LA FEMME NIKITA
Escape

#108 "Escape"
Written by: Andrew Dettman and Daniel Truly
Directed by: George Bloomfield
Edited by: Robert K. Sprogis
Transcript archived at TWIZ TV.COM
Originally posted at Flash Mission
Transcribed by: Christine

 

OUTSIDE

It is a cold day, snow on the ground.  Nikita, wearing a long, black coat and Russian fur hat, makes her way down a street, carrying a shopping bag.  She rounds a corner in en route to her apartment complex.  From a fire escape, a man watches her below.  He climbs down the stairs, and rushes up behind her, reaching out to touch her shoulder.  She turns, startled.

ERIC:  Hi!  Hi.  Oh, hey, sorry!  I didn’t mean to startle you.  Hey, I think you… I think you dropped this.

He hands her a single black, leather glove.

NIKITA: (smiling) No, that’s not mine.

ERIC:  Are you sure?  I’m sure I saw it come out of your jacket.

NIKITA:  I’m very sure.  Thanks, anyway.

ERIC:  You wouldn’t want to lose a glove on a day like this.  It’s cold.  I’m freezing.

Nikita smiles but moves to walk off.

ERIC:  Hey, hey, I’m going to grab a coffee - would you like to join me, or something?

NIKITA:  No thanks.

Still smiling, she turns to leave again, but he persists.

ERIC:  No, really… I thought you dropped the glove.  I’m sorry.

Maintaining her politeness, she continues to smile, but wants to get rid of him.

NIKITA:  Good-bye.

She starts to walk away, but he doesn’t want to let her go though all his methods haven’t worked so far.

ERIC:  Nikita.  Wait.

Now she turns, losing the smile and looks at him suspiciously.

NIKITA:  How do you know my name?

ERIC:  I can get you out of Section One.

She looks at him as if he’s crazy.

NIKITA:  What are you talking about?

He holds up the black glove again.

ERIC:  There’s a number in this glove.

NIKITA:  I don’t know what you’re talking about.

ERIC:  Don’t play games, Nikita.  If you want to be free, I can make it happen.

He leaves her holding the glove.  She looks around her worriedly.

NIKITA'S APARTMENT

Nikita enters her apartment, locking the door behind her.  She tosses the black glove on the counter, and removes her own gloves.  At the closet, she takes off her hat and stows in on shelf, all the while glancing back at the glove on the counter.  She can’t help but go back to it, and picks it up, removing a scrap of paper inside which has a number written on it: 555-0145.

SECTION

Nikita enters Section.  From his office window, Michael sees her and gets up to watch her as she moves about, very closely.  She wanders over to Munitions.

NIKITA:  Hey, Walter.  Can I ask you a question?

He sets aside what he was working on, and she comes to stand by him.  She is hesitant to speak.

WALTER:  What’s up, Sugar?

NIKITA:  Does the Section ever test its operatives?  Tempt them, for example?

WALTER:  You’ve got to think of the Section as a living organism, and like any living organism, it will do whatever it has to to survive.  Be careful.

She nods and walks off.  As she makes her way down a hallway, Michael calls to her from a catwalk above.

MICHAEL: (pleasantly) Good morning.

She stops and looks back and up at him.

MICHAEL:  How’s everything?

NIKITA:  All right.

MICHAEL:  New glasses.  Look good.

NIKITA:  Thanks.

She turns and continues on her way.

MICHAEL:  Don’t go too far.  We have a briefing in an hour.

WAR ROOM

The holo-screen shows two Marines tied to chair and beaten very badly.  At the conference table sit Madeline, Michael, Birkoff and Nikita.  Operations sits on the opposite side.  Nikita sits distracted, her mind on other things.

OPERATIONS:  Yesterday two Marine guards were abducted from a South American Embassy by a terrorist group called Tiburon.  Spokesman for that group is a man called Cassian Perez.  He sent this transmission an hour ago.

PEREZ: (on holoscreen) Several weeks ago, the government kidnapped some of my men.  Of course, they called it an ‘arrest’.  Well, as you can see, I have ‘arrested’ some of your men in return.  The solution is simple: a trade.

1st HOSTAGE: Andrew Townsend, Lance Corporal, Serial Number 548723061.

PEREZ:  They are brave young men.  Don’t make me kill them.  You have 24 hours.

The holo-screen dissolves.

MICHAEL:  What are the chances of a trade?

OPERATIONS:  Considering Perez’s men have been dead for several months, not too good.

MADELINE:  Can we trace the transmission?

BIRKOFF:  It’s scrambled.  We’ll keep trying, but it’s a long shot.

Nikita is not paying attention.  Her eyes shift thoughtfully from side to side behind her lavender sunglasses.

OPERATIONS:  Perez has a brother named Jericho.  Our sources tell us they’re very close.  If we can pick him up, we’ll have sufficient leverage with Cassian.  He lives in a secluded place, heavily guarded.

Michael looks over at Nikita, but she immediately casts her glance down.

JERICHO’S HOME

In the dark night, Section operatives converge outside Jericho’s home.  Two armed guards are posted outside the front.

Inside, Jericho is in the kitchen, stirring a pot.  He lifts the ladle and sips from it.

Outside, the operatives move closer to the house.

Jericho glances at a window and sees his guard posted there.  Jericho’s wife descends a spiral staircase.

WIFE:  Jer, can we eat?  How long can it take to make soup?

JERICHO:  It’s not soup; it’s bouillabaisse.  It takes longer.

WIFE: (sarcastic) Then, make soup.  I’m starving!

Outside, an operative throws a rope around one of Jericho’s guards and chokes him, dragging the body out of site.

Inside, Jericho’s two young sons run into the kitchen, roughhousing.

JERICHO:  Hey, hey, guys!  Not in the kitchen!

1st SON: Come on, let’s go watch some TV.

WIFE:  They’re just playing.

JERICHO:  What’s the point in giving the servants the night off, if the kids are here?  They should be at your mother’s.

WIFE:  I told you, she got sick.

Outside, an operative sneaks up behind the second guard and strangles him, too.

Inside, Jericho must feel spooked, because he glances back out the window.  This time, the guard is not there.  One of Jericho’s sons comes up to the counter and looks at a bowl of the bouillabaisse.

SON:  That looks awful!

JERICHO:  Just try it.

SON:  What if I don’t want to?

JERICHO:  What if I smack you in the head?

WIFE:  Jeez, Jer!

Jericho goes to a window and looks out.

WIFE:  What’s the matter?

He rushes over to a drawer and pulls out a hand-held radio.

JERICHO:  Paul, everything okay?  Paul?  What’s happening?  Mike?  Where the hell are you guys?

Outside, we see the two guards’ bodies lying in the snow.

Inside, Jericho looks at his wife.

JERICHO:  Take the kids to our room now!  Go!

She grabs the boys and hurriedly rushes them up the spiral staircase.

SON:  What’s happening?

WIFE:  Hurry.  Go.  Go.

The house suddenly loses power, and it’s dark.

SON:  Why did the lights go out?  (Scared) Mommy?

Jericho takes a machine gun from a drawer, standing uncertainly in the dark.  From a corner wall, Michael levels a gun at Jericho, while Nikita spotlights Jericho with a flashlight.

MICHAEL:  Drop it.

JERICHO:  Who are you?

Another operative now stands across the counter in front of Jericho.

OPERATIVE:  He said drop it!

Jericho swings toward the operative fearfully.  The wife begins descending the stair with a handgun in tow.

WIFE:  Jericho?

Jericho is shot with a tranq, and as he falls with surprise, he begins firing his machine gun wildly.

WIFE:  Jer, no!

His wife is shot and goes down. From the stairs, the two young boys are watching.

SON:  Mommy?

Nikita immediately dashes up the stairs, herding the two boys back upstairs.

NIKITA:  Go back.  Go back.  It’s all right.  No one’s going to hurt you.

SON:  What happened to my mom?  Is she okay?

Michael turns to an operative.

MICHAEL:  Take him to the van, and get a body bag for her.

Nikita looks to the older boy.

NIKITA:  Take care of him.

She stands in the center of the stairway and looks angrily at Michael below.

NIKITA:  I thought there weren’t supposed to be any kids!

MICHAEL:  There weren’t.

She descends the stairs and gets in Michael’s face.

