Lyle walked into Parker's office. "When were you going to tell me the truth?"
"About what?" she asked.
"About you and Jarod."
"I thought you knew. I just figured Daddy told you like he did everything else."
"Daddy never said anything about you and Jarod. I guess that is one secret he kept. Even when he thought you were dead. He always hoped that someday you would return. He loved you so much and I know he never showed it but he did. You were all he ever talked about. I could never take you place in his heart and believe me I tried. I tried so hard to follow in you footsteps but he did care about me or love me as much as he did you."
Parker looking into her brother's eyes wasn't sure if he was telling the truth. She just sat there listening not saying a word.
Then Lyle said, "Well, I guess I better go." He turned to walk out and Parker said, "Lyle."
"Yes." he said as he turned back to face her.
"I thought I could never live up to you in daddy's eyes." she said as she looked him in the eye. He turned back around and walked out. Parker sat there a minute and tried to soak up what Lyle had just said. She gets up and walks to Sydney's office.
"Syd, can we talk?" she asked as she walked in.
"Always, you know that." he answered.
"Lyle just left my office."
"Oh, I see." he mumbled under his breath.
"What?" she asked as she heard a noise come from him.
"Nothing, go on." he replied.
"Well, do you think my father loved me?"
"Yes, he loved you."
"I mean, do you think he really loved me?"
"Yes. Why?" he asked again.
"Because of something Lyle said. I think he is playing mind games with me."
"Parker, your father did love you. I know he didn't always show it the way a father is supposed to but he did." Sydney paused for a moment. He got up from his chair and walked over to her. "You really shouldn't let him get to you."
"I know Syd, but I want to believe he has changed. I do but I don't know what to believe anymore. After all he is my brother whether on not I like it."
"I know you do." he said softly.
"Thanks Syd." Parker gave her older friend a hug.
"For what?" he said.
"For listening." she replied softly.
Broots comes running in. "Parker, Parker." he yelled.
"What is it, Broots?"
"There is something here you should see."
"Well, where is it?"
Broots handed her some folders. One was her, one was Jarod's, and another one belong to someone else. She looked the papers inside. "You are going to have to help me out here, Broots. I don't understand this mess."
"It's genetic make up."
"I can see that but who does it belong to and where did you get it?"
"Look closer at it and I got it from Lyle's desk." he said lowering his voice. He knew she was going to upset when she found out.
"I am but I don't understand this." she replied.
Broots stood behind her shoulder. He points at some of the make up on the paper. "Here, look at Jarod's. Then yours."
"Yeah."
"Now that one."
Sydney looking over her shoulder also says, "Damn. Lyle is going to finish what Raines started."
"Who's is this?" Parker quickly asked. She was scared of the outcome.
"Well, the best I can tell. It belongs to one of your children but I don't know which one." Broots said as he lowered his voice again.
"Since Raines was working on an experiment on a male child. It could be Kyle." Sydney said with his hand on his head. He paced for a moment.
"Hell no. I will kill him." Parker said as she stomped off carrying the folders. She runs into Lyle in the hall. "What in the hell is this?" she yells at him. She shoved the folders in his face.
"What is this?" he said as he took them from her.
"Don't play dum with me Lyle. I wanted to believe you had changed. Now, I see it was all an act."
"I don't know what you are talking about?" he asked so innocently.
"You know damn well what I am talking about."
He flipped through the folders and said, "Parker, I have changed. I am a different person now. I don't know where you got this but they are not mine. I have never seen them before now."
"Listen, that little 'I have changed' bit doesn't work on me like it did daddy. Let me tell you something little brother." Parker grabbed him by his collar and pushed him against the wall. "You touch my kids or my husband and you WILL go down. Do you hear me? And that's not a threat, it's a promise. So I suggest if you like breathing, you don't try it." Parker let go of him and stepped back. She grabbed the folders from him and walked off.
Broots and Sydney, who saw the whole thing, walked up to Lyle. Broots said, "She will do it. I hope you are not in the mood to die." He turned to leave.
Lyle quickly said, "I'm not afraid of her."
Sydney said, "I would be, if I was you." He turned and walked off with Broots.
Sydney found Parker in her office. She was staring out the window. "Parker." Sydney said softly.
"What?" she snapped back.
"You know, I won't let him touch your kids. They are like my own."
"Damn right he won't touch them. I will kill him first, Syd."
"I know you will, Parker. Come on, let's call it a day. I think you should go home."
"I can't."
"Why?" he asked confused.
"I have to see what Lyle is up to. Besides, Jarod and the kids won't be home until later."
