This is a fic that I started to write awhile ago. All of a sudden I decided I 
didn't like it, so I scrapped it and started again. This is the finish 
product *smile*. As always The Pretender and all related elements are 
the property of NBC etc. Comments are welcome (please be kind <g>).


Yellow Rose 
By Nirvana Kliese

Miss Parker took a deep breath as she looked down the man hole. SL 
27. It scared her. It held the answers to so many questions, most 
unasked. But behind the truth lay a deadly secret. What it was, she was 
unsure of. 

She knew it was there though, with every step she took she felt it. 
Haunting her like a snake about to strike. Finally she had began a 
search for the truth. They had warned her, the truth was deadly here. 
Spelling an ominous fate of the few who discovered it. Often leaving 
more questions in it's fateful path than it answered. 

She had to pursue it though. She could feel Sydney's words echoing 
more true to her every day, "He's a lot like us you know." They 
repeated their tune over and over, refusing to let her stop thinking 
about Jarod, refusing to let her hide from the truth of why she was 
here. It was all because of him. If he hadn't ran away, she may never 
been called here, never have had the truth waved before her like bait to 
a hungry dog, willing her to pursue it, whatever the stakes.

She climbed down the last few rungs of the ladder and shone her 
flashlight into the blackness before her. Its beam pierced the eerie 
darkness and a smell reeking of deathly mystery overwhelmed her. 
"Are you coming?" she asked, turning toward her two followers. 

Sydney and Broots nodded unsurely, the beams from their torches 
merging with hers. She took another step into the cold darkness, a 
distant sound that resembled wind sending a fearful shudder though 
her bones. 

"Are you sure the security is off, Broots?" Sydney asked, turning to 
him, the human nature of fear once again appearing. 

Broots nodded uncertainly. "I think so. We have 30 minutes." 

Miss Parker began to walk further forward; her aim was to explore. The 
last few times they had came down here they had found secrets that 
threatened to change everything. She didn't doubt for a moment that 
this time would be no different. 

"It's so creepy down here." Broots shuddered, following her by the 
footprints left in the ash that still covered the cold concrete floors. 

She blew out a deep mouthful of smoke, shining her light in his face. 
"Grow up," she muttered distastefully, shaking her head. 

"Miss Parker?" Sydney called from behind her, motioning her to stay 
with them. "Where are we going?" h asked, searching for some sort of 
plan. 

She laughed sarcastically. "We're exploring, Syd. They're all out of 
maps," she sneered, turning back towards the tunnels of darkness. 

He grabbed her shoulder spinning her to face him. "We have to stick 
together Miss Parker, the risks are too great," he warned sincerely, 
knowing the risks they took coming here, searching for the hidden 
truth. 

She took a deep breath to center her confused emotions. "I know we 
do," she nodded. "Let's go this way." She shone her torch down a hall 
they had not yet been to and they walked single file through the water 
that dripped from the ceilings above, approaching the hallway quickly.

The walls were dark and lifeless, echoing the fear that never left them. 
"Let's look down here." She motioned for them to follow her towards 
a small room at the end of the hall. It's door lay on the floor before it, 
its wood singed. 

They entered the room cautiously, studying it like a book of ancient 
secrets. In the corner of the room sat a single bed, it's singed covers 
thrown off in what looked like a blind panic. The floor was covered in 
a fine sheet of ash, covering the remains of papers and books still 
littered there. Beside the door sat a small table that must have been 
used as a desk. On it sat a pencil case, knocked to the side. 

Miss Parker looked around the room confused. It wasn't like all the 
others. It seemed just like most of the other rooms upstairs. But why 
would they keep one down here. "It must have been Kyle's room," she 
mumbled, bending to sort through the remains of the papers. 

Sydney shook his head. "We found Kyle's room last time, Miss Parker. 
This is someone else's." 

"Mr. Raines kept other freaks down here too did he?" she chuckled. 
She sifted through the ash and picked up a small green notebook. 
"What the heck is this?" she mumbled to herself, opening it carefully. 
She read aloud. "I miss everyone. They all think I'm dead, in a way I 
wish I were. The life I lead is more torturous than my fate could ever 
have been. If only I had have died that day. At least then I would be 
free from the veil of torturous guilt that constantly strangles me. I miss 
my beautiful daughter. I fear for her, knowing what they will do to 
her...." 

Miss Parker dropped the notebook back to the ground and backed away 
in shock. This was her mother's writing. Her head began to spin. It 
couldn't be. Her mother died that day. 

"Oh my God." Her voice came out barely above an emotional whisper. 

"Miss Parker are you all right?" Sydney asked gently, kneeling down 
beside her. 

She pushed him away, refusing to look at him. "That's..." she took a 
deep breath. "My mother wrote that," she whispered, confusion 
clouding her bright eyes. 

Sydney picked up the book and stared down at the writing before him. 
It was hers. He could recognize it anywhere, even when it was so long 
ago. "I didn't know that your mother came down here." He paused. 
"But it looks like she must have." He shrugged, taking another look 
around the small, dark room, and fought with his inner voice. He 
knew he was wrong, this certainly wasn't a holiday location. 

Miss Parker hardened her emotions again as she took the book from 
him and ran her finger over the pages. All of a sudden she froze. She 
pointed to the upper right hand corner of the page. "This was written 
after my mother died," she gasped, staring at him, searching for 
answers. 

Broots, who had previously been standing silent shook his head and 
sighed. "Guys?" he asked shifting from foot to foot. Miss Parker and 
Sydney turned to him, their faces a picture of shock and irritation at his 
disturbance. "I'm sorry," he shrugged. "But we have to go, we only 
have five minutes more." 

Miss Parker turned back to the ash-covered floor and rummaged 
amongst the loose papers until she came across two more notebooks. 
She wiped the ash off them gently and slipped them inside her coat. 

"Let's go," she said softly, standing up. 

Sydney shook his head at her. "If you take them, they can find us," he 
whispered sympathetically. 

