Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi Muyo or surrounding characters. Any character not associated with the Tenchi Muyo series is my own creation. I do not own any of the quotations, they are property of their rightful owners. So please don't sue me….

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Living On The Edge- Chapter One

* Starting A New Path *

~ Wherever you go, there you are. Buckaroo Bonzai

 There is too much in the world to care about. Laura Dern

Love is a fruit of all seasons, and within reach of every hand.

Mother Teresa ~

* * *

Sapphire blue eyes skimmed the horizon for their prey. Finally, the crystal irises landed on a tall handsome man. His jet black hair whipped back and forth in the strong wind. Heavy shades covered his eyes as he faced away from the person spying on him.

Riley Teavin tucked strands of sandy blonde tresses back behind her ear and made her way to the young man stealthily.

"HEY!- Jason!" She chirped happily.

The young man spun around and smiled. He pulled the 'Oakley's' from his face to reveal sparkling green eyes.

"About time you showed up, Riley. Glade's been waiting for us." Jason replied dully.

Riley shrugged. "What does old Lt. Glade want now?"

Jason grinned smugly. "Now how would I know? I despise the old fart just as much as you do!"

Riley mimicked him with a face. "Whatever. Look, no matter what Lt. Glade suggests, we have no interest in the case. Got it?"

Jason returned the tinted shades to his face. "Pitter, baby."

Riley rolled her eyes and stormed past Jason and up two flights of concrete stairs. Jason chuckled and followed his partner close behind.

Riley reached the office first and waited for Jason who showed up seconds later. They both entered a large office with a huge oak desk to one side of the room. Riley and Jason both saluted respectfully and awaited for the Captain to allow them to stand down.

"As you were." A gruff voice instructed from behind the desk's chair. Riley and Jason dropped their hands.

"Sir. We received a message that you requested to have a word with us." Riley weaseled.

The chair turned around to expose a well built man in his late forties, early fifties. His eyes were hazel and his hair line was beginning to recede and gray. The older gentleman nodded.

"Indeed, Agent Teavin. As of this moment, Riley, I'm reassigning you to a new partner. Agent West will be paired with a rookie who's due to arrive in the next two days. You, Agent Teavin will be assigned as a partner to Director Elisa Mezro. I expect you both to be on good behavior."

Riley's mouth dropped open. "SIR! Agent West and I have been partners since my arrival. I can't just leave him behind."

Lt. Glade frowned. "I suspect that you drop the attitude, Ms. Teavin. Director Mezro awaits your presentation in her office. You have permission to enter without confirmation. And as for you, West, report to level 21 and make some reports of your terminated partnership with Agent Teavin."

Jason saluted and ran off leaving Riley alone and face to face with Lt. Glade Acworth, Captain of the Secret Service Department of Treasury.

* * *

Riley skipped the elevator and descended the stairwell to the first floor. When she reached Director Mezro's office she gave a courteous knock before entering. She slowly opened the door and peered inside. A woman stood before a large bay observing a fountain in the square below.

"Excuse me, Director Mezro?" Riley asked with a hint of sarcasm.

The woman turned. Her small eyes landed on Riley and a smile swept across her face.

"Agent Teavin! Please, come in and have a seat."

Riley exhaled and shook her head to herself wearily. She gave a nod and entered the room. She selected a high back chair in front of Mezro's desk and eased herself into it.

Mezro sat on her desk and crossed her legs. Riley gave her a once over with curiosity. The Director's deep hazel eyes twinkled as she smiled and she swept her black hair back behind her where it dipped inches past her shoulders. Riley thought she was cute, in a cousinly fashion.

"So, Director...Lt. Acworth says that I am to be partnered with you from now on. Why?" Riley asked curtly.

Director Elisa Mezro grinned. "I read your reports and have done extensive research on your portfolio, Riley. You are the Secret Services top agent. You graduated first of your class and your record is outstanding. I'm giving you the opportunity to, let's say, progress in your career."

Riley frowned. "I...don't know. I have a ten year old son at home. I can't afford to not be with him after my day's work is done. Being your partner will put a damper on my relationship with him."

Elisa grinned wider. "Wrong. I've taken your status into consideration. You will only work night jobs and stakeouts if it is very imperative that you should be there. Other than that, you keep your normal business hours. Sound good to you?"

Riley dipped her head. "You have given me an offer...I can't refuse. If I say no, my rank here will perish, and I can't let that happen. I have a reputation to keep up."

Riley rose to her feet and slightly leaned across the desk. She extended her hand and took Elisa's hand in hers. "What's first on our agenda, partner?"

