******

Nikita sailed through everything on the FBI in a couple of hours, andrewrote Broots' program to get into any system in 30 minutes, and adaptedit to break into Jarod's computer in 10 minutes. She also broke into thetriumvirates email account and was monitoring all emails in the Centre.She intercepted an email from the triumvirate to Raines. She also did adiscreet search (off screen) on the articles Raines had given her aboutthe people Jarod had murdered. They were all alive and well. This infuriatedher. Why had Raines lied to her- did he think she would bring him in onlyif he was a monster? Maybe she could get something out of Sydney.

"I'm done." she said to Sydney.

"Fascinating." Sydney said, leaning over Nikita's shoulder.

I have never worked with another pretender before now. You seem to havea more developed intuition than Jarod."

"Tell me about him." she said, testing him.

"What do you want to know? I've already told you everything I can thinkof ." He said shrugging.

Nikita reached over and turned the camera off. She turned her back tothe surveillance camera that was in the corner, lifted up her shirt andpointed to the wire that was taped to her stomach. " We're being listenedto. And we're being watched. " She mouthed, nodding in the direction ofthe surveillance camera. She ripped the wire off her stomach and removedher shirt and said into the bug, " sorry Raines, I'd like some privacynow." She crushed the bug under her feet and led Sydney over to the bedand threw her shirt at him. "Wait here." She teased.

She walked over to the surveillance camera and waved to it, "Bye, wheezy,see you in an hour or so." She added a little message to Lyle before unplugingit from the wall.

She did a quick scan of the room to make sure she hadn't missed anybugs, and patted Sydney down before she went back over to the bed. Sydneysat amused, and handed her back her shirt.

"Where did you learn that?" He asked, still amused.

"I saw a movie on laser disk on the plane. Ms Parker called it sex Ed101? Whatever that means. "

"Ha, that sounds like Ms Parker ".

"I need to talk to you ," she sat down next to him, about to put hershirt back on; when Ms Parker and Broots opened the door.

"Aaah." Everyone screamed in unison. Nikita wrestled with her shirtand pulled it back on. Everyone was quiet for a second, and then all hellbroke loose. Broots was the first to say something.

"Ms Parker..." Broots pointed at them with his mouth open wide, "....youwere right. And look?" he said, pointing at the cameras.

"This isn't how it looks." Nikita and Sydney said.

"The video." Nikita explained. "He was just trying to see if I'm betterthan Jarod."

"Oh my god." Ms Parker screamed, throwing her hands up, turning herhead away. "No wonder Jarod is so screwed up.

"No, that came out wrong " Sydney said.

"Nikita, I didn't want you to try what I showed you on the first guyyou saw ". Ms Parker yelled.

"And what did you show her? " Broots accused with a grin, " a littlemanage `a Parker? ".

"Oh you are dead." She glared at Broots, " later ". "First, you two...."She said trying to calm herself and the situation down. "....what the hellis going on?"

"I was just trying to distract Raines so that I could speak privatelywith Sydney. He said if I wanted any, uhumhh, privacy I could unplug fora couple hours. I didn't want it to look suspicious " she said.

"Um, sweetie, do you call jumping on Sydney inconspicuous? " Ms Parkerwas exasperated. " but what the hell is Raines doing bugging us? ".

"I guess I'd better talk to all of you; this concerns all of you. "

"Well, what is it? " Ms Parker asked.

"I'll tell you if you tell me why the Centre really wants Jarod back".

"You see, " Ms Parker opended her coat, revealing her gun. " I don'tthink you are in any position to bargain " She said pointing the gun atNikita.

"Actually, I am " She said. "Only I know how to decrypt the email file.All his dirty little secrets die with him. And besides...." Nikita grabbedMs Parker's gun and pointing it at her head. "Boom." She said pulling thetrigger. "I removed your firing pin."

"Give me that." Ms Parker grabbed the gun from her. "And my pin." Sheheld out her hand.

"Here." She handed it over.

"Fine."

Ms Parker said. " I'll play your little game. But if you are lying-just to mess with me" she grabbed her wrist. " I may not have authorityto kill you, but I can make your stay very unpleasant."

