Title: Poiche Li Amo Author: Mortis Rating: NC-17 for sex Category: K/other smut Spoilers: thru the end of season 5 Disclaimer: Krycek isn't mine as much as I wish he was. Marley is. I'm not making a dime off either of them. Thanks to: Kim and Nancy for all their encouragement. Poiche Li Amo by Mortis The rain poured as I stepped through the door. At first, I could see nothing as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, but as the sound of soft raunchy blues caressed my ears, I immediately knew that he had chosen a bar for the drop. My eyes adapted slowly. It was an older place with the heavy wood from floor to ceiling that harkened to another era. A large ornate bar completely took up one wall of the room, which was not large and only sparsely occupied. Several secluded booths lined the remaining walls and about four small tables were set up between the booths and the bar. I made a quick sweep of the place and counted six individuals. Behind the bar was a very brawny man of about 65 who looked like a retired cop. A waitress leaned disinterestedly on the bar and a middle-aged couple sat eating at one of the small tables. I spotted him, sitting in a booth engaged in a rather heated discussion with a man with a prominent nose. I made my way toward the bar. They both looked up as I passed and I saw his eyes slither over my body starting with my legs, slowly working their way up. I was suddenly very aware of myself. I had removed my leather jacket and the white silk blouse I wore under it was soaked, clingy and nearly translucent. When they finally reached mine, I saw the familiar dark malachite eyes and the fire behind them heated something inside me that I thought I had put to sleep long ago. I tore my eyes away and scurried into the ladies room. I went to work with a paper towel taking a few hopeless swipes at my hair. I unbraided it and shook it out in a shower of damp burgundy curls over my shoulders. I found one of those push button dryers and took off the wet silk. In its present state, it was worse than being naked, especially since I wore no bra. The heated air helped and it was quickly dry enough to wear. I let it do a round on my hair, replaced the blouse and then fixed my face as best as I could. Finally, I felt a bit more put together and headed back for the bar. The man with whom he had spoken was gone and the couple was making leaving motions as well. As I reached the bar and sat down, he slid onto the barstool next to me. "The cock crowed at midnight," he said in a stage whisper. "Krycek, what the fuck are you talking about?" I asked, my lips curling into an involuntary smile. "Oh, I don’t know," he said grinning, slipping his arm around my waist and bussing me on the mouth in greeting, "I just thought it sounded like a proper spy greeting." He laughed. He had a deep, throaty laugh that always made me quiver inside. "How have you been, Marley?" he asked signaling to the bartender who stood at the opposite end of the bar totally engrossed in some game or other on the television that hung above it. A waitress stood counting crinkled bills and change, ignoring it, him and us. The bartender ambled down to our end of the bar. "Yeah," he asked pleasantly, "what can I get for you folks?" I ordered my usual Southern Comfort and Alexei his vodka martini and we discretely headed for the most secluded of the booths at the back of the bar in a darkened corner. I slid into the booth with my back to the wall and a clear view of the bar. He scooted in, pressing close against me. His left hand cupped the back of my head and pulled me in for a deep kiss. He took his other hand and slid it slowly over my knee and up between my thighs, pulling my Beretta 9mm from its holster strapped to the left one. "Okay, I’m armed," I admitted evenly, "but I noticed you are as well." He removed his hand from my neck, holding it above the table and flexing his fingers. "Transplant technology’s come a long way, in America, hasn't it?" he mused, obviously pleased to be a whole man again. He dropped my weapon into my open handbag and slipped his restored arm back around my shoulder. "I’ll show you mine, if you like," he leered and pulled back his leather jacket enough for me to see his own weapon in its shoulder holster. Over the years, we’d grown to trust each other with the unspoken agreement that any move that proved false would be met by immediate and deadly force. We were rats, Alexei and I, scurrying through the underworld with only our own wits to watch our backs. Each working for the same cause, but with different reasons. He nibbled at the flesh between my ear and shoulder as I dug the small plastic case out of my purse. I deposited it in the inside pocket of the leather jacket that he wore and turned my head to meet his kiss. It was long and deep and very passionate. "Our business here is done," I breathed into his ear as I broke the kiss. "I should go." He pulled me closer by burying his hands in my hair and tugging, using it to tilt my head back. "I know," he said as his lips brushed my throat and down across my collar bone, "I also know that you don’t have anywhere to be in the next 48 hours." "How do you know I don’t have someone to do in the next 48 hours, you arrogant fuck?" I snapped, irritated because he was absolutely right. "Mia cara," he chuckled, delighted to have gotten under my skin, "I’m in the information business. But, as it happens, I don’t have any plans for the next couple of days either." He caressed my hair and face with barely restrained desire. "Come on, Marley," he pled softly, "let’s go pad our expense accounts, huh?" "You know I can never refuse you, don’t you?" I said with resignation and a nip at his earlobe. He dropped a couple of bucks on the table and downed his martini. I did the same with my drink and we headed straight for the back door of the bar and the hotel that abutted an alley in common. I made a soggy dash for my car to retrieve the weekend bag out of which I lived, while he did the same and we met again in the lobby. *~*~* Krycek tipped the concierge to take our bags to a room, it would seem he’d already procured. "I’m hungry," he announced as he wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me to the dining room. "Good evening, Mr. Grayson," the maitre ‘d greeted him as we entered, "Your table is ready." He led us to a private table waiting for Alex’s nod of approval before leaving us in the hands of a very stiff waiter who decanted a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that was older than he was. Then we were alone. "You had this planned all along, didn’t you?" I accused, unable to hide my pleasure. "I did," he admitted as he took a sip of his wine. His eyes sparkled with mirth at my conflicted feelings. On the one hand, it was very presumptuous and arrogant but on the other, how very romantic and spontaneous. How very Alexei. Something in the back of my mind whispered, "Trust no one," but my desire for him screamed louder and I decided to let myself be seduced. The table was a rounded booth situated in a niche isolated from the other diners by a curtained doorway which the waiter had closed unobtrusively behind him. He sat very close, nearly facing me, his left arm rested on the back of the seat behind me while his fingers danced through my hair and stroked my neck sending bolts of lightning down my spine to settle, sparking, between my legs. His right hand toyed absently with his wine glass automatically lifting it from time to time to his lips. His eyes burned into mine as he asked me to recount my latest brush with death, but the brush of his fingertips against my jaw and along my cheek made it hard for me to concentrate on the tale. He leaned in and captured my lips with his, and wrapping his arms around me, pulled me firmly astride his thighs and into his lap. His lips dipped to my cleavage, kissing the rise of first one breast, then the other. Strong arms wrapped around my lower back as his hands kneaded my ass and pulled me in tight against his burgeoning erection. I could only surrender as