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501. Deja Vu All Over Again
Written by: Robert Cochrane
Directed by: Jon Cassar
Transcribed by Christine
PREVIOUSLY ON LA FEMME NIKITA…
The teaser is a series of footage from past episodes, beginning with “Nikita”, where we see how Nikita got framed for murder.
The next footage is from “Outside the Box”. We see Nikita tell Walter that she was innocent and was framed, then Nikita asking Michael to not interfere with her search for the truth of her recruitment. Next she’s in Belgrade bullying the scarred-face Section operative who framed her, trying to get the truth from him. This is followed by her and Kruger finding out Scarface has been cancelled.
We next see the footage from “Up the Rabbit Hole” where she and Michael are happy on the beach, followed by their capture in front of the bank.
Scenes from “Four Light Years Later” follow, of Nikita being strapped in the chair for electrocution, which fails. We see Mr. Jones saunter into Section, walk up to Ops and Madeline, explain the situation, and introduce Nikita as his mole. Next we see Madeline sentenced and killing herself with the cyanide capsule, followed by Nikita sentencing Operations to an additional seven years in Section One. She sentences Walter, followed by her sentencing of Michael. She reports to Mr. Jones that her work is complete, which is followed by the scenes where she tells Michael he is free. This time, however, when she tells him that she doesn’t love, she flashes back to times of happiness between them.
Note: There’s a new opening sequence, with new shots of Nikita, Walter, Quinn and Operations only.
SECTION
Dressed in all in black, wearing a long black coat and fedora, Nikita strides into Section. As she makes her way toward Munitions, Quinn spies her with disbelief. Nikita barely glances at her as she continues to Munitions. There, she dumps her bag of equipment and gun on the table, then leaves. This is her last Section mission before joining Center fulltime.
As she walks, she runs into Operations at the System’s doorway. He has a grin on his face, but he’s not happy to see her.
OPERATIONS: I can’t let you leave without giving you a going away present.
It’s clear they have no use for each other.
OPERATIONS: Some advice. You think you’re going to start a new life? You think you’re leaving the violence and the fear behind? You’re very much mistaken.
They stare directly into each other’s eyes, like opponents would. Nikita doesn’t respond, just shifts her stance a bit.
OPERATIONS: Truth is, you were sheltered here. The dangers in Center are far worse because they’re far more subtle.
His voice becomes harder.
OPERATIONS: Be especially careful of Mr. Jones.
He grins again, then pushes past her to leave, only to stop and speak into her ear.
OPERATIONS: He’s not what he seems.
He walks off, and Nikita emits a small breath of boredom, or perhaps relief.
NIKITA'S APARTMENT
We see Nikita, still with long hair, before a mirror. Piece by piece, she begins to cut it all off.
CENTER
Center is slick looking: bright lights, lots of silver and grays, and very minimal decor. There is a shot of Nikita’s legs as she walks. The camera pans up, and we see her dressed in a nice beige outfit – skirt and jacket. She now has short hair. In the distance, she sees Mr. Jones in a glass-walled room; with hands in pockets, she strides down a corridor toward him.
In the room, Mr. Jones sits at a table; a woman sits across from him. Nikita walks in as Mr. Jones activates a hologram screen.
NIKITA: You sent for me?
MR. JONES: Yes. You recommended the Matrix Organization for Section Six. Why?
NIKITA: Flexibility. Most of their problems involve slow reaction time.
Mr. Jones closes the holo-screen.
MR. JONES: I’ve had a dozen people look at this. They are all more experienced than you, and they all argue strongly against Matrix. They’re wrong and you’re right?
NIKITA: I think so.
MR. JONES: Yes. Yes, so do I.
He turns to the woman sitting at the table.
MR. JONES: Michele, could you get copies of Nikita’s report to Committee.
MICHELE: Yes, sir.
She rises and heads to the door, stopping as Nikita says...
NIKITA: I also have some recommendations for Section One.
MR. JONES: Yeah… uh… things are unsettled there as it is.
NIKITA: We had an agreement, Mr. Jones.
He turns to look at Michele at the door, as if to tell her to get going. She leaves.
MR. JONES: All in good time, Nikita. All in good time. Now… if there’s nothing else…
NIKITA: Just the matter of why I was brought into Section in the first place.
MR. JONES: (sighs) We’ve had this discussion before. There’s no future in it.
Nikita has been standing all this time with her hands in her pockets, away from the table. Now she steps closer, places her hands on top of two chairs and leans down to talk to Mr. Jones.
NIKITA: I am going to find out. One way or the other.
Mr. Jones regards her for a moment.
MR. JONES: This meeting is over.
He swivels his chair away from her in dismissal. Nikita remains where she stands.
