continue on to Promises to Keep,Part 2
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©1998 La Femme Fiction
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Get your own Free Home PageAuthor's Note: The French poem on page 26 can be found at http://www.momes.net/.... warning: It's all in French. The song excerpt on page 100 is from "For You" by Tara MacLean and can be found on her album "Silence". The song excerpt on page 113 is from "Torn" by Creed. It can be found on their album, "My Own Prison".
Chapter 1
Operations heard the cell phone go off. Pulling himself up from a dream of Martina and Madeline, he reached for it and looked at the number. *888* Moving as fast as his aching body would let him, he got out of the bed. As he turned the first thing he noticed was the painting on the wall of her bedroom. He hadn't seen it last night in the dark. He didn't even realize where he was until he had woken up somewhere around 3AM.
CC had been right. Nikita's apartment would have been the last place they should have looked for him. But that signal meant one thing. To get out and go to the next place. He grabbed the jacket that had fallen to the floor and moved painfully to the bedroom door. Operations stopped and looked over his shoulder again at the painting. Michael had been in love with Nikita a lot longer than he had let anyone suspect. Maybe even Nikita.
And in the name of being the best and always getting the jog done, no matter the cost he had tried to kill that. It was that bond his two operatives had fought to forge that was what was going to make this situation right itself. Yes it was destroying the relationship he had worked to create between Michael and himself. It had already annihilated any chance of one with Nikita. In light of that though he refused to pull her out of first choice. She had managed to carry this mission off. Now the problem was making sure that they came home. With everything in tact.
They had been the right choice to send on this but they were not the proper choice. Especially Michael. His state of mind worried Operations. He remembered how Michael had looked at the cottage. Even on the worst mission, he had never come back in looking as disheveled as he had been. The rage that had accompanied that appearance was profound. And it was something that was becoming more and more apparent in their dealings with each other. The events of the last few months had shattered the usual stoic man. The emotionless perfection that was common for him had fragmented into sharp shards. And they cut deeply into anyone who he lashed out at.
Operations had to admit, as he rubbed his face and tried to gather strength to stand up from the edge of the bed, he was the one to blame for most of what had happened to Michael. And for that matter too Nikita, in his own way, he had tortured them just as bad as Elouette had Michael. It amazed him though how through all the strains in their relationship that they created themselves and then the pressures from the outside, they remained connected.
And the longer they were together, the more complete Michael became and the stronger Nikita became. They were feeding off each other and filling in what the other was missing. Michael and Nikita changed control of the relationship too in reaction to the situation. At times, the hand off was clumsy and the anger would erupt. Operations smiled ruefully. Michael was an even match for Nikita's hot temper. His coolness evened out her heat. He knew there was a bit of jealousy running around concerning them. The emotional bond had now become physical and it was difficult to dismiss. He knew of several members of both sexes who were very disappointed over that development. *Oh well....*
He stood up from the bed, feeling a bit weak but Operations knew he had to get moving. A sneer crossed his face as he looked at the painting again. That was what he and Madeline had been missing. They both wanted control of both parts of the relationship and neither was willing to share. He and Martina had a similar problem as well. She refused to take any control. And when she had finally stood up to take it, their relationship crumbled like a sand castle upon meeting Madeline. *Martina I never stopped loving you.....just changed how I did...somehow along the way I've forgotten how to feel it or do it...makes me feel very sorry for myself....guess I really am heartless....or maybe just plain jealous over what I can't have or really understand.*
He turned his head back around to walk down the steps. It was just about dawn as he could tell from the light coming in the window. He remembered the first time he had been here. To have her protect Stephen, telling her to accomplish it even if it meant sacrificing Michael. It had been a stupid thing to tell her. The path it had pushed them down had almost made him lose Michael. So he had chosen a new path that had lead to where he was now. Their loss was even more imminent because of it. Desire to win, to beat the bad guy and show him who was the better had tore his world apart and spun it dizzy.
He leaned against the counter for a moment, considering the events they had put in motion. Before she had left, CC said that George was going after Greg to get Reese. Both Michael and Nikita were in place he hoped. Operations knew Madeline had gone to Nikita. What had been told to her, he could only guess at. How much of that had been related to Michael was also just as murky. Calculating the timeframe meant that they probably still believed he was primary antagonist.
Why had George done this? Money couldn't have been the only factor. Desire for power, perhaps. Knock out the 4 major players at Section plus any that could plausibly be a threat to him and then put in a figure head. Work his way on through the rest under the umbrella and soon control. Unmitigated control to do as he wanted or was bought to do. However, he was missing a crucial element of that control. And no one but Operation knew where that was.
Martina had made a crucial error in judgement that made this all necessary. She had been the one playing with fire and now they were all suffering the burns. Michael and Nikita were holding a torch that was burning at both ends He knew Jon Jae would want the child back, but he also knew that George would have other plans. Operations didn't know if George realized how important Reese really was. Probably he only saw Reese as a collar and leash for his father and George planned to made himself the dog warden. He wanted to be the one to decide the path for the dogs of war...
Gathering himself, he pushed away from the counter. *This has to end soon. I've ripped enough of our world apart to keep it together. The price is getting too high. Too much innocence will be lost.* He opened the front door, hoping he had the address right. The hand to his chest stopped him. Slowly he brought his eyes up to Madeline's.
"You ordered them killed and I want to know why."
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"Can you tell me what's going on around here?" Darcie grabbed Birkhoff's arm as he tried to whiz by.
"Darcie, like I'm kinda busy at the moment." He pulled his arm away and started to move again.
She set her jaw, annoyed at the brush off. She wasn't used to getting ignored when she said something. And Darcie was not about to let it start, especially not from the computer geek. "Well, I'm kinda worried and upset. That beats busy."
Birkhoff looked her up and down. "Ya know, I understand that you're a newbie around here and all. But when somebody says they're busy, then they're...."
"Giving you the brushoff. Forget it. Thanks for your help and concern. I'll be sure to relate it to Nikita when she finally shows up. If she ever does..." Darcie turned away. *OK now what do I do? There hasn't been any word from her for 3 weeks and now Simon....*
"Hey Darcie!" Birkhoff called after her in an exasperated tone. He hadn't want to brush her off exactly but things have been so nuts. Madeline had taken off earlier in the morning. Operations, he hadn't seen for days...
