Michael and Nikita walk instep towards the briefing room. They enter, and Nikita immediately smiles.

"I guess we got you back, uh, Birky?" Nikita says as she sees Birkoff sitting at the table. Michael pulls Nikita's chair out and she sits down, and then Michael sits down.

"I actually have found out what the benefits of working with you two are." Birkoff says with a smile.

"Yeah, he gets to see more of Nikita!" Walter says as he enters with a laugh. Nikita looks around. It was the old gang.

Last night, Rick and Rita flew out for Hong Kong. Nikita could almost see them walking into the room, but instead Operations walked in.

"Madeline has been restricted to her quarters and her office." Operations says as he pushes the door close. "This puts us in a difficult situation."

"Why is that? Nikita can help Madeline." Michael says and Nikita' hand, which was placed lightly on Michael's thigh, now tightens.

"I need Nikita in the mission, but yes, Nikita, you will be running double duty here." Operation says as he sits down. "So will Birkoff."

"Hey, I'm just a communications expert!" Birkoff reacts, throwing his hands into the air in defense.

"And can be an good bad liar." Operations says with a smile. Nikita sits forward in her chair. "Birkoff, you will be in the field with Michael and Nikita."

"NO WAY!" Birkoff says standing up. "Hey, it's bad enough I've had to listen... but no way..."

Nikita stands up and leans into Birkoff's ear.

"He doesn't mean that!" Nikita whispers into his ear. Birkoff's face immediately turns red and he sits back down.

"Mr and Mrs. Wilbert are scientists who are working on a new class of drugs. We need to know what they are and what they do." Operations says as he pulls up the transparent screen. The couple looks to be in their late forties and in extremely good health. "They are nicknamed as 'night crawlers', because they go to the Van Harm's Gym about two hours before it closes, and then hits the night scene."

"Please, no more tango!" Michael reacts. Nikita looks at him shocked. "I said that outloud, didn't I?" Michael asks Nikita and she nods.

"No tango." Operations says. "The three of you will become fellow Night Crawlers... Michael and Nikita, being that you are in top condition, will portray as competitive ex-lovers. Birkoff is Nikita's new interest, but Nikita wants to show Michael that she is better."

"SO, the Wilbert's like competition?" Nikita asks with a raised eyebrow.

"No, but it will gather their attention quickly." Operations answers and Nikita shakes her head with agreement.

"Birkoff will be feeding them lies about you two. Then in the locker room, the both of you will get dressed for a night on the town, and after several nights of this, we will ambush them in the parking lot." Operations finishes quickly. He looks at Michael and Nikita.

"I want it to look like competition, but do not push yourselves to far!" Operations warns the couple. He leaves and shuts the doors with not further instructions.

"He is going to be with Madeline..." Walter sighs, and then looks at Nikita, who has tightened immediately up with the mention of Madeline's name.

"I can't believe I'm going in the field!" Birkoff says as he starts to pace around in circles. Nikita stands up and sits against the desk.

"This could be fun." Nikita states as she looks at Michael. "I think I better raid Madeline's office for some hot work out clothes for the both of us." Nikita says and leaves.

"I thought she wasn't talking or seeing Madeline?" Birkoff as he finally stands still.

"She wasn't."

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

Nikita holds onto the door that she opens to Madeline's office, and peaks her head in. Operations is sitting next to Madeline on a couch.

"I need to raid the clothes." Nikita says as she enters and immediately makes a bee line for the clothes.

"The work out clothes are in the bottom box..." Madeline says in a strained voice. Nikita stops, and looks at Madeline, and then continues with the clothes.

Nikita can hear slight whispering as she digs. Every once and a while, Madeline and Operations observes flying workout clothes heading towards the middle of the room. Nikita stands up and walks out and picks up the clothes.

"Bye." Nikita says and she picks up the pile and leaves.

Madeline takes a deep breath. Operations holds her hand and looks at her face.

"Let me take you to Medlab..." Operations says. Madeline shakes her head.

