Saving the World One Bra at a Time

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Sophia grabbed her books and headed out of the room, her senior year at MIT was finishing up, only three more months to go and she'd be finished. She looked at her watch, waved at her roommate, Shelly, that was passing by. "I left you a soda in the fridge, enjoy!" She called out as she continued to hurry down the hall and out the door. The sunlight hit her eyes and quickly she removed the sunglasses from her head and slipped them over her blue eyes. The day looked like it was going to be a good one. Thinking to herself about her adventurous weekend she hoped that soon she'd get that vacation her contact had promised her. She loved the adventure, just wanted to play normal for awhile.

The walk across campus was good. Though Baker House was a fair distance to class, she didn't mind. The long stretch of blocks gave her time to think over her life, and the decisions she had made, and future ones that were to come. Sophia walked her way down the sidewalk along Amherst Alley, enjoying the gentle breeze and the smell of tulips in the air. March was a beautiful time of year, with graduation scheduled for May, Sophia needed this quiet time to compose herself and shift from agent to student. Last May just before school was released for the Summer, she had been approached by two individuals. A man harsh and brass and a woman, whose nasal comments weren't much sweeter. When they had told her they represented the US government she thought they'd been joking. Later, she learned that wasn't the case.

She had gone through extensive training and mental test to get where she was, now finishing college and trying to thwart the enemy had become a full time job for Sophia. She didn't have many friends, her roommate was one, but not one that she shared everything with. Her love life was in the deepest pits of Hell right now. No boyfriend, no dates, no prospects. Making her way past Kresge BBQ pits and Kresge Auditorium, Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center she looked over and mentally made a note to get to the gym sometime this week. She kept to herself, making only a few nods to passerby's as she finally reached the Sttraton Student Center and found a place to grab some breakfast at the Lobdell food court. Opening her books she munched on some dry cereal and pulled a Mt. Dew from her bag.

A few people walked in and out of the complex, most like her kept to themselves. Some did sit in clusters, others in pairs. Sophia looked up at a noise and saw a woman bumping into a man that was leaving as she was coming in. The man steadied her books and Sophia noticed his fine form, curious as to who he was. Perhaps someday she'd meet him in class or something, she hadn't seen him before. She scanned the girl, noticing her mouth a thank you to the man, before making her way to the table close to the door. Sophia felt a familiar tug to her memory, she had seen that girl before. Finally, it dawned on her, it was the girl that sat in the same lectures that Sophia often found herself sleeping in. Dr. Eugene's lectures on understanding the basic principles of science and engineering. If she was anything like Sophia she thought the class was a waste, besides you don't attend MIT if you don't all ready know most of the stuff they are teaching you, not to mention that she believed the girl was also a senior.

Sophia pictured the girl in her head and clearly saw the woman now, she looked astute and seemed to listen to the professor, but then again, Sophia herself was good at faking her responses and holding her emotions in check. Getting back to work, on her studies, Sophia chuckled and rolled her eyes. There in front of her sat an almost empty page of notes, and perhaps a dried spot of drool on the paper, "Crap!" she muttered. "I guess I'll introduce myself to the girl after all, can't fall asleep taking notes and expect to get them written down." Grabbing up her books and her soda, she weaved her way through the tables until she made it to the woman in front of her. She sat her books down with a thump and slipped into the chair, propping her hand under her elbow, she smiled. "Hi, I'm Sophia and I'm in trouble."

Gabi was glad to get rid of the small package passed to her hot, male, contact. Contacts were usually hot, they tended to keep very fit. Too bad she couldn't take advantage of that. She watched Reese walk off briefly, then put her mind on the next priority in her day.

To most people the incident would simply have looked like a clumsy girl bumping into a guy who was out of it. Reese was young enough and dressed right for being on campus. He blended in. Probably no one looking had ever been in a mud trench with an AK bucking in their arms under fire with him, except her. Most of the time he looked normal, cute and harmless.

Well harmless anywhere but bed, maybe. She often wondered about that. He could exude quite a lot of, well it was hard to say what, power maybe, under the right circumstances. Fucking a coworker was always a bad idea. Still she certainly wanted to. She wanted more though. Wanted flowers and sunsets, grand kids and fresh baked cookies. Riiight. Get a grip girl you do not lead that kind of life. She thought.

A quick fuck in a transport plane just before parachuting down to invade some rival cell, that is the kind of life you lead. If you dare to mix sex with work. She reached down and touched her mother's wedding rings that hung from a long gold box chain around her neck. Her short well groomed nails, shone at the end of her long graceful fingers. She could feel the rings through her clothes, her mother's rings. Gabi wondered what her mother would think about the job? She imagined her mother had been as normal as she herself, was not.

Baking apple pies, loving her husband, when he was home, and raising her little girl, that was Gabi's vision of her mom's life. What would it be like to have such a sweet normal life, her as Mom had built? She wondered. Gabi tried hard to remember her mother's eyes and couldn't. That was horrible, she felt coldness spread across and clutch at her bowels. She had only been four when her mother and father had died. She could remember the way her mother had smelled like vanilla and cinnamon. She should call Aunt Nicole and ask her to send a picture. All of her photos had been destroyed when the apartment burned two months ago.

She hated when work bled over into her off or academic time. Sometimes she just wanted to have a normal life. A normal girl, she thought, would bump into someone, flirt, and develop a relationship. In her life there was little time for such things. Leading a double and sometimes triple life, took a lot of time and energy, sometimes too damn much.

Saving the country and the world in her little way was gratifying though. She was glad she had the skill set and talents to help. It would just be nice if she could also have some quiet down time and people to spend it with. People whose business wasn't murder, espionage and lies, normal people.

She had already scanned this area many times. She had noticed Sophia and everyone else around in a general way. Monitoring her general surroundings and the people in it was a constant habit. There was something about Sophia. She felt a little ping of recognition and her spirit warmed eagerly. I wonder what that's about? She thought to herself, trying to remember if she had met the girl before. Maybe a past life, she thought wryly. She knew the beautiful chick was heading in her direction but she did not expect her to be heading for Gabi's table. When the girl slammed her books down and spoke, Gabrielle looked up in surprise.

Her face held a mixture of both interest and restraint. Her blue eyes widened. Eyebrows went up in question, inviting more information from the girl who had just spoken. Her lips sketched a slight ghost of a smile which softened her strong features a bit.

"Hi Sophia. I'm Gabrielle." Then she placed the girl from her memory. "Haven't I seen you in my Basic Principles Class? Fifth row, center in Professor Eugene lectures, right?" She chuckled at little but her face returned to a serious and wary state. Trouble?" She echoed.

“Hi, Gabrielle. Is Gabi ok?” Taking a swig of her drink, Sophia, opened her study books and propped her hands on her chin. “I fell asleep in class and I don't have the lecture notes from the last sleep session.”

Smiling at Gabi, Sophia moved over a bit closer as Gabi agreed to fish out her own notes. “I saw you bump into that guy earlier, he's hot! Do you know him?” Gabi shook her head no and soon the two women began talking about people in class, who was hot and who they wouldn't give the time of day to.

Sophia seemed somewhat drawn to Gabi. It would be nice to have at least one normal friend in her life, even if it was only for a few months down the road, until graduation. She felt connected with Gabi, something pulled her to her, not knowing what it was Sophia decided to try and develop a friendship. Right now Sophia had no one.

Her parents were both back in Tennessee, her contacts, also known as her handlers were only interested in what she could do for them. She understood that personnel relationships were frowned upon, but surely one simple girl from college would be ok. Lately she had been wanting something more, some kind of relationship, it didn't have to be sexual, it just had to be there. Some kind of connection.

Thinking over the past year, she recalled that she had been warned that her life, from the day she joined the agency, on out would be watched. Nothing she did would truly be a secret. At first Sophia didn't believe that, she knew that the agency bugged her car and her dorm room, but every evening she'd do a sweep and clear them out. The two thugs that recruited her, once a week would rant and rave over her destruction of government property, and Sophia would tell them where to go. She didn't ask or demand much, but she demanded this part of her life stayed her's.

The US Government didn't need to know who she was having relations with in her private time. If she wanted to let Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb know all about her life, she'd make a movie. Right now it wouldn't amount to five minutes of tape. Now, her other life, her “double” life would be one hell of a story, but they knew that.

As she glanced over the notes, she realized that she's copied them all down, while Gabi had patiently studied her own work. Sophia looked up and apologized for not talking to her, but instead just focusing on her work. “So, what are your plans for the weekend? And don't even think about not telling me about that guy you bumped into! I would love to bump into something like that! I know you said you don't know him, but I'm thinking you wouldn't mind.”

Gabrielle laughed and gave Sophia a mock look of shock.

"I can't believe anyone could fall asleep during one of Professor Eugene's fascinating lectures!" She replied factiously.

"Sure Gabi will do. I've been called worse!" She said with good humor.

