Disclaimer: The characters from La Femme Nikita don't belong to me. Don't sue. All you'll get is this computer, and it's obsolete anyway. All of the other characters are my own. I don't steal...my stuff's better than what you'd come up with anyway. :-)

Note: Third in the "Circle of the Gifted" Series. Sequel to "Elemental, My dear Section" and "Twisted Shakespeare". The first was set during the time Michael and Nikita are together, compliments of Michael's leverage over Operations with Adrian. It splits off from there. You might want to read the first two before reading this.

*italics*

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

Chapter one ___________

Three weeks. Three weeks ago, Lalia had sent the message to Paul to see if he was ok. Nothing, for three weeks.

So, he's either in terrible shape, or...

Well, no, no "or". Because if he *was* ok, he would have replied with some kind of flippant remark, or even gotten angry at her "presumption".

So, there was definitely something wrong.

Also, Paul was astral projecting to the caverns. There was no longer any question. Lalia had seen him two more times since that first night, and she was *not* imagining it.

If she didn't know any better, Lalia would swear he was homesick.

"Lalia?" Nikita was standing in the office doorway, holding an overnight bag. "I'm leaving, ok?"

Lalia nodded. "When will you be back?"

"I don't know. I guess next week sometime?" Nikita shrugged. "I'm not sure when."

"Right. Just send me a message first, ok?"

Nikita smiled and left.

Lalia stared at the empty doorway, but she wasn't really seeing it.

Three weeks.

Lalia pulled her computer to her and started to write a letter to him. Then she deleted the page and started over. Twice.

"Oh, screw this!"

She got up, closed her office and went to her rooms. She pulled out some odd looking, and obviously ancient bowls, a mortar and pestle, and several bags and jars of herbs.

"The best way to know what he's thinking is to go into his head."

Specifically what he had yelled at her not to do. But she wasn't going to invade his *conscious* thoughts.

She was going to "dream drop".

He'd never even know.

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

Chapter two ___________

"Thirteen candles on a summers night, Forty-seven wise men speaking of right. Fifteen soldiers standing on guard, Twenty-three priests and a midsummer's bard. These I call to fire the sky - This nights space, through which I fly."

"The spell is done, the words are said, through his dreams and thoughts I'm led."

Lalia's body swayed and fell away from her being. She reached out with her mind and let Paul's mind lead.

**

Paul was sitting on the ridge outside the caverns in Bosnia. Lalia came up behind him and watched as Paul began drawing the battle taking place in the valley below.

"What are you doing?" She was whispering. Paul turned around sharply and looked her up and down. She was covered in blood, and wearing a rag around one hand.

"What *happened* to you?" He stood up and took her hand. "It's broken."

Lalia pulled her hand from his. "What are you doing??" Her voice, still soft, took on a sharper tone. She walked to the edge of the ridge and looked over. "They're fighting, and you're *drawing* it?"

"I'm recording it." Paul stood next to her and watched two men beat a third with large clubs. "I have no business doing anything else. I'm not involved."

Lalia looked at him in horror. "You *can* be! You can stop it! They're killing each other, and you're just *watching*?" She backed away from him a step.

"Lalia, I can't. No one there moved against me, I have no business.."

"They moved against *life*!" Lalia's face was painful. "A year ago, you would have helped them. And now, you stand here and watch??"

Paul glanced at her hand and clothes. "How did that happen to you? What were you doing?"

Lalia's eyes clouded. "I was trying to help."

Paul's eyebrows furrowed deeply. "*They* did this to you?" He turned again to the fight below, this time with anger.

"Paul, don't. I'm almost four hundred years old. I can take care of myself. I just went in to get a woman out. I'm fine."

"Almost four hundred, not quite." He made the familiar jibe out of habit. His eyes were still angry, watching the fight.

"Paul, don't!!" Lalia was speaking in her full voice, seeing Paul's eyes narrow. "Stop!"

But he didn't. Instead, he burned the valley below, killing them all.

** Lalia opened her eyes, back in her room in the caverns.

Paul was dreaming about his past. And Lalia remembered that day. That was the day she'd realized where he was going, the path he'd chosen. The day the two of them had stopped being inseparable.

"He's dreaming about *us*."

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

Chapter three (short, and rated S - TR) ___________

"Madeline?" Operations knocked again and looked at his watch. Just turning midnight. She *should* still be up. "Madeline?" He knocked harder.

The door opened. Madeline was holding a large bunch of roses. "Paul." She smiled. "These are beautiful, thank you." She opened the door wider to let him in.

"I'm glad you liked them." Paul took them from her and put them on a table. His mouth turned up and he pushed her against the wall just inside the door. "What did George say to Nikita when she was there?" He was kissing Madeline's neck as he spoke.

"Same thing he said to me. That he was training a backup staff, and he wants us to stay close so we can take over, just in case." Madeline caught his eye when he looked up and she smirked. "George seems very nervous over the recent threats from Red Cell."

Paul laughed. "He does, doesn't he?" He kissed her mouth, her chin, and back to her neck. Hands were unbuttoning her blouse. "Well, he couldn't have picked a better successor. I'd be insulted," his hands were working on her skirt zipper "if I hadn't been spoken for higher up. But George got the best he could have."

Madeline closed her eyes. "You still aren't supposed to know anything about it." She pressed her head back against the wall as she felt his touch on her bare legs.

"Then I don't." Her skirt slipped to the floor. He took his jacket off, threw it on her couch, and picked her up. "Enough shop talk for the night."

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

Chapter four ___________

"Michael, how did you do that?"

Nikita was sitting cross-legged on the bed. She'd been reading, but had looked up when Michael put his hand to the wall and made it glow...and, in the process, straightened a fixture too high up on the wall to reach.

Michael smiled. "Lalia taught it to me the last time I was at the caverns. Funny..." He turned around "I didn't see Jack except once, and he wouldn't meet my eye." Michael's face darkened, and he sat on the edge of the bed. "I think something's going on."

"With Jack? I doubt it...unless he and Lalia are back together." Nikita was still staring at the fixture. She could never have done that the way he did. She would have sent the magic through the air. It takes practice, but you can aim well that way.

She had never been able to aim magic through solid objects. She'd tried, but her magic was aerial. Now, it looked like Michael's was earthbound. Neither was better, just different. And used in different ways.

But, she couldn't teach him anymore. Not if they used different styles of magic. And she had no way of gauging how fast he learned now.

And earthbound magic tended to be stronger. Lalia's Gift was earthbound. Operation's was aerial.

So, soon, Michael won't need me at all.

Michael broke in on her thoughts. "He wouldn't avoid me if he was just sleeping with Lalia."

"Who?" Nikita tried to remember what they'd been talking about.

"Jack." Michael put a hand to her head. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I guess my mind wandered." She smiled. "Jack seemed fine, and I was just there. He was the same guy he's always been."

