Michael again walked pass Jurgen who slept in the bed on the platform, the man's snoring could be heard around the campground. He hurried to the grotto Nikita was sleeping in and the contrast of the cool cavern and the warm tropical forest sent goosebumps to Michael's shorts covered legs. He stood by the woman's bedside and watched her sleep, Michael's heart constricted with a bit of regret since he was not enjoying leading this woman on as much as he thought he would. If truth were known he was fighting his desires since he met her, cravings especially present when she threw herself at him with such impetuosity in a wanton disregard for all restraint.

His thoughts traveled to the time when the plans for this caper were hatched, the woman's innocence that now filled him with regret were the most convincing of reasons to go forward. She was extraordinarily rich, incredibly vulnerable and potentially perfect for their nefarious needs. And she was alone in the world, but for a good-for-nothing stepfather, which suited their purposes further.

The day Roberta passed away, Michael and his cohorts decided to pursue an idea born of their need to save the Gauging treasures. Of course, the fact that Paul approached Walter with his proposition to disrobe the woman of all her wealth added to their treacherous design, even though their plans were born of noble reasons. Nikita's enthusiastic response on her first visit to the museum made her the forerunning candidate for the now convoluted escapade.

---

She painted such a pure picture wearing one of his tee shirts and a pair of tiny panties with the image of a kitten where the broadest piece of cloth rested, that Michael actually licked his lips. Her hair fanning out on the terrycloth covered pillow like a hallo on an angel, the color – pure light. The rosy color of her cheeks and lips making the now defenseless all male Michael shiver with the desire he was reigning in since he met her months back.

She was beautiful, fragile and although he knew better having lived with her for over three months, he wanted to protect her, take care of her and of course most of all, have fun with her. His imagination was getting the best of him and he needed to act. Paul Wolfe was a formidable opponent and Michael was not going to allow him to beat him at this unintentional game - neither the girl nor the booty where going to leave Michael's side.

He knelt next to her, resting his knees on the discarded pillow she always threw on the floor and smiled, she was a woman of habits, some of which Michael learned to love. His proximity startled her and she awoke, her blue eyes wide opened and the light of the night-light Michael had rigged cast a wonderful shine to those orbs. At first she looked surprised then elated and finally it faced her that he did not do as she requested.

Licking her lips, she spoke, "Mykhol" she said sweetly savoring his name, then realizing where she was, "I asked you to sleep on the boat, why are you back here, is there anything wrong?"

"I have a bad feeling about this man Kee-tah." Michael whispered now sitting next to her on the edge of the bed. "I don't want you alone."

She sat up and smiled, "How unlike you Michael. . ."

Michael asked, "What?"

"Having feelings." Nikita asked, rubbing her hands on her face to make sure she was completely awake. "Never mind, what do you want to do?"

"I don't know, we need to formulate a plan." Michael answered wanting her to believe all ideas were hers, afterwards he would fine-tune her suggestions.

"Well for one you told him we were married, so we have to go from there. I think if my father did send him, then killing either one of us wouldn't serve his purposes. If we are married then what's mine is yours and vice versa." She said.

"True, they don't know what kinds of agreements there could be between us." Michael said, he held her hands in an unconscious desire to commune with this woman. "You could have put everything in my name already."

"Something that I could do anyway. . . without being married." Nikita said, her blue eyes dancing with intent.

"I told you that fortune is your father's legacy; don't be so quick all the time to dispose of it." Michael told her, his green eyes entering the dance floor where hers played.

She smiled and flirted with him openly, "I have something to confess."

"No Kita, you don't need to confess," Michael said, thinking to himself – like hell you don't and laughed remarking, "I am not a priest."

"You act like one at times." She said and kissed him quickly, "I have been in touch with my lawyers back home. Don't act so surprised, I did it through the phone you have hidden in the cushion." Nikita said and smiled again, bringing his hands to her mouth for a kiss. "Told them we were married and exactly where we were, just in case you got ideas or Paul got ideas."

"Wait wait, when did you do this foolish thing?" Michael asked concerned.

"Yesterday after the encounter with the apes. I was making sure that if something happened to me here, my money would go to you, not Paul. I think you would put it to better use."

"How can you be so trusting Kee-tah," Michael was touched by her naïveté, "Does Paul know where you are?" Michael asked concerned.

"Of course he does, he sent Jurgen did he not? And furthermore, we have always suspected there is someone in the company leaking Intel. Hell at one point I thought he sent you along to keep me at bay or worse yet." Nikita answered and he seriously shook his head, disapprovingly. "You have to agree Michael it is very coincidental that you show up on the same day my father has a group of people rob and try to kill me."

"Okay, I'll give you that much." Michael said, now lying next to her fully clothed. "Why tell them we were married, you could have said you were amending your will to include me?"

"I don't know who to trust. . . told the lawyers we made agreements that where with your lawyers." She said.

"How do you know who my lawyers are?" Michael asked.

"I had you checked out Michael, remember I trust no one. Wasn't it you who taught me that?" Nikita quipped.

"Touché." Michael answered.

She put a naked leg over his thighs, "Let's go to sleep, I am tired, I'll fill you in further tomorrow."

He turned to his side after removing his shorts and shirt and placing her leg back where she had put it, but now on his naked body. She saw his erection and smiled, "You want to?" He asked.

"Sorry. . . suffer! Do you know how many nights I've gone to sleep with my own ragging boner?" She asked him, he laughed.

"Kee-tah, women don't have. . ." Michael said, cuddling her in his arms, after shifting positions, painfully giving in to her charms.

"Don't be such a chauvinist Michael and go to sleep now." Nikita said and closed her eyes. "When we finally do it, we'll enjoy it that much more."

"You are being cruel." He said semi-jokingly.

"Yep. I learned that from you too." She said and moved to spoon with the frustrated man who held her firmly in a caress. "Good night."

"Good night." Michael said glad for the distraction his erection was causing him, he didn't want to sleep too soundly with Jurgen out there lurking in the dark.

////

Although the occasional sinister idea graduating into his subliminal spoiled Michael's sleep on this night, his rest was still more peaceful than the one he sampled nightly back in civilization. By the light of the newly risen sun, Michael awoke momentarily confused as to his locality and realized Nikita was not next to him on the bed they had shared the night before. He called out to the pretty blonde receiving no reply and he panicked, donning his board-shorts and tee shirt, he rushed out of the cavern placing flip-flops on his bare feet.

His assured walk took him quickly to the area where he could hear Nikita's contagious laughter sharing the ambiance with the piquant smell of fresh brewed coffee. The deep voice of Dr. Jurgen making the hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention, Michael knew a multitude of reasons not to trust this man. He watched silently as the pretty blonde entertained the tall man with stories of her childhood.

She noticed the handsome man standing by the clearing watching her exchange with the supposed scientist and smiled an epidemic grin, then shared a quick kiss with Michael once he approached the coffeepot. She moved sultrily, knowing well that two pairs of male eyes were watching her saunter with lusty regard. Michael realized that Nikita was on point on this mission to disarm the man that her father had sent to kill her or in the alternative bring her back.

"Good morning Jurgen," Simply stated by the always-polite Michael before he turned and greeted Nikita, "Good morning my love," and then he kissed her.

She wrapped her arms around his waist as he cuddled up to her, a forced display to show Jurgen they belonged to each other? . . .Don't think so. . . this was a true reaction by Michael who was glad that she was unharmed and by Nikita who was happy to get a kiss from Michael under any circumstance.

"Michael I was telling Jurgen that we are ready to return to society and asked if perhaps he could take us in his plane so we could finally travel back home." Nikita told Michael.

Michael was a little taken aback, the couple had not discussed this decision, were not married and thus not ready to face, ill prepared, an erratic Paul Wolfe. If Michael was going to be candid, he could honestly say that Walter was right in his assessment of the total improbability of a positive outcome to this objective. However, Michael was Michael and didn't allow his concerns to be known to others, so he would think of a solution to this conundrum.

Or. . . he could trust Nikita to know what she was doing, and suddenly this second choice didn't seem like such a bad idea, as long as he kept some control of the situation. Michael knew what he wanted at the end, he knew from the word get go that he was going to find obstacles on the road to success and he was ready to accept forks on that road. Nikita, as an example, her charm and beauty were one of those monkey wrenches thrown into the works, and Michael was living with these consequences, painfully every night.

Michael asked Nikita looking into her blue eyes, "So what was Jurgen's answer to your request?"

Michael was trying hard to discern Nikita's endgame and was also ignoring Jurgen who watched the couple while he relaxed drinking tea with cream. Nikita placed her head on Michael's shoulder while in a tight embrace and the close proximity to the green-eyed man insured her that everything would turn out fine. Michael on the other hand felt that holding Nikita somehow insured her safety because keeping her safe had become an essentiality for the handsome man.

Jurgen spoke not moving from his place on a rock, "I explained that I would be more than happy to take you both back, however I cannot do it before I am finished with my scientific research, and that will surely take at least another six to eight weeks."

"So I told him that we would continue working on the sailboat and hopefully finish before he left, or at least we would have the option of returning to the mainland with him." Nikita explained and winked at Michael before turning back to the outdoor-kitchen and asking her pretend husband, "Do you want breakfast?"

He moved to the table and peeled a banana saying, "Just coffee."

Jurgen asked Michael with a hint of a sarcastic tone, "Did you sleep well last night?"

Michael dried the coffee from his lips using his pinky and nodded answering, "Fine."

Nikita amusedly watched the alpha males scrutinize each other and rolled her eyes at the ludicrous scene. It was obvious that the men were each trying hard to mark their territory and she wondered why not whip out their dicks instead and urinate a perimeter line showing their dominion. The woman was surprised that with everything riding in this scenario either of the men would waste their time trying to show her who was in command.

She mumbled while handing Michael a piece of warm casaba bread, which she had learned to make with indigenous ingredients, "Men."

Michael heard her cynical remark and smiled, drawing her close again and kissing her nose saying, "So if we are going to continue working on the boat, we have a lot to do today and I am sure Jurgen is more than anxious to go to his monkeys."

Nikita held back a chuckle; the scientist was annoying at best, but she had received loads of affection from Michael since the man showed up. She was enjoying this side of Michael and kind of hoped that he would want to show Jurgen how really married they were. Michael was watching the woman intently as he wondered himself, how he was going to convince Paul Wolfe's envoy that the couple was indeed a couple.

"Well, I will be going to my 'monkeys' as Michael so aptly put it and will see you all later. Perhaps I can sleep here again tonight?" Jurgen asked standing to move.

"Maybe we can have a clam bake." Nikita enthusiastically suggested, "Michael makes the most incredible vichyssoise you've ever tasted Jurgen."

Jurgen asked the younger man, "How about it Michael?"

Michael answered, "My pleasure. We'll see you tonight then," and carried his coffee cup towards the path that would take them to the boat.

When Michael and Nikita arrived at the boat and were sure that Jurgen went the opposite way, Michael asked, "Clam bake?"

Nikita, not liking his tone reposted, "As soon as Frankie Avalon and Annette what's her name get here. . . what do you want from me Michael, I am doing the best I can."

"Kee-tah, let's not argue. . . one of us needs to follow Jurgen and see what he is up to." Michael suggested.

"I'll go, you better be working on the boat if he decides to come check us out." Nikita said.

The couple was whispering, even though they made sure that Jurgen had gone down a path that would take him to the base of the volcano, and the roar of the surf was deafening. Nikita and Michael discussed the procedures and options that where opened to them for about an hour as they moved supplies around preparing for a quick escape if the necessity came. When Michael came out of the head and before Nikita went to find Jurgen, he noticed a shinny object off one of the clusters of palm trees close to the shoreline. Perceptively he realized that there was someone, perhaps Jurgen, watching the couple. He approached Nikita who was vigorously polishing a rusted cleat with brass cleaner and whispered in her ear the news of his discovery – the couple was being watched.

///

Nikita gave Michael a knowing glance communicating the fact that she was also aware of Jurgen hiding in the brush, watching them work on the sailing yacht. He kissed her nose tenderly and noticed she was not wearing sun block. Her skin was warm with the heat of the sun, so Michael looked for some sunscreen and started applying it on all her exposed parts. Nikita's nose, her cheeks, her arms, her shoulders, the top of her legs, and so on, receiving the handsome man's undivided attention.

She watched his intent eyes perusing carefully every fragment of skin he covered with the concoction he previously prepared to guard her delicate skin from the harmful rays of the sun. As far as she was concerned, even though this incredibly complicated man was still a mystery to her, he was fascinating, beautiful and a truly upstanding man. Spontaneously she moved forward and captured his mouth in a tender kiss. His tongue wetted the lips lightly brushing imaginary dryness from its surface. He allowed the caress and returned the gesture, intensifying the exchange by stroking the side of her face with his cream covered fingers.

Michael seemed to ask for permission to continue the barter he had initiated and an acknowledging glimpse by the blue orbs licensed the demand. The handsome man and fate had deflated Nikita's hopes too many times already and she apprehensible eased into the embrace that followed. He watched her lips make the words that wound up disarming him, the profile he so carefully arranged dangerously in jeopardy if he was not careful.

"Michael don't play with me, please," She demanded while her blue ocean eyes moistened with the emotion of the moment.

For a second, for a moment in time the intense man decided to forget his purpose, his design and plunge headfirst into the rapids that was Nikita. He released the blonde mane from its containing ribbon and allowed her hair to cascade to the sunburned shoulders, like a curtain being drawn to mask her aspirations. Her eyes tightly shuttered, her lips playing carelessly with the tongue and the lips, all faint hints of her wishes, every move a subtle indication of her desires.

When she moved to touch him in a distinctively private fashion he stopped her hand and brought it to his lips, whispering, "Not here."

He moved her to the cabin below and she didn't balk at the slight interruption of their tryst. She understood that what they were about to experience was personal and should be accomplished in a sequestered spot only the two would share. All thought of whomever or whatever watched close by dissipated from the foggy lust filled minds of the two lovers. If Paul was coming, or if Jurgen was lurking or if Walter was calling they would all have to wait, this was Nikita and Michael's first communion, their sacrament of devotion.

-----

In the dry brush serving as ground cover in the mangroves near the beach, a serious Jurgen, devoid of his ridiculous Temple of Doom attire, set up his communications device. His intended audience a cantankerous Walter and an infuriatingly geeky Birkoff, whose whole purpose for being seemed to be critiquing Jurgen's modus operandi. He wished the Morse code were still used so he wouldn't be subjected to the craggy face or the pimply one as they advised in their distorted voice their need to brief Paul before ending the call.

It was always the same with those two, so Jurgen was quite surprised when Paul Wolfe sent a message basically telling the man to stand down for now. Jurgen scratched his sweaty head, moving the toupee a tad and asked the somewhat warped image of Seymour, "And what does he mean by that?"

