Chapter 26

Nate spent the majority of the rest of the day sleeping. He had been exhausted from the developments that morning and although he would never admit it, he was not sure he was up to dealing with all of this. His sleep was fitful, marred with images of explosions, guns and death.

Sophie remained in her position by his side. The others had all left to get started on their different assignments. Eliot had accompanied Kevin to the crash site with the retrieval crew. Parker and Hardison had set off for the state coroners' office. Sophie stayed with Nate. Before leaving all of them had been given their earbuds by Hardison. Eliot instructed them all to keep them in so as to be contactable at all times. Eliot did not like leaving Sophie alone with Nate. It was not that he did not trust that she would do everything in her power to protect him; no Eliot knew Sophie would die protecting Nate. It was merely that he was worried that she would not be able, to and that she herself would be in danger should whoever this was decide to strike while they were away. Before leaving, he drew Sophie aside and gave her a weapon.

"I don't like them either Sophie…" Eliot said as he saw the expression on her face as he handed her the gun. "But if you are faced with multiple assailants bent on getting Nate, charm is not going to stop them and I won't be able to get to you while we are away."

Sophie merely looked at Eliot for a short while then nodded and put the gun in her bag. She knew how to use a gun. Hell everybody knew she had shot Nate those many years ago in Paris. She knew that she could kill for him, to protect him she would die for him.

It had been a few hours now that Sophie was left alone in the hospital. She started to understand Nate's dislike for them. She couldn't image what torments he must have gone through with Sam in hospitals. It was bad enough keeping vigil over a man you knew was going to be alright. You knew that he would walk out of the place in a few weeks, if not completely healed then well on his way to being so. Nate had had to watch his son die. He had to sit by his son's bed knowing that he would never leave the hospital alive. She shivered slightly at the thought and reached out to take his hand again.

A short while later the nurse came into the room with a package. It had been delivered to the front desk and was addressed to Nathan Ford. Sophie thanked the nurse and took the package. Eliot had immediately been on coms telling her not to open it. Sophie brought the box up to her ear but heard no sounds emanating from it. Hardison chipped in to say that that could merely mean that there was no timer, that the trigger was something else, like when you opened the box. Eliot told Parker and Hardison to get back to the hospital immediately and said that he was on his way back from the crash scene and would be there within the next hour or so. He told Sophie not to do anything with the package until he arrived.

Parker and Hardison arrived back at the hospital twenty minutes later. They walked into the room and Hardison immediately asked to see the package. Sophie had put it in bathroom. Hardison nodded to her and taking a small device with him he entered the bathroom with Parker close behind him. He approached the package which Sophie had put in the bathtub and scanned over it with the device he had. Parker watched curiously.

"What is that thing?" She asked him as he scanned the package again.

"It detects explosive residues; it will tell me if there are any substances present that would indicate an explosive device." Hardison said without looking up from his task.

"Oh, great, and is there?" Parker said casually.

"Not according to this." Hardison said standing up and waving the device at her.

Leaving the bathroom Hardison closed the door then moved to the side of Nate's bed.

"He's been asleep since you guys left." Sophie said quietly. "I think this is really too much for him to handle. I mean, he just survived something he probably shouldn't have, only to be confronted with the possibility that the whole thing is not over." Sophie's voice shook with emotion. She was scared not only for Nate but for all of them. She was not unused to being chased and hunted, none of them were. This was different though. Somebody was out to kill Nate, not just kill him but make him suffer as well. They all knew their work was dangerous and that they had made enemies, but this, so soon after the last time…it was not right.

Eliot appeared about an hour after Hardison and Parker. Sophie told him where she had put the package and Hardison confirmed that he had found no indications that it was a bomb or explosive of any kind. Eliot nodded to them and entered the bathroom alone. Picking the package up carefully he undid the ribbon that held the lid on. Taking a deep breath he lifted the lid slightly. No explosion, he thought as he released the breath he did not even realize he had been holding. Lifting the lid off the package he stared at its contents. Eliot took out the small card that was attached to the contents and read it slowly. Anger and concern registered on his face as he read the message meant for Nate.

What was in the package? What did the note say? Next chapter will be up soon.