Profiler fans: Jarod is a genius, a Pretender who can become anyone he wants to. He was kidnapped by a corporation called the Centre and made to perform simulations (SIMS) which were sold at a high price to some not-so-nice people. He escaped after thirty-odd years and travels around helping people to make up for his SIMS. Miss Parker, his childhood friend, is put in charge of his capture along with his former mentor, Dr. Sydney Greene and a computer technician, Broots. The Centre murdered Miss Parker's lover, Thomas. Dr. Raines, Mr. Parker and Mr. Lyle (Miss Parker's father and brother respectively) are the bad guys. Miss Parker's mother, Catherine, was murdered or committed suicide or disappeared (take your pick) when Miss Parker was a child. Angelo is an empath who lives in the ventilation shafts of the Centre. He was Jarod and Miss Parker's friend when they were children until an experiment by Raines turned him into what he now is. Wow, the Pretender's a whole lot more complicated than Profiler!
Sorry for the really long introduction but I wanted to make sure that everyone was clear as to what's what. Crossovers can be confusing if fans of one show don't have a clue about the other show. Please let me know what you think! Feedback is much desired!!!!!
There's water all around her. She can't move, can't breathe. She opens her mouth for air but finds only more water. It rushes in, filling her lungs. Choking her.
Killing her.
She feels herself dying and struggles in one final attempt to save herself. It's no use. There is no escape.
Miss Parker sat up, sweating heavily and breathing hard. Her heart was pounding. She touched her bedclothes to reassure herself that it had only been a dream. It had felt so real. She lay down again and turned onto her side.
"Tommy?" she asked in disbelief.
"Hello, Parker," he said.
She reached across and touched his face, hardly daring to believe that he was really there.
"Oh, Tommy, I've missed you so much!"
He smiled sadly and gently kissed her fingertips. "I miss you, too."
There was silence between them while Parker just lay and looked at him tenderly, drinking in the sight of him. He sighed.
"He needs you, you know. Now more than ever."
"What? What are you talking about? Who needs me?"
"I love you, Parker."
And then he was gone.
"No!" Parker sobbed, clawing at the space he had occupied only seconds before. "Come back!"
There was no indentation on the pillow, nothing to physically show that he had been there, but Parker didn't want to believe she had only been imagining him. She pulled the pillow towards her and hugged it to her chest. Maybe if she concentrated hard enough she could smell his scent.
Nothing.
She let herself cry, too afraid to go back to sleep, too tired to do anything else.
At the worst possible time, her phone rang. She considered not answering but she knew it would be Jarod and she knew he would not give up easily. Rather than having to answer his questions later, she decided to face him now.
"What, Jarod?"
"What if it wasn't me?" he chuckled. "How would you explain to your father that you were expecting a phone call from me at 3am?"
"I'm not in the mood-," she warned.
"Did I wake you?"
"What?"
"Did. I. Wake. You?" he repeated slowly.
"Yes," she lied. Jarod heard the hesitation in her voice.
"Did you have a bad dream?" he asked sympathetically.
How did you know? Parker thought.
"You should have some warm milk or cocoa," he continued.
"I don't drink cocoa." Why are we having this conversation? Why did you phone me?
"I've been told that having someone rub your back helps you get to sleep."
"Well, why don't you come over and rub my back?" Parker purred.
Jarod laughed softly. "So you can have a sweeper team waiting for me? I don't think so, Miss Parker."
"Can't blame a girl for trying," she said, smiling.
"Goodnight, Miss Parker." Jarod hung up.
"Goodnight, Jarod," she said to the dial tone. Feeling better than she had earlier, she hugged the pillow tight and drifted into a dreamless sleep.
*
"Hello?" Jarod answered groggily. He wondered who could possibly be calling at this hour. Not many people had his number. Now you know how Parker feels, he thought wryly.
"Hello, Jarod? This is Samantha Waters with the VCTF. I don't know if you remember me-"
"Of course. How are you, Sam? Is something wrong?"
"We need your help. There's been a string of rather bizarre cases of drownings."
Five hours later Jarod was at the VCTF headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. This was the third case he had helped them with but it was the first time he had been invited to Atlanta. Maybe Bailey's beginning to trust me, he thought.
"Thank you for coming. You know everyone, right?" Sam led him into the control room.
The team greeted him with smiles, even Bailey, who at their last meeting had all but told Jarod he didn't like him.
"So, uh, what's happening?" Jarod asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
George brought up six photographs on the large screen.
"These women have all been found drowned. The peculiar thing is that they weren't found in water and their clothes were dry," Bailey said. George enlarged the first photograph.
"This is Evelyn Cooper, the first victim. She was twenty-six, single, and worked as a cashier in the coffee shop across the road from Central Park, New York. She was found on a park bench in Central Park by an early morning jogger."
George enlarged the next picture.
"Number two was Genna Albright, aged thirty. Mother of two. She was found inside a movie theatre by cleaning staff.
"Marion Michaels was third. She was twenty-eight, also single. She was found in the bus station where she worked by two kids.
"Louise Johnson was victim number four. A student at NYU, twenty years old. She was found by her boyfriend who broke into her apartment when she didn't return his calls.
"Number five is Alix Hayward. Thirty-three, single. She worked as a part-time librarian and was found in the library by two teenagers.
"This morning Sharon Hill was found by her boyfriend in the alley outside her apartment. She was thirty-five and a kindergarten teacher."
Jarod hoped his shock at seeing the last photo didn't show. Sharon Hill was a carbon copy of Miss Parker.
"Umm, you say they drowned?" Jarod asked.
Sam nodded. "The only other connection is that they're all fairly attractive women. As far as we know, none of them knew each other. It seems completely random."
"A deliberately random act," Jarod said thoughtfully. He wondered if he should do a SIM of the murders. He didn't want the Centre to track him here and decided to wait. What he was going to do first was find out exactly who Sharon Hill was.
2
Lyle sauntered into his sister's office, smirking. Parker got the feeling that he knew something she didn't but she was not in the mood to humor him.
"What do you want, Lyle?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"I'm just here to check on your progress," he said casually. "The Triumvirate wants to know if you actually intend to catch Jarod or if you're content to spend the rest of your life chasing him across the country."
Parker raised her head to look at him, her ice-blue eyes shooting daggers.
"Of course I plan to catch him. He's my ticket out of this hell-hole."
Lyle's mouth twitched slightly, almost as if he found her statement amusing. Her gaze did not waver and the atmosphere between the two was growing colder with each passing second. Then Parker's phone rang, shattering the silence.
"What?" Parker answered in her customary manner.
"Well, I'm glad to see you're feeling better," Jarod said.
"What do you want?" She lowered her voice and turned her back to Lyle, hoping he'd get the message and leave.
"That had better not be our prodigal Pretender," Lyle said.
Parker looked over her shoulder and glared at him. "This is a private conversation. Now. Get. Out."
Lyle gave her a half-nod and left, leaving Parker in peace. Well, to a certain degree. Having Jarod on the phone was hardly conducive to Parker's peace of mind.
"Well?" she prompted. "Or do you just call to annoy me?"
There was a slight catch in Jarod's voice when he spoke again but Parker pretended not to notice.
"I just wanted to make sure you're alright."
"I'm fine," she said impatiently.
"Oh…okay. Well, that's good to hear."
"Why are you suddenly concerned with my wellbeing? If you're really worried you should drop by the Centre for a visit. That should help my ulcer."
"I was actually wondering if I could come by your house this evening."
Parker let out a laugh. "And you're telling me in advance so that I can have a sweeper team ready to bring you in?"
"No," Jarod said quietly. "I need to talk to you. It's important. Can I trust you to be there alone?"
