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Date Posted: 03:55:23 05/20/12 Sun
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-58-161-100-177.nsw.bigpond.net.au / 58.161.100.177
Subject: Chapter 243
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "Meanwhile back at Section ... The Rising Dragons continued ..." on 03:47:59 05/17/12 Thu

Chapter 243

Birkoff was cooling his heels waiting for Walter to re-emerge from his back room, but he was taking his time about it. He was getting a little testy and those demons in his head he’d been talking to Walter about reared their ugly face again as he began to think the worst. “Hey … Walter? You okay back there?” he called out.

When Walter didn’t reply, Birkoff decided to check if he was okay. He decided to make his way into the back room to see what had happened and why Walter was taking so long in reappearing. On entering the room he found his friend standing there listening to whoever was on the other end of the line with his head bowed and the receiver in his hand. Walter gestured for Birkoff to be quiet and raised his hand to stop him from saying anything else. Seeing that the colour had drained a little from his friend’s face he immediately became worried about what was being said to his buddy. He watched Walter’s body language and knew something wasn’t quite right.

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

“Yeah? … Oh ... I'll be right there,” Walter replied nonchalantly to the recipient on the other end of the line. He looked over at Birkoff for a moment, then turned away from the quizzical look in his eyes. Birkoff knew one thing though; Walter was talking to either Operations or Madeline. However, he couldn’t read his expression as to which one of Section’s leaders it was.

“Is there anything else?” Walter asked realising what was required of him.

“ No … That’s all.”

In a composed voice he responded. “Very well … I'm on my way.”

Birkoff looked at Walter with concern on his face. He adjusted the glasses on his nose in nervous tension dying to know what had just happened, who had called and most importantly … why. “What’s the matter?”

Replacing the handset back into its cradle on the wall, Walter took a breath to compose his thoughts knowing that Birkoff would have a million questions, then he turned around to face his friend. He looked up at Birkoff and told him the news. “They want to see me in the White Room.”

“What both of them? That can’t be good.”

“No just Madeline as far as I know. But who knows? Operations may be there too.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah … knowing that Madeline wants to see me in the White Room, it sort of reshuffled my deck just a little bit there for a while.”

“Did they say why? What do they want with you?”

“What do you think? I guess I just pushed the envelope once too often again,” he joked as the colour returned to his face.

Birkoff’s apprehension returned once more. “This is my fault. It’s because I told them a lie about the breach. They’ve found out it was not true. You can’t beat Section.”

“No, you did the right thing.”

Birkoff was thankful for Walter’s comment but nevertheless he felt for his friend. “Will you be all right?”

“I’ll be fine … it could be about something else all together.”

Birkoff suddenly felt a glimmer of hope although it was very slim. “Do you think so?”

Replying confidently Walter stated categorically. “I know so. Operations was completely satisfied with the outcome, so it can’t be about the breach. Maybe it’s about something altogether different. We’ll just have to wait and see. I don't think it's going to go too badly. They seem to be in a forgiving mood.”

“You think so? Madeline and Operations are seldom in a good mood. Why would they be this time?’

“I’ll be fine. There’s nothing to worry about. It is probably just routine.”

However, Birkoff was not so sure. “Walter… listen … is there anything I can do to get you out of this?”

“Nah. They might be calling everyone in including you too.”

Taken aback, Birkoff was a little petrified having never been in the White Room before and being a little squeamish too he knew what tactics were employed to make people talk. He hadn’t even been able to watch interrogations on his monitor, so how could he cope in such a situation?
“Walter I’m worried. What if they torture me for Intel?”

“I’ve already told you there’s nothing to worry about. They won’t torture you Birkoff.” Walter screwed his face up. As he did so, the laughter lines were prominent on his craggy face. Birkoff was gradually going a whiter shade of pale and unable to stop himself from teasing his friend a little more he replied candidly. “They’ll just scare the living daylights out of you and maybe rough you up a little.”

