Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: See chapter 1 -( 09/01/03 )
Stumbling Toward Nirvana
By Phenyx Chapter 3 (Nukeru wan =missing one)
-
Parker moaned. Every inch of her body ached. Even her hair hurt when it shifted across her face. She tried to move, to test for the existence of her limbs. But she found that she was again tied to the wooden chair.
"How long have I been out?" She asked with a groan.
"Several hours," Lyle answered from his position behind her.
Parker ran the tip of her tongue across dry swollen lips. "I don't suppose they've brought us any water?" she asked hopefully.
Lyle snorted in the negative.
The lighting had changed in the large room indicating that it was now dark outside. As Parker glanced at the window, there was a flash, illuminating rivulets of rain that ran down the window. Thunder could be heard only faintly over the bubbling fish tanks. Despite the agony it caused, Parker craned her neck to look around for her captors.
"Where are they?" she asked.
Lyle shrugged as best he could in his bindings. "Said something about coming back after sunset, but they were talking too fast for me to understand everything."
"You should have paid better attention to your lessons, moron," Parker scoffed.
"Shut up, Parker," Lyle snapped.
"Kiss my ass, you psychotic imbecile," she snarled back at him.
The Yakuza chose that moment to re-enter the room. Tommy and his uncle, along with two other thugs, strode toward their prisoners with determination. Stopping only a few feet from where Parker sat, the elder Tanaka, Tommy's uncle, nodded briefly at one of the men. Unusually tall and broad for a Japanese man, the henchman had a gauze bandage wrapped around one hand. With a leering grin, he reached into his breast pocket and removed a long thin blade.
"I will ask you again, Mr. Lyle," Tommy's uncle said. "Where is my daughter?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Lyle responded with a smile.
"Cut her," the elder man ordered in Japanese.
The steel door abruptly clanged open again and another Yakuza henchman entered. Crossing the room toward his leader, he glanced furtively at the Parker twins before bowing low to his boss.
"Nukeru wan itaru, Tanaka-san," he said.
The other men looked to their boss with startled expressions.
"What is lost?" Lyle hissed to Parker. "I didn't catch it all."
"Hush," Parker snarled.
"Nukeru wan?" Tanaka pondered. "Why?"
The younger man shrugged. After a moment's hesitation, the Yakuza boss barked more commands in Japanese, sending the newest arrival back the way he had come. With a wave of his hand, Tanaka ordered the man with the knife to back off as well.
Parker hissed a silent sigh of relief.
"What is lost?" Lyle asked again in a low voice.
Parker shook her head. "Not 'lost'," she translated. "'Missing'. He said that 'the missing one has come'."
Miss Parker frowned as she noticed Tommy and the other thugs pulling pistols from their holsters. They did not look happy at this new revelation. The elder Tanaka stood formally with his hands clasped behind his back. When the younger man returned a moment later, he was followed by another tall lean figure dressed in black.
Parker nearly burst into tears when she saw him. Never in her life had she been so glad to see the irritating son of a bitch. He was wearing black jeans, a dark sweater and a pair of combat boots. Droplets of moisture clung to his thigh length leather coat.
Jarod walked calmly across the room and stopped in front of the elder Tanaka. The younger man who had been Jarod's escort, turned to Tanaka and handed him a semi-automatic 9mm handgun, butt first.
"Good evening, Honorable Sir," Jarod said in Japanese, bowing low as a sign of respect.
Tanaka was silent for a moment as he inspected the weapon that he had just been handed.
"Did you intend to use this on me, Nukeru wan?" Tanaka asked blandly in the same language.
"Only if necessary, Sir," Jarod answered.
Lyle, unable to keep up with the unfamiliar dialect, leaned toward Parker and hissed, "What are they saying?"
"Hush, or I won't be able to find out!" she whispered as she listened attentively to the conversation unfolding before her.
"I have no quarrel with you, Nukeru wan," Tanaka said. "Yet you come here, prepared to kill me. Why?"
Jarod's eyes glittered with hard determination. "I have come for the woman, honorable Sir."
Tanaka gazed thoughtfully at the pretender. "She is your enemy. I shall kill her for you. As my gift of friendship."
