Games
by Curlly
Prelude:
Just as she was finishing the last sim, Curlly felt the man walk towards her stopping just behind her chair. Now she was really focusing on her work waiting for the man to speak. The man’s arm came across her right shoulder placing her PDA on the left side of the keyboard. He said, "Nice work, I’ll look forward to having you on my team."
Her heart stopped and her fingers froze on the keyboard.
Part One
Curlly could feel the blood draining out of her face. The image on the screen before her contorted as she heard her own voice say, "Thank you." Then she gripped the keyboard with both hands, swiveled in her car and hit him in the stomach as hard as she could with it. As he doubled over, Curlly possessed herself of a handful of his hair and slammed his head onto the desktop. Watching through a haze of red as he slowly slid to the floor, his head bouncing slightly as it hit the tile. Giving him one last kick with her leather, spiked heel, Curlly went over to the comm unit on the wall and called for medical.
Curlly snapped out of her satisfying, wishful thinking realizing he was waiting for her to respond. She stood slowly from the chair, pulling on her knee length skirt to smooth out any wrinkles. Pulling the DVD out, she turned and dropped it in his hand. Her eyes freezing a block of air just past his left ear, "Am I on closed quarters standby?" As she didn’t look at him, she drank him in. The width of his shoulders, the slight laughing lines at the corner of his eyes. And although his hair was browner, at least he still had the goatee, and observed the shadow of his eyelashes against his cheek.
"No," said Sinjn.
"Then I’ll be at CLHQ." When she brushed by him, his hand caught her upper arm.
"Curlly…"
Pulling her arm free she looked him in the eye for the first time sense Hawaii. "Is your name really Sinjn?" He nodded.
"Well then Sinjn, the next time you touch me, be prepared to visit medical." Then flipping her hair, posing her nose in the air, and turning on her heel as only a righteously indignant woman can, Curlly walked out of systems, the sound her stilettos marking her passage.
Schooling her features, Curlly made her way to Birkoff’s station in comm. Spinning his chair around she demanded, "How long have you known!"
"Sense you left for Australia. But I didn’t know he was here until two days ago."
"You could have let me know somehow," said Curlly in a low voice.
"They told me not to. And you know they would have found out if I had."
"Fine. Were is Nikita?"
"She’s still out on a mission."
That made sense. They’d want to see her deal without Nikita’s advice. Well, they couldn’t keep everyone at CLHQ away from her. "How long estimated before my team gets called in for a briefing?"
"Two days, three tops maybe. Curlly, I should be off by seven. We could-"
Knowing she was being unfair, but unable to help herself, "Don’t bother your self. Seymour." She said his name like it was a bad word.
Curlly went to find Northstar, but she wasn’t in her office. Not really in the mood to hunt her down, Curlly went to her room. As she approached the door, she could hear her cat start to meow. It always amazed Curlly that out of all the footsteps walking down that hallway, her cat could recognize hers. "Yes kitty cat, it’s me," said Curlly as she unlocked her door. Picking her cat up she cuddled it and as she carry it towards the love seat by the window. "You never lie to me do you precious?" said Curlly picking up her cashmere throw.
Letting her cat down gently on the back of the coach, Curlly laid down, drawing her knees up and covered herself with the throw. Her cat promptly arranged herself comfortably on her human’s legs. Curlly just looked out the window running all the implications over and over in her head.
That’s how Rita found her two hours later. The only difference was Curlly’s stereo was playing the same song over and over again and she had all the candles in her room lit. "Michael told me. Wanna talk about it?"
Curlly shrugged and said, "I know Section has to make sure we’re all good little boys and girls, but why-"
Rita saw the tears start to form, and quickly sat down on the edge of the coach and wrapped her arms around the younger op. Gently rocking her back and forth. For moments the only sound in the room
was the song coming from the stereo:
Smiling weakly, "Thank you Rita. I needed a huge. The thing that really bothers me is was it all just another mission or did he have as hard a time as I did?"
