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This has parts that are not suitble for the younger readers, so please be warned. If anyone has a problem with this chapter, please, please, PLEASE, let us know and it will be removed straight away. It is not meant to offend anyone, but it might, so please let us know your thoughts so if there is any problems, it can be fixed. Thank you.
“Why?” He asked her dully, too absorbed in his misery at the moment to care about his hand or his arm. She was happy to lock him in that damned box and now she was pretending to care. She could have told him the door was electrified he thought bitterly.

“Why what Jarod?” She asked, gently letting his arm go, knowing it was really pointless to try and help to fix his arm. It was an electrical shock, give it a few hours and it will be back to normal, a little sore still, but workable.

“Why bother,” He said as he pulled his arm back to his body protectively.

“Don’t sulk Jarod, I already told you not to.” She scolded him.

“Or what? You will put me in the box, fry my other arm?” He didn’t look at her, and he was NOT sulking.

“Hey, you fried your own arm Jarod. Simple as that. And you put yourself in the box with your disrespectfulness." Gracie said disinterestedly.

Jarod didn’t bother answering, knowing how pointless it was to argue. Right now it was probably best to let her think she had beaten him, that he had no fight left in him. “Whatever,” He said, having heard that incredibly annoying expression from teenagers in the hospital he had just been working at. At first he hadn’t understood it, but he soon got the picture and realised just how irritating it was.

“Wil,” She beckoned him over as she stood up, “Chain him.” She nodded to the cuffs hanging from the ceiling, the shackles on the ground.

“Yes Miss Gracie," Wil said with a smile. “You going to give me any trouble here Jarod?” He asked casually as he eyed the man off. He had taken a few nasty blows, to his body and his ego, but he was a long way from out of this particular fight.

Jarod didn’t move, but he didn’t resist either, he just sat there.

Grace grabbed the wrist on his dead arm as Wil got the other and hauled him to his feet, quickly locking him in the cuffs, forcing him onto his tippee toes. His arms stretched high above his head, his muscles pulled tight.

Jarod stared at her as he was strung up from the ceiling, stretched out painfully, the metal cutting into his wrists. His dead arm was useless to him, so he didn’t even put up a token struggle, knowing the futility of it. He tried to stop himself from swinging as he stared at her.

She locked the shackles onto him, “Well at least now I know you won’t electrify your other arm," Grace said, an amused undertone in her voice. It had been a ball to watch, knowing he was too damn curious for his own good. Even if they hadn’t have electrified the door, he would have still gone over to try to open it.

“Too bad, I bet you found it entertaining,” He said sullenly.

“Very much so.” She grinned broadly. “Was kinda hoping you tried it again." She knew he wouldn’t, but there was no harm in hoping.

Wil shook his head at his stupidity.

“Bit hard for me to try now."

“Yes I know. But I am sure you will do something else that will amuse me, won’t you Jarod?"

“Not if I can help it.” He shook his head at her. “This is all just a game to you inst it?"

“No Jarod, this is work, this is an assignment, but you do make it entertaining for me." No other person that had stayed here had ever been this fun and amusing. Always crying, and begging and pleading. Never had they been able to have a conversation with her, challenge her this much. And she found herself wishing she didn’t have to tell her boss about him, so he could stay here with her and keep her amused.

He took a deep breath, trying to find the optimum balance point that would minimise the pull on his wrists, but not stress his leg muscles too much. He had no idea how long she would leave him here for. “And what did I do to deserve this? Or is this just for fun?"

“This? As in you hanging by your wrists?” She asked in confusion, he could mean so many things by saying this. He could have meant if he deserved to be here in the first place, deserved her playing with him, deserved his punishments.

Jarod was about to say a smartarse comment, but a quick glance at Wil made him rethink that option. “Yes."

“That was yourself Jarod, you were sulking and being rude.” She said watching him carefully.

Jarod nodded at her, realising from all of her previous behaviour he should have expected it. She was a child that was drunk with her own power, petulant and moody and he was going to have to be very careful.

She smiled at him and stroked his face. “You shouldn’t be sad all the time Jarod, shouldn’t frown. It will give you wrinkles." She had been given permission to watch an hour of television once a day by her boss, if she had nothing work related left to do for the day. And they as always were saying if you frown, it will give you wrinkles. And then try to sell a face cream for those wrinkles gained by frowning. She didn’t understand why peopled cared so much.

He forced himself to remain calm and looked at her, hiding his anger and resentment from his eyes. “What have I got to be happy about?” He asked her, genuinely interested in her response.

“You are coming home with us!” She said excitedly. “You will love it. When they let you go outside Jarod, and watch the sunsets, ohhh it’s to die for.” She said in a dreamy voice. Not often did they let you outside, but sometimes if you had preformed beyond even their high expectations, they would let a guard take you out. It was a beautiful sight, the colours, the atmosphere, and a lot of the projects worked so hard to earn this one simple reward.

“I watch the sunsets every day now, and I go outside whenever I want, I don’t need somebody's permission. What you call home will be prison to me."

She looked at him in confusion, “You will not be happy there will you Jarod? No matter how nice it is?" Her voice held a hint of pain to it, disappointment. Her home was her life. And it hurt her to think Jarod would not like it there at all.

“A prison is still a prison. Even a cage with a nice bed and a light switch is still a cage.” He sighed heavily, shifting his weight slightly as his body started to protest at this new uncomfortable position. “I will never be happy unless I am free. And you shouldn’t settle for anything less either."

“And why Jarod, should I settle if I know my place?” She asked curiously. What was there to settle? She liked her home, she liked her place, she liked being a project for the most part.

“If it makes you happy then,” He told her softly.

She shrugged simply, watching him wide curious eyes.

Jarod didn’t understand this strange girl at all. Every time he thought he had her figured, she did something to completely throw him off. At the moment his position seemed completely hopeless and he wondered how he had allowed himself to get so careless to find himself in this predicament.

“Wil, strip him of his clothes please.” She asked, her eyes never leaving Jarod's. She remembered him in the shower, and now was the perfect chance to see him again, be able to touch him and study Jarod’s perfect body.

Wil moved forward and looked at him and then at Grace. “Do you want me to cut them off or unchain him?” He asked, not really caring one way or the other.

“Cut them off I guess. Just as easy." Gracie really didn’t care how the clothes came off, just as long as they did.

Jarod made a face and screwed his nose up at that.

“Sure thing Miss Gracie," Wil said with enthusiasm, and started cutting the shirt from him, slowly, dragging it out.

Gracie winced as Wil sliced his skin a little as he went about removing the clothes, “Please be a bit more careful. I don’t know how our boss will react seeing he is damaged more then we already have done." But she knew as long as he could work, he wasn’t damaged. A gun shot wound, a few bruises, a few nicks and cuts would mean nothing to him.

“Sorry,” He muttered, although it was easy enough to tell by his tone that he was not sorry at all. “Shame to ruin such a nice pair of jeans,” He observed as he finished.

