To say this last job went to Hell in a handbasket was an understatement. Parker made a call and she nearly got the team hurt. Kaira was pissed. So was the whole team, really.
The team entered the office since the job was over. They were arguing.
"I did my job. You told me to get us into the penthouse." Parker argued.
"Yeah, by following my plan, Parker." Nate argued back.
"Parker, you've got to think about other people before you do shit like that!" Kaira exclaimed, setting down her gear.
"What?" Parker questioned.
"By getting us all in safely." Nate argued back.
"Did the elevator decapitate you? Did it decapitate you?" Parker asked, heading towards her office.
Hardison was at the computer. "Actually, from this angle, it looks pretty close on the decapitation." Hardison said.
"You need to go talk to her. It's not the first time she's gone loco." Eliot told Sophie.
"We're serious." Kaira warned Sophie.
Sophie went to Parker's office. "Parker, I think what everyone's feeling is that if you want to take insane risks on your own time, then go ahead, but when we're on a job, you have to consider the rest of us. Excuse me." Sophie said as Parker left her office, grabbing a yellow envelope in her desk.
"This isn't for me. It's addressed to somebody named Alice White." Parker said as Sophie joined them.
Parker threw the envelope in front of Hardison and left.
"You are Alice White. It's one of the aliases I made for you - vegetarian, bookkeeper. She had a pretty wild time at her sister's wedding in Phoenix. You should check out her Facebook page." Hardison explained.
Eliot smiled a bit.
"Alice White has jury duty." Parker explained, having opened up the envelope.
"Damn, I am good." Hardison complimented himself as Kaira chuckled.
"Yeah, congratulations. Alice thanks you for getting her out of it." Parker said, walking away again.
"No. No. Jury duty - a place where you have to follow instructions." Nate said, getting the same idea everyone had.
"Where you have to consider other people's point of view." Sophie said.
"There's gonna be normal people there, Nate." Eliot said.
"No, no, no. You're not getting out of this. Alice White is reporting for jury duty." Nate said.
Parker was not happy, but Kiara helped Parker get ready for jury duty. Kaira got snacks ready with Eliot while they waited for Parker to get back. Kaira sat down with Nate and Hardison as Eliot got snacks ready.
"So, my video wall plus live tv and full Sunday action in HD." Hardison explained his screens.
They each had a separate game shown on them.
"Incredible." Nate complimented.
"What do you think?" Hardison asked.
"Great." Nate and Kaira said.
"Right. Right?" Hardison said again as Sophie grabbed some pizza.
"I think it's funny. You know, it reminds me a bit of rugby, except - well, you Americans, you wear the helmets and the pads and everything so you don't get hurt." Sophie said, taking a bite of pizza.
Kaira just stared at her.
"Oh, you didn't." Hardison said.
"What?" Sophie said.
Then Parker came up to them in front of the screens.
"Ahh! Parker, how is Juror number 6 today?" Nate asked.
"Good. Okay, here it is." Parker was saying before Hardison yelled fumble.
Kaira hit Hardison on the shoulder for him to be quiet.
"I think there's something dirty going on with this trial and the woman who lost her husband's gonna get hurt even worse, and that we should, um, you know, get involved." Parker said.
Nate kept gesturing for her to move. Kaira gave him a dirty look.
"Involved? What - what do you -" Nate said.
"No, no, no. no, no, no. You don't understand. They had hidden cameras, and the lawyers had comms. Like our comms." Parker explained.
Kaira perked up, thinking.
"First, move. Second, nobody has our comms." Hardison explained.
"Parker, listen, there is not some evil conspiracy lurking behind the curtain of every routine civic activity." Nate said.
"I make our comms. Me. I make 'em. Ain't nobody got our comms, do what I do." Hardison said. Sophie understood Kaira's frustration.
"Now what's happening is, you're on a boring jury trial. Okay? Now could you..." Nate said, gesturing for Parker to move.
Nate yelled at Parker and gestured for her to move as she left. Kaira smacked them both.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Nathan? You too Hardison. Parker's never asked for help. From either one of us. If she says something's off, then it's most likely true." Kaira yelled at the two of them.
Sophie left agreeing with what Kaira said.
"Listen, there is a reason we put her in a jury trial." Nate said.
Hardison muted the tv.
"Yeah. To help her learn how to put others before herself. That's what she's doing." Kaira said.
