Samson watched as Birkhoff disappeared down the hall, a dark expression on his face. Eyes flickering over to Alicia and Michael, who were in the middle of a conversation, he smirked. The man had been called off to Amanda's after briefing, and he believed he knew the reason why. The Head IT, as capable as he was, behaved like a child. There was no off button on his snarky remarks. But it wasn't his attempt at humor or bragging that was rubbing the Agent the wrong way; it was how he spoke to Alicia.
He knew firsthand how sociable his partner was. If it wasn't for the fact he'd trained with her than he would have underestimated her like the targets she handled. Despite her disarming smile and naturally sweet appearance she was an accomplished killer. Yet Birkhoff didn't seem to grasp that. The pet names he called her, his casual way of talking to her and how his eyes always flickered over her- Samson didn't like it. When the man bragged about his skills Alicia bought into it because she was friendly, but the delusional Birkhoff thought it meant something. Amanda's probably setting him straight right now, he thought smugly.
The moment Michael's hand left Alicia's shoulder and excused himself from the room, Alicia's eyes found Samson's. "What did Ol' Smokey have to say?" he couldn't help but ask, taking in her happy expression.
"I've got a lesson in knife play to attend," she informed him, shifting the clothes Michael had brought her in her arms.
His eyes flickered over the white dress she wore. Another successful mission under their belt, they had just finished with briefing and hadn't had time to change yet. Usually she would have left for Amanda's to change, but seeing as Birkhoff had been called in for a talk she wouldn't be able to. "Don't tell me he's still worried about that scratch?" Samson questioned as he returned his sidearm to the armory.
"No," she rolled her eyes, pulling her hair from its updo, "I asked for more training."
"You know," he smirked, brows raised in amusement, "you are the definition of teacher's pet."
Alicia laughed, fixing her hair around her shoulders with one hand while the other clutched her training clothes to her chest. "I'm not looking for brownie points, I want to make it one of my specializations," she informed him.
His eyes took in the deep V of her dress as he started to remove the Kevlar vest he wore. Once more she'd run distraction for him, keeping the target's attention on her so he could do the dirty work. Alicia was good at combat, but Samson knew he was the muscle of the team. No amount of training could make up for her naturally small build. He could take the hard hits while she danced around them. They balanced each other out perfectly. "Break their hearts and then stab them in the back," Samson chuckled, a mischievous glint to his hazel eyes, "so very Alicia."
She smiled in response, watching as he returned his vest and locked the hold. "What can I say? Knocking these cocky criminals down a notch is fun."
Samson grinned at the sparkle in her eyes. "You know, I can't even picture you in your old life. One minute I think you were the cute librarian," he teased in a smooth voice, "and the next I'm watching you slit a throat and having second thoughts."
"Cute librarian? What are you trying to picture me in; a pornography?" Alicia scoffed, giving a small shake of her head.
He smirked, holding out a hand for the clothes she held. "No, I had enough time to do that during Situations," Samson teased even as she rolled her eyes, already knowing what he would say. Though he often annoyed the heck out of her, at especially anything related to Birkhoff, they still had an unusual friendship formed. She didn't really know how it had happened, but handed over her clothes without a word.
They started down the hall to finish changing in the general privacy of the of the co-ed locker room. Samson had his suit jacket and button down slung over one shoulder, Alicia's training clothes in his hand. As a strike Team passed them they shared nods, Alicia wearing her welcoming smile. She always got a kick out of seeing how fellow members of Division reacted to her easy going attitude. It was the same when Roan came into view and he slowed to a stop in front of the pair.
"Roan," she greeted him with a smile.
"Have you finished with debriefing?" he asked, cool blue eyes not even regarding Samson. The Cleaner had the same straight-to-business attitude that he always did, and Alicia was glad of it. She always knew what to expect of the man.
"Just on my way from there now," she acknowledged.
For the first time she realized he wasn't in his usual field apparel. He was missing the usual long coat and was instead in a black shirt that almost seemed to make his hair glow platinum in the iridescent lights of Division's hall. "Practice has been moved to Sub-Level twelve," he informed, tilting his head the slightest bit to watch for a reaction.
