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Disclaimer: "The Pretender" is a protected trademark and I'm Just burrowing the characters. I promise to give them back once I've used them, hopefully more or less intact.
Haunting Memories
part 1
By Giton
The Centre, Sydney's office
Raines had come to his office unannounced. Well, as unannounced as his squeaking oxygen-tank would allow.
"What do you want, Raines," asked Sydney wearily. It had been a gruelling day, he had a splitting headache and by the looks of it Raines wanted to become the icing on the cake.
First of all, Ms Parker, Broots and himself had returned in the early hours of the morning from San Francisco after "missing" Jarod again. Secondly, The new "project" didn't want to co-operate and Sydney was scared that if he didn't co-operate soon Raines would get his grubby hands on the boy and Sydney was all for not letting that happen. Thirdly, the new twins were behaving rather peculiar and Sydney couldn't understand why. Fourth, but not least, Ms Parker had asked Sydney to do some more checking on Jarod and was expecting him and Broots to have a meeting with her, about a new game-plan she had been thinking of, in about half an hour. No, Sydney was not in the mood for any social calls, or any calls for that matter, and certainly not any from Raines.
Again he asked, "What do you want, Raines," when the other man didn't seem to be inclined to answer him the first instance.
Raines looked at him through slitted eyes, his breathing heavy and rattling. Still he didn't answer. Sydney started to feel uncomfortable. He still had quite a lot of work to do before the meeting and wanted Raines out of the way so he could get on with it.
"Raines, I am a busy man, I don't know about you, but if you have anything to say, say it or leave me, so I can get on with my work."
"You, Sydney, have been a pain in my proverbial backside," Raines said to him almost in a hoarse whisper, "You have thwarted me again and again. Don't look at me so innocently, because you are not. I am quite convinced that it was you who has informed Jarod on several occasions that we were coming. Alas, I cannot prove that. But setting Ms Parker on me with your investigations, or should I say allegations, that was the limit.
Since I have strong suspicions that you have outlasted your stay here, I think I have come up with an admirable solution to the whole problem."
The grin he gave Sydney made the latter shift uncomfortably in his seat. Before Sydney could say anything, the door opened, as if on cue, and three of Raines' Sweepers entered the room.
On a small gesture from Raines they advanced on a startled Sydney and without a word they hauled him out of his chair and moved him out of the room. Raines followed and closed the door behind them.
The Centre, Ms Parker's office
"Broots, where the hell is Sydney," Ms Parker wanted to know angrily, "Hadn't we agreed to have a meeting just about right now?"
"Yes, Ms Parker, and I've been trying to reach him for the last half hour, but there is no answer from his cell phone or his phone in his office. I checked with Security and he hasn't left the building either. It's not like Sydney to just stay away without letting us know. Unless something urgent has come up and he hadn't had the time to inform us yet. I was just about to go over to his office to see what is keeping him."
"We will both go and for his sake I hope he comes up with a damn good answer."
She stormed out of the office with Broots trailing her.
Sydney's office
When they got to Sydney's office they found it empty. His jacket was still draped over the back of his chair and his cell phone lay on the table but of their owner there was no sign.
"It must be quite an emergency if Sydney leaves here without his jacket. Can you see if he was working on something before he left?"
Broots sat behind Sydney's desk. "The computer is still running and the file is still open at the case of the new twins. Other than that, I can't see why he would have left." Both looked around puzzled. This was not at all like Sydney. Even with an emergency on his hand he would have at least closed the file he had been working on. He was normally rather secretive on what he was doing.
A sound from one of the wall grates attracted their attention and soon this was followed by the appearance of Angelo. He seemed to be in distress. Ms Parker walked over to him. "What's wrong Angelo? Do you know where Sydney is?"
"Sydney hurt. Hurt real bad."
"Where is he? How is he hurt?"
Angelo cowered under her glare and repeated what he had just said, adding, "Mr Raines took him."
"Where did he take him," Ms Parker tried to sound less angry so as not to aggravate Angelo too much.
"Corridor 17."
"Corridor 17? But that section is hardly being used, why would he take him there? Was Sydney hurt by Mr Raines?"
Angelo nodded vigorously. "Sydney pain. Hurt bad."
"That bastard Raines. Come on Broots, let's see if we can stop him," again she stormed out. Broots had trouble to keep up with her. Angelo ducked back into the air vent.
The Centre, Corridor 17
When Ms Parker and Broots got to Corridor 17 the whole place was dark. They wondered if they had heard Angelo right. It didn't seem as if anyone was here. While they were still contemplating which way to turn, Ms Parker thought she could hear muffled voices coming from the end of the corridor. Prompting Broots to walk with caution they proceeded stealthily forwards.
She hadn't been mistaken. The closer they got to the end of the corridor, the clearer the voices became and the one they were hearing at the moment was distinctly Raines'. She held Broots back, wanting to find out what was going on before going in.
"So, are you going to tell me how you have been contacting Jarod? I will get it out of you eventually anyway, one way or the other, with or without your full co-operation. No?" A loud smack sounded and a grunt of pain followed.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Sydney's voice answered painfully, another yelp of pain.
"Wait until the drug takes effect. You'll be singing to me shortly, if only to get another shot. Can you still remember it from the last time? You've had two now." Maniacal laughter sounded, "You think it might be a little too much? Don't worry, shortly you might even find it too little." Again came the laugh.
Before Ms Parker moved forward she heard Raines say, "What do you know about Catherine Parker? And how much have you told her darling daughter, eh?" She stopped in her tracks, wanting to hear more. She could hear Sydney mumble something, but couldn't make out the words.
"You claim you haven't said anything? Than why is she after my hide?"
"Why shouldn't she?" A resounding slap sounded.
"I have it from a reliable source that she had been digging in the cemetery. Also that she found some evidence of the staged killing. And you want me to believe that she didn't turn to you for answers? How much do you know?"
Ms Parker thought it was a good time as any to step in. Before going in she drew her gun, not knowing what to expect and maybe have the added pleasure of shooting Raines, just for the hell of it. She kicked the door open and said, "Yes, tell me Sydney, how much do you know?"
Raines turned with a look of surprise, followed by horror when he saw the gun in her hand.
With a quick glance Ms Parker viewed the situation. Sydney was tied with his arms strapped to the armrests of a chair in the middle of the room. It was apparent that Raines or his goons had been roughing him up. A nasty cut over his left eyebrow was leaving bloody streaks down that side of his face. His breathing was ragged and it was obvious that he had trouble focussing. Behind the chair were two of Raines' goons, holding Sydney back against the chair, while the third was standing in front of the chair in his shirtsleeves. It didn't take an Einstein to figure out what his job had been in the proceedings. Raines stood to the front of Sydney near a table with syringes amongst other things and had an electric rod in his hand.
"Move away from him. Over there, to the far wall and keep your hands where I can see them. The first to move will have my distinct pleasure of being shot and at the moment I feel very twitchy!" She had a nasty smile on her face. They did as they were told. "Broots come over here and help me unstrap Sydney."
Broots moved over and did as he was told. Sydney's head started to droop forwards.
Ms Parker barked a command, "Sydney, I need you conscious, so, don't you start fainting on me!" Sydney drew to attention with some effort, but saw the reason behind it. Broots worked quickly on the straps, careful not to hurt Sydney further. Finally it was done. He helped him stand and at first Sydney leaned heavily on Broots' shoulder, but sensing that the smaller man wouldn't be able to carry his weight he tried to straighten up. The effort nearly made him keel over, but he seemed to manage for the time being. Ms Parker, the gun still trained on the other four in the room, motioned Broots and Sydney out and turning to the others she said, "I hope you told someone that you were down here or else you might be in here for a long, long time. Bye!" She closed and locked the door behind her. Angry shouts issued from the room and a small smile touched her features.
She found Sydney leaning with his eyes closed against the wall. It was obvious that he wouldn't stay conscious for much longer.
"Broots, you take his other arm. We have to try and get him to the underground car park without anybody noticing us. I hate having to go through lengthy explanations at the moment." She took Sydney's other arm and together they managed to get the taller man to the elevator. Once inside they were all leaning exhausted against the wall.
By a stroke of luck they arrived at the car park without being seen, where they bustled into Ms Parker's car and drove out of the Centre.
Blue Cove, a cottage near the Lake
The cottage Ms Parker had driven them to, had been her secret "hidey-hole" for a long time. She had used it every time life became a little bit too hectic, even for her liking. She had bought it in secret a long time ago, using outside agents and an assumed name. No one in The Centre should be able to suspect that this was hers and where she was at the moment.
With difficulty they carried Sydney inside. The closer they got to the cottage the less coherent he had become. Only a sense of knowing that safety was near at hand, as long as he was able to stay awake, kept him going for a bit longer. Once inside he collapsed to the floor, nearly bringing the others down in his fall. For the moment they let him lie where he was, they themselves being too exhausted to move him just yet. Finally they got up and half-carried, half dragged his "dead" weight over to one of the bedrooms.
Inside they laid him on the bed and start to take some of his clothes off. Broots offered to do this on his own, embarrassed that Ms Parker should do it, but she wouldn't hear of it. They took his shoes off, his trousers and his shirt. It was only then that the rest of his injuries became known. A large swelling and bruising over his left ribcage indicated that he had either some bruised, possibly even broken ribs. Two bruised puncture marks showed up on the inside of his left forearm. Ms Parker was unpleasantly reminded of Sydney's stay in the death camps when she saw the faded tattoo on the lower half of his arm and remembered that Sydney hardly walked around in his shirt-sleeves, even during warm weather. They had to wait until he reached consciousness again to know to full extent of his injuries. For the moment they covered him up with a blanket.
Ms Parker said she was going to make some coffee while Broots sat with Sydney and kept an eye on him. Broots looked over at the older man who, for his age, looked quite vigorously, but now his face was frightfully pale and he seemed much older than his age. His breathing was laboured, but steady. He lay so still. Broots was worried and saddened to see him lying there. What would have happened to Sydney if Angelo hadn't warned them?