"You know, man, when I was a - when I was a kid, I was like eight years old, I had a foster mom who was Jehovah's Witness. She used to dress me up in a suit and a bow tie and take me door-to-door to spread the word. Black neighborhoods, white neighborhoods - it didn't matter. I would kick, I'd scream, or whatever, but she would say "Alec, you need to learn how to talk to people." See, everything I know about people, I learned ringing doorbells and - and - and being in a bow tie. Parker never had that. I mean, jumping from a skyscraper, she's cool. But making small talk? That's - it's like pure terror. Just cut her some slack." Hardison defended Parker.
"You know, it wasn't until I joined the Army and got assigned to Eliot's team that I learned to talk to people. I was socially awkward. That's why I was a server in high school. I was hoping it would help me, but it was worse for me. Eliot taught me to communicate with a team. I used what he taught me to be a grifter. I overcame my fear. Parker isn't used to talking to people to get a job done. She's a thief. Not a hacker, a grifter, a hitter, or a mastermind. She has to stay silent to survive. That's what she knows. If she wants help, I'd say we give it to her." Kaira said.
Hardison and Nate looked at her sympathetically. This was the first time Kaira was this open with the team. Hardison unmuted the tv as Eliot ran in with the beer. He went to sit down.
"How about them boys? Come on!" Eliot exclaimed.
Kaira chuckled at her boyfriend's excitement.
"What'd I miss?" Eliot asked.
"Nothing." Nate said.
He looked back to where Parker was standing. Eliot handed Kaira a beer.
"Uh, Eliot, gonna need you to go with Parker to check something out." Nate said.
"All right." Eliot said looking at the tv.
"Yeah. Now." Nate ordered.
"Right now?" Eliot questioned.
"Yeah, right now. Yeah." Nate confirmed.
"Like, now?" Eliot asked.
"Yeah. Just go get Parker." Nate said.
Eliot hit the table and got up.
"I'll go with you, cowboy." Kaira said, getting up.
Nate grabbed a beer. "Thanks for the beer." Nate said.
Then Eliot walked over to the table again. "I tell you what. This is not happenin', Bubba. You ain't takin' my beer." Eliot said, grabbing the beer.
He grabbed Parker and the trio left.
Kaira drove them to the warehouse where they saw an older hippie guy, who Parker identified as William Quint, walk in. They waited for him to go in and they sneaked in. They went up to an overlook and looked at the floor. There were people everywhere and computers and boards with the jurors on it. They heard Quint call the woman Mrs. Earnshaw.
"Who's Earnshaw?" Parker asked.
Eliot grabbed his phone and took pictures.
"Hardison?" Kaira got his attention.
"I'm on it." Hardison said.
Kaira tuned in to the conversation that was happening on the floor between Earnshaw and Quint.
"I think maybe I should settle this case and be done with it." He said.
"It's not up to you anymore." Earnshaw said.
Parker plugged in something in the electronics panel.
"You want to buy my company. Buy it. You don't, don't. But it's my toques that's on the line here-" Quint said.
"The only thing you have on the line is your penny-ante granola company. I could lose everything. Winning is the only option. You go behind my back and try to settle this case, I will bury you. Are we clear?" Earnshaw said.
Quint swallowed nervously. Parker finished plugging in her system.
"That kind of jury profiling costs a fortune." Eliot observed.
"At the trial, they said Quint's company was tiny." Parker said.
Kaira kept looking at the equipment at the warehouse. Parker plugged in the last plug of her system.
"Now we see... what they see. Damn. They hacked the courtroom security feed and planted their own cameras." Hardison informed them.
"That's what I would've done." Nate said.
"They got there first." Hardison said.
Earnshaw was playing with her chessboard as Eliot, Parker, and Kaira left and met back up with the team later that day. Hardison got his presentation ready and it was dark out by the time he started.
They all sat at the table in the meeting room.
"All right. We have a new client. Apparently, there is an evil conspiracy lurking behind the curtain of every routine... et cetera, et cetera, et cetera." Nate said, admitting he was wrong.
Parker nodded her head in acceptance.
"Gloria Vargas is suing Willian Quint over the wrongful death of her husband. Now, it should be a simple low-stakes wrongful death suit." Nate explained before Hardison grabbed the remote and continued.
"But Quint has help. Tobey Earnshaw, of Earnshaw Pharmaceuticals. Father founded the company, and he's still C.E.O." Hardison explained.
"Why does a drug heiress care about a lawsuit against a tiny supplements company?" Sophie asked.
"Cause without telling daddy or the executive board, Earnshaw sank 20 million into R&D for Fastlife in anticipation of buying the company." Hardison said.
