Salsa!

By Brenna

Part 1

Brenna watched Xavier as he sauntered across the room in his black Wrangler jeans. He was a sight to behold. She sighed softly to herself; grateful that the stakeout assignment they were on would end soon. It looked like the target had chosen not to frequent this particular country-western bar that night.

She missed him though. In her heart of hearts, Brenna wondered to herself if anything were perhaps too much to ask in Section. Betrayal was a part of the game. Even in CLHQ. And perhaps she was being unreasonable herself. She had lost Misti. Twice. Losing Xavier as well seemed an awfully high toll. Sure in a lot of ways her life was easier with him at a distance. But was it better?

Xavier just held her closer as Brenna began to falter slightly. Tears running down her cheeks Brenna leaned against Xavier and followed his lead as if by instinct. All those hours of dancing lessons in Section finally paying off.

As the words trailed of the song trailed off into the beautiful instrumental section that ends the song, Xavier whispered into Brenna’s ear. "I wouldn’t have missed this dance for anything in the world."

Tears still streaming down her cheeks, but a little more composed now, Brenna said in a soft, steady voice, "Let’s go home."

Pulling away from her slightly so he could see her face, Xavier gently wiped the tears from Brenna’s face with the pads of his thumbs and asked hopefully, "Together?"

Smiling slightly, Brenna nodded.

Grinning Xavier reached down and placed one arm behind her knees with the other still wrapped around her back and swung Brenna up into a cradled position in his arms.

"I can walk you know."

"I know, but I don’t want to let you go just yet."

Laughing, Brenna asked, "You planning to carry me into Section too?"

Xavier wrinkled his brow, "That idea does have a certain sadistic appeal, but I think we should avoid drawing that kind of attention to ourselves."

"You are right as always."

"Not always. I’m sorry."

Brenna shushed him by putting a finger to his lips. "No apologies. From this moment on, that is our pact. No expectations, no apologies. Section is a hard place to live and an even harder place to try to maintain a relationship. I know that your love for me is unequalled in this world by anything except my love for you. Section requires that we take what we can get. And I think I got pretty lucky, all in all."

Part 2

Brenna and Xavier were awakened to the sound of their cell phones ringing. Each reached for a phone and then quickly handed the phone to the other person. Ever since that incident where they got interrogated my the twisted moms about the fact that they answered each other phones, they were careful to check whose phone is whose before they answered them.

"Yes."

"Yes."

"I’ll be right there," Xavier answered.

"Do I have 20 minutes to shower? See you then," Brenna said.

"Who called you?" they asked each other simultaneously.

Laughing, Brenna answered, "Sherry."

"Michael."

"Sounds big…" Brenna mused aloud.

"Maybe, but I haven’t heard of anything big coming up. Maybe just something that requires a lot of manpower," Xavier replied.

"Your stuff is still in the bathroom and there are clean clothes in your room. Sounds like you are required for pre-briefing, so you can have the shower first."

"We could shower together," Xavier said suggestively. "It would fit into Section’s conservation of resources mission statement."

Laughing, Brenna threw the towel she had just gotten out of the closet at Xavier and replied, "But it wouldn’t help our time crunch problem. Now get in there. Michael is expecting you any minute," she finished stealing a quick kiss as she scooted quickly away from his wandering hands.

When Brenna came out of her room, she noticed Avi and Curlly coming out of theirs as well. Curlly was complaining about not having enough time to do her hair and Avi was egging her on. Curious, Brenna inquired, "You guys heading to the briefing in systems?"

"Yeah," Avi replied. "You too?"

"And Xavier too, though he had to be there early," Brenna replied.

"Wonder what’s up?" Curlly commented.

"Very strange," Avi chimed in.

As the three of them reached the bottom of the stairs they met DragonLady coming up the stairs from the basement and spied DeLeah and Genie leaving the building. "Let me guess," Brenna told DragonLady, "Going to a briefing in systems?"

"How did you know?"

"That’s where we’re all going," Avi answered.

"Damien get called in too?" Brenna queried.

"Yeah, he just left," DragonLady told her friends.

"Curiouser and curiouser," Curlly said. "Bets on where the two of them are going?" Curlly continued, gesturing to Genie and DeLeah walking a ways in front of them.

