Jesse, Toni, and Richie quickly caught up with a visibly impatient Matthew, who stood tapping his foot, waiting for the elevator. His pissed-off state oozed through his mannerisms.

"She's got some beef with us," Jesse snarled, stopping beside Matthew and shaking her head; she was in just as much disbelief as any of them were.

"I'll be glad when the inquiries are done, and she can just fuck off," Matthew barked, his frustration evident in the way his brow furrowed and his jaw tensed, as the elevator doors finally opened.

As they stepped into the elevator, Richie couldn't resist his usual sarcastic humour, "So Mads leaves, but your girlfriend gets to stay?"

Jesse and Toni, already in the elevator, watched as Matthew turned slowly around, his attention pulled to Richie. His eyes narrowed, and instinctively they watched as an arm reached across the elevator to stop the man from entering.

"Orrrrr not," Richie mumbled awkwardly in a hesitant laugh, watching as Matthew continued to death-stare him. Toni and Jesse remained as quiet as possible as they tried to suppress their smirks from behind Matthew as they glanced at each other and then back to the two men before them.

"You can take the next elevator. You're fucken irritating me." Matthew snarled, instantly dropping his arm, he stepped back as the doors closed, and Richie was left with his mouth open.

"It was just a joke!" Richie called out, but Matthew wasn't interested in hearing it. With the doors closed, Toni and Jesse had really tried at that point to suppress their laughter from the absurd reaction that Matthew displayed.

"Don't want to hear it," Matthew said, his voice firm, not turning around to face them, watching the elevator numbers tick down on the illuminated panel before him. 

"Wasn't going to say anything," Toni raised his hands defensively, a playful smirk on his face. 

"Besides," Jesse added, her smile remaining, "we need to figure out if we're really going to war with Ezra over this."

"See if the Princess is found, I suppose," Matthew glanced over his shoulder to the pair of smiling idiots. "Depends on when she takes the ascension. If she's dead, there's a high official in place. It could go into anarchy with the Isadorian people. So, it might be on the cards. You heard Cid; he'll back us this time when we launch a full-scale attack."

"Great, that's settled then. Now, back to the matter of the servants. Where are we sending them? Well, Madison, specifically, since you want Eko to stay," Toni grinned at his best friend.

Matthew grunted in annoyance, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers, and turned his body halfway towards Jesse and Toni. He lowered his hand, shooting Toni a glare that clearly said, 'you're-really-pushing-it-I'm-going-to-murder-you.'

"They can be escorted to Sea-tac in a few days. They don't need to be here; if some want to stay, they can enrol for pre-admission and see if they are up to it. I couldn't fucken care at this stage," Matthew replied in exasperation of the situation. 

"Well, I guess..." Jesse drawled as the elevator slowed to the dormitory levels, "it looks like she's staying. You know, since she can easily beat the cadet program."

The doors slid open, and Matthew shook his head. He didn't want to comment on the matter.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Mate, do you like her?" Toni insisted, needing to bring the topic out into the open. If she had been another fling, another fan club notch, another one-night stand, it would have happened by now, but they had spent a fair amount of time together, and Matthew's defensiveness about his feelings was intriguing.

To their surprise, a mischievous smile flared across Matthew's face before he walked off, leaving Jesse and Toni bewildered.

"That wasn't a no!?" Jesse gasped, punching Toni's arm, pointing towards Matthew with wide eyes. Toni stared at her rubbing his arm, giving her his own, 'why-did-you-punch-me-for-I-saw-the-same-thing' look. 

"No way," Jesse mumbled as she broke first followed by Toni as the pair hurriedly walked to catch up with him.

"Wait! Hold up....you've slept with her, haven't you!?" Jesse groaned, mostly annoyed at the thought of potential complications arising from this situation. "I told you, Matthew!" Her fiery red hair accentuated her clipped tone.

"I didn't," he cut her off abruptly, turning slightly to stare at her before she could utter another sentence.

Jesse's face went from worry to relief, followed by confusion. Before she could ask her next question, Toni jumped into the conversation.

"You didn't, or she didn't?" he was intrigued by the possibility that Matthew might be drawn to Eko because she had said no, turning it into a chase for him. 

"It never came up. We just had... talked. Is that okay with you guys?" Matthew snapped as he  suddenly stopped, causing both Jesse and Toni to almost collide with him. They raised their eyebrows in surprise as he turned to face them.

