Archive of Our Own

Entangled

Ndfarmer80

Nikita strolled into Section swaying to the music she could still hear playing in her head from the car. It was early in the morning, well before eight o’clock with hardly anyone on the main floor. The only people that Nikita could see were Operations standing at the Perch, three Communications officers huddled around one desk chatting, and Walter setting up his station in Munitions. She waved at Walter and smiled, removing her shades. He returned a wave, smiling pleasantly. Nikita paused a moment, scanning the floor before making her way over to where Walter stood at his workstation.

“Morning sunshine,” said Nikita with a bright smile.

“Well, good morning to you too, sweetcakes. You’re bright and bushy today. What’s the occasion?” Walter regarded Nikita with his usual, semi-pervy grin as he looked over the young operative.

Nikita kept her smile as she leaned in towards Walter. She was certain he was referring to the twin pink pom poms she wore in her hair decorating her ponytails. She had decided on a soft petal pink fuzzy crop top and a pair of ocean blue pseudo cargo pants with iridescent panels patched onto the front and sides of the legs. She felt sporty in her all white Adidas low tops which was a bit unusual from the way she normally felt most mornings. She was certainly not an early bird and would never suggest that she would ever become one. However, for the past few days, she not only found herself awake early, but oddly energized and even somewhat excited for the day. She mostly attributed the excitement to the fact that she was winding down the days to a much needed two week time off. It had been a while since she had any time off from Section that did not follow immediately after a mentally and physically taxing mission or a long stay in medical. This time, she felt like she did in grade school in the days leading up to summer vacation. There had always been an energy in the air, a feeling of impending freedom from the routines and chains of her regular mundane life. Already, she could smell the scent of the ocean and coconut rum with little yellow umbrellas beaconing to her.

“No occasion,” said Nikita. “Just Tuesday.”

“Well if Tuesdays brought out that kind of smile all the time, I would want it to be Tuesday every day,” said Walter. “How many days left?”

“Two,” said Nikita within a sigh. “And I can’t wait!”

Nikita twisted herself so that she leaned backward against the workstation. She let out another sigh, one that spoke more towards her impatience at waiting for the days to roll to an end. Walter leaned over the station, swatting playfully at Nikita’s ponytails.

“Know where you’re going?”

“Somewhere warm,” said Nikita. She bobbed her head so that her ponytails bounced with Walter’s game. “An island somewhere. Maybe the Poconos.”

“You mean you haven’t booked it yet?” Walter was a little taken aback.

“Naw. I figured I would just pack, grab a globe, and point to a spot on the earth to go.”

“What happens if you pick the arctic?”

“Guess I’ll have to spin again, now won’t I.” Nikita pulled herself off of the workstation and pulled Walter in for a fast kiss on the cheek. “Do keep the place running while I’m gone.”

Walter gave a short salute. “Keep that up and I might book a flight with you.”

Nikita stood up straight and looked over towards Michael’s office, seeing the light on. She looked back over at Walter.

“He’s here early. Something going on?”

Walter, already engrossed in a project he pulled from beneath the work table, looked up wistfully towards Michael’s office, then at Nikita.

“He came in not long before you did. Don’t think there is anything going on. There isn’t a mission on panel yet.”

“Do you know where he went?”

Walter shrugged. He did not take his attention away from what he was working on. Instead, he motioned towards the corridor leading back past Michael’s office.

“He’s probably in the training room. It’s where he always goes when he comes in early.”

“Thanks Walter,” said Nikita as she headed towards the training room.

“No problem, sugar,” said Walter absently. He realized then what he had just done and tried calling Nikita’s attention back to him. “Nikita, wait! He likes to be alone in there, so it’s best you don’t go.”

“Don’t worry, Walter. I’m only going to take a peek in at him. I won’t disturb him,” Nikita called back as she disappeared down the corridor.

Walter looked after her, his expression reading that he hoped she would not disturb Michael during his quiet time. He also hoped that Michael did not find out that it was him that told Nikita where to find him.

Nikita walked down the corridor leading to the stairwell that went down the many different levels of Section. Much of the time, she preferred taking the elevator as it was short and to the point of where she was headed. However, sometimes, it became necessary to take the steps especially if she was doing something she knew she might get into trouble for. Today, she took the steps mainly to give herself some time to collect her thoughts. It had been days since she had spoken more than a quick word to Michael. He seemed more than busy and did not delay long with anyone. He was always on the move, taking files to Operations, meeting with Madeline, or hovering over Birkoff’s shoulder. When he wasn’t out running about, he was locked away in his office, typing a million reports while staring at the screen. It had been weeks since she saw him outside of Section coming to visit with her. His last drop in lasted only a few minutes before he was back out the door again, leaving only the faintest trail of intoxicating musk behind him. Nikita had lingered long in the cloud until it dissipated into the air. God how she loved the way he smelled these days. It took nearly everything within her to not simply jump all over him and rub herself against his body so that his scent transferred to her clothing. Her thoughts often traveled backward to the missions wherein she had to be intimately close to him, spending long hours bunched together in fox holes or inside the transport van. His hair was longer now, so long that it was down to his shoulders making it necessary to pull it back into a ponytail away from his face. He expressed more than a few times that he wanted to cut it, but Madeline would not dare hear of it. She felt his long hair made him that much more romantic and took off a few years as well. By now, Michael was in his thirties, leaving behind the innocent gaze of his youth, and replacing it with much more knowing and sensible eyes. He rarely smiled now, even less than he did when she first met him. In the four years she had come to know him, he spoke less and less, deciding to keep much of his opinions to himself and only remotely hinting at his inner feelings with the slightest of twitches. Michael was always very cerebral, but lately, he seemed forever trapped behind a wall of thoughts leaving his body present, but his mind miles off.

When she reached the training room, it was empty save Michael seated with his back to the door. She could tell he was meditating while seated in the lotus position. Nikita hung back in the doorway, watching, once more admiring the gentle grace of him simply sitting alone in the room. His long hair rested on his shoulders. He wore a black t-shirt with the sleeves cut away, and a pair of white sweatpants. She assumed he was likely not wearing shoes as he did not always wear them inside the training room as a show of respect for the equipment. After a moment, he moved forward, grabbing something from the floor in front of him and lifting it reverently. Nikita noticed the thing Michael had grabbed was a katana sword still sheathed in a black wooden scabbard. Michael pulled the sword only partly from the sheath and kissed the broad side of the blade before pushing it slowly back into the scabbard creating a sharp clicking sound. He placed the sword back on the floor in front of him and bent down to touch his forehead to the blade. He was whispering something as he bent, then straightened back to an upright position.

“Hey,” said Walter from behind Nikita. “I think it’s best we leave him to himself for now, kay kiddo?”

Nikita nodded, allowing Walter to pull her away from the training room. Michael continued to sit unaware with his back to the door. Nikita walked with Walter.

“What’s he doing?” Nikita finally asked after entering the hall leading towards the lounge.

Walter shrugged absently. “Ah, probably just getting his mind ready for the day. You know how this place is, it’ll drive ya batty if you’re not careful.” Walter let go of a nervous laugh as he escorted Nikita inside the lounge.

“Does he do that often?” Nikita sat down at a table and stretched her legs out in front of her.

“No, not often. A few times, but...I don’t know, I guess he feels comfortable here early in the morning before everyone starts showing up.” Walter started towards the coffee machines. “Wanna cup?”

“Sure. Two creams please.”

“You got it.”

Nikita sat thinking of the image of Michael, sitting in meditation almost like he was in prayer. She sort of felt like she had barged in on a priest holding religious council with the Holy Father. She had never known Michael to be very religious, although she assumed he must have believed in something given that he sometimes wore a cross about his neck. He kept it tucked down in his t-shirt, and even caught him kissing it once before going into a particularly hostile situation. As far as any eastern beliefs he may have held, he never hinted towards them. It was the first she had even seen him handle a blade.

Walter returned with two cups of coffee and two honey rolls. He gave one cup and roll to Nikita while crowding his own serving towards him. Nikita nodded her appreciation and began opening her roll.

“You’re probably wondering what the hell is the story behind Michael and that sword he had there with him,” began Walter, not beating the bush.

“That’s one of the questions,” said Nikita. She took a large bite of her roll.

Walter hummed in his guttural voice, sounding like an old engine purring after starting up. A far away look glazed over his expression as his mind traveled back over the sea of stories he collected over his tenure at Section. Nikita waited patiently, sipping at her nearly too hot coffee and eating her roll.

“That blade,” Walter began, squinting a little. “That blade, well, it used to belong to a man named Min Singh. He was a high ranked official and businessman in Okinawa. He had some dealings with the Yakuza that, unfortunately, went very sour. Ended up costing his life, and the lives of his two daughters. One daughter no one knows exactly what happened to her. It's suspected she was sold to someone, if you know what I mean. The other, the eldest, found her way into an apprenticeship with a member of the leading family at the time. She was first brought in as a consort, but then I guess she proved she was way more talented than her bedroom skills.” Walter could not hide his own indulgent grin.

Nikita gave Walter a warning smirk back, making him pull back his smile and return to his tale. He took a long drink from his cup before continuing.

“They found out the girl was a very good killer. She could get in close, undetected. I mean, who would suspect a little young geisha as an assassin, right?” Walter shook his head. “She was good. Bloody. Heartless. It’s like they taught her everything she needed to know about how to kill people, but not how to be a person, you know what I mean?”

“How did she get the sword?”

“The sword came with her, I suppose. Part of a settlement. A time went by and that little girl grew into a lovely young woman that became the wife of a Yakuza boss. Speed up some more time, and insert Section. The Yakuza wife kills her husband in trade for protection from the rest of the criminal organization. Section adopts her in and wipes out the group she was affiliated with.”

“What was the woman’s name?” Nikita finished her cup and sat it down on the table.

“Her birth name was Shion Singh-Omura...but Madeline thought it better to give her a name a little easier on the dialect. So she renamed her Simone.”

Nikita sat a little dumbfounded. She had half expected the origins of the sword Michael had belonging to his late wife in some way, but she was unprepared for what Walter had just told her. From the woman she remembered cowering in the corner of the dirty cell in an underground bunker, she would not have ever guessed that she could have been the wife of a Yakuza crime boss. It was hard enough to think of her as Michael’s wife. Nikita sat up straight in her chair. Her mind was beginning to reel a little from the information. She looked at Walter to check and see if he was weaving an elaborate ruse, but his time weathered face only told her that he was waiting to finish his story and nothing more. Nikita cleared her throat.

“So how did...Simone...come to meet Michael?” Nikita struggled a little to get the words out.

“Not pleasantly,” Walter said within a chuckle. “You could say the two of them were like oil and water at first. You see Michael was just fresh out of training with Jurgen having catapulted him up the ranks much faster than anyone expected. It was in good timing, though. Experienced operatives were in few quantity and there were more missions piling up. Both Operations and Madeline were desperate to get recruits certified, fast tracking many of them before they were ready to come out. Cost a lot of lives. They were lucky when they got to Michael. It was like the only thing they had to do with him was point him in the right direction and set him loose.”

