CIA Headquarters

Langley, Va

Eric Byer had stared at the personal files for everyone involved in Treadstone for so long that he thought his eyes were going to bleed. He had just lowered his head to rest on his desk when the door was flung open by his intern Reggie Williams, "Sir, it's Nicky Parsons…"

His head jerked up, "What? Do we have a lead on her?!"

"She wants to talk to you sir!"

"What! When?"

"Right now sir, she's here!"

"'Here' where, Virginia?"

"No, the building- in interrogation room 2," he beamed.

"You're joking…" he said as he bolted up from his chair and grabbed his jacket. "Who brought her in?"

"No-one, she came to the front door…"

Byer beamed as he raced down the long corridor, "She just get here?" he asked as he open the door to interrogation room two. Nicky Parsons glowered at him from the far side of the table, her knees were pulled up to her chest in a defensive ball, she was apparently naked, and she had a bloody nose. "What the hell? Who did that," he asked no one in particular. Nicky's hand shot out like lightening and pointed at his subordinate as he was turning to leave.

Byer grabbed him by the back of the collar and yanked him back into the room and kicked the door shut with the back of his foot. He spun the man and they both assaulted each other for a few seconds. Her initial thought was that Byer was out matched. The other man was twenty years younger, stronger, taller, and had better reach. Then Byer completely dismantled the younger agent and the took the mans gun from its holster.

"So, let me see if I understand this correctly. I am tasked with finding five people… A simple job; not a lot to ask…" Williams was too young to recognize the tone in Byer's voice, but Nicky heard it. He was a killer that was circling his prey- trying to figure out how large of a bite to take. "One of these people shows up at the front fucking gate asking to speak to me and you assault them and take their clothes?"

"But she resisted…"

Nicky scoffed, not because of what actually occurred but at the man's utter failure to understand that his life was hanging by a thread.

"Like this?" she heard an awful wet pop and a crunch as Byer did something to the mans hand which was bent behind him. "Huh? Parsons what exactly happened."

Knowing that the mans life hung in the balance she tried to be fair, "The gate guards sent for a car that collected me, him and three other men pushed me in and brought me to this building, to a crisis room. He told me to strip, I asked for a female agent to be present and he said that he 'owned my ass' and that I had now qualified myself for a cavity search. I again asked for a female agent. He refused, punched me in the face, then he held me down at which point I fought back- I scratched him, kicked him in the groin and bit him. I explained forceful penetration by any body part or object qualified as rape in the state of Virgina. He laughed and performed his idea of a cavity search anyway then led me here…"

"Naked through the office pool?" to which she nodded.

He suddenly and violently started pistol whipping the man then grabbed him by the neck and slammed his mouth down against the corner of the table three times. She looked away as his teeth were broken and splintered.

"Take your clothes off- no… Reggie, you only need one hand. That's a good boy." She watched nervously as Byer made him strip naked. "Okay now you're going to go out there and email me your letter of resignation and get the hell out of here- I do mean the state. If I see you again I'm putting a bullet in you and calling it self-defense. You probably have no idea why, do you? You have completely destroyed whatever sort of parley that could've and would've happened here today. Look at her… I SAID LOOK AT HER! She isn't 'the enemy' or even an adversary. She is trying to defuse Bourne too, she is just doing it a different way. Now go and find her some female garments befitting her station. Nope, leave your clothes here, it's dress casual day remember. Get out…"

Byer followed the man out into the hall leaving her alone and Parsons wondered if this had been the right move, Byer was on the verge of being psychotic. She saw him as he flipped the light on in the observation room on the other side of the two way glass and unplugged and panned the video camera away from the mirror and left the light on so she could see in there.

He returned a moment later and took off his coat, tie, then his shoes, socks, then unbuttoned his shirt. Nicky squirmed slightly and averted her eyes as he stripped naked. "Look at me…"

"I'd rather not. Your making me uncomfortable Mr. Byer. -What are you going to do?"

"Look at me…" she grudgingly did so. "Do you think I had any knowledge as to your arrival today or your treatment thus far?"

She considered it for a moment and looked at the teeth on the table, "No, sir."