"I was reacting to the icy presence that has just left." Madeline says with a smile. Operations turns with a slightly red face.

-------------------------------------------------

"I'm so glad you didn't dress me up in spandex or anything like that.... Now, I think Madeline would have, and that would have been a disaster..." Birkoff says as he paces around the living area in Michael's and Nikita's quarters. He is wearing navy sweat pants and a white t-shirt. He paces more as he hears little giggles from the bathroom.

"Guys... we're suppose to be leaving on a mission..." Birkoff yells out, and immediately the door opens.

Michael exits in what Birkoff feared he would be wearing. Of course, it was standard black, but Birkoff's mouth dropped when Nikita came out.

The red sports bra, made her smile so bright, and the capri pants, looks as if they were painted on.

"I hope there aren't no old guys... they'll die from a heart attack..." Birkoff says as he picks up the gym bag.

"That is if you don't first." Nikita says as she picks up a matching bags to Birkoff.

-------------------------------------------------

Nikita and Birkoff walk into the gym with their arms linked. The receptionist gives them a wierd look and checks them in.

The shakes her head as they walk away. "Why would a girl like that settle for a man like that?" the receptionist thinks to herself. Suddenly her thoughts stop as Michael walks in. She can barely type Michael in, and watches him walk away, taking in every move of his very tight and hard muscles. "Now, that is a man!" the girl thinks to herself.

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

(Lyrics by Chumbawamba... in Creepy Crawling... This scene is basically a scene of Michael and Nikita competitively working out... use your imaginations!)

Nikita jogs up the stairs to the running track that hovers above the weights, she starts a gentle jog, passing Mr and Mrs. Wilbert. Michael then jogs up the stairs, and soon, passes Nikita.

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD...
A LOOSE DOOR-JAMB, A LIGHT LEFT ON...

Birkoff starts around the track, walking. Michael passes him, but Nikita soon is running past Birkoff and Michael. Birkoff watches, sensing that they were going to push it way too far.

THE OLDEST NATIONAL LOTTERY...
ENTER KALEIDOSCOPE-GO-DARKLY...

"These two look interesting," Mr. Wilbert whispers to his wife. Birkoff walks closer to them.

"She is my girlfriend." Birkoff indicates, and the couple laugh in his face.

"Then she is using you something bad!"

COME TO SPOIL MY PARTY...
SMELL OF FECES LINGERS...
ECHO OF LIGHT FINGERS...
COLD COMFORT BLANKETS...

Both Michael and Nikita, slow, and jog down to the weights. The Wilberts follow behind Birkoff. The two face each other, doing pull ups. Michael's chest stretches and then pulls up, his shirt hugging tightly, and letting the outline of his stomache muscles ripple through. Nikita matches Michael pull up for pull up, and Mr. Wilbert licks his lips as he watches Nikita's fine muscled stomache also ripple with the tension of the work out.

STEEPED IN CREEPING ANGER...
FLATFOOT COMES POKING...
COMPOUNDING MY MISERY...
GRINDING PESTLE AND MORTAR...

Soon, the two are on the inclining sit up board. Birkoff sighs and walks over to the Wilberts.

"Actually, having him around is great fun... brings out the bad in Nikita." Birkoff says with a smile. "After this, the three of us meet up in my domain."

"And where is that?" Mrs. Wilbert asks as she watchs Michael push away the wet hair from his face.

"The Burner." Birkoff says, indicating a hot night spot.

ADDING INSULT TO INJURY...
IF ONLY THIS, IF ONLY THAT, IF ONLY IN MY GUTS...

Michael and Nikita walk into the darken aerobics room. The lights slowly warm up, and the two start with some minor karate movements.

CREEPY CRAWLING...

The Wilberts look into the half lit room and moan in delight. The sparing between Michael and Nikita has become more intense. The mats are down and the both of them are taking punishing blows and hits, at least that is what the Wilbert's see.

ALL THE CREEPS GO CREEPY CRAWLING...

