A/N: Okay, so this final chapter was kind of a mammoth task, trying to tie up the con and all. I really hope it was worth all the effort I put in! lol You reviewer peops are just the greatest and your wonderful supportive comments throughout this fic have kept me going - you officially rock, every last one of you! :) Shout out to my good buddy, shabbytiger! Consider this finale chapter being posted today as the other half of your Birthday giftage, k? ;)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 16
"Okay, guys, you all ready to go?" asked Nate through his earbud, as he hovered by the vid screen, with Sophie sat at the table behind him.
"The bug is on the announcement system" Parker confirmed, "And we're all packed to leave" she added, stood by the door to the room that bore the names 'Paul MacDonald and Alice White' for the last time, a suitcase in her hand.
Eliot was right there beside her with his own luggage, all ready to get out of this place and move on from the con that had so many consequences, both good and bad. They had just a few minutes til someone came looking for them, asking why they never showed up for this mornings class. If the rest of the team were as on top of things as they said they were, there was no reason at all why this plan shouldn't be underway already.
"Classes will get out in the next minute according to this" said Sophie, checking the laptop screen that Hardison had let her in charge of, "It's now or never"
"Don't forget, guys, you wait til the beep in the message, then you move" Nate advised Eliot and Parker, "Otherwise people are going to be suspicious about how you packed and left so fast"
"We got it" the hitter agreed with his usual tone of aggravation at being told his task too many times over.
Parker was, as always, unphased by his apparent foul mood, because she knew better. Their morning together had been fun and made him happy, there was no hiding it. She knew she was as good at sex as Eliot was, and she was pretty sure he'd smiled at her more in the past 24 hours than he had at the whole team in the last six months. Acting on pure instinct and with no explanation needed or given for her actions, she leant in and planted a sweet kiss on his lips, just because she could.
"Okay, Sophie. Now" Nate gave the grifter the signal, putting paid to Eliot asking Parker for any kind of explanation as the announcement system went off with its usual 'bing bong' and then a voice was heard.
Of course, all the people at the retreat spilling out into the corridors listened out for Laurie Redfern's dulcet tones or similar and were very surprised to hear a man speaking, an apparent 'Jeremy Kendall' who was informing a caller that this was his voicemail and to leave a message after the tone. Instantly they knew it was Dr Ritter speaking next, and listened intently as he seemed to profess love and adoration for the guy whose phone he had called.
Sounds of shock and awe could be heard through the door into Eliot and Parker's room, and was written on the faces of each person Nate looked at via the camera feed back at the office. One door suddenly swung open and out popped Daniel Ritter himself, staring with wide eyes at the speakers playing his own message to the whole resort.
"No, no, no, this is not happening!" he said frantically, just as a second message started up.
"Jer, we gotta do something about this fake couple you put in here. I already had two clients tell me this morning that Bethan hit on them, she's being too obvious, she's gonna blow the whole scam"
Many a head turned then to look at fellow retreat couple, Bethan and Roger, as they stepped out of their latest class hand in hand. Both of them open and closed their mouths like landed fish before looking to Ritter for an explanation. Of course, none came, and the next door to open revealed Laurie Redfern, shocked and appalled at the realisation that not only was a scam in place at her precious retreat but that one of her male employees was apparently sleeping with her darling husband.
A beep followed in the tannoy announcement, before more incriminating messages began to play. That was Eliot and Parker's cue to get moving and so they did. Pushing out into the hall with bags in hand, they acted the part of the confused but ultimately disgusted couple, which wasn't a huge stretch acting-wise given the circumstances.
"I am not stayin' here another minute with these iars" said Eliot, striding down the hall.
"I'm with you, honey" Parker agreed, "Liars and cheats, every single one of them!" she said with conviction as they headed down the hall.
Eliot stopped so suddenly that she practically ran into the back of him and was about to complain when she realised why. There stood Roger and Bethan, still in a state of shock as to what was going on or how they were supposed to get out of it. The hitter met the liar's eyes, and dropped the bags he carried in either hand.
"Before we go" he said with a dangerous half a smile, "Can I have a word with you, son?" he beckoned for Roger to come with him around the corner.
Though the man would have liked to have refused or even run, there was really nowhere to go. Disgruntled retreat clients to the left and an angry Dr Ritter to his right, the fake husband of Bethan swallowed hard and took a few tentative steps towards 'Paul'.
"Look, I know what you're gonna say..." he said nervously, already putting his hands in the air.
