Chapter 19

 As Miss Parker left her office on Monday morning and headed for the Tower elevator, she could feel the undercurrent of excitement all around her as Centre employees spread the news of Jarod’s latest daring escape.   She could also sense a smidgen of dread, as everyone wondered who would be blamed for it.

Her head held high, she crossed the main concourse, refusing to acknowledge the whispers and furtive looks directed her way.  Let them gossip.  She had no intention of taking the fall for this fiasco.  Her father’s secretary had just called to say her presence was requested upstairs.  She’d felt a twinge of unease at the summons but quickly decided that this was the perfect opportunity to start Lyle’s fall from grace; she was ready to point the finger directly at her brother when her father needed a scapegoat.

She had just arrived at the elevator when a voice spoke in her ear:  “Any news on Jarod?”

Miss Parker jumped slightly.  Sydney had come up behind her with, of course, Broots on her other side.  “No,” she said then raised her voice and added an edge of irritation for the benefit of any personnel within earshot.  “Looks like he made a clean getaway…again.”

“Rumor has it that he got help from someone on the inside.”

Broots had also elevated his voice.  Thank goodness his nervous inflection was normal for him, or someone might get suspicious.  “Where’d you hear that?” she asked.  “Winky?  Manny?”

“Actually, Rags from Maintenance mentioned it.  He was cleaning a clogged toilet in the men’s room on SL-5 this morning and-”

Miss Parker held up a hand to silence him and led the way to a side corridor where they could talk more freely.  Once they’d rounded the corner she turned to face the two men.  “I doubt anyone will take that rumor seriously.  Jarod’s never needed any help to escape before.”

“And he certainly didn’t look like he needed help this time,” Broots said.  “Did you see the security footage from Saturday?  The way he took down his guards?  It was, like, unbelievable!  Bam!  Kapow!  I heard the new Sweeper’s arm was dislocated, and Tony is still in the infirmary with a broken jaw.  Man, Jarod has amazing moves!”  Broots’ eyes were wide with childlike awe.

“He’s not Batman, Broots,” Miss Parker admonished.  But secretly, she was also impressed by how fit he kept his body, even during his recent captivity.  She’d seen Saturday’s recording and had witnessed first-hand how an unarmed and cuffed Jarod had fought free of his guards that day he jumped on the elevator with her.  She could personally attest to his physique since she’d felt his strong, muscular arms around her on more than one occasion.

 “Jarod’s done several Pretends as a member of the military or law enforcement, so it’s no wonder he’s an expert in hand-to-hand combat,” Sydney said.

Miss Parker noticed that this dry explanation did nothing to diminish the light of hero worship shining in Broots’ eyes. 

“But his physical prowess would have proved futile if he hadn’t had the help of a technological expert,” Sydney went on.

True, Broots really had come through this time.  He deserved a lot of credit, and she was in a good enough mood to give it.  “That’s right, Broots,” Miss Parker added in a low voice so she wouldn’t be overheard.  “All of Jarod’s fancy moves would have gotten him nowhere if you hadn’t deactivated the invisible fence.  He would have been laid flat the minute he stepped away from the building if you hadn’t shut it down.”

Broots colored slightly from their praise, but she could tell he was pleased by the recognition. 

Sydney glanced around the hallway.  “Perhaps we should adjourn this meeting,” he suggested.  “It may not be wise right now for the three of us to be seen with our heads together.”

“I’m due in the Tower anyway,” Miss Parker said.  “My father wants to see me.”  In answer to Sydney’s inquisitive look, she added, “I’m sure he just wants a status report on the renewed search for Jarod.” 

“Will Lyle be in this meeting with your father?” Sydney asked.

“Probably.”  She kept her voice light but couldn’t ignore the slight uneasiness she felt at the idea of seeing her brother for the first time since he’d gotten back from the wild goose chase she’d sent him on.

“He got back into town late Saturday night,” Broots said.  “My friend Red from the Motor Pool drove him home from the airport.  He told me Lyle was not in a good mood.”

Her stomach was definitely queasy.  She tried to focus on something else.  “Red?  Let me guess; he has red hair.”

