Fanfic Short Stories

Leverage: The Corn Maze Job

"There's a corn maze," Eliot said, pointing to the sign as they drove through the small town on their way to another small town where they would take down a crooked sheriff. "I used to love those when I was a kid."

"We should stop there on our way back," Sophie said.

"Really?" Eliot was surprised. It didn't sound like her kind of thing.

"Yes, really. You've gone to plays with me and Doctor Who conventions with Hardison. We should do something you enjoy."

Three days later:

"So what is this?" asked Parker, who hadn't been in the car with them when Eliot first noticed the sign.

"It's a maze," Eliot explained. "The corn stalks make up the walls, and you wander through it until you find your way out."

"I got it all figured out," Hardison said, holding a drone. "With this I can look down and see the pattern. Technology for the win, guys." He winked at them, launched the drone, and entered the maze.

"I'm going old school," Sophie said. She held up a piece of paper. "I convinced the proprietor that I was a safety inspector, and he gave me a copy of the map." She followed Hardison into the maze.

Eliot scowled. "That's not how you're supposed to do it. The point is to meander, to discover your own way through. To take your time and savor the experience."

Parker nodded. "This way." She walked toward vendors who were selling hot, buttery corn on the cob and freshly popped kettle corn. People lined up at the stalls after exiting the maze.

"You smell the corn as you go through," Eliot explained. "It's how you reward yourself when you find the way out."

Parker continued walking until they reached the maze's exit. Then they stood together, arms crossed, watching people emerge.

Soon Sophie and Hardison dashed out, seconds apart.

"You beat us?" Hardison asked. "How?"

"By walking around the outside of the maze," Parker said.

"But that's cheating," Sophie said.

Eliot raised a brow. "And using a map you got under false pretenses isn't?"

Hardison glanced back toward the maze. "I don't get it. Why was this something you loved as a kid?"

"Because it was something I did with my friends. Together."

"I'm sorry," Sophie said. "We turned it into a competition and ruined it for you."

"We can try it again," Hardison suggested. "No drones, no maps."

"But I memorized the route," Sophie said. "It wouldn't be an authentic experience."

"Doesn't matter," Eliot said. "My friends and I went through the same maze multiple times. The first time you learn your way. After that you turn it into an adventure. You just need to think like a kid." He led them to the food stalls, where he purchased a bag of kettle corn. Then he handed it to Parker. "This is a treasure. Pure gold ingots."

She clasped the bag to her chest and looked suspiciously at the people walking by them.

"You and Sophie are dragons," he continued. "You take your hoard into the maze and hide with it. We'll give you a two-minute head start. Then Hardison and I come looking for you. We're treasure-hunters, looking to steal your gold."

"Can we leave the maze?" Parker asked.

"Not for ten minutes," Hardison said, getting into the game. "If we take the treasure from you, we win. If you can evade us for ten minutes, you win."

"Do we have a deal?" Eliot asked.

"Yes," Sophie said. "Come along, Parker. I know just the spot for our hoard."

The first time the treasure hunters found the dragons, the dragons threw a handful of kettle corn at them and made a getaway.

"Tasty," said Hardison, eating popped kernels that had landed on his shirt.

The next time the treasure hunters were stealthier. Hardison snuck up behind Parker, put his arms around her waist, and picked her up. "Grab the gold!" he yelled at Eliot.

"Never!" Sophie proclaimed. She took the bag from Parker and tossed it into the air, kettle corn flying in every direction. "If we can't have it, nobody can!"

Parker gaped. "You threw away our treasure!"

"Yes." Sophie brushed kettle corn out of her hair. "I got a little carried away."

"No, that was perfect," Eliot said. He turned to Parker. "It's okay. We can buy more treasure."

"Fine," she said, still slightly grumpy. "But I'm not letting Sophie anywhere near it. Throwing away treasure!" She stomped toward the exit.

"Who won?" Hardison asked.

"It's a draw," Eliot told him. "We'll need a rematch. This time you and Parker are the rebellion leaders hiding a secret that will turn the tide of the war, and Sophie and I are the imperial forces on a mission to steal it from you."

Hardison grinned. "Nice Star Wars reference, man. I appreciate it."

"Gotta make the adventure suit the players," Eliot said.

Hardison jogged ahead to fill Parker in on their new roles.

Sophie took Eliot's arm and asked softly, "Is this really what it was like when you were growing up?"

He glanced at her. "That's exactly the kind of question you always refuse to answer."

"True, and I won't take offense if you tell me it's none of my business, but I genuinely want to know."

After thinking about it a few seconds he said, "It was, and it wasn't. Like, yeah, there was a corn maze, and I played games in it with my friends. But it was maybe a quarter the size of this one, and the path didn't change from year to year. So this is... It's bigger, newer. Sweeter for being something I thought I couldn't return to." He paused. "It's more like my fantasy childhood than my real one."

"The next best thing to an idyllic childhood is a healthy fantasy," Sophie declared. "And next time around, I'm Titania, the faerie queen."

"You got it," Eliot promised.

Ahead of them, Parker demanded that Hardison stop eating their treasure.

"There is always a sacrifice, of course," Sophie added. "You can live a childhood fantasy today, but you'll never be allowed to eat kettle corn again."

A/N: Written for Flufftober prompt: corn maze