Hey guys... me again! Thank you for tuning into another chapter of Lesson One! Feel free to check out the youtube videos that go with this story, or friend my writer account on Facebook, both under the name: Jaded Rein

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Alicia's eyes eased open, adjusting to the sunlight streaming through the window. She stared up at the ceiling, getting up the nerve to move. It seemed like no matter what position the pair fell asleep in come morning they were spooning. Waking up next to Samson was painstaking, especially now that Birkhoff had access to the eyes in the sky. Under Amanda's instructions she was supposed to be making Birkhoff jealous with her partner. While there'd been no direct order to use the away Op for that reason, Alicia knew better. Every second under surveillance was an opportunity to further the woman's hidden agenda.

As much as she disliked sharing a bed with Samson it had been necessary. With her decision to avoid getting any closer to Salvador it meant she had to play her role as Mrs. Durden convincingly. Seeing as Mr. Dìaz felt it necessary to have a camera in the guest room he'd provided, that included sleeping with her husband dearest. For the past three nights she'd cozied up next to her partner and forced herself to fall asleep. It was easier said than done, and every time she climbed into the large bed to settle down in Samson's company her body was on a weary alert. Every nerve in her body woke up and waited for the inevitable to happen; for Samson to make a move.

To Alicia's surprise, and suspicion, it was their fourth morning and so far he hadn't. While he took great joy in making sure he was always the first to the bed, forcing her to be the one to come to him in the process; that was the extent of it. He's planning something, she thought of the man whose arm was coiled around her waist. There was no other explanation for his behavior. During the day he savored his role as her husband. He was handsy, flirtatious and took great pride in having Camille on his arm. Yet in the bed his hands didn't stray; even when their covers provided every reason for them to.

She shifted forward the slightest bit only for his muscles to contract and draw her tighter up against him. Samson's broad chest covered her back, a slight moistness formed from their combined body heat and his bare skin against hers. Alicia's hands lowered to the arm that was currently holding her hostage. As if it wasn't enough that he had his arm around her, his hand was tucked in under the dip of her waist, successfully securing her to him. It was like a seatbelt, only one made of muscle and responsive to her touch. The moment her fingers brushed his arm hair the sensation of his body tensing followed.

"Going somewhere?" Samson's low voice rolled into her ear carried on a warm breath.

"It's almost six," she replied, drawing her hands from his arm. There was no point in trying to pry her way free.

He grimaced towards the waves of her hair. "So to Birkhoff then," the man's name was bitter on his tongue.

"To briefing," Alicia corrected him stiffly.

"Which he goes to for you," he countered with a scoff. Nothing made it past Samson when it came to Alicia, and he prided himself in knowing her better than she knew herself. There was something going on there and he was determined to find out what it was.

"Not that I don't find it flattering you think I'm worth waking up at six in the morning, but have you ever considered it's because he's a part of this Team?" she asked, the tone of her voice one that would be followed by an eye roll.

Samson didn't buy her little act, not for one second. They both knew the Head IT had ulterior motives. "A Team he agreed to join," he withdrew his arm from her, sitting up in the process, "because of you."

Alicia rolled on to her back, looking up at her partner as he sat on the edge of the bed with his gaze directed at her. She smiled innocently at his persistence; it was marginally fun to get on his nerves. If it wasn't for the fact they were discussing Birkhoff she would have taken more pleasure in his frustration at being left out of the loop. "What makes you think he had a choice?" she asked, continuing on her act of feigned ignorance.

"The guy's a geek but he's still the Head IT," Samson humored her by answering, "and he's made a career out of being a pain in the ass. If he didn't have incentive to go along with it he'd be his usual cynical self and find a way out."

"Well we are shining stars," a little smile played over her features at her words, "so it's only natural he'd want in on the action. We're on our way to some high profile jobs."

Despite the fact he knew there was truth behind her words he also knew she was trying to avoid answering. His eyes traced over her body, the sheet strewn aside from his rising. "We both know a thing or two about ulterior motives," his voice rolled smoothly from his lips. This was an opportunity if he'd ever seen one, and it was one he was going to approach with the proper level of forethought. Samson made no attempt of disguising the mischief from his gaze as he met her waiting eyes.

"He's a valuable asset," a little smirk played over her lips, giving away nothing.

If he hadn't been certain there were motives behind her actions, then the glitter in her eye would have confirmed any suspicions he had. "There's more to this than keeping him on the Team," he accused in a low tone, wishing she'd give him something. Until he got this whole Birkhoff debacle out of the way he couldn't start on his more personal goals with Alicia.

His hazel eyes were locked on hers, and she responded to his intense gaze with a playful smile. "You sure have put a lot of thought into this," Alicia purred, "haven't you?"