WHITE ROOM
A man is strapped into the chair, screaming as he undergoes electroshock. We see the female torture twin, Elizabeth, working the controls. Operations watches on. Elizabeth stops the shock treatment, and the man slumps forward, spent. Next, the male torture twin, Henry, approaches the man, slipping a headset-like device around his neck. As Elizabeth applies the power, the man’s head rears upward, his mouth opens and all he can do is emit a silent scream. It’s clear he is in agony. Elizabeth smiles. Again, she releases the power, and the man slumps forward.
Smiling, Operations approaches the chair, as the man sits back, still resisting submission.
OPERATIONS: New device. It affects the vocal cords. After two minutes, the effect is permanent.
Operations begins pacing. The man sits tense and afraid.
OPERATIONS: We have similar devices for the retina, the tongue, eardrums, olfactory glands.
He nods to Henry, who approaches with a cranium helmet made of wires. The man in the chair watches with fear, and panicking, begins to try and steel himself for what is coming. As Henry moves to place it on the man’s head, Operations pushes the helmet away.
OPERATIONS: Wait.
He takes a stand before the chair, placing a hand on each of the armrests, leaning down toward the man, who fidgets and squirms with fear.
OPERATIONS: You’re a young, healthy man. You could live another forty years. That’s a long time.
The man can’t maintain eye contact with Operations. He’s too scared, and yet resistant too.
OPERATIONS: Without taste, smell, sight or sound. One last chance, Mr. Milov. Answer truthfully, or spend the rest of your life in a dark silent cave.
Operations nods assent to Henry, and moves away as Henry removes the neck device from Milov, so he can speak.
OPERATIONS: The Red Cell substation at Minsk was relocated. Where’s the new site?
In Russian, the man gives up the information. Operations nods in understanding.
SYSTEMS
O’Brien rounds a hallway, walking to meet with Operations, who waits with his back to O’Brien. O’Brien stops behind Operations.
OPERATIONS: O'Brien, your record is impressive.
O'BRIEN: Thanks.
OPERATIONS: That’s not a compliment; that’s a complaint.
Operations now turns to face O'Brien.
OPERATIONS: You know who you’re replacing?
O'BRIEN: Michael Samuelle.
As Operations speaks, he begins to walks away, leaving O'Brien with no choice but to follow.
OPERATIONS: The most remarkable field operative we’ve had here in ten years.
He suddenly stops and turns to look at O'Brien.
OPERATIONS: His record was spectacular, so impressive won’t cut it! You’ll have to kick it up a notch. Starting now.
O'Brien doesn’t respond, but waits for Operations to continue.
OPERATIONS: We’re looking for a Red Cell substation. We’ve interrogated two field operatives. Both cracked. Both seemed to be telling the truth.
O'BRIEN: So what’s the problem?
OPERATIONS: They gave different answers. One said Moscow, the other said Saratov. Your thoughts?
O'BRIEN: You run a background check on the operatives?
OPERATIONS: (disgusted) Of course.
O'BRIEN: Red Cell would have designed each story for optimum credibility given the respective profiles of the operatives.
OPERATIONS: So?
O'BRIEN: So… run a reverse sim on each op.
Operations thinks about this.
O'BRIEN: Combined with our database on Red Cell, we should be able to triangulate the new location with a certainty of 80%. Maybe more.
Operations mulls this a moment.
OPERATIONS: Report to Ordinance; pick up your weapons.
O'Brien nods and leaves.
CENTER
Mr. Jones and Nikita walk down a corridor.
MR. JONES: Red Cell moved a substation recently. Section One got conflicting intel from interrogated operatives.
NIKITA: Yes, I saw the report.
MR. JONES: Operations came up with a rather ingenious analysis using reverse sims. He came up with a new location. Bakul.
They enter the same room they’d met in earlier.
NIKITA: That’s out of Red Cell’s territory.
MR. JONES: Yes. Their relationship with terrorist organizations in that region is rather dicey.
He holds a chair out for Nikita to sit. She waves it off.
NIKITA: That’s all right.
She then leans back to sit on the edge of the table.
MR. JONES: And yet they’ve decided to open up a substation there. The question is…why?
He takes a seat next to where Nikita is leaning against the table.
MR. JONES: One name kept jumping up in all the sims. Joseph Domatov. Do you remember him?
NIKITA: Cairo, three years ago. I went undercover as his bodyguard.
MR. JONES: Yes. You made quite an impression. I’m sure he’ll do business with you again.
Nikita knows what is coming. She shoves from the table and steps away.
MR. JONES: All right now. Your days in the field are supposed to over, but Red Cell is becoming active again, and we need to find out why. This is the best way.
Nikita has her back to him, clearly displeased.
MR. JONES: It’s temporary. One mission only.
Nikita turns slowly to face Mr. Jones.
MR. JONES: You report in the morning. He’s expecting you.
