It had been a long night and I wasn't exactly happy to meet the dawn. I always preferred our nightly games to the harassment I got in the daylight hours. Not that I didn't love every minute hunting Shelia but I was more comfortable sitting around in comfy clothes playing cards that had more meaning than most of the conversations that I have in a day. Taking a deep breath, I looked over at Aiden and smiled grimly at him. He didn't blink. Instead, he got up and shut my office door with a simple flick of his wrist and Fido yawned at the disturbance in his sleep. It had been awhile since I was able to have a moment of peace to myself with the new recruits and their problems.

"I wish I could have a chocolate smoothie right about now," I said and leaned back into my huge chair. A simple knock on the door interrupted my hopeful dream and Aiden opened it up to show Kyle standing there...with a chocolate smoothie.

"Are people reading my thoughts today?" I questioned Aiden before grinning at Kyle and taking the sweet dessert off his hands.

"They want you to be happy," Kyle muttered and retreated somewhere. A sickening feeling entered my stomach and I stared at the drink with a sudden loss of appetite.

"I guess they heard me screaming last night," I admitted to myself after a second and I pushed the drink away.

"They know what you've gone through and they don't blame you for it," the Irish man replied and looked out the window. He had seated himself in front of one of the huge windows and was watching the people bustling around downstairs.

"I feel so weak," I sighed and Fido licked my arm, which with more irony then it should have, was a real tongue, wet and warm with saliva. Putting my hand on his head, I looked at the ceiling and watched the patterns dance as Aiden amused me. He had become so much to me that I had no idea what I would do without him but I had to agree with his line of thinking. Even considering making him my dove would put the entire system down into the gutter. He would've undermined my position but he had said that he might...shaking my head, I sat back up and Fido smiled his doggy smile and jumped off my lap to bound over to him. Absentmindedly, he picked up the puppy and petted him. When we had first gotten back, I had changed the huge rock dog into a small puppy to follow me around, much like what Aiden did. Examining my desk, my eyes lit on the smoothie again and I rolled my eyes. At least people cared enough to bring me one of the happiness shakes. Smiling to myself, I picked up the spoon and dipped it in.

"Mina! There's someone here to see you!" A voice shouted through the room and I dropped the spoon on my pants.

"Crap!" I exclaimed and ran out of the room to get new pants. Aiden was waiting outside my door, when I came out and I glanced at him and I hurried out of the room.

"It's someone from the government," he announced and I stopped and started at him. He only looked back at me just as serious and I started running down the hallway to the stairs.

"Wouldn't the elevator be faster?" He questioned following me and I looked back at him and grinned.

"Not when you can fall through floors," I replied and did exactly that. I landed on a soft couch that I suspected was Aiden doing and I saw him seemingly gliding down the stairs at a pace that very few people could match.

"It would've been nice to warn me," He shouted down at me and I waited for him. Only a few seconds later did he show up and I smiled at him.

"Ready?" I questioned and he scowled at me. I grinned back and winked. It's not like he was panting or anything. He's been through worse than that. We both have.

"I don't think I'll ever be ready with anything that has to do with you," He responded and a bubble of laughter got out of my throat before I could stop it.

"I completely agree," I grinned and opened the door. I saw the government man before he saw me.

"Hello. I'm the manager of this establishment. How may I help?" I queried and held out my hand. Instead of taking it, he completely ignored it and pulled out a gun. With one swift movement, he held it to my head and I held up a hand to stop Aiden and the others who would've interfered.

"That's not very nice," I pointed out calmly and smiled at him.

"Are you the Queen of Cards?" He tightened his grip on his revolver and I eyed it suspiciously. It was a very nice model with silver panels on the side and a polished handle. The man holding it seemed to be of the same make. A suit without a tie but pressed and ironed without any speck of dust on it, this man was one of the more special government issues to be sure.

"I believe my name's Mina Towers if that's what you're asking," I retorted and he glowered at me.

"I asked for your position, not your name," he growled and I shrugged.

"I'm a manager of a hotel. I didn't know I was important enough to be under the government's eye," I acknowledged his badge.

