Disclaimer I do not own Hu$tle. If I did there would be a new series!

Friend in Need?

"Ash." Rachel glared at her ex husband as he walked towards the sofa. The modern apartment was clearly out of her price league. He smirked slightly before turning to face her.

"You know somfin?"

"Something." She spat. "Speak English."

"You know something." He put on his best cut glass English accent. "In this line of work, on the fringes of legality if you will we can meet with some undesirable people." He held her gaze.

"True." She conceeded.

"And you know this bloke you've picked up with. He aint exactly the most honorable bloke."

"And you would know all about that?" Ash froze as he heard the click of a hand gun just behind his head.

"Yeah, as it 'appens." He turned to face Dean. "I would."

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Stacie paced the carpet in front of Albert as she told them what had happened. The aging grifter closed his eyes as he tried to think through what she had told them.

"So Ash walked into that apartment of his own choice?" He asked as Stacie nodded.

"You know what he's like."

"Yeah." Mickey sighed. One glance at Emma told him how nervous she was. He made a mental note to kill Ash if he ever got out of whatever he had been caught up in.

"What do we know about Dean and Rachel?" Danny asked. "I mean really?"

"Rachel, originally Rachel Davies. 45 years old. Originally from Tyneside."

"And?" Stacie sighed. She hated the woman more than she had hated anyone in her life.

"And she has always been a money grabbing, ball breaking bitch who doesn't care who she hurts to get what she wants. The last time she was on our radar was about three months after Ash divorced her. Running a scam while on bail. Conned about £250,000 from a local priest."

"Oh nice." Sean snapped as Emma shot him a look.

"Ok, so that's her. She's clearly only involved with Dean for the money." Carole sighed, sitting next to Eddie. "Question is, what do we do about Dean?"

"Small time thief, graduated in to the big league about five years ago." Danny began pacing.

"Will you sit down? Between the pair of you I'm getting dizzy." Eddie grumbled. Stacie huffed before sitting the other side of Eddie and folding her arms.

"They have Ash. That is all I need to know."

"Right." Emma smiled slightly at her, knowing if it were Mickey she would feel the same. Mickey nodded once.

"Now he is a multimillionare with a nice little sideline in prostitues and drugs."

"Well, that's our in." Eddie smirked as all eyes fell on him. "What's his real life job supposed to be?"

"Something in the antiques business. His firm supplied props for a few very successful music videos back last year. That was why he was at the Ball the other night. He also owns three nightclubs." Albert realed off the names of the clubs as Carole ran a hand through her long brown hair.

"Look chick, I reckon we have a good chance of getting our Ash back. Rachel is not the in, we all know she'd sell her own granny."

"Because she did." Mickey smirked as he saw Emma and Sean snapped their eyes to him. "She did! Well, nearly. Ash stopped her."

"Right then." Albert checked his watch. "There is only one thing we can do to get him back."

"What's that?" Stacie blinked.

"We play him at his own game. Carole, set up a meeting."

"I was only ever a fixer." Carole sighed.

"Carole." Eddie met her eyes. "You haven't been out of hospital long."

"I'll be fine. Mickey?"

"I'll be in the background. I think it's time we moved it up from the long con to the short con we haven't done in a while." He watched as Albert nodded.

"But?"

"If we don't I think Ash may run out of time."

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Mickey walked through the busy London streets towards the place he had agreed to meet Ash's contact. It had been years since he had needed the help of the young woman who's father had helped them out so many years ago.

"Michael Stone." He smiled as he heard his name. "One reason why I shouldn't be reading you your rights?"

"Because you need us to help you take Dean and his operation down."

"Go on."

"Nikki, listen."

"Go on."

"Ash told me you have a copper on your team you don't trust. Well, I reckon he has been tipping Dean off for the last few years. That's why you haven't been able to pin anything on him."

"That is one Hell of an accusation."

"They've got Ash. They will kill him, if they haven't already. I want you to help us get my friend home in one piece. In return I will give you the most wanted drug dealer and human trafficker in London, if not England."

"How?"

"I am going to set up a drug's deal. I'll call you when and where. But I'll need time to get my people out."

"Your people?" She closed her eyes. "I am a Detective Chief Inspector. I can't just turn a blind eye to what you are doing. I warned Ash."

"Ash saved your father's neck. More than once."

"And I am grateful. I always will be."

"Then it's payback time. Ash needs us. I can do this and give you Dean and Rachel on a plate. If we don't, not only will Ash die - that is if he hasn't been killed already but you will be able to get two of the most disgusting human beings on the planet behind bars and flush out the mole on your team."

"Five minutes. You will have five minutes from when we get the call to when we turn up."

"Thank you." Mickey smiled, finally believing he had a chance of seeing his friend again.

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"Ah hello." Emma's cut glass English accent contrasted with the small car she was sat in. "My name is Charlotte Stone, you may have heard of my company Stone and Mason." She tried to keep a straight face as Sean rolled his eyes. "I believe my company may be able to put some business your way." She listened to the man on the other end of the line before turning to face Carole in the back seat of the car.

"Well?" The bubbly grifter asked.

"We're in."

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A/N More soon. Please review.