Something in his tone made Parker decide to hear him out. "Fine," she sighed. "But this had better be good."
"Thank you."
Jarod hung up and looked up to see a concerned Sam Waters.
"Is everything okay?" she asked.
"Yeah. I'll meet up with you in New York tomorrow. There's something I need to do."
"Okay," Sam said. She didn't know what Jarod was hiding but she was a good judge of character and there was something about him that made her trust him implicitly. She gave him a hug and left.
Jarod reached into his pocket and fingered the vial of blood he had drawn from the corpse of Sharon Hill.
*
"Hey, wake up," Jarod whispered, gently shaking Parker.
Although asleep, her reflexes were as quick as ever and she grabbed hold of her gun, shoving it into Jarod's ribs.
"Oww!"
She blinked groggily and put the gun back on her dresser. "You're late."
"Yeah, sorry."
"What do you want?"
What do I want? Jarod thought. Interesting question. If I told you, you'd probably shoot me.
"Uh…."
"I need coffee. While you make it you can tell me what was so incredibly important."
Jarod followed her to the kitchen like an obedient puppy dog.
"I need a sample of your blood."
Parker frowned. "Why?"
"There's a case I'm working on right now where one of the victims is the spitting image of you. She's also the same age as you."
There was a moment of silence as Parker tried to grasp what Jarod was saying.
"You think she's related to me?"
"I don't know. I want to test your blood to see if the DNA matches hers. If it does-"
"It means Lyle's not my brother. Could he have faked the tests?"
"It's possible."
Parker smiled. "I might have a sister."
"Yeah."
She looked Jarod straight in the eye. "I want to meet her."
"Parker, she's dead," Jarod said as gently as he could.
"When?" Parker whispered.
"Two nights ago."
The night I had my nightmare, Parker thought numbly. "How?"
"She was drowned."
No, no, no, no…. Instead of allowing Jarod to see her inner turmoil, Parker reacted violently and started hitting him.
"You bastard! How can you tell me I might have a sister and then tell me she's dead? Why couldn't you just leave it alone?"
Jarod stood still, taking each blow. When she showed signs of slowing down he grabbed hold of her arms and forced her to stand still. Then he gently lifted her chin so that he could see her face.
"Don't you want to know the truth?"
Silently, she held out her arm and let him draw her blood. When he was done he brushed her cheek with the tips of his fingers and planted a feather-light kiss on her forehead. Before she could protest he was gone.
*
Jarod met up with Sam, Bailey and the rest of the team at a police department in downtown Manhattan, three blocks away from where Sharon Hill's body had been found.
"Are you okay, Jarod?" Sam asked, noticing the faint bruise on his cheekbone. "What happened?"
"I'm fine. I ran into an old friend."
"Some friend!" John remarked and was silenced by a look from Sam.
"What's new? What have I missed?" Jarod asked, changing the subject.
"There's nothing here that we don't already know," John replied.
"What do you think, Sam?" Bailey asked.
She frowned and shook her head to show that she didn't have anything at the moment.
"Well, let's get interviewing," Bailey said. "It's no good just sitting around waiting for him to kill again."
*
Broots jumped when Parker stormed into the room. Sydney didn't even look up from his newspaper.
"M-M-Miss Parker, good morning," Broots mumbled, shifting nervously in his seat. She scowled at him, indicating that it was anything but a good morning. He made a mental note to not get in her way today.
"Any leads on the lab rat?" she growled, lighting a cigarette.
"I thought you'd quit smoking," Sydney commented. Broots braced himself for Parker's explosion and silently chided Sydney for provoking her.
"You know what thought did," she said, blowing a lungful of smoke in Sydney's direction. "I thought I'd come in here to find you two working." She looked pointedly in Broots' direction and he hastily looked away and began frantically tapping away at his keyboard.
"You know how Jarod works," Sydney said, amazing Broots at the way in which he handled Parker. It was as if he wasn't afraid of her. "If he wants us to find a lead he'll send it to us in a gift-wrapped box."
"Mmm…." was all Parker said.
Her phone rang.
"What?"
"Do you miss me yet?"
"We were actually just talking about you."
Broots was about to start a trace but she shook her head, mouthing 'No.'
"Is this a secure line?"
"Yes. What did you find?" she demanded impatiently, moving to a corner of the room where she wouldn't be overheard.
"Well…uh…" he hesitated.
"Spit it out!"
"It matches, Parker. She was your identical twin." Jarod sounded sad and he continued speaking but she was no longer listening. She leaned against the wall for support, her knees suddenly weak. Feeling surprisingly light-headed, she dropped the phone. The noise it made when it landed on the floor caused both Sydney and Broots to look in her direction in alarm.
"Miss Parker!" Sydney quickly went to her side and gently placed a hand on her arm. "What's wrong?"
Instantly she switched back to her usual countenance and snapped, "Nothing!"
When she reached her office she pulled open the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out a bottle of vodka. She took a big gulp and closed her eyes as the liquid burned down her throat.
This isn't happening. This can't be happening! It's a trick. He's just messing with your head.
Before she knew it the bottle was empty and her ashtray was filled with half a dozen crushed cigarette butts. She rose on unsteady legs, her head pounding and a familiar twinge in her stomach. Picking up the phone she dialed Sydney's number. He answered almost immediately.
"Syd," she croaked.
"Miss Parker?"
"Take me home." It was meant to sound like a command but to Sydney it was the plaintive plea of a lost little girl. He didn't push her for answers, knowing she would never give him any.
3
Sam and Jarod were sitting in one of the interrogation rooms of the police department, talking about the killer's profile. They were getting nowhere and both felt the need for a change of subject.
"Tell me something about yourself," Sam asked.
"Like what?"
"Oh, anything. Your favorite food. The most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you. Or," she added with a twinkle in her eye, "your deepest, darkest secret."
"Hmm…okay. My favorite food is PEZ. And, uh, the most embarrassing thing is, uh, well when I was a kid I had the hugest crush on my best friend and when I told her…well, it was embarrassing to be told she didn't feel the same way about me."
"No deep, dark secrets? Or is that all part of the mystery about you?" Sam laughed.
Jarod simply raised an eyebrow and said, "Your turn."
"Okay. Fair's fair. I love spaghetti in any form. Er, when I was in high school I went to a dance with a friend and someone stood on the back of my dress and it tore. So whoever stood behind me could see my underwear. I was teased for weeks afterwards."
"Tell me about your daughter."
Sam smiled. She loved talking about Chloe. Ever since Tom had died she had become fiercely protective of her child and her greatest fear was that Jack would take Chloe away from her.
"Her name's Chloe-"
John stuck his head through the door.
"There's been another murder."
*
Parker sat up in her bed, tears streaming down her face. She'd had another nightmare, this one more vivid than the last. Feeling bile rise up in her throat she ran to the bathroom, barely making it in time. She fell to her knees and bent over the toilet bowl, retching violently.
Wiping her mouth and drying her eyes, she splashed cold water on her face. She studied her reflection in the mirror as though she was seeing it from outside herself. She was pale and her eyes were red-rimmed from crying. Parker ran her hands through her hair, trying to restore some semblance of normality, even if it was only outward. She brushed her teeth and returned to bed with the lights on. She lay staring at the ceiling and watched for Jarod's call.
*
It had started raining by the time Sam, Bailey, John and Jarod arrived at the scene. The victim was a young woman who looked between twenty and twenty-five. They couldn't be sure that she was a victim of their killer until Grace did an autopsy but the bruising on her shoulders was the same as the bruising on the previous victims. While Sam walked around to get a feel of the scene, the police photographer recorded the evidence.