"Do you have a nick name?" She asked thinking, cool, how about something new, a normal girl friend to hang with? I haven't had one of those since Julia died. Her eyes looked a tiny bit sad and distant, or to a stranger, maybe merely thoughtful. When Sophia asked about Reese, Gabrielle's face gave away nothing.

"I wish I knew him!" She said, which lead them into what seemed to Gabi to be normal pleasant girl talk. Wow, that really feels good to do she thought. There was just something about Sophia that felt familiar and right.

Gabi quirked a smile and played with her blond hair while she opened her notebook to the notes from Professor Eugene's last lecture. Her hair was golden and had little black bands on it making several small pony tails on top of the rest of her smooth mane. It was a cute college look.

"You are in trouble Sophia. I can't believe you. I always listen! I always take great notes! I'm never bored!" She said in a joking voice, breaking up a little when Sophia saw what Gabi's notes looked like. They were peppered with doodles and cartoons Gabrielle had done. The captions were funny as hell, at least to an engineering major, they would be. Other people might not get the humor but they both did. The girls laughed about that. Gabi had good notes but clearly she too was bored as hell in that class.

As Sophia got busy copying the meat of the notes, Gabrielle studied her. She thought to herself about the dangers and rewards of attempting to be close to a civilian. I really like her eyes. G's mind was thinking. Her confidence is unusual and refreshing, Gabi thought. She took out an apple. Eating while Sophia worked at the notes.

“So, what are your plans for the weekend? And don't even think about not telling me about that guy you bumped into! I would love to bump into something like that! I know you said you don't know him, but I'm thinking you wouldn't mind.” Sophia said when she was done copying. Gabrielle smiled at Sophia.

"You're right. I wouldn't mind. It seems like I never have time to date though. I would tell you all about him but like I said I don't know him. He seemed nice though. Maybe we'll see him around." She said vaguely moving to toss her apple core into a trash can.

"Actually I don't have many plans this weekend. I'm moving into a new place though. My last place had a fire." She said it so casually there was no way to pick up on anything sinister in that statement.

"So I was staying at the campus hostel until I found the new place. What did you have in mind?" She smiled and again it softened her face.

"I know, maybe we could go get some pizza or dancing. We could look for someone to bump into. Or you could help me unpack boxes. I've got some shopping to do too. We could get some Ben and Jerry's or something." She couldn't believe she was doing this. It was foolish, dangerous even, but damn it, she was tired of all work and no play.

She was amused at all this talk about bumping into people. Little did Sophia know, Gabi thought, that no spy worth their salt would be so out of it as to bump into people unless it was for a reason. Well, it's nice that there are some people with uncomplicated lives out here in the normal world. It's people like that, I'm actually working to save the world for. She thought as she waited for Sophia's response.

"I know, maybe we could go get some pizza or dancing. We could look for someone to bump into. Or you could help me unpack boxes. I've got some shopping to do too. We could get some Ben and Jerry's or something." She couldn't believe she was doing this. It was foolish, dangerous even, but damn it, she was tired of all work and no play.

~~~

Sophia wondered how smart this was, she didn't want to endanger anyone's life, but she also just wanted a normal weekend. She hadn't gotten any calls in the middle of the night, no mysterious pages from her pager. It might be a quiet weekend or at least part of it, who knew what would be happening come tomorrow or even an hour from now.

Throwing caution to the wind, she heard herself agreeing with, Gabi, "You know what let's do the moving thing, if your like me, by the time your done moving things around you'll be to exhausted for dancing and we'll order pizza in. Sit around in our PJ's and eat cartons of Ben & Jerry's. I'm almost finished here, I'll be looking for a place off campus this summer, perhaps I'll take a gander at your place and you'll have a few ideas about where I could bunk, until I meet the man of my dreams." Rolling her eyes, Sophia thought, now that little fantasy would be nice. That one she would be more then willing to have, she would give it all up if that would happen.

Shifting in her seat she looked over at Gabi, "A nickname, well Sophie.... not much of a change is it?" she laughed. "Sophia.. Sophie. Mom and Dad weren't to creative I guess. Well, not my parents now, they told me they would have named me Bianca or Bertha... glad I got to keep Sophia."

She wondered how much to tell this woman, sitting opposite of her. The connection, the pull was something she hadn't experienced with another woman, the little peeks of nervousness were new to her. Sophia, didn't want to question this connection she was feeling, she wanted to explore it.

"I was adopted as a little girl. I was lucky, many kids end up in foster homes and then are abused and mistreated, many feeling ashamed and keep it a secret that they were abandoned." A solemn expression crossed over Sophia's face. "Well anyhoo, that is a sad thing, I was lucky not only for them, but for the name Sophia. I don't think I look like a Bertha, a Bianca maybe, but not a Bertha."

Sophia jumped slightly, looked down and saw the series of numbers on her pager, "Crap!" Biting back more words, she tore out a piece of paper and handed it to Gabi. "Here I have to run, would you write your address and phone number down. I'll plan on being at your place Friday evening. Sound good?" Sophia gathered her books and took the slip of paper, glanced and memorized the information easily and tucked it into her pocket. "Great!"

Extending her hand, she took Gabi's in hers and once more felt the pull to get to know the woman better. Something was different, something was special, something besides her firm body, blonde hair and easy personality, Sophia was drawn and she wondered why, had to find out why.

Heading off towards the doors, she looked back and saw Gabi watching her both waved goodbye, and the door closed behind her. Sophia headed towards the phone booth that was just across the street from the Student Union, picking it up she placed a small cylinder over the mouth piece and called the number that had been pestering her life for over a year.

Gabi grinned looking like a perfectly normal relaxed college girl. Inside little warning bells were ringing. This might not be the smartest thing but she wanted something for herself this one time. For some reason she felt she just had to spend more time with Sophie.

"Sure that sounds great Sophie! If you don't mind. There might be another apartment available after this term is over. That is when the most change overs are. We could rent a movie or something if ya want to." It was hard to imagine doing something so normal.

They laughed about names, nicknames and such together. Gabrielle was surprised to hear Sophia talk about being adopted so quickly. She really seemed like such an open girl. It made Gabi feel warm to be around her.

She wrote down her number and address. Then smiled as Sophia had to rush off waving and watching her. Mentally running through what she needed to do next now that her morning classes were done, she felt her secure wireless phone that the agency had given her vibrate.

Great she thought my leash is being jerked. She stood and started walking toward her car as she answered anticipating she'd have to go in and be briefed on what new crisis had erupted.

"Go." She said into the mouth piece sounding grumpy. Don't let this mess up my weekend plans she thought.

"Come in now, Epsilon protocol." Allison's sultry voice said.

"ETA 18 minutes." Gabi replied with a sigh then clicked the phone off. Crap! She thought. This is sounding bad already. She jogged to her car, opened the door, turned the key in the ignition, unset the brake put her baby into gear and sped off. Heh, her mind crowed as she made the light and took a short cut watching for tails now and then. Maybe I'll make it in 17 minutes! She grinned and bore down on the gas. One has to take the little pleasures when one can. Gabrielle believed that.

Sophia sat on her bed, reclined against the window, tossing a rubber ball back and forth against the wall. She was struggling, wondering if she should cancel her plans for tonight. Gabi was expecting her, but Sophia looked pretty rough, and she hurt.

Standing up she looked at her features, her face was workable, the make-up would cover the small bruises and stratches. Her leg hurt, she had fallen and turned the ankle, now it was bound tight within the medical wrap. Growling at her face, she pushed away the thought of canceling, determined to have a life.

Sophia showered and while she let the hot water ease the tension from her body, she swiftly recalled some of her activities after she left Gabi.

~~~~~~~

She had hurried into the warehouse, typed in the neccessary codes and had quickly walked into the hidden rooms below.

"Your late," the voice rough and hard, filled with contempt.

Sophia looked up and rolled her eyes, "Bugger off." Moving past him, her arm sweeping against his, he grabbed her and brought her back to him.

"Sophia," his eyes bore into hers. "You know your supposed to be here on time."

"Tom, I'll get here when I get here. I can't fly!" Yanking her arm away, she left him. Feeling his eyes upon her, she tried to focus on the upcoming meeting and not the desire she had for him.

The meeting was just getting started as Sophia entered the room. Eyes turned to her and nodded, she quietly acknowledged everyone and took her usual seat, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tom sitting down beside her.

"Just a quick rundown... we have these two targets. This building here," the director pointed to a satalite image on the screen, " houses two people that we need brought in for questioning. Each one is known to be incharge of delivering nuclear weapons to underground factions."

Sophia listened to the rest of the meeting, she knew her job and she groaned deep when she heard that her regular partner would not be on this mission so she was assigned to Agent Dickerson. "Cool, babe." Tom smirked at her.

Looking at him, she frowned, "Come on Dickerson, let's go."

