Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Disclaimer : The Characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots and The Center are all property
of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and are used without permission.
No money has been involved here and no infringement is intended.
03/01/02
PRINCIPATUS UMBILICUS
By Phenyx
Part 3 of 3
Broots shifted nervously from one foot to the other. He smoothed the back of his hair before jabbing at the elevator button for the fourth time.
"Calm down, Broots" Sydney urged. "You're working yourself into a frenzy."
"Yeah, right. Calm down." Broots mumbled to himself. Broots attempted to see his reflection in the closed elevator doors in order to straighten his tie. The tie was a dark black piece of silk that perfectly matched his accompanying suit. However, despite the professionalism of his attire, Broots still carried the aura of a rumpled computer technician.
Broots shifted back and forth again. "How can I calm down, Sydney?" he asked as he glanced nervously about. "We've been called to a Centre board meeting. I've never been summoned to a board meeting before."
Sydney, similarly dressed in one of his nicer suits, simply shrugged. "I've been asked to speak to the Board in the past. It is nothing to be concerned about."
The elevator doors opened and the two men stepped into the empty vehicle.
"The entire Board will be there, Syd." Broots swallowed hard. "Do you even know why we were called to this meeting?"
Sydney clasped his hands behind his back and answered, "I've heard that the Triumvirate will be in attendance."
This news sent Broots into a fresh set of jitters. His hands shook so badly that he could barely press the button for their destination. "Do you think that the rumors are true?" Broots nearly whimpered. "The scuttlebutt is that the Triumvirate is under new management."
"I believe I've heard something along those lines." Sydney said. He was concentrating on the lights above the door indicating their current level of progress. Sydney was trying hard to keep Broots as calm as possible. But truth be told, Sydney was a bit apprehensive himself. Last night, they had received a summons to this early morning meeting. They had been told only the time and place for the appointment. Neither man had been given any other information regarding an agenda or purpose for the sudden gathering.
The elevator doors opened and the two men found themselves in a hallway on one of the upper floors of The Tower. More than a dozen other men and women, also dressed in business suits, were making their way down the hallway toward the conference room.
Broots leaned close to Sydney and whispered, "I heard that not even Mr. Raines knows who's taken over the Triumvirate. I heard that whoever it is he's worse than Mutumbo ever was."
"That would be unfortunate." Sydney replied, his voice deceptively calm.
Broots nodded. "No kidding." Sydney and Broots hung back in the hallway as others entered the room ahead of them. "I heard that one member of the Triumvirate opposed the shift in power and within a matter of days she had basically disappeared."
Sydney lifted his eyebrows in concern. "Murdered?" he asked.
Broots shook his head. "Worse. Every electronic indication that she had ever existed was eradicated. Financial records, educational background, social security information, were all gone. She was completely ruined, a non-person. The woman couldn't even buy a cup of coffee." Broots grabbed Sydney by the arm. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to erase someone like that? Not even her Centre connections could protect her."
"I, for one, am going to be very careful not to say anything negative about our mysterious new leadership." Lyle said as he suddenly appeared behind Broots.
Broots jumped visibly as Lyle clapped him on the shoulder.
Lyle laughed. "Switch to decaf, Mr. Broots. You'll live longer. Or at the very least, you'll save in dry cleaning bills." Lyle gave Broots a final pat on the back as he added, "You'll soil your pants less." Lyle smiled serenely at them before moving in to the conference room.
Sydney sighed, "We had best get inside, Broots. We don't want to be late."
In the conference room, Sydney and Broots found a spot to stand along the back wall. The room was full to capacity with an assortment of Centre personnel. As Head-chairman of the board, Mr. Raines sat at one end of a long table located in front of the room. The table was large and spanned the width of one end of the room. The rest of the room had been set up with rows of chairs, all of which were now full. The center three places at the table, directly facing the audience, were reserved for the Triumvirate. These spots were still vacant.
Broots shifted, and straightened his tie once more.
"Broots." Sydney snapped, losing his patience. "You are going to strangle yourself with that thing."
"I can't help it." Broots shook. "What if they decide that we've failed in our pursuit of Jarod? What if they ask us to justify the last five and a half years?" Broots rolled his eyes anxiously and moaned. "What about Miss Parker? What if they ask us about her?"
"We have no idea where Miss Parker has gone or why." Sydney pointed out.
"But she's been missing for months and no one has ever asked us about it." Broots frowned. "They know she's gone. What if this new leader thinks we know something about her disappearance?"
"Broots, please." Sydney begged. "We'll find out soon enough."
As the next few minutes ticked by, several more people entered the room. Lyle took a chair next to Raines at the conference table. Every available spot was filled, while the three chairs reserved for the Triumvirate remained empty.
Sydney noticed that two sweepers had taken up positions on either side of the doorway. He frowned. Sydney didn't recognize either of the men.
At eight o'clock, the time the meeting was scheduled to begin, Mr. Raines picked up a gavel and knocked it against the tabletop to quiet the room.
"It would seem that our meeting organizers have not yet arrived." He wheezed. "We will wait for a few more minutes."
Ten minutes later, the room was hushed, only a few people murmured quietly to one another. No one had left the room, but many had begun glancing nervously about.
Mr. Raines had just picked up the gavel to dismiss those in attendance when the conference doors abruptly opened. A handful of people entered the room together. Sydney could see a Triumvirate member that he recognized walking along side another man that he did not know. There were three more sweepers in the group, easily recognizable by their clothing and demeanor. The last two people to enter the room, Sydney could not see from his vantage point.
Sydney watched with interest as the group made its way through the crowd toward the conference table. The room filled with a hum of excitement. As the three Triumvirate members took their seats, Lyle, jumped from his chair in shock and the noise in the room became deafening.
Jarod was calmly sitting in the Triumvirate seat of power, his hands calmly clasped in front of him as his eyes scanned the room.
"What is going on here?" Lyle yelled.
One of the Triumvirate members glared at Lyle. "Sit down Mr. Lyle." He ordered. He then took his own gavel and pounded on the table for quiet.
Once the room had settled down, the Triumvirate member continued. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure that some of you are aware that the Triumvirate has recently had a change in leadership. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you all to Mr. Jarod. He recently inherited the Triumvirate from his great-grandfather."
Jarod stood slowly and gazed out at the crowd gathered before him. "Thank you, Mr. Lucas."
Sydney and Broots glanced at each other in surprise. Sydney, though stunned, took a moment to study his protégé. Jarod's hair was cut short and business-like. His face was clean-shaven and expressionless. He wore an expensive, tailored suit that had probably cost a small fortune. He wore a ruby red silk tie, clipped with a silver tie clip shaped like the sign for infinity. Jarod's attitude and attire exuded a sense of power and intimidation.
Sydney couldn't stop the smile that suddenly spread across his face.
Jarod bowed his head slightly toward Mr. Lucas, turned toward the rest of the room and said crisply, "My name is Jarod. Unless specifically told otherwise, you will call me Mr. Jarod. Effective immediately, I am in charge." He paused for a moment before continuing, carefully stressing each word. "I am not a member of the Triumvirate. I am not leader of the Triumvirate. I AM the Triumvirate. There are no appeals to my decisions. My word is final."
Jarod paused and glared meaningfully at those gathered before him. "Anyone who does not wish to abide by my rules may leave now. Just get up and walk out, there will be no questions, no retribution. Simply walk away. But, take nothing with you."
Jarod paused again while everyone in the room looked around. No one left.
"Good. Now on to our next piece of business."
As if on cue, a figure stepped forward. She crossed the room and stopped directly in front of the conference table.
Jarod inclined his head in her direction and said, "Miss Parker, I believe you have something to present to the Board?"
Miss Parker stood regally before the Centre board members in an exquisite burgundy colored suit. The skirt was very short and the jacket quite long as was typical for Miss Parker's tastes. She looked cool and confident and radiated authority.
"Yes, thank you Mr. Jarod." She stepped forward and placed a folder full of paperwork on the table in front of Jarod. "I have come to claim my birthright. I have here documents, proving my heritage, and a will stating that I am the sole inheritor of The Centre."
Jarod picked up the folder and handed it to another man sitting at the table. "Mr. Olivier?" he asked.
The other man stood and replied, "Mr. Jarod, the legal department has already checked the validity of these documents and Miss Parker's claim to this property. We find that The Centre is legally hers in totality, sir."
"Thank you, Mr. Olivier." The other man sat back down. "Miss Parker," Jarod continued. "Your claim has been verified and approved. The Centre is in your hands." Jarod then sat and surrendered the floor to Miss Parker.
Parker immediately walked to the end of the table to stand arrogantly before Mr. Raines. She considered him for a moment before she said simply, "Raines, you're fired." She then gestured to two of the sweepers that had entered with her, "Escort Mr. Raines off of the premises immediately."
Raines was stupefied. "You can't do this to me!" he growled.
"I just did." Miss Parker hissed.
"I've devoted my life to the Centre." Raines argued. "I helped build it."
Miss Parker nodded briefly to the sweepers. The two men grabbed Raines by the arms and began to pull him from the room. "Your things will be sent to you, Raines." Miss Parker said as she moved around the table to take the now empty chair. "And don't worry about losing any of the information in your computer." She added sweetly as she stood beside her chair. "We have already confiscated your hard drive."
Raines eyes registered shock at her last statement. "Lyle!" Raines cried. "Do something!"
Lyle looked up at Miss Parker, then glanced across the table at Jarod. Jarod glared back at him with cold eyes and a predatory smile. Lyle, ever vigilant of his own self-preservation, wordlessly looked down to study his hands.
After the sweepers had removed Raines from the room, Parker took a moment to survey those gathered before her. She then turned to Jarod, bowed her head slightly toward him and sat down.
Jarod stood and looked around the room briefly. "Miss Parker's actions are fully supported by me and by the Triumvirate." He intoned. "Opposition to her will be seen as dissent against the Triumvirate and will not be tolerated." Jarod paused dramatically. "Each of you will be scheduled to meet personally with Miss Parker and myself by the end of the day. Any questions that you may have will be addressed during that interview. That will be all."
Sydney watched in anticipation as Jarod, Miss Parker and their small entourage strode toward the doors. He wanted a few moments to speak with Jarod and Miss Parker. However, the group left the room without even glancing in Sydney's direction. Broots and Syd exchanged a confused and slightly disappointed look.
Broots shrugged, "Well, at least we know that Miss Parker is safe." He said.
Sydney raised one eyebrow. "Is she Broots? Are any of us?"
A young woman walked up to them, "Sirs?" she asked. "Your interviews are to be conducted immediately. Please follow me." The young woman led them out of the conference room and down the hallway to the elevators. They rode the elevators to the top floor of the Tower.
The elevators opened onto a large reception area. There were two sweepers on guard next to a receptionist's desk. The young woman nodded to the young man sitting at the desk. Sydney and Broots followed the woman past the sweepers.
As they passed the reception desk, they entered an area buzzing with activity. There were four more desks arranged in this area. Sitting at two of the desks were middle-aged women. One had a small cassette player on her desk, connected to her ear by way of a small headset. She was typing on a word processor at an amazing speed. Broots assumed that she was transcribing dictation of some sort.
The second woman sat at her desk in front of a large stack of computer print-outs. She seemed to be scanning through the papers and highlighting specific pieces of information.
At the third desk sat a young man who looked to be in his late twenties. He had an appointment scheduling program open on his computer. As he talked on the phone, he was filling the schedule with names.
The fourth desk was located to the left of a set of double doors leading to the corner office. This desk had no current occupant but next to it, Sam stood waiting patiently.
"Please sit down, gentlemen. Mr. Jarod will be with you in just a moment." The young woman gestured them toward a couch located nearby. The three men looked at each other anxiously and then sat as instructed.
The woman went to the vacant desk and sat down. She pressed a button located on her phone and said, "Excuse me, sirs, but your 8:30 is here."
Jarod's voice rose from the phone's speaker. "Thank you, Alice. I'll buzz you when I'm ready."
Alice then turned to her computer, logged on and began working.
Sydney turned to Sam and said, "Have you seen any of these people before?"
Sam looked around suspiciously. "No, Sir." He shrugged. "But then I don't spend much time in the Tower either." He added.
A short buzzing sound came from Alice's desk, making Broots jump.
The girl stood and said, "You may all go in now." She said as she led them to the double doors and ushered them inside.
The inner office was decorated in shades of gray. There was a large desk located in the center of the room. The top of the desk was clear except for a phone, a desk pad, one pencil and a red notebook. In front of the desk was a chair and to one side there was a couch and two lamps.
Along the opposite wall was a work area. There were bookshelves, filing cabinets and a long counter lined with three computers in varying stages of functionality. Any available open space on the counter was piled high with boxes and assorted files.
Jarod was sitting behind the desk, his hands clasped in front of him as he waited for his visitors. Miss Parker sat perched on one corner of the desk with her legs crossed at the ankles.
"Welcome, gentlemen." Jarod said. "Sam, please sit down." Sam sat in the chair stationed in front of the desk as Jarod instructed, while Sydney and Broots sat on the couch.
Jarod studied the sweeper in silence for several long moments. Sam looked from Jarod to Miss Parker, questioningly.
"Well, Sam." Jarod finally began. "Miss Parker tells me that I should trust you."
Sam blinked in surprise then responded, "I'm honored that she should have such confidence in me, Sir."
Sam glanced at Miss Parker but she had a totally neutral look on her face. Sam couldn't read anything into her expression.
Jarod nodded. "She says that you are loyal."
"I try to be, Sir." Sam answered.
"Loyal to Miss Parker?" Jarod asked. "Or loyal to The Centre?"
"Both, Sir." Sam answered simply.
"Ah," Jarod said as he leaned forward in his chair. "But there have been times when those two loyalties have been in conflict. Isn't that true?"
"Yes, Sir." Sam nodded. "But now that Miss Parker is running things, my loyalty to her and my dedication to The Centre are the same thing."
Jarod's face broke into a grin. "Good answer, Sam. Very good answer."
Jarod glanced at Miss Parker and nodded approvingly.
Miss Parker rose from her position and handed Sam a small piece of plastic about the size of a credit card. "Sam," Miss Parker said. "I'm promoting you to head of security. This card will give you access to every room in the facility."
Sam took the card and looked at her, astonishment written on his face.
"I want you to take a dozen dependable men and sweep The Centre from top to bottom. I want an inventory done of every single room, every lab, every broom closet." Miss Parker commanded. "Any door that you can't get through with that card, you are ordered to break down immediately. Understood?"
Sam nodded. "Yes Ma'am."
