Zoe was the trigger.  When they took her, Jarod finally realised a truth.  The Centre would never let him go, so long as he was alive.  Or they were......
It took him over a year, but he had time on his side.  And damn good reason. Infiltrating the security around the Triumvirate was a challenge, given there were three of them scattered around the globe, but he was determined.  Determined that no one would ever hurt the people he loved again.  He and his family had earned their freedom and he was going to ensure they were granted it.

Three very personal messages were left for the Triumvirate heads in highly secure and sensitive areas.  Those messages were warnings and threats. And a deal - leave *his* family alone and he would not harm theirs.

Parker looked around as she walked across the lobby, puzzled.  More people than usual, all moving too fast, talking too quietly.  Tension and stress across all faces, something was clearly happening, but she was unaware of the details.
Broots and Sydney were waiting in her office, but unlike those outside their faces were excited, pausing with hand on hips, she purses her lips "this cannot be good, you two look like you just won the lottery".

Sydney rises smiling "please Miss Parker, I think you need to sit down".  She is concerned now, their smiles are getting wider and she is frustrating at not being in on the joke "please sit, there is something you must see, its about Jarod"

Broots stifles a noise, she eyes him suspiciously, it sounded like a laugh.  What could he possbily be laughing about?  His hand holding the paperwork shakes as he hands it to her "here, its all here in black and white".  She snatches it out of his hands, ripping the file open.  A Centre memo is the only document inside, but not just any memo, its a Centrewide memo from the Triumvirate.  She inhales in shock and looks at Broots and Sydney "the Triumvirate never communicate with Centre staff directly, what the hell is going on?"

Broots flaps his hands at her, his voice excited "read it read it".  Underneath all the legalese intro are words she never expected to see written under this letterhead

AS OF THIS MOMENT ALL PURSUIT OF THE ESCAPEE FROM THE PRETENDER PROJECT - NAMED JAROD - IS TO CEASE AND DESIST. PERMANENTLY. NO HARM IS TO COME TO THIS MAN (AND ANYONE KNOWN TO BE IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH HIM OR HIS FAMILY) FROM ANY CENTRE EMPLOYEE.  ANY CENTRE STAFF MEMBER FOUND BREACHING THESE TERMS WILL BE DEALT WITH IMMEDIATELY BY THE TRIUMVIRATE, DIRECTLY.

Her heart skips several beats and she feels dizzy.  How?  What? WHY? and the dawning realisation that this may be the key to her freedom.  She couldn't chase Jarod now, they could't hold her hostage anymore.

Eyes shining, she rises to face both men "is this true?  is it REAL?" Broots nods with excitement "you saw all the people running round like ants, its been like that since early hours of today.  A communique came in from Africa, and since then this place has gone nuts.  What do you think it means?"

Memo in hand she strides to the door "I don't know what it means, but Im sure Lyle and my father do", she pauses, looking over her shoulder "coming boys?"

Slamming the doors to her fathers office open, heels clicking on the stone floor as she walks to the desk.  Lyle and her father pause their conversation, turning at her entrance.  She flourishes the memo in her hand "is this true?" she demands "what the hell is going on?"

"Ah, Angel, here you are" her father grips her shoulders in greeting "Lyle, explain everything to your siste will you" he drops a kiss on her cheek "I have things to take care of for upstairs".  As he walks away she turns to face Lyle, a familiar smirk on his face "well Parker, it appears the science experiment has finally grown a pair"  he barks a laugh at the confusion on her face "Jarod finally put all the pieces together, and did the only thing he could to ensure his survival.  He directly threatened the Triumvirate and their families.  If they, and we, leave him and his family alone *for good* then he will not ......escalate any further action"

"It seems the boy wonder has finally found the secret recipe for happiness, treachery and extortion!"

Sinking down into the nearest chair in shock, she catches her breath and begins to laugh out loud, ringing peals of genuine delight, tears running down her face, she chokes out "no, he did exactly what the Centre taught him to do, he did it our way"  the laughter continued as she collapsed back into the chair  "oh god, the irony is priceless.  And the solution is so simple once you see it.  I can only wonder what finally drove him to take this step".

Suddenly the laughter was gone, and the steely glare back.  Lyle fidgeted under it as she stepped to the edge of his desk, leaning forward on both hands to glare at him "what do you think drove Jarod over the edge, hmmm?  Our normally peace loving wonderboy doesn't strike without reason, doesn't strike first."

Lyle wasn't going to tell her about Zoe, Parker hadn't been read into the abduction at the time, and all the other particpants were no longer ...employed.

"Anyway, its all water under the bridge" taking her gun out from the back of her skirt, she places it on Lyle's desk "I'm leaving, be a good boy and get HR to do all the appropriate paperwork would you?"

Lyle stands abruptly "you can't leave!" Walking across to the doors, she pauses before opening them "yes I can, and I am.  I was only here to catch Jarod, and now he is bulletproof. Therefore I am leaving, for good" she threw a whimsical smile at him "maybe I will have a holiday, somewhere they have drinks with fruit and silly umbrellas"

Lyle and Mr Parker were adamant she was staying, but they had had an agreement, she no longer had reason to stay, and they couldn't hold her if she wanted to leave. She suspected the Triumvirate put pressure on them to let her go, if the primary hunter of Jarod was gone, it would send him a clear message.  They were scared, and with good cause.  It would keep them honest for a while, and she wanted to leave while she had her chance.

Broots decided to stay on at the Centre, he liked playing with the toys, and there were many other projects to be worked on. Sydney played her card, opting to leave and settle into retirement.  She suspected he wanted to spend some quality time with a certain lady from his past.

She *did* have a tropical holiday, with sun, sand and fruit drinks with umbrellas.  It drove her nuts.