Part 14: The Walls Crumble
by N.R. Levy

Sydney walked along the path that led to the public rose garden of Blue Cove Municipal Park, a knot twisting in his stomach. He could not remember ever being summoned to a meeting outside the Centre’s walls by Mr. Parker. His anxiety was heightened by his inability to reach Miss Parker.  He had been told some story about a heart problem detected in her physical, but he knew that if that were true, she would have contacted he or Broots to care for Thomas in her absence. That she had not done so told him that she had not left the Centre on her own terms.

He rounded the last turn of the path and saw the Chairman standing there, anxiously staring out at the grove of white roses that stood in full bloom before him.  The roses had been donated by Mr. Parker in Mrs. Parker’s memory shortly after her death.  Not wanting to startle the other man, Sydney cleared his throat to announce his arrival, causing Mr. Parker to turn toward him.

"Sydney. Thank you for coming."

"You said it was important, sir."

"You received the memo about my daughter?"

"I did."

"It’s a lie."  To reinforce his point, Mr. Parker pulled his daughter’s ring from his pocket and handed it to Sydney.

"What’s happened?"  Mr. Parker turned back to face the roses as he considered his answer to Sydney’s question.

"Years ago, Catherine told me that Raines had managed to get –- he had engineered time alone with my Angel without either of our consent.  He did this in order to run some tests on her."

"Catherine mentioned that once. She was furious with him."

"Yes, she was. I think it was that day that made her decide to try to run away."

Sydney felt his eyes widen at Mr. Parker’s words.  So, Miss Parker had been right.  Her father had been completely aware of her mother’s plan to leave and take the young girl away from the Centre.

"After I saw what Raines’ tests were for, I had no choice but to agree with Catherine that the best thing for our daughter was that she be taken as far away as possible."

"Sir?"

"Raines determined that my daughter was a class-one breeder. Do you know what that means, Sydney?"

Sydney felt his blood run cold. Did he know what it meant? He had seen that same term applied to folders of the women incarcerated with he and Jacob in the concentration camps, women who could produce children of enormous intellectual potential.

"He planned to take her once she reached adulthood and use her to produce children with Jarod.  When I found out, I was horrified. I had already let him get away with so much – to let this happen..."

Mr. Parker’s words trailed off and Sydney fought to remain silent. He didn’t want to take the chance of interrupting, yet his mind was screaming questions he wanted answers to.

"I went to the Triumvirate and demanded that they put a stop to Raines project, the SP project.  They agreed, but only after I made a deal with them. I had to agree to allow Gemini to go forward, despite Catherine’s objections, and not interfere in its progression.

"I lived up to my end of the bargain, even after they – after Catherine.  I did these things to protect my child, Sydney, do you understand that?"

"I don’t think I’m the one that needs to understand.  Why are you telling me this?"

Finally, Mr. Parker turned away from the roses that bore his wife’s name and looked Sydney in the eye.  Sydney was amazed at what he saw there. Life – for the first time since Catherine’s death, he saw true life in Mr. Parker’s eyes.

"The Triumvirate has broken our agreement. Raines’ would never have taken her without their approval. Which leaves me with one question."

Sydney’s brow furrowed as he wondered what it was the Chairman was about to ask. "And what is that?"

"How soon can you get Jarod to the Centre?"
 
 
 
 
 

>From his vantage point on the cliffs, Jarod had seen Sydney drive away from the Centre. He watched cars come and go, keeping track of how many staffers were inside the building at all times.

Once the afternoon shift of security guards and non-classified personnel arrived, Jarod reached for his cell phone and quickly input a now familiar number.

"Hello?"

"Ben, it’s Jarod."

"Jarod, they’re here and settled. But Sam wants to speak with you."

Jarod waited as he heard the phone shifted from Ben’s hands to the sweepers.

"Jarod, now that they’re safe, I’ll head back –"

"No."

"Damn it, Jarod, you can’t go in there alone."

