Chapter Title: Agenda Adjustment
Author: Restive Nature
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Dark Angel. They belong to Cameron/ Eglee. No infringement is intended and this fiction is for private enjoyment only.
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Fan Fiction
Type: Romance, Humor
Pairing: Max/ Alec
Summary: A remake of the "Pretty Woman" movie, with Max and Alec in the lead roles.
Spoilers/ Time line: This takes place pre-series. Due to the nature of the fiction, some information will be different, but should not overly affect the fiction.
Feedback: Always welcome!
Distribution: Ask first please.
A/N: I have watched this movie soooo many times lately, it's on TV all the time. It was one of the first "grown-up" movies I ever watched with my mother. Along with "Dirty Dancing" it remains a classic to me and just for fun, I thought I would try this out.
Chapter One
Agenda Adjustment
"Excuse me, Mr. Spaulding?"
X5-494 was not at all startled by the person addressing him, even though he still wasn't quite used to the name that Manticore had created for him. For some reason, his inner sense of self balked at the name. But, his was not to question, it was to do and if this was what the government funded military operation into the quest for the perfect soldier had decided upon, he had no choice but to comply.
"Yes, what is it?" he asked calmly of the concierge, one he recognized from the front desk of the lobby of the hotel in which he was attending a party. Under cover of course, since that was the assignment. He strove for and had easily achieved the bored, slightly supercilious tone of those he was marked to infiltrate. Bored rich snobs, every last one of those peacocks and their hens dancing, laughing, chatting, drinking themselves senseless around him. 494 had to catch himself before he let maudlin take over. Really, yes the evening was quite boring, since if he'd been left to his own devices he would have much preferred an evening of beer and pork rinds, but duty was a harsh taskmaster.
"You've received a telephone call," the middle aged man informed him readily. 494 frowned, wondering who would be calling him right now. "If you'd care to come to the courtesy desk...?" The man trailed off. 494 nodded and followed after the employee of the hotel, weaving through the guests of the evening. Once outside of the main ball room, his ears ringing slightly from the sudden noise reduction, 494 shook his head slightly. It was a simple process to head over to the desk and take the waiting receiver from one of the young ladies that had been scheduled to work that evening. With a natural grace and charm he smiled his thanks, which the young lady returned unhesitatingly. But she had been trained well and moved away, down the desk a way to give him privacy.
"Alexander Spaulding here," he announced, still keeping his cover.
"Hey sir," the familiar tones of X5-684 came back to him and 494 relaxed. One of his teammates on this assignment.
"What's up?" he demanded softly, leaning to rest his arms on the desk. He knew immediately that there had to have been some new development and normally, he wouldn't have been that relaxed, but the week that his unit mates had spent with the additions to the team had bred some familiarity.
"Just got a call from base," 684 sighed. "Got a situation." That sounded ominous. "Looks like 308 was delayed incoming."
"And?" 494 muttered. How was that a situation? So 308 wouldn't be there that evening as planned to play the role of his girlfriend. He would be able to cover for that.
"And when she did get in, her levels were spiking," 684 continued in a rush. That was something 494 had discovered about the girl. She was competent as hell when it came to all things military, but there was still a streak of shyness in her that time and contact with the outside hadn't worn away yet. But 494 knew she was right. The second was a massive situation.
"Shit," he breathed out. Wouldn't do for the socially elite to be caught swearing in front of the hired help, even if it was just for the night. If 308 was in heat, a by product of those blasted scientists tinkering with their genes and introducing feline DNA to their own human markers, then she would be no good for this mission. And of course, all other available females had been introduced in their own rights with no possibility of substitution. "Okay, gotta improvise," he continued, his lower lip curving inward, his tongue caught between it and his teeth.
"We're working on it sir," 684 assured him, sounding a little harried. "Any possibility you can continue to stall?"
"No good," Alec grunted, venting a very small amount of frustration. "The old man is getting antsy. They don't like doin' business with lone wolves."
"Antiquated jackass" 684 chuckled. 494 grinned, in total agreement. But at least they had known this ahead of time and Manticore was willing to play by these rules. Society rules. "Oh hang on, five eleven wants on."
494 grinned. If ever he could consider anyone a friend, it was his unit mate and second in command X5-511. "Buddy, old pal, tell me you have good news."
"Hey Alexander," the voice drawled it out, amused at the events, especially since they weren't at his expense. "Just got the go on this. Home sweet has authorized use of an escort service."
