Madeline shattered heart debated against her sense of duty. What she had heard from the mouth of the young operative in the interrogation chamber was mind boggling. She sensed Michael's irritation as he tapped his fingers on his desk waiting impatiently for her report.
"The new recruit Sheila was the main leak. After a session with the twins she was more than willing to supply us with the name of her superior."
Madeline lifted the fragile teacup to her lips. "The infiltration was orchestrated by Red Cell. There is more disturbing news.. Operations is alive."
Michael's jaw dropped slightly but he quickly recovered. He adjusted the fallen mask back into place and spoke.
"Did we get a location?"
"Not yet, but we have had confirmation he is working directly with Red Cell."
"Did Shiela tell you when they would strike the compound?"
"Paul has no intention of disabling Section, there is something he wants first..Revenge."
"Place twenty four hour surveillance on all main support personnel including yourself and find out if there are any more leaks we need to correct."
"Should we still go to George with this?"
"Our structural integrity is crumbling Madeline, George may be grateful for the past, but if we become a liability he will shut us down."
She nodded her head and turned off the video conferencing. Even Operations would have to admit Michael had grown wise beyond his years.
Michael could not shake the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach. He almost ran across the hall to Medlab, unconcerned by the strange stares he was receiving from his employees. He had to make sure Nikita was under his protective surveillance from now on. Then and only then he would be able to elude the overwhelming feeling of doom that haunted him.
He flung open the doors of the corridor that led to the facility and once again quickened his stride. He entered the Maternity ward that had been set up for his wife. What he found made him shudder. Lying unconscious in the corner of the floor was Doctor Davis.
"They took her, I tried to stop them." He said awakening from his stupor.
Michael punched the wall, "Merde!"
Calm down, you are trained for much worse than this. He kept telling himself as he advised everyone of the Priority One hostage situation.
Madeline looked at his bandaged knuckles. She would have to step in, if he had any hope of riding this one through without any damaging repercussions.
"I have a lock on her Michael they are headed to the airport." Birkoff announced.
"Assemble a team, only level five personnel and meet me in the egress."
"Michael let me go with you, I can convince Operations to step down." Madeline requested her brown eyes heavy with apprehension.
"Fine but I swear if he as much as lays a finger on her, I will kill him with my bare hands."
**************************************************************
There was a private airstrip in the clearing of the woods surrounding the small village. Only government aircraft were certified to take off and land in the classified area. Nearby was an abandoned Air force base that had been pinpointed as the holding location for the hostage.
Michael slithered through the ground making his way closer to the building. It had been over a year since he had last lead a mission. He tugged on the side of his mission lycra pants pulling out her picture. I am on my way.
"Michael, Operations is giving us access to a live feed on Channel T." Madeline advised him from inside Mobile Com.
"Birkoff can you patch me in?"
"Not directly, but I will try through Delta access."
The small transmitter captured the image of a very tired and agitated looking familiar face.
"Madeline stay on T. we have Michael secured through Delta 9z."
"I apologize. for the bad transmission.Red Cell does.. not have the technological advan.ces. Section has..make up. for.. it with..vast Biochemical ars.enal." Operations said his voice breaking through the noisy static.
"Hello Maddy ..surprised to find you..on the field..things have changed . you . demoted?"
"No Paul, I am here for your benefit." She answered camouflaging the irritation rising up in her from his sly comment.
"We have lost visual, Michael standby for audio." Birkoff informed him.
"That's very amusing.. you can.. see I. have..the upper hand." His laughter crackled through the static like the sound of a deranged psychopath.
"Red Cell has all the intel it needs to wipe Section clear off the face of the earth,all I have to do is say when."
Madeline weighed her options carefully. It was very clear what it would take for him to release the mother-to-be. For once in your life do something for the sake of the innocent. She heard a voice beckoning her from deep inside her heart.
"Paul, we have lost visual and your audio is breaking up, I like to know what I can do to expedite this matter." She smiled.
"Ma.line what .. you barter with? I have...Section..collateral...expendable."
Michael bit his tongue drawing blood, as he tried to control the urge to curse out the man. Birkoff had made sure his surveillance could not be detected and he was not going to blow his cover do to uncontrolled hostility.
"Release Nikita and take me as your hostage." Madeline suggested taking control of the situation.
The visual returned as Operations walked around the room. He focused the camera on a sound proof glass room. A very tired looking Nikita sat tied to a chair. Beads of perspiration where collecting across her brow. From afar Michael could tell she was in the middle of another contraction.
Operations shut off the audio before addressing his captive.
"Nikita you've always wanted to have your opinions count for something. So tell me does Madeline's sacrifice please you, or are you still such a pathetically weak operative you would take the bullet to spare her life?"
“Second in Command." She uttered between clenched teeth.
"That's right you are Michael's right hand aren't you?.. Answer the question!" He growled pressing the button for the visual and audio to resume.
"Paul she is in no state to be interrogated. I am willing to take her place if it mean you and I can finally be together." Madeline coaxed.
"There is no room for you in the new regime. You are a traitor and will be dealt with accordingly." Operations blue icy stare turned glassy as he mumbled words incoherently.
"We lost visual again." Birkoff huffed exasperated.
Michael felt his heart stop when he heard the gun shot. "What the hell happened in there? Birkoff get me a visual, NOW!"
