“Hey.” Her whispering voice softly penetrated his mind. His eyes flickered open and for a second he could almost see her intangible blue eyes looking back at him. He blinked and sure enough everything was darkness as usual, it was only his imagination he knew. Nowadays opening his eyes was trivial; a gesture only, blackness was still all he saw.

“You’re back.” He said his voice soft and slightly hoarse from sleep.

“Mm.” She murmured, “I talked to Sydney and Broots.”

“They’re ok?”

“Yeah. For now anyway.” Their words still hushed.

“Parker what you’ve done; for me-”

“Not now.” She interrupted, “…We don’t need to go into that now.” Jarod’s forehead furrowed but he gave a small nod of consent. Parker started talking again, her voice louder this time obviously trying to dispel the intimacy of their conversation. “Jim’s a doctor you know-”

“He told me.”

“He’ll take you to the hospital where he works, they’ll check you over-”

“I’ve already been checked out, I told you before-”

“And I don’t trust the doctors that saw you, the Centre knew where you were and they have a habit of fixing things to suit their own purposes.”

Jarod sighed, “They won’t be able to-”

“I just want to see for myself, ok Jarod?”

“Alright, when are we going?” He asked. She paused, a small smile coming to her lips.

“Now if you want.” He contemplated the offer.

“Is it dark or light outside?”

“Light.”

“Then we better do it now, it’s less suspicious if we walk in there in the day, we can blend in better.”

“That’s what I thought.” She got up from her perch on the side of the bed, “I’ll wait for you downstairs.” He nodded and she headed toward the door. Parker hesitated in the doorway.

“Ah, you can, I mean you’ll be able to…” She trailed off uncertainly. Jarod sat up on the bed.

“I think I can handle getting myself respectable and walking down the stairs without assistance.” His sarcastic tone made her wince.

“Fine.” She said, her voice hard, “I’ll see you downstairs then.” She left the room closing the door behind her. She paused outside of his door, leaning her back briefly against the closed door. Squeezing her eyes shut, she silently cursed herself. It had been a stupid thing to say and she certainly hadn’t said it with any tact. Shaking her head slightly she pushed herself away from his door and proceeded back down the stairs.

Idiot, he berated himself. She had actually shown some concern and he had reacted by being defensive. He could have laughed at the irony. He couldn’t seem to get a firm grip on his life or himself ever since the accident. It was like he was suddenly left one step behind everyone else and he found himself reacting to things instead of predicting them. He was a genius, yet now, it felt like he was everything but. He stood up from his bed and counted the steps he had previously memorized towards the bathroom. Three, four, he reached out his hand, and hit a solid wall. Damn it, he couldn’t even count the steps to the bathroom properly! He leaned his forehead against the wall, banging his head lightly against its hard surface. At least in his apartment he had everything figured out, he had lived there before he was blind, he could imagine the space in his mind even though he couldn’t see it. Here the walls could be made of clear plastic and he could be suspended fifty feet above street level for all he knew. He reached his hand along the wall to the left, his fingers hit the door frame and he ran his hand down until he closed his hand around the doorknob. This was going to be a long day, he thought.

All three of them stood awkwardly inside the doctor’s office. The doctor stood from his chair to greet them, shaking their hands.

“Dr. Curtis, this is Adam Forest and his sister Carol.” Jim said introducing Parker and Jarod to the white lab-coated doctor. Even Jim seemed the slightest bit on edge. Getting there had been trouble free, but to say their nerves hadn’t taken a beating would be lying.

“You can call me Glen.” The Doctor said as he settled back into his chair, gesturing for them to have a seat, “So what is it I can do for you folks today?” Parker looked toward Jim. He cleared his throat.

“Right, I got some paper-work I have to check up on. I’ll leave you two to it.” And with a parting nod at Dr. Curtis he hurried out of the office. Once he had left the doctor turned to them expectantly. As Jarod didn’t seem in a hurry to speak Parker decided to start the conversation.