494 blinked at that. Manticore brass was really going to trust this to an outsider. Well, they must have been desperate. Of course, everything about this operation was to be as low key as possible. Had they even thought of the multitude of problems that awaited them if someone recognized his "girlfriend"?
"Apparently, they've used the service before," 511 continued. "The girls are trained to be discreet and socially competent."
Mentally shrugging his shoulders 494 gave in. Well, they couldn't blame this on him if she were the one to screw things over. "All right, gimme the address." Even as he listened to 511 reel off the address, he noticed someone approaching out of the corner of his eye. "Okay, got it, I'll be there soon." Recognizing the host of the event he was attending, 494 was already formulating his excuse. He replaced the receiver and pushed the phone back into place on the counter.
"Problem, Alexander?" Jonas Cale asked politely, though with a faintly sardonic smirk lurking underneath the veneer of politeness. "I saw you wandering out this way."
"My girlfriend," 494 smiled tightly. "She ran into some car trouble. I'm going to head over and pick her up. It'll be quicker than her waiting for a cab to get free."
Jonas Cale, head of Cale Industries, nodded. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. We've been looking forward to meeting her."
"Yes sir," 494 grinned. Blatant crap. Jonas just wanted another piece of tail to stare at, since according to rumor, he'd already plowed his ways through the ranks of his company, his wife's society friends and any other nubile young thing that had crossed his path. His right hand dipped into his trousers to retrieve the car keys. He jangled them slightly, a clear indication of his intention to get the hell out of there, even if only for a little while. "Well, sooner gone, the sooner we get back."
"Yes," Jonas drawled, lifting his glass, his sixth or seventh, 494 couldn't be bothered to have kept track really, of bourbon. "Bring her to meet Margo once you're here. She can guide your young lady through the night and then we gents can finally get down to business."
"First thing," 494 agreed as he headed to the front door.
~~~~~
"Hello," a petite blond standing along a strip of sidewalk straightened up as a Mercedes roared past she and her friend. "That is one cherry piece of machinery."
Her friend, roommate and co-worker sniffed her disinterest. "It's okay. Looks like speed racer is havin' some trouble though," the dark haired woman grunted as the car suddenly swerved off the street to park haphazardly at a curb near the intersection. The brake lights stood out along the fairly deserted area.
The blond gazed consideringly at the suddenly stopped vehicle and then back at her friend. "You should take it," she finally decided.
"What makes you think that?" the taller woman demanded. "he, if it is a he-!"
"Oh believe me baby, that's a man's phallic fulfiller," the blond giggled. "Besides, I think J.J. is swinging by. And you know his preferences."
The brunette rolled her eyes. "Well, if he's got a car like that..."
"A week's rent money," the blond agreed. "At least. Go work it girlie."
With a sharp nod, the brunette adjusted the cleavage that was damn near to already falling out of the tight red spandex dress she wore. Her hips took on a deliberately provocative sway as she headed up the street. She could see just dimly, the occupant of the car glancing up, probably catching sight of her in the mirror. His head swiveled once and then went back to it's original position.
Finding that the windows were rolled down, probably to enjoy the unusually balmy Seattle night air, the brunette leaned into the car. "Hey sugar," she fairly purred, her voice low and seductive. "You lookin' for a good time?"
The male, thank God it was, since she'd never been able to swing that way, glanced up and cocked an eyebrow at her. "I wish," he chuckled, his voice smoky, curling around her like a lover. He was good looking, in a male model kind of way. Something that said you can look but it'll cost ya to touch. Dirty blond hair, a classically lined face with no obvious blemishes and full and pouty lips. Couldn't tell about the eyes in the dim interior though. "Actually, I'm looking for a place."
"Well, that I can do too," the brunette smiled. "Five dollars and I'll get you where you're going."
"What?" the exclamation was bitten off in surprise and the brunette smirked. "You charge for directions? You can't do that!"
"Baby," her smile widened, lighting up her whole face," I can do anything I want. I ain't lost." She turned away from him and his shocked expression to lean herself against the car. Her ass was able to rest up against the window sill of the door, providing ample cushioning. It was one of her good features. Hell, thanks to genetic manipulation, every feature was good. A fact that she capitalized on nightly.
"Damn it," she heard him mutter under his breath.
"Better make up your mind sugar," she chuckled. "Price just went up to ten."