Nikita gave a huff in response, somewhat smirking. It was not the first time she had heard of Michael’s uncanny ability to adapt to critical situations and pull successfully through them with little to no effort whatsoever on his part. Practically any operative serving one mission with him always regaled others of Michael’s indomitable strength and resolve in times of crisis. He did always seem the man with the level head and eerily calm demeanor even when all hell seemed to break loose around him.

“Course, back then, he wasn’t always so steady,” said Walter, almost reading Nikita’s thoughts. “He was untested for the most part. He had never been involved in a deep cover mission before. He was fine when it came to gathering intel and running cold ops, but Madeline wanted to see how well he would do as a raven in a honey trap scenario.”

Nikita nodded, then looked puzzled. “Wait. What’s a honey trap?”

“A Valentine mission,” Walter corrected. “It was Michael’s first.”

“He had to do it with Simone?”

“He had to work with her, yes. Kinda like the way the two of you work a target. She got him access to the target, he worked the target. The two of them retrieved the necessary information Section needed. Bada-boom, bada-bing.”

“Oh. So, you said they didn’t get along. Why?”

Walter shrugged his shoulders. He collected his now empty wrapper and cup and started to stand. “Simone never liked working with others, and at the time, Michael was a little prickly. The Michael then was loads different than the one you see today. He was much more argumentative and brash then. Loud.”

Nikita shook her head, not believing Walter. She stood up with him and took her trash to the bin to discard. Walter went back to the coffee machine and prepared himself another cup.

“Kinda hard to believe that one, Walter,” said Nikita, folding her arms. “Michael, loud? You can’t even hear him when he walks by in dress shoes.”

Walter laughed, stirring cream into his coffee. “Yeah. Back then, a whole bunch of things were different. Section, for one, was like a madhouse half the time with missions being run simultaneously and intel getting mixed up. It was before Birkoff really came online and started straightening things out in communications. We had another person in his seat then. Richards I believe his name was. If I didn’t know better, I would think that Operations designed for the last communications director to get killed just so Birkoff could take the seat when he did.”

The two began walking back towards the main floor. Nikita shoved her hands into her pockets and fell in step with Walter. He looked over towards the conference table, seeing the team that had assembled then for their mission nearly seven years ago.

7 years ago…

Operations appeared from around the corner fussing with the remote device just handed to him by a member of the Systems team. His salt and pepper hair was combed back away from his forehead revealing the sharp angles of his freshly shaven face, and the fierceness in his shock grey eyes.

“Just press here, sir” said the operative, attempting to guide Operations’ hand to the right button.

Operations, already agitated with having to learn a new device, pulled stubbornly away from the operative and continued to press a button that didn’t seem to be doing anything. Finally, his fingers found the correct button to turn on the hologram rendering of a dossier file. The image of a woman flickered into view along with a list of facts and a short bio. Operations continued pressing buttons until he was familiar with how to work the remote. The operative gave a questioning look, but did not ask what was on his mind. Instead, he nodded and turned from Operations, leaving him to figure out how to work the hologram table on his own.

“Four years ago, we became aware of a series of transactions occurring within Bristol, England. These transactions were flagged by the Agency mainly because of their amounts and the accounts the transactions were going to. We have zeroed in on a possible backer for a terrorist group calling themselves Crimson Sky. So far, Crimson Sky has not made any moves towards anti government actions, however, it is believed that they are gearing up to make a very impactful debut.”

Operations moved to the other side of the table, keeping his remote pointed at the hologram as if using it to keep it there. Seated at the table, a small group of five operatives sat and listened as Operations continued with his backstory for the mission, detailing the target group and the reasons why they were being watched.

“Crimson Sky is small, but they are recruiting heavily. They are amassing money to purchase weapons of mass destruction. They have been under heavy surveillance for several weeks now. We feel they are preparing for a major strike against current western occupations in Africa, but we don’t know exactly where. What we do know is one of their alleged brokers, Suriya Meijers. She is the daughter of British diplomat Gerard van der Berg. Meijers is suspected of trading with Crimson Sky, providing funding to assist the group with their financial matters. She is believed to know who the main levels of leadership are within the group. Although we are not one hundred percent confirmed with her connection to the militant group, we are confident that she is the one that can lead us to Crimson Sky. Simply capturing and detaining her isn’t an option with her connections to both British and Iranian government officials. What we can do, however, is find out what she knows and who she is talking to.”

Operations looked over the small band of operatives, his gaze resting on the petite Japanese woman seated with her eyes focused down at her hands as she listened intently. A smile eased over his lips.

“This will need to be an inside mission,” said Operations. “We will need a team of two to work the target and get her to divulge her information discreetly. Right now, there is a Shadow team tracking her movements. We know that she is interested in traveling to the Philippines soon and will need assistance with learning the language there. Simone, you will act as the university’s foreign language tutor. We have already set up your cover and are preparing your insertion starting tomorrow morning. You will be working with another operative whom you will be meeting shortly. For now, you’ll need to report to Madeline’s office after this meeting.”

Simone looked up at Operations and nodded. He regarded her a moment, considering her demeanor, before moving on to surveillance details. Simone only partially listened as she thought about her assignment.

Teacher...again…

She was always some sort of teacher or tutor or instructor, never anything more exciting or even remotely interesting. She was beginning to think that Operations and Madeline did not think she could be anything more than someone’s instructor. Granted, the mission was a woman and it would not make sense to send her in, but she was not keen on playing babysitter either.

After Operations’ briefing, Simone stood and went to Madeline’s office. As she descended the steps, she felt a little foolish having decided to wear killer high black stiletto boots to bleed into the dark denim fabric of her skin tight jeans and black turtleneck sweater. Her long black hair was pulled up into a ponytail and bound with a leather strap. Despite not wearing much makeup, she favored wearing only black eyeliner and a ruby red lip. It was the only makeup she always wore despite Madeline’s insistence she try a bit more color on her cheeks.

She stepped into the darkened sanctum of Madeline’s office and made her way down to the office level of her chamber. On the upper landing, racks on racks of wardrobe clothing ran like a never ending river coiling along the catwalk. She studied the rise, looking for Madeline’s trademark long, sleek figure prowling about the rows of clothing. Finally, she heard a sound coming from a bank of aquariums holding several different species of exotic flowers. Madeline appeared from around one large shelf, her dark hair falling voluminous about her shoulders. Simone crossed her legs and folded her hands in her lap.

“How was your time off?” Madeline asked as she sprayed a mixture of water and plant growth serum onto a grouping of flowers.

“It was fine. Could have been longer,” answered Simone evenly.

“Where did you go?”

“Nowhere in particular, really. Just stayed close to the coast.”

Madeline circled around to the other side of the unit and began checking through the flowers potted there.

“Good. I’m glad you took the time to rest. You’ve been going non stop a while. It’s always good to take a little break every now and then.”

“Two and a half years without a vacation can be a little taxing.”

“It’s not like you haven’t had the time to take, Simone.” Madeline looked at Simone directly. Her dark eyes met Simone with stoney intensity.

“Just never seemed to be the right time before,” Simone responded, unfettered by Madeline’s attention.

“Well, now that you’re back, I hope that you are ready to work again.”

Madeline put down her spray bottle and crossed the floor to sit down on the couch across from where Simone sat in an armchair. She smoothed out her long dark green skirt and adjusted her matching blazer so that it fell neatly over her thighs. She crossed her ankles and sat with her hands folded over her knees.

“Suriya Meijers is a particularly interesting target. She is very intelligent and driven. She has taken interest in several courses at the University. We think she may be planning to move from her home in Senlis to a plantation residence somewhere near Manila. She has expressed interest in learning a bit of Tagalog in order to be more fluid inside the city’s culture.”

“So I’ll be teaching her Tagalog,” Simone guessed, her tone and expression equally reticent.

“Yes,” Madeline answered with a head nod. “She will not be your only student. You will also be instructing another young student who will act as the lure.”

“Does he already know the language?”

“Not entirely. He has studied it, but he is not fluent in it. Likely, he will be starting out on the same level as Suriya. He is a quick study, so don’t be too surprised. He is one of our more exceptional recruits as of late.”

Simone stiffened slightly. “Recruit? You mean he isn’t out of Boot yet?”

“Actually, he was just promoted about a month ago. He has been working with Jurgen for the past six months training in Tactical and Counterintelligence, Analytics, Logistics, Weapons, and Subterfuge. He is quite proficient in the latter, having shown great agility in both physical and mental capacities.”

“So what is he, a super soldier?” Simone could not help being somewhat smug about Madeline’s assessment. She also could not ignore Madeline’s obvious admiration of the recruit. She could tell immediately that he was one of her favorites.

Madeline smiled pleasantly in return. “He could be.”

Madeline stood up and walked to her desk. “In the meantime, you two should get to know one another. He will be working closely with you on the Meijers Case.” Madeline pressed her intercom button and waited for the small beep.

“Yes ma’am?” came a male voice of a member of the Surveillance team.

“Where is Michael Samuelle’s location right now?”

“Michael Samuelle?” There was a short sound of keys tapping before the team member returned. “He is in the training room with Jurgen. They are just finishing up. Want me to buzz him to you?”

“That won’t be necessary. Thank you.”

Madeline righted herself and looked to Simone with expectation. Simone stood to her feet. She met Madeline on the other side of her desk as Madeline handed over a file disc.

“Review the profile thoroughly. I’ll need a full scenario, contingencies, probabilities, and logistics. And one other thing,” said Madeline, catching Simone just before she walked out of her office. “He is twenty three, young, and idealistic. Try not to be too harsh with him.”

Simone cocked a grin at Madeline before leaving to find Jurgen and his star pupil.

“Again!”

Michael looked up at his instructor with pleading weary eyes. It was his twelfth time going through the laser tag exercise and his muscles were beginning to burn from fatigue. Even though the shots from the holograms were not real, the stinging pain of the shock pads on his vest did feel very real. He was certain that night when he finally was released to go to bed, he would find burn marks on his chest and stomach. Standing above him was Jurgen, wearing an all black ensemble of a plain crew neck sweater and pleated slacks, preparing the simulation sequence again and watching intensely. Michael wore a vest with shock pads affixed to the chest and sides over top a black A frame t-shirt, sweat pants, and specialized padded shoes. He pulled himself in once more and readied himself for the first hostile to appear.

“Anticipate the shot. You know it’s coming. Let your mind see it before it happens,” Jurgen instructed in his grating husky voice.

The first hostile appeared and shot a beam to his left side. Michael deftly rolled away from the shot and dispatched the first hostile quickly before turning to his rear to catch the next aiming at him to take a shot. He pulled the trigger and watched as the image exploded in a short light show. The explosion distracted him long enough for him to take a hit to his left shoulder. Michael whipped around and fired at a female holding a kid in front of her.

“You shot the kid in the arm!” Jurgen angrily shouted.

“He’ll live, she won’t.” Michael said as he rolled out of the way of another shot aimed for his head.

“Consider loss of life, Michael.”

