Usual rules apply, sadly they don't belong to me or anyone I could even steal them from!
Alec was part way through his first few days at the Fraternity for spies, the Order of the 206 and he wasn't sure what was making him feel so weird. The fact that these guys were in fact cold blooded killers and Eliot was usually the one who got this close to the villains and the more dangerous side of things, or was it nothing to do with danger, perhaps he was just feeling guilty at the fact he was basking in being so cool; he'd never been cool in his life! Always the geek, even to the team, even now in his thirties he remained a geek despite having the attention of a beautiful and often eccentric Parker, he still didn't feel cool enough to fit in. This group of Dust Men were making him into the kind of guy he'd always secretly coveted becoming. The kind of guy who throughout college had all the girls flocking to his dorm, all the other guys were jealous of his wizard-like computer skills and of course envious of his considerable talents with the ladies. Not to mention the ultra-cool nickname he'd been given, HP, I mean who didn't want to be likened to the boy wizard himself. All this while he'd been jail breaking phones that evening, he'd thought back to when he'd told Parker at the beginning of this con that "even he couldn't fake being cool". With all his wicked computer skills, there was just no way to do it. Finally, realising he should have met with Parker an hour before hand he excused himself from the dormitory and headed for the quiet confines of the library. Open all hours for hard working students to study when convenient made it easy for them to meet without drawing undue attention to themselves.
Spotting Parker sat upright at a table close to the back he waved across before heading her way. After a couple of interruptions for high-fives with a couple of other students a madly smiling Hardison finally made it to the table where Parker was waiting.
"Hope I'm not keeping you from your obviously busy schedule," snapped the annoyed thief. She'd waited for almost an hour to see him with this assignment and it was time she was quickly realising could have been spent keeping Eliot warm instead of waiting for Hardison to put down his new toys.
"Hey hey pretty lady keep cool, I'm just playing my part, what's got you all upset?" he asked as he reached across the table towards Parker. Trying to catch her hand thought missing as she pulled it away swiftly.
"Nothing, I've just been waiting a long time and I don't like to wait." No reason for snapping at Hardison except about his appalling time keeping, he was only playing a part after all. "Here's your homework for the American History of Sewing." She added handing over a file containing the ten page essay she had written with Sophie's help earlier that day. Quite how Sophie had known so much about the subject would remain a mystery to Parker, for the moment at least.
"Ah, the sewing assignment... are you serious you've written all that for me? I dropped this subject Parker…." Alec started to say but stopped when he noticed the fire coming from his friend's nostrils "thought clearly I didn't tell you I'd dropped this class, did I?" He gulped, almost shrieking back from the slap he knew he deserved. It never came.
"So I wait for over an hour, after writing for more than five hours…." Parker's rant was interrupted by two very young ladies dolled up to the nines, eyes out on stalks as they very visibly checked Hardison out.
"Hey there HP," sang two frat groupies as they sashayed past the arguing pair.
"Oh, hey ladies," he replied politely with a casual mock salute as they walked past. Fine looking ladies indeed, he thought as he turned back towards where the thief had stood. Realising that he should concentrate on Parker before she stabbed him with a fork, he turned in time to spot the lithe thief's back as she stormed away from him.
"Wait, hey Parker, wait up a minute." He moved fast trying to catch up to the swift thief.
"Wait, oh you mean wait on top of the two hours I've already waited," Parker ripped the essay in two and threw it at Hardison, "not likely." She muttered before turning and practically disappearing into thin air.
"Man oh man, what have I done?" he asked himself, knowing it would be pointless trying to catch up with the lithe blonde, especially when she was mad at him. Which these days seemed more often than not and previously he had considered that he might just have bitten off more than he could chew with courting the young thief. Scooping up the discarded paperwork, he turned back towards his dorm hoping he'd be able to think of something creative in order to make it up to Parker the next day.
