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Chapter or Story
Note - -see XXIII –A for detailed disclaimers - -all characters from the Pretender and Profiler are just borrowed - -please don’t sue me
In Pursuit Of Happiness
Part 23b
by jojarod50
Phase one of the Federal sting operation has gone down almost without a hitch, capturing the key upper echelon of the Centre hierarchy, including Mr. Parker, Mr. Raines, Mutumbo, the mysterious Tower personnel, key sweepers, Dr. Kilmer, Dr. Moore, and others too numerous to list. Fortunately, none of them had been mortally injured, and would probably be punished to the maximum extent of the law, considering all the damning evidence that had been gathered against them and more which would soon be downloaded straight from the Centre mainframe.
AVCTF agents Bailey and John are left scrambling to pin down Lyle and Cox’s next move as a barrage of ATF personnel mop up following a ruthless slaughter of suspected Asian drug lords and undercover agents at an abandoned warehouse. Apparently, Centre sweepers had been in place early on, for the bloody free for all, and were also found dead at the scene.
There was evidence that Lyle and Cox must have used a concealed passageway toward the rear of the building to make their escape. The corridor looked like it had originally been used for transferring contraband to waiting trucks at the south loading dock during prohibition. They and probably others had taken out the ATF agents, positioned at that location, very early on in the melee, just as the back up units Bailey had requested had arrived. 9/17,2000
* * *
Centre Underground Parking lot SL 6
Walkway tunnel C
7:47 PM
Lyle worked his gloved hand as he watched Cox and the two accompanying sweepers disappear up the exit ramp, his mind rapidly working out his next moves.
Getting to his office undetected would be simple, using the surveillance device he had paid dearly for. Getting to Jarod with his damn doctor hovering would definitely be problematic, but he’d manage. He had looked forward to it too long to have anyone stand in his way. After tasting the morbid thrill of torturing Jarod, he craved each encounter more and more, he realized, playing over in his mind what he had done to him just last night.
Mr. White felt confident that he could locate Gemini, given another week or so. Even without Gemini, with the pretender out of the way, he’d level the playing field and continue his covert projects until his cloning project was off the ground. He felt intoxicated with power, knowing he’d be putting daddy dearest out of business.
Using his disruption device, he momentarily disabled the surveillance cameras and boarded the elevator that would take him to the executive level and his office, where he had stashed Raines private collection of DSAs and a loaded hypo for Jarod.
***
ATF Field Office
Special Operations: Control Base
Blue Cove, Delaware 7:59 PM
“Good work, Rice, we’ll take it from here,” Harris said, visibly relieved. “Dispatch, inform Bailey that we have the 20s on their missing targets.
“Patch me through to Agent Meisser. Our old friend Mr. Lyle has surfaced at the Centre. Jerry will have to handle that insidious little weasel from the inside.”
***
Centre Infirmary
8:05 PM
“This is ridiculous, Jarod doesn’t need to be here and you know it. What he does need is a substantial amount of sleep and he sure as hell isn’t going to get it here after what happened to him last night. Damn it, Grackle, for once do the compassionate thing, and let me take him down to his room.”
“Compassionate? Listen to me, Meisser, I’ve had it up to here with your self-righteous crap. Mr. Parker left explicit orders that the pretender was not to leave the infirmary until he resembled the young man he was before his escape,” he said shoving Jarod’s chart into Meisser’s hand. The orders came down right after he passed out the second time toward the end of the cloning session.”
“I understand that, but you bend the rules all the time,” Meisser offered, trying to have Jarod transferred back to his room, with it’s coded lock, before phase two began.
“Aside from being anemic from his blood loss last night and being unacceptably under weight, he has two cracked ribs and is suffering from acute exhaustion. In his weakened state, he could probably sleep in the middle of a freeway during rush hour, without waking up. Look at him. Does he look like he’s having any trouble sleeping to you? I don’t see any point in sticking my neck out just to appease you.”
“Hey, unless you need to give Jarod another blood transfusion, I don’t see the point in keeping him here. Hell, even that could be handle from downstairs, for that matter.”
“Give it up, Meisser, you had your chance with him. If you really gave a damn about him, you would have made sure he was getting enough sleep and eating properly so he wouldn’t have ended up here.”
“That’s not fair and you know it.”
“You might as well hear the whole thing. As far as his mental status is concerned, Mr. Parker thinks you’ve blown it there too. I was ordered to give him a complete mental evaluation. He appears to be in worse shape now than when I first examined him, two nights ago. I received a report from Raines late today, documenting his problems with mental confusion and unwarranted distractibility. Hell, I’m not even sure the kid’s head is screwed on straight, the way he carries on in his sleep.”
“Well, I’m sure Jarod appreciates you broadcasting his complete medical status to every one in the infirmary. Can’t you at least keep your voice down, Grackle?” he asked hotly, noticing all the eyes staring at them.
“You know as well as I do, that just about every waking moment, Jarod has been required to be doing one thing or another as per orders directly from Mr. Parker, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it,” Meisser said in total frustration.
Suddenly his beeper went off, sending a chill down his spine.
