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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: The Characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots and The Center are all property
of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and are used without permission. No profit has been made. blah, blah, blah.
Of Envy and Darkness
11/18/03 Part3 - By Phenyx
-
Parker woke in an unfamiliar bed as dim sunlight filtered into the room. It took a moment before Parker realized that the light was fading. What she had first assumed was sunrise, was in actuality the evening sunset.
Stretching lazily, Parker allowed her gaze to wander around the room. She smiled in gentle surprise when she found Sam sleeping nearby. He was propped awkwardly in an easy chair that had been strategically positioned between the bed and the room's only door. A slightly loosened tie was the only indication of his discomfort.
With a sigh, Parker gathered her resolve and tossed back the blankets. Dressed only in the lacy slip and panties that she had worn to bed, Parker ran her hands through her tangled hair and headed toward the bathroom. As she passed the dozing sweeper, Parker gave him a backhanded swat on the arm, causing Sam to jerk into wakefulness.
"Did I miss anything?" Parker asked casually.
Sam yawned as he glanced at his watch. "No," he replied. "There hasn't been a peep from anyone since they showed us to the room."
Parker nodded. "Get us some coffee," she ordered as she closed the bathroom door behind her.
After a quick shower, Parker donned a thick terrycloth robe she found and headed out of her room in search of Mercedes. In the sitting area, Sam and one of the other guards were busy setting a table with an assortment of plates.
"Miss Parker," the large black man bowed respectfully. "Miss Mercedes woke a few minutes ago. She insists that you make yourself comfortable while she freshens up."
Parker tucked her robe around her legs and curled up in one of the chairs at the table. As she poured coffee into a cup she turned to the guard and asked, "What is your name?"
The man bowed. "I am Ishmael, my lady."
"Have you worked for Mercedes long, Ishmael?" Parker asked.
"The entire team has been with her for many years," he said proudly.
Parker stared at the man thoughtfully for several minutes. With a shrug, Parker lifted the covers off of several plates, revealing an assortment of fruits, sliced meats and bread. Randomly forking several items onto a plate, Parker turned and handed the food to her sweeper.
Sam took the plate without comment.
A voice from the doorway drew everyone's attention. "Your man should not eat before you do, Miss Parker," Mercedes scolded softly. "You must observe the hierarchy of your position."
Parker shrugged. "Sam is not 'my man'," she argued. "He's an employee, and a damn good one at that. He's gone hungry long enough."
Mercedes smiled. "You coddle him. How can you keep your people in their place if you treat them as equals?" she asked innocently.
Sam nearly choked on the dinner roll he had in his mouth. He glanced up at Parker with a wide-eyed look as close to amusement as she had ever seen from the stone faced sweeper. No one had ever accused Miss Parker of being too soft on her staff.
"Watch it," Parker warned him with a smirk. To Mercedes she replied, "I manage."
The other woman, dressed in a robe identical to the one Parker wore, slid gracefully into one of the other chairs and started filling a plate. "You aren't the bitch they say you are," Mercedes mused.
Parker bit into a slice of cantaloupe. "No," she grinned. "I'm worse."
They both laughed and began to eat their meal with a comfortable camaraderie. Sam and the other guards talked nearby in low tones. The men quickly understood that they shared identical missions. All would die to protect the specific woman who employed them. Loyalty and determination bound them together in a cautious agreement.
Sam refilled his coffee cup and took the pot back to the women at the table. Without waiting for instructions to do so, Sam took the opportunity to top off Miss Parker's mug as well. With a questioning glance, he gestured to Mercedes.
"Yes, please," the woman said, holding her cup out gratefully.
As Sam moved closer, Mercedes turned in her chair, accidentally brushing up against the sweeper. Sam flinched as though she had burned him with a flame and he nearly dropped the coffee pot.
"Easy Sam," Mercedes said gently. "You need not fear me. I can't read your mind accidentally. It requires some effort on my part."
Parker frowned slightly as she whispered, "It must be very difficult to share yourself so intimately each time you use your gift."