"You had him hooked just by playing the sweetheart," he responded, a dark glint to his eyes, "there was no reason to take it to flirting."

"Jealous?"

"Curious," Samson shot back, lips lifting up into a smirk.

Her eyes flickered down to the hand he'd just slipped onto her stomach, returning to his face as he leaned over her. "Haven't you heard? Curiosity killed the cat," she quipped, not liking where this was headed. She knew he was going to bring it up again sooner or later, she had just been hoping for later.

"Satisfaction brought it back," he replied, expression as smug as ever. For a moment he held her eyes before shifting to look down towards where his hand rested on the smooth skin of her stomach. Samson lifted his palm slowly, leaving only his fingertips in contact with the warm skin. "You know," he breathed, "I could help you."

"You don't even know what it is that I'm doing," Alicia replied easily. If Amanda had allowed her to fill him in on the project then this wouldn't have been happening. But no; the woman had insisted on him remaining uninformed. All in due time had been her response when Alicia had brought up Samson's inquiries about her interactions with Birkhoff.

Her eyes remained on his face, watching as his focus remained elsewhere. "I do know for a genius he's not very perceptive. He's so eager to believe you're interested" his fingers traced around her belly button, "that he hasn't given it a second thought. If he had any clue you were using him he wouldn't be so forthcoming." Samson's face remained casually soft as he watched the progress of his light touches.

"Is that a threat?" she asked, picking up on the implication of his words.

"Just a friendly warning."

If it wasn't for the fact they were currently under surveillance Alicia would have already walked away from this confrontation. "Well thank you," she smiled coyly, "but I have everything under control."

Samson gave a devious smile, eyes remaining on the fingers he was currently trailing down the smooth muscles of her stomach. Now I'm getting somewhere, he thought smugly. He could get the most genuine reactions from Alicia when he got under her skin, and it seemed like the only time he was able to do so was when they were alone. If it weren't for the eye in the sky then she wouldn't have currently been his captive. "Oh I don't doubt that. He's hooked on you, that's for sure," he chuckled darkly. "Only lately he's been cocky," he shifted his eyes up to meet hers, fingers stilling a millimeter from her panty line, "too cocky."

"Like I said; I know what I'm doing," she responded sweetly, ignoring the fingertips currently teasing the sensitive south of her belly button.

"And what is it you're doing?"

"Like I'd tell you?" it was Alicia's turn to chuckle, her brows rising in amusement. She couldn't let him get to her. Samson was like a shark; one whiff of blood and he'd be circling.

For a moment he just stared at her, as though expecting her to change her mind and tell him. He knew she wasn't about to however, and it only made him all the more determined to find the answers. "I'll tell you what I know," Samson lifted his hand from her stomach, "I know he's watching us right now. The geek is sitting there at his computer with his eyes glued to the screen."

"I'm sure he is," she replied easily. If his words affected him she didn't let it show.

He didn't buy it though, and knew better than to give up. "I also know he's not nearly as jealous as he should be," he accused with a piercing gaze. Samson moved swiftly, not breaking eye contact for a heartbeat as he shifted. She didn't have the chance, or the choice, to move before he could climb on top of her. His forearms rested on either side of her head, his own face a few inches from her own. "What did you do to convince him not to worry," he demanded to know, "did you kiss him?"

She had known that he wouldn't let it go, but she hadn't counted on the intensity that radiated from him along with his body heat. There was nothing between them but her lingerie and his silk boxers and it made her wish things weren't so damned complicated. If she had it her way all it would take was one well placed slice of the ceramic knife she'd been given by Roan and he'd shut up for good. While silencing Samson wouldn't solve anything it would bring her pleasure. He may have been the closest thing to a friend she had at Division, but he was treading on dangerous ground. If he told Birkhoff she was using him then it would ruin Amanda's assignment and things would only go downhill from there. "Why do you care so much?" Alicia had the urge to ask.

"That's a yes," he shot back with a wry smile, ignoring her question. His lips loomed closer, eyes dancing over her face as his warm breath tickled her skin. "Is there more?" Samson pushed, unwilling to let it rest, "Did you sleep with him?"

"Yes," she wasted no time in replying, "in fact he ravished me. On more than one occasion, before you ask."

Samson's eyes narrowed, taking in the emerald eyes that stared up into his. It only took a second for his expression to change as a dark chuckle rolled from his lips. "I'll believe that when pigs fly."

"I'd be more than happy to throw you across the room," Alicia responded in a sweet tone, "if that's all it'll take."