"I have no wish to see her dead, Sir." Jarod said in a deep dangerous voice. The musical lilt of the Japanese language flowed smoothly from the pretender's lips, as though he spoke it everyday. "On the contrary, should harm come to her while in your care, I would consider it a personal affront."
Jarod's eyes flickered toward Miss Parker purposefully. He quickly took in her haggard look and his jaw clenched.
"Unfortunately," Tanaka said icily. "I have found it necessary to cause her harm. I find it necessary to continue to do so."
Jarod replied in an equally cold tone, "I prefer not to be an enemy to the Yakuza. Give the woman to me and I will be indebted to you and your clan."
Tanaka's eyebrows rose high on his forehead. "A potentially profitable offer, Nukeru wan," he said.
"Very," Jarod agreed. "To deny me this request would carry a high cost, I assure you."
It was Tanaka's turn to nod. "The Yakuza also prefer not to be your enemy, Nukeru wan. We have already suffered your wrath, though indirectly."
Jarod smiled slyly. "Yet it is through those actions that you are now in power rather than your brother, Tanaka-san," he purred.
At this, Tommy Tanaka jumped forward as if to strike the pretender, but his uncle held him back with a glance.
"This is true," Tanaka said. "And yet, these things are all in regards to business. My interest in the Parkers is personal. It is a matter of family."
Jarod bowed again. "I know what you want from them, Sir. I grieve with thee. Your daughter has indeed been taken from you too soon. But your vengeance should be wrought upon Lyle. Not his sister."
"He will suffer as I suffer!" Tanaka yelled suddenly. "He will watch her die first!"
Jarod's voice stayed just as low an ominous as it had been before. "Lyle enjoys death. He will enjoy her death more than you know. You will be rewarding him for his crimes against you."
Tanaka snorted derisively.
"Give the girl to me," Jarod urged.
"Why does this matter to you?" Tanaka asked.
"Call it a healthy respect for our rivalry," Jarod smirked. "She is a worthy adversary, makes the game more interesting."
Tanaka turned and glanced thoughtfully toward Miss Parker. "The respect of one's enemies is an admirable trait," he said after a moment.
Parker straightened haughtily, shooting Tanaka the most regal glare she could conjure up considering the circumstances.
"Give me the girl," Jarod repeated. "Slice Lyle into bits and use him to chum the fish for all I care. But leave the woman to me."
"No," Tanaka said, his voice shaking with sudden fury. "I must have full retribution for what he has done."
Jarod nodded sadly, cast a soulful glance at Parker and began to turn away. As if it was an afterthought, Jarod bent at the waist, bowing low to Tanaka. In a blur of motion the bow morphed into a somersault as Jarod abruptly dove forward.
Rolling into a crouch, Jarod came up with a gun in one hand. Before anyone else had the chance to blink, there was a loud report and one of the Yakuza henchmen went down. Another was down and a third was falling before the others could dash for cover.
"Kill him!" Tanaka yelled as he scurried away. "Kill him and the woman! But leave Lyle to me!"
Jarod ducked and dodged across the room as bullets whizzed passed. The pretender ran toward the two rope-bound chairs as he fired his gun over one shoulder.
Parker and Lyle, immobile as they were, could do nothing but cringe and flinch as the firefight continued.
Jarod hopped over the two prisoners, grabbing the chair back as he vaulted over them. His momentum carried him passed Parker while his grip on the chair remained firm. Parker braced herself as he yanked on the chairs and she and Lyle both toppled over.
Lying flat on his belly, Jarod covered Parker's head with one hand and using her shoulder to steady his arm, he took aim and fired. With an abrupt cry and a wild shot, a fourth thug fell to the ground.
The stray bullet zinged over their heads and with a sickening thud, shot into the glass tank behind them. A heartbeat later, there was a cracking sound and the wall of the tank gave way. A huge wave of water came gushing out, smashing Parker, Lyle and Jarod into one another. Parker sputtered and tried to lift her head away from the fetid liquid. Scaly dark bodies slithered down her own as the fish washed over her.
The gunshots abruptly stopped. Jarod knew that Tanaka and his nephew were still lingering near. Jarod froze in position, listening as running footsteps echoed through the room. The pretender took the opportunity to reload his weapon, rolling onto his back to scan the area behind him.