Roan knew just what to expect of the young woman as well. When Alicia flashed that disarming smile of hers, eyes lighting up in pleasure, he knew she had just put two and two together. "Michael didn't tell me you'd be my instructor," she sounded happy at this revelation.
Samson thought she was incredible, not bothering to hide that he was watching her talk to the Cleaner. Once he'd become an official Field Agent he had found more information on the Active that Alicia had taken out. While the files were above his clearance level, he had been able to get the details from a fresh faced techie. She'd been more than happy to relate back what she knew of the Op. He knew that Alicia had been accompanied by Roan, and that Operations had gone into a state of panic when the Cleaner had told her to go on to take out the Primary. Somehow the young woman had the man's respect- or as much as he'd give to someone who wasn't Percy.
He waited until they were down the hall and clear of Roan before he asked the first question tugging at his mind. "You're getting lessons from him," he caught her green eyes in his as he held open the door to the locker room, "on the designated torture level and you're excited?" When she raised her brows and gave him sassy smile. Samson just chuckled and shook his head, running a hand over his short brown hair. "Okay, see this is what makes me wonder if Amanda picked you up from the funny farm," he pointed to her playfully.
She just laughed and shook her head. "If Roan was going to kill me there'd be a reason," Alicia pointed out casually, undoing the tie on her dress. "Seeing as I haven't given anyone a reason to do anything but love me," she smirked, "I don't see any reason to do be anything but excited. I get to learn a specialization under the guide of Percy's number one Cleaner."
Samson stepped up, waiting until Alicia offered him her back to talk. "How did you find your way to Division?" he asked curiously, sliding the zipper on the white gown down. He idly pushed the waves of her hair over her shoulder with his free hand.
He watched her shoulder muscles as she shrugged. "Same way as anyone else; I went to prison," Alicia gave the answer in an offhand manner.
"What could and angel like you have done to get arrested?" he teased, a smirk playing across his lips.
She shot him a look over her shoulder, one brow raised. "Since when do we ask about each other's past?" she questioned him with a little surprised amusement. Alicia knew exactly what their relationship was, and it was muscle deep. He acknowledged her skills and capability as an Agent, and happened to think she was attractive as well. It was her success that he was interested in.
"Well we are a Team now," he pointed out, sliding the sleeves of her dress down her arms, "and we'll be seeing a lot more of each other." Samson paused, holding the dress open for her midway down her thighs, watching her legs as she stepped out of it. They'd been paired together so often that they had a sort of fluidity together. On or off the field everything they did synchronized naturally. It was the outcome of being trained as a set in Amanda's class. The two had gotten so used to acting and reacting properly with each other they did it instinctively now.
"I don't know about your past," she pointed out, "or Birkhoff's. They don't even exist anymore, remember?"
"Birkhoff knows about ours," Samson said firmly. At his words Alicia turned, looking up at him with a questioning stare. He folded her dress over his arm before picking up the clothes he'd set on the bench and handing them to her. "We both know the geek's read everything in your files," he shot her a smug look before continuing, "and he's probably taken a look into mine."
"Oh, so once you're done asking me about my past you'll ask him about his? Since this is about us being a Team," she challenged, one brow raised as she regarded him with a dubious look.
His eyes took in the wrap around bra she wore as she stooped to pull on the black yoga pants. It wrapped around her back, clinging to her body until it came to a stop just few centimeters from showing too much on either breast. Samson hadn't thought the dress could possibly be worn with a bra, but now that he saw it he understood. He silently insulted whoever had come up with it before meeting her eyes to respond. "What's there to find out with him? He was a hacker, he got caught and he still spends his time with computers. But you," he smirked as his eyes flickered over her, lingering on the knife that she was sheathing onto her thigh strap, "you're fascinating."
Alicia shot the man an amused smile. "Oh you'll have to try better than that Samson. I know you're capable of being more suave," she teased with a small laugh and the shake of her head.
"Oh, you'd like suave?" he asked, lowering his voice to a playful purr. Samson never turned down a challenge. "I seem to remember you had a weakness for Situation 7," his eyes scanned over her face, watching for her reaction to this comment. She masked her feelings and he knew he'd surprised her. Stepping forward he closed the distance to them to barely a foot, looking down into her wide green eyes. He could catch the flash of determination in them, and he masked his face with an expertly intense expression.
