Number 06 │ A Leverage Fanfiction

The Miracle Job │ Part 4

<Next Day>

The roar of my bike's engine echoed through the streets as I rolled to a stop just outside St. Nicholas Church. On the church steps, Grant stood in full view, addressing a crowd with the practiced enthusiasm of a man who thought he was saving the world—or at least his profits.

Grant gestured grandly, his voice carrying through the bustling crowd. "A lifestyle center to revitalize the life of this neighborhood! A pulsing heart of opportunity and commerce in the center of the community."

The moment hung in the air until the church doors suddenly burst open. A young nun, Lily, rushed out, her voice trembling with urgency. "Everybody, come quickly! You have to see this! It's a miracle!"

Inside St. Nicholas Church

The church was packed within moments. People surged forward, gasps and whispers filling the air as they gathered around the statue of St. Nicholas. The once-quiet nuns knelt in prayer, their heads bowed reverently before the statue.

"It's a miracle," a man whispered, his voice full of awe.

"I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it," another added, shaking his head.

Outside St. Nicholas Church

I dismounted my bike and joined the others, who were already watching the growing chaos. Parker stood with her arms crossed, a satisfied smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Not too bad."

Hardison, smug as always, tapped away on his tablet. "It was nothing, really. Just basic chemistry. An oil polymer that reacts with a secondary chemical in the candles. No candle smoke, no evidence. Light a candle, and voilà."

I smirked. "The local news will pick it up, Grant will crawl back into his hole for a while, and the church? Well, at least for now, it stays open to the public. Whoa."

My words trailed off as I caught sight of the crowd spilling into the churchyard. It wasn't just a few curious locals; it was huge. News crews had set up, their cameras capturing the throng of believers flooding toward the church steps.

Parker whistled softly. "Whoa. That's a lot of public."

Hardison beamed, impressed with himself. "I'm very good."

Eliot didn't share his enthusiasm. His arms were crossed, his gaze sharp. "Yeah. A little too good."

Sophie, appearing beside us, glanced at the scene worry. "What did we just do?"

Hardison's grin faltered for a moment, his fingers hesitating over his tablet. "The weeping statue of St. Nick is on YouTube," he said.

Eliot gave a sharp nod. "Good. This church will never shut down."

Sophie's voice lowered, mindfull of the crowd, "There's just so many people here. I mean, what if they find out it's a... fake?"

Hardison shrugged, taking a half-step away from the group. "Hell fire, damnation, et cetera. You know what? I'm gonna step over here, so when the good Lord throws down on y'all, I don't get hit by the lightning."

Parker tilted her head, frowning. "Wasn't Zeus the one with the lightning?"

Before anyone could respond, Nate's voice cut through the conversation, "Guys, this is still a big win. Sophie, find out where Grant is, and make sure he's—"

"Incoming," I interrupted, spotting a familiar figure weaving through the crowd with purpose.

Father Paul grabbed Nate by the arm, his grip firm as he pulled him toward a quieter corner. The determination in his eyes was matched only by the frustration in his voice.