It had happened again. Michael had lost count of the number of times he had lost someone he loved. He so wanted for it to just end. He had tried, he really had. His life now was absolutely nothing to him. Life had no meaning. He had tried several times in the last few weeks to take his own life. He had been a maniac when he was out on missions. He had been taking risk after risk but to no avail. Bullets had ripped around him. If he were hit it was always a nick or a scratch, never anything substantial. Worst of all, Michael was losing team members because they were following him blindly, unquestioning.

Michael couldn't help what he was feeling. He wanted to die and Section was allowing his strange behavior. It just seemed as if no matter how much he screwed up he could not die. Maybe God intended for him to live this way. In the past, everyone he had loved had been taken away from him. Did he even dare to love again? He had lost his parents at an early age, had traveled from foster home to foster home. He had fought and worked his way through University. He had lost his best friend Rene as well as being betrayed by him. He had been seduced into a friendship by Madeline and then been betrayed by her into Section One. Once in Section One, he had been trained as a horrible killer and taught to use whatever means were at his disposal to accomplish his missions. He had loved and subsequently lost Victoria, his first true love. He had been befriended and betrayed again within Section One, this time by Jurgen. And finally, three months ago he had lost his beloved wife Simone.

This would seem to be enough to destroy any normal human being and it was easy to see why Michael wanted out. He had been through enough in his young life. Madeline and Operations knew that Michael was on the edge of a large precipice. The slightest movement could push him over the edge into the deep chasm. Neither wanted to see what would happen to their son if he were given that push. They were conflicted themselves. They knew their son was hurting, but they also knew that their son was the best damn operative that had ever come through Section One. They needed him, and they needed him at 100%. They knew that Section One's future was riding on the shoulders of this one very enigmatic young man. Their successes were ultimately tied in to his successes. Worst of all, Michael was the key to one of the greatest missions within Section One. Stopping Vachek was of ultimate importance to Section and Michael was their only way in.

A few months before Michael had lost Simone, he had been forced into a long-term mission. He had been sent in to woo and marry the daughter of one of the most sought-after terrorists of all time. Vachek had been a mystery man. No one could ever pin down a location on him. It was hoped that once Michael married his daughter and had a child with her, Section would be able to get close enough to capture Vachek. Section had never attempted this type of mission before. A blood-cover was virtually unheard of but they hoped to be able to pull it off. Michael had almost refused to be a part of this mission when it first started but his Section training had gotten the better of his heart and his feelings.

Now, however, Madeline and Operations were afraid that Michael might blow this mission. His erratic behavior when it came to missions lately might carry over into his "home" life as well. This was a disturbing thought to both leaders of Section One, as they knew they were being monitored closely by Oversight, under the eagle eye of George. George was just itching for an opportunity to prove the incompetence of the leaders of Section One. If Michael were to blow this mission, Oversight would have every opportunity to take over the day-to-day running of Section One.

Madeline and Operations knew that something must be done about Michael. They understood his grief. They had both gone through tough times also. They began to cut back on his missions so that he could concentrate on his ultimate mission. He was left alone for months at a time with no missions, only reporting in once a week on his progress. In this way, the leaders of Section One hoped Michael could come to terms with his losses and resign himself to the life he must lead within Section One. Eventually, they hoped, he would be able to come back to full operative status and resume his rightful position in the hierarchy of Section One.

*************

Michael was totally confused after the death of Simone. How was he to cope? He was stuck in a situation where he could not mourn. He was in a marriage with a woman he did not love when the woman he had loved most in his life had been cruelly and babarically taken away from him. He must act in this sham of a marriage as if he were totally in love. He could never allow her to see his grieving for Simone. She could not know what he truly was. He did care for Elena, in his own way, but he did not love her and knew he never would.

Elena was a beautiful woman, Michael had no doubt about that. She was of Indian descent, had a very sweet nature, and was always a gracious hostess. Her demeanor just oozed charm and class. What her father was, had never affected Elena, and Michael was glad for it. Although she was in her twenties she was still very naïve. It was a good thing for Elena that her father had left her life at the age of six. She had grown up innocent and refreshing. Michael liked those qualities in her. Vachek was a vile, evil man, but Michael knew that if he had his way, Elena would never be harmed. He also knew that she would never learn from him exactly what her father was. Just as he knew she would be totally destroyed if she learned her husband was a trained killer, so would she be if she learned of the atrocities her father had committed. Michael would do anything in his power to protect Elena.

