"Whatever it takes, Michael, whatever it takes!" Operations demanded.

"It won't work this time. She doesn't trust me anymore. Since Jurgen's death she doesn't speak to me" Michael stated quietly. He was looking out of the window in Ops ready room, watching someone in the area below rather than looking at the older man who was standing behind him.

"Then seduce her."

Michael slowly turned to face Ops. His face was impassive and he hardly seemed to breath as he stared at the other man.

Ops regarded his agent with something akin to impatience. "If you do what you're suppose to do, then she'll do what's expected of her. If you can't handle it, then you'd better let me know now."

Michael continued to stare at the commander of Section One for several seconds and then dropped his eyes. He said nothing as he left the room. Once he was gone, Ops walked to the window to see what had caught Michael's attention in the area below. He spotted Nikita at Birkoff's station, apparently bantering with the young computer specialist. "Whatever it takes, Michael" he said to himself, "whatever it takes."

Nikita was walking past Michael's office when she saw him through the open door. He was standing behind his desk, unseeing eyes focused on some distant point, his right index finger slowly caressing his lower lip. He appeared deep in thought. She had neither sought him out nor talked to him except for what was absolutely necessary since returning from her time away after Jurgen's death. She was irrationally angry that he hadn't tried to contact her since her return. She had vowed that she would not make the first move, but he seemed so preoccupied, and so alone. Impulsively she stopped and spoke "Michael?"

He didn't respond. He didn't seem to hear her. She stepped into his office and tried again. "Michael?"

Michael blinked several times as if startled and then seemed to focus on his visitor. "Nikita" he said more in recognition than in salutation.

"Michael, are you all right? Is something wrong?"

Michael walked forward, around Nikita, and closed the door to his office. He was now standing behind her. He stepped close to her and whispered into her ear "Nikita, there will be a mission soon. It's not all that it seems. Be careful." Tiny wisps of Nikita's hair were stirred by his warning.

Alarmed but not wishing to show it, Nikita asked "Are they testing me again?"

"No" Michael answered softly. Then hesitating, he added even more quietly "Me." He then quickly turned and left before she could question him, leaving Nikita standing in his office alone.

The line had been cast. *It begins* he thought as he walked away from Nikita, once again.

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

Nikita had just finished her shower after her work out in the gym when she received a summons to Madeline's office. When she arrived, she found Madeline cutting away part of a branch on one of her several bonsai trees. Nikita watched the delicate operation curiously but without comment.

Madeline, noticing that Nikita was watching, decided to instruct her in a bit of Section philosophy. "These trees are beautiful aren't they. However, in order to get them to reach their full potential, often one must appear to be cruel. We must shape them in the way they should go, rather than allow them to follow their own inclinations." Finishing her last cut, she took a seat behind her desk and motioned for Nikita to sit as well.

"I've been meaning to ask you here before now, to see how you've been doing. Did you find your time away restful?"

"Yes, it was fine, just fine" Nikita answered brightly. She would never again be able to fully trust Madeline after the Shays episode. Madeline had asked her how she was doing and she had made the mistake of telling the other woman the truth. It was immediately after that interview that Section had decided to cancel her. She would be dead now were it not for Michael's intervention.

"Good. I'm glad. Are you finding it easy to reintegrate with the personnel? Birkoff, Walter, the other operatives? No problems?" Madeline continued to probe.

"We're getting along great, just like I never left. I missed them while I was on the outside" Nikita answered honestly.

"And they missed you, though of course they believed you were dead. How about Michael?"

"What about Michael?" Nikita said casually.

"I've noticed that you haven't spent any time together in Section. In fact, it appears that you've hardly talked except for what was absolutely necessary to complete the few missions you've been on together. Is there a problem."

"No, no problem, we've just not had any reason to get together."

"You know, Nikita, I was under the impression that there was a relationship between Michael and you. Have circumstances changed?"

Nikita swallowed before answering Madeline. "No, there's no relationship, not now. I don't know that there ever really was."

"Are you speaking for yourself or for Michael?" Madeline asked.

"For the both of us. Besides, I thought that Section didn't approve of attachments among the operative."

"Sometimes attachments can not only be useful but are necessary" Madeline explained but did not elaborate. "Since you haven't been around him more than you feel necessary, I gather that you haven't noticed Michael acting oddly or being unduly distracted in any way?"

"No" Nikita shook her head. "No, I haven't noticed anything like that, why should I?"

"Michael often has some...difficulty...around this time. However, if you haven't seen.."

Nikita cut her off "Difficulty? Why?"

Madeline looked thoughtful, as if deciding whether or not to reveal a secret. Finally she nodded as if coming to a decision. "Had she lived, this would be Simone and Michael's anniversary."

"I didn't know" Nikita said sadly.

"There's no reason that you should have. Well, Nikita, I hope we'll have an opportunity to talk again soon." So saying, Madeline dismissed the female operative.

Nikita stood to leave. Before reaching the door she turned back to Ops' second "Thank you for telling me."

Madeline inclined her head slightly toward Nikita and then watched her leave the office. She waited several seconds and then made a call. "Where's she headed?"

A male voice replied "She seems to be headed to Michael's office."

Madeline smiled. The bait was being taken.

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

By the time she had reached Michael's office, Nikita was determined to show Michael some compassion, whether he wanted it or not. She could see him through the blinds sitting at his computer. His hands were on the keys but he didn't seem to be typing. She knocked once before entering.

Michael looked up to see Nikita at his door for the second time in one day. Though neither time had she been unexpected. "Yes?" he said expectantly.

"Michael, are you all right" Nikita asked seriously.

Michael blinked and looked mildly confused "I'm...fine. Why shouldn't I be?"

Nikita walked forward and perched on the desk beside him, forcing him to look up from the key board in order to meet her gaze. "Madeline told me about today" she said gently.

Michael moved his gaze to the monitor "she shouldn't have."

"Please, Michael, don't shut me out. I know you loved Simone. Today would have been your anniversary. Don't try to tell me that doesn't mean anything to you."

Michael was quiet a very long time. He would not look up at her. "What do you want me to say, 'Kita?" he whispered.

