Disclaimer: All characters are the sole property of MTM or ABC.
Prompt: This is a mature story with heavy aspects of violence, bad language and sexual themes so reader discretion is advised - also anyone under the age of 18 please don't continue unless you feel comfortable reading said themes. With that all said and done please enjoy my story.
Synopsis: Set post S3 Finale after Laura got on that plane with William Westfield but with a twist; what if Remington saw her. Feeling betrayed after sticking around for nearly 3 years only to watch Laura steele away with a man she only met after denying him for so long 'Remington' leaves all behind to find something - what... he does not know; a place, a purpose...himself? What he does not expect however is to be recruited by a young noble lord with a vision and be offered a place in his exclusive and secretive round table.
Chapter 1: An Assignment Unwanted
04 April 1988
"Sean..." a man tied to reply in a understanding tone, gesturing with his hands for calm so he could explain only to interrupted, again, by the irate man looming over him with a scowl that would unnerve lesser men but Charles 'Charlie' Richardson-Jones was not one of them.
"No Charlie! You know our deal...dammit the only condition I've asked of you and your bloody trying to pull a fast one!" the man shouted. He was angry...no he was seething at what had just been confirmed in regards to what he overheard not five minutes ago when he was waiting for Jones .
"I really shouldn't be surprised that someone else has kicked me in the teeth." the man thought bitterly as he stood before yet another example of why it was best not to trust, not that it was given except what was necessary to get the job done. Running a shaking hand of anger through his ebony kissed strands while the other man sat patiently in his chair waiting for him to continue his tirade his mind continued to throw image after image at him of a past he had spent almost three years trying to forget about. It was working too, mostly, until he heard that pompous little twit Davidson telling Melanie 'Cowgirl' Landon that the 'Paddy Golden Boy' has an impending L.A rendezvous and would be out of pocket until the mission was finished and if she was available for dinner tonight. What was said after that was lost to him as he made a beeline for Jones' office while a cocktail of emotions began bubbling inside him violently like a chemistry experiment gone wrong.
It was always the same when those welcome/unwelcome thoughts entered his mind, they warmed him for a few second with the promise of what could have been; her soft lust lips grazing, nipping and sucking on his own sent a traitorous shiver down his spine. Those small soft hands that, like her lips, scorched his skin and heated his blood wherever they wandered, her lilting voice that... dammit almost three years later and she still had this power of him. Thus that was the downside of such memories, the bitter and hurtful reality that it will be someone else who will be living the life that he, when he sat daydreaming, could be living.
Shaking his head to rid his mind of the depressing turn it had taken he levelled his gaze on Jones once more contemplating a way out of this mess, an angle to cut or fault in the plan to exploit - something.
As if reading his mind or just knowing him for almost three and being the perceptible man that he is Jones levelled Sean with a serious look of his own. "Look Sean, this is important - important enough that we cannot pass the opportunity up." he said with a tone mirroring his unwavering stare. "You know how we have been waiting to destroy this man."
Sean, not breaking the gazing duel of wills responded with equal seriousness - he had to remain firm. "I know we have but why me? Surely there's someone else you can send?" he reasoned, knowing the sakes of the mission - how could he not know. They spend the last 14 months setting the pieces for this strike, he playing a major part in it, so of course he wanted everything to go as smoothly and problem-free as possible.
"There is but Sean it's now a little more complicated than that - Harington is desperate for a fiscal windfall, as you know, that he is willing to sell some of his family's most treasured collection to prevent financial disaster after we undermined, de-valued or simply bought out several of his profitable ventures." Jones stated with a proud smirk at the flawlessness of how the plan was working out thus far. On paper the plan had many potential unknown variables that could sink the operation if they arose but end result was worth the minimal risk they presented. Luck however was on their side and now they stood ready to deliver the metaphorical killing blow. "Add to that all the negative publicity he has been on the receiving end of and you're left with a opportunity that is just too good to pass up." Jones finished, sitting back in his chair with a cat that swallowed the cannery look upon his handsome fair skinned face.
That got a quirk of the lips from Sean as he relaxed a little, enjoying the news of the latest scandal of a man he wouldn't save from a roomful of angry nuns..or on second thought maybe he would - no one deserves that heinous fate. "That bad is it?"
"Very, after Frank ran that tawdry piece of him in The Guardian not a week after we bought the majority of shares of that diamond mine in South Africa he had to compile a plan and fast hence his trip to the States." Jones chuckled enjoying Harington's latest round of bad luck. One would think that it was unfair even cruel and uncalled for to laugh at the misfortune of others but that is where most would be wrong when it comes to the personage of one Thomas William Harington. To Jones, the man was a selfish, narrow-minded little narcissist with a strong snobbish outlook on others and a truly nauseating sense of moral superiority. After only meeting the man once at a high society wedding a few years ago Charlie truly though a shower was in order not even two minutes conversation - the man was just that hard to be around.
Learning forward to rest his elbows on his well organised oak desk while supporting his chin on his enlaced fingers Jones continued with his assessment "It's smart I'll give him that; take his family's treasures on a tour to garner some good publicity while attracting potential buyers. Unfortunately for him...
"The pieces get stolen when there I'm guessing" Sean interrupted with a small grin on his face - it was just so beautiful a plan, just so..right that one got not help but appreciate it.
