A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the reviews and PMs. Enjoy!

Amanda sat across from Alexandra and turned on the laptop tied to the lie detector. She watched it for a few moments. "This is not doing wonders for the partnership," she heard from Alex.

Amanda sighed. "I received a pair of calls recently to Percy's direct line. I picked up and the calls dropped. They may be confidential informants, but having sent a team to the source of the first call? It turned up a safe room. Was this where the black box was kept?"

Alex realized she was talking about the room Nikita mentioned in Montreal where the first box lived. Second call? Nikita must have gone for box number two. Alex needed to be truthful as far as she went. Amanda couldn't know the whole truth. Nikita was counting on her.

"Yes."

Amanda's brow rose as she looked at the laptop. "Stressed but true." She looked at the younger woman. "And the second call? Was that for a black box?"

"I don't know."

Amanda's eyes narrowed. "You have someone working with you, don't you?"

Alex watched her silently. Amanda knew there had to be someone, but she also had to know that she was not going to get a free shot at whoever it was. Alex would not be handing out leverage like candy at Halloween.

"What did you do with Percy?"

Alex smiled. "I have him on ice until the big finish."

"And what is the big finish Alexandra?"

Alexandra smiled bigger.

"You are not being forthcoming." Amanda slid back in her chair. "There will be a press conference tomorrow. You will be announcing that you were sold to the sex trade when your father died but in the wake of the death of the man who did it, you are stepping forward to claim your rightful place." Her eyes bounced to the laptop. Her brow rose. "That is quite a bit of stress Alexandra."

She tore at the sensors. "You want what I can give you with the black boxes and Zetrov. I took Percy off your hands and you treat me like a criminal. Fuck you Amanda." She stood and stalked toward the door. She hit the door face first as Amanda slammed her head into it, closing the door.

Amanda leaned into the slightly dazed Alex. "I would say I would hate to have to hurt you Alex, but we would both know that isn't true." She slammed Alex's head against the door again and pulled her hard sending her flying to the floor.

Amanda took off her shoes and dropped them casually to the floor. "You offer many benefits as a ... let's use the term free agent. Not precisely true, but then what is?" She slammed her heel into Alexandra's lower back as the younger woman started to move across the floor. "You are nevertheless, mine. " She took one of the lie detector wires and wrapped Alex's wrists. Alex tried to move away but cried out as the heel struck her back again.

Amanda smiled and stood. "The first time I striped you, it was about art and about pleasure. This time I think will be about business. You will have to tell me what you think of the difference." She took out a police baton and smiled down at the younger woman. " I would like answers Alexandra. We have about six hours before I have to prepare you to meet your public... Let's talk."

"You know that she is gonna end up with a gun to your head, one way or another right?" Chihiro was finally starting to slur slightly after having challenged a local bully boy to drink her under the table to prove he was man enough for her. He was snoring under a table nearby as they stood to walk to the bench outside. Nikita helped Chihiro up.

"I know," Nikita replied sadly.

"Alex can be a hardcore bitch and a dumb ass about certain things, but her brain kicks in...you know? Keep her going till then and you two will be licky, licky, fucky, fucky in no time." Chihiro giggled as Nikita sat them both down. "You do have a way with words, Chihiro...especially when you're loaded." Nikita laughed at the other girl. She closed her eyes and breathed deep. "Fresh air. It so kills a buzz." Chihiro smiled and wrapped an arm around Nikita's shoulders. "Alex is my sister and I like you even with your whole save the world and don't eat cows and chickens bull shit. Matter of fact, just thinking about it makes me crave a steak...anyway... If Alex is my sister, let's make you... third cousin twice removed. " Chihiro wagged her finger. "No incest for my favorite people." Chihiro grinned and squeezed Nikita under her arm. She leaned into Nikita's ear. "We have company."

Nikita's jaw tightened, she took a deep breath and stood. "Let's get you home." She patted her jacket pockets as if looking for keys. The woman watching them from the darkness stepped forward into the light.

"The infamous Nikita," came the crisp tones. "You do realize you're dead right?"

Chihiro stood and moved to the right a few paces. "You do realize everyone says that to her right?" She snorted. "Spies. No originality."

Nikita shot her a look. "You're a spy."

Chihiro shrugged. "I am a karaoke superstar by night." She raised her gun. "Please introduce yourself."

The tall thin blond moved closer. She held her hands out. "The Guardian here was a little unstable. Percy sent me to retrieve the box and become the new Guardian about a month ago. I had just finished dealing with Brandon when you two tore through my retrieval process."

"It took you a month to plan?" Chihiiro shook her head. "What it take you Nikita, five minutes?"

"My plan involved not letting the whole planet know there was something worth stealing," the blond snarled. "I want my black box Nikita. Now."

Chihiro and Nikita both began laughing. Chihiro leaned against a post to catch her breath.

The blond's face darkened further. "You blew it up?" Her gun flew up and fired, sending Nikita flying into Chihiro knocking them both out of the pool of light. They pulled back into the alley as the blond stalked after them.

"We can't let her tell anyone about you," Chihiro whispered as Nikita moved them further back. She looked into Nikita's face. "Want me to do it?"

Nikita shook her head grimly. "I'm not retired yet. This one is mine. Head back to the hotel and sober up."

Chihiro caught her sleeve. "I'm in for the rest of the boxes too, hero. Haven't had this much fun in fucking forever." She winked and jogged for the far end of the alley.