FALLEN ANGELS
Chapter 2
A/N: I want to thank all those who took the time to read and review my story, and to those who have it on alert, you know who you are.
Previously
"I like when you're nervous like that. Worried about something?"
"We need to decrypt that black box we got from Dana, Michael…we have to be one step ahead of Percy…Sparrow can go active any minute, and we still don't know anything about it. We need Birkoff, and we need him now."
"He's not going to be easy to get Nikita, not after you practically fed him to Amanda to cover up for Alex. It worked at the time, but now he's going to be alert."
"Babe, you are the one who's still on best terms with him…try and see how can we get him on board without the need to expose him to either Amanda or Percy again. Speaking about Alex…we do need to move up her extraction Michael."
"And we will, but she needs to make her own choices, and as for now she decided to stay and fight. We have to stand behind her decision."
Nikita smiled and took Michael's hand:
"You sound just like me now…since when did you become so wise?"
"You're hurting my feelings, though I thought we already established who the wise one in this relationship is."
"This aspect is still up for discussion you know. Alex told me you left Division quickly. Did something happen?"
"I guess you could say that. Percy gave me the day off, and we both know…"
"He never does that. He's planning something babe, now we know it, but how can we stop him?"
Nikita stood up from her chair and went to look out the window, even though she felt more relaxed now that he was here, she couldn't help but still worry. Michael sighed and went near her and hugged her, kissing the top of her head. She just smiled and almost melted into his embrace:
"It almost feels normal when we're like this, it's just like…there's no Division, no Percy, and did I mention we almost look normal?"
They both started laughing, and didn't even realize it, it wasn't something they were used too, not with all this tension around, not with all the problems they had to deal with, and the precautions they needed to take in order to see each other, even if it were for 5 minutes only. Nikita rose on her tiptoes and looked straight into Michael's eyes, only to see the love he was not ready to express in words. She traced her fingers over his eyebrows, and after he closed his eyes she kissed him. The kiss started out slowly, but as usual turned into a heated one…they didn't know what slow meant, they always felt that urge of being closer. Nikita locked her arms behind his neck and deepened the kiss. Somewhere in the distance they heard someone clear their throat. Michael opened his eyes, and turned around, only to find Alex in the doorway.
"I guess I still need time to get used to…that. If you wish to continue I can come back later."
"Alex, please, we were…"
"My God, I'm not five…I know you two are…connecting."
Michael noticed the wink Alex gave Nikita who just shook her head. He couldn't help, and asked:
"Did I miss something? An inside joke maybe? "
"Michael, it's…girls stuff, plus…"
At this precise moment Michael's phone started buzzing in his pocket. He took it out of his pocket, and noticed he had a message. He read it and then looked up:
"I guess that means my day off is over, and we have a new assignment…Percy's waiting for me, and I think you should get your message pretty soon Alex. I'll meet you back there. "
Alex nodded, and Michael looked at Nikita with soft eyes:
"I'll be back in the evening, hopefully with either details on Sparrow or the new mission."
After Michael left, Nikita turned towards Alex, who said:
"I swear all of them are acting really strange, Amanda is all smiles, and…"
"She never smiles unless she's up to something."
"Exactly Nikita, plus Percy is being all super nice, I mean asking me how I was after Jaden's death? And then there's Birkoff…"
Now it was turn for Alex's phone to buzz, and after she read it, she said to Nikita:
"Now it's my turn to go, for whatever Percy has planned now."
"Alex wait, what about Birkoff?"
"I don't really know how to put it, but he's jumpy now, and before you say anything, yes, more than usual."
"Hmmmm, so the nerd might have problems too? Interesting, but don't let me keep you up, Michael will fill me in on what's happening when he comes back."
"And you're sure that's the only thing you'll be doing?"
Both women started laughing; Alex waved Nikita goodbye and left. Nikita took the black box from its hiding place and looked at it for several minutes. She didn't know what secrets could have been there, but she knew she had to crack it open in order to have an advantage on Percy…
"Birkoff is the one who can decrypt this thing, and I'm going to get him, even if that means knocking him out again."
Michael was walking towards Percy's office, when Birkoff appeared out of nowhere:
"I need to speak with you Michael…now please."
"Birkoff I have a meeting with Percy, let's talk about it later…I don't have…"
"Time? You better find it Mickey, because this is huge, and I think it might just interest you."
Michael looked intrigued, especially since he didn't remember the last time Birkoff looked so nervous. He motioned for Birkoff to follow him, and they went to Michael's office. As soon as Michael closed the door, Birkoff put a tiny device on his table and turned it on. Michael was surprised:
"What's that for?"
"It's just for precaution Mickey…in case Percy already suspects something. He doesn't need to hear this."
"Hear what Birkoff?"
Birkoff handed Michael an USB device and motioned for him to connect it to his computer. What Michael saw there was something he never expected, something he never thought of at that moment…it was a video from a traffic camera in London, and you could clearly see Nikita and him in the same car. At first he was speaking at the phone, and then he smiled at Nikita and took her hand. Michael dropped his eyes and later closed the video.
"Did Percy see that?" he asked Birkoff.
"Do you think you'd still be here, speaking with me if he saw it?"
Michael didn't know how to react, so he silently reached for his gun.
"You have a point."
"Why Michael? I just want you to look me in the eyes and tell me why? You were, damn it… you still are the only person I trust around here. I thought that had to count for something."
"It does count Birkoff…"
"Really? It sure didn't look like, when both you and Nikki practically lied to my face. You know, trust goes both ways Mickey. Dude, in the past it went beyond any missions or whatever Division had in store for us. And now you lied to me."
"Birkoff, you don't know…"
"I want to know; because there must be one hell of a good reason for you to let your guard down like that…didn't you think Percy might have a look at the security cameras before I did?"
"We were running out of time…the extraction team was already at the church, and…Elliott, he had…"
"Tell me…I'm willing to listen; I think I deserve the truth."
Michael looked Birkoff in the eyes and said:
"You do, but I'm just going to tell you my part of the story…there are things that are not mine to tell."
"Good, then I finally get to meet Nikki today? As in see her without her trying to set me up…again?"
"I don't know Birkoff, this part will be entirely up to you."
Birkoff smiled and sat in the chair opposite Michael, ready to hear his friend out. He felt the moment Michael changed, and he always had suspicions that Nikita was involved, mainly because they were all a team in the past, and he knew how those two reacted around each other.
Alex was going to Percy's office when she met Amanda, who smiled again at her
"Alex, so sorry if we messed up your plans for the evening, but this mission is very important…Percy is in Operations already."
"Is Michael there too?"
"Actually no, strangely enough he's disappeared, not answering his phone, I'm going to head to his office to….I'm sorry, it was never my intention to bore you out with details…you can go now."
Amanda just nodded as Alex made her way to Operations room, and while walking to Michael's office kept thinking of a way to make Alex give her secrets away. When she got to Michael's office, she didn't even bother knocking at the door:
"Michael, I was wondering if you saw…Birkoff" said Amanda after spotting the two men sitting casually at the table "I didn't think I'd find you here. Am I interrupting something? "
"Not at all" said Birkoff walking to the door "I just brought Michael some info on the new possible recruits."
"So it's already harvest time…perfect, now can I have that USB, Michael?"
"No, because I just got it, and I need to check that list out."
"Well, you're out of time, because Percy needs you, and I might have just the time to go through that list."
Michael looked at Birkoff, afraid of some casual slip, but he looked so calm, not even a hint of the tension present in this room just a few minutes back.
"Amanda, if you'd like I can make you a copy right now."
"Thank you Birkoff, but I would really, really like Michael's copy, can one of you give it to me now?"
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