“No, actually he’s called that because he always looks like he’s blushing.  Some skin disease, I forget what it’s called…”

“Broots!  Don’t you know anyone with normal names like John or Nancy?”

“Well, at least they’re called something,” Broots said, not meeting her eyes.  “I don’t have to go by just their last name.”

Sydney rocked back on his heels and aimed a small smile at the floor.

Miss Parker glared at both men, but she really didn’t mind their momentary frivolity.  All three of them were still feeling some leftover exhilaration that the escape plan had actually worked.  Still, time to get back to business.  “Weren’t you saying something, Sydney, about us not being seen together?  So get going, already.”

“As you wish.”  He sobered.  “Just watch yourself, Parker.  Lyle’s unpredictable on a good day.  After the unexpected events of the last forty-eight hours, there’s no telling what he’ll do if provoked.”

“He won’t try anything in front of my – our – father,” Miss Parker said with more confidence than she felt.

Sydney arched an eyebrow and walked away down the corridor.

Miss Parker headed back the way they’d come.  “While I’m upstairs, Broots, check to see if Jarod has accessed any of the Centre’s financial accounts,” she said, glancing back over her shoulder to make sure he was following her.  “He’s going to need money-”

            Someone bumped into her shoulder.  “Watch it!” Miss Parker snarled, turning to scowl at the offending passerby.  Her anger only increased when she saw it was Brigitte.

            She almost didn’t recognize her.  Instead of her normal flashy attire, the petite blonde was wearing a neutral wheat-colored dress, white shrug, and… sunglasses?  Ah, that explained it.  She was probably nursing a hangover and avoiding any bright colors that would aggravate a headache.

            “Late night, Bridget?” she asked, yanking the glasses off the woman’s face.

            She heard Broots gasp beside her.  Brigitte’s right eye was badly bruised, surrounded by an ugly purplish blotch.  “What the hell happened to you?” Miss Parker breathed. “And don’t you dare say you ran into a wall.”

            Brigitte smiled grimly but said nothing.

            “Did Lyle do this to you?” Miss Parker asked quietly, the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach returning with a vengeance.

            “Well, he was understandably upset after he learned that Jarod had escaped again.”  Her voice was flat with only a slight trace of her ‘accent.’  “Plus, his business trip didn’t go as planned.  He wasn’t at all happy that I had brought him faulty information.”  With slightly shaking hands, Brigitte replaced the sunglasses, covering up the evidence of the punishment Lyle had given her.  “Well played, Mr. Broots,” she added, with a touch of her usual cockiness.

“B-Brigitte, I’m so s-sorry,” he began.

            Miss Parker silenced him with an elbow to the ribs and ignored the wounded puppy look he gave her.  She studied the woman in front of her, unable to reconcile this meek abuse victim with the fierce fighter she’d once battled on the helipad of the Centre.  She couldn’t believe that feisty Brigitte had let Lyle hit her.  She must have let her guard down, gotten careless.

            Or Lyle was more out of control than ever.

            Miss Parker felt a chill go through her.  She still vividly remembered the night when she was a little girl and had seen her mother’s bruised and battered face, and that memory made her feel a twinge of sympathy for the woman who stood before her now.  “Maybe you should take the day off,” she suggested awkwardly.  Being kind to her nemesis did not come naturally.

            Brigitte laughed harshly.  “Are you kidding?  With Jarod on the loose again, it’s all hands on deck.  And I intend to be the first one to find him.” With that pronouncement, she turned on her heel and hurried away, joining the crowd of employees on Monday morning business.

            “Like hell you will,” Miss Parker muttered.  Then she turned to Broots, who was rubbing his side where she’d elbowed him and soberly gazing after Brigitte.

            “It’s my fault she got in trouble with Lyle,” he said softly.

            She stifled a sigh.  “Don’t give it another thought, Broots.  She knew who – or what – Lyle was when she decided to team up with him.  You need to concentrate on the search for Jarod.”  She strode to the elevator and jabbed the call button.

            Broots trailed her uncertainly and leaned close to ask, “Am I really supposed to look for him?”

            “Yes!”  Miss Parker went on in a lower voice but with just as much intensity, “We can’t let anyone else find him first.  If he gets re-captured before Lyle’s been neutralized, we’ll be right back where we started.”  The elevator arrived.  “Get to work, Broots!” she ordered and darted aboard before the doors had even opened all the way. 

