For anyone who has had the courage to hope for the impossible . . .
IF ONLY FOR A WHILE
Written by: Kimberly
" You wanted to see me?" Nikita asked, walking to Madeline's office.
Michael watched her as she walked in. She walked with her shoulders back, dressed in a pale pink sweater and white slacks. Her thick straight pale blonde hair was pulled back and twisted into some kind of knot. She surveyed the room, and perceiving no immediate threat, slid her hands into her pockets.
Unbidden the memory of a very different Nikita came to mind. She'd be dressed in bright tangerine spandex pants, some equally loud half shirt, her hair is some weird style. Her manner would be defiant, and she'd look around much more distrustfully . . .
She saw Madeline, wearing an dark brown fitted suit, her dark brown hair styled in it's usual soft waves, makeup perfect. She sat up straight in her chair, a small smile played across her lips, but the smile didn't reach her eye's. Nikita knew immediately that this wasn't going to be good.
Michael was there, standing over by some of Madeline's Bonsai tree plants. His expression was calm. Not relaxed really, but calm. The same attentive, emotionless expression he always wore while at Section One, which was most of the time. He was wearing his customary black on black. Black slacks, black shirt, black jacket, one flowed into the next. He was all fluid, lethal, animal grace . . .
" Have a seat, both of you."
Nikita sat down in one of the chairs, Michael took the other, his movements all fluid grace.
" Section one always runs it's missions with a few key operatives taking the lead, and the rest following," Madeline began, " We take advantage of the loyalty between operatives often."
Nikita held her tongue. She knew about that all to well.
" I want you and Michael to run," Madeline told them, " We want to see how the other operatives here handle the situation. They'll be given orders to bring you in alive - tranque bullets only. We'll also be testing their tracking skills of course."
" Where to do want us to hide?" Nikita asked her.
" I don't need to know that," Madeline told them, " You'll be equipped with a PDA. If we need you back before the sequence is done, I'll send you a message over the PDA. On the other hand, if you run into trouble, and need to be brought back in, you can contact myself or Operations through the PDA's. You can equip yourselves as you see necessary - I would recommend tranque bullets for those situations when you'll be returning fire on Section Operatives."
" How long will this mission last?" Nikita asked her.
" As long as it takes, or until we decide we have to bring you back in. It could be days, or months," Madeline replied, "In theory, if an operative were to run, he or she would have planned it for some time. You'll be provided with a large sum of money."
" When do you want us to leave?"
" Sometime tonight, or tomorrow," Madeline replied, " the morning after tomorrow, I will ask that you both be called in. That's when it will be discovered that you have both ran."
Madeline placed two PDA's on the table in front of them.
Nikita took the PDA, memories came flooding back.
She was on a train . . . . ' Nikita, are you there?'
In the diner . . . . ' Nikita, are you there?'
On the barge . . . . ' Nikita are you there?'
*****
" We should make some plans," Michael said softly, standing up.
Nikita nodded, and they both left Madeline office.
They walked to the top of the stairs, and stopped.
" I'll get supplies from Walter," Michael told her.
Nikita nodded, " we should pack one shoulder bag each - don't dress in your customary black all the time."
" I'll meet you at your apartment in two hours," Michael told her.
Nikita nodded, and turned to leave, then stopped, " Michael, who will be taking over Alex and Darren while we are gone?"
*****
Running this time, was drastically different than last time. Even though she had only a few hours to pack, she at least had some time. She packed practically. Jeans, t shirts, a light jacket. She took the little bit of makeup that she wore, some toiletries. She wrote two letters, addressed them, and put them in the mail, one to Alexandra, one to Darren. They said the same thing.
'Not all is what it seems. Never forget what you know in your heart, despite what your eye's may see and your ears may here."
By the time they got the unsigned letters, Nikita and Michael would be officially fugitives.
*****
Moments early, Nikita heard a knock on her door.
She looked out the peep hole, saw only Michael, and opened the door, shoulder bag over her shoulder.
Michael had duffel bag with a long strap over his shoulder. He had on jeans and a T-shirt, a flannel shirt over the t shirt. Nikita reached up, and slid her fingers into this hair, loosening the carefully brushed back curls.
" Where are we off too?" Nikita asked him, once they were on the street.
She'd dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, sneakers. Her hair hung down and loose, and once they were on the street, she kept her head down and it hung so it obscured her face.
" I don't know yet," Michael told her, " I think Section is testing more than just the tracking skills of their operatives."
Nikita looked at Michael, and thought about the letters she'd sent. Alex and Darren would know enough to keep their letters a secret.
" Like seeing how effective we are on the run," Nikita replied, " The most logical place for me to go is the streets - so we shouldn't go there. Where did you come from?"
" A university," Michael told her, " In Paris."
" OK, no colleges," Nikita decided, " In America, we can almost move from place to place without having to use ID, and Major cities are the easiest to get lost in. Where do we have a major city, that we don't have a section Sub base in?"
" Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia," Michael told her.
" What about Seattle?" Nikita asked him.
" There is a sub base in Portland," Michael told her, " that's three hours away."
" Section won't expect us to be in their back yard," Nikita told him, " Now we just have to get there in a round about way - and not look like us."
Michael nodded. They picked up a city buss, and headed down town to the bus station.
*****
They took a grey hound to a small city outside of Chicago. Nikita bought two wigs. One Red, one brown.
" Red?" Michael said, as Nikita pushed him into the rented cheap hotel room. It was one of those placed that rented by the hour.
" Yep," Nikita said, " Red. We don't want to look too fake - your hair has red in it now."
" That's why you're going to be a brunette," Michael said, looking at her.
" I've pulled brunette off lots of time," Nikita told him, " Just do it."
She started yanking off cloths, and turned on the shower.
" Do you want the first shower or the first watch?"
*****
Darren woke up find Alexandra sitting down on the side of his bed. He sat up, and ran his hands through his hair, " What's up? Did you have another nightmare?"
She smiled, admiring the counters of his chest. She knew his flesh would be warm, and if she leaned forward, slipping into his arms . . .
Then, Unbidden, the a distorted horrific vision of one of the Iraqi guards materialized before her eye's . . .
She shook herself, reminding herself why she was here.
" I got a letter this morning," Alexandra told him, " and I just went through your mail - so did you."
Darren didn't bother to ask how Alexandra knew he'd gotten a letter. He hit his mail box on the way up every night, and dumped it all on the kitchen counter top. He'd go through it every couple of days.
He took the hand written envelope, and opened it.
'Not all is what it seems. Never forget what you know in your heart, despite what your eye's may see and your ears may here."
" This is a little odd," Darren said, " Nikita's handwriting too."
" Sure looks like it," Alexandra said, " I called Nikita's apartment this morning, and Michael's, and Section one, I can't find either one of them."
Just then, Darren's phone rang.
He picked it up, answered yes, and hung up. Just as he was hanging up, Alexandra's cell phone rang.
" Let me guess, you were called in too," Darren said, swinging his legs over the side of his bed.
" yep," Alexandra said, "And it wasn't Michael or 'Kita calling us in."
*****
" Michael and Nikita, AWOL?! I can't believe that!" Walter exclaimed, "Not those two."
Madeline waited for the surprise and whispered comments to die down.
"They were caught in a relationship Section One did not deem acceptable. This morning, when neither one of them reported in, we sent our people out to their homes. They are gone," Madeline told the group that she'd gathered up.
Darren resisted the urge to look at Alexandra. His mind going back to the letter he'd received this morning.
" Your assignment is to track them down, bring them back in Alive. Use tranque bullets. We want to make sure Section Is not being breached during the time they're away," Madeline told them, " Fisk, you lead the team.
Alexandra bit her lip, looking at the floor. Fisk would be a good choice. He'd had conflicts with both of them in the past.
" I don't want Darren and Alexandra on my team," Fisk said immediately, " They'll be too sympathetic."
" You have both of them, some people on your team will be sympathetic, some will be over zealous - the mix should balance things out," Madeline told Fisk, " I want reports hourly."
Madeline turned on her heal and left.
Fisk strutted over, already lording his new position as team leader over everyone. Alexandra had her arms, crossed, back against the wall. Fisk leaned over her, one arm propped up against the wall by her head, " Just so we understand each other, you slack off - what the Iraqi's did to you will seem like a quickie."