"Get on it right away. I want every floor searched and cataloged within the next 12 hours." Miss Parker glanced at her watch. "I'll be expecting your report by 8 o'clock tonight."
Sam stood and headed for the exit. As he reached the door, he turned and looked at Miss Parker. "I hope that I can prove worthy of your confidence in me, Miss Parker." He said.
"You will." Miss Parker stated confidently.
"Sam," Jarod called as the sweeper opened the door, "You'd better." He warned, his voice dripping with menace.
Sam nodded in understanding and quickly left the room.
"Intimidation, Jarod?" Sydney asked. "I expected more from you than such petty gangster like methods." Sydney added jokingly.
Jarod turned an ice-cold expression toward the older man. "Whatever works, Doctor."
Sydney blinked in surprise. Jarod's demeanor was completely serious. There was no trace of warmth in his expression as he calmly turned toward Broots and Sydney.
Miss Parker stepped toward them and began talking in a similarly detached manner. "Mr. Broots," she said in a clipped tone. "I have increased your clearance level in the mainframe." She took a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Broots. "This is your new login and password. You'll pick a new password upon initial login. The new security system requires that the password be a combination of letters, symbols and numbers. It will need to be changed every ten days."
Broots took the piece of paper, nodding nervously.
Miss Parker continued, "I've given you the highest possible clearance level. You now have access to every file on every computer in the entire facility. You will do a backup of the entire mainframe immediately as well as retrieve any files deleted within the last 48 hours. I want a comprehensive list of all retrieved files delivered to me by 8 P.M. this evening."
Broots stood and started shuffling toward the door. "Yes, Miss Parker."
"Jarod," Sydney abruptly stood and moved toward the desk. "This isn't like you. Issuing demands, making implied threats. What are you trying to prove?"
Jarod leaned forward in his chair to glare at Sydney across the desk. "You trained me well, Doctor." Jarod's avoidance of first names was a method of intimidation and Sydney knew it. "You taught me to be anything I want to be. Why not this?"
Sydney felt an icy chill run down his spine. Only Jarod's moral compass had kept anyone at The Centre safe in the past. If Jarod had now learned to ignore his sense of right and wrong, his innate sense of justice, there was no telling what he was capable of doing to the people who had tortured him when he was a child. Sydney glanced nervously from Miss Parker to Broots, hoping to find some support. Broots flicked a frightened glance back at Sydney before looking down to study his slip of paper with great intent.
"Broots!" Miss Parker barked. "You have work to do." She hissed, stressing each word with a loud snap of her fingers.
Broots jumped and scurried from the room like a startled rabbit. "Right away, Miss Parker." He mumbled as the door closed quickly behind him.
Miss Parker then turned toward Sydney and began issuing orders the same way she had for Sam and Mr. Broots. "Sydney, I want you to find Angelo. Find him and bring him to me. Then I want you to go down to renewal wing and collect all the medical files on every patient there. Collect medical histories from each one personally if you can." She glared at him meaningfully before she went on. "After renewal wing, I want you to bring me the names of any individuals who may still be isolated on SL-23. I don't care if they are part of the pretender project or some other experiment. I want the names of each and every one of them along with a brief statement regarding their current mental and emotional state."
Sydney looked from Jarod to Miss Parker and then back again. "Jarod," Sydney urged as he paced across the room. "You can't just set them free."
Jarod watched Sydney wordlessly, his fingertips touching in a pinnacle in front of him.
Miss Parker answered. "Sydney, I am giving these orders. Not Jarod." She said sternly.
"We both know that Jarod has carefully planned all of this," Sydney argued. He then pounded a fist against the desk. "You can't just let them all loose. Some of those poor creatures have been in isolation for decades, Jarod." Sydney said. "You of all people should know how frightening, how traumatic the outside world could be for them."
"Don't you dare tell me how they feel, Sydney," Jarod growled as he rose slowly from the chair. "Don't you dare!" Jarod was suddenly furious. His rage radiated from him like a blast from a furnace. The intensity of Jarod's anger caused Sydney to step back in surprise and fear. "Do you have any idea how long I had my escape planned before I actually tried it?" Jarod started to stalk menacingly toward Sydney, forcing the older man to back across the room. "Two years, Sydney. For more than two years I had everything ready. I had accounted for every possible scenario, every minute variable. I managed to hide a full suit of clothing and a set of stolen keys in my room for two years." Jarod had successfully backed Sydney against the wall. "It took me that long overcome my apprehension. I had to convince myself that nothing out there, no vague undefined fear, could be worse than the horrors I had to face here at the Centre."
Sydney swallowed hard as Jarod poked him roughly in the chest. "So don't you tell me how to deal with the others you've locked up on SL-23. They aren't creatures Sydney. They are people. So you just do as you're told and get Miss Parker all the information she's asked you for."
Sydney found himself nodding his head sadly as Jarod turned and started back to his desk. "Very well, Jarod."
Jarod whirled back to Sydney and hissed, "Mr. Jarod! Until specifically told otherwise, Doctor."
Sydney ground his teeth for a moment, looked to Miss Parker and said caustically, "You've done an excellent job tutoring him, Miss Parker. I'm sure he'll fit in quite well here in The Tower."
Miss Parker glared at Sydney in warning. "I'll be expecting your report by 8 PM." She said simply.
"Yes Madame Chair Person." Sydney replied icily with a small bow as he opened the door and left the room.
Sydney glanced at his watch nervously as he rode the elevator to the top floor of the Tower. He was already ten minutes late for his appointment with Jarod and Miss Parker. Sydney had fetched Angelo that morning and had taken him to the office as instructed. The young man stationed at the reception desk had ushered Angelo away before Sydney had even stepped from the elevator. As a result, Sydney had not seen either Miss Parker or Jarod since their earlier confrontation.
Now, it was after 8 P.M. and Sydney was again headed toward the corner office on the top floor. He shifted the large stack of folders and paperwork that he carried under one arm. Sydney had done what Parker had asked of him, meticulously documenting his sessions with each individual in renewal wing and every person confined on SL-23.
Most of the subjects had been uncooperative at best. Those who were sane enough to understand their situation had been frightened and suspicious. Others, an unfortunate few, were totally ignorant of their surroundings and nearly catatonic. One young woman with long tangled hair had simply stood in a corner and wept miserably when Sydney spoke to her. For Sydney, it had been a heart-wrenching, eye-opening experience.
The elevator reached its destination and Sydney stepped into the reception area. The people who had been working here this morning were still present and seemed very busy, a fact that Sydney found disquieting. In the rest of the building, nearly all the staff had gone home. Ever other level of The Centre was practically deserted while this area was a beehive of activity.
Sydney began to walk across the reception area toward the office when the young man at the reception desk stopped him.
"I'm sorry, sir." The young man started. "But unescorted visitors must sign in." he said offering a clipboard and a pen for Sydney's signature.
"I'm expected." Sydney said shortly as he continued toward the double doors.
"Yes, sir." The young man quickly stood and moved to block Sydney's progress. "But I am still required to get a signature. And Ronald here will need to look through those papers, sir." He added, gesturing toward the sweeper to his left to indicate which one was Ronald.
Sydney stared at the young man for a moment, dumbfounded, then handed over his stack of papers. Ronald began to flip through the folders while the receptionist abruptly produced a hand held metal detector and began to run the device back and forth near Sydney's body.
