The Fallen Angel Job.
Legal Stuff:- Still not mine and the song lyrics appearing here and there come from Roy Orbison's 'Mystery Girl' which is an all time favourite of mine and listening to it recently it seemed particularly fitting for Sophie and Nate.
A/N: - Thank you to everyone who was kind enough to read and review my first story "To Catch a Thief" this is kind of a loose sequel to that story but it isn't really necessary to have read it beforehand but just so nobody is confused Rachel and Sophie are the same person (hopefully that will make sense eventually.) This story is partially inspired by the comment Sophie makes to Nate in the King George Job that she stole from rich men for rich men again hopefully this will eventually make sense. All feedback appreciated as always thanks once again.
London the Past...
Quietly she stalked him, her prey the high roller dressed in a dinner suite with his bow tie undone staggering around Hyde Park plastered, well past midnight an overstuffed wallet hanging out of his back trouser pocket just begging to be dipped... this old bloke (well he had to be twenty at least) was so dozy she almost felt sorry for him well almost. She'd had to give up feeling sorry for people any people it did her 'ead in didn't it? Besides feeling sorry for people was bleedin' dangerous she's learned that the hard way long before she'd decided to bugger off from home, that night when 'Uncle Frankie' had decided that he was gonna use her mum's head for a punching bag yet again and instead of running like hell she'd felt sorry for her and tried to stop him another night in Casualty and being hauled off to flippin' Butterfly Meadow Kids Home again that's what feeling sorry had got her. Not that she and Butterfly Meadow were exactly strangers and at least she didn't have to worry about any unexpected nocturnal visits from Frankie, Reg, Des or whatever 'Uncle' it was that particular week. Still didn't mean she wanted to stop there did it? Then there was the odds on chance that Mum would do yet another Oscar winning number on Social Services and she'd be sent back home again, so that's when she'd decided to leg it, leg it all the way to London. She was fourteen now, she could take care of herself and she knew that what she did would have to do just to survive was wrong but a girl had to eat didn't she? She had a promise to keep too didn't she? Her plan to see through. Fortunately mum had taught her a few useful things like how to part a bloke from his wallet in ten different ways and so to work.
Perfect the high roller had found his way into a particularly leafy part of the park, he was roughly six footish but built like a drain pipe so much so it looked like a gust of wind would knock him on his arse easily. Continuing her reckie mum always insisted you could never spent too much time on planning the perfect job she had to admit though he was good looking, he was clean shaven with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes like those lads you saw modelling underwear in fashion magazines and it looked like he worked out regularly too she could see well toned muscles beneath his clothing. She'd followed him from a posh Casino in Mayfair waiting for the right moment and this was it, she'd been doing this for months and nobody ever knew what hit 'em. He stopped for a minute, keeping to the tree line for cover she crept forward trying to see what he was doing, he had his back to her one hand resting on a tree trunk and he was...he was peeing! She couldn't believe her luck, coming up behind him she grabbed the wallet and that's when she realized what a mistake she'd made when someone grabbed her firmly by her middle.
"Got her boss" A man's voice said out loud.
"Gerroff" She bellowed kicking and punching with all her might "Gerroff me!"
"Calm down we are not going to hurt you" The obviously perfectly sober high roller said calmly turning to face her and as he did so he tossed away a now empty can of cola "All I want is for you to steal something for me."
"Piss off" She yelled and spat on his highly polished Italian leather shoes.
"You've got guts Angel I'll give you that" The high roller chuckled "I've been keeping an eye on you and your operation you've got potential, potential like that I could use. I'll make you a deal hear me out and if you don't like it then we'll let you go and you can keep the wallet no strings attached either way."
"What if I do like it" She asked her interest piqued "What's in it for me?"
"I knew you were a business woman after my own heart anything you want Angel absolutely anything" He chuckled again nodding to his muscle "Put her down Tyler."
Dutifully Tyler obeyed smiling up at him She shoved her knee straight into his wedding tackle "You little bitch" He howled and lifted his hand up as if to strike her.
"No" The high roller grabbed his muscle's hand and it made a cracking noise "You don't lay a finger on her ever understand?"
"Yesssss sir, sorry sir ..." Tyler puffed going red in the face his eyes out on stalks.
"Good go get the car" The high roller ordered and Tyler slopped off "Rule number one Angel always watch your back."
