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Chapter Text

The sound of retching from upstairs is unmistakable when Eliot walks into Nate’s Boston apartment; Hardison is tapping away at his computer completely ignoring it, and Parker is sitting on the couch chomping away at her favorite cereal which is the only thing kept in the apartment besides Hardison’s orange soda and Nate’s coffee. 

Eliot puts his grocery bags down on the counter to glare at the other two; “What happened to Nate?” he asked. 

“He’s drunk.” Parker replied. “He’s been throwing up all morning.”

“Hey, don’t talk about it, it’s hard enough listening to it.” Hardison said from his spot at the long table. 

Eliot rolled his eyes; “Nate’s gone cold turkey you idiots.” he growled. 

“Then how should we know?” Hardison replied, offended. 

“Because there’s that flu going around.” Eliot replied, he abandoned the two to their previous activities and took the spiral staircase up to Nate’s room. The bed is empty when Eliot enters but the bathroom door of the ensuite is wide open and a toilet is being flushed followed by the sink taps being turned on. 

“Nate?” Eliot called. 

“I’m coming.” a groggy voice replied. Nate sounded as if he’d been surprised. He hadn’t heard Eliot coming up the stairs. He emerged from the bathroom looking as white as a freshly laundered sheet. His shirt is soaked in sweat and Eliot can smell the vomit from where he stands. 

“Go back to bed.” Eliot growled. “You got that thing that’s been going around, and I can’t believe Parker and Hardison left you alone up here.” 

Nate blinked at him, then sighed; “I don’t blame them. I’m a horrible drunk.” 

“Yeah, you are. But you never threw up with your hangovers.” Eliot replied. 

That got Nate to give him a look, “how’d you figure that one out?” 

“Everyone’s drunk is different.” Eliot replied. “You never threw up. Therefore, you got the flu.” 

“Don’t remind me.” Nate rubbed at his face. He didn’t tend to get sick, but when he did, it hit him hard and he was out of it for days. 

“We’re gonna put the con off for another day…” Eliot started. 

Nate lifted a hand; “No. No. It’s time sensitive, we have to keep it going…” 

“We can do it without you.” Eliot said. “But it won’t be the same.” 

“Nate? Are you alright?” Sophie called up, they hadn;t heard her enter the downstairs door but as soon as she’d heard the two talking she had taken the stairs to join them. 

“Did you have a relapse?” she asked. 

“I’m not drunk.” Nate looked put out. “I’m sick, there’s a difference.” 

“Get to bed.” Eliot pointed at the bed. “You might be hot right now but you’re running a fever.” 

Nate made his way to the bed; “I appreciate the concern but I think I can handle this…” 

“Nate, it’s not that we think you can’t.” Sophie started gently. “It’s because you’re you; and that’d be a bad idea.” 

“I’m going to go make your something to eat, if you get out of that bed I will tie you down to it.” Eliot threatened. 

“Promises.” Nate said grumpily. 

“And I’ll help him.” Sophie said, then the two left Nate to himself. He flopped down into bed and pulled the covers over himself. Right now he did NOT feel like fighting with Eliot about anything. He felt weak in the limbs, his head was full of cotton and his ears were stuffed up. Everything seems to be dripping from his nose. Eliot was right about him feeling hotter than the sahara desert. Then, he started to shiver and his teeth chattered. 

Several minutes later Eliot re-enters his room with a tray. On it is oatmeal with cinnamon and apples. There’s a mug of tea, it smelled likes Sophie’s Lemon zing. 

“I know you don’t feel like eating right now, but I think this is gentle enough that you won’t throw it up unless you have the flu really bad.” Eliot said as Nate sat up. 

“Thank you, Eliot.” Nate said. He thought the younger man would leave, but when Eliot pulled up a chair, sat down, and crossed his arms. Nate felt rather embarrassed. 

“You’re watching me now?” 

“You’re a slick man, Nate.”

That was Eliot speak for “worried”; he was worried about Nate and the flu. Nate isn’t sure how to take that. If he should tell him to leave him the hell alone, or if he should just leave it. He drew the spoon through the cooked oats and ate a little bit; just wanting to test his stomach. He didn’t gag, so he figured it was safe. 

He didn’t normally vomit when sick either so this one is bad. Not that the others would know. 

