2/7

She felt so happy, so peaceful. She was sitting in the sand, with hereyes closed and her alert ears echoing the calming lap of the ocean. Shehad rested her head on someone's shoulder...she felt her hand being claspedby the person next to her, and their fingers entwined. She released a smallsigh of contentment...

"M-Miss Parker?" someone whispered nervously.

She lifted her head off the shoulder...

"Miss Parker, y-you really need to w-wake up," Broots was practicallybegging. He needed to wake her up, but he was certain that shaking MissParker awake was a suicide mission--even if you succeeded, you were gonnaget hurt.

She opened her eyes to see who this man was. Who it was offering hersuch a feeling of love and strength...

Already wincing at the pain he knew he was about to endure, Broots reachedout a hesitant hand, and shook Parker's shoulder.

Snapping awake, Miss Parker fought down the momentary sense of alarmshe felt--this definitely was not her bedroom. Soon, however, the memoriesof what she had done that night -or rather, early morning- came to her.Looking around, Parker soon realized that she was still in the room ofthat little girl, who was sleeping peacefully. Now aware of where she was,Parker could feel anger and annoyment rush over her--of all the dreamsto miss...

"I'm s-sorry to wake you up, Miss Parker, but this probably isn't aplace you should be." Broots said from behind Parker. She felt indignantat once, but when she turned to look at him, Parker noted the concernedlook on his face and found herself deciding whether to snap at him fortelling her where she could and could not go, or thank him for retrievingher from an area she had no business in, before she was caught. Not likingeither choice, Parker opted for the best emotionless look she could muster.

"I'll be out in a minute," Parker replied coolly, turning back to thegirl before Broots could answer. He walked out to wait for her in the hall,but couldn't resisting peaking back inside. He grinned at what he saw:Miss Parker was tucking the covers in around the girl and smiling lightly.Broots knew that smile well enough; it was the same one he had on his facewhenever he tucked Debbie in for the night. Closing the door to give themsome privacy, Broots was still grinning; maybe Jarod wasn't the only seeingthat the Ice Queen had a heart of gold.

~~~~~~~~~

"So how did you know where I was, Broots?"

"Melanie," Broots answered simply. They were standing in Miss Parker'soffice, waiting for Sydney.

"Melanie? In Security?" Parker knew Broots had a thing for the petiteredhead. She hadn't known the feeling was mutual.

"Well, yeah, you know...s-she was just being helpful. She spotted youon one of the cameras, asleep next to that girl, and called me. I'd sayyou were only out an hour by the time I got here." Broots avoided Parker'sunwavering gaze; she hadn't even said thank you, but instead brushed pasthim and gone home. Now here she was, during business hours, finally askingfor an explanation. Parker opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off fromSyd hurrying into the room.

"We've got a lead on Jarod."

~~~~~~~~~

"The box was produced here, about 3 years. The company boomed, and boughta larger warehouse. More recently, this building was part of a very interestinginvestigation centering around a doctor falsifying records. Needless tosay, it didn't take a genius to realize that the doctor's apprehensionwas due to Jarod." As Syd finished his thorough report, Miss Parker continuedto snoop around the office they stood in. Everything seemed to be as itshould be for a place abandoned three years ago. In fact, if it weren'tfor the red notebook lying on the floor next to a pile of empty candy wrappers,Parker would be snorting about yet another false lead in a long seriesof dead ends.

Parker knelt down and picked up the red notebook. Flipping it open,she was greeted by the usual collection of newspaper clippings. As sheflipped through the articles with a look of infinite boredom, somethingfell from the notebook and fell soundlessly to the floor. Her interestpiqued, Parker reached down and plucked up what turned out to be a photo.It showed an older nurse holding a young girl. Parker's eyes narrowed asshe looked closer at the girl, but soon grew wide in recognition. It wasthe same blond child now in a recovery unit inside the Centre. Turningthe photograph around, Parker found a short message written in Jarod'sfamiliar penmanship:
Thanks to the Centre security cams, I see that you've met my littlefriend.
She was stolen from her parents a year ago. Angello's been keepingher company.
Her name is Emily. I thought you might want a permanent keepsake ofher.
At this rate, she'll die soon.

