15/1/99 - (While In Kathmandu, Nepal)

I had been captured by Section's enemies and Michael wanted more than anything to rescue me. He wasn't aware that it was obvious to the other Section Operatives that he loved me. Nikita was away for a month in Montreal and so Michael's temporary partner was Louise, as operative from Section's sister operation Section Two. Michael was worried about me, but it was him they were after and so he thought they wouldn't kill, but he knew he had to act quickly. He told another operative to gather information on the situation.

"And if you have time, get some of that perfume she likes, it's called Oceanus, Body Shop."

"Right O, Michael."

And the operative left.

The situation he brought back wasn't good. The bad guys had bound and hurt me, but I would tell them nothing about Michael, apart from the facts they knew, oh and that he was cute, ;) but I would not betray him.

"She's in bad shape, Michael, but she's not budgin'. She's not tellin' them nothin'."

Michael respected that, but by the same token, he didn't want me hurt.

"Okay, Michael," the operative asked. "You still want that perfume?"

"Forget the fucking perfume. Get back here. I'm on my way with Louise." He looked to her. "Come on."

She nodded and grabbed her utility bag.

Operations looked at Michael, then left. Michael could tell that his boss wasn't all for utilising Section personnel to rescue one civilian, but Michael honestly didn't give a merde, and Operations knew Michael better than to say no.

Michael drove to the enemies stronghold.

"Stay here," he told Louise. "I need eyes out here."

"Sure."

"Be careful. They have eyes out here too."

"Okay, I'll hide under the back seat and keep you posted. My radar thingy'll detect bogies comin' your way."

Michael smiled at her lingo. "Thanks."

"Hey," she said, climbing under the back car seat. Watch your caboose."

"I will."

"I hope she's worth it."

"She is," and with that, Michael left.

He quietly entered the building and drew his gun. He could hear them upstairs yelling at me.

"TELL US WHAT WE WANNA KNOW, BITCH, OR WE'LL DO YER GOOD!"

"Go ... fuck yourself ..." I rasped. If I had to die to protect Michael, then so be it.

The second guy in charge began to rip his clothes off.

"Is that ... all you've got ..."

He slapped me, drew a knife. I didn't even flinch. The man cut the ropes that bound me and reached to rip my shirt off.

I saw a shadow in the doorway, and part of a long black jacket and I smiled.

"What ya grinnin' about, cunt?"

"That's no way to speak to a lady." Michael's voice.

He shot the second in command in the head just as he spun around. Michael ducked around the doorway as shots were fired. He ducked around for a second and took out two more enemy operatives. The leader lunged over, grabbed me and held a gun at me.

"Come on, Michael, give me your best shot."

Nervously Michael entered the room and saw him holding me tightly. He could shoot the enemy, but not without endangering the innocent.

Outside in the car the enemy's spy eyes knew what he was looking for. He couldn't see her in the car, then smiled and went to the trunk.

"Game Over, Blondie."

He riddled the trunk with bullets, and flung it open expecting to see a bullet riddled woman.

"Right, she said, from the back seat, peering out of the trunk. "For you," and she shot him dead.

Meanwhile in the room, the guy began to point the gun at Michael, tormenting him. I hated to put Michael in such a position and grabbed the moment, elbowed my oppressor in the stomach. He reeled back and I kneed him in the balls before he could recover and grabbed his gun. He tried to lunge for me, and almost grabbed me, but Michael shot him and caught me.

"You all right?"

I nodded. "Apart from a few bruises, I'm fine."

He put his arms around me. "I am glad you're safe."

"So am I," I said more for Michael's sake than mine. He'd lost a loved one before.

He gently kissed my cheek and he carried me down the stairs.

"Hey, Michael, you okay?" came Louise's voice.

He smiled and spoke. "I'm fine."

"I take it you rescued the Princess."

I smiled at that.

"Oui," he said with a smile.

Michael carried me outside Louise smiled. So did Michael.

She dropped us at Michael's apartment. Michael told her he would find his own way back.

Louise nodded. "Have fun."

"We will," Michael said leading me inside.

He turned a light on dim, shut the door and dropped whatever we carried.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," he said. "I would not have blamed you if you had told them what they wanted to know. You are not bound by Section Code. Thank you for not betraying my trust."

"I couldn't do that to you, Michael. It's against my Code."

"Merci beau coup."

He smiled warmly and pressed his lips to mine, then gently caressed my face and pressed me softly against the wall as his exquisite lips caressed mine as he showed me his soul.

17/1/99 - (While In Pokhara, Nepal)

In this dream I was a Section Operative. A new Section Operative was recruited. His name was Brian. It was Section's Birthday today which coincided within a few days of Michael's. Michael decided to be sentimental and made a cake for all of us. A rainbow cake, beautifully, colourfully decorated.

"Michael," I said, "you could have been a chef."

He smiled. "Not nearly as exciting."

Everyone smiled at that as Michael shared around his delicious light, fluffy cake. Brian had also brought some peeled tangerines which he gave out. At first no one noticed that he didn't have any of Michael's cake.

After a while, many of us started to feel a little sick. Since Brian was the only one who seemed to be unaffected, Michael and I suspected him, and sussed out his tangerines. They were doused with a small dose of poison. We checked the remnants of Michael's cake and there was a little in there as well.

"Must've done it when I left it alone for a few minutes to gather everyone," Michael frowned. He looked at me. "I don't feel so bad. Are you all right?"

"Just a little sick, that's all."

"Take one of these," he said, opening and giving me a white tablet.

"Special Section antidote?" I asked.

"No, Akla Seltzer."

I smiled. "Thanks."

"There's not enough poison in these to kill," Michael said, a little perplexed. "Not that I'm complaining..."

He threw the last slice of cake, plus the remaining tangerines and their peels in the garbage and called a meeting being careful to be discreet so as not to alert Brain. All of the other Section operatives weren't feeling too well either. Michael appeared to have a stronger stomach than them.

"That's the last time you bake a cake, Michael," Operations said, but not without a small smile.

"I apologise," Michael said, "for not suspecting Brian earlier."

"We're all to blame for that," Madeline said.

"You'll all be glad to know there was not enough poison for a lethal dosage," Michael said, "which leads me to believe this could be a threat, and at the very least a breech of security. We must know who this Brian works for and that this doesn't happen again."

Operations nodded. "Bring him."

Brian had the good sense to know when he had been found out, and offered little resistance. Section weren't known for their kindness especially when it came to their enemies.

"Who do you work for?" Michael asked.

Brian smiled. "You would like to know, wouldn't you?"

Michael backhanded him.

Brian smiled again. "An operation for, which as I have demonstrated could've killed all of you. Maybe it was a threat. Maybe not."

Michael was a master of hiding his feelings. His unrest did not show.

"Go," he said.

Killing the man would prove nothing. Brian left without a word, but a single glance at Michael.

Whether it was a test or a real threat, Operations didn't say, either way, Michael knew security measures had to be stepped up and caution was ever more prominent. He looked away from Operations, grateful and somewhat relived that this had not been a fatal exercise.

?/3/99

Michael was testing a new Operative. Her name was Noel. (Pronounced Noelle) The Section weren't sure whether to trust her, but Michael convinced them to give her a chance and assigned her on a mission with Nikita to stop some drug traffickers. Nikita and Noel ran down a long, wide corridor, guns drawn, as Michael watched from Section HQ, through a security uplink, Birkhoff had expertly rigged. Noel kept the lead as they came to an open door, which lead to a hangar where the drug heist was taking place. Noel and Nikita pressed themselves flat against the wall. Noel knew her life was riding on this mission, though she trusted in Michael's judgement. Noel peered inside, then returned and nodded and indicated with her silver gun. Nikita nodded in acknowledgement. Noel took a breath, then she and Nikita slid into the room, firing into the room, killing the major heads of the operation. Noel nailed the mastermind.

This was enough to convince Michael and Operations that she was worthy of Section and would not be scheduled for cancellation. However, due to her speciality in nosing out criminals and her quick reflexes, she was given special worldwide assignments, specifically suited to her talents and spent little time at Section HQ.

20/4/99

Section was again under attack by an enemy organisation. Many operatives had been killed. It was more severe than the attack by Red Cell - some section operatives had turned, and Operations wasn't taking any chances - even with those he trusted explicitly. Madeline, as he expected was still with him, as was Michael.

Nikita was asked to come to the main control room.

"Where's Birkhoff?" she asked, noting his absence from the room.

"He's been killed, Nikita," Madeline said.

Nikita looked up at Madeline and Operations, pain eminent in her eyes. "He was so young ..."

Nikita failed to suppress tears welling up in her eyes.

"She's still with us," Operations said.

Nikita looked confused.

Birkhoff emerged from under his computer table.

"Sorry to do that to you," Operations said, but we have to be sure.

Nikita understands, but she's still angry.

"I hate it when you use me like that."

"I had to be sure, Nikita," Operations said. "Now I am. Your emotions have always made you unique."

