LA FEMME NIKITA
Love

#105 "Love"
Written by: Michael Loceff
Directed by: Jon Cassar
Edited by: David B. Thompson
Transcript archived at TWIZ TV.COM
Originally posted at Flash Mission
Transcribed by: Christine

 

BAUER'S COMPLEX
 

We see a close up shot of Bauer’s face, his right hand rests on his temple.

BAUER:  I won’t waste your time with small talk - I know you’re busy.  We’ve got our L-virus.

Now we see a blue case being opened and vials of the virus lying within gray packing foam.

BAUER:  Like other nerve gas agents in its class, L-virus combines chemically with KHSO5…

We see three Koreans – two men and one woman - listening with impassive faces.

BAUER:  … but only L-virus has a bromine spike.

A young man sitting beside Bauer is in the process of performing a potency test.  He lowers a vial into a cylindrical device, while Bauer types on a laptop.  Bauer then swings the laptop around to face the Koreans.  The monitor shows a potency graph of the virus.

BAUER:  That’s what your little dreams are made of.

The woman looks at one of the men for his reaction.  Speaking in Korean, the man talks to her in an agitated tone.  She, in turn, translates his words to Bauer.

KOREAN WOMAN:  This isn’t proof.  This display could have been simulated in the software.

BAUER:  (calmly) That’s a good point.

He now turns to the young man seated beside him.

BAUER:  Andy, take Frank to the basement, will ya?

Bauer hands a cat to Andy.

ANDY: (confused) Frank?

BAUER:  Go ahead.

As Andy stands with the cat and leaves, Bauer types on the laptop.  He takes up a large remote and wooden panels on the far wall open showing a large screen TV.

BAUER:  You hired me to do two things - to get L-virus, which I did…

He gestures to the Koreans to move to the couch before the large screen tv, which they do.  One of the Korean men stays behind.

BAUER:  … and to pull the trigger if your negotiations with the government break down.  If your concern is whether I have the resolve to do what you’re asking, that’s legitimate.  After, all, I’m only in this for the money.

On the tv screen, we see Andy enter the basement with the cat.

BAUER:  I’ve known Andy for ten years, ever since his parents died.  He’s the closest thing I have to a son.

On the tv screen, they see Andy put the cat down and then go back to the door, which is now locked.  Andy looks to the camera in the room, gesturing to Bauer to let him out.  He goes back to the door, just as Bauer released the L-virus gas into the room.  Andy stops realizing what is happening.  He struggles with the door, but soon drops to the floor dead – his eye and nails turned black, as Bauer and the Koreans watch on with expressionless faces.

Bauer leans over the back of the couch.

BAUER:  There’s your signature - black eyes and black nails.  L-virus.  Do we have a deal?

The Korean man on the couch nods, pleased.

BAUER:  Good.  I hope your discussions go well.  If not, I’ll be ready.

As the Korean’s begin to leave, Bauer goes to his desk, upon which is a vial of L-virus.

WAR ROOM

Operations sits on his side of the long table, while on the opposite side, Michael, Nikita, and several others are seated.

OPERATIONS:  Two days ago, an experimental VX Class nerve gas was stolen.

We see Nikita intently watching him and listening, chewing gum.

OPERATIONS:  And, the fact that our government was in possession of this material is a blatant violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

He now activates the halo-screen, upon which we see two men.

OPERATIONS:  This is Perry Bauer.  Hamas, Red Brigade, IRA, all of them have done business with him over the years.  He can procure just about anything - material, information, people.  Based on the information we’ve gathered over the past 36 hours…

We now seen the chemical compound make up on the screen.

OPERATIONS:  … we believe he has L-virus.  What he plans on doing with the virus is not known, but we think it’s linked to the recent threats against the government by Red Cell.  It’s a rogue faction out of North Korea.

MICHAEL:    How much time?

OPERATIONS:    L-virus has a limited shelf life.  If they’re going to use it, it’s going to be soon.

AIRPORT

Two sets of heavily leather-clad legs approach – one wearing high, buckled biker’s boots, the other a woman with stiletto boots.  They stride coolly through the airport, bags in hand and sunglasses in place.

Outside the airport, they step up to the curb and get into a waiting limousine.  The blonde woman, Sage, gets in first, throwing her heavy bag aside, followed by her husband, Peter.  As they settle back against the leathered seats, Sage looks over to Peter, leaning forward and slinging a leg over his, then kissing him.

Suddenly the doors click locked loudly, and they break apart and look at their respective doors.  A gun points at them, and a gum-smacking Nikita looks over it at them with a smile on her face.

NIKITA:  Weapons, please.

The couple exchanges a surprised look.

