The Long Con (Part One)

Pemberley, Edinburgh, Scotland, One Year Ago…

It was funny. Just as he was seriously pondering retirement, it came. The moment he'd been waiting nearly ten years for. The one window of opportunity he'd given up on ever getting. He, Charlie, Caro and Richard had made enough money now to put it all behind them, and not one of them was over 30. He had no doubt that Charles and Caro would carry on, indeed Charlie was probably ready to take over his own crew, plan his own scores. Maybe Richard would go with him, but he doubted it. They would go back to Georgiana, right the wrongs they had inflicted on his poor sister, finally become a family if that was still possible. He would miss it desperately though. The cliché of one last score was rooted in such a deep-lying truth. Grifters were addicts, he knew that, recognised it in himself and all his friends. They were addicted to money, yes, but it was so much more than that. It was adrenaline, it was escapism, it was the sheer outrageousness of what they tried to get away with. He wasn't sure even now how he could walk away from that. He had never wanted to be ordinary, still didn't. What was the point? But he knew he had to be now, knew his luck was going to run out eventually. It does for us all. Nearly five years at the top of the pile, the top of his game. It couldn't be maintained. The police had already signaled their intentions with their treatment of his sister. That whole charade had never been about her, it had been about him. They had never been able to catch him, had never been able to get anything to stick, so they punished her for their failures. The guilt was enormous, a constant weight on his very being. It was time to change. For better or worse, it didn't matter. He had to change for her.

And then, Richard had blown everything up.

Breathless and sweating he burst into Darcy's Pemberley office, eyes alight and excited, every fibre on edge.

Darcy had looked up from his scotch and raised an eyebrow, waiting for his cousin to speak the one sentence that would change everything.

"I think I've found the way in."

And that was that.

Slough, England, Eleven Months Ago…

He looked at his friends as they sat in anticipation, surrounded by the grey and dreary atmosphere of a conference room in Slough. It was the least obvious place for one of the most daring and risky scores of their careers to be planned. That's why it had been chosen. Caroline was clearly put out.

"You know I love you, Will, but why on earth did you drag me back from Monaco to sit in a dingy industrial estate in bloody Slough?"

He laughed slightly, disguising his unease with who his friend had become. She hadn't always been like this, hadn't always been such hard work. Money changes people, that was true enough, and it had changed Caroline immeasurably and in his opinion for the worse. He remembered her when they had first met, all flirtatious laughter and constant joy. She had been quick with a putdown, not afraid to laugh at herself, never exactly down to earth, but always self-aware. He always went back to one of the first times they had met, possibly the first time he had ever been alone with her. They had been sat in the gardens of Pemberley, passing a champagne bottle between them, talking until the drink lay forgotten. They had discussed the future, where they wanted to go, who they wanted to be. One thing she said had stuck with him. 'I'm a black woman in a white man's game'. That desire to overcome the odds had been so appealing to him. But success had gone to her head and now she was different, haughty, even up herself. It was a far cry from the girl he'd danced with in Paris all those years ago, the flush of that first big score written all over them as they twirled and laughed together. Still, for all his unease at who his friend was becoming, she remained a potent force as a grifter and she had something that neither he nor the others had. People still underestimated her. Maybe he did too….

"You shouldn't even be in Monaco, Caro," Richard laughed openly at her, he had never had a problem doing so. "After the shit we pulled last year? Interpol was three minutes away from catching us red-handed!"

He had always been jealous of his cousin. Richard was everything that a man should be he often thought, though he'd never admit it out loud. It wouldn't be worth the lifetime of mocking. Richard was funny, outgoing, had a lust for life that was rare, even wild, but he was always together, always in control of himself, always knew when to do the right thing. He had saved his life numerous times and without him, this crew would never have existed. Without him, Darcy knew he would probably be dead in a ditch next to George….

"I for one am excited!" Charlie piped up infectiously. "All this cloak and dagger has me on tenterhooks, Darcy."

Charles Bouzid, or Charlie Bingley as he was now known, was probably the second most naturally gifted grifter he'd ever met. He just had it. That grift-sense that couldn't be taught. However, his genius came at a cost as he was also prone to occasional lapses that he, Richard and Caroline weren't. His propensity to have the occasional moral crisis was a concern that had mostly been ironed out but still slightly lingered. He loved Charlie like a brother though and they had been through so much together since their first meeting in Manchester six years ago. Charlie and Caro had been short-con players with ambition, had grafted their way up to being among the most respected names in the North West. It had been Richard who'd introduced them all, he'd seen them pull off what he described as "the most brazen and creative Gold Brick I've ever seen." Darcy had been looking to start his own crew, looking to start afresh, looking for like-minded young people to have the world with. And Charlie had charmed him in seconds, bouncing around the room like a puppy before nonchalantly suggesting one of the most innovative scams he'd ever heard. They made £25k in one day, and Darcy knew that this was who he'd been looking for. His natural charisma made him the ideal roper and history was written.

