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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.
02/20/02
PRINCIPATUS UMBILICUS
By Phenyx
Part 2 of 3
Jarod stretched lazily on the couch, his feet propped on a nearby table. He
absently stared at several tiny specks of light dancing on the wall. His mind registered the fact that sunlight streaming through the window was being refracted through the crystal chandelier, thereby creating the dancing lights. But the scientific reason behind the lights was irrelevant. They were still pretty and he had been watching them since dawn.
Jarod could hear hushed voices coming from the kitchen. He had heard Ben get
up about half an hour ago. Now, as an enticing aroma of coffee began to fill the air, Jarod could hear a woman's voice chatting amiably with Ben. Jarod listened for a moment and quickly decided that the voice belonged to his sister Emily. His mother must still be asleep upstairs.
Jarod desperately wanted to be in the kitchen. He wanted to sit with his sister and talk until their parents woke up and joined them. His family was so close, under this very roof. Yet Jarod could not go to them.
For, in order to get up from the couch, he would have to wake Parker. She still lay curled against him. The stark pallor of her skin from the night before had disappeared. He brushed his fingertips across her forehead to check her temperature once again. Her skin was soft and warm, but not feverish.
Jarod had been woken hours earlier by the sound of Parker whimpering in her
sleep. For a while he had feared that the wound on her shoulder was causing her
subconscious distress. However, Jarod had quickly realized that her sleep was disturbed not by physical pain, but by emotional pain. That kind of pain he was all too familiar with. He had gently hushed the bad dreams away without waking her and had been watching vigil over her ever since.
He smiled as he looked into Parker's sleeping face. What would she do, Jarod
wondered, if he told her that she snored ever so quietly. His grin broadened. She would pitch a fit, he decided. Should he keep that tender piece of information to himself? Or should he tell her? Oh, he would definitely tell her. Parker would be furious with him, but to Jarod it was just too good an opportunity to pass up. He never missed the chance to see the fire that burned in her eyes when she was angry with him. Making her angry had been the only way Jarod had ever found that would chase away her sadness.
"You look like the cat that ate the canary." Emily said quietly from the doorway.
"The what?" Jarod asked.
Emily was simply dressed in jeans and a red t-shirt. Her feet were bare as she
entered the room. A blue cotton shirt was draped over one shoulder and in each hand, she carried a white ceramic cup.
"You know, the cat that ate the canary." She said again as she handed him one of
the cups. "I hope you like your coffee with cream and sugar." She added.
Jarod nodded as he took the cup. "I haven't seen a cat. And I didn't know that
Ben had any birds."
Emily looked at him strangely for a moment before explaining, "Its an old saying. It means that it looks like you are up to something naughty."
Jarod chuckled. "I see." He paused and glanced down at Parker. "I have to admit,
I'm guilty."
"Jarod, are you having naughty thoughts about Miss Parker?" Emily teased.
"That depends on what you mean by naughty." He replied laughingly.
"I thought she might need this." Emily suddenly changed the subject. She then
took the extra shirt she had with her, folded it carefully and placed it on a nearby chair.
Emily sat on the arm of the couch and sipped at her coffee. "Its good to see you
again big brother." She said.
"Its good to see you too, Em." Jarod took her hand in his and kissed it before
sipping at his own drink.
"I can't believe that we are all here together." Emily whispered. She leaned down then and kissed Jarod's brow.
Jarod squeezed her hand tightly. "I had information that Mom was in Boston. I
didn't realize that you were all with her. I nearly had a coronary when I saw everybody standing there in front of me last night."
Emily smiled. "Well we didn't really have much time to talk then." She gestured
toward the dozing woman beside him.
"We do now." Jarod grinned. "So tell me everything." He urged.
"After you left to stop Ethan and his bomb, Dad and I headed to the rendezvous
we had agreed upon. When you didn't meet us there, we began to think you may have been hurt or even killed in the explosion. Dad even went to the train station to search for you. But there were sweepers everywhere." Emily explained.
"I'm sorry." Jarod whispered. "Ethan and I had to lay low. It seemed like the
Centre had people on every corner."
Emily nodded. "Dad and I had a few very close calls ourselves. So as soon as I
was well enough, we left town and went back to get Johnny. Dad had been pretty worried about him."
Jarod frowned and asked, "But how did you find Mom?"
Emily replied, "Mom and I are pretty close, I spent most of my life with her. I was all she had left of her family. But we were always on the run. She was always so frightened. A couple of years ago, Mom and I decided to try looking for you and Dad separately. We thought that we could cover more territory that way." Emily paused a moment and gazed into her cup. "To be honest, I talked her into it. I thought I might have a chance at a semi-normal life if I was on my own. I was wrong." She shrugged. "Before we split, Mom and I designed a way to communicate with each other. We used code words in the personal ads of the New York Times. I contacted Mom and told her that I had seen you, and that I had found Dad."
Jarod shook his head in disbelief, "I've probably read the ads myself and never
realized."
"It wouldn't really be a secret code if you could see it that easily, Jarod." Emily soothed. "Anyway, Mom saw my ad and replied. She said there was something she had to do in Europe but she would meet us as soon as she returned. She met us in Atlanta nearly two months ago."
Jarod sighed "I missed her by just a few minutes when she was in Europe." He
shook his head sadly. "Mere minutes."
Emily put her arm around Jarod's shoulders and hugged him tightly. "We're
together now, Jarod. That's what matters." Emily kissed his forehead and hugged him again as she blinked away happy tears. "Are you hungry?" she asked abruptly.
"Always." Jarod grinned.
"Good, I'm going to go help Ben with breakfast. Everything is easier to handle on a full stomach." Emily laughed.
Jarod grinned like an idiot as he watched his sister leave the room. It was going to be a good day.
Parker grimaced as bright sunshine invaded her sleep. She stirred and felt a warm hand on her shoulder, steadying her. Parker opened her eyes and looked up into Jarod's smiling face.
Parker was still curled on the couch in the living room. Her head was pillowed on Jarod's lap. With dismay, she realized that beneath her blanket she was naked to the waist. Below that, she wore only a short black skirt and her nylons. Her sudden embarrassment made her cranky.
"What are you laughing at Rat-boy?" she snarled.
"And good morning to you too, Miss Parker." Jarod dangled one arm across the
back of the couch. In his other hand he held a steaming mug.
Parker groaned as she pulled herself up to a sitting position. She raked one hand through her hair and gestured toward the cup. "Please tell me that's coffee." She sighed.
Jarod's grin widened as he nodded and handed her the cup.
Parker gratefully swallowed some of the hot liquid. "Ugh." She grimaced. "Too
much sugar." She complained as she took another drink.
"I like it with sugar." He stated obviously. Jarod stood and stretched. "I'll get you a cup of your own."
"Get yourself another one while you're at it." Parker ordered imperiously as she
took another long swallow. "This one won't last long."
As he left the room, Jarod turned and pointed toward the chair. "Emily brought
you something to wear."
When Jarod returned several minutes later with the coffee, Miss Parker stood with her back to him. She had pulled on the blue denim shirt and was valiantly trying to button the blouse with one hand.
Jarod placed the two mugs on the table and turned to stand behind her. He took
Parker by her good shoulder and gently turned her around.
Parker shrugged dejectedly. "I can't do the buttons."