Parker lay as still as she could, barely even breathing. Jarod's eyes, mere inches from hers, searched the room with icy precision. His gaze was flat and dark, almost black, and glittering dangerously.
There was another shot, coming so close that Parker could feel it nearly singe her thigh. Jarod ducked for only a moment before firing a shot in return. A body could be heard thudding to the ground just as Parker saw a shadow appear over Jarod's shoulder, creeping up on him from behind.
Tommy towered over the three prone figures. Parker watched in horror as the Japanese man cocked his pistol, aiming at the back of Jarod's head.
"Tommy, no!" she cried.
Jarod froze then slowly raised his hands before rolling over to see Tommy standing over him.
"Impressive, Nukeru wan," Tommy said. "You would have made a powerful ally."
"A liaison between us is still possible, Tanaka-san," Jarod said carefully. "The decision is now yours. Keep Lyle. Let Parker go free."
"If I were to show such weakness over a woman," Tommy said softly. "I would lose the respect of my men." His arm straightened as he prepared to fire. "I shall remember you fondly, Parker."
"No!" she screamed helplessly.
Jarod twitched, kicking upward, and suddenly a large fish was flying into the air. The creature was flopping about and gasping as it hit Tommy in the face. Jarod threw himself backward, covering Parker as best he could. Tanaka's gun went off, Lyle cried out and Jarod's pistol sounded simultaneously.
"Tommy," Parker whispered knowing immediately that her ex-lover could no longer hear her.
Tanaka had a startled look on his face. A bright red stain began to spread across the man's shirt as he dropped silently to his knees. A moment later he fell face first onto the floor.
"I'm hit!" Lyle groaned into Parker's ear. "Damn, my shoulder. I'm hit!"
"Not enough," Jarod hissed. The pretender crouched beside the tangled chairs. Pulling a switchblade from his pocket, he quickly slid the blade between the two chairs and sliced the rope that tied them together. Another flick of the knife and Parker's legs were free.
Jarod grabbed the rope binding Parker's wrists and hauled her to her feet. In a smooth, effortless motion, the pretender then tossed her over his shoulder and started to run toward the opposite wall.
"Jarod? What about me?" Lyle called. "JAROD!"
Leaving Lyle where he lay, Jarod dashed between two tanks and rounded a corner to another door. Three quick shots from his gun blasted away the lock. He crashed through to the other side just as many footsteps could be heard entering the room they had just left.
Jarod ran through a series of corridors without hesitation. Parker could only trust that he knew where he was going. She was bounced uncomfortably on his shoulder blade as the pretender sped through the halls.
Reaching an outer door, Jarod tipped Parker off of her perch. Her feet touched the floor as Jarod pressed her against the wall and signaled for quiet. He ducked his head outside for a fraction of a second, quickly scanning the area. Voices could be heard yelling in the distance but no one could be seen. Rain beat heavily onto the paved surface, leaving it slick and shiny.
Turning back to Parker, Jarod took a moment to use his knife and removed the rope from Parker's wrists.
"There is a jeep parked beside the building to our left," Jarod said softly. "It's about a hundred yards away. Can you make it?"
"I'll make it," Parker said firmly.
Jarod glanced warily at her. "How long have you been tied up?" he asked.
Parker shrugged. "I'm not sure exactly."
The pretender shook his head. "Can't risk it. If you stumble, we're done for." Without another word, Jarod grabbed Parker's left wrist and folded her over his shoulder once again. One quick glance out the door, and then Jarod was tearing across the compound, through the chilly rain.
All Parker could do was hang on for dear life and try to stay as evenly balanced as she possibly could. Even with her extra weight as a burden, Jarod crossed the distance much faster than she could have.
Parker's nylon clad feet hit the ground with a gentle splash when Jarod set her down. Having lost her shoes long before Jarod had shown up, Parker tiptoed through the icy puddles as she quickly rounded the car and jumped into the passenger seat.
A moment later, Jarod had started the engine and slammed the vehicle into gear. With the headlights off to prevent detection, Jarod drove through the darkness with skill and confidence. Whipping around a corner, the jeep skidded for a moment on the wet asphalt.
"You'd better buckle up, Parker," Jarod said grimly.
No sooner had Parker clicked the restraining belt into place, than Jarod maneuvered the car around another turn. The car headed straight for the chain link fence surrounding the facility's property. Parker braced one hand against the dashboard and squeezed her eyes shut.