Over the next few months after Simone's death, Michael had had more time to spend with Elena. While he was with her, he could live what he considered a "normal" life. He could literally stop and smell the roses. He could be carefree, much like he had been before the bombing which had changed his life completely. When they wee together, they took walks in the park, went sailing, and thoroughly enjoyed talking and spending time together. It was to Michael, as if he was not on a mission, but a married man, with a lovely wife, and an enjoyable life. He knew in his mind that he should not let himself get so emotionally attached but his heart needed healing. Maybe Elena could help him heal in a way no other person he knew could.

Elena's life had become one of total bliss and happiness. She was totally wrapped up in her new life as a wife. She loved Michael with her whole heart and soul. He was the stability, which she knew her life had been sorely lacking. To her, Michael was her entire world. The hurt of her father leaving her at such a young age and her loss of her mother at the age of 19, were fading slowly away. Her love for Michael and the joy of spending time with him, would not allow her to mourn anymore. She knew that she would give anything to Michael, all he had to do was ask. After the years of pain she had lived through, Michael and his love for her was allowing her heart to heal. She knew that Michael could do no wrong in her eyes and she loved her gallant knight in shining armor.

Michael had hoped, since the beginning that this mission would not last very long. He knew that he cared for Elena and he knew that she was deeply in love with him. He wanted the mission to be over with quickly because he knew the longer he stayed with her, the harder it would be for both of them to break away when the time came. He knew deep in his heart that if he did father a child with her, it would be even harder to leave her. He did not know if he could cope with losing both her and a child. But he did realize that he must accomplish this mission as quickly as possible. He knew that the fate of Section One was riding on his shoulders.

*************

One day was blending in with the next. Michael thought it was nice to be able to pretend for a while. He could pretend to be a "normal" human being, a "normal" husband, with a "normal" life. What his wife and the world could never know was that the "normal" job he left home for every morning had more to do with international intrigue and terrorism than it did with "international business". After several months of living with Elena, Michael began to cherish the down time he could spend with her in his make-believe world.

When Michael was within Section One or out on missions, he was a machine. He did the job. He did whatever it took to accomplish his missions. Sometimes, he took the extreme way to accomplish them. Most times his behavior still worried Madeline and Operations, but at least he was accomplishing Section's goals. The one fact, which continued to intrigue Madeline most, was the fact that within Section One he spoke to no one. In fact, the only time he spoke at all was when giving commands or answering direct orders. This worried Madeline because she knew if he did not talk to anyone he could not heal. She hoped he would share his fears with his wife in a roundabout way because she knew he could not share with her directly.

Michael did indeed talk with his wife. He found his new life to be cathartic for him. The newlywed couple spent long hours discussing their previous lives. Madeline had worked up an entire background for Michael to use but Michael found that he could not lie to Elena that much. He used his own personal background leaving out only his entry into Section One and his life within Section. Michael still loved Simone with his whole heart and soul but spending time with Elena was helping to thaw a part of his heart.

Within Section One, Michael knew he could not allow his heart to thaw. He blamed Section One and especially Madeline and Operations for allowing him to love and then taking it away from him. He had loved Madeline in his own way and she had betrayed that love by bringing him into Section. He had loved Victoria and she had been taken from him on a routine mission. He had loved Jurgen as a friend and Jurgen had betrayed that love by sleeping with his wife. And Simone, Simone had been his greatest love and she had been wrenched from his life because he had refused to bring in backup when intuition had told her it was needed. Sometimes Michael blamed himself for this last failure but Section training had taught him not to follow his instincts. He should have known that Simone was right, her instincts were usually unerring, but Michael's Section training said that intel outweighed instinct and he had lost his beloved wife because of it.

Michael felt very conflicted inside. He was leading two totally separate lives. Although Section ultimately controlled his "home" life, he felt as if he were in a totally different world. In his heart had soul he was two different people. Sort of a split personality. On one side he was a loving, doting husband. On the other side he was a cold, ruthless killer. Michael did not know how long he could survive split in tow, but he knew at this point that he had no choice but to do so. His two worlds could not afford to conflict with each other. Section could not be a part of Elena's world and Michael would not allow Elena to be dragged into Section's world. He would use her to get to her father but he would do everything in his power to protect her from harm, and there was nothing Section could do about that.