Darren's head, along with several other operatives, snapped around, some surprised, some angry, some curious.
"My performance never falters, even over a friend," Alexandra replied, unconsciously pressing herself as far back onto the wall as she could.
Fisk ordered Birkhoff to display a city map with all the airports and bus stations highlighted, then all the car lots - assuming the they'd not take their own cars. He split them up into pairs, sent them out armed with tranque darts and regular bullets, and pictures of Michael and Nikita.
Alexandra was paired with Dante, Darren was paired with Kevin. Kevin and Michael had crossed paths many times in the past as well.
*****
"So what do you think Alex?" Dante asked, once they were outside Section One.
"About Michael and Nikita? What's there to think. They ran, we find them," Alexandra replied.
Dante glanced over as he drove, "That simple - you and Nikita were tight though, even if you and Michael had problems occasionally"
Alexandra shrugged, "Nikita and I are pals - out side of section. Section pays my salary - and keeps my butt alive or dead. It's pretty simple. It's not personal - sure I'd rather it be someone else - but it isn't."
She looked over at Dante, "What do you think."
"I think that if Michael has really gone AWOL, we'll never find him. He's that good, and so is Nikita, with those two partnered, they're damn near unbeatable," Dante told her.
"Everyone has a weakness," Alexandra countered, "They'll stay together, they work better as a team - and she stands out."
" What do you think about Fisk?" Dante asked her.
Alexandra sighed, " I try not to."
" He's a bastard Alex, but he's not so stupid that he'd actually hurt you," Dante told her.
Alexandra looked over at him, "I remember a fight I got into in the gym once with a few guys who wouldn't hurt me too."
*****
"So what's your girlfriends real beef with Michael," Kevin asked Darren, as they headed over to their next car lot.
"Girlfriend? I wish - I don't know much - other than Michael yanking her chain a lot. She likes to party, her behavior gets a little wild. She got called in a few times when she'd been out at a Rave, and Michael got all over her about it," Darren told him.
"Michael's a hard ass, Sorry if you like him, but he is," Kevin told Darren.
"No argument from me, I just had enough sense not to cross him," Darren told him, "Nikita on the other hand - I can't believe she did something this stupid."
"She's strung on Michael bad," Kevin told Darren, "Has been for years."
*****
" OK, we're on our way back," Alexandra said, and hung up her cell phone.
" Night before last - took a bus to a small town outside of Chicago, Zion," Alexandra told Dante,
"They want us back and on that transport."
They headed right back to Section One. Darren was going the opposite way down the corridor, when Alexandra and Dante walked in.
" Hey red," Darren said, "Give me a hand getting some of the gear from Walter?"
" Sure," Alexandra said, and turned on her heal, matching Darren stride for stride.
Darren waited until they were in a stretch of hall alone, " You OK?."
Alexandra frowned, looking down at the floor as they walked, " Fine, why?"
" Its been two months Red - anyone would still be having trouble now, especially if someone threatened them" Darren answered her.
Alexandra looked over at him, " I . . . I was nausiated - he makes my skin crawl, the way he looked at me - Darren, some days I just want to hide under my bed and not come out."
Darren told her, " I would always help you - no matter who it was - Fisk, Operations, Michael . . ."
Alexandra gagged, "Yuck! Michael would be doing your brother ! And operations - I just can't even go there - it's . . . just not my type. But I appreciate the thought Darren."
Darren reached over to squeeze her hand, then stopped, " I . . . I don't know what's OK for you now - I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
She smiled up at him, her eye's sad, and maybe a little longing was there too.
" It's OK - sometimes I can't see why anyone would want me at this point."
Darren stopped again, " Hey, hold on a minute - what happened to you doesn't change who you are, and it doesn't change what your friends think about you," He grabbed both her hands.
She nodded, and stepped back, and they started back down the hall, to Walters station.
" This whole thing feels really wrong," Alexandra announced as they got to Walters station. Walter looked at her as they walked in.
" Because it is," Walter muttered under his breath, and looked around, "They wouldn't run."
Alexandra looked over at Darren.
" If they had something going - and they probably do - they'd keep it quiet. Keep work separate - it's the only way they've made it here - and they haven't had any performance problems, so why would Madeline or Operations care?" Walter explained, "They tested the hell out of them years ago already."
Alexandra nodded, "OK, then why would they be gone."
" You know - operations should be shitting bricks right now, and he should be warning all the other agencies - and he's not, this is the kind of thing the agency would be in on." Darren mentioned
" Bingo," Walter said, "I got a call into a buddy - checking on some stuff right now."
Alexandra took a deep breath, "You'll let us know."
" Sure Honey," Walter said, grinning at her, " The moment know, you'll know - but keep it quiet - Madeline does stuff like this to keep us all on our toes - or off of them."
Darren picked up a PDA sitting on Walters work station, " Are all of these accounted for?"
Walter shrugged, " We keep track of them, why?"
Alexandra knew where this was going.
"So if some were checked out, we could find out who had them, right?"
Walter nodded, "yeah, we could, I'll work on it."
*****
Michael and Nikita switched off sleeping and staying away on their bus trip across the country. They changed busses several times, changed names several times. When they pulled into Seattle, it was early, the sky overcast, the weather cool but not too cold. September in Seattle was generally cool at night and rainy every other day. Nikita shook her head to clear it a little as they got off the buss. She kept her eye's away from the cop as they moved with the rest of the passengers through the buss station. It was day 5.
" Portland will be all over Seattle by now," Michael warned her, putting his arm around her shoulders. He did it for two reasons. They'd look like a couple, therefore less likely to be spotted by Section. And he just wanted to have her close.
" Then we lie low, and out of sight for a day or two," Nikita told him, "another cheap sleazy by the hour, day or week hotel."
Michael nodded, and looked into the glass as they passed. He reached up, and tousled his hair a bit more. Normally , he smoothed back his curly hair. Not now. Nikita had cut hers shorter, they'd permed it at one of the stops. Neither one of them would be easy to spot - if you didn't know their faces, which section One operatives would know.
" This was Alex's old stomping ground," Nikita said quietly, taking in the city as they walked. She and Michael walked down pine street, taking in the alley ways, the buildings that reached up towards the sky, though not nearly as high as New York. They came up on 2nd, and had to turn left or right. Right seemed to lead up into an area full of where houses. Left continued on into retail merchants - and what had to be Seattle's version of a red light district. On the Corner of 2nd and Pine, there was a strip club called De JA Vu, and an adult store with it. Right in front of them was the Pike place market, another land mark they remembered Alexandra talking about. They went to the left, passing more adult shops, a few adult movie houses, and started to see more and more retail shops, mixed in the little mom and pop cafe's.
" I love these buildings," Nikita commented as they walked.
" A lot of the architecture is early 1900's," Michael replied, "there's a whole section of the city here that's literally buried - from an earthquake. They have tours, we could go on one."
" I didn't know you knew architecture," Nikita said quietly as they walked,
" Some," Michael replied, " If we ever do end up in Paris - then I can tell you a little more about the buildings."
She looked over at him for a moment, imagining them in Paris.
But something else caught her attention, the smell the freshly roasting meat, some kind of vegetable . . .
Michael smiled, watching Nikita's face.
" Here?"
" Sure," she said, snuggling into his side a little more as they pressed through the crowd up to the counter.
They listened as the people behind the counter spoke in a different language, and when the woman turned to Michael and Nikita to take their order, he ordered in the same language.
The woman smiled and spoke excitedly with Michael for a few moments. When their order came, they spoke again for a moment, and then they were walking out.
" Vietnamese?" Nikita asked.
" yes," Michael answered in English, " I told her that I worked on a French oil crew for a while. There is a hotel down a few more blocks. She knows the people who work there, they never know who's coming or going."
They walked into a cheap hotel, the lobby stank of stale smoke and old beer. Michael checked them in under Terry Adkisson, a name they'd pulled up out a phone book two states back, and one common enough that it would be hard to trace.
Nikita unlocked the door, and they stepped inside, closing the door softly behind them. The paint was peeling off the walls, there were water stains on the ceiling, the blankets on the bed there threadbare. There was an old yellow age stained shade over the window, and in the bathroom, there were orange red stains from whatever mineral inhabited the water.
Nikita pulled off the cheep sunglasses and looked at Michael, who was pulling the small coffee table over to the bed.