Jarod looked down. Parker's torn stockings lay on the floor in a small heap. Over her pricey black skirt she now wore the old baggy shirt. The well-worn denim was soft with age and clashed horribly against the hopelessly wrinkled satin of the skirt. The blouse was partially open leaving her breasts nearly exposed. The material draped across Parker's chest in such a way that was not quite indecent. Jarod thought it was the best outfit he had ever seen her wear.
Jarod swallowed hard then he reached down to fasten the lowest button on the
shirt. His fingers moved upward quickly as he wordlessly continued his task. Parker watched him openly as he worked. She figured that it had been at least two days since he'd shaved. With the stubble on his face and the long hair hanging across his brow, he looked almost dangerous. Parker couldn't stop herself as her good hand crept up to stroke his chin.
"You need a shave." She murmured. "And your hair is too long." She pulled her
hand away and clenched it into a fist before her fingers could move up to explore the tumbled mess on his head. "I've recently heard that long hair is a common form of adolescent individualism." Parker smiled devilishly. "Are you expressing adolescent individualism, Jarod?"
Jarod lifted one eyebrow at her as he explained, "I needed to let it grow. I spent some time in a biker gang a while back." He shrugged. "You should have seen my ear ring." He added with a grin.
"You already look like a pirate," Parker chuckled.
They both jumped guiltily as Jarod's mother suddenly entered the room.
"Good." Margaret exclaimed innocently. "You're up. Ben has been making a
huge breakfast and we're all ready to eat." The older woman glanced nervously from her son to Miss Parker as though she wasn't quite sure what to say next.
"Mom..." Jarod smiled in reassurance, his eyes locked on his mother's. He slowly
crossed the room and stopped before his mother. Parker realized that her injury had prevented any reunion the night before. Jarod had automatically placed her welfare ahead of his own needs and this must be the first chance he'd had to be with his mom.
Parker felt tears prick at her eyes as she watched mother and son reunite.
Jarod swallowed hard. Even across the room, Parker could see his hands shaking
as he reached out to touch his mother. With a sob Jarod's mother suddenly pulled him into her arms and wept.
Parker watched as Jarod put his head on his mother's shoulder and closed his eyes to savor the moment. Margaret laughed and cried and rocked her son in her arms.
A single tear escaped and ran down Parker's cheek. She wanted desperately to
find a way out of that room. She felt like an intruder on this private moment but she couldn't make her feet move. She closed her eyes for a moment as she struggled with the emotions that suddenly boiled within her. Watching Jarod fulfill his dreams made Parker acutely aware of her own aloneness. The aching emptiness that had plagued her during her father's funeral returned with a painful swiftness that nearly took her breath away.
"Parker?" Her eyes snapped open when Jarod called her name. "Come and meet
my mother." He told her proudly.
Jarod was holding his mother's hands in his own, looking down at her in awe.
Parker took a deep calming breath and succeeded in crushing the feelings that had unexpectedly surfaced within her. A moment later, calm and dry-eyed, she joined Jarod and his mother across the room.
"Jarod," Parker said testily. "We met yesterday. I took a bullet with her name on it, remember?" Jarod's mother flinched at the comment.
Jarod's smile never faltered as he gazed thoughtfully from one woman to the
other. "Yes, I noticed. I've been wondering about that." After studying her face for a moment he added, "One more good deed like that, Parker, and you might qualify for sainthood."
"Shut up," she snapped. "And stop acting so smug." she ordered as he began to
laugh.
"Miss Parker," Margaret began, she had watched in confusion as the two
bickered. "I really can't thank you enough. You saved my life."
Parker ran her good hand through her hair nervously and replied, "You thanked
me more than enough yesterday, please don't start again. I just... I wanted..." Parker gestured absently. "Oh, I don't know what I thought I was doing. Let's just let it go, okay?"
Jarod's mother pulled her into a quick hug. "If that's how you want it, dear."
Parker stiffened at the close contact, unsure of how to deal with the situation. She was relieved when Johnny walked into the room a moment later and Margaret released her.
"Jarod," the boy whined. "I'm starving and Dad says we can't eat until we're all
at the table."
Jarod laughed and tussled the boy's hair with one hand. "I'm pretty sure you'll
survive a few more minutes." He teased.
"But I'm a growing boy," Johnny complained dramatically. "I need sustenance.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day you know."
Jarod grinned as he threw one arm across the boy's shoulders. "As your big
brother," Jarod began conspiratorially, "I feel it's my duty to explain to you the nutritional value of ice cream for breakfast."
"Jarod!" his mother scolded him playfully. "Don't encourage the boy."
Parker watched in wonder as Johnny grinned up at Jarod's matching smile.
"Now remember," Jarod went on as he guided Johnny toward the kitchen, "you
should always ask for sprinkles on early morning ice cream. Sprinkles really have the same nutritional value as granola ..." Jarod continued to expound on the virtues of calcium in one's diet as he left the room, one arm draped over John's shoulder and the other wrapped around his mother's waist.
Parker stood in the middle of the room for several moments. She could hear a
cheerful round of "Good mornings" coming from the kitchen. Someone made a comment that Parker couldn't quite make out but it caused a hearty burst of laughter from the others.
"What am I doing here?" she asked herself. Parker felt a sudden, fierce urge to
run. She didn't belong here. This was Jarod's family, his greatest wish come true. But, Miss Parker had spent the last five years working diligently to prevent this reunion. In her heart, Parker knew that she had no right to be any part of this happy occasion.
A moment later, Jarod reappeared at the door. "Parker?" He called, puzzled. "Are
you coming?"
Parker sighed and said, "Jarod, I'm intruding. Maybe I should go."
Jarod leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe and crossed his arms. "Don't be
ridiculous. Lyle saw you yesterday. He knows that you helped us. You can't go back to the Centre."
"No, of course not." Parker agreed.
"Then where else would you go?" he asked gently.
Parker opened her mouth to answer before she realized that he was right. She had
nothing but her gun, and the clothes on her back. Where could she go?
"You've reached another turning point, Parker, and taken that first step." Jarod
straightened and held one hand toward her. "Now you just need to take a few more. Leave the Centre behind, forever."
Parker stared at the out-stretched hand for a moment then glanced warily at his
face.
Jarod smiled sadly. "Parker." He urged. "It is going to get easier. I promise."
Silence stretched between them for a long moment as Jarod held his hand out to
her.
Parker wavered for a heartbeat longer. Jarod knew that he was asking her to trust in him. Parker's trust was a rare and precious thing that Jarod had been trying to nurture for years. When she abruptly stepped forward and clasped his hand, Jarod felt as though he'd just won the most important battle of his life.
Parker's small smile encouraged him and Jarod gave her hand a small squeeze.
"Besides," he said cheerfully "I thought you had questions you wanted answered."
Parker nodded in determination and followed Jarod to the breakfast table.
The next few minutes were full of mild chaos as the entire family sat around
Ben's huge kitchen table. Several conversations were going on at once as plates full of pancakes, sausage and eggs were passed back and forth. Parker couldn't resist the cherry crumb muffins, still warm from the oven. She took one, smothered it with jam and gulped it down in three bites.
As Ben spooned eggs on to her plate, Parker glanced across the table at Jarod and shook her head. He was sitting happily between his parents, talking and gesturing with one hand while he shoveled pancakes into his mouth with the other. He looked like a refugee from an episode of "The Waltons". He was obviously in heaven.