NIKITA:  Michael, they just watched their mother get shot.

In the background, the boys are crying pitifully.

MICHAEL:  It can’t be helped, Nikita.

He walks off, and she stands angrily, shaken by the incident.

NIKITA’S APARTMENT

Nikita is on the floor, exercising to music.  A knock sounds at the door.  She stands, turns the music down, and goes to open the door, checking the peephole first.

NIKITA:  Hey, Carla.

Nikita goes right back to turn the music back up, and resumes her pushups.

CARLA:  Hey, what’s going on in here?

NIKITA:  Sorry about that; I was just working out.

CARLA:  Got something to tell you.

NIKITA:  Uh-huh.  I really love this song.

CARLA:  I met someone.

NIKITA:  Surprise, surprise.

CARLA:  No, this one’s different.

Carla goes to the refrigerator and gets bottled water.

CARLA:  Want some water?

NIKITA:  Sure he is.

Carla sits on the floor in front of Nikita, where she is still working out.

CARLA:  I know musicians are trouble, but he’s a classical musician.  That can’t be that bad, right?

Nikita says nothing, arching her back like a cat in a stretch.

CARLA:  You okay?

NIKITA:  Yep, I’m fine.  It’s nothing really.

She stands, taking the bottled water with her, as she moves to look out the balcony windows.  Carla can see that she is upset.

CARLA:  Yeah, well, it’s something.  What’s wrong?

NIKITA:  Something happened today.  Saw a car accident.  Mother was killed in front of her kids.  It was awful.

CARLA:  Wow.  Where?

NIKITA:  Downtown.  I kept thinking I should have done something, you know?

CARLA:  What could you have done?

NIKITA:  (affected) I don’t know.  I could have…  I just can’t really get the sound of the kids crying out of my mind.

OUTSIDE

It is night.  Nikita hurries to a phone booth and dials the number of the scrap of paper.

ERIC (over phone): Hello?

NIKITA:  I’m ready.  Meet me at my apartment in one hour.

ERIC (over phone): I’ll be there.

A bit later, Eric approaches the building, moving very cautiously, pausing to look around before moving closer.  As he proceeds ahead, he suddenly trips over a trip wire, landing face down.  Nikita stands hidden by the side of the building.

NIKITA:  How do you know me?  Who sent you?

He looks up at her from the ground, then stands.

ERIC:  Nobody sent me.

She levels her gun at him.

NIKITA:  How do you know about Section One?

ERIC:  I’m in it; just like you.

NIKITA:  Prove it.

He unzips a case containing a laptop, calling up an image on the screen that show Nikita in her apartment, undressing for bed.

ERIC:  Life in the Section, Nikita.  Everyone is watched.  They have a camera mounted over your stove and in the corner of your bedroom ceiling.

NIKITA:  How do you know all this?

ERIC:  Because that’s my job – watching.  They don’t exactly give me a choice.

She looks back at the image of her climbing into bed.

NIKITA:  They watch all the time?

ERIC:  No, not all the time, but enough to make sure everyone’s under control.

Nikita has heard enough to spook her, and she takes off.  Eric follows quickly.

ERIC:  Nikita, don’t walk away from me!

NIKITA:  How do you know you weren’t followed?

ERIC:  I don’t, not for sure.  But, I’ve been careful, or I wouldn’t have gotten this far.

In the distance a man approaches.  They immediately embrace, as if to appear like a couple, and wait for the man to pass them before they pull back apart.  Nikita looks scared.

ERIC:  If you hate living like this as much as I do, then let’s do something about it.

NIKITA: (teary) Even if we got away, they’d find us.

ERIC:  Not if we don’t exist.

NIKITA:  They’d kill us.

She is afraid and begins running off, but Eric runs after her.

ERIC:  No.  I’ve created a computer virus that would erase us from their files completely.  We’d be ghosts.

They stop.

NIKITA:  Why me?

ERIC:  Because the plan takes two, and I know you.  I know I can trust you.

Despite her fear, her unhappiness in Section gets the better of her curiosity.

NIKITA:  What’s your plan?

MAIN AREA

Michael leaves his office and runs into Nikita as she rounds a corner into the Main Area.  They move in step together.

MICHAEL:  You were out last night.  I called to ask if you wanted to get a cup of coffee.

NIKITA:  Why?

MICHAEL:  I like coffee.

Eric spies them walking together.  Nikita is suspicious and stops to question Michael.

NIKITA:  First you compliment me on my new sunglasses, and now you’re asking me out for coffee?

MICHAEL: (softly) I’ve been thinking about you lately.

NIKITA:  And, what have you been thinking?

MICHAEL: (suggestively) That we might spend more time together outside the Section.

NIKITA:  I didn’t think there was anything outside Section.

MICHAEL:  There is.

She gives him a wary look, then walks off, heading for a briefing.  Michael follows.  Eric watches carefully.

WAR ROOM

At the conference table sit Madeline, Michael, Nikita, Birkoff, and Walter.

OPERATIONS:  We just received another transmission.

The holo-screen appears.  As Cassian speaks, the camera pans over the faces at the table as they watch the screen.

CASSIAN:  I have seen too many comrades lose loved ones in our struggle for freedom, to give in at the thought of losing my brother.  As much as I love him, I would not lift a finger to save Jericho, but if you do not release him, I will kill the second hostage.  The first I have already killed in retaliation for the death of my brother’s wife.

MICHAEL:  Did we get anything out of Jericho?

MADELINE:  No.  He’d have told us in the first thirty seconds, but we may be able to use him later on.

Again, Nikita is not paying attention.  She fidgets absently with her glove.

OPERATIONS:  We’ve developed a mission profile thanks to the help of Mr. Birkoff.

BIRKOFF:  This second transmission was scrambled like the first, but I put together a signal-averaging program, and I think we have a location.

The holo-screen now shows the schematics of a stadium.

OPERATIONS:  An old stadium in Kosatz.  Memorize the schematic.

STADIUM MISSION

The masked operatives run along the bleachers toward the stadium entrance.  As the operatives rush inside, Michael pulls Nikita aside before she enters.

MICHAEL:  There’ll be a lot of nooks and crannies that didn’t show up on the schematic.  Be careful.

She looks at him suspiciously, but he moves into the stadium.  As they move inside, they see two guards below.  Michael shoots them both.  They rush downstairs, and head to a door, which is locked.

MICHAEL:  Blow it.

An operative places an explosive on the lock, which blows.  Michael and Nikita burst through the doors and inside what is a locker room.  Using flashlights to scope out the area, they move carefully and cautiously through the room, moving down connecting halls and corners and doorways.  In a far room, they find the dead hostage, still tied to a chair and a sack over his head.  Michael removes the sack and we see that his face is badly bruised, cut and beaten.

NIKITA:  They’ve taken the other one somewhere else.

MICHAEL:  We don’t know that.  Let’s spread out.

Michael and the other operatives move off, but before she follows, Nikita takes a long look at the dead Marine.  Nikita catches up with Michael and operatives, then as the split up, takes the opposite direction that they go.  She makes her way back outside to the bleachers, looking behind her as she goes.  Eric waits for her.

ERIC:  Let’s go.  There’s a tunnel under the stadium that exits to the west.

NIKITA:  We didn’t find the hostage yet.

ERIC:  We’ll be out of the city in a half-hour.  I’ll tap in and activate the virus, then we’re free.  Now, come on.

He takes off running across the bleachers and Nikita sprints after him, the whole time looking over shoulder.  They head into the stadium and run down a hallway.  Nikita suddenly stops when she hears voices coming from a nearby door.

ERIC:  Nikita!

NIKITA:  Shhh!

She stills and listens again.

NIKITA:  Do you hear that?

ERIC:  No!  No, there’s no time!  Come on!

He waves his gun for her to follow, but instead she moves closer to the door.

ERIC:  Damn it, Nikita, come on!

She steps inside the door, which leads to stairs that go to a maintenance room below.  Slowly, she steps down the stairs, her gun drawn.  The voices she heard had come from a radio.  Suddenly, a gun presses to her neck.  She stills.

MAN:  Hold it right there.  Turn around.

She does so slowly.

MAN:  Put the gun down slowly.

She bends and lays her gun on a step, but as she straightens, she grabs the man’s arm, and quickly flips him over the stair railing.  He falls to the concrete floor below.  As he tries to reach for his gun, Nikita quickly grabs hers and shoots him.

