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codename: Tabitha
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Date Posted: 20:05:14 07/24/01 Tue
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Codename: Tabitha
's message, "Vows Made" on 18:55:18 07/22/01 Sun
Livia was on a mission and it wasn’t going well. Actually in Livia’s professional opionion that would have been an alarming under statement, if the mission was not so critical, if so much damage wasn’t a given, she would have aborted the mission. As it was her team was sustaining heavy damage. The fatality rate was up to three; she had lost count of the casualties. It did not escape the young woman’s notice that the profile had been skewed for her death, or that the operatives were placing themselves between her and that inevitability.
“ Livia!” The scream went up just as she heard her name spoken through the com. Unit.
“ Forget him!” Livia was torn. She had to do what was best for the mission, but how could she let the man she loved die? “ He’s collateral.” She closed her eyes against the death sentence. She could not do it.
“ Get rid of him!” Chaucher barked in the team’s ears.
Tensing, Livia raised her hand to her neck. Could she distract them long enough for Section One to get here? “ Livia, take point.” Silently thanking the team leader she ran for her mark. Shots rang out above and below her. The team had been compromised and Adam was caught in the crossfire. “ Get down!” She taking cover and returning fire. A Team member waved her off. “ Livia go now.” At her hesitation a chorus of protests resounded in her ears. “ Go Livia now. Don’t worry about us!” Nodding her assent but with tears in her eyes, Livia moved toward Adam. Her friends covered her retreat.
Her eyes meeting his she noticed him motioning her off. She scanned the area and noticed the problem. In their haste the team had blocked off an escape route. Oh well she was committed to the act. When she reached Adam she did not find a fearful man. Instead his mind was working, properly assessing the situation. She gave a start when he leveled the gun at her and fired, twice. Her mind registered the resulting deaths but her mind had made a conclusion. The only way out was through the crossfire. Adam startled her by asking, “ Can you make it?”
“ I can but you can’t.”
“ Yes. I can.” Livia heard the quite confidence and read the truth in his gaze. She couldn’t suppress a small smile of pride. Why was she surprised he was Michael’s son after all.
“ Alright. But I go first.” Despite his marked mastership of the gun, Adam was still a civilian. Livia was taking no chances. She would be unable to go on if he died because of her. Adam’s restraining hand on her shoulder stopped her thoughts of escape.
“ Adam we have to go, NOW.”
“ If you move now, they’ll kill you.” The death screams of her teammates finally penetrated the mission focus she had been maintaining. Following his line of sight, she saw the avenue of escape, now blocked by a trio of men.
“ Okay we’re not getting out of this without some help.” She muttered.
“ Shut up and move, or your boyfriend dies!” The guy in the lead snarled. Livia found herself disarmed and searched. Disarmed or not the only thing stooping her from dispatching the thug was the gun at Adam’s throat. At that range an infant could not miss.
Livia and Adam found themselves pushed into a Section issue van. There would be no forthcoming help.
Back in Section, I listened over the phone as the mission spiraled out of control. At Livia’s mutter she rounded on the operatives she had been debriefing. “ Shut up and Get out! Not you Michael! Steve get up here now!”
Livia was nursing her suspicions. Their captors were obviously Section and she would stake her life on which they worked for. She had to figure out what exactly they wanted. And soon, she was not worried about herself, she’d take her pill if she had to but she was not willing to let Adam die and especially not by this freak of nature.
“ She’ll never give it to us.”
“ She will if she wants her boyfriend to live.”
Livia risked a look at Adam and for a moment swore she was looking at Michael. Adam sat there composed and seemingly relaxed. No one would believe this wasn’t something routine, or for that matter, that he had a gun lodged in his rib cage. It worried Livia. Their captors might think more force was necessary or worse. Adam wasn’t Section trained; the techniques could very well kill him. She couldn’t let that happen. To give them what they want however could mean thousands of lives including Adam’s.
Nikita sat in Systems with Michael and three other people. They were the only ones on this level of Section. The area had been totally secured; Jason would immediately pick up any ease dropping.
“ We lost the signal after the Van stopped.”
“ What sort of van?”
“ Section issue but which can not be determined.”
