Well here's the start to the highly requested sequel and story/episode 2 in my Leverage Inc. series. This fic takes place roughly a month after The Gamer Job, so if you haven't read that fic yet, I highly suggest that you go do so. I hope you all enjoy reading this, and like the first story, keep an eye out for Easter eggs! I think I'm going to make that a thing for this series (or at least with the main episode-based fics.) Enjoy! :)


Part 1: Leverage Inc.

LOCATION: Los Angeles General Hospital Rehab Department

Saguru Hakuba entered the clinic looking for his potential client. The nurse at the front desk had pointed him towards the rehab room. All around him there were wounded army and military personnel going through their rehab programs aided by physical therapists, doctors, and nurses. It was in the back corner of the room that he found Corporal Alex Rider waiting for him. Alex was the son of an old friend of Saguru's mother's from her college days. John and Helen Rider had moved to America before Alex had been born, so Saguru had only heard about the young man that was only a few years younger than he was.

During his last and most recent trip to London, Saguru had told his mother that he was starting a consulting agency with some old "friends." When she'd heard that the son of her old friend needed help, she'd called and asked Saguru to check things out since he was setting up shop in California anyway.

"Alex Rider?" Saguru said, nodding in greeting at the younger man seated in a wheel chair.

"Yeah. Saguru Hakuba, right?" Alex said, tripping over the pronunciation of the foreign name. He sat up straighter to better reach up and shake Saguru's hand.

"You can call me by my middle name, James," Saguru told him. "It's what most of my English speaking friends call me. It's easier to pronounce."

"Thanks," Alex chuckled. "Mum called and told me you were coming. She said that you could help."

"I think our mothers have been chatting a little too much, but I'm always happy to help family friends," Saguru smiled. "I promise to do what I can, so what is it that you want my help with, Alex?"

"Have you ever heard of Storm Breaker?"

"Can't say that I have. Why?"

"Watch this," Alex said, pulling out a laptop he had stowed in a bag attached to his wheelchair. A video was already pulled up featuring Alex in his army cammies and gear. He played the video.

"All right sweetheart, we are near Najaf. I'm not allowed to say exactly where," the Alex on screen said before looking away from the camera and turned it towards another soldier. "Hey, Paul! Say hello to Fiona."

"He's cheating on ya!" Paul said. "With a camel. A drunk, slutty camel."

The camera moved back to Alex.

"All right, it was one time, okay, and the camel's been texting me but it's over, I promise…"

While Alex had been talking, there was the beeping of a vehicle's backup alarm going off in the background.

"Hello," Paul said off screen. "PSD."

Alex turned the camera to show a canvassed truck bearing a symbol that looked like a battery with a lightning bolt on it.

"See those guys?" Alex asked. "Private contractors. They make seven hundred bucks a day. I make seven."

"Yeah," Paul scoffed, "but you know what they gotta do? They gotta-"

Whatever Alex's army buddy was going to say was cut off when men started shouting and gunfire began to crackle over the laptop's speakers. Paul went down, taking several shots in the chest.

"Shots fired! Shots fired! Go, go! Go red!" a commanding officer was yelling in the background. Alex dropped the camera and static filled the screen before going dark. The real Alex in the present stopped the video and shut the laptop, lips pursed.

"Is Fiona your girlfriend?" Saguru asked.

"She was, but…" Alex trailed off, hands gripping his wheelchair's armrests.

"I'm sorry," Saguru said sincerely.

"I'm not mad," Alex insisted. "It happens. Look, I don't want charity."

"My team and I are not a charity," Saguru assured him.

"Look, James… I just want my rehab. If I'm gonna work – and I want to work – Dr. Jones says I need another year and a half of hardcore rehab, maybe two more surgeries. Storm Breaker shot me up. I just want them to pay my bills, no more, no less.

"I see," Saguru sighed. "The army investigation determined, what? That you were hit by insurgents?"

"Yeah," Alex scowled. "That's because Storm Breaker refused to cooperate in the investigation."

"And they can do that?" Saguru frowned. It sounded like Storm Breaker had covered up the whole incident.

"Nobody's stopping them," Alex said. "They're Yanks. Cowboys. They go off all the time, boom, boom, boom. I just want them to do right by me."

Alex moved to pull out the flash drive that Saguru only just noticed was plugged into to the laptop's USB port.

"Pardon me, Mr. …?"