Darcie waved backwards at him. Maybe he wasn't the right one to talk to anyway. She continued to stalk away from him. Birkhoff shook his head. He was never going to understand them so why keep trying. All it did was give you a headache. Or in trouble as he had found out with that com- ment to Caroline a little while ago. He gave a short laugh and started walking again. *Wonder how long it will be before she talk s to me this time?*
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Walter looked up from the screen he was reading as he sensed someone come into the room. He smiled at Darcie as she hopped up on a stool. "What's up, Ace?" he asked as he went back to the info on the screen.
"Bored, confused, bored and confused and...." she paused as if considering something. "No that about covers it. And you?"
"Busy but I got time for you. Especially since I hate for somebody to be bored. Means you got time to absorb something." He straightened up and went over to the racks beyond the work area. He came back out with 4 different guns. He dropped them on the worktable and grabbed Darcie's chair. With a swift pull, he had her up against it. "Now take apart, clean 'em, check for any problems and then put 'em back in one piece. Find a problem, let me know. You'll learn how to fix it. Can you handle it?"
With a sigh, Darcie replied in a quiet flat voice, "Yeah sure."
Walter smiled at the girl. Gone were the wild streaks of color in her hair. It was now a deep chestnut brown, reminding him of the nut. It was cut in a short bob that swung when she walked. There was a surety in that step too now, the street walk and nasal tone that said 'I'm bad" was gone. The wary 'ready to run' look was gone from her eyes too. She still studied you but not to figure out when to run anymore. Now it was more of a trying to actually figure you out. Her intelligence showed through now as did her willingness to be part of the group. But the group she was willing to be part of was a select few. A very few. Nikita, him, Simon and Michael. Smart move on her part; there were not many around here to trust. Nikita had proven to be a good influence on the kid.
Though he liked Darcie a lot, she had a spark that was different from Nikita's. Sugar wanted to change things to match her way of thinking. Darcie seemed more to want to understand the things before she changed or accepted them. Sometimes it seemed like almost a defeatist attitude which lacked Nikita's desire to yank it around to her idea of right. That was only the surface of it, the real intent if it was buried underneath. It gave her time to think. One was thinking it through, the other was making it do it. Walter though wasn't sure which was the right way of doing it. Perhaps they both were; maybe they depended on the person and what they needed for themselves. He heard Nikita's words in his head...* "Sometimes Walter I don't know if you really deep or just full of crap." Well, depends on how you want to look at it Sugar! *
"OK, I covered the bored. Now if you want to talk while I dig around in the stacks I'll try to work on the confused." He disappeared into the racks again and Darcie could hear him rummaging through things on the shelf.
Darcie shrugged to herself, pushing three of the weapons out of the way. Not really thrilled at the task, she spun one around with her finger on the surface of the table. "Do you know when Nikita will be back?"
From the array of metal shelves she could hear him say, "Well it depends on what's going on right now. And since I'm not privy to the mission profile, I really can't say. I wouldn't worry about her though. Not only can she take care of herself, but she's with Michael. They take very good care of each other. Just like a well matched set of field ops should. I can't imagine them being out in the field that much longer though. Michael been gone about 11 or 12 weeks....Sugar's been gone about four now ..... Man I didn't realize he's been gone that long."
"Isn't that kinda a long time for his level to be out?" Darcie had managed to get the Beretta apart that she had been playing with and was sighting down the barrel shaft. "Hey Walter, who used this Beretta last?"
"Don't know off the top of my head. Why?"
"Bring me a file. The idiot used the wrong caliber or shell. The inside is all burred."
Walter smiled. He didn't call her Ace for nothing. The kid had picked up fast. Just like Nikita. "Over on the wall to the left of the radio parts." He heard her get down and shuffle through the files, looking for the right size. "As I was saying...I can't imagine them being out that much longer. I know Operations hasn't been thrilled at how some of the missions are going. They've been ones where Michael, Nikita or both should have been on. Thank God they weren't on that one to Capetown."
He could hear the rasping of the file as she started to talk again. "Why, what happened?"
Carrying about 5 small black boxes, he emerged from the racks. "Lost the whole team in a firefight with Agency operatives. One side didn't know they were casing the other. They are still trying to work it all out. Hey, who knows. Maybe if it had been Michael's team, it wouldn't have happened at all." Walter leaned back down to the computer screen and hit a few keys.
Darcie snapped the last piece of the gun in place and looked up at Walter. "Could that be why Christine and Simon took off then...to bring them back in?"
Walter stood back up and looked over at Darcie who was testing the gun. That was the other thing he really like about her. She always saw what she wasn't suppose to and in turn was a great source of info. He had to swear though the girl slept less than Michael. "What was that about Simon and Doc Chris?
"I saw them leave in a real hurry last night. Simon had stuff with him from the gun stocks. Those CZ Blazers you fawn over..."
"I don't fawn..."
Darcie smirked. "OK drool then." Walter scowled at her from the computer stand. "They were both in mission outfits. Christine had a white knapsack and a big light blue duffle bag."
Worry began to scratch viciously at his back. *Blue duffle bag...triage pack plus the medic sack. Both my Blazers....damn it! It went down and she never called me!!! * "Have you seen Madeline?" He already knew the answer but needed some time to think.
"No, she's been gone since this morning." Her head was already bent over the .44 in front of her. Frowning she lifted it in the air and then made a sound of disgust hat brought Walter's attention back to her. "Hey heads up!" She tossed him the gun. "More a Desert Beagle than an Eagle. Clip's fused....only good for a paperweight now.....somebody tried to use the .50 caliber clip with a .44 muzzle. Will the rest have similar defects?"
A smile broke across Walter's face, even though his mind was racing. "Yeah." He knew what had gone down in the white room for the past two days between Madeline and Operations. Considering the shape he had been in after Madeline was done, Christine would not have left him with her staff in Medlab, unless she had a good reason. Michael and Nikita didn't trust many others in Section One. Christine seemed to be one Nikita did. They had gotten pretty chummy recently, as if they were sharing something. As for Simon, wherever Michael went, he was never far behind. Had this thing about keeping him alive. Good thing too, somebody had to. Though with Nikita around, that was a little easier to do. Michael thought about self preservation a little more.
"I saw somebody around here yesterday evening I hadn't seen before. She was walking around here like she owned the place. Kinda annoyed me. She knew the layout real good too. "
His smile faded at her words. He didn't like the sound of this. "What'd she look like?"
"Tall, kinda thin, really red hair, kinda stalked as she walked....struck me as being a Miss High and Mighty. Pretty though, not like Nikita but guys would definitely take a second long look, thin face, bit of a long nose, didn't have on a lot of makeup so she was really pale but boy she had red lips, was dressed in a grey striped suit."
