Chapter 132 -- LFN Storyboard 2

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Date Posted: 05:34:18 10/20/07 Sat
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-124-188-5-238.nsw.bigpond.net.au / 124.188.5.238
Subject: Chapter 132
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "The Rising Dragons ... continued ..." on 07:09:02 10/06/07 Sat

Chapter 133

With Operations� dismissive words ringing in his ears Michael turned on his heel and exited the Perch furious at Nikita�s new profile. The constant baiting to test their relationship by his superiors was wearing a bit thin. Nikita had already been through a deep cover mission with Madame Cheung and this new profile was just their attempt to keep them under control. If Madeline and Operations thought he would take this lying down, they had another thing coming. He would certainly check what she�d profiled for her on his PDA as soon as he reached his office along with the other things he planned to do.

Michael descended the stairs and strode determinedly through the eerie quietness of the common area while in his mind he was churning over the possible dangers involved for Nikita on this new mission scenario. He would run checks through the system about the targets he had in focus who may be a threat to her safety. Now that her profile had been set, he would also need to be more vigilant as to her protection. Operations� flippant reply as to Nikita�s safety was worrisome too. If she exposed Inspector Jiang Ng as a member of the Rising Dragons, then her life would be in jeopardy especially if he realised just how much she actually knew about him. Andy Koo was another proposition altogether. Michael was not at all happy that Nikita would need to be in his company one minute longer than necessary ... and then there was Karen Ho. Nikita�s enigmatic neighbour was a conundrum. It was imperative that he was thorough in his search to enable him to piece any Intel he found with his gut feelings about Karen Ho. Hopefully Birkoff would have something to add on her by now too which would shed light on her relationship with the Rising Dragons.

Passing through Comm., on his way to his office, Michael noticed that Birkoff was still in Systems talking to Walter. He gave him a covert nod aware that Operations would be watching him from the Perch, letting him know he wanted to see him when he was able to get away. Although Section One�s computer whiz looked a little frazzled when he made eye contact, he acknowledged Michael�s directive with a nervous but penetrating glance his way. This was the first time Birkoff had seen him since he�d communicated with him at the nightclub. It was obvious by his nervous demeanour that Birkoff was still stewing over what he would say to him when they came face to face. However, Michael continued past as if nothing had happened rounding the corner out of sight of the Perch and the prying eyes of Operations and entered his office.

Closing the door firmly behind him, he walked behind his desk and booted his computer typing in his secret code that would give him access to Section�s classified data. Sitting back in his chair, Michael looked at his computer for a moment before typing in a set of numbers that opened up the files but disallowed detection of personal usage by Section�s computer surveillance. He then keyed in a search for Nikita�s neighbour Karen Ho and waited for any Intel to appear and for Birkoff to arrive.

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

A short while later Michael looked up from his computer when he heard a cautious knock on his door. He saw Birkoff put his head in his office. �Come in.�

Not being able to decipher what mood Michael was in, he entered and quickly closed the door behind him. In trepidation Birkoff approached his desk with a computer disk in his hand. �You wanted to see me?� he asked nervously, knowing that he had to confront Michael at sometime about breaking his confidence.

Without looking up at him, Michael stopped what he was doing. His right hand immediately moved to put the scrambler on to screen his office from Section�s surveillance while Birkoff waited until the screen was up until he spoke again. His voice quavered a little not knowing what response he would get. �Michael about ...�
�It�s okay,� he reassured him then let him off the hook by asking, �How did it go?�

Knowing immediately what Michael was eluding to, Birkoff responded, �Not so good.�

�Did you find out any Intel on Karen Ho?�

�Sorry Michael, but I�m no closer to finding anything on her. Everything I�ve tried has come up empty.�

�What? ... Are you sure?�

�As sure as I can be.�

�Have you checked in Procedures?�

�Yes ... I�ve followed several leads but ... there�s nothing. The woman is clean Michael. What do you want me to do?�

�Try checking any incoming or outgoing communications on her landline and cell phone. This is a priority three Birkoff.�

�What are we looking for?�

�Any communication of a suspicious nature.�

�Friendly or hostile?�

�Hostile ... hidden messages to silent numbers.�

�Okay. I�ll get on to it ASAP.�

�Good ... Have you cross referenced her picture with our data base?�

�Yes ... there was no match."

�There could be another possibility.�

�What?�

�A surgical procedure. She could have changed her appearance completely.�

�Everything?�

�Yes. She could be anyone.�

�And without a physical to match to....�

�I know. We need a more personal profile.�

�Michael this could take a while ... We�ll be flying blind. There is very little to go on.�

�I understand ... but do anything and everything you can think of Birkoff... she is not an innocent.�

�Okay ... I�ll do my best,� Birkoff stated in a last ditched desperate effort to do what he could to find any clue as to her identity.

