Summary: Third part of nine. Both groups do their own research with mixed results.

Background Information

Nate walked into the offices of Leverage Consultants and headed straight to his office very aware of the gathering in the main room. He could see Sophie's expensive bag in her office and he saw Parker's harnesses in the blonde's offices. He knew he would have to speak with them sooner or later but for now he would have a few moments himself.

Connor was his son. The DNA test would only prove that further for him. Nate would do whatever it took to be apart of his son's life. Even the small time he had to interact with his son was enough for Nate to know that Connor needed someone- even just as friends. Nate was good at profiling people- he had to be in his line of work and Connor seemed to be a well adjusted kid- smart and quick if his mannerisms and such was an indicator. He also caught up on the protectiveness that Connor and Illyria held for one another.

With a sigh Nate got up from his seat and headed towards the main conference room. He walked into find Hardison sat at his laptop while Parker sat next to him. Nate took a seat beside Sophie and nodded to Hardison who clicked the large screen on.

Hardison started the screen with various images of Connor. Several showed what appeared to be Connor's workplace and the young man was in each one serving customers or carrying food. In others he was pictured with Illyria and by the watermark and quality it appeared that these were from CCTV cameras.

"What I could find on the kid was incomplete," Hardison started. He clicked the computer and more images showed up- one of an apartment building and the other the restaurant which Connor worked at.

"About a year ago Connor arrived in Portland and got a job at this restaurant. I could only find that he lived in LA before this with his sister Illyria- but I have no listed address of where they had stayed. I think it would be hard to find information about their live in LA due to the whole thing last year where part of the city was destroyed," Hardison continued and Nate couldn't help but wonder what kind of life his son had lived in LA- and whether he was caught in whatever happened in LA.

"What about his schooling records?" Sophie asked from her position beside Nate.

"He was a straight A student and graduated early," Hardison said and a certificate appeared on the screen which was a Highschool Diploma. However, Nate noticed that it was issued a year ago so Connor either had to have gotten a new one from the State because of the whole LA debacle or he graduated just before it happened. There was no date- only month and year.

"He specialised in computer science and physical education, I couldn't find much else about his education," Hardison apologised.

"What about his family?" Nate questioned.

"His parents were listed as a Darla Angel and a Liam Angel," Hardison stated while he brought up Connor's birth certificate whilst underneath Illyria's appeared, "now here is something hinky- I can't find any information about the parents other than a brief outline- birthdates, national ID, and deaths were all I could find. No mention of jobs or anything."

"Surely they would have left some mention behind, I assume you checked their birthplaces or information?" Nate asked.

"I did- there is no mention of a wedding between the pair, parents of either of them, or anything other than the sheer basics," Hardison finished.

"Did you mange to find any other information about Connor?" Nate inquired.

"I found only the bare minimum, this kid and his sister are like a ghost, at first I figured it was because of the whole LA thing and records being lost but as I dug further I noticed that it wouldn't be that. It's like the kid only began to exist recently," Hardison said.

"That's not normal," Sophie muttered as Parker nodded in agreement.

"However, the DNA test at the hospital was legit. I have planted a cookie in the hospitals system for the second results. We'll know as soon as they do," Hardison explained as he took a seat.

"I think it would be best for you to keep digging, Hardison," Nate told the younger man, "find out everything you can about the year they have been here. While it is a little off that there is basically nothing about them available to you we can't say they are criminals."

"I agree, it is possible to keep a low profile, and with the whole LA disaster it would be wise to think that certain documents and information were lost. Some they could recover but others they would not be able to," Sophie agreed.

"I'm going to head to my apartment and get some rest- its being an eventful day," Nate said as he looked out of the window which showed a steadily darkening sky.

"Alright, have a nice evening and we'll see you tomorrow, Goodnight," Sophie said pleasantly.

"Night," Hardison echoed Sophie but he was distracted by his computer.

"Night," Parker chirped from her seat.

Nate stood with a smile and headed to his office to grab his things. Once the door closed the three remaining people glanced at one another.

"It's hinky, right?" Hardison asked.

"Hinky," Parker agreed.

"Defiantly. Look into it Hardison, but discreetly," Sophie asked gently not wanting Nate to think they wanted to label his newfound son a criminal.

"I will," Hardison said seriously before his fingers began to tap against the keyboard.

