Things were getting too close; too many people were after Nikita now. Each day, she found a new place, pushing past the pain that lingered in her body. Time was to play dirty, and Nikita swallowed. There wasn't much for her to do until she got more information. She couldn't use Oversight computers, since they were still letting her in their computers, as if they were monitoring her. Although George was not overseeing Section One like a hawk, he had not been replaced either. So, Nikita had no choice but to use what other sources she had and the codes that she had received months ago.

~~

It seemed like a normal day for Section One, or at least as normal as it had been since Nikita saved Section One from implosion. Things have been tensed and some missions had gone off to the side as Operations became obsessed with finding Nikita and canceling her. He was tense whenever someone did something that was not planned and Operations had been leery of everyone that breathed within Section One. Birkoff had the terrible task trying to keep up to Nikita's ventures into the computers, which was a joke since she had all the access codes. Birkoff wanted to change them but Operations believed that they could track Nikita while she used them. Birkoff sighed as could not see anything this day, but he was sure that Nikita was in there somewhere, but he wasn't ready to rat her out either.

Walter had been busy all day showing pictures of his latest trip and Birkoff wished he got sometime off. Even Michael had disappeared for a few days and that caused a minor war between Madeline and Operations. Birkoff couldn't even activate Michael's crystal, and even now, as Michael walked down the hallway, there was no reading from his crystal and he was sure it was due to Nikita.

Birkoff sighed and shook his head as he leaned back in his chair. Maybe for this one day he wouldn't get yelled at and he would get through it and get out of here on time. How he ached for a normal life and a chance to actually make it to a blind date on time. How he wished he could get a vacation like Walter or even be adventurous like Michael. Yet, Birkoff knew his purpose at times, as he made sure that even though Nikita was not inside Section One, that everyone learned what she had done for them and how she saved everyone's own behinds and how she was being chased after for no reason other than she was right and Operations was wrong.

That was when the horns, buzzers, and lights all started to flare, as if they were under attack. Birkoff rolled closer to the computer and started to pound on the keys, his eyes opening wide with no explanation for what was going on.

"Contamination shields activated. Step back from door ways." A computer voice boomed as the buzzers beeped. Birkoff typed furiously as the operatives scurried into the little units as the clear glass shields slid into place, sectioning off Section One, and isolating everyone where they were when the alarms started to blare.

"BIRKOFF!" Operations yelled from his glass office with a cigarette dangling from his lips. Birkoff pounded at his computer but got no response. He moved to the next computer and looked up to the main screens. Security was intake, but he couldn't access anything. Everything seemed to be frozen.

"TURN OFF THE ALARMS!" Operations hollered and Birkoff stood up and shook his head.

"Sorry, Sir, I can't." Birkoff said and Operations glared at him.

"What do you mean?" Operations said and Birkoff swallowed as he looked down to the computers.

"The computers are frozen.. We have integrity, but I can't access anything else... Someone has shut down our databases." Birkoff said and then swallowed. Everyone in the area looked up at Operations, knowing whom the problem was going to be linked too. Operations allowed a puff of smoke to seep out of his mouth and then looked at Birkoff.

"Can we override this?" Operations asked, as he had learned that the less he mentioned Nikita, the more likely the operatives of Section One listened to him. Birkoff looked around and sighed.

"I can reboot the system.. But we have to find the computer that is fully working.... I would have to search Section head to toe." Birkoff replied and Operations sighed.

"Then do it." Operations said and Birkoff looked around and swallowed.

"Sir, the shields are down. We aren't moving anytime soon." Birkoff said carefully and Operations turned and slammed his hands to the glass walls of his office.

"Do a verbal search.. Then find a way out of the shields. I did it; you can too, Birkoff. You are a smart boy... Use your brain..." Operations hissed and Birkoff dropped down to his seat. Birkoff rolled around in his seat as he assessed whom was in his area and started to order the commands.

~~

Nikita strummed her fingers in the little hotel room as she looked at the computer. She waited and waited, wishing that it would hurry up. It was possible that Birkoff could find the open computer, but she hoped he would buy her some time. It wasn't everyday that Birkoff would think to check Michael's computer first. She was scanning the files quickly and sighed.

"So.. The splinter group is getting to possible recruits before we get them." Nikita sighed out as she pulled out the fingerprint that Michael had given her and looked at it again. She opened the list of possible recruits to get an idea of who she might be looking for. She turned and looked to the other item and swallowed. It was going to be more difficult.

*

The office was quiet as the shields had fallen down, and now, it was like being inside a tomb. Madeline lifted her eyes to the man across the room and sighed. Things had not progressed as she had planned and now she was trapped with a man that wanted nothing to do with her.

"Michael, you might as well sit down." Madeline commented as she looked at Michael as he stared off to the wall. She knew things had not gone good between him and Nikita, but she couldn't do anything right now. She had no information what Nikita knew and where Nikita was. Madeline was sure that someone, Michael had told Nikita about the tracker that was placed in her body, because Oversight had been trying to use Section's computers to find Nikita also. Only three people knew about that tracker, and only one had left Section since the knowledge was discovered.

"We should try to find out what is going on." Michael stated and Madeline blinked her eyes and stood up. She could only image what occurred, but it could not have been good. Madeline wanted Michael to help Nikita, not to work against her. She was sure that sooner or later Nikita was going to have to arrive inside of Section One, and Nikita was going to need all the support she could get. Madeline thought that Michael would be in charge of that, but apparently, Nikita thought she could do it all herself.

"I don't think it takes a brain surgeon to know what occurred with the computers." Madeline stated to Michael's back. He turned around and stared at Madeline.

"You think that Nikita did this?" Michael responded and then the telephone began to ring. Madeline crossed back to her desk and waited for the person to speak.

"No, Birkoff, my computer is frozen too." Madeline said and she hung up the phone. She could guess what computer Nikita would have kept open, but she was never going to give Operations the chance to beat her in this game. The stakes were too high.

"I know that Nikita did this. I just wanted to know what you gave her, so we can prepare for her return." Madeline stated and Michael shook his head as he walked back to the chair. In that one statement, Madeline had handed the power over to Michael and he didn't seem like he wanted it. Madeline waited before she moved back to her desk.

"Michael, she will need inside support." Madeline stated and Michael blinked his eyes and looked from side to side.

"I liked Nikita's attitude... she didn't know how to trust anymore... Maybe we should examine that." Michael said and Madeline leveled her head and stared at Michael as her eyes started to narrow.

"Are you doubting me here, Michael?" Madeline commented crossly and Michael lifted his head as he shifted his body forward.

"Nikita doesn't know who to trust... she can't even trust me.. How can I even consider trusting you?" Michael asked and Madeline leaned back in her chair, feeling the blunt reasoning of Michael like daggers piercing her heart. She never thought that this little mission would get so far out of hand. Madeline didn't even know whom to trust.

"It's just you and me in this room right now, Michael. This is what we have to trust. But why would Nikita not be trusting you?" Madeline questioned and Michael smirked for a second and then pulled his face back to solid blank stare.

"Things don't add up. Section hasn't changed their codes... and Oversight hasn't changed theirs either. Why wouldn't they, when they know that a renegade operatives, as they call her, has them and is using them?" Michael questioned and Madeline pressed her lips together and swallowed. She looked around and trembled a bit.

"Because they are tracking her. We already know this." Madeline said and Michael leaned in and stared at Madeline again.

"But who is the enemy... and how does the splinter group keep on picking up where Nikita is?" Michael responded and Madeline's face turned white. The splinter group couldn't be tracking Nikita because she hadn't been tagged by one of them. The implication slapped Madeline across her face.

