The Centre clean-up crew finds Jarod's abandoned lair littered with the kind of paraphernalia used by drug addicts. When the lab tests confirm that the blood traces in the syringes do, indeed, belong to Jarod, Sydney becomes very concerned for the welfare of his Pretender.
In reality, Jarod's experiments have now given him the experience he needs to expertly mimic a drug-induced haze. Jarod uses his newly acquired skill to infiltrate the Vista House Drug Rehabilitation Center in Scottsdale, Ariz.
At Vista House, Jarod repays a debt of gratitude to David Arnold, a one-time Centre employee who was murdered by one of Mr. Raines' henchmen. Discovering that the young Jarod was addicted to a narcotic substance, Arnold helped him through the resulting withdrawal by giving Jarod a picture of himself with his daughter, then telling Jarod to think of them as his own family. Jarod repays that kindness by helping Arnold's daughter, Jill, retain custody of her son by proving that her continued "relapses" into addiction are not of her own doing.
Jarod uncovers a liaison between Dr. Jason Earl, the head of Vista House, and Earl's college sweetheart, Hillary. Together they devised a plan that would allow Hillary to marry Jill's wealthy ex-husband, Todd Moffett; adopt Jill and Todd's son, Chris; then divorce Moffett for financial gain.
Tricking Earl and Hillary into thinking themselves helpless and addicted, Jarod compels them to confess that the doctor has been lacing Jill's harmless Clonidine patches with narcotics. Their goal was to make her think herself an unfit mother, so that she would not contest Hillary's adoption of Chris.
Now that it has been revealed that Jill hasn't been using drugs voluntarily, Todd and Jill reconcile. By saved the family that once saved him, Jarod has repaid his debt to David Arnold.
While Jarod is in the midst of his Pretend at Vista House, the items left in his last lair send Miss Parker, Broots and Sydney searching for traces of David Arnold in The Centre's records. They eventually find the relevant DSAs hidden in Mr. Raines' office. Miss Parker and Broots learn that, in order to keep Raines from using his new synthesized narcotic on Jarod, Sydney offered himself up as the test subject. However, Raines' primary interest was in finding out whether the drug would increase Jarod's capabilities, not Sydney's. Allowing Sydney to believe that Jarod would be spared, Raines used the drug on Sydney and Jarod, addicting them both.