LIGHTNING
Birkoff turned onto his side in yet another effort to get comfortable. He was restless. Sleep was not coming. He rolled onto his back, took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. He tried once more to relax enough to fall asleep. Twenty minutes later, he gave up and rolled out of bed. Maybe work would tire him out. He threw on some clothes and made his way through the almost deserted hallways to COMM. For a change, Section One was quiet. He settled into his chair, logged onto his station and began to run SIMS. The eerie glow from his screen cast ghoulish shadows on his face. After a few minutes, something pierced his concentration. Muffled curses were coming from somewhere nearby. He raised his head and listened, then turned to look around. In the back, a woman was hunched in her chair. The flickering light from the rapidly changing screen danced across her face in ever-changing patterns. More curses drifted across COMM along with the faintest scent of… Birkoff inhaled deeply…Vanilla! He stood and watched as she mumbled a final curse, slammed down on the keyboard then slumped back in her chair. She closed her eyes, dropped her head back and blew out a soft sigh of relief.
"Are you okay?" he asked. He was fascinated by her actions. He wasn't prepared for her reaction to his simple question. She gasped and whirled her chair to face him. She had been unaware of his presence. "I didn't mean to startle you…" He was somewhat startled himself. She froze in her seat, her eyes wide and her face pale. Birkoff got the impression that she was poised to escape. He held his breath without realizing it. He let it out when she visibly relaxed and grinned at him.
"I was swearing again, wasn't I?' She said ruefully.
"Yes…" Birkoff was intrigued. This unknown woman was dressed in gray, the color that everyone in Section wore. And her hair! She sported a cap of unruly, impossibly blonde curls that framed her elfin face. He couldn't see the color of her eyes behind the small, frameless glasses she wore. Then, she smiled. He felt his breath leave his chest. Even from across the room, it was dazzling.
"I'm sorry if I disturbed you. When I hit my speed zone I block out everything and sort of mumble…a lot." She blushed adorably. "I'm Lollie" She rose from her seat and stuck out her hand.
"I'm Birkoff" He grinned and took her slender hand in his. The contact made his fingers tingle pleasantly.
"Birkoff?!" She said in a horrified whisper. She froze again, dismay clearly evident in her expression. She began to tug at her hand. Birkoff felt vaguely bereft when she broke contact. He was well and truly confused now.
"I'm so sorry…they said I could work up here as long as there was no one else here and there wasn't when I started…I didn't even hear you come in!!" she wailed.
"Whoa, whoa calm down. You're not in trouble." Birkoff was baffled. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. The pleasant tingle returned. He saw that her eyes were a beautiful shade of green. She stopped trying to escape, groaned and flopped back into her chair. She dropped her head to her knees and Birkoff heard a faint giggle. Lollie raised her head and looked at Birkoff.
"I go into "Mumble Mode" when I speed. It has a tendency to irritate people." She said resignedly. Birkoff watched her hands flutter about in emphasis. He remembered that her fingers had flown across the keyboard at warp speed. Her pace had been unrelenting.
"I noticed." He replied, grinning. He was beginning to enjoy himself. "What were you doing?"
"I was running a file reconstruction test" She answered, relaxing even more.
"Reconstruction test?" He was instantly alert. Section feared contaminated files even more than Red Cell. They were always searching for ways to protect their files against viruses or sabotage. His temporarily forgotten SIM was addressing the possibility of sabotage in the bins.
"I can reconstruct any file, once I've seen it. I was doing a parity test on a file that is known to be clean. DRV wants to compare my test to the original." She had begun to swing gently back and forth in her chair. Birkoff whistled silently.
"I also cause system crashes and database freeze-ups. I swear DRV has my face on a Wanted Poster. I was told to run my test from here because you have the latest systems, but only if no one else was here. We've been waiting for a break in the mission stream. Tonight was the first time the queue was empty." Lollie smiled again.
"How did you get to be so fast?" Birkoff asked. He wanted to know more about this fey creature who took his breath with her smile. She was about to launch into an explanation when he noticed her focusing on something just passed his shoulder.