" This isn't so bad, we've slept in worse places," Nikita said, sitting down next to him on the bed, ready and eager to dive into their food.
Michael enjoyed watching Nikita devour her food. Like everything else she did, she did it with passion. She swallowed, and looked at him, and without warning, leaned over and licked off a smear of sauce that was on Michael's lip.
Michael felt every nerve in his body explode, and he pulled her back, taking the skewer out of her hand, and tossing it back onto the tray. He brushed his mouth over hers, tasting her lips with his tongue, soft, pliable, and sweet.
Nikita slid her hands up under his shirt, splaying her fingers, feeling the taught muscles under pliable skin, like velvet over iron. His flesh was warm, and she stroked and caressed, becoming more and more excited, knowing she was the reason his muscles contracted at her touch.
She pushed him back down onto the bed, yanking up his T-shirt, her mouth moving down slowly from his collarbone, laving, suckling, tasting as she went, fighting herself to stay in control, and not melt wherever his warm insistent hands stroked her, which at the moment, was every place he could reach.
Michael frantically yanked her t shirt from her jeans, jerking the zipper down so he could pull them off of her. He hesitated when her breasts were revealed to his gaze. Michael would never get enough of the site of her breasts. Just large enough to fill his hands, her nipples eager coral peaks, made for him alone it seemed. He salivated, just looking at her
She kicked off her jeans, and reared back, peeling off her T-shirt and panties, and yanked and tugged as Michael was pushing his jeans down and off his hips.
She slid her body over his, ravenous for him, as if she was a starved animal. His arms went around her, holding her still.
" We have time," he whispered, stroking her back with his hands, her soft skin driving him insane with need, but a need he wanted to draw out, "I want to savor this, you . . ."
He pulled her head down to kiss her mouth, sliding his fingers into her hair, kissing her hungrily, reveling again in the sweet taste of her mouth, how her tongue darted and played with his.
Nikita reached down in between them, and cupped Michael's testicles in her hands, gently squeezing.
He rolled her onto her back, bending his head down, taking one nipple into his mouth, laving with his tongue, suckling. He ran one hand down her body, enjoying the trembles and shivers he knew were of his making, caressing and stroking, and slowly worked his way between her thighs, parting her, searching for sensitive spots, working his way to where he knew the most sensitive bud of flesh would be.
All the while, Nikita worked on her own methodically erotic massage, starting with his testicles, every now and then brushing her hand across his swollen hypersensitive member.
Michael moved his mouth lower, and lower, finally pulling Nikita's hands from him, holding them down as he replaced what his hand had been doing with his tongue, inflicting sweet torture on her tender flesh. She arched back, writhing, moaning and gasping, until she came so hard she had to cry out, despite the fact that the walls in the dive they were staying in were so thin.
Michael reared up over her, a triumphant grin on his face, and he eased himself inside her still spasming warm, moist sheath and together, they slowing worked each other into another heady erotic frenzy, and then shoving each other far over the edge into ecstasy.
*****
Zion was a small town who's only claim to fame was large agricultural industry and a Navy Corps school - hence it's ability to support a rather busy bus station. Alexandra risked looking at the PDA that Walter had given her earlier today - or late last night depending on the time zone you were thinking in. Walter would keep them posted while they were out in the field, and they could talk to him, without Section One finding out. If anyone did try to hack into the messages, they'd instantly corrupt into unrecoverable gibberish - at least long enough to get to Birkhoff.
But there was no message from Walter. Alexandra and Darren were split up again, but they'd expected that.
Fisk had thought to ask Madeline for pictures of Michael and Nikita with and without sunglasses - with different color hair, that kind of thing. Now, they were interviewing everyone who worked at the bus station, and someone was going through the logged entered for any clue what so ever.
Someone recognized Michael. A woman of course.
The next bus trip they took went into Boulder, Colorado.
*****
Darren locked eye's with Alexandra when they all met up back at the jet. Alexandra knew Darren was asking if there was any news from Walter.
" Nothing other than Nikita is going as a permed brunet, and Michael's hair is now red - and 'they look like stoned street trash' - those are the clerks words, not mine - so when we find them, they'll probably get to piss in a cup too," Alexandra told him.
" You're pretty confident Alex," Kevin said, "Or do you know something we don't?"
The redhead shrugged, "Nope - But I do know that this smells all wrong."
" Smells like they got stupid," Fisk said, walking up behind them, and patting Alexandra on the butt. Alexandra stepped out of his reach and gave him an icy glare.
" What? The great Michael doesn't make mistakes? We've tracked him half way across the country," Fisk told them, "He's thinking with his prick - that's why he's getting careless."
"Or maybe he wants us to think that," Alexandra said, then suddenly realizing that Fisk had started the up link and that Madeline could listen in.
It was Madeline that asked her the next question.
"What makes you think that?" Madeline asked her.
Alexandra sighed, "They had a lot of loose ends - and they don't run from a problem - they find a way to work through it - and lets face it - does it sound like Michael or Nikita to let themselves be seen - sure they died their hair . . . but we'd think of that."
"They may well be setting a trap," Madeline said, "The motivation to stay alive is a strong one. They were told that they could very well be canceled."
Darren spoke up, "Then why were they let out of Section One after they were told - and why are we bringing them back tranqued?"
"I prefer to handle cancellations under this special circumstances myself," Madeline told them, after a minute, "but they may not be canceled."
Alexandra took a great interest in her shoe. Darren kept his mouth shut, and waited for Fisk to sign off. Fisk ordered their pilot to set a course for boulder, and Alexandra and Darren took seats in the far back end of the jet.
"She lied to us," Darren said quietly.
Alexandra felt the PDA vibrate in her pocket. She looked around, and pulled it out, and looked at the message.
:::::::On mission. Possible mandatory refusal:::::::
Alexandra handed the PDA to Darren, so he could read it. She kept watch, and saw him erase the message, and slip it back into her pocket.
*****
In Boulder, no one recognized them at all at the bus station. Fisk followed a very set routine in tracking. See if anyone recognizes them, check the buss stations, airports, car dealerships, and hotels.
They were there three days. Alexandra and Darren had seen so many hotels, spoke with so many people - someone cracked a joke that if no one in the town knew Michael and Nikita's face before, they knew it now.
" We could run an Ad campaign," Darren muttered under his breath, as Fisk was telling Madeline what they'd done so far, " 'If you see these people - tell them the fed's are after them' 'cause you know that by now, that's exactly what would happen."
Alexandra laughed a little, " Might as well, why haven't we received a profile?"
Darren nodded, " You know, your right - Madeline usually has a probability profile set up for us."
Dante had just walked up, and joined them, " You think you could design a better plan?"
Alexandra shrugged, " I think that we're doing the same thing local cops would do - we're supposed to be better - we should have a profile - and are we coordinating our search efforts with the other sub stations?"
Fisk had just signed off the uplink, and Kevin called out to him that Alex and Darren had some really innovative ideas, his voice mocking
Alexandra shook her head, and glared at Kevin as Fisk strutted over to them.
Like this investigation is going anywhere, we've just been lucky . . . . Darren thought to himself.
" You two are puppies in this business - what grand idea's have you come up with?"
Alexandra shook her head, " Kevin's being stupid is all - we were just talking - and we were wondering why Madeline hasn't provided us with a profile - she usually does - and it would make sense for them to be constantly changing their looks - so this picture campaign is only gonna carry us so far - and then there are the other substations - why aren't we coordinating with other substations?"
" Profiles are a crutch for the weak," Fisk sneered, " and If you can't handle the work of the picture campaign, you shouldn't be on this team."
Alexandra shook her head, " I can handle any work Section One throws at me - but we're not getting anywhere. They're trained to not be seen! So why are we looking for where they'd be recognized? We know they've got money with them. They're not gonna be holding down jobs any time soon. We should be staking out hotels and half way houses in major cities - it's easy to disappear in a major city versus a small city - which is what they've done."
" Then why stay in America? Maybe Michael's gotten a taste for France again - or south America," Kevin added.
" They'd stick out in South America. France isn't a great idea - Nikita doesn't speak French well at all - and you need passports to move around Europe - in America you can move around almost anywhere without an ID check - not that a fake pass port would be hard for them to get," Alexandra pointed out.
" We ought to be splitting up and staking out major cities - we start asking questions, and they're tipped off," Darren agreed with Alexandra.
