Walking down the long, narrow corridor, Michael passed the entrance to the orientation room, and paused at the next door he came to.

Taking a deep, rejuvenating breath, he placed his hand on the door knob. The door swung silently open, gaining him easy entrance over the threshold. But, turning to close it behind him, he blinked his eyes suddenly, as metal met metal, and the door clanged shut. The sound reverberated ominously, and had a sense of finality to it. A sudden feeling of foreboding washed over Michael, and he closed his eyes to steady himself.

When he turned back around, he was greeted by his two most immediate superiors. Operations and Madeline, the current controlling duo of Section One, just looked on, as Michael crossed the room, and came to a stop in front of a large, glass window.

The window was a two way mirror. It gained visual access to the orientation room, which Michael had just previously walked past. Its primary use was for evaluation of any incoming new material, to monitor their reaction to where they were, and what they were told.

It was not unusual for Michael to use the room, as he had many times before, to work out a strategy on how to approach any newcomers. But, what was unusual was for Operations and Madeline to set a meeting with him, and for said meeting to be in the observation room.

'Michael,' Madeline began, her voice low, and throaty, 'there is a new recruit coming in momentarily, and we would like for you to welcome her.'

'I already have more new material than I can handle at the moment,' Michael replied, never once blinking or taking his eyes from Madeline.

'We have reassigned all your other material,' Operations interjected, 'and you will now deal only with this one new recruit.'

Before Michael could answer, he heard the door to the orientation room open, the metal groaning on its time worn hinges. Turning, he gazed through the looking glass, and watched as two young medtechs wheeled a gurney in, and placed it in the middle of the room.

After locking down the wheels, and checking the gurneys occupant one last time, the medtechs turned and exited the room, clanging the metal door securely shut behind them.

Madeline moved up beside Michael, her gaze also on the room's occupant. 'This recruit is special, and needs special handling, Michael. Take care that you see to it that she is well trained, and well educated.'

Michael turned his head to the side, taking in Madeline's profile. 'I will need her file,' was his only reply.

'The intel that you require, at this moment in time, is all included right here,' Operations replied, as Madeline handed a PDA to Michael. Michael took the PDA, and after a few moments of scanning the readout, handed it back to Madeline.

After a few moments, Operations placed his hands in his pant pockets, and moved to the door. Madeline gazed over at Michael, then turned and followed in step. Opening the door, Operations turned, looking back over his shoulder at Michael.

'Oh, and Michael,' he started. Michael slowly turned his head, in Operations direction. 'This one is very important. There are big plans in motion for her, so lets see to it that she makes the grade.'

Not waiting for an answer, Operations opened the door, and moved through it, Madeline following in his wake. Taking a few moments to assimilate the inferences behind what Operations had just said, Michael turned back to the looking glass.

Gazing through, he watched as the sedation on the young, blonde woman began to wear off, and she began to thrash and moan, pulling and tugging at her restraints. Then, gathering his thoughts, Michael moved across the room, and opened the door.

Stepping through, he turned and proceeded down the hallway. As he reached the door to the orientation room, he once again got a sudden sense of foreboding. In all his years at Section, and in all his years of training new material, he suddenly got the mental image that this time would be different. That this time, he would not walk away unaffected. That he would be forever changed in body and soul.

Quelling his sudden onset of emotion, he put on his patent blank stare, opened the door, and entered. Closing it behind him, he turned, and gazed into the bluest eyes he had ever seen.

Although, at that moment, and at that time, he did not know it, he would be forever changed. He would never, again, be the person he was. The person he left on the other side. The person who just moments before was gazing....through the looking glass.

THE BEGINNING...