Michael: Team two...the target is entering the park...keep him in sight.
Nikita folded up her newspaper, and standing up, laid the paper down on the bench that she had just occupied. As she places her floppy hat on her head, she takes our her gloves, and works her hands into them. Then, pulling her collar up around her neck, she moves to her next mark. Once there, she reaches up and lightly touches the comm link on her ear.
Nikita: Team Three...no sign of the target yet...moving to second mark.
As Nikita starts across the playground, she notices a group of children playing catch. As she turns to look at them, their ball flies across the playground, and lands at Nikita’s feet. Bending down to pick it up, Nikita sees a little brown haired girl, approaching her tentatively. Nikita stands up, with the ball in her hand, and smiles. The child smiles back, brightly. Nikita tosses the ball to the little girl, and she catches it, returning to play with the other children.
At that moment, a pulse comes over Nikita’s comm link.
Michael: Nikita...you should have visual.
Nikita touches the comm link, and sends a pulse of acknowledgment. As she scans the area of the park, her eyes fall on the target...Anton Rosso...a terrorist for hire. He appears to be meeting with his contact right on schedule...making the rest of the intel they had seem just as reliable. Which meant...by capturing Anton Rosso...as well as his contact...they would be even that much closer to their end game...the complete destruction of RED CELL.
Nikita scans the park for any anomalies, then slowly proceeds to make her way towards the target. As she gets within a few yards of them, a black car comes down the street, at a slow speed, and Nikita turns. The front passenger side window of the car rolls down, and the end of a gun can be seen protruding from the window. Nikita, knowing that the target must Anton and his contact, touches her comm link.
Nikita: Michael...we have a new player. A black vehicle...and it appears to have a shooter inside.
Nikita’s comm link crackles for a moment, then a familiar voice comes over it.
Michael: Team Four...drop back...team two...secure the perimeters.
Nikita, with a confused look on her face, waits a few seconds before she continues.
Nikita: Michael...what about the civilians...the children?
There is a moments silence...then as the comm unit crackles, Michael speaks.
Michael: They are acceptable collateral...
Just then the gun in the car started firing. One bullet hit Nikita in the upper left thigh, while another hit her just grazed her right lung. She went down like a rag doll.
Seeing this, Michael runs out to Nikita while firing at the shooter who is now pulling away.
Michael: Nikita!!!
Harper: Michael, we have to get back now!!! Operations is fuming.
Michael: NO!!! We take her with us!
With that, Michael picks Nikita up carefully in his arms and carries her the short distance to where the van pulled up.
Harper: I don't think that this is a very good idea.
Michael: Who cares?
Just then the van door shuts and they take off for Section.
Michael: Tell Birkoff to have MedTech ready when we get there... Nikita's been injured.
Harper glares at Michael.
Harper: We compromised the mission, Michael. Don't you realize that? How can you be so calm? We missed our mark, and we failed. Operations is fuming. You have some explaining to do.
Michael does not look at Harper. He is checking Nikita's pulse. At first, he cannot find one, and he begins to panic inside. After a few moments he is able to make out a very weak heartbeat. He begins to wonder just how bad the internal bleeding might be.
Harper: Did you hear me Michael?
Michael looks at Harper coldly.
Michael: Yes. I heard you. It could not have been prevented. The sniper knew we would be there. He aimed right at our operative. There was no way Red Cell could have intercepted this intel, unless they received their information from a source inside Section.
Harper regards Michael with a blank stare.
Harper: You can make excuses for your performance all you want. I doubt Operations will be as sympathetic.
The van careens into Section as Harper and Michael sit in cold silence. Operations is waiting, a stern frown etched into his features as the occupants of the van unload and enter Section.
"Sir, she is dying." Michael says sternly and Operations stares at him.
"You disobeyed orders." Operations says as he pushes the gurney backwards and Michael blank stares Operations.
"He didn't disobey orders... Michael, get Nikita to Medical now." Madeline says as she walks around the corner and Operations stares at her. Michael walks up the short hallway and pulls the gurney down the hallway. None of the operatives move until Madeline stares at them. Suddenly, a mass of operatives help Michael settle the barely stable Nikita onto the gurney.