Nikita now walks past Mrs. Wilbert in the lockeroom. Her hair is pulled back in a pony tail, and Nikita is dressed in black pants and a silver top. Nikita walks close to Mrs. Wilbert and whispers..."We know you were watching us... we like that."

SAME THING EVERY NIGHT...

Michael looks hard into Mr. Wilbert as he leaves with a slight grin. "You could just ask... we'd let you watch more." Michael mumbles and leaves.

HOW CAN STEALING CANDY FROM A BABY...

The Wilberts talk about the three as they walk to their car... Nikita and Michael jump out, just a car infront of them, lightly kiss each other's cheek, and split to different cars.

SEEM ALRIGHT?

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

Nikita and Michael walk down the hall, in small steps and faces of pain. Birkoff sits at his computer and smiles.

"They are coming in tonight!" Nikita says loudly so that Birkoff can hear her comment. He immediately stands up.

"After one night?" Birkoff asks as he walks in front of the slow moving pair.

"I don't think I can take another night." Michael says as he pushes open the office door.

"Well, Operations did say to make it look like a competition, not for it to BE a competition." Birkoff says loudly as he watches the two, lean against each other as they painfully sat down.

"Birkoff, Mrs. Wilbert was about to jump my body in the lockeroom!" Nikita says as she looks at her mess on her desk.

"Nikita... that is more than I needed to know..." Birkoff says in a deep, warning voice. Walter magically appears in the door way.

"Madeline said for you two to jump into the Medlab's magical whirlpool." Walter says as he looks with a smile on his face with the pain of the younger two.

"Bless her soul!" Michael says as he slowly stands up. "'Kita?"

"I have alot to finish..." Nikita says as she starts to look at her computer.

"Nikita, go with Michael and I'll agree to bring them in tonight." Birkoff says as he quickly stands up. Nikita reaches out for Birkoff's hand, and she stands up slowly.

-------------------------------------------------

"Madeline?" Birkoff says as he enters her office. Madeline smiles at seeing his face.

"It's good to see you Birkoff." Madeline says with a smile.

"Walter said you wanted to see me." Birkoff says as he sits down.

"I heard of the revised plan, and I wonder if you are comfortable with it." Madeline says quite bluntly.

"I am." Birkoff says with a smile. "I just joke with them, because this place is so dark and unhappy, that we need to laugh." Birkoff explains.

"And this new attitude would be because of Melissa?" Madeline says with a smile and Bikroff blushes.

"You do know that Melissa is Operations' daughter." Madeline says as her hands rub against her stomache.

"Operations warned me..." Birkoff says standing up, and leaving.

-------------------------------------------------

"Mmmm," Nikita moans as Michael dries off her back. He bends down and lightly places a kiss where the neck meets the back. "I feel like I can go another 3 years now!" Nikita says with a smile, as she rubs her toweled covered chest against Michael's bare chest.

"Mmm, I know what you mean..." Michael whispers into her ear. A medlab operative walks in.

"We do have medical conditions to treat." The operative says, and Nikita and Michael turn a shade more red.

-------------------------------------------------

Madeline grits her teeth as she holds onto the couch. Taking a deep breath, the pain runs away. Operations walks back into her office.

"So, everything is fine?" Operations asks. Madeline smiles and reaches for his hand.

"Everything is fine."

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

(Music continues from Chumbawamba... Creepy Crawling)

Michael and Nikita are running around the track, faster than the previous night. Birkoff shakes his head and wonders when will they learn. Michael's pants from the night before have been traded in for shorts, very short and tight shorts.

And Nikita, might as well have been wearing her underwear to work out in.

CORVINO, CARRION CROW...
SKULKING WITH HIS MOBILE...

The Wilberts follow Michael and Nikita with very watchful eyes. The two do their situps in a faster pace than before.

Nikita staring hard into Michael's eyes, with the fierceness of competition.

"Nikita left him because he said he could beat her in everything." Birkoff says as he walks up behing the Wilberts. "He didn't know her too well."

SLIPPERY PEAT-BOY EYES...
STICK-ON SMILEY SMILE...

