Chapter 256 -- LFN Storyboard 2

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Date Posted: 08:26:49 08/11/12 Sat
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-58-161-98-169.nsw.bigpond.net.au / 58.161.98.169
Subject: Chapter 256
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "The Rising Dragons ... continued ..." on 08:17:25 08/11/12 Sat

Chapter 256

Greg Hillenger was the mole!

Birkoff�s information raised a number of plausible scenarios in Madeline and Operations� mind as to why Hillenger had done what he�d done, and they both in their own way, reflected on what would also provide motives for his deception.

Operations recalled the circumstances under which they�d dealt with Greg when he�d been recruited at such an early age. It was a catch twenty two situation. Hillenger was young but he was smart and Section One needed him, however, it was his stupidity and the invincibility of youth that had been his downfall. It was obvious that Greg would have a personal vendetta against him for being brought into Section. Hillenger�s rebelliousness and seditious attitude because he was incarcerated away from his mother would be legitimate grounds for him to have a special grudge against them as well.

Section�s leader remembered their conversation as if it had happened yesterday.

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

�Hey, go to Hell! Where am I, exactly? Stupid City? I want to talk to the man in charge!�

"I am the man in charge."

With the irreverence of youth Greg�s reply to him had been derisive and sarcastic. "You couldn't be in charge of my crotch."

It had taken less than a minute for Hillenger to get the better him, a man who had kept his cool under the most trying conditions. He realised then and there that he would be a thorn in their side but they needed him and that was that. He didn�t have to like the lad. He saw nothing funny about their teenaged guest. Greg Hillenger was dismissive, cocky and was not afraid when he was brought to his office. His disregard for authority was apparent and he saw everything as a challenge regardless of the consequences. Hillenger�s body language showed that he didn�t fear or feel threatened by the leader of Section One which totally ticked Operations off. The thought that he could make almost every captured target and operative in Section shake in fear, but couldn�t faze a teenager was galling. He�d taken great delight in telling Hillenger that he would not be leaving Section. But in his inimitable way the lad was unimpressed.

�Unfortunately ..., this place cannot tolerate mistakes. You've seen that.�

�Spare me the lecture, Old Folks. Are you going let me go or not?�

�No, we're not.�

He�d smiled realising that he had the upper hand over the teenager that was until Greg snookered him in his arrogant manner knowing that he would release him or else he would not fix the problem he had created in Comm.

�Hmmm. You may want to reconsider that.�

�And why would I want to do that?�

�Ask Birkoff.�

It was obvious that recalcitrant youth had set up some sort of a virus in their system. He�d stared at Greg for a moment, then walked over to his window where he had a clear view of Comm. and Birkoff in the middle of a multiple anomaly because the decoded sequence was generating a virus that was bleeding into the system. Hillenger�s cocky and boastful reply was the last straw.

�I might be able to fix that for you.�

He immediately realised that Greg, who was wearing a very smug expression on his face, knew about the possibility of a virus before he�d left on his little sight-seeing tour of Section and knew that it was his get out of jail card if he needed it. But of course that hadn�t eventuated and the tables had indeed been turned on the lad with Section�s subterfuge when Hillenger thought he was home and hosed and going back to his mother.

Operations realised that Section�s double jeopardy alone by reneging on their agreement was enough reason for him to side with George in his vendetta against him in particular and Section One.

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

Madeline also internalised what Birkoff had told them about Greg Hillenger. She remembered vividly when he came into Section and was cognizant of his tender age but his mental prowess was undeniable. There was no denying that the lad was a genius in his field, so what Birkoff had told them was entirely feasible. But Operations was far from happy with the Intel about his compatibility to life in Section and it was not what he had wanted to hear.

�What about Hillenger?�

�I'm working on an integration program. �

�What�s his survival likelihood?�

�Over 92 percent, actually. .. He's a surprisingly good match.�

Section�s head strategist remembered sitting at her desk observing Greg on her monitor. Operations was standing behind her, also staring at the scene. He�d leaned down to get a closer look at Hillenger and had watched as Nikita left Greg to amuse himself. She noticed his 'realignment' of the computer hardware and wiring and had brought up Birkoff's Profile on the monitor to prove that he was capable of accessing their files to ally his boredom while he was waiting to be told why he was there. Her observation of his behaviour was very telling.

