Chapter 212 -- LFN Storyboard 2

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Date Posted: 19:24:19 02/15/12 Wed
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-58-161-104-81.kybq1.win.bigpond.net.au / 58.161.104.81
Subject: Chapter 212
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "Repost .... Chapters 211 - 215" on 19:18:37 02/15/12 Wed

Chapter 212

Walter and Birkoff made their way from Systems taking the route that lead away from the common area. As they walked through the quiet hallways of Section, the two men kept looking behind them from time to time on the lookout for any operatives who may be lurking. Thankfully they saw no one.

They soon came to some stairs that led to a catwalk running over a long corridor. Climbing the flight of stairs the two friends were about to cross over when they heard voices approaching from a distance. They stood on the catwalk listening to see if they could recognize who it may be. Merging into the shadows Walter and Birkoff looked down over the railing from a height into an abyss of levels and corridors which seemed to flow endlessly down into the bowels of Section One. As they looked down to the next level they saw the operatives come into view. Birkoff was still a little jittery and he nearly dropped the computer component he'd taken out of his drawer on to the floor. Luckily however, he put it in his pocket, knowing that if he had dropped it, the devise would have resonated on the metal grill of the catwalk. The noise would have alerted all in sundry that someone was about to enter an area that was restricted to all but Madeline, Operations and Level 5 operatives.

"That was close." Birkoff whispered to Walter.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but I'm still a little jumpy."

"You're doing fine," he replied pleased that his friend hadn't dropped his bundle completely at the first sign of being discovered.

The two friends watched as the operatives passed under them oblivious to any one observing their movements. Although Walter and Birkoff couldn't quite hear the conversation between them, the two men were talking jovially. Just to be sure, they erred on the side of caution and waited until the men had disappeared from sight before continuing on their way.

"Look we have nothing to hide ... if anyone asks we're collecting equipment. Okay?"

"Okay."

"You'll be fine � You're with me. So come on, let's go."

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

The two friends looked at each other, then walked down another of Section's main corridors. Walter was thankful that they'd managed to avoid any other operatives as they made their way to one of the secluded areas of Section. It wasn't long until they were quite alone with only their footfalls echoing in the quiet of their surroundings.

"Look! ... The elevator is just over there." Birkoff alerted as they rounded a corner and came to a wall which contained the secured elevator that would take them up to Level 5.

However, just as Birkoff was about to key in the access code, the doors to the lift suddenly opened. Madeline was in the elevator but her back was turned away from the door. Walter and Birkoff got the shock of their lives to see her standing there and had to think quickly on their feet when she turned around and discovered they were where they shouldn't be. As Madeline turned around the two friends hurriedly pretended to leave in the opposite direction away from the elevator and down the corridor that headed to Systems and Munitions.

Despite having much on her mind about why George was here, Madeline gave them a surprised glance when she looked up and noticed the two near the elevator. "Birkoff! Don't you have the Uzbekistan mission?"

He turned at the sound of his voice. "They're en route. It goes live in twenty minutes." He was scared at having been discovered and began to walk away, but stopped in his tracks when she addressed him again.

"Good. Operations and I will be in Committee with George for at least that amount of time. We are not to be disturbed."

"Of course."

Madeline's eyes then traveled to Walter remembering that he was with Birkoff. "What are you doing here Walter?" she enquired.

"Just stretching my legs with Birkoff."

"I see," she replied skeptically. "Don't you have things to do too?"

"Yep � as a matter of fact, that's just what we were about to do."

"Very well. Carry on then," Madeline ordered as she walked briskly in the opposite direction towards Committee and they walked the other way.

The two friends stopped, however, once she had disappeared from sight and Birkoff turned to his buddy. Walter could see that he was really agitated with having been nearly discovered. "I don't like this Walter. That was really too close for comfort. Perhaps we should forget about it."

"Where's your sense of adventure? And besides you heard what Madeline said. She told us to carry on."

"That's not exactly what she meant."

