First Person POV (Kaira)
When Sterling asks for a favor, you know it's a big freaking deal. When he asks you to steal a nuclear component, you know shit's real.
I joined Nate, Sophie, and Hardison in the briefing, where Hardison was explaining everything. Nate told us about the nuclear component that Robert Livingston, an ex-nuclear engineer, who is gonna sell the tech. "Now, to power a nuke, you need a few thousand gas centrifuges. Each spins uranium fast enough to separate weapons-grade molecules from the less-potent stuff. But if the drum gets off-kilter, it wobbles." Hardison explained.
"Like a washing machine." Nate pointed out.
"Sure, except when the washing machine wobbles, it goes "thump thump". This wobbles, it goes "boom, boom"." Kaira said.
"Now, to keep it steady, the machine needs to be calibrated with a tiny, little weight." Nate said.
Hardison pulled up an image of the weight.
"So, that's the technology Sterling wants us to steal." Sophie said.
"Yeah, that little weight is what separates a trigger-happy terrorist from a nuke." Nate said.
"Yeah, and because of its precise atomic mass, there's only one. This thing is like the nuclear equivalent of the One Ring." Hardison said.
I caught the reference, smiling. "Ring? What ring?" Sophie questioned.
"Oh, please. Don't get him started." Nate quipped, taking a sip of his coffee.
Sophie scoffed. "Anyway, what are we even thinking? We can't trust Sterling." Sophie said.
"Yeah, but we can't just stand by and let this happen." Nate said.
"Yeah. The weight is kept somewhere in Livingston's sky spire in Dubai. It's the second-tallest building in the world." Hardison explained, pulling up images of the spire.
"How are we gonna get in?" Sophie asked.
Nate handed a chess piece to Sophie.
Third Person POV
As it turns out, the way in was a chess match in Dubai. So, the team arrived in Dubai. Sophie had a silver and purple metallic dress with riffles closing it and a grey and white striped floppy big hat and heels, having a big jeweled ring on her right middle finger. Nate was in a black button up, white vest, smokey grey jacket, smokey grey pants, and a white hat with two black stripes on the bottom, and black dress shoes. Eliot was wearing a long sleeve white bottom up, and a charcoal grey vest and kahki pants, with brown boots, with a bird with a blue stone necklace on thick silver chain with his guitar pick necklace with a black string bracelet and a light brown bracelet. Parker was wearing a bubblegum pink medium length, strapless dress and silver heels, her hair in a ponytail, moved to her side, and a diamond-studded ring. Hardison was in a red button up, black pants and suit jacket, and a headcloth (A/N I'm sorry I don't know the proper term!) and black shoes. Kaira had on a simple white sun dress that went to her knees, her hair down in curls, and white heels, and a matching bird necklace, though the stone was purple.
Kaira, Eliot, Parker, and Hardison walked in with everyone. "Livingston hosts a blitz chess tournament. Throws these events all over the world, but this is the first one he's hosting here at home." Hardison explained.
Nate and Sophie walked into the building another way in as Eliot, Hardison, Parker, and Kaira walked into the tournament room. It was pristine white with tables and bright lighting. People of all kinds were mingling.
Parker was playing with the timer, causing Eliot to wrestle her hand away "Stop playing with stuff." Eliot growled.
"I wanted to hit it." Parker said.
"No." Kaira told Parker.
Hardison was excited. "Man, it's so great to see all these athletes in their prime." Hardison said.
"Where the hell do you see athletes?" Eliot questioned.
Kaira keep silent, amused slightly. Okay, a lot.
"They're ev - man, the Olympic Committee recognizes chess as a sport." Hardison explained.
"This is a sport?" Eliot questioned.
"Chess isn't exactly easy, babe. There's a lot of planning ahead and figuring out the right moves." Kaira explained.
Nate and Sophie walked through the metal detectors. "It's like prom night for nerds." Sophie said.
"Yeah." Nate said, joining her. "Oh, there's, uh - there's Livingston." Nate pointed to Livingston.
He was towards the other side of the room, starting his speech, welcoming everyone. The team could see a preteen blond girl behind him, surrounded by security.
"That's Olivia, Livingston's stepdaughter. Chess prodigy. Ever since her mother passed, he's been fixated on her career." Hardison spoke quietly.
Kaira got the sense that Olivia didn't like being in the spotlight when Livingston boasted that he hadn't one a game against her in 11 years. Security escorted her away, which she didn't seem to like.
"What's with the personal security?" Parker asked.
"There was an incident. One of his buyers didn't like the deal, so he tried to renegotiate with a car bomb. That's how Livingston got his limp." Eliot explained.
"Olivia and her mother were in the car, too. Olivia was thrown clear, but her mother wasn't." Hardison explained.
"Poor kid. In a spotlight she doesn't want to be in, lost her mom, nearly died herself. Damn." Kaira muttered, getting sidetracked.
"As long as Olivia stays in the tournament, Livingston's attention is gonna be focused on her and not on that little weight." Nate said, walking with Sophie.
"So Sophie and I are gonna make sure she keeps winning." Nate explained.
"That'll give the rest of you enough time to find the weight and steal it." Sophie said.
Just then, Sterling came from behind Eliot, as Nate and Sophie joined the rest of the team. Sterling was in a grey suit, pink button up, purple tie, and matching shoes.
"We have a problem. See those men back there?" Sterling said, nodding ahead of him.