Eliot settled in to keep watch over his patient, and Nate settled down to just let Eliot do whatever he wanted. There isn’t really a point in fighting it. 

*&*&*&*

“I remember the last time Nate was sick.” Sophie said later when Eliot clambered down the stairs with the empty tray. 

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I was in Milan stealing a really nice painting from a private collection. Nate was doing the insurance on it. Sadly, he’d gotten a head cold and I helped him to his hotel room; poor man, he never cottoned onto me. I put him to bed and got him some tea and left.” 

“And he never made you?” Parker asked. Now covered in a blanket for reasons only Parker knew. 

“No. and he never mentioned it whenever we did come across each other. Quite honestly, I think he forgot.” 

“Oh, I remember the time he almost got me.” Hardison said. “I had just hacked some juicy computer systems. And then Nate found my hiding place. If he hadn’t sneezed at just the right time I wouldn’t have been able to use my escape hatch to get away. I sent him some over the counter drugs later.” 

“And that time I was stealing the Moussaieff Diamond.” Parker said. “I don’t know what he had, but I had to outwait everyone in the vents. Nate was nasally when he was talking to the security guard, and kinda on the groggy side.” 

“When was this?” Hardison asked. 

“Two thousand and five.” Parler replied with a shrug. “I snuck into his hotel room later and left him the diamond. I felt kinda bad that he had to work while sick.” 

“Wait, you gave it back?” 

“Yeah, with a note saying that I did it so he wouldn’t get fingered for the job. I thought it’d be the nice thing to do.” 

“That’s not a bad con.” Sophie said. “Oh, we can use that on Benedict.” 

Rush Benedict being their current mark; he liked diamonds. “We just need…” 

“We shouldn’t do the job without Nate.” Eliot put in. 

“Oh come on, we can totally do it.” Sophie said. 

“And with no one here what is he going to do?” Eliot asked. 

“You worry too much, the man has the flu, he’s as weak as a brand new baby dear. You could throw him over your shoulder and put him in bed yourself.” Hardison pointed out. 

“That’s not the point.” 

“It is time sensitive….” Sophie muttered. 

“What do we know about the in’s and outs of Insurance?” Hardison asked. “That’s Nate’s Job.” 

“I know enough to get in the door.” Sophie said. “I can sell it. I’ve been thinking of a character based on Nate. This is the perfect time to bring her out.” 

“Oh no….” Parker lent closer to Hardison. “She’s got that look Nate always gets when he’s planning something creepy.” 

“Nate’s stuck in bed, we’ll play something down here so he thinks we’re here.” Sophie whispered to the others. “We can pull the con off, he’ll be left alone as he likes and the clients get what they want as well.” 

“It’s not going to work.” Eliot said. “Someone is going to say something and you won’t know the proper answer.” 

“I’ll be fine, this is what I do.” Sophie patted him on the arm. “Let’s get Nate settled.” 

&*&*&*

Mr. and Mrs. Morris Jane sat at a booth; on the other side Sophie and Nate are sipping coffee and tea respectively. “So let me get this straight” Nate said. “Your house got burned down because of a house fire that started three houses up the street. And those owners got their insurance money and you didn’t.” 

“They say we’re trying to commit insurance fraud, Mr. Ford.” Morris said. “That blaze was so big, and even the neighbor between us got some damage. And they’re denying them.” 

“I’ve read the police reports, they think you started the fire.” 

“I see how it looks.” Morris said. “But, we didn’t start the fire. We saved up forever for the house, and a baby is on the way…” he said indicating the wife. Patricia took a sip of water. 

“Can you help us?” she asked. “We don’t know what to do. And we heard from some friends that you guys are the best.” 

“We are the best,” Nate said. “And we’ll get you your house back.” 

&*&*&

Sophie walked into the Heartfeld Insurance office as if she owned it. She was dressed smartly in a black suit; her hair in a ponytail and glasses. The office was held in what used to be a store. The desks were crowded together with about enough room for customers to sit and for paperwork to be done. 

A coffee bar was set up with all the acruments, cheap ones at that. This place lacked class. Sophie hated it the moment she walked in, just the thought that Nate worked in the industry and probably had to put up with this shit. On a bigger scale, of course, but still. 

“Excuse me, but who are you?” a man stood up from a small desk. 

“I’m Lisa O’hare.” she held out a hand to introduce herself. “I’m the new office manager.” 

