The team got called in for another job. This time, the client was Kaye Lynn Gold. A young blond whose brother was attacked by her producer after they talked to lawyers about getting the royalties they deserve.
At the bar, Kaira had a pot of coffee on the table and Kaye Lynn poured a cup, accidentally spilling it as she was still shaken up from the attack. "I'm sorry. I'm still a bit shook up." Kaye Lynn said, her Tennessee accent coming through shakey.
"That's all right." Eliot said, grabbing the napkin to clean it.
"Thank you." Kaye Lynn said.
"So, uh, your brother - now, will he ever play again?" Nate asked.
"Doctors say he'll be lucky to move his fingers again. Music was his life. What Kirkwood did was more than wrong. It was..." Kaye Lynn said, getting fired up again.
"It was cruel." Eliot said.
"He deserves to be shot." Kaira said, upset that someone would do that.
Kaye Lynn agreed with what the couple said, showing it by nodding her head.
"Now this guy Kirkwood - You said he has a reputation for doing these kinds of things. So why would you work for him?" Nate asked, wanting to get the full story.
"Well, he owns a record label, Mr. Ford." Kaye Lynn said.
"So?" Nate questioned, not understanding how it was relevant.
"Put it like this. The day I was born, my mama said I looked at her, smiled, and asked, "Which way to music city?"" Kaye Lynn said, smiling at the memory.
"He was your shot to making it big." Kaira said, simplifying what she said for Nate.
"Right. He hired us to write songs for other artists - his more established artists. It was good money, plus royalties. And we thought we'd hit the jackpot. But when it came time to pay -" Kaye Lynn explained.
"He showed you the fine print." Nate said.
"Exactly. He charged us rent to park in his lot. He charges us for the pens we used. He - he owns our publishing." Kaye Lynn explained.
"So the only difference between Kirkwood and the majors is that the majors use lawyers to do their dirty work." Nate realized.
"And our songs were good. And they did well. And before you knew it, he owed us hundreds of thousands in royalties." Kaye Lynn explained, still upset some.
"You ever confront him?" Nate asked.
"Instead of paying us, he offered to record our own album in his studio - no charge. And he said he was gonna get us a spot on "Saddles and Spurs"." Kaye Lynn said.
"What is that?" Kaira asked.
"A big music festival in Memphis." Kaye Lynn answered.
"All right. So, what happened?" Eliot asked.
"When he heard the album, he decided it was too good to waste on a couple of unknowns. So he stole it! The Devil may have gone down to Georgia, Mr. Ford, but he lives in Memphis." Kaye Lynn explained.
After they got all the information, they said goodbye and filled in the rest of the team on their client and Hardison got the briefing ready, standing at the screen.
"Mitchell Kirkwood. Record producer and CEO of Kirkwood Records. Now, here's a fun fact. He started off his career as an artist. Does anyone remember this?" Hardison asked. Hardison played a clip from a song no one recognized and was kind of bad quality of both video and song.
"I say we take him down for that alone." Sophie said.
"I agree." Kaira said, not wanting to hear anymore.
"Critics agreed. It's probably why he never released another single. He took all the money he made and funneled it into his record company. And judging by the number of lawsuits filed and dropped within days, I'd say it's not his first time forcing somebody to settle out of court." Hardison said.
"Does he have a criminal record?" Eliot asked.
"None. He carved out a nice little kingdom in the country-music world." Hardison explained.
"Yeah. Well, he stole Kaye Lynn's music. He stole her money, he took over their publishing." Eliot said.
"Yeah, but we're gonna get it back." Nate said, laying out the game.
"I understand how to steal money, but how do you steal music?" Sophie asked.
"Yeah. I mean, to get Kaye Lynn's royalties back, that's easy, we just con Kirkwood into giving us money. But how do we get Kaye Lynn's music back?" Kaira asked.
"Oh, it's called a digital master. It's high-quality, multichannel, studio-recorded, mixed, and engineered. Price to produce - hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions." Hardison explained. He pulled up the designs for a building on the screen. "Now, this building right here - This is Kirkwood Records, Memphis, Tennessee. Now, inside this building is a hidden safe that contains these digital masters, one of which has Kaye Lynn's music on it." Hardison explained.
"So it's a smash and grab." Parker pointed out.
"Well, no, no. Not exactly. No. Cause we have to make sure she gets back the money." Nate pointed out.
"And a little extra for hospital bills." Sophie added.
"Making sure that he can't come after them- well, that wouldn't hurt." Nate said. Nate and Sophie had the same idea. "A fiddle game." They said at the same time. They looked at each other.
Parker raised her hand, hitting Hardison's forehead. "Uh, Parker." Nate said.
"I don't know how to play the fiddle." Parker said.
Eliot and Kaira glared at Parker, who was missing the memo.
"Well, actually, we're not gonna play a fiddle. No. We're gonna sell one. For a hell of a lot more than it's worth." Nate said.
The team traveled to Memphis and got ready to pull off the con. Hardison hacked the Saddlebags Saloon, which was Kirkwoods regular, and made it seem he wasn't going to show up. Sophie was playing a British music executive, finding talent. Nate was going to be a rival music producer, Parker was going to work the floor, Hardison was on electronics in the sound booth. Eliot was their fiddle, and Kaira stayed off to the side, helping Eliot get ready. Nate, Hardison, and Kaira were sitting at the bar, and Sophie was at Kirkwood's table. The trio saw Kirkwood talk to the perky hostess, and it was obvious she was scared.
