Chapter 5

Nate lay with his eyes closed hearing the door closing behind them. No matter what they said this was his fault and a little girl had lost her life because of it. He should have just handed himself over to Moreau and taken his chances with the team getting him out before anything happened. Instead he had played his games and Elysia had payed the price. Moreau was out there, and he would be coming, and he was not going to have the blood of anybody else on his hands.

"Hardison could you get a trace on the call?" Parker asked as Eliot closed the door behind him after leaving the room and joining them.

"No he wasn't on for long enough and before you ask it was a burner phone so I can't trace it." Hardison said.

"So we still have nothing on the man, no idea where he is?" Sophie asked.

"I have my people going over the crime scene, but it wasn't Moreau who was there, not from the descriptions." Sterling told them.

"No he would not do that himself he would use his people to do it." Eliot said.

"But he was away for nearly four years…does he still have people?" Hardison asked.

"Hitter's hire to money not people Hardison." Eliot said. "If Moreau had money he had help and I am sure that he had money. We might have taken him down and put him away, but he would have had his stash somewhere waiting for him."

"So he could just send somebody after Nate?" Parker asked scanning the room and taking in everybody that was around including the staff. If Moreau could hire somebody to take out David and his daughter he could do so to take Nate out and that meant Nate was in danger now.

"No…no Parker, he is going to want to take Nate out himself, that is why he was at the meet." Eliot said.

"Yeah, Nate made him angry enough to do that, and he made sure that Moreau knew it was him that took him down all those years ago, and now he has bested him again." Sophie said knowing that Moreau was going to come after Nate himself and not hire it out.

"True but Sophie he could hire somebody to bring Nate too him." Sterling said thinking about what Eliot had said. "So I am going to double security here and Hardison you need to check out everybody who is going to be working with Nate, doctors, nurses, cleaners…everybody."

Hardison rolled his eyes at the man, as if he had not already thought of that and started making the necessary enquiries into all staff working with or around Nate.

"What do you think he is thinking?" Parker asked looking at the door to Nate's room.

"He is thinking that he is responsible for a little girls death Parker, not to mention his friend's death. He is thinking he should have just given himself up to Moreau and taken his chances instead of trying to get them out of it as well as himself." Sterling said knowing exactly how Nate's mind worked and what his friend was thinking.

"He is going to do something stupid and he is going to try to keep us out of it, he is not going to want us involved, especially you Sophie, just in case Moreau comes after him and we get caught in the middle."

"We are in the middle and we are going to stay there." Parker said softly. She was not going to allow Nate to take on Moreau by himself, she was going to protect him and help him take Moreau down.

They stood for a while wondering what Nate was doing and what they should do next then heard monitors going off in Nate's room and rushed in to find the Mastermind out of the bed with is IV pulled out and all of the medical machines detached from him.

"Nate what are you doing?" Sophie said moving forward towards him just as the doctors and nurses came in the room.

"Mr Ford please get back into bed, you cannot be out of the bed you are still very weak, you lost a lot of blood and you could reopen your wound." The doctor said approaching the man.

"Thank you doctor but I am checking out of your establishment." Nate said softly but his tone told everybody he was not going to be argued with on this issue. "If you will get your nurse there to turn off of these damn machines it would be appreciated."

"Nate please…"

"I am leaving Sophie." Nate stated. "Where are my clothes?"

"You don't have any here." Hardison told him.

"Well then get me some." He instructed looking at the Hacker, then seeing him look at Sophie and then the doctor he smiled sardonically. "I will walk out of here in this gown if you don't and I don't think anybody wants that." He added.

Sophie nodded at Hardison, Nate was going to leave whether they liked it or not and it would be better for all of them if they went along with him, at least for now. Hardison nodded and then disappeared to go and see what he could get his hands on as quickly as possible. Eliot watched him leave and then turned back to Nate.

"Why don't you just sit while we wait for the clothes Nate." Eliot said taking his arm and helping him to one of the chairs.

"Mr Ford…"

"Look Doctor I am not arguing about this, just get the AMA papers." Nate said cutting the doctor off before he could continue.

"Doctor please just give us a list of the medicines Nate will need and get the papers." Sophie said turning to the doctor.

"Well Mr Ford if you insist but understand with your condition it could be life threatening for you to leave the hospital now, you will also start to go into withdrawals as soon as the drugs wear off and your body will not be able to cope with that." Then he turned to the nurse and told him what medicines to order for the patient to take home and the AMA papers for him to sign before he left.

"Mrs Ford your husband should not be leaving this hospital." The doctor said speaking to Sophie as he left the room.

Sophie watched the doctor leave and then turned back to Nate who was sitting back in the chair Eliot had put him in his eyes closed. She just shook her head as she walked up to him.

"Nate…"

Nate opened his eyes and looked at her. He could see the concern and the fear in them, but he steeled himself telling himself that he was doing what he had to, what he needed to. Moreau had to pay, and he had to make him pay.

Just then Hardison returned with some scrubs that he had sourced for Nate. Nate thanked him and took the clothes then pushed himself up with great effort. Eliot immediately moved to help him and so did Sophie but Nate assured them he was fine. Then walked unsteadily into the bathroom to change as they watched him.

"We have a problem." Eliot said watching as the door closed behind Nate.

"No he has a problem." Sterling said softly brining all their eyes to him. "Nate is going to try to do this alone and you, WE are not going to let him right?"

Sophie smiled at the man and nodded. Nate was not going to be able to get rid of them no matter what he said or did, they were going to do this together whether he liked it or not. They would be ready for any of his tricks to get away from them or to push them away.

Nate entered the bathroom and started to change into the scrubs. He was out of breath and he was in pain, but he pushed on. He had to do this he thought, Moreau might try here and then not only would his team be in danger but innocent people like the doctor and the nurses as well. Finally he was fully dressed, and he opened the door stepping out into the room to be met by five very worried people.

"Where are we going?" Sophie asked him as he made his way to the door of the room.

"Home." He said walking through the door and down the corridor with all of them in tow.

The nurse had given her the pain medications and antibiotics along with some other pills that Nate would need to take, with a warning that he should not drink whilst taking the drugs. He also told her one of the drugs was to help ease the withdrawals that Nate would be experiencing.

Nobody said anything as they climbed into the van and set off for Sophie and Nate's house. Nate sat back in his chair and closed his eyes against the pain and fatigue he was feeling. He was not strong enough to take on Moreau he knew, but he did not have the luxury of time, he was sure Moreau would be coming and soon. They arrived at the house and Nate walked into the house headed straight for the wet bar and pouring himself a stiff whiskey. He felt the burn as it went down and closed his eyes enjoying the feel of the fiery liquid. Sophie rolled her eyes but said nothing, Sterling and the others just watched him with disapproval. Nate finished the drink and then poured himself another one before heading for the sofa and taking a seat.

"So what is the plan Nate?" Sterling asked taking a seat opposite him.

"I don't have a plan Sterling." Nate said honestly, he did not have a plan, he had nothing to work with. Hardison did not know where Moreau was and nor did the others, it was Moreau's move now not his.