“Uhhh...what?” the man replied. “I’m actually the office…” 

“Oh no, not anymore. The house fires got the big wigs all worried, see…” she looked back at the man’s desk and saw his name plate. “Mr. Davidson, I fix these types of offices. I make people better. I make sure we don’t have fraud.” 

Erik Davidson looked flabbergasted. “So this means I’m fired?” 

“What? No, that is a horrible thing, I’m sure you just missed something, it’s pretty common. No. No. You’re my new protege.” Lisa replied with a wink. 

“Now, I want those house fire policies on that desk…” Sophie pointed to the biggest desk in the room; “in five minutes.” 

&*&*&*&

Once Sophie put the flash drive into the computer Hardison had complete access to the computer system. “Damn, this is old and stupid.” he muttered. 

“What type of encryption does it have?” Sophie asked. The rest of the office staff were busy re-arranging everything; it kept them out of her hair, besides, it was a somewhat slow day. A good cleaning would be good for everyone. 

“Nothing, literally, any hacker could get the information they need for identity theft off this system.” Hardison shook his head. “It stinks.” 

“Well, can you shore that up for me?” Sophie asked. 

“Yes, I can. I’m on it right now.” 

“Good, but have you found anything on those policies?” 

“Yeah, a few things blew my algorithm. First, Mrs. Olivia Benson - not the tv show character - had a house fire in 2003. Now, that one didn’t take the whole thing down. And they rebuilt it. Then there was a forest fire, this one looks legit, but still. Kinda hinky. And then this one's for the whole house. They could buy a small country several times with the type of money she’s getting.” 

“And meanwhile insurance premiums go up.” Parker said. They were sitting in the van together. They didn’t quite need Eliot yet so he was back at the Apartment with Nate. Though he could hear everything. 

“That’s a bit much, isn’t it? Hearteld doesn’t have that much money.” Sophie shuffled papers around. 

“They do if they never pay out,” Hardison replied. “So Benson either knows someone willing to give her that much cash or she’s doing something to someone to get that much cash.” 

“Blackmail.” Eliot muttered. He’s in the kitchen making tea for Nate who’s in the bathroom, throwing up, again. Everything he ate from that morning. 

“Sounds like the most promising theory so far.” Sophie agreed. 

“So how do we figure out who she’s talking too?” Parker asked. 

Sophie took the papers, and then looked about her desk. She found an old “rejected” stamp and a stamp pad. It was dry, but by adding some water from a water bottle someone had brought her, she’d brought it back to life. She took the stamp and applied the ink, then applied that to the papers. 

“I think she’ll come around sooner rather than later.” Sophie said with a smile playing about her painted red lips. 

Chapter Text

“So,” Parker turned to Hardison after Sophie’s cryptic words; “Nate doesn't throw up when he’s drunk?” 

“That man has a stomach of iron.” Hardison replied. “I don’t know how we thought he was drunk when he’d spent almost six months sober.” 

“But everyone has relapses.” 

“Not Nate.” Eliot said into the coms, “he never does things half-assed like that.”

“Are you almost ready to meet us?” Sophie asked. “I think someone needs to go to the neighborhood.” 

“I’m on my way.” Eliot put the lid on the pot that is simmering on the stove. He put the controls onto low, just to keep the food warm. He left a note for Nate just in case he came down for anything. 

“I need to make sure Nate is alright before I leave.” 

“Go ahead, there’s time.” 

Eliot had a cup of tea ready, then he took a syringe out and squirted the sedative into it. He masked the taste with honey and lemon. 

It’d be better to keep Nate off his feet. If they were going to do a con without him. It’d be best if he never found out. 

&*&*&*&

Eliot left him tea before saying something about getting more groceries; downstairs Nate could hear Parker and Hardison arguing about science fiction movies. Sophie put in her own opinion here or there. But it felt far away, he couldn’t really get a clear reading on the conversation. 

What he could do, however, is crawl to the toilet to throw up in it again. Just bile came out and he was mostly dry heaving. Nate hated it. With every breath and gagging noise he involuntarily made. He hated it. 

He wished he was over this already. 

By the time he got back to bed, he was glad that Eliot had brought him tea. All the way up until he gulped down the last bit of the tepid tea only to taste sourness upon his tongue. 

Well.

Fuck.

&*&*&*&

“Hey, Hardison, are there cameras in Nate’s room?” Eliot asked. 

