Author's Note: Thanks astridv for the review. You have no idea how much I appreciate it!

Clutching the felt bag and using Nate's pained cry as a cover, Parker made a rush for the storage room door. Just as she was about to slip through the door, she remembered the USB drive.

After a quick glance toward Gerhardt, whose back was to her, she quickly retreated to the desk and freed the small device. A little gasp escaped her when she looked up and found Gerhardt staring right at her.

"Go, Parker!" Nate barked. His voice was nearly drowned out by Sophie's hysterics.

Parker bolted.

"Thief!" Gerhardt was quick.

Slipping past the large man, Parker stole into the storage room and whipped around one of the tall racks. Powerful fingers nearly got a secure grip on her shoulder before she managed to twist free. Just a step ahead, Parker grabbed the little Chinese vase from the shelf and blew across it's dusty surface.

A cloud of powder flew into Gerhardt's face. He made a choking sound and dropped back giving Parker an opening to make her exit. The back door flew open just ahead of her.

"Coming through!" she yelled as she brushed past Eliot into the alley.

Gerhardt barreled toward the opening, reaching for Parker a second time. Just as he caught her wrist, Eliot's elbow connected with his jaw. Gerhardt stumbled but did not loosen his hold. Parker pulled at the tight grip, but could not break free.

Eliot hit the door squarely with his shoulder catching Gerhardt's arm between the door and the jamb. Parker let out a startled yelp as she was suddenly released and stumbled ankle-deep into a nearby puddle.

"Go!" Eliot barked just as Gerhardt shoved the door open again.

"Hey, you two!" Nate heard Cobb call out the instant they slipped through the front door and raced to the car.

"That didn't go very well," Sophie said as she threw herself into the driver's seat.

"Did you have to slap me so hard?" the mastermind asked as he got into the passenger's side.

"I had to make it believable."

Sophie had the car started and was backing out into the street before Nate managed to get his door closed. He gave Sophie a wide eyed look as she blew through the stop sign and onto the main. Horns blared behind her.

"The alley," Nate said. There were sounds of a scuffle over the ear bud. "Eliot?"

"A little busy here!"

Gerhardt landed a sharp punch to Eliot's shoulder earning a pained grunt and forcing the hitter to shift to protect his shoulder from a second strike. Taking quick advantage, Gerhardt rammed the door, and then tried to deliver another hit but instead was caught in a feint.

Eliot pinned Gerhardt's arm under his and kicked the door. The rusted metal shudder as it connected squarely with Gerhardt's forehead. When the door bounced back, Eliot kicked it again with similar results. Gerhardt lost his footing and fell backward into the shop.

Retreating a few steps, he brushed his hair back with a rough swipe and turned at the sound of squealing brakes.

"Come on!" the thief yelled as she raced to the silver car that was parked against traffic in front of the alley entrance.

Parker took the nearest door and Eliot sprinted to the other side. As Sophie stomped on the gas, he stole a last glance down the alley at the still open door.

A horn blared. "I didn't come close to hitting you!" Sophie called out to the offending vehicle as she whipped the car into the right lane. She turned a sharp eye at Nate. "I'll have you know that's not cubic zirconium."

Reaching for his seat belt, Nate sought out the side street that Lucille was parked on. "Hardison?"

The hacker looked up from his phone just in time to see the silver car fly past. For once, he was quite grateful to be stuck in the van and would possibly think twice before complaining about it again.

Maybe.

Starting the engine and shifting into gear, he allowed Lucille to creep up to a vandalized stop sign. There didn't seem to be any movement from outside the pawn shop. Traffic had returned to a normal flow.

Another glance at the phone. "There's nothing happening. Inside or out."

Nate wished he had a drink. "All right," he said before straining against the seat belt to look at the two in the back. "Eliot? Parker?"

"He was fast." Parker's words were matter-of-fact even if her gaze lingered on her reddened wrist. Brightening, she then held up the bag she had taken from the safe.

A nod. At least something went right, Nate consoled himself even as he began a silent review of what had happened.

Parker produced the two banded stacks of ones she had also liberated from the desk. Nuzzling against them like a warm puppy, she wondered out loud, "Why would they need extra one dollar bills? I'd rather have hundreds."

"I can answer that," the hacker broke in.

"We got it," Eliot snapped but kept his attention to the mirrors and reflections in storefront windows. Absently, he rubbed his elbow and then rotated his left shoulder checking the motion.

"Hardison. Update." Nate turned to face forward again in the seat but managed to catch a little smile from Sophie.

"It's still quiet, man. Nothing. No calls in or out as far as I can tell. No police. No emergency. Not even calling their friends."

The silence did not sit well with Nate.