The dinner had been uneasy and tense since they arrived. Tara and Quinn tried to loosen it up and engage the men in conversation but they seem resistant to any attempts. Katie's mind was occupied with both thoughts of the baby and getting through tonight but she attempted to make small talk to no avail. Tony Price kept exchanging looks with the other man and asking very particular questions of Quinn.
Quinn's phone rang as planned and he glanced down at the screen. "I have to take this call," he said, excusing himself from the table. "Sorry love."
Katie cut her eyes in his direction as he walked toward the lobby. "I swear you would think he would tell everyone not to bother him on his honeymoon."
"One would think," Tara replied, taking a sip of his wine. Katie could feel her wariness and concern about how the men were acting. "Seriously Maria, does he plan to do business all of the time?"
"What business is your husband in?" Tony asked, watching her closely. Katie felt uneasy because he looked suspicious already and the last thing she wanted to do was say the wrong thing. Something was off and she couldn't put her finger on what it was.
"He dabbles in real estate and investment banking," she answered smoothly, or at least she hoped she seemed smooth. "Mainly he lives off his inheritance." He studied her and she sipped from her water glass nervously.
They waited for the bill as Quinn finished making his phone call but Tony rose after draining his glass. "Join us in our suite for drinks," he said, holding out Tara's chair. It wasn't an offer; that was clear. It was an order. And he wasn't the type of man who took rejection well so Katie hesitated, quickly glancing at Tara for any sign of what to do. "I insist."
"Well, then we can't refuse," Tara smiled brilliantly but Katie sensed that the change of plans unnerved her as well. "Does this mean no card game?"
Quinn came back to the table as they were walking away. "Sorry sweetheart but I have got to take care of some business. I'll join you later…"
"I say you join us now, Mr. Quinn," Ralph said smoothly and Katie saw him shove a gun into Quinn's side. "And let's not make a scene."
"Look, this seems like a personal matter. Maria and I should just…" Tara began but Price grasped her arm firmly at the elbow and she trailed off.
"Don't try to con me. I'm not a fool. Now unless someone wants to get hurt, I suggest you all come with us quietly," he warned and Tara nodded, shooting a warning to Katie. Silently they all walked toward the elevator, Ralph managing to keep the gun well hidden but the threat was still there. At the lobby though, the two men guided them out to a waiting limo.
Not wanting to give away that they were being monitored but needing to let the others know they were leaving the hotel, Katie asked nervously, "Where are you taking us?"
"Don't worry. Just get in the car." Opening the door, Tony shoved Katie inside where she was quickly joined by Tara. After the five of them were all inside, the limo took off.
"Did you honestly think I wouldn't check out your story?" Tony Price said to Quinn, holding a gun pointed directly at his face. "Very careless of you. I don't know who your little accomplices are but I know exactly who you are Ryan Quinn."
"They're not involved. Just let them go since this has nothing to do with them," Quinn replied, his gaze deadly calm.
Katie's heart pounded and the silence from Eliot, Parker, and Hardison made her even more terrified. Eliot would have let her know he heard her, knew she was in danger, or something. But, either their communication to the rest of the team was completely cut off or they were in trouble too.
"You're a grifter with twenty-five different aliases, real name unknown," Tony continued, pointing to Tara, who glared in response. Turning to Katie he continued, "You're nobody. Nothing came up on you at all. So either you're so good you've never been caught before or…this is your first time conning. So who are you all working for?"
"Ian Blackpoole and she's just a girl I met at a bar. I asked her to pose as my wife and the price was right so she did. So just let her go," Quinn interjected as Katie swallowed hard the fear growing under Tony's expression.
"Everything I've heard about you Quinn tells me that if you're protecting her, she must be of some value. It's not like you're known for having a heart," Tony laughed. "So is she an heiress or the top thief? She's pretty young to be that good…so I'm leaning toward her having connections in one of the top families."