There was a crash, a screech of metal against metal. Parker was thrown back and forth against the seatbelt. For a heart-stopping moment, Parker felt the car leave the ground. Thudding back to earth, the vehicle spun its tires briefly before catching as Jarod twisted the steering wheel hard. Fishtailing wildly, the car sped away.
Jarod's eyes flickered to the rearview mirror and Parker saw his jaw tighten. Whirling in her seat she glanced behind them and saw two pairs of lights glowing in the distance.
"Reload my weapon," Jarod commanded. "There are extra clips in the glove compartment."
Parker responded without hesitation. She took the gun from where it rested on Jarod's lap and quickly replaced the spent cartridges.
Jarod clenched the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. The jeep was bouncing erratically across the terrain. They were not on any road that Parker could discern. How the pretender managed to avoid obstacles, driving in the dark as he was, Parker could not begin to fathom.
Their flight through the blackness and rain seemed to go on for hours. Neither spoke, as if they both understood that Jarod needed all of his concentration focused on driving. They finally jolted onto a dirt road and the ride evened out to a degree.
Parker searched for lights behind them, lights that would indicate that they were still being pursued. Only one car followed at a distance. Jarod pressed on the accelerator and their vehicle soared down the well-worn road.
They raced through the darkness, speeding down the old country track. Parker leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes, clinging to her seat with both hands. The car seemed to be going faster and faster and Parker's heart rate increased accordingly. Placing her faith in Jarod's skill, Parker did her best to stay calm.
The dirt road on which they traveled emptied onto a desolate, two-lane highway. Jarod pulled onto the asphalt and eased up on the gas pedal as he flipped on the headlights with one hand.
Glancing behind them he said, "I think we lost them."
Parker's wavering sigh caused Jarod to glance at her with concern.
"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.
"I will be," Parker whispered.
Jarod frowned. "There's a knapsack behind my seat," he said. "With some bottled water and a couple of granola bars."
Parker unbuckled her seat belt and strained over the seat. Rummaging through the pack, she quickly found the water, twisted off the cap and began to gulp at it thirstily. Quickly finishing one bottle she opened another and drank half of it before she slowed.
Leaned wearily against the cushioned seat, Parker sighed and closed her eyes.
A moment later, Jarod pulled the jeep off to the side of the road and put it in park. Stepping out of the vehicle, he wordlessly came around to Parker's door. Flipping the overhead light on, Jarod crouched at Parker's side, chewing thoughtfully at his lip as rain began to dampen his hair.
Reaching out, Jarod tenderly took her chin between his fingers and tilted her face toward the light. Brushing her lip with the pad of his thumb he whispered, "This is a little swollen."
Parker simply nodded.
Leaning closer, the pretender carefully inspected the cut on her forehead. "This must have bled like a bitch," he observed.
Reaching into the backpack, Jarod retrieved a small first aid kit. He applied a little ointment and a band-aid to the cut on her head.
"There," he whispered when he had finished. "Does anything else hurt?"
Parker nodded softly. "Everything."
Jarod smirked. Scanning her appearance quickly, Jarod took Parker's hands in his own and turned them over, gently prodding at the red, raw flesh around her wrists. Taking a length of gauze from his kit, Jarod wrapped each wrist professionally, gently tying the ends in place.
"That's about all I can do for you right now," the pretender said softly.
"I'm fine," Parker protested.
Handing over a chewy snack bar Jarod said, "Eat this. The carbs will do you some good."
Parker took the offered treat without complaint as she leaned back against the headrest in exhaustion. Jarod reached across Parker's lap and refastened her seatbelt. Sliding his jacket off his shoulders, the pretender draped Parker in the warm leather, tucking it around her chin like a blanket.
Patting her gently on the shoulder, Jarod stood and closed the passenger side door. Quickly jogging back around the car, Jarod got in, started the engine and headed back onto the road.
Parker had no idea where they were, where they were headed or how long it would take to get there. To be honest, she didn't care. Snuggling into her seat, Parker closed her eyes. She reveled in the mixed scent of leather, rain and maleness that rose from Jarod's coat.
Parker's eyelids fluttered closed as the steady rhythm of the moving car lulled her into a deep sleep.
