face. God, if he was wrong, if he'd put Miss Parker in danger...

"Not angry. Understand."

Will heard the voice come from above him, and he looked up sharply trying to see where it had come from. He stood on the cot, his eyes focused on the vent as he searched for the source of the voice. His attention was torn away from that, however, when he heard the door of his room beginning to open. And then his heart both rose and fell as he realized who was coming in - it was her. She looked beautiful and amazing to him, like she had that first day he'd seen her, and a wave of guilt rushed over him as he realized what he had done.

"Will, I came to get you out of here."

Confused, the boy stepped down from the bed and moved closer to her. She reached out and put her hands on his arms, steadying him.

"What do you mean?"

"Sweetheart, I can't explain everything to you right now, but I'm taking you out of here, and you're never coming back."

"But I-I thought you left me. I thought you didn't care..."

This was what she'd been afraid of, that he'd hear she was gone and misunderstand her reasons. Smiling, she guided him to the bed and they both sat down on the edge.

"Will, I would never and will never leave you. And as for caring, I can't even tell you how much you mean to me. Listen, I can't - Will, you need to know something. You don't belong here. I know that you -- I know about what happened with the Major..."

"I didn't want him hurt, Miss Parker, I didn't. I just had to come back, I had to see -"

"Shh, it's okay. I'm not angry. I understand how things happen when you get confused, believe me. But you are going to have enough people around you to love you and help you from now so that will never happen again."

"What people? What do you mean?"

She could see he was uncertain about what was going on, and though they were pressed for time, she knew she had to take a moment and at least tell him the most important part of this story.

"What I mean is that you have a family, Will."

He cast his eyes down then. He had heard this before.

"I'm not his son. I'm a duplicate of his son, and that's not the same."

"No, honey, you're not Charles' son, and you are not a duplicate of anyone. Will, you have a mother and a father of your own, and you have a baby brother."

"I-I do?"

"Yes. You aren't Jarod's clone, sweetheart. You're his son. You're my son."

Will's eyes widened with disbelief and then they clouded with tears. Oh, God, what had he done? His mother? She was his - he had to warn her.

"We have to get out of here. We have to go now." He was practically screaming, and Parker stood up, trying to keep him from running from the room.

"What's wrong, Will? What is it?"

"I told them. I was angry with you. I thought you - I thought you chose Jarod's family and the baby and that you didn't care about me. I told them it was you who took them."

"They were going to figure it out anyway. It's okay. We're leaving, they won't -"

"You don't understand. Mr. Lyle, he -"

"He's right here."

Parker and Will looked up simultaneously at the sound of Lyle's voice. He stood in the doorway, flanked by a small army of sweepers. Parker's eyes scanned them anxiously, hoping Sam was among them, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Once again, Will, you've proven yourself to the Centre. Thank you for your help in Miss Parker's capture."

Then he smiled that hideous smile, and Will was filled with a new sense of terror. He wrapped his arms tightly around Miss Parker as the sweepers advanced, prying her away from him.

"No! No! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Parker fought the sweepers, desperate not to be taken away from her son when he was in the state he was. Finally, however, she was overpowered, and as they dragged her toward the door, she called back to him as she watched the boy dissolve to the ground in tears.

"It's okay, Will. I understand. I love you. I love you!"

And then she was gone. Will lay there in the silence that was left, his arm still reaching out toward where she had been. Now he understood. The voice that had told him he belonged with her, the feeling of completion every time he had seen her - it all made a terrible, horrible sense to him now. She was his mother, and because of him, she was probably going to die.

Lyle stood looking at the boy lying on the ground crying. Pathetic. Amazing how weak emotional attachment made you. He'd known when Cox left on the trip to Miami following Parker's flight plan that it was a red herring she'd left behind to confuse them. No, Parker worked on emotion, and she clearly had a soft spot for anything remotely connected to Jarod. That meant she would come back for the clone, and come back she had. Now, he had her.

Just thinking of her trapped and wounded, begging him for mercy, gave him more pleasure than almost any physical act he could imagine.

Matter of Blood
Part 19
by N.R. Levy


Emily stood in the corner of the hotel room holding her nephew in her arms as the other men in her life finally got some rest. She had awakened earlier to find Jarod on the balcony, his face indicative of the heavy heart he now carried in his chest. Then he had told her about Matthew, about his son. And then he had told her that Parker had gone back to Blue Cove. It was that bit of information that, more than anything, explained the pained expression he wore. Parker had left him again, and though Emily didn't begin to understand how her friend could go back to that place knowing what they had done to create Matthew, she did know that Parker must have good reason for doing so.

It had taken Emily hours to convince Jarod to finally lay his exhausted body down on the other bed to sleep. She had taken over watching their father, though the danger to Charles appeared to have passed, and now Emily alternated looking at her brother, who's sleep could best be described as restless, and down at the baby in her arms. Parker had risked so much to bring this little boy to Jarod, not to mention what she'd risked to save their father. Why, after all that, would she go back to the Centre?

Whatever answers Emily might have found were pushed from her mind by the sudden shriek of anguish that escaped her new nephew. Tears sprang from his eyes, and his tiny hands kept reaching out as if he were trying to clutch something. Even Jarod, who had awakened at the little boy's screams, could not seem to soothe his son. Whatever had upset the baby was something they could not see or hear or feel...but it was definitely a pain that his little heart could feel as deeply as the two people who were now feeling it in Blue Cove, Delaware.

****

The door slammed, and Will realized he was alone. Lyle and the sweepers had left him to face the horrible crime he had committed. His mother - he had handed his own mother over to them. And now in the unending quiet they'd left him in, he could do nothing but hear his mother's voice as she called out to him.

'I love you, Will.'

How could she love him? He was so undeserving. She was the one thing, the one person he'd ever felt connected to, but he'd turned on her. Now all those stories the Major had told him about the Centre, about the evil they were capable of...

Will crawled up onto his bed, his mother's perfume still lingering in the air as he moved. What had he done? Dear, God, he thought, what had he done?

As Will dissolved into a sea of tears, a set of eyes peered through the vents of his room. Angelo moved closer to the grate, and using a trick he'd long ago learned, he used a piece of string he'd found in one of the offices to lower a token to the crying young man. Will's sobs slowed as he saw the object drop in front of him. He pulled it free from the thin string that had delivered it and pulled it close to him so that just in case the security cameras were turned back on, no one could see what it was.

Angelo knew that nothing he could say would ease the boy's pain, but he smiled as Will's tears slowed even more, then stopped. That was when the boy glanced up and saw a pair of blue eyes just barely visible in the vent.

"Find. Then we help."

With that, Angelo departed. As much as he wanted to help Will through his pain, he knew that for now, he had to focus on finding help for his sister. Parker was trapped somewhere inside the Centre, and Angelo knew that he was the only one who could find her; After all, they didn't even know he was back inside the Centre's walls.

As Angelo made his way back down the vents, Will curled back up on his bed, his eyes now fixed on the photo his mysterious friend had given to him. It was a photo of his mother, and she was smiling and happy. He only hoped he would see her smile that way someday when they were far, far away from the Centre.

****

While all of this was happening at the Centre, a plane was halfway through its return journey from Miami to Blue Cove. Inside the plane, the passenger cabin was as quiet as a crypt. Every sweeper on board was too on edge to even think of speaking, and that mood was due completely to the scowl that seemed permanently etched on Mr. Cox's face. It also didn't help that Sam, the most senior sweeper among them, was so nervous it seemed he might jump out of his skin at the slightest noise.

As the other men sat in quiet fear, those that held their attention, Cox and Sam, each struggled with their own troubling thoughts. Cox was battling two emotions-anger at having wasted his time on a false lead and discomfort over his confusing feelings for Miss Parker's current situation. He'd been so certain when Broots had given him the lead on her car that he could find the wayward Parker heiress and bring her back safely into the fold. He would have negotiated decent terms with Mr. Parker and made certain that any punishment she suffered was minimal. He was still not certain why he would have done this, only that he knew the moment he'd begun searching for her that he would.

Everything had gone so horribly wrong so quickly. Cox knew that the sinking feeling he'd had yesterday morning when he'd seen Broots and Miss Parker talking outside of her home was one he should have paid more attention to. He'd immediately gone back to the Centre and tried to discover what records Broots had handed over to her, but the technician had covered his tracks well, and whatever the data was, Cox had been unable to uncover it. Still, he had not panicked because, at the time, he had thought he'd done enough to prevent her stumbling onto the Centre's plans. He'd moved Major Charles to a forgotten and never used section of SL-24 specifically to keep her cronies from finding out where the man was hidden, and he'd limited her participation in the Jarod pursuit, albeit without her knowing the interference was coming from him. Clearly, those strategies had failed, and Cox wondered what consequences he would face for those disappointments upon his return.

Yet the truth was he was far less concerned with his own predicament than he was over what would happen to Miss Parker. He remembered, with a chill, the tone of Mr. Parker's voice when he'd given Lyle control of her fate. Cox knew that he had to find some way to prevent that; the question was how would he do it.

Sighing heavily, Cox shifted in his seat. Damn this feeling of protectiveness he had for her. Where did it come from? The only other person he'd ever felt anything for was his father and even those emotions were tempered with a calm shield of ice that left even their warmest exchange covered in a chill. Cox knew he just wasn't the sort of man to get all worked up about another person, least of all a woman he wasn't even sexually attracted to. So what was the explanation? That question plagued him again and again. It was truly as if he felt some tendril of connection that was actually physical in some way, as if the resemblance in their blue eyes...

Time stopped for Cox as his mind turned that incomplete thought over and over. It was an idea so completely outlandish and incomprehensible-but it was just the sort of thing the Centre would manufacture. Could it be possible?

Cox's mind was not the only one whose wheels were spinning. Sam sat in stony silence, his thoughts back in the dark vents of the Centre where he needed to return as soon as possible. He knew that Angelo was there, trying to find his sister. What Sam didn't know, aside from Miss Parker's location, was what had caused her to do what she'd done. He knew that Jarod meant something to her, and it was certainly no secret how attached she was to her baby brother, but what had made her rescue Jarod's father and kidnap the baby? The sweeper couldn't help but think it had something to do with the files he'd helped Broots intercept during Raines' attempted file dump a few days ago. Now he wished that he'd forced Broots to tell him about the information those files had contained. He knew just from the little bald man's reaction it was something volatile, but Broots had insisted that only Miss Parker should see the information, and Sam had agreed. Now he had to know that information, and he would have to press Broots about it once the plane landed.

"Gentlemen."

Cox's voice pulled Sam from his thoughts, and he stood at attention in front of the mysterious man from the Centre.

"I'd like everyone but Sam to step into the rear of the plane, please."

The rest of the sweeper team exchanged concerned glances, not at all liking being ordered to a part of the plane from which, sometimes, Centre employees did not return, but Cox didn't seem to be planning anything nefarious, so the men nervously made their way, each wondering if perhaps their supervisor had done something to gain Mr. Cox's ire.

Once the other men were gone, Cox straightened his cuffs and collar, and then sat down facing Sam. He bore his eyes into the sweeper as he spoke.

"I have a question for you."

"Sir."

"Do you find it strange that you, a man known to be fiercely loyal to Miss Parker, were sent with me on a supposedly hot lead to find her?"

"Sir?"

"What I'm asking is, do you think Mr. Parker and Mr. Lyle would get you out of the way if they were planning something involving Miss Parker?"

The sweeper thought carefully before answering. Cox could be trying to trap him, and if he ended up locked in Renewal Wing, he would be of no help to his friends. He was about to lie when he saw some flicker, some intriguing thing in Cox's eyes that made him reconsider. The past few months, at least since Baby Parker's birth, Sam had noticed something different in Cox's dealings with Miss Parker, something he'd almost call admiration. Could even the odd and cold Mr. Cox have fallen under her spell?

"Yes, Mr. Cox, I do think that the two Mr. Parkers would make certain I was nowhere around if they were planning to try and capture Miss Parker. They know I would not let that happen."

"Have a seat, Sam. We need to talk. I'd like you to tell me what you think they might do to try and catch her, and what you think they'll do once they have her."

****

Broots and Sydney pulled into the driveway of Miss Parker's house, their eyes saddened by the sight of sweepers moving in and out of her home. They both knew there was nothing they could do to stop the violation of her sacred space, yet they had come anyway, hoping that perhaps their presence would keep the invasion to a minimum. It was a futile search anyway. Miss Parker was too smart to leave any evidence behind.

After a walk through the house and several dirty looks from Willie, the two men made their way back outside. Wanting to watch over their friend's possessions was a noble idea, but actually seeing the sweepers handling her clothes and photographs and her hairbrush-it was just more than they could handle. They were nearly five feet into the woods when Sydney spoke.

"Broots, I know that you know what started this."

"Sydney, like I told them..."

"Broots, this is me. I know you. I know Parker. She trusts you more than anyone on earth. You know why she did this."

"I can't, Syd."

"Broots, I promised Catherine that I would take care of her little girl. I haven't done a very good job of it. Please, she needs our help now. Please, tell me what is going on. I understand why she helped Charles, but why did she take the baby?"

"Because he was hers to take."

One sweeper had been left outside to keep watch over the exterior of the house. He had watched the two men known as Broots and Sydney more so out of boredom than out of any real interest in what they were doing. So it was a surprise when he actually saw something intriguing. He watched as the small, balding man excitedly told a story to the older man. Then he watched as the face of the doctor went from shocked to saddened to frightened. Whatever had just happened, he knew he should report it back to his superiors, but before he could, Willie emerged from the house.

"We're done here. Let's get back to the office."

The young sweeper, tired of standing alone with no one to talk to, was relieved to climb back in the waiting Town Car and head back in for something to eat. He quickly forgot the animated conversation he'd seen between the other two men, and so he never mentioned it to anyone.

***

The Machine was one of Raines' personal triumphs. He had developed it over several years and its effectiveness was beyond question. There were only two conclusions to a session inside of it -- confession or death. Now as the old man sat watching the dark-haired woman struggle to breathe as the pressure inside the metallic tube rose, he had to admit that though he'd fantasized many times about having Miss Parker subjected to The Machine, he'd never believed it would really happen; but, of course, then he hadn't known how twisted Mr. Lyle would turn out. By turning Miss Parker's care over to her "brother," Mr. Parker had sealed his daughter's fate.

The machine moved from level three to level four without any interference, and as the pressure released inside the tube and Miss Parker began to take in deep, gasping breaths, the chamber began to fill with ice cold water. The desperate struggle to get air into her lungs now left Parker taking in gulps of the cold water -- and her lungs were beginning to fill.

Just as this new phase of torture began, Mr. Lyle entered the room. He smiled when he saw the obvious discomfort Parker was suffering. Good. After she'd ruined so many of his plans and set him up for failure, she deserved it. Even this morning she'd ruined his plans. He had had her thrown into isolation the moment she was taken from the boy, his fantasies of beating and breaking her running through his brain with such ferocity that it bordered on sexual pleasure. But no, she ruined that. Her and her damn will to survive-- she'd fought off three sweepers and made a break back toward the boy. Mr. Parker witnessed this, and had ordered Lyle to use "more effective measures" of restraining his "angel." It was then that Lyle had remembered seeing The Machine in action.

He was under no illusion that his sister would break and reveal the whereabouts of Jarod or his wayward family. No, she would die before she allowed anything to happen to her precious pretender. Still, the rigorous torture had a two-fold purpose. First, it gave him pleasure to see her suffer, and second, he had hopes that her feelings for Jarod ran as strongly both ways. Perhaps if she was willing to die for him, he was willing to do the same. Lyle was about to bet his life on it.

"Take it to level six."

Raines looked up at his protégé, his eyes narrowed.

"You realize what that could do?" Raines spoke the words with a false concern in his voice, and Lyle had to smile. Clearly the former doctor was salivating at the chance to see just what skipping to level six would do.

"I don't care. Just do it."

Ninety seconds later, Parker's screams escaped the metal tube and echoed down the halls, chilling the bones of the sweepers that stood guard up to 100 yards away. It also paralyzed the man who had opened his senses wide to his sister's emotions so he could find her. Her pain and suffering registered deep in his soul, and Angelo knew he had to get help quickly if she was going to survive.

****

Elizabeth had not slept at all since returning home. Her worry over both her sister's children plagued her far too much for that. Worse still, she was now troubled by the sketchpad she'd kept in her hands almost nonstop since arriving home. Over and over again, she opened the pages of the book, returning to the sketches of the two boys, one, almost a man, and one just starting out in life. Angelo's words stayed with her-"Sister save family. Save children."

If her suspicions were right, Elizabeth knew that her niece was now in terrible danger. There was nothing a Parker woman wouldn't do to save her own...and if those boys were really...

"Lizzie, the phone's for you."

Elizabeth looked up at Harry, shocked to realize that she hadn't even heard the phone ring. He walked over to where she sat at the kitchen table and handed her the cordless phone.

"Hello?"

"Elizabeth, it's Jarod. I have some people who need a safe place to stay, and I was hoping I could bring them to you."

"People? What's going on, Jarod?"

"Parker got my father and my...and my son out of the Centre. I need to get them somewhere safe so I can go after her. She went back, Elizabeth. I don't know why, but she went back."

The elder Parker woman could hear the sadness and fear that Jarod was trying to keep out of his voice. She knew he was terrified of losing Little Cat, as was she. Still, her mind focused in on the one thing that Jarod had not mentioned.

"Jarod, you have a son?"

"It's a long story."

"Did she...did Parker say who his mother was?"

Jarod sighed heavily, and in that moment Elizabeth knew that he was in the dark about her niece's possible connection to his newly found son. That meant he needed to know what she knew, but not over the phone, and not without the child being in a place the Centre couldn't find him.

"Honey, you get your family here quick as you can. You and I have a lot of talking to do."

"We're on the road now. We'll be there in about two hours."

"Fine, we'll be waiting."

Elizabeth hung up and again let her hands return to the sketchbook. The book was open to a drawing of a baby with bright, wide eyes and a joyous smile. Somehow she knew that this was the baby boy Jarod was bringing to her.

"Lizzie, she's going to come home. Everything is going to be all right."

So many times in her long and painful life, Elizabeth had needed someone to say those words to her. When she was young, when she'd been happy, she'd had her mother and her beloved sister Catherine and there had been no need. Then her father had stripped away everything she'd loved and her baby boy had died, and Elizabeth had wondered if anyone could ever make her believe those words again. Now, looking up into Harry's gentle, innocent eyes, she tried to believe them. It would, somehow, all be all right. It had to be.

***

The Centre jet landed and it's assembly of sweepers disbanded into separate town cars. No one was surprised when Cox climbed into a car solo, nor were they shocked that it was Sam who climbed in to drive him back to their headquarters. Cox was in a foul mood and, really, they were all just happy it wasn't them that was stuck with him for the next twenty minutes.

Inside the car, however, something was happening. Sam wasn't sure how it had come to pass, but it appeared he was formulating a plan with Cox to discover exactly what Lyle had in mind for Miss Parker when she was caught. That meant they had to get to the one person who might know. Sam had been shocked to learn that the teenage boy known as Will was the one who had turned Miss Parker in to the powers that be. Cox had told him on the plane that Lyle had spent many hours talking with the boy after that initial discovery. Cox was betting that the young traitor knew what Lyle had up his sleeve, and that meant they had to get to him, and fast.

So as they drove, they agreed on a course of action. They would arrive and check in at Mr. Parker's office, knowing that the Chairman would still be at the Tower, but this would keep anyone from getting suspicious. Then they would go straight to the boy's room and find out what he knew about the Centre's plans for Miss Parker.

Despite the fact that he was just a boy, the thought of seeing this Will made Sam sick to his stomach with anger. Anyone who betrayed Miss Parker was an enemy, and this child would be no different.

***

The halls of the Centre were eerily quiet, and it made the hair on the back of Broots' neck stand on end. He and Sydney had come back to this hellhole after leaving Miss Parker's house hoping to pick up some tidbit about where she might be. What they'd come back to was an atmosphere so tense that it seemed the pressure would blow each and every door off its hinges. And he felt fear. He didn't know whose it was or understand why he could sense it so deeply, but he did. Someone here was terrified, and it made his bones shiver to think of what could make someone so scared that he could feel it.

After trying unsuccessfully to get any information off of the mainframe or out of any of his usual sources, Broots found Sydney sitting in Miss Parker's office. Her bottle of Stoli was sitting opened up on the desk and several swings had clearly been taken from the bottle.

"Sydney."

The older man did not turn to look at him. Instead, Sydney simply reached for the bottle and poured another drink.

"Syd, you're always telling Miss Parker that that won't help."

Broots watched as Sydney brought the drink to his lips and downed it quickly. Then he turned and looked at the technician. It was then that Broots saw the tearstains that ran down his friend's cheeks.

"No, it won't help. Nothing will help. Something's happened to her, Broots. I can sense it, feel it in my heart."

"I checked everywhere I can think, but no one's saying anything. Mr. Parker's been in the Tower since before we left earlier and no one seems to know where Lyle and his sweepers are."

"Something's happened."

The utter despair in Sydney's voice threatened to break the fragile hold Broots had on his emotions. Miss Parker had long ago ceased to be just his boss. She was the best friend he had ever had, and the thought that she'd been hurt or even killed by the Centre was one too horrifying to really contemplate for Broots. Which, he knew, made it even harder for Sydney. Sydney had been more of a father to Miss Parker than Mr. Parker had ever been.

"Syd, you know how strong she is, how smart. She's probably hiding out somewhere until it's safe to hook up with Jarod."

The words failed to comfort Sydney. He lowered his head to the desk, his body shaking with the power of his renewed tears.

"I failed them. I failed them all, Broots. Parker, Jarod, Angelo--I let them all down."

Broots felt as if there were no words he could say now that would help Sydney, so instead he just stepped closer to his friend and wrapped his arms around Sydney as best he could. This only seemed to make Sydney cry harder, and because of this Broots almost missed the soft words that came from the vent.

"Not failed. Only one who loved us."

The blue eyes were difficult to see from where Broots was crouched, but he knew the voice. Smiling, he dropped to his knee and shook Sydney gently.

"Syd, listen. Listen."

Angelo's voice quietly repeated the words, and Sydney, suddenly both sober and energized, rushed to the vent.

"Angelo! What are you doing here?"

"Sister in trouble. Needs help."

Broots had rigged the security cameras in Miss Parker's office to a kill switch under her desk. He hit it, then joined Sydney at the vent and they quickly removed the screen. From Angelo's words, they knew they had very little time. A moment later, Miss Parker's brother was standing in front of them.

"Angelo," Sydney spoke, trying to control his feelings of elation. Finally, he would be able to do something. "Angelo, where is she?"

"Bad place with bad man. Very bad pain."

Sydney moved closer to Angelo, reaching out and placing both of his hands on the man's arms.

"But where, Angelo? Where?"

"17. 17."

Broots and Sydney's first instincts were to run for the door and head directly to SL-17, but Angelo, sensing this, reached out and stopped them both.

"No, boy first."

Broots shook his head, pulling away and heading for the door.

"No, Angelo. They won't hurt the boy, but Miss Parker..."

"NO!"

The force of Angelo's voice stopped Broots dead in his tracks. He'd only heard Angelo so desperate once before...and it terrified him to remember. It had been the day they learned Damon had tried to kill Miss Parker.

"Sister's pain not worse then fear for boy. Must get boy first. What she wants."

And though they both wanted to argue, Broots, who had been the one to discover Will's true identity, and Sydney, who had only recently learned about his protégé's son looked to Angelo for help.

"Then take us to him, Angelo. Take us to Will."

***

Disappointment had been expected, but Garvey was still reeling over the way it had affected him. He had not planned on Miss Parker passing the test. She had, despite her strength and intelligence, demonstrated emotional weakness in the past, and though he had hoped she would rise above that flaw, he had been prepared for her failure. He also realized that he was accepting his own failure to help her succeed. It was his fault that her care and upbringing had been left to a man not worthy of the task. Mr. Parker was the one responsible for the young woman's weakness. Garvey would have to make certain that he avoided that pitfall with the next generation of potential heirs.

Will and the as yet unnamed boy were the hope of the Centre. Until their maturation, the remaining heir would have to be their guardian. He, at least, had proved unflappable. Yes, his decision to keep Mr. Cox out of the Centre until his adulthood had proved wise. Though it was too late for the new heirs to be raised outside of the compound, he would make certain to apply the lessons learned from this disappointment with Miss Parker.

Now, the fate of Catherine's daughter sat in his hands as her fate had so many years ago. His eyes focused on the security screen before him. Mr. Parker had condemned her to certain death by giving her over to Lyle and Raines, two men who had already tried to kill her on several occasions throughout the years in plots even she did not know about. Now, her screams filtered through the mechanical ears of the Centre, and though a small part of him wanted to stop them, he knew that Miss Parker was lost to him. She was, as it turned out, her mother's daughter, and she would suffer a similar fate to the woman whose likeness she had carried throughout life. He could only hope now that he had made a better choice of guardian for Catherine's grandchildren than he had for her children.

Muting the sound from Raines's torture chamber, Garvey reached for his phone and buzzed his secretary.

"When is Mr. Cox due back?"

"His plane has already landed, sir. He should be back within the hour."

"Tell him I'd like him to have dinner with me tonight. We have plans to discuss."

With that, Garvey hung up the phone. Then he reached out and turned off the security monitors, his heart a bit saddened by the thought that he had looked on a certain beautiful face for the last time. Three women had born that face throughout life, and now two of them would be dead. Briefly, he thought on the third. He thought himself a compassionate man for having allowed her to live. Still, he could never lay eyes on her again, which meant that he was, in some way, saying goodbye.

Garvey quickly shook those thoughts from his head. He could not think on the past. Focus on the future had built the Centre into the powerhouse that it was, and that focus was needed now more than ever. Now was the time to lay the foundation for the Centre's final reach for greatness, a reach Garvey was certain would mean that ultimate power would be the legacy he left behind.