Through lessons with Amanda he'd paid rapt attention to the young woman who was his partner. She was good; a real natural at it. When she became his partner everything clicked suddenly. If it hadn't been for her then he wouldn't have shown nearly as much interest in it. But he did, and he'd spent enough time watching her to spot some of the chinks in her armor. Alicia was a fan of literature, and he'd been saving that tidbit of information for a time just like this. Hazel eyes burning down to hers he filed through his thoughts quickly before pulling up the perfect material to use.
"She walks in beauty, like the night," he began to recite in a soft almost seductive voice, "Of cloudless climes and starry skies; and all that's best of dark and bright," Samson paused, letting his voice hang in the air. His hand slowly lifted to her face, gently brushing her hair from her cheek and tucking it behind her ear. "Meet in her aspect and her eyes," he lowered his voice to a whisper, holding her eyes in his, "thus mellowed to that tender light…"
He didn't get to finish. Birkhoff cleared his throat, hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt as he stared at the pair. The look on his face was a mix of emotions. Dark brows rose in a question, looking more skeptically taken aback than anything. "Word of advice;" he said in his usual cynical tone, "save the Casanova act for the field."
Alicia drew back from the young man, pulling the spaghetti strap top down over her head. "What do you want? Because we were in the middle of something," Samson shot back without hesitating.
Birkhoff would have punched the guy if it wasn't for the fact he knew he'd get his ass kicked as a result. While Seymour was no wimp he'd never hold up against the powerhouse young agent. "Amanda heard you had lessons of the knife persuasion and sent your clothes to your old room," he informed Alicia, doing his best to ignore Samson, "so you can change there when you're done." He held up the keycard for her, trying to hold back from asking the questions he had about why the Agent had been wooing her with poetry. Not to mention Alicia had been in her bra when he walked in- if you could even call it that.
"Thank you for playing errand boy," she flashed him a smile as she scooted around Samson to reach Birkhoff. As she took the keycard from him she asked with her eyes if he was okay. Alicia knew firsthand how little Amanda liked the man.
"Anytime sweetheart," he shot back, and the little smirk that was oh-so-Birkhoff told her everything was alright.
"How did Amanda's go?" Samson asked, sounding rather smug as he crossed his arms over his chest. One look at the cocky Agent and Birkhoff knew that he'd made some assumptions that involved him being punished.
Birkhoff was happy to disappoint. "Oh it went fine. She just told me about things I already knew," his navy eyes locked on Alicia's, a smug look of his own on his face. He'd basically just been told by Amanda he could have his fun with Alicia because the young woman admired him for some insane reason and they didn't have to worry about it going anywhere. He had as much to tell Alicia as he had to ask her.
Samson stripped of his undershirt, setting it with button down he had on the bench. He could feel Birkhoff's eyes on him, sizing him up begrudgingly, and made a show of catching Alicia's eye with a smug smile. "So, how'd I do?" he asked, pulling a wifebeater down over his head.
She shrugged, not affected by his moment of shirtlessness. After all the times she'd seen him in, and been with him in, compromising positions she was no longer impressed by his wall of muscle. What had at first interested her when she'd arrived was commonplace now. All the Agents were fit. It almost seemed like a prerequisite, and she remembered it was on the checklist. Her eyes flickered over to Birkhoff, a smile slipping onto her face. Now he was a man that she wouldn't mind seeing shirtless. "I'd say a seven, what do you think Birkhoff? He had good delivery," she turned her smirk to Samson, "but too predictable with the body language."
"Seven?" Samson challenged, meeting her eyes with a smoldering gaze.
"She's not easily impressed," Birkhoff mused with a confident smirk, "are you sweetcheeks?" He made no show of hiding his gaze flickering over her. After his little talk with Amanda it was only expected for him to be cocky.
"You know," the younger man growled, stepping up beside Alicia, "I'm pretty sure even Division has a harassment policy."
Birkhoff turned his navy eyes on the young man, giving him a belittling look. "Says the guy who was all up in her personal bubble," he scoffed.
