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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
The next morning
‘I’m getting way too old,’ Sydney thought in slight disgust as he struggled to get out of his car. Closing the car door behind him, he followed his daily ritual by turning around to stare at the parking space where he fully expected Ms Parker’s car to be parked.
His eyes widened when he could only see an empty space against a dark, quiet wall. Frowning, he lifted his wrist to check the time on his watch – 8:00 am. Sydney knew he had arrived late at work that day, much later than the norm for Centre employees, therefore the fact that Ms Parker of all people have not shown up yet, caused him to be concerned. Unclipping his cell from his belt he opened it and phoned her number, after only seven rings it went over to her automatic voice mail.
For a few moments he listened attentively to the machine voice – almost like he still expected her to answer and maybe even scowl at him for being so concerned about her wellbeing – before finally pressing the disconnect button. Feeling a sense of foreboding tucking at the corners of his heart, he tried her home number, but got the same response. For a moment he appeared deep in thought and then tried phoning another number. This time it took only two rings before the phone was picked up on the other side.
“Hello...Broots,” an absentminded voice answered on the other side.
“Broots, this is Sydney,” he replied back.
“Oh...hi Sydney. Are you also not coming into work today?” the younger man asked, in the background the sound of typing could be heard.
“I’m still in the parking lot, Broots. I was going to ask whether you’ve heard anything from Ms Parker, but I gather from your previous statement that you had?” While talking, Sydney started walking slowly to the lifts that would take him to the sublevel where his office and labs was situated.
“Uh...not quiet, you see M-mr Lyle came around just a few minutes ago to state that Ms Parker had been summoned by the chairman of one of our main branches in Europe to advise on possible leads they may have regarding Jarod-“
Stopping in mid-sentence, typing ceasing in the background too, Broots suddenly took a deep breath and said, “Oh my gosh! Now that I think about it...she would have told us personally if she was going somewhere. Sydney, what if...” The rest of the sentence trailed off into nothingness, almost like he was afraid of giving words to the sudden fear that had invaded his mind.
“Let’s not assume anything, until we know more.” Without waiting for any further response, Sydney disconnected the phone on his side, the grim expression on his face belaying the words he had just spoken to his young companion.
After what appeared like an eternity, the lifts finally arrived on his floor. Entering the lift, he pressed the button that would take him to his office, but just as the lift started he reached out and pressed the number that would take him to the ground floor of the Centre instead.
Barely a few minutes later, the door opened to allow him access to the main floor of the Centre, also the floor where all the executive offices were situated. With slow, yet purposeful strides, he crossed the distance that would take him to one specific office, only stopping once to acknowledge the greeting of a colleague.
It was as he reached the closed double doors that the sound of familiar voices came within earshot. Stopping, he reached out a hand to knock, but at the last moment he decided against it and instead allowed his hand to fall against his side. Checking quickly around him to make sure he was not being watched, Sydney took a small step closer, before bending down and pretending to be busy with an imaginary dirt smudge on his shoes. At the same time he was straining his hearing in an attempt to pick up what was being said on the other side.
“...you are sure...you were not seen?” a rasping voice was heard asking between the taking of deep breaths. It was a condition that Sydney knew had begun to worsen again over the past couple of years.
“I told you I would take care of it and I had. A word of advise though...you would do good to remember who you are talking to.” The response came from a much younger voice than the first one.
“I don’t think...I need to remind you...as to what is...at stake here. Results are expected from us...this time. Therefore now is not the time...for personal agendas or...views.”
“And if I remember correctly it is your neck that they would come for first this time...not mine.”
Before the older man could respond, a phone suddenly started ringing in the background and the same younger voice from before could be heard answering, “Yes, what is it?”
A couple of seconds later the same voice replied in a harsh tone, “So take care of it. That’s what you are being paid for.” Upon the uttering of the last word the loud sound of a phone being slammed down was heard.
“Is there...a problem?” the older man asked.
“Nothing which can’t be handled by my men, now if you excused me I have some unfinished business to attend to-”
Realizing that the voices were coming closer, Sydney straightened himself and had just enough time to jump to one side and pretend like he had just arrived before the double doors opened up on him to reveal the occupants of the room, two men going by the names of Mr Raines and Mr Lyle.