"I'm nobody," Katie stressed. Last thing she needed was him thinking she had some mob connection and using her as leverage against the others. The limo pulled to a stop and she glanced out the window quickly. They were at a warehouse. As the men forced them from the car, Katie noticed a dark van parked in the shadows. A rented van, so obviously this was the warehouse the others were breaking into. There were other cars there as well, leading Katie to the conclusion that this wasn't good at all.
Unexpectedly Quinn shoved her to the ground and Katie heard the sounds of a fight breaking out. "GO!" Quinn yelled at her, knocking the gun from Tony Price's hand. He had already disarmed Ralph.
Fingers dug into her arm as Tara pulled her up off the ground and away. "Come on!" the grifter yelled and Katie stumbled to her feet. The two of them ran towards the darkest part of the parking lot. Tara stopped and glanced around.
"Eliot…Hardison…Parker…" she said, loud enough for the others to hear on the com but hopefully quiet enough for the men with Quinn to hear. Shots rang out and Tara pulled Katie's arm again. Basically just allowing the blonde to take the lead on this, Katie followed her as fast as she could go. They ducked behind a car. She panted, her lungs burning painfully.
"Eliot," Katie said, desperate for any sign of him. "Tara if they can't hear us, then they're in trouble too. We can't just hide out here and do nothing." Quinn was still fighting one of the men so apparently the other one was either dead or injured, lying on the ground unmoving. From the distance, Katie couldn't tell which one but it seemed like Tony was the man still standing.
"I'm thinking. Just be quiet," Tara warned then pulled out her phone. "Let me try Hardison. It's less likely he's completely incommunicado even if Parker and Eliot are." She dialed the phone and waited a moment. Hearing men shouting, they turned back toward the warehouse door as Parker ran out with two men chasing her. Another van squealed around the corner and went after Parker.
"Stay here!" Tara yelled, standing up and running towards Parker. Katie did as she was told, not wanting to risk anyone getting hurt because of her. The van braked loudly and Parker ran toward it, causing Katie to release the breath she was holding. Obviously Hardison was in the van.
Katie was so focused on the other three, she forgot about Quinn until an explosion in the warehouse knocked her on her ass. Debris flew everywhere and she covered her head instinctively. Another explosion followed, then a shorter blast. Katie rolled closer to the car, her ears ringing and her body trembling. The explosions ending left her motionless for a few moments. The silence afterwards was so complete, she worried that she was deaf but she finally heard the fire crackling.
Carefully, she rose to see what happened. Tara lay on the ground but stirred to rise. The van was still there but Katie couldn't see much due to the smoke. She ran to help Tara up and the two women moved toward the van, only to crash into Hardison. He held his hand over his forehead where a little bit of blood trickled.
"Where's Parker, Eliot?" Katie asked and the hacker looked at her briefly confused before turning and yelling for Parker. The three of them ran to the other side of the van where Parker lay unconscious. Hardison checked her for injuries and Katie glanced around. The men chasing her were starting to stir. "Hardison, where is Eliot?" she yelled, pulling at his arm.
"He was with Parker in the…" his words trailed off. Tara grabbed at Katie, attempting to stop her from running off but lost her grip on her.
Katie ran toward the warehouse until Quinn grabbed her. He wrestled with her as she screamed at him to let her go. "Eliot is in there!"
"Go to the van!" he yelled and attempted to shove her away. "It's too late."
"NO! Damn you, let me go," Katie screamed and clawed at his hands. Soon Tara reached her side and attempted to help Quinn.
"Come on, Katie!" Tara yelled before turning to Quinn. "Quinn, you're supposed to watch our back. ALL of us! So go find out if Eliot is alive. And since he has the painting, it's in your best interest to check."
Quinn hesitated before saying, "I will go find him but you get her and everyone else in that van." Katie finally stopped fighting him, tears streaming down her face. "Go to the van!" he yelled and she nodded but she remained where she was standing until he finally made his way through the smoke to go into the warehouse.
"Katie, Eliot wasn't far behind Parker. He's probably fine," Tara said, her voice shaking. Katie knew she didn't have much faith and her heart constricted painfully.