"Kirkwoods on his way over." Hardison reported.
Kirkwood started walking over to the bar as Hardison and Kaira left. Kaira was walking to meet Eliot outside and Hardison to the sound booth. Kirkwood got a drink, sitting by Nate.
"Why don't you put that on my tab there?" Nate said, using a southern accent. "You're uh, Mitch Kirkwood, aren't you?" Nate asked Kirkwood.
"Yes." Kirkwood said, taking a long sip of his drink.
Hardison was making it up to the sound booth. "Parker, I'm on my way to the sound booth." Hardison said.
Parker readied herself, cracking her neck.
Hardison quickly made it up to the sound booth. Hardison sat down and opened up the laptop and looked up the music. "Let's see what our friend likes to listen to." Hardison looked at the most played music. "Most played - Brooks and Dunn." Hardison said. He grabbed a clipboard, which showed the concert line up for Saddles and Spurs. "I need tickets for Brooks and Dunn. You got that, Parker?" Hardison said, cueing up Parker.
Parker spun around the dancefloor like a ballerina, lifting what she could to get the tickets.
Just then, the sound guy came in. "Uh, you're not supposed to be in here." He said.
"Tell me about it, buddy. Why are you here?" Hardison said, putting on a southern accent as well.
"I work here." The guy said.
"Flippin' fantastical. They call me on my night off and go on and double book it." Hardison said, trying to get the guy to leave.
"Better call the main office, find out what's going on here." The sound guy said, grabbing the phone.
"Please do, skipper. Cause if I got to work tonight, then I need to find somebody to take these Brooks and Dunn tickets off my hands." Hardison said.
The sound guy put down the receiver. "You know what? I am starting to remember something about having the night off." The sound guy said, wanting the tickets.
"Don't you think you should go on and double-check that, butter britches." Hardison asked, getting the guy to leave.
"Naw. I definitely remember now." The sound guy said.
"Really? All right, now. Think you can find somebody to take this ticket off my hand?" Hardison asked.
"I think I can find somebody." The sound guy said.
"Hot diggity dadgum. Let me..." Hardison started feeling around his pockets, acting like he was trying to remember where he put the ticket.
Parker went up to the balcony overlooking the floor where the sound booth was and stuck the ticket underneath the door.
Hardison gave it to the sound guy and he left, leaving Hardison in the sound booth.
Meanwhile, Nate and Kirkwood were still talking. "I'm not gonna lie to you. Being rich? That'll get you the chicks." Kirkwood said, snapping his fingers. A bartender came over and refilled his glass. "But you add to that... being famous?" Kirkwood started laughing. "I tell you..." Kirkwood grabbed the wrist of a waitress. "I have the opportunity to turn down girls prettier than this damn near every day." Kirkwood said. The girl pulled her hand away in disgust and walked away.
"Why, T-T-That's really - that's really somethin'. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Now, why - why would you just, uh, stop at one song?" Nate said.
"Oh. Same reason you manage musicians. Why be the cow when you can be the farmer?" Kirkwood said. "Oh. Well... Tell me about this kid you got." Kirkwood said.
"Yeah. Well, his name is, uh, Kenneth Crane. Right?" Nate started selling Kirkwood the fiddle.
"Yeah." Kirkwood said, wanting to know more.
"Now, a couple of years ago, uh, we took his best song, we put it on a demo tape, and we sent it out everywhere. Well, two days ago, this, uh, European lady, she offered 25,000 dollars for the rights to that song." Nate said, setting Kirkwood up.
"25,000 dollars?" Kirkwood questioned, knowing it was a large amount.
"Yeah." Nate said.
Kirkwood started chuckling. "Well, what did you say to that?" Kirkwood asked, amused.
"Well, that's the thing. I-I didn't know what to say to her, you know? She's sitting right over there, waiting on an answer." Nate said, pointing to where Sophie was sitting.
Kirkwood stood up and saw it was the woman who was sitting in his seat. "Interesting." Kirkwood said.
"Yeah. Yeah. Do you know - do you know her?" Nate asked.
"No. No. Not..." Kirkwood sat back down. "Not really, but I tell you what I will do. I will go over there - for you... talk to her, see if I can't get her to show her hand." Kirkwood offered.
"That - That's amazing. You would do that?" Nate asked, liking the idea.
"Hell, yes, I would do that." Kirkwood said, slamming his glass down with a thump, a bit drunk. "Local boys gotta stick together." Kirkwood said. He got up and started walking over to Sophie.
Parker approached Nate at the bar. "Let the fiddle games begin?" Nate questioned, signaling the start of the con.
"Yeah. Um, I'm still a little unclear. Where exactly is this fiddle?" Parker asked. "It just walked through the door." Nate said, looking at Eliot and Kaira walking in.
Eliot looked at Nate, not really happy that he was the fiddle.
Kaira chuckled. "Hey, I'll be beside you." Kaira comforted Eliot.
Eliot walked with Kaira to the balcony overlooking the floor and looked out, with Eliot holding Kaira's hand.
Parker shot up. "What are you looking at?" Parker asked, startling Eliot.
"Don't!" Eliot warned quietly.
"What's wrong?" Parker asked.
"Nothing's wrong." Eliot growled.
"Something's wrong." Parker said.
"I'm fine." Eliot insisted.
"I started you." Parker pointed out.
"You're a cat burger. That's what you do." Eliot dismissed it.
"Yeah, I've been a cat burglar since I was 10 years old." Parker said.
"Don't - really?" Eliot said.
