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Disclaimer: The characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots etc. and the fictional Centre, are all property of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and used without permission. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended.
The Tender Side of The Heart
part 5
By Sarah Elizabeth
Two hours later Jarod walked along the beach near Plymouth Rock. He couldn’t believe how stupid he’d been. Taken in and nearly caught because of something he wanted to be true even when his gut told him that it wasn’t real. He was always telling Miss Parker to follow her instincts. Maybe he should have listened to his own advice.
Quickly Jarod dialed Miss Parker’s number.
“Nice try,” he said when she answered. “But you haven’t caught me yet.”
“What are you talking about?” Miss Parker said. “We haven’t had a single lead on you in weeks. Daddy is furious and the Triumverate has put out a hit order on Sydney.”
“What?” Jarod questioned. “Well if you didn’t send Sarah then who did?”
“Did you say Sarah?” Miss Parker asked. “That’s the name of a Pretender Sydney supposedly helped escape two and a half years ago.”
“How did you know about her?” Jarod asked.
“Sydney asked Broots to check into the whereabouts of her son,” Miss Parker answered.
“Is Broots with you?” Jarod asked. “I need to talk to him.”
“He’s in the Tech room,” Miss Parker said.
“Thank you Miss Parker,” Jarod said, and then disconnected the call.
Jarod dialed into Broots personal cell and waited for the man to pick up.
“Broots,” Broots answered.
“Hello, Mr. Broots,” Jarod said. “How’s Debbie?”
“Sh… she’s fine.” Broots stammered.
“Broots,” Jarod said. “I need to know what you’ve found out about Sarah and her son.”
“I…I don’t know Jarod. Miss Parker would kill me if she knew I was giving you inform…”
“I just spoke with Miss Parker,” Jarod said. “Just tell me. It may be a matter of life and death.”
“Well” Broots said. I had to go through several data bases and break into three different offices.”
“The point Broots,” Jarod said.
“Sarah was part of a program called Prodigy 2. Officially she died in May of ’98 in the explosion in SL-27. A few weeks ago, Travis apparently spotted her with her son near one of the places where you had also been seen. Travis recognized her and told Mr. Raines. Raines apparently decided to kidnap her son before capturing her to ensure her full cooperation and has had sweepers tailing her ever since. From what I can tell her son is not being held here, but so far that’s the only thing I’ve found on him. Apparently, no one knew about him before he was spotted with Sarah. I’ll keep searching.”
“Thank you Broots,” Jarod said.
“Jarod?” Broots questioned. “Why is this so important to you? I mean I know you like to stand up for the innocent, but…”
“Sarah is my daughter,” Jarod said. He hung up the phone knowing that the knowledge he had just passed would cause Broots to work even harder to find the truth.
******************************************************************
Broots put his phone away as he let Jarod’s words sink in. Jarod was a father! Had a daughter. Broots thought about his own daughter and thought about if he was in Jarod’s place. Realizing how hard it would be if Debbie had a missing child redoubled Broots’ determination to get to the truth.
“Hard at work I see,” Miss Parker said walking into the room.
“Miss Parker,” Broots said. I just got a call from Jarod.”
“I just talked to the lab rat myself,” Miss Parker said. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him what we know,” Broots said with an uncharacteristic boldness. “He told me the strangest thing.”
“Strange is normal at The Centre Broots,” Miss Parker said. “What did he tell you?”
“Well,” Broots said. “He told me that Sarah is his daughter.”
“I want everything you can find on Prodigy 2,” Miss Parker said. “I want to be informed as soon as you find anything.”
******************************************************************
Sarah walked over to the bench by the playground where Sydney sat. As soon as she realized that Jarod had left her behind she had called Sydney and they had agreed to meet at Central Park since they were both in the New York area. Sydney called Anthony back from the Merry-go-round where he was playing and they all headed for Sydney’s new rental car as the older man introduced his two prodigies to each other.
“He heard me talking on the phone,” Sarah said. “He must have misunderstood what was being said.”
“He’ll call me soon,” Sydney said. “We’ll explain then. Let’s worry about Paul now.”
As if Raines could read minds, he chose that moment to call. “Sorry I’m late calling back,” he said sarcastically. “I hope you’re not too late to save your son.”
“Well,” Sarah said. “I guess I know how you felt when Annie was missing. Lonely. Terrified. At least you had your wife to comfort you.”
“Not the same,” Raines answered. “I’m offering you a chance to save your son. Annie wasn’t so lucky.”
“What chance Dr. Mengaele?” Sarah asked. What chance are you offering him? A chance to be raised by Centre pawns so you can take another future killer under your wing. Like Lyle or Ethan? Or one that just barely gets away for you to have killed later like Kyle, and Christina, and Jeremy?”
“I didn’t have Jeremy killed,” Raines said, his voice seeping with arrogance.
