Mission Log: "Mandatory Refusal"
Section One, Madeline's Office...
Operations enters. Madeline is at her desk, looking at her computer monitor.
OPERATIONS: Where are we on Enquist?
MADELINE: Michael's enroute.
OPERATIONS (walking around to stand behind Madeline and look at her monitor): Do we have it up?
MADELINE: It's right here. Enquist will be here.
OPERATIONS: Good. Should be over soon.
MADELINE: I'm still not convinced we're doing the right thing.
OPERATIONS: You think we should kill him.
MADELINE: Yes. He's dangerous.
OPERATIONS: What could he do?
MADELINE: I don't know. That's what worries me.
OPERATIONS: Don't worry.
MADELINE (smiling): Isn't that why I'm here?
OPERATIONS: Not entirely.
MADELINE (quickly turning her attention back to the monitor): I'll just feel better when this material is off the street.
OPERATIONS (leaning down until his head is very close to hers): Let me know when it's over.
MADELINE: You'd better go now.
Operations straightens and leaves Madeline's office.
Somewhere in Europe, the streets of a city at night...
Michael roars down empty streets on a motorcycle, eventually turning into parking lot and pulling up alongside a parked sedan. He removes his helmet as a tinted window on the passenger's side of the sedan descends to reveal Dorian Enquist.
MICHAEL: Do you have it?
ENQUIST: You Section people are all the same. Right to business. No "Hello, how's the family?" Come on, Michael, kibbutz a little.
MICHAEL: Do you have it?
ENQUIST: I'm afraid you made the trip for nothing.
MICHAEL: What's the problem?
ENQUIST: No problem. Just had a higher bidder. If you want the material, the price has gone up.
MICHAEL (drawing a gun and pointing it at Enquist's head): We don't negotiate.
ENQUIST: Michael, don't forget. I'm green-listed. As much as you'd love to, you know you can't squeeze.
MICHAEL: How much do you want?
ENQUIST: Times two.
MICHAEL (putting the gun away): I'll have to get it cleared.
ENQUIST: Don't dawdle. You've got 12 hours.
Michael puts his helmet back on as the sedan window rolls up. The sedan leaves the parking lot, turning left, while Michael turns right.
Section One, Briefing Area...
Operations is briefing Michael, Birkoff, and several others.
OPERATIONS: Dorian Enquist is a fringe member of the terrorist community. Supplier, fixer, informant. Whatever needs to get done, he'll do it. He's been on our Green List for years because of his ability to play both sides. Now, recently we asked him to acquire a large quantity of Semtex, an untraceable plastique used widely in Europe. However, it appears he's having second thoughts and it may end up in the wrong hands. Birkoff, have you come up with anything?
BIRKOFF: I'm raking the groups he's done business with in the past. If he's got a new buyer, I'll find him.
OPERATIONS: We have less than six hours. Let's get to work.
Everyone leaves the briefing table.
Section One, Systems and corridor...
Michael is watching the intel a computer tech is accessing. He looks up, sees someone in the adjacent corridor.
MICHAEL (to the computer tech): I'll be right back.
He enters the corridor. Nikita is there, walking away.
MICHAEL: Nikita.
NIKITA (stops and turns, waits for Michael to approach): Hello, Michael.
MICHAEL: We haven't talked for a while.
NIKITA: What's up?
MICHAEL: We should go out. Have dinner.
NIKITA: I'd love to know how your mind works. Are you really that arrogant that you think you can just turn me on and off at will?
MICHAEL: Of course not. I'm just being careful.
NIKITA (skeptical): Careful?
Operations is standing on the corridor's upper level, looking down at them through the steel grating.
OPERATIONS: Michael -- can we talk?
MICHAEL (is slow to turn away from Nikita): Yes.
Nikita watches Michael go up some stairs to join Operations, then turns and walks away.
OPERATIONS: Birkoff found something. Enquist has already received partial payment for the material.
MICHAEL: From whom?
OPERATIONS: A group out of Senegal.
MICHAEL: He has no intention of selling it to us at any price.
OPERATIONS: My guess is that he is going to try to have us show up somewhere with the money. Apparently he thinks he can rip us off. (Operation seems faintly amused.) Call him and tell him we agree to pay his price.
MICHAEL: Kill him?
OPERATIONS: Yes. But first make sure you acquire control of the material. That's our priority here.
They part company, walking in different directions.
Somewhere in Europe, deserted city streets at night...
