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Date Posted: 04:00:16 05/17/12 Thu
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-58-161-104-186.kybq1.win.bigpond.net.au / 58.161.104.186
Subject: Chapter 241
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "Meanwhile back at Section ... The Rising Dragons continued ..." on 03:47:59 05/17/12 Thu

Chapter 241

It had been over a week since Michael and Nikita had been absent from Section One and Madeline made her way to a private dining room for a breakfast debriefing about the couple and what she had planned for them when they returned. There were also other things that had been playing on her mind that she wanted to raise with Operations. She couldn’t let go of the niggling unease in her head since the supposed breach and it had occupied her thoughts more than it should have. Madeline knew instinctly that there was something not quite right and she wanted to get Paul’s opinion about her intuitions.

Upon entering the room, she saw a stupendous breakfast laid out for them and approached Operations seated at the table. He gestured for Madeline to come closer.

“Good Morning Paul … I see that you started without me,” she stated good-humouredly.

He glanced up at her. “Where have you been Madeline? Come and join me before it gets cold.”

Taking a chair opposite to him she sat down. “Thank you. My … My … Christopher has outdone himself this morning,” she remarked upon seeing the fine breakfast spread he had prepared.

“Yes he has. What would you like?”

Taking a croissant and accompaniments she placed them on her plate. “Sorry I’m late but I had some last minute things I needed to attend to.”

“What things?”

“Just some eleventh-hour profiling for the Somalia mission.”

“Let me know if there's anything critical.”

“I will.”

Glancing at her, satisfied with Madeline’s answer, Operations started the agenda for their briefing. “I wanted to discuss our convalescing operatives with you. Were we able to establish where they are?”

“No their trackers are down but Birkoff can work on another way to locate them if you wish.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary.”

“Unless something comes up that requires them back at Section earlier,” Madeline added.

Operations nodded in agreement. “You’re right.” He then looked at her for a moment with a quizzical expression at her statement. “You don’t think there is something that will recall them earlier?”

“Not at the moment … but you never know. If we get new Intel on the Rising Dragons it could be a possibility.”

“Do we have anything new?”

“Not at the moment … but we have our people searching for anything of interest.”

“Good. It seems that everything is going to plan. We can certainly pick up the Rising Dragons’ mission where we left off once they return to Section.”

“Yes … Michael will want to avenge Nikita’s incarceration at the hands of the Rising Dragons, so they’ll return fully recovered I’m sure, when the two weeks is up. I’ll do a psyche analysis on the two of them before resuming the mission parameters.”

Paul nodded in agreement but noticed that his second in command seemed a little off kilter this morning. “Is something else bothering you Madeline?” he inquired.

Given a perfect opening, Madeline brought up the subject that had been troubling her for some time. “As a matter of fact there is. I would like to discuss the Breach with you.”

“I thought that was done and dusted long ago but … I’m all ears. What is worrying you?”

“It’s just a hunch, but I’m not completely convinced that it was a malfunction in the door mechanism that triggered the alarm.”

“Why?” Operations asked offering to pour her a coffee.

“I think that Birkoff and Walter were somehow involved. They have been acting rather strangely lately. I did find them in a restricted area after all.”

“Yes but I thought Birkoff’s explanation was reasonable. And they have been worried about Michael and Nikita.”

“That may be so, but nothing those two do together is reasonable.”

“What do you want to do then? Call them in?”

“Yes that was my plan.”

“Very well, but I was satisfied with their answers but if it will make you happy go ahead.”

“I will.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The two leaders were enjoying their meal when they were interrupted by an incoming call. Answering the phone Operations put it on speaker mode so that Madeline could hear his conversation with the person at the other end … George. Once again the head of Oversight seemed to know when there had been some crisis happening at One and they both held their breath as to why he had contacted them this time.

”Good morning Paul.”

“George. How nice to hear from you again so soon after your last visit. To what to do we owe the pleasure?” The intonation of his voice was laden with insincerity although his words were innocuous.

Madeline interrupted the conversation before he could reply knowing that it was easier for her to talk to George than Operations given their antagonistic relationship. Her voice was laced with feigned delight. “George.”

“Good Morning Madeline … I trust that you are well?”

“Very. So how can we help you?”

This was such an imposition. Whenever George rang or paid them a visit it spoiled his breakfast and started him off in a bad mood for the rest of the day. Operations scowled waiting for his reply thinking a plethora of thoughts as to why George was calling Section One and all of them inane. However, they were certainly not expecting the reason for his call this time.

Cutting to the chase he stated, “I want to know about the Breach.”

Taken aback Operation blurted out, “What?”

“ Don’t tell me you don’t know what I’m talking about Paul. I want to know about the Breach in Security that happened at One. I want to know everything.”

Flummoxed as to how George could possibly know such information or about the commotion that took place at Section One, Madeline and Operations both had a stunned look on their face. Recovering his composure before answering, Operations raised his eyebrow at Madeline. As the enormity of the situation sunk in, his bewilderment quickly turned to ire at what he and Madeline must do. Somewhere in Section One there was a mole or George had managed to plant listening devices or surveillance that had gone undetected. They would need to get to the bottom of this treachery and fast. Operations was furious and held his tongue … but just.

“I’m curious George. How did you find out about the situation at Section anyway? After all it did happen a couple of days ago.”

