Disclaimer : See Part One

Title - Playing With Fire
Author - KB
E-mail address - gekbruce@melbpc.org.au
Rating - G
Category - Adventure
Series/Sequel - Part Two of Total Recall
Spoilers - Maybe some. What do you think?
Summary - The story continues...

"Playing With Fire"
By KB

As Jennifer drove away from the Centre, she looked over at Miss Parker.

“I have to say I’m curious about something.”

“What?”

“Well, I know quite a bit about almost everyone at the Centre. But there’s one person who’s still a mystery. Mr Lyle. See, Raines asked me to do a check on various people for the Centre records but there’s nothing on Lyle prior to 1995. It’s like he didn’t exist.”

Miss Parker sat quietly for a minute.

“Lyle came to work for the Centre in 1995. He helped Raines to do some experiments on Jarod.”

“I know. I saw the DSAs. Raines has them and I used them to try and understand Jarod, after you told me about him. But Lyle?”

“He disappeared for a few years but in 1997 he reappeared and started to try and take over my father’s position. During an unfortunate…incident…in November of that year, Lyle was set up by Raines and then by Jarod. That’s when he lost his thumb. But in June last year he came back and he’s been trying to thwart my efforts to catch Jarod ever since.”

“But I mean before that. He can’t have just come into existence in 1995. What about his past?”

“I found some stuff in April last year about his family. He was adopted by a couple in Nebraska and then was presumed dead after a body was found. His father, Lyle Bowman, has been in prison ever since. Apparently Lyle adopted his father’s name. According to some information we discovered, he attended a High School in a little town called - oh, I forget, but some really dinky little out-of-the-way place. The school believed that he died before the class he was in could graduate, in ‘83. Then, fifteen years later, he appeared at the Centre and started work.”

Miss Parker had been looking out at the traffic while she had been talking but now looked at Jennifer and was shocked at her expression.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to pass out!”

“Did you say…Lyle Bowman?”

“His dad? Yeah.”

“So what was Lyle’s name before that?”

“Didn’t the files say? Bobby. Bobby Bowman.” Fortunately for both occupants, the car was stopped at a red traffic light. Jennifer turned and stared at Miss Parker.

“What is it?”

“Bobby Bowman…Lyle…was my brother.”

“What?!”

“I mean it. You remember I told you about how my adoptive parents adopted a boy as well. That must have been Lyle. There are too many co-incidences for it not to have been, I mean, the name - and the school - and the new job! Not to mention that  Jarod’s escape would have prevented him from attending the funeral of my parents!”

“But surely you’ve…seen photos?”

“Years ago! He looks like a different person now! He was a different person then! You’ve seen the photos of him!” She took several deep breaths to calm down.

“When we met, I knew he reminded me of someone that I knew really well. Well, that must have been who it was! But I would never have worked it out myself. I must ask him…”

***

Jennifer was still in a daze. It had been painful for her to learn that her brother had been responsible for the death of Jarod’s brother and she could still remember the exact details of the discussion she had had with Jarod about the situation. In her office she stared uncomprehendingly at the man leaning against her desk and the gun in his hand.

“You must have known how much I resented you.” His voice was soft and menacing. “I’ve always hated you. They always preferred you to me and you got everything before I did - a good education, a good job, your freedom. But now I’ve got the upper hand…”

“Bobby, I - “

“I’m not Bobby. I’m nothing like him. I’m Lyle, Mr Lyle, and I’d advise you to remember that.”

“Well, if you’re going to shoot me then it doesn’t really matter, does it? But what do you mean, they preferred me? You were the handsome one, the intelligent one. The whole family was centred around you and your life. You were the person I looked up to and wanted to be like. I relied on your advice and encouragement. You were my hero. And I was the envy
of every one who knew us, being your sister.”

“Yeah,” he sneered. “You’d say anything to save your own neck, just like Mom and Dad. But I know what it was really like. What they really wanted.”

