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Disclaimer: Although the characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots etc. and the fictional Center, are all property of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and they were used without permission, the character ‘Isabel’ belongs to me. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended, so don’t sue!
Author’s Note: Some quotes were used without permission and for that I am sorry! This is a Pretender fanfic (my first actually), although at first it might sound like a completely different story! Feedback would be a great help! Carol: I’m sorry for all the trouble you had with me…thank you so much matey!
The Prophecy
part 1
by Amelia
"The human language is like a cracked kettle on which we beat out a tune for a dancing bear, when we hope with our music to move the stars." Closing the book she faced the man that sat across her.
"Excellent Isabel." His piercing blue eyes gazed over her like a snake would gaze over its prey. The tone in which he spoke was soothing but cold. She hated that feeling of being trapped, defenseless, she hated the smell of that white sterilized room and she hated Fridays. Those were the days they made her perform those endless tests.
"Why did you choose Madame Bovary for our session today?" For a second her eyes wondered over the book’s red cape. A small smile crept to her delicate face. "Why are you smiling?" He asked, his tone rising a bit.
"I didn’t choose Madame Bovary for any particular reason" She stated dryly. "Only this quote."
"Would you explain to me why?" He asked back in his cold soothing tone.
"I liked it" She answered moments later, her eyes now gazing over him.
"And why did you like it?" It was obvious the man was losing his patients ‘Good!’ she thought ‘That way I can control you!’
"Words are one of the most powerful weapons Mankind possesses. With them you can control people, you can destroy an empire, with them you can build walls around your heart or destroy them in that same moment. But can they actually move the stars?" She smiled her usual gotcha smile "A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought"
"Tell me Isabel" She felt the urge to suppress a shiver every time he pronounced her name. "What is the most important thing to you?"
"Loyalty" She answered not a second later, because it would only raise the suspicion that she was lying, that she was having thoughts of her own, and that they would never allow. Behind her blue eyes her mind screamed ‘Freedom!’ but her lips remained sealed.
"Text book reply" His eyes locked on her own "But I wonder if it’s the true answer". If he was going for any reaction, any light change in her features he missed it, because Isabel was the master of coldness. They had taught her well.
"Truth is the safest lie" She rested her chin on her hand, eyes firmly locked on the man in front of her.
"It seems you have some sort of a settlement for proverbs"
"They fascinate me. They reflect popular knowledge in the most unusual of ways"
"Good" Was his bored reply. While he was searching for something in his papers Isabel had the opportunity of studying him a little. ‘Expensive watch, expensive suite, perfect fingernails. He breathes elegance and ambition. One could think he’s the ruler of the world. Ah, but he has trouble concentrating for long periods of time – Not going to get very far I’m afraid.’
"Well Isabel, my work here is done. Thank you very much for this wonderful chat" He was smiling those kind of smiles that melted a mother’s heart, but his eyes were cold…dead.
"Could I have the pleasure of your name?". her question caught him off guard and his first reaction was to look at the camera placed right over her head, on the white ceiling in that white room. ‘Gotcha there puppet!’ She jolted, but on the outside she was emotionless. Clearing his throat, not at ease with the situation - he answered.
"I am Dr. Price. Now excuse me." Approaching the door he knocked on it twice, stealing a second glance at Isabel before leaving the room. She sat quietly, hands over her lap a small smile playing on her lips. Minutes after Mr. Price’s departure two guards entered the room. It was time to lock away the performing monkey again.
-*-*-*-*
"What did you think of our beautiful prodigy Mr. Raines?"
"A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought" Mr. Raines recited Isabel’s answer in his usual out-of-breath tone. "Do you know who said that?" He questioned.
The two men next to him exchanged surprised looks and just shook their heads as he continued on.
"…And may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and the time in which it is used. This is a quotation gentleman, of Mr. Parker back in 1918" - Raines breathe shallowly, his eyes focused on the screen in front of him - There she was: the Center’s most precious prize, the biggest secret of them all.
At the age of 18 she was perfect, beautiful, utterly intelligent and most importantly, she trusted them completely. As a child, she did not know evil back then, and so had trusted the Devil. Compared to her, Ethan was a shadow, and Jarod was just a smart man. Next to her there were no competitors. The Center would win!
