In For A Penny (Chapter Two)
YES! Finally!! Hahaha! Chapter Two is up! Thank God. Blame my perfectionism; I had to get it just right. And I kept chaning my mind. But am slowly finding a direction for the plot, which is um...always a good thing ;)
Anyways, enjoy!
Title: In For A Penny
Author: ( niennaseregon )
Fandom: Leverage
Pairing: None yet
Rating: PG-13
Completed Length: 2595 words
Summary: A stranger wants to join the Leverage team.
Feedback: You know I love it ;)
A/N: I feel that, since the Second Season has started, I should let people know that, this isn't really set in line with the show. So, if you see Nate at a bar, or the 'headquarters' is different, try not to freak. I just find it a bit easier to write without following the show, so to speak. Refrences to cons will still happen, but other than that, just remeber it's fanfiction. It doesn't have to be exact :)
A/N#2: Still couldn't get the 'LiveJournal Cut' thing to work. *evil eyes it* Stupid thing. Anyways, so, you're stuck with reading it the way it is. Hopefully I'll get that sorted out next time I post. *sigh*
Chapter 2
“I don’t get it.” Parker said. “He says ‘let’s have a meeting’ and then he doesn’t even show up?” She, Hardison, Eliot and Sophie were all sitting around the large room of their new headquarters, which was more like a comfortable living room than an office or board room. They were all visibly irritated at Nate’s lack of attendance to his own meeting.
“Are you sure he said this morning?” Sophie asked.
“Of course I’m sure!” Hardison responded, annoyed that he kept getting asked that question every five minutes.
“Maybe he thinks we’re gonna stage another intervention on him.” Eliot grinned.
“Oh God, please, don’t even joke.” Nate said, walking into the room at that very moment.
Various forms of “Finally!” came from each of the others.
“Where have you been, Nate?” Sophie asked. “You know, I was actually starting to get worried.” Hardison rolled his eyes. It seemed that Sophie was always fussing over Nate. Then again, he was sure that Nate would be the first one to call it ‘nagging’.
“There was traffic!” Nate said, sitting down beside Parker.
“You’re an hour and a half late, Nathan! No traffic is that bad!” Sophie replied, her voice rising.
“Look, I’m here now, so let’s just get on with things, shall we?”
Sophie leaned back in her chair, silently fuming, her arms crossed. Nate stood up and started a casual pace around the room.
“I was approached last night by someone named Crystal Ebson, who claimed to know everything we do. I got Hardison to look her up last night and she came back clean. No records of any kind, she works as a graphic designer, and there is no indication whatsoever that she’s anywhere near law enforcement. Right?” Nate glanced at Hardison, who nodded.
“Yeah,” Hardison said. “I mean, she’s a teacher’s pet if nothing else. I don’t really think she’s that much of a threat or anything if that’s what you’re trying to get at.”
“I think the fact that she a, claimed to know everything about us, and b, walked right up to Nate and confronted him, adds up to quite a big threat if you ask me.” Sophie said.
“She’s got a point there,” Eliot said, pointing at Sophie, who immediately perked up at the compliment. “Look at what happened with Dubenich. He said he knew what you did and walked straight up to you. That came this close to not ending well, I mean, he tried to kill us.”
“And he didn’t even pay us.”
“Parker…” Eliot started, annoyed.
“I’m not so sure this is like that.” Nate interrupted.
“Why not? Just because she’s a pretty face doesn’t mean she can’t be out to get you?” Sophie
asked. “How do we know she’s not got friends who are police officers and she’s helping them?”
“We don’t.” Nate said. “But I think for now, at least until we know more about her, we have to give her the benefit of the doubt.”
“Why though?” Sophie pressed. Nate leaned forward slightly on the table.
“Crystal Ebson wants in.”
“What?” Everyone said, almost in sync.
“I guess she wants to do what we do.”
“But I thought you said she was a teacher’s pet? I mean, what can you steal with that?” Parker asked.
“Nothing at all! Can she even do anything?” Sophie asked. Nate glanced at Hardison.
“No,” Nate said. “At least, nothing that Hardison could find. Then again, I do think she has some potential with slight-of-hand.”
“So? That’s nothing any of us can’t do,” Eliot said, gesturing to the people sitting around him. “I mean, if that’s all she can do, what good will she be to us?”
