MayDecember1

A/N: OK, something for you all to chew on. All the characters are here but the ages, roles and time lines are all skewed. There's a reason for this. I'm telling a tale but in a different context. If any of you still want to read it but are hopelessly lost, lemme know and I'll send you a time line. Hope you enjoy it. Read this, Nik, and quitcherbichen and put it behind you. I have. Thanks to you-know-who for the idea. If you INSIST, I'll tell everyone your name. lol
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December 2007

Agent Sarah Walker sat in the outer office of the Deputy Director of Operations for the Central Intelligence Agency. She'd just 'come in' from a long-term assignment in Europe and 30-days' of well-deserved annual leave.

She was anxious to get back to work. She wanted a new challenge.

"The Deputy Director will see you now."

She walked in and stood in front of his desk while he ended a phone call. It was obviously personal but he made no effort to hide that fact. He pointed to a chair, rolled his eyes at something that was said and then spoke in a soft but firm voice.

"Yes, Ellie, I know. But your Dad's always been a hardhead. Even before your mom…well, even way back then. And I know you're worried but I'm handling it. Well, nag him to go to physical therapy on post. Y'know, nag, it's like in your genetic code. Yes, I haven't forgotten graduation and I'll be there if at all possible. Yes. Yes. No, I won't help you convince your Dad to let you go to the Bahamas as a graduation present. Yeah, I love you, too. I'll see ya at graduation. Bye."

"Sorry about that. My goddaughter. Man, I do not know how he's handling her, teaching, the project missions and the Army. Well, Agent Walker, let's talk about your next assignment. It's deep cover in the U.S. You're going to be going back to school and your brief is to ensure the safety and well-being of one of our best kept secrets – the Intersect and it's developer and host."

"The Intersect? Director Larkin, that's…that's a fairy tale told to gullible agents. It's real?"

"Oh, yeah, it's real. And it's a pain in the ass, just like it's developer and host. He's your mark. No! He's not a mark. He's your…responsibility. Get close to him. Form a relationship. Gain his trust and work with him. He won't know your task and you can't tell him, at least not until the right time. Protect him and don't let him go off the reservation again."

"If this guy's a nutcase and dangerous, why not just put him down, or take him into 'protective' custody?"

You could literally have heard a pin drop in the plush carpet, it was suddenly so quiet.

Bryce Larkin's eyes narrowed and his lips formed a white line across his face. "Agent Walker, I made a mistake. You're not the one for this mission. You're too far-gone. I'll look elsewhere. This is all code word so forget you ever heard of it. I must be getting old. My selection of you for this critical mission was in error. I'll find someone with more…compassion and an appreciation of self-sacrifice."

"Please, Director, I only meant…"

"You meant exactly what you said. Arthur Graham tried that, once. He's dead. Diane Beckman has threatened on numerous occasions but she's all talk. She knows him, has worked with him before and she respects him. They don't like each other but…that's not your concern."

"Director, I want this assignment. It sounds challenging and it's in the U.S. and I'm tired of living out of a suitcase. I'll – I'll do this. I want this."

He threw her a flash drive and smiled but the smile never reached his eyes.

"OK, but if anything happens to this man or his daughter, you'll answer to me and your career will be the least of your concerns."

"Yes, Director Larkin. I understand the concept of consequences."

"Good. Get your affairs in order and then plan on being 'in place' right after the Xmas holidays."

She took the flash drive and the manila folder of photographs and left as quietly as she'd come in. This was a new start, a fresh start and she felt excited about this new challenge.

January 2008
Arizona State University
Sierra Vista, AZ

Dr. Bartowski was bored. These 'new semester' faculty mixers were tremendous wastes of time, in his opinion. He'd rather be spending time with his almost-adult (in some ways) daughter or going on Post and tinkering with the project or just talking with his students. Kids nowadays seemed to have slightly different viewpoints on things. Maybe it was the fact that they'd grown up around an evolving technology. They'd absorbed it and it's unintended consequences as naturally as he'd absorbed 8" floppy drives, hardwired printers, 80-column cards, all the trappings of the late 20th century computer revolution.

Every once in a great while someone would actually say something that interested him here. It wasn't often but it did happen. He massaged his shoulder and went in search of another glass of JW Black. At least the booze was good and best of all, free.

The University Chancellor was escorting a new professor through the crowd, introducing her to the various faculty and department heads.

"Ah, Charles, let me introduce our new Professor of Linguistics and Languages, Dr. Sarah Walker. Dr. Walker has joined us after a brilliant period in government service working at the Defense Language Institute. Sarah, this is Dr. Charles Bartowski, Chair of our Cybernetics Department."

He looked over and down at the new prof. She was…startlingly beautiful and…Christ, she was a kid!

His thought must have shown on his face or he muttered it because she laughed and said, "I'm almost 30, Dr. Bartowski, that's over the hill nowadays. But thank you for the compliment." She had a beautiful smile. It was spontaneous and…so much like hers had been.

"Charles is our resident Mad Scientist and War Hero. He's also been very productive in getting the University lucrative research grants."

She saw the way he'd flashed a brief glare at him when the Chancellor had said 'War Hero' and she remembered her briefing. He was obviously uncomfortable with any of his history being known to the general public.

"I didn't mean to be rude, Dr. Walker. I guess I'm feeling my age is all. Welcome to State and I hope it lives up to your expectations. You'll have to excuse me. I need to pick Ellie up and I'm running late. Again, I apologize. If you need anything, feel free to call me."

"Charles lost his wife some time ago and he's raised a fine young lady all alone."

He would have said more but Bartowski almost growled at him and Sarah almost felt afraid for a brief moment.

"I didn't misplace her, George. She died. And I don't think you need to trot that out just to give a demonstration of your natural compassion for the less fortunate. It was nice meeting you, Dr. Walker." He tossed back the remains of his drink, slammed the glass on the bar and walked out of the meeting room.

"I keep forgetting myself, Dr. Walker. Charles, well, he was in Iraq when Jill died. He blames himself for not being here. Actually, he couldn't be here. He was in a hospital, himself. Eleanor came close to losing both her parents."

She had her work cut out for her. After all these years, he still loved his wife.

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