�Birkoff? Seymour Birkoff. Age - twenty-one; one hundred thirty-five pounds; 20-80 vision; SYS ADMIN for every host on this LAN. Should I continue?�

Madeline had acknowledged his skill but only because they had let him. �We've let you roam through an outer, non-secured area of the network to give you something to do."

�Gee, thanks. You think I can't dig deeper?�

His scornful reply was soon silenced by her ice cold demeanor. Madeline turned from distant and kind to threatening. Moving closer to Greg he�d immediately felt her intrusion into his personal 'space' which was exactly what she had wanted him to feel. But more importantly, Hillenger soon realised that her threatening tone left no illusions in his mind � she meant what she had said. Greg, being the bright genius that he was, picked up that this woman was dangerous and he needed to tread lighlty.

�If you did ... and by some fluke ... happened on to something, classified ... You'd never go home again. ... Never see your mother again. ... You're life would be over.�

For a brief moment their eyes held a type of holding war. Then her warning delivered, Madeline returned to her 'distant and kind' impersonation and Hillenger was slightly intimidated.

�We've gone to a great deal of trouble to protect you, don't work against us, Gregory. We need you to break a code.�

�What if I don't do it?�

Her threat � �You'll do it,� and her cold stare had left him in no doubt that she meant exactly what she said and there would be no deviation whatsoever. Greg was facing a personality that he had never had to face before. Madeline was someone intelligent enough to realize his potential, but cold enough not to be more lenient due to his age. She was a formidable woman and Greg knew when to listen and do what he was told.

A slight smile bowed Madeline�s lips recalling this incident, but her thoughts soon turned to others involved in Greg Hillenger�s incarceration. Perhaps he also had a grudge against Nikita and Michael as well given that they were the ones that captured him and brought him into Section. That could explain his helping George with Intel about them from the mission. If he was able to destabilise the operatives crucial to the Rising Dragons� mission then he would have accomplished his job � to sabotage the mission for him. All George�s platitudes about them doing so well were obviously just a ploy in the early phase of the mission so that when the end game was near George then would put in motion his plan.

Perhaps it was the fact that she�d gone back on her word. Greg may have perceived this as a lie which had left him in Section One against his will with no chance of returning to the life he once had, or more importantly to his mother.

�I�m sorry we had to do this, Greg. We need your assistance for a short time ..., then you'll be safely returned.�

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

Section�s leaders each had cause to reminisce on Greg Hillenger but were also interested in Birkoff�s take on the young man and his reasons for thinking that he was George�s mole. �Go on.�

�I've worked with him. But I never trusted him.�

�Surely this is just sour grapes on your behalf?� Operations interjected but not entirely convinced by Birkoff�s answer. He realised that Greg Hillenger had kept Birkoff on his toes and had come into Section because Seymour couldn�t solve the problem. Was he just saying this because he was better than him and this was what riled him? Did he still have self esteem problems over Hillenger�s methods?

Birkoff realised what Operations was alluding to and he vehemently denied this assumption. �Of course not! He's the only one who could have gotten through for George like he did. I found something that I�m sure is how the Intel was passed on to him.�

�Continue.�

�I re-routed a deep channel and found an interesting anomaly. IT would appear that Greg Hillenger has the expertise to monitor our systems even from afar. After Belinda gave me the disc she�d found that I�d missed in my search, I re-scanned the Med Lab computers and I found a suspicious tag on Dr. Johnson�s workstation computer that held Nikita and Michael�s medical history while they were in Med Lab � It was a programme piggy backing off his case files.�

�So he could access their progress without us even knowing. Is that what you are saying Birkoff?�

�Yes. That's right.�

�Let me get this clear � what you�re telling us is that Greg Hillenger would be able to access these medical files when they were open and then pass that Intel on to George without anyone knowing.�

�Precisely. I've unlocked a half dozen security two files as well. Each contains a treasonous breach which would result in immediate cancellation. They're all linked to Hillenger by an iris match.� He set up an elaborate system that was not easily detected and he went to a lot of trouble to cover his tracks.�

Operations leaned on Madeline�s desk with a thought provoking look on his face. Madeline too had a similar disposition. �Explain.�

�That's the scary part. He�s been beta testing the software � working out the kinks. Greg used an unusual code, but I remembered the similarities to when he first came into Section One for that very purpose to solve the complex code. He was the only one who had any idea how to approach that thing. This one had elements of that code that Greg had initially solved. It has his footprint all over it. Methods used to decipher it had been implemented in reverse so no one would suspect or be able to find the decryption to decode it. It was difficult but I did it � and voila � it linked to Hillenger totally.�

�I see.�

�There is one other damming thing that you may be interested in.�

Birkoff had already given them enough Intel to ponder and they were surprised that there could possibly be more explosive information. �What is it?�

He took a deep breath before uttering, �George has a parallel profile on the Rising Dragon triad members.�

The look on Operations face was incredulous. He couldn�t believe what Birkoff had just said. �He�s got what?!?�

�How is that possible?� Madeline added perplexed.

�A lot is possible if Greg Hillenger is involved it would seem,� was Operations terse reply.

�Thank you Birkoff � I think I have a lot to discuss with Operations. You have been most thorough.�

Although Madeline�s reply had been a tacit order of dismissal, Birkoff stood his ground. He only had one chance to put forward his case and swallowing the bullet Seymour cleared his throat then uttered, �Ah � there is one other thing I would like to discuss with you both.�

�Really � and what is that?�

�I inadvertently came across Belinda�s reclassification status in my search.�

This time Operations replied, remembering that Birkoff had casually asked after the fate of the abeyance operatives when he�d went to discuss the Somalia mission. He recalled that Birkoff had been talking to Walter and Belinda earlier in Comm. and this was quite plausible as he had to access Belinda�s file in his search. �I see. And?�

�I would seriously like for you to reconsider her new mission profile given how she was crucial in providing the concrete Intel that linked Greg Hillenger to George. It provided the proof we needed that he was indeed the mole.�

Birkoff watched his leaders trying to gauge their reaction to what he had just said. However, the raised brow of Operations gave him an uneasy feeling that Section�s leader was aware that he knew exactly what he was trying to do and why.

�You can't protect her forever ... or him.�

Birkoff was thrown off kilter with this observation. �What do you mean?�

�You know what I mean. ... We know you tampered with her Abeyance records. ... Don't start thinking with your heart.�

Birkoff immediately crumbled realising that what he had proposed was obviously in vain. It appeared that Operations and Madeline had already made up their minds about Belinda and her usefulness to Section. He sighed. �Sorry.�

�You're too valuable to us ... but we�ll think about what you have said. You may go.�

Madeline�s reply was encouraging � they hadn�t completely closed the door on Belinda�s re- classification. Birkoff only hoped that he had done enough to help her and that Operations and Madeline wouldn�t hold it against him. Perhaps he had also given them cause to rethink their decision to place her in abeyance. Belinda had been instrumental in connecting the dots to Hillenger and just maybe this would be enough for them to reconsider their decision. Alternatively, perhaps he could find something else that would significantly help her cause if he only delved a little deeper into her file. Belinda�s cancellation could cause more problems for Operations and Madeline than it would solve. Walter had been crucial in the retrieval mission; there was every chance that he may be needed again in some way in the future to trap Sun Yee Lok and his cohorts. If his beloved was cancelled Birkoff didn�t know what Walter would do in his grief and Operations and Madeline knew this only too well.

Like his superiors, Birkoff had much to mull over in his mind. Their conversation was now obviously at an end so without even a slight backward glance; he quietly left Madeline�s office.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on test from �. OH, FL and LFM

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