I fisted my hands in his hair. I kissed the top of his head, pulling his mouth more firmly against my breast, and breathed in his spicy, musky scent. His hands released my ass and slid around and up my thighs, under my skirt which had ridden up when he'd pulled me onto his lap. I reached down to grip his wrists, remembering - albeit only vaguely - that we were ostensibly still in publlic in spite of the curtained alcove. He twisted his arms, loosing my grip and placed my hands firmly on his shoulders and replaced his own hands on my thighs. Up they slid until his thumbs encountered my silk covered curls. He hooked his thumbs into the thin silk and pulled sharply. I gasped as the material gave easily and I found myself completely exposed to him. He lifted my tattered panties and brushed them against his cheek before slipping them into the pocket of his leather jacket. Replacing his hands on my thighs, he again, stroked them upward and I couldn't contain a moan as his thumbs bumped against my sex again, this time meeting no barrier. He parted the lips gently and sought out my clit, rubbing briefly over the hard nubbin. My head fell back and my mouth fell open as I became powerless to stop him from doing anything he pleased. His finger dipped between the lips finding me already soaking wet and plunged into me, causing my muscles to involuntarily clench around him. At just that moment, the curtain parted and the stuffy waiter reappeared with another equally stuffy man both bearing trays filled with food. Alex discreetly slid his hand away and I climbed off his lap, wishing that I had boiling oil propped over the curtained doorway. I had to hand it to the guy though, he never once let on that anything out of the ordinary had been going on. He and his stiff companion laid out an impressive repast on the table and after decanting another bottle of wine, left us to our own devices again. We feasted. Alex tore a piece of pheasant from the bone and proffered it with his fingers. The gamy flavor of the dark, rich meat flooded my mouth as I bit through the tender flesh. I fed him a mushroom cap stuffed with a nutty pate by the same method. I watched in rapt fascination as the muscles of his chiseled jaw worked and jumped and marveled at the fluid motion of his throat when he swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. I took another sip from my wine and contemplated fucking him right there on the table. *~*~* The stodgy waiter came back with a devilish looking dessert covered in hot caramel and fudge. As he sat it on the table before us, I lifted Alex's left hand and began to gently suck the pheasant gravy from the tips of his fingers. "We'll take that to go, Jeeves," he said, smiling wickedly at me. His other hand closed like lightning on my wrist and he was suddenly standing, pulling me to my feet beside him. "Send it round to the Honeymoon Suite. On second thought," he smiled wickedly, "we'd rather not be disturbed." He picked up the footed silver dish in which the dessert had been served and tugged me after him as he swept us toward the elevator. Alex pressed the button for the penthouse suite - the bridal suite. Whatever had possessed him to procure that particular room, eluded me. But it was fun to pretend. Before the doors had even closed on us, he was backing me into the corner of the mirrored chamber, wrapping his free arm around me. He lifted and pinned me to the wall with a deep, wet kiss. My legs wrapped around his hips of their own volition and his hand dropped to support my now bare ass. I could feel his cock, rock hard, beneath his jeans and ground into him, satisfied at last to hear *him* moan in reaction. All too soon the bell dinged and he reluctantly released me. We practically ran down the hallway, giggling like the newlywed couple we appeared to be as Alex nearly dropped the dessert while wrestling the cardkey out of his pocket. He handed the card to me and I swiped it through the reader, twisting the handle as I heard it click. He swept me up again in his free arm and carried me across the threshold. He deposited me on my feet, the dish on the table and shrugged out of his jacket. He moved swiftly toward me and began to unbutton my blouse, his lips on my throat. "God, Marley. How do you do this to me?" he asked placing my hand on his erection. I squeezed gently eliciting another moan from him as he thrust himself more fully into my hand. He had quickly removed my blouse and skirt so that I stood completely naked before him. I had divested him of his shirt and popped the first couple of buttons on his Levis when he maneuvered me backward until my knees came up against the mattress. He pushed me backward while gently easing me to the bed, and breathlessly breaking his kiss, turned to the table to retrieve the confection that he'd toted upstairs. He stood over me and tilted the dish. I squealed as the first bit of warm caramel/chocolate goo and cold, melted ice cream drizzled across my breasts and over my belly down to my curls. "Oops," he grinned, "I've made a mess. Here, let me get that for you." His lips dipped to my navel and his tongue made a wide swath around it and over the gooey mess. I could feel the heat building low in my belly as he cleaned my stomach and made his way to my breasts. His tongue circled the entire breast bathing it, his lips and perfect teeth teasing my nipples one at a time as he sucked the mixture from them. Once they were clean, he retraced his path down my belly, each kiss dipping lower and lower as his hands parted my thighs to admit him between them. His lips brushed over my hipbones causing me to squirm in delight then down over my hips to my inner thighs, nipping and kissing all the while. Suddenly, his tongue darted in to tickle my clit and I nearly exploded. He did it again, licking a wide swath through my center. I think I moaned something exceedingly intelligent like, "Oh God, Alex!" as he placed his hands under my ass and lifted me so that I was poised on his fingertips, my world balanced on his tongue and at his mercy. La petite mort the French call it, "the little death." My thighs trembled as he tipped me over the edge into the abyss and wave upon wave of pleasure washed over me. I could see his smug smile as I cried out in spite of myself while every muscle in my body convulsed and I came and came. After my body had gone limp, he lowered me gently to the bed and crawled up to lay behind me, enfolding me in his strong arms. *~*~* His erection strained against his pants as I wiggled against him. He moaned and thrust against me in return. I turned to face him, his bare chest warm and hard against my breasts. His arm snaked between the bed and my ribcage, hugging me firmly against him. He rolled over onto his back pulling me on top of him. I planted a soft open-mouthed kiss on his lips and drawing my knees up, sat up as his hands came up to encircle my waist. His hands stroked up my ribs, his fingertips brushing the underside of my breasts and then down my sides and over my hips to caress my behind and back again. I captured his wrists and, sitting astride him, pinned them over his head. My hands slid down his arms and over his smooth, muscular chest. He kept his arms up in silent surrender to my will as my hands continued their exploration down over his rippled stomach to trace the dark strip of hair just below his navel that disappeared into his jeans. I undid the last few buttons and tugged the denim over his hips and off, throwing them over my shoulder to the floor. He wore no underwear and his cock sprang proudly upward, swaying with each beat of his heart. I leaned over him and retrieved the dessert dish from the night stand. Deep in a pool of melted ice cream, was what was left of the cooling fudge and caramel. I ran my finger around the edge of the dish, dipping it deeply into the sweet syrupy stuff. Twisting to catch the last drip, I pulled out a generous amount on my finger and proceeded to paint his cock with it. He watched silently, but his breathing sped up and deepened. His rigid cock danced