Bumping into Travis Zilgram on his way back to the dorm, it was fast approaching midnight and time to turn in. The head of the Order of the 206 stopped him and invited him to a party, or rather summoned him to attend a private fraternity function that was being hosted in another dorm. Pointing Alec in the right direction, he promised him that there would be plenty of other hot chicks awaiting his attention that evening. It was obvious to Hardison that Zilgram had seen his fight with Parker and needed to cover up the heated discussion.
"Ah, slight misunderstanding tis all," grinned Hardison, laying it on as thickly as he could, if he was going to play a slime ball then he was going to lay it on thick. "She'll be back when she misses the special HP loving, that woman's eyes ain't painted on."
Travis slapped him on the back, clearly a sign of approval thought Hardison who suddenly hated himself for talking about Parker in that way. "Come on man, come and enjoy yourself while you wait for her to come back then." Travis suggested with one hand on his back and the other pointing towards the brotherhood fraternity's dormitory wing. "The party and fun is this way HP." Leaving Hardison in no uncertain terms that he was expected to attend this party, clearly he was needed to unlock some more mobile phones and clear a few more unpaid parking fines. Things Hardison didn't really mind doing for people he liked, he truly hated doing these things for such odious individuals. He was beginning to hate this task entirely all too much.
The following morning found Sophie and Parker seated around the breakfast bar in Nate's apartment while they waited for the mastermind to finish his shower. Clearly he was using it as a good place to think through the next step of his master plan because this shower was taking much longer than normal. Parker was tired though steadfastly refusing to complain considering what Eliot was going through in order to help out this client. Stifling yet another yawn she glanced up from her cereal to find Sophie staring at her intently.
"Is everything alright Parker?" the grifter enquired of her young friend. It was entirely usual for Parker to be quite this sullen but the really obvious tilt was her behaviour towards her cereal meant quite categorically that there was something quite wrong with the young woman. "You seem distracted, is there anything you want to talk about it?" Sophie offered.
Pausing fractionally to consider the offer before slamming down her spoon, milk leaping out of the bowl onto the table, Parker spoke with more animation than the Grifter has previously thought possible.
"He makes me so mad," it was like a cork flying out of the champagne bottle, it all poured out of Parker like a fast flowing river right into the tributary. All her worries about Eliot, her frustrations with Hardison and her late night visits with them both just for starters. By the time she had finished, she noticed that Sophie had stopped what she was doing and was positively agog at what she'd just said. What had she just said?
"Parker, I had no idea that you felt that way about Eliot." Sophie was initially unsure that she'd heard the thief correctly. She could instantly understand the attraction towards the charming Southerner but surely Parker was with Hardison? "What's happening with you and Alec?"
"I don't know, it just feels wrong." Parker knew she needed help with this and Sophie was the closest thing she had for a big sister, she daren't refer to her as a matriarch even though the Grifter was almost certainly the only maternal figure Parker had ever been able to rely on in her short life. "He's like a friend, my brother, I like hanging out with him but I'm not into the whole kissing and hand holding thing with him." Parker was practically blushing as she explained her rationale behind her comments about Hardison and how she felt when he tried to kiss her or even hold her hand at times. There was nothing wrong with Alec Hardison; he just wasn't her type of guy. Not that she knew what her type of guy was until more recently, so their time together hadn't been a total bust, she'd come away from this with some more knowledge than she'd had going into it. After all it had hardly been a tough gig, Alec Hardison has a fit athletic body and boundless energy. At the beginning she actually enjoyed their physical relationship finding it both thoroughly pleasurable and remarkably informative.
"It doesn't feel right Sophie, I don't know how to explain it to you and I certainly don't know how to explain it to Alec. What do I do Sophie?"
Sophie wasn't entirely sure she was hearing all this. Had she woken up in an alternative reality, one where the quirky thief was articulating, not only in full sentences but also about her feelings and relationship with the young Hacker? Risking a glance at her morning Earl Grey tea hoping to shake back on a much less surprised face, Sophie cleared her throat and began to offer advice to the younger girl. Things the Grifter had learned about life and relationships as she grew up, not grifting talents as this was real life, a real relationship issue and it therefore required real solutions.