"Oh fuck it!" the guy snarled and as she turned back, she caught him pulling a wallet from the seat beside him. "All I've got are twenties." Well that wasn't a smart thing to announce, especially in this slum land. She pulled open the car door and climbed in.
"For twenty I'll take you there myself," she announced, settling herself in. "Or give you a hand job. Take your pick."
The guy just blinked once, long and slow. "Actually got my own, thanks," he announced, lifting his hands off the steering wheel. "Just directions, to Euclid."
"Easy peasy," the brunette smiled as she turned to pull the shoulder belt across her form. "Keep going straight for two blocks then take a right at the lights."
"That's it?" 494 asked, his countenance taking on a slight scowl. The brunette close to him, closer than the car allowed and by rights she ought to be, chuckled and shook her head in the negative.
"Nah, that's just to get you started," she explained. "God, Kiki was right. This actually is a sweet ride."
"Glad you like it," 494 replied acerbically. He was surprised to find that he was annoyed that she was paying more attention to the interior of the car than to him. Of course, he had known immediately what she was. He'd run into hookers before and unfortunately, Manticore didn't provide enough downtime on missions to engage in any... illicit rendezvous. Of course, with a little cunning, 494 had managed a few trysts and romps and not always necessarily with prostitutes. But tonight, he had the mission objective to keep him on track. Remembering this, he followed the girl's instructions and soon found himself waiting for more.
"Left up ahead," she lifted her chin, staring straight ahead, "and then about four blocks and you'll hit Euclid."
494 was glad to know that he'd been at least fairly close to his destination. He wanted to get this taken care of quickly, efficiently and with as little fuss as possible. "Gotcha," he acknowledged, his hands deftly maneuvering the vehicle through the street as they came upon other vehicles.
"So what's on Euclid that's so pressing?" the brunette asked and suddenly 494 couldn't quite answer past the lump forming in his throat. Her fingers... on his leg... climbing up to his crotch. He shifted minutely, should have been barely noticeable, but obviously she was more observant than the rest of humankind when her giggle told him that she had noticed. But she also didn't stop. Of course, this was her business and she'd be a very poor hooker if she were to give up after one no.
"Got an appointment to keep," he answered, his tone not encouraging any more questions and her interest slipped away as if it had never been.
"'Kay," she nodded. "Got an address to go with the street?"
"Uh," 494 barely thought, the number burned into his mind, just like thousands of other pieces of by now useless information. "2158."
"Carlton's place?" the brunette seemed startled. "Oh." Obviously she knew what the place was.
"Yeah," 494 grunted in amusement. He liked catching people off guard. Their expressions were so funny. "Problem with that... uh, what do I call you?"
And with that, she was right back in the game. Her eyes came to rest on his face, her face turned slightly, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "Whatever you like sugar," her voice was liquid honey again.
494 chuckled. He should have known. "I got plenty of ideas, no time to debate and even less patience right now," he informed her. "So whatever name you want is fine."
"You can call me Max," the name was breathy, drawn out, the X at the end softened considerably. 494 thought he understood why. Typically a boys name, it wasn't what he was expecting. No, after he'd heard her reference Kiki, probably the blond she'd been with, he'd been expecting something a little more exotic, given her dark looks or even babyish. But Max, it had a hard edge to it and it suited her, the glimpse of steely determination that he caught in her eyes. Determination to survive this world. "And what can I call you, beside sugar, baby and honey?" she teased back.
494 found that he still didn't like the name Manticore has assigned him, but it didn't matter. The more chance he used it, the more natural it might sound coming out of his mouth. "Alexander Spaulding at your service," he grinned lazily, wondering if she'd make any connection to a name of importance. But apparently that wasn't what concerned her.
"Hmm, Alexander," she tested it out, her head tilting thoughtfully. "Not a bad name for a liar."
494's head swiveled so drastically to look at her that he was sure he heard his spine crackling in protest. "What!" How the hell...? What did...? How did she know? But, she looked so amused, it couldn't be what 494 thought.
"Unless of course, you got unfinished business there that I'm sure the cops'd love to hear about," she went on, though Max thought to herself, it wasn't like she'd ever tell those little pissants anything. Not after the way they liked to harass her and her girls and then turn around and expect free favors. She'd disabused them of that notion immediately upon arriving in town. "But then, if you were the one that started the fire, you'd already know how to get there."