He sighed, giving his head a slow shake. He'd known it wouldn't be easy, getting the information out of her, but he was determined. "I won't stop," his words came out a whisper, his lips lowering to her ear, "not until I get an answer. How far I have to go to get that answer is up to you." Samson drew his face back down to peer down at her, his expression serious. It was only fair he warn her. They both knew what he was capable of.

She stared up at him, mind working as quickly as it could. Alicia didn't doubt the sincerity behind his threat; not for a second. What he'd do to get what he wanted however, she had no idea. Whatever it was, she knew it wasn't going to be good. Unfortunately that didn't do anything to change the circumstances. "What are you going to do Samson; torture me?" her question came out before she could stop it.

"That's exactly what I'll do," he confirmed without hesitation, a foreboding gleam in his eyes.

Her lips twitched, tempted to grimace, but she knew that she couldn't. As much as she wanted to get it all over with she didn't have a choice in the matter; Amanda had told her not to tell him. "My knife's on the bathroom counter," her voice came in a confident tone, "you can start with that if you'd like."

Samson's eyes softened, a little smile playing across his features. "You have me all wrong," his voice was gentle, and when he shifted it was to run his fingers down her cheek, "I don't want to hurt you." This scared her more than a direct threat, and she could feel her heart skip a nervous beat. There was nothing she could do, for the deck was stacked against her. Before she had the chance to conjure up a reply his lips were on hers, kissing her deeply. His tongue taunted hers, mouth working against Alicia's despite her stunned lack of response.

By the time she processed what he was doing her hands had already come to rest on his pecs- ready to push him back. She caught herself just in time, every nerve screaming at her to push even as she commanded her hands to stop. Their touch had registered witch Samson however, and he drew his lips back to look down at her. His eyes flickered to see her fingers splayed out over the muscles of his chest before darting back up to meet her emerald eyes. He could see the question there and the complete lack of understanding thrilled him. There was no doubt in his mind he'd chosen the perfect course of action.

"Don't forget we have an audience," he warned with a grin that could rival the Cheshire cat.

Alicia hadn't forgotten, and she didn't feel the need to point out it had been the only thing holding her back from carrying out the threat of throwing him across the room. "I haven't," she replied flatly, wiping her face of any emotion.

He deftly snatched her wrists up in his, moving to instead press them into the pillow above her head, pinning them with ease with one of his hands. With a small shift he lifted his body from hers, easing his weight slightly onto his knees. "You know sometimes I wonder," he commented softly, "does he get jealous watching you seduce men?" Every word, every action was intended to egg her on. Unlike when she was running a game Alicia was the one on strings and they were both aware who was in charge of the situation.

"You think I care about that?" Alicia asked, and to her credit her voice was as steady as ever.

"Do you?" he answered her question with one of his own.

She flashed him a smile, her eyes glinting with the malice that she couldn't show any other way. "If you're trying to make him jealous," she replied easily, "it's pointless. He knows it's my job. You think I didn't plan around that?"

"Of course not; I know you better than that. But all of your planning doesn't change the truth," he moved, shifting one leg between hers to follow it with the other as he returned her smile with a smirk.

"And what is that?"

Samson lowered his mouth to her ear, pressing his cheek to hers. He let his hot breath wash past her ear, taking a few seconds to savor the almost imperceptible pause in her breathing. "You have too much pride to let me win," he whispered, "and I have all day wifey." The words lingered there with all of their implications and save for the sound of her light breaths all was silent. There wasn't anything for her to say, and so he lowered his lips to her neck to press a kiss into the nape of it.

Alicia laid there beneath him with her mind in a panic. He was right and it killed her. She couldn't let him win, couldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that he'd found a weakness. If it were anyone else she would pretend it was Birkhoff's hand gliding up her stomach, that it was Birkhoff grinding his pelvis up against hers. But it wasn't; it was Samson's and he was the one person she couldn't make believe with. They were a Team, he was her partner and worse yet she knew exactly how far he'd go to get what he wanted.

Snap out of it, her brain hissed as it pulled her back into the situation. Division had trained her better than to retreat inside of her mind and she hated that Samson was the one who was getting the better of her. All of her training pointed towards the only option she had, and that was to complete the Operation. She had known that sooner or later something like this would come to pass. Bedroom missions happened; that was just the way things were. It was a fact she had accepted. In order to be worthy of her second chance at life sacrifices had to be made. This was a personal test and she couldn't let herself fail.

He could feel her relax beneath him and he smiled into her neck. Things were going perfectly and it almost seemed too easy. He had no delusions about her compliance, and didn't bother to look at her face when he drew his head back. Samson knew he'd only find a mask there but it didn't worry him; his eyes were on her bra clad breasts instead. Abandoning its station on her wrists, his hand lowered to her bra to meet the other that had just reached the same destination. With a tear he was through the mesh and pushing aside the cups of the bra to expose her. In a heartbeat his mouth was lowered, his hands tracing down the curve of her body as he teased her with his lips and tongue.