WHITE ROOM

The steel doors swing open and we see Peter and Sage seated in chairs side by side, their hands tied behind their backs.  A guard bearing an automatic stands guard inside.  Madeline enters quickly, circling them as she speaks.

MADELINE:  In a moment, you’ll be separated, and you’ll never see each other again.  Understand that.  Whoever talks first will go free… the other will never see the light of day.

Having completed her path around them, she exits.  As the guard shuts the door behind her, Peter and Sage stare at each other.

MUNITIONS

Having returned from picking up Peter and Sage at the airport, Nikita stands at Walter’s worktable, returning her weapon.  Walter stands on the other side of the table.

WALTER:  Been thinkin’ about me?

NIKITA: (playfully) Sure, Walter, you’re all I ever think about.

WALTER:  You know, they don’t condone sexual relations between operatives, but I think in our case they’d make an exception.

NIKITA:  Really?

He turns his nearby laptop toward her.

WALTER:  I’ve already done the paperwork.

Nikita glances at the screen, pretending to read it.

NIKITA:  Oh Walter, um…  there’s no ‘W’ in menage a trois.

He feigns surprise and jabs at the keyboard playfully, as Nikita watches, smiling brightly with playful flirtation.

WALTER:  I thought I ran a spell check.

Michael walks up, standing behind Nikita, a hand on her back.

MICHAEL:  How’d it go?

WALTER:  Hey, Michael, ya mind?  We’re having a moment here.

Michael smiles, and Walter hands something over for Nikita to sign.  She puts her sunglasses arm in her mouth, as she signs, handing it back to Walter.

WALTER:  Thank you, sugar.

Winking flirtatiously, Nikita turns to leave.  As Walter watches her depart with Michael, Walter admires her.

WALTER:    So bad.

MAIN AREA

Nikita slings a small backpack over her back, as Michael sidles along side her in step.

MICHAEL:  And, uh… how’s everything else?

Nikita glances over at him perplexed.

NIKITA:  I didn’t know there was anything else.

MICHAEL:  Have you made friends?

NIKITA:  See, I thought I wasn’t supposed to get close to anyone.

MICHAEL:  How’s the apartment?

Now she stops and turns to him with exasperation.

NIKITA:  Michael, you don’t have to pretend to be interested.  Everything’s fine.

MICHAEL:  I know the transition is difficult.  It was difficult for me, too.

NIKITA:  (disbelieving) Really.  Somehow… I don’t see anything being difficult for you.

She slips on her sunglasses and begins to walk off.

NIKITA:  I guess I’ll see you later.

MICHAEL:  You’ll see me in ten minutes.

Nikita stops and looks back at him.

MICHAEL:  Madeline wants to see us.

MADELINE’S OFFICE

From a table, Madeline takes up two plastic packets and step over to where Michael and Nikita stand in her office.

MADELINE:   Our guests have a meeting with Bauer this afternoon.

She hands Michael one of the packets.

MADELINE:  Your name is Peter.

Now she hands Nikita the second packet.  Michael is already looking at the contents of his packet, as Nikita rips into hers.

MADELINE:   Nikita, you’re Sage.  You met through a man name Pfiger from Frankfurt.

Madeline goes over to a chair and sits.

MADELINE:  You specialize in a broad range of mercenary services: attack, diversion, assassination.  You’ve been married for less than two years, and judging from the fresh scratch marks on their backs, it’s safe to say the relationship is a passionate one.

Nikita chuckles.

NIKITA:  Won’t Bauer know we’re not these people?

MADELINE:  Bauer’s never met Peter and Sage.

Nikita tries on a pair of large, black sunglasses.

MADELINE:  They were referred to him by Pfiger.  Now just be careful, Bauer’s extremely suspicious.  Even if you do earn his trust and you cross over into his world…

Nikita shrugs into a denim jacket.

MADELINE:  … he’s as dangerous to his friends as he is to his enemies.

NIKITA:    Meaning what?

She takes off the sunglasses.  Michael turns and looks over at her.

MICHAEL:  He’s got exotic appetites.  Whatever he has to do to his partners get off, he will.

MADELINE:  He will hit on you, Nikita.

NIKITA:  I’m cool.

She again tries on the sunglasses, checking them out in the mirror for size.

MADELINE:  He could hit on you too, Michael.

She amuses Nikita and she snickers, looking back at Madeline.

MADELINE:  Here, put these on.

Michael steps over to a table by Madeline and picks up one of two wedding rings setting there.  He slides it on his finger, as Nikita walks over to get hers.  Michael’s ring only goes to his knuckle, while Nikita’s is too large.

NIKITA:  It doesn’t fit.