"I don’t know, but maybe when Nikita gets back you could ask her to get a hold of his file for you. Or maybe Walter?" Just then Rita’s phone rang. After she hung up she said, "I’ve gotta go. But I’ll be
back later this afternoon. How ‘bout a bunch of us go shopping, and eat at a really nice place!"
"Okay." After her friend left, Curlly went over to her armoire and pulled her jewelry box out of one of the drawers. From the box she removed a small black velvet bag. Carefully she removed a gray pearl and note from its depths. As she rolled the pearl between her fingers, she read the note. She then watched the light dance on the pearl; her other hand clenched crushing the note.
…why I always want to be your man.
Part Two
Curlly walked into Section an hour before she had to be there. On her way to munitions, she past Madeline. "Good morning Madeline."
"Hello Curlly. How are you feeling?"
Fingering her new coat, "Shopping always dose the body good." Smiling her Madonna like smile, Madeline continued on her way. Well, if Section wanted to play games, they could pay her credit card bills to.
Curlly walked right past Birkoff without looking at him. Walter noticed and watched her walk up to him. "Hey Curlly, you didn’t have to get all up and snazzy for me! But I do appreciate the effort!"
"Thank Walter. Have you seen Sinjn this morning?"
"Your briefing is in an hour, what ya want him for?" Shrugging when she didn’t say anything, "I believe he is on level three."
"Thanx."
"Sure thing sugar. Ya know, your hurting him," said Walter indicating Birkoff a flick of his eyes.
"Do you ever act badly, but you can’t seem to help yourself?"
"Every night if I’m lucky!" Laughing, Curlly made her way to the elevator.
Sinjn heard the door click behind him as he exited a room to the hall. As he turned to go to the elevator it opened. What happened next was like the entire world went into slow motion. At his first sight of her in two day he could almost swear he could smell her perfume. Her spiraling hair reached her waist, bouncing with every step. It looked golden against her floor length, shaved black faux fur coat. Even as he appreciated the tailoring of her clothes, he straightened his posture and facial features. Her eyes were a steely grayish blue, she was still angry.
Curlly stopped with an inch to spare between their two bodies. Reaching into her pocket she pulled something out and handed it to him. Sinjn didn’t look down to see what it was, but closed his hand around it. It was a small box. Curlly looked hard into his eyes and continued down the hall. She knew he was looking at her so she put a just little more swing to her hips, after all, that was the point of high-heeled shoes.
Sinjn watched her until she rounded the corner. When he first meet Curlly he felt so free to be himself. He suspected Curlly would be angry, but Sinjn also carried the small hope that she’d be happy to see him. Now that they were both in Section, it was like he couldn’t tell were he stood. That always made him standoffish. Sighing, he pulled off the small box’s lid, wondering if they could ever be friends. Inside the box was the pearl he’d given her for Christmas.
Sinjn and his team sat around the briefing table. Michael was giving the briefing. A man named Jonathan Warren came into possession of launch codes for several countries. Jonathan apparently is very enamored of games. He is selling the codes to whichever organization can bring him all the items in his "scavenger
hunt". Some of the organizations were terrorists, while others countries trying to gain status in the world arena. Whoever brought Warren all or the most of the items would receive the codes within a certain time frame. Some of the items, were placed somewhere by Warren, others would need to be acquired.
"My team’s target will be to retrieve the computer disk with the launch codes on it. Teams 2 & 3 will be in charge of collecting the items. Your various team leaders will give you your objectives. We should have possession of the list at least twelve hours ahead of all the other organizations. So that is your window. Team leaders will contact you with your first locations," said Michael. At his dismissal nod the operatives evacuated.
Curlly waited at her apartments in CLHQ for her assignment. Finally her phone rang about 12 hours and 45 minutes after the briefing. She was to be in front of the museum in ten minutes.
Part Three
Sinjn waited on the steps waiting for Curlly to arrive. A little less than nine minutes later Curlly’s car pulled up. She ran lightly up the steps hesitating briefly when she saw it was he for a partner. "What is our first target?" asked Curlly.
"There is on display a map of the world when it was still believed to be flat. You will cause a diversion while I acquire it."
