Thanks especially to Ann and Lea and DM and everyone else who keeps reminding me they want to read the rest of this fic! This is for you!!

“Cree craw toad’s foot, geese walk barefoot…” She hummed the nonsense rhyme under her breath, her soft voice the only sound in her dark cell. Her fingers ran over the Pez dispenser they had let her keep, popping one into her mouth as her stomach growled.

Her chest rose and fell in rhythmic waves as she controlled her breathing in an effect to control her emotions. There had been some benefit to being cold and heartless and though she had let those walls down she hadn’t forgotten her training or her control.

She was more focused than she had ever been, squatting on the cold and damp floor, her back braced against the wall, her legs ready to move beneath her. Her ears pricked to hear even the slightest sound coming from above her.

She waited; humming the children’s rhyme under her breath like a prayer… or a promise...

His heart raced as he sat up in bed, sweat beading on his brow. He swung his legs over the side of the bed intent on getting up and walking outside to get some fresh air… before he remembered he would have to travel up fifteen levels to do so. Claustrophobia threatened to sweep over him before he clamped down on the emotions.

The fear of the dream was still vivid but as he tried to reach for the images of it… they slipped away like shadows before an invading light. They lived in the dark; only when he was again in the blackness of deep sleep would they trouble him.

Yet he felt there was something more to these nightmares than buried memories of torture or pain. Or even of the imagined terrors he might yet experience.

These nightmares were important. They were the key to something that he was missing. Every night he had them, and every night when he awoke with his heart pounding… the memories fading faster than he could grasp them until all he was left with was the vestiges of terror.

He stood up with a groan and walked the short distance to the bathroom to splash water onto his face.

He had simmed prisoners of war, he knew what kept some alive and sane while others cracked. Yet despite the knowledge that it would only worsen his state of mind he couldn’t help but let worry gnaw at him. Worry at his predicament as well as that of those he cared about.

All their lives hung in the balance and he was being swept along with them, unable to do anything but pray they all got out of this alive.

“He will destroy her.” Sydney bit out, “How could you let them take your own daughter? You know what Raines will do to her.”

“I had no choice in the matter.” Mr Parker replied calmly.

“Like I believe that.” Sydney muttered before looking away in defeat. “What about Jarod?”

“Nothing has changed in respect to Jarod’s terms of imprisonment.” Sydney almost couldn’t stop the surprise showing on his face, before he shook his head and turned away. Things really were changing at the Centre; the lies that layered every surface with the illusion of decency, normalcy and rationality were falling away to finally reveal the vile treachery that broke the most basic laws of humanity for the sole purpose of satisfying a hunger for wealth and power. Jarod was no longer a valued ‘employee’ of the Centre, he was, what he had been from the very beginning - a prisoner.

“Go fish.” She chirped with a grin of triumph.

The young sweeper groaned. “I’m losing again.”

“I’m good at this game.” She replied, “Come on it’s your turn.” She shifted on the couch tucking her legs beneath her, her cards held before her, only half hiding the expectant gleam in her eyes from the sweeper sitting across from her.

The sweeper sighed as he accepted his pending defeat to a 13 year old girl.

“Sean!” The sweeper’s head shot up as he straightened instinctively in his chair.

“Yes, Sir?”

“Stop playing with the girl. We’re here to watch her, not to baby-sit.”

“Well Sir, with all due respect that’s kind of what babysitting is-”

“Sean!” The man barked. Sean stopped mid-sentence, his mouth still partially opened before he licked his lips nervously and remembered his training.

“Yes, Sir!” He cried. Putting his cards down on the table he sneaked the young girl an apologetic look as the man left the room as abruptly as he had entered.

“Then what am I supposed to do?” Debbie asked indignantly, “There’s no TV out here.” She glared at the young man, crossing her arms in front of her.

Sean shook his head lightly, “Just… play cards on your own, ok?” He got up and left the room through the same entrance the other man had disappeared.

“Derrick.” Sean called as he caught up with the more senior sweeper. Derrick stopped and turned around. “Sir, how much longer are we going to keep her here?”

“For as long as they want us to.” He replied simply, but seeing that wasn’t going to satisfy the boy he shook his head with a sigh, “Lad, the only way you’re going to survive in our line of business is to never form attachments, we don’t involve ourselves in the Suits’ business, we just follow orders.”

“But… she’s just a girl.” Sean whispered.

“She’s just an assignment.” Derrick bit back, walking away from the younger man.

“Sean?” He turned to find the young girl standing only a few feet away her eyes wide. “When’s my Dad coming?”

“It’s ok Debbie, he’ll be here soon, just go sit back down, everything’s fine.” He shooed her gently back into the lounge room.

“People can go mad… left in the dark, with no sound, nothing to do, drives them crazy.”

