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Date Posted: 01:36:33 04/22/11 Fri
Author: asiacheetah
Author Host/IP: ppp-71-128-204-48.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net / 71.128.204.48
Subject: Chapter 1 Betrayal – Part 8
In reply to: asiacheetah 's message, "Trust is Never Easy - episodic" on 01:00:19 04/22/11 Fri

This chapter touches on: Someone Else’s Shadow and Opening Night Jitters

Chapter 1 Betrayal – Part 8

I knew Madeline was punishing my disloyalty for siding against her to protect Nikita when she stepped up efforts to find a means of getting a message to Salla Vacek from Elena. During the years of the blood cover mission, Section had taken a zero-risk strategy on Vacek’s couriers and recon people to avoid casting suspicion my way. Now the kid gloves were off and Section was aggressively targeting known confidants and people with business dealings with the terrorist.

I recommended to Madeline for Nikita to be included in the mission profile as a way to neutralize the security she violated when she located my address and came to my house. Dealing with Madeline was always a challenge since she had an uncanny way of reading what I am trying to hide. Both of us were used to shielding our emotions from observers. Since we were two of a kind, we have always been more successful in reading what the other was feeling.

I was certain she could read the tension and ambivalence I was feeling as I recommend Nikita to be drawn into my other life. As for Madeline I could read the malice and threat behind her words as she revealed that she knew about the breach in security. It was a not so subtle reminder that I was constantly being monitored every day of my adult life. Not for the first time I wished I was as impetuous as Nikita was when she challenged Operations to cancel her rather than to be continued to be watched like an animal in the zoo. After being in Section for so long I was used to feeling like a caged animal.

Despite my ambivalence, my recommendation for Nikita to be inserted into my mission life was approved. It was unsettling to watch Elena and Nikita form a friendship and draw closer. It was difficult maintaining the mission persona with Nikita watching my every move with wounded eyes. The situation took a turn into nightmarish proportion when Elena suggested Nikita move in with us. Madeline did not even attempt to hide her spiteful glee when she approved for this new profile.

During the entire time I’ve known Nikita, I’ve held her at arm’s length as a way to protect myself and to keep functioning. Now she was everywhere I turned watching the role I was playing of loving husband and father. It was easy to see the pain behind her eyes and I could tell she had made the mistaken conclusion that I had held myself away from her because I had been in love with my mission wife. I tried to tell her without words that this couldn’t be farther from the truth, but I’m not sure she accepted that truth.

Elena was happy to find a friend in Nikita and to meet a member of my family. Elena wasn’t close to her mother’s family and she had accepted my story of being an only child with no close relatives. In fact, other than Walter who posed as an uncle at the beginning of the mission and some Section operatives posing as friends and family during the wedding, Elena had not met any other of my supposed family members. Now she had found a surrogate sister and she felt herself closer to me than ever before.

This false closeness, while making her more susceptible to my suggestion of reaching out to her father, also brought out her need for more physical closeness. The thought of being intimate with Elena while Nikita was living in the same house and the possibility of overhearing us was unbearable. I feigned exhaustion on most nights and jumped at the chance to invite Adam to sleep with us when he had a nightmare.

After years of no contact, it seemed the end was in sight when Elena was contacted by a representative of her father. The meet did not go as planned. Nikita questioned me when we got home.

Nikita: “What happened?”

Michael: “He sent someone else.”

Nikita: “Did we pick him up?”

Michael: “No.”

Nikita: “That means they’ll keep you here longer. That’s good.”

Michael: “Good?”

Nikita: “For Adam.”

Good for Adam? Nikita in some ways was still so innocent. She actually believed that Section would let this go and that I would be left in place to raise my son. This was the first time Vacek had emerged and risked exposure. Section would never let this opportunity go. I dreaded the next possible move they would come up with knowing with certainty that it would cruel and merciless.

*****

Madeline could be diabolical. She could be cruel and heartless. When she and Operations told me of the new mission profile, I saw that I had once again underestimated them. I walked away from the perch to meet Nikita in a daze hardly believing the order I’ve been given.

Michael: “Nikita.”

Nikita: “Yeah.”

Michael: “You’re having dinner at my place tonight.”

Nikita: “Why?”

Michael: “Operations wants a confirm. You’ll provide visual.”

Some of the numbness was starting to wear off. Operations didn’t need visual when the entire house was wired and monitored at all time. This was another test, designed to test my loyalty to Section with the added benefit of driving a wedge between Nikita and I. I forced myself back to the present.

Nikita: “Confirm what?”

Michael: “They’ve asked me to p..poison Elena. Vacek’s already begun a new wave of strikes against the West. We can’t wait any longer. We have to draw him out.”

