Kaira and Eliot went to the office after Hardison called them in. He got a video conference with Sophie started as Nate met with the client.
"He says he's cool with her, but you know how he is." Hardison said, expressing his concern.
"The way she introduced herself - that was a smooth con." Parker said.
"I agree." Kaira butted in.
"Yeah, but it didn't exactly build trust." Eliot said.
Kaira gave Eliot a look.
"Look, we didn't get along when we first started. Eliot, how long did it take before you trusted me?" Sophie asked.
Eliot had a look and didn't respond.
"Hmm? Eliot, you do trust me, don't you?" Sophie asked.
"That's not the point, Sophie. If Nate doesn't like this chick, then it's not gonna work." Eliot pointed out.
"Yeah, which is why you've got to get him on board. Look, you need a grifter besides Kaira. The last time one of you tried to grift..." Sophie said.
Kaira's face changed to annoyance.
"Don't remind me. Me and Eliot were the ones that had to bail his ass out." Kaira retorted, not happy it was brought up.
"That's this brother right here." Eliot pointed to Hardison.
"Hardison." Parker said at the same time.
"Uh, we-we still can't let that go?" Hardison questioned, a bit of betrayal in his voice.
"Listen to me. Tara Cole is the best. I wouldn't have sent her if I didn't trust her. And I know you're gonna love her. So just-just give her a chance." Sophie said.
"She is hot." Eliot said quietly.
"Very hot." Hardison whispered.
"Hot." Parker said. Kaira just rolled her eyes.
"Men." Kaira quipped, getting a "sorry" look from Eliot. Kaira chuckled.
"Warm? Cold? Why are we staring?" Parker said, seeing the looks the team gave her.
"Yeah, I'm not saying you should throw her at him. I'm just saying, get him on board. Look, he doesn't always know what's good for him. And even if he does, he doesn't do anything about it. He just lets it walk straight out the door and-" Sophie said, implying something obvious to the team.
"Like all the way to Europe?" Eliot questioned, popping his lips at the end. Sophie sighed, smiling.
"Just do it for me, huh? So I don't have to worry about you." Sophie said.
Just then Nate and Tara arrived. Kaira smiled at them and said Hi as Eliot said, "Touchdown." acting like they were watching the game. Parker and Kaira both looked at the monitor.
"I just miss you." Parker whispered.
Kaira mouthed, "I miss you." just as Hardison turned off the monitor.
They all sat down, with Parker on the recliner, throwing the remote at Hardison, who sat on the couch with Eliot and Kaira, who was sitting next to each other. Tara sat next to Eliot and Nate was at the monitor.
"Okay, run it." Nate ordered.
"Gloria and Russell Pan. Self-made millionaires. They built their fortune off a company that produces cheap knockoffs of the latest fashions. The bargain bin has been very good to the Pans. They got a nice car, big house in Brookline. Gloria here - she works the factory floor. She designs all the clothes. Russell, he handles all the accounting and works with the partners in China." Hardison said, briefing the team.
"Okay, Gloria designs the clothes. Does she have any training?" Nate asked Hardison, pacing slightly.
"She did a correspondence course with a fashion school. And she subscribes to all the magazines - Vogue, InStyle, Fashion & Style. She, uh, she submitted to Project Runway." Hardison answered.
"Last year?" Parker asked.
"Last three years." Hardison answered.
"Okay. That's our way in. We're gonna sell Gloria Pan..." Nate said.
He pointed at Tara.
"Her dream. Yeah, no, I get it." Tara got up and started walking over to Nate at the screens.
"I mean, the word "con" comes from "confidence", right? So we got to build her confidence, make her think she's the greatest designer in the world." Tara explained.
"There you go." Nate said.
"How?" Eliot asked.
"How? We need a Caprina." Nate said, walking away.
Tara had a confused look on her face.
"W-what does that... so he just says things and then walks away?" Tara questioned.
"Yeah. Something to get used to." Kaira retorted, amused slightly.
Parker, Hardison, and Tara walked away, leaving Eliot and Kaira on the couch. They both smiled and then got to work setting up the cover.
Tara and Parker got photos done to make Tara their Caprina. Hardison then edited the photos on a magazine and Parker later took the magazine and planted it in the house. Kaira and Hardison did some overlay work for Gloria's DVR recordings. Nate and Tara watched the last of the recordings. Parker returned later.
