A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the late story update. I've been sick with the flu and only just now felt well enough to think. It's a total bummer that Leverage was canceled but at least we got five seasons. Usually I barely get two (R.I.P. Pushing Daisies) or I get left with a cliff hanger. We know this finale's going to give us something cool to think about. Plus, the show will live on with our fanfiction stories if we let it. Again, sorry for the late update but I'm trying. Enjoy!

The quest for the hacker found them in Boston oddly enough.

Hardison was clicking away on his computer when the three of them barged in. He stared at them for a good seven seconds before he raced towards the window. Parker, who came through the window, just pushed him to the ground. Eliot immediately grabbed the hacker by the shoulders and forced him to his feet. Hardison tried to throw a punch but the mastermind stopped it with a hand and a firm look at each member of his team.

"We're not here to hurt you," he explained releasing the hand as he spoke, "We want your help."

"Funny way of showing it," Hardison retorted.

"We're taking down Damien Moreau," Parker giggled at the hacker's reply.

The hacker looked like he had been hit by a bulldozer when he saw the smile. Nate grinned at that. The hacker was still mesmerized by the blonde thief. Even in this cruel world he still found her youthful outlook on life beautiful. Maybe he wasn't as bad as the others after all. Maybe he was still the same kind, brilliant young man he was before.

"We need a hacker," Eliot finished with a roll of his eyes. He knew exactly where the hacker's thoughts had landed. "Rumor has it you're the best."

"Those rumors are true but I'm not helping you," Hardison growled, "I don't even know you. You came into my house and threatened my life and expect me to just agree to some crazy plan to take down Damien "the Black King" Moreau. Yeah, unlike ya'll I have a life I would like to keep."

"Fine," Nate shrugged at his reply. He motioned towards the hitter and the thief. Then he smirked at the look of disappointment on their features. "We'll leave."

"We can't leave him conscious," Eliot decided, "He'll tell somebody we're going after Moreau."

"We could push him out the window," Parker suggested excitedly, "It is the twelfth floor. It would buy us six months of hospital time."

"If he survives," Eliot agreed.

Nate shook his head at the idea of it.

"No," he said, "Let him go. He'll be fine. We'll just go to Chaos instead. He's the better hacker anyway."

Hardison stared at him mouth opened wide in shock. That was the reaction the mastermind wanted to create.

"Hold up," he said, "You think Chaos is a better hacker than me. He's not even a team player. He's barely even good. Hell, I'm the best hacker there ever is or will be. Ya'll need to work on your information because it is seriously screwed."

"Yeah," Nate nodded, "If you say so. I'm sure you're an excellent hacker, don't get me wrong. It's just, Chaos can beat a Steranko so going after somebody as high up their as Damien Moreau should be a piece of cake for him."

"We understand if you're too scared," Eliot added just for fun, "You've got a life to live and all."

"Chicken," Parker commented softly.

Right, Nate thought absently, Sophie hasn't taught Parker how to deal with people this time around.

The hacker was left sputtering and staring as the three returned to the door. His face was slack-jawed and his eyes were bulging. He looked confused and more than a little angry. He was falling into the trap quite nicely.

"Alright," Hardison sighed, "I know you're manipulating me but it's going to work because ya'll need to get your information straight. I am one hell of a better hacker than Chaos can ever hope to be. So yeah, I'll help you take down Damien Moreau."

"Great," Parker cheered. She clapped her hands together and did a back flip just for fun.

Eliot rolled his eyes and nodded at the hacker's reply.

Nate smiled. "Now let's go steal ourselves the Black Queen," he said.

He left the room with the hacker sputtering after him. He distinctively heard:

"And what exactly does he mean by that?"

"We're going to steal Charlotte Moreau!"

%

"So," Hardison coughed. Their plane had just landed and he was looking even more nervous than usual. His fingers were even shaking. "How are we going to do it?"

"Are we going to snatch her and throw her into the car," Parker questioned softly, "Or are we going to drug her and then throw her into the car? I could totally do a plane if you want me to."

"We could fake an explosion," Eliot suggested softly, "I can get close enough to the limo to grab her and Hardison could set off some tech."

"If he's as good as he says he is," Parker added with a smile.

"I'm better," Hardison rolled his eyes at the two, "but I do have to admit that I have no idea why we're going after the Mrs. When we are taking down Moreau."

"Weakness," Nate shrugged, "She's his. If we can turn her-"

"Turn her?" Eliot growled, "You think we can turn something as equally evil as Damien Moreau? You're out of your mind."

"It could be fun though," Parker smiled.

"If we can figure out her weakness we can use that to get her husband's and thus bring them both down in one fowl swoop," Nate finished with a glare directed the hitter's way.

"Okay," Hardison nodded, "How are we supposed to do that?"

The next day…

Boom!

Sirens were going off every which way while Eliot and Parker raced towards the limo. The thief quickly picked the lock while the hitter barged inside. The brunette struggled against them as she was pulled out. Her legs were kicking and her fists were flying. Eliot was hit in the nose several times. Parker was sworn at in several different languages. Nobody seemed very happy when they finally made it to their hideout. So Nate just smiled the biggest smile he had and plopped his glass of whiskey on the table.

"Welcome," he said, "to your new home."