“My Brother, he was a Lab Tech over in Michigan. But there was an accident; he was blinded. The doctors that treated him said it wasn’t possible that he could regain his sight. I was looking for a second opinion.” The doctor gave them a considered look.

“I assume this accident only blinded him and did not in any way affect his vocal chords.” Jarod’s lips turned up in a wryly smile.

“It was not my idea to come here Doctor. I think my Sister is being overly fanciful. But she has a stubborn streak; if she can see the results for herself then maybe she can accept them.” Parker looked away her lips pressed together in disconcertion.

“This is rather an unusual case for me. You say you’ve come to me for a second opinion and yet I don’t have the original findings nor do I have a referral.”

“Jim said you had agreed to see us.” Parker said her voice betraying the slightest undercurrent of warning.

“Yes I did.” He frowned obviously not very happy with the backdoor way they had come to him.

“There is no trouble paying the bill if that is what you are worried about.” Glen shook his head as if at a lost.

“Why don’t we start with the examination shall we?” He asked with a smile that was obviously trying, if not succeeding, to be cheerful.

“Jarod’s still in with Glen?” Jim asked as he walked up to Parker. She sat in a chair in one of the hospital’s many waiting rooms staring vacantly at the jarringly pink walls. She turned to Jim as he came to sit beside her.

“Yeah. I thought it was better if I wait out here, stay out of the way.” Jim handed her the styrofoam cup. She looked at him questioningly.

“I thought you could do with some coffee.” She smiled slightly and took a sip. “When was the last time you slept Parker?” She shook her head slightly.

“I don’t remember.” She answered softly.

“Maybe you should head back home and I’ll wait here for Jarod-” She shook her head vigorously.

“No.”

“But Parker-”

“I’m fine Jim. Ok? Just leave it; I can take care of myself.” She looked away immediately feeling bad for snapping at him. She turned back to him, “I’m sorry. We won’t be in your hair much longer.” Jim smiled slightly.

“You two are actually the best entertainment I’ve had in years.” Parker looked at him before giving a short laugh.

“It’s just like you to actually enjoy something like this.” Parker said her lips turned up in a smile.

“Well it involves all sorts of sneaky and underhanded dealings – just my forte.” Parker laughed again.

Her laughter stopped abruptly as she caught sight of Jarod. He was being lead in by a young nurse who was chatting animatedly to him. Parker stood up and walked toward the pair. The nurse smiled brightly as Parker walked up.

“Well here you are.” She told Jarod cheerily.

He turned his head towards her slightly, “Thank you Stacey.” He said with a small smile.

“No problem,” She answered brightly, giving him a full smile, “Anytime you need someone to help you anywhere, I’d be glad to help.”

Parker rolled her eyes as the nurse gave Jarod another wide smile. She does get the fact he’s blind doesn’t she? Parker asked herself. She spoke up before the nurse could go on to say anything else.

“Thank you-” Parker looked down at the nurse’s name-tag, “Stacey. I can take over from here.” Parker’s lips turned up in a false smile. Stacey looked to Parker, then Jarod. The smile fell from the young woman’s lips as she took the hint from Parker’s glare.

“I’ll see you later Jarod.” She said, Jarod smiled and nodded at her. Stacey hurried back towards the nurse’s station. Both their faces turned serious as soon as Stacey left.

“Well, what did he say?” Parker asked impatiently.

“Maybe we should go back to the house first.”

“I want to know now.” Parker said stubbornly. Jarod shrugged nonchalantly.

“We won’t know everything until the test results come back.”

“But his preliminary examination proved what?” She prompted Jarod for more information.

“I’m blind.” He replied. She threw up her hands and turned away from him angrily. Jim stepped in before things got too heated.