They got changed and met with Tara, who was wearing a black leather strapless dress and her hair in curls with black boots. Kaira was already downstairs in her dress. It was a short purple strapless dress and a fake shoulder tattoo that was intricately designed. Kaira put it on by herself earlier. She was putting on her shoes with Tara. She was wearing back boots with a heel on them. Kaira heard footsteps and turned. She saw Hardison in a plaid scarf and a bright orange three quarter length shirt and jeans. Eliot was wearing black leather pants, a wine-colored shirt, a white tank top underneath, and a white scarf thing. And he had his hair up and eyeliner. Kaira laughed at her husband's change of looks. Eliot gave Kaira a look that showed he didn't like his wife laughing at him. Hardison went over to Tara to hand her a sketchbook.
"It's Caprina's sketchbook. No designer would be without it." Hardison said.
Tara looked through the book. Kaira looked at it too. She was the one who drew the designs.
"Tell me about Fashion Week." Eliot said, walking over, flipping up his collar to put the scarf on.
"The big designers use it to launch their new collections, but it's mainly a showcases for rising stars. The investors are always looking for the next big thing." Tara said before Kaira cut it.
"Yeah. Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Jacobs, Andre V all got their start at Fashion Week." Kaira finished.
Tara looked impressed.
"What? I'm a grifter. I know fashion." Kaira pointed out as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
They all looked at Eliot. Eliot looked at them.
"What?" Eliot questioned. Kaira held in a laugh.
"Is that-is that mascara dude? You got on guyliner, man." Hardison said.
"Man-" Eliot tried to say when Hardison cut him off.
"And the leather pants? What the-" Hardison finished before Eliot continued.
"This is - listen - this is fashion-y." Eliot defended himself.
"If your Steven Seagal." Hardison retorted.
"Babe, is that my eyeliner?" Kaira asked her husband.
Eliot got a look on his face as Tara started chuckling.
"No." Eliot said, implying it actually was.
"Okay, back in we go. Come on." Kaira said, standing up and going next to Eliot, grabbing her makeup.
Eliot took off the scarf as Hardison stammered.
"Babe, why would you put on my eyeliner and mascara? Without my help?" Kaira questioned, more concerned that Eliot didn't ask her for help.
"Don't. Don't." Eliot warned Hardison as Kaira walked with him out.
"Not everybody can rock the scarf." Hardison said.
"I was gonna say Steven Tyler, but Seagal works." Tara said. She started laughing. "I... it's a bold choice man. I respect it." Hardison called out.
Kaira and Eliot went to their apartment and Kaira led Eliot to the bathroom. She sat him down on the edge of the tub and sat her makeup on the sink counter.
"Sweetheart, what are you doing?" Eliot asked.
Kaira grabbed a Q-tip and poured eye makeup remover on it.
"I'm gonna remove that eyeliner and redo it properly." Kaira said.
She put the Q-tip up to Eliot's eye, but he flinched.
"What is that?" Eliot asked, not happy.
"Uh... makeup remover. Just stay still." Kaira said.
She took of the eyeliner Eliot had on and fixed it.
"How do you know how to do makeup?" Eliot asked as Kaira put her makeup away.
"When I did theater in high school, this girl Jillian taught me. I had to put a lot of makeup on boys who were clueless." Kaira said, smiling as she looked at Eliot.
"Boys wore makeup?" Eliot asked Kaira.
"Yeah. The mascara and eyeliner helps show the eyes under the bright lights and the foundation gets rid on glossiness." Kaira explained.
Kaira felt something wasn't quite right with Eliot's outfit. She soon figured it out. Kaira smiled as she leaned on Eliot and pulled out the hair tie. She put it on the counter. She ran her fingers through Eliot's hair to fluff it a bit.
"Better." Kaira smiled.
Eliot was not happy but still smiled at his wife. Kaira pulled Eliot into a kiss. Eliot kissed back. They chuckled as they heard Tara coming in, yelling at them to hurry up. They chuckled and got up and left.
"So, how long have you two been married?" Tara asked them.
Kaira chuckled as they walked down the hallways, heading to the cars.
"Um... like three weeks almost." Kaira answered and Eliot confirmed.
"Yeah. God, it's been that long already?" Eliot turned to Kaira.
"Yeah." Kaira realized, chuckling.
"What gave it away?" Kaira asked Tara.
"Well, the rings were obvious. When we met, Kaira was slightly jealous but kept quiet. If it wasn't for the rings, I would have guessed committed relationship. But Eliot quickly backed off after our first meet, which means you like to look, but you would never act because you love your wife." Tara said.
Kaira and Eliot were both impressed.
"Sounds about right." Kaira and Eliot said.
They got in the cars and drove to fashion week and got ready to set the bait.
Kaira was making sure that everything was set inside fashion week.
"No, no, I like the purple, but I need something that will hold up to ruching, yeah?" Tara had an Italian accent.
