The Secret Birthday Party Job

Day 5 of 5: Nate Distracts Parker & The Team Gets Ready

11:52 a.m.

Early this morning, Eliot and Hardison had told Nate when they had wanted Parker out of the house so they could help Sophie set up the party decorations. "Noon... At least. Sophie wants to have everything set up by 1:30 and have Archie hear by at least 1:45." Eliot tells him, carrying around the glass cake stand that he had borrowed from his chef friend. 

"Okay, I'll tell her that I want to help train her to be the next mastermind as her gift from me." Nate tells Eliot, getting a confused look from the hitter. "She never said I couldn't get her a gift. She just said she didn't want a party." Nate says with a hint of laughter. 

So here Nate was, searching around the house for Parker. 

"Parker!" He calls out. "Where are you?"

"Right here." Parker says, dropping down from the vent above the conference area, startling him. "Sorry." She apologized.

"Great! Come with me, I want to start training with you for once I leave." Nate explains to Parker, who is giving him an odd look. 

"No tricks? No surprises?" Parker asked skeptically.

"None at all. Just training." Nate says, picking up his coat, Parker following in suit. 

"Sounds fun." Parker admits, clapping her hands together, opening the front door and leaving it open for Nate.

"And ice cream!" Nate adds on before exiting the door. 

What!? It's technically not a present!

12:45

After having taken her through many busy blocks away from John McRory's Place, they had reached the furthest ice cream parlor from the house. Nate was hoping that would buy the rest of them time to get everything in place. Nate had held the door open for Parker, who ushered into the building, escaping the cold. 

"So I basically have to take the fall for Eliot and Hardison if they mess up the con?" Parker asked confused, being guided by Nate to the short line. 

"Well don't look at it like that. It's more of you get to figure out how to run the cons, and which cons to run at an appropriate time. Who to help. The time line of how long the con is going to take. What's morally right in your eyes, and what's morally not. How far you are willing to stretch your team so you don't lose them for good. It's a lot more than just taking the fall for them." Nate brings up, moving to the front after the customer in front of them collects their ice cream and leaves. 

"Hello! What can I get you two today?" The woman behind the counter asks them. Nate looks to Parker, who then browses the different ice creams. 

"Two scoops of cookie dough in a waffle cone." Parker tells her, looking down.

"Okay, and for you sir?" 

"Two of rocky road in a waffle cone, please." Nate smiles at the woman, then continued talking to Parker as their ice creams were being prepared. 

"So I'll have to be more responsible, basically?" Parker questions. 

"Yes... But in my eyes you already are responsible enough to do the job." Nate tells her, grabbing her ice cream from the woman and placing it in her hands, then grabbing his. He hands the woman the money, leaving three dollars in the polka-dotted tip jar that sat beside the register before leaving the counter. 

"You really think so?" Parker asks abruptly, opening the door for Nate to walk out, following behind him. 

"Of course I do... You turned into a fine individual, who cares about her friends..." Nate started, being interrupted half way through.