Author's Note: Happy Halloween! I got this idea a few weeks ago and spit it out just for you guys, don't you feel special! Also, Lindsey is in this fic, but it is not part of my Eliot/Lindsey series, so don't leave if you don't feel like going and reading those. I just stuck her in here for minor fluffyness and some comic relief :-P
Thanks ahead of time to my reviewers and silent stalkers, you know who you are. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: If I owned Leverage, there would be an actual Halloween special.
"No."
"But it's going to be so much fun, and Hardison will be there…"
"No I ain't!"
Sophie sighed and threw up her hands in despair. She didn't understand why everyone was so against going to a Halloween party with her. A friend of hers invited Sophie to an annual Halloween costume bash held on the 31st of October. It was suppose to be the biggest party of the year, and there would be live bands and alcohol and everyone who was anyone was invited.
Parker squirmed on her chair, crossing her arms. "I don't get Halloween, why do people dress up?"
Hardison joined the two girls in the living room, carrying his laptop in one hand and his glass of orange soda in the other. He sat down on the closest chair and opened his computer, pressing a few buttons and watching as the six-panel screen in front of him came to life.
"Because it's fun, Parker. It's a time when people can become whoever they want." Sophie tried to explain. Halloween was always her favorite holiday, next to Valentines Day and Christmas, of course.
Hardison snorted. "Yeah, cause we never do that."
Sophie just rolled her eyes and leaned back into the couch, fully deflated. It couldn't hurt them to spend just one day with normal people.
Nate walked into the room, carrying a folder, which Hardison had made up for him telling the man about the team's latest mark. The ex-insurance investigator walked to the front of the room, his mind absorbed in his readings. Without looking up, he gestured toward Hardison. "Fill me in."
Sophie, however, took that as a time to tell Nate about the Halloween party. "It's on Halloween starting at eight, and I want everyone to come. A few of my non-criminal friends will be there, but you all will fit right in."
Nate looked up from his file and stared as Sophie, his eyebrow raised in confusion. "What? What are you talking about?"
The grifter sank into her seat and narrowed her eyes. "Never mind."
The mastermind shrugged and looked pointedly at Hardison, who nodded and clicked the enter button on his keypad to start the PowerPoint he had put together. Nate's eyes searched the room, and he frowned. "Where's Eliot?"
The team looked around, recognizing for the first time that the hitter was, in fact, not among them. They shrugged and Hardison pulled out his cell phone, dialing a number that was not programmed into the phone, but known by heart. Sophie sat up a little in her chair and looked at Nate. "I know Lindsey just got back from some deal in Australia."
Parker furrowed her brow, trying to figure out why that information would explain where Eliot was. Sophie noticed that look and leaned over, whispering in Parker's ear. The woman's eyes get all wide and she nods. "Ooooh."
Hardison rolls his eyes and frowns, closing his phone. "Voicemail."
Nate sighs and crosses his arms under his chest. "Try again."
Hardison nods and types something into his computer, his frown growing deeper as he read what came on to his screen. "The man's at home. Well, at least that's where his cell phone is."
Nate nodded and motioned for the hacker to call the hitter again. The man nodded and pressed the redial button, wondering what Eliot could be doing that would stop him from answering his phone.
--Leverage--
Eliot gave a soft moan as he moved his lips against Lindsey's, sliding his hands gently up her thighs as he felt her body press into his. The woman smiled into his lips and pulled away, sitting up and shifting a bit, getting into a more comfortable position on his stomach. She anchored her knees into the bed on either side of his hips and giggled a bit, running her hands down his bare chest. Eliot moved a bit and caught her hands in his; bringing them to his mouth so he could nibble on her fingertips. He stared into her eyes, totally focused on the almost-naked woman sitting on top of him. He pulled her arms, causing her to fall forward on top of him so that he could kiss her without having to sit up. He ran his fingers over her back, playing with her bra strap a little, but failing to unhook it. Lindsey, in turn, ran her hands through his hair, moving it from his face.
"You really need a hair cut." She murmured into his ear before nipping at a spot on his neck where his hair wasn't in the way. He groaned a bit before returning the favor, smirking as he felt Lindsey shiver on top of him.
"I'll get one when you do." He retorted, shaking his head to get the strands of hair from his face before propping himself up in the bed with his elbows. Lindsey frowned and leaned forward, speaking between trailing kisses down his collarbone. "Don't go yet."
He chuckled. "Who said anything about going somewhere?" He kissed her sweetly. "Missed you."
