Author´s note: This chapter is a bit of an unusual one as it has no jump. I made it a habit to have almost each chapter cover two "scenes" and thus including a cut, giving the chapter a headline that befitted both these scenes. (e.g. the last, "Alliances" was about the prospect of an alliance between Eli and Maya and the likely one between Liv and Fitz.) However, this chapter, to me, feels more powerful as a standalone, the kind of thing that might end an episode or start a new one. We will return to Olitz and the others in the next chapter but since what is set in motion in this chapter will have massive effects on the further developments of storylines you will get a shorter chapter this time in order not to soften down in a second scene what I hope is an intense encounter in the first. I hope you enjoy.

As another point. Thanks to all of you guys for returning to this little story even after my long time of inactivity. :)

Guest: That´s a lovely compliment, because this is what I am aiming at. I love detail and here and there I just can´t help to not only describe emotions and thoughts in a detailed way but also include trivia stuff concerning politics and the White House. It´s nice to know readers notice that, so thanks. :)

Jennkyle: Still a loyal reader, thank you so much for that. :)

Clio1792: You are actually right. Eli´s remark was cynic it itself. :) As for Olitz. Yes, they will get their act together. Soon. (cracks knuckles)

Noro: thank you and here you go.

LoreneMichelle41: Nice to see you stuck around as well. :) was thinking the same thing. Maya and Rowan in combination are flipping scary. Which is why I am going to explore this little idea a little further methinks… As for Tom. Oh, he´s going to play his part and very soon at that…

ScotchSista: Thanks for your review. :) Couldn´t agree more on Maya and Eli. As for Olitz. I was hoping the tension would be palpable. I was not really planning them to cry together in the first place but it turned out that was and felt logical in their situation so I am glad you liked it.

Chapter 24

Tugging on the leash

Maya was watching him, he could tell. Like a dangerous animal, more dangerous even when it was caged, ready to strike whenever she found a weakness in her opponent.

Calmly waiting.

And waiting.

But her eyes betrayed that. He should be on guard around her and he was. Maya would have vehemently contradicted him there but he was of the opinion that if anyone in the world understood at least a fragment of the twisted, unpredictable soul of this woman it was him. Sure, she had broken his heart or aimed at it, never fully breaking someone who was her equal in cunning. She had spat him out when she had been done with him and yes, he had never forgiven that. But just like with everything else, like every other personal battle, like ever confrontation with friends and foes alike, this relationship, too, had gone into the desired direction: ending with him in control. Such was the way of Command. Such was the way of men that rose above the herds of sheep and the pack of scrawny wolves.

"Oh baby..." her words, softly spoken or as softly as the limited amount of water, just above dehydration that he granted her, allowed, he could still hear the poison in her words and see the wicked twitch in her fake smile as she cocked her head to the side ever so slightly, a stray strand of hair falling into her face as she did so. "you know you can make better use of me than that." She raised her hands, almost accusingly, giving the handcuffs a soft jingle. Even from where Rowan was standing in the bleak room he had used so often for interrogations, against the wall, eyes on her, hands buried in his pockets, he could see the faint lines of scars; the silent reminders of wounds she had inflicted on herself when she last tried to escape him. And what good had it done her?

"Do I?"

Her smile never faltered, but remained the wary smirk of a beast of prey. "If you weren´t wondering that I´d not be sitting here. I´d still be sitting in the hole."

She was right of course. It almost made him proud. She had nothing of the softness and weaknesses of his daughter. She was wild, undomesticated. Pure cunning. A very alluring mix to a man like him.

He walked closer to the metal table she was sat at. "Let us assume it were so." He was giving his voice a slightly ironic, light spring, to match hers. "You, my dear have been sitting in said hole for weeks so what, pray, could you possibly even have to offer me? No attempts at rescue from mysterious friends. It´s just like another terrorist dropped off the face of the earth and nobody even cares."

She chuckled her dark chuckle. "You know better than that. You know that it is very well possible to maintain a whole network from hiding…or from even going AWOL for a while. The network stays. It knows things tend to happen."