"CC....ok...hmmm."
"CC? Who's CC?"
"Works under George...his main troubleshooter in Investigations. Something smells really rotten, he sends her in."
"Oh...... sounds like an ideal job. Why would she come here? Anything to do with Nikita's mission? Is she looking for help to bring them back in because they've been in the field too long?" She sounded worried and eager at the same time.
Walter shook his head. "No she wouldn't be the one to bring them in yet. Situation doesn't call for it yet. It could have to do with them though." He tapped the screen softly, deep in thought. *What the hell was she doing here? Protecting or searching? And who would she be doing that to?* The silence in the room held for several minutes. Each wrapped up in their own thoughts.
".....ahh... Walter, can I tell you something that Nikita told me? It's why I'm worried. I can't stop thinking about it." Darcie asked with a note of hesitation in her voice.
"Did she tell you it was confidential?"
"No."
"Then what is it?"
"She was scared of going on this mission. She told me she didn't think she and Michael would be coming back from this one. I'm afraid for both of them."
"Well, I don't call you Ace because you remind me of a card. It's cause you're sharp. And I hate to say it but you should be worried. I am too. Things have been looking real bad. And if CC is snooping around...then they just got worse. Keep thinking good thoughts kid, they're going to need them I'm afraid to say."
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The brittle material snapped into thirds and several pieces fell to the desk. Wiggling his fingers, he scattered the rest. Picking up a large chunk of the disc, he started to break that when he sensed eyes on him. George looked up to find CC staring passively at him. Lately the woman not only was getting on his nerves but seemed to pop up too quietly at the worst possible times.
"Can I ask what was so bad on it that you had to break it up, George?" CC said calmly as she watched him scoop up the pieces and toss them at the opening of his shredder. It ground viciously at the plastic before dropping the now well broken and damaged pieces into the other material in the basket below.
Brushing his hands together to rid them of unseen dirt, he smiled his fake smile at her. "Just bad poetry from my mistress. Don't want that to fall into enemy hands. He wouldn't torture me to death because I'd be dead from embarrassment after he finished laughing at me. " There was no comeback just cool appraisal from those frigid grey eyes of hers. "Was there something you wanted?"
"You were the one who asked me to come here. That's my question to ask."
George frowned at her and then shrugged. "Sorry. I had forgotten about that. Guess I've got a lot on my mind. Take a seat." He watched as she gracefully sat and crossed her legs. She propped her elbow on the arm of the chair and used her upright hand to hold her head as she looked at him.
"Well?"
Sounding annoyed George said, "Are you in a hurry to go somewhere?"
"Sorry, my job keeps me busy. There's always a problem in some place or another that needs to be taken care of. Or who knows maybe there's a mystery that needs to be solved? All falls under my job description. Keeps me on the move."
George leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers as he did. He had come across something interesting on the disc and he wanted to pick her brain. "What do you know about Section One's CMO?"
Red flags were stiff in the wind as CC heard his question. What had he found out? Or what was he suspecting? "Not a lot. Why?"
"Been hearing some good things about her and was curious about her. The file doesn't contain a lot. Pre-Section info is pretty sketchy."
CC laid out her cards. *Keep it simple girl.* "This is what I know...Unremarkable childhood, usual teenage rebellion and bad friend choices, great grades, accepted to pre-med studies. Did well there too. Nothing big until she assisted a patient in committing suicide. Family was pretty upset. Sentenced to death....a little severe. Was an excellent doctor though. That's why Section pulled her number."
"That's what's in her file too." George remarked colorlessly. CC was not being a very big help. Either she was toying with him or really didn't know anything more in depth.
CC shrugged. "So? Oscar and Madeline screen their people quite throughly before they use them. I'm sure Christine passed."
"People start clean but may not stay that way. She worries me. Find out more about her. I want the info in a week."
She stood; her head was clanging with alarms but outwardly she was calm. "Is there anything else?"
"No that's it. Dismissed." He watched as she turned on her heel and strode from the room. He waited for the door to slide shut and only then did he breath a sigh of relief. That should keep her busy for a while. He mulled over the contents of the report that had been on the disc. His concern centered around how much of it could he believe.
So the two biggest thorns in his side were dead. However he didn't fill comfortable in that knowledge. He wanted bodies and there weren't any. He wanted the kid. There was no kid. The 'father' was dead so he would be no help. Martina *bitch* was long gone. The stunt with her had been a mistake now that he looked at it. So much could have been solved if he had thought far enough ahead. *Dad always did say I was short sighted. Everyone has to have one foible I guess.*
Jon was going to be angry that he had lost the brat again. What more could the creature do to him? Kill him? That was not any big thing to him. If it happened it happened. So where was he going to go with this? Only bright spot at the moment was the rung he was pulling out from Oscar always stretching ladder. He wasn't rising so much anymore. In fact he was, in reality, falling. It was a pleasure to watch.
But Jon wasn't the only problem. There had been someone else there. Someone he hadn't counted on. That someone was Section One's CMO. And if her words had been correct she was connected to Oscar's boy wonder. A frown settled in on George's face again. That thorn still had the power to hurt him, especially if she was the thorn's sister. She would want to find out why her dear brother was killed. This needed to be handled just right. There might be a use for her in the long run.
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CC sat on the park bench as the sun started to set. She chewed the inside of her lower lip as she thought. A light breeze rustled the red maples behind her and the robins and jays called each other as they always did at dusk. The same light breeze in the trees caused ripples on the small pond in front of her. A set of swans and a set of mallards swum serenely along the banks, snapping at the water and the reeds in quest of food. A few people strolled and once in a while a child's happy shout broke the peace.
However, the air was thick and heavy with humidity and thunderheads gathered on the horizon. They had warned of strong storms but it would break the back of the heatwave. CC sighed as she stared at the water. The sunset colored red, orange and pinkish ripples on its surface. Things had gotten way too complicated and twisted. Being blindfolded in a maze would have been easier. And if you had a misstep, it wouldn't get you killed either. She was glad she made Oscar move this morning. Nikita's apartment had been a good place to start but it was not safe for long. All they had to do was hit a switch and they would find him there.
"Why were you there?"
CC started at the voice and shifted her attention quickly to the person who had stopped at the end of the bench. Walter glared at her from there. *How the hell did you know I was at the Section?* Breaking into a big smile, she got up and grabbed him in a fierce hug. He accepted it stiffly but didn't return it. "Uncle Walter!" she exclaimed.
