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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
- 5
- 6
- 7
Elliot and Will were headed into the pub to meet with a client when they ran into Hardison. “What are you two doing here?” Hardison asked.

“What do you mean, what are we doing here?” Elliot grumbled. “Nate asked me to come to the client meeting because somebody tried to kill her. What are you doing here? “I thought 'Take your daughter to Work Day' was last week.”

Will snorted at that. “And I'm here because I know people in Africa. I kind of, you know, grew up on that continent with a father who did a lot of business in a lot of different countries.”

“I'm here to check out what Nate does for when I run my own crew one day,” Hardison said as Nate joined them and took his seat.

Nate raised an eyebrow at that. “Hardison, that's why you wanted to come? No.”

“What do you mean, no? I am the super-skrull. Okay, I have all y'all's skills. I hack, I grift, I thieve.”

“Can you fight?” Elliot asked.

“I have a dog for that. Name's Megabite.”

“Hardison. You can't do what I do,” Nate said plainly.

“Why? You think I'm not smart enough?” Hardison seemed a little offended.

“No, you're smart enough. That's the easy part.”

“What's the hard part?”

Instead of answering Nate turned his attention to the woman who was approaching them. “Jane,” he greeted her.

She took the empty seat at the table. “Hello. Yes. Nice to see you again.”

“I'd like you to meet my associates here, Eliot Spencer, Will Jansen, and Alec Hardison,” Nate motioned to each of them.

“Those men have been following me,” Jane discreetly motioned to two men who entered the bar behind her.

Nate gave Elliot and Will a little nod. Elliot walked up to one of the men acting drunk. “Say, man, I think that's my jacket that you got on,” Elliot poked him for good measure.

“Back off!” the man growled.

“Look, I left it too long at the dry cleaners. You can't just give away somebody's jacket. This is my jacket. If I could just get it back from you. Yeah, I liked it. My mom gave it to me.”

Will then approached Elliot and put a hand on his shoulder, also acting drunk. “I told you to let go of that jacket, dude.”

“Listen to your friend,” the man said in a stern tone.

“But my mom...” Elliot grabbed the sleeve. The man moved to punch Elliot in the stomach, but Elliot grabbed his arm and twisted it, bringing him to his knees. “What's up?”

The second man tried to come to his associate's aid, but Will slammed him against the bar. Both of them let their opponents up and punched them hard in the face. The men growled, but when they got up again they left.

Elliot and Will returned to the table. “Can your dog do that?” Elliot had a smug smirk on his face for a few seconds.

They then turned their attention to Jane's story. “The conditions there are deplorable. When the children who work in Mr. Moto's diamond mine meet their quota, they earn a dollar fifty a day. When they don't, they go hungry.”

“Yeah, or worse,” Elliot was now much more somber. “Sound familiar?” he looked to Will.

“Too familiar,” Will mumbled. “And the US is a good place to launder those diamonds.”

“Mr. Moto has been doing that through his real-estate holdings here in Boston,” Nate told them.

“I guess it pays to have a brother who's president,” Hardison commented.

“The President is a good man who has worked hard to raise the standard of living for our people,” Jane responded. “But his brother is very smart. He covers his tracks. That is why he'll win.”

“This money that Alexander's saving, this is for a coup?” Elliot asked.

“No. An election. Term limits will force his brother out in less than a year. Nothing will stop Alexander then. Rumor has it he's already sold the country to corporations.”

“Yeah, for that giant oil field they discovered, right?” Nate guessed.

Hardison shook his head. “So from diamond smuggler to OPEC member. That's a nice bounce.”

“In four days our president will visit his brother here in Boston. That will solidify Alexander as his heir apparent back home,” the thought seemed to frighten Jane.

“Jane, don't you think that when that article you wrote comes out, that the Justice Department-”

“Will do nothing! I brought them proof of Moto's crimes months ago. They started an investigation, then stopped. Why?”

Nate looked to Will. “Can you find out?”

Will thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, I know someone I can call,” he answered. “But I'll need an untraceable line.”

“Why untraceable?” Hardison asked. “Whoever knows Moto knows he's in Boston.”

“Yes, but if the call is traced then my father will be able to find me. Considering the fact that I packed all my belongings in the middle of the night, left without a word, and borrowed his private jet without asking, I'd really rather not make tracking me down easier.”