“I would never rig our office space with cameras, that would be wrong. ” Hardison said, trying to sound as innocent as possible. 

“What do you see?” Eliot asked. 

Hardison brought up the feed. “He just drank your nasty tea.” 

“And?”

“He’s out cold. We’re in the clear.” Parker announced. 

“Good. He needed the rest.” Sophie said; she gave her order’s to the office staff. She needed to see this neighborhood in person. Because there is something off about this whole Con Job on Benson’s part. 

And she was feeling the thrill of the prospect of a good grift coming her way. 

&*&*&

Eliot met her at Shadows Ranch; a suburb of Boston.The street was lined with cookie cutter houses. Mostly all the same color, with mostly all the same grass. Honestly, if the houses they were looking for hadn’t been burnt to the ground they would have passed them without ever knowing. 

“Wow.” Eliot whistled. 

“I hate it.” Sophie groused. “It’s sooo……”

“Boring.” Eliot supplied. 

“My family lived in something like this back in England.” Sophie said. She never talked about her family. They hardly knew anything about Sophie. 

“And I bet you hated it.” Eliot muttered. 

“Yeah, I did, but to some people this is class. This is something attainable. And they never move past it.” Sophie replied. “It’s sad but….”

“Good?” 

“Maybe, for some. Not myself.” Sophie shrugged. Three houses lay scattered about their yards. The husks of burnt wood, ash and destroyed possessions hadn’t been removed yet. 

“This is sad.” Eliot crossed his arms against his chest. 

“Let’s see if we can find anything the fire marshals missed.” Sophie suggested. 

The police investigation was long over; the caution tape lay limp on the ground. They crossed the border and into the destruction. They shifted about here and there. Not finding much. This house had literally nothing left to call it a home. 

“I found a partially burnt barbie doll.” Sophie called out to Eliot. He’d disappeared into the forested area behind the house. He must have gone a fair ways because Sophie found herself waiting for what felt like an eternity before he came back. 

“Well, I found a gas container and some rages in that area behind the house.” 

“The police weren’t looking for it because the fire had spread to this house.” Sophie suddenly realized. Then she thought that she must sound an awful lot like Nate in that moment. Eliot was giving the same inquisitive look he sometimes gave Nate when he was thinking out loud. 

“Yeah. Of course they wouldn’t be looking here for an excelerant. So hiding it a few houses down and stuff was a good idea. As long as the cops thought that the original house caught on fire by accident.” he said. 

“Oh, boy.” Sophie bit her bottom lip. 

“Arsonists are the worst.” Eliot growled. “They have no remorse for what they do.” 

“But why do it? What do they have to gain from setting a house on fire that isn’t theirs?” Sophie asked. 

“Well, Nate used to do this stuff all the time.” Eliot said. 

“We can’t involve him.” Sophie reminded him. 

“We’re not. But I betcha that someone can look at some of his old cases from his Insurance days.” 

“Oh I got you.” Hardison’s voice came in over the coms. “I’m looking. A lot of these are old people making fake claims that he signed off on, because, old people are cute and we all feel badly that they don’t have money.” 

“Now it makes sense why he went after paintings. He kinda had to hide that other stuff.” Parker said, sounding rather impressed with their boss. 

“I found one. His notes don’t reveal much though he suspected it was an arson case, but couldn’t prove it so they paid it out.” Hardison said. 

“Who benefited from it?” Eliot asked. 

As Nathan Ford is want to say at times like these; “look at who benefits.” who knew that they’d actually learn a thing of five from the old man. 

“You’ll never guess.” Hardison teased. 

“Olivia Benson.” Sophie smirked. 

“How’d you guess!?” Parker demanded. 

“She just pulled up in front of her slightly demolished house.” 

Eliot growled. “What are we gonna pull?” 

“Have you ever pulled your best impression of me?” She asked. Eliot rolled his eyes. Here we go again. 

Chapter Text

Sophie liked to play games. Eliot decided a short time after Leverage Inc had been started. Before their first offices had been blown to smithereens to protect themselves. Never let the authorities gain anything on you is the mantra of all criminals. Sophie never let anyone pick out anything about her. She was an enigma. Even if she did tell them her “true” name - Eliot doubted it - and so Eliot really had no idea what she was talking about. 