Riding the motorcycle, Michael turns into an empty lot surrounded by a fence.Two other Section operatives sit in the front seat of a black SUV across the street. Michael stops the bike, lifts the visor of his helmet.
MICHAEL (speaking to Section One via his commset): Birkoff, there's nobody here.
Section One, Communications...
BIRKOFF (sitting at a station): Perimeter Team A, any sign of the target?
VOICE OVER COMMLINK: Not yet.
A room somewhere...
Enquist is standing behind an associate who is seated at a computer capturing Birkoff's voice print and then using a program to duplicate it.
ASSOCIATE: It's ready.
ENQUIST: Send him.
The associate activates the program.
SIM OF BIRKOFF'S VOICE: Target has changed position.
In the empty lot...
Michael hears the simulated message through his commset.
SIM OF BIRKOFF'S VOICE: Target has changed position. It's now retreating down alley between 43rd and 44th.
Michael lowers the helmet visor and takes off. The two operatives in the black SUV watch, confused, as he roars past them and down the street on the bike.
Section One, Communications...
Operations is standing behind Birkoff, who is also looking confused as he stares at his monitor.
BIRKOFF: Michael's left his position.
OPERATIONS: Why?
BIRKOFF: Michael, why are you off mark? Michael, are you there? Michael! I've lost him.
OPERATIONS (sharply): Get him back.
BIRKOFF: Stillman, why has Michael broken position?
In the Section SUV...
STILLMAN: I don't know.
VOICE OF BIRKOFF: Can you call him back?
STILLMAN: I'm trying. His comm unit is down.
Section One, Communications...
Birkoff keys a command into a computer and the monitor displays Michael's communication linkage.
BIRKOFF: Michael's comm link's been compromised. He must be getting commands from somewhere else.
OPERATIONS: Get him out of there!
BIRKOFF: All teams. We've been breached. Michael's exposed. Get to him!
City streets...
Michael turns into an alley and stops the bike. Enquist's sedan is at the end of the alley, its lights on, the motor running. He doesn't realize that two snipers are hidden on landings above the alley. Michael turns to look behind him as the Section SUV pulls into the mouth of the alley and stops.
Section One, Communications...
VOICE OF STILLMAN: We've got him on visual.
BIRKOFF: Get him out.
In the alley...
Stillman gets out of the Section SUV and calls out.
STILLMAN: Michael!
One of the snipers fires a rocket at the Section SUV. Stillman leaps away as the vehicle explodes. Michael shoots the sniper, guns the bike, and roars down the alley towards the burning SUV. The second sniper fires a rocket that just misses Michael, slamming into a wall. Michael accelerates through the flames around the burning SUV and disappears down the street.
Section One, Systems...
(Some time later) A number of operatives, including Nikita, Birkoff and Walter, are gathered as Operations arrives.
OPERATIONS: As you must know by now, we suffered a strike this evening. Michael survived. He was tracked several hundred meters out of the incineration zone before he shed his transmitters and communication devices. He's now in mandatory refusal. He'll assume the Section has been breached, and will sever all communications until his mission is completed. The next time he contacts us it will be to tell us that the mission has been completed. However, there's a further complication. We downloaded an Mpeg fifteen minutes ago.
He activates a computer monitor. Enquist appears on the screen.
ENQUIST: We had a beautiful relationship. I'm sorry it has to end on such a downer. I'm a businessman; don't blame me for misrepresenting myself. I was just trying to make the best deal I could. Now it's time for me to disappear. It's going to take a few days. I can't be distracted by further attempts on my life. So call off your assassins. Let me go about my business. And when I'm done, I'll return my hostage...
(On screen) Enquist moves to one side to reveal Madeline, bound to a chair.
OPERATIONS (switching off the monitor): From now on our mission profile has changed. I want all resources deployed toward one end. We must stop Michael.
Operation abruptly leaves the room, leaving Nikita and the others looking shocked.
Section One, Systems...
(Some time later) Operations, Mowen and Birkoff are present, along with several other operatives.
BIRKOFF: We found a link to Enquist. Sonia Martine. She's his mistress. He keeps her in a residence . . . . (Birkoff keys a computer, activating a hologram of a building) . . . . four hundred kilometers from where Michael was last seen.
MOWEN: How does that help us?
BIRKOFF: She's our only link to Enquist in the area. Michael will stop there first.
MOWEN: How's Michael going to find her?
BIRKOFF: He already has. Michael has tunneled into our database under an anonymous I.D. He insulated his location, but I was able to track the files he accessed. One of them was Martine's.