"You know him pretty well?" Michael's head tilted.

"Yeah. He's about Lalia's age, a little older I think. He trained me. Kinda like a big brother."

Michael frowned. "And he didn't seem any different when you were there?"

Nikita shook her head.

"Alright." Michael stood up. "I have to go." He grabbed his jacket and phone. "I'll see you in a few hours?"

Nikita nodded, and he left. She tried to go back to her book, but her eyes kept wandering to the fixture he'd straightened.

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

Chapter five ___________

"This is bothering you?" Madeline didn't actually look up, but Nikita could tell she was listening. She really reminded Nikita of Lalia sometimes.

"It is. There are just too many unknowns." Nikita handed her a pad, with the upcoming mission outlined on it. "I don't know how seriously you take this promotion Operations gave me, but as a Level five operative, I'm allowed to say this, and I'm going to. This mission is suicide."

Madeline took the pad and smiled. "I take it seriously. The timing was suspect, I'll admit, but the promotion was coming already. And we knew that."

Nikita's eyes narrowed, though not enough to scare. Madeline was starting to see the differences in that movement: between everyday expression and magical focus. Now, with Nikita's power, *that* would have scared her. But this was just emotion. No magic involved.

"You knew?" Nikita crossed her legs and leaned back.

"Yes. The operatives you take out will all be slated for cancellation. You'll lead from the van."

"I see." Nikita's face became very dark. "Michael isn't on this mission, is he?"

Madeline shook her head. "No, no. Operations bought the story about George completely, and he thinks that it's interesting. Now he wants to take steps to make sure nothing happens to George's *current* staff. That makes the way clear for all of us, and as far as Operations is concerned, makes the two of you much more valuable."

"Alright." Nikita stood up to leave, but didn't start for the door. "Michael said the that last time he was at the caverns he though Jack was acting differently. I didn't really notice anything like that, but I wanted to check with you."

Madeline's head shook again. "No, he seemed fine to me. Well..." She paused and squinted. "Maybe not *fine*. It did seem like something was bothering him. But I don't think he was acting strangely, if that's what you mean."

"Michael said that Jack was avoiding him."

"Was he?" Madeline's eyebrows furrowed. "Maybe it's something to do with Michael?"

Nikita bit her lip. "Lalia started to say something to me about a month ago, but she never got very far."

"I think you should ask her."

"I guess I should." Nikita smiled at Madeline and left, throwing a last line over her shoulder. "See you at the briefing in an hour."

Madeline nodded at her back.

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

Chapter six ___________

"His name is Giavani. He *was* a Red Cell operative, until they got tired of doing things his way and tried to have him killed. They underestimated him, though, and he escaped."

"So, is Red Cell still looking for him?" Nikita was staring at the picture on the screen. She knew him...from somewhere.

"Yes and no. They want him dead if someone happens to see him, but they are not actively looking for him at the moment. This gives us a rare opportunity."

"To do what?" Nikita frowned. She *knew* him. Where from?

"To recruit him. Or try to." Operations smiled. "Red Cell didn't like his morals. We do. It's a perfect fit. The details will be on your pads."

Nikita glanced at the Operatives set for this mission. She didn't know any of them, but that was fine with her. People she didn't know would be easier to lead into a suicide mission.

Picking up her pad, Nikita headed for Michael's office.

"Nikita."

She turned back around and raised her eyebrows. "Yes?"

Operations smiled. "I was impressed with your performance in Tel Aviv. Good work."

"Thank you." Nikita watched him go back to his office and turned to Madeline, who had come up beside her. "He complimented me."

"Yes, he did." Madeline flashed a small half-smile and followed Operations.

Nikita stared after her for a minute, and then started for Michael's office again. He was waiting for her at the door.

"Hi." She smiled as she walked past, and he closed the door.

"What was that about?" Michael pressed the button to sound proof the room and sat down.

"Operations complimented me."

Michael glanced out his window at Operations and Madeline, in the window of Operation's office. "And what did *she* want?"

Nikita shook her head. "Nothing."

"You got the Giavani mission." He wasn't asking.

"Yes. I don't know any of the others. Why are they being canceled?"

Michael stood up and sat down on the edge of his desk. "They're all trained recruits who failed to make it."

Nikita nodded. "So, first time operatives."

"This will be a hard mission for you." Michael's eyes were searching her face.

"I'll be fine. I don't know them." Nikita shook her head to get the hair out of her face.

He nodded. "Ok." Glancing out the window again, he watched the windows to Operations office darken.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Nikita followed Michael's gaze, but she couldn't see out the window from her seat.

"I don't think they're talking."

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

Chapter seven ___________

"He's *dreaming* about you?? You, or the two of you *together*?"

Lalia nodded. "The two of us together. I've watched twice. He's rehashing over and over the same things. I think he's homesick." She dropped her head into her hands. The tears leaked through her voice. "I wish he'd just let me back in."

Kryn smoothed down Lalia's hair, running her fingers through it. "Sweetheart, that brother of yours has always had to much pride. When we were young, he never would ask for help if either of us asked him a question, remember? You or I'd ask him how to do something, and he *had* to answer it without help."

Lalia looked up at her cousin. "If it were any other Gifted, I wouldn't even be thinking about it. Rejecting a Gift is a personal choice. But Paul is my *brother*." She closed her eyes. "I just can't be objective about him."

Kryn wrinkled her nose in thought. "No, and I don't think you should. I, personally, think that the son the of the Founders of the Circle should be a special case."

That got a small laugh, but not much more. "Kryn, you have such a way with words."

"Ah...there's the girl I grew up with. I was wondering where she went. You've been out of it for almost a week."

"This is why. I just don't know what to do." Lalia shook her head to clear it and looked around for a tissue. Kryn handed her one, and she wiped her eyes.

"I don't suppose this conversation helped?" Kryn's eyes were laughing at her.

"No, ha ha. I just needed to cry. I'll come up with something. It's what I do." Lalia stood up to leave, but Kryn caught her and pulled her back into the chair.

"Before you go, I have a question. Berkoff."

"What about him?" Lalia frowned. "Is he ok? How did you hear before I did? What happened? Kryn..."

"No, no. Nothing like that. I was just wondering. I haven't asked before this, because Paul was fine and you didn't like to talk about it, but...you do have someone else watching him, right?"

"Walter." Lalia pulled her hair back out of her face and tucked it behind her ears. "I have Walter with him."

Kryn nodded. "I was wondering what he was doing gone so long. Ok. That's all I wanted to ask."

Lalia smiled, and kissed Kryn's cheek. "See you at dinner?" She stood to leave.

" 'Same bat time, same bat place'."

Lalia was laughing before she got to the door. Kryn watched her leave and smiled to herself. "She laughed. My work here is done."

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

Chapter eight ___________

Michael watched Jack through the window in the training room. He was sure now that there was something going on. When he'd gotten here this morning, Jack and Lalia were in her office talking. The minute Michael walked in, Jack had made up an excuse to be somewhere else.

