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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Part 15 - Liberamento
Charles and his future daughter-in-law both looked up as Sydney walked into the kitchen. He nodded at his daughter.
“Go on, Maleah. Go to him.”
The fathers smiled at one another as she left the room as if wolves were snapping at her heels.
”Is he…?”
“Is she…?”
The relevant parents spoke the questions simultaneously and they both laughed quietly as the answer came in the same way.
“Yes.”
“So what now?” Charles asked.
Sydney looked up from the mug that Major Charles placed in front of him. “I think that, despite everything, we should go back to the Centre and soon. If we don’t, some of those people to whom we’ve been providing information could decide that they want the place for themselves.”
“I agree. But is everybody ready – and fit – to move?”
The psychiatrist nodded. “I suppose Jarod will want to give Debbie one last check-up…”
”And you?”
“What about me?” Sydney's voice was mystified.
“Your shoulder…”
Laughing, the man undid the first few buttons of his shirt and showed the rapidly healing wound. “I hardly even remember it happened anymore.”
“He did a good job.”
”Your son is a good man.”
“With a good teacher.”
“And a good father.”
There was silence before both stood up and pushed their chairs under the table, leaving the room together.
She stood a short distance away and, unable to speak, could only watch as the tears slid down the face that was turned up to the sky.
“I’m sorry, Maleah.”
“Don’t be sorry, Jarod.”
He shook his head and then came over to her. “What would you think of me if I was afraid?”
“That you were human,” she responded, lovingly placing one of his hands on her cheek and stroking the back of it. “We’re all afraid sometimes.”
He nodded slightly. “I was never brought up to be human.”
“No,” she agreed. “You were brought up to be whatever the simulations required you to be. But now,” she urged, “you have a chance to be anything you want to be, rather than what anybody else wants.”
“But I don’t know what I want!” With despair in his voice, he sank down on his knees in front of her.
“That’s what you’re really afraid of, isn’t it?” She looked down at him. “The Centre is just the focus for that fear. This is the same question you’ve been facing for four years, and you still don’t have an answer.”
“You sound like your father.”
“Am I right, Jarod?”
“Yes,” he admitted softly. “You are.” There was a pause until finally he looked up at her with tears glistening in his eyes. “What do you want me to be, Parker?”
“I want,” she lowered her face so that it was near his ear, “I want you to love and to be loved and, most of all, I want you to be happy.”
“Teach me.” His face and voice were pleading and there were repressed tears in his tones. She lowered herself so that she was kneeling, facing him. Gently she drew him closer and brought her mouth to his.
“Yes, Jarod.” She punctuated the words with gentle touches of her lips. “I’ll teach you. I’ll teach you and you can teach me. I’m not going to be ‘Parker’ any more.”
“Are we ready?”
Major Charles looked in the rear-vision mirror at the group in the car he was driving. His son had managed to procure two large cars and the group would drive back to Blue Cove together. There had been a marked lack of discussion that morning as people packed and prepared to leave the one place that now seemed like a relative haven of safety, despite the fact that the only threats came from their imaginations.
“Yes, Dad.” Emily smiled at him from the back seat, Steven on one side and baby Lucas in his capsule on the other. She caught the eye of her half-brother as he sat in front of her and he returned her smile. “We’re ready.”
Glancing back, she checked once more that Angelo was fastened into the rear seat and then again nodded at her father. Major Charles shifted the car into gear and began to slowly steer the car down the driveway. He glanced back, saw that the other vehicle was following and gave a satisfied nod before turning on the radio and concentrating on the road.
Sydney steered the car out of the garage and onto the driveway. He watched as the first vehicle passed them and then edged the car out onto the road.
“Are we going to block the driveway?”
Maleah spoke as she recalled her arrival at the house but Jarod shook his head. “No need. It was only to prevent us being found – and there’s nobody looking for us now.”
She smiled up at him and he slipped an arm around her shoulders, holding her close. After a moment, she leaned her head back against him and let her eyes watch the landscape pass without speaking before turning her gaze on Broots, who, with his daughter, sat in the front seat. It was only a few moments before she let her eyes slip shut. Jarod felt her relax against him and he moved slightly so that she would be more comfortable. Resting his head lightly on hers, he closed his own eyes.
“Are you sure you want to drive?”
“Positive.” Jarod kept his voice firm and picked up the keys that sat on the table of the diner between them. “And Maleah is going to give Dad a break.”