***

The black Suburban drove slowly down the path to Elizabeth and Harry's house. Emily looked around at the faces in the vehicle. Her father looked worn down from his ordeal, but he was fine and the effects of the Centre's brainwashing had been pushed aside. Matthew, her newest family member, was finally asleep after having literally cried himself to exhaustion. The little boy was inconsolable, and Emily knew the only thing that would fix his heart was to be in Parker's arms again. She could understand that. For so long, all she'd had in her life was her mother. Their separations had devastated her.

Though their situations were very different and Matthew was much younger, Emily knew that to the little boy, Parker was everything. All she had to do was look in his eyes and see the loss and pain so evident there to know that this child had lost the one connection he depended on for survival. It was critical that Jarod find Parker and bring her home. That, of course, meant he had to go after her. Emily and her father would stay with Matthew at Elizabeth's until that happened. And it would happen. She kept telling herself that. Emily could not allow herself to think that by going back Jarod was risking his life or that, God forbid, he might be captured again. Though just a few days earlier she had stopped him from returning to Blue Cove to save their father, she knew now that nothing would stop him. Parker was there, and that was where Jarod would be.

The car stopped, putting an end to Emily's thoughts as Jarod quickly sprang from the truck. Elizabeth emerged from the house and approached, her arms quickly wrapping Jarod in an embrace as the Major suffered the shock everyone did upon seeing this older version of Parker standing in front of them. By the time she released him, Emily had pulled a sleeping Matthew from his car seat. Elizabeth, seeing him, reached for him instantly. Emily handed the baby over and the older woman quickly nestled the boy against her chest. Suddenly, Matthew awoke, and Emily and Jarod held their breath, waiting for his pain-filled screams to start again. But they didn't come. Instead, the boy's eyes blinked at the face that loomed above his own, and though he knew it was not her, his eyes flashed with some kind of recognition. Comforted, the baby snuggled against Elizabeth, and, for the first time since Parker's departure, drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Sleep was also on the agenda for the Major at Jarod's urging. His father still needed rest after all he'd been through, and Jarod also hoped he could leave before his father awoke. He didn't need any opposition for what he was planning to do next, and though is father would understand his driving desire to go after Parker, he was a father, and he would still mount some objections. Jarod had no time for objections. Something inside of him knew that Parker was in trouble, and he had to get to her before he lost her forever.

While Emily went off to take a hot shower, Elizabeth, who still sat holding Matthew, filled Jarod in on what had happened on Blue Cove. The two sat at the kitchen table. Unnoticed by Jarod, the sketchbook sat closed in front of Elizabeth. Jarod was not surprised that Sam had been an ally to them, and he knew that he had someone to turn to if he needed help once he got there. What no one knew was where Parker was, or where Angelo had run off to. Chances where, the locations were one and the same, but Jarod knew that if they weren't at the Centre, finding them would be difficult. Still, find them he would.

"He's beautiful, Jarod."

Jarod, who had been thinking through the access routes he could use to get back inside the Centre, was mildly surprised by Elizabeth's words, but one glance at his still sleeping son told him exactly what she was talking about. Jarod smiled in response.

"Yes, he is. She risked so much to bring him to me. If anything happens to her..."

"Do you know why she went back?"

"She just said she had to." Elizabeth saw the slump that came into Jarod's shoulders as he spoke about his last conversation with her niece. "I tried to stop her, but she insisted she had to go. I don't know what would make her go back."

Elizabeth took a deep breath and carefully pushed the sketchbook across the table toward Jarod.

"I may know why."

Jarod looked at her questioningly, then he glanced down at the book. He began to thumb through the pages, his heart filling with emotion as he looked at the pages Parker had used to pour out the emotion she felt she could not show in any other way.

"Angelo found that at Parker's house. He said something I didn't understand at the time, about Parker saving the children, saving family."

"But now you think you know what he meant?" Jarod was speaking to Elizabeth, but looking down at a sketch of Thomas sleeping in what he assumed was Parker's bed. The date on the page was two days before his friend's murder. Two days before Parker's heart had been torn out again by the Centre.

"Yes, I do. Look at the last few pages, Jarod."

Curious, Jarod glanced up at Elizabeth, then he flipped to the last few pages of the book. There, he saw the sketches Parker had done of the baby. He also saw sketches that he first assumed were of him as a young man. It wasn't until he saw the subtle differences that he realized the face was not his, but his clone's.

"They're pictures of Matthew and the bo... I mean, Will."

"Yes." Elizabeth acknowledged Jarod's answer, but saw that he did not understand what she meant. "Look at them, Jarod, the way she did."

Jarod took a deep breath and then let it out slowly, trying to clear his mind so he could do what Elizabeth was asking. As his body calmed and the tension left him, he saw the small details of both boys that Parker had captured so precisely. He saw how perfectly she had drawn the exact way Matthew curled his fists while he slept, and the youthful wonder she had put into Will's eyes.

Jarod's mind began to click. Quickly, it began to assemble the information he was gathering, and the feeling it created made him uneasy. He continued to look at the pictures, taking in each detail. Then he glanced up and looked at Matthew. He thought back over the way his son had responded to Elizabeth, to the similarities between she and Parker.

"Oh, my God. She's his mother."

Elizabeth didn't need to confirm it. Jarod had unlocked the answer on his own, and she sat silently, letting him absorb the shock of it.

"She brought him to me to keep him safe, but why didn't she tell me? Why wouldn't she..."

And then a random thought that Jarod had not had the time nor inclination to think of in days shot through him. He jumped up and ran for his gear, grabbing his laptop. He quickly flipped through disks until he found what he was looking for.

He read for several minutes and as he did, Elizabeth watched his face cloud over again, this time with anger. Pure rage began to burn inside of Jarod, and for a moment, the older woman thought he would throw his computer across the room. Instead, he stood, slamming his chair into the wall behind him as he began to pace like a wild animal.

This was the exact moment that Emily walked into the room. She instantly recognized the familiar danger that emanated from her brother, and she knew that something else had gone very wrong in her absence.

"Jarod, what is it?"

"Those bastards! They did it again. They used her, and they hurt her again!"

The commotion had brought Harry into the room, and Elizabeth, sensing the growing tension, handed Matthew to her husband. Harry took the squirming bundle and managed to reach the stairs before Matthew began to cry again.

Back in the kitchen, both Elizabeth and Emily were trying to calm Jarod down.

"Halmar, Emily. I'm talking about Halmar."

Emily shook her head, still confused. She had no idea what her brother was talking about.

"The research, Em. Remember the cloning data that didn't make any sense because it wasn't coming out right? Halmar had never been able to duplicate the Centre's results."

"Right, I remember."

"That's because there were no results to duplicate. Will isn't a clone, he's...he's my son."

Elizabeth, who had suspected this, closed her eyes and tried to gather her strength for what might come next. Emily, who'd had no idea this was a possibility, sank into a chair. In two days, Jarod had acquired two sons, both apparently engineered by the Centre without his knowledge.

"Oh, God. Oh, my God."

Both women looked up at Jarod when they heard the sudden change in his voice. The anger was gone, and in its place was desolation. Jarod seemed to have aged 10 years in 10 seconds, and Emily rushed to her brother's side as he sank to his knees.

"Jarod, what? What is it?"

"I called him a monster. I told her he wasn't worth saving. That's why she went back. She went back to get our son, and she didn't tell me because I made her think she couldn't. What did I do, Em? What did I do?"

Jarod dissolved into tears then and Emily pulled him into a tight embrace as their father entered the room. Elizabeth saw the man's face change from tired to terrified when he saw his son, so she pulled him out of the room to tell him about what had happened over the last few minutes. That left Emily to try and comfort her brother and to try and make some kind of sense of what she'd heard and seen. 'Our son.' She was certain that's what she'd heard Jarod say. And that meant that she was Parker and that through yet another twisted Centre plan, both of them had again been betrayed.

"It's going to be all right, Jarod. You'll make it all right. I know you will."

***

Pain. She felt pain at a level she had never endured before, and for Parker, who had walked around for two days with an ulcer on the verge of rupturing before she'd collapsed, that was saying something. But this thing, this contraption of Raines', it was pushing her to her limits and it was a struggle just to keep her breathing at something close to its natural rhythm.

The torture changed again and again. First, there had been a drug that left her on the verge of panic once they enclosed her inside the metal tube. After that had come extreme darkness, pounding noises, intense pressure, freezing cold water, suffocating heat, blinding light and now, she lay there enduring the unending sound of screaming. She didn't know who's screaming it was, only that listening to it was driving her mad, which was of course its purpose. Her body shook involuntarily from chills that had wracked her frame ever since they had filled the tube with freezing cold water earlier. Even the heat had not helped to stop them, and now, as sweat ran down her body, she knew she was suffering from a high fever, which only served to intensify the desired effect of the screaming sound effects pumping into her ears.

Fighting for control, Parker forced herself to think of her sons. Will was still inside this place. She knew he needed her now more than ever. He was so much like his father, too much in some ways. She knew that he had felt betrayed by her because he had jumped to conclusions-something Jarod had been guilty of on more than one occasion throughout the years. That had led to her capture. Now he would blame himself completely for what was happening to her. That was also like Jarod. She had to get to him. She had to let him know that she understood.

Suddenly, the screaming stopped, and Parker felt herself begin to shake even harder. She had learned to fear the brief silences that they allowed her, because it meant that something worse was coming. Once, in between sessions, Lyle had leaned over the tube to wear she could see his face. He hadn't said anything. He had just looked down at her and smiled, and it was in that moment that Parker had begun to fear she might not make it out of this room alive. Her mind wouldn't allow her to surrender to that fear yet. But she was afraid of what might happen if they managed to break her spirit completely. If she surrendered, her son would live with her death forever, and she could not let that happen. Still, she was at a loss for how in God's name she could prevent it.

Worse still was the knowledge that Jarod did not know what was happening. He had no idea that his son-their son-was still inside this hellhole. He didn't know that she was the mother of his children. And he didn't know how much she loved him. In the silences Raines and Lyle allowed her, Parker thought back to Christmas Eve. She wondered what would have happened if she had not let her fear push her away, if, instead of running, she had told Jarod about the nightmare that had terrified her so much. Where might they be now if only she had not been afraid then?

A faint hissing sound caught Parker's attention, and she realized that whatever new horror her captors had in store for her was underway. She turned her head as much as she could, frantically searching for the source of the noise. It took only a few seconds for her to understand what it was. Parker's lungs began to burn. They were pumping some kind of gas into the tube. She fought, trying to hold her breath despite the fact that she knew fighting was useless. As she lost her battle and began to take in deep breaths of the gas, Lyle leaned over the top of the tube again, his face breaking into a wide smile as he looked down at her.

"Just tell me where Jarod is, Parker. Tell me, and I'll make all the pain go away."

Parker closed her eyes and succumbed to the effects of the gas. She knew Lyle well enough to know that he was lying. Even if she did tell him where Jarod and the baby were, which she would never do, Lyle would still kill her. Her father had cut her loose, and she knew that her only hope of survival was a mistake by Raines or Lyle that she could take advantage of.

For his part, Lyle watched as Parker's nervous system was overtaken by the nerve gas Raines had filtered into the tube. The effects would leave her virtually paralyzed, and as it wore off, the spasms the chemicals would cause in her body would be terrifying to watch let alone endure. He could hardly wait.

****

Sydney and Broots followed Angelo through the intricate system of tunnels within the Centre, both hoping they were nearing the place where Miss Parker was being kept. They had been inside the walls of the Centre for nearly two hours, and though it was taking much longer than they liked to get to her, all three men were being extra cautious. If they were discovered, all hope of getting Miss Parker out of here alive was lost.

As they made their way down the dark corridors, Broots used his laptop and a digital video camera to create a series of loops that would keep the Centre's security cameras from tracking their movements. Each loop took seven minutes to establish. Each time Broots began to run the program, he felt his heart pounding in his chest. Seven minutes. What could Lyle and Raines do to her in seven minutes? Just the consideration of that sent chills down his spine, and Broots said a succession of silent prayers for his friend.

***

Sam checked the corridor again, then waved to his companion, indicating that it was okay to move ahead. Cox rounded the corner and headed directly toward the room where Jarod's clone was being kept. It had taken them longer to get here than they'd anticipated because Cox had needed to negotiate a reasonable deflection of Mr. Garvey's dinner invitation. Sam had never seen the man before, but just seeing the reaction Cox had to the message that this mystery man wanted to have dinner with him, well, that was all Sam needed to see to know that Mr. Garvey was someone to avoid.

Cox had handled the matter smoothly, though, and Sam was impressed. Garvey believed it when Cox had phoned him and said he'd gotten a last minute lead on Jarod, and with Miss Parker out of commission and Lyle assigned to find her, it seemed natural for Cox to take the lead and pursue it. He informed the Tower that he was taking Sam with him on the assignment, and since the lead was in northern Delaware, they would simply drive so as to avoid the wait for the plane to refuel and have maintenance.

The two had driven away, parked and then made their way up an access road that Sam knew was rarely checked by the sweepers. That had taken time, and both men hoped it wasn't too much. They both knew what Lyle and Raines were capable of.

Now they were only a few steps from the room where the clone was waiting, and they would get answers from him. Neither of them was in the mood to show much mercy, and if the boy showed them much attitude, they were both fully prepared to make him pay. Which is why they were both stunned to find not a defiant traitor but a heartbroken boy who had clearly been crying for hours.

Will heard the door open and he turned over on his bed, half expecting Mr. Lyle to come in and say something awful to him. Instead, he saw Mr. Cox and a man named Sam. Suddenly he sprang from the bed, rushing toward them.

"Please, please, you have to help me find her. They're hurting her."

Cox grabbed the boy by the shirt, pulling him close so he could glare down at him. The boy's eyes widened with shock and fear, and that made Cox happy.

"You're the one that turned her over to them. Now you want to help her?

I'd say you're a little late."

"Please, I was wrong. I didn't mean it. Please, help me find her."

Cox pushed the boy backwards and he fell on the bed. Sam closed the door, standing in front of it so that no one could enter without coming through him. He watched as Cox reached for the boy and shook him.

"I took great pains to keep Miss Parker away from our plans for Major Charles, Will. Did you tell her about them?"

"What?" The boy looked from Cox, who was manhandling him roughly, and Sam, who stared at him with a face full of contempt. "I-I, of course I didn't tell her. I didn't want her to know. I'd never...I mean, I didn't mean to do anything to hurt her."

"What did you think would happen when you turned her in? Did you think Raines and Mr. Parker would pat her on the head and send her off with a lollipop?"

"I was mad. I didn't know. I didn't know she'd come back..."

Sam could see that the boy's fear was growing with every second. Good, he thought. It was the least the little creep deserved after turning on Miss Parker.

"Where is she?" Cox spoke in a calm, even tone that belied the look of pure rage in his eyes. Will shook under the power of that look, and he suddenly felt more afraid than he ever had in his life. If he couldn't convince these men to help him, his mother would die, of that he was certain. But they both hated him so much, how could he get them to listen?

"Please, please just help me find her."

"As I said, Will, where is she?"

"Lyle, he-he told me to wait here in my room. He must have known somehow, but I don't know how..."

Cox shook the boy, stopping his speech.

"Stop rambling, and tell me what happened."

Will's whole body began to tremble as fear took hold of his whole being. He didn't know what to say. He knew he should, but he was so worried about his mother, he just couldn't get the words to form in his head.

Sam could sense Cox losing patience, and he felt a sudden urge to step in and stop what he could tell was about to happen. He didn't need to. Cox raised his hand to strike the boy, but before he could bring his hand down, the vent above them flew open and Angelo dropped down, pulling Will from Cox's grasp.

"No! Don't hurt boy."

Will turned toward Angelo, the feeling of warmth coming from the man's embrace a stark contrast to the hatred he felt from Cox and Sam. Cox stepped back as the man named Sydney and another man joined them. Sydney quickly moved toward Sam.

"Sam, what are you doing?"

"Mr. Cox and I are trying to find Miss Parker. We know that Lyle has her somewhere."

"You and Cox?"

"He's trying to help. He doesn't want her hurt, either."

Sam could see that Sydney doubted him, but he didn't have time to convince the doctor right now. Miss Parker's life was in danger, and they had to get some answers from someone quickly. He was about to say so when Cox's cool voice rang out from beside Will's bed.

"Sydney, don't interfere. This boy is responsible for whatever has happened to Miss Parker, and I intend to make him understand that."

"I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to hurt her."

Will's barely audible statement prompted Angelo to hold the boy tighter. Broots sat down on the bed beside the two of them, his hand reaching out to try and comfort the boy.

"Angelo knows you didn't mean. Mother knows, too."

That statement caught both Sam and Cox's attention. Cox stepped closer, kneeling down so he was eye level with the trio on the bed.

"What does he mean? What does Will's mother have to do with this?"

Broots looked up into Cox's eyes, and though this man normally instilled nothing but fear in him, he now felt something akin to common ground. He could sense real concern coming from Cox, and though that shocked him, he was willing to take advantage of it to save his friend.

"Everything. Miss Parker is Will's mother."

***

Raines rarely tired while he was torturing someone, but the constant adjustments Lyle asked for in the Machine had demanded a great deal of physical work. After some 10 hours in the room, he needed a break. Lyle had gone off to meet with Mr. Parker to report on their progress, which was, to be honest, little. Miss Parker had not come close to breaking, but Raines suspected Lyle didn't care about that. He had posted "invitations" on every web site the Centre had ever listed as having been accessed by Jarod. The message was clear - come or she dies.

So now they were all just waiting for Jarod to make an appearance, and there was no doubt he would. Raines had long advised Mr. Parker to take advantage of the pretender's fondness for his daughter, but the man had always balked. Weakness. It was no wonder Miss Parker had failed them all.

Taking a deep breath off of his oxygen tank, Raines stood and headed for the door. There were nearly 50 sweepers on this floor. No one was getting in without his say-so, and so he decided to take a much-needed break. Before he left, he leaned over the glass, looking down at Miss Parker's twitching body. The nerve gas was more than half way out of her system, and the intense tremors were beginning to subside a bit. He could see tear stains on her face, and there was blood on her lip where she had bitten through it, but other than that, she refused to show her pain.

"Don't go anywhere, Miss Parker. I'll be back soon."

Laughing softly, Raines made his way from the room. He locked the door behind him, and the wheels of his oxygen tank squeaked as he got farther and farther down the hall. When the noise had disappeared completely, two hands laced through the vent and popped it out of place. A string was wrapped through the openings and the metal piece was lowered to the ground without so much as a tinkle of metal on concrete.

Within two minutes, four figures filled the room. Sam had entered first, followed by Cox, Sydney and Angelo. They all immediately headed toward the horrible metal contraption that sat in the middle of the room.

As Sydney gazed down and saw the gaunt face of Miss Parker, he was suddenly very grateful that they had decided to have Will help Broots secure their escape route. The young man was guilt-ridden enough over what he'd done. Seeing his mother so vulnerable, so hurt was going to break his heart even more. They could not prevent that from happening for long, but at least he wouldn't see her inside this monstrosity.

The men worked the levers and bolts of the Machine, trying to release the top without shutting off the control panel, just in case there were alarms connected to it. After several moments, Cox's hand ran over the final mechanism and they were able to spring open the latch and pull the cover off. What they saw terrified them.

Miss Parker was shaking terribly and struggling for breath. She was bruised in every visible area they could see. Her clothes were soaking wet and when Sydney reached out to touch her arm, he almost pulled his hand back from the coldness of her skin.

"We have to get her out of here now. She's freezing."

Sam and Cox responded quickly to Sydney's words, and the men lifted her up as carefully as they could. Soft whimpers escaped Miss Parker's lips, but they knew they had a long journey to undertake, and chances were the pain would only get worse. For now, they had to ignore her response.

As they placed her on the floor, Angelo moved so her head would be cradled in his lap. Cox immediately began stripping off Miss Parker's cold and wet clothes.

"Sam, check the supply cabinets. We need anything dry we can wrap her in."

Sydney joined Cox in the effort to get the dangerous clothes off of Parker's body as Sam moved to do what Cox had asked. Parker continued to struggle for breath, her chest rattling with every effort. Sydney gently pulled Parker into a sitting position to ease her shirt off, and Cox took the opportunity to put his hand against her back.

"There's fluid in her lungs."

Sydney looked up at Cox, the concern on his face growing.

"Pneumonia?"

"Probably the start of it," Cox said as they laid her back down. "Sam, hurry."

Sam found a stack of drop cloths in the supply cabinet and brought them to Cox. He tried not to react to seeing Miss Parker lying naked on the floor, knowing modesty couldn't be a concern right now. Still, he couldn't stand the thought of her being so exposed. He saw Sydney begin to pull off the sweater he was wearing, and Sam followed suit, quickly taking off his jacket.

Cox and Sydney layered Miss Parker in the sweater and jacket, then wrapped her up in the cloths Sam had found. All the while, Angelo sat holding his sister's head and stroking her hair. Sydney knew that the connection between them was so strong now that Angelo didn't need to say anything. Parker knew her brother was there.

They made certain Miss Parker was wrapped up as warmly as possible and then Cox nodded to Sam, indicating that the sweeper should pick up their delicate cargo. Angelo stayed close to them, keeping his hand on his sister to let her feel his presence. Cox motioned toward Sydney and the two men stepped to the side of the room together.

"I didn't expect to find her in such bad shape. We can't take her through those vents. We don't have that kind of time."

"What do you propose we do? Broots says there are three platoons of sweepers on this floor."

"I'm going back up. Stay here 10 minutes. If you don't see me by then, get her in the vents and try to get out."

Cox turned and headed toward the vent, but Sydney reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Don't double-cross us, Cox. This woman is like a daughter to me, and if you hurt her..."

Cox was about to respond when he felt another hand touching him. He looked to his other side and saw that Angelo had moved next to him. The odd man's hand was touching his other arm, and he stared at him with crystal blue eyes.

"Sydney, trust. Confused heart. Good blood."

Sydney didn't begin to understand what Angelo meant, but there was no time to figure it out now. Cox disappeared into the vent and Sydney turned to Sam.

"You should set her down, Sam. You'll need your strength for when we make our move."

Sam looked down at Miss Parker's fragile form in his arms. Despite all the wrapping they had put on her and the additional warmth coming from his own body heat, she still shook in his arms. Rather than heed Sydney's advice, Sam pulled his charge closer to him.

****

Cox had no idea when he left the small room on SL-17 what he was going to do to help get his new allies to safety. A plan quickly formed, however, as he strolled down the corridor of SL-15. Smiling, he pulled his cell phone out of his jacket and dialed a number.

"Hello?" Broots' nerves were evident in his voice, and Cox fought the urge to snap at the bald man for letting his fear show so much.

"Mr. Broots. Patch me through to the relay."

"Yes, sir."

A few moments passed, then a beep confirmed to Cox that if the Centre traced his call, it would pinpoint to the exact location where he was supposed to be - a few hours north of Blue Cove. He dialed in a second number and waited for the smug voice he knew would sound on the other end.

"Lyle."

"Lyle, it's Mr. Cox. I've got something you're looking for."

"Excuse me?"

"Your pretender. I've got him."

The dead silence that echoed on the other end of the phone proved to Cox that his words had had the desired effect. Lyle's voice had lost its smug quality when Cox finally heard it again.

"That's impossible. Jarod is on his way here."

"You're right, he was, but the tip we had was a good one. We caught him here making plans to hide Miss Parker in a private hospital. Apparently he assumes you've done something to injure her. I assured him that he was incorrect. After all, we still have to find her."

Cox was certain he heard Lyle's teeth grinding together as he spoke his next words.

"Where are you?"

"Route 33, about 115 miles from the Centre. There's a convalescent hospital there called The Whispering Elms."

"I'm on my way. Don't lose him."

Cox snapped his phone shut after hearing Lyle disconnect his. He knew his adversary would leave the Centre immediately, hoping, of course, that the call would prove a ruse of some kind, but knowing he couldn't afford to be left out of the glory of bringing Jarod in. He also knew that Lyle wouldn't want allow for any chance that Jarod might get away. That meant he would call off a large portion of the available sweepers stationed on SL-17.

With his first tasks completed, Cox walked into the medical lab on SL-15. He packed a bag with the medical supplies he thought he would need to care for Miss Parker wherever they decided to take her. During this time, he thought about how he and Sam would handle the sweepers that remained two levels below. He was about to turn and leave when an idea hit him. Quickly grabbing a bottle from the top shelf of the cabinet, Cox made his way to the elevator and down to SL-16.

Reaching his destination, Cox glanced at his watch. He only had three minutes to get back to the others before they would leave without him. He threw open the bottle he'd brought with him and began shaking it into the fan that led directly to the main ventilation shafts on SL-17. The white powder began to disperse immediately. That done, Cox rushed to the elevator and counted the seconds that passed as the device carried him to the floor below.

When the doors opened, Cox ran out into the hallway. The sweepers were already coughing thanks to the chalk he'd pushed into the airways.

"Get out! Get out! Jarod's poisoned the air system. Get out now!"

The 10 sweepers left on SL-17 looked at each other, uncertain what to do. Cox saw this, and gave them the final motivation they needed to turn and run. He collapsed on the ground and began writhing, then he stilled his body as if he had lost consciousness. The sweepers needed no further prodding. They ran for their lives. As soon as Cox heard the elevator doors close, he stood shot out the control panel, stranding the elevator where it stood. Then he ran back to the room where Miss Parker was being held.

Sydney turned toward the door with Sam's gun in his hand, fully prepared to shoot if necessary, but he saw Cox and felt a surge of relief, especially when the man began to wave them out of the room. Sam carried his precious bundle as Sydney took Angelo's hand and guided him out into the hall. The group entered the stairwell and headed down toward the fire exit door on SL-22...a door that Broots had mapped and informed them of earlier.

