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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
“Not so fast Miss Riley. I don’t believe dissecting Ethan is in the best interest of the Centre.” Lyle interrupted her plans.
“Yes, I do say, killing the boy will tell us nothing.” Cox stood calmly.
“Mr. Lyle, isn’t it? I know you think you have power here because of your daddy, but this is my operation and I will do what I want with my patient.” Cathy stated.
“Listen to me. Cathy, is it? You may think you are in charge here, but the only reason you are here is because the Centre could control you.” Lyle looked up at the Sweepers standing near by. “Please restrain the good doctor, so she CAN do no harm.”
Both sweepers walked over and took Cathy by the arms and escorted her into the next room. Before she left the room, Cathy shouted, “I will take this up with your father. I promise that.” And then she was gone.
“I do say, that was a fine show, Mr. Lyle…” Cox started to say.
“Cox, I don’t have the patients or the time to listen to you tell me what I did wrong.”
“Actually, I was going to say we were all having a bit of trouble with Miss Riley and I am very ecstatic you have removed her from this situation. Now, we will wait for Fredericks. He is the one that will do as we ask.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” Lyle stated.
Miss Parker, Jarod, and Broots were all in the car on their way to the Medical Facility. Miss Parker was listening to anything her mother could tell her, while Broots sat in the back and looked over all the data they had acquired about the tapestry and the houses. Jarod was thinking about how they would get into the lab and find the passageway to where Ethan was being held and how he would stop the Centre this time.
Broots stared at the laptop in front of him. There had to be some reason for all of this. Broots kept hacking into Centre files. There had to be something here that would tell them the truth and how to stop the Centre’s latest actions.
The car stopped. Both Broots and Miss Parker looked up. “What's wrong?” Miss Parker asked.
“Nothing. We are here.” Jarod looked at her. “Did your mother tell you anything?”
“She keeps saying she’s afraid for me. Whatever that means.”
Then Broots’ computer beeped. “You will never believe what I found.”
“The Holy Grail?” Miss Parker said sarcastically.
“No, but Benny in the loading bay thinks the Centre brought it in…”
“Broots! The computer. What does it say?”
“Oh, yeah, I found the original files code named Tapestry. Apparently, the tapestry was designed after the houses were set up to serve as a map to the others. It is the only map of the houses. Of course, we knew it was a map, but the thing is as I was looking into these houses I found references to Jarod, Ethan, Angelo, and you, Miss Parker. Each house is working on a different aspect of each person’s gift. Some houses are trying to harness the gene that makes Jarod a natural pretender, which they call Project Restore; others are trying to harness Angelo’s gift without making the person that has the gift, well like Angelo, which they are calling Project Convert; and a lot of them are trying to do what this medical facility is doing.”
“And what exactly is that?”
“They want to be able to give someone an ‘inner sense’.” Jarod looked at Miss Parker. “And they are willing to hurt Ethan to get that information.”
“And they are calling it Project Inner Sense.” Broots stated.
“Well, let’s stop them then.” Miss Parker got out of the car and started into the building. Jarod and Broots followed.
Lyle and Cox were staring at monitors that indicated the level of Ethan’s brain activity.
“In short Lyle, his brain is working better than ours.” Cox and Lyle both turned to look at Ethan.
Just as Cox had finished explaining what could possibly be going on in Ethan’s head, Fredericks walked in.
“Mr. Cox. It is nice to see you again.” Fredericks greeted.
“Same to you. This is Mr. Lyle, he will be overseeing the Project.” Cox stated.
“It is nice to meet you, Mr. Lyle.”
“Yes, the same as well. I think we should get right to business. I want to know how we can duplicate his brain activity in someone else.”
“Of course, is Dr. Riley around.” Fredericks was looking at test results and C.A.T. scans.
“Miss Riley, won’t be working here any longer. Now you are overseeing the project from this location.” Lyle informed Fredericks.
Fredericks stared at Lyle, and swallowed hard. “May I ask where she was taken?”
“You may, but I don’t think you will like the answer.” Lyle stared at him and smiled.
Fredericks winced. He should have never gotten involved with the Centre.
Miss Parker and Broots walked down the hall towards the laboratory. Jarod lagged behind just a little. He had been thinking about what Catherine Parker told Miss Parker about being afraid for her. Jarod was starting to realize what she meant. Once they got to Ethan, Miss Parker would be in danger, as would Broots and his daughter. They had been helping him and the Centre would take actions against them. Jarod had to turn this around on them. He had been thinking about this for a while and so he had planned ahead.
Jarod watched as Miss Parker and Broots walked into the lab. Jarod knew Miss Parker would enter first. And Jarod took that opportunity to pistol whip Broots who hit the ground. Then he raised the gun to Miss Parker, who started to reach for her own.
“Don’t.” Jarod warned.
