AUTHOR'S NOTES: Kind of a follow up to Never Too Late
Chapter One
Leverage HQ
"To good health and a hell of making it through another year without trouble!" Nate raised a glass to his team.
It was a celebration they couldn't help to honor. It was another year of helping people and still standing strong. Nate, Sophie, Eliot, Parker, and Hardison enjoyed a few drinks while talking about old cases that they enjoyed.
"I did enjoy actually going to Dubai," Hardison said.
"Me too. I got to jump off a building that was like eight skyscrapers high," Parker remarked. "Who can say they've done that!"
"Is it me or does she still gets overly excited about jumping off buildings?" Eliot sipped his beer.
"We've had our touching moments and now I think we can say we deserve a much needed break." Nate looked at Sophie.
The doors opened and Nate looked over his shoulder to see a group of men step to the side. He looked at Sophie and the others as they too got on edge. He stood up and walked behind the bar. He pulled out a shot glass and top shelf Patrone to welcome their uninvited guest.
"You better make that two," the familiar voice of bad news came from the doorway.
Nate looked at his team as they stood up.
"What brings you here, Jim." Nate slid a shot glass down the bar.
Sterling stopped it and looked over his shoulder.
"I've come to brief you," Sterling remarked.
Coleen walked in and Nate slid the second shot glass. She grabbed it and looked over at the team. They looked at the two of them and Eliot narrowed his eyes at Coleen.
"On what this time?" Nate asked. "If you haven't noticed we're in the middle of a celebration."
Eliot walked around the table and Nate shook his head. Sterling smiled seeing Eliot trying so hard not to hit.
"Well, it'll have to wait," Sterling said. "Darling, could you hand me the file."
Coleen pulled a file out and walked around Sterling. She set it out on the bar and Nate looked at it. He flipped through it.
"Craig Trotter, isn't he an art collector?" Nate asked.
"And a thief," Sterling spat. "He sells priceless pieces that he steals to buy illegal arms and drugs. He's gone into hiding for awhile, but he recently acquired a ruby from the National Museum of Natural History. It belonged to the Maharaja Ranjit Singh."
Nate looked at his team and they walked over to gather around.
"So, how do you know it was this Craig Trotter?" Eliot remarked.
"Because, Spencer, the cameras caught him," Sterling remarked. "Now I know why you are just the bronze of the group."
"I'll show you bronze." Eliot lunged towards Sterling.
Nate and Hardison grabbed Eliot before he could lay a hand on Sterling. Sterling straightened his coat and smirked.
"Hold back your attack dog, Nate." Sterling said.
"So, why does Trotter want the ruby?" Nate asked. "What's so special about it?"
"So, glad you asked." Sterling flipped through the file. "The Maharaja Ruby of Ranjit Singh is worth over two billion dollars…American that is. Just in Trotter's price range. And he's got several buyers that want it. Agent Graham discovered that Trotter will be holding an underground auction to bid off the ruby."
Nate looked at Sophie as she stared at the ruby.
"I've heard of this ruby. Nate, I don't want to be the one who is superstitious, but this ruby is the equivalent of the Hope Diamond." Sophie lifted the picture of it.
"But it's so pretty," Parker snatched the picture.
"A cursed ruby? So, why's Interpol interested in it?" Hardison asked.
"We don't want it, we want Trotter. His interest in the ruby had made him surface. He's somewhere in the States." Sterling looked at them.
"And what do we get for this snatch?" Sophie asked.
"Eleanor writing the team a check and clearing your names for any future mishaps that you find yourselves in."
Nate gave a nod and looked at his team.
"What do you say?" Nate asked.
"I'm not working with him again." Eliot said pointed to Sterling.
"Don't worry, Eliot. You can work with Agent Graham this time." Nate smiled.
"No, Nate. She's just as bad."
"Parker?"
Parker looked over and smirked.
"What do you say?"
Coleen and Sterling looked at the team. He leaned towards her and whispered something to her. She nodded and walked past the rest of Sterling's team.
"Where's she going?" Eliot asked.
"I think something that might help you feel a little more comfortable with working with us." Sterling smiled. "Don't worry, Spencer she's not bringing you coffee."
Eliot narrowed his eyes at Sterling. Nate looked at Sterling and leaned against the bar.
"We'll need access to Interpol's data base."
"Absolutely not!" Sterling objected. "Those are sensitive files that your thievery eyes will never see."
Coleen walked back in and dropped two large black bags. Parker's curiosity sparked and she looked at Coleen.
"It's a trap," Eliot whispered to Parker.
"Its expensive equipment," Parker said with a smile on her face. "Base jumping equipment."
"I've got one's attention, how about the rest?" Sterling stuffed his hands into his pockets.