Scene 11
Nikita is talking with Walter, who has heard the rumors. Walter is fidgeting with another gadget.
'Walter do you know what's going on?' Nikita is seated on a table with her legs straight out in front of her.
'Hmmmm...there was some stuff a while back that I think-,' Walter starts, still looking at his gadget. 'Why Nikita?' Walter suddenly looks up. His eyes penetrating.
Nikita looks away.
'No reason really.' Nikita replies feigning casualness. 'Just curious that's all.' She looks around casually. 'I mean Madeline and Ops aren't saying anything.'
'Then I don't think I'd better either then.' Walter looks at Nikita again and back down to his gadget.
Nikita sighs, looks down at Walter. She swings her legs down. She opens her mouth briefly to say something else, but changes her mind and leaves.
Nikita is alone. She is standing looking down through a window at other Operatives go through training. She flashes back to Micheal's face when he saw Nickel.
'Nikita.' A feminine voice calls.
Nikita slowly turns her head. She sees another female operative.
'Operations is looking for you. There is a briefing. It's as soon as you can get there.' The girl hesitates. Then she says, 'I have to find Nickel too.' She doesn't look at Nikita.
'I'll get her.' Nikita says quietly.
'No, there's something Operatives wants me to tell her.' The girl is uneasy.
'Okay let's go.' Nikita turns and walks away, leaving the girl to follow.
They walk through a series of hallways. Then Nikita stops at a door. She knocks.
'Yes?' Nickel calls out. 'You can enter.'
Nikita enters with the girl.
'Operations wants to see us.' Nikita states.
'Joy,' Nickel says just loud enough for Nikita to hear. She looks past Nikita and sees the girl. 'Hi. As you probably already know, I'm Nickel.' She says openly and genuinely.
'Karen.' Is the blunt response. 'We have to get going.'
They walk out the room. Karen is in the lead as Nikita and Nickel walk side by side.
'Are you all right?' Nikita asks quietly.
'Fine.' Nickel smiles at Nikita. 'There is a little pain, but not nearly as much as earlier. A lot of the pain was probably caused from my flight on the helicopter. I'll take a mild pain killer if the briefing doesn't do it for me.' Nickel says dryly. At Nikita’s startled look, Nickel says, 'If the briefing doesn't put me to sleep, I don't think the pain killer will.' Then Nickel breaks out in a large grin that tells Nikita that she is just joking.
'Of course, I could just knock you out. That would work too.' Nikita says grinning herself.
Nickel looks at Nikita, then they both start laughing.
They are unaware of the curious glances from other operatives. They watch both covertly and outright as they walk through the compound together.
Nikita realizes that they are outside of the briefing room and notices that Karen has disappeared. She stops outside of the door and looks around. She mentally shrugs. Nikita looks in the briefing room and notices that only Operatives is in the room despite the fact that it was supposed to start as soon as she got there. She starts to walk in, but stops as she sees that Nickel has walked in and walked straight to Operatives. Their faces reveal nothing except an outward friendliness. They talk for a while in low voices. Occasionally Nickel would make a gesture. The gestures are stilted and tells Nikita plainly that despite the calm facade, Nickel is agitated. Nikita looks closer and sees the slight stiffness of Operations shoulders and stance that says that he too is obviously not pleased with the conversation. Nikita looks again at Nickel. Again her face looks congenial. Not strained or even blank. Nikita readjusts her thinking of this girl.
'No.' Operations says loudly and walks away from Nickel towards Nikita who is still just outside of the door. She looks down as Operatives nears, but looks up as he starts to address her.
'Stay here.' Operations says briefly. His face is normal. Cold and revealing nothing. He walks past her and out of sight.
Nikita hesitates.
'He's been doing a lot of that lately.' A voice behind her says.
Only Nikita's head moves, looking over her shoulder and out of the corner of her eye, to identify the speaker. Her face carefully bored. It's Karen.
'Doing what?' Nikita asks.
'Walking away. Haven't you noticed? Ever since she came,' gesturing in the room to Nickel, who has now seated herself at the table, staring at a white wall lost in thought. 'Since she came, Operations has walked away from you, Micheal, Madeline, and her, whereas before, you would have been the one dismissed.' Looking at Nikita she says, 'You haven't noticed have you?' Her voice is slightly amused.
'When did he walk away from Madeline?' Nikita starts, but stops as she sees Operations, Madeline, Micheal and several other operatives walking towards her. She looks at Karen, only to discover that she's gone. She straightens and walks into the room. She sits to the left of Nickel just as The others enter.