"And you can’t leave Thomas alone.  You should be safe there, but we can’t take that chance. Sam, you know what it would do to her if anything happened to that little boy."

The long pause that followed told Jarod that Sam was considering his words. It was a terrible choice he knew that. His friend was in trouble and Sam wanted to come and help her, but he also knew how much Thomas needed his protection now.

"All right, I’ll stay here. But Jarod, you get her out of there."

"I will, Sam.  Tell Thomas that his mother and I will be home soon."

Jarod hung up the phone, and was about to return to his lookout post when the cell phone’s ring shattered the silence on the cliffs.

"Hello?"

"Jarod, this is Sydney."

"Sydney, where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you –"

"I know, Jarod. Raines’ has Miss Parker."

"Do you know where?"

"We’re working on it. Broots and I will contact you in a few hours. Are you close?"

"Close enough."

"Then listen to me, there’s already a plan in place to get her out.  All we have to do is find out where Raines is keeping her."

"Who is `we,’ Sydney?"  Sydney paused.  He knew this would be the most difficult part. Jarod would not like what came next, and it would take all of his strength to convince the Pretender to agree.

"Mr. Parker is helping us."

"No, Sydney. How could you expect me to trust him after everything he’s done to her, to us?  How can you?"

"Jarod –"

"No, I’ll get her out on my own."

"Jarod, listen to me. We don’t have time for this. We have to get her out of here as quickly as possible."

"And you believe that Mr. Parker is the key to that?"

"Yes.  Yes, I do.  She’s in terrible danger, Jarod.  We have to trust
him."

"How can you be sure he isn’t a part of it, Syd? This could all just be some ruse to get me to come out of hiding. He knows what she means to me."

"Raines is responsible for this, Jarod. Only him."

Jarod squeezed his eyes shut tightly, hating that Sydney was right. It would be so much easier to get to her with help from inside.

"Fine, Sydney. But you tell that bastard if he double-crosses us, he’s a dead man."
 
 
 
 
 

Sydney looked over Broots’ shoulder for the 100th time, and when Broots glanced up at him, he moved across the room, his nerves getting the better of him.

He had finally convinced Jarod to go along with the plan Mr. Parker had set in place, and he had done it without revealing the truth of Raines’ plan. It was only a temporary reprieve from the truth. Eventually, Jarod would have to be told what Raines’ had planned to do. But for now, all that mattered was getting Miss Parker out of the Centre’s clutches.

"I’ve got it."

Sydney whirled around at Broots’ words.

"Where?"

"She’s in Renewal Wing.  There’s a set of rooms hidden behind the walls to rooms 251 and 252.  That’s where they have her."

Relief flooding him, Sydney flipped open his cell phone and dialed Jarod’s number.  Just a few more hours, and it would all be over.
 
 
 
 
 

Brigitte slammed the door to Lyle’s office. She stomped angrily to his leather couch and plopped down on it miserably. Lyle looked up from his desk, and observing this, let a small smile cross his face.

"Bad day?"

"How the hell am I supposed to kill him if he doesn’t come home?"

"Oh, having problems with the ball and chain?"  Brigitte glared over at her stepson, the sarcasm in his voice only adding to her foul mood.

"Very funny. What the hell is going on around here anyway?"

"I don’t know. I saw him this morning, he seemed fine."

"And that would be the problem, Lyle. He’s not supposed to be fine anymore, is he?"

Lyle stood and walked over to the couch.  He sat down beside Brigitte, taking her leg in his hand as he did. He pulled it over into his lap and began rubbing her calf muscle.

"He’s probably just worried about Parker. I’m sure he bought their cover story.  He told me about her ‘heart condition’ today."

"So what?"

"So, don’t you think a man of his age having a heart attack after one of his children, his favorite one no less, endures a health crisis will be more believable?"

"Maybe. And maybe I’ll just choke him and we’ll have to think up a way to explain that!"

Lyle chuckled and pulled Brigitte’s other leg into his lap. Then he pulled her down so she was flat on the couch, and he pressed his own body down against the length of her.

