First Person POV (Kaira)
What I didn't expect when I woke up this morning was getting a client. Especially a client that was so close to Eliot. His mentor, Toby. Eliot did tell me a bit about Toby. I never got the full story.
When Toby came in, he was bruised and beaten. Eliot, Nate, and I sat with him at a table in the restaurant. I could tell Eliot was upset, so I did my best to comfort him. I was sitting beside Eliot.
"Look - my body will heal. It's about my students. These kids, they come from foster homes. A lot of them have a-arrest records. They can't afford normal trade school, never mind culinary school. I was giving them a second chance. We're about to open a restaurant at the school, give them job opportunities. Now they have nowhere to go." Toby told us.
"All this so Lampard can jack up the tuition costs?" Eliot questioned.
"He says nobody cares about the art, that they all just want to be celebrity chefs, get their own tv show. He's charging 30 grand tuition, promising folks they can become rock-star chefs or something." Toby explained.
"This doesn't explain the beating that you took." Nate pointed out.
"I'm pretty sure Lampard's dealing drugs." Toby revealed.
"How do you know that?" I asked him.
"I walked in on him and a couple of guys. They exchanged a briefcase full of cash for a big duffel bag." Toby said.
"Did-did you see any drugs?" Nate asked.
"I did hear someone say the price was $12,000 a kilo." Toby said.
"Cocaine." The three of us said.
"Can you help me?" Toby asked.
Nate was reluctant, but wanting to accept it. Nate then turned to us.
"Can I talk to you two?" Nate asked us, heading to the bar.
Eliot and I excused ourselves and followed him. Nate leaned on the bar.
"It just - it seems like he should go to the police." Nate pointed out.
"I know what you're gonna say, Nate, but I want to tell you something about Toby. He taught me how to use a knife." Eliot said.
"Use a knife?" Nate questioned.
"No. Not like I use a knife. He taught me how to cook." Eliot explained.
Nate nodded.
"I was out of the service, and I was working for my second PMC, two years before I met Kaira, and the jobs we were taking were way across the line - past extractions and security actions." Eliot explained.
"Wetwork." I realized.
It wasn't like I was surprised. Cause most of the things he did, I did the same.
"Yeah. Anyway, I met Toby. We were reconning this restaurant in Belgium. And I should have closed him out. I should have been in and out in under 90 seconds. But I ended up talking to him for three hours. He showed me that I could use my knife to create instead of destroy." Eliot explained.
I grabbed his arm, feeling bad.
"I stuck around for a couple of months. He taught me everything there was about the art of food, and I…" Eliot blanked out for a moment.
"He's one of the guys that kept me from falling all the way down. So now I'm asking the other guy to understand why I'm gonna help him." Eliot said.
He then turned to me.
"And I'm asking the woman I love, who kept me from falling all the way down, who changed me, to help me." Eliot looked like he was almost begging me.
"Babe, you don't have to ask me. I've got you, forever and always. No questions asked." I told Eliot, looking him in the eye.
I nodded at Nate, showing that no matter what he said, I was helping Eliot. Nate ended up agreeing and went back to the table. I stayed with Eliot at the bar.
"Thank you, Kaira." Eliot looked at me, grabbing my hand.
"Hey, you don't need to thank me. I got your back, always." I reminded Eliot, putting my other hand on top of his.
"How did I get so lucky?" Eliot asked out loud.
"Good things do happen to good people, babe." I told Eliot.
Eliot then got this sad look on his face.
"You sure about that?" Eliot asked me.
Before I could answer him, Nate called us over. Eliot and I untangled our hands and went back to the table.
Third Person POV
Parker was sad, reading a book at the briefing table. Hardison walked up to her, asking what was going on. Just as Parker went to say she was feeling something, Eliot called out, saying Hardison had a delivery. Hardison left, going to get his stuff. Hardison signed for it, and Eliot stopped him from leaving, saying he needed to tip the guy. Hardison argued.
First Person POV (Kaira)
Yeah, Eliot bitched to me about Hardison not tipping the delivery guy. I may have grown up with the mob, but everyone who worked for my uncle was respected. Anyone messed with anyone, you paid. And, yes, we did have delivery people that delivered… things of value. But they were given as much respect as my grandfather and uncle. And I also heard about Hardison ignoring Parker. So, yeah, I wasn't pleased with Hardison at the moment.