“You can help him out, can't you, Hardison?” Nate asked.

“Of course I can,” Hardison was offended that it was even in question.

“Who are you connected to?” Jane asked curiously.

Will got up from the table. “It's better for everyone if you don't even ask. My father is a lot like Moto, but rest assured that all I have in common with him is DNA.”

Later that evening they all gathered at headquarters to see what Will was able to find out. “Okay, so, I found out he's a CIA informant,” Will revealed. “He identifies jihadists in Africa. Once a month he gives them a list of names, and not only do they leave him alone to go about his business, they pay him.”

Elliot's jaw clenched at the news. “Wait a minute. This guy makes money off the backs of children, and nobody goes after him, because he feeds the CIA a bunch of names?”

“And what are the odds that these so called jihadists aren't terrorists at all? They're more likely to be Moto's political rivals back home,” Sophie commented.

“A safe bet,” Will replied. “My father has done the same damn thing when he starts feeling some heat from a government.”

“And if the government won't go after Moto, we will,” Nate said. “Now, he bought his real estate at the top of the market, so he's leveraged up to his eyeballs. And the only thing keeping him afloat from not going bankrupt is the steady flow of diamonds. And what's the best thing about smuggled diamonds?”

“Oh, I know this one,” Sophie smiled softly. “It's the way that they shimmer on the deck of a billionaire's yacht in the moonlight.”

Will shook his head. “That answers some questions I had. But the correct answer is they're untraceable and uninsured.”

“Right. So, we go after Moto's diamonds and we end a political career before it starts. We just have to find out where the vault is.”

They sent Parker and Hardison out to tour Moto's properties to see which one was the most likely to house his vault. “Okay, we are at stop four on our tour of Alexander Moto's Boston properties.” Parker announced as she took a few pictures.

Hardison was in his van looking up information. “Records show he just renovated the place with state of the art security tech, but he wouldn't put a vault in here.”

“Why is that?” Nate asked.

“It's Raines Concert Hall, where the Massachusetts Chamber Orchestra plays.”

“They have concerts here?” Parker found that interesting. “Look at that foundation. I thought this was a bank.”

“Like I said, it's the perfect place for a vault,” Hardison quickly changed his tune.

Parker continued checking out the exterior of the building. “Aww,” Parker quickly picked the lock on an external panel. “Junior High. And they thought Jackie Thomas' report card was safe. Guys, they have a dedicated air line that goes straight down to the basement. Used for storing extremely delicate items. That's where your vault is.”

Hardison did a little more digging. “Hey, guys, I think I may have found his fragile item. Moto just purchased a Stradivarius violin for $4.5 million.”

“This all fits. Moto's made himself a patron of the arts in Boston. To, you know, up his profile with the old money crowd,” Sophie figured it out.

“And what's his vulnerability?” Nate asked.

“His ties to America,” Will answered. “His father sent him out of the country at an early age. He was educated in Europe, got his MBA at Harvard. His brother's a national hero. But Moto doesn't even speak his native language.”

“He's gonna have to kiss a lot of babies, or stuff a lot of ballot boxes,” Elliot commented.

“Most likely the latter.”

Nate thought it all over for a minute. “So Moto's problem is that he's an outsider to his own people.”

“Yeah, well, what about my problem?” Parker asked. “I can't break into a vault without seeing the inside first.”

“Okay, so, you need a tour of the vault, and Moto, our mark, needs to look good back home.”

The first part of the plan was to create a bit of a smear campaign. Nate called Jane while he had Hardison editing a picture of Moto. “Jane, has Moto ever given you an interview?” Nate asked her.

“Never,” she answered.

“Does he drink?”

“On occasion, why?”

“No reason. Listen, stay away from your apartment, and call me at the first sign of any trouble.”

Hardison edited the photo to make it look like Moto was holding a bottle of champagne and surrounded by beautiful women. He even made the man's eyes look a little bloodshot. “That's nice. Make him look drunker. And then richer,” Nate commented.

“What you want me to do, give the man a pet tiger?” Hardison's tone was sarcastic.

The next thing they did was put Elliot in front of a green screen and he pretended to be covering a riot as an international reporter in Wadata using a very good South African accent. He reported that Moto had insulted the country's football team.