He sat down, in front of her, eyeing her, folding his hands, noticing the contrast the two of them made. Her prison clothes and his well tailored suit. It didn´t do any damage to her pride. For a moment he didn't speak. She, meanwhile, attempted to complete his thoughts. "So…what is on your mind?" The woman who called herself Maya leant back. "I cannot fathom what it is… You seem on top of the world. Back where you wanted to be. The president of the United States believing you are his most loyal man when really you had his little boy murdered under his very nose."

Eli didn´t ask how she knew. He had never told her but it didn´t surprise him she said that. She either had her sources or she just knew him too well after all those years. A weakness he did not like to admit even to himself. He kept his face impassionate but even that seemed to be a clue to her. He could see her lips curl into a nauseatingly joyful smile, slowly. "Oh I see…" Now it was his turn to cock his head slightly while raising his eyebrows as if mockingly wondering what she believed to know. She shook her head lightly. "Eli, what a poor job you did as a father. If you had listened to me more, our little daughter would never have turned into toy of some random, manipulative white guy."

Then she paused and it was almost too easy to see the fragments comine into a picture in her mind. A few seconds of silence and then: A faked sigh and a chuckle. "She found out." Maya surmised. "of course she has. She is my daughter... And she is probably telling it to president right now. Telling him that it wasn´t me who killed his precious boy." She was clearly enjoying the emphasis on these last two words.

He smiled a thin smile. "I have everything under control."

"Oh. And that is why you decided you can handle the risk of letting me out?"

"Nobody mentioned anything of the like. In case you didn´t notice, my dear. You´re wearing handcuffs, your feet are shackled and I´m not even going into detail about how many of my men are only too ready to shoot you if you as much as do a step outside this room without my permission." Now was his turn to smile. "You are very welcome to try."

"And deny you a valid asset? I don´t think either of us want that. And besides, you have me curious about what you will do right now. Suicide would be such a waste under these conditions." Another soft, metallic jingle caused by a brief movement of her feet this time as she leant forward. "I know you will want to move quickly. I know you´re good at that. After all, you caught me. With some little…federal help. But right now it´s just you and your little gang, Eli. And what…I wonder will you want to do?"

"Don´t let me interrupt you, this is getting interesting." He crossed his arms over his chest, despite his growing annoyance at her insufferable smugness, oddly enough enjoying this conversation and the cynic, cruel flirtiness under all the threats and power play.

Her hands traced her wrists, almost absent mindedly. "Well, we both know that what you need right now to keep on top of all this, to even survive what Olivia is going to throw at you is a big time distraction. What you need is a good old fashioned rebellion against Mt Olympus."

"Just as well as we both know we´re not talking about Greek mythology."

"As anyone with mediocre taste in action movies might know these days, darling." She mocked, referring to the fact that not only people had Secret Service Code names. Olympus. The White House.

"Your suggestions? Just to tickle my funny bone."

"Oh it would be more than that." she said, holding up her wrists, almost in a begging manner. Almost. "But it´s just so difficult to sort my thoughts when these are on."

"You might feel more comfortable in the hole after all." There was the faintest of growls in his voice. You just be joking, it told her.

The woman called Maya gave a shrug.

"I might." she said. "it´s a calm, quiet dark place. Lots of time for deep thought. Not so much opportunities to get into contact with some…associates that might you out on your situation." She regarded him curiously. "I have never been the kind of girl for romantic one liners." she said. "but you have very interesting contacts in the White House. At least one, because you´re not the one to get your hands dirty yourself." She paused, still smirking. "I have contacts on my own. Let´s topple the gods together, like we never did in the old times."

His arms stayed crossed. "And what is in for you?"

"Temporary freedom."

He laughed. "Don´t be ridiculous. You know it won´t be freedom. If anything it will be a leash. And a guy with a gun on the other end if the puppy dares to bite the hand that feeds it."

Her eyes were hard, even though that smirk was still there, somewhere. "Then lets just say sometimes it´s just fun to watch the world burn."

Note: I just like mythology related things, smart remarks of the kind. Olympus, apparently, is indeed the Secret Service codename for the White House. And btw, Olympus has fallen, which made this nerd bit of knowledge available to the general public, was rather boring.