Walter's picture entered the screen, his smirk trying, as well as his words, "You call and tell us that the 'happy couple' is doing the horizontal mambo and you want Mr. Wolfe to spell out what he wants. Man, leave them alone, let them enjoy their quickie, go play with a monkey or two and give Paul's daughter her space." Walter moved to disconnect the communication but said first, "For now. Let them go find you when they are finished playing hide the Italian meat products, or in Michael's case the French baguette."

"Insufferable twit," Was all Jurgen said to the wind rustling the palm tree tops, as he packed his electronics and moved further inland to lay on the hammock under the tarp top.

///

The sensual tryst ended for the fulfilled couple when the sun started to set in the visible horizon, the orange fire disappearing into the dark blue sea. Michael's mouth, even after finding Nirvana several times in Nikita's arms, rested on her bare chest as his lips continued nuzzling the woman's breasts. She was expecting the union to be perfection and flawlessness, and it was. So now her content chin rested on his handsome head as she continued indulging on the delicious oral caress and wondered how long would the bliss last.

The wonders of paradise were present in the yacht that day. His emotional demonstrations of need so out of character, so unadulterated and pure that they moved the woman to tears. Her love filled illustrations of devotion, although scaring the man with its clearness and transparency, could obviously set him down a path that would bring him to total bliss in his empty life. She was aware that it would take much more than a quick roll in the hay for the man to see that euphoria, tranquility and fulfillment could only come from her. She wondered how long perfection would be perfect.

Michael was hungry to receive love; he was starving to give love to the one that would steal his heart. Nikita without making a big deal of it did just that and Michael was scared half out of his mind with that notion. He was, although still holding on to the woman with all his might, aware of his emotional turmoil. He was also sure that pushing her away from his feelings and destroying the silly notion she had of him as a man would keep him safe in that paralyzed world of his. He wondered how long before he pushed happiness away to wallow again in self fulfilling prophesies of loneliness.

"Kee-tah," Michael said removing his mouth from her nipple and kissing it once more lightly before continuing, "I am sorry, I don't want to hurt you." He was torn, not wanting to stop loving, needing and being needed, but knowing that he must.

Nikita's antennas raised with his timorous statements, she knew what would follow the apology and smiled a bitter smile, "Don't be, I don't expect this to be much more than a hell of a good time." She swallowed worried that her voice would break and he would see her pain, "You have made your feelings painfully clear time and time again."

"I want to explain," he said, "I live my life. . ."

"Don't. Don't explain Michael, that would hurt me and you said you didn't want to hurt me. Let's just enjoy the remaining of our time together and then, if you don't want to help me anymore, then so be it. I'll understand. We'll always have this day."

"Kee-tah." He said and she kissed him hard, "I won't abandon you."

"Thank you, that is a great relief. Let's get dressed and go find Jurgen, god knows what he is up to." She wanted to run and hide but she felt sorrier for Michael that for herself.

They dressed in silence; he in chaos, she in pain. The tryst that was much more than a quickie a second before, quickly turned into sheer agony for both. When they left the cabin, the sound of a helicopter could be heard approaching. They turned to watch the point of light nearing the beach and its diameter increasing in size. Jurgen, accompanied by several other men, waited for the aircraft by a platform near the water.

"Shit," Nikita said turning to the man with a questioning glare, "Michael. . . are you with me?"

"Remember Nikita, I've got your back," Michael told her smiling a sad smile and kissed her lightly on the lips, he advised, "Focus."

///

Paul Wolfe descended from the helicopter accompanied by a bevy of lawyer-types, all ridiculously attired in their suits and ties while stepping with their wing tipped shoes on the soft sand of the beach. Their faces somber and absorbed, their silence deafening and contrived, the results amusing to the totally relaxed pair that did not even wear shoes and stood in an inch of salt water. Nikita holding on to Michael's hand while the handsome man took the lead and held her immobile, as if commanding those arriving to come to the stoic pair and not the other way around.

The scene was designed to obviate the emergency of the visit. Here was Nikita hiding like a runaway teenager, without caring about the distressed stepfather or the concerns of her real life and embracing felicity instead. Images of the resent tryst and the realization that she still didn't know Michael's true essence, coupled with the violation of her fairyland, taking its toll. She was not afraid, she repeated to herself as the group proceeded towards the couple standing side by side.

Nikita recognized some of the members of her board of directors and wondered who was keeping the empire running while so many congregated in Gauguin's paradise. Michael held Paul Wolfe's gaze with contempt; the man deserved no recognition given the information that Nikita had relayed to Michael about the man. Her stepfather's actions towards Nikita abhorrent, especially given the man's conduct after her father died.

Michael speculated about how much leeway Nikita was going to allow him in dealing with the situation at hand and in the face of those here present wondered further whether she was going to take the lead instead. He hoped she would deal with things herself, especially her stepfather, for this course of action would help her with the emotional healing she needed to complete. But then, Michael never saw Nikita officiating as the principal of her own financial concern and he was about to be pleasantly surprised with her business savvy.

She moved forward, a bit putout by the invasion of privacy and stated nonplused, "I am confused that you all decided to crash my honeymoon. What happened, are you that angry that I didn't invite you to the wedding?"

No one answered her off-the-cuff reprimand, least of all Paul Wolfe so she continued, "Meet my husband, Michael Samuelle, and now please excuse me, I need to speak to my father in private."

When Michael, Nikita and Paul moved away from the group, she stated, "There is no pre-nup daddy dearest."

Paul Wolfe scolded, "Nikita this has nothing to do with pre-nups or marriages, we are here because we were concerned about your sudden disappearance and your silence. I have been out of my mind with fear about your safety and wanted to cross every 'T' and dot every 'I', before I took my rightful place as head of Section One. You can imagine a company cannot be left to drift like your little boat here, with no one at the helm?"

"I don't understand why the concern father routine, given that Dr. Jurgen was here and surely reporting back to you." Nikita snootily replied and then added, "Was it the news of the marriage that sent you into a tail spin?"

"I am not going to dignify that with an answer." Paul Wolfe said, but added, "Why should your marrying a wealthy man such as Michael upset me? Especially now that we know he is Paul Gauguin's rightful heir."

If Nikita was shocked, Michael didn't see it given that she recovered quite nicely, "You do know that I signed an agreement as to the Master's Estate?" And then matter of factly, "Everything else you stated is almost as ridiculous as the silly burglary of our art – you must know by now they were all fakes."

Paul nodded and Michael internally smiled, she had thrown out a lie about Gauguin to test the water and Paul had fallen for it, for there was no marriage and no agreements, just hope for the discovery of moles among the pack. Nikita's ruse about the fakes - brilliant. Michael did regret that Nikita had found out about his family tree among the ruins of her own. He stroked her shoulder reassuringly and she relaxed in his touch; Paul Wolfe noticed the obvious bond between the two.

Nikita continued, "But this isn't about Michael is it? This is about you, me, Section One. You lost command when you greedily became out of control, my father's legacy will not be compromised Paul, not on my watch."

Michael again was proud of Nikita; he'd joined her in her ride to add whimsy to his own search for true allies. He had gathered enough evidence against Madeline, George and Adrian to cancel their place in his life even before the adventure commenced. But, as always Michael's knight in shinning armor persona had surfaced at seeing the damsel in distress picture Nikita depicted along her own journey. Now, seeing that the pupil surpassed the mentor, it was time to let her fly and go back to concentrating on his own affairs.

"Then, if you two plan to save the Gauguin's assets, what are you still doing on the island playing Gilligan and the Professor? Paul sarcastically asked, "I am told that time is of the essence."