"Say you'll have coffee with me tonight."

Michael continued to look away from her. He didn't say anything but he nodded once.

"Great, seven o'clock, my place?"

Michael finally looked up, his gray eyes meeting her blue ones. "I'll be there."

Nikita smiled shyly and left.

The bait was swallowed. Michael watched Nikita leave and then began to type.

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

At exactly seven o'clock there was a knock on the door. Nikita hurriedly finished brushing her hair back out of her face, checked her appearance in the mirror and went to answer it. When she opened it, there was no one there. She looked to see a man retreating down the hall. "Michael?" she called.

The man hesitated and turned, walking almost reluctantly back to the door. Michael hated what he would have to do tonight. He would mix the truth with lies and then even the truth would be a betrayal. *Focus* he thought *focus on the mission.* "I'm sorry 'Kita. I shouldn't have come." *I'm so sorry.*

"But you did. Please, Michael, come in." She stood back from the door offering him entrance.

Michael looked into Nikita's apartment. The last time he had been here it was to find Jurgen with Nikita. Jurgen was dead now. Still, he realized he could not totally betray her. "No, not here. Could we go somewhere else?"

"Yes, yes, of course just let me get my things."

Shortly thereafter, the two found themselves seated at a small table in an intimate cafe. There were few other customers and Michael felt secure in being able to talk. Much could depend on tonight. They ordered their coffee and waited in silence for it to arrive. Michael sat with his hands laying in front of him on the table.

The coffee came and the waitress left. Nikita looked at Michael expectantly, not really knowing where to start but knowing that he would sit there all night without saying a word unless she prompted him. "How long would you've been married." Nikita reached out and laid a hand on top of his.

He gently began stroking the top of her hand with his thumb. "It would have been ten years" he finally replied in a voice that sounded hoarse with emotion. His eyes glistened but otherwise his face gave no hint as to what, if anything, he was feeling. "We were married a year before Section One. We were recruited together." He stared over Nikita's shoulder rather than look her in the face.

"I always wondered how you could have been married given Operations' attitude toward attachments. I guess that explains it" Nikita said softly. She watched their hands, feeling the gentle caress.

"Simone should never have been brought to Section One. Her only crime was loving and being loyal to me. Her death was my fault." Michael's voice was hardly above a whisper and he continued to avoid Nikita's eyes.

"Tell me about it Michael, please. Trust me, it really will help to talk about it." Nikita gently prompted.

*After everything, how ironic that you should want my trust* Michael thought. He didn't want to talk anymore. This thing was too hard. However, the alternative would only be worse. He took a deep breath to seal his resolve. "I did not...adjust well..to being brought into Section. When we were brought in, we were separated. I believed Simone dead. I was not...cooperative." This Michael said with the hint of a smile, as if amused by his willfulness of long ago. "After a week, perhaps two, they came while I slept and bound me. Then they brought in Simone. They beat her in front of me as a lesson." This was said in a flat emotionless tone.

Nikita noticed the change in inflection and how Michael seemed to pull into himself. She imagined him holding back his feelings, repressing them. Perhaps, she thought, because he was afraid that if he allowed himself to feel his pain and hurt, he would be overwhelmed by them. His very lack of emotion made her even more sure of his pain. She felt her eyes start to sting with the tears that his would not shed.

Michael continued in the same emotionless tone. He still would not look at her but rather seemed to be casually scanning the room. "It was then that I began to learn to obey. Whenever I made a mistake, she suffered for it but she never blamed me, not once. In order to protect her, I did whatever was required. I even began to believe in Section's goals. However, along the way I started to lose parts of myself. Only when I was with Simone did I still...feel...whole. When I thought she died, I died too."

"Michael.." Nikita began softly.

Michael held a finger to her lips, a gesture both intimate and authoritative. "Shhhh 'Kita, if I do not finish this now, I never will." His steady gaze caught her eyes and she quieted.

"After a time, after meeting you, I begin to think that I wanted more than emptiness, more than just existing. I began to hope." Michael then slowly shook his head. "I was wrong."

"How can it be wrong to want something more than just existing, Michael?"

"No, 'Kita," he paused "I was wrong to hope." Michael then gently removed her hand where it had cradled his. Holding it in a gentle grasp he brought it to his lips and touched her palm with a soft kiss. He then stood and left.

Nikita could do nothing but sit, silent tears caressing her face.

The hook was set.

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

At eight o'clock sharp the next morning several operatives, including Michael and Nikita as well as members of technical support consisting of Birkoff, Walter and Madeline were seated at the briefing table listening to Ops. At least most of them were listening. Madeline was covertly watching Nikita watch Michael. Nikita was trying very hard not to be obvious but could hardly concentrate on what was being said. Madeline smiled to herself. Things appeared to be progressing.

"The Agency has again requested our help. Birkoff" Ops indicated the computer specialist should now activate the 'blue screen'. Suddenly suspended in the air over the table was the picture of four men. "Several weeks ago, the Agency had it's computer security breached and a list of their European contacts and suppliers was taken. It was eventually found in the compound of a relatively new terrorist organization that calls itself Insurgent and which is headed by a man know as Zedah. There are no known pictures of Zedah though the name is assumed to be an alias. Richard, Thomas you will be checking leads on Zedah and the Insurgent. You will be coordinating with Birkoff who will be supplying you all the current intel. Dismissed." The two agents promptly stood and left.

"In the initial and unsuccessful raid on the Insurgent compound, four of the Agency's operatives were assumed killed. Only one body was retrieved, one Nathan Bennett." Operations pointed to the picture on the extreme right. "Another was subsequently rescued from the compound, Adam Bedford. His partner, Bradley Cooper, was later found dead at the scene." Ops now pointed to the picture on the far left, a rather nondescript blond man. "The fourth operative, Carl Horton, was assumed to be dead but his body was not found. Normally that would have been the end of the matter. However, when the Agency's disc was retrieved, so were several dozen other discs that were found with it. On one of those discs there was a list of eleven names, one of which was Carl Horton. On a subsequent check, nine of the names were found to belong to Agency agents who had disappeared during a mission within the last fourteen months. Although no bodies were ever found, due to the circumstances of the missions, they were assumed dead. The other two names listed were of operatives of other similar organizations who also disappeared during missions and were assumed dead. The only other info on the disc was a series of numbers." Operations then inclined his head to Birkoff.