and twitched as I bathed it with my tongue. I took him into my mouth, opened my throat and swallowed the length of his shaft. His eyes rolled back into his head, his jaw went slack as his hands fisted in my hair and he issued a moan that sounded very much like the Russian word for "mercy". He was as hard as marble as he dragged me upwards, toward his mouth. Alex rolled over, dragging my hands over my head as I had done to him earlier. The length of his body lay stretched atop mine, his knees slid in between my thighs, spreading them, and I could feel him nudging against my opening, demanding entrance. I was wet and slippery as a boiled egg when he pushed and the head of his cock slipped inside me. He eased the rest of the way in, slowly stretching my passageway with his girth, filling me up. A guttural snarl escaped my lips. I brought my legs up and encircled his hips pulling him violently inside me, "Fuck me hard, Alexei!" He answered with his own growl and slammed his hips into me forcefully. "You like it rough, baby?" he crooned into my ear as he pinned me down. His powerful thrusts propelled me forward and my head came in contact with the pillow padded wall. His mouth sought mine and came down in a brutally passionate kiss. I tottered on the edge of the abyss, my hands buried in his hair. His lips broke their bruising kiss as he came up for air and I moaned for him to join me, to come with me. With an incoherent groan, his cock twitched as he spilled into me. The rhythmic spurt hit my womb, sending me over the edge to scream his name as our bodies convulsed, clinging to each other in shared orgasm. As our panting subsided, he rolled over onto his side, propped up on his elbow and looked into my eyes. "Ah Marley," he crooned, "you have any idea how much I love you?" My breath caught in my throat and my heart swelled before it broke. How I had wanted to hear those words from him, but I *knew* him. I knew better. I didn't dare fall in love with him. I took his face gently in my hands, stroking his perfect, full bottom lip with my thumb, and stared deep into his eyes. God, how I wanted to believe him. I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to break through and betray my jaded exterior. "Alexei," I began, "I was born in a refugee camp. I grew up there. It was dirty; it was dangerous; and I didn't survive it by believing in big dreams and beautiful lies. I survived by being the most treacherous piece of work that ever slit a throat over a hunk a cheese. Suffice it to say, I know when I'm being played. What is it that you want?" "Right now, all I want is you," he said simply. He kissed me again, "We'll get to business later. Right now, this is personal time. You know, the bridal suite has a Jacuzzi..." He cocked an eyebrow over a leer that wasn't entirely playful. He rose, gracefully as a jungle cat, from the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. Soon I heard the sound of running water and a warm, mellow light poured out with the steam. "Come on, baby," he called, "the water is just right." Then I heard the sound of the jets. I forced myself to stand on my still shaky legs, and moved toward the bathroom. *~*~* A dozen candles blazed in the room filling it with their warm glow. And there in the deep sunken tub sat my golden Adonis, glistening as the flames illuminated each muscle of his chest, accentuating it. I stepped down and eased into the delightfully hot water, facing him. The water surged and bubbled around us and I felt myself begin to relax. A bottle of fine champagne rested in a silver ice bucket along with two glasses. Alex popped the cork and filled them, handing me one. He took a sip, sat his glass on the floor tile that surrounded the sunken tub and leaned forward. Seizing me about the waist, he pulled me closer until my legs rested over his and I was sitting on my knees astride him. His hands slid, in a smooth, firm motion, up my back and over my shoulder blades. The result was a delicious massage and I surrendered to it willingly. His fingers moved expertly, sensually up the back of my neck and into my hair, massaging my scalp. I leaned my head backwards, letting him take the weight of my head and I felt his lips softly kissing my extended throat. His kisses softly traced my collarbone and came back up my neck to that spot just behind and below my ear that he *knew* drove me wild. I could feel his cock beginning to stir as I moaned and wiggled against him. "I *do* love you, Marley," he breathed in my ear as his one hand dropped to cup my ass and pull me tighter against him. "I know you don't trust me, yet you continue to keep me as your only lover." The water swirled and churned around us as he kneaded my buttocks with one hand and fisted the other in my hair, holding my head steady as his lips dipped down my neck again and lingering at the hollow in the center of my throat, asked, "Why is that, Marley?" I thrust my chest upward, hoping that he would find my breasts as intriguing. And as if reading my mind, his mouth sank lower and his kisses covered my breasts, lingering first at one nipple, then the other. He was the best lover I'd ever had. I had to admit that to myself as he continued to pleasure me, as if I were telling him where I wanted to be touched and how. I idly wondered if he was entirely human when he seemed to display the telepathic traits of the alien colonists. I was amazed when I felt his cock stir beneath me and I ground my hips in a seductive, slow circular motion. Maybe not alien, but definitely superhuman, I thought to myself. I rocked slowly forward and back, trailing my hands through his hair as he continued to kiss my breasts, only both hands now squeezed my ass, with a rhythm that encouraged me to continue rocking. I lifted slightly and tilted forward adjusting myself to the angle of his now turgid flesh until he was poised at my entrance. I brought my lips to his ear and whispered, "Perche, Alexei? Poiche li amo," and with my confession, I knew I had doomed my heart. I closed my eyes and impaled myself on his throbbing cock. He again stretched me to my limit as I enveloped him. A low growl emitted from deep within his chest when I slowly lifted and sank again, my inner muscles rhythmically contracting around him. He emitted another animalistic snarl and his hands were around my waist pulling me down. I grasped his hands and raised my arms pushing backwards. He had no choice but to bend his arms and I held his hands immobile behind his neck as I again buried him deep inside me. His hips bucked beneath me. This time it was I who moaned as I repeated my motions, gripping him firmly inside me as I pumped up and down, my thighs beginning to shake. We were both on fire as I rode him harder, faster. The water sloshed over the sides of the tub as he bucked under me, lifting me out of the water with the force of his thrusts. His last violent, upward surge tipped me over the edge and my core spasmed in ecstasy. His hands sought my face and clamping them around my head, pulled me to his lips. His tongue plunged into my mouth in a kiss that threatened to possess my very soul if I surrendered to it. And surrender I did, willingly, as he held me and spilled into me, joining me in blissful oblivion. Later, when the water had cooled, we quit the tub. After drying each other with enormous, soft towels, we climbed naked, exhausted and sated into the large soft bed to fall blissfully asleep in a comfortable tangle of limbs. *~*~* The laser-drill whined in my ear and a white hot pain lanced through my head. I tried to move, but found my head, arms and legs bound, totally restrained. The light was in my eyes and I couldn't see them, but I could hear the rustling and murmuring that belied their presence. I could hear them in my head, thousands of voices blending to make an unbearable din. A keening whimper escaped as I begged, in vain, for the torture to stop. Alex's hand stroked my hair as he held me and gently shook me awake, "Shh, Marley, it's okay, baby. You're safe. Shh, shh, shh, I've got you." I struggled for