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SSC

April 16th 1993

Khan wasn't surprised to find Zahara awake and in his study before him. However, he was nonplussed by the sight of her drinking milk from a tall glass, while sitting comfortably on his chair. The only sign of consideration was that she had left their breakfast untouched. She was waiting for him.

She sat with her legs thrown over the arm rest in an adolescent carelessness. It was strange for him to see her in such a way. So at ease and comfortable compared to how stiff and cordial she was. Is this the real Zahara? He wasn't opposed to the idea of her being more...flexible.

"I see why you like this chair so much." She said and took a sip from her beverage before slyly looking in his direction. "It's very comfortable."

"Yes, thank you for warming it." He attempted to sound reproachful but he lacked any real displeasure. He knew from the smile the pinched the corner of her mouth, that his attempts were futile. She uttered no witty remark and amenably rose up from the depths of his chair.

He rounded the table just as she was about to leave its premise. He blocked her path for a moment, towering above her and for that moment, just that moment of eye contact, there was an undeniable charge of electricity between them.

He stepped aside to allow her passage. She brushed past, closer than deemed appropriate. His body tensed as the short gust of air that passed through the centimeters of space between them. He caught a gentle whiff of that same delicious combination of sandalwood and citrus, it placed him on edge.

In a desultory manner, he parked on his chair and sunk back into the leather. She had marked the pelt with her scent, he felt dazed and annoyed all at the same time. It was too early in the morning for him to be so distracted by the mere smell of a woman. He raised his gaze and watched her hungrily.

Zahara was oblivious as usual. Her attention was focused on the gleaming silver cloche. Seeing the glittering enthusiasm in her wondrous eyes, eager to eat her meal, Khan felt his frustration elevate. He didn't hesitate to pluck the metal cover off his dish and place it beside the plate. Zahara was quick to mimic his movements.

The rich smell of hot bread and olive oil filled their senses. His plate consisted of four triangular cut pieces of crispy, flat Arabic bread. A collection of black olives lay beside a proportionality sliced boiled egg. There was also sliced sun-dried tomatoes, cumber with parsley and sprinkles of goat cheese for decoration and flavour.

Zahara's dish contained the same assortment of foods. However, her greedy eyes were focused on the bowl of diced and curried beef in-between them.

"Eat well, your training begins today." Khan ordered while pouring himself a cup of tea from the arabesque flask.

"Oh?" She hummed while chewing on a piece of meat. "When do we start?"

"There is an incorrect assumption in that statement. I will not be the one training you. I have other matters to tend to for the day. Orlando will be your mentor." He answered monotonously while scanning the headlines of the folded newspaper in his free hand.

"I don't understand." The suspicion in her voice grabbed his attention "We are meant to be seen together at all times, to avoid suspicion."

Something about the words 'we' and 'together' spoken from her lips in regard to them made him yearn. Maybe it was the unexpected dejection he heard in her otherwise smoky voice. It made him sympathetic. He experienced a sudden urge to reassure her. He couldn't suppress the carefree smile that broadened his handsome face.

"Yes but it's not like the Sheikh can take my free will." He responded while dismissing the newspaper back onto the desk. He leveled his eyes with her face, taking in the furrowed brows and the way she had her lips pressed tightly together. "I can borrow Ashera if I please. After all, the Wahash are our gifts remember?"

He meant to tease her but the concept was lost to her, being so buried by her own thoughts. She continued to watch him contemplatively but the intensity in her brooding face had softened from the gentle tone of his words.

"Right." She muttered under her breath and diverted her attention back to her food "What exactly will I be trained for? I do not see the relevance in this. I already know how to kill someone quietly and easily."

"It's not about efficient homicide." He uttered factually "Our main objective is to retrieve information. We must know our enemy before we can attack."

"I've told you what they are capable of." She rebuked reproachfully.

"Your mind is a little flawed wouldn't you agree?" He retorted coldly "Not a very reliable resource."

Khan was quick to notice the seething silence in her tense posture and narrowed eyes.

"I didn't mean to offend."

"Yes you did." She hissed.

"A little." He grinned charismatically she wasn't the least bit charmed. He immediately sobered. "You still have bits of your memory to piece together, I suggest you focus on that, we need all of what you remember to access that place."

"So the purpose of this is to make me a valuable resource?" She demanded.

"To the fullest." He said with a confident bob of his head "And it doesn't necessary have to be killing."

Khan wasn't one to miss details, the ability only amplified around her and he was quick to notice the biggest change of all.

"Your hands." He murmured his intense gaze honed in on her steady hands that rested beside her plate.

"They seemed to have stopped trembling." He observed, carefully. He had made her extremely aware of her arms. She quickly lowered her eyes to them.

"Yes, it's dying now." She uttered softly while flexing her fingers "They feel different though."

"Different?" He echoed curiously. She fell into a length silence, gathering her thoughts. He had no doubt she was still translating in her mind, trying to piece the appropriate words to express herself. He didn't mind waiting, she was fascinating to him.

"I had been forced to pose they way I had to for so long. I suddenly don't know what to do with them."