"Alexandra sighed, "Then what's your next grand idea? Because we've got nothing going right now - and it's been 8 days."
*****
" I almost hate to leave," Nikita said, as they stood at the base of one of Seattle's famouse land marks, the Space Needle.
Michael had his arm around her waist, and pressed a kiss to her cheek, " We've got the rest of today - we should have been spotted by now."
Nikita nodded, tracking the movement of the people around them, the faces. They both did it, all the time.
Michael stepped in front of her, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her hungrily. In public, not caring who would see them.
I t unnerved her. Michael was acting so different. It was like they didn't have a care in the world. He let things go he never would have. He was affectionate, more than he ever had been before. It was like they were giddy drunk on the freedom they had temporarily, stoned, high, teetering on the edge of insanity with it, and they were diving over, head first, holding onto each other.
" Do you want to stay another day?" Michael asked her, breaking the kiss.
Nikita shook her head, "They'll catch us soon, if we don't move on. I want this to last, as long as possible."
They'd gone up in the Space Needle, watched the sun set from high above the city. Tried to guess what part of the city it was by the lights that glowed in the dark.
They went all through the Pike Place Market, Michael translated for her when he knew the language people were speaking in. They went dancing at night sometimes. Every night they came home and made love like it might be their last time together.
They went on a tour of the underground city, road a ferry boat across the puget sound and back. It was almost like a vacation - except they had to look over their shoulders the whole time.
It was madness, all of it, and they were content to drive each other farther and farther over the edge.
" I managed to get us passports," Michael told her, " Where do you want to go?"
Nikita sighed, " I don't know . . . the world's pretty big when you have choices."
" London . . .Paris . . . Germany . . . Ireland . . . Venice," Michael started to list off towns, his voice silky, sensuous.
" Ireland," Nikita told him, " But there's a substation there."
" There's one in Portland too - but they're not looking for us," Michael reminded her, " I've thought about contacting Madeline - just to see if they've even started to hunt for us yet."
Nikita shrugged, " We'll go in disguise."
*****
Section One . . . .
Alexandra was taking the magazines out, checking her gear back in, along with everyone else. She knew there were people packed in close around her, but suddenly she felt someone right up against her back, rubbing up against her, the unmistakable feeling of a bulge in their pants.
She flinched, jerking away, swinging with her hand balled into a fist, unmindful of the audience that was packed in close.
" Get the fuck off of me!" she hissed, pushing away from Fisk, who was leering over her.
" Oh yeah, I forget, you probably like it rough now, after your little experience in Iraq!"
Dante and Darren looked ready to spring, Walter had his hand on a still loaded weapon, and everyone else watched, the anticipation palpable.
" Real men don't have to get it by trying to intimidate ladies," Walter said, " Everyone check in their gear and get out of my station, I got things to do."
Alexandra and Darren hung around Walters station until after everyone else had checked in their gear. Every now and then, each of them would steel a glance up at Operations glass observation tower.
Fisk was up there right now, justifying his lack of progress.
" You OK honey?" Walter asked quietly, now that the crowd dispersed.
Alexandra nodded, " I'm fine, I just don't like that kind of adolescent shit - You know, this stuff didn't happen until after Michael and Nikita were out of here."
Walter nodded, methodically going through the turned in gear, " Nikita always enjoyed a certain measure of protection while she was Michael's material - and when someone got stupid, she pretty much handled it - like you do. If they needed a little reminder - Michael stepped in, sometimes someone else did - it will get better - Fisk is just being stupid. He'll get his chain yanked soon."
" I know . . ." Alexandra toyed with a bullet.
" Anything new?" Darren asked him, " With the PDA's?"
Walter shook his head, " Michael checked out a large amount of tranques and regular ammo, matching his and Nikita's weapons. Madeline recently had a PDA issued to her as well, two days before Michael and Nikita disappeared - and any messages going to and from them are set up on her secured channel."
Alexandra leaned forward, " I don't know if we should be just dawdling along following Fisk's lead, 'cause he'll never find them - so they can just keep going - or to bust my hump to find them, in case they need help."
Walter looked up at her, "Don't do anything half way. Madeline is always watching, always testing. No matter what, Michael and Nikita would want you to do your best. If Madeline thinks you're slacking, it comes back to them eventually."
Alexandra nodded, glancing at Darren.
"This just doesn't feel right Walter," Darren sighed, "They were training us on planning for escape routes one morning - then poof, they disapear. We had training plans for the rest of the week. This wasn't a planned thing."
Walter shook his head, " I'm sure it wasn't."
"So do we follow Walters advice?" Darren asked her, as they walked through the main floor of Section One.
Alexandra sighed, and stopped, and turned to him, "Why do you always check with me?"
Darren frowned, "Because I value your opinion - you see things I don't - I see things you don't - I think we compliment each other."
Alexandra nodded slowly, "Thanks . . . I just . . . Fisk is getting to me is all. I'd have dropped him where he stood - but I don't feel like I'd have any support out there - not with this group we're in."
Darren nodded, " They're all good friends of, or people that just hate Nikita and Michael. Interesting mix."
Alexandra looked up towards the observation room, watching Madeline and Operations watch everyone else.
" I was thinking that myself," Alexandra said, " Remember when they were captured - Section was pretty much writing them up as runners - and we found them."
" The apartment was too clean."
Alexandra nodded yes, " Exactly - this time we know that the agency has them as being on mission status, and not to interfere - so they really could be on a mission - manditory refusal scenario, but Ops wants them pulled off."
"Or it could be that it's coming from higher up," Darren added "Except that Madeline has said that they had their chains yanked about a relationship - yet she lets them walk out of Section one."
Alexandra nodded her agreement, " So we know - or we have information from a reliable source that they are considered on mission status from the agency - a less trustworthy source say's they're on the run . . ."
"And our gut feeling tells us they're probably working on something," Darren said.
Alexandra smiled, " Yeah, Never forget what you know in your heart, despite what your eye's may see and your ears may here. I think Walters right. We bust our asses to find them - if they need help, we can feed them, if they don't, we can warn them - and keep them from catching shit when they do come in - for slacking off."
"Agreed," Darren said, "So where do we start?"
Alexandra groaned, " I don't know. It's been eight days. I wouldn't hurt go through surveillance tapes from customs."
*****
Fisk left the office, the strut gone from his step. Operations was not happy with the lack of progress. Madeline had grilled him on his procedures.
" Our operatives are not measuring up," Operations sighed, " 8 days."
" Fisk isn't measuring up - they're trained to follow the team leader, yesterday - Darren and Alexandra were asking some very good questions - analyzing the situation, developing their own profile, since they were not provided one, looking at alternative ways to track them, even now, they're searching on their own, an interesting development - considering that they are all close."
" Fisk's behavior with Alexandra - at Walter's station - she's having trouble," Operations pointed out.
"Yes, she is. Normally, she'd tell him to back off, and push him off - she's frightened," Madeline said sighing, "We discussed allowing her to re-acclimate herself with Darren - they're friends outside of Section, but it was never implemented."
"Do whatever you feel will work," Operations answered her, "Maybe that will even slow down their pursuit."
*****
" This program will scan for similarities?" Alexandra said, as Birkhoff loaded it up.
" Yeah - mathematically measured features, shape of a nose, angle of the chin, the face, that kind of thing," Birkhoff said, and looked over at the pair, "I . . .I don't know how accurate it is, you may not want to use it."
Darren watched as Alexandra scooted a little closer to Birkhoff, and leaned into him a little bit. Something that would work for a woman, but never a man, not on Birkhoff at least.
" I want to help them, not see them canceled Birkhoff, but I can't help someone I can't find," Alexandra told him, "But I don't have my gun to coerce you today, so I have to beg instead."
Birkhoff nodded, and typed in a few more commands, " You might as well get comfortable, this could take a while."
" OK, get me copies of these three photo's, and we'll go talk to Operations and Madeline," Darren said quietly.
He was exhausted. When he looked over at Alexandra, her eye's were blood shot, she'd rubbed the last of her makeup off hours ago, and she was constantly moving her mouth in that way that told him she was wishing for a tooth brush right now.
" I'm half tempted to just hold off for a while and tell them tomorrow," Alexandra yawned, I suppose we could sleep on the plane though."
Birkhoff handed them the three print off's. Two were of women who could possibly be Nikita, a third was of a man who could be Michael.