            Sensing that this wasn’t the right time for a grand entrance, Miss Parker opened only one of the frosted glass doors of her father’s office before poking her head inside.  “Daddy?”

            Her father rose from behind his desk.  “Come in, come in,” he said impatiently.  “What’s the latest on the search for Jarod?”

            No Good to see you, Angel, she noted.  She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.  Lyle was already there, standing in front of the desk.  He glanced her way as she approached.  She tried to gauge his current mood, but his bland businessman’s mask was in place, so she couldn’t read anything in his expression.  She reluctantly took up position next to him and addressed her father, “We’ve explored all the usual avenues Jarod could have taken to leave the city but have come up empty.”

            “I need details!” Mr. Parker barked.

            Miss Parker’s chin came up, and she felt herself snap to attention.  She didn’t take offense at her father’s tone; he had every right to be upset by Jarod’s latest escape.  She just hoped he never learned that what he now considered failure on her part was actually outright betrayal.

            “My team checked all of the local airports, commercial and private, as well as train stations, bus depots, and car rental agencies,” she said briskly.  “Sam and I personally showed Jarod’s photo at several of these locations.  We even checked with limousine services.”

            Mr. Parker raised his eyebrows at the last one, but then grunted.  “It would be just like Jarod to ride out of town in style,” he said.

            “He does enjoy thumbing his nose at us,” Lyle muttered.

            Miss Parker continued her report: “On the off chance that Jarod is still in the area, I’m also checking hotels, motels, bed and breakfast inns, and even homeless shelters.” 

            Lyle nodded thoughtfully.  “Jarod can be a bum as easily as a billionaire.”

            “But it’s not as much fun,” Mr. Parker said.  “Still, don’t just hit the shelters; make sure you send a few Sweepers to the places around town where the homeless are known to camp out.”

            Miss Parker saw the shadow that crossed his face and wondered if he was remembering the time he had spent among the dregs of society when he was forced to hide from the Triumverate.

            “Jarod may have no choice but to live on the streets,” Lyle pointed out.  “He can’t get far without some traveling money.”

            “I have Broots checking for any unauthorized access of the Centre’s financial accounts,” Miss Parker said quickly.

            Mr. Parker’s mustache bristled.  “I thought we had safeguards in place to prevent Jarod from stealing any more money from us!”

            “We do, but Broots told me that he may be able to detect even an attempt to withdraw funds.  And if Jarod does succeed in siphoning off funds, we might be able to trace the electronic transfer to a specific bank.  Jarod’s going to want to use cash as much as possible.”

            “Which he could just as easily win in a poker game,” Lyle said sourly.

            “Good idea. Check the casinos,” Mr. Parker said.  “Jarod certainly has the ability to work the system so that he comes up a winner.”

            “Yes, but he doesn’t want to draw attention to himself,” Miss Parker countered.  “But, he did do a Pretend as head of casino security once, so he’d know how to avoid detection.”  She frowned as she wondered if he’d risk it.

            “Why are we assuming he’ll pull off some elaborate scheme to get money?” Lyle asked in exasperation.  “He could just mug somebody to get cash.”

            “Jarod is not a criminal,” Miss Parker said, amazed that her brother still knew so little about his prey.

            “Desperate times…” Lyle said with a shrug.

            “Then maybe he just hitch-hiked out of town,” she countered flippantly.

            “Hell, this is Jarod; he could have fashioned a pair of wings and flown away for all we know,” Mr. Parker said, settling heavily into his leather desk chair with a sigh.  “What’s our next step?  And we’d better have a new approach,” he added sternly, “because we all know what a failure our old methods have been.”

            Even though her father had sat down, Miss Parker remained standing, knowing that nothing had become more relaxed about this meeting.

            “That’s because we could never predict what he would do next,” Lyle said, also staying on his feet.  “His acts of kindness have been rather random.  But this time, we know one thing that will be at the top of his to-do list.”

            He paused.  Miss Parker hoped he wasn’t going to suggest that they redouble their efforts to locate Jarod’s family, because that was exactly what she wanted Jarod to do himself.