The statement made perfect sense, simple and vague as it was. He understood, having been forced into being the ideal, obedient soldier for so long. She didn't feel at home in her own body, she was still adjusting, still learning.

He was now distracted by her hands, staring at the slender, nimble fingers in a daze. They were oddly small but he could tell from the creased surface that they were tough, strong hands. He couldn't help but be amazed by all the destruction such small hands could cause, having seen her bring a man twice her size down to his knees. He began to deviously fantasize about the other ways she can bring a man to their knees, begging for her, yearning for her touch.

He suddenly wanted those hands on his burning skin.

He couldn't stop himself from voicing his intentions.

"I can think of a few things."

It was the thick, sensuality in his low tone that truly grabbed her wide eyed attention. She stared at him, uncomprehending of the meaning in his statement. But he caught her in his relentless stare, drinking her in with a sinful concentration. She couldn't look away and Khan wondered if she even wanted to.

It wasn't the usual rosy cheeks and breathless response he received. Hers was far more dignified and all together dangerous. She saw the wicked evocation in his blown pupils and stared back .Fearlessly, curiously, daring him to teach her these things he spoke of.

And God... did he want to.

"Morning!" Orlando's summery greeting and sudden airy appearance sucked the smoldering tension within the room. Zahara continued to watch him, waiting for him to look away first. Khan never backed down from a challenge.

Orlando having been ignored was not oblivious to the mingling sexually charged air between the two.

"I hope I am not interrupting." He murmured surreptitiously, he side swept which distracted Khan.

The Augment leader frowned when he was forced to look away. Zahara sunk into her seat while smiling mirthfully.

"Late as usual." Khan grumbled just for the expense of releasing his frustration in some form. Orlando's grin widened unapologetically as he stood behind Zahara, with his arms tucked behind him.

"The lovely Miss Amina from Lebanon made it hard for me to get out of bed. Pun intended." He drawled with that same unwavering, cad like smile.

"Pun?" She echoed with a piece of bread positioned at her mouth. Orlando casually lowered his chin to acknowledge her presence.

"Ah another thing to teach you, puns and innuendos."

Khan was not fond of the husky murmur he directed at her.

"I think just the training would be fine." Khan cut in briskly, breaking their surveillance of one another. Orlando immediately saw through the sardonic statement and pressed his lips down in amusement.

"This is for you." He suddenly thrust a neatly folded cloth in Zahara's direction.

"What is it?" She inquired while rising up to her feet, her gaze not leaving the item. Orlando held the material up allowing the rest of it to roll down, almost touching the floor. It was an Augment suit, black in colour with the same Triskellion insignia on its left breast.

"A suit, to help keep things more...compact." He explained holding the outfit at an arm's length. She reached out and gathered the material into her hands. She constricted the malleable fabric between her fingers.

"Why?" she questioned glancing at both Khan and Orlando, her voice always held the same suspicious tone.

"So many questions, is there no mystery anymore?" Orlando chided in amusement "You can wear your normal suit over it to hide from the Brooding Brothers outside."

He released his hold on the suit and the material draped over her hands. She looked to Khan who nodded, dismissing her to change. She wordlessly left the room, unaware of the pair of eyes that continued to watch her as she departed.

"I have news from the States."Orlando chimed, snapping Khan out of his thoughts about her shapely form.

"Tell me." The man insisted while picking at his food. The fair haired man took a seat at the Wahashi's former place and crossed one leg over the other.

"Things are tense. General Malt continues to elude us."

"It's distressing that a human is evading an Augument." Khan grumbled unimpressed while chewing on a black olive.

"Yes the founding fathers are putting on quite the fight." Orlando continued to speak as he reached over the desk and poured himself a cup of tea into Zahara's untouched china cup. "It's a little admirable. They still have an arsenal at their disposal but I am fairly certain they are running out ammo."

"Yet they continue to find creative ways." Khan mused while rubbing his chin in thought. Orlando nodded agreeably while taking a sip of the tepid, liquid amber.

"The moment you know more inform me." Khan stated firmly.

"As always." His friend responded and then smiled "This tea is atrocious."

Khan was at times perturbed by Orlando's unpredictable responses paired with his ever so expressive face. It was hard to tell when the man was serious or not. Orlando released the cup onto its saucer, the finery clattered in rebuttal to his rough dismissal.

"Where is all the date milk?" The man demanded disappointed by the lack of milk in the glass jug.

"The feline made quick work of it." Khan answered quickly, Orlando frowned.

"That vixen." He hissed though glittering laughter in his arctic blue eyes hinted that he wasn't entirely upset. He fell back onto the support of the chair and sighed "No matter, I shall rob Joaquin of his supply."

Khan rolled his eyes and checked the time on his wrist watch.

"I have some time to spare till the helicopter gets here." He announced while rising to his feet. His pin felt out of place so he distracted his hands by adjusting the gleaming silver.

"Let's introduce Zahara to the training ground."

"Lovely." Orlando replied the laugh lines around his mouth deepening. Just then Zahara entered, the two men were equally disappointed to see her wear her red coat and pants.

All the more reason to delay my departure.