Lindsey laughed, scooting back on his stomach a little bit in order to better look at his chest. She started to trace his scars, a motion she often partook in at times like these. "I was only gone for two weeks, Eliot."
He sighed and rested his hands on her waist, leaning in and touching his forehead to hers. When he spoke, his lips tickled her nose, causing her to smile. "I love you, darlin'."
Lindsey smiled and kissed him. "I know."
Then, Eliot frowned and sat up all the way, tensing. Lindsey, worried, crawled off of the man and sat next to him in the bed. He brought a finger up to his lips and slipped out of the bed, grabbing a pair of boxers and slipping them on before lying flat on the floor, looking under the bed. It was then that Lindsey heard it; a soft vibrating noise, one that would come from a phone. The woman rolled her eyes and sat back in the bed, sighing. Seconds later Eliot sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the screen of his cell phone. Lindsey crawled over to where he was sitting and got on her knees behind him, wrapping her arms and his shoulders. She was unable to link her fingers together his shoulders were so broad. She rested her chin in his right shoulder and stared at the screen of his cell phone. "Who was it?"
He closed the phone and sat it on the dresser next to the bed before leaning into Lindsey. "Hardison."
Lindsey raised her eyebrow and pulled back a little. "What did he want?"
Eliot shrugged. "Dunno. Don't care."
"Eliot, what if it's important? What if someone got hurt?"
The hitter just rolled his eyes. "If it was that important, they would come here."
Lindsey accepted his explanation, but stared at his phone all the same. She knew that his team didn't call him unless they really needed him, and since he was the protector of the bunch, she wasn't comfortable with him not answering his cell phone, even if it was to spend more time with her. "You should call them."
Eliot groaned. "Lin, drop it."
She narrowed her eyes, jumping a bit when the phone started vibrating again. She paused for a second and watched as Eliot reached for the phone. He grabbed the device and opened it, his finger automatically heading for the ignore button. Lindsey moved faster, though, and snatched the cell phone out of his hand before pressing the call button. "Hello?"
"Hey Lindsey." A surprised voice came from the other line. It was Hardison, and he sounded annoyed. "Eliot there?"
She nodded before speaking into the phone, earning an intense glare from her fiancé. "Yeah, but he's a bit busy at the moment."
She heard talking on the other side, then some weird noises as the phone exchanged hands. A new voice filled the earphone. "Tell him to finish whatever he is doing and get over here, we have a job."
Lindsey smiled, sticking her tongue out at Eliot. "I'll tell him, Nate. Thanks."
She closed the phone and gave it back to Eliot before leaning back into the bed once more, wrapping her arms around a large pillow. Eliot groaned and sat up, stretching before walking into the bathroom, grabbing some clothes on his way in. Lindsey watched him leave with hungry eyes, and had half a mind to follow him. A yell came from the bathroom several moments later as Eliot inspected his neck in the mirror. "Damn it, Lin!"
She giggled and stood up, walking into the bathroom only to see Eliot pointed at a red welt on the side of his neck. "Look what you did!"
She smiled, running her finger over it. "I know, art, right?"
Eliot just snorted and playfully pushed her away before closing the door only to emerge ten minutes later, a pair of jeans on and a t-shirt. He rummaged through the closet until he found what he was looking for: a vest. He pulled the large fluffy clothing item on and smirked when the hickey was hidden from sight. Lindsey just rolled her eyes and gave him one more long kiss before going to get dressed herself. Eliot gave a short goodbye, and then headed out the door.
--Leverage--
"Nice of you to join us." Nate said as Eliot stalked through the door. The man ignored his boss' jibe and headed straight for the kitchen to grab a beer out of the fridge. He uncapped up then re-entered the living room, jumping over the back of the couch before settling in. Hardison stared at the hitters neck, his eyebrows knitting together as he tried to focus on something. "Dude, is that…"
Eliot noticed what the hacker was looking at and zipped up his vest. "Shudup Hardison."
Sophie had also seen what the hacker had, and giggled, earning a growl from the annoyed man. Nate rolled his eyes and waved in order to get everyone's attention. "Alright, roll it."
Hardison nodded and clicked a few buttons, starting his presentation. On the screen a man with jet-black hair and a grin that made even Parker shiver appeared. He was wearing an Armani suit and had a look that screamed slim ball. "Sir Alex Whitwall. Now, there are bad guys and low lives, this guy is the king. Runs a billion dollar kind of business. Gets older people to invest in these top notch retirement homes, but when the time comes, there are no homes. The money is all gone, and the folks don't have enough to sue or do anything to him. Now, here's the neat part. The guy buys the homes to show the clients, right. After he gets a million or so from them, he sells them. Finds a loophole in the contract where the sales don't transfer over."