"Something. uh - this perhaps!" Tara said, dropping her sketchbook.
"Did you invite Marcel to the show? You know how touchy he gets." Tara said to Eliot.
"Excuse me, is this your..." Gloria came up to them.
"Gratzie! My designs, my dreams! For a designer, this is sacred." Tara said, grateful.
"Oh, I know." Gloria said.
"Ah, you are artiste, too, huh?" Tara asked Gloria.
"Yes. Yes, I am. I'm Gloria Pan. And can I say, I'm a great admirer." Gloria said, introducing herself. Kaira got the impression Gloria was just kissing ass to impress "Caprina".
"So kind. I'm sure your work is, uh, wonderful too. May I?" Tara asked.
Gloria got excited.
"Really?" Gloria asked.
"Uh, please." Gloria said.
Tara faked being impressed at Gloria's designs.
"So lovely! Such bold use of buckles! Huh?" Tara said, stroking Gloria's ego.
"I call it Pilgrim Chic." Gloria said.
Kaira tried to keep a straight face.
"Who are you with? Gucci? Dior?" Tara asked Gloria.
"I'm independent." Gloria said as Eliot's phone rang.
"We must go." Eliot said.
"We must talk more. Come to the run-through for my show. I insist. Julian, tick-tock." Tara said.
"You mean Fashion Week?" Gloria asked.
"Of course. That is why I am in town. That is why all of the designers are in town. And bring your sketches, huh? There are people you must meet." Tara said.
Tara said her goodbye, the Italian way, and walked away with Eliot.
"Okay, she's on the hook." Tara whispered in her normal voice.
"Great. Let's go steal a fashion show." Nate said.
"Steal a fash - does he always talk like that?" Tara questioned.
"Hell yes." Kaira retorted on comms.
"You're on comms." Eliot pointed out.
"Uh, you do know I can hear you." Nate said.
They went back to the office and got ready for the next day. They went to Fashion Week and got ready. Nate was gonna be Caprina's sponsor, Kaira was his assistant, and Hardison was an editor for a fashion magazine. Parker was in as a monitor.
"Am I all clear?" Parker asked.
"12 channels, 120 assistants. My logic filter's telling me the traffic is being directed by somebody named Kerry." Hardison said.
"Mm." Nate acknowledged.
"Go." Hardison cued Nate.
"Oh, yeah, Kerry, uh, this is Leon from parking. It seems there's a George Armani here who's very upset because his parking space is misspelled." Nate said.
He paused a moment.
"Okay, Parker, you're up." Nate cued up Parker.
"Hey, you! Yeah, you. The models are out of menthol and the green room water is cold, not room temperature." Parker said.
"And that's my problem how?" The lady asked.
Parker slammed the table.
"Were you at the morning update? Because I think Kerry will be very, very interested in who was and was not at that mandatory meeting." Parker said, scarring the poor girl.
"Kerry? Mandatory? This morning?!" The check-in girl said.
Parker sighed. "Yeah." Parker said.
She sighed again.
"Accessing printer." Hardison said.
"Tell me you have a new guest list." Parker said, acting done.
"Kerry printed it out in the meeting!" Parker yelled.
It was silent for a moment.
"I didn't even see this." The check-in girl said.
There was a pause.
"Listen. Maybe Kerry doesn't have to... know about this?" The check-in girl said, almost begging to keep her job.
"Oh, yeah, see, uh..." Parker was saying.
"Parker, remember be nice." Kaira warned.
"Just this once." Parker said.
Just as Parker walked away, Kaira and Eliot walked over to get the passes that Parker planted in the box.
"Hello." Kaira smiled and got the check-in girls attention.
"Passes, please, for Caprina." Eliot said.
The check-in girl checked the name on the sheet and marked it, then handed Eliot the passes from the box that Parker planted. Eliot stared for a bit too long for Kaira's liking.
She walked away and Eliot followed behind. Eliot then went to gather Gloria and brought her into the runway to meet with Tara.
Eliot told Gloria to wait as he left as Kaira and Nate walked in.
"Preenie, Preenie. You've outdone yourself once again." Nate said in a European accent, walking in with Hardison as Eliot got Tara's attention.
"The fall line is going to be fantastic." Nate said as he greeted Tara, kissing each other's cheeks.
Kaira and Tara did the same. Nate was in a black cardigan type thing and a sweater underneath and a white-collar and charcoal and black tie and a chain and a pendant, waving a fan, and earrings, and small glasses. Tara was in a simple black dress and her hair in a ponytail, held with a wide diamond studded clip. Kaira was in a simple charcoal grey dress with black heels and her hair in a French braid. She had a diamond necklace and rings. Tara looked at a model, showing her distaste.
