PAL
01-08-2002, 04:57 PM
"I was falsely accused of a hideous crime and sentenced to life in prison. One night, I was taken from my cell to a place called "Section One", the most covert anti-terrorist group on the planet. Their ends are just, but their means are ruthless. If I don't play by their rules, I die."
TEASER
("Echo" by Incubus, plays in the background)
Michael steps on to the patio from the back lawn, nodding once to an operative partially hidden from view. His manner relaxed, Michael rolls up the sleeves of his flannel shirt as he approaches the back door to the kitchen. Catching a glimpse of Nikita through the window, he slows, then stops. She is standing at the cooking island in the center of the kitchen. Adam is sitting on top of a bar stool pulled next to her.
Michael continues to watch as the camera pans in, showing a closer view of what he is seeing. Adam sits in fascination as Nikita teaches him to make pancakes. Much laughter and playfulness ensues as batter ends up on Adam's nose. Camera shifts to the opposite side of the kitchen to include Michael, looking through the window. He has the vaguest hint of a smile on his face.
Nikita moves Adam and the bar stool closer to the pan and stands behind him. She smiles, handing Adam the spatula. She carefully helps him to flip the pancakes over. Michael is no longer at the window. Adam climbs down from the bar stool and moves to the table. Nikita flips the pancakes on to a plate and turns off the burner. Plate in one hand, she picks up the syrup bottle in the other and heads for the table. Michael moves up quietly behind her, his hands around her waist before she even hears him. She turns, slightly startled, then smiles, her eyes dancing. He tucks her hair behind her ear, brushing the rest from her neck, his eyes locked on her face. She is puzzled by the intensity of his gaze.
Nikita
"What?"
Michael runs his thumb along her eyebrow, then kisses it softly.
Mch: "I love you."
cut to opening credits
cut to commercials
ACT ONE
NOT ALL OF ME WILL DIE
Michael and Nikita watch Phillip start across the bridge towards the waiting members of the Collective. One of the men releases Adam. He starts across, passing Phillip in the middle of the bridge. Michael calls out as he moves very slowly across the bridge, getting closer to his son.
Michael
"Adam!"
Adam looks up, confused.
Adam
"Daddy?"
Adam starts to run when he realizes Michael is alive.
Adam
"Daddy! Daddy! "
Michael kneels to hug his son fiercely as Phillip reaches the opposite side of the bridge. Two gunshots rings out as one. Michael jerks at the sound, looking up. Phillip is lying face down on the bridge. Nikita tries to move but is stopped by the two operatives standing next to her. Michael stands, lifting Adam into his arms, turning to look at Nikita.
Michael stares blankly at the computer screen in front of him. His eyes are unfocused, his hands unmoving on the keyboard. The other operatives working in DRV pay no attention to him. He blinks finally and breathes deeply, freeing himself from the memory of the bridge. Michael rests his head against his left hand, his thumb gently rubbing his temple. He stays like that for a moment, eyes closed, then inhales softly, turning his attention to his computer.
He starts a search, entering his access codes to gain entry to Section's mission logs. Michael keys in the date of Phillip's death, the day forever burned in his memory, then brings up the surveillance footage from the bridge. He zooms the image then captures the faces of the 8 operatives from the Collective that were present at the exchange. He runs the images against Section's databases and identifies each man, 3 of whom are now dead. Michael opens another window, accessing the previously intercepted Red Cell transmission. He looks from the file photos to the transmission. He shifts his gaze from the screen, eyes focused on a point on the wall. Michael takes his cell phone from an inside jacket pocket. Jason's voice is heard.
Jason
"Yeah?"
Michael
"I need you to backtrace a signal."
Cut to Comm. Jason looks at a panel, nods his approval and hands it to a waiting operative.
Jason
"Athens goes in an hour."
Michael
"Send me the profile."
Jason
"Michael, I..."
Michael cuts him off.
Michael
"The profile, Jason."
Jason rolls to another terminal. He begins typing.
Jason
"On it's way."
Cut back to Michael in DRV. He watches his screen as the profile downloads. He studies it for a moment, then his fingers start to fly across the keyboard.
Michael
"Level 20. 5 minutes."
*****
Cut to Munitions. Trent and several other operatives are getting their equipment from Walter. Trent scans the weapons arranged on the workbench and frowns.
Trent
"Walter, you're short a couple."
Walter hands a gear bag to an operative and smiles, then shifts his gaze to Trent.
Walter
"Not a chance, amigo. You're Comm Command."
Trent
"Since when?"
Walter
"Since I learned how to read.....check your panel."
He smiles indulgently, handing a panel to the young operative. Trent scans it quickly, clearly confused.
Trent
"When did that happen?"
Walter shrugs, continuing to distribute equipment.
Walter
"I'm just the boy with the toys."
Cut to the Breakfast Nook. Nikita absently picks at some fruit as she studies the morning debriefs. The computer closest to her is scrolling continuous data. She sips some tea, her attention split between the panel in her hand and the computer on the table. A flashing color change catches her eye. She pauses the stream and backs up, calling up the file in question. She frowns as she reads the file indicating a change in the profile of the current mission prepped for Athens. Nikita gets up.
Cut to the main floor of Section. Nikita crosses the open space towards Comm, crossing paths with Obrien in the middle of the room. She hands him a panel as they continue to Comm.
Nikita
"Why did you change the Athens profile, Marco?"
Trent is sitting at a terminal, his back to her. He is still in his mission gear. Obrien frowns as he looks from Trent to Nikita to the panel.
Obrien
"I didn't. I put Trent in fifth position, with Jason at Comm."
Nikita raises an eyebrow. Trent rolls his chair from one terminal to another.
Trent
"They just crossed the perimeter."
Obrien responds automatically, his eyes still focused on Nikita.
Obrien
"Start sequencing."
Nikita
"Who's in for Trent....Jacobs?"
Obrien checks the panel and nods.
Obrien
"Yeah....that's not good. I downgraded him yesterday."
An odd look crosses her face for a split second, then disappears, replaced by slight surprise.
Nikita
"Why?"
Obrien
"His numbers have been erratic, and it seems he's afraid of heights."
Nikita
"Heights?"
Obrien shrugs, mildly amused.
Obrien
"Guess it never came up before."
Nikita
"Who else was available?"
Obrien
"Ziska might have made it on a re-direct, but they would have had to transfer him mid-flight."
Nikita
"How committed are we in Eastern Europe?"
Obrien
"Four teams."
She reaches her hand out for the panel and studies it, paging through the data.
Nikita
"Fifth position?"
Obrien
"Yeah...see what I mean?"
Nikita
"Back him up to Team Three. Move Lavell to Team Two and bump Snow to fifth position."
She touches Trent on the shoulder, then hands him the panel. Obrien puts a transceiver in his ear.
Obrien
"All units hold position....Jasmine, B channel."
Jasmine's voice is heard.
Jasmine
"What is it, Marco?"
Obrien
"We've altered the profile."
Jasmine
"Now?"
Marco and Nikita exchange a look.
Obrien
"It couldn't be helped."
*****
Cut to Deep Level Security. Michael and Jason are at work at different terminals.
Jason
"What exactly am I looking for, Michael? Assuming I can still get in."
Michael
"Anomalies. Umbrella files. Anything tagged Section One."
Jason turns, wide-eyed.
Jason
"Do you have any idea how long that will take? Center has more databases than I have ex-girlfriends."
His face blank, Michael makes eye contact with Jason, holding the younger man's gaze for several long heartbeats. Jason swallows hard.
Jason
"I'm just sayin'."
Michael raises an eyebrow. Jason clears his throat loudly and resumes his work.
Cut to Comm. Nikita and Obrien watch the early stages of the mission progress. Obrien turns away from the overhead monitor for a moment, then looks at Nikita, his face confused.
Obrien
"So who changed the profile, Nikita? And where's Michael?"
Nikita slowly turns to look at Obrien. The softness of her voice belies her anger.
Nikita
"Mich-ael."
She abruptly leaves. Obrien and Trent exchange a look.
Cut back to Michael and Jason. Jason is deep into a sub-directory, his face furrowed in concentration. There are several frames open on his screen, the foremost being a password script. His fingers pause as he tilts his head slightly to one side in thought. He nods and then types again. He gets access to another directory and whispers to himself.
Jason
"God, I'm good."
Michael ignores him, absorbed in his own work. Jason scans the new directory with a practiced eye. Reaching a file he doesn't recognize, he pulls it up. He scrolls through the data, his eyes getting wider.
Jason
"Uhm...Michael."
Michael looks over his shoulder at Jason.
Jason
"You need to look at this."
Michael frowns slightly at the tone in Jason's voice and crosses the room. He starts reading the file on Jason's computer.
Jason
"Why would Center do that?"
Any reply is interrupted by the door opening. They both turn to see Nikita. Jason cringes at the look on her face.
Jason
"Nikita. Uhm, it's not his...he...I....and then they...and she, and uhm....yeah, so...there ya go."
Nikita's eyes are locked on Michael's. They speak in unison.
Michael/Nikita
"Shut up, Jason."
Jason looks from one to the other, shifting uncomfortably.
Jason
"You guys look like you need some privacy, and I, uhm, left my vest in Munitions so I'm just gonna split."
The couple waits silently for Jason to leave. Nikita speaks as soon as the door slides closed.
Nikita
"What do you think you're doing, Michael?"
Michael
"Trying to protect my son."
His voice is devoid of emotion. He turns to Jason's terminal and plugs in a panel then starts typing.
Nikita
"By compromising a mission?"
Michael
"Jacobs is competent."
She steps further into the room.
Nikita
"Marco downgraded him last night."
Michael turns around, his eyes focused on a point just over her left shoulder.
Michael
"I needed Jason and there wasn't anyone else."
She doesn't bother to hide her frustration, closing the distance between them.
Nikita
"Michael, why are we having this conversation again? I told you...I promised you, that I'd help make sure Adam was safe. Don't you believe that?"
Michael physically retreats from her, taking a step back. She waits for him to say something. She speaks when he doesn't.
Nikita
"You forged a Level 5 signature on the profile. Why?"
He says nothing, holding out the panel in his hand for her to take. She looks at it for a moment, as if it might bite her. She moves forward slightly, then takes the panel. He speaks finally, his voice soft.
Michael
"Read it."
Nikita holds his gaze a moment longer, then studies the data on the panel. She blinks several times in surprise, then looks up at Michael, her voice filled with disbelief.
Nikita
"Why would she kill her own....our...mother."
Michael
"You don't know that she did."
He takes a step back from her.
Michael
"Things aren't always what they seem, Nikita."
Michael starts to walk from the room. Nikita speaks just as he reaches the door.
Nikita
"This isn't finished, Michael."
cut to commercials
ACT TWO
Section One. Nikita is sitting behind the desk in her private office. Arturs Irbe sits across from her, his face reflecting considerable interest.
Irbe
"I'm surprised, Nikita."
Nikita
"By what?"
He pauses a moment before answering.
Irbe
"This is the second time you've used Spec Ops instead of your own operatives."