'Be seated and let's start.' Operations and Madeline assume their places on the other side of the table opposite Nickel and Nikita.
Micheal assumes the seat to the right of Nickel, subtly scooting his chair closer to Nickel. Nikita hears this and watches carefully. The other operatives take seats while others stand behind them.
'In case you are wondering why so many of you are here, it's because a lot of you are going to go in on this.' Operations looks around that the operatives. His glance landing on everyone, but lingering on Micheal's and Nickel's. 'We are going to have to go through this in stages at the same time. A coordinated strike at five different locations.'
A murmur runs through the room. Nikita moves her eyes, around the room. Her head doesn't move. She looks at Nickel and sees no reaction. Micheal has the exact same look on his face. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Operation frown and hold his hand up.
'There is a new terrorist group in the making. It's called 'Gold Legion'. They have several bases around the world. The communicate via the internet with coded messages in various languages. We knew that there was a new group, but they were careful not to reveal anything in their correspondence. We intercepted and decoded on of their messages. They must have guessed, because for a year and a half, our operatives in Europe, where we think their main headquarters is located, were turning up dead after infiltrating their ranks. They are good. Very good. But we have to be better.' Operations looks around the room. His face serious.
Madeline sits at his side, patiently, quietly watching everyone. Micheal is still sitting ram rod straight in his chair. His eyes looking straight at Operatives, not at Nickel beside him, or Nikita. Nickel is indolently has one arm up on the table facing away from Nikita, propped up on her hand. Her very posture says boredom.
'Nickel,' Operatives starts again, 'has been under cover in Europe for four months.' He glances at Nickel before saying, 'Nickel, would you tell them about the bases and what you told me.'
Madeline looks from Operatives to Nickel, surprised evident on her face. Micheal stiffens even more and looks reluctantly at Nickel. A faint look crosses his face. It is gone before Nikita can recognize it. Another murmur runs through the room at this surprise. Nickel, plainly startled straightens and says.
'Uh. Okay.' She shoots a look at Operations. She continues, 'As Ops has said, they have several bases. One in the US, Canada, Japan, Australia and Europe. We aren't completely sure exactly where their bases are in those countries.' She licks her lips and shoots a nervous glance at Micheal. Under the table Micheal hesitantly takes her hand in a gentle grip of reassurance. 'The one in the US is somewhere on the East coast. Major cities. They haven't bothered with smaller cities. They know that in large cities large varying people going in and out of the city regularly is nothing to worry about. But smaller cities, it's too obvious. Canada, we think it's Montreal. The fraction in Japan is in Osaka. They are the economic portion of the group. They watch prices, current news, let the headquarters know what to hit and how it'll most likely affect them and the industries. What industries, I don't know. Australia and Europe we are certain about. The Australian one is in Melbourne. Europe is the main headquarters. It's located in Paris, France.' She looks at Operatives.
'Even now, Birkoff is working on decoding a disk that was brought to us. The agent was able to get the locations of these bases, we just have to decode it. As soon as we get the information, I want your teams ready to go. You will go to the local sub-base and await final destinations. If you are in a city where there is no base of ours, local fractions that know about their actions, will help you.' Operations looks around. Indicating to one of the standing men, 'John, your team will head out to Japan.' He looks to another man, 'Charlie, your team, Australia. Madeline will lead a group to the US location.' Operations looks at Micheal and then at another member of the section. 'Bartley, you and your team will go to Canada.' Operations looks long at Micheal, Nickel and Nikita. 'Micheal, you and your team, including Nickel, will go to Paris.' having made his decision, he stands up and says, 'this may be on of the hardest operations we have to pull. Be on your guard and watch each others backs. The local bases are just information pools. They will not be going with you, but will be a back up in case something goes wrong.' Operations turns silently and then leaves.
Madeline rises as the voices in the room begin to grow loud with excitement and forbearing. She begins to speak and the voices quiet.
'Walter will give all of you extra ammunition and back up weapons. We cannot stress the importance of each assault starting at the very same moment. From what few reports we have received, they keep in close communication with the other bases. If even one is warned, we may lose everything. Timing is the key to this mission.' Madeline, having given her speech, looks at each member. 'Be ready in three hours.' Then she leaves.
