Birkoff was busy at his station readying Operations' daily mail when he saw it. He stopped the computer check he was running and read the directive again. He couldn't believe his eyes. He checked to make sure no one was watching, then quickly copied the missive onto a PDA. His mind was spinning. What should he do? He couldn't keep the message from Operations. It was from Oversight. They would want to know why their orders were not being carried out. On the other hand, he couldn't just let this go and not do something to stop it.

He took off his glasses and rubbed his head with both hands. Sometimes he really hated his job. Oh, he enjoyed running the sims, and he loved working with all the most advanced technology available. It was only when he got stuck in the middle of things like this that his aversion to being in Section reared its ugly head. This was definitely one of those times.

He put his glasses back on, and looked around again. So far no one seemed to notice that anything was out of the ordinary. Operations wasn't looking down over "his" universe, perusing his minions. He wasn't bellowing for his mail yet either. That was good. Now, if Birkoff could just put him off until he figured something out.

He glanced over to his left and noticed Walter standing at his work table. "Walter, of course," Birkoff muttered to himself. He grabbed the PDA, looked around one more time to make sure no one was watching, set all his computer terminals to running different mission sims, and then headed for Walter's station.

"Hey Walter," Birkoff said as he approached the older man.

Walter glanced at him. "Yeah, Birkoff. What is it?"

Birkoff checked the area one more time and then said, "I need your help."

Walter sighed. "Look, Birkoff, can it wait? I'm really busy. I've got to get these weapons recalibrated before the Locke mission."

Birkoff walked up closer. "No, Walter, it can't wait. This is really important."

Walter joked, "Yeah, what is it? You need some romantic advice? You have a hot date or something?"

Birkoff was upset and feeling short-tempered. "Look Walter. This is important. Just look at this." Then he shoved the PDA at Walter.

Walter finally looked up at Birkoff's face and noticed that the young man was visibly shaken. "Okay, Birkoff. I'll check it out." He started reading the PDA and his face grew white as he finished.

"Has Operations seen this yet?"

Birkoff shook his head. "No, not yet, but I can't keep it from him much longer. I just needed to figure out what to do before I send this to him. Do you have any ideas?"

Walter nodded. "Good." He paced back and forth a bit and then turned to Birkoff. "Michael. You have to find Michael and show this to him."

Birkoff shuddered. That was one thing he didn't want to do, but he knew Walter was right. "I think he's in his office. I'll show it to him now."

Walter nodded again. "Yeah. And tell him I'm available if he needs anything." Birkoff shook his head in acknowledgment and then headed for Michael's office.

Michael was sitting at his desk going over the profile for his next mission. He needed to make a few changes and then it would be ready. He was just about finished when there was a knock at his door.

"Come in." Michael typed in the last few commands to forward his changes to the profiler and looked up to see who had come in.

"What is it, Birkoff?"

Michael could tell that Birkoff was agitated and nervous about something. Birkoff walked closer to Michael's desk and handed him the PDA. "This just came in for Operations. I thought you should see it before I send it to him."

Michael was curious. It wasn't often that Birkoff pulled something like this, so it must be important ... and there were only a few people that Birkoff would do something like this for. And if he was coming to Michael rather than going to Nikita, then it was most probably about Nikita. Michael pulled out the side drawer on his desk and cut surveillance to the room. He read the PDA quickly and grew very tense. It couldn't be. Not after he had proven himself to Oversight. How could they?

"Has anyone else seen this?"

Birkoff shuffled back and forth from foot to foot. "Yeah. I showed it to Walter. He told me to bring it to you, and to let you know that he is available if you need him. I am too."

Michael nodded. "Go back to your post. I'll let you know when I need your help. Tell Walter I will let him know if I need anything. And Birkoff, don't tell anyone else about this. Put Operations off as long as possible before you send this to him."

Birkoff nodded. He noticed Michael was now completely oblivious to his presence in the room. He quietly left and headed back to his station.

Michael read the PDA again. He had to do something quickly. His eyes fell to the words again, hoping with all his will the words would change. "On the Locke mission, profile will be set so that the following operatives are canceled: Johnson, Taylor, Smythe, Watson and Nikita."

Part 2 by Tasamin/Rita

Tapping the keys on his computer Michael pulled up the information on the Locke mission. He saw that the mission would occur in the next 72 hours. Which meant that he had the next 24 hours before the team would be briefed and put on standby. If he allowed that to happen, it would be too late to get Nikita out of the danger she was in for they could put the team on close quarter standby.

Yet there was the added concern that whatever action Michael was to take had to occur before Operations saw the missive from Oversight or immediately thereafter. This did not give Michael much time to plan appropriate strategy. Michael needed time to stall this cancellation order so that he could ferret out who in Oversight wished Nikita dead.

Michael needed to clear his mind of the anguish running through his system at the moment. That anyone would take Nikita away from him in such a permanent fashion was too much for him to bear or even consider the possibility of that occurring. Oversight had requested too much from him this time and he was not going to give up the most treasured person in his life without a fight.

Taking in a deep cleansing breath, he began to shut off his emotions one by one. Caring, anger, tenderness, murderous rage, and the last one love. His mind focused on the inner path of knowledge, logic and skill for those were the traits that would save Nikita. His mind began to profile the situation as a mission. Several options were discarded immediately. Finally an unorthodox solution came to mind. He attempted to think of another method to achieve similar results but none came to mind. There was only one option, but it would require caution and a great deal of courage for the ramifications of this action would be far reaching indeed.

The decision made in his head he called for Walter to come to his office. Michael would require his assistance.

Walter quickly arrived at Michael's office eager to see in which way he could render his assistance. Walter would do a lot to save Nikita. He hoped that Michael had figured a way to save her.