Nikita
"You are my operative."
He nods once, acknowledging her point.
Irbe
"That isn't what I meant."
She smiles charmingly.
Irbe
"But you knew that."
Nikita leans forward, handing him a panel.
Nikita
"The three that I'm most interested in."
Irbe
"Michael's assessment?"
Nikita says nothing. Irbe raises an eyebrow in surprise.
Irbe
"You haven't told him."
Nikita
"Keep the team small."
Irbe
"I was going to use Tyler."
Nikita smiles slightly.
Nikita
"She's a good choice."
He stands up.
Irbe
"Will you be here?"
Nikita
"The Farm. I have some...unfinished business."
*****
Cut to the interior of an elevator. Michael and Nikita are standing in silence as it descends. She watches his face closely. He is staring at the double doors.
Nikita
"Are you going to say anything?"
The elevator stops. Michael steps forward, typing an access code on the keypad, locking the elevator closed and motionless. He makes eye contact with her.
Michael
"Be careful, Nikita."
Nikita
"Of you?"
He blinks once, the smallest frown visible on his forehead.
Michael
"Of Monique. We have to assume she still answers to Center."
Nikita
"I know."
Michael
"Any action will need clearance from Devin."
She raises an eyebrow.
Nikita
"As opposed to just doing whatever I want without regard to the consequences?"
He says nothing, keeping his face blank. Nikita breaks his gaze finally, closing her eyes for a moment. Her voice is heavy with the weight of the turmoil inside her.
Nikita
"Having her cancel Roberta makes no sense, Michael. She was already dying."
He moves next to her, gently squeezing her arm.
Michael
"I know....I'm sorry."
She covers his hand with her own.
Nikita
"Michael....let me in."
He looks into her eyes, silent for a moment.
Michael
"I don't..."
He pauses, his eyes shining.
Nikita
"You have to let me help you, Michael."
Michael
"...I'm not....sure I know how."
He moves back to the key pad, releasing the elevator. Puzzled voices filter through as the doors open. A young recruit has his back to the elevator, talking to several other recruits.
Recruit
"What the hell's taking so...."
He stops at the look on the faces of his peers. He turns around, seeing Michael and Nikita.
Recruit
"Oh God."
Michael raises an eyebrow, allowing his voice to sound almost amused.
Michael
"No...Michael."
Recruit
"Uhm...I..."
Nikita does her best not to smile.
Nikita
"Where's Monique?"
The recruit, looking quite terrified, is still staring at Michael. Nikita passes her hand in front of the recruit's face, finally getting his attention.
Nikita
"Monique?"
He just shrugs, looking lost. A female recruit behind him speaks.
Recruit #2
"In her office, I think, ma'am."
Nikita smiles warmly.
Nikita
"Call me Nikita."
The female recruit smiles in surprise.
Recruit #2
"Yes, ma'am....uhm, Nikita."
*****
Cut to Comm. Trent removes a panel from its port, handing it to a waiting operative. Obrien is standing behind Trent's chair. Obrien removes the transceiver from his ear.
Obrien
"Have Medical standing by at Van Access."
Trent
"Already rolling."
Cut to the hallway outside of Van Access. Obrien watches medical personnel taking charge of several injured operatives as they exit the tunnel. Claire steps into the hallway, slightly supporting Snow. Jasmine and Darwin exit next. They are all dirty and battle weary. Darwin stops in the middle of the hallway, watching the rest of the team move towards Medical. Jasmine walks over to Obrien.
Obrien
"What happened?"
Jasmine
"Our intel was bad. That was a bloodbath waiting to happen."
Obrien looks her over for visible signs of injury.
Obrien
"Have Medical check you...both of you....then meet me in Systems."
He walks away without waiting for an answer.
*****
Cut to the Farm. Nikita and Michael exit the stairs and start across the main training floor. One area is segmented off as a dojo. Nikita sees a class in progress and drifts in that direction. Michael follows. Several recruits sit around the sparring area, quietly watching the sensei, the same that trained both Michael and Nikita, as he spars with an advanced student. They are using bow staffs. The couple stop well back from the group, so as not to disturb the training.
After a complicated series of strikes and parries, the sensei pauses, turning to explain the moves just used. The student makes no effort to check his motion and continues the movement of his staff, sweeping the sensei's feet out from under him. The student smiles maliciously. There is a collective gasp from those watching.
Nikita moves immediately, stepping out from behind the support structure she was leaning against. She reaches into her jacket, drawing out a handgun, aims instinctively and shoots the student just above his kneecap, all in one fluid motion. He falls to the floor, screaming. Time seems frozen as everyone within earshot has turned to look, no one daring to move. Michael is watching Nikita.
Nikita steps up to the edge of the dojo. She makes eye contact with every student present, her handgun plainly visible. Her voice is mild.
Nikita
"Questions?"
The room is completely silent but for the moaning of the injured student. Nikita nods, reholstering her gun.
Nikita
"Good."
She turns to the sensei, who is now standing. She bows to him. He returns it, his face carefully neutral. She walks away. Michael watches her leave. He turns, shifting his attention to the still moaning recruit, then looks at the others, his eyes taking in everyone.
Michael
"Never assume the one you are fighting is your only opponent."
Michael nods his head respectfully to the sensei then walks away. Medical personnel finally step forward to treat the injured recruit.
*****
Cut to Munitions, Section One. Walter emerges from the back, carrying a briefcase. He smiles as he sees Obrien leaning against the work table.
Walter
"Hey, Marco."
Obrien
"You talk to Nikita today?"
Walter shakes his head as he puts the briefcase on the work table and starts to remove its contents.
Walter
"Nope. What happened with Athens?"
Obrien looks around, checking for anyone within earshot.
Obrien
"I think Michael changed it."
The older man frowns.
Walter
"It had a Level 5 tag."
Obrien
"I know."
Walter
"What's going on, Marco?"
Obrien
"I don't know, man. I was hoping you did. I find Trent at Comm...Nikita's sideways cuz the profile's changed...Jasmine's bent when we shuffle her teams around mid-mission...then I ask where Michael is. Nikita just looks at me weird and leaves."
Walter narrows his eyes, leaning forward on the bench.
Walter
"You still have the profile?"
Obrien
"Right here."
Obrien removes a panel from a jacket pocket, handing it to Walter. Walter crosses the room and plugs the panel in to a data port. He shifts to the terminal next to the data port and starts typing. A moment later, Walter shakes his head, speaking softly to himself.
Walter
"What are you doing, Michael?"
Obrien
"He did change it?"
Walter nods, handing the panel back to Obrien.
Walter
"Yeah...and made it look like someone else did. Something's wrong."
Obrien
"How?"
Walter
"Whenever Nikita was in danger, Michael would shut down, go rogue, you know turn into kind of a lone wolf....whatever it took to protect her."
Obrien
"But she's not in danger."
Walter
"That we know of."
Obrien
"I realize that he's Michael, with all that means, but he can't just start doing things his own way and to Hell with the rest of us. Athens could have been worse than it already was."
Walter pulls a barstool over for Obrien, nodding for the younger man to sit down, then gets himself a chair. He smiles softly.
Walter
"Michael is one-of-a-kind....and so is Nikita. Operations and Madeline spent years trying to split them apart, cancel one or the other, marry them off...as if that would matter...but nothing worked. A love like theirs comes along once in a century, maybe. But that doesn't mean that their relationship is easy. Nikita's trying to change Section, make it better, make it a place where we don't hate ourselves. She needs Michael's help to do it."
Obrien
"I sense a catch."
Walter laughs softly, nodding his head.
Walter
"Michael. Section made him. He may not be able to change, to go against the instincts that have kept him alive all this time....not even with her help."
Obrien
"Then if he's on a rampage and it's not about Nikita..."
Neither man finishes the sentence.
cut to commercials
ACT THREE
An exterior view of a cafe. The area is crowded with people and cars. Camera pans to the roof of a building down the street. Irbe is watching the cafe with binoculars from his position on the roof.
Irbe
"Did he just take a bribe?"
Camera cuts to Tyler, sitting at a corner table inside the cafe. She is watching two men sitting at the counter.
Tyler
"Your tax dollars at work."
Cut back to Irbe. He shakes his head.
Irbe
"That's 0 for 2. Maybe Operations wasn't all wrong."
Tyler
"I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that."
He smiles.
*****
Cut to the Farm. Michael and Nikita are in a darkened observation area partitioned from a vacant White Room by one-way glass. There are two laptop computers up on the console in front of them. They are watching a White Room simulation on a surveillance feed in one frame, and the "observers" in another frame. The second laptop has multiple frames up, scrolling data.
They watch as the female "interrogator" makes slow circles around the chair, her smile inviting, her voice warm. The male "hostile" rebuffs her cajoling with considerable effort. He has visible signs of torture. Both recruits have electrodes attached at their temples, allowing for remote monitoring of their vital signs. He has additional electrodes attached to his chest.
Nikita
"She reminds me of Madeline."
Michael glances at Nikita briefly. The two recruits continue their "game", she administering short jolts of electricity trying to elicit the wanted intel. She is getting nowhere. Without any warning, the female takes a gun from a hidden holster and shoots the male. He slumps forward in the steel chair. Nikita jerks, blinking several times in shock.
Nikita
"Michael?"
He shifts to the second laptop and starts typing. After several moments, Michael accesses the vitals of both recruits. The male has flat lined. The female's heartbeat is low and steady.
Michael
"He's dead."
Nikita looks at the observers. They are both smiling, apparently pleased with the woman's performance. Nikita's face shows her revulsion. She turns away from Michael, then looks up at the ceiling. Breathing deeply, she shakes off a chill, then makes eye contact with Michael. Her eyes are hard.
Nikita
"I've seen enough."
She takes a transceiver out of a jacket pocket and puts it in her ear.
Nikita
"Jason."
His voice is heard.
Jason
"Go ahead, Nikita."
Nikita
"Where is she now?"
She waits for Jason's reply, her eyes locked on Michael's.
Jason
"Sub-level 2."
Cut to Monique's office at the Farm. She is sitting behind her desk, talking on a cell phone. Her voice is irritated.
Monique
"How hard is it to find two people?"
She pauses, listening.
Monique
"Well, where are they?"
Nikita
"Right here, Monique."
Monique looks up sharply. Michael and Nikita are standing in the doorway of the office. Monique closes her cell phone absently. She tries to cover her surprise with a smile.
Monique
"Nikita."
*****
Cut to an anonymous corridor inside Section One. Walter paces slowly. Jason rounds the corner a moment later, looking anxious.
Jason
"Make it fast, Walter. I've got a search running."
Walter narrows his eyes.
Walter
"For Michael?"
Jason shakes his head, holding up one hand.
Jason
"No way, old man. I am not my brother."
Walter
"You sure about that?"
Jason glares silently, then closes his eyes as he turns away, developing a sudden interest in the corridor wall. Walter moves closer, dropping his voice.
Walter
"It's Adam, isn't it?"
Jason
"Walter."
Walter
"Red Cell knows where he is."