The group moved quickly, knowing that it was only a matter of time before Miss Parker's disappearance was discovered. They reached the door and saw Broots and Will waiting there for him. The young boy's face paled visibly when he saw the condition his mother was in, but there was no time to reassure him now. Cox knew if he was right about Miss Parker having pneumonia, she needed immediate care, and that meant getting somewhere safe very, very fast.

Broots entered the security code and the door flew open. Cox exited first, checking for sweepers and finding none. He motioned for Sam to exit the building. That was when they heard a magazine snap into place in a gun that was very close to them.

"What did you do to her?"

Sydney knew instantly that the voice was Jarod's. How he had found this door or known it would be a safe point of egress was a mystery solved for a later time. Right now, he was furious and he had a gun pointed at Cox's head. Sydney stepped forward, making certain Jarod could see him.

"Jarod, he didn't do this. Raines and Lyle are responsible for hurting her. Cox helped us get her out."

"He's been trying to kill her since he got here."

"Jarod, you know I wouldn't lie to you about this."

All eyes held on the pretender. His finger was close to pulling the trigger and ending Cox's life, yet something held him back. He wanted to believe Sydney, but Jarod had researched Cox himself and he knew the man's reputation for cruelty. Still, something kept him from pulling the trigger. His eyes looked from Cox to the still form in Sam's arms. Seeing Parker so weak, so obviously hurt undid him. He stepped back, ready to kill Cox and anyone else who stopped him from getting to her. That was when a very familiar face stepped out of the back of the group standing in front of him.

Everyone held their breath as Will walked up to Jarod, his eyes filled with tears. The younger version of the man holding the gun reached out and put his hand on top of Jarod's.

"I know that you probably hate me, but please, just help us get her somewhere safe. She needs our help."

Jarod stood there, staring into eyes he realized belonged not to a replica but to his son. This nearly grown young man was his son and he was Parker's son, and he was asking his father to save his mother's life.

"Will."

The sound of Parker's faint and weak voice brought them all out of the fog they seemed to have drifted into as Jarod contemplated his son's words. Jarod brought down his gun and he and Will both rushed to stand beside Sam.

"Mom. I'm here, Mom. We're going to get you out of here."

Jarod heard Will's words, and he realized that Will knew the truth about his parentage. He and his son had a lot to talk about, but not now. Jarod leaned over and kissed Parker on her forehead.

"Our sons are safe, Parker. They're both safe."

Parker forced her eyes open and for a brief second, they met Jarod's. Then she sank back against Sam's body and slipped back into unconsciousness. Jarod turned and faced Cox.

"Why would you help her?"

Jarod was genuinely surprised when Cox shook his head and answered, "I don't know."

"Fine, you've helped. Now I'll take care of her."

Cox eyed the pretender and took a deep breath. He knew that he could let go of the situation now. Miss Parker would be in safe hands, and he could walk away. So why was it that his gut wouldn't let him? Instead of giving way to Jarod, Cox heard his voice coming out of his mouth on its volition.

"She needs medical attention."

"I'm a pretender, remember?"

"Can you pretend to be a doctor and drive at the same time?"

Sirens wailed inside of the Centre, and they all knew the time for discussion was over. Jarod reached for Parker, taking her from Sam, then he locked eyes with Will, making sure the boy knew to follow him. As he headed off down the alleyway toward his waiting car, Jarod looked back over his shoulder and directed his attention at Cox.

"If you betray us, I'll kill you."

Cox nodded then motioned to Sam that he should follow. Sam turned back and grabbed hold of Angelo's arm, and the three ran into the night following in Jarod's footsteps. Sydney and Broots rushed to return to their respective offices. They had to provide any electronic smoke and mirrors were needed to help their cohorts get away.

Within moments, Cox was in the back of a Suburban, pulling medical supplies from the bag he had packed earlier. Angelo and Will sat in the middle seat and Sam sat, gun drawn, in the passenger seat beside Jarod, keeping watch for Centre personnel.

Jarod drove like a madman, knowing that time and distance were the only safety net that would really protect Parker and Will from ending up back at the Centre. Every now and then, he glanced in the rearview mirror and watched as Cox got an IV started and put Parker on intravenous antibiotics. He also saw Will turn around and again and again, trying to find someway to let his mother know that he was there and that he wanted her to get well.

Forcing his eyes back to the road, Jarod fought back tears. All these years, he had thought to lecture Parker about the importance of family, about the true sacrifices people make for the ones they love. And once again, he realized that it was she who lived the lesson he spoke of so often. She had risked so much for him and those he loved and those he hadn't even known he should love, and now she was fighting for her life again.

Sam's eyes remained peeled on the road as he continued to do the job he had considered his primary duty for years - protect Miss Parker from harm. A few quiet words reached his ears from the seat next to him, and Sam wondered if Jarod even realized he had spoken them aloud.

"Don't leave me, Parker. Please, give me one more chance."

Matter of Blood
Part 20
by N.R. Levy


The Cessna sliced through the air, putting distance between its passengers and the town of Blue Cove. Jarod was more grateful than ever that he had simply gone to the airfield near Elizabeth's house and rented a plane rather than drive back to the Centre. If he'd been even a few minutes later...God, he didn't even want to think about it. She had needed him, and he had almost let her down again.

The sound of Cox's voice rang in Jarod's ear, and he had to fight the urge to turn around and look back in the cabin to see what was happening. He knew that right now the only thing he could do for Parker was to get her somewhere safe. Still, he wasn't sold on the transformation of the Centre's hired gun, and the thought of anyone taking care of Parker but him made Jarod's stomach knot up in a tight ball.

Of course, she wasn't alone with Cox, and that helped. Angelo was there, watching over her as she had watched over him just a few short months ago during his own life and death struggle. And there were others caring for her. Though his own relationship with Sam had been strained at best, Jarod knew the man's loyalty to Parker was unwavering. And of course, there was Will. Somehow, Jarod couldn't yet manage to think of Will as his son. He could wrap his mind around Matthew being his and Parker's, but this boy...for one so young, he had caused so much pain to those that Jarod loved. It would take time and work to forgive him for that, and silently the Pretender hoped he had it in him to do so.

Back in the cabin, Cox and Will were working under Sam's watchful gaze to stabilize Miss Parker. Once they'd settled onboard, the older man had instructed the teen in what to do. After checking on the IV line that they had established in the car, Cox had used a syringe to tap the fluid in Miss Parker's lungs. For Will, this was the most difficult moment to endure. The rasping sound of his mother's breathing was bad enough, but to see the needle slip into her and pull back the forbidding fluid-it had almost been too much.

After checking the fluid, Mr. Cox had explained to Will that Miss Parker had been exposed to freezing cold water, and that a large portion of it was still trapped in her lungs. Sam listened as the doctor told Will all about the antibiotics that were already flowing into her body, and the young man nodded, thinking through each piece of information and comparing it to the medical knowledge he himself possessed.

While Cox and Will performed these medical tasks, Angelo held his sister's head in his lap, stroking her forehead in the same gentle way she had done to him at times when she had thought he was asleep. Some of those times had come even before she'd known he was her brother. This was a secret that made him love his twin all the more. He knew there were others he needed to be concerned about now as well - namely, his nephew. Still, for the moment, he remained focused only on his sister.

The truly worrisome part of Miss Parker's condition was that her body temperature was still dangerously high. Despite the wracking tremors that made her resemble a shivering little leaf, her fever had climbed to 105. Cox knew that if he didn't get the fever down soon, she could suffer irreparable brain damage or worse, it could kill her.

While Cox took a new set of vital signs, Sam noticed that Will's composure was beginning to slip. The sweeper felt a definite battle going on inside himself regarding this kid. Part of him couldn't help but blame the boy for what had happened to his boss, and seeing her suffering there in the cabin wasn't helping. But the other part of him knew that Sydney and Broots would never have said the teen was Miss Parker's son if it wasn't true, which meant Sam was, in a sense, morally obligated to look out for Will. It was what she would want.

Clearing his throat, Sam took a step forward and put his hand on the kid's shoulder. Will nearly jumped out of his skin at the contact, and he whirled around to face Sam. Sam motioned toward the cockpit.

"He's probably worried sick up there, kid. Why don't you go tell him what's going on."

Will's eyes shifted from Sam up toward the cockpit and then down at his mother. Nodding to no one in particular, Will headed slowly up toward where Jarod was sitting. It was only when he was within one or two steps that he thought about what he was doing. He was about to confront a man who probably hated him. Somehow, the fact that Jarod was his father seemed irrelevant.

Seeing the concern on the younger man's face, Sam began to think his idea had been a bad one. Those doubts were quickly erased when he saw a smile of approval cross Angelo's face. As Will made his way toward the cockpit, Angelo brought his face up so his eyes locked with Sam's.

"Good friend. Good idea."

Sam smiled in return, and he hoped that the brief feeling of ease that had come with Angelo's approval of his actions would soon turn into a permanent sense of peace...because if that happened, it would mean that Miss Parker would be all right, and right now, that was all any of them wanted.

As he entered the cockpit, Will thought back to the day he had spent with Jarod last year. Even then, he'd felt a certain trepidation, a nervousness that he didn't understand. He'd never felt that with his mother. Even now, despite the terrible guilt he carried over her present condition, Will felt an undeniable connection to her. So why, even before everything had happened, had he felt so much distance between him and his father?

Jarod's eyes moved from the instruments to the horizon and then back again. Out of the corner of his eye he caught movement and he glanced over to see what it was. Will had stepped into the cockpit, his eyes darting around in a nervous pattern.

"Uh, Jar...um, Da...I thought, I mean, Sam thought I should..."

Despite the continued anger Jarod felt toward Will, he couldn't help but be touched by the hesitancy in his son's voice. The boy was clearly remorseful about what he'd done. And even if he wasn't, Jarod knew that Parker would hate for him to be unkind to Will.

"Why don't you slide into the other seat."

The offer surprised Will, and for a moment he couldn't move or think. Then he glanced back into the cabin and saw Mr. Cox placing another blanket on top of his mother, and he suddenly found himself again. Will slipped into the chair, his eyes turning toward his father.

"Mr. Cox thinks Miss, uh, I mean, he thinks that Mom was exposed to cold water somehow, and it's still in her lungs. Her fever is 105. He's got her on IV antibiotics, though."

Will offered the information in monotone voice, and Jarod took it in calmly, forcing himself to keep his emotions in check. Despite his reservations about what kind of reputation they might develop, this boy was his child...more importantly, he was Parker's, and so Jarod had to do what he could to alleviate Will's worries.

"I mean, that means she'll be okay, right?"

He heard the tears in Will's voice before he saw them on his cheeks, and that suddenly, Jarod saw Will for who he was...a scared boy who had found his family and was now terrified he was going to lose them. Jarod let the cogs of his mind begin to turn. There had to be a way to bridge the gap between them. After all, he was the grown up here, wasn't he?

An idea began to take shape in Jarod's mind, one that would let him extend an olive branch of sorts to his teenage son, and, perhaps, it would give Will a chance to prove himself. A slight flush of shame ran through Jarod as he thought about the latter. He shouldn't feel like this about his own child. Then again, maybe Will being his child was why he felt he needed to give the boy something to do, some way to atone for his mistakes. Because if Will was anything like him, he was presently consumed with guilt, and he thought no one would ever forgive him for what he'd done. Jarod knew those feelings well...hadn't he been afraid that Parker would have that same reaction when she'd found out about Thomas, not to mention the hundred other times his actions had harmed her?

"Will, I was thinking-Broots and Sydney will be doing all they can to give us some cover, but it would sure help them if we could plant a few false leads of our own. My laptop is in my bag back in the cabin. Think you could do something to help them?"

Jarod would have never guessed that someone's face could change so completely so quickly. His son went from a look of total despair to one of absolute confidence. Then a slight tinge of worry found its way into the furrow of Will's brow.

"Of course I can. I...you would trust me to do that?"

"You want to make sure your mom is safe, right?" Jarod waited as Will nodded in response. "Well, so do I. And I know that you'll do what you can to make that happen."

And there it was. He hadn't falsely stated that he really trusted Will, because the truth was, he wasn't yet sure he did. But he had opened a door, and now, hopefully, he and Will could walk through it together, and Parker would be waiting for them on the other side of it.







Mr. Parker's rage was equaled only by his fear of what might happen once his tirade was completed. Currently, he was bellowing at Lyle, Raines, a dozen sweepers, and Sydney and Broots, who had been thrown in for good measure. But what was really on the Chairman's mind as he ranted was what Mr. Garvey would say about recent events. In the matter of a few days, the Centre had lost Major Charles, William, the baby and, perhaps most ludicrously the Chairman thought, his daughter. She had been secured on a remote sublevel with two-dozen guards, yet somehow she had walked away without a trace.

His mood darkened even more as reports began to trickle in claiming that Mr. Cox had somehow been involved in her escape. It seemed to be a ridiculous claim-the two of them had been enemies since Cox's first appearance at the Centre. Yet several sweepers swore that it was the strange, blue-eyed man who had told them to run for their lives, thus vacating Miss Parker's sublevel long enough for her to escape. Confusing matters more, both Sydney and Broots claimed that Cox had filed an itinerary that had taken them off in pursuit of Jarod more than two hours before the escape. Cox couldn't be chasing Jarod and freeing his daughter at the same time, Mr. Parker surmised, and, unfortunately, the data records from the security cameras were providing no help at all. It didn't appear that they'd been tampered with, but inside the Centre, who knew.

For their parts, Lyle and Raines sat fuming at the situation and at each other. Each was quick to blame the other for "losing" Centre merchandise; Lyle claimed that Raines had assured him Miss Parker could not escape The Machine without assistance while Raines reported that Mr. Lyle was in charge of securing SL-17, and that any breach of that security should surely fall on the younger man's shoulders. Just as both of their contrary arguments were about to fray Mr. Parker's last nerve, his office phone rang, momentarily paralyzing him. He answered it after four rings, his heart pounding as he contemplated a meeting with Mr. Garvey.

"Yes?"

"Cox here. It seems our lead on Jarod came too late. He's already left, but I have an indication that he rented a plane and flew out of state. I'm going to download the information to you and Sam and I will stay in pursuit."

"Just a moment, Cox. What time did you leave the Centre?" Mr. Parker furrowed his brow as he waited for an answer to his question.

"I left just after 4:00. Why?"

Mr. Parker quickly clicked a few keys on his computer and found that, indeed, the Centre security cameras showed Mr. Cox's car leaving the parking area at 4:08 p.m.

"No reason. I'll expect the information on Jarod's pursuit within the hour."

"You'll have it in a few minutes. Mr. Parker, is anything wrong?"

"No, nothing." With that, the Chairman disconnected the phone and turned back to the rogue's gallery that currently occupied his office. After a moment, he buzzed an intercom button on his desk, and the door to the office opened, revealing a crew of five sweepers. One of them, a man Broots had once heard Miss Parker refer to as Daniel, stepped forward.

"Yes, Mr. Parker?"

"A T-board is convening in one hour. Take Mr. Raines and Mr. Lyle to the holding facility. Make sure the sweeper teams on duty at SL-17 today are also held in the containment area."

Just as Broots' knees began to knock together as he wondered what would come next, Mr. Parker turned and leveled his gaze at the technician and Sydney. The doctor reached out his hand and placed it on his friend's forearm, steadying Broots long enough for him to collect his nerves again before the chairman spoke.

"Mr. Broots, Mr. Cox is downloading information on his search for Jarod. I want you to verify it. Check on every last detail, do you understand?"

Broots responded in the affirmative as best he could as his stammer betrayed the fear he was dealing with. He stood and, followed by Sydney, quickly exited the room. The sweepers escorted a bickering Raines and Lyle away, and after a moment, the office was empty save for the man who had occupied it for most of his adult life. Alone again, Mr. Parker reached out and picked up the photo of his dead wife and his infant daughter. He would have liked to say that at that moment, staring at the image forever preserved in black and white, that he felt some regret over what had happened to the two women in his life. But he had long since released the veil of hypocrisy that he had lived under for the better part of the last 30 years. He had made the choices he had made, and they had paid for it. He'd known they would, and Mr. Parker could do nothing now but accept the truth -- power had meant more to him than they had.

The sound of his phone ringing again broke Mr. Parker from his reverie. He replaced the photo on his desk, and answered the phone.

"Yes, Mr. Garvey. I'm on my way."






It was nighttime when the ragtag group of Delaware escapees reached Elizabeth's home. They arrived tired and worried about their precious passenger, but they were glad to have finally reached their destination without anymore contact with the Centre. That was due in no small part to the information Will had fabricated and sent under cover of Mr. Cox's e-mail after their uneasy ally had phoned Mr. Parker's office and delivered the inaccurate report on Jarod's pursuit. He had turned in the performance so well that Sam had almost pulled a gun on him, but Cox had stayed true to his word so far, and done nothing but help Miss Parker. The work of Cox and Will, coupled with Broots' "replacement" of the SL-17 security DSAs had bought the group valuable time, and if Miss Parker didn't improve soon, they were going to need it.

Parker's temperature was still up at 103 as Jarod picked her up to carry her from the car to her room. Will and Angelo followed closely behind, and as Elizabeth took notice of the boy, she let them pass unfettered. One glance at her niece told her that Little Cat needed to be settled in and taken care of immediately. She saw the man she had met in Blue Cove, the one named Sam, as he grabbed several items from the car and headed for the door.

The sudden surge of activity in the house had Elizabeth unusually distracted, and after Sam entered the house, she almost shut the door without realizing there was still one more person headed into her home. She reopened the door, about to apologize for her rudeness when she froze completely, her eyes locked on the intense blue ones staring back at her.

Cox noticed the older woman standing in the doorway and he immediately found himself staring. She was Miss Parker, aged 40 years surely, but still, it was the same face. He had never heard of Mrs. Parker having any living family, but clearly this woman and the other female Parkers were connected. Still, his surprise didn't account for hers. The woman seemed unable to speak as her eyes bore into him. The stare created a growing sense of discomfort in a man used to being the one who caused such feelings. Something in that look reminded him very much of the way Angelo had looked at him when he'd spoken those mysterious words earlier - 'Confused heart. Good blood.'

Suddenly the woman reached out and, in the gentlest of ways, placed her hands on his arm. Cox was startled, not by the touch itself, but by the immediate jolt of recognition that flooded his being. With it came a rush of thoughts and memories - images of Miss Parker, of all the little looks and movements that had intrigued him and flamed his curiosity about where she came from; he heard his own tiny voice repeating what seemed merely a flight of fantasy a few hours ago; he felt something bloom inside of him, something he had never in his felt before in his life - he felt whole.

Harry happened down the hallway and found his wife and the enigmatic man still standing there, eyes locked, Elizabeth's hand on his arm. Something about the scene seemed frozen, as if both parties involved had no idea what should come next. With no other ideas about what he should do, Harry cleared his throat. The noise seemed to snap Elizabeth and the thin man out of their shared suspended state, and two heads turned to look at him at virtually the same moment.

"Lizzy, is everything all right?"

Elizabeth looked at Harry blankly for a moment, and he was starting to think something was terribly wrong, but then he saw his wife take a deep breath, and just as suddenly as she had slipped into the trance that had held her, she sprang completely free of it. She quickly guided the other man completely into the house and shut the door behind her. The young man also seemed to finally be back in the land of the living, and he began to look around nervously.

"If you could just tell me where Miss Parker is..."

Elizabeth closed her eyes briefly as his voice floated through her being. So familiar, but now wasn't the time for this. Little Cat needed their help.

"I'll show you. It's just upstairs. Harry, can you check on Matthew please?"

She saw Harry nod, then Elizabeth started up the stairs. A still shell-shocked Cox followed behind her. Harry walked off toward the kitchen, where he had left Emily and Matthew. Major Charles had instructed his daughter to keep the young boy away from Parker until they could figure out what kind of shape she was in. He walked in just in time to see his grand-nephew trying to spin around in Emily's arms, his tiny limbs reaching out toward a presence he could feel as tangibly as if she were in the same room. Tears followed, and soon Matthew was near hysterics. Emily shifted the baby in her arms as her desperate eyes found Harry's.

"It's like he can feel everything that's happening. I don't know what to do for him."

And the truth was Harry didn't either. He was about to admit as much when Angelo entered the room. Emily saw that Parker's brother had entered with one intention, and as he reached out for Matthew, she relinquished her hold on the baby. Angelo pulled the baby close, gently rocking from side to side, his hand stroking the little boy's back.

"Mother needs rest, little one."

And though it seemed impossible to both Harry and Emily, Matthew seemed to understand his uncle completely. The baby slowed, then stopped his tears, and snuggled against Angelo, seemingly grateful for the connection to the woman he loved so much.





Upstairs, Parker's room had quickly filled with a slew of concerned onlookers. Jarod was barely aware of it as he settled her frail form on the bed, quickly taking stock of all the items he had called ahead for. Harry and Elizabeth had done well. All of the equipment was in place and the bed was made up with layers of warm, soft sheets and blankets. After placing Parker beneath those protective layers of cloth, he finally began to let the scene in the room register.

What he saw was chaos, and that was one thing Parker couldn't afford right now. She needed them all to be calm and make good decisions; what she was getting instead was Sam glaring at Cox, who had been escorted in by Elizabeth, who seemed to be a million miles away. Will, who had grown so relaxed while helping to cloak their escape on the plane was newly agitated as he tried to think of what he should do to help his mother.

For the first time, Jarod also saw that his father had joined them. With a pleading look in his eyes, Jarod looked toward the Charles. The elder Russell picked up on his son's thoughts immediately, and he moved so he was standing in the center of the room.

"Everyone, I think what Parker needs now is some quiet and to get settled in."

The nervous chatter that had filled the room suddenly stopped, and Sam was the first to acquiesce to the Major's implied request. The sweeper quietly left the room and made his way to the front porch of the house, taking up a position to do what he did best...protect Miss Parker and those that mattered to her.

Back upstairs, the Major was becoming increasingly aware of his elder grandson's presence, and it was definitely adding to the tension in the room. Though Charles knew the boy was a part of his family, but he was also still the person responsible for the Major's extended stay at the Centre. For his part, Will had also become very aware of his grandfather's presence, and his own guilt was threatening to send him into a flood of tears. Jarod picked up on the difficult feelings between his father and son, and he realized this was a problem he would have to solve.

"Elizabeth, can you show Will where he's staying, please?" Jarod saw the teen about to protest, and he cut off the boy before he could speak. "Will, if you could check on our friends at the Centre, I'd appreciate it."

Though Will still wanted to stay with his mother, he understood the importance of what his father was asking him to do. Broots and Sydney were important to both of his parents, and Jarod was trusting him to help keep them safe. Nodding, Will followed the woman he knew as Elizabeth, momentarily stunned as everyone was by the resemblance of the woman to his mother. Elizabeth, seeing this, smiled, and put her arms around Will.

"Come on, young man. I have a feeling we have a lot to talk about."

That left Cox, Charles and Jarod in the room with Parker. Jarod forced himself to slip into doctor mode as he replaced the IV Cox had started with a fresh one, then he checked her temperature and vital signs. His heart tightened at the sound of Parker's labored breathing, and though Cox had done a good job of draining her lungs, there was no mistaking that there was still fluid present in them. The longer the fluid sat there, the greater the chances she would develop pneumonia, and with her fever already tipping 103, that was something she couldn't afford.

Charles watched his son as Cox slipped toward the back of the room. Here in this home, surrounded by people who genuinely loved Miss Parker, he suddenly felt oddly out of place. He had done what he considered right in helping her escape and in caring for her to this point. Now, however, he wondered what he was supposed to do next. Surely the sweepers at the Centre had told the powers that be about his involvement in the escape. Mr. Parker's calm demeanor on the phone had not covered up his suspicion, and though Cox knew he had placated the Chairman for now, he wondered how long it would last. The thought of Garvey finding out about his betrayal sent a chill through Cox's spine, yet he noted that he despite his sudden fear, he didn't feel any sense of regret. He had done the right thing in helping this family, and he would not allow himself to think otherwise.

Then there was this woman...the one who looked like Miss Parker, but was clearly old enough to be her mother. Why had he felt that connection to her? And her eyes; they were the same eyes Miss Parker carried; the same eyes he carried. Was it possible that what had started as a silly afterthought was becoming a reality? Was he somehow related to Miss Parker? It would explain his fascination with her, his feelings of protectiveness for her. At least, it would if you believed that old adage that blood was thicker than water. Had he somehow found "his blood" through sheer coincidence? He was so concentrated on those thoughts that he missed Jarod calling to him the first time. He heard his name on the pretender's second try.

"Yes?"

"Do you have an answer yet?"

Cox's brow furrowed as he considered Jarod's question, not certain what the man was talking about. Then he remembered. 'Why would you help her?' Cox knew his response had been true if not satisfactory. 'I don't know.'

"I...I did what I thought I should. I'm sorry, but that's the only answer I can give you."

Jarod nodded and turned his attention back to what he was doing, which was preparing a megadose of antibiotics to administer to Parker. Then he would go down to the kitchen and brew the herbal remedy he'd seen the locals in Hawaii use to help near-drowning victims purge the water from their lungs. Thankfully, all the herbs were easily accessed, and Harry had promised to get them.

Charles looked up at Cox, a feeling of hatred for the man mildly tempered by the knowledge that the Centre goon had helped free Miss Parker. With a questioning look on his face, the major moved closer to the man who had so gleefully stolen his freedom a few months earlier. His movement made Jarod glance up and he noticed that his father had a 9mm handgun in the back waistband of his jeans.

"I'm not sure why my son let you come here, but I am sure that you won't be leaving anytime soon. I'll see to that."

The Major pulled the gun out and Cox took a reflexive step backwards, his hands rising slightly.

"Major, if I'd wanted to hurt them, I would have done it already."

"Or you would have 'helped' them so that Jarod would lead you to all of us. It'd be quite a coup for you, wouldn't it, brining in the whole damn family? Well, I won't let that happen. Move."