“Lyle…” Jennifer stopped as the gun recoiled once and then a second time in his hand. She felt the bullets enter first her right arm, just above the elbow, and then her chest. Her breath exploded out of her and she began falling, in slow motion, towards the carpet on the floor of her room.

As she hit the floor, she could feel Lyle glaring down at her before racing out of the door of her office. He almost collided with Mr Parker, who tried to clutch at him but was distracted by the sight of Jennifer on the floor. Raines appeared also, only seconds after the blast, and ordered her carried down to the infirmary.

***

Jarod picked up the phone but put it down immediately. He couldn’t let Sydney realise what he felt and how much he knew about Jennifer. They would kill her before they let her out of the building. He listened on the radio in his ambulance to a request for transportation of an injured person to the hospital in Blue Cove and he wondered if the Centre had any involvement.

***

“We had no choice. It was my own decision and I stand by it. I wasn’t going to wait until those bumbling idiots down at the infirmary had made her worse. I want her to have the best treatment available. Do you understand Mr Parker?”

“Yes, but I still think…”

“Enough! The Triumvirate was consulted and agreed with me. There is nothing more to be said or done.”

***

Jennifer eyes flickered open and stared uncomprehendingly around her. Then she struggled to sit up.

“Jarod! What are you doing here?” He grinned at her and, at the same time, prevented her from moving.

“I’m looking after you, what’s it look like?”

“But…Raines is letting you work in the infirmary?”

“Hardly. No, this is Blue Cove Hospital.” She smiled at him as she lay back on the pillows.
“You get away with so much!”

He turned to leave.

“I’m not the only one.”

“The Triumvirate has told me to assure you that you are only to return to work once you are medically fit to do so.”

“Yes, Mr Raines. I understand.”

“Good.” He turned and left the room and Miss Parker approached the bed.

“How do you do that?”

“What? Make him be nice to me? I don’t. It happens on its own.”

“Well, all I can say is that you’re lucky. The only reason you’re here is that he made the Triumvirate agree to letting you stay away from work until you were better.”

“I discovered something incredible recently though.” Miss Parker sat down in the chair beside the bed.

“Oh, what?”

“Well, Jarod sent me a photo of Raines’ daughter - you know, the one that died, Annie.”

“Yes, so?”

“Well, there are some incredible likenesses between us in looks. I think that’s why he treat me the way that he does.”

“Could be.” Sydney entered the room and Miss Parker stood up.

“I must run. I’ve got heaps to do. I’ll see you later, Jennifer.”

“How are you?”

“Improving every day. I should be able to get out of here soon, I’d say. I have no need for hospitals.” Sydney smiled.

“Well, I hear you’ve got your orders.”

“The Triumvirate are thorough.”

“And Raines even more so - when he wants to be!”

After about ten minutes Sydney rose from his seat and said goodbye. As he left, his eye fell onto the medical folder which was lying open on the table at the end of Jennifer’s bed. His eyes widened as he took in the writing in the folder and he glanced over at Jennifer, who was apparently engaged in looking out of the window. He reached to tear the page out but a voice stopped him.

“Is something the matter, Syd?” Jennifer looked at him in concern and he forced a smile and shook his head as he left the room.

***

“Oh, it’s nice to be home.” Jennifer sighed as she lowered herself onto the couch in her living room and Jarod covered her with the blanket which lay at her feet.
“Are you trying to mother me, Jarod? Because now that I am home, I won’t stand for it.”

“I’m not trying to mother you. But nothing could prevent me from doctoring you. Even you can’t deny me that role.”

“Oh, I can. I’ll just have to get better as soon as possible, that’s all.” He laughed at her determination as he sat on a chair facing her.

“Well, I convinced you to let me out early, didn’t I? So what’s to stop me from getting better faster than expected as well?”

“Me!”

“Oh, right. I forgot. And you’ve managed to stop me from doing things before too, I suppose. Like stopping me from working at the Centre, even though you didn’t think it was such a good idea. And stopping me from helping you shut down the architectural business. You stopped me really effectively then!” She snorted in derision and then grinned at him.
He tried to appear indignant but eventually smiled back at her.

***

Lyle struck a match and held it between cupped hands as he tried to get a better measure of his surroundings. As the rain had started he had seen a lone building among the trees and had stumbled towards it in the hope of bullying the occupants into giving him shelter for the night. When the building was found to be empty, he had smashed a window and dropped inside, shaking the water from his hair. Now, as he looked around at the pleasant furnishings, he complimented himself on his good luck.

***

Jennifer pulled the car to a stop and got out. With a sigh of pure pleasure she stared around at the mountains which ringed the lake and which were reflected in its still surface. Then she turned to the small cabin which stood on its shore and, pulling a large key from her pocket, unlocked the door. She walked through the door and dropped her bag onto
the large table in the living room and then reached into her other pocket. She pulled out a small, square device and plugged it into a convenient power point. With a flick of the switch she looked around in satisfaction, knowing that if any bugs or other tracing devices had been planted on her or in her bag, they would be short-circuited. A similar device had already detected several bugs attached to her house, phones and car as well as in her office. It had been fortunate that Broots had so willingly told her the frequency at which they transmitted, thus enabling her to create and use the device.

***

After a few relaxing hours watching t.v and admiring the view, she pulled out her lap-top and connected to the Centre’s mainframe. Within two hours she had finished the work which she had intended to finish earlier that day but which a sighting of Jarod had prevented. With a stifled yawn she rose and, after blowing out the candle by which she had been working, climbed the ladder which led to the upper level. The bed swayed slightly as she sat on the edge of it, the thick chains with which it was suspended from the ceiling creating a pleasant rocking sensation. After peeling off her socks, she rubbed her bare feet through the sheepskin rug which lay on the floor and then swung her legs up onto the mattress.

***

At about two am Jennifer was awakened by the sound of the door swinging open. She reached over and took out the gun which Raines had insisted she carry, as well as picking up the torch which sat beside the bed. She silently moved over to the point at which the upper level stopped and, with the moonlight streaming in at the window, had a very fair view of a male figure on the level below. He was standing in the middle of the room, looking around and she watched warily as he approached the ladder.

She moved back a few paces and faced the top of the ladder, the gun at the ready in her right hand and the torch in her left. The silent ascent of the intruder convinced her that he had removed his shoes, as she did, outside the door, and she readied herself for his appearance.

***

Miss Parker crept along the side of the house, glancing in at each window as she passed it, but ensuring that she stayed out of sight. A slight flash from within warned her that he may be inside and, waving at others to keep out of the way and to stay in their places, she moved silently towards the door. A slight noise from within made her stiffen but she stretched out her hand to the door and had just touched it when headlights swept over the scene.

***

As the head appeared at the top of the ladder, Jennifer switched on her torch and aimed its beam at the head of the uninvited visitor.

“Jarod?”

He grinned and climbed up the last few rungs as Jennifer, putting the gun on her bed, moved across and lit the kerosene lantern which hung in the middle of the room. Its soft glow provided sufficient light for her to extinguish the torch and return it to the table.

“What are you doing here? More to the point, how did you find this place?” She asked the questions with her back toward him but turned when he failed to answer. She laughed as, kneeling on the rug, he held out a badge which proclaimed him to be a park ranger.

“I’d seen it in my work and I thought I recognised your car. Besides, you once mentioned that you had spent time in this area when you were younger.” Jennifer nodded and laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“This situation. Have you heard what’s been going on this week? No? Shame on you! What happened to your regular contacts, might I ask?”

“I wasn’t accessible, being in the middle of a forest. So tell me.

What’s funny?”

“Raines called me into his office on Monday morning. He’s decided that, due to the fact that I’ve nearly finished all the work he wanted me to do, I should get a different job, which, surprisingly enough, is - ”

“Chasing me.”

“Right.” She rocked with laughter but, although Jarod smiled in sympathy, his face remained sober.

“What is it?”

“They aren’t going to let you go now. You know that.”

