Author's note: Thanks so much to everyone who has read, reviewed, subscribed and favorited this fic! I truly appreciate because it's motivating and I have no idea how you guys feel unless you do one of actions I listed above. Tomorrow is birthday and Nikita RETURNS this week too! YAY!
Michael walked over to Alex when he saw the wonderment in her eyes turned into sadness. He sat down next to her on the couch, "What is it?"
"This apartment is beautiful..it's everything that a girl like me would want.."
"But?"
Brushing a lock of chocolate hair behind her ear she looked into his green eyes, "Why don't you and Nikita believe in me? I could've handled the mission but you both just took over without even talking to me."
He sighed, "Alex, that's not it."
"Then tell me. Thom completed his mission, neither of you stopped him. Why am I different?"
His hand gripped her shoulder, "Because there's a difference between witnessing death and taking part in it. You've experienced more than most people will ever see but taking a life puts you on different level that's hard to come back from. Even if the person deserved to be killed it stays with you forever. Trust me when I say this, you don't need that on your conscience."
The adamant tone of his voice paired with the sincerity in his eyes made her understand but she was still upset, "You could have at least told me, I know that I deserve that much."
He nodded, "We should have but in our defense, it was last minute."
"Anything for the black boxes."
"Alex, Percy will pay for what he's done but the black boxes have to come first."
"He should be rotting in hell," her eyes hardened.
Seeing her anger reminded him of his hatred towards Kasim but he decided to keep it to himself.
She noticed his pensive expression, "What?"
"Nothing. I have to get back to Division," he stood up.
She looked up at him with uncertainty, "What..what do I do?"
"Anything you want..unless it's somewhere you're not supposed to be then," he handed her a prepaid mobile phone, "text Birkhoff and he'll reroute your tracker."
Thinking of Thom she nodded, "Cool..I guess I'll see you at work."
"Hopefully not too soon. Enjoy this time to yourself, it moves faster than you think." He briefly grinned before leaving.
Birkhoff crossed his arms, "Can we just get this over with?"
"After you answer my question." Michael told him.
"Yes, I've been doing the exercises and lift weights that you told me to do."
His left brow rose, "You do know that I meant weights that are heavier than a comic book and a can of Red Bull, right?"
"Ha..ha. I'm going up," he stood on top of Michael's desk and popped off the vent's cover.
"Remember to listen," he pointed to his ear where an earbud was placed, "in case anything goes wrong."
"I know Michael. It hasn't been THAT long since I've done this," he pulled himself into the vent.
He smirked, "There's something else you've got to keep in mind while you're up there."
"And that would be?" He began crawling.
"Rats."
"WHAT?"
"Don't worry they're afraid and uncomfortable around you…just like most of women are," a quick and low scoff came from his lips.
A small scowl was on his face, "God you and Niki are sickeningly perfect for each other."
Michael held back a smile and left his office, "I'm checking on the guards outside of Percy's office."
"Hopefully their ears aren't as big as their muscles," he turned a corner.
"How close are you?"
"Four or five feet. And not a rat in sight."
"For now."
"…I hate you."
"Gentlemen," Michael greeted the guards outside of Percy's office before asking them about their morning.
Birkhoff softly landed on Percy's desk without alerting the guards, "I'm in," he sat down and opened the drawer retrieving the laptop.
"I see. Any other developments?" Michael asked Birkhoff and the guards.
"I'm opening up the NOC files and I just connected the flash drive."
"Good, how long until your shift ends?"
"A minute..I have to do some digging."
He noticed the two guards straightening their stance and he immediately knew why, "Percy."
Birkhoff's eyes widen, "What? He's supposed to be in a meeting right now. Damn it Michael!"
"Michael, what are you doing?" Percy questioned as he walked towards him.
"Yes, like I do with all the guards each morning. Aren't you supposed to be in a meeting with Oversight?"
"Stall him! You're upper management it should be second nature to you!" Birkhoff watched the third to last NOC file save itself on the flash drive.
"I forgot my phone in my office. I'm expecting an important call."
"Really?"
"Yes, I intend not to miss it. Excuse me gentlemen," Percy said to the guards prompting them to step aside.
After he placed his fingerprint on the keypad's scanner Michael spoke to stop him from opening the door, "It's been over two months since we've heard anything from Nikita."
Percy turned his head, "That must be a record. Maybe she's finally realized that her crusade against us is pointless."
"Perhaps she did but.."
"NICE. I'm done!" Birkhoff quickly returned the laptop to the desk drawer.
"But we both know that she was never one to relent and until I see her dead body myself, she remains a threat to us."
"Of course." Michael said as he watched Percy open the door, "And.."
Percy turned his head towards Michael not seeing Birkhoff close the vent's cover, "There's something else?"
"Yes, I'm requesting a short leave of absence. Ever since Nikita's resurfaced I haven't had a moment for myself."