"No, no, the hair - not up! Not up. Loose. In curls. Up, it looks like someone is, uh, squeezing your forehead for juice." Tara told the model as Caprina.
The model left, not happy.
"Baby, get us the exclusive. Look - 12 pages, September issue. How does that sound?" Hardison asked Tara in character.
"It sounds like you." Tara said, pinching Hardison's cheek.
"You know, I want to talk about you make-" Nate was saying before Tara jumped him.
"No, no, I don't like to talk money." Tara told Nate.
"Yes, but you know I do." Nate told Tara.
Gloria then cleared her throat, causing Tara to turn around.
"Ah, Glenda! Come, come, come come." Tara said, waving Gloria over.
"Gloria. Gloria Pan." Gloria corrected.
"Of course. This is Nigel Marshall Thorn, editor of Fashion & Style Magazine. Huh?" Tara introduced Hardison's alias before turning to introduce Nate.
"And this crass little capitalist is Jacques Bouvier, my sponsor and his assistant, Marie." Tara introduced Nate and Kaira.
Nate faked getting a text about the designer that he was "sponsoring".
"Glenda here is quite the artiste herself. Show Nigel your sketchbook." Tara said.
Gloria handed Hardison the sketchbook as Nate read the text message.
"Ah, no, no, no, no, no." Nate said, looking at his phone.
"What is wrong? What? What?" Tara asked Nate.
"What is it Jacque?" Kaira asked in her normal voice.
"Oh! No, my-my-my young designer, who is going to be at the newcomer showcase at the end of fashion week - arrested." Nate informed them.
"Drugs in the car?" Hardison asked as Nigel.
Kaira pretended to look at the phone as Nate got upset.
"Hooker in the hotel." Karia answered, showing she wasn't happy and the phone.
"Ohh." Tara breathed, feeling bad.
"He was to be my great discovery. Ohh." Nate said, kinda whiny as Tara went to hug him to comfort him.
"Oh..." Tara let go.
"I don't know what to do. I - you know - what that boy could do with a buckle." Nate said as Kaira caught Gloria perking up.
"You know, Ms. Pan's designs are not bad." Hardison said as Kaira pretended to walk over to look as well.
Kaira tried to hide the fact that the designs were horrible.
"I'm gonna have to cancel the tv crews." Nate blurted out.
"I do have experience in the business." Gloria said.
"And the reality program was going to come and do it, as well." Nate said, starting a tangent.
Kaira pretended to be annoyed as Tara started comforting Nate.
"No, no, no, Jacques - puppy, puppy, stop babbling for a second and listen to Nigel, huh?" Tara said before Kaira acted like she had a lightbulb moment.
"You could show Ms. Pan's designs at the showcase, Mr. Bouvier." Kaira suggested.
Nate looked at Kaira like she was crazy.
"Her?" Nate started stammering.
"You-you must be joking." Nate said before Kaira grabbed the notebook and set it on the runway.
"Think of what a coup it would be, huh? Out of the ashes of scandal, Jacques Bouvier discovers a diamond in the rough." Tara said, pitching the idea.
"But... she's so... old." Nate said, getting a sad look from Gloria.
"Not like you're any younger." Kaira retorted, getting a seriously look from Nate, Tara, and Hardison.
"Tragically so, but Gloria Vanderbilt didn't sell her first pair of jeans until she was 40 - ew - but people eat these stories. They do. They eat 'em up." Hardison said, also pretending to pitch the idea.
"No, I know - look, the publicity, yeah, would be worth millions. Yeah, I understand, but... I don't know. It's so-" Nate was saying before Tara kept telling Nate to look at the designs.
Nate sighed. "Do you have more?" Nate asked Gloria.
"Yes, yes, the rest are on my computer at work. If you'd like to come to my office..." Gloria said.
"I mean, I must be out of my mind, but I must get something up on this designer showcase. Yeah. Okay. Well, let's see what Gloria Pan-Dervilt has to offer, yeah." Nate said before telling them to go, but Nate told Kaira to stay behind with Hardison.
Kaira and the gang at the fashion show just made sure that everything was running smoothly and that their covers were still intact.
Kaira then met up with Eliot and was flirting, waiting for Nate to give them instructions an hour later.
"Eliot, I need you to go to the Pans' factory. Take Kaira with you." Nate said.
Eliot remained silent as he was smiling at Kaira.
"Eliot? Kaira?" Nate got their attention.
