Author's Note: This is another OC chapter for character development. Enjoy!

Music Lover's Alert: If you like to listen to music while you read, "Push It" and "None of Your Business" Salt-N-Pepa were going through my head when I wrote this. Even though Salt-N-Pepa is a pretty old band, I named my characters Salt and Pepper before I registered the connection.

You may also enjoy "Dirty Little Secret" by The All-American Rejects

Warnings: Another Lemon. Yes, I'm on a roll here.

Chapter 8 Action Team - Training

A huge black man with the figure of a bodybuilder named Pepper lunged at a red chicken and caught it by the tail feathers. He dragged it toward himself and re-adjusted his grip on it so that it could not escape. Then, he carried it over to a three-meter-high chicken wire corral and chucked it over the side. At the same time, Tam tossed a fat white chicken into the pen.

All the members of the action team then counted the chickens. There was still one left to catch. They fanned out across the dusty weed field behind Rakitan Industries to search for it, and a few members of the action team hollered when they spotted it. It was an Amerucana with beautiful golden feathers. They lunged for it, but the sleek feathered creature evaded their grasp. Salt, a white man with the same build as Pepper, cornered it and almost grasped it, but the little bird managed to sneak past him.

Then, out of nowhere, their tall red-headed leader appeared. In one effortless motion, Sean scooped the chicken into his arms. Instead of putting it away for the night, he held it firmly and stood in front of his team. "Don't slack off just yet. Our day is not over. I have just received the schematics for the Pattel Corporation factory. We are going to use the obstacle course equipment to lay out a life-sized replica that we can use for training. I want you all to do this tonight so that you can grow accustomed to the factory layout and start memorizing it. Any questions?"

There were a few groans from the exhausted athletes, but no questions or comments. Sean handed every one of the dozen people in front of him a layout map of the factory and then clapped his hands.

About half of the action team went out to the vast weed field behind Rakitan Industries with colorful string, nails, and measuring tape. They quickly marked off the outer boundaries of the factory, and then laid down more string to indicate where doorways, assembly lines, and large pieces of machinery should sit. The other action team members dragged large wooden structures, metal poles, and other miscellaneous objects out to the field. They placed tall objects around the perimeter of the replica factory and objects that approximated the sizes of the machines inside.

Sean supervised all of the proceedings, carrying his chicken with him. He told the members of the action team when he was satisfied with their work and when they needed to make something more precise. Just before sunset, they completed their model.

The members of the action team lay back on piles of wood, waiting to be dismissed. However, Sean had other plans. He released the Amerucana he was holding and said, "Whoever catches this beauty gets to sleep in an hour tomorrow."

Every member of the action team immediately sprang back to life. They moved like thunder, but the chicken moved like lightning. It dodged the many attempts of the action team members to grab it, using the complexity of the "factory" to its advantage.

Salt and Pepper noted some patterns in the little bird's behavior and conspired to catch it together. By communicating wordlessly, the twins managed to corner it between two "assembly lines." With one last sqawk, and flutter of wings, the chicken was theirs. They came out carrying it proudly, each of them holding one leg.

"All right," Sean said with a sigh, "You both get to sleep in."

Salt and Pepper let out whoop of triumph as they threw the chicken into the pen with the others and charged back to the main building. The other members of the action team dragged their sore butts slowly across the weed field.

"I bet those blokes are going to run straight to Pretty Pictures and bone her before turning in for the night," a somewhat short kid with lots of pimples said.

"What gives you that idea? Jessica has been a lesbian for as long as I can remember," Tam said.

"I saw Tulip and Sean going to and from her room a few nights ago," a girl with a huge nose and a nonexistent chin said.

"That proves nothing. They are all team leaders, so they were probably just coordinating a few things," Tam defended.

"They certainly 'coordinated' their voices when they were fucking," the first kid snickered.

"That's enough! Why are you even concerned with her private behavior anyway?"

All of the action team members fell silent. Sean, who had been listening to the conversation from a distance, interjected, "If any of you have evidence that someone has violated Joan's anti-relationship policy, report it. While you are at it, report your own violations."

The action team members mumbled and went inside, but Tam remained outside with Sean. They stared at each other for a moment. Then, Tam flung herself into Sean's arms and buried her face in his chest. She sobbed quietly.

Sean stroked Tam's hair gently. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's a mess in there."

"I agree."

Tam sighed and laid her head on Sean's shoulder. "I think I should tell Jessica."

Sean stiffened a bit. "Why? It's not your problem."

"It could have been."

"All right. Just don't say anything about us, OK?"

"OK."

Sean gave Tam a soft, sweet kiss on the lips. Then, they parted ways.

Tam decided to shower and change before approaching Pretty Pictures. It had been a long day and she needed to collect her thoughts. Plus, she stunk like hell after running around all day in her dusty turtleneck and leggings. She stripped off the offensive garments and stepped into the old military gang shower. There were a few more members of the action team there, but they ignored each other. The cool water soothed her and when she finished, the clean cotton of a fresh tower comforted her.

