At the large table in Section One, the team assembled for the briefing. Seated around the table were Nikita, Birkoff, Michael, and Jurgen. The latter two stared at Nikita. She smiled at Jurgen and turned her shoulder to Michael.

Operations cleared his throat and began the briefing. "It seems someone has been leaking information to Red Cell from one of our CIA offices."

Birkoff explained. "We've traced it to one of our most secure computers. Someone hacked into it..."

"Someone from the inside?" asked Jurgen, in his gravely voice.

"Sort of," Birkoff answered. "We've traced the hacker to another government office outside the CIA. It's low level and not a security priority..."

"You sound impressed, Birkoff," commented Nikita.

"I am. Very. This guy had to bypass several very hairy security obstacles to get in."

"Do we know who it is, then?" asked Michael.

"It's one of two people in the office," responded Operations,activating the holographic screen.

The image of a man and a woman appeared side by side above the table. "Our target is either Scott Beck or his executive assistant, Jan Avery."

He clicked off the screen and looked at each face around the table. "You will determine which one of these people is our hacker and bring him back here."

Operations grinned at Nikita. "You'll be Mr. Beck's new secretary. It shouldn't be hard to get close to him, my dear."

His smile widened. "Apparently, Mr. Beck is into sexual harrassment as not just a sideline, but a full time job..."

"I can handle him," said Nikita with assurance.

Michael looked grim. Jurgen turned from staring at Nikita to stare at Michael appraisingly.

Michael longed to get him back into an empty room for another fight. Instead, he would have to put up with him on another mission.

"Michael, you and Jurgen will provide back-up," continued Operations. "You'll be in a near-by office. When Nikita signals you, bring our target in."

He looked around the table once again, daring them to ask questions. "Dismissed," he said.

On the way to the van twenty minutes later, Michael put his hand on Nikita's arm, hoping for a moment of privacy before Jurgen appeared.

"Nikita.." he began.

Nikita sighed impatiently. "I know, Michael. It's a mission, not a dream sequence..." Her expression was both hurt and defiant.

"That's not what I was going to say..." Michael's frustration increased when just then Jurgen came striding down the corridor.

Nikita looked up at Jurgen and smiled. They entered the van together. Michael reluctantly followed, pulling the door closed behind him.

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

Nikita wondered if she would have trouble getting close to her new "bosses", Jan and Beck. When she got to her new work place, she realised her assignment was going to be easier and less stressful than the ride in the van had been.

Michael and Jurgen had alternately stared at her, at each other, and at nothing. The few words that were exchanged had been between her and Birkoff.

She was relieved to be able to get out of the tension-filled van. Everyone but Birkoff was dressed for a day at the office. Nikita had on a cream colored suit and gold wire-rimmed glasses containing her comm unit. Michael and Jurgen were in suits as well; Michael in his usual black and Jurgen in dark gray.

Once inside, Nikita wondered why she had worried about making contact with their targets. It had been incredibly easy. Jan had greeted her warmly and was showing her around the office.

Jan was in her early forties with lively blue-gray eyes and short dark hair. She was small, lithe, and graceful. The only things that betrayed her age as being more than twenty-five were the strands of silver through her bangs which she did nothing to conceal, and the laugh lines around her eyes.

Nikita doubted someone so open and friendly could be hiding anything, let alone the fact that they were selling government secrets to terrorists.

Jan introduced her to her coworkers and showed her to her desk. "Now we'll go to the most important room in the place," Jan told her, smiling.

"Am I going to meet Mr. Beck now?" Nikita asked, sure he was their target.

"Heavens, no!" Jan laughed. "I'm going to show you where you can get some CAFFEINE! Let's go to the break room..."

The women entered the brightly lit room. It was filled with tables and vending machines. In one corner was the kitchen area with a stove, refridgerator, and the all important coffee maker on the counter.

Jan poured them some coffee. "Nikita, there's something I should warn you about.."

They were interrupted then when one of the employees, Peggy, stuck her head in the door. "I'm sorry," she said apologetically, "But Mr.Beck wants to see Nikita right now in his office." She looked scared.