"Right now? Look, I got to be honest with you, man. I think she's gonna come back to fashion week, okay? I got a sense about these things." Eliot told Nate.
Kaira smiled at Eliot, who smiled back.
"We're on our way." Kaira said, getting a "seriously" look from Eliot.
They left the fashion show and went to the factory. Along the way, Nate and Parker checked out the house, which exploded before they got to investigate. Luckily, no one was in the building and Nate and Parker had Hardison figure out who was in the car. Eliot and Kaira were checking the office. Eliot was at the desk looking at files as Kaira kept looking out on watch.
"Nate, I got bank statements here listing Sunbright Holdings as a joint account holder with the Pans-" Eliot was saying as Tara busted in the office, going up to Eliot.
"Wait, show me that." Tara said, grabbing the papers from Eliot.
He exhaled annoyed as he stood up. Kaira went over to look at the papers as well.
"Uh, what is she doing there?" Nate asked. Tara got excited about something.
"Wait, tell Nate I know this corporate I.D prefix! It's from Shanghai!" Tara yelled, causing feedback and winching from the couple as the comms hissed.
"Tara, you don't have to yell. Nate can hear you." Kaira retorted, not happy with Tara barging in.
"Just tell him." Tara said, unsure of the problem.
"I'm looking at the footage our camera caught at the Pan's house right before the explosion. Sending now." Hardison said.
"Who's planting that bomb?" Nate asked.
"Eliot! Tara! Kaira! Get out of there!" Nate yelled.
Eliot and Kaira both had looks on their faces.
"What?" Tara questioned the couple.
"We gotta go." Eliot said.
"What?" Tara questioned.
"We got to go." Kaira said as she opened the door, with Eliot getting Tara out.
They walked down the steps and slowed down when a silver panel opened, revealing three guys in suits. Chinese guys too.
"Nate, we got three guys here..." Eliot said as they pulled out cleavers.
"Armed with cleavers. Triad." Kaira pointed out with Tara looking at her impressed.
"The Triads. Yeah. We're a minute away." Nate said.
"The Chinese Triads?" Parker questioned.
"They control the global counterfeit-clothing market. Worth billions to them - even more than narcotics." Nate explained.
"So we didn't take money from the Pans. We took money from the Triads." Parker realized.
"And the last person holding their cash was Eliot." Nate said as the trio at the factory inched to the side aisle.
Kaira said beside Eliot as he moved Tara behind him.
"Cleavers. Haven't done that in a while, babe." Eliot turned to Kaira.
"Yeah. Let's see what I remember." Kaira said, still inching down the aisles as the Triad goons were following them.
"All right, listen. These rows are narrow. Okay? They're gonna have to come at me one at a time. You just stay close." Eliot told Tara.
"You're telling me what to do?" Tara said, running off.
"Yeah, don't - wait. What are you - Tara. Tara." Eliot said as she went another side aisle and put her hands up as Kaira inched to another aisle.
"Please!" Tara said as she started crying.
"Please, please! I don't want to die. Please!" Tara cried.
A man was heard speaking Chinese. Then Tara pushed a bin, knocking the guy in the bin. Then Tara grabbed the iron nearby and hit the goon across the head with it. She looked at Kaira and Eliot, who showed they were impressed. Then a goon went after Eliot. He dodged the cleaver and used a mannequin bust to stop the cleaver. Just then goon three went after Kaira. She dodged the cleaver swings and used a nearby basket to "grab" the cleaver and then knocked the guy out. Kaira was breathing heavily as she looked at her husband and friend. Both were okay.
"Nate, I just got a shot of the Pans' car. Gloria is traveling solo. I guess Russel didn't make it out. Poor bastard got blown to bits." Hardison said.
Kaira kept listening as she watched the guys who were out.
"All right, yeah. Russell Pan handles the finances. Did we do a full background check on Russell Pan? You stay out here in case this goes south, be the getaway car." Nate said.
"Of course we did. Driver's license, birth certificate, hospital records business records - he's Russell Pan." Hardison said.
"Yeah, but did we make sure that Russell Pan isn't anybody else as well?" Nate asked.
Kaira got what Nate had thrown down.
"Aw, hell." Hardison said, realizing he missed that.
Just then, Tara's guy got up and Tara had the cleaver.
Then Eliot and Kaira ran over, disarming the guy and double-teaming up on the goon. Tara headbutted him and he was out. Eliot looked at Tara.
"Admit it. You kind of like me now." Tara said, walking away.
Eliot and Kaira followed.
"Guys, guys, I just got a hit on an Interpol database. Russell Pan's face matches a one Nicholas Chow. Chinese national. Works for the Sun Yee On Triad. Counterfeit clothing, black market, he's known for burying his enemies alive. This is a bad dude." Hardison said as the trio kept walking.