He braced himself to begin.

"Ok. Thank you for coming today and apologies for interrupting your holidays. I know we said we'd have an extensive break…"

"Oh, nonsense, Darcy," Charlie cried. "God, I've been so bored for the last month!"

"I'm sorry to hear that, Charlie," Darcy smiled. "Well, the first thing I'm going to say is that what I'm about to suggest is entirely up to you. I will not force anyone to go along with it and I will bear no grudges if you decide to walk away, none at all, I mean it."

"Oh, how exciting." Caroline purred.

"This is big," Darcy carried on. "And worst of all, it's personal to me."

"The great Will Darcy, going completely against his zen teachings!" Richard laughed loudly. "What is it you kept drilling into poor Charlie? 'Always detach yourself, always have control, do not let emotion cloud your judgement…'"

"That's Star Wars isn't it?"

"Well, if it is, you stole it."

"Enough, Richard," Darcy chuckled before getting serious again. "Ok, let's get to it."

He clicked on the first slide.

"Rosings Park."

He heard the sharp intake of breath from the siblings, followed by the sighs. He had expected this.

"Now," he said quickly. "Before you dismiss me out of hand, I will say that…."

"It can't be done, Will," Charlie interrupted wearily. "How many times have we been down this road?"

It was true, Darcy could admit that. It was his obsession, the one thing that could be described as a weakness. His 'aunt', Catherine De Bourgh, had taken everything from him when he was a grieving mess. His mother and father had passed away in quick succession, leaving him orphaned and the sole carer of his young sister. She had played the parental role, said she'd do everything in her power to help him come through it. Had persuaded him to sign over the deed to Pemberley and the rest of his father's estate to her, said she'd deal with all the paperwork and unnecessary hassle that he shouldn't have to at this time. Not in the state he was in. When he was done grieving, he could have it back, she said. He, alone, broken, mourning and beyond depressed, had stupidly trusted her and agreed. He signed the papers, fell for her every line and made the biggest fuck up of his life. And when he'd gone to her, when he'd worked out his shit, after all the adventures with George, she might as well have laughed in his face. Oh, she was willing to let him manage Pemberley now, on her wage structure of course. She'd still take the profits. The profits and livelihood that should have been his. She said he had to prove himself first. So he did, he turned over more income than the major casinos in the country combined, restored Pemberley to all its former glory and reached even higher, whilst still becoming the best long-con player in the country. But still, she wouldn't budge. Now she was insisting he marry her daughter Anne, carry on their proud tradition and keep it in the 'family'. That was when he realised that she had no intention of ever letting go. He might have even been tempted to take her up on her offer, he got on reasonably with Anne, and he had no real romantic bone in his body, so he thought. But he knew she'd find another thing, another reason to delay. So he delayed himself. Even through his seething anger, he was aware that he needed to keep her close, keep her on his side. Keep her sweet until he could figure out just how to take back what was his. And how he had tried. He had spies in every aspect of Catherine's life, in all her casinos, all her businesses, all her houses. He shelled out a fortune on architectural plans and surveillance, on attempted robberies and bribes, but still, he couldn't find the way in. There had been aborted plans, once they even worked close to four months on a daring 'Big Store', only for it to all crumble around them two weeks before the go. That's when he had given up. He could sense his crew's frustration with him and he knew it was time to step away.

But now he knew, he just knew, that they could do it.

"I know, Charlie, I know," he soothed. "I know what I am asking of you, I understand your annoyance. Just please, hear me out. If you are unconvinced then walk away with my blessing. It will not affect our relationship in any way shape or form. You have all done so much for me, and I have no right to ask you for anything more. But I am."

Charlie paused before nodding at him, and Caroline smiled encouragingly, again reminding him of the person she used to be. He still loved them both more than he could ever put into words, despite their flaws.

"God, stop being such a pussy, Darcy." Richard broke the tension, causing them all to laugh.

"Right then, so, Rosings Park," Darcy began. "As you know, one of the top three casinos in Vegas, owned by Catherine De Bourgh, weekly turnover of around 21 million dollars. One of the most advanced security systems in the world, thought to be impregnable to all but natural disasters. This isn't Ocean's Thirteen, so we'll rule that option out…."

"We know all this, Darcy," Caroline interrupted in a weary voice. "In case you're forgetting, we spent four months of our lives on this place…"

"Sorry," he apologised. "I'll skip the lecture then. But this is different, something's changed."