OPERATIONS: Let's get to Martine before Michael does. When he arrives, take him out of play. (He turns to leave.)
MOWEN: Sir?
OPERATIONS: Yes.
MOWEN: How far should we go to stop Michael?
OPERATIONS: He cannot be allowed to go through with this hit.
As Operations walks away, Mowen and Birkoff exchange glances.
Section One, Munitions..
(Nikita and Walter)
NIKITA: Operations is sending a team to kill Michael, isn't he?
Walter just gives her a look, and says nothing
NIKITA: Why? Why don't they just disable him?
WALTER: They'll do that first. But it won't work. Not with Michael.
NIKITA: What if they send in someone he knew. Someone he trusted.
WALTER: When you go into mandatory refusal you don't trust anyone.
Mowen walks in.
MOWEN: Walter.
WALTER: Yeah, what do you need?
MOWEN: We're on our way. Check your screen, it's got our inventory.
WALTER: Coming up.
As Mowen and Walter move to the workshop's computer station, Nikita quickly slips a tracker into the waistband of her pants, unseen by the others.
WALTER: Okay. (He gives a "thumbs up" sign and heads into the storage area to gather up the ordnance.)
NIKITA: Mowen, you guys are going out to get Michael?
MOWEN: Yeah, we are.
NIKITA: Can you do me a favor?
Looking wary, Mowen turns to look at her.
NIKITA: Can you bring him back alive?
MOWEN: The guy saved my life twice. I'll do everything I can.
Nikita smiles and puts her hand on Mowen's shoulder -- and Mowen is oblivious to the fact that she has placed a tracking device the size of a dime there.
Enquist's enclave, the cellar...
Madeline is strapped to a chair and Enquist stands before her.
ENQUIST: I must say you're much different than I thought you would be. Whenever I deal with your subordinates they always depict you as an Iron Maiden. But you're nothing of the sort. You're a beautiful young woman, and I want you to know that what I'm about to do to you gives me no pleasure.
One of Enquist's associates brings in a machine twice the size of a car battery, with needle-tipped wire attachments.
MADELINE (calmly): Why don't you just ask me what you want to know?
Enquist looks at her skeptically.
MADELINE: I thought I was just a hostage.
ENQUIST: Yes and no. What I told Operations is the truth. I plan on disappearing after I complete this deal. But it would be of immeasurable benefit to me if I could know what you know -- all the infinitely delightful ways you'll try to pursue me.
Madeline examines the machine placed beside her.
MADELINE (with a trace of sarcasm): An R.T. unit. A little archaic, but effective. I think they still use them in a few Third World countries. You must have gotten it for a good price.
ENQUIST (to his associate): Hurry up.
His associate moves behind Madeline with the needle-tipped attachments, and she winces slightly at the pain.
MADELINE: You're a little low. It should go on the C2 vertebrae, not the C3.
The lobby of an upscale apartment building...
Sonia Martine and her girlfriend enter the lobby and walk towards the elevator. They are conversing in German as they enter the lift. The door begins to close, but a gloved hand suddenly appears, pushing the door back. Michael is standing there. The two young women stare at him.
MICHAEL (in German): Which one is Sonia Martine?
On the street outside the apartment building...
Michael leaves the building, unaware that Section operatives are posted on both sides of the street -- and above it -- with Mowen at the corner of a building across the street.
MOWEN (speaking into his comm link): He's crossing the street. Hit him with the trank.
A Section operative on a balcony above Michael aims a gun and fires. The tranquilizer dart strikes Michael in the forearm. He pulls the dart out and takes cover between two parked cars. Pulling back his jacket sleeve, he sucks on the wound, trying to draw out as much of the drug as possible, and spits it out. His vision starts to blur.
MOWEN: Michael! Mowen. Don't resist. This is a recall. Madeline's been kidnapped.
Two other operatives are moving in on Michael from either end of the street, using the parked cars as cover.
MOWEN: Unless you're called off she'll be killed. Don't make me do this, Michael!
Michael shoots at Mowen and another operative.
MOWEN (speaking to his comm link): Comm, we've hit him with tranks, he's not responding. I have "ops" down.
VOICE OF BIRKOFF: Can you proceed?
MOWEN, switching the clips in his gun: I'm switching to hard ammo.