"Now drop it," his demeanour warned them to be careful with their words, a tell-tale sign that both Toni and Jesse recognized as Matthew's way of saying back off.  

As like-minded antagonists both Toni and Jesse had been, they knew they could always annoy Matthew tomorrow. For now, they had to hurry if they didn't want to be late to Escobar.

"Matteo!" on cue, his distraction came at the perfect timing, interrupting the conversation between them when Erin's heavy accentuated accent had called for him along the halls. Erin, Jesse had numbered her as number #49 of the Fanclub. A particular one that  always seemed to put him in a good mood since he could barely understand her. 

"Sono venuta a prenderti; uh.. came to .. get you.. le ragazze  -uh Escobar," Erin tried to communicate between her native tongue and broken English. Dressed in her training uniform for cover, she winked at the man and then at Toni and Jesse. "Ciao Jesse e Toni..."

"Ciao," Jesse and Toni replied together, watching as Matthew tried to form the words together. 

She approached the three of them with her sultry figure and swinging hips. Her makeup had told anyone looking that she was disappearing off base, and her uniform was merely a cover for it. 

"Alec sarà in servizio alle undici, quindi dobbiamo metterci in cammino," She laughed, stepping forward to Matthew, grasping his hand to pull him along. 

"Ah Jesse? Translation?" Matthew rolled his head over his shoulder to the red headed that folded her arms. 

"She said that Alec's on at eleven, so we need to get going," 

"Right," he laughed, turning back to Eric, and took his hand back raising up his hands to indicate the number ten. "Ten," he mouthed, "Ci vediamo presto." then smiled at the minimal words he knew. 

With a quick nod and a subtle wink, she stepped into his space, purring, "Matteo, Escobar." The petite blonde brushed past him, her limbs inadvertently close enough to indicate her intentions for the night. Erin then smiled at both Toni and Jesse before confidently strutting away from them.

"That's our cue; back here in five, and we're out," Matthew said, turning his heel towards his room, leaving Jesse and Toni smirking.

"What about-" Toni began to ask.

"- I don't care!" the blonde snapped louder down the hallways, disappearing completely.

"See," Richie appeared almost out of nowhere behind them, causing Jesse and Toni to jump momentarily, "told you she was going to be another fish in his sea."

Jesse jumped nearly out of her skin with a slight scream, turning angrily towards Richie, "can you not do that!" She whacked him against the chest, "you scared the hell out of me!"

Laughing, Richie shook his head as Toni raised a sceptical eyebrow at him, "I don't know, man," they slowly walked towards their rooms, "he didn't say no."

"He also didn't say if she rejected him, hence why he's still keen." Jesse countered.

"I have an idea on this," Richie smirked, starting to like his formulating plan, causing Toni and Jesse to stop and listen. "It could backfire, but I think it's a clever plan."

"Hmm?" Jesse tilted her head, "we're potentially listening."

"All I'm saying is, what if Eko came with us?" Richie's grin widened as he looked between the pair before him, their mouths agape and entirely unsure about the plan, "like think about it! Anything could happen tonight? Little bit of dancing, little bit of magic, boom! away they go! We know what Escobar gets like!" Richie grinned on his own fond memories. 

"Yea, nooo," Jesse was adamant about her stance. "Remember, I don't want them sleeping together! I want her to stay. She could be valuable."

"If she stays, they'll end up sleeping together anyway," Toni offered, folding his arms. "Let's just rip the band-aid off."

Jesse moaned loudly, throwing her head backward in utter annoyance. "I'm getting dressed." This wasn't the night to play parent to the idiots, and she walked off towards her room. 

It left Richie now smirking at Toni, "You take them, and I'll, uh, meet you there," he said, clicking his fingers at one of his best mates, followed by a mischievous wink.

"If he kills us, I'm throwing you under the bus that this was all your idea?" Toni called out.

"And I bet you fifty that once she's with us at Escobar, he won't be able to keep his hands off her! Besides, you know what he gets like. He totally needs this to get out of his own head!" Richie said, emphasizing his point.

"You're a dead man, mate," Toni laughed, walking off, "good luck if you can convince Eko to come!"

"Piece if cakkkeeee!" Richie was adamant about this plan, above all others he had.

Besides, what could possibly go wrong?