"And just how are you going to do that?"
"Birkoff will disengage the security in three minutes. So after you," said Sinjn holding the door for her. Sinjn lead Curlly to the room containing the map. Sinjn left her and went to stand by the map. It was placed between two pieces of glass and was quite small. It should fit in the briefcase Sinjn carried. Curlly pondered out into the hallway from the room and at Sinjn’s nod began her "distraction".
"SHIRLEY! Honey were did you go!" yelled Curlly at the top of her lungs whirling around in a panic. Going up to a nearby gentleman, "Have you seen a little girl?"
"I’m sorry miss, but I haven’t. What dose your little girl look like?" asked the kindly man. By this time, all the people in the immediate area surrounded Curlly. Well, it worked well, Curlly could tell Sinjn had taken the map because he came to join the crowd.
"Excuse me, was your little girl wearing a red jacket?" asked Sinjn working his why next to Curlly.
"Why yes, have you seen her?!?"
"Quick, this way. I think I saw were she went." Sinjn took Curlly by the hand and ran around the corner making good their exit.
Next they went to a private home near Graceland. Curlly asked what they were doing here and Sinjn just smiled slightly handing her their list. "You’ve got to be josh’n me!" exclaimed Curlly. Sinjn just shrugged is shoulders taking in her sparkling gray green eyes.
"Maybe Warren is a Elvis fan. I’ll keep him busy and you," he said handing her a comm unit, "will you retrieve one original Elvis shoehorn." Curlly struggled not to laugh at the idea that anyone (and there were currently two individuals) would want something that had once touched someone else foot. Ick! Sinjn knocked on the door and a middle aged fat man opened the door.
"What can I do for you," said the man leering at Curlly.
"Ahhh, it’s what we can do for you! We have here some very rare personal items of The King. We hear that you were a collector," said Sinjn. The man scratched his belly and invited them in. Curlly was amazed that such a disgusting, filthy man could have such an immaculate home. Except or the whole Elvis motif everywhere.
Curlly asked, "Do you mind if I powder my nose please?" The man total engrossed at the things Sinjn was showing him waved his assent. Guided by Birkoff, Curlly found the room the shoehorn. It was signed by Elvis and had music notes on. Grimacing she picked it up and put it inside her suit jacket. When she rejoined the two men they were just wrapping things up. Curlly couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Two down, only one more thing left and it had to be one of the most morbid, strange, and twisted of them all.
A taxi pulled up to the Cheesecake Factory in Chicago. The weather had just started dumping rain onto the metropolis. Sinjn stepped out of the taxi unfurling an umbrella, holding it as such to protect Curlly from the rain as she too stepped out of the taxi.
As they walked into the restaurant Curlly thought how hard it was to stay irked with Sinjn. By now she thought she understood Sinjn’s point of view, but she was still mad. She was angered because of the lost sleep over the possible killing an innocent, and because he’d fooled her so completely. It was like he wanted a good business relationship with her, but garsh darn it she wanted an open overture, an apology.
They were seated at a table looking over their menus. This was one of Curlly’s favorite places and it was such a waste not to be able to stay long enough to enjoy it. "So what’s the plan?"
"We will improvise. All the profilers were busy and I felt the two of us could successful lift a mere tin of band aides."
"It’s just so disgusting! What kind of twisted person wants a full tin of the first original batch of Band Aide brand band aides?"
"The kind that is selling launches codes?"
They ordered lunch and bickered over various plans. Curlly couldn’t take it anymore, "If this is another stupid test, well I’m ending it."
As Curlly stood, Sinjn said softly, "What do you think you are doing!"
Telling him to get a car to the back entrance Curlly strode towards the kitchen buttoning he suit jacket as she went. She took in the curious kitchen staff and asked, "Were is the head chef? Department of Health."
An older man with a slight belly and a jolly twinkle in his eye came up and said, "Chef Motlemont. How may I be of assistance?"
"I would like to speak with you in private for the first part of the inspection. Do you have an office sir?"