"I don't want to keep you from your work any longer." She said and rose to leave. Birkoff turned and looked up. The lights had come on in Operations' glass walled aerie.
"It was nice meeting you" Lollie said as she passed him.
"Have coffee with me later?" Birkoff asked quietly as he kicked off his SIM. He turned his head and looked at her expectantly. He was holding his breath. Lollie halted in mid-step. She hesitated, then smiled and nodded.
"I'd like that. When are you free?"
"This should take me about two hours."
"Where shall I meet you?"
"Over there" Birkoff indicated the entrance to COMM with a slight toss of his head.
"Fine. Two hours, then." Lollie walked away, looking up only once. Birkoff watched her leave, blew out a breath and shook his head in disbelief. He almost couldn't believe it. Things like this didn't happen to Seymour Birkoff. His fingers flew over the keys as energy surged through his body. He was grinning madly. Maybe today wasn't going to be so bad after all.
It was nearly 7AM and Section was still relatively quiet. Lollie was early so she stood to one side and watched Birkoff work. His intense concentration was like a shield, he noticed nothing but his screen. She knew, immediately, however, when he was finished. The shield came down and he was once again aware of his surroundings. He stood and stretched while his work downloaded to a panel. Lollie smiled appreciatively as she caught a glimpse of his sleek abdomen when his sweater rose up with his arms.
Birkoff felt someone watching him and automatically scanned the area for Operations. The light up above was out. He spotted Lollie as she stepped out from the shadows. He retrieved his panel, shut down his station and walked over to her.
"Hi." He said with what he realized was relief. He couldn't keep from grinning and hoped he didn't look like an idiot. "Just let me put this away and we can go"
"Are you on stand-down?" she asked as they walked through the still quiet hallways.
"Yes." He replied and looked down at her. She only just came up to his chin.
"Let's go out. It's probably a beautiful spring morning out there." She said and grabbed his elbow.
"Out?" he asked weakly.
"Yes. OUT." She replied. They went to Egress and received clearance to leave Section. Birkoff said nothing. He followed Lollie, his need to get to know this charming, alarming woman overcoming all his fears.
They emerged to find a gray and overcast morning. There was a soft mist falling. Lollie laughed and twirled in the damp air. Birkoff squinted up at the sky then looked at Lollie. He shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched a shoulder as a splash of rainwater dropped on him from an awning.
"So much for my beautiful spring day!" she said when she returned to his side. Tiny beads of moisture clung to her hair like gems and her face was a dewy ivory and pink. Birkoff was enchanted. She linked arms with him again and they started down the street.
"Here it is." Lollie indicated a tiny café a few doors away. They entered and made their way to a booth in the back. It was still early so their coffee came quickly. Lollie wrapped her hands around the mug and gazed over the rim at Birkoff as she sipped. He was grinning for the umpteenth time that morning. He was really enjoying himself. If this was a dream, he didn't want to wake up.
"So, you want to know the secret of my 'Speed Zone' eh?" She finally asked.
"Yes." He said simply. He was truly interested. Lollie looked around the semi-deserted café. The other patrons were far enough away. She grinned and looked left, then right. She glanced over her shoulder. She rose from her seat to check the empty booth behind Birkoff. Finally, she peeked under the table, then straightened in her seat. Birkoff, completely baffled by now, mirrored her every move. She beckoned to him.
"Come closer" she whispered in a conspiratorial manner. Birkoff leaned in, captivated. What on earth was she going to tell him? Lollie leaned forward. Her scent tantalized him and her breath caressed his cheek.
"I was struck by lightning"
Birkoff's eyes widened in shock as he sat back and stared at her. "And you survived?" was his awestruck reply
"Barely. It knocked me across the deck and killed my family. I was unconscious for three days." Birkoff heard the pain of her loss in her voice.
"What happened when you woke up?" His voice was hushed and his gaze was riveted to her face. She blushed.
"Instead of frying my brain and central nervous system, I underwent a sort of metamorphosis. The connections between my senses and my brain became stronger. I can keyboard at warp speed for hours, I can hear things other people can't. I have total recall of any written material I've ever seen, whether I understand it or not and I can remember most conversations verbatim. It's like I've leapt ahead on the evolutionary scale.
