- Chapter Twenty-Seven -

Internal Affairs: His

Plan finalized and agreed upon by all parties, the group disbanded just outside the parking lot. Resource index not a very populated venue in the digital age of information, there was virtually no danger of being seen. Technically there was a custodian milling around the archives, but the tweed sweater-vest was too intimidated by their collective to be of real concern. Or perhaps the older gent was just that happy to see someone taking advantage of the vast records within. Regardless, there was no threat in being so brazen.

The first to break away, Drake was less than thrilled about getting that particular route to the station, however he had ultimately gone on his way without too much of a fuss. With Sam, Nadine expected that there would always be some kind of struggle involved when getting him to go anywhere or do anything (she could only imagine what he must have been like as a child). Having said that, she had been there in the early days of his release.

Rafe hadn't seen it, or at least he hadn't said anything to her to indicate that he had, but in those early days there had been shame in Drake's eyes. Not privy to every little thing to run through the pampered American's head - and thank the heavens for that! - the woman wouldn't pretend like she understood what Drake had gone through. Not fully at any rate. Still though, there had been a part of herself that had actually felt sorry for him. Every word spoken was raw and carried a weary edge, but below that there had been defeat. Obviously it hadn't lasted, but she would be surprised if some part of that broken creature wasn't coming back up at the prospect of entering another prison.

"Drake?" Catching the lanky treasure hunter just before he was due to vanish beneath the ground, the former mercenary offered the most comforting thing she could. "Don't die down there."

Chloe couldn't understand this part of Sam, but then again there was only a small percentage that truly could. Still, that hadn't stopped the ravenette from taking her partner's lead, "You know, unless you don't mind us collecting your share of the profits." Smile easy as ever, there was no doubt that this was a genuine parting of friends. They could call themselves whatever they wanted to, but there was no denying the bond they shared after everything they'd been through together.

Still a stranger to the thief, Wyatt hadn't had anything to say, so he didn't bother wasting his breath. Men died around him all the time, so unless it was a comrade worth mourning, to him there was no point in recognizing the last time he might see an ally alive. Not fussed to comply with even the most minimum acknowledgement, the fighter simply checked his combat knife for nicks that would need to be minded later.

Logan on the other hand was a bird of another color. Still bitter about the realization that he might never amount to more than an inconvenience that needed to be addressed every now and again, the blonde could never be rid of the half that cared about his blood. For that he cursed his heart. The sad truth was that Sam might never come around to him, but he couldn't find it in himself to just write the man off completely. He'd like to blame his age and say that there was no teaching an old dog new tricks, but the cold hard fact was that it was just who he was.

Hesitating until the last possible moment, the entire walk from the creaky wooden stairs to the cracked pavement had been filled with indecision. Being a government-founded building, one would think that the building would have presented a far more attractive front, but apparently there just wasn't a good enough reason to remember the library. Whichever, Logan was neither an avid reader nor a letter-writing voter. Speaking of approval, Sam wouldn't be for the idea running through the surfer's head, yet it was something the father-to-be felt he had to do. If he didn't, he might go crazy with the realization that he'd regret it for the rest of his days if he let the opportunity slip away.

Finally it had become too much and the surfer gave in to his instinct to embrace the other man. Sam could throw him off - and probably would - but he had to at least try. Arms tight, he caught his father by surprise and managed a rather mushy send off that made Nadine very uncomfortable with how touchy-feely it was. Try as she might, feelings just weren't her strong suit.

"Come back to your family!" The hug lasted for only a moment, but the effects were deeper than that.

[Mr. Too Cool For School]

Shaken but silent as the grave, Sam slipped off from the rest of the group before any more damage could be done.

Akin to Nadine in this one instance, the lean adrenaline seeker just wan't the affectionate sort. If he so desired, the charismatic brunette could go all out with the romantic gestures and spend half the night just feeling his partner up and down. That kind of physical intimacy was as easy as breathing (and infinitely more enjoyable), but when it came to forming an emotional connection, he was much more guarded.

Cut down to its simplest shape, it just felt... well for lack of a better term, awkward when it was platonic. Barrier admitting no one, not even Nathan had been allowed to get that close. Not even after being reunited with his big brother for the first time in fifteen years. Being locked up in prison for thirteen years straight hadn't done much to help that attitude truth be told, yet it wasn't anywhere near the root of the preexisting condition.

Relieved for once to be trudging through sewage, the historian could tell that his hands were far from steady as they closed the entrance above his head and effectively killed the lights. Damn nicotine cravings. Turning on the flashlight at his hip, the grizzled brunette glanced at his leathery mits for only a moment before letting out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Flesh more callous than skin by this point, there were more important things to consider than his own vanity.