Since we had a job to prepare for, Eliot and I met with everyone else at the briefing table. Hardison came in, holding his new toy, laughing.
"Oh, this town rocks. Who would have known that you can get a negative ion capacitor here? Seriously." Hardison said, setting his stuff down.
"Okay, Sophie is still at the theater, doing whatever she's doing, so let's just do this." Nate said, turning to Hardison.
He pulled out his remote.
"All right." Hardison said, walking in front of the table.
Hardison pulled up the briefing.
"David Lampard. He's a former chef. He wanted to be like an Emeril or Mario Matali, but he couldn't cut it in the big kitchens, so he turned to investing. He takes over cooking schools that need help. He charges ridiculous tuition, but he offers loans at a bargain rate of 30%. Now, if people can't pay, he takes their card, their homes, whatever. I mean, he's basically a loan shark, but the legal kind. I mean, all his accounts are legit. All the money's in the right spots." Hardison explained. (A/N And that my friends, is why I'm not in college)
"Okay, yeah, but according to Eliot's friend, it's not about money, it's about drugs." Nate pointed out.
"Aha." Hardison pulled up tickets.
"You see, Lampard took three trips to France in the last six months, which, for a guy in the food biz, is not weird except for the fact that, according to his GPS, he never spent any time in the food world." Hardison said.
"Where was he?" Eliot asked.
Hardison pulled up the GPS map on France.
"Out in the middle of nowhere, under bridges, in back alleys." Hardison said.
"Yeah, that's not suspicious at all." I said sarcastically.
"So, what? They're bringing drugs in from France?" Parker questioned.
"He's more likely buying them from French suppliers and shipping them here." I explained.
"Yeah, but, I mean, it doesn't surprise me that his accounts are clean. I mean, dealers don't hide their money in accounts." Nate said.
"So, where are they hiding it?" Parker asked.
"Safest place they know - right next to their stash. So what we got to do is we got to steal the stash, forcing Lampard to give the new restaurant and the school back to Toby Heath." Nate looked at us. (A/N You can't tell me Toby Keith was the inspiration behind the name, especially since both him and CK are country singers.)
"Sophie, we need you to come in." Nate came over comms.
We got ready to start the con.
Third Person POV
Once Sophie got rid of the current instructor by sending him on a film shoot. Nate reminded Hardison that he needed to blend in, and they needed to find the drugs and money. Hardison, undercover as a student, assured Nate he had it under control and then got distracted by a laser, and liquid nitrogen.
First Person POV (Kaira)
I was also undercover as a student. Then Eliot came in, dressed in a red chef's coat, holding the knife set.
"All right, everybody, listen up. Come down to table two, line up." Eliot ordered the students.
The students came over, including Hardison and I, and lined up.
"The chef that was gonna be with you today has booked another gig, so I am your new instructor." Eliot said, getting his knife out.
"What's your name?" A woman asked.
"Chef." Eliot answered.
Then Eliot cut up some celery, like a professional (A/N I am not a professional, so I will most likely mess something up.). Eliot then threw his towel down. Another middle-aged woman was on her phone, which annoyed me.
"This is not a class about cooking. Doesn't have anything to do with temperatures. All right, it's not about measurements. It has nothing to do with what ingredients go with what. W-w-what are you doing?" Eliot stopped to look at the middle-aged woman's phone.
"I'm texting Sydney. We're supposed to go shopping after the-" I slapped the phone out of her hand and Eliot caught it, threw it behind him into the pot of water.
I had to suppress laughter. The woman gasped.
"Food is life. Food… is life. Food is life. What is food?" Eliot pointed to the middle-aged woman.
"Food is life?" She questioned.
"Food is life. Learn it. You will take this class seriously. Because if you don't, I'll throw your ass out of here quicker than you-" Eliot caught sight of Hardison, who was wearing goggles.
"I get to fire a laser." Hardison said, pointing at his laser.
Eliot had to suppress the urge to toss Hardison out. Hardison chuckled.
"Yeah. Geeking in the kitchen. Uh, make you want to dance." Hardison started swaying.
"We're here to cook food, not play with lasers." Eliot told Hardison.
I'm not gonna lie, I liked seeing Eliot in this role. As long as I've known Eliot, he's always shared his passion for food. He'd always want to cook for me, and it used to annoy me, cause I didn't always like food. Let's just say, me and food didn't always get along.