Nikita runs back into the hallway to join Eric.

ERIC:  Come on!

They run back down the hallway, only to come face to face with Michael and the other operatives.

MICHAEL:  We heard shooting.

NIKITA:  Yes, there was.  No hostages in sight.  I took down one of theirs.

MICHAEL:  Then, you were right.  He’s been moved.

Michael looks pointedly to Nikita, then Eric, before stepping away, as if to think a moment alone.  A few seconds later, he comes back to them.

MICHAEL:  We’ll have to start all over again.

Eric looks over at Nikita as if to say, “You just blew a perfect opportunity”.

OUTSIDE

Nikita and Eric stand outside her apartment building.

ERIC:  Everything was perfect.  All we had to do was…

NIKITA:  Why did you wait?  Why didn’t you just go without me?

ERIC:  The plan takes two people.

NIKITA:  It doesn’t take two people to run through a tunnel!

She grabs him by the jacket.

NIKITA:  Is some kind of game the Section’s playing with me?

ERIC:  No.

NIKITA:  Don’t lie to me.

ERIC:  I won’t.

NIKITA:  Then, why didn’t you go?

ERIC:  I couldn’t… not without you.

He is clearly smitten with her, staring at her for a long moment.  When he speaks, she listens not unkindly.

ERIC:  All those hours watching you…  I couldn’t go without you.  You’re different than them, Nikita.  You’re like me.  And, I…  I know we could be happy together.  I can…  I can feel it.  I…  I know you don’t feel the same way, but maybe… maybe with time…  Listen, uh, let’s just get out…  either way.  And, whatever happens, happens.  Okay?  And just one thing…  You have a lot of reasons to stay in Section, but if you decide to stay in the Section because of Michael…

He shakes his head, wincing for effect.

ERIC:  … please… don’t.

NIKITA: (defensive) Why would I stay because of Michael?

ERIC:  I’ve seen your face when he calls.  He doesn’t feel the same way, Nikita.

NIKITA:  Do you watch him, too?

ERIC:  Enough to know.  They’re working on Jericho now.  He can’t last long.  When they get what they need, they’ll be calling us.  Be ready.  Okay?

He moves off.  Nikita turns and sees a neighbor woman watching through her blinds.  It unsettles her.

NIKITA'S APARTMENT

Nikita is in her apartment.  She is restless.  She jumps from her bedroom landing to the lower level.  She is thinking about Michael, seeing his face in her mind’s eye.  She ambles over to her fish tank, picking up a steel dolphin and setting it in the water.  She then taps a fish mobile that hangs over the tank.  It swishes back and forth.

She glances around, completely distracted.  She flicks water from her fingers, then wanders down the length of her counter, running a finger through her collection of hanging sunglasses as she passes.  She sees Michael’s face, a memory of him smiling.  She continues to think of him.

WHITE ROOM

Jericho sits bound in a chair in the middle of the room in the dark.  The steel door swings open, and Madeline enters, pushing a cart that has a flashlight and bottle of water on it.  She stands before Jericho.

MADELINE:  Do you want something to eat?

JERICHO:  Just water.

She holds the bottle to his lips, so he can drink.

JERICHO:  How are my kids?

MADELINE:  Your kids are fine.

JERICHO:  Can I see them?

MADELINE:  That’s up to you.

JERICHO:  I keep telling you, I don’t know where my brother is keeping this guy.

MADELINE:  I believe you, but I want you to find out.  Contact your brother; tell him your hurt.  He’ll bring you to him, and wherever he is, that’s where the hostage is.

JERICHO:  I will not betray my brother.

MADELINE:  Not even to see your children again?  You’re all they have now since you’ve killed your wife.  Or, would you really rather sacrifice your life for this?

She clicks a remote and the wall monitor shows Cassian saying: “I will not lift a finger to save Jericho”.  Madeline exits the room, leaving the tape to play over and over.  Jericho watches it with shock, then closes his eyes.

OPERATIONS’ LOFT

Operations and Madeline enter the loft together.

OPERATIONS:  You just let him walk out of here?

MADELINE:  He knows we’re watching him.

OPERATIONS:  What if he decides not to betray his brother?

MADELINE:  He’ll betray him.

OPERATIONS:  Because of the tape?  Tapes can be tampered with.  Jericho knows that as well as we do.

MADELINE:  He wants to be free.  The tape just gave him an excuse.  In the meantime, my advice is to assemble the team.  They’ll be needed soon.

WAR ROOM

Nikita sits at the conference table, slouched in the chair.  She is going over the mission, but is actually sitting there preoccupied.  Michael approaches.

He leans one hand on the back of her chair, the other on the table, closing her within his space.  He leans in, his profile to her, and speaks softly.  She watches him closely.

MICHAEL:  The building is empty; the hostage is on the top floor.  You’ll take the point.  Your job is to scope personnel locations.  You’ll have a few seconds.  You’ll have to be quick and accurate.

He looks at her, his face close to hers.  Nikita glances away.

MICHAEL:  Understand?

NIKITA:  I understand.

He straightens and walks off.  Madeline comes up and takes the chair next to Nikita, moving closer to Nikita.

MADELINE:  You’re here late.

NIKITA:  Just going over the parameters again.

MADELINE:  That’s not like you.  You’re usually a quick study.

NIKITA:  I must be getting more dedicated to my work.

MADELINE:  Somehow I don’t think it’s the mission you’re having trouble figuring out.

There is a long pause, as Nikita contemplates what’s been on her mind – Michael.

NIKITA:  How did he get here?  What’s his life outside?  Does he even have one?

MADELINE:  Would knowing the answers, make you perform your mission more efficiently?

NIKITA:  It might.

Madeline smiles at her response.

MADELINE:  Is it his life you want to know about, or his heart?

Nikita clicks off the holo-screen and stands.

NIKITA:  Does he even have a heart?

MADELINE:  Michael loved once, very deeply.

NIKITA:  Simone.

She turns and walks off.  Madeline joins her, walking alongside her.

MADELINE:  Some men can love only once.  Whether Michael’s like that or not, I don’t really know.

NIKITA:  Gee, Madeline, I thought you knew everything?

MADELINE:  I know what I need to know, Nikita.  If you can say the same, you’ll be all right.  Get some rest.

NIKITA:  Good night, Madeline.

Madeline turns in one direction; Nikita in the other.

NIKITA’S APARTMENT

We see Eric walking somewhere outside, talking on his cell phone.

ERIC:  Nikita, this is Eric.  Don’t worry, this call is secure.  Has Section contacted you yet?

NIKITA:  No.

She stands at her open balcony doors, looking out.

ERIC:  They will.  The mission could go anytime.

NIKITA:  I’ll be ready.

ERIC:  I hope so.  Nikita, I want you to understand, this is our last chance…

There is a knock on her door.  She looks to the door.

ERIC:  Nikita?  Nikita?

She hangs up on Eric, then sets the phone down and heads to the door, pausing a moment before cracking it open.

NIKITA:  Michael.

MICHAEL:  We’re on standby, so I thought that we could go over that plan again.

NIKITA:  I know the plan.  I’m sure you do, too.

MICHAEL:  May I come in?

She hesitates, looking at him not quite sure.  He waits for her to allow him in.

NIKITA:  Of course.

He steps just inside the portal and Nikita stands by the door uncertainly, the door still open.

MICHAEL:  Then we could have that cup of coffee… or the drink.

She pauses, staring at him.

NIKITA:  All right.

She walks to where her coat lies, and grabs it, turning back to him, but he blocks her.

MICHAEL:  No need to leave the apartment.  Whatever you have will be fine.

NIKITA:  Well, what if I’m out of everything?

He closes the door.  When he speaks, his voice is soft and seductive.

MICHAEL:  That will be fine, too.

He goes and kneels before her stereo.  Rhythmic, seductive music begins playing.  Nikita sits sprawled lazily in a chair, watching him closely, as she twiddles her hair.  He looks over at her.

NIKITA:  Are you trying to seduce me?

He stands, saying nothing, but slowly prowls toward her.

NIKITA:  I’ve never been able to figure you out.

He continues his slow approach, extending a hand to her in invitation as he nears her.  She cannot resist, standing and going to him.