Whether he willed it or not, there were a number of thoughts scratching at the fortune hunter's brain, begging to be examined. How to proceed with Logan and just how dead the girl was for her little vanishing act were in the top ten, but not necessarily of the highest priority. Second on the old to-do list was finding their way out of the city when Sullivan was otherwise engaged, obtaining believable alibis and according documentation not far behind that. Papers just in case. Trimming the fat another goal of precedence, there was the matter of sleeping arrangements to mull over as well.

Thoughts attacking all at once and in no particular order, as the thief slunk through the sewer he had to wonder just how many of his current problems would see closure. Immediate or otherwise...

On his own merits, Logan had every chance of being an alright guy. In another life, the surfer could have been that guy that you laugh with about someone spilling their beer on the hot snob, the first guy on the phone when you just needed some chill. Who the hell knew? The blonde might have been the life of the party, but the way he carried on it was becoming increasingly trying to differentiate the man from his claims. And really, it was nigh impossible at this point to deny that it was pretty much a certainty.

Either way Sam looked at it, Logan was expecting too much from the thief all at once. Forget about the pressures of being on the clock and the imminent danger that might have been lurking behind every freaking corner. He was only human.

But human didn't have to mean that he was subject to failing to observe his surroundings.

Hand up to catch the low ceiling before he banged his head, Sam ducked below the first of several slimy supports. Flashlight illuminating the algae and mucus build-up gumming up the pipes, he tried not to think of the exact shades he thought he saw in the sludge. He tried even harder to not think about how much the gunk now coating his fingertips felt like raw brains wrapped in freshly harvested seaweed. Shivering at the sensation more than the clinging chill creeping up his joints, he'd have to be a real chump to miss such an obvious set-up.

Given the thoughts and questions that were mewling at the moon, really he was quite impressed with himself for crouching in time. Patting himself on the back for a job well done, the ex-con promptly missed his mark and stepped directly into the deepest part of the murky water slithering through the serpentine sewer. Reaction someplace between a groan and an eye-roll that bemoaned how typical a screw-up that was, Sam was just glad that no one else was present for that blunder.

Anyone could have made that mistake, especially while distracted and traversing in a dark tunnel. Even his little brother. In fact he probably had made that same exact foul-up, and in front of a pretty face too. From all the stories the brunette'd been caught up on, it sounded like more often than not there was someone around to impress. Sure, sure, Elena had been there during a good chunk of his little's brother's escapades, however they weren't always an item - Chloe must have seen her share of screw-ups as well. Not to mention whoever else had been between.

Come to think of it, that was probably Nathan's biggest mistake - he had to prove himself, even when he didn't actually need to. It was just in their genes to bring them in, but somehow his little brother never quite grasped the full extent of what that meant. Sam had tried to be a good bad influence and teach his younger brother how to really use it to his advantage, but so far as he was concerned there was a lot of wasted potential there. But whatever, Nathan had Elena now - and Cassie - so clearly it was good enough for him.

And speaking of being satisfied...

Pampered Princess she, Dells would probably demand a suite to herself; after seeing evidence of what her captors were capable of, that condition was only fair. Trouble was, as much as the treasure seeker was all for them keeping their space, such grander would be twice as likely to draw attention. It wasn't as if she exactly had the funds available to cover that kind of comfort anyways. Although to her credit, she'd done well enough slumming it this past while.

Gift of foresight not quite in Samuel's repertoire, he was shrewd enough to glean that the heiress could still find a way to earn her keep. Victor not the only underground tradesman in the world, Sam knew a few guys that could easily move a person or two discreetly, but there was one in particular that was worth the extra hassle.

Heather Norris was a work buddy of Elena's from years ago, however stepping around the line was how she got her kicks. Technically employed as a foreign correspondent, helping people out was what she did as a trade and for the sure pleasure of it. However, convincing her to lend a hand wasn't going to be straight-forward; certain incidents with her sister and a fire had occurred, so suffice it to say that things hadn't exactly ended well the last time they had seen each other...

If by some miracle she agreed - assuming that they could even get in touch - then there was a very real possibility that the thief and the heiress could wind up with a decent start. Win-win, if Heather took to the bait- err, girl, they could probably even end up with a nice little set-up someplace between the lofty standards of an Adler and low-key enough to keep from drawing too much attention. Daniella might protest in the beginning, but once she'd tasted everything Heather could offer, he was confident that she would come around.

More than just an idea hastily scribbled on a meaningless piece of paper, Samuel could just imagine Daniella surrounded by the blue waters of the Côte d'Azur. Too good to call it the French Riviera like everyone else (at least Rafe had been), he pictured Dells in a little pink bikini that was more string than coverage, all skin in the sand.