"Whoa," Alicia butted in before things could escalate, "put your nightsticks away boys. We're all Teammates here."
Samson kept his gaze trained on the Head Technician, his gaze hard. He didn't like the snarky geek, not one bit. The way the man looked at Alicia bothered him, along with the way he seemed to be gloating about something. "Don't you have a screen to go sit behind?" he asked with a sneer.
Birkhoff tore his eyes away from the Agent to look instead at Alicia for a moment. "I do. So if you want me," that gloating look he wore- often right after completing some technical feat –was back on his face, "you know where to find me." With another smug look her turned and strode through the door and back into the hallway.
It hadn't even closed when Samson turned on Alicia. "What was that about?" he asked, as perceptive as ever.
She would have sighed if she hadn't trained herself well enough not to. Amanda had said that Samson wasn't clued in on her Operation, but that just meant he didn't know she was supposed to be playing Birkhoff. It didn't mean, however, that he wouldn't find out about the going-ons between them. "I admire his skills," she answered with a sly smile. Giving him a hint of the truth is what he'd expect of her. Nothing ever came straight out from her unless she wanted it to.
"I'm sure he'd love to admire yours," he shot back.
"Well who wouldn't," she rolled her eyes, not in the mood for his attitude right now. Samson was the type of guy you'd call an alpha male. He enjoyed owning the show and marking his territory. Three weeks after meeting him she'd made it clear that she would in no way be his. At first she had played with the idea, caught up in the excitement of the new exciting life she was starting. But she'd realized it wasn't worth it. There were plenty of female Agents he could, and did, sleep with. Alicia had no interest in becoming another one.
"Roan," Samson happily offered up, "no, he'd cut you up and bathe you in acid."
Alicia cocked a brow, meeting Samson's eyes. "Oh no," she warned him shaking her head, one of her hands finding her hip, "I'm not playing your game."
He smirked, following after her as she left the locker room. "You mean our game?" he asked, falling into step with her down the hall. They used to challenge each other with targets. Usually it was other member's of Amanda's special class. It had started out little; Get this guy to carry your lunch, or get this girl to share her milk. Then it had escalated. Time moved slowly as a recruit and for the pair mind games became as much for fun as it was practice. "You used to be able to get information out of anyone," he reminded her, "and you loved it."
"We aren't recruits anymore Samson," she looked over at him. The dangerous glint to his hazel eyes was something she knew she had to handle before he got all excited. Once he wanted something he wouldn't back down. "I'm saying no," Alicia stressed, giving him a pointed look.
Samson reached out, scanning his keycard for the elevator. "Don't tell me you don't miss it," he shot her smug smile, stepping into the elevator alongside her, "because I know you do."
"What makes you think you know me at all?" Alicia asked, her voice soft and slightly amused. When her green eyes lifted to meet his they were laced with the sly smile she wore.
He stepped closer to her, standing toe to toe with her as he let met her gaze. "You know, they say your eyes are a window to the soul," Samson's voice cam low and cool. Before continuing, he reached out and pushed the button for her floor, never breaking eye contact.
"And you've seen my soul, have you?"
Knowing that she was too stubborn of a woman to flinch or shy away, he reached up and took a strand of her hair to twist slowly around his fingers. He watched its progress around his finger, talking smoothly as he did. "I've spent enough time watching you to know when you're running a show. You light up with excitement," he raised his intense gaze to meet her upturned eyes, "and determination. No matter what part you're playing your eyes are always spiked with confidence."
Alicia would have cut him off there, made some witty remark, but he interrupted her train of thought. Pulling gently on her hair that was twisted around his finger, he drew her attention to his hand instead. The moment her eyes were off of him he took the opportunity to continue. "In fact, the only time you're ever vulnerable is when you're being yourself," Samson loved the way her eyes flickered to his and stayed there. The slight narrowing of her eyes said it all, and he kept the smirk he usually would have worn locked away. "It's the look of the real Alicia, the one you keep locked away. Amanda's favorites all know how to do it but you," he let the hair unravel from his finger, "you've been doing it for much longer. I can see it in your eyes."
