Keely's nodding head jerked upright to stay awake, the droning voice still lulling her to sleep. She couldn't remember being this bored since her Methods of Psychology class in college, when the professor was pushing 80, and his idea of an engaging class was reading aloud, word for word, his published works.
Eliot's voice rose an extra octave, wagging his finger at her like a nagging parent, "And finally never, ever leave the van!" Keely groaned, "God you were a waste at the Green Berets. They should have made you a drill sergeant." Eliot glanced from the road for a moment to look at her, "How did you know I was in the military?"
Keely froze and her brows rose. There were two ways she could answer this question.
#1
Actually I know a lot about you. I've been having vivid dreams about you and the rest of the crew for nearly a year. The first dream I had was about your first tour in Iraq. At first I thought it was a fluke and that you were all just characters I made up. It wasn't until I kept having dreams, revealing scenes in your lives over and over again, I realized that they were actually visions and you were probably real people I was going to meet someday
#2
Keely shrugged, "I just assumed, I guess, with all of your fighting ability and the way you talk and everything."
She opted for #2.
After his continued lecture, Keely finally threw up her hands, "Fine, I got it, I got it. What do you think I'm going to do? Run in there waving my arms and screaming like a banshee?" Eliot's glimpsed at her and then his face grew tight and he turned to watch the road, his grip on the steering wheel tightening fractionally. "You can't try to run again Keely." Keely was only silent. "I mean it Keely! Don't you dare do it."
In that moment, Keely knew her previous attempts to run away wasn't doing the crew the favor she supposed. Judging from Eliot's strained body stance and nervous eyes, the fear of her trying to leave again was causing more harm, than the good of actually getting away.
Maybe it wouldn't turn out as badly as she had anticipated. It had been weeks now without a peep from the people chasing her or any warning premonitions. Hardison was very good at what he did and not having to worry about finding a job for food or shelter helped lessen her exposure. Perhaps staying with them would work out better than she supposed.
She placed a hand on Eliot's arm and squeezed it affectionately. "I won't run." He raised a brow at her. "I'm serious. You can trust me." She made an X over her heart. "Cross my heart and I never lie."
Eliot chuckled and shifted the gear so the engine purred and poured on more speed. "I will believe that. You're the worst liar I've ever seen."
"Hey I…" then she shrugged with agreement. She couldn't argue with the truth.
After burning Hardison's ear, with instruction for her, Keely was locked in the van with him and Eliot took off to do his job. Previously, they had been able to take turns watching her at headquarters, but apparently for this part of the con they needed everyone's involvement. Therefore, Keely had been allowed to tag along, only if she promised to stay in the van with Hardison and not get involved in any other way.
Keely studied Hardison and then the van and grinned. She couldn't help but play a little trick on him. It was the only joy her "gift" gave her. She patted the dashboard. "So this is the "the van" huh? She definitely has character. In fact, I would say she has a "Lucille" feel to her." She chuckled, "Sorry that's just ridiculous. I guess that name just popped in my head when I looked at her."
She turned to find Hardison nearly choking and gasping with euphoria. "They must have told you." Keely lifted her shoulders and shook her head, "No one told me a word. I swear. You can ask them. It was just a 'feeling.'" Hardison clapped his hands with a resounding approval and hummed, "See I told them. I told them Lucille was more than just a van. She has a personality. She has a soul. They can't argue with me now." Keely giggled at his new-found feeling of redemption. Sometimes she didn't completely hate her "gift."
Later as they surveyed monitors and monitored frequencies, Hardison seemed to forget her presence. Keely was pleased that they now seemed to trust her enough to speak openly in front of her. It all went smoothly and according to Nate's plan, as usual. Keely mostly stood in awe of their capabilities.
There was one moment when Eliot was fighting a group in the library and she had to speak up. She coughed loudly, "Gun in the bookshelf." Hardison didn't take note of her and so she coughed again with the same message. Hardison patted her on the back. "You need to get more Vitamin C. It sounds like you're coming down with something." Keely frowned at him and then pointed at the screen and say deliberately, "Gee Hardison, what is that weird shiny thing in the bookcase. Shouldn't we talk about it loudly over the coms?" Jerking to attention, Hardison warned Eliot seconds before the guard reached for the gun. Eliot had it out of their grip and dissembled before he could even pull back the trigger.
Keely sighed with satisfaction, the Spanish Drug Lord job had ended perfectly as planned with nearly no interference or intervention on her part. Keely's contentment was soon shattered by a staggering vision. Hardison was oblivious to her white knuckled grip on the chair arms or her panting breath or the way her eyes glossed over. When Keely emerged from the scene of her vision, she glanced at Hardison apprehensively. She had to get away from him.
Keely waited patiently, bidding her time. Waiting until everyone dropped their guard, euphoric and overconfident from their latest conquest. Slowly Keely crept away, searching frantically for Parker. She was the only person not present at their recent success celebration and the only person she needed at that moment.
Suddenly, Keely got a flash of a car. That car had to relate to Parker somehow. Keeping to the shadows, she crept in dark corners until she found the car she had seen in her visions.
She whispered hoarsely, "Parker?" She crouched, circling the car. No sign of Parker. "Parker?" she whispered again with more force. Keely grumbled as she looked at the car's keypad. Maybe she could figure out the code? Maybe the answer to contacting Parker was inside? As she leaned intently over the door, trying to glean the access code from her vision, Parker's face suddenly appeared through the window.
Keely screamed with surprise and fright, collapsing to the floor. "Jumping jellybeans! What in the name of Sam Hill are you doing in there Parker?" Parker shrugged and scrunched her nose. "I was taking a nap." "A nap? In a car? After a job? A few blocks down from a drug lord?" "Yeah, I was sleepy? Where am I supposed to sleep? The sidewalk?" "Right. No problem at all. I just need to talk to you. Open the door." Parker opened the door and Keely slid into the driver's seat.
Keely turned the key and started the engine, pealing out of the parking lot with a squeal. Parker was thrown backwards, "What are you doing?" Keely kept turning the wheel, leading them to the highway. "We have to go to New York. Josie needs us."
"Who?"
"Josie? Remember? The girl from Lefty's team on the hot car job?"
Parker stared at her blankly and Keely sighed. "The time you got to steal all of those police cars?" Parker laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. "Oh yeah! That was awesome. Wait, that Josie. What's wrong? What happened to her? Nate got her a job with good people. She should be okay now. Right? Everything should be okay?"
Keely shook her head, "No Parker, it's not okay. We have to help her. Now." Keely stepped onto the accelerator and sped down the highway.