Sydney nodded. “As long as you’re sure…”
“I am.” The Pretender glanced around at the three tables that contained their group and saw that everybody was finished. “Are we ready?”
There was a chorus of positive answers and Major Charles picked up the baby capsule as the others surged out of the building. He grabbed the arm of his oldest son as the man walked past.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, Dad.” Jarod smiled. “I am now.”
The car stopped at the security entrance and Jarod swiped the pass that he had made for himself. The occupants waited nervously for a half-second until the security code that the pretender and Broots had pre-programmed into the machine while they were still at the house was finally recognized and the beam swung upwards. Jarod pulled the car into the place closest to the front door and then pulled on the brake. Over his shoulder, he watched as the other vehicle also successfully navigated the barrier and parked alongside. There was a long minute of silence while they all stared up at the building in front of them. It was Emily who first moved, opening her door and getting out of the car to stretch her legs. Her future sister-in-law did the same, followed rapidly by the others.
“Now what?”
“I guess,” Jarod pulled the gun out of the holster that he now wore, “we have to got through the building and make sure that it’s secure.” He walked over to a cupboard and pulled out a box. Opening it, he pulled out a number of radios and weapons that he offered to the group. Some took what he offered. Those that refused or were never given the option were to remain in the lobby while the others explored.
“One level at a time. Nobody goes further down until the current level is clear.”
He watched as the group nodded and they moved silently to the lifts. Holding back the feelings that he could sense inside, he walked ahead of them and began to lead the long search.
“One level left.”
“SL-27.”
“Correct.”
The group met in front of the elevator. Each level had only received a cursory check, but it was enough. The cleaners had done their work thoroughly after the various groups had been allowed to go through the building and now only the poor test subjects, with their carers, were left for the group to find. All of those gathered in both the lobby and the lower level had felt their hearts sinking as report after report of those found was reported.
“Nothing.”
Sydney's eyes widened. “How?”
“I don’t know.” Jarod shook his head and leaned back against the wall of the lobby, staring at the floor in disbelief. “But there’s nothing and nobody left there.”
“You mean they cleaned it out?” Emily asked.
“Not exactly.” He looked up at his sister. “The furnishings and everything are still there. It’s just that there are no people there. Whoever cleaned that up certainly did a good job.”
“And doesn’t that make our job easier?”
“I guess so, but it does mean that we have to trust the other corporations when they said they got rid of people. I have to confess,” Jarod sighed heavily. “I was hoping to find some proof they were gone, rather than just going on hearsay.”
“And why,” she walked over to him, “were you expecting them to be there?”
“Because that’s where the Yakuza, to name one, said they killed them. Obviously their cleaners,” he met his fiancé’s eye, “are as good as the ones that the Centre employed.”
There was a short pause.
“So now what?”
“Now we need to start planning ahead, I guess.”
“I’m going, Jarod. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Going home, Broots?”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “I’m looking forward to sleeping in my own bed again.”
Jarod nodded in sympathy. “Bring Debbie in tomorrow and I’ll do those checks to make sure she’s okay.”
“Can do.” The technician disappeared from the doorway and Jarod turned back to his struggle with the files in front of him. For a moment he glanced at his watch and shook his head in frustration. It was already ten o’clock and she was still there. He desperately wanted her to go home so that he could investigate, alone, something that he had noticed earlier that day.
“Are you coming?”
Finally. He looked up. “Are we the last?”
“Yes. So, are you?”
”Soon, Maleah. There are still a few things I want to check out.”
“Don’t be too long,” she smiled, “or I’ll come and find you.”
“I consider myself well warned.”
Jarod smiled and watched as she left. Quickly turning in his seat, he tapped into the security system and watched as she walked out to the car she had brought over from her house earlier that day. He waited until the security barrier was down and then he got up from his chair, grabbing a bag from beside his desk, and left his office.
He walked rapidly to the elevator and waited impatiently inside while it brought him down to SL-24. This was the level where they had found the worst cases. He and Sydney, after serious discussion, had decided that they would treat these themselves rather than bringing in other people, as they planned to do for several other former projects.
“Come on, come on.”