She stared up at him, her eyes shining with powerless rage. "I don't 
give a damn, Sydney, these are my mother's things, my mother's 
things from a time when my mother shouldn't have existed anymore. 
Do you have a problem with that?" she asked, struggling to keep her 
uncaring tone.

He shook his head slowly, knowing there was nothing he could say 
that could do any good. They walked towards the exit in darkened 
silence. Miss Parker felt numb. Her mind spun with aching confusion. 
She took one last puff of her cigarette and dropped it to the cold floor, 
putting it out with her shoe. 

Sydney and Broots exchanged glances, they couldn't say anything to her 
now. Sydney bent and picked it up, leaving the rest of its ash to fade 
into that which already littered the floor.

* * * * 

Miss Parker secured the door behind her, slipping the chain into the 
lock. She dropped her bag on the floor, removing three green 
notebooks from it and clutching them protectively. She flopped down 
on her couch below the window, fixing herself something to drink, and 
took out a cigarette and lit it, inhaling its smoke deeply. 

She always sat here when she found something out about her mother. 
She remembered the time Jarod had sent her that DSA. She had hated 
him for that. It was as though he was the one bringing up the past for 
her. That feeling passed once she saw it though. She had almost felt 
relieved to admit that she had wanted the truth.

She lay the notebooks out on the couch in front of her and picked up 
the first one. She fumbled with it's worn down cover before opening it 
gently. She took a deep breath and began to read.

	15/4/70   
		It is now two days since my "death" occurred. My 
suspicions had been right. I had told Sydney I feared for my life now 
that they knew, but I never expected them to make their move so soon. 
I am still in shock they didn't kill me. Perhaps they believe faking my 
death would be more torturous. My only hope is that my loving 
husband didn't know. That he diddn't do this to me. They know that 
no-one will find me here, no-one knows that where I am exists.  
		I am still in constant pain. They gave me painkillers to 
help, but nothing seems to ease it. It's just a flesh wound and it will 
heal but I am in more pain than a bullet could ever inflict, my pain is 
of the spirit. My mind is throbbing with exhaustion, and my stomach 
aches from crying. I have spent the last two days fighting a losing battle 
to get out. I can't sleep, despite the many sedatives that have been 
forced on me. Whenever I close my eyes I see images of my beloved 
daughter sitting there, calling for me. I wish I could get to her but I 
can't.

Miss Parker fought the tears that threatened to flow. She closed her 
eyes and leaned back onto the cushions, still clutching the notebook in 
her hand. Her mother isn't dead. Or at least she wasn't then. She blew 
out another mouthful of smoke and continued to read.

	16/4/70 
		My funeral was today. I never dreamt I wouldn't be at my 
own funeral, it seemed as though it was someone else's. They brought 
me down a recording of some of it. It seems like a dream, a nightmare 
watching everyone there, crying for me. I just wanted to reach out and 
touch them. Especially by daughter. She just sat there, her eyes red with 
tears. It's torture sitting here alone when everyone thinks I'm dead. It 
was all so black and hopeless. Everything spelled the end. 

Miss Parker closed the book and placed it back down on the couch. The 
tears that had been threatening to appear finally did, flowing down her 
face one by one. She brought her legs to her chest and hugged her 
knees. This couldn't be happening. The thought of her mother sitting 
there, watching her crying for her. She remembered that funeral 
well.....

* - * - * - *

She walked into the room, her heart breaking with sadness. Everyone 
was walking around solemnly, most were crying. They all seemed like 
strangers to her now. Even those she knew well. Her mother had been 
everything to her and now she felt like she was alone, lost in a world 
by herself. She walked over to the large brown coffin in the center of 
the room and ran her fingers over the dark wood. On the top of it sat a 
yellow rose -- her mother's favorite. She felt its gentle scent soothing 
her senses with memories. 

She turned away from it quickly, her memories of joy disappearing 
into nothingness at the well known sound of tears. She started to cry 
again softly, resting her head on the coffin, willing her mother to come 
back to her. She fumbled with the handles, wanting to see her one last 
time. She pulled them as hard as she could but to no avail, it wouldn't 
open. 

She felt a stern hand on her shoulder, as someone kneeled beside her. 
She turned to face him, struggling to hide her tears. It was Mr. Raines, 
his face calm with forced sadness. 

"I'm sorry about your mother, Miss Parker," he said softly. 

She looked down. "I just want to see her one last time," she sobbed. 
"Please?" 

He shook his head at her. "I'm sorry, dear, the coffin has been closed 
permanently." She stared up at him for a moment and ran to the 
adjoining office. She sat down on the couch, alone, and let her tears 
flow. 

* - * - * - *

Miss Parker came out of the memory with a shudder. He had been the 
one who had told her she couldn't look that last time. There had been 
nothing to look at.

* * * * 

Miss Parker walked down the hall, a few meters behind her mother. 
"Mum don't walk so fast!" she called trying to catch up. 

Her mother turned around to her and bent down to her level. 
"Sweetie, I'm going out now. You have to stay here," she said as calmly 
as she could, her heart racing with the danger that she knew grew 
closer by the minute. 

"But mum I want to come," she protested irritably. Mrs. Parker had 
been out a lot lately. She wasn't sure why, or why she had grown so 
nervous and scared but she regarded it innocently as just a passing 
phase. 

She shook her head sadly. "No honey, you go back to your room ok? I 
won't be long." She got to her feet and started to walk towards the 
elevator. She knew what risk she was under and wasn't prepared to 
put her beloved daughter in the firing line too. 

The elevator doors opened and she began to step inside, oblivious to 
the danger that waited within. Miss Parker shook her head, wanting to 
go with her mother, wanting to never leave her side. She started to run 
toward the elevator as she heard a scream. 

A gunshot sounded loudly and a bullet struck her arm. She felt a man 
grab her from behind and trap her there. More gunshots sounded and 
the doors continued to close. Miss Parker ran as fast as she could to get 
to her. To help her. A man in a black suit approached her quickly as 
another one yelled, "Get the kid out of here!" 