"How good IS your hearing?" Birkoff hoped she couldn't hear his heart thudding in his chest. Lollie chuckled. It was a delightful, musical little laugh that flowed over him and straight into his heart. She looked up and smiled at him. He forgot to breathe.
"I can detect the sonic frequencies that computers make when they process information, and for some reason, I know when something is wrong by that sound. I can also pick up on dog whistles. She added with flippant pride.
"Can you hear more,. I mean like from farther away?"
"Just at those extreme ranges. I can't hear a normal conversation across COMM if that's what you're asking. I've learned to filter out most of it, but it nearly drove me crazy at first. I almost put tinfoil on my head to try to block out the noise." Birkoff grinned at this outrageous statement.
"So the file re….." he stopped in mid sentence. He suddenly remembered that he was "outside". He had almost committed the cardinal sin of talking about work outside the confines of Section One. Lollie understood his sudden silence and replied "Yeah, I needed to prove that I can do it without error." Just then, Birkoff cell phone went off. He looked around, startled. Had Section been listening somehow? Lollie signaled to the waitress as he answered the call.
"Why do you mumble?" he asked as they left the café. Lollie blushed in embarrassment and sighed. She took his arm and launched into her explanation.
"My theory is that my brain needed an outlet for the excess brainwave energy created when I speed. It chose my mouth. I have no idea why I swear. It just comes out that way."
"Really? They figured that out?" Birkoff was astounded.
"They? No, they can't explain it. It's my theory and I like the sound of it as a fantastically plausible explanation, don't you?" She grinned adorably. Birkoff laughed out loud . "Yes, I like the sound of your theory." Back in the hallways of Section One, Lollie turned to Birkoff and said "Thanks for the coffee and the walk." She moved towards the corridor that led to DRV. Birkoff took a tentative step after her.
"Can we do it again?" Lollie turned to face him and smiled
"I'd really like that. You know where to find me." She said as she strolled away.
Birkoff felt a rush of satisfaction course through him. He pumped a fist in victory and whispered "Yes!!" He went back to COMM and arrived at the briefing just steps ahead of the team.
************
The next few weeks proved to be very frustrating for Birkoff. Missions came one after another, in rapid-fire succession. He performed with his usual brilliance but there was no time to venture out with Lollie. They could only snatch minutes of conversation in passing or share an in-house cup-of-something here and there. Each time he saw her his pulse quickened. He was teetering on the edge of something wonderful, he could feel it. He wanted more time with her, but the missions had to come first. Finally, there was a break and the mission frequency slowed down. He noticed Lollie near the doorway to COMM. He quickly logged off his station.
"Lollie!" he said as he approached. Happiness surged through him.
"Hi Birkoff. Want to get a bite?" Lollie replied eagerly.
"I can't leave the Section. I'm on close quarters standby"
"Oh." Lollie was keenly disappointed. Birkoff took her by the arm and began steering her through the corridors. He couldn't believe he was doing this but he needed to see her alone again.
"Come to my quarters. We can eat there." He said as they made their way through the halls.
"What do you have?" she asked
"Just about anything you want as long as it's junk food." He smiled down at her and she almost tripped. The warmth in that smile was wonderful to behold.
They entered his quarters and Birkoff headed straight for his tiny kitchen. Lollie looked around, noticing how techno everything was. She grinned at the mechanical chaos, then followed Birkoff into the kitchen. He was rooting around in the cabinets, looking for something, anything to offer her. Lollie perched on the end of the counter and watched him.
Out of the blue, she asked "Have you ever had a day when you couldn't keep your mind on your work?" Birkoff stopped and looked at her over his shoulder. She was studying her hands.
"What do you mean?" He noticed that she had unzipped her hooded jacket. The soft pink tee shirt she wore hugged her curves like a second skin. His mouth almost began to water at the thought of what was beneath that soft fabric.