Cox considered his options and decided that for the time being, it was best for him to go along with Charles' theatrics. It was unlikely anyplace in the house was truly secure enough to hold him prisoner if he decided to try and escape, and he needed time to sort through everything he was feeling and to plan on how he would handle things with the Centre. Slowly, he turned toward the door, the major's eyes on him the whole way.

"Dad..."

Jarod's voice stopped Cox and he glanced back over his shoulder to see that Charles had not taken his eyes off of him even as he responded to his son.

"Jarod, I'll handle this. You take care of Parker."

The part of Jarod that knew people could change wanted to disagree with his father's actions. The truth was were it not for Cox, Parker would probably still be inside the Centre suffering at Raines' and Lyle's hands. He could have stopped there and let Jarod and crew slip away into the night with her, but he had not. Cox had risked his own safety to come with them and care for Parker during the trip home. Still, he could not fault his father for being too careful. Resigned to his father's course, Jarod simply nodded and turned his attention back to Parker as the two men exited the room.

Finally alone with her, Jarod sat back and assessed her carefully. Her pale skin was shiny with sweat, the fever continuing to ravage her body. A new stream of guilt flooded through him. If only he could take back his words about Will, then maybe...

As quickly as the thoughts had begun, Jarod pushed them away. It was selfish of him to feel any of this right now. Parker needed him. He stood, checking the monitors he'd hooked up one last time before he headed toward the door. He was about to call for Elizabeth when he looked up and saw Will standing in the doorway.

"I'll stay with her. You do what you need to do."

Jarod watched his son sit down on the bed beside Parker, his hand reaching for hers and caressing it gently. Satisfied that she would be safe in Will's care, Jarod headed straight for the kitchen, ready to prepare the herbal brew he hoped would clear Parker's lungs once and for all. He was of a single mind, determined to do what he needed to, but his attention was momentarily diverted as he took the last step to the first floor and caught sight of Angelo and Matthew in the living room. The little boy was curled into his uncle's embrace, the blanket his mother had given him clutched in his tiny hands. Angelo looked up and caught Jarod's gaze and let a slight smile cross his face. Jarod returned the smile, then turned and headed toward the task he'd set for himself.







Out in the barn, Harry was keeping an uneasy watch as Charles tied Cox to a support beam inside the structure. A peaceful man, Harry had rarely even see a gun, let alone handled one. Now he was standing with one pointed at this strange man who had earlier held his wife's attention so completely.

Major Charles finished his task, double-checking his handiwork before he stepped back toward Harry and took the gun from him. He kept his eyes on Cox as he spoke.

"Harry, would you please ask Sam to come down here?"

"Sure, Charles."

It was difficult to miss the tremor in Harry's voice, and Charles realized that once again an innocent bystander had been dragged into the Centre's web. Elizabeth had mentioned to him that she had tried to keep her husband's knowledge of the place and its misdeeds to a minimum. Charles knew she'd only been trying to protect him, just as he and Margaret and Catherine had tried to protect those they loved, but she had only succeeded in discovering what they had all found out over the years - the Centre always came back, and it always hurt the people you'd tried to keep safe.

As he settled back against the beam he'd been tied to, Cox surveyed Jarod's father. The man was battle-tested; you could see it in his stance, in the cut of his body, and Cox admired that. He liked survivors, even if this particular one had caused him a great deal of difficulty.

"I'm curious what you intend to do with me, Major."

The older man looked at him with intense eyes, and Cox saw that same determined look he had seen on Jarod's face many times in the DSAs of his sims.

"I'm not sure I intend to do anything except make sure my family is sa..." the words trailed off as Charles' earlier thought returned to him. Safe...he'd tried and failed so many times, yet his loved ones always seemed to end up in danger. Cox noticed a darkening in the Major's mood as he took another step forward in the conversation.

"Well, as I said earlier, if I had wanted to hurt them, I would have done it already. I want Miss Parker to be safe."

"Yes, but you can't seem to answer the million dollar question, now can you, Mr. Cox? You've been circling Miss Parker, setting her up for failure since the moment you got to the Centre. Why the sudden change?"

Footsteps near the front door of the barn caught Charles' attention, and he whirled around to see who it was. Sam was there, waiting for instructions on what to do next. And, to Charles' surprise, Elizabeth was also standing in the doorway.

"Sam, I'd like you to stay posted outside. I need to go and check on Jarod."

Sam nodded and moved to take a secure position outside the barn. Charles followed him out the door, stopping to let Elizabeth pass in front of him. But again, the woman surprised him. She shook her head 'no' when she sensed that he was about to protest. Charles didn't like the idea one bit, but he could see that Elizabeth was as stubborn as her niece, so he gave in and walked out without her.

Elizabeth's eyes locked again with Cox's and both of them felt the surge of familiarity rush through them again. After what seemed several minutes but was probably closer to a few seconds, Elizabeth turned and went to close the barn door. Sam was there in a heartbeat, ready to protest, but once again Elizabeth silenced a man trying to reproach her.

"He's tied up, Sam. I hardly think he's going to pull anything."

Glaring hard, Sam nodded and stepped away from the door. Elizabeth shut it gently, then turned and walked toward Cox. A bail of hay was sitting near him, and she sat down upon it, her eyes staying on him as she settled herself.

"Your name isn't really Mr. Cox, is it?"

Cox narrowed his eyes and regarded the woman carefully. No record on file at the Centre revealed that he had ever had any identity other than that of Mr. Cox. Genius or not, he refused to believe that Jarod had been able to find out that information, and that left Cox wondering how in the hell this woman knew that he, in fact, had a whole life completely unrelated to the infamous Centre figure he had become.

"Your father's name is Elias Morgan, isn't it?"

She saw his eyes widen, and Elizabeth felt a deep pain in her heart. Betrayal wasn't something she was unfamiliar with - her own father had destroyed her family in order to get what he wanted. Still, some part of her had always idealized her teenage love affair as the one truly honest and real thing in her life other than Catherine. But it wasn't true. The look on this man's face - hell, his face period, told her it wasn't. Because the man who called himself Mr. Cox looked exactly like Elias Morgan except for his startling blue eyes - and Elizabeth knew whose eyes those were.

When he finally spoke, Cox didn't recognize his own voice. He knew the truth as plainly as if it were written on a stone tablet before him, yet his mind was frantically trying to push it away. The photo on the mantle of his "mother" had always been a near sacred thing to him. She'd died in childbirth - that's what his father had told him. That is what he'd always believed. Yet he knew that in recent days, his own suspicions had been heading to this very discovery.

Elizabeth moved closer to him, and she reached inside her pocket, extracting a folded piece of paper. Carefully, she opened the time-worn white sheet, her eyes closing momentarily as she took in the face that was sketched upon it.

"I made this 36 years ago. I did it so that time wouldn't steal his face away from me."

The woman extended the piece of paper toward him, and Cox, whose own hands were secured tightly behind him, leaned forward to see what it was. His mind, which was already reeling, dropped off of a cliff, and his whole being seemed to be spinning on a previously unknown axis. There was no mistaking it, despite the more than three decades of age that had come to rest on the face of the man he knew, this drawing was of the same person.

"How do you know him? How are you connected to Mr. Garvey?"

"The man you call Mr. Garvey is really David Jamison. He was my father. And, if I'm right about who you are, he's your grandfather."







There were few phrases that sent fear surging through Broots like the phrase "T-Board." His one experience with the process had left him scarred for life. So he was more than grateful to only be watching this one via the security monitors. He could see four men sitting on the "good" side of the table. One of them was Mr. Parker, but Broots was uncertain who the others might be. Across from them, the hot seat remained empty, but Broots knew that wasn't going to last long.

Raines had already been interviewed. Not surprisingly, he had lain as much of the blame as he could at Lyle's feet. Then, with a wave of Mr. Parker's hand, the man had been taken away. Broots didn't know where to, but he had a feeling he wouldn't be seeing Mr. Raines in the hallways anytime soon. After a few minutes of conference between the T-Board members, three sweepers approached the table with Mr. Lyle in tow. Mr. Parker leaned back in his chair and leveled his eyes at his son.

"Mr. Lyle, we have a few questions for you."

The Chairman's voice was gruff and as cold as Broots had ever heard it. Good, he thought. It was time for Lyle to know the kind of fear that Miss Parker had lived under for so long. How many times had she, unfairly, had to face that tone in her father's voice? Knowing that Lyle wasn't facing his real father didn't diminish the effect either. Father or not, Mr. Parker still held Lyle's fate in his hands.

"Dad, It was Raines who..."

"During this proceeding, you will address the Chairman as Mr. Parker or Mr. Chairman."

Lyle looked around, his eyes trying to decipher from what location the voice had emanated, but he could not detect its source. The shadows in the room where too heavy to see through. Turning his eyes back to Mr. Parker, Lyle took a deep breath, trying to steady his fraying nerves. He was not supposed to be in this position, damn it, and he would make everyone who'd put him here pay for it.

"Okay, Mr. Parker, it was up to Mr. Raines to secure his facility."

"I didn't ask Raines to control your sister."

He considered his response carefully. Lyle knew that he had screwed up, but the question was how could he minimize the damage to himself, while casting Raines in the worst light possible? He'd also heard rumors that Cox might have been involved in the escape. If he could push that theory to the forefront, perhaps he could even manage to bring down his rival, too.

"I realize that my security measures proved insufficient. For that, I am willing to accept that responsibility. However, you have to admit that if Mr. Raines "machine" was as effective as he proclaimed it, Miss Parker would not have been in any shape to escape. Even if she had help, which I hear she may have, you have to admit that it does bring the good doctor's methods into question."

Broots watched on the video screen as silence overtook the room and Mr. Parker listened to whispers from the men on either side of him. Then from nowhere, the androgynous "person" whom he remembered from his own T-Board experience walked up and handed a note to Mr. Parker. The Chairman unfolded the paper, read it quickly, then dropped it on the table in front of him.

"Miss Parker's escape isn't the only thing we're here to question. What do you have to say regarding the failure of Retrieval?"

"Retrieval failed for the same reasons that Miss Parker is now free. We were betrayed."

The statement was a calculated risk, and Lyle waited to see if it would pay dividends. Certainly someone inside the Centre had helped Parker escape. The fact that her two cronies Broots and Sydney had been cleared didn't mean someone else hadn't been involved. Lyle would have suspected her half-wit brother Angelo if he were still inside the walls of the Centre - but that freak was, thankfully, long gone. Though he could think of no reason why Cox would want to help the Centre's infamous bitch escape, he was as a good a suspect as Lyle had. After all, no one knew exactly where he was, and he wasn't here to defend himself.

Mr. Parker glanced up into the shadowed gallery, and the androgynous figure nodded once. Broots saw all of this unfold on the screen as he typed away at his own keyboards, carefully dropping bits and pieces of the information he was receiving from Will and Jarod into the mainframe so he could "magically" piece it all together in a few hours and produce a report for the Triumvirate. His attention was pulled back to the monitor, however, as he Mr. Parker cleared his throat, indicating the action was about to pick up again.

"You were saying, Mr. Lyle?"

"Clearly someone inside the Centre helped Miss Parker get away. You have a half-dozen sweepers who all say that Mr. Cox was seen on SL-17 during the time the escape occurred. Mr. Cox was also in charge of Project Retrieval. The fact that Miss Parker's initial disappearance ruined any hope of Retrieval working seems to me to be a bit too much of a coincidence, don't you think?"

As the members of the T-Board considered Lyle's accusations, Sydney walked up behind Broots, his eyes falling to the screen.

"How's it going?"

"Well, you were right. Lyle can't seem to shift the focus to Raines, so he's targeted Mr. Cox. Too bad for him we were expecting that." With that, Broots clicked "send" on his computer, routing a message that would, with the help of young Will, bounce through 1,200 servers in less than two minutes before it arrived in the mailbox of the Triumvirate's androgynous stalwart in the T-Board room.

Onscreen, Sydney and Broots watched as Mr. Parker, after conferring with his associates, was about to speak again when a faint beeping sound rang out in the room. As predicted, the ghoul read the e-mail, then disappeared up into the shadows as he conferred with some mysterious person that Miss Parker's friends could not see. A moment later, the figure re-emerged, and walked over to Mr. Parker, placing the laptop in front of him so he could see what had so captured everyone's imagination.

"Mr. Cox was helping my daughter, you say?"

"That's the only plausible explanation for both projects to fail so miserably."

"Then please, Mr. Lyle, explain this."

Mr. Parker angrily shoved the laptop across the table and Lyle cautiously pulled it toward him. His eyes widened with what he saw. There, in living color, was a photo of Cox. The man was bound and gagged in some godforsaken outhouse or barn. Sam lay unconscious on the floor beside him. Flashing beneath the photo was a succession of multi-colored letters that continually flashed the message "HA HA."

Before Lyle could speak, a wave of his "father's" hand brought the sweepers forward, and they grabbed him under the arms and pulled him from the chair.

"Wait. It's rigged. It has to be." As he was dragged more forcefully toward the far end of the room, Mr. Lyle's tone turned to a desperate yell. "They're working with Jarod. It's the only explanation."

"Take Mr. Lyle to Renewal Wing." There was a cold, unfeeling tone in Mr. Parker's voice that Lyle recognized. It was a tone of dismissal. "Hold him there until you hear from me."

"No. Dad! Dad!" But Lyle's cries went unheeded, and soon he was shackled to a metal table staring up at blazing white lights. And as hours melted into hours, he was left to wonder how, when he'd had everything in his grasp that he had ever dreamed of, had it all gone so terribly wrong.





The sunrise was breathtaking, and for a short time, its mythic beauty lulled Jarod's troubled mind and heart. But soon, his thoughts and his eyes turned back to the room in which he stood, and he walked back to the bed where Parker lay, still unconscious after twelve hours. Her fever was down, a fact that Jarod attributed to the herbal remedy he'd brewed and, with the aid of a sipper cup Matthew was still too young to use, helped Parker to drink despite the fact that he could not rouse her to full consciousness. One danger nullified, but now Jarod wondered if it had been done in time.

Even with the fever abating, Parker's body was still immersed in trauma. Her body continued to be wracked by torturous muscle spasms, and though her breathing had eased since he administered the treatment, his inability to wake her continued to make Jarod worry.

The problem was that he had no way of knowing exactly what had happened to Parker inside Raines' torture device. Broots had tried to get him the DSA records, but the Triumvirate had sealed them immediately, and despite the information the disks might shed on her condition, Jarod knew Parker would be furious with him if he allowed Broots or Sydney to face any more danger for her. That they had aided in her escape and had, so far, remained outside the veil of suspicion was a credit to their abilities and to the help Angelo and Will had been able to give them, not to mention thanks to a little luck. But luck ran out in the Centre, and he wouldn't have Parker wake just to find out that more people she loved had come to harm.

The problem with making that decision was that it left him without all the answers. It was clear that she'd been exposed to extreme conditions-the water in her lungs evidence of that. But he didn't know what else they'd done, and that meant he might be missing some crucial piece of information that could help her get well. He had considered asking Angelo to empathy Parker's experience in the Centre, but Angelo's talents weren't an exact science, and to put the man through feeling his sister's pain that deeply and fail...well, there had to be another option, and he was going to find it.

"You could pretend it, couldn't you?"

Jarod looked up to see that Will was awake and staring at him. The boy had fallen asleep just under two hours ago, his body crumpled into a chair beside his mother's bedside because he had refused to go back to his own room. Now he sat wide awake, his thoughts somehow keyed into the dilemma that Jarod had been considering. It seemed that clone or son, the two of them shared a bond that was undeniable. That made him both happy and uncomfortable - a concurrency of emotion that Jarod didn't understand.

"I know she wouldn't like it, but if it will help us take care of her..."

Will didn't know what to make of the small smile that crept onto his father's face. They were still strangers, learning to feel their way around each other, and still lacking in the understanding of those little subtleties that it took time to pick up about someone. So Will had no way of knowing that what Jarod had been thinking as the smile broke was that Parker, if she were awake, would be loving the "like father, like son-ness" of this moment. The truth was, he'd been thinking all night about simming Parker's torture.

"I think she'll forgive me, don't you?"

The tone of Jarod's voice and the smile which remained on his face gave away his meaning to Will, and for the first time since he'd learned who his parents were, Will felt like he had a mother and a father.

"Stay with your mother for a minute, okay? I need to take care of a few things, and then we'll get to work."

Will nodded and watched as his father walked out of the room. Turning his attention back to his mother, Will leaned forward so that his lips were near her ear.

"I told Matthew that you loved him, Mom. He smiled when I said it. I think it's because he already knew. And we both love you. We love you, Mom."







Cox had seen, heard and done some shocking things in his life, but nothing had left him as flabbergasted as what this woman had said to him. It seemed silly to him that he was so surprised, yet there he sat, utterly stunned. Hadn't he himself suspected a deeper connection between he and Miss Parker? It was part of what had motivated him to help in her rescue, wasn't it? So why was he finding all of it so hard to accept?

Looking down at the sketch again, Cox knew there was no mistaking his identification of the man. This David Jamison was definitely Mr. Garvey. Younger, perhaps, but the face was, minus a few wrinkles, the same. So Miss Parker's grandfather was the mysterious top man at the Centre? And if what this woman - he had to stop referring to her like that - if Elizabeth was really his mother, that made Garvey or Jamison, or whoever the hell he was his grandfather as well.

"I know this is a lot for you to here right now." Elizabeth chuckled as the words she'd just spoken registered in her own ears. "I said the same thing to Parker not too long ago." Cox looked at her intensely, his face turning into a question he wasn't quite ready to speak. He didn't have to, because Elizabeth could sense what it was he needed to know.

"I was told that you had died. I also thought that your father had simply disappeared from my life. I had no idea that Elias...I didn't think he'd ever do something...hell, I didn't think anyone would do something like that. I never suspected that you were alive, not until I saw you walk through my door."

Elias...his father's name seemed to hang in Cox's brain, expanding over and over again until his head wanted to explode. He had known. Elias Morgan had fabricated a dead mother and a family history and spoon-fed it to his young son, purposely keeping any hint of Elizabeth's existence a secret. That meant that he had to have been working in concert with Garvey. Otherwise, why would he have done such a thing?

"Mr. Garv...your father - why would he take your child -" Cox paused, taking a deep breath, "why would he take me from you?"

Elizabeth looked into Cox's sad, blue eyes, wishing she could spare him all of the terrible secrets she had had to share with Little Cat, but she knew there was no way. Yet it seemed the explanation would have to wait for a later time, for no sooner had Elizabeth thought the thought then the barn door opened, and Jarod stepped inside.

Cox looked up as the door opened, and he, too, saw Jarod enter. The pretender approached cautiously, sensing immediately that there was something going on in the barn he did not understand. A warm smile from Elizabeth did little to comfort him when he also saw the pain in her all-too-familiar eyes.

"Elizabeth, is everything all right?"

She only nodded, then lowered her head. Jarod took her at her word, knowing he had something important he needed to accomplish on this visit.

"Cox, I need your help."

Cox, looking a bit shell-shocked, looked up at Jarod. After a few blinks that seemed to bring him back to where he was, the blue-eyed man cleared his throat.

"This is about Miss Parker?"

"Her lungs are clearing and her fever is down, but the muscle tremors are getting worse. I think they did something to her that we haven't uncovered yet. I need for you to describe for me what you saw when you found her. I need every detail you can give me."

"I can do better than describe it...I can recreate it for you. That is, if you're willing to let me out of this rope for a little while."

Jarod, knowing there was nothing he wasn't ready to risk in order to help Parker, stepped over to begin loosening Cox's bonds. When he was finished, Cox stood, stretching his limbs. The two men started to head for the door, Jarod leading the way. Elizabeth watched them go, understanding that her time with her son would come later. So she was a little surprised when Cox suddenly stopped and turned back toward her.

"Daniel Morgan."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes, her brow furrowing as she wondered what he meant.

"My real name. It's Daniel Morgan."

With that, Cox and Jarod exited the building, and Elizabeth allowed herself to dissolve into a puddle of tears as she took in her son's name, making it a permanent part of who she was.






Two hours later, Jarod had all of the information he could possibly gather in order to begin his pretend. It had begun with Cox sketching a detailed rendering of the metal contraption he'd found Parker in. He then described everything he could remember about the room - its smell, the lighting, the sounds - everything that might help to construct the room for Jarod. As the details began to take shape in Jarod's mind, he glanced over at Will, watching the boy pale visibly as he, too, began to think about the ordeal Parker had endured. Seeing this, Jarod held up his hand to stop Cox momentarily.

"Will."

The teen did not hear his name at first, his eyes fixed ahead as if he were seeing something he could not turn away from. The second time Jarod called to him, though, he did hear and he turned toward the place the voice had come from.

"Will, I'm the one doing the pretending here, right? You have to turn it off now. I can't let you be a part of this if you can't do that."

Cox watched as the boy nodded, closing his eyes momentarily. With his lids still down, the boy took three deep, slow breaths. After another brief moment, Will looked up at both men, his eyes now seemingly free of the vision they had held earlier. Satisfied, Jarod turned back to Cox.

"All right, is there anything else?"

"I think I've told you everything."

Satisfied, Jarod turned his attention back to his son.

"You're sure you want to stay? You could go up and take Emily's place with your mother."

Will shook his head, making his intentions clear. He had to do something to help her. It was the only way he would ever be able to forgive himself.

"All right. Cox, you can go."

"I'd prefer to stay if you don't mind."

Jarod considered for a moment, then decided it could do no harm to allow Cox to stay. He nodded his agreement, then turned one last time toward Will.

"Have the connection ready. When I come out, hopefully we'll have something to take to Broots and Sydney."

The boy nodded, and began working at the laptop that sat in front of him. Cox took the empty seat next to Will.

Across the room, Jarod began a series of breathing exercises that he used to help clear his mind before a pretend. He left behind thoughts of his father, pacing angrily outside the door, his fury at Cox's freedom a palpable presence in the house. He pushed aside his worry for Parker and his love for Matthew, and even his trepidation about Will. He put all of this into a closeted room inside of himself so that his being could be turned over to the thoughts and feelings of the person he needed to become - Parker.

He began with the last time Will had seen his mother before she'd become ill. Picturing the room in his mind, Jarod soon saw Will standing before him, his eyes confused and frightened. He saw Parker's hands, his hands now, resting on Will's arms, trying to comfort him. Then it all began to go wrong. Lyle and the sweeper team had entered, and Parker had been torn away from their son.

'I love you, Will. I love you.'

And she did. Jarod could feel Parker's love for the troubled teenage son in the deepest part of his heart because now, that heart belong to her. He felt her fear and her worry and her guilt at having left the boy behind when she had saved Major Charles and Matthew.

Now Jarod sank deeper still into the pretend, using the details Cox had given him about the room on SL-17 to begin to reconstruct what had happened there to the woman he loved. He felt the hatred Raines had filled the air with, and he felt the joy Lyle had felt at seeing her suffer. He felt the pressure in his chest build as Parker had felt it when they had robbed her of the air she needed to breathe, and he felt the cold rush of water filling his lungs.

What Jarod felt deepest, and what he would later carry with him always was the sense of absolute horror Parker had felt, not at the torture she was enduring, but at the very idea that she would never see her sons again, and at the regret she felt for having never told him how much he meant to her. It was a feeling that, if Jarod were allowing his emotions free, he would be sharing with her now.

Then the noise began. Jarod heard it first as a slight hissing, and then it seemed to grow, surrounding him as his lungs began to ache. And suddenly Jarod knew what they had missed. Gas - Lyle and Raines had exposed Parker to some kind of gas, and it was the likely culprit responsible for her continued physical state.

Using the techniques so familiar to him from the Sim lab in the Centre, Jarod began to bring himself out of the pretend. When he finally opened his eyes, it was to find Cox kneeling in front of him, the man's hands holding Jarod firmly into the chair. A brief moment of panic flooded through the pretender before he looked down and saw why it was the other man was restraining him. Jarod's whole body was shaking...the lingering effects of the pretend causing him to suffer the same symptoms as the woman upstairs.

Though his hands were still shaking, Jarod nodded to Cox, and the blue-eyed man released his hold. Wobbling a bit, Jarod rose and made his way to Will, who instantly stood and let his father have the seat he had just occupied.

"Did you establish the line?" Cox and Will instinctively looked at each other as they heard the exhaustion and weakness in Jarod's voice. For his part, the man in question didn't seem to notice, and so Will simply stepped forward, and placed a cautious hand on Jarod's shoulder.

"Just hit send."

Jarod did as he was told, and an instant later the videophone in Broots' office began to beep. Broots and Sydney, who had virtually remained camped out in his co-worker's area in hopes of hearing news on Miss Parker, rushed to answer the call. They both tried to hold back the shock they knew flooded their faces at Jarod's appearance; the man looked suddenly 10 years older than the last time they'd seen him. Broots saw Sydney's hand turn white as the doctor gripped the desk out of frustration and worry.

"Jarod, what's happened? Is everything all right?"

"It will be." Broots could hear in Jarod's voice that the man had been through something terrible, but he didn't know what it was. He only hoped that it didn't mean he had lost the best friend he'd ever had.

"It's not Miss...I mean... "

"She's holding her own, Broots, but I need your help to fix the damage that was done to her at the Centre."

"Anything."

"Raines exposed her to some kind of gas. It's probably experimental, and probably one of his own special blends. I need you to break into his records and find out what the components are. I'm downloading a program to you now. When you get the information, start the program and it will connect you to this line."

"I'll find it, Jarod."

A slow, understanding nod was Jarod's only response, and then the line was disconnected. Broots spied a bright red icon that had appeared on his desktop. Not sparing another moment, he launched his cloaking program and began to hack away at Mr. Raines private archives, hoping he could locate what he needed remotely since a sweeper team was currently posted outside of Raines' office. Still, his attention was not completely occupied, and without looking up he asked the only person who could tell him.