*****************

After several months of marriage, Michael was becoming accustomed to the routine of everyday life. He actually was beginning to enjoy going home in the evenings and enjoying a glass of wine with his wife and sitting down to a nice home-cooked meal. These were things that he had rarely had before. His marriage to Simone had been too short to get so routine or they had both spent too much time out on missions. Elena on the other hand was reveling at being a housewife. She had convinced Michael that they needed to live in the suburbs instead of in a cramped apartment so they bought a beautiful house where they could both enjoy the view.

One evening after returning home from a very strenuous weeklong mission, Michael was relaxing with Elena in their Jacuzzi. They were both sipping on glasses of Merlot and were very relaxed. Elena spoke up. "Michael, I went to see Doctor Vachon today." "Hmm," murmured Michael, "I did not realize you were feeling ill, my dear." He sat up and looked at Elena. "What did Doctor Vachon have to say?" Elena took Michael's hand and kissed his palm. "Doctor Vachon said we will have a little surprise in about seven months, my love." Saying that she placed Michael's hand on her abdomen.

Michael sat in stunned silence. He could not believe this. He had hoped so much that this would not happen. He knew it was a part of Section's mission but he had not wanted to fulfill that part. He had hoped to accomplish the mission of eliminating Vachek without having to bring an innocent child into the picture. He knew in his heart that no matter how hard he tried, in the end Elena would have to be hurt. A child brought out a whole different scenario for Michael. How did Section expect him to give up an entire part of himself when this was over? A child of his own blood being taken away would be like giving up a limb. How was he to survive?

All these thoughts flitted through his mind in the few seconds it took for his brain to register what Elena had said. Michael smiled at Elena. He pulled her close, hugged her, and said, "I can't believe it! This is wonderful, sweetheart!" Michael took a deep breath as he held Elena tight. Elena sensed the hesitancy in Michael. "I know you are scared sweetheart. So am I. Neither of us has the best family history, but I know that we will be wonderful parents. Please be happy for this, for us?" Michael looked deep into Elena's eyes, seeing her love for him there, as well as a spring of hope. He could not find it in his heart to disappoint that hope. He kissed her deeply, holding her close. "I am happy my darling. I have waited for this for a long time. I am scared, but I know that we will have the most wonderful child in the world. Our child will be the luckiest child in the world because he or she will have the most loving parents in the world. Our child will never have to worry about losing us as we have lost our parents." Michael continued to hold Elena close as his heart broke with his having to lie to her in this way.

Madeline and Operations were surprisingly somber when Michael reported in the next morning. Michael had expected them to be gloating that another part of their mission was falling into place and that they might be moving closer to capturing and eliminating Vachek. Operations thanked Michael for the intel and again thanked him for his personal sacrifice. As Michael walked away, Madeline and Operations withdrew to the sanctuary of Madeline's office for privacy to mourn.

***************

Michael was still a very confused young man. He had again gone beyond his own principles to ensure that Section's directives were being met. He loathed the Section training within himself. How could he still be considered a human being? He had sold himself out continually for the good of the Section. What about what was good for him? What about what was good for Elena? What about their child? He had fooled himself into believing that if a child were born of this association, he would be able to protect his child. How could he have believed this drivel? He knew that Section would win out in the end. It always did.

Michael wandered the streets of the city for hours after he left Section One. Michael had not felt fear like this in years. In fact it had been since he had entered Section One. Then he had only feared for himself. At that time his main fear was survival and whether or not he could maintain his heart and soul. Now his fear was not wholly for himself. He was worried about his wife and their child. Although Michael was not in love with Elena, she had touched a part of his heart that he thought had been lost to him. He did not wish to harm her in any way. Their child was totally innocent. It could not be blamed for what its' father or grandfather had become. Worst of all, Michael feared himself. He knew he could not protect his child and he also knew he would lose his entire heart to that child.

When Michael returned home to Elena, she noticed a change within him. She knew he had been worried and scared when she had broken the news to him. She also knew that he was the type of person who needed to work through his concerns by himself. Elena had been upset and worried about Michael while he had been gone, but she understood his need for privacy. Wherever Michael had gone to be alone, she knew from the moment she saw him, that he had come to some agreement within himself.

Michael had come to some conclusions while he was walking the streets. He decided it was best to deal with one day at a time when it came to this mission. Within Section Michael intended to continue as he had been. Watching, listening, and learning. If anything good had come from his association with Jurgen, it was that he had learned well how to bide his time and store up incriminating evidence against Section One. Michael knew that with the right information, he would be able to manipulate Madeline and Operations into helping to protect his family.