"So either Oversight or Section is involved with the splinter group." Madeline said and Michael lifted his eyebrows and then narrowed his eyes even more.

"Or more dangerous.... Both are..." Michael stated and Madeline blinked her eyes and swallowed.

"We don't know that the splinter group is tracking Nikita. They have been after the targets that Nikita has been protecting." Madeline stated and Michael leaned forward again, taking a position of force as he stared at Madeline.

"I saw the backyard, Madeline.... They knew she was sitting in the back... You don't send four men in the back when everyone is suppose to be inside of the house." Michael said and Madeline dropped her head, as Michael was more than correct. He was dead right. Madeline turned her head and Michael licked his lips.

"Also, the splinter group up until that assault, has been a good ten steps ahead of Section One. Why did they wait? Why didn't they attack earlier? They knew that Nikita was withdrawing, they had too, and then found out that Section was on their way in. They would never have attacked during the day." Michael said and Madeline blinked her eyes and then dropped them.

"So the splinter group knows our actions." Madeline stated and Michael nodded his head up and down and then turned off to the side.

"But if they waited to attack.. Someone in that splinter group, a powerful someone, wanted Nikita to stay alive." Madeline stated and Michael nodded his head.

"We don't know who to trust, Madeline... at all.. Think how Nikita feels." Michael said as he stood up and walked back to the wall. Madeline blinked her eyes and pounded her hand on the desk. She never wanted Nikita to feel this way; this wasn't what was supposed to happen!

*

Nikita looked at the computer and turned over to the printer that was printing out the pictures of the men that she could be looking out for. Nikita looked with narrowed eyes as she opened the other vial that Michael had given her. It was a communications device of some sorts. Nikita lifted her head and started to use the computer to access Walter's inventory, to find out how she could at least pick up a signal from the splinter group.

There was specific information on the device and Nikita moved quickly as she popped the device into the little communications unit that she did happen to have. Nikita leaned back and waited to see what would happen.

"We don't know where Nikita is." The one man said and Nikita smiled in relief. She would be able to at least stay ahead of them until they figured it out themselves that she had some of their technology. Nikita ran her thin fingers through her straggly hair, as Nikita was sure that it would never look the same again.

"How did we lose her? How did Walter get away from her?" another man said and Nikita jumped up in her seat, not liking the tone of that. How did they know Walter? How did they know that Walter returned to Section One? Nikita felt the chill run down her spine and she swallowed harshly to stop her churning stomach.

"Don't ask me. We lost an entire team.... But I think I know why..." The man said and Nikita narrowed her eyes. She knew she had to be leaving soon, but the tone of the man was ominous, and she needed to listen for more. The thirst for knowledge might be the only thing that saved Nikita from a bullet between the eyes. She needed something to hold over all of the groups and so far, she hadn't found it.

"Jones... have you seen Wolfe lately?" the same man continued but this time with more information about someone new. Nikita blinked her eyes and punched into the computer. In the Section One computer, there were 134 possible connections to wolf. Nikita sighed and leaned back more.

"Do you think I would let him live?" Jones replied and Nikita pressed her lips together and sighed as she cleared the screen. If they couldn't find this wolf, Nikita was sure that she wasn't going to find it in the Section One computers.

"Yeah.. His father can't believe he turned against us.... Now not only did he cross us.. He crossed Section." The first man replied and Nikita pulled the device down. Instantly, everything was making sense. Nikita moved quickly and punched in WOLFE, this time adding the E to wolf. Nikita started to tremble as things started to take shape.

"Steven Wolfe.... Operations' son... Operations is the leader of the splinter group!" Nikita said as she slammed her hand down next to the computer. She was going to let Section One out of their frozen computers as soon as she found the information that she needed, but now, she was upset. The tears ran down her face, not knowing what was true. There was no where for her right now, and she needed to know exactly how Steven Wolfe was involved. Nikita knew it had to be twisted, but the tears wouldn't stop.

It wasn't for the fact that Steven had been used, it was about everything that had happened to her since this mission started. The tears were for hurting Michael, into making him think that she was dead, along with Walter and Birkoff. It was for leaving her sister when she probably needed Nikita the most. It was for exposing Adam and Elena to trouble again. It was for yelling at Michael and sending him away. And finally, it was for her own pain. It was almost too much for Nikita to bear, even though she had been to hell and back more than ten times for this mission.

Nikita could not admit how much pain she had, but her body was barely functioning now, and to make matters worse, she was going to have to find Steven Wolfe before the splinter group and Section One found either him or herself. She was in no shape to go into a situation that was wide open with possibilities. She didn't know if Steven, although he broke away from the splinter group was still after her. She didn't know if he was running for his own life too. She had no answers to the questions that swarmed and filled her head.

All Nikita had going for her was her training. She didn't know whom to trust except herself, and Nikita in her heart, knew she could trust Michael. Nikita swallowed that fact down, knowing that once again, she had acted before she thought and stood up on her ankle. How it still held her was not known and how Nikita learned not to even register the pain was a miracle. She moved to gather the little bit of supplies she did have and to make another move.

One thing Nikita knew was that her supplies, one gun, was not enough to go after Steven Wolfe with and that she had no way of accessing Oversight's supplies or Section One's supplies without placing herself in mortal danger. She couldn't even chance Michael and Walter now, as she knew that if the splinter group knew that Walter helped her withdrawal, they also knew that she had inside help in Section. Nikita could only hope that Michael and Walter were still alive. In her heart, she had not a clue.

Nikita lifted her head and looked at the screen. It was time to let the captives go.. In a slow and leisurely pace, enough time to have her abandon her current hotel and start in after Steven.. All of that would be secure for Nikita before one operative got free from the contamination shields. Nikita also knew that Operations would be forced to waste precious time figuring out how it happened.

Nikita typed her last commands, leaving a few presents throughout Section One to keep things active for a while. She did not want to chance anything. She looked at the pills that Michael gave her for the tracker. She swallowed a few and stood up on her bad ankle, gritting in the pain. She doubled over, losing her balance in the process.

*

As sudden as the shields had dropped, they magically started to rise, some six hours after they had dropped. Michael looked to Madeline and rubbed his hands together. Together, they both knew that it was time to take stock of who fell on what side of this impending war that was about to take place. Michael claimed that more people were on Nikita's side than Madeline wanted to admit herself. Madeline did not take that statement lightly, but allowed Michael to think so.

It did not get past anyone's attention that the first few shields that were opened were Madeline's and Walter's. Michael walked out of Madeline's office, glad to get away from her constant questions and to look at what had happened. Michael looked around and saw Operation, still stuck in his office.

"Why is his shield still down?" Michael questioned and Birkoff shook his head as he pounded at the computer. He looked up and Michael and sighed.

"We all know who did this." Birkoff commented and Michael raised an eyebrow and leaned down to the computer desk.

"OH? Now if you knew who did this, don't you think you could have overruled it?" Michael questioned and Birkoff looked around and stood up to face Michael. The young man was starting to take some leaps in defending what he believed in and Michael smiled internally.

"Why would I do that if I think what she was doing was correct?" Birkoff questioned and Michael leaned back and looked up to the office.

"I wouldn't say that if he can hear you." Michael said and Birkoff smiled and looked at Michael. Michael raised an eyebrow at Birkoff's wide toothy grin.