“What are you...doing here, Sydney?” Raines inquired through narrowed eyes, his one hand dragging an oxygen tank behind him.
Folding his hands in front of him, Sydney replied with a solemn face, “I came to inquire as to the whereabouts of Ms Parker.”
Moving his gaze from Raines to Sydney and back Lyle said with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, “I thought your friend; Broots would have told you the...interesting news by now.”
“He informed me that your sister had been called away to Europe...what I can’t understand is why neither Broots nor myself had been acknowledged in this latest development regarding Jarod.”
Taking a menacing step forward, Raines stated threateningly, “The Centre...doesn’t need to explain...itself to you or anybody...else for-”
Putting a hand on the older man’s arm, Lyle interrupted. “What my...uh...father was trying to say is that the latest facts regarding our ever evasive pretender’s whereabouts just happened to fell into our laps at the last moment and afraid of wasting any more precious time my sister decided to leave immediately.”
It was as Lyle put his hand on Raines’ arm and started talking that the sleeve of his jacket moved up a bit. Sydney was unable to ignore the barely discernable, but still very much noticeable, scratch marks on the younger man’s wrist. Frowning, Sydney turned his gaze upwards and could see something similar on his one cheek. Sydney was just about to remark on them when he suddenly noticed a faint powdery outline bordering each of the injuries and to his surprise he realized that make-up, clearly expertly applied, had been used to cover the full extent of the injuries.
“What are you starring at?” Lyle suddenly snapped, clearly having felt how the older man had been scrutinizing him.
Straightening himself, Sydney stared at him for a couple of seconds before saying, “Nothing.”
“It didn’t look like nothing when you had been eyeing me like that just now.” Lyle growled angrily.
Lifting his chin, Sydney appeared deep in thought for a little while before finally replying, “Just couldn’t help but notice the injuries you obtained. You must have gotten them…where?”
Reaching out a hand to touch the side of his cheek and wrist, Lyle pretended to be confused before answering, “Oh…these. Totally forgot about them.”
When Sydney did not say anything more a smile slowly started forming across Lyle’s lips again. “I’m really touched by your concern for my wellbeing Syd, but you really don’t need to worry too much about my injuries. Got them during a fierce fight with a wild cat I just happened to acquire yesterday, but I can promise you that I won the fight and managed to subdue the angry feline.”
Giving Raines a meaningful nod, Lyle walked passed the two men. As he reached the small flight of stairs that would take him to the main floor he suddenly stopped. Turning his head to look over a shoulder he called out, “Hopefully the creature won’t take too long to learn who’s in charge at the end of the day.”
xxx
Light...darkness...
Darkness...light...
She was struggling to stay conscious, could feel the clutches of darkness tearing at her, begging her to return to the safety of its embrace.
Forcing her eyes to open a bit wider, she could see bright ceiling lights flashing past her. For a moment her surrounding environment did not make sense, but then, almost simultaneously, the feeling of something hard against her back and the sound of wheels rolling across tiles reveal itself to her.
‘I’m being taken somewhere,’ she thought in shock and surprise.
Her next thought was, ‘Where am I being taken?’ but no matter how she strained her mind she could not remember a thing of what had happened to her recently, what had caused her to be in this situation. After a few minutes she gave up trying since it was hard enough just to cling to the memories of who and what she was supposed to be.
“I think she’s busy waking up,” a deep voice was heard asking worryingly from somewhere above and to her side.
“Don’t worry about it, mate. The stuff she’s been given will keep her in la-la land for a long time to come,” another, softer, voice answered from the opposite side. After a few moments the same voice said, “She sure is a beauty. I wonder what they are planning to do with her?”
‘It’s not for us to question Centre business,” the deep voice replied.
As the two men continued talking, she closed her eyes and then opened it again in order to get them to acknowledge her. She even tried to say something, but to her horror she realized she was unable to. Next she tried to move her body, but that was equally unresponsive.
Terrified of what was happening to her, of the unknown future, she could feel her heart beat increasing to a fevered pace and due to a complete feeling of hopelessness a faint mistiness started covering her eyes. Her last thought before darkness overwhelmed her again was of a tall, dark man with the kindest eyes. She struggled to put a name to his face, but somehow she knew he was important to her and hope flamed up that he would managed to find a way to come and rescue her from this nightmare.