“ He’s toying with you, Nikita.” Jasmine said. “ He knows the fact that it can not be traced, would tip me off. He wants you to know he has them.”
“ Do we have a location on the van?”
“Yes.”
“ You won’t find her anywhere in the vicinity.”
“ Of course not, but it’s a start.” I said.
“ You want me to assemble a team?” Jasmine asked.
“ We’re it.”
“ Wonderful.”
Hours later they had exhausted all options. A search of the site had reveled no clues. The team had no options but to pile into their separate cars and go home. They would each make a token effort to sleep as most of them had missions of their owns in the morning.
I watched Michael get into his car and leave without a word.
Returning to my home I fell into a chair and closed my eyes. Oblivion was not to be my bed partner tonight. Torment visited me instead. Michael’s face after Simone’s suicide, his involuntary reaction to the mention of their dead son, worry over Elena, recovering from his ‘murder’ in her hospital room and finally Michael playing in front of Adam’s picture, the images sheared my heart.
I soon found myself back in my car. Steven’s voice in my ear startled me. I hadn’t consciously dialed the number. “ What is it? What’s wrong?”
“ I need you to come in.”
“ It’ll be about an hour.”
“ One hour.” I hung up the phone and turned my car towards the Section. I had a few things to pick up before leaving. Steve found me in Committee. “ Walk me out.” When I’d made it out of the Section, I handed him the over coat and he handed me a set of keys.
“ Thank you.” Steve just turned and walked inside.
I made a few stops along the way but still it was only ten o’clock when I arrived at Michael’s door. Gods sometimes I hated time zone jumping, you fit more in a day then was meant to be. Still Michael would discipline himself and still be up. I doubted that he would have slept tonight anyway.
He finally opened the door. “ Can I come in?” I held my breath half suspecting he would deny my request. The look of rejection flickered aside and he stepped back. The atmosphere I stepped into was decidedly depressing. The normally interesting apartments that Michael kept seemed like a dream. This place was decorated nicely, but seemed barren.
Edging past Michael, I sat my tote bag on the counter. I hadn’t been so tense around this man in ages. As I dropped my keys in the tote and wrapped my fingers around the device I depressed the button. Sometimes overkill was a good thing. Michael had not moved from my side. Well I could work with that. If I was anything it was forward right?
“ I don’t care if you want me here or not. I am not leaving you alone.” I breathed into his ear. To this day I do not know if Michael’s response was gratitude or surrender, and I couldn’t care less. He sighed into my hair and allowed me to peel off his dusty mission jacket. “ Go get cleaned up while I fix dinner.”
“ I don’t have an appetite.”
“ You will.” I promised and shooed him into the next room.
Michael found me in the Kitchen humming a song, the words and their translation running easily through my head. That was for another time.
“ Where did you hear that?”
“ I’ve heard a lot since you left Michael. Imagine your surprise when I found out who wrote it.”
“ That was another time.”
“ None of them would have wanted you to quit.”
“ Nikita.”
“ Can I hear it?”
“ I thought you knew it?”
“ It’s a beautiful piece, and born of your love for them.”
“ Yes.”
“ Please?”
“ Ni-ki-ta”
“ Please?” I said handing him a coffee. “ For them.” Michael nodded. I sank down next to him, determined to stay with him through this healing process.
~~~>>>~~~
Jasmine returned to the area and entered the building. She was unsurprised to find housekeeping in the vicinity. Attitude was everything. “ I’m here to make sure that you do your job.” She informed the team leader. Her cover established she on her search. Once she found what she was looking for, Jasmine concocted an excuse and left. Sometimes operatives could be so easy to fool. Or maybe she just was good at her job. Jasmine chastised her self for that thought. A prideful operative was a dead operative.
~~~>>>~~~~
“ Madame. They have, Adam.” The young woman came awake with a start.
“ Does she know?”
“ Yes.”
“ What is the profile?”
“ You aren’t going to like it.”
“ Get me Center!”
~~~>>>~~~
“ What do we know about this woman?’
“ She has every right to go, Jasmine.”
“ I don’t like Center giving us orders when Michael’s life is on the line!”
“ Jasmine! “ I admonished her.
“ Come off it Nikita! We both know the truth. You think I haven’t noticed the surveillance? “
“ Your not there yet. Don’t think you can’t get canceled!”
“ You won’t cancel me. Its suicide.”
“ For Operations, but I am my father’s daughter.” Jasmine blanched. “ And your friend. Do you know how proud you and the others have made Michael and me? But you’re playing in the big leagues now girl. I don’t want to see you hurt. If you don’t curve that attitude of yours, you’re in trouble and I will cancel you before I see that happen. Do you understand me?”
“ I’m sorry Nikita. You’re right. Maybe I am not cut out for this.”
“You’ve been groomed for this from day one. There is no one else.”
“ I don’t like Michael doing this. Its too dangerous.”
“ There was no other way.” I said but my voice sounded anxious to my own ears.
“ It’ll work Nikita. He’s egotistical. Chaucher won’t be able to resist bragging.”
“ I know.”
“ Nikita, listen to me. You made a fool of him he’ll jump at the chance to rub Michael in your face.”
The irony of this conversation and the one-eighty it had taken had not escaped me. I had no time to dwell on it though. “ We’ve got it.” Jason stuck his head in to inform me.
“ Let’s roll.”
~~~>>>~~~
“ Rather rudimentary bindings.”
“ Ah Nikita how good of you to join us. I rather hoped you would. How ever did you locate us so fast?”
“ Chaucher you have allowed yourself to become remarkably predictable of late. Another abandoned military base, recruiting through the web…” I made a sound of dismay. “ it is so disappointing. Really I was hoping for more sport.”
“ My dear the game hasn’t yet finished.”
“ Nice turn of phrase, but it still smacks of a cliché”
“ Cliché or not my dear your still at a distinct disadvantage. Jasmine, I’d put down that gun if I were you or Section One will need a new Operations.”
“ Come now, Chaucher, aren’t we being a bit hasty?” I asked holding my hands out to allow his groupies to search me.
“ She’ll behave or we hurt her lover here.” Chaucher said confidently.
“ You’re behind the times if you believe that.” Livia said.
“ Go ahead shoot.” I said without blinking.
“ Oh that’s right its Adam that she bends over backwards to protect.” One of the groupies said aiming the gun at Adam. Michael and Livia strained against their bonds, while Jasmine and I froze.
“ Come on Chaucher. What do I care about a Valentine leftover?”
“ Tisk. Nikita you expect me to shallow that?” I was saved from having to respond by a descending shadow. Said shadow knocked the gun out of the groupie’s hand. “ Where did you come from?” He asked swinging around and aiming his own gun at Michael’s son. The black shrouded decidedly feminine operative froze in mid crouch. “ Move and your lover here dies.” She inclined her head in mock salute, seemingly content to remain in her position for life.
“ As attractive as my would be savior seems to be under that outfit, I must say I find the idea repugnant.”
“ As do I.” A soft voice said, but none could have said that mystery operative had moved its mouth. The voice itself seemed to lack distinguishing characteristics. The effect obviously unnerved those unfortunates that had not come in contact with it before.
“ Nice of you to join us.” I acknowledged the presence.
“You know her?”
“ We known of each other for some time.” Chaucher was obviously flustered. The newest arrival took advantage of that fact. His gun wavered at the sounds of struggle. Adam moved with a speed and agility that a civilian should not have had, nor should he have been loose.
Adam and his savior proceeded to take out the assailants in a battle that was move a dance. The Section’s operatives were either to amazed or too restrained to do more then watch. The ballet came to an end with Chaucher laying face up. The female, she had taken off her cap allowing all to see her hip length black hair and delicate facial features, addressed her captive. “ What’s wrong you look as though you’ve seen a ghost?”
“ You’re supposed to be dead!”
“ And let you win?” The retort was emphasized by a laugh. “ Get up!” Chaucher hurried to do her bidding. She handed him off to Nikita and approached Livia performing for her the same task as Adam was doing for Michael.
“ He really worked them over.” She observed.
“ You expected less.”
“ You sound more bitter then I, not that I blame you…. Adam you need to take a look at her… Now!”
Adam freed Michael’s hands and ran over to his fiancée.
As the two were lowering her to the floor, Jasmine approached their tormentor. She freed him of the Command key with an allegeable snap. “ You don’t deserve this.” Placing it around her own neck she tapped her ear com. “ You guys want to get in here and take care of this mess?” Then she turned to Nikita. We’ll of course allow you a crack at him first.”
“ No!” The women turned at Adam’s protest, to see their helper aiming a gun at Chaucher. He was up and had a hand on her shoulder before he spoke again. “ If you do this, you’re no better then him.” She wavered and he inched his hand over the gun. “ His blood isn’t worthy of your hands.” The woman allowed the gun to be lowered.
Chaucher sighed as he walked away. His relief was short lived. A shot through the back ended his life. “ Jasmine!” Michael exclaimed horrified.
“ Call it a Command decision, Michael. His death campaign ends now, I’m just sorry to deprive you of the justice.”
“ Adam was right he wasn’t worth it, but---“ Solitary clapping ended his protest.
“ Well done, my dear.” Everyone turned to address the one that had spoken. It was safe to say that everyone one of us was astonished at just who walked around the bend. Mic appeared or rather Martin. I drew in a breath unsure of how to address him.
“ Nikita, darling. Its good to see you.” His voice and demeanor gave me the answer though he was more self-assured and cultured then the man in the limo.
“ Martin!” I said pleased. Giving the man a hug. “ You gave me a scare.”
“ You too, love. I thought you were going to put a bullet through me.”
“ I was.” I said with a laugh.
“ Good.” He returned seemingly unfazed. “ Now for all my acting. I do represent the organization. It is my pleasure to validate Jasmine’s appointment. Provided of course none of her trainers object. Michael and I shook or heads.
“ Welcome to the fold, Jasmine.” I said.
“ My God have mercy on you.” Martin said and she laughed.
“ Don’t lose your humor.” Martin said.
“ Move now!” Adam commanded and two operatives appeared to lend him a hand getting Livia on a stretcher.
“ Adam ran his hands over the other woman’s ankle. “ Can you walk?"
“ Yes.”
“ Don’t push it.”
“ Adam I’m fine.” She snapped, and then added more gently “ Really.” He nodded and proceeded to grab a hypo spray from a med kit. He expertly applied the antidote to Michael’s neck. “ Wait five seconds, before you move.”
“ We need to get them tended to, Martin.”
“ Of course, Mr. Samuelle. Boys help them out to the lady’s van.” Martin’s tone made it clear that he knew Adam rather well and respected him.
“ We’ll take them to, Corona.”
~~>>>~~~`
“ Madame. Welcome home.”
“ Thank you. I’ve got three two injured and two guests with me. Inform B. I’ll need him.”
“ Where will they stay, Madame?”
“ Rose Commons with me.”
“ Very good.”
The Van entered a vast green estate and crossed the river by way of a stone bridge. Michael thought the land looked vaguely familiar but could not place it. Upon entering the house they were met by a footman.
“ Madame. I have prepared one of the master suites for the couple and Monsieur Adam’s suite for his bride.”
“ Very good.”
“ Monsieur Sey awaits you in the study.”
“ Gee. Your stuffiness is suffocating me.”
“ Glad to see the Madame has not lost her humor.” He said with a twinkle in his eye. “ There are drinks and an antidote for Livia in the study as well. After the antidote takes effect. I am sure Adam will advise the others of the remaining drugs and get the lady started on the road to recovery.”
“ You know me well Gee. But how did you know which Antidote to use?”
“ Adam now you know I can’t tell you that.” He teased.
“ I give up on you Gee.” Adam said giving the man a look of long suffering,
“ Never that, Sir.” Gee said and taking their coats left.
“ The study is this way.” Their hostess said and led the way. At the door she said, “ Adam let Nikita and Michael go first. “ He nodded and they helped Livia rest by the well.
I short Michael a look and by tact agreement preceded him. He took up a counter attack position behind me; while the others looked on amused at our actions my gasp filled the hall. “Oh my God.”
“ Its me.”
“ BIRKOFF!” I said flying into his open arms. “ How in the world! You’re alive!” I said unable to believe my good fortune.
Michael surprised Birkoff by embracing him as well. With tears in his eyes, “ God, I can’t believe it. Don’t EVER DO THAT TO US AGAIN!!!!!!!”
