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321. On Borrowed Time
Written by Peter Lenkov
Transcribed by Christine
SYSTEMS
The song “Strange Affect on Me” by Hooverphonics plays in the background. Nikita holds a panel, making her way from Systems to a set of stairs. In another area, Michael exits an elevator. Nikita climbs the stairs, looking behind and about her watchfully. We see alternating shots of them walking along a hallway separately and from different directions. Michael stops at a doorway. He looks in. Nikita stands with her back to the door. He goes to her side, but she doesn’t turn, but keeps her profile to him.
MICHAEL: They haven’t posted the new assignments yet.
NIKITA: So, we won’t be able to meet. Not enough time to form a plan.
MICHAEL: If the posting happens soon, there’s still a chance.
NIKITA: Why the delay?
MICHAEL: Could be a hundred reasons.
NIKITA: Could be about us.
MICHAEL: They don’t know enough, or they would have stopped us.
NIKITA: Maybe we should pull back for awhile.
She turns to face him now, her face inches from his. They gaze deeply into each other’s eyes, neither one of them wanting to pull back as she suggested. Michael lowers his mouth to hers and they begin kissing sensuously. A loud noise sounds, and Michael jerks his head in the direction it sounded. Nikita guides his face back to hers.
MICHAEL: We’ll be together somehow. I’ll make it happen.
Nikita traces his lips with her fingertip.
MICHAEL: Go now.
They hesitantly break apart. Nikita leaves first, glancing back as she does.
MADELINE’S OFFICE
Madeline enters her office and moves to sit at her computer. She types on the keyboard, and we see a man running as if he’s being chased. Operations enters.
OPERATIONS: I’ve been over the tapes a dozen times. Nothing.
MADELINE: Michael knows the system as well as we do.
OPERATIONS: Better, apparently.
Madeline stands and moves to a long table. Operations follows.
MADELINE: Still, we know what’s happening. We’re under no obligation to prove it.
OPERATIONS: The point is they’re meeting right under our noses, and we can’t stop them. That means there’s a hole in the system. If they can find it, others can too.
MADELINE: Not necessarily. Michael and Nikita are unique. Our priority should be to stop them before their efficiency levels are permanently harmed.
OPERATIONS: Maybe you’re right. Are we ready to move?
MADELINE: Yes, if there’s an appropriate mission.
OPERATIONS: Genefex?
MADELINE: That will do very nicely.
OPERATIONS: (smiles) Then, let’s proceed.
WAR ROOM
As Operations strides into the room, we see Birkoff, Michael and Nikita already seated at the table.
OPERATIONS: Six months ago, during a bioengineering convention in Prague, the chemical breakdown for Gandium Four, a grade one bio-weapon, was stolen. Three months later, the hard product was used during an attack in Cyprus. Genefex is a pharmaceutical lab and a producer of over-the-counter drugs. Two days ago we monitored a wire transfer to an account held by a company which front’s for Red Cell.
BIRKOFF: Satellite surveillance confirms increased productivity in the last three months, but distribution of their key product remains the same. They’re making something under the table.
OPERATIONS: Michael, you and Nikita will penetrate, retrieve the product, and find out who, besides Red Cell, they’re selling to. Then, you’ll destroy the lab.
He looks pointedly at Michael and then Nikita, who keeps her gaze cast down.
OPERATIONS: The details are in your panels. That’s all.
He moves off. Birkoff and Michael stand and immediately walk off. Nikita stands, but hesitates at the table a moment, before also departing.
OPERATIONS’ LOFT
Walter runs up the stairs to Operations’ loft.
WALTER: You wanted to see me?
OPERATIONS: Yes.
He paces away as he speaks.
OPERATIONS: Michael and Nikita deceived us. You helped them.
He stops pacing, but still does not face Walter.
WALTER: (irritably) Okay, spare me the excerpts from the Owner’s Manual. Do whatever you’re going to do and just get on with it.
Walter leans against the doorjamb, waiting.
OPERATIONS: Walter, you’ve served Section long, and for the most part, well. But, I’m afraid your work here has come to an end.