"What is your name, young man?" Sydney suddenly asked. Sydney was feeling disjointed and struggled to find some sense of stability in the mundane question.
"My name is Arthur, sir," he said without looking up. Arthur was a little man, barely taller than Sydney's shoulder. He was twig thin, with a pock marked face and very light blond hair. He looked like a librarian.
Sydney continued with his questions. He hoped to gain some insight as to Jarod's new methods. "Have you worked for Mr. Jarod long?" Sydney asked.
"A couple of months." The little man answered with a shrug.
"Mr. Jarod can be quite menacing when he is angry, can't he?" Sydney pried.
Arthur's face lit up with a smile. "Mr. Jarod never gets angry." He beamed. "Not unless you cross him. And I would never be that stupid."
Sydney tilted his head curiously. "Because you fear him?" Syd asked.
Arthur frowned. "No, sir. I owe Mr. Jarod my life. Why would I be afraid of him?"
The sweeper named Ronald handed the stack of papers back to Sydney and said, "All of us working in this area owe either Mr. Jarod or Miss Parker a great deal. That's why we feel so devoted to them both."
Sydney nodded in understanding. Jarod had surrounded himself with people he had helped. He could depend on their loyalty because he had become a hero to each of them. Sydney arranged the folders under his arm and headed toward the office again. He'd gone barely two steps when Arthur grabbed his arm in a vice like grip. The little man was surprisingly strong and Sydney stopped in his tracks.
"I must insist that you sign, sir." He said, offering the clipboard to Sydney once again.
"Of course." Sydney answered. He took a pen and signed where Arthur indicated.
As Sydney approached the office doors, the young woman from this morning, Alice, rose to escort him through the doors.
"They're expecting you, Doctor." She said as she held the door for him.
Sydney stepped inside and surveyed the room. A second desk had been added to the room near the work counter. This desk was less ornate than the first desk but seemed far more serviceable. Broots sat at this desk in front of a computer monitor as he typed frantically at the keyboard.
Broots was still dressed in the same suit he had worn this morning, although the jacket was now unbuttoned. He looked rumpled and wrinkled after his long day. Beside him stood Miss Parker, reading the monitor over Broots shoulder. Her burgundy suit still looked as perfect and well pressed as it had this morning. She looked as though she had just stepped out of a beauty parlor, a fact that made Broots seem all the more disheveled in comparison.
Jarod stood at the larger desk, removing his suit jacket, which he then tossed over the back of his chair carelessly. The desk, near spotless that morning, was now a jumbled collection of papers, files and computer printouts. On the floor at Jarod's feet, sat Angelo surrounded by photos and drawings. Angelo was happily scribbling away with a purple crayon on a large piece of blank paper.
"Come in Sydney." Jarod said as he looked around at the mess. "Just put those files on the couch"
Sydney set down his burden down and sat.
Sam was pacing the room slowly. In one hand he carried a small shoebox. In the other, the held an electronic device of some kind and he was studying it carefully.
Sam abruptly turned to Jarod and said, "That's it, Sir." He then stepped over Angelo and handed the box to Jarod. "I found one camera and two microphones." Sam said as he indicated toward the contents of the box.
"That's it?" Jarod asked.
"I checked three times, Sir." Sam stated confidently. "I'm sorry, Sir." Sam added with a frown on his face. "I should have checked this room for monitoring devices first thing this morning."
Miss Parker looked up from the computer and said nonchalantly, "Nonsense, Sam. The fact that we were monitored all day made the performance that much more effective."
Sydney and Sam both looked from Miss Parker to Jarod in surprise.
"You were acting for those you knew would be watching." Sydney said with awe.
"Of course," Miss Parker began. "We needed to buy ourselves some time. It will take several days for us to decide who will align with us and who will oppose us."
Jarod chimed in, "No one would have followed my orders if I strolled in here and began acting like Mr. Rogers. That's how it works at The Centre. Make them fear you. Then teach them to respect you. Loyalty will eventually come from those who can be trusted. The rest will no longer be here." Jarod shrugged and went on, "It will take some time and a lot of work. But, everything will go as we've planned."
Sydney sighed with relief. "It was a very believable performance this morning, Jarod. I had serious concerns about your state of mind and my personal safety"
Jarod grinned. "I was convincing wasn't I?" he chuckled.
Miss Parker scoffed. "You aught to win an Oscar, Genius." She clipped sarcastically.
Jarod sat down at the desk and slumped into his chair. "Being a hard ass is exhausting." He complained as he loosened his tie. "However do you keep it up all the time, Parker?"
Miss Parker cast an icy stare in his direction. She crossed her arms in front of her and said, "I have excellent stamina." She walked across the room and sat on the couch beside Sydney and his stack of papers.
A mischievous smile spread across Jarod's face. "Is that so? I wonder," he said thoughtfully. "How could I possibly test the limits of your stamina, Parker?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her.
"Don't even think it, Rat-boy." Parker snorted. "You'd never survive the ordeal."
Jarod laughed. "But I would surely die a happy man." He crowed.
Without skipping a beat Parker added, "You would still be dead."
"I imagine that it would be well worth the price." He said, still laughing. "Of course," Jarod continued sobering, "I do have an over active imagination. I could be wrong about you." He shrugged. "You may not be that good."
Parker stiffened haughtily. "I'm better than your wildest dreams, Genius." She replied caustically.
Jarod tilted his head thoughtfully. "I don't know, Parker." He said slowly. "I've dreamed about you a lot over the years. And in some of those dreams you've been pretty wild. You'd have some great expectations to live up to."
The look of complete astonishment on Miss Parker's face sent Jarod into a new fit of laughter.
"Do you enjoy tormenting me, Jarod?" Miss Parker sighed in exasperation.
"Oh, I do." Jarod replied, wiping a tear from one eye. "I really do."
Sydney looked at Parker and realized that despite her angry words, she wasn't upset. The irritation she tried to express was not reflected in her face. On the contrary, her blue eyes sparkled with laughter and mischief. The two of them were playing, Sydney admitted to himself. Jarod and Miss Parker were teasing each other and having a good time doing it.
Sydney shook his head in wonder. He suddenly realized that Jarod was right. Everything was going to work out fine. Jarod and Parker alone were each formidable personalities. Together, they were undefeatable. There was no one who could challenge their authority. The Centre was about to enter a new age of enlightenment. The Parker legacy would go on, but it would be a far different legacy than had previously existed.
Sydney smiled affectionately at the group before him. Sydney had watched the three of them grow up. He had watched helplessly as Jarod, Miss Parker and Angelo had been forced to deal with their separate demons. Soon, Sydney knew, the dark shadow that had darkened all of their lives would be gone forever.
"I'm hungry." Jarod announced abruptly.
"You're always hungry." Miss Parker grumbled.
"Well, I haven't eaten all day, myself." Broots chimed in meekly.
With a smile Jarod punched a button on his phone. "Alice?" He called. "Have diner for five delivered, please. Chinese food, I think. And order enough for yourself and the others as well."
Jarod then picked up one of the folders lying on the desk and began reading through it quickly. Sydney followed suit and began going through the assorted paperwork with Miss Parker. In order to destroy all the nasty little secrets in The Centre, they had to uncover them all first. They still had a great deal of work to do in order to secure a happy ending. Sydney had no doubts that they would be successful. For the first time in many years Sydney felt hope for the future.