"Wait, did you say sir?" Sophie asked.
"Like a prince!" Parker added, bouncing a little on her seat. The hacker nodded. "Yeah, he's the son to the daughter of the second cousin twice removed to the niece of the Queen of England or somethin' like that."
Eliot snorted, shaking his head as he crossed his arms, tilting his beer bottle to the screen. "I know guys like him. Can steal more money with a briefcase than a man with a gun."
"Yes…yes indeed." Nate said, deep in thought. Four pairs of eyes turned toward the man, waiting to hear his plan. "Hardison, do we have anything?"
The hacker shook his head. "No, man. Nothin.' Guy's squeaky clean when it comes to records. All the paperwork is legal."
"So he thinks he's untouchable." Sophie remarked, making Nate smile that eerie genius grin of his.
"That's why we're involved." Nate said, turning to stare at the screen, thinking deeply. Hardison gave a short cough and went to move to the next slid when Nate stopped him. "Go back."
The hacker complied and Nate squinted before turning around, a large smile on his face. "Whitwall's superstitious."
Eliot frowned. "Where the hell'd you get that from?"
Nate pointed at the screen. "See the necklace Whitwall's wearing?"
Hardison pressed in on the man's neck and focused on the charm located on the necklace. "Looks like some kind of charm."
Nate nodded, clearly excited. "It's a protection rune made to shield the wearer from demons and the undead."
Sophie and Eliot exchanged a smile, understanding exactly where the conversation was heading. Parker frowned. "But there's no such thing as ghosts…"
Nate gave a ghostly grin. "Then we'll have to steal some."
--Leverage--
The sound of a doorbell ringing reverberated around the large Whitwall manor located in the middle of nowhere. The place was really more of a castle than a manor, it's current owner having bought it for next to nothing several years ago when the previous owner was looking for some cash to spend his last waning years. It was on the top of a hill, surrounded by woods. Only one road leading in and out, which was dirt. The man who answered the door was not the same that the press adored and many old people cursed. His hair wasn't standing straight up, slick with hair gel. Instead, it was pointing in all directions, as if he hadn't run a brush through it since he woke up a week ago. There were slight bags under his eyes that make up normally covered up. His eyes were red and bloodshot, indicating heavy drinking, lack of sleep, or both. He was wearing clothes that looked expensive and would have made the wearer appear very sharp if it wasn't for the wrinkles and creases. Over all, he looked ragged and torn, and very, very pissed.
"Bout time." He almost yelled at the man whom had rung his doorbell. The guy just gave a goofy wave, stepping into the household and setting his toolbox down with a large thud. The visitor fidgeted with his hat then gave a toothy smile. "Man, you don't look to good, if you don't mind me sayin', of course. Nice place though, old money or new? Ha! Just kiddin, just kiddin, dawg. Say, what seems to be the problem?"
Whitwall frowned in annoyance and stared critically at the man in front of him, wondering if he really was a certified electrician. In truth, he was much more than that. He wasn't certified in anything, but could hack any system on this side of the Atlantic.
"My electricity has been going crazy." The descendent of the throne of England said, stepping aside to allow the electrician to come further into his house. For the past two and a half days, Whitwall's lights have been turning off at random intervals, and no matter how many times the switch was flicked, they stayed off. The washing machine would start up without being programmed, and the television would flicker on in the middle of the night. His alarm clock would go off every hour on the hour until the man had unplugged it, only to be deprived of sleep from the lights picking up in their flickering once again.
Hardison nodded and picked up his tool chest after adjusting his belt. "Well then, my man, I can get this fixed up in a jiffy, ya hear? Just point me toward the main power."
Whitwall agreed and started to walk in the direction of the main power box. The electrician followed him, coughing a few times on the way there. He led the man down to the basement, where the box was. Whitwall hesitated at the top of the stairs. The lights for the basement weren't working, and he wasn't too keen to travel in the dark. Hardison noticed this, and smirked. He pulled out a small flashlight and flicked it on, a small beam of light illuminating the darkness below. "Come on, ain't scared of the dark now are ya?"
Whitwall cleared his throat. "I'm going to go back upstairs, I have work to do. Yell if you need anything."
Hardison nodded and watched the man disappear before he went to work.
He opened the panel to the main power source and smiled as he looked at all the wires running through the house. Right before the 'strange' electrical problems started happening with Whitwall's house, Hardison had sent Parker on a little field trip that consisted of visiting the manor and planting a few spikes into the main electrical lines that allowed the hacker to have limited control of the lights and electrical appliances in the house. Now, Hardison spiked the main wires, giving him one hundred percent control of not only the lights and appliances inside the house, but the heating, cooling, alarm system, you name it, he had it.
