Number 06 │ A Leverage Fanfiction

The two live crew Job | Part 2

Auction House

The gallery floor buzzed with quiet chatter, the kind of polite hum only wealthy art enthusiasts could maintain. I stood in front of one of the paintings, blending effortlessly with the crowd in a sleek black dress. The fabric clung just right, its open back drawing glances but not attention.

Nate's voice buzzed softly in my ear. "Okay, Parker. Talk to me."

Parker's response came quick. "Present."

"How we doing? What's the security situation?"

Parker emerged from around the corner, dressed as a waitress, "The usual countermeasures. Nothing we can't handle."

Eliot's voice joined the chatter. "Actually, I'm more of a jack man myself, but when in Rome..." He grabbed a glass from a passing tray, taking a sip before setting it down on another waitress's tray. "Thank you, sweetheart. I clocked maybe five or six guards on patrol. Piece of cake."

I sighed, adjusting the hem of my dress. "Uh-huh. I wish Sophie was here. She's the one who likes all this dress-up stuff." The tail of my dress swished as I moved to stand beside Parker.

Parker's tone softened slightly, almost wistful. "I miss her."

I plucked a glass from Parker's tray, handing it to Eliot before taking one for myself.

Sophie's voice crackled in my ear, "I'm not dead. I'm right here, Parker."

Parker didn't even flinch, her eyes distant. "It's like I can still hear her."

I chuckled, unable to help myself, while Eliot stared at Parker in disbelief.

As Nate's voice buzzed in my ear, I kept my expression neutral, blending seamlessly with the elegant crowd. "Okay, guys, I've got the auction-house manager in sight. Now, if you take his wallet and badge, it should be a cakewalk."

Hardison's voice followed right after. "Eliot, Sky, check out the back corridor. I think I see an access point."

I downed the champagne in one quick gulp, placing the empty glass on Parker's tray. Eliot did the same, and with a quick nod, we both slipped away from the crowd, heading for the back corridor.

Eliot gave me a sideways glance as we walked. "You sure you can fight in that thing?"

I shot him a smirk, not missing a beat. "Please, I could take you down in anything."

Eliot laughed, shaking his head. "As if."

I bumped him with my shoulder as we walked. "If anything, I'm even deadlier. You should be scared. Be afraid, be very...Afraid"

Suddenly, our comms buzzed to life, cutting through the air with Hardison's frantic voice. "Switching to backup comm frequencies. Eliot, Sky, they're here. They're here."

Eliot glanced at me, confused. "What are you talking about? Who's here?"

As if on cue, a tall woman appeared at the far end of the hallway, speaking in hebrew. "I didn't understand, what?"

We locked eyes, the tension thick in the air. Eliot took off his glasses, the unspoken challenge between him and the woman clear. They sized each other up, preparing for a fight.

I couldn't help but chuckle, eager to see how this was going to play out. I casually walked toward the railing, perched myself on top, and pulled out a cigarette, watching with a smirk as they stood at the ready.