Michael dove out of the way of another shot, firing at a man as he jumped. His back hit hard against the wall of the hologram cube. His vision suddenly became filmy as he realized he was lying in the middle of another hologram. All six of his shock pads began to buzz sending a flame of electricity over the front and sides of his torso. Michael was barely able to catch his breath before the simulation was cut short by Jurgen. Michael gasped as his body attempted to register what had just happened.

“You’re dead,” said Jurgen flatly.

Michael looked up at Jurgen then let his gaze fall back down to the hologram cube floor. He was breathing heavily, exhausted from so many attempts, and aching from the shock pads. Slowly, he pulled himself off the floor and stood back in the center of the cube. He straightened out his vest and stood upright.

“Again,” Michael rasped.

“I think we’re done for today,” said Jurgen stiffly.

“Again.” Michael looked up at Jurgen with a determined expression.

“You want it again?”

“Yes.”

The two men looked at one another, both testing the other’s resolve before Jurgen wrinkled his nose, deciding. He frowned as he pressed the button to begin the sequence again. He watched as Michael went through the carousel of shooting hostiles, dodging beams and returning fire with better accuracy than he had the previous tries. Already he could tell Michael was steadily getting better each time he went through the sequence no matter how many times the angles were mixed up. He recorded on his notes Michael’s new scores. The side door opened and allowed in Section’s most decorated Level 5 field operative. She stood next to him, crossing her arms and watching Michael as he tumbled and fired, vanquishing another hostile.

“So this is Michael Samuelle,” said Simone.

“What do you want with him?” asked Jurgen, getting straight to the point.

“Madeline wants to use him in a honey mission.” Simone continued to watch as Michael rolled and shot, then almost cartwheeled into a standing position to fire at another assailant.

“When does she need him?” Jurgen quickly made an adjustment to the sequence, adding in another hostile to appear directly after one just dispatched.

“The mission starts tomorrow.”

“What will he be doing?” Jurgen increased the difficulty level. “Watch your six, Michael.”

“Not this,” said Simone with a little bit of a smirk. “He will just be meeting someone is all. Nothing too harsh. How are his people skills?”

“He’s pretty quiet--Stay in the center!”

“Fuck!” Michael grunted, side jumping out of the way of two shooters.

“I’d say he’s okay.”

“As long as he can say hello, it’s good enough for me.”

“We’re just about done here,” said Jurgen. He wiped aside a lock of dirty blonde hair from his right eye, combing it back with his fingers. He sniffed loudly then pressed a button to end the sequence. “You can have him after.”

“You’re gonna clean him up first, right?” Simone wrinkled her nose.

“I figured you’d want to do that yourself,” said Jurgen. He cocked a grin over to Simone. “It’s a quick and easy way to get...close.”

“I don’t wanna get that close,” Simone retorted. “I’ll be in the lounge. You can send him there.”

Simone turned and walked out of the training room. Jurgen looked after her before turning his attention to Michael who was now standing, breathing heavily, and watching with curious interest.

“Better,” said Jurgen.

“Who was that?” asked Michael, his voice husky and breathy.

“That? That was your new partner.” Jurgen began inputting the last of Michael’s scores into the panel device in his hands.

Michael wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand, still holding the laser gun. He stared for a moment, registering what Jurgen just told him.

“Why do I have a partner now?” he asked.

Jurgen logged the file and looked up at Michael. He adjusted his wire rimmed glasses on the ridge of his nose then set a fixed smile on his face.

“You have your first live mission. Get cleaned up. You’ll need to meet with your partner to be briefed.” Jurgen started out of the training room.

“So does this mean I’m ready?” Michael asked.

Jurgen stopped and cast a look over his shoulder down towards Michael.

“We’ll see.”

Simone pulled the medium sized cup from the coffee machine and stared down at what was supposed to be a French vanilla latte. The swirl of cream and sugar mixture made her wonder if she should just toss the whole thing out and go with a blonde brew instead. Normally she never bothered with coffee, finding it much too harsh on her pallet, but today, she felt like she needed something a bit more robust than tea. Before coming into the lounge, she went into her office and quickly looked over the profile Madeline had given her.

The target was a forty-three year old woman with a list of accomplishments so long, Simone wondered why she was seeking a tutor to learn the language. Where she was reportedly going spoke mostly English. There were only a few places that spoke only Tagalog, and even there, she could get by with a translator if necessary. The target was attractive, tall with long black hair and intense dark brown eyes. Most would consider her a classic beauty having high cheekbones, a strong jawline, and sculpted brows. If she squinted, she would swear she looked a little like Madeline. She certainly could pass for either her sister, or a close cousin. Her profile stated that she was into younger men, particularly ones with dark hair, handsome features, and muscular builds. She was single, never married, likely because she did not find men her own age very attractive or interesting. She was dominant and powerful, which made her favor men she could control. Simone wondered if Michael would prove to be just another conquest, or would he actually become a challenge for her. From what she witnessed in the training room, he definitely did not shy away from a challenge. However, women were different from holograms. Suriya might be the biggest challenge he would ever face.

Simone sipped at her coffee, considering the almost too sweet taste. It was nearly three in the afternoon and she still had a five o’clock mission to supervise in Communications. She wished that she had a little more time to sit with the recruit before her mission began, but she figured she would have to fill him in quickly as they went along. Madeline told her he was a quick study. She hoped that he was just that. She did not have time to hold his hand through the mission.

Michael walked through the doorway of the lounge. He was freshly showered wearing a hooded grey sweatsuit jacket over top a white t-shirt and loose fitting grey sweatpants. His dark hair was a tousled mess over top his head with some of the locks still damp. Simone watched him as he walked over to where she sat, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket. His gait was both purposeful and smooth as if he knew her eyes were on him. She noticed he was also staring directly at her, giving her a little bit of a chill as he approached. There was something about the way he was looking at her that made her feel a slight tremor race through her. She took a sip of her coffee to help focus herself.

“Simone?” asked Michael.

“Hello, Michael.” Simone extended a hand.

Michael shook it quickly and started to let go, but found Simone’s fingers tighten around his. He looked at her with question. Simone shook her head, chuckling to herself.

“No, sweetheart. That’s not the way you should ever address a lady.” Simone stood to her feet and cupped her hand over his. “The proper way to greet a lady that extends her hand to you is to politely greet her and lightly kiss her hand, like so.”

Simone pulled his hand up to her lips and tapped a kiss on his knuckles. Her deep brown eyes flashed upwards to Michael, catching him clench his jaw tight. His light colored eyes were wide and expressive. Simone let his hand go and sat back down in her seat.

“Let’s try that greeting again.”

Simone waved for Michael to take a few steps backward as she reset herself with her coffee cup. Looking a little lost, Michael stepped back a few paces then waited for Simone to motion him over to her. After taking a sip, Simone nodded. Michael began walking back towards her again.

“Hi,” Michael began, almost in a whisper. “Simone?”

“Michael,” Simone greeted and extended her hand.

This time, Michael took her hand gently into his and bent down to kiss her fingers. He maintained eye contact as his lips pressed softly against her hand. She noted that he had even taken his other hand out of his pocket and held it formally behind his back. He righted and put his other hand behind him.

“Much better,” said Simone and smiled. She motioned for him to join her.

Michael pulled out the chair next to Simone and sat down facing the table. Simone studied him a moment, considering his first impression with her and gauging how someone like Suriya might regard him upon meeting him. From where she stood on the catwalk over the hologram cube, she could see plainly that he fit the category of being athletic and muscular, but not in that overly worked out way. His frame was lean like a runner. His shoulders were broad giving him the perfect triangle shape to his torso. Simone found herself staring a little bit too long at the arrow of skin exposed between the collar of his t-shirt and his chin.

“We will be heading out first thing in the morning to get set up at the Sorbonne. Have you ever been there?”

Michael only nodded. He clasped his hands together and sat somewhat hunched over the table, his gaze now focused on something way out in the space of the lounge. Simone grimaced a little, now wondering why it was that he was not looking at her. She took another sip of her coffee, hating the sweet taste as it was beginning to turn her stomach.

“Our target is named Suriya Meijers. She is taking a course in foreign language and has expressed interest in learning Tagalog. Do you know any?”

“A little,” said Michael quietly.

“Do you know enough to carry a conversation if someone started speaking it to you?”

“I can read it more than I can speak it,” said Michael.

“Yeah, well, that’s probably more than she can right now. It’s good, though. It means we can use that to our advantage. You could use that fact as an angle to get close to her.”

Michael only nodded in response. Simone tried another sip and immediately regretted doing so. She shoved the cup a little away from her. Michael’s eyes shifted towards the cup, then floated over to Simone.

“You don’t like it?” he asked, his voice coming out of the air soft and warm.

Simone frowned, not really noticing that Michael was talking to her.

“I can’t drink that shit. It’s too sweet,” she mumbled.

“Would you like tea instead?”

“I drink tea all the time. I want something different.”

“What do you want?”

Simone started to respond, then realized Michael was asking her questions. He was also looking at her, directly at her, with expectation. Simone started to smirk, but left a small grin on her lips.

“What I really want is a nice stiff drink, but fat chance of that being anywhere over there with the coffee,” Simone joked.

“Maybe we should go out for some coffee or tea...or whatever you’d like.”

Simone broadened her smile, folding her arms over her chest.

“Maybe another time, buck-o. Besides, you’re not here to know me. You’re here to know the target. Her name is Suriya, by the way, in case you were wondering who the target is.”

Michael nodded again, pulling his crystal gaze away from Simone and back out to the nothing he was staring at before. Simone felt a slight punch of disappointment noticing Michael no longer looking at her. She scolded herself quietly for being blunt. She pulled herself in once more and continued.

“Here.” Simone passed over a file disc to Michael. “I made a copy of the profile so that you can study it tonight. It may help you to pick out some things about her to direct your story towards her. She’s into guys like you, so you probably won’t have any trouble gaining her attention.”

“Guy’s like me?” Michael turned to her.

Once more, Simone felt a little arrested by his stare.

“Yeah. Guys like you, young, fit, with dark hair. It helps that you’re cute. She will definitely be more open with you. I don’t think it will be that hard to get the two of you together.”

“You think I’m cute?”

Simone gave Michael a curious look, not realizing what she had said, but noticing what Michael took away from it. She swallowed, feeling her mouth grow a little dry.

“You’re handsome. But I’m sure you get that all the time. It’s not news.”

“You must get complimented a lot, too,” said Michael. His gaze remained steady with Simone.

“Yeah, well,” said Simone, dismissing the compliment. “You check all the necessary boxes for her, so...I suggest you pick out a few things in her profile you might make yourself in common with. The more she feels like she has met a kindred spirit, the faster she will fall for you. Once that happens, you can get her to tell you all her dirty little secrets.”

“Why doesn’t the Section just capture her and make her tell them what they want to know? Why go through all this?”

“Because,” Simone adjusted herself into a more comfortable position in her chair. “She has a lot of very important people connections that might not take lightly someone kidnapping her and torturing her for information. Section wants to handle things discreetly.”

“It’ll be quicker if they did.”