SECTION
As Nikita enters the War Room area, Operations stands with O'Brien at his side. Around them in a large circle are several operatives – including Mentz. She goes to stand before Operations, hands in her pocket, eyes downcast waiting to find out what will happen next.
OPERATIONS: This is Nikita.
The tension is thick in the room, and it’s clear all the operatives know about Nikita’s role with Center. They are clearly hostile and untrusting of her.
OPERATIONS: She’ll be joining us on a temporary basis. Some of you know her already. Quinn, for instance, spent two days as her prisoner, while Nikita impersonated her in Section.
We see Quinn, with arms crossed, standing nearby. Operations inclines his head toward her.
OPERATIONS: I’m sure you haven’t forgotten that.
QUINN: No, I haven’t forgotten.
Next, he turns to O'Brien.
OPERATIONS: And, O'Brien, Nikita’s the one who brought you into Section. No doubt you’ll have a lot to catch up on.
Operations begins pacing, circling around Nikita.
OPERATIONS: The rest of you may know Nikita by reputation only. You may have heard she was a spy for Center, that for three years she reported our every word and deed behind our backs.
He watches Nikita as he speaks, but she remains still. The surrounding ops look on, clearly holding a grudge against her. Nikita maintains an impassive expression.
OPERATIONS: And, in the end, she passed judgment on people who thought of her as a friend or colleague. Two of them are dead. Another, forcibly retired. All that is true. But, whatever you might think of Nikita personally, it will not interfere with your work. Is that clear?! That’s all.
The operatives immediately scatter in different directions, while Operations walks up to Nikita. He grins in her face.
OPERATIONS: By the way… (his face becomes hard and he grits out) welcome back.
He walks off, and she is left standing alone in the center of the room.
WAR ROOM
Seated at the table are Nikita, O'Brien, and Quinn and another operative. Operations actives a holo-screen and a man’s face appears.
OPERATIONS: Joseph Domatov. Arms dealer, money launderer, general facilitator for terrorist activities in Northern Africa.
Nikita looks at the screen, as if studying it.
OPERATIONS: Our reverse sims point to him. Subsequent investigation validated that result.
He shuts off the screen. The meeting is tense. It’s clear that Nikita is now the outsider.
QUINN: Intel indicates a high rate of interaction among terrorist organizations who normally have little contact. A de facto communiqué referred to an event, five days from now.
O'BRIEN: What event?
QUINN: My analysis indicates a sort of summit meeting, with representatives from several groups. Perhaps an attempt to bury mutual hostility and focus on anti-Western activities.
NIKITA: That would explain Red Cell’s new substation being built outside its normal territory.
QUINN: Exactly.
Operations smiles at Quinn.
OPERATIONS: Your analysis is quite competent.
Quinn lights up at the praise.
OPERATIONS: What are your recommendations?
QUINN: Obviously the summit has to be prevented.
Operations’ faces immediately hardens, indicating his displeasure with her response.
NIKITA: That would be premature. Facilitate and then destroy. Encourage the meeting. Attack after it convenes. That way we get the maximum number of hostiles.
Operations continues to glare at Quinn while Nikita speaks. It’s clear that Nikita’s answer was the correct one. Quinn hangs her head.
QUINN: Yes, of course.
OPERATIONS: O'Brien and Nikita will draw up an infiltration profile. Support teams will receive your preliminary briefing on their panels by six o’clock.
He stalks away, and Quinn remains seated, feeling like an idiot. Nikita turns to her.
NIKITA: You’re new to the job. It’s takes time.
Quinn glances over at Nikita, with a “how dare you speak to me” look.
QUINN: Go to hell!
Nikita merely swivels out of her chair and leaves Quinn, who sits, still upset at her mistake.
OPERATIONS' LOFT
Operations and Quinn stand at the counter in the loft. Operations is still angry. He looks out the window, not at Quinn.
QUINN: Sorry.
OPERATIONS: I gave you an opportunity. You looked bad. Worse, you made me look bad.
QUINN: It won’t happen again. If there’s anything I can do to make up for it…
Now Operations turns to look at her. She stops in mid-sentence. Operations now sits on the counter ledge.
OPERATIONS: There may be something. How well did you know Michael Samuelle?
QUINN: (shakes head) Not well.
OPERATIONS: What do you think of him?
QUINN: He’s dead.
OPERATIONS: Think again. Have you ever seen him and Nikita together?
QUINN: Yes.
OPERATIONS: Then you know. He loved her, and she loved him.
QUINN: (laughs) Her report said it was all an act. A part of her mission for Center.
OPERATIONS: Mr. Jones may believe that. I don’t.
Quinn doesn’t believe Operations.
QUINN: The abeyance mission…
OPERATIONS: (interrupts) … a sham! She could no more have killed him, than I could’ve…
He stops abruptly and looks away. Quinn catches this.
QUINN: … than you could’ve killed Madeline?