Stumbling Toward Nirvana
By Phenyx Chapter 3 (Nukeru wan =missing one)
-
Parker moaned. Every inch of her body ached. Even her hair hurt when it shifted across her face. She tried to move, to test for the existence of her limbs. But she found that she was again tied to the wooden chair.
"How long have I been out?" She asked with a groan.
"Several hours," Lyle answered from his position behind her.
Parker ran the tip of her tongue across dry swollen lips. "I don't suppose they've brought us any water?" she asked hopefully.
Lyle snorted in the negative.
The lighting had changed in the large room indicating that it was now dark outside. As Parker glanced at the window, there was a flash, illuminating rivulets of rain that ran down the window. Thunder could be heard only faintly over the bubbling fish tanks. Despite the agony it caused, Parker craned her neck to look around for her captors.
"Where are they?" she asked.
Lyle shrugged as best he could in his bindings. "Said something about coming back after sunset, but they were talking too fast for me to understand everything."
"You should have paid better attention to your lessons, moron," Parker scoffed.
"Shut up, Parker," Lyle snapped.
"Kiss my ass, you psychotic imbecile," she snarled back at him.
The Yakuza chose that moment to re-enter the room. Tommy and his uncle, along with two other thugs, strode toward their prisoners with determination. Stopping only a few feet from where Parker sat, the elder Tanaka, Tommy's uncle, nodded briefly at one of the men. Unusually tall and broad for a Japanese man, the henchman had a gauze bandage wrapped around one hand. With a leering grin, he reached into his breast pocket and removed a long thin blade.
"I will ask you again, Mr. Lyle," Tommy's uncle said. "Where is my daughter?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Lyle responded with a smile.
"Cut her," the elder man ordered in Japanese.
The steel door abruptly clanged open again and another Yakuza henchman entered. Crossing the room toward his leader, he glanced furtively at the Parker twins before bowing low to his boss.
"Nukeru wan itaru, Tanaka-san," he said.
The other men looked to their boss with startled expressions.
"What is lost?" Lyle hissed to Parker. "I didn't catch it all."
"Hush," Parker snarled.
"Nukeru wan?" Tanaka pondered. "Why?"
The younger man shrugged. After a moment's hesitation, the Yakuza boss barked more commands in Japanese, sending the newest arrival back the way he had come. With a wave of his hand, Tanaka ordered the man with the knife to back off as well.
Parker hissed a silent sigh of relief.
"What is lost?" Lyle asked again in a low voice.
Parker shook her head. "Not 'lost'," she translated. "'Missing'. He said that 'the missing one has come'."
Miss Parker frowned as she noticed Tommy and the other thugs pulling pistols from their holsters. They did not look happy at this new revelation. The elder Tanaka stood formally with his hands clasped behind his back. When the younger man returned a moment later, he was followed by another tall lean figure dressed in black.
Parker nearly burst into tears when she saw him. Never in her life had she been so glad to see the irritating son of a bitch. He was wearing black jeans, a dark sweater and a pair of combat boots. Droplets of moisture clung to his thigh length leather coat.
Jarod walked calmly across the room and stopped in front of the elder Tanaka. The younger man who had been Jarod's escort, turned to Tanaka and handed him a semi-automatic 9mm handgun, butt first.
"Good evening, Honorable Sir," Jarod said in Japanese, bowing low as a sign of respect.
Tanaka was silent for a moment as he inspected the weapon that he had just been handed.
"Did you intend to use this on me, Nukeru wan?" Tanaka asked blandly in the same language.
"Only if necessary, Sir," Jarod answered.
Lyle, unable to keep up with the unfamiliar dialect, leaned toward Parker and hissed, "What are they saying?"
"Hush, or I won't be able to find out!" she whispered as she listened attentively to the conversation unfolding before her.
"I have no quarrel with you, Nukeru wan," Tanaka said. "Yet you come here, prepared to kill me. Why?"
Jarod's eyes glittered with hard determination. "I have come for the woman, honorable Sir."
Tanaka gazed thoughtfully at the pretender. "She is your enemy. I shall kill her for you. As my gift of friendship."