"I'm not sayin' anything" shrugged Eliot like he was perfectly calm, before a switch flipped inside him and he hit Roger hard across the face, sending him easily to the floor.
A good kick to the ribs kept him down, only to be pulled up by the collar of his jacket to meet Eliot's angry eyes.
"You don't ever, ever lay a hand on my woman again" he said in a low growl as he leant over the prone form of his victim, "And trust me, you ever pull any of the crap you tried here in any other place, I'll find you, and you don't want that" he said definitely.
Roger looked petrified and in agony, as he should after he had done wrong, not least of which throwing Parker into a state of panic with his dirty old man moves. Eliot would've loved to knock this guy out, to beat him til he could barely stand but there wasn't time right now and it would work against them for the con.
A moment later, the hitter was picking up his bags ready to leave, flipping his hair back out if his face almost as if nothing had happened. He turned to call to Parker that they should leave now, only to find her dropping her own luggage on the ground and staring daggers at Bethan where she had gone to Roger's aid.
"She hit on you, didn't she?" she checked with Eliot, never actually taking her eyes of her target.
"Well, yeah" he shrugged "but that's not..."
Eliot never got a chance to finish whatever the hell it was he was going to say as Parker made a run at Bethan, tackling her to the ground and pinning her there.
"Get off me, you crazy bitch!" the other woman complained, her friendly persona long gone as she fought to get away.
Parker's freakishly strong grip kept her in place as she laughed almost maniacally at her.
"If I ever see you again, especially near my man" she warned her, "I'll kill you" she said, perhaps a little too seriously for Eliot's liking and yet he couldn't help the smile that crept onto his lips as he heard her words.
She was half copying his own threats to Roger, half being crazy as Parker ever was. The truth was, he kind of liked the fact she would call him her man and be so territorial about it. There was nothing bad about a woman who could stand up for herself either, and Eliot planned to teach her some better self defence and all when they got home. That thought bumped him out of his own private moment and back to reality as he realised they were supposed to be getting out of here, and now.
"Let's go" he advised Parker, grabbing her by the arm and levering her up onto her feet, "We've done our part of this" he reminded her as they picked up their bags again and stormed out.
They left a scared Bethan, a bloodied Roger, and all kind of confusion in their wake, and made it out of sight just before all the cop cars showed up.
Nate and Sophie sat across the table from Natalie James, feeling that even after all they'd done the results were woefully inadequate. Nothing was going to bring back her husband that had died in vain, and yet they had done what they could to at least ensure those responsible for driving him to suicide would suffer, and never do this to anybody else.
"As I said, the culprit was never Laurie Redfern herself" said the mastermind, gently pushing a folder of paperwork towards their client, "You see, her husband was working with one of the so-called psychologists, Dr Daniel Ritter"
"And not just working together" Sophie added, "They were seeing each other, having an affair" she explained.
"Of course, the affair itself was none of our business, but we did have to use it to our advantage in order to expose them for their crimes" explained Nate, "Along with this couple here, who were not at all legitimate" he said, pointing to the photograph of Bethan and Roger in the folder.
"I met these people" Natalie shook her head, "Are they not what they seemed?"
"Not at all" the grifter sat in front of her said definitely, "but don't worry they got what was coming to them, and in turn, so did Ritter"
Flashback...
"Before we go" Eliot said with a dangerous half a smile, "Can I have a word with you, son?" he beckoned for Roger to come with him around the corner, out of sight of any security cameras.
Though he would have liked to have refused or even run, there was really nowhere to go.
Disgruntled retreat clients to the left and an angry Dr Ritter to his right, the fake husband of Bethan swallowed hard and took a few tentative steps towards 'Paul'.
"Look, I know what you're gonna say..." he said nervously, already putting his hands in the air.
"I'm not sayin' anything'" shrugged Eliot like he was perfectly calm, before a switch flipped inside him and he hit Roger hard across the face, sending him easily to the floor.
A good kick to the ribs kept him down, only to be pulled up by the collar of his jacket to meet Eliot's angry eyes.
You don't ever, ever lay a hand on my woman again" he said in a low growl as he leant over the prone form of his victim, "And trust me, you ever pull any of the crap you tried here in any other place, I'll find you, and you don't want that" he said definitely, "Now, when the cops come in here, if you know what's good for ya, you'll tell them that Daniel Ritter hit you, got it?"