Parker felt her heart clench. She knew that Jarod was right, Emily wouldn'tmake it much longer. Glancing up, Parker noted that Syd still had his backto her, and Broots was still in another room. Quietly, Parker tucked thephoto into the inside pocket of her form-fitting black business jacket.The photo wasn't really necessary, Parker knew, but she had this strongneed to keep some piece of Emily near her.

~~~~~~~~~

"Syd, we need to talk." It was late, and only a few dimmed lights illuminatedthe inside of one of the Centre's private jets. Broots was curled up, fastasleep and softly snoring. Sydney had been typing something up on his laptop,while Parker looked out her window without really noticing the clouds orstars. The words had popped out of her mouth before even Parker knew whatshe was doing. Still, once the words were out, the urge she felt to talkto Syd about this overwhelmed her. Sydney glanced up, and politely awaitedwhatever was on Miss Parker's mind.

"What do you know about the Endeavor project?" It was blunt, and straightto the point. After all, at this point it wasn't a question of if, buthow much Syd knew. All projects that included child experimentation hadhim involved in some way. A look of mild surprise came across his face,but lasted only a second. Of course Miss Parker would know something aboutthe Endeavor project. Even in a place like the Centre, rumors were boundto start, and Parker was a great investigator. It was one of the many thingsthat made up the strong woman he was so proud of.

"What would you like to know?"

"I know that it's started. It's not just a proposal anymore. And I knowthat at least one innocent child is being hurt because of it," Parker couldhear the anger in her own voice, but didn't care. "What is the Endeavorproject, Syd? What are they trying to accomplish?" Sighing, Sydney typeda few commands on his laptop, and turned the computer so that the screenwas facing Parker. The light of the machine cast an eerie glow across herface, and accented ever angle of her face. As Parker read on, Syd couldsee her face change from disgust to anger. It was the exact look Parkerhad worn upon learning that Brigitte was going to marry her father.

"I've got to get Emily out of there." Sydney looked at Parker with alook of shock and concern. How could she know about Emily? And what didshe mean, get Emily out?

"Miss Parker-" Sydney started gently.

"I'm getting her out, Syd. Either help me, or stay the hell out of myway."

"Even if he won't, I will." Broots volunteered quietly. Parker and Sydneyglanced over to the man who had just spoken. "You'd be surprised, the kindof stuff that comes across my desk sometimes. I read the original proposalwhen it first came up. I didn't think even the Centre was capable of sucha thing. I mean, everyone's got limits, right? But here we are. What they'redoing is wrong. It makes me sick. I'll do whatever it takes to help gether out of that place."

~~~~~~~~~

It had been two in the morning when they arrived back in Blue Cove.After quietly agreeing to meet at her place at seven the next night todiscuss their plan of action, everyone had gone their separate ways.

Miss Parker sat on her couch, wearing silk pajamas and staring at thephoto of Emily. There was a small, but determined, voice in the back ofher head still insisting that she ignore this whole mess, and just go onwith her so-called life. Her mind was made up though. Parker knew firsthandwhat it was like to grow up in the Centre.

"I'll be damned if I'll let them raise you like they tried to raiseme," she whispered to the photograph.

"At least one of us is able to hope that she'll live long enough forthem to raise her." The dry comment, hinting at anger, startled Parker,but her well-trained mind forbid her to jump or shriek. Instead she simplyturned her head towards Jarod's voice. He stood in the shadows in a cornerof her living room, calmly regarding Parker while noting with interestthat she didn't reach for her gun.

Miss Parker stood and walked over to Jarod, stopping only a foot orso away. She looked him straight in the eye, and as Jarod met her gazehe saw in those blue eyes -somehow not as icy anymore- the intelligenceand vehemence he remembered so clearly from their shared childhood moments.She only stared for a moment, obviously debating whether this was evena safe idea, telling him their plans. The voice at the back of her headwas screaming, 'Are you insane?! Go for your gun, take him down, do yourduty and get your freedom!!'

Despite the mental turmoil, she spoke, her voice much more steady thanshe felt. Even as the words came out, Parker was impressing herself attheir smooth flow, each word certain and determined, but obviously spokenwith care: "The Endeavor Project is headed by Mr. Raines. A scientist inEngland, Dr. Hewllin, was paid millions to find a way to change a childwithout as many genetic requirements into a Pretender. He succeeded. Allinformation, research and such, is kept in SL26 at the Centre. As longas the child is no older than four when they start, it's believed to workwithout a glitch. The procedure is expensive and takes three years to forma full-fledged Pretender. Or so they think. Emily is the first human testsubject. She's four, and gone through a year so far at the Centre. Shehandled it well until about two months ago, when they increased the speedof the procedure. Mr. Raines got impatient, and wanted results sooner.Mentally, speeding it up worked at first--she went from understanding Mrs.PiggleWiggle to reading Moby Dick in a week. Physically, though, it wastoo much of a strain. At-" Parker's voice tightened a little, but she forcedherself to go on. "At 4:30 Thursday, Emily lost consciousness in her cell.She was rushed to the infirmary, where they confirmed that she was sufferingfrom brain inflamation and heart failure. Mr. Raines inten-" Her voicechoked for a moment with unshed tears, but she pushed herself to speak."He intends to continue the procedure with Emily, despite reports fromthe doctors and scientists that continuing will mean that she'll die withina matter of days." Despite her control, a single warm tear slid down hercheek.

"I know," Jarod whispered. He was just as pained as she was, but hecould tell how difficult it was for her to accept this side of the Centre,a place she had been taught to protect. He would have to be strong forthem both. They had been separated as children, forced to become enemies,but right now all that was important was helping Emily. Together. Theywere stronger as a group of four, then as two separate rescue missions.

"We will get her out of there," Parker insisted softly. She soundedcertain, but her blue eyes were silently imploring Jarod to promise herthat it was true.

"Yes. We're going to free her. Together. I swear it. We will succeed."

They stood staring, finding silent comfort in each other's gaze. Eachoffering the other refuge. They stood there in the shadows, the hunterand her prey.
 
 
 

I hope you enjoy my series! Any feedback is not only appreciated,I live for it. So, if you have comments, questions, frustrations, anxieties,concerns, or just plain loved this, let me know at angelheart15@hotmail.com.

Part 3