Rita and Michael came charging into North's office with the latest information. They both looked very shaken and pale, especially Michael.

"North it seems as though who ever has Sherry is upping the stakes a bit. Here's a copy of the note we found in the gazebo. Walter has the original to see if he can find any new data." Rita managed to stammer out.

North read the latest with shaky hands. It didn't look good for Sherry. "Okay. I assume the two of you are going to see if you can follow the clues? Good. I'll stay here and co-ordinate everyone else."

Michael was starting to get a bit of color back in his cheeks. "North we will call you as soon as we find anything. Whoever this person is? He is good, I will give him that. He knew enough to disarm her crystal."

"Yes Michael I know. The last location we had for her was about 2 miles from here. Birkoff said that nothing since has shown up. We have him monitoring just in case she managed to re-activate it. Now, get going. We can't afford to lose any more time than we have already."

With that Michael and Rita left her office. North paced back and forth wishing that there was more that she could do but.. Her job as head of CLHQ was to stay at her post and let the others do the footwork. She didn't like it but even Operations agreed that the best place for her was here.

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

Part Twenty-Four - Curlly

Curlly had finished going over the top floor. she grunted in disgust, "this is so pointless! there is nothing here!" She stomped over to window to look down at the gazebo. Michael and Rita were just leaving. Michael looked upset, well MORE upset, and Rita was looking a bit green around the edges. Ah, they found another note. The light was starting to hurt here eyes, for she'd had a nasty headache for the past few days. For now it was just a dull roar. Just as she started to turn away, she spied a shadowy figure sneaking around away from the main building.

Curlly evaluated her options. She'd never make it out there in time. So picking up her jacket and her gun she opened the window and jumped onto the balcony below. The landing only stung her feet a bit. From there she swung onto the drainpipe and started down.

"Birkoff are you there?" asked Curlly.

"What do you want? I'm busy tracking some stuff for Walter on Sherry," asked a overworked Birky.

"I've located a possible target heading south of the gazebo at headquarters," related Curlly as she landed softly on the ground. "Following the target on foot. Please have North send a back up team. I can't get through."

"Proceed Curlly."

***

Curlly rounded the bend in time to hear the black clad individual say something about a boot and a response that sounded like Sherry. Curlly was so surprised the she stepped right on a dry twig. Internally berating her for making a first year recruits mistake, Curlly watched the figure momentarily pause. Then it hurried around a bush out of Curlly's sight.

Curlly hotfooted it in pursuit, sure her cover was gone. Pulling out her gun she prepared to shoot when something moved out of the edge of her vision. Realizing her mistake too late Curlly felt a sharp pain at the back of her skull and crumpled to the ground.

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

Part Twenty-Five - Rita

Rita had no choice to follow Michael as silently as he had followed her. It was a sign of trust between the two of them. They both needed time to run through their own theories about the note and the possible ramifications to Sherry. Rita squelched any thoughts of what may have happened to Sherry out of her head. She had faith.

Although she had no qualms what she as going to do to who took her. She was sure Michael had his own plans as well. She would have to get in line. She saw that they had arrived at Section. Then it hit her… The Tower… not exactly tourists stop. Yet it was infamous within Section. Although no one wanted a guided tour of it except maybe North and Sly.

They both paused at the access door to the Tower and awaited authorization. Michael and Rita looked at each other. They prepared themselves to face whatever lay inside. Rita grabbed Michael's hand.

"It is going to be fine." She said not sure if she was reassuring herself or Michael.

Michael had no response but he squeezed her hand tightly as they walked inside of the Tower. They went to the highest room. There what they found was shocking. Michael immediately went to the bloody object. It was one of Sherry's hiking boots yet covered in blood. Michael's eyes were filled with pain. "I am going to kill this person."

The softly spoken statement did not surprise her. Rita also knew they had no time for feelings now. "Michael we have to take this to Walter to make sure if it is hers." Pulling out gloves she grabbed the boot and began to walk out of the room with Michael trailing her.

Rita began to think though that this was strange. This person had access to everywhere. It could only mean a few individuals. It could even be Oversight. As they walked through Section she saw the surprised looks of operatives as they passed. They dropped of the boot to an equally shocked Walter who promised to get right on it.

Rita opened her cell and called North to report in. "North, we found Sherry's hiking boot covered in blood." She heard North's stunned gasp. She continued, "Walter is testing right now. I think it is someone who either has a great deal of power or it is someone from within Section or Oversight that is playing games with us."

North listened to the statement. She became infuriated. "I am going to do some checking. God help whoever is playing this game with us if that is the case." She hung up abruptly. That was not North's style. She must be more upset than what Rita thought.

She and Michael went to wait in his office. Rita looked over all the reports that had been coming in still no clue. Walter voice came into the office. "It's Sherry's blood on the boot."

Michael paled at the news. Rita took in a deep sigh and gained control over her emotions. "Cutting that person into tiny pieces would be kind."

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

Part Twenty-Six - Sophie

Back at the stationery store…

"Ah!!! I sold that just last week, but pauvre petit, it was by mail order, i received the order in zee mail, I did not see your admirer."

