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Bring on the Wonder	By : Azuriel Category: G through L > Leverage Views: 498 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I am in no way connected to the Leverage series. I own nothing in that universe. Therefore I cannot and am not making any money off of this story.

Chapter List
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Early the next morning Ian sat outside Sophie's hotel with five suitcases full of most of his belongings in the back seat of his vehicle. At first it seemed like a difficult choice, but in the end, it really wasn't. Ian wasn't happy with the way his life was going. He was taking a risk, but without risk there was no reward, right?

When Sophie exited the building she started to head for a cab, but then spotted Ian. Her expression was cautiously optimistic as she approached the open passenger side window. “I hope this means your answer is yes.”

“My answer is what the hell, why not,” Ian motioned to his bags in the back. “You don't need that cab. We have a private flight to catch to Istanbul, Turkey.”

Sophie's brows furrowed in confusion. “No, I need to get back to the US, to Boston.”

“I know. It's just a detour to help save your friends.”

Sophie seemed satisfied with that. She dismissed the cab before throwing her bags in the back with Ian's and climbing into the passenger seat. “Just so we're on the same page, what is the plan? Who are we meeting?”

“Some friends of my father's,” Ian answered as he pulled out into traffic and headed toward the airport. That seemed to make Sophie instantly nervous. “I don't think you have anything to worry about. He made these friends when I was a kid, not before.”

“And you're sure this is the best way?”

“I think so. If your friends are in as much trouble as you say, than it's going to take some extra muscle, and maybe some things you aren't going to be comfortable with. Not only that, but it's going to make Daddy Dearest very happy. The two birds with one stone thing.”

Sophie frowned at that and turned away to look out the window. “Unless your father's heart and/or conscience has had a serious growth spurt since I knew him, you're right, I'm not comfortable with making him happy.”

“Believe it or not, it's not one of my main life goals either. It was the best plan I could come up with, and the fact that it might distract my father from hunting me down for disappearing in the middle of the night with only a note left on the bed is an added bonus.”

“You didn't say anything to him?”

“What would I say? Oh, father, you remember my biological mother who stole from you shortly after I was born? Yeah, I met her today and I'm going on a little trip with her. He'd lock me in my room and they'd never find your body, because yeah, he's still pretty much the same man you conned. Maybe worse.”

Ian pulled up to a gate at the airfield and was waved through. “That's your father's jet, isn't it?” Sophie seemed a little worried.

“Yep, I'm also borrowing it without asking. Breaking all sorts of rules. But don't worry, he won't know until we've left the ground, and our friends in Turkey will be taking care of transportation once we meet them.”

A tiny tear slid down Sophie's cheek. “I didn't expect this. I expected you to be angry, to hate me. I expected to be apologizing and begging for forgiveness.”

Ian parked near the jet and two men in suits approached the vehicle to start loading the luggage. “If I held any shred of loyalty to my father, you would be. What you said yesterday, it made a lot of sense. My life here was not a life a child should have, but it was more stable than constantly being on the run. And even though my appearance was an unwelcome surprise, the fact that you came back, even after this long, I realized it means something.”

Ian led the way onto the luxury private jet. Before he could sit down Sophie pulled him into a hug. “I just want you to know that I've thought a lot about you over the years, wondering how you were. Now I see the man you've grown into, and I'm very proud.”

Ian and Sophie passed the time by talking about anything and everything. Since it would be just them until they reached Turkey it seemed like a good time to really get to know each other better. Once there they weren't able to talk openly. Ian's contacts were waiting for them at the airport with a private flight of their own. It was no longer safe to talk.

“And you're sure everything is set up?” the leader of the three man group asked Sophie when they were back in the air.

“It's set up,” Sophie assured him. “An acquaintance of mine told him a potential buyer wanted to see the merchandise first.”

“Very good,” an evil grin appeared on the man's lips.

“Look, I don't need to know the details of what you plan to do. I brought this information to you because I want to get my friends off that ship.”

“We prefer it that way as well. As a courtesy I will tell you to get them off quickly.”

Soon they were on the ship being given the tour by Kadjic himself. Everything was going smoothly, and they were being led to the cargo hold where the weapons were being kept when there was a little bit of commotion on the lower deck.

Kadjic motioned for them to continue down the ladder without him. “Thank you very much. I will be with you momentarily. Please, after you. Follow this gentleman.”

Ian took a quick glance at what was going on. Sophie had told him about everyone, and he saw Nate and Eliot on the deck surrounded by armed guards. Ian had met Elliot Spencer years before, but didn't say anything to Sophie. The man had worked for Ian's father for a short period of time. Elliot was one of the men Ian had learned a few moves from, but Ian wasn't sure if Elliot would even remember or recognize him. Time would tell.

Once they were down in the hold with the guns the man escorting them was thanked with a slashed throat from behind. Sophie looked like she was going to be sick. “I wish this still shocked me,” Ian mumbled softly as he pulled his birth mother away from the body and diverted her attention. “Look, we need to work fast. Let's split up.”