They heard footsteps and more goons came from another side door.
"You got to be kidding me." Eliot said as most of the goons pointed pistols at the trio.
Then Russell aka Nicholas revealed himself.
"Guys, we're staring at Nicholas right now." Kaira whispered as Nicholas walked towards them, signaling his guys to hold.
The trio started backing up.
"Pardon! Pardon!" Kaira heard Nate's European accent.
It was Nate. Kaira was glad to see Nate. The guys cocked their guns as the trio had their hands up.
"S'il Vous plaît. Hello. Jacques Bouvier. Good to see you again. Yeah. Hello. Guns. Yeah, uh..." Nate was saying as he stood in between the trio.
"Last time I saw you, we were here for a business meeting with your wife. Yeah, this is all a big misunderstanding." Nate said, trying to settle things down.
"That cow of a wife gave you something of mine - 50,000 dollars U.S." Nicholas said.
"Yes, this was for a show, this was a business, uh..." Nate tried to explain when Nicholas interrupted.
"For 20 years, I carried her. I brought over the cheap labor from China. I supplied the Asian markets. All she had to do was copy the fashions. But no, you sold the woman on a ridiculous dream. So I had to get rid of her. Now, I am responsible to my superiors for that money. Where is it?" Nicholas said, getting in Nate's space.
"Guys, sit tight. Tell Chow or-or-Pan-Pot, skillet - whatever his name is - that his money is on the way. It'll be there in 15 minutes." Hardison said.
Kaira was going to speak, but Nate spoke before she could.
"Well, uh... we don't have the money." Nate said.
Kaira and Tara gave Nate a look.
"The money's gone, yeah. We spent it on the vendors for Gloria's show, yeah?" Nate said.
"Did you not hear what I just said? I'm on my way with the money." Hardison reiterated, slower.
"We could get it-" Kaira said before Nate cut her off.
"Yeah, the money's gone." Nate said.
Kaira looked at Nate annoyed as Nicholas shouted in Chinese angrily. The goons recocked the guns. Nate put his hands up, repeating to wait.
"Now, wait, listen to me one second before you - what if I was able to give you something worth much more than the 50,000 dollars? What if I was able to give you the designs for next fall's collections today? Yeah, that's right. you could get your factories churning out the knockoffs way before the competition. This would be worth millions to you in-in additional revenue - millions!" Nate proposed.
Kaira wondered what the hell Nate was doing.
"And how are you going to do this?" Nicholas asked.
"We have access to the fashion week, uh, shows. I mean I could get Julian and Marie to steal a major designer's designs." Nate said.
"So I let you go, you run to the police, and I get nothing. No deal." Nicholas said.
Nate tried to say something, but then Tara spoke.
"You can keep me as collateral." Tara said.
"No, no, no. Wait. No, no. This is not necessary. No, no." Nate said, objecting. Nicholas signaled his guy to grab Tara.
"Hell no! We aren't going to go to the police!" Kaira tried to object before Nate grabbed her before she went after Nicholas.
The goon brought Tara over to where the goons were.
"We'll keep the woman. You bring us the designs, or... we'll kill her. You have one hour." Nicholas said.
"I'm telling you, get him what he wants, huh? It's just 50 grand. That's what this is about, huh? 5-0. Capisce? 5-0." Tara said.
Kaira noticed Tara stressed 5 and 0. Nate caught it too.
"Let's go before I kill them myself." Kaira said, hissing, turning with Eliot and Nate to walk away. They left and drove back to the office to make a plan.
Kaira and Eliot were silent the whole time. Neither of them was happy.
They gathered around the table where Hardison had his laptop.
"You could've just given Russell the money." Hardison said, not happy.
"If - if we'd given him the money, we would have gone back to the client with nothing." Nate said, defending his choice to leave Tara behind.
"Because that's what it's about - a chance to run a con on the Triads on the fly. You put Tara's life in danger to take down a bigger target." Eliot said, showing his disapproval.
"I don't know if you remember, Nathan, but the last time you pulled this stunt was when we took down the Retzings. You had the police on our asses, and you went with the bigger con anyway after making a deal. Remember the Genogrow job? You insisted that we got on the plane, and I will say if it wasn't for Hardison, we'd all be dead in a plane crash along with everyone that was on that flight. Also, might I add you were drunk both times!" Kaira pointed out, getting her anger out.
Nate huffed as the team showed that Kaira had a point.
"I'm not drunk this time. Listen, it's one thing for Florence and those other women to owe money to some local sweatshop. You want them in debt to the Triads the rest of their lives?" Nate said.