‘I’m getting way too old,’ Sydney thought in slight disgust as he struggled to get out of his car. Closing the car door behind him, he followed his daily ritual by turning around to stare at the parking space where he fully expected Ms Parker’s car to be parked.
His eyes widened when he could only see an empty space against a dark, quiet wall. Frowning, he lifted his wrist to check the time on his watch – 8:00 am. Sydney knew he had arrived late at work that day, much later than the norm for Centre employees, therefore the fact that Ms Parker of all people have not shown up yet, caused him to be concerned. Unclipping his cell from his belt he opened it and phoned her number, after only seven rings it went over to her automatic voice mail.
For a few moments he listened attentively to the machine voice – almost like he still expected her to answer and maybe even scowl at him for being so concerned about her wellbeing – before finally pressing the disconnect button. Feeling a sense of foreboding tucking at the corners of his heart, he tried her home number, but got the same response. For a moment he appeared deep in thought and then tried phoning another number. This time it took only two rings before the phone was picked up on the other side.
“Hello...Broots,” an absentminded voice answered on the other side.
“Broots, this is Sydney,” he replied back.
“Oh...hi Sydney. Are you also not coming into work today?” the younger man asked, in the background the sound of typing could be heard.
“I’m still in the parking lot, Broots. I was going to ask whether you’ve heard anything from Ms Parker, but I gather from your previous statement that you had?” While talking, Sydney started walking slowly to the lifts that would take him to the sublevel where his office and labs was situated.
“Uh...not quiet, you see M-mr Lyle came around just a few minutes ago to state that Ms Parker had been summoned by the chairman of one of our main branches in Europe to advise on possible leads they may have regarding Jarod-“
Stopping in mid-sentence, typing ceasing in the background too, Broots suddenly took a deep breath and said, “Oh my gosh! Now that I think about it...she would have told us personally if she was going somewhere. Sydney, what if...” The rest of the sentence trailed off into nothingness, almost like he was afraid of giving words to the sudden fear that had invaded his mind.
“Let’s not assume anything, until we know more.” Without waiting for any further response, Sydney disconnected the phone on his side, the grim expression on his face belaying the words he had just spoken to his young companion.
After what appeared like an eternity, the lifts finally arrived on his floor. Entering the lift, he pressed the button that would take him to his office, but just as the lift started he reached out and pressed the number that would take him to the ground floor of the Centre instead.
Barely a few minutes later, the door opened to allow him access to the main floor of the Centre, also the floor where all the executive offices were situated. With slow, yet purposeful strides, he crossed the distance that would take him to one specific office, only stopping once to acknowledge the greeting of a colleague.
It was as he reached the closed double doors that the sound of familiar voices came within earshot. Stopping, he reached out a hand to knock, but at the last moment he decided against it and instead allowed his hand to fall against his side. Checking quickly around him to make sure he was not being watched, Sydney took a small step closer, before bending down and pretending to be busy with an imaginary dirt smudge on his shoes. At the same time he was straining his hearing in an attempt to pick up what was being said on the other side.
“...you are sure...you were not seen?” a rasping voice was heard asking between the taking of deep breaths. It was a condition that Sydney knew had begun to worsen again over the past couple of years.
“I told you I would take care of it and I had. A word of advise though...you would do good to remember who you are talking to.” The response came from a much younger voice than the first one.
“I don’t think...I need to remind you...as to what is...at stake here. Results are expected from us...this time. Therefore now is not the time...for personal agendas or...views.”
“And if I remember correctly it is your neck that they would come for first this time...not mine.”
Before the older man could respond, a phone suddenly started ringing in the background and the same younger voice from before could be heard answering, “Yes, what is it?”
A couple of seconds later the same voice replied in a harsh tone, “So take care of it. That’s what you are being paid for.” Upon the uttering of the last word the loud sound of a phone being slammed down was heard.
“Is there...a problem?” the older man asked.
“Nothing which can’t be handled by my men, now if you excused me I have some unfinished business to attend to-”
Realizing that the voices were coming closer, Sydney straightened himself and had just enough time to jump to one side and pretend like he had just arrived before the double doors opened up on him to reveal the occupants of the room, two men going by the names of Mr Raines and Mr Lyle.