Hands thrust deep in the pockets of her coat, Sam stared down at the body. The only feeling she got was of some kind of ritual.
Jarod looked at the body and thought again of Parker. He wondered how she was doing. He was worried about her. She hadn't reacted well to the news that she had had a sister. Walking to the entrance of the alley, he pulled out his phone.
"Hello, Jarod," Parker answered quietly. "Did you find another victim?"
"What? How- how did you know?" Jarod looked back at his new colleagues, wondering if any of them were Centre agents in disguise.
"I had a dream." Parker's voice was weary. "So there was another victim?"
"Yeah, it looks like it. What do you mean you had a dream?"
Parker swallowed hard. "The night Sharon…died I dreamed that I was being drowned. Tonight I had the same dream and now you're saying someone else is dead - it's horrible, Jarod," she confessed. "It feels so real."
Jarod wished he could be there with her but he knew she would never accept comfort from him.
"You have to stop him," she continued, "I can't keep having these nightmares."
"I will," Jarod swore.
*
"This is Sydney."
"I'm worried about her." Jarod didn't need to tell Sydney who he was talking about. Sydney was relieved to be able to share his concerns with someone.
"So am I."
"Is something going on at the Centre that she could be worrying about?"
"Just the usual," Sydney sighed. "If you would just come back-"
"You know I can't."
"I know."
"Will you keep an eye on her?"
"I will," Sydney promised.
*
"It's definitely the same MO," Grace confirmed, walking into the interrogation room that the VCTF had commandeered for use as their office. "There was fresh water in her lungs, probably from someone's bathtub. The bruises suggest she was held under. There are no traces of fiber on her skin other than from the clothes she was wearing and no fingerprints. This guy is thorough."
"He's careful. He's not ready to get caught yet," Sam said.
"Do we have a name yet?" Grace asked.
"Renee Rees. She was twenty-two and, uh, worked as a porn actress," George said.
"I thought she looked familiar," John said, causing Sam to raise an eyebrow.
Jarod walked in, leaving the door slightly ajar.
"Someone's here to identify the body."
Grace jumped up. "Sure, give me a minute." She headed to the morgue, Jarod and a young woman in tow.
"Okay!" Grace called and Jarod and Candi - "with an i not a y" she'd said when she'd introduced herself - entered.
"Is this her?" Jarod asked softly.
"Renee!" Candi let out a strangled sob. "No!"
Grace covered the body and Jarod led Candi out, half-carrying her.
*
Parker walked into the Centre at exactly the same time she had every day for the past ten years. She had grown up with its lies and betrayals and she stood still for a moment, staring at the elevator her mother had died in, wondering what she was still doing there.
"Morning, Sis," Lyle said.
She looked at him in disdain, biting back the retort that she was not his sister. Although from the way he was looking at her it seemed as if he already knew.
"Catch a Pretender yet?" Lyle asked.
"Isn't there something you're supposed to be doing? Someone you could be torturing?"
"And miss the pleasure of your company?" He put an arm around her shoulder and although she had promised her father that she would try harder to be civil to Lyle she couldn't help what she did next. Turning to face him she dug her nails into his crotch. Ignoring his grimace of pain she whispered sweetly in his ear, "Don't you ever touch me again."
Stalking to her office she decided it was time for a vacation.
*
"Hello, Daddy." Parker stood before her father's desk. She was painfully aware that her stunt with Lyle had landed her in her father's bad books.
"Angel, was the incident this morning really necessary?"
"I'm sorry, Daddy. I don't know what came over me." Parker was doing her best to sound contrite.
"You went home early yesterday," her father stated.
"Yes…I wasn't feeling well and there had been no news on Jarod," she lied, wondering why she felt compelled to lie to her father continuously.
Because if he knew everything - if he knew how you really felt - then he'd have you killed just like he had your mother killed a voice inside her head whispered. This prompted her to wonder why the voice in her head was Jarod's voice. Belatedly she realized that her father was speaking to her.
"Sorry?"
Mr. Parker sighed. "It seems as though you've been under a lot of stress lately. How's your ulcer?"
"Umm, I'm okay."
"Are you sure?"
"Actually, I was thinking about taking a short vacation, just until I'm feeling more myself," she admitted.
Mr. Parker nodded. "That's a great idea. You need to look after yourself more."
"Thank you, Daddy."
Mr. Parker turned his attention back to his paperwork, signaling the end of the meeting. Parker was out of his office as fast as her legs could carry her.
*
Sam lay on her hotel bed, staring up at the ceiling. She still hadn't been able to get a handle on the killer's mind. All she knew for certain was that he was going to kill again. And again. The obvious care he took in covering his tracks was enough to tell Sam that he was in no hurry to get caught.
There was a gentle knocking on the door and Bailey entered when she called, "Come in!"
"Are you okay?" he asked.
She nodded. "Just frustrated."
"Maybe Jarod will be able to help," Bailey suggested.
Sam looked at him in shock. "So you've changed your mind about him?"
"There's a lot more I'd like to know about him but I think he's got a good heart. He seems to know so much."
"Where's everyone?" Sam asked, yawning. She didn't think Jarod would appreciate them talking about him.
Bailey shrugged. Right now he didn't really care. There was something he desperately wanted to tell Sam but he wasn't sure he had the courage to do it. It was strange; he mused, because he could talk to her about almost everything. Except this.
"Sam?"
"Yeah?"
His courage failed him. "How's Chloe?"
"She's fine. I called her earlier. She said she and Angel went shopping this morning and that there's a surprise waiting for me when I get back."
"Send her my love when you speak to her again."
"Sure." Sam yawned again and Bailey decided to let her get some rest.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Sam."
"G'night, Bail."
Sam rolled over and fell asleep almost immediately. For once, her sleep was dreamless.
*
Parker poured herself another cup of coffee and settled down in front of the television. She was determined not to fall asleep. She flicked through the channels in search of something interesting when something caught her eye. A slim blonde woman was standing in the background of news footage. Parker was sure she had seen her somewhere before. She turned the volume up.
"-seventh victim found. The FBI's violent crimes task force has been called in to assist the investigation. I am Nicky Molteno with Channel Five-"
Parker remembered that Jarod had been involved with the VCTF on a Pretend before and that the woman on the screen had been there too. She dialed Broots' number.
"Hello?"
"I need you at the Centre now."
"Y-yes, Miss Parker. I'm on my way."
Parker arrived at the Centre before Broots did and was pacing up and down when he entered the office. She almost felt a twinge of pity for making him come here in his off time but quickly pushed it aside.
"The FBI is working on a case. Seven victims, all drowned. I need you to find out where," she said without preamble.
Broots nodded and collapsed into his chair, rubbing his tired eyes. Parker decided the least she could do was get him some coffee so she left the room, leaving him to search. She returned ten minutes later, silently placing a mug next to the keyboard and looked at him expectantly. He was shocked into speechlessness by the fact that she had actually done something nice for him.
"Well?" she demanded.
"Uh, they're in Manhattan. In New York."
She nodded curtly and left, leaving him gaping after her. She brought you coffee. Did you expect a thank you as well? he asked himself. Deciding that she hadn't poisoned the coffee, he sipped it slowly.
*
Parker hastily scribbled a note to her father telling him that she'd be gone for a few days. She deliberately did not say where she'd be. Calling a cab, she packed a small suitcase and hid her gun where it would not be detected by airport security.
A car hooted outside and, quickly checking that she had everything she needed, she ran to meet it.
4
John was flirting with one of the female officers on desk duty when he was interrupted by a tall, dark-haired woman. He looked up and thought Wow! The female officer was instantly forgotten as he introduced himself.