“Ok, look, go ahead and keep him in the infirmary for right now, but at least put him in with Dr. Green. I don’t want him in a room by himself. You can do that can’t you?” he suggested, knowing there were coded locks on the private rooms.
“If it’ll keep you from having a coronary, you have a deal. Martha, get some orderlies in here and have Jarod transferred to Private room 1E immediately. Satisfied, Meisser?”
“I want to talk with him after he’s settled in. I’ll be back in a little while.”
“Suit yourself. I’m leaving for the day. Why don’t you go home too? You’re not married to this place you know.”
“I’ve still got a lot of things to do. See you tomorrow, Grackle,” Meisser said as he quickly made his exit, knowing something serious was up for Harris to break radio silence.”
“Oh, joy. I can’t wait,” Dr. Grackle mumbled grabbing his briefcase and heading home for the night, not knowing he was about to be picked up by the Feds.
* * *
Dr. Meisser’s Office
8:16 PM
“Dr. Meisser.”
“Bad news, Meisser. Mr. Lyle just entered the Centre.”
“Sorry, you’ve got the wrong number,” the agent feigned terminating the phone call and dialing the infirmary.
“Davies, Dr. Meisser. I need to have you cover for me until I get back. Go to room 1E and stay put. Ignore any orders but mine.”
Wasting no time, the agent quickly stepped into the coat closet and slipped on his holster, checked to make sure his gun was loaded and slid it in. Mumbling expletives, he slipped on his lab jacket and grabbed 2 syringes as he headed out the door. He would have to make sure Lyle was contained without compromising their cover. Several agents would have to be informed, he thought, as he headed for central supply a couple of doors from the infirmary.
***
Central Supply
Medical wing
8:21 PM
“Drew, I need for you to autoclave these instruments for me,” Agent Meisser said handing him some items he had grabbed from a drawer in his office. “Inform the agents covering the hostages that Mr. Lyle is inside the Centre,” he whispered keeping his back to the surveillance camera. “Let me know, when you’re finished. I’ll be in the infirmary for right now.”
“Yes, Sir.”
****
Renewal Wing
Cell #16
8:25 PM
Miss Parker sat on the cold metal bed staring through the little glass window in the door, wishing someone would give her an update on what was going on.
Getting up, she started to pace again, feeling more than anything else like she was going to loose her mind. She shivered involuntarily, imagining all the years that Jarod, Angelo, and God only knows who else, had spent trapped like she was now.
One thing she still couldn’t figure out was why, after all the years of abuse Jarod had survived, he buckled now right before the pull out. It just didn’t make any sense.
Thinking about how they were all going to be free of the Centre, she remembered her dad and the whole Centre hierarchy were probably under arrest by now. Her dad, the Centre’s Chairman. She felt so strange realizing she felt no pity for him at all. Good riddance to bad garbage, she thought, feeling angry and betrayed.
Leaning against the cold wall, she tried to calm down, until she saw a rat squeeze its way under her door.
“Let me out of here, you son of a bitch,” she yelled to the sweeper outside her door, giving her dinner tray a swift kick, splattering food all over the floor.
“This place is infested with rats! Open the damn door!”
Parker was immediately rewarded with the sound of the coded lock being worked and the appearance of a sweeper she had never met.
“What’s the trouble in here, ma’am?” the agent asked, glancing down at the mash potatoes his foot was in and following the curve of her gorgeous legs and body, up to her angry face.
“Ma’am? Now that’s a new one. I’m out of here,” she said, giving him a hard shove, trying to move him out of the way. “Bye the way, watch where you’re drooling, mister, or you’ll be wearing the impression of my stiletto right between you eyes.”
The agent turned an unusually bright color of red, as he gave her a direct look.
“Hold it right there,” he said, positioning himself between his incredibly beautiful assignment and the surveillance camera, quietly introduced himself as Agent Baxter. Quickly he informed her that she would be sealed in her cubical until the swat teams clear the area and that she would need to position herself away from the window. He also instructed her to slip on the gas mask hidden under the bed.
“That’s just great. I don’t give a shit who you are, you’re not keeping me down here with the rats. Step aside.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. I’ll be right outside if you need anything. Why don’t you try to relax.”
“Go to hell.”
****
Renewal Wing
Cell 13
Stepping down the hallway, Agent Baxter peeked through the window of cell # 13 and was startled by Broots wide eyed face staring back at him.
Working the coded lock, the agent stepped into the small cubical, to check on the apprehensive computer tech.
“So you skipped dinner, too. Well, at least you didn’t kick it around on the floor,” the agent said, positioning himself between the camera and his charge and giving him the final instructions he had just given Parker.
Broots let out a nervous sigh. “I um, guess you were talking about Miss Parker, with the tray, I mean,” he offered, trying to act like nothing was going on, but looking very guilty. “Sh she must be really mad, being locked up like that. She’s ok, isn’t she?”
“Oh, yeah, she’s just fine. Just be glad you don’t have to deal with her right now. Look, try to get some rest. I imagine you’re still pretty weak, having just had the flu. I’ll leave your drink,” he said picking up his dinner tray. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be right outside your door.”
“You will? Oh, um, th thanks.”
