Harry watched Sophie and Parker debating ideas for a moment. Breanna sat at her new laptop searching through the feeds for anything new the team could use. He felt a little lost. As his eyes continued to scan, they fell on Eliot, tucked behind the bar, pouring a drink. The Hitter looked a little deflated after his recent bout.

"I would ask how you're feeling, but guessing I don't have to…" Harry sat down off Eliot's right shoulder.

"I'm fine. Thigh's a little sore, but I'm fine. Really," Eliot muttered.

"Yeah, Breanna really jammed that in there."

"Kid's got an arm."

"Don't have to tell me that. I'm just glad she knew what to do."

"Yeah." Eliot watched her at work, disappointment in his voice.

"You know, it's not your fault. Something will work out."

"Something..." Eliot sighed.

Harry opened his mouth, paused and closed it. He debated what to say for a moment and began again.

"Uh, guys," Breanna announced. "Not to add to our list of problems, but, uh, they fired Gia."

"Who?" Parker asked.

"Safer's assistant," Sophie replied.

"The one you guys visited? Oh..." Parker's face dropped. "Do you think we gave her away?"

"There's no way to know. They could have been on to her the whole time. We figured it out, they may have too."

"Their body count is adding up," Eliot stated.

"That poor girl. She tried to do the right thing and now her future is..." Sophie shook her head.

"Her future? Can she just get a new job somewhere else?" Parker insisted.

"Not the one she wants," Breanna explained. "She didn't want to help us because she was afraid of this. She's studying to be a lawyer. No doubt she's gonna be blacklisted."

Sophie walked out into the courtyard to gather herself.

"What did they put in the reasoning?" Harry asked as he made his way over to Breanna. The two of them began a conversation.

Parker rolled her eyes and decided to join Eliot at the bar.

"This isn't working. We haven't made a single dent and there's how many lives already ruined," Eliot growled.

"The bad just get worse." Parker grabbed a coaster and began tapping it on the bar.

"We can't keep at it like this. We have to do something different. I know Sophie doesn't want to, and I get it. I admire that, but I think we've reached that point where we have to get uncomfortable to get it done."

"Ends justifies the means type thing?"

"Polite way of putting it."

"Maybe. I'm not sure you're going to convince Sophie of that though."

"So, maybe I don't."

"You would really do that?"

"My job is to protect the team, protect the clients… no matter what. I don't have the option to wait for better. My job is to predict and react. It is well beyond time to react."

"I hope it doesn't come at too high a cost though." Parker sighed as she looked at the courtyard door.

Eliot nodded his agreement silently.

Safer nodded to the staffer as he left the office for the parking garage. He checked the messages on his phone and tucked it back into the pocket of his briefcase. His Lexus chirped as he unlocked the door with his FOB. The briefcase bounced slightly off the passenger seat as he slid in and started the engine. He reached to shift into reverse when his eye caught the rear view mirror. A devil's smirk and glaring eyes reflected from the back seat.

"The resilient Eliot Spencer. I had a feeling I would see you again," Safer stated.

Eliot's brow rose. "And yet, you tried to kill me."

"Not me."

"Semantics? Really?"

Safer smirked. "Is this your 'you haven't seen the last of us' warning?"

"No." Eliot gently shook his head. "Not a warning. A last chance."

"She left you to try and intimidate me? Desperation doesn't suit you."

"I'm here on my own."

"What do you think you have to offer? You think you're just going to sit back there, huff and puff and scare me?"

"I can scare you," Eliot replied as he leaned in close to Safer's ear. "I'm going to give you one chance. I'm giving you 24 hours to release that info. You're clever. I'm sure you already have a plan to cover your own ass, and I'm willing to overlook the fact you tried to kill me this time."

"And if I don't?"

"You've read my dossier. You know what I'm capable of."

Safer chuckled. "You're all about redemption and doing good. You wouldn't kill me. That would fly in the face of everything your little team stands for, wouldn't it?"

"It would. But you see, the thing is, I can't be redeemed, so I got nothing to lose. This is what it takes, then that's what I have to do."

A deep breath held in Safer's throat.

"24 hours." Eliot placed his left hand firmly on Safer's shoulder. He huffed sharply, climbed out of the car and disappeared.

The color drained from Safer's face as his fear released in a rush of heat.