Of course Sophie had a character based on all of them. She had fun pulling him off. But to be honest, Eliot went to what he knew. 

“Hello, Mrs. Benson is it?” he put the southern accent on harder than ever. The woman traipsing about her yard cocked her head at him. Rather perplexed as to why strangers were talking to her. 

“Ah, yes?” her own Southern accent is lighter. “Who are you?” she asked. 

“I’m Nathanial Lincoln and I’m with Heartfeld Insurance and this is my Partner Lisa O’Hare.” Eliot motioned towards Sophie. “We just took over the office in town and we’re going over all of the policies.” 

“Oh? When will I get my check?” The woman asked. Indicating her home; “I need to rebuild this.” 

“Well, that’s the problem….” Sophie took a sharp breath. “Due to the updated insurance policy, you violated subclause 345.” 

“Oh woman….” Hardison hissed. On his end he was quickly compiling all the insurance policies from the office they stole and trying to update it. Of course, Benson would go looking. 

“I didn’t update the policy.” she stared at them. “What con are you trying to sell me?” 

“Oh, we aren’t selling anything. We’re not giving you that multi-million pay out.” Sophie returned. 

“I paid good money for that policy.” The woman growled. 

“Well, you see ma’am. Your house set the other houses on fire. So the payout is void.” Eliot explained. 

“I can’t control where sparks go. Everyone knows how volatile a house fire is. We’re lucky the WHOLE neighborhood didn’t burn down.” she said angrily. 

“Of course you can always put in another claim. But we aren’t paying this one.” Sophie shrugged. “Besides, your house is half standing. It’s not as dire as you reported it to be.” 

“What type of insurance investigators are you?” 

“We’re simply the best.” Sophie replied. “We know when a house has been arsoned. In fact, we’re going to pay your neighbors. Since you obviously set fire to your own house.” 

“I did not.” Olivia simpered. Still angry, it shone in her whiskey brown eyes. “I was not here when it happened.” 

“Well, maybe not you, but your partner?” Eliot suggested. “By the way, Where is Benedict?” 

That made her go white as a sheet. “I don’t know who you are talking about.” 

“Sure you don’t, welp, ma’am, we’ve got to be going now.” Eliot turned. He didn’t wait for Sohie who also joined him without any other words towards their mark. Olivia watched them go. 

When they are out of hearing range, Sophie congratulated Eliot; “Nice going dumping Benedict on her.” 

“I wanted to see if she knew him.” Eliot replied. “She must be afraid of him. I wonder if this payout is also in part to give to him, for something.” 

“Blackmail.” Sophie agreed. 

&*&*&*

The team quietly entered Nate’s apartment. They didn’t speak as they took their places, they needed to stop the loop at just the right time. Nate wasn’t awake yet, but they didn’t really want to disturb them. 

Hardison held up his hand, he had three fingers up, he counted down, after one. He turned the loop off and Parker said; “Why do you think I did it?” 

“Because it’s a diamond Parker.” Sophie’s turn. “And do you think we really believed you gave the real thing back to Nate?” 

Eliot watched the stairs, he saw bare feet first. Then the pale blue color of Nate’s sleep pants; “It was a fake.” he had a blanket wrapped around himself. 

“Nate.” 

“I’m fine.” Nate gave them all a “glare” but it fell short of his usual sharp glances to get his criminal team in line. The others glanced at each other somewhat guiltily. 

“Okay, what did you do now?” Nate deadpanned at them all. 

“I have chicken soup made for you.” Eliot approached him first. He’s bigger than most men, next to Nate - and his grief obsessed weight loss after Sam died - he somewhat dwarfed him. Nate allowed himself to be hurded towards the kitchen and the bar there. 

“Hey now, we eat there too, what if we get sick?” Hardison asked. 

“Leave the man alone.” Eliot groused back at him. “I’ll lysol it.” 

“I don’t want to be getting any of that Coronavirus shit.” Hardison replied. 

“There isn’t a way to test for that, dimwit.” Eliot ladeled soup into a bowl. It wasn’t very hot. He put it in the microwave before putting the heat of the pot up a little bit. He needed the soup warmer for Nate. 

“Lysol won’t kill it, It’s not a germ based thing.” Parker pointed out. 

“Alright, we all know it’s just the flew.” 

“Do we?” Hardison challenged. 

“Yes!” Sophie glared at him. 