"Don't 'Uncle Walter' me! You aren't my protegee anymore. I asked you a question. I want an answer to it and a bunch more. You've got plenty of things to explain. I'd get the answers from Oscar or Madeline but they are conveniently absent from work. Start talking." He folded his arms across his chest and stood silently.
The smile disappeared from her face and she pulled back. So Walter was privy to what had been going on too. He must have been the one who had put out the diggers. On Madeline's behest perhaps; so she could be beyond it but still in charge? Was feasible and probably down right accurate. "Time and place aren't good right now."
"Well, I've got the time and the place can be changed. Let's go." Walter grabbed the crook of her arm and pulled her along with him. CC rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. One didn't argue with 'Uncle' Walter. He'd been in the game too long and when he wanted to talk, you talked. Besides, his mind worked differently from hers. Maybe he could figure out a way she hadn't thought of yet. Anything was worth a try. Yanking her arm away, she fell in step with him. In silence, they walked deeper into the trees.
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Birkhoff ran his hands over his face and looked at the screen again. Caroline's hands kneaded gently into the knots in his shoulders and neck. "Tell me I'm not seeing this, Rollie."
Caroline crouched down beside him and read over the intel with him. "I'm seeing the same thing you are. But do we believe it? Since when do we believe Red Cell propaganda? And don't call me that."
Wrapping his arms over his head, he replied, his voice muffled and strained. "Sorry. Cripes, but with everything that's come out in the past few months about his past with Red Cell. It's possible. I couldn't get into anything on the profile they were on. He was ballistic when he left. She looked like a terrified deer. It could have been an infiltration. It could have failed and ..." He brought his arms back down and tapped the monitor. "...and this could very well be the outcome."
"We don't panic until we talk to Operations or Madeline." Caroline used her pointer finger to push up his glasses. "They may all ready know about this and it will all turn out to be a ruse."
Birkhoff held up both hands with all his fingers up in the air. As he said a name he pulled down a finger. "Operations, Madeline, Michael, Nikita, Walter, Simon AND Christine. No command level personnel here. Team A in shambles, Team B and C both in the field. There is nobody. I'm it and I haven't the faintest idea what to do. I'm not trained and I'm not on that kind of command level."
"Then we go outside. Who do you trust with this?"
"Nobody. Madeline told me everything that goes here, stays here until she tells me different."
Caroline took a deep breath. "Then we sit on our hands till one of them gets back. If it's true, then there's nothing we can do anyway."
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Using the code that had given her, Darcie slipped into Nikita's silent dark quarters. Walter's words still reverberating in her ears...
* "Whatever you about Michael, Nikita and this mission....IGNORE IT!! Stuff is going to start flying soon and I don't want you to believe a word of it. They will be home, ok?"*
Darcie shivered at as she recalled the intensity of his gaze and the fierce grip of his hand. Those told her all she needed to know. Michael and Nikita were in trouble. But there was no one helping them out. They were on their own or they had gone to MR to finish the mission. Nikita had felt that both were strong possibilities after Michael had visited her.
She curled up on the cot in the corner of the room. Sensing the change in body temperature in the room, the lights started to come up. Reaching out, Darcie felt for the dimmer box on the nightstand. She tapped it and blackness returned. Nikita had been totally shook up by Michael's visit. She said he looked terrible, something Darcie had a hard time imagining but anything was possible. And he had talked a lot about a child he had with his wife. Both of those things had startled her. The impression she had gotten was that it wasn't feasible in Section life. Well for that matter neither was Michael and Nikita's relationship but it was going on, so that made a wife and child in his past a could be.
Nikita's next statement had dumbstruck her. Darcie would have never thought that Nikita had a child, much less that she was 10 years old and hidden out with a childhood friend of Michael's. Warnings about things in Section One not always as they seemed shouldn't be taken lightly. In a small tight voice, Nikita had expressed her misgivings and fears. Not only about the upcoming mission but about Katie's future and the little boy Michael had described to her. In that moment, Darcie felt respect and admiration for Nikita bloom into full life.
Hugging her knees, she laid a cheek down on them. Worry was eating at her more and more. Nikita had to come back and so did Michael. She was too new around Section and there was still a lot to learn. Darcie had started her lessons with the best here. She wanted them to continue. But even more than that was the friendship she felt for Nikita. There was somebody at last who cared about her. That was something she was no where near ready to have end.
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"No,like this, biquette. It goes easier if you move the bowl one way and the spoon the other." Gently, Annie took the large wooden spoon from Katie's hand and showed her what she meant. "See how easy it stirs if you do this."
"Oui, tante Annie mais..."
Having a finger placed against her lips, stopped Katie's sentence. "Now what did Uncle Claude tell you?"
With a roll of her eyes and a heavy dramatic sigh she replied, "English equals English, French equals French. But you used both!" Katie drew her eyebrows down towards her nose as she folded her arms across her chest and pouted.
Annie debated warning her about the display of rebellion and letting it go. She decided on the warning. "Showing me the possibility of you losing your temper will only result in a privilege being taken away. Is this worth it?"
With another sigh, just not as dramatic, "No, it's not. Can I go out and play?"
"Yes just as long..." She heard the sound of tires on the gravel drive beside the house and was turning from the sink just as the screen door flew open. Claude burst in, clearly agitated and upset.
"Send the children down to Meghan and Will's now! Jerrod and William stay here."
Katie looked at Claude with huge eyes. They got even bigger and the door slammed open and Simon entered carrying Nikita in his arms. Her head hung over his arm and her clothes were soaked red and her face was colorless. Annie could swear that Nikita wasn't breathing. Then she heard as female voice yelling from outside. "I NEED HELP NOW!!"
"Claude...what...."
He grabbed her shoulders. "Be a doctor, Annie. Just react like you used to." For a minute she stared at him and then it was as if something snapped.
"Katie, find Joel, Matthew and Collin. Go to Meghan's and do not come back until I call for you to. Is that understood?" She didn't wait for an answer, she expected obedience. "Claude go help who ever else is out there." Annie's head swivelled to see what Katie was doing. She had moved closer to the stove and was holding on to a chair. Her eyes were fixed on Nikita. "Katrina, maintenant!"
Simon shifted position, oblivious to the little girl's attention. He was focused on the woman in his arms. He somehow managed to roll her head to his shoulder so he was now more cradling her. "Princess, stay with me please," he murmured against the top of her head.
