Authors Note: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing this story, I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

-Jess-

It had been two days since Jess had been locked in the ARC and discovered the book The Art of War. She had decided to follow some advice first off...

"The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy his victims."

Jess really wanted to start trying to figure things out about Becker right away, but she hadn't quite figured out her plan of action and she felt it would be wiser if she had better footing in the situation before making any rational moves.

But she was about to get her first lesson in the art of war in a way she didn't quite expect. Jess was still doing her job to the best of her ability, but for the most part she was distracted. She didn't think anyone was paying that much attention to her…

"Jess is something bothering you?" Becker's questioning voice came from behind her, she hadn't even heard him come up – she could have sworn he was suppose to be in the armory at this moment.

Quickly as she could she regained composure and turned around in the chair to face him, he was looking at her – his brown eyes filled with concern. Jess had no idea that she had been that transparent in her distraction – thinking about it now she had stopped saying hello to Becker or even stopping to talk to him for a moment like she normally did on any given day.

She had to think fast – while she was racking her brain yet another line from the book came to her.

"If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even thought the lines of our encampment are merely traced out of the ground. All we need to do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way."

Jess really didn't want to face him right now regardless of the situation, but he did sound genuinely worried about her. Racking her brain quickly she picked something and decided to run with it.

"I haven't been seeping well, I've been having some fairly nasty nightmares." Jess tried to sound uncaring – it was a reasonable explanation, but Becker didn't move.

"Nightmares about what?" He inquired innocently.

'Oh honestly, of all the times he wants to have a little chat about the finer points of my personal life.' Jess thought with much irritation. Again thinking fast she decided the best thing to do would be to dodge the question as best she could.

"Uh…I don't remember." She hesitantly explained, Becker looked at her with skepticism – thankfully he apparently decided to drop it when he gave her a nod and turned around walking away.

"Alright, I hope you sleep better tonight." He added over his shoulder as he was walking away. Jess let out a sigh and turned back to what she was doing, she would have to be careful to get back to her old self as to not arouse suspicion.

She had decided last night that she first needed to get a good look at the inside of Becker's flat – that could tell her a lot – you can tell a lot about a person based on the inside of their flat. Pictures of family and friends, personal preferences, if a girl lived with him or not. But Jess wasn't confident that she could pull such a feat off alone, she had to find someone that could help her, someone she could trust. The book had said…

"We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors."

This was true, so who did she know well enough? After a moment a light went on in Jess head. Around lunch time she got up and made her way into Connor's lab, he looked up and smiled at her when she entered before he could greet her she got to the point.

"Connor let me treat you to lunch today." Jess let her tone of voice convey that this really wasn't about "lunch".

Connor narrowed his eyes at her. "Alright…give me a moment and I'll be ready."

One Hour Later

"You can't be serious Jessica; you want to break into Becker's flat!" Connor repeated in shocked amazement.

"Yes, and I told you my reasons why, are you going to help me with this or not?" Jess sighed wondering if this is a bad idea to ask Connor for help.

"I don't know, I'm not sure I want to die…" He explained sounding like he meant it, she rolled her eyes at him.

"Come on Connor, you and I working together on this surely we can get in and out quickly leaving no trace that we were ever there." She tempted knowing that Connor had a curiosity streak in him just like she did, finally without much of a fight he broke down.

"Ok… so tomorrow then?" He suggested and Jess felt a huge grin start to form on her face.

"Tomorrow." She confirmed.

To be Continued…

Credits:

All quotes indicated are from the book The Art of War by Sun Tzu.