'So what intel did the Senator pass over to the blackmailers?' Norris asked looking at Gabriel and Jameson. 'Presumably something about our Energy Strategy or our foreign policy on energy and the political fallout from that; am I right?'

Jameson shrugged. 'You don't need to know that to do your job; Gabriel will handle the information side of things he's our expert on that. You're here in a protective capacity for Torrence so you're going to be partnering me.'

Norris looked Jameson over and smirked. 'Hey Gabe you got the best deal on this one I got the suit and you got the girl; everyone knows I'm the charming one; we should swap.'

Agent Neal gave Norris a withering glance but didn't say anything.

'She's starting to like me I can tell,' Norris smiled at Riley. 'You got a boyfriend Agent Neal? I'm currently single just to be clear. Single and ready to engage,' he didn't bother to see if Gabriel reacted as he knew his friend was taken with the lady in question.

'I have no interest in your relationship status Agent Norris,' she looked over at Jameson. 'Torrence is expecting to meet with you shortly; an intercept has been put on his communications so if the blackmailers contact the senator then Gabriel will become alerted to the fact.' The chip had been monitoring the activity on Torrence's communications so Agent Vaughn would be the first to know of a possible contact.

'There it is again, Gabe who hates anything approaching technology is now our detail specialist is there something you guys aren't telling me?' Norris looked at Agent Neal and Jameson for answers.

'I did a crash course in computing for dummies,' Gabriel responded tongue in cheek. 'I'm a quick study so you could say I've evolved,' he was alerted to a call coming in through Skype to the senator and immediately turned his attention to monitoring that. He tapped into a tablet he kept with him and pretended to be linking into something relevant to the monitored link. 'We have contact; we're analysing to find the location for the call. Okay got it, they're in the city in the 2nd Arondissement, Galerie Vivienne; Riley you're with me. Jameson, keep an eye on Torrence if they put pressure on him he may do something stupid.'

'What like give away state secrets, oh I forgot he already did that,' Norris said sarcastically. 'Let's go and pay traitor Torrence a visit,' he picked up his jacket and led the way out of the hotel.

'He repented his crimes John so don't go in too hard the guy's sensitive,' Gabriel knew his old friend and Torrence wouldn't get much sympathy from him.

'There's a tear in my eye,' Norris responded as Jameson followed on his heels.

'Jameson's leading on this,' Gabriel reminded the CIA agent. 'This is a Cybercom detail you're the muscle,' he held the other man's gaze his own hard and determined. Norris nodded and the moment passed.

Riley watched them go and then turned to Gabriel her expression challenging him. 'If you think you can keep a rein on Norris you're delusional. He's totally wrong for a mission as sensitive as this. I don't know why Lillian agreed to this she's usually so focussed on the success of the mission and he's one huge risk.'

'So was I but she gambled on me,' Gabriel pointed out with a grimace of a smile. 'We can't all be an Agent Jameson or Neal now can we?'

There it was again Gabriel automatically supporting his old Delta Force buddy; Riley didn't like it not one bit. 'Yeay, go Delta Force,' she muttered under her breath.

'I think you're threatened in some way by Norris and you're jealous of his relationship with me. You should try and get past that Agent Neal because we've got work to do. Now since you're here to save my ass let's go,' he got up and walked to the door leaving her no option but to follow.

The journey to the 2nd Arondissement was completed in silence as both of the CyberCom agents were pissed with each other and neither was prepared to back down. Riley parked the car on a street off the Rue de Petits Champs and they quickly made their way to the Galerie.

'The communications are coming from an up market boutique in the main arcade so as you're female it's probably better if you go in first and browse and I'll be the long suffering wallet or husband. If the security gets funny I'll show them my platinum card. Maybe you could get something pretty and we can bill it to the agency.'

'Great idea, Lillian's going to love signing of expenses to clothe your girlfriend; I wish I'd thought of that.' Riley entered the boutique which was very ornate and so was the fashion which was not her style at all but she looked at a cocktail dress that was a little less fussy than the others as Gabriel reconnoitred the area. He headed towards an office area at the back of the store hidden from the shoppers by an ornate screen.