“Yeah, well she’s going to wish they kept her down there when they finally come to get her.”

The first sweeper just shrugged. “Come on, let’s just chuck the food down there and leave, we still have our rounds to do.”

Between the two of them they pried the metal hatch open. It made a monstrous clang as it tipped over to reveal the pitch black opening beneath the floor. They peered down into its depths.

“Think she’s still down there?” The second sweeper whispered as he bent over the entrance.

“Where else-” His words caught in his throat as he was violently thrown backwards. His head hit the ground with a sickening thud and he was out cold.

Miss Parker quickly picked herself up off him and turned to the second sweeper. He seemed frozen for an instant before his hand moved to his belt, either for his radio or gun it didn’t matter, his hand never made it.

She ran toward him. He attempted to dodge her but she was upon him before he could react and they both fell crashing to the floor. They each fought for control as they rolled along the floor. He had the superior strength but she had more experience and the knowledge that, for her, this was about survival. He finally got enough leverage to reach for his belt, this time he succeeded and he pulled his gun from its holster. But as he pulled away to direct its aim toward her she flipped them over, her elbow mercilessly slamming into his temple. He went limp beneath her, his finger falling away from the trigger. She panted, tremors running through her body as her adrenaline high came pummelling down from its heights leaving her weak. But she shook herself, pulling herself upright; getting past the guards was only the beginning.

Pausing briefly to retrieve the gun from the sweeper’s lax grip she hurried off into the well lit corridors of the Centre’s inner sanctum.

The phone rang… and rang… until…

“This is the Broots’ residence we can’t come to the phone right now but leave a message after the beep and we’ll call you right back.”

“Debbie, pick up please, I know it’s late but I need you to pick up… alright, when you get this ring me at work, ok Honey? Everything’s fine I just need to talk to you... love you.” Broots put the phone down with reluctance.

“I’m sure she’s asleep, or over at a friends.” Sydney said quietly, Broots just gave a distracted nod, his worried gaze fixed on the phone in front of him.

“What if they’ve done something to her, Syd?” His voice was so quiet it was barely audible, but in the deathly quiet office it was all too loud, and the fear in it much too real. Syd silently rested his hand on Broots’ shoulder.

There was no warning. From the bright glaring light of the well lit upper levels to the dimly lit lower dungeons all lights went out, plunging the entire building into a blackness as dark and as deep as the Centre’s real heart. Shouts and cries were heard from all levels, random arcs of light cut through the darkness as people found torches. Through all of it Parker passed like a ghost. Just another shadow among the mass that now shifted uncertainly through the unfamiliar darkness.

“Psst.” Broots jumped a foot in the air, swinging around so fast he sent an entire stack of files scattering to the floor.

“Miss Parker!” He gasped. Before she could move she was enfolded in a bear hug. And just as quickly Broots remembered who he was daring to treat so familiarly and he jumped away from her as fast as if she’d suddenly been engulfed in flames.

“It’s good to see you too, Broots.” She said, her voice containing every bit of her old wit and sarcasm, immediately making him feel as if everything was right with the world once more.

He grinned at her, “How are you?”

She shook her head, “No time for pleasantries, do you know where Jarod’s being held?”

“No, when Sydney saw him they brought him to room A156 on level 13 but we have no idea where they are actually keeping him. Do-do you want me to try and check for you?”

“The computers are down, Broots.” She gently reminded him.

He flushed, “Of course… is there anything else I can do?”

“Yes. Get Sydney… and Angelo if you can convince him. And get out of here; go to a cabin in Clear Falls, Woodridge Cabins, number 6. Take everything you need but nothing more than that, you’re not going to be coming back. I’ll meet you there. Just make sure you get there before midnight ok?”

“O-ok, but Miss Parker-”

“Just get there, Broots.” She hurried back into the hall.

She disappeared into the shadows as he called after her, “But I can’t find Debbie!” His eyes clouded with worry he paused for only the briefest moment before he grabbed the torch on his desk and tucked his laptop under his arm following Miss Parker’s retreat into the pitch black hall.

“This can’t be normal.” Jarod muttered under his breath. His vision only barely noted the shift from semi-darkness to full darkness but the shouts and sounds of movement outside his cell convinced him something important was going on.

Well, if the lights had gone, even if the cameras still remained operational there was nothing for their eyes to see. He wasn’t going to get a better opportunity to escape. Carefully he ran his hand along the underside of his bed until he felt what he was looking for.

Pulling back he laid the package onto his bed. Unravelling the pillowcase his fingers ran lightly over the hidden contents to make certain it was all there. The tools of his escape; a butter knife, a scalpel and a security swipe card. With these items in hand he made his way to his cell door. Running his hands along the wall at shoulder height he located the key pad that operated the door.