"Oh, poor baby.  Why don’t you let Lyle make it better?"

Brigitte stared at him for a moment, then rolled her eyes.

"You’ll have to try very, very hard."

"Oh, don’t worry. Very, very hard is definitely on the menu."
 
 
 

It was not unusual to see Mr. Parker in Renewal Wing, so it did not raise any suspicions in the two sweepers who watched him exit the elevator and head toward the research laboratory.

What did surprise them was the sudden wave of darkness that swept through the hallway just after he passed by them. They heard the elevator doors open again, and swung around to try and see who might be approaching. Instead they heard the rattle of a metallic container being rolled out of the elevator toward them, and then felt a painful, burning sensation in their throats as some silent chemical began to render them unconscious.

Moments later, Sydney exited the elevator, his gun drawn, and headed toward room 251. He found Mr. Parker waiting there for him. Sydney raised the small walkie-talkie in his hand.

"Broots, we’re here."

Without any fanfare, the lights of the electronic lock began to blink out a six-digit code, and both men heard the air whoosh through the doors as the powerful magnetic lock was released.  Sydney stepped back to the side as Mr. Parker entered.

Matthew sat inside the door, his chair resting against what appeared to be a solid metal wall.  He stood, instantly on guard, and pulled his weapon.

"You shouldn’t be here, sir."

"Where’s my daughter, Matthew?" Mr. Parker took a step closer to the young sweeper, and the man raised his gun higher, aiming it directly at Mr. Parker’s heart.

"I said, ‘you shouldn’t be here, sir.’"

"Raines is not going to win, Matthew. Not this one. Where is my daughter?"

Mr. Parker heard Matthew cock his gun. The action was immediately followed by a slight disturbance in the air as the bullet fired from Sydney’s silenced handgun flew through the air, striking Matthew in the chest.

The younger man dropped to his knees, shock on his face.  His gun clattered to the ground as his hand lost the ability to hold it.

"I told you, son. Raines isn’t going to win."

Matthew’s body dropped to the floor as Sydney entered the room, carefully averting his eyes so as not to look at the younger man – he couldn’t afford to. He could feel guilty about what he’d done later, once Miss Parker was safe.

"Broots, go ahead."

The slight sound of metal grinding filled the room as the metal wall in front of them began to roll upwards, disappearing into the ceiling above.  In front of them sat a shocked nurse, and an unconscious Miss Parker.

Sydney quickly pointed his gun at the woman who sat beside his friend.

"If you want to live, stay quiet and stay where you are."

The woman nodded her agreement, her hands raised in the air in surrender.  Mr. Parker moved to his daughter, carefully scooping her up into his arms.  A slight moan escaped her lips, but she remained sleeping.

"It’s all right, Angel. Daddy’s here now."

Mr. Parker moved out of the doorway back into Room 251 as Sydney disabled the phone in the room. After making sure the unit was inoperable, Sydney, too, stepped outside of the secret room.

"We have her Broots."

The metal door began to close as Mr. Parker looked back in at the nurse.

"What about her?"

"She’ll say nothing."

The nurse nodded quickly, indicating her agreement as the door dropped down, shielding her from view.

The two men headed out into the hallway, making their way to the staircase on the rear side of the building.  They began the long climb up toward the roof.
 
 
 

Security Room 23 was a hive of activity as usual, and Supervisor Davidson had no time for interruptions. So of course, he was less than thrilled to see Mrs. Parker enter the room, and even less happy to see she was in a terrible mood.

"What can I do for you, Mrs. – "

"I’m looking for my husband. Have you seen him?" Frowning, the supervisor turned to his crew, who were busily monitoring the security cameras."

"Anyone see Mr. Parker recently?"  Beaumont, one of the younger technicians turned around and looked at Davidson.

"Uh, I did. He entered Renewal Wing about twenty minutes ago."

"Headed where?"

