Welcome. This is the first part in a series [4 parts total] I'll be completing. It's modern day AU and each story will follow one of our boys as they deal with clients at their private security agency. After all, what better business for four former soldiers:)
Please review! :)
Autumn in Paris. Athos breathed in the clean air of the countryside, and pulled his horse to a halt. He hopped down and gave the old mare a break. He took in the views of his ranch as he walked his horse back towards the house.
The presence of his former comrades surprised him as he rounded the corner of the barn. Aramis leaned against his vintage mustang in typical Aramis fashion. D'Artangan, Athos assumed was hidden in the barn with the horses. Porthos paced, clearly agitated by finding Athos not at home.
"There you are," Aramis called as Athos walked past them and into the barn.
"Where else would I be?" Athos muttered.
Aramis and Porthos exchanged irritated and worried glances as they followed behind Athos. Persuading him to help them with their problem would be no easy task, this they knew already, but today Athos seemed even more cranky than usual.
As he began taking the saddle and bridle off his horse the pair approached him, and D'Artangan popped his head out from one of the stable stalls. Athos smirked, the youngest of their company was still just a farm boy at heart.
"Are we going to stand around all day, or are you going to tell me what you want?"
"Well," Aramis spoke up, "We were hoping you'd find it in your-"
"We need your help on a case." Porthos interrupted.
Aramis looked exasperated at Porthos. He had told him repeatedly to let him do the talking and finesse Athos into taking the job. Force would not work with Athos.
"You've mistaken me for someone willing to help,"
Athos pushed past them out of the barn and made his way to the house. He left the big, glass and wooden double doors standing wide open for his friends. He knew they'd be along right behind him. They would try to convince him to come back to work. But he wouldn't. He was retired. For good.
He started a pot of coffee and a minute later the trio walked in. D'Artangan shut the doors and followed them into the kitchen where the argument had already started.
"I don't leave this ranch for anyone," Athos said firmly.
"That's great!" Aramis insisted. "We don't want you to leave. In fact, we want you to stay."
They saw the glimmer of curiosity in Athos's eyes, and Porthos jumped on it.
"We have a client. She needs a safe place to stay. She has no family, and no money-"
"No money? Then how did she hire you, I wonder?"
"She didn't." D'Artangan chimed in, "Treville took the case as a favor to his cop buddy. The woman's ex boyfriend is stalking her, and threatening her. There's nothing the police can do unless it escalates, but as far as we can tell it may be too late if it comes to that."
"Pro-bono?" Athos questioned.
"Of sorts," Porthos answered. "Treville's friend took her statement two weeks ago when the guy beat her up-"
"So it's escalated already," Athos interjected.
"Yes, and he's got a warrant out for his arrest, but no one has been able to find him," said Aramis.
The four of them sat down at the kitchen table with their coffee. The three seekers could see the wheels beginning to turn in Athos's mind.
"That is where the three of you come in I presume,"
"He's been leaving her threatening letters."
D'Artangan passed a phone to Athos with pictures on it. He scrolled through them, reading the threats. Assessing them.
"Where is she now?"
"At a hotel, but we think he's on to her location again. We gotta move her somewhere safe, Athos." Porthos pleaded.
"I'm retired." He mumbled.
"Yes, you are." Aramis shrugged. "Just think of it as having a house guest for a while."
"A house guest with a violent stalker." D'Artangan said cheerfully.
"Nothing you can't handle," Porthos clapped him on the back.
"I hate you. All three of you," he sighed, "Fine. I'll do it."
Never had he regretted agreeing to something so much in his life. He'd grown quite used to his solitude. His social skills were severely lacking. He supposed though, if any place was going to be a safe haven this was it. His security was next level. As a former solider he couldn't take any chances. His ranch was secluded, sitting high at the top of a hill. There were woods at the edge of the property, but open fields surrounded it mostly.
"Leave me the file on the boyfriend...and the file on the client. I'll need a day to get the place ready."
With that, he stood and disappeared up the stairs leaving the three of them to drink their coffee in his kitchen alone.