Chapter one: Eventful morning
Eliot and Hardison argued over how they were going to upgrade their base of operations. It was still the three of them after six months after Nate and Sophie bowed out. They were once more trying to find their groove. Of course at that moment they were a little off balance.
Parker just listened to the arguing as the three of them sat downstairs in the café, that they also owned along with most the building. They leased out several offices to bring a little money in along with clients they met with downstairs and to cover their real reason for being there.
But it was this particular day that they were about to get 'blindsided' by a pair.
"You aren't listening to yourself, Hardison!" Eliot snapped. "You can't do that without raising some flags. You might as well alert every damn organization that wants us in custody."
"Come on, latest technology we own it." Hardison smiled.
"Damn it, Hardison, you can't do that!" Eliot narrowed his eyes.
"Parker, what do you think?" Hardison asked.
Parker looked at him and shrugged. "I think it's a great idea."
"Parker, seriously," Eliot said.
"Why not? Hardison was able to redesign the microbrewery. Why not here?"
"Because buying that kind of technology is military grade. You think they won't notice when a building in the middle of New York City has that type of work done to it?"
"So, we make a shelf company and spoof the information." Hardison looked at Eliot. "I'm the best damn hacker."
"Not the point, Hardison." Eliot folded his arms.
"Look he's doing his arm fold, don't pout, Eliot." Hardison smirked.
"I'll show you pouting," Eliot said standing up.
It was then a gentleman, in an expensive suit, opened a door for a young, blind woman dressed just as nice. She stood in the doorway and reached out her hand for the gentleman. But her very movement suggested that there was something really special about her.
"Hey, look," Parker said.
Hardison and Eliot looked in the direction of the blind woman and her companion. Parker stood up and leaned forward as if she were getting a closer look.
"Those two that walked in," Parker said.
"What about them, Parker?"
"They're different."
"Great observation," Eliot remarked. "Hardison, you can't do it!"
Parker shook her head and walked towards the counter. The young barista handed her a cup of coffee and smiled.
"Is the coffee alright?" she asked.
"Just fine." Parker took a sip and walked to add cream.
Her gaze fell in the direction of the two who walked in. The blind woman was by herself now and the gentleman that accompanied her was walking to the counter.
"I need two dark roasts," the man spoke with a foreign accent.
Parker looked at him and saw him fiddling with something in his left hand. She wrinkled her brow still observing him.
The sound of breaking glass pulled everyone's attention. Parker watched as the young woman slowly rose.
"I'm so, sorry," she said reaching out to feel her way.
"It's alright, I should have been more aware," the customer that had dropped the glass. "Did I get any on you?"
"Just a little, but I'll clean it up." She grabbed the cane and stood up.
Parker looked at the gentleman at the counter. He didn't rush over to help the young woman, but he did something else. He placed something on the credit card machine.
"Grifters," Parker whispered.
She hurried over to the table. "They're grifters."
"What?" Eliot snapped.
"The blind girl and the man that came in with her, they're grifters." Parker pointed to them.
Eliot looked at the young woman and the gentleman that was walking out.
"Stay here," Eliot remarked.
Eliot followed the gentleman as he weaved in and out of the crowd on sidewalk of the thriving city. He pushed through and when the crowd thinned out he found no trace of the gentleman. Eliot glanced around finding no sign of the gentleman in the three piece suit.
"Damn it," he muttered.
He hurried back and the blind woman was walking out. He stepped in front of her and she raised her head in his direction. Her very presence suggested that she was up to no good. Her act of blindness was too good to be true. But still she had the appeal.
"Excuse me," she said, sweetly.
Her hand reached out and touched Eliot's arm. He stepped to the side and watched her make her way to the cross walk.
"Eliot," Hardison said. "Did you stop her?"
"What?" Eliot said confused. "Get who?"
"The blind woman?" Hardison mentioned.
Eliot cursed under his breath. "Damn it!"
They walked in and Hardison chuckled. "Man, they're good."
"Damn it, Hardison, why didn't you do anything!" Eliot snapped.
"Don't get mad at me, Eliot, you let her walk past you." Hardison shook his head with a smile. "Nothing gets past you, expect."
"A grifter," Eliot muttered in shame. "Come on we need to find out what they wanted here."
Parker walked over to them and presented the device the gentleman placed on the credit card machine.
"What's that?" Eliot pointed to the device.
"I don't know, but it looks like a bug. I'll run it and see what I can pull off it." Hardison took the round device. "Every little device as a serial number so I'll be able to find where this thing was made."
"Surveillance, we should look at that." Parker looked at them.
"So much for a quiet day," Eliot muttered.