Smoke
Agnes, Oregon
Margaret entered the kitchen. Emily was making coffee. “Are you up early, or did you just not got to bed?” she asked.
“Both,” replied Emily. “I got an e-mail; there’s a big fire in the Trinity’s. I’ve got to go.”
Margaret sighed. “Do you think this is a good time to leave?”
“I would call it positively serendipitous. I’ve got a question for you Mom: Am I a double agent for the Centre?”
“Of course not,” Margaret replied without hesitation.
“O.K. then; we don’t have a problem.”
“We might not, but I think your father does.”
Emily looked irritated. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have a puppy? It would be a lost less trouble then he is.”
“Emily, be nice. He doesn’t understand how things work.”
“Another advantage of a puppy.”
Margaret decided it as time to change the subject. “Were you ever going to tell me?”
Emily shrugged. “You already knew. The rest was just details. By the way Mom, speaking as one mother to another, don’t read that report; there is nothing there you need to know. Except,” Emily added with a wicked grin, “that my I.Q. is 5 points higher then Jarod’s.”
Margaret threw her hand up in mock despair. “You’re just awful, you know.”
Emily laughed. “I know; that’s why you love me. I’m going to go tell Jay I’m leaving. And Mom, you should really consider a puppy.”
“Emily Hope,” Margaret said sharply.
“Oh, alright, I’ll play nice but I won’t share my toys.” Emily kissed her mother on top of the head and went out the door.
Jay was still asleep when she entered his room. “Good morning. Are you trying to sleep the day away?”
Jay sat up and rubbed his eyes. “It’s only seven o’clock.”
“Oh, that’s right; you’re on teen age time,” Emily teased. “ I came in to tell you that I have to leave.”
“Where are you going?”
“Sometimes I help put out forest fires, and right now there is a big one in the Trinity’s.”
Jay frowned. “What was going on last night? I heard mom crying and dad sounded angry.”
Emily sat next to him on the bed. “They were just reading the Gemini file. You know if it involves Raines somebody’s going to be upset.”
“You don’t like to talk about Gemini do you?”
Emily sat and studied him for along time and then shook her head. “I guess I think what ever process it took to make you is a good thing. I want you to always remember that no matter what else you may hear. Oh, I want you to do me a favor. Give this to Jarod for me.”
“OK. What is it?” Jay asked as he took the package.
“Answers.”
**************************************************************************************
Ventilation Shaft
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Angelo crouched in the shadows with a box of Crackerjacks in his hand. He scooped a few pieces into his mouth and then froze. “Smoke. Smoke.” He dropped the box and ran down the shaft.
**************************************************************************************
Sydney’s Office
“I have to work late Friday night, Michelle, but I can meet you at White Cloud on Saturday.” Sydney paused, listening. “Very good. I’ll…
Suddenly, an explosion ripped through the office. Flames seemed to drip from the ceiling, engulfing every part of the room. Sydney’s phone lay on the desk. “Sydney! Sydney!”
*************************************************************************************
Broots’ Office
Five Days Later
Broots jumped as the phone rang. “H-hello.”
“Well, Mr. Broots how goes the search?”
“J-j-jarod. Oh, man, you won’t believe what’s been going on around here.”
“And what would that be?”
“Um…well, there was an explosion in Sydney’s office and…well…he’s missing. And Raines has been called away to Africa and they’ve got some Gestapo nanny in here to lead the search for your sister.”
“Sydney’s missing? Was there a…body?”
“No. And Angelo’s missing, too.”
“What have you been able to find out? Who’s behind this?”
“That’s the thing; nobody knows. Miss Parker’s had a dozen sweeper teams going over the place, and nothing.” He looked up and gasped. “Dr. Eichman.” Broots tried to hang up, but only succeeded in dropping the receiver.
**************************************************************************************
The Lodge
Agnes, Oregon
Jarod hung up the phone and sighed. “Problem, son?” Charles asked.
“Sydney and Angelo are missing.”
Charles frowned. “What are you going to do?”
“I just don’t know.”
Jay looked up from his book. “Perhaps they’ve gone into hiding.”
“Not likely. There was an explosion.”
“What was the explosion meant to hide?”
“That’s a very good question.”
*************************************************************************************
Dr. Eichman’s Office
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker paced nervously. “Yes, Dr. Eichman, I understand the importance of recapturing Jarod and his sister, but…”
“But nothing. Your only duty is to recapture Jarod and kill Emily.” Dr. Eichman adjusted her glasses and looked at Miss Parker condescendingly. Her steel-gray hair was pulled back in a tight bun and she was dressed in a black business suit and sensible shoes. She would have almost looked grandmotherly if not for her icy demeanor and the seemingly perpetual frown that had settled around her mouth.