The team looked at three men in light brown suits coming in.
"The one's walking by Livingston's daughter?" Nate questioned.
"Stepdaughter. Those are our friends from Kazhistan." Sterling said.
"They're not supposed to be here for another week." Sophie pointed out.
"It's amazing how "acquire nuclear materials" moves to the top of a terrorist's to-do list." Sterling quipped.
"Okay, we got to make sure those men don't reach Livingston. Sterling. Eliot, Kaira, go with him." Nate ordered.
Eliot, Kaira, and Sterling left, not happy.
"We're accelerating the con. Hardison, showtime." Nate ordered.
First Person POV (Kaira)
I was walking with Eliot and Sterling. Why Nate would put us together, I do not know. But I tolerated it. Eliot was rolling his sleeves up as we started walking towards the men.
"Follow my lead. I'm Vice President of Operations." Sterling said.
"Vice President." Eliot pointed towards Sterling.
"You two are my executive assistants." Sterling said.
"Assistants." I muttered.
We walked up to the men.
"As-Salamu Alaykum, Gentlemen. Welcome to Dubai." Sterling said.
"This our executive assistant. I'm the Vice President of Operations, she's the President of Operations for Mr. Livingston's company." Eliot introduced us, and I smile as tad.
"Gentlemen, there's been a complication. We've received intel that this building is no longer secure." I get the setup.
"What we'd like to do is, if you'd let us, move you off-site." Eliot said.
"Of course." The boss, I assume, said.
"Okay. Our assistant will show you the way." I said.
"Gentlemen." Sterling said, leading them away.
I notice one of the guys towers over me and Eliot. I smirk at him as Eliot rolled his eyes and we followed Sterling. I heard Hardison on comms getting set up as a Saudi Oil minister's son to get a look inside the vault.
Third Person POV
Hardison arrived to the vault with Livingston. He stopped Hardison from exiting the elevator and walked ahead. Livingston then showed Hardison the vault, where Hardison saw the weight in a glass case.
"Nate, I see the weight." Hardison whispered.
"Copy that." Nate reported from the chess room.
"Hardison, how's the security there?" Nate asked.
"Very impressive." Hardison went back into cover.
"But I do have questions about your security." Hardison said to Livingston.
"I can assure you, even though you may not see it, it is most definitely there." Livingston said, getting on the elevator. The doors shut.
"Ah. Invisible, Unhackable security. Wonderful." Hardison said, knowing it was gonna be a challenge to get through what he can't see.
First Person POV (Kaira)
I met with everyone outside of the building. The guys were sitting at a table, while me, Sterling, and Eliot stood in front.
"This complication?" The boss questioned.
"We believe Interpol has an informant inside of Mr. Livingston's company." Eliot explained.
"We must acquire the item." The boss said.
"We move to a dead-drop system." Sterling said.
"You'll wait here every day. When we deem it is safe and appropriate, we will contact you to do the exchange. No phones, no email. Assume nothing is secure." I added.
We left to head back to the building. "So, you two think it's okay to risk my informant." Sterling told us off.
"Sterling, as far as I know, your informant's another lie." Eliot said.
"Still don't trust me." Sterling said.
"Hell no. You sent a goon after us, and caused us to blow up the office." I said, pissed.
Eliot chuckled, amused that Sterling even had to ask, and the fact I was pissed. Which gave him a stern look from me.
Third Person POV
Hardison and Parker were in the hotel room, getting ready. Hardison was getting the system ready for Parker, holding a nozzle. He had taken off his headcloth by this point. Nate and Sophie were sitting on the red curved bog couch. Eliot, Sterling, and Kaira walked in.
"The calibration weight is kept under environmental controls. It's sensitive down to the picogram. If a grain of sand lands on that thing, it's done. So that case is pressurized. If the pressure drops, the alarms go off." Hardison explained as Eliot sat next to Nate, Kaira sat next to Eliot, putting her hand on thigh, and his hand on her thigh.
Sterling was standing next to Hardison. "Personal space. Now, look..." Hardison picked up the gas rig. "By introducing a gas of a different density straight into the air-filtration system, we can fool the alarm system long enough to open the case without introducing impurities." Hardison explained.
Eliot kept looking at Sterling, making sure he didn't try anything. Hardison handed the case to Parker.
"Parker, this is what you're gonna be using to transfer the weight okay? It's airtight and sanitized." Parker grabbed the box.
"Now, you'll have to crack the seal, transfer the weight, and then reseal it before it depressurizes." Hardison explained.
"How long will I have?" Parker asked, realizing it was a lot.
"Half a second. Maybe three-quarters, if you're lucky." Hardison answered.
"Assuming I can even reach the case." Parker put the box down.
"Parker, we know there's security there. We just haven't seen it yet." Nate said, watching the footage from Hardison's button cam.
"Yeah, there's no passcode, no fingerprint scan, no voice lock, no window, no exit, no nothing. All he does is walk into the elevator and then-" Parker explained when Nate caught on, seeing Livingston go first.
"Wait, wait. Yeah, yeah. That's it. That's exactly it." Sterling walked behind the couch and went between Nate and Eliot and Hardison walked, sitting on the arm of the couch.
"Livingston is always the first into the elevator and into the vault. There's got to be a way for the security system to know when it's Livingston and when it's not." Nate explained, thinking. Kaira caught on.