Michael had not opened his mouth or for that matter made a sound; he watched Nikita's father being admonished by the magnificent woman like a child in detention. However it was his turn to interject, "That is my concern alone."

Paul was shot-down and didn't say another word, Nikita was equally aware that indeed this whole charade, whatever the reason, was Michael's game plan and she was just a willing pawn in his silent game. So she figured she needed to take care of her own situation instead and understood now where Paul stood, where her alliances lay and what her course of action should be. After all Michael had been right when she first set off in this little adventure, this was her father's legacy to protect at all costs.

She now questioned her stepfather's reluctant entourage and terrified the board members with her controlled anger towards this incursion into her private life. Signing documents, giving orders and totally in charge, the woman moved from task to task with authority and command. On her return from the island she would make the necessary changes, cut the necessary deals and finally take command of her destined legacy. Growing up was hard, adulthood had its price and Nikita realized that the actions of our parents always affect us, even if we refuse to accept them at the start.

After transacting the business tasks that brought the visitors to her, Nikita emphatically stated, "Now you can leave, and please take Jurgen with you."

She held on to Michael who smiled a Mona Lisa smile, and sarcastically bid Jurgen and her stepfather good bye as she watched them board the huge helicopter and leave paradise lost. Nikita turned into Michael's embrace and began to cry. He was confused and moved and very proud and sad for they both knew the time to go back was now. She didn't expect anything from this serene man, not even the truth.

So Nikita asked, steadying her voice, "Do you think the yacht is ready to set sail Michael?"

"Yes," he whispered, "we can leave tomorrow morning if you like."

She looked at him, raised her shoulders and said, "Fine."

Michael watched Nikita run away towards the cavern behind the waterfall and sighed saying to no one in particular, "That's my line." He then called after her, "Nee-kee-tah, we need to talk."

She didn't turn, not even when he breathlessly approached her, "I found out about the Gauguin legacy long ago." She stopped, turned and watched Michael's iron mask melt in the warm breeze of the dusk.

She spoke, her voice broken with the tears of remorse, "Michael, you don't owe me anything, please don't..."

Michael interrupted, stroked her arm and shuttered his eyes, "Please Kita, this is hard enough. . ." Michael had yet to learn the lesson that confession is good for the soul.

////

The evening was tropics' hot with the warm breeze from the ocean crashing against the steam of the forest, and yet Nikita felt a chill envelop her abbreviated clad body. She trusted no one with her heart or mind at this moment in time, least of all the man who now called to her. Michael had broken her heart. She understood that she caused the man's advances through her unending pursuit of the handsome man, but she rationalized that his capitulation to her overtures was simply a weakness in his part. How could he have gone so far; their lovemaking would surely interfere with her well-laid plans and he didn't even like her that much.

She knew nothing about this man, nothing about his truths, and nothing about his life. But then slowly Nikita started to realize Michael shouldn't carry the whole burden on his own. She forgot her misuse of his friendship for Michael lent her a friendly hand and she chose to place it on her groin instead of her mind. She then further overlooked the glimpses into his heart that he constantly allowed.

Moved by his masculine beauty, she manipulated him to help with her plan, using him as a sailing companion, a sounding board, a pawn to her game of uncovering Paul and even as her security detail. Now that it was time for her artifice to end, and irritated by her stepfather's infringement on her misguided plans, she was angry and lashing out at the only being that was nearby. But deep down inside, Nikita knew that she loved him and she also knew she couldn't force him to love her.

Michael approached her with a heavy heart and a heavier conscience. Even though she threw herself at him, Michael felt he should have not allowed her exuberance to disarm his propriety. Her magnificence won over his good sense.

Michael interrupted Nikita stroking her arm and shuttering his eyes repeating, "Please Kita, this is hard enough. . ."

Nikita little by little was allowing her better judgement to return and was slowly seeing the goodness that made up this man. He was conflicted, she could see it in his face and her heart broke a little more. What a terrible mess. . .

"I am a very rich man, and although some say I have attractive attributes. . ."

Nikita started laughing, her tears magically replaced by joy. She was moved beyond believe by this man who was so unaware of how terrific he was, "Attractive attributes Michael? Is that all you have been told you posses?"

"Kita, please, let me. . ."

"No Michael, let me. You are as you say - a very rich man, and as you well know money makes people very attractive. But I would dare to remark that if you were penniless, you would still be enchanting. Honestly, with those eyes, that hair, that ass, the voice, the accent, the lips, the strut, the charm. . . yes Michael you could be poor and somehow I could see women throwing themselves at you." She allowed him to kiss her eyes with the alluring green gaze of his beautiful orbs. "Your strength of character and your intelligence make you irresistible."

"What I was trying to say was that because I have all this money, sometimes I am a little jaded to the people around me, so I don't trust easily."

"I noticed that."

"And I get bored. You came into my life at a moment when tedium led me to help my mentor Walter find a band of thieves."

"Who, my stepfather? I'm confused."

"Of course you are confused, you are not letting me finish." He said still in total control of his apparent calmness. "We didn't find out about your stepfather's role in all this until the night of the heist at your home."

"But that kid said. . ."

"Birkoff, he works with Walter, he is one of us. Listen please, Walter who has been working with me for years, was working for the Gauguin Foundation to find the Gauguin heir, if there was one. Of course he started by contacting the Museum run by George and Adrian and their daughter Madeline."

Michael and Nikita moved back into the yacht, the couple too stressed to rough it any longer decided to spend their last night on the island in the comfort of the repaired sailboat. In the morning they would contact Walter and have him send Michael's plane to retrieve the couple and take them back to civilization. Not speaking because they were busy with the preparation of their bunks, which Michael had removed at their arrival on the island, and used as their beds while in the cave, the couple worked in tandem.

Nikita finally pleaded, "Please Michael I need you to explain what I'm missing here. Oh God my father's legacy is at stake, I don't want to let him down, all the bull sh*t I told you about letting Paul take over was a lie. I promised him, I promised my father. . . I need your help." She cried.

Although Michael was a man of few words and his involvement so far was nothing more than a diversion from what he perceived as his humdrum existence, riveted he placed a hand on the woman's face. Comforting the beauty he mumbled, "Let's call Walter."

Nikita took out the wireless computer her Board of Directors left with her in order to communicate with them during the return voyage home. Michael's computer savvy somehow achieved an up-link to Walter, his old face now projected on the screen. After the customary salutations and Michael's explanations of her need to know what was going on, the old man addressed her, "Sugar, I brought Adrian, George and Madeline in to help with Paul's caper."

Nikita gasped, "Caper, you mean my stepfather has a detailed plan to derail my company?"

Walter answered slowly, "We are not sure about that yet." He swallowed, "I am sorry for the poor choice of words, let me explain it better. We think - Michael and I - that Paul wants control of what he believes is his to begin with. Your stepfather told Madeline time and again that he started the business concern with your father and therefore he should be in charge and not you."

Nikita groaned, "Madeline?"

Walter answered, "Look Sugar you brought them together; she is a barracuda. Madeline romancing Paul is a side mission that we have yet to understand."

Nikita, tearful blue eyes glued to Michael's worried green ones inquired, "Why them, why bring them into my life?"

Walter asked, "You mean George and Adrian?"

Nikita answered exasperated, "Yes Walter! Adrian, George and of course Madeline, who the hell are they and why did you bring them into my life?"

Walter said, "Michael can probably answer that better than me, but suffice it to say that when Paul approached me asking for help in regaining the industry, I was in the middle of another project. . ."