Drink in hand as she tried to not eat the dark hair the breeze kept blowing into her mouth, somehow not everything would have been going against her for a change. Alone on this section of the beach, she might have had the sense to carry a shawl to cover up from the undeserving gazes of the plebes, but the look in her eyes as she sipped down something fruity screamed that she had other things on her mind than protection...

Danger and desire devouring the light in her gaze, it was written all over her face as she took the lemon from the rim of her glass and pinched the juice down her chest. Trailing the bright yellow sliver between her collarbone and over the upper curve of her breasts, she signaled that it was time for more than body shots. And who would he be to refuse the lady?

Casually comfortable with just plucking some egg out of an arguably intimate place within the first twenty-four hours they had met, it shouldn't have come as much of a surprise that the lemon had caught on the flimsy support keeping everything in place and just out of sight. But unlike that time, she was obviously expecting it.

Gentle as the waves that lapped her ankles, he could almost hear her calling his name.

It sounded just like Rafe...

Speaking of the dynasty that was the closest thing there was to American royalty, that brought him to the crux of it all.

Initially the gig sounded innocent enough, a bit on the easy side perhaps, but nothing to second-guess. Take some brat in, babysit for a short while while everything was sorted out, no problem. He could handle that in his sleep! Then with a single knock on the door, everything had fallen to shit and took the hand basket express to hell. Shockingly enough, this time the knock on the door that he had been referring to had nothing whatsoever to do with Logan.

Rethinking his hurry to accept and sign the dotted line, too much had been invested now to go back. Neighbors had been ruffled by their sudden exit, kids had been threatened (and in one case vengeance had been tasted), and he'd spent too many hours playing nurse. Alright, so maybe only that last point meant anything, but that didn't change the facts. Comfort and compassion were things Sam only had so much of to give away, and so far as he was concerned he had done his time back when Nathan had been a kid.

With everything that had happened thus far, it was next to impossible to imagine a world where she would be fine. Orphaned one moment and held hostage the next, on top of being on the klutzy side Dells had proven herself to be a magnet for trouble. Frankly, from where he was sitting it was nothing short of a miracle that she had lasted this long. But somehow she had, so by that same logic she should have been able to get along once he was out of the picture... Right?

More than a pretty penny on the line, in the back of his mind Sam wondered if it would be so easy to just walk away once the job had been completed. To be fair they hadn't really had a proper conversation in all the time they've been stuck together, so it wasn't like he was invested on that kind of level - it was just that it was kind of like helping out a stray.

Cute little pup takes you in with a wide-eyed glance, eventually wearing you down enough to feed it half of your sandwich. Somehow one time only becomes a pattern, and though you don't take the dog in, there's a feeling of responsibility and care. Little thing could survive on its own, but not without a little extra help.

This was him feeding that stray, protecting it from some asshole kids that think it would be funny to torment the pup for kicks.

Yikes. If Bai knew that he had just compared her beloved daughter to a dog, his head would roll; Sam didn't want to think about what might come up missing if the businesswoman suspected what else he had been thinking about the heiress. What would Rafe have thought? Situation summed up with a canine analogy or no, bringing up Bai was exactly the kick he needed to honestly lay the possibilities down.

Say for example that her mother altered the arrangement and the goons were called off. Magically peace on earth became a reality, and all that office drama had been resolved, leaving nothing more to be done. If he could say that Dells would be fine, if he truly felt like there was no other danger to the young woman, could he just walk away with the money?

Obviously. Although stalling that long to answer the inevitable did beg the question of if he were to stick around just long enough to make sure everything was in order, what exactly did he think could be in it for him? Would it be because he had seen the girl in such a fragile state that it wouldn't be right to turn his back? Saving her right now was exactly what he was getting paid to do, but what would she be to him beyond this paycheck? Had Nadine been on to something?

What precisely was the driving force behind his interest in Daniella? Beyond the money and the physical, was there any? Did he only keep fighting himself because this was Rafe's little girl? It shouldn't have meant anything to him whose daughter she was, and yet...

It was oddly hard to separate the two from one another.

Haunted by how close he had come to failing in his mission when Dells had nearly drowned in the pool before the ink had dried on the contract, Sam could still see her feeble first breaths. Hardly even trying, even now as trudged through the maze of tunnels and shit he could see it all vividly.

Weak from blood loss and taxed by the stress of thinking she had lost everything she'd ever known, the treasure hunter figured that it would have been easy to just let go. Instead the young woman fought it and had managed to answer his silent prayer, stirring just enough to leave him with the simplest of signs. Sure he could take the credit for saving her back there, but the truth wasn't that black and white. It never was with an Adler, was it?