They held her tightly as she fought to get back to the elevator. "No!" 
she screamed as another gunshot sounded. "Mummy!" She fought 
unsuccessfully to break free of the mans grasp as she was dragged 
through another room. 

Her screams where joined by that of a boy, held as securely as she was. 
"Let me go!" he called, his distress as apparent as hers. "They're 
hurting her!" 

She felt herself exit the room, tears still streaming down her face.

Miss Parker sat up in bed and switched on the light. She ran her hand 
through her hair and got to her feet. Her mind was spinning at her 
previous dream. She sat down at the couch beside the window. She 
had never seen her mother die.

* * * *  

Sydney was roused from his silent questioning thoughts by the ring of 
his phone. "Sydney here," he said in his usual manner. 

The voice that greeted him was cold and emotional. "It's me," Miss 
Parker began. "I need to see you if you'rein with this, and Broots too." 

Sydney frowned. "What's this about?" h asked, half knowing. 

"Just meet me outside SL 27 in half an hour ok?" she said, hanging up 
the phone.

* * * *  

Mr. Raines entered the room quietly. The only sound was that of his 
gas tank as he approached the monitor on the opposite side of the 
room. "You wanted to see me?" he asked raspily. 

The man nodded, typing something in on the keyboard. "What are you 
doing?" Mr. Raines hissed a moment later. 

The man turned to face him. "Three was an error with the SL 27 
security system today. As if it was turned off, or the tapes looped. 
Anyway I went down there and did some checking. There were some 
notebooks missing from room 4." 

Mr. Raines sneered. "Catherine's old room." 

The man nodded. "And I found this by the entrance." He reached into 
the draw and pulled out a small glass tray. On it lay the remainder of a 
cigarette butt. 

Mr. Raines nodded, his face blank. "One person couldn't have done 
this alone could they?" he asked, his eyes cold. The man shook his 
head. Mr. Raines sneered, a plan becoming apparent to him. "Get me 
the locations of Miss Parker, Sydney and Broots when this all 
happened," he asked, his voice growing sinister. 

The man turned back to the terminal and began to type frantically. All 
of a sudden he smiled. "They weren't seen anywhere at that time. The 
last report we had of them was when they were heading downstairs. 
Together." 

Mr. Raines let out a bitter laugh. "It would be a shame if they 
committed suicide wouldn't it?"

* * * * 

Miss Parker stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the 
bottom floor available. She clutched the books inside her jacket. She 
had only read a little of them so far. She just couldn't bring herself to. 
The elevator came to a halt and the doors opened slowly to show 
Sydney and Broots waiting for her impatiently. 

"Is the security off?" she asked, scanning the walls for cameras. Broots 
nodded. She began to walk over to the glassed in room in the corner 
and motioned for them to follow her. They walked inside and closed 
the door behind them. 

"Why did you call us here?" Sydney asked curiously. 

"Some literature." she replied, showing the tips of the notebooks. "My 
mother did *not* die that day," she stated matter of factly. 

Sydney took a deep breath. "Are you sure you're not jumping to 
conclusions?" he asked, afraid to believe. Broots leaned in closer, 
fascinated by the unfolding story. 

"Do you remember the funereal?" she asked softly. 

Sydney nodded, he could never have forgotten that. "What about it?" 
he asked. 

"Why couldn't we open the casket?" she queried. 

Sydney shrugged. "Mr. Raines said it was because the bullet had 
deformed her face." 

She raised her eyebrows at him. "Or because there was nothing there to 
see," she finished for him. 

Broots' interest grew. "Are you saying you mother is alive?" he asked. 

"I'm saying she didn't die that day," she replied. "She watched her 
funeral." She fought to stop herself crying. "She was trapped down 
there and we didn't know it." 

Sydney pursed his lips. "How could I not have known?" he asked 
himself, his frustration evident. 

Miss Parker rested her hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault," she 
whispered. 

"But what now?" he asked hopelessly. The lock on the door sounded 
and a raspy voice came over the intercom. 

"Now I believe it's time to call it a night," it said, obviously finding 
humor in it's own joke. Mr. Raines stepped out from the elevator and 
smiled at them. "Miss Parker, Sydney, Mr. Broots." He nodded to all of 
them and walked up to the glass. 

Miss Parker stared at him, struggling to hide her fear. "What the hell 
do you think you're doing?" she hissed through clenched teeth. 

Mr. Raines sneered. "Taking out the trash," he whispered hitting a 
lever. 

All of a sudden the room began to fill with a sickening smell. Sydney's 
face turned white with fear, realization hitting hard. "Gas," he half 
asked, half stated. 

"I'm afraid so." Mr. Raines hissed. "It's unfortunate how many 
suicides can occur in this line of work," he laughed to himself. "Such a 
shame." He turned and walked towards the elevator. 

"No!" Miss Parker called after him. "You can't leave us here!" She 
screamed, the gas starting to choke her. She let out a gasping cough and 
doubled over. 

Broots backed towards the other side of the room shaking his head, his 
face the very essence of terror. "Oh my God, oh my God," he repeated 
silently. 

Sydney felt his head begin to spin as he fell to the floor beside Miss 
Parker. This was it. This was the end. Miss Parker let out a final futile 
cough as she felt the room begin to spin. Everything was doubling over 
and breathing was becoming more impossible by the minute. She 
closed her eyes as the world disappeared. 

* * * *

Broots opened his eyes slowly. His head was still spinning from the gas 
and he couldn't remember a thing. He sat up and looked at where they 
were. They lay in the middle of a large field at the opening of what 
seemed to be a manhole. 

He rubbed his head just now noticing the two bodies laying beside him. 
Panic filled his mind as the whole night came rushing back to him 
with stinging reality. He leaned over Sydney's limp body and shook 
him hard. "Sydney?" he called softly to him. 

