I just had a terrible idea for The Risks.
What if…. Parker’s older brother Nick… was part of Jim’s group?
Here’s how it would go. Parker thinks Nick is dead or gone. Nick thinks the same about Parker. Nick doesn’t realize that his own people are the ones to kill their mom. (It’s a big group, he might have overheard some guys talking about it but how would he know who specifically they killed?) Then, when Nick’s people are starting to get murdered, he doesn’t know it’s Parker. He doesn’t know until it all comes to a head and his people follow Parker and Claire to the house where they grew up. And by then, Parker is gone, and Nick can’t reach out. But when Claire comes back after leaving Parker and she’s captured… what if Nick helps her escape? He knows now that she knows Parker and he wants to help. But here’s the thing, he’s ashamed. He’s ashamed that he’s part of this group, so he tells Claire not to ever tell Parker that she saw him here.
Here’s why I’m not going to actually have this be canon. Claire wouldn’t be able to keep that secret from Parker forever, especially when they become more involved. And Parker would never rest until he found Nick. And that throws a wrench in the story. So it’s not going to actually happen. BUT WHAT IF!
It’s going to stay where we don’t know what happens to Nick. It’s unresolved and Parker thinks he’s dead or gone.
But here’s the truth from me. Here’s what actually happens that the characters don’t know. Nick is dead. In prison, inmates turned, and when the electricity went out and the cells unlocked, Nick wasn’t prepared. He was Feral food. Poor Nick. :(
Anyway, just some thoughts! Lol