            “His implant could be the key to finding him,” Lyle went on.  “He’s going to want to get that thing removed as soon as possible.  All we have to do is keep an eye on hospitals or universities with highly advanced neuroscience departments.”

            “Dr. Archer?” Mr. Parker asked.

            Miss Parker looked at him sharply.  She’d heard a trace of alarm in his voice.

            Lyle didn’t sound concerned as he replied, “She’s safely tucked away, but as you said, this is Jarod, and we can’t rule out any possibility.  I’ve already notified the appropriate authorities about the security risk.”

            “Good,” Mr. Parker said with an approving nod.

            Safely tucked away?  Appropriate authorities?  Miss Parker thought Lyle had contracted the good doctor to do just the one job of surgically fitting Jarod with the implant, but from the way her father and brother were talking, it sounded like the woman remained of importance to the Centre.  Why?  She didn’t bother to ask, sensing that the answers she sought would not be readily offered.

            “Of course there are other experts in the field that Jarod might find,” Lyle went on.  “We should compile our own list and check to see if he’s contacted any of them.”  He looked askance at Miss Parker.  “Perhaps a job best suited to Mr. Broots?”

            She carefully avoided his glance.  “I’ll have him look into it,” she said.

            “That damn implant wasn’t worth the price anyway,” Mr. Parker said.  “I thought that thing guaranteed Jarod wouldn’t be able to escape.”

            Lyle fidgeted next to her.  “He shouldn’t have been able to get past the invisible fence.”

            She managed to keep the smile off her face, but there was a slight smugness to her tone when she said, “But he did.  We all saw the security footage.  He just walked right through your fancy perimeter fence with not even a twitch.”

            While her father’s scowl deepened, Lyle muttered, “I don’t understand it.  The implant works fine.  I’ve proved that on more than one occasion.”

            The memory of Jarod writhing on the ground when he first encountered the invisible fence flashed through Miss Parker’s mind and added an extra bite to her words:  “Maybe you zapped Jarod too often and desensitized him to the electric shocks.”

            “Impossible!  That fence is set to deliver the maximum non-lethal voltage; there’s no way he could withstand it.”  Lyle was starting a slow burn; she didn’t need to look at him to feel his frustration and anger growing.

            “Forget about how Jarod managed to escape again.”  Their father fixed a stern look on each of his children in turn.  “There will be an investigation, but for right now, your focus needs to be on getting him back!  I want a written report on everything you’ve done already and everything to plan to do in the coming days of the search.  I’ll need to submit that to the Triumverate.  Hopefully, they’ll be less harsh in their judgment of this latest setback if they realize we’re doing all we can to recapture Jarod as soon as possible.”

            “Of course,” Miss Parker said.  “I’ll see you get that report by the end of the day.” 

            Lyle murmured a similar agreement.

            Sensing their meeting was almost over, Miss Parker decided the time had come to start her campaign to unseat Lyle from power.  “Daddy?”  She allowed a trace of fear into her voice.  “If the Triumverate decides someone here at the Centre is to blame for Jarod’s latest escape, what do you think they’ll do?”

            Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lyle stiffen.

            “With that crazy Zulu Mutombo in charge?  They could do anything.”

            “Would it help if I also submitted in writing my recommendation that Lyle should not be held solely accountable?”

            She didn’t need to look at her brother to feel his glare burning into the side of her neck.

            Her father seemed caught off-guard by her offer.  “Eh, what’s that?”

            “I know Lyle is in charge of the Pretender project, but I don’t think he should be held entirely responsible for Jarod’s escape,” she said smoothly.  “I mean, he wasn’t even here when it happened.”

            “But you were,” Lyle was quick to point out.  “Yet you couldn’t stop him from getting away.”

            This time she did look at him.  “I trusted your foolproof security system to keep him contained and didn’t react as quickly as I should have,” she said.  “My mistake.”

            His mask of professionalism was slipping; she could see the anger sparking in his pale blue eyes.  “Oh, you made a mistake alright,” he said evenly.

            “Enough!”  Their father was on his feet, slapping his palms down against the gleaming wood surface of his desk.  “Blaming each other for this fiasco is not going to solve anything. If you two could just find a way to work together, Jarod would have a hell of a time eluding a united Parker team!”

