The Three Card Monte Job
His father. He wanted to take down his own father. Was he really that insane?
She was the one who made the mistake. She knew it and he knew it too. She wanted to make the bad guys suffer for this one. She knew what making an honest man break the law would do to a person. She wasn't the only member of the team who knew either.
They did that to Nate.
It was why he kept denying he was a thief. He felt guilty for the crimes. Okay, he felt ashamed of what he became. He knew he was becoming a thief just like the others. He didn't like it. He hated that tiny little fact. It wasn't because of them. It had never been because of them.
It was because of his father.
He thought he was becoming his father. What better way for his Jesuit Catholic mind to relieve itself of that bloody Catholic guilt? He wasn't just trying to take down Jimmy Ford. He was trying to take out Nathan Ford as well. The son was trying to over throw the father.
He was trying to embrace the fact that he was a thief while simultaneously taking down the very ghost that has been haunting him since his childhood began.
He actually thought he could take down his own father. He was absolutely mad.
"You can't take down your own father," she said.
They were having this same argument. She felt like it was going forever. He kept telling her he was fine. She kept reminding him that he wasn't. All he had to do was admit it. Admitting it would make him feel better. She knew it would.
"Sophie, we can't keep having this same discussion." He sounded tired. She knew the feeling.
"It's not so much of a discussion as me berating you for being stupid and you just taking it," she sighed.
He smiled for a brief moment. He looked so much younger when he smiled. It really was a shame when it disappeared from his beautiful face. She actually saw the features he inherited from his father now. It was nice to be able to see that. It made her wish she could have met his mother, that he could meet her parents.
"What do you want from me, Soph?" He asked, "Do you want me to admit something to you?"
"Yes, I want you to admit that you can't take down your own father," she said.
"Why would I admit that?"
"Because he's your father!" She couldn't contain her anger any longer. He really was an idiot. It wasn't fair how stupid he could be. She shouldn't have to be his moral compass.
She was a professional grifter!
"No matter what you say he is still the man who raised you. You can't honestly tell me that you can put him back in prison when that violates everything you believe."
"Why are you pushing this?" He yelled back, "He's my dad! It should be my decision to make! What is he to you?"
"He's your father," she said, "Why else would I want him to be taken out of this? I don't want you to do this because you shouldn't have to take down your own father."
"I can do it," he lied.
"No you can't, but I don't expect you to either," she replied.
He only closed his eyes and sighed. Then he turned towards the door and left to go join his father on some other part of his plans. He was once again ignoring his own emotional discourse. He needed to practice what he preached.