From the outside a swipe card worked, but from the inside only a 9 digit code could allow you to exit the claustrophobic cell. Placing both the swipe card and the length of the scalpel between his teeth he held the butter knife as he felt along the edges of the key pad. Finally finding the screws he was looking for he set to work unscrewing them with the butter knife. Finally prying the face plate off he felt the mass of wires that ran inside the device. Deciding on two wires he swapped the butter knife for the scalpel. As he touched the end of two cut wires he could hear their sparks but even better he could hear the gears in his door working as he overloaded the system. Finally he heard the whoosh that told him he had been successful.

Ditching the butter knife and scalpel he stepped out of his cell. The swipe card he kept in his possession; it couldn’t open his cell door but there were many other doors it could open.

With his left hand trailing along the wall he made his way along the corridor. He had tried to keep a mental map of his location within the Centre but they had moved him so many times he only knew he was on one of the lower levels somewhere near the east side of the massive building. Someone bumped into him as they passed him in the dark; they muttered something and moved on.

He smiled. In an environment where nobody could see, he had the advantage.

“Top class facilities, limitless research funds… yeah but they can’t bloody well keep the damn power on! All my cultures… ruined!” He muttered angrily as he tried unsuccessfully to find a torch that just had to be somewhere in the lab, if he could just find it in all this damn darkness…

A click sounded in the near empty lab. He froze as he found himself blinded by a torch light.

“I’m glad someone around here has some light. That you, Edwards? You know all those bacterial cultures are now completely stuffed.”

“You’re going to be… completely stuffed… quite literally…” The voice paused as it seemed to take pleasure in the thought before it continued, “If you don’t cooperate.”

“And why would I cooperate with you?” He cleared his throat as it gained a few octaves. It was a woman’s voice, but it wasn’t a voice that would belong to any of the cute and quite brainless blonds he dated.

“Because I’ve just escaped from one of the Centre’s more… unpleasant cells… And I have a gun.” The darkness around the point of light seemed to grin. A shadow passed into the light and he found himself facing a gun that was definitely not the bluff he was hoping it was. He thought about being a man and taking this woman on… then he thought about what kind of people the Centre locked up. He was a scientist; he used his brains for a living, not his biceps. Heroism was all well and good but alone in the dark of the creepiest place he had ever worked… well stuff that, he liked breathing much better.

“What’s your wish Lady?” He gave a flamboyant bow, with a gracious sweep of his arm. He heard a soft chuckle sound from the dark.

“What is your name, Doctor?”

“Doctor John Gregory Dawkins, educated at Cambridge University England, resident at-”

“I only asked for your name Doctor. You are the one treating Jarod?”

“Ah, you mean the Pretender suffering the retinal-”

“Do you always speak so much?”

“Only when I’m nervous… or when I’m really bored… oh, I can when I’m excited too-”

“Doctor?”

“Yes?”

“How about we make it a rule you only answer my questions, preferably in one or two words or something unpleasant happens to you? A knee cap or two goes missing?”

The Doctor coughed uncomfortably, “Sure.”

“Has Jarod finished his treatments?”

“No.”

“What’s remaining?”

“Well… he’s finished the laser treatments, but that was only stage one, now he’s onto stage two - requiring injections every 48 hours, stage three is-” A loud crash sounded outside making them both flinch. They heard talking and the static of radios.

“Stage two, the injections, where are they?” Her voice held the edge of urgency. The Doctor turned to the fridges lining the wall behind him; the clear doors that were usually lit up were now just blocky shadows among further shadows.

“Mind shining that light of yours this way?” She complied without a word, pointing the beam of light toward the fridges and the vials that were lined up neatly inside.

He paused for a moment before giving a grunt of satisfaction and opening one of the doors and retrieving two vials. “He has two treatments left.” He held them out to her and she snatched them out of his hands.

“Stage three… what is it?”

“Well…” He hesitated. There was another rush of footsteps, this time they paused outside the lab. Both froze as they waited to hear the door open. The sound never came and their stances eased.

“Tell me what stage three is.” She demanded.

He was glad for the darkness as his cheeks grew red, “Well to be truthful there really isn’t a third stage… it’s just seems so anticlimactic to have two, I mean everything good comes in threes; The Stooges, The Amigos, The Musketeers…”

He heard the darkness growl. He backed up until his back hit the wall of fridges, grimacing as he anticipated the feeling of flesh parting from his body as a bullet passed through it. Nothing happened so he pried his eyes open. The room was once more covered in darkness.

He straightened, readjusting his jacket before muttering to himself after a few moments had passed, “What am I going to do about those cultures? That’s four weeks of work I’m going to have to re-do, and there were almost ready too! I’m getting a new job, it’s just not acceptable.”

