Chapter 9

"Ok Nate, so now what?" Sterling asked as he and the Mastermind exited the house quietly and walked over to the car.

"Now Sterling we make ourselves visible and then hope for the best." Nate said.

He and Sterling had agreed that this was the only way to make this work, exactly like they had done the first time they took Perkins down, they had to draw him in and that was what they were going to do. He had left a note for Sophie and the others telling them what they had done and why they had done it and he knew the anger and frustration at both he and Sterling was going to be epic, but especially at him from his team, he also knew this was the only way to ensure that Perkins showed himself without placing Sophie or Olivia in the firing line. They had taken earbuds with them so that when the time was right they could notify the team and get them involved, although Sterling wondered if they would get to them in time or if they would even have the time to activate them. He was not concerned though, if it the plan did not work it would be only he and Nate that bore the brunt and Olivia would be safe and secure. Perkins would not bother with them if they were dead, and besides Sophie and the others would keep her safe.

Sterling and Nate had planned this to the tee. It was 2am and the entire house was quiet. Eliot did not sleep at least not much but Nate knew his team very well, he knew Eliot did sleep usually in the early hours of the morning between two and four, and he also knew when Eliot did sleep it was a sound, deep and solid sleep and that would be the time for them to leave. He had also taken steps to disable Hardison's watch dogs so that alarms would not sound when they left. He had disabled the camera's outside to ensure that the team did not know in what direction they had gone. Sterling had managed to organise another safe house for them, although they were planning to make it noticeably clear, without announcing it of course and making it too obvious, where they were going so that Perkins would know. Nate had ensured that he had checked all his clothes and shoes to remove all tracking devises Hardison may have planted and there were a few, he had instructed Sterling to do the same telling him that his team, especially Hardison did not trust the man and would try to keep tabs on him. They had left their watches and phones behind as a precaution as well, with Nate taking one of his emergency burner phones to enable them to contact Rogers when needed.

"Ok well here we go." Nate said as he started the car and pulled off down the street.

An hour later Eliot emerged from his room and made his way to the kitchen to get himself his first cup of coffee for the day. The house was still quiet, and he assumed everybody was still asleep. Putting the kettle on he grabbed his cup and waited.

"Morning Eliot." Parker said as he entered the kitchen.

"Morning…coffee?"

"Please." She replied as she sat down at the table. "Everybody still sleeping."

"Yeah." Eliot said as he poured their coffees and then joined her at the table. Parker was also an early riser and he knew she was concerned about Nate and what the man might do.

"He is planning something you know and not talking about it." Parker said accepting her cup from the Hitter. "That's bad."

"I know Parker, we just have to keep an eye on them, make sure they do nothing stupid." Eliot said, he had also noticed a subtle change in both Nate and Sterling, the two men were planning something, and he did not like it one bit.

"Well they can't leave Hardison made sure we would know if they did, he knows Nate as well as we do. Also he has put trackers on their clothes." Eliot looked at her and smiled, they all knew Nate rather well and were prepared for any move he may make. "Besides, where would they go and why now that we told them we would go with their plans would they?" Parker asked.

"You know Nate." Eliot said softly.

"Yeah."

The two of them sat quietly drinking their coffee until Hardison made an appearance and hour and joined them at the table. Next to arrive was Olivia then finally Sophie who walked into the living room and then stopped looking at the people at the table.

"Where is Nate?" She asked not seeing him. She had awoken to an empty bed which she was used to now as Nate was up early and usually she found him waiting at the table for her.

"What do you mean…" Eliot said looking at her and then he swore under his breath as he moved quickly to Sterling's room throwing open the door.

"He's gone too…"

"What the hell…" Hardison blurted out and then moved to his computer. "He disabled my watchdogs and the camera's."

"I am going to kill him myself." Sophie hissed out. She looked around the room and her eyes fell on an envelope propped up against the sideboard at the main door. Walking over to it she picked it up and noted Nate's unmistakable scrawl on it. She turned it over then opened it pulling out the note inside and read it out loud to the group.

"This was the only way. We have earbuds and will let you know when to make an entrance, be ready. I am sorry. Nate."

"How dare he…how dare he…" Sophie said her anger building inside her at Nate's actions. How dare the man do this to her after promising he would not, after promising to use the team to take down this Perkins.

"My dad…" Olivia said as she listened to Sophie and realised what had happened.

"It's ok Olivia, your dad and Nate have a plan and they will be fine." Parker said moving to the girl.

"But they have left. They are on their own and they are still hurt." Olivia said and they could hear she was starting to panic.

"Yes but that was part of the plan ok…" Parker said looking at Sophie.

"Parker is right Olivia. Nate and your dad know what they are doing so don't worry ok." She said calming herself down.

"Don't lie to me Sophie, you are angry because they have gone off by themselves and… and you are scared…and that man is out there. They have done this to keep us safe haven't they?"

"Olivia…"

"No…they have, why do they do that?"

"Because your dad loves you." Eliot told her and Sophie looked up at the Hitter. "Very much Olivia and he wants to keep you safe, that's all. Now Nate and your father have a plan like the note said, they will be depending on us to be ready so let's just make sure we are."

Olivia and nodded then went to her room to change and get ready like Eliot said. Sophie watched her leave and then turned to Eliot raising her eyebrows at him.

"He's a bloody idiot and I am going to make sure he understands that, but for now we work with what we have." Eliot said in response. "But make no mistake Sophie he loves you and he does not want you anywhere near Perkins and he knew you would not stand back, the same goes for Sterling and Olivia." He held up his hand to her as she was about to answer. "I know…but it is true. They did this to protect you and Olivia."

Sophie stood staring at the Hitter and despite herself tears started to well in her eyes. She knew it was true, he had not done this to protect the rest of the team because he knew Eliot and Parker and Hardison could take care of themselves and although he cared for them deeply he would have used them to take Perkins down, it was for the two people the two men loved the most that they had taken it on themselves to do this.

"I can take care of myself, I did for a long time, long before I met him." Sophie angrily, remembering saying those same words to Nate when he lay on the floor of a bank with a bullet wound to the shoulder because he had stayed to make sure he was there to protect her if needed.

"I know." Eliot replied and smiled a hard tight smile at her. "But that does not matter now does it?"

Silence followed Eliot's words with Sophie not knowing what to say.

"Fine." Hardison said realising that what Eliot was saying was true, he hated it, but he understood it too. "I am going to get ready. We don't know how long this is going to take before they need us, we need to be ready."

Parker said nothing but nodded and headed off to the room as well. Leaving Eliot and Sophie alone.

"He is going to get himself killed Eliot, he is so weak still, he is not up to taking on Perkins and nor is Sterling. I know you are right but damn him, doesn't he realise what this does to me."

"He does, but he would rather have you angry at him than dead or hurt." Eliot stated. Nate had not told him any of this, but he would bet his life it was the truth.

"Well…damn him." Sophie said not knowing how to respond to him and knowing he was speaking the truth. "Hardison is right, we better be ready when he does bloody well call." She said then walked away towards her bedroom.

"Damn you Nate, couldn't you trust me just this once." He muttered to himself as he walked to the kitchen and made himself some more coffee before taking a seat and waiting on the others, there was nothing they could do, not until Nate told them what he needed.