Assignments had been handed out. Jesse was looking for more information on X.I.I., while Emma investigated the corporation's namesake, David Xenos. Shalimar and Tony were helping Adam recreate likenesses of the five crooks from the oilrig, to use in an identity search.

"Like this?" Adam was asking Shalimar as he made adjustments to Ox's image.

"His jaw was more square...I remember because I thought how I'd like to break it." Shalimar mused.

Adam couldn't keep the smirk off his face as he made the changes.

Tony leaned, uncomfortably close, over Shalimar's shoulder to get a better view. "And his nose was bigger. Bulbous really."

Again Adam made adjustments. "How's this?"

Shalimar tried to subtly lean away from Tony. "That's him." She proclaimed as she rose to her feet.

Adam called up the other four images so all five faces were on the screen. "Now using these we can do a data search and find out exactly who they are."

"You don't need me for that, do you?" Shalimar prodded, trying to escape Tony's leering.

"Well if you'd like to show Tony around...?"

Tony smirked. "You could show me your room!" He winked at her and Shalimar cringed.

Ally happened to notice this as she and Brennan walked in and decided to bail her poor friend out. "We can take him."

"Yeah it's not like there's anything better the two of us could be doing together." Brennan drawled sarcastically.

Ally elbowed him in the gut for his troubles and waved Tony over. "C'mon."

"Actually I'm just fine here---" Tony started to say, but Ally marched over and took him by the arm.

When she touched him, Tony's eyes closed for a brief moment and unnoticed a content smile crossed his face. After that, Tony complied. "Yeah...alright..."

# # # # #

"So...are you hungry?" Ally offered, looking at Tony curiously. "I could make you something."

Tony was looking sort of spaced out. Almost like he was looking into the sun or something. After a pause, Tony nodded, so Ally decided to try to ignore his behavior. He was still recovering afterall.

"Okay then...uh, Brennan, why don't you show him to the fountain while I fix something for all three of us?"

Brennan had noticed the odd behavior too, frowning as he watched. "Yeah sure. C'mon man, I think you'll like this."

The elementals turned in different directions both expecting Tony to follow Brennan. After a second of just standing there, Tony followed Ally.

Brennan didn't realize right away that Tony wasn't with him. By the time he turned around, Tony was right behind Ally. He grabbed her by the shoulders...and sniffed her?

"Hey!" Ally cried and slapped him away.

Brennan charged over. "What's your problem man?!"

Tony, apparently out of his trance, looked at them both apologetically. "I...it's just--you're so warm..."

Ally blinked. "Huh?"

"The cold makes me weak, it's my reptilian DNA. When I'm near you though...it's like I can breathe in the sunlight. I feel stronger than I have in days. Energized."

Brennan wasn't quite sure he believed it, but he had to say. "She has that effect sometimes."

Ally gave him playful eye daggers.

Tony appeared genuinely upset. "I'm sorry..."

"No...hey, it's all right. With my mutation and yours...it was bound to happen really. But, maybe we should take you to a room to rest. Then you won't need me to feel better."

"We'll turn up the thermostat in there for you." Brennan offered lamely.

Tony looked totally embarrassed. "Yeah...thanks. That's probably better..." He turned and started to walk away.

Out of earshot, Brennan and Ally could only start to snicker at the incident.

# # # # #

Later on, with Tony roomed and the pair alone again, they were still marveling.

Ally stated the obvious. "That was really weird."

"Yeah I didn't know what to think." Brennan agreed.

"Oh right. I know exactly what you were thinking! You were acting the jealous protective boyfriend!"

"I was not!" Brennan countered. "It looked like he was attacking you!"

Ally laughed at him and Brennan relented.

"Well all right, maybe there was a brief--a VERY brief second of jealousy, but don't tell me you weren't thinking he was coming on to you!"

"No!" Ally denied.

"Aww, c'mon!"

"No really! He totally had a thing for Shal. He just wants me for my---" Ally giggled before the words reached her lips. "Heat..." She started to laugh harder.

But Brennan wasn't buying it.

"Well all right, maybe it's some instinctual thing." She reasoned. "Like with other reptiles. Like newborn alligators attaching themselves to the first live thing they see."

Brennan's eyebrows raised at the suggestion. "You mean like imprinting? You're saying he wants you and Shal to be his "mommies"?!"

Ally burst into fresh laughter and slapped Brennan on the arm for making her do it. "I'm trying to be serious! We're the ones who rescued him. Maybe he can't help but want to be around us."

It was becoming infectious; Brennan was having trouble getting a coherent sentence out. "Yeah or maybe he just wants to "get with" Shal and suck the heat right off you!"

At this point, they were laughing so hard they hadn't noticed Shalimar appear.

"Glad you two are enjoying yourselves."

Ally and Brennan froze like two guilty teenagers. They weren't sure how much Shalimar had heard.

"Maybe you're ready to do some actual work?" Shalimar went on.

Ally cleared her throat and stood a little straighter. "Did--uh--did you find out anything about the jerks we ran into last night?"

As Shalimar glared at both of them, they were both sure she'd heard enough. They prepared for the worst, but Shalimar continued.

"Yeah, come take a look."

# # # # #

"Where's our friend Tony?" Adam inquired when he noticed the absence in the appearing group.

"Resting." Ally answered. "He's...not quite feeling like himself yet."

She and Brennan were both willing themselves not to laugh anymore.

Instead Brennan asked. "So what did you find out about Tony's attackers?"

Jesse addressed the question. "Well on the surface they don't seem like anything interesting, but dig a little..." Jesse entered a few commands and displayed five sets of bank records. "And we find dirt."

Brennan seemed impressed. "Pay dirt, you mean."

Ally gaped a little. "Those are a lot of zeros."

Brennan made the connection. "So they're being paid the big bucks to dump the toxic waste that's ending up in Tony's territory."

"And who knows where else." Emma thought aloud.

"Is there a link between these guys and the oil company?"

Ally asked Emma.

"No. But there is one to the CEO. David Xenos is the one signing the checks...from his corporate accounts."

"Pretty gusty of him to be dumping that stuff from his own oil rig." Shalimar muttered.

"Why don't we give him something to be nervous about?" Brennan suggested.

"You've got something in mind?" Adam pried.

Brennan grinned.