Vancouver
British Columbia, Canada
Sandoval carefully made his way around the building he had been directed towards. An anonymous source had claimed this as the place where Joshua was running the resistance from, as well as where Jarod was hiding. Now, if he could get to Jarod before Miss Parker got wind of it . . . he'd be set. Zo'or wouldn't care nearly as much about catching Joshua in that case, if he weren't here for some reason. And Sandoval would be somewhat off the hook. Besides, with Jarod's brain it would surely be easy to catch Joshua and crush the Resistance. He fully expected Jarod to resist, but he was sure that with some persuasion, he could get him to cooperate.
Sandoval swept the perimeter of the building, discovering that he was circling an abandoned warehouse. As he completed the sweep, he had found only one door that could be used to get in and out of the place. Upon reaching the door the second time, he cautiously checked the door to see if it was opened, and was disappointed in the intelligence of the people inside. He opened the door all the way, his skrill up and ready to fire should he need it.
The interior of the warehouse was dark and Sandoval waited until his eyes adjusted before he stepped inside, allowing the door to slowly close behind him. Shipping boxes-- more and more and more of them were stacked in the room. Suddenly he heard a voice speak out from the left side of the dark.
"No, don't let the door close!"
Just then the door clanked shut and Sandoval heard the voice curse vehemently. He frowned as he realized who was in the room with him. Digging into his coat's pocket, he produced a flashlight and turning it on he shined the light in face of a very angry Miss Parker.
"What are you doing here, Miss Parker?" he asked.
She held up her hand to block the flashlight beam from boring into her eyes, her gun leveled on him. "I could ask you the same question, Agent Sandoval."
"I am here on official Taelon business," Sandoval replied. "I am looking for Resistance members."
"Cut the crap, Sandoval, I think we both know you're here looking for Jarod. How many times do I have to tell you that he belongs to the Centre and not your Taelon masters?" Parker replied.
Sandoval simply glared at her for a few more seconds, before turning to exit through the door he'd just came through. He pushed the door handle and the door remained firmly in place. He tried again and the door refused to budge.
"What the-"
"Forget trying to open it, Sandoval. It's been locked from the outside. This warehouse has been rigged to trap us here," Parker said.
Sandoval turned around and shined the flashlight again in her eyes. "Rigged by who?"
"I was under the impression that your implant enhances your intelligence level," Miss Parker replied. "Jarod rigged the building to trap us and then he set us both up. Now, get the flashlight out of my eyes before I ram it down your throat!"
Sandoval glared at her insult but decided not to waste his breath replying in kind. Instead he took out his global, and opening it he read a screen that read: NO SERVICE AVAILABLE; PLEASE TRY AGAIN LATER... Muttering a curse, Sandoval closed and reopened it, pressing a few of the controls. He looked up at Miss Parker.
"Forget asking me to try mine. I already did and it's dead. Jarod has some sort of dampening field rigged around this room so that we can't get a signal out," she said.
"It appears that your property is more trouble than he's worth, Miss Parker," Sandoval muttered.
Suddenly lights came on in the room, nearly blinding them both. Annoyed, Sandoval shoved the flashlight into his pocket.
"Hello," a new voice said.
Sandoval aimed his skrill at the source even as Parker did the same with her gun. Before them stood Jarod with a rather smug look on his face as he began to address them. "Welcome to the Resistance Holiday Hotel, your new home for the next 3 days. . ."
"Three days! You can't be serious, Jarod!" Parker muttered, realizing that they were dealing with a hologram instead of the real deal, "I'm going to commit murder in the first before this is over with."
"I know how stressful both your jobs are, so I took the liberty of making sure that no stray global calls will get in or out." The hologram paused. "For your leisure and enjoy the Resistance Holiday Hotel has the following activities for you to look for and participate in." At this cue, another hologram appeared, this time of Joshua with a holographic chalkboard.
Joshua used a ruler, pointing to a map on the chalkboard. "If you'll follow this map, you'll find your accommodations in just under two hours," The hologram stated and just as they both approached the board it vanished.
"Also," the Jarod hologram resumed, "For your comfort, complimentary provisions have been placed in your room." At this point, Sandoval had had enough of the smug attitude of the hologram and so he turned, firing his skrill.
He was quite satisfied when the hologram vanished and looking down at his skrill, he decided that it was time to end this. He walked over to the door, preparing to fire.
"Naughty, naughty, Agent Sandoval," Joshua's voice admonished.
"Indeed," Jarod's voice joined in, "The walls and the door are protected by a type of virtual shielding. You will not be able blast your way out, Agent Sandoval." At that moment, the lights went out in the room again and after a second of digging in his pockets, Sandoval flicked on the flashlight again. A second later, Miss Parker joined him as he was the only one of them that had a flashlight.