Eliot was freezing cold, he didn't think he'd felt this cold in quite some time. In fact the last time he'd felt this cold was back in Ploce during the Balkans conflict. Why it hadn't been labelled a war he would never understand, battles are battles, death is death and conflicts are a version of war that apparently doesn't get acknowledged by the rest of the World. Trying to get his chattering teeth back under control he began taking slow breaths in through his nose and after holding for a few seconds he slowly released the breath through his mouth. Once he had regained some semblance of control over his trembling body, Eliot then tried to clear his mind. This was not the time or place for him to be caught off guard by a nightmare or flashback. Inhaling once more he smelled the trademark vanilla scent that Parker always wore, she had left it lingering in his cell. Sitting up he pondered his earlier visitor, she had sat so close to him sharing her body warmth practically soaking him in her scent while she sat so close to him. Trying to decide in his mind when she had made the transition from eccentric thief who he'd kept at a mistrusting distance, hell he hadn't felt confident enough to tell her about his first purchases from that initial monster pay out; yet now he found himself drinking in her lingering scent and sitting closer to the spot where the timid creature had previously sat? His thoughts were interrupted when Mason had his lackey summon Eliot from his cell. Moving towards the door, each movement calculated and controlled, smirking to himself he deliberately ignored the bouncy haired kid who'd earlier shoved him, lines on his face from where he'd clearly been napping on the job.
"Okay Spencer, hope I didn't wake you from a comfortable slumber?" Mason chortled as he made the little joke with himself, lackeys laughing along with their boss. Christ it was pathetic thought Eliot. Mason's body language changed from joking to business as he folded his arms sharply across his body noting how stern Eliot looked the CIA Dust Man decided it was time for business.
"You've done well so far Spencer, how about we step this up." Hoping to catch out the veteran while he was sleep deprived and freezing cold, this was Mason's favourite part of the Game, when his new interrogation methods were employed and the anti was more than upped, this was breaking point for the vast majority of their subjects. The military man in them couldn't resist the challenge and it was the very same trait that ended up being their downfall. Three simple words "Double or nothing?" He said coolly to the younger man.
He knew he was being played, he knew the tricks and methods employed by the American Government in order to break down prisoners. He'd played these games when he was on his Commando course, the Escape and Evasion part had a section on Conduct after Capture, he'd played both sides of the line and this was bread and butter stuff for Eliot Spencer. Deciding he could have a little fun with taking +these bastards down he replied in two simple words; "Bring it."
Nate hadn't expected the water, Mason had told Eliot he wouldn't lay a hand on him, yet he'd gone back on this when he started physically torturing the young hitter. There hadn't been any signs before of subjects being water boarded or tortured physically beforehand. It was bad enough just getting drenched before then being returned to that freezing cold cell. Yet this was exactly what Nate learned was happening via Eliot's earpiece. Deciding already that this had gone quite far enough and despite any former curiosity the mastermind had regarding new information about the enigmatic young cowboy, he simply wasn't willing to send the younger man over the edge in the name of curiosity. Calling Hardison for an update he listened carefully to ensure they had enough on the Dust Men to call a halt to their infiltration of the Order of the 206 Fraternity. Content there was enough for one of his plans he called the team together in order to play out Plan P.
Sophie and Parker too had been listening when the water started flowing, they listened eyes glistening with unshed tears as the hitter fought to keep his cool while being physically manhandled and practically drown. Mason was a monster he was willing to kill people in order to learn a made-up word for part of a Game, a game that was being played using real live subjects. Moving on Nate's order having listened to Hardison's upload of information, Parker was to head straight for the cells and release as many as possible. She was also to ensure Eliot was alright and physically capable to continue with their plan. As she headed out the door, a hand on her arm pulled her around to face Sophie. The grifter gently pulled the thief towards her and gave her a brief reassuring hug, speaking softly to calm the thief, "He'll be fine we're getting him out of there now Parker. Go and be strong for them both, we'll work the rest out afterwards."
