A/N: Yes, I have a thing for the name 'Fallon'. This one was written in 2007, and is AU, no wrestling involved. Standard disclaimers apply: I own nothing, not implying anything, etc etc etc. Oh yes, and excessive use of foul language, hints of non-con and lots and lots of violence. Basically, the usual.

CHAPTER ONE

Fallon frowned, glancing towards the barn. This COULD NOT be right. She looked down at the small notepad in her hand, skimming the directions she'd been given.

Yep, this was the place.

She held a briefcase in her other hand, seriously looking out of place in this country setting in her black faux leather pants and black tank top, sunglasses over her gold eyes. She stood roughly around 5'8" maybe, depending on whether or not she wore heels that day, with long black hair that hung down her back in fat spirals, though today she had pinned the mass up. Which was a good thing because quite frankly, it was fucking hotter then Hell out here!

"Who the FUCK are you?"

Fallon smiled, all her teeth in it, though there was nothing friendly about it, flashing the briefcase. "I'm here to pick up something, now aim that damn gun elsewhere and take me to whoever is in charge." She peered at this goon over the rims of her shades, letting him catch a glimpse of her oddly colored eyes and smirked when he gawked, itching to reach for her own gun, a Beretta 9MM, but managed to refrain.

"Nobody gets in without me knowing about it prior, bitch." David snarled, his brown eyes flashing dangerously, wondering what his boss had been thinking. David had known about her coming, but he'd be damned if he was going to be bullied by a little bitch like her.

He smirked at a sudden thought, licking his lips and eyed her up and down blatantly. "Now, if you were to persuade me first, MAYBE I'll let you in to him, my pretty little bitch."

Fallon wasn't in her line of work because she was timid. She knew damn well she could very easily get her ass whooped by this monster of a man, and honestly, the thought sent a little trickle of fear through her, but then again….. She quickly had out her gun, aiming it right between his legs.

"Oh, I'll PERSUADE you all fucking right, jackass. NOW, what I have in this briefcase is VERY important to your boss. You want to explain to him why you delayed it coming? You want to explain to the people who HIRED me why I'm dead? Which, by the way, you're boss would have to compensate them for. People like me cost money." Her tone was conversational. "So how bout you cut the shit and lead the way in like the monkey you are?"

"Why you little fucking bi-"

"Enough!" Boomed a voice from behind. "Is there a problem here, David?"

David halted dead in his tracks, the words dying in his mouth and sighed. "No sir, not at all. This little bitch CLAIMS to have brought something of importance to you."

"Yes, she has. Hello again, Fallon."

Fallon groaned inwardly. Matt fucking Hardy! How nice! There he stood, cocky as shit, wearing all black, his arms crossed over his chest, grinning smugly at her. She had worked with him once before, maybe a year ago, on a job.

The man drove her nuts and not in the annoying way either, and she KNEW she did the same to him. However, being in their line of work, sex, no matter how casual wasn't a good thing. It wasn't good business to be sleeping with someone you might have to potentially kill or worse.

Matt smirked, taking her in before smacking David upside the head for his insolence. "Next time I tell you to let someone in, do it or you're fired." He growled, taking Fallon gently by the arm and guided her inside. "No guns needed, Fal." He chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming deviously as he led her into his office.

"I'd fire whoever that ass is." Fallon said, dropping the briefcase down on the desk. "Here it is." She opened it, revealing stacks of neatly wrapped bills. "In hundreds like you asked. You can count it if you wish." She holstered her gun. "Now… I believe you have a package for me as well." She didn't comment on being in a barn, not even sure if she wanted to know what kind of operation he was running.

"Have a seat, Fal." Matt chuckled ruefully, shaking his head as he lifted a stack of bills up, running his thumb along the edge before flipping through it, inhaling the smell. "Mmm… I do love being rich." He chuckled again, this time in a darker tone. He opened his safe, pulling out a package and slammed it down on the desk. "Tell your boss I want the rest of my money or he don't get the rest of his items." He was sounding dangerously calm.

She took the package and nodded. "You'll get the rest of your money, Hardy." Fallon assured him, not bothering to correct his assumption. Her 'boss' wasn't really her boss at all. She was a free-lance agent, mainly neutral, which was good because that meant she could be trusted. Pushing her sunglasses on top of her head, curiosity sparking in her gold eyes. "Mind me asking: why the Hell are you operating in a goddamn barn? I always knew you were country but shit…"

"It's less conspicuous. Not too many cops travel down this road and don't look in here because they think it's abandoned." Matt answered simply, crossing his arms over his chest, leaning back in his leather chair. "So how have you been, Fallon? It's been a long time, baby. I thought you were getting out of the business after your brother's death?"

Fallon didn't flinch at the mention of her much beloved brother, covering her eyes again with her shades. "I was planning on it but…" She shrugged. "You know how things are. I thought you were disappearing down to Brazil, shows how much plans work out now doesn't it?"