a second before remembering where I was, and with whom. I searched his eyes and saw profound empathy, a compassion born of shared suffering. At that moment, I could almost let myself believe that he truly loved me. But, in our line of work, falling in love is a disastrous career move that often leads to literal termination. He placed soft kisses on my eyelids, my cheeks, my forehead, and cooed reassuring sounds into my hair. Comforted by his ministrations and feeling luxuriously safe, I snuggled deeper into his arms and considered surrendering to the somnolence that beckoned me back to its warm embrace. His fingers brushed across my temple, smoothing my hair back from my face and his feathery kisses reached my mouth. My lips parted as his tongue slid between them, eagerly searching out mine. The kiss intensified and he rolled me onto my back, his fierce erection pressing against my naked thigh. He lay pressed firmly against me, bare flesh to bare flesh and I felt his heart beating fast against mine. I lifted my legs, encircling his waist. I was spread wide and he took full advantage of the opening. He shifted, moving his engorged member to my center, and entered me with a slow deliberateness that bespoke tantric control. His gentle kisses continued down my throat and along my collar bone, slow and soft back up my shoulder to just below my ear. He began to move slowly, pulling nearly free of my nether embrace and once again plunging leisurely back to the hilt. He raised up onto his hands, lifting his weight off me and gazed deeply into my eyes as he fucked me slow and well. My hands slid appreciatively over his body. I cupped and squeezed his firm, muscular ass, encouraging the slow grinding of his hips. I stroked my hands over as much of his thighs as I could reach and back up over his behind to his lower back. I touched him shamelessly, appreciating the fine details of his physique with the abandon of the blind. Next was his broad upper back, my hands pausing to properly worship every inch of it. I lightly raked my fingernails up over his shoulders, eliciting a shiver and another passionate kiss. Then my fingers danced up the back of his neck, lightly touching the small scar there. I had one just like it, we all did. Then I moved up and plunged my hands into the soft thickness of his hair. *~*~* My fingers danced lightly across his beautifully angular face, tracing his jaw line tenderly. He kissed my fingertips as they stroked across his lips. I afforded myself a long, lingering look into his eyes and then moved on, down his collarbones. I teased his nipples to hard nubs, then glided my hands across the rest of his chest which now glistened with sweat from his exertions. I could see the supreme effort that he was exercising not to slam into me hard and fast and I could feel my own orgasm building within. I reached up and dragged his head down, bringing his lips to mine, and kissed him fiercely. "Oh, Alex," I gasped as I reluctantly released his lips, "I love you. God help me, I do." And I thrust my hips up hard, rising to meet his gentle stroke with insistent force. Instantly comprehending my need, he picked up his pace. I couldn't contain my cries as the pleasure built in a great crescendo up my spine and into the pit of my quivering stomach. His moans became a steady hum as his strokes came harder and faster. His hands gripped my hips so tightly that I would surely bear ten small bruises in the pattern of his fingers as he plunged into me again and again. It was as if his orgasm was small fish wriggling deep inside me and he was working to spear it. I felt his cock twitch and a gentle wave broke over me in a warm wash of pleasure. I buried my face in his neck, my open lips on his throat in a salty kiss as my orgasm peaked. He collapsed beside me, both of us panting and sated. I snuggled against him, lay my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat return to normal. Long moments later, he spoke. "Marley?" he began, his voice rumbling deep in his chest, tickling my ears. "Mmmmm?" I mumbled, placing a lazy kiss on his stomach, next to where my head lay. "Do you skate?" he asked. "Skate?" I responded brilliantly with a small mirthful snort, the question catching me completely by surprise. "Yeah, skate," he responded with that cocky smile of his that I heard rather than saw, "you know...ice, blades, music. Skate." "Yeah, I know what skating is," I said, jabbing him playfully in the ribs. "Why do you ask?" "Do I need a reason?" he countered innocently, but his eyes gave off an impish glint. "No," I admitted, "but you usually have one. In answer to your question, yes, in fact, I can skate." "How about a trip to Rockefeller Center?" he asked with a roguish smile. He had a reason, alright. "I have to assume that your motives run deeper than a desire to put me in a situation where I might be likely to fall into your arms so you can grope me in public," I speculated. "That's a great idea, but I somehow doubt that you need me to catch you," he said simply. "But, if you give me the opportunity, I most certainly will." He finished with the most devilish look and I considered instigating a second round. "Come on," he said, looking surreptitiously at his watch, "we can grab something to eat on the way." He quirked an eyebrow in a well-practiced leer, "I seem to be famished for some reason and I really need to keep up my strength." The comment was followed by a wink as he bussed me soundly and rose, gloriously naked, from the bed. He walked to his duffle which was spilling out across one of two wing-backed arm chairs situated on either side of a table in the corner and began dressing. I grabbed my duffle and retreated to the bathroom. I completed my morning ablutions quickly and pulled on jeans and a casual sweater. I quickly secured my long hair in its customary braid and pulled on a pair of comfortable running shoes. I smoothed on a thin layer of moisturizer with sunscreen but applied no make-up. Looking and feeling fresh, I exited the bathroom to find Alex replacing a Palm Pilot in his bag and checking his watch again. He was dressed in a dark green Henley with a thermal t-shirt underneath, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows revealing the silky dark hair on his forearms. He also wore jeans, but rather than tennis shoes, he wore a pair of well-worn combat boots. As if sensing my presence, he turned when I entered the room. I watched his eye sweep me with an unabashed assessment. Apparently I passed inspection, because he grabbed my leather jacket off the other chair where it had been tossed at some point the night before, and helped me into it. Then grabbing his own jacket, he held the door for me. "After you," he said smoothly with a small bow. As I passed, he patted my behind. "'Wholesome' suits you," he said softly as he followed me out into the hallway and let the door shut behind him. *~*~* My nose was frozen and I wished that I had a scarf for my ears and neck. I had completed my third lazy circuit around the rink and I was starting to worry. Alex had been covertly checking his watch every twenty minutes since we stopped at the bakery for croissants and coffee, and he'd been gone just long enough to make all the alarms go off in my head. I carefully scanned the perimeter as I skated toward the opening in the plexiglas retaining wall that surrounded the ice. I saw Alex disappear at the isolated end of a long row of lockers that radiated out from the ice like spokes on a bicycle tire. I made my way to one of the lacquered wooden benches, sat down and began to unlace my skates. Once free of them, I slid my feet into my shoes and headed in the general direction of where I'd last seen him. It felt as if I were walking several inches above the ground as my feet acclimated to being out of the skates, making each step awkward for a few moments. The area was deeply deserted and I attuned my senses to Alex. Out of long habit, I moved silently and soon heard his voice drift softly to me from somewhere ahead of me to the left. "...we had a deal, now