"Once the police had Ritter arrested for assault, they checked his records and realised he had been working illegally, and not for the first time" said Nate, "I imagine he'll be locked away for a very long time given his rap sheet"
"And what about the other guy?" asked Natalie, "Laurie Redfern's husband?"
"Thanks to the evidence we had on him, the voicemail messages between these two" explained Sophie, "It was enough for the police to arrest him on suspicion of fraud, and then of course there were the files"
Nate smiled proudly at his grifter then, as they went on to explain further how they had set up Kendall...
Flashback...
"What are you doing?" said a voice Nate didn't recognise, but was certain in an instant must be Jeremy Kendall, even before Sophie ever said it.
"Monsieur Kendall" she said in a perfect French accent, "I am so, 'ow you say, at the end of my wits!" she declared, kicking closed the drawer she hoped he hadn't noticed was open as she all but flung herself into his arms.
"Um... there, there" the lawyer awkwardly patted the mysterious woman's back as she appeared to sob on the shoulder of his expensive suit, "But you know you really shouldn't be here..."
"This, I know" said Sophie, her head coming up suddenly, "I should not need... er, service you offer, but my 'usband, I have no trust for 'im. He is not, 'ow you say, a faithful man" she explained, dabbing at tearful eyes with a handkerchief as she sat herself down on the edge of the desk.
Rambling on with her eyes wide and chest pushed out to maximum capacity, the grifter was pretty sure she was doing a good job of distracting Jeremy Kendall, as she reached back towards the computer across the desk and removed the flashdrive from the USB port.
Kendall had no idea that the drive was simultaneously downloading and uploading files, planting perfectly faked records and emails that Hardison had manufactured onto the hard-drive.
"Between the various sources of evidence, there is no question that Jeremy Kendall will be going to jail for his crimes of deception and fraud" said Nate with a smile he hoped looked both sympathetic and triumphant at the same time.
"Are you sure the police will even look into Kendall?" asked Natalie with a worried frown, "I mean, he might try to run, or if Dr Ritter is his lover, he might try to protect him"
"That's true, though the evidence is pretty damning" the mastermind assured her, "We did take out a little, er, insurance... just in case" he told her, "but you don't need to worry about that"
"Absolutely not" Sophie nodded her agreement, "In fact, we'd like for you to not have to worry about anything for a while" she smiled as she picked up a briefcase from the floor and slid it onto the table.
Opening the case to face Natalie, she showed her the contents which caused the poor woman to gasp in surprise. There laid before her were several thousand pounds in crisp bills.
"I don't understand" she shook her head, "Where did this come from?"
Flashback...
"I'd like to draw some money out of my joint account" said Hardison stood by the counter at Boston National Bank in his best suit and tie.
"Your name please, sir?" asked the clerk as she tapped at her computer keys.
"Daniel Wrangler" he told her with a genuine smile that no-one would ever doubt.
The computer brought up details that Hardison had given it so he knew all the security answers and the signature he must fake in order to draw the money he asked for. In minutes the account was all but empty as the fake owner of it strolled out with his briefcase full of cash.
Hardison checked the screen of his cell on the way out; Sophie had just hit the button and all hell was breaking loose at the Twin Souls Retreat. That made him smile above all else - another job well done.
From outside the conference room, Parker watched with a smile as Natalie James was given the good news about Ritter and Kendall getting busted, and then being handed over a healthy amount of cash that would help her in raising her kids alone. The usually highly aware thief almost missed Eliot creeping up behind her, only she caught the movement of his reflection in the glass she was peering through.
"Hey" she said without turning, smiling wider as the hitter's arms slid around her waist and pulled her back against his chest.
"Hey, yourself" he replied, his chin on her shoulder as he looked the same way she was, at their client shaking hands with Nate and Sophie, thanking them with tears in her eyes for all they had done.
"Where've you been so long?" asked Parker then as she turned in Eliot's arms and was a little startled to realise he had a cut above his eye.
The first the hitter seemed to know of the injury was when his thief poked him where the blood was leaking out.
"Damn" he cursed, "I didn't think I let him get a real hit in"
"Who?" Parker wanted to know as she reached across to the box of tissue on the table and pulled some out to clean up her man's face.
"Kendall" he grinned then, unable to help himself, as he sat down on the edge of the table and pulled the blonde down onto his lap, "Nate wanted a guarantee the cops would pick him up"
"So you took him to the police station?" guessed Parker, with a frown because she wasn't sure it could be as simple as that.
