Chapter Five
Parker walks along the corridor, her heels clicking on the floor. She schools her expression as she approaches her brother's nursery. She can hear his nanny encouraging him to clear away his things before Miss Parker arrives. Her name causes Adam to lose focus entirely and chatter happily about spending the afternoon with her. Parker pauses, warmth spreading through her chest. It reinforces the decision she made last night. She needs to protect Adam and his innocence from the Centre.
Parker pushes through the door without knocking and is almost bowled over by Adam crashing into her legs, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She chuckles as she runs a hand through his hair, caressing his cheek gently as he cranes his neck to look up at her, beaming at her.
"I see you're having a good day," she murmurs to him. He nods, tightening his arms around her. She winks at him, making him laugh as he tries to copy the action.
"We go out, Missy?"
"That's right, we're going to meet Mister McGonnell who we met yesterday," Parker explains, hoping to curb any shyness by reminding Adam he's already met McGonnell. Her baby brother scrunches up his nose.
"Not just Missy?"
"Unfortunately, we have to be sociable twice this week," Parker soothes him. "But we're going to go outside and, in the car," she cajoles. "Would you like that?"
Adam considers this for a second. "We go outside?"
Parker's heart aches at the awe and barely contained excitement in his voice. It's such a rare occurrence for him to leave the main building; whenever he has gone outside, he's never been beyond the grounds. Her index finger brushes his cheek fondly, "We're going outside, Adam."
Adam jumps up and down and away from her, smiling brightly as he hops around the room. Parker lifts her head to find his nanny looking at the scene they made. Jenny is a young woman who only graduated college a few years ago. In brief conversations and interactions, Parker's found her to be a capable professional when it comes to caring for Adam. Even though Parker doesn't need permission to spend time with Adam, Jenny usually accepts and allows the affection between the siblings. Today, though, she looks downright terrified.
"Do you have Adam's bag ready, Jenny?" Parker says, moving closer to the younger woman.
The nanny reaches behind her to the counter to pull down the bag she put together. "Mister Raines…" she starts carefully.
Parker sighs. Jenny meets her eyes guiltily. "Mister Raines did what, Jenny?"
"Nothing," Jenny drops her gaze to the floor. "He wasn't very happy about you taking Adam out alone."
"He's never said anything before and he isn't here to stop me from taking Adam now, is he?"
Jenny shakes her head. "No, but he…"
"He what?" Parker asks again, softening her tone while moving closer. She doesn't want to scare the girl or for Jenny to be held responsible when Parker and Jarod liberate Adam.
"He said I'm being reassigned to a project," Jenny admits. "He's bringing in tutors for Adam."
Parker raises an eyebrow at that. "Why does he need tutors? He's only two."
Jenny shrugs, her eyes glazing with unshed tears. Parker sympathises with the younger woman, she can hold her own with Raines, and she can match his threats and temper. Jenny is practically out of college and has, hopefully, never encountered anyone like Raines.
"I need this job, Miss Parker," Jenny pleads with her. "I really like working with Adam."
Parker places a reassuring hand on Jenny's forearm, thinking of what she can do that won't completely undermine Raines or make him suspicious. If Parker's plan pans out as she hopes, Adam won't be at the Centre. If Jarod gets his way, Parker won't be at the Centre. Parker can't protect Jenny or make any promises. But she might be able to call in some favours.
"If Mister Raines wants to bring in tutors, I can't stop him, Jenny," Parker sighs. "I work closely with Doctor Greene, though, and I can put in a word for you to join his research team."
"Thank you, Miss Parker," Jenny breathes out, relief pouring out of her. The young woman looks as though she's about to hug Parker. Obviously, Sydney's reputation is better than Raines'. Sydney better have a damn position for Jenny, Parker thinks belatedly.
Parker sucks in a breath to control her temper flaring at Raines' fear-mongering, as though he's pre-empting her or pushing her into action before she's ready. Directing at Jenny in front of Adam will do no good. She tries to channel it into thinking about her next conversation with Jarod. She hadn't planned on blurting out her fears to him. It had been an impulse, driven by fear and stirred up by her emotions from the day. The idea of Adam in Raines' care, of him being raised the way Lyle was, scares her. She hadn't realised it was on her mind until the words spilt out of her. Flashes of Adam holding a rifle the way Kyle did in that assassination simulation Parker found years ago kept her awake last night.
Parker glances over at Adam to check what he's doing, to reassure herself he's still a happy, relatively safe little boy. Parker smiles at the sight of Adam, almost bent in half with his head in his toy box. All she can see are his legs poking out from his grey shorts. Jenny chuckles lightly, bringing Parker's attention back to her.
"He's looking for the stuffed rabbit you gave him," Jenny explains. "Mister Raines threatened to take it away, so now Adam buries it at the bottom of the box to hide it."