Mercedes gazed thoughtfully into her drink for a moment. "What happened between us last night was much deeper than I am accustomed to," she admitted. "Most of the time, I can only pick up on a handful of random thoughts and feelings. But I believe that your ability accentuated my own."
Parker nodded reflectively. "What will you do next?" she asked. "You know that Jarod isn't the one you're after."
"I've been giving that a great deal of thought," Mercedes said.
"A little advice," Parker mentioned wryly. "Raines is damn hard to kill. Many have tried."
"Life has little value to Mr. Raines," Mercedes said in a low hard voice. "Even his own. I thought I would go after something far more precious in his eyes."
Parker raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"We could take The Centre," Mercedes said simply.
"Overthrow Raines?" Parker asked skeptically. "You think it's possible?"
"I know it is," the dark-skinned woman replied in a voice as hard as steel. "But we would need some help. Tell me, Parker," Mercedes continued. "Would your pretender be willing to make a bargain?"
Parker's eyes narrowed. "What kind of a bargain?"
"We contract him to work for us for a specified length of time, four or five years perhaps," Mercedes said thoughtfully. "In exchange, we promise him an end to the pursuits, a fair salary and at the end of the term, his freedom."
"Jarod was a Centre slave for thirty years," Parker sighed. "I doubt he'd be amenable to becoming and indentured servant for another five."
Mercedes leaned forward excitedly. "But he would have the chance to learn more about his family. He could help eliminate the evil that The Centre has done." She grinned playfully. "And he would have the ultimate satisfaction of destroying those who have harmed him in the past."
Parker gnawed gently at her lower lip. "I don't know," she murmured.
"It won't do any harm to ask him," Mercedes said gently.
"Jarod will want more information," Parker said with sudden determination. "We'll need to have more details before we approach him with the idea."
"How will you contact him?" Mercedes asked curiously.
Parker waved her hand absently. "That won't be a problem," she huffed. "Wonder-boy has some kind of radar. He always seems to know when to call."
Mercedes smiled indulgently. "He has no radar, Miss Parker," she said gently. "It is your gift that beckons to him."
Parker blinked at the other girl in surprise. "Whatever it is," Parker said blankly. "He'll call."
He did call.
Parker and Mercedes spent the next several hours discussing their plans. They had finished the coffee and switched to an excellent bottle of Riesling wine. It was nearly gone when Parker's cell phone rang just after midnight.
"What?" Parker barked as usual when she answered.
"You're not at home," Jarod's voice purred across an unknown number of miles.
"Brilliant, Pez-head. Absolutely brilliant," she drawled sarcastically.
"Out a little late tonight, aren't we Miss Parker?" Jarod teased. "Hot date?"
Parker shook her head as though Jarod could see her. "If I had a date, would I be talking to you?" she asked.
Jarod snickered. "I guess not."
"Jarod," Parker said, suddenly serious. "We need to talk."
"We are talking," was his reply.
"No," Parker said emphatically. "We really need to talk."
Jarod paused for a long moment. "Okay," he said slowly. Then he abruptly hung up.
Parker folded her cell phone shut and tucked it into the pocket of her robe. At Mercedes' expectant glance, Parker said confidently, "Now, we wait."
"How long?" the other woman asked.
Parker shrugged.
-
It was Monday morning and Parker was watching the world slip by her window. Two full days had passed since her brief phone conversation with Jarod. She and Mercedes were still waiting to hear from him.
The other woman sat next to Parker in the limousine. Sam was driving and Ishmael rode shotgun as they headed toward The Centre. They had decided to arrive at The Centre together this morning. The blatant display of combined forces would surely make Raines and Lyle very nervous.
The car slowed to a crawl, irritating Parker somewhat. "Sam?" she called impatiently.
"I'm sorry, Miss Parker," Sam said over his shoulder. "They've closed the road. We'll have to detour."
With an annoyed growl, Parker slapped the button to lower the window. She shook her head sadly at the ominous presence of orange pylons and heavy equipment. Several men in hard hats were placing large striped barrels at the roadside.