She puts in back on the table.

MICHAEL:  Here, this one is yours.

Taking her hand, he slides the ring he had onto her finger, as a groom might.

NIKITA:    Do I have to love, honor, and obey?

MICHAEL:    Just… obey.

NIKITA:  S’okay.  There’s no need ‘til death do us part’.

Nikita smiles with amusement, while Michael watches her, digesting this.

MADELINE:    Let me see you kiss.

Nikita’s smile immediately fades and she looks to Madeline flatly.

MICHAEL:    We’ll be fine.

MADELINE:    I know you will.

Michael turns to Nikita to kiss her, and Nikita takes matters into her own hands and pecks him quickly, then pulls back.  She gives Madeline an “are you happy now” kind of smile.

MADELINE:    You’ve got to become Peter and Sage.

MICHAEL:    We will.

Michael then heads out of the office, as Nikita removes the denim jacket to put on her own tan leather one.

MADELINE:    That’s everything.

As Nikita starts to also head out, she suddenly stops and looks to Madeline.

NIKITA:    So, which one of them cracked?

MADELINE:    They both did, of course.

Nikita smiles, easily believing both cracked.

NIKITA:    So who goes free?

Without bothering to answer or look at her, Madeline responds.

MADELINE:    You’d better get ready.

As the reality that both Peter and Sage were cancelled registers to her, Nikita throws Madeline an angry look, before kicking the office door open and leaving.

BAUER COMPOUND

A limousine drives along a secluded road, which is surrounded by heavy foliage and trees.  The driver stops before a high gate and presses a buzzer mounted just outside the gate.

INTERCOM VOICE:  Yeah, what is it?

CHAUFFER:  Peter and Sage to see Mr. Bauer?

INTERCOM VOICE:  Unload ‘em.  We’ll meet ‘em at the gate.

CHAUFFER:  I don’t get it.  Should I wait?

INTERCOM VOICE:  You’re done.

Next, we see the limousine back up to leave and Michael and Nikita standing outside the gate, waiting to be picked up.  Nikita is dressed in the denim jacket she’d tried on in Madeline’s office, as well as the black sunglasses and a short black wig, while Michael is dressed casually in tight tee-shirt and leather jacket, his hair pulled back in a half-ponytail.  They glance about the heavily treed area as they wait for their pick up.

A young man driving a golf cart approaching from the other side of the gate.  Nikita puts her sunglasses on.

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  Who’s the happy couple?

Michael walks up to the gate.

MICHAEL:  We’re here to see Bauer.

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  Oh, really.  What for?

NIKITA:  We’re here for the job in the kitchen.

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  Who says there’s an opening?

NIKITA:  Mutual acquaintance.

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  Who might that be?

MICHAEL:  Pfiger.

Michael having said the “magic” word satisfies the man.  He knows they are legitimate.

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  Let’s go.

We next see a shot of surveillance cameras mounted high the gate, as Michael gets in the cart beside the driver, and Nikita takes a seat in the rear, her long legs nearly reaching the ground.

BAUER’S HOUSE

The golf cart drives into the central location of Bauer’s compound – a large house and surrounding grounds.

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  After you’re all settled in, you can hang by the pool  We’ve got a full bar, videos, whatever you want.

MICHAEL:  When do we meet Bauer?

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  You in a hurry?

MICHAEL:  We came here to do a job, not watch videos.

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  That’s too bad.  We’ve got some pretty good ones.

As the cart draws nearer to the house, we see there are patrolling guards about.  The assistant waves as two guards walk by.

Standing on the home’s exterior deck, Bauer leans over a wooden railing, looking over his grounds, when Michael and Nikita approach.  Hearing their approach, he turns to face them.  He is immediately suspicious and surly.

BAUER:    You’re late.  Why is that?

He walks toward Michael.

MICHAEL:    Are you Bauer?

BAUER:    You didn’t answer my question.

Nikita steps beside Michael, looking pointedly at Bauer’s crotch.

NIKITA:  What is it with these guys, Peter?  They all got small ones, or they just act that way?

She casts Bauer an insolent glance.

BAUER:    This your wife?

Michael nods.

MICHAEL:    Yeah.

BAUER:    She’s got quite a mouth.

Nikita smiles broadly at this.

MICHAEL:    Sorry we’re late.  It couldn’t be avoided.

Bauer begins circling around Michael and Nikita as he speaks.

BAUER:    This job requires precision and execution.  Convince me you can do it.

MICHAEL: (cocky) Talk to Pfiger.  He knows our work.

Bauer pauses, not liking the vibes he’s getting from Michael and Nikita, and regards them for a moment.

