Story for the Winter Doldrums Part 2

His voice was one that Broots would never forget, deep and powerful, bordering on almost manical. He didn't feel comfortable leaving Miss Parker alone, but . . . "Broots," he whirled to see who had addressed him, only to find Sydney standing behind him.

"Syd, who is he? What's he want?"

"The he that you are referring to, is the special investigator sent by the triumvirate, Mr. Zedekiah.

"Have a seat, Miss Parker," the man indicated the chair with a sweep of his hand. "I do so appreciate this little meeting, Miss Parker," he smiled, calculated and far from comforting.

"Then get to the point," she said, her eyes narrowing, as Parker drew the chair back and eased into it. She watched as Mr. Zedekiah took a seat in the chair opposite her. It was than that her eyes caught sight of it. On his left ring finger there glistened a gold ring, its face a square of black onyx, but it was the insignia emblazoned in the onyx that sent chills down her spine---the same insignia that was stamped on the butt of the gun responsible for killing her mother. The ring of fire inlaid in red jasper.

"Jarod," he said, softly as his green eyes locked with her blue ones.

"What about Jarod?" Miss Parker replied, locking the ice queen facade in place.

"Tell me about him," Zedekiah said, as he steepled his forefingers and laced the remaining ones together. As the light from her office reflected off the ring, Miss Parker wanted to rush from the chair and ask her own information, but she didn't. She'd play the game, for now.

"What's to tell, he's a pain in my ass," she said, keeping her eyes off the ring.

"Really?" Mr. Zedekiah watched her closely.

"Yes, really," her sarcastic tone wasn't lost on him.

"Let me ask you this, then, do you believe that Jarod killed Mr. Raines?"

"No."

"Why?"

"What do I look like, Jarod's shrink? That's Sydney's position, ask him."

"I have. I got a bellyful of double-talk."

"Look, Mr. Zedekiah, I'm not responsible for Jarod's mental health or even if he's mentally stable. My job is to bring him back."

"Always the huntress, Miss Parker."

"I'm happier when I'm hunting," she spit out and rose from the chair," so, if you will excuse me, this is a big waste of my time. I have work to do."

"Of course, Miss Parker. Oh by the way, would you know where I could find your brother, Mr. Lyle?"

"Haven't a clue. Was it my turn to baby-sit?" Parker reached the door and opened it,"Now, if you will excuse me." She watched as he extricated himself from the leather chair, and headed toward her.

"Happy hunting, Miss Parker."

"Likewise, Mr. Zedekiah." She watched him walk down the corridor, step onto the awaiting elevator, his right hand fiddling with the ring on his left hand. He looked up and smiled as the doors closed silently shut.

"Bastard," she muttered, as she went to find Sydney and Broots.

He knew that she would recognize it, in fact, he had bargained on it. He twisted the gold and onyx ring off of his finger and placed it once again into his pocket, rubbing the skin beneath it. There was no marking, no indentation or change in shading upon his skin to indicate that he had ever worn it. Which was exactly the way that he wanted it to be. It would not do to have the others recognize the insignia as Mr. Raines would have. Reaching for his briefcase, he flicked off the digital recorder inside, stood and looked around the room.

His back had been to the only camera that might have caught the image of the insignia, so he needn't worry about that. Without another word to anyone, Mr. Zedekiah walked out of the room and out of the building.

Out the building and into the awaiting limo. Settling himself on the soft leather, he turned to his companion, and smiled. "Well?" the voice was deep and relaxed.

"She recognized the insignia, and didn't say a word. What to see the fruits of your labor, you deserve to. You're not one of her favorite people, are you?" he chuckled.

"Of course not, she's been dogging me for the last four years, and all I do is leave her tiny clues and hints. She's going to start digging around. Actually, she'll have Broots dig."

"What's she going to find?" Mr. Zedekiah asked as he pulled the ring from his pocket, holding it between his forefinger and thumb.

