"That's an air duct right there." Parker pointed to the schematics that Hardison had up on the screens. The team was trying to figure out the best way to switch out the paintings.
Nate considered it for a moment before shaking his head. "From here it looks like it comes out directly behind where the painting is supposed to be."
"Who puts a painting over an air duct? That's practically begging someone to steal it," Eliot observed.
"Unless it's abandoned. Hardison what's the painting's exact dimensions?"
"Twenty-two by twenty-eight inches, without the frame."
"Okay," Parker broke in before Nate could speak. "Most museums and places like that use rectangular or square HVAC air duct systems – never round, thank god – and if the painting is covering it, it's probably the twenty by twenty-four..." Parker trailed off when she realized four pairs of eyes were staring at her. "What? I spend a lot of time in air ducts."
"Moving on. If that section of the duct is abandoned then we'll need to get the painting out some other way."
"Paintings usually get cleaned before a big event or a gallery opening," Sophie commented.
"We just need to get Mercer to host a party, maybe in honor of receiving some new art to display," Nate shot a significant look in Sophie's direction.
Hardison frowned. "Aren't professionals usually asked which painting needs what?"
"Yes-"
"So, what if we call Maggie?" Parker interrupted. "You know, and have her say that the Twilight needs to be cleaned, since she's an-"
Nate held his hand up, frowning. "We are not calling my wife for another case-"
"EX wife," Sophie corrected him.
Eliot bit back a grin at the mini staring contest going on between the grifter and mastermind, which was all over in a shade under five seconds. Yeah, it was definitely a thing.
"Yeah, whatever – we're not calling Maggie."
Parker was already on to the next thing. "Oh, oh, I know! Eliot, well, I mean, Adam Sinclair is an art expert, he could say the painting needs some touch ups."
"Eliot, stay low if you can. If you think you'll be recognized later, I can always play the art guy."
Eliot nodded, trouping out behind Sophie and Parker.
L*E*V*E*R*A*G*E
L*E*V*E*R*A*G*E
Sophie was meeting the mark and setting the hook, which also kept him busy while Parker broke into his office. Eliot was lurking nearby and keeping an eye on things in case Parker ran into any trouble.
"There's nothing," Parker's voice came over the comms.
He listened, alert for the slightest signs of a trap, as Nate answered, "What do you mean, nothing?"
"I mean, there's nothing bad on his computer, and I found a small safe but there's nothing in it, just a birth certificate and stuff like that. Nothing we can use to bring him down."
"Okay, you can get out of there then."
"On my way," the thief chirped.
Through his comm Eliot could hear Sophie distracting Mercer. Suddenly he heard the mark suggest they move to his office.
Shit.
"Parker, get out of there now!" he growled at the same time Nate yelled. Sophie could buy her enough time but he still hated close calls like this.
"All I need is twenty seconds."
"Whew, that was close," Parker said, appearing at his shoulder from out of nowhere thirty seconds later.
Even when he expected it, he still wasn't used to her just appearing.
"What kind of guy doesn't keep incriminating documents in his office?" she said, making one of her faces. "Where we could steal them?" He scowled at her classic Parker Logic, but in a roundabout way, it actually kind of made sense.
"Because, he's either a guy that doesn't have anything to hide, or... Eliot, how much security did he have on payroll?"Nate asked.
"Next to none. Guys like this would want a little more muscle to keep an eye on things."
"Alright, then he's probably keeps everything at a secondary location. Eliot, stay on Sophie. Parker, you can come back, there's nothing for you to do until Hardison can find something on where those files might be."
Eliot nodded and out of the corner of his eye, he could see Parker doing the same. He half tuned out Sophie's conversation with the mark and swept his eyes around the building again.
"Hey, Eliot?"
He turned to look at the thief. "Yeah?"
Just as she was about to speak he realized she was wearing that look she always got when she was about launch into some complicated explanation, full of Parker logic, that would eventually get to the point.
"I-"
"Just cut to the chase, Parker."
She made one of her squinchy faces and blurted out, "Are you sleeping with Huntington?"
Her question caught him off guard. That had been the last thing he had been expecting, but really, he should have known.
"Damn it, Parker! Y-You don't just ask people that kind of thing!" He glared at her and she wilted a little under his gaze. "What-what would it matter if I am?" he asked, softening his voice a little.