"And what's that?" Charlie asked.

"Firstly, two months ago, Rosings Park got taken."

He let the stunned silence fill the room. He could sense them asking the same questions that he had asked himself when Richard had first told him. How? Who? Who had succeeded where they had failed? They were the best crew in the world, the most successful grifters plying their trade. They'd spent nearly half a year trying to crack this place.

"At this point I should point out that it was a very minor take in the grand scheme of things. Only around a million." Richard spoke up, serious for the first time.

"How the hell did they do it?" Charlie asked in wonder.

"We don't know." Darcy said simply and truthfully. No-one, not even Catherine, one of the sharpest minds in the business, had any idea how it had been executed. One minute it was there, the next it was gone.

"My best guess is that someone on the Hot Prowl stumbled on it by accident. Probably thought they'd take about a tenth of that, but they got lucky. But it's just speculation." Darcy mused.

"So if we don't know, how on earth does this help us?" Caroline questioned.

"Because they're spooked," Richard took over from Darcy. "Catherine is growing more and more paranoid in her old age and any little problem is causing an overreaction. Not to mention the bad press she's been getting in the Vegas business circles. She's surrounded herself with sycophants for advisors, and they all encourage her nonsense, not like the old days. The likelihood is that it was just a smash and grab. This happens all the time in Vegas, as we know. They keep it hush hush of course, but if it's only a million, then there is little to be concerned about. But Catherine….."

"She plans to overhaul the entire security system at Rosings," Darcy revealed. "And this gives us the chance to finally seize the initiative."

"I don't see how a tightening of security is in any way a good thing, Darcy." Charlie frowned.

"I agree, under usual circumstances, this would put the final nail in the coffin. But see, Catherine is finally making mistakes. Not only is this overhaul completely unnecessary, it's also being handled remarkably sloppily."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, first off, when I say overhaul, I mean total overhaul. All the tables, all the slots, all the cameras, everything is being replaced. And everything is being custom built in the UK."

"Here?" Caroline said with surprise. "Why the hell is she farming out everything here? America is built for this kind of thing."

"It seems Catherine is no longer trusting of the American way. She's always been a bloody patriot, loves the Royal Family, harping on about the British Empire, and now she's taken it a step further. Rule Britannia and all that. All this is being overseen by her new head of security, Billy Collins, a man who I am reliably informed is as incompetent as they come."

"Ok, ok," Charlie said, his frown still evident. "Even if this is all true, it still doesn't help us. We have no way and no way of knowing where it's all being built, who's doing it, how it's being done. The security and secrecy around it will be second to none. This gives us nothing Darcy."

"I disagree," Darcy said, smiling slightly. "If can find out the answers to the questions you just posed then we can go straight to the source. We can take it all. The place will be a sitting duck, waiting for us to take it whenever we please."

There was a pause as the others figured out just what he was suggesting.

"You want to rig an entire Vegas casino," Caroline said slowly, sarcasm dripping through every syllable. "You've lost it, Will. You must know that's impossible! Get to every slot, every table, every chip, every wheel, and then what? Just steal it all? Jesus Christ, it's fucking madness!"

"You want to rig a Vegas casino?" Charlie repeated his sister's words, in complete shock.

Darcy smiled.

"Well, yes and no…."

Half an hour later...

The silence was unbearable for Darcy.

"I suppose it could work…" Charlie trailed off, unconvincingly.

"I don't know Will…" Caroline frowned.

"I know, I know." Darcy sighed. "But look, this is it. If not now then never! I know we can do this! We are the only people capable of pulling this off. All I ask is that we work it. Give it a chance. If at any point we stumble, if at any point we get stuck, I promise you I'll walk away. A few months, that's all I'm asking. But you have to decide for yourselves, right now. I reiterate, there will be no hard feelings. I'll give you ten minutes."

They were a long ten minutes. He paced up and down the car park outside, chain-smoking Marlboros. Richard joined him when the ten minutes were up.

"They're still thinking," Richard told him, taking the cigarette from his lips and inhaling in.

"Are they going to say no?"

"I don't know."

"Are you going to say no?"

Richard paused.

"Look, you know I love you, cousin, but it's just too risky."

Darcy was crushed. He shut his eyes tight, felt the chance slipping through his fingers yet again. He couldn't do it without Richard. He opened his eyes and glanced at his cousin, who was looking straight back at him.

Smirking.

"You're a right bastard." Darcy let out with a relieved chuckle.

"Of course I'm in, you fucking prick! I hate that bitch almost as much as you!"