"That the ring of fire," his companion reached over for it,"has been left at every murder scene. And in a most unusual way too."

"You want her to discover about the brands burned on the murder victims. My god, why?"

"Do you even what the 'ring of fire' signifies, Mr. Zedekiah?"

"You're the genius, you tell me." he said calmly as he returned the ring to his pocket.

"In the Pacific, there's a zone known for its volcanoes, nearly all the active ones, that is until now. You and I, my friend started an eruption that will put Mount St. Helena's to shame."

"You mean. . ." understanding dawning.

"Miss Parker is going to blow," the man leaned back in the seat and instructed the driver to The Regency Hotel in downtown Delaware.

"I'm not sure whether you're a genius, Jarod, or just this side of crazy." Mr. Zedekiah grinned. " She's going to kill you, once she finds out you orchestraed this. You do realize that you will have to tell her, perhaps tomorrow night." The limo stopped in front of the hotel entrance, and Mr. Zedekiah looked at his companion.

"The time's got to be right."

"Four years and you still don't think the time's right." Mr. Zedekiah shook his head, a small smile on his lips.

"With this woman the time is never right," Jarod said to no one, as the limo pulled away from the hotel.

Miss Parker found Sydney and Broots in the lab busy tabulating the results of one of Syd's projects regarding twins. "Broots," she snapped, as she walked into the small office located at the other end of the room.

"Yes, Miss Parker," Broots, said quaking. He recognized the look that was in her eyes.

"I need you to found out anything and everything that you can about Mr. Zedekiah," she turned around, looking Broots in the eye," Now, Broots, now."

Sydney closed the door behind the computer tech, who had high-tailed it out of the office to do Miss Parker's bidding.

"I take it that you met Mr. Zedekiah," Sydney said softly.

"Yes, I met him alright. Arrogant bastard."

"I'd be careful, Parker. Raines was not one of your favorites," Syd held his hand up as she started to protest," You've threatened him many times, Parker. Try not to cross Mr. Zedekiah, or. . . "

"Or I'll end up in front of a t-board accused of murdering Raines, is that what your saying, Syd?" He nodded.

"Then why did Mr. Zedekiah spend the entire time asking about Jarod?"

"He questioned you about Jarod?" Sydney asked, perplexed,"but. . ."

"I told him Jarod was your area of expertise. I'm only trying to bring him back."

"Are you, Parker? Are you really?" Syd questioned.

Jarod stared out the window of the suite, admiring the view of the city, but seeing none of it. The only thing that was clearly visible were the lights and shadows of the buildings; the actual structures were lost in the glare.

His mind went over the conversation with Mr. Zedekiah and he wondered, again, if bringing the man into his plan was a wise move. After little deliberation, he decided it didn't matter. He needed help, and this man was the only one capable. He shook his head and looked down at the black onyx ring. If someone had told him he would one day include a Centre operative in one of his stings, he would have laughed in their face; yet, here he was, doing just that. He was trusting the enemy.

"How long before she realizes that ring probably belongs to your father?"

"Not long," he sighed, "that's the problem. I have to find out, for sure, before she does."

"Did you plant the information that I asked you to?" Jarod said still looking out the window. Zedekiah took a seat on the black sofa and Jarod watched the movement reflected from the window, before turning to look at him.

"Yes, Miss Parker's little computer tech should have all the information regarding one Julian M. Zedekiah. When you meet tomorrow night, she's going to ask . . .You do realize that don't you?"

"Of course, I'm expecting her too." Jarod took a seat in the chair opposite the man, and booted up the laptop on the coffee table.

"Do you know where Major Charles is?" Zedekiah asked.

"Here," Jarod said, raising his dark eyes from the laptop," He's in Delaware and wants to meet with us."

"Where and when?"

"10260 Industrial Parkway. A warehouse. In the morning."

"Cocky, isn't he? I still need to meet with Mr. Parker as well as Mr. Cox and Mr.Lyle," Zedekiah said, his eyes narrowing at the last two names.