Soft little moans filled the air and she moved beneath him in pleasure. The heat and friction of his hips grinding against hers caused him to harden as he let his hands glide up and down the dip in her waist, mouth busy. When he drew back his head it was to look directly down into her emerald eyes and the moment they did he smirked at the loathing there. They both knew the pleasure she was expressing was for the purpose of the camera. It was all he needed to stiffen the rest of the way and he buried it against her, stilling his hips so she could feel him in his fullness with nothing but the thin fabric of their undergarments separating them.

His hands glided up to her breasts, pinching and tweaking with expert fingers. There was no hiding her body's response to him and he took great satisfaction in the spark of anger in her eyes when he flicked her nipples before continuing his assault. His hazel eyes stared unblinkingly down at her, challenging her without so much as a word. Alicia tilted her head back, closing her eyes as she picked up the volume of her breathy moans. He knew it was to shut him out but he didn't care. His eyes danced over her, taking in every inch he could get before lowering his mouth once more to her ear.

"If the geek was a jealous man," he whispered huskily, pausing for effect "then this would do the trick." Samson's hands slid down to hitch under Alicia's knees, pulling them up and spreading them as he went. Her moaning had fallen short, breath catching instead as he rotated his hips slowly to grind against her. He wasted no time in pulling his head back to stare down at her, making a point of looking at her body lying before him. After a few scans he lifted them to meet her gaze, tilting his head slightly as he gave a smug smile. "But you know what?" he asked, lowering his lips just a breath away from hers as he stared her dead in the eyes.

A flash of emotion appeared on Alicia's face only to disappear before he could register what it was. Getting a rise out of her was enough though, and he pushed on instead. "I think he gets off watching," he mused, "anything to get a look at you." At this her eyes went blank, hazing over as though another thought had occupied her mind. It was all he needed to know he was getting through to her. Despite her valiant attempts to remain in character he knew how to find the cracks in her wall. All he needed to do was hit the right point and everything would come crumbling down.

Alicia tried; she tried not to let his words get to her. But it was too late. At the mention of Birkhoff the dam of her thoughts broke loose. There was no doubt in her mind he was watching the pair at the very moment and it was a bullseye on her heart. She had been focusing so hard on how to make it through the current situation that she'd pushed all worries about him away. In order to fake the pleasure she had to be the Alicia that Division knew. What if he doesn't think I'm faking it? She worried, fully aware of how much Birkhoff hated their partner. All of her energy diverted to trying to contain the guilt, masking all of the emotion twisting inside with two glassed over eyes.

The only thing that called her back to earth was the sound of Samson's voice once more. It felt like she hadn't so much as blinked and yet his face was no longer hovering above hers. He'd drawn back, a devilish glint to his eyes as he stared down at her. "I'll see you in the shower," he said huskily, pairing it with a wink. Alicia watched as Samson backed off of her, striding across the floor and into the bathroom. He's up to something. It wasn't a suspicion; it was a fact. She worried at the possibilities of what he would find if he kept digging. Amanda had told her this mission was strictly need to know, but if Samson wasn't filled in soon then he could ruin more than just her assignment. If she and Birkhoff were discovered by him then everything would come to an abrupt end.

Birkhoff, on the other hand, had a cynical smirk on his face as he sat behind his computer. His partners had been late for briefing so Michael had ordered he pull up the video feed they'd acquired compliments of Salvador Dìaz's personal laptop. After about a minute into watching the smut Michael had told him to turn it off, and that Birkhoff would just have to fill them in when they were done because he had things to do. He didn't even argue, just agreed and turned back to his computer as the man left. After what he'd just gotten a peek of, the last thing Birkhoff wanted was Michael in the room. He shot a glance over his shoulder towards the door to make sure the broody man had left.

Satisfied that he had, Birkhoff had returned to the video feed to watch the scene unfold. His initial reaction had been anger, frustration and the urge to find a way to break it up. If he hadn't been driven to watch it so closely he wouldn't have noticed they were talking on his screen, and even without audio he knew it wasn't pillow talk it appeared to be. He knew Alicia; that was one thing he was confident in. Whatever he saw on his screen right now she was playing Camille and every second she was with Samson was going towards getting Salvador Dìaz off of her case. He'd never thought it would be possible, but the man irritated him even more than the cocky young Agent who was in the process of placing a call in to Division.