"Thank you, Richard," Darcy felt the emotion in him as he pulled the man into an embrace. "It means a lot. But we can't do it without the others…."

"I should hope not!" Charlie said jovially from behind him. "So, where do we start?"

Darcy turned, the widest of smiles on his face.

"One wrong move and we're out, William," Caroline warned. "This is not a commitment. We will work it for a while, see if it's possible, that's it."

He nodded, but couldn't stop smiling. Caro couldn't help but grin back.

So it began.

Slough, England, 9 Months Ago….

"Ok, Caro, what have you got?" Richard clapped his hands together.

Caroline stood up and made her way to the front. Clicked onto the slide.

"Billy Collins, born third of April 1985, 31 years of age. Casino born and bred, his father was Raymond 'Eyepatch' Collins, who ran small-time gambling holes in the East End, before moving into security in New York. Young Billy became a self-styled student of the game and was soon designing half-baked security systems himself. Made a decent living as well, considering the quality of his work…."

"So, how do you go from two-bit chancer to security advisor at Rosings Park within ten years?"

"Ah, here's where it gets murky. You see, rumour has it that Raymond Collins was working for years on a new, revolutionary security system, but before it was finished he died. Using his father's work, Billy finished it off and claimed it as his own. That security system is now known as PathSafe, used in countless casinos all over the world. Four years ago, Catherine, being the shark she is, got in there first and bought the rights for a sliver of what it is now worth. Part of that deal was a spot for Billy on her team."

"And now he's head of security?"

"Since they got robbed, yes," Caroline smirked. "He's a sycophant, adores Catherine, tells her what she wants to hear. We all know head of security is one of the easiest jobs in a casino anyway. You and I could do it with ease. It's difficult to fuck up, everyone else is doing the work for you. But Billy here is the one being trusted to oversee this security overhaul."

"So, what's the way in?" Charlie asked. "Money, drugs, women, men?"

"No to the first two. He would never be willing to turn against Catherine, I have no doubt about that. Drugs, he's as straight as they come. Doesn't smoke, doesn't snort, barely drinks. Boring little weasel really."

"So, women or men then." Charlie stated.

"Women, I think, but even that I'm not so sure on," Caroline mused. "He's pathetic and lonely, no doubt about it. He's always perving at Rosings. But somehow I don't think it's nasty, just… yeah pathetic."

"So, we give him hope," Charlie said. "We get someone on the inside. They flirt with him, let him take them out, laugh at his jokes. Then, we get what we need."

Darcy had thought of this already.

"No," he spoke up for the first time. "It won't work. We have to be more subtle. We have to get to him away from her, when he's in London overseeing the operation."

"It's a tight timescale then Darcy…" Charlie grimaced.

"Yes… and no," Caroline said. "You see, I've been thinking. I believe we're overcomplicating the whole thing. All we need is access to him, more importantly, access to this."

She clicked the remote and another photo appeared on the screen, a blown up photograph of a hand clutching a laptop bag.

"See, Billy's not the sharpest tool in the box. This takes that sloppiness you were talking about to a whole new level. According to a source, his whole work life is contained on this laptop. Now, the security on it is good, but workable. Retina scan, fingerprint and voice recognition, nothing Richard should have a problem with. I mean, we're not gonna get every spec and every measure, but we will get locations and access. As an added bonus, if PathSafe does indeed have a weakness, this laptop is where we'll find it. Then we build from there."

"Can we get to it remotely with a server hack?" Charlie asked.

"I doubt it," Richard sighed. "The security will be too good for that. My guess is I'll need direct access. Mind you, good shout Caro, if the laptop has info on PathSafe on it that'll be fucking gold dust."

"So, we get to the laptop," Darcy mused. "Shouldn't be too hard. Wait for him to leave it in his hotel and crack the safe…"

"Won't work," Caroline interrupted. "He takes it everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Sleeps with it handcuffed to him, I'm serious."

"Fine, fine, but I agree it's workable," Darcy stood up. "Just separate him from it for a minute…"

"I'll need at least ten minutes with it, Darcy." Richard warned.

"We'll figure that part out later. The more pressing concern is just how we go about infiltrating his trip to London. He'll know who I am, no doubt about it. It has to seem natural, has to seem organic, an unlikely, but explainable coincidence."

"The problem is that we're too famous," Richard smirked, but his tone conveyed concern. "If we're in London for any considerable amount of time, word will get around, there's no avoiding that. Maybe Charlie and Caro could slip under the radar, but no way the two of us could. We both worked in London years ago, we know too many people there. It'll raise suspicion, everyone will think we're playing a score."

"So, we need a reason to be there," Darcy nodded, the embryo of a plan beginning to form. "Misdirection. We make a big show of coming to town, some time before Billy does…."