"I'll tell you a secret..." Birkoff whispered and Michael blinked his eyes, not amused at all by this game that Birkoff was playing. Michael stared at Birkoff as he squirmed around like a boy waiting to sit on Santa Claus' lap.

"Well... seems as if a mutual friend.... Who froze the computers... added some music for Operation's past six hours... Have you ever heard of the Monkees?" Birkoff questioned and Michael leaned back and moved to his office with a slight smile on his face. That sealed the signature there, and Michael knew that everyone in Section One knew who locked them in little cells for hours. Yet, there was no complaining and Michael was sure that Madeline would take notice of that. Michael looked up to the glass office, which Operations was still trapped within and smiled lightly. He didn't have the power of the masses anymore and what made it even more ironic, he still doesn't realize it.

"I think she must be feeling better." Walter said as he sauntered down the hallway and looked at Michael. Michael sighed as the operatives now were getting almost cocky about their handling of the situation. It was still extremely dangerous to openly speak about Nikita, even though her name was not being used. Operations could easily cancel them all without a bat of an eye. Michael swallowed and looked at Walter.

"I hope that is the case. I am not hopeful though." Michael replied and Walter looked up and smiled at the glass office as Operations pounded at the shield.

"She has her sense of humor." Walter said and Michael turned and opened his door, not wanting to get into any further discussion with Walter. He did not like what had happened to Nikita during the withdrawal and to know that Nikita leaned on Walter instead of demand Michael upset him. Michael knew that it was impossible to have helped Nikita when she was with Elena, but the thought that Nikita wanted him more than Walter would have been nice, or rather, comforting.

Michael closed the door to his office and pushed his chair back and dropped his body onto its surface, feeling the stress of everything tumbling over his shoulders, no longer being able to bear what was occurring. It had gone on far too long and the time for the game to be over was here. Yet, how can you finish a game that you don't know the rules too and what the prize is?

Michael rubbed his face, forcing himself not to think about Nikita. There were other things going on in Section that could easily get him killed before Nikita came marching back to Section One, which Michael was sure that she was planning on doing. She would have never frozen the computers like she did if she wasn't planning to finish this mission to the end, whatever that end may be.

The computer was on and Michael blinked. He looked around the office and moved his cursor quickly. There was no path left on it, but Michael knew that it had been Nikita's active computer in Section One. Michael was almost sure that others had guessed on that too, but in ordered to protect her, never spoke up. Michael swallowed as alarms began to sound around Section One again. He was sure that Nikita left a few more distractions as the medical team began to run down the hallway to the van access.

Then, it was there, a message that just appeared. Michael blinked his eyes, afraid that he was imaging it.

"Be careful in the Wolfe's Den." The screen said and Michael leaned back in his chair and swallowed. He looked back to the screen and it was gone again. Michael leaned forward and turned off the computer, feeling the pressure that he had tried to forget about pound against his chest. He couldn't read Nikita's mind and that was the most maddening thought to occur to him. She was leaving him a message, but Michael didn't know exactly why. He had questions that sprung from the message and then had possible answers. He was afraid to guess which one was right, knowing that if he was wrong, it could have deadly difficulties.

*

Nikita looked down the street and sighed as she moved the car in front of the store. She looked inside and looked down to her leg. In her heart, Nikita knew she should take the next four weeks off to heal the ankle, before even attempting to walk, let alone fight. Yet, she never had the luxury of time now and she wouldn't have the luxury in the future. It wasn't the way the life of a Section One operative. The movement of Nikita in the past week was like that when she was on the streets. She was always looking for a new place to crash and a new place to seek shelter. It was a rule on the street to never stay in one place too long. Nikita believed in that statement then, and now had reverted back to it now. No where was safe for Nikita on the streets and no where was safe for Nikita now. She might have well been wearing a bull's eye on her back, if she hadn't had the use of the items that Michael had supplied her with.

In fact, it was by instinct that Nikita pulled in front of this store as she pulled the black gloves over her hands. She wasn't too worried about being identified, as she knew it would probably happen by the intelligence communities quickly while the other authorities wouldn't even know it was a girl before she was out of town.

Nikita stepped out of the car and waited for a woman to pass in front of the store. Nikita took the gun out and entered the store. A normal person could not see the pain she was in and the limp in her leg. All they saw was a firm thin body dressed in black, holding a gun.

Of course the first person thought they could take her. She didn't shoot them. Instead she waited and side stepped the man, so he crashed into the display with rifles. Nikita smiled and looked around as the man passed out at her fee. She knew that the store had no silent alarm as she moved to grab a rifle. From the outside, she may have even looked like a person checking out the rifle, to the men inside, she was danger.

Nikita stepped over the passed out body and lunched a bullet into the shoulder of the man who was thinking about charging her. She turned and smiled at the owner. He was a good businessman of both the real market and the black market. Nikita walked to the wall and smiled at the man.

"You are hiding stuff." Nikita growled out as she kicked at the wall with her bad ankle. She did not register the pain. She had no time. She needed more than a few good rifles. She needed guns to spit out massive amounts of bullets and do it quickly. This man had them and Nikita found them by the time she kicked the wall twice.

Nikita probably took enough equipment that it equaled the amount of her own body weight. Nikita looked at the man and then looked to the bottom box.

"You don't want to know me.. But I think you may have heard who I work for...." Nikita said as she pulled the box out and pulled the rocket launcher out. The man began to tremble as Nikita looked at him and smiled again, coldly. Her eyes leveled with his eyes and he started to tremble.

"You work with Wolfe...." The man said and Nikita smiled and waited. She pulled out the bullets in the bottom again and whistled. Hollow-ends.. Very illegal. Nikita turned her head to the side and looked at the man again.

"Steven is changing though!" the man said and Nikita looked around and smiled. She knew Steven Wolfe wasn't in this town, but she knew that this man might know more.

"But you know what I will do if you don't tell me where he is staying at, right?" Nikita stated firmly and the man pushed back against the counter and trembled. He had seen some danger in his past, but never in the arms of a capable and willing woman. He lifted his head as Nikita began to load the rocket launcher.

"He went to his club..... That's all I know!" The man said as Nikita smiled and started to move out of the building. She tilted her head to the side and aimed the rocket launcher towards the wall. The man shook his head.

"NO! NO! You are to help Steven!" the man called out and Nikita bitterly smiled, which would rival Madeline's for content of coldness.

"Did I say that I worked for Steven?" Nikita questioned as she pulled the trigger and ran to the car as the rocket exploded against the wall. Nikita hurriedly threw a blanket over the machine guns that she had collected and pulled out onto the road. Smoothly, as she had been trained, Nikita pulled her blonde hair down and shook it out. She stripped the black clothing off and winced in pain as she slammed on the brake with her bad foot.

As she pulled out onto the open highway, some six minutes later, moving quickly away from the gun store she just held up, robbed, and destructed, she did not look anything of the woman that walked into that store. There would be no questions made of her. Nikita knew it as she moved down the highway, not ready to stop until she found her next safe haven, and hopefully moved ever so closer to Steven Wolfe.

*

The dance music pounded and reverberated down the hallway leading to the little club. There was a massive crowd trying to enter, continually bumping into each other, as the traffic seemed to be shoulder to shoulder to enter. There had been very little Nikita could have done to protect her ankle, but to force the swollen ankle into her black boots that ran to her knees and go for a dance. She scanned the crowd, looking for the men that she had identified as being taken by the splinter group.

Nikita bounced her way down the hallway as the lights from the club inside started to swirl on the walls around Nikita. It moved slowly, but with a presence of herself, Nikita moved her way through some men with a mere hand placed on the right body part. She smiled at a few and shook her body suggestively for them. Once inside the club, Nikita could only hope that Steven was accessible and not hiding out in some room above the club.