"Tom, Sophia, you should just keep calling me Tom." He stood up and followed her out of the offices, the security rooms and finally the warehouse.

~~~~~~~~

Sophia ended her shower and continued to get dressed, wrapping a fresh bandage over her knee she slid on a pair of jeans and tossed a tank top over her firm breasts. Looking in the mirror she swept up her hair into a ponytail and applied concealer to the light bruises on her face. The bruise on her arm she decided to make up a story for when the time arrived, she was better when she had to think on her feet.

Heading out she climbs into her car, grabs Gabi's address and pushes the thoughts of her mission to the recesses of her mind, knowing there will be plenty of time to continue running through all the mistakes later. Tonight, she just wanted a girls night in. Glancing down, she shrugs, hoping Gabi, won't mind that she hadn't tossed on a bra, "God," she thought, "to just be plain old boring Sophia, that would be cool."

Gabi sat in the conference room being briefed. Her monitor flashed a map. Her cell leader spoke about the mission. A picture of the target came up. He looked like a loathsome slime. A rich one but, ugh, she thought. They talked about his mansion, security and of course what he did that made him the object.

"Gabrielle, you will pose as the target's one weakness and seduce him." Dinsmore said. Oh hell no! she thought. Looking up into his cold brown eyes she clearly saw the warning there and the threat. One was always on probation here, always expendable.

"His one weakness being?" she said coolly.

"Demure French brunettes with green eyes." He put in smoothly. "You will catch his attention. Make him pursue you. Once alone with him, you will gain control. Do whatever you have to do to get the codes out of him. Secure the data to his experiments then terminate him. Wardrobe will be helping you to look the part, then see Gio for your equipment. This is a diagram of the plane." Her monitor's picture changed as Dinsmore went on.

"Reese you will be a stew on board. Gabrielle you will catch the objective's attention before boarding, tantalize him during the flight. Make certain he wants to make you his slut before the flight is over. Do not let him touch you in flight or anywhere else. He has to want bring you to his estate, get you past the security to has an advantage over you. You must be subtle. Make him want you."

"Yes Sir. When you say seduce him? How far do you expect me to go Sir?" Gabi's eyes skimmed over Reese's. His jaw was tightly clinched she could see muscles moving under the skin.

"Considering the consequences and lives lost if you fail? I expect you to go as far as necessary Gabrielle." Dinsmore said with no trace of emotion.

"Okay the rest of the information is in your files, study them and let's get this mission on the road. Remember the price of failure on this one is a great many lives. Failure is not an option."

Everyone hustled out of the room Reese and Gabrielle exchanged cool glances. Their eyes saying volumes but only to each other. Each denying the messages were sent or received to both each other and themselves. It was simply too dangerous.

Three hours later she was bending over having dropped her ticket, letting the objective feast his eyes on her ass. Straightening up she managed a small demure blush, smoothing her business suit.

Yep the fucker is hooked she thought as she walked onto the plane. She stowed her carry on keeping her ass pushed out in the aisle for a few seconds then sat in her assigned seat. The agency had seen to the seat assignments. She was behind him by several rows.

Her suit skirt rode up her knees until it looked at though it might skim her thighs. She pulled some papers out of her valise and pretended to be busy working. Glancing up later she noticed his eyes on her. She gave him a shy smile, pushed back a lock of dark glossy hair and lowered her eyes.

When the steward came around she make sure her voice carried at least four rows up. Her French accent was flawless.

Hours later everyone around them including the target was asleep. She got up and went the restroom. Coming back she "accidentally" bumped into him jostling him awake.

"Please forgive me Monsieur." She murmured quietly. "I am not usually so clumsy."

"Not at all my dear." He said craning his neck to watch her walk back to her seat.

At just the right time she began to really push the tease. He was looking back again her brows went up in question and she smiled. When next he looked back he "caught" her rubbing ice on her generous mouth. She looked startled, stopped immediately.

She let him catch her with the ice a few more times. She knew the agency and particularly Reese were watching. Only now the ice was being used on her neck, near her cleavage which her low cut blouse, was exposed slightly. Her large, now green, eyes looked like pure sex. Until she "noticed" him and seemed startled faltering and then halting her actions.

She could see his right arm moving slightly. God he's disgusting, she thought. Then she wondered if she had done enough? Should she actually put the ice on her nipples or pussy like she wanted to? How many at the Agency might have one of their arms moving watching that?

----------

She stood "trying" to hail a cab when his limo stopped.

"My dear, might I offer you a ride? I would love to show you the city." He said.

"I would be, how do you say? Delighted?" She returned, letting him take her hand and kiss it.

--------------------

They are finally as his mansion in his master bedroom, she is slowly stripping for him the blue silk shirt comes off, the jacket has long since been discarded. She smiles at him.

"If I continue what will you think of me Monsieur?"

"I will think you are an angel sent from heaven." He says

Not bad she thinks. Her blue bra showcases her tits perfectly. They look ripe and ready to burst out of the bra. Her smooth skin glows under the dim lights. She reaches around behind her waist to undo the skirt. Talking like that, if he didn't engineer bio weapons, and look like a toad, I might get sweet on him. Yeah, right, she thought, that's going to happen.

He moved toward her.

"Please allow me. There is nothing I like better than unwrapping a gift from God." He says reaching around her waist to the back of her skirt. Tilting her face up to him she acquiesces. Her hands go up to his shoulders. She reaches up on her tip toes, kissing him passing the drug, she was immunized from, directly into his mouth. Her skirt and the target fall at almost precisely the same moment. Stepping out of her skirt but leaving it there she checks his pulse while straddling him his formerly hard cock starts to soften.

She secures him and begins to prepare for interrogation. Gabi hates this sort of thing but it must be done to save her country and herself. Dinsmore's words rang in her mind, failure is not an option. No fucking kidding. She thinks.


------------------------

The debrief was short back at Headquarters. Dinsmore congratulated the team on a job well done. Gabrielle was soon a blond again. Her blue eyes looked cat-like. She couldn't wait to get back to school and life. Reese's face was like granite, his eyes frigid. The absurd thought that he might be angry with her for acting the slut came to her and she brushed it away.

To Reese and everyone else here, she was merely an asset to be used how they saw fit. She hadn't volunteered for this. She had been coerced in the worst possible ways. She had resented it at first. Hell she still did. Over time she had come to accept it. Her very life depended on it. It chaffed her ass that she could think of no way out, to get back to a normal life. Gabi would never give up trying though. One day she would figure it out or die.

----------------------------

At Ikea she arranged for her purchases and delivery the next day. That was fortuitous. Maybe it helped to flirt with the salesman a little or that she wore short white shorts, no bra, a baby T along with her flip flops and pouty smile.

Her new apartment would be sparsely furnished. She was used to not having much. Gabi liked to keep things simple and functional. She stopped by the hostel, to pick up the suitcases and settle her bill. Next she hit Target for groceries and other bits to make the new place seem like home.

Opening the door to her new apartment she took in the smell of paint. She looked at the fresh white walls and frowned. On the counter were neatly typed notes that someone auditing her classes while she was gone had taken and the agency had left. They are already invading my new home, she thought with heat. Even though the notes were well done, she did not appreciate the all too clear reminder that they would come and go, monitor and control as they wished.

First she put away the perishables, then she unloaded the rest of the car. Touching the walls she looked at her finger tips. Okay, good she thought, dry enough. She opened the balcony doors that overlooked the small courtyard garden and fountain as well as roof tops. She took a deep breath of relatively fresh air and smiled.

Gabrielle had a lot to do before Sophia came the next evening. That is if Sophia came. People were rather unreliable, at least in Gabi's life. She thought about Sophia. The lovely way her eyes looked, her moist lips. There was some indefinable thing between them too. She felt excited at the thought of seeing her and nervous at the same time. Okay enough reflection, she thought, time to get things ready.

-------------------------------------------

It was nearly time for Sophia to be there. Gabi had on a spaghetti strap top and drawstring pajama like pants. Her hair was drawn back in two braids. She looked at the futon and coffee table, both had creamy red leather upholstery. The loft now had a large platform bed, side tables and lamps all black lacquered and simple. The covers where silky batik purple and gray. Silver floor lamps with hanging plastic disks were one each side of the bed. The closet was a large walk in that she planed to fill when she had the time. Wistfully she thought of all the costumes and wigs she had lost in the fire. She rather enjoyed playing different roles.

She set the small ice cream shop like table for two. Turned on the pendant lights and stereo. Then looked at the plain walls and considered what to do with them exactly while she waiting for Sophia. A surge of creativity and warmth went through her when Gabi thought of Sophia. It took her by surprise.

Just then her door buzzer went off. She walked to the wall and looked at the monitor. She saw Sophia, her heart jumped. Buzzing her in she spoke into the intercom giving Sophia directions to her apartment. She opened the door and stood one hip cocked waiting for the elevator and her new girl friend.

Sophia rode the elevator up. Her ankle swollen slightly, her knee bandaged. Both of these she had been able to hide the wraps with, the socks and jeans did little to hide the slight limp. Pulling her compact from her purse Sophia repaired the concealer and hid the bruises on her face.

"Dammit Tom," she muttered to herself. "I'm all bruised up because of you." Sophia shut her mouth and watched the elevator numbers slowly climb as she remembered more of her mission.