Operations turns to look at Quinn, as if she is unfit to speak Madeline’s name. Quinn casts her glance downward, unable to take Operations’ anger.
QUINN: What do you want me to do?
OPERATIONS: Prove that Michael is still alive. If I can prove to Mr. Jones that Nikita lied about Michael, it’ll cast doubt on her entire report.
Quinn nods.
QUINN: I’ll get on it. Right away.
She leaves the loft.
MUNITIONS
Nikita saunters up to the new Munitions operative, her hands calmly behind her back. He glares up at her.
NIKITA: Your file said you’d spent some time at the Madrid station.
He’s got a surly attitude, and looks back at what he’s working on.
MUNITION OP: That’s right.
NIKITA: I was there. I think we met.
MUNITION OP: Maybe. I don’t remember.
Nor does he care.
NIKITA: The missions been moved up. We leave in half an hour.
MUNITION OP: (testy) I know. Everything will be ready.
NIKITA: On those infrared sites, I’d like you to knock down the contrast a notch and a half.
MUNITION OP: (shakes head) That’s against regs.
NIKITA: I know, but most operatives prefer it. Do it anyway. It’s a simple adjustment.
The op snorts, talking to her through gritted teeth.
MUNITION OP: Let me tell you something. Maybe that old guy was wrapped around your finger, but I’m not. I do things by the book. You got a problem with that, tell Operations. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll back you up.
Nikita walks up to him, sizes him up, then circles around him, intimidating him and making him a bit uncomfortable. Then she walks out.
SYTEMS
Nikita sits at a desk working on the mission profile. Across from her sits O'Brien, who glances at her, she ignores him.
O'BRIEN: What Operations said about you spying for Center, is that true?
NIKITA: Yes, it is. I thought it would give me a chance to make some changes.
O'BRIEN: Such as?
NIKITA: Such as doing away with some of the worst features in this place: the constant surveillance, use of abeyance operatives, that sort of thing.
Nikita glances at him for a reaction.
O'BRIEN: Our own little Florence Nightingale, right here in Section One.
Nikita doesn’t like his response, but says nothing. O'Brien walks away. To Nikita’s left, a small distance away, a young, male operative is watching her. It’s apparent that he wants to speak to her, but is nervous, like he’s in awe of her. When Nikita rises from her chair to leave, he uses that as an opportunity to approach her.
OP: Nikita? My name’s Kristoff.
He extends a hand to her.
KRISTOFF: I’m Level One. I’ve just been active a few months.
She smiles politely.
NIKITA: I’ve got a mission.
She tries to move past him, but he’s not done speaking to her yet. He blocks her way.
KRISTOFF: Oh no… I’m sorry. I just wanted to tell you… I know it sounds corny, especially in this place… but to a lot of us, you’re our hero. If you’re really trying to make things better, don’t quit. We’re counting on you.
Nikita is surprised, says nothing, but walks off, leaving Kristoff to gaze after her with admiration.
MISSION
It is night, and we see a large stone home, heavily secured with guards and dogs, and surrounded by iron gates that are topped with laser security.
Nikita crouches in the dark, inspecting the scene.
NIKITA: I’m in position. Ten seconds.
Back at Comm, Quinn follows Nikita’s movements on her laptop.
QUINN: The sat scan shows denser security than our last sweep indicated.
Nikita looks up at the iron fence she has to scale.
NIKITA: Wet or wired?
QUINN: Both. This might be impossible.
Nikita puts on a pair of glasses that allows her to see the lasers are activated on the fence top. She thinks about this a moment, then as a guard passes by her, she reaches out and slams his face against the iron fence bars, knocking him out.
QUINN: At least let me disable the beams.
NIKITA: No. Stay with the profile.
She then crouches and lunges upward, catapulting over the fence, and causing the alarms to sound on the property.
DOMATOV HOUSE INTERIOR
A man, Joseph Domatov, paces inside an office, giving his assistant orders. Two guards man the door.
JOSEPH: We’ll need central security, plus modular nodes for each group.
ASSISTANT: No overlap on the families?
JOSEPH: No. I don’t want to take any chances. If we have to subcontract, so be it.
Joseph sits behind his desk, and just then the phone intercom sounds.
JOSEPH: What is it?
VOICE: The perimeter’s been penetrated.
Joseph and his men in the office are surprised.
JOSEPH: Have you identified the target?
VOICE: Negative. We’re performing a sweep.
JOSEPH: Keep me informed.
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE
Nikita is crouched low, as she makes her way toward the house. A guard with a Doberman walks up a set of stairs while Nikita rushes into the area he just exited. She scales a small stone fence, then waits a moment before running to a wall and pressing her back to it. She pulls out a pulley, whose anchor she shoots into the roof overhead, then slowly pulls herself up. Another alarm sounds.
Inside the office, Joseph and his men hear the alarm, and Joseph bolts out of his chair, hurrying over to the window.
