*******************************
In the barn, the builder of the improved mousetrap laughed at their "test subjects".
"You are recording this, right?" asked Mulder.
"Every second," replied Jarod.
"I could use a copy of this," said Miss Parker. "Never know when having possession of it could come in handy."
"What about making things a bit more challenging?" suggested Frank.
"Go on," said Jarod.
Frank pushed a button on a separate control box, switching on the water supply inside the house. With no exit, it began to flood. Lyle and the Sweepers redoubled their efforts in an attempt to get out.
"Nice job, caulking the floor," Frank said to Jarod.
"Mulder's plumbing gave me the idea."
Miss Parker ignored them and thoroughly enjoyed her twin's predicament. "This has made being with you three worth it," she said with a smirk.
"Thank you, I think," said Frank.
"I'd recommend that we all take the soonest flights out of here possible," said Jarod. "I set the shutters on a timer. They'll open in a couple of hours."
"Why couldn't you just let him drown?"
"Then the Centre would have won, Miss Parker," said Jarod as he closed his laptop.
"Well this broke up the monotony," said Mulder.
"Monotony in the FBI, how unusual," commented Parker.
"Oh, you didn't hear? I was canned. Seems I was too uncontrollable for the confines of bureaucracy. Call me anytime, Jarod."
"Give my regards to Scully."
"Sure thing. Frank." Mulder left the barn to head back to D.C.
Frank looked after him. "Nice guy." He turned back to Jarod. "Same goes for me. You know how much I want to get out of...work."
"Thanks for your help, Frank. Keep in touch."
"You got it." He stopped in front of Miss Parker. "Look, I'm sorry about before. Jarod explained, and, well..."
"It's ok. You forced me to think on things. Don't do it again."
Frank saluted with a grin and walked out.
"Forced you to think, hm?" Jarod stopped in front of her and made to brush some stray hairs from her shoulder. "What about?"
"My life. The Centre. You."
"Any answers?"
"Not really. Just some clarification." She pushed his hand away. "Once we live this place, our truce is over. Next time I see you, I will bring you back."
"Despite the photo of our mothers together? You know your mother wanted to get me out and that she wanted you to continue her plan."
"Whatever that is." She strode towards the door. "No, Jarod. Don't even try to bring my mother into this now. I need more answers without complicating what I already do know." She strode out the door.
Jarod opened his hand and looked at the strands of hair resting in his palm. These, along with what he had taken when Frank wasn't looking would provide him with the items needed for the DNA testing.
*********************************
A week after her return from Nebraska, Parker was curled up on her couch sipping wine when the phone rang. "What?"
"Did Lyle's suit ever dry?"
"Let's just say it set him back a few rungs on the corporate ladder. But I'm sure you already heard from Sydney on this."
"True, I did. There was something else I wanted to tell you."
She heard the hesitance in his voice, something rare in Jarod. Whenever they spoke, he was either taunting or lonely. Never this. Then she just knew why he was calling. Whether it was a guess or her Inner Sense, she couldn't tell. "Frank. He's my brother, isn't he?"
#
In the barn, the builder of the improved mousetrap laughed at their "test subjects".
"You are recording this, right?" asked Mulder.
"Every second," replied Jarod.
"I could use a copy of this," said Miss Parker. "Never know when having possession of it could come in handy."
"What about making things a bit more challenging?" suggested Frank.
"Go on," said Jarod.
Frank pushed a button on a separate control box, switching on the water supply inside the house. With no exit, it began to flood. Lyle and the Sweepers redoubled their efforts in an attempt to get out.
"Nice job, caulking the floor," Frank said to Jarod.
"Mulder's plumbing gave me the idea."
Miss Parker ignored them and thoroughly enjoyed her twin's predicament. "This has made being with you three worth it," she said with a smirk.
"Thank you, I think," said Frank.
"I'd recommend that we all take the soonest flights out of here possible," said Jarod. "I set the shutters on a timer. They'll open in a couple of hours."
"Why couldn't you just let him drown?"
"Then the Centre would have won, Miss Parker," said Jarod as he closed his laptop.
"Well this broke up the monotony," said Mulder.
"Monotony in the FBI, how unusual," commented Parker.
"Oh, you didn't hear? I was canned. Seems I was too uncontrollable for the confines of bureaucracy. Call me anytime, Jarod."
"Give my regards to Scully."
"Sure thing. Frank." Mulder left the barn to head back to D.C.
Frank looked after him. "Nice guy." He turned back to Jarod. "Same goes for me. You know how much I want to get out of...work."
"Thanks for your help, Frank. Keep in touch."
"You got it." He stopped in front of Miss Parker. "Look, I'm sorry about before. Jarod explained, and, well..."
"It's ok. You forced me to think on things. Don't do it again."
Frank saluted with a grin and walked out.
"Forced you to think, hm?" Jarod stopped in front of her and made to brush some stray hairs from her shoulder. "What about?"
"My life. The Centre. You."
"Any answers?"
"Not really. Just some clarification." She pushed his hand away. "Once we live this place, our truce is over. Next time I see you, I will bring you back."
"Despite the photo of our mothers together? You know your mother wanted to get me out and that she wanted you to continue her plan."
"Whatever that is." She strode towards the door. "No, Jarod. Don't even try to bring my mother into this now. I need more answers without complicating what I already do know." She strode out the door.
Jarod opened his hand and looked at the strands of hair resting in his palm. These, along with what he had taken when Frank wasn't looking would provide him with the items needed for the DNA testing.
*********************************
A week after her return from Nebraska, Parker was curled up on her couch sipping wine when the phone rang. "What?"
"Did Lyle's suit ever dry?"
"Let's just say it set him back a few rungs on the corporate ladder. But I'm sure you already heard from Sydney on this."
"True, I did. There was something else I wanted to tell you."
She heard the hesitance in his voice, something rare in Jarod. Whenever they spoke, he was either taunting or lonely. Never this. Then she just knew why he was calling. Whether it was a guess or her Inner Sense, she couldn't tell. "Frank. He's my brother, isn't he?"
#