Beware of Devils Bearing Deals (1/1)
Title: Beware of Devils Bearing Deals
Fandom: Leverage
Characters: Sterling, Dani Freeman (OC)
Rating: PG
Summary: "That file doesn't hold your downfall, it holds your freedom."
Author’s Notes: Written for leverageland's Personality Challenge, where you created an original character and wrote a story explaining how fit into the Leverage universe.
Sterling dropped the folder on the desk in front of her, and Dani glared up at him. He smiled that smug smile of his back at her, but then grimaced rubbing his jaw.
“You should really put some ice on that. It might help with the swelling.” She smiled sweetly at him.
“It’s fine,” He said quickly dropping his hand and taking a seat across from her. “And unimportant. Let’s talk about this.”
He nodded towards the file in front of her and she rolled her eyes. “I’m not signing a confession or anything like that, if that’s what your expecting. So you can take me back to the holding room any time you want.”
“You seem to have the wrong idea, that file doesn’t hold your downfall, it holds your freedom.” He told her, “You’re going to use your talents to help me.”
“You want me, to help you?” Dani repeated incredulously.
“Yes, you help me and in turn, I help you. Your file and you will be free to disappear, no need to tell anyone who wants you that I have you.” Sterling told her sliding the file closer to her, “You just have to help me with this one little problem first.”
She eyed him suspiciously, not believing what he was telling her. Sterling was known for his dishonesty, for his pension for double crossing and always putting himself first. But she was quickly running out of options, she knew that.
She reached for the file, awkwardly opening it because of the handcuffs he had enjoyed putting on her a little too much, and looking over the information inside. Familiar names and stories laid out in front of her.
“Nathan Ford and his merry band of criminals.” Sterling said, “They’ve been a pain in my ass for quite a while now.”
“And you expect me to do what exactly?” Dani asked, looking back at him.
“Help me bring them down of course. You have a rare quality that most criminals capable of helping me don’t. They don’t know you. You’ve never crossed paths with them, never worked any jobs with them, were never on Nate’s radar when he was still an investigator. And let’s face it, you don’t look all that scary, though we both know differently. I doubt they’ll suspect you of anything.”
“They’re in the crime business, they find everyone suspicious. Only fools don’t.”
“Yes, but I’m sure you can convince them.” Sterling said, “I remember a great deal of men and women you managed to convince of your innocence before you shot them.”
“I only shoot people who deserve it.” Dani told him.
“Some would disagree with that.”
“They’re usually the people I’ve shot.”
He smiled, letting out a small chuckle. “There’s another reason that I chose you. I like you, I find you fascinating. A mass of contradictions. A woman who smiles as she breaks you. I want you to use that smile, to help me break them.”
“I don’t kill people in cold blood, I’m not a mercenary.”
“I’m not asking you to kill them.” Sterling told her, “I’m an Interpol agent after all, that’s not allowed. I don’t want them dead, I want them broken. As a group, they are…almost unbeatable, but separately, they’re more likely to make mistakes. More likely to be caught. That’s where you come in.”
“You want me to drive a wedge between them, break up the group.” She said glancing back down at the file. There were several photos of them separately, and one grainy photo of the all together, seated at a bar. They didn’t look like just a team, they looked like friends.
She felt a pang of envy, used to working completely alone or with people that she never fully trusted. Her job didn’t involve making very many friends; she had clients, acquaintances, and plenty of enemies, but never friends. Not for a long time.
“And how exactly do you expect me to do this?”
“Very easily.” Sterling said, his hand reaching out to point to one of the photos. “Eliot Spencer. He’s always had a problem turning away a damsel in distress. You’ll tell him your sob story and he’ll do whatever it takes to make it better, bringing the team along for the ride. And you’ll be there, sabotaging plans, laying seeds of doubt in all their minds.
“You’ll convince him, that he’s better off alone.” He said his finger stabbing at the picture again, “And once he’s gone, the rest will slowly follow his example.”
“This isn’t what I normally do. I con, but I’m not a con-artist.”
“Now we both know that’s not true. Everything about you is a con, a lie. It’s how you fly under the radar. Who would ever suspect little old you of bringing men to their knees on a daily basis? Of having killed countless people, of having taken out six Interpol agents before it took four more to bring you down. Think of this as just a continuation of that lie. Besides, it’s not like you’re going to say no when your only other choice is prison. I’m offering your freedom Dani, all you have to do is take it.”
She glanced back down at the file in front of her, staring down at the picture of the man he had pointed out. Her new mark. She felt a twinge of regret, but she quickly pushed it away.
“If I go down, I’m taking you down with me.” She said looking up at Sterling.
“Then for both our sakes, I hope you do as well as I expect you too.” He told her. “I for one think this is the beginning of a very fruitful partnership.”
Dani hated the way he said it, like this wouldn’t be the last time they would work together. It didn’t feel like a partnership to her, it felt more like making a deal with the devil.