"Fire?" 494 repeated, his mind tumbling around, trying to make sense of what she was telling him. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Oh, you don't know," she stated with a little relief. Although, it would have been nice to be able to tell Ramon Carlton that she'd found the perpetrator of the arson that had nearly brought his business down around his ears. "But I thought you had an appointment?"
"Wait, there was a fire?" 494 wanted to get that clear.
"Couple weeks ago," Max affirmed. "Though I thought they'd made all the arrangements for the girls for new pick up locale. So I'm wondering..."
"A friend of mine recommended the place," 494 grunted out. "Word of mouth and the guy he got it from hadn't been there lately."
"Ah," Max nodded. "Though you should know they don't usually accept walk-ins."
"How do you know so much about tit?" 494 demanded. A hooker with ties to a high quality escort business. Unless it was...
"Ramon," the name rolled of her tongue with the flair of accent intended in the naming, "is a client of mine."
"A client?" 494 repeated, grinning lasciviously. Of course. Max grinned back.
"Hey, he's got rules," she defended her friend and sometimes lover. "No dipping in the company honey pot. Makes for nasty lawsuits."
"Good to know the guys got some ethics," 494 mused, before he let out a frustrated sigh. Just then, the charred ruin of the building he'd been searching for came into view. "Damn."
"Yeah," Max agreed, her own eyes drawn to the ruin. "Pretty damn lucky no one was seriously hurt. Ramon, Angelique and a couple other girls were still there when it broke out. Almost got trapped inside."
"It spread fast?" 494 asked, well aware of the methodology of arson in it's many forms. Beside him, Max nodded. She could still remember that night. She'd been the one, drawn by the fire and the smoke, to bust in and get them out, before any city service had even had a chance to respond.
"Too fast," she confirmed. "Police found accelerants that Ramon said weren't there before. Someone had a grudge."
"Well damn," 494 repeated himself. "What the hell am I gonna do now."
"Was it an emergency?" Max asked kindly. 494 nodded.
"Sort of," he mumbled. Then his eyes widened at her suddenly knowing grin. "Not like that," he protested. "I've got this business deal going. But the guy I'm working with doesn't like 'loose cannons'." He formed air quotes with his fingers. "So when I told a friend of mine, she agreed to play my girlfriend, but then she got sick. I just need someone for a week."
"Ramon's girls could have handled that," Max nodded. "In fact, they're damn good."
A sudden thought occurred to 494 and he twisted in his seat to regard her. "So if Ramon is such a good friend of yours, why aren't you workin' for him?"
"Oh, believe me, he's tried recruiting me before," Max laughed, throaty, rich and deep. "Many times over."
"So why not," 494 wondered. "I mean, it's got to be better than walking the streets."
"It could be," Max shrugged one shoulder. "But I like being my own boss, plus I don't have enough saved up for buy in yet."
"Buy in?" 494 didn't understand her meaning exactly.
"Yeah, I could get a job here. I mean, Ramon and Angelique were giving me society lessons," she explained, a small part of her wondering why she found it so easy to talk to this guy. Probably because he was a stranger. "Unfortunately, Ramon can't outfit all the girls. They do have some stuff available, but you got to provide your own wardrobe, baubles, shoes, the whole dealio. And I've got obligations. Makes it hard to save up."
"Obligations?" he prompted. What, a child to care for? Which wasn't difficult to believe, since, well, it was one of the major results of her line of profession. Something that happened no matter how protected you thought you were.
"Yeah, food, rent," she giggled. "I kinda like having a full belly when the mood strikes, you know." She didn't mention the family that she was also looking for, and the exorbitant fees the private investigator was charging her.
"Oh yeah, I got that," 494 chuckled, rubbing a distracted hand across his own taut stomach. Thinking about tit, he realized that he hadn't eaten much that evening except hors d'ouevres and scotch that night. But then, her earlier words flashed in his mind. Society lessons. And she wanted to get a job here. Maybe... No, he was crazy for thinking it. But hell, he didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. If anyone at Manticore asked, he could say she was new. Maybe her friendship with this Ramon Carlton would get him to cover, with a bribe thrown in if necessary. And any blunders she might make, well it wasn't as if society were perfect. Far from it. Many things excused when one was in high temper or deep cups.
"Say Max," he drawled, catching her attention back from her perusal of the blackened building. "Feel like going to a party?"
Chapter Two
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