“Okay,” she nodded as she gathered herself back together. She turned back to the leader, trying not to see all the blood. “Remember, I did you a favor. Don't do anything drastic until my friends and I are off the ship.”

Ian went the opposite direction of Sophie and found himself in the equipment room. There he saw something he never expected to see. Elliot Spencer had his hands tied behind his back and was being escorted by two goons with guns. But before Ian intervened Elliot was able to free himself and take both guys out. It was impressive. The man hadn't changed a bit.

Elliot started up the stairs toward another part of the ship, likely to rescue Nate, when another guard came around the corner that Elliot didn't see. The guard was going to shoot, but Ian shot first, hitting the guard in the side of the head.

Elliot jumped at the sound, and turned to find the shooter. He paused when he saw Ian. “Ian Wiltshire,” Elliot could hardly believe it. “What are you doing here? Are you part of this little operation?”

“If I was, I would've shot you instead of him,” Ian replied as he motioned to the dead guard. “I'm surprised you remember me.”

“You were a scrawny kid the last time I saw you, but you're hard to forget. So what exactly are you doing here?”

“Rescuing you.”

“Why? How? Your father?”

“My new friend Sophie asked me to. Come on, we don't have much time.”

“Sophie? Our Sophie?” Elliot was confused as he followed Ian up the stairs.

“She'll explain later. We need to move now.”

“Works for me.”

They were headed toward where Elliot was last with Nate when they heard a man's voice. “Hey. It took you long enough.”

They turned to see a man holding a big wrench. Ian could only assume he was the man Sophie called Hardison. Elliot moved toward him, but was stopped by another guard who pointed a gun at him. “Freeze.” the order was barked.

Ian shot him before his presence was noticed. Elliot seemed a little bothered by it. “Not that we don't appreciate the assist, but could you not use that thing?”

Ian lowered it with a shrug, but didn't holster it. “Not my first choice either, but you can't argue that it's effective.”

“Very,” Hardison stared at the dead body for a moment. “And uh, who are you?”

“Explanations later,” Elliot interrupted. “Where's Nate?”

“I don't know, man. All this metal's messing with the signals.”

They heard another noise, but it was Sophie. “I see you two have met Ian.”

“Yeah,” Elliot nodded. “You do know who he is, right?”

Sophie glanced at Ian with a disappointed look. “I didn't know you knew each other. We'll compare notes later. We have to find Nate and get off this ship before.... I don't even want to think about it.”

Elliot gave Ian a stern glare before following Sophie. “Okay, so there was some mutual back scratching involved,” Ian confessed as he walked behind Elliot.

They found where Nate was being kept. Two guards stood outside of the room. “Let me handle this, okay,” Elliot whispered to Ian before disarming and knocking them out.

“I guess some things do change,” Ian looked impressed as they entered the room.

“A lot of things have changed,” Elliot said as he took the handcuffs off of Nate.

Nate's full attention was on Sophie. “You came back.”

Sophie smiled at him. “You needed me. Come on. Can't leave a job half finished.”

The group headed up to the bridge. Elliot and Hardison moved together to shut one of the doors and padlock it. “What is going on here?” Kadjic was furious when he saw them. “Hey! What are you doing to me?”

Nate had split off to get the other door, and Ian followed him. “Oh my god,” Kadjic growled when he saw Nate closing the other door. He pulled out a gun and started shooting. Nate fell, and Ian shot a few rounds back before finishing the job.

He knelt down to look Nate over. Nate had been shot in the abdomen. “Doesn't look too bad. Once we're off the ship and someplace safe I can patch job that.”

“Who are you?” Nate asked as Ian helped him to his feet to get back to the lower deck.

“Explanations later.”

Everyone gathered together on the deck. Parker appeared and through herself at Sophie to hug her tight. “Oh. Parker touching.” Sophie seemed pleasantly surprised.

“Kinda, yeah.”

Tara was the last to join them just as they heard police sirens coming closer. “Listen, I hate to cut goodbyes short, but they're playing my song.”

“Keep out of trouble,” Elliot bid her farewell.

“Or, if you wanna get in trouble again...” Hardison added with a mischievous grin.

“So we're...?” Tara looked to Sophie.

“Oh, we're even. Absolutely,” Sophie assured her friend.

“Hey. You gonna be all right on your own?” Nate asked.

“What do you think?” Tara answered as she walked away.

Elliot looked around, taking stock of their situation. “There's not that many ways out of here.”

“Eliot, when I arrange a rescue, I do it properly,” Sophie wasn't worried. As soon as she finished speaking the helicopter that had dropped them off returned, landing not far from where they stood.

“Bravo,” a man approached them with several FBI agents behind him.

Suddenly there were half a dozen guns pointed at them. “Nobody move!” a blonde woman shouted.

“So where is Tony Kadjic?” the man asked.

“He's locked in the bridge, and the guns are stored in boxes in the hold,” Nate answered.

“I'm glad to see you kept your end of the deal, Nate.”