“You sounded just like me,” Will was a little impressed and flattered.

“Yeah, well, you're easy to copy because you talk in your sleep,” Elliot teased a bit.

Hardison looked up from the video he was editing. “Does that mean you sleep in the same bed?”

Elliot crossed his arms. “That falls under none of your business.”

Hardison made sure Moto saw the video, and Sophie placed a call to the man's office to offer her services as a public relations specialist. The plan was for Hardison to pretend to be a young immigrant from Wadata seeking a better life. Sophie's pitch was for Moto to help him, making him look like a humanitarian. Hardison's cover was a cab driver who was a gifted violin player.

“You know I played violin until I was fourteen? I was pretty good, too. I never thought it'd help me in a con,” Hardison bragged while he was getting ready to meet Moto with Sophie.

“Well, why'd you give it up?” Nate asked.

“I discovered computers, man. Turns out you can't see naked pictures of girls on a violin.”

“So, we need to get inside that vault here. Now, Moto, he keeps his Stradivarius in a climate controlled case. What you need to do is you need to get him to take you inside there, right? The entire heist depends on it. So show me what spy gear you got.”

“Got a button cam, GPS Smartphone, and I got a hidden wi-fi scanner that's gonna hack into the building's security system automatically. Now, all that data is gonna wash up on this big screen right here. So you and Parker can orchestrate the break in.”

“Sounds good.”

“Nate, you know, um, I was serious about what I said. So, what's this thing that you think I'm missing? What, is it, like, uh, thriftiness or, like, friendliness, or big picture thinking or, aloofness, what?” Nate just walked away. “Or rudeness?”

“You're getting closer,” Will commented from his seat across the room.

“What would you know about it?”

“Until I came here I pretty much tried to stay out of the shadier side of things. That being said, I've seen first hand what it takes to be on top. Nate's right, you don't have it.”

“And you do?”

“Never said I did. This team may use its for talents for good, but every ring leader, they all have one thing in common. Now, if you knew more about the guy you helped me call to get the ball rolling on this case, you'd be a little sick to your stomach. You, Hardison, are the most principled thief I've ever met.”

Hardison raised an eyebrow. “And that's a bad thing?”

“For the position that you're currently in, it's a great thing. But no, not so good for running your own team. You should get going. Being late won't look good.”

The team gathered to watch everything on the big screen while Sophie and Hardison played their parts beautifully. Instead of acting eager, Hardison acted doubtful. “Come. Let me show you what you can achieve in America,” Moto motioned for the two to follow him.

“Good work, guys. He's taking you to the vault. Let's find those diamonds,” Nate said as he watched.

Moto started leading them toward the vault. “Down these stairs, I think you'll find something very inspiring.”

Parker was watching closely to see what she would have to deal with. “Electromagnetic lock with retinal scanner can withstand two thousand pounds of pressure.”

“You want to know what you can achieve in America?” Moto asked Hardison before he used the retinal scanner to unlock the vault door. The priceless violin was in a glass case. “Antonio Stradivari made it himself in 1705. It's magnificent, isn't it?”

“With all the technology in the world today, you-” Hardison started mumbling to himself without the fake accent. Sophie cleared her throat to get his attention and remind him where they were. “You couldn't make a violin that sounds as good as that one. No one understands why.”

“Sophie, I need you to zero in on the lockers,” Nate directed.

Parker was looking through the data on one of the monitors. “Security log shows a delivery from Wadata a week ago that was placed in locker number allegro.”

“Allegro. Musical terms. So he's named his lockers after musical terms. It sounds like our diamonds. Okay, Sophie, what I need you to do right now is go stand next to locker allegro so Hardison can get us a shot.”

Sophie found the right locker and stood next to it. “I can tell from your reaction that we are a good match,” Moto was impressed.

“I think you'd agree with that, wouldn't you, Temi?” Sophie tried to get Hardison's attention, but he kept staring at the violin. “Temi?” she raised her voice a bit. That finally got Hardison to look in her direction so they could get a picture of the vault.

“So how do we break in?” Nate asked Parker while she examined the picture of the vault.

“We can't,” her shoulders dropped in disappointment.

“Excuse me?”