“But I don’t mind! Oh, I don’t say that I’m ever going to become like Raines, say, or Mr Parker. But I enjoy my work and I like Miss Parker, Sydney and the others. Besides this gives you an even better chance to avoid capture - and they’ll never even know who’s helping you!”

“Are you sure? I’d hate you to be doing something you didn’t want to!” She slipped off the floor and sat on the rug beside him.

“Jarod, you warned me of the risks when all this started and I haven’t forgotten them. If anything, they’ve been made even more obvious. But I wanted to do it then and I still do. I love my work.” His hand moved to silence
her but she trapped it and the other in both of her own and held them.

“I wouldn’t have taken on this job if I had had any concerns and…”

“But you don’t know what they’re really capable of!”

“Jarod, working for them in the way that I am, I’d say that I’m more than aware of what they can do, wouldn’t you? After all, I’m constantly working on deals and presentations for the Centre, so I’d have to be blind, deaf and stupid not to know!”

“But if you make a mistake…”

“But I won’t make a mistake! And even if I did, you forget that I’ve got Raines to protect me from anything the Triumvirate can throw at me. Oh, that reminds me. He’s changed my working hours. Having realised that I can do so much from my own computer, he said that I only need to come in every second week. That’s why I’m here. Not even Parker can call me for a ‘sighting’ when I’m here! Now how nice is that?” He laughed but stopped as he felt her shiver slightly.

“What’s wrong?”

“To be honest, Jarod, I’m freezing!”

***

Lyle stretched himself out on the sofa and gave a weary sigh. Just prior to falling asleep he heard the creak of hinges and silently rolled over and faced the door, his gun at the ready in his hand. He had been forced to use it already to obtain the lift which had carried him away from the Centre and which had convinced the shopkeeper to give him some food. Now he waited to see who he could take advantage of next.

***

Jennifer stretched and felt the bed rock gently before opening her eyes. She rolled over and looked out of the window. The sun was still hours from rising and the moon shone in through the uncovered window and she knew, without looking at her watch, that is was only half past six. She rolled over onto her other side and looked at the sleeping figure of Jarod on the rug. Knowing how comfortable it was, she was not surprised at how deeply he was asleep. For several minutes she gazed at his face but the cold air which had pervaded the cabin overnight was an encouragement to get up and she collected her clothes from near the ladder and descended to the lower floor.

***

Ten minutes later she emerged from the bathroom, her hair damp and her skin shining from the rough, homemade soap which she used when staying in the cabin. The thick timber walls prevented the sound of her movements from reaching the upper room and it was not until the thick slices of bread, coated in the egg mixture, were staying warm in the oven and Jennifer was in front of the computer again that he descended the ladder.

“Good morning!”

“Did you sleep okay? I hope the floor is comfortable enough!”

“If I said it wasn’t, would you let me share the bed?” She looked at him out of the corner of her eye but said nothing.
“So, where can a person get a decent wash around here?”

In reply Jennifer waved her arm in the direction of the lake and enjoyed the shocked expression on Jarod’s face as he took in the ice around the edge of the lake and the snow which covered braches on many of the trees close to the bank.

“Out there?”

“And why not? I’m sure it would be very - refreshing!” She vainly covered a smile but Jarod had noticed.

“Okay, give. Where’s the real bathroom?”

“Through there. Oh, and don’t take too long. Breakfast’s waiting!”

***

Jennifer curled up in the corner of the lounge with a sigh. Jarod had gone to finish some work that morning and she was missing him already. He had said that he would be back by nine pm and, as she looked outside at the dizzying dance of snowflakes, she felt a shiver of apprehension. A glance at her watch showed that there was more than half an hour before Jarod should return and, judging by the weather, a massive blizzard was on the way. She hoped he would have the sense to stay out of it.

***

Miss Parker spent several seconds getting her breath. The headlight which had appeared to be sweeping over the entire veranda were in fact still a short distance away and the group had had time to hide before the car had arrived. They watched silently as an elderly couple approached the house, chatting quietly about the evening and they waited until the two were inside. Then, at a signal from Miss Parker, the group slowly began to circle the house.