Jarod murmured the words and was out of the doors before they were fully open, striding rapidly down the hallway to the number he had memorized. Unlocking the door, he went in and found himself on platform that overlooked the room and was protected by one-way glass. For several moments, through the dim light, his eyes focused on the figure that lay, sleeping, on the bed in one of the corners. Jarod opened the computer he had brought down with him and typed in the code that was written on the outer door. Immediately the screen was filled with data but it was the photo that caught his eye immediately. He had the same photo and he had seen an identical copy on his sister’s desk when she was working for the newspaper in Philadelphia.
“So you are still alive.” Jarod's eyes were suddenly wet with tears. “Why didn’t I ever thing you might be here?”
He looked down at the date on the file. The date and location told him what he needed to know and he smiled sadly. She had been captured just after they had seen each other. His eyes ran over the information that he found and tear slipped from his face onto the screen and he wiped it away hurriedly.
“You suffered so much and I didn’t help you.” A sad smile lit his face. “But you never let them win.”
Although they had disguised the treatments, Jarod had read enough that day to be able to recognize what they had done and he ran his eye down the list.
Hypnotherapy – failed
Electro-shock-therapy – failed
Brainwashing – failed
Drug treatments – failed
“Not a good patient, were you, Mom?” His lips twisted and he looked away.
He was about to put one hand on the door when he paused. He didn’t know how much she would remember, if anything. They had, after all, managed to convince him that either his clone or his father had been killed at the airstrip. In four years, what had they managed to persuade her was the truth? A hand on his sleeve made him jump and he stared down, his heart thumping rapidly.
“Angelo!”
“Mom… sad.”
“Yes, Angelo,” he looked back at her, “I bet she is.”
“Remember.”
“Does she?” Jarod grabbed the empath’s hand. “How much does she remember, Angelo?”
“Everything… not admit… but remember.”
Jarod stared down at him for a few seconds, his face blank and his mind working quickly. Should he try? Was it safe?”
“Safe.” Angelo smiled and nodded.
Making up his mind, Jarod picked up the card and swiped it through the lock. The window showed that the lights inside were brightened by the code and, as he stepped inside, the room reminded him so much of his own that he shivered. It took a moment but he finally focused through his tears on the figure that now sat up on the bed.
“What do you want?” The woman, her hair wild and the familiar red streaked with gray, sat up and pulled a blanket towards her, refusing to look at the newcomer.
”To talk.” Jarod half-smiled, remembering when his fiancé had used to similar words to his clone.
“W… who are you?”
He approached the bed and knelt in front of it. “Don’t you remember me?”
She turned her head sharply at the sound of his voice and he could feel the same eyes looking at him that he remembered from their one meeting.
“J… Jarod?”
“Hi, Mom.” He smiled and moved slightly closer to the bed. It was with a feeling of consternation that he saw her pull back before understanding sank in. “They told you I was dead, didn’t they?”
“You… and your father… and sister…”
“No, Mom.” He shook his head slowly and sat down on the bed next to her. “They lied. Again. We’re all very much alive. I promise you.”
He watched as tears appeared in her eyes and began to trickle down the cheeks that were thinner than he had remembered. Reaching over, he took one of her hands in his and gently stroked the back of it with his thumb. Taking out a handkerchief from his pocket, he dried the tears on her cheeks and then pressed the soft material into her other hand.
“Do you believe me, Mom?”
“I want to, Jarod. But I can’t help wondering if this isn’t just another dream…”
For several moments, he let her weep, seeing the relief in her face when she wasn’t punished for it, feeling his heart ache at the sight of bruises under her skin. Finally she looked up at him.
“What are you doing here?”
“This…the Centre…it’s ours now.” He hugged her. “We beat them Mom. They’re all gone now. It’s just us.”
“Us?”
He nodded. “Come on.” He stood up and held out one hand, waiting for her to respond. “Let’s get you out of here.”
“I can’t, Jarod.”
“What do you mean?” He sat down beside her again.
“They gave me something… every day… so I wouldn’t have the strength to walk around… so that I wouldn’t escape.”
“Like mother, like son.” Jarod glanced over to the door and nodded. Angelo opened it a small amount and peeped in.
”Do you know him, Mom?”
The woman shook her head and Jarod smiled gently and waved the empath inside. “This is Angelo. He’s one of my best friends.”
Jarod stopped himself from mentioning the rest of the connection, not wanting her to have to deal with too much at once. He was about to continued speaking when the mobile phone he wore on his belt rang. Standing up, he seized and activated it, about to speak when a familiar voice jumped in.