The screaming, kicking figure stopped at his odd announcement. Two black eyes of hate fell upon him. The grifter's cheeks were flush with anger and she was swaying on her right ankle. There was a bruise appearing over her right eye and another on her left cheek. She was wearing a midnight blue dress with a black sweater overcoat. Her black heels were stilettos and she was still holding her clutch.

"For how long?" she asked.

The voice that came from her lips was unexpected. It was British, yes, but it was high society British. She was from upper London and had no reason to care for anyone beneath her. Power was her only love and she had grown quite accustomed to it. There was no fiery emotion in her stride. She knew what was happening and she was already seizing control. She was not the Sophie Devereaux she should have been.

"That depends on you," Nate raised his glass in toast and then spoke the most disgusting phrase in his vocabulary to date, "Mrs. Moreau. Please, show our guest to her room."

Before anything could happen, Sophie was pointing a gun in his face. Parker was on the floor and Eliot was looking towards the mastermind for orders. In the blink of an eye the woman before him had already taken the power away. At least she thought she had. So the mastermind toasted her with another glass of whiskey and smiled wider at her. The surprise in her eyes told him he was doing the right thing. She didn't know what to do.

"I demand you release me at once or I will shoot you," Sophie declared, "I'm not an unreasonable woman. I can forget this little endeavor happened if you wish. I'm very good at forgetting faces when I need to."

Nate stared at her and felt the smile on his lips grow wider. Maybe Parker and Eliot were right. He was crazy.

"I'm afraid that won't work," he replied.

"I'll do it," Sophie hissed, her voice dripping with anger at a denied claim. "My husband is the most powerful man in the world. He's taught me how to be ruthless when necessary."

Nate stared at the woman threatening his life. The sadness in those eyes was astounding, the hate more so. He could just see the pain of her past bubbling just under the surface. What did he do to you? He thought sadly.

Then he noticed her trigger finger starting to press down. He yanked the gun up and quickly pulled the gun away from her. The hitter went into action at the silent order. Sophie was struggling against him as she tried to break free. Curses of many dialects were escaping her lips again as she struggled for freedom. Her black eyes were narrowed in hate at him.

"What do you want?" She demanded angrily, "Is it money? Little girls? Little boys? I can get them for you very easily if you just let me go!"

Nate closed his eyes in misery of the way she spoke. It was as if this were any other business deal. She was just negotiating the price for her freedom. She wasn't even trying to explain to them that her husband was going to rescue her shortly. She didn't even play that card.

"There is nothing you can offer," Eliot growled into her ear, "It's time for retribution."

"Somebody is bound to have heard me," she cried.

Nate shook his head. "We own the building," he explained, "Nobody knows you're here. Please take her to her room."

"Yes, sir," Parker nodded.

"Eliot," Nate called after, "Take her clutch. I'll be back to make demands later."

"Where are you going?" Hardison demanded of the mastermind loudly.

The mastermind slammed the main door closed behind him in answer. He could still hear Sophie's cries of anger on repeat in his mind. But it was her once soft eyes that really had him floored. The hatred in them seemed able to conquer the world. Her voice had changed. Her posture had changed. Her entire heart seemed hard. If she hadn't been so surprised by the smile on his face he would have been dead already. She would have pulled that trigger and not thought a thing about it. What happened to her three rules? She was a murderer now.

Nate threw a bottle of scotch into the bar wall in disgust. It was the first thing he did when he entered the place. He had cleared it out before Sophie arrived. He didn't want any witnesses and now it was his safe haven for the week. He sighed as he poured himself a couple fingers of bourbon. It was probably going to be months before he even discovered her weakness. It was hopeless. Now he was alone in a bar without his friends and without a reasonable way home.

"Reuel, where are you?" Nate screamed towards the ceiling. It was the only benefit of being alone in a bar. He could be as loud as he wanted. Nobody would care because nobody was there.

"I'm here," Reuel's voice sighed.

Nate turned towards the angel immediately. He carried his bottle towards him and glared holes into his eyes. He took another swig and quickly found his voice.

"What have you done to Sophie?" He rasped.

"I did nothing," Reuel growled back, "I only-"

"Nothing?" Nate snarled, "She's married to Moreau. She's off selling innocent children to the highest bidder. She's an arms dealer!"

"She's what she would have become if you were never in her life!" Reuel argued, "You did this not me. You asked to never be born and I did that. Now you have to suffer the consequences. All of them not just the good ones!"

"She's a murderer!" Nate growled.

Clink!

The bottle of bourbon had slipped from his fingers. He watched it circle around the floor before it made its final stop. It poured on the floor and only intensified his anger. Everything about this place was wrong. Parker was wrong. Sophie was wrong. His team was wrong. Nothing was what it was supposed to be.

"Why is she a murderer?" He asked his voice whisper thin and filled with defeat.

"Because you weren't there to chase her," Reuel explained, "You didn't interfere with her con so it was successful. She didn't run because she didn't have to. She bumped into Damien Moreau and became the worst instead of the best."

"Can I save her?"

The look he received from the angel was not encouraging. No, the angel looked at him helplessly. Then his frown deepened and he shook his head.

"No," he said, "Her fate in this world is sealed. You continue on this path and you will watch her fail. But no matter what you do, she will never be Sophie Devereaux."