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Date Posted: 00:52:02 05/06/11 Fri
Author: asiacheetah
Author Host/IP: ppp-71-128-195-9.dsl.sndg02.pacbell.net / 71.128.195.9
Subject: Chapter 2 Discovery - Part 4
In reply to: asiacheetah 's message, "Trust is Never Easy - episodic" on 01:00:19 04/22/11 Fri

This chapter touches slightly on: Three Eyed Turtle

Chapter 2 Discovery – Part 4

It didn’t slip past my attention that Operations and Madeline were playing a long game con on their adversary, George. While separately they were each behaving normally, together they generated a surface tension that was more show than real. Having observed their changed behavior, which impacted their working relationship, I could only deduce that they were performing for the cameras. Having dealt with George in the past, I knew what a dangerous adversary he was. I could only be grateful that the two were not involving me into this deception.

I took advantage of their current distraction to plot for ways so that Nikita and I could be together. Having made the discovery that Nikita was reporting to Center, while not the greatest news, at least it meant that I would not have to betray her and report her to Operations and Madeline.

I also needed to know if what was between us was real or was it orchestrated as some sort of test. I would like to believe that Nikita wasn’t lying about her desires for us to be together. However, her readiness to pull back from a relationship she claimed to want since her return to Section during the weeks I served as Operations and during Madeline’s Type 1 directive, made me doubt her true feelings. I only know that somehow she had become my reason for living. She had wormed her way into my heart and I had no hope of banishing her.

*****

“Michael, I need your help.”

I looked up to find Birkoff at the door, looking apprehensive. “What is it, Birkoff?”

“They’re sending me out again and they’re bumping Hillinger up to active status.”

Birkoff had been extremely nervous and paranoid ever since Operations attempted to hang him out to dry several weeks ago.

At my silent look Birkoff continued: “I don’t trust him. He’s not ready to run a mission. He’s just not.”

“Why didn’t you inform Operations and Madeline?”

“Operations won’t listen to me.”

“What about Madeline?”

“I told her of my concern, but she didn’t want to listen either.”

“What are you afraid of?”

“That Hillinger will somehow try to kill me on the mission.”

“Do you think he would risk it?”

“He’s gotten away with causing the death of a Section operative already.”

“Why haven’t you informed Operations of that?”

Birkoff shook his head in shame at my question: “I covered for him.”

“Why?”

“I felt sorry for him and it was carelessness instead of intentional.”

“Don’t cover for him next time.”

“I won’t. What should I do?”

I thought about it for a moment: “Make sure to have backup tapes of the mission showing all his activities that he can’t modify.”

“What do I do if he tries to kill me?”

“Don’t let him.”

Birkoff swallowed hard and nodded.

“I’ll be on the mission so I’ll keep an eye out, but stay vigilant.”

“Thanks, Michael.”

*****

Birkoff’s paranoia must be rubbing off on me. I was edgy the entire mission sensing something was off. It was easy enough to extract the target, and I was escorting her out when I heard Birkoff over the headset.

“Hillinger, why don’t I have synch on the external vid?”

“Looks like a sensor. I’d get on it. Can you leave the van?”

“Michael, are we clear?”

“Yes.”

“Ok Hillinger I’m going out.”

The exchange didn’t seem right to me. I handed the captive off to another operative and moved quickly toward the mission van. I got there just in time to see a man aiming at Birkoff. I quickly took him out of play and looked at Birkoff. He was cowering on top of the van.

“That’s it, no more video games for you. When we get back I’m taking you to the shooting range.”

Birkoff blinked for a few moments until some color returned to his face. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

*****

The team was silent on the trip back. I glanced over at Birkoff who had a set look to his face. “Are you ready?”

The boy who had left Section had turned into a man in front of my eyes. His eyes showed understanding of what he was about to do, as well as the repercussion. “I’m ready.”

Birkoff made a bee line toward Comm as soon as we returned.

“Nice try!”

Hillinger: “What, are you talking to me?”

“You’re the one who tried to kill me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“What am I talking about? It’s called black track. It shows what you tried to do. Right here, you cut the surveillance loop – gave away my position. You knock out my monitor. Then you send me out to get killed. Didn’t know we could do that, did you? Resident genius! He’s the one that screwed up in Bucharest. I covered for him.”

I had an absurd feeling of pride watching Birkoff stand up to Hillinger. I knew some of the paranoia and uncertainty he had been feeling will be eased somewhat by the knowledge that he could handle it.

*****

Like all cockroaches, Hillinger refused to go peacefully and simply die. First, he worked on Nikita’s sympathy so that she would warn him in the first abeyance mission.
Then, I had to drag Nikita away from the elevator where Hillinger was trapped during the Brulois mission before the bomb detonated.

Nikita’s sense of compassion and humanity was an integral part of her. Sometimes her misplaced sympathy was an obstacle I had to plan around. Nikita felt guilt for having brought Hillinger into Section. What she failed to realize was that she was just carrying out orders. Had Hillinger not work against Madeline’s carefully crafted plans, he would have been allowed to return. He was too dangerous to be allowed to leave. Now he was a danger to others around him, especially Birkoff.

Of course all of it was an elaborate plan to escape from Section and move up to Oversight. The fact that he was a double agent for George shouldn’t have come as a surprise due to his unorthodox recruitment. It did show a surprising lack of foresight on Madeline’s part that she had not calculated this contingency.

Even worse, he managed to extract a copy of the Gemstone file from the most secured area of the Section. This showed a serious hole in Section’s security that I need to investigate. I need to either fix the security breach or modify it to take advantage in the future as a contingency.
Hillinger’s extraction of the Gemstone file also meant that George now know of Adrian’s attempted takeover, as well as the roles Nikita and I played in her capture.
George was not a man who forgives easily so I know he could no longer be counted on to secure mine and Nikita’s future.

Without the knowledge of Adrian to hold over Operations and Madeline, that bargaining chip was no longer on the table. Due to my promotion, it would be harder for the pair to move against me. The same couldn’t be said for Nikita. Unless her reporting to Center afforded her some degree of protection, I needed to find another way to keep her safe soon.

Regardless of the doubts and uncertainty caused by her being Center’s spy, I needed her to stay alive. Having chipped away at my defenses for years, I could no longer go back to the shell of a man I was when I first met her.

End of Chapter 2

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Replies:

  • Chapter 3 Or We Could Live - Part 1 (NC-17 rating) -- asiacheetah, 22:04:33 05/06/11 Fri
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