Hardison then turned his attention away from the power box and did a little snooping around the basement before quietly sneaking back upstairs. He saw no sign of Whitwall so he took advantage of the time to plant some min-camera's around the house in order to have audio and video. He covered the whole first floor and was moving to the second floor when he heard footsteps. Hardison stuffed the bugs into his tool belt and coughed a few times before walking in the direction of the footsteps, coming in visual contact with Whitwall himself several seconds later. "There you are, my man! Everything's fixed, few loose wires."
Hardison dug into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, which he wrote something on before handing it to the man in front of him. "There's my bill, you can make it out to that address."
Whitwall took the bill, his eyes widening at the price. "Are you serious?"
Hardison smirked. "Serious as I can be, dude." He extended his hand in order to shake Whitwall's hand. The other man reluctantly complied. Hardison pulled away and gave one last smile before leaving through the front door, barely able to withhold the chuckle building up inside of his as he stared down at the cute bracelet charm he was holding. Oh, so much fun, indeed.
--Leverage--
Nate looked up when the front door to his apartment slammed shut, and watched as a smug looking hacker dressed as an electrician entered, swinging a small protection charm back and forth in his hand. He chucked the piece of jewelry towards Nate, who caught it in one swift motion. "Everything good?"
The hacker nodded. "Yeah man, he looks like shit and definitely sleep deprived."
Nate nodded, smiling. "Good. And you got…"
Hardison's nose turned up a bit at those words. "Yeah, I got it. Thing pees like crazy all over my Ferrari. Leather seats!"
Nate chuckled. "We'll be good to go as soon as it gets dark. Eliot already took care of his job, he and Parker are getting ready for stage two."
Hardison nodded and sat down, pulling up the video feeds from the hidden cameras in the Whitwall Manor. "I got the whole first floor bugged, nothing on the second though. Basement is rigged also."
Nate smiled and leaned back in the seat he was sitting in. "We'll have to deal with that. Sophie! What's taking so long!"
The grifter popped her head out of the room adjacent to the living room, giving an excited smile. "Can't rush art, Nathan."
She disappeared, but came out only ten minutes later. Parker came out with her, and Hardison had to do a double take to make sure that his eyes weren't playing tricks with him. The thief had been transformed into something otherworldly. Her hair was no longer blonde. Instead, a shiny silver wig took its place, falling down her shoulders and stopping only at the small of her back. Her skin was painted a pale white; her eyes had a film of grey over them, giving her the look of being dead. She was wearing a pure white robe that flowed around her body gracefully even though there was no wind. It was loose fitting but still showed off her body very well. Hardison swallowed a few times, but couldn't moisten his dry mouth.
"Boo!" Parker yelled suddenly before giving a slightly maniacal laugh. "I'm dead! Do I get a funeral like Sophie did? Do you guy get to say nice things?"
Nate rolled his eyes, but couldn't stop from smiling at the way Parker looked. Sophie really outdid herself. "No, Parker. You're going to be a bit busy for a funeral."
She smiled, then skipped into the kitchen to find something to eat. Sophie turned to face the room she and Parker had come out of, frowning. "Come on, Eliot. Your turn."
A trademark growl came from the room. "I look ridiculous."
Lindsey stepped out of the room, hints of paint splattered all over her clothes and exposed skin. "No, you don't. Get out here!"
There was another grumble, but the words were indecipherable. Then, Eliot came out into the room. Hardison's eyes grew huge as he stared at the man, and Sophie giggled. "God, I love Halloween!"
Where the thief looked pure and graceful, the hitter looked rugged and gruesome. He was wearing a pair of jeans that were tattered and torn. An old plaid shirt was on his frame, unbuttoned and showing off his tone chest underneath. The shirt also looked like it had better days, and both pieces of clothing were covered in dirt, grime, blood, and other liquid that even Lindsey and Sophie were unsure of what they were. His hair was matted down and scraggly looking, as if he had been wondering through the woods for days, or had dirt thrown in his hair, mixed with a little blood. His skin was pale like Parkers, but covered in black and blue bruises and small scrapes and cuts. One side of his face looked horribly mangled, but the worst part was his neck. There was a large, gaping wound that started behind his left ear and crossed down his neck and onto his chest, stopping on his right side halfway down his stomach. It looked like, if Eliot tilted his head a little to the left, his head would just fall off. Congealed blood crusted the scar.