Jack was avoiding him. He wasn't avoiding Nikita or Madeline, just him.

Michael waited for Jack to finish with the person he was training, and for the person to leave. Then he went in.

"Hi Jack." Michael searched Jack's face as he said it. There was a definite change.

And Jack was suddenly very interested in a broken table leg.

"Hi Michael. I really can't talk right now. I'm busy." He kept his eyes focused on the table and avoided Michael's gaze.

Michael stood there for a minute. He'd only met Jack a few times before the regular visits to the caverns had started, but he knew enough about him to know that they had a lot in common. Jack's avoiding his eyes had to be something big.

"Jack." Michael walked over to him, and put his hand on the table Jack was turning over, stopping him. "What's going on?"

Jack looked into his eyes. The cold hard look there said everything Michael needed to know. He'd seen it before in his own eyes.

And in Jurgen's.

Michael held the stare longer than he'd meant to. When he finally looked away, Jack held it a moment longer still before going back to the table leg.

Michael nodded, more to himself than to Jack.

They weren't enemies. Not yet. And Michael had no interest in making Jack anything slightly threatening. Jack was too old, and to powerful. Michael knew he'd never have a chance.

So Michael just turned away before he hit Jack, just on general principles. "I'll see you." He left the room.

Jack watched him go, keeping his hands stiffly at his sides. He didn't want to make Michael an enemy any more than Michael apparently wanted it.

They weren't enemies, anyway. They both wanted the same thing, didn't they?

To make Nikita happy.

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

Chapter nine ___________

Wandering. I'm wandering aimlessly.

Lalia turned down yet another street. She walked on the right side, as was her habit, so she was facing the oncoming traffic. She stopped a few times to look in the various stores, but never bought anything.

The people in Enniscrone knew her, at least those with shops on the main street. They'd learned long ago not to question where she came from, thought the town wasn't really small enough for everyone to know everyone else. More of a tourist town, really, right on the water, but just a stone's throw from Ballina and only a little farther from Sligo town. Those people who did know Lalia by sight didn't ask questions, though everyone liked her. She didn't ask any more than she answered.

Lalia stopped in a pub and watched the piano player for a minute. She ordered a hot buttered rum and sipped at it. She felt like she was looking for something, but....

Lalia finished her drink, paid and left. The cold was combating the booze, and she didn't feel either for a minute or two. Then the cold started creeping in, and she started walking again.

And just *where* are you going, little girl?

She turned down another street and stared at the shop across from her. Just a hole in the wall, really, closed and boarded up. It was owned by the Circle, and on holidays they opened it and sold magical items to the tourists and vacationers. It added some authenticity to the other magic shops on the water, though this town was not really known for it's magic. Just a way to look like they were earning money. The real income was elsewhere.

But it was not what Lalia was looking for.

She stepped over a fallen branch and kept going down the street. Small knick-knack shops. Antique stores, book stores. All independent. The larger book store chains seemed to have missed Enniscrone. Besides, if you just have to have a Barnes and Noble, you can always go to Ballina. Only seven kilometers away. So this little town stays a little town.

Shivering was something that Lalia didn't do. Not for cold, at least. Her blood was thicker than anyone's. She lived year round in the caverns. Sure, she left, all the time. Lalia insisted on leading many missions herself. But she lived in the caverns. She didn't shiver.

Lalia was shivering, and there was no reason too. It wasn't really *that* cold. Yeah, it was *cool*, but it was a calm night, and the frost wasn't here yet.

Lalia closed her eyes and shook her head to clear it. She turned down the street that led back to her docked boat, the *Symbolic*, looked in front of her and did a double take.

On her boat was Paul. Not an astral projection, Paul

He was holding an overnight bag.

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

Chapter ten ___________

"I was wondering why I was drawn to the mainland tonight." Lalia smiled, stepped aboard the *Symbolic* and caught the rope from the man on dock.

Paul dropped his bag and sat down on a bench. He watched Lalia start the motor and steer them back out to sea.

"You knew I was coming?" He stood next to her as the Island came into view.

"Not in so many words, but I knew I needed to get something on the mainland." She smirked. "I didn't think it was going to be my estranged brother."

Paul swallowed. He didn't want to be the estranged brother anymore. That was the decision that had brought him this far. But he didn't want to be a Savior either. He needed to be Operations. Section really was what he wanted.

There had to be a way to do both.

"Lalia, we're going to have to talk."

Lalia looked at him with a patronizing expression. "Really? Because I thought, when I saw you here, we'd just fall into each others arms and melt away the last forty years. Paul, please." The boat docked, and Lalia jumped off. Wrapping the rope around the bar, she smiled at him.

"I tell you one thing, though. You are going to eat better tonight than you have in years."

Paul's face became a little dreamy. "Serge's cooking. There is something I remember perfectly."

Lalia bit her lip. "He has a nineteen-twenty-one Chablis that's drinking very well right now. We don't have to melt away forty years in one minute, but I do think that your being here, physically and all, is cause for some kind of celebration?"

Paul squinted and smiled. "A nineteen-twenty-one Chablis? That's the wine we celebrated our first fight with."

Lalia nodded and started up the hill. "Of course. I threw you into a wall, you threw me *through* a window, we yelled, and when we made up we had some wine." She winked. "Our first and only magical, full blown fight. I wouldn't drink it with anyone else."

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

Chapter eleven ___________

Lalia laughed and poured more wine into Paul's glass, and then hers. Two empty wine bottles were already neatly lined on the table, waiting for the third. The two of them were anything if not tidy drinkers. They were sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch, and an observer would never even know they were drunk. Neither was slurring, or giggly. Just talking. But both were as drunk as the Gifted can get, which admittedly, is not very drunk at all.

"She really thought you had to have a magic wand?"

Paul smiled and raised his glass. "She made it by hand! Mahogany handle, with, and I swear to god, an Eagle feather in it!" He took a long drink.

"Oh, for..." Lalia was half laughing, half incredulous. "What did you say when she handed it to you?"

"I carefully explained why having a magic wand is completely stupid."

"You didn't say that to her? After all that work." Lalia's brow furrowed, but she was still laughing. "The poor woman!"

"No, no. I was very nice about it. We had a long talk about the actual uses of magic." He drained his glass. "And I still have the wand. It really was beautiful, even if it was useless." Paul reached over and poured himself more wine, finishing off the bottle. He put the empty with the others and eyed them.

"That's all you brought down, isn't it?" He was already slipping into Circle references, since "down" was really up from the wine cellars.

Lalia nodded. "But!" She reached behind her, and into a small cabinet next to the couch. When her hand came out, she was holding the bottle of brandy she and Nikita had started. "It's not wine, but I think we can manage."