"Okay, I just don't want you to think this was some good cop / bad cop BS. We are both beyond such amateurish techniques." He pushed his cloths over into a pile with his interns, "Here you can wear whatever you want of that…"

"Thanks," she mumbled without moving. "I want him arrested, I want to press charges…"

"Now, you'll want to rethink that."

"So, you're going to protect him?" she scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"No, I said you will want to think about that. I'm assuming your not here to turn yourself in for treason. That means you're asking me to take a broad interpretation of your actions. I would ask you to take a broad interpretation to our reaction… or overreaction as the case may be. Now, you seem very calm on the surface but I have a female psychiatrist on my staff- not unlike yourself. That's part of why I'm incensed right now, because your completely reasonable request could've been answered by walking thirty feet. Now, honestly, would you like to speak with her?" he asked earnestly.

"No." She then added with venom, "That creep liked it though… he is a rapist in waiting. He needs to be registered as a sex offender."

He threw up his hands, "Hey no complaints here. I had two mothers, two little sisters, a slew of ex-wives and a daughter; I wouldn't want that creep alone with any of them. I can have him registered in the predator database in two minutes. I am just asking to keep it out of the courts and out of a senate sub-committee. Does: a fistful of teeth, unemployment, exile, and being labeled as a creep for life settle that score?"

She nodded, "Yeah. I didn't expect a warm welcome, but I thought it would at least be professional- surgical even. Your team takes their debriefings very seriously," she forced a nervous laugh. "Where the hell did you learn to negotiate?"

"University of Waco…" he said tersely.

"Oh… wow…" she stuttered as she stood without modesty and put on his button down shirt. His eyes remained locked with hers the entire time, he knew she was a psychiatrist and was testing him, to see if he would look away in embarrassment or ogle her and he did neither.

"I apologize for the actions of my minions. Please excuse this debacle. I know that time is of the essence, but we shouldn't negotiate right now. We both feel like we have been caught with our pants down…" he laughed.

Just as he was reaching for his pants and Nicky started buttoning the shirt the door was flung open and a woman about Nicky's age stood there gawking at them both. Nicky figured she was of Spanish decent, she had long straight black hair, a tan complexion, and was shorter and curvier than she was.

"Please step in shut the door Sara. Nicky was just wanting another woman to join us…" Nicky smirked and the other woman blushed. "Wow, I completely see sexual harassment and anger management classes in my future. Sara Reynolds this is Nicky Parsons…"

They shook hands briefly, "So, I'm guessing you're the one that needs a set of clothes? -Sir, can you please get dressed…" she murmured shyly.

He grabbed his pants, "Sorry, I thought with you both being medical doctors- psychiatrist's and all…"

"Sir, I'm a psychologist…"

"Yeah, that's what I just said…"

Nicky corrected him, "She is not a psychiatrist, she's a psychologist…" He cocked his head slightly and she continued, "She isn't a medical doctor- she's like a liberal arts major that studied the brain… No offense."

"Believe me, that's the least offensive thing in here…"

"Oh, Sara I'm so sorry. Can you wait with her while she changes and find the closest five star hotel and book her a room and some spa time for this afternoon, and then reservations for dinner. Take her over there in one of the company limos- an armored one, and get her a security detail. I do mean a security detail, she is not a prisoner and is free to leave whenever she wants. It is okay if we talk about this later?"

"Sure…" Nicky nodded.

Later that night

Eric Byer consciously arrived early for their dinner date; as Nicky knew he would. He would intend to throw her off balance and ply her with a few early drinks, before the bottles of wine he intended to order with dinner. She not only understood his intentions, but knew that she would know what he was up to.

When he arrived, the door was ajar and he reached for his weapon but before it cleared the holster she called out, "Come in, I'm ready- just pouring a cocktail. Would you care for one?"

"S-sure,"he stuttered as he walked around the corner and saw her for the first time, "wow… you look amazing!"

She laughed, more at having landed the first punch than at his remark. "Try not to act so shocked…" She was dressed in what amounted to formal evening wear. The black dress was rather plain and had long sleeves but was very short. She saw him staring at her legs and laughed again at landing her second blow, "…sorry about the dress- she is four inches shorter than I am."

"No, you look radiant. You had time to get your hair and make up done too?"

"No, that's all me. A by product of coming from money. You learn to do it yourself to save time. The downside is that I can't cook; I can't even make toast…"

"Don't worry- It's overrated."