This gets Walter’s attention. He straightens away from the doorjamb, his expression shocked.
OPERATIONS: You’re going to Retirement.
In shock, Walter takes a few steps toward Operations.
WALTER: I deserve better than that.
OPERATIONS: I could have had you cancelled.
WALTER: (angry) Then, do it.
Operations looks at him.
WALTER: I know I violated protocol. I knew the risks.
Operations turns his back to Walter, obviously through with the discussion.
WALTER: Ah, save it.
Walter starts to walk out, pausing to say one final thing.
WALTER: Shame on you.
As Walter exits, we see Operations face, but his expression is unreadable.
SYSTEMS
Michael enters Systems and moves to where Nikita is standing before a computer.
MICHAEL: I need to verify something. May I check your panel?
NIKITA: Of course.
He slides a panel into the system, then begins typing.
MICHAEL: I’ll synchronize them.
The monitor reads: SCREEN IS SECURED.
NIKITA: Your schematic’s a bit different than mine.
MICHAEL: That’s a glitch. I’ll talk to Birkoff.
He types again. The monitor reads: SAME MISSION – MAKES IT EASY.
NIKITA: Which is more current?
The monitor now reads: THEY ARE UP TO SOMETHING.
MICHAEL: Mine is.
NIKITA: How can you tell?
MICHAEL: The vents in the northwest corner.
The monitor reads: WE’LL FIND A WAY.
NIKITA: Perhaps you’re right.
MICHAEL: Definitely.
They exchange a covert look.
NIKITA: Thanks.
GENEFAX MISSION
We see a large building; obviously a lab-type structure. Inside, it’s open and very white. Michael and Nikita lean against a railing. Michael wears glasses.
MICHAEL: We’ll be working separately. Avoid establishing a predictable pattern.
NIKITA: The functional overlay had several gaps.
MICHAEL: We can compensate.
A man approaches them.
ARAL: Damon Aral, Plant Manager, sorry for the wait.
He extends his hand, and he and Michael shake hands.
MICHAEL: Not a problem.
ARAL: I.D.?
They pass their I.D.’s to Aral, who looks them over.
ARAL: You guys are new. What happened to McRae?
MICHAEL: He got promoted. He now handles the Southern Region.
ARAL: (smiles) Welcome to Genefex.
Aral jerks his head and begins walking, indicating that they should follow. They follow, gray cases in hand.
Flash to Section
Birkoff’s computer shows the schematic image of the Genefex building. In the Loft, Operations and Madeline watch a wall monitor.
BIRKOFF: They’re in.
Back to Genefex
Aral leads them through a door and onto a catwalk that overlooks a large lab area. Michael and Nikita are now wearing white lab coats.
ARAL: Just so you know, in 20 years of inspections, we’ve never been hit with a single citation.
NIKITA: Good for you.
ARAL: Well, here it is. This is R & D, best place to start really. If you need me, I’ll be in my office.
He leaves.
MICHAEL: You make the environmental check; I’ll examine the safety procedures. We’ll meet back here in an hour.
NIKITA: All right.
Nikita enters a nearby door, while Michael descends a flight of stairs to the lab below. As he makes his way through the area, a lab tech suddenly bumps into him.
TECH: Sorry, I didn’t hear you coming.
MICHAEL: No problem.
The tech moves away, but Michael pauses to watch him suspiciously. From a felt strip-appearing curtained area, two other technicians exit. When they move off, Michael goes and enters through the curtain and into another area filled with lab equipment. He notices a large camera mounted high up on the wall, and sets his case down.
MICHAEL: Birkoff, Room 11, loop the cameras.
BIRKOFF: (at Section) Okay, I’m tapping in now.
We see Genefex security room, and a guard monitors the various cameras throughout the lab. The guard sees Michael in the lab, holding a clipboard.
BIRKOFF: Flip the page.
As Michael flips the page, Birkoff freezes the image on the Genefex monitor.
BIRKOFF: You’ve got 60 seconds.
Michael opens his case and removes a scanning device, then moves along the area, scanning things.
BIRKOFF: Michael, 40 seconds.
Suddenly the scanner zeros in on what they are looking for and starts beeping rapidly.
