(96)

Michael returned to his office, disarmed the security system then contacted Davenport. "Someone got to Nikita." he gave the simple statement but the operative on the other end knew that was his direct order to place someone else in charge and return to Michael to assist him. Madeline would have to wait.

"I will rendezvous at 6AM if that's acceptable?" the team leader looked among his men and picked one that he knew wouldn't take any unnecessary risks for chances. "I have business to take care of O'Brien, don't fail me," was the menacing warning he left the younger man with before exiting the surveillance van and grabbing a cab to the airport where Sections' plane would be waiting.

"Am I cleared by Operations?" but he knew that wasn't going to be the case. "If Operations is looking for me, make sure you tell him that there has been some activity and I am on Mandatory Refusal." With that he cut the communications with his team. The cab driver wondered who he had been talking to and how since he didn't seem to be using a phone but with his limited understanding of the English language, he assumed the man in black had some sort of new cellphone and was doing some business dealings.

He drove straight to the airport and was a bit confused when Davenport instructed him to take him to a little used entrance to the field. "Just drive, I am not going to hurt you...but remember, you never saw me, if you did, I will have to kill you." he instructed the terrified man before giving him a hefty tip and exiting the vehicle.

The plane was fueled and waiting for him. As he climbed the stairs, another operative that had been instructed to meet him took whatever gear he had carried with him and led him into the interior of the plane. "Welcome aboard," he smiled before stowing the gear in the overhead compartments and telling the pilot they were ready for take off. "Michael is waiting for us, we should be on site by 5:30 am you might want to grab a little shut eye," he sat back and waited as the plane taxied then ascended into the evening sky.

The car stopped, Nikita was sure of that. In fact, it was probably the only thing she was sure of other than the fact that the interior of the trunk was suffocating and having her head covered with the heavy black material and her hands and ankles bound cause every muscle to scream in pain. She heard the trunk opening and felt two pair of hands literally drag her from the trunk.

"Careful with the merchandise," she heard a vaguely familiar voice, which of course was muffled with the thick hood over her head. "I hope she wasn't much of a problem for you?" she heard him chuckle and it made her skin crawl. She heard something about money being discussed before stronger hand grabbed her by the upper arm and half led half dragged her along beside him.

"Nikita, it would be better for everyone if you simply cooperate with me" she felt herself being yanked up many metal steps and several times she tripped because she was still blindfolded. "I'm going to take the blind fold off in a minute" she felt the rope around her wrists being untied and someone unshackling her ankles...swift as a cat she lashed out and made contact with whomever had been bent beside her undoing her restraints. She blindly lashed out with her hands and was rewarded by a solid kick to her abdomen and then the feeling of someone's legs knocking her own out from under her. She landed with a hard thud that knocked the wind out of her.

"I wish you wouldn't have done that" the voice was stern as if admonishing a child. "Can't you simply behave yourself?" he asked as he reached down and yanked the hood off her head, not without removing a chunk of her hair along with the hot material. "Sorry that couldn't be helped." he waited until her eyes became accustomed to the bright lights around her.

"Who? David Fanning?" her eyes widened in horror as she realized that once again she was in the control of this madman. "I thought..." she sat upright.

"You thought that Lisa could kill me?" he laughed. "You thought wrong lady." he yanked her upright and moved his face closer to hers.

"Enough!" she heard the voice behind her bellow.

"I was just getting started." David looked up and saw the weapon leveled at his head.

"No, you were just finished." and with that Jurgen pulled the trigger and the operative fell dead at Nikita's feet.

"I don't understand," she mumbled "I thought he was dead." she stepped back then to the side as Jurgen came down the steps, bent over and checked for a pulse.

"Well, he is now." he looked up before standing upright and holstering his weapon. "Welcome Nikita" he motioned to the heavily equipped Computer room. "Feel free to walk around but trust me, there is no escape for you" he removed the last of her restraints. "Sorry he was so rough with you." he actually apologized as he saw the deep rope burns on her wrists and the growing bruises and cuts on her face.

"Why am I here?" she looked around and holding her stomach chose to find a seat to settle into.

"Because I need Michael." Was the simple statement coming from the Operative standing before her.

"You need Michael for what?" she tried to make head or tails out of the things she saw running on the computers.

"To join me" he handed her a glass of water "You look thirsty." he sat on a stool before her. "I need both of you actually," he leaned on his arms and studied her. His stare made her squirm and she gulped hard.

"Are you planning on killing us?" she wanted to know the truth. "Not if I don't have to." he took the glass set it on he counter and walked away. "Remember, go where you like, one of the operatives can show you to your room but Nikita, don't try anything" he smiled and left her alone.

************

(97)

Nikita was shown to a suite of rooms that had obviously been prepared in advance for her arrival. There was a fruit basket on the table in what was supposed to be a kitchenette; the refrigerator was stocked with bottled water and all the healthy foods that Jurgen must have remembered she liked. She wandered to the next room and found a full size bed that under normal circumstances might have looked inviting to her. Rainbow pastel sheets and comforter with a bunch of over stuffed pillows strewn about complete with matching curtains on what appeared to be a window but was actually just an illusion of one. Wooden frame with a sunny picture behind it and the curtains expertly put up to warm the room.

Nikita didn't feel warm. She felt violated as she noticed clothing in her size both over a chair and filling the closet. She checked the drawers of the oak bureau and found various personal items of silk undergarments, bras and panties, stockings, socks you name it and it was there. Apparently Jurgen had paid more attention than just to the food she liked.

She investigated the rest of the room and found them to be set up similar to her apartment and the realization of this didn't sit well with her at all.

He hadn't knocked; instead he poked his head around the door and scared the wits out of her. She had been bent over reaching for a bottle of water from the fridge when he popped in to see how she was getting along. "I hope everything is okay?" he smiled then saw that she didn't reciprocate.

"Why Jurgen? Would it really matter if it weren't?" she carefully unscrewed the bottle top and took a swig of the ice cold liquid.

"Nikita, contrary to what you think, I want this to be as painless and comfortable for you as possible," he closed the door after coming all the way inside. He leaned against the solid door keeping distance between them. "I told you, I don't want to hurt you or Michael." he smiled.

"What do you want Jurgen?" She put the bottle down on the counter and ran her finger against the edge of the emerald green ceramic tiles. The color reminded her of Michael's eyes.

"I want my life" he fixed his glasses. "I want to be free of Section" he placed them back on his eyes.

"That's not possible" she suddenly looked even sadder than before.

"You had a life if you could call it that and look what they did to you." she sat down hard on the plastic chairs.

"That is why I need you and Michael." he sat down beside her and took one of her hands in his. For some reason she didn't pull away. "I know you and he have a relationship and I don't want to take that away. Section shouldn't be able to either." he squeezed both his hands around her one slender one.

"I'm sure you mean well..." she started but he silenced her as he kissed her hand.

"I just want you to be happy Nikita and I know you could never be with me," he smiled. Nikita couldn't help but smile back at him. He understood her better than she could have possibly guessed.

"Why did you grab only me?"

He sat back and thought about it a moment. "I didn't want anyone hurt or killed and we both know that the odds against anyone surviving an attempt to grab you with Michael around would have been killed instantly"

She laughed, apparently he knew Michael just as well. "What are you plans to get Michael?" she was genuinely interested in his plans now that she believed that he didn't want to hurt either of them.

"I will have to lure him to you, I'm sorry to use you that way, but we both know there would be no other choice," he got up from the table.

"After you get him?" she followed him out of the apartment and accompanied him down the corridor.

"Well, let's just get him here alive okay?" he laughed.

"Jurgen, are you really working with Madeline?" she stopped in front of him and stared into his eyes. "It's what I heard." she crossed her arms and waited for his reply.

"Yes, I am working in proximity to her. She believes I am working with her but she will be the prize for Michael helping me," he continued walking.

"The prize?" she looked surprised.

"Yes, Nikita, after she undoes the adjustment she did to you, I will have no problem letting Michael do with her as he pleases," she was taken back by the fact that he knew about what was done to her. "If it can be undone" she corrected him.

"I remember most of my time before she did this...but," she didn't need to finish.

He was well aware of how she had managed to screw around with Nikita's head. "I will make her fix you. Michael certainly will." he touched her long blond hair. "I liked it better before you cut it." and with that he turned and left her standing alone.

************

(98)

Michael made it to the small out of the way airport well before the plane carrying Davenport arrived. He sat in the darkened van long before any hint of morning sunlight grazed the horizon and contemplated his next move. Glad that he had taken the time to stop for several cups of coffee, he quickly finished one then moved on to the next as he jotted notes and checked Arial maps supplied by Birkoff. The logistics had been easy enough to come up with after Walter activated the tracking device in the heel of Nikita's boot. "Won't be long now Michael and we will have pinpoint location on her," he assured the agitated man.

The first rays of sunlight reached up from the even line of the horizon like gold tipped fingers opening up to encompass everything in its mighty grip. Normally Michael might have taken the time to appreciate the beauty of the moment but his mind was a swirling mass of thoughts and anything that didn't directly pertain to Nikita took a back seat to his plans.

The plane was barely visible in the morning light but Michael heard the hum of the engines before he actually saw it making its final approach. Carefully he folded the papers and maps and put them in the visor before leaving the van to lean against the hood and wait for his next in command.

Davenport got little if any sleep. He hated airplanes, flying and anything that demanded the removal of his feet from the ground. His philosophy was, if he was grounded, he could run, he would be in charge of his movements but flying removed that right from him and he wasn't comfortable putting his life and safety in anyone else's hands. Unfortunately, the choice of transportation was always taken away by something in Section.

He exited the plane carrying his bag that he had packed himself. When on a mission for Section, he first let Walter pack the usual arsenal but felt much better bringing a little backup equipment of his own. He trusted Michael because that is who trained him but he didn't feel the same closeness to anyone else. He was trained to lead his team, follow orders but deep inside the desire to protect his own back still managed to interfere with some of his beliefs.

Michael greeted him with a simple nod of the head before turning his back and returning to the safety of the van. "Do we know who had Nikita?" Davenport inquired as he took his seat beside his teammate. "Jurgen" was his simple monosyllabic statement. "So it was true that he is indeed alive?" he looked stunned but knew that Michael wouldn't have sounded so sure if he had doubts. "Why did they grab her?" he reached over and helped himself to a cup of hot steaming coffee. "Ah, just the thing to wake me up" he smiled. Michael snickered and said, "sure, help yourself" and shifted the van into gear before slowly making his was from the airport. "He's working for Madeline," he sighed, grasped the wheel a little harder then turned onto the freeway.