Ms Parker came back carrying a tray with two steaming mugs of coffee and a bowl and a cloth, which she handed to Broots. Broots set about wiping the blood from Sydney's face. "How is he?"
"I don't know, Ms Parker, he seems okay at the moment, but I'm no doctor. It doesn't look too good though."
Ms Parker bit the back of her finger, "What are we suppose to do, Broots?"
As if on cue her cell-phone rang. She frowned. Who could that be? "Parker!"
"Ms Parker, how is he?" It wasn't difficult to guess who was on the other side of the line.
"Jarod! How did you know...?"
"How is he?"
"We're not sure. Alright, I guess, but we're not sure."
"Describe his symptoms to me, please." She did, not even caring how it was that he already knew something was wrong with Sydney. She would deal with that later. When she came to the needlepoint marks Jarod was getting quite upset.
"Needle points?"
"Yes, two. I remember Raines saying something about "the drug taking effect" and that Sydney would "sing" to him if only to get another shot. Oh, yes, and reminding him about another time. You don't think...?"
She could almost hear Jarod gnash his teeth, "Yes, that's exactly what I think he did. I'm willing to bet that he injected Sydney with the same, by then experimental, drug he had used on him and on me nearly twenty years ago. Keep him warm, give him lots of liquids to drink and you might want to keep a bucket nearby, just in case (-Ms Parker frowned in disgust and glanced over at Broots-). Don't let him wander all over the place, you might even have to restrain him. Damn, there is no telling what it will do to him, not at his age. Don't worry, I'll be over shortly."
He hung up before she could ask, how he knew where to find her or when he would be here. She closed the phone and stared in silence to the man lying on the bed.
Broots was fidgeting. Ms Parker noticed his discomfort, "You pick up Debbie, Broots, and lie low for a while. Don't' come back to the cottage, but don't go home either. They might follow you or... Don't worry, I'll look after Sydney."
The cottage, a little while later
A motion on the bed stirred her from the light slumber she had fallen in. Sydney was regaining consciousness. He groaned but still had his eyes closed.
"Sydney?" She waited, no response, a little louder, " Sydney, can you hear me?"
Another groan than weakly, "A little water... please."
She was relieved, he seemed to respond all right. She supported him while she gave him the water, "How are you feeling?"
"Much as can be expected: aches, pains and bruises, the usual," he tried to laugh, but it ended in an agonized cough. Ms Parker wasn't convinced by his flippancy. It seemed to her that his eyes moved in and out of focus. Clear one minute and dazed and cloudy the next.
"Can you tell me what happened?"
"Raines had a bee in his bonnet and decided to pick a bone with me," again Sydney spoke with a joviality, which belied the present state he was in between small gasps for air.
"Any aches or pains or... anything I should be aware of," Ms Parker asked cautiously.
Sydney shifted his position on the bed and was unpleasantly reminded of the beating to his ribcage. The drug must be cloaking it partially from him. "Thanks God for small blessings," thought Ms Parker.
He took a deep breath and his eyes squeezed shut, but whether this was from physical or mental pain wasn't clear. His hands, involuntarily, were plucking at the sheets. "Yes, you should be aware of something. It is rather embarrassing, but I think you should know. The Ba... Raines, he injected me with the same drugs they had tried on me some twenty years ago. Maybe not the same drugs, they might have perfected it since then, but I am well aware of the effects and they seem similar to what was given to me then.
As well as I remember it gives the person a feeling of... clearness. Well, I think I am pretty lucid right now. It gives the feeling of mental superiority over anybody else. Aches and pains are forgotten. For about a couple of hours the person feels superb. Than the shivering begins. One feels hot and cold in turn. Hallucinations. The muscles cramp up, heart races, sweating starts, and one might even vomit. The pain is excruciating and can only be stopped by another dose of the drug and every time thereafter the body will demand more.
Or one can ride it out. Depending on the amount given, how much used previously and on the person's physical being, it can be over in a couple of days or might take up to a week. The craving for the drug lasts for some time, depending on the amount taken, but can be easily done without if the subject is physically and mentally strong enough."
It hadn't slipped Ms Parker's notice that he had spoken as if he was giving a lecture about an unrelated test case, deliberately distancing himself from it. "What about you, Sydney?" Ms Parker asked quietly.
"I don't know. It could be over quite quickly. He only injected me once, so..."
"Twice! Broots and I heard him say to you that he had given you two shots already."
Sydney frowned, "I can't remember the second injection. He must have given me one when I was out for the count than or maybe, I... just don't remember it. Some parts are hazy.
I can remember his goons frogmarching me out of the office down to one of the Sub-levels. They were very clever, nearly sandwiching me between them, making it look as if we were on our way to an emergency. Once we were down there, one of them hit me rather hard in the chest while the other two were holding me. Raines just stood there and grinned. They hit me a couple of times before strapping me to the chair. For no apparent reason Raines hit me hard with something -don't know what it was- over the left of my face. It was shortly after that, that he injected me with the drug.
He accused me of tipping off Jarod and was wondering how I had done this. When I denied it he used the electric rod on me. I must gave passed out for a short time. If it is true that he injected me twice than that's when it must have happened. I think he mentioned something about me setting you on the trail of your mother's alleged killing and wanted to know more about it. I don't know what they would have done to me if you had not barged in." It was evident that reliving those painful memories were getting him in an agitated state, so Ms Parker left it at that and tried to calm him down.
"How did you know where to find me? Angelo? Good boy! He must have gone through the air vent system. I think he knows the Centre better than we do," he gave another chuckle. It must have been the effect of the drugs that made it seem as if he couldn't relax.
Ms Parker was curious about her mother, though. "Sydney, is my mother still alive? Do you know?"
"Honestly, Ms Parker, I don't know. I would let you know if I did."
"Like you have not been keeping that little secret that she was not killed outright from me all these years?" a touch of anger crept into her voice.
"No, since you know that her killing was not real and that she had initially escaped the Centre I don't feel bound to keep her secret from you any longer. I do believe that the last DSA we saw, where Raines shot her after she gave birth to her son, was her real death."
"Why did she let you know that she was escaping?"
"We were very good friends..."
"Just good friends?"
"Yes, just good friends. She cared very much for the children and we even had spoken of trying to set the children free. Getting them to their real parents or maybe even setting up a school for them. Things just didn't work out that way. I regret that."
"You, Sydney? Who stayed at the Centre for, what, over thirty years? I can't believe that."
He looked hurt. "Someone had to make sure that they weren't treated too badly or worse. And than there was Jarod and you and later Angelo. I couldn't just abandon you all."
"So it was pity for the poor children that kept you there?" she said with a sneer.
He understood that she would never be able to understand his motivations. Hell, sometimes he couldn't understand it himself.
"And because you care you still help me to hunt down Jarod?"
"Yes, because I care."
She snorted. "I wonder if Raines was right. Maybe you have been helping Jarod escape from our clutches and in some perverted way tagging along with us to see if he could escape."
He said nothing. Whatever he said to her wouldn't reach her ears anyway. Besides, he could feel the feel-good-effect of the drug wearing off and wasn't sure for long he would be coherent enough to make sense even to himself. The pain started to creep in now and it wasn't a pleasant sensation.
Ms Parker stopped scowling at him when she noticed that he seemed to be in discomfort. "You okay, Syd?"
"Ms Parker as a tracker you're in your own class, but as a nurse... it sucks," he chuckled with a painful gasp and passed out.
The Cottage, a little later
After Sydney had passed out, she sat next to the bed for a while and dozed off again herself. A hand on her shoulder brought her back to the present. Her first instinct was to reach for her gun at the side.
"Ah-Ah. Is that how you greet an old friend?" She looked up in the face of Jarod who had her gun dangling from his forefinger.
"Give that back to me."
"Not until you behave nicely to me. I think I keep this for a while."
"How did you know where to find us?"
"That would be telling would it? But don't worry, your secret is save with me. How is he?"
"As you see him. A little while back he passed out. I think the effects of the drug are wearing off."
Sydney moved restlessly on the bed. Jarod examined Sydney. "The cut over the eye is mainly superficial, but I'm willing to bet that it must have bled shockingly. I am worried about the bruise on his chest, though," he gently pressed the area and even in Sydney's semi-conscious state the brain registered pain and Sydney reacted to that with a soft moaning sound. "He might have one or more broken ribs or at least severe bruising and short of taping up the chest there isn't much we can do about it. We know it is not extremely serious, like broken off or pressing into the lung or else he would be coughing up blood by now. Further than that, only an x-ray could tell us more, but we can't do that until Sydney is free of the drug. There would be too many questions otherwise."
He looked with sadness down on his former mentor. "Poor Sydney. Always trying to change the world for the better, but never really getting the hang of it."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing in particular."
A soft moaning sound came from the bed. Sydney was struggling towards wakefulness. His eyes snapped open and although he was looking straight at them, it didn't seem as if he was aware of them. There was horror written in his eyes and Ms Parker shuddered at the thought of what his eyes were seeing at the moment.
Dachau concentration camp, November 1944
Sydney was crouching under the floorboards where the camp-doctor had put him and his brother Jacob after they had been beaten and doused with water. They were naked and the November wind was howling around the cracks in the walls, which gave only the barest of protection. Sydney knew they had a hole drilled in the floorboards above their heads for "observation and study". He wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of showing how cold and miserable he was, not that he could do it without a lot of luck. His clattering teeth he couldn't control and he imagined it was loud enough to be heard on the other side of the camp.
He could deal with the cold. Jacob was his first concern now. His brother lay only two feet away from him and was making keening noises to combat the pain. Being twins, the boys were much closer to each other than most other children and had an almost empathic bond. Sydney sidled over to comfort his brother. He had always been the mentally stronger of the two. Maybe his inner strength could help his brother feel the pain less severely. Movement over the cold, damp ground was slow and painful.