JOSEPH: What is going on!
Looking out, he sees nothing, but inching her way toward to the window is Nikita, hanging from the eaves and pulling herself closer. Joseph turns to his guards.
JOSEPH: Find out!
They bolt out the door, leaving Joseph alone with his assistant.
ASSISTANT: Perhaps it’s a false alarm.
JOSEPH: Even so, it’s unacceptable.
Nikita is now at the window and can see in. Joseph has now moved back to his desk.
JOSEPH: How can we provide security for the conference if we …
He’s frustrated and sits down.
Just then, Nikita crashes through the window, kicks the assistant in the face, knocking him out, then rushes to the desk, where Joseph is going for his gun. She jumps up on the desk and squats with legs wide, gun in Joseph’s face.
NIKITA: Hello, Joseph.
He drops his gun, and raises his hands in surrender.
NIKITA: You’ve forgotten?
She remains squatted on the desk, a complete crouch shot, and removes her glasses so Joseph can get a good look at her. She smiles at him.
NIKITA: Cairo. Three years ago.
JOSEPH: (remembering) Nikita?
She just smiles.
JOSEPH: (confused) What are you doing here?
NIKITA: Looking for work. And from what I’ve just seen, you could really use the help. What do you say?
Joseph just chuckles and wags his finger at her, as if to say, ‘you naughty girl’.
We next see Joseph still with Nikita in his office, a drink in his hand.
JOSEPH: The truth is, I can use some extra muscle. Red Cell has called a meeting with other groups with similar goals.
NIKITA: Sort of a terrorist convention?
JOSEPH: More or less. I’ve offered to facilitate the meeting.
Outside the house, we see the guards still patrolling the grounds. O'Brien appears at the same spot outside the iron fence as Nikita had been.
O'BRIEN: I’m in position.
Back in Comm, Quinn is following his movements on her laptop.
QUINN: I’m into the main building climate control. I found your corridor. Prepare to enter in three minutes.
O'Brien puts on his glasses, which allow him to see the lasers atop the fence.
O'BRIEN: What about the wall?
QUINN: I’m blocking the beams now. Go.
He catapults over the fence top, like Nikita had. This time, however, two angry Dobermans come running for him. O'Brien pulls out a high decibel device, which hurts the dogs’ ears, and whimpering, they retreat. He now takes the same path Nikita had earlier, as he makes his way to the house. A guard exits the house, and when he moves away, O'Brien goes to the door, deactivates the alarm, and steps inside. He glances around a door to check the hallway for activity.
O'BRIEN: What’s the weather report?
Quinn studies her laptop screen and punches some keys.
QUINN: The temperature differential is now sufficiently, as of now, invisible to infrared.
O'Brien now steps in hallway, ducking into a side room when he hears a guard approach.
QUINN: To the north stairwell to the second floor. You’re clear all the way.
O'Brien follows her directions, making his way upstairs.
Back in the office, Joseph is seated at his desk, negotiating for Nikita’s services.
JOSEPH: I’ll offer you the same as in Cairo.
When Nikita doesn’t readily snatch up the offer, he adds…
JOSEPH: Plus 10 %.
NIKITA: And the same for my partner?
JOSEPH: Partner?
NIKITA: He’s into technology. I’m more visceral. Together we’re very effective.
JOSEPH: I don’t like unknown quantities.
NIKITA: I’ll introduce you to him. He should be here any minute.
JOSEPH: He just going to stroll into my office?
NIKITA: That’s right.
JOSEPH: No doubt you have a low opinion of our abilities, but your success was an exception, I promise you. And as far as hiring someone I don’t know, this late in the game…
He takes a swig of his drink, just as a knock sounds at the door.
JOSEPH: Come in.
O'Brien walks in. Joseph is stunned and Nikita is very smug as she makes introductions.
NIKITA: Marco, Joseph. Joseph, Marco.
OPERATIONS' LOFT
Operations and Quinn are in the loft. Operations paces as Quinn informs him of her progress in finding Michael. She stands with her arms crossed.
QUINN: I’ve reviewed the files of his last mission. Seventeen people in the structure when it exploded. DNA traces were recovered for all but three, one of them was Michael.
OPERATIONS: Suggestive, but not conclusive.
QUINN: I also ran a back trace on Nikita during the mission. Four hours, six minutes unaccounted for. Just the amount of time needed to reach the mission site and return.
OPERATIONS: The chance of both occurrences happening randomly?
QUINN: Less than 1 in 250,000.
OPERATIONS: Formalize it. I’ll take it to Center tomorrow.
He has his back to her. She has a smug smile on her face.
QUINN: That would be premature.
Operations turns to face her, as Quinn uses Nikita’s words to explain her plan.
QUINN: We should “facilitate and destroy”. If Michael’s alive, sooner or later they’ll find each other. When they do, we’ll deliver them both to Mr. Jones. In a nice, little package.