“I think going back to the house now would be a good idea. There really isn’t much point discussing this until we get the test results back anyway.” Jim looked between them. Parker nodded reluctantly her teeth stilled clenched angrily. Jarod didn’t respond which Jim took to be as good as an affirmative. “Alright.” He said taking the vacant spot at Jarod’s elbow. He thought it best if he led Jarod back to the car. Having Parker and Jarod in such close proximity didn’t seem like a very good idea at the moment. Nor he could guarantee Parker wouldn’t lead Jarod into a wall.

Stacey leant against the counter watching them leave.

“He’s so cute, isn’t he?” She said dreamily, “What a tragedy to be blinded in the prime of your life-”

“Miss Ellis, isn’t there a patient in room 112 that needs he’s IV changed?” The older woman standing behind the young nurse barked. Stacey flinched, straightening up. She smoothed out her clothes before hurrying off to complete the task. The older nurse picked up the phone. She looked around to see no one was close before she dialled.

“It’s him.” She said quietly as at the other end of the line the phone was picked up. “I’ve seen him with my own eyes.” She paused as she listened. Finally she answered. “Curtis, Dr. Glen Curtis.”

The ride back had been uneventful; though Jim had to give them credit, they could make silence feel as tense as he got listening to opera. Opening the front door he led them in. Jarod immediately sat down on the couch, obviously tired. Parker paced the floor in front of him, staring fixedly at anywhere but him. Jim was about the shut the door when he remembered he had left something in the car, turning back around he went back to the car. Parker looked up at him questionably as he returned.

“Forgot something.” He said with an excited smile. He held up the object in question so Parker could see it clearly.

“It’s a stick.” She stated her eyebrow arched. Jim flicked it and the ‘stick’ extended two feet. “Ah.” She said as she realised what it was.

“Care to fill me in?” Jarod asked casually from his position on the couch.

“It’s a walking stick.” Jim said, “I thought it would help you get around.” Jarod stood up as Jim placed it in his hand. Parker watched as he considered it, moving his hands over it. Finally and decisively he folded it back to its original length.

“Thanks.” Jarod said, his voice contained the slightest edge of bitterness. He tossed the now foot length rod onto the couch and walked toward the stairs. Parker stepped forward immediately to guide him, afraid he would hurt himself at the speed he was going. Jarod flinched away from her touch crashing into the banister at the bottom of the stairs. He let out a loud curse.

“Jarod.” She said moving to again grab a hold of him. “Let me help you, I think you’ve hurt yourself enough.”

“I was doing just fine until you interfered.” He growled angrily. She couldn’t help but get the double meaning behind his words. Jarod pushed past her making his way up the stairs at a pace that made Parker hold her breath.

She flinched as she heard his door slam.

Parker stood looking at the stairs Jarod had just disappeared up, her hands clenched unconsciously.

“I wished he would just talk. This would be so much easier if he would just cooperate. I don’t get his problem.” She finally said. Jim looked at her incredulous.

“His problem Parker is that he’s blind.”

“I know that! I just don’t get why he’s withdrawing so much. Usually he complains about what’s wrong in his life and I’m usually the one who hears it!”

“He’s a genius Parker he’s not use to doing stupid stuff like walk into a wall. And it’s even harder when he does it in front of you.”

“But what am I suppose to do? I can’t just leave him alone! He can’t protect himself from the Centre in the state he is in!”

“You just have to give him some space that’s all.”

Parker shook her head, “Why can’t he just get over it?”

“Did you just ‘get over’ your mother’s death? No one may have died, but he has suffered a loss Parker. And he will and should grieve for that loss.”

“But it isn’t a loss; we’ll get his eyes fixed-”

“They may not be able to be fixed Parker!” He lowered his voice, “And you have to accept that fact.” She sat down heavily on the couch Jarod had vacated. She looked down at her hands as they twined themselves in her lap.

“I’ve never seen him like this. I’ve seen him grieve Jim; this isn’t it. And it scares me.”

“All you can do Parker is be there for him.”

“Being there for people isn’t exactly what I’m good at.” She looked to Jim.

