was responsible (as the bank claimed it was an error), Paxson threatens Michael that she can "give as good as i get." In the episode "Fearless Leader", Michael and the others find one of the most dangerous men in Miami and plan to hand him over to Paxson, letting her take credit for the collar whilst also planting evidence that connected him to all the crimes Paxson was accusing Michael of. In exchange, Paxson agrees to drop the investigation and let Michael and his team operate relatively freely, with Michael ultimately convincing her "we're on the same side". Until the sixth season, she was the only antagonist in official authority whom Michael had faced. Tom Strickler Tom Strickler (Ben Shenkman) is an "Agent to the Spies" in the third season. Introduced in the episode "The Hunter", he tries to recruit Michael with gifts such as a basket of yogurt and lotion delivered by a sexy masseuse. Michael refuses each time, insisting that he is not a mercenary and is not interested in Strickler's money. Strickler seems to know every detail of Michael's life and keeps tabs on Sam and Fiona as well. He is powerfully connected and appears to be able to control just about anyone, including government agencies. He is even able to affect movement on Michael's burn notice and is thus able to get Michael to do some questionable projects in exchange for getting the burn lifted. A man with a silver tongue, he can convince Michael to do things the same way Michael does with everyone else. In the episode "Shot in the Dark", Michael agrees to work with Strickler only to get his old job back, which causes Fiona to be uncomfortable with Michael working with a "weasel", and she threatens to leave for Ireland. In the mid-season finale "Long Way Back", Strickler tells Michael that Fiona's influence on Michael's life is "holding him back" and that he has arranged to have her kidnapped and sent back to Ireland where her enemies are waiting. Michael kills a hostile Strickler and rescues Fiona, leaving Strickler's body with Fiona's kidnappers. Mason Gilroy Gilroy (Chris Vance) is a former MI6 agent who freelanced all over the world and worked for Tom Strickler. Before Strickler was killed, both were working on "secret business". Gilroy has no problem killing innocent people and rather enjoys it, going as far as to kill