Birkoff began "The numbers were eventually found to indicate the longitude and latitude of an area in Switzerland and a bank account number. A bank was at that exact location and when it's records were accessed it was found that deposits ranging from twenty to seventy-five thousand dollars were made to the account number exactly three days after the disappearance of each agent. We're still checking to find the holder of the account. It's overt holder is a dummy export agency and behind that is several phantom holding companies. We believe we can track the actual holder within the next twenty-four to thirty-six hours."

Michael questioned Ops. "Is it believed that someone is paying for the abduction and delivery of the operatives?"

"Possibly" Madeline said. "The other possibility is that the operatives are buying their freedom."

"Michael, you and Nikita will be working with an Agency liaison to investigate these possibilities. This suspicious loss of the operatives, whichever the cause, is unacceptable. Madeline will give you an additional briefing and a bio on your contact. You will be going lightly armed as the Agency will be supplying all support services but you will still maintain contact with Section. See Walter for a few incidentals. Be prepared to leave within the hour." Ops then strode from the room, confident that his orders would be followed.

Very shortly thereafter Michael and Nikita were seated in Madeline's office. She handed both operatives a PDA with additional information that would be needed for the mission. "Your Agency liaison will be Adam Bedford. It appears that he requested the assignment. Michael, you've met Mr. Bedford. What is your assessment of him?"

Michael paused, considering his response. "He seemed competent."

"According to his record he is quite competent. He's ex-CIA recruited into the Agency four years ago. His service record is excellent." Still addressing Michael, she continued. "On your last mission for the Agency you left Bedford's partner, Cooper, to die in the demolition of the compound. Do you believe that this will affect your working relationship?"

Michael shrugged "It shouldn't."

She was suddenly brisk and business like. "Your travel arrangements have been made. You will be working out of the Agency's European office. You'll maintain contact with Birkoff through a secure computer link that the Agency has agreed to provide. Although you will be on loan until this matter has been satisfactorily resolved, I do not want that to be an indefinite period. Work quickly and do not allow...extraneous...factors to interfere. I have taken the liberty of having your luggage prepared. You will find it in the van when you disembark." Madeline silently appraised the couple before her. Several seconds elapsed before she again spoke. "Michael" she started but then paused as if she had changed her mind on what she would say. "Be careful." She then turned to look at her monitor, indicating that they were dismissed.

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

The flight to Europe took a little less than nine hours. Nine hours with nothing to do but watch a cheesy inflight movie, glance through a travel magazine that was found in the seat pouch and eat airplane food, bad airplane food. Nikita couldn't even nap. She wasn't in the least tired. She tried to start up a few conversations with Michael but he would only answer politely. It seemed as if after his revelations of the night before, he had nothing more to say to her. She did catch him looking at her covertly but he would turn away whenever she tried to meet his gaze.

Having run out of alternatives, she started to think and of course she thought about Michael. She remembered how he had manipulated her in the past though, to be honest, he either had no real choice in the matter or was trying to protect her from herself. She thought of the risk he took in giving her an opportunity to get out of Section, the risk he took to get her back in and the only thing he had asked of her was to be careful and to be patient. She thought of all the hurtful things she had said to him in her anger "the real Michael would disgust me....we're finished." She thought of how she had...she hated to admit it...betrayed him with Jurgen. Lastly she remembered his words "the only part of me that isn't dead is you....I was wrong to hope." *Michael* she thought *what have I done to you. I'll try, I'll really try to make it up to you, if you'll let me.*

The jet finally landed. They found their luggage and then went to the place they were to wait until they were met. Michael leaned casually with his back against the wall, the casualness of his stance belying the caution in his eyes. Nikita was also people watching but with less suspicious intent. Almost simultaneously they noticed a man approaching. Nikita recognized him from her briefing, Michael from their previous encounter. He walked straight to Michael and extended his hand. Michael looked at the hand, ignored it, stooped and picked up his baggage. Nikita, trying to cover Michael's rudeness, interposed herself and took the man's hand.

"I'm Nikita. Adam Bedford, right" she said cheerfully.

"Please, just call me Adam. Our ride is this way." He reached for Nikita's luggage. She handed it over and followed him, glancing back over her shoulder to smile at Michael.

Adam was friendly and kept up a meaningless chatter with Nikita while he led them to his car. Once he had put their luggage in the trunk and settled Michael in the back seat and Nikita in the front, he settled behind the wheel. He became more professional in his demeanor once out of the possibility of public scrutiny. "You know Mickey, you should really work on your people skills."

"If you call me that again, I will have to kill you" Michael deadpanned.

Adam seemed momentarily nonplused and them laughed heartily. He started the car, still laughing, and began the drive to the safehouse.

Adam explained, as he drove, that they would not be going to the Agency's headquarters. He told them that he was told this was being done for security reasons, several reasons in fact. The first being the remote possibility that there could be a mole. The section head believed it unlikely, but nine of the names on the list had been Agency operatives and someone had known enough about the missions to know the best time to take them. That, plus the fact that computer security had been breached and they still didn't know how, argued for caution. Additionally, the presence of two new operatives would need to be explained and that would not be an easy thing without faking a lot of background. This would be harder since some of the ops or support staff might recognize the quiet man in the back seat from the previous mission. There was one thing you could depend on in an Agency operative, they were a inquisitive lot. Apparently Section One was so deep cover that regular field operatives, such as himself, didn't have the clearance to even hear the name. He hadn't been told until he was cleared to work as the liaison between the two organizations. He suspected that the only reason he had been chosen for the job was that he had been asking questions that he should not have been asking. It was either fill him in or silence him.

"In fact, Mike.." Adam paused dramatically "..el, I didn't even get your name until the head let it slip. You were in and out so fast that if I hadn't been alive, I would have thought I imagined you." Adam then regarded Nikita from the corner of his eye. "Michael tell you about his little excursion into the Insurgent's camp? He saved my life twice that day."

