LA FEMME NIKITA
Innocent

#112 "Innocent"
Written by: Michael Loceff
Directed by: George Bloomfield
Edited by: Robert K. Sprogis
Transcript archived at TWIZ TV.COM
Originally posted at Flash Mission
Transcribed by: Christine and Jean
Guest Starring: Maury Chaykin, John Evans
 

SECTION - Evening

Nikita is alone in Walter's munitions area.  She takes off her jacket to remove her gun and sling holster, leaving them on the table. Under the jacket she's wearing a transparent blue blouse. As she heads toward Birkoff's station, she puts her jacket back on, flipping her hair out of the collar.  The area is deserted, except for Birkoff, who is working at his computer.  She heads toward him.

NIKIA:  Where is everybody?

BIRKOFF: (glancing quickly around, disinterested)  I don't know.

Nikita stands behind him.

NIKITA:  What are you doing?

BIRKOFF: (absorbed in his work) I'm trying out a new Hartley transformer on these surveillance images.

NIKITA:  Weren't you doing that when I saw you this morning?

She grabs a chair beside him and watches him work.  Birkoff doesn't look at her, but continues watching his screen.

BIRKOFF: (condescendingly) No, this morning I trying out a Fourier transformer.

NIKITA:  So, how'd you get like this, Birkoff?

BIRKOFF:  Like what? (He types on the keyboard.)  A cyber-geek? (He says this mockingly, then looks at her.) Hey, technology is beautiful. You just haven't taken the time to appreciate it.

NIKITA:  No.  I just prefer the real world.

BIRKOFF:  Which part?  The lies, or all the idiots?

NIKITA:  (chuckles)  Ooooh...A little cynical, Birkoff?

BIRKOFF:  Whatever.

He is studying his screen, enlarging different areas of the image he's watching.

NIKITA:  How'd you get in the Section?

BIRKOFF: (never looking away from the monitor) I killed my entire family.

Nikita stares ahead as if wishing she hadn't asked.

BIRKOFF: (half an ironic smile) I'm kidding. Just my sister.

He glances over at Nikita. She nods.  We zero in on his computer screen.

NIKITA:  So, what are you looking at?  (Obviously wanting to change the subject.)

BIRKOFF: Routine satellite surveillance, digitized images, anything my A-I program flags as suspicious.

NIKITA:  (Seeing how engrossed he is...) Maybe I'll just leave you two alone.

She smiles, stands, and walks away.

The computer screen shows outline of an aircraft.  The image enlarges.

BIRKOFF:  (leans toward screen) What's this?

The puzzlement in his query causes Nikita to turn back.

NIKITA:  What?

Focus is on contents of aircraft image.

BIRKOFF:  Someone's trying to hide something in there.  Let's try an infrared scan.

He enlarges cargo area.

NIKITA:  (leaning over his shoulder) How can you tell what that is?

BIRKOFF:  I can't yet.  I need another view.

He types on keyboard.  We see the overhead image of aircraft, then the side view.  The image turns and spins as Birkoff tries alternate angles.  The outline of something in the cargo area catches his eye.

BIRKOFF: (alarmed) That can't be right.

NIKITA:  What?  What's going on?

Without answering her, he grabs the nearest phone.

BIRKOFF:  I need Operations now!  (Pauses as he waits for Operations to get on the phone.)  Yeah.  We got an S7 trio on a transport headed west. (pause)  Yes, it is. (pause) I will.

NIKITA:  So what's going on?

Birkoff hangs up the phone.

BIRKOFF:  There's a live nuclear warhead about to come into the country.

They both stare at the images on the screen in disbelief.

Later in SECTION

There is a flurry of activity.  Operations is hurrying to Birkoff's station, with Nikita hot on his trail.

OPERATIONS:  Nikita, did you reload the backup surveillance?

NIKITA:  Yes.  It's over 20,000 segments.

OPERATIONS:  Probe every one, not just with a program.  I want eyeballs on every one of those tapes.

Operations stops at Birkoff's station, standing behind him. He leans over his shoulder.

OPERATIONS:  What do you have, Birkoff?

BIRKOFF:  The bomb is on a cargo jet that left Helsinki eight hours ago.  We're using a DOD recon satellite to track it.  The plane is on a trajectory.  It is now in our hemisphere.

OPERATIONS:  Can we shoot it down?

Michael approaches and joins them.

BIRKOFF: Pilot's already flying over metropolitan areas.  We'd run the risk of setting off a nuclear detonation over a large population.

MICHAEL:  Any changes in altitude?

BIRKOFF: None.  (Types on quickly on keyboard.)  Constant at 38,000 feet.

OPERATIONS: All right.  Based on what we know, what are our sample spaces?

BIRKOFF: I've run a sim.  (Switches to another computer behind him).  At this point it could land at any major airport in this region.

OPERATIONS: All right.  How soon can you narrow it down?

BIRKOFF: (Back to main terminal)  As soon as he engages anything that resembles an approach pattern, we'll be able to target a destination.

MICHAEL:  Assuming they intend to land the plane.

Operations and Birkoff turn to stare at Michael as if he has voiced what they thought all along.

OPERATIONS:  I've alerted the Pentagon and NRC to work on one assumption...  that it is going to be detonated unless we stop it.

BIRKOFF:  (watching monitor) His altitude's dropping.  (Punches keys rapidly)  Average approach time's thirty-five minutes.  He's going 550 miles an hour.  If his vectors are stable, I'll have a location in 10 minutes.

OPERATIONS:  Let's get ready Michael.

Michael nods and leaves to prepare.