Slough, England, 8 Months Ago…..

"Thomas Bennet," Richard clicked. "Head of the Bennet clan based in Shoreditch, London. A small-time crime ring made up of mostly orphaned street kids who play the short con. Married to a Frances Bennet, maiden name Richards."

"Why are we looking at this Fagin creep?" Caroline sneered.

"Because this, my dear Caroline, is going to be our way to Billy Collins."

"How so?" Charlie asked.

"I warn you, it's a stretch and it relies heavily on whether we can get someone close enough to Billy before he gets to London. As far as I can tell, he has no connections in the city really, at least none outside Catherine's sphere. This is the only notable exception. Thomas Bennet grew up with Raymond Collins, our Billy's late, beloved father. They were thick as thieves, basically family, worked the Pigeon together in their youth. Lost touch when Raymond moved to New York in the late eighties, but apparently Raymond never forgot. Billy regularly regales his co-workers with stories of his father and Thomas Bennet's escapades, each as unlikely as the next."

"So you're suggesting…"

"We plant the idea. His trip to London is still a way off, right? Around five months? We plant the suggestion somehow that he looks up Thomas Bennet when he is in London, maybe even stays with him instead of a hotel, though that may be tricky. It doesn't matter, as long as we find ourselves in the right place at the right time…."

"We get in with the Bennet's first," Darcy breathed out. "That could actually work, Richard."

"There's a lot of variables," Richard warned. "But I genuinely think this could be the way in. We befriend the Bennet's, get close to them, and then we just wait for him to come to London. We get introduced to him that way and then we begin."

"So, just how close do we get?" Caroline wondered aloud.

"As close as possible," Darcy replied coldly. "What's the way in then, Rich?"

Richard brought up a photograph of three young women.

Darcy was caught straight away by the middle figure. She wasn't as pretty as the other two, in fact, the blonde on the far right may well have been the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. But there was something about the other one. The photograph was clear and of high quality. The brunette girl had a Mona Lisa smile, half grin, half smirk, that seemed to promise so much else. He shook himself away from such thoughts and focused on Richard.

"Far left is Lydia Bennet, a new addition to the crew, but I don't think she's a viable option, not much background on her. More promising are the other two you can see, Elizabeth Walker and Jane Morgan. Short con players, two of the key members of the clan. Good too, although they are currently on probation for attempted burglary. I think these two are our way to Thomas Bennet and thus Billy Collins. Bennet's wife, Frances, is ambitious, and wants her girls to move up in the world. If a player with connections like Billy comes to town, I have no doubt she'll do everything she can to push him onto one of them. He'll be lingering around like a bad smell, plenty of opportunity for us to get to know him."

"So, we get Darcy and Charlie to charm the sweet sisters…" Caroline began.

"But this is the problem," Charlie said, pensively. "As we said before, our characters are known. If we plan to be in London for a while, we can't be acting. There are people there who know who we are, what our personalities are really like. We're conning fellow grifters here don't forget, some of which we have met and even worked with before. The London set is a small circle, undoubtedly we will share some mutual acquaintances with the Bennet's, it would be stupid to assume otherwise. They'll see through any disguise in an instant."

"What if…." Darcy began, before trailing off.

"What if what?" Charlie asked.

"What if we don't act," he said simply. "What if we just play ourselves, or at least, the public perceptions of ourselves? Keep it as close to the truth as possible. We don't pretend at all."

"But, we're grifters," Caro piped up, confused. "It's what we do, we take on characters, we tailor them to suit the marks reality. Who's ever played a score by being honest?"

"No one, that's the beauty of it," Darcy stood up, beginning to pace. "Think about it, Caro! The sweetest grift of all because we're not actually grifting, although we actually are! We're just waiting for the right moment! The triple bluff. And it could work as well. It's perfect! If they think they know our characters, let's not disappoint them. Charles is the friendly one, the charming one, everyone likes Charlie, he's the in with the Bennets. Caro you're…."

Darcy paused, not sure how to put it tactfully.

"Oh, for fuck sake, Will, I know what people think of me," Caro crossed her arms. "Stuck up bitch, privileged and spoilt, dangerously obsessed with you, Darcy, and a hanger on to my brother, the real grifter in the family."

Uncomfortable silence followed her words. They could never know what it's like for her, Darcy acknowledged to himself. A Black woman in a white man's game indeed.

"If it makes you feel better, Caro," Richard said after a while. "I only think those things some of the time…."

"Piss off, Rich." Caro laughed in surprisingly good nature.