****
Renewal Wing
Cell 19
8:35 PM
“Major Charles?” the agent called as he opened the cell door, not wanting to startle the older man, who was lying awkwardly on the iron bed.
“Just go away and leave me alone,” Jarod’s father said, rising to his feet and taking a defensive stance. “I’m through being used to intimidate my son into doing things. Can’t you people see that you’re destroying him? I hope you all rot in hell.”
“No, you don’t understand. I’m just here to collect your tray.”
“Well, you can collect this instead,” Major Charles said grabbing him from behind as he stooped to pick up his tray, and putting him in a head lock.”
The agent was swift to react and had the exhausted major quickly subdued, taking the opportunity of their close proximity to relay to him his final instructions.
“Get up slowly, Major,” the agent said, holding his hands tightly behind his back. “ We have to make this look good for the camera, he whispered, slamming him into the wall.
“Try something like that again, and you’re a dead man.”
“I, um lost it. It won’t happen again. Look, just let me see my son.”
“There is no one here to authorize that right now. Besides, he’s probably fast asleep. He’s been ordered to have complete bed rest until Monday. Don’t worry, the doctors in the infirmary will take good care of him.”
“The infirmary, My God! Don’t you know what happened to him last night when he was there.”
****
(Mr. Lyle’s private office)
Lyle perked up when he heard this new information, glancing up at the monitor. “Why, thank you for letting me know where Jarod is,” he said smoothly, as he pressed the off switch, pleased to be reaping the rewards of having his own newly installed surveillance system. “What a pity I’m going to have to leave this all behind,” he said as he reached in a drawer for the syringe.
****
“They’ve got it covered this time. You’re just going to have to trust me on that. Is there anything you need before I leave?”
“No, I guess not.”
“Try to get some rest, Major. I’ll be right outside if something comes up,” he said picking up the tray and leaving the cell.
****
Private patient room 1E
8:37 PM
Sydney observed Jarod as he suddenly woke up screaming, the tendrils of a nightmare still holding him in it’s frightening grip.
“Jarod, it was just a dream. Try to slow your breathing.” Sydney urged, watching the shaken young man struggle to catch his breath.
“Sydney?” the pretender breathed trying to pull himself together. “Where am I?”
“You’re in my room off the infirmary. Dr. Grackle had you moved here about 30 minutes ago. You’ve been in the infirmary since the end of your cloning session. Apparently you passed out one too many times.”
“I was just overwhelmed with fatigue,” Jarod said, as he started to lay back on his bed.
“When did you start throwing your pillow?”
“Pillow?”
“You threw it across the room right before you woke up. Jarod, you’re going to need counseling…”
“Don’t. Not right now,” Jarod said quietly, as he retrieved his pillow and slipped back in bed. In only a few moments he fell back into a restless sleep.
****
Private room 1E
8:55PM
“Good evening, Dr. Green. How are you feeling?” Dr. Meisser asked entering the room and heading over to Jarod’s bed.
”Much better, thank you. It’s nice to finally have a room mate, even if he’s going to be sleeping the entire time,” he said glancing at Jarod and smiling slightly.
“Well, until Mr. Parker sanctions a reformulated serum for him, I guess that’s pretty much how it’s going to play out,” the agent said, while glancing at the pretender’s chart, purposely keeping up his front.
“Jarod, sorry to wake you. Let’s give you a quick once over, before I give you your shot,” the agent said running through his vitals, while he lay completely still almost falling asleep again.
****
“So how’s he doing, Doc?” Lyle asked with a congenial smile, stepping into the room with his gun drawn, sporting a silencer.
“Mr. Lyle, what the hell are you doing?”
“Taking care of some loose ends,” he said, knocking the agent to the floor with a forceful blow from his gun.
“You won’t get away with this. Security will be here any minute. I found your bloody glove in room 105. Mr. Parker knows you’re the one who slit Jarod’s wrist and has a contract out on you. You’ll never get out of the building alive.”
“Oh, but I will. Check out the security camera. It’s down. No one will find your dead bodies until I’m long gone. Except yours, Jarod. I’ve decided to let you live, if you could call it that. You’ll be taking a hallucinogen trip, which will make the last one seem like a walk in the park. Mr. Davies, give it to him,” he said handing the sweeper the syringe.
“Yes Sir,” the agent said taking the syringe and stepping over to Jarod’s bed, as he quickly slid off the other side, calculating his next move.
“You know, Jarod, I can’t wait to see how you like this. I was told it is very fast acting. Unfortunately for you, there’ll be no coming back this time,” he said, enjoying the look of utter contempt on the pretender’s face as he backed into the corner, his eyes never leaving the syringe. “Nothing personal, genius. This time it’s strictly business. A smart man always eliminates his competition.”
“Oh, don’t look at me that way, Sydney. You’re whole career has been built around manipulating Jarod’s mind. I really don’t understand why you’re having a problem with this. For God’s sake, Davies, what’s the matter with you? Give him the damn shot or I’ll blow your brains out.”
Suddenly, Lyle dropped his gun and fell to the floor, his eyes rolling back in his head, as he tried to ride out the sudden overwhelming euphoric effects of Jarod’s 9:00 shot.