Slowly people trickle out of the room. They are still talking about the upcoming mission. A few go over to Birkoff, trying to find out if he can tell anything yet. They are told curtly, by a cross Birkoff, to 'Go away. I'm trying to do some work here.' Birkoff is frustrated. The code is complicated and it's taking Birkoff a long time to come up with the decoding solution. Impatient gestures, stabbing at the keyboard, grunts of pleasure followed by barely recognizable curses, tell everyone how frustrated Birkoff is.
Only Nikita, Nickel and Micheal are still in the room. Not a single person has moved. Micheal is still holding on to Nickel's hand.
'Dom-, Micheal. We need to talk.' Nickel says hesitantly.
'Okay, we have time. Niki-,' Micheal starts to say.
'No. Wait. I have to talk to Operations first.' Seeing Micheal's questioning look at this request, Nickel quickly says, 'I have to talk to him Micheal.' She gets up slowly. As she stands, Nikita can see their linked hands. Nickel slowly backs away, and Micheal's hand slowly slips from her grasp. As soon as their fingers no longer touched, Nickel turns around and walks out the door.
Micheal tilts his head back and lets out a breath of air.
'Micheal?' Nikita says uncertainly.
Micheal looks at Nikita. His face a blank mask, obviously hiding the feeling.
'Not now Nikita. Not now.' Micheal's soft voice sounds tired and lonely. He gets up and walks out.
Nikita's face has a hurt look on it. Then she gets up and walks out the door.
In the main room, Nikita looks around. The computers are buzzing with information. People are scurrying about. Some are gathering information form the computers, while others are getting ready for the mission. Birkoff is staring intently at his computer, typing furiously. Every so often, Birkoff will lift his head, just to scowl at the screen again. Nikita looks up at Operations usual spot. There she sees Nickel and Operations in another argument. Nickel is pointing down in short sharp gestures. Nikita, reading Nickel's lips, reads, 'Right now! Not later. Now.'
'Nikita!' Nikita turns to see Walter. 'Come on Sugar. You gotta get ready.' Walter waits for Nikita to follow. Nikita follows slowly. just before walking into the hallway, she turns to where Operations and Nickel were arguing. Nickel is gone, but Operations is looking right at Nikita. Nikita turns and follows Walter.
Scene 15
Beginning
Section One headquarters. People are running, or walking quickly to transports. They are checking weapons and securing them to themselves. Ammunition is checked and double checked and Operations looks on from above. Birkoff is still hunched over his computer a scowl on his face. Occasionally punching the keyboard with unnecessary force, and muttering under his breath. He stops briefly and looks around. He rubs the back of his neck, then removes his glasses. Rubbing the spot between his eyes, trying to relief some of the built up stress, he glances up at Operatives. Operatives, feeling Birkoff looking at him, turns to look at Birkoff. He and Birkoff look steadily at each other for a while. An unwritten message goes between them. Operations nods and goes back to watching his people preparing for a mission. One they have to win.
Nikita and Micheal are dressed for action. Nikita in black pants, a tight black sweater and a loose black jacket with many pockets. Micheal is dressed in his usual black. Madeline comes strolling out in dark brown pants, and a dark brown sweater. She pauses by Micheal and Nikita.
'Good luck. And be strong.' Madeline says before continuing towards the awaiting transports. With a gesture, a team of people file behind her to the transports.
'What did she mean by that?' Nikita asks Micheal.
Micheal doesn't answer. Nikita, noticing that he is looking past her, turns and sees Nickel. She too is in black. She is wearing black leggings that cling to her legs. Her black sweater hugs her body, making her appear at a first glance, frail and too innocent for this cruel job. A second glance however, would register the semi-automatic gun in her hand, extra ammunition tucked in a belt attached to her waist. They also couldn't help but notice the wicked serrated knife hanging on her belt in a sheath.
'Operations wants everyone else to be gone before we leave.' She states before turning back the way she came.
'Madeline just means that this is going to be a hard mission for us all.' Micheal's blunt voice respond to Nikita's earlier question.
Nikita looks back at the scurrying operatives, but glances back over her shoulder at Operations. He is talking with someone. Nikita looks closer. The person steps forward and Nikita sees that it is Nickel.
On the transport to Paris. Another transport behind. Show two helicopters flying.
Micheal, Nickel and three other Operatives besides them. Nikita and four other on other side. All wearing headsets. They are talking about the upcoming mission. Rather Nickel is talking and they are listening.