“I really must object. I am not an assassin. My job has always been to find Jarod, not to kill anyone.”
“You are what the Centre says you are. If you have a problem with this, I may have to make…adjustments to the chain of command.”
“Without Sydney, we may lose Jarod forever. And his sister with him.”
“Sydney’s whereabouts are unimportant. He is no longer needed for the Pretender Project.”
“And who is going to take his place?”
“I will.”
**************************************************************************************
SL-27
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
“Sydney hurt. Sydney scared.”
“Angelo, get Miss Parker.”
“Miss Parker sad.”
“Angelo, Sydney needs Miss Parker.”
“Sydney in danger.”
“From who, Angelo?”
“Angry lady.”
“But who, Angelo? Did she blow up my office?”
“Angry lady wants to hurt Emily.”
“Why, Angelo?”
Instead of answering, Angelo turned and scurried away down the shaft.
**************************************************************************************
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
The truck, marked “Jake’s Electrical Repair” pulled up to the Centre’s front gate. Jake pushed the button and shouted into the intercom. “I’m here to fix some burned out wiring. Got an appointment with a Mr.…” He checked the card in his hand. “Broots.”
Inside, Jake was directed to the remains of Sydney’s office. “Man. This must have been some party.”
Broots wrung his hands and laughed nervously. “Um…the circuit panel’s over here. We need this done right away.”
“Sure thing, Mr. Broots.” Jake started singing to himself as he climbed into the ventilation shaft.
**************************************************************************************
Broots’ Office
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Broots jumped as Miss Parker burst through the door. “Broots, we’ve got a problem. That…pit bull in a bad suit has called all the sweeper teams off the search for Sydney.”
“Oh no. What are you gonna do?”
“We are going to have to find him ourselves.”
“But…but we’d have to search 26 sub-levels!”
“Twenty-seven, moron. We’ll find him.”
“But what about Dr. Eichman?”
“Leave her to me.”
**************************************************************************************
Truck Stop
10 Miles Outside of Blue Cove
Jarod sat at a table, nursing his cup of coffee and watching the door. He waved when a tall, black man walked in. Jake came and sat down across from him.
“Man, that place is a mess.”
“What did you find?”
“Somebody went to a lot of trouble to torch the filing system in Sydney’s office. I found traces of explosives in three places in and around the office. It also looked like something—or someone--had been drug through the ventilation system. But it never got hot enough in there to destroy a body.”
“Were you able to follow a trail through the ventilation shaft?”
“I was working on it, but some German woman interrupted me.”
“Were you able to find out anything about her?”
“Just that Mr. Broots is scared of her. And I can see why.”
Jarod sighed. “Will you be able to go back?”
Jake nodded. “I exaggerated the electrical damage a little in case something like this came up.”
“Good. Go in and try to find Sydney.”
**************************************************************************************
Hallway
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker stepped back into the shadows as she saw Mr. Lyle and Dr. Eichman approach.
“She was spotted in northern California. The sweeper team said her trail just seemed to evaporate.”
“Mr. Lyle do you have any idea how much of a problem Lee can be for the Centre. She was my apprentice; she is capable of anything, and she has enough classified information to destroy us all.”
“I thought your specialty was mind control. If you worked with her you must know how to get to her.” Lyle said as they reached the door to Dr. Eichman’s office.
“That is the problem, Mr. Lyle; in order to control someone’s mind you have find their weakness, the thing they care most about. I was never able to learn that from Lee.”
“Well, now we know it’s her family.” Mr. Lyle offered.
“And this office has proven itself so effective in capturing them.”
The office door closed and Miss Parker stepped out of the shadows, turned, and ran into Broots. “Watch where you’re going, moron.”
“Oh! Sorry, Miss Parker. I didn’t see you there.”
Miss Parker rolled her eyes. “Broots, find out whatever you can about Dr. Eichman; especially any time she spent with Lee.”
“Lee? You mean—you mean Jarod’s sister.”
“Of course! Now go!”
Broots hurried off and Miss Parker stood contemplating the closed office door. “What are you up to?”
**************************************************************************************
Somewhere Outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico
Jay sat on the hill overlooking the valley. Instead of enjoying the view, however, he was intently reading the files he had brought with him. He had taken them from the house earlier that day. In Jay’s short time in the world outside Donoterase he had learned a few things. Finally, he looked up.
