Chapter 9
Parker
Speeding through the streets, I still can’t believe that asshole was in my building!
That prick lives in my building. How has this been my life for the past twenty-four hours?
I will be writing a strongly worded letter to the board once I get home.
This is completely outrageous and to make his friend stay in the car, like a child being punished in a time-out? What a controlling fuckface.
“Parker. Turn right.”
I literally cannot believe this.
“Right!”
Horns honk loudly, pedestrians yell. One even hits my hood as I take the sharp turn. The lingering smell of burning rubber follows behind the squealing tires.
“Excuse me, people. Mooove. I have somewhere to be. Hello! I’m late.” Adding my horn to the echoing honks bouncing off the tall buildings on the narrow streets, my patience is becoming nonexistent. “Five minutes out. Bensen is avoiding high-traffic streets and sneaking through alleyways.”
How have I never noticed him before in our building? Surely a Rolls with douche canoe engraved to the side would have caught my attention? Unless the decal is new?
“PARKER!”
The shouting of my name startles me, causing me to step on my brakes. My body jolts forward, before slamming back into my seat. With a racing heart, I take a moment to gather myself. I need to stop letting him in. He will not ruin this day.
“What do we say when we are feeling down?” Ophelia knows me the best out of anyone. She knows I need this.
“It’s a great day…” She leaves me to finish it.
I do, repeating after her. “It’s a great day to bounty hunt.”
“Exactly. So do what you do best and hunt, dammit.” Her words are angry. They are encouraging, borderline pleading, actually. And absolutely one hundred percent accurate.
Taco is quick to redirect the conversion. “I need you to go up Thirty Seventh until you reach Sixth, then turn left. Bensen just passed Joe’s Fresh Market. Our sparrows are still on her in case we lose sight during the alley detours.”
Nodding my head, I place my foot back on the gas and continue my fast and furious journey to sweet blondie Bensen. “Understood.”
I feel like I’m in a movie from my youth.
It’s a classic street race, minus the stick shift and fancy LED lights changing from bright blues to pinks under my carriage.
Instead of it being me against a train, I am battling time.
Which, I suppose, could be viewed as the same thing.
Some food for thought, I suppose. My stomach grumbles at the thought of food.
“Shh, girl, pizza will invade within the hour,” I reassure her.
Buzzing through the streets, green lights have been my friend thus far. “Taco, is this you?”
He scoffs. “I’m using my magic powers. Green light, go, baby.”
What the fuck is he talking about?
“Yes, I have been briefly able to access the grid. But I’m creating clusterfucks and traffic jams in the process. It will be no time at all before their tech person boots me out of their systems.”
“You’re a good man, Taco Bell!”
Weaving around traffic, fear has left me, and only adrenaline has prevailed. I am living my best fucking life.
“Woo-hoo!”
“Connor. We really need to reevaluate her access to motor vehicles,” O, pokes while I pout.
“Absolutely not. The fine state of New York has given her a license to operate it.” I smile. See, I knew he liked me.
“Yes, thank you. And it’s only a dangerous weapon if in the wrong hands. His name is Douche Canoe. When was the last time you saw me do that to someone?” The line goes silent. “Exactly. Now let me play in peace.”
The set of lights ahead turn amber, and my eyes widen in panic, because I won’t be stopping.
“Parker?” Tac says my name in a way to question if I see what he does without actually saying anything at all. I brush it off. Worry or panic won’t solve anything. Cool, calm, and collected will get us to the finish line.
“I know. It’s okay. Just get me to Bensen.”
“You’re right. Just floor it.” Those five words are music to my ears.
Who am I to deny a good man his wish? Laying on the horn, I give ample warning of my lack of intention to stop.
Speeding through the intersection, more pedestrians flip me off.
Must they be so dramatic? Do they even know what getting hit with a car is like?
I saved their lives by using my horn. A thanks would be more appropriate, but what do I know?
“Left,” Tac barks. Shit. I crank the wheel, nearly missing my turn. The back end of my car swings and now I am Tokyo Drifting baby. If only this car was a drop-top, because to feel the wind in my hair while drifting would be iconic, don’t you think?
“Slow down, she’s less than a minute out and you don’t want to draw attention to yourself,” O snips.
I’m sure her eyes are bulging out of her head by now, she hates when I’m ‘reckless’, her words not mine, but this time, it’s a valid point.