He wasn't about to take this laying down however. Birkhoff waited until the last second to accept the call, his eyes trained on Alicia's image on his screen. She lingered on the bed for a moment after Samson disappeared, placing a hand over her heart as she eased herself off of the bed, eyes towards the open bathroom door. "You're late," he answered gruffly, switching the call over to a headset without hesitation. What the cocky idiot didn't know was Amanda wanted Birkhoff jealous, and jealous he would be. In a few minutes he would be the one gloating and, unlike Samson, he would have every right to.

"I was busy," he shot back, "that happens on the field."

Birkhoff grimaced. He'd never killed anyone before, but he would gladly change that for Samson. It wasn't just that he got to kiss his girl on Division issued missions, no; it was his attitude about it. If the guy liked her he could understand, Birkhoff was used to that now, but the snake just wanted to use her. For what Birkhoff didn't quite know, but what he did know was he hated the guy and by hitting on Alicia he could get on his nerves. Alicia still on his screen, his words were for Samson's ears only as he goaded the young man. "I saw, girl's got mad acting skills. She's had years of practice. A regular black belt by now," he smirked as he said it.

Alicia chose that moment to join him in the bathroom, and Samson's eyes landed on her as she closed the door behind her. The bra hung ripped open, and he held open a robe with a charming smile. She didn't hesitate to accept and he stepped up behind her to slip it on, glancing down at her as he did so. "So, fill us in on what we missed, will you?" he shot towards the computer the moment he finished.

"It actually is what you missed," Birkhoff's irritating voice came from the speakers, "no surprise there. Looks like Salvy is having a little soirée tonight."

His eyes flickered to Alicia's and she gave a little shake of her head as she adjusted her hair. "We haven't heard anything about it," he confirmed.

"I find that hard to believe," he scoffed, "you're living at the guy's house."

"We've been keeping busy," Samson responded with irritation, "which is why there's been nothing to report in on. I thought the primary objective was to see the transaction through?" When Alicia had decided not to encourage Salvador's approaches Samson had decided to bring her along with him to the gym the next morning. It was no surprise the men there loved her, nor was it unexpected that she had ended up breaking out the gloves herself. They'd been invited to a drink and he'd accepted seeing the perfect use of his cover to keep his wife out of their business partner's line of sight. As long as Mrs. Durden was out with her husband then the bodyguard wasn't needed. It was convenient and worked out well for him.

"Listen newb, anyone can be an asset. You can't just rule them out because you don't feel like it," Birkhoff wasted no time in chastising him over the line.

"Then it'd be my fault," Alicia spoke up, "I was the one who decided to keep Dìaz at arms length."

Seeing an opportunity, and agreeing with his partner's judgment, Samson nodded. "I'm point here," he reminded the geek, "and we are supposed to be married. It was a solid call." Despite the fact he had a side project going on with Alicia he was still focused on his work for Division. Getting the mission done was priority one, and she was the best he was going to get as a partner.

Glad that Samson was back to business, Alicia drew closer to the laptop. "I take it we need to be at this party?" she asked, wanting to at least hear Birkhoff's voice while she had the chance.

"Bingo dollface," Birkhoff's tone calmed her nerves, "I have a job for you." She could hear his fingers typing away on his end and waited patiently, ignoring Samson's eyes. It wasn't because he had confused her by moving their heated scene off camera that her mind using the pause in conversation to about him. As thankful as Alicia was for escaping the bedroom she knew that he had a reason behind every move he did. If Samson had given up his dominating position over her then there had to be a reason behind it.

Her eyes flickered over towards him for a split second, returning her attention to the laptop quickly. Despite how many problems his digging presented he truly was a solid partner. Samson only took credit where it was due. He listened to orders and unlike some of the members of Division he didn't so much as question Alicia running Point. When it came to the field they were an ace team, and she knew whatever it was that Birkhoff had for them they'd be able to handle it. Alicia had been the one to decide against utilizing Salvador, regardless of her partner having the final say. If they needed to change their approach they would; it was as simple as that.

It turned out that was exactly the case. "We need to keep an eye on him, see how many big players come tonight," Birkhoff's eyes flickered over his screen.

"I thought he's only been in the game for three years?"

Samson's voice made him grimace, running his knuckles against his beard as he scoffed. "Again, are you not staying in dude's palace? He's a modern day Scarface only without a guns blazing, cocaine riddled death any time in the foreseeable future," he paused, "we hope."

When Alicia's soft laugh filled his ear he smiled. "Well that's reassuring. So we shouldn't expect a shoot out tonight?" she teased.

"There's none on the menu," he confirmed, relaxing back into his seat. For now this was the closest he could get to her; teasing over a Division line with their mutual partner undoubtedly hating every second of it. "All you have to do is rub elbows with the big wigs and see what tidbits you can catch. We have an Active who's been under years, says the party is poolside. That means no cams but we can swing buds if you avoid getting wet."