It was Simone’s turn to nod now. “Quicker, yes. Effective, probably not. We still have to confirm her involvement with them. All we have are a few mentions of her name on a few transcripts. Both Operations and Madeline think that she is more connected than it appears. Usually, they aren’t wrong in their suspicions.”

“So what am I supposed to be doing here? You all want me to cuddle up to this woman so that she will tell me about her deals with Crimson Sky?” There was a slight edge to Michael’s voice as he spoke.

“Something like that,” said Simone, watching Michael closely. “They want you to get her talking.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. Same way you got me talking to you, I guess.”

Michael quietly pulled in his bottom lip and bit down on it. The simple movement made Simone tilt her head slightly with interest. She felt a small tingle run through her, wondering then what thought just ran in and out his mind.

“I’m sure you won’t have any trouble getting her to talk to you,” Simone assured. “Don’t think too hard about it.”

“What will you be doing?” Again, he turned his disarming eyes on her, probing.

“I’m a bridge,” Simone answered plainly. “A reason for you to be where she is. An excuse. Otherwise, she might not notice you too much.”

“She won’t notice me?”

The look that crossed his face nearly made Simone want to take back what she said immediately. He looked hurt by her words somehow. Simone hesitated a moment before speaking again.

“I mean, she probably wouldn’t make a move towards you if you weren’t directly in front of her...I mean,” suddenly Simone found herself fumbling.

“I know what you mean,” Michael said with a slight smile.

Simone felt like he had just pranked her into fumbling. She looked quickly at her watch. Michael moved his hands up to his chin and propped his elbows on the table, balancing his chin on his fists. He continued to look at Simone, his expression now very pleasant and serene. Simone, once more, found herself stuck in his eyes. For a moment, she and Michael sat simply looking at one another. She took in all the many lovely angles of his face, considering the rigid square of his jaw and the small dimple in his chin. His lips were pink and plump offering the same satin feel he left on her fingers when he kissed them. Her hands hungered to dive into the silken tresses of his deep mahogany curls. Instead, she clutched her own hands, scolding herself for allowing herself to be drawn in by the young recruit’s comely appearance. She cleared her throat and pushed her seat back from the table.

“I have another mission to prepare for in a few minutes. Review the profile. You’ll need to see Madeline for any last minute briefings. I’m sure she is going to want to speak with you before you head out in the morning.”

Simone stood up. Michael remained seated, staring now at the file disc she had just given him. She watched as Michael turned the disc in his fingertips, obviously deep in thought about the upcoming mission. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be fine.”

Michael looked up at Simone. Even though clear anxiousness read in his eyes, he managed a weighty smile. Simone returned the expression before slipping her hand back off his shoulder.

“Thanks, Simone.”

“Don’t mention it. We’re a team, now. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

Simone set down her language books and large three ring binder on the well worn table provided by the University’s library. The room was a little cramped to be a study room. She was certain she had requested a room large enough to host several students. The room she was given could barely hold two people comfortably, let alone three or more. She moved the chairs around so that she could give everyone a little space between them so as not to feel like they were sitting on top of one another.

Might help if they were, Simone thought as she repositioned the chairs. Maybe if Michael were made to sit in Suriya’s lap, she might fall in love just by the fact of being close to him. Simone sat down in her chair and opened one of the language books she carried with her. It had been a while since she had spoken the language. She thought it best she brushed up a little before trying to coach anyone on how to correctly speak it. She was barely past the first page of the book when Suriya stepped into the room. Her dark eyes searched quickly finding Simone seated on one end of the table. She smiled nervously, holding a questioning look in her eyes.

“Suriya?” Simone asked.

“Simone?” Suriya responded.

Simone stood to her feet and extended a hand. Suriya graciously shook it and eased herself into the room. She carried an attache’ case instead of a book satchel, and was dressed as though she were heading straight away to a meeting directly after their session. Simone considered her own attire in comparison, having chosen to wear a worn out and faded sweatshirt and a pair of denim jeans. Her own hair was left long on her shoulders having only been brushed through a few times that day. She watched as Suriya looked over at the other two chairs empty at the table, then back at her.

“I’ve got two other students that will be joining us this evening,” Simone answered with a pleasant smile.

“Oh,” Suriya said, taking off her camel colored coat. “I thought it would just be the two of us.”

“It was, but I’ve found it much easier to learn a language with a partner of sorts. Someone you could conversate with and not feel like you’re getting it wrong while you’re doing it. Don’t worry, they don’t know any more than you do.”

Suriya looked less assured by the statement than comforted. Simone watched her warily as she began pulling out her own language book and note tablet. Her book, Simone noticed, had a plain protective cover on it while her note tablet was a standard black three subject notebook. She set out a pen and a mechanical pencil to take notes with. She checked her watch. It was a silver bracelet with a simple face dotted with diamonds marking the hours. Simone guessed it was an expensive piece likely costing about the same as one semester at the university. Possibly even more. Simone noted the tailored fit of Suriya’s suit and how the deep emerald green of her silk blouse seemed to compliment the heavy dark coils of her hair left long over her shoulders. There was a sliver of white gold around her neck balancing a small silver cross. In her ears, she wore diamond studs. Her lips were a dusky pink. There was a faint hint of rouge on her cheeks while her dark eyes were painted a subtle deep smudge of brown giving them a smokey appearance. For forty-three, she looked breath-taking. Only the tiny lines at the corners of her eyes told of her life of experience and knowledge. If she wanted, she could likely get away with appearing ten years younger if she dressed less severely. Simone figured in her line of work, she probably dressed older in order to be taken seriously by those often seated about conference tables. She knew the feeling well, and understood her.

Simone looked down at her own plain watch and sighed.

“I’m gonna give the others another minute or so to get in here before we begin,” she announced.

Suriya nodded. Simone looked at the door, wondering what was keeping Michael and the other stage operative, Kevin, from showing up on time. The sequence was set to begin already and they were delaying the start time. She tapped her pen anxiously on the table then shot Suriya a nervous smile. They chuckled absently without really knowing why. Simone looked back at the door again. Finally, the door cracked open. Simone sat up to see Michael peeking into the room, his eyes wide and searching.

“Come on in. We were just about to begin,” said Simone, relaxing upon seeing Michael.

He looked over the small room as if expecting something else before pulling himself inside. He was dressed like a student wearing a faded green sweatshirt, acid washed jeans and a large brown leather jacket. His hair was still a little mussed like he had been running across campus. He slung a canvas and leather satchel off his shoulder and dumped it at the seat next to Suriya. Simone watched him warily as she extended her hand to him.

“Good of you to join us.”

Michael, with practiced fluidity, took hold of her hand and landed a quick kiss to her fingers before settling down in his seat. Out of the corner of her eye, Simone saw Suriya watching with interest. The other operative, Kevin, did not show up. Simone started the first lesson asking both Michael and Suriya where they were in their language books and what they needed help on most first.

Suriya was direct with what she wanted to know more about, producing a checklist of her exact questions. Both Michael and Simone raised eyebrows at the near anal organization of Suriya’s notes.

“What about you?” Simone turned to Michael.

Michael faltered, blinking wide eyed and looking somewhat fearful before answering. He looked over at Suriya and her notes then back to Simone.

“Um, I think maybe the same thing as she said,” Michael cut a glance over at Suriya and smiled.

Simone smirked. Suriya attempted to look unaffected, but Simone could tell she was enjoying herself by the way she traded a glance back over to Michael. Simone reached for Suriya’s notes.

“Okay, then maybe we will just go off of your guide and start from there.”

Simone continued the lesson review, paying careful attention to the way Michael and Suriya were interacting. Michael traded glances and smiles with Suriya, flirting mostly with his eyes. He purposely stumbled over pronunciations so that Suriya could correct him and watch as his lips rounded over the words slowly. He was doing well with keeping eye contact, staring into her with such quiet intensity that it made Simone feel slightly intrusive. She could detect a definite chemistry beginning to develop between the two as they worked together.

Simone looked down at her watch quickly. Michael and Suriya began to laugh at a mispronunciation of a word. Suriya reached and touched Michael’s hand. The look on Michael’s face was both unexpected and touching as he regarded the hand cupped over his. For a moment, he and Suriya simply looked deeply into each other.

Simone closed her language book.

“I think that’s good for today. Let’s plan to meet back again at the same time on Wednesday.”

Both Michael and Suriya seemed too distracted with one another to notice Simone standing to her feet. Finally, Suriya looked up, noticing Simone.

“Are we done?” she asked, somewhat surprised.

“Yeah. We’re done,” said Simone with a smile. “You guys did good work. Let’s bring that same energy back on our next meeting.”

Suriya nodded. She looked quickly back at Michael and pulled her hands from him. Simone caught a sudden look of disappointment cross Michael’s face as Suriya began packing away her notepads and language book. Simone pretended to be heavily distracted by packing away her own materials as she listened.

“I’m happy that you are in this study group,” Michael said. “Didn’t think I would find anyone else who would be interested in learning Tagalog like me.”

“It’s not a language that many people want to learn. Most people would rather learn Italian, Portuguese, or Latin.” Suriya carefully placed her materials in her case.

“Why are you learning Tagalog?” Michael was direct which surprised both Suriya and Simone.

Suriya turned to Michael, pausing what she was doing. She studied him a moment, questioning his question. He responded back with a steady look of expectation.

“Well,” Suriya shrugged. “I’m planning on moving to the Philippines soon, so…”

“Don’t they speak English there?”

Simone cut a look at Michael, warning him to back off a little. He only tilted his head and smiled at Suriya.

“They do,” said Suriya, “but they also speak Tagalog. I want to make sure I can communicate no matter who is speaking to me.”

Michael nodded. Suriya stood up from the table. Michael stood as well. He reached for her attache’ case as Suriya fussed with her full length coat.

“Let me get that for you while you put on your coat,” Michael said in a somewhat hushed voice.

Suriya smiled and quietly thanked him. Michael returned her smile. Simone stood as well, gathering her materials. She watched as Michael followed Suriya out of the study room and into the library.

“Thank you, again,” said Suriya, reaching for her case.

Michael handed it over to her, almost reluctantly.

“I’m glad you’re in this study group.”

“You said that already,” said Suriya, her expression pleasant.

Michael toed the floor a little, thinking of something more to say. He looked almost bashful as he appeared to fumble with whatever was going on in his head and what he wanted to say.

“I know,” Michael said quietly.

“The time went by so quickly in there. I feel like I just took a lightning course,” Suriya giggled.

“It did go by fast...Maybe a little too fast. Kinda wanted to do a little more work...Stay a little longer.”

They laughed again together, softly. Michael threw a quick look over his shoulder before focusing squarely on Suriya, capturing her eyes. He took a step closer to her. She stood, clutching her attache’ case to her breast as she stared arrested in front of Michael. He looked down at his shoes.

“Sort of wish it were already Tuesday,” said Michael.

“Why would you want it to be Tuesday now?” Suriya looked puzzled.

“Because that would make tomorrow Wednesday...and I could see you again.” Michael flicked his crystal eyes back up to Suriya.