UNIDENTIFIED AIRPORT- Evening

A large jet begins its landing pattern, then taxis to a stop.  An aircraft pilot car hitched to the front landing gear guides the jet to a parking area.  The hatch door is opened, and portable stairs are wheeled to the door.  Two men step out.  A rear door of the jet is opened, and we see a large wooden crate.

In the distance an old model car approaches.  The lit "delivery" sign in the passenger window identifies it as a pizza delivery car, driven by a heavy-set man wearing glasses.  Pulling up to a gated area, the deliveryman stops, obviously lost.

RUDY: (picks up car radio microphone) Darlene? You there?

DARLENE: (over radio) What d'ya want, Rudy?

RUDY: Is that...uh, is that...The large double cheese. Is that 132 north or 132 south?

DARLENE: Don't tell me you're lost again.

RUDY: No, no I'm not lost! I'm out here at the airport. So I'm out here. I'm here.

DARLENE: Because if this ends up another freeby, it's coming outta your paycheck.

RUDY: (decides to 'go it alone' and avoid Darlene's irritation) Alright. No, I got it. Okay, it's here. I see it. I see it. No problem. (he sees a lit door and  mumbles to himself) What? Is that it?

Flash to the wooden crate being loaded into a large cargo truck.

Back to Rudy driving around lost.  He parks next to a building, and takes the pizzas out.

Flash to two men wearing caps watching the crate being loaded into the truck.

Back to the deliveryman.

RUDY: (rings a buzzer) Hello! Anybody there?

Flash to the two men at the truck.  The crate is now loaded.  They exchange a nod.  Man #1 removes his cap; Man #2 walks a short distance and pulls a gun, shooting three maintenance men who had loaded the truck.

Back to Rudy still waiting for a buzzer response.

Flash to a black, dark-tinted luxury sedan pulling into the area.

RUDY: (spots the black car, chases after it, pizzas in hand) Hey! Hey! Hey! You guys order a pizza?

Flash to the car.  The door opens and Man #3 gets out, joining Man #1.  Man#3 hands a bulky keypad remote device to Man #1.

Back to Rudy as he rounds the corner and sees the exchange.

Flash to the Man#3 getting back into his car.

Back to Rudy shouting at them, "Hey!  Did you guys order a pizza?!"  He watches as the loaded truck hatches are secured, then begins running toward the two vehicles, shouting "Excuse me!  Excuse me!"  The sedan drives off, so Rudy heads toward the side of the truck.  He sees Man #1 in the passenger seat holding the keypad remote.  It's a bomb deactivator.  As Rudy stares, the truck also moves off.

Rudy backs up in confusion. He stumbles on a body, looks around and sees the other dead men littering the ground.

RUDY: (drops pizzas in panic and shouts) Oh my...! Oh my god! Help! Help me!

As he stands in the night amidst the dead bodies a bright spotlight from an overhead-approaching helicopter zeros in on him. Rudy looks up at the light, fearful.

RUDY: (screaming hoarsely) I'm just delivering a pizza!

WHITE ROOM

A man sits in the chair.  His hands are being shackled in restraints.  We see it's the deliveryman.

RUDY:  Ow! Oh! Ow! Ah!

Michael stands before the chair, Nikita behind, leaning against a wall.  The man is clearly apprehensive.

MICHAEL:  So tell me again, Rudy.  Why were you there?

RUDY: I told you I deliver pizza!

MICHAEL:  No one ordered pizza.

As he says this, he advances the chair, intimidating Rudy.

RUDY:  I know, but I got lost.  I... I couldn't find the place.  I didn't know if it was North or South, and I got confused.  I... I gotta get back to work cuz I'm gonna get...  I'm gonna get in trouble with Darlene.  She's gonna be mad.  She's gonna get...

Rudy looks nervously about, as if for help.

MICHAEL:  Forget about the job.  You don't work there anymore.

RUDY: (raising his voice) What do mean?  I still got the job!  Why are you doing this to me?  What do you want from me?

Michael begins pacing slowly, circling Rudy as he speaks.

MICHAEL:  We don't believe you, Rudy.  You're a drifter.  You go from job to job.  City to city.

RUDY: I told you why I do that!  (He is clearly upset.)

MICHAEL:  (still circling) An opportunity came along to make extra money...

RUDY:  I'm not like that.

Michael stops circling, and stands beside the chair.  He bends down, so he's speaking in Rudy's face.

MICHAEL:  What did they hire you to do?  Drive a car?  A decoy?

RUDY:  (summoning his courage, spits out...) I deliver pizza!  For Pizza Pozzo!  Pizza!

They hold a long look, before Michael straightens and walks to the door.  It opens.  He turns to Nikita, still leaning against the wall.

MICHAEL:  (irritated) I'll check his story.  See what else you can get out of him.

He leaves.  Nikita glances at Rudy.  Rudy, facing away from her, glances about the bright, empty room fearfully.  Nikita leaves the wall she was leaning against and stands directly behind Rudy.

NIKITA:  All right, Rudy, let's go over it again.

RUDY:  What...?

BIRKOFF'S STATION

Operations rounds the corner and steps into Birkoff's area.

BIRKOFF:  We lost satellite surveillance.

OPERATIONS:  Where are the local jurisdictions on this?

He leans over Birkoff's shoulder to watch the computer monitor more closely.

BIRKOFF:  The NRC has three nest teams working.  So far nothing.

OPERATIONS:  What about the plane?

BIRKOFF:  Completely empty. Clean.

OPERATIONS:  Any terrorist communiqués in the last hour?

BIRKOFF:  None.

OPERATIONS:  There will be.

He quickly walks away.

WHITE ROOM

Rudy is still strapped in the chair.  Nikita stands behind him.

NIKITA:  How did you end up delivering pizza to an airport runway?