Eliot crossed his arms and pouted. Lindsey just rolled her eyes at his antics. "Sophie showed me how to do his makeup, I think I did pretty good for my first time painting on people."
Hardison finally remembered how to breathe, and stood up. "Thanks, now I'm gonna have nightmares ya'll."
Eliot growled and did a fake-lung toward Hardison, who jumped backwards. Sophie smiled and pulled out her phone. "Parker, get in here! I have to take pictures!" She turned toward Lindsey. "While you're here, there's this Halloween party–"
"Sophie!" Nate, Hardison, and Parker yelled all at once.
--Leverage--
Sir Alex Whitwall was late for a very important meeting. The sun was just setting below the trees and he took one last glance at himself in a large mirror by the foyer before leaving his house. He jumped into his Audi and drove down the dirt driveway, once again reminding himself that he needs to hire someone to pave the road. He glanced at his watch and pressed his foot down a little more on the pedal, going way to fast down the road. The trees outside of the car were a blur. A large turn was coming up in front of him and he slowed down a little in order to make the turn. His car finished the turn and then he screamed, slamming on the breaks. The car swerved, spitting out dirt as he tried to avoid the large tree that was lying across the road in front of him. He had been driving too fast, however, and was unable to stop in time. His Audi hit the tree on the passenger side. The impact crumpled the right side of his car, but only managed to daze him. Cursing, Whitwall stumbled out of the car and looked around. The light was fading fast. He frowned and took his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number, only to get an annoying tone when he brought it to his ear. He cursed yet again as he read the screen of his phone. No signal.
Suddenly, he heard movement in the forest and he jumped, his hand automatically going around his wrist where his charm was supposed to be. It was only then when he realized his bracelet was missing. Whitwall's breath quickened and became shallower. He jumped into the car and tried to start it, but the Audi wouldn't budge. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing before venturing out into the wilderness once again. He got into the trunk of his car and took out the small emergency flashlight that was stored in the back of his car. He turned it on even though it wasn't completely dark yet, and started the long trek back to his mansion. The rustlings in the woods grew greater, and Whitwall swung the flashlight towards where he thought he heard the sounds. He saw nothing but dense forest, and continued walking. A few steps later he stopped, hearing the noise again.
Suddenly, a black cat darted out of the forest and ran across Whitwall's path, letting out a small mew before disappearing into the trees on the other side of the road. Whitwall gave a yelp and fell backwards into the ground. Now, unable to hide his fear, he scrambled to his feet and started to run desperately towards his mansion, the flashlight beam waving sporadically with his uneven strides. As he grew closer to his home, stranger and stranger sounds came from the woods around him, and at one point Whitwall sworn he heard a crazed laughter echoing through the trees. His mansion finally came into view and he let out a cry of relief. He picked up speed and stared straight ahead, willing his feet to move faster. Then, his foot caught on something in the middle of the road and he fell face forward into the ground. He coughed and pushed himself up when his body froze, fear running up and down his body in jolts of electricity. Right on the side of the road was a pair of blood-covered boots. Whitwall's eyes slowly moved upward until a pair of old jeans came into view, followed by an unbuttoned plaid shirt, then a face that spoke of hatred and rage. But it was none of these things that caused Whitwall to release a scream so full of fear that he was unable to make a sound. It was the large wound that crossed the man's neck and chest. Whitwall was frozen to the spot, his brain not even able to tell his feet to move. The bloody man turned his head until his eyes were staring holes into Whitwall's.
"We're waiting…" The man whispered, his voice gruff and gravelly. Whitwall finally got his motor functions back as he jumped to his feet, bolting toward his house, screaming as tears fell down his face. If he had turned around to get one last look at the dead man he would have seen him shake his head in regret and whisper 'idiot' before bending down to pet a cute little black cat behind the ears.
Whitwall finally made it to his house, his fingers shaking to get the keys out of his pocket before he remembered that he had left his keys in the car. He put his back on his front door and slid down to the floor, curling into the fetal position as he started to cry. The wet tears started to cascade down his face, his frame shaking with fear. He thought he was going to die sitting there, as he waited for the undead man on the road to come to kill him. Suddenly, he remembered that there was a window that led into the basement that wasn't on the alarm system. If he could get into the house through there, he would be safe. He scrambled to his feet and ran around to the other side of the mansion, where he located the window. Through pure adrenaline he was able to kick the glass in. Then, he slid through the open hole into the basement. His feet made a squelching noise as he hit the ground. Thinking it was just water on the floor, he tread forward slowly, his heart beating in his throat as he used his fingers to feel his way forward. He had dropped the flashlight back on the road, and was unable to see a thing. He squealed when he felt something run over his feet and ran into something, falling onto the floor. Now he was wet with the liquid on the floor and hopped to his feet, once again feeling for the door. He finally found the steps and made his way up them and into the first floor of the mansion. Letting out a large sigh of relief he found a light switch and flipped it on.