"I'm Agent John Grant. Can I help you?"
There was something familiar about her but he couldn't place it.
"I'm looking for Jarod."
John sighed and said, "Follow me," thinking how unfair it was that some guys had all the luck. He led her to their makeshift office and gallantly opened the door for her.
"Jarod, you've got a visitor."
Jarod's mouth opened in shock when he saw who the visitor was. Parker wondered why Jarod hadn't warned these people about her. He usually did. Clearly he hadn't been expecting her.
"Miss Parker," he recovered quickly. "It's so nice to see you. Are our other…friends here too?"
She shook her head. "I came alone."
"Why?" Jarod asked.
Parker ignored him and walked over to the wall where they had displayed the victims' photographs. She raised her hand and lightly brushed her fingers over Sharon Hill's photo.
John gasped in shock when he realized why she had looked so familiar.
"Would you like to sit?" Sam offered.
Parker shook her head, unable to look away from the photo. Jarod came to stand beside her.
"You shouldn't be here."
"I had to come. You were right, she looks…looked just like me."
Bailey walked in and was not at all impressed to find a stranger in their office. "Who are you?" he demanded and bit back his shock when Parker looked at him. "Would somebody please explain to me what's going on?"
Jarod looked at Parker and nodded, telling him he could tell them.
"Uh…this is Miss Parker. She's Sharon Hill's sister."
"But Sharon was an orphan. There's no record of her having a sister," George protested.
"They were separated at birth. Miss Parker is…an old friend of mine and when I saw Sharon's photo I put two and two together," Jarod explained.
"How can you be sure? What if they're just lookalikes?" Bailey asked.
"I did the tests myself."
"You did the tests?" Grace asked in surprise. She hadn't realized that Jarod had a medical background.
Sam narrowed her eyes, remembering where she'd seen Parker before.
"The last time Jarod helped us you were there looking for him. You tried to convince us he was dangerous so that we'd tell you where he was. There were two men with you."
Parker stared back at Sam, refusing to be intimidated. She didn't feel the need to defend herself to these people that she hardly knew.
"I think you should tell us what's going on," Bailey said quietly.
"Jarod is a Pretender," Parker said.
"What exactly is a Pretender?" Sam asked.
"He's a genius. He can become anyone he wants to be."
"Why exactly were you after him that day?"
Parker looked at Jarod, her eyes saying 'You tell them.'
"It's her job. Ever since I escaped she's been trying to take me back."
"I'm a little confused," John said. "Escaped from where?"
"He was kidnapped by a corporation called the Centre when he was a kid. A couple of years ago he escaped," Parker said. "End of story."
"No, it's not. It doesn't explain why you suddenly have a sister," Bailey said.
Parker took a deep breath. "I don't have anything else to tell you."
"Should we be expecting your people to show up in the next few days?" John asked. The way he said 'your people' struck a chord in Parker.
"No. They don't know where I am."
Jarod looked up in surprise. It wasn't like Parker to do anything without the Centre's approval. The one time she had, she had paid dearly for it. Sam noticed Jarod's reaction.
"Can we trust you?" she asked.
"Yes. I just want to know what happened to my sister."
The group seemed satisfied for the time being and Parker sat down at the table, exhausted. She hadn't slept since her last nightmare. Sam took pity on her.
"Where are you staying?" she asked.
"Nowhere, yet. I just got here."
"Let me take you back to our hotel," Sam offered. "I'm sure there'll be a spare room."
"I'll take her," Jarod said, knowing from experience that a tired Miss Parker was not a pleasant Miss Parker.
"It's okay," Parker said, silencing any thoughts of further protest with a look. "We can talk later."
Coincidentally, the room next to Sam's was vacant and was assigned to Parker. Sam sat on the edge of the bed.
"Can I ask you a couple of questions?" she asked, watching Parker unpack.
"Sure. You can ask."
"Why did you really come here?"
Parker paused momentarily. Turning her back on a lifelong habit of trusting no one, she decided she could trust Sam.
"I'm sick of the life I live. We used to be best friends, did you know that? And one day I got sent away and my father told me to stay away from Jarod. He killed my mother." Parker stopped and took a deep breath.
"Who? Jarod?"
"My father," Parker whispered, sitting down next to Sam.
"I'm sorry," Sam said, placing her hand on top of Parker's.
"Two years ago I met a wonderful man. I thought I could finally have a life away from the Centre and be free like Jarod was free, but that wasn't part of the deal," she said bitterly.
"What deal?"
"The deal was that I could leave the Centre when I brought Jarod back. That is why I chase him. But for some reason I just can't take him back. So many times I've come so close to catching him, but I can't."
Sam had a theory as to why Parker couldn't take him back but wisely decided that now was not the time to voice it. Instead, she asked, "What did they do?"
"They killed him." Parker stood, breaking the contact. "But I don't expect you to understand."
"I do," Sam said quietly. "My husband was murdered too."
"I don't suppose it was your serial killer brother who did it?" Parker tried to make light of it to hide the pain she still felt.
"No. It was the serial killer who is obsessed with me."
"I'm sorry," Parker said. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"Did your brother really kill him?" Sam couldn't believe that a brother could do something like that to his sister.
"I think so. Daddy won't say, for obvious reasons. But Lyle has a habit of murdering Asian prostitutes so I can't imagine that it would have a huge step for him to have killed Tommy."
Sam was surprised by how similar she and Parker were, more so now that she knew that both their Tom's had died violent deaths. "I'm sorry" she repeated sincerely.
Parker shrugged. "In light of recent discoveries I doubt he's really even my brother."
Just then Sam's beeper went off with a message for her to return to the police department.
"I'm sorry, I have to get back. If you want to talk some more…."
"I'll let you know. Thanks, Sam."
"Anytime, here's my card. If you need anything, please call me."
Parker nodded, smiling, and wondered what it was about Sam that had made her open up. She realized that it was because Sam reminded her of Sydney. That, and their shared experience of losing the men they loved. She crawled into bed, too tired to stay awake any longer, praying for a peaceful sleep.
*
"What's wrong?" Sam asked, almost running into the room.
"Relax. We have a lead," John said. "This is Candi. She was a friend of Renee Rees."
"Hi," Candi said.
"Hello."
"Candi says that she saw a man leave the club with Renee the night she was murdered."
"I'm sorry. What club?" Sam was confused.
"The club we work at. We're hostesses," Candi explained.
Jarod entered the room with the sketch artist asking Candi to describe the man to him.
"Sure," Candi agreed.
"How's Parker?" Jarod asked.
Sam shrugged. "She's an interesting woman. We've got a lot in common."
Jarod was about to say that he doubted that very much but Bailey walked in, looking grim.
*
She struggled against the weight pushing her down. She needed to breathe. Through the water she could see the man holding her down. She was growing weaker, her struggles less violent.
Please, just let me breathe!
Her lungs couldn't take it anymore. She opened her mouth and the water came rushing in. Surprisingly, there was little pain and her thoughts became dreamy.
She stopped struggling.
Parker's eyes flew open and she opened her mouth, taking deep breaths of air. When she felt calm again she wiped the tears from her face.
You shouldn't have gone to sleep!
With trembling fingers she found Sam's card and dialed her number.
"Samantha Waters," she answered immediately.
"I need to speak to Jarod."
"Miss Parker? Is that you? What's wrong?"
"Please," Parker begged and Sam reluctantly handed to the phone to Jarod.
"Parker?"
"Was there another murder?" Her voice was shaky and she pulled her knees up to her chest, trying desperately to stop trembling.
"Did you have a nightmare?" Jarod asked.
"Was there another murder?" she repeated.
"Yes," he sighed.