Michael and Elena spent the next several months preparing for the arrival of their child. They were they picture-perfect example of a young couple in love with each other and with their upcoming bundle of joy. They spent hours in the city shopping for necessities. Michael even painted and helped Elena to decorate one of the extra rooms in their house, creating a nursery for their child. If Michael had to go away on "business", he called to check in with Elena on a daily basis. If Michael still harbored major concerns about bringing a child into the world, Elena was never privy to it again.

Michael was out on a mission in Hong Kong when Birkoff received a call on the "switchboard" from Elena. She was panicking by the time Birkoff connected her to Madeline. Her water had broken and she was in active labor. She was too afraid to drive herself to the hospital. Madeline told her to hold tight, she would be there in no time. Madeline grabbed a Section doctor on her way out. She left instructions for Birkoff to pull Michael out of the mission and get him on a plane so that he could get home as soon as possible. Birkoff chuckled to himself to see Madeline so flustered over a woman in labor. He wondered why she was so concerned?

Michael spent the twelve hours in the air pacing to and fro in the aircraft. Simon was returning with Michael and was getting really irritated with the younger man. He even envisioned himself rising up and smacking the man to get him to sit down. Simon had no idea what was so important that Michael needed to be pulled off a mission and returned to Section One but he had not lasted this long within Section by asking questions. His orders were to return Michael to Section and that was exactly what he intended to do. Following orders was what he did best.

When Michael arrived at his house, he practically ran into the Section doctor who was just coming out of the door. The doctor looked nervously at the Level Five operative. This was definitely not the normal situation for this doctor. He had never imagined having the opportunity to deliver a baby again after he had entered Section One. But here he was, standing on the doorstep of a house, after delivering the child of the best operative in Section. He nodded solemnly to Michael as he continued on to his car.

Michael bounded up the stairs. He needed to find Elena. He needed to make sure she was alright. When he entered their bedroom, Elena was asleep in their bed. One of the Section nurses was checking her vitals. She smiled as Michael bent to kiss Elena's forehead. Elena snuggled further down under the covers. Michael could tell that she was exhausted. One glance from Michael and the nurse smiled and nodded toward the door connecting the bedroom to the nursery.

Michael opened the door to the nursery quietly. His heart froze at the sight which greeted his eyes. Madeline was sitting in the rocking chair holding a little bundle. She was smiling and singing as she rocked. This was an extremely strange sight for Michael and it scared him at first. But as he stood in the door and watched, something unknown pulled at his heartstrings and he realized that the child already had Madeline wrapped around its little finger. Madeline smiled when she realized Michael was standing in the doorway. "Welcome home, Michael! Come and meet your son!"

*************

At first Michael had a very eerie feeling about watching Madeline cradle his son. But then another feeling washed over him. For some strange reason the picture looked right. Madeline looked so natural holding the hold that Michael could not fault her for it. He smiled in the doorway as he watched the almost angelic-looking scene. He was snapped back into the moment when Madeline spoke.

He walked in and knelt in front of Madeline, she handed the small bundle to Michael. Michael was extremely nervous and shook as Madeline placed the child in his arms. Madeline laughed at him. "I promise Michael, he will not break!" Michael smiled back at Madeline as he held his son close. Michael had never had such a wonderful feeling in his heart as he had the moment he held his son. Madeline smiled as she watched the new young father. Her heart was breaking as she realized just how much Michael looked like Paul the first time he had held Michael.

Michael fell in love immediately. He had just thought he knew what love was up until this point. He knew in that instant that he would die before he would allow anything or anyone to harm his son. He would do anything that was asked of him by Operations and Madeline in order to keep his son safe. If it meant selling his soul to the two of them, he would do it in order to keep this wonderful child safe.

The child was beautiful. He had a head full of curly black hair. His eyes were the exact shade of green as Michael's. Michael unwrapped the small boy to count fingers and toes. He was relieved to count the requisite number of each. The child had dark skin like his mother and his eyes were wide and shaped like hers. Michael did not know how this tiny creature was going to grow into a boy, a teenager, and a man. It amazed him that this would be possible. He knew he would not be able to see it happen. His heart broke even more as his son wrapped his tiny hand around Michael's finger and promptly went to sleep.