Not trusting her voice Parker merely nodded before turning to leave, zipping up her coat she grabbed the bag she had prepared earlier on that evening and set off for the Sleep Centre on the edge of campus grounds.
Eliot came to, he was on the stone floor soaking wet for some reason and his head and chest hurt like he'd been trampled by a rhino. The temperature had dropped again and he could feel icicles forming under his nose and the sharp pain he felt when he tried to take a deep breath soon told him enough of what he was somehow missing. What on earth were they trying to do here? He couldn't hear any music, for whatever reason, however it did mean he could hear voices coming from outside the cells. Deciding not to move and play possum instead, he closed his eyes and listened to hear what was being said.
"I'm telling you he's a plant Zilgram and if he's in here then it's likely your new friend might be one too." Mason was speaking harshly though trying at the same time to whisper while he clearly talked about their little session together earlier. "Just check him out for Christ sake before this all comes tumbling down around you." Issuing this thinly veiled threat clearly wasn't sitting well with the other party, "I don't need to remind you that the protection you are currently afforded comes with a price and if you can't keep up your end of the bargain then we'll have to look elsewhere."
Pocketing his phone having threatened the young student Mason moved towards Spencer's cell. Looking through the hatch he saw the stocky veteran had yet to move. Intrigued by this guy, he couldn't be CIA or Mason would know all about him. Or had he been sent in to check out how the Dust Men were performing, like a Mystery Shopper? They wouldn't dare check on him in such a disgusting manner, surely he'd proved that he could provide the team with some truly specimens of humanity. Whatever he was unsure about he was equally as confident that Eliot Spencer had been trained well. He hadn't been a mere soldier or commando, he'd seen the harsher sides of combat and somehow he'd come out the other side.
His mobile phone alerted him to his next caller, pulling his phone out he opened the phone and simply stated, "Well? Did you find out who he was?" Listening carefully while the smile broadened on his face, "Oh really, you'll fax those through of course?" his hand wiping the side of his face entirely grateful for the suspicions he'd spotted these interlopers before they could cause too much damage to the project. "Thank you Smythe." He said before closing the phone.
"Let's make sure Mr Spencer is comfortable, open up here please James?" asked Mason as he pulled a syringe from his jacket pocket. Snaking closer to the fallen soldier he motioned James and Ryan to subdue Spencer should he awake. Slowed by his impromptu swim and effects of the severe cold Eliot wasn't firing on all cylinders and hardly noticed the three men entering his room let alone their close proximity until they grabbed his arms on either side. Despite instantly struggling it had been too easy for them to overpower the former marine and he felt the needle pierce his chest wall and the liquid enter his bloodstream and course its way through his veins. "You'll regret this Mason," Eliot managed a hushed warning to the CIA Interrogator, "You don't know who you've messed with here."
"I'd ask you to pass on my regards to Mr Ford, but your little team of merry men are highly unlikely to get here in time to save you. This syringe will help your breathing become damn near impossible, which on top of your 'accidental' drowning earlier will eventually compromise your entire pulmonary system. Sadly, the cold from your time in this inhospitable temperature will seal your fate. Another tragic tale of a former soldier turned street junkie." Mason took far too much pleasure in telling Eliot his plans without knowing that the remainder of the team were listening to every single terrifying word.
Author's Note: I know that there are several inaccuracies from the actual episode; I have chosen to change a few things to keep it in line with my own version of events. I hope this hasn't spoiled your reading pleasure in any way. This is only going to be a three-piece and then back to Escaping the Past…..I just needed a tiny distraction….
Grateful for any thoughts, reviews, comments or cookies you might have for me x