"Oh, I had this bet going with Hardison that you were sleeping with her."
Hardison. Of course.
"How much you got ridin' on this bet?"
"Twenty bucks." His eyes narrowed. Coming from the thief who could hardly bear to part with more than a dollar or two, Parker had to be pretty damn sure about it if she was willing to bet twenty bucks.
"And if you lost?"
Parker shrugged, grinning. "I don't know... you suck in bed?"
Eliot didn't know whether to be amused at the thief's thought process or pissed off that she thought he slept with any woman that crossed his path. He settled for a growl and a sigh.
L*E*V*E*R*A*G*E
L*E*V*E*R*A*G*E
"A'ight," Hardison said once they were all back at the apartment. "While Sophie was talking to Mercer, she got me access to his phone so I hacked in and uploaded a program that redirects his call to a busy signal or 'no longer in service' message if he tries to call anyone of that list other than Eliot, so, Eliot, you should be expecting a call pretty soon."
Eliot nodded, and then looked at Nate who was looking at some papers on the table. "Nate, if that's all, I'm gonna head out."
The mastermind nodded without looking up. "Yeah, sure; we'll call you if we need you to come in.
Eliot grabbed his jacket and keys, nodding to Hardison on the way out. He was planning to stop by Antonio's for some fresh panchetta to go with the apple Brussels sprouts and pork cutlet dish he was planning on making later.
The apartment was empty when Eliot arrived, so after putting away the fresh groceries, he headed down to the gym for his daily work out. When he emerged from a quick shower, he saw Tabitha standing at the table with her back to him.
"Hey," he said, coming up behind her and slipping his hands around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.
She turned in his arms and smiled. "I take it everything went well?"
"Pretty well," he said, moving closer. "So far we've only had to go to Plan B, but it's only the first day."
Tabitha smiled briefly before the look in her eyes changed and she raised her hand and combed her fingers through his damp hair. "I know what you need."
"And what would that be," he asked, using his hips to keep her lightly pressed against the table, and teasingly brushing his mouth over her lips.
"Those little braids with the beads that you sometimes put in your hair."
"I do?" he asked playfully.
"Yes, you do," she responded, punctuating each word with a kiss.
Eliot let her go after another kiss and wandered over to the couch to sit down while she grabbed the beads and a hair brush from the bathroom.
Tabitha was back a minute later and he started to shift to give her better access to his hair. Her hand against his shoulder stopped him and he glanced up to see her wearing that devilish half smile that he loved so much.
"I have a better idea," she smirked, climbing into his lap.
He lost himself in her touch as she brushed his hair, each brushstroke sending little tingling sensations racing across his scalp, something that didn't happen when he did his hair himself. Her fingers began weaving strands into small braids and finished them off with the little turquoise beads.
As Tabitha was finishing the last braid Eliot felt the beginning of what would be a nagging thought start to form in the back of his mind. He ruthlessly buried it and took the opportunity to lean forward and kiss the side of her neck.
Things were beginning to heat up between them when Eliot's phone rang. He growled against her mouth and reluctantly pulled away to grab his phone.
Eliot glared at the number on the display. It was one of the numbers Hardison had said the mark might call from.
"Sinclair," he answered cheerfully. The mark, he mouthed to Tabitha while he listened to Mercer's request. The call was over quickly; the mark wanted his opinion on a few paintings and Eliot agreed to the time Mercer suggested they meet the next morning.
After he ended the call there was still one more thing he had to do: send Hardison a quick text to let him know that everything was going according to plan so far.
Meeting's set. Mercer wants me to meet with him at 10 tomorrow.
He tossed his phone on the coffee table and turned back to Tabitha who was watching him once again with that half smile.
"Now, where were we?"
"Right about... here." Tabitha's hands shot out and grabbed two fistfuls of the front of his shirt, and pulled him with her as she let herself fall back on the cushions.
Chuckling as he braced over her, he leaned down and claimed her mouth in a hard kiss.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, favorited, and followed this story, it is very much appreciated. Now, down to business. I'm putting this story on a hiatus for a little while - something along the lines of a couple months - because my muse is insisting on taking its sweet time, that way I can hopefully get ahead of my writing and post new chapters a better rate. Don't worry, I'm not abandoning this story, I just need to catch up! In the meantime I will be updating the drabble collection soon.
Hope everyone enjoyed the summer finale as much as I did!