Nodding the chef lead her to an office. Curlly looked around at the awards and collection of band aides. All shapes, sizes, and brands were displayed in a dizzying array. Curlly choking and coughing was not totally false. With a look of concern the chef asked, "Are you okay miss?"
"I will be alright. Could I please just have a glass of juice."
"Of course my dear. You just sit and rest I’ll be right back. What kind would you like?"
"Would it be too much trouble to get a good size glass of freshly squeezed orange juice?"
"I’ll do it myself!" said the chef as he left the office. Curlly closed the blinds behind him and pulled out her gun to break the glass enclosing the band aides. She laid a 100.00 bill among the broken glass and slipped out of the office. She made her way to the back door with everyone in the kitchen purposely not looking at her to show the health inspector how hard they were working.
She went out the door with no Sinjn in sight. Sighing Curlly started down the alleyway. Just as she reached the corner so did the mission van. Curlly pulled the door open and jumped in.
Part Four
When they finally got back to Section to deliver their items they found out that Michael and his team had been successful and retrieved the computer disk. Operations was definitely grumpy at the waste of sending out all the teams, so Curlly went over to visit Walter. "Hey handsome! What’s happening around here?"
"Oh nothing much. I picked up what you asked for," said Walter handing her a small leather bound package.
"Thanx Walter!" said Curlly giving him a quick kiss on the cheek then heading to comm.
"Is that all I get? I did you a favor!"
"Better be careful Walter. Favor between operative and all that!" joked Curlly
"Sheesh! Not even funny!"
Laughing Curlly made her way to Birkoff’s station. Sitting on the other side of his desk she handed him the package and said, "Here. I’m sorry for how I’ve been acting lately."
"What’s this for?" asked Birkoff not yet opening it.
"Well you can’t be biting your nails for ever!" And then she walked away smiling at strange look he gave the unopened package.
Shaking is head, Birkoff opened it up and thought some people were so funny. He found a pair of fingernail clippers and a manicure set.
Curlly was just about to exit Section when she heard her name being called. "Yes?" she said turning to face Sinjn.
"I took this with me when we left the last target. I thought you might like some."
Curlly looked inside the box he was holding and said, "I don’t like cheesecake." Then she held her breath waiting for lightning to strike her for telling such a down right lie. When it didn’t she turned on her heel then left.
***
Sinjn walked into CLHQ and halted as all the girls in the lobby area stopped and looked at him. "Were might I find Curlly at this time."
"Who are you?" asked Nabiki.
Giving her a haughty look, "I’m sorry were did you say she was?"
Gracie stood up next to Nabiki and said, "Lookie here buddy, this isn’t Section. Who are you and why do you wanna see Curlly?"
Northstar walked in just in time to her Grace’s question. "Sinjn Tyler I presume?"
"Yes."
North looked at him considering and said, "She in the pool. Just go all the way down that hall to the last door. It will go into the natatorium."
Sinjn walked down the hall and entered the natatorium through the door. Instantly the smell of chlorine and the rhythmic sound of splashing assaulted his senses. It was huge. The pool must be a 50meter by 25meter. A solitary figure was swimming laps at the far end of the pool. It must be Curlly. She was swimming the length of the pool away from him at the moment. She turned and headed back. To him.
As she came closer he could barely see the play of the muscles on her back and arms. Contracting with each pull of the water. She seemed to slid right over the water. No wonder she swam that six miles after jumping off the cliffs. She switched strokes each time she came back to his end of the pool.
She was in the middle of her work out. Sinjn was sick of talking and he knew that he’d have to pull a fairly large stunt to get her attention and make her talk to him. With a small smile on his face he went over to the window, shutting all the blinds. He hoped there weren’t to many cameras surveying the pool area. They walked to the furthest corner from were Curlly was swimming and started to disrobe. One by one all of his clothes fell to the floor and he slid carefully into the pool.