“Well you’re going to have to get good at it. He needs you.” She scoffed.

“I’m the last thing he needs. He has his family.”

“He didn’t turn to his family though did he?”

“He didn’t turn to anybody! He did nothing! He’s still doing nothing, as if he’s just given up!” Jim shook his head.

“I don’t think that was what he was doing Parker.”

“Ok tell me what the Genius was doing for three weeks in that apartment.” She asked Jim sarcastically.

“Well I would guess part of it was shock, the other fear. But I think he knew if he stayed there long enough you and Sydney would show up.”

“Right because then we would take him back to the Centre and he had a sudden urgent need to be a prisoner again.” She said sarcastically.

“I can’t attest to all the things that went through his head but I feel pretty safe in saying I don’t think the Centre ever much entered his thoughts. We are visual creatures Parker; he’s lost the biggest way in which he interacts with the world. He’s use to being smarter than everyone else, he’s use to being independent; to be blind must be terrifying for him. He needed help, support. And I would think that he was looking to you and Sydney for that.”

“If I believe that… why us? Why didn’t he go to his family?”

“He’s known his family, what? One, Two… Three years? He’s known you and Sydney, what? Twenty, twenty five… thirty years? Which family do you think he would turn to in the time of his greatest need?”

“And we’ve done a great job so far. He’s not coping; even I can see that…”

“I think you’ve done a fine job.” Parker looked up at him, “You didn’t take him back to the Centre, and you’re doing everything you can to keep him safe. You’re even getting him medical care. You’re doing a great job.” He saw Parker’s sceptical face, “He will be ok eventually Parker… either way.”

“I just don’t get it Jim… five years ago I would have said he could rot in hell for all I care. Now, I’m terrified of what will happen if the Centre gets him, not only that, I’m scared what is going to happen to him if this blindness really is permanent.”

“People adjust Parker, even to the worst of circumstances. Many people have done it before.” Jim replied gently.

“I’ve known him practically my whole life, I’ve seen the atrocities he’s had to deal with… yet he has always done it, he’s always seemed so invincible. But what I see in his eyes now…” She leaned forward her hands coming up to cover her face as talking became difficult. “I see nothing, it’s like he’s not there anymore-” Jim came to sit down next to her. “Every time I’m around him I just want to shake him, hit him, scream at him… until I can see something, some sign that he’s still in there somewhere.” Jim put his arm around her hunched form. “God,” She sobbed, “He wanted me to kill him! He told me… how could he ask that, how could he even think that I could…”

“Parker.” Jim rubbed her back soothingly, “It’s all going to be ok. You just have to trust him, trust in yourself. It’s going to be hard but you can’t fight each other, it’s each other that you need.” Parker tried to calm her breathing. She nodded silently. Silence settled over them before Jim finally said, “Well I’m off to bed.” He got up from the couch.

“Good night.” Parker said as she turned, “And… thank you.”

“No problem,” He replied, “You always were like a sister to me.” He grinned as she rolled her eyes, the beginnings of a smile tugging at her lips. “Night Parker.” He said disappearing upstairs, leaving her alone in the living room.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, walking to the kitchen by instinct as the house was pitched in darkness. He opened the fridge door blinking at the bright light.

He heard someone clear their throat behind him.

He spun around, the sudden movement putting him off balance. He heard the click of the light switch. Bright light filled the kitchen and he fought against to urge to squeeze his eyes shut. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the brightest he saw the impression of a tall man standing in his doorway.

“Dr. Curtis I presume.” The man’s voice sent a chill down his spine. “I’m Dr. Cox.” He thought he saw the man smile, “I thought we could speak about a patient of yours.”

“Ah…” Dr. Curtis backed up until he felt the fridge press against his back, “I don’t know what your, h-here for but-”

The man advanced on him.