"See, Live Herbly loses this trial, then thousands of other lawsuits just like it will fall out of the sky." Nate explained.
"The buyout falls through." Parker said.
"Yeah, and Earnshaw's out on her ass." Eliot said.
"Earnshaw's gonna destroy that young widow to protect her investment." Kaira said, giving the stakes.
"Well, then, we have to win the court case for Gloria." Sophie said.
"We can't." Nate said.
Kaira looked at Nate.
"No, guys, we got into this way too late. I mean, the best we can hope for is to con Quint into a settlement." Nate said.
"Nathan, we had an hour to prepare for the Genogrow job. We pulled it off, albeit we were in a falling airplane, but we made it. I vote for winning the trial." Kaira said.
The team agreed with Kaira.
"Kaira, we can't. We don't have enough time to gather evidence and make a plan for that. Conning Quint into a settlement is the next best thing." Nate argued.
"Wait a minute. Earnshaw took settlement off the table." Parker pointed out.
"So, then, you know, we try to convince him to put it back on." Nate said.
There was a beeping sound.
"Hello. Earnshaw just ran a credit check on Alice White." Hardison informed them.
"Who's Alice White?" Parker asked.
"You are!" The team exclaimed, annoyed.
"Whoa." Parker said, defensive.
"She's buying the jury." Kaira realized.
"Not if we... steal it first." Nate said.
The team left and came back the next day.
They got ready to leave and met back up at the meeting room. Parker, Hardison, Sophie, and Kaira sat down. Eliot stood behind Kaira, massaging her neck and shoulders.
"Who plays chess?" Nate asked, standing by the screen.
"I play" Eliot said, raising his hand.
"I dabble a bit." Kaira said, also raising her hand.
"Of course you do." Nate quipped.
Eliot and Kaira put their hands down.
"A chess game has three stages, right? I mean, you got your opening, middle, and end game. In the opening, you take control of the board, and you want to line up your attack and you want to protect the king, which, ironically, is the weakest piece you have." Nate explained.
"You know this is a trial, right?" Hardison questioned.
"Not to Earnshaw." Kaira said.
"Earnshaw has already overpowered the Vargas defense, and she's buying a juror. Now, that is a fast, aggressive opening gambit. Really is. So, we need to break her momentum here. So, Parker, what I need you to do is I need you to - we need you to stall the trial. So, you're gonna get all of those jurors to trust you." Nate said.
"Um... how?" Parker asked, nervous.
"Conversation. Compliments. You're gonna be fine." Nate said.
Parker left. Kaira got up and took her aside.
"Parker, you have to be nice. Say what people want to hear. Like their hair looks nice or their outfit looks nice. You don't have to tell the truth when you're on a job. You have to get these people to like you. Saying something that'll hurt them will not help you. Got it?" Kaira said.
"Got it." Parker said.
Kaira hugged her and she went back to the table.
"Figure out what her line of attack is. Go digging. Figure out who her pawn is on the jury is." Nate ordered.
"I've got financial traces on all the juror's accounts." Hardison said.
"And if it shows up as cash in a suitcase?" Nate questioned. "Go digging." Nate ordered.
The team left and Kaira, Eliot, and Hardison got to work sifting through the garbage outside the courthouse. Kaira went first to sift through the garbage. She grabbed gloves and really dirty clothes and masks. She and Eliot changed when they arrived.
Eliot went next as Kaira sifted through a bag. Eliot threw a bag at Hardison. Hardison cut it open and him and Kaira looked through it.
"It's your turn to be in the dumpster." Eliot said, hoping he could stop.
"No, man, no. I-I-I have - I have peanut allergies. What if somebody threw in some extra crunchy skippy? Then you know, it's just." Hardison argued, making a gagging sound. "A-all up in my vocal area, man. Do you want to give me mouth-to-mouth? No, none of us want that. Hell, no." Hardison argued.
Eliot then threw another bag at him and hit him in the head.
"Heads up." Eliot said.
Kaira chuckled as she continued to look through the trash. Kaira found something.
"Boys, I think I know who our dirty juror is. I found envelopes for a passport, tickets to Fiji, luggage tickets and it looks like cash wrappers. These belong to the Foreman." Kaira observed, handing the stuff to the gang.
Hardison took the items and bagged them as the couple cleaned up the garbage. They went back to the office and changed. Hardison showed the stuff to Nate.
Eliot and Kaira decided to change in the same bathroom. Kaira took off her shirt as Eliot watched. Kaira chuckled as she noticed her boyfriend's stares.