The elder man let out a cough as he opened his eyes slowly. His face 
was pale but he was alive. He opened his mouth and started to speak. 
"Miss... Miss Parker," he whispered, his voice unclear. 

Broots turned to her. She lay silently, her hair entangled with the grass. 
He moved to her side and tested for breathing. "Is she alive?" Sydney 
asked, sitting up slowly. 

Broots bent down over her, listening for breath. It was shallow and 
labored. He turned to Sydney with fear in his eyes. "She needs help," 
he said shaking his head. 

Sydney forced himself to move to her side. Her face was as pale as the 
moonlight and her eyes closed as though she was in a deep sleep. He 
lifted her head in his hands. 

"Miss Parker?" he called to her, willing her to wake up. She let out a 
small breath and her breathing stopped. Sydney and Broots exchanged 
worried glances. Without hesitation Broots began mouth to mouth, 
breathing as much life force into her as he could. 

Sydney squeezed her hand, talking to her loudly. "You can do it!" h 
called to her, unsure if she could hear him. 

All of a sudden she let out a desperate gasp for air. It was the sign they 
had been waiting for. She pushed Broots away from her and opened 
her eyes tiredly. "Sydney?" she croaked, her voice strained. He nodded 
to her, squeezing her hand again.

* * * * 

Sydney laidher down in the back seat of the truck. "You have to go to a 
hospital," Broots said with concern. 

She shook her head. "Just take me away from here," she breathed, 
laying her head back tiredly. 

Sydney shook his head at her. "He's right you know." 

She lifted her head and stared at him. "Sid, he wants us dead," she 
croaked, her voice cutting out. Broots nodded at Sydney and he 
motioned to the front seat. Sydney climbed in behind the steering 
wheel, making sure Miss Parker was covered with a blanket. He turned 
the key and listened to the soothing hum of the engine, then flicked on 
the headlights. They lit up the twilight surroundings. 

"Pretty soon someone's going to realize we're not dead you know," 
Broots stated nervously. 

Sydney nodded. "I know. I guess we're just going to have to stay on the 
move," he replied softly. 

They drove down the long road in silence for a few moments before 
Miss Parker spoke. "You two saved my life," she whispered humbly, 
breaking the fragile silence.  

Sydney nodded. "But more importantly someone saved ours," he said 
quietly, leaving the comment to hang in the air. 

"Who would do that? Where we're we? I mean we certainly weren't at 
the front door," Broots commented, staring ahead. 

All of a sudden, Sydney let out a laugh. "That's how Jarod escaped." He 
chuckled silently. 

Miss Parker's head shot up. "Don't tell me...." she began but Sydney 
shook his head. "I think we would have known," he smiled. 

Broots seemed to be getting more perplexed by the second. "Then 
who?" he asked, the situation spinning out of his control. 

Sydney shrugged. "My guess is someone in The Centre." 

* * * * 

Angelo sat on his bed and smiled his twisted smile. He'd done good.

* * * * 

Mr. Raines sat back at his desk and sneered at his achievement. They 
were dead. The leaks were silenced. And the best part was everyone 
would think it was suicide. 

There was a knock on his door. "Who is it?" he hissed. 

A man stepped inside and frowned. "Sir there's a problem," he said 
nervously. 

Mr. Raines sat up straighter. "Oh, and what would that be?" His ears 
grew ready for those words. He was waiting to hear one thing and one 
thing only: There had been three bodies found in SL-26 during a 
custom security search. 

But the words he heard were very different. "Sir, there was an empty 
room in SL 26. The door had been jimmied open and it was full of gas. 
I have no idea what's going on down there," he shrugged innocently, 
not aware of what he was getting himself into. 

Mr. Raines closed his eyes to center his anger. "Mr. Jones," he began 
calmly. "I want you to launch a search for me."

* * * * 

The lights of the motel were getting dimmer by the second beneath the 
early morning sun. Miss Parker sat up fully and looked out the small 
window. "Where the hell are we?" she mumbled, her personality 
coming back in force. 

Sydney smiled at her. "Very far away," he said, softly helping her out of 
the car. 

She pushed her fingers through her knotted hair and rubbed her 
forehead to wake herself fully. The morning light stung her bleary eyes 
as she looked over the motel. She reached inside her coat for a 
moment and smiled as she came across her greatest treasure, still 
intact. Three green notebooks. 

* * * * 

Broots walked back in through the door carrying a laptop computer. 

"Where?" Sydney asked, a smile appearing on his lips. 

Broots grinned. "I went into the office, the guy was using it, I told him 
we were in the run from a secret organization and asked if I could 
borrow it." Miss Parker raised her eyebrows. His grin grew wider. "The 
man thought I was nuts but his son heard me and begged him to. He 
actually said yes." 

Sydney shook his head. "As long as you did it, not me," he smiled. 

Broots let out a small laugh and sat down at the table beside Miss 
Parker and Sydney. "So," he began. "What are we doing?" 

Sydney looked back down at the notebook in his hands and began to 
read silently.

	20/6/73  
		I was shown pictures of my daughter's birthday today. She 
has grown up so much. She still has that beautiful smile I remember. 
Her eyes seems sad though. It looks as though she is getting on with 
her life without me, and in a way I'm glad. I wish that I could be there 
for her. I miss her so much. There was that little boy in the background. 
Not a part of the party, standing alone. It gave me such joy to see that 
Jarod's all right, at least he didn't end up like his brother. I only wish I 
had been able to save them too. 

Sydney took a deep breath. She had known about Kyle. He turned the 
page carefully and continued to read.

	21/6/73  
		I could hear Kyle banging on the door again today, 
screaming to get out. I shudder when I look at the hate they have fed 
him. At first it was just a game, but now it has become him. I often try 
to talk to him through the wall. I know he can't hear me though, and 
it's probably a good thing. He still screams how much he hates me. 
Even so long after my "death". I wonder if he knows I'm alive. I doubt 
it, but the thought of someone knowing, anyone makes me feel a little 
less frightened about the future.