GRAPHICS FOR CHALLENGE:
Fandom: Leverage
Characters: Sterling, Dani Freeman (OC)
Rating: PG
Summary: "That file doesn't hold your downfall, it holds your freedom."
Author’s Notes: Written for leverageland's Personality Challenge, where you created an original character and wrote a story explaining how fit into the Leverage universe.
Sterling dropped the folder on the desk in front of her, and Dani glared up at him. He smiled that smug smile of his back at her, but then grimaced rubbing his jaw.
“You should really put some ice on that. It might help with the swelling.” She smiled sweetly at him.
“It’s fine,” He said quickly dropping his hand and taking a seat across from her. “And unimportant. Let’s talk about this.”
He nodded towards the file in front of her and she rolled her eyes. “I’m not signing a confession or anything like that, if that’s what your expecting. So you can take me back to the holding room any time you want.”
“You seem to have the wrong idea, that file doesn’t hold your downfall, it holds your freedom.” He told her, “You’re going to use your talents to help me.”
“You want me, to help you?” Dani repeated incredulously.
“Yes, you help me and in turn, I help you. Your file and you will be free to disappear, no need to tell anyone who wants you that I have you.” Sterling told her sliding the file closer to her, “You just have to help me with this one little problem first.”
She eyed him suspiciously, not believing what he was telling her. Sterling was known for his dishonesty, for his pension for double crossing and always putting himself first. But she was quickly running out of options, she knew that.
She reached for the file, awkwardly opening it because of the handcuffs he had enjoyed putting on her a little too much, and looking over the information inside. Familiar names and stories laid out in front of her.
“Nathan Ford and his merry band of criminals.” Sterling said, “They’ve been a pain in my ass for quite a while now.”
“And you expect me to do what exactly?” Dani asked, looking back at him.
“Help me bring them down of course. You have a rare quality that most criminals capable of helping me don’t. They don’t know you. You’ve never crossed paths with them, never worked any jobs with them, were never on Nate’s radar when he was still an investigator. And let’s face it, you don’t look all that scary, though we both know differently. I doubt they’ll suspect you of anything.”
“They’re in the crime business, they find everyone suspicious. Only fools don’t.”
“Yes, but I’m sure you can convince them.” Sterling said, “I remember a great deal of men and women you managed to convince of your innocence before you shot them.”
“I only shoot people who deserve it.” Dani told him.
“Some would disagree with that.”
“They’re usually the people I’ve shot.”
He smiled, letting out a small chuckle. “There’s another reason that I chose you. I like you, I find you fascinating. A mass of contradictions. A woman who smiles as she breaks you. I want you to use that smile, to help me break them.”
“I don’t kill people in cold blood, I’m not a mercenary.”
“I’m not asking you to kill them.” Sterling told her, “I’m an Interpol agent after all, that’s not allowed. I don’t want them dead, I want them broken. As a group, they are…almost unbeatable, but separately, they’re more likely to make mistakes. More likely to be caught. That’s where you come in.”
“You want me to drive a wedge between them, break up the group.” She said glancing back down at the file. There were several photos of them separately, and one grainy photo of the all together, seated at a bar. They didn’t look like just a team, they looked like friends.
She felt a pang of envy, used to working completely alone or with people that she never fully trusted. Her job didn’t involve making very many friends; she had clients, acquaintances, and plenty of enemies, but never friends. Not for a long time.
“And how exactly do you expect me to do this?”
“Very easily.” Sterling said, his hand reaching out to point to one of the photos. “Eliot Spencer. He’s always had a problem turning away a damsel in distress. You’ll tell him your sob story and he’ll do whatever it takes to make it better, bringing the team along for the ride. And you’ll be there, sabotaging plans, laying seeds of doubt in all their minds.
“You’ll convince him, that he’s better off alone.” He said his finger stabbing at the picture again, “And once he’s gone, the rest will slowly follow his example.”
“This isn’t what I normally do. I con, but I’m not a con-artist.”
“Now we both know that’s not true. Everything about you is a con, a lie. It’s how you fly under the radar. Who would ever suspect little old you of bringing men to their knees on a daily basis? Of having killed countless people, of having taken out six Interpol agents before it took four more to bring you down. Think of this as just a continuation of that lie. Besides, it’s not like you’re going to say no when your only other choice is prison. I’m offering your freedom Dani, all you have to do is take it.”
She glanced back down at the file in front of her, staring down at the picture of the man he had pointed out. Her new mark. She felt a twinge of regret, but she quickly pushed it away.
“If I go down, I’m taking you down with me.” She said looking up at Sterling.
“Then for both our sakes, I hope you do as well as I expect you too.” He told her. “I for one think this is the beginning of a very fruitful partnership.”
Dani hated the way he said it, like this wouldn’t be the last time they would work together. It didn’t feel like a partnership to her, it felt more like making a deal with the devil.
GRAPHICS FOR CHALLENGE:
