Martini and Salsa 1.5: Sent a spy to catch a break

"We are going for a walk." he said "But sot with you acting sober." he took her arm again and stared heading for the bows of the ship "Its one of the trickiest things to do but leads into tomorrow's game." he said "And you've got points to make up for." There was a light breeze that in this climate made things pleasantly cool. "Unless you'd prefer me to tell you to kiss me like we were newlyweds."

He chuckled as they reached the bows... "Now you've had too much to drink and the moonlight is enchanting isn't it. Convince he you've had more than you have."

He looked out over the sea and took a deep breath. "I think I'm enjoying this vacation after all."
 
Switching back and forth Cynthia realized would be much more difficult, then purely acting and keeping a corner of her brain in the real game. Though when it came to games, it seemed like Josh was planning more then a few for this vacation. One thing was for sure, they were not going to be bored at all.

She gave him a sidelong glance at his alternative suggestion. Cynthia knew the mechanics of stage kissing, but unless this was to be working with someone a stage kiss wouldn't do. It was just as well he didn't push it. No matter how well he was at being whoever his cover was, she wasn't, and there wasn't much likelihood of her not finding the challenge awkward. Not unless it was with a stranger. For some reason that seemed at least easier to fake an emotion with. Internal psychology aside though there was still a challenge tonight.

Cynthia allowed herself a moment to just enjoy the sound of the water passing the ship, the light breeze, and ease of being on Josh's arm. "Do you know what I want to do? I want to go swimming. You know at night, with the moon, without all the people," Cynthia spoke in a slightly faster clip then normal, going for a conversation point that wasn't too abstract but just slightly fanciful. It was a vacation and happy was the more likely course of a tipsy young woman. Once or twice she repaid a word, not getting the pronouniation right at the first go, but nothing more then that. She didn't let go of Josh's arm either. At one point she made a wide gesture, but then even that hand ended up resting on Josh's arm too.
 
He spoke with her for a good ten minutes then nodded. "Nine point five out of ten." he said "Now thats enough 'work' for tonight." he walked with her to the apex of the bows and out over the sea before them the moon right is front of the and reflecting off the water. "I like this, the quiet, the stillness, being alone. It lets you forget about covers for a second and remember who you are. Keeps you sane."

He sighed, this time he wasn't alone, he was with someone he could be himself with. Sure he had revealed himself piece by piece to show her she wasn't alone on her ordeal, now he was doing it to show himself there was still there under it all.

"Unless of course you're on vacation... then thats what your partner is for..."
 
Cynthia grinned at Josh. She could appreat what he was saying even if she had not had the need for the stillness to remind herself who she was before. Only time was to try to discover herself. It was different, but she at least could use that as a starting point in understanding. "I'm glad, well, to be able to help you remember. Good thing I'm curious enough to want to know more." At least she knew it wouldn't be unwanted if she asked him questions hat had nothing to do with work, though he had been fairly open with her so far.

It was nice though, just a quiet moment, like out on the patio of their suite when they first checked in. Cynthia was fairly sure she could find Josh enjoying the sunset every evening on this trip. It was a reassuring thought, that even if his idea of fun was a bit unconventional he still knew how to appreat a moment.

And this moment she was happy to share with him.
 
He could remember the last time he had shared a moment like this, photographic memory and the mental fortitude to not block anything out. "I wonder how much there is to know." he joked turning to her. "I'm an agent, I am who I need to be when I need to be them. A blank slate for the covers I construct." he knew what he was saying wasn't true but Cynthia needed to hear them. "You tell me how much you see of Josh and how much of Steven... if I'm any good at my job you won't be able to."

He slipped his hand from her grip and put it around her looking out over the sea again. "Its been a long time since a moment like this has been shared, since anyone has been let in beyond the job."
 
The parking garage, she was still juggling what she had been asked to do, not that they had given her a chance to say no. The guard that was giving them the choice of liscense plates sounding just a tad wistful at what Martini did. The agent though said it wasn't so bad as long as you didn't mind having a different name every time you looked in the mirror. No one though could be a blank slate. Nor could they keep going if they forgot completely who they were. Still if anything it was a warning Cynthia thought. Yet there was only one thing to really say when he asked if she could tell what parts were the real him. "I just have to trust you'll tell me."

As he put his arms around her, she realized how rare it was for her to be in an embrace of any sort. She had been though some emotional upheavals of late and had been given some small measure of support, but she had rarely sought it out. She glanced out at the moon and then up at Josh. "Thank you."
 
"Trust is a rare commodity in this game." he said again "Thanks for yours." he stood for a moment in silence, a long moment with nothing but the sound of the sea gushing under them. "I requested Lena." he said finally. "I had been without a partner my entire tour out here but when I got to LA I asked for Lena. Daddy always said I was difficult on my partners, ever since my first that wasn't her. We were both new, some people just can't take this life."

He took a breath. "I shouldn't talk about this but a year into our partnership I found her.. dead in her apartment, well her cover's apartment. Daddy had asked me if she needed to be taken off the case and I said no she could handle herself even though I knew she was having difficulty. She shot herself to avoid becoming the mask and forgetting who she was. Long term covers to that to your mind. That was the last partner I let in so they stopped giving them to me. Now you're in and you can take the strain. You have no idea how god it feels to let somemone in."
 
Cynthia thought about what Josh had told her. She didn't want to offer up any platitudes, yet she wanted to acknowledge what he said, not just the complement. She looked out at the sea, not so much to collect her thoughts as to allow it to set her pace. "I had wondered," she finally admitted. "I would think this would be a lot harder if you didn't have someone you know was looking out for your back. That you couldn't let them... I'm just glad that isn't the case for you anymore."

Looking up at Josh she gave him a tender smile. It wasn't one of sympathy though, but a simple happiness. Little by little he was opening up to her, and as much as he thanked her for saying she trusted him, she was happy he was showing he could trust her. The cool agent had a warm heart after all.
 
He put his back to the rail and faced her, his face lit up in the moonlight. There was a slight sparkle under his eyes that could only mean one thing but there was also a curl to his lips that suggested a smile. Then in a completely uncharacteristic move her put his arms around her and in the cooling breeze hugged her no longer keeping only one arm around her.

"everyone needs someone right?" he said "Even the best." He held for for a minute before pulling back. He hadn't done that to someone as himself in what seemed like forever, maybe he was doing the relaxing thing too hard.
 
Caught in his arms, Cynthia hugged Josh back. She got the feeling that he didn't get a chance to do this often himself. It seemed as though they were peeling back many layers to get to Josh, the real man. Cynthia quite enjoyed his company, both the conversation and the embrace.

"I'd say especially the best," she told him once he pulled back. Standing there she looked at him for a long moment, and in the back of her mind so glad for this night. In a very real sense they were lonely individuals, and trust being such a high premium, that they had each other to rely on was a gift. Cynthia didn't think herself the sentimental type, yet her thoughts have neatly dove into that direction. Maybe it was the moonlight and the waves.
 
His face softened as he looked at her and he kept his hands around her. He felt compelled by the moment and there was a slight tightening of his arms around her and chest that couldn't be faked. "You are one of a kind." he whispered, then stopped himself... We was suddenly feeling very awkward and yet he pulled her closer. He wanted to say something but had no idea what. The moment, this moment with the sea, and the waves, the bright moonlight and Cynthia... His forehead touched hers and he closed his eyes taking a deep breath.

His nose touched hers and he slowly realized this wasn't training, this wasn't a game. And he stopped. He hovered there lips parted nose wanting so badly to nuzzle against hers but... "Lesson over, we should head back." he stepped away and turned to look in the other direction willing his face in vein to resume its mask. "He was a bog day tomorrow."
 
Cynthia, like she said, trusted Josh, but that did not make her blind to little clues. Beyond the fact that he had declared lessons to be over, which could always have been an exaggeration for the necessity of a lesson, was the abrupt nature he pulled away. Cynthia trusted Josh, but maybe Martini didn't trust him. Cynthia at least hoped this was all about Josh and she hadn't somehow made some sort of mistake herself.

In any case Cynthia smoothed out her dress There would be no more dancing tonight, admittedly Cynthia was disappointed. She had enjoyed the dancing, and had looked forward to a less distracted second dance with her partner. Perhaps with some instruction, though that wouldn't have been nessisary.

That Cynthia had found her heart racing a bit faster moments ago there was little sign now. When Josh had turned away it had been like a splash of cold water, it was sobering. She wasn't about forget, but tonight was over and she wasn't going to bring it up. Not tomorrow at least, not until he did most likely. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Yes, there will be plenty to do," she responded with a smile. "I'm looking forward to it." Of course it didn't shine as brightly as before.
 
He went back to their suite with her in tow and shut his bedroom door without a word. He wasn't meant to be feeling. Not after he told her its not done. It lead to weakness of the team and that could only lead to it's downfall. If it were a vacation fling... maybe but Josh.. Martini.. wasn't built for those. He would bury it and not mention it again. He stripped and stepped into the shower the cold water refreshing and tearing his mind away from it's thoughts. Then he collapsed into bed and welcomed the night.

He didn't sleep well, constantly waking up and finding himself distracted until some time past midnight he gave up and pulling on a shirt and shorts slipped out of his room and onto the balcony. sitting down and watched the moon sink lower until it was gone. To much for finding yourself on vacation. Though somehow he knew the vacation was over and he wouldn't show himself as much as he had. The fun spy games had gone to his head, that was all. He was sure of it.
 
