Number 06 │ A Leverage Fanfiction

The Maltese Falcon Job | Part 1

The engine roared as I weaved through the streets, foot pressing the gas pedal to the floor. Sirens blared behind us, a wall of red and blue flashing in the rearview mirror.

Ahead, a blockade of police cars stretched across the road, cutting off every possible escape route.

I smirked. "Oh, you wanna play? Let's play."

Slamming the brakes, I yanked the wheel hard, spinning the car 360 degrees in a cloud of burnt rubber before darting into a narrow alleyway. The walls of the buildings squeezed in on either side, barely wide enough for us to fit. The sound of screeching metal filled my ears as the side mirrors scraped against the brick.

"This is not how I wanted to die!" Hardison yelped, clutching the dashboard.

"Relax," I said, gripping the wheel. "I got this."

A police car tried to follow but clipped the entrance, getting stuck. The driver's panicked shouting was cut off as I shot out of the other end of the alleyway, speeding into the open streets.

"Left! Left!" Hardison barked, eyes darting between his laptop and the GPS.

I turned sharply, nearly tipping the car.

"Right in three... two—NOW!"

I obeyed, swerving just in time to avoid another squad car cutting across the intersection.

"Okay, okay! Next street, there's a freeway ramp—"

"Nope. They'll expect that," I cut in, spotting a construction zone ahead.

"Oh, hell no!" Hardison protested as he saw where I was heading.

Ignoring him, I gunned the engine and aimed for a half-built overpass. The car hit a small incline, launching us just enough to clear a pile of debris before slamming back down onto the pavement.

Tara clutched the seat in front of her desperately. "You're insane."

Parker, grinning, stuck her head out the window. "That was awesome!"

The sirens behind us faded as the police were forced to reroute.

"Take the next right and head under the bridge," Hardison directed, his voice still slightly panicked.

I followed his instructions, pulling into the shadows beneath an old steel bridge. The moment I cut the engine, silence settled over us, save for the distant wail of sirens searching in the wrong direction.

Slamming the door shut, I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply as I paced near the car. The rest of the team stepped out, the weight of the situation pressing down on all of us.

Eliot crossed his arms, his jaw tight. "The Mayor's a federal witness? Federal?"

Tara huffed, rubbing her temples. "Every badge in a hundred miles is lookin' for us."

Hardison tapped furiously on his phone, his face twisting into a grimace. "Guys, they are ripping through Nate and Tara's cover stories. All their financials are blown. So look, until I know what they know, no credit cards, no debit cards, no ATMs—nothing that can be traced back to us, OK? Cash in hand only."

Parker sighed dramatically. "Keeps getting better and better."

Nate leaned against the car, his eyes distant but calculating. "The Mayor's not innocent. He cut a deal with the Feds because he's guilty. And he's got somebody working on the outside."

Tara nodded. "Back at the warehouse, he admitted he has an accomplice."

I stopped pacing and turned to Nate. "So what's the move? Do we scatter or stay?"