"Then go home and relax before they return."
"Yeah, I guess you are right." she answers. She gathers up her things and Sydney walks her out. She gets in her car and heads for home. When she arrives there, she pours herself a drink.
"I haven't done this in a while." she tells herself. She sits down on the couch and places the cold, wet glass to her forehead. She takes a deep breath. "Lyle, what are you up too?" she asked herself. After a while of sitting there, thinking, she decided on a long, hot bubble bath. While she is the tub soaking she hear Jarod and the kids come in.
"Melissa, where are you?" Jarod asked. He knew she had to be home her car was out there.
"I'm in here." she yelled from the bathroom.
Jarod opened the door to find her soaking in the tub. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to forget about today." she answered in a tired voice.
"Rough day." he said as he walked over to her. He gave her a kiss and whispered, "When you get out, I bet I can help you forget it."
She smiled at him and said, "I'll take you up on that." She kissed his lips. He went back to the door amd left. She watched him as he shut the door.
"Where's mommy?" Catherine asked.
"Taking a bath. She will be out in a minute."
"I want to give her something. Something I made for her." Catherine said.
"You can give it to her when she gets out."
It wasn't long until Parker came out in her bath robe. Catherine picked up the folders from the coffee table. "What's this?" she said.
"Catherine, that belongs to mommy. Give them here." Parker snapped.
"I'm sorry, mommy." she quickly cried.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way." Parker said as she went over to her daughter. She gave her a hug. She dried her tears.
Jarod walked over to her and said, "Why don't you go relax some more and I will take care of the kids?"
Parker looked up at Jarod. "I'm sorry, Jarod. I didn't mean to take it out on you or the kids."
"I know. It's okay. Go rest." he said softly.
Parker went into the bedroom. Jarod got the kids settled and ready for bed. "You have an hour before bedtime." he said. "Don't mess anything up. I am going to check on mommy."
"Okay daddy." Catherine and Kyle said.
Jarod went into the bedroom. "Are you going to tell me what happened in there?"
"Jarod, I don't know what happened in there." she quickly responded.
Jarod said, "Lay down."
"What?"
"You heard me. I told you I was going to help you relieve the stress so, lay down." Parker laid down on the bed. Jarod began to mesage her back.
She let out a moan. "That feels good." she answered.
"Take off your robe so, I can massage you better." he said.
"Jarod, what if the kids come in?"
"What? We are not doing anything bad."
"Yeah, but I'm not wearing anything."
"Well, put this on." He handed her a shirt. She slipped it on and Jarod began it rub her again. He bent down and kissed her neck. His hands began to wander from the back of her back to her sides and toward the front. Then there was a knock at the door. "Yeah." Parker yelled.
"Mommy, can I come in?" Catherine said.
"Yes." she answered.
Jarod quickly removed his hands from Parker's front and began to mesage her back again. When Catherine walked in. "Mommy, I almost forgot. I made this for you." She handed her picture.
"Thank you." she said as Jarod kept on massaging her back.
"Will lay it beside those folders over there and hand them to me?" Parker asked.
"Sure, mommy." she answered.
"Jarod, I have something to show you." she said as Catherine brought them to her. Parker sat up in the bed. Catherine laid them down and a picture of Lyle fell out. Catherine said, "Mommy, I know that man."
"Are you sure?" Parker asked confused.
"Yeah, he came to my school." she quickly answered.
Parker looked at Jarod funny. Then said to Catherine, "Honey, if you see this man again, don't talk to him. Don't even go near him, okay."
"Okay, mommy." she said.
"What's this about?" Jarod asked.
"I will explain it in a minute." she told him. Looking back at her daughter, "Now, Catherine if he comes back there or tries to talk to you, you have someone call me and get away from him as quickly as you can. Do you hear me?"
"Yes. Mommy." she said. "Can I go to bed now?"
"Yes. Give me kisses." she replied. Catherine gave her a kiss. She watched her daughter leave.
"What is going on?" Jarod asked.
"Look at this." she said as she handed him the folder. Jarod looked through it and said, "Honey, do you know who this one belongs to?"
"No, one of our kids. I supose. Why?"
"Catherine." he said. There was a short pause. Then he said again, "Catherine is going to be the next pretender."
"What?" Parker asked while looking over his shoulder.
"There is no doubt that she could be but not the way he wants her to be. I will kill him if he tries to hurt her."
"You will have to wait in line because if I get to him first there may not be anything left of him that even remotely resembles a human being." she said menacingly.
Jarod just looked at her. "What?" she said again.