"JERROD!!!!!! WILLIAM!!! DOWN HERE NOW!!!" Annie yelled as loud as she could with a tone of absolutely authority in her voice. Within seconds, two tall teenage boys clamoured into the kitchen. <>"Yeah what ya...." The red haired boy started to say as the screen opened and Christine and Claude carried Michael in between them. His clothing was just as stained as Nikita.
"MICHAEL!" The two boys started forward as one. The red hair slipped in between Christine and Michael, shouldering the weight from her while the other scooped up Michael's legs.
"Third floor, first two rooms." Annie barked her instructions. The group quickly exited the kitchen. She looked back at Katie who was wide eyed and pale. "Katie what did..." The little girl vaulted out the back door. She could hear her shaky cries for the other three boys. The brunette that had come in with Claude and the others ran back into the kitchen and then out the door again. Yanking open the pantry door, she stated pulling out a grey tote box she hadn't touched in years for use. Only for cleaning and to refamiliarize herself. She threw it onto the table and worked the combo lock on it. Annie heard the slam of the van door and then the young woman was back in the kitchen.
She stopped and tried to catch her breath. "I'm Christine. Claude said you were a surgical resident?" Annie nodded, knitting her brow as she surveyed the half open bags and displayed items in them. "Good, I need a hand. I can't sew them by myself. Let's go."
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Chapter 2
The lights of the city emerged as the light in the sky faded. One by one they blinked on and cast their buildings in shadows. Madeline heard Operations make a noise as he woke up. As he started to sit up she said, "I'm sorry for what I did. I was upset and wanted to teach you a lesson. I was wrong. How do you want to handle it?"
Operations pulled himself up off the small couch and went to stand by the french doors near her. He pushed hands into each pocket of the warmup pants he had on and stared thoughtfully out the glass. When he spoke his voice was stronger but still rough."There is nothing to handle except to find out where they are. When did you get the intel?"
"About 4 hours ago. I came here as soon as it came over. It was very sketchy. I only knew there had been an assault and two people were killed. A male and a female. I could only think it was them. Simon and Christine are on black out. Protect them and get them all out if they had to.By whatever means, alive."
"We still think and plan alike. They were supposed to be delivered the same instructions from me by CC. She never found either of them, you must have gotten to them first. I vaguely remember Christine handing something to Simon. They were watching the monitor together. Then he asked her about whether or not she thought she could handle it. She walked out of the room and that's the last thing I can recall until CC was there. How did you know where I was?"
Madeline shrugged refusing to meet the eyes that now looked at her. "Intuition. Where would be the last place anyone would look for you?"
"That's why CC brought me here." He chuckled softly.
"Never said she was stupid. Just a little uppity and pushy."
"Maybe that's why you don't like her. Do you feel like you're looking at a picture from the past, Madeline?"
She wasn't about to dignify the question with an answer. CC had an attitude that irked her. As long as she kept her distance, there was no problem. Cool brown eyes looked up to his. "So how did we get here?" She turned back to the glass.
"Because we thought we were on opposite teams?" Operations studied her profile, remembering when they had been Nikita and Michael's ages. It was hard to do. So much had happened to them and between them. He had made some decisions he now regretted and others that he had no choice about. Their relationship had been one of the latter. As well as the current mess they were in. "Do you regret getting involved with me back then?"
Slowly she walked away from the window and went into the kitchenette. She looked in the refrigerator. Finding nothing, she began to look in the cabinets. After several tries, she found several cans of soda. Pulling them out, she popped open two and carried them back to the doors. Madeline held out one to Oscar who took it and had a long swallow if it. Flipping the latch, she walked out into the small terrace area and sat down on a bench. She took a drink of the warm soda herself, still silent.
Operations followed her out. Her lack of answer bothered him. "I suppose I should assume yes?"
"No. But now as I see them, I regret not fighting harder. I regret now not taking the full opportunity Martina gave us by letting you go. I also regret not backing off and leaving you two alone. In that way I was very much like CC. Uppity and pushy." Madeline focused her eyes on the top of the can. *I refuse to explain to you how much it hurts sometimes to deny what I do feel because of what we used to feel for each other. Nikita told me to heal myself. And so I should...but I haven't the faintest idea how or where to start. She has more heart than I ever did. And Michael has more love for her than I think you had for me Oscar, or me for you. You never said good bye completely to Martina. You just let her drift apart from you. She was always within reach. Michael had no choice. Simone was torn from him. He refuses to lose Nikita in the same way.*
"She was upset with us to the end for that. And once she met Nikita, she pushed it that they had to be allowed to be together. I fought so hard to keep that from happening. Funny how things come back to bite you later." He sat down on the bench with her. She remained stiffly posed on the opposite end. Operations did not try to get closer. He knew it would not be welcome.
"How much does he look like Merle?"
"Could be him. Hair is a little lighter, curly where Merle's was wavy. He's got the eyes though. They look right through you just like Michael's. Boy's a little more friendlier as well.. A little older than Merle was when we lost him."
"I see."
"How was Nikita when you saw her? Did she mention Michael's state of mind at all?"
"As upset as she portrayed Michael to still be. I am going to suggest no more bait assignments for a while for her. She was attacked by Bauer. She was able to stop him but it bothers her a great deal. There was something else too. From the past.....but I don't know. I know it will affect a mission. I need to work with her during this rough transitional period. I'm not sure how deep this goes. She is very good at covering things up."
Operations inhaled deeply. How much was this going to cost in the long run? "Aren't we all? It's a trait we all have in common, don't you think?" There was no reply from Madeline so he went on, "I need details of what you sent Simon and Christine out with."
"Protect them and the baby. Help if necessary to get them out of Greg's house and to somewhere safe. If need be, I told them to get Michael and Nikita healthy before they came back. Because I was going to need them to take care of you and George. I should have told them just George, as I hoped the truth really was."
"Why did you include Christine?"
"I was worried about what Simon might be faced with. And because of what I pulled out of your personal files. Using my and Martina's initials was not the most infallible password."
"Who but you or Martina would have been able to figure it out? So I take you know who she is. "
"Yes. Why?"
"Why what?" He knitted his brows as he looked at her. She continued to look at the rim of the can for a moment longer before she looked up.
"Why did you keep something as vital as that from me?"
"Because if it would have been necessary she was going to be a useful tool. Who she really is can be very useful with Michael as well as Nikita. But considering what I have done in the past few months to him, I will let it rest. Perhaps she will find the courage to tell him herself. Or spending the time with her that he undoubtedly will, he'll discern it himself. Either way it will not be pretty."