The screen lit up again and he saw Nikita's mouth forming inaudible words from behind the glass.
"So we have a deal, I will step out of the van and walk unarmed into the base, you will at the same time send Nikita out, understood?" Madeline continued her negotiations.
"Sounds fair enough. Nikita will stay until you are inside."
Madeline noticed there was a glitch in Operations behavior. His profile indicated he would never have agreed to such loose terms. If he truly were a Megalomaniac as she had read in his psyche reports, it would have been more difficult to manipulate his response. As far as she could tell, this mission had been pre-chewed by some other outside force. She notified Michael of her suspicions and they set the mission into play.
Gunfire erupted, as black clad operatives fell to the ground like a stack of dominos.
"Birkoff were being ambushed!"
Michael ripped off the communication device from his ear, to block out the cries of the backup team. He waited a few seconds before replacing it, just in time to hear the worried voices coming from Birkoff station. As far as he was concerned this no longer was Section business. Without wasting any time Michael had gone into Mandatory Refusal until the mission would come to terms.
Their plan was in full swing. Madeline would pick at Operations' brain long enough to distract him, while Michael would sweep the area clean of any hostiles. He walked past the guards shooting each one down with feline grace. He climbed swiftly unto the roof, leaping across the darkness like a skillful dancer before the last curtain call. He crouched down maintaining his position long enough to make sure no peripheral activity was taking place before disappearing down the air conditioning shaft.
Inside Madeline was sitting besides Nikita. From what Michael could see through the small opening between the metal plates, both women appeared to be unharmed. Operations stood idle in the left corner. Section's superior scanned the room for any weapons. That was odd, he thought. A militant man like Operations would surely be packing a weapon. Yet he had visually searched him from every angle, and he was unarmed.
"Don't worry ladies this will soon be over." He heard the madman say, before he broke through the panel and grabbed him. Michael knocked the older man so hard on the ground that his head bopped up and down from the sudden impact. Straddling him he turned him over.
"It's latex." He informed the women before removing the mask from the white hair man.
"Well done Michael." Said a scratchy voice. He turned drawing his silencer to find George in the surrounded by an entourage of bodyguards.
Michael fumed pulling up the half-unconscious man.
"Who is this?"
George nodded and one of his men slipped a card into the electronic slot that opened the glass doors. Both women where untied and escorted out of confinement.
Michael held his wife, and asked her if she was all right before confronting George with a look that could kill.
The stocky man was ready to light his cigar but stopped himself, remembering Nikita's precious cargo.
"The man's name is Gillian, he is a expert impersonator."
"I thought I had proved my loyalty to Section when I rescued your family. Is this how the Agency shows it's gratitude?"
"How dare you put my wife and unborn child at risk for your own entertainment! I gave you too much credit George, you are just another bureaucrat." Michael said his voice hissing like a viper ready to strike.
"Calm down Michael, Because you are the head of Section One does not give you authority to be insubordinate. Operations, Madeline and every other superior that has held a high office in the Agency has undergone testing. You can call it bureaucracy or politics if you like, but it was instituted long ago by someone I hold very dear and as long as I have breath every major player will be subjected to it."
"Adrian implemented this didn't she?" Nikita spoke up, stretching out her tired frame.
"Yes my dear. These test are done after thousand of Sims have been run, the outcome is predictable, and only a mistake from Michael or his team could have placed you in danger..If I would have perceived any problems, we would have intercepted, and kept you safe. I am not a butcher and unlike Operations, I hold you both in great esteem."
Michael replaced his volatile expression with his serene defense mechanism.
"Did we have any casualties?" Madeline asked her face displaying a hint of annoyance.
"No, the mission weaponry was exchanged for blanks, the operatives you heard were simply play acting..Everything was under a controlled environment."
"We have a limousine waiting to transport you and your wife to County General.I heard a little rumor you wanted to give birth in a civilian hospital, Nikita" George smiled patting her hand almost Walter-like.
"Sorry George but when the time comes I want to give birth in Medlab, there's a room I am dying to try out." Nikita winked at Michael and he had no choice but to give her one of his top secret smiles.
A week later
"Come on Kita you can do it, push!!!" Michael encouraged a red faced Nikita, while gently wiping a cold wet towel across her sweaty brow.
She clamped down her hands on the bed railing and let out an untamed grunt, before collapsing half dazed back on the bed.
"This..is...worse...than,.. AHHH!" She pushed as hard as she could with the mammoth contraction that made her whole body tremble uncontrollably.
"Good job Nikita." Dr. Davis said holding up the crying infant.
He wrapped up the squirming bundled in a blue blanket and handed it to its mother.
Michael looked on as tears of joy streamed down Nikita's pixie like face. He took the tiny hand of the priceless masterpiece into his own. Nikita kissed away the stream of tears flowing freely from his eyes, and they both held each other silently marveling at the precious gift they had been given. "Thank you God." Michael whispered overwhelmed with emotion into the brow of his beloved.
"We will call him Nicholas Adam." Nikita blurted excitedly.
"That's a wonderful name." Michael said as memories of another joyful moment filled his heart with bittersweet tenderness.
In another part of the world an eight-year old boy with expressive big brown eyes swung his bat as hard as he could. This one is for you Daddy.
He thought running quickly from base to base.
From the bleachers his mother called out in excitement "Run Adam Nicholas, it's a home run!"
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