Major Charles and Margaret were reminiscing about their first meeting, and Jarod
was savoring every word.
"I only had two day's leave from the base." The Major continued. "But Maggie
said that she was too busy studying for her college exams. She wouldn't even have a cup of coffee with me."
Jarod's parents smiled lovingly at each other.
"But your father was very persistent, Jarod." Margaret went on. "He followed me
all the way from the diner to the library. I told him I was going to call security if he didn't leave me alone."
Jarod grinned. "What did you do, Dad?"
Major Charles laughed. "I told her that I would help her study for her bio-
chemistry exam. If she passed it, she'd have to agree to have dinner with me the next night."
Jarod looked from one parent to the other. "Did you pass?" He asked.
Margaret smiled slyly. "I aced it." She shrugged. "So, I had to marry him."
"We dated for eighteen months and eloped right after she graduated." The Major
explained.
Margaret frowned and concentrated on her plate as she added, "The news of our
marriage was not well received at The Centre. My mother was furious."
Parker's head shot up at the older woman's remark. "The Centre? You knew
about the Centre even then?"
Margaret nodded. She gazed and the stunned faces of Jarod and Miss Parker, then
sighed heavily and said, "It's time that you two knew the whole story."
"Our family's story starts over a hundred years ago with your great-grandfather,
Miss Parker." Margaret began.
Jarod interrupted, "Yes, we learned about him on the Island of Carthis. He killed his family in exchange for some mystical scrolls. Then came to America and started The Centre."
Margaret nodded. "Yes. He came to The States, a wealthy man. However, your
great grandfather had been in this country less than 24 hours when a young boy picked his pocket. The boy was an orphan, a child of the streets. He was no more than seven years old but he'd lived alone on the streets for as long as he could remember. He was known only as Tobias.
Tobias was quick-witted and very resourceful. When Mr. Parker finally caught up
with the boy, he realized that this boy knew his way around the city. Tobias could get him things that normally would not be easy to find. The two of them made a deal and began working together."
"Poor kid didn't know what he was in for." Miss Parker groused.
"Actually, Tobias became a devoted friend and servant. Mr. Parker raised him,
educated him. For years, the two were inseparable. As Tobias grew, so did The Centre. As an adult, everyone at The Centre called him Mr. Tobias and he became Mr. Parker's right hand man.
Over the years, Mr. Parker had remarried. His new wife gave him one child, a
son. But, the son was a vain and spoiled child, greedy and rotten."
Margaret shrugged, "Maybe fate cursed Mr. Parker for destroying the pure love
he had with his first family. Anyway, Mr. Parker decided that he would not leave his money and power to his evil son. In memory of his dead daughter, Angel, he decided that all his assets would be put in trust. That trust would support his son and other family that he should have until a female heir could be produced. He wanted to leave everything to his Angel. He believed that she would be born into the family again."
"The son was your grandfather, Miss Parker." Margaret pointed at Miss Parker.
"You are the first female heir in the Parker family. You are the Angel that inherits The Centre."
Jarod frowned. "But how do I fit into all this?" He asked. "Do they want me back
just because I'm a pretender?"
"Let her finish, son" Major Charles soothed. "There's more."
Margaret took a long sip of juice from her glass and then continued. "Well, as you can guess, that greedy son, your grandfather, was not pleased by his father's decision. He hoped to kill his father and destroy his will, thereby inheriting The Centre and it's power. But Mr. Parker had suspected that and had taken precautions."
"Mr. Parker gave his trusted friend Tobias his will and half of everything he
owned. He gave Tobias the power to control the trust fund and thereby control the Parker fortune."
"Less than a year later, Mr. Parker died. His son had poisoned him. Tobias, fearing for his own life, took his young bride and fled the country."
"To Africa." Jarod supplied in wonder. The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place in Jarod's mind.
"Yes," Margaret smiled. "To Africa."
She continued, "Tobias was a brilliant man. He managed to build his own fortune
and eventually created a headquarters in Africa. The purpose was to create a judicial council of sorts, to keep the Parker heritage in tact and fulfill the old man's will.
Tobias was a bit more traditional in his views. He wanted a male heir. When his
beloved wife died giving birth to a daughter, he created the Triumverate. This three-person group would supervise all Centre business and control all interests while doing it's best to increase holdings. This Triumverate would provide for his daughter and her family following Tobias' death."
"And that daughter would be..." Miss Parker asked.
"My mother. Tobias had no other children." Margaret answered. "I am also an
only child. You, Jarod, are my first-born son. You're the first boy born in my family in three generations. You are the heir to all the Triumverate holdings."
"My God." Miss Parker gasped. Her fork slipped from her fingers in shock and
clattered onto her near-empty plate.
"Well," Jarod said numbly. "That explains a great deal, doesn't it?" He glanced
across the table at Parker.
She stared back at him open mouthed.
Margaret went on. "When the two of you were born, Catherine and I had such
wonderful plans for you both." She touched Jarod's arm affectionately. "She and I met when Catherine married your father, Miss Parker. Their wedding had been a huge Centre affair. Everyone connected to the Centre had been invited. Later, when we both realized we were pregnant at about the same time, we became good friends."
Jarod had been studying his hands for the last several moments. But now his head
shot up. "When is my birthday?" he asked desperately.
Margaret smiled. "November 27th."
Jarod looked at Miss Parker, a sad smile on his face. "I'm older than you."
Parker stared at him in silence. She looked at the other faces around the table.
Jarod's parents and his sister were smiling happily. Ben was listening with a polite curiosity as he sipped at a cup of coffee. John, like any typical teenager, was blissfully ignoring everything while he helped himself to another stack of pancakes.
Didn't they see? She asked herself. Didn't they realize what they had just done?
All Jarod's plans of leaving The Centre forever had been destroyed by his mother's revelation. Jarod's smile from this morning was gone. Parker knew that his mind was racing, she could see the way his eyes darted back and forth in near panic. Even his posture had changed. He was sitting very straight in his chair, as though at attention. She had seen him sit that way before, during simulations at the Centre.
But Margaret kept talking as though nothing had changed. Parker closed her eyes
as the reality of it all sunk in. Margaret didn't realize that she was frightening her son. No one in the room knew Jarod well enough to read the subtle changes in his body language, indicating tension. No one knew, except Miss Parker.
"The two of you shared a play pen many times when you were babies." Margaret
continued obliviously. "Catherine and I talked often about how we would raise the two of you together. By then, we both knew about the corruption within the Centre and the Triumverate. We hoped that the two of you would grow up and turn the Centre into a more humane and compassionate place, pursuing more altruistic goals."
"Then they took you away from us, Jarod." Margaret said sadly. "The men
running the Centre had wealth and power. They weren't willing to give up their
positions."
"Why not just kill us?" Jarod asked.
"They couldn't." Margaret answered. "The will states that if either of you should die without heirs of your own, everything should be sold on the public market and the revenue split amongst the council members. The power of the Centre would be gone forever."
"Raines and the Triumverate wouldn't want that." Jarod mumbled.
"No, " Margaret agreed. "So they couldn't harm either of you. But they could find ways of controlling you. Mr. Parker took you away from us Jarod, and locked you away so that you would never find out about your heritage. If you never came forward to claim your inheritance, the Triumverate would never lose its power. They killed Catherine for the same reason. She couldn't be allowed to tell you about our plan."
