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Author's Chapter Notes:
thank you all for the reviews, cant wait to see what you think of the story. And as always, this is co-written by Jaccione and Onisius.
Jarod looked at Sydney, knowing he was right, knowing that he couldn't fight like this and survive, that Africa was a real concern. If he was to escape, here would likely be more easy than there. He sighed heavily. “I’m so tired Sydney."

Parker wasn’t sure how Jarod meant that, if he was tired from his SIM, the 'play' with Lyle or tired of this. "After the infirmary Jarod, you can have a couple hours of free time."

“Thanks,” He said, struggling to keep the bitterness out of his voice, knowing that she thought that was a generous offer. Free time just meant sit and stare with nothing to do. He supposed that was better than the pressure to work on something he had no intention of doing.

When they finally got down there, Parker called a doctor over and sat Jarod on one of the hospital cots. "Freud, your boy is being looked after. Come with me."

“Will you be alright Jarod?” Sydney asked, very worried. He didn’t want to leave him here, knowing how some of these doctors could be. On the other hand though, it wasn’t wise to say no to Parker either.

"Fine Sydney, just go." Jarod urged, knowing how much Sydney was risking for him. The last thing he needed was to make Sydney’s position any harder, although he knew that every time he resisted, he was doing exactly that.

Parker watched as the doctor put his clip board down and asked Jarod to strip for him. Turning away, Parker led Sydney down the hall and away from Jarod. “I NEED him doing our simulations Sydney. No if's no but's. He will be sent to Africa if he doesn’t begin to do them, and I know that is not what either of you want for him."

“I will talk to him Parker,” Sydney said softly. “See if I can make him understand.” Sydney shook his head sadly wishing they had never caught up with him. He knew, or could guess at how much pressure she was under and he tried to make allowances for it. There had never been any chance that if Jarod was brought back things would go smoothly and he knew that Parker wasn’t prepared to deal with any of this. She had bought her father’s lies about being allowed to leave and Sydney did not doubt that she had clung so stubbornly to that promise to preserve her ability to continue the chase. He didn’t think though that she had ever allowed herself to think of the consequences to Jarod after he had been returned. Or the consequences to her either. Sometimes he worried more about her than Jarod. At least Jarod knew what he wanted, what needed to be done. It was not so easy for Parker.

“I am going to go talk to him now. Get back to your office and try to catch up on any work you might have. Jarod's going to need at least the rest of today off so you don't need to be with him."

"Parker, his heart isn't going to be able to withstand much more of this. I don't know if Lyle understands how dangerous this is."

“I will talk to him," Parker promised before turning on her heel and leaving Sydney standing there. Stalking back down the hall, Parker opened the curtain of the room that had Jarod in it, sitting on the bed in his underwear. "Are you done with him yet Doctor?” She asked impatiently, seeing the doctor getting ready to draw some blood.

“In a moment,” The doctor responded curtly, jabbing a needle into Jarod's arm, paying no attention when his patient flinched.

Jarod looked up at her and then dropped his eyes, knowing what she was going to say. They had the same conversation time and time again. He flinched and screwed his face up as the needle went in, having come to expect such callous treatment during his ‘medicals’ here. Everything was carefully calculated so that he understood that he had no more control, all the petty cruelties designed to re–educate him into his new life.

“Do you want to be a bit more gentle?" Parker snapped, seeing how Jarod flinched as the needle was jabbed into him, surprised it hadn’t gone right through the vein. As it was Jarod was scared of needles, ever since Raines decided to use him as a pin cushion.

That took Jarod by surprise, but he wisely kept his mouth shut this time. The last thing he needed to do was to provoke her right now. It wasn’t like Parker to come to his rescue twice in one day.

“Sorry Miss Parker,” The doctor grumbled, liking Mr Lyle far more than this woman. At least he was easy to deal with.

When the doctor left, Parker looked Jarod up and down slowly, taking his body in. “I will schedule a full and complete medical tomorrow and I do not expect any arguing."

"Yes Miss Parker," Jarod said, wondering why she cared about his health all of a sudden. He wondered if she knew what a medical entailed and if this wasn’t her just getting back at him for being such a pain, interrupting her day with his bleeding and suffering and all. He looked at her face though and knew she was worried more than she wanted to show, or admit to herself.

Folding her arms and looking down on him, “So what’s it to be?" Parker asked him simply, knowing Jarod would know what she was talking about.

“I can't do some of those SIM's Miss Parker. You know why.” He whispered. It was very hard for him to accept her in this role and he had to stop himself from thinking of her as his friend from childhood. She was no more that girl than he was that naive little boy anymore.

Parker was getting very annoyed at this, but did understand his point of view. “Well you are going to have to, or you will be shipped to Africa. What we are sending them is simply not enough for their liking. The greedy bastards want more and they will get more Jarod. For now, I will keep the worst away, but you will do the SIM’s we ask you to do lab rat. Just not the very worst of them."

“I will look at them,” He agreed, although he suspected that he wouldn't like what they were.

"You will not only look at them Jarod, you WILL do them. You have no choice in the matter." Parker wasn’t asking nicely, pretty pleasing him with sugar on the top. It was an order she was giving him, giving to a project and he will follow it.

Jarod looked at her and sighed. That wasn't entirely true though was it? He did have some choice in the matter, despite what they wanted to believe, wanted him to believe. He refrained from arguing with her though, knowing it would achieve nothing.

“I know you have never been to Africa Jarod, but you will not like it. What is being done here will seem like absolute heaven. Lyle will seem like an angel to what those people are like. I know you hate it here, hate these SIM's, but it is better for you to just shut it out and do them."

"Better for whom? I won't do them there either Miss Parker," Jarod said, resolved on his course of action with respect to that. “Whatever they do to me could not be worse than what doing those SIM's would do to me.” There was no way to ever make her understand it seemed. Even Sydney didn’t seem to understand the full extent of his opposition to being involved in any more of the Centre’s dirty work.

"You would think so wouldn't you? Do you want me to tell you some ways how they could make you do them? Without even touching a hair on your head?" Parker snapped at him. The genius simply did not comprehend how Africa really worked. Here Lyle was happy to hurt Jarod himself, hurt him to make him work. They didn’t quite do it the same way over there.

Jarod looked at her and moved to get dressed. “I know what kind of depravity they are capable of Miss Parker.” He whispered as he put his formless grey clothes back on.

“So you know how they will just bring people in off the 'streets' and murder them in front of you? Chain you up and let you watch as they torture a young girl to death? How they are quite happy to drown a baby? All just for the fun of getting you to work." Parker growled coldly.

Jarod closed his eyes, his fists clenched as he took a moment to steady himself before he said something really nasty. He supposed he should be grateful that they hadn’t tried that here yet. A time would come when it might come to that though and he feared that day. He could put up with just about anything Lyle did to him, but he couldn’t stand to see innocent people hurt because of him. In the end it would be a simple choice, hurt people he didn’t or never would know, hurt them in an abstract sense, or watch ‘real’ people suffering right before his eyes. Escape or death were the only options for him before it did come to that and right now, escape wasn’t looking promising.

“Well? Those are just a few of the things they are quite happy to do to get you working genius. There are millions of ways to make you suffer with out laying a single hand on their prized pretender, and the Africans are far from squeamish. They will do what ever it takes to get you to work."

He looked up at her, holding her eyes for a moment before dropping them, not telling her he would never let it get to that. He would kill himself before he allowed that to happen.

"You need to do the work we give you to do. No two ways about it."

"No two ways." Jarod agreed softly.

Parker tried not to sigh in relief. "Good, about time. Get up and let's go." To Parker, it sounded as if Jarod had agreed with her and she couldn’t believe how happy she was for that.

“Where Miss Parker?” He asked tentatively.

"Back to your cosy room." Parker told him sarcastically.

"Great," Jarod murmured and followed her slowly, his muscles still not all that responsive, but much better than before. He felt like he had been hit by a truck. Just another fun day in paradise.

Getting into the lift to take them to the right floor, the sweeper following behind them, “I have had some of my files brought down for you to work on. I expect them by the end of today."

“So my free time is to do your files?” He asked, wanting to get this straight.

Parker looked at her watch, “It's only 2 pm genius. You have two hours free time, then I want my work done. Since I was dragged away from it to come and save your pathetic arse."

“What is it?” He asked, rather having something constructive to do, even her paperwork, than to sit and look at his walls and think.

"Just travel reports." Parker shrugged. Getting off the lift, Parker didn't wait for him and walked out, not caring the sweeper would most likely haul Jarod forward.

Moving to keep up with her, not wanting any encouragement, Jarod followed. “If you send them down, I can get on them right away, or perhaps it might be easier on your office.” He suggested helpfully.

“They are already in your room waiting to be done. The sweeper should have brought them down." Parker knew what Jarod was doing, trying to get time out of his cell, a chance to look out of the windows. But Parker would not give him that chance to escape. Jarod hadn't seen the outside for three months now, and she just bet he was dying to get out. So far the monkey boy hadn’t made a single dash for escape, and Parker knew he was just waiting for the right opportunity.