where the fuck is my merchandise?" A male voice answered, "I know that was the plan, but a former employer of yours is offering a sizable bounty on your head - dead or alive. Now, I figure that I can collect the bounty on you dead a lot easier than alive, and I get to keep the money you brought me for this disk." I had reached the end of the bank of lockers and saw a short, blonde man pointing a gun at Alex with his right hand while he waved a small CD in his left. The blonde man's back was to me as I soundlessly closed the distance between us. Alex's eyes made transitory contact with mine conveying his understanding of my intentions and his readiness to back me, without alerting the perfidious little grifter to my presence. My body tensed, preparing for battle, waiting to see what his next move would be. I saw his thumb move to the hammer, making ready to cock it. That was all the display of intent that I needed. I poised my hands and in a single swift motion, grabbed his left ear with my right hand and his right ear with my left hand and twisted hard. A distinct crunching announced the breaking bones. His eyes went wide with surprise. A soft gurgling sound accompanied his last exhale and his body went limp, collapsing even as I held his head in my hands. Alex sprang forward, helping me to support the man's body as it began to slump to the floor. Together we maneuvered him into one of a long row of plastic seats that ran the length of the bank of lockers. I snatched the disk from his hand as Alex rifled his pockets and came away with a gold money clip fat with bills and stuffed it into his own pocket. A uniformed security guard passed the aisle formed by the lockers at the far end from where we stood and we knew that we didn't have much time before the body was discovered. We moved two spokes in the opposite direction as the guard and moved up that aisle toward the ice again. We collected our skates and headed for the counter to return them, lazy arms around each other. Once there, we stood waiting as the clerk counted out money into Alex's hand, returning his deposit minus the cost of the rentals. A commotion rose in the general direction of our last location and we knew that the body had been found. The clerk, his task complete paid no attention to either of us. He was far more interested in the hullabaloo that we had created. Slipping the money into his pocket, Alex thanked him quietly and wrapped his arm around me. He guided me unhurriedly toward the door as the rest of the place moved in the other direction to confirm the rumor of a corpse that was spreading like wildfire. We left the rink unnoticed at a leisurely pace and hailed a cab right outside the door. "And you were going to let me in on this... when?" I asked with a quirk of an eyebrow once we were safely on the road. For a moment, Alex looked for all the world like a small boy who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He regained his composure quickly, then he flashed me the devil's own smile and said cannily, "Marley, Marley, I always intended to cut you in." "Oh, but of course you did dear," I said snidely, thoroughly pissed off. "That's why you invited me, right? You wanted to share what that man had to give you? Well Alex, he nearly gave you the business end of a silenced 9mm. If you plan on 'sharing' shit like that in the future, I must insist that you alert me in advance." I turned to face the window, effectively shutting him out, mentally kicking myself for letting my emotional guard down. He placed a hand on my shoulder, gently turning me to face him. "Marley, I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "You know my solitary nature." He released my shoulder and spread his hands in front of him as if to say, "This is who I am. I can be no other." Instead, he looked out the window and said, "Right here, driver." Alex paid the driver with the bills he'd taken from his potential assassin. We quit the vehicle and walked about three completely deserted blocks where Alex hailed another cab. He handed me inside the car, patting my ass in passing, then climbed in behind me. After giving the driver the name of our hotel, he leaned back in the seat and scrutinized me with shrewd eyes as if accessing my deepest thoughts and feelings with preternatural vision. A part of me wondered if he might actually be able to do it and I clamped down on the panicky feeling that thought had aroused. "Alright, Alex," I steeled my gaze and demanded, "I want the details. Now." For the remaining journey, he proceeded to fill me in on as much as he knew. The disk we'd just procured was a password decryption program intended to gain entry into the personal laptop of one Kendall J. Parker, PhD. Judging from his photo, he seemed a bookish looking man of about 40. Apparently Parker worked in R&D for a low-profile biotechnology company with classified shareholders and some unnervingly advanced science. Someone wanted specific files and was willing to pay quite well, if what Alex told me was true. The other boot dropped when we got back to the hotel. "Marley, I can't get close to him like you can." He dropped his eyes and his meaning became clear. "He will be attending a party at 8 o'clock this evening at the home of Senator Roberts. I have access to the guest list and will see that you're added to it. I need you to get into his hotel room and to copy all the files in the folder labeled 'wake-up_call'. I'll share the profits 50/50." "You want me to whore for you, to bed him for it?" I asked quietly seething, my voice thick with accusation. "I'm not telling you to fuck him," he snapped, still refusing to make eye contact, "but you can get him alone in a way that I can't. What happens when you do is entirely your business." A chill settled over the room. Unspoken in the air hung, "I know you'll have to fuck him, but I don't want you to." "I'll get your information, Alex," I said with unshed tears shining in my eyes. "But, we'll discuss my cut when I have what you want." I turned and strode to the bathroom, closing the door softly behind me. I had a good cry in the shower, letting all the fear and hope and anguish pour out. When I'd finished in the shower, I walked into the room, to find that he'd gone. Fighting back a fresh wave of tears, I went about getting dressed and ready for the party. *~*~* I put on my work clothes. From my duffle I pulled my all-purpose little black dress; versatile enough to wear to funeral or night club and made from the most forgiving material that was always ready to unroll and wear. I slipped it over my head with no other accessories than a pair of simple black 'come fuck-me' pumps. I twisted my hair up into a chignon and fixed my face, taking special time with my still puffy eyes. Next came the accoutrements of the trade. I strapped a nylon fiber knife to my inner thigh where I normally carried my gun. I knew that the senator's party would likely have metal detectors, yet I didn't think it prudent to go unarmed. From my bag, I pulled a small wooden box and retrieved from it a silver Claddagh ring. The ring featured two hands holding a crowned heart between them. The heart concealed a hollow space about the size of two stacked aspirin. As I slipped it on my right hand, with the heart facing out I thought of the story of the rings. An Irishman in the 17th century was kidnapped by Mediterranean pirates and sold to a Moorish goldsmith. Over his years of captivity, he became a master craftsman and when he gained his freedom and returned home, he learned that his true love had waited faithfully for his return. He was so moved by her devotion, that he crafted a ring for her with two hands which symbolized their friendship, a crown representing fidelity and loyalty, and the heart which was their eternal love. Irish tradition holds that wearing the ring as I was, on the right hand with the heart pointing outward, shows that the wearer is unattached. But should the crown and heart face the other way, it means that a love is being considered. However, to place the ring on the left hand