"We gonna talk money or not" She scowled.
"Ok Angel...let's get you somewhere safe" He said softly eying her lean frame "When was the last time you ate properly or took a bath?"
"Mind your own business" She huffed as he led her away "And me name is not Angel it's..."
"Rachel" He told her "Yes I know."
"How do you know that" Rachel demanded to know.
"I know a lot about you" He told her "I've been watching you for a very long time Rachel."
"Well what do I call you then" Rachel wondered.
"Alexander my name is Alexander Wade and I hope we are going to be friends" He replied as they climbed into his car "Very good friends...now tell me have you ever heard of Claude Monet or Vincent Van Gogh perhaps."
Paris several years later...
Rachel gazed at herself in her dressing table mirror brushing her long dark hair she wondered just where she had gone since she no longer recognized the woman staring back was that a good or bad thing she really didn't know. She was dressed in a pure pink silk nightdress trimmed with French lace and matching robe that ended just below her knee. Like every other item of clothing or jewellery Alexander had given her they were designer and extremely expensive, her scarlet painted finger nails were perfectly manicured, her perfectly straight teeth gleamed a perfect ice white and even her old accent had disappeared thanks to Alexander and his endless elocution lessons she now automatically spoke with a soft pitch perfect Queen's English lilt just like he did. Her education had also been first class Alexander's doing of course she spoke several languages fluently, knew the entire history of the Roman Empire backwards and could sniff out an Old Master blindfold. During her 'lessons' she'd even discovered a hidden talent Rachel could mimic any given accent to perfection didn't matter which one all she needed was to hear it Alexander had been very pleased by that. Her life was a luxurious one Alexander had never denied her anything, anything at all; all she ever had to do was ask, well all except one thing the one thing that really mattered. They always travelled first class, dined at the finest restaurants and stayed in only the best hotels; Alexander owned homes in London, Paris, New York and a string of other places all of which made Buckingham Palace look shabby all of which she had unlimited access to. True to his word Alexander had given her the contents of his wallet the night they had first met and had made sure she got her fair share of every one of their 'business ventures' ever since in short she wanted for nothing but everything had it'd price something Alexander never hesitated to make her painfully aware of.
"Good morning Angel" Just as he always did Alexander entered her room without knocking or permission for that matter "You look so beautiful..." He stood and stared at her for a moment "Absolutely beautiful."
"Good morning Alexander" She turned to face him "How was your breakfast meeting."
"It was most...satisfying" He grinned crossing the room "And I have a gift for you" With a flourish he produced an exquisite solitaire diamond pendant from his pocket.
"Alexander about..." She began.
"It's all in hand it won't be much longer I promise Angel" He crouched down besides her then he slipped the pendant around her slim neck "I've never lied to you have I?"
"No never" Rachel shook her head.
"Good girl" Alexander kissed her fully on the lips "I would like you to stay in doors to day."
"Why? I thought I'd take a stroll along the left bank before we left for Prague" She quizzed him.
"There's a new investigator on our tail a Nathan Ford nothing I can't handle but I don't think we should take unnecessary risks so close to our next business trip do you?" Alexander gripped her arm so hard it felt like it almost snapped in two.
"No...no of course not" Rachel told him exactly what he wanted to hear.
"That's settled then..." Alexander stood "We leave at 3pm" then he walked away.
Rachel inspected her arm it was already bruising, stupid, stupid she knew better than to anger Alexander knew what he did to people who got on the wrong side of him, she had seen it with her own eyes far too many times. She'd also learned something else interesting who ever this Nathan Ford was he had seriously rattled Alexander something nobody else that she knew of had ever done which meant this man was someone she badly wanted to meet.
Portland the Present...
It was raining again and she was bored Parker stared out of the Pub's window into the street "It's raining again" She announced out loud but nobody said anything in reply, they were all otherwise occupied Eliot was sitting by the bar planning menus and stressing big time over pigs in a blanket, Hardison was doing something seriously geeky with a laptop and Nate was holed up in his office with Sophie pretending to go over perspective client's backgrounds. Since the door had been locked for the past thirty minutes it didn't take a genius to work out whose background or foreground for that matter was getting most of Nate's attention. Parker and the boys had agreed not to mention Nate and Sophie being together till they decided to come clean themselves but it couldn't have been more obvious is they had a I heart Nate/Sophie tattoo plastered on their foreheads still it was fun watching them sneaking about fun but kinda worrying for two thieves to be so bad at keeping a secret. Trouble was Parker was more an action kinda gal and all this sitting around waiting for something to happen was getting on her nerves big time and she couldn't find a single incendiary item in the place, no matches, no lighters not even a 4th of July Sparkler Nate had confiscated the lot. So when she saw the van pull up and the man get out she nearly jumped for joy at finally having something, anything at all to do.