"What do you think you're doing, Miss Parker?" Sandoval asked as she firmly latched onto his jacket.
"Making sure I don't get lost in this dark, rathole of a warehouse Jarod had trapped us in," Parker replied, gesturing, "Well what are you waiting for? Let's go find our accommodations."
After two hours of stumbling and tripping over each other in the dark, and listening to the voices of Jarod and Joshua taunting them, they reached a rather well lit section of the warehouse where they found a closed door and a chair set on the outside of it. The door had a sign above it that read: ROACH HOTEL, causing a smile to cross Parker's face when she saw it.
"Oh no you don't, Jarod. Not this time," she muttered.
Sandoval shined the light in her face. "What was that?"
"As I told you before either you get that light out of my face or I am going to ram down your throat, Sandoval." He turned the flashlight off, pocketing it as they no longer really needed it, and to her great delight, walked inside the room. In the room, Jarod had set up a monitor similar to the one he'd used a few years ago to trap her and her sweeper team in the apartment from Hades.
Sandoval pressed the button, and Jarod appeared on the screen, dressed as he had been then, speaking in the same condescending tone. If she wasn't enjoying this so much, Parker would have been tempted to shoot the monitor.
"...which is stronger than apoxy. Class dismissed."
Sandoval's reaction to the news he was now glued to the floor was almost identical to the one Miss Parker had experienced. "You son of a. . ." She heard him muttered a few curse words, and what was surely a useless gesture of frustration, skrill the monitor into oblivion before he turned on her.
"You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?" he accused.
Parker leaned against the doorframe, smiling at him. "And what if I did? It was high time someone put you in your place, Sandoval, and the way I see it this was as good of time as any for Jarod to have his way where you're concerned."
Sandoval's eyes narrowed. "I would be careful if I were you, Miss Parker. It's not wise to speak to a Companion agent in that manner."
In reply she merely laughed, shaking her head. "You are delusional if you think that your threats frighten me because I have seen things in my lifetime that would make you cower in the darkest corner you can find."
"We'll see, Miss Parker. We'll see."
Miss Parker finally decided to leave Sandoval alone for awhile, electing to go explore the rest of the dark warehouse on her own. However, not two minutes into stumbling around in the dark she encountered a wall that forced her to returned to where Sandoval was still glued to the floor. She felt tired all of a sudden and so she sat down in the chair, near the doorway, closing her eyes. A minute later, she realized her mistake when she tried to stand up again.
"Oh, Miss Parker, you might not want to sit down in that chair as I coated it with a new super glue that dries within seconds after it's been covered," the Jarod hologram said, seemingly watching her struggle to get out of the chair.
"So help me, Jarod, the next time I catch you, me dragging your sorry butt back to the Centre will be the LEAST of your worries," she muttered, ceasing her struggling.
3 Days Later
The warehouse that the anonymous email gave as Miss Parker's location was nondescript and was in a poorer part of Vancouver than was really safe. Sam would have gone into the warehouse with at least a few team of sweepers if the email hadn't warned him to come alone and while it hadn't threatened Miss Parker's safety in any way, Sam knew he'd better do as he was told.
He arrived to at the warehouse to find a very familiar car parked nearby, and rolling his eyes, the sweeper drew out his gun from its holster. Taking out his global, Sam tried to reach Miss Parker and the message he got back told her that she was unavailable. After calling Broots to give his location, Sam put the global away again and stepped inside of the dark warehouse.
"Miss Parker?" he called out, creeping to the warehouse with his gun up. It seemed to take forever for him to go five ten and he froze when he heard the safety of a gun being taken off, just prior to a flashlight beam hitting him in the eyes.
"What the heck are you doing here?"
Sam rolled his eyes, recognizing the voice. "Get the light out of my eyes, FBI, and I might answer your question!"
Tate lowered the flashlight at the warehouse lights came on. He still waved the gun in Sam's direction. "Where's that dragon lady you call a boss of yours at?"
I wish you'd call her that to her face. She would so kick your butt into the next millenium, Sam thought. "Watch your mouth, FBI. Speaking of bosses, where's that Agent I-Love-Taelons you call a boss at?"
"I asked you first," Tate retorted, not deciding Sandoval as Sam had Parker.
"Miss Parker disappeared 3 days ago. I have reason to believe that she's trapped somewhere inside of this
warehouse," Sam replied.
Tate finally lowered his gun completely. "What a coincidence. Sandoval also disappeared on me three days ago and I've traced him to this location. I thought you people were behind it."
"That's funny because I was thinking the same of your alien bosses, FBI," Sam retorted.
