Chapter 11

The gun fire continued for what seemed like hours to Nate as he and Sterling tried to get to a more secure location than behind the sofa which was systematically being torn apart. Finally they made it to the passageway with the walls protecting them from the barrage of bullets peppering the house.

"Now what?" Sterling asked.

"Don't know." Nate said. He had left the phone lying on the floor behind the sofa and they were trapped now, all they could do was wait.

"Shit…" Sterling said as suddenly as he heard a grenade bouncing on the floor.

"Say goodbye." They heard Perkins shout and Nate pushed Sterling the bathroom when the first explosion sounded, then he and Sterling both climbed into the bath and hunkered down as more explosions sounded.

"He's throwing damn hand grenades..". Sterling said as the two men squeezed in side by side trying to protect themselves from the blasts. Then there was a few large explosions and Nate could hear the fragments hitting the side of the bath, then a large explosion and everything went black for them.

"Nate…Nate can you hear me." Sophie called out into the phone but got no answer except for the sound of gunfire which seemed to be never-ending. Then they heard Perkins tell them to say goodbye and then a series of explosions before the line went dead.

"Nate…Nate…" Sophie called out desperately, but the phone was dead.

Eliot said nothing but pushed his foot down on the accelerator trying to coax as much speed out of the van as possible. Hardison informed him that his turn off was coming in about a mile and they were about six minutes out from the location they had for Nate.

They arrived on the scene eight minutes later to find Rogers taking what remained of Perkins' men into custody. Eliot was out the van as it came to a halt and walked towards the man who turned to him.

"They put up quite a fight…" Rogers said meeting him and shaking his hand. "Seems Perkins decided that he was not going back to prison and went into the house with a bag full of grenades, as you can see he put them to good use. I am being told that there is a gas leak, probably caused by one of the explosions, luckily it hasn't gone up yet, but the place is still volatile as the gas is still on, I have fire and ambulance as well as utilities on the way, we can't go in until that is done, it is too dangerous, the place could go at any minute, I don't think anybody is alive in there though." He summed up meeting Eliot's eyes. "I am sorry."

Eliot nodded without saying anything then walked towards the building, they may not be able to go inside but he could, and he was going to do just that, Nate may have survived and if he did he would need help and if he didn't, well Eliot would still take him home. Parker moved to his side, but he stopped and shook his head at her.

"I'm coming in with you Eliot, you can't get them both out on your own." She said simply meeting his gaze and holding it.

"Fine. Hardison keep them back." He said and the Hacker nodded to him in acknowledgement.

Sophie stood back holding Olivia as they waited for Eliot and Parker to either bring the men they loved back to them or their bodies, both frightened it would be the later and not the former. Rogers watched Eliot and Parker but did not make a move to stop them, he doubted he could anyway, instead he marshalled his mean and started loading Perkins' crew into the waiting vans.

Eliot walked into the place noting the extensive damage that had been caused. He scanned the floor but saw no bodies.

"Nate…" He called out hoping to get a response, but none came. He looked around trying to imagine where Nate would have sought refuge when the grenades started to go off and then headed directly to the bathroom. Perkins must have detonated at least ten grenades he thought looking at the damage done.

"Parker in here." Eliot said as he stepped into the bathroom and walked up to the tub. He could see the outside was peppered with fragments of the grenade and his mind immediately told him it was a fragmentation grenade and there were also signs that told him an M67 grenade was used by Perkins, that was a powerful explosive device and quite deadly.

"Nate…" He called out as he moved to towards the tub.

"Eliot." He heard Nate say as he approached and looked down into the tub. "Help me out." The Mastermind said as he held his hand out to the Hitter and carefully levered himself out of the bath. Eliot surveyed him and noted the blood in the ears and a few cuts from fragments that had bounced around the room after the grenades were thrown. Luckily one of them did not land in the tub or he would be picking up pieces of Sterling and the Mastermind. He could see where a large one had gone off just outside the tub and moving it along the floor slightly.

"I think he is just out from the concussion effect." Nate said as Eliot leaned into the bath to check out Sterling. He saw no external damage and decided Nate was probably right.

"We gotta get out of here. Gas leak." Eliot said as he reached in and lifted Sterling out then placed him in a fireman's carry and they all three made their way out of the building.

Sophie saw them emerge noting that Nate was walking on his own and held Olivia a little tighter as she saw Eliot carrying the man out. Just as they approached them there was a large explosion and everybody ducked down with Hardison pulling both Sophie and Hardison to the ground covering them, Parker pulled Nate down and Eliot put Sterling on the ground covering him. Debris reigned down after the explosion and then he heard Rogers ordering his men to help them to get further away from the now burning house.

"Parker…" Nate said as he tried to get up and Parker quickly rose pulling Nate up with her.

"Nate…" Sophie said as she too rose and walked over to him pulling him into a hug.

"My dad?" Olivia asked as she joined them.

"He's fine Olivia, just knocked out." Nate told her and just then the Ambulance and fire services arrived.

Ten minutes later Sterling was in the back of the ambulance with Olivia and on their way to hospital, Nate had refused to go saying he was fine, and Eliot was talking to Rogers getting the full run down. Perkins was gone, he may still have been in the house, but Eliot doubted it, he had probably escaped again in all the mayhem. Eliot thanked Rogers and told him they would be at the hospital if they were needed. Rogers agreed knowing that Eliot and the others would want to see how Sterling was doing and told them he would let them know if they found Perkins or any sign of him.

"That was a stupid, stupid thing to do Nate and you almost got yourself killed." Sophie said looking at the man. "You promised me…"

"Sophie we thought we could handle it with Rogers, and it was the only way to draw the man out."

Sophie shook her head as she surveyed him. He had blood in his ears from the loudness of the explosion probably amplified by the fact that he was in the bath when they went off, also a few cuts on his face and hands. Nothing to serious she thought.

"Well you just misjudged him again." Eliot growled, just like the first time and he was not sure Nate and Sterling would be so lucky the third time around.

"Yes we did." Nate sighed. He was tired, he was sore and all he wanted was a hot shower and a soft bed, along with a nice whiskey and not necessarily in that order.