Michael added, "Locating Gauguin's heir."

Walter nodded, "Let us say that George and Adrian have an askew conception of their intent to preserve the Master's paintings." Nikita listened and little by little her self assurance and resolve returned, "And they believe that stealing the art that would otherwise be destroyed if the heir remained missing, would be the only way to salvage it all."

Nikita mumbled, "For this scheme they needed Paul and his money, which I control."

"Exactly." Michael added.

Nikita, more animated now, and still unable to keep her mouth shut said, "I liked Madeline, I thought she would be good for Paul and I was never going to leave him destitute. The Board placed me as its chairperson." And then added, "My mother already destroyed Madeline's hopes of getting money from the family with the lawsuit and all that; could this be her reason for her thirst for revenge?"

Michael took her hand, and answered, "Probably."

Walter continued, "Sugar, Paul didn't think you would allow him to invest in the expedition to find Gauguin's heir."

Nikita smiled, "And he was correct, let's face it."

Michael interrupted, "However you were willing to help George and Adrian with this endeavor. Why?"

Nikita turned to Michael and smiling broadly said, "Because I have a good head on my shoulders. Tell me again why you are involved in this Michael?"

Walter interposed, "I'll answer that. He was bored, I guess making money and breaking hearts is not entertaining enough."

Michael scolded, "Walter."

Walter smiled as did Nikita and he continued, "Michael was going to help me stop George, Adrian and Madeline. We didn't know who was financing the group's infamous activities until we found the connection to Paul Wolfe and thus assumed your stepfather. . ."

She interrupted again, "That is where he has been putting all his money?"

Michael added, "No Nikita, the loss of his money and your mother's fortune, may be the reason he started down this path."

Walter added, "And when Michael realized that you were in danger he decided to step in."

Nikita turned to Michael, a sweet perplexed look in her beautiful face, "But you didn't know me, why would I matter to you?"

Walter again, "I knew your father in Vietnam, we all served with Michael's father, a French Intelligence Officer over there."

Nikita peered at Michael, compassion in her face while Michael added, "I met your father at my parents' funeral, he was very kind to my sister and me."

Walter sneered, "Yeah, he warned Michael against that Nightmare Simone." As Michael was about to again castigate Walter, the connection started to deteriorate. The screened image of Walter faltering until finally the provider kicked them offline.

Nikita smiled and remarked, "A nightmare? YOU had a bad relationship?"

Michael moved closer to Nikita and commented, "Kee-tah, you make me sound non-human. Of course I have been hurt, and taken advantage off and even been manipulated. . ."

She mimicked a key securing her lips as she shut her mouth with a pout but first said, "Sorry Michael, I won't interrupt again; go on."

Michael spoke slowly, his eyes glued to her pursed lips, "I needed a distraction, and making another million didn't seem to fill my void. I believed that this woman," and seeing Nikita's wide-eyed look, he added almost smiling, "whom I'll tell you about later, was the one."

Nikita couldn't help but prattle, "She was not the one? I thought you didn't want to get involved with anyone? Is that the reason why? I am sorry you have not found the one. . ."

Michael stunned Nikita silent when his lips locked into her gaping ones, after saying, "Damn it Nee-kee-tah. You are the one, now let me finish."

\\\\

During their last night in Paradis Nikita and Michael consummated their love for each other in the most enjoyable of fashions – repeatedly. They gave each other the pleasures of the gods, a constant supply of perfectly timed passion. They received from one another the luxury that exclusively comes with voluptuous rapture, a kind of perfection achieved only in fairy tales and dime-store novels. From the crepuscule of their final evening to the aurora of their initial morn, they held each other in a storybook way, arms and legs, hands and feet, toes and fingers undistinguishable from the others. Michael and Nikita would be one throughout eternity.

Before noontime the couple finished securing the island, guaranteeing that their paradise would remain unaltered for when they needed to escape the rigors of their day-to-day lives back in civilization. Of course the insatiate Nikita cajoled the always-willing Michael to partake with her in one more 'nooner' before starting their return journey home. The always-obliging Michael, in his perpetual accommodating way, rocked Nikita's world with a series of spontaneous impulsive and provocative creations. The blonde beauty appreciative as all hell, in turn, devastated the man's well rehearsed composure with a few original moves of her own.

The preparations for the journey commenced, charts were plotted, weather checked. . . 'Halt' what was that swirling bleep on the Doppler Radar and between paradise and reality? Could it possibly be a hurricane with its whites, reds and yellows symbol marring the greens and blues of the electronic tracking map? Could the enormous eye, in the shape of a 'comma', perceivably be moving any slower or possibly be any larger? Michael and Nikita needed to make quick decisions to insure their own safety and to keep anyone from venturing to retrieve them and thus putting everyone in further peril. The solution was simple enough, a quick call to Walter and any information that needed communicating would immediately be laid open to them. Walter being Walter, was already ringing the couple to bring them current on the state of the weather affecting them.

"Michael, the Hurricane Center and NOAA advised that there is a monster of a storm coming your way." Walter paused and receiving no comment from the taciturn Michael so he continued, "A cargo plane could land in the larger island in a matter of 7 or 8 hours. You could then board an incoming speed boat from your island to the plane, and you guys could be home in 19 hours, give or take an hour or two."

Michael sighed and looked at Nikita who was manually plotting their course on a spread out paper chart and shaking her head at the prospect of crossing the weather barrier she could spy displayed on the electronic media. Michael made a learned decision and advised Walter of their contingency plans, in his always-unruffled way, "Walter we are going to ride out the cyclone here in a cave, which is on high ground and will be safer than venturing out to sea. The yacht will be tied down as best as we can manage to secure it, crisscrossing the lines and allowing it little movement so it doesn't rip the ropes from the cleats."

Walter laughed, although both Nikita and Michael who were listening to the man's gravely voice through a speaker, could hear hesitation and a bit of apprehension coming from the old coot, "And the damn boat is probably insured by My Sugar," and then thinking further, "Are you sure?"

Michael who did not want to waste any more precious time, answered, "Yes," summarily ending the GCD transmission.

----

Carrying supplies they did not already house in the deep cave high on the mountain in the center of the island, Michael and Nikita moved as one while seeking refuge from the rapidly approaching storm. The couple long before had prepared the room in the rock formation with all kinds of creature comfort, even though everything was relatively primitive given their location. Already the driving rain soaked their cooling bodies, for the piercing incessant water was at least 10 degrees Celsius less that the rain they experience on the island so far.

Deep inside the cave, and away from the only entrance and exit, the couple could hear the angry wind whistling a hideous tune, distorting the familiar tones of the balmy breezes. The rain pelted the rocks as though it wanted to mutilate some sculpture that offended it. The combined force of the rain and the wind terrified even the most seasoned of outdoorsman. The fury of the storm gave proof that a higher power had command, and once in a while, 'He' rattled our cages in order to insure acknowledgement of his heavenly powers.

The cacophony of sounds maddening for minutes that seemed more like hours then quietly allowed the steady sheets of rain to attack the surrounding terrain consenting the hiatus seemingly taken by the disproportionate gusts. The wind flirted desperately with the leaves of the trees, stroking carelessly the long luscious mane of the Royal Palms that even balding stood proudly although bending at times. Branches broke off the trees from the weight of the water, or the pounding of the wind, its wooden trunks splitting savagely into pieces, becoming projectiles surely capable of inflicting un-repairable harm.