Obviously by the growing grin mirroring Jones face he felt the same way. One could say that these operations were art; as they required time, patience planning and skill so one would be hard pressed not to feel some pride when all was over. "Exactly, which is why I'm sending you Sean. With your experience in that area it makes you the optimal choice." Jones stated with euphemism directing the focus back to the reason Sean was here.
"Hmm optimal choice, maybe, but you are forgetting that I don't wish to return to that city. Not to mention my face is pretty well know there." Sean stated calmly but firmly, his irrational anger dying away as it was uncalled for - he knew Charlie would never force him, as if he could, to do anything. No, the catalyst of these stormy, unpredictable, or maybe predictable, outbursts of raw emotions lay with a certain 5.6 enigma of frustration.
"And there I go again, I swear she's haunting me. She probably has a voodoo doll or something in her desk drawer." he mused before snapping his attention back to Jones as he rose from his chair, walking past his desk and Sean to the small liquor cabinet that sat near the large windows overlooking the busy streets of London below.
"I've taken that into consideration and I believe I've found the perfect cover for you." Jones explained his soft cultured voice carrying across the room as he knelt down to receive two glasses from their fellows and set them atop the flat cream clothed surface of the cabinet before his favourite bottle of malt.
"You have, do tell" Sean requested as he finally took the chair that waited him in from of Jones desk since he barged. "Good job Kevin didn't witness that display" he though with a embarrassed shudder.
"I will, as soon as finish with these" Jones replied as he poured the amber liquid into the two awaiting glasses. Once poured and the bottle placed back from whence it came Jones made his way back to the now sitting Sean who accepted the offered glass with a thankful nod of the head before returning to his own seat.
"You will go to Los Angeles yourself with some of your own family's collection and..."
"The Thomas Crown Affair, Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, United Artists, 1968
"I'm never going to get use to that." Jones muttered with an amused grin before taking an appreciative sip of his whiskey and continuing. "Anyway you're right, it does strike a chord with that film as some of yours will be 'stolen' alongside all of his giving you the perfect defence against any suspicion since who is going to suspect the owner of stealing his own collection from a high security museum plus I think your pervious profession in that city will add that extra layer of protection. he finished with a smirk looking very proud of himself.
"It's a good plan Charlie I give your that - but that former profession is exactly one of the reasons why I don't wish to return." Sean pointed out, hating to pop the bubble of brilliance with a 'silly' little thing like his past but if he didn't then who would. It's not as if anyone knew the whole sorry tale of his time in Los Angles except Daniel and Charlie only knew what Sean had told him which wasn't much.
Knowing what would be said next could very well end the discussion Jones took a deep breath before jumping in "I know and that's why what I say next will be difficult to hear never mind agree to." he said with an almost sympathetic but wholly apologetic expression.
"Oh bloody hell what now" he thought with a sinking sense of foreboding, his mind a whirl with possible worse case scenarios.
Taking his silence for licence to continue Jones dropped the proverbial bombshell "Remington Steele Investigations has been hired to protect Harington's collection." he stated calmly.
"Buggering hell!" Sean swore. "It just had to be, just buggering had to be her didn't it" he lamented, cursing his luck or lack thereof. Three years, three years without contact, with a continent separating them to boot but he still cannot escape her and to again be placed in the same city as her to steal something she is hired to protect - well someone has a warped sense of humour.
"Not how I would phrase it but I do understand how much of predicament I'm putting you in Sean." Jones stated in an understanding tone, his expression soft. He may not know the full story of Sean's time in L.A but he knew that it did not end well and despite his curiosity he would not violate his partners trust by looking into it. No, some matters were best left alone.
"Yet you're asking me to go anyway" Sean muttered before taking a large swig of whisky.
Keeping his on the man before him Jones with a gaze of upmost conviction and sincerity shining from his gray eyes spoke in an even voice "You know I cannot and will not force my partners into anything. As I said when you first joined Sean we are equals here regardless of my heading the table. I'm asking you as our best knight with the skills needed for job to head up this important mission."
"Really laying it on a little thick Charlie" Sean laughed, amusement clear in his dark blue eyes.
"I know, I've no shame" Jones grinned back.
Slowly the grin faded from Sean's face as he let out a heavy sigh before taking another sip of whisky that burned his throat but not the memories "I can't face her again Sean" he murmured softly as he closed his eyes.
With a sigh of his own Jones left his chair, making his way around to the front of his desk resting his backside against the desk as he regarded this man before him. "Sean old boy I won't pretend to understand what you're going through as truthfully I have no idea and thank god for that. I like my women voluptuous, charming and string-less." he confessed with a small smile.
"And here was I thinking you a romantic" Sean quipped, opening his eyes.
"Sex is romance just with all the words removed" Jones shot straight back with a cocky wink finally causing tense astrosphere to break as Sean started laughing and not a soft chuckle either but a full throated, belly aching, tear inducing bellow which, in both their opinions, was needed.
"It's not Shakespeare but that's something else Charlie" Sean gasped when he could finally breathe, as he brushed his tears away.
"Thank you I do my best." Jones replied with a cheerful smile, glad that he could help because if Sean did take this assignment then he needed to go with the right frame of mind and emotionally sound.
"So Sean will you do it."
Author's Notes: This is my first attempt at a Remington Steele fic but I just could not resist as I hold this show dear(Season 5 excluded) and the idea would just not leave me alone.
All chapters subject to change and improvement if I feel it's necessary.