"How very organised,” He muttered in disappointment.

“Well maybe if you were doing your work earlier then finally deciding to do it now, you could have had trips to see outside."

Jarod couldn't help but smile at the blatant bribe and just how little she appeared to understand him. A trip outside wasn’t going to be enough to convince him to do their dirty work for them.

“What?" Parker snapped at him, watching the sweeper force Jarod to sit on the cot as they got in the room and moved to stand outside. “Sydney seems to think it will help everyone a lot better if we try and ease you into this. But you are just a stubborn bastard that doesn't care about his own situation."

"Oh, I care Miss Parker, don't ever doubt that. This must be incredibly gratifying for you.” He saw the folders on the desk and he would get to them as soon as she was gone, and hopefully Lyle would stay away, at least for a little while.

"You think I like seeing you being tormented by my sick brother?" Parker growled at him.

“I don't know what to think Miss Parker. What did YOU think would happen?” She was the one that had brought him back after all, she had to have known it would go this way. There was no way she could have expected him to cooperate, or did she think all she had to do was flash those long legs at him and he would jump to her every command?

"Have you had your lunch yet?" Parker asked, changing the topic.

"No,” He answered, waiting for the sweeper to leave, not wanting to move while he was there. They were watching him as if he was the world’s most dangerous criminal, every moved seemed to be threatening to them.

“I will have the slop sent down." Parker told him, moving to the door. "As soon as you are finished those files, knock on the door so the sweeper knows and can inform me." Parker ordered Jarod before storming out the room.

"You won't stay for lunch?" Jarod quipped sourly.

Parker didn't even stop as he spoke, listening to the door lock shut behind her and the sweeper, leaving Jarod alone in his little room.

“I guess not," Jarod sighed and got up, picking up the folder and flicking through it idly, estimating how long it would take him. He would make her deadline easily, with time to spare.

Parker returned to her office, intent on getting her paperwork done. Since assuming the chair, it seemed that it was never ending. Instead though she found herself thinking about what Sydney had said, thinking about Jarod. She hated the way they both looked at her, the accusation in their eyes. She knew what they were thinking, how they were comparing her to her demented twin. What was she supposed to do though? She had never wanted the Chair, never wanted to be in this position, but she was and she was trying to do the best for everyone.

The Triumvirate was just waiting for her to stumble, expecting it, and then Lyle would be fully in charge and that would be a disaster. Right now the only thing that stood between Jarod and Sydney and the Triumvirate was her. It had been made very clear to her that people would die and Jarod would be ‘appropriated’ if results weren’t forthcoming. If necessary they would assimilate the Centre’s operations and then they would ‘clean house.’ A nice euphemism that sent a shiver down her spine.

How could she look at Jarod as her old friend and then do what needed to be done? How could Sydney not understand that it had to be this way, for all of their sakes? She felt more alone now than she ever had in her entire life and her only defence was her Ice–Queen persona, the only way to protect herself, protect them all. If she showed a sign of weakness then Jarod would be doomed, given to Lyle or worse. Damn him anyway! It was so easy for him to pass judgement on her, so wrapped up in his self–righteousness when he didn’t have the faintest idea of the things she had to put up with, the compromises she had to make just to keep him safe. She knew safe was a relative term, but it was the best she could do, and she was doing it the only way she knew how. The simple fact was, she couldn’t afford to be any different. It was just so hard though, sometimes all she wanted to do was open the door and let him go, watching as he left her forever to go make a life for himself, a life that deep deep down she knew he deserved.

That was fantasy though and Miss Parker was too old and too tired for such nonsense. Things were the way there were, nothing was going to change that, now it was up to her to find a way through it, and she would, whatever the cost.

Having caught up on most of his reports and files, Sydney made his way back up to Parker's office, knowing that the situation with Jarod was reaching a critical point, and not knowing what to do about it. He knocked on her door before entering and sitting down opposite her.

Parker looked up as Sydney came in, “What do you want Freud, can't you see I am busy?" Could he not simply just leave her alone for a few hours to do some of her paper work? Did he always have to come up whining about the rat?

"Here is the paperwork you wanted.” He handed the files over. "You talked with him?"

"Yes I did," Parker took the files and flicked through them, dividing them up, the ones for her and the ones Lyle would need to sign.

"And?” Sydney asked. “Did you resolve anything?"

“I think he is finally going to do the SIM's we give him without complaint. I told him I would keep the worse of them away from him, but he seems to understand d he will do all others we give to him."