“Come on, Mama, I need you. I need you to tell me where he is. I need to find him. Please let me find him…” She ran in a crouched position, ready to duck out of the way if she ran into anyone with a torch. The vials tightly clutched in her left hand, she carried the gun in her right, the torch tucked firmly into her waistband at the small of her back.

If they all got out of the Centre it would be a miracle, but that was exactly what she was hoping for.

His breath burned in his lungs as the ventilation system once again diverged and he had to climb into a new system of connecting ducts. He moved quickly as he slid out of one and into the other. The ducts were his only way to orientate himself. The entire ventilation system converged in the middle of the massive structure; all he had to do was follow the ducts toward the heart of the Centre. Once there he had a good idea of an escape route; though he hesitated in taking it.

For one, his condition meant he wasn’t likely to get further than outside the building; the fence, security and woods would make anything more almost impossible. But even more important was the fact that there were still people inside that he wasn’t willing to leave. He had done it once before, but this time… this time, there was a finality to it and he knew that this was his last chance - there would be no coming back. Fear coursed through him as he contemplated losing the people he cared about most. His thoughts wouldn’t even go near the idea that she wouldn’t make it.

All he could do was trust.

Trust that for the first time in their lives, fate would be working on their side.

The window shattered inward, splinters of glass spraying onto the plush carpet.

Debbie screamed.

She sat frozen in fear as she stared at the window with jagged pieces of glass still sticking in the sill. Shadows began to emerge through the window, men dressed in black, guns held before them. Two men in balaclavas stepped into the living room.

She screamed again as she felt arms encircle her from behind, pulling her backwards. She fought against the arms that pulled at her until she heard a familiar voice whisper in her ear, telling her she was safe. Sean put her back onto her feet but still kept his tight grip on her as he pulled her further into the house. She stumbled to keep up with him, fear coursing through her as she heard gun fire come from the second storey.

They passed through the kitchen, and pantry, until they had come to the basement door. Sean turned the door knob; it wouldn’t move.

“It’s locked.” He whispered to her.

He pushed her behind him, as they heard footsteps approaching. She searched for a way to get out, but the footsteps advanced too fast and they were backed into a corner when the men finally came upon them.

“It’s ok Debbie.” Sean whispered reassuringly to her as he pushed her as far into the corner of the room as possible. He drew his gun from its holster, facing the gun wielding men.

“Don’t.” The biggest man warned quietly. Sean didn’t back down from his stance, in one hand he gripped Debbie’s jumper tightly holding her behind him, in his other hand he gripped his gun. “We’re not here to hurt her.”

“How am I meant to believe that?” Sean asked dismissively.

The biggest man took off his balaclava. Debbie felt Sean’s stance shift as he recognised the man. The two black clothed men behind him also took off their masks.

Suddenly they looked a lot less threatening as they revealed the faces of an older man with grey hair, a younger dark haired man and man that could still be classified as a boy.

“Hand her over.” The older man demanded in a voice that seemed comfortable in giving orders but was not all together unkind. To her utter surprise she felt Sean pull her in front of him.

“Sean!” She cried softly as she felt him push her toward the strange men.

“Shhhh.” He whispered to her before he surprised her even further by hugging her. He pulled back and looked her in the eye. “They’re here to take you to your Dad.” He told her.

She looked back at the trio of men, “You know my Dad?” She asked them sceptically.

The older man smiled at her kindly, “He’s waiting for you.” He held out his hand, and with once last look to Sean she let the man take her hand. His hand was large and warm and immediately made her feel safe. She looked to the men she now stood next to, without their balaclavas on she didn’t find them at all threatening. But they still held their guns toward Sean.

At her worried look Sean shook his head lightly, “I’ll be fine, go on, go see your Dad.” She felt the youngest gently place his hand on her shoulder, steering her away.

As they left the room she heard, “I’m sorry Lad, but it will look suspicious if we don’t.” She stopped and tried to turn around as she heard a strange zapping sound followed by a gurgled cry of pain. The younger man pulled her with more force.

“It’s only a taser gun; it’ll just knock him out for a little while that’s all.” He murmured to her as he steered her out of the house.

She was starting to despair, time was ticking too fast and she was getting no where. How did she think this was ever going to work? How did she think she could find one man among twenty seven levels containing hundreds of corridors and thousands of rooms? Even in full light the task would be almost impossible, but in the dark? Finding the doctor was simple enough, there were only a few places he could be. But Jarod? He could be anywhere from the upper most level to the deepest cell.

She saw a flicker to her left. People had already begun to set up emergency lamps that now glowed like fat glow worms at various points around the building. There was one not too far away in an adjoining corridor and it gave her the faintest light to see movement low near the floor. The shadow moved again, there was something crouched in the dark. Recognition hit her first, then relief. Parker surged forward.