Nate suddenly handcuffed himself to the railing. “Yes, Sterling, we have a deal.”

“Stop messing around. Thirty seconds, there'll be another dozen guns on the deck.”

“You have any idea what's going on right now, Sterling? There's a fire in the FBI evidence room. And Hardison wiped the servers of all the evidence.”

“Where are you going with this?” Sterling was becoming irritated.

“I've destroyed all the evidence the FBI has on Culpepper and Kadjic. You have no photos, no tapes, you don't have anything. You don't have a case on anybody, unless you arrest me. And only me.”

“Nate?” Sophie was taken aback by what was happening.

“I agree to turn state's evidence. I testify to what Kadjic told me, how he put the hit on Bonanno. Hell, I'll even give you Bonanno's evidence against the gunrunning,” Nate continued.

“Nate, I can take these guys,” Elliot quietly said to Nate to try and talk him out of what he was doing.

“It's just ten more yards to the chopper, man,” Hardison added.

Nate shook his head. “Listen, guys. I got you into this mess. This is the only way to get you out. And I can feel you thinking, Sterling, and don't, don't bother,” he turned to the man. “And if you touch one of them, the deal is off. Nevins loses two years of work and your first case with Interpol.”

“So, you're my case or I have no case,” Sterling summed it up.

“You might not even have the guns,” Ian added to the conversation. “But that depends on whether or not they were worth anything.”

“Is that so?” Sterling turned to the blond man. “I don't think I've seen you before. Who are you?”

“I've been asked that a lot today, but it's not your concern. What I will tell you is that Kadjic isn't the only arms dealer here today. And since competition in the arms trade can be killer, I wouldn't stay on this ship much longer were I you.”

Sterling considered everything for a moment. “We'll call it a draw, then.”

“No!” the FBI woman raised her gun. “We do not take this deal.”

Sterling reached to push her gun down. “Take one more step, I'll shoot you myself.”

She backed off and grabbed her radio. “All teams move in. Target is in custody. All teams move in.”

“Come here,” Nate motioned to the team. “You guys are the most honorable people I have ever met in my life. You've become my family. My only family. I won't forget that.” He turned to look directly at Elliot. “Now get them on the chopper. Please. Now!”

Elliot gave a little nod and turned to Hardison and Parker. “Let's go.” They reluctantly followed him to where the chopper was waiting.

Sophie stayed behind for a moment, and Ian stayed with her. “Nate?” she moved in closer, a tear running down her cheek. He pulled her in for a kiss. She pulled back, trembling with emotion. “You call me. You tell me you need me, so you can do this?” She slapped him before walking away.

Once everyone was on the helicopter it took off. Everyone was quiet for a few minutes as they watched more police cars swarm the dock and the gravity of the situation sank in. “So, do we get that explanation now?” Elliot asked Sophie once they were safe.

“I met Ian a few days ago. Well, I also knew him as a baby when I ran a job on his father.”

“Are you crazy?”

“I didn't know what kind of man he really was until it was too late” She glanced at Ian, but didn't elaborate. “I foolishly went back to Capetown. I was spotted, but Ian saved the day.”

“Really?” Elliot was surprised. “You saved someone your father wanted dead? What's the catch? You might as well tell us.”

“No catch,” Ian replied. “As I told Sophie, I have no loyalty to the man. He did father me and hired a nanny to raise me, but this apple rolled away from the tree. I never knew my mother, but I've always imagined that I'm more like her.”

“Your turn,” Sophie said to Elliot. “How do you know him?”

“I uh... I worked for his father for a little while.”

“About five months,” Ian added to the conversation.

“Five months was enough for me to figure out that I didn't want to be there.”

“It was such a short time I wasn't even sure you'd remember me.”

“Oh, I remember you. I remember the whole damn family. I only wish I could forget. You were a scrawny kid then, what, twelve?”

“Fourteen. I was a late bloomer.”

“But what now?” Parker asked quietly. “What do we do now?”

“Obviously it's not a long term plan, but I have a rental house in Cape Cod set up for us,” Ian answered her.

“You planning on sticking with us?” Elliot asked.

“That was my plan. Sophie told me how all of you coming together and doing what you do has helped all of you. She offered me the same chance. I hope you don't hold my bloodline against me, because I burned a bridge or two to help Sophie save you.”

“If Sophie is vouching for you, then that's good enough for me to give you a chance. But from here on out, no guns. Your father is one of the reasons I don't like guns. My second condition is that you do not talk about what happened when I worked for your father. Can you deal with that?”

Ian nodded. “Yeah, I can deal with that. Trust me, while I did not take part in any of it, it's not something I want to relive either. I took a chance and came here because I too want to get away from all of that.”

“Same goes for me,” Hardison spoke up. “If Sophie trusts you, then I'll take a chance and trust you because I trust her. We're also a man down now.”

“We'll rescue Nate,” Sophie seemed determined. “I don't know how yet, but I'm sure we can.”
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Bring on the Wonder