BAUER:    This doesn’t feel right.  Meet Ornett out front.  He’ll take care of your fee for coming out.

Nikita immediately spins and begins walking off, acting as if it’s no big deal that Bauer doesn’t want to work with them, and Bauer walks over to a nearby table, where a young woman sits, and takes up a glass.  Michael remains where he stands, contemplating this change of events a moment longer before also turning to leave.

As he and Nikita exit the front door of the house, Nikita continues to project a nonchalant attitude.  She speaks, knowing the guard leading them out can hear her.

NIKITA:  Whatever.

Walking down the steps of the entrance, Michael places an arm around Nikita.

MICHAEL:    He has no intention of letting us walk out of here alive.

Nikita keeps up the act, smiling broadly as if Michael has just told her something funny.  But, she understands his meaning and gets in the front of the cart this time, while Michael takes the back seat.  When the driver – a different man from the one who brought them in the cart the first time – gets in to drive them away, Nikita gives him a flirtatious smile that he can’t help but respond to as he grins back at her.

The cart drives off, but a short distance from the house, Nikita suddenly kicks the driver in the face and grabs for his gun.  As the man falls back, Michael from behind smashes the man’s face forward into the steering wheel.  He and Nikita immediately sprint into the trees.

We next see Bauer again on his deck looking through binoculars into the foliage, but all he sees is his guards as they look for Michael and Nikita.  Nikita sneaks up behind Bauer, pressing a gun into the back of his neck.

NIKITA:  Audition’s over.

She hands Bauer a hand-held radio, who uses it to call off his men.

BAUER:  All right, that’s enough.

Michael then walks out of the trees, leading one of Bauer’s men at gunpoint forward.  Bauer looks over at Nikita.

BAUER:    Welcome to the team.

Later that Day –

Bauer’s assistant again drives the golf cart, taking Michael and Nikita to a guesthouse on the compound.  As he leads them across a lawn toward the guesthouse, he gives them some documentation that they will need.

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  This is it.  Here’s your itineraries, timeline, location, floor plan.  Memorize it.

MICHAEL:    What are we doing?

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  We’re gonna release the nerve gas into an office building.

NIKITA:    Why?

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  You know when you’ve got hostages, nobody really pays attention until you toss a body out the front door?  That’s why.  We’ll be leaving in about twelve hours.  If Bauer calls you into the building, you’ll be wearing a gas mask.  Please don’t take it off until you’re back in the van.  Any questions?  Rock and roll.

He leaves them, and Michael and Nikita enter the guesthouse.

Later that Night –

Nikita jumps out one of the back windows of the guesthouse, pressing herself against the wall, as patrolling guards loom nearby.  When the way is clear, she darts across the lawn, rushing into the heavy foliage and woods.

Some distance away, the mission van is parked.  Walter sits inside, working on a small explosive device, when he hears the door open, and then Nikita rushes inside.

NIKITA:  Ten o’clock tomorrow morning.  The D’Anza Building downtown.  He’s bringing gas masks.

WALTER:  Got it.

He quickly types the info into his laptop to update Section.

NIKITA:  So what the plan?

Walter returns to the device he’d been working on, as he speaks to Nikita.

WALTER:  We evacuate the building, and let him have his fun.

Finishing up with the device, we see it’s a small round black contraption, which he hands to Nikita, kissing her hand as he does so.

WALTER:  Good luck, sugar.

As Nikita turns and leave, Walter sighs heavily, his expression disturbed.

COMM

Birkoff sits at his workstation, while Madeline stands beside, as they go over the Bauer plan.

BIRKOFF:  I can see why he chose the building – access in and out on three sides, the windows are all tinted and sealed, there’s only one security guard.

MADELINE:  Collateral, do we have a number?

BIRKOFF:  During peak hours, we’re looking at four… maybe five hundred people.  Mornings are probably half that.

MADELINE:  Did you run a sim?

BIRKOFF:  Yeah.

He wheels his chair to another computer behind him.

BIRKOFF:  The problem is we’re not sure how many canisters he plans on using.  He’s certainly got enough to cover the whole building.

MADELINE:  Past performances?

BIRKOFF:  You want to know if he’d really toast this many people?  He’s going in with the gas.  This guy’s not bluffing.

D’ANZA BUILDING

Bauer stands in the back of a van, which is transporting his men, as well as Michael and Nikita to the building chosen to release the L-virus in.  They pull up to a building, and he points to two of his men.

BAUER:    You - you, cover the north side of the building.  Keep it clear.

The two men exit the van, which then moves to another location in front of the building.  Bauer looks at his assistant.

BAUER:  Grab the masks.  Peter, Sage, hang in front.  Anything comes in doesn’t look right, you let me know.