Jan looked grim. "It's this way," she said, reluctantly walking with Nikita toward the office.

Michael and Jurgen looked at each other in the empty office across the hall where they waited.

Of the two, Michael was more upset about the idea of someone other than him touching Nikita.

Jurgen, reading his discomfort, said, "She can handle him.."

Michael nodded and stared back at Jurgen. "Shut up," he said.

Over their comm units they heard Nikita say,"You wanted to see me?"

"Come in, come in." Beck's voice was smarmy and falsely cheerful. A predator, Michael thought. He looked forward to taking him in and debriefing him.

"No, no," Beck was saying. "Sit here, close to me.."

"Do you want me to take dictation? Or work on the computer?" Nikita asked.

"No, my dear. My work doesn't involve dealing with the computer. Jan takes care of all of that."

Beck lowered his voice and said invitingly,"I just want us to get acquainted..."

A muscle in Michael's jaw twitched. The lack of dialogue for the next minute between the two in the office told him that Beck was making his move on Nikita, his new employee.

He balled up his fists and continued to listen.

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

Michael and Jurgen could hear them breathing heavily. Beck struggled to get his hands up Nikita's skirt, while Nikita struggled to control her urge to kick him where it counted and then break his arms.

Michael was thinking of doing worse than that to him.

"Now, now, don't squirm away from me like that," Beck said. Nikita responded with a frustrated whimper.

Michael stood away from the wall he was leaning against and started toward the door.

Fortunately for the lecherous Beck, just then Jan knocked on the office door and entered without waiting for an answer.

"Nikita," said Jan. "Personnel just called. They need to see you right away. There's a problem with your paperwork..."

Nikita disentangled herself from Beck's lap and stood up, straightening her skirt. "All right," she said, smiling sweetly at Beck. "See you later."

Beck smiled back and smoothed a hand over his receding hairline. He was oblivious to the fact that he had just escaped dismemberment by mere minutes. He was only aware of his frustration.

Michael had just crossed his arms and leaned against the wall again. He felt a warm feeling for Jan and the glitches of paperwork.

"C'mon, Nikita. This could take a while," urged Jan. "All afternoon, maybe..." She glared at the frustrated Beck, who glared back.

On the other side of the door, Jan turned to Nikita. "Are you O.K., Baby?"

The way she said "baby" was not demeaning or offensive. It was in fact loving and motherly. Nikita wished her own mother had spoken to her in such a tone.

"Yeah, I'm all right." Nikita smiled brightly.

Jan led her back to the break room. "Let me make you some tea," she said tenderly. "Here, sit down."

"What about Personnel?" asked Nikita.

"They don't need to see you. There's nothing wrong with your paper work. I made that up to get you out of there..." Jan explained.

"Thanks." Nikita looked up at her."He's who you tried to warn me about..."

"Yes, I'm sorry. Beck's a pig.." Jan shook her head. "I've tried for the past year to get him fired, or at least transferred where he can't work with women. But he has friends in high places. We can't touch him..."

Jan was more upset by Nikita's encounter with Beck than she herself was, Nikita realized.

She tossed her blonde hair back over her shoulder and said,"Have you tried taking out a contract on him?"

Jan laughed."I like the way you think! Cut right through all the red tape..."

"Could you get him for something else besides for sexual harrassment?" Nikita asked. "Hasn't he made any other mistakes in his work?"

"What work? He doesn't do anything in that office. Anything mental, I mean.."

"But what about all those computers in there?" Nikita pressed.

"He doesn't know how to even turn it on," Jan answered. "I do all that. Beck has only one functioning organ, and it's not his brain, if you get my drift.."

Nikita laughed.

Jan turned to prepare the tea as the kettle whistled on the stove. Nikita took the opportunity to speak softly into her comm unit. "It's just her, not Beck. Do you want to take her in now?"

"We're on our way," said Michael.

He and Jurgen crossed the hall to the break room. Jan turned as they entered. Nikita stood up behind her.