~~~~~~~

Sophia waited in the shadows as Tom circled the front of the building. She hated how he always tried to make her be the little woman. If he'd just shut up and let her do her job, everything would be finished. She waited till she heard the soft whistle, that signaled she was free to follow. Quickly she moved over to his side.

He looked down at her, and together they moved quietly inside. He moved to left, she to the right. It should have gone smoothly. There was only seven of them, granted they were outnumbered, but Tom and her knew what they were doing. They worked well together, Sophia just didn't like being attracted to him.

Their intel had showed where the main meeting would take place. Guards would be positioned outside the doors of the office, two in the back of the building, and one lone idiot at the front. Tom had all ready taken him out. Now he was laying unconsious in the alley with a few rats to keep him company.

Silently each one of them took out the two guards outside the office. Everything was still going strong. Then they entered the room. There sat two dead men, a nuclear weapon that was counting down, and two agents in black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The elevator opened and Sophie saw Gabi, her stomach flopped and once again she was confused by the pull the woman had on her. Stepping out of the elevator, it seemed only natural to hug the woman before her. There breasts against each other, and Sophie blushed. "Sorry Gabi, I soooo.. didn't want to wear a bra today. Hope you don't mind."

"No, what do I care, hell I'm not wearing one either!"

Sophie looked down, "Nope guess your not." The two women hooked arms and Gabi led Sophie to her apartment.

"Well you have a lot of stuff don't you? I was expecting you to not have much here, since the fire, but...." Sophie looked around, "I do believe your a pack rat!"

Sophia plopped down and shoved some manilla folders to the side. Glancing at the color, she was reminded of her own files at home, god to be so open with your papers, not have everything locked and hidden away. Granted the walls were bare, but over the last two months Gabi did seem to collect a lot of paper.

"What should we do first?" She asked her new friend.

"Food!"

Sophie smiled, "You couldn't have said anything better!"

Gabi headed to the kitchen and ordered some pizza, while Sophie relaxed on the sofa.

They hugged it felt GOOD and so right! Gabrielle felt a chill run over her skin. It was a spark of something, she couldn't discern if it was attraction in a sexual way or just a kindred spirits way but whatever it was it felt thrilling and wonderful. Her nipples became hard, poking through her shirt.

"Sorry Gabi, I soooo.. didn't want to wear a bra today. Hope you don't mind." Sophia said.

"No, what do I care, hell I'm not wearing one either!" Gabi laughed.

Sophie looked down, "Nope guess your not." The two women hooked arms and Gabi led Sophie to her apartment.

"Well you have a lot of stuff don't you? I was expecting you to not have much here, since the fire, but...." Sophie looked around, "I do believe your a pack rat!"

"Pack rat? Me? Hardly! Take that back!" Gabi said laughing. "Actually Ikea delivered all this just today. I don't think it's much at all. I spent the day getting it ready but I haven't opened up the dishes or anything yet. I haven't set the kitchen in order."

She noticed things about Sophia that were obvious, the limp, the bruise on her arm. Being what she was she also noticed some of the carefully covered up marks but she decided to say nothing for now. I could have sworn she was a healthy strong girl but it looks like she has some ass hole beating on her, Gabrielle thought with a mixture of disappointment and anger.

Sophia plopped down and shoved some manilla folders to the side. Seeing Sophia looking at her papers she swept quickly them up.

"Research for my final papers this term and a little project too." She explained putting them on the kitchen counter. In fact, they were. She would never leave out classified information like that. In fact, the protocol was that no paper left the facility, no exceptions. You had to be quick and accurate at memorizing details in her line of work.

"What should we do first?" She asked her new friend.

"Food!" Gabi said smiling.

Sophie smiled, "You couldn't have said anything better!"

Gabi headed to the kitchen and ordered some pizza, while Sophie relaxed on the sofa.

"So what do you like on yours? Thick or thin crust?" She asked then ordered accordingly.

She brought out some red wine and opened the box from Target with glassware. Rinsing and drying the glasses, she found the corkscrew she had bought. It was an expensive really good one.

She brought the wine over to Sophia and sat beside her drawing her legs and feet up under her while they talked.

"When I was a child? My mother gave me a picture book. I don't remember her very well, but the book was titled One Of Each by Mary Ann Hoberman in it, this little dog named Oliver Tolliver, he lives alone in his little house with just one of everything. He is very proud of his things. Then he makes a friend but his friend can't come to tea or what have you, because Oliver only has one of everything. You know? Like he only has one tea cup and saucer. So Oliver discovers that it is more fun to have two of everything and share with a friend. I kept that book through thick and thin but it got destroyed in the fire." She laughs sadly.

"It was in rough shape let me tell you! Anyway I may not have unpacked everything in the kitchen yet but when I was at Target you can be sure I thought about that and got at least two of most everything so I could share it with you! I'm so glad you are here tonight." She says reaching out and giving Sophia's arm a little squeeze. She carefully avoids Sophia's bruise.

Gabrielle smiles at Sophia. She sips her wine. Gabi wonders if Sophia likes the wine. The music plays softly in the background. They talk a while longer and then the pizza boy buzzes.

They flirt with the pizza boy. Gabrielle gives him a generous tip. Then laughing over making him blush, they begin working together like they have done so their whole lives, they find and rinse off some plates, Gabi takes a ready made salad out of the fridge and some dressings.

Sitting at the small table they feast on wine, pizza and salad. Gabrielle likes to dip her pizza in Thousand Island dressing. The two talk while they eat and drink, seeming to be almost completely relaxed with each other.

After they have eaten their fill Sophia helps Gabi clean up and put the kitchen in order then Gabrielle turns to Sophia with mischief in her eyes.

"You know those bare walls? I have a project for us to do tonight." She says chuckling. "Are you up for it?"

Sophie cocked a brow at Gabi and her happy smile. "A project huh?"

"Yep.. I don't have many pictures, so I went and bought paint!" Gabi headed out of the living room, to get the paint and brushes while, Sophie sat on the couch. Her wine glass empty, she reached and poured another glass.

Gabi bounded back into the room, her breasts bouncing in her shirt, and Sophie giggled over the relaxed evening she was having and loving the fact that the two of them seemed to be so carefree and easy with each other. "What are we going to paint?"

"I don't know! You take this wall and I'll take that one, and just paint." Gabi turned on the stero and blasted it rather loudly.

"Paint? Anything?" Sophie asked.

"Yep, paint away."

"OK..." Sophie laughed as she watched her new friend bounce and wiggle as she streaked colors along her wall. She was in awe at how free she was, a wild spirit and such the opposite of Sophie. Sophie saw herself as serious with only a hint of bitchiness when she had to deal with Tom.

Groaning softly, Sophie looked at her blank canvas. An image came to mind. One that she hadn't thought of since she was a little girl. She dipped her paint brush into the paint and slowly began to work. Though the music played, she found herself painting a memory, without thinking of it. The picture just flowed from her. While it began to take shape her mind wandered back to hours before her evening with Gabi began.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Shit!" Tom growled.

Sophia's eyes were huge as she watched the red numbers screaming back at her. "No duh!"

"Well, I guess you better get out of here while I disarm it." Tom grabbed her arm and pulled her to the door.

"Bugger that, you dick!" Sophia pulled her arm out of his grasp and pulled a screwdriver from her gear.

"Sophia, get out." Tom hovered over her.

Sophia didn't pause in the movements as she unscrewed the coverplate from the weapon, "Tom, save the man is wiser and stronger than woman speech and help me get this thing shut down."

"Fine, but when we get finished here, I'm putting you on notice that you violated a direct order."

Rolling her eyes, she looked at him, "If you help me, and we live.... I'll write the damn report!"

Quicky the two of them worked together. They had both trained on a number of mock simulations and even on a few live bombs, this however was the first real one and the first one they did together.

"Red? White? Blue?"

"Fuck! Tom!!" Sophia grabbed the knife and made the cut that disconneted the bomb, she yanked out the wire and used her telecom link to contact base camp.

"Get in here and take care of this baby. We'll meet at the extraction point."

Tom and Sophia still had two more guards to worry about. As they moved towards the back door each one wondered how the two men upstairs had been killed, but the guards were unaware. That would be a mystery for the clean up crew to figure out, right now Sophia just concentrated on getting out of the warehouse. They moved silently back to the front, deciding that the guards in the back were just fine were they were.

Sophia got to the door first and peeked around it, she saw a figure pulling the unconsious body of the front guard from the alley. Holding up her hand she halted Tom from proceeding. The figure lifted his gun and headed towards the warehouse entrance as he shouted for his partner to get inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sophie?" Gabi's voice reached her ears.

Sophie shook her head and turned away from the wall and faced her friend.

"Yes?" she smiled then frowned. "Gab? What's wrong?"

Gabi's face seemed pale as if she was shocked.

"Why did you paint that?"

Sophie turned and looked at the little fantasy scene she had painted. A small castle sat on a cloud and little unicorns and fairies floated everywhere. The picture was just something that Sophie felt inside her, she didn't know why.

