Author's Note:

Hi everyone! :)
Back again for the second chapter...and you'll get to know how Merlin stole those diamonds. Plus, I've decided that he has magic in this fanfictiob, 'cause I can't imagine Merlin without his magic. A few people very high up- like Uther and therefore also Gaius- know about magic, but everyone else doesn't. Magic users are considered dangerous and are hunted by specialized teams of agents. Arthur doesn't know about magic.
Also, I want to thank everyone for your reviews, alerts and favourites- they're great! :D
And I've finally learned how to make those grey lines to divide parts...^^
Enjoy and please R&R! :)

Disclaimer: Don't own.

Chapter 2: The Game is On

Merlin glanced at the man across the room, taking in the black clothes and cold blue eyes. A few straws of blond hair peeked out from under the equally black mask. The teeth flashed blindingly white every time he smiled or murmured something- most likely to some kind of partner on the other side of the microphone.

He was quite handsome. And completely dumb.

The raven-haired sighed behind the black mask of his army suit, resisting the urge to pull the scratchy thing off. This job was beginning to give him a new kind of respect for his 'companions'. He had been wearing the thick black thing for barely 15 minutes, and already small drops of sweat were running down his face. The diamonds were pressed uncomfortably through his inner pockets against the softer skin.

It had been almost annoyingly easy.

Looping the cameras for a minute while Merlin knocked one of the guards doing his rounds out and quickly took his place. Then he had left a smoke bomb and returned to the inside to wait. Another few minutes before the bomb exploded, hitting another guard (timing was everything) and sending Blondie running like a headless chicken. The other had easily followed his recorded cry, leaving Merlin alone with a vitrine full of diamonds.

The rest had really been a child's game. Apparently everyone always forgot that bulletproof glass was of no use if the lock wasn't secure enough- or at least too unsafe for Merlin's powers. They didn't call him a genius for nothing (even though his magic had kinda helped). To be fair- Blondie had realized rather fast that something was off. But by the time he returned, gaze flickering between Merlin and the seemingly full box of diamonds, the thief had long exchanged a few diamonds in the middle for the prepared glass with his note.

Despite the rush as the tension slowly left him, Merlin couldn't help a flash of guilt as Blondie slumoed against the wall. He would surely pay for losing the precious jewels- hopefully he was important to whatever Agency he was from, so they wouldn't fire him straightaway. Maybe Merlin would spy a bit, see what had happened to him. After all, it wasn't Blondie's fault that he was a bit thick.

Almost on cue the secret agent (that he was for sure) smiled.

"Everything is OK. The diamonds are safe."

Merlin looked away to hide his smirk as he settled down and made himself comfortable. Another hour of waiting, before they would arrive and he would be able to sneak off to his hiding place. Precisely one hour before the Secret Services and Agencies would read his note and begin to hunt him down.

The junior genius' eyes gleamed as he smiled. In one hour all hell would break lose.

And he couldn't wait to watch.

"What's the matter?"

Gaius and his father ignored him, both staring intently at the computer screen. Arthur frowned and moved to the side, trying to catch a glimps of whatever they were looking at with worry (Gaius) and barely hidden anger (Uther). Behind him his team were doing exactly the same and the junior agent put his arms out to stop them. Something was off about the situation and Arthur wanted to know what it was, before he let his team past. Someone- Arthur recognized Gwaine- growled slightly, until Lancelot shushed him.

They knew exactly as much as he did, which was less than any of them liked. Arthur had explained everything about the strange note on the way back in the car as well as tried to ask his father, but the divider between the front seats and the back seats had slid closed almost instantly after he got in, making it very clear that Uther didn't want to talk. He couldn't get anything from his cold eyes on the way from the car to their headquarter in Germany either, where to his suprise his whole team and Gaius, their physician/advisor/handler, had already been waiting.

And that's what they had been doing for the last 15 minutes or so, while Gaius and Uther were looking at the computer and discussing quietly. Lance had gone as far as pulling his mobile out and starting to... research things, which for the hacker meant trying to get access to the source (in this case Gaius' computer). They all knew that it wouldn't work. He had already tried on several occassions. Lance was good- but he wasn't good enough for Camelot's fire walls. No one was.

Gwaine on his part had taken a bug and tried to roll it across the floor towards the two men, before Arthur's glare had stopped him. They all wanted to know what was going on, but that didn't mean that they could risk a punishment. Uther wasn't able to see a joke when it concerned his privacy- obviously a spy-thing.