"Well, maybe 9, but this is the first time I've startled you." Parker said.
"He's nervous, Parker." Sophie pointed out, amused, acting like she was typing on a laptop.
"I'm not nervous." Eliot said.
"I thought you said you could sing." Parker said.
"I can sing. I just - I didn't... realize there was gonna be this many people." Eliot said.
Parker gasped. "You are nervous." Parker pointed out.
Eliot scoffed, about to leave.
"Eliot's only ever sung for me. Cut him some slack, guys." Kaira said. She and Eliot silently facepalmed themselves, realizing they had opened up a target.
"Really?" Parker questioned the jack of trades.
"Ok, he may have recorded a song for me before our one year anniversary and he played the song before he proposed." Kaira said, liking the memory, but not what was about to happen.
"Aw. How romantic." Sophie teased.
Eliot scoffed, stepping back. Kaira went to comfort him.
"Relax, man. I told you - I got you. Say something." Hardison said, having set up his software.
"I don't speak on command, Hardison." Eliot said.
"Perfect." Hardison said. He typed on his laptop. "Now, I rigged my laptop to record your comm. Now, this means that I can alter your pitch from anywhere to make you sound like Darth Eliot..." Hardison explained. He punched a key in and replayed what Eliot said to sound like Darth Vader.
Eliot smiled a tad.
"To Spencer Smurf." Hardison said. He replayed the audio clip again, this time with a higher pitch.
"Hardison?" Eliot growled as Kaira and Parker chuckled.
"Don't ever do the smurf thing again?" Hardison guessed.
"Right." Eliot growled.
"So, the software takes the frequency of your voice, and it matches it to the key of the song, then uses a Fourier transform to correct the pitch and sends the tuned audio out through the bar's speakers." Hardison explained.
"What does that mean?" Parker asked.
"That means that, for tonight, Eliot has perfect pitch. You ever wonder how Britney Spears sounds so good on her tracks? Well, this is it - except mine's in real time, baby." Hardison said.
"Uh, who, exactly, did you refer to as baby?" Nate asked, still at the bar.
"It's like the universal term of baby. How old are you?" Hardison said.
Kaira chuckled.
Kirkwood flirted with Sophie at the table. Sophie introduced herself as Virginia Wellington and Kirkwood took Sophie on a tour as one of his goons explored Sophie's stuff. He dialed a number, and Nate answered it with a British accent. Nate watched as the goon left Sophie's stuff at the table and left.
In a quiet room, Eliot was strumming a guitar as Kaye Lynn was offering advice and Kaira was moral support. Eliot messed up a chord. Eliot growled as Kaye Lynn paced. He resumed playing.
Eliot stopped once he saw Kaye Lynn pacing. "What, are you nervous?" Eliot asked.
"That song you're going out there to sing? That's the only thing my brother and I have left that Kirkwood hasn't stolen or destroyed, and if I lose it..." Kaye Lynn said, nervous.
"You're not gonna lose it. All right?" Eliot promised.
"We'll get your money back, and your music back. We both promise you that. And we're people of our word." Kaira made, looking at Eliot for confirmation.
Eliot nodded to show he agreed.
"How can you be so sure?" Kaye Lynn asked, sitting down.
"Cause this is what we do." Eliot said. Eliot started strumming again, struggling with the bridge. (Side Note, I'm sorry this isn't more accurate, I am not a good guitar player, so I don't know the technical words)
"You still having trouble with that bridge?" Kaye Lynn asked.
"No. I-I think..." Eliot said, stuttering a bit.
"Let me - let me show you." Kaye Lynn said. Kaye Lynn moved Eliot's fingers into the proper placement so he could strum the guitar better.
"How do you feel when you play?" Kaye Lynn asked Eliot, noticing part of his problem.
"I'm - I think... I think I got it." Eliot said, confident in himself.
"See, that - that's your problem. You're thinking... about how to play the song. And I'm asking you, "How do you feel when you play? You ever been in love?" Kaye Lynn asked.
Kaira chuckled, knowing the answer already.
"A couple of times." Eliot said, looking at Kaira.
"How'd it end the first time?" Kaye Lynn asked.
"I made her a promise that if she ever needed me that I'd be there for her." Eliot said.
Kaira knew who he was talking about.
"What's wrong with that?" Kaye Lynn asked.
"Because I made the same promise to the United States government. And I found out... you can't make that promise to more than one person." Eliot said, soft.
"The other time?" Kaye Lynn asked.
"I made the same promise to another girl, and she made the same promise to me. I married her, and I can't imagine not being near her." Eliot said, smiling at Kaira.
"That feeling? Hold on to that, and you'll do just fine." Kaye Lynn said.
Eliot practiced some more to get the full song rehearsed.
Sophie and Kirkwood were sitting at a table, Kirkwood ordering ribs. Sophie chatted him up a bit as Kirkwood's goon informed Kirkwood of who "Virginia" was. Nate was still at the bar.
"Okay, Hardison. How are we doing?" Nate asked.
Hardison and Parker were in the sound booth, finishing up the equipment. "Ready when Eliot is." Hardison said.
Kirkwood asked Sophie about her deal with K-Gent, asking her why she was here to pick up "Kenneth Crane". Sophie told she wasn't really sure why K-Gent was making the deal, just that it was a lot of money.
Kaira and Eliot were in the wing of the stage. Eliot was holding the guitar.
"You got this, babe." Kaira whispered to Eliot.
"Thanks." Eliot smiled at Kaira.