"What in the world do you think was wrong with him, Syd? He looked terrible. I mean, I know he's worried about her, but..."

Sydney took a deep breath, knowing all too well what was wrong with Jarod. He'd seen him the same state so many times that he didn't want to think about it. And though he understood without knowing any details that Jarod would only have done such a thing if he'd been left with no other options, he couldn't help but wonder what it would do to the younger man to carry around the pain of this pretend for the rest of his life.






Emily opened the door quietly, bypassing a knock because she was hoping that almost all of the room's occupants were sleeping. Gratefully, she found that Jarod had drifted off to sleep on the bed beside Parker, and Will was curled up in the chair beside them, also asleep. That made it a clean sweep for the men in her family - her father and Matthew had fallen asleep in Elizabeth's rocking chair downstairs. Unfortunately, Parker, who was the lone person she had wanted to see awake, still lay with her eyes closed.

Sighing, Emily closed the door with the same care she'd used to open it, then she padded quietly to her room next door. Suddenly feeling exhausted herself, Emily sank down onto the bed. The day had been such a long one for all of them. A chill ran through her body as she remembered the way Jarod had looked following his pretend. And what he'd uncovered...that had served to literally freeze her marrow. Raines had used some kind of gas on Parker, the problem was the pretend couldn't uncover what it was.

Thankfully, Broots and Sydney had been able to access Raines' computer programs and they discovered the formula he'd used. It was a nerve gas he'd been experimenting with for years, and after doing several blood tests, Jarod, Will and the man named Cox had been able to determine that one of the compounds had broken down inside of Parker's body, basically poisoning her nervous system. It had taken hours, but they had finally come up with a chemical formula that would, they hoped, offset the effects of Raines' gas and allow Parker's body a chance to heal.

They had given her the concoction intravenously over a 4-hour period, and they had no idea when she might wake. Emily had checked on her three times, and each time, it seemed Parker's body was more still than the last, which Emily told herself had to mean the treatment was working. If the tremors were fading, it had to be working. That's what she kept telling herself, what she knew her brother and Will kept telling themselves. She was also worried about Angelo, and she had gone in search of him earlier, but she couldn't figure out where he had gotten off to.

Footsteps sounded downstairs, and Emily glanced downward for some reason, even though she knew who had made the noise. Mr. Cox was in the living room, resting under Sam's watchful eye. It had been quite a scene when her father had gone to take Cox back to the barn and Elizabeth had refused to allow it. Parker's aunt had given no real explanation for her actions, she had simply made it clear that Cox would not be treated like an enemy in her home. Jarod had, in gratitude for the help the man had given, backed her up. So Sam had been brought in to make sure the man's loyalties remained on the right side.

What puzzled Emily as she tried to go to sleep was the way Cox had looked at Elizabeth as she'd defended him...it was a mixture of amazement and something almost like pride. It was definitely something that would need more attention tomorrow. Tonight, though, she was too tired, and she was going to lie down and go to sleep and hope that when she awoke and the sun was up, her family would be happy once again.





Jarod had been too tired to resist sleep, despite his desire to stay up and keep watch over Parker. The remedy seemed to be working, but she still hadn't awakened, and he so needed her eyes to open so he could do the one thing he'd waited too long to do. But for now, he slept. In his sleep, Jarod dreamed. He dreamed of sitting in the sun with the woman he loved, with his sons, with his parents and Angelo and Emily. He dreamed of being at peace.

"Jarod."

The sound barely reached his ears it was so soft, but Jarod's whole body was tuned to Parker, and it reacted quickly. He was fully awake and looking down into her open blue eyes in less than a minute.

"I'm here, Parker. I'm here, and our boys are, too."

She blinked and swallowed, her mouth dry from the ordeal she'd been through. She followed that with a deep breath, then she spoke in the same weak tone again.

"Sorry. Should have told you..."

Before she could finish, Jarod brought his finger to her lips.

"I didn't let you tell me."

Parker smiled slightly, her body trying to drag her back into sleep. Jarod could see her fading, but he wasn't worried. She would need her rest to recover, and now that she had managed to return to him once, he knew she would do it again. Still, there was something he needed to do before he let her drift off.

"I love you, Parker."

That earned him another smile, and though she was far too tired to reply to him, Jarod didn't need her to. Parker had shown how she felt in everything she'd done, from coming to San Diego to save him from Damon to risking her life to save his father and sons. Her eyes drifted shut and Jarod pulled her into his arms, bringing her head against his chest. He was about to close his own eyes again when he looked up and saw that Will had woken up. He smiled widely, and his son picked up on the meaning behind the action, returning the smile.

Will snuggled back down and closed his eyes, pretending to sleep. A few days ago, he had slept in his empty, cold room at the Centre, never knowing he could have more than that. Now he had a mother he adored, a father it seemed he just might be able to get along with - heck, he had family coming out of the rafters now. And as he drifted back to sleep, Will dreamed the most beautiful dream he had ever had in his life. He was sitting outside in the sun, with his mother and father and brother, and all of their family...


The attic had become a home to Angelo during his first stay with Elizabeth, and he had returned there now to do what he needed to do to help protect his family. His fingers clicked away on the keyboard, building the small components of symbols and letters into a piece of work so skillful that no one in the Centre, not even Broots, would be able to pick it apart. His sister and Jarod had risked enough to protect the family. Now it was his turn to do what his mother had been unable to do - save Parker and Jarod.

The footsteps on the stairs brought Angelo's eyes up to find Mr. Cox standing across from him. The man walked toward him, and Angelo felt a small bit of surprise at how unafraid the man now made him. Cox knelt down beside Angelo, whose hands continued to click away. The action only stopped when Cox's trembling hand reached out and came to rest on top of Angelo's. The contact seemed somehow familiar to Angelo, and he read the feelings the man shared with him, judging them as genuine.

"Daniel wants to help family. Help Angelo save family."

Sighing, Cox moved his hand, placing it on Angelo's shoulder.

"Yes, Angelo. I want to help save my family."

Matter of Blood
Part 21a
by N.R. Levy


The elevator doors opened and Cox and Sam emerged, providing a sight that both amused and shocked the Centre personnel who were present to see it. The two men looked as if they'd been, to use a cliché, road hard and put out wet. Cox had a large bruise on the side of his forehead, dirt encrusted in his hair, and his suit had been torn in at least a dozen places. Sam looked as if he could barely move his jaw, the scrapes and bruises there were prominent, and he walked as if he had a metal pipe sewn into his right leg that prevented him from bending it.

As the two men made their way across the lobby, eyes turned down quickly and hands raised to mouths to cover their snickers and smiles. Sam had long been regarded as the toughest sweeper in the Centre. Hell, to be Miss Parker's chosen man, he had to be. And Mr. Cox...well, there was no end to the people who quaked in fear just seeing him walk into a room. No one could imagine what had happened to them to leave them in such a state.

Hobbled by their injuries, the two men had barely made it to the elevators that accessed the executive floors when the doors opened and Mr. Parker stepped out flanked by a unit of sweepers. Cox and Sam stopped dead in their tracks at the site of the Chairman.

"I can assume from your state that Jarod got away."

Both men looked Mr. Parker dead in the eye, but it was Cox who responded to the older man's statement.

"Yes, sir, he did."

"Does he have my daughter?"

"We never saw anyone but Jarod," came Sam's reply.

The Chairman cleared his throat and motioned to the sweepers. The men divided in half, three to a team, and moved to either one of the two returned prodigals.

"You two will need to be debriefed. There was some trouble here while you were gone, and we need to determine if you know anything about it."

"Of course, Mr. Parker," said Cox, wincing a bit to emphasize his discomfort. "Whatever you'd like."

Mr. Parker nodded with satisfaction and watched as the two were led away by the sweepers. As they rounded the far corner, Mr. Parker glanced upwards toward the spot where he knew a camera, one with very limited access, had just watched the whole scene unfold. Mr. Garvey was personally going to assess the probability that Cox had been involved in the escapes. For all their sakes, Mr. Parker hoped that Cox would pass the test. It had been he who brought Cox into the Centre, and it would not please Garvey if someone he'd recommended had become a traitor.






On Sublevel 20, Cox watched through the glass of his own door as the sweepers secured Sam in a separate room. They had expected as much. Broots and Sydney had gotten word to Jarod about the T-Boards and the suspicions Lyle had cast on Cox's actions. Though the video of he and Sam in bondage and unconscious, respectively, had bought them a certain amount of credibility, both the doctor and the sweeper had known that they would need some extra insurance before they waltzed back into the Centre.

Thinking back on the amused faces of the junior staff members as he and Sam had walked in, Cox wondered just what they would think if they'd seen what had occurred a few hours earlier when he and Sam had squared off in Harry and Elizabeth's barn and beaten each other senseless in order to fabricate their cover. Jarod had thought they were both crazy when, bloodied and exhausted, both men had collapsed on the ground laughing. Perhaps they were crazy...they were both risking everything now. Yet Cox knew that at least for himself, everything had taken on a whole new meaning in the last 48 hours. Everything was a mother and a cousin and her children...everything was the truth.

Cox eased himself down on the cot and laid back to get what rest he could until they came for him. His mind, muddled so desperately after Elizabeth had revealed his own past to him, was clear now. He knew that he had been betrayed by his father and, as it turned out, by his grandfather. And though he would have sworn to anyone who asked him just a few days ago that he didn't want or need a family, now that he had one, it meant...well, not to repeat himself, he thought, but it suddenly meant everything.






Parker blinked her eyes open, the light hurting them a bit from all the time she'd been unconscious. All day long, she had been drifting in and out of sleep. Each time she opened her eyes, she found herself surrounded by those she loved. Angelo was always around, huddled in a corner or lying close to her. Elizabeth had read to her and Emily had brought Matthew into the room and laid him on the bed so his little hands could touch her. Though she'd been half-asleep, Parker had felt a surge of completion run through her as Matthew's fingers curled around her own. And though she wasn't sure if it were real or a dream, Parker could have sworn that at one point she'd awakened to find Jarod and Will talking to one another without an ounce of tension in the room.

Her body ached from the ordeal it had endured. Stretching cautiously, she couldn't hold back a slight groan of discomfort as her arms and legs tried to uncoil despite the stiffness left behind by the horrible tremors she'd gone through courtesy of Raines' gas. The groan brought movement in the room, and the blinds were quickly closed. Now able to open her eyes a little more, Parker looked to her side in time to see Will sit down beside her.

Her son...strange how it seemed he had always been hers when she'd only known of him for a few short days...her son looked tired and thin and about a year older than when she'd last seen him. The memory of his pleas for her, of his calling out to her as the sweepers took her away, would stay with her forever. Parker only hoped that they would have enough time together to make a host of newer, happier memories to try and bury that terrible one deep inside.

"How long this time?"

Will smiled tentatively as he glanced at the clock.

"Three hours, but you need the sleep, Mom."

His mother nodded and shifted very slowly, making herself more comfortable. Will wondered if she could hear his heart. Actually, it was pounding so loudly, he wondered if the whole house could hear it.

This wasn't the first time she'd been awake when he was in the room, but they hadn't spoken much. She'd still been so weak. Only now did she seem close to her real self. And Will was nervous. He knew that she loved him, that she had forgiven him, but he didn't know how to forgive himself for what he'd done to her. One careless act, and it had almost cost him the most important person in his life.

Sensing the teen's raging emotions, Parker lifted her still shaky arms and motioned for him to come to her. Will hesitated, but only until he felt the dam of tears he was fighting begin to break. He leaned forward, burying his head against his mother's chest as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry, Mom. I'm so...I was just so angry."

"Shh, I know, baby. I told you, that only proves that you're mine. I hurt people I love all the time when I get angry or scared."

"But I should have known you weren't like that. I should have trusted..."

"No one has taught you how to trust, Will. You can't know how to until you see it."

"The Major...my grandfather...he tried, and I did the same thing to him."

Parker mustered all the energy she could and wrapped her arms even tighter around her son. How well she knew the place where he was at this moment, and she knew that all she could really do for him was hold him and hope he could feel how completely he now owned her heart.

"Just remember that I love you. Focus on that, baby, and everything else will be okay. I promise."

Out in the hall, Jarod leaned against the wall as tears streamed down his face. He wasn't certain what it was...the sound of Parker's voice so strong and confident again, the pain his son was feeling, or just the reality of all that had changed in the past week, but what Jarod did know was that he was going to do whatever it took to protect the two people in that bedroom, the baby boy down the hall, and everyone else that they all needed in order to be a happy family someday.

Searching for his composure, and knowing that Parker and Will probably needed more time alone, Jarod headed downstairs. His mood, darkened slightly by thinking of all that his family had lost, lightened immediately as his eyes fell on the scene that met him in the living room. Angelo and Emily were seated on the floor on either side of Matthew, their legs open in wide Vs. Matthew, now contented by his mother's strong presence in the house, was giggling as he displayed his talent at rolling over from side to side, his laughter and energy spurred on by the applause and squeals of the adults.

He'd thought to join them, but something made him turn to look the opposite direction. Elizabeth was sitting across the hall in the dining room, her eyes fixed on the window and the view outside. Knowing that his youngest son was happy and safe, Jarod walked toward Parker's aunt and turned his gaze in the same direction as hers. Harry was walking toward the barn, Angel, Angelo's puppy trailing after him. The little dog that Parker had pegged as a survivor was growing every day, and her devotion to the family was evident. Yet despite the cute and captivating scene, Jarod doubted it was what had caught Elizabeth's attention so completely. Rather, he imagined she was trying to look all the way to Blue Cove, Delaware. He knelt down beside her, his hand reaching out to take hold of one of hers.

"He'll be all right, Elizabeth. He comes from good stock, a true line of survivors."

That made the older woman smile slightly, and she moved her other hand atop the clasped twosome of her right hand and Jarod's left.

"You're still not sure you trust him, are you?"

Jarod could have tried to lie to her then, but she deserved better than that, and he knew it.

"No, I don't. I've spent a lot of months building up a healthy mistrust of Mr. Cox. Daniel, your son...that person is someone I don't know. He could be back at the Centre right now telling them chapter and verse how to find us and what we have planned."

"I know," Elizabeth responded, nodding slightly, "but I don't think he'll betray us."

"I know you don't. Angelo doesn't either. That's why I agreed to the plan. If you two feel you can trust him, I want that to be true. And I can't ignore what he did for Parker and Will. If he hadn't helped Sydney and Broots find her..."

She didn't need him to finish the thought. Elizabeth knew all too well how close they'd come to losing Little Cat.

"It's just, I have so much to lose if we're wrong, Elizabeth."

"We're not wrong. I know it doesn't make any sense, Jarod. I never even saw him when he was born, yet the first time I laid eyes on him, I knew. I saw those eyes, and I knew he was a part of me, of my blood. He won't betray that."

Jarod stood, walking in front of Elizabeth and closer to the window, his hands diving into the pockets of his jeans.

"But he's Garvey's blood, too."

"Yes, he is," Elizabeth said, "but so am I, so was Catherine, so are Angelo and Little Cat, and both of your boys. Yet we've all walked a better path, a truer path than him. We found each other. We have to believe that Daniel will find his way home, too."

"Uh, Dad?"

Jarod turned sharply at the sound of Will's voice, momentarily alarmed that the boy's presence meant something was wrong with Parker. Will instantly read the look on his father's face and shook his head.

"No, she's fine. Maj...uh, Charles is with her. I wanted to talk to you for a minute."

The tenuous bond between these two was palpable in the room, and Elizabeth decided to excuse herself and go start lunch. She knew that they would find their way together, their mutual love of Parker and Matthew would ensure that. And nothing would foster that connection between them better than communication and time alone.

Jarod smiled a thank you at the older woman as she left the room, and he watched as Will stepped nervously toward him. There were still faint tearstains on his cheeks, and from someplace filled with natural instinct Jarod felt the urge to reach out and wipe them away. Yet he knew that his child was not a child, he was a young man. Will was learning to deal with what it meant to be a man in the world, to be part of a family, and to take responsibility for his choices. And that, as his father, was what Jarod had to let happen, no matter how much he wished he could spare him the pain that would go along with that growth.

"Mom's doing better."

"That's good," Jarod said as he sat down, motioning for his son to take another one of the available chairs. "It helps her to spend time with you and Matthew."

"Yeah, I'm gonna take him up later and read them a story. Uncle Harry said something about a book called 'Green Eggs and Ham.' Sounds like an odd food choice, but I guess that's why they wrote a book about it."

That got a chuckle out of his father. The innocence of worldly things reminded the Pretender so much of his own child-like wonder just a few years ago. It made him happy to see it. Despite everything, there was still some little boy left inside of the young man. And Jarod knew his job would be to teach him how to enjoy that side of himself.

"Anyway, I...well, I got to thinking this morning that, you know, we had to leave Blue Cove without anything. None of Mom's stuff, you know, and maybe...well, I mean, I know she can borrow stuff from Aunt Emily and Aunt Elizabeth, but I just thought she might like some stuff of her own. And since you've known her so much longer than me, I thought maybe, that, you know, we could go into town and get some things for her."

It had taken a lot of words to put the simple request out there, but Jarod understood that it had been a Herculean effort for the boy to come to him now that the crisis was over and suggest an idea regarding Parker's care. It was entirely possible that, while her health was still in question, Jarod had been willing to listen to any suggestion, even one from a son he didn't trust. It was just as probable now that, with her on the mend, he'd turn back toward his resentment of his oldest child rather than embrace him. Of course, it was an impossibility on Jarod's part, but Will didn't know that yet.

"I suppose we can find a bottle of Chanel somewhere in town. If we head out now, we can probably make it back in time for lunch."

The smile that broke out on Will's face was worth more to Jarod than almost anything he could imagine. Within minutes, father and son were in the truck headed to town on their first outing together, and for a few precious hours, the Centre and its dark specter were far away and all that mattered were silk dresses and sterling silver hairbrushes with which to pamper the woman that was the very heart of their universe.







The halls of Sublevel 20 were silent, and much to Cox's amazement the quiet had lulled him to sleep. Not that the rest was really peaceful. His mind kept fixating on an image of young Will holding his baby brother. The idea that those two boys were connected to him, that they had almost been denied their natural right to be a part of their own family-well, it seemed to echo the truth of Cox's own life, and it brought forth in his unconscious a well of hurt and longing from his childhood that the man hadn't even been aware existed inside of him.

The silence soon erupted into a clatter of noise as a door slammed shut and several sets of footsteps began to move closer to Cox's cell. He moved his sore body to the door in time to see a fleet of sweepers escorting Sam away, most likely toward the T-Board room.

Well, there was step one. Jarod had called that one perfectly, and Cox sensed that everything else this day would progress just as Jarod had simmed it. Cox smiled as he remembered. It seemed almost comical that he and Jarod were working together now, had been since Cox had made the fateful decision to help in Miss Parker's escape. But the real moment of truth had come when Major Charles had discovered he and Angelo working at the computer in Angelo's attic space. Cox could still feel the older man's incredibly strong hands on his shoulders, pulling him away from the computer.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The Major's voice was low and measured, a controlled anger lurking so close to the surface that it was palpable in the room. Cox, who was used to always being in control of himself, was stunned to find he was grasping for words to describe just what exactly he was doing. Thankfully, Angelo had stepped in.

"Help family. Help Sister, now help all of us."

Charles shook his head, unconvinced.

"He's part of the Centre, Angelo. He could hurt all of us."

Charles started to reach for Cox again, not anticipating that Cox had sensed the movement and was preparing to fight if he had to. He would not be restrained or locked away from his family again, not when he knew that what he and Angelo had already begun was perhaps the only way to keep them all safe. Had he had time to think about it, Cox might have marveled then at his sudden feelings of familial affection, but there was no time. Angelo grabbed Charles' wrist to stop his action.

"No! Helping is his chance. Can't take that away. Sister wouldn't want that. I don't want that."

A slight gasp came from the stairs then, and the men all turned to see Jarod standing there. In all the years Jarod had known Angelo, the man had never once uttered a phrase with the word "I" in it. It was as if when Raines had driven his personality inside, anything identified as "I" had gone with it, and Angelo had been left only able to identify himself as an entity. Whether this sudden change was a result of Elizabeth's psychiatric care or his flourishing bond with Parker was really irrelevant. The end result was that this man who had spent so much of his life in a damaged state seemed to be healing, and the strength of his determination could not be ignored.

Charles watched as his son walked over to the small group. Jarod looked tired, but relieved. Now that Miss Parker was on the mend, they were all breathing a little easier, but this sudden reminder of the threat Cox could pose to them had Charles on edge again.

"Jarod, I caught him at the computer with Angelo."

"Angelo has thought of a way to get Sam and I back into the Centre," said Cox, and Jarod narrowed his eyes at the man.

"What makes you think I'm going to let you go back to the Centre?"

"Because the only way for you and the people you love to be safe is for the Centre to be neutralized. And I'm the only one who can do it." Cox's voice was calm and it possessed a definite confidence. What it also had that Jarod couldn't help but note was a sense of sincerity. Still, Jarod's anger at the Centre, at what those bastards had done to Parker and their children, it was too strong for him to think in terms of anything milder than total obliteration of the entity that had nearly ruined his entire life.

"The Centre doesn't need to be neutralized, it needs to be destroyed."

"No, Jarod, that's where you're wrong." Cox stepped closer to Jarod, making certain his eyes and the Pretender's were locked so that his meaning would not be misinterpreted. "The Centre can't be destroyed. If it could, don't you think that Catherine Parker and your father and all the people who've tried to get in their way over the years, don't you think they might have made a dent? The Centre is a power structure bigger than even you can comprehend, and dismantling it will take decades."

"My children don't have decades."

Cox nodded. "I know. That's why I have to go back. Don't you see, Jarod, I'm his choice. Miss Parker's humanity 'failed' our dear grandfather. I'm the one he expects to succeed him. Proving my loyalty is the only way to keep that expectation alive. By doing that, I can be in position to do the one thing we can do to protect our family."

Charles cleared his throat, the tension in the room making him feel as if he couldn't quite catch his breath. "And what is that one thing?"

"Take control of the Centre, and make that son of a bitch pay for what he's done to all of us."

Now Cox stood within the Centre, their plan firmly in action. When he heard several sets of footsteps coming toward his cell, Cox stood and straightened his disheveled clothes as best he could. It seemed it was time for phase two to begin.

Matter of Blood
Part 21b
by N.R. Levy


Garvey was not happy. Not only had his granddaughter proven to be stricken with the same personal weakness that had destroyed her mother, but in the space of a few hours the Centre had lost control of two more pretenders thanks to their fugitive one, and Miss Parker was also now included among the missing. There were Lyle and Mr. Raines to deal with as well, but the former was locked in the Renewal Wing under the very special care Garvey had personally ordered for him, and the latter was on a plane to Equatorial Africa. Raines had failed him for the last time, and Garvey had issued orders that he was not to return no matter what miraculous conversions of faith he protested this time.

Any other decisions, such as what to do with Mr. Parker for his continued incompetence, were pushed aside so that Garvey could devote his full attention to the T-Board. He had to know if Cox had betrayed him. If he had, then both of his heirs had proven defective, and it meant that getting back the next generation of Jamison progeny was more critical than ever.

A knock at the door indicated that who he had been waiting for had arrived, and Garvey barked out a terse "Come in," which resulted in the door opening and Cox, who looked very much worse for wear, to be lead into the room. The man took a stance in the center of the area near Garvey's desk, his stance tall, his eyes focused straight ahead. Well, if the boy had something to be afraid of, he certainly wasn't showing it. Not yet.

Garvey nodded and the sweepers who had brought Cox left the room. A flick of Garvey's hand brought the monitor screen near his desk came to life. The screen was soon filled with an image beamed straight from the T-Board room. Sam sat at the ominous end of the table, his tired face clearly annoyed by the questions he was being asked.

"Your friend seems to be holding his own."

Cox measured the sound of Garvey's voice. He was definitely fishing, trying to find cracks in the doctor's façade. Cox let his eyes move briefly to the screen, then he returned to staring straight ahead.

"Last time I checked, I didn't have any friends."

Garvey took in the response, then sat down in his chair. He purposely avoided inviting Cox to sit opposite him.

"You are living under a very large cloud of suspicion, my friend. In your absence, some rather serious accusations were made."

"With all due respect, Mr. Garvey, I wasn't absent, I was chasing after our missing pretender. I believe that's what I was instructed to do."

Cox waited in the silence that followed. He and Jarod had discussed this scenario at length. If he were too aggressive, Mr. Garvey would probably guess that Cox was trying to convince him of something, and if he seemed too concerned, well, then the good doctor knew that his mentor cum grandfather would consider that weakness and fail him just as he has he had failed Parker when it came to the potential heir test.

"Mr. Lyle says that you helped Miss Parker escape from the Centre."

"Excuse me?"

"I said..."

"I heard what you said, sir," Cox began, just the right tone of annoyance in his voice, "but how could I help Miss Parker escape from the Centre when I didn't even know she was here?"

Point scored. Garvey took in the information, and he was convinced. His own security checks had showed that there was no record on any of the security DSAs that Cox had discovered Miss Parker in the Centre.

"There were sweepers who said they thought it was you that warned them Jarod was in the Centre."

"Mr. Garvey, if you believed that, I wouldn't be here or in front of a T-Board, I'd be headed to the Centre morgue. Now, may I please get back to work? It seems the number of escaped pretenders keeps going up rather than being reduced. I'd like to change that."

Garvey surveyed Cox a few more moments. The man bore further watching. He seemed to be innocent of the ridiculous charges leveled by Lyle, but one could never be too careful within the Centre.

"Fine. Jarod and the two boys are to be returned quickly and unharmed."

"Of course. And Miss Parker?"

"Her return is unnecessary."

And there it was. With his own ears, Cox had heard his grandfather, his own flesh and blood, pass a death sentence on Parker.

