(*Authors Note...the QUEST was posed as follows...OBrien is paired with Nikita for a final training mission or such. What happens ? How does Micheal react? Thanks go out to North for the inspiratioinational help here!!)


FULL STATUS

by TraceCAT98

Nikita gazed into the sultry eyes of her dance partner. She swayed in unison with him, moving to the hypnotic rhythym of the tune. She casually raised her hand, and moved a stray lock of hair from his forehead, then smiled.

"Do you come here often," she questioned.

Her dance partner chuckled, and looked down at his feet. "More often than I care to," he replied.

Nikita smiled a lopsided, playful smile, then leaned in towards him. Stopping with her lips only inches from his, she looked him directly in the eye. "Well, maybe I can make it more worth your while," she whispered. Leaning in, she lightly ran her tongue along his bottom lip. As she moved in, to deepen the kiss, the lights came up, and the music stopped.

"That will be all for now," Michael's voice boomed over the speaker.

Nikita pulled back from Marco, and they both shifted nervously. Marco, reaching up, ran his finger along his bottom lip, still looking at Nikita.

"Well, what do you think? Do I pass the test?" he asked her.

Before Nikita could reply, Michael's voice resonated over the speaker again. "OBrien, you can go. Nikita, Madeline wants to see you in her office."

Nikita looked back over her shoulder, and nodded in the direction of the observation window. Then, turning her attention back to Marco, she moved toward him. Reaching out, she touched him on the shoulder, in an effort to reassure him.

"You did fine. I am sure that you will be put on full status very soon," she said, smiling brightly at him. She then released her hold on his shoulder, and turned to head out. As she moved over the threshold of the door, Marco called out to her.

"Ah, Nikita?" Marco said.

Nikita turned, and glanced at him over her shoulder. "Yeah OBrien?" she answered.

"Thanks," he replied.

Nikita smiled. "Don't mention it," she said. Then she turned again, and headed down the hallway, towards Madeline's office.

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

As the door smoothly, and silently slid open, Nikita moved through, and casually descended the steps. She walked over, and stopped in front of Madeline's desk. Madeline, working at her computer station, finished her present task, then turned to Nikita. Looking up, and smiling brightly, Madeline motioned for Nikita to take a seat. Nikita smiled back, and moving to the chair, made herself more comfortable. "Michael says that O'Brien is progressing quite nicely," Madeline offered.

Nikita smiled and nodded. "Yeah, he is. He is learning at a very rapid rate. I think that he will make a very good operative," she replied.

Madeline smiled again, then slowly stood. She walked around to the end of her desk, and stopped, looking down at Nikita. "That is one of the reasons I called you here," she said.

Nikita turned, and looked up at Madeline. "Oh?"

Madeline walked behind Nikita, and over to her bonsai trees, that she had safely tucked away into a specially recessed wall in her office. Staring at the plants, she addressed Nikita. "Yes. And it is Michael's opinion that O'Brien may be ready for his first mission."

Nikita looked straight ahead of her, but listened intently to what Madeline said. "I would have to agree. His marks are more than high enough, and he has more than proved that he can meet Section's standards for full status ops."

Madeline, still facing away from Nikita, smiled, then reached out, and lightly brushed her finger along one of the branches of her trees. After a few moments, Madeline turned on her heel, and walked back over to her desk. Walking around the edge of it, she took her seat again.

"Good, then we are in agreement. O'Brien will play the part of your lover on the Wayne mission, and Michael will lead team two."

As soon as Madeline said the word 'lover', Nikita's eyes snapped wide, and her mouth opened in mid response. Madeline, paying no attention to Nikita's reaction, turned to her computer monitor, and began to continue working on the task that she had been occupied with upon Nikita's arrival. Nikita, having not offered to move, stared at Madeline.

"Nikita, is there something else?" Madeline asked, keeping her attention on her monitor.