But after a while, I saw that food was another form of Eliot taking care of me. And when I started making that connection, I learned to love food. Because, as Eliot said, it's not about the technical stuff. Food is about the emotion and love you put into it. And Eliot puts a lot of love in his food.
Eliot then told us different tasks he wanted us to do. I ended up having to cut some tomatoes. Though, the whole time, Eliot was glancing at me. Eliot did a sweep, and he walked up to me.
"How you doing, Kaira?" Eliot asked me, whispering.
"I'm actually having fun. I like seeing you be passionate about something. And seeing you cook is always a good time for me." I whisper, teasing him slightly, though it's obvious I'm happy for him too.
"Hmm. Maybe once we're done here, I'll give you a private lesson. How 'bout that?" Eliot looked at me flirty, still whispering.
"I like the sound of that, Cowboy." I give him a flirty smile back and go back to what I was doing.
Third Person POV
Parker and Nate were back at the office, playing with cards. Parker asked Nate why Eliot was so "ahh!" about food. Nate said it was Eliot's passion. Parker went back to shuffling cards, and Nate sensed Parker wasn't herself. So, he asked if she was okay. Parker said she was fine. Nate then asked how she liked being in Portland. Parker said it was fine, and that her and Hardison are fine, and everything with Leverage is fine.
Nate didn't buy it, and asked what was going on. Parker said she didn't have a thing. Nate asked what she meant. She pointed out that Eliot has his thing, he loves food. Kaira loved books and mixology. Sophie loved theater, Nate had a sicko love of controlling people. Nate was about to say something, but stopped himself. Nate went to art, and asked Parker what she saw Michelangelo's David. Parker talked about the security system protecting the David.
Nate moved on, asking Hardison, Eliot, and Kaira how they were doing. Eliot said that he swept the kitchen twice, and there was nothing. Eliot then asked Hardison if he found anything. Hardison said he did, then fired his negative ion cannon at a pile of salt, spreading it all over the table. Hardison was pleased with himself, as Kaira just groaned.
Hardison then had an idea about levitating food could replace waiters. (A/N Which, this rubs me differently now that I work at a restaurant, and I hear of everything that waiters go through. Seriously, always be nice to waiters, and ALWAYS TIP FOR GOD SAKES!) Eliot threatened to stab Hardison in the neck. Hardison said to not hate the barbecue, hate the sauce. Eliot told Hardison to do a sweep.
Eliot then dismissed himself, telling Kaira to come with him. Hardison said he was headed to the bathroom. Kaira may have also smacked a guy upside the head for playing with Hardison's ion gun. Hardison then grabbed the gun from him.
First Person POV (Kaira)
Eliot and I went to the storage room, where they stored the tools and equipment.
"You think the other students know we're married?" I joked with Eliot a bit as we were both searching.
"Kaira, please focus." Eliot told me.
"I'm multitasking." I said.
I heard Eliot grumble.
"Seriously, though. I mean, we took our rings off for the con, but the way I saw you looking at me, I bet the students think we're sleeping together." I messed with Eliot some.
I heard some more grumbling from Eliot.
"Kaira, sweetheart, we're married. Of course, we're sleeping together. Now, please, focus." Eliot may have acted grumpy, but he secretly enjoyed it.
"I know that. But do the students know?" I asked.
"Kaira." Eliot said sternly.
I just chuckled and went back to searching.
We got nothing, and we walked through the seating area and started down the hall. We ended up in another refrigerator.
"Nate, we've checked every kitchen and refrigerator in…" Eliot reported when something caught his eye.
"What is it, babe?" I asked Eliot.
Before he could answer and move a shelf, the door opened. I made out with Eliot just before a white-haired man came in.
"What are you doing in here?" He asked.
Eliot and I let go and we were turned away.
"We were, uh… we were looking for some ice." Eliot said as he backed up.
"Yeah, ice, sure." I said, acting like I was composing myself.
"This freezer's off-limits." The guy said.
"Alright, jeez. No need to get pissy." I said.
"I'll check the ice machine." He said.
"Alright." Eliot said, grabbing an apple.
"Mr. Lampard would like to see you in his kitchen." He said.
Eliot and left with our heads down.
"Kaira, go back to the students." Eliot whispered in my ear.
I nodded and we both composed ourselves as we left.
