"The storms hit harder than expected. We'll bunker down here till it passes," sitting in the Portland's Headmaster's office. Matthew had been on speaker as the fiery red-haired man they referred to as Spear sat across from him. The mischievous man had been smirking at how Cid had gotten his back up about Matthew having to extend their stay further.

"I'll organize to have the Zulu teams, two and three, extract the civilians from the previous bases. Then Lana Ace will depart in the morning. If the electrical storm continues, they can continue to Baulkham instead of your team."

"You know, Cid," Spear leaned across the desk, speaking directly into the communication device to the older man, staring at Matthew, who smiled, shaking his head, at what Spear was trying to do.

"This storm is predicted to become a category two at the moment, which usually means a twenty-four-hour window of no-fly protocols."

'Bullshit,' Matthew mouthed to the man mocking.

Though both men had been the same age, Spear commanded the outpost base to escape any further responsibilities. The tiny base of fifteen was exactly all he wanted to look after, leaving him a lot of time on his hands and a ton of disruption that could be achieved.

"I'll be in contact late tomorrow with an update on the skies," Cid commanded, his mood clearly sour as he disconnected the call, causing both men to glare at the device and then at each other.

"He's crankier than usual."

"No kidding," Matthew said, reaching across to grab the communication device. "How long is this storm meant to last anyway?"

"I'm not joking," Spear shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Fifteen hours. We had one last month that lasted over seventy-two hours. It's a small base, and then some foolish person failed to order the food supplies on time, missing the deadline. 'Pissed' was an understatement during those few days."

"Taking a wild guess that your brother is to blame for that. Why you put him in charge of the runs is beyond me." Matthew scoffed. 

Spear arched an eyebrow and grinned at the man he had known for quite some years. "Why do you think I haven't reported any deaths on the base?" 

Matthew watched Spear lean into the chair, further feet propped up on his desk, eyeing him out as a plague of a thought consumed him.

"Say it," Matthew grinned.

"I was thinking as I naturally do best," the fiery red-haired waved his head forth, "we could disappear down to Aurela's."

Matthew causally now leaned into his chair, a broad, playful grin appeared, for there were moments that flashed before him of the nosedive of a bar, and while there were times that days melted together when he came here. Right now, there was something far more intriguing on his mind, and he wasn't going to stop until he had her begging for him.

If that was his only goal in his personal life at the moment, he was fine with that.

The chase was always more fun than the capture.

"Shouldn't."

"Uh, why not?" Spears's face scrunched.

The dark-blonde-haired cocky commander shook his head to his mate of the Portland base.

"I have four soldiers here and a certain servant."

"They can take care of themselves,"

"They could, sure- but."

"Ah," Spear suddenly pieced the puzzle together, "you're trying to get with that servant you brought with you."

Folding his arms, he winked. Spear knew precisely where his head and not the one between his shoulders had been.

"Then perhaps we should play a bit of Portland Triad?"

"How could that help?" Matthew didn't know how a card game would solve his issues.

"The rules Augusta came up with, remember that delightful night?"

Suddenly a light bulb switched. Matthew didn't know why he hadn't thought of it sooner.

That was absolutely perfect.

"That, my friend, is a very, very smart idea," this game would allow her to submit to him, and if it was ever going to happen, it was tonight as she was half naked, losing against him.

This was how he sealed the deal.

"Round up the ladies!" Spear's feet swung from the desk, standing up triumphantly, "we're about to have a naked pair on our hands!"

Laughing, he followed Spear from the office, listening to the Headmaster form his own plans for the certain soldier he had his own eyes on.

This was going to be an interesting night ahead.

--- ---

Abigail, Fae, and CJ had kept her company while Matthew had disappeared over an hour ago with Spear to report to Cid.

Luckily it was around dinner time, and the soldiers found themselves at the Portland's cafeteria that evening.

The soldiers didn't have to wait long, for the chatter around the table with a few of the Portland soldiers had been half silenced with the arrival of their Headmaster. Spear slapped his hands down on the table before the nine of them.

"Okay, who's in?" Spear as though expecting them to know the conversation, "Portland triad!"

Matthew approached closely behind, engaging in conversation with the person behind the small cafeteria window to order food and coffee. Eko shifted her focus to Spear, who was fully aware of his surroundings, while the confident red-haired man rearranged the group before settling down beside the brunette.

Sky blue eyes glanced at the man and then met Matthew's gaze as he took a seat across from her and next to Abigail. Tilting her head, she remained completely unaware of the nature of this interaction or what game was being played.

"Yeah. We Could. But that has never been fun," the kid, barely sixteen, barked at his Headmaster with a sarcastic remark.

"Snappy Tom," Spear chastised, "this is Augusta's rules, not something your adolescence has caught up to yet."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!" Tom blew out a dramatic breath, pushing back into his chair, knees spread wide at the head of the table, for his fingers tapped in an impatient rhythm.

"Wanna, like, explain to me why you're such a dick!"

"Sure, I can give your pea some brain an educational course in that. Older brothers need to be." Spear challenged the sixteen-year-old, "now," his head turned around the table before landing on Matthew as he smirked.

"This game is a bit different to the ones you, my friends, are used to. Portland triad, losers take something off."

Abigail was the first to roll her eyes. "No thanks. I'll go train."

"Too bad. Eko?" he eyed her with a wicked grin, "care to play?"

"Guys, come on, this is just strip triad, essentially?" she chuckled before turning her attention to Matthew.

"Soooo original."

"Scared?" Matthew tempted her suddenly with this arrogant, self-righteous quip, "it's only a little bit of skin. Come on. I'll go easy on you."

Oh, that's how he wants to play, she bit her lip deadly.

From the corner of her eye, Eko saw Abigail glance at the boys, and the rest of the table nodded.

"I suppose I will play as well," Abigail moaned.

"Fine," Eko exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "I'm in. I'll play."