Chapter 6 Debriefing

Still shaken from his meeting with Percy and wondering about Amanda's comment regarding his sanity, Birkhoff slid into the conference room chair. Resting his arms on the table, he shook his head in dismay.

"I still can't believe he found out," he murmured softly, aware of the camera pointing toward them. Thankfully the record light hadn't blinked on yet. "Who'd of thought Percy read chatter?" he wondered, looking up at Michael. "Not even the techs in Operations can stand doing that—it's so tedious and time consuming."

"He's unpredictable, I'll give him that," Michael sighed, strolling slowly around the table to face him.

"You know, I wonder if what just happened in there wasn't another one of the little mind games he loves so much," he thought aloud. "He always pulls them on me when I least expect it! He didn't even let me get back to my class, and I was really looking forward to setting that Thom guy up for some well-deserved embarrassment."

"You know if I didn't know better," Michael mused, peering down at him, "I'd say either you're baiting Percy just to see what he'll do, or you're seriously trying to get thrown out of Operations."

Birkhoff stared in disbelief at his supposed friend. "I wasn't aware of trying anything," he warned. "And don't even pretend this is a real debriefing.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Michael shot back, eyeing the camera. "You know Percy watches me like a hawk too!"

"Come on!" he croaked, leaning back in his seat. "He trusts you completely, unlike the rest of the world."

"Ah no—he doesn't," Michael argued, leaning both hands on the table to stare at him. "And you haven't answered the question."

He eyed him a moment, his smile fading. "But you haven't asked one."

Michael made a face before concentrating on his question. "Are you trying to anger him and get yourself into even more trouble?"

"What 'trouble' are you talking about?" he demanded. "Look I've been running myself into the ground just to keep up with all the work he throws at me, and without one complaint!"

"Alright, then what really happened over there in the field, huh? Something from the past set you off?"

A flash of the gay guy's face and wolfish whistle invaded his thoughts, but Birkhoff shook his head. "All I did was act by reflex—I don't like child porn dealers to begin with, and I knew copying their files would just delay things and allow them to stay in business...so I deleted them."

"Not a smart move, going against Percy's orders—especially on a probationary run."

He stiffened, his anger flaring. "It wasn't a probationary op—it was a high level infiltration op, thank you very much," he argued. "Not to mention being conducted in the Former Soviet Union."

Michael straightened. "You just don't get it, do you?" he huffed. "Why go ahead and play superhero when you know Percy's on a power trip high right now?"

"I wasn't playing the hero, Michael—"

"Maybe you're on your own power trip, huh Birkhoff? Or maybe you don't actually want to do field work now that you've gone back out!"

Frustrated, Birkhoff shoved out of his chair and went to the window, staring out at the city. "All I did was operate under general protocol, but then again maybe I was wrong about our work being all about justice and wiping out the bad guys!"

"You and I both know there's a very fine line between good and bad," Michael stated, coming to his side, "but it's not our place to decide which is which!"

"Ok!" Birkhoff faced him, pointing toward the window. "So then when I'm out in the field operating without backup in a potentially dangerous situation overseas, I just dumbly follow orders? Is that what you want me to do?"

"Yeah, that's what I want you to do," he said, frowning and closing his eyes. "That's what Percy wants you to do."

"Look Michael if you're really going to debrief me just do it, ok?" he said quietly. "Go ahead—read me the riot act and lay down the rules. I'll even take handouts if you've got any—"

"What's up with you, man?" Michael demanded quietly. "You want me to treat you like a field opt probie? I'm trying to relate to you as the seasoned agent you are, but you're not making it easy."

"Ok—if I'm a 'seasoned agent' then explain to me why I can't actually do anything when I'm sent out?" he shot back.

They heard the camera click on, then Michael moved between it and him as he studied his expression. "Amanda argued for you to have this assignment," he reminded him, "so if you want to continue going out why not just pretend you're challenged by the ops they give you?"

Birkhoff eyed the camera, noting the red light indicating they were being recorded. "Look all I did was save us all a return trip," he sighed. "That was my call as an experienced agent—simple as that."

"So you weren't trying to prove anything?"

"I don't have to prove anything—why can't you guys just believe me?"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Michael hissed. "If you want to get away from your desk job, you have to play by the rules."

He was taken aback. "Running Operations is hardly a desk job!" he protested, pointing a finger into his shoulder. "You try making split-second life or death decisions and put in the shifts I've had—"

Amanda shook her head in disapproval. "Michael's just alienating him," she warned. "This is becoming counterproductive."

"Just give him a little longer," Percy said coolly, a smile curling at the edges of his lips. "We're about to see our brilliant computer genius blow the top off what he's really up to."