“Angelo, Angelo you have to tell me where Jarod is.” She kneeled down to look into his blue eyes. She saw the briefest flicker of a smile flash in his eyes before he turned away from her and climbed into an open vent behind him so fast if she had blinked she would have thought he had vanished into thin air.

She grinned and followed him into the vent. She’d found her miracle.

Broots’ fingers tapped repeatedly over the dash board, their rhythm irregular but persistent. Sydney turned his head towards him and opened his mouth to speak.

Broots quickly cut him off, “Don’t tell me everything will be fine Syd. It’s not fine. My little girl is… she could be anywhere. And the Centre’s going to come after us and what if they’ve got her, what if they hurt her, what if-”

“Broots!” Broots took a steadying breath. They had already gone to their respective homes to retrieve their most valuable belongings; only Broots’ wasn’t there to be found…

He twisted in his seat to watch the passing lights as they speed by. “I won’t be fine until I have my baby back safe, Sydney.”

“I know Broots.” Sydney turned back to the road as he drove them to the cabin Parker had directed them to. There was nothing more he could say to Broots to console him. Nor was there anything more they could do to find Debbie, they could only hope to reach the cabin safely and meet up with Jarod and Parker, and then maybe they could work out a strategy to find her. Though he knew every second that it took was killing Broots.

He would have paced if he wasn’t afraid he would step off the 20 storey chasm that lay at the heart of the Centre. He strained his ears but the constant buzzing of the turbines drowned out any other sounds.

Whatever he was waiting for was taking too long. He had to make a decision; either he could try to escape on his own and take his chances on the outside, or he could go back the way he came and try to find the others. He couldn’t see either choice giving him much hope of success. But making no decision would give him an even lower success rate so if he was going to chose, the time was now.

He sighed. Well it was better to die trying to rescue them, than trying to abandon them. He got ready to stand up when he heard a sound that wasn’t part of the wind and mechanical whirl of the huge engines powering the turbines. It came again but so close now he could easily hear it over the background noise.

“Jarod!” He turned to face the voice just as he felt himself enveloped in a crushing hug. He pulled her even closer burying his face in her hair. He hadn’t realised just how much he had missed her and the emotions flooded his system too fast to control.

Only Angelo’s urgent voice and persistent tugging got their attention.

Parker pulled away from him “We gotta go.” She whispered.

Jarod stayed where he was, “What about Sydney? Broots? We can’t-”

“They’ve already gone, it’s just us.”

Jarod nodded. “Ok, let’s blow this popsicle stand.” Parker laughed at his attempt at popular culture as she helped pull him to his feet. She held his hand, guiding him, as they followed Angelo.

Abruptly Angelo stopped. Parker growled under her breath as she attempted to halt her momentum before she tripped over him. Jarod stumbled into her back.

“We’re stopped?” He murmured from behind her.

“Yeah.”

“Where are we?”

Parker pointed the torch toward a wall, its light found painted letters next to a dark doorway.

“SL18R34”

“Sub level 18, room 34.” Jarod translated before he broke into a grin, “Just the place we needed to be.”

“Jarod…” He’s head turned toward her. She twisted her body, her torch arching 360 degrees. “Angelo’s left.” She said.

“It’s his choice.”

“I know…” She sighed, “So where next Wonderboy?”

“Through the door, down the corridor, left, then right three rooms over.”

She grabbed his hand and smiled at him. “Then let’s get out of this hell hole!” He let himself be dragged behind her their hands entwining automatically.

“The outside doors have been locked; levels 1-5 have already been searched. Simultaneous searches of levels 6 and 7 are underway. Employees are being rounded up on level 4, an identification search has already begun; preliminary results are negative for the psychiatrist and the computer technician… it’s believed they may have escaped in the initial confusion…”

“That is unacceptable.”

“I understand Sir. However we are certain Jarod and Miss Parker are still in the building. Our search will drive them into the lower levels where they will have no where to go-”

“The vents... What are you doing about the vents?”

“The ventilation system has been shut down, sleeping gas is being pumped into each system, a minute of breathing in the fumes and they’ll be sleeping like babies. Thermal scans will then pick them out easily.”

“If they are not in the vents…?”

“Our foot search will pick them out Sir; they have more chance of escaping from the moon.”

“Hmph.” Mr Parker turned away from the Sweeper, his thoughts turning inward. “They can’t escape” he murmured under his breath. He gazed at his reflection in the darkened window of his office, “I can’t let them escape.”

“How much further Jarod?”

“Not much I promise.”

“This is already taking too long.” Parker muttered worriedly under her breath.

She heard Jarod gasp and was suddenly jerked back by the hand as she felt him stop sharply. Her intake of breath stuck in her throat as she turned back to see Jed’s arm around Jarod’s neck.

