Chapter 197 -- LFN Storyboard 2

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Date Posted: 05:48:12 03/01/09 Sun
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-124-188-8-190.nsw.bigpond.net.au / 124.188.8.190
Subject: Chapter 197
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "The Rising Dragons - continued" on 00:39:04 01/31/09 Sat

Chapter 197

A little while later, Walter and Birkoff quietly approached the glass-paned doors of Medical and peered in through the panels, however, they were unable to see clearly, so when the automatic doors opened they entered and stood side by side and looked around. Their eyes strained to see if they could see either Michael or Nikita, but they were nowhere to be seen. It was evident though; that a flurry of activity was going on around them once they were inside the room. They could hear the sound of voices coming from some cubicles where the curtains were drawn. Edging closer, Walter and Birkoff made their way to the partitions in which they thought the two operatives were obviously being attended to in the hope of eavesdropping to find out any information.

The sound of a curtain opening caused the two men to jump back as if caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Guiltily, they turned their heads and looked up. A Med-Lab doctor emerged with a trolley of medical equipment and monitors.

Walter was the first to speak. �Hey Doc � It must be pretty crazy back there.�

Caught unawares he looked up to find the two men standing there. �What! ... What are you doing here?� The doctor snapped as he looked at Walter then Birkoff.

Innocently Walter replied as they followed him, �Come on Doc give us a break. We came to check on Michael and Nikita.�

�How are they?� Birkoff added as they watched the doctor reorganise the trolley with a fresh supply of materials.

Knowing that Walter had been on the mission to rescue Nikita and where Michael had been injured, he took sympathy on the pitiful twosome. �They�re both not out of the woods yet.�

Walter looked over to the shrouded partitions. His face had a far-away expression, thinking about what was happening inside the cubicles with his two friends. �Will Michael be okay? The medics said he was barely alive.�

Dr Johnson stopped what he was doing and replied, �Had it not been for your swift actions earlier we may have lost him.�

�Oh my god!� Birkoff gushed out loud.

�Can we see him?�

�That�s not possible. The medics have taken him to surgery.�

�What? ... Michael�s in surgery?�

�Yes.�

�Was there a problem?�

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

Digesting the meaning of his words, Walter eyed the doctor with an uneasy glance while preparing himself for the worst case scenario. This couldn�t be happening. Michael was strong ... what had gone wrong? He was very worried. Beside him Birkoff too was uneasy.

Dr. Johnson studied their expressions. He weighed up his options and finally came to the decision that telling them something was better than making them worry all night or more to the point staging a vigil until the morning. �As you know, Michael wasn�t in a good condition when he arrived, but the medical staff moved swiftly to see that he got to surgery ASAP.�

He then looked from one man to the other. However there was something in the doctor�s eyes that made Walter wary. �I see ...�

Birkoff held his breath, then asked the question they were both thinking. �He�s not going to die is he?�

Walter tried to assuage some of the tension. �Of course he�s not going to die. This is Michael we�re talking about Seymour. But I ... guess if someone wants to die, one reason is as good as another. ... Personally, being in love always made me want to live � Michael will want to live,� he added enigmatically.

Dr Johnson had a slight smile on his face seeing the banter between the two friends. �No ... We�re doing our best to see that doesn�t happen. Dr Khan is performing emergency surgery at the moment to remove the bullet from his shoulder.�

Although his words were reassuring, when Walter looked at the doctor he realised that he was holding back. �You�re not telling us everything ... are you?�

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

Madeline and Operations stood in the observation deck overlooking the Infirmary. Below them Michael was lying on a table surrounded by the operating team who were to perform the emergency surgery. As the two observed the medical staff�s preparation for Michael�s operation their thoughts turned to when he had first come into Section ...

Madeline ever the strategist was pragmatic in her assessment of their Level 5 cold operative. Michael Samuelle brought into Section One 10 years ago, graduated training 9 months early; moved directly to Level 3. His continual ascent within Section was due not only to his tactical and strategic abilities, but his primal approach. He had always shown an otherworldly disregard for his own well-being. More than anyone else, Michael had been true to the highest principles that define this organization.

She saw similarities in Michael that paralleled her own ideals for there was nothing she would not do for the Section. His rise within the ranks was meteoric and well deserved. Michael had been groomed as a potential leader, but ever since Nikita�s arrival he�d changed. The changes were very subtle and not that noticeable but to her trained eye the relationship between the operatives was one that concerned her. Tonight Michael had given her much to think about.

Operations� eyes scanned the operating theatre too where Section�s best operative lay at the mercy of the medical team. Although Michael and he had not always seen eye to eye, he was nonetheless proud of Michael�s skill as a cold operative. Time and again the younger man had pulled off the impossible on missions to reach the end game. His ruthlessness, ability and leadership qualities were to be commended but at the same time were cause for apprehension too for Michael was the penultimate Section One operative.

He was a born leader and one day he would run Section ... one day he would have Command and the power. They�d noticed that when he had power Michael changed. He certainly revelled in it ... he liked it. Power could do that, even for a man as strong as Michael Samuelle. But did he need power? He really didn�t have a choice to turn it down when he�d been offered command from time to time when he had to leave Section. Maybe Michael�s need for power was part of his strength. All he had to do was wait ... it would come. He still had a lot to learn, but were they creating someone who may usurp their leadership before his time? In many ways Michael Samuelle was better than they were. That in itself was a worry. He lived by the ideals of Section One but since Nikita had become his material both he and Madeline had noticed a slight change in him. It had been building gradually and their collaboration on missions only fuelled the bond that had developed between them. The question was ... how much did it affect their performance? If Michael was in any way reckless ... he would fail and his failure would destroy his career. He would then have no hesitation in placing Michael in abeyance.

Operations glanced over at his second in command. Madeline�s slightly raised eyebrow was the only indication that they may have been having similar thought waves. While they�d been observing Michael Samuelle in the operating theatre the two Section One leaders had unwittingly opened a minefield of much food for thought.

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

Madeline and Operations turned when they heard the door open behind them. The head surgeon Dr Khan entered and approached. �You wanted to see me?�

�Yes ... How�s he doing?�

�Not too good at the moment.�

�What�s the problem?�

�The bullet is deeper than we thought and the projectory route is just millimetres from a vital organ. It is a more delicate operation than we first thought.�

�I see. And what is your prognosis?�

The head surgeon looked from Operations to Madeline and pragmatically answered their question. �I'm sorry, but he may not make it. He�s lost too much blood. He may not pull through. If we need to put him on life support, will you be making that decision?�

It was Madeline who responded. �I already have. I've decided he's going to recover. His will to live is very strong. Your will to save him has to be strong, too. She paused. �I'll help you.�

Dr Khan took a while to digest what she was actually saying but he certainly caught the gist of Madeline�s underlying words. It was not until she continued that he understood the full implication of what she had spoken and he began to shake in his boots.

Madeline then calmly pulled out a gun, cocked it and held it up against the doctor's head.

A sudden fear and uncertainly crossed Dr Khan�s face as he waited for whatever Madeline would say next.

�Go back inside.� She took a breath before continuing. �Tell your colleagues to do the possible ..., then the impossible ..., and then the unthinkable, until he's out of danger. Because ..., when you're finished, Doctor ..., that room will contain either four living men ... or four corpses. Do you understand?�

He understood perfectly. Michael Samuelle was Section Ones� best operative but he was still surprised at the length that Madeline had gone to in order to keep him alive. �Okay.�

The surgeon left the observation desk in fear and trepidation and relayed the message to his surgical team. Collectively they cast their eyes to see the penetrating gazes of their leader and his second in command. They were under no illusion as to what the surgical team needed to do. Madeline had given the doctors their ultimatum and if Michael Samuelle didn�t pull through they knew the consequences.

They needed to pull off the impossible. They needed a miracle.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on text from ... NR, AGT, LFM and FLYF

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