No, no, no! Why is this happening to me? Please, make it stop!
"Do you want me to come to you?"
"No, I'm fine," Parker lied.
"Okay." Jarod didn't believe her but he hung up anyway and handed the phone back to Sam.
"What was that about?"
"It's nothing." Jarod walked back to the dumpster to see the body, wishing that Parker wasn't so damn proud. Just once, he wanted her to say that she needed him.
Sam shook her head, following a few seconds later. She stopped suddenly, assaulted by a thought.
"He's getting careless."
"What do you mean?" Bailey asked.
"Before, he made the effort to pose the bodies. Evelyn Cooper looked as though she was taking a nap on the park bench. Genna Albright had a bucket of popcorn on her lap. Louise Johnson was seated like she was waiting for a bus. Marion Michaels was in her bed. Alix Hayward was behind the library counter. But Sharon Hill and Renee Rees were left in alleys and this girl was left in a dumpster."
Bailey looked at John. "Have they got that composite out yet?"
John nodded.
"We'd better catch him soon. He's speeding up."
"He won't come quietly," Sam said. "He's in this until the end. Because he's now just dumping the bodies it means that the important part of his work is in the killing, not the arranging. He doesn't have time for that. He needs the time to kill."
Sam's words chilled the men to the bone. They headed back to the precinct to wait the results of the autopsy. Jarod was amazed that Sam was able to get inside a killer's mind without doing a SIM. He hoped it wouldn't come to the point where they would need him to do a SIM. It always affected him deeply, especially when it involved death.
5
Parker slipped as unobtrusively as possible into the VCTF's office. Sam looked up and smiled at her. She smiled back weakly. Grace continued speaking.
"-exactly the same as before. And unlike the other victims, she was pregnant."
"How old was she?" Jarod asked.
"Sixteen."
"Still in school?"
"Yes."
"Did anyone see anything?" Bailey asked.
"It's a pretty deserted area," John said. "No one we've spoken to were any help."
"What was her name?" Parker asked. The room went silent as everyone turned to look at her.
"You shouldn't be here-" Jarod began.
"Annie Scott," Sam cut in.
"Annie Scott," Parker repeated slowly, biting her lip.
"Miss Parker, Jarod's right," Bailey said gently. "You really shouldn't be here."
"I have to be. Yesterday Sam asked me why I'd really come here. I do want to know who killed my sister but I…the night she died I had a dream that I was drowning. The next time I had the dream Jarod told me there'd been another murder and…and yesterday…after Sam left me I dreamed about it again. I don't know how to make it stop."
"Tell us about the dream," Sam said.
"Umm, I don't know how I get into the water but I feel myself being held down. I try to fight but he's just so much stronger than me." She closed her eyes, hating herself for allowing these people to see her so weak. "I feel myself dying and at the moment of my death I wake up."
"What do you see?"
"Everything's blurred. I saw a face but I couldn't make it out. He looked like a monster through the water."
"This is crazy," John blurted. "You can't expect to find the killer because of her dreams."
Parker stood, preparing to leave.
"It's okay, stay," Bailey said. "John, outside. Now."
Jarod sat next to Parker. "It must be really bad if you're actually asking for help," he said, taking her hand in his. "Your hands are cold."
She smiled slightly. "My hands are always cold."
"Are you okay?" he asked sincerely.
She nodded. "I will be."
In the corridor outside, Bailey exploded at John.
"What? You can't really believe that listening to her tell us about her reams will help!" John retorted. "And please don't tell me you buy that Pretender-crap!"
"How do you explain Sam's gift?" Bailey asked. "Sometimes we aren't meant to understand everything."
*
Parker sat on the bed, watching television and slowly eating an apple. She was concentrating on not falling asleep.
Sam, Grace and Jarod met up at the vending machine in the corridor. Jarod was on a mission to find chocolate for Parker while Grace and Sam were stocking up on junk food.
"How's Parker doing?" Sam asked.
"She's determined to stay awake."
"Well, she can't stay awake forever. Her body will sleep when it needs it," Grace said.
Jarod laughed. "You don't know Parker! When she sets her mind to something you'd better believe she'll do it."
He smiled at the ladies and left. Grace turned to Sam and asked, "What's the deal with the two of them?"
Sam shrugged and gave her a conspiratorial smile. "I get the feeling that there's a lot more going on that they won't admit."
"Hmm," Grace raised an eyebrow. "I could say the same about two other people I know."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Grace sighed. For two pretty perceptive profilers, Sam and Bailey seemed blind to each other's feelings.
Jarod handed Parker the bar of chocolate. "As ordered: no fruit and no nuts."
"Thanks."
He stared thoughtfully at her for a moment and said, "You look terrible."
"Gee, Jar. You sure know how to make a girl feel good."
"You need sleep."
"No, I don't. Bad things happen when I sleep."
Jarod hopped onto the bed next to her. "You can't possibly think that you're causing this."
Parker sighed unhappily. "I know. I'm so tired."
"C'mere." Jarod gestured for her to curl up next to him.
She looked at him hesitantly.
"I won't bite."
"I know."
"It'll be like we're kids again."
"Okay." Parker moved closer to him and leaned her head against his chest. She was asleep in minutes.
Jarod held her tight and thought about how he'd give anything to be allowed to hold her like this whenever he wanted to. He wished he could take away all her unhappiness and give her a better life. But he knew that would never happen. There were too many things tying her to the Centre. And as long as she stayed there, he knew he would never be able to leave her.
*
Sam quietly left Grace's room and tiptoed quietly towards her own. The lightbulb in the passage had blown so it was completely dark. Sam bumped into someone and jumped back in alarm.
"Oww!"
"Bailey? Is that you?"
"Sam?"
"What are you doing?" she asked, laughing. Of all the people I had to run into, it would have to be Bailey Malone!
"I wanted junk food but I can't find the damn vending machine."
"It's at the other end of the corridor."
"Oh, well, what are you doing here?"
"Grace and I-"
"Say no more. Did you guys leave anything in the machine?"
"Yeah," Sam laughed again. "Peanuts."
Bailey grimaced.
"Here, hold out your hand," Sam ordered. She pulled a Mars Bar from her pocket and placed it in Bailey's upturned palm.
"Thank you, Sam. I love you for this."
Sam stepped back. "I'd…better get to sleep."
"Yeah. Me too. Thanks."
Alone in her room, Sam mentally kicked herself. You should have told him. You just wasted the perfect opportunity!
Bailey was doing something similar in his room. Idiot! You scared her away!
*
Jarod woke some time in the night to hear Parker quietly sobbing into his chest.
"Did you have another nightmare?" he whispered, almost afraid to ask.
"No."
"Parker, what's wrong?"
"I had a dream about Tommy," she sniffed.
He pulled her closer to him, whispering soothing words. He wished there were more that he could do.
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"How can you even ask?"
"Because I can't see how you don't hate me. I chase you. I shoot at you. I threaten to kill you. If it was the other way around I'd hate you for sure."
"No, you wouldn't," he said with a certainty that scared her.
"Stay out of my head!"
"I was never in your head. I just know you wouldn't." He bent his head forward and kissed her head.
She looked up, tears still staining her cheeks and kissed him on the mouth.
"Parker-" he protested.
"Just make the pain go away," she murmured, kissing him again.
"Not like this," he said, pulling back.
She was hurt. "Why? Don't you want me?"
"It's not that. It's because you don't want me."
"Says who?" She inched closer, her breath hot on his cheek.
"You want me to be Thomas and I can't do that."
"No. I want you," she purred.