"Why does it take so many morons to stand around and drink coffee all day?" she hissed.
The limo came to a complete stop as Sam tried to determine where the detour was located.
Placing two fingers to her lips, Miss Parker abruptly emitted a sharp whistle, drawing the attention of a tall construction worker dressed in an orange vest. As he approached the car, the large "Caution" sign he carried edged downward and he tipped his hard hat back on his head, revealing his face.
Leaning casually against the edge of Parker's window, Jarod grinned rakishly into the vehicle. "It never ceases to amaze me, how truly multi- talented you are, Parker," he said wryly in response to her rude sound. "Turn left and go over one block to get around all this." Jarod added nonchalantly.
Just as quickly as he had appeared, Jarod stepped back, waved them passed and was gone in the clutter of cars, construction and men.
"That was the pretender," Mercedes said in a surprised voice.
"Go left, Sam," Parker ordered without responding to the other woman's comment. Parker picked up the small package that had magically appeared in her lap when Jarod had stopped beside the car. He had slipped the manila envelop through the window so smoothly that Parker had barely noticed.
Ripping open the package, Parker peered inside. Pulling out a strange little cell phone, Parker turned it over in her palm for a moment before slipping it into her pocket.
Mercedes frowned in confusion. "I don't understand," she said.
Parker shrugged. "It's probably been altered to prevent eavesdropping on the line," she explained. The next item from the envelop was a matchbook from a four star restaurant in New York. Inside the matchbook cover was a brief message in Jarod's distinctive handwriting.
"9 PM. Ask for Miles," it read.
"It looks like we'll be going to New York this evening," Parker said with a sigh.
"He's being very cautious," Mercedes observed.
With a nod Parker replied, "I've never asked for a meeting before. Suspicion would be prudent on his part." She smiled before adding, "The last time I needed to meet with him, I had to tie him up to do it."
"Let's hope we can be more persuasive this time around," Mercedes purred. "I'd rather not have to kidnap the man."
Parker nodded as a frown creased her brow.
Mercedes grinned. "Will you be packing the rope, or should I?"
of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and are used without permission. No profit has been made. blah, blah, blah.
Of Envy and Darkness
11/18/03 Part3 - By Phenyx
-
Parker woke in an unfamiliar bed as dim sunlight filtered into the room. It took a moment before Parker realized that the light was fading. What she had first assumed was sunrise, was in actuality the evening sunset.
Stretching lazily, Parker allowed her gaze to wander around the room. She smiled in gentle surprise when she found Sam sleeping nearby. He was propped awkwardly in an easy chair that had been strategically positioned between the bed and the room's only door. A slightly loosened tie was the only indication of his discomfort.
With a sigh, Parker gathered her resolve and tossed back the blankets. Dressed only in the lacy slip and panties that she had worn to bed, Parker ran her hands through her tangled hair and headed toward the bathroom. As she passed the dozing sweeper, Parker gave him a backhanded swat on the arm, causing Sam to jerk into wakefulness.
"Did I miss anything?" Parker asked casually.
Sam yawned as he glanced at his watch. "No," he replied. "There hasn't been a peep from anyone since they showed us to the room."
Parker nodded. "Get us some coffee," she ordered as she closed the bathroom door behind her.
After a quick shower, Parker donned a thick terrycloth robe she found and headed out of her room in search of Mercedes. In the sitting area, Sam and one of the other guards were busy setting a table with an assortment of plates.
"Miss Parker," the large black man bowed respectfully. "Miss Mercedes woke a few minutes ago. She insists that you make yourself comfortable while she freshens up."
Parker tucked her robe around her legs and curled up in one of the chairs at the table. As she poured coffee into a cup she turned to the guard and asked, "What is your name?"
The man bowed. "I am Ishmael, my lady."
"Have you worked for Mercedes long, Ishmael?" Parker asked.
"The entire team has been with her for many years," he said proudly.
Parker stared at the man thoughtfully for several minutes. With a shrug, Parker lifted the covers off of several plates, revealing an assortment of fruits, sliced meats and bread. Randomly forking several items onto a plate, Parker turned and handed the food to her sweeper.