"You think you've figured me out," she breathed. It wasn't a question; it was a statement. A challenge really.
"I know I have," Samson flashed her a small smile. "You like playing a role, playing games with people, but I've seen that look in your eyes when something is real for you. When something," he rested his fingertips over her heart, "touches you."
The moment was one she expected of Samson, but something in her told her his words were sincere. There had been a few moments her guard had been lowered around him; she knew that. How he'd been able to distinguish it from just another one of her masks she wasn't sure. Nonetheless she kept up her current one. With Samson everything was always a game, he always had something he wanted. "That one was an eight," she smiled gently up at him, "still predictable on movements though." Without taking a step back her hand lifted to his, gently raising it from her chest.
Samson already knew she would, and he laced his fingers in hers before she had the chance to withdraw her hand. "Or I just know you," he challenged, raising the back of her hand to his lips.
"I'm not buying what you're selling," she responded, moving to take her hand back.
He tightened his hold, keeping her hand near his mouth. Catching her irritated eyes in his, he smiled deviously. "And there's a crack in the wall," he squeezed her hand a little tighter, "right there; when you stop playing the game and act on impulse."
Keeping her eyes wide, she leaned in towards him, face upturned as she kept up her steady gaze. "There's something I want to be clear about," she pressed her lips to the back of his hand, holding his brown eyes in hers. Alicia let her lips linger on his skin before pulling them back to smile sweetly up at him. "It's not going to happen," she said firmly, pulling her hand from his and turning towards the opening elevator doors.
His eyes were already to the well lit Sublevel Twelve that was displayed before him. Roan stood at a table, surrounded by a set up of lights to illuminate the otherwise dimly lit area. What caught his attention first, however, were the three dead pigs hanging from the ceiling. "Admit it," he grinned, "I'm growing on you." As he said it he hit the door close button, shutting out the view of Roan.
Keeping up her soft smile, she took a step back from him to lean casually against the elevator wall. "You're already my partner, what more do you hope to achieve? You sat in when Amanda informed me of Lesson One for Division Survival," though her words came out sweet her thoughts tasted cynical, "and you're wise enough to stick to flings. I seduce enough men for work Samson, the last thing I need is to task myself with pretending to be attracted to you for a week."
"Oh months for you;" he shot back, "we have chemistry."
"What is this high school?" Alicia couldn't help but scoff. "The only time we have chemistry is when my role requires it. If it's not work then I don't bother with it," she shrugged casually. She felt like she was playing the role she had to with Birkhoff lately, though just the superior attitude. Samson usually knew when to back down but he was riled up for one reason or another.
"Oh, but the computer nerd is an exception?" Samson shot back. He didn't wait for her to reply before smirking. "I know there's something going on there. You forget we learnt those tricks together," his eyes showed how much he was enjoying this little confrontation, "and I know when you're running a game."
She knew that he'd pick up on it sooner or later. When she turned her report in to Amanda she'd find out how she wanted to go about handling this situation. In the meantime she could only go with the role her assignment as she play. "What can I say?" Alicia asked coyly with a little tilt of her head. "He's the legendary Shadow Walker," she purred, "and as long as he impresses me then it's worth it."
"So he gets to know everything about you and he's getting a taste?" he didn't hide the grimace as he asked. "I don't think this Team is very balanced."
Alicia pushed the door open button, stepping away from the wall to do so. She shot him a dry look before starting from the elevator. When his hand made a move for her wrist she pulled it deftly away, turning to shoot him an innocent smile. "I killed three men," Alicia answered sweetly, "with chilling precision according to the report. That's what got me here."
Samson followed after her every movement as she approach Roan, losing site only when the elevator doors slid closed. Instead he was faced with his reflection, and his eyes latched onto the hazel ones reflected back at him. There was something going on between Alicia and the computer geek, and he knew she was the one pulling the strings. She'd never make a play for Birkhoff if there wasn't something she was after. Thinking back on their games he had an idea; information. The nerd would probably be loose lipped the second she puckered hers.