Fading out not long after - as Sleeping Beauty did - if he closed his eyes long enough he could conjure the mental picture of just how delicate and helpless she had been when he'd set her down on the side of the water. Skin paler than snow and hair a wet tangle of tar, for once it hadn't been lust that had drawn his eyes to the chest area. An eternity longer than just the initial rescue, if he were to let himself, Sam could have even felt more than the hectic panic that had pounded through his chest during her transportation to the safe house and the emergency patch job. Rafe had never required that kind of saving in their time together, but he hadn't been without his moments of vulnerability.

Maybe... Musing to himself as he took the left that would ultimately lead him under a post office down the block from the station, Drake recalled the moment when Chloe had taken the group photo.

Dells hadn't wanted the photo op, and looking at her, he could understand why: half her face was still in bandages, the color was just returning to her cheeks, and due to the stitches on her scalp, her espresso locks hadn't been brushed in a week. Judging her based on her last name as much as for what she had been wearing when she came knocking on his door, he expected that it was all a vanity thing. And then when everyone had been arranged and the timer set, she'd turned away from the camera as best she could.

Hesitation the cause for tension in her frame, though she had only held her breath until the picture had been taken, he was fairly certain that the cheek burying itself against his shoulder was only a means of escaping from the lens. That had to be the case, given that the way she twisted only brought focus to her injuries.

In hindsight that had all been for the best, but there was no knowing that then.

Feeling more than her reluctance and relief as they grouped together, as her athletic build shied away from the camera by curling into the thief, attributes that might have gone unnoticed otherwise had been highlighted. Overall the height and proportions were a bit off, but time had stolen enough that it was a close enough mold to liken father and daughter. If the multi-billionaire had had a little something-something up front. And he did mean little.

As if that one instant hadn't been bad enough, the proximity had afforded Sam the time to not only get a sense of what was going on under the hood, it had also given him the opportunity to peg what he had thought smelled so familiar about the young woman. Scented soaps and perfumes unheard of luxuries in the safe house, it became apparent that Daniella had the same natural scent that Rafe had... well, when he wasn't reeking of jungle and desperation that is.

Possibilities and outcomes galore shifting through his mind to take new form with every fact and memory he reviewed, Sam couldn't leave that many loose threads just hanging. Eventually they'd be dealt with as time went on, sure, but he needed to know just how far he was willing to go for the Adler name. Daddy had almost cost him his brother and his life, and yet here he was all these years later, jumping into the fire...

Money was the easy answer - God knows how many zeros he could add to the bill by the time this was all said and done - but even with Rafe it hadn't been the sole factor. Daniella had something about her that was keeping the fortune finder on the fence about letting the door hit him on the ass on the way out, and he wasn't so sure that it was the same as it had been with her father. There was an innocence to the girl, something exploitable as it was sweet. Sweet wasn't a word found often in Samuel's vocabulary, however that didn't mean it was something to be shunned, or even abused for that matter.

Again, there was that desire to protect her from all the evils in the world. Pitiful creature taken in from the rain, he'd seen so much of the boy his brother had been when they'd played everything straight, way back when he'd been in the care of the orphanage. Pure light, there was a spark of genuine goodness in an otherwise shitty world, a frail fire that was under the constant threat of being extinguished.

Daniella was one such rarity, but even if he could manage to keep all the other ills of the outside at bay, what was protecting her from him?

A doe-eyed butterfly at first glance, originally the world-weary historian had wondered if it had been an act to take him in. Sam would have been a complete idiot to just take a stranger at their word, but here they were. All the same, somehow he didn't see the young woman as capable of being that good of an actress.

Frankly he hadn't been sold on her ability to do much of anything yet. Yeah, there had been little moments that had surprised him, but if he were to be completely and brutally honest about this whole situation, the ex-con would put money on her crumbling at the first bit of pressure her kidnappers would apply. Little thing would comply and probably cry her little eyes out, doing everything she could to make it easier on her little self. He supposed she couldn't really be blamed for that, especially when she'd had it so easy all her life, but it still made him sick to think about.

For how scared he was about her wellbeing, he had the feeling that they'd find her living it up with her captor, clean and in one piece. Hell, she'd probably be in better condition than any given point of time that she had been in his care.

Thinking of it like that, what was he even worried for? Once they'd brought her back to their side, between being annoyed that she had been shown the royal treatment and whatever paltry conversation they managed to strike up, all would be right with the world. Well, he wouldn't be interested in sleeping with the beauty just because of her linage anymore after the ordeal had played itself out.

...

Probably.