RUDY:  I told you before.  I was... I was... I got lost.  Why don't... Why don't anybody believe me?  I'm telling the truth.  How much longer are they gonna keep me here?

Rudy is getting increasingly upset.

NIKITA:  Depends.

RUDY:  Cuz I gotta... I gotta call my sister.  She gets very... very upset if I don't call her every night.  She's got the Down syndrome.  Did you ever hear of that?

Nikita moves from behind him to stand beside the chair.

NIKITA:  Yes, I have.

RUDY:  Yeah.  She gets aid from the State, but I was trying to explain to the guy before, but he wouldn't listen to me that that's why I move around a lot.  I'm not a drifter.  It's just that the aid runs out and we have to reapply, we go to a different state.

NIKITA:  Rudy?  (leans in closer) I want to help you, but I can't do that unless you give us some information.

RUDY:  Well, what kind of information?

OPERATION'S LOFT

Michael enters. Operations is standing at the window facing Section below, hands in pockets.

MICHAEL:  Helsinki was the plane's third stop.  (paces)  The cargo originated in Sudan.  We're crossing-checking our database of terrorists that have operations in or around that area.

Nikita now enters.

NIKITA:  Our pizza man has seen faces.

OPERATIONS:  Whose faces?

NIKITA:  Two men.  One was leaving by a truck, the other by limo moments before we arrived.

OPERATIONS:  He told you this?

NIKITA:  I think we took the wrong approach.  This Rudy's a little on the simple side.  Just had to ask the questions the right way.

Michael leads off out of the nest, Nikita following.  We hear Birkoff call "Sir?"  Then, "State just sent us a M-Peg."  Operations responds, "Cue it up."

WAR ROOM

Section personnel are standing viewing a large monitor.  On it we see Man #1 from the airport addressing Section.  As he speaks, there is eerie Middle Eastern flute music playing the background.  The camera pans close-ups over the somber expressions of the operatives, as well as Birkoff, Nikita, Michael and Operations.

MAN#1: Your complacent masses will learn death and misery on a terrified scale.  Next time our people speak, you'll listen because you'll understand suffering the way we have for thousands of years.  Because of our action, we'll have autonomy without the influence of your immoral culture.  A twenty-megaton nuclear warhead has been hidden in one of your cities.  There is nothing that you or anyone can do to stop it.  I'm the only one who knows its location.  I'll give you twenty-four hours...

He holds up the bomb deactivator that shows 24 hrs has been programmed into it.

MAN #1:  ... to ponder which of you will die, and which of you will live to mourn the dead.

He then looks away and begins praying in a foreign language, his eyes hold a vacant look.  When he looks back, he places a gun in his mouth. We hear the gunshot, as the camera is focused on Nikita, who jumps. Pan to Michael maintaining his calm, while the other operatives begin to disperse.

We see a close up of the deactivator.  It reads: 23.59.42.

MICHAEL'S OFFICE

Michael is at his desk working on his computer.  Nikita rounds the doorway.

NIKITA:  Yeah?

From the desk, Michael throws a compact disk to her.  She catches it.

MICHAEL:  Get this to Comm.  Tell them to abandon the Kassar's file.

NIKITA:  That's it?

MICHAEL:  That's it.

Nikita turns and be begins to leave, then stops, to look back at Michael.

NIKITA:  About Rudy's sister...

Michael looks up, and waits for her to speak, but she pauses.

MICHAEL:  What is it?

NIKITA:  Rudy calls her every night.  She's institutionalized.

MICHAEL: (he can see what she is about to ask) Forget it.

He looks back to his computer, tacitly dismissing her. Nikita ignores him.

NIKITA:  I just think it would help his state of mind before the debriefing.

MICHAEL:  (looking back to her) It's not his state of mind that I'm concerned about.

NIKITA:  Save your concerns!  Michael, Rudy doesn't have a lot of concentration to spread around and right now all he's thinking about is his sister.

MICHAEL:  He's a Class 1 collateral in a defcom scenario.  We incubate.  You know the rules.

NIKITA:  I know 'em.  I just think they should be rewritten.

They have a staring match, neither wanting to give way to the other.

MICHAEL:  You might be right about this sister.

Nikita nods as if to say "of course, I am".

MICHAEL:  Go back in there and calm him down.

Hearing this, Nikita just looks at Michael, clearly angry and surprised that he didn't agree with her like she had thought he would.  As she moves to leave, she turns back, pointing her finger at him.

NIKITA:  (sarcastically) THAT is a good idea, Michael.

She leaves, and Michael, unmoved, returns to his work.

MAIN AREA - SECTION

We see Birkoff at his desk, and Nikita leading Rudy through Section.

RUDY:  Wow!  I never seen a police station like this before.  Look at the size of their computers!  Big!  Belinda likes computers.

NIKITA:  Oh, who's Belinda?  Your girlfriend?

RUDY:  Naaaah, I haven't got a girlfriend.  It's my sister ...  You said I could call my sister.

He stops walking, turns around, and asks no one in particular...

RUDY:  Could I use the telephone?

NIKITA:  Yeah.  Rudy, we just gotta do something important first.

She grabs his arm, leading him back with her.

NIKITA:  Come on.

RUDY:  I ain't never done anything important before.  Oh, boy.

Nikita leads him to the Conference area, where Michael and Operations are waiting.  Rudy sees them.

RUDY:  Uh, oh.  You guys still angry with me?

OPERATIONS:  No, we're not angry.  Sit down, Rudy.

Nikita pulls a chair out for him, and he sits.

RUDY:  Thank you.

MICHAEL:  (addressing Nikita) How far along are we?

NIKITA:  He gave Birkoff the license plate of the limousine at the airport.

MICHAEL:  License plate.

RUDY:  Yeah, I... I remember numbers.  My telephone number when I was a kid was Cloverdale 24079, my grandpa's was Gedney 62505.  The serial number of my refrigerator was KL...

OPERATIONS:  Can you tell us about last night?

RUDY:  Well, there was two guys...there was two... talking to one another, and one of them had a fancy phone with gadgets on it.

MICHAEL:  The deactivator.

Michael initiates the holograph screen.  We see Man #1's image.

MICHAEL:  Did you see this man here?

RUDY:  Wow.  What is that?

He reaches out to touch the screen, and his hand goes through it.  He jerks it back.

NIKITA:  Rudy, just look at and tell us if you recognize the man you saw.

RUDY:  Yeah, that, that's the guy who walked to the truck.

Nikita looks smugly at Michael.

RUDY:  Wait a second.

NIKITA:  What is it?

Rudy is beginning to put things together in his head.

RUDY:  This isn't a police station.

OPERATIONS:  You're 500 feet underground.

Rudy immediately looks up, as though he can't believe he is 500 ft. underground.

OPERATIONS:  This is called Section One.  We're a secret government organization that helps people in trouble. Now we need your help.  Can we count on you, Rudy?

RUDY:  (nervous) Could I... could I keep this shirt when we're finished?

OPERATIONS: (curtly) Sure.  You can keep the shirt.  We'd like you to identify the other man.  Can you describe him to us?

RUDY:  What the... the man in the limousine?

OPERATIONS:  Yes.

RUDY:  Well, he was kinda of a... he was kinda...

OPERATIONS:  (impatient) Take him to Birkoff.

RUDY:  Who's Birkoff?  Who's that?  Is he the big cheese?

He stands up and follows Nikita.

RUDY:  Is that...  Who is he?

We see the deactivator counter.  It now reads: 21.18.57.

MICHAEL'S OFFICE

Michael sits at his desk.  Nikita rushes in, clearly upset.

NIKITA:  Operations told Rudy who we are!  It's a death sentence, isn't it?

MICHAEL:  The moment we brought him here that decision was made.

NIKITA:  Why!  Rudy's like a child!  He's innocent.  No one would believe what he said anyway!

MICHAEL:  We can't take the chance.

She sees that Michael is unmoved.  Frustrated she walks to the door and looks out.  In the distance, she sees Rudy, who waves to her.

NIKITA:  You don't deserve this, Rudy.

MICHAEL:  (irritated) Don't forget what's at stake here.

NIKITA:  Oh, I'm sorry, Michael.  Just a temporary lapse in humanity.  I'll get over it.

Michael's phone rings.  He picks it up.

MICHAEL:  Yes?  Okay.  (hangs up)   He traced the plates.  It's an Embassy.

NIKITA:  And the man that we're looking for works there?

MICHAEL:  Hopefully, we'll find that out tonight.

He stands from his desk.

NIKITA:  Well, what's tonight?

They exit the office together.

HALLWAY/VAN ACCESS

Nikita, dressed in formal gown and coat, leads Rudy, dressed in a tux down the hallway to Van Access.

RUDY:  A party?  You mean like a birthday party?

NIKITA:  No, it won't be that much fun.  It's an Embassy dinner.  There'll be a lot of stuffy people.

RUDY:  Is there gonna be baked potaties there?

They stop at the access door, where Michael and other operatives are waiting.

NIKITA:  Rudy, remember, we're only going there so that you can point out the man you saw last night.

Michael suddenly reaches out and puts a tiny round comm unit behind Rudy's left hear.  Rudy jumps.

MICHAEL:  You're gonna need to wear this.

BIRKOFF:  (through the comm unit) Hey, can you hear me, Rudy?

RUDY: (yelling) Yeah, I can hear you!  You're right in my ear!

NIKITA:  (patiently) Rudy.  See, we don't want them to know that we're trying to communicate with you, so you gotta play it real low key.

RUDY: (conspiratorially) Oh, yeah, right, yeah, I can do that.

BIRKOFF: (through com) Okay, what day is it today, Rudy?

Rudy doesn't answer.

BIRKOFF:  Rudy can you hear me?

Rudy still doesn't answer.

NIKITA:  Not THAT low-key.

With that, Michael reaches out and snatches the comm device off Rudy's ear.

MICHAEL:  (to Nikita) Okay, stay close to him.  We'll work it through you.  The function's at eight.  Let's move.

RUDY:  Where we going now?  To the party?

The group loads into the van access tunnel.

EMBASSY PARTY-Evening

Scene is the front of the building where the party is being held.  Lots of limos dropping off formally attired people.  Inside groups of people are mingling and conversing.

RUDY:  Can I take the tie off.  The tie itches me all over the place.

NIKITA:  No, you can't.

She adjusts the tie.

NIKITA:  Is that better?

RUDY:  It itches my neck.

She tries again to adjust it.

NIKIA:  Is that better?

RUDY:  No.  I want to take it off.

NIKITA:  Please, Rudy.

A woman approaches and greets them, checking their invitation.

WOMAN:  Dr. Firestein, how are you?

RUDY:  I'm all right.

NIKIA:  I'm Joan Firestein.

WOMAN:  Hi, Joan.  I'm Janet Winters.  (talking to Rudy)  Oh, Mrs. Savars, the undersecretary in Paris was just talking about your research facility.

RUDY:  Yeah.

WOMAN:  We hear wonderful things.

Rudy just mumbles incoherently; Nikita is getting nervous.

NIKITA:  Thanks so much for inviting us.  Thank you.

She takes Rudy's arm and moves him off.

RUDY:  There's a lot of people in here.

NIKITA:  Rudy, remember we're looking for the man you saw at the airport.

RUDY:  I haven't seen him yet!

Michael walks by them, wearing a formal tux.  Rudy sees him.

RUDY:  Hey, isn't that the guy from...

NIKITA:  No.  Rudy, keep looking for the man.

She touches her glasses to give Birkoff a better view, then speaks to Birkoff through her comm unit.

NIKITA:  Are you receiving?

RUDY:  What?

We see Birkoff in the van, watching everything that Nikita's glasses pick up.

BIRKOFF:  I got ya.  Rainman see anyone yet?

NIKITA:  Not yet.

Rudy is now distracted and watching a violinist playing, while Nikita converses with Birkoff.

BIRKOFF:  You wanna switch to channel four.  I'm getting a lot of static.

NIKITA:  (touches her glasses) How's that?

Rudy thinks she is talking to him and referring to the music.

RUDY:  It's very feathery.  Very feathery.

Nikita pays him no mind.  They stand, looking around the room that is filled with people.

RUDY:  I gotta go to the bathroom.

NIKITA:  Just a little while longer.

RUDY:  (loudly) Come on!  I gotta go to the bathroom NOW!

People within hearing distance turn and begin to stare.

NIKITA:  (to her comm unit) Michael, Rudy needs an escort.

RUDY:  I don't need that.  I can go myself.

NIKITA:  Michael will take you.  Just wait a second.

Michael makes his way toward them.

NIKITA:  Rudy.  Rudy, just follow Michael.

RUDY:  Ah, all right.

He begins to follow and as he walks he stumbles into the back of a man, pushing so the man's water spills on his suit front.  The man turns and we see that it is the man they are looking for:  Man #3 from the airport.

RUDY:  Oh, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to spill the water on you.

Michael takes Rudy and moves off, while Nikita goes to help the man who got the water spilled on him.

NIKITA:  Excuse me.  Can I help you?  I'm sorry.

She takes a napkin and begins dabbing at his suit.

MAN#3: It's quite all right.  No problem.

NIKITA:  My husband's a little clumsy.

MAN#3:  These things happen.

Man #3 moves off, as does Nikita, looking in the direction Rudy last went with Michael.

Flash to Section.  Operations is watching the monitor and checking in with Birkoff.

BIRKOFF:  They've separated.  Rudy's with Michael now.

OPERATIONS:  Keep me posted.

Back to the Embassy party.  Michael and Rudy are returning from the bathroom, back to the party.

RUDY:  The... the guy who was giving out the towels was really angry at me.

Rudy spies Nikita and makes a beeline toward her.  Michael veers away.

RUDY:  (loudly) Hey, Nikita!  You should see the bathrooms they got here!  The toilets flush all by themselves.

NIKITA:  Are you feeling better?

RUDY:  Yeah.

Michael casually circles behind Nikita.  Rudy bends to smell a flower arrangement.

MICHAEL:  Let's find this guy NOW.

He moves off.

NIKITA:  Okay.  Rudy, let's go and check another room.

RUDY:  Nice flowers.

NIKITA:  (taking his arm to lead him) Let's go and check another room.

RUDY:  All right.

They enter another room.

RUDY:  Nikita, if... if... if I didn't want to help you find this guy what would happen to me?

NIKITA:  What do you mean?

RUDY:  Well, cuz I gotta take care of my sister, and... and... and she depends on me and anything happens to me...

NIKITA:  Nothing's gonna happen, Rudy.

RUDY:  You promise?

NIKITA:  I promise.

She is uncomfortable answering him, as she knows what Section has in mind for him.  She looks away, so he can't see her expression, but he is not dumb.

RUDY:  Look at my face.

She turns to face him.

NIKITA:  I promise.

RUDY:  I... I... I gotta take this tie off.  It still itches me really bad.

NIKITA:  You can't.  You can't take the tie off, Rudy.

At this point, Nikita is at her wits' end dealing with him.  She looks around, sighing heavily, clenching her jaw.

RUDY:  Nikita?

NIKITA:  (exasperated) What, Rudy!

RUDY:  There he is.  (He jerks his chin toward a man standing in the distance.)  Talking to the two pretty girls.

NIKITA:  (to her comm unit) Michael, we got him.  He's in the east wing at the base of the stairs.

Flash to mission van.

BIRKOFF:  They've got him.

OPERATIONS:  (at Section) Good.  Bring him in.

Back to Embassy Party

MICHAEL:  Let's take him in.

Two operatives head toward the man.  Nikita is next to Rudy watching them in the distance.

NIKITA:  Rudy, just wait here for a second.

RUDY:  All right.

Nikita leaves Rudy's side to go assist.   Michael approaches the man in question.

MICHAEL:  Excuse me, sir.

MAN:  (still laughing with his companions) Yeah?

MICHAEL:  We need to ask you some questions?

MAM:  (sees the ops surrounding him)   Who the hell are you?

MICHAEL:  We can make it quite unpleasant for you if you don't cooperate.

Nikita takes the man's champagne glass from him, while an operative takes the man's arm and leads him away.  The man is quite stunned, but goes quietly.  Nikita then turns back to go to Rudy.  She doesn't see him.

NIKITA: Rudy?

She sees his tie lying on a nearby table, but no Rudy.  She looks around the room, and picks up the tie, staring at it.

We see the deactivator.  It now reads:  12.37.11.

COMM

Birkoff brings up the image of the man taken from the party on his computer screen.

BIRKOFF:  This can't be him.

OPERATIONS:  Why not?

BIRKOFF:  David Zacharoff's attached to the Canadian Trade Commission.  He was in Brussels the night Rudy said he saw him, addressing a conference.  There's about 5,000 witnesses.