�Thank you ...�

�What about her boyfriend Steven Ma? Do you want me to do the same checks on him?�

�Yes we may get lucky there. It might be another avenue to fining out about Karen that could lead us to her real identity.�

�I�ll work on it all night if I have to Michael.�

�Thank you ... By the way ... what�s on the disk?�

Looking at the forgotten disk in his hand Birkoff replied, �The mission evaluation ... hostiles, causalities, aftermath ... the usual ... it�s all there ....� He handed the disk over to Michael who placed it on his desk.

�Thank you ... I�ll view it. There might be something you�ve overlooked.�

�Unfortunately there were no matches for Karen Ho on our data base; however, there were a couple of anomalies ...�

�Yes?� Michael�s voice intonated interest in what Birkoff had found out.

�It appears that the surveillance inside the nightclub was inactive for most of the fracas. It shows Nikita getting separated from Karen and her boyfriend and then it cuts out.�

�Hmmm ... that means that Andy Koo is not aware that she was involved in any shootouts.�

�Yes ... or you.�

�Good.�

�Is that all?�

�Yes.�

Birkoff hesitated somewhat. �It looks like it is going to be a long night.� Then as he made his way to the door to leave, he gave Michael a final penetrating look before stating the obvious. �It�s necessary for us to be thorough though ... Nikita�s safety is at stake.�

His acquiescent look was Birkoff�s answer.

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

Michael indeed knew that he was in for a long night.

Birkoff was checking on Karen Ho and her boyfriend and that left him to check on the man in charge of the OCTB ... Inspector Ng. He needed to find out as much as he could about the Inspector before Nikita was ousted by the Chief Commissioner for her new mission profile. Once Birkoff left his office Michael viewed the disk he had given him about the mission tonight. After screening what was on the CD-ROM, he knew that Jiang Ng wasn�t in attendance at the party tonight. However, footage from outside the club showed that he did turn up at the nightclub after the incident with several other police vehicles to investigate the killings and firebombing.

Andy Koo would have obviously contacted the OCTB and in particular the Inspector to provide a legitimacy to the investigations. The head of the OCTB would be able to personally oversee the case and therefore would be in a position to cover up any sensitive information that may implicate the owner of The Triangle in membership of the Rising Dragons. If the firebombing was triad related then the reason why members of the Black Panthers and 14K triads, who had started the fracas were at the nightclub, could be suppressed and Andy Koo would keep his covert association secret.

Michael had much to do. He began checking his sources in search of any advanced updates or Intel on Inspector Ng but he knew he needed to delve deeper if he were to uncover any covert communication from the Inspector�s office. Any communication he�d had about Nikita was critical. Michael had a couple of options including channels that Birkoff had used, but first he decided to call in his marker from an informant who owed him a favour. Reaching for his cell phone Michael placed a scrambler demodulator to the transmitting mechanism and dialled a secret code number.

�Hwang Su ... can you speak freely?�

�Yes.�

�I need information ...�

�You�re a man of your word Michael, I wouldn�t do this for anyone else. I owe you for Korea. So tell me, what�s this about? How can I help?�

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

What Michael had suspected was confirmed by his informant. It appeared that Inspector Ng had been making enquiries about Nikita after all, but had been coming up empty handed. Information about her credentials was available but her assignments for the Hong Kong Water Police had been suppressed. The only Intel he had been privy to was that Nikita had been given leave to go on vacation while she was in Hong Kong. Whether this had piqued his curiosity or not was debatable, but Michael knew Inspector Ng was a smart man and he could possibly put two and two together and make his own conclusions.

Inspector Ng was a major player who could blow Nikita�s cover out of the water. He was, in Michael�s opinion, their number one priority to bring into Section. Catching him unawares would be his plan and not before too long. The investigations on the firebombing and shootings could be his Achilles heel and he could be vulnerable while enquiries were pending. It could be the perfect time to make a move on the elusive Inspector Ng.

Knowing Birkoff would contact him if he found out any Intel on the couple he had under surveillance Michael prepared to leave Section. Given that he also trusted Fitzpatrick and O�Connor to do their job as ordered and keep a close eye on Karen and Steven while he was not there to do it himself, Michael knew what needed to be done.

There were too many things that could go wrong and he wanted to cover all bases where Nikita�s safety was concerned. The violence that had perpetrated tonight was the tip of the iceberg. Now that there were rival triads mustering in on Andy Koo would she be safe? Michael would have none of it. The profile planned for her to get closer to him could backfire and Nikita could be placed in extreme danger. If he couldn�t be with her 24 hours a day he could do the next best thing. Michael would be there as back up and he could cover the movements of those under suspicion ... and until Birkoff had something more concrete on her friends he didn�t want to alarm her. But being forewarned was forearmed. He would do his best to keep her safe at all costs. Hopefully a scenario to avoid Nikita�s meeting with Andy Koo may present itself which would give him some more time to put an alternative plan into action.

Therefore, the sooner he returned to Hong Kong the better.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Play on text from ... In Between, GOOR & UTRH

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