"Oh my God, it's a weight and gait authenticator. I've only seen them in books." Kaira explained.
Nate smiled a tad as Sterling was almost horrified. "Dear God, there's two of them." Sterling muttered, causing a small growl from Kaira and Eliot.
"The floor panels are pressure-sensitive, and they're programmed to identify an individual's weight distribution." Hardison explained.
"And walking patterns. We have one installed at the data center at Interpol and another at the Hockney Exhibit inLuxembourg." Sterling explained as Eliot shook his head.
"It's also in the Pentaagon, in the inner ring." Hardison quipped.
"And so it's all determined by Livingston's weight?" Sophie questioned.
"It's not that simple. This system measures weight distribution, where the mass is on the body. You can have two people that weigh the same, but they'd carry that weight differently. And since Livingston has a limp, his weight is distributed differently." Kaira explained.
"It's like a fingerprint. Anybody but Livingston gets on that elevator or the vault floor, and the alarms go off." Eliot said.
"We know what security system's protecting the weight, so all we got to do is hack into it." Nate said.
"Okay, let's get one thing clear here. When you say "we", you really mean me. And what do you mean, just "hack into it," Nate? I don't know what this thing is. Never seen it before in my life. How am I supposed to hack it?" Hardison questioned Nate.
"I mean, that's a very good question, Hardison. I'm sure you'll have it figured out by tomorrow." Nate stood up.
Eliot was smiling, which caused Kaira to smack his thigh, silently warning him to not be amused by Hardison's hard task.
"Good luck." Nate patted Hardison's shoulder as he left.
"Somethings just never change." Sterling said.
The team all looked at him. "Time for me to go, too?" Sterling said.
Parker pointed towards the exit. Eliot just shook his head, and Kaira silently again told him to knock it off. Kaira went to get up, and Eliot may have lightly pinched her ass. Kaira yelped and turned towards Eliot as Hardison and Sophie chuckled. "You ass! I'm gonna get you back for that!" Kaira walked away, not angry, but a bit embarrassed, and shocked.
The next day, the team was getting set up for the tournament and the heist. Sophie was wearing a backless purple and black swirled dress with a different ring and clutch, her hair down. Nate was wearing a similar suit to yesterday, only a back har with two white stripes.
"Well, the tournament is a buy-in, so you and Olivia are gonna be matched against players of all strengths." Sophie explained.
Hardison was back at the hotel room, getting a system in place.
"Okay, now, I've hacked the brackets to make sure that Olivia is playing against the low rankers, but that means you're taking on the heavy hitters. I registered you under the name Tom Jensen." Hardison explained.
Nate and Sophie looked at the brackets.
"You're gonna have to beat all these champions to make sure that you and Olivia play in the finals." Sophie said, a bit nervous.
"Mm-hmm." Nate looked at Sophie, not worried.
"Yeah, now, these are the grandmasters, Nate. Okay, you're good but not that good." Hardison said.
"Ah, I beat you and Kaira every time, Hardison." Nate pointed out, moving towards his seat.
"Kaira beat you a couple times, remember? Maybe if you let me use the Vulcan rules like I'm accustomed to... I mean, you're stingy with it, Nate. You're real stingy. And Kaira always comes close to beating you." Hardison pointed out.
Nate found his table, where it was a Japanese man wearing headphones, sleeping.
Parker was dressed as a photographer, wearing black pants, a pink short sleeve top, and a bright pink buret, taking pictures. "Merci." Parker put on a French accent.
"Mademoiselle Olivia?" Parker walked up to Olivia, who was being escorted by her security guards.
One of them put his arm out to block Parker. "Oh, je suis Désolée. I meant no harm." Parker brushed it off.
"What's going on?" Livingston walked over.
"C'est parfait, Monsieur Livingston! A photo of father and daughter would be a fine cover for the International Chess Journal. S'il vous plaît?" Parker said.
"Splendid. Olivia?" Livingston went to guide Olivia, but she didn't move.
"For the tournament, sweetheart." Livingston encouraged her.
Olivia gave in and she stood on a block with Livingston beside her. That block was a scanner that recorded the weight and gait of someone. Parker got Livingston on the pad. The scan was showing up on Hardison's monitor.
"Nice work, Parker." Hardison complimented.
"Yeah, now all we have to do is precisely mimic Livingston's walk, break into the vault, and steal the weight." Parker pointed out.
Nate was walking with Sterling.
"Okay Eliot, Kiddo, Sterling, I need you to stay with the Kazhistani. Make sure they don't come back here." Nate ordered.
First Person POV (Kaira)
I was sitting in the back of the car when Sterling came in with coffees for us. Eliot had been switching between looking in the binoculars and not. Eliot and I were in much more comfortable and movable clothes, in my usual jeans and t-shirt, my hair down, and a couple necklaces. Sterling sighed as he leaned back in the driver's seat. Eliot and I grabbed the coffee and he went back to looking in the binoculars.
"I think this will give us the opportunity to spend some real quality time together, Spencers." Sterling said.
I could see the look Eliot was giving Sterling. "Kaira, make sure Eliot doesn't kill Sterling. We may need him." Nate came on comms.
"I can't promise that!" Eliot exclaimed.
"That's if I don't kill him myself. You really think I'm gonna want to stop Eliot?" I said.
"What was that?" Sterling asked us.
"Shut up." I muttered.
