Chapter 26

Hardison paced up and down the room trying to not let his emotions overcome him. Nate was in hospital, still in surgery, the woman he loved was tailing two men who were ruthless and will kill her without even thinking about it and Eliot was in the air unable to help anybody. They were divided and that was never a good idea in his opinion. Sophie was still unconscious and had not surfaced again since that brief moment earlier when she had asked for Nate.

"Nate…" Sophie's weak and pleading voice suddenly broke the silence and brought the Hacker to the woman's bedside.

"Sophie…Sophie it's me Hardison…" He said as he took her hand in his.

"Nate…" Sophie said again her eyes still closed but her eyes clenched together as if she was in pain.

"Sophie, I'm going to get the doctor…" Hardison said seeing her expression and thinking she was in difficulty.

"No…no don't go…" Sophie said gripping his hand tightly. She struggled for a few seconds and then her eyes fluttered open. "Hardison…" She whispered out.

"Yes it's me…" Hardison said smiling down at her.

"What…what happened?" She asked trying to get her bearings. "Where is Nate…?"

"He's…he's fine Sophie…"

"Don't lie to me." Sophie said. She knew Hardison very well and she could tell that the man was distraught and that Nate was definitely not ok.

"He's in New York."

"What…why?" Sophie asked alarmed that Nate was so far away from them. "Where are Eliot and Parker?" She asked now starting to realise it was only her and Hardison in the room.

"You were shot. A sniper shot you and you…you died and then…then they brought you back but Nate…well he went to try to find where we could find Rudgar and Samuel…he went to see Kovski in New York because he thought he would know where they were, he left us here and told us not to follow him but to look after you and then…then he was shot and in a car crash and Parker went to go and be with him and now she is on the same flight as Rudgar and Samuel who were also going to New York…now Eliot is on a charter flight to New York and Parker and the other two are about to land." Hardison said almost in one breath.

Sophie stared at him trying to digest everything the man had said. The only thing she could think of was that Nate was shot again. He had promised her he would not go and do something stupid and now he had been shot and involved in a car crash. He had done it again…he had run off and tried to play the hero, showing no concern for his own safety. She was angry at him and petrified for him at the same time. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths trying to calm herself down before she looked at Hardison again.

"How is he?" She asked softly.

"Still in surgery…" Hardison said.

"We have to…agh…" She finished off as she tried to push herself up in bed but felt a sharp pain in her chest and fell back on the pillows closing her eyes and trying to control her breathing and shut out the pain.

"Don't do that Sophie…you were shot…you were badly hurt…You can't be doing that…please…" Hardison said taking her hand again and watching as she tried to control the pain.

Sophie opened her eyes and stared at the young man. She could see the fear in his eyes, he was starting to get panicked.

"Ok..Ok do you have contact with them?" She asked squeezing his hand gently,

Hardison nodded as he listened to Parker telling Eliot that she was getting off the plane and following the two men.

"Yeah, Parker just landed, she's following Rudgar." Hardison said.

"Let me have a com…" Sophie said.

"I…I don't have a spare here." Hardison said a little embarrassed by the situation. He had not thought of brining one to the hospital when Sophie had first been brought here and he had not left since. Parker and Eliot had taken his spares that he always had with him.

"Hardison…" Sophie said her tone telling him she did not believe him.

"I swear Mamma…" Hardison said apologetically.

Hardison pulled up a chair and sat beside Sophie telling her everything that was happening step by step.

"I got you covered Parker…" Hardison said when he heard her talking to the Milliards and the Officer and mentioning Sterling. He pulled out his phone and dialled the Interpol Agents number.

"Sterling…"

"Hardison to what do I owe this dubious pleasure…?" Sterling said recognising the voice immediately.

"Nate is in trouble and Parker…" Hardison was interrupted as all hell broke loose in his earbuds. He dropped the phone and shouted into the com for Parker to talk to him. Then he heard Eliot say he was there and then there was gunfire. Hardison was nearly beside himself and Sophie was anxiously watching the Hacker and knew there was something terribly wrong.