"Well, its just, when was it determined that O'Brien and I would portray lovers?" she said. Madeline, turning, tilted her head, and smiled. "Operations and I discussed the necessity to use O'Brien to his upmost potential. To this end, it was felt that, taking your previous history with each other, that you would make a convincing couple."

Nikita just sat quietly, unable to respond to Madeline's 'reasoning'. After a few moments, Nikita stood, and turned to the steps. As she ascended them, she kept her eyes downcast, looking at her feet, and trying to think of a way to change Madeline's mind. Then, as the idea hit her, she stopped at the top of the steps, and turned to look over her shoulder. "Madeline, what does Michael think of the profile for this mission?" she said, expecting a specific response.

Madeline looked up at her, and paused a moment. "I think maybe you should discuss that with Michael," she replied, then turned back to her monitor.

The door slid smoothly and silently open, and Nikita crossed the threshold. With the door shutting behind her, she stared down the labyrinth hallway, one of many that crisscrossed and spanned throughout Section.

She had only one thought on her mind, that of talking to Michael, and hopefully finding a way out of the current planned mission profile.

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

Walter worked busily at his table, trying to get together the equipment and specifications that Michael had requested, in the small amount of time that he had been given. Although it was true that he had done a lot more, in less time in the past, he was nonetheless feeling pressured. Turning to double check the comm equipment, he noticed that Nikita was walking towards him.

"Hey sugar," he greeted her, and she smiled.

"Hey Walter." she replied.

She walked up to him, and leaned over his shoulder, peering down to see what he was working on. "Getting everything ready okay?" she asked, halfheartedly.

Walter stopped what he was doing, and placing the comm unit down, turned his full attention to Nikita. "Okay, sugar, what's wrong?" he queried.

Nikita smiled, and lowering her head, started tracing patterns on Walters benchtop with her finger. "Well, nothing really, just," she trailed off.

"Just what?"

Nikita then looked up, with a puzzled look on her face. "Its just, the Wayne mission profile calls for O'Brien and me to portray lovers," she said, quickly.

Walter chuckled, then picking the comm unit back up, began to work on adjusting it again. Nikita, not understanding what was so funny, huffed, and waited for Walter to look at her. "What now?" Walter questioned.

"I would like to know what was so funny about my problem?" Nikita replied, sounding a tad bit miffed.

Walter smiled a sly smile, then looking down at the comm unit, answered. "I don't understand what the problem is. You more than once mentioned how attractive you found O'Brien, and it is no secret that you like him."

Nikita only looked at Walter, her eyes growing bigger by the moment. "What do you mean, it is no secret?!" she asked, raising her voice.

"Calm down Sugar," Walter replied, throwing his hands up in defense of himself. "It has been obvious in the last few months, that, well, you were attracted to him."

Nikita only shook her head in disbelief, and turning, walked to the opposite end of the workbench. Turning back to face Walter, she frowned. "Obvious, in what way?" she asked.

"Well, in the way you have been looking at him, and in your body language," he offered. Nikita huffed again, and turned to leave.

"That's just like a man!" she yelled, "a person tries to be nice to them, and help them, and they read sex into it!" With that, Nikita stormed off, leaving Walter to watch her leave. After she had left, Birkoff walked over to Walter.

"What's up with Nikita?" he asked.

"O'Brien," Walter answered, with a wicked smile.

"Oh, so, she got the hots for him or what?" Birkoff asked.

Walter only chuckled and shook his head, then returned to the comm unit. After a few moments, Birkoff walked back across the lobby, returning to his communications station.

***********

By the time that Nikita had reached Michael's office, she was well past her little mad spell that had erupted from her conversation with Walter. Walking up to the open door, she smoothed her hair back, and leaning, peered in. Michael was seated at his desk, typing on his laptop console, his eyes rapidly skimming over the monitor screen.

Nikita cleared her throat, and Michael looked up. His patent blank stare was securely in place, as always, but there was a haunting, almost pained look in his eyes. Nikita waited in the doorway, until Michael motioned for her to enter. She crossed the threshold, and walking up to the desk, waited.

"Yes," Michael said, having returned to his work.