"The fact that you were their prized pretender was just a bonus." Major Charles
added.
"Mr. Raines kidnapped your little brother, Kyle, in order to keep us in line."
Margaret continued. "He couldn't kill you, Jarod. But Kyle..." Jarod's mother brushed a tear from her cheek. "Raines used that sweet baby to control your father and me."
Jarod chewed thoughtfully at his lower lip as tears formed in his eyes.
"But that's all behind us now." Emily interrupted with glee, "From now on,
everything will be fine. You know who you are. You can claim your birthright and we can all live in peace."
Miss Parker heard Jarod's strangled gulp across the table and for the first time in her life, Parker's vision clouded with a red haze. She sprang up so suddenly that her chair skittered across the floor and toppled over. Parker couldn't stop the rage that suddenly overwhelmed her and she didn't want to try.
"Do you have any idea what you are asking?" Parker growled. Jarod's family
stared at her in bewilderment. "You're asking him to walk into Hell and take the devil's office." She yelled.
"Parker," Jarod shook his head sadly, "don't."
"No!" Parker screamed. "This is not fair. You've worked so hard to escape the
Centre. Now, they are asking you to go back! Leave the Centre behind, forever, you said. Hah!"
Jarod stood and started around the table toward her. "Parker, you've been trying
to get me back there for five years. Why is this any different?"
Unshed tears burned in Parker's eyes. "I am not your mother." She carefully
stressed each word, visibly shaking in her fury. "She's supposed to protect you not send you back to that torture chamber."
Jarod shook his head sadly. "You're not angry at my mother," Jarod said gently.
"You're angry at your own mother."
"You sanctimonious bastard." Parker snarled. In the blink of an eye she had
pulled her pistol from the waistband at the small of her back. She jammed the muzzle of the gun against Jarod's chest just above his heart.
Major Charles and Ben both jumped to their feet and Emily screamed. Jarod
didn't even flinch, he simply stood there.
"I should just pull the trigger." Miss Parker hissed. "If you're dead, they have to sell everything anyway. The Centre will be gone and I can get on with my life. My OWN life."
Jarod shrugged. "If I'm dead, Parker, they have no reason to let you live. They'll kill you for spite." He murmured.
Parker's anger evaporated. She lowered the gun and slumped against a nearby
counter. "My mother was never going to rescue us from the Centre, Jarod." Parker
whispered. "She was going to train us to take over. She wanted us to run the Centre her way." Parker's lip began to quiver. "We've been nothing more than pawns in this sick game since the day we were born."
As a sob escaped her lips, Jarod stepped forward and wrapped his arms around
her. She clung to him desperately for the briefest of moments before shoving him away violently.
"Back off, Rat-boy." Parker growled. "Just leave me alone." She begged desolately. "I just want to be left alone." She abruptly turned toward the kitchen door and slammed out of the house.
Miss Parker stomped across the back porch and sat down heavily on the wooden
steps. She wrapped her arms around her middle, hugging herself. Misery threatened to overwhelm her as she began to rock back and forth. Parker suddenly wished for the numbness that had occupied her soul the day of her father's funeral. Her feelings were too sharp, too intense and she longed for the emotional blankness that had plagued her less than two days ago.
Several minutes went by before Parker heard soft footsteps behind her.
"Here." Jarod said as he placed a blanket around her shoulders and sat down
beside her. "You should let me check your shoulder." He said nonchalantly.
Parker dropped the blanket off of the one shoulder and turned toward Jarod
wordlessly. Jarod unbuttoned her blouse and pushed the clothing away from her wound. He spent the next several minutes, carefully removing the bandage and examining her shoulder. When Jarod was satisfied that all was well, he applied a fresh bandage from his pocket and refastened her blouse.
Jarod then took her hand in his and caressed her knuckles. "How is your hand?
Can you wiggle your fingers for me?" She obliged. "Good." He said. "Has the feeling returned?"
Parker nodded. "I'm fine, Jarod."
Jarod scoffed. "No. You're not fine." He said. "Physically, you'll be all right. But emotionally... " Jarod sighed. "I think it will be a while before either of us is feeling fine again."
"You're going back." Parker stated without question.
"Not right away." Jarod answered. "There are plans to be made. I need to try to
account for all the variables. Decide on the best approach. But, yeah. I'm going back. Too many lives depend on it."
"You need me to go with you." Parker said softly.
"You don't have to." Jarod assured her. "If you don't want to come, I won't make
you. I'll find a way to do it alone."
Parker shook her head. "No. You and I are in this together, Jarod. We always have been. We never had any other choice."
Parker sighed heavily and turned her attention to the yard. There was a large bird feeder in the center of a well-tended garden. Parker concentrated on the birds flitting back and forth from the feeder to the nearby trees. It was peaceful here and Parker allowed herself to find a little solace in the quiet serenity.
It was a long time before she pulled her attention from the wildlife and saw that Jarod was no longer at her side. He had moved to a deck chair a few feet away. At some point, Jarod had stretched out on the chair and fallen asleep.
With a start, Parker realized that in all the years she had known him, she had
never seen Jarod sleep. The simple act of sleeping required one to lower their guard. For the first time in their lives, Jarod had lowered his defenses and fallen asleep beside her.
At that moment, Parker had a startling revelation. Jarod trusted her. Parker knew that he trusted her completely and without reservation. Even more stunning was the dawning realization that Parker trusted him more than anyone else alive. She always had.
Tears were streaming silently down her cheeks when Jarod's eyelids fluttered and
he woke a moment later. "What's wrong?" He asked.
"You're the only person in my life who's never let me down, Jarod." Miss Parker
whispered. "You've never lied to me."
"Hey," Jarod shrugged. "That's what friends are for, right?"
"Is that what we are? Friends?" Parker asked as she brushed the moisture from her face.
Jarod sat up and smiled. "I truly hope so, Miss Parker."
After a pause Parker said, "I've done some mean things to you in the past five
years, Jarod."
"Some of the stunts I've pulled on you haven't been that nice either." Jarod
replied sheepishly.
Parker sniffed and turned her attention to the birds once more.
Jarod left the chair and sat beside her on the steps.
"Truce?" He asked and held his hand toward her.
Parker smiled at him. "Okay, truce" she said as they shared a handshake. "So,
what's our next move? Do we head for Delaware?"
Jarod shook his head. "No, Montana." He grinned at the surprised look on
Parker's face. "I know a place there where we can all hide out while you recuperate. I've contacted Ethan by email and he's going to meet us in St. Louis in a couple of days. I think we should start that way this afternoon."
"So soon?" Parker asked as Jarod stood and helped her to her feet.
"One thing I've learned in the past five years, Miss Parker," Jarod said. "When
my gut tells me its time to go, I go."
"And I thought you were hard to catch because you're a genius." Parker teased.
"I'd rather be lucky than good." Jarod said playfully.
Parker answered, "You're both lucky and good, Franken-boy. Otherwise I'd have
caught you years ago."
Jarod leaned toward her, took her hand and murmured, "I'm glad you didn't catch
me."
"So am I." Parker squeezed his hand gently.
Then the two walked into the house to inform the others of their new plans.
of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and are used without permission.
