Written for comment_fic on livejournal
When Victor hit him with the chair, he was distracted. He shouldn't have been, but Victor escaped. His fight was sloppy compared to his usual standard; he had given Victor a kill shot, but for some reason Victor veered at the last minute and he ended up with a concussion.
He let me live on purpose, Michael puzzled.
Next thing you know, Victor's escaped, Carla's file gets sent to manangement, and management - in the form of a deceptively kind-looking old man - is asking Michael to fill the job vacancy Carla left. Michael figured he was one step closer to finding the name of the person on his burn file. So he took the job.
The first mission was to find and kill the loose end.
Michael hated irony.
But Victor was hard to find. He was an operative, and would know every trick.
"I need to think about what I would do in his situation." Michael mused aloud, eating some wheat crackers. He had checked Fi's fridge for yogurt three times to no success.
"But Victor doesn't think like you, Michael" Fi advised, "If anything, you should be asking what I would do."
Michael smiled. "You would be violent and paranoid, and I would overcome that by seducing you."
"The seduction was two way, sweetie. And in all seriousness, if you need to bring Victor into the fold, it might be your only option."
"Seriously? That's a joke, right?"
"Are you really a paid assassin now? I mean, it's not like I'm afraid of the competition. But after what we found out about him -- what Carla did to his family? You want to kill him because he hates the people you hate?"
"I' m going to do what I need to do."
"Okay. Fine. Why would you need an ally. By the way, if I were running from you, I would be laying low somewhere you had already looked."
Good advice, thought Michael. He was even more impressed when he re-checked the little boat that he had searched the day Michael inherited Carla's 'Victor file.'
He surprised Victor with a taser, and Victor woke tied to a chair. Tighter, this time.
"Good one, big guy. Here I thought I was going to ride off into the sunset. Instead, it's the hangman. Or the shootout. Or some other thing they did in the old West in the town square in front of the saloon." Victor gave a dark grin.
"One chance, Victor" Michael said, speaking in his slow measured way, "Join me. Or be my enemy. And you do NOT want to be my enemy at this stage in the game."
"How about a compromise, Michael? How about we're 'frenemies'?"
Michael continued, "I think there was a reason you came after me. I think it was a suicide mission - the kind someone tries when their survival instincts won't let them do it the old-fashioned way. When they know it's over and they just want to choose who they fall to. You chose me. Out of everyone, you DECIDED that you were going to die by my hand. Now, I'm honored. It's very flattering. But it doesn't fit as well with my own personal investigation as pretending to pursue you while you gather information on mutual enemies. But if you insist - ritual suicide, it is. One chance, Victor."
"You would let me go? You would trust me?"
"I might."
Victor hesitated, "You took something from me. I want it back."
"Your pictures."
Victor's silence told Michael yes. Michael opened his briefcase and handed them to Victor.
Victor seemed comforted by the fact that his pictures of his family were not destroyed. But of course he gave Michael another smirk and protested "You knew all along? You were that cocky that you would get me in this position?"
"A little bit, yeah."
Victor had to smile. "Let me think about it."
"Fine, think. I'll just keep myself occupied while you make up your mind."
Michael moved forward and held Victor's hair tightly in his hand, as much for effect as to prevent a headbutt. He then kissed Victor,letting his tongue slide twice between his lips before moving down to Victor's neck.
"I know you, Michael. You're a Boy Scout. You won't do this against my will."
"You're right. By the time it happens, you'll be begging for it." He went for Victor's belt buckle.
By dawn, Michael had a new asset on his team.