002.2 Reporting in to Miss Parker

When everyone left, Bella had planned on enjoying the clubber playthings she had collected for her and Richard. As the scantily clad man and woman began to dance for her, Richard received a message from Miss Parker.

My office. 30 min.

One denied Miss Parker about as often and with about as much success as one would deny Malachi. Richard had to run.

---

Miss Parker's office looked like it came straight out of the 1940's, all dark, heavy wood and patterned wallpaper in crimson and gold. Her desk was a slightly curved monstrosity of cherry wood that sat between her and anyone who entered like a defensive barrier. Her chair was upholstered in thick leather the color of blood with heavy brass pins lining the edges. The lighting should have been darker to finish the effect, but Miss Parker preferred to keep it bright.

She sat behind the desk in a dark suit, slender, beautiful, and somehow more imposing than either of the massive bodyguards that flanked her. Her dark eyes followed Richard as he entered, and she waited a moment before speaking.

"I'd love to get a report on the collection task I assigned you, but I'm much more interested in your take on the events at Jessica's tonight. I hear you were quite the hero."

After receiving the message, Richard immediately sends a confirmation back. He then turns to Bella and explains the situation. Looking at the dancing man and woman, he adds: "Have fun without me. Depending on how this goes, maybe you can come to my place later to have some more fun together, just you and me."
He kisses her before leaving and Bella can feel how much tenser he immediately got after receiving the message.

---

Richard walks into the office. Immediately, he feels himself shrink in Ms. Parker's presence but he forces himself to stand tall. He's generally a very confident person but Ms. Parker had the ability to intimidate him - and most people really - without even saying a word. And that wasn't just because of her office. Her presence was just as strong wherever she was.

Richard does not sit down. He knows he has been on thin ice with her from the beginning because of his powers. If he wants to stay on her good side, he has to be as respectful and submissive to her as he can without making her lose all respect for him.
"A man - Brennan, a former military comrade of Eli's - came into Jessica's to kill Eli. I dont know why. He had powers and Malachi's guards couldn't handle him. I could. Malachi tried to keep him captive to question him but Brennan escaped, killed a group of security guards and threatened to come back for Eli."

"Ex-military," Miss Parker mused almost under her breath. She leaned forward, elbows on her desk, fingers steepled in front of her face and examined Richard. It was an offputting effect, those intense eyes boring through him.

"You have not impressed me up to this point, Richard." She stares at him, as if daring him to offer an objection. "This could be an opportunity for you. I expect this Brennan to show up again very soon. When he does, you will tag him with this," she says, as one of her bodyguards sets a small, metallic tracking device on the surface of the desk.

"Tag him at let him go. We need him alive, at least long enough to see who he's working for." She leans back in her chair., still eyeing Richard.

"I assume you'll be staying close to his intended target. Perhaps you could kill two birds with one stone and finally collect on that debt for me while you're hanging around with your old friend."

Richard takes the tracking device and hides it in his jacket pocket. This will be more difficult than just knocking him out. How will he get close enough to tag this guy without being noticed?
The thought that until he tags Brennan, Ms. Parker will be able to keep an eye on all of Richard's movement also crosses his mind but as much as he doesn't like it, there is nothing he can do about it.

He is hesitant to argue with Ms. Parker but he feels like she expects him to disagree. If he doesn't, she might consider him spineless, which would not improve his chances of survival in her organization. He has to be careful in how he phrases it, though, if he doesn't want to get on her bad side. "If I didn't impress you, I don't want to know what you thought of the Xinjen guards", he says, hoping it'll convey his objection without being too confrontational.

When she mentions Eli, Richard puts the money that his friend gave him on the desk between them. "He gave me this much and said he will organize the rest. I told him he has until the end of the week to repay you or I will... put pressure on him." He hasn't actually threatened Eli but this would be his usual modus operandi so he hopes Ms. Parker accepts this lie without questioning it. "He has also asked for an opportunity to work off some of his debt. If there is any job that needs to be done, he'll do it."

At the mention of the Xinjen guards, Miss Parker says, "yes, well, I do expect more of you than I do from a bunch of talentless street punks dressed up in suits."

She listens to Richard without interrupting and doesn't even look at the money he placed on the desk. It's clearly not payment in full, so it isn't enough to capture her interest.

"He is willing to work off his debt, is he? That is almost as promising as having a budding superhero on the payroll. I may even have a job for him. Is he willing to get his hands dirty? And would you be willing to oversee his work personally, Richard? Before you answer, remember that his performance, good or bad, would reflect on you personally."

Richard is silent for a few seconds - too long.
He is almost certain Eli will agree to get his hands dirty without hesitation and he trusts him to perform well. What Richard is worried about is Eli getting involved with Ms. Parker too deeply. Bad enough that he owes money to her but if he starts working for her, she might wrap her fingers around him and not let go again even when his debt is paid off.
Eventually, he has to speak. "I can vouch for his abilities. And his willingness to get his hands dirty if needed. He would not disappoint you." He hesitates for a moment and then adds: "He might yet be able to pay off his debt before the end of the week but if he doesn't, he can be a valuable asset. And I'm willing to put my hand into the fire for him."
She threatened him that bad performance on Eli's part will reflect badly on him, Richard thinks. That probably means that she is not aware that a threat to Eli would be much more effective than one against Richard himself. He decides that he should try and keep it that way.

Miss Parker leans forward again. Her smile makes Richard uncomfortable.

"I admire your loyalty to your friends. Tell Elijah that I will wipe his debt to me clean if he performs three small tasks for me." She smiles wide. "I'll see both of you here in my office tomorrow."

She stands and comes around the table, staring down at Richard in his chair. "You could be going places with dedication like this. If you two can perform these small tasks for me, I could see you moving up. I'll need someone to run the Distribution Center for me, once I'm fully in charge."

Richard can't quite hide the excitement he feels when Ms. Parker mentions running the Distribution Center. Not only would that be a huge step up from where he is now and go a long way to making him less expendable for the organization, it would also mean that he could probably get access to medication for Alexis without having to go through Jack.
Deciding that any risk is worth that reward - while also realizing in the back of his mind that she did not technically promise this position to him - he replies: "We'll be here and we won't disappoint you. Thank you for this opportunity, ma'am"

"I look forward to seeing you both tomorrow." Miss Parker sits back in her chair, her demeanor letting him know he's been dismissed.