I heard on the comms that Nate was getting ready to start the chess tournament. And I also may have heard Sophie "helping" Nate.
Of course, when you're in the car with two men who don't like each other, the inevitable arguing will happen. And, well, it did.
"Let me get this straight, cause I'm having a hard time believing this. You're telling me you think he acted alone." Sterling questioned Eliot as Eliot took a sip of coffee.
"That's not what I said, is it? I said I don't think that there was only one bullet. Where did you even get this coffee man? It's horrible!" Eliot exclaimed.
I take a sip of mine to see if Eliot was just being bitchy about the coffee, like usual when anyone other than me makes it, but he wasn't. I drank it cause I was a bit tired and needed to wake up.
"Yeah, it is a bit off." I pointed out.
"Coffee's fine. If there was a second bullet, that means there was a second shooter. Otherwise, he fired a Carcano bolt-action twice in less than two seconds, which simply cannot be done. You do realize that, on a topic where nobody agrees on anything, you picked the one thing, the only thing which is not up for debate! Simply humanly impossible!" Sterling went off.
I may have chuckled at how red Sterling got. Eliot and I smirked at each other.
"I did it." Eliot said.
Eliot chuckled and we both drank our coffee.
"Bollocks." Sterling said.
"You'd be surprised what people can do when they're properly motivated. Seriously, did you put something in this?" Eliot said.
"Your file says that you crawled three miles through a sewer to kill the head of Al-Qaeda in Yemen, but the coffee is a problem." Sterling complained.
"Hey, we're both particular about our coffee, okay?" I snipped.
"Hey. Incoming call." Eliot said, looking through the binoculars.
"We're gonna need the parabolic." Eliot said.
"No, I got it." Sterling said, grabbing the binoculars.
"You - unless you can read lips, we're gonna need the parabolic, all right?" Eliot grabbed the binoculars again.
"They're speaking Arabic." Eliot said, looking through the binoculars again.
"You'd be surprised what people can do when they're properly motivated." Sterling grabbed them back, and I just shake my head in annoyance.
Sterling looked through the binoculars.
"He said the government won't wait. No matter the risk, gonna make the exchange today." Sterling said.
I hide that I'm slightly impressed.
"We have to stall to give enough time for Parker to get in the vault." I pointed out.
"Gonna bring the money in through the service tunnels under the Sky Spire and move upstairs after the tournament to meet Livingston." Sterling translated.
He lowered the binoculars.
"All right, we'll intercept them at the tunnels." Eliot said, and we both go to leave. Sterling stopped Eliot.
"No. Let's head them off at the basement under the building. That way they'll be focused on the tournament." Sterling said, leaving.
Eliot and I looked at each other and scoffed.
"He just said that!" I yelled.
Eliot and I drink some more of our coffee and we leave.
Third Person POV (Hardison and Parker)
Hardison was getting his rig ready for Parker. She was sitting on the couch, putting on a backpack and Hardison was filling the shoes with ball bearings. Parker already had one shoe on.
He put the shoe on a scale and made sure it was weighted correctly at 50 pounds. "Perfect." He put the shoe on the ground.
Parker put the other shoe on and got up and moved her arms to get used to the weight. "It's like I'm the human Hulk. Parker smash!" Parker slammed the table, laughed, but lost her balance and shrieked as Hardison caught her.
They both started laughing as Hardison helped her up.
"Okay." Parker said, still holding onto Hardison.
"Parker, you realize it's just "The Hulk"." Hardison corrected, amused.
They let go and Hardison held Parker's hand in front of her, helping her to the mat on the floor.
"But seriously, do they have to be this heavy?" Parker asked, making her way over.
"Yeah, to match his weight. Plus, the boots are calibrated to mimic his distribution." Hardison explained.
He noticed Parker was upset. "What's wrong?" Hardison asked.
"Just they feel really weird." Parker said.
"Oh, don't worry. You'll get used to that. And this is Dance Dance Revolution." Hardison said.
"You're into that?" Parker asked Hardison.
"No. I'm - it's just for recreational - for cardio - it's - look, the pads are programmed to analyze your gait and match it to Livingston's gait. But..." Hardison turned to his monitors and pulled up the model of the walk.
"I've broken his down into seven key time frames - basically the same system you'll encounter in the vault. So, you ready?" Hardison asked. Parker took a breath.
\"Ready to try." Parker said.
"Okay." Hardison got the system started.
The classic Dance Dance Revolution beginning started with the music.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't, uh - I didn't have time to kill the voice on it. I-It's all good. Just go ahead." Hardison said.
Parker barely even took one step when the system told her she failed.
"Seriously?" Parker questioned.
"It's cook. It's cool. Just - you're good. You're good." Hardison tried to encourage Parker.
Third Person POV (Nate and Sophie)
Nate was playing against his opponent. Sophie was using her compact mirror to reflect off the light to shine it into the guys face. The guy got so upset, he got escorted off, and by default, Nate won.
"You know, Sophie, I'm actually pretty good at this game. You ought have a little more faith." Nate said.
Sophie gave a look and Nate's next opponent sat down and they shook hands.
Third Person POV (Hardison and Parker)
Parker was sitting on the bed, getting frustrated.
She sighed. "Parker." Hardison said.
"Yeah." Parker stood up again.
"Just getting a little tired of your laptop yelling at me." Parker said as she made her way back.