The End
I hope you liked it!
of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and are used without permission.
No money has been involved here and no infringement is intended.
03/01/02
PRINCIPATUS UMBILICUS
By Phenyx
Part 3 of 3
Broots shifted nervously from one foot to the other. He smoothed the back of his hair before jabbing at the elevator button for the fourth time.
"Calm down, Broots" Sydney urged. "You're working yourself into a frenzy."
"Yeah, right. Calm down." Broots mumbled to himself. Broots attempted to see his reflection in the closed elevator doors in order to straighten his tie. The tie was a dark black piece of silk that perfectly matched his accompanying suit. However, despite the professionalism of his attire, Broots still carried the aura of a rumpled computer technician.
Broots shifted back and forth again. "How can I calm down, Sydney?" he asked as he glanced nervously about. "We've been called to a Centre board meeting. I've never been summoned to a board meeting before."
Sydney, similarly dressed in one of his nicer suits, simply shrugged. "I've been asked to speak to the Board in the past. It is nothing to be concerned about."
The elevator doors opened and the two men stepped into the empty vehicle.
"The entire Board will be there, Syd." Broots swallowed hard. "Do you even know why we were called to this meeting?"
Sydney clasped his hands behind his back and answered, "I've heard that the Triumvirate will be in attendance."
This news sent Broots into a fresh set of jitters. His hands shook so badly that he could barely press the button for their destination. "Do you think that the rumors are true?" Broots nearly whimpered. "The scuttlebutt is that the Triumvirate is under new management."
"I believe I've heard something along those lines." Sydney said. He was concentrating on the lights above the door indicating their current level of progress. Sydney was trying hard to keep Broots as calm as possible. But truth be told, Sydney was a bit apprehensive himself. Last night, they had received a summons to this early morning meeting. They had been told only the time and place for the appointment. Neither man had been given any other information regarding an agenda or purpose for the sudden gathering.
The elevator doors opened and the two men found themselves in a hallway on one of the upper floors of The Tower. More than a dozen other men and women, also dressed in business suits, were making their way down the hallway toward the conference room.
Broots leaned close to Sydney and whispered, "I heard that not even Mr. Raines knows who's taken over the Triumvirate. I heard that whoever it is he's worse than Mutumbo ever was."
"That would be unfortunate." Sydney replied, his voice deceptively calm.
Broots nodded. "No kidding." Sydney and Broots hung back in the hallway as others entered the room ahead of them. "I heard that one member of the Triumvirate opposed the shift in power and within a matter of days she had basically disappeared."
Sydney lifted his eyebrows in concern. "Murdered?" he asked.
Broots shook his head. "Worse. Every electronic indication that she had ever existed was eradicated. Financial records, educational background, social security information, were all gone. She was completely ruined, a non-person. The woman couldn't even buy a cup of coffee." Broots grabbed Sydney by the arm. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to erase someone like that? Not even her Centre connections could protect her."
"I, for one, am going to be very careful not to say anything negative about our mysterious new leadership." Lyle said as he suddenly appeared behind Broots.
Broots jumped visibly as Lyle clapped him on the shoulder.
Lyle laughed. "Switch to decaf, Mr. Broots. You'll live longer. Or at the very least, you'll save in dry cleaning bills." Lyle gave Broots a final pat on the back as he added, "You'll soil your pants less." Lyle smiled serenely at them before moving in to the conference room.
Sydney sighed, "We had best get inside, Broots. We don't want to be late."
In the conference room, Sydney and Broots found a spot to stand along the back wall. The room was full to capacity with an assortment of Centre personnel. As Head-chairman of the board, Mr. Raines sat at one end of a long table located in front of the room. The table was large and spanned the width of one end of the room. The rest of the room had been set up with rows of chairs, all of which were now full. The center three places at the table, directly facing the audience, were reserved for the Triumvirate. These spots were still vacant.
Broots shifted, and straightened his tie once more.
"Broots." Sydney snapped, losing his patience. "You are going to strangle yourself with that thing."
"I can't help it." Broots shook. "What if they decide that we've failed in our pursuit of Jarod? What if they ask us to justify the last five and a half years?" Broots rolled his eyes anxiously and moaned. "What about Miss Parker? What if they ask us about her?"
"We have no idea where Miss Parker has gone or why." Sydney pointed out.
"But she's been missing for months and no one has ever asked us about it." Broots frowned. "They know she's gone. What if this new leader thinks we know something about her disappearance?"
"Broots, please." Sydney begged. "We'll find out soon enough."
As the next few minutes ticked by, several more people entered the room. Lyle took a chair next to Raines at the conference table. Every available spot was filled, while the three chairs reserved for the Triumvirate remained empty.
Sydney noticed that two sweepers had taken up positions on either side of the doorway. He frowned. Sydney didn't recognize either of the men.
At eight o'clock, the time the meeting was scheduled to begin, Mr. Raines picked up a gavel and knocked it against the tabletop to quiet the room.
"It would seem that our meeting organizers have not yet arrived." He wheezed. "We will wait for a few more minutes."
Ten minutes later, the room was hushed, only a few people murmured quietly to one another. No one had left the room, but many had begun glancing nervously about.
Mr. Raines had just picked up the gavel to dismiss those in attendance when the conference doors abruptly opened. A handful of people entered the room together. Sydney could see a Triumvirate member that he recognized walking along side another man that he did not know. There were three more sweepers in the group, easily recognizable by their clothing and demeanor. The last two people to enter the room, Sydney could not see from his vantage point.
Sydney watched with interest as the group made its way through the crowd toward the conference table. The room filled with a hum of excitement. As the three Triumvirate members took their seats, Lyle, jumped from his chair in shock and the noise in the room became deafening.
Jarod was calmly sitting in the Triumvirate seat of power, his hands calmly clasped in front of him as his eyes scanned the room.
"What is going on here?" Lyle yelled.
One of the Triumvirate members glared at Lyle. "Sit down Mr. Lyle." He ordered. He then took his own gavel and pounded on the table for quiet.
Once the room had settled down, the Triumvirate member continued. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure that some of you are aware that the Triumvirate has recently had a change in leadership. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you all to Mr. Jarod. He recently inherited the Triumvirate from his great-grandfather."
Jarod stood slowly and gazed out at the crowd gathered before him. "Thank you, Mr. Lucas."
Sydney and Broots glanced at each other in surprise. Sydney, though stunned, took a moment to study his protégé. Jarod's hair was cut short and business-like. His face was clean-shaven and expressionless. He wore an expensive, tailored suit that had probably cost a small fortune. He wore a ruby red silk tie, clipped with a silver tie clip shaped like the sign for infinity. Jarod's attitude and attire exuded a sense of power and intimidation.
Sydney couldn't stop the smile that suddenly spread across his face.
Jarod bowed his head slightly toward Mr. Lucas, turned toward the rest of the room and said crisply, "My name is Jarod. Unless specifically told otherwise, you will call me Mr. Jarod. Effective immediately, I am in charge." He paused for a moment before continuing, carefully stressing each word. "I am not a member of the Triumvirate. I am not leader of the Triumvirate. I AM the Triumvirate. There are no appeals to my decisions. My word is final."
Jarod paused and glared meaningfully at those gathered before him. "Anyone who does not wish to abide by my rules may leave now. Just get up and walk out, there will be no questions, no retribution. Simply walk away. But, take nothing with you."