"Very well."

Cox turned and moved to the door. Closing it behind him, he took a deep breath and began to move down the hall. He was really going to enjoy the moment when he brought David Jamison's world crashing down around him.

The moment Cox stepped out of the office, a second door inside the room opened and Mr. Parker stepped out taking the "hot seat" in front of Garvey.

"Do you believe you can trust him?"

"I trust him as much as I trust anyone."

Mr. Parker knew that meant not at all, but Cox seemed to have earned another chance. What that meant for him or for any of the other powers that be in the Centre remained to be seen.






The moment Emily heard the truck's approach, she ran out to the porch. The sound in Jarod's voice when he'd called had both surprised and delighted her. It was as close to happy as Emily could remember hearing him since those precious few days that she, Jarod and Parker had spent here last Christmas.

The truck came to a stop in the driveway and Jarod and Will both excitedly climbed from the cab. Within minutes their arms were laden with bags and boxes-the treasures collected on their shopping spree in town. Emily wouldn't have imagined the little berg having that many stores to visit; in fact, she couldn't remember them going into more than four or five during the holidays. Yet it seemed that the Russell men had more than pleased themselves with the offerings found.

"Everything okay?" Jarod asked as he climbed the porch steps.

Emily nodded. "Are you kidding? She'd have been happy if we let her out of bed to sit in a chair by the window. Letting her out to soak in a hot tub was grounds for life-long gratitude. I think Dad got three kisses on the cheek for carrying her down the hall.

They all laughed, and Emily was struck by how similar Will's laugh was to his father's. She looked at her nephew carefully, enjoying the glint of real joy she saw in his eyes as he thought about surprising Parker.

"Well, she's not gonna stay in that tub forever," Emily smiled. "You two better get upstairs."

Needing no further prompting, Jarod and Will made their way into the house and upstairs. As they passed the bathroom, they could hear quiet conversation inside and knew that Elizabeth was helping Parker finish her bath. That meant that they had to work quickly if they wanted everything in place.

With swift movements father and son unpacked their packages, and suddenly Parker's room was filled with a silver-plated vanity set, a bottle of Chanel Number Five, (Jarod still couldn't believe they'd actually found that item,), makeup brushes and cosmetics. When those bags lay empty, Will took several boxes and began to open them, revealing skirts and shirts and a few pairs of jeans, which he then carefully hung in the closet. As Will worked, Jarod stocked the dresser drawers with soft nightgowns and a host of undergarments. Jarod couldn't help but laugh as he remembered Will's embarrassment at being in the "girls' store."

Thinking of his son, Jarod looked up in time to see the pleasure on Will's face as he unpacked his favorite purchase of the day. It was a midnight blue silk sundress. He'd been certain the sleeveless, front-button dress, though much simpler than the clothes Parker was used to, would look beautiful on his mother. Jarod hadn't been about to argue.

They were just stacking up all of the empty bags and boxes when a knock sounded at the door followed by Elizabeth's head poking in.

"Jarod, she's ready to come back down."

"Okay, I'll come and get her. Will, take this stuff out and then go get Matthew and come back, okay?"

Will nodded agreement and gathered up the rubbish as Jarod headed down the hall to the bathroom. The door was sitting ajar, and Parker was sitting a small corner stool, her body wrapped in Harry's two-sizes-too-big bathrobe. Jarod almost wished they brought down her new one, but that might have spoiled her surprise, and he couldn't let that happen. Besides, she looked so cute in that plaid, flannel number. He was just about to tell her so when Parker looked up at him.

"Say a word, and I will find a way to hurt you, I promise."

Ah, his threatening, beautiful huntress was back...and nothing could have made him happier.

"I see we're feeling better."

Parker's pretend glare melted.

"Yes, I am. It's amazing what a hot bath will do for a girl."

That brought a smile to Jarod's face.

"Well, now it's time for all good girls to go back to bed."

"Jarod," Parker started, a sly look on her face, "I have never been confused with a good girl."

The faint hint of flirtation in her voice made Jarod's heart flutter. God, how close he'd come to...no, he wasn't going to think about it anymore. She was here and she was alive, and that was really all that mattered. With that thought, Jarod stepped forward and scooped Parker up into his arms.

"Come on, you."

Parker laughed and let herself relax into Jarod's arms. She hadn't felt so safe since...since he'd held her through the night in this house. A small shudder ran through her as she remembered her nightmare about Thomas and the way Jarod had comforted her through the horror of it. The dark images had seemed so awful then, yet it was nothing compared to the dream that had driven her away from Jarod and what it was that had begun to grow between them. Thinking of it, Parker involuntarily curled more tightly against him.

"You okay?" Jarod asked, noticing the sudden tension in her.

"Fine," she lied, not wanting to think about that dark day in their past, not now.

Jarod knew she was keeping something from him, but it could wait. What or rather who was inside her bedroom could not. They approached the door and found it standing partially open. Jarod used his foot to kick it the rest of the way and as he brought her inside, Parker's gaze fell on her two boys. Will was holding Matthew, and her oldest son looked at her with expectant eyes. She wondered why until she began to notice the new items in her room. The fully stocked dressing table was easy to spot, and they had left the closet door open so she could see it was now filled with clothes.

"Oh, no, you boys aren't planning to spoil me, are you?"

Jarod placed her on the bed, right next to her new white terry cloth robe, and smiled. "And if we are?"

Will came to stand beside his father, and little Matthew, seemingly picking up on the male bonding going on the room, fought to "stand" up straighter in his brother's arms as all of them beamed at Parker. They were so proud of themselves, she realized, and clearly whatever they'd done, Will and Jarod had done it together. That thought alone brought a huge smile to her face.

"Well, I suppose I'm in no condition to stop you, so spoil away."

Jarod settled on the bed next to Parker, helping her as she took Matthew into her arms. Her little boy eagerly snuggled against her, grateful to again be allowed the closeness, as her big boy toured the room pointing out every new item they'd purchased. Though they didn't realize it, both Parker and Jarod enjoyed the demonstration with the same thought in mind...it was almost as if they were a real family, a family not worried about their safety or freedom being taken away.

Finished with his tour, Will sat down on the side of the bed opposite his father, and looked at his mother. Parker couldn't miss the true sense of pride he felt at having done something for her.

"Will, it's all wonderful. Thank you so much. I can't wait to try it all out."

Jarod, tuned to Parker as he was, couldn't miss the exhaustion he heard in her voice. As much as he hated the idea of breaking up the family moment, she was just barely recovered from the worst part of her ordeal, and she needed to rest.

"Was someone making chocolate chip cookies when we came in?"

Parker laughed, "I think Emily and Elizabeth mentioned something about cookies, yes."

"Well, son, what do you say," Jarod said, his eyes focused intently on Will, "think you can eat more cookies than me?"

The hint was not lost on Will, who could see his mother's energy waning. He wasn't really ready to leave her, but he knew enough about what Raines and Lyle had done to her to know that she was far from 100% yet. He watched as his father reached out for Matthew, and his mother reluctantly surrendered the little boy.

"I think I can eat a dozen at least."

"Guess we better find out, huh?" came Jarod's playful reply. Before he could stand up, Parker leaned over and kissed Matthew on the cheek, and then she reached her arms toward Will. The teenage boy moved into her embrace, and they held each other tightly in a way that only mothers and sons can. Will reached for Matthew and the baby's laughter filled then lingered in the room as the little boy giggled over his big brother's tickling. Jarod turned to leave as well, but Parker's hand reached out and stopped him.

"Someone's trying to leave without his hug."

Never one to argue when a beautiful woman wanted to hug him, especially this beautiful woman, Jarod sat back down and leaned forward, pulling Parker against him. Just as it had when he'd carried her back here, it felt so good to have her close to him.

"It was the dream, Jarod."

Confused, Jarod sat back, looking at her. To his surprise, he saw sadness on her face and tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Parker?"

"I left because of the dream. I really didn't want to go, but it was so awful..."

His confusion grew momentarily, then he realized what she was talking about. "You mean at Christmas? Your nightmare about Thomas?"

"I thought it was about Thomas. I mean, it was that first time. But then on Christmas Eve I had it again, only this time it wasn't Thomas I found..."

Her voice trailed off, but Jarod didn't need to hear anymore. God, it made so much sense to him now-the way her mood had changed, the distance she'd tried to put between them, and the abrupt way she'd left him, it had all been out of fear that she would lose him. Quickly, he pulled her close and wrapped her tightly in his arms.

"It's okay, Parker. You did what you had to do. I didn't understand then, but we both had so many things to face before we could try and...I was keeping secrets, too, remember?"

"But, Jarod..."

"Shush. Let's not regret anything that might have kept us from finding our sons, okay? Who knows what would have happened if we'd stayed together then. But we know what happened when we didn't...we found our family. You found our family. So no regrets, promise?"

Jarod stroked her back and waited. Though it took time, Parker finally nodded agreement to his question, her head moving against his shoulder. He sat there, holding her, until finally she fell asleep in his arms and he laid her back against the pillows. As he pulled the blankets up around her, Jarod suddenly thought of Parker's newly-found cousin and the plan he had convinced them was the only way to set the family free.

"Please let him be right," he whispered to whoever might be listening.





After a visit to the infirmary and a hot shower, Cox was sitting in his office pressed and ready to go back to work. Of course, he was not here to do what was expected of him; there would be no pretender hunting happening today or any other day if he could help it. Daniel Cox had a new mission, one his twisted grandfather and soulless father had bred and reared him for-the acquisition of power. A man like David Jamison had enemies, and enemies lived for the chance to see their opposition fall. Cox would capitalize on that to accomplish his own goal. But first he had to find out who the keys to the kingdom were.

The doors of the office opened, and in walked Sydney and Broots. Jarod had managed to get word to them that they were to follow Cox's instructions, though passing those instructions would be very difficult and they all knew it. Cox would be closely watched now that he was back in the fold.

"Doctor Green, Mr. Broots. Now that our dear Miss Parker has flown the coop, and Mr. Lyle is, well, indisposed, you will report to me. Our main duty is the reclamation of Jarod, young William and Master Parker. These are our only objectives. Is that understood?"

Both men understood all too well. Miss Parker was still expendable to the Centre. Still, they had to make it appear that they didn't know a plan was in place to save her and everyone she loved.

"And what of Miss Parker?" said Sydney. "Surely you don't intend to just leave her out there."

"As I said, doctor, our objectives are the three pretenders. Anyone else we may encounter is incidental and unnecessary."

Broots began to speak as he knew those watching would expect him, too, but Cox was anxious to get to work and so he cut off his cousin's friend.

"This is not a time to declare the wrong allegiances, Mr. Broots. I suggest we get to work." With that, Cox extended his arm, giving a file folder to the technician.

"A list of possible leads on Jarod's potential hiding places. I expect a report in two hours."

Lowering his head, a sense of defeat emanating from him, Broots turned and walked out with the file. Sydney paused a moment, staring at Cox, then he followed his associate out of the room. In the hall, Broots kept his façade in place as he scanned the instructions Cox had hidden in the file.

"The man who formed the Centre is really named David Jamison. Find out who he hurt to get control and find out who hates him. He watches everything, so be careful. J is waiting"

Broots looked up at Sydney, his eyes full of the energy Sydney often saw there when the younger man was determined to solve a puzzle for Miss Parker. This assignment was no different.

"I'll be at my desk, Syd."

Sydney nodded and as Broots walked away, the doctor turned to head back to the Sim lab. He stopped for a moment, though, when he caught sight of Sam walking toward Cox's office. Sam paused long enough to glance at Sydney, then walked through the double doors. Inside, he found Mr. Cox seated behind his desk.

"Sam, are you ready to get back to work?"

Following the T-board, Sam had been allowed to clean up and then he'd received orders to report directly to Mr. Cox as soon as he was ready. That was good news. Jarod's sim had predicted their first few steps perfectly. Now they all had to hope that they were right about the rest of it.

"Yes, Mr. Cox."

"Good, then I have an assignment I believe singularly suited to you. Mr. Lyle is in Renewal Wing. I would like you to find out what he knows about Miss Parker's escape."

Lyle had been the one point of contention back at the farm as Jarod, Charles, Mr. Cox and Sam tried to formulate their plan. They'd already learned that Raines had been sent to Africa, and the orders Garvey had put in place should ensure that they had heard the last of that hideous monster. But Lyle was still in the Centre, and as long as he might convince someone in power to help him, he was a threat. The decision on how to handle him had been made with great difficulty, because despite Sam and Cox's ability to carry out the task, Charles and Jarod were not men accustomed to plotting the deaths of other men, even callous, cold-blooded murders like Lyle. It had finally fallen to Sam to complete the task.

"Very good, sir. I'll report back to you as soon as I'm finished."

Sam turned and walked out of the room. Though it was assumed that all sweepers had a cold-blooded mentality, the truth was that murder had never sat well with him. It hadn't prevented him from doing what he'd been asked to over the years, and he knew there was a space in hell reserved just for him because of it, but he was well aware of when his actions were justified and when they were not.

For Sam, any act performed in the larger scheme of protecting Miss Parker was always justified, even if she might not agree with it. He knew that Lyle had done many things to hurt her over the years, not the least of which was hiding her true brother from her. For that alone, Sam wanted to see Lyle suffer. But helping Raines almost destroy her in that monstrosity down in the sublevels...that had just been going to far, at least it had been for him. Even after that, Sam knew that it had been difficult for Jarod to go along with this part of the plan. Finally, what had won him over was a simple statement of fact-as long as Lyle was alive, he would try to find a way to destroy Cox, and if Cox fell, Jarod, Miss Parker and their children would be running for the rest of their lives.

Turning the corner, Sam moved to face Lyle's room in Renewal Wing.







To Jarod's amazement, his son out ate him two cookies to one, and Elizabeth laughed, saying Will was a growing boy and what did Jarod expect. It was Major Charles who added in that perhaps Will should be concerned about growing out rather than up if he kept eating cookies like that, but the teenager seemed unphased by the teasing. His day had simply been too good. And it got better when his grandfather suggested that he, Emily and Will take over dinner duties and make an old-fashioned family barbecue. Will didn't know what that meant, but that his grandfather would ask him to help after what had happened between them during Christmas meant everything to the boy. He eagerly volunteered.

Free from cooking duties, Elizabeth decided to go for a walk with Harry, their private time having been severely limited recently with the houseful of family they had in residence. With Matthew safely down for his nap, Jarod decided now was the time to go upstairs and get to work with Angelo.

Angelo's attic space had become the command headquarters for their mission against the Centre. The pretender was only really just beginning to realize how amazing Angelo's skills were when it came to working with the computer. No wonder he'd been able to act as a spy for so many years inside the Centre, the man could work magic with a keyboard and mouse, and for Jarod to be impressed...well, that was saying something.

He found Parker's twin brother working on establishing a computer link with Broots' terminal in Blue Cove. Using the link, they could upload a cloaking program that Jarod had written. The program would enable all three men to work from different terminals searching Centre databases for any information they could gather on David Jamison. Cox's specific aim was to find other players in the Centre structure that could be used to manipulate and provoke Garvey while keeping Cox's façade of supportive heir apparent in place.

"Ready now." Angelo spoke as he saw Jarod sit down at another computer opposite him.

"Okay, Angelo. I'll load the program now."

Back in Blue Cove, no one monitoring Broots' computer would have detected anything more than a screensaver download, but the technician knew that the sudden "uploading" message on his screen meant that it was time almost to get to work. As he watched the uploading percentage total increase, Sydney walked in and sat down on the edge of Broots' desk.

"Broots, I know you're worried about Miss Parker?"

Broots looked at Sydney. They had agreed as soon as Jarod contacted them that other than look for information, their main role in this power play was to keep the PTBs convinced of their loyalty to Miss Parker. They did not seem like a threat if they were backing a horse that had already lost the race.

"Sydney, they can't just forget about her."

"I don't believe they intend to forget about her, Broots. I suspect that's definitely not their intention at all."

The ominous tone in Sydney's voice prompted Broots' reply. "Then we have to do something, Syd. We can't just let them kill her."

"You stay here and do what Cox has asked," said Sydney. "I'll see what I can find out."

Broots nodded as Sydney walked out of the room. That had gone perfectly. They had planned to make it look as if Sydney were leaving to search for Miss Parker when he was really going home to search through Jacob's old notes for any references to David Jamison. If he could find something, anything, perhaps that would be the key to freeing those he loved from the Centre's torment forever.

A beep alerted Broots to the completion of the program upload from Jarod. Well, he thought, now it really was time to find out just how smart Jarod was. The technician hoped that no one had overestimated Jarod's abilities; all of their lives were dependent upon them now.





Garvey was sitting in his office when the chief of Centre security buzzed him.

"Yes? I'll see to it."

Garvey disconnected the line and turned on the monitor that covered Lyle's room in Renewal Wing. The sweeper known as Sam was in the room. He had clearly been questioning Lyle, though the questioning seemed more an excuse to beat the living daylights out of Garvey's pretend grandson. The Centre founder watched the scene with interest.

"Tell me," growled the sweeper as he loomed over Mr. Lyle, who was clearly working overtime to hide his fear.

"Go to hell. I don't answer to you. You and your friend Cox will burn in hell before I admit anything to you."

"That's not a very healthy attitude, Mr. Lyle."

"What do you think, Sam? That she'll reward you? Set you free? My sister will never have the guts to run this place the way it should be run. She's weak."

Garvey was almost amused by Lyle's determination to play the part of Miss Parker's twin to the end. Well, so be it. The charade had proved useful to Garvey, which is why he had allowed it to go on. How ridiculous the boy had been to think that no one in the upper echelons of the Centre would know the true identity of the other Parker child. Yet it had allowed Garvey to make Lyle dance to his tune, even if the younger man had never known it. Still watching, Garvey reached over and buzzed his secretary.

"Have Cox sent up here now."

He went back to watching the scene on the monitor. Lyle grew ever more defiant and whiny and Sam's temper was obviously growing more fierce with every insult against Garvey's granddaughter. It was such a shame she'd failed him. She really did inspire amazing loyalty in her subordinates.

The door opened and Cox entered. He walked forward and stopped just in front of Garvey's desk.

"Yes, sir?"

"You're aware of this?"

Cox leaned so he could see what "this" was.

"Yes. I asked Sam to take care of the Lyle problem."

"There are simpler ways."

Cox nodded stiffly, once, then spoke. "Mr. Lyle still has friends within the Centre, some of them your direct associates, I believe. It seemed prudent to make the resolution something everyone could live with."

The response pleased Garvey immensely as Cox knew it would. The sick bastard was actually proud of him for orchestrating Lyle's murder. Despite his own past and the sins he had already committed in the name of the Centre, Cox felt disgusted that this creature in front of him was any part of who he was. But just as his calm exterior threatened to break, Cox heard his mother's voice echoing from their last conversation before his return.

"You are who you are, Daniel. Whether that's what he wanted you to be or not is up to you."

Cox focused on that thought as a sharp yell brought his attention back to the monitor. Lyle had taken advantage of another sweeper's entry into the room to try and bull-rush the door. Sam and the other sweeper had both ordered him to stop, but Lyle had kept running and so Sam drew his gun and shot the man once in the back. Lyle dropped instantly. Sam did not need the other sweeper to tell him that he'd killed the target, though the man insisted on confirming it anyway.

Garvey flicked off the monitor and turned to Cox.

"Well done. We should have dinner, Mr. Cox, very soon."

"Of course, sir," Cox replied, and then took his leave. Very soon, he thought, very soon indeed.

Matter of Blood
Part 22
by N.R. Levy


The sound of laughter coming from downstairs woke Parker from her latest nap, and she stretched gingerly, her body still suffering from tight and sore muscles. The laughter was coming from her teenage son and his father and their whole amazing and strange family. God, she loved the sound of Will's laugh. She knew he was probably still getting used to it himself. It certainly wasn't like he'd had much to laugh or smile about much until recently. But she would change all that now. She and Jarod would change it together.



Suddenly the weight of all the days that she'd spent apart from both of her sons and their father began to settle in on Parker, and she couldn't tolerate the sensation. The Centre was no longer going to stand between her and those she loved, not even if her body still bore the scars and vestiges of that monstrous entity's terrible crimes. Throwing back the covers, Parker slowly pushed herself up to a seated position. It wasn't easy, but by moving cautiously, she managed. After a few deep breaths, she worked her legs over the edge of the bed and turned herself so that her feet were now dangling just above the floor. That's when her eyes fell on the plaid robe that covered her body. She laughed and ran her hand through her hair.



"Well, I can't exactly go out looking like this," she said to herself. But then Parker remembered the joyous display of clothes and accessories that her "boys" had shown to her earlier, and she realized she didn't have to worry about anything except getting to the items she needed.



The first few pieces were easy. Parker slid down to the end of the bed and stretching a bit, she was able to pull open the drawer of the dresser and retrieve a pair of undies and a bra that she smiled at as she imagined Jarod picking them out. It was such a wonderfully simple yet intimate gesture,
buying undergarments for someone, and she marveled at how perfectly they fit. Amazing, she thought, we have two children together and he can buy my lingerie in a perfect fit, but we haven't even kissed since we were teenagers. Of course, that was another thing that just might be changing soon if the closeness they'd begun to rebuild at Christmas was anything to measure it by.

Then, they'd just been friends reconnecting, people who loved each other but had never had the chance to be in love. Now they were parents and allies, with all the other feelings still there. Could she even let herself hope that it all added up to them having the future she'd been too frightened to dream of before?



Parker shook her head, not wanting to think too much right now. She just wanted to be with her family. Unfortunately, that meant that now that she'd secured her undergarments she had to actually walk to the closet in order to get something else to wear.



"Well," Parker muttered, "better to just go for it and get it over with."



Pushing against the bed with both hands, Parker hurled herself to a standing position. Her hands immediately reached for the footboard of the bed as her unsteady legs wavered. But after a few moments to compose herself, and a few deep breaths to steady her nerves, she was ready to keep going. Taking careful steps, and transferring her left hand from the footboard to the nearby dresser, Parker was able to cross to the closet. Opening the door, she looked inside at the lovely things that Will and Jarod had bought for her. They really had done an amazing job, especially considering the limited resources they'd had to work with. She started to reach for a cashmere short-sleeved sweater and a pair of slacks, but she suddenly thought of how much work getting those pants on might be, and she thought better of it. Scanning the rest of the contents, Parker's eyes fell on a midnight blue silk dress that she could easily slip on without much effort. On top of that, it was simply gorgeous, and the thought of having the soft fabric against her still sensitive skin was too good to pass up. Dress in hand, Parker took a few steps back, then she let go of her makeshift handrails and fell back into a seated position on the bed.



The dress was soon on her, and another stretch toward the dresser produced her new hairbrush. She gently pulled the bristles through her hair, knowing no one would care what it looked like, but she needing to do this routine task for herself. That's when she heard a giggle from behind her. Parker turned to see Angelo standing in the doorway.



"You're should be sleeping."



Parker smiled at her brother's confused but sweetly spoken words. His language skills had improved steadily since he'd come to live with their aunt Elizabeth, and though far from perfect, the very fact that he was even trying to communicate more warmed her heart. Parker patted the bed beside her and Angelo made his way to sit down next to her, taking her hand in his in a display of physical affection that still took Parker's breath away from its newness.



"I'm tired of sleeping, Angelo. I miss you and I miss..."



"Baby!" He smiled wide as he spoke, the light in Angelo's eyes reflected in his twin's.



"Yes," Parker said, laughing, "I miss Matthew, too. So, what do you say, are you gonna give your sister a helping hand, or what?"

Angelo looked at Parker closely, his eyes seeming to scan her whole being, trying to read how she was really feeling. Then he did another one of those things that he had never done before. He took Parker's hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Angelo loves you."

Parker leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on her brother's cheek, which was wet from a tear that had slipped from his eye. As their joy had been earlier, this, too, was mirrored by each twin as a matching tear strolled down Parker's face.

"I love you, too," Parker said quietly.

Angelo reached up and wiped his own cheek, then his sister's. Then he stood and put out his hands to Parker. "Come, go see family."

Jarod threw another batch of burgers on the grill, wondering just who was going to eat more of them, him or his son. They'd already eaten two apiece, with Harry and his father each downing one. Elizabeth and Emily had begged off the burgers and instead had grilled chicken. Charles had grilled corn on the cob and Elizabeth had thrown together an amazing looking salad. And there were still plenty of chocolate chip cookies despite Jarod and Will's best attempt to eat them all.

Will held Matthew up above him, mocking an airplane flight as Jarod adjusted the placement of his burgers and glanced up at his sons. Matthew laughed, his tiny fists batting at the air as his brother's firm hold kept him safe. It was an almost perfect picture, Jarod thought. All it needed to be complete was their mother's adoring gaze taking it in. And then Jarod heard the screen door open. His eyes turned toward it and took in the sight that waited for him. He should have been angry, should have chastised her, should have sent her immediately back to bed, but to Jarod, the vision of Parker standing there looking almost like her old self was just too good to wish away. Handing his spatula to his father, Jarod quickly crossed the distance between them and stepped to the side of her not supported by Angelo. As his hand slipped around her waist, Jarod felt the smooth, silky fabric of her dress and the warmth of her skin beneath it. His heartbeat quickened at the sensation. Parker's eyes locked with his, her own heart reacting to the closeness as well, and Angelo eased his arm away from his sister's body. She had all the support she needed. As Will watched the power of his parents love for each other expressed so silently in front of him, his breath caught in his throat. They were amazing together. It was really the first time he'd seen them like this, actually together, and with his mom in the blue dress he'd known would look so beautiful on her and his father so happy to just be close to her, Will felt himself overwhelmed by emotions he had never felt before. Part of him wanted to laugh, part to smile, part to cry, and part wanted to run to them and ask them to hold him and never let him go. It felt hard and scary and...amazing. This was having a family, he realized. It made you feel like you were spinning in
circles, but it was real and it was finally his. Well, he thought, his and his baby brother's. Will smiled as he pulled Matthew against his chest, holding his little brother's face even with his own.