"Not exactly..." he admitted, reaching into his pocket for his cell and then showing her the display, "Me and Hardison might've done something else" he told her.
Parker giggled as she realised she was looking at Kendall, duck-taped to a telephone pole, in nothing but his underwear. There was what looked like a piece of paper stuck to his chest but it was impossible to see what it said.
"That's an envelope" he explained off her questioning look, "Got copies of all the evidence against him inside and where to find the originals at his office"
"I love that!" she squealed with delight, "Ooh, we should show Natalie!" she enthused, looking for the client that was already on her way out the door.
Eliot grabbed for Parker's arm as she tried to chase her down, pulling her back towards him.
"No, I don't think she'd wanna see that, Parker" he told her gently, "She's got what she needs from us, the job is done. She has to go grieve now" he reminded her.
Parker's smile fell right off her face when she realised what he meant. Natalie's husband was dead, gone forever, and obviously she had loved him because they had been married and had two kids. Sure, they'd had to go to a couples retreat when they went through some bad stuff, but that didn't mean they hadn't been in love. Her heart must be broken.
All of a sudden, Eliot found his arms full of Parker, her lips crushed to his in a passionate kiss. Just when he thought he was going to pass out if she didn't let him breathe, Parker broke the kiss and Eliot gasped in air.
"Okay" he breathed, "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" he asked curiously, wondering at the look in the little thief's eyes that seemed to hold tears.
"Don't die" she told him firmly, nothing more or less than those two very serious words.
Eliot knew he ought to remind her that everyone dies eventually, that nothing is certain and their relationship wasn't necessarily going to last forever. Looking into her eyes right now, he just couldn't do it, because honestly in this moment, he wanted to give her forever, wanted to give her everything she ever asked for and then some. Eliot hadn't felt this good in a long time, and he wasn't about to say the wrong thing to let it end too soon. It just wasn't worth the risk, not when the fact was he could just as easily be dead tomorrow, such was his type of work, as he ought to be pointing out to her.
"I'm not planning on going anywhere for a long, long time, darlin'" he promised her, pushing her hair back behind her ear, "I swear, for as long as I can be around, you're stuck with me"
They were soon back to kissing, oblivious to the fact they were being watched through the glass by Nate and Sophie.
"We sent them to a retreat that breaks up couples and they get together" sighed the mastermind, "What were the odds?"
"Honestly?" asked Sophie with a grin she couldn't help, "Clearly a lot higher than we thought"
"Hey, what are we all starin'... oh" Hardison's cheerful questioning came to an abrupt halt as he came up beside the pair and peered through the glass.
The sight that met his eyes did not thrill him, but honestly, it didn't completely surprise him either. Eliot had been making cracks about getting girls much easier than the hacker ever could, and Hardison had known from Day One that the hitter stood way more chance with Parker if he chose to. The surprise came more from the fact Eliot wanted to get with her, given how crazy he often said she was. It also seemed as if they were going to be a couple, and he wasn't just using Parker for one night stand or whatever, which meant Hardison didn't feel the need to make threats to the hitter he would probably never be able to follow through!
"Hardison..." said Sophie, her hand at his shoulder, "I know you like her, are you going to be okay?" she checked.
"Sure, yeah, I like her" he replied, still staring at the odd couple through the glass a moment more before glancing toward the other members of his team, "Look, Parker is sweet and all, insanely hot, and I'm not denyin' it woulda been cool if she liked me instead o' Eliot" he admitted, "but I couldn't really have handled her, y'know?"
Nate opened his mouth to say something comforting, mostly because he figured that was what Sophie meant for him to do by the glare she was giving him. Unfortunately, he couldn't find the appropriate lie, since he was pretty sure his hacker was right in what he said.
"Besides, look at her" said Hardison as he gestured towards Parker and Eliot once again, "I ain't seen her smile like that since we found that shipping crate full of cash at the docks, man!" he chuckled, "She's happy, that's what matters" he shrugged, as he wandered away, just a little more upset and disappointed than he was letting on, Sophie knew.
"If they make it, it'll be a miracle" said Nate then, shaking his head as he too walked away, no doubt looking for another drink.
Sophie let out a sigh as she took one last look at a very happy Parker, smiling and giggling like a giddy loved-up teen, in Eliot's arms.
"If they make it, there might just be hope for all of us" she whispered to herself, walking away at last and leaving the happy couple alone.
The End