Title: "No Good Ending"
Author: Jasmine
Date: December 5, 2009
Inspired by It Takes a Thief, starring Robert Wagner

Summary: Hutch is coerced into stealing a file.

Chapter 1

"Hutchinson! Starsky! Get in here!" Dobey bellowed.

Hutch shrugged at his partner and then opened the door so Starsky could enter first into the adjoining office that belonged to their captain. They were surprised to see the small room crowded with men.

Starsky suggested, "Wouldn't we fit better in the chalk room, Capt'n?"

"If I wanted to meet in the chalk room, we'd be there…wouldn't we!" Dobey's usual ill tempered disposition came across a little more agitated than normal, causing Hutch to lift his shoulders in response to his partner's puzzled expression.

"Okay, but can we at least know who we're talking to?"

"They're with The Company," Dobey replied.

"The Company… as in C.I.A.?" Hutch asked.

Extending his hand, one of the men introduced himself as Agent Jim Jones. Tilting his head towards his colleagues, he added, "This is Agent Miller, and Agents Phillips and Green." Introductions were made and hands were shook, but it was obvious that the two detectives felt a little awkward in the presence of the agents. Jones immediately sensed the uneasiness and said, "Relax, Gentlemen. We're here on official business. We need your help working a case."

"No offense," Starsky began, "but we don't normally get requests to work with Federal Agents. Usually we can't even get you guys to return our phone calls."

"If we didn't need you, trust us when we tell you we wouldn't be here. It just so happens that necessity dictates our mission. We're out here from Virginia…"

Hutch only half listened to the man droning on about his office on the east coast. Jones, the one doing all the talking, was the oldest, almost grandfatherly in appearance, wearing an old tattered tweed jacket and baggy slacks with tennis shoes. The only piece of attire that was fashionable was his tie, and it was crisp in color and fat. Agent Phillips, who looked like he'd spent his entire year's salary on his custom made suit, was staring intently at Jones, like an anxious pet waiting for some sort of treat from its owner. Hutch felt a shiver crawl down his neck and when he looked over, he caught Agents Miller and Green studying him, or more accurately, scrutinizing him, neither bothering to hide the fact that they were glaring. The sudden eye contact unnerved him and at first he tried to ignore it, but eventually it became quite obvious what they were doing. Staring directly at them, he interrupted Jones and said, "This is all very interesting, Agent Jones, but what can we possibly do for you?"

"I'm glad you asked, Detective Hutchinson, this is our situation: There's a file, a very important file that was stolen seven days ago. We believe it's making its way to the Far East where it will be sold to the highest bidder, either China or Russia. If the information in that file lands in the wrong hands, it will become a major international incident."

"What's in this file?" Starsky asked.

"That's not important," Agent Miller replied, his voice edgy and sharp.

Starsky stared at him a beat longer than normal, then slowly turned to address Hutch, "You get the idea that this is going to be a one sided proposition?"

Hutch nodded, "Uh huh."

Agent Jones added, "We're not at liberty to tell you everything. Believe me when I say that it's to your advantage if you don't know too much. In our line of work, the less you know, the better."

Hutch asked, "What is it that you want us to do?"

"We'd like you to steal this file back."

Starsky snorted, "For a moment there, I thought we were actually going to have to work with you guys."

Hutch snickered at his partner's abysmal display of respect.

"Starsky!" Dobey ordered, "Knock it off!"

"But Capt'n! We're not in the business of committing crimes... we're in the business of solving them."

"Not anymore," Miller toned.

Starsky glowered, but the inveterate Jones soothed things over, "Gentlemen, this is a sensitive issue, and we'd appreciate your understanding."

Hutch asked, "Understanding of what? So far, you want us to commit a crime, the very thing we took an oath to prevent."

Jones stared at the blonde, suddenly and inexplicably elevating the tension in the room. He walked back to the door and checked it, making sure it was closed all the way, then he turned to face the tall detective. Taking on a more commanding air, he said, "Let me be blunt. We have it on good authority that you, Detective Hutchinson, made a better than average thief in your younger days. We want to tap into that talent."

Starsky raised his brows, "Huh?"

Hutch took a second to register what was just said. He leaned deliberately forward and demanded in a soft voice, "What did you say?"

"I said we know about your teenage exploits. We pulled up your file, Hutchinson. In your younger days, you proved quite a challenge to the law enforcement in Duluth."

"I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"I think you do. And I also think that you don't want me to prove it right here."

Realizing first hand that Jones wasn't bluffing, Hutch seethed, "Those files were sealed, and the crimes expunged!"

"Not to the CIA," Miller obviously enjoyed saying. "And judging by the expression on your captain's face and your partner's, I bet you have some explaining to do."

Hutch whispered, "You sonofabitch!"

Jones chastised his subordinate, "Shut up, Agent Miller!" He turned to face the blond detective again. "I'm sorry about this. But that stolen file is extremely important, some are even saying vital, to our national security. Our computer spit out two names," Jones continued, "who it considered to be the best candidates for this caper. Yours… and another man's: the other man died two months ago in a New York prison. That leaves you."

"Maybe you've got the wrong man!" Hutch countered.

"Maybe we don't."

"Maybe I won't do it."

"Maybe you don't have a choice."

Hutch and Jones locked eyes. The veteran spy had seen that look many times before, the look where your mind is searching for an escape that doesn't exist. This is the part of the job Jones hated, but when the top dog at the C.I.A. tells you to do something, you do it, no matter the tactics. After reading Hutchinson's personnel file, which wasn't just clean but immaculate, the only option available to him was blackmail, and coercion was something he was pretty damn good at. Jones leaned forward and said, "You will work with us, Detective, or certain information will get forwarded to the Bay City Police Department…, and you know as well as I know that if that happens, your days as a cop will be numbered."

Hutch's heart pounded in his chest and the color slipped from his face. He looked at the people in the room, purposely avoiding his partner and boss. Suddenly feeling like he couldn't breathe, he turned towards the door but Agent Miller stepped sideways into his path.

Irritated again with his subordinate, Jones ordered, "Miller, let him go!"

The short and stocky agent threw an angry glance before stepping aside. Without another word, Hutch left.

Agent Jones apologized, "I'm sorry about this, Captain Dobey." He acknowledged Starsky with a tick of his head and continued, "I know that this has come as a shock to both of you, but you have to understand that if there was any other way, we'd use it, but right now, we're short on time and manpower. We have to use the one resource we have, and that resource is Ken Hutchinson."