“Get that slime bag out of here, Davies,” Agent Meisser said, getting to his feet, hardly containing his anger. “Put him in padded isolation room A, down the hall, and scramble the coded lock.”
“It’ll be my pleasure,” he said, frisking the drugged man before hoisting him into Sydney’s wheelchair and whisking him away.
“Sorry to frighten you, Jarod. I didn’t get a chance to introduce you to Agent Davies, before Lyle arrived,” he said, giving the pretender a sympathetic look. Jarod leaned back against the wall, relief pouring over him, enjoying the fact that he would probably never see Lyle again.
“Ok, while the security camera is down, why don’t I go ahead and give you your final instructions for tonight now,” he said looking from Sydney to Jarod to make sure he had their attention. “The coded lock will freeze when the swat teams strike, and remain that way, until we are ready to remove you from the building. There is a gas mask under each bed. Make sure you have yours on at 11:00 PM. Davies will remain in here to give you any help you need. Stay down and away from the window in the door. Questions? Ok, enough said,” he said breaking into a big smile.
Stepping over to where the agent had placed Lyle’s effects, Meisser eyed the surveillance disruption device.
“Clever,” he said, glancing up at the inactive camera, before giving the device a click reactivating the camera.
.
“Ok, Jarod, let’s get you taken care of,” he said, slipping another syringe out of his pocket, deftly flicking it with his finger to get the bubbles out. Go ahead and lay down.”
Jarod continued to lean against the wall, making no move to comply.
“Jarod, are you all right?”
“I have no intention of being totally incapacitated right now. I’d rather skip this dose and catch up on it later.”
“Jarod, there’s no way I can let you do that. This serum is time sensitive. It won’t work if you skip a dose. You’ve come too far with this to jeopardize your future now. We’ll handle anything that comes up. You’ve got to trust us.”
Jarod stood there staring at the agent, but his mind seen a million miles away.
Finally, he conceded and lay back down on the bed so the doctor could deliver his shot.
The last thing Jarod saw before he lost consciousness was Sydney watching him with an unreadable expression on his face, as the drug flooded his mind and overwhelmed his exhausted body.
* * *
The Centre
11:15 PM
Mezzanine: first level, all exists, docking and receiving
With the outer perimeter totally secured, the SWAT teams rushed every entrance, preceded by teargas, taking out the Centre’s entire interior first line of defense.
Gemini and Jarod’s pre-sets in the Centre’s Mainframe had gone off without a hitch. All computer defense systems, communications, surveillance, power, and back up were all off line. Sweepers and other personnel were left groping in the dark, while the SWAT teams wearing infrared goggles and gas masks easily took them out.
* * *
Private room 1E
Centre Infirmary
11:20 PM
“Wake up, Jarod, it’s almost time to go,” Dr. Meisser said, patting his shoulder, then stepping over to confer with the two sharpshooters who were reloading their weapons by the door.
Jarod sat up with a start and tried to get his bearings, the effects of the 9:00 shot still making him extremely disoriented. Incredibly, he had fallen back to sleep right after he’d slipped his gas mask on despite the screams and weapons going off throughout the building.
From a distance, Dr. Meisser broke into a big smile, watching the look of wonder and excitement flash across the pretender’s eyes, knowing he was about to face real freedom for the first time in his life.
“Get your shoes on and hurry, Jarod,” he said, nodding to Agent Davies, who wheeled Sydney over to the door.
Jarod slipped them on quickly and stood up, suddenly noticing Angelo standing nearby. His childhood friend was wearing his torn black leather jacket and holding a box of what looked like Centre red files.
“Angelo go with friend,” he said handing him the Pez container he had found in one of the jacket pockets.
“Thank you,” Jarod said, breaking into a big smile.
Suddenly Angelo let out a yelp, dropping his box of red files and crouching down, as another volley of gunfire echoes through the hallway.
“Angelo, look at me,” Jarod said stooping down next to the frightened manchild. “It’s all right. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise,” Jarod said, looking into his strikingly blue eyes and noticing how surreal everyone looked wearing their gas masks.
“Rice, Agent Meisser. We’ve got some heavy fire up here. Request immediate support. Waiting transfer of hostages, do you copy?”
“I copy that. Sit tight, we’re working on it. Just give us a few more minutes. I’ll get back to you.”
* * *
Renewal Wing
11:30 PM
Bodies were being dragged out of the way, as the Agents hurried Broots, Miss Parker, and Major Charles down the bloody corridor and into ventilation tunnel 27 401. Several Marksmen entered the tunnel ahead of the three, their guns trained toward the dim light ahead. Several other shooters brought up the rear occasionally firing a few rounds.
Smoke and the remnants of tear gas hung heavy in the air, as they emerged into the night air and were quickly moved into the waiting vehicles.
* * *
Infirmary
11:32 PM
The gunfire finally died down, as Angelo, Jarod and Sydney were moved down the heavily guarded hallway, strewn with bodies. Surrounded in front and on either side by heavily armed marksmen and with Agent Meisser and Davies bringing up the rear, they made their way through ventilation tunnel 24 204 to 27 203, and out to the waiting vehicles.
The emergency lights danced across their faces as Jarod, Angelo and Sydney ditched their gas masked and the two were loaded into an agent’s car, while Sydney was loaded into an ambulance and all were whisked away.
Part 23b
by jojarod50
Phase one of the Federal sting operation has gone down almost without a hitch, capturing the key upper echelon of the Centre hierarchy, including Mr. Parker, Mr. Raines, Mutumbo, the mysterious Tower personnel, key sweepers, Dr. Kilmer, Dr. Moore, and others too numerous to list. Fortunately, none of them had been mortally injured, and would probably be punished to the maximum extent of the law, considering all the damning evidence that had been gathered against them and more which would soon be downloaded straight from the Centre mainframe.
AVCTF agents Bailey and John are left scrambling to pin down Lyle and Cox’s next move as a barrage of ATF personnel mop up following a ruthless slaughter of suspected Asian drug lords and undercover agents at an abandoned warehouse. Apparently, Centre sweepers had been in place early on, for the bloody free for all, and were also found dead at the scene.
There was evidence that Lyle and Cox must have used a concealed passageway toward the rear of the building to make their escape. The corridor looked like it had originally been used for transferring contraband to waiting trucks at the south loading dock during prohibition. They and probably others had taken out the ATF agents, positioned at that location, very early on in the melee, just as the back up units Bailey had requested had arrived. 9/17,2000
* * *
Centre Underground Parking lot SL 6
Walkway tunnel C
7:47 PM
Lyle worked his gloved hand as he watched Cox and the two accompanying sweepers disappear up the exit ramp, his mind rapidly working out his next moves.
Getting to his office undetected would be simple, using the surveillance device he had paid dearly for. Getting to Jarod with his damn doctor hovering would definitely be problematic, but he’d manage. He had looked forward to it too long to have anyone stand in his way. After tasting the morbid thrill of torturing Jarod, he craved each encounter more and more, he realized, playing over in his mind what he had done to him just last night.
Mr. White felt confident that he could locate Gemini, given another week or so. Even without Gemini, with the pretender out of the way, he’d level the playing field and continue his covert projects until his cloning project was off the ground. He felt intoxicated with power, knowing he’d be putting daddy dearest out of business.
Using his disruption device, he momentarily disabled the surveillance cameras and boarded the elevator that would take him to the executive level and his office, where he had stashed Raines private collection of DSAs and a loaded hypo for Jarod.
***
ATF Field Office
Special Operations: Control Base
Blue Cove, Delaware 7:59 PM
“Good work, Rice, we’ll take it from here,” Harris said, visibly relieved. “Dispatch, inform Bailey that we have the 20s on their missing targets.
“Patch me through to Agent Meisser. Our old friend Mr. Lyle has surfaced at the Centre. Jerry will have to handle that insidious little weasel from the inside.”
***
Centre Infirmary
8:05 PM
“This is ridiculous, Jarod doesn’t need to be here and you know it. What he does need is a substantial amount of sleep and he sure as hell isn’t going to get it here after what happened to him last night. Damn it, Grackle, for once do the compassionate thing, and let me take him down to his room.”
“Compassionate? Listen to me, Meisser, I’ve had it up to here with your self-righteous crap. Mr. Parker left explicit orders that the pretender was not to leave the infirmary until he resembled the young man he was before his escape,” he said shoving Jarod’s chart into Meisser’s hand. The orders came down right after he passed out the second time toward the end of the cloning session.”
“I understand that, but you bend the rules all the time,” Meisser offered, trying to have Jarod transferred back to his room, with it’s coded lock, before phase two began.
“Aside from being anemic from his blood loss last night and being unacceptably under weight, he has two cracked ribs and is suffering from acute exhaustion. In his weakened state, he could probably sleep in the middle of a freeway during rush hour, without waking up. Look at him. Does he look like he’s having any trouble sleeping to you? I don’t see any point in sticking my neck out just to appease you.”
“Hey, unless you need to give Jarod another blood transfusion, I don’t see the point in keeping him here. Hell, even that could be handle from downstairs, for that matter.”
“Give it up, Meisser, you had your chance with him. If you really gave a damn about him, you would have made sure he was getting enough sleep and eating properly so he wouldn’t have ended up here.”
“That’s not fair and you know it.”
“You might as well hear the whole thing. As far as his mental status is concerned, Mr. Parker thinks you’ve blown it there too. I was ordered to give him a complete mental evaluation. He appears to be in worse shape now than when I first examined him, two nights ago. I received a report from Raines late today, documenting his problems with mental confusion and unwarranted distractibility. Hell, I’m not even sure the kid’s head is screwed on straight, the way he carries on in his sleep.”
“Well, I’m sure Jarod appreciates you broadcasting his complete medical status to every one in the infirmary. Can’t you at least keep your voice down, Grackle?” he asked hotly, noticing all the eyes staring at them.
“You know as well as I do, that just about every waking moment, Jarod has been required to be doing one thing or another as per orders directly from Mr. Parker, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it,” Meisser said in total frustration.
Suddenly his beeper went off, sending a chill down his spine.
“Ok, look, go ahead and keep him in the infirmary for right now, but at least put him in with Dr. Green. I don’t want him in a room by himself. You can do that can’t you?” he suggested, knowing there were coded locks on the private rooms.