"I was wondering if you could answer a question for me?" Nikita started. "Why am I being assigned with O'Brien on the Wayne mission?" she asked.

Michael stopped his typing motion, but his attention remained on the monitor screen.

"Michael?" Nikita pushed, knowing that if she didn't, she would not get an answer. And she had no intention of leaving the room without one.

"The mission profile called for two operatives, portraying lovers. We felt it would be more convincing if that couple were you and O'Brien," he replied, never looking up at her.

Nikita smiled a knowing smile, nodding her head. "We? 'We' as in whom, Michael?" Michael slowly raised his head, and his eyes followed. His gaze locked with Nikita's, causing her to momentarily lose her train of thought. He had always had that affect on her. They could be in the middle of an argument, but when he looked at her a certain way, the way he was looking at her now, she would lose all capability of mental functioning, let alone reasoning.

It was not so much the look, as the expression. Although he would always have his blank stare in place, whenever Michael looked at Nikita that way, it was as if she could see into his very soul. And when she did, she always saw the man she knew existed there, just beneath the surface, the man that she loved.

"We," Michael stated, jolting Nikita back to reality, "being Operations, Madeline, and myself."

Nikita looked intently at Michael, as if trying to read his thoughts. "Oh," she began, chosing her words carefully, "I take it you are okay with this arrangement then?"

An unexplainable expression suddenly crossed Michael's eyes, like lighting bolts in the sky, during a fierce thunderstorm. But, just as quickly as the expression appeared, it was gone. "Yes," he replied, "I believe that the current mission profile is the most logical choice."

Nikita, feeling a combination of anger and hurt, turned from Michael, and headed for the door. As she came to the threshold, she turned back to Michael, glancing over her shoulder. "Fine, but do one thing for me Michael," she started.

Michael looked at her, no expression, no acknowledgement one way or the other. "This time," she said, smiling seductively, "try not to watch, okay? You may see and hear more than you did when you spied on Jurgen and me." Nikita then turned on her heel, and strolled out.

Michael stared after her, everything in him wanting to call her back. Tell her how he had strongly objected to the mission profile. Tell her how he wanted to be teamed with her, not O'Brien. But, instead, he only sat and watched her go. He knew that if he told her how he really felt, that he loved her, and the thought of another man touching her made him ache inside, it would jeopardize the mission...not to mention Nikita's very existence.

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

Meandering confidently across the lobby of Section, Operations came to a stop at the end of the briefing table, and picked up his remote control. Pressing a button on it, he turned. Appearing in the center of the table was a holographic image of a surveillance tape. "Brett Wayne," Operations began, as he turned and walked behind the table. "Leader of a new militant group out of Warsaw, and gun for hire. There is no job too difficult or too dangerous that he will not contract out for."

He then clicked the control again, and the image wavered and shifted. When it reformed, it was in the image of a young woman. "Kanna Alley, Wayne's sister and confidant." Operations stated, then smiled. As he did, he gazed at the members of the mission team. Seated at the table were Michael, Nikita, O'Brien, Birkoff, and Walter. The best group of operatives he had. And for this mission, he needed his best. It would be tricky enough as it was, and he needed to know that the operatives involved could handle any 'unexpected occurances".

"Birkoff, what is the latest intel on security?" Operations queried.

Seated at the end of the table, Birkoff turned and looked at his fellow team members. "Security is minimal, and shouldn't be a problem. That being, if we can find out where he has the intel hidden. So far, we have used thermographic scans, and ran every sim possible, and have not come up with any conclusions. We will rely totally on the point team to locate the intel, and direct it to the recovery team."

"And," Operations interjected, "point team will consist of Nikita and O'Brien. You will go in as lovers, and make friends with Wayne. Nikita, you are posing as an antique dealer, and the main breadwinner of the couple."

Nikita glanced quickly at Michael, then returned her attention to Operations. She would give anything to know what was going through his mind at that very moment.