No money has been involved here and no infringement is intended.
02/20/02
PRINCIPATUS UMBILICUS
By Phenyx
Part 2 of 3
Jarod stretched lazily on the couch, his feet propped on a nearby table. He
absently stared at several tiny specks of light dancing on the wall. His mind registered the fact that sunlight streaming through the window was being refracted through the crystal chandelier, thereby creating the dancing lights. But the scientific reason behind the lights was irrelevant. They were still pretty and he had been watching them since dawn.
Jarod could hear hushed voices coming from the kitchen. He had heard Ben get
up about half an hour ago. Now, as an enticing aroma of coffee began to fill the air, Jarod could hear a woman's voice chatting amiably with Ben. Jarod listened for a moment and quickly decided that the voice belonged to his sister Emily. His mother must still be asleep upstairs.
Jarod desperately wanted to be in the kitchen. He wanted to sit with his sister and talk until their parents woke up and joined them. His family was so close, under this very roof. Yet Jarod could not go to them.
For, in order to get up from the couch, he would have to wake Parker. She still lay curled against him. The stark pallor of her skin from the night before had disappeared. He brushed his fingertips across her forehead to check her temperature once again. Her skin was soft and warm, but not feverish.
Jarod had been woken hours earlier by the sound of Parker whimpering in her
sleep. For a while he had feared that the wound on her shoulder was causing her
subconscious distress. However, Jarod had quickly realized that her sleep was disturbed not by physical pain, but by emotional pain. That kind of pain he was all too familiar with. He had gently hushed the bad dreams away without waking her and had been watching vigil over her ever since.
He smiled as he looked into Parker's sleeping face. What would she do, Jarod
wondered, if he told her that she snored ever so quietly. His grin broadened. She would pitch a fit, he decided. Should he keep that tender piece of information to himself? Or should he tell her? Oh, he would definitely tell her. Parker would be furious with him, but to Jarod it was just too good an opportunity to pass up. He never missed the chance to see the fire that burned in her eyes when she was angry with him. Making her angry had been the only way Jarod had ever found that would chase away her sadness.
"You look like the cat that ate the canary." Emily said quietly from the doorway.
"The what?" Jarod asked.
Emily was simply dressed in jeans and a red t-shirt. Her feet were bare as she
entered the room. A blue cotton shirt was draped over one shoulder and in each hand, she carried a white ceramic cup.
"You know, the cat that ate the canary." She said again as she handed him one of
the cups. "I hope you like your coffee with cream and sugar." She added.
Jarod nodded as he took the cup. "I haven't seen a cat. And I didn't know that
Ben had any birds."
Emily looked at him strangely for a moment before explaining, "Its an old saying. It means that it looks like you are up to something naughty."
Jarod chuckled. "I see." He paused and glanced down at Parker. "I have to admit,
I'm guilty."
"Jarod, are you having naughty thoughts about Miss Parker?" Emily teased.
"That depends on what you mean by naughty." He replied laughingly.
"I thought she might need this." Emily suddenly changed the subject. She then
took the extra shirt she had with her, folded it carefully and placed it on a nearby chair.
Emily sat on the arm of the couch and sipped at her coffee. "Its good to see you
again big brother." She said.
"Its good to see you too, Em." Jarod took her hand in his and kissed it before
sipping at his own drink.
"I can't believe that we are all here together." Emily whispered. She leaned down then and kissed Jarod's brow.
Jarod squeezed her hand tightly. "I had information that Mom was in Boston. I
didn't realize that you were all with her. I nearly had a coronary when I saw everybody standing there in front of me last night."
Emily smiled. "Well we didn't really have much time to talk then." She gestured
toward the dozing woman beside him.
"We do now." Jarod grinned. "So tell me everything." He urged.
"After you left to stop Ethan and his bomb, Dad and I headed to the rendezvous
we had agreed upon. When you didn't meet us there, we began to think you may have been hurt or even killed in the explosion. Dad even went to the train station to search for you. But there were sweepers everywhere." Emily explained.
"I'm sorry." Jarod whispered. "Ethan and I had to lay low. It seemed like the
Centre had people on every corner."
Emily nodded. "Dad and I had a few very close calls ourselves. So as soon as I
was well enough, we left town and went back to get Johnny. Dad had been pretty worried about him."
Jarod frowned and asked, "But how did you find Mom?"
Emily replied, "Mom and I are pretty close, I spent most of my life with her. I was all she had left of her family. But we were always on the run. She was always so frightened. A couple of years ago, Mom and I decided to try looking for you and Dad separately. We thought that we could cover more territory that way." Emily paused a moment and gazed into her cup. "To be honest, I talked her into it. I thought I might have a chance at a semi-normal life if I was on my own. I was wrong." She shrugged. "Before we split, Mom and I designed a way to communicate with each other. We used code words in the personal ads of the New York Times. I contacted Mom and told her that I had seen you, and that I had found Dad."
Jarod shook his head in disbelief, "I've probably read the ads myself and never
realized."
"It wouldn't really be a secret code if you could see it that easily, Jarod." Emily soothed. "Anyway, Mom saw my ad and replied. She said there was something she had to do in Europe but she would meet us as soon as she returned. She met us in Atlanta nearly two months ago."
Jarod sighed "I missed her by just a few minutes when she was in Europe." He
shook his head sadly. "Mere minutes."
Emily put her arm around Jarod's shoulders and hugged him tightly. "We're
together now, Jarod. That's what matters." Emily kissed his forehead and hugged him again as she blinked away happy tears. "Are you hungry?" she asked abruptly.
"Always." Jarod grinned.
"Good, I'm going to go help Ben with breakfast. Everything is easier to handle on a full stomach." Emily laughed.
Jarod grinned like an idiot as he watched his sister leave the room. It was going to be a good day.
Parker grimaced as bright sunshine invaded her sleep. She stirred and felt a warm hand on her shoulder, steadying her. Parker opened her eyes and looked up into Jarod's smiling face.
Parker was still curled on the couch in the living room. Her head was pillowed on Jarod's lap. With dismay, she realized that beneath her blanket she was naked to the waist. Below that, she wore only a short black skirt and her nylons. Her sudden embarrassment made her cranky.
"What are you laughing at Rat-boy?" she snarled.
"And good morning to you too, Miss Parker." Jarod dangled one arm across the
back of the couch. In his other hand he held a steaming mug.
Parker groaned as she pulled herself up to a sitting position. She raked one hand through her hair and gestured toward the cup. "Please tell me that's coffee." She sighed.
Jarod's grin widened as he nodded and handed her the cup.
Parker gratefully swallowed some of the hot liquid. "Ugh." She grimaced. "Too
much sugar." She complained as she took another drink.
"I like it with sugar." He stated obviously. Jarod stood and stretched. "I'll get you a cup of your own."
"Get yourself another one while you're at it." Parker ordered imperiously as she
took another long swallow. "This one won't last long."
As he left the room, Jarod turned and pointed toward the chair. "Emily brought
you something to wear."
When Jarod returned several minutes later with the coffee, Miss Parker stood with her back to him. She had pulled on the blue denim shirt and was valiantly trying to button the blouse with one hand.
Jarod placed the two mugs on the table and turned to stand behind her. He took
Parker by her good shoulder and gently turned her around.
Parker shrugged dejectedly. "I can't do the buttons."
