Chapter One
Michael walked slowly into Birkhoff's office, carefully checking behind him to make sure no one had followed him. "Hey Birkhoff, how's it going?" he rushed over to the tech working on his computers.
"It's going." Birkhoff turned to greet Michael, "The package is in place but we are waiting for pick up."
Rolling his eyes Michael walked up behind Birkhoff's chair resting his hands on it as he watched Birkhoff's screens. "I still can't believe we're doing this." Michael commented.
"It worked for Nikita," Birkhoff casually replied, taking a sip of his energy drink.
"I still can't believe she took such a chance with someone's life." Michael ran his hand nervously through his hair. "Or much less that we are doing it."
"We have to do something." Birkhoff reminded him, "We can't keep letting Amanda win."
Michael let out a breath. He knew this was necessary and even more so he knew this was the best way to accomplish what they needed, but he still couldn't help but worry about her. Her training had gone smoothly, but Michael didn't want to chance losing her. Sensing something was on his mind, Birkhoff looked at Michael and said, "She will be fine. We trained her, rescued her did everything she could possibly need."
"I just don't like sending someone into possible danger. I never have." Michael returned Birkhoff's concern.
"No one does, but this is our best shot. Our own Nikita."
Michael nodded, knowing Birkhoff was right. "Can we check in with her?"
Glaring at Michael, Birkhoff replied, "No. She can't have anything on her when she gets to Amanda."
"How do we know Amanda will take her?"
Birkhoff grimaced at Michael. "Dude, chill. We're done our research. We've spent a year undercover, planning in secret. This will work."
The door opened and Birkhoff hit a key combination to hide all the information they had been looking at on his computer. "Hey Nerd." Nikita sauntered into the room, not suspecting a thing. "I was going to see if you knew where Michael was but obviously you do."
"Hey." Michael greeted her with a smile and a peck on the cheek.
"What are you guys working on?" Nikita tried to identify what was up on Birkhoff's screens.
"Just trying to find signs of Amanda." Birkhoff replied while shooting Michael a warning glare.
"Hey Nikita why don't we go see if there is anything Ryan wants us to do in Ops?" Michael had seen Birkhoff's glare- Nikita was about to start asking questions.
"Sure." Nikita smiled. "Bye Nerd."
Michael and Nikita left. Leaning back in his chair and folding his arms in his chest, Birkhoff commented, "We're never going to pull this off."
Kirsten walked slowly down the streets of Liverpool, England. It wasn't a very big city, just a very famous one. Either way, once her training was complete it was where Birkhoff and Michael told her she could find Amanda, her target. As she made her way towards the coffee shop where she had set up the meeting, she ran over all the details in her head. She knew she could not make a mistake,, she could not blow her cover or she would destroy Division's goals and possibly end her own life.
The coffee shop was just a little mom and pop place on one end of town. They only had a small storefront with a few tables for people to enjoy their coffee at. It was a little warm,, so Kirsten took off her jacket as she headed to the counter. The little old lady was anxious to help her, so it wasn't long before Kirsten found herself at a back table waiting for Amanda.
Kirsten had never met Amanda before. The only way she knew her was through Michael and Birkhoff and the pictures they had showed her. As soon as she entered the coffee shop, Kirsten immediately recognized her. The woman looked a little more beat down from the pictures she had saw from when she was in charge of Division. Nevertheless she was still all business as she approached Kirsten. "Are you Kirsten?" Amanda asked her.
Kirsten gave her a small nod. She had to act very professional to earn the job this much she knew. Amanda sat down across from her as Kirsten didn't say a word,, sipping on her coffee. "Nice to meet you Kirsten. I'm Amanda. You saw my ad?"
Michael and Birkhoff had come across the code ad that Amanda had placed looking for help. They had decided this was the best way to get Kirsten into place. "Yes." Kirsten replied , "I've been looking for word."
"Where did you get your start?"
Kirsten was young, that much Michael and Birkhoff had anticipated,, so they had worked hard to create a realistic history for her. "I started out as a cop when I was 20. While I was in college and the academy, the FBI was actively recruited me. I worked in the FBI from 21-26 and now, I've been working freelance for the last year."
"You're 27 now?" Amanda asked.
Nodding confirmation Kirsten replied, "I know I am young, but I am experienced."
Amanda laughed. "I wasn't questioning it. What office did you work in?"
"Chicago." She replied. "It wasn't home but it was where the opening was."
"You do what you have to." Amanda replied, crossing her legs. "Do you have arms experience."
"Extensive."
"Explosives?"
"I studied them extensively."
"Hand-to-hand?"
"Krah Maga."
Amanda nodded her head in approval.. "And you can start right away?"
"Of course." Kirsten replied.
Getting up without a word, Kirsten knew it was implied she should follow. Amanda headed out of the shop to a black car. Climbing into the backseat, Kirsten followed Amanda in. They drove in silence for about fifteen minutes, ending up at a small farm part-way out of town. When the car stopped, Amanda suddenly announced, here we are. This is our hideout."
Surveying the location Kirsten was a little worried. The farm house looked very warn down and it made Kirsten curious what her arrangement would be like. Amanda led Kirsten into the house and one step in Kirsten was completely confused. The house was completely empty. Not only was there no furniture, no decorations but there were no walls or doors either- just four exterior walls and a staircase leading into what Kirsten immediately figured was the basement. It would not be too long before she found out- Amanda was heading right for the stairs.
They headed down the stairs into a basement. The basement was also empty and Kirsten began to panic. Had Amanda figured out what Kirsten was up to? Was she going to kill her? Kirsten watched as Amanda went to the far side of the room, beginning to push on specific spots on the floor and wall. I felt like a sci fi move as the floor finally popped open a spring door. Looking down it, Kirsten saw more stairs leading down. It was starting to remind Kirsten of how Michael and Seymour had described Division.
As they walked down those stairs, Kirsten looked around. They had walked into a foyer type area. Amanda pressed her finger to a plate that read her fingerprint, then closed the door behind them. "We can't be too safe." She finally addressed Kirsten. "We've been working on this place for a year now and we are just finishing construction. Here we'll be safe, our enemies won't be able to track us here and even if somehow they do, it looks like an abandoned, falling down farmhouse."
"Clever." Kirsten replied.
"We thought so." Amanda smiled in reply.
Using another finger keypad, a door on the north side of the room opened and Kirsten followed Amanda through. "I'll give you the tour." Amanda told her as they headed down a narrow hallway.
Kirsten hid a giggle as she pondered how the metal and white walls made her feel like she was on Princess Leia's ship in Star Wars. The hallway finally opened up into a large room full of computers. There were a couple of people working, looking like they were running surveillance. "Down that hallway," Amanda pointed to one of two hallways on the right side of the room, the one closer to them, "leads to the bedroom quarters. I'll get you set up a little later. The farther hallway on that wall," Amanda gestured to the hallway, "Leads to the common rooms- a cafeteria, the gym, those kinds of things. The hallway on the left," She gestured across the room "Is the offices. If you become a higher level, you may get an office."
"Okay." Kirsten acknowledged what Amanda had told her as Amanda led her towards the bedrooms.
"We'll get you all set up, then tomorrow we'll get you started."