"Michael, you and Birkoff will remain in the mission van, with Walter, and be ready to move once the location of the intel is confirmed. Any questions?" Operations asked. The team members looked to one another, in silence, then to Operations. "Good, then this mission is on deck, and egress will commence in approximately thirty minutes. Thats it people." Operations tossed his remote controller down on the table, a meandered back to the access stairs to the observation deck.

The team members dispersed, with the exception of Nikita and OBrien. As Michael was walking away, he paused, just within ear shot, and listened to the conversation that was taking place.

"Marco?" Nikita asked, placing her hand on O'Briens arm.

O'Brien looked to Nikita, and smiled. "I guess I am just a little nervous. Alot is riding on this one, in more ways than one."

Nikita smiled, and rubbed O'Briens arm briskly. "Don't worry. You are a more than competant operative, and you will do fine. I have faith in you."

O'Brien smiled, and leaning in, lightly kissed Nikita on the cheek. When he pulled back, Nikita looked him in the eyes, and smiled. "What say we go get our equipment..huh?" O'Brien nodded, and the pair headed over to Walters area.

Michael, having watched and heard the recent events, just stood, gazing after the duo for a few moments, then turned and headed to his office.

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

As the door opened, and they were escorted in, Nikita and O'Brien stayed close together. He had his hand firmly positioned in the small of her back, following little more than a pace behind her. Walking through the large house, Nikita scanned the area for any possible problems or anomalies. The butler, stopping in front of them, turned.

"I will let Mr. Wayne know that you are here. If you would like to wait in the sitting room?" Nikita and O'Brien nodded, and moving through the nearest doorway, entered the sitting room. Once Nikita was sure that the butler was a safe distance away, she placed her index finger behind her ear.

"Michael, this doesn't feel right. He was supposed to be waiting for us. Something is wrong." The comm link crackled, then Michael replied. "There are no anomalies visible here. Stay on profile, and wait to see how it plays out."

Nikita scanned the room, with her gaze coming to rest on O'Brien. He had taken a seat, in a high back chair, and was nervously shaking his leg.

"Well," he began, in a low, hushed tone, "what did he say? Are we to abort?"

Before Nikita could answer, they were interrupted by the arrival of their host. Wayne, the same height as Nikita, walked forward, offering his hand to her, and smiled. She smiled, and took the offered hand, shaking it slowly. Then, turning from Nikita, Wayne walked over to O'Brien. As they shook hands, Wayne stared at O'Brien, intently.

O'Brien, returning Wayne's gaze, spoke up first. "Is something wrong?"

"Excuse me," Wayne began, "but do we know each other?"

O'Brien only smiled, looking to Nikita. Then, looking back to Wayne, he replied. "I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

"Its just, you look so familiar. Do you do any work with law enforcement charities?"

Placing her index finger behind her ear again, Nikita waited for instructions. After a few seconds, Michael replied. "Go along with it. There is no reason to think he may recognize O'Brien at this point." Michael instructed.

Nikita, feeling that Michael may be reading the situation wrong, looked to O'Brien. Realizing where this was headed, and seeing O'Brien pausing in thought, Nikita decided to intervene while she could. "Yes, as a matter of fact, both Marco and myself are very involved in a variety of law enforcement supported movements. You can never have too many law enforcement friends, when you are in my line of work." She then chuckled, and O'Brien and Wayne joined in. ]

"Yes, that must be it then. Well, I am sure that you are both very tired, after such a long day. I will have Jenkins show you to your rooms. After you have had a chance to freshen up, we will talk."

With that, Wayne strolled out of the room. Jenkins, moving his arm in the direction of the door, spoke. "If Madame and Sir will please follow me."

Nikita, turning to O'Brien, let out a huge sigh of relief. O'Brien, smiling, walked up to Nikita, and placing his arm around her, they followed Jenkins out of the room, and up the stairs.

Walking into his private study, Wayne picked up his phone, and pressed a number on the speed dial. After a moment, the connection was made. "Yes, they are here. It is the O'Brien we thought it was. Yes, I know the plan. Yes. I understand. Neither one of them will leave here alive."

