Part One

Jason walked through the doors, into the nerve center of Section One. He had been here numerous times before, but as a trainee. He was on his own now, about to go on his first mission as a full operative.

Jason took a moment to let it all sink in, so much was happening. People scurrying about, talking briefly, moving on. And above it all, the office that overlooked this area. The office where Operations could see everything, keep an eye on things, and people. Jason looked up, almost afraid to see Operations standing there, but the windows were empty. Which didn’t mean he wasn’t being watched, but still, having someone just stand there, looking at him, it gave him the creeps. Jason had never met Operations, in fact he had only seen him once. A nice looking guy, medium length brown hair, dark deep eyes, and a voice, that while being soft, was full of power. Some people said his real name was Michael, but no one called him that anymore. Just Operations.

Jason looked around, trying to find a familiar face, and found none. He had a few minutes before the mission profile meeting, he wanted to make sure he wasn’t late so he had been extremely early. He wandered over to the communications area, where a friendly looking guy was busily punching various buttons.

"Could I help you?" the guy asked.

"No." Jason said, immediately feeling sorry he had come over here.

Jason sat by Birkhoff, and was joined by an operative he knew from training named Kinsey.

"Where is everybody?" Birkhoff asked Kinsey.

"It’s a small mission, this is pretty much it." Kinsey said. "Except for..." Kinsey was cut off.

"That’s an understatement." a voice said from behind Jason. He turned and gasped. It was her, the devil herself, disguised as an angel. A soulless creature, with eyes that could bore into your soul, with long blond hair, and a body to die for. With that thought, Jason looked away from her before he would offend her.

"Nikita will brief us on the target." Operations said, taking a seat.

"Thank you Michael." Nikita said, walking to the head of the table, ignoring the look of reproach Operations was giving her. "The subject, besides being a control freak, was held for over a year by a terrorist group and repeatedly tortured. This didn’t help his already deteriorating mental health."

Nikita paused and looked at Jason. He was so young, she thought. She dismissed the thought from her mind and continued. "We need information from him, and he has to trust us completely. We also have to be on the look out for one of his episodes. If he has one, he might try to kill us all without hesitation."

"You will leave in 20 minutes." Operations said. Jason didn’t catch on that Operation’s words were a dismissal, but when he saw Birkhoff get up, he followed. He caught Birkhoff’s arm.

"This is weird, right?" Jason asked in a soft voice. "Operations himself briefing us, Nikita showing up, and only four of us on the mission, Nikita included?"

Birkhoff shrugged, "I’ve seen weirder."

"They both give me the creeps." Jason said as they walked to get communication units and weopons.

"They’re..." Birkhoff said and caught himself. He paused and said, "Just focus on the mission."

Jason looked back and saw that Nikita and Operations were still in the conference room. It looked like they were arguing. Jason just hoped his name wasn’t going to be mentioned.

"He’s awfully young." Nikita said.

"Don’t change the subject." Michael said.

"Fine." Nikita said. "I think we can still use her."

"I think she has far outlived her usefullness and is becoming a liability." Michael said.

Nikita looked at him to see if he was sure of this, or was just bouncing ideas off of her, as he sometimes did. He was certain, there was no use arguing.

"I’ll take care it." Nikita said.

"Before you leave." Michael said and stood. "And you will refer to me as Operations in front of the operatives."

Nikita did a mock salute. "Yes, sir, Operations, sir!"

Michael didn’t crack a smile as he left.

Nikita smiled anyway and headed to the elevator. She punched in a high level code to access the level she needed. Only a few people were allowed on this level, and usually, once you were there, you didn’t leave.

Nikita walked up to the door, punched in another code, and walked in as the door slid open. An older woman was sitting in the corner, trying to hide the pain she was in, trying to look, or at least sound, dignified.

"Is it time?" the woman asked.

"Yes." Nikita said. "And don’t try any of your empty threats. Anyone that could help you is already dead, or can’t help you at all."

The woman sighed. "Nikita, how can you do this?"

"People change." Nikita said. "Present company excluded of course, Madeline."

"I know." Nikita said, putting the chemical gun to Madeline’s neck. "And believe it or not, I’m trying to protect you now." She squeezed the trigger and let the chemicals flow into Madeline’s neck.

"Room 19." Madeline said and slumped to the floor, dead.

Nikita didn’t have time to wonder what that meant, she needed to get to the mission. She passed Michael on the way.

"It’s taken care of." Nikita said.

"Good." Michael said and left.