"I have no wish to see her dead, Sir." Jarod said in a deep dangerous voice. The musical lilt of the Japanese language flowed smoothly from the pretender's lips, as though he spoke it everyday. "On the contrary, should harm come to her while in your care, I would consider it a personal affront."
Jarod's eyes flickered toward Miss Parker purposefully. He quickly took in her haggard look and his jaw clenched.
"Unfortunately," Tanaka said icily. "I have found it necessary to cause her harm. I find it necessary to continue to do so."
Jarod replied in an equally cold tone, "I prefer not to be an enemy to the Yakuza. Give the woman to me and I will be indebted to you and your clan."
Tanaka's eyebrows rose high on his forehead. "A potentially profitable offer, Nukeru wan," he said.
"Very," Jarod agreed. "To deny me this request would carry a high cost, I assure you."
It was Tanaka's turn to nod. "The Yakuza also prefer not to be your enemy, Nukeru wan. We have already suffered your wrath, though indirectly."
Jarod smiled slyly. "Yet it is through those actions that you are now in power rather than your brother, Tanaka-san," he purred.
At this, Tommy Tanaka jumped forward as if to strike the pretender, but his uncle held him back with a glance.
"This is true," Tanaka said. "And yet, these things are all in regards to business. My interest in the Parkers is personal. It is a matter of family."
Jarod bowed again. "I know what you want from them, Sir. I grieve with thee. Your daughter has indeed been taken from you too soon. But your vengeance should be wrought upon Lyle. Not his sister."
"He will suffer as I suffer!" Tanaka yelled suddenly. "He will watch her die first!"
Jarod's voice stayed just as low an ominous as it had been before. "Lyle enjoys death. He will enjoy her death more than you know. You will be rewarding him for his crimes against you."
Tanaka snorted derisively.
"Give the girl to me," Jarod urged.
"Why does this matter to you?" Tanaka asked.
"Call it a healthy respect for our rivalry," Jarod smirked. "She is a worthy adversary, makes the game more interesting."
Tanaka turned and glanced thoughtfully toward Miss Parker. "The respect of one's enemies is an admirable trait," he said after a moment.
Parker straightened haughtily, shooting Tanaka the most regal glare she could conjure up considering the circumstances.
"Give me the girl," Jarod repeated. "Slice Lyle into bits and use him to chum the fish for all I care. But leave the woman to me."
"No," Tanaka said, his voice shaking with sudden fury. "I must have full retribution for what he has done."
Jarod nodded sadly, cast a soulful glance at Parker and began to turn away. As if it was an afterthought, Jarod bent at the waist, bowing low to Tanaka. In a blur of motion the bow morphed into a somersault as Jarod abruptly dove forward.
Rolling into a crouch, Jarod came up with a gun in one hand. Before anyone else had the chance to blink, there was a loud report and one of the Yakuza henchmen went down. Another was down and a third was falling before the others could dash for cover.
"Kill him!" Tanaka yelled as he scurried away. "Kill him and the woman! But leave Lyle to me!"
Jarod ducked and dodged across the room as bullets whizzed passed. The pretender ran toward the two rope-bound chairs as he fired his gun over one shoulder.
Parker and Lyle, immobile as they were, could do nothing but cringe and flinch as the firefight continued.
Jarod hopped over the two prisoners, grabbing the chair back as he vaulted over them. His momentum carried him passed Parker while his grip on the chair remained firm. Parker braced herself as he yanked on the chairs and she and Lyle both toppled over.
Lying flat on his belly, Jarod covered Parker's head with one hand and using her shoulder to steady his arm, he took aim and fired. With an abrupt cry and a wild shot, a fourth thug fell to the ground.
The stray bullet zinged over their heads and with a sickening thud, shot into the glass tank behind them. A heartbeat later, there was a cracking sound and the wall of the tank gave way. A huge wave of water came gushing out, smashing Parker, Lyle and Jarod into one another. Parker sputtered and tried to lift her head away from the fetid liquid. Scaly dark bodies slithered down her own as the fish washed over her.
The gunshots abruptly stopped. Jarod knew that Tanaka and his nephew were still lingering near. Jarod froze in position, listening as running footsteps echoed through the room. The pretender took the opportunity to reload his weapon, rolling onto his back to scan the area behind him.
Parker lay as still as she could, barely even breathing. Jarod's eyes, mere inches from hers, searched the room with icy precision. His gaze was flat and dark, almost black, and glittering dangerously.