Third Person POV
Eliot met with Lampard in the kitchen, having hidden the evidence of his make-out with Kaira. Lampard asked Eliot to be his executive chef for his new restaurant. Eliot pointed out that he hadn't even tasted his food.
Lampard said that taste was overrated, and that food is all about the hype, saying people pay $100 for a burger because they think it's expensive meat, but they want the sizzle. (A/N This is partially true. Food, to me, is a combination of taste, texture, and how it makes you feel. You can cook cheap meat from the store, and as long as you cook it and season it properly, it can taste exactly like expensive meat done right. Eliot would be proud of me right now lol) Eliot said that his students aren't ready yet.
Lampard pointed out that they're paying 30 G's to go to the school, so they were good. Let's just say, Eliot wasn't that confident. Lampard told Eliot to put together a good menu, don't kill him on the food cost, and do his act.
Eliot said he wasn't listening, and that was when the white-haired man came back, saying Jean-Luc was there. Eliot left. He went out into the hallway and walked in between the goons holding duffle bags. He smelled a familiar smell. Eliot reported on comms that Lampard wasn't dealing drugs, it was bigger. Nate wondered what it was. It was truffles.
First Person POV (Kaira)
Of all the damn things that had to happen, figuring out that Lampard wasn't dealing drugs, but truffles? I was slightly confused as to why it was bigger than drugs. So, Eliot had a truffle and me and him went to meet Nate in the office. Eliot sat the truffle down on the table.
"It's the French Winter Truffle. Black market on these things are off the charts. You can't grow 'em, you can't make 'em. They just appear, like mushrooms." Eliot explained as Nate smelled the truffle.
He handed it to me next, and I smelled it.
"High-end restaurants will pay five, up to six grand a pound." Eliot explained.
"13 grand a kilo wholesale." Nate pointed out.
"Cocaine, last I checked, was what, $12,000 a key, and heroin's $18,000 a key?" I pointed out.
"Less than that in Mexico, a little more in Southeast Asia." Eliot added.
"So, truffles are the cocaine of the food world." Nate said.
I handed him the truffle to look at.
"When I was walking by those guys, they had a bag. And I smelled it. Nothing smells like a French truffle. Lampard's selling them to restaurants, other chefs. Him and Jean-Luc are splitting the profit. What now?" Eliot said.
"I mean, this con was set up for drugs, will it work with truffles?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Cocaine or truffles, the play's the same. We gotta find out where he's hiding them." Nate said.
I then had an idea.
"Eliot and I were in the refrigerator when Rampone found us. He called it a freezer and said it was off limits." I realized.
"Off-limits?" Nate questioned.
"Yeah, in a cooking school. That's where they are." Eliot said.
Nate went on comms to tell Sophie we were gonna run a version of the White Van Sneakers, asking if Sophie's students could handle it. They could.
Eliot and I went to bed, and in the morning, I helped Eliot out in the kitchen of the pub. Parker was sitting at the bar, and I was helping Eliot move some things.
"I'm gonna turn this place from a microbrewery into a gastropub. What do you think about that?" Eliot as Parker, shaking a bottle as he walked to the fridge.
I can't help but smile at Eliot's excitement. He had been mentioning this to me for a bit now. But one look at Parker told me something was bothering her. Eliot grabbed something from the fridge. He walked back.
"Teach me to like stuff." Parker said.
Eliot stopped stirring.
"Parker, I don't have time for this, all right? I got to get this stuff done. Then Kaira and I got to get back to the school." Eliot said, impatient.
Parker was upset, and I lightly smacked Eliot to get him to talk to Parker.
Third Person POV
Hardison showed the students his edible paper, and used the laser to create a vapor to flavor the wine glasses. Then Nate revealed himself, looking sketchy. One of the women tried flirting with Nate. Then Rampone came in, and Hardison directed him to the fridge where Nate went. Nate met with Lampard in the kitchen, introducing himself as Gnar Slabdash, a food mover. Rampone came in. Nate said he wanted to move truffles. Nate then left, knowing Lampard wa following him.
First Person POV (Kaira)
Eliot had made some food for Parker. He sat the plate in front of her, but Parker wasn't sure what to make of it.
"It's just food." Parker said.
"It's not just food, all right? Some people could look at it and see just food, but not me. I see art. When I'm in the kitchen, I'm-I'm creating something out of nothing. You know what I mean? And sometimes, I crush it. Sometimes, it's crap. But either way, it makes me feel something." Eliot explained.