The fruits of the tropical plants falling carelessly to the ground, which in turn swirled like dust and not thick brown peat. The blossoms, not yet ready to bloom, somehow pushed by the change of barometric pressure flowered with amazing colors and replaced the ravaged greenery from the remaining flora. The white and toast colored sands being eroded and the coral formations torn off in chunks, changing the face of the pretty island forever. It seemed as though nature had taken some hallucinogenic drug that made her act in an unusual manner and she was enjoying pulling pranks, albeit dangerous ones, on an un-expectant landscape.

Michael and Nikita insured their underground chamber was secured from any wildlife that would want to evict them from the safe environ they created. A large bonfire in the middle of the cave afforded them warmth, protection, light and cooking ability. The water flowing rapidly and in a flash flooded the valley below the mountain and caused mudslides off the side of the hill that housed their rock walled cave.

The disquietude Nikita felt at the strength of the storm was appeased by the attention to detail Michael seemed to lend to every project. It was going to be a long night, but the couple would weather the hurricane with aplomb and a certain amount of lust filled acceptance. Having sex in the middle of a storm of this magnitude was a first even for the active and ingenious Michael and Nikita, but then – there always had to be a first time for everything.

////

Paul Wolfe, dressed in a pewter color Armani suit and monochromatic charcoal shirt and tie, entered the opulent boardroom at Section One's headquarters. The radical room with its stainless steel paneled walls and opaque glass ceiling to floor windows and doors screamed tasteful newly rich. Seriously dressed individuals occupied space at the espresso wood conference table, which sat 26 comfortably around it.

The cushy kid-leather chairs seemed to swallow most of the elderly gentlemen who looked dwarfed while sitting in them. The absence of women, including secretaries and clerks noticeable, even the butlers standing by to serve coffee and pastries were men. But the art on the walls depicted bare-breasted women wearing puissant jewel tone saris and deeply tanned skin.

Without saying a word even in greeting to those sitting around him, Paul took a remote control from the table in his right hand and pointed it at the space before the men, silently clicking it. A hologram screen with a direct connection to NOAA appeared and floated before everyone. The translucent display of curvy lines and bright colored arrows and circles was an obvious map to some weather-related announcement.

The whole digital display superimposed over a projection of the ocean and chain of islands Nikita and Michael occupied the last time these men had news of the couple. The men individually thought back to either their visit to the paradisiacal coves or remembered the reports those who visited Nikita brought back to the boardroom. The group in their entirety loved the blonde and respected her vision and determination to continue her father's dream while bringing the company into the 21st century.

Paul spoke to the hushed room, the coffee cups and half-eaten croissants forgotten as the white hair man whispered, "This is the last report we have received from the Hurricane Center on the cyclone. It doesn't look very hopeful, 55 feet swells are humanly impossible to sustain."

He continuously clicked the remote and the images changed, to the horrified mumbling from the gathered group, Paul's comments uttered in a monotone. The category 5 storm depicted as a 150 mile per hour wind and water funnel enfolded the tiny islands devouring them in their entirety. Everyone understood there was no chance of surviving such a devastating tempest. Paul explained that it would take days to reach the landmass, never mind demand that an official reconnaissance team investigate the inlet for survivors.

Although genuinely disconcerted by the turn of events and the probable loss of his stepdaughter's life, Wolfe was not going to allow this opportunity to go unheeded. Paul suffered tremendously by the unmitigated audacity of his former partner to put his daughter in charge. Nikita's stepfather invested too much time and effort into regaining the chairmanship of the board of directors and he was not going to give up in his fight for command.

Paul Wolfe added softly and with tremendous emotion, "Unfortunately business decisions wait for no one and we need to discuss the purchase of the. . ."

Nikita's right hand man Mick Schtoppel, stood abruptly, he was furious at Paul's insensitive and obvious move. "Mr. Wolfe, with all due respect, you were present when we received direction from Ms. Wirth that was to be enforced during her absence. We will continue a business as usual approach for now, but we will not make any decisions or take any actions until Ms. Wirth is either found or declared deceased."

Paul was incensed at this man's disruptive behavior but taking a look around the room brought him to the realization that he must follow the man's request and pray for the worse, "Okay, I will keep you informed."

The suited men stood and filed out of the room, one at a time, not saying a word, the mood still quite somber as if everyone was deep in contemplation of the news they'd received. Paul Wolfe remained behind in the now empty conference room; his slim tall body slumped on the closest chair to where he stood moments before addressing the Board of Directors of Section One. No matter what he did or stumbled upon, the rise to Chairman of the Board was not coming easily and he cursed his former partner and blasted his former wasteful self.

---

Meanwhile across town and in a similarly appointed boardroom a ponytail jean clad man addressed the U.S. National Hurricane Center through a direct phone line. Walter's no nonsense demeanor and friends in high places access made his mission – to find Nikita and Michael, as good as done. He was upset and ready to do what was necessary to achieve his endgame, and this made him highly inspired.

Walter spoke into the receiver, "So what you are telling me doctor is that if Michael and Nikita managed to get into the cave that Michael told me about there is a 98% chance that they are riding the storm in marginal safety?"

After he received a convoluted long answer from the meteorologist Walter added, raising his voice, "Damn it man, don't talk to me about bands and highs and lows, electrical discharges or barometric pressure, just tell me there is a chance that they are safe?"

Again Walter spoke after a moment of silence demonstrating he was listening to an answer from the Ph.D. that was not satisfactory to the man resting his booted feet on the sleek ebony topped table. "Since I can't seem to get a straight answer from you, could you give me a ball park figure then as to when we can go into the island or at least look at it on the satellite feed?"

///

The interior of the cave that the drenched couple occupied seemed somehow secure to an otherwise apprehensive Nikita. She surmised that the water covering the cavern's walls was probably from the storm outside their shelter and not a natural phenomenon. The driving rain fell outside in a horizontal fashion and thus entered the mouth of the cave with a force that further scared the already anxious woman.

Nikita decided to ask her companion about the security of their refuge and hopefully find some comfort in his response, "Michael are we really safe?"

Michael was also concerned because the wind was picking up, the rain was falling in sheets and the wet earth from the mudslides was washing pass their sanctuary as if it was a raging river. He didn't want to frighten the lovely woman further, but he also didn't want to mislead her either, and the situation outside was getting worse by the minute. Thinking fast on his feet, he did the next best thing he could think of doing to appease Nikita - he changed the conversation to one of her favorite subjects – Gauguin.

Michael moved her surreptitiously away from the entrance to the cave by resting his strong hands on her waist and stirring her towards the fire while saying, "I have a secret to share with you, do you want to hear it?"

He quickly learned how scared Nikita really was for she didn't even flinch at the prospect of learning some secret Michael was keeping. Nikita allowed Michael to seat her near the fire, her eyes riveted to the outside, where she could hear the cracking timber not standing up to the mighty force of the wind. She would feel the earth rumble all around them with the mudslides the rain was creating and could hear and see flying objects whisking by the entrance to the cave.

When Michael tried to speak with her as he attended to the burning embers, Nikita extended a hand signaling him to wait because she wanted to identify some horrible noise. At that moment an enormous trunk wedged itself on the entrance and the mountain above them decided to come tumbling down on the tree. The flames were doused with the force of the wind and Michael rushed to turn on a lantern and bring back the fire before attending to everything else.

As Michael moved around the cave focused as always he spoke to Nikita in an attempt to gage her condition, "Kita, we are going to be fine, come here please and help me with the fire."

In the eye of danger she became subdued, she got a grip on her panic and instead of cowering, she spoke working in tandem with Michael, "So, what is this secret you want to share with me, I am flattered you think I can be trusted?"