Nikita sighed, things were so different now. But there was no time to think about that now, they had a mission to go on, and while they had made it seem like it wasn’t a big deal to the operatives, this mission could change everything. This mission could make all of these years worthwhile.

She looked the team over. Birkhoff she had known for years, she could trust him. Kinsey was a reliable operative, although she wouldn’t consider trusting him. And Jason, this was his first mission, she would have to keep an eye on him.

Jason squirmed under Nikita’s examination. That woman gave him the creeps. And if even half the rumors were true about her, she was a monster. The woman she had replaced, Madeline, could be considered Mother Theresa compared to Nikita.

"Let’s go." Nikita said and they loaded into the van.

The comm beeped again. Michael hit the receive button. It was Hillinger.

"George wants an update." Hillinger said.

"George does, does he?" Michael asked.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hillinger asked.

"George must be doing pretty badly, or he would have called himself." Michael said, and then with mock concern in his voice, "Is he okay?"

"He’s fine." Hillinger said. "He’s busy."

"I’ll send an update in an hour." Michael said and hit the end button before Hillinger could reply. He didn’t have time to fool with Hillinger right now, but it was something that would have to be taken care of soon. George, if he was even still alive, was clearly no longer in control. And Hillinger was getting too far into Michael’s, and the section’s, business.

Nikita walked up to the table where Gregory was sitting. Birkhoff was standing near the door, and Kinsey and Jason were right behind her.

"No armed bodyguards to greet us?" Nikita asked, smiling.

"Would it have done any good?" Gregory asked.

"Probably not." Nikita agreed. She signaled to Kinsey and he went out onto the balcony, and then Birkhoff went outside the door to stand in the hall.

"Do you have the information?" Nikita asked.

"Do you know what you’re doing?" Gregory asked.

"We’ve been through this." Nikita asked.

"Just making sure." Gregory turned to Jason and smiled. "I take it you have what I wanted?"

"Yes." Nikita said. Jason tok a breath, for a moment he thought Gregory was talking to him and he had no idea how to reply.

"A fine specimen. Worthy of a trade." Gregory said and slid a disk across the table to Nikita.

"You can handle it?" Nikita asked. Gregory nodded.

"Then we’ll leave." Nikita said, standing. She turned to Jason. "You’re staying here," she whispered. "have a drink with him and we’ll be back when we verify the information."

If it had been anyone but Nikita giving this order, Jason would have asked what was going on, but since it was Nikita, he just nodded.

Kinsey appeared and walked through without looking at Jason. Birkhoff opened the door as they neared it and Nikita and Kinsey walked through. Birkhoff smiled at Jason and closed the door. Jason wondered if Birkhoff’s smile had been one of pity, it had looked that way. But why?

"Have a seat." Gregory said, he pushed a few buttons and a servant appeared and set drinks at the table. Jason thought he heard the door lock as well. "You don’t know why you’re here, do you?"

"Of course." Jason said.

"You think you know, but you don’t." Gregory said and took a drink. "You’ve been traded, you belong to me now."

It took Jason a moment to let that sink in. He stood. "What the hell is going on?" He turned to the door and saw that there was a large armed man standing there now.

Gregory laughed.

"Is it good?" Nikita asked.

"It checks out." Birkhoff said after checking the disk.

"Drive." Nikita told Kinsey. As the van started up, Nikita looked up at the building they had just left. She pulled out a transmitter and put her finger over the button.

"Nikita," Birkhoff said.

"Shut up." Nikita said, and noticed Kinsey flinched when she said it. She pushed the button and watched as the floor that Gregory and Jason were on exploded into flames.

Birkhoff tried to concentrate on the computer screen, so he wouldn’t have to look at Nikita’s face.

"Aren’t you coming to debrief?" Birkhoff asked Nikita when they had returned to Section. Kinsey’s jaw dropped, he had never heard anyone question Nikita.

"In a minute, you two go on ahead." Nikita said forcefully.

"I’ll be there in a moment." Nikita said.

"Are you okay?" Michael asked. For a brief moment Nikita let herself believe that Michael was asking out of concern for her.

"I’m fine." Nikita said, knowing Michael didn’t care about her like that anymore.

"Did it get to you?" Michael asked. "It was an acceptable loss."

"Of course not." Nikita said. "I’ll be right there."

The screen went blank.

Nikita pulled the disk out and headed to debrief. She would look at the contents later. If it turned out to be what had been promised, well, things were going to change around here very quickly.