A small grin came to his usually cold expression, "Michael, you don't have to explain. Nikita has and will always be an exhausting problem. Anyway, your personal days have added up..you should use them."
"Thanks. I was thinking a week."
"Very well then. Is that all?" He unplugged his phone and slipped it into his suit's inner pocket.
He opened the door for him, "Yes, I'll bring Amanda up to speed and finish the rest of the day."
"Good. I'll see you in a week. And I hope for your sake that Nikita doesn't cut your vacation short."
Staring straight into eyes he answered, "You never know with her but I agree."
"If only he knew about you and Niki.." Birkhoff said with a small laugh.
He returned to his office Birkhoff sat at his desk drinking a Red Bull and set it down, "You're welcome."
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
Michael knocked the can of Red Bull into the trash bin next to his desk. He smirked at the dejected looking hacker.
"I need to make new friends." he folded his arms.
Standing on the balcony of their hotel suite, Nikita took in the breathtaking view of Sydney's harbor bridge and opera house. The bright lights of the cityscape illuminated the night sky and reflected off the water, it was the perfect blend of superficial and natural beauty. All she could think of was how much she wanted to enjoy the moment with Michael.
Owen quietly walked up next to her and after a few seconds he told her, "Emily always wanted to come here."
Hearing him open up was a welcomed surprise, she looked at him, "It's a beautiful city, I can see why."
His hands rested on the stone railing, "I didn't have it planned but I knew that I wanted us to move here. Start over."
"I know the feeling.."
From the brief flash of sorrow in her dark eyes he could tell that she was thinking of Daniel.
The guilt in his eyes pained her, she glanced at the bridge then at him, "Michael called earlier. He's going to meet us in England on Wednesday."
He simply tipped his head.
"And I can see that you're thrilled," she joked wearing a half smile.
"I'm new to this team work stuff. I have to get used to it."
"He has to get used to you too. But trust me; he's an asset not a threat." She heard her mobile phone ring and answered it when she saw that it was Inspector Riley.
"What?" He asked her after she hanged up.
"His INTERPOL contact here in Sydney is preparing to raid Senator's Holmes manor in an hour. We need to prep."
In his home office Senator Holmes sat at his desk and dialed Percy's number on his mobile phone.
"Senator, it's a little late to.." Percy began to say before he was cut off.
"I just received a call from a contact informing me that INTERPOL will arrive at my home in less than five minutes! They received files off my laptop!"
Percy leaned back in his office chair, "And?"
"And you assured me that those files would remain classified!"
"Only while they were in our possession and our own head tech. confirmed that no news organization and media outlets received them. So, anything that Nicole did with your laptop before we intervened was out of our control. And need I remind you that I was cleaning up YOUR mess. It's been out of my hands for a week. Now it's in yours." He ended their conversation.
Senator Holmes threw down the phone and got up from his desk. His eyes went to the phone on his desk before he picked up dialed his head of security.
Percy called the guardian staying in the senator's guest house, "Where's the package?"
"In the safe. Why?" Edward answered.
"Interpol is about to raid the senator's home. You must retrieve the package and arrive at the rendezvous point in two hours, understand?"
"Yes, sir." He immediately got dressed then heard gunfire coming from the manor. Once he punched in the numeric code on the safe's keypad its door opened.
Just then a masked Interpol agent busted through the door. Edward grabbed the gun out of the safe and shot at the agent but missed when he ducked behind the couch. Through the darkness the guardian felt the barrel of a submachine against his right temple.
"Put down your weapon, now." The inspector said pressing the barrel deep into Edward's head.
Edward pretended to lower his pistol before attempting to shoot the inspector. The other inspector stood up on his knees shooting Edward twice in the chest.
Nikita removed her mask and looked at Owen as he got to his feet, "Thanks," she reached into the safe grabbing the black box and flash drive. She injected an empty syringe into the dead guardian's shoulder retrieving blood from him.
He broke the gas line with the butt of his rifle, "Ready?"
Her head nodded as she responded to the inspector that spoke in her ear. Once she heard him tell the others to stay away from the guest house, she and Owen made a discreet exit.
He shot at the gas filled house before they drove away watching it go up in flames.
A few days later, Birkhoff entered his office and opened a window on his desktop. He immediately emailed Michael the file.
Michael drove up to the country home that Nikita and Owen were staying in. His lips pulled into a grin once he saw her step out the front door.
"Lost?" A smile teased her lips.
His arms reached out and wrapped around her svelte waist pulling her to him, "Not anymore." He welcomed her mouth on his.
As they tasted each other's kiss she released a small moan and felt his arms press her closer to him.
His mobile phone vibrated in his pocket, he tried to ignore it until she pulled her lips away from him.
"We both know that you have to answer that.." She rested her forehead against his.
He reluctantly took his phone out of his pocket, "It's an email from Birkhoff."
The troubled look on his face concerned her, "What?"
He handed her the phone while trying to grasp what he just read.
"This definitely changes things."