Tate snorted. "Look, it's obvious we don't trust one another and it's safe to say we both hate each others' guts but I say until our bosses are found let's put the mistrust aside."
Sam thought on it for a second and nodded. "Agreed."
"Good. The name is Tate, by the way, not FBI."
Sam started walking and as Tate hurried to catch to him, he replied, "As this is only a temporary truce, I will still refer to you as FBI. Got it?"
"Whatever."
A Few Hours Later...
The lights went back out again as Sam and Tate got further into the warehouse, forcing Sam to stay closer to Tate that he would have liked as they had to share the agent's flashlight. They finally entered an area where they found a well lit door and a dark hallway just beyond it. Sam heard Jarod's voice and immediately he took out his gun.
"Miss Parker?" he called out.
"Sam?" her voice answered from the dark.
Sam didn't hesitate to go towards the dark when he heard her voice, noting as he passed the door that it said "Roach Motel" and that Tate was about to step inside to help his boss. Sam grinned as he knew the trap that Jarod had set in the room, remember all too well when he'd used that same thing to trap himself, Miss Parker, and another sweeper in the apartment of nightmares.
"No, Tate, don't come in here!" Sandoval's voice yelled just a second too late.
"What's wrong boss?" Tate asked walking towards him.
"There's some sort super glue on the floor, idiot. I'm stuck and so are you now!" Sandoval replied irritably, resisting the temptation to skrill Tate.
Meanwhile Sam found Miss Parker still glued to the chair and the look on her face told Sam that he didn't dare ask any stupid questions.
"I'm glued to the chair. See if you can pull me off, Sam," she ordered, letting the sweeper grip both of her hands. Sam pulled but soon it was apparent to both that she wasn't going to be freed of the chair that way.
Sam jumped as the hologram of Joshua appeared beside them, pointing to a small metal box.
"You'll find what you need in there to dissolve the glue."
Parker didn't hesitate. "Get it, Sam."
"Yes, ma'am."
A minute later, Parker was freed from the chair but she reeked of skunk like smell. It was almost nauseating, making her and the sweeper alike cough as they made the way down the hallway. Parker paused at the doorway to look in on the FBI agents' situation.
"What happened to you?" Sandoval asked as he coughed.
Tate covered his mouth. "You smell like a skunk!"
Parker smiled. "Just for that, boys, I am not going to give this to you." She held up the can of dissolvant, shaking it before she put it down on the floor just outside the door and Tate's reach. "Have fun, boys! Let's go, Sam!"
Sam smiled at Tate as he happily obeyed the order. "See ya around, FBI."
Tate watched them walk off. "Not if I see you, first!"
"You'll pay for this!" Sandoval yelled.
Miss Parker didn't slow her pace. Thankfully the lights where back on and she was anxious to leave this funhouse that Jarod had set up. They exited the warehouse within minutes and were on their way back to the Centre soon after that.
Meanwhile back in the warehouse, a hologram of Jarod joined Sandoval and Tate, "Your globals work now. I hope you enjoyed your stay at the Resistance Holiday Hotel. We enjoyed having so please come again very soon."
This time Sandoval didn't resist the urge. He skrilled the hologram again before using his global to call in a squad of Volunteers to get them out of the warehouse. . .
Joshua hurried through the crowds, pulling his coat around him tighter. Sunglasses covered his eyes and he tried to make himself smaller, hoping no one would recognize him. He knew he shouldn't be out here, but he felt this was something he should do himself. His father's belongings and his own had been stored here and he badly wanted some of them.
He casually entered the building and stepped onto the elevator, without a second thought. Several other people shuffled into it as well, including one familiar face - Sandoval.
Fear raced through Joshua's mind and he froze, heart racing. He suppressed his sharp intake of breath and edged to the far corner of the elevator, slouching down. His mind was going crazy and he could barely think. He fought the urge to bolt as the elevator doors were already closing. Had he carelessly thrown away everything he had worked for? All Sandoval had to do was look around . . . and it was all over. How could he have been so stupid? It took all his will to force himself to stand still and not do anything that would attract attention.
Sandoval looked tired and he leaned against the wall, eyes closed. Suddenly, his eyes refocused and he scanned the faces of the other occupants of the elevator. Joshua was near a full blown panic now. He hid his face behind the other people in the elevator and tried to appear as casual as possible but his mind was already doing a review of the what ifs.
If Sandoval caught him he had a pretty good idea of what would follow. No, actually, scratch that - he had no clue what worse things they could do to him. The one thing he knew however, was that they'd think of something. Calm down, you aren't caught yet. But if you don't stay calm you will be.
