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Date Posted: 19:43:54 05/09/09 Sat
Author: Odelle
Author Host/IP: CPE0013f7f24246-CM0013f7f24242.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com / 99.234.121.213
Subject: When A Time Comes (Chapter 31)
In reply to: Odelle 's message, "When A Time Comes" on 11:23:04 04/14/09 Tue


A scream of utter agony ripped through the walls of the office.

Legions of guards instantly filled the doorways and windows, guns drawn. Some were gaping openly at the unbelievable scene, most were responding on auto-pilot to the threat. A squad was immediately surrounding Nikita, automatically shielding her from the three men on the floor.

Nikita could only stare. She felt totally empty; vacant, hollow. Not distant at all, she felt very present, but totally numb – static as though there were no life within the shell of her skin.

Michael and Jak were crouched on top of the screaming, bleeding man below them. Each moving with silent efficiency to secure all the weapons from his person and stand him up. The sentries were waiting as Michael and Jak rose and hauled Guillaume up to hand him to them.

There was blood everywhere – originating from the shots to Guillaume’s hand and foot.

Nikita caught Jak’s gaze as the young man turned from watching Guillaume being carried out of the office. He had been remarkable. Every movement, every decision, had bought Michael an extra millimetre. He had lowered her shoulder to aim her shot to the hilt of Guillaume’s gun. Then, as he slowly gained Guillaume’s confidence, Jak closed the line of sight on Guillaume’s one side. He had deliberately kept himself a pace from Guillaume, so that the other man would have to shift his weight to reply to his question. And he had carefully lined up the muzzle of his own gun to Guillaume’s foot, in order to buy Michael the extra millimetre to safety.

Three shots instantly – two a fraction before the third. It had taken that split moment where Guillaume was not aware – it was a second that purchased the time for Michael to make his move. With incredible speed, Michael pivoted to the side and knocked at the firing gun with his own. Nikita and Jak landed their bullets in Guillaume’s gun hand and foot, causing his aim to slide too far over as his nerve endings reacted to the pain. Inevitably Guillaume’s finger automatically took the shot for Michael’s forehead. But it was too late. Michael was already throwing him to the ground before the first cry of pain could come from Guillaume’s voice. Jak had wrapped Guillaume’s gun arm around his back, and taken the weapon smoothly from his bleeding, nerve-closed hand.

Michael knew that he likely wouldn’t hear clearly out of his one ear for a week, but it was a small price to have the bullet fly by harmlessly into the wood panelling behind the desk.

With Guillaume hauled mercilessly from the office, another squad came forward to execute their responsibility. Four of the guards shifted with palpable reluctance to take Michael and Jak into custody out of duty – but, breaking protocol, they looked to Nikita for conformation.

Nikita was staring past them all, to the tiny flecks of red on the far wall where her bullet was lodged. She hated the smell of a recently fired gun. She had fired thousands and thousands of shots in her life; had handled almost every weapon ever created by mankind. But she couldn’t get past the rancid smell. It made her want to vomit.

“Kita,“ Michael was at her side, and whispered her name gently – his hand slowly moving to take the gun from hers.

She flinched away from him violently, the reaction reflexive.

Michael froze in a patient manner and took a half-step back.

Nikita held totally still, rapidly gathering herself. She carefully put each of her shock-induced thoughts in a sealed box, and filed them away. There was no time to indulge in such a childish reaction. This was not her first time in this position, and it wasn’t going to be her last.

Finally she searched for the right commands, and found them. “Davis, have Mr. Lias taken to the Centre. Put a team on Mr. Samuelle’s apartment, and conduct an immediate search of the entire the property for surveillance equipment.” Her posture returned to her, and she fixed her gaze on the team leader she was addressing. “I want every guard that has ever stepped foot on this estate interviewed and tested immediately. And I want every operative in Centre put up for annual review in the next week.” She felt the steel of the gun grow cold in her hand, so she cocked it back, threw on the safety, and tossed it on the desk.

She flicked her gaze to the doorway and found Henry standing tall, as unperturbed as ever. With a final nod to Davis, the team leader dispatched himself to carry out her commands. “Henry,” she walked toward her butler and discovered gratefully that her legs were strong and steady, “Please have housekeeping in here as soon as possible. I want this office cleaned up, and all of Mr. Lias’ things taken out of the rooms upstairs.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Nikita managed a tight line that would pass for gratefulness under the circumstances, and Henry took his leave. She watched after him for a long moment, feeling her instincts checking off all that needed to be done. What happened with the Senate in a few hours would determine her next steps to finding the puppetmasters behind Guillaume’s actions.

Slowly, she felt herself become more and more aware of the steady presence of Michael staring immovably at her. For a few breaths, she stood in the sunlight of the power and strength he offered. She took a moment to gather herself. Then she turned and met his gaze unflinchingly. She searched him briefly for a moment, and then shifted her eyes to the man standing at his side.

“Would you both mind searching the children’s rooms when they wake up? Discreetly.”

“Of course,” Michael whispered, and Jak nodded.

Nikita nodded tightly, and pivoted to leave – then stopped. She met their eyes once more, and allowed a low-spoken “Thank you.”

And she left to face the Senate.

************

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