Riley distracted the staff by asking if they had the dress in her size as her partner disappeared. The women attendants fussed around and the female agent asked them to excuse her for a minute and followed Gabriel and slipped behind the screen to find out where he'd got to.

Gabriel held his finger to his lips as he intercepted the communication from the location.

'We need backup,' she hissed at him. 'We don't know what we're dealing with.'

'They're using some kind of speech distortion device; why disguise the voice?' Gabriel looked into the office. He saw a young man and woman who obviously had a familial relationship. A quick face recognition check identified the two as Torrence's son and daughter who ran a business out of the boutique.

'It's Torrence's kids,' Gabriel whispered.

'His children,' Riley looked horrified. 'This is a huge, h-u-g-e diplomatic incident we need to inform Lillian and ask how to handle it.' Riley had holstered her gun a she could hear the sales staff looking for her. 'Gabriel I need to check on the dress, otherwise it's going to look suspicious.

'The question we should be asking is who the kids are selling the data too,' Gabriel growled. 'Go and buy the dress and say you're very interested in the designers who created such great couture or whatever and ask for a business card.' He had a plan and Riley going in as a possible investor might get them something. 'We need to build your cover so don't go further than that.'

Riley gave him a wince of a smile as she didn't like being talked to as if she were some wet behind the ears intern. 'Thank you for the heads up,' she went back into the main body of the store and examined the clothing in more detail and with a great deal of concentration. She selected a number of items and went over to the vendeuse. 'I'd like some details about the designers here; do you have anything like a business card or contact detail information.'

She gave Gabriel a swift nod as he came to join her. 'Can you settle the bill here Gabe and get the bags,' she talked to him as if he were her P.A. rather than husband.

He smiled pleasantly and got out his credit card. 'What's the damage,' he drawled and handed over the credit card as if the staggering amount was pocket change. He looked at his watch. 'I've rearranged your next appointment but it's going to be tight are you ready to leave now?'

Riley nodded curtly and left him to pick up the items purchased. She felt some satisfaction at making his role subservient to hers. Being a super-weapon got him perks like the CyberCom jet and golf with the President, well today he could be her dog.

As soon as they got in the car Riley contacted Lillian and updated her on the situation. It was awkward. The Agency Director asked for time to think about the situation and liaise with colleagues and Gabriel was tasked with finding out who was buying the information the Torrence progeny were selling.

Jameson and Norris were still with the Senator in his hotel suite when the two agents got back to their hotel. Gabriel got a hack into the comms of the kids and started sifting through their email accounts.

'Some heavy encryption on one email stream; it'll take me a while to get through it. Why don't you go and try on the dresses,' he smirked at her knowing the flamboyant couture was hardly her style. Riley favoured simple, elegant styles when she was out of her agency staples.

'Unfortunately, if I'm to engage the Torrence design team, I'll probably have to wear them,' she looked made up with that thought. 'I'll work on the cover for my role while you do what you do. See you later,' she went back to her room and walked to the window looking out at the busy, bustling, plane tree lined street. She loved Paris; perhaps they could catch a few days when the Torrence situation had been dealt with.'

Gabriel took a call from Norris while he was doing background work on the encryption algorithm with Nelson. 'What's up,' he answered. 'How's Torrence?'

'Our idiot senator had another call and got so scared he had an anxiety attack so we ended up at the hospital; the guys such a wimp. Special Agent Jameson's so smooth I'm surprised his suit doesn't slide right off. Anyway Torrence loves the guy, me he's a bit reserved about. How about you, what you got?'

'We got a lead we're just following through with the team back in CyberCom if it gets exciting we'll be in touch. Don't upset Torrence we need to keep things calm until we know what we're dealing with. He's got a big speech tomorrow try and get him to concentrate on that.'

