Jack Harkness looked around, searching the patrons of the bar he had just entered for a very particular person.
He had barely escaped Pompeii; he had been so drugged by the dart that had been shot in his back that he had hardly been able to activate the emergency transport on his Chula Warship. When he finally made it to safety he passed out again in his bunk.
Jack woke up later to discover that the dart used to sedate him was still embedded in his back; it was a standard multi-species sedative used heavily by the Time Agency.
Jack could work with that.
A tall, well-built figure stood up at the end of the bar, shot glass in hand, and motioned for Jack's attention. Jack walked up, smiled, and let loose with a right hook that connected with the man's jaw.
The stranger drew back and connected with a punch of his own while people screamed and scattered. Jack tossed the man, the man tossed Jack, blood flowed from both and in time neither could tell whose blood was whose in the bar that had quickly emptied of all but the two battling men.
When it seemed as if the pair were about to level the building around them they simultaneously pulled weapons on each other. After a moment of frozen acknowledgement they kissed.
"What are you doing in this area Jack?" The man asked as he poured Harkness a drink.
Jack tossed the shot down his throat. "Looking for you, Captain Hart. Who have you been working for lately?"
Captain John Hart swallowed a chaser. "Oh, you know me, I work for anyone with enough cash to pay. Why – are you looking for a job?"
"Actually I'm looking for something I lost back in Pompeii. Tiny little exotic got snatched right from under my nose."
'Funny place to put an exotic. She must have been really small."
Jack rolled his eyes. "Sorry, too much time in the 20th Century. You know what I mean, however. She's mine, and she was taken. I want her back."
John flinched. "The right exotics are worth a fortune. Any luck tracking her down?"
Jack gave a cold smile. "Actually, yes." He tossed something toward the other man. "You lost this."
Captain Hart caught the item mid-air and held it up to the light, revealing a sedative dart. "Oh Jack, you shouldn't have. Look, it's empty and everything."
Jack's fist caught the Time Agent on the bridge of his nose and the pair started fighting again. This time they didn't stop until Jack had the other man pinned to the floor with a gun pointed at his head.
"Where is she?" Jack demanded.
"Okay, okay! Geez, I didn't know you were so attached to the little thing! I was hired to capture her for breeding under the Endangered Species Act. She's probably having the time of her life right now with the male they found for her."
Jack released the other man. "Wait, they found a male? A male of her species?"
John chuckled. "From what I understand that's why they hired me. They had captured a male and wanted the female retrieved as soon as possible. Gave me a bonus for working fast – which, of course, simply meant that I used my Vortex Manipulator to return five minutes after I left. Spent two months actually tracking you."
"So they just wanted her retrieved for breeding purposes? They found her mate?"
"That's what they told me. I managed to get a glimpse of the male; brown scruffy hair, gorgeous brown eyes; completely your type if want to try for a threesome."
"He's not around six foot and lanky wearing a suit with those old Converse sneakers, is he?"
John's eyebrows raised. "Yes, same man. You know him?"
Jack shook his head. "Know of him. He's Bella's mate."
John pursed his lips and poured them both a drink. "Ooh, the way you say that I would think that you were jealous. Don't tell me; she's one of those poor little telepaths who can't have fun outside of a Bond." After watching Jack's reaction for a moment he patted the con-man on the back. "Oh, she is one of those. Oh Jack, you know not to fall for that type. They are physically incapable of returning your affection, you know that."
The Time Agent handed Jack another drink. "Tell you what; I'll split the fifteen thousand I made for the job with you on the condition that you let me get you so drunk you forget all about that little girl. We both know she's better off where she's at and you, my friend, need a distraction. Wanna go have some fun?"
Jack knocked back the drink in a single gulp. "I thought you'd never ask."
~~~###~~~
REVIEW ANSWERS:
Time-Twilight: I didn't expect Ten to bond with Bella in the first place and here he's already done it twice so I have NO idea what he's planning to do with that girl. I'm not sure if I will even cover Season 5 in this story but I will keep your suggestions in mind should I reach Season 6 either in this story or a sequel.
Falling Right-Side Up: I think Jack is doing a bit better than I expected... Remember, he IS a con-man at this point in time.