Paul took a look at the date and raised his eyebrows. "I think this'll do." He looked around and spotted her breakfront. Getting up, he reached in, pulled out two brandy snifters and held them up.

"Isn't there a *law* against drinking brandy from wine glasses?"

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

Chapter twelve (kinda short) ___________

"Berkoff, run the Giavani sim again." Madeline came up behind him and put her hands on the back of the chair.

Berkoff nodded. "OK, here's sector one, here's sector two and here's the main target." He pointed to the screen as he talked, and then typed in the password to start the sim. The figures on the screen started to move.

Madeline watched the mission play out and frowned.

"Right there. Stop." Madeline leaned over to look closer. Yes, right there. Damn!

"What?" Berkoff looked where she was, but didn't see the problem.

Madeline shook her head. They needed at least one more operative there, and she wasn't sure if they had any more operatives that were both expendable and trained. However, she wasn't about to tell Berkoff that. So she just smiled at his questioning look. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

She headed down the stairs to leave when Berkoff called her back.

"When will Operations be back?"

Madeline stopped, turned and shook her head. "He had some personal business to take care of. Michael and I will handle it all until he gets back."

She smiled again and walked away. Berkoff stared after her, frowning. From that answer, Madeline didn't know why he'd left either.

Madeline didn't know why Operations was doing something.

Madeline didn't know *where* Operations was.

Two sentences that would not be easy to get used to.

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

Chapter thirteen ___________

"If I weren't Gifted, my head would be killing me right about now." Lalia closed her eyes as she sat down at breakfast. "How's yours?"

Paul smiled, but his eyes were only half open. "I'm awake. An accomplishment for which I will expect full credit, later."

Lalia squinted at him through one eye. "Did we really finish off that brandy?"

He just nodded. His eyes were closed now as well.

The waiter came over and they ordered coffee in unison. Lalia gave a small laugh when he'd left.

"We still think alike, at least." She opened one eye and grinned at him. Then she shut it, and her face became serious.

"So, why *are* you here, Paul? I doubt it was for one drunk night with your sister."

The waiter came back with the coffee and Lalia opened both eyes to drink it.

Paul waited for the waiter to leave again, and he picked up his menu. "Well, actually that was more of a factor than you probably think. I came for you."

Lalia glanced at him over her menu. "You came to take me away, ha ha? Should I start singing?"

Paul almost laughed, but his head was still too fuzzy, so he drank some more coffee instead. "No, not to take you away. I wanted to....I thought we could..." He couldn't seem to finish the sentence. Damn. He was relieved that no one from Section was here to see this. He was never this lost at Section.

"I get it. You want to heal the rift." Lalia had her eyes closed again, but Paul knew that she was listening. Better than anyone, he knew.

"I do. But I don't want to come back to the Circle." He finished his coffee in one long swallow.

"Well." Lalia gave a short laugh. "I believe we started on the healing last night." She looked up. "You obviously aren't thinking you aren't going to use magic, because, when last I checked, astral projection fell under that heading." She ignored his look. "So...you just don't want the title of Savior, and all the bull that comes with it?"

Paul smiled. "You put that better than I would have."

Lalia shook her head, but she was smiling. "I'm the daughter of the Founders, Leader of the Circle. I would *hate* to be labeled a Savior. You're my brother, and son of the Founders. You hardly deserve to be lumped in with everyone else. Let's just go with Gifted and the son of the Founders, hmmm?"

He nodded. "For now, that sounds perfect." He glanced at the menu, open in front of him all this time but never read.

"*Fish* for breakfast??"

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

Chapter fourteen ___________

"Michael, do you know where Operations went?" Nikita was standing in the doorway to his office, holding her gear bag for the mission.

Michael shook his head, but he got up and pulled her in. He closed the door behind her and soundproofed the room.

"I have to talk to you before you leave." He started to close the blinds to the window, but stopped when he saw Berkoff's face in con. Something was going on, and Michael decided he wanted to be able to see, just in case. He re-opened the blinds and pulled them up.

Nikita checked her watch. "Ok. I still have another ten minutes." She sat down.

Michael turned around, leaned back against the wall and studied her face. He knew he needed to ease into this.

"I talked to Jack the last time I was at the caverns."

"What did you talk about?" Nikita checked her watch again. Plenty of time.

"It's not important." Michael suddenly decided not he didn't want to do this to her before this particular mission. He turned to the window again and watched Berkoff go over to talk to Walter.

"Good luck with Giavani."

Nikita frowned. "Michael, I know you wouldn't have brought it up if it *wasn't* important."

His eyes turned up to look at Operations office. Madeline was doing something at Operations terminal, but that wasn't that unusual. "You better get going. We'll talk about it when you get back."

Nikita's eyes narrowed and she just looked at him for a minute. Then she shrugged and stood up. "Ok. Dinner tonight?"

Michael turned back to her and smiled. "Yes. I was going to make something special." He moved closer and put his hand on her cheek. "I know how hard this mission is going to be for you."

Nikita's face turned dark for a minute, but she forced a smile. "I'll be fine."

Michael looked into her eyes, and kissed her.

"I know you will."

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

Chapter fifteen ___________

"Team one, check in."

"Team one, check. We're in place."

Nikita was sitting at the table in the van, wearing a com earpiece. She checked her computer screen and nodded across the table at Berkoff. He nodded back, and his fingers flew over the keyboard.

"Team two check in." Nikita was watching her screen as she talked. Walter was standing guard at the door, watching the towers above them on the view screen, just in case.

The teams checked in one by one, all in their correct positions. There was a small discipline problem, but Nikita handled it fine. It was blazingly obvious why that one was being cancelled, though.

The teams had checked in, and Nikita set team one on the target. It was expected that Giavani would kill them all, but by then someone would have hit him with a tranquilizer dart, and the van could then come in and pick him up.

Nikita watched on her screen as the first team moved in and was shot down. Only two tranquilizer darts were shot, neither hit.

"Damn it, shoot before you die!" Nikita jumped to realize she'd said that out loud. She looked up, but neither Berkoff or Walter seemed to notice.

The second team moved in, this time four darts were shot, and not *one* hit.

No wonder they were being cancelled! Not one could shoot straight!

The third team moved in, and three darts were fired. And...wait...

One hit!

Giavani went down, and so did the rest of the third team. Nikita reflected that the extra person on that team had been the winning dart, and wondered where Madeline had gotten the name.

But there was no time to think about that now. Berkoff nodded, and Walter sat down. Nikita gave the driver the signal to go.

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

Chapter sixteen ___________

Nikita made sure she was well ahead of Walter and Berkoff when they came in. She handed off Giavani to the guards and Madeline, and didn't wait for him to wake up.

The last thing she needed now was for Giavani to recognize her.

She'd recognized *him* the minute he was loaded into the van.