“So what did you guys find out about those house fires?” Nate asked. Eliot put a plate of crackers next to the bowl and Nate was testing it a bit. He didn’t find it too hot so he got right to eating. He hadn’t realized how hungry he’d been. 

“Slow down.” Eliot sighed dramatically at him. “You’ll make yourself sick.” 

“Too late.” Nate replied. 

“Sooo…” Parker took a leap and sat besides Nate on the stool. Maybe if she got sick Eliot would make her soup. “How did you know we were doing the con without you?” 

“Because the tea was bitter when I got to the last bit of it.” Nate replied. “And also because if I had to listen to half a conversation for the hundredth time…” 

“But you were asleep until we got back.” Hardison pointed out. 

“I think it’s weird that you have a camera in my room.” Nate muttered into his soup. 

“Ah….what camera?” 

“You can’t gaslight me, Hardison.” Nate turned and leveled a sickly glare at the hacker. “I would know.” 

“Fine, there is one, but it was from that one time we pulled the prostitute in the bed job.” 

“And you forgot to take it down.” Nate added. “Just, go do it now.” 

“After I find my hazmat suit.” Hardison said. In return Nate sneezed. Parker ducked back and behind him. Eliot just leveled a stare at the bowl. 

“Sooo...how is Rush connected to Olivia?” Nate asked. 

“We’re not certain yet.” Sophie said. She abandoned her heels and made for the kitchen, she needed tea. Nate needed tea, and without Eliot’s good narcotics. 

“What’s your play?” 

“We’re going to spy on her.” Parker said. 

“I was able to hack her phone without having to clone it first.” Hardison said from across the room. He refused to go any closer to Nate than he absolutely had too. 

“Don’t worry.” Sophie stood next to the stove. “I have an in at the office. And all we need is for Rush to contact Olivia. Or vice versa. Either way, she knows him.” 

“But her reaction to us bringing him up isn’t good. She looked scared.” 

“Ah, he probably figured out her Fire fraude thing and is blackmailing her for it.” 

“Or not.” Hardison had his laptop in front of him. “Guys, Olivia is having an affair with him.” 

“What did you find?” Parker asked; the others turned towards him. Hardison put whatever he had found on the four large screens taking up Nate’s living room.

Some x-rated pictures popped up and a few screen shots. 

“Oh my god, not while Nate is eating his soup!” Eliot rolled his eyes. 

“Holy fuck.” Parker hid her eyes behind her hands. 

“Hardison!” both Nate and Sophie barked at him. 

“You wanted to know.” Hardison said as he got rid of the x-rated picture. He loved trolling his team mates, but maybe he wouldn’t do something like that in the future. Again. 

“So she had an affair with him, he would know about the fraud. Her husband on the other hand…” 

“Going by the texts he’s sending, he has no idea.” 

“That’s such a shame.” Sophie cracked sarcastically; she hadn’t met Olivia’s husband but he looked the type to cherish his wife. She sent a sideways look at Nate. He cherished Maggie. Still referred to the woman as his “wife”.  Sophie could only wait for him.

“Insurance fraud like this is tenuous. She’s taking a risk by putting in a bigger claim.” 

“She has an in at the office, someone is on her payroll who is approving the insurance claims.” Parker filled him in on the plot. “Though, we don’t know who it is.” 

“Yet.” Nate finished his bowl but begged off another serving when Eliot motioned to get him more. Instead he wrapped his hands around the steaming cup of plain, black tea. “But they’ll try to weetle Sophie into approving it. Somehow make it a mistake on their part.” 

“And I’m going to deny it.” Sophie said. 

“Don’t forget guys. Olivia is the small fish. We want the big one.” Nate reminded them. 

“We’re doing alright.” Hardison pointed out; he’d left the room for a few moments to find said hazmat suit he’s spoken of before. Now he looked as if he’d just come out of one of those alien invasion science fiction movies he loved. 

He passed them all for Nate’s bedroom. 

“He is going to be disinfecting that thing all afternoon.” Eliot muttered. 

“At least the camera will be gone.” Nate sipped his tea. 

“Is that a good thing though? We could keep an eye on you and everything.” Parker said. 

“Parker…”

“What? It was handy.” she shrugged at them. 

&*&*&

“You don’t understand, Rush.” Olivia sat in the hotel room. Her husband and child were at the pool. “They named you. I tried not to let on that I knew you but they figured it out anyway.” 