She lifted her brows but said nothing, gazing back at the camera just as Birkhoff jabbed a finger into Michael's chest, making him back up as he pushed him. And this was the only person in Division close to being his best friend. "See?"

"Now we're getting somewhere," Percy said excitedly. "We break up their friendship and we've got them both where we want them! A house divided cannot stand!"

She turned to face him with a shrug. "I'm still not convinced Birkhoff is hiding anything," she decided. "Granted, his behavior is at times suspicious and even quirky, but that's part of the profile of a genius. It's unfounded, suspecting him of anything untoward, especially after all this time."

"Maybe not, but it's sure fun to watch."

She grimaced inwardly, troubled by the fact that Percy liked toying with Birkhoff so much. He singled him out as if to challenge him, and more often than not ran him through endless loyalty tests, on-call stints and suspensions of privacy. He'd even put him in lockdown on more than one occasion. In her professional opinion all of these were unhealthy experiences for someone with Birkhoff's personality and high IQ. Now, watching his behavior change before their very eyes—and toward Michael no less— she was sorely tempted to object though she sensed it would only make Percy prolong the test further.

"Look I've been accused of being a mole and breaching my own system design," she heard Birkhoff shout, "I've had my teaching sessions torn apart by educational experts all for the sake of improving recruit training, and now I'm being threatened with God only knows what for a field decision I made when I was the one in charge! "

"There's no need to be paranoid, Seymour," Michael soothed, eyeing him sympathetically.

Birkhoff threw up his hands in frustration. "You know what, I give up—fine, don't send me out on field ops anymore. I really could care less. You can even banish me to the dungeon for solitary, which frankly I'd welcome right about now!"

Percy laughed and slapped his thigh, getting up and pressing the intercom button. "That'll be all, Michael," he stated, startling them both, so heated had their discussion been.

Amanda watched Birkhoff's eyes close in frustration while Michael nodded, eyeing the camera. "I had it under control, sir—"

"Actually you didn't," he stated, eyeing her with a hint of amusement. "We've been watching the whole time, but thank you for an interesting experiment—"

"God, you've all got God complexes!" Birkhoff shouted, rushing to the door and pulling it open. "Know what? I'm not the crazy one here!"

Amanda hid a smile as she watched him stomp from the room, enjoying his sarcastic wit which was strangely combined with his levelheadedness. She also liked his passion, and not for the first time wondered what he might be like as a lover. In a world of Michaels and Percy's he stood out, and if Percy ever decided to cancel him she'd truly miss him. Admittedly it had come close a few times, but she'd always been able to convince her boss that solitary confinement was the best approach, given Birkhoff's background and notoriety.

"We're done here," Michael sighed as he went into the hall after him.

Smoothing her expression into calm encouragement she turned to face Percy. Apparently satisfied with his little mind games, he was already at his desk looking over the next item on his agenda. How like a little boy he is, playing with his toys. Still, he is a somewhat attractive man, and no doubt powerful…

"If you have a moment, I'd like to discuss a change in guardian protocols," he stated, looking up.

She smiled and went to his side with a nod. "Of course."

Michael clamped a hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it off, quickening his pace as he strode down the corridor.

"Hey, wait up!" he heard him hiss, and when he stopped abruptly and turned to face him he looked relieved. Glancing up and confirming that there were no security cameras nearby, he waited impatiently.

"What?" he demanded in a low voice, still angry.

Michael stopped, his expression troubled. "Hey," he encouraged with a smile, slapping his arm. "It's fine—I think we pulled it off!"

"Yeah, terrific," he groaned, shoving his hair back off his forehead. "It's just that these routines are getting a little old for me."

"They bought it, I'm sure of it," Michael insisted, glancing down the empty corridor. "Look you did great, so what's the problem?"

He pursed his lips. "The 'problem' is that Percy is getting way too attached to playing his little mind games with me! You know sometimes I feel like I'm gonna lose it for real."

"You're not going to lose it, ok?" Michael said conspiratorially. "We've got a lot staked on this and we can't afford to give up, not now."

Seeing the wisdom in his advice, he nodded curtly, glancing toward the corridor that led to his room. "Look my head is splitting—I need a little down time."

"Alright, but I wanted to warn you about something else, so bear with me another minute?"

He crossed his arms. "What is it now?" he sighed tiredly. "Though frankly I don't think I can hear much more today."

Michael leaned closer. "It's about you and Alex," he whispered, eyeing him intently. "Roan told me to warn you to be careful."

"What?" He was stunned. "Roan? What's the cleaner doing spying on me?"

"Look don't worry—no one else seems to have noticed you two talking."