Jason turns, answering before he can catch himself.
Jason
"No, but they're..."
He pauses, then sighs, caving under the intensity of Walter's gaze.
Jason
"5 of the guys that were there when Michael got his son back are still alive. 4 are active with Red Cell. The fifth is dealing weapons. We picked up a transmission on an open channel, he thinks between two of them....they were looking for Adam."
Walter
"They want Michael."
Jason
"Well, he wants them."
Walter
"He can't do this alone, Jase."
Jason
"I'm just a computer geek, Walter."
Walter takes Jason's arm, gripping it tightly.
Walter
"You can't sit on the fence anymore, amigo."
*****
Michael and Nikita are sitting comfortably across from Monique, their manner relaxed.
Michael
"We've sustained some losses that were unexpected."
Monique
"I heard about Dubai."
Nikita raises an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly to one side.
Nikita
"You're well informed."
Monique smiles weakly.
Monique
"Center tries to ensure that I anticipate your recruiting needs."
Nikita
"Recruits..."
Nikita pauses, as if lost in thought.
Nikita
"...we've watched some of your recruits."
Monique
"You shot one of my recruits."
Nikita
"That level of rebellion is unacceptable."
Monique blinks once at the unexpected reply. Nikita's face is blank.
Monique
"It'll be dealt with when he's released from Medical."
Michael
"And the recruit that was cancelled?"
Monique
"Cancelled?"
She doesn't bother to hide her surprise. Michael keeps his tone mild.
Michael
"The White Room simulation."
Monique
"Oh."
Nikita
We just assumed the interrogation scenario was convenient."
Monique
"Pittman. He was...already in abeyance, and we needed to see if she could pull the trigger."
Monique's slight hesitation doesn't go unnoticed.
Michael
"You have some choices for us?"
Monique
"I'll forward their files."
He looks at her a moment before answering.
Michael
"Thank you."
*****
Cut to an underground parking structure. Michael and Nikita exit the elevator. The area is secured by a team of operatives. The couple cross the floor to a parked, black BMW and get in. Michael starts the engine.
Nikita
"She's hiding something."
They make eye contact.
Michael
"Yes."
*****
Cut to Comm. Nikita is sitting next to Jason, her back to the console, her eyes wandering. Jason looks uncomfortable.
Jason
"Nikita, he...I...."
She turns in the chair and leans forward, her manner relaxed, a sly smile on her face.
Nikita
"Jason....if I were you...."
She pauses, gently placing a hand on his chin, turning him to face her.
Nikita
"I'd be more afraid of me, than Michael."
Her smile fades and she raises an eyebrow.
Jason
"I...haven't found anything yet."
Nikita
"I hope that's the truth, Jason, because if you give Michael a location, he'll go alone.....so....if you're lying to me, and Michael gets hurt.....I'll cancel you myself."
Jason
"It is...Nikita, I swear."
Her cell phone rings. She holds Jason's gaze for a moment before answering the phone.
Nikita
"Yes?"
She listens silently, then hangs up. Nikita stands, then looks at Jason.
Nikita
"Have Jasmine join me in my office, please."
Jason nods, swallowing hard.
*****
Jasmine steps from the elevator inside Section and walks down the hallway. She stops at a recessed doorway and pushes the door chime. The door slides open. Nikita is sitting behind her desk. Arturs Irbe sits across from her.
Nikita
"Come in, Jasmine."
Jasmine steps down into the room.
Nikita
"This is Irbe. He's..."
Jasmine
"Spec Ops. I've heard of him."
Jasmine takes his proffered hand, shaking it firmly. She takes the seat next to him.
Irbe
"I'm flattered."
Jasmine
"I doubt it."
He smiles genuinely, shifting his eyes to Nikita.
Irbe
"I see why you like her so much."
Nikita hands Jasmine a panel.
Nikita
"Irbe's been...monitoring, some potential recruits for me."
Jasmine starts to read the panel. She looks at Nikita, frowning.
Jasmine
"Spec Ops. Not exactly protocol."
Nikita
"No.....neither are the circumstances. The man on the panel is Gage Bentley. Choose a team and shadow him."
Jasmine
"Who is he?"
Irbe
"Bentley is former SAS...does mostly K & R work now."
Jasmine
"K & R?"
Irbe
"Kidnap and Ransom....corporate security. His record with the Special Air Service was superb."
The conversation is interrupted by the door sliding open. They all turn. Michael stands in the doorway for a moment, making eye contact with Nikita. He shifts his gaze to Jasmine, then Irbe. Michael steps down into the room, his eyes going back to Nikita. Irbe and Jasmine share a look. Michael walks behind them to the other side of the room. He leans against the wall on one shoulder, crossing his arms. His expression is close to mild amusement.
Michael
"Don't let me interrupt."
Nikita
"We were just finished."
Irbe stands up, gently taking Jasmine by the arm.
Irbe
"Right. Thanks for your time."
Michael watches them leave. He pushes himself off the wall gracefully, walking across the room. He speaks with his back to Nikita.
Michael
"Are you trying to prove a point?"
Nikita
"Maybe. Would it work?"
Michael turns around then, meeting her eyes. He has the beginnings of a smile on his face.
Michael
"Maybe."
He sits down.
Michael
"Why was he here?"
Nikita
"Recruits. I want to bring someone in from the Community."
Michael
"That could be dangerous."
Nikita
"I know."
Michael
"Monique."
Nikita
"Do you trust her?"
He looks away briefly before answering.
Michael
"No."
Nikita
"We need more."
They are silent for several moments, occupied with their own thoughts. Nikita looks up to find Michael's eyes on her. He raises an eyebrow. She smiles, then picks up the phone.
Nikita
"Find Mick Schtoppel for me."
*****
Cut to the interior of Mick's apartment. He walks out of the bedroom pulling on a silk robe. The rest of the apartment is dark. He calls over his shoulder.
Mick
"No worries, luv. Just gettin' a bit of bubbly."
Mick whistles happily to himself, walking into the kitchen. He takes a bottle of champagne out of the refrigerator, setting it down on the counter. He retrieves two fluted glasses from a cupboard and puts them down, then opens the champagne bottle with a flourish. Glasses in one hand, champagne in the other, he leaves the kitchen and starts to cross the living room. The lights go on suddenly.
Nikita
"Hello, Mick."
Mick jumps back, terrified, dropping both the glasses and the champagne
Mick
"Bloody hell!"
Nikita is sitting at his table, smiling. Michael is standing on the other side of the room, near the light switch.
Michael
"You dropped something."
Mick glares at Michael. A female voice is heard from the bedroom.
Female
"Mick?"
Mick
"It's mint, luv..be there in a minute."
Mick carefully steps away from the broken glass. Nikita has moved to the kitchen and throws him a towel. He takes it, clearly irritated, and starts wiping off the champagne that splashed on him.
Nikita
"We need to talk."
Mick
"Tormenting Mick is your way of life, isn't it?"
Nikita
"This is important."
Mick looks from Nikita to Michael, then sighs in frustration.
Mick
"Bollocks."
He moves to the balcony without waiting. Nikita and Michael follow, sharing an amused look.
Mick
"What's got your alans in a bunch, then?"
Nikita
"Monique."
Mick shakes off a chill.
Mick
"She's a nasty bit 'a work, that one. Very ambitious."
Nikita
"Did she know you weren't Mr. Jones?"
Mick
"If she did, she never let on. Phillip didn't trust her."
Nikita looks at Michael.
Nikita
"Why didn't he tell me?"
Mick frowns.
Mick
"He did, luv. I was there."
Nikita
"What?"
Mick
"At the Estate. He made a recording for you."
She looks at Michael, her eyes wide.
Nikita
"She altered the file."
cut to commercials
ACT FOUR
("Long Shadows" by Lunatic Calm, plays in the background)
A downtown city street. A limousine flanked by two Suburbans pulls up in front of a glass and steel building occupying one entire corner. Gage Bentley exits the front passenger side of the limo. He is wearing an ear piece. He looks up and across the street, visually checking the area as the occupants of both Suburbans exit the vehicles and take up positions in and around the building.
Bentley
"Rooftops."
First Voice
"Southern building secured."
Second Voice
"Western building secured."
Third Voice
"Eastern secured."
Bentley opens the rear passenger door of the limousine. Cut to the interior of an office. Jasmine is standing at the window with a view of the street below. She looks through her binoculars.
Jasmine
"Trent."
Trent's voice is heard.
Trent
"His perimeter is completely sealed."
Jasmine
"Cut his satcomm."
Trent
"Stand by."
Camera shows Jasmine's view of the street through her binoculars.
Trent
"He's deaf."
Cut back to the street. Bentley is frowning, his hand on his ear piece.
Bentley
"Kelly? Roger? Anyone copy?"
He turns around, making eye contact with the team members in front of the building. They are shaking their hands, making hand gestures that they can't hear.
Bentley
"Damn."
The man in the limo tries to exit, but Bentley gently pushes him back inside.
Bentley
"Sir, please....a moment. The area isn't secured yet."
He takes out his cell phone.
Bentley
"Jonah, where the hell's my comm channel?"
A man's voice is heard.
Jonah
"Hang on, hang on. It's being jammed. I'm trying to re-direct."
Bentley
"Jammed? By who?"
Jonah
"I don't know, Gage. I'm kinda busy."
Cut to Trent. He is sitting in the back of the mission van, with several lap tops set up. He whistles appreciatively.
Trent
"This guy's good, Jaz. He's got comm back."
Cut to Jasmine. She shifts her binoculars, looking in the opposite direction. She has a slight smile on her face.
Jasmine
"Darwin."
Cut to Darwin and Claire at the top of a stairwell roof access. He opens the door for her very slowly as she loads a dart into her gun. She slides through the partially opened door and sees a man proned out near the edge of the roof with a sniper rifle. Claire steps out onto the roof and moves closer to the man. He turns suddenly. She shoots him and he is unconscious a moment later.
Darwin
"Position secured."
Cut back to the street. Bentley is escorting a man from the limo to the entrance of the building.
Jasmine
"Make it close."
A second later, a bullet bounces off the concrete next to the man's foot. Bentley reacts immediately, pushing the man to the ground and blocking the man's body with his own. Two more shots hit the concrete in rapid succession. Several of Bentley's team are now surrounding the two men. They move in a human pile towards the limousine as other team members are making visual sweeps of the area, weapons drawn.
Jasmine
"Jason, do you have him?"
Jason's voice is heard.
Jason
"He's tagged."
Jasmine
"Team One, start your egress. Team Two stay on him."
*****
Cut to the breakfast nook, Section One. Michael and Nikita sit opposite Devin. A half-empty tray of fruit is in the middle of the table. Devin refills his cup from a silver carafe. He looks up, pausing mid-pour.
Devin
"Michael?"
Michael is slightly surprised.
Michael
"Thank you."
Devin flashes a brief smile, then fills Michael's cup. Nikita puts her fingers over the top of her cup, shaking her head slightly.
Devin
"I'm concerned that your interest in this is entirely personal, Nikita."