Sophie perked, "Credit card by chance." "Mais Non, cash, it was slipped under the door and I put the papier in zee mail box."

"Can I see the order,"

"Well..."

"I would be Very grateful in my appreciation..."

"OF COURSE!!" The old man actually ran to the counter, fiddling for a few seconds, he produced a vanilla envelope. As Sophie reached for the evidence, Roy walked up carrying several 'gift sets'. Well at least I don't have to buy something!!! Sophie exclaimed inwardly.

The old man's eyes shone with silver dollars, "now will zat be cash or charge..."

Outside the shop Sophie examined the letter, nothing special, still can have it analyzed for prints. She was more interested in where the letter was posted. Maybe that would give them some idea where they should search.....

They reached Headquarters, everyone was solemn and distant. "Hey North, any news"

"Another note, Rita and Michael solved it, they found Sherry's boot and blood."

"Where are they now" Roy demanded, knowing exactly the state Michael would be in.

"Downstairs, did you find anything at the shop."

"Hopefully, nothing concrete but I think Rita will be able to help me on this one." With that, Sophie and Roy tracked down Rita and Michael

Michael was sitting, slightly slumped, Rita was going over some intel received from other operatives. Sophie came up and dropped her evidence on the table before her.

"O.K. Rita, you know Paris better than anyone, let's go postal on this creep......"

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

Part Twenty-Seven - Black Clad Figure

The dark clad figure lugged its burden back to the hideaway and dropped it in the room with Sherry.

"Seems one of your friends got a little too close. Sophie, I believe. Anyway, I decided to have her keep you company. Wonder how long it will take the others to realize she's missing as well."

Sherry jumped up and went over to Sophie, who was still unconscious. She picked her up and laid her down on the cot. Deciding enough was enough, Sherry tried to get her tracker working again. She knew the crystal was done for, but Michael had insisted that she have one of those "under the skin" trackers planted a little while back. She had hated the idea, but went along to appease him. She just hoped it wasn't damaged and that she could manage to get it fixed. She didn't care what Operations said, it was time this game was called off. Sophie apparently needed medical attention.

Watching to make sure her captor wasn't looking, Sherry tried to activate the tracker. She had no way of knowing if it was working or not because she had no Comm equipment. She just hoped somebody picked up on the signal, if it was working, and figured out it was she.

The black clad figure came back into the room. "It seems your time is almost up my dear. You only have 3 hours left. Do you think they'll find you?"

Sherry sighed and looked at her captor. "I'm sure they will, O'Brien. You know they are the best. Of course, they are sane, rational people, unlike you. What happened to you anyway?"

O'Brien sneered at her and turned away. "I got dragged into Section, that's what happened. I was a good cop, I thought I was making a difference. But I stumbled across their precious Nikita and ended up here. Now, they will play or pay. It's simple."

Sherry nodded. Keep him talking, she told herself, give them a chance to figure out where she was. "But, I thought Operations set this up as a test."

O'Brien nodded. "Oh, he did. But, I decided to change the rules and play my way."

Sherry smiled at him. "You know Operations won't approve of that. You've just caused yourself a lot of trouble."

O'Brien shook his head. "Oh, I don't think so. I plan to be long gone before they ever get here. The only question left is whether they find you and your friend alive or dead. Doesn't matter one way or the other to me."

Sherry tried to hide her disgust and the shudder that coursed through her body. "Please, Michael ... hurry up" kept running through her mind.

"You won't kill us. You don't have it in you. You just told me how you used to be a cop ... a good cop. You won't kill us for no reason."

O'Brien laughed the laugh of the truly demented. "Oh, don't count on it, my dear. Madeline is quite a good teacher. And the torture twins do their fair share as well. And I don't see it as for no reason. Section ruined my life ... I'm gonna ruin some of theirs. I'm sure Michael will be devastated, as will Roy when he discovers his sister's body."

"Leave Sophie out of this. She's unconscious as it is. You have no reason to kill her. I'm the one you wanted ... to get back at Michael."

O'Brien considered her statement and nodded his head. "Perhaps you're right. Sophie was only doing her job, playing along with the game. I should spare her. Thank you."

"Well, I've got to go and see if I can help your friends out some more. Or maybe I'll lead them on a wild goose chase. First, though, I have to take care of something." He walked up to her and grabbed her arm. Taking a pair of handcuffs and cuffing her arms together, he tied her legs together as well. Then he pulled out a knife and made a small incision in her arm. "Shame on you for trying to cheat. I thought better of you. I can't stand cheaters." Then he removed the tracker, crushed it under his foot and slapped Sherry across the face. Then, trying to prove he was a gentleman, he removed the handcuffs and rope and apologized.

After he left, Sherry flopped down on the floor and laid her head back against the wall. Closing her eyes she prayed that someone had noticed the tracker signal before it disappeared and that they had figured out it was her or at least got a location close to her. What she had thought was a simple Section training event had turned into her own personal nightmare.