Jarod looked down. Parker's torn stockings lay on the floor in a small heap. Over her pricey black skirt she now wore the old baggy shirt. The well-worn denim was soft with age and clashed horribly against the hopelessly wrinkled satin of the skirt. The blouse was partially open leaving her breasts nearly exposed. The material draped across Parker's chest in such a way that was not quite indecent. Jarod thought it was the best outfit he had ever seen her wear.
Jarod swallowed hard then he reached down to fasten the lowest button on the
shirt. His fingers moved upward quickly as he wordlessly continued his task. Parker watched him openly as he worked. She figured that it had been at least two days since he'd shaved. With the stubble on his face and the long hair hanging across his brow, he looked almost dangerous. Parker couldn't stop herself as her good hand crept up to stroke his chin.
"You need a shave." She murmured. "And your hair is too long." She pulled her
hand away and clenched it into a fist before her fingers could move up to explore the tumbled mess on his head. "I've recently heard that long hair is a common form of adolescent individualism." Parker smiled devilishly. "Are you expressing adolescent individualism, Jarod?"
Jarod lifted one eyebrow at her as he explained, "I needed to let it grow. I spent some time in a biker gang a while back." He shrugged. "You should have seen my ear ring." He added with a grin.
"You already look like a pirate," Parker chuckled.
They both jumped guiltily as Jarod's mother suddenly entered the room.
"Good." Margaret exclaimed innocently. "You're up. Ben has been making a
huge breakfast and we're all ready to eat." The older woman glanced nervously from her son to Miss Parker as though she wasn't quite sure what to say next.
"Mom..." Jarod smiled in reassurance, his eyes locked on his mother's. He slowly
crossed the room and stopped before his mother. Parker realized that her injury had prevented any reunion the night before. Jarod had automatically placed her welfare ahead of his own needs and this must be the first chance he'd had to be with his mom.
Parker felt tears prick at her eyes as she watched mother and son reunite.
Jarod swallowed hard. Even across the room, Parker could see his hands shaking
as he reached out to touch his mother. With a sob Jarod's mother suddenly pulled him into her arms and wept.
Parker watched as Jarod put his head on his mother's shoulder and closed his eyes to savor the moment. Margaret laughed and cried and rocked her son in her arms.
A single tear escaped and ran down Parker's cheek. She wanted desperately to
find a way out of that room. She felt like an intruder on this private moment but she couldn't make her feet move. She closed her eyes for a moment as she struggled with the emotions that suddenly boiled within her. Watching Jarod fulfill his dreams made Parker acutely aware of her own aloneness. The aching emptiness that had plagued her during her father's funeral returned with a painful swiftness that nearly took her breath away.
"Parker?" Her eyes snapped open when Jarod called her name. "Come and meet
my mother." He told her proudly.
Jarod was holding his mother's hands in his own, looking down at her in awe.
Parker took a deep calming breath and succeeded in crushing the feelings that had unexpectedly surfaced within her. A moment later, calm and dry-eyed, she joined Jarod and his mother across the room.
"Jarod," Parker said testily. "We met yesterday. I took a bullet with her name on it, remember?" Jarod's mother flinched at the comment.
Jarod's smile never faltered as he gazed thoughtfully from one woman to the
other. "Yes, I noticed. I've been wondering about that." After studying her face for a moment he added, "One more good deed like that, Parker, and you might qualify for sainthood."
"Shut up," she snapped. "And stop acting so smug." she ordered as he began to
laugh.
"Miss Parker," Margaret began, she had watched in confusion as the two
bickered. "I really can't thank you enough. You saved my life."
Parker ran her good hand through her hair nervously and replied, "You thanked
me more than enough yesterday, please don't start again. I just... I wanted..." Parker gestured absently. "Oh, I don't know what I thought I was doing. Let's just let it go, okay?"
Jarod's mother pulled her into a quick hug. "If that's how you want it, dear."
Parker stiffened at the close contact, unsure of how to deal with the situation. She was relieved when Johnny walked into the room a moment later and Margaret released her.
"Jarod," the boy whined. "I'm starving and Dad says we can't eat until we're all
at the table."
Jarod laughed and tussled the boy's hair with one hand. "I'm pretty sure you'll
survive a few more minutes." He teased.
"But I'm a growing boy," Johnny complained dramatically. "I need sustenance.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day you know."
Jarod grinned as he threw one arm across the boy's shoulders. "As your big
brother," Jarod began conspiratorially, "I feel it's my duty to explain to you the nutritional value of ice cream for breakfast."
"Jarod!" his mother scolded him playfully. "Don't encourage the boy."
Parker watched in wonder as Johnny grinned up at Jarod's matching smile.
"Now remember," Jarod went on as he guided Johnny toward the kitchen, "you
should always ask for sprinkles on early morning ice cream. Sprinkles really have the same nutritional value as granola ..." Jarod continued to expound on the virtues of calcium in one's diet as he left the room, one arm draped over John's shoulder and the other wrapped around his mother's waist.
Parker stood in the middle of the room for several moments. She could hear a
cheerful round of "Good mornings" coming from the kitchen. Someone made a comment that Parker couldn't quite make out but it caused a hearty burst of laughter from the others.
"What am I doing here?" she asked herself. Parker felt a sudden, fierce urge to
run. She didn't belong here. This was Jarod's family, his greatest wish come true. But, Miss Parker had spent the last five years working diligently to prevent this reunion. In her heart, Parker knew that she had no right to be any part of this happy occasion.
A moment later, Jarod reappeared at the door. "Parker?" He called, puzzled. "Are
you coming?"
Parker sighed and said, "Jarod, I'm intruding. Maybe I should go."
Jarod leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe and crossed his arms. "Don't be
ridiculous. Lyle saw you yesterday. He knows that you helped us. You can't go back to the Centre."
"No, of course not." Parker agreed.
"Then where else would you go?" he asked gently.
Parker opened her mouth to answer before she realized that he was right. She had
nothing but her gun, and the clothes on her back. Where could she go?
"You've reached another turning point, Parker, and taken that first step." Jarod
straightened and held one hand toward her. "Now you just need to take a few more. Leave the Centre behind, forever."
Parker stared at the out-stretched hand for a moment then glanced warily at his
face.
Jarod smiled sadly. "Parker." He urged. "It is going to get easier. I promise."
Silence stretched between them for a long moment as Jarod held his hand out to
her.
Parker wavered for a heartbeat longer. Jarod knew that he was asking her to trust in him. Parker's trust was a rare and precious thing that Jarod had been trying to nurture for years. When she abruptly stepped forward and clasped his hand, Jarod felt as though he'd just won the most important battle of his life.
Parker's small smile encouraged him and Jarod gave her hand a small squeeze.
"Besides," he said cheerfully "I thought you had questions you wanted answered."
Parker nodded in determination and followed Jarod to the breakfast table.
The next few minutes were full of mild chaos as the entire family sat around
Ben's huge kitchen table. Several conversations were going on at once as plates full of pancakes, sausage and eggs were passed back and forth. Parker couldn't resist the cherry crumb muffins, still warm from the oven. She took one, smothered it with jam and gulped it down in three bites.
As Ben spooned eggs on to her plate, Parker glanced across the table at Jarod and shook her head. He was sitting happily between his parents, talking and gesturing with one hand while he shoveled pancakes into his mouth with the other. He looked like a refugee from an episode of "The Waltons". He was obviously in heaven.