Nikita had successfully found and lighted a couple more lanterns and was now looking through her supplies for shovels, which she found. Michael finally had reincorporated the campfire to its original range and was looking through the cavern for an alternative exit or a solution to the predicament they found themselves in. He was running possibilities in his head, looking for soft spots in the mud, making sure the clay was stable, but not impregnable.

He stopped moving when he heard her reaction to the conundrum they faced and said, "Welcome back, are you calmer now?"

Nikita arrived at his side by the blocked entrance and handed him a pair of knitting needles and quipped, "Try these, let's hope the blockage is not wider than these are long." Michael started slowly inserting the needles into the mud and Nikita continued speaking, "I found the shovels in the back; by the way, you are not getting out of this so easily and not answering my question, give. . ."

Michael smiled as he pushed first one needle then the next through the hardening muck, until he could feel air seeping through the tiny hole and he added, "This was a brilliant idea Kita! The mud wall is about 2 feet deep, we will dig when the storm has passed." Nikita nodded and he continued, "This mudslide may have been our salvation. Thankfully the humidity will keep the dirt moist."

Nikita tugged on Michael's hand and pulled him towards the sidewall asking him, "Aren't you going to answer me?"

She was taking off his wet shirt and placing his hands on her blouse's buttons, and Michael protested, "This is not fair, with this type of interrogation tools I'll easily break."

Nikita kissed his now bare chest, sucking hard on one nipple and then biting the other one while ordering him, "Talk."

Just before devouring her mouth with a sweltering kiss, Michael said, "Hmm, I am the Gauguin heir."

///

Nikita separated from Michael, gone was the lust of the previous moment, gone was the fear of instants before, substituted instead by surprise, delight, astonishment and a little bit of anger all blended together. Her mouth was literary hanging open and Michael, smirk plastered on his handsome face, closed it with a caressing touch to her jaw. Was this man conveying this secret to help relax her or was he merely entertaining her with tales that assuaged her fears?

Nikita was no longer shivering, her voice was soft and full of amazement, but incredulous as she repeated his pronouncement and then asked, "You are Gauguin's heir - is that what you just said?"

Michael tried to draw her back into the lust filled moment, after all heir or no heir; he was an aroused man full of expectation. Adrenaline was pumping through his stimulated body as anticipation solidly took control of his usually grounded senses. After all they were in a deserted island, basically entombed in a cave, while a category 5 hurricane ravaged the landmass they inhabited - this was a sexy moment – do or die.

He was sorry he blurted the secret he entrusted to no one except Walter on such an inappropriate moment; was this not the exact reason he hardly spoke? Nikita was a woman who lived very much for the moment, she didn't think of consequences if instant gratification was a concern. Michael understood that to Nikita, verbal communication superseded all other form of interaction – even potentially perfect sex.

He was trying to appeal to her sensitive side now and asked seductively, "Kita can we please talk about my confession afterwards?"

Replacing Michael's heated body with nearness to the fire since she did need to warm her chilled body, she answered adamantly, "No, of course not."

Michael was a pragmatic man who understood this very complex woman and furthermore he knew that she would not give him what he desperately needed unless she got enough information to alleviate her hunger for Intel. He took a deep breath, sat next to her by the fire and took her hands in his; Michael was ready to come clean with the romantic story of the Master and his heir. He was sure that if and when Nikita and he got out of the cave that now shielded them from the storm and returned to civilization, then this woman would be his best ally in his quest on behalf of his ancestor.

Nikita spoke before he could, "After all I can't understand you. I would have leaked the news to every newspaper in the Planet."

Michael smiled tenuously and said, "I don't think you would do such a thing."

"Of course I would, Gauguin's heir – Michael, do you understand the implications of this? The Master's legacy, his dream. . ."

Michael told her in a whisper, "You were willing to surrender your father's legacy to Paul?"

Nikita smiled and kissed his hands palm up and looking up at his green gaze exclaimed, "Touché! Tell me Michael what are you planning to do, what is the reason for the cloak and dagger routine?"

"All the Master's treasures that were appropriated during the Second World War are in warehouses in the former Soviet Union, I know of at least 2 object d'art that have not even been catalogued. The present government will not release them so easily. . .probably because at least 70 people have made claims on them. But you see, the art is World patrimony, it doesn't belong to me Nikita, I would be just its custodian."

////

Nikita lay nude inside the zippered sleeping bag watching a naked Michael move around the cave checking the fire, estimating the strength of the storm and verifying that the mud wall was still penetrable. The details about Michael's link to Gauguin were a concern to the pretty blonde who after enjoying the man's undivided attention moments before was left with nothing but time to think. Nikita's thoughts fluttered around her head like a moth beating its flailing body against a lit light bulb, reaching no conclusions and achieving no finality. She jumped from subject to subject in her worried state, while memories of her previous life crowded with preoccupations prioritized the realizations of pleasures unattained.

Michael and Nikita had shared a moment of total bliss while they experienced marriage-like lovemaking. She thought back to her sex life before this tryst with Michael and realized she had none to speak of. Helmut her only partner was quick, selfish and demanding and of course not as well endowed as Michael. Her French partner took his time, insisted she get as well as give and was inventive and appreciative of her imaginativeness. This time, perhaps because the intimacy followed the confessions including that she was Michael's 'one', had been tender, familiar and comfortable. She concluded her mission reached its end game and she was sure she could entrust Michael now with her covert course.

Nikita was tired of the secrets, which could potentially spoil her blossoming relationship with Michael, and she was not sure if their newborn love could survive the mystery that she was forced to guard. She felt him crawl into the double sleeping bag and mold his cool body against her toasty back and she instinctively relaxed in his embrace. Michael kissed her head and held her close whispering goodnight, but she turned to face him, she wanted to confess, the weight of her covert life too heavy to endure. He smiled and kissed her mouth ready to answer any question she might have, concerning whatever was putting the frown on her lovely features. Michael knew that once they left the safety of the cave their lives would change and not necessarily for the better - the big bad world awaited them outside.

Michael told Nikita in a soft tone, "I believe the eye of the storm is passing us now, so we should be able to leave the cave in the next 12 hours." He kissed her again trying to comfort her and continued just as softly, "Let's get some rest, we have a grueling trek down the mountain once the storm passes and we can leave the cave."

Nikita was hesitant and whinny and called out to him, "Mykohl." She then realized she no longer needed this approach with Michael and proceeded confidently, "I know both you and my stepfather have told me you are Gauguin's heir, but are you really the sole beneficiary to the Master's works?"

Michael shuttered his eyes for an instant and when he opened them he saw a sad Nikita, so he decided to investigate the source of her concern, "Yes I am, why do you ask?"

"I have my own sources who confirmed that you are the heir apparent, but I wanted to hear it once more from you, here where there is only you and I and no one else to hear us." She stated getting closer to the handsome man who held her lovingly and then continued, "They know everything there is to know about you Michael."

Michael ignored her last statement and chose to address the Gauguin remarks instead; he knew what it would mean for her to break the secrecy of her mission. Michael addressed her softly, "I have to save the treasures Kita, I explained already that if they are destroyed humanity will suffer. It is not only Gauguin's work, there are also the other works he owned by Pizarro, Cezanne, Monet, and others."

The question that the blonde woman interrupted him with left a usually composed Michael visibly frazzled, "Do you know what a deep blood cover mission is?"

"I . . ." Michael didn't finish because she interrupted him again.

