Reviews: Faster Update.

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SSC

Khan stared out the window, beside his desk. His clear eyes drifted over the sweeping lines of the desert hills, in vague interest. He was distracted and has been for the past twelve hours since he received the news from Serbia.

"Who told you this?" Susan was quick to demand since Khan was mute from the shock.

"Its public knowledge, the news is spreading like wild fire. The UN had sent two representatives, they had returned with information on Vasily's plans for the countries he had conquered." Suzette answered, her voice trembling in urgency.

"Let me guess, ethnic cleansing." Orlando questioned coldly, the woman nodded slowly. The man scowled and gritted his teeth, his jaw muscles clenched tightly.

"How predictable." He hissed under his breath.

"The UN, what a joke. What do the humans expect to accomplish with all their limitations?" Susan questioned heatedly, her blue eyes flashing in anger.

"All those who do not meet his requirements are fleeing to other parts of Europe. Joseph has informed me that most of the traffic is heading his way. He is worried there will not be enough resources to sustain them." The dark haired woman responded, the panic still evident in her tone. Khan was swiftly snapped out of his stun at her words. The cog wheels of his mind turned in a well-oiled speed as he began to formulate resolutions.

"Send him whatever he needs, I'll sign the approval papers as soon as you bring them to me." He insisted sharply.

"Yes sir." Suzette nodded, relieved by his order. She spun around and made a swift exit.

"What are we going to do?" Susan demanded instantly turning to the Captain.

"I don't think there is much we can do." Orlando responded in cue to Khan's lack of an answer.

"Hunyadi's has won this round, let him have his Yugoslavia, we must build forces so his rule does not spread." Khan was surprised by the lack of sentiment in his voice. Even though his heart was heavy with guilt, dread and anger.

Khan pushed aside the rising hate that heated his blood and turned to Susan. Her posture immediately tensed under his grim stare.

"Susan I need a list of all the men and women we had sent to that battle field, they cannot be forgotten." She nodded and departed with an elegant turn of her broad shoulders.

"What do you need me to do?" Orlando demanded.

"Get in contact with Stavos, I do not know if he has heard the news while facing conflicts in Johannesburg."

"Right away."

Khan waited for Orlando to disappear out of his sight completely. The moment he did, his shoulders sagged from the drowsiness he was experiencing. He had lost, it was a hard realization to come into terms with. He had underestimated his enemy and his soldiers had paid the price.

"Who is this Vasily?" Khan was startled by Zahara's question, having forgotten her quiet presence in the room. She had been lingering in the background as if trying to blend in to wallpaper. She had observed the incident and was confused by the swirling tension of the events.

Khan turned away from her prying eyes and absent mindedly began to stroke the edge of his table. He thumb nail dug into the wood, scarring the surface with deep, jagged lines.

The face of his enemy flashed in his mind. Vasily Hunyadi is a Romanian Augment. He carried the fierce features of his ancestors. Pitch black hair, a thick dropping mustache, piercing eyes and thick brows. His brows were a constant source of amusement to Orlando, but then again the blonde looked for any means to make fun of the man. Vasily was the true image of a brutal tyrant and his actions matched them in every way.

"Vasily Hunyadi is a mad man, determined to shape the world in his image in inhumane means. He came as a threat after Stavos and I formed the Augment Alliance many years ago." He answered calmly.

"You are the leader of the Augment Alliance?" She asked incredulously.

"Yes, Stavos is my second. We came together at a very young age, when our former home, the Chrysalis base was destroyed. There are seven of us and slowly we began to conquer most parts of the world, till Romania of course." Khan scowled irately and folded his arms behind his back. "He is determined to oppose me, and burn down anyone who stands in his way."

Zahara was silent for a moment and Khan dwelled on the stillness. His mind was a swirling mess of hateful thoughts. As a distraction he listened to her slow footsteps that trudged against the carpet as she moved to him.

"Are you going to fight back?" She asked from beside him. There was a flash of heat in her eyes, the kind an animal has before battle. She was ready to fight for him, he felt a sense of accomplishment in that. The scent of sandalwood and citrus brushed under his nose, her signature aroma. He found relief in it and was drawn closer to her.

"Not yet, my lack of a rebuttal will confuse him and he will use it as leverage to antagonize me. But once we overcome the hurdles here, he will receive my full wrath." He vowed assertively.

"What do you need me to do?"

"The mission still stands, delayed but it will be done. Be ready to leave when I give the word."

He expected her to argue, after all his promise to her had to be delayed. He saw a flicker of disappointment in her eyes and the way her face fell. But she held back any brutal comment that had been brewing in her mind and nodded bravely.

He turned away from the window and in two quick strides he was at his desk. He was still awaiting word from Stavos. The delay was understandable, Stavos was fighting his own battles in South Africa. Khan's gaze wandered over a long, royal blue, velveteen box on his desk. It had been delivered to him along with a golden envelope. He knew who had sent the letter and didn't bother with reading the formality. He was, however, intrigued by the gift.

He picked it up and pushed up at the lid with his thumb. The box gave way with ease. Khan peered down at the gleaming accessory within the blue silk interior. It was a necklace. A polished golden chain with a delicate, tear shaped red ruby attached to it. It was beautiful, a lot less extravagant to what he expected from the Sheikh of Umm Al Quain. Maybe it was why he parted with it so easily.

"What is that?"

