The Mirror Man, стр. 86
“Yeah, no, I’m all right,” Parker said, looking at Jeremiah again with an expression that entirely contradicted the remark. “I gotta go, though. I’ll see you tonight.”
“See you tonight.” The clone hung up the phone with a shrug. Parker let his own phone fall from his fingers and remained absolutely still.
“This is incredible,” he said. “I can’t believe it.”
“I know,” Jeremiah told him. “I know it is. You all right?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Parker looked at him with a thousand questions in his eyes. “Dad,” he finally said, his voice unusually hushed. “Dad, was Mom a clone, too? Was that a fake Mom in that car? Is Mom here somewhere?”
Jeremiah’s heart sank.
“No,” he told his son as gently as he could. “No, Parker. That was really Mom. I’m sorry.”
“How could you do something like this, Dad?” he asked after a moment. “Why did you do it?”
“I don’t know, Parker. I’m still trying to figure that one out. But in a strange way, despite all of it, part of me is glad I did. Because now things will be better. I missed the hell out of you, though. I can tell you that.” He put an arm around his son and gave him a quick kiss on top of his head and Parker didn’t even flinch.
“Better, how?” There was a hint of anger in Parker’s voice. Jeremiah could see he felt betrayed. He didn’t blame him.
“Not better,” Jeremiah said. “Different, maybe. Watching that clone, I got to see where I went wrong. I’ve made mistakes, Parker. A lot of mistakes. I wasn’t the best father to you, and that was wrong. I should have done better. I should have been more involved, paid more attention. Now, I will. I only wish I could do the same with your mother.”
Parker let his head fall.
“I know you’re angry, Parker,” Jeremiah said. “I know all of this is confusing and a lot to take in after what you’ve just been through. I’m angry, too. I wish your mother was still here. I wish a lot of things. But that’s why this whole thing has to end. Now. I couldn’t have you alone with the clone, after your mother and all. It had to end. We need each other.”
“So, now what?” Parker asked. “What did you say about starting a new life? About getting away from here?”
“Just me and you. We’re going to start fresh. Just the two of us.”
For a long minute, Parker said nothing, and he looked as if he were fighting off tears.
“Hey,” Jeremiah said, “I know you like this game Infinite Frontiers. I’ve been playing it a bit myself, you know. It’s pretty cool. I want you to see my guy. He’s totally badass.”
With the remote, Jeremiah switched from the clone monitor to the new gaming console and the scene on the wall filled with the image of a simulated battlefield. As soon as Clyde materialized on the screen, larger than life, Jeremiah looked at his son, who was staring at the avatar with a look of complete bewilderment.
“You’re Clyde?” he asked. “That was you?”
Jeremiah nodded.
“I kept looking for you. You were never online again.”
“It was just that one time. It was sort of a fluke,” he said. “But yeah, that was me.”
“And you beat me,” Parker said. Some of the anger seemed to fade from the boy’s eyes.
“Only when you tripped over that land mine. I’m not anywhere near your level. Not yet, anyway.”
“Yeah,” he said. “Stupid move.”
Jeremiah smiled and bumped Parker’s shoulder with his own. “I’d have nailed you, anyway,” he said. “You want a rematch?”
Each of them put on their headgear and took a controller. Parker glanced at his father with some wariness and then back at the wall. For the next forty minutes the room vibrated with simulated bomb blasts and laser fire and it was only then, immersed in his own element, that Parker finally began to relax. More than anything Jeremiah had shown him or said, it seemed like it was playing the game that finally convinced him of the impossible. Jeremiah decided to let him win. As Parker wiped out Jeremiah’s last stronghold with a bright blue blast of plasma fire, Parker turned to his father and looked at him with an expression Jeremiah couldn’t read. But there was an element of trust in there, and something bordering on respect.
“This is insane,” Parker said finally. “I can’t believe you play Infinite Frontiers. And you’re good at it. You sure you’re not the clone?”
Charles Scott came into the room just as they turned off the game. He nodded to Jeremiah and held out a hand to Parker.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, young man. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Parker shook his hand with some uncertainty and then looked back at Jeremiah.
“It’s time for the Meld,” Scott said, and Parker flashed a look of shocked concern at both men.
“It’s fine,” Jeremiah told him, and then turned to Scott. “I haven’t told him about this part yet. You came in before I had a chance.”
“Nothing to worry about, son,” Scott said. “Meld isn’t illegal when it’s used under clinical circumstances. It’s medicine, and I’m afraid it is necessary.”
“Necessary for what?” the boy asked, agitation in his voice.
“Parker,” Jeremiah began, “there’s something else I haven’t told you. These men have agreed to help us make a new start. They’re giving us plenty of money, brand-new identities, just like one of those witness protection programs you see in the movies. But before they can do that, I’ve agreed to let them make a clone of you. Your clone will be going back home, staying with my clone. To them, it will seem like nothing’s changed at all. I should have told you sooner. I’m sorry. But this was the only way I could make this work. The only way I could