"It's just trying to help. But you know what? you're doing fine. You almost got it." Hardison stood straighter.
"Just... one more time. Okay?" Hardison started the music again.
Parker tried again and was doing well until halfway when the laptop told her she failed.
"I told him to stop yelling at me!" Parker ran towards Hardison, who stopped her.
"Hey, hey! Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Hardison grabbed Parker to get her to calm down.
"Hardison!" Parker exclaimed, struggling for air.
"Hey! Parker, breathe." Hardison tried to calm Parker down.
"His limp and these boots, I - they're - I don't like them. They're weighing me down." Parker let go of Hardison.
"Quick and light. That's how I survive. You slow me down, you kill me." Parker almost yelled at Hardison. Parker went to walk to the bed.
"Hey, hey, Parker - hey." Hardison stopped Parker.
Parker snapped her body around. "What?" Parker snipped.
"Hey." Hardison pointed his index finger at Parker.
"You had to be quick because you were alone. If you get caught, that's it. I get it. But you're not alone anymore." Hardison held Parker's face with both his hands, getting Parker to look at him. "Look. Look at me. You're not alone. You're not. You have a team. You have me. And I got you. I got you, girl." Hardison said.
Parker got what Hardison was saying. Then Hardison realized what he could do to help Parker.
"Come on now. Let's, um..." Hardison let go. "Let's try something different, okay?" Hardison went over to his laptop as Parker wiped her eyes.
Hardison went back over and stood in front of Parker.
"Now, getting the rhythm is kind of like dancing. You remember how it was when we took down Duberman?" Hardison had a hand on Parker's waist.
"Mm-hmm." Parker smiled a bit, calming her down.
"You remember that? All right." Hardison had both his hands on Parker's waist and Parker was wrapped around Hardison's shoulders.
"Now, just flow with me. Get - get on my toes." Hardison said. Parker's eyes went wide.
"On your toes?" Parker questioned.
"Yeah. I'm all right." Parker put her shoes on Hardison's toes.
"Now just, uh - just move with me." Hardison said.
Parker was cradled into Hardison's neck, smiling and Hardison hummed. She was slightly confused, but eventually, she released, closing her eyes and swaying with Hardison. Eventually, Hardison let go and moved out of the way, still humming and holding Parker's hand. Parker walked up to Hardison, her eyes still closed, and their foreheads touched. Eventually, Hardison let go entirely, and Parker did the whole thing on her own, smiling as she realized she had done it. Hardison and Parker both chuckled. They went to high five.
"Yes!" Parker exclaimed, proud of herself.
Third Person POV (Nate and Sophie)
After a quick-paced round, Nate came out on top for his last opponent. Now, he was up against Olivia.
First Person POV (Kaira)
Sterling led me and Eliot down into the server room.
"Did you see them come in here?" Eliot asked.
And I'm not gonna lie, something isn't right.
"This is the only room accessible from the service tunnels." Sterling said.
All of a sudden, Eliot started rubbing his face, and I feel drowsy. I'm sweating a bit, and I can't think straight. I realize that Sterling did put something in our coffee. Eliot went to swing, but he missed and fell onto the floor, and I go to punch, but I trip on Eliot, and I blackout.
Third Person POV
Nate was walking towards the final table.
"Parker, are you in position?" Nate asked.
Parker was in the hallway, grunting to get to the elevator.
"In position." Parker said, breathing heavily.
"I'll start your clock when I start mine, I can guarantee you five minutes, hopefully, more." Nate gave the timetable.
"Spoof security, cross the vault, pressurize the case, steal the weight, and escape. Yeah, I'm thinking hopefully more." Parker said, still making her way across.
"Now, if we don't pull this off now, we don't pull it off at all." Nate said.
Hardison was in the hotel room, drinking his orange soda, realizing Eliot and Kaira's comms went offline.
"Nate, when's the last time you checked in with Eliot and Kaira?" Hardison asked.
"Uh, why?" Nate asked, approaching the final table, where Olivia was sitting.
"Their comms dropped off the grid about nine minutes ago. No pings, no system status, no nothing." Hardison said.
"Possible causes?" Nate asked.
"Lots of things - damage, water, they could have turned them off. Wouldn't be their first time." Hardison said.
"What about Sterling?" Nate asked.
"With Eliot and Kaira as of nine minutes ago." Hardison reported.
The chess room's lights had started getting turned off, leaving enough for the area the final chess match was taking place.
"Nate, it's time." Sophie said.
"Okay. Here we go." Nate said, starting to walk to the table.
"Parker... get ready." Nate said.
Parker readied herself, standing in front of the elevator.
"Get set." Nate said. He shook hands with Olivia and sat down.
"Go." Nate said, starting the timer.
Parker called the elevator. She had a hard time finding the rhythm, but she made it on the elevator.
"Yes!" Parker quietly exclaimed.
First Person POV (Kaira)
When I came to, I felt a body against me. I couldn't remember immediately what had happened, so I panicked and part of me wanted to turn to see who it was, but I was frozen in fear. I felt a hand wrap around me, and my heart races.
"Kaira." Eliot's voice made me realize I was okay.
I slowly turn to face him.
"Hey, Cowboy." I whispered, still groggy.
"Nate?" Eliot whispered. "Nate?" I whispered.
We don't hear anything, and I feel my ear where I usually have my comm in, and realize it's not there. Eliot and I look in front of us, and both of our earbuds are smashed.