He and Madeline left. "We'll meet you at the secure bunker."

Birkhoff started to go with them. "Thanks," he said quietly to Nikita. "It's good to know you care."

Nikita managed a small smile. "Take care of yourself."

She left with Michael. Michael wanted to keep her safe, but knew she was no china doll and this was no game. Michael and Nikita worked to bring down the enemy organisation, When they found the secure bunker, it was ravaged. Operations, Birkhoff and Madeline weren't there and they were presumed dead. Nikita looked upset, but said nothing.

"They were my only family," Michael said, barely audible.

"They might not be dead," Nikita said.

Michael looked at her. However much he wanted to share her hope, he couldn't. "This is the real world, Nikita."

However, Operations, Madeline and Birkhoff had not gone to the bunker and had found out the enemy organisations HQ location and had managed to take it out, before Section's HQ had been located. The old directory had been located and destroyed.

"I'm glad to see you're all right," Michael said to Operations and the others, his words holding much more emotion than he let on, but they knew.

Nikita smiled. "The real world, Michael."

He smiled back at her. "Maybe some of your optimism will rub off on me."

"I sure hope so."

Operations and Madeline smiled in the background.

Although this was a happy reunion, it had come at a price and had unsettled Section to say the least, and who was to say that it would never happen again?

20/5/99

I had found out about Section. An Operative was sent to test me. At first I didn't recognise her as she sat on my sofa as I sat on the floor neat the TO with some toys and things. She asked me questions, hoping that I didn't have to be killed. I was eager to help the Section. It was only after she left, I recognised her as Madeline.

The Section watched me closely. Nikita and Michael didn't see me as a threat. However Operations and Madeline weren't entirely sure. I drove with Michael, Madeline and Nikita in my car toward a mountain which looked like the flat-topped mountain in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Little did I know at first, it was full of Section spy equipment. From spying on me they became sure that I posed no threat to the Section and their enemies didn't know who I was and they decided to employ me as a casual agent to which I was happy.

?/9/00

Operations wanted Michael killed. Nikita asked me to help her save the enigmatic operative.

She hired a hotel room in which we stayed, dimly lit. I remebered being in the bathtub. We stayed in contact with Michael, warning him, Ops fortunately oblivious to the whole thing, and since Michael performed so well on his mission, Ops dropped the abeyance.

10/10/01

Tanja, an operative was trying to save Michael from Operations. Ops wanted Michael cancelled because he had gone rogue. Tanja, Nikita, Walter and Birkhoff helped Michael evade capture. Tanja fiddled the records to help Michael, risking her life in the process, for which the enigmatic operative was most grateful, and got his Level 5 Operative status back. Although he didn't say much apart from "thank you" he was deeply touched and would return the favour should Tanja need it. In the Section friends are rare, and Michael did not know how long it would be before he and Operations lost favour again. It would only be a matter of time.

21/2/02

Michael had saved Operations and Quinn from the Collective. In return he wanted safe passage for him and Nikita to leave with Adam. This was granted grudgingly by Mr. Jones, though some part of the old man felt happy his daughter would lead a happy life with the one she loved.

13/4/02

Michael and Nikita had left Section and joined another Freedom Fighter group, one less violent than section and not nearly as controlling of its operatives. Nikita and Michael felt that Section had lost its message.

The previous leader of the Group has lost his own focus due to all the violence in the world. He kept himself locked up in a room, his long hair tied in a messy dreadlock type pony tail. Nikita and I felt sorry for him and wanted to help him, but only he could do that.

The current leader of this group had a daughter captured by his main enemy group. He sent two operatives disguised as himself and his second in command after her.

The leader of their enemy group was a woman in her sixties, no one knew her name. She sat in a black car with the daughter, a gun ready to shoot would be rescuers. The operatives came, a shoot out ensued. The woman and the two operatives were killed. Michael brought the daughter safely back to base. The leader, relieved to have his daughter back thanked Michael and Nikita and I for our help, as he might be dead now if he had gone to rescue her, not that he was afraid of death – who would take charge of the Freedom Fighters, who would look after his daughter. The second in command breathed a sigh of relief, he had mixed up Intel that told him the leader had been killed. He could hold his feeling in no longer and he kissed his leader, confessing his love. The leader was surprised to say the least, but he returned his second in command’s affections.

The former leader emerged from his room, slowly, letting his hair out. He was greeted with kindness and respect as we all helped him. He did not have a desire to take over the outfit again, but his hope had been restored, along with his beautiful hair. Michael and Nikita felt right at home here amongst friends.