“Did you see any video cameras anywhere? Want to know why?”

“Why?”

“Because video cameras require people to watch them, people who fall asleep. This vault is a state of the art Glen-Reeder. It works off motion sensors and is unhackable. Even for Hardison.”

Nate thought about it for a moment. “Okay, well, if we can't turn it off, we got to get them to do it for us. So check the logs and see if there was ever a time where they shut it down, and why.”

“Uh, it looks like they shut it down once. When the orchestra played the '1812 overture' because they were afraid the vibrations would set it off. Guess that's what happens when you build a vault under a concert hall.”

“Sophie, listen up. I'm gonna change the play.”

Sophie ended up suggesting that Moto host a concert for his brother's visit, which would not only help his image in urban areas, but if they broadcast it over radio those living in more rural areas would hear about it. And of course Temi would be the star.

Hardison was not happy about the change. He came down into the living area the next afternoon still grumbling. “You think I can play the violin like it’s a kazoo.”

“What were you doing up there? Napping? I told you, we got lots of work to do,” Nate seemed unbothered.

“Don't talk to me right now. You know what you've done? You asked me to play the violin in front of people.”

“Yes, well, you said you were good.”

“As a child. That was ten years ago.”

“Now, come on, Hardison. Listen, you know, you told me you could do anything. You told me you were super skull.”

“Skrull. Get it right. Super skrull, who has the combined powers of the fantastic four, one of whom is not Itzhak Perlman.”

“I have no idea what that even means, but I'm sure you'll be fine,” Will tried to encourage him.

“Really? Do you play any instruments?”

“I took piano lessons for a few years.”

“Do you still remember how to play?”

Will shrugged at the question. “It's been a while, but I'm sure if I sat down in front of one it would come back.”

They were interrupted by Sophie. “Hey. I just helped Moto pick out the music for the concert. Look what it is,” she handed Nate the music.

Nate looked it over. “Ah! Yes. No, this is perfect. I mean, because it's big, and it's loud, and they're gonna have to turn off the motion sensor for this. Perfect.”

Hardison grabbed the music sheet from Nate. “Seeing as how I'm the one who's got to play it. What is it?”

“It's 'Scheherazade By Korsakov,” Sophie answered. “It's based on a story from the 'Arabian nights' about a sultan who marries a new bride every night and has her killed by morning, until Scheherazade. You see, every night, she tells him a story with such a suspenseful cliffhanger that he daren't execute her for fear that he'll never know the ending. She told her stories for a thousand and one nights, until the sultan fell deeply, deeply in love with her. Ah. Scheherazade. She's one of literature's all time great grifters.”

Hardison shook his head. “Let me tell you what I know about some Scheherazade, okay? It ends with one of the most difficult violin solos, my solo.”

“You'll be the star of the piece,” Nate responded.

“Excuse me while I go to my storage locker and pull out a very dusty violin.”

“Oh no, Moto wants you to play his violin,” Sophie informed him.

“The strad?” Hardison's eyes bugged out a little.

“He said it's the first time he's met someone worthy. You made quite an impression.”

“Oh lord, tell me this isn't happening.”

“And the conductor needs you there in two hours.”

“Aw, come on, man!”

“Yeah, see, I told you you shouldn't napping. You gotta go,” Nate ushered Hardison out the door.

“Nate?” Sophie turned to him. “You know when criminals go to jail, they inevitably pick up a few skills, like a pickpocket might learn, um, I don't know, safe cracking. Well, is there anything you want to tell me?”

“You know, I always like to pick up an extra wrench here and there for the old toolbox. You said it yourself, he's, the best candidate.”

“The best candidate for what?” Will asked.

“Hypnotizing,” Nate answered. “Hardison has the skill, or at least he said he did. It just needs brought to the surface.”

Will took a step back. “And you do realize what will happen if he ever finds out, right?”

Nate shrugged. “It's a risk I had to take for the sake of the job. You and I both know that's something Hardison can't do, and why he can't lead his own team.”

“Yes, too principled, as I said the other day,” Will agreed. “However, keep in mind that my head is not one you want to go poking around in.”

“Oh, I agree. Too dangerous to go digging around in a field of land mines.”

“What does that mean?” Sophie asked Nate after Will had left.