The alarm went off and Cynthia's feet were on the floor before she even had her eyes fully opened. Turning off the alarm before it squawked more then twice she looked around her room. The wine hadn't gone to her head, and though they were several hours ahead of time then LA she wasn't feeling sleep deprived. Grabbing her toiletry bag and a change of cloths she headed to the bathroom.

Washing her face and changing into some clothing for the gym, Cynthia was ready to tackle the weights before a lot of the passengers were awake, let alone up for excersizes. There would be a few of course. The type that were overly dedicated to their work outs. Cynthia wasn't one of those. She just knew she wasn't in as good of condition as she wished. Stamina was her main goal. If she could keep up with whatever she was tackling she could think around whatever other limits her body might have in a bad spot.

Exiting the bathroom she glanced around.
 
The gym the one place Martini could feel he belonged. He has slipped out just after sunrise without leaving a note, warmed up and attacking the equipment with all his frustration. They put him three quarters of the way though his workout when Cynthia walked in.

"Morning." he said putting the weights on the bench and and sitting up before mopping up most of the sweat on his face and sitting up. "Warm up and I'll see what you can do." he had no gloves or safety equipment they would be bare knuckle.. He climbed into one of the rings and leaned against the ropes, watching and waiting.

"I've been looking forwards to this... and not because you father was a legend, because I need to know what you're capable of."
 
"So no pressure?" Cynthia said with a smirk. She had been getting wiffs from time to time that her father was considered impressive, but hearing her partner say he was a legend was still somewhat weird for her. She didn't rush through her warm ups. She was going to be as limber as possible for what was to follow she was sure. All the while she tried to recall how she felt when she would 'wrestle' with her father.

Going up to the ring, she looked over at the man waiting for her, looked at his face, and narrowed her eyes. This was practice, not a game, so much for vacation. Still though Salsa grinned as she went between the ropes. "I hope you don't expect too much, it's been a few years." She hoped though that old muscle memory might wake up eventually though. Salsa walked to the center of the ring, but no further. Martini was going to have to make the first move.
 
He shook his shoulder going from workout mode to attack mode. If she were expecting him to go easy she was mistaken. He stepped forwards his mind taking in everything in an instant. She was loose, she was fit enough, he stance indicated she knew fairly well what she was doing along with what branch of martial arts she was most comfortable with. He had more weight, more practice but he had already spent most of the morning working out...

He would start with judo....

He kicked low sweeping his leg under her in an attempt to knock her down, there was no bow, no warning. This would be followed by him throwing himself on top of her and pinning her down at he twisted her limbs so she couldn't move, that was the plan anyway.
 
Watching the direction Martini came at her helped, she could see where he was emphaesizing his momentum and where he was putting his weight. Kick out? Low? She'd have to side step, get behind him. She could almost picture what his reaction would be when she started to go behind him, she would have to be faster then him. If she had more confidence in her ability she might have tried to use his awkward position to try to down him, but she wasn't confident in her ability to do that yet.

Salsa's method was strike and retreat. This made her blows softer then her full potential, but she was relearning her limits and she wanted to stay up long enough to see how much she could do before Martini go the better of her. She even gave herself a goal. If she could keep the trained agent off her for three minutes it would be a personal victory.
 
She was keeping her distance, he moved to block and corner her. She was holding back, he let her strike him a few time before he saw his opening. He grabbed her wrist and twisted and pushed it aside stepping though her guard before bringing his elbow around driving into her chest. That same blow could have crushed her throat if he had aimed higher. Then he let her go stepping back and taking his stance. The move he had used was pragmatic and would not have been allowed in any tournament of any style. But this wasn't a tournament.

"Use everything you can. Everything is a weapon and there are no rules."

It was his turn to wait for her. See if she could shift him from where he stood.
 
Was it 3:10? She thought so, but she needed to catch her breath and think about what to do next. Everything might have been a weapon, but in the ring there wasn't much other then each other. She would try to keep that in mind as she went from defensive to offensive.

She did not go right into an attack, instead she started off walking slowly in his direction. He could still lunge to preempt her own attack, but she wanted to try to go in steady without too much indication of what she was doing. Her first attack he deflected easily and she was all but shrugged back. That was okay though, she wasn't trying to best him nessisarily. Though if she could that would be great. She wanted to surprise him. The more he didn't predict what she was going to do the better. A false block, a misdirection, any of that.

Anything was a weapon, well the elastic always held up the sweats well enough. She never understood the need for tying it as well, and in this case even if they were to start to sag. The motion to pull out the draw string and then get it around his neck had to be timed just right. Could she do it quick enough? Salsa grinned as she realized there was only one way to find out.
 
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