Sam took the plate without comment.
A voice from the doorway drew everyone's attention. "Your man should not eat before you do, Miss Parker," Mercedes scolded softly. "You must observe the hierarchy of your position."
Parker shrugged. "Sam is not 'my man'," she argued. "He's an employee, and a damn good one at that. He's gone hungry long enough."
Mercedes smiled. "You coddle him. How can you keep your people in their place if you treat them as equals?" she asked innocently.
Sam nearly choked on the dinner roll he had in his mouth. He glanced up at Parker with a wide-eyed look as close to amusement as she had ever seen from the stone faced sweeper. No one had ever accused Miss Parker of being too soft on her staff.
"Watch it," Parker warned him with a smirk. To Mercedes she replied, "I manage."
The other woman, dressed in a robe identical to the one Parker wore, slid gracefully into one of the other chairs and started filling a plate. "You aren't the bitch they say you are," Mercedes mused.
Parker bit into a slice of cantaloupe. "No," she grinned. "I'm worse."
They both laughed and began to eat their meal with a comfortable camaraderie. Sam and the other guards talked nearby in low tones. The men quickly understood that they shared identical missions. All would die to protect the specific woman who employed them. Loyalty and determination bound them together in a cautious agreement.
Sam refilled his coffee cup and took the pot back to the women at the table. Without waiting for instructions to do so, Sam took the opportunity to top off Miss Parker's mug as well. With a questioning glance, he gestured to Mercedes.
"Yes, please," the woman said, holding her cup out gratefully.
As Sam moved closer, Mercedes turned in her chair, accidentally brushing up against the sweeper. Sam flinched as though she had burned him with a flame and he nearly dropped the coffee pot.
"Easy Sam," Mercedes said gently. "You need not fear me. I can't read your mind accidentally. It requires some effort on my part."
Parker frowned slightly as she whispered, "It must be very difficult to share yourself so intimately each time you use your gift."
Mercedes gazed thoughtfully into her drink for a moment. "What happened between us last night was much deeper than I am accustomed to," she admitted. "Most of the time, I can only pick up on a handful of random thoughts and feelings. But I believe that your ability accentuated my own."
Parker nodded reflectively. "What will you do next?" she asked. "You know that Jarod isn't the one you're after."
"I've been giving that a great deal of thought," Mercedes said.
"A little advice," Parker mentioned wryly. "Raines is damn hard to kill. Many have tried."
"Life has little value to Mr. Raines," Mercedes said in a low hard voice. "Even his own. I thought I would go after something far more precious in his eyes."
Parker raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"We could take The Centre," Mercedes said simply.
"Overthrow Raines?" Parker asked skeptically. "You think it's possible?"
"I know it is," the dark-skinned woman replied in a voice as hard as steel. "But we would need some help. Tell me, Parker," Mercedes continued. "Would your pretender be willing to make a bargain?"
Parker's eyes narrowed. "What kind of a bargain?"
"We contract him to work for us for a specified length of time, four or five years perhaps," Mercedes said thoughtfully. "In exchange, we promise him an end to the pursuits, a fair salary and at the end of the term, his freedom."
"Jarod was a Centre slave for thirty years," Parker sighed. "I doubt he'd be amenable to becoming and indentured servant for another five."
Mercedes leaned forward excitedly. "But he would have the chance to learn more about his family. He could help eliminate the evil that The Centre has done." She grinned playfully. "And he would have the ultimate satisfaction of destroying those who have harmed him in the past."
Parker gnawed gently at her lower lip. "I don't know," she murmured.
"It won't do any harm to ask him," Mercedes said gently.
"Jarod will want more information," Parker said with sudden determination. "We'll need to have more details before we approach him with the idea."
"How will you contact him?" Mercedes asked curiously.
Parker waved her hand absently. "That won't be a problem," she huffed. "Wonder-boy has some kind of radar. He always seems to know when to call."
Mercedes smiled indulgently. "He has no radar, Miss Parker," she said gently. "It is your gift that beckons to him."