"We can't trust Quinn to really look for him," Katie replied. "I mean…he's tried to kill Eliot and there is no saying he won't just let him burn up in the fire."
"Quinn won't let the painting go that easily," Tara reassured her. The van pulled up beside them and Tara opened the door. "Is Parker okay?"
"Yeah I think she's just knocked out, but we need to go. We've got less than five minutes before this place is lit up with 5-0," Hardison shouted and Tara climbed in the van. Katie saw someone coming toward them through the smoke and waited, praying she'd see Eliot.
xoxox
"Dammit Hardison," Eliot muttered as he rolled onto his back. The explosions had disoriented him but he was mostly unhurt. He hadn't fared so well in the fight though and suspected something was broken and he may have another concussion. He tried to move his fingers but the pain shot up his arm. He pushed the unconscious man he'd been fighting away and struggled to sit up.
"Parker," he coughed out stumbling to his feet. "Parker!"
The smoke blinded him and he panicked, not knowing if the thief was still in the building. He picked through the wreckage looking for the tell-tale blonde ponytail. His lungs were on fire and his eyes burned.
"PARKER!" he yelled, allowing the panic to slip into his voice.
"She's outside! Come on." Quinn grabbed his hurt arm and tried pulling him to the door. Eliot ignored the pain and let the other man led him towards the door. They only moved a few feet before the sound of cracking wood filled the air and some scaffolding fell, knocking them both to the floor.
Dizziness stilled Eliot for a long time. When he finally lifted his head he saw that the scaffolding had fallen on Quinn, pinning his legs. "Some rescue you are," Eliot muttered with a curse. Tempted to leave the man, he reluctantly moved to help him.
"Eliot!" he heard screaming in his ear, startling him since the coms hadn't worked for awhile.
"Stop yelling!" he growled back. "Are Parker, Katie, and Tara okay?" He shoved a beam off Quinn's leg.
"It's broken," Quinn coughed and Eliot noticed the awkward angle it was in.
"Yes but we got less than two minutes before we are surrounded, maybe less," Hardison replied, his voice still above a low roar in Eliot's ear. "Do you need help man?"
"Bring the van as close to the door as you can," Eliot said, struggling to get Quinn to his feet. "Quinn's leg is broken and my arm is useless. Can't go far." He struggled against the dizziness and the two men stumbled toward the exit. He had to half-drag the other man with his one good arm and the smoke was so thick he left even more lost. "Hardison! Honk the horn, something….I need to get reoriented."
He stumbled toward the honking and finally saw the doorway from the headlights. As soon as he exited the building he felt Quinn's weight being lifted away from him. Hardison helped the other man as Katie rushed to Eliot's side.
"You should be in the van," he growled at her but leaned against her, coughing.
"We need to move quickly," she said, helping him into the van. As soon as she closed the door behind her, Tara slammed her foot down on the gas. Katie kissed him repeatedly as she checked out his injuries. "Are you okay?"
He coughed, gasping for breath. "Can't move my arm but I got the painting. What the hell happened? How'd you end up here? Is Parker okay?"
"Just a headache from hitting my head on the pavement but I'll survive," Parker answered from the front seat.
"They were on to us," Quinn rasped. "Don't know how long but they ID'ed me. I gave them Blackpoole's name."
"You saved my life?" Eliot asked, shaking his head. "Does this mean I owe you one or something?"
"I saved the damn painting, you ass," Quinn shot back.
Katie resisted a grin. "Don't worry, I'm sure his humanity isn't permanent," she whispered to Eliot. The two shared a long look and she continued, "I know you're broken and everything but can we please go home after the hospital?"
"Screw the hospital. We can get fixed up in Boston. Let's go to the airport," he called out to Tara. He lay back in Katie's arms and breathed a sigh of relief. Not over yet but they had the painting. He caressed Katie's cheek and whispered, "Tomorrow night, we should be in our own bed and everyone else safe too."
"I just hope Sophie's okay," she admitted kissing his forehead. "I knew you and Parker would get the painting. I wasn't even worried about that. I'm just glad you managed not to get yourself blown up."