"Feel what?" Parker asked.
"Just… feel." Eliot said.
"Feel. Okay." Parker said, looking at the food again.
Eliot inhaled.
"You know, I didn't feel anything for a long time, and Toby taught me how to cook, and after he did, I started to feel stuff again. That's why I share it through my food. This is my art. This is my art, Parker. It's like letting a stranger in your head just for a second. And you allow them to feel what you're feeling." Eliot said.
I could tell something clicked in Parker. And it fills me with joy. Eliot pushed the plate back to Parker.
"Look again." Eliot said.
Parker had her arms on the table and looked at the food. Eliot went back to cooking.
"You know, Parker, I didn't feel anything for a long time, either. Kasey and my parents died, and it was easier to go numb. I met Eliot, and he showed me his love for food. And before Eliot, I didn't have a good relationship with food. Eliot taught me to love food. When Eliot taught me about food, I started to feel again. I felt good, because I connected with Eliot over the food we'd make. And I've been into mixology, and it's all about balance." Parker looked up at me.
"Food made you feel?" Parker questioned.
"Well, it was more of a catalyst. Because Eliot showed me how food made him feel, I learned to feel again. The books I'm always reading, they make me feel. Whatever the character's feeling, I start to feel it as well." I explained.
"But - how do you feel?" Parker asked me.
I thought a moment.
"Find something, hold it, take it in, and think about how you're reacting to it. For me, I pick up a book, I read it, and if something funny happens, like a bad joke, I laugh. Something sad happens, I cry. Or if I'm watching Eliot cook, it makes me happy, cause I know it makes him happy. And he looks damn good cooking." I said, causing Parker and I to laugh.
"And sometimes, feelings just come out of nowhere. I'll see something that reminds me of Kasey, and my heart starts racing, and my breathing gets heavy, and it's like I can't get any air. That's an anxiety attack. Or the opposite. I see Eliot when I wake up in the morning, and I am flooded with happiness. And feelings aren't the same for everyone. Not everyone reacts the same. It just takes time, Parker. You find something you love, something that makes you happy, and you'll figure out your thing." I said.
Parker and I smiled.
"What are you feeling now?" Parker asked me.
I continue smiling.
"Content. I feel content." I said.
"Content?" Parker questioned.
"Yeah. For the first time in a long time, I have everything I could want. Married to a great guy, doing a job I love, having a brewpub with my best friends in the whole world. Living in a nice city with the people I love the most. What more could a girl want?" I said, smiling.
I went back to helping Eliot. But something was nagging me in the back of my mind. Sure, I was content with my life. Sure, I had it made. Nice job, nice husband, nice house, the absolute best friends a girl could ask for. I had almost everything I could want. I was content, but maybe I wasn't entirely satisfied. Something was missing from my life.
Third Person POV
Nate and Sophie went to a field where they acted like truffles grew there. Lampard came, and Nate introduced Sophie as Rebecca Wambach. Sophie had a Valley accent on, and asked Lampard if he was a friend of Nates. Lampard said he was working on it, and asked to see the truffle. Lampard smelled it and tried it. Lampard questioned whether it was a French truffle, and Nate pointed out they were in Oregon.
Lampard asked if there were more. Nate said there was a few, but Sophie said there were thousands. Nate then questioned Lampard, saying he thought he has plenty. Lampard said one can never have enough truffles. Sophie then said she was donating these to local co-ops. Lampard didn't like that.
Nate said the she might take a few and sell them, and use the money to do something for the locals, like opening up a bookstore. Sophie argued, saying the truffles belonged to the city of Portland, saying it's what she did back in the U.K, open-source food. Nate told Sophie he wanted a word with his new friend. Sophie left, saying she was gonna go check on her crooknecks.
Lampard wasn't impressed with Nate ripping on a hippie chick. Nate just chuckled a bit. Lampard asked how much land she had, and Nate said she had 16,000 acres. Lampard asked how much had truffles growing on it. Nate gave the same answer. Lampard asked for 20 pounds by tonight, he'd get 5 grand.
Nate then quotes a random squash teacher, saying if he was gonna play with a broken racquet, take care to lob the shots. Lampard asked if Nate was in. Nate said he wasn't, saying he needed to pay fair market price, which was $2,000 a pound. Lampard accepted the deal, paying $40,000 for the entire load in three hours.