Nikita looked over her shoulder at the cold op. "No" she answered "Michael isn't really the talkative type."

"Yeah, I know how that goes. Neither was my partner, Coop."

"I'm sorry about your partner" Nikita offered. "I understand he died at the compound."

Adam looked over at her. "Yeah. We'd been partnered for close to two years" he said briefly. "Cooper was a good partner but we weren't really close. Coop had been a field operative for a long time. He'd seen a lot, been through a lot. He didn't let himself get close to people. I understood that about him, so we got along well."

With an effort, Adam seemed to pull himself back from brooding. Instead he looked into the rear view mirror and smiled at his passenger. "I've got to ask you a question. At the compound, we were both hit several times during the firefight. I actually saw you take two shots to the side, but you just kept right on going and then even carried me a couple of miles to the rendezvous site. How did you do it? Training? Strength? Skill?"

Michael met Adam's gaze in the mirror and replied in all seriousness "A good bullet proof vest."

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

The safehouse was secluded and unobtrusive, just the way safehouses were suppose to be. There was small garage behind the house, said to contain a motorcycle. They were shown how to access the internal and external security monitors, were the munitions and electrical equipment was stored, the secured computer hook up by which they could contact Section, how to call for backup if security was compromised and finally where their rooms were located. Adam then left them alone to unpack while he checked in with his headquarters. As soon as Adam left, Michael began checking their rooms for bugs and silently indicated for Nikita to do the same. They found three immediately and then, starting over, found two more. They disabled them. It would be expected of them.

By the time Adam returned, they had put their few belongings away. Adam offered to fix the agents something to eat. Michael declined, stating he had to contact Section One and see if there had been any progress on the account holder. Nikita gratefully accepted.

Nikita perched on the kitchen table while Adam hustled around the kitchen fixing sandwiches and drinks. He glanced over at her while spreading mustard on the bread. "You known Michael long?" Adam asked casually.

"A few years" Nikita replied noncommittally. "Why?"

"Inquiring minds want to know. I've been looking forward to getting a chance to work with him again. He seems pretty competent."

"Strange, that's what he said about you." Nikita picked up a piece of lettuce and began to nibble on it. "Could I ask you something about the Agency."

"You can ask" Adam said with a crooked smile.

"Can you get out if you want?"

"Um, no. All the agents are lifers. That was a condition of recruitment and we all knew what we were getting into when we signed on the dotted line." Adam looked back down at what he was doing before continuing "Besides, what else would an old spy do, go freelance? When I was cut loose from the CIA due to budget cutbacks, I jumped at the chance to join the Agency when they approached me. So far as I know, it is the same for all the other agents. We get addicted to the game and we believe in what we do. That's why I think those missing-in-action are either really dead or taken. I don't believe any of them just wanted out." He handed her a sandwich.

Nikita took it, chewing thoughtfully.

They ate in silence. Michael entered abruptly. Without preamble he began "They've located the holder of the account. We're to move on him tonight."

"Well, Lady and gent, it appears to be showtime" Adam responded while dusting the crumbs from his hands. He left the room to contact the Agency and make preparations.

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

The monitor appeared to be showing a scene from a movie for certainly such conflict would not occur in reality. Two men, one with shoulder length reddish or brown hair and wearing a rough uniform of some sort and the other with numerous bruises wearing ripped, dark and nondescript clothing, were running down a hallway. On all sides there were men chasing them, trying to cut off their escape, shooting at them. The men returned the fire in kind but to better effect.

Suddenly a finger stabbed at the monitor. "There, enlarge that scene. It gives the best facial view that the security cameras were able to obtain."

The man sitting before the monitor hit some keys and the picture on the monitor suddenly became much larger.

The man standing at his shoulder continued "Now increase the clarity. Yes, that's good. All right, who is he and how much will he cost me?"

"That, Zedah, is not a who but a what. A very special what. Just to find out that information required I go through some very special sources. In effect, the man is a ghost. There is no paper on him whatsoever. He is an operative for a singularly unorthodox agency called Section One. He'll be hard to get and hard to keep. I think that one hundred thousand would be a fair price." The seated man popped a disc out of the drive and held it up to the standing man. "And as an added bonus, I have recently come into information that let me know his current location. Give me the go and you can have him in inside of a week. Deal?"

Zedah turned and walked away from the broker. "Yes, but there is a problem that must be addressed first."

"OK, shoot."

The standing man turned. In his hand he had a Luger with a silencer. The man sitting in the chair suddenly had a small, neat round hole appear in his forehead. The disc that he had been holding fell onto the desk. Zedah walked over and picked it up. "Thanks for the suggestion and for the information. Sorry but we won't be doing business anymore, it seems that someone traced your account number."

It was two a.m. when a dark van wound it's way through the upscale neighborhood where Liam Hennesey, a notorious broker, made his home. It seemed that the Agency knew quite a bit about Hennesey. The man had made a fortune by procuring whatever was in demand. He could lay his hands on anything from a seventeen year old, green eyed virgin named Sue to seventeen STINGER missiles, for a price. He was rumored to have a very extensive network of suppliers and customers. The Agency itself had used him as a source of information in the past.

The plan was simple, Adam would stay in the van and coordinate. Michael and Nikita would disable the alarm system, enter the house, take Hennesey, download his computer files and take any available discs. Basically it was just an in and out, since there was not supposed to be any guards, so it should have been a breeze.

"Nikita the wires to the security system should be immediately to your right in a ground level metal box" Adam instructed her via a comm set from his place in van. He was looking at a three dimensional image of the house and its electrical system.

"I see it. God, you'd think a guy in his line of work would have a better system. This is gonna be a piece of cake." Nikita chimed back.

"This is a low crime neighborhood. Probably never thought he'd need anything better" Adam replied.

"Michael, get ready, I'm almost finished."