There was another shot, coming so close that Parker could feel it nearly singe her thigh. Jarod ducked for only a moment before firing a shot in return. A body could be heard thudding to the ground just as Parker saw a shadow appear over Jarod's shoulder, creeping up on him from behind.
Tommy towered over the three prone figures. Parker watched in horror as the Japanese man cocked his pistol, aiming at the back of Jarod's head.
"Tommy, no!" she cried.
Jarod froze then slowly raised his hands before rolling over to see Tommy standing over him.
"Impressive, Nukeru wan," Tommy said. "You would have made a powerful ally."
"A liaison between us is still possible, Tanaka-san," Jarod said carefully. "The decision is now yours. Keep Lyle. Let Parker go free."
"If I were to show such weakness over a woman," Tommy said softly. "I would lose the respect of my men." His arm straightened as he prepared to fire. "I shall remember you fondly, Parker."
"No!" she screamed helplessly.
Jarod twitched, kicking upward, and suddenly a large fish was flying into the air. The creature was flopping about and gasping as it hit Tommy in the face. Jarod threw himself backward, covering Parker as best he could. Tanaka's gun went off, Lyle cried out and Jarod's pistol sounded simultaneously.
"Tommy," Parker whispered knowing immediately that her ex-lover could no longer hear her.
Tanaka had a startled look on his face. A bright red stain began to spread across the man's shirt as he dropped silently to his knees. A moment later he fell face first onto the floor.
"I'm hit!" Lyle groaned into Parker's ear. "Damn, my shoulder. I'm hit!"
"Not enough," Jarod hissed. The pretender crouched beside the tangled chairs. Pulling a switchblade from his pocket, he quickly slid the blade between the two chairs and sliced the rope that tied them together. Another flick of the knife and Parker's legs were free.
Jarod grabbed the rope binding Parker's wrists and hauled her to her feet. In a smooth, effortless motion, the pretender then tossed her over his shoulder and started to run toward the opposite wall.
"Jarod? What about me?" Lyle called. "JAROD!"
Leaving Lyle where he lay, Jarod dashed between two tanks and rounded a corner to another door. Three quick shots from his gun blasted away the lock. He crashed through to the other side just as many footsteps could be heard entering the room they had just left.
Jarod ran through a series of corridors without hesitation. Parker could only trust that he knew where he was going. She was bounced uncomfortably on his shoulder blade as the pretender sped through the halls.
Reaching an outer door, Jarod tipped Parker off of her perch. Her feet touched the floor as Jarod pressed her against the wall and signaled for quiet. He ducked his head outside for a fraction of a second, quickly scanning the area. Voices could be heard yelling in the distance but no one could be seen. Rain beat heavily onto the paved surface, leaving it slick and shiny.
Turning back to Parker, Jarod took a moment to use his knife and removed the rope from Parker's wrists.
"There is a jeep parked beside the building to our left," Jarod said softly. "It's about a hundred yards away. Can you make it?"
"I'll make it," Parker said firmly.
Jarod glanced warily at her. "How long have you been tied up?" he asked.
Parker shrugged. "I'm not sure exactly."
The pretender shook his head. "Can't risk it. If you stumble, we're done for." Without another word, Jarod grabbed Parker's left wrist and folded her over his shoulder once again. One quick glance out the door, and then Jarod was tearing across the compound, through the chilly rain.
All Parker could do was hang on for dear life and try to stay as evenly balanced as she possibly could. Even with her extra weight as a burden, Jarod crossed the distance much faster than she could have.
Parker's nylon clad feet hit the ground with a gentle splash when Jarod set her down. Having lost her shoes long before Jarod had shown up, Parker tiptoed through the icy puddles as she quickly rounded the car and jumped into the passenger seat.
A moment later, Jarod had started the engine and slammed the vehicle into gear. With the headlights off to prevent detection, Jarod drove through the darkness with skill and confidence. Whipping around a corner, the jeep skidded for a moment on the wet asphalt.
"You'd better buckle up, Parker," Jarod said grimly.
No sooner had Parker clicked the restraining belt into place, than Jarod maneuvered the car around another turn. The car headed straight for the chain link fence surrounding the facility's property. Parker braced one hand against the dashboard and squeezed her eyes shut.