Nikita says nothing for a moment, taking a drink from her cup.
Nikita
"I won't lie to you, Devin. It was, at first....until Michael and I went to the Farm. Her recruits...you've seen the files, Devin. That's beyond anything Operations ever did."
Devin
"Center is only concerned with results, Nikita."
Nikita
"Did you look at their psych profiles? I wouldn't use half those recruits on abeyance missions, much less a Class A threat. Results come from stability."
Devin says nothing for a moment, dropping his eyes to the table. He looks up again, making eye contact with Michael.
Devin
"You've been rather quiet, Michael...if one can say that about you."
Devin raises an eyebrow in amusement. Michael nods his head once at the dig.
Michael
"I pulled the file on the operative that cancelled her peer in the White Room simulation. Her alpha waves have been altered, suggesting a neural strip."
He hands Devin a panel.
Devin
"You two would be very familiar with that, I'd imagine."
Nikita and Michael share a long look.
Michael
"The Gelman files were destroyed and the Caspar project is secure at One."
Devin
"One controls Four so she couldn't get it there."
Michael
"That leaves Center."
Devin frowns at first, then nods.
Devin
"George's failed coup attempt...of course. Let's say you're right. What would she gain?"
Nikita
"Not her...Center. If she can fill Section with operatives loyal to certain factions at Center..."
Devin
"You two would be compromised from the inside out."
Nikita
"I gave my father my word....that I would become Operations, so that Michael and his son could be free...."
She pauses, her eyes meeting Michael's.
Nikita
"Michael came back in willingly. His son is at risk. We did this for Section, because it's what's right. I won't let that be for nothing."
Devin looks from Nikita to Michael, then back to Nikita.
Devin
"Why did you put Monique at the Farm?"
Nikita meets his eyes.
Nikita
"I thought it's what my father wanted."
Devin doesn't miss the odd tone in her voice.
Devin
"You were mistaken."
Nikita
"He left a file for me at the Estate, a recording...Monique altered it."
Devin
"You have something tangible."
Nikita
"Mick Schtoppel."
Devin raises an eyebrow.
Devin
"I'm not sure that one could use the words 'tangible' and 'Mick Schtoppel' in the same sentence."
Michael hands Devin another panel.
Michael
"Jason back traced it this morning."
Devin scrolls through the file, then looks up sharply.
Devin
"She had help."
Michael
"Someone at Center had Phillip's access codes. His were the only ID's on the system."
Devin is silent for several moments, then stands abruptly. There is an edge in his voice when he speaks.
Devin
"Bring her in."
He walks to the doorway, then turns.
Devin
"Nikita.....don't be wrong.
*****
Cut to Munitions. Walter is passing out equipment to Jasmine, Trent and Darwin. Claire walks in. Walter looks up when Darwin stops his sentence mid-word, his eyes wide. Walter follows Darwin's gaze to the entrance of Munitions. He sees Michael and Nikita, both in mission gear. Walter frowns.
Walter
"Where do you think you're going?"
The couple walk in. Michael moves beyond the work table to the back of Munitions, emerging a moment later with a briefcase. He opens it on the table, handing one of the guns inside to Nikita. She grabs a magazine and loads her gun, holstering it. Michael does the same.
Nikita
"The Farm."
Walter
"Wait a minute, sugar. That's what you have team leaders for."
Jasmine looks from Walter to Nikita, silent as she makes a decision.
Jasmine
"Van Access in 5."
Nikita nods. The rest of the team leaves. Nikita moves next to Walter.
Nikita
"Those recruits need to see Michael and I as field operatives, today, right now. All they know is what Monique's fed them."
Walter
"And if you two get hurt?"
Nikita
"If we're not willing to take the risks, why should they?"
Walter
"Nikita."
Nikita flashes him a blinding smile, then winks at him.
Walter
"That doesn't work anymore, ya know."
Michael and Nikita start to walk away. She calls out over her shoulder.
Nikita
"Sure, Walter. Whatever you say."
He grumbles to himself, watching them leave.
*****
("Guilty" by Gravity Kills, plays in the background)
Cut to the back of a mission van. Michael is sitting at the table, his laptop open in front of him. Nikita sits on the bench seat across from him. Jasmine and Darwin are next to her.
Michael
"Jason."
Jason's voice is heard.
Jason
"They're connected."
Michael
"Spike the system."
Cut to the Farm. Monique is walking across the main training floor. She notices a flurry of activity at Comm and changes direction. There are several operatives hovering around another that is sitting down at a terminal. Monique realizes all the monitors are blank.
Monique
"What's going on, Brian? Why are we offline?"
The operative sitting down turns at the sound of her voice. He looks panicked.
Brian
"There was an overload and the system blew."
Monique
"Everything's down?"
Brian nods, rolling from one terminal to another.
Brian
"I can't get the backups to engage."
She leans over his chair, looking at the terminal. Camera cuts to Nikita and Michael approaching Comm, closely followed by Jasmine, Darwin and Trent.
Nikita
"Need some help?"
Monique straightens slowly, then turns around, taking in their mission gear. Her voice is low, and has an oddly surreal tone.
Monique
"What are you doing here?"
Nikita
"Arresting you."
Brian rolls his chair slowly to his right, reaching under the console. Michael and Darwin move simultaneously, each drawing their gun and chambering a round. The action of the two slides sounds like thunder in the silence. Brian stops mid-reach. He looks from Darwin to Michael. Monique never takes her eyes from Nikita.
Monique
"You don't want to do this, Nikita."
Nikita closes the distance between them, holding a pair of handcuffs.
Nikita
"You couldn't be more wrong."
Monique looks over Nikita's shoulder to Michael.
Monique
"Michael, if you love her at all...stop this before it's too late."
Michael's face is blank. He slowly approaches the two women, then takes the handcuffs from Nikita. His eyes are locked with Monique's. He takes her right hand, snaps a cuff around it, then does the same to the left. He takes a step back, speaking just above a whisper.
Michael
"Team Two report."
Claire's voice is heard.
Claire
"Munitions and Transport are secure."
Michael turns his head slightly in Jasmine's direction, his eyes still on Monique.
Michael
"Get her out of here."
*****
Cut to an alley behind a warehouse. A black BMW pulls up, pauses for the roll-up door to open, then pulls in. The door starts to close. Camera shifts to the interior view of the warehouse. Gage Bentley steps from the BMW and starts to cross the floor to the freight elevator. He slows halfway across, looking around the warehouse, then continues, getting in the elevator. Cut to a converted loft just as the elevator arrives. Bentley steps from the elevator and walks to the kitchen. He stops in front of the security panel to enter the deactivation code, then turns sharply, his hand reaching under his jacket.
Bentley
"Who the hell are you?"
Camera shifts. Obrien is sitting in the leather recliner in the living room.
Obrien
"My name is Marco. I'm with the government."
Bentley
"Wrong accent, mate."
Obrien
"Not necessarily."
Bentley turns on the lights then crosses the room, his eyes quickly scanning the rest of the loft.
Obrien
"I'm came alone."
Bentley
"You went to a lot of trouble to get in here."
Obrien smiles slightly.
Obrien
"My people are good at what they do."
Bentley walks behind Obrien's chair and stops. Obrien looks over his shoulder slightly then reaches across with exaggerated slowness, opening his jacket with one hand and taking his gun from its holster with the other. He hands the gun up, butt first, to Bentley.
Obrien
"I'm just here to talk."
Bentley walks around to the conversation group in front of Obrien, setting the gun down on the coffee table.
Bentley
"Then tell me why Marco's government broke into my loft."
Obrien
"We want to offer you a job."
Bentley
"Really. Doing what?"
Obrien
"Counter-terrorism."
Bentley laughs.
Bentley
"I'm retired, mate, or hadn't you noticed?"
Obrien says nothing. Bentley's eyes narrow and he leans forward in his chair.
Bentley
"You compromised my op. Why?"
Obrien
"Call it an impromptu interview. We needed to see how you do business."
Bentley
"Who's we?"
Obrien says nothing. Bentley waits for several moments, then takes his gun from his shoulder holster and chambers a round.
Bentley
"I asked you a question, mate."
Obrien is completely still.
Obrien
"I can't answer it."
Bentley
"You expect me to say yes without any intel?"
Obrien smiles.
Obrien
"No. I expect you to think about it. Do a job where you can make a difference. Where the scum don't get away, don't get a plea bargain and don't come back."
Bentley
"I told you...I'm retired."
Obrien stands up.
Obrien
"Just think about it. We'll be in touch."
Bentley
"Bugger off."
Bentley picks up Obrien's gun, turns it around to get a better look at it, then tosses it to Obrien.
Bentley
"I think you know the way out."
Obrien nods his head once then crosses to the elevator. Camera shifts to the interior of the elevator as it goes down. Jason's voice is heard.
Jason
"That went well."
Obrien
"I think so."
*****
("Lumina" by Joan Osborne, plays in the background.)
Cut to Michael and Nikita's quarters in the Tower. The only light in the bedroom is from the fireplace. Michael is sitting up against the headboard of the bed, pillows propped up behind him. Nikita is sitting in front of him, her back resting against his chest, her head against his. His arms are wrapped around her, holding the covers up to keep her warm.
Nikita
"We need to talk about Adam."
Michael kisses her bare shoulder.
Michael
"I know."
Nikita
"You're not alone anymore, Michael. You have friends here....people who love you."
He runs his fingers through her hair.
Michael
"I know."
She closes her eyes, relaxed by his touch. They stay quiet for several moments. A cell phone rings. She sighs, opening her eyes.
Michael
"It's mine."
He reaches across to the nightstand for the phone, keeping his other arm wrapped tightly around her.
Michael
"Yes."
Jason's voice is heard.
Jason
"I found a location."
Michael says nothing, snapping the phone closed. Before Nikita can ask, her cell phone rings. She shakes her head, sighing. Michael releases her finally, watching the covers fall from her back as she reaches across for the phone. He runs his fingers tenderly across her bare skin.
Nikita
"Yes."
Obrien's voice is heard.
Obrien
"The blood work's finished."
Nikita
"Thank you."
She disconnects the cell, turning her head slightly in Michael's direction.
Nikita
"It's time."
cut to commercials
TAG
Michael and Nikita are standing in the hallway outside of the White Room. He looks at her a moment, studying her face. She hands him a syringe. He takes it silently, then turns, moving to the door. Cut to the interior of the White Room. The door opens with the usual squeak. Michael walks in, his black clothing in sharp contrast to the blinding whiteness of the room. Monique is secured to a bed in the middle of the room. She is unconscious.
Michael moves to the side of the bed. He removes the cover from the syringe then injects Monique in her arm. He steps back and waits. She wakes up several moments later, clearly disoriented. Finally realizing where she is, she fights against the restraints briefly. She looks at Michael, her face filled with hatred.
Monique
"They'll cancel you for this."
Michael ignores her. He slowly walks a circle around the room, her eyes following him frantically. He stops at the end of her bed. He makes eye contact with her, holding her gaze for a moment, then reaches into an inside jacket pocket. He pulls out a vial of blood and studies it, then holds it up for Monique to see. His voice is low.