Whitwall looked down at his hands and screamed. His hands, and the rest of his body, were covered in blood. The bottom of his basement was covered in blood. He started to wipe the blood everywhere, trying to get it off of him. He striped out of his suit and down to his underwear, then ran to the closest shower, where he jumped in before turning on the water. He watched the blood fall off his body and trickle down the drain. He started to sob as he shook, scared out of his mind. Whitwall stayed in the shower a bit longer than needed, waiting until he calmed down. He would get out of the shower, call the police, then whole up in his bedroom with the doors locked and a bat in his hands, waiting for help to arrive. He turned off the water and stepped out into the cold air, shivering now with cold.
He entered his bedroom and took out a pair of slacks and a t-shirt, which he threw on before going for his bedroom phone. He dialed the police, only to find there was no dial tone. His line was gone. The fear started to seep into him again. Whitwall put the phone down and turned, his eyes widening as he backed up against the wall. In front of him was a pure white ghost. Her face was that of an angel, her eyes that of the devil. She stared at him with her dead eyes, her silver hair floating in the air, even though there was no wind. Her white dress floated in the air. Her head cocked sideways as she looked through him, giving him a ghostly smile. Her arm extended as she reached out to him, her slender hand beckoning for him to come forward. He was compelled by her beauty and stood up straight, faintly taking small steps forward. He reached out to touch her fingers.
"We're waiting…" She whispered right before his fingers touched hers. He pulled back as if she was on fire, and she started to laugh, a haunting, empty laugh that came from everywhere and nowhere. Then, the lights went out and a loud bang filled the air. The lights flickered back on and the ghost was gone. Whitwall breathed in relief and turned around, jumping back with a scream as the man from the road filled his window, staring at him with bloodlust filling his eyes. The man smiled a scary smile and started to claw at the window. Whitwall ran out of his bedroom and into his kitchen. He grabbed a large knife and backed into a corner, mumbling to himself as he stabbed at the darkness.
A knock came from the front door. First softly, then more urgently. Whitwall tried to ignore it, but the lights started to flicker on and off, then the TV turned on, a shriek filling the room. The laughter he had heard in his room started again, and he started to see his breath it was so cold. Picking up and courage he had left, he approached the front door and unlocked it, swinging it open and lunging at the unknown enemy with his kitchen knife.
"Whoa there!" The woman at the front door exclaimed, ducking out of the way of the knife. "Slow down there Alex. I'm here to help."
Whitwall lowered his knife, staring at the woman. She had short dark hair that was mostly hidden by a colorful bandana on her head. She was wearing exotic robes and had tattoos all over her body. Her ears were pierced at least five times per ear, and her make up was caked on way too heavily.
"Y-You know w-who I am?" Whitwall stuttered.
The woman smiled and stepped into the house, closing the door behind her. "My name is Sylvia, and the spirits told me you were in danger."
--Leverage--
They sat cross-legged in the living room, scented candles arranged on the outer points of a pentagram, which had been drawn into the floor by 'Sylvia.' They were lit and sending out a mixture of cents into the room, causing Whitwall's eyes to water. After Sophie had invited herself in and explained the 'vision' she had of him in danger, Whitwall told her everything, and begged her to help him get rid of the spirits that haunted him. Sophie had agreed and told him about this ritual that would allow her to talk to the ghosts. She would tap into the other world and speak with the ghouls haunting him and see if she could find a way to make them stop bothering him.
The lights in the building had never come back on, allowing the candles to flicker along the walls, making haunting shapes dance around the room. Whitwall swallowed dryly and closed his eyes, willing for this nightmare to stop. Sophie started to chant, drifting back and forth, her gibberish heaven to the scared man's ears. This continued for several minutes, until Sophie grew deathly quite. Whitwall opened his eyes just in time to see all the candles go out at the same time, plunging the room into total darkness. Suddenly, Sophie started to glow; it was as if a star was trapped inside of her, fighting to get out. Her voice, when she spoke, was soft, almost non-existent.
"Alex Whitwall." She whispered, staring right through him. "You have been called upon by the powers that be to serve the sentence for the sins you have committed."
Whitwall gulped and his hands started to shake. "W-what do you mean? I-I have money, they can have as much as they want."