"Shit." I groaned.
I get my bearings and help Eliot up.
Third Person POV
Nate and Olivia were in a fast-paced game.
Parker had made it down the elevator and the doors opened to the vault. Parker froze, breathing heavily.
"Um, Parker, I don't mean to rush you, but... you kind of need to rush." Hardison said as Parker tried to get herself ready.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay." Parker said. She still struggled to get herself started. "Um, do you think maybe you could, uh... well, it was just easier before when there was, you know, um... music." Parker said, a bit embarrassed.
"Um..." Hardison said. Parker was jittery but calmed down when she heard Hardison humming.
Nate was slightly confused but went along with it as Sophie smiled.
Once Parker got the rhythm, she made it across the vault floor.
Nate ignored the humming in his ear and continued playing. Sophie got anxious and took out her compact. Nate caught her.
"Careful, Sophie. No unnecessary risks." Nate whispered, clearing his throat.
"What was that?" Olivia asked Nate.
Nate brushed it off and had a conversation with Olivia, where she revealed some advice she got from her actual dad, how the only thing she wasn't afraid of was being afraid. She revealed Livingston taught her how to play chess, but her real dad taught her to win. She tapped the chess piece against the table, sparking Nate's interest.
First Person POV (Kaira)
I was holding Eliot up, helping us walk to the door. We were both panting, trying to recover. I don't know what exactly that British bastard put in our coffee, but it was kicking our asses. By now, I think it's just the after-effects of the drug, drowsiness, sweating, that were getting to us.
Eliot tried the door, which had a pad that we couldn't get into.
"Damn it. The one time we need Hardison." Eliot muttered.
Eliot got his footing and walked over to the server. He pulled off the grate and handed it to me.
"I got this. We'll be okay." I tried comforting us both.
I grabbed it and I started smashing the joints, hoping to break them so we could get in the door.
Third Person POV
Parker was making her way across the vault floor, her eyes closed as Hardison kept humming, swaying to the beat. But Hardison stopped when he heard a beeping from his laptop, saying the boots were off.
"P-Parker, I'm getting some really funky readings of your right boot. Is everything okay?" Hardison said.
"Yeah, it's fine." Parker said.
Just then, ball bearings started clattering on the floor.
"Oops." Parker said.
"Parker, that - that sounded a lot like ball bearings rolling across the floor." Hardison pointed out.
"Uh-huh." Parker muttered, trying to brush it off.
Hardison rubbed his face.
"Was that because there were ball bearings rolling across the floor?" Hardison asked.
"Uh-huh." Parker confirmed.
Hardison rubbed his face again. "Okay. No, it's cool. It's cool. It's cool. Be cool. Um... You know what? They're below the minimum threshold, so they will not trigger the alarm." Hardison explained.
"Lucky ducks." Parker said.
"Just don't move. I need a minute." Hardisons said, starting to work.
"Please. Take your time. I'm just standing on a giant alarm sensor with no exit, no plan, and a hundred pounds of iron strapped to my feet. Fine." Parker said, obviously getting worried.
Hardison worked to get Parker an exit.
On the chess floor, Sophie was being taken away by security. Nate saw the Kahzistanis walking towards the back.
"I really need more time here, Nate." Hardison said.
Nate had to come up with something quickly.
"Running out of time." Olivia said.
\Nate made a move on the chess board and the crowd murmered, buying Hardison the time needed.
"Okay, Parker, there should be some exposed piping, an industrial sprinkler system. Do you see it?" Hardison asked.
Parker was already hanging from it. "Yeah, I see it. You think it'll hold me?" Parker asked, coming down on the rope.
"Think it's your best shot." Hardison said.
Parker got the hose ready and was about to depressure the case when the elevators closed. She stuck the pump needle into the air line.
"Hardison, please tell me you now why the doors to my escape route just closed." Parker said, turning on the gas.
Hardison rubbed his face and chuckled nervously. "Hell no. Nate can't talk, Sophie's in custody, Eliot and Kaira are gone, probably making out. Look, Parker, it is time to go." Hardison said.
"Almost there." Parker said.
She finished pressuring the case. Nate lost the game on purpose to Olivia.
"Good game." Olivia shook Nate's hand.
"Yes, it is." Nate said.
On the vault floor, the alarms started going off. Hardison was freaking out.
"Come on, man!" Hardison exclaimed.
Security got Olivia out and Nate stood up, finally clear to talk.
"Parker?" Nate questioned.
"Not it." Parker said.
"Okay, Kazhistanis coming your way. Can only stall for so long. You got to be moving." Nate said, getting his jacket on.
Nate ran up to Livingston, accusing him of running a crooked tournament. Nate then punched him after Livingston told him to go. The Kahzistantis pointed guns at Nate.
First Person POV (Kaira)
As if this day couldn't get any worse, now me and Eliot had to save Nate's ass. I'm pissed. I've been drugged, and screwed over by that British bastard. So, naturally, Eliot and I took on all three Kahzistani.
"Nate, it was Sterling! It was Sterl-" Eliot tried to say when he got punched, so I finished for him as Eliot got tackled.
"Sterling screwed us!" I exclaimed as I go to help get the guys off Eliot.
Third Person POV
Hardison saw on the laptop the active elevators.
"Okay, okay. Parker, listen. Um, they're sending the elevator back up. It's on the move. But I got some bad news. Security protocol is gonna send it straight to the top, and they're gonna lock it down." Hardison reported.