NIKITA:  Why should today… be different?

He takes up her left wrist, slowly sliding his hand to take her palm.

MICHAEL:  It’s very simple.  After Simone, I thought if I ever cared for anyone again…

He lightly runs his fingertips over the back of her knuckles.  As he speaks, his voice is soft, low, and lulling.  Nikita is affected by the sensuousness of it all.

MICHAEL:  … it would have to be someone from outside of Section, but I was wrong.  No one from the outside can understand who we are.

He begins slowly caressing her hands within his, circling her wrists, running his fingertips down her palms.  Nikita is completely caught up in the seduction, allowing him to maintain her hands as he sensually caresses them.  They stare deeply into each other’s eyes.

MICHAEL:  We fight all the time just to stay alive.  Let’s not fight what’s between us.  Let’s take what we can get.

She closes her eyes, giving in to the moment.  He moves his lips closer to hers, though not quite touching.  They begin dancing is slow circles, their faces close to each other’s, and their eyes locked intensely.  He runs his hand down the front of her thigh, then back up.  She touches his lips, and he leans in to kiss her.  They toy with each other’s lips, and just when they are about to really get into it, Michael’s phone rings.  They pull apart.  Nikita looks to him uncertainly, and Michael closes his eye.

He goes to his coat and answers the phone.

MICHAEL:  We’re ready to move.

MISSION

The operative rush through a large, empty parking garage.  Eric is manning the elevator controls.  As Nikita runs past him, he whispers to her.

ERIC:  Elevator, fifteen minutes.

Nikita goes to stand before the elevators with Michael.  Eric clips off some controls, then looks at Michael.

ERIC:  Ready.

MICHAEL:  Let’s go.

He and Nikita enter the elevator.

On the top floor of the building, the large office space is empty.  We see the hostage tied to a chair in the distance, and Cassian Perez directing his guards to positions.  Two guards sit at a table situated close to the elevator doors.  The elevator rings, and the two men jump up and hurry to it.  Nikita steps out, dressed like a temp office worker.  She is looking down, smoothing her clothes.  When she looks up, she sees the two men with guns leveled at her.  She acts shocked, holding up her hands defensively.

NIKITA:  Whoa!

She immediately turns for the safety of the elevator, but the doors have already closed.

GUARD #1: Hey, hey, hey!  Who are you?

She turns her head to look at the two guards innocently.

NIKITA:  I’m the temp that was ordered.

GUARD #1: We didn’t order any temp.  These elevators aren’t even supposed to be working.

NIKITA:  Oh.

She reaches to the side and presses the elevator button.

NIKITA:  What’s going on?

Guard #1: We’re Security.  There have been some break-ins in here lately.

NIKITA: (smiles) I guess the Agency just sent me to the wrong building.

GUARD #1: I guess they did.

NIKITA:  Sorry.

The elevator doors open, and she ducks in quickly.

Flash to Eric

ERIC:  We’re set.

Nikita presses a red button in the elevator.

GUARD #2: Why did you let her go?

GUARD #1: Someone might have seen her come into the building.  We’ll be out of here tonight anyway.

Inside the elevator the ceiling panel is removed by Michael, who reaches down and pulls Nikita up through the ceiling.  They begin crawling overhead into position, while Nikita gives him the coordinates of the guards.

NIKITA:  Two guards directly in front of the elevator, two more are on the southwest corner.

MICHAEL:  The hostage?

NIKITA:  Not in my sights.  He must be in the northwest corner.

In the office below, Perez readies to kill the hostage.

PEREZ: The deadline is here.  No word from your friends.  Any last words?

TOWNSEND:  Andrew Townsend, Lance Corporal, 548723061.

Perez cocks his gun.

PEREZ:  Goodbye.

At that moment, Nikita jumps for the ceiling, taking Perez down as she falls.  She kneels, slamming him the face with a hard jab, which knocks him out.  She kicks his gun away.

Two of Perez’s guards enter the front area.  Michael throws down a canister that emits a small explosion and gas, rendering the guards defenseless.  Section operatives rush in to apprehend them.

