Disclaimer I do not own Hustle. Is anyone still reading this? Should I write another Hu$tle story? Please let me know.
Ashes to Ash?
"Where are you?" Albert spoke into his mobile phone ignoring the worried looks Eddie kept shooting towards him.
"Heading towards the car. He's meeting me at the warehouse to discuss the merchandise and arrange collection."
"Ok, see you there." Albert hung up before grabbing his car keys and marching towards the door.
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"This." Ash stated to the empty warehouse. "Is sodding ridiculous." He looked around him at the white walls, unable to believe Rachel had just dumped him there. "I do not sodding believe this."
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"Right." Mickey smiled at Emma. "That's Sean and the others on the way. I reckon we have ten minutes before Nikki and her team get here."
"Ok." Emma took a deep breath. "Ash is in there."
"Yeah. And very soon, he'll be out here." Mickey squeezed her hand. "It'll be ok."
"And what about that copper on Nikki's team? The one she said she can't trust?"
"Finch? I think after this she wont have to worry about him." Mickey checked his watch before nodding to himself and opening the car door."Emma?"
"Let's do this. Let's get our Ash." Emma smiled slightly, forcing the nerves to the pit of her stomach as she heard the crunch of car tyres on the gravel letting her know Sean and the others had started to arrive.
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"C'mon, c'mon." Nikki Paige sat in her car a few streets away from the warehouse staring intently at the small phone in her hand. She didn't dare let her junior officers know who her informant was, knowing that if she did it was very likely Ashley Morgan would be dead by the time they got to him. Glaring across at the DI in the passenger seat she dreaded to think what state her father's friend would be in when they finally found him. She knew what Dean and his friends were capable of.
"Ma'am? Is everything ok?"
"Yeah." Nikki lied. "Just want this over with."
"Your source said she would text when she had news?" The younger officer raised an eyebrow as Nikki nodded.
"That's right." She returned her attention to her phone. "Davies?"
"Yes Ma'am?"
"Since we left the station have you heard from Finch and Lewis?"
"Lewis is in position but I have no idea where Finchley is. He said something along the lines of see you later but thats all."
"Ok." Nikki sighed as the small screen refused to come to life. It was far from ok. All she could hope was that Mickey Bricks and his friends were able to get to Ash and finish Dean and Rachel's schemes before she had to act. The thought of anything happening to Ash made her feel sick, she had no idea what Stacie had to be going through.
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Stacie pulled the car into the small alcove near the warehouse, she intended to be as inconspicuous as possible. Mickey's car was much more visible but she knew that with Mickey that would be deliberate. He wanted a show down with Dean and Rachel. What she could't account for was the other guys and Carole being so concerned. Ash was just a grifter. Like her. Like all of them. Smiling she rolled her eyes. He's part of Mickey's team. That makes him family. That's what we all are to Michael Stone. Once you're on his crew that's it. God. Must be hard having to be the grown up. Pull yourself together Stace. Ash needs you and so do the others. She pulled her designer sunglasses out of her handbag before slipping them on and waiting for the signal that it was time to go.
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"The deal went well." Rachel spoke calmly as she drove away from the warehouse.
"Yeah." Dean laughed as she spoke. "Yeah, she's a lovely girl. Bit dim though."
"Yeah well. She knows Ash so she 'as to be a bit thick!" Rachel spat as she turned the corner. The black sedan she had noticed when she had arrived had moved. Narrowing her eyes she couldn't help but fight the urge to turn the car around and head back to the warehouse. She had to check the place she had left Ash. She had a feeling something was going on.
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"Ash!" Mickey hissed as he stepped into what looked like an empty warehouse. The whitewashed walls of the warehouse made his voice echo around. Emma touched his elbow before nodding towards the small car at the far end of the warehouse. Mickey nodded once. He knew she would hate it and would berate him for it later but he couldn't help but stand in front of her, just incase Dean or Rachel appeared from the shadows.
"Oi!" Both smiled at each other as they heard the familiar disgruntled voice of their friend. "Any chance of getting me sodding well out of 'ere?"
"Every chance Mate." Mickey smiled as he walked towards the car. Emma smiled broadly, her shoulders sagged in relief until she felt the sharp metal push into her ribs. Her gasp stopped Mickey in his tracks. He hardly dared to turn around as he saw Ash's eyes grow wide.
"Not so fast." Rachel's voice dripped with sarcasm as Mickey turned to face Emma.
"Really?" Emma tried to keep her voice calm, aware a knife was pressed into her ribs, dangerously close to piercing her skin.