Birkhoff concentrated on his last word. Talking must mean no one saw her come to his building or see them sneak back here together. "That's really alarming," he hissed, "the fact that a cleaner is keeping tabs on me!"

Michael smiled teasingly. "You two seem to have bonded during your trip," he sighed. "But he did reassure me that no one else knows."

"Cut it, will you?" he sighed, glancing down the hall. "Seriously dude I'm not in the mood for soap operas."

"I'm just warning you, and so was he," Michael said in all seriousness, eyeing him closely.

He pursed his lips. "All we've done is talk, and I've offered to tutor her in the lab."

Michael bent close to his ear as he eyed the distant camera. "Look I've seen the way she looks at you."

"Dude don't go there!" he whispered, jerking back, "especially if I'm not going myself!"

His smile returned. "Why not? Tell me why you shouldn't have a girlfriend?"

"Yeah right—like you and Nikita?" he shot back, turning to leave.

He caught his arm. "Trust me, it's probably the smartest thing you could do," Michael stated, "but that old security system at your building can't stay broken forever without arousing suspicion."

Birkhoff stared up at him. "Ok look—somehow she found out where I live and came to see me but I discouraged it. Believe me, I don't want either of us canceled, and I told her so!"

"Hey I'll admit to still having feelings for Nikita," Michael shrugged. "We're still human, and if you and Alex need my help I'll back you up, understand?"

"There is no Alex and me, got it?" he hissed, glancing furtively up the hall.

Michael chuckled. "If somebody like Roan suspects it, you're doomed."

Birkhoff held his gaze. "Ok maybe she's got a crush on her computer instructor—no big deal."

Michael looked dumbstruck. "Don't tell me you're not attracted to her? She's beautiful, and a real sweetheart too."

"I haven't got a chance, and you know that."

"But it's kind of obvious she's into you," Michael insisted, patting his arm. "And with my help and Roan's, you might just have that chance."

Birkhoff shook his head. "Oh I get it—like once the order to cancel us is set, Roan's just gonna look the other way? Come on!"

"Who knows?" Michael grinned. "You must have been good to him somehow. Seriously, you've earned his respect and loyalty, from what I'm seeing."

Birkhoff squinted up at him. "Dude you seriously need a reality check! This is Division, remember?"

Michael shook his head. "You need someone in your life, man—I know what I'm talking about. And even if by some chance that's taken away from you, at least you had something to make it all worth it, know what I mean?"

Birkhoff stared at him a moment, sighing in resignation. "Yeah…I think I do. Look, I gotta go. Come 8 p.m. I'll be tutoring her in the lab, so maybe let the others know you're ok with that?"

"I'll do my best," he promised with a smile. "And good luck," he said with a knowing smile.

Birkhoff stood watching him until he turned the corner. Biting his lower lip, he glanced up at the clock. He only had two hours until Alex came here for tutoring. It much time to grab a sandwich from the cafeteria, take some NSAIDs and lie down to ease his aching head. Turning to head for the kitchens to beg for take out again, he decided this daily pattern was just another example of a life out of control.

"So when are you going to tell me about you and Nikita?"

Birkhoff's whispered question hung between them as he studied her closely, his eyes darkening with emotion at her silence. She held his gaze, shyly reaching over to touch his wrist. He glanced down at her hand and back, his expression softening a bit before he straightened and cleared his throat.

"Oooohkay…" Glancing up at the demo screen, he eased his arm from beneath her touch and pointed to the frame they'd been discussing. "So you see, the main protocols surrounding wire-tapping are tricky, but not entirely unnavigable," he stated, making her feel bereft of the closeness she'd just felt with him. It was always fleeting with him, so much so that sometimes she wondered if she'd imagined it.

Nikita was a sore spot for both of them, but she knew they had to deal with it. Straightening her shoulders, she pulled her gaze from the screen and eyed him meaningfully.

"It's a long story," she said just above a whisper, holding his gaze. "I'll tell you, after you tell me what happened between you two when she kidnapped you."

His brow furrowed a bit, then he pursed his lips. "Fair enough," he said hoarsely, glancing back at her. She watched his gaze sweep over her face and down to her breasts before shooting back to the screen. "When we have a free moment."

She nodded, heart pounding as she glanced up at the monitors above. "So none of these have already been hacked?" she asked, fascinated but distracted by his nearness. They sat alone together in Operations, Birkhoff having given the night guy a later shift so that he could tutor her in semi-private.

"Ah, not exactly," he mused, bringing up an alternate menu with the guidelines outlined in blue. "Voila."