Giavani was a man she'd once tried to kill. He'd been using magics for death, and the Circle had launched a mission against him. Nikita and Lalia had been the only ones to have interaction with him. The mission had been aborted when he'd stopped using magic to kill. The Circle never made it a habit to hunt people down for past crimes, and killing using mundane means was not really in Circle jurisdiction.

At least, not the way Giavani did it.

So the mission had been scrubbed, and Nikita had had to get out of it the best she could, being the one left behind.

So, she'd drugged him and left.

Nikita knew that really, with Operations gone, she just had to explain to Madeline what was going on.

But what *about* Operations? He'd be back, and Section was planning to recruit Giavani. That meant that eventually, Nikita would have to work with him, and he *would* recognize her.

But that came later.

Nikita glanced at her watch and realized that she didn't have time to talk to Madeline today.

Michael would have dinner ready by now, and he had something to talk to her about...about Jack.

Nikita did an about face and headed back up to the street.

Giavani would have to keep until tomorrow.

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

Chapter seventeen ___________

Lalia leaned forward and put her chin on Paul's arm. "Does my jaw look like it's broken?"

His eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head. They were on a Circle boat, heading back to the mainland so he could catch a plane home.

"Why do you ask?" He took Lalia's chin in his hand and turned her head back and forth looking for bruises.

"I feel like I've talked enough today for it to fall off."

Paul laughed and pushed her playfully back into her own seat. "And I was actually looking!" He smiled and started running his hand through her hair. "We *did* talk a lot though, didn't we?"

Lalia closed her eyes and tilted her head, as if in thought. "Well, no. Not if we're judging on a scale. I can remember an aunt we had..."

"STOP!" Paul put his hand over Lalia's mouth. "Don't say her name, don't even *think* her name. She might hear you."

Lalia giggled. "Huum umph uming umph mn umhuhmhuh."

"Oh. Sorry." Paul took his hand away. "What was that?"

"I said I was just putting it in perspective." She laughed as Paul made a gagging face.

The boat bumped against the dock.

Lalia stood up and looked at the large black car pulling up, obviously intended for Paul. She turned back to him and took his bag.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay another day?"

"I do want to." Paul threw a glance at the man getting out of the car. "But I can't. There was a mission, an important one, and I have to get back." He took his bag from her and stepped off the boat. Then he turned back to the boat.

"If you don't come back in a week, you will leave me no choice but to come to you." Lalia was talking in a mocking voice, but he knew she meant it.

"I'll be back in *one week*. I didn't do all this to get my sister back just to lose her again."

Lalia watched him get into the car and drive away. She sat back down and closed her eyes as the boat moved out onto the water again.

One week.

Or she *would* go to Section.

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

Chapter eighteen interlude ___________

Berkoff shook his head and almost laughed at himself, it was so obvious. He'd spent the entire day looking for a clue to where Operations had gone. And it was staring him right in the face.

The plane had landed in Ireland. Specifically, it landed in a small non-commercial airport in Sligo town, Ireland.

The "missing" island, "Circle Island" was just off the *coast* from Sligo.

The Island that holds Section Eleven.

The word "duh" almost came out of Berkoff's mouth.

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

Chapter eighteen ___________

"Hi." Nikita dropped her jacket on the counter and closed her eyes. "That smells amazing."

Michael held something in front of her mouth. "Try this, but keep your eyes closed."

Nikita's mouth opened and closed around the fork. She smiled. "Can I open my eyes now?"

"Yes."

"It's delicious, but I didn't think I had the ingredients to make stuffed crab." Nikita looked around the kitchen as she spoke, and noticed some wine in the corner.

Michael turned back to the stove. "You didn't. I went shopping before I came over. Sit down, this isn't quite ready yet."

She did, sitting on a stool at the counter. "You wanted to talk to me about Jack?"

Michael didn't turn around. "How did the mission go?"

Closing her eyes, Nikita grinned. "You're avoiding the question."

Michael came over to the counter and looked into her eyes. "So are you."

"Ok. The mission went exactly the way it was supposed to. We got him, and all the abeyance operatives were killed."

"You're leaving something out." Michael's eyes were piercing. Nikita looked away.

"I know Giavani." She looked down at her hands. "He wasn't called that when I knew him, but he'll know me."

"How do you know him?" He reached for the wine as he talked and poured into the waiting glasses.

"He was a Circle target." Nikita outlined the situation for Michael, and when she finished she took the proffered glass and drained it. "I don't know how to handle it. I have to tell Madeline, but other than that...I mean, what do I do when Giavani tells Operations that he's met me before, and where?"

Michael took a small sip of wine so he could think. There were four different solutions in his mind, but none that he wanted to use. Three that might work, though.

"Well, one of two things, unless you can think of something else. One, we corner Giavani and make sure he keeps your past to himself."

Nikita shook her head. "Won't work. He doesn't intimidate."

Michael nodded. "Ok, then two, we let him tell Operations, and Operations simply finds out."

"Not an option."

"Then we go with the third. Lalia showed me a memory spell, to help recover lost memories. I think I can reverse it, and use it to *hide* memories from him."

Nikita just stared. "You think you can do that?"

Michael nodded. "But not tonight. Tonight, I'm cooking."

Nikita didn't move. She was grateful for the answer, but....

Lalia had showed her the memory spell when Nikita was fifteen. She'd never been able to work it with enough power. And now Michael could, apparently.

Nikita felt her heart drop to her stomach. The one thing she'd been better at. And now, once again, Michael was the strongest.

Nikita took another drink of wine, and didn't realize she'd forgotten completely about Jack.

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

Chapter nineteen (S - TR) ___________

It was almost two AM. Operations looked up at his office as he walked into Section, and frowned. The windows were darkened.

He climbed the steps, expecting to find George waiting for him to talk about Michael, Madeline and Nikita, but instead he just found Madeline, holding a pad.

"What are you doing up?" He smiled and dropped his coat behind the wall, over a chair. "It's two in the morning."

Madeline handed him the pad. "I wish it was for pleasure, but we have Giavani, and I'm waiting for him to wake up." She glanced out the window at Berkoff, still up and working. "And I was wondering how it went?" She made it sound casual.

Operations smiled again, but didn't answer. He was looking at the pad, running down the account of the mission.

When he finally looked up, it still wasn't to answer her. "We lost everyone? Including Henderman?"

Madeline nodded, and Operations sighed. "I guess it was a long shot, but he wasn't quite to the cancellation level and I would have liked to keep him."

"We needed the extra man, and he did turn out to be the only accurate shot." Madeline walked to the door as she said it and tapped a button. The mission record came up on the main screen, and Operations watched it play out.

He waited until it was over to comment. "Very nice. You were right. I don't think we could have used him better. Good work." Operations put the pad down and looked out the window. He walked over to stand just behind her, and brushed a piece of hair off her shoulder. "Why are the windows dark, if we're just going to talk business?"