Michael shoots one operative in the knee. He turns and wounds the operative moving in from the other direction. As this man falls, Michael moves, taking cover in a doorway nearer his bike. Mowen takes aim -- but Nikita appears suddenly and knocks him out before he can shoot. Michael gets on his bike and kicks it into life. Nikita runs out into the street.
NIKITA: Michael! He's telling the truth! The hit's off!
Michael shoots, forcing Nikita to take cover behind a parked car -- and roars away on the bike.
NIKITA, helplessly watching him speed away: Michael!
Section One, Van Access...
Operations is there to greet the team upon it's return, getting out of the way of med techs who are taking wounded operatives to the Infirmary. He confronts Mowen.
OPERATIONS (perturbed): What happened?
MOWEN: I - I don't know. We hit him with a trank. He went down...
OPERATIONS: Why didn't you get him?
MOWEN: I had him in my sights. But somebody blindsided me.
OPERATIONS: Who?
MOWEN: I couldn't see.
Section One, Communications...
Operations and Birkoff are walking into Communications.
OPERATIONS: Was there anything else from the site?
BIRKOFF: Just the girls.
OPERATIONS: Their status?
BIRKOFF: They're out. Michael injected them with a pentathol compound. It has a half life of forty-eight hours.
OPERATIONS (exasperated): Damn it.
BIRKOFF: There is something. We had another anonymous log-in.
OPERATIONS: Meaning what?
BIRKOFF: Michael is tracking Enquist to his next meet. He must have found out about it through Sonia Martine.
OPERATIONS (reading the computer screen at Birkoff's work station): Tomas Bocci.
BIRKOFF: He's a member of a separatist group from northern Spain.
OPERATIONS: We need to find the location of their meet. We'll never succeed as long as we're behind Michael. We need to get in front of him.
On the highway (autobahn)...
Michael is speeding down the highway on his bike. Nikita is following in a car...
Enquist's enclave, the cellar...
Enquist is checking on Madeline. She looks much the worse for wear, and is hooked up to an I.V. and monitor. Enquist's associate is setting up a video camera.
ENQUIST (pleasantly): So how is our guest today? Not quite as collected as she was earlier, I suspect.
MADELINE: Give me some Demerol.
ENQUIST: You know the deal. Give me what I want, I'll give you what you want.
Madeline just looks at him.
ENQUIST: I didn't think so. I really hate to see you in such pain. You are a strong woman and I admire you. I wish you wouldn't force my hand. It is so unnecessary. Now we have to show your people you are alive and well.
Enquist stands beside Madeline's chair, facing the camera, and motions for his assistant to start filming.
ENQUIST (speaking to the vidcam): As you can see, we have taken very good care of her. Well, relatively good care of her. I'm sure she would rather be back behind her desk at Section...
As Enquist speaks, Madeline leans her head back and closes her eyes. She seems to be unconscious. Suddenly the heart monitor shows a flatline.
ENQUIST, (in a panic): She's dead! (He searches for a pulse in her throat.) How could it happen? Emil, help me revive her!
An associate named Emil runs into the room. Enquist prepares a syringe -- but before anything is done the monitor registers a heartbeat. Madeline's eyes remain closed.
MADELINE (calmly): Mr. Enquist, please unhook your equipment. I've had enough. If you don't, the next time I'll go flat and won't come back. (She opens her eyes.) Then you'll be unprotected. The Demerol, please.
ENQUIST (looking defeated): Of course.
Section One, Systems...
Operations is sitting at a console studying the tape of Madeline when Birkoff enters. Seeing the distraught expression on Operations' face, Birkoff gives him a wide berth.
OPERATIONS: I understand we've made some progress.
BIRKOFF: We've picked up a man named Arcola. He works with Bocci.
OPERATIONS: Enquist's buyer?
BIRKOFF (nodding): Arcola should be here within the hour. (He starts to leave the room.)
OPERATIONS (with self-disgust): Compromising a mission in response to extortion goes against everything I believe in. Everything we do here. Even if we succeed in stopping Michael, there's no guarantee we'll prevent Enquist from taking her life.
VOICE FROM COMM: Birkoff, are you there?
BIRKOFF: Yeah.
VOICE: Arcola has arrived.
Operations grabs his jacket and rushes out.
Section One, White Room...
Stillman and another operative are strapping Arcola into a metal chair as Operations arrives.
OPERATIONS: Out!
As the operatives leave, Operations hurls his jacket aside and approaches Arcola, brandishing a stiletto and driving it into the prisoner's arm. Arcola's scream is muffled by the tape over his mouth.