"It's my fault we didn't hear about this sooner," Alicia sighed, thankful for the warmth of the robe, "I should have used his attention. We would have at least some leads on who will be attending." Samson appeared not to be as chilly as she was, standing in the air conditioned bathroom in nothing but his boxers like it was nothing. She wasn't all too surprised; despite the fact she was in great shape she was naturally a small girl. He, on the other hand, ran warm. After sharing a bed the past few nights she knew this to be true. The bed only had a silk sheet and Salvador Dìaz's entire house was kept a cool sixty-eight degrees compared to the balmy heat outside. She was begrudgingly grateful for the warmth he radiated at night, not that she'd ever admit it.

"Relax young padawan," Birkhoff smirked, "the force will be with you on this one. I'll fill you in on the ones that wave their names around and run voice recog through ShadowNet on the rest. Throw in your brain ninja skills and we'll work with what you get."

"You can get Intel on them that quickly?" Alicia asked, voice laced with incredulity.

He could picture how upset Samson must look, and he shot a glance around Operations before smiling slyly. "It's a project I've been working on, so consider this the maiden voyage," Birkhoff dropped a goody for her to pick up on.

"You mean to say you don't even know if it even works?"

"It'll work," he dismissed easily, not interested in what he had to say. Birkhoff was much more interested in Alicia. Once it came to the party tonight there'd be little time for her to talk. After what he'd just watched it was the only way he'd get any sleep tonight.

"I'm up happy to be your guinea pig," Alicia pitched in before they could start bickering. She knew that Birkhoff had to be angry over their reason for being late to briefing, and while it wasn't directed towards her, she still felt responsible. It was a wonder that he was being so easy going to begin with.

Samson shot her a narrowed eye stare. "This is an Active mission," he tried to be the voice of reason, "we can't risk testing something, not around these guys. I know you're not down here, but we have seen the place. Not only does Dìaz run a tight ship, but he pays close attention to her." Though Alicia met his eyes it was Birkhoff he spoke to with an irritated tone. The geek was already interfering with his little schemes involving Alicia and he wasn't about to let him mess with the Operation on top of it.

"Did you miss the part where I said it will work?" Birkhoff smarted back in his classic fashion.

"See, he says it will work," Alicia was quick to shoot a grin his direction and add in a whisper, "besides, just a few minutes ago you called him the Head IT and referred to him as a genius, remember?"

Her attitude was cute and he made no attempt to hide the dark smile that crept onto his lips. "I do, I also remember the context in which in which they were used. You're only proving my original point," Samson goaded her. He made no attempt to whisper; he knew the computer nerd would know what was said regardless the volume. The tech expert would find a way if it came to it, that much he could believe.

"Your point it moot. What we're talking about is saving hours of face memorizing," she crossed her arms over her chest, smile never falling. One of her brows rose in a challenge.

He knew she knew him too well and he gave in at the promise of less time behind a screen. "If something goes wrong you owe me lunch," Samson gave in, seeing no reason not to at this point. He'd only debated it to annoy the man in the first place. At least this way he'd get something out of it.

"And if everything goes right?"

"Then I'll treat you to dinner," it was Birkhoff who answered Alicia's question before Samson got the chance to. He'd been working on a way to put the offer out there and was glad he'd waited. As much as he'd wanted to suggest it right off the bat to calm his nerves the timing couldn't have been more perfect.

Samson wasted no time in laughing and turning his back on Alicia. She watched as he strode towards the shower, one hand up and scratching the back of his neck as he went. "That's an incentive if I've ever heard one," he rolled his eyes before shooting a little look back to her. He knew she'd say yes and he had no intentions of getting in the way. Let her have her game, he thought as he turned his eyes forward.

"I go into the sharktank without Intel you'll get me dinner?" she asked, Samson listening in even as he turned on the shower.

"That's the plan," Birkhoff confirmed.

"You get a trial run on your new program and I get food? I hardly think that's fair," she scoffed. He couldn't help but look up, one hand in the water as he fiddled with the temperature. His eyes danced over her face, paying attention to her expression as she spoke. Words were only half of the story and Samson didn't need to think twice to know Alicia was leading this somewhere. Whatever plans she had for the man revolved around Birkhoff doing the chasing; this much Samson was certain of. As often as she encouraged the geek she also challenged him, successfully making him feel like he had something to achieve.

Alicia was good at what she did. Birkhoff was eating out of the palm of her hand, and Samson knew from her sly smile that she anticipated it to go her way. I could stop it, he considered the option a moment before stripping of his boxers. Instead he gave up on watching her and stepped into the shower, content with being able hear their conversation. He didn't care what it was they were saying; all that mattered was the tone of Alicia's voice. She was running a game on the geek and he wouldn't get any more clues from observing her play it. The only way he was going to get any more answers was to focus on what he knew.