"Okay." Nikita said printing out the email on the computer. " this isfrom the triumvirate to Mr. Raines" she said, handing a copy to each ofthem.

Ms Parker read over the file, first impatiently, then completely engrossed;her expression fell and she slumped onto the bed. " Daddy." She whispered."Oh my god, if we bring back Jarod" she said. Blinking back tears, Parkerstared at the rest of them. She let the email drop from her hand. "We willjust be 'confirming suspicions of sabotage of the Jarod capture' ." shequoted the email. Everyone else sat quiet. " That son-of-a-bitch " sheseperated each syllable. " Raines is going to serve up my father to thetriumvirate." her expression hardened.

"And we're the appetizer." Broots added. The termination list included
them.

"Not if we get to him first." Ms Parker looked up at the rest with cruelsmile. "I'll personally dismember Raines for the Centre. "

"Thank you, Nikita " Ms Parker said, wiping away her tears and gaveNikita a hug, still in a little shock from the news. Ms Parker took a deepbreath. " Sydney, you tell her " Parker looked over at the older man.

" The Centre wants Jarod because he is a pretender, just like you ".

"And . . .? " Nikita probed.

" That's all " Sydney assured her.

" Nikita, have you ever wondered what the Centre does with all of thatresearch you churn out like a little rat in a wheel?" Ms Parker asked.

"They use it to develop new drugs and make significant leaps for thegood of humankind." Nikita said as if she had rehearsed it; as if she hadwondered it, as if she was half asking.

"And did they tell you this before or after they locked you up and threwaway the key?" Ms Parker raised her eyebrow in a doubting manner.

Nikita was silent.

"And did they tell you how you got to the Centre? Let me guess the storkbrought you? " She snorted.

"My parents were killed in a car crash when I was 4 " tears came toher eyes.

"I was an only child, no other family. The Centre took me in. If itweren't for them . . . "

"So what, you think you owe them? Let me tell you something, you don't
owe anyone anything."

"Nikita." Sydney said " I talked to Jarod. He told me that he thoughtthe Centre might be responsible for your parents death."

"What?" Nikita demanded. "Why do you believe him? Ten minutes ago yousaid that he was a psycho killer. How do I know whom to trust? This couldbe another simulation, to test my loyalty to the Centre." She looked aroundher for any surveillance equipment " I may not even be in Texas."

"Relax, Nikita. God, what kind of hell have they put you through? Lookat me. Everything Raines told you about Jarod is a lie. He would nevertell you something about your family just to torment you. He's lookingfor his family".

"So we can trust Jarod?" tears filled her eye, threatening to escape.

Everything she had known was a lie, her reality was slipping away fromher.

"Yes, sweetie, we can." She took Nikita into her arms and held her." I won't let Raines hurt you anymore, I promise."

Nikita was crying heavier now, but she seemed to be comforted by MsParker's reassurance.

"Come on, its getting late." Ms Parker said.

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep? " Nikita asked, her eyespleading.

"Of course." She helped Nikita into bed and tucked her in.

She motioned to Broots and Sydney to leave.

She leaned down to the younger woman's side and brushed back her hairin a maternal manner.

"We can work out a new plan tomorrow, okay?". Ms Parker gave her a gentlekiss on the forehead. She was asleep in minutes.

She quietly left the room and went over to Broots' and Sydney's room.

"Hey." they said answering the door.

"How's she doing?" Sydney asked.

"She's asleep " Ms Parker replied.

"What the hell are you doing Ms Parker? " Sydney asked in a neutralmanner.

"I have no idea." She responded. ' It's what my mother would have done'she thought.

"But we better figure out a way to save our butts; maybe we give Jaroda get out of jail free card " she entertained the thought aloud.

"Are you suggesting that we help Jarod." Broots asked, lowering hisvoice as if someone might be listening, even he knew no one was there.

"I never thought I'd hear you trying to help Jarod." Sydney said.

"Yeah, well there need to be some changes at the Centre " Parker halfglared, half smirked at the two before returning to her room.

******
 
 
 

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Part 3