"Syd?" Miss Parker's voice brought him back to the present. She tilted 
her head to look at him. "You ok there?" she asked sarcastically. 

He shook his head solemley. "You're right you know." 

She inhaled her cigarette smoke deeply. "Right about what?" she asked 
softly. 

He smiled sadly. "None of us saw her die." He rested his head in his 
hands and rubbed his eyes sadly. 

Miss Parker nodded. "I wonder where she is now?" She asked herself 
softly. 

Sydney looked up at her. "Miss Parker ,the books stop before the fire 
occurred. We don't know if...." 

"No." She raised her finger, cutting him off. "We got this far. She has 
to alive." She stood up from the table and walked into one of the 
bedrooms, taking two of the books with her. 

* * * * 

Miss Parker lay back on the bed and picked up the final book. She 
turned it over and opened it to the last page...

	11/27/87   
		I am growing increasingly restless. I long to see the sun 
again, to feel the raindrops on my skin. I have never stopped missing 
my daughter either. I rarely get to see photos of her anymore but I 
could never forget her. She is still growing up to me, and I will always 
have her in my heart. 
		This room is so cold, so small and dark. I don't see the 
point of living if I have to live like this. I have always hoped that one 
day they would set me free. Though the times when I wished that seem 
to be slipping through my fingers now. I hate what they do to those 
children. I can always seem to hear them crying from somewhere. I 
don't know how I can help them but I have to. I hate living here. If it 
weren't for this place The Centre may not exist. Or at least that's what I 
hope. 
		This will be my last addition in this diary. Perhaps my 
daughter will find this book one day and she will know that I love her. 
Perhaps I will be able to track her down later, or at least if I survive. I 
don't know why I'm writing this, these books will probably be 
distroyed in the fire anyway. And if they are not I could call the life I 
lead now that of luxury, that is if they find them. They would probably 
end this life for me, not that I really mind anymore. It's too much to 
take alone anyway. I can only do what I know to try to make a 
difference. At any cost. 

Miss Parker closed the book tightly, and dropped it to the bed before 
her. The realization of what she had just head struck her like a whip. 
Her whole body pulsed with confusion and realization at the same 
time. Her mother had lit the fire. She couldn't see any other way to try 
to stop SL-27. She had risked her life for those children. And perhaps 
lost it.

All of a sudden, the thought of her mother having died after all that 
felt like a noose, choking every bit of hope from Miss Parker. She had 
always thought of her as dead. She had always believed what she had 
been told. But now that was all gone. She had been given something 
she hadn't had for a very long time. She had been given hope, and the 
thought of that being taken away again seemed like torture. She felt her 
eyes start to fill with tears and she let herself sob quietly for a moment. 
She couldn't let herself give up.

* * * * 

Miss Parker walked out of the Bedroom and to the table where Sydney 
and Broots were sitting. "Broots?" she called trying to get him to look 
up from his monitor. "

Umm?" he mumbled, still typing frantically. 

She grew impatient, calling again. "Broots?" Finally she smirked. 
"How's your John Tesh fan going?" she asked him, as nicely as she 
could. 

He looked up from the monitor and grinned. "How did you know?" 

She shrugged. "Wild guess." She walked around to his side of the table. 
"Can you log into the Centre mainframe?" she asked him seriously. 

He typed one more thing, then turned to her nervously. "Well..." He 
seemed deep in thought. 

She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to her. "Yes or no?" she 
hissed threateningly. 

"Well, yes," 

"Good. Here's what I want you to do...." 

He cut her off. "No, you don't understand." He shook his head 
nervously. 

Sydney picked up the conversation. "They could track us," he finished 
for him. Broots nodded. 

"Augh!" Miss Parker clutched at her ulcer, doubling over painfully. 

"Are you ok?" Sydney asked, his voice full of concern. 

She nodded painfully, placing the book on the table between them. 
"Take a read," she hissed. "Then tell me we can't do it." 

* * * * 

Sydney placed the book back on the table and stared at it for a moment 
as if it were a snake about to strike. "Oh my God," he whispered, 
shocked. 

Broots seemed to be feeling left out. "What is it? What is it?" 

Sydney laughed sadly. "Catherine started the fire," he said simply. "But 
we don't know if she made it out." He looked at Broots pleadingly. "Is 
there anyway at all?" he asked humbly. 

Broots frowned for a moment, trying to think. "Well maybe if I 
scrambled the signals." He shrugged. "But you do understand the 
risks," he said thoughtfully. 

Miss Parker and Sydney nodded. "We've gone to far to turn back now."

* * * * 

Mr. Parker sat back in his chair and rubbed his brow. "Where are they?" 
he asked himself, willing the answer to appear before him. 

The door creaked open and Mr. Raines entered, dragging his trusty 
oxygen tank behind him. He sat up in his chair. "Mr. Raines." He 
nodded to him. "What can I do for you?" 

Mr. Raines shook his head. "I came to fill you in about the search." He 
stated raspily. Mr. Parker gestured to the chair beside his desk. "I'll 
stand." Mr. Raines breathed sternly. 

Mr. Parker nodded. "Have there been any developments?" he asked 
sadly. 

Mr. Raines shook his head. "They can't be found anywhere." 

Mr. Parker sighed hopelessly. "Well you make sure that they're 
found." 

Mr. Raines nodded. "Oh don't worry, they will be." He took another 
breath of his oxygen. Catherine had left him like this, and he couldn't 
let anyone who looked for the truth about her survive. 

* * * * 

"Miss Parker, Sydney. I think I found something!" Broots called, 
rousing them from their troubled sleep. 

Sydney was the first to get to the table, his eyes bleary. Miss Parker 
arrived a minute later, her hair knotted from sleep. "What is it?" she 
asked, yawning. 

Broots pointed to the screen. "I logged into the security files," he 
smiled. "There was a search that started the night of the fire." He raised 
his eyebrows. "It was never withdrawn." 