"We have a family, Matthew, a family of our very own."

Matthew snuggled against his brother momentarily before his eyes locked on his mother. The infant immediately reached out toward her, his soft and excited babble drawing Parker's attention away from Jarod and over toward her two boys. Will handed his brother over to his mother, and as the little boy wrapped his small body around hers, Parker leaned over and drew Will to her as well. She kissed his cheek and hugged him close to her. Parker couldn't help but smile when she saw the slight blush that crossed her teenage son's face.

"You're going to have to get used to that, you know?" she said softly so that only Will could hear. He looked up at her, and those intense eyes gazed back at her with the same depth of emotion his father's always held.

"I think I'd like to," he said in his own quiet voice before turning into a typical teenaged boy. He cleared his throat and looked over at Emily, who was taking one of the remaining chocolate chip cookies off of the platter on the table. Though he wanted to be with his mother, he was also a bit overcome, and he found the perfect escape in his aunt. A devilish grin on his face, Will ran over to Emily and pulled the cookie from her hand, popping it whole into his mouth. Emily's mouth fell open in surprise, then she put her hands on her hips. "You little scamp!" Will tore off the porch and headed for the barn as Emily gave chase. A gaggle of giggles and laughs remained in their wake as the newly found aunt and nephew engaged in an age-old ritual of family.


Jarod, though enjoying the show, was concerned about Parker, so he stepped toward her and guided her to one of the benches, where she sat down with her arms still wrapped around a very happy Matthew. Jarod was unable to keep a smile off of his own face as he saw the mile-wide grin that had replaced Matthew's frequent frown during the days when he'd been denied this close contact with Parker. Then he felt his heart melt as she turned her eyes away from their son to him. God, what this woman did to him with just a look.

"You aren't going to scold me?" she asked.

"No," Jarod answered, "even though I should," he finished, his arms wrapping around both Parker and Matthew.

"Thank you," Parker responded as her body leaned back against Jarod's in what was becoming a familiar and comfortable embrace. They watched as Emily chased Will and he laughed and taunted her, they watched Harry walk up and wrap his arms around Elizabeth in a way only a man who knows everything about his wife can, and they both spotted the longing on Charles' face. They watched their family.

From back inside the house, Angelo looked out the window at his sister one more time, then sat down at his computer. He was glad to see her doing so much better and he wanted to be sure that both Sydney and Broots knew that she was so much better. As he typed away in a message of broken thoughts that he knew Sydney would understand but no one else would, his mail icon blinked. He quickly sent the message to Sydney and then opened the new e-mail. Angelo, so
new to feeling his own feelings, wasn't certain how to react to what he read. It was a simple phrase coming from a shadow e-mail address no one would ever be able to trace, but it was clear. "Phase two is complete."

Cox sat at his desk, his eyes scanning documents he was not reading. Still, going through the motions, making it appear that he was settling back into "business as usual" at least distracted his mind from the unfamiliar feelings he was still learning to deal with. In just a few days he had gone from a man obsessed with power to a man bound to family, a man committed to his family. It was a shift he would have thought impossible, and yet the mantle sat comfortably upon his shoulders.

After looking through enough legitimate Centre reports to make almost anyone who might be spying on him fall into a deep sleep, Cox pulled out the folder that Broots had dropped off for him on his way out of the building for the day. He hadn't found much on his first foray, but they had somewhere to start. Just prior to the supposed "death" of his family, David Jamison had begun construction of a lab in British Columbia. Two other names were on the purchase order. Randall Highton and Eric Harmon. It was the last legitimate business transaction made in the name of David Jamison. Broots had found a copy of the building's blueprint. Cox knew from his own experience that the lab had been the plan a later group of secretive builders would use to create a
research facility in the Arctic, a place where, years later, Jarod's genome would later be mapped, though apparently far less successfully than Raines had led everyone to believe. But why the trial run? What was it Jamison had been trying to establish by building the mock facility?

Cox would be certain to ask Broots to check into more tomorrow. For now, Cox used his scanner to copy the file and send it in an encoded e-mail via one of the ghost accounts Jarod had set up. The information would be in his new ally's hands before Cox could even shut down his computer.

Thinking of Jarod and of the family that he was watching over, Cox's thoughts fell on his mother. All those years...all those lies...

David Jamison was going to pay for it all. Broots shook off a chill as he walked into the restaurant where Sydney was waiting for him. They had decided not to discuss the news about Lyle until they were away from the Centre with a very large drink in their hands. Spotting his friend, Broots quickly crossed over, took his seat, and drank down half of the open Corona that sat before his empty seat. Sydney was already working on his second martini.

"Syd, do you think Miss Parker knows yet?"

"I don't know, Broots. I'm not sure how much of anything Jarod's telling her right now."

Understanding, Broots nodded and took another drink.

I wonder if she'll feel anything, you know, like, would she be sad at all. I mean, I know he wasn't her brother, but he made her believe he was for a long time. She did care about him in a weird way when she thought he was."



"Yes," Sydney said, "but I think she felt those feelings out of her natural sense of duty. She loves Angelo so completely now, and she has Jarod with her. If she is troubled at all, they'll be with her."

"What about Sam, Syd? I mean, I know he, you know, he's a sweeper, but..."

"Sam will be fine, Broots. He's doing his job. That's what he will hold on
to."

"Nice job. How do they get guys to be sweepers, anyway?"

"You misunderstand me, my friend," Sydney said, his speech stopping long enough for him to finish off the martini before him. "Sam isn't a sweeper any longer. He's a samaurai serving his master, and as long as Miss Parker is safe, her children are safe...Sam's job is his protection from the emotional ramifications of his actions. As long as his duty is fulfilled, then he's as safe as those he is protecting."

Sydney motioned to the waitress for another drink as silence fell between he and Broots.


The time with her family had been wonderful, but Parker hadn't been able to hide her exhaustion from the watchful eyes of Jarod or Elizabeth. While Jarod had gone off to put Matthew to bed, Elizabeth had escorted her niece upstairs and helped her change. Parker was now settled down on the bed, her body weary from the effort she had put out today, yet she smiled. Every moment had been worth it.

The one thing that was unsettling to Parker, though, was the sense that everyone at dinner knew something she did not. The conspiratorial looks exchanged between her family were indicative of them trying to protect her from something, and though Parker knew they were only concerned for her, she had too long been out of control of her own fate. She needed to be a part of whatever was happening, and so she forced herself into a confident, strong seated position on the bed and turned to her aunt.

"Elizabeth, what is it that Jarod is trying so hard to keep from me?"

The curiosity in her niece's eyes had been there since dinner, and Elizabeth had sensed that they were at the end of the time when they could keep the truth of her rescue or the developments that had followed from her. Elizabeth also knew that Jarod would disagree. He wanted to keep Parker as far away from whatever was destined to happen at the Centre as possible. Yet Elizabeth sensed that Parker would not allow that. She needed to be part of her own salvation. So, taking a deep breath, Elizabeth looked at her sister's brave and beautiful daughter, her hand clasping the younger woman's.

"Well, Little Cat, I guess we need to start with my son."

Parker's brow furrowed, then her memory kicked in and her face softened. "The child you told me you lost?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said, nodding, "only I didn't lose him. It turns out he was taken away."

The look of horror on Parker's face was an honest emotional reaction to her aunt's words, but it quickly vanished. The Centre was capable of such terrible evil, taking a child was the least of their crimes.

"Who took him, Elizabeth, my grandfather?" Tears began to sting at the corners of Elizabeth's eyes as she nodded silently in response. Parker, having so recently experienced the emotional whirlwind of finding out she had a child, two children, and that the Centre had kept them from her, understood. But Parker felt that her aunt's pain must been so much worse. She had known about her son, waited for his birth, then grieved for him all these years. Parker couldn't imagine the depth of the wound those years must have left on Elizabeth's heart.

"Elizabeth, I'm so sorry."
Elizabeth looked up at Parker and smiled softly. "Thank you, sweetheart. But at least the good news is that I've found him. Or rather, he found me by helping to bring you here."

Now Parker was confused again. Jarod had rescued her, hadn't he?

I don't understand, I thought that Jarod..."

"Jarod did bring you home, Parker, but he had a lot of help. Angelo and Will and Sam and, well, my son, Daniel, though I guess you know him better as Mr. Cox."

Parker's face turned into a fear-laced question mark as Jarod entered the room and immediately picked up on the mood. Her gaze turned to him, and though she wasn't angry, he wouldn't exactly describe her as pleased either. Oh, well, he thought, so much for my days as the great protector. It seemed that Miss Parker, though far less dangerous to him, was suddenly back in full force. And it appeared it was time for him to do some explaining.

Matter of Blood
Part 23
by N.R. Levy




Angelo sat in his attic space searching through Web page after Web page in hopes of finding some information that might further the plan to free his family from the grasp of the Centre once and for all. He'd begun his search shortly after checking the e-mail accounts that Jarod had established for Cox and Broots to send them information. One of them held a scanned image of a contract between David Jamison, Randall Highton and Eric Harmon. The three men had bought a plot of land and built a research facility that opened in British Columbia the year that David Jamison and his family ceased to exist. Below the scanned image was a note.

"Why a trial-run of the Arctic facility? C."

C meant the e-mail was from Cox. Angelo immediately took the names of the other two men and began to search for them. Two hours later, he came upon a site run by a graduate student at Princeton University. The site was called: "Scientific Mysteries." It was dedicated to unsolved mysteries surrounding scientific anomalies, strange experiments or crimes that had occurred involving prominent names in different fields of research. It was the sixth entry on the list that had registered a hit for Angelo.

"Dr. Eric Harmon - missing, dead or reborn?"

Angelo clicked on the link. He quickly read and absorbed the information found on the next page, but it was the photograph of Harmon that captured his attention, not so much because of Harmon, but because of the man standing next to him-William Raines.


Things in her relationship with Jarod, Parker realized, always seemed to move at two speeds, unbearably slow or lightening fast. When they met, their connection had been automatic. Their friendship had grown quickly and intensely. The rupture of that friendship by her father had come just as swiftly. Then there were the years of missing and anger and longing that came between that last moment they'd been together as children and the first time she heard his voice again after his escape. And since then? Weeks, sometimes months of nothing followed by a revelation that changed their dynamic all over again. That had never been truer than it had this past year and a half.

Thomas' death, Parker's decision to help Jarod's family, Jarod sending her to Elizabeth, Parker walking out when things got too serious too quickly at Christmas, and then her discovery of their sons: each of these events had pushed their relationship further and faster than either had really been ready for, and yet here it left them, Parker sitting in bed, Jarod sitting across from her, her hand in his as he explained the story of her rescue from the Centre.

It was difficult to hear the fear and pain in his voice that he could not hide from her as he recounted the story. What was hardest to hear was his honesty about how hard it had been to trust Will initially. She could tell he was ashamed of this, and she interrupted him for the first time to tell him so.

"Jarod, you can't blame yourself for that. Will had hurt your father, you thought I'd been hurt because of him - it's only natural that it would be hard to reach out to him. The important thing is you did it."


His only response was a nod of acceptance, but Parker knew that she and Jarod had work to do in order to forgive themselves for all the perceived mistakes they had made with their son. Will was a good boy at heart, and he clearly loved them both despite everything Raines had tried to do to keep that from happening. It was the same with her and Jarod - in spite of the Centre, their bond was stronger than ever.

Jarod dove into the part of the story where Elizabeth uncovered Cox's true identity. Another connection the Centre could not break. With some sense of wonder, Parker remembered how she and Cox seemed to be drawn to each other in some way, how she had always felt his fascination with her and though it should have frightened her, she had never truly felt in danger from him. Somehow they had sensed the familiar in each other, just as she and Angelo had even when she'd believed her brother was that psycho Lyle. "Parker, Cox did more than just help us get you out. He took care of you on the plane. Of course, I had Sam standing over him the whole time, but from what I could tell, his medical care was top notch. Actually, he even helped me find the antidote to save you."

"Oh, that must have hurt."

Cocking an eyebrow, Jarod looked at her with a questioning face. Parker smiled and said, "Asking Cox, a man you despised up to that moment, for help."

Now Jarod was smiling back, and he squeezed Parker's hand. "It was a trying experience, but I suppose you're worth it."

"Ha ha. So, how did he help?"

This was the part of the story that Jarod had been dreading. He knew deep down that Parker would understand, but she wouldn't like it. He'd been tempted to omit this detail, but everyone in the house knew the truth, and it wasn't fair to ask Will to keep the secret from his mother, not when they were trying to help their son learn the benefits of honest communication. So, after taking a deep breath, Jarod dove in.

"He, um, he gave me the details about the machine Raines and Lyle used to torture you so I could, uh, so I could do a pretend..."

"You what?" Parker's whole face had changed when she heard the word "pretend." Her expression wasn't angry exactly, but it was clear to Jarod that he had been right - she was not happy. "Parker, there was no other way. I had to know what happened to you and no one was sure. We'd treated your fever and the fluid in your lungs was reducing but you were getting worse and it didn't make any sense. Now, I'm sorry if you don't like it, but damn it, I didn't have any choice, and..."


Her hand on his cheek stopped him mid rant and his eyes locked with her. The unreadable aspect of her face had vanished and in its place, Jarod saw a cloak of sadness and tears glistened in her eyes.

"I'm not angry, Jarod. I just...I didn't want you to know. I didn't want you to ever have to know how afraid I was."

Jarod brought his hand up and placed it atop hers, then he gently guided her palm lower, closer to his mouth where his lips placed a soft kiss against her skin. He remembered all too clearly how real Parker's fear had felt in his own body as he pretended through her experience. But he also remembered her strength, and her constant dedication to trying to hold on so that she could make it back to him and their children.

"You were stronger than you give yourself credit for."

Parker's eyes lowered, but she left her hand in Jarod's hold. A silence feel between them as each dealt with the painful memories of her torment at Centre hands. Finally, Parker brought her eyes back to his, her eyes now showing that she had moved to a new concern.

"Are you sure we can trust him, Jarod?"

"Cox? No, I'm not sure, but Angelo is, and Elizabeth is. So far he's delivered everything he's promised. Besides, Sam is watching him like a hawk, and if there's one thing I am sure of it's that anyone planning to hurt you better hope Sam is nowhere around. He's kind of a grizzly bear where you're concerned. Which reminds me...there's something else I need to tell you."

"Am I going to like this?" Parker asked.

"The truth is," Jarod began, "I'm not sure how you'll feel about it. Cox's basic plan is that if he gets control of the Centre, than we'll all be safe. aines is on a plane to Africa and we assume that Garvey or Jamison, whatever we want to call him, has ordered Raines out of the picture. That only left Lyle, and we all agreed that he was simply too dangerous to be left in the game."

Before she'd discovered Lyle's hideous lie and learned that Angelo was truly her brother, Parker had tried to develop some kind of feelings for her "twin" that weren't those of disgust, enmity or contempt. It had been a difficult task, and she'd rarely succeeded. Then had come the realization about her true brother, about all the time that Lyle had cost her, which just compounded the original sin of the Centre. Any generous or lukewarm feeling she might have had for Lyle died in that moment of discovery. Instead, she focused all her attention to the brother she had longed for and finally found.

That Lyle was now dead, and she knew that's what Jarod meant even if he couldn't say the words, made her feel nothing but relief. She wanted to be ashamed of that on some level, but the mother in her, an aspect of her personality that became stronger by the millisecond, was simply glad that Lyle was no longer on the Earth where he could hurt her children...or their father.

"Who did it?" was Parker's only response, and Jarod reached out to stroke her cheek.

Your grizzly. He played a good setup, though. Everyone thinks Cox ordered him to do it and so he's safe."

"They all have to stay safe, Jarod, all of them. If Cox is really doing this, then he deserves a chance to get to know his mother and Elizabeth has lost enough time with her son. And Sydney, Sam and Broots...we have to get them all out of this in one piece."

"We will, I promise."

Parker nodded as she took Jarod's promise into her heart. Scooting forward, she moved so that their faces were now mere inches apart.

"Thank you for telling me what happened, even what I know you didn't want to tell me."

"I figured we've both had enough secrets and lies to last us a lifetime," Jarod said, as his hand moved against her cheek again.

"That we have, but this being honest thing is kind of new for us. It's been a long time since we could tell each other the truth about everything."

"I missed it," he said, his voice low. "I missed being able to tell you whatever was on my mind. Then at Christmas, it felt like we were getting it back and I thought...I can't ever lose you again, Parker. I don't think I could take that."

You won't," she promised, meaning it with all her heart.

"Parker, I know you. Now that you're getting well, you're going to want to be a part of all this, and I know better than to try to stop you, but please remember when you get mad and want to storm the Centre with your gun in hand that you have a family now, and we need you."

She smiled at him, and Jarod felt his heart begin to flutter in his chest. God, this woman...she meant everything in the world to him. And in her mind, a similar thought was manifesting itself. They had become so much to each other, and if they could rid themselves of the specter of the Centre, they had so much more to look forward to. If...

"This honesty thing we've got going, I think it obligates me to confess that I've been keeping a secret, too," Parker purred as she leaned still closer to Jarod. The 'if' was there, and it was still a large mountain to climb, but they were going to do it together, and Parker knew that now was the time to take that next step on their journey.

"What secret is that, Miss Parker?" "I wanted to tell you, Jarod, that I love you. I always have, and I always will."

The words were out, and the impact upon Jarod was immediately obvious. Tears welled in his eyes as he closed the small distance between them and kissed the woman he loved with all of the emotion that he'd kept bottled up inside of him for so long. Their arms wrapped around each other as the kiss deepened, as both of them felt the full power of their lifetime dream coming true. They were together.

Matthew's cry tore through the house just as things might have gotten interesting, and though Jarod was disappointed, he knew it was probably for the best. Parker was strong, but she wasn't 100 percent yet, and he wanted her in perfect health as soon as possible. They both let out a small chuckle as they broke their embrace and looked at each other.

"When this is all over," Jarod began, glancing quickly over his shoulder; Matthew's cries had been halted, by whom Jarod didn't know, "I'm going to take you someplace where we are not surrounded by our loving but ever-growing family, and I am going to make love to you until you beg me to stop."

"I'm not sure I'm going to let you," Parker said, crossing her arms in front of her body.

Jarod frowned immediately. "Why not?"

"Because when a girl tells you she loves you, there is an expected response and so far you are not ponying up, lab rat." He couldn't help but laugh as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her again.

As they pulled away, breathless, Jarod fixed his eyes upon hers. "I love you, Parker."

A third soul-searing kiss was imminent when Angelo knocked on the door and walked in carrying Matthew in his arms. The baby eagerly reached for Parker and she opened her arms to her little boy. The baby snuggled against her and began to fall back to sleep immediately upon contact with his mother's body.

Jarod felt pure joy as he watched Parker ease down in the bed so that Matthew lay comfortably on her chest. He pulled the blankets up and covered mother and son as Parker's own heavy eyelids began to close. "Jarod, talk." Angelo whispered, drawing Jarod's attention toward him. Angelo
held a piece of paper in his hands that the pretender had not noticed before and he took a few steps toward his friend to take the paper. A quick read told Jarod they had a long night of work ahead of them. He glanced back and assumed that Parker was already asleep. He discovered he was wrong just as he and Angelo tried to make their exit.

"Full report in the morning, right?"

Glancing back, Jarod saw that Parker had opened her eyes and was looking directly at him with an expression he remembered well from his days of running and looking over his shoulder. He winked and grinned as he answered, "Of course, Miss Parker."

Ten minutes later, Will, Angelo and Jarod were huddled in the attic. Jarod had learned that it was as useless to try and argue with his son as it was to argue with Will's mother - neither was going to be kept out of this final assault on the Centre, and perhaps it was wrong of Jarod to try to keep them out of it. Yes, he wanted to protect them, but Will and Parker had suffered as much as he had at the Centre's hands, and they deserved to participate in the downfall of those who had inflicted that pain.

"So Eric Harmon knew Raines," Jarod said, working his thoughts out aloud. "We know that Mr. Parker started the Centre on his own, we know that David Jamison used Catherine to get into the Centre and cement the family connection, and now another connection between Raines and this Dr. Harmon. Will, did you get the bio on Harmon?"

Will stood up and walked from his perch near the attic window to where his father sat a few feet away. "Yeah, but I can't find any tangible connection. Different hometowns, different colleges, different medical schools. They don't even appear on any employment rosters together, and there's nothing on Harmon in the Centre records we've accessed so far."

"We'll have to have Broots go deep on these two. There might be something in the manual files at the Centre he can find."

Angelo looked up from his keyboard then and gazed at Jarod.

"Raines knows the truth."

"I know he does, Angelo," Jarod answered, "but Raines is in Africa." Angelo shrugged. "So, go get."

"I don't think we can do that," Jarod responded. Despite the fact that Angelo was right and Raines could actually be of help, Jarod wasn't about to let anyone in his family or his circle of friends get anywhere near the Centre site in Africa. He'd studied it enough to know that capture there could be
permanent.

Will, too, had studied the layout of the Africa facility more so out of curiosity than for any other reason. Since it was the place that Raines had planned to send him, he'd simply wanted to know what it was like. Intimidating was the best word to describe it, and Will knew that's why his father was dismissing the idea. Still, if getting Raines back would help...

"Dad, what if we can get this Garvey guy to bring Raines back? Then we could snatch him here."

"Garvey ordered Raines put down within 72 hours of his arrival. He's probably already dead."

Angelo immediately began typing on his keyboard and soon he had hacked into the security system's video feed in the Africa facility. Raines was chained to a metal table and a man who reminded Jarod of a younger Raines was administering torturous shocks to Raines' body. The old man who had hurt so many people jerked and cried out at each induction of pain. Jarod couldn't help but be a little pleased at the sight.

"Okay, so he's alive," Jarod said. "Now how do we get him back? Garvey won't cancel his own termination order without good reason, and we don't have a lot of time."

The three men grew quiet as they tried desperately to come up with a scheme that would get Raines back on U.S. soil. The key was figuring out what it was Garvey valued, and Jarod knew that the man had moved heaven and Earth in an attempt to get three key pieces of the Centre puzzle back in place, Jarod himself, Will and Matthew. There had to be some way...

"Will, I think I have it, but I'm going to need your help."

"Anything, Dad, just name it."

The ease with which "Dad" rolled off his son's tongue was not lost on Jarod. It felt good. He'd have to remember to share that with Parker later on, but for now, there was work to be done.

"Come with me, we need to borrow some of your aunt Emily's makeup." Will stopped mid-step and looked at his father with worry. "Makeup?" Jarod smiled as he put his arm around his son. "Just trust me."

Mornings in Blue Cove were usually cool and pretty, and today was no exception, though Cox felt no joy in the beauty that greeted him. He had barely slept, his mind too full of images of the life he might have had if only...but now was not the time, and he knew it. He had to keep these rampant emotions under control until after his goal was accomplished. Once David Jamison was no longer a threat to the family, then, Cox knew, he would have a lot of demons to face.

Walking out of his front door, he saw Sam sitting in the driver's seat of a standard issue Centre Town Car. The sweeper displayed no ill effects from the events of the day just passed, and though not surprised, Cox was relieved. Right now, Sam was all he had to depend on as an ally when it came to brute strength, and there was no telling when those skills would be needed.

The two drove to work in silence and not long after their arrival, Cox was on his way to the Sim Lab. His surface reason for going was to put the fear of God into Broots and Sydney because he had been notified of their taped conversation and their desire to help Miss Parker avoid her Centre-dictated fate. His real reason for going was to see if there had been any response from Jarod to his e-mail.

He walked in and found the two men hunched over Broots' computer. Cox saw that Broots' personal laptop was running sans its Centre hub connection, which meant that they were, in fact, communicating with Jarod. He strolled behind them, his usual emotionless mask upon his face.

"You two wouldn't be searching for Miss Parker now, would you?"

Broots stopped typing as he would normally when facing the scrutiny of Mr. Cox, but instead of being errantly nervous, he carefully used his "shaking" hands to point out to Mr. Cox the information that he and Sydney wanted him to see.

"Mr. Cox, we're doing what you asked us to do, nothing more." Sydney replied, working to keep their cover in place as Cox leaned menacingly over Broots' shoulder to look at the computer screen.

"That's not what I heard, Dr. Green." Cox glared at Sydney before turning his full attention to the laptop. Jarod had replied and the message was open and read, "Need Raines back. Explain later. Hide nerve gas file. All hell breaks loose at 8:15."

"Well," Cox said as he righted himself, "it seems that this morning you are actually doing your job. That's good. See that it continues. Jarod and the two children are all we are concerned with. Miss Parker sealed her own fate, and it's time you two accepted that."


Cox gave them one last look and headed for the door. He was barely eight steps down the hallway when his cell phone rang.

"Yes?"

"Cox, get to my office, now!" Mr. Parker barked. Cox looked at the time on his phone as he disconnected the call. 8:15 on the dot.

By the time he reached Mr. Parker's office, the elder man was beside himself. Cox calmly strolled toward the desk.

"What seems to be the problem?"

"This," Mr. Parker stated as he pushed a button on his computer keyboard and a video message began to play back. Cox moved so he could observe the playback. Jarod was sitting beside a bed. You couldn't tell where they were just from looking at the video, but of course, Cox knew that it was Angelo's attic room on the farm. Will was laying on the bed. The boy looked like death warmed over, and his body was shaking uncontrollably.

"Mr. Parker, your daughter is dead. I doubt that means anything to you, but if you don't want your grandson to follow her, you better do something, and now. The nerve gas that killed Miss Parker...Will was exposed to it. I can't come up with an antidote. You have to get Raines to tell you what he used or Will is going to die. I'll contact you in two hours."

The message cut off there, and Cox let a suitably concerned look mold to his face as he looked at Mr. Parker.

