Fic: Role Model V
Nate had heard stories about this man and his son over the week that his team had been at the school, enough that he’d had Hardison run a background check on Dean Smith. The hacker had dug up plenty on the man, but unfortunately none of it made sense with what they were experiencing. All public records pointed to an Ivy League educated marketing specialist, not a mechanic with way too much knowledge of martial arts and explosives. The highly polished citizen that had disappeared from Sandover Iron two years ago had no place recognizing the team the way he had. He was a puzzle, and Nate loved a good puzzle.
Once they’d managed to take down the local power-hungry asshole with a stranglehold on the school board and nearly every other aspect of local politics, Nate dropped by the garage where Smith worked. “We’re all done,” he told the man, standing next to the fifteen-year-old Nissan that was probably receiving the most thorough overhaul in its life.
“I noticed,” Smith replied, not looking up from the apparently troublesome carburetor. “Nice job on Patterson, by the way. The son of a bitch had it coming.”
Nate ruthlessly choked back the worry that the seemingly innocuous statement brought up. His team’s major defense was that no one but the mark ever noticed their presences, and half the time even the bad guy didn’t know what had happened. “Thank you,” he said instead. “This is quite a change from Toledo.”
That did cause the man to look up and meet Nate’s eyes. There was a quick exhale of almost-laughter. “Yeah, it is. I like the weather better here, though. Company’s better, too.”
“Quite a career change.”
This time the man actually did laugh. “Dude, you have no idea. Thanks again for taking care of the asshole.”
“We might be interested in throwing a little business your way,” Nate mentioned, a little tentatively, olive branch and carrot on a stick combined.
Smith shook his head and directed his attention back to the engine. “Not my life anymore,” he said. “Unless it’s car-related, take your business somewhere else. I don’t want that shit anywhere near my family.”
“Fair enough,” Nate said. “I might be in touch anyway, Mr. Smith.”
“Answer won’t change.”
Nate nodded and walked away, carefully tucking the business card he had picked up in his pocket. He never wasted a potential future ally.
Once they’d managed to take down the local power-hungry asshole with a stranglehold on the school board and nearly every other aspect of local politics, Nate dropped by the garage where Smith worked. “We’re all done,” he told the man, standing next to the fifteen-year-old Nissan that was probably receiving the most thorough overhaul in its life.
“I noticed,” Smith replied, not looking up from the apparently troublesome carburetor. “Nice job on Patterson, by the way. The son of a bitch had it coming.”
Nate ruthlessly choked back the worry that the seemingly innocuous statement brought up. His team’s major defense was that no one but the mark ever noticed their presences, and half the time even the bad guy didn’t know what had happened. “Thank you,” he said instead. “This is quite a change from Toledo.”
That did cause the man to look up and meet Nate’s eyes. There was a quick exhale of almost-laughter. “Yeah, it is. I like the weather better here, though. Company’s better, too.”
“Quite a career change.”
This time the man actually did laugh. “Dude, you have no idea. Thanks again for taking care of the asshole.”
“We might be interested in throwing a little business your way,” Nate mentioned, a little tentatively, olive branch and carrot on a stick combined.
Smith shook his head and directed his attention back to the engine. “Not my life anymore,” he said. “Unless it’s car-related, take your business somewhere else. I don’t want that shit anywhere near my family.”
“Fair enough,” Nate said. “I might be in touch anyway, Mr. Smith.”
“Answer won’t change.”
Nate nodded and walked away, carefully tucking the business card he had picked up in his pocket. He never wasted a potential future ally.