MICHAEL: South wall.
At Section, Birkoff rolls his chair to another computer.
BIRKOFF: Small room, bypassed in renovation two years ago. That must be where they store the Gandium. You need to retrieve it before we take out the lab.
Michael moves back to his case and stows the scanner.
MICHAEL: I’ll need ten hours.
BIRKOFF: Why so long? I can work up a profile for eight.
MICHAEL: I’ll handle the profile. I need ten.
He is holding the clipboard again, and flips the page again.
BIRKOFF: Whatever you say. Loop is over.
Michael sets the clipboard down, takes his case, and exits. He goes back up the stairs. Nikita opens the door she had gone into, just as Michael steps onto the catwalk.
MICHAEL: I found it.
NIKITA: Is Birkoff building a profile?
MICHAEL: No, I am. Why don’t you write up what we’ve found so far.
NIKITA: I’m in the process.
MICHAEL: I’ll start with Level B.
The tech who earlier bumped into Michael enters a door and walks past them. It doesn’t slip past Michael.
MUNITIONS
Walter is in his area, loading a gun. Birkoff approaches.
BIRKOFF: Walter, I need the revised specs on the Libyan mission as soon as you…
He notices a change in Walter, and stops in mid-sentence. He looks worriedly to Walter.
BIRKOFF: Walter? You okay? Walter?
WALTER: (shaken) They’re sending me to Retirement. Operations just told me himself.
BIRKOFF: (shocked) Why?
WALTER: I guess I just pushed the envelope once too often.
BIRKOFF: This is my fault. It’s because I told them you were helping Nikita and Michael.
WALTER: No, if you wouldn’t have told them, they would have found out some other way. You can’t beat Section. But … you can choose your own way out.
He shows Birkoff the gun in his hand at his side. Birkoff looks at him with wide-eyed shock..
BIRKOFF: No, you can’t do that.
WALTER: Do you know what Retirement is, Birkoff? Hmm?
BIRKOFF: I’ve heard rumors. Nobody’s every actually come back.
WALTER: Yeah, you know why? Because it’s all medical experiments and pain tolerance and harvested body parts. I’m not going that way!
He sees two operatives round the corner to lead him off. He lays the gun on the worktable with resignation, and waits for them to come get him. They take a position on either side of Walter, take his arms, and lead him off.
BIRKOFF: Walter, listen. I’m going to get you out of this.
Walter glances back.
WALTER: Never happen.
He is lead through various hallways and areas, then to an access tunnel that goes to an elevator. Walter shrugs them off, and walks into the elevator without their prodding. The operatives stand on either side of him, and as they wait for the doors to close, Birkoff rounds the corner, having followed them. He sees Walter in the elevator, and they exchange a look. The doors close.
BIRKOFF: I’ll get you out of this. Somehow. I swear it.
OPERATIONS’ LOFT
Birkoff approaches Operations Loft, stopping at the door.
BIRKOFF: Sorry to bother you. You have a minute?
Operations glances over at him, then makes a show of looking at his watch.
OPERATIONS: That’s all I have.
BIRKOFF: It’s about Walter.
Birkoff enters the office, moving closer to Operations.
BIRKOFF: I just hope you won’t do anything drastic.
Operations looks at him and laughs, sitting on the edge of the long ledge.
OPERATIONS: What’s that supposed to mean?
BIRKOFF: I think we should keep him functional until we’re sure the new guy’s going to work out.
OPERATIONS: Do you have any reason to think he won’t?
BIRKOFF: No. I haven’t even met him yet. It’s just that…
OPERATIONS: His name is Giles. He’s been training as Walter’s replacement for five years. I’m sure he’ll do fine.
BIRKOFF: It’s just that… we’re in play on a dozen missions. Walter and I have worked together for years. There’s a short hand to the way we do things. If you could just not do anything irreversible… for a few days… just in case we need him.
OPERATIONS: I’ll take it under advisement.
Birkoff stands a moment uncertainly.
BIRKOFF: Thank you.
He leaves the loft, and Operations smirks.
Birkoff goes from Operation’s Loft to Munitions, stopping to check out and size up the new guy, Giles, who is busy helping operatives.
GENEFEX MISSION
Michael strides through the lab.
MICHAEL: Birkoff.
BIRKOFF: I’m here.
MICHAEL: I need to go dark for ten minutes.
BIRKOFF: Why?
MICHAEL: I’m going into Quality Control. They have sub-scanners built into the walls.
BIRKOFF: Okay, dark for ten.
Dressed in white, contamination-resistant and protective getup, Michael enters a round room. Setting his case down, he opens it and removes the top panel to reveal a hidden compartment beneath. He begins taking vials from a storage turntable, replacing them with bogus vials brought from Section.
In another area of the lab, Nikita walks.
NIKITA: Birkoff, we have to get the buyer’s list and retrieve the Gandium Four. Where’s Michael?
BIRKOFF: He went dark. He’ll be back any second. He’s in Quality Control, where are you?
NIKITA: I’m in Applications.
BIRKOFF: Aral’s on the other side of the building. Go to his office now and retrieve the buyer’s list.
Back in the QC Room, Michael completes loading the vials, closes his case and exits the room.
Nikita makes her way to Aral’s office, her shadow visible as she passes by his office to the door. She opens it.
NIKITA: Hello?
There is no answer, so she enters, closes the door, and hurries to Aral’s desk, where she begins working on his computer.
NIKITA: I have the list.
BIRKOFF: Download directly to me.
NIKITA: It’s encrypted. It won’t transmit without decoding.
BIRKOFF: You have the decrypt disk?
NIKITA: Yeah, I got it.
She inserts the disk in the disk drive. The monitor scrolls through lines of type.
NIKITA: Come on…. I’ve decoded. Standby to transmit.
In the hall outside the office, Aral approaches his office. He opens the door.
MICHAEL: You’re to be congratulated.
Aral stops and looks to Michael, who walks up. Inside the office, Nikita hunkers behind the desk, completing her download.
ARAL: And, why’s that?
MICHAEL: Your perfect record looks safe.
ARAL: Glad to hear it. Um… you mind if I ask you a question?
MICHAEL: Not at all.
ARAL: You and Nikita… Does your relationship go beyond work?
MICHAEL: (smiles) No. She’s available.
Aral leans close in to Michael and peers flirtatiously up at him.
ARAL: Oh, I wasn’t asking about her.
Michael nods.
BIRKOFF: (from Section) I have it.
MICHAEL: I’m… I’m straight.
ARAL: Sorry.
Aral smiles and turns to his door.
MICHAEL: Oh, don’t be.
Aral turns back and gives Michael an interested look before entering his office and closing the door.
From another door a few feet away, Nikita exits into the hallway.
NIKITA: I sent the list. Now we have to retrieve the Gandium.
Michael hands her a post-it note size paper. It reads: I have the Gandium. Meet me, RM 305F.
Michael walks off, while Nikita heads out in other direction, glancing back.
MUNITIONS
Birkoff moves from Comm to Munitions, stopping just outside the Munitions area. Giles, a young man with slicked-back long hair, is working at the worktable, and glances over to Birkoff.
GILES: Birkoff, right?
Giles goes over to Birkoff, and offers his hand to shake.
GILES: Dennis Giles.
BIRKOFF: Welcome aboard.
They walk into the work area; Giles retakes his seat, while Birkoff stands at the table’s side.
GILES: Thanks. I understand you and Walter were pretty good friends.
BIRKOFF: Yes, we were.
GILES: I just want you to know, I’m not here to replace him. I’m just here to do my job.
BIRKOFF: Yeah, we all know what this place is like. I don’t hold it against you.
GILES: I appreciate that.
An awkward silence ensues.
BIRKOFF: Well, you know where I am if you need any help with the transition.
GILES: Fair enough.
Birkoff moves off, turning back at the doorway.
BIRKOFF: Actually, there’s something you could do for me, if you’re not too swamped.
GILES: Name it.
BIRKOFF: What do you know about the Cameroon mission?
GILES: Lots of variables. Um… expected casualties are high.
BIRKOFF: Exactly. They’re going to need something special. Walter and I were working on this.
He hands Giles a small, black device.
GILES: A wall punch. Nifty. I’ve never seen one that small before.
BIRKOFF: Yeah, I designed the chip. Walter designed the hardware. Do you think you could add a second frequency?
GILES: (eager to please) Yeah, I’ll get right on it.
BIRKOFF: Good. I better get going.
GILES: Okay.
GENEFEX MISSION
BIRKOFF (voice): Nikita.
NIKITA: What is it?
BIRKOFF: You have to go off profile.
NIKITA: Bad timing, Birkoff. I’m standing watch while Michael gets the gandium.
BIRKOFF: It can’t be helped. It’s a direct from the top…
BIRKOFF (voice): … and your comm is being restricted to primary channel.
NIKITA: Okay.
Flash to Michael, who is walking through an area. The tech, who bumped into him, is trailing him. The tech enters an area, pauses and looks in the direction he thinks Michael went, before heading in the same direction. We see that Michael is hiding in a location opposite the direction the tech went. Michael watches the tech, his suspicions about the tech now confirmed.
Nikita walks along a hallway, prompted by Birkoff.
BIRKOFF: Are you on the top floor?
NIKITA: Yes, I am. What am I doing?
BIRKOFF: Operations says there’s a secondary buyer’s list…
BIRKOFF (via com): …hard copy. Should be in the room at the end of the hall.
EMPTY ROOM
Nikita looks around her as she makes her way toward a door at the end of the hallway. She pushes it open and steps through to an empty room. Madeline leans against a wall, waiting for her.
NIKITA: Madeline?
MADELINE: Hello, Nikita.
Nikita looks around confused. We see a large MRI-looking machine in the background.
MADELINE: Have you had your meeting with Michael yet, or were you on your way to it?
Nikita looks down.
MADELINE: Whenever your last meeting with Michael was, I hope you made the most of it. It’s the last one you’ll ever have.
NIKITA: Genefex is a front for Section?
MADELINE: No. We’ve infiltrated, but we don’t control it.
Nikita looks over at the machine.
NIKITA: Are you going to kill me?
MADELINE: If we wanted to kill you, we could have done so easily anytime we wished.
NIKITA: Then, why didn’t you?
MADELINE: We’ve asked that question many times. Perhaps, in the end, we value what you have.
NIKITA: What is it that you value that I have?
MADELINE: Your determination to live life to the fullest. In some ways, I envy you. But, now the time has come to pay the price. You’re going to be adjusted.
NIKITA: Adjusted?
MADELINE: Afterwards, you’ll still be a formidable operative, but not subject to certain distractions, which have hindered your performance in the past.
From another door, two operatives enter. One moves to Nikita side.
NIKITA: You’ve done this before. It doesn’t last.
The operative gives Nikita shot in the neck. Her eyes widened with shock, and she immediately becomes dizzy, wobbling, and hearing Madeline’s voice as though distorted.
MADELINE: This procedure is quite different from anything you’ve previously experienced. It involves chemical stimuli combined with electro…
Nikita tries to respond. As she speaks, her voice becomes sluggish, her words fade out.
NIKITA: I’m a human being. I can’t be erased… like a computer program…
She collapses, caught from falling by the two operatives.
MADELINE: We’ll see.
In another area, Michael approaches the rendezvous room. He turns the doorknob and flips on the light, but Nikita is not there. As he flips off the light, in the empty room…
Nikita is being slowly slid into the “adjustment” chamber. We see her flashback to her earliest memory of Section, when she was in the White Room. Then Michael’s image appears largely in her mind. She begins seeing all her memories of Section intermingled with images of Michael. As the adjustment takes, the image of Michael recedes further and further, until she no longer sees him in her mind’s eye. When the procedure is complete, her eyes close.
MUNITIONS
From Comm, Birkoff turns in his chair and watches as Giles equips operatives in Munitions. Birkoff sees the wall punch he gave Giles to work on sitting on the worktable. He continues to watch as operatives move out, and Giles turns to his worktable. From his pocket, Birkoff removes a small remote trigger, looks back at Giles, then back to the trigger, hesitating to push the button.
His attention is caught again, when one of the operatives returns to Munitions and yells angrily at Giles, shoving him against a wall.
OPERATIVE: Hey! I asked for a S3, not a N3!
The operative storms out, while Giles goes to his table, looking frazzled. Birkoff puts the trigger back in his pocket and heads over to Munitions.
BIRKOFF: Problem?
GILES: He says he asked for a S3, but he said N3, I know he did.
BIRKOFF: Don’t worry about it. They’re just testing you.
GILES: The truth is, everybody misses Walter. I mean, you’re the only one who’s been decent, and you were his best friend. I appreciate it, Birkoff. Thanks. I won’t forget this.
BIRKOFF: Don’t mention it.
Giles turns to the built in drawers, giving Birkoff the opportunity to pull out the trigger. He tries to line it up with the wall punch, but Giles turns to him.
GILES: Actually, a S3 would work just as well, but you want to give them what they ask for.
Birkoff quickly snatches the remote backup
BIRKOFF: Sure.
GILES: Maybe that was a mistake. I should give them what they need, not what they ask for.
Giles turns away again, and this time Birkoff lines the remote to the wall punch, presses the button, and moves away from the device. Suddenly, a loud explosive erupts. Birkoff is thrown to the floor. Alarms immediately sound.
GILES: Birkoff!
Giles rushes to Birkoff, and helps him up.
GILES: Are you all right? What happened?
Birkoff looks surprised, and blood drips down the side of his mouth.
BIRKOFF: I don’t know! The wall punch. Something must have been on the same frequency.
Operations storm up, looking at Giles fiercely.
OPERATIONS: What happened here?
GILES: The wall punch… it blew.
OPERATIONS: (angry) By itself?
GILES: (confused) Probably triggered by a compatible frequency. Those things are tricky. It could happen to anybody.
OPERATIONS: It didn’t happen to Walter in 35 years!
Operations looks at all the damage, while Birkoff shifts sly looks from Operations to Giles. Giles is bewildered and worried, as Operations glares at him.
GENEFEX MISSION
The tech, that has been following Michael, walks down a hallway, then opens a door to a stairwell. Michael reaches out and yanks him into stairwell, shoving him against the wall and pinning his arm up behind his back.
MICHAEL: What are you doing here?
TECH: What do you mean? I work here!
MICHAEL: You’re Section.
TECH: Section? What’s Section?
MICHAEL: I’ve trained a thousand operatives. You smell of Section.
TECH: Listen, get your hands off…
Michael breaks his arm easily.
MICHAEL: You still have one good arm. If you want to keep it, talk.
Michael grabs the other arm and pins it behind the tech’s back.
TECH: All right.
MICHAEL: Why are you here?
TECH: Backup team.
MICHAEL: Why wasn’t I told?
TECH: Preserve security in case of capture.
MICHAEL: You’re lying.
TECH: That’s what they told me, I swear.
MICHAEL: They also told you to keep an eye on me and Nikita.
TECH: Yes.
MICHAEL: Where is she?
TECH: I’m not sure.
Michael jacks his arm up higher on his back.
TECH: There was a shadow profile on my panel. It showed activity on the top floor.
MICHAEL: When?
TECH: Right about now.
MICHAEL: If you’re lying, I’ll kill you.
Michael releases the tech, and takes several flights of stairs at a full run. He comes to hallway Nikita last was, then opens the door to the empty room where Nikita was adjusted. Michael enters cautiously, looking around, but the area has been cleared. From the far end of the room, Nikita rounds a hall and approaches Michael, as if nothing has happened to her.
MICHAEL: Are you all right?
NIKITA: I’m fine. Operations sent me on a branch mission. There’s been a change in the main mission profile. We have to return to Section.
She moves past him to the door.
MICHAEL: Nikita.
He turns to her, and she stops and looks to him.
MICHAEL: Are you sure you’re all right?
She looks at him as if his question is odd.
NIKITA: Positive.
She opens the door and holds it for him to follow, but Michael turns to take another look around the room, before he follows Nikita out the door.
SYSTEMS
Again, Birkoff sits at a desk, while Michael and Nikita stand opposite the long table. Operations stands next to Nikita.
OPERATIONS: Birkoff.
The holo-screen appears and shows intel for the latest mission.
OPERATIONS: Ramon Khasa, middleman to a dozen terrorist groups in the Southern Hemisphere, and the reason we delayed destruction of the Genefex Plant.
Operations looks to his left and watches Nikita very closely.
BIRKOFF: The buyer’s list Nikita retrieved from the Genefex mainframe also listed near-term transactions. Khasa will be making a pickup in 24 hours. It’s the weekend, so collateral will be minimal.
OPERATIONS: We’ll take Khasa alive, then destroy the plant as originally planned. The new profiles will be on your panels. Good luck.
Operations walks out, followed by Nikita. Michael leaves in another direction.
MADELINE’S OFFICE
Madeline sits behind her desk; Operations sits in a chair before it.
OPERATIONS: I’m not as confident as you are that the procedure worked.
MADELINE: Why do you say that?
OPERATIONS: They didn’t seem any different at the briefing.
MADELINE: I was watching them on the monitor, and I disagree. Nikita was more focused on the mission, while Michael was repressing tension. In the past, it’s been the reverse. You didn’t notice?
OPERATIONS: No, I didn’t. Perhaps I’m slipping.
MADELINE: It’s possible I’m reaching, though I doubt it.
OPERATIONS: I propose we use the next Khasa mission as a beta test.
MADELINE: If we change the profile, they may suspect something and alter their behavior.
OPERATIONS: Then, we’ll improvise.
We flash forward to Comm and see it busy with the upcoming mission activity.
OPERATIONS voice: Let’s see if she’s willing to kill Michael.
KHASA MISSION
Birkoff slides his chair over to a monitor, upon which we see three men enter the Genefex building.
BIRKOFF: Khasa just entered the building.
Michael and his team dressed in black mission attire enter the laboratory and take their positions, kneeling low so as to lie in wait.
BIRKOFF: Red Team, hold your position.
Now Nikita and other operatives take their positions. Aral and his men descend a set of stairs and head to join Khasa and his men. The men meet up, and an exchange occurs, as the Section operatives watch from their hidden positions. Large cases change hands, the parties break up.
NIKITA: The exchange is complete.
BIRKOFF: Blue Team, set the charges.
We see charges being set about the laboratory. Khasa and his men prepare to exit the front doors of the building.
BIRKOFF: Go.
An operative throws out a gas canister at Khasa and his men’s feet in the lobby. Gas immediately fills the air, and the three men begin choking. They pull their guns, but can’t see in the blinding gas plumes. Section operatives wearing gas masks converge and fire at them.
In the lab, Michael and his men exchange gunfire with Aral and his men. They take out several men, including Aral.
Outside, we see Khasa being escorted out of the building. Nikita runs out.
NIKITA: We have the target.
BIRKOFF: The building is hot. All teams exit.
Michael’s team begins moving out, but Michael is delayed by incoming hostiles at every turn. He shoots his way from point to point.
Flash to Section – Operations’ Loft
OPERATIONS: Can Michael get clear?
MADELINE: Yes, but Nikita doesn’t know it.
OPERATIONS: Birkoff, tell Nikita to destroy the plant.
BIRKOFF: Nikita, push the button.
Back to Genefex
She is outside a safe distance for the building.
NIKITA: Is Michael out?
From Comm
BIRKOFF: He should be.
At Genefex
NIKITA: Is he, or isn’t he?
From Section
OPERATIONS: Press the button. That’s a direct order.
Back at Genefex
Nikita looks at the trigger.
From Section
OPERATIONS: (angry) Nikita, press the button.
Back at Genefex
She hesitates, but presses the button. The building explodes.
Back to Section
Madeline turns to Operations.
MADELINE: She obeyed.
OPERATIONS: She hesitated.
MADELINE: Not for long. She’s still repressing. Next time, she won’t hesitate at all.
Operations is not pleased with the results.
MUNITIONS
Birkoff walks into the Main Area and sees Walter at his worktable in Munitions. He heads for him.
BIRKOFF: Walter. Welcome back!
Birkoff puts a arm around Walter’s shoulder, clearly happy to see his friend.
WALTER: (sullen) Yeah, thanks.
BIRKOFF: (confused) You okay?
WALTER: Yeah, I’m fine.
BIRKOFF: They, uh… they didn’t… remove anything too vital…
WALTER: (irritated) I told you I’m fine.
BIRKOFF: The guy they replaced you with was a real loser. (Whispers) I set off a wall punch in here and made it look like it was his fault.
WALTER: (raises his voice) Well, why didn’t you just stay out of it?
BIRKOFF: (shocked) What are you talking about? I saved you!
WALTER: Well, who asked you to?
BIRKOFF: (dumbfounded) What are you saying?
WALTER: I’m saying it was fantastic.
BIRKOFF: It wasn’t that bad?
WALTER: No. It was heaven.
Birkoff hangs his head and pinches the bridge of his nose under his glasses.
WALTER: It was better than that. All the dreams I ever had came to life.
BIRKOFF: It was a trick. It had to be.
WALTER: All I know is I wish I was there right now, instead of here.
Birkoff turns away, at a loss.
WALTER: (reminiscing) Oh, my. I, uh…
Walter snaps out of his reverie, looking at Birkoff.
WALTER: I’ve got a lot of catching up to do, so I will talk with you later.
BIRKOFF: Yeah. Fine.
Birkoff walks off slowly, bewildered.
OPERATIONS’ LOFT
Operations and Madeline stand before wall monitors reviewing the mission tapes.
OPERATIONS: There. Michael was out before she pushed the detonator.
MADELINE: But, it wasn’t clear to Nikita. Her field of vision stopped one degree to the north.
OPERATIONS: With what certainty?
MADELINE: Over 90%.
OPERATIONS: It’s inconclusive.
MADELINE: Certainty will come with time. Meanwhile, we have to read the signs. For instance, Nikita left Section an hour ago, even though Michael was looking for her.
OPERATIONS: Play-acting. They’ve done that before, and kept right on seeing each other.
Madeline turns away, her expression annoyed.
Below in the Main Area, they see Michael walk by. He sees them and looks at them with a baleful glance, before continuing on his way.
NIKITA'S APARTMENT
Nikita stands before a wall, painting it white. A knock raps at her front door and she turns toward it. In the monitor, she sees Michael standing in the hall. She goes and opens the door.
NIKITA: Hello.
MICHAEL: Hi.
NIKITA: What are you doing here?
She moves away from the door. He enters, looking about the interior.
MICHAEL: I wanted to see you.
He closes the door.
NIKITA: (distant) Yeah?
She returns to her painting.
NIKITA: They’re watching the apartment, you know.
MICHAEL: I know.
He walks over to her and stands behind her left shoulder, reaching out to feel her hair in his fingers. She moves away from him abruptly, going to reload her roller, then back to the wall. Michael pauses at her rejection of him, then moves to her right side. His hand moves up to rest at the back of her neck. She looks at him.
MICHAEL: What did they do to you?
NIKITA: Nothing.
She tries to keep painting, but he takes her wrist and forces her to drop the roller. He forces her to face him. He gazes at her face; his expression worried. He knows Section did something to her.
He stokes her faces tenderly, and with his eyes studies every inch of her face lovingly. He leans in to kiss her, and she responds a moment before pulling back, her arms clenched before her. He takes her upper arms in his hands.
MICHAEL: Tell me.
She yanks out of his hold.
NIKITA: I don’t know. I don’t remember.
Michael looks at her so sadly with tears in eyes. Nikita is also tearful. She closes her eyes a moment, and he reaches for her hand and tries to caress it. She jerks away from him, but looks steadily into his eyes.
NIKITA: Don’t. It doesn’t work. I don’t love you anymore.
Michael expression is devastated, his eyes tear-filled. He closes his eyes a moment at her words. Then he turns and walks out. She watches him go, looking as miserable as he.
The screen fades to black.
MICHAEL'S VOICE: I won’t let them do this.
The End
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