Jarod stood there naked, feeling rivulets of blood trickling down from a various number of cuts, which he guessed were probably just shallow ones.

Picking up the cut up shirt, she used it to wipe the trickles of blood away with such tenderness, it surprised even herself. She ran her eyes over his naked body. “You are very impressive Jarod." Grace said as she dropped the shirt.

Jarod kept fit, more a matter of survival than vanity. He was not unaware that he was considered to be attractive, and he had not been above using that from time to time either. He watched her, not saying anything more. His vulnerability at the moment frightened him.

She reached forward and ran a light finger over his chest, feeling it. “You are so hard.” She whispered in surprise. She had seen him half naked when she had first gotten him, but too caught up in work to really pay any attention. She still couldn’t get over how different this body was to the men that liked to touch her. And she wondered how many women would have drooled over him.

Jarod tried not to flinch from her gentle touch.

She trailed down lightly to his stomach and felt his six pack. “Women like this sort of body don’t they?” She asked, getting glimpses of two women touching him with love. She could see them both, feel how deeply they cared for Jarod, and wondered if Jarod had the chance, would he go back to them.

Wil watched her, wondering if she would like to do a little bit more with this one. He had watched over her for all of her life, and she was like a daughter to him. It made him uncomfortable to watch all the sexual innuendo going on here.

“Some women I guess," Jarod said, trying to sound calm. He really had no idea why people were attracted to each other. He knew that good looks helped, but they usually weren’t enough to keep the other person interested for too long.

“Why do they go for looks so much?” She asked, not understanding. Always getting everyone’s emotions running through her, she just assumed most people went for personality, when she knew most of them went for looks first.

“I don’t know,” He said honestly. He had given it much thought, and had found on his gigolo pretend that the woman, although they were pleased with his appearance, were more interested in talking to him.

She trailed her finger down a little lower, playing with his pubic hair, “Some people, for both sexes, though more for women, have this hair removed. Is there any reason for it?” She wondered if Jarod knew anything at all about this, considering most of his life he was in the Centre doing what he was born to do.

Jarod was fighting the own stirrings in his body now and had to concentrate very hard to keep his body from betraying him. “It is a matter of aesthetics, as I understand it,” He told her, running mathematical algorithms to keep his mind occupied.

“Is it just like some people preferrer the same sex, while others would rather the opposite sex?” She asked, slowly making her way down to look at his penis, holding, it touching it, studying it.

Jarod gasped as she touched his penis. It had been a very long time since anybody had touched that besides him. “I guess,” He said in a voice pitched higher than usual.

Wil watched, not liking this at all. But he knew it was not his place to tell her not to do it. He knew she was fascinated with Jarod, the key to her going home, and the first person to maintain a conversation without resorting to begging and pleading. Most of them were quivering wrecks within the first few hours and nothing sensible could be gotten out of them after that.

She run a fingernail up the underside of him, watching him with curiosity. She knew the biological side of this. About the nerves and the muscles and how each body worked. But since the only way she had ever been touched was with rough, hard hands, she never understood how one could gain so much pleasure out of being touched.

Jarod fought the flicker of arousal as she kept fondling him, ashamed at himself. Not only was she his captor, but she was still a child.

She got on her knees and leant in and licked him up and down before taking him in her mouth. Grace knew exactly how to make a man come to life, it was expected of her, and she was enjoying being able to do it to Jarod as well. She moved on him for a few moments before pulling back, watching him and his body.

Jarod gasped loudly as she took him in her mouth, all thoughts of his math problems gone. He was blushing furiously at his growing erection, keeping his eyes tightly closed.

She looked at him, felt the arousal coming from him. “You enjoyed that no?” She asked with fascination.

Wil shifted uncomfortably as he watched, torn between desire and disgust at himself for wanting that too.

“No,” He ground out, not opening his eyes.

“But your body tells me differently, so does your heart, and please look at me, do not be so rude." She didn’t understand how each part of his body could tell her such different things.

He forced his eyes open to look at her, his face blushing deeply, his erection sitting against his flat stomach now. He forced himself to remain still, trying to think about something, anything else.

“Why do you like it Jarod?” She asked as she did it again.

Jarod was finding it increasingly difficult to remain calm. He hated how his own body could betray him so easily, how little power his mind had over his own reactions right now. He told himself that it was just a natural biological reaction, that something would be wrong with him if he didn’t react this way. But at the moment it offered him little comfort. He had had a few sexual experiences since he had escaped, and he was not completely naïve anymore. “I don’t know, I am a man, it is a natural reaction. That doesn’t mean I want it, not like this,” He tried to reason with her.

“So your body can say you want to be touched, but your mind can tell you don’t want to be?” She asked frowning, still touching him with light, soft touches.

“Yes,” He gasped out as his need was becoming more intense.

“Oh, well that would complicate things for people on a regular basis wouldn’t it?” She asked as she withdrew her hands from his penis to move onto his balls. Cupping them in her hand, she gave them a gentle squeeze. “Are these just as sensitive?” She asked as she played with them just a little.

“Ohhh," Jarod sucked in a breath, trying to free himself from the chains, breathing heavily now.

“Jarod, that doesn’t answer either one of my questions.” She said annoyed as she pulled away and stood up.

“Yes,” He whispered.

“It looks to me like your body is telling your mind it badly wants to be touched Jarod." Gracie said with a frown as she moved behind him. She sighed softly as she traced the lines of his muscles and spine. “I saw your back in the shower. Even I know it is just beautiful." Gracie didn’t know if every one liked what she liked, but she was positive with the fact that Jarod’s back was god damn beautiful.

He was torn between wanting her back at his balls and erection to bring him off, but he would die before he asked her. He could feel the glare coming off of Wil without even looking at him, and again he felt shame at his own erection. She was nothing more than a child, and he didn’t even want to begin to catalogue how wrong this was.

She ran her flat palms over his back. “Why don’t all men look like this?” She asked him as she felt every inch of his perfect back.

“I don’t know, genetics,” He mumbled.

She ran her hands down ever so gently to cup his butt, and squeezed it gently, “Why is it Jarod, that some people prefer bigger backsides, more round and fleshy, and some prefer smaller, more tight ones?” She asked, her confusion clear.

“I don’t know,” He muttered, comparative physiology the last thing on his mind at the moment. He tried to force himself to think. “Personal preference, the same as some people prefer spicy food and others don’t."

“Is it that simple? All of this?” She asked tracing a finger over his hip as she moved to stand in front of him again. “Just simply liking one aspect of a person better then other traits?" She wondered if it was really that simple. If it just came down to a person liking their own things and not what they were told to like.

“I guess so,” He said, never really having understood it himself.

She stroked his hard penis once more, “Oh. I guess it is their own prerogative.” She shrugged and stepped back to sit on the bed, watching him.