"I'm sorry, Parker. As much as I want this, I can't do it. In a couple of days you'll go back to the Centre and you'll have to chase me again. But everything will have changed. You'd be in danger and I…I wouldn't want to run from you anymore. I don't want to cheapen this by turning it into a one-night stand."
Parker pushed him away, scowling. "How can you be so rational at this hour of the morning?"
"I'm only Pretending," he laughed.
"I'm sorry," Parker said after a while. "You're right. It's just…sometimes…I get so lonely and I miss him so much."
Jarod pulled her back into his arms. This unexpected show of affection caused Parker to start crying.
"I don't know why I'm so emotional lately," she complained. "First I bare my soul to Sam and then I cry in front of her and no I'm crying in front of you."
"It's okay to cry."
"Not if you're a Parker," she said bitterly.
"Even if you're a Parker."
"I'm sorry I'm so mean to you."
"It's okay." He was surprised that she was allowing him to see her in this state. She was usually so careful to keep her walls up around everyone and he knew she had a big problem with trusting people. He was glad she had opened up to Sam and he hoped that she would open up more to him, as she had when they were children. They had shared everything then and it was their friendship that had kept Jarod going in his darkest hours. He wanted to be there for her in the same way.
*
Bailey woke to a loud knocking on his bedroom door.
"Who's there?" he yelled.
"John."
He opened the door to find John already dressed, with a worried look on his face.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Bailey asked.
"Jarod's not in his room. I told you we couldn't trust Miss Parker. I bet her goons came and kidnapped him in the middle of the night."
Bailey sighed. "Jarod trusts her. Sam trusts her. That's good enough for me."
"But-"
"What if Jarod went for a run? Or-" he stopped, watching Jarod attempt to sneak out of Parker's room. "Good morning."
Jarod raised his palms in defense. "It's not what you think. We-"
Bailey shook his head and shut the door. He had the feeling it was going to be a long day.
John looked at Jarod, not quite knowing what to think or what to say. In the end he settled for a "See you at breakfast."
Half an hour later everyone was assembled in the hotel dining room. Parker sat next to Sam, across from Jarod.
"You're looking better today," Sam said to her. "Did you get some sleep?"
Parker nodded, smiling brightly. "No nightmares either."
"That's a good sign."
"Sam, when did you get that bruise?" Grace asked.
"Oh, uh…" Sam raised a hand to her temple and lightly fingered the pale blue mark.
"Hey, Bailey, you've also got one," Grace said innocently.
"Uh…"
"Midnight patrol," Sam ad libbed. "We had to make sure the vending machine was secure." She shot Grace a death look.
"And the bruises? I'm glad you put up a fight. Those machines are worth saving," Grace deadpanned.
"The lights were out."
Parker smiled at this show of friendly camaraderie. She suddenly missed Sydney and Broots.
"What's the plan for today?" George asked.
"I'm going to take another look at the crime scenes," Sam said. "I was hoping Jarod could come along."
"Sure," Jarod nodded.
"I'd like to see where my sister lived," Parker said.
"I'll go with you," John volunteered. He wanted to make amends for misjudging her.
"Okay." She smiled at him.
"George, I need you on the computer. We need links. Is there someone that all the girls knew or did they know each other from somewhere?"
"I'm on it."
"Great. Grace and I will be at the station if anyone needs us."
Sam shot Grace a warning look and Grace smiled innocently.
"Are you okay to do this?" Jarod asked Parker.
She nodded. "I have to know. You understand, don't you? You'd do the same if you were me."
"Yeah." He kissed her cheek lightly and squeezed her hand, leaving her bemused as he walked away.
*
"Good morning, Mr. Broots."
Broots swung around in his chair, startled by Lyle's voice.
"Uh, umm, M-M-Mr. Lyle," he stammered.
"Where is my sister?" Lyle asked.
"I-I d-don't know," Broots said honestly. She hadn't actually said where she was going, he reasoned, and if he told Lyle she would kill him when she returned.
"How's Debbie?" Lyle decided to try a different tactic.
"D-Debbie?"
"Your daughter," Lyle reminded him.
"Leave Debbie alone."
"I might, if you would only tell me where my dear sister has disappeared to."
"I-I don't know," Broots repeated.
Lyle leaned closer to Broots and whispered, "Afterwards, when I'm done with Debbie, I'll tell her that her father sold her for my sister. I'll tell her exactly where her father's loyalties lie."
"M-Manhattan," Broots whispered.
Lyle straightened up. "You're a good father," he said. "Tell Debbie I say hello."
Broots leaned back in his chair, feeling ill with the knowledge that he had betrayed Parker.
Please forgive me, Miss Parker. I didn't want to. I had no choice. Please forgive me. Please, God, let nothing bad happen to her because of me….
Angelo sat very quietly in the airvent above. He had witnessed the entire scene. Turning around, he headed towards his secret room. He had to tell someone what had happened.
6
"It was such a tragedy. Sharon was such a nice girl. She always greeted me in the morning before she left for work."
John and Parker were standing outside Sharon's apartment while the landlady, a tiny, gray-haired woman with a Portuguese accent, sorted through a bunch of keys.
"Ah, here it is. I'm so sorry about your sister, Miss. If you don't mind my saying, you're just as beautiful as she was."
"Thank you," Parker murmured, barely hearing what she had said. John took her elbow and the entered the apartment. He sat on the sofa, letting Parker get to know her sister by herself.
She wandered into the kitchen and glanced through the shelves and the refrigerator, wanting to know what Sharon had liked. There was a lot of health food and diet shakes. Parker walked into the bathroom. Looking at the bathtub she wondered if her sister had died here.
John watched her walk through the living room and look at the photographs on the coffee table. There was one of Sharon and a man, probably her boyfriend, and another of Sharon and three women that looked as if it had been taken on a camping trip.
The last place Parker looked through was the bedroom. She walked in, feeling like a trespasser. She raised her hand to open the closet but stopped inches away from the doorknob. She couldn't do this. She couldn't go through a stranger's things like this. Going back to the lounge she saw John talking to another man. He raised a hand to his mouth in shock.
"Sharon?" he asked, a thread of hope in his voice.
"I'm sorry. I'm Parker."
"You look so much like her. I'm sorry, I'm Richard Eales. We, uh…I was her boyfriend."
"Oh…I…I was her sister."
"Sister?" Richard's surprise was clearly shown on his face. "She never mentioned anything about a sister."
"I only found out a couple of days ago," Parker explained sadly. "It was too late. I'm sorry. I never should have come here." She turned away, about to tell John that she was ready to leave.
"Don't go," Richard said, grabbing her arm.
"What?"
"You can't leave."
Parker yanked her arm away. "Goodbye, Richard," she said, her voice hard. "It was nice to meet you. I'm really sorry about Sharon."
She walked away, expecting John to be behind her but she heard a thud and turned around. John was crumpled on the floor. Richard stood over him, holding a gun.
Parker opened her mouth in surprise and her hand went automatically to her gun. Too late, she remembered leaving it in her room. Of all the days to get careless, it had to be today. Damn it, Jarod, this is your fault for making me let my guard down.
"I really can't let you leave," Richard said. His whole demeanor had changed. He was no longer the sad, heartbroken man he had been earlier. Something about him reminded Parker of Lyle.
"You killed her," Parker said, surprisingly calm.
Richard nodded.
"Why?"
"I didn't want to, you know. She was so beautiful. But she saw me with Alix that night. Then she started asking questions. She was so smart. She would have figured it out eventually," he said without a trace of remorse.
"Why did you kill the others?" Parker asked, trying to play for time. Wake up, John!
Richard didn't answer. He just smiled and moved slowly towards her. She turned around and dashed for the door. He tackled her before she reached it. She fell, knocking her head on the coat stand.
