The Unexpected Guest

Chapter 22

Rated: PG

Spoilers: Season 4

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine. You know the drill.

 

 

The Unexpected Guest

By Nicky

 

Chapter 22

 

 

 

"Mr. Parker, I presume?"  The young auditor offers his hand to the graying man as a formality.  "I'm Leonard Michaels.  I'll be handling the audit today."

 

Mr. Parker stares at the young man with some surprise.  He was expecting someone older.  Someone who knew the history of the Centre.  Someone who knew of the arrangement the Centre had with the government.  But it didn't worry him too much.  There have been times in the past where the auditors have been just like this man here.  New.  Young.  And eager to take his job seriously.  But just the type to take a bribe or meet with an unfortunate 'accident'.

 

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Michaels.  I was expecting one of your colleagues.  The man who usually does our audits.  Did something happen?" Mr. Parker asks casually.

 

"I'm not at liberty to answer that, Sir.  I think we should begin.  Will the other members of the board be joining us, or will it just be you and me?" the auditor asks.

 

"I guess it's just us," Mr. Parker replies.  He was a bit surprised at that.  Usually, this was the one time when the rest of the Triumvirate made some sort of appearance, be it in person or by way of their lawyers.  But he hadn't heard a word from any of them. 

 

Mr. Parker leads the man on a brief tour of the Centre facilities.  Visiting only the areas that make the Centre seem like a legitimate research facility.  He ends the tour in the computer room, where he fearlessly allows the man to start searching the database.  He had nothing to fear.  The masking program worked in the past.  There was no reason for him to worry now.  He leaves the auditor to do his work and heads back to his own office.  When he arrives, he finds the door slightly ajar. 

 

"I thought I closed this," he mumbles.

 

"You did," a voice surprises him.  He looks up and sees his daughter standing behind his desk, next to his chair.  He's angry at first. Then shocked that she'd have the nerve to show up again after escaping.  But then is relieved to have something back that he wants more than anything.

 

"Angel.  You came back.  You had me worried," he says.

 

"We have some unfinished business. . . " she starts.

 

"Oh, don't worry about that right now," he tells her.  "We need to get you some place where you can rest.  You need to keep up your strength."

 

"Daddy, what are you talking about?" she asks, genuinely confused.  "Actually, it doesn't really matter.  I came here for one reason.  And that's to tell you that I'm leaving.  You need to fulfill my end of the bargain, because I fulfilled mine." 

 

The chair turns around and reveals the Centre's much sought after prize.  Mr. Parker's mouth drops wide open when he sees Jarod sitting in the chair.

 

"You wanted Jarod, you got him.  Now it's time to let me go," she spits out.

 

"Not so fast," Mr. Parker stops her.  He's grinning from ear to ear, not sure what he did to deserve these treats.  Both Jarod and his daughter.  The keys to his future.  He would be unstoppable now.  "What if I don't need Jarod anymore?"

 

"What do you mean?"  Miss Parker asks him.  What was he thinking?  This wasn't part of the plan.  They didn't expect him to refuse taking Jarod in.  What does he know that they don't know?  Why wouldn't he need Jarod anymore.

 

"He thinks you can give him something better than me," Jarod says.  "And it must be pretty important for him to all of a sudden risk losing me just to keep you around."

 

"That's ridiculous, Daddy," she laughs.  "I hope didn't believe me what I told you about the other day.  Because it was all a lie.  To get away from you and this place.  I'm sure the test proved it."

 

"Really?  Just a lie?" he asks, looking at his daughter.  Then he turns and sees Jarod nervously assessing the situation.  "You look kind of nervous over there, Jarod.  What's on your mind?"

 

"Let her go.  Let her walk away now and you can have me," he offers.

 

Miss Parker and her father both stare at Jarod and are speechless.  Miss Parker is shocked because Jarod just deviated completely from the plan.  Mr. Parker just smiles again because he knows now that he has them both right where he wants them.  It's obvious that Jarod loves his daughter very much and would do anything to protect her.

 

"Sorry, Jarod.  I don't think I can do that.  My daughter is too precious to me right now.  In fact, I don't think I even need you anymore."  He pulls a gun from his pocket and points it at Jarod.

 

Jarod stands between Miss Parker and her father, pulling his own gun.  He didn't think it would come down to this, but he was glad he brought the gun. He didn't think that he would have to decide whether Mr. Parker lived or died.  But things took an unexpected turn.

 

"You can't have it all, Parker," Jarod warns.  "Either you let her go and I stay here with you.  Or we stand here and kill each other.  You decide.  But, she's not going to stay here.  You cannot have her."

 

Miss Parker stares at both the men and wonders what they know that she doesn't know.  Because all of a sudden, her father seemed determined to keep her at the Centre, with or without Jarod.  And all of a sudden, Jarod seemed determined to get her away from the Centre, forgetting all about their plan.  She just hopes Lyle can take care of his part before things get out of hand here.  Before someone dies.

 

"Would somebody mind telling me what's going on?" she interrupts.

 

"You mean you really don't know?" her father asks incredulously.  "Well, Angel.  It seems like your lie wasn't so much a lie after all."

 

"What do you mean?"  She still has no idea what's going on.

 

"You're pregnant, Honey.  We're going to have a baby," Jarod says, almost on the verge of tears.  "And your father would rather have the baby than me."

 

"Pregnant?" she repeats.  She can hardly believe it.  Sure, she was feeling a little run down.  And a bit queasy at times.  But she didn't think she was actually pregnant.  She just thought it was a touch of the flu.

 

"Just think of what this baby will be able to do, Angel," her father says.  "With you being the mother and Jarod being the father.  And it'll be mine.  My very own super pretender."

 

"You think I'm going to let you have anything to do with my child?" Jarod asks, not believing that Mr. Parker would have the nerve to even think something like that.  "I'd die before I let that happen."

 

"Very well.  If that's the way you feel about it," Mr. Parker sighs, lowering the gun in mock defeat.  "I guess there's nothing I can do to change your mind.  I'm really sorry about this, Angel," he says, looking in her direction.

 

She saw the blood before she heard the shot.  She saw him fall before she heard him scream.  She saw his life flash in his eyes before he shut them one last time.  She saw the good times as well as the bad.  But mostly she saw love.  Love for Kara.  And love for herself.  A love that they shared from childhood.  A love that lasted a life time.

 

"Jarod," she cries.  "Jarod wake up.  Don't leave me now.  Please don't leave me now.  Come back to me, my love,"  she whispers into his ear before breaking down into gut wrenching sobs.  She holds his still body in her arms, rocking him gently as her tears washed his face.  But they couldn't wash away the blood.  The blood covered everything.  A thick river running through her fingers, slowly draining his life away.

 

 

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