There was a crash, a screech of metal against metal. Parker was thrown back and forth against the seatbelt. For a heart-stopping moment, Parker felt the car leave the ground. Thudding back to earth, the vehicle spun its tires briefly before catching as Jarod twisted the steering wheel hard. Fishtailing wildly, the car sped away.
Jarod's eyes flickered to the rearview mirror and Parker saw his jaw tighten. Whirling in her seat she glanced behind them and saw two pairs of lights glowing in the distance.
"Reload my weapon," Jarod commanded. "There are extra clips in the glove compartment."
Parker responded without hesitation. She took the gun from where it rested on Jarod's lap and quickly replaced the spent cartridges.
Jarod clenched the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. The jeep was bouncing erratically across the terrain. They were not on any road that Parker could discern. How the pretender managed to avoid obstacles, driving in the dark as he was, Parker could not begin to fathom.
Their flight through the blackness and rain seemed to go on for hours. Neither spoke, as if they both understood that Jarod needed all of his concentration focused on driving. They finally jolted onto a dirt road and the ride evened out to a degree.
Parker searched for lights behind them, lights that would indicate that they were still being pursued. Only one car followed at a distance. Jarod pressed on the accelerator and their vehicle soared down the well-worn road.
They raced through the darkness, speeding down the old country track. Parker leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes, clinging to her seat with both hands. The car seemed to be going faster and faster and Parker's heart rate increased accordingly. Placing her faith in Jarod's skill, Parker did her best to stay calm.
The dirt road on which they traveled emptied onto a desolate, two-lane highway. Jarod pulled onto the asphalt and eased up on the gas pedal as he flipped on the headlights with one hand.
Glancing behind them he said, "I think we lost them."
Parker's wavering sigh caused Jarod to glance at her with concern.
"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.
"I will be," Parker whispered.
Jarod frowned. "There's a knapsack behind my seat," he said. "With some bottled water and a couple of granola bars."
Parker unbuckled her seat belt and strained over the seat. Rummaging through the pack, she quickly found the water, twisted off the cap and began to gulp at it thirstily. Quickly finishing one bottle she opened another and drank half of it before she slowed.
Leaned wearily against the cushioned seat, Parker sighed and closed her eyes.
A moment later, Jarod pulled the jeep off to the side of the road and put it in park. Stepping out of the vehicle, he wordlessly came around to Parker's door. Flipping the overhead light on, Jarod crouched at Parker's side, chewing thoughtfully at his lip as rain began to dampen his hair.
Reaching out, Jarod tenderly took her chin between his fingers and tilted her face toward the light. Brushing her lip with the pad of his thumb he whispered, "This is a little swollen."
Parker simply nodded.
Leaning closer, the pretender carefully inspected the cut on her forehead. "This must have bled like a bitch," he observed.
Reaching into the backpack, Jarod retrieved a small first aid kit. He applied a little ointment and a band-aid to the cut on her head.
"There," he whispered when he had finished. "Does anything else hurt?"
Parker nodded softly. "Everything."
Jarod smirked. Scanning her appearance quickly, Jarod took Parker's hands in his own and turned them over, gently prodding at the red, raw flesh around her wrists. Taking a length of gauze from his kit, Jarod wrapped each wrist professionally, gently tying the ends in place.
"That's about all I can do for you right now," the pretender said softly.
"I'm fine," Parker protested.
Handing over a chewy snack bar Jarod said, "Eat this. The carbs will do you some good."
Parker took the offered treat without complaint as she leaned back against the headrest in exhaustion. Jarod reached across Parker's lap and refastened her seatbelt. Sliding his jacket off his shoulders, the pretender draped Parker in the warm leather, tucking it around her chin like a blanket.
Patting her gently on the shoulder, Jarod stood and closed the passenger side door. Quickly jogging back around the car, Jarod got in, started the engine and headed back onto the road.
Parker had no idea where they were, where they were headed or how long it would take to get there. To be honest, she didn't care. Snuggling into her seat, Parker closed her eyes. She reveled in the mixed scent of leather, rain and maleness that rose from Jarod's coat.
Parker's eyelids fluttered closed as the steady rhythm of the moving car lulled her into a deep sleep.