“Catalina?” Birkoff asked.
“ Its time How did this happen?”
“.” Adam said. She nodded assisting Livia to a set and Birkoff handed out drinks.
“ It looks like Nikita is getting questions answered now.”
“ Answers?”
“ Like who came over that receiver when you were having your headaches.” Birkoff said with a sheepish grin.
“ You?”
“ That’s when we first became active yes.” He said. Reaching for an Oreo with his coffee. Making me laugh.
“ Can someone start at Go?” I asked.
“ Okay we’ll you come into Section. One of your first missions out, and your already uncovering Paul Wolfe’s laundry, on this particular mission you meet an operative named Simone. You find out she’s Michael’s wife, but she ends up taking out the leader of Glass Curtain and herself. That’s where things get sticky. Later on you and Michael meet a terrorist named Chaucher, he seems to take an alarming hate in Michael, but hey terrorists aren’t the sanest people on the planet. So you write it off. You should have dug deeper. That leader of Glass Curtain was his son.”
“ So in his mind, Michael killed his son and not Simone?” I supplied.
“ Yes.”
“ Chaucher gains control of Section Eight. He digs and finds out who Adam is. He didn’t win that round so when he realizes Livia is engaged to Michael’s son. He sees his chance.”
“ He never wanted me or Adam. He wanted you, Michael. Hurting me hurt Adam, which would hurt you. So he did that he knew if he hurt Adam directly he was dead this way he got you because you would try to save us both.”
“ Only he didn’t count on me. See I was suppose to be dead. If I ever even existed.” The woman said.
“ Plus Jason is good but he is not me. I caught Chaucher hacking around. I remembered this idiot and I was determined to take down Glass Curtain for both you.” Birkoff said looking at the woman.
“ Thanks. So Birkoff gives me the Intel and I call Nikita, who by this time has this figured out and had sent in Michael, but she knew she had not a snowballs chance of keeping me out of this. And I was as good as both my parents.”
“ How did you get here?” I asked Birkoff.
“ Go back a few years. You remember that war with Red Cell the one that had you ready to murder Michael?”
“ Yes.”
“ Birkoff!” Livia hissed.
“ No. No more lies. If the colleagues have an issue they take it up with me. And everyone should know not to mess with Jones daughter.”
“ So that sadist lets it slip that Simone and Michael had a son but he died and Michael blamed Section.” Birkoff went on. “ Madeline planted that in the files and in Michael’s mind. She had promised Simone… she would protect her child. If Paul or Michael believed him alive that would have been impossibility.
“ Michael, Simone never had a son. She had a daughter… Me.” There was stunned silence. And the woman who had revealed herself rushed on. “ Madeline called some friends form her days with Adrian and had me taken away. When I grew older she gave me Simone’s land and the land given to you two as a gift. I purchased the land between the two from the Agency and combined them. I created, Corona refuge operatives and their children. A safe haven where the children could stay and the parents could return to see their children if possible. No more unnecessary abortions or orphans. I maintained my Section contacts but in the higher tiers.”
“ When it became obvious that I was going to survive my coma. You all had already been told that I was dead and Jason brought in. Madeline called Center and Jones had me moved here to recuperate. I liked it here. I wasn’t needed in Oversight or Section, but Jones couldn’t see me canceled. Besides Madeline would have murdered him. So I stayed here as a liaison to Center and the Sections. Only never Section One. I monitored you all and when I saw what was happening with Adam I became involved.”
“ I was not about to let that SOB hurt my family again!”
“ You knew about this Nikita?”
“ You’re daughter yes. Birkoff no.”
“ I only learned about Corona since this thing with Chaucher. I knew of this place but never who ran it I always assumed it was a Section run agency. She told me the truth last night and made me promise I would let her tell you.”
“ I see.”
“ She’s telling you the truth.” Birkoff and Catalina said.
“ I know. How did Adam know of this? And how do you know Martin?” Michael asked his son the name strange on his tongue.
“ Mr. Jones told you the truth. It was a Car crash that killed mom. But between the times she died and the time I left with you, I saw a lot. Paul knew that no matter how well adjusted I was I would always remember and that would make me a risk to Section. Before he came after me, he made some arrangements. For all that his wings were clipped he was still the head of Section One.”