The bouncer looked at Nikita as she started to look into the crowd. She turned and smiled brilliantly at the bouncer. She could tell that he was thinking of causing a hassle, when she stepped forward and rubbed her thin body against his. Nikita ran her hand down low and made a kissing motion with her mouth. She smiled as the bouncer smiled and nodded her into the club. Nikita slowly walked away from him, knowing he was appreciating a fine view of her behind.

Club missions were Nikita's most hatred kind of mission. It was too dark and too varied. To tell a hostile from an innocent was almost impossible, and there was no way one person could now what was going on in the entire place. Yet, in some ways, Nikita missed them. Most often, she was put on Michael like a trophy girl, but more like a trained partner ready to battle her way out in order to live.

Nikita turned in a small circle as she danced her way through to the middle of the club's dance floor. She made a preliminary scan of the bar and then started the dance floor. Nikita had to hope that she would see Steven first and not the other way around. She didn't know what he would do if he saw her before she made her move, but she was sure that she wouldn't know that until it was too late.

Nikita turned and flung her head back and then saw the elusive Steven Wolfe only a few feet from where she danced. She tilted her head down as he was laughing at some women around him and inadvertently looked at Nikita's direction. It was slow progress for Nikita's plan to work, as she slowly danced her way between couples to become dancing at Steven's back. Nikita looked up at the swirl lights and the flashing strobe lights and hoped that all she could do would work. She prayed that her leg could hold for one more hour. She was going to avoid heels, but she might need them if she had to go hand to hand in an attempt to leave.

Nikita knew that the splinter group was there along with her. She was sure of it. She hadn't seen them yet, but in her stomach and her body, she knew that the splinter group was at least here. If Section One was, she would probably be dead in the next hour. Nikita waited as she listened to Steven's laughing and steadied herself ready for the move.

"STEVEN!" Nikita exclaimed as she pulled her body around to his and plastered it onto his body. She felt him jolt away as he stared into her eyes. She slowly pulled away, continuing to dance as if it was just to old flames meeting back up.

"Nikita!" Steven said as blinked his eyes and Nikita narrowed her eyes as she touched his waist in a move that told him not to leave the area unless he wanted to die from her. Steven swallowed heavily and Nikita smirked.

"Don't be surprised.." Nikita whispered out in the heavy music as Steven's eyes lost all of the happiness that were in them a little bit ago. He had come to the club trying to forget his problems. He did not expect them to swing out in front of him.

"You look different..." Steven said and Nikita bitterly smiled and moved a bit closer to him. He knew now that Nikita must have figured out some of the linking going on, but he wasn't sure what she knew and what she didn't know.

"I don't think so... since you have been following me...." Nikita commented as she raised her hands above her head and did a small circle in her dance and turned her eyes back to Steven as he looked around.

"And now.. We are running from the same people.. Kind of ironic..." Nikita said and Steven shook his head as he looked at Nikita. She smiled and grabbed his hand.

"I think you should come with me." Nikita said slowly and Steven shook his head as his eyes opened up wide. Nikita blinked and then saw the red dot lined up on his throat. Nikita threw her hands around his shoulders and pulled him out of the way. The gun fired out, striking a woman behind Steven as Nikita pulled out her gun and started to move quickly. She turned around with one hand on Steven, holding him down, and she shot towards the catwalks that ran above the dance floor that they had been on. Nikita smiled as the man was hit and started to fall down to the floor of the catwalk.

The other patrons were running as Nikita pushed Steven hard. She pushed and pushed as they started to tunnel down the hallway with the others. Then Nikita heard the men behind her. She turned and shot, missing the splinter group but also mission the innocents that were about.

Yet, the splinter group did not care about innocents as they turned and tried to shoot at Nikita and Steven as they turned the corner and ran down the stairs to the parking lot. Nikita motioned Steven towards the driver's side of her car as she threw him the keys.

"DRIVE!" Nikita yelled as she opened up the passenger side door and grabbed one of the machine guns. She sprayed the men running towards them as Steven started to pull away. Once Nikita was safe, she ducked into the seat and Steven pulled away. Nikita could see that he was trembling and Nikita started to feel the pain.

"Why are you letting me drive? You shouldn't trust me!" Steven hissed out, as he knew the situation that was occurring but not totally. She had just saved his life. Nikita turned and pulled her foot up, pulling the boot off of her ankle.

"I think this explains why you are driving... and the fact that you are in danger, just like I am." Nikita hissed out and Steven nodded his head as he pressed on the gas, entering the highway and moving quickly to escape the city that Nikita had spent little less than an hour in. Nikita leaned back in her seat and looked out the window. Which city was next? Which hotel was next? Who was going to be waiting for them?

*

Things had not settled down in Section One as Michael stepped out of his office, with a push in his step that most operatives realized. They stepped back and allowed Michael to walk in whatever direction he wanted to walk yet. Yet, that was not the case when it came to Birkoff. The young man stood up as Michael stepped out of his office.

"Michael." Birkoff said deeply and Michael stopped in front of Birkoff by about twenty feet. He stared over at the young man as he hovered above his desk. Michael pressed his lips together as he continued to stare. Was there a reason for Birkoff to be doing this? Michael looked up and found that Operations was still being maintained within his office, but now operatives had started to help him with the quest to break free from the shields Nikita slammed around him. Michael swallowed, as he did not know how much time he was going to have until Operations started to breathe down his neck. Michael felt a sweat take over his body as he looked at Birkoff, trying to make up his mind to go see the boy or to continue on with what he needed to do.

"It's imperative, Michael." Birkoff said in a deep and low voice and Michael barely leaned his head back as he snapped his body towards Birkoff, not liking the ominous tone that filled Birkoff's voice. Birkoff was a smart boy, so Michael was now beginning to wonder what he wanted.

"What is it?" Michael questioned in a gruff voice as he stood firmly in front of Birkoff's desk. Birkoff motioned Michael to walk around as he sat back down in his chair. Birkoff swiveled a bit back and forth until Michael was up against his left shoulder.

"I just got this video up from some news shows... someone held up a gun store." Birkoff said and Michael rolled his eyes and sighed. He didn't have time for such trivial items.

"Birkoff... how is this imperative?" Michael questioned with resentment on his lips. Birkoff knew that Michael was busy but he also knew that he needed to see this.

"Just look at the video." Birkoff said as he moved his head away from the screen and the video played again. Michael tilted his head off to the side and stared at the screen, not sure what good this was going to be. Michael looked as a person entered the gun store and side stepped a charging man. Michael's mouth started to part as the action continued on. Michael started to fidget as the rocket launcher was removed and Michael looked around.

"That's Nikita." Michael whispered and Birkoff nodded his head up and down as he looked up at Michael. Michael bent down and looked at the computer screen.

"Has he got it yet?" Michael questioned as he looked up towards the glass office and at Operations. Birkoff shook his head back and forth and Michael nodded his head. There was just too much going on right now for him to find this out and Michael swallowed.

"Send a copy to Madeline.. And stop him from getting it." Michael said as he stood up. He reached over Birkoff's arm and watched the video again. Michael swallowed and looked to Birkoff. He knew that Nikita had grabbed a lot of equipment.

"Send it to Walter. I need to know what she grabbed and how much she did grab." Michael said as he stepped away from Birkoff. Birkoff raised his eyes as he watched Michael storm off down the hallway and swallowed. All Birkoff knew was that he didn't want to be anywhere near this place when Nikita walked in with all those supplies. She was going to be a one girl wrecking machine.