Jarod was losing the battle with his body, and now it came down to a matter of pride. He knew that the erection would flag by itself eventually, all he had to do was concentrate on something else.

“What do you best like in a woman Jarod? Do you have preferences?” She asked him as she watched him struggle for control. He had to have preferences. He had just told her some people like things others don’t, and the same would hold for him.

“I like... kindness, gentleness, fun…” He told her, thinking about both Nia and Zoe. Nia had been so kind and loving and gentle. Zoe had been so very different. Full of energy and fun. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment of what might have become of them.

“What about looks? Do breast size really matter to men?” She asked. As far as she knew, well over three quarters of the male population on earth, of all races and nationalities, seemed to worry about the size of women’s breast. Most of the time wanting bigger ones.

“To some, yes, and to women too, very much so.” He remembered his stint as a plastic surgeon, and many men and women seemed to define the worth of a woman by her breast size.

She stood up and pulled her tops off and unhooked her bra, taking it off. She stood in front of Jarod in only her jeans. “What about mine? Would most men like them or not?” She asked, un-phased by her lack of clothing.

Jarod blinked and then looked at her breasts critically. He tried to sound completely professional. "They seem very nice,” He told her, unable to comprehend just how surreal all of this was.

She looked down at them. “Do you like them?” She asked. She didn’t really know why she was asking Jarod if he liked her breasts, but it seemed appropriate at the time.

He nodded at her. “Yes, I like them just fine. Are you not happy with them? I was a plastic surgeon once."

Wil was fuming by now, debating with himself whether he should interrupt. He took a step forward towards her.

“It does not matter what I think of them, only what the men do.” She shrugged. “Why do people want to alter their appearance?”

"Miss Gracie," Wil said softly.

She looked at Wil, “Did I do something wrong?” She asked, hearing his soft tone, the disapproval. It wasn’t often he used that tone with her, and when he did, she knew she had done something wrong.

“Perhaps Miss Gracie you should put your clothes back on.” He made a show at looking at his watch. “It is getting to lunch time now."

She looked at the ground as she nodded, “Sorry.” She apologised as she put her bra and tops back on.

“No need for an apology Miss Gracie," Wil said soothingly, glad when she was fully clothed again.

“Can you make lunch please Wil? I will be out in about ten minutes. Will Jarod and Sydney be eating with us? Or just Sydney?” She asked, looking at him as if she had been told off. She knew Wil was the father figure in all this and hated when she disappointed him like this.

“Jarod too, we don’t want him fainting on us when the team get here,” He said, hoping to discourage her from any further sexual playing.

She nodded. “I will let him down. So maybe come get us when you are ready? Send Jon to get Sydney."

“You touch her Jarod, or try anything at all, you will be running for that box, happy to spend the rest of your life in there. Do you understand me?"

Jarod nodded, understanding the threat.

“Good," Wil huffed and then turned to her. “Will get you when everything is ready. You be careful Miss Gracie,” He told her quietly.

“Yes I will Wil. I promise.” She said softly, still looking at the floor.

Wil nodded again and left, closing the door quietly behind him, not at all happy.

She looked at Jarod. “I don’t think he liked what I did Jarod.” She said sadly, upset at it.

Jarod didn’t much like what she had done either. "That is because it is wrong to use another person like that, against their will. It is called rape."

She looked at him, her big green eyes wet with tears. “But I did not use anyone. I was just looking, trying to understand." Grace protested weakly.

Jarod almost felt sorry for her. "Maybe so, but when one person has power over another, and they don’t ask permission, it is exploitation.” He explained to her gently.

“So even though I was just looking. Trying to understand what people think and what they do, it was exploitation? Rape? Wrong?” She asked, looking at the ground as she was being told off. So many times did she screw up like this, because she simply did not understand the outside world still. She hardly ever interacted with the people out there, and because of it never learnt how the correct way was to act.

“Yes, a person’s body belongs to them, not to other people. If you touch someone, especially in a sexual way without their consent, it is wrong. When shared, it can be a wonderful experience, and most people enjoy it very much. But when you force it on a person, against their will, it is very different."

She looked up at him as a tear made it’s way down her cheek. “I didn’t mean to do anything wrong Jarod.” She moved over and removed the shackles and the cuffs, letting him down. “I just don’t understand."

Jarod slumped down and tried to cover his erection to satisfy his modesty. He picked up the shreds of his shirt and tried to tie it around his waist. “I know how hard it is to understand some things. They taught you so much, prepared you for what you had to do, but they never taught you all of the rest did they?” He asked her gently.

She shook her head, moving to sit on the bed. “I don’t understand but. When they touch me, they don’t think it is wrong, so when I touched you, why is it wrong?" She knew how unprepared she was for the outside world, and how little she had still learnt. She was never taught the slang, or the rules or how society worked. They had expected her to learn that herself.

“When who touches you?” He asked, his mind immediately assuming the two men with her, and then quickly dismissing that. He had observed them enough to know that it wasn’t like that between her and them. They seemed more like family, and judging by Wil’s reactions, Jarod could see how uncomfortable he had been.

“The men back home.” She said, looking up at him as she cried silently. “I don’t understand how it is different." It was just so frustrating to her. Even after three years out here, she still made such stupid mistakes.

He took a deep breath and looked at her sadly, all his anger forgotten at the moment. He pulled her close to him, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “It was wrong for them to do that, to touch you like that, especially if you did not like it."

“I don’t have a choice. I know my place. I know I can’t stop anything.” She said, “Why is this touching different to what I did to you?” She asked, looking at his arm wrapped around her.

“Do you want me to stop this?” He asked her seriously.

She shrugged, not caring either way, though it was making her fell a little better and she risked leaning into him a little, “Why is it different Jarod?” She asked again.

“This is about comfort. About one person offering touch to help the other person, to comfort them. The other kind of touching is about pleasure, their own pleasure. It is about taking, not giving."

She looked down to his half covered erection. “I wasn’t taking anything, I made your body enjoy it as I looked.” She argued back in a small voice.

“That may be so, but I did not want that. That was about your power over my body.” He shook his head, trying to find the right words. “There are many ways people like to touch each other, and they mean different things in different situations. Do Wil and Jon ever kiss you?” He asked.

“They kiss me goodnight sometimes if I have had a hard day.” She answered, showing her confusion. “Is that wrong too?" Because if it wrong she didn’t care. It felt good for them to do it, nice, welcomed. It made her feel wanted and safe.

“No, not at all. How does it make you feel when they do that?"

“Safe, happy. They look out for me. Is that why Wil made me put my top back on? Was it wrong I took it off in front of you?” She asked.

“I think it worried him yes, he is trying to protect you. Now when the other men, back home, when they kissed you, was it different? Did it make you feel different?"

She nodded. “Wil and Jon kiss me on my head, softly, with love. They don’t.” She looked at her hands in her lap as she leant into Jarod’s embrace, the arm around her shoulder feeling nice.

