The Me Series by RRP
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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
By RRP
Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, coming from the building.
"Stop!" Cox yelled again, pulling his gun out. It made a small 'click' when he cocked it, and Parker, and Sam, spun around, pulling their guns out. A Sweeper several feet away pulled his gun out as well, and Sam stepped towards him.
"You wouldn't, would you Cox?" Parker taunted. "Put the gun down." She commanded him, and Cox shook his head. Sam's head turned to see Cox's finger go taunt on the trigger, and he jumped in front of Parker, saving her from what was coming.
The standard, Centre issue, 9mm rang out in the building, echoing and vibrating down the halls, as Sam, the ever loyal Sweeper, fell in front of Miss Parker, the bullethole visible in his chest. Miss Parker gave a small gasp, but quickly got a hold of herself.
"Drop the gun, Cox!" She screamed at him, cocking her own gun. He stepped towards her, threateningly, and then took another step as Miss Parker held her ground.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Miss Parker," Cox said smoothly, taking a final step, so only Sam's body lay between them. Her gun was only inches from his head, and his from hers.
Half of her wanted to pull the trigger, and the other half was screaming not to. Cox's finger once again tightened on the trigger, when something totally unexpected happened (as they often do). Cox flew backwards, knocked by some 'unseen' force, and the gun fired harmlessly at the ceiling. Miss Parker looked down, startled, as Sam stood up and brushed himself off as if nothing had happened. Cox lay on the floor, too stunned to move.
"Sam, I thought..." Miss Parker trailed off, unable to pick any words to describe what she had been thinking. Sam looked down at the hole in his jacket, and sighed.
"Yes, I'll have to get a new jacket, but thanks to the Keplar, I won't be needing a new me." After saying thus, he resumed his silent position at Parker's back, and for a brief moment, Miss Parker was reminded of their short meeting with Stosh.
Jarod and Sydney both froze as the first shot was heard, and winced at the second. Minutes passed, as neither of them moved a muscle, almost afraid to breathe. Miss Parker appeared, unharmed, as the edge of the clearing, Sam behind her, and walked over to the Suburban.
"Did you get him?" She asked, walking around the door. She cursed loudly at Cox when she saw Broots, or, what was more like a shell of Broots.
"The...gunshots?" Jarod finally asked.
"Both from Cox's gun. No one died Jarod, no one even got hurt." Parker snapped, as she went to the front of the SUV. Sam stayed next to Sydney, staring ruefully at the hole in his black jacket. Jarod's eyes followed Sam's, and he saw the hole.
"The Keplar worked?" He asked, instantly reprimanding himself for asking such a stupid question.
"No, he's wondering why he's up and walking around with a hole in his chest, Jarod." Parker answered, sliding into the passenger seat. Jarod ignored the biting remark, and turned to Sydney.
"Sydney, get in here and keep an eye on him." Sydney nodded, and climbed into the back, as Jarod shut the doors behind him. Sam started to walk towards the driver's seat, concluding that he was the only one left to do the job, but Jarod stopped him.
"Take off your jacket, Sam," Jarod ordered, and Sam turned to him.
"What?" Jarod poked Sam in the chest where the hole was, and Sam winced.
"Keplar keeps the bullet from going through, Sam. Not the force of the bullet."
"Not now, Jarod. Let's get out of here first." Sam said quietly, and Jarod nodded reluctantly.
"But I'm looking at your chest, later."
"Fine." Sam pulled open the door, and climbed into the driver seat, as Jarod jumped into the back.
"More...more!" Broots pleaded for the umpteenth time, his eyes begging, and glazed. Jarod studied a blood sample, anxiously looking for the componants of the drug Cox had given him. "More...or he said..." Broots broke off, his brow creasing as he tried to remember exactly what was scaring him so much.
"What? What did he say?" Jarod demanded. It was the first thing Broots had said besides 'more', or 'please'.
"He said...he said I would die," Broots finished in a hoarse whisper.
"You're safe now, Broots." Jarod assured, slightly disappointed that it wasn't more information.
"No! No!" Broots protested. "The withdrawl...will kill me...he said so..." Broots explained, as his eyes closed again and he drifted back into a feverish sleep.
"Oh, shoot!" Jarod growled, as he turned back to the blood sample with a frown. "We've got to go back." Jarod said suddenly, loudly.
"What?" Miss Parker snapped from the other room. Jarod went to the doorway, and related what Broots had just said.
"We've got to find out just what it was that Cox gave him." Jarod finished. The room was silent for several minutes, as Jarod looked from face to face. Sydney's brow was creased with worry, Parker looked mad, and Sam's face was calm, but his eyes were saying otherwise.
"Jarod, I don't think we can-" Sydney started, but Jarod cut him off with an angry yell.
"Sydney," He lowered his voice to a harsh whisper, "We don't have a choice! We need to find out what that drug was!"
"How are we going to get in this time, genius?" Parker snapped.