Once close, he cradled the body of his brother in his arms and hoped he was able to give him some warmth. The keening noises grew softer and finally Jacob dropped off in an uneasy slumber. Sydney wasn't as lucky, so he slowly rocked his brother's form in his arms singing a lullaby softly to him.
After a while even his small arms started to ache from the cramped position he was in and gently he lowered Jacob to ground, trying to lie as close to him as possible to keep the warmth up and to get some sleep in the progress. This wasn't much to the liking of the people watching from above and the trapdoor was opened to haul the two boys out. More beatings followed and the process was repeated again and again.
The Cottage, early evening
Sydney was moving quite restlessly on the bed now and Jarod needed all his concentration and strength to keep the older man down. Ms Parker fetched some more cold water to dampen down Sydney's feverish brow. He mumbled words in a muddled up version of French and German and she couldn't make head nor tail of what he was saying. Jarod tried to comfort him by speaking to him softly in French. Some of the words must have found their way in Sydney's fevered brain and he calmed down somewhat, but not for long.
Finally Ms Parker couldn't stand it any longer and left the room. She had no problems watching people being interrogated and even killed, but she had never been very good around sick people and seeing Sydney's tortured struggles was too much to bear.
A couple of days after the Allies liberated Dachau
Sydney and his brother, like countless others, huddled by the side of the road just outside the camp. The Allies had just liberated the camp and people were just too stunned to believe they had been freed. To Sydney and Jacob it was as if they had been turned out of their house all over again, only this time their family wasn't with them. The realisation of being free, but orphans in a world which had more than their fair share of orphans had not sank in yet.
Gratefully they accepted a big piece of chocolate from one of the passing soldiers. They split it between them and gulfed it down only to be violently sick when their stomachs rejected the rich food. Afterwards they felt miserable. At least they were together and had survived.
Sydney looked around him at the human misery standing, sitting and lying in huddled groups. A fine rain had begun to fall, but nobody moved from his or her chosen spot. Although free, nobody cared. Some were trying to find family members or friends, most of them failing badly and feeling more depressed.
Of course, they could have gotten back inside the camps and found shelter from the rain in the barracks, but many didn't dare to do so, just in case it was just a dream and when they woke up they would find themselves back in the camp. Sydney and Jacob were not excluded from that.
Someone shuffled past them and Sydney looked up. A shock went through him. This was no inmate, even though he was dressed as one. This was one of the tormentors who had worked in the infirmary. A man who had performed his "work" with pleasure. Sydney cringed away. Every nerve in his body felt the urge to scream out the man's name, to let everyone know who he really was. But what if this was all a dream? Would he than not punish the boy? Or worse punish the boy through the brother?
He felt his throat constrict, a whimper was let loose. The man turned his face in the direction of the two boys and smiled maliciously. He saw two near naked boys, shivering with cold, hunger and exhaustion and he was certain that they would not betray him.
It was either the overwhelming fear Sydney felt or maybe just the grin the man had given him, but he screamed and screamed again...
The Cottage, evening
Sydney had been tossing and turning in the bed. At one stage vomiting violently. Luckily Jarod had been in time and made him throw up in the bucket, rather than soiling himself. The drug had dragged Sydney down in a hell of his own and there was nothing more Jarod could do other than try and comfort him. Hold him close and let him ride it out.
Then Sydney became very quiet and moved into a foetus position, whimpering softly. He tried to move deeper into the bed. Hugging his arms around himself and holding his body tight. Nothing could prepare Jarod for the unexpected scream that issued from his lips. His veins stood out on his neck. "Dos ist Er! (-It's him-) Dos ist Er!" Sydney kept shouting. Jarod held him close until Sydney lapsed in a quiet sobbing.
Ms Parker had stormed out of the kitchen, "What's going on? Was that Sydney?"
"He's having a nightmare. I think he's back at the Camp again."
"How long is this going to go on for?" she asked nervously while she lit a cigarette with shaking hands.
"I have no idea. The drug is letting him relive those days again and there is no telling what it might do to his well-being. We can only hope that he's going to be alright once this is over."
"Well, if it is alright with you, I need to step outside for a while. I can't stay and watch him suffer. I need some fresh air. Don't worry, I am not going to inform on you. I don't want to handle Sydney on my own and I definitely can't turn him over to the Centre. I won't be long." Without waiting for an answer she put her coat on and left.
Jarod was left alone again with Sydney. He tried to get to older man to drink some water. The sweat was pouring off Sydney's face and his body felt hot to the touch. Some of the water found their way through the parched lips.
For a little while his breathing seemed to become more regular. Than his eyes snapped open and were almost lucid. "Jarod, what are you doing here? If Ms Parker finds you here she will take you back to the Centre." He tried to push away from Jarod, looking furtively about, "Go now, while there is still time. I don't know where she has gone, but she mustn't find you here." His movements were becoming more erratic in his urge to make Jarod leave.
"It's alright Sydney. She knows I am here."
"How could that be?"
"We're here to help you."
"Help me? Why?"
"You don't remember what Raines did to you?"
"Raines? Yes, he..." Remembrance dawned and he buried his face in his shaking hands. "Yes, I do remember, but still you shouldn't stay. They will use me as a ruse to keep you here and than bring you back. No, I cannot allow that to happen to you. You will not be going back to the Camp. I am taking you with me and we will leave this horrible place. We will go back home and I will protect you. They are not going to hurt us again." He managed to sit up with the intention to leave the bed. Somehow he had muddled Jarod up with Jacob, his brother, and in his fevered dreams the urge to escape was strong on him again.
"Sydney, stay still. Nobody is going to hurt me... us. You are safe now and we have to get you well."
"No, you don't understand. She will want to bring you back! Let me get you out of here." His eyes were roaming feverishly around the room, but Jarod doubted that he actually saw the room. His mind was elsewhere and he flayed his arms wildly about him and then pushed himself away from Jarod in his urge to get away.
"Sydney!" Jarod nearly screamed at him, "You are a very sick person at the moment. We can't let you go. Now will you go back to bed!"
For a moment Sydney looked hurt and his face contorted in many different emotions. "Jarod... I..." he collapsed back onto the bed in a dead faint. Jarod moved closer and arranged him under the sheets again. Trying to keep him warm. Sydney started tossing and turning again.
Swirling colours. Light and dark. The floor moving up and down like a ship. Footsteps behind him. Running footsteps. He couldn't let them catch him. A figure stood alone in the distance. Jarod! No, Jacob! Or... He couldn't let them take him, whoever it was. It was imperative that he made them move away from the lone figure. He ran to the left. The footsteps were coming closer and closer... He felt an arm on his shoulder and... awoke screaming in bed, sitting upright and seeing the concerned faces of Jarod and... Ms Parker?
When Ms Parker returned it seemed to her that nothing had chanced. Sydney was still in the throes of unseen ghosts from the past. She shrugged her shoulders and walked further into the room. When she neared the bed Sydney seemed to get more agitated and when she touched his shoulder he came awake screaming. Exhausted he fell back in the pillows.
"I think the worst is still to come," said Jarod, "we still have to monitor him closely for a while."
"You mean it might get worse than this?"
"Much worse."
"Dandy! Just what I need. I think I will make myself a drink." Before Jarod could advice her against it, that it might be bad for ulcer, Sydney's voice drew him back to the bed.
"Jarod?" came the hoarse whisper, "could I get some water, please?"
Jarod smiled. He brought the glass to Sydney's lips. The older man sipped the cold water gratefully and lay back on the pillow again. His temperature seemed to be going down again.
"You gave us quite a scare there. How are you feeling?"
"I don't know. Wet, unwashed and exhausted. My chest seems to hurt a lot."
"Yeah, I think Raines, or his men, must have cracked or bruised a couple of ribs there."
Sydney grinned weakly, "I think you are right there. Surely feels like it." He coughed and winced in pain. "Better not catch a cold in a hurry, eh?" It seemed like he had his old sarcasm back and that was a good sign.
"Would you like something to eat?"
Sydney nearly looked green. The very thought...
"You better rest now, Sydney, you'll need it." The older man complied, laid his head back against the pillows and was almost instantly back asleep again. He was still very weak, but his breathing was easier and more regular now.
Jarod and Ms Parker ate their dinner in the bedroom, partly to keep a watch over Sydney. Conversation was strained and kept to the barest minimum and for a while the only sounds in the room were the clicking of cutlery on plates and Sydney's shallow breathing.
Towards the end of their meal Jarod noticed a sudden change in Sydney's breathing. It came in deep, rapid shallow breaths. He dropped his cutlery on the plate and moved over to the bed. A fine film of sweat had appeared on Sydney's brow again. His hands were clutching at the sheets. His eyes were closed, but there was rapid movement under the eyelids. He had started another of his dreams again.
Dachau, August 1944
Jacob and Sydney had decided to escape. They knew that if they were to be caught certain death awaited them, but anything was better than this... unliving. Not a lot of planning went into their plan. They couldn't ration any provisions to take with them on their flight, not with the meagre amount that was given to them daily. The weather was fine, sleeping in the forest or even in the open shouldn't be a problem. Their whole family was dead now, so they only had each other to care about. If they didn't leave too soon it would be over for them as well.
On the few occasions they had been allowed out, they had noticed that the area behind the barracks were less closely guarded when the adults had been sent on work-details and the children were only given a cursory glance. It could work. The only thing that could possibly stop them from putting the plan into action was if one of the experiments they were conducting on them was of a crippling nature; it was better not to dwell on that aspect lest they brought it on themselves.
Their chance came towards the middle of August. It was a hot, sweltering day and they were allowed out. Because of the heat the guards were really not interested in anything other than to find some shade to stay cool. For a while they watched the two boys playing a form of hide and seek, clearly enjoying the short time out of their cage. They noticed them flitting backwards and forwards behind and in front of the barracks. They were amazed that two children, mere ghosts of themselves, could bring up the enjoyment and the energy to play, certainly in this weather and this setting.