OPERATIONS: I'm not going to ask you twice, so listen carefully. Enquist is meeting Bocci. (He rips the tape from Arcola's mouth) Where and when?
Somewhere in Europe, a deserted warehouse...
Nikita has tracked Michael to this location. She glances at his bike, then draws her weapons and cautiously enters the building. She enters a long room divided by a chain-link wall with a sliding gate that's open. Michael appears behind her, holding a gun.
MICHAEL: Drop your gun.
NIKITA (turning): Michael...
MICHAEL: If you've been briefed you know that I'll kill you if I have to. Drop it.
NIKITA: It's me. You know I won't deceive you. (Slowly bends down to put her gun on the floor.) I just don't want them to kill you.
MICHAEL (gesturing at the gun): Over here.
NIKITA: They sent Mowen. (Kicking the gun across the floor; Michael retrieves it.) They'll send others.
MICHAEL: Did they send you?
NIKITA: No. (Taking a step closer.) Please, just come back in.
Michael closes the sliding gate between them and locks it.
NIKITA: Please!
MICHAEL: I can't.
NIKITA:You know if you go through with the hit...
MICHAEL: I will go through with it.
NIKITA: ...then Madeline will die.
MICHAEL: You shouldn't have come.
Michael walks away, leaving her locked in.
On the highway(autobahn)
Michael races down the highway on his motorcycle...
The deserted warehouse...
Nikita sees a metal rod on the floor and uses it in trying to break through the sliding gate, to no avail. As she lifts the rod high overhead to strike at the lock, the end of the rod is impaled in the wall, which turns out to be a thin layer of sheetrock. She then uses the rod to chop a hole in the wall, realizing she has an escape route.
Section One, Systems...
Birkoff is briefing Operations, Walter and several other operatives, using a sim-rep hologram of Enquist's house.
BIRKOFF: I put together a layout of the enclave and surrounding area. I used satellite and ground-based surveillance to pick up their security. He's got an infrared barrier inside, and video on the circumference.
OPERATIONS: Where is Madeline?
BIRKOFF (highlighting a section of the hologram): My guess is she'll be in this part of the house. He'll want to keep her close to the deal.
WALTER: Bocci's got to come in from the west. Maybe we can piggy-back our way in.
OPERATIONS: No! I don't want to take any chances. All we are there to do is to stop Michael.
WALTER: What about retrieving the material?
OPERATIONS (coldly): All we are there to do is to stop Michael. Where are we on Michael's tactical?
BIRKOFF: If he executes a standard sequence he'll start to contaminate the area six hours prior to the meeting, then approach on a diffusion pattern.
OPERATIONS (exasperated): Michael will not follow the standard course.
BIRKOFF: Agreed. But he still has to approach.
OPERATIONS: I want a grid throughout the wooded area. Five kilometers by five kilometers. I don't care how much personnel it takes. I don't want a hole ten meters wide. Don't let anyone communicate with him. Just take him out.
WALTER: With all this manpower we should be able to do this without killing him.
OPERATIONS (angrily): That's enough, Walter! Just do your job.
Enquist's enclave, the cellar...
Enquist is visiting Madeline again. Madeline looks much better now that she's no longer hooked to the R.T. unit and has had her Demerol.
ENQUIST: I've been thinking. As soon as it's over, I'm going to have to kill you. You've known that from the beginning. Unless...you'd like to join me.
MADELINE: Thank you anyway, Dorian.
ENQUIST: (leaning down close to Madeline): I'm not much of a romantic. But in a very short time I've grown quite fond of you. I could take very good care of you, Madeline.
MADELINE (chuckles): I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh. But you have to admit...
Enquist gives her a kiss, but gets no response from Madeline, and straightens.
ENQUIST: As you wish. Your death will be painless. It's the least I can do.
Section One, Munitions...
Walter walks in, clearly disgruntled after the recent briefing in Systems. He hears a faint voice calling his name.
VOICE OF NIKITA: Hello? Walter? Walter, are you there?
Walter realizes the voice is coming from one of several comm units laid out on a table. He checks one, then another, finds the right one.
VOICE OF NIKITA: Hello Walter, are you there?
WALTER: Who is this?
VOICE OF NIKITA: Walter, it's Nikita. I need your help.
WALTER: Where are you?
Outside the deserted warehouse...
Nikita is standing next to her car.
NIKITA (speaking into the comm unit):I've got to get to Michael. Where is he?
Section One, Munitions...