"It occurred as you said it would." Michael says as he moves down the hallway with Nikita. Madeline nods her head and stares at Operations.
"What is going on, Madeline.” Operations demands as he walks down the hall, following behind the running gurney.
"We had intel that we could have had a leak. I needed the proof.. and I needed to start to eliminate possible leaks. You are no longer on the list.” Madeline says as the gurney suddenly stops.
"FLAT LINE!!!” An operative screams.
"CHARGING!!!"
"CLEAR!!!!"
And all operatives look to the device as time stands still....
The medical technicians were still working on Nikita. Michael mind was in a whirl. "Please, please, Nikita ... you've got to pull through. I can't make it without you. I need you. Please, please." Just then the monitor started to make that blessed blipping sound and Nikita actually had a heartbeat again. They hurried her to MedLab and Michael and Madeline followed. Operations had returned to his office and was debriefing Harper.
Once Nikita was stabilized, the doctor came to talk to Madeline and Michael. "She is in bad shape. Her leg will heal just fine, but the other bullet punctured her lung." The doctor looked to Michael saying, "She lost a lot of blood before you got her here. She is in critical condition. She has also slipped into a coma. If she survives the next 24 hours, she will have a fighting chance. However, the longer she stays in the coma, the worse it will be.”
Madeline thanked the doctor and turned to Michael. "Michael, we need to talk. Let's go to my office." Michael looked at Madeline and refused to budge. She tried again, "Michael I know you want to be here, but you really can't help her right now. The doctors will let us know if anything changes." She then took hold of Michael's arm and started to turn him away. Michael whirled around at her in a clear rage. "Take you hands off me! I AM NOT LEAVING!”
Madeline realized she had made a grave mistake. She knew the only way to get Michael away from Nikita now was to send him after the person who put her in MedLab in the first place. She tried to placate him. "Michael, we need to get the person that did this to Nikita. You were there. We need your intel. You can return as soon as we have everything we need.” Michael stared at Nikita for a long time, then turned to Madeline, and said "Fine. Let's go.”
Entering Madeline's office, she asked Michael to explain exactly how everything happened. Michael explained everything point by point. When he got to the part where Nikita was shot, he paused. Madeline, picking up on his hesitation, asked "Michael what is it? Did you remember something new?" Michael decided to keep the information to himself and take care of the problem himself. Besides, he wanted to get back to Nikita ASAP and Section plans took too long. He would take care of this himself. He finished his debrief with Madeline and left her office.
As Michael headed down the hallway towards his office, he noticed that Harper was still in with Operations. Michael seethed when he thought about Harper and the way he acted when Nikita had been shot. "Focus," he told himself. "The only way to get this person is to focus completely." With that, he entered his office, called MedLab to check on Nikita, and then started to work out his plan.
"What happened Nikita?" she thought. She knew Michael was withholding information to exact his own revenge. Her worries were centralized on the nagging idea that it could have been Harper. If it were him, Michael would kill him with no remorse.
The problem of course was that Harper had recently become a pet project of Operations. This was a boiling cauldron of trouble. And unless Nikita recovered, Michael would see that Section paid. That would encompass all of Section. Unless Nikita lived she knew that Michael would kill indiscriminately until he was canceled or killed by an opponent.
With one last look at the girl, she unconsciously willed her to live. If she died so would the Soul of Section One, Michael would see to that.
She left MedLab with strict instructions that she was to be notified of any changes in Nikita. Madeline made it painfully clear that if Michael found out anything first, the person who told him would be canceled. Satisfied she had done all she could, she went in search of Operations.
Birkoff: But we ran all the sims...and this is not one of the probable outcomes. I don't understand how we could have been so far off.
Operations: Could it have been the intel? Could we have gotten it wrong? I want some answers.
Birkoff poked nervously at his keyboard...while the images on his monitor flashed by at a rapid rate. He tried and tried to figure out what wrong...but Madeline knew it would all be to no avail. She had her suspicions before the mission who the mole was...and now with the current predicament...she was willing to bet her life on it.
As she came up behind Operations, she softly cleared her throat. As she did, Operations stood up straight and turned around, greeting her with a smile.
Operations: Madeline...is there something I can do for you?
Madeline smiled back, and slowly nodded her head. Operations, knowing the look, turned back to Birkoff.
Operations: Birkoff...keep on this. If you come up with anything...I will be in the observation deck.
With that, Operations turned back to Madeline, and smiles.
Operations: Shall we?
Madeline, waiting a moment, turns and heads off across the lobby, towards the observation deck, with Operations close behind.
Once they are in the observation deck, Operations picks up his remote control, and hitting a button, darkens the windows. Madeline turns to him, with no expression on her face.
Operations: So we can have a little privacy. Now...what is this about?
Madeline walks over to the window, and gazes out over the lobby. As she starts to speak, she chooses her words carefully, knowing that where she is headed could be dangerous territory.
Madeline: We need to talk about your pet project.
Operations just smiles.
Operations: My pet project?
Madeline turns and looks at Operations.
Madeline: Yes...Harper.
Operations chuckles.
Operations: Why do we need to discuss him?
Madeline looks at Operations, and unflinchingly answers.
Madeline: Because...as it stands now...if what I suspect is true...his days are numbered.
Madeline: What happened on this last mission was not a mistake or a fault in intel. Someone here has been working with the enemy.
Operations: That can't be! Harper would not do such a thing!
Madeline circles Operations the way she does someone that she is interrogating.
Madeline: Are you so sure about that? How do you know?
Operations: He is loyal to Section.
Madeline: If you ignore my warnings on this, you are going to end up with a major disaster here. Do you want another episode of what happened with Red Cell?
Operations: How could you compare this with that episode?
Madeline: Quite simply, we had an operative supply Red Cell with our directory. This mission, the enemy targeted one of our operatives without hesitation. They knew who they were going after. We have to do something before this gets out of hand.
With that Madeline turns and walks out of the Observation Deck.
***Meanwhile in MedLab***
Michael: What do you mean I am not to know how Nikita is progressing???!!!
Johnson: Madeline gave me strict orders that she is to get all updates on Nikita's condition before you do.
Michael pulls out his gun and shoves it into Johnson's face.
Michael: You tell me how she is doing now or I will kill you.
Johnson: I'm sorry sir, I can't do that.
Just then Madeline walks into MedLab.
Michael lowers the gun and turns to stare at Madeline. His eyes are bloodshot from lack of sleep. Madeline can tell he's clearly losing it... teetering too close to the edge.
Madeline: Michael, I think you'd better go home now.
Michael: I can't leave. Not until…
He turns and looks at Nikita, his face soft with emotion.
Michael: Not until I know she'll be all right.
Madeline puts a hand on his shoulder, her face softening into the closest thing to a smile she can muster.
Madeline: Nikita will be fine. She will progress at the same rate whether you are here or whether you are at home. No go, and get some rest.
Michael's shoulders go lax, his gun dropping at his side. He knows she is correct, and sleep sounds so inviting.
Michael: Perhaps I'll go lie down in my office for a while…
Madeline: I said to go home, Michael. Don't try me.
Michael takes one long, last look at Nikita before he turns for the door.
Michael: I want immediate notification should anything change.
Madeline (nodding her head in agreement): Of course.
Operations sits in his office, runs a thick Cuban Cigar under his nose and slips it between his teeth. He swivels in his overstuffed chair, closes his eyes, and breathes deeply in contentment. A shadow is cast across his face, and he opens his eyes to see Madeline standing in the doorway.
Madeline (abruptly): I have a plan.
Operations sits for a moment, half ignoring her. After her attack on Harper's character, Operations is feeling a little bit resentful in behalf of his prized pupil.
Ops (dryly): So what is this "plan" you've come up with, Madeline?
Madeline: It's the ONLY way to prove whether or not Harper is what you believe him to be.
Ops: All right, I'm listening.
Madeline: It will take some very careful planning.... And it involves Nikita.
Operations turns to look at her full on, his eyes devoid of emotion.
Ops: Go on…
Operations gets up, shuts the door to his office. When Michael returns to Section nine hours later, he can immediately tell something is wrong. He rushes to MedLab as soon as he realizes what is out-of-place. The gurney is stripped, the equipment turned off. Nikita is gone.