OPERATIONS:  Voice confirmations?

BIRKOFF:  Yeah, I talked to half a dozen people.  He was there.

OPERATIONS:  Rudy fingered the wrong man.  Either by mistake, or intentionally.  Have they found him yet?

BIRKOFF:  No.  They're working on it.

INSTITUTION

We see the front of the institution, then a young woman playing the piano.  We hear Rudy laughing, and crying out, "Ow! Ow! You're hurting me!  Aye, yi, yi!  You're hurting me.  You're breaking my finger."  He is lounging on the carpeted floor.  A young woman with Down's Syndrome sits beside him. They are playing thumb war.  We know it's his sister, Belinda.

RUDY:  Okay, now I'm gonna make a face and you say from 1 to 10 how good it is, ok?  All right.

He makes a ridiculous face.

BELINDA:  A five.

RUDY:  Five?  All right, now this one.

He makes another goofy face.

BELINDA:  A ten.

RUDY:  Come here.

He reaches and gives her a big hug.

RUDY:  I love you so much.

Nikita and Michael approach in the hallway. They see Rudy and his sister and stop.

BELINDA:  You'll always be my brother.  Always.

RUDY:  Yeah.

BELINDA:  No one in the whole wide world will ever hurt you.  And, if they even try, they have to come through me, I will karate them down in pieces.

RUDY:  (chuckles) You're such a sweetheart.  I love you so much.

BELINDA:  What?

RUDY:  Who's a big girl though?

BELINDA:  Yeah, I am.

RUDY:  Who?  Who's a big girl?

BELINDA:  I am.

RUDY:  Yeah.  So, you don't need me to call you any...  You don't need me to call you every night though, right?

BELINDA:  Not every night.

She is gently and lovingly touching his face.

RUDY:  Yeah, just...  Cuz you're big, right?  So, you don't need me that much no more, right?

Michael and Nikita continue to watch.  Nikita knows she needs to break in.

BELINDA:  Don't say that.

RUDY:  Yeah, right, but I gotta...

BELINDA:  I need you a lot more than I ever have, because you're my only brother that I have got.  So, remember that.

NIKITA:  (approaches) Hi, Rudy.

RUDY:  Nikita!

He gets off the floor and helps his sister up.  Nikita walks closer; Michael remains at the doorway

RUDY:  This is my sister I was telling you about.  Belinda.  Belinda, Nikita.

BELINDA:  Hi.

The two women shake hands politely.

NIKITA:  Hi, Belinda.  Nice to meet you.

BELINDA:  Yeah.  Nice to meet you, too.

RUDY:  You know a lot of people think that I'm dumb, but I'm not dumb, you know.

NIKITA:  Oh, I don't think you're dumb, Rudy.

RUDY:  Well, I'm not saying that I'm very smart.  It's just that I'm not dumb.

MICHAEL:  (impatiently)  We don't have a lot of time!

NIKITA:  Come on, Rudy.

RUDY:  (looks down at his sister)  You're a big girl now, right?

BELINDA:  Yeah, that's right.  I am.

RUDY:  Yeah, that's right you are, so you don't need me call you every night, right?

BELINDA:  That's right.

RUDY:  Yeah!  Right.

Rudy and Nikita join Michael, and begin walking away.

BELINDA:  (calls out)  Oooh!  Rudy got a girlfriend!

RUDY:  (turning back)  Not my girlfriend!  It's Nikita!

SECTION

Michael, Nikita, and Rudy walk back into Section.  Operations is waiting for them.

OPERATIONS:  (accusingly) You gave us the wrong man at the Embassy!

RUDY:  I'm sorry.

OPERATIONS:  Why?

RUDY:  I was scared that you wouldn't ever, ever let me go, so I had to go to see my sister.

OPERATIONS:  And, you did.  So no more games, Rudy!

He grabs Rudy roughly by the jaw.  Nikita watches anxiously.

OPERATIONS:  A lot of innocent people can get hurt if we don't do our job.

RUDY:  Yeah, right.  Do you want me to go back to the party?

Rudy turns, wanting to go do as he's been told.

OPERATIONS:  No, Rudy. Rudy no!  We have pictures of everyone who was there.  I want you to look at them and try to find the man you saw at the airport.  Okay?

RUDY:  All right.  Okay.

NIKITA:  Come on, Rudy.

RUDY:  Yeah.  He's very mad at me.

We see the deactivator.  It now reads:  10.00.00.

MICHAEL'S OFFICE

Operations, Michael, and Nikita are there.

OPERATIONS:  I get online with the Agency heads in ten minutes.  I need to know what to tell them.  Are we going to proceed with Rudy, or are we spinning our wheels.

Nikita begins to speak.  Michael cuts in.

MICHAEL:  I think he's a waste of time.  We should reallocate our resources.

NIKITA:  I disagree!  It's obvious that he saw someone at the airport.  There's a very good chance that person was at the Embassy.

OPERATIONS:  He's lied to us.

NIKITA:  He needed to see his sister.  Now that he has, I think everything's gonna be okay.

OPERATIONS:  You think!

WOMAN'S VOICE (via the intercom): They're waiting for you downstairs.

OPERATIONS:  You've got Birkoff for another hour.  If Rudy can't produce by then, cancel him!

He stalks out of the office.

NIKITA:  What if he can produce, then what?

MICHAEL:  Let's just hope that happens.

NIKITA:  Not good enough.  What happens if he comes through?

MICHAEL:  You know we can't let him go.

Nikita looks crushed.  Michael exits.

COMM

Rudy is viewing images of people at the party on a monitor, rejecting one after another as the man they are looking for.  He is tired and distracted, and Nikita and Birkoff's patience are wearing thin with him.