"I knew you could be evil but I never thought I would see you like this. You know, so over protective of a child."
"Not any child, Jarod. My child."
Before Jarod could comment on that, Catherine walked in. "Mommy, we are ready for bed. Are you coming to tuck us in?"
"Yes, honey. I will be right there." Parker said as she left Jarod's side. She followed Catherine to her bedroom. She tucked her in and gave her a kiss. Then she went into Kyle's room. She tucked him and gave him a kiss also. Then she went back to Jarod's side.
Jarod was still looking over the folders. "Baby, we have to be over protective of her and the other two for a while. Just until we find out what he is up to."
"I know." she answered. She yawned.
Jarod said seeing her yawn, "Why don't we go to bed? We can finish this later." He gave her a kiss and turned out the light. She curled up next to him and fell asleep shortly afterwards.
**********
The next morning she got ready for work and Jarod got Catherine ready for school. Parker dropped her off on her way in. She called Sam.
"Hello." he answered on the other end.
"Sam, I need a favor."
"Sure, Parker." he said.
"I need you to watch Catherine. You know, be her personal bodyguard. Will you do that for me?"
"I sure will." he said.
"Thanks." Parker answered.
"Don't mention it." he said before hanging up.
Sam watched Catherine at school for several days. Then one day, Jarod called his wife at work.
"What?"
"Honey, did you have Sam pick up Catherine?"
"No, I thought you were."
"Well, I am here and she's not." Jarod said worried.
"I will see if Lyle is around here. I will call you back." She ended the call. Broots walked in. "Have you seen Lyle lately?" she asked.
"No. Why?"
"Broots, you take a sweeper team and search the upper floors for Lyle. I will find Sydney and we will search the lower ones."
"Why?"
"Broots, I don't have time. Just do it." she yelled.
"Okay, okay." he said as he left her office.
She found Sydney. They went from one floor to another searching for Lyle.
**********
Lyle was sitting at a table watching Catherine. He could tell she was scared but was trying not to show it. Then he said, "Do you know who I am?"
"No, my mommy told me to stay away from you."
"Well, your mommy is my sister."
"Your my uncle." she said confused.
"Yeah. I am your uncle Lyle."
Catherine looked at him funny. "Mommy never said she had a brother."
"I guess she tried to forget about me. I hope you don't do that to you brother."
"I love my brother." she quickly answered.
"That's good. You should." Lyle got up and walked closer to her. "Catherine." He paused for a moment.
"Yes." she answered. She looked at him again. She started to move away from him as he got closer.
"Don't be afraid." he said as he watched her move.
"I don't know you. Mommy told me not to speak to strangers."
"That is a good lesson but I'm not a stranger. I am your uncle." he said patiently.
"When is my mommy getting here?"
"Oh, I'm sure she is on her way now." he said.
He grabbed her. "Let me go." she yelled.
"I told you I'm not going to hurt you. I want us to play a little game. When we are through, you can see your mommy." he said. He hoped that would calm her.
"What kind of game?" she asked.
"Well, a mind game. Do you like mind games?"
"It depends on what kind of mind game." she answered.
"You will like this one. Close your eyes."
"I don't want to close my eyes."
"If you don't close your eyes you won't get to hurry back to your mother." Lyle said.
Catherine closed her eyes as Lyle talked to her.
*********
Sydney said, "What about sub level 27? You know that was Raines' playground."
"Let's go." Parker said. They headed down there. When they got there she saw Lyle. "Lyle!" she yelled.
Catherine looked over his shoulder and yelled, "Mommy!"
"Let go of her." Parker yelled again.
Lyle turned to face Parker. He was holding on to Catherine. She squirmed until she got lose him. She ran over to her mother.
"You know, Parker, you should tell your daughter she has an uncle."
"You are not her uncle." Parker replied back. Catherine held onto her mother tight. Jarod, Sam, and Broots come running in there.
"Lyle!" Jarod said. "I'm going to kill you."
Parker turned around to see Jarod and said "Wait. I have a better idea. Broots, you take Catherine and wait for me."
"But mommy."
"It's okay. Mommy will be okay. Uncle Broots will take care of you."
"Broots gets to be her uncle and me, your flesh and blood doesn't?"
"I have told you before and I will tell you again, Broots is more a brother to me than you ever will be. And as far as the flesh and blood, we may have had the same mother but you will never be my brother." Parker backed him against the wall. Sam came over there. He and Jarod pushed him down in a chair and tied him down.
Jarod turned to his wife. "This idea you had. What is it?"
She pulled out her gun. She looked at it. "Sam, do you have your gun?"