In truth, Fallon had taken some time off, heading for Europe for a much needed vacation, only to come home and dive straight back into her old life. She had missed the danger, the action, the money was pretty damn good too.

"As fun as this little… catching up is, I have to go. My plane leaves in two hours." She slipped the small package down her top and into her bra, knowing it had to be some kind of precious gem, diamonds most likely since her 'boss' for the week was a diamond fanatic.

"Very well. Pity you can't stay and 'chat'." Matt said in a low tone, eyes gleaming with wicked intentions. "Perhaps next time we could catch up more." He stood up, moving around the desk to stand toe to toe with her, reaching out to run his finger along her bottom lip. "Have a nice flight, Fallon."

Fallon rolled her eyes and headed for the exit, flipping off the monkey, David. She flashed a sweet smile when he growled and continued on her way, sighing in relief at the sight of her beautiful black corvette. It was a rental, true, but she adored corvettes, owning a few herself. "Oh fuck me running!" She groaned when her cell phone rang, quickly whipping it off the clip attached to her belt.

A few stressful minutes later, Fallon hung up, disgruntled. She had been informed that she would be staying on in this stupid little ass backwards, country bumpkin shithole for another few days while the rest of Matt's money was being prepared. She didn't want to know, guessing it would probably be counterfeit, that wasn't her problem though. She did the go-betweens, she wasn't liable for anything that went wrong with the actual merchandise or pay-offs, though a hazard was: she might get shot.

TWO DAYS LATER…

"God… what I wouldn't give for a fucking delicatessen." Fallon grumbled, looking at the 'deli' before her. If you could count bologna as something edible anyway. She finally settled for some thinly sliced turkey, ignoring the guy slicing it before ordering some Swiss cheese, thanking whoever was up there for the simpler things in life.

She paid for her purchases, which also contained a loaf of French bread and a bottle of strawberry wine, unfortunately the only thing they had besides beer. Honestly, how country could you freaking get?

Wishing that money would come in, Fallon returned to the rinky dink motel she was staying at, the only place the town had to offer. She arched an eyebrow when she seen a car she didn't recognize in the near vacant lot, parking and getting out of her own ride, discreetly checking to make sure her gun was in place.

She unlocked the door to her room and stepped inside, doing a quick once over of the room, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She pulled her gun, knowing something was wrong.

Fallon dropped her bag, whirling around, nearly having a heart attack when she seen Matt leaning against the wall.

Matt pulled out the flap of his black duster, flashing her his own gun, knowing he would win in a shoot-out hands down. "I'm not here to hurt you, Fallon." He stated, walking towards her, staring into her eyes. "We need to talk."

Fallon had seen what Matt could do with a gun and sighed, not wanting to end up on the back of a milk carton. She nodded, folding her arms over her chest though she didn't relax her grip on her Beretta. "What about?"

He raised a finger to his lips, motioning her to be quiet before creeping over to the closet. He ripped open the door, his gun in his hand quicker then lightening and shot once, stepping back to allow the body to fall to the carpeted floor. "About this."

Blinking, she walked over to search the fresh corpse, groaning when she found what she was looking for. "Nice." She muttered, taking the guy's gun and checking the clip, emptying it before tossing it onto the bed.

Apparently her now former boss hadn't been too keen on paying her the extra fee she had charged when being told she had to stay on.

"Thanks, Matt." Fallon said finally, not knowing what else to say. She began to pack her things, knowing next the body had to be disposed of.

"Not a problem."

Little was said between them as they cleaned the room, wiping away all traces of them ever being there along with the body. Matt rolled the dead man up in the carpet, hoisting it over his shoulder with ease, glancing around to make sure everything was in place.

"You ready?" He didn't wait for an answer, just led the way out.

Fallon followed, slipping into her corvette, knowing the next step would be getting rid of her precious car next. She trailed Matt, not surprised when they came to a stop besides a cliff. She watched Matt pour her wine over the guy before putting the stiff in her rental, dousing the car with gasoline before turning on the ignition, shifting it into drive.

She watched as it drove straight off the cliff, aware Matt had moved to stand by her, both watching the whole thing go up in flames. "Didn't we do this before." It wasn't a question.

The last time they had worked together, they'd disposed of two bodies. Though they'd used a homemade explosive device in place of the gasoline.

Matt nodded, chuckling softly. "Yeah, we did. Déjà vu, isn't it?" He smirked when she just shot him a look, draping an arm over her shoulder, guiding her towards his car. "Let's go home and I'll explain things to you. You'll be thanking me by the time I'm through." He opened the door for her, arching an eyebrow when she hesitated. "Do you want to live or die, Fallon?"

"Shit. Live to die another day, right?" She shot back, sliding into the car, knowing at this point she didn't really have a choice. The only money she had on her was in her wallet, petty cash. The rest was in a securely coded bank account, not in this damn country, and the only way she could access it was through a series of codes with her agent, someone she couldn't get a hold of out her in the boonies. No towers for her cell phone and as far as she could tell, nobody believed in public telephones.

Yeah, for now, she'd stick with Matt.