 |
|
401. Getting Out Of Reverse
Directed by Jon Cassar
Written by Michael Loceff
Editoed by David B. Thompson
Transcribed by Athena4
SECTION ONE
Nikita is walking through Section One, the area below Operations' perch…
Scene cuts to: Systems. Madeline and Operations are discussing Nikita
MADELINE: Its time to put Nikita to the test.
OPERATIONS: You think it’s premature?
MADELINE: No. Enough time has passed.
OPERATIONS: What about her interactions?
MADELINE: She will no longer be capable of forming an emotional bond, with anyone
OPERATIONS: What about previous ties.
MADELINE: Michael means nothing to her, not anymore. She’s a perfect robot.
As Madeline speaks her last line the scene cuts to Michael and Nikita circling each other in a work out area. Both are dressed in standard black. They begin to fight, hand to hand.
Michael apparently gets the better of Nikita; she is leaning over, coughing.
MICHAEL: Committed too soon.
NIKITA: Why do you say that?
MICHAEL: You already had turned left when…
As Michael is speaking Nikita quickly regains herself and kicks Michael in the stomach.
NIKITA: Sorry. What, did you think we were taking a break?
They continue to fight. Michael watches Nikita more warily now.
MICHAEL: Changed your style?
NIKITA: Improved my technique.
MICHAEL: Only your moves.
NIKITA: What else is there?
Their fight continues. Michael throws Nikita to the floor. She recovers quickly, and as she gets up he speaks.
MICHAEL: Comes from inside.
Fight continues. Michael throws her to the floor again. Nikita seems to really be down this time.
MICHAEL: You all right?
Nikita uses her legs to knock Michael’s out from under him. After a short struggle she lays atop him.
NIKITA: They’re watching us.
MICHAEL: I know.
NIKITA’S APARTMENT
Nikita is suspended from her ceiling by her ankles, weights in her hands. She is pulling her self up in a sort of sit-up, grunting.
Phone rings. She grabs it below her.
NIKITA: Yep.
VOICE: Josephine.
As Nikita listens to the voice on the other end of the phone we see the door to her apartment begin to open. Nikita drops the phone, and jumps down from her ceiling contraption. A male figure has entered her apartment, closing the door behind him. He jiggles a key in his hand, he is well dressed. Nikita grabs her gun off a nearby table. The man continues his leisurely walk and Nikita swings from the light fixture over her counter and puts him in a headlock between her legs. They fall to the floor, his head clamped between her thighs, her gun pointed against his cheek. It’s Mick.
MICK: Hello.
Nikita does not remove the gun.
NIKITA: What are you doing here?
MICK: I think I just soiled a new pair of skivvies.
NIKITA (more forcefully): What are you doing here?
MICK: Came by for a cup of sugar
NIKITA: How did you get the key to my apartment.
MICK: Oh do we have to do this, cupcake? I mean, we’re mates, way past the third degree. All Right!
Nikita moves the gun to his mouth.
MICK: All right. You gave me one when you went to Africa remember? You asked me to water your plants. I made a copy. You’ve got such scrumptious munchies in your fridge.
NIKITA: Give me the key.
Mick hands over the key. Nikita hesitates, removes the gun and finally lets Mick up. Mick gets up from the floor and catches sight of Nikita’s plants on her counter.
MICK: Oh lovely, look at this. I treat them like my own little seedlings, you turn the place into a horticultural cemetery. This is bad karma
Mick picks up one of the plants and turns around, only to hear Nikita’s gun cock and to find it pointed in his direction.
NIKITA: Get what you need and leave.
Nikita proceeds up to her bedroom, leaving Mick standing in her kitchen holding a plant, and looking vaguely stunned.
MUNITIONS
Walter is wheeling a cart from the back room towards his work area. Michael enters.
WALTER: Hey Michael, whatcha need?
MICHAEL: Have you talked to Nikita lately?
WALTER: No, I saw her come in. She didn’t stop by. You know she always does. For greetings and salutations. Don’t mean to make you jealous.
Walter walks a little further back into his alcove to retrieve something, Michael follows.
MICHAEL: Talk to her
WALTER: About what?
MICHAEL: Listen to her voice. Look in her eyes.
WALTER: I don’t get you Michael.
MICHAEL: Just talk to her.
WAR ROOM
OPERATIONS: We’ve just been informed that one of our remote cell teams in Latvia was targeted by nationalists. The team was wiped out except for Irina Kerensky, a level-four operative.
Irina’s picture appears on the screen in the center of the war table.
BIRKOFF: She’s being held hostage. She was at a high level briefing just hours before the grab. If she’s still alive what she knows could do a lot of damage.
OPERATIONS: She’s been trained to resist interrogation but we don’t know how long she can hold out. We have coordinates. Birkoff will finish your prep in systems. Go get her.
KAZAKSTAN EMBASSY
Cut to exterior scene. A car driving along a street and enters the embassy. The people in the car exchange words in a foreign language with the guard. Below the car we see the sewer lid being removed, and Nikita crawling down into the sewer. The car is asked to pull over, but Nikita is already in the sewer, and the cover has been replaced. The guard had been outflanked.
NIKITA: I’m in.
Nikita is running through damp, dark corridors a flashlight her only guide.
MICHAEL: (over comm) Proceed east through the central tunnel. Main access is 50 meters ahead. Sub-basement vent. Unmonitored, no hostiles.
Scene cuts away to exterior, where Michael is seated in the mission van. He is watching a computer scene read out of Nikita’s progress through the tunnels.
MICHAEL: Okay Nikita you should see the vent after you turn.
Scene cuts back to Nikita in the tunnels. She’s found the vent.
NIKITA: Got it.
Nikita gets out a small welding torch and begins to cuts through the bars on the vent.
Scene cuts to Systems. Birkoff is seated in his usual position, multiple screens lit up around him
NIKITA: (via comm) I’m at second mark. Estimate 2 minutes to target.
Scene cuts to Madeline and Operations in the perch, listening to her progress. Scene cuts back to Nikita, still burning through the bars on the vent. Cut to Michael, who is typing away at his computer in the mission van, watching her progress.
MICHAEL: (in the van) Perimeter teams hold your positions. Nikita, hostiles still in place.
Cut back to Nikita who has finally broken through the vent. She removes the grate and enters. Cut back to Michael.
MICHAEL: Nikita, you’re clear to target.
Computer images of a map flash before Michael. He is watching Nikita proceed to her position through the grate, and the tunnels connected to it. Nikita comes out through a grate in the floor, inside the embassy. She removes her mission clothing. Underneath is a guard’s uniform. She is in the corridor outside of a room, apparently underground. There are metal shelves lining the walls, and several guards speaking in a foreign language in the room. Nikita pulls out a small tube-like object that she projects around the corner and into the room. It transmits a picture onto a receiver she wears on her wrist like a watch. She now knows the guards locations. She puts away her gadget and enters the room, killing the guards and other men seated in the room.
Taking out her gun Nikita enters another room through a door at the back of the first room. More metals shelves line the walls, with boxes stacked on them. At the back of this room there is a glass ½ dome, in which the petite brunette, Irina sits on her knees. Her hands appear to be tied to the wall, and there is a collar of some sort around her neck.
The following scene flips back and forth between Nikita and Michael. The one speaking is consistently onscreen.
NIKITA: Michael, she’s here.
MICHAEL: What about hostiles?
NIKITA: I took out three, I didn’t see anyone else.
MICHAEL: And Kerensky?
NIKITA: Still alive.
Kerensky stands up in her cage.
NIKITA: Looks like a remote interrogation (Nikita fires her gun at the glass) She’s behind bulletproof glass.
Nikita makes several hand gestures, asking Kerensky if she gave anything away. Kerensky nods. She hasn’t given up anything.
OPERATIONS: Nikita, how’s it look?
NIKITA: She claims she hasn’t given information yet.
OPERATIONS: What’s your recommendation?
NIKITA: If we incinerate we’ll have 100% containment.
Scene flips to Michael, to Birkoff for reactions, then to Madeline and Operations in the Perch.
MADELINE: Destroying an embassy is severe. There will be fallout for months.
OPERATIONS: Taking Section Operatives is severe. I want our enemies to know that. Do you think she’ll do it?
MADELINE: There’s only one way to find out.
Operations is leaning on the ledge in the Perch, looking out over systems at Birkoff, who is looking back.
OPERATIONS: Ok Nikita. Request for incineration approved. Set the sequence for 30 seconds
BIRKOFF: All teams evacuate.
MICHAEL: (from the van) Nikita, stand by; I’m working on a contingency.
Scene flips between the two locations again, whoever is speaking is onscreen. Michael’s computer screen is running rapidly, showing all the rooms in the embassy and what they contain. Meanwhile Nikita is all business. She sets a charge on the bulletproof glass and sets it. Kerensky is upset. Michael’s search uncovers a daycare center, children playing. Kerensky is pleading with Nikita through the glass.
NIKITA: 30 seconds.
MICHAEL: Nikita, can you hear me? There are children on the premises.
NIKITA: I hear you Michael, 25 seconds.
Michael’s computer is working overtime again. He sets off the fire alarm in the building, making the children have to leave the building. We see the children rushing from the building with their teachers. As Nikita walks away from the scene, the building behind her explodes. Michael in the mission van pulls out his earpiece.
Cut to Madeline and Operations in the Perch.
MADELINE: Now we know.
SECTION HALLWAY
Some strange location in Section, tunnels, computers. Michael is walking. He approaches a computer screen, where he makes several queries as to Nikita’s status; all the information he requests is conveniently unavailable.
Nikita is walking the streets towards her apartment. Michael is waiting for her behind a bus shelter. She senses his presence as she passes him, turns back.
NIKITA: What are you doing here?
MICHAEL: I want some answers.
Nikita walks further up the street, waits for him to catch up. He activates a dampening field so they can talk without being detected.
MICHAEL: We have two minutes. 16 people died in the embassy explosion. What’s going on?
NIKITA: They’re watching me, Michael. I had to do it.
MICHAEL: Kill people?
NIKITA: I knew you’d activate the alarm. I reduced the impact charge in the device. I tried to place it somewhere where there would be minimal damage. I had no choice.
MICHAEL: Why?
NIKITA: They tried to reprogram me. I had to let them think they’d succeeded.
MICHAEL: When did it start?
NIKITA: Genefex mission.
MICHAEL: You weren’t at the rendezvous point.
Throughout Nikita’s speech we are given flashbacks of the Genefex mission and Nikita’s brainwashing.
NIKITA: Birkoff sent me upstairs. Madeline was waiting. I was tranked. I don’t know what they did but when I awoke…I knew they’d been messing with my mind. They tried to strip me of my humanity. No feelings. No connection with anyone.
Michael reaches out and touches her shoulder
MICHAEL: Why didn’t you let me help you?
NIKITA: (shakes her head) There was too much surveillance. Believe me. (Nikita kisses Michael) Believe me. I have to go.
Nikita walks away towards her apartment, leaving Michael standing in the street. He leaves in the other direction, gets in his car. He places a video recording of some kind into a contraption, which plays it back. Her had been recording his conversation with Nikita. He uses the contraption to focus in on her eye moments as she speaks.
LOWER TUNNELS OF SECTION
BIRKOFF: They’re running redundancies. I have to get back.
MICHAEL: (hands Birkoff a disk) I want you do run an eye analysis for me, please.
BIRKOFF: That’s a monolux disk. I can’t open it without being detected.
MICHAEL: Run it through during the redundancy check when the system segregates.
BIRKOFF: If it doesn’t complete by the time I’m done I get caught with my hand in the cookie jar – uh uh. Isn’t there some other way?
MICHAEL: No. It’s for Nikita.
Birkoff pockets the disk.
BIRKOFF: I’ll see what I can do.
COMMITTEE
Madeline and Operations. Operations enters. He is on his cell phone speaking to George; Madeline is seated on the couches nearby.
OPERATIONS: Quite frankly it doesn’t make sense to me, George. We got to Kerensky before there was exposure. Yes. All right. Fine.
He hangs up, but continues to pace.
MADELINE: There’s a problem?
OPERATIONS: He thinks the embassy was being used. That there was no alliance with the target group.
MADELINE: Who cares? The mission was successful.
OPERATIONS: I could do so much more if he were out of the picture.
MADELINE: We tried. For the time being we have to comply.
Intercom buzzes.
OPERATIONS: Yes.
WOMAN: Nikita’s waiting.
OPERATIONS: Send her in. (Nikita enters)
NIKITA: Yes, Sir?
OPERATIONS: We were pleased with your clarity in yesterday’s mission.
NIKITA: Thank you.
MADELINE: How does it feel to be back in section?
NIKITA: I feel good. Ready.
MADELINE: And your interaction with others?
NIKITA: They seem to expect more than I care to give.
MADELINE: And what do you think that might be?
NIKITA: The emotional component. Like we talked about with Michael.
MADELINE: Yes. It’s unnecessary for us, but they need it.
NIKITA: Hmmm. Well, I could smile more.
MADELINE: Begin with Walter.
Operations and Madeline share a glance as Nikita leaves.
MUNITIONS
Walter is hard at work as always. He drops something on the floor, and bends to pick it up. As he stands, we see Nikita standing behind him. He turns and is startled by her presence there.
WALTER: Oh, geez, you scared the devil out of me. (laughing nervously)
NIKITA: I’m sorry, I just came by to say hello.
WALTER: You did?
NIKITA: Yeah I wanted to apologize for yesterday. After the briefing I didn’t have time to talk.
WALTER: Yeah, well, what was all that about
NIKITA: Well, you know, I haven’t been out for a while and they’re watching me pretty closely. I don’t want to mess up.
WALTER: If you ask me you’re going a little too far out of your way to please them
NIKITA: What do you mean?
WALTER: Yesterday, you took out half an embassy
NIKITA: I know. It was horrible
WALTER: Oh no. It was a tough call.
NIKITA: I know.
WALTER: Hey, come here, come here. (Walter enfolds her in a hug) It’s okay, sugar. It’s okay.
NIKITA: Thanks Walter.
WALTER: Any time. (another hug)
NIKITA: Everything okay with you?
WALTER: Me? I can’t complain. Building bombs, chasing girls… You know me.
NIKITA: Yeah. Yeah, I know you.
VARIOUS STAIRWAYS AND STAIRWELLS IN SECTION
Michael is walking. Birkoff walks towards a panel set up on one of the metal catwalks. He enters something on the panel, and places something underneath it. Michael approaches the same panel, enters something, removes what Birkoff left behind.
Michael is now in his car. He places the disk Birkoff left behind into a contraption there. We hear Birkoff’s voice on a recording as Michael drives.
BIRKOFF: (recording) Michael, you were right. The irregularities in Nikita’s eye movement suggested neural engineering. Four years ago, Operations approved a research proposal based on the work of a neuro-biologist named Ross Gelman. I don’t know if Gelman’s methods were used on Nikita but if they were I’d look for someone close to her. Not just in Section but at home. The process requires maintenance.
Michael turns off the road suddenly and changes direction.
NIKITA’S APARTMENT
Mick opens the door. Michael is there.
MICK: Michael. What a pleasant surprise.
Michael punches Mick. Mick awakes on the floor.
MICK: Michael, lovely to see you. Would you like to go to my place for a drink?
Michael grasps Mick by the collar, pulls him up and shoves him across the room. Michael pulls his gun on Mick
MICK: You know I got a problem with guns. Do you mind?
MICHAEL: What are you doing to Nikita?
MICK: Me? To Nikita? Do you think I’ve bee rogering her? Michael, Michael! Absolutely not. No. No no no. You got it all wrong. Not that I didn’t try of course. Before I found about the two of you.
MICHAEL: What are you doing here?
MICK: I’m watering the plants. They do look a bit thirsty, I’ll grant you. Maybe I was slacking off.
Michael has been walking towards Mick as he babbling, and his gun is now firmly placed under Mick’s chin.
MICHAEL: Bye, Mick.
MICK: Wait! Wait. I’ll show you…slowly. Very slowly. (Mick reaches into his coat, pulls out a vial) Don’t ask me what it is.
Michael takes the vial.
MICHAEL: What do you do with it?
MICK: I just splash a few drops on the floor.
MICHAEL: Why?
MICK: You know the old saw Michael. You tell me, we’ll both know.
MICHAEL: Who at section asked you to do this?
MICK: I haven’t a clue. It was done anonymously. Look, mate, I like Nikita. This hasn’t exactly been my favorite detail. She’s changed, she has. It’s got something to do with that. But you know, I wasn't exactly given a choice. (Michael begins to walk away) Michael, if you take that they will find out and blame me.
MICHAEL: That’s possible. (Michael leaves)
UNDERGROUND AT SECTION
MICHAEL: Did you find Gelman?
BIRKOFF: He hasn’t surfaced since he went rogue. Four missions have already gone out for his retrieval. All failed.
MICHAEL: Why?
BIRKOFF: I think he took some technology with him. He’s monitoring our channels. That’s how he sees us coming every time.
MICHAEL: What’s our estimated return on this mission?
BIRKOFF: Tomorrow 3 PM.
MICHAEL: Make it six. He owes me for St. Petersburg, I can find him.
BIRKOFF: What do I say?
MICHAEL: I’ll let you know on site.
CORRIDOR NEAR SYSTEMS
OPERATIONS: Birkoff I’ve been looking all over for you. You were supposed to be on five.
BIRKOFF: I was. But I had to come back here to run a diagnostic
OPERATIONS: Stockholm just gave us a positive on the group behind the Kerensky kidnapping. We’ll go tomorrow as planned. Tell Michael to assemble his team.
BIRKOFF: Yes, Sir.
MUNITIONS
WALTER: Michael.
MICHAEL: Multi-channel transmitter with a confidential broadcast band.
WALTER: I didn’t see that in the profile.
MICHAEL: It wasn’t.
Walter gets the transmitter from the back room. Gives it to Michael.
WALTER: Here you go. Reach out and touch someone.
MICHAEL’S CAR
Michael’s got the transmitter hooked up. He is sending a text message. The message states: St. Petersburg 08/16/94. I was at the Gazebo. Now I need you.
WORK OUT ROOM
Nikita is working out with several other operatives. Operations watches her from a distance, intrigued by her skill when she takes down her instructor.
SECTION HALLWAY
Madeline is working at a computer.
OPERATIONS: Birkoff is working on a location.
MADELINE: Good. We need to take care of this soon. Have you heard from George?
OPERATIONS: Indirectly. They’re still monitoring this one closer than I like.
MADELINE: At least it keeps his attention away from other things.
OPERATIONS: Yes. I just saw Nikita. I have to say she shows no sign of weakness.
Madeline moves away from the computer and they begin walking.
OPERATIONS: Your methods continue to amaze me.
MADELINE: I wish I were as optimistic
OPERATIONS: What do you mean?
MADELINE: We had success with our original subject. But remember, that was a controlled situation. With someone on the outside there are variables beyond our control.
OPERATIONS: That’s true but so far she seems to be behaving exactly as planned.
MADELINE: Nikita is an excellent actor. We can’t forget that.
OPERATIONS: A few days ago I might have shared your concern. But now I don’t even think even Michael can touch her.
MUNITIONS
WALTER: Hey, my sugar.
NIKITA: One of these days I’m going to figure out how someone so sweet can be so. …smart.
WALTER: Don’t kid yourself. I’m not that sweet.
Michael approaches Nikita from behind. Nikita leaves.
WALTER: Seems fine. Same old Nikita.