Which only made him wonder What does she want that's worth slumming with him? It had to be something good if she was in this con for the long haul. They had been working together as a Team for the better part of three months, and since day one she'd been sucking up to the Head IT that was their com expert. Despite his teasing comments he knew better than to believe she was trying to play teacher's pet to Birkhoff. Whatever was going on Samson would find out; he didn't doubt it for a second. After all, that's what he was trained to do.
As he filed down the hall his eyes flickered over to the computer lab. It was dark, sitting empty until the next class tomorrow. When he had been a recruit Birkhoff had been a pain in the ass and Samson hadn't considered things could get much worse. Then Alicia came along and changed the man's attitude and everything was different. Now he acted like an overgrown boy who had such a crush on the young woman that he didn't even recognize he was being played. She playfully accepted his flirts, praising his skills which only fed into his delusion of grandeur. Worse yet was that she was often the instigator, starting the banter between the two as well as encouraging it.
Whatever she was doing with Birkhoff provided Samson with an opportunity. If he could find out her end game before she reached it, then she would have no choice but to let him in on it. Finding out her plan would give him the upper hand and right now that was exactly what he needed. Alicia had his interest, something that rarely happened when it came to women. There was no shortage of candy for his arm, but she would be the sweetest prize of them all. For so long he'd been sold as a package deal with Alicia that he'd come to honestly consider the idea along with all of its perks.
Amanda's two rising stars running a Team with a flawless record not only working together but involved. If anyone could keep their distance emotionally it would be Alicia and her walls. Samson knew that the alpha male atmosphere around him would always keep her on guard, keep her just distanced enough not to get attached. Both were to his favor if things panned out right. He'd be able to ward of any fellow Agents from going after his territory without having to worry about her mistaking it for a relationship. We'd be the poster children for Division, he smirked at the thought of it. As their success as a Team continued to grow they'd also be demonstrating how to observe Lesson One while remaining happily satisfied.
First he had to get Birkhoff out of the picture. Samson would get to the bottom of her little scheme and confront her. He would help Alicia, and once she got what she wanted he'd get what he wanted. She wouldn't be able to deny him. There was chemistry between them; he hadn't been lying when he'd said it. Even if she was playing hard to get he knew that she wanted him. Besides, if Alicia didn't see his side of things he knew he'd be able to convince her in bed when the time came. Until then the fear of him going to the higher ups with what she was doing, or possibly outing her to Birkhoff, would keep her in line. They both knew he was faithful to Division; not her.
Birkhoff was devoted to Division as well, but he couldn't resist activating her tracker and checking in on her. She'd been offline for hours, her signal not broadcasting from the depths of the facility. After Amanda's little chat with him she'd sent him off with Alicia's clothes and the information that Percy had granted her request for extra blade training. The training floor was dead quiet however, and as Birkhoff left Operations to retreat into his office he was getting antsy. There wasn't any work that called for his attention, but he knew going back to his apartment would be pointless. He'd be called in before his head even hit the pillow.
Not that he was about to get any sleep at the rate he was going. He shuffled into his office, closing the door behind him with a groan. Between today's mission and having to sit through Amanda's crap he was worn thin. Today's psychobabble had been as curt and demeaning as always, and he hated to admit that the dragon lady was right. If he'd only known Alicia in the way Division believed he did then he wouldn't have been able to resist her, not after his little chat with Amanda.
When Alicia finally booted up her laptop he sent the ShadowStalker request straight through. It didn't matter that it was three in the morning or that he was going on his fourth energy drink since he'd retreated to his lab; the moment he had her image one his screen he relaxed. "Babe, am I glad to see you," he leaned forward in his seat, flashing one of his classic Birkhoff smirks.
"Rough day at the office?" she flashed him a smile, looking tired and energetic at the same time.
"I'm ready to request a vacation," he groaned, running a hand through his long hair, "and this was one of the good days."
Alicia fixed the pillow behind her, and he wished he was there on her bed with her. The fact that she knew him well enough to know he would want to talk to her the moment she got home made him feel a sense of happiness. She didn't mind his attachment to monitoring things and keeping tabs on her, and he felt damned lucky for that. Most people would find it smothering to know their partner could check in on them at any moment of the day. Instead she had her laptop ready to welcome him, on her lap as she relaxed on her large bed. "Does it have to do with your visit to Amanda's?" Alicia asked, curious to know how things had gone.