“Jarod!” She cried.

“Naughty children. Look at this mess you’ve made. What do you have to say for yourself? Hmmm? Come now, speak up.” Jed grinned as he mocked them.

Parker glared, “Jed… if you don’t let him go right now…”

“What? Come on, I’m dying to know what great threat the Ice Queen’s going to come up with now!”

“If you don’t let him go now… you’re going to die.”

“That’s it? That’s all? I’m disappointed. I thought you could come up with something more original.”

“It may not be original Jed… but it’s effective.” She reached behind her pulling the gun from the waistband of her pants.

Jed didn’t flinch.

“I’m sorry to break it to you Honey, but you have to go through Loverboy here, to get to me.”

“I’m sorry to break it to you Honey, but she doesn’t.” Jarod’s voice rasped with lack of air but his tone was hard. As was the impact of his elbow as it smashed mercilessly into Jed’s ribcage. In surprise and pain Jed’s grip loosened and Jarod torn away from his hold.

In a cry of outrage and pain Jed flew forward. Parker had no time to move before he rammed into her, pushing them both to the ground. Her left arm flung out to the side of her, the vials containing Jarod’s treatment in her palm. Her fingers tightened around the precious vials reassuring herself the contents were still safe. Jed groaned atop of her, barely able to take in breath as he was momentarily stunned by the impact to his injured ribs. Parker attempted to move her right arm but found it trapped under his weight, her gun pressed between them.

“Damn.” She muttered under her breath. Suddenly she felt a hand cover her face, pressing it painfully to one side, twisting her neck. She struggled beneath him but with one hand trapped and one hand holding the vials she had nothing left to fight with.

Suddenly his weight was removed; she looked up to see both Jarod and Jed falling to one side of her. They struggled and as she watched she saw Jarod take a blow to the face, from a fist he hadn’t been able to see coming. She surged to her knees before she hesitated. Looking to the vials in her hand, she made her decision. She placed them on the floor along with the gun, pushing them hard so they rolled as far away from the scuffle as possible, then she threw herself at the fight.

She grabbed Jed’s jacket, roughly pulling him backwards. He tried to fight both her and Jarod but it ended quickly when Jarod landed a solid blow to his head. He sagged in Parker’s grip and she dropped him. Panting hard she reached toward Jarod, helping him onto his feet.

“You ok?” He asked softly.

“Yeah.” She replied.

“I’m ready to leave.”

“So am I.” She looked to the floor, trying to find where the vials had come to rest. What she found came as a nasty surprise.

She groaned, “Haven’t we done enough?”

Cox only grinned. He swirled the vials between his fingers, making the amber liquid roll inside its confines.

“Parker lets leave.” Jarod urged, pulling against her hand.

“No! Your treatments, we can’t leave without them.”

“She’s right, you leave now and you know what’s going to happen? All that progress you’ve made regaining partial sight… is all going to fade away…” He grinned maliciously, “No pun intended.”

“Is that the price then? Is my sight the price of our freedom?”

“Jarod.” Parker urged softly.

Jarod shook his head. “Then I pay it gladly.” And with that he pulled Parker beside him, and they both disappeared through the doorway behind them.

They ran with everything they had. It wasn’t until they slowed to catch their breath and let a sweeper team pursuing them pass that Parker spoke up.

“I could have taken him, it was only Cox. Jarod, those vials-” Parker whispered frantically.

“Are worthless.” Jarod answered shortly.

“They are the only thing that will give you back your sight!” Her eyes pleaded with him, demanded of him some emotion, some concern that he just thrown away his only hope for a cure.

His hands found her face; his lips found hers moments later. She gasped in surprise at the contact. He pressed his lips to hers. A second, then two passed, and with a surge she was pressing her mouth against his with equal force. His hands moved to tangle in her hair as he slanted his mouth against hers, demanding entrance. She acquiesced gladly and she felt his tongue slip past her lips. Her arms moved instinctively to wrap around his body as she pressed herself further into his embrace.

And just as quickly as he had kissed her he pulled away. She gasped as she felt him withdraw. She tried to catch her breath, her heart pounding inside her chest. She licked her now swollen lips. His hands moved in her hair, attempting to sooth the dark locks he had tangled moments before.

“I don’t want sight… if the only thing I will ever see are walls.” He whispered softly to her. He leaned closer to her, resting his forehead against hers. They’re panting breaths mingled. “Even if it means I never get to see your face again.” She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She opened her mouth to speak but found words lacking. Instead she leaned her forehead further into his, caressing his face lightly with her own before cupping his face in her hands and pressing the softest of kisses on his lips. She felt his lips curl into a smile against hers. She drew back staring into his eyes even knowing he couldn’t stare back.