In order to get the amount of truffles needed, they brought Toby back, asking for 20 pound of truffles. Toby met with them at the restaurant, saying he could only get 16 pounds from a student in Seattle who has to take truffles off his menu. Sophie assured him that he'd get the truffles back with interest. Nate said that once Lampard buy them, they'd track where he keeps the truffles and the cash. Nate asked if Sophie's students were ready. Sophie said it was gonna be Tony-worthy. Nate said he'd hope it was grifter-worthy.
Nate then went on comms, asking Hardison how he was doing. Hardison was at the screen, looking at the camera footage of the school. Hardison reported that they were all good. Nate said to wish him luck.
Sophie told Nate she didn't trust Rampone or Lampard, and to be careful. Nate said he was always careful, leaving. Nate did the meet with Lampard. Nate got worried because Lampard wanted to weigh the bag, but luckily, Lampard wasn't as good of a scale as he thought he was. Nate asked for the cash. As Nate was walking away with the cash, Lampard offered for Nate to stop by the restaurant the next day, saying he'd get the friends and family discount. Nate said he was taking Ms. Wambach to dinner, so he couldn't. Lampard said to bring her along, saying he could try one of the new truffle dishes. The meet ended.
Nate, Parker, and Hardison watched the camera footage, revealing Lampard kept the truffles in a safe behind a wall that was behind the shelf that got Eliot's attention earlier. Nate said they were gonna do this when Lampard was distracted the next day at opening night of the restaurant. Hardison questioned how they were gonna do that, saying Lampard was going to be all over the kitchen. Nate said not if a food critic was there. Hardison said he was on it, but pointed out that Sophie had burned her I.D. Eliot and Kaira were back at the kitchen, preparing food for the opening.
Eliot said Parker could do it. Parker said she couldn't, and that she didn't even like food, except for chocolate and donuts. Kaira then came on comms, saying to remember everything her and Eliot told her about food, then assured Parker she could do it. Then Eliot confirmed, saying she can do it. Nate said Parker was the critic. Hardison pulled up a news story about "The Foodie Queen", a food critic nobody knew who she was, except for a birthmark on her wrist. Hardison pulled up a drawing of the critic, who had a bob haircut. Then Hardison realized that Parker's gonna be on the floor, Eliot and Kaira were in the kitchen, and wondered who was gonna be on the safe.
Hardison quickly realized it was gonna be him, which he didn't like. Kaira then came on comms, saying she could walk Hardison through the safecracking. Nate then heard yelling from downstairs, and went he went to investigate, it turns out it was Sophie giving her students a lesson.
First Person POV (Kaira)
It was the next night, which meant it was showtime. Nate and Sophie, along with her students, were gonna be on the floor monitoring Lampard, Parker was doing to be the distraction, Eliot was dealing with the students in the kitchen, and I had to walk Hardison through safe cracking. Eliot came in and got the attention of everyone in the kitchen.
"All right, people, listen up." Eliot clapped his hands.
"You have made varsity, you're no longer on the J.V team. Leo, you're on seafood all night. Right there. Don't move." Eliot said to the guy by the stove.
"Hope, you're on vegetables. Garnish, all right? Remember the pairing work we went over." Eliot told the middle-aged woman.
"Whitney, come with me. You are gonna be on the grill, sweetheart, right here all night - my sidekick, okay?" Eliot moved Whitney to the grill.
"Kaira, you're right beside me, all night, got it?" Eliot told me.
I nodded. Eliot then looked at Hardison, who was eating a baget (A/N I think, at least. I don't know my bread, y'all).
"You-You're on supplies." Eliot told Hardison.
"Supply." Eliot told Hardison.
"You go... " Eliot said.
"Hardison, you're the one on the vault, so go." I whispered.
After getting stern looks from me and Eliot, Hardison finally left.
"Stop eating my food." Eliot told Hardison.
Hardison tossed the bread behind him and Eliot caught it, and had to throw it away. I heard Parker, Nate, and Sophie make their entrances.
"Okay, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we are good to go." I heard Nate over comms, causing me to growl.
"Dammit, Nathan, how many times do I have to tell you to stop jinxing the con?!" I whispered, groaning.
I was focused on helping Eliot, so I let Sophie be the one to help Parker through the grift. Eliot went to get some orders, and told us what to make. Eliot seemed such at home in the kitchen. And I knew that even though Eliot was grumbling constantly about the brewpub, I knew Eliot loved it. And I loved it too.