"Remember, it's the four of us," Darcy said, seriously, looking at each and every one of them. "That's all that matters, we're the only ones who know each other. Fuck everybody else, forever and always. Whatever they think of us, it doesn't matter. But let's use that to our advantage, let's use their ignorance and feed off it. So, what do they say about me then?"

It was silent again for a moment before the other three smirked at each other.

"What?" Darcy asked.

"You know you're one of the most respected grifers in the game, Will, but…." Caroline began before Richard interrupted.

"People think you're a prick, Darcy. Rude, superior, cold, aloof, indifferent to everyone around you…."

"Ok, ok!" Darcy sighed. "I think I get the idea. That's what I'll give them then. It all fits. Me and Caro disapprove of everyone around us whilst Charlie charms them. That way, suspicions won't be aroused when we are in London. If we all just started paying attention to short con players of no consequence, people would begin asking questions. However, if some of us disapprove, then those doubts will be deflected. Misdirection. They'll spend their time hating us instead of asking the real questions."

"It's all well and good, but we need to go back to the start," Richard said. "We need a good reason to be in London in the first place, one that won't set any alarm bells ringing. We need an in…"

"Ok," Darcy ran a hand through his hair. "Give me full background on the Bennet's….."

So, they continued on. Hours spent pouring over the lives of the Bennet's and those in their sphere. Who their friends were, who their enemies were, who they were themselves. Hours of intrusive details and coffee cups. Until finally, when they were approaching midnight, they were done.

Darcy leant back and closed his eyes, his mind whirring with possibilities. Just how to do this? How to make it seem organic, natural, how to impose themselves onto these people without seeming obvious? How to con the entire grifter population of London? He went out into the car park again for a cigarette, the plan coming together in his head as he smoked. Went back in.

"Ok, here's what we're going to do."

He smiled.

"I'm going to retire."

Lambeth, London, England, Seven Months Ago…

"Delicious as always Marie. Your food is as beautiful as yourself." Richard winked roguishly at the beautiful French woman across the table, smacking his lips.

"Careful, Colonel," a voice interrupted with laughter. "Don't you go getting any ideas about my wife!"

"Wouldn't dream of it, Davey. Well, actually, now that I mention it, I have had a few dreams about her…."

Marie slapped his arm to raucous laughter around the dinner table.

"You're a swine." the man called Davey shook his head from across the table, chuckling away.

"Ah, you love it. Anyway, where was I? So yes, there we were, Singapore, race day. Oh it was a sweet score boys and girls! A consortium of Arabian businessmen primed and ready to invest. Everything was perfect, the set up, the convincer, everything was in place. We had fake sponsorship deals, we had fake media stories circulated, it was beyond planned. They genuinely believed that we were the real deal, that we were setting up a new Formula 1 team! Can you believe it? As Caro said at the time, 'the bigger the lie, the more they believe'. So true. But anyway, it was all good to go. We got there on practice day, the car was set up, we had a driver. It didn't need to be spectacular, it just had to look like an authentic lap. We were doctoring the time obviously. So we get them all into the executive suite, Charlie and Darcy were working the inside, smoothing their way around the room. And then suddenly I get the news. The bloody drivers gone awol! The only thing we needed had disappeared! Months of work, gone like that. I get hold of Darcy, and I'm saying we have to pull out, there's nothing we can do, it's gone to shit. But Darcy just smiled. Guess what he said? He said in that fucking smooth voice, 'Get your helmet on then Richard!'"

The table erupted with laughter once more, the occupants eating out of Richards's hand.

"No way!"

"You didn't!"

"How…"

"I know right," he raised his voice above the disbelieving voices. "I'm a bloody fixer! I work on alarms, computers, coding. I've never even been go-carting before for fuck sake!"

"What the hell did you do then Rich?" a voice called out full of mirth.

"What else could I do, Cyclops? I put the helmet on, strapped in and did the lap!"

"No you fucking didn't!"

Richard paused for effect before dissolving into laughter.

"No, of course I bloody didn't you gullible fools! I tell you what though, it was one of my moments of raw genius if I say so myself. I got in the car, got it to the start line, waited to begin. What they didn't know is that I had Caroline crouched under the window of the box they were in with a smoke machine. They were all watching, the green light goes on, Caro started the smoke machine and the last thing they saw was me apparently driving away before their view was completely obscured by the smoke! Said it was the exhaust fumes. We'd based the car on a little-known test car, so we just fed a loop of a previous test run on video in the box. To them it seemed real enough! Then I snuck the car around the last bend and just cruised down the final straight at the end when they were looking. Blamed the lack of speed on a small mechanical failure. Still, I set a lap record though….."

The table burst out in astonished laughter again and Richard leant back, enjoying the aftermath of his yarn. It was all true as well. What a score that was….