Saguru and Alex looked up and saw one of the doctors standing nearby. She was frowning at Saguru.

"Oh, uh, Saguru James Hakuba. You're Dr. Jones?"

"Can I talk to you outside?" she asked crisply.

"Doc, he's cool," Alex protested. "His mum knows by mum and I checked him out on the internet."

"Yes, that never goes badly," Dr. Jones said sarcastically before turning her attention back to Saguru. "With me, please."

"I'll be in touch," Saguru assured Alex, taking the flash drive offered to him before following the good doctor out of the room and then the hospital altogether. It appeared that he was being escorted off the premises.

"You can't just come in here and get his hopes up!" Dr. Jones said crossly once they were clear of the building's front doors.

"I'm just here to provide options," Saguru informed her.

"That are no options," Dr. Jones sighed.

"The Veteran's hospital," Saguru started to suggest, but she cut him off.

"Is four-hundred miles away and has a five month waiting list. Everybody in that rehab room is a reservist. When reservists get out they get sent home no matter where home is or how far it is from the treatment they need. Nobody thought this through. We're not a rich hospital. I cashed in every favor I had to take care of these kids for as long as I could, but I have to go back in there and tell Alex that we can't treat him anymore. I have to do that. Run your scam on somebody with money," Dr Jones said crossly.

"It's not a scam," Saguru insisted. "I'm only here to help."

"People don't just show up to help," Dr Jones said softly, but her voice was hard. Protective. She really cared about her patients. "That's not the way the world works."

She gave him one final stern look before walking away and back into the hospital. Saguru sighed, pulling out his phone, hitting speed dial.

"Miyano-san? Call them in. We have a job."


LOCATION: Hollywood – Audition Room

The directors stared, overwhelmed by the… presence of the young man before them as he cried out his lines passionately, falling to his knees at the end.

"Uh… You are aware that this is a soap commercial, right?" The head director asked.

"Uh huh," Shinichi Kudo nodded, beaming as he rose back up to his feet. "When I thought about Jeff, I came up with this idea that the dirt was this giant metaphor for sin."

Shinichi would have continued, elaborating more on his interpretation of the character Jeff and his motives, but his cellphone went off – not his main one that he had for everyday use, but the one given to him by Shiho for their jobs.

"You should take that," the director said. "Really. You should take that."

"Oh," Shinichi said, knowing then and there that he'd failed yet another audition. Not that it mattered anymore. Duty was calling. "Hello? … When?" After getting the details from Shiho, Shinichi hung up and made to exit the room. "Jeff killed his first wife," were his parting words as he stalked out of the audition room.

"Thank you," the director called after him, trading incredulous looks with his fellow casting directors.


LOCATION: Downtown Los Angeles – Bar Parking Lot

Heiji Hattori huffed as he threw a second unconscious body of a gang member on top of the gangbanger's car and faced the last man in the group that had made the mistake of picking a fight with the hitter. Bastard even had a gun drawn after seeing how easily Heiji had dispatched his friends. Couldn't a guy go to a bar in LA and have a drink in peace without getting into a fight with thugs?

The two stared each other down for a moment, gauging how they were going to take the other out, when a phone started ringing.

"That you or me?" Heiji asked, never taking his eyes off the thug.

The guy looked unsure as the phone continued to ring.

"Could be important," Heiji said, face neutral. "Does yer mommy have yer number?"

The man looked down at his pocket. Big mistake. Heiji grabbed the gun, punched the guy in the neck, and down went wanna-be-Rambo, choking. He unloaded the gun's clip and tossed it aside before pulling out his phone, answering it before it could go to voice mail. Good thing too. It was Shiho. Then again, only members of the team had this particular phone's number.

"Yeah?" He answered. "…Nah, nothin'. Why?"


LOCATION: Los Angeles – The Getty Museum

A guard was walking down a hall of paintings in one of the galleries that had been closed off to the public while sections of it were being remodeled for the new exhibits going in. He examined the paintings as he passed them, pausing in front of one of his favorites. It was one of the many that were being traded to another museum for different paintings that would be displayed in the new gallery exhibit. He turned to look at a few of the other paintings, but when he turned to look back at his favorite one last time he found it missing.

His heart stopped for a moment, only to jump when he heard what sounded like a cellphone ring above his head.

"Kid," a young man's voice answered promptly.