"Can't fault his logic, I guess," Parker deadpans, deciding it's time to go. The knot in her stomach squeezes as Adam triumphantly holds up his bunny and turns to them expectantly. "Come on Adam, we have to go."
Parker ushers Adam through the corridor, and into the elevator to take them to the lobby with relative ease despite the slightly hyper two-year-old hanging onto her hand. The elevator is thankfully empty and she's able to indulge his questions with a smile on her face. When the doors ping open, they're greeted by their brother scowling at them. He's shown about as much attention to Adam as Mister Parker did; from the look on Adam's face, the feelings are mutual. Parker straightens to her full height as she heads for the main entrance, pulling Adam slightly behind her protectively. Lyle rolls his eyes at the display, pushing away from the railing he'd been leaning against, presumably waiting for them.
"Off for your play date with McGonnell?" His question was clipped, ruffled unlike usual. He falls into step with her on the opposite side to Adam.
Any other day, Parker would revel in whatever has pissed him off. Today, she suspects she has caused it, and she doesn't have time to get into an argument with him. "Get to the point, Lyle, we don't have time for this."
"You mean I can't tag along and get some brother-sister time?"
Her eyes flick at the sarcastic remark. She isn't interested in playing. She's felt physically sick at times when thinking about Lyle's upbringing; she was the privileged twin despite witnessing their mother being shot. She'd prayed for the first time in years for Angelo to be her twin. Somewhere in that jumbled brain is a kind, sweet soul who she could've loved as a brother. Lyle, Lyle, on the other hand, Parker despised after his entanglement with the Yakuza, she's fully aware of his ability smoothly shift from businessman to psychotic to killer in seconds. She's guarded around him and refuses to allow him to con her into thinking his motives are anything other than a prelude to self-preservation. Raines made himself a monster, a predator, a prodigy, in his image. Despite her insight into his extracurricular activities, his penchant for Asian brides and what he does to them, she's never been afraid of him.
Parker keeps striding through the lobby, glancing at Adam, who is doing his best to keep up with her. He looks back, utterly confident in her. Lyle skips in front of her.
"You thought you were pissing Raines off by blatantly ignoring him? Have a guess what this 'mommy routine' is doing? I swear he's going to have an aneurysm," he informs her.
"Wouldn't that be the kicker?" Parker drawls sweetly, sidestepping him.
"I meant what I said, Parker, you're making this way too easy for him."
"Are you here to carry out his orders or not?" She asks, watching him in case he goes for his gun, knife or his hands lunging at her throat.
Lyle grins coldly. "As much fun as that might be, no," he informs her. "Take the kid to your office, hell, take him anywhere on the grounds, anywhere except to McGonnell."
Parker pauses, assessing him. She can see the twitch, the anger and determination behind the guile façade. It fuels her curiosity, her defiance if he and Raines don't want her or Adam to meet McGonnell. Besides, Broots' background search revealed little except several properties and businesses throughout Europe and Africa. He got nothing when he went snooping around the break room for any gossip on the people who attended her father's wake. Apparently, there were plenty of buzzes because no one actually knew anything about him only that Raines was giving him a wide berth.
"He's not the ally you think he is, Parker," Lyle advises.
She scoffs. The scoff is for appearance only. Inside, the voices in her head are oddly silent, giving her no input, no guidance, allowing her to follow her own instincts. She trusts her judgement; even if McGonnell screws her over, this might be an opportunity to take Adam and run.
Adam tugs her hand. "Missy," his soft voice drifts up to her ears, reminding her why she's doing all of this. This sweet, little boy clings to her and tugs at her heart.
She never wants Adam to look at her the way Lyle is.
"We have an appointment to keep," she regally informs Lyle and sidesteps him to leave the building.
Adam keeps up with her strides, trotting along beside her. He doesn't look back or say anything to Lyle, only seems more at ease to be out of his presence. Parker can sympathise. She used to feel the same way about Raines when she was a child. Adam doesn't even pause to bask in the being outside, Parker notes the absence of his usual gasp of wonder.
They walk down the steps to the waiting town car, McGonnell standing at the open door to welcome them. His neutral expression is only belied by the nod he gives Parker as they approach.
"Miss Parker," he greets, opening the door wider. "Master Parker," he addresses Adam directly, causing Parker to drop her gaze to find her brother studying the older man. Other than Parker and his nannies, adults rarely speak to him.
"Mister McGonnell," Adam says politely, undeterred by his baby lisp. Despite his apprehension in the nursery, he seems at ease interacting with McGonnell now. Parker swallows her relief. At least she won't have to worry about Adam's shyness. "We're going out," her brother adds, less of a question, more of a suggestion.
The old man laughs fondly at Adam's forwardness. "Of course, I forgot, why don't you climb in and we can be on our way?" He chuckles, opening the door wider.