As Madeline watched Michael cradle his son, her mind drifted back to the time when she and Paul had delivered Michael himself. They had both vowed fiercely that their son would be protected from harm, just as she knew the same thoughts were running through Michael's head. In the end they had been able to keep Michael for almost a year before George and Adrian had demanded that he be given away. Madeline would never wish away that precious time she had been allowed with her son but she also did not wish any more heartache for Michael. He had been through enough in his twenty-eight years. Madeline knew that if it were possible show would help Michael to keep the child from harm. After all this was her grandson.

Michael briefly wondered what Madeline was thinking about. She had such a far-away look on her face. Michael wondered if she too, at one time, had conceived a child and had had to give it up for Section. Maybe she was remembering holding a child of her own for a brief moment until it was taken away. Or maybe, she was wishing she had been allowed to hold her child at all. Maybe the pregnancy had been terminated before she had even had the chance. Michael suddenly felt a little sorry for Madeline because he knew at this moment, for him, was the greatest feeling in the world.

Michael decided to leave Madeline alone with her thoughts. He got up to take the baby with him in to see Elena. As he reached the doorway, Michael turned back to Madeline and kissed her lightly on top of the head. Madeline smiled up at him and placed a kiss on his cheek and on the baby's cheek. Michael smiled back and mouthed "Thank You!" to Madeline. Madeline just smiled as she drifted back off to her memories.

When Michael walked into his bedroom, he found Elena just opening her eyes. He smiled at her and walked over to the bed. He placed their son next to her and curled up next to the two of them. The Section nurse smiled at the happy family and left the room quietly. Michael held Elena closely as she too checked their son out, counting fingers and toes and inspecting him for any problems. She too could find absolutely nothing wrong with their beautiful son. "Michael, I think I have a name for our son. He is our first child, something we both never thought possible. He has brought us closer together as a family. I want to call him Adam Michael Samuelle. Adam for first man, Michael for his father and also for the archangel. After all he is our little angel." Michael smiled down at his wife and at his sleeping son. "Adam Michael Samuelle. I like it."

*************

Michael's love for his son and his increased love and respect for his wife made going in to work at Section One harder and harder every morning. He kept biding his time and gathering intel about Section and its operatives. He had been watching Jurgen and knew that he seemed to live outside the realm of Section One. Michael could not figure out quite how Jurgen managed to circumvent the laws of Section. He managed to live without any type of surveillance. He ran his own security at his home. And he chose which missions he would and would not go out on. He and Michael were now both Class Five operatives but Michael surely could not get away with the things Jurgen did. Michael wanted that leeway.

Michael had gotten very wrapped up in his family life. Shortly after the birth of Adam, Michael had convinced Elena that they needed to hire a private detective to find her father. Michael worked on Elena's new maternal instincts to convince her that her father needed another chance to be a family if they could find him. Adam could only benefit from a relationship with his grandfather. Elena reluctantly agreed and by the time Adam was a year old they had found a private detective.

Because Michael was so wrapped up in his family life, he was reluctant to go out on missions. He practically begged Madeline and Operations to take him out of the mission cycle but they could not remove their best operative from the field. As the missions increased in frequency, Michael became more and more recalcitrant. His work was not up to par. He was becoming very destructive again, towards his team and himself. Madeline figured out that Michael was scared that Vachek would be found and he would subsequently lose his family. She understood his fear very well and for the moment she would convince Operations to allow his behavior again.

Madeline and Operations put up with Michael's erratic behavior for almost a year. Because they did nothing to fix the problem, the problem built upon itself. More and more operatives were being sacrificed. Both leaders knew that something needed to be done. But what? Neither was sure how to help Michael get through this new type of despair. Operations decided that what Michael needed was a distraction. It had always worked in the past. He sent Madeline out into the city on a special mission. Finding himself alone running Section until Madeline returned, Operations realized why he no longer sent Madeline out on missions. He missed her terribly. She did not always have to be in his sight but the knowledge that she was just across the way in her office was comforting.

In the meantime, Michael was maintaining his split personality. Within Section he was quickly earning a reputation as a butcher. That was a serious accusation considering the make-up of the people within Section. At home, Michael was the mild-mannered young man who was deeply in love with his wife and his infant son. He laughed to see his son crawl, pull himself up, and then eventually walk. He enjoyed taking him for outings in the park or for adventures on the lake. He also was relentless in his search for his son's grandfather. Elena never really understood why Michael was so adamant about finding her father but she was supportive in every way. How Michael was managing to live these two separate lives was a mystery to everyone who knew about it, including Michael himself.