Operations is pleased.
OPERATIONS: You’re learning.
QUINN: I have an exceptional teacher.
He inclines his head in acknowledgement.
DOMATOV’S HOUSE
Nikita and O'Brien descend the staircase as they prepare to meet with one of the more important terrorists arriving for the summit.
O'BRIEN: Which one of these dirt bags are we supposed to be protecting?
NIKITA: A man name Rustin Federov. He’s the chief strategist for Black Moon.
Outside, a man gets out of a black Mercedes. He is greeted by guards. One radios to Nikita.
GUARD: Nikita?
NIKITA: Yeah?
GUARD: Be advised. Federov is sick. Black Moon has sent a man named Piket in his place.
The guard turns to Picket.
GUARD: Enter.
Piket walks up to the door.
GUARD: He’s on his way.
NIKITA: No problem.
O'Brien slips on his sunglasses, saying…
O'BRIEN: Piket.
NIKITA: What is it?
O'BRIEN: Piket and I crossed paths in Marrakech two years ago.
NIKITA: Does he know you’re with Section?
O'BRIEN: Oh yeah.
NIKITA: How much contact?
O'BRIEN: A few minutes. Maybe he forgot.
They go to open the door and greet Piket.
NIKITA: Welcome, Mr. Piket. I’m Nikita.
She indicates O'Brien, who tries not to call attention to himself.
NIKITA: My colleague. Let me show you to your room.
Piket likes the look of Nikita.
PIKET: You should be a princess. Or a film star, hmm? Not a bodyguard.
Nikita smiles and begins leading the way to his room. Piket and O'Brien follow.
NIKITA: It’s the 21st century, Mr. Piket. Women have many talents.
PIKET: I would love to know more about yours.
They begin walking up the stairs. Nikita catches his come on, and looks back over her shoulder.
NIKITA: I don’t mix business and pleasure.
PIKET: By all means then, let’s forget this.
Nikita gives a small laugh. They enter a bedroom.
PIKET: Do you smoke?
Piket reaches inside his jacket, but Nikita immediately spins and shoots him. He falls to the floor face down. O'Brien quickly closes the bedroom door. O'Brien is surprised.
O'BRIEN: What are you doing?
NIKITA: He recognized you immediately.
She uses her foot to push Piket’s body over. He holds a gun in hand.
NIKITA: I saw it in his eyes.
Using a small handheld scanner, Nikita passes it over Piket’s face, gathering dimensions of his face for Section, while O'Brien keeps watch at a window.
Back at Section, Operations watches over Quinn’s shoulder as she and the Munitions operative recreate a computer graphic of Piket’s face.
MUNITIONS OPERATIVE: That should be enough.
QUINN: We’ve got it.
Back in the bedroom, Nikita quits the scan.
NIKITA: Good. The meeting’s in four hours. We need the masks in three and a half.
QUINN: You’ll have them.
Quinn glances over the Munitions operative, whose job is evidently to create the mask, and he looks dissatisfied with the time frame.
QUINN: But… there’s not enough time for a voice synthesizer.
NIKITA: We’ll get by. Just get us the masks.
Quinn nods, while back at the bedroom, Nikita and O'Brien are removing Piket’s outer clothes.
O'BRIEN: You forgot something. An abeyance op?
NIKITA: Oh, we’ll just use a silent drop.
O'BRIEN: Too risky.
Nikita doesn’t want to listen.
O'BRIEN: Nikita. Inform Section after the mission? We need an abeyance op.
Nikita concedes and speaks to Quinn.
NIKITA: Quinn, Protocol Six.
Back at Section Quinn types at her laptop, calling up available abeyance ops.
QUINN: I’m punching out the abeyance list now.
Nikita is clearly not pleased.
EVENING – DOMATOV’S HOUSE
We see the guards outside patrolling. Outside the iron fence, where both Nikita and O'Brien penetrated the grounds, the scheduled abeyance operative crouches. As the lasers are disabled over the top of the fence, he catapults over onto the grounds.
Inside the house, Nikita and O'Brien wait for the abeyance op to arrive. Nikita sits quietly in a chair, O'Brien paces, checking his watch. A large vent is opened, and the abeyance op arrives. He removes his cap and glasses. It’s Kristoff, the same young operative who earlier had commended Nikita with admiration. Nikita looks startled. He’s happy to see Nikita.
KRISTOFF: Nikita!
Kristoff then looks to O'Brien.
O'BRIEN: You got the masks?
Kristoff reaches into his jacket, eager to be of help, and pulls out two plastic bags. O'Brien takes them and looks them over. Nikita stands.
O'BRIEN: Yeah, that’ll do.
Nikita grabs them from O'Brien, and turns her back to Kristoff, who reaches to gather his cap and glasses to leave.
O'BRIEN: Wait!