Everything went black.
*
Jarod and Sam walked out of the alley that Annie Scott had been found in. They had found nothing useful and Jarod was starting to feel uneasy. When they arrived at the police station he used George's computer to check his email.
His hunch paid off. There was a message from Angelo in his inbox.
"Where's Parker?" he asked, feeling anxious.
"They're not back yet," Sam said. "Is something wrong?"
Jarod nodded grimly. "Her brother's on his way here."
"They're probably still at Sharon's apartment. We could meet them there," Sam suggested.
There was no answer when they knocked on the door of the apartment. The noise brought the landlady out.
"Can I help you?" she asked rather crossly.
Sam showed her FBI badge and explained why they were there.
"It's such a shame," the landlady began. "Sharon was such a nice-"
They found John lying on the floor. Sam knelt next to him. "John, wake up!"
He groaned and his eyes fluttered open. "Sam?"
"John, what happened? Where's Parker?"
"Uh, she was here. There was a man, Richard something. He was Sharon's boyfriend."
"Did he hit you?"
"Yeah, I think so. Parker wanted to leave but he didn't want her to. I'm sorry." He looked at Jarod. "That's all I remember."
Sam called Bailey and told him to get George to find out where Richard lived. When she hung up she turned to Jarod. He was sitting in a chair, his eyes closed, almost in a trance.
"Jarod?" she asked, worried. She had no idea what he was doing.
So beautiful. I don't want to hurt you. But you know. I have to. I'm sorry.
He tackled Parker as she tried to run away. Her head hit the coat stand and she went limp. He opened the door. There was no one in the hallway. Carrying Parker, he went to his car and dumped her in the trunk.
"Jarod?" Sam asked again.
His eyes snapped open. "I know where they went."
*
Parker opened her eyes and saw darkness. Her head hurt. She tried to move but realized that she was inside something. Then she started moving and recognized the sound of a car.
I'm in the trunk! Where is he taking me?
The car stopped again and she tried banging on the roof. The only effect of that was that she hurt her hands. She swore.
Then there was bright light and fresh air. She blinked a few times, her eyes trying to adjust to the light. Richard pulled her out roughly and she stumbled, falling to the ground and grazing her knee.
"Get up!" he ordered.
She stood slowly and then violently elbowed him in his ribs. She tried again to escape but tripped over a rock. Richard pulled her up and half-dragged her into the house.
"Is this your house?" she asked, suddenly strangely peaceful. She knew he was going to kill her but suddenly it didn't matter. She wasn't scared of dying. She wondered if this was how her mother had felt, just before she had been shot.
Richard looked at her strangely, not answering. He dragged her into the bathroom and, at gunpoint, forced her to run a bath. When it was full he ordered her to take her clothes off.
"No."
"Take them off."
"No. There's no way in hell I'm taking off my clothes for you."
"You're going to die anyway."
Parker folded her arms across her chest and stared at him.
"Fine, just get in the bath."
She shook her head. Parker doubted that she'd get out of this alive but she'd be damned if she made it easy for him. He lunged at her. Expecting this, she ducked, managing to knock the gun from his grasp. But she was still off-balance from the knock on her head, giving him the advantage. He managed to get her into the water and held her down.
She struggled against him, her lungs beginning to burn from the lack of oxygen. She fought back but she was just so tired.
She couldn't help it. She opened her mouth.
Warm water filled her throat and lungs and she could feel herself losing consciousness….
It's strange, I always thought it'd be the Centre that killed him and that it'd be violent and more painful. This is almost…nice.
The bathroom door burst open and Jarod yelled, "Get away from her!"
Richard held Parker under with one hand. With the other he picked up his gun and aimed it at Jarod.
A single shot rang out.
Richard slumped to the floor and Jarod dropped his gun. While Sam checked Richard's pulse and put pressure on the wound, Jarod pulled Parker out of the water and began CPR.
"Come on, Parker, breathe!"
"Tommy? What are you doing here?"
"You're dying, Parker."
"Have you come to fetch me?"
He shook his head. "Sharon said to tell you thank you."
"Is this it?"
"No, it's not your time."
"But…I want to be with you!" she protested.
"No, you don't."
"Tommy-"
"He needs you, Parker. And you need him."
Parker knew he was right. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Goodbye, Tommy."
Parker coughed, expelling the water from her lungs. She took deep gulps of air, glad to be alive.
"Parker!" Jarod bent down and kissed her forehead, pulling her into his arms. She shivered and he asked, "Are you cold?"
"I'm always…cold," she whispered, her voice raspy.
"Here," John held out a blanket. Jarod helped her sit up and he draped the blanket around her shoulders.
"He's gone," Sam said quietly, removing her hand from Richard's body.
Parker leaned into Jarod, closing her eyes.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked.
"Mmm…my head hurts."
They heard sirens outside and seconds later the police and Bailey burst into the house. They had not been expecting the scene they came across in the bathroom.
"What happened here?" Bailey asked, looking from the bloody body of Richard Eales to Jarod, with his arms around Parker, to Sam, washing her hands in the basin, to John, sitting on the edge of the bathtub. "Grace!" he yelled.
"He," Sam pointed to Richard, "had Parker in the tub. Jarod told him to move away from her but he pointed his gun at Jarod so Jarod shot him. Then Jarod did CPR and I tried to keep pressure on the wound but it didn't help. It didn't help…." Sam was remembering John and Coop, both dying in her arms. She hadn't been able to help them either.
Grace came in, wide-eyed at what she saw. She checked Richard's body for a pulse, found none and pronounced him dead. Both John and Parker had mild concussions and Grace suggested that they take it easy for the next few days.
"You hear that?" Jarod joked. "Doctor's orders. You have to take it easy. So no chasing me for a while."
Parker just smiled and snuggled against him. He was so warm and he didn't seem to mind that she was making his clothes wet. "Thank you," she whispered. "How did you know where to find me?"
"It was the strangest thing," John answered. "He closed his eyes and went into some kind of trance and then he woke up and knew exactly where you were."
"You simmed it?"
"Yeah. It was the only way. If we'd been any later…." He trailed off, not wanting to think about what would have happened if he had been too late to save her.
"Is that how you knew she was in trouble?" Bailey asked, fascinated with Jarod's abilities.
Jarod smacked his hand against his forehead. "I can't believe I forgot! Parker, Lyle knows you're here. He's on his way to Manhattan."
"What? Nobody knows I'm here. Except Broots…Broots wouldn't tell him, would he?" Parker asked. She knew Broots. He was afraid of Lyle but he was absolutely loyal to her. Wasn't he?
"Lyle can be persuasive," Jarod said.
"How do you know anyway?"
"I got an email."
"From?" she demanded.
"Uh, Angelo," he mumbled.
"Angelo…so he's been the one leaking information to you all along." She laughed. "Daddy forgets that his IQ is almost as high as yours." She shivered again.
Let's get you into dry clothes," Jarod suggested.
Outside in the sunshine, Bailey walked over to Sam. "You okay?"
She nodded. "I was just thinking."
"Anything you want to talk about?"
"No." She smiled sadly. Thinking about Tom and Coop had painfully reminded her of Jack's presence in her life. As much as she wanted it, nothing could ever happen between her and Bailey. If Jack even suspected her feelings for him then Bailey would be as good as dead. She refused to be responsible for his death.
"So, I guess this case is closed," she said, trying to change the subject.
"Yeah. I'd still love to know how he figured it out. And why this guy killed them."
"Some things just aren't meant to be."
Bailey nodded sadly.
Neither was referring to the case.
*
Lyle stared out of the window of the Centre's jet. In five minutes they would land. In five minutes he would be one step closer to Parker.