Suriya blushed, then tried to hide it behind her hand. She turned nervously, as if about to leave, then changed her mind. She looked back at Michael and found him still staring at her with soft and wary eyes.

“I better get going. I’m going to be late for an appointment,” Suriya said as if trying to convince herself of her own reason.

“You take care then,” said Michael.

Suriya nodded. “Sure.”

She started to rush off when Michael reached and took her hand. He kept his eyes steady with her as he bent and pressed his lips to the row of delicate fingers. Suriya’s eyes widened with both shock and fascination. Michael released her hand and stood back half a step to fully regard her. Suriya did not hide her smile. She took a slow step backward before turning and walking away. As she descended the steps, she looked up at Michael one last time, catching him watching her leave. Once she disappeared from view, Michael put his hands in the pockets of his jacket and swayed on his heels. Simone walked up to Michael, handing him his satchel.

“Good job,” she said.

Michael grinned to himself, taking the satchel and slinging it over his shoulder.

Madeline smiled as Simone took a seat in the large arm chair and picked up the tea cup set out before her on the coffee table. She took her own cup and saucer, pulling it up to her ruby lips and taking a sip. Simone also drank a little of her tea, balancing the small cup on the saucer.

“I’m interested to know how it went,” said Madeline.

“The meeting went well. No problems.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“Kevin didn’t show up, though,” said Simone before taking another drink. “Any reason why he wasn’t there?”

“We needed him elsewhere. It was a last minute change,” Madeline explained evenly.

“Why wasn’t I informed of the change?”

“There wasn’t any time to relay that information. I’m sure you did fine in making the necessary adjustment.”

“Just wish I had known he wasn’t coming. I spent the entire time feeling like a third wheel on a date.” Simone did not hide her disdain.

Madeline smiled behind her tea cup. Simone smirked.

“It just felt a little awkward trying to act like I was doing something else so that they could get a moment to feel each other out. Would have been better to have someone else to interact with.”

“My apologies. There will be someone there on your next session. Would you prefer a man or woman?”

Simone waved the idea away as unimportant. “Doesn’t matter, so long as it’s someone else. If I have to sit through another minute of their flirting, I’m going to be sick.”

“How was Michael’s flirting? Was he effective?”

“Effective?” Simone thought for a moment. “Yes. I would say so. He definitely got her attention, and kept it the entire time. I don’t think she would have noticed if I got up and left the room. Probably hoped that I would.”

“Why didn’t you?”

Simone hesitated a moment as she looked at Madeline. There were few times where she was caught off guard and left without words. Her brow furrowed a little, trying to think of an answer to Madeline’s very pointed question.

“Should I have left them alone?” Simone was asking herself the question more than Madeline.

“Probably would not have hurt things. Seems to me Michael had things under control.” Madeline sipped her tea.

Sione nodded absently, still thinking of why she had not simply left the room when it appeared Michael and Suriya were gaining ground together. The only reason she could think of why she did not leave was something she did not want to admit to herself, let alone Madeline. She did not want to say that Michael’s slow seduction had caught her attention as well as Suriya’s. She had found herself staring at him just as much as Suriya was, and enjoying every secretive moment he shared with her. She had found his aloofness adorable, and his quiet demeanor alluring. Even the soft way he held his pencil, balancing it playfully against his lips made her begin to fantasize. There had been a moment as he was speaking nearly fluent Tagalog that both Suriya and Simone sat transfixed. Certainly if there had been another person there, she might not have noticed Michael as much. Of course, with the way he seemed to command attention, she could not guarantee she would not still find herself paying attention to him.

“It would have been a little odd if I suddenly left out without a good reason. Maybe next time, I’ll leave them alone for a while. Maybe get called out of the room or something.”

“You could have said that you were simply going to the bathroom,” Madeline offered, still warily staring at Simone from over the rim of her cup. “But...considering we would have wanted to know what was being said, it was probably best you stayed.”

Simone only shrugged. She finished her tea and sat the cup and saucer on the table. Madeline continued to sip leisurely at her cup. Simone clasped her hands in her lap, beginning to look around at all the many different plants Madeline kept in her subterranean nursery.

“On your next meeting, Michael will need to get close with her and set up a date. He needs to spend as much time around Suriya as he can so that he can begin to work her for information. We will work out a scenario for you to go missing for a few minutes so that he can draw her in more. I’m sure with you watching them, they aren’t too inclined to be romantic.”

“I don’t think they would barely even notice me there,” said Simone.

“That may be, but I think it would be better if you weren’t hovering over them.”

“It’s just been the first meeting,” Simone reasoned.

She was beginning to wonder why it was that Madeline was insisting on leaving Michael with Suriya, especially when it was his first live mission in a honey trap. She repositioned herself, uncrossing her legs and sitting up resting her elbows on her knees.

“We don’t have a lot of time to develop their relationship. We will need to move them towards each other quickly. Michael understands this. I need to be assured that you do as well.” Finally, Madeline sat down her tea cup and saucer.

“I’m fine with it,” said Simone, almost dismissively. “I’ll make sure I give them plenty of room in our next session.”

“Good.” Madeline pushed up a closed lip smile before standing to her feet. “You have a day between meetings. We need some assistance in Systems. Do you mind picking up a shift?”

Madeline crossed over to her desk and sat down in front of her monitor. Simone looked after Madeline, realizing their meeting had come to an end. She stood to her feet.

“Of course,” Simone assented. She started towards the door.

“Simone,” Madeline called just before Simone reached the door. “Keep an eye on Michael. He may appear as though he is going along with you, but he still, at times, gets his loyalties mixed up when his feelings become involved. Help remind him what he is there to do, and keep him focused. Michael is currently in his quarters on Level 6, in case you wanted to know where to find him.”

Simone reached the door for Room 9. She paused a moment before knocking. She sighed, feeling a bit weary from the day. She stretched her back pulling her arms over her head, then bending down to her feet.

The door opened.

Simone found herself staring at bare feet. Her eyes moved up a pair of hairy legs, knees, then the start of sinewy thighs covered by a white terry cloth towel twisted around a small waist. A ripple of muscles framed a tiny oval shaped navel, leading towards a naked expanse of pectorals. A small, silver cross lay in the slight cleavage of his chest.

“What are you doing here?”

Simone stood upright, focusing on Michael’s face. His expression crossed between annoyance and suspicion. Simone was a little surprised by the sudden hardness of his stare.

“I wanted to talk to you about today,” said Simone.

“Can’t it wait?”

“You don’t have to stop what you were doing on account of me,” said Simone. She pushed past Michael and entered into his room.

She half expected the room to be like any other young bachelor room with clothes strewn about in various stages of rankness, maybe even discarded cans of soda pop lying on the floor, along with magazines of general interests. Instead, Michael’s room was impressively neat with hardly any semblance of there being anyone living within it. The bed was made with near military precision. The side table held a lamp and an alarm clock and nothing else. The floor was free of clothing and dirt having been meticulously swept clean. Apart from Michael standing in the room half naked, there was little in the room that indicated anyone lived there at all. Simone pulled out the chair to the desk positioned against the wall and sat down. Michael watched her for a moment longer, deciding, before turning back towards the small closet-like bathroom adjoined to the room.

“I never got a chance to ask you how you felt about the meeting today.” Simone continued to look about the spartan like room. Either he didn’t own much of anything, or he hid everything from plain view.

“Does it matter what I think?” Michael answered before disappearing into the bathroom.

“I’d like your opinion about the target.” Simone folded her hands in her lap.

“You mean Suriya?”

“Yeah, her. What do you think of her?”

“She seems okay,” said Michael from inside the bathroom. “I didn’t really get to know her that well, but she seems nice.”

“Do you like her?” Simone crossed her legs.

“I said she’s okay. Doesn’t really matter if I like her or not. I’ll still have to do the job.”

Simone sucked her teeth. He was right in saying that it did not matter whether or not he liked the target. He would still be expected to perform regardless of his personal feelings, but she did wonder a little. From the way he interacted with Suriya, it seemed he was just as enamored with her as she was obviously with him. She wasn’t sure exactly why it concerned her, but she could not help the question either. Something within her had to know.

“It would help with the mission if you did sort of like her. Might make the rest of the mission a little easier to commit to.”

Michael walked out of the bathroom, the towel still wrapped about his waist. He went to his wardrobe closet and began picking out something to wear for the rest of the day. From the selection, she guessed he was preparing for another workout session with Jurgen in the training room.

“Why would it be hard for me to commit? What exactly will I be doing?” Michael asked without looking at Simone. Instead, he held up two t-shirts, deciding between the grey or black one.

“You’ll need to get close to her in every way possible,” said Simone. She struggled a little to keep her eyes focused on the back of his head and not slide down the rest of his body. “She will need to be in love with you by the end of the week.”

“That’s impossible,” Michael retorted. He pulled out a pair of fitted pants and shook them free of wrinkles with a single snap of the fabric against the air.

“You don’t think you could get her to fall for you in that time?”

Michael gathered the black t-shirt and pants to return to the bathroom.

“End of this week, no. End of next week, maybe.”

“Next week?” Simone was curious.

“She’s not the type to trust easily,” said Michael from behind the partially cracked bathroom door. “She is guarded.”

“Maybe if I left the two of you alone, you could break down some of her walls. Get her to be more open with you.”

Michael appeared from the bathroom, now fully clothed. He ran his fingers through his hair before going to his side table and pulling open the drawer.

“If you do, don’t stay gone long. She feels comfortable with you there. She won’t like being alone with me for too long.” Michael pulled out a leather watch and began fastening it around his wrist.

“How do you know this?” asked Simone.

“I can just tell,” said Michael plainly. He crossed back to his closet and toed his feet into a pair of sneakers.

“It’s wild how you already have her figured out after only an hour with her.”

“I don’t really have her figured out. I just know she won’t want to be alone with me in the beginning. She’s not in control of it. When she feels comfortable enough, she will let me know.”

Michael grabbed his sweater jacket and pulled one arm through the sleeve, then the other, straightening the hoodie back over his shoulders. Simone watched with growing curiosity as he straightened out his clothing and zipped up the jacket part way stopping just below his sternum. He started towards the door, then looked over at Simone. He extended his hand, assisting her to her feet. Simone could not stop herself from smiling no matter how much she wanted to push it down into the back of her throat. He opened the door and held it so that she could walk through. Once in the hall, Simone waited while Michael closed his door and stuffed the key card in his jacket pocket.

“Your next meeting with her, you’re going to have to convince her to spend more time with you. Get her to go out with you.” Simone began walking with Michael as he headed towards the training room.

Michael said nothing as they walked. They went through another door with him holding it open for her to walk through. As she passed close to him, she could smell the scent of his soap and the shampoo he used in his hair. They were gentle scents, subtle and clean, almost private to just him.

“I’ll set up a scenario for the two of you to be alone for a little while. That should give you enough time to make a move with her and ask her out on a date. Walter can have the comms ready that afternoon if you get her to go out with you that evening.”