“This won’t hurt a bit, isn’t that what you tell all your patients before…” Too late Dr. Curtis saw the hypodermic needle as it was plunged into his neck. All he had time for was a small cry before he collapsed into Cox’s waiting arms. “When you wake up… everything will be all over.” Cox promised.

Parker walked softly up the stairs, the house was in darkness. She had fallen asleep on the couch. As she walked past Jarod’s door she paused. Giving in to her urge to check on him she opened the door a crack so she could look in. She sighed pushing it open and walking in.

“You’re supposed to be asleep.”

“And you’re supposed to treat me like an adult, not a child that needs checking in on every five minutes.” He said as he laid on his back on the bed, his hands behind his head as he stared vacantly up at the ceiling.

“Well maybe if you don’t storm off and slam doors like a teenager I might remember your age.” Jarod smiled slightly.

“What did you want Parker?” She ignored his question instead coming to sit on the edge of the bed. He never shifted his stare from the ceiling, not that he would have seen her but at least he would have acknowledged her. She sighed. Slipping her shoes off she lifted her feet to tuck them under herself as she made herself comfortable next to him on the bed.

“Why can’t you sleep?” She asked him gently. She saw his jaw tighten.

“…It’s hard enough that I can’t see them coming, if I sleep… I won’t even hear them.” He finally mumbled quietly. The Centre, she thought, almost relieved to realise he was afraid of them coming to take him back. It was an improvement, not exactly a welcome one, but at least it meant he cared about his freedom. Something he hadn’t done before.

She placed the palm of her hand in the middle of his chest.

“Go to sleep Jarod.” She leaned over him whispering, “I’ll watch for them tonight.” She saw his eyes close, felt his breathing slowly become shallower under her hand. Just before he drifted off, she saw her own hand, splayed on his chest, become covered with one of his own.

Dr. Curtis woke to agony. His body hurt from head to foot, so much so it took him five minutes before he realised his hands were tied behind his back. He wished he was unconscious again as he tried to find a comfortable position on the cold floor. He looked up as he heard someone enter.

“W-what d-do you want?” He asked as he saw the tall man enter the room.

“What does any man want?” Cox countered. He smiled crouching before the trembling doctor. “I know I told you that everything would be over when you woke up but… I lied.” Cox’s grin made the doctor shrink from him in fear, “This is only the beginning.” Without warning Cox grabbed the man from the ground pulling him painfully to his feet before pushing roughly out of the door.

“Why did you have to give the job to Cox?” Jed asked grimacing.

“Because the Triumvirate were getting restless, they wanted a role in finding Miss Parker and Jarod. We let them put Cox into the mix and they’re happy. It’s called diplomacy. Any idiot could do this task; it won’t hurt us at all to let them have their way this time. Don’t worry, you’ll play your part soon enough.” Raines promised a small smile on his lips as he anticipated what was to come.

“It’s the waiting part that I hate.” Jed growled.

“No-no, more please.” Dr Curtis gasped as the needle was painfully removed from his exposed chest. “I told you everything already! I just saw them once! Th-they’ll be back for the test results… I don’t know anything else!”

“What did your initial examination prove?”

“His retina’s damaged, beyond repair; the tests will say exactly the same thing. There’s nothing I can do for him.” The Doctor said as he gasped trying to regain his breath.

“Well if that really is all you know, I guess there is no point continuing this-”

“Yes, please, let me go!”

“That would just be a bit too easy now wouldn’t it? You know too much, it wouldn’t be wise for me to just let you toddle off home-”

“B-but my Wife!” Dr Curtis interjected frantically.

“Will give you a very nice funeral I’m sure.”

Cox’s mocking blue eyes were the last thing he saw as everything went blank.

“You got the information?”

“Would I be ringing if I hadn’t?”

“The information Cox, I don’t have time for your humour.”

“They came in with another doctor; he works at the same hospital. I got his home address.”

“Good, good. No need to get trigger happy. We go ahead as planned.”

“Yes Mr Raines.”

The phone went dead.

     End of Part 4

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