I don’t need her startling and causing a scene with SWAT and the A-team dropping in with guns on me.
“Hands on your head!” I recite from the last incident. “Remember that?” I ask, giggling.
O responds, unamused, while I can hear the two boys stifling their snickers, “Twenty seconds.”
Releasing the gas, I ease on the brakes, resisting the urge to do a donut as my grand finale. My eyes are hyper-focused, scanning either side of the street as I pass Joe’s Market.
“On your right. She keeps looking back, like she’s making sure she isn’t being followed,” Tac advises.
Concerned, I question. “Sparrows?”
“No, we can’t see them, so neither can she.” Tac pauses. I hear the sounds of his fingers against the keyboard. “She’s worried. Her eyes are shifting all over the place, there's something off. We need to move, Parker.” His tone changes from curious to firm. We are done fucking around.
Bensen’s pace increases. She’s nearly jogging before making an abrupt turn down the alleyway.
It’s perfect. In my car, I turn my automatic headlights off to not startle her further, and slowly follow from only a slight distance.
For once, the kind folks stop on the sidewalk, allowing me to enter behind Bensen.
I wave, thankful, not that they can see me through the tint.
It’s dark, and the buildings are too tall for the sun to slip between.
“Do I have eyes?”
“No.”
Shit. I’m alone.
I stop, putting my car in park at the first set of bays lining the side of the back of the buildings.
It’s like I belong here, when I don’t. With my eyes still on my blondie Bensen, her pace has slowed.
She even steps next to a green waste bin, leaning back and resting her head against the cement wall. The girl is absolutely clueless.
Keeping my car running, I open the door and step out, also keeping it open. Stepping around the Benz, I walk toward her. As a concerned citizen, I curiously question, “Excuse me, miss. Are you okay?”
She’s startled, bringing her hands to her heart. Nodding her head, a fake smile of reassurance forms on her face. “Yes. Just tired. Long day of walking. Thank you.”
Liar.
Walking closer, I question once more. “Are you sure? I have some water in the car if you need?” Not only am I a concerned citizen but also a compassionate one.
Politely, Bensen waves me off. “Thank you so much. I appreciate your kindness, but I’ll be okay.”
I nod, smiling. Giving the illusion that I am about to leave her alone.
Pivoting my body to turn away, I am quick to fake it out, turning back around to face her.
Using my tiny stature to one’s advantage, I decide to surprise-attack my pretty blondie.
Catching her off guard, I thrust myself forward, leaping upon her front side and channeling my inner spider monkey.
Again, I am so grateful to be living in this city. Not an eyelash is batted in our direction as I attack. Bensen’s arms try to throw me off, but my legs are firmly wrapped around them on either side of her torso. Throwing my arms around her neck, I hold on tight for the ride of my life.
Bensen attempts to flail around like a rag doll, but this isn’t my first rodeo. “Stop fighting it. This will not end until you’re on the ground.”
“Ah shit, boss. The old spider monkey?”
I respond with gritted teeth, “Fuckin’ rights.”
Taco claps and cheers, bringing a smile to my face. I love when he gets excited.
Bensen attempts to make her way toward my running vehicle. The door is open. The opportunity to shake me and dash is within her reach. Sadly, for her, she’ll be passed out on the ground before then.
Squeezing my arms tighter, she coughs in a valiant effort to catch her breath.
Her steps land heavier against the graveled pavement with each movement, less oxygen is accessing her brain and lungs.
Then, for a moment, a wave of realization washes over me.
Motherfucker. How annoying will it be if she falls forward instead of back? I don’t need another head injury.
Bensen jolts her body side to side in a final attempt to be freed, but I stay locked in.
At the same time, I whisper breathlessly, “I’ll need a sparrow.”
Dragging a body to my trunk won’t raise suspicion, but with my current condition, it could take longer than I’d like. A helping hand will never be turned down.
No one responds. Instead, from the corner of my eye I spot someone rushing toward us. My sparrow savior. Praise-fucking-be.
It’s then I feel Bensen’s knees buckle. We are sinking faster than the Titanic.
Rapidly, my legs release from around her and my feet hop to the ground while I keep my arms tight around her throat, hunching her over while also bracing myself for her fall.
The sparrow reaches into his pockets to bring out a zip tie.
He secures her hands behind her back as her head falls heavy upon my shoulder.
Bensen is out and I have never been so thrilled to be on two or five, super strength acetaminophen in my life.