"Cody, I want you to find some fresh new material. We still haven't gotten recruitment high enough to my satisfaction. Scan the prisons for all newcomers. You know the drill," Operations commanded. They were in the control room.

"Yes, sir," Cody, codename Cherokee replied.

Cody left to do her job. Operations turned to look at Madeline, who was standing beside him. "No activity?"

"None for the last day."

"There will be. I can feel it."

"Relax. You're so tense," Madeline said as she drew her hands over his gray sports coat and kneaded the muscles there. "You need to rest."

"I've gone on less sleep than this. You know that."

"Don't remind me." Madeline smiled. She looked down at the women in the corner laughing and having fun. They should be working, Operations thought, irritated.

As if she read his mind, and perhaps she had, Madeline said, "It's hard for them to work when there's nothing to do, no missions to go on."

Operations' gaze moved over the men on the other side of the room. They were having a grand old time, too. "There isn't anything for them to do either. Let them have their fun, or have you forgotten what it was like to be that age?"

"It wasn't that long ago."

"Yeah, sure." Madeline smiled.

"How is it you always seem to know what I'm thinking?"

"I know you. We've been together for over a decade. I know you, Operations."

"That you do, that you do," Operations whispered, a sly smile curving his lips. Madeline laughed lightly and gave him a kiss on his cheek. She left saying she was going to find out what 'her girls' were up to.

Operations watched Madeline reappear down on the floor below.

He chuckled as he remembered the first time they had met...

He had just come from Operations' office. He had lectured the young man on how to control the operatives, though that wasn't needed considering his experience in Viet Nam. As he wandered the halls a young operative came up to him and said that the new recruit was ready and was being held in Cell fifteen. Operations had told him all about this new recruit. He had read her file, had known how she had killed over a dozen people and not gotten caught, until a year ago. Now she was in Section One and Travis' resposibility.

He walked quickly to Cell fifteen. As he swung the door open, he heard the distinct squeak of the hinges, which never failed to cause goosebums to break out over his flesh. His first impression of Madeline Frayne was that she was lovely, stunning really. With her dark brown eyes and near black hair, she was the object of every man's dreams, or at least his.

Travis' second impression of Miss Madeline was that she was arrogant, prideful, and defiant. The tilt of her chin, the fire that burned in her eyes, and her tense and erect posture suggested that she could almost be a member of the royal family. She had a haughty air about her. He was definitely going to enjoy training this one.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"Section One, the most covert, anti-terrorist organization on the planet. We bring down the terrorists and criminals no one can get.

" "Sounds rehearsed. You like to say that little speech a lot, don't you?" Madeline asked. Operations gave a cold smile. "So why am I hear?"

"To serve Section One. Become an operative. You killed over a dozen people and you were caught. You were setenced to death by lethal injection. Unfortunately before the sentence could be carried out, you hung youself." Operations handed her a picture of her 'burial'. "You rest in Gateway Cemetery. Row five plot eight."

"How the hell did you do this?" Operations smiled that cold smile once again.

"My dear, we can do anything we please."

"What do you want with me?"

"You have a choice: you can train for two years to fight and shoot and if we are satisfied with your results then you will become a full-fledged operative, or you die. It's your choice."

"You can take you generous offer and shove it up your ass. Rot in hell for all I care!"

"Row five, plot eight." With that said Travis left her to ponder that and make her choice. Of course she had chosen training. Even then she wasn't stupid.

Operations shook out of his reverie and concentrated on what was happening down below. Madeline was laughing with the other women. Damn, but he wished he knew what they were talking about. He made a mental note to get Madeline to tell him what they had been talking about. He thought about his words. I know you, Operations. That you do, that you do, Madeline.

He hadn't been referring to his friendship, but rather their long affair all those years ago. They were just friends now, but the memory of their stolen moments had not dimmed in Operations mind and, he hoped, in Madeline's.

While Travis had been training Madeline, he had felt an attraction towards the hotheaded young woman. They had held it at bay for years after her recruitment. Operations had opposed their romance and so they had stopped it. But the passion they had shared was not forgotten. Operations turned his gaze to Nikita, noting how quiet she seemed in contrast to the excitement and laughter he found in the other faces. She was saddened about something, that much he could tell. Michael, he thought. What occurred in the war between Section and Red Cell.

He and Madeline had made the right choice. Michael and Nikita were to someday take over for them and they needed all the help they could get. This back and forth would make them long for each other and eventually they would come together. Their passion and the eventual fading of it would make them stronger, thus Section stronger. The two of them becoming lovers would bring them closer together, or at least that's what he and Madeline prayed for, and make them better leaders. As was in Operations and Madeline's case. Breaking out of his thoughts, Operations turned his attention back to the task at hand. He barked into the mic that playtime was over and for Madeline to meet him in his office in five. Back to work...

The End.