Michael though, had no further time to think about that tape as he moved to Madeline's office quickly. He knew that Madeline would have viewed the video as soon as it appeared in her computer. Michael waited for the door too open to find Madeline glued to the computer, watching the events unfolds.

"We have issues." Michael stated and Madeline looked up from the computer and pressed her lips together.

"Of course, this means she has enough equipment to do some serious damage." Madeline stated as she leaned back in her chair. Michael tilted his head off to the side and nodded it softly as he turned and stared at Madeline. He did not want to tell Madeline what he had found out, but it was deep within his heart and Michael swallowed.

"Actually, it does deal with Nikita, but not about that tape." Michael said and Madeline lifted her head and stared at Michael. She had viewed the tape once before Michael opened the door. She was stunned at how well Nikita moved, considering that Walter was positive that her ankle was broken.

"Two things. I had message from Nikita. She used my computer." Michael said and Madeline nodded her head and folded her hands together on top of the desk. Her opinions and guesses at the nature of the events that occurred earlier were true and she licked her lips.

"What was the message?" Madeline questioned and Michael looked down to the desk. He didn't want to tell Madeline, but from what he had further information about just told him that he had to tell her.

"Be careful in the Wolfe's Den. Wolfe as being Operations, Paul." Michael said and Madeline swallowed. It was a cryptic message that rattled her body. Madeline sighed and shook her head.

"But that gives us no more..." Madeline said and Michel blinked his eyes and looked down to his hands. He abruptly stood up and swallowed again. If he was going to work with Madeline on this, he had to let Madeline be in on all of it. She knew his feelings. Michael wasn't sure how she knew them, but she could read Michael like an open book. Michael did not hesitate on the thought that Madeline knew that he loved Nikita that point left many hours ago, probably days ago.

"Nikita's sister, Karin, was in a car accident today." Michael said and he watched Madeline lean back and swallow. Michael looked up to the ceiling and closed his eyes. If Nikita found this out, she would not be stopped in her plight. Michael forced his head down to look at Madeline, who had realized the same thing that Nikita would run to her sister.

"She is six months pregnant.. And now in a coma... with very little chance of waking up." Michael informed Madeline and she closed her eyes as she felt the blood coursing through her body. Michael leaned forward and rubbed his hands together silently.

"Needless to say, we need to keep that off of the computer... and get Nikita through this....." Michael stated for Madeline, as she seemed to be lost for words. She was trapped in her own thoughts of her own sister. If her sister was alive and in a coma, she would go through hell and high water to be at her sister's side. Madeline knew that it was very important to keep this information from anyone that might tell it to Nikita.

"Madeline, she is coming back... and soon. I feel it... I don't know how she plans on doing it... but it won't be long until there is blood on the hallways of Section One again." Michael stated as he stood up and exited the office. Madeline dropped her head back, hating to admit that she had the duplicate feelings deep within her. There were some things about Nikita that were always there and were always true. She wasn't going to give up those that she loved, and that would mean that she wouldn't be running away. The only way she got what she felt was right was to come back. Nikita was coming back, but no one knew when, how or why.

*

Steven slammed the door of the car and ran to Nikita's side of the car. She lifted her head and glared at Steven as he tried to grab her arm. Nikita's blue eyes narrowed and filled with ice as she took all of her strength and stood up to get out of the car. Nikita swallowed and looked around as Steven stood behind her, expecting her to fall.

"Let me help you.. .You shouldn't be on that foot!" Steven said and Nikita stared at him and looked to the door of the hotel room. At least the one thing he was able to do was to get a room on the bottom floor. Nikita opened the back door and turned to find Steven still leaning over her body.

"Look, Steven. If you want to help, you would open the door to the room." Nikita hissed out as she started to slowly pull the supplies together, knowing that she could not just let people see the equipment she was going to be bringing in. It was one of the reasons why Nikita waited to have Steven find a room until it was late into the night and not many people were up. Nikita waited as he stepped over the curb onto the sidewalk. He played with the key and opened the door. Nikita sighed and moved the most important equipment into the hotel room first.

"I'll get it!" Nikita called out from the room, but it was already too late as Steven started to look at the supplies and he looked at Nikita. Nikita moved back to the car quickly and grabbed the last few guns and dashed back to the hotel room before Steven had even closed the door. Nikita tilted her head to the side and stared at Steven. He finally closed the door and followed her in, realizing that he had nothing else to wear.

Nikita watched as he closed the door and did not even lock and deadbolt the room. Nikita stepped to the door and loudly did both as she turned and stared at him.

"Look, I don't know if you care about your life anymore... but I care about mine and many others... so pay attention." Nikita said as she turned from the door and stumbled again on her ankle. She swallowed and sat down on the bed and started to rummage through some of the bags. She quickly pulled out black pants and a black shirt for Steven. She tossed them to him and stared at him.

"I care about my life." Steven said firmly and Nikita snorted as she rolled her eyes. The statement just didn't work out with Steven was concerned.

"Yeah.. You cared about it so much that you turned against your father.. But then.. He won't kill blood... he'll kill me though." Nikita stated as she pulled out her gun and aimed it at Steven. She knew that he still had yet to learn a lot about weaponry.

"Tell me what you know..." Nikita hissed as she cocked the gun back and Steven swallowed. Nikita turned her attention towards Steven and he knew that she wanted the total truth.

"I've been working with my father since the time you had the mission with me. He has wanted a way to get you out of his hair..." Steven said and Nikita nodded her head, as it was nothing that she had not heard about or at least reveled thought in.

"So, why did you turn against him?" Nikita questioned and Steven swallowed and rubbed his large hands together.

"I doubled against him.... When I saw how much Michael loved you, I was destroyed, thinking that I caused it to happen... Until George found me." Steven said as he stood up. He was not surprised as Nikita's gun followed him as he began to pace. She had no reason to trust anyone, and Steven realized this and accepted it.

"George then told me of his plan, that you were alive.... But you weren't suppose to save Section." Steven said and Nikita placed the safety down and dropped the gun to the side. She blinked and looked to the wall as her teeth ground together against each other.

"I wasn't suppose too? There were people down there that mattered!" Nikita cried out as she looked up at Steven with tears in her eyes.

"George had Michael out. He was going to take Section One down and start it all over again with you and Michael. It was the same progression that occurred when my father took over." Steven revealed and Nikita blinked her eyes at what Steven was saying and she raised the gun again.

"Are you saying you work for Oversight?" Nikita questioned and Steven shook his head as he slumped down onto the bed, realizing how all of this was too hard to explain to Nikita in her state. He looked at her and sighed. He wasn't sure if he even understood all of it himself.

"No... because I found out from the splinter group that they drugged you...... Nikita, you are running from three groups.. George is mad because you destroyed his plans to get you and Michael in power.... My father has always hated you and he is going after you now with two groups..." Steven said and Nikita closed her eyes as she body felt the rush of information crash her body. Nikita trembled and stood up.

"Nikita... you should stay off of that foot." Steven said and Nikita turned around sharply and pressed her body into his, pushing him down into the bed.

"If I wanted your advice I would ask you for it!" Nikita hissed out as she looked into his eyes and Steven could see the flames of hatred brewing deep within them.

"Nikita... I have seen what you have gone through. You don't have to do this by yourself!" Steven cried out and Nikita looked at him and pulled out a wryly smile.