She placed a quick kiss on his lips and left to watch him from the crowd. Eliot was walking onto the stage as Kaira made her way to the front. Feedback squealed as Eliot approached the mic.
"Hi. I'm Kenneth Crane. And, uh, I'm going to sing a song - I'm gonna sing - sing a song I wrote about... the road not traveled. And missing that person you love." Eliot said, spying Kaira in the front of the crowd as he got ready to sing.
(Play video along with what I wrote)
watch?v=s199JqJusGI
Eliot started strumming. He started singing, and Kaira just smiled. She didn't even hear Hardison freaking out about the system not working. The team soon listened in and were in awe of Eliot singing. During the last verse of the song, Eliot looked at Kaira. She smiled as Eliot poured his heart into the performance. Eliot finished the last of the song and the crowd cheered. Kaira ran up to meet Eliot in the back room.
Kaye Lynn was there as Eliot took a breath, sighing in relief. Eliot put the guitar down. "How'd I... how'd I do?" Eliot asked the girls.
"Awesome, babe!" Kaira compliments, hugging Eliot as she chuckled.
"That was awesome!" Kaye Lynn said, excited. Kaye Lynn left to give the couple some room.
Kaira hugged Eliot again, laughing from excitement. There was something in their eyes. Something that drew the couple closer. Eliot and Kaira both took out their comms and started making out, liking the privacy.
Meanwhile, Nate was still at the bar when a goon went up to him. "Mr. Kirkwood wants to see you." The goon said.
"He knows where I am." Nate said, ignoring the goon.
Two more goons showed up. "Or, uh, you know... I could go to him." Nate said, leaving. "Eliot. Kaira." Nate tried to get their attention. "Eliot, Kaira, how soon can you get here?" Nate asked. No response. "Eliot? Kaira?" Nate repeated. "Eliot! Kiddo!" Nate exclaimed. No response.
Hardison and Parker were clearing out the sound booth. "On our way, Nate." Parker said. Just as Hardison and Parker were leaving, the sound guy came in.
"You! You lied to me. This is for tomorrow night." The sound guy said.
Kirkwood and Sophie were talking. "You offered what? 25,000? I happen to know that you would pay half a million dollars for that song." Kirkwood told Sophie.
"Fortunately for me, he doesn't know that." Sophie said.
"Fortunately for you, his manager and I happen to go way back. We did 4H together. It's a cowboy thing. Why don't you let me see if I can't nudge the deal along for you?" Kirkwood offered.
"And what would you want exactly?" Sophie asked.
"Oh, I'll think of something." Kirkwood said.
Nate was in a predicament. He was sat in a chair, two goons in front of him. "You two work out together?" Nate asked.
Just then another goon came in.
"Oh. Hey. I'm just gonna leave my card and get going here." Nate said.
Eliot and Kaira were smiling at each other, going to put their comms back in. That's when they heard the thudding. Their smiles immediately turned to worried expressions. "Nate!" Kaira yelled, putting on her denim jacket.
"Yeah." Nate said.
"Nate!" Eliot yelled as the couple ran out the door. "Nate, we're on our way!" Eliot said.
Just as Eliot and Kaira went to the door, there was a shadow. Kaira opened the door, and a young blond woman came in.
"Who are you?" Eliot asked.
"Forever 21. I just want your autograph." The woman said, surprised at how threatening Eliot was.
Eliot took the pen and paper and signed it.
"Who's she?" The young girl asked.
Eliot and Kaira chuckled at each other. "You could say I'm his first fan." Kaira smiled, playing the innocent girlfriend card, hiding her ring, or so she thought.
"Wait, you're his wife?" The young girl asked, a little surprised.
"Yeah." Eliot said, wondering why the girl was so interested in him.
"You're actually cute together. Oh, I gotta post about this." The young girl said. She left soon after.
Eliot and Kaira left after to go get Nate. They found him with a stack of cash and the goons down.
They left and went to the hotel they were staying at. Nate handed Kaye Lynn the cash.
"And that is how you run a fiddle game." Nate said.
"I don't even know how to begin to thank you." Kaye Lynn said, happy she got some of her money back.
"And that's just 10 percent of it. Now, tomorrow, he's taking Eliot into the studio, and we'll get you the other 90." Nate said.
"And while Eliot's in the studio, Parker will get into the safe and grab the masters." Sophie said.
"Oh! Eliot's the fiddle!" Parker just then realized, laughing from the bathroom.
Kaira chuckled at Parker's craziness.
"What's she doing back there?" Hardison asked.
"She's trying on her costume." Sophie explained.
"We sold Eliot to Kirkwood. I totally get this." Parker called out. Kaye Lynn left and the team rested for the night.
The next day, Parker and Hardison were in the waiting room, of the studio, waiting to meet with Eliot and Kaira, who after their interaction with the fan last night, became the high school sweetheart wife of Kenneth Crane, Lilly Crane. Hardison and Parker got a bit too into their covers as they sent the receptionist away, Parker enjoying the duck costume she was wearing.
"Hey, yo, Eliot, Kaira, you got an ETA?" Hardison asked.
Eliot and Kaira were walking on the sidewalk to the studio, closeby. "Yeah. I'm almost there. But I think someone's following me." Eliot said, holding his guitar. The couple picked up the face.
"Do some Eliot-fu and Kaira-fu on 'em. What happened to... "This is what I do?"" Hardison mocked Eliot, sitting down.