***

An hour later she glance at her watch in apprehension. She had been expecting that Jarod would call to let her know what he was doing but she had heard nothing. A call on her own behalf had resulted in a mechanical voice telling her that his phone was, in all probability, turned off. Thoughtfully she stared at the television screen, seeing nothing of what passed before her eyes. In this way time passed and, as the clock chimed ten it galvanised her into action. She leant forward and pulled a book across the table. Opening it, she ran her finger along the road until it forked off and she nodded. It was more than likely that, having never been to her house in the dark, and especially with a storm, that he could have taken the wrong road. She filled a flask with hot coffee and also filled several hot water bottles. There was almost no doubt now that he had probably broken down or, possibly, had had an accident in the car. She knew that he had no chains with him. Finally she pulled on her jacket, scarf and gloves, collected everything and went out to the car. Several blankets on the back seat, as well as a first aid kit, completed her outfit and, checking that the chains were secure, she drove away from the house.

***

Jarod turned the key again and listened to the wheels spin in the snow. He muttered angrily and shivered, despite the warmth which the heater was throwing out. The snow was flying around outside the car and even a brief spell of watching it made him slightly dizzy. But he knew that the cabin could not be too much further along the road and he was determined to reach it. He switched on his headlights and reached into the back seat for his jacket. It was not as thick as he would have liked but he could do nothing about it then. With grave misgivings he opened the door and felt it pulled away from his grasp from the force of the wind. The light stretched a short distance along the road and, closing the door of his car and lowering the aerial, he began to trudge along. He expected at every second to see light from the cabin but, just as he felt that he should reach it, the light which had been dimly showing the way flickered and went out. Jarod cursed but dared not turn back. Instead he kept walking hesitantly forward. Finally, however, he went slightly off
course and, as his foot hit the curb, he fell forward onto the ground and lay there with his eyes closed.

***

Jennifer’s car pulled up beside Jarod’s and, frantically, she scrabbled for the torch which lay on the floor of the passenger seat. Its high-powered beam cut through the darkness and, another light, which was temporarily fixed to the roof of the car and which had its own generator, illuminating the scene, she moved over to the car. Finding it empty she fought her way back to her own vehicle and, knowing instinctively what Jarod would do, began to slowly drive down the centre
of the road.

***

Miss Parker held Lyle firmly in her grasp as Sam locked handcuffs onto him. The elderly couple, shaken but not hurt, were allowed to return to the house and the group began to move towards one of the cars. However one of the sweepers failed to see a fine wire, tied about three inches off the ground, and he tripped and fell. In the confusion Lyle managed to wrench his arms from Miss Parker’s hold and he began running downhill. Sam attempted to fire at him but the bullet went wide. Miss Parker, cursing angrily, ordered the group to separate and locate him before morning.

***

Jarod forced open his eyes and watched as the snow landed on him. Something inside screamed that he should get up and keep moving but he was too tired and he ignored the warning signs. Out of the corner of one eye he thought that he could see an orange glow but the effort of turning to look was too much and he closed his eyes. Dimply he wondered what Sydney would think when he heard, or how his parents would learn what had happened. Then he relaxed.

***

Jennifer finally saw a small pile of colour on the side of the road and, grabbing a blanket and turning on both the torch and the light, she exited the vehicle and trained the light onto the figure. Within seconds she was on her knees next him and, as she wrapped him in a blanket, his eyelids flickered.

“Jarod, come on. Please. Look at me. I need you to help me here. I can’t lift you on my own. I know you can hear me.”

Half carrying, half dragging, she got him to the car and into the passenger seat, where she had previously lowered the seat to an almost horizontal level. After slamming the door she raced around to the other side. Once sitting in the car, she packed the hot water bottles and blankets around him and, starting up the car, turned it around and drove back to the intersection where Jarod had made a wrong turn. Another of the lights which she had placed there still burned, despite being covered with a thin layer of snow, and once the car was facing the right direction, she turned off the lamp and left it there for later use.