The foursome arrived in systems just in time for Madeleine to begin the briefing. Looking around, they were amazed at the number of personnel present. In addition to the four of them, Jack, Xavier, Damien, Sinjn, Michael, Sherry, Nabiki, Roy, Genie, DeLeah, Kathy and Davenport were all listening attentively to Madeleine. She pressed a button and an image popped up on the holo screen in the center of the table. "Many of you will recognize Alexander DeHann. He is on the Section green list. Some of his recent activities indicate that he needs a reminder how formidable an ally or enemy Section can make. Due to an unusual combination of reduced terrorist activity and an increased number of recruits surviving training, we have the ability to send all of you on this mission."

"The objective is simple. You will get close to DeHann’s daughter Danielle," Madeleine continued, pressing another button the remote to bring up a picture of an attractive, auburn haired young woman, probably in her twenties. "When he sees that we have the ability to get close to his most valued possession without his security detecting a thing our message will have been clearly sent. The trick of course is for DeHann not to notice our interaction with Danielle until we want him too. He guards her very carefully. One advantage we have is that the security forces he employs to watch Danielle are not involved in any of his other activities, so they will not recognize any of you."

"Simms indicate that the most successful place to catch up with Danielle is at dance class. She has a passion for dancing that her father does not understand or share, however he does make it to all of her recitals. While Danielle has been involved in classical dance for many years, she decided to be adventurous this semester and has signed up for a Salsa dance class at the community center. We have arranged for the rest of the slots in the class to be filled with Section personnel. DragonLady and Damien will be teaching it. Sherry will be running tactical from here. The rest of you with the exception of DeLeah and Genie will be the other participants in the class. DeLeah and Genie will be running on-site tactical support. It is their job to do whatever it takes to be sure no one detects that this class is in any way out of the ordinary."

"The class begins tonight. Since it would be unrealistic for all of the participants to have known each other before the class, your panels contain biographical information appropriate for the mission. Wardrobe also has the required clothing for this class. One other thing, since some of you are very used to working as couples, and it is vital that you not look too comfortable, no one is allowed to partner in class with their "usual" partner. Michael is team lead. He will have any other information you require," Madeleine finished and returned to her office.

Brenna and Curlly turned to each other. "Yeah! Salsa," Brenna said.

"This is going to be so much fun," Curlly answered.

Avi caught Sinjn’s eye. "I hate dancing," she muttered.

"Me too," he responded, growling slightly.

Grinning, Brenna pointed out the reticent operatives to Curlly who whispered, "We should make then dance with each other."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Brenna whispered back, and then called out loudly, "Hey Michael, who are you dancing with?"

"The profile calls for Michael to be Danielle’s partner," Sherry answered, perhaps a little too quickly.

"That’s no fun," Curlly said. "Guess I’ll just have to dance with Roy."

Nabiki chuckled and said, "Fine, I’m sure Davenport will make a great partner."

Kathy said, laughing, "Just as long as there are no engagement rings involved," and asked Xavier to be her partner.

Brenna sidled up to Jack and said, "What do you think big boy? Care to conquer the wide world of salsa dancing with me?"

Grinning, Jack answered, "Yes ma’am." Leaving, conveniently enough, Avillion and Sinjn to partner up.

Meanwhile Genie and DeLeah were discussing their role in the upcoming mission.

"Great," DeLeah sighed. "We’ll end up doing all their scut work."

"Better then being stuck here running errands for the mommies," Genie reminded her friend.

"Good point. And Michael will be there," DeLeah remembered.

"But he’ll be busy," Genie cautioned.

"Probably not too busy," DeLeah mused.

Sherry decided she did not like the way this conversation was going at all. "If I had my way DeLeah, you would not be going on this mission at all," she said. "Cause any mischief and it is right back to Petrosian for you. I am sure he has a space in re-training for you as well Genie, so you two better be on your best behavior."

Shuddering at the mention of her recent incarceration, DeLeah just nodded.

Taking DeLeah’s hand, Genie said, "Well we need to go get ready. See you later, Sherry," and hustled her friend off to wardrobe.