Jarod paused again while everyone in the room looked around. No one left.
"Good. Now on to our next piece of business."
As if on cue, a figure stepped forward. She crossed the room and stopped directly in front of the conference table.
Jarod inclined his head in her direction and said, "Miss Parker, I believe you have something to present to the Board?"
Miss Parker stood regally before the Centre board members in an exquisite burgundy colored suit. The skirt was very short and the jacket quite long as was typical for Miss Parker's tastes. She looked cool and confident and radiated authority.
"Yes, thank you Mr. Jarod." She stepped forward and placed a folder full of paperwork on the table in front of Jarod. "I have come to claim my birthright. I have here documents, proving my heritage, and a will stating that I am the sole inheritor of The Centre."
Jarod picked up the folder and handed it to another man sitting at the table. "Mr. Olivier?" he asked.
The other man stood and replied, "Mr. Jarod, the legal department has already checked the validity of these documents and Miss Parker's claim to this property. We find that The Centre is legally hers in totality, sir."
"Thank you, Mr. Olivier." The other man sat back down. "Miss Parker," Jarod continued. "Your claim has been verified and approved. The Centre is in your hands." Jarod then sat and surrendered the floor to Miss Parker.
Parker immediately walked to the end of the table to stand arrogantly before Mr. Raines. She considered him for a moment before she said simply, "Raines, you're fired." She then gestured to two of the sweepers that had entered with her, "Escort Mr. Raines off of the premises immediately."
Raines was stupefied. "You can't do this to me!" he growled.
"I just did." Miss Parker hissed.
"I've devoted my life to the Centre." Raines argued. "I helped build it."
Miss Parker nodded briefly to the sweepers. The two men grabbed Raines by the arms and began to pull him from the room. "Your things will be sent to you, Raines." Miss Parker said as she moved around the table to take the now empty chair. "And don't worry about losing any of the information in your computer." She added sweetly as she stood beside her chair. "We have already confiscated your hard drive."
Raines eyes registered shock at her last statement. "Lyle!" Raines cried. "Do something!"
Lyle looked up at Miss Parker, then glanced across the table at Jarod. Jarod glared back at him with cold eyes and a predatory smile. Lyle, ever vigilant of his own self-preservation, wordlessly looked down to study his hands.
After the sweepers had removed Raines from the room, Parker took a moment to survey those gathered before her. She then turned to Jarod, bowed her head slightly toward him and sat down.
Jarod stood and looked around the room briefly. "Miss Parker's actions are fully supported by me and by the Triumvirate." He intoned. "Opposition to her will be seen as dissent against the Triumvirate and will not be tolerated." Jarod paused dramatically. "Each of you will be scheduled to meet personally with Miss Parker and myself by the end of the day. Any questions that you may have will be addressed during that interview. That will be all."
Sydney watched in anticipation as Jarod, Miss Parker and their small entourage strode toward the doors. He wanted a few moments to speak with Jarod and Miss Parker. However, the group left the room without even glancing in Sydney's direction. Broots and Syd exchanged a confused and slightly disappointed look.
Broots shrugged, "Well, at least we know that Miss Parker is safe." He said.
Sydney raised one eyebrow. "Is she Broots? Are any of us?"
A young woman walked up to them, "Sirs?" she asked. "Your interviews are to be conducted immediately. Please follow me." The young woman led them out of the conference room and down the hallway to the elevators. They rode the elevators to the top floor of the Tower.
The elevators opened onto a large reception area. There were two sweepers on guard next to a receptionist's desk. The young woman nodded to the young man sitting at the desk. Sydney and Broots followed the woman past the sweepers.
As they passed the reception desk, they entered an area buzzing with activity. There were four more desks arranged in this area. Sitting at two of the desks were middle-aged women. One had a small cassette player on her desk, connected to her ear by way of a small headset. She was typing on a word processor at an amazing speed. Broots assumed that she was transcribing dictation of some sort.
The second woman sat at her desk in front of a large stack of computer print-outs. She seemed to be scanning through the papers and highlighting specific pieces of information.
At the third desk sat a young man who looked to be in his late twenties. He had an appointment scheduling program open on his computer. As he talked on the phone, he was filling the schedule with names.
The fourth desk was located to the left of a set of double doors leading to the corner office. This desk had no current occupant but next to it, Sam stood waiting patiently.
"Please sit down, gentlemen. Mr. Jarod will be with you in just a moment." The young woman gestured them toward a couch located nearby. The three men looked at each other anxiously and then sat as instructed.
The woman went to the vacant desk and sat down. She pressed a button located on her phone and said, "Excuse me, sirs, but your 8:30 is here."
Jarod's voice rose from the phone's speaker. "Thank you, Alice. I'll buzz you when I'm ready."
Alice then turned to her computer, logged on and began working.
Sydney turned to Sam and said, "Have you seen any of these people before?"
Sam looked around suspiciously. "No, Sir." He shrugged. "But then I don't spend much time in the Tower either." He added.
A short buzzing sound came from Alice's desk, making Broots jump.
The girl stood and said, "You may all go in now." She said as she led them to the double doors and ushered them inside.
The inner office was decorated in shades of gray. There was a large desk located in the center of the room. The top of the desk was clear except for a phone, a desk pad, one pencil and a red notebook. In front of the desk was a chair and to one side there was a couch and two lamps.
Along the opposite wall was a work area. There were bookshelves, filing cabinets and a long counter lined with three computers in varying stages of functionality. Any available open space on the counter was piled high with boxes and assorted files.
Jarod was sitting behind the desk, his hands clasped in front of him as he waited for his visitors. Miss Parker sat perched on one corner of the desk with her legs crossed at the ankles.
"Welcome, gentlemen." Jarod said. "Sam, please sit down." Sam sat in the chair stationed in front of the desk as Jarod instructed, while Sydney and Broots sat on the couch.
Jarod studied the sweeper in silence for several long moments. Sam looked from Jarod to Miss Parker, questioningly.
"Well, Sam." Jarod finally began. "Miss Parker tells me that I should trust you."
Sam blinked in surprise then responded, "I'm honored that she should have such confidence in me, Sir."
Sam glanced at Miss Parker but she had a totally neutral look on her face. Sam couldn't read anything into her expression.
Jarod nodded. "She says that you are loyal."
"I try to be, Sir." Sam answered.
"Loyal to Miss Parker?" Jarod asked. "Or loyal to The Centre?"
"Both, Sir." Sam answered simply.
"Ah," Jarod said as he leaned forward in his chair. "But there have been times when those two loyalties have been in conflict. Isn't that true?"
"Yes, Sir." Sam nodded. "But now that Miss Parker is running things, my loyalty to her and my dedication to The Centre are the same thing."
Jarod's face broke into a grin. "Good answer, Sam. Very good answer."
Jarod glanced at Miss Parker and nodded approvingly.
Miss Parker rose from her position and handed Sam a small piece of plastic about the size of a credit card. "Sam," Miss Parker said. "I'm promoting you to head of security. This card will give you access to every room in the facility."
Sam took the card and looked at her, astonishment written on his face.
"I want you to take a dozen dependable men and sweep The Centre from top to bottom. I want an inventory done of every single room, every lab, every broom closet." Miss Parker commanded. "Any door that you can't get through with that card, you are ordered to break down immediately. Understood?"
Sam nodded. "Yes Ma'am."