"He was in the 250 hallway – probably the research lab."

Without a word of thanks or acknowledgement, Mrs. Parker spun around and exited the room.
 
 
 
 

The helicopter approached the roof of the Centre with little notice. Broots had made sure that a clearance code for the chopper was already in the computer, and all it took was Jarod’s spoken confirmation to make everyone at the Centre think they were experiencing a planned landing.

He sat down on the rooftop four minutes ahead of schedule, his heart pounding.  If all had gone according to plan, Sydney and Mr. Parker were almost here, which meant Parker was just minutes from finally being free. There would be no more coming back, no more playing for time. Their games with the Centre were over.

He thought of Broots, and hoped the computer wiz would be able to keep his cool long enough to walk out of the Centre, his part in the plan done.  He was then supposed to drive home, where he would pick up Debbie and drive away from Blue Cove, also for the last time.

The door opened and Jarod spun around, his gun out and ready in case Sydney’s confidence in Mr. Parker had been misplaced. As soon as he saw them emerge onto the roof, his heart tightened in his chest.

She was unconscious. Wrapped tightly in a warm blanket and cradled in her father’s arms, she looked as innocent as Tommy did as she rocked him to sleep in his nursery.

Jarod immediately stepped forward, his arms extending.  Mr. Parker noted the urgency with which the Pretender reached for her and knew in his heart he had been right to do this.  But he wasn’t ready to let her go. He looked down into his sleeping daughter’s face.

"She is so beautiful isn’t she?"

"Yes, she is."

"I do love her, Jarod. I know you don’t believe that, but I hope you’ll tell her I said it just the same."

Unable to wait any longer to have her back in his arms, Jarod stepped forward, his arms wrapping around her. For a moment, the two men held her together.

"I will.  I promise."

Mr. Parker eased his hold on his daughter and was about to step away when the door opened again. Sydney turned and aimed his gun but was met with a bullet that sank into his right arm, causing him to drop his weapon.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?"

Mr. Parker glanced over his shoulder and saw his wife standing just a few feet away, a gun in her hands. The sight made him tighten his arms around his daughter.

"Darling, I don’t think this is part of the Triumvirate’s plan, is it?"

Mr. Parker looked back at Jarod. Then he felt Jarod’s hand pushing something against his underneath Parker’s body.  It took him only a moment to realize it was a gun.  The older man took it, but kept his arms laced around his sleeping Angel.

"Brigitte, let this go. It doesn’t concern you."

"Oh, I think it does. And I think I’m going to be a very popular girl around here once walk back in with Jarod on one arm and your little Angel on the other."

Mr. Parker began to turn around, an action causing no concern in Brigitte since she knew her husband was incapable of doing any dirty work himself. The fool didn’t even carry a gun.  So it came as a total shock to her when he raised one and fired at her twice, hitting her once in the torso.  She crumpled to the ground, a cry of pain escaping her lips as she fell.  Seeing she was down, Mr. Parker turned back to Jarod and his daughter.

"Get her out of here, Jarod, now. I’ll take care of this."

Jarod moved quickly to the helicopter, settling Parker inside. Sydney crawled in beside her, his arm still bleeding from Brigitte’s bullet. Jarod climbed into the pilot’s seat, firing the engines quickly.

As the copter took off, Jarod looked down at Mr. Parker. As much as he had always hated the man who helped steal his life, he could no longer deny that the man did love his daughter.  He loved her imperfectly, with the heart of a flawed man, but he did love her.

He had just turned his eyes back to the night sky when he heard something that caused him to jerk his eyes back to the roof.  Looking down, Jarod saw Mr. Parker fall to the ground, a gun extended from Brigitte’s hand. She sitting up now, watching as her husband fell to the ground.

Sydney was stunned when he heard Jarod roar the word no as he looked at the roof.  Quickly, Sydney leaned over to see what had happened and his heart sank, not for the man who had just lost his life, but for the woman who sat beside him. How in god’s name could they tell her this after everything else?
 