He smiled and gave Birkoff a wily grin. "No, but it is open to interpretation. She obviously had other more pressing things on her mind than to worry about us being here or she would have said so."

"Madeline almost caught us. What if other things go wrong?"

"Then you've got me to get you out of trouble."

"Or into it more likely!"

Walter tried to convince Birkoff that they were in the clear and shouldn't have any more obstacles in their way. "Every adventure has a little mystery and danger to it. This is no different. Operations and Madeline will be in Committee for twenty minutes � that's more than enough time to do what we have to do. We might even have time when we get back to go and see Michael in Med Lab if we plan this right."

He looked at his friend hoping that he had managed to convince him. "Look Birkoff, I'd do it myself but you're the expert. I need your help. I can't do it alone."

Although Birkoff stood his ground, Walter's final plea had the desired effect.

"Okay ... but if there's a problem and we can't access the Intel were outta there."

Walter nodded. "You've got my word."

In accord, they turned around and headed back towards the elevator once more and were soon in front of the metal doors set back into the wall. They stopped and stared at the imposing, silver doors. To Birkoff's mind they could have been standing on the edge of a precipice � one they were just about to jump off from. He took a deep breath and quietly looked at his friend.

On the other hand, Walter viewed it as an Aladdin's cave � one full of treasures just waiting to be discovered.

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

"Time to work your magic amigo," Walter stated as he watched Birkoff remove the electronic gizmo from his pocket. However, Birkoff didn't use the device as Walter thought he would.

"You sure you know what you're doing?"

Birkoff gave him an assured look before tapping in a code on the walled keypad to the elevator. "Of course I do."

It took a few moments but the doors suddenly slid open to reveal a sterile lift shat. The two men entered the compartment. Walter turned back and cast a last look into the empty corridor just to make sure that they were not being followed. As the doors closed Birkoff went to the keypad installed inside the elevator and coded in his destination and the access code. However, it was taking a little longer than he'd anticipated and he became a little edgy.

"That can't be right," he mouthed alarmed when the digits failed to activate the elevator.

"What?" Walter looked at his friend. "What's going on?"

Birkoff was becoming a little testy as the elevator hadn't moved. "Come on, come on, come on," he implored impatiently staring at the unit on the wall as his fingers keyed in another series of numbers.

Water came and stood next to him. His eyes scanned the keypad that Birkoff was working on. "What's the matter � � Don't you have the right code?

Birkoff continued to persevere but it seemed as if he'd miscalculated the access code. He looked at the screen. Red dots began to move closer together as an abort clock counted down on the screen. "Walter, we've got a slight problem.

"What are you gonna do?"

He was just on the verge of using the device he'd brought with him to override the code when he chanced to look at the screen again. "All right. Looks like converging trajectories on a timer," he whispered speaking his thoughts out loud.

"Can you override it?" As he spoke Walter suddenly noticed something under the unit. "I see a power switch. Should I turn it off?"

"No! � I'm sure I can correct it." Birkoff typed in another set of digits. "That should do it." He watched as the screen gave off some other information, then he tapped his finger to the screen in anticipation. "Come on, come on."

The suspense was killing him. Walter watched the screen intently more than concerned that their Intel finding mission might be over before it even began. "Nothing's happening."

"Just wait." He replied becoming more confident by the moment as the red dots slowly disappeared one by one.

"Birkoff, it says 18 seconds!"

"It'll work. The new numbers just have to filter through."

Finally the data was successfully downloaded into the elevator's console. "All right! There it is."

Walter sighed, "Oh god. I hope that's the last of our troubles."

"Me too."

Birkoff failed to mention the fact that when certain things happened they usually occurred in threes. They'd already had two mishaps. He just knew there was bound to be a third. He chanced a glance at Walter but from his friend's demeanour it was obvious that he was oblivious to applying any significance to the last two events. He was just about to mention the probability of something else happening when they felt the elevator quickly soar upwards.

The two friends then shared a look.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on Text from � Simone, Innocent and LFM

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