Finally Gaius sighed and turned towards them, silently raising an eye brow at the mobile in Lance's and the small machine in Gwaine's hands. Both agents blushed and put their things away. No one was immune to the power of Gaius' brows. Uther stayed with his eyes on the computer, suddenly looking very tired. For a moment everything was quiet, then Gaius started to talk.

"We believe that a certain... thief has once again made his appearance."

Six blank faces looked back at him. The old physician sighed again.

"I guess you've never heard of the falcon-card-cases."

All junior agents shook their head, thoughts racing. Falcon-card-cases? Arthur remembered the white card in the glass chunk. There had been a bird, maybe a falcon, on it. Plus the message... welcome back.

Gaius' voice tore him abruptly from his thoughts, and the blond agent concentrated again on the man as he pressed a few keys to make an image appear on the whiteborad behind him. It was the same card that Arthur had seen earlier, just without the writing. Bingo!

"The falcon-card-cases are a few cases of robbery some five years back in England. They are top secret and were never to be spoken of again. Sadly, we have to make an exception. It seems like the thief has reappeared."

Five years. Back then they would have been at school, studying to become an agent but not yet allowed to take missions themselves.

Gwaine had relaxed the moment he had heard the word 'robbery', though Lance looked even more worried and Arthur wondered suddenly if the man knew something. Or it was just Gaius' tone of voice.

"Don't make the mistake to underestimate this case, like we did back then. They all seemed like simple robberies, easy enough for a team of junior agents to take. Scotland Yard had only contacted the Agency, because they had a problem- they couldn't find any traces, apart from one card. This."

He gestured at the image behind him, pausing slightly. "We sent our A-team, the best agents we had. They were eager to finish the job and everything seemed alright for a while. Then one of the agents died."

Another pause. Gwaine's smile had disappeared and he was unconsciously leaning forward, while Elyan's wide-eyed gaze flickered between Gaius and the card. Even Percival seemed slightly disturbed.

"We called the other agents back. None of them could tell us how it had happened- they had split up to catch the thief. Their poor comrade had been the one closest to where they suspected him. The team was dispersed and sent to Belleville University."

The place where all failed agents ended- they would get a good job, lots of money and the promise to be hunted down if they ever told a word of what they had seen or done in Camelot. It was a pleasant life, but nothing compared to the thrill of being an agent.

Elyan lifted his hand and Gaius signed him to speak.

"Then what do we know about this thief?"

"A good question. We have seen his card, which shows a falcon- most likely some kind of American Kestrel or Merlin falcon. From his behaviour he seems to be a single-working male, though we can't be sure, because every time he broke into a building the cameras were hacked so they didn't show him, while everyone else was clearly visible. He stopped after the death, which could be a sign of morals, yet he has returned now- barely five years later. The diamonds are the most valuable item he has stolen so far, but it seems as if they were rather to make himself noticed than for their price, like his robs were five years ago. He is getting more experienced and reckless. Someone who needs attention. And we think that he has..." Gaius paused shortly, glancing at Uther. "...certain talents."

This time Arthur spoke up. "Talents?"

The old physician seemed conflicted for a moment, then he sighed. "You will be told more when you need to know more. Right now, all that is important is that this man is very dangerous. We believe that he is still in Germany, but we can't control the borders without knowing what he looks like. And this is where you come in- we need more information. Your job is to examine this thief, analyse every move he makes and try to get a better picture. Do not- under no circumstances- try to capture him. We have trained agents for that. You will get everything that you think you need paid by the Agency. Please don't waste the money. There is no way alcohol will be useful for your mission."

He shot Gwaine a glare and the agent grinned innocently, his comrades chuckling as the atmosphere lightened slightly. "I would never waste something as beautiful as money, now would I? Gaius, come on, you know me."

"That's what worries me," the older man answered, still eying Gwaine warily. "Anyway, are you ready to accept this mission?"

Arthur exchanged a few quick glances with his team, all giving him a small nod or smile, before he turned back towards Gaius and his father. Uther had moved at the physician's last words and caught his son's gaze, steely grey bearing into blue.

"We're more than ready."

They say the first impression is the most important, don't they? Poor Arthur... he isn't all that dumb. Oh, and before you ask- I haven't decided if Lance knows something yet.

Now, whatcha thinking? :D (Gaius does talk a lot... ^^)