 
 

Ben Miller’s inn had been closed for three days.  A sign out front said there was a plumbing problem, but the truth was the building had been turned into a refuge camp – a Centre refuge camp.

Broots had arrived with his daughter, joining Sam, Greta and the baby. Their arrival was closely followed by that of Jarod, Miss Parker and Sydney.  Jarod quickly doctored Sydney’s arm, and then he settled Miss Parker in the room that had once been her mother’s.

Putting on his doctor’s façade, he checked her from head to toe.  As he did so, he found bruises on her ankles, and a red mark on her chest that looked like some kind of chemical burn.  But they were the only outward signs of injury she bore.  A blood test showed him that she had been heavily drugged, but that the neuro-inhibitors the Centre was famous for were working their way out of her system.

Once he was finished, he allowed himself to be a man again, and he climbed into the bed beside her, tears stinging his face.  The thought of Raines’ or his goons touching her, hurting her was too much to bear, yet he knew he had to. If she had had to survive it, he could survive the knowledge of it.

He had almost fallen asleep when a soft knock came at the door.  He sat up as Sydney entered, his arm wrapped in a sling.

"Sydney, you shouldn’t be out of bed."

"I know, but, Jarod, there’s something I think you should know. Something she shouldn’t have to tell you."

Jarod moved to the edge of the bed as Sydney eased himself down into the antique rocking chair that sat there.

"What is it, Sydney?"

"I need to tell you about the SP project, Jarod."
 
 
 

She could feel the shackles on her, but now she could scream. The heavy weight that had been on her chest before was gone, and she could move and fight and she did, lashing out, screaming at the top of her lungs. She fought them, fought the hands that were trying to still her.  Then she heard his voice.

"Parker, I’m here. I’m here, sweetheart. You’re safe."

‘No!’ her mind screamed. ‘It’s a trick. They’re trying to trick you.’

"Michael, listen to me. It’s Jarod. I’m here with you. All you have to do is wake up."

‘Michael.  He called me Michael. They wouldn’t know that, would they?’ Her mind struggled to understand what was happening. Could he really be here?

"Open your eyes, sweetheart.  Come on, I’m right here."

Parker’s eyes opened, expecting to see that she was still trapped in the Centre, a victim of a cruel mind trick. Instead, they focused in on the amazing sight of Jarod’s face, his brown eyes boring into her as he tried to help her come back to reality.

"Hi there, beautiful."

Parker reached for him and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight against him. He could feel the horrible tension that was gripping her body, a mixture of fear and rage that he knew she was only just beginning to deal with.

"It’s okay. It’s over."

She said nothing, just kept holding him.  Then just as suddenly as she reached for him, she pushed him away, panic on her face.

"Where’s Tommy?  Where’s my baby?"  Jarod placed his hands firmly on her arms.

"He’s downstairs being spoiled rotten by Debbie and Broots. He’s fine."

"Broots is here?"

"Broots, Debbie, Sydney.  Everyone we love is here, or almost here. Dad and Jay are on their way."

Parker felt a small pocket of relaxation begin to grow inside of her. They were all safe, but it wasn’t over, and she knew it. She had to tell Jarod what had happened, what Raines had done.

As if he was reading her mind, Jarod reached out and placed his hand against her cheek.

"I know, Parker."  She looked at him, confused.

"W-what do you mean?"

"I know about the experiment. Your father told Sydney what Raines was planning to do."

Parker felt a wave of tears rush forward, but she fought them. She didn’t want to fall apart, not when they had so much to deal with.

"I’m sorry, Jarod. I’m so sorry."

Jarod pulled her toward him, and though he felt her fight his embrace, he held fast, holding her tight against him.

"You have nothing to be sorry for.  You survived this, Parker. That’s all that matters. And if you are carrying our child – she’s still ours, Parker. Nothing can change that. Nothing can change how much I love you."