“He wouldn’t have committed suicide if you hadn’t brainwashed him. I will not give in! And if anything happens to my son, you will wish you had never been born. I know your secrets and if my son is not returned to me unharmed, so will the Triumverate. Call me back in an hour.”
Sydney stared at Sarah in amazement. He had known many Pretenders, but never one so bold or so stupid. Threatening Raines was suicide. “What do you think you’re doing?” Sydney asked.
“If you can’t beat ‘em. Join ‘em.” Sarah said.
“What do you mean by that?” Sydney asked.
“I know more about Raines than anyone else alive,” Sarah answered. “I have the information stored in various databases throughout the world. If anything happens to me or if I choose to release it, all that information as well as the evidence needed to convict everyone involved will be released. First to the FBI and the CIA, and then to the Triumverate. In addition it would be sent to every major newspaper and news network. Raines will be lucky if the law catches him before The Centre.”
“You’re playing with fire,” Sydney said. “If Raines decides to kill your son anyway…”
“Trust me Syd, he won’t,” Sarah responded. “Not when he finds out how much I know. Knowledge is power if that knowledge has the opportunity to be passed to the right people.”
******************************************************************
Mr. Raines pounded his fist against his office wall. This was not working out as he had planned. Sarah had never been submissive, but he had thought that separation from her son would break her. What did she have on him? When she was a child she had reminded him so much of Annie. He had confided in her and revealed secrets. He had coddled her unlike any of the others and this was how she repaid him? What had he told her and then forgotten? What had she found out on her own? He must find out and fast.
******************************************************************
Broots rubbed his eyes as he tried to keep them focused. Whoever had handled the cover up of Prodigy 2 had done a very thorough job. He had been staring at the screen for several hours straight and still had been unable to find any further information. He was just about to take a break when something caught his eye. It was a message sent from an unknown terminal within The Centre ten years earlier:
To: Debbie’s Dad
From: Anastasia
We are closer in distance than you might think. We may meet someday. Don’t worry, this is not a romantic thing but I would like to be friends and to meet your wife and daughter. It is not possible for me right now, but maybe someday.
Broots nearly fell back in his chair. He remembered the message, but it had never occurred to him that Anastasia might actually be within The Centre. He had been in communication with her for fifteen years and still they had not met. How was Anastasia related to Prodigy 2 and could she possibly know where Paul was?
Quickly, Broots pulled up his e-mail and pulled up Anastasia’s address. “Why didn’t you tell me you were at The Centre?” he typed. Quickly he finished his message and sent it, hoping for a quick response.
******************************************************************
Jarod sat before a fire in Miss Parker’s living room. He had dinner cooking in the oven and had set the table. All there was left to do now was await her arrival and hope that he managed to disarm her before she shot him. He knew she was on her way home he’d been tracking her movements for hours. It was only a matter of minutes before she would arrive.
Hearing Miss Parker pull into the driveway, Jarod hid himself behind the front door and waited. Miss Parker entered the house with gun raised and checked behind the door just in time for Jarod to grab the weapon from her hands.
“What game will it be tonight?” Miss Parker asked scowling.
“No games this time,” Jarod answered her. “Please, Miss Parker. Sit down.”
“I’ll stand,” Miss Parker said. “Just tell me why you’re here so you can leave me alone!”
“It’s about Prodigy 2,” Jarod said. “She’s our daughter.”
“You and who?” Miss Parker said trying to laugh.
“Me and you,” Jarod responded.
“Impossible,” Miss Parker said. “We never… I never would…”
“But your father did,” Jarod said. “He wanted you to have a child he could blackmail you with. A genius child.”
“Are you sure?” Miss Parker asked. “I mean how do you know?”
“I took a DNA sample,” Jarod said. “I tested it two hours ago. She is our daughter.”
******************************************************************
Sarah sat in her hotel room and tried to make herself concentrate on simming a way to get her son back. She knew her phone call to Raines was only a way to buy time. Raines would never give in. His will to live wasn’t that strong. If only they knew where he was being kept. Suddenly her phone rang.
“This is Sarah.”
“Sarah, it’s Jason,” said the voice on the other line. “We’ve found out where Paul is being held! Chris from Minneapolis just called and he’s been assigned as one of the guards.”
“Find out what shift Chris is on and call me back. I’ll have to ditch Sydney, but I’ll be at headquarters A.S.A.P.”
“Sarah,” Jason said. “Why don’t you bring Sydney with you? Our sources say The Tower’s got a hit order out on him. He’s one of us now.”
“His loyalties are uncertain,” Sarah reminded him. “He might betray us.”
“There’s no reason for him to,” Jason said. “And he might be able to help us rescue Paul.”