“If it’ll keep you from having a coronary, you have a deal. Martha, get some orderlies in here and have Jarod transferred to Private room 1E immediately. Satisfied, Meisser?”
“I want to talk with him after he’s settled in. I’ll be back in a little while.”
“Suit yourself. I’m leaving for the day. Why don’t you go home too? You’re not married to this place you know.”
“I’ve still got a lot of things to do. See you tomorrow, Grackle,” Meisser said as he quickly made his exit, knowing something serious was up for Harris to break radio silence.”
“Oh, joy. I can’t wait,” Dr. Grackle mumbled grabbing his briefcase and heading home for the night, not knowing he was about to be picked up by the Feds.
* * *
Dr. Meisser’s Office
8:16 PM
“Dr. Meisser.”
“Bad news, Meisser. Mr. Lyle just entered the Centre.”
“Sorry, you’ve got the wrong number,” the agent feigned terminating the phone call and dialing the infirmary.
“Davies, Dr. Meisser. I need to have you cover for me until I get back. Go to room 1E and stay put. Ignore any orders but mine.”
Wasting no time, the agent quickly stepped into the coat closet and slipped on his holster, checked to make sure his gun was loaded and slid it in. Mumbling expletives, he slipped on his lab jacket and grabbed 2 syringes as he headed out the door. He would have to make sure Lyle was contained without compromising their cover. Several agents would have to be informed, he thought, as he headed for central supply a couple of doors from the infirmary.
***
Central Supply
Medical wing
8:21 PM
“Drew, I need for you to autoclave these instruments for me,” Agent Meisser said handing him some items he had grabbed from a drawer in his office. “Inform the agents covering the hostages that Mr. Lyle is inside the Centre,” he whispered keeping his back to the surveillance camera. “Let me know, when you’re finished. I’ll be in the infirmary for right now.”
“Yes, Sir.”
****
Renewal Wing
Cell #16
8:25 PM
Miss Parker sat on the cold metal bed staring through the little glass window in the door, wishing someone would give her an update on what was going on.
Getting up, she started to pace again, feeling more than anything else like she was going to loose her mind. She shivered involuntarily, imagining all the years that Jarod, Angelo, and God only knows who else, had spent trapped like she was now.
One thing she still couldn’t figure out was why, after all the years of abuse Jarod had survived, he buckled now right before the pull out. It just didn’t make any sense.
Thinking about how they were all going to be free of the Centre, she remembered her dad and the whole Centre hierarchy were probably under arrest by now. Her dad, the Centre’s Chairman. She felt so strange realizing she felt no pity for him at all. Good riddance to bad garbage, she thought, feeling angry and betrayed.
Leaning against the cold wall, she tried to calm down, until she saw a rat squeeze its way under her door.
“Let me out of here, you son of a bitch,” she yelled to the sweeper outside her door, giving her dinner tray a swift kick, splattering food all over the floor.
“This place is infested with rats! Open the damn door!”
Parker was immediately rewarded with the sound of the coded lock being worked and the appearance of a sweeper she had never met.
“What’s the trouble in here, ma’am?” the agent asked, glancing down at the mash potatoes his foot was in and following the curve of her gorgeous legs and body, up to her angry face.
“Ma’am? Now that’s a new one. I’m out of here,” she said, giving him a hard shove, trying to move him out of the way. “Bye the way, watch where you’re drooling, mister, or you’ll be wearing the impression of my stiletto right between you eyes.”
The agent turned an unusually bright color of red, as he gave her a direct look.
“Hold it right there,” he said, positioning himself between his incredibly beautiful assignment and the surveillance camera, quietly introduced himself as Agent Baxter. Quickly he informed her that she would be sealed in her cubical until the swat teams clear the area and that she would need to position herself away from the window. He also instructed her to slip on the gas mask hidden under the bed.
“That’s just great. I don’t give a shit who you are, you’re not keeping me down here with the rats. Step aside.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. I’ll be right outside if you need anything. Why don’t you try to relax.”
“Go to hell.”
****
Renewal Wing
Cell 13
Stepping down the hallway, Agent Baxter peeked through the window of cell # 13 and was startled by Broots wide eyed face staring back at him.
Working the coded lock, the agent stepped into the small cubical, to check on the apprehensive computer tech.
“So you skipped dinner, too. Well, at least you didn’t kick it around on the floor,” the agent said, positioning himself between the camera and his charge and giving him the final instructions he had just given Parker.
Broots let out a nervous sigh. “I um, guess you were talking about Miss Parker, with the tray, I mean,” he offered, trying to act like nothing was going on, but looking very guilty. “Sh she must be really mad, being locked up like that. She’s ok, isn’t she?”
“Oh, yeah, she’s just fine. Just be glad you don’t have to deal with her right now. Look, try to get some rest. I imagine you’re still pretty weak, having just had the flu. I’ll leave your drink,” he said picking up his dinner tray. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be right outside your door.”
“You will? Oh, um, th thanks.”
****
Renewal Wing
Cell 19
8:35 PM
“Major Charles?” the agent called as he opened the cell door, not wanting to startle the older man, who was lying awkwardly on the iron bed.