"You're not. I am. I'm going alone,"
"What, Jarod?" Sydney stood up, and Jarod nodded.
"I'm going alone, Sydney. I can do it." He turned back to the room where Broots lay, with a grim smile. "I'll be back in a few hours."
Thunder shook the building, as Jarod, the black crusader, slipped out into the shadows and the rain.
Jarod crept through the shadows, and into the small, grey room, full of vials and syringes. Where was it? Where? He rummaged through the vials, looking at labels, and thowing them on the floor as he went. What was all this? Strange drugs, ones he had never heard of! Raines' work, perhaps? What were they doing here? Then another horrifying though hit him. Who else were they using this stuff on?
He looked around the room, the shelves almost empty and the concrete floors covered with shattered glass and liquid drugs. What was that back in the corner? A silver case! Jarod went forward, and picked it up. A piece of masking tape was on the side, with BROOTS written in big letters. Ah-ha!
Jarod's head and spine went erect as he heard someone in the hall.
"He said it was coming from in here."
"Yep, let's check it out." The door opened, and the two Sweepers gasped. The floor was covered with broken glass, and not a single drug remained incased. What's more, no one was in sight!
"What the-" The first Sweeper muttered something about a firey location having something to do with the situation. The other Sweeper murmured something about the holiness of stuff one might find in a barnyard, at the same time.
Jarod watched from the ceiling airvent as the Sweepers looked around the room in obvious shock.
"Well, someone was here." One of them finally said, and Jarod stifled a laugh. They could find numerous genuis's to do their research, but the Centre couldn't hire Sweeper's whose education went past the eighth grade.
"Let's get Cox."
"You're telling him."
"No, you are."
"I am not!" They were still arguing about it when they had gone out of earshot, and Jarod turned to go while no one was close to hear him. He pitied the Sweepers a little. One of them, or both of them, would die today, just because Cox would want someone to blame.
The world was so messed up...
"What do you mean all the drugs are gone?" Cox screamed, as the Sweeper cringed in terror. Cox pulled out his gun, and fired. Somewhere, in the cosmos, the Sweeper knew what had happened.
Someone had to take the blame, right?
Alec cried out in his sleep, waking Jakebs. Jakebs rolled over and looked at the clock, which read in blinking red numbers, 3:21 AM.
"I'm coming!" He called out, stumbling out of bed and down the hall. He entered Alec's room and picked Alec up. "Shh...shh..." He whispered, as Alec calmed to nervous hiccups, sticking his pinky in his mouth to calm himself.
"I'm here." Jakebs reassured him. "I'm right here and no one's taking you."
The door flung open, and the dripping wet, black figure stepped into the room, letting in the cold and wet with him.
"Shut the door!" Sydney whispered harshly, and the black figure nodded, and closed the door. He threw back his hood, and held up a silver case.
"I got them." Jarod, the black figure, hurried over to a small table, and set the case down. No one told him to change out of the wet clothes, and it wouldn't have made a difference any way.
Sam stood by the window, on guard, while Sydney and Parker looked at the case with interest, as Jarod popped it open.
"Something called, AH1a, Addicts Horror: Raw Version. Sydney," Jarod looked up at Sydney, pain filling his eyes. "I don't know what to do. I don't know how to stop it, or reverse it."
"Great, just great." Miss Parker snapped, glaring at the now-revealed vials of greenish liquid. Jarod's eyes lit up as he scowled at the drugs.
"I think I might have something! If I lower the dosage each time..." Jarod grabbed his laptop off the table, and started typing. "Yes. I could wean him off."
"How long would that take?" Sydney asked slowly, eyeing the syringes.
"Two weeks, minimum."
"We can't stay here that long!" Parker growled, and Jarod nodded.
"I'm not stupid, Parker. We should be able to move him in only a few days."
"I can't stay away that long." Sam suddenly said, and Jarod looked at him.
"What?"
"I can't stay away that long." Sam repeated, frowning.
"Well, what do you suggest we do?" Jarod snapped after a moment, scowling.
"You're the genius, figure something out." Sam growled back. "All I know is that unlike you three, Broots and I both have kids. Debbie's heartbroken, because she thinks her father's dead, and mine is already mad at me, because we were looking forward to this week to ourselves."
Jarod suddenly froze, and held the vial up to the light. "It's electro plasmatic. Then, we could use shock treatment therapy. If we start with a relatively small dosage and administer frequently, we could cut recovery time in half!"
"How, Jarod?" Sydney asked, glancing worriedly towards the door where Broots was.
"The drug is composed partially of electrons. Each molocule is dependant on an electron to survive. Shock treatment would kill the electron, if used properly, and therefore any trace of the drug would die.
"How long?" Parker snapped.
"To rid him of the drug, only hours. But it'll take days for him to regain his strength." Jarod set the vial back down, as Sam eased back into the shadows, trying to stay ignored.