"We got a delivery" She yelled out to Hardison and Elliot as she jogged past them.
"Yeah...whatever" Mumbled Hardison.
"Delivery? What delivery..." Eliot's called after her "We haven't ordered anything..."
Cheerfully Parker opened the front door to find a man standing there posed to press the buzzer "Delivery for Miss Devereux" He enquired indicating the largest bunch of red roses possibly on the planet.
"I'll take them" Parker grinned happily as he handed her a clipboard and pen.
Moments later Parker strolled into the main area with the roses "That's so cute...either that or Nate must really be in big trouble with Sophie check these roses out" She showed off the blooms to the boys.
"Did she just say Sophie and roses in the same sentence" Hardison locked eyes with Elliot.
"She did" Eliot nodded slowly.
"No way, no how, not again..." Hardison practically wailed.
"My pub" Eliot roared.
"What?" Parker said baffled.
"Oh nothing ...Just don't move or speak, just don't breath for a minute baby..." Hardison told her.
"Stay there Parker" Eliot told her and sidled to Nate's office "Guy's I think you had better get out here Sophie's got roses."
"No Seriously what?" Parker was still baffled.
"Parker do you remember the last time Sophie got flowers..." Hardison asked.
"Yeah of course I do...Khaos tried to ..." She recounted "And...oh crap!"
"Precisely" Hardison nodded "It's ok baby just stay calm I'm right here" And with that he grabbed a pile of cushions to defend himself.
"That's not going to help any Hardison" Nate emerged from his office Sophie in tow.
"Nate please tell me you sent them" Sophie asked anxiously biting her lower lip.
"Not me" He shook his head thoughtfully "Anything you want to tell me Soph?"
"Nothing I haven't ...We haven't pissed anyone off that badly in months" Sophie replied.
"Eliot go do your stuff" Nate instructed him.
"Just don't blow anything up this time" Parker grimaced.
"Eliot go do your stuff" He grumbled "I just got new drapes."
"I got one word for you all Lucille" Hardison snorted.
"Not again" Sophie rolled her eyes.
"Hello possible bomb over here" Parker squeaked out.
"Alright all ready I'm on it" Carefully Eliot made his way over to Parker and began to gingerly examine the roses as the other's held their breath "Well I'll be damned they are roses" He muttered puzzled prodding one just to be sure.
"They really are roses" He repeated as the others collectively sighed in relief "Here this is addressed to you" He passed a small envelope to Sophie.
"Are you absolutely sure there is nothing I need to know Sophie" Nate raised an eyebrow.
"I still have no idea who sent them" Sophie insisted, slipping out a piece of card from the envelope.
Nate watched as her eyes widened in pure horror and her face drained of every bit of colour "Get rid of them Parker I don't care how just get them out of my sight" With that she turned and went straight into Nate's office slamming the door behind her.
"What the heck is that all about" Hardison piped up immediately.
"Just do what she says get rid of the roses I'll explain later" Nate followed Sophie into his office a terrible suspicion forming in his mind as he closed the door behind them, there was only one thing or should that be someone who could make Sophie react the way she had just done.
"He sent them didn't he" Nate asked Sophie gently "Alexander Wade sent them."
Sophie couldn't even bring herself to say the words she just nodded tearfully "He can't hurt you anymore" Nate promised pulling her close "I won't let him Soph I promise."
"Darkness falls and she will take me by the hand, Take me to some twilight land, where all but love is grey, where time just slips away, without her as my guide...
A/N:-Ok so the thought occurred to me that since we know Sophie is good with accents that the one she uses normally might not be the one she started out with hence the idea that Sophie's actual background might be a whole lot less high class then we have been led to believe. I do think Sophie Devereux is the identity she feels the most comfortable with though anyway let me know what you think next up when Nate met Sophie.