Khan looked up to find Zahara, her eyes were glued on the box he held in his hand. Her eyes were a dancing with the light that reflected off the chain. He hadn't seen her so fascinated by such a small thing. Well…not since she had a fresh meal for the first time.

"A gift, from the Sheikh of Umm Al Quain." He said, he abruptly gestured the open box to her.

"I have no use for it."

Her startled expression shifted to one of pique interest. She reached out and hooked a finger under the chain and pulled it up from its display. Khan watched her inspect it keenly, and then she wordlessly dislodged the pendant from its shackle.

Khan blinked in surprise. She had just taken apart a priceless piece of jewelry. She tested the chain two tight fists, curled it around her wrist. Nodded approvingly and then shoved it into the pocket of her jacket. Then her attention moved to the pendant. She had the stone pinched between her fingers. She was observing the sharp rays of crimson within the jewel, the colours seemed alive.

Khan found pleasure in how easily amused she was by everything. In a way, he wished to see the world in her fresh eyes and find hope in it. Hope in a time he found most heavy and dreaded.

"Thank you." She murmured directing a tender smile in his direction "Do they only come in red?"

"There are other colours, sapphire is my favourite." He admitted pleasantly.

"Oh." Her eyes flared in recognition, as if familiar with the word "Like the night sky."

Khan's dusky brows raised in intrigue. He was ot expecting her to know what he was referring to.

"I want to see this, sapphire." She said as she leaned back against the edge of the table while watching him. There was a certain wicked gleam in her gaze and the curve of her lips "Though I suppose your eyes will have to suffice."

"Flatterer." He murmured low, his eyes narrowing playfully. She was flirting with him, he wondered if she knew what her actions meant. He couldn't help but be a little suspicious, as if she has a ploy for speaking such endearments.

"What do you need?" He asked.

"Nothing, I just made an observation." She responded with a lazy lift of her shoulders. He stepped to her, towering over her. He leaned forward and planted his hands beside her thighs, he moved in till his face hovered inches above hers.

"You want absolutely nothing in return?" He whispered, peering into her dazzling eyes.

"Death to my enemies and then the emancipation of my people." She uttered under her breath and boldly lifted her chin to level their gazes "Until then, your mouth on mine will have to do."

Khan couldn't resist the magnetic pull her gleaming eyes and cat like smile, had on him. His hands reached out and curved under her left jaw. She held his stare boldly. His touch moved up and into hair before gently scratching at her weak spot just behind her ear. He watched her shuddered then relax into his petting.

His gaze on her darkened to smoldering and lustful, his eye lids heavy as he watched her.

"Your smart mouth will get you in trouble someday." He murmured lightheartedly despite the dark, luster in his gaze. She tilted her chin up and leaned into his body, her lips inches away from his own.

"If you are so concerned, maybe you should silence me."

She was such a tempestuous little thing, eager to tease. She thrilled him in ways he had never imagined, he wanted to punish and reward her simultaneously. Unable to resist the chase she brought out in him, he grabbed her and kissed her.

Their mouths met with a heat that burned through him. He cupped the side of her jaw while the other curved around her waist, forcing her up against him and pushing her back to the table with his body.

She tried to meet his intensity yet she lacked the skill. Khan pulled away from her plump lips and gazed deep into her eyes.

"Your jaw is too tense." He murmured fondly as the padded base of his thumb stroked the prominent bone.

"Tense?" She echoed her voice delectably raspy.

"Yes." He whispered brushing his lips lightly over hers. He gently pushed down on the curve of her chin with his thumb, just enough to part her lips. She didn't shy away from his demanding touch and allowed him to guide her mouth to his.

"Relax." He breathed and captured her lips once more. She willingly leaned into his body, so eager to learn. His tongue glided into her mouth in an exploratory stroking. She hesitated at first, he felt it in her trembling arms. But then, she began to respond.

He didn't understand how she enticed such want in him, but every time their lips met, his heart clenched with need. The sudden lust he experienced was explosive as he pinned her to the edge of his table. Her hands wandered up his chest and to his neck as he cradled her face in his large hands. She tried to find grip in his shirt but grew frustrated and sank her nails into his chest.

He groaned, low and primal.

She shivered, thrilled and aroused.

He wanted her right there on that table. His touch slid down the length of her neck and over the gibbous buttons of her suit. He pinched one gleaming fasten between his thumb and forefinger, ready to disrobe her.

"Oh my."

The new voice within the room startled them out of their kiss. Khan released her immediately and craned his neck around to look to the intruder. The surprise on his face softened to a deep frown at the sight of Orlando, smiling perversely at them.

"You should have knocked." Khan scolded sternly.

"I did." The blonde retorted a pout tugging at his lower lip. "Honestly, I could have taught her that."

"No." Zahara's blunt reply astounded both males. Khan's glittering stare moved back to the female. She had her eyes narrowed on Orlando, annoyed by the interruption. The smug grin that curved Khan's lips was automatic.

"Ouch, right in the heart, my dear you have truly robbed me of my confidence." The blonde clutched his chest dramatically, his blue eyes a gleam.

"Or maybe I should just take it as a challenge."

"Did you really just come here to ramble or was there something important?" Khan cut in, his voice filled with annoyance. Orlando's wicked grin simmered down to a simple smile as he nodded.

"Joaquin has uncovered the files, there is a lot of data." He announced.

Zahara's demeanor changed drastically. Khan couldn't turn away from her. It was like watching a snail curl back into its shell. The playful warmth in her eyes had vanished and he was reminded of the Wahashi he was gifted months ago.