"You wouldn't have left Sophie there." Parker pointed out.
"You both have a point, okay? Now, let's get a plan. Hardison which shows are left for the day that fit the hour timetable?" Kaira asked Hardison, wanting to move on for Tara's sake.
Hardison searched his computer.
"Okay, there's one show left today - Andre V. He has a hip-hop couture line." Hardison informed the team.
"Great. Perfect. Go get those plans." Nate ordered Parker, Eliot, and Kaira.
They turned around and left.
The trio walked into Fashion Week and looked around to make a plan.
"Three minutes till the show." Eliot pointed out.
"I know." Parker acknowledged.
"Three minutes." Eliot reiterated.
"We got it." Kaira said, calming her husband down.
"Kerry, I've got it. Okay, I need you to re-freaking-lax!" Parker started yelling in her mic set as the approached the check in girl.
"I.D's please." She asked.
Eliot and Kaira quickly thought of an argument to start.
"How am I supposed to find soy candles at such short notice?" Eliot asked Parker.
"Farmer's Market!" Parker said.
"Wait I thought we were going with the lavender candles?" Kaira questioned, egging on the argument.
"I need to double-check your I.D's." The check-in girl reiterated.
"You know what? Kerry sent us, okay?" Parker said, trying to get past.
The girl stopped Parker.
"There was a security breach earlier. No exceptions. The only thing that gets in are models and clothes." The girl said.
Kaira came up with an excuse to leave.
"Damn. Our I.D's are at your desk." Kaira said, turning to walk away so the others would follow.
"The only thing getting in are models and clothes." Eliot reiterated.
"Yeah." Parker said.
Eliot then stopped the ladies.
"Hey." Eliot said, before giving a look, signaling his idea.
Parker and Kaira both got it as he left and followed, as Eliot chuckled. The trio went to the rack of clothes. Parker was moving the clothes. Eliot kept declining each one that Parker showed him.
"How about this one?" Parker asked.
"That's a shirt Parker." Eliot said.
"I know, but at least you can move in it. These clothes are totally impractical, okay? There's no range of motion, limited concealment options, and this reflective material would set off a motion detector a mile away." Parker said. Kaira groaned at Parker.
"It's a fashion show! It's not Thieves-R-Us." Eliot retorted.
Kaira saw a dress she thought would work.
"How about this one, babe?" Kaira showed the dress to Eliot.
"The A-line drape of the empire waist is nice, but the neckline's a little weak. If you ask me. What?" Eliot said to Parker, noticing the look as Karia was amused.
"I dated a lot of models. A lot of private fashion shows, if you know what I mean." Eliot said.
Kaira was smiling as she put the dress back and Parker kept looking.
"Yes, yes." Parker acknowledged, knowing the subtext.
"But most of the dresses ended up on the ground." Eliot said.
"Yep, I get it. You're a guy." Parker said, not wanting to hear it.
"Means they were naked." Eliot said quietly and Parker sharply turned to him.
"Okay, seriously?" Parker said. She walked away.
Kaira turned to Eliot.
"You mean that job we did in Paris where I was a model." Kaira teased Eliot.
He chuckled.
"Yes. That was a fun job." Eliot chuckled, remembering the job.
Kaira leaned in to Eliot's ear.
"And the dress ended up on the floor." Kaira said, smiling as they walked away.
Parker and Kaira did find dresses to wear. Parker plugged in the USB and was waiting, but then Andre V noticed Parker was not complete, so he guided her over to a chair to get her complete for the show. The same thing happened with Kaira. She walked over to the laptop and saw the download was done and pretended to trip, grabbing the USB in the process as Parker was guided out. Kaira snuck the USB in her bra and walked out.
"I got the drive. Let's wrap this up." Kaira reported.
Parker went first, reluctantly. She tried to go back in, but couldn't. Kaira followed her out and watched Parker do okay in modeling. Kaira went out on the runway and did something similar to Parker. Kaira watched the flashing lights and was proud of herself for staying calm. She walked back and met back with Eliot and Parker.
The trio left Fashion Week and went to the warehouse. Eliot opened the door and Kaira pulled out the USB from her bra. The team glared at her.
"These dresses don't have pockets." Kaira retorted as she handed the drive to Nate.
"All the designs are on there, courtesy of Andre V." Kaira said.
Nate passed the USB to Hardison, who plugged it in his computer. He loaded up the designs.
"Yes, they are. Thank you, Andre V." Hardison said.
He finished his thing, then handed the drive to Nate.
"Files are compressed. They are easy to e-mail." Hardison explained.