From their time together as recruits he'd gotten to know more about her than he'd ever let on. Samson wasn't like her; his skills didn't come naturally. He'd been in Amanda's special class for two months working his arse off when Alicia had been admitted. In that time he'd shown a promise that had earned the new recruit being put under his care. When they started in on their first Situation things had clicked. It was as though Alicia were built specifically as his counterpart, and from the first day of practicing emotional espionage onwards he'd had her in his sights. Unlike the other females he encountered she was worthy prey and presented a challenge. Or so he'd initially believed. Samson had quickly come to realize that she was as much of a predator as he was.

She was circling like a hawk and he had no misconceptions about the rabbit being stalked. Birkhoff wasn't the target, no; he was just the source. What she wanted had to do with something he had. With a man like the Head IT it could be any number of things she was after. He had high level access not to mention enough of a history with Division he practically lived in the place. There were more possibilities about what she could be after than he had patience to file through. Even knowing her approach didn't place him any closer to the answer he was after. If she wasn't so brilliant at covering her tracks and playing a role then Samson never would have been interested by her in the first place. In order to know what she was after he would first have to make her want to tell him. There was no other way around it.

He stepped from the shower, leaving it running as he patted himself down. She won't let me in, his eyes flickered over Alicia as she sat perched on the counter talking to Birkhoff, so I'll just have to make her. It was something he'd accepted early on, and just one of the reasons for giving up on his bedroom interrogation. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he tucked the edge in before striding towards her. "So what time is this party?" he asked, interrupting their tech conversation. He'd let them talk long enough.

"Word on the street says seven," Birkhoff answered, his voice coming through the speakers.

Samson gave a brisk nod, meeting Alicia's emerald eyes as he stopped in front of her. "We'll just have to confirm that, won't we?" he asked, a mischievous smile playing across his lips.

"We?" she asked, one of her thin brows rising as she questioned him.

"I don't need to pimp my wife out for an invite," he ran a hand over his wet hair, flicking off some of the drops of water as he went. His eyes followed a rogue droplet that made it to her chest, landing on the fair skin there as an idea formed in his mind. When she had decided to keep an affair with Salvador out of the picture it had made things much more fun for him. Having Alicia on his arm was one thing, but having her on his arm and trying to hold his attention was entirely different. Her smiles and flirts were all for him, and yet behind every kiss she made it clear it was only an act. The only chink in her armor seemed to be in reference to him, and the pleasure he got out of knowing he could get a rise out of her was immense. "Dìaz is going to come to us," Samson informed her with a point towards the unoccupied shower, "and you'll need to be ready."

Alicia slipped off of the counter, getting to her feet with a glance to the laptop. As much as she wanted to keep talking to Birkhoff she already counted herself as lucky and it was better not to dig when it came to her partner. When he had a plan he'd tell her what she needed to know, and what he didn't tell her didn't matter. Well, that or it had to do with the fact he was launching a one man investigation into her interactions with Birkhoff. "I always am," she quipped before she could stop herself.

"Always?" Samson purred, his body looming closer. In a smooth move he reached around her and ended the connection to Division with a push of a key.

Slipping around him, she ignored his smirk and waited until her back was to him to purse her lips. It's not worth it her mind hummed on repeat. It was the only thing keeping her sane. Handling Samson usually wasn't difficult; their little spars were usually fun. Had he been pestering her about anything other than Birkhoff she would be playing the game alongside him. Instead he'd gotten the upper hand so easily, trapping her in her role under the watchful eye of the camera so he could question her. Worse yet was that he had shown mercy and moved the scene into the privacy of the bathroom.

By the time they were both dressed and starting down the hall she felt like she was going crazy. At her side Samson was now her husband, Isaac, and once more she was Camille Durden. Fingers that had tormented her barely two hours ago were interlaced with hers as he took her hand and increased their pace. "You're not needed," he shot over to the man in black who had moved to follow.

"My orders-"

Alicia caught the sharp look that cut the armed guard short at the same time she recognized the voice. Her eyes flickered over to Micah's whose were hidden behind his usual dark sunglasses. "I'm all the protection she needs," Samson's voice came just as harsh as his glare.

"Leave the man alone," she cut in, looking over to her husband as they fell into step in front of Micah. When their eyes met her brows rose, giving him a soft smile as she spoke, "You of all people should know what it's like to try to keep an eye on me."