"Cowboy, if you want a peak, all you have to do is ask." Kaira chuckled.
So did Eliot. He lifted Kaira up and sat her on the sink and kissed her, his hands cupping her head. They moved down as Kaira's hands did too. They ended up taking off their pants and shirt, just in their undergarments. They let go to get air.
"You like what you see, Princess?" Eliot quipped, smiling.
"Hell yeah." Kaira smiled, chuckling.
Eliot did too.
"Eliot, Kaira, are you done? I would like some help with Parker." Sophie called out.
"Yeah. Just a minute." Kaira called out.
Eliot chuckled as he helped Kaira off the sink.
"We both stink." Kaira chuckled.
"Well, sweetheart, we were in garbage all day." Eliot said, grabbing his clothes to change.
"Good point. Care to join me for a shower later tonight?" Kaira smirked.
"Hell yeah." Eliot smiled as he tossed Kaira her clothes.
They got changed and met with Sophie, who was helping Parker with communicating.
Sophie had an apple and an orange in her hands. Sophie was still dressed in her outfit from meeting with Quint.
"Okay, today did not go well, but that's all right. You know, we learn when we fail. We're gonna - we're gonna go back to basics, and we're gonna do a little role-playing. Gonna start with - with persuasion techniques. So, Eliot has an apple." Sophie tossed the apple to Eliot. "Alice has an orange." Sophie said, tossing the orange to Parker.
Eliot went beside Sophie as Kaira stayed back. "I love apples. Apples are my favorite fruit." Eliot said in a monotone voice.
"Good for you, sparky." Parker said, unamused.
"I-I don't have to sit here and take this crap." Eliot said to Sophie.
"Go on. Just do it for me." Sophie said.
"You have an orange, all right? Now, convince me that I want the orange, not the apple. I'm gonna take a bite." Eliot said.
Eliot was hesitant but took a bite of the apple.
"I put a razor blade in that apple." Parker stated, causing Eliot to spit out the apple.
Kaira tried not to laugh as Parker laughed a bit.
"Are you serious?" Eliot said, starting to rip the apple.
"Maybe. But do you know what doesn't have a razor blade in it? This orange." Parker sniffed the orange.
"Don't you want it?" Parker said as she got up and left, throwing the orange at Eliot's chest.
Eliot looked annoyed as Kaira managed to compose herself.
"You fell for that?" Sophie questioned, walking away.
Eliot took another bite of the apple as Kaira started peeling the orange. Kaira went to find Parker.
"Parker, you can't do that to someone. You'll scare them. You can't gain someone's trust that way. You have to be nice to them." Kaira told her.
Parker nodded and left to go back to the courthouse.
Kaira watched as Parker got rid of the Forman and then comforted Hardison as he became the new attorney for Gloria Vargas, as Earnshaw bought the lawyer defending Gloria. Sophie and Nate went to the courthouse as the trio at the office watched how the session went. Hardison definitely was doing his job of stalling the trial by using a bunch of information they didn't really need. Sophie approached Quint during a break and offered him to call the "home base" of Mumbai International, the company Sophie "worked" for, at midnight. Kaira got the set built while Eliot called up a friend of his, Donnie, to act as the boss.
Kaira got the camera set up and Eliot got his friend ready for the part. They did the conference call, and Sophie told Quit again to settle the lawsuit. After Quint left, Nate walked in.
"Hi. Good. He's good." Nate complimented.
"What I tell you?" Eliot said as he went to Donnie to hug him as they laughed.
Kaira went to hug him too. "Thank you for coming in on such short notice, Donnie." Eliot said.
"Yeah. Thank you, Donnie." Kaira said.
"Ah, dinna fash yersel, laddie. What are friends for?" Donnie said, in a thick Scottish accent.
It threw Kaira off a bit because she had just heard him in an Indian accent.
"Exactly. Beer's on me soon." Eliot said.
"Oh, you remember that." Donnie said as Eliot and Donnie laughed and put up their hands as Kaira escorted him out the door. They hugged again. Kaira and Eliot left for the night.
When they got home, Kaira smelled the garbage still.
"We smell like garbage." Eliot chuckled.
"Yeah. Shower?" Kaira teased, setting her stuff down and walking to the bathroom.
"Hell yeah." Eliot said as he followed Kaira to the bathroom, starting to strip his clothes off, starting with his shirt.
Kaira giggled as she also started striping. They made it to the bathroom and kissed. Kaira got the water running and Eliot watched. Once the water was on, they finished taking off their clothes and got in the shower. Most of the time, they just kissed and admired each other. After a good amount of time, the couple got out of the shower and changed into pajamas, and went to bed.
