He had been in Section for so long, that his *normal* life now seemed like it had all been a dream. He could not remember much of that life, and that may have been a mixed blessing. He did not know. He only knew that he had always been what was termed an *over achiever*, and when it came to Section, that had been no different.

From his first day, he had his eyes and heart set on being Operations. And, Adrian must have seen the potential in him as well, for she took him under her wing and groomed him for the job.

She taught him the do's and don'ts. The okay's and the not quite exceptable. He learned everything there was to learn about Section. He absorbed every little detail and he filed it away for future reference.

He thought, when he became Operations, he would have everything that he truly wanted. But he had been wrong.

And, his realization of just how wrong he was came in the form of one person. A young, beautiful, cunning operative named Madeline. He did not know it at the time, but she would forever alter him, and his preconceived world.

It had been over twenty years ago, but it was just as if time had not passed.

He remembered her walking across the lobby of Section. He had been engaged in a very important, very crucial strategy discussion with Adrian, when he casually glanced up from the briefing table.

She walked by, and as she did, she turned to him, and smiled. He was so stunned by her beauty, he felt as if the very action of breathing was foreign to him. His throat closed off, and he began to sweat.

Adrian, having noticed that he was staring, looked up to see what had caught her wonder child's interest. When she saw who it was, she smiled to herself.

'Her name is Madeline. She is our newest psyche profiler,' she offered.

But, Paul only continued to stare, and take in Madeline's beauty.

She continued across the lobby, and came to a stop at the communications bay. She proceeded to begin a conversation with the operative there. After a few moments, he turned to Adrian, and excused himself.

He then headed across the lobby, in the direction of his quarry.

Walking up behind Madeline, Paul paused, then slowly cleared his throat.

As he did, Madeline, who had been bent over, and discussing a current mission profile with a communications operative, stood up.

As he waited, sweat beginning to break out on his upper lip, she turned around, smiling brightly.

When she had turned completely around, and she looked him in the eye, all ability to speak completely left his being. He had never seen a more beautiful, more angelic person in all his life.

When she smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkled up. Her whole face lit up, with a radiance that could only come from youth and innocence. And, to him, that was what she was, the picture of innocence.

As they stood there, looking at one another, Madeline smiling brightly. Time seemed to stand still for Paul.

He studied Madeline's features, as if to permanently etch them into his memory. At that moment in time, he had the distinct feeling that she would be the one.

She would be the one to help him to heal, to help him in his ascent to the position of Operations. Yes, she was to be the one.

'Yes,' she started, 'can I help you with something?'

She was still smiling at him, but now the smile was one of courtesy, more than the one that she displayed previously.

Quickly regaining his senses, and wiping his upper lip, Paul smiled.

'I just wanted to introduce myself. I am...'

Before he could finish, Madeline reached out and took hold of his hand.

'I know...you are Paul Wolfe. You have been in Section for over ten years. Before that, you were a POW in Vietnam. It was, due to your unique command skills with your men during your forced incarceration, that Section showed an interest in you. When you were convicted of murdering a soldier under you, you were brought to Section. The rest, shall we say, is history.'

Paul's smile widened, and he began to chuckle.

'I see you have been doing your homework.'

Madeline let go of Paul's hand, and looked downward, as if to blush.

When she let go of his hand, he wanted to grab it back. He wanted to keep hold of her, to touch her. And, at that moment, nothing else mattered.

But, to see the blush cross her face, the way it did just then, made it more tolerable to lose her touch.

'Well,' Paul started, 'it would appear that you have me at a disadvantage. You know alot about me, and I know nothing of you.'

Madeline smiled, and nodded her head.

'One of the few advantages of being in the psychological department. You tend to have the leg up on everyone.'

They both laughed at that time. His, a deep, throaty laugh. Hers, a light, free spirited giggle.

Paul thought that he had never, in his entire life, heard a laugh quite like Madeline's, and doubted that he ever would again.

