Part 16 by Aries
Madeline took an inward sigh of relief when George entered the office. That meant she didn't have to tell Operations anything at all. She had enough to worry about with this mission than to worry about what to and what not to tell Operations. She would let George worry about that.
"Hello George." Madeline said with a bright smile on her face.
"Hello again Madeline." George replied and returned her smile. He new what was going through her mind at that moment. He had deliberately chosen that moment to enter to relieve her of saying too much or too little.
"Again?" Operations inquired looking back and forth between George and Madeline.
"Yes, Madeline and I had a meeting earlier. It was rather interesting. You can go now Madeline." George informed Operations and Madeline.
"If you don't mind, I'd rather stay." Madeline responded wanting to know exactly what George told Operations so she didn't let anything slip that she shouldn't.
"That's fine with me." George responded figuring that it was probably for the best.
Operations didn't like being kept in the dark and these two were wasting time. While George and Madeline were exchanging formalities so to speak, Operations decided to check on Birkoff's report.
"Birkoff!" Operations demanded through the comm link.
"Yes sir?" Birkoff asked.
"How is that report coming along?" Operations demanded.
George walked over and took over the comm link to Birkoff. "That will not be necessary Birkoff. I'll take care of it." He informed the younger man.
"Yes sir." Birkoff replied sighing in relief. "I wish these people would figure out what they're gonna do and do it fast!" Birkoff whispered under his breath.
George closed the comm link and turned to Operations. Operations was fuming at the interruption.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Operations shouted at George.
"From this moment on, I will be running the Clarkson mission, personally." George informed Operations in a firm voice.
"But this is my mission, those are my people out there!" Operations objected emphatically.
"I am well aware of that and they will return to you as soon as they have finished their jobs. You will know what I feel you need to know and that is all. Is that understood?" George wanted to make sure Operations read him loud and clear. He wanted to interference from the so called leader of Section One.
"I don't understand." Operations told George in an attempt to get more information.
"You don't need to understand. Do I make myself clear Paul?" George asked again wanting to hear the words.
"Yes." Operations replied furiously.
"Good. Madeline, I'd like to speak with you in your office if you don't mind." George turned away from the one man who disgusted him the most in the world.
"That would be quite fine with me. Would you like for me to have some tea brought in as well?" Madeline asked with a smile on her face. She had enjoyed the whole scene between the two men.
"That would be nice, thank you." George replied as he and Madeline exited the Observation Deck.
Meanwhile...
After about an hour, Walter was finally able to slip away from Janet with Michael and Nikita to find out what was going on.
"We've gotta make this quick. What's going on?" Walter practically hissed at the two operatives he loved like his own children.
"We're changing the mission profile ourselves. I won't let Operations do that to Michael and not to you either." Nikita told Walter stubbornly.
"We could all be cancelled for this!" Walter replied looking in disbelief between Nikita and Michael. He was surprised that Michael would go along with this.
"Don't worry Walter. Your daughter won't be hurt." Michael told Walter softly.
Michael understood what Walter was going through a lot better after what has happened with Elena and Adam. Understanding lit up in Walter's eyes at Michael's words.
"So, where do we go from here?" Walter asked ready to help them implement their plans.
************
Part 17 by Andrea
Nikita looked at Walter and said, "Remember the first time I met Stephen? Operations came to me begging my help to save his son. Walter, if I can protect the son of a man I despise, I can protect the daughter of someone I love."
Tears swelled up in Walter's eyes and said, "Sugar, you'd do that for me? Michael, you too?"
Michael put his hand on Walter's shoulder and said "For one of the original members of the 5% club, I'd do anything. Besides, I know what Nikita will do to me if I don't."
"Michael, now is not the time to show the world your sense of humor." Nikita said as she patted him on the back.
Walter looked at Nikita and said, "It's okay sugar, I needed a laugh right about now."
Nikita smiled and told her trusted friend, "We need to meet Jennifer and let her know what's going on to make sure it will all work. Jennifer and Janet might want to start thinking about their future - their new lives. Will it be a family of 2 or 3, Walter?"
Nikita gave him a look, a half-kidding, half-serious look. She left a lot for Walter to consider.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Cream or sugar with your tea George?" Madeline asked as she poured the older gentleman his tea.
"Cream please", he said as he reached for a raspberry scone. "How long do you think it will take Paul to figure it all out?"
Madeline smiled and said to George - "He figured me in for 10 hours when Michael and Nikita escaped, so given the circumstances and the players, I would figure it will take him about 36 hours."
George's head snapped back and let out a laugh that shook the walls. "Oh, how I love to see Paul squirm."
************
Part 18 by Marie
Madeline's own smile grew accross her lips as her teeth pulled back. She wasn't mean by nature, but Paul was getting what he deserved finally. After all the years she had been with that man, after all the suffering he had caused her. He would suffer as well. "Your not the only one, brother. Your not the only one." Madeline finished the smile that grew across her face was almost vindictive and yet that same smile drew a different face of a personality long since thought dead. A grimace of pain to see the folly of Madeline's young and vunerable past finally meet his ultimate demise.
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Can I go, or can I stay? Walter thought to himself looking into the blond's deep blue eyes. "Walter??" Nikita asked her laughing features turning into wory. "I have a lot to consider sugar." Walter said and turned around only to walk away.
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Birkoff returned to his area. George would take care of it. For all that the older man was paid to have a backup plan. Paul Wolfe was never a creature to be underestimated and he had learned that on the last encounter that he had made with the devious older man. In some aspects Birkoff was very much like his mother. He too had a deceptive streak, especially when it came to protecting his own family. Uncle George would be so surprised to know how much Birkoff actually knew about Family Connections.
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Michael looked out at the setting sun. Night was vast approaching and here he sat alone. The night was lovely and Nikita should have been sharing it with him he thought privately to himself.
"Mind if I join you?" A voice asked and Michael turned to find Janet standing behind him. "Don't worry I won't bite." Janet said sitting down.
"Don't be so surprised Michael. I know all about you and the Agency." Janet said a smile curling at her lips.
"WHAT!!!!!" Michael exclaimed.
************
Part 19 by Northstar
"Oh, don't look so surprised Michael. I knew way back that Walter didn't have an ordinary job. I figured it had to be some kind of Government work. You being here with Walter would only mean that you also work for them." Janet explained.
"What else do you know?" Michael was still surprised that she knew as she did.
"Not much else. I think I have figured out that for some reason they don't want Jenny to marry the man she is engaged to." Janet seemed somewhat surprised that Michael didn't know more than what he did. After seeing Madeline and George walk in earlier she knew something was up.
******
Madeline was still pacing back and forth trying to figure out what George was up to. This didn't make sense. If the Sandstroms worked for him then why were they trying to stop the wedding. She stopped her pacing and turned to George.
"I'm sure I will work this out eventually, but why don't you tell me now. Why is the mission profile to stop this wedding if they work for you?"
"Ahhh, the million dollar question." George laughed. "Well, my dear, it is not in my plan to have Jenny become a part of this "family" of ours. It's really that simple. There is way too much familiarity among the operatives here and Oversight doesn't need to bring actual family into the fray. We all "think" we know that Jenny is Walter's daughter but it has never been confirmed."
"Oh don't give me that George." Madeline said in exasperation. "All you have to do is look at the girl to know whose she is. And I don't believe your reasons."
"You're getting testy Madeline. AND you seem to be getting emotionally involved in this. That is not the Maddy I know."