She stared at the blueprints, leaning closer as he reached for his water bottle. He leaned back while she investigated the windows, scrolling over the highlighted sections to bring up the subroutines. Glancing down, she admired the firm muscles of his left thigh outlined by his indigo jeans and was tempted to reach out and rest her hand there. She heard his soft indrawn breath and turned her head just enough to see his expression. He'd frozen, eyes on her hand, which rested on her own leg only a few inches from his.

She heard the doors swoosh open and glanced over to see Amanda entering the room.

"Ah, there you are Alex," she said coolly, eyeing her and shifting her attention to him. "Birkhoff—giving Alex here a little extra credit?"

"Ah yeah," he said, clearing his throat as he started typing something unknown to either of them. Alex half turned toward her with a shy smile.

"You were looking for me?"

"Yes," she sighed, pulling her gaze from Birkhoff and alerting Alex. She's attracted to him! "Before I leave for the night I wanted to give you this."

Alex stared down at the packet she'd pulled from her briefcase and held out. Taking it tentatively, she looked up. "What is it?"

"You're being promoted to field agent within three weeks," she stated with a cool smile, glancing at Birkhoff. He'd stopped typing and sat unmoving, his eyes apparently on his screen. "Congratulations, by the way. Read through it and prepare yourself mentally—you'll be supplied a furnished apartment and car along with a line of credit to cover any expenses."

"My own apartment?" she said, her face lighting up. Mentally forcing herself to keep her attention from Birkhoff, especially in Amanda's presence, she smiled brightly. "Does that mean I'll have more field ops?"

"Yes, but not at first," she sighed, leaning a hand on the partition. "You'll need to establish a presence in the community, you know, let people know who you are so they don't suspect. Right, Birkhoff?"

"Hummh?" he hummed, quickly typing something and glancing up from her to Alex. "Oh right, we can't have the neighbors thinking we're Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde…appearance is everything."

"Well I won't interrupt you any longer, but don't stay too late," she advised, waiting until he looked up again. "You do have an early class to teach tomorrow."

He nodded as Alex turned to look at him. Something was wrong, she could just feel it in the air.

"We're almost finished," he informed her. "Good night."

"Yes, good night," she sighed, nodding to Alex as she turned. "Oh, and Birkhoff—have a nice vacation."

They waited until they thought she was gone, then looked at each other.

"That was a bit creepy," he stated carefully, shaking his head. "But congratulations on making field agent. We'll miss you around here."

She smiled and leaned closer, studying his profile as he got back to work. "Maybe we'll be in the same neighborhood," she whispered.

"For you sake I hope not," he breathed, "I'm sure she'll see to it that you're in the decent part of town."

"So you'll miss me?" she dared, nudging his arm with hers. He smiled but said nothing.

They did a few more lesions and then he reached forward to shut down the project, leaning back into his chair and looking at her. "That's it—you're free to go, but beware of Dragon Lady lurking about," he whispered.

"I didn't know you were going on vacation," she said daintily. "That was nice of her to wish you a good vacation. Any plans?"

"Far away from here," he stated, nodding toward the door. "And I'd hate to see what her idea of a vacation is."

She tilted her head to study him a moment. "I think she likes you," she stated, laughing when he gasped in horror.

"Don't even say it—God!"

"No, there was definitely something there. She's interested in you—I could sense it, Daniel."

"Don't call me that and yeah—like a black widow spider just before the kill," he stated, shaking his head. "I comfort myself with the fact that she has the hots for Percy."

"No! Really? Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Nothing—" he said a little too quickly. "Not a word, understand?"

"Ok, but the Amanda I know likes intelligence."

"She likes power a whole lot more, sweetheart."

"Really? But I'm positive she's attracted to you, on some level."

"The only thing that she likes about me is the prospect of dissecting my brain on a cold slab in some local morgue or lab."

She hid a laugh behind her hand, shaking her head as he grimaced and got up, reaching for his messenger bag.

"Time to call it a night—I'll walk you home, if you show me where," he said, his eyes sparkling with teasing.

"That would be great, thanks," she answered, heading to the door. To her surprise he held it open for her until she preceded him out.

They walked down the corridor, and she found herself unable to look away. They walked close enough but he kept his gaze averted ahead, as if afraid to look at her. By the time they reached her door he waited until she'd unlocked it and held it open, her eyes inviting him in.

He cleared his throat and nodded. "See you in class."

Then he was gone, turning away without so much as a backward glance. She entered her room and stood leaning back against it, trying to digest everything that had happened that day. What she was left with was the prospect of moving out, maybe never to see him again. With that sobering thought, she knew she had to find a way to get him out. Nikita would help, she was sure of it.

Speaking of Nikita, she had yet to learn what it was that they shared of the past. Closing her eyes, she sighed his name and nevertheless dreamed her own dreams about him.

c. 2011 by Christine Levitt