“Then it is past time that we left.” She replied softly. After only a few murmured directions from Jarod they found themselves in the water drain pipe that lead outside the Centre’s walls.

“This is not happening, not happening.” Mr Parker’s voice was low, his words harsh, as if he bit on each word passing through his lips.

“You’ve finally lost control. First Jarod, now your own daughter. How are the Triumvirate expected to have faith in your abilities when they are clearly so lacking?”

“Raines.” Mr Parker growled, “I don’t have time for your power plays. We have to get them back now.”

“Rather handy… having a car so nearby, especially with the keys still inside and the doors unlocked.” Jarod commented casually.

“You’ve got something to say Jarod?” Parker asked as she turned toward him her eyebrow raised. The scenery blurred past the car’s windows as she drove 10 miles over the speed limit.

“No, just making chit chat.” He replied, his lips curling into his famous smirk. Parker couldn’t help but grin, it wasn’t like he could see it anyway… but then knowing him he probably knew about it all the same.

“I think now is the time to worry Syd.” Broots said as his pacing took him past the psychiatrist. Sydney stayed silent, only the frown on his face betraying his concern.

The cabin was small and plain, but had a homely feel that made up for both. Sparse but well made furniture was scattered with homemade rugs and blankets. A fire crackled in the fireplace lighting the wooden furnishings with its warm glow.

Of course neither man saw any of it. The only thing about the room that they paid any attention to was the old painted clay clock that hung over the fire place. And then it wasn’t the beautifully intricate patterns that were painted on its surface that fascinated them. It was the hands.

And right now they were pointing to 12:05.

The sound of the front door opening had Sydney rising from his chair instantly. Broots froze in his pacing to face the doorway with equal expectation.

The explosion of breath was audible as both men sighed in relief at the sight of Parker’s dark hair emerging from behind the door.

She smiled at them both in greeting.

“Jarod, is he-?” Sydney questioned.

“Right here.” A deep male voice sounded from behind Parker, and Jarod followed her into the room. Sydney’s shoulders immediately sagged in relief. But Broots still stood tense.

“Debbie, we have to find Debbie.” Broots spoke up, his voice urgent, “They’ve taken her, the Centre. We have to come up with some plan to get her back-”

“Broots.” Parker interrupted him. He paused but the look of urgency in his eyes didn’t fade. “There are some things I have to tell all of you.”

When she didn’t continue straight away Sydney prodded, “Such as?”

“Something to do with the convenient car waiting for us outside the Centre perhaps? Or how the entire electricity supply to the Centre was shut down? Something which has only ever happened once in the Centre’s history and considering that took a hurricane and the wind tonight couldn’t even blow out a match… well it leads someone to think there is a lot that needs explaining.” Jarod said as he took a seat on one of only two chairs available after having bumped his knee into it.

Parker shot him a pointed look. He flashed her back a quick grin. She almost ground her teeth in annoyance at the fact he knew her so well.

“I had help. Ok, so that’s a little obvious.” She shot another glare in Jarod’s direction. But she sobered quickly. “When I called the Centre… to pick up Jarod and I. I called someone else first. Someone I could rely on to give aid if a need for Plan B was warranted. And, well, considering we’re talking about the Centre it was pretty much guaranteed that they would go against their word.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone this before?” Sydney questioned.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jarod demanded.

“The less people that knew, the less likely the Centre would find out.” All three men just stared at her. She rolled her eyes. “My plan worked didn’t it? We’re all safe aren’t we?”

“Debbie isn’t.” Broots accused quietly.

Parker’s face softened, “She’s safe Broots.”

“How do you know?! You’ve been locked up in one of the Centre’s cells while they could have done anything to my little girl!” Broots shouted. Tension coiled like smoke in the small room; more, for the fact that Broots was the least likely of all of them to make an outburst.

“Broots…” Parker soothed, “I promise, I wouldn’t let anything happen to her. She’s safe.”

“How do you know?” Broots insisted.

“Because, I told you, I had help.” She told him quietly.

The door opened behind her. They barely took notice. That is, until the cry of Daddy was heard and a girl raced into the room.

“Debbie!” Broots cried as he engulfed his daughter in a crushing hug. He kissed the top of her head, simultaneously sobbing and laughing in relief. His head ducked to look his daughter in the eye. “Are you ok? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine Daddy” Debbie grinned, happy to be back with him. “When they broke the windows and there was gunfire and stuff that was kinda scary but it was kinda fun too. And Adam was really nice, he told me about these stars that emit radio signals that people thought were UFO’s-”

“Hm? Adam?” Broots questioned.

Jarod got to his feet, his head turned toward the door in expectation.

Broots continued suddenly, “Wait… gunfire?!”