Madeline smiled. "Well, Giavani isn't likely to wake up anytime soon. And while I didn't want to take the chance that he would and I wouldn't be here, " She turned around. "I also wanted to make sure you got a proper homecoming. I have a meeting with George tomorrow. I didn't want to leave for two days without...."

Operations glanced out one more time. "Berkoff could walk in."

Madeline shook her head. "He's busy running an anti virus. He'll be busy for hours."

"Really? You'll be gone for two days. Will a few hours be long enough?"

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

Chapter twenty ___________

"Jack, what happened?"

Jack looked up from the transistor he was fixing, but Lalia wasn't in the room. He looked out the door, and there she was, leaning sideways against the wall reading a report.

"What happened with what?"

"With Michael." She looked up and folded the report in half. "You spoke with Michael. Then Michael left, almost immediately, and now he wants to know if Nikita trains with you anymore."

Jack went back into the weapons room and called back out to her. "It's late, Lalia."

Lalia followed him in. "I'm up, you're up. And," she looked around the work area, cluttered with electronics and wires, "it doesn't look like you were planning to go to bed anytime soon. So, what happened with Michael? Something about Nikita?"

Jack glanced at her. "I didn't say a word to Michael about Nikita."

"Ok, but you may have said something without saying anything. I know you both. You're too much alike. You did something, " Lalia picked up a broken sub-machine gun, "said something, subtly, that got the message across."

Jack took the gun out of her hands. "I didn't say a word, ok? He asked me what was going on, and I didn't say one word."

"I see. Not one word." Lalia hopped on the table and crossed her legs. "So, you didn't say anything. You didn't say 'nothing', you didn't say a word. Complete silence." She crossed her arms and tilted her head. "Jack?"

"Yeah?" He wasn't looking at her, but at the machine gun. The casing had come off when she picked it up....automatics were never her specialty.

She was more of a long distance, one shot girl, good with a handgun or a rifle. She liked shotguns, but...

"Jack?!"

He looked up. "Sorry. Lost in thought. What was the question?"

Lalia shook her head and hopped down. "Forget it. I'm obviously not going to get an answer. Just, whatever you did, try not to do it again, ok? I don't want to lose Michael because you can't keep your emotions to yourself."

Jack nodded. "Inner Circle members are rare. I know. I didn't really...."

"Forget it." Lalia left, opening the report again as she walked out.

Jack finished fixing the gun and put it back. "Right. Forget it."

Easier said than done.

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

Chapter twenty-one ___________

"Michael?" Nikita poked him again, but he just rolled over.

"Michael!"

"What?" He rolled onto his side and looked up at her, sitting on the side of the bed. "What are you doing up already?"

Nikita shook her head. "It was very clever, I'll give you that, but it won't work this morning. I want to know what's going on with you and Jack."

Michael looked at the clock and groaned. "Well, I bet *he* isn't up this early."

"Michael!"

He sighed and sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning. Actually, he was stalling for time. Michael still had no idea what he was going to tell Nikita. That he saw a look in Jack's eyes? Please. She'd accuse him of being paranoid.

"Can I have some coffee first?"

Nikita held up a cup and pushed it into his hands. "I had a feeling. You get five minutes. Drink and wake up. You can even get dressed. But we *are* talking about this today. I need to know what's going on."

She stood up and went back into the kitchen. Michael could hear pans being moved around, and started to smell bacon and eggs frying. He got up and started to dress, as slowly as possible.

Think. I just need a little more time to think.

Michael finished his coffee and put his shirt on. He heard Nikita putting plates on the counter.

"Breakfast, and your five minutes are up." She was pouring juice and coffee for herself. Toast came out of the toaster and jam from the fridge.

And he still had no idea what he was going to say.

"Michael!"

"I'm coming." The simple truth would have to do. It didn't have to be the whole truth. Just some truth.

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

Chapter twenty-two ___________

Michael sat down at the counter, putting his coffee cup by his plate. Nikita refilled it.

"Thanks." He picked it up and started drinking.

Nikita sat down across from him. "So. Talk."

"I don't want you training with Jack anymore."

"Why not?" Nikita's brow furrowed and she put her coffee down. "I've been training with Jack since I first started with the Circle. If you're worried that he's not *safe*, I can tell you that he is. Michael..."

"It's not that." Michael put down the toast he'd just picked up. It wasn't burned, anyway, and that's how he liked it. "It's just a personal preference. I don't trust him."

Nikita frowned. "You aren't going to tell me any more than that, are you?"

Michael shook his head. "Shouldn't it be enough that I love you, and I need to know you're alright?"

Nikita's eyes closed. A declaration of love. She didn't get those so often from him that she could afford to question them, or ignore them. That he was trotting it out for this was... disturbing.

But not something she would argue.

And he knew it.

"Ok. I won't train with him anymore. I don't really train all that much these days, anyway, and when I do, I can do it with Lalia." Nikita squinted at him. "Have you spoken to Lalia about this? The second time I was there after Madeline, she mentioned something about Jack, but she never got to finish it."

Michael shook his head, but he was eating his eggs as he did. He didn't want them to get cold. Nikita waited until he'd swallowed. "Why not?"

His eyes clouded. "I think she may know already, and I don't feel it's necessary."

Nikita nodded. "Ok. So, I won't train with him anymore." She frowned. "Was that all you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes."

"Ok, then what are we doing up so early?"

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

Chapter twenty-three ___________

"I have a question." Madeline dropped into a chair in front of Lalia's office, and crossed her legs.

Lalia didn't look up from the report on her desk. "I have an answer. Let's see if they match."

"I think they do. I was wondering how long it takes for the Circle to know if someone's gifted."

Lalia's eyebrows furrowed and she looked up. "Rephrase."

"Sorry." Madeline smiled. "How long does it take, after a Gift shows up in a person, for the Circle to know about it and recruit the person?"

Lalia sat back in her chair and put her feet on the desk. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering."

Lalia's eyebrows lifted. "Because, if you want to know how long you had your Gift before we knew, I can tell you *that*. But every person is different. On an average...I'd say as little as two minutes, as many as ten years. It depends on how fast the Gift develops."

Madeline frowned. "How long did I have my Gift before you knew?"

Lalia grinned. "That's a loaded question. You've *had* your Gift all your life. That isn't the basis. A lot of people are Gifted, and never know it, because it never comes out. The question I think you're asking is, 'how long was my Gift active before you recruited me'. The answer to that is four years. Though, we knew almost immediately. But we had no way of getting you out of Section and here."

"Now, Nikita was actively Gifted when she was five, and we didn't know it. We didn't know until she was twelve, and we brought her in when she was thirteen. But, once you're in here, we can trace the power back, and *then* we can know how fast we found out."

"I see." Madeline stood up. "Thank you."

Lalia dropped her feet down and stood up as well. "That was it? Are you sure?"

Madeline nodded, smiled and left. Lalia stared after her with a worried expression on her face.

Then it hit her.