London, Belfast, and Paris were where the pictures were taken.
" I have a hard time seeing this as Nikita," Alexandra said, holding up the photograph of a woman at the Paris customs, "She's almost chunky."
" Padded clothing," Darren said, " Look at the lips."
Alexandra looked at him, " I want to hear you say you're familiar with Nikita's lips in front of Michael."
Darren humphed, " Do I look that stupid?"
Alexandra looked at the photo again, " Her lips aren't that big. This can't be Nikita."
" They are too," Darren said, " The woman has serious lips!"
Alexandra shook her head, and they started up the stairs towards Madeline's office.
" In what fantasy of yours, are Nikita's lips that big?" Alexandra asked after a moment.
" Oh no," Darren said, " I'm not even going there - the only fantasy I have about lips has nothing to do with Nikita - it would be like doing your sister - sick."
Alexandra laughed, and hit the button to notify Madeline that someone was waiting outside her door.
A moment later, the door slid open.
" I've been wondering what the two of you were working on," Madeline said as they walked into her office.
Darren placed the photographs on Madelines desk, thinking she'd probably known along what they'd been working on.
Birkhoff's been working on a program that scans for mathematically measured features - he fed pictures of Nikita and Michael into the computer, their features were measured at different angles, and then the program scans tapes - like customs video tapes. We got these three hits that could possibly be them."
Madeline smiled, " I didn't know this program was available yet."
" He say's it's still in it's testing phase - but we thought it was worth a shot," Darren explained.
Madeline switched photographs, " I see, and who gave you the order to do this?"
Alexandra blinked, " No one - we thought of it on our own, I thought the goal was to catch them."
" It is," Madeline said, setting down the photograph, " I just didn't expect either one of you to be taking much initiative - considering it's your mentors facing cancellation."
It was frighteningly silent for a moment, the tension in the air palpable.
" We're considering that we may only have part of the story," Darren said.
Alexandra almost gagged. He wouldn't dare reveal Walter had helped them.
" Meaning?" Madeline prompted him.
" You let them leave Section, sometimes we're not told everything because you're concerned it will affect our performance," Darren explained, " We're thinking that they're on the run for some other reason."
Madeline studied their faces for a moment. Darren was determined, and distrustful. Alexandra had mastered Michael's mask of emotionlessness.
It was Alexandra who spoke next, " If we're wrong - Section One is canceling two of the best agents. If we do a half way job - it reflects bad on us, and them - and I don't think any of us last to long if we don't perform, so . . ."
Madeline smiled, " I see. There is another problem I want to address."
She aimed a remote control at the screen, and a video feed came on, the scene that had played out in Walters station earlier, there was no sound. Alexandra felt cold fear settle in her stomach. She looked frightened.
"You've enjoyed a certain amount of protection, under Michael and Nikita," Madeline began, "It's unfortunate that this has happened after you were abused in Iraq."
Alexandra took a deep breath, " I handled it."
" But you're not handling it the way you used to - you're not comfortable being touched at all yet, are you."
Alexandra sighed, "I can fake anything if I have to - I went through this before."
" On a totally different scale," Madeline told her, "I'm not going to put you into abeyance until it's absolutely necessary. But you can't afford the reaction you had down there - at other places. I want you to pick someone you're as comfortable with as possible - spend time with them, have sex with them - get completely comfortable with the idea of sex again," Madelaine told her, "My first recommendation would be Darren - since you're already reasonable good friends."
Darren fought himself to keep his face straight. Did Madeline know they'd been together before?
Alexandra opened her mouth to protest, and Madeline cut her off with a wave of her hand, "No arguments - keep it professional at Section One. It will be several hours before the next briefing is held, I suggest you get some rest."
" What's on your mind," Darren asked Alexandra, as she stopped by her car for a moment, as if he didn't know.
" I was just . . . I want to go somewhere, but I don't want to go alone. Come with me?" Alexandra asked him.
Darren suppressed a yawn. He was exhausted, what he really wanted to do was sleep, but Alex asking him for help . . . he couldn't refuse.
He closed his car door, and got into her car instead. She drove down several blocks from her apartment, and into the parking lot across from the stone built Catholic church.
She got out of her car, and waited for him.
" Ready?" She asked quietly, looking up at him.
Darren saw a spark of fear in her clear, sapphire blue eye's. He slipped his fingers into hers, "I'll be right with you."
She nodded, and they walked up the steps, and inside.
It was much darker inside. The scent burning candles, filled the air, and in the front and off to the right, was a stand with hundreds of small red votive candle holders, candles sitting in them, waiting to be lit.
She walked up the aisle with him slowly, memories flooding back.
Judge, Jury and Executioner . . .
Forgive me father, I've sinned, and I feel no remorse . . .
Darren looked down at Alexandra as they walked. Her hands were ice cold, he could feel how tightly strung all the muscles in her body were. She was petrified.
He remembered what she'd told him, why she'd never go into this church, why she sat on the bench across the street and just watch it. She felt she didn't deserve the solace, her faith wavered. The priest at the church she'd gone to as a teenager threw her out, banished her. It represented all that was good and pure, that she felt she no longer had any right to share.
They got up to the stand where all the candles were, and she dropped to her knee's, and with shaking hands, struck a match, and lit three candles.
Nikita, Michael . . .
" Who's the third?"
" Lora," Alexandra said, and bit her lip.
She blew out the match, and dropped it into the ashtray, and Reached up to wipe away a tear she hadn't meant to let escape.
" I feel like I'm betraying them," Alexandra whispered, " Darren what if we're wrong? What if they really ran?"
Darren squeezed her hand, "What would Nikita and Michael tell us to do, if they were here to advise us?"
Alexandra nodded, and leaned over, and rested her head on Darren's shoulder.
*****
" Fisk is gonna be pissed," Dante said, after Madeline finished briefing them.
They were being split up into separate teams, to go after Michael and Nikita in Europe.
It was Dante, Darren, Alexandra, Kevin and a few others that were being sent to Ireland to track Michael and Nikita there. The team going to London was just going into briefing now, Fisk being one of them.
"I almost want to stick around, and wait to see Fisk seethe when he finds out he's not leading everyone anymore," Dante said, "Now, You all make me look good!"
Alexandra laughed, "Sure, pay me first."
" How much do you want?" Dante asked, joking with her, " I haven't pissed off all of my last check, but . . ."
" What's it gonna be," Walter asked, as they arrived at his station to get their gear.
" Tranques and regular hollow points," Dante said, " Anybody got any toy preferences?"
They all armed themselves with what they were most comfortable with, and they were moving towards the van loading when Fisk and his group was released from their briefing. No one dawdled in the hall long.
*****
" It's beautiful here," Nikita said, grinning ear to ear, and she snuggled into Michael's side.
They were standing on a cliff edge, looking out over the ocean. Michael watched her face, radiating with joy and excitement.
" It's one of my favorite places," Michael told her, " It seems so peaceful - especially out here. Belfast . . . . I've been on too many missions there."
Nikita looked up his face, and reached up, playing with Michael's hair. He was keeping it loose since they'd run. Section one was used to seeing it smoothed back.
They were silent for a while, just enjoying the scenery.
" I've thought about really running before," Michael said softly.
Nikita looked up at him, "When I came back in - that time when Jurgen was started to figure it out?"
" Yes, but not seriously then , I knew we wouldn't make it far, it would be death sentence. Before, when you were in abeyance - but I thought life on the run wouldn't be any better - I wasn't sure we'd make it far enough, long enough - what it would do to us . . ."
Nikita nodded, but remained silence.
" We've been careless," Michael said softly, lifting her chin up so he could see her face, and he brushed his lips across hers, "Section should have caught us by now. It doesn't make sense - and I'm tempted."
Nikita nodded, "Our days would be numbered - something isn't right. Either the team leader is screwing up, or something else has come up - and they're testing us too. Will we come back when called."
" 10 days Nikita," Michael murmured, pulling her body closer to his, his mouth moving over hers, and he whispered in between kisses, " I don't want it to end."
*****
" None of this showing a picture around shit," Darren said, as they started to divvy up the places they were going to cover, " The IRA will start freaking out on us."
" You almost look like a local Alex," Dante pointed out, " with the red hair."
Alexandra laughed, " Right up until I open my mouth."