"I think I saw this once on a book cover or an amusement park pamphlet or something like that, and I guess I always liked it."

"Oh. Okay. It's lovely, reminded me of something also."

"Well I hope you like it. Your ummmm... wall looks nice too. Is that a bat up there?" Sophie walked closer to Gabi, grabbed her wine glass and handed it to her, then took her own and refilled both glasses.

"Gabi, my friend, here's to fine art, good wine, great pizza, a sexy pizza boy, and new friends. And Gab... I best not drive home tonight." Sophie chuckled as she swallowed her wine, not seeing Gabi looking at the painting of the castle in the sky.

Gabi's wall was different from Sophia's. There was no castle. No fairies or unicorns frolicked in sweet innocence. Her wall depicted a darker fantasy. It was full of bats and fire. Large eyes looked out frightened from behind a brick wall and cast iron barred window. Way off in the distance and to the right, was a peaceful place. It had clouds, books, pillows and a silver lighter.

"Sure is a bat! You mean you aren't sure. Man that wounds Sophie!" Gabrielle laughed. "I like yours though. It seems familiar somehow." She said her voice trailing off in thought as she stared at Sophia's wall. Breaking her mind loose of that nagging feeling that she was just about to remember something, she gave Sophia a hug.

"Absofuckinglutely!" She said. Feeling at that moment that her life felt better than it had in a long time. "Here's to fine art, good wine, great pizza, a sexy pizza boy, and new friends!"

Sophia and Gabi hugged again it seemed neither of them was in a hurry to let the other go. They drained their glasses and smiled.

"Sure you don't need to drive! I have plenty of room here!" Danger! Having someone sleep over was totally against procedure but she was off. Maybe just this once, it would be okay.

"The futon is free. Plus my bed is big enough for at least three, maybe four. Wanna see?" She took Sophia hand, laughing and showed her the open loft that was her bedroom.

Sophie followed Gabi around the boxes and left the paint odored room. She saw the huge bed and immediate flopped on it. "To hell with the futon! I'm bunking here!" Sophie laid down and her head hit the pillow, looking up at the ceiling, its plain white walls stared back at her.

"Gabi, next pizza and wine night, we do the ceiling ok. You can't be going to bed staring at this, unless your more lucky then me, and your often looking up at a man and not your ceiling!" Sitting up she scanned the room. Gabi looked to have picked up some second hand furniture to replace the pieces she had lost in the fire. Soon it wouldn't be long and Gabi's apartment would be full of lovely things. "You know what, if all the apartments are like this, perhaps I'll get one here, be your neighbor!"

Gabi smiled and climbed onto the bed, she too looked up at the ceiling, and agreed that something needed to be up there. Gabi began giving comments, her arms crossed over her belly, as Sophie probbed herself up and looked at her. She studied her face, her hair and the color of her eyes. The cut of her jaw, the complexion of her skin. Sophie was somewhat surprised at how much time she spent staring at Gabi. "Something pulled at her, was it just friendship a deep personnel committment from one woman to another? Was it sexual?" Sophie thought of these things as she realized that something was bringing the two women closer and it was moving fast, faster then any relationship she had had with anyone man or woman.

Gabi felt Sophie's eyes on her and rolled over to her side. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing, Gabi. Just thinking." Sophie yawned and got up to use the bathroom. "If you want I'll sleep on the Futon, but if you are ok with it, I'd rather stay out of that room, till the fumes air out. I won't molest you Gabi, I promise." Winking at her from the door frame of the bathroom, Sophie smiled, "At least not unless you ask me to..."

She closed the door on Gabi's chuckle. Looking at the bathroom, she decided she needed a shower to help ease the melancholy mood she had placed herself in. Turning the water on, she removed her clothes and pulled the shower curtain closed as she, stepped in. Once more she closed her eyes, the water slowly washing away the effects of the wine.

Sophie grabbed the shampoo and lathered her hair and then used the soapy suds to wash her body. She pictured Tom with her. Being attracted to him had been a constant battle for her. She knew he wanted to screw her, but she wanted more, and she also knew that a relationship with a fellow agent was frowned upon. It wouldn't be long and they would be studying every move Gabi made. Shaking her head, she gritted her teeth in frustration, "Damn them for interferring in her life," she muttered.

As the soap suds slid down her body, she reached down and rubbed her ankle noticing the swelling was less then earlier. She winced slightly, thankful that the push over the fence hadn't broken any bones.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quickly Sophia signaled to Tom to find cover and she sprinted away from the door and pressed herself behind a stack of crates. She watched as a guard moved into the front of the warehouse. He called out to his partner, that had entered from the rear.

The two men met in the middle of the room, one of them motioning to the other to head up stairs and check the place out. As he left, Sophia slowly began to circle her way back to the entrance. She saw Tom out of the corner of her eye doing the same thing. Neither one of them wanted to kill the other men, killing was only something that was done if necessary. They much rather would have left them unconsious.

As the man moved towards the back of the warehouse Tom and Sophia had reached the front exit. Suddenly gunshots erupted as the guard that had been upstairs, came running out shouting that the bosses had been killed, and the assassains were fleeing the building. The bullet had hit the sides of a crate, wood splintered and flew in all directions, as Sophia and Tom both pulled their weapons and fired back.

The guard that had been heading towards the back, ducked for cover as he opened a volley of bullets on the agents as they quickly exited the warehouse and ran towards the fence. Wasting no time the two guards proceeded after them. Sophia felt Tom's hands on her ass as she had just started to begin her climb over the chain linked enclosure. He pushed her hard and she dropped to the grown twisting her ankle. The pain ripped through her, but she knew she had no time to waste.

Standing up, with Tom right behind her they ran deep into the night, through the woods that hid the warehouse. Calling on his link, she heard Tom tell headquarters they were on their way. As the pushed out of the forest, they paused and took stock of their surroundings. "You ok babe?" Tom had asked her.

Rolling her eyes at him, "Yea, BABE," she answered sarcastically. All night they treked until they arrived at the extraction point. They had gotten picked up, and headed back home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sophie!!"

Sophie opened her eyes, hearing the pet name that Gabi had given her. Chuckling to herself, "Sophie, Sophia... never thought I'd be two different women."

"I'll be out in a sec, I'm almost done." Sophie quickly finished rinsing the soap away, and stepped out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around her hair and then her body, she opened the bathroom door. "Do you have a t-shirt I could borrow?"

Sophia lay on her bed and Gabi had the urge to just reach out, cuddle her close but she resisted. Sophia seemed so cool and open. It made Gabrielle just feel more normal being around her.

Looking up at the ceiling laying side by side with her new friend Gabi smiled and nodded.

"I already have something in mind for that." She said. "Yes I'd love to have someone to share the "view" with she cracked. You could help me. Then when you get your place I can help you. It will be our own version of trading spaces! Only fewer nasty surprises ya know?"

They lay there for a while. She could feel Sophia's eyes on her. Finally she was done with being quiet and spoke.

"What?"

"Nothing, Gabi. Just thinking." Sophie yawned and got up to use the bathroom. "If you want I'll sleep on the Futon, but if you are ok with it, I'd rather stay out of that room, till the fumes air out. I won't molest you Gabi, I promise." Winking at her from the door frame of the bathroom, Sophie smiled, "At least not unless you ask me to..."

"No, I can share really and do people have to ask?" She said laughing. Was Sophia really coming on to her? That would be a whole new thing for her. Not that she didn't find women beautiful. Their bodies in general were art. The texture and touch like satin she imagined. What would it be like to kiss a woman and how would it differ from kissing a man she wondered.

Gabi got up and turned on the ceiling fans, exhaust fans. She opened some windows while Sophia took a shower. She was amazed at how free and open the luscious woman was but there were the bruises and the limp.

Now if she had to work in the same field as I do, I could understand that but she is a student with a normal life. Perhaps she is interested in spending the night here to avoid an abusive lover? Gabrielle looks at the wall Sophia painted again and tries to think why it seems familiar. She shakes her head and looks at her watch. Damn Sophia has been the shower a long time. She'd better check on the girl.

"Sophie? Are you okay?" Gabi calls.

"I'll be out in a sec, I'm almost done." Sophie quickly finished rinsing the soap away, and stepped out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around her hair and then her body, she opened the bathroom door. "Do you have a t-shirt I could borrow?"

"Sure! I have a bunch, do you want a sarcastic one or a sexy one?" Gabrielle asks while laughing.

She puts out two shirts one silky and with a v front in a dark blue color, the other regular T shirt material showing a lamb looking back at you, with words that say, "Baaaaa! Means Nooooo!"

Gabi waits for Sophia to pick one before she heads off to take a shower herself. In the shower she hums and thinks over this one night of relative normalcy. The hot water hits her body like a friend and relaxes her even more.

Walking out in the light peach terry cloth robe she keeps in the bathroom she looks at Sophia and smiles.