Paul. Madeline had to think Paul was Gifted. She wouldn't have noticed it before, because Paul had always been so careful not to use his powers. But recently...

And it had to be leaking out in other ways. No one who wasn't Gifted and *looking* for it would notice, but Madeline was too new to her Gift to *not* be looking for it.

It couldn't be anyone else, Nikita kept a pretty close watch on things at Section. If someone is Gifted, Nikita tells Lalia. That's the way it works.

It had to be Paul.

Damn.

Lalia sat down and started a letter to her brother. Cards on the table. That was the only way to handle this.

Cards on the table.

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

Chapter twenty-four (short) ___________

The door to the white room cell opened and closed behind Nikita. It took Giavani a second to recognize her, but the recognition was definitely there. Nikita watched it happen. She'd counted on it. He'd known her too well to forget completely.

"Nikita. I thought that was you, but I wasn't sure for a minute." He smiled up at her from the lockdown seat. "Now, what is a witch such as yourself doing *here*?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Nikita smiled back at him and walked around behind the chair. A syringe came out from her pocket, and she quickly inserted the liquid into his neck. She held it for the count of ten and pulled the needle out.

Giavai's head dropped forward. He was out.

The door opened again, and Michael came in.

"We only have fifteen minutes. This will take ten, and then we have to get Giavani conscious. After that, the cameras will switch back on." Michael was setting up as he talked.

Nikita nodded, took a large bowl of herbs from him and started mixing them into the water. Michael was already chanting.

Fifteen minutes later, the camera in Giavani's cell came back on. The techs in the computer room shook their heads. Damn virus. Berkoff was supposed to have gotten rid of that thing by now!

No one noticed that Giavani had a slightly blanker look on his face, and that his hair was wet. It didn't matter anyway.

Very hot in those rooms sometimes.

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

Chapter twenty-five ___________

Operations stared at the communiqué from Lalia.

He sat down, and re-read it.

And then he read it again. But he still wasn't seeing it.

Or, he didn't want to.

Madeline was Gifted? An Inner Circle Savior....

Who wanted to know why *he*, Paul, was not being recruited.

And here was all this other information, and several very compelling reasons, that showed why Madeline couldn't find out about Operation's Gift.

At least, not for some time.

He groaned and put the pad down. Then he picked it back up and read it a fourth time. And suddenly he realized what he was doing and almost smiled.

You're falling into Lalia's habits. You've read it already. You don't have to re-hash it over and over again.

Operations deleted the message from both the pad and the main computer. He couldn't risk Madeline knowing about it, and careful as Lalia had been, Operations wasn't going to take any chances. He called down to Berkoff to send Michael up.

He sat down and rubbed his eyes for a minute, and then he started on some work for an upcoming mission.

Just work. If you work, you won't have to think about it.

"You needed to see me?"

Operations looked up to see Michael standing in the doorway.

"Yes. I'm leaving again, and I'm putting you in charge of Section until I get back."

Michael looked out the window. "How long will you be gone?"

Operations shook his head. "It could take a day, or it could take a week. I have no idea."

"I see." Michael didn't turn around. He was thinking about the message he'd just gotten from Lalia, and trying to come up with a subtle way to do this. He finally decided on the direct approach.

Operations handed Michael a pad. "Be sure to go over this with the team, they haven't been briefed. I'll try to get an update from you after the first sim. Nikita leads the mission."

Michael took the pad and nodded. Then he looked Operations straight in the eye. "Be sure to say hello to Lalia for me."

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

Chapter twenty-six ___________

"You could have told me."

Nikita was staring down at Section from Operations office. Michael came up behind her.

"Lalia said that this would be better. He only knows about me. Lalia will tell him about you. He needs to find out in stages."

Nikita shrugged his hand off her shoulder. "You still could have told me you were planning on letting him know. You kept me completely out of the loop." She moved away from him, crossed her arms and kept staring out the window.

Michael studied her face. She was definitely angry, but he didn't think it likely that she was really this angry about *this.*

"What is it?"

"What is what?" Nikita didn't look up, but she could feel Michael's eyes on her.

"Nikita." His voice was slightly reproachful. She glanced up. "What is it?"

Nikita bit her lip. "When did you talk to Lalia?"

"I didn't. I got a message from her." Michael stood beside her and looked out.

"Why did you get a message and not me?" Her voice had tears in it, but it didn't show on her face. Michael winced.

"I don't know." It was a whisper. "I have an office with a secure line. You don't. Madeline could have tracked a message to you."

Nikita nodded. That made sense, but it didn't make her feel any *better*.

It felt like Michael was slipping away. Not emotionally, maybe....but he had needed her for the magic. It was her area, and he'd been the newby.

Then it had seemed like he didn't need her at all. But Nikita had still been the one getting the messages from Lalia, and she'd been ok. She'd been the connection to the Circle. So, he'd still needed her, at least for that.

And now, she'd lost that, to.

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

Chapter twenty-seven ___________

Lalia sat reading the message over. Walter was *not* putting her mind at ease. It seemed that Berkoff knew where Circle Island was, but thought it was Section Eleven. And that was fine.

But he was prying into everything that came along. And Lalia didn't want to think about what would happen if he started prying into his own past farther.

There were times when knowledge was just so far past dangerous....

Lalia closed her eyes and deleted the message. She just wouldn't look at it, and maybe it would go away.

Yeah, right.

Ok, one phone call. She'd make one phone call. It was indulgent, but she needed it.

Lalia picked up her phone and dialed. She didn't even look at her address book, but she didn't need to. This number was one she never had to look up.

It rang for a minute, and then someone picked up the other end.

"Hello?"

Lalia's eyes were still closed, but she sighed and relaxed a little. That voice just always made her feel better.

She leaned forward onto her desk. "Hi."

"Hey. Are you ok? You don't sound so hot."

"No, I'm not. Can I come over tonight?"

Lalia waited a minute. The answer came and a smile started to spread. She hung up and closed her office.

Then she went to her rooms, packed an overnight bag, took out the *Symbolic* and headed for the mainland.

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

Chapter twenty-eight ___________

"You should tell him. He should know who his mother is."

Lalia frowned at him in the mirror on his closet door. They were lying in bed, and he was trying to get the stiffness out of her neck.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well," his hands moved to her shoulders "if I hadn't known who my father was, I never would have been the person I am today. Someday, I'll be taking over for him. It's nice to know that there will always be that family connection, and even though I know there's a lot *he* doesn't know about *me*, at least we know we're related."

Lalia grinned at him over her shoulder. "So, still haven't told the old man that you're Gifted, huh?"

He shook his head. "What would I say? How would I even broach the subject? I love him, but I get the impression that if he knew I had some kind of super powers, he'd stick me under a microscope and try to turn me into a weapon as soon as breathe. He doesn't love the way the rest of us do."