" Yep," Kevin said, " This is a waste of time anyway, there's a sub station here."
Alexandra sighed, " There was a substation in Boulder, Colorado too, but they were there as well."
Dante split them up into groups of two again, and they all went their separate ways to steak out various hotels and boarding houses.
" That's them," Darren said, " Call the rest of the team in."
Kevin frowned, " No way - I don't believe it."
" The dark green coat - that's Michael - see - when he looks up . . ."
Darren ducked behind the shade in the cafe. He was an easy pick for Michael with his hair.
They watched, as Michael bought something from one of the street stands, and started to feed it to Nikita.
" Holy mother of god," Kevin breathed, and turned on his comm link.
" We've got the, on Blarney and O'Neil," Kevin said, " Darren and I will track, from a distance."
Darren stuffed his hair up into a watchman's cap, pulling his coat up around his neck a little more. He and Kevin stepped out onto the street, and out of the corner of his eye, Darren saw Kevin reaching for his gun.
"Don't even think of it - you spook this crowd, we'll never get to them," Darren said, " It's not even a clean shot."
" Right onto O'Neil," Kevin said, as they turned the corner.
They stayed far enough behind them to keep them insight, but not be obvious. After a few more blocks, they went inside a bed and breakfast.
The team gathered around the bed and breakfast, taking up positions.
*****
" Michael," Nikita said, moving away from the window, " I just saw Kevin."
Michael reached inside his coat for his gun, and peered through the lacy curtains, searching out the crowds. Kevin was just stepping back behind cover, frowning.
Michael turned, and to see Nikita pulling on her coat, loading up a tranque magazine.
" How many?"
" Unknown," Michael said, slipping into machine mode and checking his own magazine. He listened at their door, and satisfied after a moment, he pulled it open, and they stepped out into the hallway, heading for the back stairs.
They moved quickly through the house, slipping out the back door.
Something caught their attention, Michael turned, and fired. Dante staggered, reaching up to feel a trangue protruding from his skin.
Another popping sound came, but from above, and Nikita felt Michael flinch, and brush something off his upper arm. Nikita dropped down, firing at movement from someplace off to the left. Someone fell back behind his cover, passing out as they went down.
Alexandra heard the fire fight stop and then the silence, and then Dante's slurred ramblings, when someone was asking what their targets position was.
Alexandra found out on her own. Someone yanked her up from her position in the alley, slamming her back into the wall, pressing her body into the wall with theirs, their hand covering her mouth.
Alexandra whimpered, twisting, real fear in her eye's, not registering that it was Michael at first.
" How many?" He demanded, yanking her comlink from her ear.
" I . . . please don't," Alexandra gasped, squeezing her eye's shut.
She trembled against him, " Please . . ."
" Michael, let her go - she shouldn't even be out here," Nikita said, pulling on Michael's shoulder, "She's having flashbacks still!"
Alexandra opened her eye's, focusing on Nikita, and he had just started to step back.
" Michael," Alexandra breathed, reaching inside and drawing out another gun, one Michael hadn't been expecting her to carry. She got off three shots, Michael staggered, yanking the darts out from his stomach. Nikita dove out of the way, firing back at Alexandra, who was moving already. Both of them took cover behind the garbage dumpster on opposite sides.
"What the hell is going on Nikita?" Alexandra demanded, "Are you really running, or are you on mandatory refusal?"
Nikita stretched out on her stomach, and took aim at the redhead's ankle and knee, squeezing off a few shots of tranque darts.
" Shit!" Alexandra hissed, and she staggered out, her world swimming before her. She leveled off on Nikita, but she didn't fire.
" How could you?" Alexandra moaned, as operatives started to pour into the alleyway. She was struggling to get to her knee's. She wavered, reaching out for something, anything to steady her.
The last thing Alexandra saw was Nikita pulling Michael to his feet, and they were staggering away.
*****
Michael awoke to Nikita shaking him, telling him the plane had landed in London. He blinked, looking at her, not remembering for a moment how they'd gotten out of the alley, and onto the plane. Then he instantly remembered that they'd gone through with the same passports, the same ones that Section had probably tracked them to Ireland with.
Their weapons were stored in false bottom suitcases, and when he looked at her face, he knew that she knew they had a snowballs chance in hell of getting through customs without Section One catching them.
"I feel so bad, leaving Alex there like that - even though I know help was around the corner," Nikita said quietly.
Michael cupped her cheek, rubbing this thumb across her lips, "Our assignment is about to end." Nikita nodded, and kissed his thumb.
" I wish it could go on forever 'Kita," Michael said, and replaced his thumb with his lips.
They were outside the airport, on the street, and no one was running up to them, no one was screaming for them to halt.
Nikita waved down a cab, and they got in.
" Down town please," Nikita said.
They rode in silence for a while, both of them watching the side streets, the crowds around them.
" It's awful crowded," Nikita commented after a few minutes.
Michael nodded, then stopped, " Over there."
Fisk was seen in the crowd, and he pointed to them, and waved to someone else.
" Go!" Michael hissed.
Nikita yanked the door open, and they baled out.
They made it barely two or three steps when there was a sudden explosion, knocking both of them, and several other people to the ground.
Michael pushed himself up, and pulled Nikita up, and they both staggered towards the alley. They went on and on for 15 minutes, weaving their way through the running people.
Michael pointed to a run down boarding house, and he and Nikita limped over.
The woman at the counter gasped when she saw them.
" OH my lord! You must have been at the bombing!" she gasped, hurrying around the counter, " Sit down, sit down!"
*****
" What do you mean, you had them!?" Operations snapped.
Alexandra felt the anger and venom in his voice as if he were pounding on her head. Her stomach heaved again, and she doubled over bucket that someone had given her.
" They got away," Dante told him, " They were ready for us when they came out, and they were obviously expecting us to be using tranque's."
" Birkhoff's analysis shows that someone stepped out so much that they were probably seen, who was op number 3?" Operations demanded.
" Kevin," Dante answered.
" Return to Section," Operations ordered them, "Fisk's been notified. They're only way off Ireland is through London"
Operations frowned when he heard the retching.
" Who is that?!" He demanded.
Dante sighed, " Alex - she took six tranque hits - but she managed to get two into Michael - not that it did much good. The antidote is making her sick."
Alexandra was heaving dry air at this point. She could hardly hold herself up. She was aware of Darren scooping her up, and being carried down into a waiting car, and she knew when the transport left, but she dozed through most of the flight back.
When they arrived back at Section One, Madeline was waiting for them. She immediately sent them all home, telling them they'd debrief in the morning.
*****
Michael and Nikita sat in the lobby of the bed and breakfast, fully expecting Section one to come through the door any minute. The bombing had been an IRA attack. Nikita and Michael had just been unlucky enough to be in the middle of it. After several hours, it became apparent that Section didn't know where they were.
Michael pulled the PDA out of his pocket.
" It's dead," he said quietly, flipping it over, and pulling off the back over, " the programming is erased - it must have been the shock wave."
" Think we should call in?" Nikita asked sadly.
Michael looked at her, longing in his eye's. 11 wonderful days . . . .
" Tomorrow," Michael told her and stood up, pulling her to her feet. He looked over at the woman who ran the boarding house " If you still have that room available . . ."
Nikita woke up the next morning to find Michael sitting at the little desk, doing something with the PDA.
" Did you get it to work?" Nikita asked him, pulling on a t shirt, and sitting on the end of the bed.
Michael took a deep breath, and looked at her. Her hair was mussed, she had little scrapes and bruises, he knew he had them too. Resignation clearly written all over her face.
" Yes," Michael told her, "I couldn't re-tune it to the old frequency - but I did get it tuned back to another one."
Nikita nodded, " Have you contacted them yet?"
Michael shook his head, " Nikita, Fisk is reporting that we were killed in the blast."
Nikita looked at him, shocked, " How - Why?"
" Two of the bodies apparently look enough like us, a PDA was found on one of the bodies," Michael told her, " Section one thinks we're dead."
*****
Alexandra reluctantly put a little more distance between herself and Darren as they walked into Section One. They'd been called in later than they expected, and they knew that they were probably going to get chewed out.
" I still can't believe they got away," Alexandra groaned.
Darren nodded, and then frowned, " It's awful quiet in here, I wonder what's going on?"
They quickened their pace, and found a large, solemn crowd waiting on the main floor of Section One.