'The base is underground. The main entrance is located above ground. There is a building. There is a tunnel leading from the building’s basement to the compound. However, there is a secret way into the building. There also is a secret entrance through a rock slide. A large boulder is rigged so that it can easily move aside.' Nickel looks around to see if they are following her. 'The main entrance, the one through the building is always heavily guarded. A shelf pulls away from the wall and you are greeted by a large team of men with guns trained on you. Since it takes a while to move the shelf aside the guards have a lot of time to get ready. That is out. When I was there, before I was captured, the secret entrance wasn't that guarded. they could go with only passing a few people along the way. Since I was captured and left out to die, they might have it heavily guarded and be ready for us just in case.' Nickel pauses reading the faces of the operatives. 'Both those entrances are definently out.'
'Then how are we supposed to get in?' Nikita asks over the roar of the helicopter.
'The ventilation shafts. They run through the building above, and to the compound.' nickel says simply.
'That's crazy! Well be crimped up in there. I say we take the secret entrance, or open the main door, throw a bomb inside and shoot our way in.' Another operative says from his seat beside Nikita.
'Yeah and while we are doing that everyone in the compound will be there to greet us before we get through the first team. They are good. The compound is set up in the very middle. The middle and main compound in the very middle, can be shut off from the outer corridors. There are corridors that lead off in every direction, but those are just store rooms, and sleeping rooms. However it is very easy to get from one end of the compound to another. Also from the main computer, you can shut all the corridors down, as well as lock the ventilation shafts. Lock them tight. If we attack the main corridors, everything is going to get shut down. Our chances along with it. We will be dead and they will still be operating.' Nickel looks around. 'Micheal?'
'Let's hear more about your plan.' Micheal says briefly.
'On the building's roof, there is the entrance to the ventilation shaft. We can enter through there. We have to go through a long ways, but it will take us right to the middle of their compound, to the main room. If we do it right, we should be able to get down quick enough to take the main room. We can close the main room off and seal everyone else in. But we will need a few people to attack one of the entrances. We need to draw some of the people out. To get them ready for fight when they reach the end of the corridor, not when someone drops down on their heads.'
'What then?' Nikita asks.
Nickel looks gravely at Nikita.
'Then we do what we have to do.'
Things falls silent.
fade out
Various shots of helicopters landing, people getting out, unloading equipment, and disappearing into their surroundings or going to the Sections sub-bases and waiting for Birkoff's signal and information.
Another shot shows Madeline at a lap top computer, in a sub-base. It looks just like their headquarters, except that the is no Birkoff manning his post.
Section One's main headquarters, shows the remaining operatives watching Birkoff work on the code. Operations is checking on the progress of the operatives and verifying that they are all in position and awaiting further directions. He looks down at Birkoff, silently urging him for speed.
Time passes slowly.
In Paris at the sub-base. This one too is similar to their main headquarters. They are all in a room. Waiting.
'Uh, can I ask something.' One of the operatives asks hesitantly. He shoots a glance at Micheal and Nickel. 'Uh. What exactly have they done. I mean, Nickel and Operations told us that there was a new fraction out, but not what they did to warrant a take down. I mean I don't know if anyone noticed, but we hardly got told anything.' He says slowly, uncomfortably under Micheal's blank faced gaze.
Nickel looks around the room and sees that more than one person is curious. She looks at Micheal and they communicate silently.
'Contact Operations.' Micheal says bluntly.
Back at the main headquarters. Birkoff is still perched at his computer. A strained look on his face. Operations goes back and forth between getting information from those already in place and watching Birkoff. Tension is high. The other Operatives are still doing their jobs, but they are casting nervous tension filled glances at stress laden Birkoff and the silent, unmoving Operations.
Suddenly a shout of joy followed by a loud murmur comes from Birkoff and the people surrounding him.
'Got 'em.' A wicked smile crosses Birkoff's face as he looks at the screen. He picks up the phone.
Above, from his perch, Operations picks up the phone. He looks at Birkoff.
'Got it. I should have it done in two hours.' Leaning back in his chair, he swivels around so that he is facing Operations. Tension recedes a little as he pauses, listening. 'It was complicated. They used a simple code, but they used three different languages. The original code is written in another code using Japanese, then it's in Arabic, then French. They were sly. They probably have a program for does that for them. There is a number code on the top of the message. Possibly the order in which to decode it. It will take a while for me to decode the complete message. But now that I have the decoding code, it will be a lot easier than if I was flying solo.' Birkoff pauses again and nods up to Operations. 'Right away.' He hangs up the phone and begins to type again..
