Chapter 17
Eight months passed things returned to normal as Grant Sadiski was convicted of fourteen felony murders, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping and attempted murder. He was sentenced to multiple life sentences. The team stayed with Sophie and Nate for a total of three weeks after Nate had taken down Sadiski and then they all started to get back to their lives with the three returning to their work and Sophie returning to her theatre. Nate took a while to recover fully from all the trauma he had suffered and spent most of his time reading and helping the team out in small ways, never getting too involved in any case. He also spent his time preparing the nursery for his expected son. Sophie gave birth to a healthy baby boy who they named Michael and life could not have been more perfect for the Fords.
It was almost a year after that when they were all at the dinner table having a celebratory dinner after a difficult job that Leverage Inc had pulled off and planning Michael's first birthday party when Nate's phone rang and turned their world upside down again.
"Ford."
"Mr Ford this is Agent Penton from the FBI."
"Agent Penton, to what do I owe the call?" Hiding the anxiety he was feeling, the only reason the woman would be calling him would be something to do with Grant Sadiski.
"Grant Sadiski escape from prison yesterday."
"What?" Nate said immediate on alert.
"I thought I should let you know. I doubt he will make any moves against you again however I felt I should inform you."
"Thank you."
"Take care Mr Ford."
"I will." Nate said then hung up.
"Nate…?" Sophie said looking at him with a hint of concern in her voice.
"Sadiski escaped yesterday." Nate said and immediately he could see Eliot move into protective Hitter mode. "Penton doesn't think he will make a move against me."
"Nate the man is a lunatic and you took him down, I don't think we can take any chances."
"I agree." Nate said looking at his son, he was not prepared to take any chances with his family and no matter how small the chance was that Sadiski would come after him again, any chance was too many. "So we take precautions."
"So do we go on lockdown?" Eliot asked.
"I don't think that is necessary Eliot, but we will be taking more care. Hardison you need to beef up security around here, make sure nobody unwanted can get in. Sophie, you and Michael don't go anywhere alone and when we go out, we make sure we have coms in."
"We will also be staying here. All jobs on hold until this is sorted out." Eliot said and Nate nodded to him. The house could accommodate all of them, each with their own suites. When they had built the place both Nate and Sophie knew that they would have frequent uninvited visitors in the form of their family and had accommodated for that fact without having their own privacy too compromised.
"Do we try to find him?" Parker asked.
"No we leave that to the professionals, we don't want to attract him too us Parker, we just carry on as normal but with added vigilance that's all." Nate said, he did not want to give Sadiski a reason to come after him again.
"Ok then." Sophie said smiling at her husband. "I am going to go check on Michael. Eliot thanks for dinner."
Eliot watched her go and then turned to Nate.
"Do you really think he will not come after you considering everything?" He asked the Mastermind.
"I don't know Eliot." Nate said as he rose and walked to the counter pouring himself another whiskey. "But we have to be ready if he does. Hardison this place needs to be completely secure. Parker you and Eliot are responsible for making sure that Sophie and Michael are watched at all times when they are not in this house."
"Ok and you?" Eliot asked.
"I can take care of my self Eliot." Nate told the man.
"Nate if he does make a move it will be against you." Eliot reminded him.
"Mmmm…well I am going to see my son now and you guys have some work to do."
Nate walked into the nursery to find Sophie sitting with Michael on her lap feeding him. He smiled at both and then sat down beside her.
"I'm scared Nate." Sophie said as he turned to look at him.
"Don't be Soph, I don't think he will come after me and if he does, well Eliot and the others will make sure we are safe." He said softly putting his hand on her shoulder. "Nothing is going to happen to you or Michael."
"It's not us I am worried about." Sophie said softly.
Nate leaned in and kissed her on her cheek but said nothing, he kept his eyes on his son who lay drinking on his mother's lap. Nothing was going to happen to either one of them he vowed to himself. His stomach was in a knot and his mind was working overtime, would Sadiski come after him and if he did how would he do it? How much did Sadiski have left of his fortune and what resources could he still possibly have? He had no doubt that Eliot and the others could make sure that his wife and son were safe, but if Sadiski did come he could put them in danger by being with them. His eyebrows knotted at that thought and then he shook his head slightly, he would not be the cause of any injury to his family, he would not be responsible for…He swallowed hard as he tried to put that thought out of his head.
"What are you thinking Nate?" Sophie said staring at him.
"I am thinking what a lucky man I am and what a beautiful wife and handsome son I have, and nobody is going to take you away from me." Nate said softly. "I am thinking how much I love you both."
"Well you want to take him while I prepare his bath?" Sophie said as Michael finished his bottle and handed him to her husband.
"Hey there little man, did you have a good dinner?" Nate said as he took the boy and held him on his chest gently rubbing his back as he gurgled. "I love you so much Michael and nothing is going to happen to you or your mother." He said as he watched Sophie move into the little bathroom off the nursery and heard the water turn on. "I will never let anything happen to either of you." He said as he continued to rub his back.
"You want to get him ready." Sophie called.
Nate stood and moved over to the daybed laying his son down he started to undress him and remove his nappy wrapping him in a towel before carrying him through to the bathroom. Sophie took him and placed him in his bath seat and quickly washed him before Nate put some playthings in the water. Michael loved his baths hitting and kicking the water, gurgling and laughing. Nate watched with a smile on his face as his wife then lifted Michael out of the water and wrapped a towel around him before carrying him through to the changing station. Nate watched her his expression showing the love he felt for them both. Once Michael was changed and dressed they both moved into the living room to join the others.
"Everything is locked up here Nate. Nobody is coming near this place without us knowing about it." Hardison said as Sophie took a seat and Nate went to the kitchen to get himself a drink and tea for Sophie.
"Good." Nate called over his shoulder, he did not doubt for a moment that Hardison would have this place locked up like Fort Knox now that they were aware of a threat.
The rest of the evening was spent discussing the precautions Eliot thought they should be taking and then watching some TV until Michael had fallen asleep. Then Sophie and Nate put their son to bed before retiring to their suite.
Once they had left Eliot told the others what he wanted in terms of security for the entire Ford family and then he and Parker ran a sweep of the house and the grounds outside while Hardison set up a number of screens which showed every camera, there was not an inch of the house or the grounds that was not under surveillance, including the nursery. Then the three of them sat and watched a movie before Parker and Hardison retired to their suite and Eliot remained on the sofa, he was not going to get much sleep from now on until the threat had passed he knew, but he did not mind, there was no way he was going to let anything happen to any member of his family, he could sleep once he knew the threat was gone.