"So meet with them after. You may have something to tell them," Jarod grinned," You don't like them much, do you?"

"No!"

"May I ask why?"

"It's personal and between me and them." Jarod nodded.

The two men sat in silence, each engrossed in their own thoughts and mulling over the things that enticed them to join in a partnership. It was obvious that neither trusted the other completely, but, each knew the other was a necessary evil. Jarod looked from Julilan to the laptop, his eyes narrowing only slightly before he forced himself into a blank expression, "If not mistaken those two miscreants should have very nasty headaches as well as matching goose eggs."

"Reveling in others misfortune," Julian answered," And I thought you were the sensitive one in this alliance."

"An alliance formed out of necessity, nothing more," Jarod turned at last to regard him, his smile sly.

"And I thought it was because of my charming personality," Julian returned the gaze with a wicked smile.

"Broots!" Miss Parker snapped.

Broots appeared in the doorway, folder in hand, glancing around the room. "Yesss, Miss Parker," he said.

"Well?" she said curtly.

"Sorry." Broots offered her a sheepish look." I think I have good news, though."

"You've been gone for four hours," Miss Parker scolded."What's your news?"

Broots eyes brightened. He looked from Miss Parker to Sydney expectantly, apperently hoping to build a certain amount of suspense.

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

"Julian M. Zedekiah," Broots said as he held up the folder for Miss Parker.

Parker's breath caught in her throat. Heart racing she looked over at Sydney, whose expression was solemn.

"Sydney," she said, the one word heavy.

The doctor closed his eyes, pursed his lips tightly, thinking. When he opened them, he shot Miss Parker a grave look. " I remember a young boy that was brought here, around the same time as Jarod, his name was Julian."

"And?"

"I was ordered to work with Jarod, I don't know. What does the file say?" The older man's voice cracked as he spoke, and his jaw clenched tightly together.

Miss Parker opened the file, and scanned its contents, her eyes narrowing as the information was processed.

"He was brought here as a potential pretender, but the triumvirate had other ideas in mind."

"Other ideas?" Broots asked," Like what?"

"Who know when it comes to the triumvirate. Their actions are motiviated purely by their own amusement," she whispered.

Thinking about the Triumvirate and the calous way in which they made and destroyed lives made Miss Parker think about someone whom she hoped to protect from their trecherousness. She tucked the file under her arm and walked towards the door.

"Parker?"

Parker didn't glance back at Sydney, but she did respond to the worried sound in his voice.

"I have to check on something, Syd."

Slowly she made her way to the nursery, thoughts of the mysterious Mr. Zedekiah plaguing her mind. However Parker forced herself to shake herself from her dangerous reverie as she pushed open the door and found a sad, angry little boy sitting on a blanket in the middle of the room. His face quickly changed, however when he saw who had come to see him, and soon he was smiling widely, his arms extended toward his big sister.

"Hi honey! How's my big boy today huh?" Miss Parker said in a motherly tone of voice while picking him up and cradling him to her chest.

"Goo!" was all the bably replied excitedly.

Miss Parker actually laughed at his response. And, of course with his being a baby, he joined right in. Soon all that could be heard throughout the nursery was the happy laughter of brother and sister. If one were to walk past and see Miss Parker and her baby brother laughing they would have thought that hell had indeed frozen over.

When they both finally stopped laughing Miss Parker asked, "What are you playing with? Are those blocks? They look like fun!"

The baby wiggled to signal that he wanted to be put down. Miss Parker complied and watched him toddle over to the blocks and begin to form a word. Miss Parker watched with a hint of amusement in her eye until she noticed what word her baby brother had formed.

"Jarod" she whispered in shock.

Part 3

Writers:
Lisa
Shannon
Trish
Liz
Michele
Trish
Lisa
Shannon
Lisa
Shannon
Niceole
Lizzy