In the morning, Eliot drove him and Kaira back to the office. They met with Parker and Hardison, who were in their outfits for court.
"I guess Alice wasn't so bad. Her shoes are more comfortable than mine." Parker said.
"That's because they're your shoes." Eliot said.
"She likes rainy days." Parker said.
They sat down with Sophie and Nate as he pulled up some information.
"Guys, Take a look at this." Nate said.
He pulled up a news article on the screen that said Tobey Earnshaw bought Mumbai International, which Sophie didn't even really work for.
"Are you kidding?" Hardison said.
"Wow." Eliot said, surprised.
"Damn." Kaira commented.
"I can't believe this." Hardison said.
"Earnshaw bought Mumbai." Eliot said.
"She's really doing everything to buy Live Herbly, huh." Kaira commented.
"She's protecting her investment, eliminating the competition." Nate said.
"We are so screwed." Parker said.
"Shit, you're right, Parker." Kaira groaned as she laid her head down.
"She just spent millions of dollars on a company I don't really work for." Sophie said.
"How did she even know we were talking a deal?" Eliot asked.
"Dammit. Earnshaw isn't just watching the jury, she's watching Quint." Kaira realized, groaning more.
"Reading his emails, tracing his phone, probably got a few guys on him." Hardison said.
"Well, this just got more complicated." Kaira said, upset.
"What are we suppose to do now?" Parker asked.
"We win the trial." Nate said, standing up.
Kaira perked up.
"Nathan, you said winning the trial wasn't an option." Kaira said, unamused.
"Wha - I'm sorry. The impossible trial? The trial that can't be won?" Hardison said, following Nate leaving.
Kaira leaned back and exhaled. Parker and Sophie left and went to another room and Kaira followed. Sophie sat on the desk with Kaira as Parker took down the note cards off the corkboard.
"I can't do it. I can't convince a whole jury." Parker said, nervous.
"We worked on persuasion tactics all week. You did really well." Sophie said, trying to hype Parker up.
"Yeah, with you guys. But the people on this jury are normal." Parker said.
"Parker, there is no such thing as normal when it comes to people." Kaira said.
Parker looked at her.
"There isn't a single normal person on this jury." Sophie said.
"The old lady who knits potholders at lunch isn't normal?" Parker questioned.
"The one who keeps showing you pictures of her grandchildren?" Sophie confirmed.
"Parker, have you noticed anything off about the photos?" Kaira asked.
"No." Parker all but whispered.
"She hasn't seen those grandchildren in years. She's trying to convince anyone who will listen that she's got this big happy family." Kaira said.
"You don't know that." Parker said, pacing.
"Parker, we read people for a living. That's our thing. Okay, Charlie, the messenger guy - you know, the one with five kids?" Sophie said.
"Gay?" Parker guessed.
"Bulimic. Trevor, the frat boy, however - yeah, super gay." Sophie said.
Parker chuckled a bit.
"What about Peggy?" Parker asked.
"Actually, Peggy is pretty normal." Kaira said.
"But the rest of them - they all have their own Alice White. You just - you just happen to give yours a name." Sophie said, standing up.
Kaira stood up. "Parker, would you believe me if I told you I have social anxiety?" Kaira asked.
"No. You're always happy around us." Parker said.
Sophie looked at Kaira sympathetically.
"It's true. As a kid, I was always bullied for being uncomfortable around crowds and for not speaking in front of the class. My mom told me when I was a kid that the world won't conform to you if you aren't comfortable in it, so you have to adapt. So, I started acting in theater, doing restaurant jobs to get money for an apartment, always volunteering first, and always tried to be happy. I managed, but it was in the army that I finally got comfortable around people. Truth be told Parker, part of the reason I'm a grifter is because I wanted to break away from my comfort zone. The only way to be able to get more comfortable in a situation is to experience it over and over again. You will do fine. Just break your mold and breathe. You'll do good." Kaira said, giving Parker a hug.
Parker hugged her back. Parker walked away. Sophie went up by Kaira.
"That was beautiful, Kaira. I would never have thought that you had any discomfort in any social situation we've had." Sophie said, shocked.
"Well, that's kinda the point, Soph. The only way to get better at something is to do it over and over again." Kaira said.
They left and met at the door, where Nate gave Hardison his suitcase and Sophie handed Parker her lunch with smiles from the both of them. Kaira took Hardison aside.