Miss Parker and Sydney exchanged glances. She could still be out there 
somewhere. "Does it have a description of who they were looking for?" 
Sydney asked, frowning. 

He shook his head. "That information is so highly classified that even 
the top Centre security codes can't access it. It's almost like it's 
someone's personal password." 

Miss Parker chuckled to herself. "Mr. Raines." 

Broots nodded. "I'd love to know what happened that night of the 
fire," he whispered.

* -  * -  * - * 

Catherine lay back on her bed and sighed. It was early morning. She 
took a deep breath and surveyed the room. "What can I make a fire out 
of in here?" she mumbled softly. 

She ran her fingers through her hair. Her heart was beating fast. She 
was at risk of dying today and she knew it. It was her only chance 
though, her only way out. 

There was a sound from the air vent above her bed. She spun around 
to face it, and got to her feet to investigate. "Hello?" she whispered 
unsurely. "Is someone there?" 

The grate began to lift up slowly to show a young boy. In his hands he 
held a bottle of spirit and a box of matches. He smiled a twisted smile at 
her before turning a making his way back through the air vent. She 
stood and watched him go in shocked silence and thanked him in 
words unspoken, then closed the vent quickly as accusing eyes 
appeared in the slit of the door. 

"Are you alone in there, Mrs. Parker?" a stern voice asked. 

She nodded slowly. "Yes, Mr. Raines, I am," she replied, her face 
expressionless. He took one more look around the room before 
slipping the latch closed again and walking away. 

She let out a deep breath of tension and made her way to the door. She 
opened the latch quietly, the sound of silenced deafened by that of her 
racing heartbeat. She slipped the nose of the bottle outside and allowed 
it to trickle down the door.  There was plenty out there that could burn. 
The bottle grew lighter as the last of the liquid left it. She pulled it back 
inside and took a deep shaky breath. She walked back to the center of 
the room and covered her diaries with as much as she could. It was her 
only hope that they weren't completely distroyed. 

She closed her eyes for a moment to center her thoughts. She couldn't 
turn back now. She removed a match from her box and struck it alight. 
It burned silently, its glowing flame a foreboding warning of what was 
to come. 

She took one last look at it and dropped it through the slit in the door, 
overwhelmed by the sudden heart as the spirit caught alight. She heard 
Mr. Raines let out a scream from down the hall. There was no way out 
for him. Black smoke began to leak into her room as the fire fed on 
more and more items. Engulfing them like a hungry whale. She heard 
frantic coughing and calls of a fire from the outside of her room. 

Panic began to set in as the smoke grew thicker, choking her more with 
every burning breath. Her eyes began to stream as the smoke stung 
them. She let out another wheezing cough as she fought to kick down 
the door as the flames began to devour its wood. They shot out from 
under it like tongues reaching for her. She gave the door a final kick 
and it fell down strangling the reaching fire. She lept over it and ran 
from her room. 

She turned and took a fleeting look down the hall. Mr. Raines was 
running at her through the blinding smoke, his eyes a reflecting pure 
rage. She struggled to scream but no sound would come out. Instead 
she turned and ran for the main room as fast as she could, kicking the 
door off the flames so they could block his path. She ran to the main 
room to be greeted by hoardes of firemen rushing towards the blazing 
inferno. She ran past them towards the large air vent at the far end of 
the room. 

The flames reached at her, their heat licking her stinging skin as she 
scrambled into the vent. She let out one last cough to clear her lungs of 
the choking smoke. Heavens knows what would happen to anyone 
trapped in there.

* - * - * - * 

Miss Parker emerged from the bathroom looking prim and proper. 
"Where do we start?" she asked the two men waiting for her. 

They shrugged simultaneously. "I know someone who could help us," 
Sydney whispered softly. "But you're going to have to give him a 
reason to trust you."  

Miss Parker's eyes grew wide. "You wouldn't be talking about Boy 
Wonder, would you, Syd?" she asked softly. He nodded. 

Broots looked between the two of them. "You, you know how to 
contact Jarod?" he asked curiously. 

"We keep contact via email,"  Sydney explained softly. "But whatever 
he does for us, cannot be, in any way, used to take him back." 

Miss Parker nodded. "Syd, I wouldn't send anyone back there." She 
smiled a small smile. 

* * * * 

Sydney clicked the mouse over the send button and the email 
disappeared from his screen. He smiled. "It's sent. I don't know if he'll 
respond though." He sighed, looking up at Miss Parker. She was sitting 
staring out the window at the sky. 

"Miss P?" Broots asked, catching Sydney's look. She sat quietly, 
unaware of them calling her. 

"Miss Par-ker?" Sydney sang, grinning at her. 

She came out of her daze quickly and turned to them. "What?" she 
asked irritably. 

"What were you thinking about?" Sydney asked quietly. 

"I believe that's my business, not yours," she hissed coldly. Sydney 
raised his eyebrows at her, used to her personality. She sighed. "I was 
thinking about my father," she replied softly, turning back to the 
window. "I wonder if he knows?" 

Sydney shook his head. "I don't know." 

Her eyes began to well with tears. "Should I tell him?" she asked no 
one in particular. 

Sydney took a deep breath. "I think that would be signing our death 
sentence," he whispered. 

She turned to him, her eyes full of confused, helpless anger. "No!" she 
shouted. "He did not have us killed! He would never do that!" She got 
to her feet and stamped to her bedroom, slamming the door behind 
her. 

Sydney shook his head sadly as she listened to her sob quietly.

* * * * 

Jarod closed the door to his hotel room behind him and made his way 
to his computer. A planet spun on the screen as the words "You Have 
New Mail" circled it slowly. He clicked on it twice, sitting down on the 
chair in front of it. It flashed onto the screen before him. 

"Jarod it's Sydney. There has been an attempt on my life, Miss Parker's 
and Broots because we found out something someone didn't want to. 
Please meet us at the West Ridge Motel as soon as possible. We need 
your help. No catches. I promise. Sydney." 