Parker blinked at the other girl in surprise. "Whatever it is," Parker said blankly. "He'll call."
He did call.
Parker and Mercedes spent the next several hours discussing their plans. They had finished the coffee and switched to an excellent bottle of Riesling wine. It was nearly gone when Parker's cell phone rang just after midnight.
"What?" Parker barked as usual when she answered.
"You're not at home," Jarod's voice purred across an unknown number of miles.
"Brilliant, Pez-head. Absolutely brilliant," she drawled sarcastically.
"Out a little late tonight, aren't we Miss Parker?" Jarod teased. "Hot date?"
Parker shook her head as though Jarod could see her. "If I had a date, would I be talking to you?" she asked.
Jarod snickered. "I guess not."
"Jarod," Parker said, suddenly serious. "We need to talk."
"We are talking," was his reply.
"No," Parker said emphatically. "We really need to talk."
Jarod paused for a long moment. "Okay," he said slowly. Then he abruptly hung up.
Parker folded her cell phone shut and tucked it into the pocket of her robe. At Mercedes' expectant glance, Parker said confidently, "Now, we wait."
"How long?" the other woman asked.
Parker shrugged.
-
It was Monday morning and Parker was watching the world slip by her window. Two full days had passed since her brief phone conversation with Jarod. She and Mercedes were still waiting to hear from him.
The other woman sat next to Parker in the limousine. Sam was driving and Ishmael rode shotgun as they headed toward The Centre. They had decided to arrive at The Centre together this morning. The blatant display of combined forces would surely make Raines and Lyle very nervous.
The car slowed to a crawl, irritating Parker somewhat. "Sam?" she called impatiently.
"I'm sorry, Miss Parker," Sam said over his shoulder. "They've closed the road. We'll have to detour."
With an annoyed growl, Parker slapped the button to lower the window. She shook her head sadly at the ominous presence of orange pylons and heavy equipment. Several men in hard hats were placing large striped barrels at the roadside.
"Why does it take so many morons to stand around and drink coffee all day?" she hissed.
The limo came to a complete stop as Sam tried to determine where the detour was located.
Placing two fingers to her lips, Miss Parker abruptly emitted a sharp whistle, drawing the attention of a tall construction worker dressed in an orange vest. As he approached the car, the large "Caution" sign he carried edged downward and he tipped his hard hat back on his head, revealing his face.
Leaning casually against the edge of Parker's window, Jarod grinned rakishly into the vehicle. "It never ceases to amaze me, how truly multi- talented you are, Parker," he said wryly in response to her rude sound. "Turn left and go over one block to get around all this." Jarod added nonchalantly.
Just as quickly as he had appeared, Jarod stepped back, waved them passed and was gone in the clutter of cars, construction and men.
"That was the pretender," Mercedes said in a surprised voice.
"Go left, Sam," Parker ordered without responding to the other woman's comment. Parker picked up the small package that had magically appeared in her lap when Jarod had stopped beside the car. He had slipped the manila envelop through the window so smoothly that Parker had barely noticed.
Ripping open the package, Parker peered inside. Pulling out a strange little cell phone, Parker turned it over in her palm for a moment before slipping it into her pocket.
Mercedes frowned in confusion. "I don't understand," she said.
Parker shrugged. "It's probably been altered to prevent eavesdropping on the line," she explained. The next item from the envelop was a matchbook from a four star restaurant in New York. Inside the matchbook cover was a brief message in Jarod's distinctive handwriting.
"9 PM. Ask for Miles," it read.
"It looks like we'll be going to New York this evening," Parker said with a sigh.
"He's being very cautious," Mercedes observed.
With a nod Parker replied, "I've never asked for a meeting before. Suspicion would be prudent on his part." She smiled before adding, "The last time I needed to meet with him, I had to tie him up to do it."
"Let's hope we can be more persuasive this time around," Mercedes purred. "I'd rather not have to kidnap the man."
Parker nodded as a frown creased her brow.
Mercedes grinned. "Will you be packing the rope, or should I?"