Michael was waiting in the shadows outside the rear door. That position was less visible from the street in the unlikely event that someone would drive by at this time of night. With his gun in his right hand, just in case, and a small flashlight strapped to his right wrist, currently off, he waited for the go ahead. When given the word he would enter the house and head to the study to begin the computer downloads. Nikita would make her way to the back of the house, enter and head to the master bedroom where they expected to find Hennesey. She would subdue him and take him out to the van which Adam would have moved to the driveway.

"Michael, go!" Nikita gave him the go ahead. She then began making her way around the side of the house to the door that Michael would leave open for her. She heard the quiet motor of the van kick over so that Adam could move into position.

Michael quickly forced the door and ran through the dark rooms to where the blueprints indicated the study was located. Once he located the room, he turned on his small light. The low illumination allowed him to see much more clearly. Bookcases lined one wall. Several feet ahead and directly in front of him was a large ornate desk. Behind it was a high backed leather chair, swiveled away so that it's back faced him. On the corner of the desk, a monitor and keyboard was sitting, the hard drive casing situated beside it. He hurried to the computer. He moved the chair aside to make more room and notice the form sitting there. He shown the light on it. If he was startled to see Hennesey's corpse in the chair, he gave no outward sign. He then noticed the boxy object attached to what appeared to be some kind of a motion detector. On the face of the box there were red flashing numbers 27..26..25.. counting downward. On top of the box was an envelope. He grabbed the envelope, began running from the room and spoke into the comm unit at the same time. 20..19..18.."Nikita, abort there's a bomb. Abort." Michael ran toward the backdoor retracing his steps. He mentally kept the countdown going as he raced for the exit. He believed he should have plenty of time.

Nikita had only just penetrated the house when she received Michael's warning. She turned and ran back the way she had come. She started for the van as she noticed it backing hurriedly down the driveway. When Adam saw her, he stopped long enough for her to jump inside. "What are you doing? We have to wait for Michael!"

"I'm just moving the van away from the possible blast area. If the van gets fired in the explosion, it goes up and so do we" Adam hurriedly explained. The van had just reached the end of the drive when the windows at the front of the house blew outward, followed by gouts of flame. The sound was like a thunder clap as the hot air expanded, leaving a vacuum behind.

The sudden brightness of the night momentarily blinded Nikita. She looked anxiously toward the house but couldn't see anything but flames. Gradually she began to make out a darkness in the growing brightness that grew to man shape as it rapidly approached the van.

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

The van drove at a safe speed back to the safehouse. It just wouldn't do to be stopped for speeding. A few minutes into the drive, Adam finally broke. "All right, what the hell happened!"

"The operation was compromised" Michael said calmly. "Hennesey was dead. There was a bomb with a motion detector in the study. I didn't see it until I went to download the computer files."

"That's it?" Adam asked.

Michael thought of the envelope he had stashed in his jacket but didn't mention it. "That's it."

"I'll go into headquarters tonight. Somehow our communications have been breached. Someone found out we were coming and got rid of a loose end. The director will not be pleased, no, not pleased at all." Adam concentrated on driving. He was not looking forward to explaining that there may actually be a mole leaking info to the competition. Of course, Section One was also working the same angle. Maybe the problem was on their end.

It was early morning when they reached the safehouse. Between jetlag and a late night mission, Nikita was totally exhausted. She had napped uneasily in the van, awakening to find her head nestled on Michael's shoulder. When he sensed that she was awake, however, he moved away from her. She dragged herself from the van into the house and to her bed. She fell on it fully clothed and was immediately asleep.

Michael followed her to her room and watched as Nikita fell on the bed. Her breathing immediately became even and deep so that Michael realized she was asleep. He turned to find Adam behind him. Michael met his eyes but waited for the other man to speak. "I've contacted headquarters. I've got to go in for a while. I'm not sure when I'll be back. You know how to contact us if there's any problems?"

"We'll be fine" Michael stated matter of factly.

Adam nodded his agreement, turned and left the house. Less than a minute later a motor and then the crunch of gravel as the van pulled away could be heard.

Michael rubbed his tired eyes. He still had to contact Section before he could allowed himself any rest. Before that he had one other thing he must do. His hand reached inside his jacket to the envelope.

Nikita woke blurry eyed the next day. A glance at the clock on the bedside table showed her it was almost noon. She quickly rose, showered and dressed before exploring the house to see who else was up. The house was empty. The door to Michael's bedroom was open and she could see he was not inside. She also saw a piece of paper lying on the comforter. It looked like it might be a letter. Curious, she went to the bed and picked it up. She had just started to read it when she felt as if she were being watched. She turned to find Michael standing in the doorway.

"Michael, what is this?" she asked, waving the paper about for emphasis.

Michael walked into his room and took the letter from her hand. His fingers gently brushing hers as he did so. "This was at Hennesey's house. I believe it was meant for me."

"Why didn't you say something about it last night?"

"I wasn't certain what action to take. If there was a leak at the Agency and I told Bedford then my..our..options could be limited."

"Have you told Section?"

Michael turned his back on her before answering "No."

Nikita touched his arm to turn him back to her. "What are you going to do, Michael?"

Michael looked down at the paper in his hand before saying quietly "I don't know."

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

It was early afternoon. Michael had grown restless and decided to reconnoiter the land surrounding the safehouse. He had asked Nikita to stay close to the computer in case Section tried to contact them. Almost as soon as Michael left, the computer beeped for her attention. She keyed in the audio and visual display and received a real time image of Madeline on the screen.

"Nikita, I need to speak with Michael" Madeline told her.

"Michael stepped out, he asked me to take any messages."

Madeline looked slightly exasperated but seeing no other immediate options decide she would just have to deal with Nikita. "We've been able to trace one of the deposits to the Swiss account. It appears likely now that the missing agents were purchasing their freedom. The departed Mr. Hennesey was quite possibly a middle man, the person who hooked the agents up with whom ever was providing the service. Whomever it is, is good. Even though it is suspected that the agents are still alive, not one has yet been found."