“Bad idea,” Sarah said. “I won’t expose our operation, not even for my son. I can’t be responsible for the loss of lives like that ever again.”
part 5
By Sarah Elizabeth
Two hours later Jarod walked along the beach near Plymouth Rock. He couldn’t believe how stupid he’d been. Taken in and nearly caught because of something he wanted to be true even when his gut told him that it wasn’t real. He was always telling Miss Parker to follow her instincts. Maybe he should have listened to his own advice.
Quickly Jarod dialed Miss Parker’s number.
“Nice try,” he said when she answered. “But you haven’t caught me yet.”
“What are you talking about?” Miss Parker said. “We haven’t had a single lead on you in weeks. Daddy is furious and the Triumverate has put out a hit order on Sydney.”
“What?” Jarod questioned. “Well if you didn’t send Sarah then who did?”
“Did you say Sarah?” Miss Parker asked. “That’s the name of a Pretender Sydney supposedly helped escape two and a half years ago.”
“How did you know about her?” Jarod asked.
“Sydney asked Broots to check into the whereabouts of her son,” Miss Parker answered.
“Is Broots with you?” Jarod asked. “I need to talk to him.”
“He’s in the Tech room,” Miss Parker said.
“Thank you Miss Parker,” Jarod said, and then disconnected the call.
Jarod dialed into Broots personal cell and waited for the man to pick up.
“Broots,” Broots answered.
“Hello, Mr. Broots,” Jarod said. “How’s Debbie?”
“Sh… she’s fine.” Broots stammered.
“Broots,” Jarod said. “I need to know what you’ve found out about Sarah and her son.”
“I…I don’t know Jarod. Miss Parker would kill me if she knew I was giving you inform…”
“I just spoke with Miss Parker,” Jarod said. “Just tell me. It may be a matter of life and death.”
“Well” Broots said. I had to go through several data bases and break into three different offices.”
“The point Broots,” Jarod said.
“Sarah was part of a program called Prodigy 2. Officially she died in May of ’98 in the explosion in SL-27. A few weeks ago, Travis apparently spotted her with her son near one of the places where you had also been seen. Travis recognized her and told Mr. Raines. Raines apparently decided to kidnap her son before capturing her to ensure her full cooperation and has had sweepers tailing her ever since. From what I can tell her son is not being held here, but so far that’s the only thing I’ve found on him. Apparently, no one knew about him before he was spotted with Sarah. I’ll keep searching.”
“Thank you Broots,” Jarod said.
“Jarod?” Broots questioned. “Why is this so important to you? I mean I know you like to stand up for the innocent, but…”
“Sarah is my daughter,” Jarod said. He hung up the phone knowing that the knowledge he had just passed would cause Broots to work even harder to find the truth.
******************************************************************
Broots put his phone away as he let Jarod’s words sink in. Jarod was a father! Had a daughter. Broots thought about his own daughter and thought about if he was in Jarod’s place. Realizing how hard it would be if Debbie had a missing child redoubled Broots’ determination to get to the truth.
“Hard at work I see,” Miss Parker said walking into the room.
“Miss Parker,” Broots said. I just got a call from Jarod.”
“I just talked to the lab rat myself,” Miss Parker said. “What did you tell him?”
“I told him what we know,” Broots said with an uncharacteristic boldness. “He told me the strangest thing.”
“Strange is normal at The Centre Broots,” Miss Parker said. “What did he tell you?”
“Well,” Broots said. “He told me that Sarah is his daughter.”
“I want everything you can find on Prodigy 2,” Miss Parker said. “I want to be informed as soon as you find anything.”
******************************************************************
Sarah walked over to the bench by the playground where Sydney sat. As soon as she realized that Jarod had left her behind she had called Sydney and they had agreed to meet at Central Park since they were both in the New York area. Sydney called Anthony back from the Merry-go-round where he was playing and they all headed for Sydney’s new rental car as the older man introduced his two prodigies to each other.
“He heard me talking on the phone,” Sarah said. “He must have misunderstood what was being said.”
“He’ll call me soon,” Sydney said. “We’ll explain then. Let’s worry about Paul now.”
As if Raines could read minds, he chose that moment to call. “Sorry I’m late calling back,” he said sarcastically. “I hope you’re not too late to save your son.”
“Well,” Sarah said. “I guess I know how you felt when Annie was missing. Lonely. Terrified. At least you had your wife to comfort you.”
“Not the same,” Raines answered. “I’m offering you a chance to save your son. Annie wasn’t so lucky.”
“What chance Dr. Mengaele?” Sarah asked. What chance are you offering him? A chance to be raised by Centre pawns so you can take another future killer under your wing. Like Lyle or Ethan? Or one that just barely gets away for you to have killed later like Kyle, and Christina, and Jeremy?”
“I didn’t have Jeremy killed,” Raines said, his voice seeping with arrogance.