KRISTOFF: I only have a two-minute window.
O'BRIEN: It just closed.
O'Brien pulls a gun and aims it at Kristoff, who immediately looks to Nikita, completely stunned.
KRISTOFF: Nikita?
O'Brien shoots him, and Kristoff falls. Nikita turns to O'Brien, indicating the masks.
NIKITA: These will be fine.
She’s not happy about what just occurred.
COMM
Operations again stands watch over Quinn, as she works. The Munitions operative is also at hand. After a moment, Operations walks away.
Back in the bedroom, we see the dead Kristoff, then Nikita fitting a mask of O'Brien’s face over the dead Piket, while O'Brien adjusts a mask of Piket’s face on himself.
At Comm, Quinn punches some keys.
QUINN: I’m triggering the alarm. You have ten seconds.
Nikita trades a look with O'Brien.
NIKITA: We’ll be ready.
The alarm sounds, then Joseph and three of his men, burst into the bedroom. What they see is ‘Piket’ standing, his expression alarmed, while Nikita is bent over and crying for a dead ‘O'Brien’. She raises her gun on them.
JOSEPH: What’s going on?
NIKITA: (crying, voice cracking) He came in through the vent.
She indicates the dead Kristoff.
NIKITA: He killed Marco.
JOSEPH: Mr. Piket, are you all right?
Piket/O'Brien manages to look alarmed. He can’t speak because they didn’t get a voice simulator from Section.
NIKITA: (pretending anger) He’s fine! But your security system needs work.
JOSEPH: Mr. Piket, I don’t know who’s behind this, but I swear to you I’ll find out, and when I do, they’ll be punished.
Piket/O'Brien continues to look at Joseph, with a face that’s displeased because of his near ‘brush’ with death. Nikita is still bent over the dead “Marco”, her face awash with tears, makeup running.
Joseph takes up a radio and speaks into it.
JOSEPH: It was a false alarm. Mr. Piket is fine. The meeting will go on as scheduled.
Joseph and his men exit the bedroom. Nikita wipes her tears away, and exchanges a look with Piket/O'Brien.
TERRORIST SUMMIT
Downstairs in Domatov’s home, several men sit in a large dining room, awaiting the start of their meeting. Piket/O'Brien sits at a chair closest to the door. Nikita approaches the dining room, but maintaining a distance where she can keep an eye on the happenings in the dining room.
NIKITA: Quinn, they’re all here.
Back at Comm, Operations approaches Quinn for a status report.
OPERATIONS: How long?
QUINN: Seventeen minutes.
OPERATIONS: Guest list?
QUINN: Just as we’d hoped. Goff, Bauer, French, Turk, a dozen other leaders.
OPERATIONS: This’ll put us ahead five years.
Quinn smiles, pleased.
OPERATIONS: Relay the signal.
We see the tail of a submerged sub, followed by a missile being shot out of a body of water.
Back at the meeting site, Joseph calls the meeting to order.
JOSEPH: Gentlemen, gentlemen, this is an unusual occasion. Unique, in fact, because Red Cell originated the idea of this coalition. I have asked their representative, Mr. Goff, to be the first speaker.
Mr. Goff sits and the head of the table. He now stands to address the others.
GOFF: On behalf of Red Cell, I thank each of you for being here this day.
As Goff continues to speak, Piket/O'Brien glances over to where Nikita stands in the distance. She nods once. Piket/O'Brien stands from the table and begins walking out of the meeting, going to where Nikita stands. Joseph sees this and goes after him. Nikita and Piket/O'Brien continue to walk away, heading for the front door, followed by Joseph some steps behind.
We see a missile barreling it’s way across the sky.
Piket/O'Brien opens the front door and Nikita and he walk out quickly. Joseph rushes after them.
JOSEPH: Wait! Mr. Piket, is there a problem?
Nikita and Piket/O'Brien continue to walk off. They round a large stone column.
JOSEPH: I told you, the attempt on your life will be avenged! Let’s talk.
O'Brien has loosened off his Piket mask, and Joseph gives up, walking back up the porch to reenter the house. Just as he reaches the door, the missile strikes and a huge explosion occurs. Joseph is hurled backward from the force. Nikita and O'Brien peer around the stone column to survey the damage, where they see the house is aflame and severely damaged.
SYSTEMS
Nikita is dressed in black again, a long coat. She heads out of Systems, exchanges a look with O'Brien, pleased the mission went well, and she’s through at Section. As she moves toward the Van Access corridor, she meets up with Operations.
OPERATIONS: I’m afraid your departure has been delayed.
Nikita stops in her tracks, and glances back at him.
NIKITA: And why is that?
OPERATIONS: Three Western embassies in Pakistan were bombed about an hour ago.
Nikita turns slightly toward him. Their manner towards each other is clearly hostile.
NIKITA: What does that have to do with me?