"Get on it right away. I want every floor searched and cataloged within the next 12 hours." Miss Parker glanced at her watch. "I'll be expecting your report by 8 o'clock tonight."
Sam stood and headed for the exit. As he reached the door, he turned and looked at Miss Parker. "I hope that I can prove worthy of your confidence in me, Miss Parker." He said.
"You will." Miss Parker stated confidently.
"Sam," Jarod called as the sweeper opened the door, "You'd better." He warned, his voice dripping with menace.
Sam nodded in understanding and quickly left the room.
"Intimidation, Jarod?" Sydney asked. "I expected more from you than such petty gangster like methods." Sydney added jokingly.
Jarod turned an ice-cold expression toward the older man. "Whatever works, Doctor."
Sydney blinked in surprise. Jarod's demeanor was completely serious. There was no trace of warmth in his expression as he calmly turned toward Broots and Sydney.
Miss Parker stepped toward them and began talking in a similarly detached manner. "Mr. Broots," she said in a clipped tone. "I have increased your clearance level in the mainframe." She took a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Broots. "This is your new login and password. You'll pick a new password upon initial login. The new security system requires that the password be a combination of letters, symbols and numbers. It will need to be changed every ten days."
Broots took the piece of paper, nodding nervously.
Miss Parker continued, "I've given you the highest possible clearance level. You now have access to every file on every computer in the entire facility. You will do a backup of the entire mainframe immediately as well as retrieve any files deleted within the last 48 hours. I want a comprehensive list of all retrieved files delivered to me by 8 P.M. this evening."
Broots stood and started shuffling toward the door. "Yes, Miss Parker."
"Jarod," Sydney abruptly stood and moved toward the desk. "This isn't like you. Issuing demands, making implied threats. What are you trying to prove?"
Jarod leaned forward in his chair to glare at Sydney across the desk. "You trained me well, Doctor." Jarod's avoidance of first names was a method of intimidation and Sydney knew it. "You taught me to be anything I want to be. Why not this?"
Sydney felt an icy chill run down his spine. Only Jarod's moral compass had kept anyone at The Centre safe in the past. If Jarod had now learned to ignore his sense of right and wrong, his innate sense of justice, there was no telling what he was capable of doing to the people who had tortured him when he was a child. Sydney glanced nervously from Miss Parker to Broots, hoping to find some support. Broots flicked a frightened glance back at Sydney before looking down to study his slip of paper with great intent.
"Broots!" Miss Parker barked. "You have work to do." She hissed, stressing each word with a loud snap of her fingers.
Broots jumped and scurried from the room like a startled rabbit. "Right away, Miss Parker." He mumbled as the door closed quickly behind him.
Miss Parker then turned toward Sydney and began issuing orders the same way she had for Sam and Mr. Broots. "Sydney, I want you to find Angelo. Find him and bring him to me. Then I want you to go down to renewal wing and collect all the medical files on every patient there. Collect medical histories from each one personally if you can." She glared at him meaningfully before she went on. "After renewal wing, I want you to bring me the names of any individuals who may still be isolated on SL-23. I don't care if they are part of the pretender project or some other experiment. I want the names of each and every one of them along with a brief statement regarding their current mental and emotional state."
Sydney looked from Jarod to Miss Parker and then back again. "Jarod," Sydney urged as he paced across the room. "You can't just set them free."
Jarod watched Sydney wordlessly, his fingertips touching in a pinnacle in front of him.
Miss Parker answered. "Sydney, I am giving these orders. Not Jarod." She said sternly.
"We both know that Jarod has carefully planned all of this," Sydney argued. He then pounded a fist against the desk. "You can't just let them all loose. Some of those poor creatures have been in isolation for decades, Jarod." Sydney said. "You of all people should know how frightening, how traumatic the outside world could be for them."
"Don't you dare tell me how they feel, Sydney," Jarod growled as he rose slowly from the chair. "Don't you dare!" Jarod was suddenly furious. His rage radiated from him like a blast from a furnace. The intensity of Jarod's anger caused Sydney to step back in surprise and fear. "Do you have any idea how long I had my escape planned before I actually tried it?" Jarod started to stalk menacingly toward Sydney, forcing the older man to back across the room. "Two years, Sydney. For more than two years I had everything ready. I had accounted for every possible scenario, every minute variable. I managed to hide a full suit of clothing and a set of stolen keys in my room for two years." Jarod had successfully backed Sydney against the wall. "It took me that long overcome my apprehension. I had to convince myself that nothing out there, no vague undefined fear, could be worse than the horrors I had to face here at the Centre."
Sydney swallowed hard as Jarod poked him roughly in the chest. "So don't you tell me how to deal with the others you've locked up on SL-23. They aren't creatures Sydney. They are people. So you just do as you're told and get Miss Parker all the information she's asked you for."
Sydney found himself nodding his head sadly as Jarod turned and started back to his desk. "Very well, Jarod."
Jarod whirled back to Sydney and hissed, "Mr. Jarod! Until specifically told otherwise, Doctor."
Sydney ground his teeth for a moment, looked to Miss Parker and said caustically, "You've done an excellent job tutoring him, Miss Parker. I'm sure he'll fit in quite well here in The Tower."
Miss Parker glared at Sydney in warning. "I'll be expecting your report by 8 PM." She said simply.
"Yes Madame Chair Person." Sydney replied icily with a small bow as he opened the door and left the room.
Sydney glanced at his watch nervously as he rode the elevator to the top floor of the Tower. He was already ten minutes late for his appointment with Jarod and Miss Parker. Sydney had fetched Angelo that morning and had taken him to the office as instructed. The young man stationed at the reception desk had ushered Angelo away before Sydney had even stepped from the elevator. As a result, Sydney had not seen either Miss Parker or Jarod since their earlier confrontation.
Now, it was after 8 P.M. and Sydney was again headed toward the corner office on the top floor. He shifted the large stack of folders and paperwork that he carried under one arm. Sydney had done what Parker had asked of him, meticulously documenting his sessions with each individual in renewal wing and every person confined on SL-23.
Most of the subjects had been uncooperative at best. Those who were sane enough to understand their situation had been frightened and suspicious. Others, an unfortunate few, were totally ignorant of their surroundings and nearly catatonic. One young woman with long tangled hair had simply stood in a corner and wept miserably when Sydney spoke to her. For Sydney, it had been a heart-wrenching, eye-opening experience.
The elevator reached its destination and Sydney stepped into the reception area. The people who had been working here this morning were still present and seemed very busy, a fact that Sydney found disquieting. In the rest of the building, nearly all the staff had gone home. Ever other level of The Centre was practically deserted while this area was a beehive of activity.
Sydney began to walk across the reception area toward the office when the young man at the reception desk stopped him.
"I'm sorry, sir." The young man started. "But unescorted visitors must sign in." he said offering a clipboard and a pen for Sydney's signature.
"I'm expected." Sydney said shortly as he continued toward the double doors.
"Yes, sir." The young man quickly stood and moved to block Sydney's progress. "But I am still required to get a signature. And Ronald here will need to look through those papers, sir." He added, gesturing toward the sweeper to his left to indicate which one was Ronald.
Sydney stared at the young man for a moment, dumbfounded, then handed over his stack of papers. Ronald began to flip through the folders while the receptionist abruptly produced a hand held metal detector and began to run the device back and forth near Sydney's body.