"Have you ever had a day where you had a hard time staying focused on the task at hand?" He approached her and put two mugs on the counter. He watched as she chewed on the tip of an elegant finger. He was unable to answer. He focused on her, every sense heightened. She continued……
"I've had the worst three days. I couldn't seem to stop thinking or daydreaming about the same thing, no matter how hard I tried. It interfered with my work, with my reading, it even invaded my dreams." She sighed and looked at him.
"What were you daydreaming about ?" He managed to ask. He was standing right next to her. She could feel his heat through her trouser leg. Birkoff noticed her eyes were deeply green. He couldn't move. He barely remembered to breathe.
He was mesmerized. Lollie shifted on the counter and uncrossed her legs. She leaned closer to him.
"This" she whispered and kissed him. Her lips were warm and soft. The tip of her tongue caressed his lower lip. Birkoff was stunned, rooted to the floor. A firestorm of longing and desire forked through him like lightning. Lollie pulled away and drew in a ragged breath. Her eyes flew open wide , amusement and shock at her own boldness reflecting in their emerald depths. She gazed at his lips, then into his eyes. She gently touched his mouth with her fingertips as if to make sure his lips were real and that she really had just kissed them. She tipped her head in silent inquiry…Do you want this? Is it too soon?"
"Oh my" she whispered. Birkoff gazed at her, dumbstruck. He wanted more. He wanted her. "I've been dying to do that for the last three days." She said and giggled nervously. Birkoff gave her a loopy grin. No one had ever been dying to do "that" to him before, least of all someone as beautiful as Lollie. He also knew that if they didn't do "that" again, he would surely die. He responded with soft tentative kisses that sought encouragement. Lollie drew back again and a beautiful smile lit up her face. She removed his glasses. They kissed slowly, softly, as the wonder of what they were doing sank in. "This is so much better than the daydream." She murmured. Birkoff blissfully devoured her, seeking her kiss like a parched man seeks water. He stepped between her knees and gathered her to him. His hands slid inside her jacket and his agile fingers skimmed over the soft pink tee, up her sides until his thumbs gently grazed the sides of her breasts. He was almost vibrating with need. Lollie sighed happily and threw her arms around his neck. She began to nibble on his jaw, then his earlobe. It was his turn to draw in a ragged breath. Wrapping her legs around his hips she felt his arousal press against her. Birkoff groaned and lifted her off the counter, cupping her bottom with both hands. He pressed against her, deepening the exquisite contact. Lollie hooked her ankles behind him, drawing him closer, seeking even more intimacy. Fire danced along her nerve endings and wet heat pooled between her legs. Her breath hitched in her throat when he cupped a breast and thumbed an excited nipple. Birkoff couldn't believe her response. He began a trail of kisses down her neck, then buried his face in her shoulder as he tried to get control of his roaring hunger.
"If you want me to stop, tell me now. I'll probably die, but I'll stop." he whispered, his chest heaving
"Don't you dare stop"" she murmured and sought his mouth again. She arched against him and slid her hands under his sweater, her fingers causing ripples of delight across his back. Birkoff quickly carried her across the room, before his legs could completely liquefy, and fell onto his bed. He explored every inch of her delightful body. She was the softest thing he had ever felt. He couldn't keep his hands still. Lollie ran her hands all over his body, her touch setting fire to his skin. He wanted to let her explore, but he couldn't stop his own questing mouth or hands. Their kisses became almost frantic as they hurried to remove clothing, to expose skin, to touch more. He kissed, he licked, he caressed. Lollie did the same. Soon, they were both naked and tangled up in each other. The world outside his door disappeared as they found their own paradise
Later, as their breathing returned to normal and the sweat cooled their skin, Lollie lay stretched out beside him, one leg thrown possessively over his hip. Their climaxes had been soul shattering. Birkoff was exhausted, almost boneless with satisfaction. Lollie was blissfully happy. She traced random patterns on his chest with her fingers. He played with her blonde curls and pressed soft kisses to her forehead.
"Did you really daydream about me?" he asked. Lollie raised her head and looked at him. His wistful smile made her heart skip a beat.