Elisa beamed. Picking up a folder she passed it to Riley. "Skim over this and you'll be up to date."

Riley scanned her objective and shrugged. "So we're doing a bust on the Chinese Ambassador because he's counterfeiting money?"

Elisa nodded. "In a way. We're not entirely sure if Ambassador Wui is the one behind it or if he has a partner in crime. We have contacted some special forces from Tokyo to send in some reinforcements. Along with some manly bait for the case. They'll mainly stick to undercover operations."

Riley quirked an eyebrow. "Tokyo? Why so far away? I mean, aren't we well equipped and trained to handle stings?"

Elisa leaned back. "Quite so. But, if we send in Japanese counterparts, our suspects are less likely to be suspicious of our plans. Besides, the Secretary of the State, Rodney Carr, suggested foreign undercover agents. There isn't anything I can say or do to make it different otherwise."

Riley sighed. "I see. Very well then. When do we get started?"

* * *

Riley shifted her weight and unlocked her front door. Dropping her purse on the table in the front foyer, she smiled. She kicked off her shoes and cracked her neck.

"ZACK? I'M HOME!" Riley shouted from the front. Moments later a young boy with light green eyes and short blonde hair came barreling into the front foyer.

"Mom, can we go out for pizza?" The boy asked hurriedly.

Riley held her hands up. "Hold on there, my little bottomless pit. Did you finish your homework and your chores?"

The young boy gave Riley puppy dog eyes. His bottom lip stuck out and quivered a bit.

Riley rolled her eyes. "No. Not until your homework is complete. Hop to it."

Zack kicked something imaginary on the floors and turned around.

"Shucks." He mumbled as he slipped from the room.

A young woman dodged him as she came face to face with Riley.

"Boy. Multiplication has really got him down." The woman joked. She turned brown eyes to Riley. "So, how was your day?"

Riley took a deep breath and headed for the kitchen with the woman close on her heels. She eased herself onto a barstool and leaned on her elbows. The young woman set two glasses on the counter and poured some sweet tea into the glass cups.

Riley accepted hers and sighed deeply. "Jason and I are no longer partners."

"WHAT?! Why? What happened?"

Riley snorted. "I was...." She trailed off.

"Fired?" The woman asked.

Riley looked up. "Like hell I was!"

The woman hung her head. "Sorry. What are you going to do now?"

Riley chuckled. "Silly. I wasn't fired. I was promoted. I've been partnered with Director Mezro."

The woman smiled. "The Director Mezro? As in Elisa Mezro?!"

Riley nodded. "Yeah. That's the one, all right."

The woman grinned and sat down. "Wow. Do you know what kind of honor it is to be working with her? I mean, that's like...wow."

Riley giggled. "I'm so sure. She's a good Agent and a very nice woman, but, Jason and I...we've been partners for a long time."

The woman gave her a sympathetic look. "Hey, Riley, come on. Things will be fine, you'll see."

Riley hung her head. "Mick, I don't know."

The woman laughed. "You'll see." She replied easily.

Riley shrugged and stared at the woman. Micki Bennet had been the sister of Zack's father and she and Riley had become best friends. Even though Zack's father was gone, Micki had stuck beside Riley through it all. She watched Zack during the day and then afterwards went to work.

Riley was grateful to have Micki. She never blamed Riley for her brother's death, and she loved Zack dearly. Micki worked nights, so she offered to keep Zack while Riley was away and Riley often found herself crying at night after Micki had gone to work. Micki had a choice.

And she had chosen to stay behind.

Riley couldn't repay her enough for the things she had done for her and Zack. And even though things hadn't worked out for Riley and Zack's father, Micki and Riley had remained good friends and close family.

Micki frowned. "Silence? What's on your mind?"

Riley looked up and shook her head. "Nothing. Just today's events."

Micki nodded and set her glass in the sink. "Geez, look at the time. I've got to go. See you tomorrow. Bye."

Micki grabbed a jacket, shouted something down the hall and quickly retreated out the front the door. Riley took her tea and headed for the living room. A few picture frames lined a far wall and Riley found herself lost in their memories.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

Riley snapped out of her daze and turned around to see Zack standing there watching her. She nodded.

"Yeah, sweetie. I'm fine. Now, how about that homework?" Riley asked.

Zack narrowed his eyes. "I'm done, if that's what you wanna know."

Riley nodded and stared past him with a dazed look on her face.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" Zack questioned.

Riley gasped. "About who?"

"Dad."