"Mr. Parker?" One of the men asked, apparently confused with that statement.
"Yes, the one person you have to thank for creating this place. Isabel is coming back with me. She’s ready." And with no more delays Mr. Raines exit the room leaving two very surprised men behind.
-*-*-*-*
Three hours later they were ready to take off. Isabel hadn’t spoken a word since they had told her she was about to be moved to another place. She had anticipated that change though. She had felt his presence early that morning when he passed through her room’s door. She knew he had watched her through the surveillance cameras and now, facing him she just wanted to run away as far as her legs would let her go.
"You know who I am?" He asked with his rough shrilling voice. Isabel just nodded, lost in the image of the man sitting in front of her. No one had ever told her who he was, but she knew him. He had plagued her thoughts for many years and he was a constant presence in her nightmares. "Good then, there’s no need to pretend we don’t know each other"
"Why am I being moved?" She asked, her eyes fixed on the man, every emotion drained from her system.
"The time as come." Was his simple but sharp response. "I watched your session with Dr. Price"
"I know" She interrupted him mid sentence. For a moment Mr. Raines looked surprised but said nothing.
"Where did you hear that?"
Isabel took a while to answer. Should she pretend not to understand what he was talking about, or should she dazzle him with her wits? - ‘That quote represents a beginning for us’…
"A little bird told me" She responded - A mocking smile playing on her lips.
"Don’t play with me child!" Raines roared at her. Isabel almost jumped out of her seat. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were menacing…evil. "How…did…you…know…that?" He wheezed.
"I saw it."
"Where?"
"In my mind."
The plane suffered from the heavy turbulence, shaking and bouncing everyone inside. "I saw them clear as water."
"Excellent" He whispered - his mind lost in thoughts. So it was true…she could read the Scrolls. "Magnificent".
Isabel looked out the window. The blue ocean extended as far as the eyes could see. She had seen many pictures and had read many things about the vast ocean. One day she just wished she could stand on the shore watching the waves kissing the sand, the warm sun in her face while the wind blew soothing words in her ear.
One day it would all be over…
*-*-*-*
"Broots!" Miss Parker called from the door, scaring the poor technician. "What’s this fuss all about?"
Broots was still shaking as he tried to gather his thoughts - "Umm…I don’t know?" Was his answer-sort-of-a-question. He had been locked up down there for the entire day. How was he supposed to know what was happening in the Madhouse?
"You are so over-paid" She snapped bitterly "Find out what’s going on and do it quietly." She warned him with a menacing look. "I have a weird feeling about this." She stated just before closing the door.
"Weird feelings are my daily bread." He said under his breath, typing fast on his keyboard.
-*-*-*-
Walking straight to Sydney’s office, Miss Parker couldn’t shake off that nasty little voice that said something big was about to happen. She had felt it in her gut ever since she had gotten up that morning. She almost could see it, but somehow it eluded her. She needed Syd’s help.
"Come in" Was Sydney’s soft reply to her urgent knock on the door. She entered immediately and closed the door behind her. "Good afternoon Miss Parker, can I help you with anything?" His voice was calm and soothing, just like a lullaby which made her heart soften a bit.
"Yes Syd, I need you to help me with my Inner sense." She said, pacing his office.
"Anything, but that" Was his sharp reply.
"Please Syd." - Was she begging? She definitely needed a vacation! " I’ve been having these flashes of a room, a Center room and today I can’t shake off the feeling something’s about to happen, something important. Please help me to understand it."
Sydney watched her in silence for a few moments, clearly fighting a battle inside his heart.
"I can’t promise you anything." He finally responded. Miss Parker’s face lit up at his words. ‘Good old Syd! You say Please and he’ll agree with anything!’
"I don’t need your promises Syd, just your help" She said, sitting comfortably on his couch - she waited for him to begin whatever it was that made her talk about her visions.