In the air vent above the art gallery, Kid giggled at the shocked look on the guard's face. "No, Miyano-chan, I'm not laughing at you."

After receiving details on where to meet, Kid took pity on the guard, dropping a smoke bomb to blind him and put the painting back. It was pretty, but not his style. He'd just wanted to see if he could lift the painting with the guard present.


LOCATION: L.A. Office Building – Leverage Inc. Headquarters

Heiji, Kid and Shinichi looked around as they exited the elevator and headed down the hall towards the office that Shiho had instructed them to meet at. They were excited. They hadn't pulled a job together since a small stint in London where they'd helped a couple get back at a pharmaceutical company that had been marketing a bad product that was responsible for their daughter's death. It had been a simple and easy, but satisfying con that left the company bankrupt.

They'd all been exploring, doing their own things, and getting to know the L.A. area after they came over to the U.S. while waiting for Shiho and Saguru to find them their next job and set up a base of operations. They hadn't expected it to be an actual office space, however.

"So what'd ya do with yer money?" Heiji asked, just to start a conversation.

"From the first job?" Kid asked.

"Yeah."

"I put all that money away in a Swiss bank account," Kid shrugged.

"Millions 'a dollars and ya didn't buy anythin'?" Heiji asked incredulously. The guy was a renowned art and jewel thief. He could have bought all the expensive and shiny jewels and gems and works of art that he wanted.

"I don't like stuff," Kid grinned. "I like money."

"I bought a little retirement home. An island," Shinichi told them.

"Nice," Heiji and Kid said.

"In Fiji," Shinichi clarified, then paused for a moment and grinned. "And Hawaii… and another in New York."

"What about you, Hattori?" Kid asked. "What did you do with your millions?"

They'd finally reached the door. There was a small envelope taped to it with Shinichi's name written on it. Shinichi took the envelope and opened it. There were three keys inside. After taking one for himself, he gave the other two keys to Kid and Heiji.

"Yeah," Heiji snorted. "I'm not 'bout ta tell two known thieves what I did with a multi-million dollar payout."

"Why? Don't you trust us?" Shinichi asked with a playful pout while Kid snickered.

Heiji only gave them a baleful glare, waiting for Shinichi to open the door. Inside, a sign in the main lobby greeted them with the words: Leverage Consulting & Associates. The three looked around in interest at the very nice and professional looking office space they'd just entered.

"Okay," Shinichi said, nodding. Not what he was expecting, but it would certainly do.

"I don' get it," Heiji frowned.

"What is this?" Kid asked.

That was when Shiho walked in, appearing from further inside the office carrying three file folders, handing one to each of them.

"This, gentlemen, is our new cover story," she told them. "Welcome to Leverage Consulting and Associates, founded in 1913 by the great William J. Leverage the Third."

With a small smirk, she pointed to a painting on the wall next to them of an older man that greatly resembled Saguru. Kid and Heiji almost collapsed, they were laughing so hard.

"Hakuba is going to kill you," Shinichi chuckled.

"D-did ya paint that?" Heiji managed to ask between giggle fits.

"I got bored," Shiho shrugged. "I'm told I have a talent."

"Very nice job, Miyano-chan," Kid snickered.

Shiho smiled, happy with their reactions. She'd spent the last few weeks getting the entire office together. Saguru had given her free reign when it came to picking an office space and had trusted her judgment with the décor.

"Now, if you're done laughing your heads off," Shiho said, moving to give them a grand tour of the offices, "lets get back to business. Now, Leverage Inc. is squeaky clean. All corporate taxes are on record as being paid for the last ninety years. All of your identities as partners are covered, your payroll taxes are paid, and you guys have pension plans and dental. In your folders you'll find your employment records, case files and company newsletters."

"Wow," Shinichi said, impressed. "You went into a lot of detail. These are FBI, CIA, MI6 detailed quality covers."

"That's the whole point of being thorough," Shiho told him. "I have no interest in being deported back to Japan. I actually like it here."

"Hey!" Kid cried, beaming as he shoved his folder under Heiji's nose. "Last year I won the sack race at the 4th of July picnic. Cool!"

"Will ya git that outta my face," Heiji grumbled, swatting at Kid with his own folder.

"Now," Shiho said, regaining their attention as they passed a series of doors. "These are your offices. You can bring in whatever you'd like, like a photo or little knick-knacks, or a plant. Plants are nice provided you remember to water them. Nothing illegal, like stolen contraband, Kid."