Madeline and Operations were present, Everyone that had been on the team looking for Michael and Nikita, save for Fisk and the five operatives in London with him. Walter was there, Birkhoff, Gayle, Dante, Rico, Kevin.
" Michael and Nikita were not on the run," Operations began, "They were on a training mission. The goal, was to test your tracking skills, and to see how easy or difficult it would be to track down an operative if they ran. They lasted longer than we expected."
Everyone chuckled, laughed, and the accusations of who thought what began.
" There's more," Madeline said loudly, getting everyone's attention.
" We do have some bad news," Madeline began, " As many of you are aware, there was a bombing in London yesterday, the IRA has taken responsibility for it. Fisk has just reported in that Michael and Nikita were caught in the bombing. He's identified their bodies, housekeeping has been sent to retrieve them."
Darren felt like someone had just kicked him in the stomach. He felt Alexandra reach out for him, and he pulled her into his side. He watched numbly as Dante's mouth dropped open, and he looked around, as if waiting for someone to say it wasn't true.
Walter slowly walked over to Birkhoff's station, sitting down next to the shocked young man.
" It's not . . ." Alexandra whimpered, and looked up at Darren, " If we'd taken them in Ireland . . ."
Darren hugged her to him, burying his face in her hair, not wanting to digest what he knew she was thinking. He didn't want to agree, but he had to. If they'd taken them in Ireland, Nikita and Michael would be alive right now.
*****
Nikita and Michael presented their passports and tickets to the woman at the airline counter.
" Australia," Michael told her.
The tickets read as Mr. and Mrs. Deveroux. They hadn't gotten married in London, but when they got to Australia, and they got their new Identities set up . . .
They'd talked about it all morning, all afternoon. Section One thought they were dead. They wouldn't be looking for them. Nikita had lasted six months on the outside, with no one looking for her, and she would have lasted longer, if only. . .
Nikita snuggled into Michael's side once they were on the plane. Excited, and afraid at the same time. If Section every found out, they really would be dead . . .
But they'd live in the mean time, whether it was for a few days, or years. . . .
*****
" I do," Michael said, squeezing Nikita's hands, and pressing a kiss to her lips.
" By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you, husband, and wife."
Michael released her, and picked up the pen, and signed his name to the marriage certificate. Michael Deveroux. Nikita signed her name, Nikita Deveroux.
She felt Michael's finger brush across the ring on her finger, looked over at him, warmed by the desire plainly showing in his eye's.
She knew this was crazy. They both did. They were asking to be caught, even if they didn't use their real last names.
But the madness had set in the moment they left Section One a month ago, and they were helpless to fight it, and didn't want to.
To really live, even if just for one day . . .
*****
Section one didn't arrange funerals. They didn't approve of or generally allow memorial services, but that hadn't stopped Darren, Alexandra, Dante, Walter and Birkhoff from holding one.
They agreed to meet at the city park, by the cabana near the river. Anyone who wanted to come was welcome.
There was a larger crowd then they expected, and it was almost two in the afternoon, when another car pulled up, and Madeline stepped out, two small urns in hand.
Alexandra had Darren on one side, Walter on the other, Birkhoff and Gaily were sitting on one of the benches.
" Oh god," Alexandra breathed, when Madeline walked up, the two urns in her hands. Everyone knew what was in those vases.
" I thought Section One didn't recognize their dead," Alexandra asked, not able to hide the bitterness in her tone.
" We generally don't - but I'm not here as part of Section One," Madeline told the small group that had gathered.
Everyone was quiet, milling around, waiting for someone to begin, waiting to see who else would arrive. After it became apparent the last of them was there, Walter cleared his throat.
Darren didn't hear the words that Walter was saying. It was something nice, about how they'd always been the ones you could depend on.
What Darren heard were things that were buried in his memory. Michael encouraging him to get up, try again. Nikita urging Darren not to give up hope when Alex was in Med lab. He closed his eye's and saw Nikita and Alexandra in the dance club, Michael stalking them, watching over them from several yards away . . .
Birkhoff heard Nikita telling him that he had it all wrong, dieing was easy, living was the hard part. Michael was setting a bag of Oreo's on the table next to him.
Madeline could see Nikita smiling and laughing, trying on pretty dresses, grinning ear to ear when Michael took her out of Section for the first time. The flicker of desire in Michael's eye's when he saw Nikita step out of Madeline's office for that evening.
Walters voice faltered, and in his head, he heard Nikita talking him out of going after Operations . . .
Everyone was silent.
Madeline looked around, holding the two vases.
Alexandra hadn't cried that day, but when the she watched the ashes lifted on the breeze, and settle on the water, it was too much. The tears poured fourth, and she buried her face in Darren's neck, and clung to him, feeling his body racking with tears as well. . . .
*****
Alexandra and Darren pestered Dante and Max to work out with them. The four of them became inseparable. They worked out together, ate together, sometimes they all passed out on the same living room floor together, after beer and Pizza. They went out clubbing together.
Madeline watched them from the Observation deck with Operations. The four of them had all met up on the central floor of Section One. They had 20 minutes until they had to be at egress.
Darren was a lot like Nikita. Emotional, every life was worth saving, his friends were his strength. Alexandra was just like Michael. Quiet, calm, she did what had to be done, though Madeline suspected that inside, her soul was tortured. She could pull the trigger without hesitating, but she was to calm about it. The one difference between her and Michael, was that she kept friends around her.
Max and Dante had almost taken up mentor roles with the two younger operatives. They seemed to watch over them - even though they didn't need it.
" I never realized the impact two people could have on Section," Operations said quietly, "But it still lives, and breathes without them."
Madeline nodded, "Yes, it does. An entity that continues to remain strong must always be changing and evolving. Some evolution's are easier than others."
*****
Darren was spending another sleepless night. Alexandra was asleep, curled into his side, but sleep eluded him. She's had a nightmare a few hours ago. She'd been dreaming of Ireland, where they'd lost them.
Even Darren knew, they should have been taken. Michael was moving slow, and he hadn't had the benefit of antidote. Darren knew the area wasn't adequately covered, yet he let it go when Kevin demanded that he, as the more senior operative, placed everyone.
Madeline was grilling him and Alexandra often. They'd been allowed to use each other for sexual gratification only to serve a purpose. She looked for ways to send Alexandra into panic attacks. She seemed bent on destroying what was comfortable for Alexandra.
So they kept social things in a group. They didn't stand by each other, Alexandra hooked her arms through Dante's and Max's, but never Darren's.
Since she'd gotten into a knock down drag out fight with Fisk, when he'd groped her, she'd been reassigned to another team. He didn't get to see a lot of her now.
*****
Australia . . . . three weeks later . . .
Michael and Nikita were sitting in the bar they'd gotten work in, watching the news. It was slow this time of day, and they dried glasses, put out the various garnishes Michael would use while he bartended later that night.
It had been an easy job to get. It was a new club, it was doing well, but it didn't get busy until the late evenings.
As they watched the news, there was an interruption, and a reporter appeared on the screen. There had been a bombing in Paris, France that day. The camera panned to the building that had been bombed.
It was the Paris substation of Section one.
Later on, in early evening, there had been another bombing in Ireland. Again, Michael and Nikita recognized the building. It was the substation for Section One.
Michael palmed the PDA, he still kept it on him all the time. He monitored transmissions with it - so he and Nikita could pick up and leave quickly if they had too.
Nikita knew he was watching it intensely. She took an order, and walked over.
" Michael?"
" Fisk is feeding Red cell," Michael said quietly looking at her, " He just sent them the location of the Portland substation."
Nikita opened and closed her mouth, squeezing her eye's shut, "Call them - warn them."
Michael picked up the phone, " We'll have to go back, if we warn them. Section will know we're alive."
Nikita nodded, " I know . . . but I . . . We . . ."
" We can't turn our backs," Michael finished for her, and started dialing.
He pulled Nikita to him, and held her close to his side, as he waited for the call to go through.
" I'm sorry Nikita," he whispered to her.
Nikita smiled up at him, tears in her eye's, " It was worth it - living, if only for a while."
Nikita could here bits and pieces of the conversation Michael was having with the numerous people he had to go through.
Finally he hung up in frustration.
" They won't let me through," Michael told her, grabbing her hand and starting for the door, "And by now, they've undoubtedly traced the call."