“That is the difference, it is in the way it makes you feel. You know one is because they care about you, and the other is because they care about themselves, or they are using it as a weapon against you, another way to hurt you, on the inside, to hurt your feelings."

“But you are always hurting inside Jarod. Even before I touched you in the wrong way.” She whispered, knowing he was telling her off in a subtle way.

There was no point in denying it. “That is true, but there are also degrees of hurt. Some hurt becomes a part of you, and it will always be there."

"Like Miss Parker?” She asked, looking up at him with sad eyes and tear stained cheeks.

He didn’t want to talk about Miss Parker now, the new wound was too fresh. “Yes, like Miss Parker,” He whispered.

She wanted to tell him now, the DSA was fake, but knew what his reaction would have been. “She didn’t hate you for one time. If it helps. Was grateful to you.” She whispered, trying to make up a little for what she had done.

“It makes no difference,” He sighed and gently pushed her away. “Would it be possible to get some more clothes please?” He asked her, forcing a smile. “I seemed to have had an... accident with mine."

Gracie's bottom lip began to tremble as he pushed her away from him. “I am sorry I did that to you, showed it to you. I thought it would help you. That’s all.” She whispered, moving away from him to sit on the floor near the door.

Jarod doubted that that was her motive at all, and wondered now if this was not just a spoilt-child routine to guilt-trip him. “It doesn’t matter. Parker has her own life and I am a fool, and if you take me to this 'home' of yours, wherever that is, I will never see her again anyway."

She looked at the floor in front of her. “That wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want to have to force you apart from Sydney and her. I didn’t want to show it to you. But I thought it would help you understand you are a project, that it would help you when you got home when you didn’t fight them so much.” She whispered, telling the truth.

“You have been a project, just like me haven’t you?” He asked her gently. "This is your first time out."

She shook her head, “Not have been Jarod, I am a project just like you.” She whispered, looking at him in shame. “And I am not a very good one lately."

“Why not? You seem to be doing just fine,” He said, a little sourly.

“I know I have done good getting you. But,” She sighed, “I am getting to attached to people. And that is against the rules. I am not allowed to do it." If she got attached to people, to her guests, it was so much harder to give them up, and she knew he boss didn’t like her getting to close.

“Have you ever thought of leaving then?” He asked casually.

“No!” She almost screamed, shaking her head in fear, trying to push herself further into the wall. “You can’t do that. Never."

“Alright,” He soothed her. “You don’t have to, it is only talking, that is all we are doing, only talking."

“I can’t leave them Jarod. That is a sin. Never.” She whispered at his gentle voice.

“I understand, I really do. I thought that way for a very long time. When I was your age, I would have never even considered the possibility of leaving, in fact I had only ever been outside the Centre one time in my entire life at that stage. But it changed over time."

“It may change Jarod, but I would never leave. Ever. It’s not done. Maybe at the Centre it is but not my home.” She said softly rocking a little against the wall. She would never leave.

He decided not to push her any further. She was too heavily programmed for an appeal to stand any kind of chance. “I understand,” He repeated. If he had a few months, he might be able to undo some of the damage to her psyche, but time was his enemy here. He looked at her for a long moment and then decided to tell her what possibly would condemn him in her eyes, but she might even just let him go too. “I do not want to go back, and I will never submit to being a project again. I would rather die than work for your boss and be treated as if I am nothing more than some lab rat, or criminal. I will fight them with every breath.” He said it softly, with conviction.

She looked up at him and climbed to her feet. Walking over to him, Gracie reached up and gently stroked his face. “I know. It radiates from you so strongly. But they will be here before you know it. And there is nothing you can do. When we get home, if you decide to fight, not only will they punish you, but will probably use you to breed. And when they are satisfied they have enough new projects from you, sell you to someone else."

“I cannot allow that to happen,” He said softly but firmly.

“I know you can’t, but what you want does not enter into the picture Jarod. Like it or not, you were born a project, and you will die one too. By their hands or your own."

“No, I wasn’t,” He protested. “I had parents who loved me, I had a life. They stole it, took it from me, and I won’t give them, or anybody else, any more of my life."

“What was that like?” She asked in a whisper. She knew he must have had parents, she saw him being taken from a kid’s bedroom. And didn’t think another organisation would decorate a bed like that.

Jarod closed his eyes, fighting off the emotions that came with that question. “I can’t really remember,” He admitted in defeat. “Just snatches, like a lost dream, sometimes I don’t even think it was real at all."

“After breaking the rules and leaving them, did you ever find your parents?” She asked, wishing she knew if she had parents herself, though she was almost positive she was a lab experiment that worked.

"My father for a short time." The joy of that meeting he still carried with him, along with the bitter acid of his capture immediately following.

“What was that like?” She asked, "Knowing someone loved you enough to want you?"

“It was wonderful,” He said wistfully, remembering his father’s arms around him for the first time. The way his father's voice caught just a little when he called him son.

She nodded, “I am sorry we are taking the chance for you to see him again away from you."

Jarod nodded, but he would not accept that this was defeat. He had gotten out of worse situations than this before, and he would find a way again.

“You really don’t like being a project, do you Jarod?” She asked in confusion. Grace didn’t know how to function not being one, let alone out on her own in the world.

“What's to like? They treat you like property, keep you caged, exploit you, work you beyond exhaustion. They take away free will, desire, fun, they take everything, leaving you alone and empty. They take away your hope."

“You have routine, the pleasure of making your owners happy. Purpose.” She said back, moving to sit on the cot again. "Rewards and praise when you do well."

“It’s not enough. The rewards are negligible, the punishments severe. You are a person, with a soul, with hopes and dreams...” He trailed off, looking at the wall. “People, any creatures, were not meant to live in captivity."

“We are all captives in our lives Jarod, just in different ways. Women being abused by their partners, they are just as caged as projects. People in finical debut are just as trapped. A lot of people have lost their hope and dreams for a better future."

Jarod had to admit she was right, and perhaps not as naïve as he had first thought, unless that was the 'party line' she had been fed all of her life. He knew that they would only keep going around in circles and so decided simply to agree with her. "Maybe you are right."

She looked up as the door opened and Wil entered and forced a smile to her lips. "Lunch ready?"

“Yes it is,” He told her, seeing that Jarod was out of the chains and it was hard for him to tell which one of the two looked more miserable.

She stood up and moved over to him, “Come on Jarod, let’s eat. We will get you some clothes along the way."

He stood up, his body aching, but he forced himself to ignore it, for Sydney’s sake. He would be worried enough as it was, Jarod didn’t need to add to that.

She led the two men into the house section and into the laundry. Grabbing a fresh set of clothing from the clean pile, she handed him the baggy, oversized clothing.

Jarod slipped into it, glad to see that his erection was finally gone, although he bet his balls were going to ache for a while. “Thank you,” He said at the last moment, remembering to mind his manners.