MISSION
Michael and team are walking the streets in two teams, dressed in black. They meet on either side of a car, where the man they are after is in. Gunfire ensues. Section takes out several men. One runs away, this is the one they want.
NIKITA: I’ll pursue.
MICHAEL: Nikita hold.
NIKITA: I can get him.
MICHAEL: Hold. Wait for instructions.
Michael pursues the man chasing him down the streets unil they eventually enter a building. Michael leaps railings, closing the gap and knocks the man unconscious. He locks him in a closet, and heads out in the other direction.
MICHAEL: Birkoff, target escaped. I’m pursuing.
BIRKOFF: Right. I’ll monitor. Michael, you have one hour to get to Gelman
Nikita followed Michael, she knows that something is up.
PARK AREA
Michael waits.
GELMAN: Sorry I’m late. I was just making sure the perimeter’s clean.
MICHAEL: I told you I was coming alone.
GELMAN: And you’re a man of your word. It’s just that, well…I’ve been doing this for quite a while. It’s become a habit.
Scene flips to an assassin somewhere above, putting together a rather large gun.
Gelman and Michael walk and talk.
GELMAN: I wouldn’t do this for anyone else. I owe you for St Petersburg.
Assassin is preparing his/her gun.
GELMAN: So tell me, what’s this about?
MICHAEL: You did research on mind control. Segregating certain parts of the brain.
GELMAN: What about it?
MICHAEL: Does it work?
GELMAN: I don’t know. They never tested it outside the lab.
MICHAEL: Yes they did.
GELMAN: On who?
MICHAEL: Three months ago they subjected someone on my team. Is it reversible?
GELMAN: Yes
Gun preparation focuses on Gelman
MICHAEL: Do you have the process?
GELMAN: No.
MICHAEL: Who does?
GELMAN: It’s in Section.
MICHAEL: Where?
GELMAN: There’s only one copy of the program. It’s on the computer in the lab. With the original test subject.
MICHAEL: Who was the original subject?
GELMAN: If I tell you that, you’re a dead man.
Gun is clearly trained on Gelman now.
MICHAEL: I want to know.
Gelman leans in and whispers the answer in Michael’s ear.
MICHAEL: That’s why you left?
GELMAN: Wouldn’t you?
There is a single gunshot. Gelman starts, and then falls into Michael. He’s dead. Michael places him on a park bench, and walks away.
VAN ACCESS
The team is returning with the man that Michael had locked in the closet. Operations and Michael meet, Nikita is standing the background.
OPERATIONS: What was the problem?
MICHAEL: No problem. He ran away and I tracked him down.
OPERATIONS: He should have been contained in the first place.
CORRIDOR
NIKITA: Michael’s lying. There was no escape. He created a scenario to give himself time.
MADELINE: Yes?
NIKITA: He’s trying to find out what’s been done to me.
MADELINE: Is he making progress?
NIKITA: Yes, I think so.
MADELINE: Why do you think he’s doing this?
NIKITA: Because he loves me.
MADELINE: Yes…he does.
OPERATIONS: That will be all Nikita.
Nikita exists.
MADELINE: With Nikita’s corroboration we can convince Oversight that Michael’s gone too far.
OPERATIONS: (on phone) Get me George.
HUB OF SECTION
A team of three operatives, led by Davenport, walks through Section, armed. They attract Birkoff's and Walter’s attention as they go.
BIRKOFF: Hey Walter, what’s going on?
WALTER: I don’t’ know. But it looks bad, amigo.
As they approach Michael’s office they all draw their guns.
BIRKOFF: They’re going after Michael.
They pause outside the door, guns drawn.
DAVENPORT: Sir we’re here, requesting final confirmation.
Operations is in his office, watching a video feed of Michael in his office.
OPERATIONS: Kill him.
The team enters Michael’s office. Fires off several shots. Michael’s image begins to fade. It was a holo-projected image. Michael is long gone.
DAVENPORT: Sir, we have a problem.
CITY STREET
It’s night and Nikita is walking the street towards her apartment.
Unknown to her, Michael watches her from across the street.
|
|