“You need to get the money, or your husband is going to pay for it.” and the line went dead. 

Chapter Text

Olivia Benson wasn’t a criminal once upon a time; indeed. She had once been a promising Beauty Queen, winning all the pageants she ever entered until Viktoria Swan flew into her coop and took everything away from her. Gone are those days. The terrible days of teenagers. Now she’s a forty year old, mother of two “adoring” children with a husband who has a gambling debt. 

That’s what started this hell - Olvia thought as she sat in the hotel’s bathtub. Bubbles popping against her skin. She sighs down at herself. She’s flappy, and tired and she just wants everything to be done. She just doesn’t know what to do. 

She thought if she did one house fire it might get Rush out of their life; she tried to get her husband to see reason. But he Swaned out with some woman or other - she has lot count on all the times he’d cheated on her - and that was that. 

But the question is why she even had to do anything. 

It’s because if her husband winds up murdered, she loses the life insurance. Rush knows this. Rush knows everything. He is in the business of knowing everything about everyone. 

And that is what makes him dangerous. 

So. Getting this insurance payout is the only answer. One last time. She took a deep breath as she stood. Water sulcing down her body. 

Yes, one more time. 

&*&*&*&*&*

“The real question is…” Nate coughed into his handkerchief. He’d somehow gotten them to leave him alone on the couch and were going through Sofie’s notes. “Is why he’s threatening her husband when he’s a cheating son of a bitch.” Nate finished. 

Of course, as on all their jobs, they had gotten all the information they needed on all their marks. Olivia’s husband was not the faithful type. He liked bottle blonde women with fancy tastes, getting further into debt along with his gambling. 

“When Rush bought the Golden Seal Casino two months ago; he started going through the list of people who owed the casino money. The Benson’s are thirtieth on the list.” Hardison said, he pointed a remote at the tv and brought up the list. 

“So why squeeze them?” Sofie asked. “It doesn’t make sense, the others…” 

“It’s because of the others.” Nate put in. He’s feeling tired,and hot again. And sweaty...and….

“Nate, time to go back upstairs.” Eliot grumbled from behind. 

Nate puts the papers down. “Fine, fine…”

“Wait, what were you saying a minute ago?” Parker asked from the other side of the couch, using a blanket to ward off Nate’s sickness germs. 

“Well, think about it. He has to make an example of someone.” Nate shrugged and then pointed to the screen. “That’s not what those people owe him, that’s how much he’s been able to get out of them. I’ll bet you anything that he’s squeezing all of them. Look for more fraud…” Nate lapsed into a hard coughing fit. It took him a few seconds to get it under control. Eliot is there at his elbow.

“Go rest, Nate.” Sofie said softly. 

“Rest..” he grumbled, sounding a bit like Eliot when he’s hurt in the pride. 

“Yeah, come on, you heard the lady.” Eliot followed Nate up the stairs. Leaving the other three alone in the living room. Nate didn’t fight Eliot off when he pushed him towards his bed. Or tucked him in. Or made sure the window was closed and locked. Or when he checked the bathroom and other places in the room where someone could hide. It is Eliot’s way of caring. 

“I don’t deserve you guys.” Nate muttered from his pillow. Did I just say that? He asked himself when Eliot turned towards him. Long hair hanging in his eyes, of which he swept away. 

“No.” Eliot agreed, “You don’t, and maybe sometimes we don’t deserve you. But we’re here. So deal with it.” he said. And it’s the most gentlest thing Eliot has ever said to him and Nate appreciates it. 

“Thank you.” he can’t remember if Eliot said anything else before he dropped off to sleep. But the lights went out and he was alone. Door closed even. 

He couldn’t hear anything from down below. And maybe he should be worried about it. But with his fever getting higher and his body shivering. Nate found that he didn’t care. 

&*&*&*&

“So what’s our next step?” Parker asked after Eliot rejoined them. 

“We need to get Olivia to work with the FBI.” Sofie smiled at them all. “I have a plan.”
 

“Do we need the real FBIT?” Hardison asked. 

“Let’s go Steal an insurance scam.” Sofie said. Then gathered up her purse and coat and led the way out the front door. 

“Since when could she do that?” Hardison asked. 

“Since she began fucking Nate.” Eliot mumbled.