“He survives by suppressing his emotions. He and Elliot are similar that way. Everything painful gets buried and forgotten in the deep recesses of his mind. If I went poking around in his mind and opened the wrong door it wouldn't be pretty.”

“How bad do you think it is?” Sophie was worried.

“Considering who raised him and the things he's probably seen, hard to tell. But if it makes you feel any better, whatever is going on between him and Elliot, it seems to be helping both of them.”

Sophie had to leave for the concert hall. Parker returned to headquarters. “How's the plan?” Nate asked her.

“I'll walk you through it. We have three main obstacles; two doors and a guard. At the first door there's a six digit keypad. You got the code yet?”

“Let's find out. Sophie?”

“Minutes away,” Sophie answered.

Will was carrying bags of equipment for her. A security guard stopped them and insisted on going through the bag. Will was wearing a ball cap with his hair tucked up underneath just in case anyone might recognize him. He also tried to keep from looking directly at anyone.

“Alright, I'm at the door,” Elliot checked in.

“Guard coming your way,” Will warned him.

Elliot only had a few minutes before the guard caught him at the door. He pretended to be a lost worker, and used a mirror to try and watch the man enter the code, but he couldn't see much. “Alright, it's a six digit code. The first two numbers are six and four, in that sequence. Next four numbers are two, three, eight, and nine. Not in sequence.”

Parker sighed. “Okay, that means I'm gonna have to punch in all the combinations. That's gonna take time, and there's a guard.”

“Well, Eliot can take care of the guard,” Nate wasn't worried. “Right, Elliot?”

“Yeah, sure,” Elliot responded.

They all met back at headquarters to figure out how exactly they were going to pull the job off. “That puts us through the first door, and it's a straight shot down through the stairs, which leads us right into the vault,” Nate explained his idea.

“Where we have the retina scanner, which we don't have time to hack, so I would skip the stairs and blow a hole in the floor right there,” Parker countered.

“Okay, great, so we get to the vault through the ceiling, we get the diamonds, we wait for the concert to end, and we slip out with the crowd.”

“Nope.”

“What do you mean, no?”

“Our only window to break into this vault is during the concert when the motion sensors are turned off. Right?”

“Right.”

“Okay, well, this is a concert for a foreign dignitary with a full secret service detail. Okay, we have to take out the guard, blow a hole in the floor without anybody hearing anything. It can't be done.”

Nate picked up the music sheet. “How much time do we need for the break in?”

Parker ran everything through her head quick. “Seven minutes, minimum.”

“So, here's where Eliot and Will take care of the guard,” Nate pointed to one place in the piece. “And then here's where we blow a hole through the floor, the last seven minutes of the piece, of course, depending on tempo.”

Hardison raised an eyebrow. “Nate, you're trying to time the heist with the music?”

“Yes.”

“No. It can't be done.”

“Sure it can,” Will argued. “Since I've been here anyhow, timing has been important on every job. Nate would just have to do what he always does and direct.”

“Exactly,” Nate nodded.

The evening of the concert everyone took their places. Elliot, Will, and Parker were dressed as janitors. Nate was in a back room with a music sheet so he could follow along and direct them. “Okay, guys, buckle up,” he said when it was soon time. “You have seven minutes, but it depends on how fast the conductor leads the orchestra. I'll follow his pace and cue you. Here we go. On my mark. Now!”

Elliot started pushing the cleaning cart with Will and Parker right behind him. They walked past the guard while he watched them. As soon as they got to the door with the security code Parker started punching in numbers. Elliot stood guard while Will tried to stay out of sight.

As predicted, the guard followed them. He and Elliot eyed each other up for a moment. The guard ran down the hall and tackled Elliot, slamming him into the wall and stunning him for a moment. Then the guard stood up and tried to grab Parker, but seconds before he reached her Will jumped out from his hiding place and grabbed the guard, holding him in a headlock.

The two of them struggled for a few minutes until the guard managed to wiggle free and punch Will in the face, knocking him back. That was when Elliot moved in again, knocking the guard down with a leg sweep from behind, and delivering a knock out punch as the man fell.

“It's a faster tempo. I'm moving up the timetable. You guys have four and a half minutes,” Nate warned them.