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George did not look up from his plate as he felt the eyes trying to pierce through the back of his skull. Calmly and nonchalantly, he continued to cut his steak into more manageable pieces. *Let him try to intimidate. Nothing scares me anymore. Hell is not much worse than what I live in now.*
A man about 35 stood behind George staring fiercely at the back of his head. He stood a little less than 6 feet tall and was leanly built. His features were Asian. His glittering eyes were such a deep brown they were almost black, but if one looked closely there were specks of hazel green. His black hair was straight, to the collar, cut conservatively and parted on the side. It layered back but several stubborn pieces fell forward constantly. He pushed it off his brow as he walked forward.
He wore a black suit with a white banded collar shirt underneath. No jewelry adorned him except for a single 2" band of copper on his wrist. He walked slowly up to George's chair and placed his hand on the table. The man moved gracefully with a restrained power of one who at any moment might have to defend himself. "I'm not happy." His voice was deep and melodious. There was just a slight hint of a generic European type accent.
George was silent for a moment as he finished chewing. "Why does that not surprised me? Take a seat, Jon. Would you like something to eat or drink?"
"Not from any hand connected to you, thank you." The two men regarded each other. George was wary. Jon simmered quietly. The fool had once again made his life difficult. The child was still missing. And his chance to meet with an old 'friend' was lost. *I am losing my tolerance for him as well. Perhaps his time of usefulness is over.*
"Paranoid? Why? Most of your problems are gone. You need to relax."
"I did that once because I listened to someone I made the mistake of trusting. I now am looking for the result of that mistake. Where is that child?"
"You know I was sitting here pondering that myself. I have a good idea. I just need to wait for someone to surface. Some of the individuals you sent to help my group got a little overzealous. As you undoubtable know by now. Your son was with Michael and Nikita." George pointed a finger at Jon. "Your people opened fire on them. BEFORE they ascertained the location of that child. Now I've lost him again. I had the perfect set up. You ruined it."
"And how do you know it was 'my people'?" Jon was seething. The mere fact that Michael had been any where near that boy made him furious. That man deserved to be dead long before this. Dominic had failed in realizing who he was. Elouette had failed because of her desire to return him to his 'former glory' as she had so vapidly put it. L' Araigne *my father, my brother, my teacher...someday* died trying to reunite with him. That was an incident that cried for revenge on its own. Not that the past did not still give him thirst for it but he had learned to bury that. * But now this!!! And to think that the woman that had held him was one of that ilk's choosing.* Jon's face began to curl in disgust. His need for revenge had been thwarted. A resolution was needed, one way or another. The deeds of the past demanded it.
"Well, according to what was reported to me....an agent popped up along side of the one person helping them and shot them. After that all hell broke loose. Once the dust settled after somebody set off an explosive charge on top of everything, their bodies were gone and so were those who were helping them."
"And you are so sure they were dead."
"Your people reported that as well as mine. You doubt yours? I do mine. They're alive and well. The question is where. Section One is very good at hiding things."
"And their help? Do you know who was helping them? Other Section operatives or acquaintances?"
"There's an interesting twist with that I haven't quite figured out. One was Section One's head doctor. Strange person to send in. Must be a connection there somewhere. I'll find out what it is and where the baby is. You'll have him back and I'll have the openings we need to get things adjusted as we want. Patience in a situation like this is important."
Jon stood, fingers splaying out on the tabletop. He leaned towards George. "That man was with that child. The bastard's woman held that child. He is still with them. I want that boy. I want them destroyed. I want the mighty Operations and Michael down on their hands and knees in front of me begging for their lives. Just as I wanted that ungrateful miserable slut too. You prevented that. You will not prevent again me from avenging the death of the most important person in the world to me. Do not even dream about it. I will not tolerate it. Do you understand me?"
George looked up at him sullenly while chewing another bit of food. "Whatever...I will do my best but I need the best to that. Keep your people away. I'll call if I need the support again."
"Watch your back 'friend'. The redhead is watching you. She is a very intelligent woman. She can and I think she will hurt you. She is only one of several." On the last syllable, Jon stood upright and strode strongly away. George shrugged and continued his meal
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"Where did you get the idea for these? They came in handy."
Claude smiled at Simon's enthusiasm over the slugs that he turned over in his hand. "They weren't my idea. I saw a special on Hollywood stuntmen. They use something similar. I got some from a friend. Modified them so that not only do they hold the fake blood but enough quick acting tranquilizer on a projectile point to knock out a nose tackle at full speed. The problem is the kick back on the gun itself. You need the explosive charge to get it to rupture and pierce on impact but not so it hurts the target. Most of the time, the targets are other stuntmen wearing flackjackets or vests. It doesn't hurt, just ruptures."
"Have you thought then about reducing the....."
Both Simon and Claude looked up as the screen door opened. The past 36 hours had been tense. The first 12 hours had been the worst. Both had been in bad shape. But because of the efforts and skills of the two women who sat down on the porch swing, it looked like the battle for now was over. Simon played the events over in his head as he watched Christine slowly lean forward and place her face in her hands. She had held up well under the pressure, coolheaded and sure of herself. He liked a strong, capable woman. Christine was a looker too. She was commented about almost as much as Nikita used to be. But now the doctor was dead on her feet, as were the rest of them. He pushed the thoughts away. It wasn't a good time or place.
Claude spoke first. "How are they?"
Christine spoke through her hands, her voice muffled and weary. "They came up out of the tranqs fine. If they were awake they'd each doubtlessly have a hell of a headache from it. Nikita's back is a little ripped up." She stood up and went to hand something to Simon. He looked over the pieces of metal she dropped into his hand.
"What are these from?" He handed one to Claude who sat across the step from him.
"Annie pulled those out from near her shoulder blade. They must have been part of a small exploded shell. The shell frags are what ripped up her back. There was a regular one that tore into the fleshy part of her lower back and out through the upper back of her thigh. It hit a small vein in her back, that's where all the blood was from. Those things you've got there I think are trackers."
Simon frowned as he continued to look over the one he still held. "Yeah it is. This is only part of it though, where's the rest?"
"That's what's left of both of them. By the way things looked, she got hit with one and then the second one came so close to the first that they nicked each other, shattering them. The result was like she had been standing in a puddle and grabbed an electric cord. She had lost just enough blood that she couldn't handle the jolt. That was were that convulsion came from you saw. She's going to be ok just in a lot of pain for the first couple of hours. Do either of you know where she got that bruise on her face? There's a wound on her stomach too. It's healing but still tender. What about that?" Both men shook their heads.
