we don't use the artifacts!

"But you're not a fugitive. You were released, not broken out."

"Hardison, this thing cannot be in my pantry, get it out of here"

Reverse heist where Parker places it on display in the British Museum

Records changed to make it look like it was wrongly identified as early work by someone who later became intensely famous and respected, and like a lot of money was paid for it

Assorted experts in colonized countries alerted to embarrassing "mistake"

General mockery ensues throughout the art world

Press joins in general mockery

Parker steals painting BACK along with a few other minor artifacts (that happen to quietly find their way back to rightful owners)

British Museum reports actual thefts, is accused of trying to run an insurance scam as no one would take notoriously fake painting

Painting mysteriously appears in background shot of tech billionaire's home interview

Immediate trending topic + virulent online mockery of billionaire's horrible taste

Billionaire doesn't go to jail, but suffers massive reputational damage for unprovable but highly suspicious link to art theft / scam

Billionaire's stock plummets, potentially lucrative deal to buy social media site falls through as result

Painting goes missing AGAIN

At this point every rich person with an art collection is terrified of being linked to the theft

Numerous stolen / looted art items preemptively returned

Meanwhile, painting reappears in Eliot's pantry

Dammit, Hardison!

It's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true. The bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats. And we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies and everybody lives happily ever after.

me for the last hours: