Chapter 122 -- LFN Storyboard 2

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Date Posted: 05:56:12 08/04/07 Sat
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: WNPP-p-203-54-22-198.prem.tmns.net.au / 203.54.22.198
Subject: Chapter 122
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "The Rising Dragons ... continued ..." on 00:41:33 07/29/07 Sun

Chapter 122

Michael too, momentarily put Karen, Steven and the incidents that had just taken place out of his mind for he noticed how preoccupied Nikita seemed to be when she had handed him the orange juice. It was difficult to know what she was thinking. He was aware that Nikita had seemed a little self absorbed and had retreated into herself particularly when it dawned on her that they were alone in the park.

Had she seen the concern he�d felt for her being around the two people who had just left? He didn�t trust them but was thankful that they would not be around until the weekend, and if not for Andy Koo�s birthday next weekend, he would have dealt with them personally this week.

Or was she thinking about last night?

To his mind�s eye Nikita was beautiful. The hardest thing he had done was to leave her alone in the wee hours of the morning. However, leaving the note and red rose had been a spur of the moment decision. It was not something that he would normally have done and perhaps it revealed more than he should have. He was not a romantic and didn�t want to give Nikita the wrong impression. Perhaps he should have just left the rose and said �Be back later,� but that was too abrupt, especially after what they had shared last night. His message warranted more than that. Hence, he had left a note that may have been misconstrued, but now that it was done he was glad that he had said what he did.

Section had ordered him to check a lead in Shanghai and he�d reluctantly left Nikita to sleep a little longer without waking her, then he had to return to Hong Kong to meet with the informant. Last night had been sensational. Their encounter in the kitchen and again in the bedroom had been a turning point. He didn�t want to leave her but if he hadn�t they would have made love again and again. There was also a touch of sadness mixed with the euphoria he felt, for he knew at some stage he would have to pull back. When that would be he couldn�t say ... but a relationship would be under too much scrutiny back at Section unless they were able to find a way. He was still wary that things would change when they both returned to Section, but in the meantime they would take what they could get.

It had not been easy for Nikita. This mission had many twists and turns that had placed her in jeopardy on several occasions. She was not out of the woods yet as danger lurked in the most innocent of places. He was concerned about her neighbour and now that he had met Karen�s boyfriend he knew that they were planning something. Were they planning a kidnapping plot? The couple had acted suspiciously and then there was the man who Nikita said had bumped into her. Adding up all the elements of the equation, he didn�t like the answer he was getting.

He�d hurried back to Hong Kong for his rendezvous with his informant Ami Yeung in the park as well as to meet up with Nikita. He had hoped that she could provide some Intel on Inspector Ng, but providing him with a disk was indeed a bonus for Section One. It was much more than he�d expected and could provide Intel that lead to the whereabouts of Sun Yee Lok. Perhaps it would also shed some light on who Karen Ho was and more importantly about Inspector Jiang Ng�s alliance with the Rising Dragons triad. Although he�d found out certain things at Section that he needed to know about him, there were still too many other loose ends still dangling about Inspector Ng�s dealings with the triad. The disk might give him the answers.

The woman he�d met had been working as a double agent for Section One and as an informant for the OCTB for several years. Ami had been worried that she was being watched and had been nervous about their meeting. The Intel she had given him in the park was indeed contentious and would implicate Inspector Jiang Ng to the Rising Dragons. Hence in retrospect, because of what had happened to her, Ami had had every good reason to be uneasy. Her untimely death in the explosion meant that she must have been getting too close to ousting the Inspector as a traitor. This could have implications for Nikita�s safety and her role at the OCTB. The Inspector was an astute man and should he find out about Nikita ... this would place her in danger. The sooner he was brought into Section the better.

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

Nikita�s voice broke into his thoughts and shook him from his reverie. �Who was that woman you were talking to earlier Michael?�

He saw her hesitation at asking but replied candidly. �I wondered when you would ask.�

�Hmm ... so I gather you saw me following you.�

�Of course,� he stated looking at her with a wry grin on his face. Michael then glanced away before Nikita could see the mirth of his teasing.

Nikita should have known that he missed nothing where she was concerned. He had known she was there from the first instance as he had observed her with Karen. Unbeknownst to Nikita he had kept them under surveillance for most of their jog through the park.

A little miffed at his answer Nikita probed further a little green-eyed with curiosity and persisted with her questioning, �Well! ... Who was she?�

He did not answer.

Moving towards him she grabbed his arm and Michael turned around to her. �Who�s you�re source?�

�Someone who happened to have dealings with the OCTB.�

�Section too?�

�Yes.�

Nikita nodded but Michael was minimalist in his replies. Prying for more information than he was willing to give she broached a more sensitive area ... �A friend or �?�

�Why?� he replied knowing that Nikita would not rest until she found out who she was.

�Just curious I guess.�

�She was a contact.�

Nikita gave him a blank stare then nodded again while more questions spun around in her head. �There was an explosion.�

�I know.�

�The girl in the car, did she mean something?�

�No...�

�Oh! ... I see. You seemed very friendly with her though.�

�There was nothing more.�

�You�re sure about that?� Nikita enquired wanting to know the real relationship between Michael and the beautiful woman.

�She was an operative ... her name was Ami Yeung.�

�You could have let me know she was a Section informant.�

�This is an important mission Nikita. It�s about protecting you and finding Sun Yee Lok. It�s not about personal relationships. I don�t let personal considerations interfere with my work.�

Nikita felt a little light hearted by the thoughts that tried to rationalise Michael�s words. Although she listened to what he was saying, his words did not ring true with the Michael she knew ... the one who had been there for her every step of the way on this mission. He had gone against Section on many occasions if he thought she was in jeopardy but had still come through for Section One, so why would he say such a thing?

Obviously he too felt something for her but he was not yet ready to say what that was openly. What he had said was a bald faced lie as far as she was concerned. He had let his personal considerations interfere ... but only for her benefit. She felt terrible because she sounded so jealous ... it was most unlike her to place restrictions on anyone let alone Michael. ... He wasn�t her property ... he owed her no answers except the ones he wanted to give.

Feeling a little chastened and a tad ungrateful especially after all Michael had done for her to protect her on this mission, Nikita was apologetic in her demeanour towards him next. Suitably chastised she probed for more clarification. �Who was the hitter then?�

�Could be anyone.�

�Someone from the Rising Dragons� triad?�

�Most probably ... but it could also be an individual.�

�It�s obviously someone good enough to take out your source with a sophisticated car bomb.�

�Yes.�

�Do you have any idea who it might be Michael?�

�Not yet, although I suspect it could be Inspector Ng or a contact of his.�

�Why? What did Ami tell you?�

�She confirmed our suspicions about the Inspector and gave me a disk.�

�Can we trust her Intel or not?�

�Yes but nothing's changed. I�ll look at the disk before I give it to Birkoff. If there's anything useful on it, it could affect how we're going to proceed.�

�What if the disk is encrypted?�

�If there is anything I can�t decipher he�ll let us know and funnel it through to me.�

�Good ... Will it affect my mission at the OCTB?�

�Maybe ...� Turning to her Michael quietly replied, �This is how it has to be handled for the time being. Just do what I tell you, Nikita.�

�Fine.�

�Everything will proceed as planned. We�ll follow the mission parameters already laid out. You�ll attend the nightclub on Saturday night, and if Inspector Ng is in attendance we�ll bring him in as well.�

�Okay.�

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on text from ... Verdict and In Between

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