“Just go away and leave me alone,” Jarod’s father said, rising to his feet and taking a defensive stance. “I’m through being used to intimidate my son into doing things. Can’t you people see that you’re destroying him? I hope you all rot in hell.”
“No, you don’t understand. I’m just here to collect your tray.”
“Well, you can collect this instead,” Major Charles said grabbing him from behind as he stooped to pick up his tray, and putting him in a head lock.”
The agent was swift to react and had the exhausted major quickly subdued, taking the opportunity of their close proximity to relay to him his final instructions.
“Get up slowly, Major,” the agent said, holding his hands tightly behind his back. “ We have to make this look good for the camera, he whispered, slamming him into the wall.
“Try something like that again, and you’re a dead man.”
“I, um lost it. It won’t happen again. Look, just let me see my son.”
“There is no one here to authorize that right now. Besides, he’s probably fast asleep. He’s been ordered to have complete bed rest until Monday. Don’t worry, the doctors in the infirmary will take good care of him.”
“The infirmary, My God! Don’t you know what happened to him last night when he was there.”
****
(Mr. Lyle’s private office)
Lyle perked up when he heard this new information, glancing up at the monitor. “Why, thank you for letting me know where Jarod is,” he said smoothly, as he pressed the off switch, pleased to be reaping the rewards of having his own newly installed surveillance system. “What a pity I’m going to have to leave this all behind,” he said as he reached in a drawer for the syringe.
****
“They’ve got it covered this time. You’re just going to have to trust me on that. Is there anything you need before I leave?”
“No, I guess not.”
“Try to get some rest, Major. I’ll be right outside if something comes up,” he said picking up the tray and leaving the cell.
****
Private patient room 1E
8:37 PM
Sydney observed Jarod as he suddenly woke up screaming, the tendrils of a nightmare still holding him in it’s frightening grip.
“Jarod, it was just a dream. Try to slow your breathing.” Sydney urged, watching the shaken young man struggle to catch his breath.
“Sydney?” the pretender breathed trying to pull himself together. “Where am I?”
“You’re in my room off the infirmary. Dr. Grackle had you moved here about 30 minutes ago. You’ve been in the infirmary since the end of your cloning session. Apparently you passed out one too many times.”
“I was just overwhelmed with fatigue,” Jarod said, as he started to lay back on his bed.
“When did you start throwing your pillow?”
“Pillow?”
“You threw it across the room right before you woke up. Jarod, you’re going to need counseling…”
“Don’t. Not right now,” Jarod said quietly, as he retrieved his pillow and slipped back in bed. In only a few moments he fell back into a restless sleep.
****
Private room 1E
8:55PM
“Good evening, Dr. Green. How are you feeling?” Dr. Meisser asked entering the room and heading over to Jarod’s bed.
”Much better, thank you. It’s nice to finally have a room mate, even if he’s going to be sleeping the entire time,” he said glancing at Jarod and smiling slightly.
“Well, until Mr. Parker sanctions a reformulated serum for him, I guess that’s pretty much how it’s going to play out,” the agent said, while glancing at the pretender’s chart, purposely keeping up his front.
“Jarod, sorry to wake you. Let’s give you a quick once over, before I give you your shot,” the agent said running through his vitals, while he lay completely still almost falling asleep again.
****
“So how’s he doing, Doc?” Lyle asked with a congenial smile, stepping into the room with his gun drawn, sporting a silencer.
“Mr. Lyle, what the hell are you doing?”
“Taking care of some loose ends,” he said, knocking the agent to the floor with a forceful blow from his gun.
“You won’t get away with this. Security will be here any minute. I found your bloody glove in room 105. Mr. Parker knows you’re the one who slit Jarod’s wrist and has a contract out on you. You’ll never get out of the building alive.”
“Oh, but I will. Check out the security camera. It’s down. No one will find your dead bodies until I’m long gone. Except yours, Jarod. I’ve decided to let you live, if you could call it that. You’ll be taking a hallucinogen trip, which will make the last one seem like a walk in the park. Mr. Davies, give it to him,” he said handing the sweeper the syringe.
“Yes Sir,” the agent said taking the syringe and stepping over to Jarod’s bed, as he quickly slid off the other side, calculating his next move.
“You know, Jarod, I can’t wait to see how you like this. I was told it is very fast acting. Unfortunately for you, there’ll be no coming back this time,” he said, enjoying the look of utter contempt on the pretender’s face as he backed into the corner, his eyes never leaving the syringe. “Nothing personal, genius. This time it’s strictly business. A smart man always eliminates his competition.”
“Oh, don’t look at me that way, Sydney. You’re whole career has been built around manipulating Jarod’s mind. I really don’t understand why you’re having a problem with this. For God’s sake, Davies, what’s the matter with you? Give him the damn shot or I’ll blow your brains out.”
Suddenly, Lyle dropped his gun and fell to the floor, his eyes rolling back in his head, as he tried to ride out the sudden overwhelming euphoric effects of Jarod’s 9:00 shot.
“Get that slime bag out of here, Davies,” Agent Meisser said, getting to his feet, hardly containing his anger. “Put him in padded isolation room A, down the hall, and scramble the coded lock.”
