A/N- This is a companion fic to a Hustle fic I've written called "The Score". It's all set around the same crime, but it shows both sides of the crime- the police in this one and the criminals in Hustle. You can get to The Score through my profile. You don't have to watch Hustle or read The Score in order to read this one though, it can be read as a fic in its own right.

"Any questions?" DI Neil Manson asked the listening team he had assembled to help bring down a group of con men. DS Samantha Nixon just shook her head, reached for her pen and scribbled something down on a piece of paper.

"No Guv" DC Zain Nadir answered, looking thoughtful. Neil's eyes flicked to DS Phil Hunter, the only person in the room that hadn't given him any type of response yet. Neil rolled his eyes when he saw that Phil looked like he was in the middle of a daydream. It was possible, no, probable, he hadn't listened to a word he'd said.

"Phil!"

"What?" Phil answered, sounding dazed

"Any questions?"

"No Guv" Phil said, looking slightly panicked. Neil rolled his eyes again, certain that Phil would get the round up from Sam later anyway.

"Alright, get to work then" he said, turning around to write the names of the suspects on the board. He heard the tap of computer keys behind him and smiled, satisfied that his team was on top of it. He knew that these conmen were good. Some might even say that they were the best, but he knew that they would get them eventually.

Neil picked up the picture of the leader of the gang- Michael Stone, better known as Mickey Bricks. He had previously been in jail for assault on his wife's boyfriend, but never for deception. His soft brown eyes and pleasant smile could give the impression that Mickey was an honest man, but Neil knew better. Michael Stone and his gang had ran rings around police officers in another station, even going as far to plant a conman inside the station, posing as a DI. Stone thought he was clever, but Neil knew that his cocky nature would lead to his downfall, as long as he waited long enough.

Neil reached down to the desk and lifted up a second picture. It was an elderly man, but once again, looks were deceiving. It was rumored that Albert Stroller had taught Stone everything he knows. The man knew every trick in the book, hell he probably even wrote some of them. He was what the gang called the Roper. He would be the one to find a target before helping reel him or her in.

The next picture in the pile was a young man with shockingly blue eyes and a cheeky grin. This was the newest member of the gang and Stone's protégé. His name was Danny Blue and if not stopped, Neil was convinced that Blue could become the next Stone, just as former police officers had allowed Stone to become the next Stroller. It was a vicious circle and it had to be stopped in Neil's opinion, before Blue found someone of his own to train and the whole process began again.

The penultimate picture was of a woman with black hair and a soft smile. Zain's informant said that she had been romantically linked to Stone before his marriage and that Blue was also beginning to have feelings for her. He hoped that he could somehow use this information to turn Stone and Blue against each other, but according to the informant, both knew of the other's feelings and basically lived with it.

The last picture was of a middle aged man that was sort of losing his hair at the back. He was the gang's fixer, meaning he was the one who got the gang everything they needed to pull off the con, for example, a web page or a hotel room. He would usually only play minor parts in the actual con, usually as a chauffer, because the detail in a con is the most important thing. His name was Ashley Morgan and he was one of Stone's oldest friends.

Neil stood back to make sure all the pictures were straight before turning around to look at his team in CID. Zain was talking to someone on the phone and Phil was leaning over Sam, his hand on her shoulder. Neil was glad Stuart wasn't in today. He didn't have time to sort out an argument between him and Phil today.

A/N This chapter was just me introducing the Hustle characters in this chapter. The next chapter will have some more interaction between characters and will overall be more interesting and better… hopefully. I'll even put in some Sam/Phil stuff if you're all nice and review :D