"Hello. Sydney?"

 

    "Hello, Jarod."

 

    "Are you sure no one is listening in?"  Jarod asked.

 

    "I had Broots take care of that last week.  It should be a few days before anyone notices.  Until then, there should be no problem."  Sydney assured him.

 

    "So, Sydney, what's are your mind?  I assume this isn't going to be a friendly chat."

 

    "No, Jarod. I'm afraid it isn't.  Our friend Mr. Lyle is up to something.  He's in a small town in Sunnydale.  He was sent there to seduce a young witch, to convince her to help The Centre with something.  We don't know what.  Broots think it's some sort of spell.  That would be bad enough, but I fear that if she does indeed do the spell, the Centre might want her for more than that.  You know how Raines is with his experiments."

 

    There was a pause.  Then Jarod spoke, "I'm sorry, but did you say a witch?"

 

    Sydney sighed.  He didn't really have time for this. "Yes, Jarod.  Witches, vampires, demons, they're all real."  He hoped that Jarod would just accept it and move on.

 

    There was another long pause. "Okay.... This is interesting."

 

    "Look, Jarod. I want you to help.  I can't afford to get directly involved with this.  Her name is Willow Rosenberg.  She's a college student.  She's only 21 years old."

 

    "What's the time frame?  I'm working on something now.  It could be a few more weeks."  Jarod didn't want to leave what he was working on, but he didn't want to see another innocent life ruined by The Centre.

 

    "From what Broots could figure out, Lyle will be in Sunnydale for a few more months.  He apparently needs to build a relationship with her; get her to trust him.

 

    "That would give me time, but what about The Centre?  Will I arrive in Sunnydale, only to be greeted by a sweeper team?"  Jarod trusted Sydney, but he knew that Sydney would bring him back to The Centre if he could, or rather; he had to try to catch him.  Who knew what The Centre would do to him if he didn’t.

 

    "They won't hear anything about it from me.  Knowing Lyle, he'll try to bring you in by himself if he can.  He'd only call in others as a last resort.  He's after glory."

 

    Jarod thought for a moment.  "I'll do what I can Sydney."

 

    "Thank you, Jarod."

 

    After hanging up the phone, Sydney let out a sigh of relief.  He hadn't really doubted that Jarod would help, but he was glad to know for sure.  Sydney had worked for The Centre for most of his life.  He didn't like what they did, what he had helped them do. But he knew he couldn't leave.  They simply wouldn't let him. So he stayed.  He chased after Jarod, secretly hoping that they wouldn't catch him.  For a while after Jarod had escaped, Sydney really had wanted to get him back.  He had thought it was best for him.  But as time passed, and as he, Miss Parker, and Broots learned more of The Centre's dark secrets, the happier he was that Jarod managed to evade them all.  He didn't know this Willow Rosenberg, but he didn't want to see another person taken from their family and friends, not if he could somehow stop it.