-*-*-*-
*White. Everything’s white, the table, the chair, the floor, the ceiling, the door…everything. Everything’s been sterilized; I can still smell the detergent they used. The light is burning in my eyes…I can’t see, I can’t focus, I want to scream, it hurts! Help me! Why don’t you help me? Find me…I’m in you and you’re in me! Please help me…it’s Friday again!*
Author’s Note: Some quotes were used without permission and for that I am sorry! This is a Pretender fanfic (my first actually), although at first it might sound like a completely different story! Feedback would be a great help! Carol: I’m sorry for all the trouble you had with me…thank you so much matey!
part 1
by Amelia
"The human language is like a cracked kettle on which we beat out a tune for a dancing bear, when we hope with our music to move the stars." Closing the book she faced the man that sat across her.
"Excellent Isabel." His piercing blue eyes gazed over her like a snake would gaze over its prey. The tone in which he spoke was soothing but cold. She hated that feeling of being trapped, defenseless, she hated the smell of that white sterilized room and she hated Fridays. Those were the days they made her perform those endless tests.
"Why did you choose Madame Bovary for our session today?" For a second her eyes wondered over the book’s red cape. A small smile crept to her delicate face. "Why are you smiling?" He asked, his tone rising a bit.
"I didn’t choose Madame Bovary for any particular reason" She stated dryly. "Only this quote."
"Would you explain to me why?" He asked back in his cold soothing tone.
"I liked it" She answered moments later, her eyes now gazing over him.
"And why did you like it?" It was obvious the man was losing his patients ‘Good!’ she thought ‘That way I can control you!’
"Words are one of the most powerful weapons Mankind possesses. With them you can control people, you can destroy an empire, with them you can build walls around your heart or destroy them in that same moment. But can they actually move the stars?" She smiled her usual gotcha smile "A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought"
"Tell me Isabel" She felt the urge to suppress a shiver every time he pronounced her name. "What is the most important thing to you?"
"Loyalty" She answered not a second later, because it would only raise the suspicion that she was lying, that she was having thoughts of her own, and that they would never allow. Behind her blue eyes her mind screamed ‘Freedom!’ but her lips remained sealed.
"Text book reply" His eyes locked on her own "But I wonder if it’s the true answer". If he was going for any reaction, any light change in her features he missed it, because Isabel was the master of coldness. They had taught her well.
"Truth is the safest lie" She rested her chin on her hand, eyes firmly locked on the man in front of her.
"It seems you have some sort of a settlement for proverbs"
"They fascinate me. They reflect popular knowledge in the most unusual of ways"
"Good" Was his bored reply. While he was searching for something in his papers Isabel had the opportunity of studying him a little. ‘Expensive watch, expensive suite, perfect fingernails. He breathes elegance and ambition. One could think he’s the ruler of the world. Ah, but he has trouble concentrating for long periods of time – Not going to get very far I’m afraid.’
"Well Isabel, my work here is done. Thank you very much for this wonderful chat" He was smiling those kind of smiles that melted a mother’s heart, but his eyes were cold…dead.
"Could I have the pleasure of your name?". her question caught him off guard and his first reaction was to look at the camera placed right over her head, on the white ceiling in that white room. ‘Gotcha there puppet!’ She jolted, but on the outside she was emotionless. Clearing his throat, not at ease with the situation - he answered.
"I am Dr. Price. Now excuse me." Approaching the door he knocked on it twice, stealing a second glance at Isabel before leaving the room. She sat quietly, hands over her lap a small smile playing on her lips. Minutes after Mr. Price’s departure two guards entered the room. It was time to lock away the performing monkey again.
-*-*-*-*
"What did you think of our beautiful prodigy Mr. Raines?"
"A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought" Mr. Raines recited Isabel’s answer in his usual out-of-breath tone. "Do you know who said that?" He questioned.
The two men next to him exchanged surprised looks and just shook their heads as he continued on.
"…And may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and the time in which it is used. This is a quotation gentleman, of Mr. Parker back in 1918" - Raines breathe shallowly, his eyes focused on the screen in front of him - There she was: the Center’s most precious prize, the biggest secret of them all.
At the age of 18 she was perfect, beautiful, utterly intelligent and most importantly, she trusted them completely. As a child, she did not know evil back then, and so had trusted the Devil. Compared to her, Ethan was a shadow, and Jarod was just a smart man. Next to her there were no competitors. The Center would win!