“I don’t know, I’m just saying we should give her a chance!” Nate said, throwing his hands up. “I mean you never know, could a fresh face really be all that bad?”
Everyone took a moment to consider Nathans point.
“It would be good to keep her in sight if she is planning something against us.” Parker said, breaking the silence.
“Yeah, you’re right.” Sophie agreed. “Friends closer, enemies closer and all that.”
“ Well, we don’t really know if she even is an enemy yet, right?” Hardison asked.
“No,” Nate jumped in. “But it would be a good idea to be cautious around her, just in case. Don’t go giving her absolutely vital information or goods until we know one way or another.”
“If she’s legitimate she’ll know she has to prove herself.” Sophie said.
“How would we make her do that?” Parker asked.
“Basic Jack In seems the easiest.” Eliot said.
“Yeah, but how?” Parker questioned. “If all she can do is slight-of-hand, how to we know what to ask her to do, or test her on?”
“You know, we don’t have to decide anything right away,” Nathan said. “We’re meeting her at seven tonight at The Lake House Bar. Why don’t we all just take our time, think about things, and each come up with something we can use to gauge where she’s at, that way she can pick what she wants to do.”
Eliot shrugged a shoulder. “Seems fair enough to me.”
Sophie, Parker, and Hardison all nodded in agreement.
Nate smiled. “Alrighty then.”
The other four stayed silent, thinking about what they were going to ask Crystal Ebson to do.
“Then again, how is this going to work?” Eliot asked. “I mean, okay, we know Ebson would make a good pick-pocket, but what else? We can’t exactly ask her to hit something or hack into something, can we?”
“Yeah, not without putting each of us at risk of getting caught or hurt.” Sophie said. The group shifted their gaze to Nathan, looking for more direction. He was supposed to be the mastermind, after all. It was a moment before he noticed.
“What? I’m thinking.” Nate paused for a moment before speaking again. Just as he was about to, however, he was interrupted by the loud buzzing of the doorbell.
Hardison tapped some keys on his laptop and brought up a surveillance video of the front door. Standing there was a slim, dark haired woman in a business suit and heels. “Hey,” he said. “It’s Crystal.”
“What?” Sophie started. “What is she doing here?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.” Nate said. “Let her in.”
Hardison got up and walked to the door, letting her in.
“Hi!” Crystal said cheerfully, shaking Hardisons hand as she forced herself through the doorway. “You must be Alec, it’s so good to finally meet you!”
“Uh, yeah…hi.” He said, taken aback by her overly bright attitude. They both went up the stairs and made their way into the room where the others were sitting.
“Miss Ebson. A bit early, isn’t it?” Nate asked. A large part of Crystals bubbly glow seemed to fall away as she became flustered, her cheeks turning cherry red.
“Um, yes, I’m really sorry about that,” she said as she began to fidget, twisting the strap of her purse in her hands nervously. “It’s just, I was so excited and, well, nervous really, I couldn’t wait.” She said, breathlessly.
“How did you find us?” Eliot asked, his voice serious.
“Oh, you know.” Crystal waved a hand absently in the air. “I’ve done my research. Anyways,” She said, her bright persona quickly returning as she sat next to Sophie on the couch. “I’m sure you’ve got lots of questions for me.”
“Uh, yea, I gotta ask one thing first here though.” Hardison raised his hand. “All this ‘research’ you’ve been doing, all this stuff you supposedly know about us…how did you get it?”
“Are you trying to ask me if I can compete with the best hacker I’ve ever seen?” Crystal asked in return. A giant smile spread across Hardisons face.
“Best! She said best!” he said quietly. Eliot, who was sitting across from him, grinned. He was sure it would be days before Hardison would let them forget about getting such a massive complement from such an attractive woman.
“Unfortunately though,” Crystal said, “I can’t. It took me ages to just learn the design programs I use for work, let alone anything else…less legitimate.” She said slowly, choosing her words with care. “No, I’m afraid I’ve found out what I know by simple, good old fashioned leg work.”
“Meaning?” Parker asked.
“I’ve been following you. Each of you,” Crystal looked at each of the group in turn.
“Like, following, following? On foot?” Parker questioned. Crystal nodded, smiling. “We’ve never seen you. Ever.” Parker said.
“Well, yeah.” Crystal replied, as if should have been the most obvious thing in the world. She leaned back on the sofa, smiling. “Why do you think all my friends call me ‘Ghost’?”