She smiled at him. “I am staving.” She said walking them into the kitchen. She hadn’t eaten at breakfast, and hadn’t slept since the night before. And was looking forward to some food. Getting there, she saw Jon and Sydney seated, Jon's gun on the table as always.

“Jarod,” Sydney said as soon as he saw him, standing up to move over to him. He had spent the morning locked in his cell and thankfully left alone, but his mind was running all kinds of things that he just couldn’t shut off.

“Hey Sydney," Jarod smiled at him to show him he was fine.

When everyone was seated and Wil had served lunch, Gracie dug into it with a vengeance. She looked at Sydney and between mouthfuls said, “Did you know it is wrong to touch people when they don’t want it?" She blurted out suddenly.

Sydney blinked at her in surprise and shot a quick glance at Jarod, who looked tired, but otherwise unharmed. “Yes, it is wrong to touch people when they do not want it. It is not accepted in our society and there are punishments under the law for those people that do.”

“Why?” She asked, shovelling more food into her mouth. There seemed to be a rule for everything in this country.

“It is a matter of human rights. Every individual on the planet has basic rights, rights that they are entitled to and that nobody else may take away from them.” Sydney knew he had spent the better part of his adult life violating those very same rights and he looked up at Jarod guiltily for a moment.

“Then why does over half of the world not follow these rules Sydney?” She asked. What use were rules if no one followed them?

“I wish I could answer that Miss Grace. But we have laws to try and enforce it, and fortunately human rights violations are no longer as rampant as they used to be."

“Why did you break those rules Sydney?” She asked, looking him in the eye.

"Vanity, ego, the lure of science. The misconceptions of youth. The desire to do better, to make the world a better place.” He had argued many times this very thing with Jacob, and looking back now, he could see what Jacob could see, even back then.

She shrugged and went back to her lunch. Eating everything on her plate. When she was done, she looked back up at Sydney, “I touched Jarod when he did want it.” She told him, knowing she did wrong.

“You did?” Sydney said, knowing that she had tortured him, shot him and did god only knows what else to him. But from her tone, it sounded like her and Jarod might have had a little chat. If nothing else, Jarod always seemed to have a huge impact on people. It was too bad that it was always so extreme. They either end up loving him, or hating him.

Gracie nodded. “I wanted to look at him, understand why people enjoyed being touched, why they like certain things about people. So I touched him, made his body enjoy it and I showed him my breasts, seeing if he liked them, he said most men like women’s breasts. But I upset Wil and he made me dress and when he left to make our lunch and I let Jarod down. I didn’t understand I had done wrong. But Jarod explained to me if you touch someone when they don’t want it, or use your power over the other’s body, it is exploitation and rape. I didn’t know, I didn’t understand but."

Sydney shot a worried glance at Jarod, whose eyes were fixed so intently on his plate he thought that he might be boring holes into it. “Yes, it is wrong to touch people in that manner without their permission. It is a private thing that can be a wonderful experience if both people want it. But if one person doesn’t want it, it is wrong for the second person to force them."

“So he told me. He explained the difference between different touches. I didn’t know Sydney, I really didn’t mean to do something so wrong.” She tried to apologise to him, not sure why.

“It’s alright Miss Grace,” He tried to placate her, Jarod still pointedly ignoring everyone, eating his food slowly. “There are many things that we don’t understand, and we need experience to help teach us and guide us. Nobody expects you to understand everything at your age, and it is natural to be curious."

“He has a very nice body though Sydney. I like his back. The lines and muscles.” She complimented him about his project.

Sydney coughed in his surprise at her frankness and looked at Jarod, who was a distinctly darked shade of red than usual.

Gracie frowned, “Why is he embarrassed? Shouldn’t it be a good thing?" She asked in confusion.

Sydney rubbed his face. “It is not considered polite to talk about someone right in front of them as if they were not even in the room, and to talk openly about their body like that."

Wil was having a difficult time keeping himself from bursting out in laughter.

“Why? There is nothing to be ashamed about. I can show you my body if it makes him feel better." Gracie said and stood up as she started to strip, not phased at all.

“No," came simultaneously from Jarod, Wil and Sydney.

Jon looked at them all, enjoying this immensely. Gracie was always so good to watch when she got so confused like this. But he didn’t want her showing herself to these men and told her no at the same time as the others did.

Gracie frown deepened. “I do not understand what the big deal is."

"Let us just say it violates protocol and leave it at that. You understand protocols?” Sydney asked.

“Oh yes.” She nodded. “But that is not our protocol at all." Gracie’s uncertainty was evident. She knew every single protocol and procedure there was to know.

“It is a new protocol now," Wil added, hoping that would stop the strip-teasing once and for all.

“Are you allowed to add new protocols Wil? Would the boss like it?” She asked, but slowly sat down.

“I think he would probably agree with this one Miss Gracie," Wil said shooting a look at Jon, letting him know he wanted some backup.

Jarod listened to the banter, but he was surreptitiously watching the gun, running the SIM's again, trying to find a way out of this. He could not allow them to take him to wherever she was talking about, but he could not risk Sydney either.

“He wouldn’t want you showing your body to those that aren’t authorised Gracie. He would want to keep you safe and protected by not tempting any men that shouldn’t be near you.” He said gently.

“Oh.” She said and nodded. “Jon, take the gun off the table please. You know I don’t like it in view while we eat." Jarod’s glances at it may have been discreet, but his thoughts were not.

Jon sighed and put it back in it’s holster. “Now the gun is gone, you have to promise me to follow the new rule. Not to remove your clothes like that. Ok?” He asked her smoothly.

She nodded, “You know I won’t break the rules." And if she did, Grace only broke them once.

Jarod tried not to react, but realised that what he had suspected must be true. She was some kind of empath, or perhaps even telepath. He finished his meal in silence, not looking at anything but the plate.

The rest of the meal was finished in silence. She still didn’t understand the big deal about people showing their bodies, but left it alone now. She stood up, “Can one of you guys take Sydney, the other help me with Jarod please?"

“Sure Gracie, I will help you with Jarod.” Jon wanted a minute alone with him.

“Come on Sydney, back to your room for you," Wil said, getting up.

Jon got to his feet and moved to Jarod, grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet, not being at all careful with him.

Sydney looked at them. “Can’t I stay with Jarod please?” He asked, not yet having had a chance to speak with him privately.

“No, you may not Sydney. You must go to your room. I may allow you sometime with him later on if I am pleased by his and your behaviour."

Jarod looked at Sydney and shook his head, telling him not to make trouble. Jarod's first priority was Sydney’s safety and freedom. Once he knew Sydney was safe, escape was next on his list.

"Let’s go," Jon said, yanking Jarod forward as Gracie led them back to his room, leaving Wil to deal with the old man.

Jarod stumbled forward. “Just do as they say Sydney,” He called out.

Getting to his room, Jon shoved him in, “Gracie, why don’t you go speak with Sydney. You haven’t really had much of a chance yet."

She looked at the two men before nodding. “Yes alright Jon.” And she left them be, shutting the door behind them.

When he knew she was gone, Jon turned on Jarod, pushing him across the room in rage. “Did you touch her?" He would castrate this man if he so much as laid a finger on his Grace, then let him bleed to death slowly.

Jarod looked at him nervously, backing up into the corner. “No,” He said instantly.

“You better not be damn lying to me boy.” He seethed, grabbing his hair and yanking him to his feet, shoving him against the wall and pushing his forearm into Jarod's throat.

“I was chained,” He choked out, looking to the cuffs still hanging from the ceiling, his hands trying to push the arm away.

“Did you get enjoyment, pleasure, out of seeing her with out her tops on?” He asked, pushing his arm into his throat further wanting to get the truth.

“No," Jarod tried to say. He had been mortified. "For god sakes, she's just a kid."

Jon glared at him before stepping back, letting him go. “That’s right boy, she is just a kid. She shouldn’t even be here doing this assignment. If I find out you even think of her in any fashion other then worrying about what she will do to you next, I will slit your throat, screw what the boss wants you for. Am I clear?"

Jarod nodded, rubbing his throat, not taking his eyes from Jon. There was no way Jarod would ever touch her, she was a child, and he could never do such a thing.

“And next time she wants to touch you, I do not want to find out you drilling stupid things into her head like you did today."

“What stupid things?” He asked in confusion, still rubbing at his throat.

“That it is wrong.” He hissed. “You are a project, a piece of meat for your owner’s enjoyment. And right now, she owns you. And if she wants to touch you, fuck you. She will do it without you making her believe it is wrong because you are a person, when you're not."

Jarod swallowed his retort, knowing it would more than likely earn him a beating. He forced his breathing to calm down as he stared at the man, flabbergasted by his logic.

“Am I understood?” He barked.

“Yes,” He said under his breath, sick to death of the attitude that he was some kind of possession. He had run from that before, and he had no intentions of ever going back to that kind of lifestyle.

“Good.” He nodded, “Get over to the chains and cuff your left wrist.” He ordered in a strong voice, leaving no room for arguments.

Jarod looked from him to the dangling cuffs, not wanting to do it. He didn’t move for a moment, and then took a grudging step forward.

Jon waited until Jarod had cuffed his wrist before going over and cuffing the other, checking both, making sure they were tight and he wouldn’t get out of them. “I want you to tell her you were wrong about her being able to touch you the way she did. I want you to tell her she is allowed to do it to you."

“You want me to encourage her to molest me?” He asked incredulously. His arms were tightly stretched again, but at the moment he was too shocked to notice them.

“She has every right to if she feels like she wants to do it. You don’t seem to be understanding boy, you are not a person that has basic human rights, you are not human. You have no rights. What’s best for you, is what Gracie wants."

“She is a minor, it should be your job to protect her from this sort of thing, not encourage her." Jarod ignored most of his statement, only worried about how he could be encouraging this sort of thing.

“I am protecting her." Jon said, throwing a punch to Jarod's stomach. “But she owns you right now. And there is a good chance she will be made your handler when we get home. And if she wants sex, you will give it to her."

Jarod doubled over as far as the chains would allow, coughing and spluttering, completely winded from the punch, his shoulders nearly pulled right out of their sockets form the force of the blow.

Jon pulled out his phone, dialling Gracie, asking if she could come back for a moment, Jarod had something he wanted to tell her. Hanging up the phone he looked at him. “You will tell her this, no tricks, no hidden messages, I want it plain and clear."

He shook his head, still unable to speak.

Jon grabbed his jaw and held it tightly. “If you don’t, then I will make you regret it. I am bi by the way, and if your stupid project head doesn’t know what it means, it means that I like both men and women. And though I don’t like Sydney, way too old, I will not hesitate to go to his room now and have a bit of fun with him." Jon threatened Jarod with a rape of the old man, knowing how much he cared for Sydney.

“No," Jarod shouted at him. “Don’t you touch him.” He jerked frantically in the chains, trying to get to him.

“Then you will do as I tell you. You will tell Grace you were wrong. It isn’t wrong for her only to touch you how she wants. But make sure she understands it is wrong for people to touch her like that. Got me?"

Jarod stood there fuming in impotent rage, staring at him, breathing shallowly.

“Am I clear boy?” He asked him again

Jarod closed his eyes for a minute, trying to clear his thinking. An attack like that would destroy Sydney, he would never get over it. Finally he nodded.

Jon let him go and tapped his face. “Good boy.” He smiled at him as Gracie walked in.

“What’s the problem? Why is he back in the cuffs?” She asked in confusion.

“He was being a little difficult, weren’t you Jarod?"

Jarod jerked his head away from him and grunted.

“Jarod just admitted something to me, didn’t you Jarod?” He asked, not hiding his smile, his eyes holding his threat. “Why don’t you tell her?"

Jarod looked at him, already having run the SIM about what it would do to Sydney and nodded. “Yes I did,” He said in a strained voice. This went against everything he held to be true, and it was like bitter acid in his throat.

Gracie stood in front of him. “What’s that Jarod?” She asked him in a kind voice, wondering what was going on here.

“Just that...” He started, not being able to look at her.

“Just what?” She asked, “I don’t think you need to be in these cuffs Jarod, do you want me to let you down?"

“Please,” He said quickly, not wanting to lose this opportunity and glad for the change in conversation as well.

She went to reach up but was stopped by Jon, "Listen to him first Grace please." Gracie nodded and dropped her hands. “What is it you were going to say Jarod?"

Jarod realised that he would not be able to get out of this and cast another look at Jon. “I may have been mistaken about some of the things I said before. I was upset, and not thinking clearly."

Gracie frowned, “What do you mean Jarod? What things?” She asked looking into his eyes.

Jarod took a deep breath, loathing himself for doing this. “About the touching,” He forced out.

She nodding, “Touching like I did is wrong. You shouldn’t do it if they don’t want it.” She knew this now, they had made her understand touching with out permission was wrong. Though she still wasn’t quite sure what touching was ok.

“Yes, nobody should ever be allowed to touch you like that, not if you don’t want it, not ever.” He told her, trying to put off the second part for a moment longer.

"Except the men at home.” She whispered, “Is that it?” She asked, thoroughly confused.

“No, that wasn’t it,” He said, trying to calm himself down.

“Then what?" She pushed him a little.

He closed his eyes, trying not to think about what he was just about to tell her. It was so fundamentally wrong that it made him feel sick. “I was wrong in telling you about not touching me.” He hoped that would satisfy Jon.

“I don’t understand Jarod, you told me it was wrong, you shouldn’t ever touch anybody if they don’t want it."

Jon stood behind Grace with arms crossed, anger in his eyes.

“Yes," Jarod agreed, “But that doesn’t hold here. It is not the same for me. I am a project,” He almost choked on the word, “And the rules are different for projects, as you know."

“But you are so adamant you are not a project Jarod. I’m so confused.” She all but whined. One minute she was told it was wrong, the next it was wrong for people to touch her, but not him.

“I guess while I am here, I am.” He told her.

Grace closed her eyes and shook her head. He was sending her so many mixed signals. “But you said you didn’t want it. And that was wrong Jarod. Why change it now?"

“I didn’t want it, I don’t want it, but that doesn’t matter. What I want makes no difference."

“Jon, can you leave us for a minute please?” She asked him gently.

“Sure Gracie. And remember the new rule, no taking your clothes off.” He reminded her.

“Yes I will.” She said as he left, locking the door behind him.

Jarod watched him go and swore to himself he would kill him if he touched Sydney.

Grace moved over to Jarod and let him out of the cuffs. She stood in front of him, arms crossed.

Jarod rubbed his sore wrists and then his stomach, were he had taken the punch. He moved over and sat down on the bed gingerly.

“What is going on Jarod? Less then an hour ago, you were telling me it is wrong, you were not a project. What happened?" All she wanted was the truth right now. And she was getting too many different emotions and thoughts from Jarod to be able to read it from him.

“I was wrong to tell you that, I realise now."

“What did Jon say to you Jarod?” She asked, her voice telling him she wasn’t in the mood for this.

“That I had better start to understand my place and behave accordingly."

“That I believe.” She mumbled. “Then what about Sydney? Why did he say it was wrong too?"

“Sydney still lives in the real world, and it is wrong there. But this is not the real world, and things are very different for people like me."

She moved to sit next to him and touched his leg, getting flashes of what Jon had said to Jarod. She looked at him and ran her hand up to sit on his crotch. “So I am allowed to touch you here?"

He closed his eyes and softly said, “Yes."

She leant in and kissed him before pulling back, “And I am allowed to touch you like that?

He nodded, “Any way you like,” He said in a voice devoid of any emotion.

She moved to straddle Jarod's hips and ran her hands up under his top, pulling it up with her and played with his nipples with her mouth for a moment or two. Biting down on them a little before sucking and licking away the harsh pain.

Jarod tried not to move or respond to her in any way, but it was very hard for him. He was still unsatisfied from her last exploration and he knew he wouldn’t be able to maintain control for too long. But he also swore to himself he would not initiate anything or do anything he wasn’t specifically instructed too, Jon's warning ringing clearly in his ears.

She pulled back and looked at him, "That is allowed?" Grace asked innocently, twisting her nipples between her fingers as she asked him. She could tell he was lying to her, and she wondered just how far she could go before he would tell her not to do it. But he seemed pretty determined to let her do this and Grace had to wonder why.

Jarod nodded, guessing that whatever the hell she wanted was allowed now.

She pulled him down a little on the cot so she could run her hands down his pants to his arse and gave it a hard squeeze, digging her nails into him.

Jarod lay perfectly still as she explored his body.

She watched him as he lay there impassively and smiled, "So I am allowed to do this?" She asked as she forced two fingers into him.

Jarod closed his eyes, his face screwing up and forced himself to nod, his fists clenched tightly at his side. It was no worse than his regular medical exams he had had to undergo on a regular basis, and he reminded himself of that.

She slowly pulled them out of him after moving them around inside of him for a moment or two and brought it to his lips and running her dirty fingers over his mouth. "So I can make you clean my fingers too then?" She asked, hinting it as she traced his lips non-stop.

He nodded, sighing heavily, finding that safe place inside himself where none of this could touch him. Any sympathy he might have had for her, any connection had just been destroyed and he did what she wanted, barely aware of what he was doing.

While he was cleaning her fingers, she reached into his pants again and gently stroked his penis, "Am I allowed to be soft?" She asked before moving to give his balls a tight squeeze, "Or should I be rough?" Grace asked as she pulled her fingers away from his mouth.

Jarod's eyes rolled back in his head at the gentle touch and then the brutal squeeze. He could feel his arousal again and he tried desperately to fight it, disgusted at how easily his body could be manipulated against his will. "Whatever you wish," He forced himself to tell her.

“And I am allowed to know you are lying to me.” She said, pulling back from him

He opened his eyes and looked at her in fear. "I am not lying," He protested.

“What did Jon threaten you with Jarod?” She asked, looking at him.

“He would hurt Sydney,” He saw no reason to deny what she probably already knew anyway.

“Well the best thing right now is to pretend I understand Jarod. If he knew I made you tell me he would go play with Sydney anyway. And I am not willing to have Sydney traumatised or harmed." He was not who she needed, and Gracie was not going to hurt an innocent in all of this.

“Thank you,” He whispered in relief, although confused why she would do that.

“The way you told me it was wrong Jarod. There was no way you could have lied. I know you are a pretender and all, but there was so much passion and conviction when you told me. I understand it is wrong. But I also understand projects do not have a say in it. I will not be able to stop anyone else touching you, I haven’t got the right, but will not touch you like that again."

Jarod nodded in understanding. “Thank you for that at least,” He said softly.

She smiled gently at him. “But I am allowed to touch you if you give me permission right?" Gracie tried to clarify.

“Yes,” He said, dismissing the idea of trying to explain that coercion was the same as force.

“I’ll keep that in mind for later if ever I feel like a hug.” She nodded, happy with that. Gracie sometimes felt like she needed one of those hugs Jon and Wil gave her when she was really sad, but a lot of the times, no one was around to give it to her.

Jarod laughed a little at that, relieved enormously that she didn’t want to ask him if she could explore her sexuality with him. The idea of going back to wherever it was that she was proposing to send him was bad enough, but the idea of becoming a teenager’s sex toy was too much for him to cope with.

When she heard the lock on the door being opened she quickly pushed Jarod to lean against the wall and stuck her hand down his pants. “Sorry,” She whispered to him as Jon walked in.

Jarod gasped in shock, but otherwise remained perfectly still.

Jon looked at Gracie playing with Jarod and grinned coldly at him. At least he made her understand Jarod had no rights and she could touch him if and when she wanted to. “Gracie, I just wanted to tell you, I am going for a bit of a sleep. I will have my phone next to me, call me if he becomes a problem ok?"

Gracie made out like she was fondling Jarod quite a bit. She nodded, hand still down his pants. “Sure. And Jarod told me he was wrong. I get to play with him now.” She grinned.

He smiled back, before glaring at Jarod, “I’m glad you are happy Grace. Remember to call me if you need me.” He said again as he left, locking the door behind him.

Jarod remained still, his eyes downcast, concentrating on his breathing, his face flushing brightly again.

She nodded as another hand went up his top and watched him as he left. When she knew it was safe, pulled away quickly, “Jarod, I am so sorry.” She apologised quickly.