My mind came back when I heard Eliot yelling at Hardison to get more red onions. I then saw a suspicious guy come in, and I recognized him from watching the security footage I watched earlier. I gave Eliot a discreet tap to warn him, knowing the guy was after him.
"If you're not cooking, stay out of my kitchen." Eliot told the guy.
"Chef, you come with me." The guy said, having a French accent.
That confirmed he was one of Jean-Luc's guys. Elit hit the guy in his throat, sending him down. The guy got up, but before I could get involved, the guy went to punch Eliot, who knocked him out on the counter. Leo then came over to show Eliot the prawns, which Eliot yelled at him to plate them. I then grabbed the cast iron skillet and whacked the goon across the head with it. Eliot just looked at me.
"What? He was right there." I whispered to Eliot.
Then Hardison came in, eating a yellow bell pepper like it was a damn apple, holding a box of red onions.
"Is this how it's gonna be now, hmm? I'm the supplies guy?" Hardison questioned Eliot.
"Take those down to Hope. And stop eating my food." Eliot said.
"To Hope?" Hardison questioned.
I may have given him a shove to get him moving. I then heard Nate that Lampard was locked in, and cued Hardison. After a bit, I heard Hardison say it was time for plan B. Nate said that was plan B. Nate originally told Parker to get Hardison in while not tipping off Lampard.
Before I could help Hardison, Parker started speaking, clueing Hardison in with the air ducts. Eliot and I ended up trying some of the food, and asked Parker how it tasted, and if she felt anything.
Parker said about the spring rolls and the salsa verde and how they worked, but she felt she should be feeling more. I ended taking down another guy that came in. Eliot then had an idea and added bone marrow to the salsa verde. And I heard Hardison make his way through the vent. Hardison said to not order the spinach. I then heard something from Parker about how she tasted garlic and mushrooms, and something that made her feel different. Hardison thought it was code, but Parker said it was the food, saying she got it.
I can't help but smile. Parker had really grown in the years I've known her, and the fact that she said she felt something about the food, it made me proud. And Hardison's use of liquid nitrogen was also impressive.
One last guy came in, and Eliot asked to taste a sauce he made. The guy liked it, then Eliot knocked him out. Whitney asked about the Delmonico's, and Eliot said they were good, causing Whitney to get flustered, but she managed to plate them.
Hardison then got caught, biting the guy, then yelling he was coming in hot. Nate told Sophie she was on. She distracted Lampard enough for Hardison to get out. I then saw Hardison running through the kitchen. Then we saw Rampone come in. He was at the end of the counter.
"Spencer, right? I thought I recognized you." Rampone said.
Yep, we were blown.
"Everybody out - now!" Eliot yelled.
We both gave everyone compliments as they left. Eliot nodded for me to go, but I stood my ground.
"See, the whole hippie thing threw me off." Rampone said.
Eliot sat a plate down on the counter.
"I'm gonna eat that with my wife when I'm done with you." Eliot threatened.
I just stood there as Eliot readied himself.
"Yeah, you were a good operator, if I remember correctly." Rampone said.
"It's a different guy." Eliot said.
"Bad attitude." Rampone said.
"Oh, that hasn't changed much." I told Rampone.
"You hurt my friend, Rampone." Eliot said.
"I should have killed him." Rampone said, putting salt on a dish.
Eliot then revealed his knife and had me behind him.
"Like I'm gonna do to you." Rampone said.
Eliot and Rampone went at it with the knives, so I kept myself back, going around to find Nate. I ended up finding him and running back to the kitchen. I saw Eliot had Rampone against the crate, knife pointed at his throat.
"Eliot-" Nate got his attention.
I could see the look in Eliot's eye, and I didn't like it.
"Babe, it's not worth it. Give him to the cops." I tried reasoning with Eliot.
"Call off your dog. He's crazy." Rampone said.
"Crazy? I'm gonna cut your freaking head off and serve it on a platter." Eliot threatened Rampone.
"He's not a dog, he's my husband, you ass." I told Rampone.
I turned to Eliot.
"Eliot, don't." I warned him.
"Call him off." Rampone begged.
Nate and I walked up to Eliot.
"That's enough, Eliot." Nate said.
Eliot didn't budge.
"Eliot, please." I said.
Eliot let Rampone go.
"Thanks." Rampone said.