"He is?” Sydney asked in surprise. That seemed to be an incredibly dramatic turn about, too good to be true.

"He is, I think he is. He seems to finally understand now that doing them here is the lesser of two evils." Parker wasn’t to sure about that however, thinking over what he said and how he said it. Not to sure anymore it wasn’t just to buy him some time, or if he was trying to be a smartarse as he said it.

Sydney wasn't really sure he believed that. “Try to insulate him from the worst of them Parker, you may have more success that way." Sydney wasn’t a fool, he knew how it had to be, he just wished there was some way that Jarod could accept it, at least for now.

“I plan to. Now he seems to be ok with doing them, I don't want to flood him with the ones he would buck at before he escaped. He will still do the ones he was earlier, but I will be adding more of the ones we need done."

“That is quite the turnaround Parker.” Sydney commented not quite able to believe it.

"Let's just hope he does do them. If he refuses again, its going to be Africa for him which will be a hell of a lot worse than he has it here." Parker assured him.

"And how do you feel about that Parker?” Sydney asked gently. She was putting up a very strong front, Sydney knew though that this had to be hard on her. He could almost see her insulating herself a little more each day, becoming more distant, colder. Sometimes he saw a glimmer of the Miss Parker he knew, but she was getting harder and harder to find.

"As much as the rat is a pain in the arse, I don't want him to get sent there Syd." Parker sighed a little. Africa was such an extreme, even to get the genius working again. Africa was where you sent a weasel like Lyle, Africa was where they held all the psychos.

“I am glad to hear that. You were best friends once Parker.” Sydney sighed sadly.

“That was a very long time ago,” She snapped defensively.

"Yes it was.” Sydney nodded. “Well, I can see you are busy." The defences had slammed back into place and he knew the discussion was closed.

Parker just nodded, getting back to her work. She had enough for today and as soon as she got her files back from Jarod, Parker was going to go home and get drunk. She didn’t need the old shrink stirring up things she didn’t want to be thinking about.

“If you need to talk Parker...” Sydney said, standing up. “I will go and check on Jarod."

"No you won't. He is to be left alone until his SIM tomorrow morning." Parker shook her head. "Go catch up on one of your other little lab rats."

"Parker, I wish you wouldn't call him that.” Sydney chided her.

“Wishing doesn't do anything in this life Freud." Parker said distractedly, getting back to her work, dismissing him. If wishing did anything, she would have had her mother with her, her whole life. Wishes were just something for kids to do while they were bored.

"At least that we can agree upon.” Sydney said softly as he left her office. He hated the way Jarod was being treated, it was unnecessary and cruel. Nobody listened to him though despite his continual attempts to get them to ease up on him.

When Parker got the call that Jarod had finished the files, Parker got up and headed down to his room, making a pit stop along the way. Getting to his room, Parker opened the door and stepped in. It was a small room, but Parker could imagine it seemed even smaller to Jarod than it did to her. "You finished?”

"Yes I have.” He looked up at her from the corner of his cot, his legs pulled up to his chest protectively. When the door opened, he never knew what to expect, or who, and he wasn’t ready for another round with Lyle just yet.

Flicking through them, Parker grabbed his pen and quickly signed each one. That had saved her a days worth of work. Noticing how Jarod had his legs to his chest, protecting himself, Parker closed her eyes. "Please tell me you will do the SIM's I give you."

"Please tell me you are giving me something decent to work on." Jarod countered.

“I will continue to give you the ones you have been doing, but I will also be giving you ones like you used to do. Nothing so bad as the SIM that got Kenny killed, nothing that bad."

Jarod closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You know about that?” He asked, although he shouldn't have been surprised. That was still a wound that was raw and he wondered if it would ever heal.

“Sydney showed me the DSA," Parker said gently sitting down next to him. Parker knew they had done some bad things to Jarod, but to her, that had taken the cake. It had been hard to watch and in truth, she didn’t blame Jarod for being the way he was. That changed nothing though and the situation was what it was and crying over what had happened wasn’t going to get them anywhere.

“I see," Jarod said softly, wondering if this was a veiled threat. Parker had been cold to him, spiteful even, since his return, and he knew that he provoked much of that, but it horrified him to think she might be that cruel.

“I won't ever let it get that far Jarod. If we give you a SIM you buck at like you did that time, then I will know that there obviously has to be a big reason for it. The ones I need done are all military, been approved by the government so they should be legit. Though there is nothing saying that they won't twist it, but what they do with it at the end isn't up to us. These ones are approved, so they have to be ok to do Jarod. Will you just do them?"