Sandoval evidently seemed satisfied that no one in the elevator was interesting enough to warrant his attention, as he returned to his brooding. A beeping sounded, startling Joshua. He forced himself not to jump.
Sandoval opened his global "What is it?"
A voice echoed over the device, "We traced the last signal sir, but it appears to come from about 100 different locations. We've check the first five, with no sign of Joshua Doors. And sir, Zo'or is expecting your report on the progress of the search."
"We've been searching for weeks and haven't found one thing. Do you have any reason to believe any of those locations could be where he is?"
"No sir. For all we know, he could be overseas, in outer space, or somewhere in D.C. for that matter. He always seem to want to make himself appear to be right under our noses, but each time it looks like that, it leads to a dead end."
Sandoval nodded, "Inform Zo'or that I'll be there within the hour. I'm going to check one other place Doors might be inclined to go . . ."
Joshua had stopped breathing during the conversation. Of all the days I could have picked to come here . . . I don't think anything is important enough to stick around for. If Sandoval doesn't see me of course . . . If he knew I was standing right here . . .
When Sandoval stepped out of the elevator, Joshua let out the breath he'd been holding. He nearly collapsed onto the floor, and if it weren't for the other people there, he would have done so. The man standing next to him gave him a weird stare but Joshua really didn't care about that. If Sandoval had looked closer, if Sandoval had been at a different place in the elevator, if Joshua hadn't been able to hide behind someone . . .
It was time to get out of here. Joshua couldn't risk it and evidently, Sandoval suspected he might come here. He sighed. I guess that means I can scrap the idea of getting some of my stuff back. Oh well, it isn't worth getting caught over.
He rode the elevator the rest of the way to the top of the building, then took it straight back down and hurriedly exited the building. As he did, his own global sounded.
He opened it and sighed in relief at seeing Liam's face. "Hey Joshua, you may want to get back here. There's something here for you."
"Don't worry. I'm on my way back now."
Sandoval approached the counter on the floor he'd gotten off on.
The man behind it glanced up once, then did a double take when he saw who was there. "Umm, sir may I help you?"
"I understood that you have some of Mr. Doors' belongings stored here." Sandoval flashed his I.D. "I'm taking them."
The man looked nervous, "Um, Agent Sandoval, I'm sorry to tell you this but someone picked them up earlier."
"Joshua Doors was in here?" Sandoval's tone turned threatening.
A look of confusion crossed the man's face, "No sir. His name wasn't Joshua. I was under the impression he was his brother or something. Though I thought it was odd I'd never heard of him before."
Sandoval interrupted the man, "What was his name?"
"Jarod. Jarod Doors."
An indescribable look of irritation crossed Sandoval's face.
"Agent, he left this for you." The man held out a red notebook nervously, as if afraid that Sandoval might explode. "He said you should share it with your new friend."
Sandoval grabbed it and without another word stalked away.
Sydney's Office
The Centre
Caller ID blocked. Do you wish to accept this call?
The sound of the computer's voice startled Sydney out of his work. Eagerly he pressed a button on the console, confirming he'd accept the call, knowing that who was on the other end. A split second later, the face of his protege appeared on the screen.
"Jarod, you shouldn't be calling on this line," Sydney immediately said, "They'll trace your location."
"Don't worry, Sydney, I've scrambled the signal so much that even Broots won't be able to trace my location until after I am long gone," Jarod smiled. "Has Miss Parker returned yet to the Centre?"
Sydney chuckled softly. "Yes, she has. Jarod, she did not enjoy being trapped three days in a dark warehouse with Agent Sandoval."
"Not to mention the holograms I programmed of Joshua and myself to keep them company," Jarod interjected with a satisfied look on his face.
Sydney nodded. "I believe it would be wise for now if you do not let her catch up to you soon. I believe at the moment she's in the mindset where she would skin you alive now if she were to catch you."
"I'll be laying low for awhile anyway. Tell Miss Parker that I'll see her in two weeks' time after my vacation is over with," Jarod said, moving to cut the line.
"Jarod, be careful," Sydney advised his protege before the screen went dark.
It was a full minute after the screen went dark that he shook his head, trying to not think about the danger Jarod was placing himself in with both the Centre and the Taelons. . .or at least with Agent Ronald Sandoval! Trying to forget, Sydney returned the work he'd been doing before the Pretender called and quickly became reabsorbed within seconds. Not five minutes later, Broots burst into his office without so much as knocking to announce his hasty arrival beforehand.
"Broots," Sydney began upon seeing his face, "What's wrong?"
"They found Mr. Raines down on SL-17," Broots gulped, "Syd, he's dead!"
FIN
AN: There is NO sequel written at this time.