"Raines is in Africa being interrogated before he's executed. He's hardly going to volunteer any information to us now." "We cannot lose that boy, do you hear me!" Mr. Parker bellowed, his forehead furrowing as panic set in. If one of the children died, Garvey would surely send him to join Raines in Africa as punishment. Getting those children and Jarod back alive was all that could save him now.

"You could offer Raines a deal, Mr. Parker. His life for the information."

"Raines is no fool. He knows we'll kill him as soon as we get what we want."

"Raines is an arrogant old man who thinks he knows how to control you. So let him think he's right. Convince him that you will bring him back and give him yet another chance if he gives you information to help the boy. He won't give you the whole antidote, of course, but he could be persuaded to give us information that could help the child survive long enough for Raines to return to Blue Cove. Then, once he's back here, I'm certain Mr. White would have no trouble getting the rest of the information we need."

"Yes," Mr. Parker said, thinking through the plan, "yes, that could work. I'd feel better if Raines were dealt with here anyway. That way, we know he's gone for good. Do it."

Cox nodded and headed for the door. He stopped just after opening it and turned back to face this man who had helped to conspire in the destruction of so many lives. "By the way, Mr. Parker, I am sorry to hear about your children."

"What?" Mr. Parker answered, his attention only vaguely focused on Cox. "Your son and your daughter, Lyle and Miss Parker; I'm sorry for your losses."

"Oh, yes," he replied, "thank you. Damn shame."

Cox shoved down the feeling of disgust that threatened to choke him as Mr. Parker so easily dismissed the loss of his "children." God, it was going to feel good to bring him to his knees along with the rest of the puppet masters in this house of horrors.

But for now, Cox had to focus on the present, and the present was getting Raines back to the States as quickly as possible and finding out just what it was that Jarod had in mind.

Matter of Blood
Part 24
by N.R. Levy


There is something absolutely perfect about waking up with a baby snuggled against your chest. Parker had never imagined she'd know that sort of thing for herself. Childhood fantasies about motherhood had given way to the harsh realities of her life. Briefly, during her time with Thomas, she'd let herself consider that the long ago dream might be possible again, but the Centre had killed her hopes along with her lover.

It seemed the height of irony then that the Centre had given her the gift of motherhood, even if they had taken away her rights in the process. As much as she hated what they had done and how they'd done it, Parker knew she would never regret the two lives that had resulted from their actions--not the nearly grown man who had stolen her heart the first time she'd spoken with him and not the little boy who slept against her body, his small hand twisted into a fist in her robe to make sure she didn't disappear again.

"Don't worry, Matthew," she whispered. "Mama's never leaving you, I promise.

She was surprised the infant had not awakened during the night. He was far from the stage where they could count on a nice, quiet five or six hours of sleep as part of a routine. But Parker loved the idea that his security in her presence had allowed him to just rest. No doubt he'd gotten very little relaxing sleep since she had left him to go back and get Will from the Centre.

Will... thinking about her eldest son made Parker restless. As much as she was enjoying her snuggle with Matthew, she couldn't shake the feeling that she also needed to check in on her big boy and see what was happening with him. Easing into a seated position, Parker carefully stood up with her baby cradled in her arms. She took a moment to be sure her feet were really under her before heading to the door.

A small light burned in the room that had been co-opted as Matthew's nursery since his arrival. More and more, it was filling up with toys and blankets and clothes that claimed his ownership of it, and Parker chuckled softly, knowing that everyone from his great-aunt to his grandfather was probably responsible for the growing bounty in the room.

"There will never be a shortage of love around you," she whispered to the sleeping baby as she lowered him into his crib. Parker stayed beside him, her hand resting gently on his tummy as he squirmed around a bit, seemingly trying to decide if he was going to wake up or drift back into whatever dream had been disturbed. After a moment, Matthew took a deep breath and then relaxed. More dreaming had won out.

Moving gingerly, Parker made her way out into the hall. She kept one hand against the wall for a little extra support as she walked to the stairs to start down them. Voices trickling out from the attic above drew her that direction instead, however, and Parker climbed the steps up to Angelo's room to find what looked like a student film production in progress. Her eyes panned from Angelo at the computer to Emily holding a harsh spotlight that was pointed toward Jarod and Will, the later laying prone on Angelo's bed, directly in the line of sight of Charles, who was aiming a digital video camera toward them.

Will looked like death warmed over, and the newly tuned mother instinct in Parker almost made her bolt toward him. But reason told her that if her son were ill, nobody would be standing around holding lights and cameras. Her eyes flashed to Angelo and he put a finger to his lips and nodded his head. Parker gave a single nod back and sat down where she'd been standing on the top step.

Angelo gave a signal to Jarod, and the pretender's voice suddenly filled the room. The words chilled Parker even as the meaning for all that was taking place became clearer.

"Mr. Parker, your daughter is dead. I doubt that means anything to you, but if you don't want your grandson to follow her, you better do something, and now. The nerve gas that killed Miss Parker... Will was exposed to it. I can't come up with an antidote. You have to get Raines to tell you what he used or Will is going to die. I'll contact you in two hours."

A moment after Jarod finished speaking, Angelo waved his arm. A beat later, Emily shut down the light, Charles let the camera down and Will popped up from the bed with a gigantic smile on his face.

"Do you think it worked?"

"Do we think what worked?" Parker asked as she drew herself up and stepped onto the landing. Every eye in the room turned toward her and as her hands came to rest on her hips, Will jumped off the bed, cutting Jarod off as he rushed toward her.

"Mom, don't get mad."

She felt her right eyebrow lift of its own accord. "What am I not getting mad about?"

"Well, before they start groveling..." Emily moved toward Parker. "Get over there and sit down." She pointed toward the bed with one hand while she reached for Parker with the other. "I mean it, sit! Elizabeth isn't yelling at me when you pass out somewhere."

Parker glared at Emily, but she moved nonetheless. She could see Jarod and Will with their heads together off to the side as she turned to sit down.

"Okay, so clearly my son is not near death and I'm still among the living. So you're scamming my father to..."

"Get Raines brought back to the country."

She wasn't sure what words anyone would use to describe the expression that took hold of her face, but she knew it was enough for Charles and Emily to both walk over to Angelo and guide him toward the stairs.

"We'll, uh, see you down at breakfast," Emily said.

"Good luck," Charles added.

Angelo giggled.

When it was just mother, father and son, silence took command of the room. Parker looked from Jarod to Will and then shook her head.

"I'm not angry, but I would like an explanation."

Jarod wasted no time preparing to provide one.

"Well, we saw something and--"

"Dad..." Will's words cut off his father mid-sentence. "Can I have a minute with Mom, please?"

Parker knew instantly what Jarod was feeling. He wanted to say no and be the one to confess whatever activity they'd been up to because just in case she was about to lose her temper, his fatherly instinct was to protect Will from her anger.

"It'll be fine, Dad. Just give us a second to talk, okay?"

"All right. I'll, uh, I'll get your mom some tea."

"Coffee," Parker corrected, earning a grudging smile from Jarod.

"Coffee."

She could feel his reluctance to go, but Jarod made his exit and once they were alone, Will walked over and sat down on the floor in front of her, his legs crossed Indian style.

"So Cox found out that there was another genetics lab, one they used before they ever built the arctic place. And then Angelo found this picture of this man and Raines, who's one of the people who worked at that lab but who disappeared. We can't figure out what happened to him and Dad thinks they're connected to information we could use on... um, Garvey. We searched everything, Mom, and we couldn't find anything that told us where they were. And so Dad thought that--"

"That Mr. Raines could tell you," Parker finished, giving her son a chance to catch his breath after the rambly summation of recent events. She smiled, hoping to relieve some of his obvious anxiety.

"That makes sense. If the Centre's about to take him down, Raines will be looking for someone to save him. He could be made to talk."

Will nodded. "That's what Dad thought. And he had this idea that the thing that would make them keep Raines alive would be if they found out that I was sick."

"You did a good job with the makeup," Parker teased, her finger making contact with his face as she drew a small mark in the powder on his cheek. Will chuckled softly the same way that Matthew did when she tickled his dimples.

"Emily did most of it," he said. "And Dad added some weird coloring he said he learned how to mix up when he worked as a special effects guy."

Parker groaned at the memory of Jarod's foray into the movie business. "Lord. Igor. Oh, I remember."

"Igor?"

She shook her head, dismissing her son's inquisitive look. "Another story for another time, and I'm sure it'll be far more amusing if your father tells it since he was the only one who thought it was funny."

Will smiled. "Does, um, does the fact that your joking now mean you're not mad?"

Parker reached out and took hold of both his hands in hers. "I'm not mad. I'd like very much to protect you from all of this, but... well, I may have just found out that you are my little boy, but you're hardly little anymore, are you?"

He grew shy under her gaze and a slight blush colored his face despite the heavy makeup that remained there.

"Will, look at me."

Parker waited as the young man drew his eyes back to hers.

"I know how much the Centre has hurt you, all the things they've taken from you. And I know who your parents are. So I know better than to think that you wouldn't want to help and be part of whatever we all do to try to make our family safe."

He nodded, clearly glad that she understood, and prepared to speak, but Parker cut him off with a slight squeeze of his hands.

"But one point is nonnegotiable with me," she continued. "Whatever your father and Cox decide to do about Raines, you will not be going anywhere near him. That is absolutely unacceptable to me."

Will's expression morphed quickly. She had expected him to perhaps feel defiant, even angry. What Parker had never thought to see on her son's face was a look of utter and complete disappointment.

"You don't trust me," he declared, his body twisting as he pushed himself up and turned his back on her. "You think if I get near Mr. Raines, he'll be able to talk me into helping him again. But he won't. He won't!"

Parker's mouth fell open. Will's body had tightened, his form literally trembling from tension and emotion. Alarmed, she stood and moved behind him, her hands falling on his shoulders. When he tried to jerk away, she was hurt, but she understood. However Parker didn't let him go. She pooled all of the strength she had regained and held tight to him.

"Of course I trust you, Will. I love you and I trust you."

Her heart broke when she heard a small sob escape him. Parker wrapped her whole arms around her son and leaned her cheek against the top of his head.

"Then why would you try to keep me away? I need to be there, Mom. I need to... I need to make sure..."

With a sigh, Parker stepped back now and turned Will to face her, her hands coming to rest on his face so she could lift his eyes to hers. She understood now.

"You need to prove to yourself that you'd never let him use you again. You need to make sure he can't hurt you anymore."

His eyes flooded with new tears as her soft voice called out his insecurities.

"Oh, sweetheart, do you think I don't understand that, that your father wouldn't understand? Raines and my father, the whole lot of them, they've been manipulating us and using us our whole lives."

"But they can't get to me now. They can't." Will's chin quivered as he fought a losing battle with his own fears.

"No, they can't. Because you are home where you belong with you family," Parker assured her son. "You are learning the truth about yourself and who you are and where you come from, and you are too strong now for Raines or anyone else to make you do something you don't want to do."

"Then let me go face him," Will pleaded. "Please, Mom."

"No." She was firm, but her voice was low and soft. "I am your mother, Will. And I know William Raines. I know how cold and evil that bastard really is. I'm not afraid that you would fall prey to his manipulation, honey. I'm afraid that he will go to his grave trying to take you away from me. And that is why I won't let you anywhere near him. No one is ever taking you from me again."

Her own emotions had grabbed hold of her as she realized how just the thought of Raines near her son had fueled her fear. She did understand Will's need to be involved, and she saw the wisdom of Jarod's plan. But as long as Raines drew breath, her children were still in danger. She could not let them be hurt anymore, not by anyone or for any reason.

Will must have sensed her resoluteness and her own desperation because instead of fighting, he nodded, indicating his surrender. Parker reached out and pulled her son into her arms.

"Why don't you go get all this off your face, okay? And then we'll have breakfast together and talk about what else we need to do about figuring out who these men are."

"Okay. I'll check on Matthew after I get cleaned up."

Parker planted a quick kiss on his cheek as he started to pull back. "Okay. I'll see you downstairs."

Will nodded and moved toward the stairs. As his footsteps sounded against the steps and out of range, Parker walked back to Angelo's bed and sat down. Her body had no hesitation reminding her it wasn't back to full speed, and a sudden wave of dizziness had her gripping the edges of the bed.

"You okay there?"

Parker looked over toward the stairs and saw Major Charles' concerned face staring at her.

"I think my body just reminded me it's not quite up to snuff yet. Thoughts of tearing Raines limb from limb might have to wait."

Charles chuckled and moved to her side, sitting beside her.

"I wish you were completely joking, but I'm very familiar with that impulse. Seeing the effect that bastard has had on your children is hard to take."

Parker nodded. "How have you managed to not let the anger drive you crazy after all these years?"

The older man held her eyes a moment before he broke their gaze. His head leaned back against the wall as his thoughts drifted a moment, then gathered, and he sighed softly.

"It has at times. And some days, all I could think about was finding Raines and the others and punishing them for what they'd done to my family."

His hand reached for hers, and Parker marveled that this man whom she had once hated was now one of the only people on earth who could truly understand the bizarre mix of emotions going on inside of her.

"Other times, I think about the things that wouldn't be if we'd all been spared this. And as much as I wish Jarod's life had been different, Jarod wouldn't be who he is if he had never loved you. And so I try to be grateful for that good even if I know it won't stop me from hating those bastards for what they put my boy through."

Her eyes burned with salty wetness not only because of Charles' loving words, but because of how completely he'd summed up what she was feeling. As much as she wanted how things had happened to be different, her sons, her love for Jarod -- they were so precious to her. The hate she felt for the Centre was nothing compared to her love for them.

"I want better for my boys than the way Jarod and I have lived, Charles." Parker felt her throat tighten and she cleared it before going on. "I don't want Will to know what it feels like to want to take another man's life, to have the power to do it."

Her sons' grandfather squeezed her hand, and Parker turned to see his face spread into an easy smile.

"They already have better, Parker, because they're not alone anymore. The lessons you and Jarod learned alone, now you're together to pass them onto your boys. And we'll all be here to help."

She managed to give him a slight grin in response to his reassuring words.

"Good. Then you can remind me later of all the reasons I shouldn't go beat Raines senseless while I'm keeping Will from going near him. Think you can handle that?"

Charles laughed and stood, helping her to her feet.

"I'll do my best. But if I end up having to tie you to something in order to hold you back, remember you asked me to help."

*****

Even in his semi-drugged state, Raines felt the change in the plane's position as it turned and changed altitude. He struggled to draw in another rattled breath, unsure what this development meant. He had yet to accept he was going to die. He'd been cheating that dark specter far too long to give in now. But there was no ignoring the fact that the deck was not stacked in his favor. The fact that Garvey had given the orders for his "re-education" meant one thing--Africa was supposed to be his final stop, period. That limited the angles he could play, but the game wasn't over yet.

Pulling at the bonds that held him to the metal table was a pointless exercise, but Raines did it anyway. Assured that the sweepers attending him had taken no chances of suffering Garvey's wrath by letting him get away, the former doctor then turned his mind to an assessment of his physical condition.

His lungs were stressed after the rather rigorous interrogation he'd endured. Bruises and cuts screamed out as reminders of how his mistakes had cost him. And as usual, his greatest mistake had been underestimating his enemy.

Jarod had ruined his plans again. He was only glad to know that his revenge on the pretender had already been exacted. He had overheard one of the sweepers say that Miss Parker was dead. The satisfaction that gave him was incalculable. Seeing her suffer in the machine had been like payback for all the times she had gotten in his way or compromised his power. That her death would surely crush Jarod's spirit only added to the victory. If it were his final one, it was truly sweet.

"It seems Mr. Parker has some questions for you."

Raines felt his vengeful reverie break as he looked up and saw the sweeper who had spoken to him.

"You've got a command performance back at the Centre, Mr. Raines."

The sweeper kept talking, trying to taunt his prisoner but Raines had stopped listening immediately after finding out he was headed back to Blue Cove. Parker needed something from him. Excellent. Perhaps the grim reaper could be held off one last time.

*****

"All right, Dad. I should be there in 30 minutes."

Jarod hung up the phone, check his gear one more time and prepared to head out to the airfield where his father was waiting with the plane that would take them back to Blue Cove. He would call the Centre for an "update" just before he flew out.

His mind was swirling as he thought about what lay ahead. He had faced Raines before. On one heartbreaking day in Boston, Jarod had nearly killed the monster who had terrorized him for most of his life. But at the last minute something in Jarod had said, 'no, he's not worth your humanity.'

Jarod paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked over into the living room. Parker was on the couch with Emily and Matthew, the three of them engrossed in a game of peek-a-boo that had the baby boy giggling and his mother and aunt totally enraptured.

The sound of his son's laughter continued to filter toward him as Jarod's eyelids fluttered shut. He saw Parker laying in bed upstairs, her body shaking, her breathing labored. He saw her fighting for her life against the damage Raines had done to her. He felt the pain of imagining how his sons' joy would've disappeared possibly forever had they lost their mother due to that bastard's cruelty. As the memories and musings taunted him, he realized his humanity felt very, very far away.

A deep breath helped restore his composure, at least for the moment, and Jarod turned in the hall and headed for the kitchen. Elizabeth was standing over a cutting board full of partially chopped vegetables, her attention fixed at some far away point outside the window.

"I'm about to head off," he said softly, not wanting to startle her. The older version of the woman he adored turned and smiled at him as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"Well, I'll take care of Little Cat and the boys. And you take care of my boy, all right?"

It was still so hard for Jarod to fathom that Cox, who had seemed like such a threat since his appearance in their lives, was instead another victim of Garvey and the Centre's evil. He truly hoped the man realized what a gift he was being given--this family, their trust and Elizabeth's waiting arms. He also prayed for all their sakes that their hope and faith wasn't being misplaced.

"Co--Daniel got me a message with the location he's using. He thinks on his feet. We'll be fine."

Elizabeth nodded and moved in to hug him. "You better be."

Jarod returned the embrace and then stepped back. He gave a final wink to Parker's aunt and then he made his way into the living room. He showered Matthew with kisses and then hugged his sister. A few moments later, he was alone with the woman he loved. They had stolen a little time together earlier to discuss Will and the conversation Parker had shared with their son that morning. Together... a word Jarod loved to use in reference to them... together they had come up with a plan to involve the confused teen in the family's fight without putting him in danger.

"He's waiting for you outside," Parker said as she stood and leaned against him, her arms wrapping around Jarod's waist. He pulled her closer, savoring the few moments of contact before he put his whole focus on figuring out the Centre mysteries that Raines still held the key to... secrets that could hopefully be used to set Jarod's loved ones free once and for all.

"I'll be home as soon as I can," he promised.

Parker nodded against his chest and pulled back just enough to look at him.

"We'll be here waiting for you. And tell your father it turns out I'm too tired to do anything requiring being tied up, so he doesn't need to worry."

He laughed, shocked that he could in this situation but aware she was probably the only person who could've made it happen. Jarod leaned in and kissed her once, his love for her obvious in the tenderness of the caress of his lips against Parker's. Then it was time for him to say his final good-bye to the young man waiting outside on the front porch.

"Hey, Dad."

The greeting brought a smile to Jarod's face even as the tension of his coming tasks began to seriously simmer inside of him. He walked to his son and dropped his right hand onto Will's shoulder.

"You all set?"

Will nodded. "Angelo and I are ready. Broots turned the system on for a few minutes so we could check, and we're good to go."

Jarod squeezed his son's shoulder. "Good. You know, Will, it's going to make this easier for me, knowing you're here working on the information we get. There's no one I'd trust more to do it if I can't do it myself."

There was no mistaking that Will still wanted to be heading to the plane with his father, heading off to face their mutual demon together. But being asked to handle an important task, something Will knew Jarod would've done himself had he been staying behind, had boosted Will's spirits. Parker had commented more than once on the fascinating man/child line Will was straddling, how sometimes he could be both in a matter of seconds. Jarod saw that firsthand now. The teen looked like he wanted to throw his arms around his father because he'd been given an important task in the operation, but the part of Will that wanted to be grown up held the younger boy back.

"I'll... I'll be ready whenever you are," Will said when we finally found his voice again. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't."

Jarod knew that right now his son was trying to be a strong man. But too many days had passed without him knowing the power of a father's love or the comfort of a hug from someone who loved him. As he hugged Will, providing him both of those things, Jarod was pleasantly surprised to find the embrace returned just as strongly with just as much emotion behind it.

"Be careful, Dad, please."

Time was racing by when Jarod wanted nothing more than to stay right where he was, with his family together and hidden from the Centre. But he knew that they weren't safe, not yet. And so as he had done with Parker moments earlier, he broke the moment with his son and stepped back.

"I'll be back before you know it."

It was a promise made not just to Will, but to himself. As he walked to the truck to go and meet his own father, Jarod knew that the next several hours would probably some of the most difficult of his life. But it was for his family... and that was what he would hold on to in the moments of pure rage he knew were sure to come. Raines would make certain of that.

*****

Cox parked his car and stared at the once familiar building. It had been part of his life for as long as he could remember, but now it seemed foreign; as alien as some strange new place he'd been sent for Centre business.

His earlier summons was hardly unexpected given the jolt that Jarod's actions had sent through the Centre. He had walked confidently into Garvey's office and stopped just before the older man's desk. No question had been posed because both men knew why the command performance was taking place.

"Mr. Parker did the only thing he could do." Cox stated his assessment matter-of-factly, simply reporting unemotionally as he would have any other day. Too much was at stake for even a hint of this day, this event being more than another pretender-created crisis. "The boy's value outweighs any threat Raines might pose to us. He can be dispatched as soon as this new interrogation is completed."

Garvey stood and walked around his desk. Cox felt his grandfather's imposing presence closing in on him and soon, the men were eye to eye.

"I want you to personally supervise Raines once he's returned to the Centre. Jarod implied we have a serious time constraint, and that boy cannot be lost to us. Raines will not want to cooperate. I need you to assure that he does, and quickly."

Cox nodded. He had been anticipating this move from Garvey, and he had been calculating his countermove since Jarod's video message had ended.

"Sir, I've been thinking, Mr. Raines still has allies within the Centre. None foolish enough to make a move openly, but there could be some subversive activity once they find out he's returning to Blue Cove."

"I've considered that," Garvey replied. "I don't think anyone could mount any sort of effort that would interfere significantly in our work."

Now was the time to make his move. Every seed of doubt Cox planted now would be useful to them later. He and Jarod hadn't known when the opportunities might come, but they had discussed how to capitalize on them when they did.

"Mr. Garvey, I wouldn't be voicing any concern if I thought that we weren't vulnerable."

The older man looked at him sharply now, and Cox did not so much as flinch.

"Meaning we're vulnerable to whom?"

"Sir... I said Mr. Parker did the only thing he could do given the situation, which is true, but that doesn't eliminate the possibility that he is also doing what is prudent for Mr. Parker. Raines' failures have occurred under his watch and sometimes with his direct involvement. The man's got to be concerned about what Raines' might reveal under Centre interrogation now that his death is certain. He's clearly been willing to gamble with Centre resources before--Miss Parker, Jarod, Mr. Lyle. Can we be certain he wouldn't risk the boy if he thought doing so would provide greater personal security for himself?"

It was a power play that Cox knew would appeal to Garvey on every level. That's why he had volunteered it, making it clear he was ready to try and oust the man directly in his way for apparent control of the Centre. It was based in fact, well thought out and posed a solution to a potential problem that required an immediate solution.

"You have a private work area, yes?"

Cox held any sense of victory in check and answered. "I do. It's quite adequate for what we need in this situation."

"Arrange for Raines to be transported there. Get the information we need, and then make certain that this chapter of the story is concluded... swiftly."

His first priority had of course been getting through to Jarod to let him know the where and when of Raines' return. After doing so through their circuitous website relay, as any good Centre employee would, especially the heir to the throne, Cox had put preparations in place to achieve his goals without fail. That his agenda wasn't quite what Garvey thought gave the younger man a feeling of satisfaction. Every hour that passed put Mr. Cox more in touch with the sense of outrage that Daniel Morgan was beginning to battle inside. The betrayal of his blind allegiance to Garvey was only beginning to really register as he watched his grandfather's cold resignation to the manipulation of his great-grandchildren, to the "death" of Miss Parker. None of it registered to the former David Jamison any more than if he had seen a bit of lint on his suit. And Cox realized that despite the horrible things he had done over the years to prove his loyalty to the evil old bastard, he would be just as insignificant were he to suddenly become an inconvenience or a liability.

But the disloyalty shown to him by another was more biting to Cox than anything Garvey could do. Cox exited his car and walked to the back door of the mortuary. His key code allowed him entry, and he found the rear office and the embalming room empty. It was only as he neared his personal workroom down in the basement that Cox heard movement. He didn't even try to convince himself that it was anyone other than the man he now dreaded seeing.

"Daniel. What are you doing here?"

Cox looked at his father and suddenly Elizabeth's pain-filled eyes flashed through his mind. A lifetime... this man had conspired with Garvey to steal a lifetime from him... and from his mother. And though now wasn't the moment to show even a flicker of his anger with Elias Morgan, the day was coming.

"Father, I'm going to be needing the workroom to take care of some business. You don't mind do you?"

Elias smiled warmly and assured his son he didn't mind at all. Cox felt his stomach roll over when his father's hand touched down on his shoulder as he headed out of the room to leave his son to his "work."

Tamping down his disgust, Cox closed the door and shrugged off his coat. He knew that Broots would be required to transmit the interrogation to the Centre. And so before his employer's prying eyes began to watch his every move, he walked to his work table and began to arrange the items there as he added an expensive silver pen. The disguised camera Broots had given him earlier would hardly be noticeable amongst all the medical instruments and writing utensils that littered the surface, which meant his family could spy on the goings-on in the room right under the Centre's nose.

"Well, then," Cox whispered to himself as he glanced down at his watch. "Time to get ready."