That was what did it. He finally said the words, said them to her when she felt so undeserving of them, yet she knew he meant them. And the tears won. They came out so fast, her sobs so deep that she began to think she would never stop crying. All the while, Jarod held her, letting her rage against the violations she had suffered, letting her mourn the freedom of choice the Centre had stolen from her.

Finally, her body stilled against him, and she pushed back, not to get away from him, but to look up into his face. They sat there, just looking at each other for a long time. Then he could see that exhaustion was beginning to take its toll on her, and he knew she needed to rest. There was more, of course, that she had to hear, but it could wait. It had to. He just couldn’t burden her with that now. He reached out to try and guide her back to the bed, but she took his hand and clasped it between both of hers.

"What is it?"

He froze, then quickly tried to cover even though he knew it was too late. The down side, he realized, to knowing her so well, was that she knew him equally. She had seen he was holding something back.

"Parker, not now. Please, you can’t take anymore."

"I’m already a wreck, Jarod. Please, just tell me.  Is it Tommy, is something wrong?"

"No, no. I promise you, he’s fine."

"Then what is it?"

"Parker, please.  I can’t do this, not now." He tried to stand, but she pulled him back down on the bed. He fought to keep his eyes from hers, but she reached out and turned his face with the gentlest motion of her hand, and he found himself staring into her eyes again.

"What?"

"I told you, I knew what happened because your father told Sydney.  He – Parker, he helped us get you out."

He saw the stunned look that crossed her face. She let go of his hand, her right one reaching up to nervously push her hair out of her face.

"Daddy helped? I mean, he knows about us?"

"He knew I would come after you and he knew I could get you somewhere safe. He and Sydney got you up on the roof and I met them there with a  helicopter, but before we could leave, Brigitte showed up."

Parker felt her stomach roll over.  She knew what was coming. She didn’t know how, but she knew. Still, she had to hear Jarod say it.

"She tried to stop us, but we got away. But, Parker – she...she killed your father."

Had she been standing, her legs would have collapsed out from under her. As it was, she felt as if the room had begun spinning around, and it took her some time to realize she was once again in Jarod’s arms, his strength the only thing keeping her sitting upright.

"I was wrong, Parker. He did love you. I want you to know that. No matter what else he did in his life, he did love you."

Jarod rocked her in his arms. She didn’t cry. She had no tears left to cry. In fact, she felt the fiercely strong walls she had spent so many years building begin to climb up inside of her, attempting to take her pain and rage and force it down inside of her.

But she couldn’t let that happen.  Suddenly full of an energy born from her grief, she moved so she was facing Jarod.

"Make love to me, Jarod."

He couldn’t hide the surprise he felt at her words.  He had expected many things from her, but not this.  She was so weak and she’d been through so much, he had even told himself it might be weeks before she was ready to be with him again.

"Parker, it’s too soon."

"I need you, Jarod, please. I feel like I’m starting to die inside."

And then he understood. She needed him to free her, to help her let go of the torrent of emotion that was building up in her.

"I don’t want to hurt you."

"You are the one person I know will never hurt me."

Then she was in his arms. Jarod touched her with a gentleness he had not even been sure he was capable of, each movement of his hands, his lips and his body designed to give her solace, to show his love, and most importantly, to drive her toward the release she needed.

Parker clung to him, each moment of their lovemaking another moment that the walls lost their strength. He was winning.  They were winning. They were going to survive all of this and they would do it together.

Then the walls crumbled. She cried out against him, their bodies so close it was difficult to tell they were two separate people. Then the she was lying against him, his arms holding her as her grief flowed freely.

Hours later, when her tears had long since stopped and they had both slept and woke in each others arms, he felt her lift her head from his chest. He looked down to see her staring up at him, her eyes still sad, but free of the intense pain that had filled them earlier.

"I love you, Jarod."

The words were so quiet, he would’ve sworn he imagined them if he hadn’t seen her lips move. He smiled at her, his hand moving to her cheek, moving softly against her skin.

"I know, Parker. I’ve always known."
 
 

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