Leverage x Reader Stories

(7) Hardison x Thief!Reader ~ Loss for Words [Part 1]

Requested by @Roannseal
Word Count: 2023

"- And so, as y'all can see, thanks to me and my wonderful technological skills, we now have the company's dirty laptop containing everything we needed to retrieve. I'll get to work right away to wipe all the files and destroy all evidence that can be used against our client. Once that's done, I'll give it to Parker and let her return the laptop back to the company's CEO. Hopefully he won't notice this thing is missing."

Hardison stands with arms crossed over his chest, proud of his accomplishments that led to a successful theft. The key factor - which the hacker played a major role in - was to take advantage of the corrupt company's technological advances and use it as a puppet in order to take control of the system and create the needed illusions in order for Parker and Eliot to grab the package without a single hassle.

"Well, Hardison," Nate says with an amused smile, "since you have a lot of work on your hands, we'll let you get to it."

The rest of the Leverage team dismiss themselves from their seats before the multitude of display screens to work on planning out the rest of the job in Nate's office, leaving Hardison half-sated. He expected a huge 'thank you' for his hard work, but now realizes he was bargaining for more than he should have.

Left to his own devices, Hardison settles down in his own workspace, shuffling around the miscellaneous technology parts on a nearby table until he finds the desired object he needs, his fingers flying across the keyboard of the laptop as he works tirelessly to wipe the files and memory completely. A few troubling files has the hacker pause and question the activities of the laptop's owner prior to it being stolen, but he pushes on.

After sitting - while slouching hunched over the computers - for the entire night, Hardison manages to transfer over all the data into a new laptop he bought for this specific job. As a prank, he hacks into the laptop's control system and throws in codes to make the device play an audio file of a terrifying screech if the CEO decides to open the email he used for illegal purposes.

"Sleep is calling my name," the hacker yawns out, slapping a sticky note on top of the laptop containing all the files, which he needs to read and analyze after his much needed rest, trudging away to the couch on the other side of the headquarters.

---

Hardison snores the night away, drooling a bit too as his tired body rests itself completely. He sleeps like a rock. Not a single sound pulls him out of this slumber.

From the left side of the room, the window slowly slides up. It shudders open, accompanied by a small screech. A shadowed form slips through the opening and tucks into the shadows, hiding behind a tall bookcase. The thief spots their target sitting on the table, eying the best path to take in order to reach the destination unnoticed. There is no room for fault, so the thief cannot take the risk of waking up the slumbering hacker.

Tiptoeing with caution, the thief manages to reach the table without trouble, snatching the device packed with information and slipping it into a backpack. Ready to retrace their steps to the window, the thief is ready to exit the room when they hear a groan. Hardison rises from his couch and stretches wearily, letting out inhuman noises as his stiff muscles loosen up. He suddenly feels a chill run up his spine, evoking an involuntary shudder. Eyes widen as they watch Hardison suddenly turn, the hacker now staring in horror at the intruder in his room.

"Who the he-"

"Now," the feminine voice of the thief shouts, a hand cupping her ear to speak into her earpiece.

All the electronics in the building come to life and play a terrifying commotion, startling all the members of Leverage team, especially Hardison, who is frozen with fear as the thief slips out his window with the laptop in her bag. Eliot bursts into the room, the others trailing behind him with hands over their ears.