"Who is your replacement for Michael?" Amanda asked with a her usual vacant sweetness after entering Percy's office.
"That is my business Amanda, until I deem it to be yours too," he remarked, but wise added "I'm sorry, but it's a necessary precaution," after looking up to see the cat like gleam in Amanda's eyes.
"Necessary I'm sure, but I'm more concerned about Michael's replacement," she said, perching herself on the edge of his desk.
"Please don't tell me you're planning on using Eli quite so soon." Amanda tilted her head, carefully watching Percy's reaction. A crook of the neck, a brief glance upward, a twitch of his fingers: a subtle sign was all she needed. A clenched fist and an annoyed glare nearly threw the answer into her lap.
"Oh Percy, please,"she sighed, exasperated by Percy's want to discard Michael like a used candy wrapper. "Eli hardly has the capability to command the respect of his peers, much less the experience to guide them."
In Amanda's, abet mordant opinion, Eli was five feet seven inches of teenage angst and would have to get over what she fondly referred to as the 'Romeo and Juliet stage' before he would be ready to even begin his basic training as a second in command. He had an astonishing amount of potential, but had yet to develop the level of ridged control that made Michael far superior.
"He'll do fine," Percy snapped. "Michael's been far too compromised by Nikita and his past to continue as my second in command...He knows too much." He leaned back into his chair, far more resigned then he had been not a few moments before. Amanda's thoughts swirled around her head, idea's and strategies forming, and dissipating once a flaw could be spotted. Percy was worried that Michael was slipping from his power hungry grip, and was using excuses to throw away a perfectly useful pawn to manipulate. Amanda frowned slightly thinking of the difficulty of manipulating Michael. He wasn't exactly what you would call play doe. Stasia being her niece, would know most of her strategies as well.
Perhaps it was time for a power play, she mused.
The large loft was modern and expensive, with hues of blue painted on the walls. The room, although well decorated, lacked a sense of family and real emotion. To the young girl wondering about the loft, the place reminded her of a diamond neck less that laid proudly on a pillow of plush purple velvet in the house of her stuffy great aunt Mariya. Aunt Mariya was a prideful, middle aged woman, who's most prized possession was that delicate neck less. She kept it in pristine condition, never in anyone's memory had there ever been a speck of dust on that diamond. But never had she ever worn it. The neck less, like this loft, was beautiful and expensive but there was no one to enjoy it for what it was meant for.
A ten year old Anastasia reached out to touch a large painting adorning one of the towering walls, when the familiar click, clack of patent heels quietly echoed through the wooden flooring.
"I wouldn't touch that if I were you. Oils from your fingers can ruin the painting," Amanda remarked softly, standing not far behind the girl.
"Do you really care about the painting?"
Ana's question caused Amanda to tilt her head in interest at the young girl.
"What makes you think I don't?"
"Everything's all new and clean here." A pause stretched through the air as Ana pondered the exact word she was searching for " Untouched, I suppose," she said thoughtfully, turning to face her aunt.
"Besides, it's just a painting."
"It's an original," Amanda said haughtily
"So?" Ana gestured slightly back at the painting. "Anyone can splatter paint on a white canvas."
Amanda looked down at Ana, amusement beginning to creep into her eyes. It was the first time she had met her niece in person, instead of the yearly holiday family card. Amanda's sister, once proud and strong, had met a jolly good American boy and that foolish sister of hers had fallen in love with him. What a pity had been the first words out of her mouth when Helina had told her the news of their engagement.
Joesph, Ana's father, worked for the American embassy and would be stationed in Japan soon. Currently a situation had arisen, and Joesph and his wife had to send their daughters away for a short while. Ana's twin sister, Nadia, was staying with another family member whom had unfortunately not been able to take care of Ana as well. Amanda who, although under false pretenses, had recently rebuilt ties to her sister volunteered to take Ana in for the next week or so. Gaining her childrens trust would be the fastest way to gain Joesph's trust.
"I think we're going to have lots of fun together," Amanda said with a gentle smile.
A throbbing head ache was the first thing Owen was aware of when he drifted back into consciousness. The next was the cold, restricting feel of metal cuffs around his wrists and ankles. This was not good. What about Nikita he thought nervously. All he could remember was a sharp sting to the back of his neck, and then nothing.
"Welcome back to the land of the living Owen. I can just call you Owen right?"
Owen jerked up quickly, only to fall to the floor with a loud bang. To the red heads credit, she only raised one well groomed eye brow in response to the spectacle in front of her.
"No, I'm not going to torture you, the cuffs were just for precaution. Yes, I'm working with Michael, no I'm not Division, and yes Nikita is perfectly fine,"she said sounding bored.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked irritably, rubbing his eyes with a cuffed wrist..
"Your new bff," the woman in front of him said flatly. "Or at least I'm pretty sure we will be. Judging from the lack of yelling, I assume they're getting along quite well."
"They're, meaning Michael and Nikita?"
"Who else?"
Owen was torn between amusement and distinct indignation that Nikita was ready to jump Michael's bones the first chance she got.
"Is letting them sleep together really a good idea? And can you please get me out of these things?"
The woman grinned wryly at him, before tossing over a set of keys.
"No it's probably not. I'm going to interrupt their honey moon in a moment, unless you want to help that is. Anything else?"
"A name," Owen muttered, while un cuffing his ankles, "And if you ever drug me again, you will find yourself in a hospital with no memory of the past three years of your life."
"Ana, and duly noted," she rectified with an air of nonchalance.
Getting up from the chair she had been sitting in, Ana marched over, and banged loudly on the trap door.
"I'm giving you five before I come-,"she yelled, but was interrupted by a offhand slap to the back of her head.
"What was that for?"
Owen, clearly hoping for a more violent reaction was disappointed to receive nothing more then a vicious glare. He would have continued, but Nikita's voice traveled up into the room.
"You can come down you know."
"You sure?" Owen called.
"Yes," Michael replied, irritated.
Wordlessly Owen slid down into the basement, landing lightly on his feet and Ana followed soon after. The room was cramped and crammed with papers, pictures and maps of the same general people and locations. After an assessment of the room, Owen looked over Nikita and Michael, taking in the ruffled clothing, satisfied expressions and their intimate body language. He was suddenly taken back to a memory of Emily teaching him how to cook something there then a sandwich. A painful ache began to build in his stomach, making him feel reckless.
"So have you two made any vital discoveries together?" Ana cut the tension smoothly by directing her jibe towards Michael and Nikita.
"None that you would care to hear about," Michael answered pleasantly.
"What Intel do we have?" Owen cut in gruffly.
"We know where and when the meet is, but we still need to scout the surrounding area," Ana said in a busyness- like voice.
"When is the meet, or whatever is going down, going down?"
"Two days from now at sunrise."
Owen looked around the room feeling the burn of emotion after being cut off from any for so long. Nikita looked determined, Michael collected and Ana busyness-like. He could really use a beer right now, he thought. What had he gotten himself into?
"Let's get to work."
AN: I've been swamped with homework this week so yeah. Thank you for the awesome support!
-Jet