Number 06 │ A Leverage Fanfiction

The Two Horse Job │Part 3

Parking Lot

Nate walked alone through the dimly lit parking lot, the shadows stretching ominously around him. Suddenly, a car glided to a stop beside him, and the door opened to reveal Sterling, his old nemesis.

"Hello, Nate," Sterling said, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Nate," he replied curtly, folding his arms against the chill.

Sterling leaned casually against the car. "Why are you playing poker with my client, Nate?"

Nate raised an eyebrow. "Alan Foss is your client, huh? The fire—you're investigating the stable fire for IYS. You've got my old job."

"Actually," Sterling corrected, "I have your old office. Very roomy." He paused, studying Nate's reaction. "Allow me to rephrase. Why is an ex-insurance agent playing poker with the subject of an open insurance investigation?"

Nate felt a tension tightening in his chest. "Open investigation? The local cops think it was an accident."

Sterling's gaze hardened. "Local cops don't have to write a check for $2 million. It's my job to make sure that doesn't happen—" He smirked. "Ah huh. Oh, Nate, that's pathetic. This is another one of those complicated little games that you like to play. You're hustling Foss, trying to prove arson or get him on fraud. Whatever, as long as the company doesn't have to write the check. You're trying to get your old job back."

Nate took a deep breath, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "You know, okay. You have it all figured out. I'll just back off from now on."

Sterling shook his head, a predatory grin spreading across his face. "Nah, it's too late for that. Tell you the truth, though, I'd kind of given up on Foss. I like the trainer for the fire, Willie Martin."

Nate's heart raced, anger igniting in his chest. "Willie Martin's an innocent man."

Sterling shrugged, his indifference palpable. "We're insurance men, Nate. We don't care about who's guilty or who's innocent, just who pays."

At that moment, Sophie's car pulled up beside them, cutting through the tension like a knife. "Sterling," she greeted, her tone cool.

Sterling's eyes glinted with recognition. "Sophie Devereaux. Haven't seen you since... what was it? That little coup in Sierra Leone? This is getting very interesting."

With that, he slid into his car, revving the engine as he pulled away, leaving Nate with a lingering sense of unease.

Nate got into Sophie's car, running a hand through his hair. "We need a..."

"New plan," she finished as she shifted into gear.

<>

Grand Stand

As the team filed into the stands, Parker's eyes widened with curiosity. "Is it true Sterling spent three days in the trunk of a car waiting to catch someone?"

Nate shook his head, a mix of disbelief and exasperation. "No, no."

Sophie interjected, "It was five."

Parker blinked, taken aback. "What?"

Sophie shrugged, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Look, I'm not saying that he's better than you were, but—"

Nate's voice raised in indignation. "'Were'? Wh—I'm sorry."

Sophie waved off his protest. "We need to get Willie that horse back and get out of here very, very quickly."