Was I trying to convince her or myself?

Nikita: “By poisoning his daughter?”

Michael: “Madeline thinks he’s vulnerable in that area.”

Nikita: “Would you kill her to get to him?”

Nikita still didn’t understand. My life hadn’t been my own since the moment I made the fateful decision of planting that bomb. She had managed to live under Section rule by pretending she still had the illusion of free will. I had given up that illusion a long time ago in order to survive.

Michael: “The drug will only simulate fatal illness.”

Nikita: “Maybe for a couple of days. After that, she’ll die.”

*****

In the end I couldn’t go through with it. While I didn’t love Elena the way a husband was suppose to, she was the mother of my child and had been my only family these past 7 years. I had lost count of the number of people I’ve killed for Section. I could not be responsible for Elena’s death as well.

The debrief in Madeline’s office was worse than anticipated. My shield was so close to breaking that I barely restrained myself from a caustic response when she told me Operations was disappointed in me. Madeline had severely misjudged me if she thought I would care what Operations thought.

I feared the tactic they would try next.

*****

When Birkoff informed me that Section failed to bring in Vacek based on information the courier Beckman gave, my suspicion that this was nothing but a ruse to keep me away from Elena was raised. I rushed home to find Elena unconscious on the couch. I was almost afraid to wake her for fear that my suspicions would be confirmed. I was so relieved when she woke up seeming to be okay. Unfortunately, I was right to be apprehensive. I woke up to the sound of someone being sick.

Michael: “Elena?”

Elena: “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

I knew all too well what was happening to her and why. Now her only hope was for her absentee terrorist father to actually have enough of his heart left to care about the life of his daughter.

*****

Nikita found me waiting outside Elena’s hospital room.

Nikita: “How is she?”

Michael: “They don’t know yet. They’re doing some tests.”

Nikita: “Where’s Adam?”

Michael: “With a neighbor.”

Nikita: “So how are you doing?”

Michael: “Why are you here?”

Nikita: “Madeline sent me. She wants you to stay here in case Vacek shows. So how did it happen?”

I could tell from her question that she feared I had gone ahead with the plan to poison Elena. In a way I was guilty since I didn’t foresee Section getting to Elena while I was sent on a fool’s errand.

Michael: “Section must have gotten to her while I was on the mission. That’s why they sent me out. If she dies they die.”

I could tell I had shocked her. I meant every word I said. Section had overstepped the last line drawn within my personal boundary and I was done being their machine, their marionette. I realized I had made a decision on how I wanted to live my life and for the first time in years I didn’t feel like a caged animal.

*****

Time was running out for Elena. With each day she became weaker and the feeling of hopelessness grew. I was never so relieved when Vacek sent his men to get me. I put all my desperation and despair in my words and actions to try to convince him to see his daughter before it was too late.

I scored a direct hit aimed where I thought he’d be the most vulnerable.

Michael: “You’ll have to learn to accept the loss of your daughter just like she had to learn to accept the loss of her father.”

Vacek: “You know I wish I had the choice to live a different life. No one else can do what needs to be done.”

Michael: “What are you talking about? Who are you?”

Vacek: “Apparently someone who is powerless to even help his own daughter. Go on. Return to Elena. My men will take you back.”

I made a last ditch plea for him to come back with me. He refused and with it any hope that Elena might survive.

Michael: “Why don’t you come with me? So she won’t die wondering if her father even cares.”

Vacek: “I can’t.”

*****

The flight back was one of the longest trips I’ve ever taken. I kept remember the day Elena and I met, the first time she told me she loved me, our wedding day, and the day she told me I would be a father and the storm of conflicted emotions that engulfed me. I made the decision that if I couldn’t save Elena, I would figure out a way to get Adam to safety and away from Section’s clutches. Especially since as the only remaining blood relative of Vacek, they would seek to use him. My action will lead directly to my cancellation, but I no longer cared if I lived or died.

Nikita was waiting for me when I returned.

Nikita: “Is Vacek coming?”

Michael: “It’s possible.”

Nikita: “You can’t just let her die Michael. Call Walter. Get the name of whatever it was they put in that stuff and tell the doctors. It’s not too late Michael. There’s still time.”

I debated my decision. If I countermand Section’s order and got Elena the antidote, they would immediately remove me from the mission and I would not be able to protect Adam. In the end Nikita was right, I couldn’t let Elena die. As I reached for my phone I heard the hospital phone ring.

Adam: “Daddy, he says it’s Grandpa coming to see Mommy!”

*****

Everything was ready. Adam was safely at the neighbor. Elena was recovering after being given the antidote. Section teams were in place to take down Vacek. All that was left was for Michael Sammuelle, loving husband and father to die. In a way, that was true.

