Morning came much too fast as far as she was concerned. She lay therein her bed and wondered why she left him, and about all the things theydiscovered and shared back at their sanctuary. Her train of thought thenturned to the office, the bowels of hell, they would be lining up waitingfor her. A long list of spiders. Mutumbo, Raines, Lyle, Brigette, and herfather. Well let them, she pondered, the die is cast-I'm back and I willtriumph. Smiling at the image of each spider and its web destroyed, Parkerwilled herself out of bed.  She knew why she came back, she returnedto finish what her mother started.

She strolled into the Centre and watched as all the eyes in the placeturned,  looked, and whispered. She fixed her best icy stare on allthose there, and the whispering stopped. Reaching the elevator, she closedher eyes momentarily, then pushed the button, waiting. The doors openedand Parker stepped into the one place in the whole damn building she hated.The place where her mother died. Then like a miracle, the tiny elevatorbeheld a vision. Her mother's eyes. Loving eyes, smiling, full of joy andlove. Parker reached her hand out, but the eyes faded. She stood in theelevator as still as a statue. The vision was gone, but she remembered. Remembered and captured a piece of her mother's remarkable spirit, onethat would be a part of her forever.

She touched the bullet hole, one last time, and when the doors slideopen, she strode toward her office ready to fulfill her destiny. Yes, shethought as she picked up the framed picture of her mother and her, 'I'mmy mother's daughter. And I shall make her proud.' Looking out the window,she watched the sun play upon the water and hide between the clouds. Renewed,refreshed and ready to fight.

Moments later, the door to her office opened and her father, his wifeand her brother entered with looks of worry, written upon their features.She turned on them, her eyes as cold as an ice storm. They were the angriesteyes they'd ever seen. The others had locked on her with contempt as well,that they didn't notice the other figure that entered the room. Parkerdid.

"Angel, how are you feeling?"

"Concern, Daddy. How sweet? Where was that fatherly concern when Lylehad me locked in the psycho ward at St. Catherine's? One visit, and thenpoof, gone. You and this thing you call your wife, just disappear," shehissed," And you, Lyle, be afraid, I still may go postal.  So, areyou still in charge?

"In charge! Parker, don't make me ill," the voice belonged to the figurethat entered after the trio. The three cringed and turned to find the reasonfor the worried looks on their features in the first place.

"Hello, Wynne," Parker smiled," So, what brought you here? Could itbe the company?"

"Funny, Parker. I came for the ambience," she smiled back at the womanthat stood behind the desk, but she also caught the look that passed acrossMr. Parker's features," I so love it here."

Parker had to stifle the laughter that was bubbling up in her, she forgotjust how much fun Wynne could be. Almost like having a little sister, infact that was what the relationship was like when she was in corporate.Once she was put in charge of the hunt for Jarod, she had little, if notime to spend with Wynne, maybe it could change, she thought, that is ifWynne wasn't completely enmeshed in Centre dogma.

"Oh, Lyle don't you have an assignment to complete, or did you findthe boy and Major Charles already?  And you," Wynne glared at thesmall blonde woman, who was tring to hide behind Mr. Parker," swim backup stream and spawn, like it told you, earlier."

That did it, Parker lost her self-control and the sound of laughter,escaped from her, uncontrolably.

"Angel, that's not very nice, to laugh at .. . ." Mr. Parker stated,indignantly.

"Blow like the wind, Pops. I have business with Parker," Wynne returnedthe stare, and won the contest as Mr. Parker and Brigette left the room,followed by Lyle.

"God, I've missed you, Wynne," Parker started to come around the desktoward the petite woman.

"Sure you did," Wynne's green eyes narrowed," Just what did you miss,me or my rapier wit?"

"Both, baby girl," Parker grinned, as she reached the woman and huggedher.

"I hate that name, and you know it," Wynne smiled, and returned thehug, before pulling away from her. Wynne eyed Parker critically,"You'vechanged."

Parker looked into the green eyes and saw something flicker in thoseeyes, something that said so have I.

"You said something about business," Parker changed the subject, thiswas not the safest place for some discussions,"Well?"

"New project, Parker. Lyle's in charge of tracking the boy and the clone.Should be interesting, watching him fail."

"Wynne, that's blasphemous, to speak about my poor brother like that,"Parker chuckled, as she lowered herself into her chair and reached forthe cup of coffee that sat on the desk," So, am I still in charge of catchingJarod?"

Wynne came around the chair, gripping one side of it tightly and whisperedinto Parker' s ear, while her hand hooked the gold chain that was layingaround Parker's neck.  Parker nearly choked on the cup of coffee shehad brought to her lips.

"Problem?" Wynne asked, nonchalantly.

"It's cold!" Parker replied, as she composed herself and smiled.

"So, how about lunch?"

The door to the office opened and Sydney and Broots entered the room,standing there watching the two women sipping coffee and laughing.

"Doesn't anybody knock! Last time I looked it was still my office,"Parker barked, when she caught sight of them.

"I asked them here, Parker. Don't bite?"

"We're use to it Wynne. . ." Broots stammered, and looked to the floorwhen Parker cast him a rather dubious look.

"How's Debbie?" Wynne asked the computer tech, enjoying the animatedlook that invavded his features.

"She's good. First day of school's tomorrow. She's  a little nervous."

"She'll do fine," Wynne watched the questioning expression on Parker'sface with one of amusement, " Did you find what I asked you too?"

Broots nodded and handed the file that he had a death grip on for thelast ten minutes, uncertain of the reception it would receive.

"It's coded. I can't break it. I've tried, but I must be missing thekey," he said, softly.

"Slipping up, are we, Broots," Parker zinged.

"Stop it, Parker! He wouldn't have the code anyway. It's an old file."

"Very old," Sydney said, joining the group disscussion," It's one ofyour mother's, Miss Parker."

Her hand was out and reaching for the file before anyone could stopher. Flipping the blue folder open, she shuffled through the papers, stymied,for she thought that all her mother's files where at the house. Did shemiss one, Parker wondered. Did this have anything to do with PROJECT PROGENY.

"Any ideas what it's about?"

"Yes," Wynne replied, a look of disgust on her face.

"What?"

Wynne shook her head and smiled slyly. Parker understood the meaning,not here, not now. Later.
 
 
 

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Part 3