"You'll do great, Hardison. Just speak to the jury, not through or over them." Kaira said.
Hardison gave a smile and a nod as he left. Parker left right behind him. Eliot walked up to Nate and Nate held his arm out to stop Eliot.
"Okay, we don't have court today, but we do have some work to do." Nate said. \"Am I gonna like this work?" Eliot asked.
"Uh, not the first part." Nate said.
Kaira chuckled a bit. "Which probably means I'm not gonna like it either." Kaira retorted.
Nate told them his plan.
Eliot and Kaira went to track down Quint and hid, but not before they put a device in Quint's car. He went in his car and drove away. Then another car started following him. Eliot and Kaira walked out in front of the car and Eliot got hit, falling off the hood of the car as Kaira got clipped. She bent down to Eliot, who was on the ground.
"No! Baby, are you okay?" Kaira questioned, acting as a concerned bystander.
The guys came out and tried to help Eliot up.
"Where's these two come from? You all right?" One of the guys asked.
Kaira then got up and moved as Eliot hit the guy holding him in the crotch and Kaira punched the other guy in the face. Eliot slammed his guy in the car and Kaira kicked her guy in the crotch and then punched him in the face, knocking him out. Eliot punched his guy, knocking him out. Eliot and Kaira grabbed the guys and locked them in the trunk. Eliot pulled his phone and put his index finger to his ear.
"We planted the device in Quint's engine, took care of the guys that Earnshaw sent after Quint. And you should have him in... three, two..." Eliot tapped a button on the phone to overload Quint's engine. "...one." Eliot said.
Nate went up to Quint and grabbed his cellphone and gave it to Sophie. Sophie went to go to some places and Eliot and Kaira drove back. Kaira heard Hardison talk to the jury. She was proud of him.
Eliot and Kaira arrived back at the office and sat down, waiting for Hardison and Nate to show up as they watched Parker get ready to talk to the jury. Nate and Hardison sat down.
"Yeah, it's the end game - all on her now." Nate said.
Kaira was a bit nervous. Kaira could see Parkers' eyes go wide.
"You'll be okay, Parker." Kaira said.
Kaira turned around and looked at Hardison.
"You did good, Hardison." Kaira smiled at him.
She turned back around and watched the trial. Hardison played with Earnshaw's feed. He then got the call that the jury was back. He left to hear the verdict. The team left to meet Quint and Earnshaw, but not before making a stop at her warehouse. Kaira grabbed a chess piece and left.
They went to the courthouse. They waited outside the door as Quint and Earnshaw left, obviously upset. Kaira had heard on her comm that Vargas won. Quint looked at Sophie.
"Remember me? Looks like you should have settled." Sophie said, bowing her head and putting her hands flat together in front of her.
Quint realized he was played. Earnshaw did too. Kaira and Nate went up to her as Quint left. Eliot stayed behind. Nate held up the chess piece and let it drop in her hands. Nate walked away, a cocky look on his face. Kaira had a similar look.
"Checkmate, bitch." Kaira said, walking away.
She met up with Eliot, and he held out his arm for Kaira to grab.
"That was really hot, Princess." Eliot said, swallowing.
Kaira chuckled at her boyfriend's looks.
"That felt really good." Kaira said, amused.
They met the rest at the car and got Parker a burger as she was bitching about having to eat vegetarian food all week for the trial. Parker sat down with her food and was all but salivating. Eliot sat down and sat a six-pack of beer on the table. Kaira sat next to him as they both watched the sports games on tv.
"Oh, sweet mercy. Cooked flesh." Parker said, taking a bite of her burger, closing her eyes to enjoy it.
"Can we get fast food every time we make the bad guys go away?" Parker said.
Kaira chuckled. "Why not." Kaira smiled.
Nate and Hardison sat down at the table and watched the game. Parker's phone rang and she looked at it.
"Hey, it's Peggy from the trial! She wants to have coffee next week." Parker took a bite of her burger.
"Mmm. Alice made a friend." Parker said, happy.
"I'm gonna tell you this one more time. You made a friend, not Alice." Eliot said.
"Oh, cool. Well, think she'd want to steal a painting with me?" Parker asked.
Kaira laughed a bit.
"Start small, Parker. Try coffee." Sophie said, eating one of Parker's fries.
They just sat and ate while watching the game. Kaira leaned into Eliot, content. Eliot placed a soft kiss on his girlfriend's forehead. They both smiled as they went back to watching the game. Kaira knew she wasn't going to let these guys go. They were her family now. She loved that.