"Who said I am? Who do you think is going to stop me from getting killed, Michael? HA.... Once I show up in Section with you.... Operations' won't kill me." Nikita hissed out and Steven swallowed. His face was turning pale and Nikita reached out for the wall as a rush of dizziness took over her body.

"We should order something to eat..." Steven said and Nikita stared into Steven's eyes again. She closed her eyes, as the look was so similar to the one that she had seen on Michael's eyes. Nikita closed her eyes and allowed the tears to form.

"Nikita... it is all right..." Steven said softly as he reached a hand out her shoulder and Nikita jumped back and looked at him like a girl who got caught stealing candy in a candy store.

"I can't let this get to me..... Get something to eat... Then we will plan." Nikita said as she stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. Steven stared at the door as he heard the cries and he swallowed.

>From the beginning of his time working with his father, the goal of the splinter group was not to get other targets; it was to rid Section of the people that Operations didn't want to deal with. Recently, that focus had been entirely on Nikita. When Operations first started with it, Steven did not question it. Now he wished he had.

He had viewed everything that Nikita had done in some form. He had almost been obsessed. He had been able to continued access with the splinter group until about four days ago. Now, he was in limbo like Nikita, but he at least had an emotional center, where Nikita's life had been fragmented to the point that he was sure she viewed it as nothing. That was dangerous for anyone.

Steven knew he had to take the protection that Nikita had offered. The splinter group, although controlled by Operations, had not always believed in Operations' ways, and was after Steven now for their own personal reasons other than Steven just leaving the loop. The only way Steven may live was if Nikita somehow made it back to Section One with knowledge to end Operation's reign of terror.

*

Steven looked at his food and then back to the bathroom door. There was no other sound and he waited silently, wanting to know what was going on in there. Somewhere deep inside of him, he knew the reality of Nikita's situation was no-win and that she could be ending her life as he sat out here staring at his pizza. He also knew that she was trying to gain her composure. Steven stood up and moved to the door.

"Nikita... are you all right?" Steven called out and he waited. He pressed his ear to the door and sighed as he waited.

"Open the door, please, Steven." Nikita whispered and he looked into the room. Nikita was sitting on the toilet with her hair dripping wet along with her clothes. She looked up at him with red rimmed eyes.

"I'm only going to give myself ten minutes of this, Steven... then I have to get back to the plan." Nikita said as a few tears overflowed the banks of her eyes and ran down her face. Steven nodded head and moved forward, as Nikita could not crumble. She would still not allow herself to crumble all the way. It was instinct for her not to, and she couldn't.

"Nikita.... You can cry.. We are safe here." Steven said and Nikita lifted her head and shook. She was rescinding on her order to herself as she stood up and leaned all of her weight on the other foot. She glanced as the mirror and growled at the sight in the mirror.

"I can't eat.. I can't stand... I can't think.. And I can't dream.... I am sick of running, Steven, and now it is going to end." Nikita said as she slammed her hand forward and smashed the mirror that had her image staring back at her. Steven sighed and stepped out of the room as Nikita, looking like a wet mutt moved into the room and pulled open the computer.

"What are you doing?" Steven demanded and Nikita smiled with a thin line and typed a few commands.

"I will be needed all the information and trickery that I can get if I plan on getting into Section tomorrow night." Nikita stated and Steven sat down on the bed in utter awe of Nikita's motions and strength. Here she was, injured, badly, and she was planning on going into Section tomorrow.

"We can run still... get some time for that leg to heal." Steven argued and Nikita looked towards Steven and swallowed. Nikita shook her head and slammed her hand against the console, as the last bit of information was locked to her. She froze the computers again, this time, plunging Section One into a blackout. Nikita knew that Operations was still stuck in his office, unless he shot himself out of it again, and that had supposively been taken care of. The last file needed a partial DNA code and Nikita could not supply that.

Until she turned and looked at the other Wolfe. Nikita smiled and licked her lips, hoping that it would be close enough. Nikita pulled at Steven's hand and pricked it.

"What are you doing!" Steven hollered as Nikita dropped a spot onto a piece of paper and dropped his hand. She turned back to the computer and started the process. She glared into the computer screen and lightly turned her head to the side.

"Bandages are in that black bag with the rocket launcher. Be careful." Nikita commented and Steven nervously laughed as he moved to the bag. He was digging through the bag as the computer beeped at Nikita. She blinked her eyes and slammed the computer down. She was going to have to think of another way to access the information.

"What is it, Nikita?" Steven asked as he pulled the bandages out and Nikita swallowed. She smiled at Stephen and moved back to the bed.

"Maybe... we should stay here a while... I have links to both Section and Oversight.. And I can monitor the splinter group with a communications node that I picked up along with way." Nikita said as she looked at the one bed. Nikita looked at Stephen and swallowed.

"I just ran something that should have gone through..." Nikita said and Steven looked at her and stopped placing the band-aid around his finger.

"And it didn't?" Steven asked, knowing that in the car Nikita had spoke about how both groups, Section and Oversight were attempting to track her through the use of her codes.

"It had a DNA pass on it... Your blood should have been enough." Nikita stated and Steven looked at her.

"It looks for off-spring matches.." Nikita softly said and then dropped her head. Steven stared at Nikita and trembled himself.

"Yours don't come close." Nikita whispered out and Stephen dropped to the bed. The terror of his life running the point that the man that he was willing to do evil things for, the man he thought was his father, wasn't his father. Nikita leaned down on the bed as Steven fell to the pillow and cried. She knew how Steven thought that his father was a good man. She saw it from the time that she first saw Steven. She didn't see the connection, but knew that stranger things occurred, because she knew she didn't look at all like her mother. Nikita held him until he gave away to his sleep and soon after, exhaustion took her body for the little bit it would allow it to give.

*

The hallway was quiet as Michael moved down the length of the sterile place. He dropped his head and thought about everything. How he wish he knew where Nikita was? How he wished what she was doing would be right? How he wished he could protect her?

Yet, in moments like this one, Michael realized that sometimes he couldn't protect Nikita, and all that he could do is support and be there for Nikita. Michael looked at the door and sighed.

ICU101

Michael dropped his head and continued down the hallway, swallowing as he went. His mind was elsewhere, because as he knew this part of Nikita's life was important, her physical life was in danger now. He hoped to god that Nikita didn't return on this night of all nights.

Madeline knew Michael too well, knowing that Michael wasn't going to leave Section One until ordered to do so, and even then, it would take hours for him to finish the paperwork he would claim he had to finish. This was a mission of sorts. A mission of the heart, a mission of compassion, but it was still a mission.

Of course, Operations was having his own problems and did not know about what was going on as Michael left Section One. During his trip, Michael got a phone call from Madeline, explaining how Nikita attacked Section One again, this time, turned off all the lights. To a casual observer, the actions were funny, because in both situations, Section One could not function, but to everyone inside, they understood the difficult ground that Nikita was standing on. Doing these types of things, although hiding what she was working on, was also being counterproductive in creating a support network for Nikita within Section One.

Michael turned his head and swallowed as he looked at the passing rooms. He tried to forget what he was there to do; as it brought back other memories that just made the current situation with Nikita even more unbearable to think about. To know that all of these events had occurred, Nikita learning that she had a sister, Nikita remembering her childhood, Nikita using drugs and being with Adam, all occurred with very little conversation between the two. Michael was afraid of what was also happening to Nikita's fragile mind and was afraid that once all of this was over, and if she lived, that it was possible that she would be changed for life.