After a while they got bored watching them. Sydney and Jacob noticed this too and saw their chance to make true their escape. As fast as their weakened legs would allow them they ran to the end of the enclosed area behind the barracks and tried to get under the fence before anybody could notice them. By sheer luck they managed to get past the first fence unnoticed and were almost clear past the outer fence when someone shouted orders to let the dogs loose. Sheer terror of being caught gave their feet wings and they got to the edge of the tree line.
They just ran, Sydney slightly ahead of Jacob. He could hear the laboured breath of his brother close at his back. Further back, in the distance, they could hear German commands being shouted and the barking of the dogs. They tried to run faster. Than Jacob let out a shout when he fell over the root of a tree. Sydney stopped in his tracks and ran back towards his brother who had fallen on the forest floor.
Jacob got up, but it was quite clear that the fall had robbed him of much needed energy, luckily he hadn't hurt himself too much. Sydney urged him to run on, hearing the shouts and the barking getting closer. Jacob ran, but was again flagging behind. "You try and make it, Sydney, I am only holding you back," he wheezed.
"No, I won't leave you. Come on! There is still a chance."
But luck had run out of them, if it had been there in the first place. It had been nice to taste a little bit of freedom, too bad it had been snatched away from them so quickly. The guards caught up with them quickly and before they knew it they were back in the camp again where they marched them back to the infirmary.
The Doctor looked at the two little boys, all grimy and looking very miserable.
"So, you wanted to leave us? Do you know how we punish little boys who want to leave when we didn't give them permission to leave?"
The two looked up frightened into the man's face, but didn't even let out a whimper. In a way the Doctor admired their small courage.
"We shoot them. BANG! Dead! That's what we do with naughty little boys. But I have another idea. You are twins, yes? If we shoot you, you might think to be free of us. If we let you live, you might want to attempt to escape again. If we keep you two apart, you will be of no use of my experiments. On the other hand, if we keep you apart you might not want to escape on your own, but you still will be of no use to me. Now what shall I do?" He slowly paced backwards and forwards in front of the boys, than some thought brought a smile to his face as if he had come to a solution and he stopped pacing. He drew out his gun and slowly trained it first on Jacob and than on Sydney. Sydney straightened his back; he had no fear of death at that moment. The Doctor had been right in assuming that Sydney would be the more stubborn to deal with, but would never leave his brother on his own devices.
"I could do this," said the Doctor and shot Jacob in the foot, who went down with a howl. Sydney immediately fell to his knees to comfort his brother. "That way I can insure that you two won't run away again."
The Cottage, later
Sydney was sobbing uncontrollably now. His head was tossing fretfully on the pillow. "No, Jacob, no!" Suddenly he cramped up and doubled over in pain. There was no telling if this was due to the nightmares, which still kept him captive or the effects of the drugs on his body.
Jarod held the man close, drawing his pain onto himself. It took a while before the sobbing subsided and Sydney became calm again. Gently Jarod eased him back on the bed again.
"I know you said it might get worse, but I had no idea it would be like this," Ms Parker said with scorn.
"There is no telling how bad it will become. The images of his past are strong and at the moment he is very weak. We'll just have to ride it out."
"Well, you can sit there and feel quite motherly, but I can't. This is too much. I need to go out."
She stormed out. "Make sure nobody is following you when you come back," shouted Jarod at her back. He wasn't sure if had heard her over the banging of the front door.
Not that he could linger long on Ms Parker's behaviour. Sydney's body became almost rigid on the bed and it was with difficulty that he was drawing breaths. When Jarod touched his shoulder it was almost like touching a slab of wood. It was obvious that he was trying to come out of his dream and not succeeding. Again Jarod spoke softly to him...
The corridors of the Centre were ill lit and it seemed as if there was no end to them. They went on forever. Sydney stood with his back against the wall. Should he turn left? Or Right? Rustling sounds were all around him, but he couldn't see anything substantial.
Suddenly the almost spectral form of Raines loomed up before him. His near skeletal face resembling the Grim Reaper... Chancing into the malicious sneering face of Krieg... Changing into the Grim Reaper himself who extended his skeletal hands towards Sydney, who wanted to scream... to run away, but who stood rooted on the spot, unable to utter a single sound.
His muscles went rigid and his jaw-muscles ached with the strain of the inability to scream, to find any form of release. He felt as if his mind was going to explode, until...
A soft voice called his name from the darkness. A soothing voice, a familiar voice. With an effort Sydney directed his thoughts towards this voice and slowly started to relax...
All through the night he sat with Sydney. Holding the other man's hand. Giving him water to drink at intervals. Mopping his brow and comforting him. While Sydney went through a whole gamut of horrors in his mind.
In the early hours of the morning the nightmares seemed to abate, which was a good sign. It had exhausted both men greatly. Jarod knew it wasn't over yet. More like the calm before a storm. The drug was not a kind guest and it wouldn't leave willingly. It was only a matter of time before it would erupt out of Sydney's body screaming. Jarod glanced over at the bed and saw the signs of the last onset.
Sydney was twitching in the bed, as he had been doing all night, but it wasn't the nightmares of his past that haunted him now. His face screwed up in pain. One minute he was doubled over with abdominal pains and the next minute his body had arched to such an extent that most of his back didn't even touch the bed. His muscles all cramped up and his hands were like claws. Sometimes clawing the empty air sometimes hugging himself. His muscles became so tense that they felt like solid rock. Jarod was afraid he might snap something and do irreparable damage to himself.
What made it all so eerie was that all through the proceedings he only expressed the intense pain he must be going through in soft moans that came through suppressed lips.
Jarod hoped that Sydney had tried to keep in shape in all the years at the Centre, for if he hadn't he feared the worst. Detoxification of any drug was quite a strain on all the body parts, especially the heart. With this drug "detox" was even more of a strenuous affair. And Sydney must be pushing 60, if not older. Jarod realised in passing that he didn't even know how old Sydney was. He knew he had been a young boy when he was at Dachau, but how young... He didn't dwell on it too long when Sydney was having another bout again and he had to use all of strength to keep the older man down.
By mid-morning both men were exhausted beyond endurance, although one of them wasn't aware of this right now. The cramps had turned into small spasms, the fever finally stayed down, and it looked as if it wasn't going to flare up again, and the mutterings almost sounded coherent. At least it was in English again instead of this strange mixture of French and German.
Jarod allowed himself to sit back and loosen his own muscles. He hadn't realised how stiff and sore he had become until he tried to straighten up. The older man still packed a lot of strength, especially when in the throes of fever. After a while he seemed to drift off in a normal sleep. Jarod allowed himself to rest his head on his arms and to relax a bit.
The Cottage, around noon
When Ms Parker returned around noon she found both men fast asleep and the cottage plunged in peace and silence. In the bedroom she found Jarod asleep on the side of the bed. His head was resting on his arms and his body at an almost impossible angle. Sydney looked very pale and wan, but seemed to sleep fitfully now. Quietly she turned to leave the room. She had thought that she had moved silently, but when she turned to leave she heard Sydney whisper her name. She turned back and found him looking at her.
She whispered back to him, not wanting to wake up Jarod, "How're doing, Syd?"
"Weak, but better. How's Jarod?"
Typical. Jarod was almost always foremost in Syd's mind, even when he needed the attention himself. A tinge of jealousy touched Ms Parker's mind. "Tired, I guess. He sat with you for most of the time. I am sorry, Syd, but I couldn't stay and see you like you were."
"I understand."
She felt embarrassed for no apparent reason. She, tough Ms Parker, can't sit down at a friend's sickbed. He couldn't possibly understand. She was always in control, but she couldn't control what was happening to Sydney and therefore couldn't cope with it. How could he understand!
"I do understand, Ms Parker," Sydney stressed, seeing the embarrassment on the young woman's face, "and I don't hold it against you. Remember, if it hadn't been for you and Broots I might be dead. Or worse..."
Jarod stirred awake, lifting his head wearily from his arms and stretched. "Ah, Sydney, you are back again. How are you feeling?"
"Weak, but better. Thirsty and hungry, I guess."
A grin spread on Jarod's face. "Definitely a good sound. Ms Parker could you stay with Sydney, while I freshen myself up and see if I can rustle up some food for the three of us."
Before she could say anything, he had left the room and left her alone with Sydney. She turned to the bed and sat down next to it. When she looked over at Sydney she found that he was watching her almost with sadness.
"What?" she asked irritated.
"You are thinking of taking him in, aren't you?"
"Well, yes, eventually."
"I'm not going to help you this time."
"At the moment you are in no fit state to do anything, Sydney."
"True, but I think I will stop hunting Jarod even after I'm well again."
"You realise that your life at the Centre will be finished than!"
"Isn't it already finished? Besides I am getting too old for all this. Early retirement sounds fine to me right now."
"The Centre will never let you go, you know that. You know too much."
"When will they let me go? When I am dead? Most likely, on second thought."
"I know we've had our differences, but I value you too much as a... friend to lose you that way."
"Well, thank you, Ms Parker. Do we detect a side of you unseen by human eyes yet?" the corner of his mouth turned up in an amusing grin. Even as pale as he was it made him look much younger, boyish. "Could you pass me the water, please? I am rather thirsty."
She handed him the water, but when she saw how badly his hands were still shaking by the effort of just lifting it, she took it off him and helped him drink.
"Thank you. You might turn into a regular nurse Nightingale." There was amusement in eyes.
"Don't bet on it," she lit another cigarette. "Where is Jarod?"
"Already tired of my witty conversation?" he watched her fidgeting and suspicion clouded his mind, "Have you told anybody where he could be found?"
"Not yet. I just don't like the idea that he might do a runner on us again."
"That's not like Jarod. You know he will stay with us until he knows we're safe."
"Than pretend to be still sick!"
"I told you I won't help you with this one."
"You might not have a choice, Sydney!"
"There are always choices, Ms Parker, always. Even if some of the choices we make are not good ones, there will always be choices."
The lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, which neither wanted but neither wanted to break anyway.
Haunting Memories
part 1
By Giton
The Centre, Sydney's office
Raines had come to his office unannounced. Well, as unannounced as his squeaking oxygen-tank would allow.
"What do you want, Raines," asked Sydney wearily. It had been a gruelling day, he had a splitting headache and by the looks of it Raines wanted to become the icing on the cake.
First of all, Ms Parker, Broots and himself had returned in the early hours of the morning from San Francisco after "missing" Jarod again. Secondly, The new "project" didn't want to co-operate and Sydney was scared that if he didn't co-operate soon Raines would get his grubby hands on the boy and Sydney was all for not letting that happen. Thirdly, the new twins were behaving rather peculiar and Sydney couldn't understand why. Fourth, but not least, Ms Parker had asked Sydney to do some more checking on Jarod and was expecting him and Broots to have a meeting with her, about a new game-plan she had been thinking of, in about half an hour. No, Sydney was not in the mood for any social calls, or any calls for that matter, and certainly not any from Raines.
Again he asked, "What do you want, Raines," when the other man didn't seem to be inclined to answer him the first instance.
Raines looked at him through slitted eyes, his breathing heavy and rattling. Still he didn't answer. Sydney started to feel uncomfortable. He still had quite a lot of work to do before the meeting and wanted Raines out of the way so he could get on with it.
"Raines, I am a busy man, I don't know about you, but if you have anything to say, say it or leave me, so I can get on with my work."
"You, Sydney, have been a pain in my proverbial backside," Raines said to him almost in a hoarse whisper, "You have thwarted me again and again. Don't look at me so innocently, because you are not. I am quite convinced that it was you who has informed Jarod on several occasions that we were coming. Alas, I cannot prove that. But setting Ms Parker on me with your investigations, or should I say allegations, that was the limit.
Since I have strong suspicions that you have outlasted your stay here, I think I have come up with an admirable solution to the whole problem."
The grin he gave Sydney made the latter shift uncomfortably in his seat. Before Sydney could say anything, the door opened, as if on cue, and three of Raines' Sweepers entered the room.
On a small gesture from Raines they advanced on a startled Sydney and without a word they hauled him out of his chair and moved him out of the room. Raines followed and closed the door behind them.
The Centre, Ms Parker's office
"Broots, where the hell is Sydney," Ms Parker wanted to know angrily, "Hadn't we agreed to have a meeting just about right now?"
"Yes, Ms Parker, and I've been trying to reach him for the last half hour, but there is no answer from his cell phone or his phone in his office. I checked with Security and he hasn't left the building either. It's not like Sydney to just stay away without letting us know. Unless something urgent has come up and he hadn't had the time to inform us yet. I was just about to go over to his office to see what is keeping him."
"We will both go and for his sake I hope he comes up with a damn good answer."
She stormed out of the office with Broots trailing her.
Sydney's office
When they got to Sydney's office they found it empty. His jacket was still draped over the back of his chair and his cell phone lay on the table but of their owner there was no sign.
"It must be quite an emergency if Sydney leaves here without his jacket. Can you see if he was working on something before he left?"
Broots sat behind Sydney's desk. "The computer is still running and the file is still open at the case of the new twins. Other than that, I can't see why he would have left." Both looked around puzzled. This was not at all like Sydney. Even with an emergency on his hand he would have at least closed the file he had been working on. He was normally rather secretive on what he was doing.
A sound from one of the wall grates attracted their attention and soon this was followed by the appearance of Angelo. He seemed to be in distress. Ms Parker walked over to him. "What's wrong Angelo? Do you know where Sydney is?"
"Sydney hurt. Hurt real bad."
"Where is he? How is he hurt?"
Angelo cowered under her glare and repeated what he had just said, adding, "Mr Raines took him."
"Where did he take him," Ms Parker tried to sound less angry so as not to aggravate Angelo too much.
"Corridor 17."
"Corridor 17? But that section is hardly being used, why would he take him there? Was Sydney hurt by Mr Raines?"
Angelo nodded vigorously. "Sydney pain. Hurt bad."
"That bastard Raines. Come on Broots, let's see if we can stop him," again she stormed out. Broots had trouble to keep up with her. Angelo ducked back into the air vent.
The Centre, Corridor 17
When Ms Parker and Broots got to Corridor 17 the whole place was dark. They wondered if they had heard Angelo right. It didn't seem as if anyone was here. While they were still contemplating which way to turn, Ms Parker thought she could hear muffled voices coming from the end of the corridor. Prompting Broots to walk with caution they proceeded stealthily forwards.
She hadn't been mistaken. The closer they got to the end of the corridor, the clearer the voices became and the one they were hearing at the moment was distinctly Raines'. She held Broots back, wanting to find out what was going on before going in.
"So, are you going to tell me how you have been contacting Jarod? I will get it out of you eventually anyway, one way or the other, with or without your full co-operation. No?" A loud smack sounded and a grunt of pain followed.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Sydney's voice answered painfully, another yelp of pain.
"Wait until the drug takes effect. You'll be singing to me shortly, if only to get another shot. Can you still remember it from the last time? You've had two now." Maniacal laughter sounded, "You think it might be a little too much? Don't worry, shortly you might even find it too little." Again came the laugh.
Before Ms Parker moved forward she heard Raines say, "What do you know about Catherine Parker? And how much have you told her darling daughter, eh?" She stopped in her tracks, wanting to hear more. She could hear Sydney mumble something, but couldn't make out the words.
"You claim you haven't said anything? Than why is she after my hide?"
"Why shouldn't she?" A resounding slap sounded.
"I have it from a reliable source that she had been digging in the cemetery. Also that she found some evidence of the staged killing. And you want me to believe that she didn't turn to you for answers? How much do you know?"
Ms Parker thought it was a good time as any to step in. Before going in she drew her gun, not knowing what to expect and maybe have the added pleasure of shooting Raines, just for the hell of it. She kicked the door open and said, "Yes, tell me Sydney, how much do you know?"
Raines turned with a look of surprise, followed by horror when he saw the gun in her hand.
With a quick glance Ms Parker viewed the situation. Sydney was tied with his arms strapped to the armrests of a chair in the middle of the room. It was apparent that Raines or his goons had been roughing him up. A nasty cut over his left eyebrow was leaving bloody streaks down that side of his face. His breathing was ragged and it was obvious that he had trouble focussing. Behind the chair were two of Raines' goons, holding Sydney back against the chair, while the third was standing in front of the chair in his shirtsleeves. It didn't take an Einstein to figure out what his job had been in the proceedings. Raines stood to the front of Sydney near a table with syringes amongst other things and had an electric rod in his hand.
"Move away from him. Over there, to the far wall and keep your hands where I can see them. The first to move will have my distinct pleasure of being shot and at the moment I feel very twitchy!" She had a nasty smile on her face. They did as they were told. "Broots come over here and help me unstrap Sydney."
Broots moved over and did as he was told. Sydney's head started to droop forwards.
Ms Parker barked a command, "Sydney, I need you conscious, so, don't you start fainting on me!" Sydney drew to attention with some effort, but saw the reason behind it. Broots worked quickly on the straps, careful not to hurt Sydney further. Finally it was done. He helped him stand and at first Sydney leaned heavily on Broots' shoulder, but sensing that the smaller man wouldn't be able to carry his weight he tried to straighten up. The effort nearly made him keel over, but he seemed to manage for the time being. Ms Parker, the gun still trained on the other four in the room, motioned Broots and Sydney out and turning to the others she said, "I hope you told someone that you were down here or else you might be in here for a long, long time. Bye!" She closed and locked the door behind her. Angry shouts issued from the room and a small smile touched her features.
She found Sydney leaning with his eyes closed against the wall. It was obvious that he wouldn't stay conscious for much longer.
"Broots, you take his other arm. We have to try and get him to the underground car park without anybody noticing us. I hate having to go through lengthy explanations at the moment." She took Sydney's other arm and together they managed to get the taller man to the elevator. Once inside they were all leaning exhausted against the wall.
By a stroke of luck they arrived at the car park without being seen, where they bustled into Ms Parker's car and drove out of the Centre.
Blue Cove, a cottage near the Lake
The cottage Ms Parker had driven them to, had been her secret "hidey-hole" for a long time. She had used it every time life became a little bit too hectic, even for her liking. She had bought it in secret a long time ago, using outside agents and an assumed name. No one in The Centre should be able to suspect that this was hers and where she was at the moment.
With difficulty they carried Sydney inside. The closer they got to the cottage the less coherent he had become. Only a sense of knowing that safety was near at hand, as long as he was able to stay awake, kept him going for a bit longer. Once inside he collapsed to the floor, nearly bringing the others down in his fall. For the moment they let him lie where he was, they themselves being too exhausted to move him just yet. Finally they got up and half-carried, half dragged his "dead" weight over to one of the bedrooms.
Inside they laid him on the bed and start to take some of his clothes off. Broots offered to do this on his own, embarrassed that Ms Parker should do it, but she wouldn't hear of it. They took his shoes off, his trousers and his shirt. It was only then that the rest of his injuries became known. A large swelling and bruising over his left ribcage indicated that he had either some bruised, possibly even broken ribs. Two bruised puncture marks showed up on the inside of his left forearm. Ms Parker was unpleasantly reminded of Sydney's stay in the death camps when she saw the faded tattoo on the lower half of his arm and remembered that Sydney hardly walked around in his shirt-sleeves, even during warm weather. They had to wait until he reached consciousness again to know to full extent of his injuries. For the moment they covered him up with a blanket.
Ms Parker said she was going to make some coffee while Broots sat with Sydney and kept an eye on him. Broots looked over at the older man who, for his age, looked quite vigorously, but now his face was frightfully pale and he seemed much older than his age. His breathing was laboured, but steady. He lay so still. Broots was worried and saddened to see him lying there. What would have happened to Sydney if Angelo hadn't warned them?
