The board had been set up, and Makarov studied the game board. It was just a normal chess board, made from dark oak wood. It seemed a little out of place compared with the rest of the room, but it didn't matter. This was a game of wits and intelligence, a game of how clever you could be. This was a game on the outside, but Makarov knew it's true purpose, and so did Ellien. This was all a test, to see who was smarter then the other was.

And he wasn't planning on losing.

"Right." Ellien said, taking two pawns of a different side and hiding them behind her back. "Left or right?"

Makarov studied what hand she had taken each piece, as well as the time she had taken mixing them up. After moments of studying, he finally decided.

"Left." Makarov said, pointing to her hand.

She opened her hand, revealing the pawn in her hand. Black.

"Looks like I'm white." Ellien said, putting her pawn back on the board. "Good luck Mr. Vasily."

Makarov took his black pawn and put it back on the board. White always moved first, and he knew that she had a small advantage to that fact. Small, but still an advantage.

"Your move." Ellien said, crossing her arms. Makarov looked to see where she moved. The same pawn, right up the middle.

"How generic..." Makarov thought, moving a pawn to counter her move. He already knew what she was trying to do. In chess, the first moves are crucial, as with any operation in war. In Chess, whoever controls the center of the board, controls the game. This was a major part in any strategy and he knew this well. So well, he could already tell it was hers as well. Unfortunately for her however, he also knew how to counter it.

Ellien put a hand on her cheek and reached across to another pawn, moving it to the adjacent space behind the other, allowing it to be protected. She kept her finger on it for just a second before confirming her move and letting go. She glanced up at him, waiting expectantly.

Makarov knew her move before she had even made it, and quickly moved his other pawn to counter the same move. It was too easy. If she kept playing like this, he could have this game over in ten minutes. No, sooner...

With every move Ellien made, Makarov knew exactly the right move to counter it. No matter what she tried, he could move into position to stop it. Every single move, his confidence grew larger and larger. And after each move, Ellien would take longer and longer to make her next. Every time Makarov moved, she would lean over and ponder longer, seemingly wondering what move to make next. But even Makarov knew what she would do before she even thought of it, and after a while, she began to think deeper, trying to see a way through his defense. But he knew it was pointless. It was so elementary, it wasn't even fair.

"I guess your just a fool after all..." Makarov thought to himself, his eyes darkening at Ellien. "Shame...This actually could of been interesting if you were only a little bit smarter..."

He glanced over at Sedusky and Lieutenant Kowalski, who were observing the entire match across the table.

"I hope you can stand being beaten by your intellectual superior in front of your 'pawns'..." Makarov thought, almost laughing at the mere thought. "I must say, I'll actually enjoy playing with you in the future if this keeps up..."

Finally, after what seemed to be minute, Ellien reached across and placed her hand to her piece, exactly the piece he knew she would move. The white bishop.

"This is it..." Makarov thought, a dark hidden smile on his face He watched her move the bishop to exactly the spot he had predicted, and he waited for her to seal her own fate.

Makarov leaned back in his chair. "This is your final move. After you move this piece, I'm guaranteed to-

"No."

Makarov thoughts were instantly broken, nearly startled that someone had actually broken the silence between their game. He looked up to see Ellien, still holding the bishop, but now instead of moving it, she was putting it back where it had been taken, and placing the piece in it's original place.

"No?" Makarov repeated, still stunned by what she had just said. This wasn't suppose to happen. "What do you mean, no?"

She ignored him, instead staring at the board, studying it, looking at every piece. Neither of them had taken a piece from the other, nor had moved any back. The board was set up in perfect unison and harmony, but the next move, no matter what it was, would have it's consequences.

"I know what your trying to do Mr. Vasily..." Ellien said, her eyes still on the wooden board. "And believe me, you've made a grave mistake trying to do it."

Makarov froze, staring in silence at what she had just said. "No...She lying...She bluffing...Theres no way she could have known...It's just not possible..."

"If I had moved this piece here, I would have lost." Ellien explained, pointing to her bishop. "And you knew that, didn't you?"

Makarov's eyes narrowed, his fists silently clenched, tightening under the table. He was beginning to get agitated. This wasn't suppose to be happening, not like this.

"And I bet you knew each move I made, right?" Ellien said, raising an eyebrow. "You had this strategy memorized so well, you knew exactly what moves to make, and correctly deduced what moves I would make corresponding to yours. right?"

Makarov said nothing, even though she was exactly right. He was still beginning to get more and more agitated with each word that came out of her mouth. She was mocking him, and she was loving every minute of it.

"Well, unfortunately for you, I know this strategy forwards and backwards, and I know how to win with it." Ellien said, picking up a different piece. "Now, lets see you predict this..."

She moved her white King forward one space, causing Makarov and even Sedusky and Lieutenant Kowalski to become confused.

"What the hell is she thinking?" Makarov thought, staring at the King in complete aghast. "Why would she move the King, of all pieces?"

"I'm waiting Mr. Vasily." Ellien said, studying her nails as she waited for him to make his move. Makarov slightly broke his concentration, trying to figure out what to do next.

"R-Right..." Makarov said, beginning to grow suspicious of her move. This wasn't suppose to be happening, yet he still didn't see her plan. He couldn't predict anything anymore, nor could he see her moves before she made them. He was blind.

Makarov took a breath and sighed. "Calm down...You haven't lost yet...Remember, this isn't just a game of memorizing moves...You have to plan ahead and adapt...You have to adapt..."

He reached for his knight and moved it ahead, making his first offensive move in the game. It was a safe move, putting the piece further on the board without endangering it. He would have to buy time in order to figure out what she was planning.

As soon as he placed his knight left his hand, she immediately moved her King forward another space again, causing Makarov to become even more confused, and now slightly stunned.

"I don't get it...What is her grand plan?" Makarov thought, trying to figure out her movement. "If anything, the King is the last piece she should move..."

Makarov narrowed his eyes and smirked, seeing an opportunity as well as a plan on what he could do. "Fine, if that's how you want to play the game..."

He swiftly moved his bishop and slid it right into the position of her king, putting it in potential danger.

"Check." Makarov declared, waiting to see her reaction. Being placed in check would no doubt unnerve her, and stop her from moving her King forward. And beside, any sign of frustration was welcome by him. Especially to see it on her face.

But to his surprise, Makarov saw a reaction he was not expecting at all. In fact, quite the opposite. She wasn't staring at the board at all anymore, or at any piece. She wasn't focused on the game, but rather, something else. Instead, she was staring right at him, looking directly at him with her green and blue eyes, seemingly staring into his soul, looking for something. A rare chill that he had never felt before. What was even more mysterious was he had no idea where it had came from. It was just the way she looked at him.

"Well?" Makarov finally spoke, breaking the silence between them. "It's your move."

Ellien closed her eyes, and slowly, a dark yet confident smile appeared across her face.

"You just lost the game I'm afraid, Mr. Vasily..."

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