"Well did you want to get to know each other first or get right down to the brass tacks?"

"Hmmm… brass tacks." He sipped his perfectly prepared Gimlet, "Well you high society dames sure can mix a drink- hold up, how did you know I wanted this?"

"I asked one of your ex-wives," she said coyly.

He choked and half spit up his drink, "You're joking?"

"Nope… Two Gimlets, a Red Stripe, another Gimlet, then I pounce."

He coughed and then sniffed the drink suspiciously, "You didn't talk to Francine did you, she would've told you to add arsenic."

"No, Paige. I was going to ask Katie because first wives are always the farthest removed, but I couldn't find her. Really? Three divorces Mr. Byer… I guess no one can accuse you of being afraid of commitment."

"Katie and I didn't divorce…"

"Oh…" it still didn't click, then,"OH!"

He cut in, "Please don't say you're sorry. It was a lifetime ago; a car accident- her and my daughter…"

She cleared her throat, "Well Paige was quite still covets you, you know…"

He rolled his eyes, "No, she doesn't…"

"Oh yes she does sweetie. A woman can't bullshit another woman. I bet you think she left because you weren't around enough…"

"Well I was never there- I was in Iraq for months at a time."

"She didn't need your time. She didn't need romance, or roses, or fawning, or cuddling. She needed lust."

"Huh? But aren't they…"

"…the same? No Mr. Byer," she said gently. "She need to be taken- to be owned, to be dominated. She wanted to feel your pent up desire- like you had been doing nothing but thinking about grabbing her bending her over and taking her for months…"

"You're serious?"

"Um hmm… Do this- Call her and tell her that you miss having her in your life; don't be all mushy though. What's something she likes to do- in public?"

"Well she is an opera fan…"

"Perfect, so just be like 'hey we had some box seats laying around for some spy thingie and didn't need them...' Then you plan the thing like an op, scout it out and find someplace to jump her. When she asks 'what are you doing' tell her 'something I've been dreaming about for months'. She'll spread like butter… Make sure it's during the intermission- if it's before she won't be emotional enough and after she'll be weepy. Make sure you orgasm but she shouldn't if possible; leave her wanting, this is about you. Then when your done, take her back to see the rest of the show!"

He curled his nose, "No way…" he shook his head in disbelief. She squeezed his knee and took his empty glass and went to make him another.

"Man, I'm telling you this will work. So you take her back to the show, where she will listen to crying Italian women wailing about the love they lost and blah blah blah- the whole time she will be sitting there horny as all hell and not being able to do anything about it, while listening to women missing their true love: the whole time thinking about how you just totally owned her- her lost love."

He blinked twice, "then what?"

"Well she will most likely want to jump you after the show, don't let her. Walk her to her door, don't go inside. Apologize for going primal on her, tell her that she just has that effect on you and you understand if she thinks you're a pig. However if she wants to do something else to give you a call. Then flee the scene. Then do not call, write, text, any of that. Wait… and wait… and wait. I promise you she will try to hold out a few days but she'll cave. When she calls and offers a time, say no. 'Baby you know how jammed up I always am, but I keep waking up in the middle of the night thinking about you,' or some such rubbish. This sets the expectation for the future of your relationship; that you won't always be there. Then wait for the time SHE chose and call her and tell her how much you REALLY want to just tell everyone to piss off and drive over there and take her. When she hangs up- you already know that she had free time on her hands, now she will find a way to fill it while thinking of the opera."

She patted his knee again, "Now the next time do something similar, only this time it's about reeling her in- she must orgasm at least once. The poor girls been basting in her juices for weeks, throw her a bone."

"How do you know all this, you're just a kid…"

This time it was her turn to cough up her drink, "Excuse me?"

He held up his hands in surrender, "My apologies O' Oracle of Lovemaking; you are wise beyond your years…"

"Oracle of Lovemaking? I am totally using that… One of the assets, they called him the Professor- he was a total hound dog and taught me all his tricks of the trade. I found the psychology behind it amazing. Too bad I don't know the first thing about picking up men."

"I was going to say… it sounded like a very masculine point of view. He's British? You went to a cockney accent for a minute…"

"He was…" She swallowed hard, "Bourne…" she said sadly.