************

Madeline was in and out of Section for several months. She would come in only when necessary to profile operatives and to report her findings to Operations. Michael wondered what was up for a while but it did not take long for him to figure out that she was out recruiting again. Whenever she returned to Section she checked in with him to see how his mission was coming along. The detective that he and Elena had hired was still having no luck finding Vachek. Madeline seemed to be very concerned about Michael whenever she visited him. He wondered why.

Operations was having plenty of trouble keeping Michael reined in while Madeline was gone. She had always been better than he about controlling the operatives. Because Operations was not used to dealing with recalcitrant operatives he made an almost fatal error in judgement. He threatened Michael that if he did not start following orders again, he would harm Adam. Michael had no idea that Operations was just bluffing and he almost went off the deep end. He refused to follow orders and started taking more and more missions into his own hands. Operations prayed that Madeline would hurry. She would kill him in such unspeakable ways if anything happened to Michael while she was gone.

Madeline had been scouring the surrounding area. She knew she needed to find the perfect distraction for Michael. She knew that just anyone would not do. Throughout the years Michael had been in Section One, Madeline had made a habit of studying him. Since she had found out he was her son, she had spent even more time analyzing him. She knew that he was vulnerable where beautiful women were concerned. She had used this vulnerability against him in the past. This time she knew that this decision could mean life and death for Michael. He had become more stoic and frightening than ever and there was no grief to explain the problem this time.

Madeline knew that she needed to find not only a beautiful woman but one who could also be a perfect operative. The Agency would become suspicious soon about new operatives. She knew that this operative must be able to pass all Section and Agency standards. She hoped for all of their sakes, especially Michael's that she would be able to pull this mission off. Michael desperately needed a distraction within Section to calm him down and get his mind off of his family so he would not become too attached to Adam.

After a month and a half of searching, Madeline found someone she thought might work. She was exotic in her own sort of way. She was a street-person and Madeline knew she was quite alone. Madeline followed her around just watching for over two weeks. She observed her interacting with other homeless people. There was a vulnerability to this woman that Madeline could not quite put her finger on. She was very warm-hearted and friendly to others. Yet Madeline also sensed that she was a strong person who could fend for herself. Madeline also noticed that the young girl was very smart. Within a week, she had noticed that Madeline had been following her. She even smiled at Madeline occasionally acknowledging that she knew Madeline was there. Madeline believed that this woman just might be the perfect match for Michael. Smart, sexy, cunning, and loving in a rather vulnerable way. Madeline sent a picture to Birkoff to have her identified and contacted Operations to let him know he would soon have a new operative and for him to send the team she needed.

The next day a two-man team from abeyance contacted Madeline and she began to put her plan into action. Since her target was a street-person, Madeline figured she would be afraid of police. She had one operative dress as a policeman and the other as a common street-person. She placed them one night in an alleyway their target frequented. As the intended target walked down the alleyway, the two operatives began fighting. The operative posing as the street-person was bigger and heavier than the one posing as an officer. As the target neared, the street-person stabbed the policeman repeatedly with a knife. The target ran to help the fallen officer as the other operative ran away. The target had just picked up the weapon when the real police showed up. Madeline smiled at the surviving operative when he reached her, and she calmly shot him between the eyes. Madeline smiled again as she watched the target being handcuffed and taken away. She chuckled to herself, "We have you now, my Nikita. We have our solution for Michael."

*************

Madeline returned to Section once the trial of Nikita had taken place. She had had to place two operatives within the jury panel in order to ensure that the young waif was convicted. Even then she had thought herself rather despicable for this action but her Section training kicked in and she convinced herself it was "for the greater good". She had almost lost it and given up when she noticed how forlorn Nikita looked. It reminded her of the look Michael had given her when his conviction had been read. Before she did anything drastic, Madeline strengthened her resolve and once again became the Iron Maiden of Section One.

Upon her return, Madeline found that the ever-reliable Birkoff had placed a file on her computer which held any and all information she could possibly want on Nikita. The file made for some rather interesting reading. Nikita had been raised in the custody of her mother who was both a drunk and a drug addict. The child had put up with a succession of obnoxious boyfriends and from the look of their photos, Madeline was convinced she had been abused, mentally, physically and sexually. Definitely not the childhood she would prescribe for anyone. Even she herself had had a better life. But Madeline knew that this background would only be beneficial to Section One. She planned to use Nikita's need for a family and love to their advantage.