"He can regain strength in Delaware. Get rid of the drug, now!" Miss Parker turned, as Jarod nodded and began gathering up the things on the table.
"Broots, can you hear me?" Jarod asked, four hours, and eight shock treatments later.
"Uh..yeah..." Broots moaned, trying force his lead-coated eye lids open.
"Broots, wake up. We have to move, and you've got to come." Jarod insisted, and Broots moaned again.
"I don't wanna." He forced his eyes open, and sighed as his eyes finally focused on Jarod.
"Good. Keep your eyes open. Can you see me?" Broots nodded.
"Yeah. I never wanna see a needle again." He murmured, his voice raspy. Jarod laughed with relief.
"Good! Now, I'm going to help you stand up."
"I don't wanna." Broots protested weakly.
"We have to Broots. Come on." Jarod said, sliding one arm behind Broots shoulders.
"Jarod! They're here!" Parker yelled from the front.
"Is the van ready?" Jarod asked, forcing Broots to his feet.
"Yes. Jarod, they're here!" She repeated.
"Coming."
"Jarod, now would be a good time!" Jarod sighed, and scooped Broots up, surprised at how light he was.
"You can walk later. Now, we're running." Broots coughed as an answer.
"Jarod! Now!" Parker yelled, and Jarod quickened his step, running out the back door, as Parker followed.
Another van, different from the Suburban, was running, waiting. Sydney had the back door open, and he ushered Jarod in, helping with Broots, as Parker dived in.
The doors slammed shut as Sam slammed on the gas, and they were off, running once again.
"Peter?" Riley called out, entering the dark apartment. "Peter, are you here?" When there was no answer, she took her gun and holster off, and set it on the side table by the door, and wandered into the kitchen to make something to eat, assuming that Peter wasn't home. She was putting on a pot of water for spaghetti, when her arm was clenched in a vice-like grip. She yelled in surprise, and tried to whirl around.
"Peter!" She screamed, struggling to see her captor.
"Yes?" Peter's voice asked from the captor's mouth. Riley gasped. It couldn't be him, could it? Peter was so sweet, and kind! "Let's go play in the bedroom, eh?" Peter asked, putting a cloth drenched with a chemical over Riley's mouth, as he dragged her down the hall. Riley's eyes glassed over, and she followed him blindly.
"No! You can't have any doughnuts, yet!" Jarod argued with Broots.
"But, I-"
"No!"
"I know you have some! I saw you eating one!" Broots protested. Jarod sighed, and Parker stifled a laugh, as Sydney grinned.
"Fine. One, but that's it." Jarod relented.
"What kinds do we have?" Broots asked happily.
"Jelly, creme, and chocolate."
"Jelly, please," Jarod sighed again, and left the room for the kitchen. He passed the living room, where the others were, on the way.
Three days had passed at Jarod's cabin in Canada, as Broots recovered, and the others became bored. Parker had a book she found in one of the bedrooms, and Sydney and Sam played chess. Jarod had played once or twice, most of his time was spent on the internet, though.
"Checkmate." Sam said, as Jarod passed them.
"That's the fourth time today!" Sydney exclaimed, looking over the pieces. Jarod laughed, as he grabbed a jelly doughnut and a plate. He took them back to Broots, who accepted them with a joyful cry, and repeated 'thank you's'.
"I'm so bored. When can we go home?" Parker asked, as Jarod came to sit on the couch.
"Two more days." Jarod said, grabbing his laptop. "Thank goodness, only two more days..."
Broots walked out to the van, unassisted, and sat in the passenger seat, grinning. Sam sat in the driver's seat once again, and Sydney in the back. Jarod and Parker were walking out to the van, when Jarod heard the click of a gun.
"Hands up, Jarod." Parker snapped, as he turned slowly.
"Parker, not now." He begged, as Sydney looked at her reproachfully. She slowly nodded, sighed, and put the gun back in her holster.
"Just this once." She agreed, climbing into the back. Jarod walked to the front, by the window.
"Thanks again, Jarod. I really can't thank you enough." Broots said, shaking his hand. Jarod smiled.
"No problem."
"Bye, Jarod." Broots finished, waving, as Jarod stepped back, and the van roared away.
Now, to find another job, not to mention a ride.
"Jakebs?" Riley asked, sounding panicked. "You have to help me!" She begged.
"What is it?" Jakebs asked worriedly.
"Peter...Peter...raped me." She barely managed to get the words out.
"What?" Jakebs demanded. "Where are you?"
"I'm, I'm in New York still."
"Riley, get on a bus to Dover, right now! I'll meet you at the station!" He commanded.
"O..okay." She sniffled.
"Riley, don't stop to pack anything. Just grab your gun and get out of there!" Jakebs ordered urgently.
"Okay. Thank you, Jakebs," Click. Jakebs dashed to get Alec dressed. Riley was in trouble, and helping her was all that mattered.