"Anything I can get you? Water? Lip gloss? A book? Oh! I know we could tell ghost stories and play with flash lights!" She says yawning and sitting on the bed.

Sophie looked at Gabi, yawning and then said, "Your a hoot! Get into bed, I'm tired, tipsy and high from paint fumes who knows what will happen."

Gabi laughed and climbe in beside Sophie, reached across Sophie, her breasts just inches away from her Sophie's face. "Ummm.. sorry about that," she giggled.

"I could have gotten the lamp, Gab. But hey perhaps your just as tipsy, tired and high as I am, and your trying to come on to me."

Gabi winked, flicked off the lamp and said, "Perhaps."

The two women suddenly found a bit of energy and continued to talk for an hour or so more, each one covering subject like boyfriends and high school. Sophie even opened up about a brief affair she had, had with one of the college professors, her freshman year at MIT.

Soon both women grew silent and mutually rolled over and fell asleep. Nothing disturbed them, and in the morning, with their arms hooked together and Gabi's leg resting on top of Sophie the women woke up. Sophie's eyes were huge as she looked into the one's of Gabi's. Something very strange was going on, she had never been sexually attracted to a woman, and though this didn't feel like sexual attraction, something was pulling her closer to Gabi.

Sophie pulled away, "Gotta pee," she said. Heading to the bathroom she let her thoughts take over and wondered what was going on, how did she suddenly find herself wrapped in Gabi's arms and feeling like it was the place to be... "It had felt so right, like a part of me that was missing that I didn't know was missing was suddenly full."

Sophie used some mouthwash and rinsed the morning breath away, then headed back towards the kitchen where she heard Gabi rummaging around.

"What's for breakfast... cold pizza I hope!"

They woke up entwined like lovers or very good friends. Gabi was a bit shocked at that. Still it was nice feeling all warm, cuddly and not alone for the first time in so long. She opened her eyes and smiled.

Sophia looked so kittenish. She just wanted to hug her close and never let her go like she had the Boo Boo Kitty she'd had when she was a kid. That thought made her giggle. How strange to be this close to someone so fast and it feel so right. Gabrielle watched Sophia bolt for the bathroom and wondered if she was upset.

Gabi walked down stairs and looked at the walls again before going to her kitchen. Something was still tugging at the corners of her brain about the wall Sophia painted but for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what.

Sophia assuaged her fears about being upset by coming down and acting normal. Smiling she brought out the pizza and then went to the freezer.

"Girl we totally fucked up last night! We forgot the ice cream! So I say ice cream and pizza for breakfast! Cold? Nope not for me I will warm mine up thanks but feel free to have yours cold." She said shivering in an exaggerated way and taking down the pints ice cream. She had a lot of it. Pint after pint was brought forth. Gabrielle brought out, Phish Food, Chunky Monkey, The Gob Father, Everything but the... , Pistachio, Pistachio, and Karamel Sutra flavors of Ben and Jerry's Ice cream. She rinsed out bowls got the scooper, spoons, honey, chocolate syrup, bananas and cherries out. She added napkins, plates for pizza and of course thousand island dressing.

"Let's DO this thang! What's your poison Sophie?" Gabi asked with a grin looking at the shirt Sophie had chosen. It looked damned good on her. Gabrielle thought.

"Holy crap!" Sophie looked at the ice cream, buckets and cubes of it littered the counter. Grapping a piece of the cold pizza and a soda from the fridge she scooted her ass onto the counter. "Got a thing for ice cream Gabi?"

She laughed at her friend, as she began scooping up heapings of Ice Cream for the herself, "Surprise me, Gab."

Gabi laughed as she turned and grabbed a bowl. Sophie's faced grimanced as she watched a scoop of every flavor being tossed into the blender, "I'll make you a shake then," Gabi smiled and winked at her.

Sophie laughed and winced as she watched the mixture become smooth, before Gabi, slopped it into a tall glass. "I'm thrilled." She grinned sarcastically.

Gabi handed her the glass and then began to eat her own hearty breakfast. A high shrill rang out from the living room, and Sophie jumped from the counter. "Cell phone," she said. Quickly she moved over to her purse and pulled out her cell. "Sophia, whattcha need." She smiled at Gabi who had followed her into the room, and now stood watching her.

"No, its ok........ Yes, I'll come in............ No, I don't want to........ Yes I understand......... Yes it is inconvient.......... Fine....... No........ Shut-up........ I'm coming."

Looking at Gabi, her face full of questions, she shrugged her shoulders, "Well, gotta run and take my shake to go."

"Bummer," she answered, "I hope everything is all right."

"Yes, or at least it will be, I hope."

Sophie went into Gabi's room and changed her clothes, disappointed that the agency had called, but more concerned about why they called. She had told Tom to stay out of her business, but he had done some snooping on her private life and had told her to get her ass to headquarters.

She walked out of the room, her purse soon was in her hands. She hugged Gabi, goodbye. "We'll do this again, I promise." She said as she pressed a soft kiss, to Gabi's cheek. "Sorry, Gab. Not sure why I did that. It just seemed right somehow."

"I know what you mean, it is strange. But we don't have time now, you better go, before your late."

Sophie agreed and ran into the kitchen, grabbed her odd colored shake and another slice of cold pizza. "Bye babe!" she called as she shut the door behind her and headed to the elevator.

Inside she quickly ran over the conversation with Tom. She had told him to leave her personnel life alone, unless she sensed their was danger, why he had to investigate anyone she became close to infruiated her.

When she arrived outside she tossed the last bit of pizza crust in the trash, and took a sip of her shake. Licking her lips she thought, "Shit! I'm going to have to ask her to write the names of all that ice cream down, so I can make this at home."

Sophia climbed in her car and headed towards the abandon warehouse.

Gabrielle laughed at Sophia's comment.

"Ice cream and I have a very close relationship chicka!" She said winking. She made her friend a ice cream shake. Handing it to Sophie and attacking her own breakfast. Everything seemed great, nearly perfect, until the cell phone shrilled.

Watching her friend on the phone she continued to eat her pizza and ice cream. Her mind was wondering if this was her buddy's explosive boyfriend or what.

Gabi picked up the mess and set her kitchen in order again. While finishing off a spoon full of ice cream and a warmed up piece of pizza she again walked over to the walls and started at Sophia's mural.

There was no buzz, only a knock at her door, she figured Sophie had come back for something. She smiled and opened the door. Reese stood there looking pissed off. She blinked and frowned.

"Nice to see you too Gabrielle, I'm sorry I'm so rude. Not calling before I barge in." She said dryly as he walked around her and into her apartment.

In his "so soft it's dangerous" voice he spoke.

"What do you know about your new friend?" He walked further into the apartment looking around.

"Why is that any of your business Reese? Why don't you just go back to work. You live there right? That's all you do right? Well I'm not going to be like that. I'm a real live girl. I'm going to have a fucking life okay? If you don't like that someone does? Well then, why don't you fire me?"

"We don't fire people Gabrielle, you know that." He said sitting on her futon again without first getting an invitation. He looked at the two walls they had painted the night before.

She shivered but tried not to show it. It was true they didn't fire people. She only wished she would be fired, but no it didn't work that way. They simply sent people on missions that had a low survival rate and they waited, or they killed them outright. Each mission you went on could be designed to be your very last. One never knew.

Reese's eyes were penetrating when he turned his impassive face back and looked in her eyes.

"Everyone is expendable Gabrielle" He said calmly and in a voice as cold as ice.

She walked over to him and stood right beside him facing him.

"Geez Reese thanks for the thought provoking commentary, now if you don't mind, I have things, to, ah, do."

"Gabrielle I am your trainer, the things you do reflect not just on you alone, but also on me. Making friends is a luxury you can't afford. Clearly we are not keeping you busy enough. One would think between your studies and the assignments we give you, that would not be the case..." His hand locked around her arm and tugged her down the futon. She could have fought him but she didn't. The sound of all this was worrying to say the least. Not so much for herself or Reese but for Sophia. She didn't want to bring trouble down on that girl who somehow meant so much to her.

"Wait. I'm plenty busy, but Reese, I want a life, I need a life, come oe now didn't you ever have a friend, a lover, someone who mattered in your life?" Her large blue eyes were tearing up in spite of her best efforts to be as much like stone as he was.

He simply looked, at her but he took his hand away, after a minute looking both interested and insufferably sad. There was a story there in his eyes. It was story he would not, she knew, be telling her now, probably ever.

"Gabrielle listen carefully to me." He said his voice a whisper, he leaned toward her. "What you want or need really doesn't matter anymore. Who you were, what you wanted to become, all that is smoke and mirrors. What matters now is focus. Never lose focus on the objectives given you on the job. That is your life now, your only life. You have been allowed to continue your studies only because it serves as a good cover, and it may be beneficial to the Agency in the future, for you to have those skills. What skills can this "friendship" bring? Did you run a background check on her yet? I have."