ICU111

Michael stopped and swallowed as he looked into the room. He had noticed that Karin, Nikita's sister, still had not changed in her condition. The baby was fine and healthy, but there was no outlook for Karin's mind. It was either she came back or she didn't. There was no time line when it would occur by and Michael swallowed.

Tanner, Karin's now husband, had been sitting in the waiting room with who Michael assumed were his parents. Michael walked by quickly, as this time he was not portraying a FBI agent, but rather a doctor. Michael lifted the chart and walked into the room.

"Karin.. Can you hear me?" Michael asked as he looked at the bandages on her head. There was no response and Michael started to read the medical data off to Madeline as he pretended to be examining her. Michael didn't like this feeling, although he had seen many people in this state before. It even dawned on him that he had done and completed missions like this one before. Michael swallowed and sat the chart down.

"Michael, use the syringe with the star on it." Madeline said and Michael looked around. He pulled the syringes out of his pocket and found the one that Madeline had indicated. He looked at it and slowly tapped to get rid of the air bubbles. He looked up at the IV fluid back and inserted the needle. He waited and depressed the contents and pulled it away, placing the used needle in the receptacle meant for used needles.

"There won't be no change for you to view, Michael. Come back." Madeline said and Michael dropped his head and stopped as he moved towards the door. What Madeline had allowed him to do was one of the most compassionate things he had heard Madeline doing. They had drugs in Section One that the real world could benefit from, but yet they could be used for the wrong reasons. This one might just allow Karin to wake up and Michael had to believe that it would.

The purpose of this mission to Michael was to lower the chances that the rest of Section One found out about Karin and to stop the chances of Nikita running to Karin's bedside in an emotional mess. Michael had to hope that it worked but he looked into Karin with her stomach showing her six-month pregnant stomach, Michael stopped and turned back.

"Karin.. You are going to be all right... Nikita is looking after you... and she is going to want to see that baby... her niece or nephew.... So you wake up.. And be a mother..." Michael whispered out as he took Karin's hands and then kissed them softly. He stepped up and made is way out of the hospital, not wanting Tanner to see him.

*

The room was pitch black as Steven opened his eyes and looked up to the ceiling. It was not the first time he woke up, as Nikita proved to be a restless sleeper. He moved over in the bed and tried to close his eyes again.

"Michael?" Nikita called out softly and Steven closed his eyes. She had been calling out for him periodically throughout the night. At first he thought about waking her up and talking about it. Yet, this was a cold operative, and Steven knew that more than likely she would shut down all of her thoughts in that line that was causing her dreams. Dreams were the time for the mind to claim back what it wanted, or at least that was Steven's own thoughts on them. He knew Nikita wanted Michael, but he was sure that Nikita didn't want to admit this admirable weakness until this mission, or plight was over. Yet, it was what her mind wanted now and in the future.

"Michael.... Why did you turn away from me?" Nikita questioned as she looked at the figure next to her. She leaned up on her elbows and looked at the figure next to her and smiled as she saw Michael.

"I'm not Michael, Nikita." Steven said as he turned his head over and stared at her. Nikita smiled and settled back down in the bed. Steven waited as he tried to listen to see if she had fallen back to sleep.

"But still.. I would feel better if you hold me..." Nikita said as she tugged at Steven's arm and pulled it around her shoulder and neck. Slowly she snuggled her body into Steven's comparably thinner and shorter body than what Michael had. Steven looked at Nikita and tried to pull away, yet Nikita kept her grip tightly.

"Don't you want me, Michael?" Nikita questioned out in a meek voice and Steven shook his head as he looked into Nikita's tired and confused eyes. He sat up in the bed and flicked on a light. He had opened that the light would jolt Nikita out of her thoughts that she was acting out upon.

"Nikita.. I am Steven!" Steven said forcefully as Nikita sat up in bed. She leaned back a little bit and then lifted her head with a light little smile. Steven didn't know what was going on and he was scared to his core. Nikita playfully batted her eyes and placed a hand out on his thigh.

"Oh.. So that's the game you want to play.. Michael....." Nikita said as she started to lean her body in closer. Steven was shaking his head, trying to use his hand to thwart off Nikita's presence.

"I AM NOT MICHAEL!" Steven said firmly out, starting to panic as her hands started to rub on the waistband of the sweatpants he was wearing.

"I need you Michael...... I need you.." Nikita started to cry out as she raised a hand and place it onto Stephen's cheek. It was cold and Steven flinched with the contact. It was not that he had never thought about being with Nikita, in fact, it was probably any man's dream once they met her to have this happening, but Steven knew Nikita. She thought he was Michael and he had to stop the events before it got further along.

"Nikita... I know that Michael loves you.. But I'm not Michael." Steven said again and Nikita moved closer and Steven could feel her breath caressing the side of his face. Steven closed his eyes, trying to move away from Nikita, but fear had paralyzed her. Was this a fugue state? Was this a dream? Was she trying to test him? He didn't know what to do as Nikita pushed her mouth forward.

Her lips meshed with his and Steven still tried to pull away from the touch. He would not open his mouth as his body began to spring up with the natural response to Nikita's presence. Steven closed his mind of thoughts and pushed Nikita back.

"Don't you love me? You don't have to love me.... Just be with me now. I need you now." Nikita cried out as the tears ran down her face. Steven shook his head as he reached out and touched Nikita's bare neck. She looked so tired and drained. He had to snap her out of this state.

"I am not Michael." Steven said as he thought he had her attention in his eyes, but her eyes never wavered as the tears continued.

"Please, Michael... be with me... make me whole..." Nikita cried out and Steven shook in terror. This was a woman broken, pretending that the man in front of her was the man she truly loved. Steven shook as her hands ran up his legs and she moved to a more dominating position, pushing Steven against the headboard.

"Remember the Armel mission, Michael.... Help me relax..." Nikita softly stated as she leaned forward with her mouth again.

It was unrelenting as she attacked her lips to his. Steven tried and tried and finally opened his mouth to the hot penetration of Nikita's tongue. He felt his entire mouth burn as this woman didn't even know who he was. He was never one for meaningless sex, but this was more than that. To Nikita, he was Michael, and he couldn't let this fantasy continue, yet he was not the one controlling the situation.

It must have been the contact that finally jolted Nikita back. Steven first saw her eyes open wide and then she vaulted away from Steven, ending up on the floor at the foot of the bed. She was trembling as she put her fingers to her lips.

"No... Michael was here.... Steven... no.." Nikita cried out as she tried to scurry up from the floor but only proceeded to fall to the ground continually on her the knee of her bad leg. She winced in pain and then finally sat down next to the desk. Steven waited, as it seemed as if she was trying to take stock of the situation. Steven could see the terror in Nikita's eyes as she shook her head in disbelief.

"I tried to tell you, Nikita.. You weren't listening...." Steven said and Nikita shook her head one last time and then closed her eyes. She looked to the wall and seemed to have just pulled herself together, but Steven knew that inside she had to be reeling. She pulled out the computer equipment and started to work. Steven stood up and looked at Nikita.

"I think we should talk about this!" Steven cried out and Nikita lifted her head and looked at him with a blank stare on her face. She looked like she had just voided her entire system of all emotions. Nikita used her hands to pull her hair up in a bun as she continued to stare at Steven. She patted the hair and then dropped her eyes.

"I have work to do so that we can make our entrance tonight into Section One." Nikita announced and pounced into the work. Steven blinked his eyes and walked to the little sink and gathered the bucket of ice. Steven dumped it into a towel and placed it on her knee. Nikita jumped up and slapped him in the progress. She was scared to look into Steven's eyes and she cowered her head down as she looked to the desk.

