Room 215, Early evening

[izzyalienqueen]

Opening the door to Jack's room was no trouble, even without a key. A half second's concentration and the lock clicked open under her hand. Jack bounded in as soon as she opened the door and ran over to the plant. Isabel laughed and rolled her eyes. "It's fine. You were gone what? Less then twenty-four hours?"

She set a small brown bag on the bed and sat down to wait for Cedric to meet her.

[ooc: Jack's room modded with permission]

Comments

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker closed her eyes. "I couldn't watch that part. Just the tape of me being dragged to Jarod's lab, screaming my head off, and Jarod trying to get to me and help me, and Sydney looking scared, and...." She took a shaky breath. "Anyway. That's why I haven't told Rory or Zero or Angela anything more about my mom, and her death. They know what she was doing. They don't know it's connected to the Centre."

Parker slapped her hand over her mouth, looking frightened.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"And the Centre is not the nicest place," Isabel said thinking of what she's seen in Parker's nightmare. "What was she doing that would make them do that to her?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Saving children." Parker took a breath. "Giving them new names, new identities, new lives. Getting them away from people like Mr. Raines and away from people who would hurt them. She tried to save Jarod, I think. But she died before she could get him out of --"

Parker put her hands back over her mouth, mumbling.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel nodded, some of the things Parker had said and her worries about people mentioning Jarod suddenly making sense. "There was no foster family was there? Jarod came from there. When you said it wasn't that bad the other day...God."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker closed her eyes, and looked at Jack. Now he knew part of it too. "It isn't that bad. But it could be," she whispered. "Raines-- you saw him-- I don't know if he has a single scruple. He lost his medical license in 2003. I don't know why. And he still works there."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Probably because whatever he's doing is making a profit. That's what it always comes down to doesn't it? Money, power." Isabel leaned back against the wall. "What are you going to do?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker patted Jack's head as he started to doze. "Destroy them." She blinked. "Okay, I was going to say? Take over the Centre over the next ten or so years, get a seat on the Board, find enough information to get those responsible arrested, find any other kids that are in danger and get them somewhere safe. But destroying them works for me too."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel's mouth thinned. "Based on your dream? And some of my own issues? I'm really not going to argue with you. Well, except to say be careful. Because they do sound ruthless. And I wouldn't want to see you hurt."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Jarod has my back, on this. And Angelo's inside, watching out." Parker paused, fingers tightening in the sleeping Jack's fur. "I don't know if you saw him, in the dream. He's still in Blue Cove."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I heard you call his name," she said. "But everything was happening so fast then, I didn't really see him."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Just as well. Explaining that Angelo lived *inside* the Centre would be more complicated than it was worth to explain. Except... "He waved to us from the air duct," Parker heard herself say, then continued on: "He's a genius with computers. He got me Angel's fake P.I. license. Well, it's a real license, Angel just didn't do any of the legalities to get it. Angelo's terrified of Mr. Raines but he doesn't want him hurting anyone any more than Jarod or I do."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You can't get him out?" Isabel asked. "And tell me honestly? Do you want me to stop asking questions? I feel bad. You're entitled to your secrets and I feel like I'm taking advantage of the situation."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker shook her head. "I was going to tell you most of this anyway. I think this weirdness just makes it a little easier, is all." She paused, then looked away, her voice dropping. "Even if we could get Angelo out, we wouldn't. It wouldn't be good for him. There's nowhere he can go."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Just as long as you're sure." Isabel sighed trying to process all of the bits of information she's picked up from what Parker has said in , from what she saw in the dream and from what Parker had just told her. "So he's a genius, but he can't make it anywhere else. Not like Jarod can," she said slowly as the pieces fell into place. "And I bet they'd love to get him back wouldn't they?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"He's as close to autistic as makes no difference," Parker blurted, hoping that the word Pretender wouldn't slip out. "So no, he's stuck. And yes, Jarod used to work for the Centre. Sydney--" Parker put her hand over her mouth, mumbling, but the word "out" was probably audible. She waited for a second, then took her hand off her mouth. "I can't tell you more about Jarod without telling too much. Please don't ask me."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"That's fine," Isabel said, completely understanding Parker's desire to keep some secrets. "Time for total topic change then. Happy thoughts maybe?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Jarod's back in town and I'm wearing a Catholic schoolgirl uniform." Parker facepalmed. "Okay, sorry, uppermost happy thought."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel laughed. Loudly. "I am learning way too much about people's sex lives today," she said as she wiped her eyes. She pointed Jack who peered at her through one half opened eye. "Between him, and Bel, then Xander. Oh my god, way TMI."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker snickered. "I got the TMI from Xander last night, but it was pretty mutual. Nothing *too* bad, but that Conner kid probably wants to kill me. Um, other happy thoughts that do not lead to TMI-- I'm not fighting with Rory any more?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"That's good. I was going to ask you about that at some point," Isabel said. "I saw what happened at the meeting on Thursday. Between you, Anakin and Rory. But you weren't in any shape for twenty questions then. What's going on?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker sighed. "I had an opinion about Anakin that I expressed very badly, Rory took offense, and then it just kept getting worse. Just because I'm harsh doesn't mean I'm wrong," she added. "And just because--" Parker put her hand over her mouth, keeping her voice so low that "Rory loves him" couldn't be heard even by Jack. "--mph agh doesn't mean she should ignore what I said. Damnit."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Rory's feeling could be a little biased. What's that saying? Love makes you do the wacky? But don't worry," Isabel assured her. "You're not telling me anything about that situation that I hadn't figured out a while ago. Remember, Anakin lived right across the hall from me. I saw who came and went. I also saw how Rory reacted during study group when his light went out. But I understand how that could be problem for Anakin so I never said anything. It wasn't my business."

"Do you want to tell me what the opinion was?" she asked, phrasing the question in such a way that hopefully Parker would be able to keep quiet if she wanted to.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Yes." Parker waited a second, looking relieved. "But evidently I'm not compelled to." She looked down at Jack, who stayed asleep, one ear twitching. "It was about mindwipes. And how they're inherently wrong," she said quietly. "Anakin disagreed because the Jedi use them, sometimes. It got personal when I pretty much said I didn't trust him to know when it would be appropriate or not. Since he was being so 'whatever' about what happened to Jack. 'If he's okay with it, why aren't you?'"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"If he's used to them being used as a tool, then no. He probably wouldn't get that it's wrong," Isabel said logically. "It's not personal for him."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker's lips thinned. "I was 'niced' for Prom by Drusilla, and I watched her make Broots manic-depressive and Jack schizophrenic, among others. I don't care how useful or benevolent Jedi intentions are. Using it for anything other than life-and-death is too much." She sighed. "Anyway. Rory took Anakin's side, I got insulting, Anakin got insulting, it all went to hell. Rory and I are talking now, but I don't think it's a good idea for me to be in the same room with Skywalker for, oh. Ever."