Nikita is quickly untying the hostage.  Behind her, Perez sits up and prepares to stab her from behind.  Michael sees this and shoots him.  As Michael moves toward Nikita and the hostage, two more of Perez’s guards appear.  He deftly turns and shoots them both.  He goes to help the hostage, directing the Section operatives.

MICHAEL:  Secure the prisoners.  Make sure the floor’s clear.

Her work complete, Nikita begins moving back to the elevator.   As she does, she glances back at Michael, who is helping the hostage walk.  Before she gets to the elevator, she glances back to Michael one more time.

Exiting the elevator, she finds Eric waiting for her.

ERIC:  Hi.  You ready?

NIKITA:  Mm-hmm.

ERIC:  Let’s do it.  Come on.

He starts off, but she isn’t really ready, and hesitates.

ERIC:  (sighs) Nikita, listen to me.  At the end of the hall, there’s a bridge to the building across the street.  The virus is ready to go.  In five minutes, we’ll vanish into thin air.

NIKITA:  Okay.

ERIC:  Okay.

NIKITA:  Okay.

ERIC:  Come on.

She takes a couple steps, then stops again.  Eric looks back at her.

ERIC:  Nikita, he does not love you!

She sighs heavily and nods.

NIKITA:  You go.

ERIC:  No.

She’s not leaving Michael.

NIKITA: (whispers) Go.

ERIC:  All right, um… well, I’ll, uh, I’ll take you out of the virus, then.

Nikita nods.

ERIC:  Goodbye.

He hesitates a moment, then takes off.

MUNITIONS

Nikita stands at Walter’s worktable, unloading her weapons.

WALTER:  Didn’t you have another weapon?

NIKITA:  Not this trip.

WALTER:  My report tells me that you had a snub-nosed .357.  I’m afraid I’m going to have to search you.

NIKITA:  Really?  Go ahead.

She calls his bluff, turning to face him relaxed, so he can frisk her.  He crosses his arms; all talk.

WALTER:  Brat.

Nikita laughs, and walks off.  Michael approaches her.

NIKITA:  How’s the hostage?

MICHAEL:  He’ll be fine.  Something came up.  Um… Eric didn’t come back with the rest of the team, and some sort of virus erased him from our primary database.

He watches her very deliberately.  She tilts her head, confused.

NIKITA:  You mean there’s a back up?

MICHAEL:  He won’t get far, and anyone who went with him, wouldn’t have either.

He looks at her pointedly, and she gets his message loud and clear.

NIKITA:  You knew about his plan all along, didn’t you?

Her voice breaks, and she tears up.

NIKITA:  This was all one big manipulation to keep me from going with him, wasn’t it?

MICHAEL:  To keep you alive.

She struggles not to cry.

NIKITA:  But why?  Why bother?

Michael eyes shift about her face, but he doesn’t respond.  He walks away.  Nikita watches him, miserably, and fighting tears.

NIKITA:  Welcome back, Michael.

WAR ROOM

Operations sits on his side of the conference table, speaking to Michael and Madeline, who are seated on the other side.

OPERATIONS:  Prepare a plan and a shadow team.  We’ll need a psychological profile on all the major plays…

Nikita angrily storms to the table, carrying a black tote bag.  She stands before Operations, and slams the bag open end first to the table.  Various surveillance equipment devices hit the table forcefully.  She slams the bag down on top of the equipment.

OPERATIONS:  What’s this?

NIKITA:  (grinds out) Your cameras.  I’m not having them in my apartment anymore!

Operations stands menacingly.

OPERATIONS:  You’re not?

NIKITA:  No!  And if you don’t like it, you can…

He leans forward, yelling.  Michael sits staring straight ahead, very still and listening, while Madeline can’t keep the amusement off her face.

OPERATIONS:  We can what?

NIKITA:  … cancel me, because I’d rather be dead than watched like an animal in the zoo!

OPERATIONS:  Are you sure about that?

NIKITA:  I’m very sure!

She looks at Madeline, who is still smiling, then storms off.

Operations looks at Madeline with her amused smile, then to Michael.

OPERATIONS:  Cancel surveillance on Nikita.   At least for the time being.

He looks to Madeline and Michael again, all business.

OPERATIONS:  Now, where were we?

We see Michael, who has an odd expression, almost seeming to smile.

END OF EPISODE