Ms Parker came back carrying a tray with two steaming mugs of coffee and a bowl and a cloth, which she handed to Broots. Broots set about wiping the blood from Sydney's face. "How is he?"
"I don't know, Ms Parker, he seems okay at the moment, but I'm no doctor. It doesn't look too good though."
Ms Parker bit the back of her finger, "What are we suppose to do, Broots?"
As if on cue her cell-phone rang. She frowned. Who could that be? "Parker!"
"Ms Parker, how is he?" It wasn't difficult to guess who was on the other side of the line.
"Jarod! How did you know...?"
"How is he?"
"We're not sure. Alright, I guess, but we're not sure."
"Describe his symptoms to me, please." She did, not even caring how it was that he already knew something was wrong with Sydney. She would deal with that later. When she came to the needlepoint marks Jarod was getting quite upset.
"Needle points?"
"Yes, two. I remember Raines saying something about "the drug taking effect" and that Sydney would "sing" to him if only to get another shot. Oh, yes, and reminding him about another time. You don't think...?"
She could almost hear Jarod gnash his teeth, "Yes, that's exactly what I think he did. I'm willing to bet that he injected Sydney with the same, by then experimental, drug he had used on him and on me nearly twenty years ago. Keep him warm, give him lots of liquids to drink and you might want to keep a bucket nearby, just in case (-Ms Parker frowned in disgust and glanced over at Broots-). Don't let him wander all over the place, you might even have to restrain him. Damn, there is no telling what it will do to him, not at his age. Don't worry, I'll be over shortly."
He hung up before she could ask, how he knew where to find her or when he would be here. She closed the phone and stared in silence to the man lying on the bed.
Broots was fidgeting. Ms Parker noticed his discomfort, "You pick up Debbie, Broots, and lie low for a while. Don't' come back to the cottage, but don't go home either. They might follow you or... Don't worry, I'll look after Sydney."
The cottage, a little while later
A motion on the bed stirred her from the light slumber she had fallen in. Sydney was regaining consciousness. He groaned but still had his eyes closed.
"Sydney?" She waited, no response, a little louder, " Sydney, can you hear me?"
Another groan than weakly, "A little water... please."
She was relieved, he seemed to respond all right. She supported him while she gave him the water, "How are you feeling?"
"Much as can be expected: aches, pains and bruises, the usual," he tried to laugh, but it ended in an agonized cough. Ms Parker wasn't convinced by his flippancy. It seemed to her that his eyes moved in and out of focus. Clear one minute and dazed and cloudy the next.
"Can you tell me what happened?"
"Raines had a bee in his bonnet and decided to pick a bone with me," again Sydney spoke with a joviality, which belied the present state he was in between small gasps for air.
"Any aches or pains or... anything I should be aware of," Ms Parker asked cautiously.
Sydney shifted his position on the bed and was unpleasantly reminded of the beating to his ribcage. The drug must be cloaking it partially from him. "Thanks God for small blessings," thought Ms Parker.
He took a deep breath and his eyes squeezed shut, but whether this was from physical or mental pain wasn't clear. His hands, involuntarily, were plucking at the sheets. "Yes, you should be aware of something. It is rather embarrassing, but I think you should know. The Ba... Raines, he injected me with the same drugs they had tried on me some twenty years ago. Maybe not the same drugs, they might have perfected it since then, but I am well aware of the effects and they seem similar to what was given to me then.
As well as I remember it gives the person a feeling of... clearness. Well, I think I am pretty lucid right now. It gives the feeling of mental superiority over anybody else. Aches and pains are forgotten. For about a couple of hours the person feels superb. Than the shivering begins. One feels hot and cold in turn. Hallucinations. The muscles cramp up, heart races, sweating starts, and one might even vomit. The pain is excruciating and can only be stopped by another dose of the drug and every time thereafter the body will demand more.
Or one can ride it out. Depending on the amount given, how much used previously and on the person's physical being, it can be over in a couple of days or might take up to a week. The craving for the drug lasts for some time, depending on the amount taken, but can be easily done without if the subject is physically and mentally strong enough."
It hadn't slipped Ms Parker's notice that he had spoken as if he was giving a lecture about an unrelated test case, deliberately distancing himself from it. "What about you, Sydney?" Ms Parker asked quietly.
"I don't know. It could be over quite quickly. He only injected me once, so..."
"Twice! Broots and I heard him say to you that he had given you two shots already."
Sydney frowned, "I can't remember the second injection. He must have given me one when I was out for the count than or maybe, I... just don't remember it. Some parts are hazy.
I can remember his goons frogmarching me out of the office down to one of the Sub-levels. They were very clever, nearly sandwiching me between them, making it look as if we were on our way to an emergency. Once we were down there, one of them hit me rather hard in the chest while the other two were holding me. Raines just stood there and grinned. They hit me a couple of times before strapping me to the chair. For no apparent reason Raines hit me hard with something -don't know what it was- over the left of my face. It was shortly after that, that he injected me with the drug.
He accused me of tipping off Jarod and was wondering how I had done this. When I denied it he used the electric rod on me. I must gave passed out for a short time. If it is true that he injected me twice than that's when it must have happened. I think he mentioned something about me setting you on the trail of your mother's alleged killing and wanted to know more about it. I don't know what they would have done to me if you had not barged in." It was evident that reliving those painful memories were getting him in an agitated state, so Ms Parker left it at that and tried to calm him down.
"How did you know where to find me? Angelo? Good boy! He must have gone through the air vent system. I think he knows the Centre better than we do," he gave another chuckle. It must have been the effect of the drugs that made it seem as if he couldn't relax.
Ms Parker was curious about her mother, though. "Sydney, is my mother still alive? Do you know?"
"Honestly, Ms Parker, I don't know. I would let you know if I did."
"Like you have not been keeping that little secret that she was not killed outright from me all these years?" a touch of anger crept into her voice.
"No, since you know that her killing was not real and that she had initially escaped the Centre I don't feel bound to keep her secret from you any longer. I do believe that the last DSA we saw, where Raines shot her after she gave birth to her son, was her real death."
"Why did she let you know that she was escaping?"
"We were very good friends..."
"Just good friends?"
"Yes, just good friends. She cared very much for the children and we even had spoken of trying to set the children free. Getting them to their real parents or maybe even setting up a school for them. Things just didn't work out that way. I regret that."
"You, Sydney? Who stayed at the Centre for, what, over thirty years? I can't believe that."
He looked hurt. "Someone had to make sure that they weren't treated too badly or worse. And than there was Jarod and you and later Angelo. I couldn't just abandon you all."
"So it was pity for the poor children that kept you there?" she said with a sneer.
He understood that she would never be able to understand his motivations. Hell, sometimes he couldn't understand it himself.
"And because you care you still help me to hunt down Jarod?"
"Yes, because I care."
She snorted. "I wonder if Raines was right. Maybe you have been helping Jarod escape from our clutches and in some perverted way tagging along with us to see if he could escape."
He said nothing. Whatever he said to her wouldn't reach her ears anyway. Besides, he could feel the feel-good-effect of the drug wearing off and wasn't sure for long he would be coherent enough to make sense even to himself. The pain started to creep in now and it wasn't a pleasant sensation.
Ms Parker stopped scowling at him when she noticed that he seemed to be in discomfort. "You okay, Syd?"
"Ms Parker as a tracker you're in your own class, but as a nurse... it sucks," he chuckled with a painful gasp and passed out.
The Cottage, a little later
After Sydney had passed out, she sat next to the bed for a while and dozed off again herself. A hand on her shoulder brought her back to the present. Her first instinct was to reach for her gun at the side.
"Ah-Ah. Is that how you greet an old friend?" She looked up in the face of Jarod who had her gun dangling from his forefinger.
"Give that back to me."
"Not until you behave nicely to me. I think I keep this for a while."
"How did you know where to find us?"
"That would be telling would it? But don't worry, your secret is save with me. How is he?"
"As you see him. A little while back he passed out. I think the effects of the drug are wearing off."
Sydney moved restlessly on the bed. Jarod examined Sydney. "The cut over the eye is mainly superficial, but I'm willing to bet that it must have bled shockingly. I am worried about the bruise on his chest, though," he gently pressed the area and even in Sydney's semi-conscious state the brain registered pain and Sydney reacted to that with a soft moaning sound. "He might have one or more broken ribs or at least severe bruising and short of taping up the chest there isn't much we can do about it. We know it is not extremely serious, like broken off or pressing into the lung or else he would be coughing up blood by now. Further than that, only an x-ray could tell us more, but we can't do that until Sydney is free of the drug. There would be too many questions otherwise."
He looked with sadness down on his former mentor. "Poor Sydney. Always trying to change the world for the better, but never really getting the hang of it."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing in particular."
A soft moaning sound came from the bed. Sydney was struggling towards wakefulness. His eyes snapped open and although he was looking straight at them, it didn't seem as if he was aware of them. There was horror written in his eyes and Ms Parker shuddered at the thought of what his eyes were seeing at the moment.
Dachau concentration camp, November 1944
Sydney was crouching under the floorboards where the camp-doctor had put him and his brother Jacob after they had been beaten and doused with water. They were naked and the November wind was howling around the cracks in the walls, which gave only the barest of protection. Sydney knew they had a hole drilled in the floorboards above their heads for "observation and study". He wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of showing how cold and miserable he was, not that he could do it without a lot of luck. His clattering teeth he couldn't control and he imagined it was loud enough to be heard on the other side of the camp.
He could deal with the cold. Jacob was his first concern now. His brother lay only two feet away from him and was making keening noises to combat the pain. Being twins, the boys were much closer to each other than most other children and had an almost empathic bond. Sydney sidled over to comfort his brother. He had always been the mentally stronger of the two. Maybe his inner strength could help his brother feel the pain less severely. Movement over the cold, damp ground was slow and painful.