Major Charles and Margaret were reminiscing about their first meeting, and Jarod
was savoring every word.
"I only had two day's leave from the base." The Major continued. "But Maggie
said that she was too busy studying for her college exams. She wouldn't even have a cup of coffee with me."
Jarod's parents smiled lovingly at each other.
"But your father was very persistent, Jarod." Margaret went on. "He followed me
all the way from the diner to the library. I told him I was going to call security if he didn't leave me alone."
Jarod grinned. "What did you do, Dad?"
Major Charles laughed. "I told her that I would help her study for her bio-
chemistry exam. If she passed it, she'd have to agree to have dinner with me the next night."
Jarod looked from one parent to the other. "Did you pass?" He asked.
Margaret smiled slyly. "I aced it." She shrugged. "So, I had to marry him."
"We dated for eighteen months and eloped right after she graduated." The Major
explained.
Margaret frowned and concentrated on her plate as she added, "The news of our
marriage was not well received at The Centre. My mother was furious."
Parker's head shot up at the older woman's remark. "The Centre? You knew
about the Centre even then?"
Margaret nodded. She gazed and the stunned faces of Jarod and Miss Parker, then
sighed heavily and said, "It's time that you two knew the whole story."
"Our family's story starts over a hundred years ago with your great-grandfather,
Miss Parker." Margaret began.
Jarod interrupted, "Yes, we learned about him on the Island of Carthis. He killed his family in exchange for some mystical scrolls. Then came to America and started The Centre."
Margaret nodded. "Yes. He came to The States, a wealthy man. However, your
great grandfather had been in this country less than 24 hours when a young boy picked his pocket. The boy was an orphan, a child of the streets. He was no more than seven years old but he'd lived alone on the streets for as long as he could remember. He was known only as Tobias.
Tobias was quick-witted and very resourceful. When Mr. Parker finally caught up
with the boy, he realized that this boy knew his way around the city. Tobias could get him things that normally would not be easy to find. The two of them made a deal and began working together."
"Poor kid didn't know what he was in for." Miss Parker groused.
"Actually, Tobias became a devoted friend and servant. Mr. Parker raised him,
educated him. For years, the two were inseparable. As Tobias grew, so did The Centre. As an adult, everyone at The Centre called him Mr. Tobias and he became Mr. Parker's right hand man.
Over the years, Mr. Parker had remarried. His new wife gave him one child, a
son. But, the son was a vain and spoiled child, greedy and rotten."
Margaret shrugged, "Maybe fate cursed Mr. Parker for destroying the pure love
he had with his first family. Anyway, Mr. Parker decided that he would not leave his money and power to his evil son. In memory of his dead daughter, Angel, he decided that all his assets would be put in trust. That trust would support his son and other family that he should have until a female heir could be produced. He wanted to leave everything to his Angel. He believed that she would be born into the family again."
"The son was your grandfather, Miss Parker." Margaret pointed at Miss Parker.
"You are the first female heir in the Parker family. You are the Angel that inherits The Centre."
Jarod frowned. "But how do I fit into all this?" He asked. "Do they want me back
just because I'm a pretender?"
"Let her finish, son" Major Charles soothed. "There's more."
Margaret took a long sip of juice from her glass and then continued. "Well, as you can guess, that greedy son, your grandfather, was not pleased by his father's decision. He hoped to kill his father and destroy his will, thereby inheriting The Centre and it's power. But Mr. Parker had suspected that and had taken precautions."
"Mr. Parker gave his trusted friend Tobias his will and half of everything he
owned. He gave Tobias the power to control the trust fund and thereby control the Parker fortune."
"Less than a year later, Mr. Parker died. His son had poisoned him. Tobias, fearing for his own life, took his young bride and fled the country."
"To Africa." Jarod supplied in wonder. The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place in Jarod's mind.
"Yes," Margaret smiled. "To Africa."
She continued, "Tobias was a brilliant man. He managed to build his own fortune
and eventually created a headquarters in Africa. The purpose was to create a judicial council of sorts, to keep the Parker heritage in tact and fulfill the old man's will.
Tobias was a bit more traditional in his views. He wanted a male heir. When his
beloved wife died giving birth to a daughter, he created the Triumverate. This three-person group would supervise all Centre business and control all interests while doing it's best to increase holdings. This Triumverate would provide for his daughter and her family following Tobias' death."
"And that daughter would be..." Miss Parker asked.
"My mother. Tobias had no other children." Margaret answered. "I am also an
only child. You, Jarod, are my first-born son. You're the first boy born in my family in three generations. You are the heir to all the Triumverate holdings."
"My God." Miss Parker gasped. Her fork slipped from her fingers in shock and
clattered onto her near-empty plate.
"Well," Jarod said numbly. "That explains a great deal, doesn't it?" He glanced
across the table at Parker.
She stared back at him open mouthed.
Margaret went on. "When the two of you were born, Catherine and I had such
wonderful plans for you both." She touched Jarod's arm affectionately. "She and I met when Catherine married your father, Miss Parker. Their wedding had been a huge Centre affair. Everyone connected to the Centre had been invited. Later, when we both realized we were pregnant at about the same time, we became good friends."
Jarod had been studying his hands for the last several moments. But now his head
shot up. "When is my birthday?" he asked desperately.
Margaret smiled. "November 27th."
Jarod looked at Miss Parker, a sad smile on his face. "I'm older than you."
Parker stared at him in silence. She looked at the other faces around the table.
Jarod's parents and his sister were smiling happily. Ben was listening with a polite curiosity as he sipped at a cup of coffee. John, like any typical teenager, was blissfully ignoring everything while he helped himself to another stack of pancakes.
Didn't they see? She asked herself. Didn't they realize what they had just done?
All Jarod's plans of leaving The Centre forever had been destroyed by his mother's revelation. Jarod's smile from this morning was gone. Parker knew that his mind was racing, she could see the way his eyes darted back and forth in near panic. Even his posture had changed. He was sitting very straight in his chair, as though at attention. She had seen him sit that way before, during simulations at the Centre.
But Margaret kept talking as though nothing had changed. Parker closed her eyes
as the reality of it all sunk in. Margaret didn't realize that she was frightening her son. No one in the room knew Jarod well enough to read the subtle changes in his body language, indicating tension. No one knew, except Miss Parker.
"The two of you shared a play pen many times when you were babies." Margaret
continued obliviously. "Catherine and I talked often about how we would raise the two of you together. By then, we both knew about the corruption within the Centre and the Triumverate. We hoped that the two of you would grow up and turn the Centre into a more humane and compassionate place, pursuing more altruistic goals."
"Then they took you away from us, Jarod." Margaret said sadly. "The men
running the Centre had wealth and power. They weren't willing to give up their
positions."
"Why not just kill us?" Jarod asked.
"They couldn't." Margaret answered. "The will states that if either of you should die without heirs of your own, everything should be sold on the public market and the revenue split amongst the council members. The power of the Centre would be gone forever."
"Raines and the Triumverate wouldn't want that." Jarod mumbled.