Both men looked at her and Nikita. Jan recognized the look in Jurgen's eyes. He had the same predatory expression as Beck's when he looked at Nikita. Michael's eyes held longing, but no menace.

"Come with us, please," said Michael softly.

Jurgen took a step toward her, pulling his gun. "Don't scream," he said.

Jan's eyes widened with fright. Misunderstanding their intentions, she stepped in front of Nikita, shielding her.

"Leave her alone! Don't touch her!" Jan cried.

Michael and Jurgen came closer.

She reached behind her to shove Nikita toward the door. "Nikita, run!" she urged, putting her hand on Nikita's arm.

Nikita grabbed Jan's wrist, holding her in a tight grip. Her eyes were full of regret. "It's O.K. Do what he says, Jan. Come with us.."

Jan, stunned, had no choice but to let herself be led out of the building. Michael and Nikita flanked her, while Jurgen pocketed his gun and followed behind.

They all walked in silence to the van.

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

Madeleine gave Michael and Jurgen brief instructions outside the interrogation room. "Good cop, bad cop," she said, looking first at Michael, then at Jurgen. They nodded.

"I don't think violence is necessary," Madeleine went on. "We know where her weakness lies..."

"Of course," said Jurgen with a little smirk.

Michael said nothing but was inwardly disgusted both with what was coming and Jurgen's obvious enjoyment of Jan's intended torture.

The two men entered the room. Madeleine returned to her office.

Jan looked up from the metal chair. She was strapped to it by her wrists and ankles. Her eyes were wide with fright and her breathing rapid.

"Who are you? What's going on?"

"We are Section One," said Jurgen. "We need to know why a nice woman like yourself is selling government secrets to Red Cell..."

She turned her head and looked away from him, saying nothing.

Michael bent his knees until he was eye-level with her, looking into her face.

"I suggest you co-operate with us." His tone was not threatening but almost pleading. "We know you did it; we just want to know why...."

Jan took a shaky breath and sighed, but said nothing.

Michael straightened, and nodding at Jurgen, took a step back from Jan.

Jurgen came forward, smiling, and very lightly placed one hand on Jan's cheek.

She flinched back away from him as if she had been burned.

Jurgen smiled wider and let his hand drift slowly across her collar bone to the top button of her blouse. She gasped when he ripped her shirt open.

"No!" She tried to twist away from him as he pushed the material away from her shoulders.

Michael's stomach turned as he watched Jurgen run his hands back up her arms to her throat again, smiling all the while. Jan's whole body trembled.

"When you're ready to talk, tell him to stop," Michael told her.

Jurgen's hands continued to roam over her. Jan's breath came in sobbing gasps. Even in her panic, a part of her mind noted that Michael seemed as repulsed by Jurgen as she was.

When Jurgen placed one hand on her knee and started moving it up her thigh, Jan cried out.

"Stop! Please!"

She looked up at Michael. Jurgen continued to caress her leg, still smiling. "No! Stop!" Jan said again.

Michael grabbed Jurgen's wrist and held it immobile.

"She said, 'Stop'." The men locked eyes. Jurgen nodded and stood up. He grinned at Michael one last time before opening the door and leaving.

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

Michael stared at Jurgen's retreating back until the door had closed behind him. Then he turned back to look at Jan.

Tears marked her cheeks. She was still crying, her breath coming in uneven sobs.

Michael released her from the restraints and she pulled her blouse closed and folded her arms across her chest, hugging herself.

Michael gave her a moment to get her breath,then asked, "Why were you dealing with them? For money?"

Jan looked down at the floor, her voice almost a whisper. "No, they never paid me. They said if I didn't do as they asked, they would kill my daughter.."

She took a deep breath and continued. "I guess I got their attention when I hacked into the sealed personnel files a few months ago to try to find something to use against Beck..."

She looked up at Michael. "They contacted me. I never approached them.." she said earnestly.

"We were not aware that you have a daughter.." Michael said. Their intel on Jan said that she had never had any children.

Jan nodded, and sighed. "When I was twenty-two, I was raped. He...he..." She sobbed and started again. "He use