They made their way down the steps of the back stairwell. Michael moved ahead of her and reached back to help her down the stairs. Simone stepped carefully down the metal steps, secretly hating her choice to wear her stiletto boots again, knowing she would be moving about Section’s many levels with daily tasks. If she were not following Michael around, she would have taken the elevators, she thought. Of course, there was a measure of pleasure she grasped from being around the young recruit. Despite the ache in her feet, she did not mind it as much with Michael.

“Feel her out a little, and keep doing that thing you do with your eyes. She seems to like that. Don’t be so direct with her, though. Could turn her off. We need her to like you enough to want to spend more time with you.”

They stepped through the doorway leading to the training room. Just down the corridor stood Jurgen, panel in hand, glasses perched on the ridge of his upturned nose, waiting. His expression was severe as always leaving many to wonder if he ever smiled. Michael stopped and turned to Simone.

“Anything else you want to tell me before I go?”

Simone caught the edge in his tone and was a little surprised by it.

“No. That’s all,” said Simone, matching his tone.

Michael turned and started towards Jurgen.

“I’m only telling you this to help. Don’t take it personally.”

“The only thing I’m taking personal is the fact you think I can’t get a date without help,” said Michael as he walked towards Jurgen.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Simone defended.

“You were just helping, right.”

Michael walked past Jurgen into the training room. Jurgen looked back at Simone for a moment, assessing the conversation, before turning on his heels to join Michael. Simone stood with her hands on her hips, considering what had just happened. The heat from his words had taken her by surprise and left her mute. She was alone in the hall with only the image of Michael walking away left in her memory.

Suriya walked into the study room at the library carrying a smile along with her attache’ case. Her eyes went directly to Michael already seated in his chair at the table. Another operative, a man about the same age as Michael named Lewis, sat on the far end of the table on his phone talking to someone. Michael glanced up and smiled warmly as Suriya took her seat. As usual, she was dressed smartly in a tailored grey belted dress and black high heels. She wore a fur lined black cape and smelled of an expensive musk-like perfume that filled the room. She took off her cape and draped it over the back of her chair. Michael quickly pulled her chair out for her. She smiled at Michael and eased into the chair.

“It’s Wednesday,” said Michael with a spreading smile.

“So it is,” said Suriya. “I will admit I was actually looking forward to today.”

“Were you? Why was that?” Michael leaned forward towards Suriya and crossed his arms over his chest, hugging himself.

“I knew I would see you,” said Suriya, somewhat bashful. She turned away to hide the very obvious blush happening in her cheeks.

Michael kept his smile as he tilted his head. Suriya swept her eyes over towards him, then allowed them to fall a little, not able to hold his gaze long without grinning. The room door opened allowing in Simone. She had chosen to wear a pair of jeans and a yellow cropped sweater over a contrasting blue tank top. Her hair was styled in two braids, and she left her lips bare with only lip balm on them. Even though she looked young for her age of twenty-five, dressing like the students at the university made her look even younger. Michael looked up to see who had come into the room. His eyes went wide for a moment upon seeing Simone walk in and take her seat. Simone looked wistfully over the table before taking out her language book and her notes from their last session.

“I think we left off with subject verb agreement, or was it just general conversation?” Simone flipped the pages in her notes.

“It was general conversation,” answered Suriya, her eyes steady with Michael, noticing the change in his expression.

“Right,” said Simone, flipping to a blank page on her notepad. “What did you review today in class?”

Suriya relayed what was taught in her class from that morning. Michael looked down at the table with his hands cupping one another. He wore a flannel green and yellow plaid shirt over a tan colored shirt and dark denim jeans. His hair was a tousled mess, as usual, but the riot of curls seemed oddly styled. As the lesson continued, he maintained his concentration with Suriya, purposefully not looking at Simone unless she spoke to him. The other operative, Lewis, looked a little bored with the exercise as he already knew Tagalog fluently. A few times, Simone had to give him a stern warning look when he began to answer her questions in practiced Tagalog. Both Suriya and Michael looked at Lewis with question.

Simone looked down at her watch. She knew her phone would soon begin to buzz, calling her away from the room to give Michael and Suriya time to speak to one another. Lewis excused himself from the room stating a little too loudly that he had to go to the bathroom.

“Let’s move on to the next objective,” Simone said as Lewis left the room.

Michael pulled in a sigh. Both Simone and Suriya cut glances at him. Simone’s phone began to buzz. The number on the phone was one that she was expecting, but the ringing still felt intrusive. She picked up the phone and answered.

“Leave the room,” said a male voice on the other end.

“Sure,” Simone responded and got up from her seat.

She could feel Michael’s eyes on her as she opened the door to leave. She almost did not want to leave the room, but she knew she had to. After she had entered the room to sit down, she had placed a microphone under the table to record everything being said between Michael and Suriya. She put her comm unit in her ear and listened in on what Michael and Suriya were saying.

“Okay, I’m out,” said Simone and walked a little ways down the hall from the study room.

“I’ll let you know when to come back in,” said the operative on the other end of the phone.

Michael looked at the door before turning back to Suriya. She was busy checking through her messages on her phone. After a moment, she put down her phone then looked around the room. Her eyes went several times towards the door as if expecting someone to come through it. Instead, she only met Michael still looking at her with kind eyes.

“Everyone just left,” she stated.

“They will be back,” said Michael softly.

“Guess it’s the best time to take a break. We didn’t last time.”

“We were having such a great time, I don’t think any of us noticed.”

“You were having a good time?” Suriya looked a little doubtful.

“Sure,” said Michael, repositioning himself so that he leaned back in his seat and stretched himself to length. “You didn’t?”

“Well, I guess I did. This is a tutoring session, so…” Suriya let the thought drop. She pulled in her own sigh, moving her eyes away from Michael and focused on her notes.

“Would you like to go out? There’s a very nice coffee place near here. We could grab a cup.”

Suriya looked up, a little shocked by Michael’s suggestion. She could not help the short laugh that popped out of her. She shook her head.

“I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

Suriya looked at Michael, trying to read his intention. Michael remained pleasant. She shook her head again, letting out another nervous laugh.

“You’re sweet, honey. But I don’t think it would be a good idea. Believe me, I’m flattered.”

“Why would it be a bad idea? You don’t like coffee?”

“I like coffee. That’s not it.”

“Then what is it?”

Suriya clasped her hands together and propped her elbows on the table. She rested her chin on her hands, staring at the far wall.

“How old are you?” she asked.

“Twenty-three.”

“Oh my God,” Suriya said more to herself. “You’re nearly half my age.”

“So,” said Michael, undeterred. “What does our age have to do with going to get coffee?”

“Nothing, I suppose. It’s just that…” Suriya struggled to complete a thought.

“It’s just coffee, Suriya,” said Michael. “I don’t think there are age restrictions on drinking it.”

“No...there isn’t.” Suriya looked back at Michael, still reclined in his seat.

“Besides, an hour is not enough time. I want more.”

“More?” Suriya looked puzzled. “More of what?”

“More time with you, of course.” Michael leaned forward, drawing closer to her. “Don’t you want more time with me?”

Suriya reacted with a slight shiver as a ripple of excitement traveled through her. They were face to face, staring at each other. She stayed captured in his gaze a moment, before moving her eyes away from him. Another laugh lightly lifted from her.

“This is unbelievable. You can’t be serious with me.”

“Why?”

“Because, Michael,” Suriya began, turning to face him and level her gaze with him so that he understood her meaning. “I’m way older than you. There are so many other pretty girls your own age on this campus. Hell, even our tutor is super cute. Can you honestly tell me that you aren’t interested in any of them?”

“The other girls on this campus are beautiful.”

“Of course they are,” Suriya scoffed.

“But so are you,” Michael fired back. He did not move a muscle as he spoke, meeting her gaze with just as much intensity as she was giving.

Suriya sat for a moment, unable to respond. She furrowed her brow, thinking heavily about Michael’s words.

“What is it that you want?” she asked finally.

“To have coffee with you, if I can. I’d like to take you out to dinner, but I think coffee would be okay...for now.”

Suriya watched Michael a minute longer before nodding. She leaned back in her seat and reached for her attache’ case. She opened it and began flipping through a collection of cards stacked in a card holder inside the case. She pulled out a business card and held it in her fingertips. Her expression read clearly that she was quietly battling herself about a decision. She cast another glance at Michael, before flipping the card over to him.

“I can’t go with you for coffee, but I could go for that dinner.”

Suriya smiled as Michael took the card and looked at it.

“Any place you would like to go?” Michael asked as he turned the card around in his fingertips.

“This is your date. You pick the place.” Suriya gave Michael a wry grin.

“Do you like Italian?”” Michael put the card in his jean pocket.

“So long as it’s not just spaghetti.”

“I know a place that serves a fantastic manicotti. We could order a bottle of wine.”

“Sounds expensive. Are you sure you can handle that?” Suriya gave Michael a knowing look.

“It’s my date, isn’t it? ”

The door opened, allowing in Lewis. He maneuvered around Michael and Suriya to get to his seat. Simone came in shortly after, taking her seat. She looked at her watch.

“Okay. Where were we?”

Instead of answering, Michael and Suriya only exchanged glances and smiles.

“Where are you taking her?”

Michael pulled on a powder blue dress shirt and began buttoning it. He stood in front of the full length mirror in Madeline’s wardrobe area and tucked the shirt neatly into the dark grey trousers selected for him to wear. Reclined on the cranberry couch was Simone, twirling a pair of scissors on her index finger. Her legs draped over the arm of the couch and kicked the air playfully. She was still in her jeans and cropped sweater looking very much out of place among the dark suits roaming about Section.

“Il Piacere.”

Simone nodded, approving of the choice. She continued to twirl the scissors and kick her legs. Michael reached for a tie and wrapped it about his neck.

“Nice choice. She will like that alot. Are you understanding what information you need to try and get from her tonight? Did Madeline tell you?”

“She made a few suggestions.” Michael fumbled with the tie, failing his first attempt at tying it.

“We need you to get her to talk about her current project. Why she is moving to the Philippines. Maybe even get her to divulge a name we might research.” Simone cut a glance over to Michael.

“It’s our first dinner date together. I doubt she will spill all her beans on the table. Like I said, she’s guarded. I’m merely going to concentrate on building her trust.” He pulled the tie off again, this time showing his frustration.

“Still, you’ll need to get something out of her. Doesn’t matter what, just so long as it’s something we could use. Right now, we don’t have anything linking her to Crimson Sky except that her name came up in an intercepted transmission.”

Simone put down the scissors and slung her feet over to the floor. She popped up from the couch and walked over to where Michael stood, trying and failing again at tying his own tie.

“Operations and Madeline are patient people,” Simone began as she took hold of the tie out of Michael’s hands. “But they aren’t that patient. They are going to want to see some results soon.”

“It’s only been two days since we’ve made contact with her,” said Michael, allowing Simone to fashion the knot in his tie for him.

Simone looped the fabric and pulled it into place neatly.

“For them, it’s been two days too long. That means, you’re gonna have to hurry it up with getting her to talk.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. Charm her. Drug her. Doesn’t matter. Just get the information.” Simone pulled the knot up tighter against Michael’s neck, nearly choking him. “I don’t have to tell you what could happen if you don’t.”