"Yes" She kissed him gently "I did. The real thing is so much better". She snuggled closer, and her warm skin felt like velvet and silk. His desire began to rise up again and he pulled her on top of him. The feeling of her breasts grazing his chest was heavenly. Their kisses became deeper, more urgent. His arousal came surging back. She reached for him as eagerly, matching kiss for kiss, touch for touch. Just then, the communicator buzzed. Birkoff bit back an oath. Lollie groaned into his shoulder.
"Birkoff?" said a disembodied voice.
"Yes" he replied in a smooth monotone. He almost gasped as Lollie slid down his body suggestively. She lay silently across his chest, enjoying the last of their intimate contact.
"Briefing in ten minutes." Then, the voice was gone. Lollie sighed and got up from his bed. Birkoff covered his face with both hands and laughingly groaned out loud. Lollie giggled as she gathered up her things. He watched her dress. She was so beautiful! He was amazed and delighted that she wanted him as much as he desired her.. He rammed the lid back down on his simmering desire. He wasn't going to jeopardize this intriguing development by messing up. He rose and quickly dressed. While he was searching for his glasses, he was assailed by doubts. Suddenly unsure of himself or what to say, he just stood looking at Lollie. She smiled and then gave him a loud, smacking kiss. The kiss held the promise of passion, of fun, of so much more. Elation and joy roared through him and he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the floor in a fierce, possessive hug.
"I'll see you as soon as I can" he whispered and took one last taste of her. They parted in the hallway outside his door.
The next few weeks were a blur. When he wasn't working, Birkoff was with Lollie. He needed her like he needed air, water and light. He didn't want anything to interfere with his burgeoning love affair so he worked like a demon. He took a page from The Book of Michael. He let no emotion show, he let no detail go unchecked, he admitted nothing to anyone. His formidable genius became an even more powerful tool because he was fighting for his own happiness. Madeline and Operations would find no reason to keep them apart if he could help it. Lollie felt the same. The young lovers found ways to be together, taking roundabout routes through Section to meet in little used corridors where they could share brief caresses and intense, stolen kisses. When they were finally alone together, their passion would burst forth like a flood. Every waking moment (and most of the sleeping ones as well) not dedicated to work was reserved for each other. Birkoff had never been so happy in his life.
"Hey, Walter" Nikita said as she strolled into the workshop.
"Hey Sugar. What's up?" Walter looked up from his work and smiled.
"Nothing" she replied as she toyed with one of his marvelous inventions. Walter watched and waited. He knew there was more.
"What's with Birkoff?" she finally asked.
"You noticed." Walter chuckled and returned to his work.
"Yeah" Nikita grinned.
"He's in L..O..V..E.. with a capital L"
"With whom?" Nikita was intrigued.
"Her name's Lollie. She's a pretty little thing from DRV. Walter looked up at Nikita and she saw the laughter in his eyes. Nikita grinned even more broadly. She, too, had a soft spot in her heart for Birkoff.
"I'm glad for them" she said as she turned to leave. Walter grinned and watched her go.
"So am I Sugar, so am I"
Lollie and Birkoff were the subjects of another, more ominous conversation. Operations was finally aware of their involvement, having seen Birkoff give Lollie a swift, possessive kiss when he thought no one was watching them. Operations sipped his coffee and gazed at Madeline. He was irritated that she hadn't told him of this little development before.
"Should we be concerned about Birkoff's relationship?" He asked matter-of-factly. He was pleased to see a fleeting spark of irritation flash in her eyes.
"Don't be concerned… yet. His work hasn't suffered. His performance levels are still at 100%. She replied in her usual calm voice. She stroked a key on her panel and a new series of images appeared. Operations' thoughts switched from anger at Madeline to the days' work. He had been very impressed with the SIMS lately. Madeline continued..
"He needs this. He was perilously close to burnout. He wasn't sleeping, his diet was atrocious and his work wasn't imaginative. Since we haven't yet recruited anyone of his caliber as a possible replacement, the timing of this development is perfect." Madeline sipped in silence, pleased at her little payback. She knew Birkoff was his protégé. Her gentle threat was just that. Operations looked at her over his glasses. He turned back to his monitor and the silence hung between them.
"Does he know?" Operations asked softly. He gazed at the scenes of Birkoff already at work in COMM.