Michael
"Who are you?"
cut to credits
cut to commercials
TEASER
("Echo" by Incubus, plays in the background)
Michael steps on to the patio from the back lawn, nodding once to an operative partially hidden from view. His manner relaxed, Michael rolls up the sleeves of his flannel shirt as he approaches the back door to the kitchen. Catching a glimpse of Nikita through the window, he slows, then stops. She is standing at the cooking island in the center of the kitchen. Adam is sitting on top of a bar stool pulled next to her.
Michael continues to watch as the camera pans in, showing a closer view of what he is seeing. Adam sits in fascination as Nikita teaches him to make pancakes. Much laughter and playfulness ensues as batter ends up on Adam's nose. Camera shifts to the opposite side of the kitchen to include Michael, looking through the window. He has the vaguest hint of a smile on his face.
Nikita moves Adam and the bar stool closer to the pan and stands behind him. She smiles, handing Adam the spatula. She carefully helps him to flip the pancakes over. Michael is no longer at the window. Adam climbs down from the bar stool and moves to the table. Nikita flips the pancakes on to a plate and turns off the burner. Plate in one hand, she picks up the syrup bottle in the other and heads for the table. Michael moves up quietly behind her, his hands around her waist before she even hears him. She turns, slightly startled, then smiles, her eyes dancing. He tucks her hair behind her ear, brushing the rest from her neck, his eyes locked on her face. She is puzzled by the intensity of his gaze.
Nikita
"What?"
Michael runs his thumb along her eyebrow, then kisses it softly.
Mch: "I love you."
cut to opening credits
cut to commercials
ACT ONE
NOT ALL OF ME WILL DIE
Michael and Nikita watch Phillip start across the bridge towards the waiting members of the Collective. One of the men releases Adam. He starts across, passing Phillip in the middle of the bridge. Michael calls out as he moves very slowly across the bridge, getting closer to his son.
Michael
"Adam!"
Adam looks up, confused.
Adam
"Daddy?"
Adam starts to run when he realizes Michael is alive.
Adam
"Daddy! Daddy! "
Michael kneels to hug his son fiercely as Phillip reaches the opposite side of the bridge. Two gunshots rings out as one. Michael jerks at the sound, looking up. Phillip is lying face down on the bridge. Nikita tries to move but is stopped by the two operatives standing next to her. Michael stands, lifting Adam into his arms, turning to look at Nikita.
Michael stares blankly at the computer screen in front of him. His eyes are unfocused, his hands unmoving on the keyboard. The other operatives working in DRV pay no attention to him. He blinks finally and breathes deeply, freeing himself from the memory of the bridge. Michael rests his head against his left hand, his thumb gently rubbing his temple. He stays like that for a moment, eyes closed, then inhales softly, turning his attention to his computer.
He starts a search, entering his access codes to gain entry to Section's mission logs. Michael keys in the date of Phillip's death, the day forever burned in his memory, then brings up the surveillance footage from the bridge. He zooms the image then captures the faces of the 8 operatives from the Collective that were present at the exchange. He runs the images against Section's databases and identifies each man, 3 of whom are now dead. Michael opens another window, accessing the previously intercepted Red Cell transmission. He looks from the file photos to the transmission. He shifts his gaze from the screen, eyes focused on a point on the wall. Michael takes his cell phone from an inside jacket pocket. Jason's voice is heard.
Jason
"Yeah?"
Michael
"I need you to backtrace a signal."
Cut to Comm. Jason looks at a panel, nods his approval and hands it to a waiting operative.
Jason
"Athens goes in an hour."
Michael
"Send me the profile."
Jason
"Michael, I..."
Michael cuts him off.
Michael
"The profile, Jason."
Jason rolls to another terminal. He begins typing.
Jason
"On it's way."
Cut back to Michael in DRV. He watches his screen as the profile downloads. He studies it for a moment, then his fingers start to fly across the keyboard.
Michael
"Level 20. 5 minutes."
*****
Cut to Munitions. Trent and several other operatives are getting their equipment from Walter. Trent scans the weapons arranged on the workbench and frowns.
Trent
"Walter, you're short a couple."
Walter hands a gear bag to an operative and smiles, then shifts his gaze to Trent.
Walter
"Not a chance, amigo. You're Comm Command."
Trent
"Since when?"
Walter
"Since I learned how to read.....check your panel."
He smiles indulgently, handing a panel to the young operative. Trent scans it quickly, clearly confused.
Trent
"When did that happen?"
Walter shrugs, continuing to distribute equipment.
Walter
"I'm just the boy with the toys."
Cut to the Breakfast Nook. Nikita absently picks at some fruit as she studies the morning debriefs. The computer closest to her is scrolling continuous data. She sips some tea, her attention split between the panel in her hand and the computer on the table. A flashing color change catches her eye. She pauses the stream and backs up, calling up the file in question. She frowns as she reads the file indicating a change in the profile of the current mission prepped for Athens. Nikita gets up.
Cut to the main floor of Section. Nikita crosses the open space towards Comm, crossing paths with Obrien in the middle of the room. She hands him a panel as they continue to Comm.
Nikita
"Why did you change the Athens profile, Marco?"
Trent is sitting at a terminal, his back to her. He is still in his mission gear. Obrien frowns as he looks from Trent to Nikita to the panel.
Obrien
"I didn't. I put Trent in fifth position, with Jason at Comm."
Nikita raises an eyebrow. Trent rolls his chair from one terminal to another.
Trent
"They just crossed the perimeter."
Obrien responds automatically, his eyes still focused on Nikita.
Obrien
"Start sequencing."
Nikita
"Who's in for Trent....Jacobs?"
Obrien checks the panel and nods.
Obrien
"Yeah....that's not good. I downgraded him yesterday."
An odd look crosses her face for a split second, then disappears, replaced by slight surprise.
Nikita
"Why?"
Obrien
"His numbers have been erratic, and it seems he's afraid of heights."
Nikita
"Heights?"
Obrien shrugs, mildly amused.
Obrien
"Guess it never came up before."
Nikita
"Who else was available?"
Obrien
"Ziska might have made it on a re-direct, but they would have had to transfer him mid-flight."
Nikita
"How committed are we in Eastern Europe?"
Obrien
"Four teams."
She reaches her hand out for the panel and studies it, paging through the data.
Nikita
"Fifth position?"
Obrien
"Yeah...see what I mean?"
Nikita
"Back him up to Team Three. Move Lavell to Team Two and bump Snow to fifth position."
She touches Trent on the shoulder, then hands him the panel. Obrien puts a transceiver in his ear.
Obrien
"All units hold position....Jasmine, B channel."
Jasmine's voice is heard.
Jasmine
"What is it, Marco?"
Obrien
"We've altered the profile."
Jasmine
"Now?"
Marco and Nikita exchange a look.
Obrien
"It couldn't be helped."
*****
Cut to Deep Level Security. Michael and Jason are at work at different terminals.
Jason
"What exactly am I looking for, Michael? Assuming I can still get in."
Michael
"Anomalies. Umbrella files. Anything tagged Section One."
Jason turns, wide-eyed.
Jason
"Do you have any idea how long that will take? Center has more databases than I have ex-girlfriends."
His face blank, Michael makes eye contact with Jason, holding the younger man's gaze for several long heartbeats. Jason swallows hard.
Jason
"I'm just sayin'."
Michael raises an eyebrow. Jason clears his throat loudly and resumes his work.
Cut to Comm. Nikita and Obrien watch the early stages of the mission progress. Obrien turns away from the overhead monitor for a moment, then looks at Nikita, his face confused.
Obrien
"So who changed the profile, Nikita? And where's Michael?"
Nikita slowly turns to look at Obrien. The softness of her voice belies her anger.
Nikita
"Mich-ael."
She abruptly leaves. Obrien and Trent exchange a look.
Cut back to Michael and Jason. Jason is deep into a sub-directory, his face furrowed in concentration. There are several frames open on his screen, the foremost being a password script. His fingers pause as he tilts his head slightly to one side in thought. He nods and then types again. He gets access to another directory and whispers to himself.
Jason
"God, I'm good."
Michael ignores him, absorbed in his own work. Jason scans the new directory with a practiced eye. Reaching a file he doesn't recognize, he pulls it up. He scrolls through the data, his eyes getting wider.
Jason
"Uhm...Michael."
Michael looks over his shoulder at Jason.
Jason
"You need to look at this."
Michael frowns slightly at the tone in Jason's voice and crosses the room. He starts reading the file on Jason's computer.
Jason
"Why would Center do that?"
Any reply is interrupted by the door opening. They both turn to see Nikita. Jason cringes at the look on her face.
Jason
"Nikita. Uhm, it's not his...he...I....and then they...and she, and uhm....yeah, so...there ya go."
Nikita's eyes are locked on Michael's. They speak in unison.
Michael/Nikita
"Shut up, Jason."
Jason looks from one to the other, shifting uncomfortably.
Jason
"You guys look like you need some privacy, and I, uhm, left my vest in Munitions so I'm just gonna split."
The couple waits silently for Jason to leave. Nikita speaks as soon as the door slides closed.
Nikita
"What do you think you're doing, Michael?"
Michael
"Trying to protect my son."
His voice is devoid of emotion. He turns to Jason's terminal and plugs in a panel then starts typing.
Nikita
"By compromising a mission?"
Michael
"Jacobs is competent."
She steps further into the room.
Nikita
"Marco downgraded him last night."
Michael turns around, his eyes focused on a point just over her left shoulder.
Michael
"I needed Jason and there wasn't anyone else."
She doesn't bother to hide her frustration, closing the distance between them.
Nikita
"Michael, why are we having this conversation again? I told you...I promised you, that I'd help make sure Adam was safe. Don't you believe that?"
Michael physically retreats from her, taking a step back. She waits for him to say something. She speaks when he doesn't.
Nikita
"You forged a Level 5 signature on the profile. Why?"
He says nothing, holding out the panel in his hand for her to take. She looks at it for a moment, as if it might bite her. She moves forward slightly, then takes the panel. He speaks finally, his voice soft.
Michael
"Read it."
Nikita holds his gaze a moment longer, then studies the data on the panel. She blinks several times in surprise, then looks up at Michael, her voice filled with disbelief.
Nikita
"Why would she kill her own....our...mother."
Michael
"You don't know that she did."
He takes a step back from her.
Michael
"Things aren't always what they seem, Nikita."
Michael starts to walk from the room. Nikita speaks just as he reaches the door.
Nikita
"This isn't finished, Michael."
cut to commercials
ACT TWO
Section One. Nikita is sitting behind the desk in her private office. Arturs Irbe sits across from her, his face reflecting considerable interest.
Irbe
"I'm surprised, Nikita."
Nikita
"By what?"
He pauses a moment before answering.
Irbe
"This is the second time you've used Spec Ops instead of your own operatives."
Nikita
"You are my operative."
He nods once, acknowledging her point.
Irbe
"That isn't what I meant."
She smiles charmingly.