Miss Parker’s hand froze. “You won’t shoot me Jarod. I know you better than you think I do.”
“I know how well you know me, Miss Parker, but the fact of the matter is I am doing this and if shooting you is the only way; I’m willing to do it.”
“Jarod, come on. I know you won’t shoot me.”
“Look, I don’t have the time to explain. I have to help Ethan, and I have to clear a path so Ethan and I don’t become cargo on the next ride to the Centre.”
“Jarod...”
“No!” Jarod tossed a rope to her. “Tie your feet together.”
Miss Parker caught the rope and looked at Jarod in shock. “ Jarod this is stupid.”
“Miss Parker, I need you to cooperate. I don’t want to shoot you, but to keep Ethan and I, amongst others, from the Centre’s grasp I will shoot.”
Do as he asks baby? Miss Parker couldn’t believe it. Even her own mother was siding with Jarod.
Miss Parker sat on a nearby chair and tied her feet together. Jarod walked up behind her. “Put your hands behind you.” Miss Parker complied and Jarod tied them to the back of the chair.
“This is ridiculous, Jarod.” Then a gag came down over her mouth.
Jarod walked round and faced her. “Can’t have you warning anyone now can I.” Jarod started to walk away, but turned back towards her. “I almost forgot I have a present for you. This is for you.” Miss Parker stared at the device as Jarod slipped it into her coat pocket. Miss Parker could recognize a tracking device anywhere.
Jarod walked over to the far wall and felt around until he found the trigger to the passageway. The wall opened and Jarod descended the staircase.
Fredericks stood over Ethan’s body, he knew Ethan was still alive but it saddened him to know what the Centre was doing to people. He had wanted in on the experiments long before the testing began on human subjects and he knew before they found the answers they wanted the path leading to them would kill Ethan.
“So you think if you give Ethan this drug, whatever you called it, it will suppress the part of his brain that communicates with the dead.”
“I do. I am also thinking if that suppresses it then a drug that is similar but has the reverse components will hopefully do the opposite. However, there is but one way to find out.”
“By all means, show us.” Lyle was happy about this development.
“Actually, I am thinking you should put the syringe down and back away from my brother.” Jarod walked into the room gun drawn.
Fredericks, Lyle and Cox all backed away from Ethan as commanded. “Jarod, so where is my sister?”
“She is a bit tied up at the moment, but I am sure she will be with her shortly.” Jarod walked towards Ethan and shook him. Jarod looked up at Fredericks. “What was he given?”
“Miss Riley gave him a sedative, to calm him.” Cox answered.
Jarod grabbed the nearby medical instruments tray and pulled it towards him. He rummaged through the contents until he found what he had been looking for. It was a small vile, Jarod sat it up on the tray and grabbed a syringe and stuck it in the top of the vile. Jarod used him mouth to pull the liquid into the syringe.
Lyle started to inch his way towards Ethan thinking Jarod wasn’t paying enough attention to them.
Jarod reaffirmed the guns direction towards Lyle. “I don’t think that is a good idea. You see; with everything you have done to me, my family, and innocent people I would have no problem shooting you!” Jarod continued to fill the syringe, while Lyle returned to his previous position.
Jarod stood with the syringe and made sure there were no air bubbles in it. “Fredericks, get over here now!”
Fredericks scurried over to Jarod, who was at Ethan’s side. Jarod handed him the syringe. “If you hurt my brother, I will kill you and your little friends.”
Fredericks stared at Jarod for a moment, and then he gave Ethan the injection. Jarod then took the syringe from him. “Now return to your spot amongst the criminals. And we will wait for Ethan to wake up.”
In the air, a Centre helicopter was flying into Harrington. They had gotten clearance from the hospital, which the Centre controlled, to land on their helipad. Lyle had called after he found Cox with Ethan. Mr. Parker wanted to be there to see what they were uncovering with the capture and testing of Ethan.
They would be at the Harrington Medical Facility in a matter of minutes and he knew while they hadn’t caught Jarod, Ethan was nearly as good. Mr. Parker remembered Ethan would not be good enough but he would bring Jarod to the Centre and Jarod was the key.
Ethan started to stir. Then he started to lash out. “No. Stop it.”
“Ethan, it is me, Jarod. I am here. They won’t hurt you anymore.”
“Jarod, Cathy…”
“I know. I have Lyle, Cox, and Fredericks here. We have to leave before Cathy or any sweepers get here. Come on.”
Jarod helped Ethan get off the table, and then he turned his attention to the others. “Here is the thing. I feel you don’t deserve to live, but I don’t have the time to explain why or actually punish you for the crimes you have committed so I have to be going, but don’t think I plan on letting Projects Restore, Convert, or Inner Sense continue, and as for the other houses on your tapestry map. Well you’ll see.” Jarod and Ethan backed out the door and Jarod grabbed some medical devices and jammed it through the door handles.