"Nikita... I won't tell Michael... You were tired... and you didn't know...." Steven said and Nikita lifted her eyes with tears in them.

"I didn't know better? Is that what you are trying to say? Do you think I have time for this? I should have never slept!" Nikita hollered and Steven sat down on the bed. He rubbed his hands together, nervous about this tact that Nikita was taking. Steven wasn't sure if he should trust what she was doing right now. If she was upset inside, who knew what kind of mistakes she was making?

"Please... Nikita.. Just stop and talk about this...You really need to talk about this..." Steven said and Nikita jumped up and pushed him violently down onto the bed. She got onto his body and punched his shoulder, not holding back her anger.

"Do you want to talk about how I almost jumped your bones? Do you want to talk about how I was pleading for you love...? BUT all the while, when I was thinking you were Michael??? What about that you wanted me to continued on like you were Michael??? YOU WEREN'T GOING TO STOP ME! What does that make you sound like?" Nikita said as she jumped up off of Steven and then sat back down on the chair.

"What does that make me sound like?" Nikita whispered as she dropped her head. She picked up the remote control devices and started to program them again. Steven rubbed his shoulder and sighed.

"It makes you human, Nikita." Steven whispered out but he was sure that the words were only heard by himself, and even then, he was having problems believing he had spoken them.

*

Darkness never made Section a nicer place; in fact, even the most experienced operatives became stared in such a position. There were more shadows and one could never tell if an enemy was close by. Yet, it was from the dark, Madeline and Michael saw the figurative light.

"Nikita is doing this.. She is coming back... I think she wants to save us... she needs to save us..." one operative to Michael's left said as he moved down the hallway as silently as he always did. They didn't see his dark figure there, and continued to talk as if nothing would or could hurt them. They should have known they were being listened to, and maybe they did and didn't care if they were heard.

"We have missed important missions because of Operations' obsession with getting Nikita... But how can Nikita win against him when he has shoot to kill orders on her?" Another asked, further in the darkness.

"You don't follow those orders... they are bullcrap to start with! And stay by her." Walter's voice responded and Michael stopped and pressed against the wall.

"That won't work for long, there would be an operative somewhere trying to suck up to Operations." The man replied back to Walter and Michael dropped his head.

"Don't worry.. There are a lot of operatives on Nikita's side.... I would venture most of Section. Operations has done one thing too many this time and payback is a bitch." Walter said and Michael heard the footsteps moving towards him. Michael waited and grabbed the arm.

"Walter..." Michael said out as he pressed the man against the wall. Walter knew the voice and knew the pressure on his arm. He shifted and waited for Michael's next words.

"Keep going on.... Lights will probably be up within the hour if I know Nikita." Michael said and then moved away from the man. Michael was happy to see that the one place that still had lights probably still had annoying music playing within. It gave everyone in Section One the view at Operations while he couldn't view them. It had to be driving the man in power to a brink. Michael knew it was more towards Nikita, but he was slowly losing the ability to think rationally.

"Madeline..." Michael said as he moved down into her office that shined brightly with candles. Madeline walked back to her desk and pointed to the candles.

"They were delivered to me about ten minutes before we went into the darkness." Madeline said and Michael nodded his head. So Nikita knew that there was someone helping her, or at least, since Madeline started this mess, Nikita hoped that she would help Nikita out of this mess.

"Her sister wasn't responding." Michael supplied and Madeline nodded her head as she sat down at her desk. She saw that Michael wanted to have good news about Nikita's sister for when Nikita returned. Madeline could tell that Michael was sure that she was coming back and soon.

"Michael, I stated that the medicine you inject would take some time. Her body had an immense trauma and it is best if it slowly gets back to the conscious world." Madeline said and Michael leaned forward and rubbed his head with his hands. Madeline leaned forward and looked at the candle. Michael's face was cast in a deep shadow that seemed to be the perfect symbolism of how his heart felt. Madeline also realized the struggle that would occur, once Nikita had gained enough information about how to take back Section One.

"Michael... more importantly, now is the time to find out who we have on our side... and to move weapons around. Nikita is coming back." Madeline said and Michael lifted his head and leaned in more.

"I have been thinking about the message, Madeline." Michael admitted and she nodded her head. She had wished Michael could have provided a copy of the message to her, but it was highly developed code. It was scary, but right now, Nikita knew more than Birkoff about the Section One computers.

"What about it, Michael? I thought it was a warning about Operations." Madeline said and Michael blinked his eyes. He had thought the same thing, but why would Nikita say something like that. It only stated something about his current state. They all knew what Operations was thinking and ordering. In fact, it would have been a waste of time in her book. A communications that risky had to give more information about her current position and what she had learned.

"What if it means that this involves Steven Wolfe?" Michael said and Madeline shook her head and looked to her computer. Michael was to know and believe that Nikita killed Steven on that mission so long ago. Madeline did not want to find out that Nikita had told him the truth.

"Michael, you saw Steven shot in that mission. He is dead, not alive." Madeline said and Michael blinked his eyes and sat forward. He rubbed his hands together and looked back at Madeline again before looking to the wall.

"Nikita is not the only one who is finding their way into the computers from afar..." Michael whispered out softly and Madeline's lips pressed tightly together. She closed her eyes and then lifted her eyes. That would make a lot more sense. Michael always had the skills but until recently, proven that he wasn't interesting in knowing all about Section. Madeline guessed that Nikita had rubbed off on Michael, and this time, it was probably for the good.

"So, how do you think he plays into this?" Madeline asked and Michael rolled his eyes off to the side and stood up. Michael looked at the wall, trying to find the possible answer that was the most important for everyone to know.

"Nikita, once she has what she needs, has to have a ticket in the front door." Michael said as he slowly formulated his mind and thoughts. He was sure that Operations felt and loved his son, as proved in the mission that Nikita was told to protect him in.

"She has codes, Michael. She can have plenty of distractions." Madeline said and Michael turned and leaned against the wall. He could not even look at Madeline anymore. All of this reminded him too much of Nikita. Michael was finding it hard to remember the last time he had her, for those few minutes, with nothing of Section slipping in. It was before the day that Nikita 'died'. It was some time so brief and quick, that Michael could barely hold onto it.

He knew that the fragile state Nikita's mind was in when she entered Section One, but now the tortures of Section One had driven Nikita into this mission of nothing by self-mutilation. Michael realized that Nikita would seem to be strong, and in control, if she didn't die before changing things in Section One, but if she did stay alive, she would be less of a woman that he first saw in that room as a recruit. Michael knew that he might have to try the rest of his life to restore Nikita from what the past year had done to her.

"Yet, having Steven by gun point will keep her alive. Hands down. You know Operations' loyalties, and between Section One and family... it is family, Madeline." Michael stated bluntly and Madeline nodded her head knowing it to be true.

"So she is going to kidnap Steven once she has the Intel on what she feel is needed. Operations will not risk his son's life." Madeline reaffirmed and Michael nodded his head as he looked down to his hands.

"Not that Section operatives would follow orders about Nikita" Michael added while Madeline softly smiled. She liked that positive tone from Michael. The more Michael thought positively, the better off they were, and the more focused Michael would stay. It was when Michael thought about the bad things, like Nikita's deep emotional state and injures that the process was slow.

"We need an exact number. I may be able to move some missions out of here with those that don't agree." Madeline said as she turned to her computer. Michael smiled as Madeline's was working. Michael leaned off of the wall and looked at Madeline.