Chapter 7

It was mid-morning when Sophie said goodbye to her husband and he and Eliot left for one of Parker's warehouses where they would be residing until this whole mess was over with. Eliot insisted that Nate wear a vest and follow all his rules with regards his security. Nate had agreed to all his requests.

"You make sure you come back to me in one-piece mister." Sophie said kissing him passionately as they stopped at the door.

"I will." Nate said as he pulled away from her and then turned and headed to Eliot's car.

"Bring him back to me safely Eliot, I am trusting you." Sophie said quietly.

"I will Sophie, and you take care of yourself and each other too." Eliot said. "I'll call if I need you."

Sophie watched them leave and then closed the door and turned to the other two. Parker had a pout and Hardison after saying his goodbyes had headed back to his study to try and get the files Nate wanted. She walked to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of tea before taking a seat at the table.

"He'll be fine Sophie Eliot will keep him safe." Parker said as she sat down opposite her.

"I just don't understand Parker, why him, why him every time. I mean every time he is happy or…or life starts to get better he ends up…well something happens and…" She sighed as she looked at the Thief. "Can't life just give him a break?"

Parker stared at the woman with a sad look on her face. It was true, every time something good happened for Nate something bad happened too. He had gone through a lot in the seven years they had been together as a team, that first year, when Sophie had betrayed them, betrayed him. Then when Sophie had left, and he had started drinking again and then given himself up to Sterling to save them all. Then being blackmailed to take down Damien Moreau. Then when they had thought all was well Dubenich had returned and that had cost the life of his father. Now when it seemed everything was perfect this happens. It had been two years now that she had been running the crew and they had been doing well. Sophie and Nate had married and gone on an extended honeymoon, they were happy, she had never seen Nate so happy. Now there was this, Nate had almost died and could still die, a madman was after him, not somebody they could con, not a danger they could con their way out of, and Sophie was pregnant with his child.

"Parker…"

"Sorry Sophie I was just thinking. He is so happy and…and you are right it isn't fair." Parker said looking up at the woman.

"Yes well we need to keep ourselves busy or we are going to go mad." Sophie said standing and walking over to the study where Hardison was hard at work. "Got anything yet Hardison."

"Yeah just finishing up downloading it all and sending it to Nate." Hardison confirmed.

"Good well we can also go through it, we might catch something he misses." Sophie said and Hardison nodded pressing print on his computer.

It was approaching evening when Parker suggested they take a break. They had been pouring over the files that Hardison had hacked and there was not that much to go on. Sophie hoped that Nate was having more luck. She sat up and smiled at Parker as she delivered another cup of tea to her.

"So what you want for dinner Sophie?" Parker asked.

"Chinese would be nice I think."

"Yeah I could do Chinese." Hardison agreed.

"Good I'll have some Chicken Chow Mein." Sophie told him. "I am going to go get freshened up so long."

They watched her go with Hardison pulling out his phone and placing the order as they both sat down.

"She is taking strain and she doesn't need this, not now." Parker said softly.

"Yeah…can you believe they are having a kid?" Hardison smiled, he was still taken up with the idea that Nate and Sophie were going to have a baby, that he was going to have a little one to look after, take care of, love. He had never imagined all those years ago that this would be his life and he was so grateful to Nate for suggesting they take on Dubenich even with all the hardships and the pain that had come with it, the good overpowered it all and he was happier than he had ever been in his life.

"Nothing can happen to her or that baby Hardison, Nate will never recover if it does."

"Nor will we girl."

"Yes but…" Parker paused then turned to him looking at him closely. "Hardison can we stop this person whoever he is. I mean we have dealt with strange people, dangerous people, even psychopaths but never somebody like this. I don't think he has a hook. We can't con him Hardison we can't run a game on him."

"I know." Hardison said he had been thinking about the same thing. How were they going to stop this madman?

"What do you think Nate is thinking of doing?"

"I think he is thinking the only way to get this guy is to make him come for him and give either Eliot or the FBI a clear run at him."

"That was what I was afraid of." Parker said nodding. "That is not good."

Fifteen minutes later their food arrived, they ate together going over everything that they had learned from the files. They also discussed what they thought Nate and Eliot were doing, then Sophie said she was tired and was going to retire to bed.

Sophie entered her room and pulled out her phone dialling Nate's number.

"Hey darling how are you doing?" He answered immediately.

"Fine, you?"

"I'm fine Sophie, we are safe here at the warehouse." Nate said laying her mind at rest.

"We were going through the files but didn't find anything that could help narrow down where this guy is, or who he is."