“It’ll be my pleasure,” he said, frisking the drugged man before hoisting him into Sydney’s wheelchair and whisking him away.
“Sorry to frighten you, Jarod. I didn’t get a chance to introduce you to Agent Davies, before Lyle arrived,” he said, giving the pretender a sympathetic look. Jarod leaned back against the wall, relief pouring over him, enjoying the fact that he would probably never see Lyle again.
“Ok, while the security camera is down, why don’t I go ahead and give you your final instructions for tonight now,” he said looking from Sydney to Jarod to make sure he had their attention. “The coded lock will freeze when the swat teams strike, and remain that way, until we are ready to remove you from the building. There is a gas mask under each bed. Make sure you have yours on at 11:00 PM. Davies will remain in here to give you any help you need. Stay down and away from the window in the door. Questions? Ok, enough said,” he said breaking into a big smile.
Stepping over to where the agent had placed Lyle’s effects, Meisser eyed the surveillance disruption device.
“Clever,” he said, glancing up at the inactive camera, before giving the device a click reactivating the camera.
.
“Ok, Jarod, let’s get you taken care of,” he said, slipping another syringe out of his pocket, deftly flicking it with his finger to get the bubbles out. Go ahead and lay down.”
Jarod continued to lean against the wall, making no move to comply.
“Jarod, are you all right?”
“I have no intention of being totally incapacitated right now. I’d rather skip this dose and catch up on it later.”
“Jarod, there’s no way I can let you do that. This serum is time sensitive. It won’t work if you skip a dose. You’ve come too far with this to jeopardize your future now. We’ll handle anything that comes up. You’ve got to trust us.”
Jarod stood there staring at the agent, but his mind seen a million miles away.
Finally, he conceded and lay back down on the bed so the doctor could deliver his shot.
The last thing Jarod saw before he lost consciousness was Sydney watching him with an unreadable expression on his face, as the drug flooded his mind and overwhelmed his exhausted body.
* * *
The Centre
11:15 PM
Mezzanine: first level, all exists, docking and receiving
With the outer perimeter totally secured, the SWAT teams rushed every entrance, preceded by teargas, taking out the Centre’s entire interior first line of defense.
Gemini and Jarod’s pre-sets in the Centre’s Mainframe had gone off without a hitch. All computer defense systems, communications, surveillance, power, and back up were all off line. Sweepers and other personnel were left groping in the dark, while the SWAT teams wearing infrared goggles and gas masks easily took them out.
* * *
Private room 1E
Centre Infirmary
11:20 PM
“Wake up, Jarod, it’s almost time to go,” Dr. Meisser said, patting his shoulder, then stepping over to confer with the two sharpshooters who were reloading their weapons by the door.
Jarod sat up with a start and tried to get his bearings, the effects of the 9:00 shot still making him extremely disoriented. Incredibly, he had fallen back to sleep right after he’d slipped his gas mask on despite the screams and weapons going off throughout the building.
From a distance, Dr. Meisser broke into a big smile, watching the look of wonder and excitement flash across the pretender’s eyes, knowing he was about to face real freedom for the first time in his life.
“Get your shoes on and hurry, Jarod,” he said, nodding to Agent Davies, who wheeled Sydney over to the door.
Jarod slipped them on quickly and stood up, suddenly noticing Angelo standing nearby. His childhood friend was wearing his torn black leather jacket and holding a box of what looked like Centre red files.
“Angelo go with friend,” he said handing him the Pez container he had found in one of the jacket pockets.
“Thank you,” Jarod said, breaking into a big smile.
Suddenly Angelo let out a yelp, dropping his box of red files and crouching down, as another volley of gunfire echoes through the hallway.
“Angelo, look at me,” Jarod said stooping down next to the frightened manchild. “It’s all right. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise,” Jarod said, looking into his strikingly blue eyes and noticing how surreal everyone looked wearing their gas masks.
“Rice, Agent Meisser. We’ve got some heavy fire up here. Request immediate support. Waiting transfer of hostages, do you copy?”
“I copy that. Sit tight, we’re working on it. Just give us a few more minutes. I’ll get back to you.”
* * *
Renewal Wing
11:30 PM
Bodies were being dragged out of the way, as the Agents hurried Broots, Miss Parker, and Major Charles down the bloody corridor and into ventilation tunnel 27 401. Several Marksmen entered the tunnel ahead of the three, their guns trained toward the dim light ahead. Several other shooters brought up the rear occasionally firing a few rounds.
Smoke and the remnants of tear gas hung heavy in the air, as they emerged into the night air and were quickly moved into the waiting vehicles.
* * *
Infirmary
11:32 PM
The gunfire finally died down, as Angelo, Jarod and Sydney were moved down the heavily guarded hallway, strewn with bodies. Surrounded in front and on either side by heavily armed marksmen and with Agent Meisser and Davies bringing up the rear, they made their way through ventilation tunnel 24 204 to 27 203, and out to the waiting vehicles.
The emergency lights danced across their faces as Jarod, Angelo and Sydney ditched their gas masked and the two were loaded into an agent’s car, while Sydney was loaded into an ambulance and all were whisked away.