Irbe
"But you knew that."
Nikita leans forward, handing him a panel.
Nikita
"The three that I'm most interested in."
Irbe
"Michael's assessment?"
Nikita says nothing. Irbe raises an eyebrow in surprise.
Irbe
"You haven't told him."
Nikita
"Keep the team small."
Irbe
"I was going to use Tyler."
Nikita smiles slightly.
Nikita
"She's a good choice."
He stands up.
Irbe
"Will you be here?"
Nikita
"The Farm. I have some...unfinished business."
*****
Cut to the interior of an elevator. Michael and Nikita are standing in silence as it descends. She watches his face closely. He is staring at the double doors.
Nikita
"Are you going to say anything?"
The elevator stops. Michael steps forward, typing an access code on the keypad, locking the elevator closed and motionless. He makes eye contact with her.
Michael
"Be careful, Nikita."
Nikita
"Of you?"
He blinks once, the smallest frown visible on his forehead.
Michael
"Of Monique. We have to assume she still answers to Center."
Nikita
"I know."
Michael
"Any action will need clearance from Devin."
She raises an eyebrow.
Nikita
"As opposed to just doing whatever I want without regard to the consequences?"
He says nothing, keeping his face blank. Nikita breaks his gaze finally, closing her eyes for a moment. Her voice is heavy with the weight of the turmoil inside her.
Nikita
"Having her cancel Roberta makes no sense, Michael. She was already dying."
He moves next to her, gently squeezing her arm.
Michael
"I know....I'm sorry."
She covers his hand with her own.
Nikita
"Michael....let me in."
He looks into her eyes, silent for a moment.
Michael
"I don't..."
He pauses, his eyes shining.
Nikita
"You have to let me help you, Michael."
Michael
"...I'm not....sure I know how."
He moves back to the key pad, releasing the elevator. Puzzled voices filter through as the doors open. A young recruit has his back to the elevator, talking to several other recruits.
Recruit
"What the hell's taking so...."
He stops at the look on the faces of his peers. He turns around, seeing Michael and Nikita.
Recruit
"Oh God."
Michael raises an eyebrow, allowing his voice to sound almost amused.
Michael
"No...Michael."
Recruit
"Uhm...I..."
Nikita does her best not to smile.
Nikita
"Where's Monique?"
The recruit, looking quite terrified, is still staring at Michael. Nikita passes her hand in front of the recruit's face, finally getting his attention.
Nikita
"Monique?"
He just shrugs, looking lost. A female recruit behind him speaks.
Recruit #2
"In her office, I think, ma'am."
Nikita smiles warmly.
Nikita
"Call me Nikita."
The female recruit smiles in surprise.
Recruit #2
"Yes, ma'am....uhm, Nikita."
*****
Cut to Comm. Trent removes a panel from its port, handing it to a waiting operative. Obrien is standing behind Trent's chair. Obrien removes the transceiver from his ear.
Obrien
"Have Medical standing by at Van Access."
Trent
"Already rolling."
Cut to the hallway outside of Van Access. Obrien watches medical personnel taking charge of several injured operatives as they exit the tunnel. Claire steps into the hallway, slightly supporting Snow. Jasmine and Darwin exit next. They are all dirty and battle weary. Darwin stops in the middle of the hallway, watching the rest of the team move towards Medical. Jasmine walks over to Obrien.
Obrien
"What happened?"
Jasmine
"Our intel was bad. That was a bloodbath waiting to happen."
Obrien looks her over for visible signs of injury.
Obrien
"Have Medical check you...both of you....then meet me in Systems."
He walks away without waiting for an answer.
*****
Cut to the Farm. Nikita and Michael exit the stairs and start across the main training floor. One area is segmented off as a dojo. Nikita sees a class in progress and drifts in that direction. Michael follows. Several recruits sit around the sparring area, quietly watching the sensei, the same that trained both Michael and Nikita, as he spars with an advanced student. They are using bow staffs. The couple stop well back from the group, so as not to disturb the training.
After a complicated series of strikes and parries, the sensei pauses, turning to explain the moves just used. The student makes no effort to check his motion and continues the movement of his staff, sweeping the sensei's feet out from under him. The student smiles maliciously. There is a collective gasp from those watching.
Nikita moves immediately, stepping out from behind the support structure she was leaning against. She reaches into her jacket, drawing out a handgun, aims instinctively and shoots the student just above his kneecap, all in one fluid motion. He falls to the floor, screaming. Time seems frozen as everyone within earshot has turned to look, no one daring to move. Michael is watching Nikita.
Nikita steps up to the edge of the dojo. She makes eye contact with every student present, her handgun plainly visible. Her voice is mild.
Nikita
"Questions?"
The room is completely silent but for the moaning of the injured student. Nikita nods, reholstering her gun.
Nikita
"Good."
She turns to the sensei, who is now standing. She bows to him. He returns it, his face carefully neutral. She walks away. Michael watches her leave. He turns, shifting his attention to the still moaning recruit, then looks at the others, his eyes taking in everyone.
Michael
"Never assume the one you are fighting is your only opponent."
Michael nods his head respectfully to the sensei then walks away. Medical personnel finally step forward to treat the injured recruit.
*****
Cut to Munitions, Section One. Walter emerges from the back, carrying a briefcase. He smiles as he sees Obrien leaning against the work table.
Walter
"Hey, Marco."
Obrien
"You talk to Nikita today?"
Walter shakes his head as he puts the briefcase on the work table and starts to remove its contents.
Walter
"Nope. What happened with Athens?"
Obrien looks around, checking for anyone within earshot.
Obrien
"I think Michael changed it."
The older man frowns.
Walter
"It had a Level 5 tag."
Obrien
"I know."
Walter
"What's going on, Marco?"
Obrien
"I don't know, man. I was hoping you did. I find Trent at Comm...Nikita's sideways cuz the profile's changed...Jasmine's bent when we shuffle her teams around mid-mission...then I ask where Michael is. Nikita just looks at me weird and leaves."
Walter narrows his eyes, leaning forward on the bench.
Walter
"You still have the profile?"
Obrien
"Right here."
Obrien removes a panel from a jacket pocket, handing it to Walter. Walter crosses the room and plugs the panel in to a data port. He shifts to the terminal next to the data port and starts typing. A moment later, Walter shakes his head, speaking softly to himself.
Walter
"What are you doing, Michael?"
Obrien
"He did change it?"
Walter nods, handing the panel back to Obrien.
Walter
"Yeah...and made it look like someone else did. Something's wrong."
Obrien
"How?"
Walter
"Whenever Nikita was in danger, Michael would shut down, go rogue, you know turn into kind of a lone wolf....whatever it took to protect her."
Obrien
"But she's not in danger."
Walter
"That we know of."
Obrien
"I realize that he's Michael, with all that means, but he can't just start doing things his own way and to Hell with the rest of us. Athens could have been worse than it already was."
Walter pulls a barstool over for Obrien, nodding for the younger man to sit down, then gets himself a chair. He smiles softly.
Walter
"Michael is one-of-a-kind....and so is Nikita. Operations and Madeline spent years trying to split them apart, cancel one or the other, marry them off...as if that would matter...but nothing worked. A love like theirs comes along once in a century, maybe. But that doesn't mean that their relationship is easy. Nikita's trying to change Section, make it better, make it a place where we don't hate ourselves. She needs Michael's help to do it."
Obrien
"I sense a catch."
Walter laughs softly, nodding his head.
Walter
"Michael. Section made him. He may not be able to change, to go against the instincts that have kept him alive all this time....not even with her help."
Obrien
"Then if he's on a rampage and it's not about Nikita..."
Neither man finishes the sentence.
cut to commercials
ACT THREE
An exterior view of a cafe. The area is crowded with people and cars. Camera pans to the roof of a building down the street. Irbe is watching the cafe with binoculars from his position on the roof.
Irbe
"Did he just take a bribe?"
Camera cuts to Tyler, sitting at a corner table inside the cafe. She is watching two men sitting at the counter.
Tyler
"Your tax dollars at work."
Cut back to Irbe. He shakes his head.
Irbe
"That's 0 for 2. Maybe Operations wasn't all wrong."
Tyler
"I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that."
He smiles.
*****
Cut to the Farm. Michael and Nikita are in a darkened observation area partitioned from a vacant White Room by one-way glass. There are two laptop computers up on the console in front of them. They are watching a White Room simulation on a surveillance feed in one frame, and the "observers" in another frame. The second laptop has multiple frames up, scrolling data.
They watch as the female "interrogator" makes slow circles around the chair, her smile inviting, her voice warm. The male "hostile" rebuffs her cajoling with considerable effort. He has visible signs of torture. Both recruits have electrodes attached at their temples, allowing for remote monitoring of their vital signs. He has additional electrodes attached to his chest.
Nikita
"She reminds me of Madeline."
Michael glances at Nikita briefly. The two recruits continue their "game", she administering short jolts of electricity trying to elicit the wanted intel. She is getting nowhere. Without any warning, the female takes a gun from a hidden holster and shoots the male. He slumps forward in the steel chair. Nikita jerks, blinking several times in shock.
Nikita
"Michael?"
He shifts to the second laptop and starts typing. After several moments, Michael accesses the vitals of both recruits. The male has flat lined. The female's heartbeat is low and steady.
Michael
"He's dead."
Nikita looks at the observers. They are both smiling, apparently pleased with the woman's performance. Nikita's face shows her revulsion. She turns away from Michael, then looks up at the ceiling. Breathing deeply, she shakes off a chill, then makes eye contact with Michael. Her eyes are hard.
Nikita
"I've seen enough."
She takes a transceiver out of a jacket pocket and puts it in her ear.
Nikita
"Jason."
His voice is heard.
Jason
"Go ahead, Nikita."
Nikita
"Where is she now?"
She waits for Jason's reply, her eyes locked on Michael's.
Jason
"Sub-level 2."
Cut to Monique's office at the Farm. She is sitting behind her desk, talking on a cell phone. Her voice is irritated.
Monique
"How hard is it to find two people?"
She pauses, listening.
Monique
"Well, where are they?"
Nikita
"Right here, Monique."
Monique looks up sharply. Michael and Nikita are standing in the doorway of the office. Monique closes her cell phone absently. She tries to cover her surprise with a smile.
Monique
"Nikita."
*****
Cut to an anonymous corridor inside Section One. Walter paces slowly. Jason rounds the corner a moment later, looking anxious.
Jason
"Make it fast, Walter. I've got a search running."
Walter narrows his eyes.
Walter
"For Michael?"
Jason shakes his head, holding up one hand.
Jason
"No way, old man. I am not my brother."
Walter
"You sure about that?"
Jason glares silently, then closes his eyes as he turns away, developing a sudden interest in the corridor wall. Walter moves closer, dropping his voice.
Walter
"It's Adam, isn't it?"
Jason
"Walter."
Walter
"Red Cell knows where he is."
Jason turns, answering before he can catch himself.
Jason
"No, but they're..."
He pauses, then sighs, caving under the intensity of Walter's gaze.