"Yeah Eliot and I have been doing the same." Nate told her.

"Nate, you are not going to do anything stupid are you?" Sophie asked and he could hear the angst in her voice.

"Sophie…"

"You are aren't you?" She said. "You are going to try and draw this maniac out."

"Sophie I can't stay in hiding forever, I want to be with you, with my child, with my family and…and until we stop him I can't do that."

"The FBI…"

"The FBI could take years to find him."

"So we can go away, we can go far away from here away from him. Nate you have to think of me, and your child, we need you."

"Sophie we don't know who this guy is, and we don't know if he will follow me no matter where I go and that could mean danger for you and our child. This has to end with him being caught Sophie."

"Or with you dead." She exclaimed and then silence followed before she spoke again. "So you are just going to put yourself out there aren't you?"

Nate did not answer her, he did not know what to say. Yes he was going to put himself out there, yes he was going to draw this man out and he might die doing it but at least no matter if he died or not his wife and child would be safe, his family would be safe.

"Do what you want Nate you always do anyway." Sophie said holding back her tears and hardening her voice.

"Sophie…"

"Goodnight Nate." She said rather more harshly than she meant to, but she was angry with him, angry with the situation and more than that she was scared silly she would never see him again. Then she hung up the phone before he could say anything more.

Nate looked down at his phone and frowned slightly. She was angry with him and he could not blame her, but this was not his fault. He had not gone looking for this it had come to him and he was powerless to avoid it. She had to understand that he had to keep her safe, that he had to keep this man away from her. Damn her, she had to understand he thought.

"Hungry?" Eliot asked as he walked back to the table the man was sitting at going through the files.

"Not really." Nate said as he poured himself a whiskey.

"You have to eat Nate." Eliot admonished him. The man was still recovering from a near death experience and he needed to rest and get some decent food in him and not just alcohol.

Nate was about to say something to him when his phone buzzed signalling a message.

Nate looked down at the phone and opened the text.

"Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up."

Nate read the message and frowned slightly when another one came through.

"This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper."

"Nate what is it?" Eliot asked looking at the Mastermind.

"He's giving me the 'Last Rites'." Nate said looking up at his Hitter.

"What?"

"Last rights Eliot, either he is Catholic, or he knows I am, I would assume he is. He just sent me the prayer for the dying, the Last Rites."

"How did he get your number?" Eliot asked as he picked up his phone.

"Hardison, somebody just sent Nate a text can you say where from?"

"No man not on a text. Why what happened?"

"He sent Nate a text."

"What does it say Eliot?" Parker asked.

"He sent him the last rites, apparently a prayer for the dying for Catholics."

"Damn man." Hardison said softly. "I don't know where he got the number Eliot, but I am going to find out." Hardison said then hung up the phone.

"The FBI files." Nate said softly.

"What was that Nate."

"He got my number from the FBI files." Nate said downing the rest of his whiskey then pouring another glass. "I don't think this guy whoever he is, is as stupid as the FBI thinks, he is avoiding them, taunting them, and that is because he knows their every move, he is reading their files like we are."

"You think he has access to them?"

"Eliot this man, whoever he is, he has means. He not only kills people, but he also uses others to do it and then takes their lives and the lives of their loved ones. He does not use a gun I mean he does but not as the main weapon. He does not get his hands dirty, and he is a chemist with knowledge of toxins, who knows how many different ones. Now I am not saying he is not crazy, I mean certifiable, but he has brains and he has means, not to pick his targets, that he leaves to his victim to do, or as he said to the FBI, 'God', but to get to them, to their wives, sisters, daughters or whoever else he uses to convince them to do what he wants."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying Eliot that this guy is not stupid, he is focused on what he is doing, nothing is random, nothing is taken for granted."

"Except his victims, which was not you, you were random." Eliot said thinking about what Nate was saying.

"Yes but now he is focused on me." Nate said and dropped his glass as he spoke. "We need to get back to the house now." He shouted as he ran for the door with Eliot on his heals.

They made the car and as Eliot pulled away Nate dialled Hardison's number.

"Nate…"

"Hardison nobody comes in the house, nobody not even the FBI understand."

"Nate what the…"

"Hardison tell me you understand, coms in now, house locked up and we are on our way."

"Hardison what is it?" Parker asked seeing the look of fear on the man's face.

"Lock the place down, check everything." He said as he moved to Sophie's room. "Sophie…"

"Hardison what is it?" She said as she opened the door.

"Something is wrong, Nate is on his way, we stay together in the living room, all doors and windows closed, nobody comes in." Hardison said as he handed her a com.