But Sophie shook her head. Her mouth opened and an inhuman laugh filled the room. "Money? No, the sins you have committed can only be paid in one way. With your soul."
The candles suddenly lit back up, little balls of fire on top of each one of them. Whitwall gave out a pitiful shriek. "I-I can't d-die! I'm n-not ready!"
Sophie shook her head slowly. "They're waiting. Your time to redeem yourself is over."
Whitwall started to sob into his arms, folding into the fetal position before rocking back and forth, blubbering about death and not wanting to meet it yet. Sophie almost lost it. She felt a short feeling of pity reaching out toward the man, and all she wanted to do was pat him and tell him everything was ok. Then the feeling passed and she remembered who she was dealing with. "…there is one thing."
Whitwall jerked his head up. He got onto his knees and crawled over to Sophie, begging. "What! A-anything! I'll do a-anything! J-just get me o-out!"
Sophie leaned forward, as if scared the spirits might hear her helping the man. "You must give back everything you have taken. The money, the clothes, the mansion. Everything."
He hesitated. "I-I can't. The m-money's gone…I c-can't give it back."
Sophie frowned. What did he mean, the money was gone? She shook her head, thinking fast. She leaned even closer, getting ready to tell him something. Then, the window in the room broke and Eliot burst through. He rolled on the ground before hopping up, a large knife in his hand. Sophie jumped up, shielding Whitwall from the ghost. He took two steps forward before plunging the knife into Sophie's stomach. She gasped in surprise before falling to her knees. Her eyes turned toward Whitwall as Eliot pulled the knife out of her and plunged it into her back. "I-I'll be w-waiting…"
She fell to the ground and Eliot gave a tormented smile before advancing upon Whitwall, wiping the bloody blade on his already bloody shirt. Whitwall almost fainted, scrambling to his feet and turning around, only to be confronted by Parker, smiling a soft smile while murder danced in her eyes. Whitwall collapsed on the floor as he watched the two ghosts walk up to him. "S-stop! I'll g-give it all back! I-I'll turn the mansion I-into a n-nursing home! I-I'll donate e-everything! J-just don't k-kill me! Please! I-I'm sorry. I-I'm s-sorry…"
Parker and Eliot paused, a look crossing between them. While Whitwall coward on the floor, his eyes screwed shut, the two ghosts waged a silent conversation. Eliot raised his eyebrow and Parker shrugged. Then, the bloodier of the two turned around and silently left the way he came, tapping Sophie's shoulder, letting her know it was ok to get up. She followed suit, Parker the last to leave, stopping only long enough to drop the lucky bracelet that Hardison had taken off of Whitwall at the man's feet.
When he opened his eyes several moments later, he found himself alone in the house. Sobbing tears of relief, he grabbed his phone and dialed a number, finding his service mysteriously back. First number he called was the police. Next, he rang up his banker and ordered him to take out all of his funds and give them back to the people he took the money from. His final call was to a real estate agent to put all his land on the market. He glanced around, as if the ghosts were watching. As if to say that they were satisfied, the lights came back on. Whitwall sighed and leaned back. He saw his bracelet on the floor and picked it up, squeezing it so hard that the charm left an imprint in his hand.
--Leverage--
Parker, Eliot, and Sophie entered Nate's apartment at the same time, all three of them still wearing their make up and costumes. The hacker and Lindsey were sitting on the couch with a large bowl of popcorn between them, watching the cameras in Whitwall's house on the large six-panel TV. They paused the feed when the front door opened. Lindsey got up from where she was sitting and ran up to the three, literally jumping in excitement. "That was the best horror flick ever!"
She went to hug Eliot, but hesitated as she remembered all the make up and goop she had put on him. Sophie giggled and stuck her fingers in the 'blood' on her chest. "What did you guys think of my death scene?"
Hardison turned his head. "Epic, man. Epic."
Eliot snorted as Parker bounced over to the couch, the knife Eliot had used in her hand. She plunged it into Hardison, giggling as the blade folded into the shaft. "You're dead now!" Then she ran up to Lindsey, doing the same thing. "Killed you!" She looked around the room, frowning. "Where's Nate?"
Hardison shrugged, but answered her all the same. "He's out telling the clients about the good news."
Sophie smiled and walked over to the couch, plopping down onto it with a sigh. "That was so much fun. Best. Halloween. Ever."
Eliot grumbled something about the feeling of dried gore on his skin. "I'm gonna take a shower an wash this shit off in Nate's bathroom. He'll clean it up."