With that, Wayne hung up the phone. Then, opening the top side drawer of his desk, he removed a small gun. Screwing the silencer into the end of it, he closed the drawer. Pulling the chamber back on the gun, and clicking off the safety, Wayne smiled, wickedly.

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

Pacing the floor in their bedroom, Nikita couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. And, to make matters worse, she wasn't sure just how capable O'Brien would be, when the chips were down. He was a very well trained operative, according to his test results, but when it came to real life situations, she wasn't sure how well he would fair. Suddenly, the comm dot behind her ear signalled, and Nikita jumped. Tapping it with her index finger, she spoke.

"I'm here."

There was a moments silence, then Michaels tenor voice emanated from the connection. "We have a problem."

Nikita stopped in midstride, and turned to look towards O'Brien. O'Brien, who had been standing by the picture window, dropped his hand from holding back the curtain. "What?" he asked, after seeing Nikita's look.

"Michael says we have a problem. We need to locate the target, and egress as quickly as possible."

O'Brien wiped his hand across his mouth, slowly, trying to hide the fact that he was perspiring from nerves. Nikita, knowing the feeling, walked up to him, and looked him in the eye. "We are gonna be just fine Marco. We are going to find the intel, secure it, and get out..okay?"

O'Brien nodded, though not very convincingly. Nikita, turning her head to the side, stopped and acted as if to listen. Then, she turned to O'Brien. "Okay, Wayne is out of the house. Its now or never."

O'Brien nodded, and moved past Nikita. Walking over, he picked up their suitcase, and placed it on the bed. Opening it up, he moved the clothes around, and opened the false bottom. Inside, he found the detection equipment and armorment that Walter had stored there. Taking out the detector, he placed it on the bed, and reached back into the case. Removing his weapon, he pulled back and chambered a bullet, and flipped off the safety. Then, reaching back in again, he removed the black clothing that was contained there. Tossing a large black shirt to Nikita, he smiled playfully.

"Whatcha say we get more comfortable?"

Nikita smiled back, as she caught the proffered shirt. She could only guess what was going through Michaels mind on the other end of the connection. And the thought gave her a sense of satisfaction.

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

Night had fallen only thirty minutes earlier, but already the silent house was bathed in darkness. As Nikita, dressed all in black, moved stealthly down the hallway, she hugged the shadows, becoming one with them.

Moving a few feet, she stopped, listened, and then signalled to O'Brien to proceed. Marco followed closely, and quietly behind, protecting their flank. He moved the same as Nikita, using the cover of darkness, and the expanse of shadow to make his progress. Stopping just outside the door to what appeared to be a small library, Nikita glanced cautiously around. Then, lifting the detector in her hand, she panned it around. As she made a complete arch of the area, when the detector came back to the doorway, the small blinking red light went green.

Nikita, turning to O'Brien, signalled quietly, then proceeded into the room. She then held the detector up, and panned it around again, much more slowly and diliberately this time. After a few seconds, the solid green light, now blinking, signalled the proximity of the target.

Walking forward, Nikita ran her fingers down the spines of the books. There were hundreds of them, and they ran from floor to ceiling. Reaching out, she took a rather old looking volume, and slowly pulled it towards her. When she did, she felt something *click* and a low rumbling noise began.

Stepping back, Nikita watched as the bookcase moved on its own accord. After a few seconds, the bookcase had slid back, revealing a rather well concealed wall safe. Nikita reached up, and touching the comm dot behind her ear, spoke in a low, hushed whisper. "Michael, I have located the safe, and am going to open it."

Nikita took out a small piece of what looked to be putty, but in actuality was plastique. She placed it on the door of the wall safe, and inserted a detonation cap. Then, taking out a small remote device...she stepped back a few feet, and pressed the button. There was a deep and resounding *pomp*, and when the smoke had cleared, the wall safes door was hanging open. Walking back towards the safe, Nikita reached in, and rummaged through the safes contents. Pulling her hand back out, she smiled, and turned to O'Brien. Holding up the small envelope, she signalled Michael. "Michael, we have it. Preparing to egress."

Nikita crossed the room, and meeting up with O'Brien, looked down the hallway. Satified that the coast was clear, she started for the stairs. When she did, she did not notice the shadow that was down the hall. A shadow, that on closer examination, took on a form. The form of a man.

Stepping from the protection of the darkness, Wayne leveled his gun, and aimed solidly at Nikita. He laid his finger on the trigger, and gently began to squeeze.

O'Brien, flanking Nikita, looked to his side, and saw Wayne's emergence. But, he had no time to warn Nikita, and only acted on instinct. Moving forward, he ran to Nikita, with the intention of knocking her down. But, when he moved, it was like it all happened in slow motion.

"Nikita...look...out..." O'Brien called out.

He heard the silent *thump* of the gun, as the bullet was discharged from the barrel. And, when he looked in the direction of the noise, he saw Wayne, smiling, evilly. Then, in the next moment, he felt the bullet as it impacted and tore into his chest.

He hit the floor, but with Nikita safely under him. He had gotten in the way of the bullet, and had protected her with his own body. Now, lying on the floor, the pain spreading through him at breakneck speed, he heard another *thump*. This time, it was Nikita's gun discharging, as she shot and killed Wayne.

Nikita had managed to wiggle out from under O'Brien in time to shoot down the approaching Wayne. Now, as Wayne lay dead, and O'Brien lie dying, she activated her comm link. "Michael!! O'Brien is down!! He's been shot!! We need backup..and a med team...NOW!!"

O'Brien, his breath coming in short, painful gasps, writhed around, on the floor. His vision was blurring, and he was losing all the feeling in his hands and feet. Nikita, taking his head gently in her hand, raised him up to look at her.

"Stay with me O'Brien. Help is coming."

O'Brien looked up to Nikita with a weak smile playing across his face. As he laid there, he knew he was dying. And so did Nikita. And, as he drifted off, into unconsciousness, the last sound he heard was Nikitas' voice. Filled with sorrow, and filled with grief. "I am sorry Marc. I am so sorry that you ever met me."

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

Meandering slowly and solemnly through the hallways of Section, Nikita unknowingly found herself outside Michael's office. Looking up, and realizing where she was, she smiled. No matter what happened, or what was said, she always found her way back to Michael. It had always been a mystery in the beginning, but she had come to accept it as the norm lately.

Raising her hands, she gently rapped her knuckles on the door. Hearing Michaels voice, bidding her entry, she swung the door open and walked in. Then, closing the door behind her, she crossed the room, and took a seat in the chair in front of Michael's desk. Michael, reaching next to him, pulled out a small drawer from under his desk, and typed rapidly at small keyboard. After waiting a few seconds, he pushed the drawer back into place, and looked to Nikita.

Nikita, smiling wearly, just returned Michael's gaze. Then, Michael standing and walking to the picture window, placed his hands in his pockets, and sighed.

"It wasn't your fault Nikita. You had no way of knowing that Wayne had gotten back on site."

Nikita only closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply and held the breath. Then, letting the breath back out, she turned to look in Michael's direction. "That doesn't make what happened any easier. I keep thinking there was something I could have done different... something that I overlooked."

Michael turned from the window, and walked slowly across the room, and behind Nikita. Stopping just behind her, he spoke. "He was a good operative Nikita. He was a good man."

Then, slowly and cautiously, Michael reached out and placed his hand on Nikita's shoulder. When he did, Nikita placed her own hand over his, and leaned her head down to rest on his hand.

After a few seconds, she stood up, and walking past Michael, stood at the door. Turning around, she looked to Michael, and smiled. "Yeah. He was a good operative...wasn't he?" She then turned and opened the door, passing through, and closing it behind her.

After she had left, Michael returned to his desk, and pulling up a file on his monitor, started to work on the next missions profile.

THE END

This story ©copyright Trace, 1999


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