Tam wrapped the towel around her and walked back to her room with the dirty clothes in a bundle under her arm. She was just about to enter her room when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to find Trevor, Jessica's younger brother, standing there. Like his sister, Trevor had luxurious soft black hair and olive skin. However, his bright emerald eyes contrasted sharply with her rich chocolate ones.

"Can I talk to you?" Trevor asked in a hesitant, insecure tone.

"Yeah. Just let me put this down. Come in and have a seat." Tam opened the door, ushered Trevor inside, and tossed her clothes in her hamper.

Trevor sat down on the edge of Tam's bed and she took a seat beside him. Her long, lean muscular legs protruded from the faded grey towel, which barely covered her body. Trevor tried not to look, but his eyes kept sliding over her thighs. "Um, what do you think about the rule against relationships?" he asked hesitantly.

"It's far too strict. Joan was in a bad place when she made it. It seemed like a good idea to her at the time, but now…" Tam's voice trailed off, and she looked at Trevor with sadness in her amber eyes.

"Have you ever broken the rule?" Trevor asked.

"Have you?"

Before they even realized what was happening, their mouths were hungrily devouring each other. Trevor's smooth skin and delightful scent reminded her of fresh summer peaches. She sunk her teeth into his flesh a little, and he threw back his head in a low moan of pleasure.

Tam released him and pressed her mouth close to his ear. "Keep it down. You don't want people talking about us the way they are talking about your sister."

Trevor froze. "My sister? What are they saying?"

"You don't already know?"

"No. Tell me," Trevor demanded.

Tam wrapped her bare arms around him and pulled him close. Then, she told him in the softest words possible about the rumors.

"I don't understand. Jessica turns away every guy that comes to her door unless he's with Penguin, and even then… I don't know what happens behind that door, so how could anyone else know?"

"Beats me. I think they're making all that shit up to cover up their own behaviors."

"That makes sense. I don't think there is a single person left in this building besides Joan who hasn't broken the rule in some form or other."

"This wasn't your first time, I take it," Tam stated.

"No," Trevor admitted, "but they picked me rather than the other way around. This time…"

Tam understood what he was trying to say and kissed him once more. Her hands wandered to the back of his head and she laced her fingers through his soft black hair. Trevor savored every moment that her lips touched his. In that precious space of time, he felt that he could not possibly be happier. However, Tam's emotions were mixed. She had initially kissed him to keep him from suspecting her involvement with Sean, but then she found herself enjoying him.

Tam drew back from Trevor. "We shouldn't do this."

"Why not? Nobody had to know," Trevor said softly, still intoxicated by the feelings she had aroused in him.

"You really won't say a word of this to anyone?"

"I promise," Trevor said sincerely. Then, he kissed her once more.

This time, Tam gave in completely to the beauty of the moment. Even though he had mentioned being with others, there was a certain pure innocence radiating from his soul that Sean lacked. Sean's war experiences had made him wiser and stronger, but his soul was different. It wasn't any better or worse, just different. Being with Sean was like being wrapped up in a wool blanket and sitting in front of a fire on a harsh winter day. By contrast, being with Trevor was like drinking from a crystal clear stream on a hot summer day. At the moment, her thirst for Trevor was insatiable.

Tam let Trevor loosen her towel and slide it off while she unbuttoned his shirt and jeans. They rubbed their bodies against each other, creating hot friction that only served to drive them wilder. Trevor stroked Tam's warm, wet womanhood with his finger, and dove two of them inside her. Tam sucked on Trevor's collar bone to keep herself from crying out in pleasure while she grabbed his cock and stroked it hard.

They came within minutes of each other, then lay back on the bed panting. Tam wrapped her arms around Trevor's waist and nuzzled his smooth chest.

"Will I see you again?" Tam found herself asking.

"Of course! Tam, I think I lo-"

Tam put a finger to his lips. "Don't say it. We're not technically breaking the rules as long as we're just fooling around."

Trevor's hear thumped heavily. He wanted her to know how he really felt about her, but maybe she didn't feel the same way. Maybe she had someone else just like he did. "Yeah. You're right," he sighed.

Several moment of silence passed between them. Then Tam said cautiously, "About Jessica…"

"I'll deal with her. She should know, and I think I can break it to her gently enough." Trevor stretched, then got up and started to don his clothes.

Tam rolled onto her side and watched him. "Thanks. Thank you for everything, actually."

"No, thank you." Trevor finished putting on his clothes, and then gave Tam a sweet, soft kiss. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Trevor left Tam to fall asleep on her own. Her body was fully exhausted from all the day's activities, so she fell asleep almost immediately. However, her mind was fitfully active. Dreams of Sean and Trevor finding out about each other and not getting along plagued her all night long.