with the heart pointing toward one's own heart signifies that the wearer has found true love and is no longer available. Lovely story, but I had bought the ring for its hidden compartment. I emptied two chloral hydrate capsules inside and sealed it. I completed my ensemble with a small black leather clutch bag that matched the shoes. I collected my compact flash card reader and a 128MB disk and stuffed them into the purse along with my other small necessities like cash and credit cards. I noticed that Alex had left one of the cardkeys to the room on a small lighted table close to the door. I tucked it into the handbag as well and had a last look at myself in the glass. Apart from a slight sadness in my eyes that I thought never really went away, I was presentable and I headed to the lobby to catch a cab to the senator's party. After passing through the expected metal detector, I walked in the front door and gave up my wrap to an invisible man who asked for it. A similarly invisible woman passed with a tray filled with glasses of wine. I selected a glass of the red as I scanned the room for Parker. I spotted him among a sizable group of men, nodding quietly while one portly, gregarious man seemed to be holding court over the others. I moved across the room closer to where he laughed politely at the fat man's jokes and observed him, sizing him up. He was tall and not unattractive. He seemed to be in his early 40s with sandy brown hair and very studiously styled glasses. He had a nice smile and I was relieved. At least if I had to fuck him, it wouldn't be too much of a burden. I thought about Alex; about the fire in his eyes and his angry conjecture that if I wound up in a hotel room with Kendall Parker and had to use my body to keep my cover it was strictly my choice. My thoughts were brought abruptly back to Mr. Parker when I saw him looking right at me. Completely startled and somewhat flustered, I took a casual sip of my wine, suddenly in desperate need of some business for my hands. I quickly recovered my equilibrium and scolded myself harshly. Daydreaming about Alex Krycek was going to get me killed one day! I made eye contact and smiled as fetchingly as I knew how with what I hoped was a 'come hither' look as opposed to the 'deer in the headlights' sort. I suppose it worked because I saw him unobtrusively excuse himself and he was now walking toward me with a predatory look in his eye. I had another big swallow of the wine, grateful that it was a expensively dry vintage. I felt its warmth radiate to my limbs and I relaxed just a bit. He was close now, formulating his pick- up line. His hand poised to take mine and I offered it. "I'm Ken Parker," came his opening volley. "Marley," I reciprocated. He took my hand and brushed my knuckles lightly with his lips. I smiled again and he motioned to a semi- secluded table. I complied and we sat together, flirting. I wished we could just cut to the chase, but it would seem rather forward for me to just jump to the "let's go to your place" step so early in the dance. The guy wasn't homely enough to just be thrilled to get laid and not question the windfall. So, we sat across from each other, his hand lightly clasping mine and went through the motions of seduction. He was good. He complimented not only my beauty, but my wit and if I'd been less preoccupied with a certain tall, green-eyed rogue I might well have been impressed. As it was, I played along, seeming to succumb to his charms. His hands became freer as I complied with his intentions and soon he was practically mauling me with a fairly convincing fervor. Twice his hands strayed dangerously close to the knife strapped inside my thigh, but finally, he asked me if I would care to join him for a nightcap at his hotel. I indicated my willingness and in no time at all we were making out in the cab on the way to his hotel. *~*~* "I'd like a drink. How about you?" I asked quickly as we entered his room. It was a large, richly appointed suite with a sitting area apart from the bedroom, which I was in no hurry to explore. The purpose of my question was two-fold. I not only wanted his ardor to cool, but I needed something in which to dissolve the chloral hydrate. "Bourbon. Neat," he requested as I headed for the mini-bar. Reaching into the tiny refrigerator, I selected two tiny bottles of Maker's Mark. Since I found no Southern Comfort, I grabbed a couple of equally petite bottles of Stolichnaya. I found a can of orange juice and settled for a screwdriver. "Oops," I said coquettishly, "I need some ice. Would you mind?" I punctuated my request by handing him the ice bucket. He took it and headed out the door after taking a kiss. Retrieving two glasses from the top of the mini-bar, I uncapped the bottle and quickly dumped the sedative powder in the ring into the amber liquid. I emptied the bottles into the glass and swirled it around a couple of times to promote the powder's quick dissolution, making sure that the liquor didn't seem unusually cloudy. Just then, he reentered with the ice and I took the bucket from him while simultaneously giving him the drugged drink. Plunking a small handful of the round, hollow crystals into my glass, I poured the vodka over them and filled the tumbler the rest of the way with the juice. I finished making my screwdriver and joined him on the sofa, frankly amazed that he was still conscious. The taste of the bourbon was unpleasant when he plunged his tongue into my mouth in a sloppy kiss and kneaded my left breast, but I feigned enthusiasm. I kept breaking contact to take tiny sips of my drink, nursing it, wishing that the mickey would hurry and kick in. Unfortunately, the drinks were gone in short order and I was quickly running out of avoidances. I loosed the button on his slacks and he slouched down, spreading his knees. He fully expected a blowjob and I silently cursed Alex Krycek with my whole heart. I started out slowly, running my hand inside his silk boxers and pulling his semi-erect member from inside. His cock twitched in my hand and grew quickly, fully erect. His right hand had already slid up to the back of my head, pushing, as I stroked him with my hand. Thankfully, his hand slid slowly down my back to flop motionless on the sofa and he began to soften just as I heard a gentle snoring. Finally. The chloral hydrate had taken effect. I moved from beneath his arm and left him, sitting spread eagled and exposed, on the sofa as I went exploring. I began a thorough search of his room. I found a locked laptop case and rifled Parker's pockets for his keys. Once I found them, it wasn't a tough guess which key fit. I retrieved my purse, then inserted the disk I took from Alex's assailant into the proper drive and powered up the system. I finished my drink and fixed myself another one while the machine went through its paces. But once it had booted, the password had been negated and I went straight to the file list, searching for the folder named 'wake- up_call'. The computer quickly found the folder and I inserted the small portable drive I'd brought into the USB port. I highlighted all the files and clicked on the icon that would copy them onto the tiny disk. As the files were being copied, I heard a nearly imperceptible click in the vicinity of the door. I held my breath as the lever style handle slowly twisted downward. *~*~* Before my heart could even start beating again, I moved silently and swiftly to flatten myself against the wall next to the opening door. I unsheathed my knife and waited, poised to take out whoever came through it. The first thing I saw was a tuxedoed arm with a masculine hand at the end of it, gripping the handle. I seized the arm just under the elbow and pulled, putting my weight into it. The man moved forward into the room as I swept his feet out from under him landing him on his hands and knees just inside the door of the room. I threw my leg over the surprised intruder as if mounting a horse and grabbing a handful of hair, bared the throat as I prepared to slit it open. "Marley!" came a familiar, albeit stressed out voice. "Goddamn it, Alex!" I released him quickly and sheathed my knife before the temptation to slit his throat anyway for the scare he'd given me won out. "What the *fuck* are you doing here!?" I was exasperated and completely baffled. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I considered the possibility that he had come to kill me to save money on the deal. He looked distinctly discomfited and I was seized with the strangest feeling that he would have been prepared to explain his presence, without falling over his words, had he come to kill me. "I - uh, I was - I thought you might need back-up," he explained as he climbed to his feet, straightening his black on black Armani tux. Tux? Then it registered, he was formally dressed, as were all the men at the senator's party. "You followed me," I deduced. "Why, Alex? Did you not trust me to come back with the merchandise?" I asked, about to be truly and deeply offended. "That's not why..." he began, but just then, he walked around the couch finding Parker, completely senseless. A dark cloud seemed to pass very quickly across his face, "I came to save your virtue," he sneered, "but it looks like you had things well in hand." He cast a pointed glance at the sleeping man's conspicuously exposed crotch. "And just what the fuck did you expect me to *do* when you asked me to 'get close to him', play Yahtzee?" I said in a low, tightly controlled voice that dripped with murderous rage. "Don't you dare stand there and pretend to be morally superior to me, Aleksandr Vassily Krycek! I know what *you're* capable of and using your body to get what you want isn't even the tip of that iceberg." Unable to hold them back any longer, angry tears finally spilt down my burning cheeks. I turned my back on him, toward the computer which had long since finished copying files. With a few quick clicks and keystrokes, I removed the disk and drive from his computer and stuffed them back into my hand bag. I picked up my drink glass and wiped my lip and fingerprints from it. I continued around the room doing the same to everything I had touched since I arrived. I double checked a list in my head to make sure that I'd gotten them all, then turned to leave. *~*~* He reached out and clamped onto my wrist with a grip like an iron vise. He didn't hurt me, but my dramatic exit had been effectively thwarted. "Where are you going?" he demanded. I whipped around to face him. "What do you care?" I snarled, "What? Are you afraid I'm attempting to abscond with your merchandise?" I dug the disk out of my purse and threw it at him with a tear-filled glare. "There it is. Now, unless *you* want to service Mr. Parker when he comes round, you might want to be someplace that isn't here. The drug will be wearing off soon and *I* have no intention of helping him out in that arena. So, either let me go or do your best to kill me because I won't be here when it becomes an issue." I gave him my eyes, intending to show him only my resolution, but couldn't completely hide the pain that lurked just behind it. Just as the cloud had obscured his face before, the sun seemed to dawn in his eyes, lighting him from within. "No, I think we'll be leaving together," he said, with a cocky smile. His hand still fixed firmly around my wrist, he led the way out of the room, to a bank of elevators and out of the hotel into a waiting limo. Once inside the car, he pinioned me against the back of the seat with a kiss. Angrily, I pushed at him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked incredulously. "I think I'm kissing you," he said around my lips, pulling until I sat astride his lap. He grabbed my hands and held them behind my back as he reasserted his lips to the task at hand. I bit him. "Ow!" he squawked, immobilizing me completely with his free hand, fisting it in my hair, "what was that for?" He leaned in and nipped my lip in retaliation, bathing it with his tongue in the same motion. He pulled back with extreme alacrity, a wicked grin on his face, as my teeth clicked shut on the air inches from his bottom lip, the action punctuated with a furious growl. "First, you ask me to acquire this information for you; then, you look down your nose at me like I'm damaged goods for what you *assumed* I did to get it. Now, you expect me to just spread my legs and fuck you, too, is that the deal? Well, for your information, you conceited, arrogant jackass, I am not your whore, do you understand me?" I couldn't comprehend that smile, but I recognized the look in his eye. He was aroused. "Well, well, well now, aren't we just the little wildcat?" he whispered sensually in my ear. His lusty appreciation of my fighting spirit was evidenced by the throbbing hard-on that nudged me through the silk of his trousers. Even through my anger, I felt my body betray me, react to him. Moisture flooded between my legs and my nipples hardened to nubs as he continued to kiss my throat, pulling my head backward with my hair and moving it this way and that to facilitate better access. I put up a token struggle, just enough to make him have to hold me tightly to keep me under control. I undulated and rocked against his rigid member under the auspices of trying to get away and I heard him stifle a moan. "I never thought you were a whore, Marley. Mine or anyone's," he murmured softly, as his lips brushed the sensitive skin just below my ear. "You're practical, pragmatic, and would have bedded him had it been necessary to achieve my objective. At first, I didn't think I had a problem with that, but the more I thought about him touching you," his eyes grew hard, "inside you, the less I liked it." His tongue traced the shell of my ear and he lifted his hips thrusting his hard cock against me as I straddled his legs. "I love you, and there's nothing you, or I, can do about it. You don't have to believe me, but I know you love me, too. So, mark my words, I *will* have you and you will be sighing like a furnace before this night is done." His lips now brushed over the tops of my breasts while he still held my hands immobile with one hand and controlled my head with the other. His supercilious assumption both infuriated and seduced me. "Anything you get from me, you'll have to take by force," I said, throwing down the gauntlet with a fierce facade and hoping with all my heart he would pick it up. "I can live with that," he said, not disappointing me. The car came to a stop in front of our hotel and Alex shifted his grip. He pulled my thumb backward and applied just enough pressure to show me that resistance would be painful. The driver had made his way to the curbside door and was pulling it open to give us egress. Alex maneuvered me ahead of him through the lobby and toward the elevators, still holding me hostage by my thumb joint, giving the appearance of eager lovers holding hands. He pushed me through the door ahead of him and kicked the door shut behind us. I found myself suddenly face down on the bed, with him on top of me. He had relinquished my thumb, but still held my wrists together behind me with one strong hand. With the other, he pushed my dress up over my head in one smooth motion, pulling it down my restrained arms to bind my hands there. Beneath the dress, I wore a French-cut black satin bra and panties set and thigh-high stockings topped with red lace garters that sported a matching ribbon of black satin. He gave a deeply primal moan of appreciation that brought a private smile to my face. He positioned his legs between mine, parting them, then raised up on his knees and sat back on his heels. His hands snaked around my hips and he lifted me to my knees. With my hands tied behind me, my cheek and chest lay flat against the soft duvet coverlet. With my ass in the air, the only thing between me and total exposure was a thin scrap of black satin. His fingers hooked into the string of my panties and tugged sharply. The fine material gave easily and I was lain bare, spread open before his intense gaze. I moved to close my legs together, but his knees still separated my thighs. His