Disclaimer: Don't any of it and this is just for fun

Archive: Sure but let me know where

Thanks again for the detailed reviews and the new reviewers! Thanks Meredith, I suppose that they may seem slightly OOC. They are encountering completely new roles/situations. I'm trying to keep them as they are but growing into their new lives. Give me more thoughts going forward.

Keep the reviews coming!

Saturday – Section, Briefing Table

Michelle sat at the end of the table next to Walter with her arms crossed.

The profile was flawed.

Nikita had to know it and worse yet, she had to know that Michelle knew. This would never have happened before she had received that damning message from V.A.T.O.S…never! She was diverting resources for personal reasons and sending teams in short. Michelle could hardly believe it. Their father must be beside himself.

She could already see the message that he would have waiting for her…well he would have to eat his words if she had already taken care of it.

But how should she handle it?

The old Michelle would wait until after the briefing was over and speak privately with Nikita. But then again the old Michelle made mistakes too. However…she had to play this right. No one would doubt Nikita's motives…they might not even care if it was to save Michael and Adam…but Oversight would care.

It wouldn't do for them to remove Nikita. Michelle certainly didn't want that responsibility but she did want to be more than the woman behind the woman. She wanted, no deserved, respect. Bringing mistakes of Nikita's like this to light might help the others see that she too was Mr. Jones daughter and not to be ignored.

Nikita stole another glance at Michelle, hating the feeling of unease that had been slowly manifesting itself since she had begun the briefing. Something was up; she knew that particular prickle.

A hand went up from one of the younger recruits at the other end of the table.

"Yes Nick?" Nikita asked, her voice edgy and her hands moving to the edges of the table so she could lean in towards him.

"Operations," He cleared his voice and then continued, "I believe the profile of teams seems a bit slim."

Michelle jerked her head around to the other end of the table. Who was that? How dare he steal her thunder!

Nikita held back her small smile. He had balls to confront her like this at the briefing table. She knew there was something she liked about him, remembering her own moments of boldness, but she had no choice but to push back a little.

"Oh really Nick, would you mind telling me just WHY you think that and why you felt the need to interrupt me?" Nikita demanded.

She could play Operations when she had to. She'd learned from the best…or worst depending where you stood.

Nick visibly swallowed. He'd never been the target of Operations wrath and didn't wish to be now. He had heard though that she was usually fair and open to discussion when the situation called for it.

"If you look at the profile…" He stood, pointing to the 3D visual model in front of them, "here and here. There are clear points of entry for hostiles that we can't cover with a team of 6. I believe an additional 4 man team would fill in the gap." He finished and sat down again, praying he hadn't just bought a one-way ticket to abeyance.

Nikita saw the barely contained aggravation on Michelle's face. So she had planned to bring up the flaw in the profile too, Nikita thought. Interesting. That was the prickle she'd been feeling.

She moved back from the table, hands behind her, not realizing that she had adopted Michael's habitual stance. Not one more variable she thought, especially not her own sister. Something was shifting in their relationship but why? She would have to speak with her later.

Nikita turned her attention back to the visual. Nick was quite right. She'd profiled it slim purposefully.

She still believed that the top notch team she'd selected could have gotten the job done but the safer bet, the V.A.T.O.S. bet, was what Nick had suggested. But she was sick of V.A.T.O.S. and NOT following its suggestions gave her immense satisfaction. She knew it was childish just as she knew that now was not the time to get sloppy. She couldn't afford to get on Oversight's radar.

"Alright Nick. Make the changes to the profile. You'll be leading the team. Everyone is on close quarter standby." She told him.

Shock registered on his face and Nikita smiled. He wanted to be a leader? Then be a leader.

"Yes Operations. Right away."

Michelle was walking away from the briefing table when Nikita's voice stopped her.

"Michelle, dinner in the tower later?"

Michelle stopped but didn't turn around.

"Not tonight Nikita." She replied and kept going.

Nikita cocked her head at an angle, wringing her hands behind her back, willing herself not to respond back. Oh yes, something was definitely up.

Walter watched Michelle's retreating back. More trouble was brewing.

It would seem that Daddy wasn't the only one with a power hungry streak a mile long. He would have to send him a message, tell him he should have spent more energy on all that genetic trait testing he'd had a team working on many moons ago.

As any good military man knew, when you were at war, which they most certainly were, there could only be one leader.