WAR ROOM

Operations is sitting at the conference table.  The holograph screen is up.  Three people are visible, speaking with Operations.  They are discussing the situation at hand, and where each is in terms of dealing with the bomb situation.  None of the parties are making very big headway, and tempers are on the surface.

From Birkoff's area, Rudy's attention is caught up by the screen he sees in the distance.  He gets up and stares at it, while Nikita and Birkoff discuss how many more pictures Rudy needs to sort through.  Nikita calls Rudy back, telling him to get back and focus.  Reluctantly, he allows her to pull him back, but he continues to stare at the screen in the War Room.

Back to Operations and the conversations with the others onscreen outlining the next plan of attack.  The head speaker is asking opinions about when to notify the public of the bomb, and how do they begin evacuation implementation.  Specifically, he asks a man that he addresses as Maygar.  The camera focuses on Maygar, and we see that it is Man#3 from the airport, the man Rudy saw and that Section has been looking for in connection with the bomb.

Rudy sees that man named Maygar and purposefully strides toward the War Room.  Birkoff calls him back, but Rudy doesn't listen, but just stares at the man onscreen.  Nikita picks up on this and follows.  Operations sees Rudy and orders Nikita to get him out.  Nikita asks if that is the man, and Rudy replies that it is.  Operations looks up and stares at Maygar, who is staying, "Frankly, based on the number, I think evacuation would be a mistake."

OPERATION'S LOFT

Michael is listening as Operations speaks to Maygar onscreen.  Operations is telling Guy Maygar that something has come up and they need to meet right away.  Maygar is surprised, saying he hadn't expected to hear from Operations so soon.  Operations explains that he thinks Section has been breached, so he needs to meet with Maygar right away.  Maygar agrees, but suggests first that Operations just call him from a secure, outside line.  Operations declines, and they agree on a location in half an hour.

MICHAEL:  He didn't want to meet.

OPERATIONS:  Would you?  The head of the largest domestic anti-terrorist task force is about to perpetrate the unthinkable.

They exit.

The deactivator now reads:  02.48.14.

SECTION

Operations and Michael are walking through Section.  They have on their coats; Operations is pulling on black leather gloves, preparing to meet with Maygar.

OPERATIONS:  We'll assume he's floating backup teams.

MICHAEL:  Will they know what's going on?

OPERATIONS:  Doesn't matter.  Anyone between us and him goes down.

They enter the Van Access area.

OPERATIONS:  I'll contact you from my car.  If I'm killed, implement the chain of command.

Operations goes one way; Michael and Nikita, who has just joined them, enter the Van Access tunnel.

NIKITA:  What about Rudy?

MICHAEL:  We have less than three hours before a nuclear bomb goes off.  Keep your eye on the ball.

Operatives load into the van, Michael enters last and closes the door.

MAYGAR MEETING

Operations arrives at the pre-arranged area in a Mercedes and gets out, looking around.  He tells the driver to shut off the lights, then lights a cigarette.  It is snowy outside and brisk appearing.  He waits, pacing in circles, taking in the surrounding buildings. A door opens.

OPERATIONS:  Hello, Guy.

MAYGAR:  It's an odd time to call a meeting like this.

OPERATIONS:  Why's that?

As Maygar advances toward Operations, Section operatives suddenly appear to lead Maygar away.  He understands this immediately.

MAYGAR:  I hope your intel was worth the delay.

OPERATIONS:  Oh, it's worth it.

MAYGAR:  (smiles and nods)  Well...

Operations suddenly puts a stun gun device to Maygar's chest and he goes down.  Gunshots from the surrounding building are fired, as Maygar's men battle it out with Section's operatives.  Of course, Section prevails.  Maygar is put in the Mercedes, and it speeds away.

Next we see Maygar seated in the Mission Van, out cold.  He is strapped in a seat, his hands strapped before him on a table.  He has on some type of glove restraint, though his fingers are completely exposed.  Also seen is a case holding interesting scissors and hardware.  Operations stands before him.  Michael and Nikita look on.

OPERATIONS:  Bring him up.

An operative gives Maygar a shot in the neck.  He rouses and realizes where he is.

MAYGAR:  Huh, I don't think you're going to make your budget next year once they find out you kidnapped the head of FanTec.

OPERATIONS:  Where's the bomb?

MAYGAR:  You heard...  You heard Kassar.  He's the only one that knew.

OPERATIONS:  (takes off his glasses) Start removing fingers.

Nikita places tapes over Maygar's mouth; another operative takes up scissors that have grooves perfectly fitted for cutting off fingers.  Nikita cannot look, as the operative takes Maygar's pinky finger and lops it off.  Maygar screams behind the tape.  Operations and Michael remain unaffected. Birkoff watches from his computer. Operations nods to Nikita to remove the tape from Maygar's mouth.  She rips it off.  Maygar is defeated and sobbing.

OPERATIONS:  We'll put it on ice, Guy.

MAYGAR:  (gasps with pain) I don't know where the bomb is. (furious, spittle flying) But, I can tell you where he was transmitting from, so sew my finger back on!

Now that he has gotten what he wanted, Operations nods his consent.  Nikita is stricken by what she has witnessed.

The activator now reads: 00.08.00.

WHITE ROOM

Rudy is restrained in the chair, facing away from the door.  The Torture Twins (TT's) wheel in a tray.

RUDY:  Nikita?  Where's Nikita?  She said she was gonna come back here.

One of the TT's  puts a blindfold on him.

RUDY:  (panicking)  What are you doing?

Flash to hallway of an obscure building.  Operations, Michael with gun drawn, Nikita, and Birkoff enter a room.  Kassar, the man who killed himself onscreen, is on the floor dead.