"What is your name, young man?" Sydney suddenly asked. Sydney was feeling disjointed and struggled to find some sense of stability in the mundane question.
"My name is Arthur, sir," he said without looking up. Arthur was a little man, barely taller than Sydney's shoulder. He was twig thin, with a pock marked face and very light blond hair. He looked like a librarian.
Sydney continued with his questions. He hoped to gain some insight as to Jarod's new methods. "Have you worked for Mr. Jarod long?" Sydney asked.
"A couple of months." The little man answered with a shrug.
"Mr. Jarod can be quite menacing when he is angry, can't he?" Sydney pried.
Arthur's face lit up with a smile. "Mr. Jarod never gets angry." He beamed. "Not unless you cross him. And I would never be that stupid."
Sydney tilted his head curiously. "Because you fear him?" Syd asked.
Arthur frowned. "No, sir. I owe Mr. Jarod my life. Why would I be afraid of him?"
The sweeper named Ronald handed the stack of papers back to Sydney and said, "All of us working in this area owe either Mr. Jarod or Miss Parker a great deal. That's why we feel so devoted to them both."
Sydney nodded in understanding. Jarod had surrounded himself with people he had helped. He could depend on their loyalty because he had become a hero to each of them. Sydney arranged the folders under his arm and headed toward the office again. He'd gone barely two steps when Arthur grabbed his arm in a vice like grip. The little man was surprisingly strong and Sydney stopped in his tracks.
"I must insist that you sign, sir." He said, offering the clipboard to Sydney once again.
"Of course." Sydney answered. He took a pen and signed where Arthur indicated.
As Sydney approached the office doors, the young woman from this morning, Alice, rose to escort him through the doors.
"They're expecting you, Doctor." She said as she held the door for him.
Sydney stepped inside and surveyed the room. A second desk had been added to the room near the work counter. This desk was less ornate than the first desk but seemed far more serviceable. Broots sat at this desk in front of a computer monitor as he typed frantically at the keyboard.
Broots was still dressed in the same suit he had worn this morning, although the jacket was now unbuttoned. He looked rumpled and wrinkled after his long day. Beside him stood Miss Parker, reading the monitor over Broots shoulder. Her burgundy suit still looked as perfect and well pressed as it had this morning. She looked as though she had just stepped out of a beauty parlor, a fact that made Broots seem all the more disheveled in comparison.
Jarod stood at the larger desk, removing his suit jacket, which he then tossed over the back of his chair carelessly. The desk, near spotless that morning, was now a jumbled collection of papers, files and computer printouts. On the floor at Jarod's feet, sat Angelo surrounded by photos and drawings. Angelo was happily scribbling away with a purple crayon on a large piece of blank paper.
"Come in Sydney." Jarod said as he looked around at the mess. "Just put those files on the couch"
Sydney set down his burden down and sat.
Sam was pacing the room slowly. In one hand he carried a small shoebox. In the other, the held an electronic device of some kind and he was studying it carefully.
Sam abruptly turned to Jarod and said, "That's it, Sir." He then stepped over Angelo and handed the box to Jarod. "I found one camera and two microphones." Sam said as he indicated toward the contents of the box.
"That's it?" Jarod asked.
"I checked three times, Sir." Sam stated confidently. "I'm sorry, Sir." Sam added with a frown on his face. "I should have checked this room for monitoring devices first thing this morning."
Miss Parker looked up from the computer and said nonchalantly, "Nonsense, Sam. The fact that we were monitored all day made the performance that much more effective."
Sydney and Sam both looked from Miss Parker to Jarod in surprise.
"You were acting for those you knew would be watching." Sydney said with awe.
"Of course," Miss Parker began. "We needed to buy ourselves some time. It will take several days for us to decide who will align with us and who will oppose us."
Jarod chimed in, "No one would have followed my orders if I strolled in here and began acting like Mr. Rogers. That's how it works at The Centre. Make them fear you. Then teach them to respect you. Loyalty will eventually come from those who can be trusted. The rest will no longer be here." Jarod shrugged and went on, "It will take some time and a lot of work. But, everything will go as we've planned."
Sydney sighed with relief. "It was a very believable performance this morning, Jarod. I had serious concerns about your state of mind and my personal safety"
Jarod grinned. "I was convincing wasn't I?" he chuckled.
Miss Parker scoffed. "You aught to win an Oscar, Genius." She clipped sarcastically.
Jarod sat down at the desk and slumped into his chair. "Being a hard ass is exhausting." He complained as he loosened his tie. "However do you keep it up all the time, Parker?"
Miss Parker cast an icy stare in his direction. She crossed her arms in front of her and said, "I have excellent stamina." She walked across the room and sat on the couch beside Sydney and his stack of papers.
A mischievous smile spread across Jarod's face. "Is that so? I wonder," he said thoughtfully. "How could I possibly test the limits of your stamina, Parker?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her.
"Don't even think it, Rat-boy." Parker snorted. "You'd never survive the ordeal."
Jarod laughed. "But I would surely die a happy man." He crowed.
Without skipping a beat Parker added, "You would still be dead."
"I imagine that it would be well worth the price." He said, still laughing. "Of course," Jarod continued sobering, "I do have an over active imagination. I could be wrong about you." He shrugged. "You may not be that good."
Parker stiffened haughtily. "I'm better than your wildest dreams, Genius." She replied caustically.
Jarod tilted his head thoughtfully. "I don't know, Parker." He said slowly. "I've dreamed about you a lot over the years. And in some of those dreams you've been pretty wild. You'd have some great expectations to live up to."
The look of complete astonishment on Miss Parker's face sent Jarod into a new fit of laughter.
"Do you enjoy tormenting me, Jarod?" Miss Parker sighed in exasperation.
"Oh, I do." Jarod replied, wiping a tear from one eye. "I really do."
Sydney looked at Parker and realized that despite her angry words, she wasn't upset. The irritation she tried to express was not reflected in her face. On the contrary, her blue eyes sparkled with laughter and mischief. The two of them were playing, Sydney admitted to himself. Jarod and Miss Parker were teasing each other and having a good time doing it.
Sydney shook his head in wonder. He suddenly realized that Jarod was right. Everything was going to work out fine. Jarod and Parker alone were each formidable personalities. Together, they were undefeatable. There was no one who could challenge their authority. The Centre was about to enter a new age of enlightenment. The Parker legacy would go on, but it would be a far different legacy than had previously existed.
Sydney smiled affectionately at the group before him. Sydney had watched the three of them grow up. He had watched helplessly as Jarod, Miss Parker and Angelo had been forced to deal with their separate demons. Soon, Sydney knew, the dark shadow that had darkened all of their lives would be gone forever.
"I'm hungry." Jarod announced abruptly.
"You're always hungry." Miss Parker grumbled.
"Well, I haven't eaten all day, myself." Broots chimed in meekly.
With a smile Jarod punched a button on his phone. "Alice?" He called. "Have diner for five delivered, please. Chinese food, I think. And order enough for yourself and the others as well."
Jarod then picked up one of the folders lying on the desk and began reading through it quickly. Sydney followed suit and began going through the assorted paperwork with Miss Parker. In order to destroy all the nasty little secrets in The Centre, they had to uncover them all first. They still had a great deal of work to do in order to secure a happy ending. Sydney had no doubts that they would be successful. For the first time in many years Sydney felt hope for the future.
The End
I hope you liked it!