Annie spoke up. "She is a tough girl. She fought the tranq the whole time I worked on her. Was she like that on the way here?" Simon nodded. "Finally we sedated her. She kept asking for Michael and the children."
Simon looked up from studying the device. "And Michael?" The 'children' idea again puzzled him but he wanted to know about Michael first.
Christine shrugged. "He's Michael, what else can I say. He got hit a couple of times. Nothing vital. Amazing considering he wasn't wearing anything close to protective. The tranq projectile gave him a massive bruise. Matches the one on his ribcage. The tranq hit him hard enough on the end of a weak rib that it snapped it. Drove it into one of his lungs. When he fell he rebroke some others that were poorly healed from just recently having been damaged. He had some internal bleeding from them breaking, just small bleeders. But with a lung collapsed from the rib that snapped into it, we had to drain it. But with Annie's help, we go everything set again. I want to keep an eye on him, though. He was pretty shocky and lost a good bit of blood. I couldn't replace it. It's going to take him a bit to come back up to strength compared to Nikita."
"Never thought I'd ever participate in surgery in my own house. Christine does very nice work. I don't think he'll have a scar at all." Annie said as she stood and stretched then yawned loudly. "I guess those years paid off, Claude."
"Do you miss it, Annie?" He looked up at his wife. Dark circles hung under her eyes and her face was pale and tired.
"No. I enjoy being a mother much more." She leaned down and kissed him on the top of the head. "I'm going to check on them and the boys. Then I'm going to bed. I suggest the rest of you do too. The little one will be up early."
Claude nodded as he grabbed her hand and kissed the knuckles. "In a while, amour. D'ac?"
"While means no more than 30 minutes. Got it? That goes for all of you." After getting reassurances from the three of them she went into the house.
After a brief silence, Claude started to speak. "You two can't stay for long. They will start looking. I can only hide them for only so long as well. Michael and Nikita will have to find someplace to hide with the children.
"Michael won't run. He'll stay and fight them Claude." Simon did not like the way Claude portrayed the situation.
He started to open his mouth to retort when Christine interrupted him. "That's not what Nikita told me. She said he was going to make them disappear. There's no way to do that but to run."
"Running may be their only chance to keep them together. They know about Reese. And if they find out about Katie." Claude took a sip from the mug he had on the step below him.
"Whoa! Hold on a minute! I need a few answers." Simon was on his feet. " What is this 'children' business? Who the hell is Katie?"
Christine and Claude looked at each other. "You tell him." Christine said to Claude.
He shook his head. "I believe you know more of the story than I do."
She sighed and then looked up at Simon. "When Nikita was 17 she had a baby. Gave the little girl away, almost broke her heart doing it. The last time I had her in Medlab for a few days it came out. I thought she might have been Michael's and that she should tell him. We fought about it and we were overheard by Operations. He used it as a threat against her. Somehow Michael found out and got her to tell him about it. If Section knew about the child, he knew they would go after her and would use the advantage she gave them with Nikita."
"So he hid her here."
Claude gave a short laugh. "You know Michael well."
"Not as well as I thought from listening to the two of you. Does Section know about you?" He sat back down on the step, resting an arm across an upraised knee.
"I have a confession to make. Section has known me for a long time. All these children....well what do you think they do with the children who aren't allowed or who weren't supposed to be?" Claude waited for the reaction.
"There have been more than this, Claude. Can you account for them?" Christine felt her defenses going up and anger welling up at the tactics of Section One. Children needed parents; some kind of family structure and love, not caretakers. She had grown up with caretakers. All she had ever wanted was her family. She never had access to them. And then when she did, the world in which she had found the man who was the only part left, would have taken them apart again.
"Not all come to me. Annie and I make sure they feel like they are part of a family. Because for whatever length of time they are here, they are our children. For a long time, I've made Michael believe that they're homeless or unwanted drop offs. Though at times I think he's suspected the truth. He's never asked. I don't volunteer. In return for the peace we enjoy most of the time, I help. I'm purely behind the scenes. I've only been in the Section long enough sometimes to bring someone to the van drop. I bring intel, whatever. There is nothing to connect me. They need to keep me a secret. It's the only way to keep the children safe. Sometimes they are reunited with their parents....many are not. Like Jerrod and William. Their mothers died in childbirth or soon after. The fathers weren't known. I never questioned the how and why. Just thought it was safer that way. Madeline met me first with Jerrod then with Willie. She asked me to watch over them. Bring them up right. I agreed. They were babies after all. And since Annie can't....It was a good way to have a family without questions being asked."
"Aren't we just a knight in shining armour?" Christine said with a sarcastic tone.
Simon was silent, deep in thought. He had hear rumours that there was a place for the children. Someone took care of them, it was said but most had brushed that kind of tale off. He was one of them. How did Michael know Claude though if he didn't know what Claude did for Section One. "Then how do you know Michael?"
Swallowing hard, Claude looked out into the front yard and beyond the trees. The sky had lost its pink and red, having now deepened into blue black and deep purple. "My mother was a chemist for the government. She was approached by L' Araigne and Red Cell to produce in quantity for them a new explosive. They offered her many things. All she refused, she wasn't interested in that. She only used the job to make money to take care of Grand-mere. They even offered to take care of us all forever. She wouldn't budge...." He stopped talking and Christine could see the tears gather in his eyes.
"I met Michael when they sent him to kill me one day. He found me on the road home from school. We were both around 10. He was scared. I was scared. I begged for my life. He begged me not to ask for that. I told him of my mother and Grand-mere. He started to cry. 'You have a mama. You see her everyday....I can't remember what Mama looks like. He won't let me. He hurts me if I do. Remembering makes me feel. I'm not allowed to do that.' I still hear those words as clear as that time he said them....."
Christine stood, unable to sit any longer. Hugging herself she turned her back to them. Tears started to run down her face. Simon looked up at her and saw the shaking of her shoulders. Her crying could be heard in her voice. Softly she said, "He couldn't remember what Mama looked like. He wasn't allowed to think about her, about Papa , about me..." Her voice trailed off.
Claude shook his head. "L' Araigne ruined a lot of lives with his thirst for revenge. Michael and I became friends that day. I think for Michael, I was his only one. When I got home, there was nothing left. I was alone. He had told me where to find him. I went there. I had nothing else. I shadowed him for 7 years. Then I found someone from Section One. I told her about Michael. They 'rescued' him. I knew no other life than watching Michael's back. I knew some of the ways. I was recruited as well. And so we are here today....when do you plan to tell him Paige?"