“Everything that goes on in all the Sections and not just Section One, is known to Oversight … remember that Paul,” he warned. “I was waiting to be informed by you but obviously that was not forthcoming.

“I saw no reason to tell you,” Operations muttered tersely under his breath and took great delight in setting the record straight. “However, this time George, I’m afraid that your Intel is incorrect. What you call a Breach was actually a malfunction in the system.”

Are you sure that was the case? I hope you were not compromised in any way?”

“Absolutely. We ran down inexhaustible possibilities, but nothing was found. There were no casualties. No intruders were discovered and everything was contained. We're at full capacity except for Michael and Nikita.”

George, however, pushed his own agenda forward and ignored Operations’ response knowing that his response would incense the leader of One.“Perhaps I need to send in my team in to examine the situation anyway. Starting with department heads and key operatives.”

Suspicious of his motives Madeline interrupted stating emphatically, “I see no reason for you to intervene. We’ve already seen to that George. We have our own people who have comprehensively done that. Don’t you trust our judgement?”

”What’s not to trust?” was his tacit reply enjoying their pickiness.

Madeline was also acutely aware of the waves of anger that radiated from the man opposite her. She jumped to their defence not liking the tone of his question. “That’s provocative George. Are you implying that we can’t be trusted?”

Immediately put on the back foot he tried to soothe over their chagrin. ” Of course not. I was merely stating that what you have said is admirable and Oversight is thankful that you moved so expediently on the matter. However, that does lead me to another issue that may refute this statement.”

“What?” Operations barked back incensed by his inferences and line of questioning but especially about his prying in Section One. His face darkened with anger while George’s conjecture provoked his budding volatile temper.

Without preamble George continued, but the tone of his voice was far from happy. “Since you failed to notify me, I’m also just checking as to how are things going with Michael and Nikita’s recovery?”

So that was it. He was peeved that they hadn’t notified him earlier of their decision. “By all means. I can answer that for you George,” Madeline replied. “You’ll be pleased to know that they were granted downtime for two weeks to recover fully. I hope that meets with your satisfaction and approval?”

“It does. I will notify Center that plans for Michael and Nikita’s recuperation have been implemented and that once they return the Rising Dragons mission can conclude. Or have you plans to continue without them? You do know that Oversight has the capacity to take over the mission if One is understaffed because they are on downtime.”

Operations’ reply was gruff. His inference was confrontational as George knew that Michael and Nikita’s presence on the mission was paramount. They had no plans to continue the mission without them but they did have Birkoff working on possible leads for when they did return. The temerity of the man was beyond belief … after all it was on his orders that they were given two weeks to recover. Operations ignored George’s question and answered his statement about Center. This Intel caught them both by surprise too knowing that Mr Jones was also keeping tabs on them. “Of course.”

You know that Center is closely monitoring this mission don’t you Paul, and that its success is paramount.”

“We are doing everything we can to make sure that happens George.”

“Good … I’ll hold you to that rest assured. It will look extremely bad for One … and especially for you Paul … if you can’t deliver the goods. Remember that nothing escapes Oversight and how you handle your two best operatives is of immense interest to Center, so we are expecting great things of Section One. Understand?”

Despite their dislike of the man, they needed to keep George onside … Centre too as interference from either was the last thing that either of them needed or wanted and it seemed that George was far too familiar with happenings at Section One. Operations was becoming more livid the longer this conversation went on and he wanted to see the back of George once and for all. He and Madeline shared a look and with Operations biting his tongue he replied succinctly, “Perfectly.”

“Good. Then I won’t hold you up any longer. Have good day.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once the connection was terminated, Madeline turned towards Operations. The look on his face said it all and she was in no illusion as to how Paul was feeling. This conversation had been a bombshell. It was no surprise that his eyes were sleet gray with anger. Under the circumstances his reaction was to be expected. George only bought out the worst in him and this time he had really set the cat amongst the pigeons. Their day was anything but good now given the conversation they’d had with the leader of Oversight. They had always wondered why George used to turn up at Section unannounced armed with classified information about some crisis that had taken place at Section and now they were faced with the added dilemma of finding out how and why he was keeping tabs on them. In fact it left many questions unanswered for them of things they needed to address and the sooner the better … the first being the Breach and how George had known about it. Unfortunately he had sowed a seed of doubt and they couldn’t let it go unresolved.

“Don't let this distract you Paul. He was baiting you to get a reaction.”

“Distracted! How can I not be distracted when George knows too much? This is serious Madeline. This is the second time that there has been a spilling of Intel. I want it to stop. Now!”

“It does seem coincidental that he has been aware of happenings at Section too frequently of late. We’ve long suggested his involvement now we have to act.”

“We need to get to the bottom of this once and for all. I want every operative scrutinized A.S.A.P. Your hunch may prove to be right about Birkoff and Walter after all.”

“Maybe that's what George wants us to believe.”

“You don’t think they have been feeding him with Intel do you?”

Her nagging suspicions had manifested and it all seemed to be tied into George. Madeline‘s mind was already leaping forward to what she had to do although it pained her that the subjects were Birkoff and Walter, but they needed to do what was necessary. There was a leak and it had to be contained. Operations would expect nothing less. She doubted that it was the two larrikin operatives but they may know something that could find the culprit responsible. “No … but it’s possible. We need to get to the bottom of it and fast.”

“I agree. Do it! If they are in any way responsible I’ll cancel them myself.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on text from … DACP, NOLF

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