Eliot and Kaira looked behind and saw many screaming fangirls, or "Craniacs" as Kaira has discovered they were calling themselves, chasing after the couple. "Yeah, I don't think that's gonna work this time." Eliot said, picking up the pace with Kaira right beside him.
"I been meaning to tell you, this, uh, Kenneth Crane? He is blowing up on Twitter. He's got a fan page and everything. It's a pretty good picture too. And they are loving the high school sweetheart love story I created for Kaira's alias." Hardison said, slightly amused.
"That's the problem. I can't have my picture out there like that." Eliot growled as the couple tried to avoid the girls.
"Well, contrary to what y'all may believe, I do not control everything that happens on the internet." Hardison said.
"There's a price on both of our heads in three different countries, and I'm fairly certain a FATWA was issued." Eliot said, not happy with the publicity, running with Kaira beside him.
"Hardison, can't you please just fake a crash and take the website down so I don't have to stay up to make sure no one kills my husband?" Kaira growled, not happy with the attention.
"You are so vain, man. Boom. There. Fan site - no. But you know what? When you get back, we're gonna have a serious conversation about the difference between caution and paranoia." Hardison said.
Kaira and Eliot were still running. "When you've done the things I've done, there's no such thing as paranoia." Eliot growled.
"And when you're married to him and have been his partner for six years, you learn there is no such thing as too much caution." Kaira retorted, still running with Eliot, silently cursing Hardison.
Eliot and Kaira were getting closer to the studio, ditching the screaming fangirls.
Nate and Sophie were at a restaurant, where Nate got ribs for breakfast.
"Seriously? For breakfast?" Sophie asked, disgusted a bit.
"Mm. Oh, yeah." Nate said, enjoying the ribs.
Sophie then caught sight of Kirkwood. She slapped Nate.
"Oh! Geez. What, did Kirkwood just walk in or something?" Nate asked as Sophie stood up.
"How'd he find us?" Sophie asked.
"Well, there's probably not a lot of five-star hotels in Memphis. Now, you should probably just, you know, act the part, ride this out, be in character, and... you should probably storm off about now." Nate said, knowing Kirkwood was close behind.
"I thought I'd give it another beat." Sophie said. She stood a moment, then grabbed her purse and left. "Perfect. The other man in Memphis I'd like to slap." Sophie told Kirkwood.
Kirkwood chuckled. "Just relax now, little filly." Kirkwood said, not caring.
"I am perfectly aware that you went behind my back to get the rights to that song. So let's just cut to the chase, huh? What do you want?" Sophie asked Kirkwood.
Back at the studio, the woman escorted Hardison and Parker to the studio, where Kaira was waiting outside as Eliot was in the recording booth. Hardison was dressed like a rapper, wearing a white tank top and bad looking pants and gold jewelry everywhere. Parker was in her duck costume. Parker got the receptionist to help her find a meditation room, which is reality was Parker's way of trying to get to the safe.
"Parker's on the loose, but there are a lot of unfriendlies." Hardison whispered, at the soundboard.
"Yeah, which is exactly why we have cover stories. How's Eliot?" Nate said.
"Eliot's about to record. He took his comm out." Kaira whispered.
"You ready, man?" Hardison asked in to the mic.
"Whew. Yeah." Eliot said, nervous.
"All right." Hardison said.
Kaira walked up to the soundboard, giving a smile and a thumbs up to Eliot, comforting him. Hardison messed with the board.
"When a new moon shines through your window or you hear a sad song on the radio." Eliot sang when Hardison interrupted.
"Hold up, man. It's - it's a little pitchy. It's... just a skosh. A little pitchy." Hardison said.
Eliot looked offended but kept his cool. Eliot started again. "When a new moon shines-" Eliot started singing again when Hardison interrupted him.
"It's pitchy. In that very same spot, right? It's - yeah, it's a little pitchy." Hardison said, knowing he was about to get yelled at.
Kaira groaned, knowing what was happening next.
Eliot started again, but both Spencers were close to snapping. "And when a new -" Eliot tried again, but Hardison interrupted him.
"Hold up, man." Hardison said.
"Hang on, man. Let me get into the song." Eliot said.
"Did you practice the wobbles?" Hardison asked.
"Damn it, Hardison." Eliot said, signaling to Kaira he was upset.
"Just put a - smooth it out. Like, you - "When a new moon shines through your..." Hardison said, sounding a bit smoother than Eliot.
Eliot started singing, again. "When a new moon shines through your window." Eliot started singing as Kaira heard Parker finally get into the right room.
"How's it going, Parker?" Nate asked, finished up at the restaurant.
"I don't think I'm being weird enough." Parker said.
Nate laughed. "Somehow I doubt that." Nate said, having heard what Parker was doing.
The receptionist came back and gave Parker water, which she spit out and asked for champagne. Parker went into the room.
"And when a new moon shines through your window or you hear a sad song on the radio." Eliot started singing, getting into it as Hardison was swaying as Kaira was silently swooning over Eliot's voice. "And you don't know why but you just start to..." Elliot started singing when Hardison interrupted.
"No. Ma-" Hardison was about to say when Eliot went off.
"Listen to me, man. Say pitchy one more time. Say pitchy one more time and see what happens. I don't even think that word means what think it means." Eliot said, getting annoyed.
"It means pitchy." Hardison said.
"Define it." Eliot said.
"You define it." Hardison argued.
"I don't have to define it! I'm not saying it every five seconds!" Eliot started yelling.
Hardison turned the mic off, meaning he couldn't hear Eliot.