“He wouldn’t have committed suicide if you hadn’t brainwashed him. I will not give in! And if anything happens to my son, you will wish you had never been born. I know your secrets and if my son is not returned to me unharmed, so will the Triumverate. Call me back in an hour.”
Sydney stared at Sarah in amazement. He had known many Pretenders, but never one so bold or so stupid. Threatening Raines was suicide. “What do you think you’re doing?” Sydney asked.
“If you can’t beat ‘em. Join ‘em.” Sarah said.
“What do you mean by that?” Sydney asked.
“I know more about Raines than anyone else alive,” Sarah answered. “I have the information stored in various databases throughout the world. If anything happens to me or if I choose to release it, all that information as well as the evidence needed to convict everyone involved will be released. First to the FBI and the CIA, and then to the Triumverate. In addition it would be sent to every major newspaper and news network. Raines will be lucky if the law catches him before The Centre.”
“You’re playing with fire,” Sydney said. “If Raines decides to kill your son anyway…”
“Trust me Syd, he won’t,” Sarah responded. “Not when he finds out how much I know. Knowledge is power if that knowledge has the opportunity to be passed to the right people.”
******************************************************************
Mr. Raines pounded his fist against his office wall. This was not working out as he had planned. Sarah had never been submissive, but he had thought that separation from her son would break her. What did she have on him? When she was a child she had reminded him so much of Annie. He had confided in her and revealed secrets. He had coddled her unlike any of the others and this was how she repaid him? What had he told her and then forgotten? What had she found out on her own? He must find out and fast.
******************************************************************
Broots rubbed his eyes as he tried to keep them focused. Whoever had handled the cover up of Prodigy 2 had done a very thorough job. He had been staring at the screen for several hours straight and still had been unable to find any further information. He was just about to take a break when something caught his eye. It was a message sent from an unknown terminal within The Centre ten years earlier:
To: Debbie’s Dad
From: Anastasia
We are closer in distance than you might think. We may meet someday. Don’t worry, this is not a romantic thing but I would like to be friends and to meet your wife and daughter. It is not possible for me right now, but maybe someday.
Broots nearly fell back in his chair. He remembered the message, but it had never occurred to him that Anastasia might actually be within The Centre. He had been in communication with her for fifteen years and still they had not met. How was Anastasia related to Prodigy 2 and could she possibly know where Paul was?
Quickly, Broots pulled up his e-mail and pulled up Anastasia’s address. “Why didn’t you tell me you were at The Centre?” he typed. Quickly he finished his message and sent it, hoping for a quick response.
******************************************************************
Jarod sat before a fire in Miss Parker’s living room. He had dinner cooking in the oven and had set the table. All there was left to do now was await her arrival and hope that he managed to disarm her before she shot him. He knew she was on her way home he’d been tracking her movements for hours. It was only a matter of minutes before she would arrive.
Hearing Miss Parker pull into the driveway, Jarod hid himself behind the front door and waited. Miss Parker entered the house with gun raised and checked behind the door just in time for Jarod to grab the weapon from her hands.
“What game will it be tonight?” Miss Parker asked scowling.
“No games this time,” Jarod answered her. “Please, Miss Parker. Sit down.”
“I’ll stand,” Miss Parker said. “Just tell me why you’re here so you can leave me alone!”
“It’s about Prodigy 2,” Jarod said. “She’s our daughter.”
“You and who?” Miss Parker said trying to laugh.
“Me and you,” Jarod responded.
“Impossible,” Miss Parker said. “We never… I never would…”
“But your father did,” Jarod said. “He wanted you to have a child he could blackmail you with. A genius child.”
“Are you sure?” Miss Parker asked. “I mean how do you know?”
“I took a DNA sample,” Jarod said. “I tested it two hours ago. She is our daughter.”
******************************************************************
Sarah sat in her hotel room and tried to make herself concentrate on simming a way to get her son back. She knew her phone call to Raines was only a way to buy time. Raines would never give in. His will to live wasn’t that strong. If only they knew where he was being kept. Suddenly her phone rang.
“This is Sarah.”
“Sarah, it’s Jason,” said the voice on the other line. “We’ve found out where Paul is being held! Chris from Minneapolis just called and he’s been assigned as one of the guards.”
“Find out what shift Chris is on and call me back. I’ll have to ditch Sydney, but I’ll be at headquarters A.S.A.P.”
“Sarah,” Jason said. “Why don’t you bring Sydney with you? Our sources say The Tower’s got a hit order out on him. He’s one of us now.”
“His loyalties are uncertain,” Sarah reminded him. “He might betray us.”
“There’s no reason for him to,” Jason said. “And he might be able to help us rescue Paul.”
“Bad idea,” Sarah said. “I won’t expose our operation, not even for my son. I can’t be responsible for the loss of lives like that ever again.”