Nikita and Michael smile as they 'sneak' into the aerobics room.

"They followed." Birkoff whipsers into the com units. Michael pushes Nikita to the floor, and keeps the lights off. They want to push the Wilberts to the edge.

The Wilberts stand outside the room, waiting for the lights to turn on.

SMALL PRINT LIKE QUICKSAND...
NOT A WOODEN LEG TO STAND ON...

Nikita's face is at the apex of Michael's legs, and she had to repeat over and over again that this is a mission. She came up with this plan, and she'd be damned if she messed it over because all she wanted to do was..

The Wilberts couldn't wait anymore, and bust into the room, turning the lights on.

Nikita turns abruptly, and Michael turns away. The Wilberts smile.

SINKING THROUGH MY STOMACHE...
THE GROUND BENEATH ME GONE...

"Hon, he is such a man, I don't blame you at all." Mrs. Wilbert says to Nikita as she brushes her hair at the mirror.

"I don't feel guilty at all." Nikita says with a smile. Mrs. Wilbert follows Nikita, as she heads back to the locker.

"You're going to the Burner?" Mrs. Wilbert asks. Nikita turns and looks at Mrs. Wilbert.

"No. Who told you this?" Nikita asks.

FREE-FALL, CALL OPHELIA...
CLUTCHING A STRAW...

"Birkoff! He is a pathological liar!" Michael laughs out in the locker room at Mr. Wilbert.

"But he said that you and Nikita were ex-lovers..." Mr. Wilbert says as he shuts the locker door.

"Wait until Nikita hears this one!" Michael says, jogging out of the gym.

MIXED WITH BLOODY FEATHERS...
FROM SCRUFF OF NECK OF CROW...

Nikita and Michael stand in the shadows and watch the Wilberts walking out.

"We know more about you than you think." Michael says as they stand infront of the Wilberts. They turn to leave, to see that Birkoff has moved a van right behind them.

"I believe you'll be coming with us." Nikita says as she opens the van door, and pushes the couple in.

JOHNNY GO! JOHNNY GONE!

"To the world, you no longer exist." Nikita says. She turns towards Michael and smiles.

"Maybe." Michael adds with a grin. He kisses Nikita hungerily.

"Where are we going?" Mr. Wilbert trembles out.

"The Burner." Birkoff laughs out. Nikita smiles at Birkoff.

TOO MUCH DRINK IN YOUR TUM-TUM-TUM...

The Burner is a little bar, filled with operatives. The Wilberts shake as they enter.

"What do you want?" Mrs. Wilbert asks.

"Well, you wanted me... I think your research in return for making unwanted advances is fair." Nikita says as she takes a drink.

"Fine!" Mrs. Wilbert says.

"Ok, everyone, close up shop, and someone go get that research!" Nikita calls out to everyone.

SEE THIS FINGER, SEE THIS THUMB,
SEE THIS FIST AND WATCH IT COME...

"Sorry, but you won't remember any of us, after this beating." Nikita says as several of the operatives do the dirty work.

"Nikita!" Michael says pulling her away from the two. "We could have done that with drugs."

"They won't rework the research because they'll be scared of something they can't consciously remember." Nikita says walking away.

CREEPY CRAWLING...

Madeline clenches her stomache and bows her head. A small moan of pain escapes her mouth, but soon it rolls away.

She has watched Nikita's mission, and is half way confused. But then Madeline doesn't know if she is confused because the whole mission was confusing or because of the more frequent contractions she is denying she is having.

ALL THE CREEPS GO CREEPY CRAWLING...
SAME THING EVERY NIGHT...

"I have some things to finish up." Nikita says as she leaves Michael in the hallway. She shakes her head, totally confused about what she did today. "Maybe I should talk to Madeline..." Nikita thinks and she turns in her path and heads towards

Madeline's office.

HOW CAN STEALING CANDY FROM A BABY SEEM ALRIGHT?

Send suggestions and comments to ranma.
OR
If you would like to send a comment to Nikita507, click HERE!!