"I'm - I'm sorry. Well, I can't- I lo - I lost you. I can't hear you." Hardison was saying as Eliot was going off in the booth.
"Hardison, I'm not gonna save your ass when Eliot gets out of the booth." Kaira whispered, getting annoyed with Hardison and Eliot.
"Maybe the safe is somewhere off-site. I've looked everywhere." Parker said in a server room. She then heard the sound of guitar playing. Parker stepped over a section of the floor, which sounded hollow. "Isn't the recording studio supposed to be soundproof?" Parker asked.
Nate was still at the hotel. "Uh, yeah. Completely." Nate said.
Parker still heard playing. Parker got down on the floor and opened up the hatch, revealing many masters in the safe.
Sophie and Kirkwood were at a restaurant. "I don't understand. You just paid 100,000 dollars for the rights to that song, and you're just gonna give them to me for free." Sophie said.
"That's just about the lay of the land." Kirkwood said.
"You must want something." Sophie said.
"I would like you to forget that you ever heard the name Kenneth Crane." Kirkwood said.
"Well, why would I do that?" Sophie asked.
"I'm thinking about getting back into the spotlight, and I don't think there's anything that would, uh, jumpstart a career any more than having a song of your sampled by a major rap superstar, hmm?" Kirkwood revealed.
"You're gonna steal Crane's song for yourself? How are you gonna get him to go along with that?" Sophie asked.
"Well, I wasn't exactly gonna give him a choice in the matter. Uh... you know, I guess there is one more thing that you can do for me. Stop asking questions." Kirkwood left the threat, leaving to answer his phone.
"Okay, Nate. We have a little problem." Sophie reported.
"Y-yeah. What kind of problem?" Nate asked over comms.
"The guy who's buying our fiddle? He thinks he is the fiddle." Sophie said, leaving.
Parker came back with masters. Hardison and Kaira were watching Eliot in the studio.
"You're not done yet?" Parker asked.
"He's doing one for him." Hardison said.
"Well, I found it." Parker said, dumping the masters on the table. "Um... let's see." Parker said, sorting through it.
"Got it." Hardison said. He put the master in the player.
"Hey. Look. This is that song Kirkwood did." Parker said, holding a master.
"This is the original master. Why is the artist's name blacked out?" Hardison asked.
A goon walked into the recording studio, threatening Eliot, holding out a gun. Eliot used the mic stand to send the goon into the drum set.
Meanwhile, Parker, Hardison, and Kaira were listening to the master that was blacked out. "Okay, so this is the original recording of the song that made Kirkwood famous." Harrison said.
They listened to it, not noticing Eliot was in a fight.
"And this is the recording he released to the video." Harrison said. He overlaid the track underneath and played it. The wavelengths showed it was the same track, but it sounded different.
"It's not the same." Parker pointed out.
"Which one is Kirkwood?" Nate asked.
"That's just it. Neither. It's the same song, just with a pitch adjustment." Hardison explained.
"Who's singing the song?" Kaira asked.
Hardison started typing on his laptop. "I am matching a voiceprint right now." Hardison said.
Parker and Kaira turned around. "Where's Eliot?" Parker asked. They turned back around as Eliot fought the goon with a drumstick, twirling it.
"Got it. Boom. Jesse Jenkins." Hardison reported.
"All right. That's - That's why Kirkwood never recorded a second song. He didn't record the first one." Nate realized.
"Kirkwood paid him off?" Sophie asked.
Hardison looked up Jesse Jenkins. "I don't think so. Jenkins sued him. Copyright infringement, harassment, fraud - the whole nine - but those charges weren't formally dropped." Hardison said.
"They went to court?" Sophie questioned.
"Not exactly. Any other guesses?" Hardison said.
Eliot finally took out the goon.
"Jenkins was killed. Circumstances were suspicious. Kirkwood was implicated but never charged." Nate said.
"Yeah. Dead on. How did you know that?" Hardison asked, impressed.
"Because he is about to do the exact thing to Eliot." Nate said, causing Kaira to burst to look at the booth.
"Shit!" Kaira yelled, realizing she should have been watching closer.
Eliot was not happy, banging on the glass as the other two turned around. Eliot exited the studio and was greeted by Kaira. "Let's go! Now!" Eliot yelled, opening the door.
"I'm so sorry! I should've been watching!" Kaira said as they left the studio.
Eliot didn't talk about it until they met Nate and Sophie back at the hotel.
"All right. Good." Nate said as Parker dumped the masters on the coffee table in front of Nate. "Ah, I do love it when a plan comes together. Okay." Nate said. He was looking through the masters and found Kaye Lynn's master. It was empty. "Yeah, but... W-where's the tape?" Nate asked.
Everyone looked at Hardison. "I think I may have left her tape in the deck." Hardison said.
"Unbelievable!" Eliot growled.
"Son of a bitch! Damn it, Hardison!" Kaira exclaimed, getting her coat on along with Eliot.
"Where are you going?" Nate asked.
"When they find Kaye Lynn's tape, they're gonna want to ask her some questions." Eliot said.
"And as we just found out, they don't ask very nicely. So I am going to back up Eliot. Got a problem? Tough." Kaira said, pissed as she and Eliot stormed out.
They got out and got in the car and quickly arrived at Kaye Lynn's place. She was sitting on the coffee table, obvious something had happened.
"You okay?" Eliot asked.