She shrugged as she lowered her head against the wall of the house. Slowly Simon rose, he was pretty much baffled by their conversation but he got the drift. Somehow she was Michael's sister and she was finally hearing about some of Michael's past. It bothered Simon to hear it. He could only imagine what it did to Christine. Gently he turned her from the house and wrapped his arms around her. It felt good to comfort her. She started to cry harder and shake then with a noise of rage, she pulled away.
"They hurt him so much. They took my brother. They made him do terrible things and he hates himself for it. They took my parents. They took my family away. They destroyed our lives. Why? I want to know. I have a right to know. Revenge? That was all? Because he THOUGHT my father slept with his wife? He created this nightmare for so many people because he got cheated on? Bullshit!! Do you hear me? The fucking creep was out of his head! He fixated on my family!!! Because his choice of life kept him from having one!! He was jealous and envious!! He took my life away from me. He took Michael's life away from him. He took the soul of every member of my family....INCLUDING ME!!!! Damn him!! Damn that son of a bitch back at Section One too. He .....makes it go on. I want to kill the bastard!!! Choke every last ...."
Reaching out, Simon grabbed her and pulled her back. "Shhhhh...calm down. Getting like this or killing Operations won't bring anyone back."
Muffled she whimpered, "Merle died because of them." The arms around her were steady and comforting. She had forgotten how good it felt to be held.
Simon held her tighter. "No he didn't, you know that." He held her as she continued to cry, one hand absently stroking her hair, his cheek laying against the top of her head. *How long....just how long, Simon?*
Claude stood as he heard a noise. His movements alerted Simon who turned Christine towards the door. To get her inside and let him get to a weapon. Out of the dark that had settled, a small figure came into view. The light from the living room glinted off her blonde hair. Claude visibly relaxed. "What are you doing home? What did Tante Annie tell you?"
Hearing the small voice that came out from in front of Claude, Simon released Christine to get a better view. They both stepped forward, Christine trying to calm herself and stop the tears. "I want my bed." She looked at Christine. "Why are you crying?"
Claude glowered at her. "You interrupted a adult conversation to which you were not invited. I asked you a question, Katrina, I would appreciate an answer."
Slowly Katrina, as Claude called her, came up the steps and stood in front of him, looking up into his face. "I want my bed to sleep in. Tante Annie didn't say we were going to stay two nights. I don't want to stay there. I want to be here with you and Willie and Jerrod. I don't want to be with those brats. I'm 10 years old. I don't need to be protected like a baby." She looked over at Simon and Christine, then walked over to them. "Who are you? Who are the two people you carried in? Are they dead?"
Christine started to bend down but Simon was already there. She straightened back up and looked over at Claude. He was rubbing his forehead with one hand as he looked to the porch ceiling. She got the impression that Katrina or as she had heard Nikita refer to her, Katie, tried their patience. She smothered a sudden smile. Claude's position by the stairs reminded her of similar gestures from Michael, Operations.....well just about any man Nikita was around any length of time.
Katie looked strikingly like her mother. She was tall and thin for a 10 year old. The reddish-golden blonde hair was straight and cut in a short pageboy style. The shape of the facial features reminded Christine strongly of Nikita. The eyes were a deeper blue and not as shadowed as Nikita's seemed to be. There was the way she held herself too. Katie wasn't afraid of much or just didn't let anyone see it, just like her mother. She had Nikita's stubborn streak, that was obvious but did she have her temper too?
Simon held out his hand. They shook hands. "My name is Simon and this is my friend Christine. The other two people were our friends and they were hurt in a car accident. We didn't have time to get them to a hospital."
She studied Simon after shaking his hand. Christine watched the girl's eyes glitter and she knew what she was thinking. Katie was debating whether on not he was telling the truth. "You're not telling me everything. Adults get this look on their faces and in their eyes when they lie or only tell you part of the story. You have it." She looked up at Christine. "Will you tell me?"
Claude had enough of the questions. Katie didn't stop until someone stopped her. He placed hands on both shoulders and propelled her to the door. "We will see you two in the morning. Young lady, we're going to have a talk. Up to your room." Their voices faded as they moved deeper into the house.
"Wow," was all Simon had to say.
"She's the image of Nikita. You feel like you're looking at a younger version of her."
"Yeah, makes me feel sorry for the boys who live her." Simon stood and stretched.
Christine couldn't help but giggle. "Come on, Nikita's not that bad. You exist quite peacefully with her. Next to Michael, she's your best friend."
"Until I make her mad." He replied shaking his head as he thought about the young girl he had just met.
This time she laughed out loud. "Simon, I'm going to tell her you said that." He shrugged at her and gave her a sheepish grin. That gesture told Christine that he enjoying teasing Nikita and made him seem very approachable. No wonder he could get away with comments to Nikita that others didn't dream of. Her tattling to Nikita would just provide ammo for him. At that thought , her smile faded and her expression got serious again. "Thank you."
Knitting his brows together, he looked at her. "For what?"
"For the hug, the comfort, helping Michael and being his friend. I'm grateful for it."
He seemed uncomfortable with her comment and shifted his weight from one leg to the other. Looking down at his feet, he quietly asked, "Are you really his sister?"
Christine closed her eyes as she looked down at the wooden boards of the porch. "Yeah."
"Why doesn't he know who you are?"
"Reconstructive surgery. The bones were still malleable."
"You were a kid, for Christssake!"
"Yes I was, but a kid marked for death and the government had me. I was scared by they told me it was the only way to get back to my mama and papa. I didn't know any better. I never saw them alive again." She paused and gave a sigh. "I'm not going to fix the past by remembering it and recounting it. It's happened. It's done. I'm more worried about right now. I'll see you in the morning."
He got a hold of her arm as she started to grab for the door. "Are you going to stay with him tonight?"
"Yeah, he's fighting the sedative as it wears off. He needs the rest. I've got to watch him." She held her wrist up to the light from the door so she could see her watch. "The last dose will be wearing off soon. I better get in."
"OK, tell him I'm here. I'm keeping an eye out. He might rest easier." With a small smile, she slipped into the house, the door closing gently behind her. The light in the hall switched off and then darkness was all around. Simon sat down on the swing and stared out into the darkness. It was time to shut down anything concerning Christine. And as he thought about it, he had a lot of them since things had gotten so crazy with Michael and the increase in the amount of time he spent in Medlab.
"Forbidden fruit, buddy. Not the boss' sister."
continue on to Promises to Keep,Part 2
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