He throws a hand-held radio to Michael.

BAUER:  Let’s go.

As Bauer and two of his men rush into the building and head into a men’s bathroom, Michael and Nikita take positions beside the van, watching and waiting.  Nikita watches a woman with her child walk up to the building.  The child waves to Nikita and smiles.  Seeing that they are heading toward the entrance, Nikita turns to Michael.

NIKITA:  Michael.

She starts to move toward the woman and child, but Michael grabs him back.

MICHAEL:  Stay put.

NIKITA: (grits out) Where are our people?

Just then the woman’s husband approaches and calls out to the woman before she and the child can enter the building.  Together they head off down the street, which satisfies Nikita, who jerks away from Michael’s hold.

Inside the building in the bathroom, a security guard hears drilling, as Bauer removes a vent cover.  The guard rounds the wall and sees Bauer and his two men wearing masks.  He calls out to them but one of Bauer’s men shoots him and he falls to the ground.  The two men then grab up their equipment and rush out of the bathroom, leaving Bauer to place the L-virus canisters – which are attached to a small fan that will quickly hurry the gas along the venting system.  Finishing with the placement, Bauer goes to head out of the bathroom, but as he passes the fallen guard, the man grabs Bauer’s foot and pulls him down.  As Bauer falls, his gas mask is dislodged and he begins choking as the L-virus gas is already beginning to circulate in the air.

When Bauer’s two men run outside toward the van, Michael sees that Bauer is not with them.

MICHAEL:    Where’s Bauer?

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  I dunno.  He was right behind me.

Nikita is watching the building, and she sees people inside on several floors clutching at the blinds of windows that do not open, as they gasp breathing in the virus gases.

NIKITA:  Oh my God!  Michael, there are people in there!  Gimme that.

She grabs a gas mask and races toward the building entrance wanting to help the dying people.

MICHAEL:  Sage!

Grabbing another mask, Michael runs after her.

BAUER’S ASSISTANT:  Let’s get out of here!

But Michael has already gone after Nikita.

Inside the building lobby, Nikita is frantically pushing the elevator buttons, trying to get to the people she saw in the windows.  With mounting frustration, she kicks and punches futilely at the doors, finally grabbing the alarm pull and activating it.  Now the elevator doors are opening and people are stumbling out of them, collapsing dead on the lobby floor.

Back inside the men’s bathroom, Bauer is passing out, the shrill of the alarms makes him come to, and as he glances over at the canisters of gas in the vent, he begins to try and crawl away and out of the bathroom.

When Michael enters the lobby in search of Nikita, he finds her cradling a dead body and screaming with impotent rage.  He grabs her up and slams her against an elevator wall, getting in her face, even as she continues to yell out with rage.

MICHAEL:  There’s nothing you can do!  Focus!

As she glares at him, Bauer crawls out of an elevator.  Michael has no choice but to go over and help him up and assist him outside the building.

Once outside, sirens are sounding and Michael lifts Bauer onto his back and rushes toward the waiting van.  They load him inside with the help of Bauer’s men, then Michael and Nikita get in.  Nikita takes a place at the far wall where she looks enrage.  Michael throws her a look that tells her to keep quiet.

BAUER’S COMPOUND

Michael and Nikita are outside alone, a distance from the house.  Nikita sits on the grass, while Michael leans against a tree, his arms crossed over his chest.

NIKITA: (angry) Section let those people get slaughtered.  I told Walter exactly when and where it was going to go down.  Who are these butchers we’re working for, Michael?

MICHAEL:  Don’t do this, Nikita.  You don’t have all the information.

She stands up and glares at him.

NIKITA:  I don’t care.  You don’t stand by and watch innocent people die.  You find a solution.

MICHAEL:    What solution?

NIKITA: (yelling) You grab Bauer, and you lock him up!  You don’t let him walk into that building!

MICHAEL: (calmly) Most likely, Bauer had a failsafe - instead of a dozen dead, there’d be thousands.

NIKITA:  (resistant) You don’t know that.

MICHAEL: (nods) That’s right.  Neither do you.

He looks pointedly at her.

MICHAEL:  Just do the job.

Shoving off from the tree, his arms still crossed, Michael heads toward the house, leaving Nikita, who stays behind.

Inside the House -

Bauer walks slowly down a set of stone steps that lead into the living room.  Michael and Nikita are there.  Nikita wears a leather biker cap, and she is still angry.

MICHAEL:  How are you feeling?

Bauer ignores the question, having his own to find answers to.

BAUER:    Why’d you come into the building?  Your orders were to stay posted.

NIKITA:  If we’d obeyed orders, you’d be dead now.