“Where are you, Jarod? I’ve been waiting for ages.”
He glanced down at his watch, shocked to discover that it was already close to midnight. “Maleah, I’ve found some work that could keep me here for a while. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
“Jarod, you promised…”
”This is one time,” he spoke firmly, “when I’m going to break that promise.”
“If it’s important, I could send Sydney down.”
“Is he there? I thought he was going home.”
“He did.” She paused. “They shot the house to pieces when they didn’t find him. I said he could stay here.”
“If he’s awake,” Jarod spoke decisively, “send him over. But not you, Maleah. I’ll show later.”
“Okay, okay.” She disconnected the call and he turned back to his mother.
“Maleah,” she mused. “Catherine Parker always said that she would call her daughter by that name. “
“She did,” Jarod stated softly. “And Angelo is her twin brother.”
He watched as a tear slid down her mother’s cheek.
“Catherine always wanted children – as badly as I did.”
“And you have them.” He put his arms around her and rocked her gently as tears slid down his face and hers. “You can have your children with you again, Mom.”
After some twenty minutes Jarod looked up to find Angelo once more standing in the doorway. The empath had left the room soon after Jarod had finished talking to his fiancé on the phone and the Pretender now knew that Sydney was now standing behind the one-way mirror, watching the scene unfold before him.
Jarod waved in that direction and the psychiatrist appeared in the doorway.
“Mom? This is Sydney.”
The woman looked up at the figure in the doorway and recognition flooded her face. “You…you were the one…”
“Yes.” Jarod smiled. “He was the one who let us get away that day.”
“Mrs Ballinger.” Sydney walked further into the room and the woman’s face lit up at the use of the name. “I’m sorry I didn’t know you were here before. Had I been away of it, I would have done everything possible…”
Jarod felt his mother sway slightly in his arms and he looked down at her in some concern. She was pale and her eyes were closed. He looked back up at Sydney.
“Wheelchair.” The word was mouthed but Sydney nodded and left the room at once.
“Mom? Hey, Mom.”
She slowly opened her eyes and looked at up him.
“I think it’s time we got you out of this room.”
“Where…?”
“I want to take you into the infirmary for now.”
She nodded and closed her eyes again. Sydney pushed the chair into the room and Jarod picked up his mother and gently put her into it. His hand was tightly entwined in hers as Sydney pushed the chair down the hallway to the elevator.
“How’s she doing?”
Sydney looked up and smiled as Jarod stepped out of the room. “She’s doing well, Jarod. Despite all of the things that they’ve tried on her, she’s still pretty much fine. It must be genetic.”
“I said I’d stay with her tonight.” Jarod leaned against the door with a sigh. “I don’t think she can really believe it.”
”Can you?”
The Pretender smiled. “Not really. And Dad won’t be able to either.”
“When are you going to tell him?”
“Tomorrow.” The son smiled again. “I thought a night’s sleep might help first. And there was also the fact that I didn’t know what condition she’d be in.”
“You found her this afternoon?”
“Not exactly. I found proof of the results of tests on her and thought it might lead to something.” He placed both hands behind his neck and rubbed gently. “I don’t know why I never thought she wouldn’t be there.”
Sydney moved over and put one hand on his shoulder.
“You had no reason to think that they would have found her. Why would you go looking?”
“Looking for what?”
The voice from the doorway made both occupants turn around.
“Maleah? I thought I said…”
She came over and slipped her arms around his waist.
“Angelo called me. He said that you might like some company.”
He leaned down and kissed her gently before turning away. She followed his eye to where the woman lay sleeping on the bed.
“Who…?”
A faint smile appeared at the corners of Jarod's mouth. “My mother.”
“Really?” She stared at him for a moment. “Jarod, that’s wonderful!”
“Yes,” he smiled down at her. “I think so too.”
He lowered his mouth to hers again and then looked up, glancing at the clock on the wall before looking back at her. “I’m going to stay here – I promised I would, but I think you should go home. You and your Dad.”
“Sure?”
“Very.” He kissed her again before letting her go. “If you don’t get some sleep, neither of you will be able to do any work tomorrow.”
“I get the feeling,” Maleah smiled at her father, “that he would be most believable as a school teacher.”
The sound of Jarod's laughter followed them as they left the infirmary and headed for their cars.
