The couple lay in bed entwined after a night of passion, the shrilling sound of the cell phone rousing them from their satiated slumber. The strong male arm crawled out from under the curtain of flaxen hair covering it to answer the phone and stop its intruding jingle.

“Oui?”

The woman turned away from the man’s body continuing her dream.

“Jacques we are under attack.” The disembodied sound of the computer-generated voice resounded in his ears understanding Protocol 2563 had been called, somberly and hurriedly he woke the sleeping beauty on his left.

“Kita, Red Cell – Protocol 2563.” He repeated concerned while stroking his thumb over the gorgeous woman’s right eyebrow.

The blonde beauty jumped up, looked with distraught eyes at the handsome man and commenced dressing in mission garb. He was finished donning his black Lycra clothing and quickly moved to the children’s rooms to retreat the sleeping 7-year-old Adam and the 1-month-old infant Eve.

By the time Michael Samuelle had arrived downstairs with both children who still slept, Nikita his wife had already gathered the necessary supplies to carry them to the journey they were to initiate. Section One their destination…the parameter - to be as safe as possible in this situation and to remove themselves from the fallout to follow …civilization …over.

The eerie feeling surrounding the night was astonishing as Michael placed his children in their respective car seats. It would take approximately 2 hours for the news to leak to the world at large and panic to set in. But by then Michael and Nikita would have long arrived at Section One.

The parking garage was packed. Every operative in all the Sections worldwide had been called into their respective sites, including Center and Oversight operatives who had long been moved to S1. Michael moved among his people as they milled around 1000 ft. under the earth, going about their respective emergency tasks. All the children were kept in their closed quarters secured by guards.

The Organization had worked surreptitiously for the probability of this day. This had been Nikita’s Concern, her sole project, unchallenged to this day. Michael called her into his office minutes before the hour was up. He was sitting on the corner of his desk, tight muscles relaxed, face a portrait of composure and the eyes dual peridots, perfect windows to a now much troubled soul.

“Kita…” she approached his stretched hand, calling to her offering comfort, he engulfed her in his strong reassuring arms, “I am so proud of you, I love you, I wanted to be with you at this moment, when the alarm goes off.”

She smiled a sad longing smirk “I love you” and the alarm went on. Inside the halls of Section everyone and everything stopped. The relentless unanimous gasp could be heard amidst the wailing cry of the siren. Nikita and Michael held each other tight, their eyes shuttered in prayer.

“How sad”, Michael said, “the planet gone, and the only ones left…”

Nikita finished his thought, “The terrorists we fought and Section, what did you use to call them? Oh yes animals with guns.” She kissed him and said, “Let’s go, God knows what is going to happen, even though we have run plenty of Syms. I want to see the kids.”

The couple holding hands, no more being careful or controlled, the place was theirs, left the office and calmly arrived at the main floor of Section were everyone had gathered to inquire the future from the young couple. There were right now 253 humans in the contained edifice, including the children on Sublevel 22.

The End