Jarod didn’t have to wait long before he heard three separate sets of footsteps, and by their weight he could guess that they were all male. He didn’t need his skills to guess their identity any further.

“Dad.” No sooner had the word left his lips that he found himself enfolded in a hug.

“You ok, Son?” Charles asked in concern.

“I’m good.” Jarod replied his lips curled in a smile, surprised at how true the words actually were. The room had begun to become crowded but before they knew it yet another person squeezed themselves into this impromptu gathering.

“Hey.” Emily greeted feeling immensely pleased with herself as she closed the front door behind her. She had found plunging the Centre into darkness both poetic justice and incredibly satisfying.

“I think that makes everyone.” Parker commented. She surveyed the people crowded inside with gleaming eyes. She felt Jarod come to stand by her shoulder. “We can’t stay here, not even for the night. We need to move. And… we can’t move together.”

“Nine people travelling together might be a little hard to miss.” Charles agreed.

“So we need to split up.” She left her comment hanging, knowing that they were unwilling to part after only just coming together.

“We may not like it, but it’s not going to be forever. We’ll set up a system, it will need some thought, but we’ll have some way to communicate or know where everyone is at all times.” Jarod spoke up, attempting to stem any resistance before it started. Parker looked across to Jarod, feeling almost surprised that he himself wasn’t resisting her ideas. She moved her hand, bridging the small gap between them to reach for his hand. As she placed her hand in his she felt his fingers immediately tighten around hers reassuringly.

“So… how are we going to split up?” Adam - familiarly known as ‘the boy’ – asked, voicing the question that had them all hesitating.

“We should split into two or three, no one goes alone.” Ethan said.

Charles nodded, “Mr Broots and his daughter will go together.”

“I can go with Sydney.” Emily volunteered. She looked to Sydney, “Unless you have any objections…?”

“No, I would be quite pleased to have your company.” Sydney insisted, pleasantly surprised she would choose to go with him.

“Jarod and I can go together…” Parker said, before she looked to Jarod to see his reaction. A sudden uncertainty sweeping over her as she considered Jarod might prefer travelling with one of the others. But he nodded, running his thumb over her hand as he indicated his agreement.

“Good, then Adam and Ethan will travel with me.” Charles said.

“We don’t have much time to organise false identities or documents, so we’ll just have to sort that out ourselves once we get on the road.” Parker looked in concern at Broots, “Think you can forge what you need to create a cover for you and Debbie?”

Broots nodded, “I can do it.” He reassured her. His confidence made her think at how much had changed. Had it just been the last few weeks or had this transition been going on longer and she just hadn’t noticed? She shook her head, matters at hand, she reminded herself. “Emily?”

Emily grinned, “I may not get the grades of my brothers but I have lived most of my life on the run, I know how to be invisible.”

Parker took in a breath before finally saying, “Then we should all get moving.”

Adam got up from where he had been sitting on the floor and took a bag out from the corner. He pulled four mobile phones and handed them to each group. Major Charles removed two sets of car keys and handed them to Parker and Broots.

There were no parting words, even though they were in danger of losing any one, maybe all, of them to the Centre. None were willing to acknowledge such risks out loud so instead they moved efficiently, handing out the supplies Jarod’s family had organised and separating to their respective cars.

Parker watched each group drive off one by one until she and Jarod were the last ones to leave.

“Do you think… Do you think we have a chance Jarod?” Parker asked quietly.

“I think we have more than a chance Parker, I think this time…we can win.” He replied softly. She looked at him, her hand rising unbidden from her side to brush over his face. When his eyes closed her feather light touch ran over his eyelids. Her chest felt tight and she knew there was so much she wanted to say. But they didn’t have the time. Her hand dropped from his face. Jarod’s hand caught hers in mid-fall. “No more putting things off Mia. We have a six hour car ride ahead of us.” Her body shuddered lightly as she heard him call her his shortened version of her first name, a name he hadn’t called her since they were little.

“Only six hours Jarod? We haven’t talked properly since we were kids; we have twenty five years to make up. Six hours isn’t going to cut it.”

Jarod smiled, “Really?”

“Yes.” She said. She put the car into gear and navigated the long winding driveway out of the cabins.

“Well we have a four hour bus ride after that, will that be enough?”

“No.”

“Hmmm…” Jarod pretended to consider the problem, “There’s a twelve hour train ride after that, surely that’s enough?”

“No… No I don’t think that’s enough.”

“Well, I think we can sort something out” Jarod replied finally, a smug smile playing on his lips. Indeed, he could make the rest of his life free if that was what she wanted.

Parker grinned in answer, swinging the car onto the highway and changing gears. Where the road was leading them she didn’t quite know, but she was determined to enjoy the journey anyway.

     End of Part 8

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