Simone let go of the tie and relaxed back from Michael. He stared at her, his eyes reading an intense emotion that hovered between fear and anger. He slowly adjusted the tie so that it did not hug his throat so tightly, then studied himself in the mirror. Simone reached for his suit jacket and held it open for him to put his arms through the sleeves. Michael shrugged on the jacket, pulling at the lapels to adjust the fit over his broad shoulders.

“What’s your plan for after dinner?” asked Simone, wiping his shoulders free of wrinkles in the jacket.

“What do you mean?” Michael pulled down the cuffs of his shirt.

“You know, after dinner,” said Simone, somewhat candidly. “Once you’ve charmed her into taking you home. What’s your strategy? Are you going to try and sweet talk her into sleeping with you, or are you going to just go for it?”

A confused expression crossed over Michael’s face. He continued to straighten his sleeves inside his jacket.

“I don’t think I will have to worry about that.”

“It’s a possibility that could happen between the two of you,” said Simone with meaning. She touched his back, rubbing the fabric of the coat gingerly with her finger tips.

Michael cast a glance over his shoulder at Simone.

“What makes you say that?”

“I’ve seen you two together. Don’t lie and say it hasn’t crossed your mind.”

Michael straightened and buttoned his jacket closed.

“Even if that were a possibility, which I doubt it is, I wouldn’t do it now.”

“Why not?”

Michael turned to Simone, leveling his gaze with her.

“It’s too soon.”

Simone lifted her chin slightly. She studied Michael standing in his suit looking more handsome than she could have ever imagined he could look. Even though he was younger than she was, and far younger than Suriya, he looked very mature and stately, almost regal.

“Well? What do you think?”

Simone grinned approvingly. She nodded, then walked back over to where she was sitting on the couch. She dragged over her bag and opened a compartment on the side. She rummaged around finding a small satin pouch. She opened it and pulled out a single condom. Turning in a spin, she walked over to Michael and held out the contraception between two fingers.

“What’s this?” Michael asked.

“Protection,” Simone answered matter-of-factly. “Just in case.”

Michael brushed away Simone’s hand, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

“I’m not going to need that.”

Simone ignored his brush away and presented the small purple package again.

“You never know. A good operative is always prepared for anything.”

Simone grabbed Michael’s hand and pressed the package into his palm. She smiled with a devilish air in her eyes. Michael looked down at his hand, then back at Simone. She walked back over to the couch and flopped down on the cushions, leaning back and crossing her legs. Michael looked again at the condom, then slowly stuffed it into his pocket. His expression remained partially shocked as he finished putting on his watch. Simone continued to look amused as she watched Michael getting ready for his date. Madeline entered the office and clasped her hands together in front of her. She considered Michael’s attire in a motherly fashion as if she were a proud parent sending her baby boy off to the prom. Michael only threw her a wary glance as he pocketed his wallet, some lip balm, and the keys to the car he would be driving for the evening.

“You look great, Michael,” Madeline complimented in her smooth alto voice. “I’m sure Suriya will adore you.”

Simone smirked.

“Thank you,” said Michael quietly. His eyes shifted towards Simone.

There was a slight look of uncertainty in his gaze as he walked past the two women. Madeline reached out and touched Michael’s arm just as he passed her.

“We will be listening in on your evening. Richards will remind you of your topics...if you need it. I’m sure you’ll do fine, though.”

Madeline’s deep brown gaze landed heavily with Michael. He returned a nervous smile and nodded before pulling away. He looked again at Simone who waved her fingers at him as he left the office. Madeline made her way over to a bank of plants and began inspecting them. Simone gathered her bag and stood to her feet, preparing to leave the office.

“We will give Michael thirty minutes to get settled with the target,” said Madeline, not looking at Simone, but certainly demanding her attention. “I will expect you to be on the line as well.”

Simone slung her bag over her shoulder and nodded.

“Be back here in an hour.”

Simone started for the door.

“One more thing, Simone.” Madeline turned to face Simone just as she reached the double doors to her office. “Michael is a very special operative. Once of our most promising students.”

Simone turned and put her hands on her hips. Madeline took a few slow and measured steps towards Simone, keeping her eyes level and calm with her. Her expression, although serene, still held a seriousness hiding just behind her eyes. It reminded Simone of the way a tiger would look, slowly moving towards its prey with studied concentration. She took a stance, also showing readied calmness in her expression.

“Although I do understand your desire to make sure that this mission goes smoothly, it’s not necessary to guide everything. Michael is very capable on his own.”

“Michael is young and is prone to make mistakes.”

“So are you.”

“He’s still a recruit. Green.”

“Yes, but he has moved up quickly, and that’s not by happenstance. All that I’m suggesting is that you give him a little room to work.”

“I haven’t interfered.”

Madeline shrugged. “Just an observation.”

Simone thought a moment before turning on her heels and leaving the office.

“Team One, do you have Michael in your sights?” asked Madeline.

“Yes. He just pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. He is giving his keys to the valet now,” responded Team One’s leader.

“Good. Has our target arrived yet?”

“No. Not yet. Michael, do you read?”

“Standing by,” said Michael calmly.

Simone stood next to Madeline in Communications as they listened in over Michael’s radio. The team shadowing Michael took positions about the restaurant posing as waiters, valets, and general guests. The weather outside was a little chilly as fall slowly became winter. Michael could be seen pulling his long overcoat around him tighter from the viewpoint of a shadow operative surveying from across the street. Standing in his long coat and suit, his hair combed back away from his face and curling just behind his ears, he looked even more dashing against the backdrop of the italian diner. Simone looked down at her feet as she leaned against a desk with her ankles crossed. She could feel her own heart speeding up a little as she watched Michael wait for Suriya to arrive. Madeline cut a glance at Simone, considering her demeanor as they waited. A curious look passed over her face, connecting the way Simone was not watching the monitors when it was just Michael on screen.

“Another car is approaching now,” announced the lead operative. “Tanner stand by.”

The operative Tanner prepared himself, stepping up from the valet podium to take the net vehicle pulling into the parking circle. He opened the door and escorted a tall, sleek woman dressed in a slinky black dress out of her car. Her long dark hair was swept to one side of her face, allowing chandelier diamond earrings to display along her slender neck. Despite the cold, she wore a white fur wrap about her shoulders. The light from the restaurant caught the silvery glint of her tennis bracelet. One strappy sandaled foot stepped onto the sidewalk where Michael stepped forward. He took the woman’s hand and kissed it sweetly.

“She looks lovely,” said Madeline.

Simone did not speak. Instead, she crossed her arms and rested even further against the desk.

Michael offered his arm to escort Suriya into the restaurant.

“You look amazing tonight,” Michael said as they entered the vestibule. He opened the door for Suriya and led her inside.

“You look very nice, as well,” said Suriya. Her eyes swept over Michael ending with a swift approving grin.

Simone’s jaw clenched a little. She caught Madeline looking at her, and straightened herself. Behind her, Richards, the Communications Officer, did not hide a knowing giggle. She shot him a warning look making him return his attention to his monitor.

Michael and Suriya took a table close to the center of the restaurant. Michael held out her chair as she slid herself into it, thanking him. Michael unhooked the buttons on his jacket and sat down. Simone noted the mark of etiquette classes. He seemed to be using every proper gesture taught, even down to how he should position his napkin in his lap and what to do with his water glass in conjunction with his wine glass. In the soft lights of the restaurant, the two of them looked like movie stars. Simone listened as Michael started light conversation, once more complimenting Suriya. She returned the compliment, adding that he did not look his age.

“Really?” Michael said, interested.

“Yes. If I didn’t know better, I would think you were much older.” Suriya took a drink of her water.

Michael tilted his head. “How much older?”

Suriya looked around the restaurant. “How did you know about this place? Your parents take you here?”

“No,” said Michael somewhat flatly. “I like to try different places at times. Different foods. Experiences.”

“Hmmm. So you’re an explorer of sorts.”

“You could say that.”

The waiter approached the table and began laying down two menus. He placed a basket of breadsticks and a small saucer on the table. He pulled out a bottle of olive oil and parmesan cheese from his apron pocket.

“Would you like more time to decide?” he asked in Italian.

“Si, grazie,” Michael responded in perfect Italian. “Could you bring a bottle of chablis?”

“Certo signore.”

The waiter left the table. Suriya took another drink from her glass as Michael opened his menu.

“Italian,” she said.

“Yes,” said Michael, still perusing the selections on the menu.

“Spend time in Italy?”

“My family would vacation in Venice from time to time. Have you been there?”

“I like to go to Milan every now and then.”

“Beautiful city. Lovely, picturesque countrysides, and gorgeous architecture,” Michael mused.

“Amazing shopping.”

Michael looked up from his menu to catch Suriya staring back at him with play in her eyes. He smiled and set down the menu. The waiter returned with a bottle of Chablis and poured a small sample for Michael to try. Michael swirled the wine in the glass before taking a sip. Satisfied, he nodded his approval and passed his glass over to the waiter to fill the glass.

“He must have done this before,” said Simone more to herself.

“He is very attentive and takes direction quite well,” said Madeline.

Simone glanced over at Madeline, considering her words. She had not meant to say her thoughts aloud, especially loud enough for Madeline to hear. She bit her bottom lip.

“Parker. Focus your camera. You’re a little fuzzy,” said Richards.

The visual on the second screen of Michael and Suriya moved in and out of focus for a second before displaying a sharper image. Madeline continued to stand as the evening moved on.

“This is good,” said Suriya, tasting the wine.

“Are we ready?” asked the waiter.

“What do you want?” Michael asked, but Simone detected another meaning to his words by the way he was looking at Suriya.

Suriya seemed oblivious to Michael’s hidden meaning. She flipped through the menu quickly, sliding her finger down the line of entree options. The waiter patiently awaited while Suriya took a moment to decide. Finally, she gave her order to the waiter, settling on Carne Pizzaiola. Michael ordered the manicotti. The waiter took the menus and bowed away from the table.

“Ask her about her work,” Madeline instructed.

“So what do you do, exactly?” Michael asked.

“What do you mean?” Suriya grabbed a breadstick and began gnawing somewhat boorishly on the end of it.

“What do you do for work?”

Michael poured the oil onto the plate and shook some parmesan into the oil. He took the bread from Suriya and broke it apart to dip the bread into the oil and cheese mixture. Instead of handing the bread back to her, he held it out for her to take a bite from his hand. Suriya looked baffled at first, then understood what it was that he was doing. She smiled and slowly bit a piece off the offered breadstick.

Madeline nodded her approval, but still looked reticent with saying anything more. Simone watched, her curiosity peaked.

“I work as a financial advisor with a brokerage firm,” Suriya finally answered.

“Do you like it?” Michael dipped his own bread and took a bite.

“It provides its own joys,” said Suriya. “Some days are more stressful than others.”

Michael tilted his head. “What firm?”

Suriya swirled the other half of the breadstick in the oil and bit off a piece of bread.

“Does it matter? Why do you want to know?”

“I might want to invest there.”