Jason
"5 of the guys that were there when Michael got his son back are still alive. 4 are active with Red Cell. The fifth is dealing weapons. We picked up a transmission on an open channel, he thinks between two of them....they were looking for Adam."
Walter
"They want Michael."
Jason
"Well, he wants them."
Walter
"He can't do this alone, Jase."
Jason
"I'm just a computer geek, Walter."
Walter takes Jason's arm, gripping it tightly.
Walter
"You can't sit on the fence anymore, amigo."
*****
Michael and Nikita are sitting comfortably across from Monique, their manner relaxed.
Michael
"We've sustained some losses that were unexpected."
Monique
"I heard about Dubai."
Nikita raises an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly to one side.
Nikita
"You're well informed."
Monique smiles weakly.
Monique
"Center tries to ensure that I anticipate your recruiting needs."
Nikita
"Recruits..."
Nikita pauses, as if lost in thought.
Nikita
"...we've watched some of your recruits."
Monique
"You shot one of my recruits."
Nikita
"That level of rebellion is unacceptable."
Monique blinks once at the unexpected reply. Nikita's face is blank.
Monique
"It'll be dealt with when he's released from Medical."
Michael
"And the recruit that was cancelled?"
Monique
"Cancelled?"
She doesn't bother to hide her surprise. Michael keeps his tone mild.
Michael
"The White Room simulation."
Monique
"Oh."
Nikita
We just assumed the interrogation scenario was convenient."
Monique
"Pittman. He was...already in abeyance, and we needed to see if she could pull the trigger."
Monique's slight hesitation doesn't go unnoticed.
Michael
"You have some choices for us?"
Monique
"I'll forward their files."
He looks at her a moment before answering.
Michael
"Thank you."
*****
Cut to an underground parking structure. Michael and Nikita exit the elevator. The area is secured by a team of operatives. The couple cross the floor to a parked, black BMW and get in. Michael starts the engine.
Nikita
"She's hiding something."
They make eye contact.
Michael
"Yes."
*****
Cut to Comm. Nikita is sitting next to Jason, her back to the console, her eyes wandering. Jason looks uncomfortable.
Jason
"Nikita, he...I...."
She turns in the chair and leans forward, her manner relaxed, a sly smile on her face.
Nikita
"Jason....if I were you...."
She pauses, gently placing a hand on his chin, turning him to face her.
Nikita
"I'd be more afraid of me, than Michael."
Her smile fades and she raises an eyebrow.
Jason
"I...haven't found anything yet."
Nikita
"I hope that's the truth, Jason, because if you give Michael a location, he'll go alone.....so....if you're lying to me, and Michael gets hurt.....I'll cancel you myself."
Jason
"It is...Nikita, I swear."
Her cell phone rings. She holds Jason's gaze for a moment before answering the phone.
Nikita
"Yes?"
She listens silently, then hangs up. Nikita stands, then looks at Jason.
Nikita
"Have Jasmine join me in my office, please."
Jason nods, swallowing hard.
*****
Jasmine steps from the elevator inside Section and walks down the hallway. She stops at a recessed doorway and pushes the door chime. The door slides open. Nikita is sitting behind her desk. Arturs Irbe sits across from her.
Nikita
"Come in, Jasmine."
Jasmine steps down into the room.
Nikita
"This is Irbe. He's..."
Jasmine
"Spec Ops. I've heard of him."
Jasmine takes his proffered hand, shaking it firmly. She takes the seat next to him.
Irbe
"I'm flattered."
Jasmine
"I doubt it."
He smiles genuinely, shifting his eyes to Nikita.
Irbe
"I see why you like her so much."
Nikita hands Jasmine a panel.
Nikita
"Irbe's been...monitoring, some potential recruits for me."
Jasmine starts to read the panel. She looks at Nikita, frowning.
Jasmine
"Spec Ops. Not exactly protocol."
Nikita
"No.....neither are the circumstances. The man on the panel is Gage Bentley. Choose a team and shadow him."
Jasmine
"Who is he?"
Irbe
"Bentley is former SAS...does mostly K & R work now."
Jasmine
"K & R?"
Irbe
"Kidnap and Ransom....corporate security. His record with the Special Air Service was superb."
The conversation is interrupted by the door sliding open. They all turn. Michael stands in the doorway for a moment, making eye contact with Nikita. He shifts his gaze to Jasmine, then Irbe. Michael steps down into the room, his eyes going back to Nikita. Irbe and Jasmine share a look. Michael walks behind them to the other side of the room. He leans against the wall on one shoulder, crossing his arms. His expression is close to mild amusement.
Michael
"Don't let me interrupt."
Nikita
"We were just finished."
Irbe stands up, gently taking Jasmine by the arm.
Irbe
"Right. Thanks for your time."
Michael watches them leave. He pushes himself off the wall gracefully, walking across the room. He speaks with his back to Nikita.
Michael
"Are you trying to prove a point?"
Nikita
"Maybe. Would it work?"
Michael turns around then, meeting her eyes. He has the beginnings of a smile on his face.
Michael
"Maybe."
He sits down.
Michael
"Why was he here?"
Nikita
"Recruits. I want to bring someone in from the Community."
Michael
"That could be dangerous."
Nikita
"I know."
Michael
"Monique."
Nikita
"Do you trust her?"
He looks away briefly before answering.
Michael
"No."
Nikita
"We need more."
They are silent for several moments, occupied with their own thoughts. Nikita looks up to find Michael's eyes on her. He raises an eyebrow. She smiles, then picks up the phone.
Nikita
"Find Mick Schtoppel for me."
*****
Cut to the interior of Mick's apartment. He walks out of the bedroom pulling on a silk robe. The rest of the apartment is dark. He calls over his shoulder.
Mick
"No worries, luv. Just gettin' a bit of bubbly."
Mick whistles happily to himself, walking into the kitchen. He takes a bottle of champagne out of the refrigerator, setting it down on the counter. He retrieves two fluted glasses from a cupboard and puts them down, then opens the champagne bottle with a flourish. Glasses in one hand, champagne in the other, he leaves the kitchen and starts to cross the living room. The lights go on suddenly.
Nikita
"Hello, Mick."
Mick jumps back, terrified, dropping both the glasses and the champagne
Mick
"Bloody hell!"
Nikita is sitting at his table, smiling. Michael is standing on the other side of the room, near the light switch.
Michael
"You dropped something."
Mick glares at Michael. A female voice is heard from the bedroom.
Female
"Mick?"
Mick
"It's mint, luv..be there in a minute."
Mick carefully steps away from the broken glass. Nikita has moved to the kitchen and throws him a towel. He takes it, clearly irritated, and starts wiping off the champagne that splashed on him.
Nikita
"We need to talk."
Mick
"Tormenting Mick is your way of life, isn't it?"
Nikita
"This is important."
Mick looks from Nikita to Michael, then sighs in frustration.
Mick
"Bollocks."
He moves to the balcony without waiting. Nikita and Michael follow, sharing an amused look.
Mick
"What's got your alans in a bunch, then?"
Nikita
"Monique."
Mick shakes off a chill.
Mick
"She's a nasty bit 'a work, that one. Very ambitious."
Nikita
"Did she know you weren't Mr. Jones?"
Mick
"If she did, she never let on. Phillip didn't trust her."
Nikita looks at Michael.
Nikita
"Why didn't he tell me?"
Mick frowns.
Mick
"He did, luv. I was there."
Nikita
"What?"
Mick
"At the Estate. He made a recording for you."
She looks at Michael, her eyes wide.
Nikita
"She altered the file."
cut to commercials
ACT FOUR
("Long Shadows" by Lunatic Calm, plays in the background)
A downtown city street. A limousine flanked by two Suburbans pulls up in front of a glass and steel building occupying one entire corner. Gage Bentley exits the front passenger side of the limo. He is wearing an ear piece. He looks up and across the street, visually checking the area as the occupants of both Suburbans exit the vehicles and take up positions in and around the building.
Bentley
"Rooftops."
First Voice
"Southern building secured."
Second Voice
"Western building secured."
Third Voice
"Eastern secured."
Bentley opens the rear passenger door of the limousine. Cut to the interior of an office. Jasmine is standing at the window with a view of the street below. She looks through her binoculars.
Jasmine
"Trent."
Trent's voice is heard.
Trent
"His perimeter is completely sealed."
Jasmine
"Cut his satcomm."
Trent
"Stand by."
Camera shows Jasmine's view of the street through her binoculars.
Trent
"He's deaf."
Cut back to the street. Bentley is frowning, his hand on his ear piece.
Bentley
"Kelly? Roger? Anyone copy?"
He turns around, making eye contact with the team members in front of the building. They are shaking their hands, making hand gestures that they can't hear.
Bentley
"Damn."
The man in the limo tries to exit, but Bentley gently pushes him back inside.
Bentley
"Sir, please....a moment. The area isn't secured yet."
He takes out his cell phone.
Bentley
"Jonah, where the hell's my comm channel?"
A man's voice is heard.
Jonah
"Hang on, hang on. It's being jammed. I'm trying to re-direct."
Bentley
"Jammed? By who?"
Jonah
"I don't know, Gage. I'm kinda busy."
Cut to Trent. He is sitting in the back of the mission van, with several lap tops set up. He whistles appreciatively.
Trent
"This guy's good, Jaz. He's got comm back."
Cut to Jasmine. She shifts her binoculars, looking in the opposite direction. She has a slight smile on her face.
Jasmine
"Darwin."
Cut to Darwin and Claire at the top of a stairwell roof access. He opens the door for her very slowly as she loads a dart into her gun. She slides through the partially opened door and sees a man proned out near the edge of the roof with a sniper rifle. Claire steps out onto the roof and moves closer to the man. He turns suddenly. She shoots him and he is unconscious a moment later.
Darwin
"Position secured."
Cut back to the street. Bentley is escorting a man from the limo to the entrance of the building.
Jasmine
"Make it close."
A second later, a bullet bounces off the concrete next to the man's foot. Bentley reacts immediately, pushing the man to the ground and blocking the man's body with his own. Two more shots hit the concrete in rapid succession. Several of Bentley's team are now surrounding the two men. They move in a human pile towards the limousine as other team members are making visual sweeps of the area, weapons drawn.
Jasmine
"Jason, do you have him?"
Jason's voice is heard.
Jason
"He's tagged."
Jasmine
"Team One, start your egress. Team Two stay on him."
*****
Cut to the breakfast nook, Section One. Michael and Nikita sit opposite Devin. A half-empty tray of fruit is in the middle of the table. Devin refills his cup from a silver carafe. He looks up, pausing mid-pour.
Devin
"Michael?"
Michael is slightly surprised.
Michael
"Thank you."
Devin flashes a brief smile, then fills Michael's cup. Nikita puts her fingers over the top of her cup, shaking her head slightly.
Devin
"I'm concerned that your interest in this is entirely personal, Nikita."
Nikita says nothing for a moment, taking a drink from her cup.
Nikita
"I won't lie to you, Devin. It was, at first....until Michael and I went to the Farm. Her recruits...you've seen the files, Devin. That's beyond anything Operations ever did."
