A.N.: I realize, ::embarrassed blush:: that in the last chapter I forgot to make the note I meant to about a reference in the story. ^_^ Luckily, people seemed to get it. When Angel and Collins' week without sex is mentioned, it is a reference to the unmatchable BearFeetz's fanfic, "The Bet." I encourage all to go read, it is easily one of the most hilarious RENTfics out there.

I'm being pretty good about these chapter things!

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Angel talked, Joanne diligently took notes, (adding her own editorial comments next to the ideas as she saw fit), and the conversation had been successfully turned back in the direction of Mark's plight.

Sasha had come back, looking none-to-pleased with Angel. Shelby'd reappeared not far behind, looking flushed and rubbing his wrists, mumbling something along the lines of "damn handcuffs."

For the most part, they all chose to ignore the obvious implications. Maureen perked up, an seemed infinitely more interested in how Shelby had convinced Sasha to stay than finding a lover for Mark.

"So, is that it?" Joanne looked up from her writing, peering at Angel over the reading glasses she had put on.

"Just about. Divide and conquer. Nobody makes a move with Mark until after we've got at least three dates secure and ready. Maureen, Mimi, that's your job. Collins and Joanne, you'll find a place for them to go. Sasha, Shelby, Measha, Lee-you guys are going to fix Mark's image."

"What about us?" Cor gestured between him and Cal.

"You two will be helping me."

"What about me?"

"Roger, you will be helping me also. We're on discussion committee. We've got to come up with non-boring topics for Mark and his dates to talk about."

"Unless that includes filmmaking and/or the top films of the last six centuries, Mark's a no-go." Roger absently pulled a piece of stray hair from off the back of Mimi's shirt.

"Again with the hair!" Mimi batted his hand away, half-joking. "He's always spazzing about my shedding. I think he's some sort of closet neat freak or something."

"Chalk it up as Angel's next project: 'Roger the neat freak: Coming out of the janitor's closet.'" Maureen waved her hand in front of her face in a fan-like gesture. "Oh, Roger, clean men always turn me on."

"Where did you send Mark anyway?" Mimi looked at Angel, and soon the rest were too.

"I bought him a ticket to see an all-night independent film festival."

"Brilliant!" Maureen clapped her hands. "He'll be there all night!"

"That's usually the point of those 'all-night film festivals.'" Lee rolled his eyes.

"Well, yes." Maureen sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. "Unless he doesn't like it. Then he might leave."

"Or gloat over the fact that he could probably do better than they could." Roger brushed another piece of hair off of Mimi's collar.

"Roger."

"Sorry, sorry." He held up his hands.

The sun had long since dipped below the window-horizon, and it had gotten very dark and rather late. Shelby's head was lolling sleepily on Sasha's shoulder, his eyes falling closed, then jerking open again, before fluttering back down to once again restart the cycle.

"Okay, well," Angel clapped his palms together, "I think we've got ourselves a plan. And it goes into action at 800 hours tomorrow.

"800 hours?" Shelby mumbled, "I thought it only went up to 24."

"That's military time," Sasha shook his head in indulgent exasperation.

"Oh."

"Oh," Sasha rolled his eyes. "Alright, time to go." He stood up, and hoisted the blonde up in his arms. Measha took the cue and stood, followed by Lee. Cor and Cal had already made it to the door.

"It was nice meeting you guys," Joanne called. They smiled and wished the loft-livers goodnight, before opening the door and getting ready to leave.

"Wait!" Mimi yelled, suddenly, and everyone stopped to look at her. "We need a code name, you know, like 'Operation: Rolling Thunder' or something."

"How about Operation: Custer's," Collins mumbled, before standing up to join Angel behind the couch as he prepared to leave. "It'll end the same."