Vacek sweeps into the room looking like he owned the hospital.

Vacek: “Hello Michael.”

Michael: “I’m glad you came. Elena, this is your father.”

I walked toward the window giving the pair privacy as I tried to come to terms with the end of the mission. Despite the difficulty the mission had caused, on my sanity, and on my relationship with Simone, there were moments over the years that I had truly been happy.

Elena: “I’m so glad.”

Vacek: “About what?”

Elena: “Because now Adam will know his grandfather.”

Dear God! Adam. Will he remember me years later? Will he remember a time when he shadowed his daddy around the house and tried to emulate his every move? Have I shown him enough love that it was now etched into his heart? I blinked back tears and tried to focus on the mission at hand. I have to or I would not be able to function.

Vacek: “So much we could have done together.”

Elena: “There will still be time for that.”

I turned around at that to prepare for the next sequence.

Michael: “Her fever dropped. The doctor said her immune system suddenly responded.”

Vacek: “When did this happen?”

Michael: “A couple of hours ago. Say goodbye to Elena.”

For Elena, I broke from the script enough to allow her to say her goodbyes. When Snow came in to kill Salla Vacek, he also put to rest Michael Sammuelle. I barely felt the tranq darts impact my chest. Elena’s screams were a distant echo in my head as I allow myself to fall unconscious.

*****

Operations: “Thank you George. No, it was a long, hard road. We’re all glad it’s over. Early intel gives us an excellent projection. What’s left of Vacek’s organization can be handled by lower agencies. I appreciate you saying that. Yes.”

Madeline: “He was pleased?”

Operations: “Oh yes. You should follow through with your proposal for level nine. There should be no resistance at this point.”

Madeline: “Good.”

Operative voice: “Sir, Michael’s here.”

Operations: “Send him in.”

There was a haze on the peripheral of my vision. All the colors in the world seemed to have bled away. I know I should make an effort to pay attention to what Operations was saying, but all I could hear was Elena’s screams and the sound of Adam’s laughter.

Operations: “Congratulations. You carried off what everyone at Oversight considered an impossible task.”

Madeline: “Elena has been released from the hospital. Physically she’s fine.”

Operations: “And of course, she and Adam will be provided for. Full package.”

Madeline: “Would you like us to copy you on their progress reports? I think we should acknowledge the personal sacrifice Michael has made and give him some time alone.”

Operations: “Absolutely.”

Madeline: “You can go, Michael.”

[The following is an alternate universe scenario. Although Michael’s time in LFN starts and end as a Level 5 operative, his ranking in the Section hierarchy seemed to rise in Season 3. While in Season 2 Last Night he was just “one of the candidate” to replace Operations, in Season 3 and 4 he was undoubtedly the next in line to take command. Since he falls in and out of Operations’ favor, his next in line status doesn’t seem to stem from Operations and rather from elsewhere like Oversight. This is why I made up this conversation. I also thought it odd that Madeline got promoted to Level 9 based on strategizing this Vacek mission, yet Michael who was the one actually in it for 7 years didn’t get anything but time off. I know Section isn’t an equal opportunity employer, this just seemed like fuzzy logic to me. Also, so many people defer to Michael including other Level 5 ops (Davenport, Walter, Birkoff) that it just didn’t seem accurate that he was “only” a Level 5. Yes I’m rewriting LFN history. There’s more where this one came from.]

Madeline: “We may have some problems with him.”

Operations: “Yes I suppose that might happen. Any suggestions?”

Madeline: “I recommend we propose a promotion to Level 6 for Michael. There should be no resistance based on Michael’s records and for his sacrifice and work on this Blood cover mission.”

Operations: “How would that help?”

Madeline: “If the promotion goes through, Michael will have added responsibilities to help distract him. It will also lower Michael’s field frequency since he would be needed here and may prevent the reckless almost suicidal actions that resulted with Simone’s death and Nikita’s abeyance operation.”

Operations: “Yes that might work. Go ahead and put in the proposal.”

*******

I walked away in haze, not noticing anyone around me. I was suffocating as if a great weight was sitting on my chest, pressing down with every breath. I left the concrete walls of Section and entered the world above. I walked the streets for hours without a destination in mind. I know I was running away from the grief that was trying to engulf me. I was trying to avoid the Section provided apartment. I didn’t want the reminder that empty apartment would serve that I was alone once again. Before I had my family, my sister, Rene, Simone, Elena and Adam. Now there was no one waiting for me, counting on me, loving me.

All I could hear was Elena’s screams and the sound of Adam’s laughter.

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  • Chapter 1 Betrayal – Part 9 -- asiacheetah, 01:42:41 04/22/11 Fri
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