Getting a sudden surge of bravery, Paul decided to make his move.

'Maybe we could get together, and discuss it over dinner?' he asked.

Madeline continued to smile at him, her eyes shining brightly.

'I think I would like that very much,' she replied, nodding in the affirmative.

Then, moving his hand in front of him, he motioned for Madeline to proceed him, and they began across the lobby.

As they rounded the corner, and was out of sight, Adrian called to one of the communications operatives.

'Get me Sands, and make it fast. We have a situation, and it has the potential of getting out of control.'

As the team sat at the briefing table, and Adrian covered the specifics, Paul couldn't help but glance occassionally towards the opposite end of the table.

Madeline was seated there, next to Charles Sands. She looked even more stunning and radiant than before, if that were possible. Paul believed that he was genuinely, and irreversably in love with her, and had only known her for a few short days.

Completely lost in his reverie, Paul didn't hear Adrian addressing him.

As she looked at him, and followed his gaze, she couldn't help but become a little upset. It did not set well with her that her most knowledgable, and most depended upon operative was being distracted by a pretty face.

But, then remembering an earlier discussion with Sands, she smiled coyly.

Speaking to Paul agian, and finally getting his attention, she waited until he gave the mission perameters, and the profile intel. Then, after informing the group that the mission was on deck in thirty minutes, the meeting was dismissed.

Paul, shooting up out of his chair, began to move towards Madeline. But, Adrian signalled him over to her first.

As she spoke, Paul glanced periodically over Adrian's shoulder, watching as Madeline and Charles spoke to one another.

'Paul, I need you to stay on top of this one. The NSA couldn't take care of their own dirty work, and they are on us every minute while we try to clean up their mistake,' Adrian commented.

Looking at Paul, and seeing his attention elsewhere, she grabbed him by the chin, and directed his gaze to hers.

'Paul, are you understanding what I am saying here?'

Paul only smiled, reaching up to take her hand in his.

'Have I ever let you down?' he asked, then kissed the back of her hand.

Adrian, smiled back, and shook her head.

'No...but there is a first time for everything,' she quiped.

Then, moving in close to him, she brought her mouth up close to his ear.

'Then again, if you did, I could always have you cancelled,' she whispered playfully.

Then, moving back from him, she gave him a mischeviously wicked smile, and walked away.

Paul, used to Adrian's little mind games, only shook his head, and smiled in response.

When he looked back up, and towards where Madeline had been she was no longer there. And neither was Charles.

The mission had gone off without a hitch, and upon their return to Section, Paul contacted the NSA agents, letting them know where they could pick up the material. After making sure that they were all in agreement, and saying goodbye, Paul cancelled the connection, and turned around.

Standing behind him, still in her black leather mission gear, was Madeline. Her beautiful auburn hair was pulled back in a ponytail, making the features of her face all that more dramatic. But, the look on her face was not one of cheer, or even gladness. The look was one of agitation, and sorrow.

Walking up to her, Paul reached down, and took hold of Madeline's hand. Then, raising it to his lips, he started to place a kiss on her palm. Before he could, Madeline pulled her hand away. What she said next, rocked Paul down to the very core of his being.

'I don't think it is a good idea for us to see each other outside Section anymore,' she said, low and softly.

At first, Paul thought he had heard her wrong, and only smiled, shaking his head.

'This is a joke, right? I mean, it is...right?'

When Madeline's gaze remained downcast, Paul knew his answer. At that very moment, he felt as if the very ground had been yanked out from underneath him.

'But...why? I mean...what happened? I thought you felt the same way as I do?'

Paul moved up to Madeline, and placing the palm of his hand on her cheek, cupped and caressed her face. Madeline closed her eyes, and leaned into the caress, smiling sadly.

'We can never be. I know that now,' she said.

Paul placed his other hand on her face, and bringing her gaze up to meet his, a charming, seductive smile slowly played across his face.

'This doesn't have anything to do with me asking you to move in, does it?'