“Don’t worry about it,” He said and offered her a weak smile as he straightened his clothes. “I don’t want to get you into trouble, and I just want to make sure Sydney is safe. If you let him go now, I promise I won’t give you any trouble."

“I can’t do that Jarod. You know I can’t. We need him as a safety net in case something does happen.” She said in a strong voice. “And I am really sorry about just then. It just if Jon believed you told me and I believed it, he would lay off Sydney completely."

Jarod sighed and nodded. “What now then?” He asked, trying to get some kind of idea what to expect.

“We wait.” She said simply. “The team will be here by midday tomorrow at the latest, depending on what transport they decided to take. But I would like just to spend some time in here with you if you do not mind."

“I don’t mind,” He told her, surprised by the fact that she asked.

She smiled. “You are so different to every person I know Jarod. I don’t know what to make of it."

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” He asked her.

“A good thing... I think.” She frowned. “As far as my experiences go, it tells me it is a good thing."

“I guess we are different from other people."

“Not really. Not all that much. Who we work for just happens to be a lot stricter, harder rules to follow. That’s all. Or do you mean us, as in why we are projects?” She asked as an after thought.

“I guess a bit of both, we have our... talents and our lives are very different from other people. Very lonely."

She nodded. “They don’t have to be. I could be your friend Jarod.” She whispered. She had never had friends before, Jon and Wil wouldn’t be classed as friends in anyone’s books. They were her sweepers, protectors, family.

“Jon tells me if they decide to keep me, you are likely to be assigned as my handler,” He told her, although the idea of his superior being so young struck him as a little absurd.

“They could do. So far, since we are not taking Sydney, I will be the only one to have had spent time with you. Would that be so bad though? Because I can always ask not to be your handler if it is assigned to me."

“It would make a friendship... difficult don’t you think? It would be hard to punish a friend, people who are friends don’t do those kinds of things to each other."

"Maybe.” She got up and moved to the door, standing outside and was ready to shut and lock in case Jarod went nuts at her. Hiding behind it, her head poked into the room a little. “I have to tell you something. I have been feeling bad about it." She was not used to such strong feelings of guilt and didn’t quite know how to handle it. When she was guilty at home, she would tell her boss she did something wrong and she would be punished.

“What?” He asked her nervously, not liking this at all.

“The disk of Miss Parker, we faked it.” She said watching him carefully, waiting for him to explode.

Jarod looked at her for a minute as the news sunk in. His first feeling was relief, and then a coldness settled into the pit of his stomach that she could so brutally toy with his feelings like that. “I see," forcing himself to remain calm.

When he didn’t yell she stood a little in the room, still holding the door for a quick escape. “I am sorry Jarod. But it is something we must do when my boss tells me he wants the person we have. Either kill them or make the person not want to see them. And it had a double purpose, make you more aware that you were a project. I didn’t want to do it Jarod. But I needed to stop the connection with Miss Parker. And I needed to do Sydney next.” She whispered.

“No, I imagine you don’t want to do any of this, but you don’t let it stop you. Just make sure Sydney is safe, that is all I care about right now."

“Jarod please. You must understand the punishment if I had failed with it.” She whispered, moving into the room again and shutting and locking the door behind her. She sat next to him, but not too close. “I feel so bad, so guilty about it. And how I had to do it. But I didn’t want to kill her."

“You have me now, you leave them alone."

“I want to Jarod, but it is not that simple. If my boss thinks your feelings towards anyone at all will affect his merchandise, he would have them killed himself, and it isn’t pleasant. He makes us take them and torture them to death, knowing how much I hate seeing people killed."

“And this is the man you are loyal to? The man you are eager to get back to? The man you wish to deliver me to?"

“He is my owner Jarod!” She said in exasperation. “I want to go home. And to do so I have to do as he tells me.” She looked at him. “You don’t think what I did was right.” She stated.

“It is no longer a question of right or wrong now. It is a question of survival.”

“Give me your hand please Jarod.” She ordered him.

Jarod gave her his hand, looking up at her tiredly. If he escaped, he knew that the blame would fall on her, but he couldn’t let her take him back either.

“This is why I did what I did. I shouldn’t have even told you. All I had to do was make Sydney not worthy of your love anymore and they would have been safe. I took this lady. She was so very smart Jarod. Could offer my boss a lot of things. I hated taking women, but I have no choice. I couldn’t get her to stop wanting her family but my boss wanted her anyway. She had ten year old son and a husband. They tied me to a chair and forced me to watch, so I would learn my lesson.” She closed her eyes and concentrated, allowing Jarod to see the memory of them being killed. Gracie couldn’t stop the tears or her emotions, her remorse, guilt, shame she had allowed it to happen, from going over to Jarod.

Jarod watched in horror and knew that he could not allow this to happen again. He would pretend that he cared for nobody, and that should be easy after all, but he would also seek not only an escape, but a way to bring these people down.

She let is hand go and quickly wiping her tears away. “Now do you understand why I did what I did over Miss Parker?

“Yes,” He nodded at her slowly, becoming more desperate by the second to find a way out of this. He took her hand back in his own. “Come with me, I can look after you, show you what it is really like to live your life."

“I can’t Jarod.” She whispered. “I can’t leave."'

“Why not?” He urged her.

“Because I belong to them. And it breaks all the rules to leave Jarod." She told him yet again.

“You don’t belong to them, that is just their indoctrination, you are your own person, and you can be free if you have to courage to take it. All of this will stop, and you will see how good it feels."

“They have my little sister Jarod.” She whispered. “I can’t leave."

That stopped Jarod cold. “I can help you, we can bring them down, save her, save them all. If you send me to them, you or your sister will never be free."

“I am not going to risk her Jarod. Once we are there, I will tell you how to get out. But be warned, once you are outside, that’s it Jarod, I will have to leave it up to you.” She knew Jarod had no idea how bad it was trying to escape from her home. More to the point how relatively easy it was to get out, but how hopeless it was to get away from the facility once out.

“Thank you,” He said, not really sure he believed her or not. “Where is 'home'?” He asked.

“A long way away from where we are right now." A long, long way away.

“Where?” He pushed her, he needed information badly. Right now he didn’t even know where here was. He knew where he had been taken, but he had no idea how long he was out for, how far away they might be.

“You will know as soon as we get there Jarod. Trust me on it."

Jarod gave up in frustration. “This boss of yours, he runs the place?"

“He is 2ic. His main project is me and my sister. But he has a lot of others on the side. And he deals with a lot of the customers."

“Customers that pay for our talents?” He asked, guessing whatever it was, was probably set up similar to the Centre.

She nodded, “Yes. But also ones that pay for our body, our fertility." Grace said in an emotionless voice. She had been paid for a few times, and it was unpleasant.

He closed his eyes at that. Apart from the clone, at least they had left Jarod's body alone, only interested in his mind.









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