Parker had gotten down and put on her pack. "That's my way out." Parker said.
She made it over to the elevator, and started pulling the doors open.
"Are you about to do what I think?" Hardison asked, hearing Parker grunting on comms.
Parker got the doors open and looked in the shaft.
"Hardisn, I just wanted to say-" Parker was about to say when Hardison got impatient.
"Parker, jump!" Hardison exclaimed.
Parker jumped down and landed on top of the elevator.
Meanwhile, Nate ran outside and saw Sterling leaving in a black SUV, so Nate stole a red Ferari and drove off.
Parker made it to the roof.
Nate was driving after Sterling. "Okay, we're done. Everyone out. Hardison, Eliot and Kaira are here, ground floor. Find them. Free Sophie. Everyone to the extraction points." Nate ordered.
Hardisn stood up at his set up.
"Whoa, whoa. Wait. Eliot and Kaira are here?" Hardison questioned, relieved.
"Yeah, just follow the trail of the terrorists. You won't miss them." Nate said.
"Where are you going?" Hardison asked.
"I'm going after Sterling." Nate said.
"Where is he going?" Hardison asked.
"Oh, he's escaping with the target." Nate said.
"How did Sterling get the weight?" Parker asked.
"No, the real target." Nate said. He put the car in a higher gear to catch up.
First Person POV (Kaira)
Eliot and I made it to the main lobby, where we had seen Nate go. There we saw Hardison, and I smile, glad to see a familiar face.
"Eliot! Kaira!" Hardison walked up to us, relieved.
"Hey, man." Eliot said, pulling Hardison into a hug, patting his back, but then mmedietly pushing off.
"Stop, dude. What are you doing?" Eliot asked, pushing away.
I smile at Hardison. "Hardison!" I bury myself in Hardison's neck, just needing to feel something real.
I let go when I feel Eliot's hand on my back, telling me I was okay.
"Where the hell you two been?" Hardison asked us.
"Sterling drugged us. Smashed our earbuds." Eliot explained.
Hardison chuckled, causing me to hide how pissed I was, but I wasn't in the mood to explain why.
"So I'm guessing you probably want to hit some bad guys, huh?" Hardison said.
Eliot and I faced him. "Know where some are?" I questioned, feeling better already.
Hardison handed me and Eliot new comms and we follow him. Hardison leads us to the security room, where Sophie was being held. Eliot and I beat up many guys and when we take out the last two, Hardison opened the door. I was pissed and needed some control, so beating bad guys was the best way to let off some steam.
"They're working some stuff out. Ugged-dray by Erling-Stay." Hardison told Sophie.
"Hey." Eliot told him off.
"Well, I don't mind waiting if you want to... a little more." Sophie said, pointing to the knocked out goons at our feet.
"I think I'm good." Eliot said.
"Yeah, I'm feel better now." I leave with Eliot.
Hardison and Sophie follow us out.
Third Person POV
Nate finally got ahead of Sterling and drifted to a stop, causing Sterling to stop. Nate and Sterling got out of their vehicles.
"You gonna leave without saying goodbye?" Nate questioned Sterling.
Parker tried to get down through roof access staircase, but goons were coming up.
"Hardison? I'm on the roof with no way down." Parker said, getting antsy.
Hardison was driving to get Parker with Eliot in the passenger seat, Kaira and Sophie in the back.
"Stairway and elevator?" Hardisn questioned.
"No, they're both blocked. I think I'm trapped up here." Parker said, scared.
"There's a third way down." Hardison told Parker.
"No, I don't have a chute." Parker said.
"Uh, check again." Hardison said.
Parker opened up her pack, revealing Hardison had packed a chute.
"Did you do this?" Parker asked.
Parker flashed back to her and Hardison's training time when he told her he got her.
"Okay. Problem is, I'm too high for a base jump. I don't weigh enough for this wind sheer. I'm gonna get tossed around like a leaf." Parker said, putting the pack back on.
"Parker, look down." Hardison said.
Parker realized she still had the boots on, which would add enough weight to work. Parker smiled as she jumped off the spire. She was yelling as she opened her chute. Hardison tracked her, also smiling. He finally arrived.
"It's right..." Hardison said, pulling up to another building.
"Go that way." Eliot said.
"It's there, man." Hardison argued.
They pulled up to where Parker had landed. She dropped the chute and Kaira opened the door as Parker ran in. Kaira hugged Parker as she shut the door behind, careful to not catch the chute in the door.
"You okay?" Hardison asked, smiling.
"Yeah. Can I go again?" Parker said, excited as she sat down.
"Guess it's not so bad being weighed down, after all." Hardison said.
"Where's Nate?" Parker asked.
"What do you think? Playing chess." Kaira said.
"Again?" Parker questioned.
"Always." Sophie quipped.
Nate leaned against the car. "So, when did it become so easy for you to lie?" Nate asked Sterling.
"I had to get my informant out. When Olivia's mother died, she turned on Livingston, fed Interpol everything we needed." Sterling explained.
"You got to stop insulting me, Sterling. I knew she was the informant before the first match. Did you really think I wouldn't figure out she was your daughter?" Nate said.
Sterling was a bit surprised.
