Chapter 16

Silence reigned at the table after Eliot had read the note. Sophie reached out and took one of the photos. She stared down at the photo of her husband lying dead, his eyes wide open as blood trickled down his nose from the bullet hole in his head. She felt nothing except a burning hatred for whoever had done this and a deep anger at herself for allowing it to happen. Eliot watched her and then flicked his eyes to Hardison and then Parker. He could see all of them were dry eyed and he could see the anger, guilt and deep sadness that filled them.

"I am going to find whoever did this and I am going to kill them." Sophie said to nobody, she said it softly and without anger and it sent a shiver down Sterling's spine, her eyes remained fixed on the photograph.

"We are going to make him pay." Parker stated her voice cold and deadly as she looked up at Sophie.

Hardison said nothing he just stared at the photo trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Nate was dead. He was dead because they had failed to protect him, it was their fault he had been taken and killed. It was his fault, he should have seen something, he was the one who was supposed to have their back, see the problems coming, his equipment was supposed to forewarn them of any threats. This was his fault he thought to himself and he was going to kill the son of a bitch who had done this.

Eliot said nothing. He simply sat and looked at the picture a deep rage burning inside him. He was the Hitter. He was the one who had taken responsibility for Nate's safety once they had determined that there was a threat to him, and he was the one who had allowed Nate to be taken. He had failed the man, a man who had never failed him, a man who had saved him and given him something he could never repay him for. For eight years Eliot had not been the man he had been before teaming up with Nate and the others, he had kept it under wraps, Nate had seen to that, but now, now he would become that man again and whoever had done this would see the real monster that Eliot Spenser was he thought as he stared at the body of the man he admired and yes loved as a son loves a father.

Sterling looked from Sophie to Eliot and knew that they would never rest until whoever this person was had been found and made to pay for Nate's death. He shivered slightly as he saw the look on Eliot's face. He had also tracked him through the years, and he knew what Eliot was capable of. Parker had a look of pure hatred on her face while he could see that Hardison was feeling as guilty as all hell. He considered how he felt about all of this and he knew that he would help them in any way he could to bring down the person who had done this, even though he knew they had no intention of taking the person down the way they usually did, they intended killing whoever it was. He looked over to Tara and locked eyes with her, seeing that she had the same thought as he did. Sterling sighed heavily and stood walking over to the kitchen cabinet and taking out a bottle of Nate's favourite whiskey and six glasses. Returning to the table he poured out six shots.

"We will make them pay." He said softly watching this little makeshift family of thieves and con artists as they tried to take in the fact that Nate was gone.

Sophie looked up at the man as did the others and nodded lifting their glasses and drinking down the fiery liquid.

"I…I need some time." Sophie said suddenly standing and moving off towards her and Nate's room.

"Hardison?" Parker said looking at him with questioning eyes. "Maybe it's not real…maybe it's been…Hardison?"

Hardison looked at her and then took one of the pictures and scanned it into this computer. He worked quickly and then turned to Parker who sat staring at him waiting for him to tell her the pictures were faked that this was not true that it was not Nate lying dead on that floor.

"It's…they aren't…they are real." Hardison stuttered, the pictures were not doctored, or not that he could detect. They were real and that was Nate and he was dead, and it was their fault, Nate had trusted them, he had trusted them, and they had let him be taken and…

Parker stared at the Hacker her eyes welling up with tears as she heard what he was saying, Nate was dead, that was Nate and he was dead she kept telling herself, her mind racing and her heart clenching at the knowledge that the man was dead and it was her fault.

"I'm going to go over every frame Parker…" Hardison told her pouring himself a second shot of whiskey and downing it. "If there is anything to find I'll find it."

"I'm going to see Greg Smith." Eliot said in a soft voice and Sterling looked at the man. "Nate thought this was all connected and that is all we have to go on."

"I'll come with you, but we go in the morning." Sterling said seeing a dark future for Smith if Eliot went there alone, besides, it was now almost midnight. Eliot stared at the man and then nodded. It was late and it would do no good to go now anyway.

"Fine." Eliot said then rose and walked off to his room closing the door behind him.

"Go get some rest you two, we'll start tomorrow." Sterling said looking at the two youngest members of Nate's team. "You need time to process this both of you." Sterling told them as he saw rebellion in their eyes.

Hardison looked at Parker and then rose lifting the young woman up with him and then they also made their way to their room and closed the door.

"You know when we find whoever this is they are going to kill them?" Sterling said looking at Tara.

Tara smiled at him she had no problem with that, but she could see that it concerned Sterling. He was after all a law enforcement officer. She nodded at him but did not reply, instead she poured herself and him another glass of whiskey.

"To Nate." She said softly raising her glass.

Sterling lifted his glass then he told her he was also going to try to get some sleep in.

"I don't think we are going to get much of that after tonight." He said meaningfully, from tomorrow it would be all about finding Nate's killer and he doubted that any of them were going to get much rest until the hunt was over. He just hoped they did find the man or woman responsible for all of this, they all needed closure and if they did not get it, well then he did not know what would happen.