"Hey, Michael. What can I do for you?" Walter was being cautious in how he worded his responses.

"Hello, Walter. I wanted to ask a question about the Marius mission." As Michael said this he turned off the surveillance to his office.

Walter noted that Michael had his own toys installed in his office. Maybe he needed one of those in his office so that his trysts with the feminine persuasion would go unobserved.

Michael outlined his plan to Walter. Then he waited for Walter's inevitable response.

"This is crazy and suicidal, man! Are you sure you want to let it go down like that?"

"Yes, Walter, it is the only way. I have only two things I require from you. I need a sharp shooter rifle."

"That's no problem Michael, I can swing that." Walter realized that everyone was putting themselves on the line for Nikita. If there were one misstep they would all be suffering a similar fate as Nikita. Yet Walter reasoned that he had lived a long life and Nikita had barely begun hers. It was worth the risk.

"The other is to be there for Nikita. It would be considered suspect if I was near her during this time." He looked at Walter. Michael was entrusting Nikita's care to Walter in case things went wrong. For Michael, trust like that did not come easily or readily, but he had no choice. Time was limited.

"Michael, are you sure you want to do this? Do you want me to do it? I can, and if I got caught it would hurt Nikita but not as much if you did."

"No, Walter, I trust no one else to do this part of the job but myself. I think Nikita would want it that way." Michael rose from behind his desk and walked toward Walter. "Thank you. Now let's begin to prep."

Walter and Michael left the office to begin packing for the mission.

Hours later Walter phoned Nikita. "Hey, sugar. Want to fulfill an old man's fantasy?" He purred over the phone.

Nikita's husky giggle transmitted itself through the phone line. "Walter," she said with a delighted tone. "What can I do for you?"

"Several things babe, most of them illegal in the States."

"No, really Walter."

"You can join me for lunch this afternoon. It has been a while since we hung out and I thought this afternoon would be good."

"Sure, Walter how about at 2?

"Babe, could you make that 1:30 at the café on 2nd Street?"

"You're letting your sweet tooth show."

"Well, if I can't taste your sweetness, I'll have to go for second best. See you later."

"Bye, Walter."

Walter held the phone to his ear, praying that everything would go according to plan. He hoped someone was watching over Michael right now.

Meanwhile, Michael was perched on a roof with binoculars, waiting for the target to show up. Michael wanted this hit to be over with as soon as possible. Yet there was still some time until the target was expected to show if the intel was correct.

Some time had passed and the target finally arrived. He sighted the target from a block away. The confident stride of someone who did not know that their life was about to change. Michael opened the case and began to put the rifle together. Once it was ready to use, he used the telescopic lens to find the target.

Target sighted and a clean shot is possible at this moment. Yet he had to wait; the conditions were not optimal. A uniformed man kept crossing in front of the target. Michael could feel the tension coil within him. He was tightly sprung and ready to strike. The target's companion finally was arrived. The time was now.

Michael paused slightly before taking the shot. Once he took the shot, if he got caught his life would be changed forever. He took a deep breath and stared at the target. He took the shot and watched as the target fell forward.

Her blond hair shone in the afternoon sun, trailing behind her as she hit the pavement at the open-air café where she was to have lunch. He could see the flood of blood pouring from the wound in her shoulder. Her uninjured hand clutched at her shoulder. Walter came forward to check on her.

He had done it. He shot Nikita. He walked away. It was the only way to prevent her from participating in the mission.

Part 3 by Northstar

Nikita felt the sting of something in her shoulder, but it wasn't until she glanced down that she saw the blood. The impact hit her with a sudden ferocity and she found herself on the pavement. In her peripheral vision she saw Walter sprinting towards her. She couldn't comprehend what had happened to her as she lay there.

"Nikita!!!" he shouted as he ran over. "Oh Sugar." he sighed. Glancing quickly up through the crowd, he tried to find Michael but he was nowhere to be seen. He hoped that he would make it back to Section without anyone knowing he had been gone.

Talking quietly to Nikita to keep her calm, he pulled out his cell phone and made a call. In a few short minutes the med van from Section was on the street in front of the café and Nikita was hustled inside.

******

"What the hell happened?" Operations demanded of Walter as he and Nikita came in through the doors. Walter looked as pale as Nikita as he glanced at Operations.

"Later." Walter replied tersely as he stayed by Nikita's side on the way to Medlab.

Operations wasn't having any of that and he grabbed Walter by the arm and pulled him back. "NOW, Walter. I want answers and I want them now."

With a disgusted sigh, Walter complied. "Nikita was meeting me for lunch at the café on 2nd Street, and just as she was approaching the entrance she was hit. I didn't see anything or anyone. End of story" he recited. "Now can I go?" and without waiting for a reply he head towards Medical.

Operations let him go but he knew something was not right with the way it happened. He took one last glance at Walter's receding back and made his way to Madeline's office.

******

Walter rushed into the room where they were working on Nikita. There was a lot of blood all over and he felt somewhat faint at his part in this deception. He sure hoped that Michael's aim was as good as he claimed, or else Nikita would be a goner for sure. Whether she died from the wound or if she was of no further use to Section, one way or the other she would be dead. He couldn't see Operations keeping her on if she was no good in the field.

"Relax Walter." the doctor interrupted his reverie. "It went clean through, no major damage other than the fact that she won't have much mobility in that arm for a while. Other than that she's fine."

Walter gave a huge sigh of relief as this information sunk in. He'd have to go find Michael and fill him in. Just as he was turning to go through the doors, Michael came rushing in.

Walter, glancing around to make sure no one could hear them, filled Michael in. "...she's going to be fine the doc said. Straight through."

"Thank you Walter." With that Michael turned on his heel and made his way down the hall.