"The festival director just called. Kirkwood took my spot in the showcase. He's gonna sing my brother's song. And you told me you were gonna get our money and our songs back." Kaye Lynn said, her voice breaking. She stood up. "But all you did was lose the one thing I had left." Kaye Lynn said, upset, walking by the couple.
They followed her outside. Eliot and Kaira met Kaye Lynn on the steps.
"Come with us. All right? Trust us." Eliot told Kaye Lynn.
"What's the plan?" Kaira asked.
"All right. Come back to the hotel. Well, uh, rework the approach. Hit him hard in a couple of days." Nate said, pacing behind the team on the couch.
"No, Kirkwood's getting ready to sing this song in front of the who's who of country music." Eliot said, stopping before they got to the car.
"Listen, uh, you know, it's too late to stop him tonight." Nate said.
"No, I hacked into his truck's navigation system. He's on the move. It's game over." Hardison said.
"Eliot, if he plays that song in front of those A&Rs, I'll lose it forever." Kaye Lynn said.
"Eliot, Kaira, it's too late." Hardison said.
"No! Get the car, both of you. We're going to stop Kirkwood and get that tape. Get in!" Kaira ordered as she got in the driver's seat. She raced off.
"Sometimes you - you - you don't get a second chance to get it right." Sophie said.
"Why not?" Parker asked.
"Rules of life." Sophie said.
"But that's exactly what we do. We change the rules." Nate said, realizing he had a plan.
The group at the hotel were leaving when they ran into a bunch of Eliot's fangirls. "Uh, uh, W-where's Kirkwood right about now?" Nate asked.
Hardison managed to tip off the fangirls to stall Kirkwood as Kaira was doing her best driving, dodging cars to get to the saloon. "Eliot, I used your fans to stall Kirkwood. I bought you like two minutes." Hardison reported.
Kaira dodged around, getting closer to the saloon.
"We're here." Sophie said, the group walking into the saloon.
"Is Kirkwood there?" Eliot asked.
"I don't see him. Wait." Sophie said, spying Kirkwood in the back. "Yeah. He just walked in." Sophie reported.
"Stall! Just a few more minutes." Kaira yelled, getting closer.
"Kaira, Eliot, I'm sorry. We did everything we can." Sophie said, feeling bad.
"Maybe not everything." Parker said, getting an idea. Parker got up on the saloon stage and started doing duck noises, stalling for the few minutes Kaira needed to arrive.
She pulled up and the trio all but shot out the car. Kaye Lynn took off her jacket and walked away as Kaira and Eliot went another way. Eliot and Kaira managed to confront Kirkwood before he went on stage.
"Hey." Eliot said. "Surprised to see me?" Eliot asked.
"Why would you say that?" Kirkwood asked.
"Because you tried to kill my husband." Kaira said, her nostrils flared to show she was pissed.
"Same way you killed Jesse Jenkins." Eliot said.
"You're unstable, Kenneth. And I'd really like to help you... if you'd let me." Kirkwood said. He punched Eliot in the stomach and moved a microphone as Eliot groaned. "You think I'm gonna confess to a murder in a roomful of microphones?" Kirkwood asked. "If I was that stupid, I never would have gotten away with it." Kirkwood said.
The crowd was booing at Parker as she got escorted offstage. Kirkwood came on stage and started playing the song. "Well, I know they say all good things must come to some kind of ending. We were so damn good I guess we never stood a chance. Go on and find what you've been missin'. And when that highway's tired of listenin'. You'll see I'm not that easy to forget." Kirkwood sang, definitely not as well as Eliot.
"And when a new moon shines through your window. Or you hear a sad song on the radio. And you don't know why, but you just start to cry. Or you're driving round on a sunny day." Kaye Lynn started singing acapella as Hardison played the guitar track, everyone silent and amazed. "And out of nowhere comes the pouring rain. And a memory hits you out of the blue. That's just me. Thinking of you." Kaye Lynn finished singing.
The crowd cheered and applauded loudly, giving a standing ovation. Kirkwood tried to play it off. Just then, Eliot's voice came over the speakers. It was the conversation that Eliot and Kirkwood had before he went on stage. He said his confession right into Eliot's earbud, allowing for Hardison to use the software he used to auto-tune Eliot's voice to project it over the bar's speakers. Kirkwood played it off and left the stage.
Eliot and Kaira caught Kirkwood before he left the saloon. "Let me explain something to you, Kirkwood." Eliot said.
"Yeah?" Kirkwood said, coming down the stairs.
"Next time you hit somebody in the stomach and you want 'em to stay down..." Eliot blocked Kirkwood's hand. "You gotta hit him in the solar plexus!" Eliot growled as he punched Kirkwood in the solar plexus a couple of times, causing Kirkwood to bend over in pain.
Kaira then shoved Kirkwood into the wooden staircase and kicked his shins.
"See the difference?" Eliot asked.
"That's for trying to kill my husband, you son of a bitch!" Kaira exclaimed, walking to Eliot.
They met up with Nate as Kirkwood was being arrested. Kaye Lynn was getting hounded by A&R people. Nate handed the tape to Eliot. Kaye Lynn saw the couple and excused herself and walked over as Nate clicked his tongue and left.
"There are a lot of A&Rs who want to meet with me. Thank you. For my brother too." Kaye Lynn said.
"For what? It was all you." Eliot said.
"Thank you for keeping your promise." Kaye Lynn said.
"Ah, that reminds me." Kaira said as she grabbed the tape from Eliot. She handed it to Kaye Lynn as she gasped.
"That's for you. That's for your trip to Nashville." Eliot said, happy for Kaye Lynn. Kaira was too.