"A wide eyed beautiful young girl that was his boss? He was locked on you before you even saw him coming…"

She smiled faintly as she deflected the inference, "He wasn't a pig or anything. He was a gentleman of the highest order, but God he loved women. He was a professor of womens studies…" she giggled.

"You loved him."

She scrunched up her forehead and reeled back, "How could I not?"

"…and Bourne."

She nodded slowly, "…and Mannheim, Jarda, Bootstrap and the rest. Castle was… creepy and broken, but still mine. They were all my boys, and I loved all of them. Even the ones I had to punish, Padre and Bourne included."

"So, you do know…?"

"I suspected that he escaped eight weeks ago; when you sent a kill team for him?" she nodded as a scolding parent would.

He nodded, "Yeah. I was against it, but it wasn't my call. They thought I was biased."

"You knew him… So, you were with the Emerald Lake Program?"

At this his face went pale and then scarlet, "How do you…! You know what- Never mind, I'd rather not know. This has all been very enlightening, but what the hell are you doing here Nicky?"

She saw his eyes dilate and saw the killer in him take over, she had overplayed her hand. "I knew you couldn't get Padre alone. Not easily. You would try to approach Bourne."

"Would I now?"

"If you're as smart I think you are, then yes."

"That bridge is beyond burned. There's no way back from where we are now."

"Sure there is. There are six billion reasons to bury the hatchet.

"So, you're saying Bourne wants to actually have a sit down?"

"No. I was telling the truth. I haven't seen him in months- almost a year. Not since the day Neil Daniels was killed."

He rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Then what are we doing here?"

"Bourne will be along soon. I was his handler and I know his patterns and how he thinks."

"…and you can bring him in?" he asked sceptically.

"Yes. I'll set up lunch somewhere, I'll pick you up, make sure you aren't armed or wired, we'll have a nice lunch, and hopefully you two can kiss and make up."

Just then there was a knock on the door, she smiled coyly, "That would be dinner."

"But I had reservations at Marco's; we had to pull teeth to get a table…" he smirked and she knew he was picturing his 'minions' teeth on the table earlier.

"…and you never intended on taking me there."

"Huh?"

"You were going to get a few drinks in me, get me involved in all the paperwork, and then suggest we order in- since we were 'making so much progress.' I'm famished and on my fourth rum and coke; I'd like to eat now. Be a dear and pour me a drink. Make it as strong as you like, it won't change anything."

She got up and let the room service in and they set up dinner on the huge patio per her request. They enjoyed a wonderful dinner and several bottles of wine later they were leaning against the railing talking quietly.

"Parsons what are you playing at here?"

"What exactly did they tell you about Padre?"

"Well here, read that…" he handed her a folder that was labeled TOP SECRET: G14 CLASSIFIED.

"G14," she laughed, "Isn't that…"

"Yeah, when an intern ordered the new stamps he decided to poke fun. I just left it, it sounds more ominous."

She flashed through the folder, "That's what I figured. It isn't in here."

"What isn't?"

"The real reason he was locked up to begin with." She handed him a binder, "A lot of the front part is the same. Flip forward to page 27- the pink tab. He read it for a few minutes, his demeanor becoming more and more dire. She brought them both three fingers of whiskey. "I figured you'd need that…"

He drained half the glass immediately, "Okay I get most of the science and some of the biochem in here, but your conclusion- is that realistic?"

She scoffed in profound despair and nearly laughed at the absurd naivety of the question, "I wrote that assessment when I was a logistics officer, so I planned for the worst and hoped for the best. What's my prediction? I am a lady born and bred; I never use terms like this- but we are so fucked…"

"Tell Bourne to come in. We are going to need all the help we can get."

"I told you, I have no idea where he is nor how to reach him. He is overdue for a visit though." She drained her glass and pitched off the balcony. A car alarm started going off twenty floors below them, "Yes, a Jaguar!" She sighed deeply, "I'm going to have sex."

"What, huh?" he said having been rereading the report.

"I'm going to enjoy tonight. You're welcome to join me, or I'm sure there are traveling salesmen in the bar that would be up to the challenge, or maybe a couple of those Black Water guys…"

"Besides being drunk, what's your angle? Just ask for whatever you need and it's yours."

"I thought I just did, or do you need me to be more vulgar Mr. Byer?"