Madeline was snapped out of her reverie when the door to her office opened. Michael walked in. "You wanted to see me?" he asked. Madeline smiled, "Yes, come in, have a seat." Michael sat on the couch and Madeline came around her desk to join him. She took a few moments to pour him a cup of coffee and herself some tea. She smiled to herself as she realized how like Paul Michael was. "How is the Vachek mission coming along, Michael," she smiled at him. Madeline noticed that Michael hesitated before he answered her question. "We still have not found any trace of him. Any little suggestion made by the private detective turns out to be a cold location." "And how are Elena and little Adam?" "They are well, thank you for asking." Michael cleared his throat. "Elena asked me to give you this." Madeline raised her eyebrows as Michael fumbled with something in his pocket. He sheepishly handed her a picture of Adam. Madeline thanked him and asked him to convey her thanks to Elena. Michael had no idea how touched Madeline was with this gesture. She would treasure the picture of her grandson forever.

After sitting quietly for a moment, Madeline decided to get back to business. "Michael, you have asked me repeatedly to take you out of the mission cycle. I have decided to grant your wish for the time being. Your duties will consist of supervising and monitoring missions from Comm with Birkoff, and training new recruits." Michael blinked rapidly. "You're serious! Operations ok'd this?" Madeline smiled. "Of course he ok'd it, Michael. He wants to see how you cope in that capacity. You will have one more mission however. Here is the file of your first operative to train. She is in county lock-up awaiting transfer to the penitentiary. Assemble a team and bring her in. that will be all Michael."

An hour later Michael was sitting in his office. He had just read through the file three times. He sat in stunned silence, one finger absently rubbing back and forth over his lower lip. He had never had complete charge of an individual before. He had trained Simone but that had been with big brother Jurgen watching over his shoulder. How was he to reach this waif? From her file and her background, Michael knew that she would be extremely vulnerable. Would he be able to use that to Section's advantage? She had also survived on the streets for several years. Would he be able to get her to trust him> he laughed at himself. Who trusts anyone else within Section? You wouldn't survive long in Section if you went around trusting people. But strangely enough, Michael wanted this woman to trust him. He had no idea why.

Michael's mind wandered over to a different aspect of his new assignment. What kind of game were Madeline and Operations trying to play? This was the first time they had capitulated to his wants and needs. He knew they were up to something, he just couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. He would play along for now. He was becoming very intrigued with the workings of those two intricate minds. He was sure he could get inside on them if he just worked at it. Besides he was also very intrigued with this new recruit, this Ni-ki-ta. Interesting name he thought. I wonder what it means?

*************

Michael took the rest of the day to study the profile of his new "student". He realized that she was a very beautiful woman. He realized that Madeline intended her as a distraction but he did not want to let her know he was intrigued. He realized that Madeline had always used women in the past to manipulate him. At least this time he felt prepared for her games. He would not let himself get wrapped up in this new recruit. Who was he kidding? He had had to snap himself out of just staring at her picture several times that day. He knew he was hopelessly lost and he had not even met her.

Michael thought about how he would get Nikita out of jail. He knew that this was not his normal mission. He knew she would be frightened and he did not want her physically harmed. He was careful in choosing his team. He wanted to keep her protected. He decided to bring Walter, Simon and Terry with him. He needed a small force, for it would not be a very difficult mission. Simon would run communications for him. Terry would be a good female companion if needed. Walter portrayed the comforting father figure. All three were very reliable and he hoped loyal to him. They would follow orders and help him to keep Nikita protected. Michael still could not understand why he felt so protective of this young angelic-looking woman. He just knew he would give up his life if it were necessary to protect her.

Michael was extremely nervous as he watched his small team enter van access. He had briefed them each privately in his office rather than in the public briefing room. He had gone into minute detail with each about what their assignment would entail. All three were rather curious as to why Michael was so adamant about details until they were shown the picture of their target. Although the picture showed a rather ratty-looking urchin who was filthy and covered with body piercings, all three operatives saw the beauty underlying. They all immediately understood Michael's fascination with this creature. None of them spoke of it; in fact none even dared to smile at Michael as they realized his intentions. They all valued their lives too much to let him know they understood.