He pulled off the vest that was the only identifiable piece of clothing that identified them as affiliated with the club, and tossed it to one of the waitresses. Nikita pulled hers off as well.
" We have a family emergency," Michael said in explanation, as they quickly left through the front door.
They were left with black slack and tux shirts - in Nikita's case, black skirt and white tux shirt.
They went back to their apartment, and quickly packed up what few things they had. A few pieces of clothing, Nikita's sunglasses that she always collected, a picture of the two of them, it was a wedding picture, but you wouldn't be able to tell if you didn't now, and the wedding certificate.
Michael folded the certificate up, and put it inside the lining of his jacket.
Nikita watched him, her heart breaking. He was in machine mode. He'd have put on all black if he had it with him. But he didn't . . .
He looked up at her, and managed a smile, and walked across the room, and pulled her into his arms, "We'll find a way."
" We have to warn Section," Nikita said, after a moment, drawing a deep breath, drawing on his strength.
Michael nodded was already thinking of how he'd contact Section.
Darren, Alexandra, Walter, Birkhoff, Max, Dante, Madeline, they all had email addresses outside of Section one, and Michael had committed them all to memory.
He sent them a short note.
::::::: Section One has been breached. Portland to be bombed. Fisk is giving up substations to red cell. PDA's down. Will rendezvous fountain in 3rd street mall, noon, Wednesday November 10th. - Michael:::::::
Michael knew that Birkhoff checked his email several times daily, and everyone else checked theirs daily.
" I'll call Alexandra's and Darren's cell phones," Nikita told him.
Michael nodded, signing off the net.
He grabbed their one bag, and waited while she spoke with someone who obviously wasn't believing her.
" I don't have time to explain. The Portland station is about to be bombed - we can't get through to anyone, find Madeline and Operations," Nikita said, and hung up abruptly.
She and Michael quickly left the apartment, and were headed down the street, when the first patrol cars were pulling up.
" We should use the passports we came here with," Nikita said as she and Michael turned the corner. Michael nodded, and slipped his fingers into hers.
Madeline stared at the email in shock, and disbelief. This could be a hoax. She read it twice, just to make sure she was really seeing what she was seeing, and reached for the phone, " Have security pick up Fisk, and get me a secured line to the Portland substation."
*****
"Un-fucking believable," Darren swore, dialing another number.
Max, Dante and Alexandra all looked at him, curious, anxious.
It hadn't been a great couple of weeks.
Kevin had been killed on a mission, which wasn't any big loss to them. But had the mission been lead by someone with a clue, he'd have lived. Fisk tried to lay the blame elsewhere.
None of them were happy working under Fisk. He was cruel, his goal was to intimidate, destroy, not the ultimate good. He put them at risk, unnecessarily. He got aggressive with Alexandra once, and it turned into an all out fight. She won, but barely.
Madeline and Operations yelled at Fisk for over an hour. Alexandra was put on another team.
Darren worked well with other operatives, but with Alex, he could almost read her mind. He couldn't do that with Max, or Dante.
" Birkhoff, give me Madeline . . . someone just called me, said they were Nikita, and that Portland was about to be bombed . . . . an Email? . . . we're on our way in."
Darren hung up, and looked at the others.
" Birkhoff got an email from Michael - saying the same thing, and implicating Fisk," Darren told them.
" That's a pretty cruel prank to play," Alexandra muttered, as they all stood up to go back to Section One.
" Maybe it's not a prank," Max offered, as they walked to the parking lot.
Alexandra turned and looked at him. All three of the guys had been talking about her earlier, before she'd arrived. Out of all three of them, she was probably fairing the best - or perhaps, the worst, and just hid it well.
" Max," Alexandra said, looping her arm through his, "I wish . . . I hope . . . and I even pray, but I don't count on it every going back to the way it was."
*****
Madeline found her in the church, on 44th. She knelt down a the alter, and lit three candles. Madeline waited quietly, sitting down on the pew bench, willing to wait.
When she was done, she sat back on the bench, and looked at Madeline, her expression serene.
" I suppose this is the last place you expected to see me," Alexandra said quietly.
" yes, and no," Madeline said, " you have the strength to overcome any fear . . . and there is something about a place of worship, that chases the demons away."
Alexandra nodded, " I probably shouldn't tell you this . . . but when It gets so bad, and I couldn't turn to Nikita, or Darren, or even Michael - I would sit out across the street. I come in now, more than I used to . . . . some things I just can't dump out on Max, Dante or Darren."
Madeline smiled at her, and for once the smile did reach her eye's, " I'm not profiling you every time we speak."
" Where do you go Madeline," Alexandra asked, " When you need a shoulder."
" Sometimes I talked to Nikita. More often, it was Michael," Madeline told her, " I can't afford to many weak moments."
Alexandra nodded, understanding, " and now?"
" I . . . no where. Operations can't step away from his position. He can't afford to see me needing something - he rely's on me too much."
" I once thought I'd be better off dead - than alive in section one, but I couldn't bring myself to actually kill myself off . . . if it happened on a mission . . . . I can't say that anymore - that I'd be better off dead - but I know that someday, it will come."
" For all of us," Madeline agreed, "We truly live on barrowed, high rent time."
They were quiet for a while.
" Is there any chance that it's really them?" Alexandra asked after a while, " I can't dare to hope . . ."
Madeline sighed, " Anything is possible . . . we lost Nikita for six months once, we assumed she was dead, and she was actually held prisoner." Supposedly . . . .
Madelines gaze shifted up to the three candles Alexandra had lit.
" Michael, Nikita, and . . . Lora?" Madeline asked.
" Yes - and the souls we can't save . . ." Alexandra told her, and the two women stood up to leave, Alexandra looped her arm through Madelines, " I may not have your insight, but I have ears, and I can keep my mouth shut . . . and even after all this - I still have faith Madeline - so if you need an ear without an opinion . . ."
Madeline smiled as they walked, " Thank you. I may take you up on that. Sometimes, it's just nice to be around another person."
As the walked, something Michael once said to Alexandra came to mind. He was justifying something then, but it rang true, even now.
What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger . . . .
*****
Portland had survived the hit. The substation was evacuated, they located the bomb, and grabbed the person planting it. But the substation would have to be moved. Seattle was looking like the next best choice at the moment.
Only two people would be in the mall. Outside, there would be others. Madeline and Birkhoff would be in the van, people would be stationed to shut down the mall if necessary. If a bomb went off, or if something went wrong, they wanted to lose as few people as possible.
Darren and Alexandra, and several other operatives had been kept off the team of course, but they'd expected that. They were listening and monitoring from Section though. Operations was listening from his observation deck . All of section seemed to be in attendance.
Everything was silent in section as Michael and Nikita were identified, and taken into custody. There was no struggle of course, but it was tense for few moments, until Madeline notified Operations that it was in fact Michael and Nikita.
Alexandra and Darren were waiting when Michael and Nikita finally came out of their debriefing. Nikita's expression were calm, tired, resigned. Michael was calm, but Alexandra could see regret in his eyes.
" Hey," Alexandra said, calling out to them as the stopped at the base of the stairs.
Nikita held her arms open, and Alexandra hugged her tightly.
" I missed you, so much," Alexandra said, "We've got a lot of catching up to do."
Michael and Darren even hugged each other, though briefly.
Alexandra released Nikita, and looked at Michael, and stepped into his embrace. He kissed her forehead chastely, "You did well, both of you," Michael said, releasing Alexandra.
Darren let got of Nikita, almost reluctantly. He was afraid, that all this would evaporate. It might be a dream, and he might wake up, and they'd still be gone.
" We're not going to ask you what happened In England tonight - I'm sure you've had to relay the entire story 20 times, and I'm sure you're exhausted," Alexandra said to them, and pulled a key out of her pocket, " You're uh . . . your apartments were cleaned out - cause we thought you were dead so . . . I know you don't have a place but Section quarters tonight, and the beds here aren't as comfortable - so you could stay at my place - and I'll crash on Darren's sofa for tonight."
*****
Michael clung to Nikita, their bodies slick with perspiration from making love. He couldn't find words to tell her how much regretted that they were back, how much she meant to him. Yet, as lacking in sheer volume as the words were, he knew she needed to hear them though.
" I love you, Mrs. Deveroux."
Continue on to Shadow of the past