"Yes. Really. Now Ash." Rachel pressed the knife a little harder, almost piercing the fabric of her dress. She tried not to wince and kept her eyes firmly on Mickey, aware that one hand had slipped into his pocket, ready to speed dial Nikki. She shook her head ever so slightly, just hoping that he understood. Ash sighed as he watched the hapless couple.
"Bleedin 'ell, Rach. Is this what you become?" He glared at his ex wife. "You were always a bitch but you were never a violent bitch."
"Charm will get you no where."
"Nah, never did with you." He glared. Emma smiled slightly as she saw her friend trying to defend her despite being tied to the back of a car. It seemed Ash always had the need to protect those he cared about whatever the situation he found himself in.
"Emma." Mickey ignored the brunette behind his girlfriend. "You ready for this?"
"I." Emma swallowed hard. The sound of car tyres screaching to a halt silenced them all. Emma just prayed Sean and Danny weren't the first of the team to arrive. She closed her eyes as the door slid open.
"Bloody Hell." Mickey raised an eyebrow when he realised it was Dean that had arrived with Carole.
"Yeah, looks like it. Can you ask your girlfriend not to stab me mate, there's a good boy." Carole glared at Dean.
"But, you. The artwork."
"Dunno what you are on about mate." Carole lied as she stepped back from him. "Ash, you alright luv? Mickey?"
"Yeah." Ash laughed. "Never better."
"And you thought a little thing like a major coronary by pass would stop me? Sorting out scum seems to be in my DNA. That's why I've just called my cousin. Good girl she is. On paper anyway, not like me. She tends to try to stick to the letter of the law."
"Yeah, she's a good girl. Now sodding well untie me and get that knife away from our Emma." Ash barked, getting annoyed at the theatrics of the situation.
"Mickey, sort 'im out." Carole stepped towards Rachel as Emma elbowed the older woman, she screamed as the knife went scattering and clattering towards the floor. The lights flashed on and off before finally going out, Mickey scrambled to his feet as flashing blue lights broke through the small windows of the warehouse. Ash swore as a woman screamed.
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"Shit, shit and double shit." Danny punched the steering wheel as he heard the screams. He threw himself out of the car to the sound of police sirens in the background and grabbed Stacie around the waist just as the lights in the warehouse died.
"No you don't." Danny held his friend tighter as she stared over his shoulder.
"Ash."
"You know he 'as nine lives. Now get in the car."
"Mickey and Emma are in there aswell."
"Then we go on to plan B." Albert got out of his car, his voice calmer than he really felt. He had never known a crew with such a knack of getting into trouble. Smiling he approached Stacie.
"Ash is ok. I asked Carole to leave her mobile on when she rang me earlier. I've heard the whole thing and best still. I recorded it. Now I know the police wont be able to use that in court but I also know he wont risk it. We know all about his dodgy dealings, about the people he hurt so we are going to walk in there and tell him."
"What about the police?" Sean had focused his attention on the doorway of the warehouse. His guts twisted at the thought of his sister in there.
"Oh they wont be here yet." Albert stated. "Not when Carole asked them to wait until she sent Nikki a specific signal."
"Such as?" Stacie turned to Albert for the first time.
"The lights." Albert smiled. "Morse code. You kids!"
"So now what?" Sean looked towards his old friend.
"Now we get in there and take our boy home. That's what. Oh and don't tell Eddie but Carole was always meant to go in there. She just didn't want him to know." Albert sighed before walking towards the entrance.
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"You bitch!" Rachel screamed as Carole walked towards Ash.
"You ok?"
"Emma, you can take your foot off her back now." Mickey smiled, relieved that Emma was in one piece. Emma nodded before knealing down and pulling Rachel up by her hair.
"I'm not naturally violent but the last person who pulled a knife on me still walks with a limp." She hissed in Rachel's ear. For a moment Mickey wondered what Emma and Sean had lived through during their times as teenage runaways. Pushing the thought to the back of his mind he decided he couldn't bare to think about it. "Up."
"The police are on the way." Mickey stated calmly as he ushered Carole, Emma and Ash towards the door.
"And why would that worry me?" Dean scoffed. "I'm an upstanding businessman and socialite. The cream of modern Britain."
"True." Mickey nodded. "But dairy products do tend to go off."
"And cream turns sour." Emma smiled sweetly before turning away. Police sirens got nearer and nearer.
"And currently there are CCTV footage of you and your less upstanding activities on the desk of the local DCI and her team. There's also been an anonymous tip off over the forged artwork you're dealing in."
"But! But you!"
"Me? I don't exist." Carole winked before walking out the door with her friends.
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A/N Next time the epilogue and Stacie and Ash reunion.