This time Birkoff was really petrified. “Really?”

“Relax Birkoff. I was only joking.”

“That’s not funny Walter,” he replied horrified. “I’ll be a blithering mess. I won’t be able to cope.”

“Yes you will … remember what I said about knowing when to lie, and when to tell the truth … well this is one of those times.”

“Are you telling me, to lie?”

“No, I'm telling you to survive. But how you do it is up to you.”

Birkoff heard what Walter had said but he didn’t really listen to him. He continued to prattle on about his thoughts spinning all kinds of horrible scenarios in his head. He felt a panic attack coming on. “They'll use invasive testing. What should I do?”

Walter could see that his friend was scared stiff. He had not diffused the situation enough to make his worry go away. There was only one thing he could think of... but it was a little drastic. He gave Birkoff a solemn look. “If you’re really worried this is what you can do …”

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

Walter made his way to the White Room somewhat apprehensive as to what might await him once he entered the interrogation chamber. It was unusual to say the least as to why he’d been summoned to an inquisition in there of all places. Unfortunately his conversation with Birkoff had raised some doubts in his mind despite his replies otherwise to appease his friend’s concerns.

Perhaps Operations and Madeline had indeed had a change of mind about the events in Section that he and Birkoff had in fact caused. But Operations rarely went back on any decisions he’d made and Birkoff had provided unequivocal evidence to support his theory, so that should have been the end to it. So why had he been summoned to the White Room? What was the reasoning behind his orders? Something else must have rattled their cage. But … what was it? Was it to find out if he was able to contact Michael and Nikita or was it about Oversight and George? There was known animosity between the leaders and perhaps he was too knowing about the happenings at Section One for Operations and Madeline’s liking. Whatever the reason he and Birkoff knew nothing about George and any interference he may have caused at Section. Hence, he was reassured that they really did have nothing to worry about.

He soon rounded the corner and the imposing door to the White Room loomed in front of him. Standing on the threshold Walter took a deep breath and reaching out his hands pushed the door open. The noise of the creaking hinges echoed loudly in the corridor. The sound also reverberated in his head as it opened to reveal who and what was in the White Room. Walter studied the place where terrorists had been interrogated and tortured a tad reluctant to enter. The only items occupying the round room were an imposing metal chair, a table and a small movable missile-shaped computer standing next to it. His eyes surreptitiously cased the surroundings and the rigid back of the sole person standing waiting for his arrival.

“Come in Walter.”

Entering the stark white room warily he walked over towards Section One’s head strategist and inquisitor extraordinaire. “Killing me I can understand. But ... torture?”

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

Madeline turned around to face Section’s weapons expert and watched as he entered the White Room and walked over to her. Ignoring his remarks she said, “Please sit down.”

Walter took a seat in the chair occupying the sparse room while somewhat cynically looking around the area and waited his fate. Madeline was alone and she didn’t strap him into the chair as was the usual procedure for interrogations. There was also little paraphernalia on the table and the computer was not switched on so that was a good sign also. However, any thought of reprieve was short lived as the twins entered and strapped him into the chair as protocol directed. Once that was done, they looked at Madeline for further instructions before leaving the room on her tacit command. Walter waited for his fate. Madeline started circling the chair in an off-putting manner as if to gather her thoughts and Walter was none the wiser as to her intentions.

She finally stopped walking around after a few times and stood in front of him. Her stance was stoic and her eyes looked right through him. Walter braced himself for whatever was to come, but her words were not what he’d expected to hear. “You're not going to be tortured.”

“Well that’s a relief.”

But she hadn’t finished speaking. “And you're not going to be killed …”

“Even better.” Her sentence trailed off and Walter knew that there was some kind of proviso. Raising an eyebrow in curiosity at what Madeline had said, he decided to ask what his fate may be. “Then why am I here?”

“Some questioning.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on text from … OP

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