            Lyle reluctantly broke eye contact with her, nodded at his father, and headed for the exit.

            “I want daily status reports,” Mr. Parker called after him.  Then he focused on her.  “From both of you.”

            “Yes, Daddy,” Miss Parker said and turned to go.  Not wanting to follow too closely on Lyle’s heels, she lingered in the doorway and looked back. 

            Her father was slumped in his chair, swiveled sideways facing away from the door, so he didn’t realize she was still there.  As she watched, he winced slightly and raised a trembling hand to his forehead as if plagued by a sudden migraine.

            She had to ignore her instinct to make her presence known and offer comfort.  She’d choke on the hypocrisy of the gesture, knowing that her actions were contributing to the pressure her father felt now.  No matter that her reasons for helping Jarod to escape – namely, eliminating the threat Lyle posed to them all – would be worth it in the long run; right now her father would see only the betrayal.

            She turned away and closed the door quietly behind her.

            Lyle was just getting on the elevator when she got there.  She quickly veered right and headed into the stairwell.

            She’d just started down the first flight when she heard the heavy fire door she’d just come through open and shut.  “You can’t avoid me that easily, sis.”

            Damn.  She stopped her descent, turned, and looked up into his smirking face.  No way was she going to have a confrontation with him standing over her.  She slowly returned to the landing.  “What do you want, Lyle?  I have work to do.”

            “We.  We have work to do,” he corrected her.  “You heard our father.  We need to learn how to be a team.”  He paused.  “Although, after recent events, I’m not sure if I can trust you.”

            He couldn’t trust her? This, from the man who’d tried to kill her on more than one occasion, even after he knew she was his sister?

            “What the hell are you talking about?”  She wasn’t admitting to a thing.

            “Drop the act, sis.  It’s just you and me here.”  He gestured at the ceiling.  “Not even a camera to record our conversation.”

            Her own upward glance confirmed it.  Of course, she was alone with her psychotic brother in one of the few places within the Centre where Big Brother was not watching. 

Miss Parker tried not to let her sudden uneasiness show.  She’d thought she was making a smart decision when she chose not to get on the elevator with Lyle, but it looked like she’d gotten herself into a worse situation. 

            Cursing her own stupidity, Miss Parker rapidly assessed her situation.  Lyle stood between her and the exit door.  If she had to flee down the steps, she didn’t like her odds; yes, she could run in her heels, but he still had the advantage.  She decided not to turn her back on him; one push could send her tumbling down the stairs…

            Get a grip, Parker.  All those warnings from Jarod and Sydney about her brother were making her paranoid.  Yes, Lyle was angry with her, and yes, she’d seen the result of that anger on Brigitte’s battered face, but she couldn’t believe he’d choose to attack her for mere revenge.  He was too smart and calculating for that.  He only put her life in jeopardy if doing so would further his agenda.  Right now, there was nothing to be gained by hurting her.  He still needed her to bring Jarod back.

            Since she subscribed to the theory that the best defense was a good offense, Miss Parker declared, “So, speak freely then, brother.  If you want to accuse me of something, go right ahead.”

            He pulled a face, as if disappointed in her unwillingness to confess.  “Fine,” he said.  “We both know what you did.  It’s the reason you did it that intrigues me.  When I realized that the mysterious scientist you were supposedly meeting didn’t exist, I couldn’t figure out why you’d go to such lengths to get me out of town.”  He paused.  “Then I learned that Jarod had escaped.”         

            Miss Parker was careful to maintain her normal expression when around Lyle – impassive with a trace of contempt.

            He didn’t seem to mind her non-reaction to his insinuation.  He went on: “So, did your pet geek figure out a way to shut down the invisible fence so that Jarod could just stroll out of here?”

            She had to say something or risk her continued silence being interpreted as confirmation of his theory.  “I’ve known for a while now that you’re insane, Lyle,” she said lightly, “but you’ve completely lost your mind if you actually believe I would ever help Jarod to escape.”

            Her brother took his turn at remaining silent.