hands moved over my hips, down the insides of my thighs and back up over my ass stroking and kneading the flesh. He slid up my sides to brush the sides of my breasts with his fingertips. His hands glided under me to cup my breasts in his hands, the resulting elevation of my chest, pushing me back into his throbbing erection. His fingers swept over my ribs and one hand deftly unhooked my bra, tossing it aside. He once again took my breasts in his hands rubbing the nipples between his first and middle fingers eliciting an involuntary moan from me. He had removed his jacket before pushing me to the bed and now, no longer needing his hands to restrain me, he removed the rest of his clothing. I couldn't see him, but my mind filled in the details and again felt the ache of desire for him to be inside me. Once divested of his clothes, he moved in close behind me. I could feel the hair on his legs scratching against the backs of my thighs like a very fine wool. He took himself in hand and rubbed the head of his unyielding Priapus. He found me already very wet, and slammed into me, burying himself to the hilt. The depth and force of the thrust drove me right to the edge. He didn't withdraw and plunge, though, driving me to whimper piteously, but rather reached down to loose my hair from its twisted knot at the nape of my neck. His fingers raked my tresses smooth down my back and he let them trail down to the top of my ass. He gathered it together and wrapped it around one fist like a silken rope. His other hand reached around me and sought out the tiny bundle of nerves that was engorged and throbbing for attention. His middle finger probed our connection and slid back to circle my clit. I moaned and wriggled my fingers to make contact with his rippled stomach, desperate to touch him, to reciprocate the fingers that danced over the highly sensitive nubbin. He pulled back and thrust roughly into me again, using my hair as a sort of bridle to control my movements. He slammed home again and again, his finger circling and massaging my clit. I found a rhythm, swiveling my hips to maximize our contact. The heat gathered low in my belly, building until it ignited and exploded in a soul-shaking spasm of pleasure. My inarticulate scream sent him over the edge and he spilled into me, joining me in ecstatic oblivion. We collapsed, spooned together, with him still buried deep inside me as our hearts slowly ceased their galloping paces and our labored breathing returned to normal. He kissed my shoulder and disjoined from me, turning me over onto my back as he raised up on one elbow to look down into my serene face and fluttered butterfly kisses across my eyelids, nose and slack mouth. He lay his head upon the pillow, his lips close to my ear, "I would die for you, Marley," he whispered softly, "you're my soul mate, my nobler half. I wish I could give you a life with white picket fences and happy endings." But we both knew all too well, that our happiness was ultimately irrelevant in the face of the coming holocaust. So both of us tended to lurch headlong toward fatalistic hedonism refusing to acknowledge fear, doubt or the deep emotional need to unlearn certain secrets. Letting emotions cloud judgment could get us killed, or worse. I knew I was being foolish, but I couldn't turn off my feelings. I took the Claddagh from my right hand and moved it to the left, crown outward. My tender heart was truly spoken for, and I could do naught to change it. With his arms encircling me, I finally found a light and restless sleep interspersed with dark and ominous dreams. *~*~* A persistent nudge at my bladder woke me and forced me to reluctantly untangle myself from Alex's embrace. He was the only man I'd ever known who held me like a living teddy bear while we slept. I pulled my leg gently from between his and he moaned as I gingerly lifted his arm to wriggle out from beneath it without waking him. He growled softly as he patted the bed and finding it empty, curled into a fetal ball with the bulk of the blanket without ever fully reaching consciousness. I headed into the bathroom. The toilet was located in a discrete alcove in the furthest corner of the cavernous room and I made my way to it, not bothering to close the door completely, merely bumping it with my elbow in passing. I didn't turn on the switch as there was just enough illumination to find my way without taking out a toe. I sat down to relieve my bladder, goose bumps raising as the cool air slithered over my naked body, and wished that I'd thought to grab my kimono on the way in. Finishing quickly, I turned and was reaching for the small handle when I heard the door to our room crash open followed by masculine voices demanding "Don't move!" "What the fuck?!" Alex's confused voice and the sound of a scuffle came to me through the partially closed bathroom door. I held my breath to see if they would let him live long enough to answer his question. I moved silently to the door to see what I could. The drapes were open in the room and in the pale moonlight, I saw two men holding Alex by his arms as a third man struck him in the face with the butt of his pistol. They looked like spooks, but *whose* was anyone's guess. Enough of the moonlight reflected off the mirrors in the bathroom to cast sufficient light for me to see my duffle resting on the counter by the sink. I could hear the man asking Alex questions about what he'd received from the man whose neck I'd broken. I could hear Alex cursing him in Russian between blows with the gun butt, but not answering his questions. I crept silently, quickly toward my bag. I fished out my Beretta and moved, still naked, back to the door where I could see what was happening. Alex's mouth was bleeding and his right eye was already swollen nearly shut. I knew that I had only one shot at this, so I'd better make it good. The only gun I saw was the one that the first man had used to beat Alex. The other two didn't seem to be armed, but that most likely meant that their weapons were concealed and I would only have as long as it took the men to retrieve them. With a deep, steeling breath, I let my arms hang loosely at my sides, hiding the gun behind my right thigh, and stepped naked into the room. For a moment, it was as if time stood still. I let my eyes adjust to the marginally brighter room, picking out all three of my targets. Four pairs of male eyes suddenly fixed on me as I raised my gun and sited between the first man's eyes. "Sir, it's her," were his last words. I raised my weapon and fired with unerring accuracy eliminating a sizable chunk of his head as the one who was holding Alex retrieved his weapon. I fired again and he took the next bullet in his chest, while the third man grabbed Alex and dragged him naked from the bed. He disappeared down the hallway, using Alex's stumbling form for cover. I heard a faint voice saying that the hotel was surrounded and they had "the man in custody and the woman pinned down". I found a radio in the pocket of one of the dead men and grabbed it listening carefully to their dialogue. I threw on jeans and a t- shirt, hastily stuffing what belongings I could quickly find into my duffle. I found shoes and shoved my feet into them. I shrugged into Alex's leather jacket and beat a hasty retreat with the radio in hand, managing to evade them with their helpful information until I was on the ground floor. There must have been a dozen "unmarked" units at strategic points around the hotel, but, only a great fool wouldn't recognize them for what they were. I saw Alex, cuffed and bleeding in the back seat of one unit. There was a petite red-haired woman treating his injuries none to gently and a tall, angular-looking man with her who scanned the perimeter of the hotel as though he could sense me and was trying only to pinpoint my location. I knew that I couldn't do anything to help my Alexei right now. "I love you, Alexei," I thought fiercely, "I'll come for you as soon as I can." And I disappeared down the alley. THE END Feedback gratefully accepted at msmortis@excite.com