"You can come with me, you know. You're a natural-born country star if I've ever seen one." Kaye Lynn said, causing Eliot to chuckle.
"Some roads you start going down, well, you can't turn back, and... I'm about 100 miles down one of those right now, so..." Eliot said, before someone interrupted, wanting to talk to Kaye Lynn.
"You sound like a bad country song." Kaira joked, causing the trio to laugh.
Some A&R guys took Kaye Lynn away, wanting to talk to her. Eliot and Kaira smiled, happy that Kaye Lynn got a chance to live her dream. Eliot and Kaira walked up to Nate.
"Ready?" Nate asked the couple.
"Yeah." Eliot said, walking hand in hand with Kaira. The rest of the team joined them.
"Tell me something, man. How'd you take those two guys out by yourself?" Eliot asked.
"Oh, they got into a fight." Nate said, telling the story he told Kirkwood.
"Yeah, but, really how'd you do it?" Eliot asked again.
"Can't say It any plainer, they got into a fight." Nate repeated, sticking with the story.
"You're not - you're not gonna tell me." Eliot realized.
"And where were you two when all of this was going on, huh?" Sophie asked the couple.
"What? I was getting notes from Kaira on my performance." Eliot said, dismissing it.
"Oh. How were you?" Sophie asked.
"No complaints." Eliot said.
A girl approached Eliot. "Excuse me, sir?" The girl said to Eliot.
"Yeah. Oh." Eliot started chuckling. Eliot grabbed her notebook to sign. "Man. All right. This is the last one, sweetie." Eliot said.
"I just wanted to know what time it was." The girl said.
Eliot got annoyed as Nate cleared his throat.
"Yeah, I know. It's late. Go home. It's past your bedtime." Eliot told the girl off, walking past.
The team followed behind.
A few days later, the team was back at HQ. Eliot and Kaira were laying in bed.
"You know, it's been six years since I've known you, Kaira." Eliot said.
Kaira chuckled. "Yeah." Kaira said, realizing that it's been that long already.
"I got you something." Eliot said. He got out of bed and went to his jacket and came back with a cassette tape. He put it in the radio in the bedroom. He turned it on as Kaira got out of bed and joined Eliot.
Kaira heard the familiar strumming, realizing it was the same song that Eliot performed.
(Video just below if you want to listen to it again!)
watch?v=Wlc_PlLd0bE
Kaira smiled once the song was over. "I thought you didn't get time to record it?" Kaira questioned Eliot, who let go of her to put the tape back.
"I recorded it before we left while you went shopping with Sophie." Eliot said.
Kaira walked up to Eliot at the radio and pecked his neck with her lips, causing the hair to stick up on Eliot's neck. "I love it." Kaira whispered, smiling.
Eliot turned around. "I'm glad." Eliot said. Eliot cupped Kaira's neck and pulled her into a soft kiss. "I love you, Princess." Eliot chuckled.
"I love you, Cowboy." Kaira chuckled.
Eliot put his hands on Kaira's ass and lifted her up and kissed her, moving her to the bed, and sitting her on it.
Kaira removed her top and Eliot removed his as they continued kissing. Kaira moved back on the bed, and Eliot moved with her. Eliot peppered Kaira's stomach with kisses and Kaira enjoyed it. Kaira sat up and Eliot followed. He sat at the edge of the bed and Kaira kissed his neck, all the way to his shoulder.
"If I would've been a singer, instead of what I am today, how would our lives be different, do you think?" Eliot asked Kaira.
She put her arms around Eliot's neck. "I would still love you. But you would be away for a while. And I probably would have psyched myself out and probably end up breaking your heart." Kaira said, honest.
"You would never break my heart, Kaira. Because you are my heart." Eliot smiled, knowing how cheesy the line was.
Kaira laughed and lightly smacked Eliot. "That was so bad!" Kaira joked, making fun of the pickup line Eliot used.
"Yeah. It was. Made you laugh, though." Eliot pointed out, pleased with himself.
"Yes, you did." Kaira said. She got up and straddled Eliot, her front-facing him. She planted a kiss on his lips.
"Did you think we'd ever end up here? Married? Our own place in Boston?" Eliot questioned.
Kaira thought a moment. "No. Remember that fight we got into when I first joined up with you?" Kaira asked, soft.
Eliot sighed, thinking of the memory. "Yeah. The one where I tried to let you go, saying you could've had a better life with your uncle?" Eliot questioned, knowing he had the right memory.
"And I was stubborn as hell and I told you that you couldn't hide behind your sins that are running your face. I told you I thought you weren't that tough and was just scared of love." Kaira said.
"And then you told me I would take up that much space for me." Eliot realized, not liking the sad memory.
"I was scared that you'd just leave in the middle of the night so I wouldn't follow you. Before this team, I was so convinced that you were too much of a player to want to settle down, especially with someone like me." Kaira admitted.
Eliot hugged her. "And I was scared you wouldn't want to settle with someone who's done the things I have." Eliot admitted.
"Well, I think we both proved each other wrong." Kaira smiled.
Eliot did too, holding up Kaira's left hand, which had her wedding and engagement ring on her finger.
Kaira chuckled. "To more adventures?" Kaira questioned, almost toasting without the glass.
"To more adventures." Eliot smiled.
Kaira kissed Eliot and pushed him on the bed, her fingers through his hair, grabbing his face as Eliot grabbed Kaira's waist. They smiled and chuckled, content with sharing this moment together.