"Whose gonna tell Eliot?" Parker asked with a grin.

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Connor walked out of their kitchen and into the living room with a warm mug of coffee in his hands. His ribs were nearly healed by now and the head wound he had sustained would be fully healed by tomorrow. Sitting down on the comfy couch he had bought when they first moved in Connor sunk gratefully into the cushions. With a sigh he sipped his coffee and relaxed his body into the softness of the couch.

It was at that moment Illyria stormed into the room- her human guise gone replaced by her blue tinged looks and body armour. She held the phone in her hand and placed it on the coffee table.

"Tell him," Illyria barked at the phone.

"Hey, Connor," Willow's voice rang from the phone which was in hands free mode.

"Hi, Wills, what's going on?" Connor asked while taking another sip of his drink.

"Illyria rang me when you both got home," Willow started but Connor cut into the conversation.

"You researched Nate didn't you?" Connor asked with a sigh but resigning himself to the fact that Illyria was already overprotective of him.

"Yes, I found something that you should be aware of," Willow started and Connor could hear her fingers flying over her keyboard, "Nathan Ford worked for a company called IYS until a few years ago. He lost his son Sam and quit the company because they refused to pay for an experimental treatment that could have saved Sam's life. Shortly after leaving IYS he got divorced from his wife Maggie Collins."

"That isn't really anything that causes alarm about him," Connor said while his heart went out to Nate about losing his family. He couldn't say anything to Nate but Connor knew how it felt to lose a child- whether people liked it or not Jasmine was his daughter and while he killed her to protect the world he mourned for her everyday.

"About 6 months after he left IYS he started working with a group of criminals. One Sophie Devereaux a grafter- one of the best in the world- wanted in several countries. I can't find much on her but I've begun to track her movements over the last few years- in hope of finding her true identity. Alec Hardison a hacker who grew up in the Foster System and worked as a classified contractor for the FBI and CIA until he went off the grid 3 years into the job," Willow continued while the keyboards continually clacked away under her fingertips.

"Get to the other part," Illyria barked.

"I'm getting there," Willow answered, "he also worked with a thief named Parker- the best in the world from what my sources say. Haven't being able to find much about her past- though it is understood that she grew up in the Foster System."

Connor gave a nod and sipped his warm beverage once more while looking at Illyria who was stood silently by the window.

"Now, this is what we have found most worrying. Eliot Spencer," Willow said and Connor once more cut in.

"Lindsay's brother?" Connor asked.

"Yes, he does some work for the council occasionally; he has retrieved several artefacts for the council but dropped from the council's radar before the whole Jasmine thing. I suspect he would have been training Lindsay at this point from the information I have gathered," Willow explained.

"So basically my bio Dad is a criminal?" Connor questioned. Great- he had a vampire Father, a kidnapper Father, and a criminal as a Father- the only normal one was his foster Dad.

"From what I can gather- no," Willow's voice rang from the phone, "he and these criminals started a firm called Leveraging Consultants. From what my sources have said and what I have been able to gather I have found that it seems that they are doing good deeds through conning people."

"How does that work?" Connor inquired.

"It seems that they con the rich mark who has wronged their client into giving them money or somehow bringing about their ruin, it's all very clever," Willow babbled.

"What do you want me to do about this?" Connor wanted to know.

"We need to contact Eliot Spencer anyway, so stay close and see what you can come up with. Also I think these people might be good informants for the council- they also might be willing to do a few jobs for us," Willow told him.

"You want me to infiltrate them?" Connor incredulously asked.

"NO! I think you should get to know them anyway- I doubt that there criminal activities will cause a problem for you but they could be useful to us and it could be an opening to let them know about your true past. If you want to," Willow explained quickly- the typing has ceased as she fretted over him.

"Alright, I'll talk with you later Willow," Connor said and reached out to end the call.

"Bye!" Willow chirped.

Connor sat back in the cushions and looked at Illyria once more.

"What?" Connor asked as she stared at him.

"I do not want you going near such humans," Illyria stated slowly.

"Why?" Connor said.

"They are criminals and you are my pet, I will not allow them to harm you," Illyria replied.

"If they harm me you'll get first shot alright?" Connor answered.

"That is acceptable," Illyria stated before sweeping from the room.

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