Parker ducks down as Adam scampers into the town car to see a booster seat already installed. McGonnell gestures for her to follow the little boy and she scoots across the backseat to help Adam situate himself. She tightens the straps over his chest, securing the buckle with a click. Adam pulls a face at his restraints, testing them as he's never had to use a car seat before.
"Here, I have one, too," Parker shows him her seat belt, wrapping it across her chest. The inquisitive little boy looks at her, focusing on the mechanisms, figuring out if he can escape. He reminds her of Jarod more at that moment than he has at any time previously. "They're to keep us safe when the car is moving."
Adam screws his face up at the buckle, clearly unhappy at the idea of being restrained in any way. Parker understands the feeling. She tries to let the feeling go, remembering something Sydney said about children picking up on the emotions of adults around them. And Adam is as acutely attuned to her as she is with him. She wants him to settle so she can settle.
McGonnell settles opposite them as his sweepers occupy the front seats. The one driving pulls the car away from the Centre, navigating the driveway towards the gates. Parker looks up at the imposing Tower as they move further away, expecting Raines to come barrelling out to stop the car with a team of sweepers. He doesn't. Parker lets out the breath she didn't realise she was holding when they pass the gates and make it to the open road. She and Jarod may have said this was a test run, yet the achievement feels like so much more.
"Are we on schedule, Matthew?" McGonnell asks his sweeper who isn't driving.
"Yes, Sir," comes the automatic reply. "The pilot is readying for take-off as soon as we're on board."
"Excuse me, pilot?" Parker asks, her stomach turns as her fingers hover over the clasp of her buckle.
McGonnell has the grace to look contrite. "I feel I must apologise for the ruse, Miss Parker. I understand you're unlikely to trust me just because I ask you to, but believe me, it was necessary. Mr Raines has plans for you and young Master Parker and I could not allow them to come to fruition. It's a little unpleasant to explain around young ears," he nods at Adam who's listening intently.
Parker could care less. "Where are you taking us?"
"To my home in England," he explains. "Of course, after you've had a lifetime of decisions being made for you, I don't want to force anything on you except a choice. If you wish, I will take you to your mother's house and you can face Raines however you see fit."
The offer weighs heavily in the car and Parker is quite overwhelmed, feeling foolish and caught off guard and McGonnell's 'choice'. She feels trapped and she walked right into, ignoring the warning signs for the sake of her own selfish reasons. Her gun is inaccessible at the small of her back. Her cell was in the same position. She glances at the doors and Adam who is calmer than he should be; there is no way she can do a tuck and roll with a two-year-old.
"Miss Parker," McGonnell brings her attention back to him. "I couldn't tell you of my plans, such as they have come together very quickly. I beg you, do not decide now, wait until we reach the airstrip."
"Why should I do anything you say?" She shakes her head in disgust. "You're just like the rest of them."
"I'm here because of your mother," McGonnell promises. "Because of Jarod's mother." Miss Parker raises her chin. The old man shakes his head. "I hate saying that because I know how many times Catherine and Margaret have been dangled in front of you both."
Parker's glower is only broken by Adam's small hand touching hers. "We okay, Missy."
It's a statement, not a question. He seems so confident and she wonders why. Her mother's voice is notably absent, again, offering no guidance, no credence to any of this. As McGonnell said, this choice is a rarity in the fact that this is all on her. Whatever happens, it's her fault.
The car approaches a small airstrip, two hangars next to a short runway. A small plane, similar to one of the corporate jets sits on the strip, and two sweepers stand guard next to a car beside it. As soon as the car stops, Parker releases Adam from his seat and pulls him into her lap. She doesn't wait for anyone to open the door, she's out of the car with Adam secured to her hip with one hand while the other goes to her holster, ready to pull her gun if need be. Her attention is drawn toward the other vehicle when Jarod emerges from the rear, looking as pissed as she is. Despite how weary and trapped she feels, she's relieved to see him.
"What are you doing here?" She snarls instead. Jarod doesn't have a chance to answer as McGonnell joins them on the tarmac.
Parker steps wide, eying the sweepers flanking them. None of them has drawn their weapons, probably for Adam's sake. Adam clings to her, purely due to the speed of her movements not out of fear.
"Miss Parker," McGonnell tries to placate her. She cocks her head at him. "If you wish to stay, this car is waiting for you," he gestures at the other vehicle.
"Parker." It's Jarod, at her side. One glance at him and she knows he's getting on the plane.
"What's going on?"
"I don't know," he says it like a promise, a pledge. They can get through this, they'll adapt. "Mister McGonnell picked me up about half a mile from your house last night." Parker eyes McGonnell, he's unreadable. She knew he knew more than he was letting on, yet she hadn't expected any of this. "I think we should get on the plane, Parker."
Her eyes snap to Jarod's, searching. His intense gaze reveals his honesty and vulnerability. "Why?"
"My mother is in England," Jarod explains.