The military meant death and destruction most likely. “I will look at them.” He told her, trying to give her something at least. Half the time the government approved ones were the worst of all, and what made that even harder was the fact that they would never be called on them, never be brought to justice, if there really was such a thing. Lately Jarod had begun to wonder.

“That's at least a little better. You have to stop fighting this Jarod, I don't want you to be sent there. You will be destroyed." Parker said softly. And he would, Parker knew they would destroy him for good. There would never be any hope for him.

“If I do all that you want me to, I will be anyway, can't you see that?” He asked her very softly. He didn’t add ‘don't you care?’

Parker sighed heavily, “There has to be a compromise Jarod," Parker had spoken with him like this only a few times since they had become adults, normally after some shocking news.

“I didn't think the Centre did 'compromise' Miss Parker." Jarod whispered.

“The Centre might not, Lyle might not, but I do Jarod. I want you working, I don't want you in Africa, but I don't want you destroyed like Lyle does, Sydney doesn't either." Parker admitted. “You’re a pin in the arse Jarod, but you’re not that bad.”

“This has been very difficult on Sydney." Jarod admitted.

"And I am not helping matters either. I know he wants only what is best for you, wants to keep you safe, but he has to remember, this is the Centre, we need you working. So how can I get you working? What is a good even middle for now?"

“I don't know what to tell you Miss Parker, you give me things that can help people, not destroy lives, then I will do them, gladly do them."

"Jarod, you know only a very small minority of them are ones like that. They are not the ones that bring us money in. You need to do the ones we give you. Even if it's one from us, and one Sydney picks for you."

"You know what happens with my work Miss Parker. Those military applications are used to destroy hundreds of lives. How can I be involved in that, knowing now what I know?"

"Not all of the military ones destroy Jarod. Quite a lot of them are legitimate, government funded ones. Used to help protect people, protect the country."

He didn't know if she was really that naive but said nothing. “I will look at them, I promise."

That was obviously the best she was going to get for now, which was better then his flat refusal before. Parker realised now she must have misunderstood Jarod before, thinking he was saying yes to doing them. Reaching into her pocket, Parker pulled out a Twinkie packet and handed it to him. "Here." So much for her resolution to distance herself. She chose to believe however that this was just a ploy to soften him up, it didn’t mean that she cared.

“Twinkies?" Jarod asked in surprise as he eyed off the packet. It had been months since he had tasted anything sweet, anything remotely palatable.

Holding it out still, waiting to see if Jarod would take it. "A... thank you gift if you will, for doing my reports. You knocked off a days work for me."

Jarod looked at it, trying to decide if there was some hidden price tag to it. “I can do a lot of your paperwork if you would like.” He offered. That would keep him occupied at least and keep the pressure off a little.

“I would rather you do more SIM's than my paper work." Parker told him, just pushing it into Jarod's hands since he hadn't taken it yet. It must look very suspicious to Jarod for her to be offering a treat to him like this.

“I know,” He said, taking the packet from her. “Thank you for this.” He held it, looking at it for a long time.

“I would have given you some of that PEZ you are so fond off, but the vending machines don't sell them. So you luck out."

He found a smile for her and opened the packet, offering her one of the treats before taking the other for himself.

Scrunching her nose up, Parker shook her head in disgust, “Do you know how many calories and preservatives and additives are in those things?"

“Well actually, I do." Jarod said, shoving one into his mouth and sighing in pure pleasure. He knew the exact composition of them, but that didn’t take away any of their appeal at all. If anything, they were a miracle of modern science.

"And you still eat them?" Parker visibly shivered at the thought of eating one.

"Of course, they are delicious." Jarod informed her, finishing the first one off quickly.

“Delicious is something you get from a five star restaurant. Not some fake food that is likely to kill you." Parker disagreed as she stood up.

“Thanks for them Miss Parker." Jarod said, popping the second one in his mouth before she changed her mind or Lyle showed up.

“I think I will start using them as a reward Jarod." Parker told him, seeing how well he had reacted to them.

“I heard it said once that you can catch more flies with sugar than vinegar." Jarod nodded. Although she was sorely mistaken if she thought a Twinkie would turn him.

“They are right. But I doubt treats like this will get you working to the way we want you to. But every time you do some of my files if I need them done by you, I will reward you with a treat, more of a thank you reward." Some part of her knew what a blatant attempt that was to ease her conscience, but maintain her position. She snapped a lid on that voice quickly though, not interested in what it had to say.









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