Birkhoff relaxed back in his chair, sticking his hands behind his head as he took in her image on her screen. "Well after her usual venom laced psycho babble," he gave a little smirk, "she confronted me with the security feed of us in the lab. It was like a porno only with good acting."
"It did feel a little like one," Alicia admitted with a soft laugh. "So, watching that convinced you I'm irresistible?"
"No, though you do look killer on film," he teased, making a show of scanning her image on his screen with his navy eyes. They took in her wild auburn waves as they cascaded over shoulders, coming to rest over the deep purple silk nightie she wore. For a moment he let his eyes linger on the material that rested low on her breasts, coming close to exposing her yet fitted enough that it wouldn't allow him a peek if she moved.
When his eyes returned to hers it was to see she was shooting him a sly smile. "Well if it wasn't my pornographic debut for Division," she questioned, "what did she use to convince you?" Alicia had been dying to know. It had been three days since their little romp in the computer lab, and she'd been waiting with baited breath to find out Amanda's next move. The sexual approach she'd been assigned made sense with Birkhoff's personality, but she didn't see how Amanda planned to persuade the genius that it was an acceptable endeavor.
"That woman is the wicked witch of the west," he grimaced, "I'm telling you. Only she could have a sour enough attitude to turn you praising me into an insult. She's all for some reason she's fond of you and I'll allow her this little misadventure. It was like you're her favorite poodle and I'm the chew toy you're allowed to have."
She quirked a brow, taking in his irritated expression. "That doesn't make the idea of me seem very appealing," Alicia commented softly.
"Well," his expression lightened, "it was effective. Amanda looked so disgusted I felt like I just won the lottery. The idea of her little pet being interested in me killed her, even if it was just an act. She had to make it clear she is letting it go on only because you aren't serious about it."
"I still don't see how that's compelling."
"I just got a hall pass to annoy the hell out of the dragon lady," Birkhoff laughed, leaning forward to grab the energy drink from the desk. He loved seeing Amanda upset, even if it was only because she was trying to incriminate him. "That and she had to admit to me that her shining star gets wet for my mad computer skills," Birkhoff laced his fingers and cracked them with a wry smile.
It was Alicia's turn to laugh, and she gave her head a small shake as she smiled at him. "Well who wouldn't?" she purred playfully.
The gold bracelets he wore slid down his wrist as he raised the energy drink to his lips, taking a few gulps before setting the can aside. "Not Amanda, thank god," he scoffed, not even wanting to picture that. She seemed like she'd be a dominatrix in the bedroom and that was not an image he ever wanted to see. "It looked like her forced smile was at its limits when she reached the topic. She praises you," Birkhoff mimicked her snooty voice, "or your skills rather. Alicia once said it would have taken you six minutes to accomplish what took her six years."
The words registered in her mind quickly. It was something that she'd told Amanda. "So much for her confidentiality promise," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Alicia had never had any problem with the woman, at least not until she'd started seeing Birkhoff. The more time she spent with him the more she realized how manipulating Amanda could be. She knew it was due to loyalty to Division, but it also made her realize just how expendable she was.
"You really said that?" Birkhoff asked, a little taken aback.
It was adorable how flustered he could get when praised, despite how often he bragged. Alicia didn't see how more people didn't recognize his genius, but she was happy to be the one who did. "It was after a few days in your class," she admitted with a nod, "during one of our sessions. You know, where she asks you how you're getting along and fitting in."
"Well next time you're hunting someone give me a call and we'll put that to the test," he grinned.
"You're on," Alicia smiled at him on his screen.
Once more his eyes flickered over her, basking in her image. "Same rules as the last time you gave me homework?" Birkhoff asked, his voice playful. "It could be another porno to add to the collection."
Alicia had to fight back a blush. It was kind of exciting, knowing a camera had been on them. As unladylike at it would be to admit, she'd enjoyed playing naughty Alicia with him. The entire thing had given her a rush and she'd be more than happy for a repeat performance. "That could be arranged," her emerald eyes sparkled with her words.
Poetry Excerpt is: She Walks in Light by Lord Byron.