Isaac's harsh gaze softened when he met her eyes. "He's had an easier job of it than I did," he couldn't help but scoff. She'd been staying in the same room as Samson, so the guard hadn't much to do other than shadow her. More often than not when she interacted with Micah it was to talk.

"I thought of it as fun," she responded with a little pout. He responded to her wide emerald eyes instantly, face softening as Camille looked over at him. "Besides, at any moment you could get busy with work," she added, eyes flickering away from his.

"Not today, today is yours," he promised, lifting their linked hands to his lips to kiss the back of her hand.

"Only because you have to rest up for your match tomorrow," Camille pointed out with a soft laugh as she tugged her hand playfully away, "otherwise I'd be fighting for your attention."

Behind them Micah fought off the urge to smile; she'd distracted Isaac enough to get him to forget trying to lose her guard. Underestimating her was one mistake he was never going to make. He'd accompanied Camille to the gym, keeping an eye on her from the background. When she'd first stepped up to slip on a pair of gloves he'd wanted to intervene, but after watching her first few strikes he was considerably impressed. Micah didn't know how long the couple had been married but it was clear accompanying her husband to the gym was commonplace. She had learned a thing or two and knew how to throw a punch and block a hit. As much as Micah had wanted to see her land a few on her husband the chance never came up. The only person Camille didn't enjoy a playful spar with was her husband.

Isaac Durden was the type of man who liked to show off, and what he liked to show off was his wife. Micah watched as the man in question approached the poolside lounge chairs and stripped of his shirt. They moved with the casual fluidity of a couple as they readied for the pool, and he felt a slight twinge of annoyance watching them. Things were so much easier when he only had to watch Camille. Keeping his trigger finger under control was difficult- especially when Isaac began to apply her sunscreen.

He watched the man's hands gliding over the fair skin of her legs, reminding himself that the man was Camille's husband. His fingers flexed, breathing steadily as he allowed himself to relax. Though the pair was married something set him off every time they touched. Micah didn't know why, but his gut told him that something was off in their relationship. It's none of my business, his mind chimed as he turned his watchful eye to instead scan over his surroundings. Her marriage was none of his concern, he knew this.

Still, when Salvador Dìaz made his appearance Micah tensed up and returned his eyes to Camille. Watching her swim laps he understood his boss's interest in her as much as it worried him. Every stroke as she swam was graceful and fluid, and if it hadn't been for the man matching her pace he might have been tempted to watch her. His stray thought was fulfilled quicker than he had anticipated, and his deep brown eyes observed as Isaac pulled himself from the pool. He didn't so much as glance back at his wife who continued to swim as he closed the distance to the lounge chairs.

It almost disappointed Samson how easy it was to get their host's attention. He'd rightfully assumed the man would show himself if they broke routine and showed up poolside. Supposedly having no knowledge of the party he'd used the hospitality of Mr. Dìaz to their advantage. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. With their target in sight and the goal in mind he had no doubts that they'd get invited to the party. Especially not when Salvador slipped away, leaving Samson with his associate to discuss firearms, joining Alicia the moment she climbed from the pool. Though his eyes never left the man he was talking to he kept track of the pair out of his peripheral vision.

He didn't doubt she'd be able to get an invitation out of Salvador. If anything he was worried about how she'd have to get it. Samson knew firsthand how intoxicating those smiles of hers could be. Despite his act of indifference he couldn't help but feel the familiar tug of jealousy at the attention she was paying to dear old Dìaz. When she took on a role she devoted herself to it, and the attraction she showed her targets by all means appeared genuine. Exceptions, Samson's mind hummed smugly. The only time he'd ever seen her so much as falter during a role was when it was his arms she was in. Had it been anyone else pinning her to the bed and interrogating her in such an unorthodox fashion Alicia would have never shown an iota of hesitation.

Samson could picture the look he'd seen in her eyes, or rather the lack of. When those emerald eyes of hers had hazed over he'd known he'd struck a chord; he just didn't know what it was. Nevertheless he had to stop himself before he got carried away. Once glance in her direction and he was reminded of his reasons for stopping earlier. Standing there in a bikini, water droplets lingering on her fair skin, she was a sight to behold. Alicia was slender and every inch of her smoothly toned body was just begging to be touched.

It hadn't been his intent to use the Operation for his own personal gain and in his defense he'd been provoked. Just thinking about the flirting that went on between Alicia and Birkhoff made him annoyed beyond belief. He couldn't even accredit it to the geek's obnoxious personality. No, it all boiled down to the fact she was encouraging him. Worse yet was that she'd left Samson out of whatever game she was playing. He'd meant to let it run its course but something had changed. Somewhere down the line he'd looked over to her and realized that the only person worth calling an equal was her. Exceptions, he thought once more, she's mine.