After Madeline disconnected with Nikita, she proceeded to the briefing room. Operations was there waiting for her. He began as soon as she was seated. "Our initial intel on Zedah was correct. He was, until two years ago, a researcher for the CIA working on slow acting neurotoxins. At that time his name was Zebadiah Clay. He discovered an addictive but not mind altering substance. Physical addiction occurs after only a few dosages and withdrawal leads to a shut down of all major organs, slowly and painfully. Only receiving continuous doses of the drug delays withdrawal. Withdrawal begins approximately six hours after the first missed dose. Dr. Clay disappeared two years ago in such a way that he was presumed dead. Subsequent attempts to reproduce his research were unsuccessful. Apparently his notes had been adulterated."

Madeline could immediately see the possible usage to which such a drug could be put. "Is he using the drug to coerce kidnapped agents into working for him?"

Ops nodded "That is what we suspect. Zedah, somehow, possibly by way of an Agency security leak, targets certain agents and procures them. In the past he was using Liam Hennesey as his procurer. With Hennesey dead he'll probably try procuring the agents himself." Ops took a draw of his cigarette before continuing. "Is Michael ready to go into play?"

"Yes. I heard from him just a while ago. Zedah has made contact of a sort and the meet is set."

"Will Nikita do her part?" Ops asked while stabbing out his cigarette.

"Michael believes that she will attempt to stop him and be able to bring Agent Bedford into play to help her without alerting the local Agency substation. You still believe that she can't be told the real mission?"

Ops met her question with an icy stare. Madeline was as aware as he was that Nikita was not a good liar. She would only be able to convince Bedford if she truly believed that Michael was being a danger to himself. He chose to pretend he did not hear the question. "Good. Until the source of the leak is stopped, the Agency can not be informed of Michael's apparent defection or have any intel to suggest that we know the agents are being taken rather than buying an out. Is Birkoff making progress in tracing all incoming and outgoing communiqué from the substation involved?"

"He's continuing to work on it but it is involved. It's likely that Zedah is coercing one of the support staff by using his drug. I'll begin looking into possible candidates."

"Keep me informed."

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

"Nikita, we need to talk" Michael began tentatively.

Nikita looked up from the book she had been trying to read but on which she couldn't seem to concentrate. "What is it Michael?"

"I have decided to meet with Zedah tonight. I want you to stay here. I will leave before Adam returns. It would be safer if he were not involved in this."

"Michael, you'll need backup."

"No, Nikita. I will go alone."

"Michael, please, you told me yourself that part of this mission was to test you. If the Section ever suspected that you might even be thinking of...disappearing, they would cancel you" Nikita pleaded. She would never have imagined that Michael dreamed of freedom, as she did. Still she feared that she understood too well his temptation. Section had taken everything from him and then taken even more. She had to protect him from himself, just as he had protected her.

"Everything is a test Kita. I can not pass all of them. I do this one thing for myself. I need to know of...possibilities." Michael had walked away from her and stood looking out the window as he spoke. He could not face her.

Nikita began to feel desperate. She tried to reason with him. "What if Section's wrong. What if this man's not offering freedom but just a different form of captivity or even death?"

Michael remained quiet.

Nikita was prepared for Michael's stubbornness. She would help him in spite of himself. "They'll blame me if you don't return. They'll think that I'm involved. They'll cancel me, Michael."

"I'll protect you" Michael said with quiet conviction. He turned to face her then. He stared at her as if it would be the last time that he would see her and wanted to memorize each detail of her face. "If it's legitimate, I'll come back for you. I will find you." He walked slowly forward as he spoke to her. He reached out for her hand and trailed his fingertips lightly up her arm. He cupped her face, still commanding her eyes with his own.

Nikita wrapped her arms around him. She caressed his back, planting a tracker on the collar of his jacket.

Michael pulled her closer until only a breath separated them. Their lips met, first tentatively, shyly, and then with passion. Michael moved his hands down from her face, gently stroking her neck. His thumb found Nikita's carotid artery and applied pressure. Nikita began to struggle but Michael's strength was implacable and he held her in their kiss. In a short time she quit her struggles, unconscious from a lack of oxygen to the brain. He gently caught her and carried her to her bed. He stroked her hair lovingly back from her face and whispered to her quiet form. "I'm sorry." He then took the tracker from his collar where it had been placed and moved it to a more secure position.

"Nikita! Nikita! Wake up." A voice was calling to her but it sounded impossibly far away. There was hand on her shoulder gently shaking her toward wakefulness. There was momentary confusion, then clarity. "Michael!" she gasped.

"What?" Adam said.

"Michael's gone. He... received some additional intel while you were gone and went to meet with Zedah. He went alone."

Nikita's condition when he arrived temporarily forgotten, Adam growled and headed for the phone. "He should never have gone in without backup. What the hell was he thinking. I'll call headquarters and have a team assembled." He reached for the phone only to find Nikita's hand holding it in place.

"No, you can't call the Agency. Section would find out." Nikita's voice pleaded but the undertone was one of steel.

Adam brow furrowed. There seemed to be more going on than he realized. "Maybe you had better explain."

Nikita did.

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

Michael was just another shadow among shadows as he watched Zedah wait for him. He had perceived four guards lurking in the background. Zedah was beside a black limo, pacing its length impatiently. He knew at what time Adam would be sent back to the safehouse. He calculated how long it would take Nikita to convince him to help her (always assuming that she did as was expected of her) and how long to begin tracing him. It was time. Michael glided silently out of the concealing shadows. He was almost half way to Zedah's position before his presence was noted.

He stood before Zedah unspeaking while he was appraised by the other man. The four guards had abandoned their concealment and were clustered around him. Finally Zedah acknowledged him "Michael."

Ignoring the guards around him, Michael responded "Was the offer legitimate?"

Zedah laughed. "Of course" he said. Then he added "Not. Search him."

Michael sprang into a roundhouse kick that disabled the guard to his right. Grabbing the one on his left, Michael unobtrusively transferred the tracker to the guard's shirt while positioning his other hand to begin a move that would drive the bone of the guard's nasal septum into his forebrain. The move was never completed. Fire exploded in the back of Michael's head and darkness took him.

Nikita sat in the front seat of the van studying the map and the information from Michael's tracker. "We should be close. It's time to leave the van."

