Eliot's Apartment
Eliot was taking stock of what happened that day at the Museum. The team was working like a well-oiled machine. They were going by the game plan as well as making plays. He trusted his friends with his life and knew that they were able to work the con as planned to get the mark. The protection detail was the hard part. He knew he was getting too close to Ada again. But he was enjoying himself.
"Eliot?" Ada's voice pulled him back to the present. He blinked and shook his head. "You appeared to be gedankenverloren. Away with the fairies."
"I was just thinking," he said a slight smile on his face.
"That is dangerous," Ada joked.
"Something is going to go wrong," Eliot said. "It's going too smooth."
"That is a good thing, right? That means that you are doing something right," Ada reached on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "I trust you."
"I am overthinking things," Eliot growled pulling her up close to him and kissing her full force on the lips. His hands moved from her hair down to her backside. He then picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his middle.
"Eliot…"
They were in their own little world which was only broken by a loud buzz and the first notes of Queen's 'Radio GaGa' that was slightly muffled by it being in her coat pocket. Eliot put Ada back onto the floor and she picked up her mobile phone. She showed Eliot the caller ID.
"Put it on speaker," Eliot whispered. She nodded and answered the call.
"Ada," it was her older brother Bertram. His voice was full of concern and worry.
"Bertie, I am here," Ada said in her native German.
"Are you safe?" Bertram replied in German. "Where are you?"
"I am safe. I am with a friend," Ada said smiling at Eliot who winked at her. He was trying to make himself busy in the background.
"Ada, am I on loudspeaker?" Bertram asked having switched to English. "Hello, Mr Spencer. I hope my sister is not causing too much trouble," Bertram on the other side of the call could hear the eye roll and growl from Eliot.
"I am happy to help in any way I can your Majesty," Eliot said.
"My favourite sister can be very talented at skipping her details as you know," Bertram warned light-heartedly. He remembered his little sister and her love for climbing out of windows, hiding in the trees of the palace gardens, and running when her Nanny and or governess tried to teach her any etiquette. Eliot smiled at the memory of Ada escaping from her hospital room after their meeting and finding her in the hospital's kitchen. She was a little drugged still from surgery and complaining about the food. He had to firefighter carry her back to her room.
"Your sister is in safe hands," Eliot promised. "Your sister is… well she is your sister." Both men laughed aloud.
"I really really hate both of you," Ada loudly whispered. "And I am your only sister. What is this about being your favourite sister?"
"No, you don't," Eliot pulled her back into his side and kissed her on the top of her head.
"I do not like that you two get on," Ada smirked. "I do not need my big brother and my…" she did not finish that thought.
"Sir, I have a talented team on the case, and we will never let anything happen to your sister. I trust them with my life," Eliot said seriously.
"Thank you, Mr Spencer," Bertram replied. "I need to go. I will talk to you tomorrow. Mr Spencer, I want to be in the loop. Ada, please remember to take your medicine."
"Of course," Eliot nodded.
"I promise," Ada said. "Have a great night," she hung up the call.
"Now where were we?" Eliot lustfully asked.
"I think …." He interrupted her with a passionate kiss.
Nate's Apartment – Leverage Headquarters / Restaurant
Parker and Hardison sat on the sofa watching the televisions a large bowl of popcorn in front of them. Nate was in the kitchen getting their drinks ready. An orange soda for Hardison, a cup of chocolate milk for Parker and an Irish coffee for himself.
"Hardison, are the cameras in the restaurant working?" Nate asked. He placed the drinks down seat down himself next the Hardison on the sofa.
"They should be coming online now," Hardison, said as he typed on a keyboard. "Here they are," the screens lit up with the feed from a very exclusive restaurant that was down the road to the apartment. "We have control of the cameras. Sadly, they do not have sound. The only audio will be from Sophie's comm."
"Guys I am just heading in now," Sophie's voice came through over the loudspeakers. She appeared on one of the screens. She was wearing a little black dress and a pair of dark navy Manolo Blahnik pump heels. She had a small clutch bag in hand. She had her pepper spray, mobile phone, and some makeup in the small bag.
"Your Grace!" Foster Martel greeted her from the other side of the restaurant. He had been sat at the small bar area and had a table on the terrace for them reserved.
"Mr Martel," Sophie greeted him with a simple greeting after she walked up to the man. Air kissing both cheeks. She did not let him too close to her.
"My lady we are on the terrace," he guided her through the dining area to their table. They sat down and a waiter came over to the table.
"Welcome to Le Cirque I will be your waiter tonight. My name is Cain," the waiter had a slightly deep Irish accent; he was born and brought up on the outskirts of Dublin. He was handsome with salt and pepper hair. He was around forty years old. He placed menus open to each of the guests and stepped back ready to take drink orders.
"What are the wines tonight?" Sophie asked. "I love a great red wine," Sophie flirted with the waiter. Martel noticed and shot the poor guy a look of pure hatred. Cain shook the look off and smiled.
The pair ordered their meals. Sophie ordered a ratatouille while Martel ordered a Confit De Canard – a duck confit. Martel talked most of the time about himself and his collection. Hardison recorded the lot. Parker got bored and decided to race herself picking a new lock. Nate listened to Sophie.
"When I was surprised that you would decide to show the necklace," Martel said.
Sophie smiled and took a quick drink from her wine glass. "Well, the princess is a great friend, and I was looking forward to showing off the necklace to the public."
"It is the most beautiful piece I have ever seen," Martel looked off to the side a dreamy look on his face. He visualised himself with the young princess her wearing the necklace and her dressed in a white dress. He shook his head and turned to Sophie. "How much to buy the piece?"
"Right Sophie guide him," Nate said to Sophie through the comm.
Sophie shortly laughed. "Mr Martel it is not for sale."
"I did a background check on you, My lady. You broke," he said. Hardison had set up a back story for her as normal. The team knew that he was the type to do background checks.
"I have no idea where you got that from," Sophie pretended to be affronted. Martel was where they wanted him.
"For my team's research, you are debt up to your eyeballs. Selling me the necklace would help you towards erasing that debt," he looked at her with a greedy expression. "I am willing to pay top dollar for the necklace."
"Bring him in gently Sophie," Nate said.
"I cannot sell the piece due to my dear late husband's will," Sophie explained as she raised her wine glass to her lips. "The only way you can get hold of the necklace is to steal it," she laughed at this.
"Duchess, I need that necklace," he growled. He tried for menacing but missed. He missed by a mile. "I will give you anything you want in this world."
"Anything I want in this world," Sophie played along she lent in close. "I am very sorry Mr Martel I still cannot sell the necklace it belongs to my late husband's family in trust."
"You have insured in your name?" Martel asked.
"Yes," Sophie said.
"Duchess, I need that necklace," his plan had fallen apart he needed a new plan. Sophie had just given him the solution. "What if I get someone to rob the museum and steal the piece?" he thought out loud.
"From what I have heard on the grapevine is that here in Boston is the world's best thief," Sophie answered in a whisper. "I believe their name is something like..." she clicked her fingers.
"Parker is here in Boston?" He asked.
"That's their name," Sophie sighed. "Get them to nick the necklace and you will be golden," Sophie suggested as she took another drink from her glass.
"And you would get your insurance payout," Mr. Martel leaned back in his chair and thought about what she had just said.
"We got him," Nate said.