Once close, he cradled the body of his brother in his arms and hoped he was able to give him some warmth. The keening noises grew softer and finally Jacob dropped off in an uneasy slumber. Sydney wasn't as lucky, so he slowly rocked his brother's form in his arms singing a lullaby softly to him.
After a while even his small arms started to ache from the cramped position he was in and gently he lowered Jacob to ground, trying to lie as close to him as possible to keep the warmth up and to get some sleep in the progress. This wasn't much to the liking of the people watching from above and the trapdoor was opened to haul the two boys out. More beatings followed and the process was repeated again and again.
The Cottage, early evening
Sydney was moving quite restlessly on the bed now and Jarod needed all his concentration and strength to keep the older man down. Ms Parker fetched some more cold water to dampen down Sydney's feverish brow. He mumbled words in a muddled up version of French and German and she couldn't make head nor tail of what he was saying. Jarod tried to comfort him by speaking to him softly in French. Some of the words must have found their way in Sydney's fevered brain and he calmed down somewhat, but not for long.
Finally Ms Parker couldn't stand it any longer and left the room. She had no problems watching people being interrogated and even killed, but she had never been very good around sick people and seeing Sydney's tortured struggles was too much to bear.
A couple of days after the Allies liberated Dachau
Sydney and his brother, like countless others, huddled by the side of the road just outside the camp. The Allies had just liberated the camp and people were just too stunned to believe they had been freed. To Sydney and Jacob it was as if they had been turned out of their house all over again, only this time their family wasn't with them. The realisation of being free, but orphans in a world which had more than their fair share of orphans had not sank in yet.
Gratefully they accepted a big piece of chocolate from one of the passing soldiers. They split it between them and gulfed it down only to be violently sick when their stomachs rejected the rich food. Afterwards they felt miserable. At least they were together and had survived.
Sydney looked around him at the human misery standing, sitting and lying in huddled groups. A fine rain had begun to fall, but nobody moved from his or her chosen spot. Although free, nobody cared. Some were trying to find family members or friends, most of them failing badly and feeling more depressed.
Of course, they could have gotten back inside the camps and found shelter from the rain in the barracks, but many didn't dare to do so, just in case it was just a dream and when they woke up they would find themselves back in the camp. Sydney and Jacob were not excluded from that.
Someone shuffled past them and Sydney looked up. A shock went through him. This was no inmate, even though he was dressed as one. This was one of the tormentors who had worked in the infirmary. A man who had performed his "work" with pleasure. Sydney cringed away. Every nerve in his body felt the urge to scream out the man's name, to let everyone know who he really was. But what if this was all a dream? Would he than not punish the boy? Or worse punish the boy through the brother?
He felt his throat constrict, a whimper was let loose. The man turned his face in the direction of the two boys and smiled maliciously. He saw two near naked boys, shivering with cold, hunger and exhaustion and he was certain that they would not betray him.
It was either the overwhelming fear Sydney felt or maybe just the grin the man had given him, but he screamed and screamed again...
The Cottage, evening
Sydney had been tossing and turning in the bed. At one stage vomiting violently. Luckily Jarod had been in time and made him throw up in the bucket, rather than soiling himself. The drug had dragged Sydney down in a hell of his own and there was nothing more Jarod could do other than try and comfort him. Hold him close and let him ride it out.
Then Sydney became very quiet and moved into a foetus position, whimpering softly. He tried to move deeper into the bed. Hugging his arms around himself and holding his body tight. Nothing could prepare Jarod for the unexpected scream that issued from his lips. His veins stood out on his neck. "Dos ist Er! (-It's him-) Dos ist Er!" Sydney kept shouting. Jarod held him close until Sydney lapsed in a quiet sobbing.
Ms Parker had stormed out of the kitchen, "What's going on? Was that Sydney?"
"He's having a nightmare. I think he's back at the Camp again."
"How long is this going to go on for?" she asked nervously while she lit a cigarette with shaking hands.
"I have no idea. The drug is letting him relive those days again and there is no telling what it might do to his well-being. We can only hope that he's going to be alright once this is over."
"Well, if it is alright with you, I need to step outside for a while. I can't stay and watch him suffer. I need some fresh air. Don't worry, I am not going to inform on you. I don't want to handle Sydney on my own and I definitely can't turn him over to the Centre. I won't be long." Without waiting for an answer she put her coat on and left.
Jarod was left alone again with Sydney. He tried to get to older man to drink some water. The sweat was pouring off Sydney's face and his body felt hot to the touch. Some of the water found their way through the parched lips.
For a little while his breathing seemed to become more regular. Than his eyes snapped open and were almost lucid. "Jarod, what are you doing here? If Ms Parker finds you here she will take you back to the Centre." He tried to push away from Jarod, looking furtively about, "Go now, while there is still time. I don't know where she has gone, but she mustn't find you here." His movements were becoming more erratic in his urge to make Jarod leave.
"It's alright Sydney. She knows I am here."
"How could that be?"
"We're here to help you."
"Help me? Why?"
"You don't remember what Raines did to you?"
"Raines? Yes, he..." Remembrance dawned and he buried his face in his shaking hands. "Yes, I do remember, but still you shouldn't stay. They will use me as a ruse to keep you here and than bring you back. No, I cannot allow that to happen to you. You will not be going back to the Camp. I am taking you with me and we will leave this horrible place. We will go back home and I will protect you. They are not going to hurt us again." He managed to sit up with the intention to leave the bed. Somehow he had muddled Jarod up with Jacob, his brother, and in his fevered dreams the urge to escape was strong on him again.
"Sydney, stay still. Nobody is going to hurt me... us. You are safe now and we have to get you well."
"No, you don't understand. She will want to bring you back! Let me get you out of here." His eyes were roaming feverishly around the room, but Jarod doubted that he actually saw the room. His mind was elsewhere and he flayed his arms wildly about him and then pushed himself away from Jarod in his urge to get away.
"Sydney!" Jarod nearly screamed at him, "You are a very sick person at the moment. We can't let you go. Now will you go back to bed!"
For a moment Sydney looked hurt and his face contorted in many different emotions. "Jarod... I..." he collapsed back onto the bed in a dead faint. Jarod moved closer and arranged him under the sheets again. Trying to keep him warm. Sydney started tossing and turning again.
Swirling colours. Light and dark. The floor moving up and down like a ship. Footsteps behind him. Running footsteps. He couldn't let them catch him. A figure stood alone in the distance. Jarod! No, Jacob! Or... He couldn't let them take him, whoever it was. It was imperative that he made them move away from the lone figure. He ran to the left. The footsteps were coming closer and closer... He felt an arm on his shoulder and... awoke screaming in bed, sitting upright and seeing the concerned faces of Jarod and... Ms Parker?
When Ms Parker returned it seemed to her that nothing had chanced. Sydney was still in the throes of unseen ghosts from the past. She shrugged her shoulders and walked further into the room. When she neared the bed Sydney seemed to get more agitated and when she touched his shoulder he came awake screaming. Exhausted he fell back in the pillows.
"I think the worst is still to come," said Jarod, "we still have to monitor him closely for a while."
"You mean it might get worse than this?"
"Much worse."
"Dandy! Just what I need. I think I will make myself a drink." Before Jarod could advice her against it, that it might be bad for ulcer, Sydney's voice drew him back to the bed.
"Jarod?" came the hoarse whisper, "could I get some water, please?"
Jarod smiled. He brought the glass to Sydney's lips. The older man sipped the cold water gratefully and lay back on the pillow again. His temperature seemed to be going down again.
"You gave us quite a scare there. How are you feeling?"
"I don't know. Wet, unwashed and exhausted. My chest seems to hurt a lot."
"Yeah, I think Raines, or his men, must have cracked or bruised a couple of ribs there."
Sydney grinned weakly, "I think you are right there. Surely feels like it." He coughed and winced in pain. "Better not catch a cold in a hurry, eh?" It seemed like he had his old sarcasm back and that was a good sign.
"Would you like something to eat?"
Sydney nearly looked green. The very thought...
"You better rest now, Sydney, you'll need it." The older man complied, laid his head back against the pillows and was almost instantly back asleep again. He was still very weak, but his breathing was easier and more regular now.
Jarod and Ms Parker ate their dinner in the bedroom, partly to keep a watch over Sydney. Conversation was strained and kept to the barest minimum and for a while the only sounds in the room were the clicking of cutlery on plates and Sydney's shallow breathing.
Towards the end of their meal Jarod noticed a sudden change in Sydney's breathing. It came in deep, rapid shallow breaths. He dropped his cutlery on the plate and moved over to the bed. A fine film of sweat had appeared on Sydney's brow again. His hands were clutching at the sheets. His eyes were closed, but there was rapid movement under the eyelids. He had started another of his dreams again.
Dachau, August 1944
Jacob and Sydney had decided to escape. They knew that if they were to be caught certain death awaited them, but anything was better than this... unliving. Not a lot of planning went into their plan. They couldn't ration any provisions to take with them on their flight, not with the meagre amount that was given to them daily. The weather was fine, sleeping in the forest or even in the open shouldn't be a problem. Their whole family was dead now, so they only had each other to care about. If they didn't leave too soon it would be over for them as well.
On the few occasions they had been allowed out, they had noticed that the area behind the barracks were less closely guarded when the adults had been sent on work-details and the children were only given a cursory glance. It could work. The only thing that could possibly stop them from putting the plan into action was if one of the experiments they were conducting on them was of a crippling nature; it was better not to dwell on that aspect lest they brought it on themselves.
Their chance came towards the middle of August. It was a hot, sweltering day and they were allowed out. Because of the heat the guards were really not interested in anything other than to find some shade to stay cool. For a while they watched the two boys playing a form of hide and seek, clearly enjoying the short time out of their cage. They noticed them flitting backwards and forwards behind and in front of the barracks. They were amazed that two children, mere ghosts of themselves, could bring up the enjoyment and the energy to play, certainly in this weather and this setting.