            “Why would I do that?” she continued.  “Because I’ve had so much fun these last few years chasing him all over the country?  Oh, yeah, it’s been a blast, especially since you joined the hunt.”

            Her sarcasm drew a tight smile from him.  “I’m not exactly certain of your motive,” Lyle admitted, “but means and opportunity are enough to put in my report.  The one I’ll be submitting to the Triumverate to help them in their investigation.”

            “You have no proof.”

            Lyle shrugged, unconcerned.  “Let them find it.  All they need is a suspect.  And I’ll give them a couple.  I’m sure Sydney was involved somehow, but for now, you and Mr. Broots will suffice.”

            A feeling of dread came over her.  She didn’t mind taking the heat, but she couldn’t have the spotlight turned on Broots.  He undoubtedly had covered his tracks when planting the false trail that lured Lyle away from the Centre and had been extremely careful not to be detected when he jammed the fence’s frequency, but she couldn’t risk his part in the escape being uncovered.  She and Sydney had convinced him to participate in this treason; she had to protect him now.

            As much as she hated to do it, the time had come to play her trump card. “Maybe I should submit my own report about how you poisoned me with that African virus,” she said.

            “You have no proof of that,” Lyle said dismissively, “or you would have already run to Daddy with it.”

            “On the contrary, thanks to my ‘pet geek’ I have a security camera recording that shows you leaving my office the night before I got sick.  What’s interesting is that you’re wearing latex gloves as if you’d been handling something…nasty.  Maybe something like a deadly virus?”

            A muscle twitched in his jaw, but Lyle still sounded nonchalant when he replied, “Even if you give this so-called ‘proof’ to the Triumverate, they won’t care.  They wanted Jarod to develop an antidote for the virus; I got him to do that.  The Triumverate is only concerned with the end results.”

            “I never said I was submitting the report to the Triumverate,” Miss Parker said.  “I’m giving it to our father.”

            That got the reaction she wanted; Lyle visibly stiffened and looked worried for the first time since their conversation had begun.

            She pasted a saccharine smile on her face.  “So, brother, shall we proofread each other’s reports before we hand them in to make sure all the details are just right?”

            He gave her a sour look, clearly not in the mood for her sarcasm.

            Miss Parker made the offer she knew he wouldn’t be able to refuse.  “Or should we just agree to keep our suspicions to ourselves?”

            Lyle was silent for a long moment.  She could almost hear the wheels turning in his mind as he desperately searched for a way to come out on top in this particular sparring match.  She waited him out, bracing herself as she wondered if he was too far gone to accept a stalemate.

            Then his face relaxed into a pleasantly bland smile, and his persona seemed to change completely.  “Our father’s right,” he said.  “We should work together to find Jarod.  That’s the most important thing right now.  Agreed?”  He stuck out his hand.

            His sudden shift of mood alarmed her more than if he’d taken a swing at her.  She reluctantly shook his hand.  “I’ll work with you,” she said slowly then leaned in close and dug her fingernails into his palm, “but if you ever again use me – or anyone else – as a bargaining tool against Jarod, I’ll personally see to it that a part of your anatomy that you prize more than your thumb is cut off.”

            Lyle’s smile hardened around the edges, and she saw the flash of fury in his eyes like an errant bolt of lightning in a pale blue sky.  But his face rapidly resumed a neutral expression, and he nodded stiffly.

            Satisfied that she’d made her point, Miss Parker relaxed slightly.  Which was a mistake, she realized at once, when Lyle wouldn’t let go of her hand.  Annoyed, she yanked free of his grasp and felt herself teetering at the stop of the stairs. 

Lyle quickly reached out and pulled her away from the edge.  “Careful, sis,” he breathed in her ear, “you almost took a nasty tumble.”

Miss Parker pulled away again but this time made sure to keep both feet firmly on the landing.  She glared at him, trying to ignore the tendrils of fear his softly uttered words had sent through her. 

Obviously pleased to have gotten the last word, Lyle slanted a quick grin at her and sauntered out of the stairwell.

After  the door had closed behind him, she leaned back against the wall, recognizing that she needed a moment to collect herself.  She took deep, even breaths and reflected on the events of the day so far.  Orders issued, lies exposed, threats exchanged.

Just another Monday morning at the Centre.