He read the message again. His two sides fought over what to do. Miss 
Parker wanted him caught, and would do anything for that. But what if 
the message was real? 

He picked up his DSA case and left the room. He had to find out.

* * * * 

Broots rose to his feet as the doorbell let out a loud ring. He opened it 
slowly to see Jarod smiling back at him. "It's you," he said uncertainly, 
as if Jarod were an illusion about to disappear. 

Jarod shrugged. "I believe I was invited," he smiled. 

Sydney approached the door at the sound of his voice. "Jarod?" He 
greeted him warmly. "You look well." 

Jarod nodded solemly. "I am." 

They stood in silence for a moment before Broots gestured inside. Jarod 
made his way into the room and placed his DSA case on the floor. 
Broots reached for it before Sydney grabbed his arm to stop him. 

"What are you doing?" he hissed angrily. 

Broots shrugged, straightening. "Old habits die hard," he replied, 
embarrassed. 

Jarod nodded. "If anyone makes a move at me, I'm gone," he explained 
strongly. "But if you need my help, I'm here." 

Sydney nodded. "Thank you." He turned to the closed door of Miss 
Parker's room. "Miss Parker?" he called. There was no response. 

He stepped forward but Jarod stopped him. "Let me," he said calmly.  
Sydney nodded, relieved.

* * * * 

Jarod entered the room to find Miss Parker lying on her bed, staring up 
at the ceiling. 

"You came after all," she mumbled, not looking at him. 

He sat down on the bed beside her. "I don't know why I'm here, but I 
do want to help," he said gently. 

She closed her eyes. "Jarod, what did it feel like that day? When you 
saw your mother and then, she was gone?" she asked, her voice soft 
and emotional. "When it seemed like everything you ever wanted was 
right there and then it got taken away before you could get to it?"  

He began to realize what she was talking about. "You found out 
something about your mother, didn't you?" he asked. 

She nodded. "Did you ever see my mother die, Jarod?" she asked 
quietly. 

"No I diddn't." His voice was soft and reassuring. 

"If you don't know what I'm talking about," she reached up and placed 
the three notebooks on his lap, "These will explain a lot."

He nodded. "Everything will be all right," he whispered, squeezing her 
hand. 

She sat up and lit another cigarette. "Just read," she, replied blowing 
out a mouthful of smoke.

* * * * 

Jarod placed the last book down on the table and looked up to his 
waiting audience. "Well?" Sydney prompted as he sat there silently. 

Jarod raised his eyebrows. "I can see why these almost got you killed." 
He turned to Miss Parker. "And why they got you so upset." 

She shook her head at him. "Can you help us find her or not?" she 
asked impatiently. 

He smiled, seeing an opportunity. "I'll make you a deal," he grinned. 

"Oh? And what would that be?" she asked dryly. 

"You stop hunting me, I help you," he said simply. "Take it or leave 
it." 

Sydney took a deep breath. "Jarod, if we aren't someone else will be," 
he sighed. 

Jarod shook his head. "Not if we do it my way." 

"Your way?" Broots cut in. 

Jarod turned to him and smiled. "My way," he repeated calmly. 

"Oh? And what exactly does your way involve?" Miss Parker quizzed 
cynically. 

"Everything has a means to an end," Jarod began. "If we look for your 
mother, sooner or later we'll all get found, and subsequently killed. If 
we find your mother before we get found all of us including her will 
end up dead. But if we bring The Centre down first, there wouldn't be 
anyone left to chase us." He smiled. 

Sydney raised his eyebrows. "Are you suggesting we stop The Centre all 
together?" he asked, shocked. 

"Well it isn't exactly helping anyone." Jarod looked around at all of 
them. "Any objections?" 

The table was silent.

* * * * 

"Ok, here's the plan." Jarod began looking around the table at his 
audience. "We could bring The Centre down if the FBI knew about 
right? That way no-one would get hurt but everything would get taken 
care of." 

Broots shook his head. "If you're planning to link computers or 
anything, it won't work." Everyone stared at him incredulously. He 
shrugged. "I get bored in that office alone." 

Jarod smiled, then continued. "Actually I was thinking more of getting 
to them from inside the FBI." 

"How do you expect to do that?" Sydney asked softly. 

Jarod raised his eyebrows and Sydney laughed. "I forgot, you can be 
anything you want to be." 

Miss Parker looked between them, confused. "You're going to become 
an FBI agent?" she asked sternly. 

Jarod shrugged. "Well, I have done it before." He smiled. "Twice." 

Sydney laughed softly. "As long as you're sure you know what you're 
doing Jarod." 

Jarod patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry about 
me," He looked to Miss Parker. "I know how hard it is not knowing 
about your family." 

She closed her eyes and looked away, not wanting to face what he was 
silently asking. He nodded at her unspoken response and stood up, 
heading for the door. "I'll be back by tonight," he smiled as he turned to 
go. "Don't wait up."  He opened the door and stepped outside. Miss 
Parker watched him go, thanking him silently.

* * * * 

Jarod sat down in front of the large computer and took a deep breath. 
He began to type quickly, logging online with the message that would 
finally bring an end to The Centre. He linked as much information he 
could from The Centre without having to fight his way through it's 
intricate mainframe. He knew that doing that would ultimately lead to 
them being tracked down before justice took effect. 

He typed the final line, exposing, of many things, a faked death. He hit 
enter confidently, a smile creeping across his lips as the information 
signaled it had been entered. He sat up higher on his chair and looked 
to the agent's desk in front of his. He sat back down and began to type 
again. Someone was about to receive a very important document.

* * * * 

When he returned to the room it was dark. He pushed the door open 
and stepped inside as silently as he could as not to wake anyone. He 
flipped on a small light in the middle of the room and became aware of 
a female figure sitting, watching him from the shadows. 

He smiled at her. "I told you not to wait up." 