'Micheal has just called in. He wants to talk to Operations.' A male member says to Birkoff.
'Let Operations know, patch Micheal through and contact the others. Birkoff says distractedly, as he works at the code.
Operations talks to Micheal. Then the phone beside Birkoff gives a short ring, Birkoff picks it up and listens. He punches a button summoning all operatives to the main room. They come running. When a majority of them are there, Birkoff punches another button and Operations' voice fills the room.
'Birkoff patch me through to the others.' Operatives says tersely.
Birkoff again punches a few buttons. As he does this Operations leaves his above landing and goes into an elevator. Birkoff is talking with Micheal.
'Everybody's ready,' Birkoff mumbles quietly to Micheal. Then nods at Operations.
'I suppose you want to know exactly what is going on. I know that what you were told left you with a lot of questions and those of you in the field are wondering what exactly we are trying to stop them from doing.' Operations walks around Birkoff's station to look at a screen with all of his field leaders faces. His hands are clasp behind his back. 'A government was creating a poison. One that could be absorbed any way. Breathed in, through the pores, injected. Just breathing the very air that the poison has been released into, is death. To get it on you is certain death. To get it directly in your blood stream is almost instantaneous death. That is how strong of a poison we are dealing with.' He looks gravely at the faces. Shock, disgust, anger, sadness. All reflected around him.
'But there is nothing that strong. Even if it was you could wear gas masks, protective suits, and be very careful.' An operative calls out shocked from the back of the room.
'Don't be naive.' Operations snaps in a very uncharacteristic display of anger. 'Those things would only happen after it was released. It would kill almost all of the human population and it would only have to be let lose in one area. It would spread. If a person that has it he only needs to sneeze or touch someone in order for the other person to get infected.'
Nikita had maneuvered to see the screen, and Operations could see her.
'Why would a government create something like that? Something that strong? That deadly?' Nikita asks appalled.
'It was mainly confidential information, but the hints that I got indicates that starving third world nations greatly deplete the monetary sources of the governments. Millions are shipped in and it barely makes a dent. Especially if you are supporting more than one country, or that country is in the middle of a war. Its easier to get rid of those countries that are in the midst of a war within each other.' Operations states this with no expression on his face. 'As for something that deadly, it had to be a complete poison and quick. Strong, was actually an accident. They got a bit blurry with the details, but I pumped enough information to gather that they created a foreign substance unknown to any of the modern medicines. I have the feeling that it wasn't even from this world.' As murmurs of disbelief and anger, rise in the room, Operations holds his hand up in a gesture for silence. The camera flashes to his operatives in other bases watching Operations, hoping he can tell them what to do. 'There were rumors that a meteor had landed with possible plant life indicating that life wasn't just on Earth.' He looks around. 'It apparently wasn't the first that had been recovered. It was just the first that the media found out about. The have been experimenting with minute life forms from meteors found around the world.'
'What about an anti-toxin?' Micheal asks from his seated position. Nikita had left after hearing Operations declaration.
'We aren't even sure what it's made of. More experiments would need to be done. By the time a toxin is made, this could have already been over for twenty years. The scientists don't even know where to start. They were too busy trying to come up with the perfect poison. They weren't going to create a anti-toxin for every mixture they made. Ninety percent of the time you don't get what you want. You find out if it's what you want first before you finish it. The man who stole the poison was smart. Or his boss was anyway. A janitor. A janitor stole it and turned up dead. Approximate time of death, three hours after the approximated time of the disappearance of the poison. They stole everything. All of the samples that they created everything out of and All other things remotely close to it. A fire made of notes and flammable cleaning fluid erased all knowledge of the experiments.'
'What about the scientists?' Another operative calls out.
'Over time they learned that to memorize your equations and experiments can be very deadly. They were instructed not to memorize their research.' He looks around again. The room is silent. 'I know some of you remember another poison for a similar, though slightly less dangerous reason. They changed their research. Too many people knew of the original poison. They scrapped it and went even further underground. Metaphorically speaking of course. This has to be stopped at all costs. Nothing must interfere. All of your compassion, feelings, anger. It all must be pushed aside or we will fail.' Operations voice is stern. He is speaking to everyone, but he is looking at Micheal and Nikita. 'Birkoff has decoded it and you should have the locations soon. Be prepared.' Operations turns the screen off and turns from the screen. The operatives part for him.