After a while they got bored watching them. Sydney and Jacob noticed this too and saw their chance to make true their escape. As fast as their weakened legs would allow them they ran to the end of the enclosed area behind the barracks and tried to get under the fence before anybody could notice them. By sheer luck they managed to get past the first fence unnoticed and were almost clear past the outer fence when someone shouted orders to let the dogs loose. Sheer terror of being caught gave their feet wings and they got to the edge of the tree line.
They just ran, Sydney slightly ahead of Jacob. He could hear the laboured breath of his brother close at his back. Further back, in the distance, they could hear German commands being shouted and the barking of the dogs. They tried to run faster. Than Jacob let out a shout when he fell over the root of a tree. Sydney stopped in his tracks and ran back towards his brother who had fallen on the forest floor.
Jacob got up, but it was quite clear that the fall had robbed him of much needed energy, luckily he hadn't hurt himself too much. Sydney urged him to run on, hearing the shouts and the barking getting closer. Jacob ran, but was again flagging behind. "You try and make it, Sydney, I am only holding you back," he wheezed.
"No, I won't leave you. Come on! There is still a chance."
But luck had run out of them, if it had been there in the first place. It had been nice to taste a little bit of freedom, too bad it had been snatched away from them so quickly. The guards caught up with them quickly and before they knew it they were back in the camp again where they marched them back to the infirmary.
The Doctor looked at the two little boys, all grimy and looking very miserable.
"So, you wanted to leave us? Do you know how we punish little boys who want to leave when we didn't give them permission to leave?"
The two looked up frightened into the man's face, but didn't even let out a whimper. In a way the Doctor admired their small courage.
"We shoot them. BANG! Dead! That's what we do with naughty little boys. But I have another idea. You are twins, yes? If we shoot you, you might think to be free of us. If we let you live, you might want to attempt to escape again. If we keep you two apart, you will be of no use of my experiments. On the other hand, if we keep you apart you might not want to escape on your own, but you still will be of no use to me. Now what shall I do?" He slowly paced backwards and forwards in front of the boys, than some thought brought a smile to his face as if he had come to a solution and he stopped pacing. He drew out his gun and slowly trained it first on Jacob and than on Sydney. Sydney straightened his back; he had no fear of death at that moment. The Doctor had been right in assuming that Sydney would be the more stubborn to deal with, but would never leave his brother on his own devices.
"I could do this," said the Doctor and shot Jacob in the foot, who went down with a howl. Sydney immediately fell to his knees to comfort his brother. "That way I can insure that you two won't run away again."
The Cottage, later
Sydney was sobbing uncontrollably now. His head was tossing fretfully on the pillow. "No, Jacob, no!" Suddenly he cramped up and doubled over in pain. There was no telling if this was due to the nightmares, which still kept him captive or the effects of the drugs on his body.
Jarod held the man close, drawing his pain onto himself. It took a while before the sobbing subsided and Sydney became calm again. Gently Jarod eased him back on the bed again.
"I know you said it might get worse, but I had no idea it would be like this," Ms Parker said with scorn.
"There is no telling how bad it will become. The images of his past are strong and at the moment he is very weak. We'll just have to ride it out."
"Well, you can sit there and feel quite motherly, but I can't. This is too much. I need to go out."
She stormed out. "Make sure nobody is following you when you come back," shouted Jarod at her back. He wasn't sure if had heard her over the banging of the front door.
Not that he could linger long on Ms Parker's behaviour. Sydney's body became almost rigid on the bed and it was with difficulty that he was drawing breaths. When Jarod touched his shoulder it was almost like touching a slab of wood. It was obvious that he was trying to come out of his dream and not succeeding. Again Jarod spoke softly to him...
The corridors of the Centre were ill lit and it seemed as if there was no end to them. They went on forever. Sydney stood with his back against the wall. Should he turn left? Or Right? Rustling sounds were all around him, but he couldn't see anything substantial.
Suddenly the almost spectral form of Raines loomed up before him. His near skeletal face resembling the Grim Reaper... Chancing into the malicious sneering face of Krieg... Changing into the Grim Reaper himself who extended his skeletal hands towards Sydney, who wanted to scream... to run away, but who stood rooted on the spot, unable to utter a single sound.
His muscles went rigid and his jaw-muscles ached with the strain of the inability to scream, to find any form of release. He felt as if his mind was going to explode, until...
A soft voice called his name from the darkness. A soothing voice, a familiar voice. With an effort Sydney directed his thoughts towards this voice and slowly started to relax...
All through the night he sat with Sydney. Holding the other man's hand. Giving him water to drink at intervals. Mopping his brow and comforting him. While Sydney went through a whole gamut of horrors in his mind.
In the early hours of the morning the nightmares seemed to abate, which was a good sign. It had exhausted both men greatly. Jarod knew it wasn't over yet. More like the calm before a storm. The drug was not a kind guest and it wouldn't leave willingly. It was only a matter of time before it would erupt out of Sydney's body screaming. Jarod glanced over at the bed and saw the signs of the last onset.
Sydney was twitching in the bed, as he had been doing all night, but it wasn't the nightmares of his past that haunted him now. His face screwed up in pain. One minute he was doubled over with abdominal pains and the next minute his body had arched to such an extent that most of his back didn't even touch the bed. His muscles all cramped up and his hands were like claws. Sometimes clawing the empty air sometimes hugging himself. His muscles became so tense that they felt like solid rock. Jarod was afraid he might snap something and do irreparable damage to himself.
What made it all so eerie was that all through the proceedings he only expressed the intense pain he must be going through in soft moans that came through suppressed lips.
Jarod hoped that Sydney had tried to keep in shape in all the years at the Centre, for if he hadn't he feared the worst. Detoxification of any drug was quite a strain on all the body parts, especially the heart. With this drug "detox" was even more of a strenuous affair. And Sydney must be pushing 60, if not older. Jarod realised in passing that he didn't even know how old Sydney was. He knew he had been a young boy when he was at Dachau, but how young... He didn't dwell on it too long when Sydney was having another bout again and he had to use all of strength to keep the older man down.
By mid-morning both men were exhausted beyond endurance, although one of them wasn't aware of this right now. The cramps had turned into small spasms, the fever finally stayed down, and it looked as if it wasn't going to flare up again, and the mutterings almost sounded coherent. At least it was in English again instead of this strange mixture of French and German.
Jarod allowed himself to sit back and loosen his own muscles. He hadn't realised how stiff and sore he had become until he tried to straighten up. The older man still packed a lot of strength, especially when in the throes of fever. After a while he seemed to drift off in a normal sleep. Jarod allowed himself to rest his head on his arms and to relax a bit.
The Cottage, around noon
When Ms Parker returned around noon she found both men fast asleep and the cottage plunged in peace and silence. In the bedroom she found Jarod asleep on the side of the bed. His head was resting on his arms and his body at an almost impossible angle. Sydney looked very pale and wan, but seemed to sleep fitfully now. Quietly she turned to leave the room. She had thought that she had moved silently, but when she turned to leave she heard Sydney whisper her name. She turned back and found him looking at her.
She whispered back to him, not wanting to wake up Jarod, "How're doing, Syd?"
"Weak, but better. How's Jarod?"
Typical. Jarod was almost always foremost in Syd's mind, even when he needed the attention himself. A tinge of jealousy touched Ms Parker's mind. "Tired, I guess. He sat with you for most of the time. I am sorry, Syd, but I couldn't stay and see you like you were."
"I understand."
She felt embarrassed for no apparent reason. She, tough Ms Parker, can't sit down at a friend's sickbed. He couldn't possibly understand. She was always in control, but she couldn't control what was happening to Sydney and therefore couldn't cope with it. How could he understand!
"I do understand, Ms Parker," Sydney stressed, seeing the embarrassment on the young woman's face, "and I don't hold it against you. Remember, if it hadn't been for you and Broots I might be dead. Or worse..."
Jarod stirred awake, lifting his head wearily from his arms and stretched. "Ah, Sydney, you are back again. How are you feeling?"
"Weak, but better. Thirsty and hungry, I guess."
A grin spread on Jarod's face. "Definitely a good sound. Ms Parker could you stay with Sydney, while I freshen myself up and see if I can rustle up some food for the three of us."
Before she could say anything, he had left the room and left her alone with Sydney. She turned to the bed and sat down next to it. When she looked over at Sydney she found that he was watching her almost with sadness.
"What?" she asked irritated.
"You are thinking of taking him in, aren't you?"
"Well, yes, eventually."
"I'm not going to help you this time."
"At the moment you are in no fit state to do anything, Sydney."
"True, but I think I will stop hunting Jarod even after I'm well again."
"You realise that your life at the Centre will be finished than!"
"Isn't it already finished? Besides I am getting too old for all this. Early retirement sounds fine to me right now."
"The Centre will never let you go, you know that. You know too much."
"When will they let me go? When I am dead? Most likely, on second thought."
"I know we've had our differences, but I value you too much as a... friend to lose you that way."
"Well, thank you, Ms Parker. Do we detect a side of you unseen by human eyes yet?" the corner of his mouth turned up in an amusing grin. Even as pale as he was it made him look much younger, boyish. "Could you pass me the water, please? I am rather thirsty."
She handed him the water, but when she saw how badly his hands were still shaking by the effort of just lifting it, she took it off him and helped him drink.
"Thank you. You might turn into a regular nurse Nightingale." There was amusement in eyes.
"Don't bet on it," she lit another cigarette. "Where is Jarod?"
"Already tired of my witty conversation?" he watched her fidgeting and suspicion clouded his mind, "Have you told anybody where he could be found?"
"Not yet. I just don't like the idea that he might do a runner on us again."
"That's not like Jarod. You know he will stay with us until he knows we're safe."
"Than pretend to be still sick!"
"I told you I won't help you with this one."
"You might not have a choice, Sydney!"
"There are always choices, Ms Parker, always. Even if some of the choices we make are not good ones, there will always be choices."
The lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, which neither wanted but neither wanted to break anyway.