Adam nodded, still frowning. He had been frowning since they had left the safehouse. He pulled over. They were in an area of the city that looked long abandoned. Boarded over store fronts and empty warehouses surrounded them. There was no one on the streets, which seemed abnormally quiet. Adam pulled into an alley, finding as unobtrusive a spot to park as possible. Both agents did a quick check of their gear and exited the van. Keeping to shadows whenever they could, they continued to follow the trail that they hoped would lead to Michael.

Michael awoke to nausea and dizziness, telling him that he had a concussion as a result of the blow to his head. He was laying on the floor of a small dirty room. His immediate impulse to stand was tempered by the blackness surrounding his vision. He lowered himself again, this time to take it more slowly. A guard had been in the room with him but had left when he saw Michael stir. Several minutes later, shortly after Michael had finally managed to stand, the door opened and Zedah entered accompanied by two guards who kept their weapons aimed at the captive.

"You know, if I had known how easy acquisition was, I would never have spent so much money on a middle man. Section must be a truly horrible place if you would gamble so much on a chance at freedom."

Michael looked at him but did not reply. The lack of fear in Michael's eyes made Zedah uneasy. Zedah continued "You are now free of Section. From this moment on you will be working for me. Oh, I can see the doubt in your eyes. Why, you ask yourself, would he think I would trade the devil I know for one I don't. Simply this, you have no choice. If you do not do as I command, you will die, slowly, horribly and painfully. You could of course choose that death. I would not stop you. However, only one of the agents which I have acquired chose that path." He pulled a syringe out of his pocket. "This is a little something that I have developed. It has some interesting properties.."

"He should be in there" Nikita whispered.

"The infra-red sensor indicates that there are at least three others with him. If we go in shooting, he's as likely as them to get hit."

"Then we'll have to be very careful" Nikita answered tersely. "You go right, I'll go left. You go high, I'll go low and be careful who you shoot."

Adam turned a smart salute "Yes sir, sir."

In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Nikita had to stifle a grin. "Sorry, I know you know what you're doing. You've been at this a lot longer than I have, it's just.." she shrugged helplessly.

"It's OK. I've seen the way you watch each other when you think the other isn't looking. I understand, maybe better than you think. Well, back to business. I'll go right and high and be careful who I shoot." Adam examined the door in front of them. "It's just a wooden door. I'll kick it open on three. OK, one, two, three."

Adam kicked. The door held but the frame splintered and they were in. Nikita took the two guards on the left. Adam took out the two guards on the right. Four silenced shots were fired and four men went down. Adam walked in the room, his gun still at the ready. He surveyed the destruction. "You know Nikita, all good spies are supposed to be masters of disguise but none of these guys look remotely like Michael."

Nikita was studying a monitor in her hand. She leaned down and removed something from the collar of one of the guards. "I don't understand. This is the tracker I put on Michael."

"Ya know Nikie, it's possible he's playing us" Adam offered playfully.

"Gosh, Adam, do ya think" Nikita replied flippantly. However, there was a dangerous glint to her eyes.

Adam had made his way to the opposite door. He edged it open to gain a restricted look at the hallway. No one appeared to have heard the splintering of the door. "It occurs to me that if Mickey, don't tell him I called him that, isn't lying dead on the floor here, he's probably somewhere else in this building. Why is it that everytime I'm with a Section operative, I end up running through halls and dodging gunfire?" He slipped into the hallway, followed by a confused Nikita.

They walked quietly down the hallway, alert for any sounds. The hall ran straight for about thirty feet before terminating in a door. Beside the door was a keypad. Nikita and Adam looked at the keypad and then at each other.

Somewhere below them, Michael was considering his options. His current position was not strategically sound. He needed to correct that situation, before he was injected with the drug if at all possible. He believed he would have an opportunity to correct the odds when Dr. Clay attempted to inject him. He would need to be patient. A diversion would be welcome. He wondered if Nikita would come.

Zedah had finally finished listening to himself talk. Michael's lack of interest was an irritant. In his rising irritation, he wanted not just to inject Michael and start the process of addiction but to physically hurt him as well. Zedah motioned for one of the guards to hold Michael so that he could inject him with the drug. With the one guard covering the captive, the other shouldered his weapon and moved forward to keep him subdued so he could be injected.

Michael waited impassive as the guard stepped forward. He allowed the guard to grab his arm, hold it immobile, and push up the sleeve. When Zedah moved forward to inject the drug into his vein, Michael knew there would be no better time to make his move. He waited until Zedah's eyes were fixed on the injection site, knowing that the guard holding him would probably be looking there as well. He moved quickly. With his free arm, he hit Zedah in the solar plexus, knocking him into the guard that had him covered. This caused the guard's gun to be shoved out of position. Not checking to see the success of the move, Michael grabbed the guard who had been holding his arm. This guard had released him when he had hit Zedah and was fumbling for his gun. With a quick jerk, he broke the guard's neck and then traveled with the body to the ground where he grabbed the gun and pointed it at the remaining guard and the Insurgent leader.

Michael stood with the gun, still fighting vertigo and hoping that the others could not tell from his movement the extent of his disorientation. He motioned for the remaining guard to lay down his weapon. After the guard did as indicated, Michael used the butt of his acquired Uzi to hit him under the chin with such force that the guard collapsed and lay still on the floor. He then pointed the gun at Zedah. "How many guards are here?" Michael demanded.

"Enough that you'll not make it out of here alive" Zedah replied coldly.

Michael walked over to the other man and, again using the butt of the weapon, hit him in the stomach causing him to double over breathless. While Zedah was temporarily incapacitated, Michael grabbed his right hand and with a quick movement broke Zedah's index finger.

Zedah tried to gasp in pain but had not yet fully recovered his breath. He turned pale and wretched.

"How many guards are here?" Michael again asked.

"Twenty, I had twenty guards with me" Zedah was finally able to croak.

"Take me to your office" Michael commanded.

Zedah nodded his agreement and walked to the door, waiting for Michael's go ahead.

Michael reached down and retrieved the still full syringe. He walked to the door, opened it and looked up and down the hall. He didn't take his eyes off Zedah long enough for the man to cause mischief. Putting the gun to Zedah's back, Michael followed him down the hallway. They had taken only a few steps when an explosion was heard and shrill alarms began to sound.