OPERATIONS: The bombings were traced to Willem Goff.
NIKITA: That’s impossible. Goff’s dead.
OPERATIONS: Apparently not.
NIKITA: (impatient) He died at Domatov’s. I saw it myself, and your intel confirmed it.
OPERATIONS: Seems you were wrong. And so was I.
NIKITA: How is that possible?
OPERATIONS: I don’t know.
Nikita is starting to believe him.
OPERATIONS: And, Mr. Jones is waiting for us in Systems.
He walks off, heading toward Systems, leaving Nikita to think about this strange occurrence.
SYSTEMS
Mr. Jones is speaking to them via the holo-screen. Operations and Nikita stand side by side.
MR. JONES: And, it’s not only Goff. Bower, French and a dozen others seem to be very much alive and active, since they supposedly died at the conference.
Operations glances over at Nikita, as if it’s her fault.
MR. JONES: While you were patting yourselves on the back, the enemy was hard at work. Instead of being years ahead, you are weeks behind, and weeks can turn into forever very quickly.
OPERATIONS: It won’t happen. I’ll make sure.
MR. JONES: I’m not overly impressed by that at the moment. I am deeply disappointed in both of you, and you will both stay on the job until this is put right.
They don’t like the reprimand. Nikita listens with downcast eyes.
MR. JONES: Nikita, I am formally assigning you to Section. You will live and work there until this is cleaned up.
Operations slides a glance over to Nikita. Mr. Jones however now addresses Operations, who looks back to the screen.
MR. JONES: (angry) And you, will keep your personal agenda out of it. Nikita is your deputy, and you will treat her accordingly. I’ll expect your first progress report in forty-eight hours.
Nikita now looks at the screen.
NIKITA: Wait! Our agreement.
MR. JONES: This is hardly the time.
NIKITA: It’s never the time, Mr. Jones. You’ve been putting it off for months.
MR. JONES: Nikita…
NIKITA: I came back to Section three years ago, because you made certain promises. It’s time you kept them.
MR. JONES: Is that a threat?
NIKITA: Only if you feel threatened by being asked to keep your word.
Operations has other things on his mind.
OPERATIONS: Am I in command, or is she?
MR. JONES: You are in operational command, as always. In certain matters of internal policy, Nikita has a degree of independence. Now in the meantime, what I suggest is that you both listen to recordings of Mercadante, or Pirates of Penzance. Gilbert and Sullivan. They hated each other, but they made beautiful music together. So will you.
The screen disintegrates. Operations walks off. Nikita is very displeased, shaking her head.
VAN ACCESS
Nikita leans against the wall before the Van Access door. It opens, and Walter walks in, wearing sunglasses and black leather jacket.
NIKITA: Walter.
He stops before her, waiting.
NIKITA: Thank you for coming.
He laughs shortly, removing his glasses.
WALTER: Didn’t have much choice.
NIKITA: You’re on inactive status. Strictly speaking, you could have refused.
He doesn’t answer, but glances about, just waiting to hear what she wants.
NIKITA: I did what I did, because I thought in the long run, I could change things for the better.
This comes as a surprise to Walter.
WALTER: And, you just happened to claw your way to the top in the meantime?
NIKITA: Is that what you think?
WALTER: What am I supposed to think? Madeline’s gone. Mic…Michael’s gone. You’re number two.
She looks down.
NIKITA: Believe me, it’s not my choice, but while I’m here, I intend to make some changes.
He laughs shortly again, then begins stepping away. His manner is distant.
WALTER: (sarcastic) Good luck.
NIKITA: I was hoping you’d help.
WALTER: How?
NIKITA: By coming back to your old job.
WALTER: (still sarcastic) I thought I violated pro-to-col too many times?
NIKITA: So did I. I was wrong.
He still doesn’t answer her.
NIKITA: Would it matter if I apologized for deceiving you?
WALTER: (shakes his head) It’s all water under the bridge. Anyway, it’s not too bad where I am. I’m teaching. Tinker around with a few new gadgets. Out of the pressure cooker.
NIKITA: You could help me change things.
He turns and walks back over to her.
WALTER: I’ve done my stint as ‘Dear Abby’. Let somebody else have a turn.
NIKITA: The new guy’s not in your class.
WALTER: He’ll learn.
She sees he not persuaded, and appears resigned to it.
NIKITA: Guess that’s it then.
WALTER: (shrugs) I guess so.
He turns to go back out the Van Access door, but he has a look on his face that indicates he’s caving in. The door opens.
NIKITA: Suppose I said you are the best man I ever met?
Walter stops in his tracks.
NIKITA: And, another day in Section without you seems unbearable?
He’s touched by this, but still resistant.
NIKITA: Would that matter?
WALTER: It might.
He smiles, puts on his glasses and continues on his way. In the corridor, Nikita smiles.
The End.
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