“ So while, Nikita was busy keeping us safe, the team that was watching my sister watched me. They were never suspected because they were never affiliated with the Sections. The teams for this place come directly here they never enter a Section and the team members then were Adrienne and Jone’s teams. They never worried about the organization in any of its forms, because they never worked for it. The training they receive is completely different.”
“ By pure chance, I treated one of the Agency’s operatives. They have some legit operations and one is the funding of several privately owned and run hospitals. They are the best and operatives caught in the field go there. We treat Section’s operatives there too. So I treat this man and am told what is going on, cause he has some off the wall issues here. I have continued to work in the hospital. One of Section’s operatives is rushed in she’s in labor. This woman here comes in to claim here and of course I can’t let the woman and child go… this lady doesn’t know what she is dealing with. I come here with her cause there is no way she is leaving the woman and child in the hospital.”
“ Adam and I found out the truth, and he stayed on to help out. With his Agency contacts he often works as a go between for myself and the colleges.”
“ Adam, that’s dangerous.” Michael said with valid concern.
“ None of who are crazed enough to take on Nikita when her family is involved. They anger my sister here, she tells my fiancée, who tells Jasmine. Now they have Nikita, Michael, their material, an operative brought in after Chaucher takes control, and Michael and Simone’s daughter and myself to deal with? They aren’t that stupid.
“ Dad, for all your and Nikita’s precautions, concerns and love. Section and all the entities associated with it will be a part a part of my life. While I know I will never have control of them. I will do what I can to make them a part of my life on my terms. I am not delusional. I know they can kill any of us, but I am going to do what I can to help those Section forgets for as long as possible. Nothing worth doing is easy or without consequences. You taught me that.”
” Well if you’ll excuse me. I need to get Livia upstairs.”
“ I’ll help.” I said jumping up and helping him support the injured operative.
“ She shouldn’t be walking.” Birkoff said and left. He returned moments later with a wheel chair.
“ Really, Birkoff-“
“ I could have brought a gurney.”
“ This isn’t necessary.”
“ Yes it is.” Adam said.
“ But-“
“ Jasmine won’t be pleased if I returned one of her operatives in bad repair, now sit.”
Livia conceded with a laugh and a small shake of her head. Adam left with her.
“ Nikita, can I speak with you?”
“ Of course, Birkoff.” I said and followed him out of the room. Birkoff and I went off to catch up and leave father and daughter alone.
~~~>>>~~~
It was a week later. When Michael arrived at my door. “ Michael come in. How was your visit?”
“ We’ve so much to catch up on, but I ‘m glad we have each other.”
“ Are you angry with me?”
“ For what?”
“ Not telling you.”
“ You didn’t have time.”
“ That’s an excuse.”
“ No.” Michael said running his hands through my hair. “ Nikita, you know everything about me and you’re still here. After everything I have done to you.”
“ Its not like I’m exactly innocent.”
“ You’re the only one of us left, that can claim an innocence. Despite it all you maintained an innocence of spirit.”
“ Michael, without you I don’t care about my spirit.”
“ If that were true I wouldn’t love you so much.”
“ Michael-“ I said unused to this mood of his, but enjoying it.
“ Marry me, Nikita. I’m not expecting a regular marriage. We can never have that. If we were honest we don’t want it. Even though we live outside of the world, I’ve this purely selfish desire to proclaim what my soul tells me in a way they recognize. In my heart you’re already my wife. Give me the right to say that.”
The breath caught in my throat. Here I was expecting Michael to be a little withdrawn, understandably so. Instead he tells me things I had given up on hearing. Asks me the one thing that I wanted most in the world, but how could I give it to him. They would never allow it.
When had I started too bow to what my superiors wanted? If I did that I would no longer be myself. I knew what I wanted and damn the consequences I was going to live my life. “ Michael, I never allowed myself to entertain that thought. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Michael had thought his heart would stop, when she hesitated. He was able to show his emotions, but was still leery of wearing his heart on his sleeve. Her words opened his heart like nothing else on the planet. He drew her to him for a kiss so full of promise that brought tears to both their eyes.
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