“Jarod, where are Broots and Parker?”
“They are set up to go back to the Centre, Ethan. I made sure the Centre will think we abducted them.”
“But why? Can’t they stay with us?”
“Ethan, they have to go back. It’s just the way of our world, but don’t worry someday everything will be different.”
Ethan and Jarod came out of the wall at the top of the staircase. Ethan saw Miss Parker and stopped. She looked at him begging with her eyes to help her, but he knew he and Jarod already were. “I am sorry, sis.”
Jarod knew it was hard for Ethan, but they had to get out of there. “Ethan, we have to go.” Ethan turned to Jarod and nodded and they both ran out.
Mr. Parker walked down the halls towards the laboratory. As he came to the lab, he noticed through the window Angel was bound and gagged. Mr. Parker burst into the room, just as Lyle and Cox burst through the walls passageway. Miss Parker saw he was with some sweepers.
“Where is Jarod?” Lyle looked at them. “He just came up here.”
Mr. Parker spoke up. “I didn’t see him in the halls, but then again there is another way out of this complex.”
“Go after them.” Lyle yelled at the sweepers.
Lyle walked up to Miss Parker. “Well, well, it looks like your buddy Jarod left you here.”
How could Jarod do this to me? Miss Parker thought to herself.
The tracking device. Her mother’s voice rung in her head.
Lyle pulled the gag from her mouth. “Don’t be ridiculous. Untie me.”
Lyle complied as Broots was coming around. “Ouch! That hurt! Mr. Lyle. Mr. Parker.” Broots got to his feet.
“That would be our names Mr. Broots. Now how much did you help Jarod exactly?”
Miss Parker was ringing her hands around her slightly sore wrists. “Don’t be stupid Lyle. We didn’t help Jarod. He took us along for the ride.”
“Really? Why should I believe you?” Lyle prodded.
Miss Parker reached into her pocket and pulled out the tracking device Jarod had put in her pocket. “I attached something to the car, while Jarod wasn’t paying attention.”
“Good job, Angel.” Mr. Parker stated.
Miss Parker looked at him and smiled.
Lyle stared at the device. “I have a question.”
“What?!”
“If Jarod is running from us, then why isn’t the tracker moving?”
“Damn it.” Miss Parker ran out the doors with everyone else in pursuit.
They reached the parking lot and started towards the prey. They turned the corner only to find Lyle’s car.
“Looks like we found your car, brother.”
“It wasn’t even missing was it?”
“Apparently, Jarod had this planned from the beginning. Did you fly out here?”
“Yes.” Lyle answered.
“Then Jarod must have figured since you weren’t watching he would bring your car here. And he found the tracking device and put it on your car. Damn it.”
Miss Parker sat in her office thinking about what had happened over the last few days. So much had been discovered and so much had been tested.
Broots burst through Miss Parker’s office doors. “What is it, Broots?”
“The medical facilities have all been inspected by the police in various countries and the people involved in the Projects have been arrested. And the houses… Well, lets just say they’re gone.”
“What? How?” Miss Parker leaned over her desk.
“There were some fires and some explosions.” Broots informed her.
“Jarod.”
“Miss Parker?”
“Yes?”
“How did you get the tracking device? I am pretty sure you didn’t do all you said.”
“Jarod planned ahead.”
“Why?”
“To keep us safe.”
“Oh.” Broots turned and left.
Miss Parker stared out her window. The phone on her desk started to ring. She grabbed it and asked, “What?”
“How did you like my gift?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
“Mr. Broots and you are safe aren’t you?”
“We are fine, Jarod, thanks to you.” Miss Parker and Jarod went silent for a moment. “I heard you gave the Centre some presents too.”
“They deserved worse.”
“That they do.” Miss Parker paused. “Is Ethan all right?”
“He is fine. He has already tried all the 31 flavors at Baskin Robbins.”
“You and your ice cream.” Miss Parker waited for a reply but when one didn’t come she spoke up. “Keep him safe.”
“I will.”
“And keep yourself safe, Jarod.” Miss Parker’s voice was filled with concern. And with that she hung up.
Sydney entered her office. “I heard about your ‘abduction’ by Jarod. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Sydney, when I was out there with Jarod. I felt like I was doing something right. Being here again… I can’t explain it.”
“Try.”
“You wouldn’t understand.” she said.
“Try me.”
“Everything is different now. I want to be out there helping Jarod.”
“Everything is different?”
“Yes, I miss him. I didn’t mind being out there with him.”
“Do you think you would be out there with him in the future?”
“I just don’t know, Sydney. I just don’t know.” Miss Parker grabbed her coat and walked towards the door.
“Where are you going?” Sydney asked.
“Home to sleep."
"And will everything be different in the morning?"
"Nothing will ever be the same. See you tomorrow, Syd." Miss Parker turned and pushed the doors to her office opened on her way to the elevators.