"No, " Margaret agreed. "So they couldn't harm either of you. But they could find ways of controlling you. Mr. Parker took you away from us Jarod, and locked you away so that you would never find out about your heritage. If you never came forward to claim your inheritance, the Triumverate would never lose its power. They killed Catherine for the same reason. She couldn't be allowed to tell you about our plan."
"The fact that you were their prized pretender was just a bonus." Major Charles
added.
"Mr. Raines kidnapped your little brother, Kyle, in order to keep us in line."
Margaret continued. "He couldn't kill you, Jarod. But Kyle..." Jarod's mother brushed a tear from her cheek. "Raines used that sweet baby to control your father and me."
Jarod chewed thoughtfully at his lower lip as tears formed in his eyes.
"But that's all behind us now." Emily interrupted with glee, "From now on,
everything will be fine. You know who you are. You can claim your birthright and we can all live in peace."
Miss Parker heard Jarod's strangled gulp across the table and for the first time in her life, Parker's vision clouded with a red haze. She sprang up so suddenly that her chair skittered across the floor and toppled over. Parker couldn't stop the rage that suddenly overwhelmed her and she didn't want to try.
"Do you have any idea what you are asking?" Parker growled. Jarod's family
stared at her in bewilderment. "You're asking him to walk into Hell and take the devil's office." She yelled.
"Parker," Jarod shook his head sadly, "don't."
"No!" Parker screamed. "This is not fair. You've worked so hard to escape the
Centre. Now, they are asking you to go back! Leave the Centre behind, forever, you said. Hah!"
Jarod stood and started around the table toward her. "Parker, you've been trying
to get me back there for five years. Why is this any different?"
Unshed tears burned in Parker's eyes. "I am not your mother." She carefully
stressed each word, visibly shaking in her fury. "She's supposed to protect you not send you back to that torture chamber."
Jarod shook his head sadly. "You're not angry at my mother," Jarod said gently.
"You're angry at your own mother."
"You sanctimonious bastard." Parker snarled. In the blink of an eye she had
pulled her pistol from the waistband at the small of her back. She jammed the muzzle of the gun against Jarod's chest just above his heart.
Major Charles and Ben both jumped to their feet and Emily screamed. Jarod
didn't even flinch, he simply stood there.
"I should just pull the trigger." Miss Parker hissed. "If you're dead, they have to sell everything anyway. The Centre will be gone and I can get on with my life. My OWN life."
Jarod shrugged. "If I'm dead, Parker, they have no reason to let you live. They'll kill you for spite." He murmured.
Parker's anger evaporated. She lowered the gun and slumped against a nearby
counter. "My mother was never going to rescue us from the Centre, Jarod." Parker
whispered. "She was going to train us to take over. She wanted us to run the Centre her way." Parker's lip began to quiver. "We've been nothing more than pawns in this sick game since the day we were born."
As a sob escaped her lips, Jarod stepped forward and wrapped his arms around
her. She clung to him desperately for the briefest of moments before shoving him away violently.
"Back off, Rat-boy." Parker growled. "Just leave me alone." She begged desolately. "I just want to be left alone." She abruptly turned toward the kitchen door and slammed out of the house.
Miss Parker stomped across the back porch and sat down heavily on the wooden
steps. She wrapped her arms around her middle, hugging herself. Misery threatened to overwhelm her as she began to rock back and forth. Parker suddenly wished for the numbness that had occupied her soul the day of her father's funeral. Her feelings were too sharp, too intense and she longed for the emotional blankness that had plagued her less than two days ago.
Several minutes went by before Parker heard soft footsteps behind her.
"Here." Jarod said as he placed a blanket around her shoulders and sat down
beside her. "You should let me check your shoulder." He said nonchalantly.
Parker dropped the blanket off of the one shoulder and turned toward Jarod
wordlessly. Jarod unbuttoned her blouse and pushed the clothing away from her wound. He spent the next several minutes, carefully removing the bandage and examining her shoulder. When Jarod was satisfied that all was well, he applied a fresh bandage from his pocket and refastened her blouse.
Jarod then took her hand in his and caressed her knuckles. "How is your hand?
Can you wiggle your fingers for me?" She obliged. "Good." He said. "Has the feeling returned?"
Parker nodded. "I'm fine, Jarod."
Jarod scoffed. "No. You're not fine." He said. "Physically, you'll be all right. But emotionally... " Jarod sighed. "I think it will be a while before either of us is feeling fine again."
"You're going back." Parker stated without question.
"Not right away." Jarod answered. "There are plans to be made. I need to try to
account for all the variables. Decide on the best approach. But, yeah. I'm going back. Too many lives depend on it."
"You need me to go with you." Parker said softly.
"You don't have to." Jarod assured her. "If you don't want to come, I won't make
you. I'll find a way to do it alone."
Parker shook her head. "No. You and I are in this together, Jarod. We always have been. We never had any other choice."
Parker sighed heavily and turned her attention to the yard. There was a large bird feeder in the center of a well-tended garden. Parker concentrated on the birds flitting back and forth from the feeder to the nearby trees. It was peaceful here and Parker allowed herself to find a little solace in the quiet serenity.
It was a long time before she pulled her attention from the wildlife and saw that Jarod was no longer at her side. He had moved to a deck chair a few feet away. At some point, Jarod had stretched out on the chair and fallen asleep.
With a start, Parker realized that in all the years she had known him, she had
never seen Jarod sleep. The simple act of sleeping required one to lower their guard. For the first time in their lives, Jarod had lowered his defenses and fallen asleep beside her.
At that moment, Parker had a startling revelation. Jarod trusted her. Parker knew that he trusted her completely and without reservation. Even more stunning was the dawning realization that Parker trusted him more than anyone else alive. She always had.
Tears were streaming silently down her cheeks when Jarod's eyelids fluttered and
he woke a moment later. "What's wrong?" He asked.
"You're the only person in my life who's never let me down, Jarod." Miss Parker
whispered. "You've never lied to me."
"Hey," Jarod shrugged. "That's what friends are for, right?"
"Is that what we are? Friends?" Parker asked as she brushed the moisture from her face.
Jarod sat up and smiled. "I truly hope so, Miss Parker."
After a pause Parker said, "I've done some mean things to you in the past five
years, Jarod."
"Some of the stunts I've pulled on you haven't been that nice either." Jarod
replied sheepishly.
Parker sniffed and turned her attention to the birds once more.
Jarod left the chair and sat beside her on the steps.
"Truce?" He asked and held his hand toward her.
Parker smiled at him. "Okay, truce" she said as they shared a handshake. "So,
what's our next move? Do we head for Delaware?"
Jarod shook his head. "No, Montana." He grinned at the surprised look on
Parker's face. "I know a place there where we can all hide out while you recuperate. I've contacted Ethan by email and he's going to meet us in St. Louis in a couple of days. I think we should start that way this afternoon."
"So soon?" Parker asked as Jarod stood and helped her to her feet.
"One thing I've learned in the past five years, Miss Parker," Jarod said. "When
my gut tells me its time to go, I go."
"And I thought you were hard to catch because you're a genius." Parker teased.
"I'd rather be lucky than good." Jarod said playfully.
Parker answered, "You're both lucky and good, Franken-boy. Otherwise I'd have
caught you years ago."
Jarod leaned toward her, took her hand and murmured, "I'm glad you didn't catch
me."
"So am I." Parker squeezed his hand gently.
Then the two walked into the house to inform the others of their new plans.