When he said this, Madeline broke down and started to cry. Then, moving up to Paul, she placed a soft, tender kiss on his lips.

As she pulled back from him, he opened his eyes, and smiled.

'I love you, Paul. But, in Section, that is not enough.'

She then turned and walked away. As she did, Paul only watched her go, not knowing if he would be able to go on without her.

************

Paul ascended the stairway, and walked through the doorway to the observation deck. As he did, Adrian looked up from her PDA, and smiled at him.

'You sent for me?' he asked.

Adrian nodded, and motioned for him to come closer. Punching a few buttons on the PDA, she layed it down, and returned her attention to Paul.

'The NSA is claiming that they owe us one. More like two if you want my opinion.'

Paul laughed, and shook his head. 'They will end up working for us, instead of the other way around, at this rate,' he quipped.

Adrian nodded, and then her smile slowly faded. A look of seriousness formed on her features. Placing her hands behind her back, and grasping them together, she walked across the room, and gazed down on the lobby of Section One.

'So, I take it that everything is okay. Nothing that we need to discuss, or that I need to know about?' she asked.

Paul only followed her gaze. He loved the view from the observation deck, and hoped that one day, the view would belong to him and him only. Some day.

'No, everything is fine. There are five missions on deck, and four in debrief. The current abeyance list is out, and...' Before he could finish, Adrian turned to him, and tilted her head.

'I was referring to matters of a more personal nature.' Paul, then fully realizing what Adrian was asking, shifted uncomfortably. Now, it was his turn to acquire a stoic look. 'No, nothing of relevance.'

Adrian crossed the room, closing the distance between them. Then, reaching up, lightly caressed his cheek. Paul, smiling, took her hand in his, and slowly moved it away. 'We have discussed this Adrian. There can never be anything between us.'

Adrian smiled slightly, then removing her hand from Paul's, turned from him.

'That will be all Paul. You may go.' Paul turned, leaving the observation deck, and Adrian behind.

~~~><~~~><~~~><~~~><~~~><~~~

Madeline watched the exchange in the observation deck, from her current position at the communications bay. She had to stop and get some last minute intel, before she could finish her psyche workup for a mission profile. She had put in her request for the intel, and was waiting for a reply when she casually glanced up. It was at that moment that Adrian had walked up to Paul, and reached out to him.

Feeling ashamed for eavesdropping, Madeline had diverted her gaze. But, her curiosity had gotten the best of her in the end. When she stole another glance, Adrian was alone, and Paul was nowhere to be seen. Madeline could only imagine what had transpired.

Charles had been right. Adrian and Paul were involved in some way, and that Madeline would only succeed in making a mortal enemy in Adrian. He had been right when he had suggested that she just break it off with Paul, and let lying dogs lay.

She would have to remember to thank Charles for being there for her, and even possibly saving her from cancellation. She would have to think of a way to thank him. Maybe, that night, at dinner, she would thank him properly.

At that thought, she smiled, and turned her attention back to the mission profile that she was working on.

~~~><~~~><~~~><~~~><~~~><~~~

Taking another draw off his cigarette, Paul threw the butt down and crushed it out under the toe of his shoe. He had not smoked since entering Section, but with recent events with Madeline, it seemed he was reverting to old habits.

Now, as he stood on the sidewalk, facing opposite of the entrance to Madelines apartment, he took out another cigarette. Lighting it up, and letting the tip glow orange for a few seconds, he returned his attention to the matter at hand.

At that moment, a car pulled up, and Madeline climbed out. Exiting the other side, was Charles Sands. He handed the keys to the valet, and placing his hand in the small of Madelines back, entered the apartment building with her.

A few moments later, a light went on in the corner apartment.... Madelines. Then, after watching the light for a few more moments, Paul finished it cigarette. He pulled his coat in closer to him, and started down the street. He had a few things that needed to be taken care of at Section, and if he were going to make a bid for the title he so sought, he knew he had to give it his all.

This story © Copyright 1999, Trace