"Okay." Nate said, exiting the van.
"Oh, uh, Nate?" Hardison said, handing what looked like a wallet to Nate.
Eliot shut the door.
"Hey. If this thing starts coming off the rails, don't wait. Call us in." Eliot said.
"We mean it Nate. I can still run, even in heels. We'll be there in less than a minute." Kaira said.
"Yeah. Chow is primed. I can handle him." Nate said, putting the wallet in his pocket.
"I'm not talking about him." Eliot said.
"She's a pro. She knows what to do." Nate said.
He walked away into the warehouse. Eliot, Kaira, and Parker looked at each other and went by the stairs. They listened to the conversation that happened. Nate handed Nicholas the flash drive.
"Hmm. Andre V." Nicholas said.
"Right." Nate said, still in character.
"The real deal." Nicholas said.
"Oh, yes, the real deal, yeah." Nate said.
"Our factories will be working off of these by tomorrow." Nicholas said.
"Yes, you will become very, very, wealthy. Yeah, uh, so we are done, yeah? We're done, yes?" Nate questioned.
"No. The police are looking for someone who broke into Andre V's computer. They're on their way here now." Nicholas said.
Kaira tried to not panic.
"But-But how would they know this?" Nate said, salvaging his cover.
"Because I called them... and I told them a con man named Nathan Ford just tried to sell me a bunch of stolen designs." Nicholas said.
Kaira hoped Nate knew what he was doing. He went silent for a moment.
"Well..." Nate broke character and went into his normal voice.
"Well... I knew I couldn't trust you." Nate told Tara.
"You've done nothing to earn my trust." Tara said, also out of character.
"I made you a member of my team." Nate said.
"Your team? Oh, please. You get off putting everybody's lives in danger so the great Nate Ford can come in and save the day. That's your rush." Tara said.
Just then, sirens were heard, so Eliot, Karia, and Parker hid for the time being. Nicholas spoke Chinese again and Kaira heard running. It was silent for another moment.
"Well, they'll never believe your story." Nate said.
"No? You're in my factory. You're pretending to be someone you're not. Besides, your prints are all over the drive." Nicholas said.
"Detectives, this is the man I called you about. They're in his jacket pocket." Nicholas said.
The police told Nate to put his hands up. It was silent for another moment as Kaira waited to see if the plan had worked.
"Sir, are you Russell Pan?" A detective asked Nicholas.
"Yes. Yes, I am." Nicholas said.
"AKA Nicholas Chow? From Interpol's most wanted list?" The Detective asked Nicholas.
Kaira was impressed. Kaira figured before they arrived, Hardison copied all the info on Nicholas and gave it to Nate, who switched the drives out after showing Nicholas the designs.
"So you blew up your house to kill your wife?" The Detective questioned Nicholas.
Then a detective went to get Nate, but Nate told him he was undercover working Fashion Week. The team was outside of the door as Nate exited.
He tossed the Interpol badge to Kaira as he walked down the steps.
"We might want to destroy this." Nate suggested.
"Russell didn't actually transmit the designs to the Triad Factories, right?" Tara asked Nate as they started walking away.
"Designs, yes, but probably not the ones they wanted." Nate said.
The team was impressed. Nate transmitted Gloria's designs.
"It was a simple switch. You just put an auto-run instruction file on the drive to show a set of designs for the startup and a different set for the e-mail." Hardison explained.
"Yeah, well, too bad Gloria had to retire before her collection was released, huh?" Eliot said.
"I sure as hell don't feel bad. Her designs were awful! And I've had to wear some interesting clothes over the 5 years of doing this business, but I would have drawn the line there." Kaira retorted, causing a chuckle from the team.
Eliot leaned in.
"Like Moscow." Eliot said, teasing Kaira a bit.
She smacked his arm.
"I do not want to remember Moscow." Kaira said.
"I have a feeling she might find a way to stay involved in the clothing business." Nate said as the team kept walking.
"Okay, no earpiece. How did you tell Nate you were gonna run the cop scam?" Parker questioned.
Tara looked kind of cocky.
"5-0? The cops? That's all it took?" Eliot questioned Tara, looking at her.
"Some people just know how to communicate." Nate said.
"Yeah, I just finally learned to speak his language. Cryptic clues, slogans, and code." Tara said as the team left.
Kaira and Eliot went back to the office as Hardison cleaned their covers up. She got word that the factory was under new management, and was doing a much better job of caring for the workers. Florence got her money, and Tara got her cut. Other than Nate going a bit crazy again, Kaira took this as a win. She just hoped that Nate would get his act together soon.