In the next room above the safe Parker started laying out the explosives. The guard got back up and charged Elliot again, only to switch paths just in time to throw Will into the wall. Elliot attacked from behind, and the two continued to tag-team him until Parker motioned to them that she was finished. Will grabbed the guard by the shoulder and flipped him into the circle, mumbling a few German curse words under his breath and favoring one shoulder.

The guard got back up and stared them down again, not realizing where he was standing until it was too late. “Now!” Nate shouted at the perfect moment, and Parker detonated. The blast caused the floor to collapse, taking the guard with it.

Elliot threw a rope down for them to lower themselves into the vault. Parker easily opened the vault and grabbed the diamonds. Nate appeared out of nowhere and pointed to another vault. “Open,” he ordered Parker.

Just as Nate switched out an envelope they heard Hardison's violin solo start. They all paused to listen to the enchanting music. When it was over the sensors turned back on and alarms started blaring. “What are you doing down here?” Parker asked.

“I'll explain later. Let's just get out of here.”

Suddenly the rope was pulled up and they were trapped. “You got an exit plan?” Elliot asked Nate.

“Ah, working on it. Sophie, any ideas?”

“Stall,” Sophie replied.

“Uh, guys, Moto and his brother just left. And I don't know about y'all, but it wasn't me, because I just rocked it, you know,” Hardison warned them.

“Okay, listen, Hardison, just stay where you are and don't blow your cover,” Nate instructed.

“Roger that.”

The vault door opened and Moto entered with his brother. “What's going on here?” the brother demanded.

“A burglary. We turned off the motion sensors for the concert. They're very clever. My men can handle it,” Moto assured his brother. “Call the police.”

Suddenly there was a muffled gun shot and Moto fell to the ground dead, a little bit of blood trickling from a bullet hole in his back. “I wouldn't do that,” a dark haired man stepped forward, three intimidating looking men behind him.

“Oliver?” Will was shocked to see his brother. “How did you...?”

The African president looked for his secret service men, and found them on the floor. “Who are you, and what do you want?”

“Oliver Wiltshire, and I just got what I wanted,” the man smirked. “Oh, don't worry, those agents aren't dead, at least they're not supposed to be. Sometimes my men don't know their own strength.”

“You still haven't answered my question,” Will demanded.

Oliver turned to his brother. “Father and I caught your scent when you called Joseph to ask about what Moto was up to. You found a decent hacker to cover your tracks, but not good enough.”

“I'm not going home with you this time. You're gonna have to shoot me.”

Oliver sighed and shook his head. “Ian, dear brother, do you really think I would do that?”

“Only if you were ordered, and only someplace that would incapacitate me, you'd never kill me.”

“What is going on here!” the president demanded. “Why did you kill my brother in cold blood?”

Oliver chuckled at that. “You don't know?” He pointed his gun at Parker. “Hand them over, pretty thing.”

“Do it,” Will urged her. “He will shoot you if you don't.”

Elliot moved suddenly to try and disarm Oliver, but one of the other men shot at him. Will shoved Elliot out of the way and growled in pain as the bullet entered his lower back. “No!” Elliot cried and knelt down to see how bad it was.

Oliver's attention turned to Elliot. “Spencer, look what you just made Adam do.” He turned back to Parker and aimed at her forehead. “The diamonds. Now!” Parker was shaking as she handed them over and Oliver showed them to the president. “My family wanted your brother dead because he's competition. If he were to win the next election he would put your country's full power behind putting us out of business. We can't have that.”

The president hung his head. “I had heard rumors, but I didn't want to believe them. But you won't get away with murdering him!”

“I could kill you too,” Oliver motioned to the guards on the ground. “Since your protection detail is sleeping on the job and all. Either way it's going to be blamed on random terrorists. You have two choices. Do things my way and be a triumphant hero to your people....” He snatched the papers out of Nate's hand. “Or these will be found with your corpse, and you'll look just as corrupt and guilty as your brother, which will probably throw your country into a nasty civil war. I win either way, but I'm not an unreasonable man, and I only kill if I have to.”

The president's shoulders dropped. “Fine, have it your way.”

“Excellent,” Oliver smirked. “Just know that if you renege on our deal after I'm gone there will be a terrorist attack in your capital city.” He knelt down to check on his brother. Elliot had taken his shirt off and was keeping pressure on the wound.

