Number 06 │ A Leverage Fanfiction

The Ice Man Job | Part 2

I hummed a tune, cigarette dangling from my lips as I knelt in front of my Ducati, Shaw, tweaking a few things under the hood. The engine was my escape, the one thing that never judged. I adjusted the carburetor, tightened a few bolts, and checked the timing. I could tell she was purring a little louder than usual. Nothing like the smell of oil and gas to get me focused.

But, of course, my little solo session with Shaw was interrupted when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I sighed, wiping my hands on a rag before pulling it out.

"Sup, Boss?" I muttered, still half-focused on my bike.

"Sky, I need you to come in," Nate's voice crackled through.

"Thought we were meeting up with Kerrity tomorrow," I replied, flicking the cigarette ash onto the ground.

"He's been taken."

I raised an eyebrow, not surprised, but definitely annoyed. "And by 'he' I'm going to take a wild guess... Hardison?"

"Yeah," Nate confirmed. "The Russians have him."

"On my way," I said, tossing the rag on the workbench and grabbing my jacket.

<>

I strolled into the briefing room, helmet under my arm, and set it down on the coffee table with a soft thud.

Nate didn't look up from his laptop right away. Instead, he spoke into the comms. "Sophie tells me you've been recruited by the Russians."

Eliot's voice came through loud and clear. "I had courtside seats, man. Tell Hardison if he makes it out alive, I'm gonna snap him in half."

I smirked. "Tell him I'm looking forward to it."

Nate nodded at my presence before replying to Hardison, "Uh, Eliot says hi. So, what's the plan there, Ice Man?"

Hardison's voice crackled through the speakers. "Oi! Just so I'm clear, you want me to help break into Kerrity's vault and steal his diamonds?"

Nate let out a long breath. "Oh, beautiful."

Hardison's disbelief echoed. "So, what you're sayin' is we're gonna explode through the ceiling of a tunnel, use a det cord, and climb into the vault through the floor?"

I couldn't resist, chiming in. "Det cord. That's how they blew the armored truck."

Parker, who had been pacing the room, cut in with a frown. "Exploding through the floor will set the sensor off. Tunnel's a terrible way in."

Nate shot Parker a glance. "Hardison, you're gonna tell 'em their plan won't work."

Parker raised an eyebrow, speaking again. "Tunnel's a horrible way in."

Nate sighed. "I heard you, Parker."

Hardison finally responded, his tone a little more serious now. "Yeah, you know, um, I'm—I'm sorry, comrades, but your plan is ronk. See, the explosion will trip the seismic sensor. We'll have the Feds on our asses in no time."

The Russian's voice came through, dripping with menace. "Well, then." There was a pause, followed by the cold click of a gun cocking. "The world's greatest thief have to take us another way, hmm?"

Hardison swallowed. "Yeah, I'll get you into Kerrity's vault. No need to be pissy, mate."

Nate glanced at the rest of us. "Oh, yes. Of course you will."

I exhaled slowly, taking it all in. Then, Nate turned his attention to Hardison's end again. "Now, listen. Hardison, figure out a way to buy some time so we can get you outta this. Yeah? Get busy."