"I know that," Kid pouted. "I'm not stupid you know."

"Miyano-san, I can't believe that you spent your share of the cash on all of this," Shinichi said, though he was very impressed with the set up.

"Me?" Shiho scoffed. "Like hell I did. Hakuba-san paid for all of this with what little he had left and set aside after giving the rest away."

"Whoa," Heiji cried, stopping in his tracks. "Ya mean he gave it all away?"

"Yes," Shiho nodded. "Most of it went to various children's hospitals and cancer research programs."

It got quiet for a moment, as it always did when what happened to Saguru's daughter was even hinted at.

"But this," Shiho said, breaking the awkward moment. Now she was excited. This had been her main project for most of the time she'd been setting up the offices. "This is my masterpiece."

She slid open a pair of doors to a conference room. When the doors opened lights flickered on revealing the blacked out room's interior. Inside was a long table with many comfortable leather-backed office swivel chairs around it. One wall was dedicated to a large bank of flat screens.

"Nice," Shinichi said, whistling in admiration at the set up.

"Sweet," Heiji grinned.

"Long version or short?" Shiho asked, barely containing her pride and excitement.

"Short."

"Short version."

"Shortest."

Well that figured, didn't it? But not to be denied, Shiho launched into her explanation, powering up the screens with a remote control and put the system through its paces as she explained all the features. She was in her element.

"Photo and video forensics programs, back doors into every electronic banking system in the world, running heuristic data crawls over all the news sites to find our clients… Oh! Also…"

"This is the short version?" Kid muttered, head already spinning with the techno talk. Ok, he got it. Very techy and high end and impressive.

"…facial recognition database tied into CIA, NSA, FBI, and MI6. But, the real pièce de résistance," Shiho said before turning on the various TV packages. The boys immediately perked up after zoning out through her techno babble. "Direct TV HD Ultimate Premium Package. We got everything from daytime television to sports. We have all the major channels including HBO, CBS, NBC, ABC, and the Home Shopping Network. I even thought to include the Total Sports Package for you guys. We have the NFL, NBA, and I even threw in a little bit of hockey for the heck of it."

"Wow," Heiji said, almost drooling over all the games playing. Shinichi was rather entranced by an intense soccer game that was playing on the top left screen.

"All right, stop kicking the tires," Saguru's voice suddenly said, and then the leader man himself was suddenly standing there in the doorway, smiling in amusement. He held up a flash drive. "Want to take her for a spin?"

Ten minutes later the team was seated around the conference table watching the end of Alex's video.

"Our client is the cameraman. Corporal Alex Rider. He says that the Storm Breaker contractors spooked and started firing," Saguru said when the clip was over.

"5.56 NATO rounds mixed in with some 9 mils from tha sub-machine guns. Insurgents woulda used AK-47s with 7.62 ammo. It has more of a… crack," Heiji said, hitting the back of his hand into his palm. "Contractors shot 'em up all right."

"Did you just ID the weapon from the gunshot sound?" Kid asked, amazed.

"It has a very distinctive sound," Heiji said, shrugging.

"Right," Shiho said, changing the screen to show a series of records. "Storm Breaker Security is pretty hard core. It's a Billion dollar company with fat government contracts everywhere the U.S. has troops. Their CEO is Herod Sayle. He's very paranoid and very professional."

"Hold on here," Heiji said, interrupting. "I want ta get this clear, right now. This is a private army yer talking 'bout takin' on. They got their own intel assets and a lot of trigger pullers."

"Yes," Saguru agreed, "and lobbyists in every office in Washington D.C. The problem with a cover-up is all the paperwork it takes to keep the lies straight."

"Like internal e-mails, memos," Shiho said.

"Exactly." Saguru nodded. "So let's go to work."

He got up from his chair and the rest of the team got up and followed him out of the conference room.

"So, we steal the evidence and threaten to expose them," Shinichi mused.

"Blackmail," Kid grinned.

"Yes, but just enough blackmail to pay for Rider's rehab, and maybe a couple million more in damages."

"It'll never hold up in court," Heiji pointed out. "Ya know that."

"Ah," Saguru said, smiling, "but that's why Corporal Rider is lucky. He doesn't have lawyers. He has thieves."

The team smiled, exiting the office, ready to get to work. Saguru held the door for them. He then just so happened to look up and noticed the painting.

"Miyano-san!"