“Jarod’s my father? And…I have a mother…” he said aloud. But who was she? And what happened to her? Did Mr. Raines kill her? He shivered. I wish Emily would come back. She’s the only one who tells me anything.
**************************************************************************************
Ventilation Shaft
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
Jake shone his flashlight down the shaft. There were definite signs that someone had traveled down it recently. He had reached SL-27 and signs of the explosion were everywhere. “Just how much stuff do they blow up around here?” he muttered to himself.
Just then he heard a muffled sound. He moved closer and listened. He could make out snatches of a one-sided conversation. “…Sydney sick…Miss Parker…help…angry lady…” Jake stayed long enough to verify the location and then retreated up the shaft.
**************************************************************************************
Broots’ Office
The Centre
(Oh, you know where it is by now)
Miss Parker came in on impatient high heels. “Broots! What have you got?”
“Oh, wow, Miss Parker, you’re not gonna believe this. Dr. Eichman’s been after the Pretender project for years. As a matter of fact, when Lee was her assistant, she almost succeeded in having Jarod transferred to her. But Sydney was able to pull some strings and stop it. She’s had a grudge against him ever since.”
“That would explain the explosion in Sydney’s office.”
Broots nodded. “And get this: Dr. Eichman’s an expert in mind control. Apparently it’s something she picked up as a kid watching her father at work. He ran a concentration camp.”
“From a concentration camp to the Centre. Not too much of a career change.”
“Miss Parker…do you think that Dr. Eichman…killed Sydney?”
“I hope not, Broots.”
**************************************************************************************
St. Luke’s Cathedral
Blue Cove, Delaware
Jarod adjusted his white collar and entered the confessional. A few minutes later a man entered. “Bless me, Father, for I have been to the Centre.”
“And what did you find there, my son?”
“I’m pretty sure I found Sydney. But there was some other guy there. He was talking to himself; a lot of two-word sentences.”
“Angelo. Where were they?”
“They’re down in SL-27; a room marked ‘Sim Lab.’”
“Was Sydney…alive?”
“I can’t be sure. That Angelo guy talked like he was, but Sydney sure wasn’t answering. Do you want me to do anything else?”
Jarod sighed and shook his head. “No, I’ll have to take it from here.”
Jake nodded and left.
**************************************************************************************
Miss Parker’s House
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker had just finished pouring herself a drink when the phone rang. “What?”
“Well, Miss Parker how goes the search for Sydney?”
“Do you know everything that happens in the Centre?”
“As much as I need to.”
“And I suppose you know all about Dr. Eichman?”
“More than you do, I’m sure.”
“Oh, enlighten me, please.”
“All in good time. Perhaps you might try looking in SL-27, the Sim Lab.”
“I’ve never seen a room marked ‘Sim lab.’”
“Apparently, you’re not looking hard enough.” Jarod hung up and Miss Parker called Broots on her way out the door.
“Broots, I may have a lead on Sydney. Meet me at the Centre in ten minutes.”
**************************************************************************************
SL-27
(yada yada yada)
“Sydney?” Miss Parker whispered. “Angelo?” She heard a noise from behind her and turned around.
“What was that?” gasped Broots.
Miss Parker ignored him and started walking in the direction of the sound.
“Broots, help me move this stuff.”
Broots coughed. “How could anybody get back here?”
“This is Angelo we’re talking about, moron; through the ventilation shafts.”
“Look, Miss Parker! There’s a door!” Broots exclaimed several minutes later.
“Sim Lab. Sydney, are you in there?”
“Parker. Parker, over here.”
“Oh my God! Sydney!” Miss Parker gasped. “Let’s get you out of here.”
**************************************************************************************
Later that Evening
Miss Parker’s House
Blue Cove, Delaware
The phone rang. “What, Jarod?”
“Did you find Sydney?”
“Right where you said he’d be. How did you know?”
“I have my sources, Miss Parker. Was Dr. Eichman a problem?”
“You’re not the only one with a few tricks up your sleeve. Michelle is with him, now. The doctors say he’ll be fine.”
“And what about you, Miss Parker?”
Miss Parker swirled her drink. “Just peachy.”
**************************************************************************************
The Next Day
The Centre
Blue Cove, Delaware
“Miss Parker! Miss Parker!” Broots ran up to catch the elevator. “Oh, man, this is big!”
“What, Broots? Did you find a new hair on your head?”
“No. The Centre offices in Germany have all been shut down! The entire staff has either been arrested or detained!”
“What? How did this happen?”
“I don’t know yet, but all offices could be compromised.”
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