Chapter Two

"It is absolutely out of the question, Jaime, and you know that as well as I do!" Oscar proclaimed, pacing across his office.

"Why?"

"No reason...aside from the fact that she's eighteen years old."

"Nineteen in two weeks."

"Which still leaves her shy at least two years - at least!" he argued.

"Oscar, you could get them to make an exception -"

"No, Jaime."

"This girl is smart as a whip. She's got connections and more street-smarts than most of the people you've got working for you now." Jaime quick-stepped to stand in front of Oscar, stopping him from pacing and forcing him to look directly at her. "And physically...Oscar, physically, she can keep up with Steve and me! If you didn't know better, you'd swear she was bionic! Tell me that wouldn't be useful."

"Jaime -"

"Can't you at least give her a shot? Let me work with her. One case, and -"

"Jaime -"

"The NSB would take her in a heartbeat..." Jaime taunted. "But you'd be missing out on a real find. Just give her a try - please? She could be another 'me' for you."

"Which is precisely what I'm worried about."

"Please?"

"Tell you what; we'll have her take the aptitude tests, I'll check out her background and Rudy can give her a physical. Then - we'll see."

Jaime gave her boss an exuberant hug. "Thank you!"

"We'll see..."

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Steve smiled as he shook his head. "Sweetheart, are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked his wife. "Buffy's just a kid..."

"She's a kid who just scored a 96 on her aptitude test. What did you get when you took it?"

Steve chose to ignore that question. "So she'd be good at it...in five or six years."

Jaime sighed. "You worked with her; you know what she can do. Please tell me you'll at least have an open mind?"

"Sweetheart, I love you, and I trust your judgement. That's probably all I should say for now."

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The next morning, Jaime was in a state of nervous excitement and Steve and Oscar were dubious as they all sat in Oscar's office, waiting for Buffy and Rudy to join them.

"This is a serious assignment, Jaime," Oscar told her, "life or death -"

"Aren't they all?"

"Are you sure you feel comfortable -"

"Yes!"

Steve frowned. "Whose life or death?"

"Both of you," Oscar said quietly.

Steve had plenty more questions, but the office door opened and Buffy bounced jubilantly in, followed by a grinning Rudy.

"Are you sure she's not..." he realized he couldn't use the word, since Buffy didn't have the clearance yet, "...like the two of you?"

Jaime smiled triumphantly, saying nothing.

Oscar stood and extended a hand to Buffy. "Ok, Young Lady - we'll give this a try and see how it goes. Welcome."

"Thank you," Buffy said, suddenly uncharacteristically shy.

Rudy slipped quietly out of the room as the rest of the group got down to business.

"I'd intended to give you a throwaway mission - busy work, so to speak - for you to get your feet wet, Buffy," Oscar said, speaking to the entire group of three. "Something urgent has come up, though, and if you feel it might be too much, I'll expect you to tell me, and we'll find something else for you to do."

"She'll be fine," Jaime interjected.

"You know that New Destiny's been after the two of you for quite some time. This morning, it was brought to my attention that they're no longer interested in capturing you and...everything that would entail.," Oscar began, carefully tip-toeing around the fact that New Destiny had hoped to get their hands on the rudiments of bionics. "They've been looking for a hit man, and although our intel people were able to thwart those efforts twice, they're apparently still at it - determined to see you both dead."

Buffy's eyes grew wide as she listened intently. Oscar continued his explanation. "Steve, given your exceptionally strong eyesight, you will be the hit man they're looking for."

"You want me to be the one to carry out a contract on myself?" Steve asked.

"No. On Jaime."

"I can't wait to hear the rest of this..." Steve said softly.

"Buffy, since no one would ever peg you as OSI," Oscar told her, "you'll be the go-between. You'll hover on the fringes of the group, not joining them, of course, but close enough that when the subject comes up - and it will - you will be able to suggest the perfect man for the job."

"Ok," Buffy replied, already formulating half a dozen plans in her mind.

Steve shook his head. "Oscar, tell me you're not asking me to aim a gun and take a shot at my wife..."

"Actually, Pal, you're going to do more than that; you're going to kill her."

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