BAUER:  Well, that’s an interested management dilemma, isn’t it?  Do I reward you for disobeying me, or punish you for saving my life?

NIKITA: (insolent) How about feeding us?  I’m starved.

BAUER:  (smiles)  Come in.  Let’s get acquainted.

He turns to walk back up the steps, leading them to the kitchen.

BAUER:  When I first hired a five-star chef, my mother said I was excessive, but I don’t believe in cutting corners when it comes to pleasure.  Don’t you agree?

His chef stands at a preparation island, stirring a liquid mixture in a large bowl.

NIKITA:  (ever disagreeable) Oh, I like Fruit Loops.

Bauer and the chef are amused at her response.  Bauer dips a finger to taste what the chef is cooking.  He decides to test Michael and Nikita.

BAUER:    So, where did you two meet?

Looking to each other a moment, Michael leans an arm on the counter and begins to respond.

MICHAEL:  Oh, that was in…

NIKITA: (interrupting loudly) Rio.  During Carnival.

She is sitting on a barstool and swivels playfully in a circle.

NIKITA:  The first time I remember seeing him was in my bed the morning after.  I don’t know how we got there; we were totally wasted.  Peter’s my first, my only…

She now leans over sensuously and kisses Michael’s jaw.

NIKITA:  … true love.

As she sits back on the stool, Michael stares at her with near fascination at the story she is concocting.  She again swivels her chair.

BAUER:  But… but… but, that’s odd, because Pfiger told me that you were with him at that time… in Frankfurt, and, he introduced you two.

Michael continues to watch Nikita, giving her full rein to weave her tale to Bauer.  He looks completely taken by her.

NIKITA:  (thinking fast) Pfiger’s a liar.  He wished he were with me.

BAUER:    Yes, that’s my friend Pfiger.

Bauer laughs.

BAUER:  Yes.  Come…  I have something to show you.  You’ll like it.

He looks between Michael and Nikita.  Michael is enthralled by Nikita’s performance, and as Nikita stands to follow Bauer, she throws Michael a look, still angry that Section allowed innocent people to die in the D’Anza Building.

MADELINE’S OFFICE

The doors open and Operations enters, walking up to where Madeline sits at her desk.

OPERATIONS:  Red Cell is giving the government six hours to accede to their demands.

On her desk sits a laptop, as well as her dinner, which she is dining on as she works.

MADELINE:  What are they?

OPERATIONS:  Releasing political prisoners, lifting the embargo, public denunciation of capitalism.  The usual crap.

MADELINE:  Will they meet any of the demands?

OPERATIONS:  Not a single one.

MADELINE:  Will that change over the next six hours?

OPERATIONS:  No.  We made any progress?

MADELINE:  Michael and Nikita are with Bauer now.  We’re not in real time contact with them, but we expect to hear from them shortly.

OPERATIONS:  Six hours.

He exits the office, and Madeline looks at her laptop, which shows images of Michael and Nikita in their Peter and Sage personas.

BAUER’S COMPOUND

Bauer is between his girlfriend, Stephanie, and Nikita, his arm around each woman’s neck, as they walk up the steps to another area of the house.  Stephanie giggles tipsily, carrying a wineglass, while Nikita goes along, still in her nonchalant persona.  She looks over her shoulder and shouts out.

NIKITA:  Great dinner, chef!

In the living area, Bauer releases his girlfriend, but tries to keep hold of Nikita, who has perched on the edge of a couch, but she shoves him away playfully with her foot.  Bauer turns for Stephanie, and Michael enters, going immediately to stand behind Nikita and places protective and possessive hands on her shoulders.

Bauer turns on slow, seductive music and begins slow dancing with Stephanie.  Nikita watches uncomfortably.  He motions for Michael and Nikita to do the same, and Michael takes Nikita’s hand and pulls her up.  He pulls her close against his front, and they begin circling slowly, completely caught up in the music and the seductiveness of the music, as they gaze deeply into each other’s eyes and at each other’s lips.  The intimacy between them is as if they are all alone together, and Stephanie sees the passion they share.

STEPHANIE:  You two look so beautiful together.

Without taking his eyes off Nikita’s, Michael answers.

MICHAEL:  Sage is beautiful.

STEPHANIE:  You must be in love.

Still, Michael and Nikita continue to gaze deeply into each other’s eyes, still circling slowly to the music.

MICHAEL:  We are.

As if to break their moment, Bauer suddenly throws a glass against the fireplace, and it crashes loudly.  Nikita jumps at the sound and glances back at Bauer.  Bauer turns to Stephanie.

BAUER:  Go get me more champagne, will ya?

