A/N - some of this dialogue, tweaked a bit, is taken from the pilot episode. Just so you know, I'm not trying to pass it off as my own. Also, why yes this is the fic of many cliffhangers, lol. Think of them as commercial breaks in this TV movie of the week craziness,

Ch 3 – Wrong

"I could just knock them both out."

Eliot's suggestion halted everybody, even Parker, for a moment. Nate turned and gave him a look that clearly conveyed 'huh?'

Eliot shrugged, "I used to fight MMA. And they way those guys are standing? Clearly just security guards, maybe ROTC at the best."

"You can tell that from the way they're standing?" Sophie asked, looking at her boyfriend as if she was just seeing him.

He shrugged again, "It's a very distinctive stance. Or… lack of stance."

"Hmm," Sophie replied, unsure of how to respond.

"Anyway," Hardison cut in, giving them all a long suffering glance that didn't belong on someone so young, "Can we please just figure out how we're doing this thing? I have commitments to get home to."

Eliot snorted, "I know it can't be a girl you're getting home to. Maybe they've finally perfected robot sex slaves?"

"Hey, now!" Hardison exclaimed, "We have the technology. It's just a marketing problem. And no, dammit, I'm not going home to a robot sex slave."

"Then what do you need to be home in such a rush for?" Eliot smirked.

"It's none of your damn business Mr. 'it's a very distinctive lack of stance,' thank you very much."

"Boys!" Parker scolded, "We can argue later. I'm bored."

"I'll show you a distinctive…" Eliot began before getting silence by a loud whistle from Nate.

Eliot, Sophie, Parker and Hardison all turned in unison to face Nate, who smiled and clapped his hands together once.

"If you're all done… doing whatever this is… I do have a plan."

"Who made you the boss?" Eliot growled slightly.

Nate just looked bemused. Sophie sighed.

"Nate's good at plans," she assured the others in the group.

Parker and Hardison shrugged in consent. Eliot glared for a long moment before nodding curtly. If Sophie believed in Nate this much, he couldn't be that bad.

"Ok," Nate said, "This is what we do."

.

.

Getting past the guards had been ridiculously easy. Sophie had distracted them just long enough by pretending to faint for the others to make their way out the doors. A moment later, when the guards rushed to the bar to respond to a loud shattering of what turned out to be a precariously balanced tower of glasses, Sophie made her way out to join the others. The only glitch in their plans was the unaccounted for guest that appeared.

.

.

"Sandy?" Nate asked, looking down at the tiny redhead.

"It's Cindy," she corrected, "And don't even start. I know you guys are getting out of here, and I'm coming with. If I have to listen to one more former big shot bitching about every damn thing, I will kill somebody."

Parker laughed and stage whispered to Hardison, "I like her."

Hardison nodded in agreement.

"Welcome to the group, I guess," Nate replied, shrugging. "Hopefully we'll all only be together for a few more minutes. We're headed for the front door, which if I remember correctly is right down this hall and to the right."

Cindy nodded, "Good. I can't wait to get these heels off and go home to my kids and my wine."

"Sounds like a lovely plan," Sophie commented, somewhat wistfully.

Eliot reached over to brush Sophie's hand with his own, "Hey, we can get some wine after all this, if you want." He shot her a dazzling smile that even Nate could see was effective.

Sophie smiled slightly, "I'd like that."

Once again, Nate couldn't help but feel like something was strange in Sophie and Eliot's relationship. She had called him her boyfriend, yet they were acting as if they hardly knew each other.

Then again, Nate supposed, sometimes you never really know a person.

"Away we go!" Parker called out joyfully, skipping ahead of the group down the hall. Hardison watched with a confused sort of awe, and he grinned as they followed her path.

.

.

They reached the front door in record time, only to find it locked.

"Ha!" snorted Parker, pushing her way to the front of the group. She pulled a small leather lock pick kit from somewhere along her thigh, a sight that Hardison and Eliot watched with barely disguised interest.

"I thought you were a bartender?" Sophie asked, mostly to herself.

Parker nodded, "I'm also a thief."

"Oh, well as long as you don't steal from us…" Sophie trailed.

"I already put your wallets back," Parker shrugged, "They were boring. Nate's son was cute though."

.

Nate could feel it coming, the look Sophie was giving him, the explanation that would be needed. God, he needed a drink.

"You have a son?" Sophie asked, genuinely curious, not picking up on the silent screaming in Nate's head.

.

"I did."

.

Sophie's eyes widened in shock, "Oh, Nate. Oh, I'm so sorry."

"I…" Nate began before getting interrupted by an 'ah-ha!' from Parker as the door finally unlocked.

They moved at once, only to stop as they noticed something that definitely shouldn't have been there.

"Well, that seems silly," Parker commented, "Who puts an electric fence around a school?"

"Bad people?" Hardison guessed, looking dubiously at the 'warning – electrical shock' sign posted on the fence.

"Something isn't right here," Eliot said slowly as he thought, "I mean, besides the obvious electric fence."

The others just stared, so he explained further.

"First of all, do you hear any sirens or car engines or police walkies? No. Do you see any flashing lights? No. And look: there's the light pole that was supposedly crashed into. Looks just fine to me."

"What does that mean?" Sophie asked, looking worried.

"It means somebody is trying to keep us in here," Nate supplied, looking around their little group.

"Wait a minute," he paused, "Where did Sandy go?"

"It's Cindy," Sophie corrected automatically before looking around for herself, "And… I have no idea."

"Ooh, maybe they kidnapped her!" Parker squealed.

Eliot sighed, "There is something wrong with you."

"What do we do now?" Hardison asked, looking to their makeshift leader.

"I'm thinking," Nate responded.

Eliot cocked his head suddenly, silencing them with a look.

"Well, think faster," he growled, "Someone's coming."

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TBC