"I tell you what, Richard, you and Darcy are the most reckless people in the game right now. But bloody brilliant all the same." David chuckled.

"Ah, but as Darcy says, it's all in the set up ladies and gentlemen. The battle isn't won in the final stage, no, that's just the flourish. They have to want to believe it, have to be so utterly convinced that any doubt is pushed further and further to the back of their minds until it disappears altogether."

"A mark's a mark." one of the Swiss Twins nodded.

"Indeed," Richard raised his glass. "And let it always be so."

The table all raised their glasses with him in acknowledgement. Grifters together.

"With all this talk of grand scores, it's a wonder you're deigning us with your presence tonight, Colonel," Marie spoke up, friendly mocking in her tone.

"I like to keep it down to earth Marie," Richard said. "Got to spend some time with the little people. Besides, I heard Cyclops made quite the windfall last week…"

"Ten grand, not bad for a couple of weeks' work." Cyclops nodded.

"Not bad at all, sir. Of course, I made 100k off that Singapore scam…." Richard trailed off in a mock superior tone.

Cyclops laughed good-naturedly, his jaw wobbling in the process.

"But alas, those days may be passed now…" Richard continued, finally putting the big score into action. The first stage, what he was here for, why he was in London in the first place.

The table went quiet in anticipation. This was the right reaction. Obviously the subtle leaks had spread to the right people in the capital. He was working it spectacularly.

"Is it true then, Colonel?" Marie almost whispered. "Is Will Darcy actually calling it a day?"

He glanced around, careful to put a hint of trepidation on his face, drawing them in even more.

"No, no," he laughed uneasily. "Forget I said anything. Anyone for more wine?"

But the table was not to be distracted or put off. He smiled inwardly. He should have been the roper, not Charlie.

"Come on now, Richard," Davey implored. "You're amongst friends here. Everyone knows something's up…"

"Oh for God's sake!" Richard let out. "Fine, fine, but if word gets back to my crew that I opened my mouth, I'm saying Marie spiked my drink so she could have her way with me….."

Laughter again, before everyone leaned forward waiting for him to continue.

"There have been conversations," Richard admitted, slowly. "We are aware we have been walking a thin line, minutes away from being caught in Monaco, Interpol task forces, and obviously there's been this business with Georgiana…"

Truth be told, Richard was uneasy with this. Of course, the story of Georgiana Darcy was generally known, at least in pieces, by most of the criminal fraternity. Not all the details mind, but enough. They knew she was inside, serving a stretch. He didn't like bringing it up though, especially in a score. Darcy had ummed and ahhed about this part of the script, but in the end, had decided to use it. It was a ready-made excuse for retirement, no one would question it. Of course he wanted to be there for his sister.

"A terrible business." someone shook their head.

"Quite," Richard sighed before jumping straight back in. "So, we are having an extended break, but between us, I believe Darcy has no intention of ever pulling off a score again. I think he's done with the long con."

There were gasps around the room. It was huge news for them. Will Darcy had such a reputation these days, it was universally agreed that he was currently the best long-con player in the country if not the world. And he wasn't even 30. To call it quits now?

"It's a shame," Cyclops belched out. "That man could have had the entire world…"

"He did have the world," Richard smirked. "We had it all, five years of it."

"True enough." the Swiss twins nodded in unison.

"So, what are you going to do then, Rich?" Marie asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

"I'm thinking about getting out myself to be honest. I can't go back to freelance work and no crew will ever be the same again. I don't want to do this without Darcy…"

"Charlie and Caro?"

"Well, that's a different story. They are as hungry as ever I believe. It's past time Charlie stepped up and led his own crew, he's one of the most natural grifters in the game, can even give Darcy a run for his money. Yes, they'll do well for themselves I believe. Of course, they want me to come along with them, but I have politely declined. They need fresh blood, Charlie needs to step out on his own. Darcy will help him, no doubt about it, but Charlie needs to find his own way now."

"Has he got anyone in mind?" Cyclops asked.

"Sorry, Cyclops, but I think they're looking for some um younger talent." Richard joked, causing everyone to laugh again.

"I can think of some suitable candidates." Marie offered, a glint in her eye.

"Sharks, the lot of you!" Richard cried dramatically. "Hey, some of you may well be in the picture. But as I said, it's not confirmed yet…"

"Why have I heard that Bingley's been putting the feelers out already then.." Marie said slyly.

Richard grimaced for effect.

"Oh bloody hell, Marie! Alright fine, it's a done deal. Darcy's retired and Charlie's coming down to London to set up roots ok? You happy now, you manipulative bastards?"