Sam pulled out his gun. She removed all the bullets but one. She spun the revoir around and shut it. She pointed it at Lyle. He began to sweat. He knew what was coming. "Wait. This is to easy. Sam." she said as she turned back to him.
"Yeah." he answered.
"Do you have a knife?"
"I sure do." he said as he handed it to her. She opened the blade and looked at it carefully. She handed the gun back to him. Then walked back toward Lyle. "Lyle, the way I see it. We are going to play a little game."
"Honey, wait."
"Not now Jarod. I'm a little busy."
"But honey..."
"Jarod."
"Okay." he said. He turned back toward Sydney.
Parker walked around Lyle and looked at him. "First things first, what were you going to do with my daughter?"
"I was just talking to her." he quickly responded. He watched her every move.
"I don't like that answer." she said as she pressed the knife into his skin.
"Ow." he yelled out.
"Once again, what were you going to do with my daughter?"
"Nothing." he responded again.
"Honey, I don't think he understands this game." Jarod quickly said.
"Oh, he is going to understand it in a minute." she replied. "Okay, next question. Where did you get the folders?"
"I told you. They were not mine."
She took the knife and pressed it harder into his skin. She time she cut him with it. Lyle wanted to yell as he saw the blood coming out but wouldn't.
"Okay, since you don't want to talk I guess we will have to try something else." She moved the knife down his chest and passed his waist. She pressed it into his groan area. Lyle looked up at her with sweat running down his face. He quickly said, "I got them from daddy's safe."
"I think you are getting the idea of this game." she said with a laugh. She looked him straight into his eyes, "What were you going to do with my daughter?"
"I was just talking, honest."
"How come I get the feeling you are lying to me?"
"I'm not Parker. Honest. Trust me."
She laughed out loud. "Trust. Now there is a word. Jarod tell him what trust means."
Jarod looked at her and said, "To have faith in."
"That's very good. Now tell him what I think about the word trust."
"She doesn't believe in it."
"That's right." she said with a smile. She took the knife and pointed into his skin again. She looked up into his eyes. "You found out what it was like to lose a thumb. I think you are going to find out what it is like to lose a nut." Then she smiled.
Lyle began to beg. "Please, Parker. I will tell you anything you want to know. Just please don't cut off one of my balls."
"Then tell me what you wanted with my daughter. I am losing patients here."
"Oh, boy. I'm surprised she held them as long as she did. Aren't you Sydney?" Jarod said smiling.
"Yes. I am." he quickly answered Jarod.
"Okay, Parker. I wanted to see if she was like her father."
"You mean, you wanted to experiment on her."
"No. I swear. I wasn't."
"How come I don't believe you?" She pressed the knife harder and harder into his skin, leaving little cut marks.
Lyle began to cry, "Parker, please. I'm telling you the truth."
"Truth. Now there is another word. Jarod." she said.
"Truth, an agreement with fact or reality."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it." he answered.
"Truth and trust now that is two words I surprised you know, Lyle. I guess any idiot knows how to say them but it takes a real genius to know the true meaning of them." she said as she walked around him again. He tried to get up."Where do you think you are going?" She looked down at him again.
He didn't answer. Parker took the knife and shoved into the chair he was sitting in. Lyle closed his eyes as she stabed downward. Parker laughed. He opened his eyes slowly and looked down. The knife was right between his legs. She barely missed him. "I guess today is your lucky day." She turned and walked away.
She pointed at the other sweepers. They went to where Lyle was sitting. They picked him up and carried him off. Parker took Jarod's hand and said, "How did you know where I was."
He turned to her and replied, "I didn't until I saw Sam. I found him in his car knocked out. Then I knew."
They walked into her office. Catherine went running into her mother's arms. "Mommy, are you okay?"
"I should be asking you that." Parker replied.
"I'm fine."
"Catherine, what did I tell you about that man?"
"Mommy, I did run from him, honest. I tried to get away. When I took off there was another man there. He caught me. He told be if I would be good he would take me to you."
"Baby, he only said that to get you to go with him."
"Mommy, I didn't actually go with him. He wouldn't let me go."
"Melissa, leave her alone." Jarod said as he kissed head. "She's safe now and that is what counts."
"I'm sorry. It just I almost lost you today."
"I know mommy. I love you." Catherine said lovingly.
"I love you too. Lets go home." she replied as she held her hand out the door.
After they got home Parker held on tight to all her kids. She didn't want to let them out of her sight. When it got time for bed, she put them in bed with her. Jarod slept on one edge of the bed and Parker on the other. She slept there all night holding them tight.
The End!