***

Miss Parker heard the roar of a motor ahead on the road and she accelerated. As she careened down the road the car, without chains, began to rock and Miss Parker had to fight keep it on the road. Seeing what she believe to be Lyle ahead, she forced the car to go faster. However the icy surface had no grip and the car left the road and, clipping a tree, rolled several times.

***

Jarod felt chills go through him and he shivered violently. Something warm was pushed in beside him and, gratefully, he felt the heat against his skin. He felt as though he were breathing through glue and he struggled to open his eyes. A voice murmured soothingly in his ear but he had no energy to try and realise who was talking. He felt himself begin to slip away from whoever was talking and his lips parted with a sigh as he fell asleep.

***

Jennifer stood back from the bed with her own sigh of relief. It had been four days since she had brought Jarod back from the brink of death. His almost constant nightmares had restricted the amount of sleep she had had and was also preventing Jarod from getting well as quickly as he should. She had lost count of the number of times she had wiped his face and neck with cool water and had held him down while he thrashed on the bed. She reached over to the bowl and squeezed out the cloth of excess water before wiping his face. As the damp material passed over his mouth, Jennifer watched in disbelief as he swallowed for the first time in four days. Quickly she reached over and picked up a glass. Using a teaspoon she poured several drops of liquid into his mouth and watched in anticipation. His throat moved and, encouraged, she gave him the rest of the dose she had had ready for this occasion. Then, with a weary sigh, she returned to her bed.

***

Jarod opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. As he struggled to remember the events of the past few days a noise made him look around and he saw Jennifer standing at the end of the bed. When she saw that he was awake she moved over and sat beside him.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I was run over by a truck!” She laughed and then, standing up, pulled the blankets more closely around him.

“What happened?”

“You were stupid, that’s what. If you want to go for a walk, it’s better to do so in fine weather and not when there’s a blizzard going.”

“I…what?” he sat up but the world began to move and he was thankful when Jennifer pushed him back onto the pillow.

“Just stay there. You don’t have to go anywhere just yet. You were coming back here when it started to snow and you took the wrong road. When the car died you decided for whatever reason to get out and walk. I found you and brought you back here. You had a bad bought of pneumonia but I think we’ve finally got that licked.”

“How?”

“My parents lived here continuously for several years and my father got pneumonia a lot. I knew the name of the medication and I got a friend of mine to bring some here for me.”

“A friend?”

“Don’t worry. No-one that you know. A girl I went to school with. She and I have always been close and, as luck would have it, she’s a doctor. I got everything that I could need from her to help you.”

She turned away but he grabbed her hand.

“Jenny? What about Lyle?”
“What about him? Oh! Do you mean does he know about this place? No. We bought it after he got the job at the Centre and I don’t think he ever even heard about it. My parents left him their other house when they died and I got this. I think he sold that house, though. It was in Nebraska, so it wasn’t very convenient for him.” She turned and went down the ladder. He watched until he couldn’t see her any more and then closed his eyes.

***

Miss Parker sat for several seconds, slightly stunned, before pulling herself together and tugging on the door handle. To her relief it swung open and, as she climbed out of the wreck, she was followed by two of the other sweepers and then by Broots. He turned and looked at the car for several seconds before being violently sick. His reaction set off two of the three sweepers and, while one went to get water from a bottle that was always carried in the trunk, Miss Parker stood and shook her head.

“Mutant.”

***

Two days later Jennifer and Jarod were sitting on a couch, watching television. Jennifer picked up the dinner plates and carried them into the kitchen.

“Well, you’re certainly better!”

“Oh, I have this thing about being sick. I’m not too fond of it.”

“Well that makes two of us.” She refilled the glasses and carried them over to the sofa. Handing him one, she smiled. “At least you’re a good patient.”

They sat side by side in a companionable silence for several moments. As Jennifer brought the glass up to her lips, Jarod spoke.

“Jenn?”

“Umm?”

“I love you.”

Part Three

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