"You think? I don't. I think he loves just like any other human being. He *did* name you after him. The 'junior' bit was a nice touch, if you ask me. Don't you think so?" His reply was a sarcastic laugh, and Lalia wiggled out from under his hands, turning around on the bed. "And, I've heard other evidence to support my theory."

"Have you?" He brushed some hair out of her eyes.

"Yep. I've heard that there's a woman he would kill to protect."

"And who told you this?" He smirked and reached over to the nightstand to get his watch. "I would love to meet this woman. I've never heard of anything like that. And," he got up "if I had, you know that you would have been the first to know."

Lalia smiled. "Why thank you. I believe it, though. There are some people that have staked their lives on this woman, and the fact that your father loves her. And, it worked." She smiled at his frown. "Really."

He kept talking from in the bathroom. "I find it hard to believe, that's all. I lived with the man for a long time. I never saw any women at the house."

Lalia kneeled on the bed as he came back holding two glasses of water.

"Have you ever heard your father mention a woman named Adrian?"

He shook his head.

"Well, " she took her water from him, "George, darling, you might want to ask about her."

"Darling?" He jumped on the bed, grabbed her, and she spilled her water. "Darling!? Where did *that* come from? No proper language in this house, and you know it!" His arms wrapped around her waist and she squirmed.

"Don't tickle!!!" She laughed and rolled, he rolled with her, and they fell off the bed.

Not that it much mattered.

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

Chapter twenty-nine (short) ___________

When Madeline got back to Section, Nikita was waiting in her office.

"Hi. How was it?"

Madeline smiled. "It was very nice. Why?"

Nikita handed Madeline a pad with a message from Lalia. Madeline skimmed it and looked up sharply.

"Berkoff? Really?"

Nikita nodded and stood up to leave. "That's for you. We thought you should know."

Madeline nodded back. "Ok." She was still reading.

Nikita stopped at the door and turned around "Oh, and..."

"Yes?"

"Operations got called away on some emergency thing. He left Michael in charge, and the briefing for the mission is still tomorrow, first thing in the morning."

"Right."

Nikita left, and Madeline finished reading the letter. She decided to get some other work done, and not think about this until tomorrow after the briefing. So, she tossed the pad onto a stack of others. It partially deleted when a button went off, but Madeline barely glanced at it. She knew what was on there. She pushed the stack to the corner of her desk to make room for her paperwork.

And forgot about it.

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

Chapter thirty ___________

"Kryn?!"

Paul looked at his watch. It wasn't that late, really. Not by Circle standards. He knocked again.

A partially naked red-head opened the door. Paul frowned at her.

"Is Kryn here?"

"She might be. Who are you?" The red-head cocked her head and folded her arms. Paul saw what Kryn liked in her. Just her type.

"Paul."

"Just Paul?" She raised one eyebrow. "She'll know you?"

He nodded. "Tell her I'm looking for my sister. She wasn't in her room, and what with the message I got, I think I'd better find her."

The woman disappeared into the apartment and closed the door behind her. A minute later Kryn opened the door, in all her blonde glory....she never was one for modesty.

"Paul!" She threw her arms around his neck, and he hugged her back.

"Hey." He held her for another minute. It hadn't really occurred to him that he'd missed his cousin quite this much. Or that she'd missed him.

Paul let go and stepped back. "Kryn, do you know where my little sister is? She sent me this message, but I get here and she's gone."

Kryn shook her head. "I have no idea *where* Lalia is, but you know she'll be back in the caverns by tomorrow. She has too much of a love for Serge's cooking to miss breakfast."

Paul grinned. "I guess I'll just have to wait until then." He looked past her at the red-head. "Nice to have met you."

The woman gave him a once over and smirked. He wasn't *her* type.

Kryn smiled at him. "That's Niscia. She's....she's actually kind of a permanent fixture, so you better meet her. Niscia, this is Lalia's older brother."

Niscia smiled a *very* friendly smile at that, though slightly contrite. "Sorry! I didn't know you were...sorry. There's just been this man who...." She stopped, closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's very nice to meet you."

Paul laughed. "Don't say you're sorry." He smirked at Kryn. "I'm thinking it's your cutting edge my cousin likes?"

Kryn pushed him out. "That's enough of that." She shook her head. "Go. I'll see you at breakfast."

He gave her a once over and smirked again. "I don't think I could really see *more* of you."

"Goodnight, Paul." Kryn closed the door in his face, laughing.

He smiled to himself and headed for his own room, just down the hall.

Nice to know some things never change.

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

Chapter thirty-one (briefing) ___________

Michael walked into the briefing area and clicked the remote. A large commercial complex came up on the screen.

"These buildings house every main exporter of small arms components in the southeast."

He changed the picture again to show the tallest building closer.

"We have an interest in this building. We suspect that Red Cell is importing laced cartridges from this company."

"Laced?" Nikita shifted her gaze from the screen to Michael.

"Laced with explosive properties. They have created a formula to allow the gun to be shot without exploding, while still being able to be used for a bomb, if necessary."

Nikita nodded. "So, what are we doing?"

Michael turned off the screen. "We are going to steal the formula and destroy their copy and stock."

"Any questions?"

Berkoff looked up. "I have something." He waited for Michael's go ahead before finishing. "We only have a five minute window when the security system cycles. So I'll need to have everyone check in twice with their positions before I trigger the switch. This thing is all timing. Everyone has to make sure they know where they are."

Nikita nodded absently, staring at her pad.

Michael put the remote down. "We go up in two days. That's all."

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

Chapter thirty-two ___________

"And where do you *go* when you go?"

Kryn sat down across from Lalia and took the menu from the waiter. "I say, whiggy?"

Lalia grinned but didn't look up. "That's none of your business."

"Is it your brothers? Because he was at my room last night looking for you."

"Paul's here? Why is Paul here?" Lalia put her menu down and started watching the door. "When did Paul even *get* here?"

Kryn shrugged and made a face at the menu before dropping it on her plate. "I don't know when he got here, but he was here last night...or, rather, this morning."

"What did he say?" Lalia was still staring at the door. She didn't want to miss him coming in.

"He said something about a message, and needing to talk to you. He met Niscia."

Lalia turned back to Kryn with a wondrous expression on her face. "He met Niscia, came to your room at the wee hours of the morning, and he's still alive?? Are you sure she didn't castrate him?"

Kryn laughed. "No, no castration of the Founders son. Though, that's probably the only reason. She was really peeved until I introduced them."

"Peeved." Lalia glanced at the door. "Only you could use that word and still sound like an adult."

"Would you prefer 'perturbed'?"

Lalia stuck her tongue out and Kryn matched it.

"I thought you two would have grown up by now." Paul came up behind Kryn's chair, tweaked her shoulder and sat down between the two.

"What's for breakfast?" He shot an acidic glare at Lalia before picking up his menu.

She rolled her eyes at Kryn. This was not going to be a pleasant meal.