The man stalked off and Lindsey rolled her eyes before joining everyone on the couches. Parker sat on the edge of the two seater couch, giggling. "I like Halloween now."
Hardison smirked. "Ya'll know Halloween ain't till tomorrow, right?"
Sophie smiled, crossing her arms. "You all have to come to that Halloween party!"
Lindsey raised her eyebrow. "Why didn't Eliot tell me about that? Of course we'll come."
Parker shrugged. "I guess."
Hardison nodded, eager to go to any party that he knew the blonde thief would be attending. "Count me in, dude."
Lindsey clapped her hands and stood up. "If you excuse me, I have a grumpy ghost who has some wounds that need peeling off."
She disappeared up the stairs. The three left exchanged glances, and winced when they heard a loud yell come from above. Apparently the hitter never had to remove fake skin before.
--Leverage--
Sophie crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently, hovering around the front door. The party started five minutes ago, and she was the only one ready to go. Her tiara –which was real– sat perfectly straight on her head, held in place by several bobby pins. Her hair was curly and had glitter sparkling in it. Sophie's dress looked like it was from Victorian times: large, poofy, and pink. She was wearing gladiator heels that were silver and accented her dress nicely. Her hands were covered in dainty white gloves, but her facial expression was nothing near dainty. "Come on! We're already late!"
Nate came trooping out, a happy smile on his face as he once again looked at Sophie. She had talked him into dressing up as her prince, but it wasn't hard. When Sophie asked you to do something, you did it. Nate himself was wearing a crown that had matching jewels with the grifter's tiara. His clothes, however, were red and laced with gold thread. He word knee high black boots with the red satin pants were tucked in to. The man walked up to the grifter and offered his arm. She took it, and together they waited for the rest of the crew to join them.
In an adjoining room Eliot and Lindsey were getting ready, helping each other put their costumes on. Eliot rolled his eyes as he looked in the mirror. "You can still see the damn marks from that crap you glued on me yesterday."
Lindsey giggled and walked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his wide torso. She kissed his neck where there was a faint line, causing Eliot to tilt his head to allow her better access. She smirked and trailed kisses up his neck, stopping at his ear. "I think you look adorable."
Eliot growled and crossed his arms.
"Fine." Lindsey pouted, pulling back. "You look sexy."
Eliot rolled his eyes and scanned Lindsey, his eyes roaming. "Do we have to go?"
She playfully whacked his chest, then crossed her arms, nodding. Eliot growled one last time, then gave in, walking out of the bedroom and into the living room with Lindsey. They had decided to go as a couple as well. Eliot was wearing an Indian outfit, equipped with fake arrows in a quiver and real knives hidden underneath the cloth. His clothes were faux moccasin and had long fringes down the legs. He wore his long hair braided into two braids, one on each side of his head. There was some war paint on his face and arms, which were bare. His shirt consisted of an open-faced vest that showed off his arms and chest very well. Lindsey went as his Indian bride, wearing a similar outfit, just minus a few yards of material. She wore a short skirt with fringes going all around the edges, and high heel boots that matched the material. Her skirt was cut off right below her chest, showing off her belly. It was a halter-top and tied in the back of her neck. Lindsey's hair was also pulled back in a braid, and she had died it brown for the occasion. A feather stuck out of her hair and some war paint also decorated her face.
Sophie gave a sweet smile at seeing them and Nate raised his eyebrow, but said nothing.
Then, Hardison and Parker entered the room.
The thief came first, wearing a red Star Trek dress that cut off right below her butt. There were no sleeves and her legs were covered in fishnet stockings that were hidden in her black leather boots that looked as if they had been painted onto her calves. They stopped right before her knee's and added at least and inch and a half to her height. Parker's hair was pulled back into a tight pony-tail that sat high on her head. The thief placed her arms on her hips and smiled, twirling a little. "I run a spaceship, you know."
Hardison smirked, thrusting his hands in his pockets as he admired his work. The hacker was wearing a blue shirt made of the same material as Parker's dress, and was wearing a horrible wig that looked like a bowl cut. He wore black slacks and had a hip holster that was carrying what looked like a 25th century stun gun. His ears, however, caused Eliot to laugh out loud.
"Dude," he said after calming down. "What the hell is wrong with your ears?"
Hardison narrowed his eyes and stroked his ears defensively. "Not my fault Halloween stores don't sell black Vulcan ears man."
Eliot rolled his eyes, snorting at how ridiculous the man looked. Sophie, the impatient one for once, tapped her heels. "Are we going to this party or what?"
Yay! What'd you think? Reviews would be loverly!