"The Collective approached me after my mother died and forcibly recruited me for indenture servitude." Nikita said and Michael moved to a sitting position to better watch the woman as she confessed. "They admitted they killed my father. They said my stepfather Paul not only dried out his personal coffers, but also wiped me out financially. Section One was indebted from loans Paul took out with them and I needed to do as they said or loose it all, including my life and the life of those I love. They placed the Board of Directors at Section One and relegated me to just a figurehead. . . I must say they did a great acting job when they came to the island to check us out."

Michael watched her wring her hands and not once look into his eyes, so he asked, "And what did they ask you to do?"

Nikita suddenly feeling uncomfortable by her nakedness put on her discarded tee shirt and continued, "They know you are Gauguin's heir so they wanted me to 'seduce' and enter into an arranged marriage with you to get you to eventually release all rights to the estate."

"Is that what the deep blood cover is for?" Michael asked, she had yet to look him in the eyes.

"Yes." She was embarrassed and made a poor choice of words, "Why do you think I have been so insistently after you?" She paused.

"You don't love me?" Michael asked in a whisper.

Nikita was sobbing now and she didn't answer his susurrus as she continued with her confession, "Paul, although scared of the Collective, thought the idea great. He figured that since you were so wealthy, you could get us out of the financial predicament he put us in and get the Collective off our backs."

"I see." Michael remarked and continued, "Paul Wolfe thinks I will save his company?"

"No Michael, he knows you felt indebted to my father for his kindness when your parents died, so Paul convinced you will save my father's legacy agreed to the deep blood cover." Nikita answered.

"What do you want me to do Nikita?" Michael asked putting his clothes on.

She said angrily, "I don't understand you. Damn it Michael get mad, talk to me, do something?"

"What do you want me to do?" He repeated just as calmly, "After all, the deep blood cover mission was a success; you seduced me and I fell for you." Michael smiled sadly, she didn't answer and he too misinterpreted her silence, so he continued, "We can salvage your endowment if you want."

Nikita was weeping now, this man was a good man and was not deserving of her treacherous undertakings – Collective or not. "I am sorry Michael," she said and moved away.

Michael continued, "This whole ruse was not necessary."

She was still crying and continued compounding the miscommunication between her and Michael stating matter of factly, "I didn't come up with it."

Michael sighed and reminded her, "They already think we are married." And then quietly said as he lay back on the sleeping bag fully dressed, "Because of my father I will save Section One for Wolfe and Jones as reward for keeping the realm safe. I'll then give it back to you to run once the Collective is stopped." He said even softer yet, "Then we'll go our separate ways."

Nikita was in pain and walked away from Michael, finishing dressing without saying another word. She fell asleep curled up next to the fire, her slumber was difficult and full of nightmares, her tears falling even in her sleep. Nikita was still afraid of the Collective, especially now that she had talked and she was also sure she had lost Michael forever. She thought just before she slept again how fast her life had turned to crap.

-----

The loud sound of an engine awoke the blonde woman who found the fire extinguished and her companion no where to be found. She thought of calling out to him and was stopped by the sudden light rushing from a hole in the muddy wall. She stretched the kinks from her back and was pleasantly surprised to see a front loader driven by a young man with a goatee enlarging the hole. Michael entered from the shadows holding a cup of steaming tea and handed it to her.

He kissed her on the mouth, smiled and said, "My love, your Board sent for us as soon as the storm passed."

Nikita's blue eyes supplicated with Michael's green ones. She was silently asking him for forgiveness, for support, for understanding, "Are we going home?"

A bandana wearing Walter entered the cave along with Mick, "Sugar, it is so good to see you, heck of a way to spend a honeymoon, don't you think?"

Michael answered her while embracing her, "Let's go home, we need to have a proper wedding ceremony."

Nikita and Mick exchanged a quick glance and Michael and Walter pretended not to notice the exchange. Nikita walked off with Mick towards the all terrain vehicle waiting for them, supposedly the man wanted to bring her up to date on Section One. Walter and Michael exchanged looks themselves but spoke not a word except to the crew that was there to open the way for the castaways. Everyone was going back to civilization.

///

The return to civilization was hardly civilized for the supposed newly weds, since Michael was angry with Nikita and Nikita was pissed at Michael. After leaving the cave, the woman stood away from Michael and did everything possible to divert her eyes from him and Michael couldn't have been colder towards someone he was supposed to be in love with. The body language alone was enough to warn anyone present in the island that there was trouble in paradise and it was more than apparent that the honeymoon was over – shorter lived than Britney Spear's first marriage in Vegas.

Nikita insisted in remaining behind on the island to resolve the insurance concerns caused to the yacht by the hurricane and the shipwreck. She loitered in the storm tossed inlet, accompanied by Mick Schtoppel who seemed more of her subordinate than the other way around. Perhaps because of Nikita's prima donna, cold bitch impersonation, the head of the Collective or at least its envoy, was laying low and not appearing to be in charge. This worried Walter who watched the bold headed Schtoppel observe the friction between the newlyweds and take a mental tally of the blonde's performance as the mission wife.

Michael much too happy to get out of Dodge and escorted by Walter, bid his make-believe wife farewell and the couple agreed to meet later that evening at Michael's home, which Mrs. Samuelle had never visited before. Michael, who said little in a regular scenario, was virtually mute on the return flight to the mainland and Walter realized that if he didn't put a stop to this predicament, the entire mission would be compromised. But the old bandana-wearing hippie was astute when it came to his charge and figured he was not going to dance like John Travolta around the issue if he wanted to get to the bottom of the obviously anguished man's distress.

"Michael, do you want me to brief you on the business, do you want to know what has happened with the Collective or do you want to be a shit and not say a word?" Walter was saying as he trailed behind a fast moving Michael, who was deplaning from the small sea-plane that brought them to the out island airport to board the company jet.

Michael warned, "Walter."

"What? That is not the answer I deserve or expect. Regardless, you are going to have to yank out that rod you have up your ass or you are going to ruin all the work we have put into this mess already."

Michael didn't look away from the plane's window; he answered Walter without once raising his voice, "A blood cover mission - that is all this is to her."

Walter could not believe his ears; the incredible Michael Samuelle was acting like a love sick pre-pubescent boy, "And this is news to you? Hell Michael you knew what was going on when you started on this adventure. Paul explained. . ."

Michael interrupted, getting up and going towards the bulkhead and getting a bottle of water, "Paul did not tell me she was such a shrewd."

"Jeez Michael don't tell me you feel in love," Walter said to Michael as the man swallowed the water in one long thirsty gulp.

Michael answered as he lay in a banquette, "She did her job well. Wake me when we are getting ready to land."

---

"What seems to be the problem between the two of you?" Mick Schtoppel asked the blonde woman, obviously referring to the chill between Michael and Nikita.

The two stood by the beach watching the seaplane take Michael and Walter to the outer island. Nikita was suddenly ruthless, no longer fearful of the annoying little man as she had always been in their previous meetings. She towered over him and even in her beachwear and with no makeup the man had to admit that the woman was magnificent, and was sorry he was the designated guard dog.

Nikita answered glaring at the man who coward a bit, "The typical newly wed couple has sex at least twice a week and an argument usually over money or the in-laws, isn't that what you told me? Well, I am being the good little operative and doing my job. We are married, I am moving in when we get back, and I am working him to get the damn paintings. What more do you want from me."

"Heck Popsicle, I am not asking you to be Little Mary Sunshine, but cut the man a break, he looked miserable." Mick stated as they moved to the helicopter after speaking to the insurance adjuster who would remain behind.

Nikita screamed over the loud noise of the chopper, "Shut up Mick."