Curlly as just so confused and swimming laps was a balm to her soul. She need to vent some frustrations, but didn’t want to spare because she didn’t feel in control. Swimming was structured and she could beat the crape out of herself doing it. After an hour and a half her muscles were screaming. She figured should push it for another half-hour and then start her cool down. She watched the lane "T" as it came to the wall and reached her hand out, pulled herself into a ball, pushed off from the wall on her back and watched the ceiling from below the surface. Just before she broke the water surface she turned herself over to start her stroke and saw a ghostly figure below her.
She squinted threw the deep water trying to figure out who it was. Gasping and choking, she surged through the surface. The figure at under her was naked and male. She could see the pale figure rising to the surfaced and Curlly started swimming towards the edge of the pool.
Just as she put her hands on the edge of the pool and prepared to pull herself out she heard a voice, "If you get out of the pool, so will I." She knew that voice and by the splashing he made as he swam towards her.
"What do you want Sinjn?"
"Look at me."
"Only if you stop coming towards me."
"Fine." Curlly turned around keeping her eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"Why don’t we go down to the shallow end? I’m getting awfully tired of treading water. I’d hate to have to swim over to the side and get out." So together they slowly made their way to where they could both touch.
"Okay. You wanted to talk, so talk," said Curlly.
"I want to know if you meant it when you kissed me under the mistletoe." Curlly just kind of sputtered and Sinjn took a step closer to her. "I want to know how much of what I saw of you was just the mission. My orders were to let you get close to the PEO and if you didn’t go through with the hit to take you out of play."
"Did Section send you to find out something?" asked Curlly who was so busy not looking at Sinjn that she didn’t noticed how he kept inching his way towards her.
"Curlly, Section owns me just as much as it owns you."
"This is stupid. I’m leaving." Curlly turned and started swimming towards some stairs until a hand curled around her ankle pulling her back. She spun onto her back and started pushing herself back with her hands and kicking up water with her free foot. Sinjn started to have trouble holding onto this struggling woman. The water kicking up in his eyes made it hard to see and anticipate were her next attack would come from. Finally he slid a hand up her leg and placed it flat down on her stomach and pushed her about two feet under.
Now Curlly had been expecting this move and hooked her leg around his knee toppling him under. Now Sinjn had been expecting that and used his momentum to move towards her to grab onto both of her hands. He then pushed off the bottom putting him to where only he could touch.
Once Curlly regained her breath she found her feet about a foot off the pool bottom and chest to chest with a very unclad Sinjn.
Part Five
Sinjn realized he’d totally shocked Curlly for a very few moments and transferred both of her hands to one of his. He then tenderly ran his thumb from her lower lip along her cheekbone to her temple. Sinjn slid a finger under her cloth swim cap and pulled it back off her head. Her hair spilled down into the water, fanning around them both. He leaned down so that his lips were right by her ear. "I meant the kiss I gave you under the mistletoe." Then he place butterfly light kisses back down the trail that his thumb had just gone up.
Curlly knew shouldn’t let him do this to her, she was still mad wasn’t she? But her entire being remembered Sinjn’s kiss and wanted a repeat of the experience. So just as Sinjn was one kiss from her lips Curlly turned her head so that their lips sang against the others. Curlly closed her eyes as a million wonderful sensation assaulted her, meeting in her stomach.
Sinjn watched her eyes closed and removed his had from her wrists placing it at the base of her scull and deepened the kiss. Curlly’s arms moved around his shoulders just as her legs wrapped around his waist. After a few more kisses Sinjn asked, "Does this mean we are going to be friends?"
Between soft kisses, "Yah, I think we could manage that." Then Curlly realized just how scandalous this all was and pushed away from Sinjn and climbed out the pool.
"Curlly, I think I want to stay in the water with you for a little longer."
"Sorry," said Curlly with her back still facing him. "What if someone comes in?"
"Why Madame operative! Are you blushing?"
"Yes and so should you! Here are some towels. I’ll wait for you out in the hall." Curlly heard him chuckle as he got out of the pool. Curlly opened the door and shut in on the chuckling. Once the door clicked shut she allowed her wobbling legs to sink her to the floor. Curlly fanned her flush face while a puddle of water formed on the floor.
The End
This story ©copyright Curlly, 2000