"Mr. Parker?" One of the men asked, apparently confused with that statement.
"Yes, the one person you have to thank for creating this place. Isabel is coming back with me. She’s ready." And with no more delays Mr. Raines exit the room leaving two very surprised men behind.
-*-*-*-*
Three hours later they were ready to take off. Isabel hadn’t spoken a word since they had told her she was about to be moved to another place. She had anticipated that change though. She had felt his presence early that morning when he passed through her room’s door. She knew he had watched her through the surveillance cameras and now, facing him she just wanted to run away as far as her legs would let her go.
"You know who I am?" He asked with his rough shrilling voice. Isabel just nodded, lost in the image of the man sitting in front of her. No one had ever told her who he was, but she knew him. He had plagued her thoughts for many years and he was a constant presence in her nightmares. "Good then, there’s no need to pretend we don’t know each other"
"Why am I being moved?" She asked, her eyes fixed on the man, every emotion drained from her system.
"The time as come." Was his simple but sharp response. "I watched your session with Dr. Price"
"I know" She interrupted him mid sentence. For a moment Mr. Raines looked surprised but said nothing.
"Where did you hear that?"
Isabel took a while to answer. Should she pretend not to understand what he was talking about, or should she dazzle him with her wits? - ‘That quote represents a beginning for us’…
"A little bird told me" She responded - A mocking smile playing on her lips.
"Don’t play with me child!" Raines roared at her. Isabel almost jumped out of her seat. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were menacing…evil. "How…did…you…know…that?" He wheezed.
"I saw it."
"Where?"
"In my mind."
The plane suffered from the heavy turbulence, shaking and bouncing everyone inside. "I saw them clear as water."
"Excellent" He whispered - his mind lost in thoughts. So it was true…she could read the Scrolls. "Magnificent".
Isabel looked out the window. The blue ocean extended as far as the eyes could see. She had seen many pictures and had read many things about the vast ocean. One day she just wished she could stand on the shore watching the waves kissing the sand, the warm sun in her face while the wind blew soothing words in her ear.
One day it would all be over…
*-*-*-*
"Broots!" Miss Parker called from the door, scaring the poor technician. "What’s this fuss all about?"
Broots was still shaking as he tried to gather his thoughts - "Umm…I don’t know?" Was his answer-sort-of-a-question. He had been locked up down there for the entire day. How was he supposed to know what was happening in the Madhouse?
"You are so over-paid" She snapped bitterly "Find out what’s going on and do it quietly." She warned him with a menacing look. "I have a weird feeling about this." She stated just before closing the door.
"Weird feelings are my daily bread." He said under his breath, typing fast on his keyboard.
-*-*-*-
Walking straight to Sydney’s office, Miss Parker couldn’t shake off that nasty little voice that said something big was about to happen. She had felt it in her gut ever since she had gotten up that morning. She almost could see it, but somehow it eluded her. She needed Syd’s help.
"Come in" Was Sydney’s soft reply to her urgent knock on the door. She entered immediately and closed the door behind her. "Good afternoon Miss Parker, can I help you with anything?" His voice was calm and soothing, just like a lullaby which made her heart soften a bit.
"Yes Syd, I need you to help me with my Inner sense." She said, pacing his office.
"Anything, but that" Was his sharp reply.
"Please Syd." - Was she begging? She definitely needed a vacation! " I’ve been having these flashes of a room, a Center room and today I can’t shake off the feeling something’s about to happen, something important. Please help me to understand it."
Sydney watched her in silence for a few moments, clearly fighting a battle inside his heart.
"I can’t promise you anything." He finally responded. Miss Parker’s face lit up at his words. ‘Good old Syd! You say Please and he’ll agree with anything!’
"I don’t need your promises Syd, just your help" She said, sitting comfortably on his couch - she waited for him to begin whatever it was that made her talk about her visions.
-*-*-*-
*White. Everything’s white, the table, the chair, the floor, the ceiling, the door…everything. Everything’s been sterilized; I can still smell the detergent they used. The light is burning in my eyes…I can’t see, I can’t focus, I want to scream, it hurts! Help me! Why don’t you help me? Find me…I’m in you and you’re in me! Please help me…it’s Friday again!*