"Are you really? What would happen if I shot you right now?" he ground out.

"I'd die," I bluntly said and he snorted.

"Like hell you would. I'd be dead before you even fell backwards, mentally and psychically. Don't think I don't know," He gripped the gun with a steadier hand and I reached up to bring it down.

"Then why do you march in here as if you own the place?" I questioned and his eyes flashed angrily. He seemed to be good at controlling himself because when I waited for a reply he breathed in deeply and slowly put down the weapon. He placed it inside his coat and he nodded towards the couches.

"May I sit down?" he asked and took a seat at my nod. He took out a cigarette and offered me the box. When I shook my head, he lit it up and inhaled deeply before exhaling it slowly.

"I'm here to make you an offer," he announced as I settled myself and I raised an eyebrow.

"An offer? What makes you think I'll take it after your charade Mr. Director," I finally identified him as the face that I had been warned about so many times before. His laugh echoed clearly off the walls and he tapped his cancer stick over an ashtray.

"I'll make you an offer you won't be able to refuse," he responded leaning against the back of the sofa and Aiden came to sit next to me calmly.

"She won't take it," he protested lightly and the CIA director started staring at him.

"I'll be damned. Kaden McKovay. You son of a bitch, why are you here?" He barked out with a tinged of amusement and my mind immediately reached for his.

"Is that your name?" I whispered softly in into our mental link and he confirmed it. Aiden...Kaden McKovay sat back and shrugged.

"I'm here for my queen," he replied trying to make amends but it didn't work as well as it would have if the director hadn't snorted.

"Sure you are, that's what you said when you left the first time and then you came back ready to kill all the terrorists that you could get your hands on. Did you know this guy actually captured most of the Valerian Group before they made a move on us? It was one hell of a move and I have to admit that I was shocked to see him alive the next morning," he recalled and Kaden shifted in his seat.

"Your offer?" I cut in not wanting to add salt to the already reopen wound.

"We want you to come work for us. Not your little...system here but you," He gestured to the moving assembly around him.

"You want me to be an agent?" I blinked. It was an odd request and one that I didn't have time for.

"Yep and Kaden there can be your partner," He waved towards the Ace of Clubs and considered this for a moment.

"I can't. I have to get the rest of my 'system' completed and even then I'm not considering it," I refused and he nodded thoughtfully.

"So all the cards that I have in my vans down the road will be useless? I gathered them up all for you," He winked and my shock ran slowly deeper.

"You captured the rest of the cards?" I gasped and fought to control my facial expression deciding that it was a waste of time I abandoned it.

"Indeed I did. It was a great exercise for my electronic team and we had a lot of fun running them down," he nodded looking amused at my hopeful face and I examined him for any signs of trickery.

"You fool me and you'll know what will happen," I said and he shrugged.

"I came in here half expecting to be killed where I stood. If I tricked you now it'll be a waste of my time and yours," he said and crushed his cigarette in the ashtray. With a slight heave he stood up and held out his hand.

"Do we have a deal?" he questioned waiting for me to take his hand. I took it slowly and gripped it hard as I shook on it.

"I hope you know what you're getting into," I murmured and he grinned at me.

"Missy, if I didn't know what I was getting into I wouldn't be standing here right now," he declared and two vans pulled into the driveway. I could feel the waves of energy emitting off of them and I wondered vaguely why they felt so familiar. It was when the Ace of Hearts stepped out that I inhaled sharply and grasped onto Kaden's sleeve. The Ace looked just like Jack and I had to take quite a few deep breaths to make sure I didn't faint. The bloody room was starting to come back to me and I felt Kaden put his hand on my lower back.

"It's not him," Kaden said softly into our link and I glanced up at him. His face was set and I wondered why he looked so angry when I felt another giant burst of energy. This time I felt a cold shiver run through my back and I stared at the man making sure that it was who I thought it was. The real Ace of Clubs stepped out of the van carefully and started talking with the Ace of Hearts. I turned slowly to Kaden and stared him straight in the face.

"What didn't you lie to me about?" I demanded.

Author's note: Well, this was a long time in coming but here it is! Thanks for the support and don't forget to vote and comment!