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

After blowing open the door, Adam and Nikita hurried down the steps. Their guns at the ready, they began firing at the rapidly appearing guards before they had even reached the bottom. There was no where to hide. Speed and accuracy was their only edge. They used it to their advantage.

There was only one small incident while walking to Zedah's office. A small group of three guards ran around the corner in front of Michael and ran toward him and their leader. The presence of their leader momentarily put them at their ease. Michael stepped from behind Zedah and shot them. Without a second glance, he forced Zedah to step over the bodies and they continued on their way.

Nikita and Adam had been meeting less resistance as they made their way along the hall. The ringing of the alarm had finally stopped, leaving the hallway eerily quiet between bouts of gun fire. They only had to find Michael and then they could make their escape. Walking rapidly down one of the several identical hallways, they simultaneously spied three bodies. Their pace increased. They were headed in the right direction.

Michael studied the small, sparsely furnished room. There was a desk with chair and a computer. On the desk was a metallic brief case. He pushed Zedah down into the chair and turned on the computer. "Do you have information about the drug in your files?"

Zedah remained quiet, glaring at Michael.

Michael pointed the gun at Zedah's head. "Download all your files. Now."

Zedah looked at the cold determination in Michael's eyes. He got a new disc from a top drawer and began downloading his files. Michael watched him to insure that he was doing as instructed. The door suddenly flew open, Michael raise the gun prepared to shoot when he caught a flash of bright blond hair. Zedah took advantage of the distraction to quickly open the top middle drawer and pull out his German Luger. Adam, seeing the threat, shot Zedah in the heart. His death was immediate.

"No!" Michael said a fraction of a second to late. He looked at the corpse and remarked to the other agents "Madeline wanted him alive." He then ignored them and went to finish the task of downloading the files. Finishing this, he grabbed the brief case and disc and hurried to the door. "Do you have any incendiaries?" Adam acknowledged that they did. Michael instructed Adam to set the charges and went to stand beside Nikita.

Nikita didn't want to believe what she was thinking. "Michael?"

Before Michael could do more than look at her, Adam interrupted "It's done but I only have a two minute delay. So no time to talk, places to go and things to do." He then ran past them and into the hallway. Adam lead the way back to the stairs. They met no resistance on the way. Making the street, the three raced to the van. Only once they had entered did they feel safe. Behind them the "abandoned" building which they had just left erupted into flames.

Adam had slid behind the steering wheel. Michael was seated near the back and Nikita was in the passenger seat. Adam turned the key and pulled out. "Well, not quite the way I thought things would be going but all is well that ends well. I had better call in to headquarters and fill them in." His hand went to his comm unit.

"No" Michael said quietly. He had a semi-automatic pointed at Adam. "Pull over."

Adam turned and saw the gun. He pulled over as instructed then swiveled in the seat to face Michael. "What game are you playing Mickey?" Adam's voice was flat and dangerous.

"You won't be going back to the Agency. I'm sorry. You asked to many questions. You said it yourself, Section is too deep cover for a regular Agency field operative to even hear the name. If you returned to the Agency, you would be a Section security risk."

Nikita had been listening with a growing sense of horror. "Michael, you can't!"

Michael looked at Nikita briefly though the gun never wavered. He suddenly realized that Nikita thought that he meant to cancel Adam. This saddened him but the realization that he would have done just that had he been ordered saddened him further. Ignoring Nikita, Michael addressed the Agency operative "Adam you will be going back to Section One. Consider it a permanent transfer. The Agency Director endorsed this. Please, move back here. I will be driving."

Adam, feeling stunned and betrayed by his own organization, complied. Michael used the strap of his purloined Uzi to bind Adam's hands. When he was sure Adam was secure, Michael slipped into the drivers seat and started the van.

"It was all planned" Nikita said quietly as all the little pieces fell into place. "It was all planned! Wasn't it Michael. It was all a manipulation, starting the moment I stopped by your office a few days ago. Why couldn't you just tell me the truth?" Nikita challenged.

"That wasn't the mission profile" was all Michael could respond.

"And what you told me? What you said about you and Simone, you and me?"

"It was decided that you needed to be invested in ....the mission outcome."

"In other words, I needed to care what happened, care about you!"

Michael caught her eye but held it only briefly, needing to watch the street. "I'm sorry, Nikita, but this is not the time or the place."

Holding back tears of anger, Nikita replied "It's never the time, Michael, and never the place and never, ever again."

They drove to the Section rendezvous point in silence. After all, what else was there to say.

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

After returning to Section, Michael and Nikita were ushered immediately into Operations' office to be debriefed by Ops and Madeline. There was a tension between the two operatives that was obvious to both the Section head and his second. It was obvious in the way that Nikita moved as far away from Michael as the room and situation allowed; obvious in the slightly haunted look in Michael's pale eyes as they kept straying of their own accord to the female operative and the way that she studiously ignored looking at him; obvious in her rigid stance and the set of her shoulders.

Ops congratulated them. "The Agency and I are very pleased with your performance. This operation has had a most satisfactory outcome. You're dismissed."

After the operatives left the room, Ops walked over to the window that over looked the staging area. He watched Michael and Nikita stop at the bottom and look at each other.

Madeline interrupted his train of thought. "The mission did reach a very satisfactory resolution. We have a sample of the drug and Dr. Clay's notes. Agent Bedford is expected to have some initial adjustment difficulties but I am sure that he will make a good addition to Section. The location of the addicted agents was also contained on the disc. Teams are being sent to retrieve them. If we're unable to synthesize the drug quickly enough to prevent their withdrawal, then at least watching their symptoms will be most instructive. All in all, a most satisfactory resolution."

Ops watched Nikita turn a cold shoulder to Michael and walk away. Michael watched her retreating back only a second before turning in the opposite direction to find his office. He turned to face Madeline with a satisfied smile. "Yes, all the mission objectives were achieved."

The End

(Apostasy: an abandonment of a previous loyalty; a falseness; defection)

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