Ingress into the jail was extremely simple. It was so easy in fact that Michael wondered wryly how the people of the city sleep soundly at night if they realized how penetrable their local prison was. Once they had gotten in, the mission took on its most critical point. He wanted it to be simple. He wanted to just convince Nikita to come away with him. He realized from her file that she was leery of men, and he certainly did not blame her for it. He sent Terry in first to try to convince her to come with them. Michael and Walter stayed out of eyesight as Terry worked. She was not successful and came out of her encounter with a black eye, a split lip, and a fractured wrist. Michael was forced to do something he had hoped to avoid. He and Walter strode into Nikita's cell. Michael had expected the woman to start screaming. She did not. She simply cowered in the corner and waited for whatever harm the two men intended. Michael'' heart broke as he observed this resignation. Michael walked over to her and she flinched when he reached out to her. Michael looked back at Walter; the old man was wiping tears from his face. Michael turned surreptitiously away and wiped his own tears. Michael gently touched Nikita's face and smiled at her. "We are not here to hurt you. We are her to save you." He smiled again and pulled the hair away from her face. The young woman continued to tremble. Michael calmly reached out and injected Nikita with a drug to knock her out. He and Walter gently picked her up and began carrying her out. As they left the cell, Michael whispered, "cover egress Simon" into his comm unit

*************

The drugs Michael had injected Nikita with had her asleep for two days. Rather than placing her in Med Lab, which was enough to scare anyone including him, Michael arranged for her to have her own quarters. They were rather spartan but it was the best he could do at the moment. He arranged for the camera in her room to show up only on the monitor in his office. When he had told Madeline of his arrangements for Nikita, she surprisingly said nothing, only smiled cryptically at him and gave her ok.

Because he knew Nikita would not wake up until the next day at least, Michael decided to get Birkoff to monitor her and go home to check on Elena and Adam. He arrived home with a renewed feeling in his heart. He enjoyed a pleasant dinner with Elena and they laughed heartily as Adam happily tossed his food around the kitchen. After dinner Michael enjoyed an hour of watching Adam happily splash in the tub. Michael felt peace this evening, more peace than he had ever felt in his life. He had no idea why he was so peaceful but he knew it had something to do with his new recruit. After making passionate love with his wife, Michael could not sleep. He could not get Nikita off of his mind.

Michael spent the remainder of the night holding his son and rocking him in the nursery. He spent his time talking. He talked of his hopes and dreams for Adam. He talked of what he had wished for his own life. He apologized to Adam, for he knew he would never be around to see if those hopes and dreams came to fruition. As the hours wore on, Michael's thoughts again drifted towards Nikita. He described her to Adam. He conveyed to him the love and joy he felt when he was near her even though he had only known her for a few short hours. He told Adam of his hopes and dreams for Nikita also. He explained to him the process she would have to go through, as if he were practicing it in his mind. He also shared with Adam his hopes that no matter what he put Nikita through, that she would be able to remain with a heart and soul, the parts that he missed so much in himself.

It was a very sleepy and grumpy Michael who arrived at Section at five the next morning. He had not gotten any sleep and his voice was hoarse from talking to Adam all night. He sat in his office and attempted to get himself prepared mentally for what he must face soon. He must prepare himself to face the recriminations that would be hurled at him from Nikita. He did not delude himself into believing that this would not occur. It always did. No matter the demeanor of the recruit, they always fought their induction into Section One. Even he, the lapdog of Madeline and Operations, had bucked the system at first. It was an inevitable fact of life within Section.

He spent the rest of the day planning out the conversations and activities he would take Nikita through the next day. Around 10 a.m. he noticed that Nikita was beginning to stir. He knew that in about an hour she would awaken. He also knew that she would have a raging headache and the drugs would probably make her sick. He decided he would wait to confront her in the morning and he observed her as he continued his plans. He watched her awaken, stretching languidly. He took note of her agile and lithe body as she stretched. Already in good shape as far as Section standards were concerned. He watched her double over in pain and was empathetic towards her as she became ill. Michael had been injected with the same drug as he fought against Madeline and Walter taking him into Section.

That night Michael remained in Section watching his new charge. She spent her time pacing the room. She refused to eat the food brought to her, smashing the tray against the wall. She was so agitated that she actually began doing somersaults in the room. Michael had to chuckle while he watched her. He decided to awaken her at 4:00 a.m. to begin her first training session. There would not be many people moving around at that time and he could show her around without much interference. When he entered her room he could feel that she was awake even though it was dark. As soon as he closed the door she attacked. Michael was prepared for her attack and pinned her against the wall. While holding her there he felt her up and then kissed her sensuously and deeply. When she whimpered he took his hands off of her immediately and said to her, "as long as you do as I say, I promise never to do that to you again, until you ask for it." As she nodded slowly, Michael said, very coldly, "Come, we have work to do!"

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