She shook her head. "I had to talk to you." She moved down on the 
couch to give him room. He came and sat down beside her awkwardly. 
The last time he had sat beside her he had been a captive. 

She blew out a mouthful of smoke. "I don't know about your parents 
Jarod," she stated. He struggled not to cough at the smell of the smoke 
and nodded. Somewhere deep inside he had always expected that she 
had known, and that she had been keeping it from him. In a way that 
was what he hoped, it gave him a reason to believe it may still exist. 

"I guess I shouldn't have expected you to," he said finally. His voice 
was controlled as was hers. 

She put out her cigarette. "Why are you doing this Jarod?" she asked, 
her voice childlike and confused. "Why should you trust us?" 

He smiled softly. "If you have to trust everything in life you never 
begin to live." He turned to her. "Like I said before, I know how it 
feels." 

She seemed almost angry at his kindness. "But what's in it for you?" 
She asked, suspicious of the nature of kindness. 

He smiled. "Those red notebooks I left you, did you read them?" he 
asked. She nodded. "What did I get out of helping all those people 
except the simple joy of helping someone." 

She stared at him blankly as if she had didn't understand. He 
continued, "Have you ever done something for someone, no matter 
how small, that gave you at least as much joy as it did them? It made 
you feel really special, like you had the power to make a difference." 

She shook her head at him coldly. "Never." 

He smiled. "Yes, you did, I remember." She closed her eyes as he lead 
her into the memory. "You were 12 years old and The Centre had just 
had a great deal of animals shipped in to be used in tests they were 
about to perform. When all the crates full of the rabbits and mice were 
brought inside you got to them somehow and you let them out. You 
didn't care how much of a risk you took going there, or what would 
happen if they caught you. It didn't matter anyway. The feeling you 
had when those innocent animals ran free made you feel like you 
could fly." 

She smiled. "Daddy was so mad about that," she laughed softly. "He 
never did find out I did it though." 

Jarod smiled at her and she smiled back. "You know what, Jarod?" She 
whispered, the smile never leaving her lips. "I think I finally 
understand you."

* * * * 

Broots ran into Jarod's room, waking him with a start. "Jarod, you 
have to see this!" he grinned, running back into the lounge. 

Jarod sat up and rubbed his eyes to wake himself up, then pulled on a 
shirt and followed Broots. His attention was quickly drawn to the 
television, alive in the corner of the room. He smiled as the news 
report continued. "The FBI is continuing investigations after the arrest 
and closure of a non government research facility located in Blue Cove 
Delaware. The FBI was sent an anonymous message containing 
information about the illegal research and exploitation of child 
geniuses by this facility known only as "The Centre". Back to you 
Keith." 

The news report ended and Jarod smiled. Everyone was laughing 
happily at the news. He opened his arms as they all hugged him tightly, 
their gratitude evident. 

He pulled away and smiled knowingly. "Well, now, ont o step two."

* * * * 

There was a loud knock on the hotel room door. Miss Parker got to her 
feet and opened it slowly. A delivery man stood before her carrying a 
small box. "Miss Parker?" he queried. 

She nodded. "That's right." 

He passed her the box and a form to sign. She signed it quickly and 
thanked him, stepping back inside the room. 

Jarod looked up from the computer. "What is it?" 

She shrugged. "It's light." 

She sat down on the couch as Broots, Jarod, and Sydney watched as if 
they were about to see an ancient secret unraveled for the first time. 
Miss Parker looked up at them slowly. "Do you mind?" she asked 
condescendingly. 

Jarod shook his head. "Not at all, what's in it?" 

She sighed and raised its lid slowly. Inside the box sat a single yellow 
rose. She lifted it up gently and stared at it for a moment. 

"A yellow rose?" Broots said softly, wondering what the connection 
was. 

She took a deep breath and looked up at them. "This was my mother's 
favorite sort of flower," she smiled, her eyes a swirling pool of 
confused emotions. 

Sydney raised his eyebrows. "Is there anything else with it?" he asked 
softly, not having taken his eyes off the flower. 

Miss Parker looked back down into the box and pulled out a small note. 
"A card," she said, picking it up to read it. "With an address," she 
finished, her voice alive with new found hope. 

Jarod smiled happily. "It looks like the search has come to us."

* * * *

The car came to a stop in front of a small brick house. They all leaned 
towards the window and stared at the house outside. "Is that it?" Miss 
Parker asked softly. 

Jarod nodded. "That's it." 

They all sat there for a moment before Miss Parker spoke again. "I'm so 
nervous," she mumbled softly, fumbling with the door handle. 

Jarod put his hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Good luck," he 
whispered softly. She smiled back and got out of the car. There was 
someone very special she had to meet.

* * * * 

She stepped up to the door and took a deep breath. She placed her hand 
on the light brown door and knocked softly. Her stomach churned with 
curious excitement and her heart beat faster than it ever had before. 

She heard footsteps approach the door quickly and the handle began to 
turn. Everything seemed to slow down as the door creaked open. She 
held her breath, waiting in frightened anticipation of what she may 
find behind it. 

A lady stepped into full view and Miss Parker gasped. She had long red 
hair, its color matching her own and her eyes shone with sensitive 
recognition at seeing her again. Miss Parker opened her mouth to 
speak but no words would show themselves as she continued to stare, 
dumbfounded at this older image of herself. 

Finally the lady smiled at her, her face aglow with long lost joy. Miss 
Parker smiled back, her heart aflutter at this woman she never thought 
she'd see again. 

Finally her words escaped, words she never thought she'd say again. 
"Mum?" Her voice broke with emotion as the woman nodded in 
recognition. 

Catherine reached out to her and embraced her in a strong motherly 
hug. "You found the truth at last." Catherine's words were clouded by 
gentle sobs. Their tears flowed as one as they cried that day, but for the 
first time either of them could remember, they were not tears of 
sadness, but of joy. 

And as they stood and cried of lost things found a man watched from 
the car nearby and he smiled.

 The end....For now