"That she's dying? No, she knows but hasn't told him. She will when the time is right." Madeline slowly stirred her coffee. She wasn't really sure how their young genius would handle this emotional train wreck. This was going to be way beyond his breakup with Gail.
"Will he be able to deal with this? To function?" Operations looked at Madeline. Their little war was temporarily forgotten as he pondered the looming trouble.
"He will grieve, very deeply, but he will survive." Madeline replied. She returned his gaze. It held a silent warning. Paul cocked an eyebrow at the unspoken message.
"Good" was all he said
Epilogue
Six months later, Birkoff raced through the corridors toward Medical. Lollie had been taken there after she collapsed at her station. He rushed to her side, unable to hide the terror he felt. He took her hand and whispered her name. "Lollie?" Her eyes briefly fluttered open.
"Birkoff" was her weak reply.
"Are you okay? What happened?"
"Lightning" she whispered. Her face was pale and her breathing was shallow.
"Please don't go Lollie." Birkoff begged. Talons of fear clutched at his heart.
"Soon" she said, her voice faint. Panic seized him. A medtech checked her pulse and adjusted her IV. He whispered "She's sleeping" and left the room. Birkoff remained, not letting go of Lollie's hand. He barely registered Madeline's arrival. She gazed at the young man.
"Are you prepared for this?" was her gentle question. Birkoff looked up at her, grief already evident in his eyes.
"Is anyone ever prepared" he answered bleakly. He knew this day would come, ever since Lollie told him that she was slowly dying. The after effects of the lightning strike were taking their toll on her nervous system. It was proving to be too much for her heart. He refused to think about it, living each day as if their love affair could last forever. Her first collapse had frightened him, but she quickly recovered. The relationship intensified, becoming as legendary within Section as that of Michael and Nikita. Finally, he could deny it no longer as she began to decline and he had to fight back against his fear. He was losing her and it terrified him. The agony in his eyes touched something even in Madeline's cold, cold heart.
"I'll see that COMM is covered. You are officially on down time." She turned and left the room. She punched a code into the panel outside Medical and the surveillance cameras went blank. She could at least give him a little privacy.
"Birkoff" Lollie called to him as she opened her eyes.
"I'm here Lollie" he leaned over and kissed her gently.
"I'm cold" she whispered. He climbed onto the bed and pulled her into his lap. He cradled her in his arms and wrapped a blanket around them both.
"Please don't leave me. I don't think I can go on if you do." he whispered to her. Tears filled his eyes. He removed his glasses and squeezed his eyes tight to clear his vision. She sighed contentedly and snuggled closer.
"I'll never leave you. I'll come back to haunt you. Every time there's a thunderstorm, you'll think of me." She smiled weakly. "I love you Birkoff".
Later, she slipped away, still nestled in his arms. He continued to hold her, rocking back and forth as silent tears of grief and pain ran down his face. After what felt like hours, he laid her back on the bed and left the room, only to come face to face with Nikita. He shook his head at her questioning look. His face was a mask of pain. Nikita took him in her arms, hugging him tightly as tears welled up in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry Birkoff." she said, her voice breaking. When she released him, he wrapped his arms around himself like he was trying to fend off a physical blow, a blow from which there was no defense… a blow to his heart. Nikita put her arm around his shoulder and steered him towards Egress. Walter met them there and threw a jacket over his young friend's shoulders. Birkoff allowed Walter and Nikita to lead him away. They took him out of Section, to Nikita's apartment. Once there, he curled up in a ball on the floor and a keening wail tore from his throat. Nikita and Walter sat in silent vigil for their friend.
Off in the distance, a thunderstorm rumbled. Birkoff suddenly got up and went to the glass doors leading to Nikita's balcony. He watched the storm approach, rumbling louder and gathering in intensity as it did. Walter and Nikita just watched him. Finally, as sheets of water poured from the sky, he stepped out into the powerful rainstorm, spread his arms wide and raised his face to the sky. "I love you Lollie. " he whispered. Raindrops mingled with his tears as the tempest whirled around him and lightning split the night.