He went to punch Eliot, but Eliot caught the punch, then Nate knocked out Rampone. I then saw the blood that was from the cut Eliot received.
"Shit, babe. You okay?" I asked, grabbing paper towels to wrap the cut in.
"I'm okay. It's just a cut." Eliot assured me.
I held the paper towel.
"Serve his-his head on a platter, huh?" Nate questioned Eliot as we started walking.
"Was it too much?" Eliot asked.
"No, actually, I liked it." Nate said.
"I felt like it was a lot. Like, right when I said it, I felt like I may have gone too far." Eliot pointed out.
Yeah, somehow I missed the part where it was fake. I smacked Eliot upside the head.
"Ow!" Eliot groaned.
"You gave me a damn panic attack, you ass! I thought you were gonna kill him!" I told Eliot off.
"I'm sorry I scared you, Princess." Eliot said.
Then those ocean blue eyes stared right at me, and I couldn't be mad.
"Damn you, Eliot." I can't help but smile again.
We left the restaurant, and I cleaned up Eliot's cut in the van and we met with Lampard in the airport, where he went, most likely to flee to France. But, we sent in a little tip to the U.S Fish and Wildlife.
See, because truffles aren't allowed to be transported if they were taken illegally. Lampard tried escaping, but he got tased.
That night, Eliot and I were back in our room. I had Eliot sit on the bed as I sat beside him and changed the bandage, cleaning the cut, and wrapped a new bandage around his arm. I put the stuff away. I looked at Eliot and I could tell something was wrong. I walked back and straddled Eliot, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"What's wrong, babe?" I asked him.
Eliot had a blank look again, but snapped out of it.
"Do you think I deserve everything I have?" Eliot asked me.
I was a bit confused where this came from.
"What do you mean? Of course you do." I told him.
"Somedays, I don't think I do, Kaira. I mean, what business does a guy like me have being with a woman like you?" Eliot looked at, getting emotional.
I held his face.
"Listen to me, Eliot. I love you. I love your smile. I love when you roll your eyes at my jokes, but you love them. I love how you put everybody else before yourself. I love it when you cook for us and we start singing as I clean the dishes. I love how, even after we've been working together for seven years, been in a relationship for four years, and married for three years, you still give me grief for taking care of you. Most importantly, I love the man you've become. And you're not the man you used to be. And I'm not the woman I used to be. And that's okay." I looked Eliot in the eyes.
"That's okay." I told Eliot.
Eliot looked at me. He leaned in and kissed me, and I kissed him back. Our foreheads touched.
"Kaira, do you think I'd be a good dad?" Eliot asked me.
"Of course you would. You're patient when you want to be. You're gentle. And you listen." I told Eliot.
He then looked up at me.
"You would be a good mom, Kaira. You're more patient than I am. You're kind, gentle." Eliot said.
I smiled and thought of something. Something I had been wanting to do for a while now, but I was never ready.
"Eliot, I think I'm about ready to start our family." I said.
Eliot's face brightened up.
"Really? You think you're ready?" Eliot questioned.
"Yeah, I just want to do this right. Is that okay with you?" I asked Eliot.
"Of course it is. I told you, I go at your pace." Eliot told me.
I smiled at him.
"What do you need?" Eliot asked.
"I need to go to the store next time we go shopping, and pick up some prenatal vitamins." I said.
"Alright. I can arrange that." Eliot smiled at me.
I smiled back and kissed him.
The next morning, we had Tony come in to give him payment. We met in the restaurant.
"I can't thank you enough. I have my students back, my reputation back. And now I'll be able to keep the doors open for a while." Toby said.
"The doors aren't gonna close - not while we're nearby." Eliot said, shaking Toby's hand.
Eliot walked Toby out of the restaurant, and another one of Hardison's packages came. Eliot wasn't happy, but Hardison was. Eliot then came back, telling Hardison not to sign for the package. Hardison made the argument about the menu options increasing because of his laser.
While Eliot and Hardison were bickering, I may have slipped the delivery man a $20 bill in his bag. I then realized Parker wasn't here as Hardison left. Nate said she was on a trip.
Third Person POV
Parker repelled down and looked at the statue of Michaelangelo's David. But this time, it looked different. There was a beauty in the craft. The time it took to make features, the amount of talent it took. Instead of thinking about the security system, Parker was feeling. And little did the team know, everything was about to change.