“You silly romantic fool,” Oliver brushed a few hairs from Will's face. “That bullet was meant for Spencer, not you. But you're tough, and an ambulance is on the way, which means we need to be gone. I just wanted to tell you that I convinced father it was futile to drag you back for the hundredth time. We know where you are, and what you're doing, but we won't bother you unless necessary. Father also sent a birthday gift, which I will have delivered when you're feeling better.” He kissed Will's cheek and turned to leave.

Will snorted softly. “You shot me, and still aren't taking me with you?”

Oliver shrugged. “You never did fit into our family. And yes, I know you're with your mother here, and I'm going to keep that to myself. We've been watching you, and I remember her, whatever she's calling herself these days. While she lived with us she was nice to me, and it's not like what she stole was ever badly missed.”

“Uh, Oliver?” Nate called out his name. “I kinda need those papers.”

“Ah, yes, the Italian bitch.” Oliver handed them back to Nate. “I know more than either of you would like me to. I wish you luck with that. And Spencer can explain to you what will probably happen if you don't also keep your mouths shut about what happened here tonight.”

As soon as they heard the sirens Oliver and his men quickly retreated, knocking Sophie over. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw what had happened. “That was...”

“Roger Wiltshire Junior,” Nate finished the sentence.

Sophie rushed over to Will and Elliot. “It's my fault, I...” Elliot could barely look at her.

“You were trying to protect Parker,” Will tried to make him feel better. “You saw a gun pointed at her, and you reacted.”

“And if we don't tell anyone who really killed Moto, the Wiltshire family will leave us alone,” Nate filled Sophie in.

First responders quickly rushed in, and Will was rushed to the hospital by paramedics. Nate assumed they would all be arrested because of where they were, but an officer asked them a few simple questions before letting them go.

“On the payroll?” Nate quietly asked Elliot as they left the building.

“Or bribed,” Elliot responded. “Either way, even though Moto is no longer a problem, I'd count this as a loss.”

“I agree. You and Sophie go to the hospital. We'll meet with our original client tomorrow.”

Nate and Elliot met with Jane the next day. “I don't understand,” she shook her head. “I wanted Moto exposed, not dead.”

Nate took her hand in his. “All I can really tell you is that Moto stepped on some powerful toes, and us looking into him got their attention. They wanted him kept out of office as badly as you did, only they were willing to go to more extreme lengths.”

“Am I safe? What about my article?”

“You should be safe now as long as you don't go digging into Moto's death. I would also forget about the article.”

“The one wounded man, was he one of yours?”

“Yeah,” Elliot nodded as he swallowed hard. “And he'll be all right. Nothing vital was hit. It was a warning shot to keep us quiet.”

“I'm sorry I got you dragged into so much trouble, but thank you I suppose.”

“There's always a risk in what we do,” Nate replied. “But I do have something for you.” He handed her a check.

Her eyes widened when she saw the amount. “I couldn't. The diamonds...”

“Have nothing to do with that. No, what happened is we ended up with this Stradivarius. We thought that the money could be used for the good people of Wadata, maybe a music foundation for the kids? You could set that up. It was his idea,” he motioned to Elliot as he left the table.

“Mine and Will's,” Elliot corrected Nate. “He sends his regards, but he won't be released from the hospital until tomorrow. Still, I wish we could do more.”

Jane gave Elliot a small smile. “What is it your friend said to Moto? Help a single child, you are a hero? Small acts can have ripple effects. Will means a great deal to you, doesn't he?”

“I had no idea how much until I thought I might lose him.”

Elliot said goodbye to Jane and joined everyone else at the bar. “I wasn't able to keep that secret very long,” Sophie sighed. “You and Nate figured it out pretty quickly, and I hear Oliver spilled the beans to Parker before making his getaway.”

“I still can't believe you had a baby with a mark,” Parker couldn't believe it. “And then you hid it from us.”

“I was going to tell all of you eventually, I just wanted you to get to know him first. I'm still getting to know him.”

“He's not like anyone else I've ever met,” Elliot commented. “I think I'm gonna go visit him.”

“I think I'll join you,” Sophie said as she stood up. “It is his birthday. That much I do remember.”
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Bring on the Wonder