They were so close his lips against her ear, if she turned her head they would be kissing. Her heart beat bumped up a few notches and in that moment she figured out definitively that whatever she felt for Sophia it wasn't sexual attraction. His lips brushed her right ear just barely, like butterfly wings. She wanted to turn to him to press this moment, but no, she could hold out at long as he could. Hell she could hold out forever. Damn right.

He pulled back giving her room to face him. Two can play this game bucko, she thought. She leaned in facing him her lips close to his.

"What did you find out then Reese?" She said slowly and sensuously. Her eyes were daring him to come closer. She had decided long ago she would never make the first move. Not with him.

His hand reached out again and trailed down her arm languidly, his lips twitched in a smile. His first so far, since arriving at her new digs. He got up and dropped the folder he had been carrying on the coffee table.

Walking into the kitchen he took out her Chunky Monkey, got a spoon and began eating from the container.

"Lover eh? I didn't think you were that type Gabrielle. Your friend, lover, whatever she is to you?" He said gesturing casually at the folder with the spoon.

"Her background is classified. What does that tell you?" Reese finished.

Gabrielle picked up the folder and began leafing through it. She really didn't want what Reese said to be true. Not one little bit of it. Looking through the folder she saw that what he said was in fact true. She took a deep breath and counted to ten before speaking again.

"It tells me that she works for someone, like I do. Someone who would sanitize and protect the information of their asset while trying to make it appear she was perfectly normal which she is not." Reese merely nodded. Gabrielle looked annoyed.

"So who does she work for and as we both know there are no coincidences in this world, why did she contact you? Think back now to the very first time you saw her, the first words exchanged, who approached whom and the apparent reason why. This is far too great a coincidence and you know it. Go over it from the beginning Gabrielle. Let's unravel this noose shall we?"

She walked over the bar / counter and sat on a stool.

"Damn it! Hand me some ice cream you mooch!" She said.

His brows went up. Without a word he opened the freezer and handed her the Everything but the...flavor. With a flourish he handed her a spoon.

"Spill." He said leaning across the counter and licking ice cream off his lips. He looked like he should be on the cover a romance novel. She could have licked his lips herself damn it! She stabbed her spoon into the pint of ice cream.

Together she and Reese went over every moment she could remember from the first day of class on. Occasionally she stabbed her spoon into his ice cream pint and he, into hers. They played a game neither would acknowledge while going over the intel. The game was one of slow licks, smoldering looks and sucks at the creamy ice cream mixtures they made.

Sophia arrived at the warehouse, and was just about to get out of her car when Tom pulled up. He rolled down his window and motioned for her to do the same. “Ummmm... yea, Tom.. this is inconspicuous.” Her eyes rolled up and she sighed.

“Follow me.”

“I thought this was about work.”

“Just do it.”

Sophia followed her partner, contact, pain in the ass, co-worker to a small cafe on the other side of town. When she arrived she parked across the street and jogged over to him. “What?” she said as the two of them sat down, and ordered a couple of cappuccinos.

Tom looked at her, and she knew without a doubt what was coming, “You checked her out, didn't you?”

He said nothing, just sat there. “Damn it Tom! One freakin' time. That is all I wanted... One Time to let me have one friend. But noooooo... you have to pull your government holier then thou crap and investigate my friend.” Sophia was livid as she glared back at the man.

“Don't you want to know what we found out?”

“NO!!!!” She crossed her arms and turned her head away from the envelope that suddenly appeared before her.

“Stop being childish Sophie and read it.”

Looking at him, she glared, “Why did you call me that? Only Gabi calls me that!”

His brow raised and shrugged her shoulders.

“Oh is this your we have our ways speech, the shrug my shoulders and sit there like a dumb ass.“

Tom stood up and grabbed Sophia's arm, lifting her from her seat. “Grap the papers SOPHIA!” he emphasized every letter of her name.

She continued to shoot daggers into his eyes as she scooped up the envelope and felt herself dragged away with him. He pushed her against the brick wall of the alley and got right into her face. The envelope was wedged between them. She felt the small twitch in her eye, knowing that her anger was just about to explode, “Tom... I.”

She never got the words out as Tom pushed his mouth against hers. His tongue drove against her's. It scraped the walls of her mouth, then pressed along the side of her tongue. Sophia was shocked. Her body tense and she didn't even have time to respond in a positive or negative way before he removed his tongue from her mouth. “Now listen will you.”

With wide eyes she heard him begin to explain, “Gabriella has just as high security clearance as you... possibly higher.”

“What the fuck are you talking about!?” Sophia pushed him away and tore open the envelope. She read sheet after sheet of documents. Each one verifying that Gabi had been trained at some of the finest establishments in the world. There were surveillance photos of her in London, Hong Kong, Paris, Maylasia even in Sydney. “How come we just now know this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, didn't you tell me that you check out everyone that has a class with me? Why didn't we catch this before now?”

Tom shrugged his shoulders, “Some get lost in the loop.”

Blowing the hair from her face, her shoulders slumped, “Crap Tom,” disappointment was evident in her voice, “I thought maybe, I was going to have someone special in my life.”

“I know Hun, I'm sorry.” Tom pulled her close to him, and gently stroked her back.

“What are we going to do?” She looked up into his eyes, and recognized the one thing she had always wanted to see in them, desire. He ran his finger along her jaw, and teased her lips apart, just enough so when his tongue slid between her lips, she slowly slid the tip of hers to meet with his.

The kiss soon became more fevered as she pulled him against her. Each one tasted the other, each one clung to the other. Soon however, it ended just as fast as it began. Tom pulled away, “God, Sophie, I'm sorry.”

She took a deep breath, “I know, me too.”

“Sophie, that isn't everything.”

“What more could there be?”

Tom took a deep breath, “Look where she comes from.”

Sophie looked down at the address, “So, I've never been there, what's the big deal about that?”

“No Hun, look where she was from originally.”

Sophie rolled her eyes and scanned the paper, “Holy shit.”

Tom raised her chin, and looked her in the eyes, “I got you 24 Hours, to bring her in Sophia. That's it. If you don't find away to get her to us or at least to me, by this time tomorrow, then they'll come after her.”

“Tom, do you really think, that she....”

“I don't know, but we have to find out more about her. Obviously so do you.”

The two departed, Tom with the envelope full of Gabi's information and Sophia full of questions and confusion, and fear. She had read Gabi's files, she was either matched on all skills evenly or Gabi scored higher. “Damn her... one upping me again.”

They were back on the futon. Gabrielle could feel his body, like a line of heat against her side though they weren't touching. She wanted to touch him. Oh how she wanted to! She wanted to push him down, paint him in ice cream then slowly lick every inch of his body turning it warm where it had been cold. She wanted to watch his skin goose bump up then relax in her heat. She stared into his eyes.

She felt his interest. For just a moment she thought he might just touch her, lean forward, kiss her mouth, neck and closed eyelids. Inside she shuddered from the imagines that went through her brain. On the outside she slowed very little. No Reese would never do something like that. He was too professional. What they had on their hands here was a very dangerous situation.

Gabi was torn between feeling betrayed and protecting new friend Sophia. Yes, even now something made her want to protect Sophie. She thought about making the first move with Reese. For just a little while she could make him forget about this problem, maybe even fall asleep afterwards, so she and Sophie could...do what? She racked her brain for an answer.

A dozen wild ideas entered her mind but none would ultimately work. For all she knew Sophie wasn't genuine in her feelings anyway and this was all some big set up. Reese was not the only one at the Agency who knew about Sophia anyway. She wanted to growl, fight and cry but there was no time for all that.

Reese leaned toward her. She closed her eyes. Never thought he would kiss me she thought her lips so ready for him, she felt him lean close, closer and kiss her forehead like a father might. She let out a soft sigh. Gabi had been holding her breath she now realized.

Opening her eyes looking into the blackness of his, she again wanted to seize him but of course she didn't.

"Gabrielle you have to bring her in. You have 12 hours to do it the easy way. After that they will bring her in anyway they can." He stood up. Without pausing Reese walked to the door and was gone.

She could see and feel it. Once again Fate had cocked the "Fuck You" gun and pointed it right between her eyes.

"Shit!" Gabi said softly. Finding her phone she punched redial making a mental note to "lose" Sophie's number in the future. The only person who had called her on her home phone was Sophie. The Agency would use her secure cell or send Reese over to do his thing.

Impatiently she waited for Sophie to pick up the phone.

"Hello," Sopia answered.

She heard Gabi's voice come over the reciever, "Hey Sophie, what's up?"

Sophia took a deep breath, her pulse racing, right now was her chance to talk to Gabi, "Just thinking of you actually." Sophia smiled, for once she hadn't had to lie, about a job.

"You were? I was thinking about you too," Gabi rolled her eyes, "well that is obvious since I called you wasn't it," she laughed into the phone.

Sophia's heart wept at the sound of the laugh, "How could this possbily be?" she thought to herself.

"Gabi, I'm all done with that pestering ass that called me, do you want to meet for lunch? Perhaps at the Cafe down from school?"

"Sure, I don't have anything better to do. Besides after all that cold ice cream, I need heated up."

