"And-and he was so drunk he even let me take the Van Gough in his living room," Sophie was finishing up a funny story about one of her previous cons.

The team burst out laughing.

"It's true," she said between giggles, "he thought I was there to clean it and that I'd be back in the morning with it."

Five giant smiles practically lit the room. Nate reached for his bottle of scotch then leaned back in his chair as he took a sip. The feeling he had, sitting here with his wife and "family" for a Christmas dinner, was indescribable.

"Your turn, Eliot," Parker informed him, bouncing in her chair.

"My turn for what?" the hitter asked, taking a swig of his beer.

"Well, we all told a funny story but you."

Three more eager faces turned to him. Eliot looked reluctantly at the thief. One look into her sparkling blue eyes and he knew he couldn't say no.

"Alright," he began with a playful growl. He sat in thought for a moment before recalling a funny memory. "So I was in this little village in Saudi Arabia and-"

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Rapid beeping from Hardison's phone interrupted his recollection.

"Hold up," the hacker said, retrieving his phone from his jean pocket. Suddenly his face turned grave. "Uh, guys? Sorry to stop family fun night but security cameras a few blocks away just spotted a baddie."

Eliot sat up straight, "Who?"

Hardison almost dropped his phone. All he could choke out was: "A friend of Moreau."

"Damnit Hardison," the hitter yelled, bolting from his chair. "We gotta go now!"

As if on cue the front door to Hardison's restaurant burst off its hinges. The sound of footsteps neared the door to the back. Nate grabbed Sophie's hand and practically dragged her to the back door. Parker leapt across the table and joined them on their dash to the exit. Hardison was close behind. The mastermind looked over his shoulder to see Eliot preparing to fight. He knew the hitter would delay their pursuers even if it cost him his life.

"ELIOT RUN!" He screamed with such force the man found himself sprinting behind them before he could process what he was doing.

The door leading to the back was kicked down as about ten men heavily armed forced their way in. They followed the team as they burst out the backdoor. Nate knew their hunters wouldn't be able to reach them in time. Two seconds later he was wrenching the door open with more force than necessary. The five of them burst into the alleyway…straight into an ambush.

Nate's face fell as he found a dozen armed guys formed in a semi-circle around them. Sophie squeezed his hand and buried her head in his shoulder. When he glanced to his right, he saw Parker grasp Hardison's hand and he put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. Eliot stood cold and defiant with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Clearly he wasn't planning to go without a fight.

A man in a black suit and shoes that looked like they'd never hit the pavement stepped forward.

"Well, well, well," he said while stroking his black, slick back hair, "look what we have here. The world's best criminals flushed out and trapped like rats."

"Who are you?" Nate demanded in an even voice.

"Just call me a matchmaker. I'm here to reunite you with an old friend."

"Which one?" The mastermind was afraid he already knew the answer.

"Moreau."

Sophie let out a gasp and Parker's eyes glistened with tears. The well-dressed man turned on his heel and snapped his fingers. Taking their cue, the armed men advanced.

The hitter changed his position to a fighting stance and the four men that surrounded him pointed their guns at him, obviously expecting him to surrender.

"Do it," he growled, "it'd be much better than being Moreau's prisoner."

One of the men rolled his eyes then grabbed a fistful of Parker's blonde hair. She gasped in pain and allowed herself to be shoved to her knees. He then shoved the barrel of his gun into her scalp.

"Come quietly Spencer or there's gonna be another body on your hands," the thief's captor commanded.

"You wouldn't. I bet my life Moreau wants all of us alive besides, you'd be doing her a favor."

"Eliot," Hardison begged as he was being dragged away with Sophie and Nate, "don't do it."

"Hardison, you don't understand-"

"Eliot," Parker said softly, "please."

He looked into her eyes and once again, he couldn't resist. Three men shoved him against the steel door and restrained his hands with flex cuffs.

That was the last thing Nate saw before a stale-smelling bag was placed over his head and he was shoved into a car.