And when he found her….
He smiled.
7
Parker knocked on Jarod's door, her emotions in turmoil. She wasn't quite sure what she was going to say when he opened the door.
This was a bad idea. I should just leave. It's not like he ever says goodbye to me.
As she turned to leave, the door opened.
"Hello."
"Hi."
"Uh, I thought you'd left already," Jarod said lamely.
She shook her head.
"Okay, well, uh, come in."
Parker walked into his room and sat on the bed. For the first time in her entire life she couldn't think of a single thing to say to Jarod, although she could think of plenty of things she'd like to do.
"Uh, how are you feeling today?" Jarod asked, taking a seat next to her.
"Umm…fine." She swallowed, wondering why her mouth was suddenly so dry.
"He needs you."
"That's…that's good," he said curiously, wondering why she was behaving so strangely.
"You need him."
"Yeah." Why was it that she could only speak in monosyllables now? She decided to blame it on the knock to her head.
"So when are you going back?"
How well Jarod knew her, to ask when and not if she was going back. And she knew him well enough to know that he would let her leave.
"Umm, this afternoon. I want to go to Sharon's apartment again. I'll leave from there." Finally! I can speak in complete sentences again!
"What about Lyle?"
She smiled. "Lyle wouldn't know where to find his head if it wasn't attached to his neck."
"Would you like me to come with you to the apartment?" Jarod offered. He wanted to spend as much time with her as she would let him.
"Thanks, but I need to do this alone. Besides, you need the head start," she grinned and winked at him.
He brushed his fingers lightly down the side of her face and Parker's stomach started to do flip-flops. "You know I'll never go far."
"I know."
She leaned forward and kissed him.
"Jarod-" Sam opened the door and they pulled apart. "Oh, sorry guys, I-"
"It's okay. I-I have to go anyway," Parker said. She smiled at Jarod, one of her rare smiles that actually reached her eyes, hugged him and whispered "Thank you" in his ear. Then she hugged Sam, promising to keep in touch.
"Jarod, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you two were…busy," Sam apologized when Parker had left.
"It's okay," Jarod said.
"Uh, Bailey wants you to come back to Atlanta with us, just to finish up with the case. I think what he really wants is to know more about how these SIMS work."
"Sure, when are you leaving?"
"Thirty minutes."
*
Parker sat in her sister's living room, paging through a photo album she had found on the coffee table. She smiled sadly, mourning the lost years and a sister she had never been allowed to know. She thought about the Centre and how much it had already taken from her.
She decided that she was going to keep her sister to herself.
The Portuguese landlady re-entered the living room. "I'm so glad you've decided to keep this place. We'll miss Sharon but we are glad to have you."
"Yes, well, like I said I won't be around too often. I doubt my…employer would transfer me here. But I'll be up as often as possible."
"That is good. Now, just sign here…."
*
Lyle walked into the police station, looking disdainfully around him. Willie was next to him.
"Are you sure she's here, sir?"
Lyle nodded and approached the front desk. "Excuse me, have you seen this woman?" He handed a photograph of Parker to the officer on duty.
She hid her smile. She was the same officer who had been on duty when Parker had arrived looking for Jarod. She looked at the information Sam had handed her before the VCTF team had left.
"Would you be Mr. Lyle?" she asked sweetly.
"Yes."
"Mr. Lyle, you under arrest for the murder of-"
"What? This is insane!"
"-you have the right to remain silent…" She handcuffed him, continuing with his rights. She pulled out his gun. "And you're carrying a concealed weapon. Mr. Lyle, things are not looking good for you."
Lyle cursed and protested, to no avail.
*
Parker strolled casually back into the Centre. Outwardly looking normal, inwardly she was cringing. She wished that she had just gone with her instincts and run off with Jarod when she'd had the chance. What on earth had possessed her to return to this hellhole?
Broots was waiting nervously in her office, relieved that she was all right and yet petrified that she was going to kill him for revealing her whereabouts to Lyle.
"M-M-Miss Parker, I'm s-so sorry," he stuttered. "I didn't mean to tell him… but…he…he…"
"What, Broots?" she snapped, once again the Ice Queen.
"He threatened Debbie."
Parker shook her head in disgust. No wonder Broots had given in, Debbie was his life. Parker said a silent prayer of thanks that she wasn't related to Lyle after all.
"Don't worry, Broots. I won't let anything happen to the rug-rat, got that?"
"Y-yes, Miss Parker. Thank you." He was at the door when he turned and said, "I almost forgot. Your father wants to see you."
Parker sighed and made her way up to her father's office, wondering what he wanted now. Wondering if he had known about Sharon. Wondering if he knew Lyle had gone after her.
"Angel! It's so good to have you back. You look well."
"Thank you, Daddy."
"You're back just in time. It seems Lyle has got himself into another mess," Mr. Parker grumbled.
"What did he do now?"
"He went off to Manhattan on a wild goose chase for Jarod and ended up getting arrested."
Parker bit back a smile, knowing instinctively that Sam had had something to do with it.
"Well, Daddy, I'd love to help, but I've got work to do."
*
Sam stepped out of the elevator, glad to be home. She dumped her bag on the ground, deciding to unpack later.
"Mommy! I missed you so much!" Chloe came running out of the kitchen and jumped into Sam's arms.
"I missed you too, Chlo'."
"Did you catch the bad guy?" Chloe asked eagerly.
Sam pushed away a vision of Richard Eales' blood on her hand and nodded. "Yeah. He's not going to hurt anyone else."
"Yay! Now come see what me and Angel got you!"
Sam laughed and let herself be pulled towards Chloe's room. It was good to be home. She just wished…. No. Some things just aren't meant to be, she thought sadly.
"Mommy, you always get the bad guys, hey?"
"Yes, I do," Sam nodded. And I'll get you one day, Jack.
She smiled, holding onto that tiny thread of hope for her and Bailey.
*
Parker was searching for the keys to her front door - Don't tell me I left them in my office! - when her house phone started ringing. She swore as she dropped the bunch of keys, then had to sift through them to find the right one. Unlocking the front door she ran to the phone.
"What?" she asked breathlessly.
"I hear Lyle's in jail," Jarod said.
Parker's stomach started doing flip-flops again at the sound of his voice. Stop it! She commanded.
"Maybe he'll make some friends," she said dryly. "Was that Sam's doing?"
"Her idea. I got hold of his fingerprints."
"Thanks. It's peaceful without him. But Daddy is making arrangements to get him out," she sighed.
"Watch your back, Parker. We don't know why he was in New York," Jarod warned.
"Mmm…so why the early phone call? What happened to waking me in the middle of the night?"
"The rules have changed."
Yeah, I guess they have.
"Parker, wh-"
Her cell phone chose that moment to start ringing and she cut him off.
"I'd better get that. Keep well, Jarod."
"Yeah, you too."
Before she answered her cell she wondered what he had been going to say but decided it was probably better for her not to know.
The rules have changed…the game has changed.
Goodbye, Tommy.
*
Sam walked into the command centre, her mind a million miles away. Another day of work, she sighed inwardly. Climbing into people's heads was taking its toll on her. She wondered hoe Parker was and if her nightmares had stopped. Probably, she mused, seeing as how they only started when her sister was killed. Not paying attention to where she was going, she walked headfirst into Bailey's back. He had been talking to Grace and turned around immediately.
"Sam," he chuckled. "You're turning this into a habit."
"Uh, sorry. I was thinking." She deliberately avoided Grace's gaze.
"Sam!" John called. "There's something here for you!"
They rushed to the table and Bailey carefully opened the box.
Sam held her breath, wondering what Jack was up to now.
*****
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