"Tremendously," Marie smirked.

"They will be coming down in one month, Darcy will also be there in an advisory capacity. I on the other hand will be sunning myself on the Costa Del Sol with the lovely Gloria…. But, friend to friends, it's been a while since we've been in London, so theoretically, if one was looking to recruit the best grifters in the city, who would be the person to see? And don't say yourselves, we all know that to be a lie."

They laughed again before piling in with their suggestions.

"Well, my cousin Florida Pete…"

"I have a friend in Hackney…"

"Of course, there's only one woman to go to…"

"You can trust this guy…"

"What about William Lucas? He's the most connected man in the city these days…"

Richard high-fived himself inwardly. They hadn't even needed the push to say the name he was looking for, what this whole tiresome act had been for. That one name.

"William Lucas eh?"

The Netherfield, Canary Wharf, London, England, Six Months Ago….

Darcy paced around the Netherfield penthouse suite, attempting to clear his mind. Attempting to achieve the clarity needed before a score. The nerves were there, the buzz, the adrenaline. This time it was different though, this time it was heightened. This was it. The score he'd been working his whole life towards. Everything he'd done, everything he'd learnt from everyone he'd ever come into contact with in this game, be it his father, Charlie and Caro, Richard, even fucking George, it had all led to this right here. The best crew that had ever existed, the last hurrah, his vindication of ten years of grief and strife, of money and fast cars, of smoky card tables and high-rise penthouses. This was it.

They had to give the performance of a lifetime.

"Stop pacing, Darcy, for fuck sake!" Richard loudly intruded. Darcy just gave him a look.

"Ok, gather round," he said quietly, moving out to the balcony.

For a while they sat there, each lost to their own thoughts, worries, excitement, whatever. Drinking in the view of the city. There was always something about London. In the fading light began the electrical flicker, lights turning on all over this sprawling mess. They could just about hear the chaos beneath over the light wind. Darcy looked at his friends, his colleagues. Felt that familiar sense of pride in what they'd done together, and what they were about to do. It was different though. Usually, every score was meticulously planned down to a t, there was a script and everything. This time, the whole plan relied heavily on luck and improvisation. They would have to adapt every second.

"We all know our roles?" he said, knowing it was unnecessary. This had been six months of planning in the making.

"Of course, William," Caroline said with a hint of annoyance. "I'm the stuck-up, superior sister, looking down on the company. Playing it fake nice at first, make more of an effort with Jane Bennet, and leave Elizabeth to form another opinion. And of course, I'm 'in love' with you Darcy…"

"Well, all that shouldn't be too much of a stretch…" Richard mock whispered, easing the tension. Caroline shot him daggers.

"Be nice, Colonel," Charlie laughed. "I do what I always do, Darcy. I'm the approachable one, the friendly one, the one everyone likes. I'll make a beeline for Jane Bennet as soon as I can. Awkward but charming conversation, constant glances across the room to her, light flirting.."

"Not too obvious though," Darcy warned.

"How many times have I done this, Darcy?" Charlie soothed. "It will go like a dream."

"Such a hardship for you as well, Charlie, seducing one of the fittest women I've ever laid eyes on. The heart bleeds for you." Richard quipped.

"Someone's got to do it!" Charlie attempted to joke back, but Darcy saw a worrying hesitancy there. He shook himself away from that line of thought. Charlie was a different man now, an exemplary grifter and roper. It was just the first night nerves.

"And I'm the unapproachable one," Darcy asserted. "Cold, aloof, distant, mysterious. Downright rude on occasion. The Bennet's will not like me and I will give every appearance of disliking them. I will disapprove of them, disapprove of Charlie's attention to Jane Bennet. In no way will they suspect that this is all just a big set-up."

"You, aloof and distant? I refer back to my comments about Caro," Richard laughed. "You've been getting into this role for twenty-nine years, Darcy. Remarkable method acting."

"You need to disappear tonight, Richard," Darcy ignored him. "We need you close enough by for when we get to Collins, but you can't be seen in London. You have a place sorted?"

"All in hand, Darce," Richard assured. "I have my very own man cave set up with all my toys. I can be in London within the hour if the need arises. Secure phone connection, but use burners ok? One call then ditch the sim, let's not make it too easy."

"Fine. Louisa and Hurst?"

"Flying in from Dublin tomorrow. They know their parts, Darcy, don't worry about that."

"Good. It'll be good to see them in action again." Darcy nodded. Louisa and Hurst were old friends and excellent grifters, Darcy used them from time to time when a score required more hands on deck.

"Ok then," Darcy stood up. "Are we ready to do this?"

They nodded in unison.

"Ok. Let's go to work."