'Jameson's doing it; he's been giving Torrence some pointers on where he thinks the speech could be improved; can't believe the guy how do you stand it?' Norris liked action and wasn't big on diplomatic niceties. 'How's the ice queen any chance of a thaw,' he grinned as he asked the question.

'Agent Neal is working an angle but the temperature is pretty much the norm for this time of year,' Gabriel responded tongue in cheek. 'Hang in there and don't upset the Senator, I'll speak to you later.' He closed the call down and settled back to think about his partner as the program was churning away. There was no point in knocking on her door if she was just going to send him about his business; probably best to let her come to him when she was ready. He missed her though and wished they'd had more time before the current operation as Norris and Jameson were turning out to be a real buzzkill.

Gabriel heard a knock at his door and went over to open it and found Riley there with the least tastefully offensive dress on. 'Well you could make anything look good,' he smiled as his gaze swept over her in an outrageously frank masculine appraisal.

'Thank you for that,' she mocked him but her green gaze had a sensual edge to it as she responded to the raw male reaction. 'How's it going? I've got my party piece done and I've sent you the file on my cover and CyberCom have given me a very attractive finance package for the deal. I'm tempted to go and buy into couture I actually like.'

'Well that would be naughty and we all know you're a good girl Agent Neal,' he took her hand and twirled her around. 'You look nice, can I kiss you now we've got rid of Chris and John or is it still verboten.' He pulled her against him and brushed his lips over the curve of her neck in a stealth move. 'You smell great too; I could eat you all up,' he was amused when he saw her colour fluctuate.

Riley was annoyed she'd let him get to her and decided take that smug look off his face. She reached up and grabbed his hair and brought his mouth down to hers and kissed him with a fierce hunger that sent a shockwave throughout his body. He shuddered and she felt a rush of satisfaction as his grip tightened and she was pressed close to his hard body.

'Maybe you're not such a good girl,' he kissed her jaw as if her skin was addictive. 'Can't get close enough,' he growled.

'We've got work to do,' she pressed her hands against his chest. 'Hands off the merchandise this dress cost a small fortune,' she was amused at how frustrated he looked at her return to Agent Neal of CyberCom.'

'Didn't anyone tell you that when you kiss a guy like that then you really should follow through; there's a name for girls that don't and it's not very nice.' Gabriel didn't like the way she'd treated him and he was calling her on it. His blue eyes challenged her and she had the grace to look a bit off centre.

'Okay I'm sorry but we do have work to do,' she ran her hands up his chest in a placatory gesture. 'I'll get them to bring up some coffee and we can work through what we know.'

'Are you saying you don't want me,' he asked his blue eyes intense on hers? 'I can understand if it's the chip thing…. Riley was really sending him mixed messages and he didn't like it much. Right now he'd settle for something easy to understand like she was into him.

'Oh God no it's not like that,' Riley's compassionate nature wouldn't let him go down that road; that made her feel so bad. 'Gabriel I'm lost in this…

'But you felt okay when you broke the rules for Griffin,' it was all coming out now. 'Fine I understand let's leave it,' he growled. 'The last thing I need is a complicated love life.'

'So I'm not worth the effort?' Riley flashed back. He had been so dedicated to Amelia and she'd been missing for six years but when it came down to their relationship he seemed to find it easy to give up on her.

'Oh get over yourself,' Gabriel was really pissed. If he hadn't shown her he cared he didn't know what would prove it to her. She'd gone all psycho on him since they'd had sex. And actually he didn't believe he was bad at that.

'So what's your game I don't understand how you're playing this,' Riley's eyebrows rose critically.

'What's yours,' Gabriel smug smile was annoying.

They moaned and devoured each other; lips on lips; tongues entwining, hands everywhere the heat building as every touch heightened their arousal.

'We shouldn't be doing this, this is so wrong,' Riley breathed against his throat.

'Don't' be ridiculous,' he growled as his mouth dominated hers and he swept her off her feet and headed for his bedroom.