Title: It's The End Of The World (As We Know It)

Author: Kyra

Disclaimer: I don't own them; if I did I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

Summary: Everything changes when the bomb Parker and Hardison went after turns out to be a fake…And the real one goes off. In the aftermath of the Pulse, things only get more complicated when the Leverage team takes in a stray with secrets of his own.

Pairings: Very light Nate/Sophie and Hardison/Parker

Spoilers: Up through most of 'The Big Bang Job' for Leverage, goes AU on the train, and all of Dark Angel is fair game.

Warnings: None that I can think of.

Chapter 5: Check In

"BEN!" Hardison called from where he was sitting in front of his screens, an Eyes Only Streaming Freedom Video Bulletin playing on them.

"Yeah?" Ben asked, the nineteen year old poking his head around the door.

"I think you should see this," Hardison said as he motioned toward the screen.

Ben wandered in and flopped down in the seat next to Hardison just as the message started replaying. As it played, Ben's body went stiff and he shook his head. "No."

"Do not attempt to adjust your set. This is a Streaming Freedom Video Bulletin. This cable hack cannot be traced; it cannot be stopped. It is the only free voice left in this city. This is a message to those known as X5. You've been compromised. You're in danger. You know what to do. I repeat, you've been compromised. You know what to do. This message will repeat every hour on the hour until each of you has checked in."

"That's not possible!" Ben exclaimed. "No one knows where I am, so how could I have been compromised? And what does he mean, saying we know what to do and that the message will replay until we've all checked in? Checked in with who? 'Cause again, no one knows where I am. I haven't talked to anyone from Manticore since the escape."

"Maybe it's not for you?" Parker suggested from behind him and Ben jumped slightly at the sound of her voice, he hadn't heard her come in.

Turning around, Ben saw not only Parker, but Nate, Sophie, and Eliot standing there as well. "Then who is it for?" Ben asked. "I mean, the escapees are the only ones who would need a warning like this. And how does he know about us anyway?"

"Maybe some of the others found each other and that's who it's for," Eliot suggested.

"And he could know about the X5s the same way we do," Nate said. "He might know one."

"Even if some of the others managed to find each other, it would have to be quite a few of them for the bulletin to mention each of them checking in," Ben said as he tried to work out just what was going on. After a moment he shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I don't know where they are and they don't know where I am. That bulletin has nothing to do with me. I'm staying right here."

"We could always head out to Seattle," Hardison said as he looked at Ben. "I've managed to track Eyes Only that far, but I can't pinpoint him any further. Maybe if we're closer I can figure more out, then we could go see how he knows about X5s."

Ben shook his head. "After that bulletin, Seattle is the last place we need to be going," he stated. "If he's based out of Seattle, and he knows about us, you can bet Manticore will be interested in him, too."

Eliot nodded. "Seattle wouldn't be safe," he agreed. "We'll stay here, see if anything else comes of this and go from there."

Nate nodded, eying Ben and noticing how tense the teen was and how he was twitchy slightly from nerves and tension. "Why don't you and Eliot go spar for a bit?" he suggested, looking at the youngest in their little family. "It might help you relax a bit."

Ben nodded and left the room, knowing Eliot wouldn't be far behind him.