"Parker what is going on…" Hardison pleaded as if to nobody.

"Eliot is down…I…I don't know…" Her voice came back to him and then silence again.

"Parker…Parker…" Hardison almost shouted.

"Hardison what is going on…what is happening?" Sophie asked anxiously.

Hardison looked at her and shook his head.

"I don't know…Parker said Eliot it down…I don't know…there was gunfire and…" Hardison took a deep breath trying to control the panic that was rising in him.

"Dammit Hardison calm down and tell me what is happening." Sophie said harshly.

"I…I don't know…"

"Hardison…Sophie…will one of you two talk to me please…" Sterling's voice emanated from the phone that Hardison had dropped onto the bed.

Hardison stared at the phone looking as if he did not know what to do. This was his one downfall and the reason Nate knew he would not be able to lead a team just yet. He panicked when things went wrong and people were getting hurt. The woman he loved was in danger, possibly hurt and he was far away and that was killing him. Eliot was down, Nate was down, those were the two he relied on to tell him what to do, to calm him down and focus him.

"Hardison…" A voice cut through his frazzled mind. "Hardison give me the phone."

Hardison looked up into Sophie's eyes and nodded. He reached out and handed her the phone.

"Sterling are you still there…?"

"What the hell is going on Sophie…?" Sterling asked relieved to hear her voice.

"I am not sure. Where are you now and how fast can you get to New York…just hold on…" Sophie said lowering the phone. "What hospital Hardison?" She asked.

"Mercy General." Hardison immediately responded.

"How fast can you get to Mercy General Hospital in New York?" She asked Sterling.

"Why?" Sterling asked without answering her.

"Nate is hurt, Eliot is down and Parker may or may not be hurt as well, they need your help." Sophie said quietly and calmly.

Sterling took a moment to digest that and then told her that he could be there in less than three hours.

"Good. It will take us a little longer to get there but we will meet you at the hospital." Sophie told him. "Please…please make sure that Nate…that they…"

"I'm on my way, I'll take care of it until you arrive." Sterling assured her. This was not the first time they had had contact with each other since he had let Nate go after they stole the Black Box. He had called on Nate to help him out on a few cases, and even the whole team once ,on a very difficult and dangerous take down. They had a very, well strange relationship Sterling had to admit, but still, if he was in trouble he knew he could call on Nate and now Nate needed him and he would be there.

"Thank you." Sophie simply said then hung up the phone and looked at Hardison.

"Hardison…Alec…get me my clothes then arrange for a flight to New York.

"No Sophie you can't…"

"Just do it Alec, I'll be fine." Sophie said softly pushing herself further up in the bed and ignoring the searing pain that came with it. She would make it to New York if it was the last thing she did. Nate and Eliot were down, Parker…well who knew what was going on with Parker because she was not talking at the moment. Hardison could tell she too was hurt though, through the sound on the coms. They needed her, they all needed her and she would be there for them.

"Alec listen to me…We are a team. We work best when we are together, they have divided us and they are winning. We can't allow that." Sophie said calmingly. "Now Sterling is going to get there and try to sort things out, he'll be there in three hours. Now get my clothes and then make the arrangements for the charter."

Hardison did not say anything, he did not argue, he pulled her clothes out the cupboard and then moved outside telling a nurse to go and help her before starting to arrange a medical charter, if Sophie was going to insist on going to New York, he was going to insist they take all the precautions with her moving as they could. Once that was done he quickly arranged transport for her from the hospital to the airport and then from the airport in New York to the hospital. He could not take care of any of the others but he could make sure Sophie was taken care of. She was right though. They were best when they were together. Nate went off on his own and look what happened. Eliot down, Parker hurt…no Sophie was right, they needed to be together, only together could they beat these guys.

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