STEPHANIE:  You can be such a pig when you want to be… which is all the time.

Bauer laughs, as does Michael, though he continues to dance slowly with Nikita.  Giggling, Stephanie leaves to retrieve more champagne, and Bauer moves over to Michael to discuss the real reason he wanted to get Stephanie out of the room.  Bauer sits at the edge of the couch, watching Michael and Nikita continue to dance.

BAUER:  You’re a lucky man, Peter, lucky man.

He goes over to Michael and Nikita and places an arm about them, joining in on their dance.

MICHAEL:  Are we done with this job?

BAUER:    Yup.

MICHAEL:  I guess your clients got what they wanted?

BAUER:  Nah, was a total waste of time.  I knew it would be.  They’re foreigners, you know.  They don’t understand you don’t get in John Wayne’s face and tell him what to do.  Fanatics, you know.  Wipe out a few thousand people, they still won’t get what they want.

NIKITA:  What people?

BAUER:  Watch the morning news.  Out of my hands now.

Nikita looks at Michael with clenched jaws, not able to do or say anything.

BAUER:  Let’s not talk about money though tonight, all right?

Bauer looks to Michael.

BAUER:  Tell me something.  What do you think of Stephanie?

Nikita looks away, and Michael answers carefully.

MICHAEL:  She’s all right.

BAUER:    C’mere, I want to tell you a little secret.

He leads Michael away from Nikita and over to the fireplace.

BAUER:  Ever since the first time I met you, I’ve been wanting you to watch me have sex with your wife.  Whaddaya say?

Nikita watches nervously, fidgeting with her wedding ring.  Michael looks over at Nikita, as if he is contemplating Bauer’s suggestion, while Bauer smiles at Nikita.

MICHAEL:  Just give us the money, and we’re out of here.

BAUER:  Oh, no, Peter.  I hate to burst your bubble, but ‘we’re outta here’ is not an option.

NIKITA:  What do you want from us?

BAUER:  Listen… obviously, you two have some perverse idea about love and single partners.  I respect that.  So, if you don’t want to do it with me, how about you do it for me.

Nikita looks apprehensive.

Guest Bedroom -

A guard leads Michael and Nikita into a bedroom and leaves.  They look around, while in the living room, Bauer is watching them on a monitor, drinking champagne right out of the bottle.

BAUER: Okay, kids, don’t disappoint me.

He takes a large remote and selects seductive music, which Michael and Nikita can hear inside the bedroom.  As Nikita stands at a loss, Michael takes in the camera mounted in the corner of the ceiling.  As Stephanie hand feeds him strawberries, Bauer watches as Michael steps toward Nikita, who with her back to Michael takes a deep breath and turns to face him, quickly crossing to him and forcefully kisses him deeply.  Bauer is turned on by what he sees.

MICHAEL:    Take your clothes off.

Nikita immediately begins to quickly pull her tee shirt over her head, but Michael reaches out and stops her.

MICHAEL:    No.

He indicates the camera mounted in the corner.

MICHAEL:  Slowly.  Perform for me.

Nikita understands this, and while Michael takes a seat in a chair located beneath the mounted camera, she begins to slowly shimmy seductively to the music.  She begins doing a striptease, first carefully removing her biker cap, which she tosses to Michael.

Bauer zooms the camera in so he can see Nikita better, while Michael carefully removes the round explosive device Walter had given Nikita from inside the biker cap.  Nikita continues to dance seductively, effectively distracting Bauer’s attention for anything Michael might be doing, while beside Bauer, Stephanie watches Bauer’s apparent interest in Nikita.

We cut to another location, where we see a young blonde man unloading canisters of the L-virus.

Back in the bedroom, while Nikita continues her striptease, now in her leather bra.  She winks at the camera for Bauer’s benefit. Michael activates the explosive, easily pries open a vent, and dragging his eyes away from Nikita, he tosses the ball inside.  It rolls far inside the ventilation system.  Michael now stands and goes to Nikita, lifting her high on his chest.  As he brings her down, he licks her bare belly and lowers her onto the bed, following and lying on top of her.  They begin kissing.  Michael pulls back a bit.

MICHAEL:    Get ready.

Covering her ears with his hands, he goes back to kissing her.

Suddenly, a loud explosion sounds and rocks the whole house, knocking guards posted outside the house to the ground.

We cut to the location where the blonde man has just planted the gas canisters.  He is leaving the site.

At the compound, Bauer jumps up, goes to his desk and grabs a gun.  He looks at Stephanie, who looks about with confusion.

BAUER:  Go to your room.

He rushes outside, helping up his guards, while Michael has already left the bedroom and headed to the living room to take a look at Bauer’s computer.

