Chapter 73 - bad language -- The New Alternate Universe of La Femme Nikita

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Date Posted: 14:04:19 06/21/02 Fri
Author: Repost Fairy
Author Host/IP: 64.193.19.25
Subject: Chapter 73 - bad language
In reply to: Repost Fairy 's message, "Burden of Proof - 68 and up" on 11:17:24 06/21/02 Fri

Mentally reviewing the conversation with Michael, Paul Wolfe left the briefing room and walked back toward his office. The younger man had seemed edgy. Out of synch.

Michael was adept at masking his feelings, a talent that had served MI5 very well over the last five years. Paul had known Michael since he was a teenager, but conversation between them had always been stilted. Normally, Michael gave new meaning to the word �taciturn�. But today, something had seemed different. Felt different.

He�d had his share of disagreements with the younger man during the course of their working association, but Michael always presented his arguments calmly, with a great degree of emotional detachment. Such detachment, Paul knew, was a coping mechanism on Michael�s part, but it suited his profile admirably.

Paul frowned as he thought of Michael�s reaction to cultivating a closer relationship with Elena Vachek. Michael had been angry, Paul realised grimly. And, for once, he hadn�t bothered to hide it.

Of course, it was possible Michael was letting the situation get to him. Unfortunate, but possible. And if that was the case, Paul couldn�t deny he would be very disappointed. Even though Michael�s relationship with the agency was best described as �unofficial�, the younger man had all the makings of a top-shelf undercover player. It was a pity Michael had no intention of extending his tenure once their mutual end game was achieved. Then again, in their line of business, nothing was ever carved in stone.

All disappointment aside, the question now was simple. Could Michael be relied upon to bring the scenario to its conclusion? Paul would be damned if he was going to let five years go down the drain, just because Michael decided he�d had enough.

Given this latest development, Paul�s frustration increased ten-fold. If Michael were just another MI5 agent arguing with him about strategy and incomplete reports, Paul would have wasted no time chewing him out and sending him off with his tail between his legs. But Michael wasn�t just another MI5 agent, anxious to please and eager to work his way up through the ranks. The situation had developed to a point where they needed Michael more than he needed them. Paul found having to tread so carefully with their �specialist consultant� quite galling, but for now, his hands were tied.

Deep in thought, Paul returned to his office, swiftly shutting the door behind him. Salla Vachek hadn�t felt the need to put Michael under surveillance for three years. At some time over the weekend, without provocation according to Michael, he ordered the surveillance be reinstated.

Why?

Was it a heightened sense of paranoia due to the approaching EEC conference, or had Michael inadvertently given Vachek cause to doubt him? Paul didn�t give a flying fuck if Vachek was playing the doting father, screening a suitable applicant for the position of son-in-law, or bugging every damned person on his payroll. He wanted to know why Vachek had targeted Michael, and he wanted to know now.

Paul sat down at his computer, and quickly brought up the Vachek file. As far as he could see, there had only been one incident that could possibly have any bearing on the status quo of Michael and Vachek�s relationship - the mediation Vachek had insisted on personally attending. Michael had failed to mention the mediation in his report, claiming it was of no consequence. He had also assured Paul � perhaps a little too vehemently � that the legal wrangle had nothing to do with the newly installed surveillance.

Michael�s out of character protestations caused Paul�s first stirring of suspicion. Michael and Vachek had attended a mediation conference on Friday. Michael had made no mention of the incident in his report later that evening. Some time during the next two days, Vachek had ordered Michael�s office to be wired.

Interesting.

Connecting the mediation to the reinstatement of surveillance seemed a long shot, but Paul would only discount the possibility after he had access to all the facts. Madeline was in the process of compiling a report on Joseph Duskovic�s legal action against Vachek Holdings. Once that was in his possession, he�d make his decision. If something was affecting Michael�s ability to do the job, then something would have to be done about it, and soon.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Madeline smiled at the petite redhead standing in the doorway of her office. �Come in, Andrea. Take a seat.�

Andrea Karsov walked quickly into the room, and elegantly eased herself into Madeline�s visitor�s chair. �I�m being reassigned?�

�Yes, I�m sorry to have to pull you off the Harker assignment, but something�s come up. Coffee?� She gestured toward the small coffee machine on the corner desk.

Andrea shook her head. �No, thank you.�

�Salla Vachek is having a dinner party at his home this Saturday.� Madeline smiled warmly. �I understand you made quite an impression on him at Ascot.�

Andrea�s dark gray eyes were cool. �I�m pleased to hear it. That was my assigned task, after all.�

Madeline studied the other woman for a few seconds. Andrea Karsov was a good field agent, highly intelligent, analytical, and passionately dedicated to her work. A casual observer may have been surprised that Andrea, after nearly seven years with MI5, had not been promoted to a senior intelligence position.

But Madeline was not a casual observer. Over the years, it had been her recommendation that Andrea remain in the field, ostensibly to utilise her tactical skills. Keeping her out of a position of power was Madeline�s real agenda. It was her private belief that Andrea�s outwardly calm, emotionally detached manner masked a volatile, perhaps even borderline, personality

Even newly recruited, something about Andrea had struck a jarring note. Curious and somewhat alarmed, Madeline had flagged her personnel file, monitoring the younger woman�s progress as she moved through the ranks. Apart from a few minor flare-ups involving other agents, Andrea had yet to confirm Madeline�s initial psych assessment. This should have put Madeline�s mind at ease. It didn�t. A gut reaction, she mused dryly, was often more difficult to dismiss than hard evidence.

Andrea was watching her patiently, her expression unreadable. �Am I to attend the dinner at Vachek�s home?�

�Yes.� Madeline handed her a disk. �Study the guest profiles carefully. These individuals rarely meet face to face - their interactions should be quite interesting.�

The other woman looked at the disk in her hand, then back up at Madeline. �What�s the configuration?�

Madeline smiled again. �You�ll act as back-up, but as far as Vachek is concerned, you�re Michael�s companion for the evening.� She watched Andrea�s face intently, and found what she was both dreading and expecting. The other woman was very good at hiding her emotions, but she wasn�t good enough to fool Madeline. At the mention of Michael Samuelle, Andrea�s expression had hardened, her eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly.

�Fine.� Her voice was flat. Unemotional.

Madeline turned to her computer, quickly bringing up the Vachek file. As she did so, she couldn�t help wondering if, by pairing these two on the same assignment, she was playing with fire. But then again, she smiled to herself, a little fire quite often netted interesting results.

During his first year with them, Michael had been foolish enough to have a relationship with Andrea Karsov. The affair had been short-lived, over in a few weeks. As far as she could tell, Michael had emerged relatively unaffected by the experience. However, Madeline suspected Andrea had not. Outwardly, her animosity toward Michael appeared to have diminished over time. Madeline was not entirely convinced.

What she had told Paul earlier in the week was quite true. Andrea and Michael did work extremely well together. That, combined with the fact that Vachek had met Andrea previously, were the main reasons she had assigned Andrea as Michael�s backup. However, she couldn�t deny that the chance to observe the interplay between the two was too good an opportunity to pass up.

As she handed Andrea a second disk, containing the security layout of the Vachek home, a flash of movement in the hallway caught her eye. She looked up and smiled.

�Good morning, Michael.�

Michael walked slowly into the room, his gaze flicking quickly to Andrea and then back to herself. �Paul said you had something for me.�

�Yes. Please take a seat.�

Andrea shifted slightly in her chair, then turned to give Michael a brittle smile. �Hello Michael.�

Michael�s expression was a study in polite detachment as he took the seat next to her. �Good morning.�

Madeline watched the pair with interest, and handed Michael the two disks he required. �Everything you need to know is on here. See Jacqueline before you go. She�ll issue both of you a remote comm. unit.�

Andrea frowned. �The new ones are slightly larger than the old units.� She touched a hand to her closely cropped, bright red hair and almost smiled. �Not quite as discreet.�

Slightly taken aback by Andrea�s sudden foray into humour, subdued as it was, Madeline gave her a genuine smile. �Extremely short hair does make them more difficult to conceal, I agree, but I�m sure you�ll manage.� She glanced quickly at Michael, then back at Andrea. �Thank you, Andrea. Jacqueline is expecting you in Communications.�

At the pointed dismissal, Andrea�s expression became stony once more. Without replying, she stood and walked swiftly from the room. She didn�t look at either of them. Madeline waited until she�d gone, before turning to Michael.

�Do you foresee any problems in having her as your partner on Saturday night?�

Michael looked at her coolly. �I hope not.�

Madeline let the unspoken criticism wash over her. �Vachek was rather taken with her at Ascot, wasn�t he?�

He appeared to consider his answer very carefully. �He�s comfortable with her,� he finally replied guardedly.

�But you�re not, are you?�

Michael glanced at her sharply, obviously startled by the blunt question. After a few seconds, he recovered enough to give her a non-committal reply. �We work well together.�

She smiled at him in grudging admiration. In all her years as a profiler, she�d never met anyone as difficult to read as this man. �Thank you, Michael. That will be all.�

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Chapter 74 -- Repost Fairy, 14:05:39 06/21/02 Fri