NIKITA:  Michael, the activator!

She grabs it, and Michael takes it from her.

MICHAEL:  Birkoff!

Birkoff approaches, ready to do what he needs to do - try and stop the deactivator.

OPERATIONS:  How much time?

BIRKOFF:  7 1/2 minutes. (Studies the deactivator.) It's a 16-digit code.

OPERATIONS:  Can we deactivate it from here without the bomb?

BIRKOFF:  We don't need the bomb.  We need the 16-digit code.

He starts hooking up cords to his computer.

BIRKOFF:  At this rate, it'll take two hours to generate everything...

OPERATIONS:  (impatiently) We don't have two hours!

BIRKOFF:  That's as long as it's gonna take.

NIKITA:  It looks like a phone.

MICHAEL:  What?

NIKITA:  Rudy said he saw a phone.  A fancy phone.  Maybe this is it.  Where is he?

She looks inquiringly to Michael, who in turn trades a look with Operations.  She understands.

NIKITA:  No!

Back to White Room where the Torture Twins are preparing to cancel Rudy.

RUDY:  Are you sure Nikita didn't say she wanted to see me?

No response.

RUDY:  (yelling)  What's the matter with you guys?  What!  The cat got your tongue?

Female TT takes a call just as the Male TT is about to give Rudy a shot in the neck.  The call is for Rudy.  The phone is placed to his ear.

RUDY:  Hello?

NIKITA: (over phone) Rudy?

RUDY:  Yeah.  Nikita?  Tell these guys not to hurt me.

NIKITA:  I will.

RUDY:  Yeah, because you promised!  You promised me.

NIKITA:  Yes, Rudy, I promised.  Remember the fancy phone you told me about?

RUDY:  No.

NIKITA:  From the other night at the airport?

RUDY:  (afraid) It's very warm in here.  It's very moist.

NIKITA:  Rudy, did you see any numbers on it?

RUDY:  Yeah.

NIKITA:  What were they?

RUDY:  Um... 9-2-4- um... 4-3-1-0-  (Nikita relays these to Birkoff.)  9-0-2-6-7, 8, no 7!  Definitely 7.

NIKITA:  Keep going, Rudy.

RUDY:  That's all.  I didn't see any more.

Back to the Building where the deactivator is.

NIKITA:  That's all he saw.

BIRKOFF:  Doesn't matter.  If those are right, it'll sequence through the rest in a couple of seconds.

The computer shows numbers rapidly sequencing.

OPERATIONS:  Did it work?

BIRKOFF:  I think so.

OPERATIONS:  What do you mean "you think so"!

BIRKOFF:  We'll know for sure in 20 seconds.

They quietly watch the deactivator count down 20 seconds. Each of them realizes there is nothing else to be done, and there is no time for anything, including any sort of emotional reaction. We see the outside of a metropolitan area as people go about their lives, oblivious to the possible impending danger.

The deactivator reads: 00.00.00.  Section has saved the day!

OPERATION'S LOFT

NIKITA:  (resentful)  You wanted to see me?

OPERATIONS:  The most difficult decision we have to make in the incidental disposal of innocents.

NIKITA:  Good euphemism for murder.

OPERATIONS:  Some years ago there was a situation involving someone not dissimilar to Rudy.  He helped us effect a mission, which resulted in the rescue of several hundred hostages.

NIKITA:  What did you do to him?

OPERATIONS:  I let a young operative convince me to send him out of the country.

NIKITA:  And what happened?

OPERATIONS:  One of enemies tracked him down.  Tortured him, and extracted information about one of our substations.  Within hours, all of our operatives were dead.  So was our innocent.

NIKITA:  (stubbornly)  What enemy's even seen Rudy?

OPERATIONS:  He was at the Embassy.

NIKITA:  As Dr. Firestein.

OPERATIONS:  Who doesn't exist.  Don't get into this with me, Nikita, or I'll change my mind.

NIKITA:  Change your mind?

OPERATIONS:  We've decided to let Rudy live.  He's already been injected with a micro-transmitter.  We'll be able to monitor him from the Section.  His life won't change.  He'll return to his job, and we'll see to it that his sister remains at her current institution.  There's only one thing.  If anything goes wrong, you cancel him.

She looks down, studying the floor uncomfortably.  She doesn't like the option, but knows she has no choice but to accept it.

NIKITA:  Agreed.

COMM

Rudy is touching Birkoff's computer.

BIRKOFF:  Rudy, don't... don't touch that.

RUDY:  Why?

BIRKOFF:  You can't.  There's a program running, all right?  Just leave it alone.

RUDY:  Oh.  All right.  What's this here?

BIRKOFF: (holds up a joystick, figuring a carrot might work better than a stick) Here!  Rudy!  You wanna play a game?

Nikita walks up to them.

NIKITA:  Rudy.

RUDY:  Hi, Nikita!

NIKITA:  Come on.  Say good-bye to Birkoff.

RUDY:  Bye, Birkoff.  Big Cheese.

BIRKOFF:  Yeah.  Bye.

Nikita flashes a sympathetic smile Birkoff's way. She and Rudy leave Comm and walk through the Main Area.

RUDY:  Where we going now?

NIKITA:  You're going home.

RUDY:  I am?

NIKITA:  Yup.

RUDY:  I knew that you'd keep your promise.

Nikita chuckles and takes his hand, leading round a corner.

NIKITA:  Can you keep a secret, Rudy?

RUDY:  Yeah, I can keep a secret.  Once I walked in on my teacher...  Oops!  I almost broke it.  I shouldn't have said that.

NIKITA:  (laughs) Come on.

END OF EPISODE