Desperately, Michael turns from the MedLab door in search of any MedTech that might know what is happening. After a few moments of futile searching, he bursts into Madeline's office, his face red with fury.
Michael: Where is Nikita?
Madeline looks at Michael blankly.
Madeline: There was an accident shortly after you left…
Michael: What do you mean? What 'accident'?
Madeline looks directly at Michael, a look of near-pity in her otherwise compassionless eyes.
Madeline: Michael... Nikita is dead...
"YOU! YOU HAD HER KILLED!” Michael hisses as his anger grows. He can't stop it. There is no rational thought.
Michael uses one hand and pushes Madeline against the wall harder again. Madeline's eyes open at the raw emotion in his eyes. At times, she had doubted what Michael truly felt, and now it may be the last thing she remembered before she died.
"Michael.. put me down..” Madeline says and he doesn't even move. He stares into her eyes and pushes her neck harder against the wall. Madeline's vision starts to blur as she feels nothing below her neck now.
"THEY CAN KILL ME.... I HAVE NOTHING TO LIVE FOR!” Michael hisses and suddenly something drops from the other side of the room.
Michael drops Madeline to the floor and turns. Madeline stumbles to her desk and looks forward.
"I don't feel so good..." Nikita mumbles as she stumbles out from the hidden panel in nothing more than the flimsy MedLab gown. Nikita stops and starts to fall again. Michael grasps her and Madeline sits down at her desk.
So much for that plan.
Michael, holding Nikita in his arms, glares at Madeline.
"What is going on?” Michael asks and then stops. He understands. He pushes the fake panel back and places Nikita onto the bed. He simply presses the button for MedLab and turns to Madeline. He stares and walks out of the office.
"Michael! Stop! I will have you canceled!” Madeline calls out and then sits down at the desk.
Maybe it was just better Michael's way.
Operations had seen Michael storming from Madeline’s office. He immediately headed to see Madeline.
Operations: "What the devil is going on here, Madeline. I thought you said you had a plan that would work. Now Michael goes off looking like a one-man kamikaze squad. Where is he going? And what happened to you?”
Madeline: "I'm fine. Michael was a little 'disturbed' when I told him that Nikita was dead. However, Nikita appeared unexpectedly and blew that story wide open. Now Michael knows what we are planning and he is off for his own revenge. We must find out about Harper now before Michael takes him out. If he is innocent and Michael cancels him, he will never forgive himself, that is, if you let him live long enough to regret it."
Operations was seething at this point. His pet project was about to be canceled without so much as a shred of evidence. He wanted Michael stopped and he wanted it done now.
Operations: "Birkoff. I want a total Section lock-down immediately. No one gets in and no one gets out. I mean NO ONE! Do you understand?”
Birkoff: "Yes sir. I'm doing it right now.”
With the punch of a button on his computer, Birkoff had Section in a total lock-down. Everyone who was here was staying. Anyone outside would just have to wait until Operations got over whatever was eating at him to get back into Section.
Back in Madeline's office…
Madeline: "It doesn't matter that you have locked-down Section. You know Michael will now go into his own mandatory refusal. He will not rest until the person who set up Nikita is canceled. He happens to believe it was Harper. And in his current state of mind, I don't think Michael will look too hard to find any evidence to prove it wasn't him.”
Operations: "I want him found and stopped now. Drug him if you have to. He is not to get near Harper unless we have solid proof. I want you to work around the clock and find the evidence one way or the other. Section is becoming chaotic. We have got to get this under control!”
Just then Madeline's intercom buzzed. It was MedLab. "Ma'am, you requested an update on Nikita. She has taken a turn for the worse. Her pulse is thready and her blood pressure is dropping. We are losing her. Should I inform Michael?”
Madeline: "No. I will tell Michael. You just make sure that Nikita lives. Let me know as soon as she is stable.”
In MedLab, the doctor puts down the phone with a shaky hand. There is a hand with the gun at his head. "Okay, Michael, I did what you asked. Now will you please put the gun down and let me take care of Nikita."
