Chapter 5

"Thieves?"

Nate looked over at Lauren with tired eyes. "Yes Lauren." He looked at each member of his team before training his eyes back on Chloe's aunt. "As much as I've tried to deny it, I am one of them." He sighed, trying to ignore Parker's shark-like smile and Hardisons dorky one, and began to introduce his team.

"Eliot there is our hitter -."

He was interrupted by Simon. "What's a hitter?" Tori sent him a scathing look.

"What do you think it is?" She rolled her eyes and Nate suppressed a smile.

Nate cut in before a fight started. "He keeps up protected and like he said earlier he also patches us up when he can't get to us fast enough." Now that he really thought about it, Nate realized that their wounds almost always healed all the way by the next day, and all severe ones were gone by the end of the week. "Sophie is a grifter which basically means she acts however we need her to act so we can more easily con the mark."

Thankfully Sophie was still in shock so she didn't offer to show their guests the DVDs she had of the plays she had been in. "Hardison is our technical guy."

Hardison looked affronted. " 'Technical guy'?" He asked him. "I've been able to override every security system we've come across so far, including the Strenco thank you very much! I've also been able to tap into cameras, cell phones, and computers! And who made those nifty little ear buds we use all the time?" He paused for dramatic effect. "Oh, yeah! That was me!"

Nate and the rest of the team ignored him and his usual dramatics but Nate noticed Tori sit up a bit straighter. "Anyway, last but not least, Parker is our thief."

"But I thought you all were thieves." Chloe said questioningly.

"We are." Nate nodded. "But Parker's the one who actually does the stealing. While I plan and Hardison hacks and Sophie distracts and Eliot's watching out for us, Parker is crawling through an air vent, or doing flips through laser detection alarms, or even scaling down a building to get what we need."

Simon was looking at the blonde in awe. "That's so cool."

"Yes, it is." Parker nodded. Nate tried not to laugh at the faces she got in return. It wasn't her fault she was blunt. But being aware of the altitude of her skills didn't help either.

Chloe frowned. "Don't the ghosts get in your way?"

Parker shook her head. "Nope. If anything, they help. If I promise to help them they try and help me in any way they can." She considered the smaller girl. "I can probably train you to do the same stuff. You're tiny, you'll easily fit in air vents, and everyone loves rappelling down the buildings, feeling the wind in your hair and on your face. Flexibility and muscle strength is something we'll have to work on but that's true for all beginners. Oh! And we can do –."

She was cut off by Lauren. "No! Enough of this! I knew it was a bad idea to come here but I went along with it until now. This woman just crossed the line. I will not have my niece hanging around these thieves any longer!" She stood from her chair, knocking it back a bit. "Let's go. We'll find help elsewhere."

Lauren was almost to the door when she realized no one was following her. Chloe blushed at her aunt's actions. "Aunt Lauren," She began timidly. It amazed Nate that she was related to Lauren and her sister. "I really think we should stay. Kit was right, they can help us."

Lauren shook her head. "No, Chloe. They're con men." She spat the words in Nate's direction as if he didn't already know what she thought of him.

"Excuse me?" Nate looked away from Lauren in shock when Parker stood from her own chair. Her resemblance to Lauren was not lost on him. But there was no way. Right? Parker began to yell again pulling Nate from his thoughts. "You have no right to talk to us like that! You're going up against the Edison Group, right? After hearing what we can do, do you really expect to beat them without us?"

Her words caused Lauren to pause giving Nate enough time to step in with the final blow to her argument. "Lauren, you have no powers and the majority of your team is under eighteen. You know no one else will help you. We're the only ones crazy enough to do it."

Nate glanced at Parker who was still standing and glaring at Lauren with her fists clenched. "Parker." Was all he had to say for her to sit down. "What do you say Lauren?"

There was a long, quiet pause as Lauren stood there. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she nodded her consent, but Nate knew there would most likely be a hundred more outbursts from her during the job.

AN: Well, what do you think? Now I've explained both teams and what they do, but if you have any questions or concerns let me know.

Thanks for reading, Brit