Devin
"Center is only concerned with results, Nikita."
Nikita
"Did you look at their psych profiles? I wouldn't use half those recruits on abeyance missions, much less a Class A threat. Results come from stability."
Devin says nothing for a moment, dropping his eyes to the table. He looks up again, making eye contact with Michael.
Devin
"You've been rather quiet, Michael...if one can say that about you."
Devin raises an eyebrow in amusement. Michael nods his head once at the dig.
Michael
"I pulled the file on the operative that cancelled her peer in the White Room simulation. Her alpha waves have been altered, suggesting a neural strip."
He hands Devin a panel.
Devin
"You two would be very familiar with that, I'd imagine."
Nikita and Michael share a long look.
Michael
"The Gelman files were destroyed and the Caspar project is secure at One."
Devin
"One controls Four so she couldn't get it there."
Michael
"That leaves Center."
Devin frowns at first, then nods.
Devin
"George's failed coup attempt...of course. Let's say you're right. What would she gain?"
Nikita
"Not her...Center. If she can fill Section with operatives loyal to certain factions at Center..."
Devin
"You two would be compromised from the inside out."
Nikita
"I gave my father my word....that I would become Operations, so that Michael and his son could be free...."
She pauses, her eyes meeting Michael's.
Nikita
"Michael came back in willingly. His son is at risk. We did this for Section, because it's what's right. I won't let that be for nothing."
Devin looks from Nikita to Michael, then back to Nikita.
Devin
"Why did you put Monique at the Farm?"
Nikita meets his eyes.
Nikita
"I thought it's what my father wanted."
Devin doesn't miss the odd tone in her voice.
Devin
"You were mistaken."
Nikita
"He left a file for me at the Estate, a recording...Monique altered it."
Devin
"You have something tangible."
Nikita
"Mick Schtoppel."
Devin raises an eyebrow.
Devin
"I'm not sure that one could use the words 'tangible' and 'Mick Schtoppel' in the same sentence."
Michael hands Devin another panel.
Michael
"Jason back traced it this morning."
Devin scrolls through the file, then looks up sharply.
Devin
"She had help."
Michael
"Someone at Center had Phillip's access codes. His were the only ID's on the system."
Devin is silent for several moments, then stands abruptly. There is an edge in his voice when he speaks.
Devin
"Bring her in."
He walks to the doorway, then turns.
Devin
"Nikita.....don't be wrong.
*****
Cut to Munitions. Walter is passing out equipment to Jasmine, Trent and Darwin. Claire walks in. Walter looks up when Darwin stops his sentence mid-word, his eyes wide. Walter follows Darwin's gaze to the entrance of Munitions. He sees Michael and Nikita, both in mission gear. Walter frowns.
Walter
"Where do you think you're going?"
The couple walk in. Michael moves beyond the work table to the back of Munitions, emerging a moment later with a briefcase. He opens it on the table, handing one of the guns inside to Nikita. She grabs a magazine and loads her gun, holstering it. Michael does the same.
Nikita
"The Farm."
Walter
"Wait a minute, sugar. That's what you have team leaders for."
Jasmine looks from Walter to Nikita, silent as she makes a decision.
Jasmine
"Van Access in 5."
Nikita nods. The rest of the team leaves. Nikita moves next to Walter.
Nikita
"Those recruits need to see Michael and I as field operatives, today, right now. All they know is what Monique's fed them."
Walter
"And if you two get hurt?"
Nikita
"If we're not willing to take the risks, why should they?"
Walter
"Nikita."
Nikita flashes him a blinding smile, then winks at him.
Walter
"That doesn't work anymore, ya know."
Michael and Nikita start to walk away. She calls out over her shoulder.
Nikita
"Sure, Walter. Whatever you say."
He grumbles to himself, watching them leave.
*****
("Guilty" by Gravity Kills, plays in the background)
Cut to the back of a mission van. Michael is sitting at the table, his laptop open in front of him. Nikita sits on the bench seat across from him. Jasmine and Darwin are next to her.
Michael
"Jason."
Jason's voice is heard.
Jason
"They're connected."
Michael
"Spike the system."
Cut to the Farm. Monique is walking across the main training floor. She notices a flurry of activity at Comm and changes direction. There are several operatives hovering around another that is sitting down at a terminal. Monique realizes all the monitors are blank.
Monique
"What's going on, Brian? Why are we offline?"
The operative sitting down turns at the sound of her voice. He looks panicked.
Brian
"There was an overload and the system blew."
Monique
"Everything's down?"
Brian nods, rolling from one terminal to another.
Brian
"I can't get the backups to engage."
She leans over his chair, looking at the terminal. Camera cuts to Nikita and Michael approaching Comm, closely followed by Jasmine, Darwin and Trent.
Nikita
"Need some help?"
Monique straightens slowly, then turns around, taking in their mission gear. Her voice is low, and has an oddly surreal tone.
Monique
"What are you doing here?"
Nikita
"Arresting you."
Brian rolls his chair slowly to his right, reaching under the console. Michael and Darwin move simultaneously, each drawing their gun and chambering a round. The action of the two slides sounds like thunder in the silence. Brian stops mid-reach. He looks from Darwin to Michael. Monique never takes her eyes from Nikita.
Monique
"You don't want to do this, Nikita."
Nikita closes the distance between them, holding a pair of handcuffs.
Nikita
"You couldn't be more wrong."
Monique looks over Nikita's shoulder to Michael.
Monique
"Michael, if you love her at all...stop this before it's too late."
Michael's face is blank. He slowly approaches the two women, then takes the handcuffs from Nikita. His eyes are locked with Monique's. He takes her right hand, snaps a cuff around it, then does the same to the left. He takes a step back, speaking just above a whisper.
Michael
"Team Two report."
Claire's voice is heard.
Claire
"Munitions and Transport are secure."
Michael turns his head slightly in Jasmine's direction, his eyes still on Monique.
Michael
"Get her out of here."
*****
Cut to an alley behind a warehouse. A black BMW pulls up, pauses for the roll-up door to open, then pulls in. The door starts to close. Camera shifts to the interior view of the warehouse. Gage Bentley steps from the BMW and starts to cross the floor to the freight elevator. He slows halfway across, looking around the warehouse, then continues, getting in the elevator. Cut to a converted loft just as the elevator arrives. Bentley steps from the elevator and walks to the kitchen. He stops in front of the security panel to enter the deactivation code, then turns sharply, his hand reaching under his jacket.
Bentley
"Who the hell are you?"
Camera shifts. Obrien is sitting in the leather recliner in the living room.
Obrien
"My name is Marco. I'm with the government."
Bentley
"Wrong accent, mate."
Obrien
"Not necessarily."
Bentley turns on the lights then crosses the room, his eyes quickly scanning the rest of the loft.
Obrien
"I'm came alone."
Bentley
"You went to a lot of trouble to get in here."
Obrien smiles slightly.
Obrien
"My people are good at what they do."
Bentley walks behind Obrien's chair and stops. Obrien looks over his shoulder slightly then reaches across with exaggerated slowness, opening his jacket with one hand and taking his gun from its holster with the other. He hands the gun up, butt first, to Bentley.
Obrien
"I'm just here to talk."
Bentley walks around to the conversation group in front of Obrien, setting the gun down on the coffee table.
Bentley
"Then tell me why Marco's government broke into my loft."
Obrien
"We want to offer you a job."
Bentley
"Really. Doing what?"
Obrien
"Counter-terrorism."
Bentley laughs.
Bentley
"I'm retired, mate, or hadn't you noticed?"
Obrien says nothing. Bentley's eyes narrow and he leans forward in his chair.
Bentley
"You compromised my op. Why?"
Obrien
"Call it an impromptu interview. We needed to see how you do business."
Bentley
"Who's we?"
Obrien says nothing. Bentley waits for several moments, then takes his gun from his shoulder holster and chambers a round.
Bentley
"I asked you a question, mate."
Obrien is completely still.
Obrien
"I can't answer it."
Bentley
"You expect me to say yes without any intel?"
Obrien smiles.
Obrien
"No. I expect you to think about it. Do a job where you can make a difference. Where the scum don't get away, don't get a plea bargain and don't come back."
Bentley
"I told you...I'm retired."
Obrien stands up.
Obrien
"Just think about it. We'll be in touch."
Bentley
"Bugger off."
Bentley picks up Obrien's gun, turns it around to get a better look at it, then tosses it to Obrien.
Bentley
"I think you know the way out."
Obrien nods his head once then crosses to the elevator. Camera shifts to the interior of the elevator as it goes down. Jason's voice is heard.
Jason
"That went well."
Obrien
"I think so."
*****
("Lumina" by Joan Osborne, plays in the background.)
Cut to Michael and Nikita's quarters in the Tower. The only light in the bedroom is from the fireplace. Michael is sitting up against the headboard of the bed, pillows propped up behind him. Nikita is sitting in front of him, her back resting against his chest, her head against his. His arms are wrapped around her, holding the covers up to keep her warm.
Nikita
"We need to talk about Adam."
Michael kisses her bare shoulder.
Michael
"I know."
Nikita
"You're not alone anymore, Michael. You have friends here....people who love you."
He runs his fingers through her hair.
Michael
"I know."
She closes her eyes, relaxed by his touch. They stay quiet for several moments. A cell phone rings. She sighs, opening her eyes.
Michael
"It's mine."
He reaches across to the nightstand for the phone, keeping his other arm wrapped tightly around her.
Michael
"Yes."
Jason's voice is heard.
Jason
"I found a location."
Michael says nothing, snapping the phone closed. Before Nikita can ask, her cell phone rings. She shakes her head, sighing. Michael releases her finally, watching the covers fall from her back as she reaches across for the phone. He runs his fingers tenderly across her bare skin.
Nikita
"Yes."
Obrien's voice is heard.
Obrien
"The blood work's finished."
Nikita
"Thank you."
She disconnects the cell, turning her head slightly in Michael's direction.
Nikita
"It's time."
cut to commercials
TAG
Michael and Nikita are standing in the hallway outside of the White Room. He looks at her a moment, studying her face. She hands him a syringe. He takes it silently, then turns, moving to the door. Cut to the interior of the White Room. The door opens with the usual squeak. Michael walks in, his black clothing in sharp contrast to the blinding whiteness of the room. Monique is secured to a bed in the middle of the room. She is unconscious.
Michael moves to the side of the bed. He removes the cover from the syringe then injects Monique in her arm. He steps back and waits. She wakes up several moments later, clearly disoriented. Finally realizing where she is, she fights against the restraints briefly. She looks at Michael, her face filled with hatred.
Monique
"They'll cancel you for this."
Michael ignores her. He slowly walks a circle around the room, her eyes following him frantically. He stops at the end of her bed. He makes eye contact with her, holding her gaze for a moment, then reaches into an inside jacket pocket. He pulls out a vial of blood and studies it, then holds it up for Monique to see. His voice is low.
Michael
"Who are you?"
cut to credits
cut to commercials