Nikita waits inside the bedroom, dressed only in her black leather bra and panties, her blonde hair is loose about her shoulders.  Bauer enters, drawing his gun on her.

BAUER:  Where’s Peter?

NIKITA: (innocently)  He went looking for you.  What was that?  Did you hear that?

Bauer slowly moves toward her.  He is suspicious.

BAUER:  What’s going on?

NIKITA:  (coyly) Nothing.

She removes her wedding ring.

NIKITA:  Yet.  Probably won’t be back for a few minutes.

She arches back seductively, and as Bauer comes closer, she suddenly kicks him in the groin, then does a back somersault to put distance between herself and Bauer, who double over in pain.  As Bauer recovers from the pain and looks at her, she smiles at him, because Michael is now standing beside Bauer and grabbing him by the throat.  Nikita immediately scrambles to the end of the bed and quickly yanks on her clothes.

MICHAEL:  It’s a train station.  Let’s go.

BAUER:  What?  Are you crazy?  We’ll die.

NIKITA:  No.  You’ll die.  We’ll be wearing gas masks.

TRAIN STATION

They pull up to the front of the station in a black Hummer.  As Michael gets out of the driver’s side, Nikita yanks a hand-cuffed Bauer out.  Pushing him into the station past throngs of people, it becomes clear that they are looking for a needle in a haystack, as they try to locate someone that they don’t even know what he looks like.  Michael grabs Bauer by the collar.

MICHAEL:    Where is he?

BAUER:    I don’t know.  He’s an outsider I hired.

NIKITA:    Who?

BAUER:    He’s a kid.  He’s got long, blond hair, like with… you know…woven, whatever you call it.

NIKITA:  Dreads.

Michael and Nikita begin scanning the interior of the large station.  Bauer spots the young man going up a flight of stairs in the distance.

BAUER:  There.  Right there.

Michael turns to Nikita.

MICHAEL:    Get these people out of here.

He then takes off, running after the young blonde kid, while Nikita tries to evacuate the building, while still hanging onto Bauer so he doesn’t try and make a run for it.

NIKITA:  Okay, everyone, please get out.

The surrounding people just look at her.

NIKITA:  Please get out!

Seeing they have no intention of listening to her, she raises her gun and fires it in the air.  People drop to the ground, then suddenly begin rushing out in panic.  Nikita turns to Bauer, her gun to his head.

NIKITA:  Where is it?  Where is it?

BAUER:    I don’t know.  I swear to God.  All I know is that it’s supposed to go off right at 6:04.

He looks at the train schedule readout mounted overhead.  It has an arrival time posted for 6:04.

NIKITA:    It’s on the track.

She tries to drag Bauer with her, but he resists.

BAUER:  No.

She punches him in the face and knocks him out, leaving him so she can run out and go look for the canister of L-virus that are planted somewhere on the tracks.

Outside, she searches frantically, trying to spy any clue where the canisters may be hidden.  She sees a protruding wire covered by bark chips on the track and jumps down to the tracks, frantically trying to fish out the canister.  She discovers that there are two canisters and manages to dislodge one and toss it aside, but the second is stuck.  She frantically tries to free it, but an oncoming train is fast approaching.  At the last minute, she manages to roll with the canister to the side of the track as the train passes over her.

As she lies beneath the track, Michael rushes up to the area, the blonde kid in tow.  He sees her lying beside the track clutching the canister of gas.  She closes her eyes and shakes her head.

SECTION

Madeline walks with Michael and Nikita, now dressed in their own clothes down hallway close to the Main Area.

MADELINE:    Apparently you two were very convincing as a young couple in love.

NIKITA: (insolent) I’m outta here.

She begins to leave, then suddenly hears loud laughter and she stops, recognizing the voice.  Turning toward the sound of the laughter, she looks up to Operations’ Loft and sees him standing there, drinking with Bauer and another man.  Michael looks to see her reaction.  She is stunned.  Madeline steps up to Nikita.

MADELINE:  Shades of gray.  There’s no such thing as the enemy anymore.  As long as Bauer’s will to play both sides of the fence, we’ll do business.

Nikita can only watch with disbelief as Bauer drinks and talks animatedly with Operations.  Madeline moves off, and Michael looks once more at Nikita before he moves in the direction Madeline went.

Furiously, Nikita storms closer to Operations Loft, coming to a stand in the area below it, though the men in the loft are completely unaware of her.  She pulls out her gun and aims it out Bauer.  Her face is set with hatred and rage.  She pulls the trigger, but the gun only clicks as it is empty.  She lowers the gun and backs up, her expression one of complete disgust.  She then turns and walks away.

The End