Suriya did not hide her laugh. She took a long drink of her wine.

“I highly doubt you would need my firm’s services. I work with some pretty high end clients that move around a lot of funds.”

“What sort of clients?”

“Too direct,” Simone mumbled.

Madeline crossed a look over at Simone.

“Business men from around the world. Diplomats. Government officials.” Suriya drank a little more of her wine.

“You must lead a very exciting life,” said Michael.

“Not really,” said Suriya. “It's the reason why I want to move to the Philippines. I want to try something new. See something different.”

“You could go anywhere you want. Why the Philippines?”

Suriya sighed, settling on just swirling the bread in the oil.

“Just seems like an interesting place to be. Honestly, I don't know why I picked it. I mean, it’s nowhere near where I would be working. I’d have to take a flight each time I had to go to a meeting.”

The waiter appeared again with their dishes. He set down Suriya’s dish first, then Michael’s. He then filled their water glasses with fresh water. Michael politely dismissed him from the table, speaking quietly in Italian.

“What about you, Michael? What do you do?”

“You’re a student, but you are undecided in your major right now,” said Madeline.

“I’m a student, right now,” said Michael, looking down at his plate.

“What is your major?”

“Haven’t decided yet. I’m afraid I’m interested in too many things to narrow anything down.”

“Very good,” said Madeline with a smile.

“Well, what are you good at?” Suriya ate a bite of her meal.

“I’m good at a lot of things,” Michael answered honestly. “I think that’s why it’s so hard for me to decide on anything. I fear I might end up being a career student.”

“Get her talking about traveling,” Madeline instructed.

“I want to know the world,” Michael began. “You know, go to many different places. Learn different cultures.”

“You’re adventurous,” said Suriya.

Simone noticed that Suriya was doing much more drinking than eating as she sat at the table with Michael. She also noticed that Michael was repeatedly filling her cup with the bottle of wine left on the table. Conversely, Michael was barely eating his meal and only sparingly drank his wine. He seemed to want to eat, but delayed doing so in favor of asking Madeline’s questions.

“I’m curious,” Michael answered back. “There is so much of the world that I want to know about. Unfortunately, there are only a few places that I have been. What about you? Where all have you traveled?”

“Lots of places,” said Suriya absently. She shoved another bite of her pizzaiola into her mouth.

“Where?” Michael leaned in, his light eyes shining invitingly at Suriya.

Suriya paused, suddenly captured in Michael’s gaze. She was still, her fork paused just over her plate. She snapped herself out of her trance and returned to her food. Michael took another bite of his manicotti.

“Lots of places,” Suriya repeated. “England, Scandinavia, Barcelona. Belarus.”

“Some of these places have been connected to Crimson Sky activity,” said Richards to Madeline. “Belarus is one of them. There has been heavy recruiting there.”

“I’ve never been there, but I would like to go. I would like to see the Opera theater there in Minsk.”

“You like opera?” Suriya seemed to perk up at this.

“Of course,” Michael answered matter-of-fact.

“I would have never guessed that. Any favorites?” Suriya gave Michael a studying look, testing him.

“You’ve seen Carmen once at the Opera Garnier,” said Madeline.

“Carmen. Saw it once at the Opera Garnier. Probably one of the last operas I can clearly remember. I don’t go to many of them.”

They were quiet for a moment. Michael looked over Suriya as she ate her food, then turned his gaze down towards his plate. Suriya continued to drink, finishing the bottle. Michael looked at the empty bottle then back at Suriya.

“How is your food?” He asked, breaking the silence between them.

“It’s very good,” said Suriya.

“I’m glad you agreed to come to dinner with me.”

“I started not to,” said Suriya. “It’s not often I meet someone like you that would want to sit down with me.”

“I can’t believe that. You’re very interesting...And beautiful.”

“You’re just saying that,” Suriya scoffed.

“No. It’s true. You are very beautiful. Hasn’t anyone told you that before?” Michael’s eyes were sincere as he looked at Suriya.

“Sure, but…”

“You probably hear that more times than you can count every day.”

“Actually, I don’t. There aren’t that many people around me to say it.” Suriya’s tone dipped a little into a hint of sorrow which she hid behind her glass of wine.

“That’s a shame,” said Michael. “You should be told that every single day by someone that means it.”

“Like you?” Suriya looked at Michael, somewhat pleadingly.

“Why not.”

Suriya looked down at her plate, which was mostly eaten now. She glanced at her watch. She looked back at Michael.

“Michael...It wouldn’t work between us.”

“How would you know if you didn’t try?”

“You’re just so young. It wouldn’t be right...or fair...to either of us.”

“I don’t care about your age. It isn’t who you are. Your age isn’t what I want to know about you.”

“I better get home. I have a long day tomorrow.”

Michael sat forward and placed his hand over top of hers as it rested on the table. Suriya looked down at his hand over hers and tried to pull it away, but found Michael’s fingers holding fast to her.

“Please...Don’t go. Give me a chance to find out who you are. For you to get to know me, too. If you still don’t like me...If you still have doubts about me...I will leave you alone. But...Don’t toss me aside because you think I’m too young. I’m sure you already can tell I'm much more than my age.”

Madeline nodded again. Simone’s concentration drifted a little as she listened to Michael. The softness in his tone began to lure her into a false sense of security, which she knew was also happening to Suriya as she sat with him. She could feel herself almost pleading with Suriya to believe him and get to know him more. She straightened up and began to pace in front of the desk, biting her thumbnail.

“You don’t quit, do you?” said Suriya.

“I know what I want,” said Michael.

Suriya placed her hand over Michael’s. She looked down at the table again, thinking, trying to decide within herself what she should do. She looked back up into Michael’s eyes and smiled.

“You’re quite the salesman.”

“Have I sold myself to you?”

Suriya did not answer, but nodded. She attempted to bite back a smile. Michael took her other hand and drew it to his lips. Suriya remained with Michael, no longer hiding her amusement and pleasure at his gesture. They gazed at one another a while longer before their waiter approached their table with the check. He slipped the paper on the edge of the table nearest Michael.

“Grazie,” said Michael, as he picked up the paper.

The waiter bowed appreciatively and backed away from the table. Michael considered the bill, then started to pull out his wallet. Before he could catch it, the condom Simone had given him fell out of his pocket. For a split second, Michael’s eyes went wide, noticing the purple square lying on the floor. He threw a glance back at Suriya and saw that she was also looking at the square on the floor. A very hard look crossed her face as she regarded the package, then Michael. She folded her arms to herself. Michael picked up the square and shoved it back inside his pocket. He sat a moment, looking down at his plate, chewing on his bottom lip. The waiter returned to the table and asked for the bill. Michael pulled out several bills from his wallet and laid them on top of the table. The waiter thanked him and promised to be back with his proper change.

“Don’t worry about it,” Michael responded in Italian. “Keep it.”

The waiter walked away from the table rather hurriedly leaving Michael to sit looking more than embarrassed and visibly upset by what had just happened. Suriya continued to keep her arms folded about herself, hugging herself. She looked about the restaurant, then back at Michael.

“What was your plan tonight?” The look in Suriya’s eyes spoke directly to her immediate suspicion.

“I didn’t have a plan for tonight,” Michael answered, his voice very quiet.

“You must’ve had some kind of idea of how you wanted this night to end. Why else would you have that?”

“What the hell is she talking about?” asked Madeline. “What’s going on?”

Michael did not answer. Instead, he seemed to draw into himself, staring into nothing. Suriya maintained her hard expression. She began pulling on her wrap. She stood up with Michael standing with her. She gave him a very severe look.

“I don’t know why I thought you’d be any different than the other assholes I’ve gone out with. What were you thinking of doing? What did you think would happen? You’d take me out to a nice dinner, maybe try and get me drinking so that I might get out my head, then take me back to your rat hole apartment to have sex with me? Was that it?”

Michael looked at Suriya a moment, watching her rage bubble in her cold dark stare. Her eyes seemed to go nearly black in the dim restaurant light. Suriya gave out an angry huff before turning and walking quickly out of the restaurant. Michael seemed stuck in the carpet.

“Why isn’t he moving?” asked Simone, suddenly very anxious. “Go after her!”

Michael started slowly before picking up the pace to catch up to Suriya. She stood outside with the valet handing him her parking number so that he could find her car. She cast a dangerous look over her shoulder at Michael.

“It was cute taking me out on a date. I actually didn’t feel like I was sitting with a child until just now.”

“I’m sorry,” Michael said, his voice barely above a whisper. “That wasn’t what I was aiming to do with you. I only wanted to get to know you.”

“And I suppose the condom was just there just in case I turned out to be a slut.”

“No.” Michael shook his head. He took a step closer to Suriya.

“Why do you have that?” The anger in Suriya’s eyes was quickly dissolving into hurt.

Michael took another cautionary step towards her.

“A friend gave it to me. I don’t even know why I took it. I had no intentions of using it.”

Suriya searched Michael’s face. The valet pulled around a white two door Mercedes-Benz SL500. She turned, noticing that her car was parked and ready for her to get inside it. She looked back at Michael, her anger still very present but mixing also with hurt.

“It was a nice try, Michael. But I’m not a fool. And I’m not easy,” Suriya said, her tone carrying all of her anger.

Michael stood speechless as Suriya got into her car. She cast one last heated glance back at him before driving off, tires nearly squealing in response to her quick retreat. Michael’s expression was blank as he handed over his ticket to the valet to retrieve his car.

“When you get in, Michael, report to my office to debrief,” said Madeline.

“Of course,” Michael responded evenly.

Madeline took off her comm unit and stared hard at Simone. Her lips pressed down into a thin line. Simone stared straight ahead, knowing that Madeline wanted to speak to her. She could feel the heat rolling off her and heat up the back of Simone’s ears.

“When he gets here. I want to see the both of you in my office,” Madeline said with palpable tension in her tone.

“Yes ma’am,” said Simone.

Madeline turned on her heels and walked purposefully up towards Command to speak with Operations. Simone looked after Madeline, feeling a slight twinge of worry begin to creep into her body. Richards said nothing as he finished making his redundancy copies to turn into Operations. He looked wistfully up at Simone as she stood upright and took off her comm unit.

“It was an honest mistake. Could have happened to anyone,” Richards attempted.

“Could have,” Simone repeated. “But it didn’t just happen to anyone. It happened to Michael on my mission. He didn’t even want the damn thing. I gave it to him anyway. I made him take it.”

“You were just trying to help. You didn’t mean anything by it,” said Richard, loading another panel to download the mission. “If he had made it to the bedroom, this wouldn’t even be an issue.”

“He didn’t go to the bedroom, though. He never wanted to.” Simone tapped the communication device on the table top. “I shouldn’t have done that to him. He didn’t deserve that.”

Simone felt herself growing more ashamed of giving Michael the contraception when he clearly stated he didn’t want it, nor had any plans of ever using it. Madeline’s words came to her very loud in her ears.

It’s not necessary to guide everything. Michael is very capable on his own.

Damn…

Simone walked out of Communications and headed towards the lounge to grab something to eat.