It was after eight-fifteen that Michael entered his apartment that evening.
Percy had had them run through the September job again, after the third run through, Michael had turned to Percy and asked him if they could stop.
"We still have three days," Michael said.
"And your head's still not in the game." Percy replied. "Are you having any problems?" Percy asked the question as if Michael shouldn't be having any problems at all.
"No." Michael replied, "Just tired of going through the same thing."
"This is a very dangerous and clever individual," Percy replied, "We can't leave anything to chance. Anything, you understand me?"
Michael nodded and left.
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Nikita was seated on his sofa facing the door.
"I was beginning to think you'd changed your mind." She told him.
"Percy had some things he wanted to go over."
Nikita nodded, she knew Percy well.
"I brought over some food," she said. At his look she added, "Not from that place you pretend to dislike so much."
During her time at Division, Nikita and Michael had had occasion to share meals after missions. Michael liked experimenting with different cuisines so when they could they went to different restaurants in whichever city they happened to be working.
One night they had literally stumbled upon a place that claimed to have authentic Indian food and they had tried it, the food had been so bad, Michael had gotten a stomach bug. However, that place was one restaurant where Nikita and Michael had gone that they had never been followed by Division agents, so they kept going back when they wanted to be alone.
Percy had told Michael that it wasn't 'healthy and frankly scary' the amount of time he spent with Nikita, after they had been caught on camera, twice, eating at restaurants, after missions.
"We're just eating," Michael told Percy, "nothing else."
"I know," Percy had replied, "but don't get too close. I don't want her compromising your judgment."
The Indian restaurant had become their place and after a while they had even found the right food to eat at that place.
"What did you bring?" Michael asked Nikita, now. "I'm starved."
Nikita lay out the food and they sat at the kitchen table and ate.
"So you said you needed my help?" Nikita asked Michael.
"There's this recruit, agent, that Percy thinks should be cancelled."
"And you disagree?"
Michael scowled at Nikita. "Percy and Amanda don't trust her, and they want Alex and her boyfriend killed after the mission this week."
Nikita was thankful that she was sitting because she nearly fell when she heard Alex's name mentioned. She'd told Alex to be careful, to ensure that no one knew about Nathan, but apparently Alex hadn't been careful enough.
"What do you want to do?" Nikita asked, although she just wanted to run to Alex's apartment and bundle her off to parts unknown.
"I want to arrange her death, so that it appears that she died during the mission."
Nikita nodded, "what about her boyfriend?"
"I thought you could help me with the specifics," Michael said, "which is why I asked for your help."
"Okay, tell me about the mission."
"September," Michael began, "we want to take down a drug dealer. He calls himself Mel, and makes and sells some deadly drugs to college students. Alex went in and attended one of his classes, she's never met him but they have communicated via email and phone. They have become so close, that he's agreed to a face to face. Alex is to meet him on Friday during a frat party, a masque party."
"So what's the plan?"
"She'll be wired; two agents will go in with her as her roomies while we will surround the perimeter, when she makes contact we go in."
"Why is Division doing this? Why not call the police?"
"Favour for one of Percy's friends. Apparently his son took the drugs and is currently in hospital, his friend died. Percy's friend is willing to pay a lot for the capture of Mel and also to ensure that his drug thing never gets on his son's records."
"Okay, so Alex goes in, finds Mel; you grab him and take him out." Nikita said.
"Actually our plan is bigger than that," Michael told her, "but you don't need to know that."
""So you inject Alex with something to make it seem like she's dead and get her out. Why do you need me?"
"I don't want her body brought back to Division," Michael pointed out, "they'll check and they could even decide to incinerate it before I get it out."
"So, I come to the party, cause some chaos, Alex dies, people disappear. You realize that Percy will want to see the body, right?"
Michael nodded.
"I'll come up with a plan," Nikita told him, "we still have time."
Michael cleared the table and poured them some more drinks.
"Thanks for coming," Michael told her.
"I told you," Nikita said, "I'll always have your back. Although I was surprised, but glad, to hear from you."
"You're the only one I could trust with this."
"Really? I thought you didn't trust me," Nikita told him, "especially after the last time we met."
"You interfered with my plans," Michael told her, "you let Kasim get away." He turned and looked straight at her, "Why did you Nikita, I had him. I was closer than I had ever been."
"I'm sorry," Nikita told him, "I didn't know that. I didn't want to take the chance; I thought they would kill you."
"You wanted to save me?" Michael was incredulous.
"Michael I would never do anything to put you in danger."
Michael knew that, somewhere deep inside he knew that and he would do the same for Nikita, he couldn't imagine his life without her in it. He already knew how empty it had been when she'd left it but their lives were too complicated, they had so much between them, it could never work.
"I guess I'll turn in," he told her, "It's been a long day."
"Good night Michael," Nikita told him, "I'll be in touch tomorrow."
Michael watched her walk out of his apartment calling himself every kind of coward. Many times he'd wanted to reach out and touch her hand but he restrained himself, he didn't deserve someone like her, she was too good for him. She deserved so much more than he could give – he really had nothing to give anyone.
He would concentrate on saving the recruits and agents in Division, which was all he was good for.
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