Sophia heard a small groan over the phone and she wondered what had caused that noise. "Well I'm heading over that way in a bit, I have to grab a few things before I do. Meet you there around... let's say, 11:30?"

"Sounds like a date."

"Oh and Gabi.... I just want you to know that... well, I'll just talk to you then."

She shut off her phone, after she heard Gabi's, "Ok.. bye."

Sophia recalled how she had met the girl and how open and honest she had been. "But had she been honest?" Sophia wondered. Now that Sophia had seen where Gabi was orginally from, she tried not to read to much into the unexplainable pull she had to the woman, and how it just seemed to feel right to be with her.

Sophia pulled her car over to the side of the road and got out of her car. She walked down to the edge of the park, closest to the duck pond, and sat until it was time to meet with Gabi.

She wanted only some of that information to be true, the rest she wanted to just disappear. But it was all there... Gabi's life. "A spy, just like me... go figure. But she played for the wrong team, somehow she had gotten security clearnaces higher then her's and she still played with the bad guys." Sophia mulled over this subject.

Later as she sat at a table waiting for Gabi to arrive, she continued to wonder and hope that she could get Gabi to come with her, at least to meet Tom, she didn't want to even think about what else she wanted... that would have to come later, or perhaps today... who knew.

Gabrielle gathered some "toys" up stuffing the pockets of her cargo pants and her vest. She wore the vest over a lacy bra and skin. She also wore track shoes, socks and panties. Pulling her hair back she looked ruefully in the mirror. So many revelations so fast about her friend Sophie were making her have a headache. She dry swallowed three Advil, grabbed up her keys and sped off.

Walking into the restaurant she carefully watched the place and people in it. On the way over she had made some decisions. She smiled when she saw Sophia. They hugged, sat down, ordered and then it was time to say something.

Gabi pulled a small device from a pocket and placed it on the table toggling a switch. She leaned across the table, toward Sophia, covered her mouth with one beautiful hand and whispered.

"I'm not going to play games with you here. I trust you. We know we could be watched right now but that device gives us a few minutes that we can talk as long as no one can eye our lips, they won't be able to tell what we say. Now, I just found out what I suspect you already knew. You know what we both do for a living and even more shocking that we have a connection in the past, it explains so much."

She reached out and squeezed Sophia's arm.

"I wish we had time to talk about all this naturally but we can't. I don't know how long you have known or what your mission is. I just want to make this go away but it won't. So tell me what you have to do and let's figure something out quick, before we both get scooped up and this whole thing is taken out of our hands, okay? You have a minute and a half to tell me what you want to."

Gabrielle looked at her friend now, Sophia knew much more hopefully. Sure Gabi had opened a Pandora's box of potential trouble. Hell with it, though, she would fight for Sophia. She had good reason. Gabi had decided to trust Sophie right up until she was stabbed in the back. Her instincts and emotions told her to. They had saved her life more than once though the men she worked for and with, would laugh if they knew, she believed that. It was one reason her missions seemed almost charmed to go well, at least for Gabrielle.

She hoped Sophia had would not make her feel foolish that she had trusted this once. Her hand tightened on Sophie's arm. Her brows went up in question inviting Sophie to talk with her.

Sophia looked at the device and smiled, "I have that same one in my purse, was just about to pull it out." Taking a deep breath she looked into Gabi's blue eyes. "I won't beat around the bush and the connection to the path is so long I need more then a minute, so we'll skip that... but only for now!"

Gabi nodded her face showing relief and a mix of excitement. "Continue."

"We are being watched. Neither one of us are stupid enough to think that we aren't. Your with the wrong guys, I'm with the right ones. Not everyone you work with knows that your with the wrong people, so they too are wrapped up in the wrong shit."

A look of utter confusion crossed Gabi's features and she reigned in her questions, knowing that Sophia still had to tell her what she needed to know. "What are you supposed to do now?"

"I have 24 hours to get you to HQ, or to my handler Tom. Otherwise you will be taken in by them, and if that happens, I can't help you, and they won't let me come withing 2 feet of you." Sophia looked at her watch, "Look Gabi, I didn't set you up or come looking for you, honest to God, I needed the notes and that was it. Something pulled me to you and now we both know what that is."

Sophia checked the time, and their safe space was gone. Gabi grabbed the scrambler and tucked it in her purse. The two women talked about a few boyfriends in their lives and how Sophia's parents lived on a small farm in rural Tennessee. After about 10 minutes, Sophia reached into her purse, pulled out the exact same scambler, that Gabi had used, "90 seconds Gab... go."

ooc: sorry, didn't realize there was another page, must read and try a new approach

It had been perfect, hadn't it? A simple kill, simple seductive sound of the hollow point rushing out in its hushed arc, reaching deadly fingers out to touch its lover. It's one and final lover. The bullet, sleek, slippery, phallic like in too many ways to count, slipping deep inside the folds, and taking the honey nectared life out of anyone it touched.

Hadn't that been the plan all along? Hadn't it? Wasn't that why he was here. Simple, sweet, seductive even. A restaurant, no cafe. Yes, a cafe, cute little quaint piece of renessaince shit that trailed over from europe and was now considered the hip trendy place to be. She chose it carefully too, wide open space, so many witnesses, she was learning. That thought sickened him to the very bone, delighted and sickened him, the way eating too much ice cream might. Too sweet to handle.

That's it, wasn't it? Yes. He'd known that from the beginning. She was simply too sweet to handle. No worries though. His motherland had ways of changing that. He reached out to open the window.

From the back of the kitchen. A possible entrance, possible way to kill her, rape her with his hollow point, beyond recognition. As he opened the door he hoped for a clear shot. A clear headshot. Closed casket, that's what he wished. That's what made him hard each night, what he thrived for, the silken sweet sound of relatives crying, the closed casket. Oh, it could not get any better.

Slipping outside the cafe, bright light flooding down around him. His dull grey suit reflected most of it, branding him as it did no one else. A suit, in truth, no... uniform. It looked like a uniform, a squeaky clean uniform guys like him used when they didn't want to get any blood or shit on their real clothes. Back-up clothes. This was a back-up plan, it deserved back-up clothes, didn't it? Sure.


He moved around the empty tables and chatting patrons, sipping on cold coffee's and juice drinks. Not making a sound, silent as a whisper, silent as a snake. Yes, that was it, a viper. A small viper with sharp fangs, moving through her house, her new apartment. Her new life, he moved like he had weasled this way before. As if God had given him a gift He gave no one else, the ability to slither, the ability to turn into a dirty shameful snake on his belly, crawling towards another fresh kill.

A utility belt on his side, it jingled as he moved, jingled and jangled. So many tools on it, quiet noises, gentle, but still noises just the same. Whispered mouse farts in a vacant church, but if one were paying attention. If the girl was listening, if by any chance on this green earth she had half a heart to pay attention, then he would have to move quickly.

Ahhh, yes, here it was. He was up near her table, silently, carefully. His hand moved down to a single object on his belt, gripped it hard, whitened knuckles perspiring as much as everything else. It gripped a weapon, a gun. It didn't look like a gun though, too bulky, too wide. Guns were sleek and slick, and filled with the same sexy power a simple red dress would. This thing had none of those qualities. A tazer, perhaps? Something, something with the shape of a gun.

She'd find out soon enough, wouldn't she? A thin smile revealed too many teeth, laughing quietly like some loon dancing in full moonlight, dancing on water that rippled like endless glass. Yes, that's how he smiled, that's how he always smiled before performing this one task.

He inched closed to the table, sweat pouring off him now. Everything alive on his body, electric shocks moving up and down his skin as if radios were trying to send and recieve messages at the same time. All at once, it happened all at once, like some crazy dream that had no sense of time. Things slowed down and sped up without accuracy, without logic. It was all illogical, wasn't it? The only truth was the gun, the hollow bullet reaching for its last kiss, its closed casket.

Two girls, only one important. But then, that wasn't true, was it? None of it was true. All of it smoke and mirrors, these people dealt with smoke and mirrors. Two girls, for the price of one? Perhaps, but he thought not. No, the other one would cost extra, it always cost extra.


(ooc: now we're having fun. Be gentle... hee hee, it's his first time)

"Soph, here's the thing I'm supposed to bring you in or to my handler within 12 hours! Not only that, I can't just believe I'm working for the bad guys. We've done some good things, I know it!" That was all she could say her headache was exploding again. She hadn't used up all of her ninety seconds but maybe Sophia could make use of that time and her own final ninety? Right now her life seemed to be spinning too far out of control for Gabrielle to deal with.

She shook her head and looked down at her salad. The waiter seemed to think they were strange because they kept waving him off but he had managed to deliver their salads during the ten minutes they had made small talk. Gabi had no appetite right now though.

Strangely Sophia seemed a little distracted or no, more like watchful. Gabrielle felt like there was an invisible noose around her neck and it was tightening. This could be it she thought. Then Sophie started talking again. Gabi looked back up, hopefully to her friend's beautiful face.