Riley looked over her shoulder and gave Zack a loving look. The small boy knew all to well his mother's nightly remembrance of his father. And she knew that he was right.

* * *

Riley shook her head and leaned back in her seat. A week had passed since she was reassigned with Elisa as a partner and things were going exceptionally well. They had narrowed their suspects down and scheduled their sting for the night of the Chinese Ambassadors treaty address in 2 days.

Riley nodded every so often but her mind was elsewhere. Once again in the night hours of the past day, her son had caught her remembering his father. Riley frowned at her thoughts of the man who fathered her child.

For eleven years she had lived in the states, either alone, with Zack and his father or just Zack and Micki. Times had been hard for Riley when she first arrived in New York, but she quickly adjusted. She quietly thanked her mother for the brains Riley had inherited.

Riley narrowed her eyes. Exactly eleven and half years ago, she had moved to New York from Japan to start over. A new life, with news friends, and a new career. In the first year she had already decided that she wanted to help people in trouble. It was her nature, after all.

Her past had been hell and she wanted to make up for lost time. So she applied for a spot as a Secret Service agent under the U.S. Department of Treasury, and she was quite good at what she did. She was accepted and soon became known as the number one agent in New York City.

Riley had met a young man a few months after her graduation in the Treasury Security Force and soon started spending all her free time with him. A little while later, she discovered that she was pregnant with his child. The young man denied her and her unborn baby and skipped town.

When Zack had been born, he mysteriously showed up at the hospital and apologized to her about his actions and that he wanted to be there for his son. Riley, as innocent as a child herself, believed him. For six years he hung around, but he lived off of Riley's prosperity.

Riley knew her son carried deep emotional scars from his father and cursed the day her heart and mind allowed him back into their lives. Zack's father occasionally drank, and sometimes would beat on Riley just for laughs. Riley held much anger for him when she was called and told that Zack was in the hospital.

The rat bastard had beat him so badly that her son's left lung had collapsed. Riley had almost lost him during surgery but was thankful that he had survived. As the years went by and Zack celebrated every birthday, he found his father to be away more and more.

Finally, an ex-partner of Elisa Mezro's had put a stop to Riley's problem. She received orders that a young man who was counterfeiting money was to be stopped. She, Elisa and Elisa's partner, Pierce Stahley, were put on the case. Riley was horrified to see that it was the man she had once loved.

Things didn't go smoothly for Riley and her once desired love opened fire on the police. Pierce knew of Riley's dilemma and had vowed that he would one day stop the torture. When the man opened fire, Pierce moved in on him. Firing three shots, one struck the man's chest, the other two his abdomen.

Riley was petrified when he was pronounced dead. Not only did she have to cope with the loss of the man she once loved, but now she had to tell Zack that his father was dead. Zack took it lightly. For a six year old boy, he was extremely calm and seemed relieved that his father was no longer alive.

Pierce felt bad for what he had done and hung around Riley and Zack more, eventually developing feelings for Riley. And Zack enjoyed it when Pierce was over, which eased Riley's mind a great deal. Riley though, was not sure if whether or not she had the same feelings for Pierce, and seemed troubled.

But it didn't matter. She had Zack, and Micki. The dear young woman whose brother had fathered a child, beat his son and girlfriend, and then was killed trying to pull a fast one over on Riley's territory. But Micki didn't hold Riley responsible for his demise. She just accepted it and held her head high.

Riley knew she had to forget about the man she once told that she had loved. For her sake and Zack's. She had left everything behind, everything she knew, and all she really got from it was heartache. Heartache and possibly the world's greatest son. She had, from her point of view, come out on top.

Riley felt something tap her shoulder.

"Yoo-hoo, Riley? You awake?"

Riley shifted her sapphire eyes to Elisa, who stood beside her with a folder in her hands. Riley gave her a half tired, half dazed look and nodded. Elisa shook her head.

"Yeah. Yeah. If you will rejoin us for our bust, then we'll get down to business. If not, you can wait outside and I'll have Pierce fill you in." Elisa chimed jokingly.

Riley sat up. "Sorry. I was just thinking." She looked around nervously and then finally rubbed her hands together. "So, what's the plan, who's the crooks, and what fun do we get to spoil?"

Pierce studied her long and hard before smiling. "That's our Riley."

Elisa agreed and sat down. Once comfortable, she began to go over their plans for their sting.

This time, Riley leaned forward and paid close attention to Elisa's words, her head nodding or her eyes lighting up every few moments. This was going to be a walk in the park for Riley. She rubbed her hands together again and smiled evilly. And oh, it was going to be so much fun. She could tell.