“What are you...doing here, Sydney?” Raines inquired through narrowed eyes, his one hand dragging an oxygen tank behind him.
Folding his hands in front of him, Sydney replied with a solemn face, “I came to inquire as to the whereabouts of Ms Parker.”
Moving his gaze from Raines to Sydney and back Lyle said with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, “I thought your friend; Broots would have told you the...interesting news by now.”
“He informed me that your sister had been called away to Europe...what I can’t understand is why neither Broots nor myself had been acknowledged in this latest development regarding Jarod.”
Taking a menacing step forward, Raines stated threateningly, “The Centre...doesn’t need to explain...itself to you or anybody...else for-”
Putting a hand on the older man’s arm, Lyle interrupted. “What my...uh...father was trying to say is that the latest facts regarding our ever evasive pretender’s whereabouts just happened to fell into our laps at the last moment and afraid of wasting any more precious time my sister decided to leave immediately.”
It was as Lyle put his hand on Raines’ arm and started talking that the sleeve of his jacket moved up a bit. Sydney was unable to ignore the barely discernable, but still very much noticeable, scratch marks on the younger man’s wrist. Frowning, Sydney turned his gaze upwards and could see something similar on his one cheek. Sydney was just about to remark on them when he suddenly noticed a faint powdery outline bordering each of the injuries and to his surprise he realized that make-up, clearly expertly applied, had been used to cover the full extent of the injuries.
“What are you starring at?” Lyle suddenly snapped, clearly having felt how the older man had been scrutinizing him.
Straightening himself, Sydney stared at him for a couple of seconds before saying, “Nothing.”
“It didn’t look like nothing when you had been eyeing me like that just now.” Lyle growled angrily.
Lifting his chin, Sydney appeared deep in thought for a little while before finally replying, “Just couldn’t help but notice the injuries you obtained. You must have gotten them…where?”
Reaching out a hand to touch the side of his cheek and wrist, Lyle pretended to be confused before answering, “Oh…these. Totally forgot about them.”
When Sydney did not say anything more a smile slowly started forming across Lyle’s lips again. “I’m really touched by your concern for my wellbeing Syd, but you really don’t need to worry too much about my injuries. Got them during a fierce fight with a wild cat I just happened to acquire yesterday, but I can promise you that I won the fight and managed to subdue the angry feline.”
Giving Raines a meaningful nod, Lyle walked passed the two men. As he reached the small flight of stairs that would take him to the main floor he suddenly stopped. Turning his head to look over a shoulder he called out, “Hopefully the creature won’t take too long to learn who’s in charge at the end of the day.”
xxx
Light...darkness...
Darkness...light...
She was struggling to stay conscious, could feel the clutches of darkness tearing at her, begging her to return to the safety of its embrace.
Forcing her eyes to open a bit wider, she could see bright ceiling lights flashing past her. For a moment her surrounding environment did not make sense, but then, almost simultaneously, the feeling of something hard against her back and the sound of wheels rolling across tiles reveal itself to her.
‘I’m being taken somewhere,’ she thought in shock and surprise.
Her next thought was, ‘Where am I being taken?’ but no matter how she strained her mind she could not remember a thing of what had happened to her recently, what had caused her to be in this situation. After a few minutes she gave up trying since it was hard enough just to cling to the memories of who and what she was supposed to be.
“I think she’s busy waking up,” a deep voice was heard asking worryingly from somewhere above and to her side.
“Don’t worry about it, mate. The stuff she’s been given will keep her in la-la land for a long time to come,” another, softer, voice answered from the opposite side. After a few moments the same voice said, “She sure is a beauty. I wonder what they are planning to do with her?”
‘It’s not for us to question Centre business,” the deep voice replied.
As the two men continued talking, she closed her eyes and then opened it again in order to get them to acknowledge her. She even tried to say something, but to her horror she realized she was unable to. Next she tried to move her body, but that was equally unresponsive.
Terrified of what was happening to her, of the unknown future, she could feel her heart beat increasing to a fevered pace and due to a complete feeling of hopelessness a faint mistiness started covering her eyes. Her last thought before darkness overwhelmed her again was of a tall, dark man with the kindest eyes. She struggled to put a name to his face, but somehow she knew he was important to her and hope flamed up that he would managed to find a way to come and rescue her from this nightmare.