Nate's first clue had been the nervous ticks of tapping the chess piece on the board Nate got from his games with Sterling and Olivia. And the other clue was how quickly Sterling corrected Nate that Olivia was Livingston's stepdaughter. Nate figured out that Sterling needed the distraction of the alarms to get Olivia to a safe place where he could get her out.
"You used us. You lied to me. You manipulated the team. Come on, I just want to know why you wouldn't tell me." Nate said.
"Would you have come to Dubai if I had?" Sterling asked.
"No, no, Jim. No. I'm talking about before that... when we were friends. You had a wife and a daughter, and I didn't know. Why?" Nate asked.
Sterling thought a moment. "Cause it was my fault that they left. And I knew it." Sterling said.
Just then Olivia got out of the car and walked by Sterling.
"Olivia, get back in the car." Sterling told Olivia.
"He didn't have a choice. It's not safe here. I was in danger, and he's my dad. What wouldn't you do to save your kid?!" Olivia exclaimed to Nate.
"Olivia." Sterling calmed Olivia down.
Nate thought about the question, realizing he would do anything to save Kaira.
"Why'd you come to me?" Nate asked.
"Cause you're the best thief I've ever seen. I couldn't risk anything less." Sterling said.
Olivia started tearing up and Nate sniffled as he pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it to Sterling.
"What is it?" Sterling asked.
"It's a name. Give me everything you got on him. Everything." Nate walked away.
"You do that, I'll make sure Eliot and Kaira don't know where to find you." Nate said.
"This makes us even, right?" Sterling asked. Nate didn't answer him.
First Person POV (Kaira)
After getting Nate and cleaning up, we all went back to Boston. It was nice to be back in something familiar again. I was still recovering from Dubai. Sterling basically conning us to save his daughter, getting drugged. It was a lot, and I needed time. I get why Sterling wanted to get his daughter out, but I still couldn't get over why he didn't just say that. Why the whole chess game?
So, we were gathered around the table in the bar, drinks and food in front of us.
"I'm not letting Sterling slide on this." Eliot argued.
"His goal I can let slide, but I can't let slide the fact that he drugged me and my husband and lied to us." I added.
"Well, at least I got to jump off a building that was like eight other buildings on top of each other." Parker said.
"Good for you. I ain't letting him slide." Eliot reiterated.
"Guys, a father reunited with his daughter. Take the win." Nate said.
"Win? Sterling beat us - again." Sophie said.
"Livingston was holding Olivia prisoner. I mean, what father wouldn't do what Sterling did? Trust me." Nate said, looking at me longer than the rest, and I get the message.
"I mean, I get it, but did he also have to make us lose? I mean, they got the nukes." Parker pointed out.
"Who said we lost?" Nate said. He went to open Hardison's tablet. "It turns out, when you spin an improperly calibrated centrifuge, it tends to..." Nate said, holding the tablet, which showed a news article that a nuclear plant in Kazhistan exploded.
"Explode." Hardison said.
I realized what Nate did. He had added salt to the pump, so when Parker put the gas in the line, it also added salt, messing up the weight. I smiled. Of course Nate would always think 5 steps ahead.
He put down the tablet. "You see, Sterling, he wanted a team that he could trust that would create a distraction for Olivia's escape and also smart enough to keep the nukes out of the terrorists' hands. He got us." Nate said.
"So, what, the salt was plan 'b'?" Sophie questioned.
"No, no. That's plan 'm'." Nate said.
"Don't I die in plan 'M'?" Hardison questioned, and I think back to that night we had all met.
God, look where we're at now.
"Yeah, usually. Yeah." Nate said.
"What do you mean, 'usually'? How many plans do I die in?" Hardison asked, offended.
Nate chuckled. "C, F, and M through Q." Nate said.
"Oh, see, that's a little close to home, man. Need to switch that up. How many plans do Eliot and Kaira die in?" Hardison said.
"Uh, none. And none." Nate pointed to me and Eliot, then Parker.
"None." Parker said.
Nate pointed at Sophie. "And, uh..." Nate didn't finish and just went on.
"So, there is a plan where he comes out of it with a scar that goes from the temple through the eye..." Nate explained, pointing to Eliot.
"Ooh! You'd look so cool with a scar." Parker said.
"Wait, then he would be blind in one eye!" I argued, not liking Eliot being blind.
"Yeah." Nate said, not thinking anything of it.
"So, I don't want my husband to be blind. Fix it!" I said.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Can we go back? Let's rewind." Sophie tried to say, but then everyone started talking over one another. We all toasted.
Eventually we all went up to head to bed. Well, except me. I couldn't sleep, so I went down to the bar and decided to clean the bar. Not that it wasn't cleaned from the night shift, but I needed something to do. I was in my own headspace, so I didn't see Hardison come in.
"Hey, Kaira." Hardison's voice came in, and it startled me a bit.
"Hey, Hardison." I said, trying to brush off me getting startled. He walked up to the bar.
I stopped and looked at him.
"Look, I saw how you reacted after I laughed after Eliot said you both were drugged, and I wanted to say, I'm sorry." Hardison said.
I smile a bit. "It's okay." I dismissed it, wanting to be alone.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Hardison asked me.
"Not really." I said.
Hardison just shook his head, accepting my answer.
"If you ever want to talk, I'm here, okay?" Hardison said.
I shook my head and he left. I lower my head and lean on the bar. It was a long misson, and I was tuckered out. So I went back up to bed next to Eliot, wanting to put the mission past me.