WALTER: You won't stand a chance. Operations is sending in half of Section to get him.
VOICE OF NIKITA: Sending them where?
WALTER: You'll get yourself killed.
Outside the deserted warehouse...
NIKITA: Come on, Walter! I'm his only chance!
Section One - Communications...
Birkoff is studying a grid on a monitor.
BIRKOFF: Allright, 217, I've got you on mark. We're all set. Six and a half hours till the meet. I want standard B&A every fifteen minutes.
Inside Enquist's enclave...
Enquist's associate opens a case so that Enquist can inspect the contents -- bars of Semtex under a protective sheet of film.
ENQUIST (briskly): Okay, pack them up. Let's go.
Outside Enquist's enclave...
The woods are filled with Section's black-clad operatives. One, Ken Stillman, has a clear view of the driveway, and a sniper's rifle with scope in hand. Nikita approaches him from behind carrying a small device. Stillman hears her, turns, swinging the rifle around.
NIKITA: Hey, Ken.
STILLMAN: Nikita! What are you doing here?
NIKITA: Birkoff sent me out to check an anomaly.
Stillman looks at her a moment, then accepts her explanation and turns back to his survey of the drive and house beyond. Nikita moves off, making for the house by a roundabout route.
Section One - Communications...
Birkoff is watching a monitor, sees a car on Enquist's drive.
BIRKOFF (speaking to comm link): This looks like Bocci. Michael should be close behind.
Outside Enquist's enclave...
Stillman checks the car through his scope, and then the drive.
STILLMAN: There's nobody following.
The car stops at an intercom. A window slides down, revealing Tomas Bocci.
BOCCI: Hey, Dorian, it's me.
Inside Enquist's enclave...
Enquist is at the intercom system.
ENQUIST: Everything's all right? You've got the money?
Outside Enquist's enclave, in the car...
BOCCI: Yeah. Let's do it.
The window slides back up, the car pulls away. Bocci leans back in his seat. Michael is sitting beside him.
BOCCI: So what do I do now?
With a single blow, Michael knocks Bocci out, then dispatches Bocci's driver with another well-placed blow.
A moment later the car arrives in front of the house. Michael emerges, wearing a long coat and the chauffeur's hat, pulled low. He walks up to the door and rings the bell.
Inside Enquist's enclave...
One of Enquist's associates opens the door. Enquist is watching from another room via a monitor.
ENQUIST (using the intercom system): Who are you?
MICHAEL: Bocci's driver.
ENQUIST: What do you want?
MICHAEL: To check out the material.
ENQUIST (thinking a moment): Okay.
Michael takes a step, but is stopped and frisked by Enquist's associate before being escorted to the case containing the Semtex, on a table in the foyer.
Outside Enquist's enclave...
Nikita secures an explosive charge on the house's fuse box.
Inside Enquist's enclave...
While Michael opens the case and inspects the Semtex, Enquist enters the foyer behind him.
ENQUIST: Hey, turn around. Let me see your face.
Michael slowly turns -- and Enquist registers alarm as he recognizes him.
ENQUIST (to his associate): Shoot him!
Michael knocks Enquist's associate out before he can shoot and takes the man's gun. Enquist flees into another room. At that moment Nikita triggers the explosive charge on the fuse box outside. The house is plunged into darkness.
Section One, Communications...
Operations walks in to stand near Birkoff's chair.
OPERATIONS: Damn it, Birkoff. What's the matter?
BIRKOFF: Power has gone out in the house.
OPERATIONS: Do we have Michael?
BIRKOFF: Not yet.
Inside Enquist's enclave...
Nikita breaks a glass pane in a door and enters the house. She's wearing night-vision goggles, and can see Enquist's men moving around.
ENQUIST MAN (addressing three others): You two, get the emergency generator and kill the hostage. You, help me get this stuff out of here.
Two of the men move down a hall. Nikita falls, and is suddenly confronted by a man emerging from an adjacent room. She knocks him out and hurries into the room, vacating the hall just as another man appears at the end of the hall.
VOICE OF ENQUIST MAN: Come on!
The man at the end of the hall disappears.
Nikita follows the other two into the cellar. One of the men is aiming his gun on Madeline while the other switches on an emergency generator. The lights come on.
NIKITA: Hey!
Both men whirl -- and Nikita shoots them both. She unties Madeline.
NIKITA (via her comm unit): Comm, can you hear me? Comm?
Section One, Communications...
Operations and Birkoff both hear Nikita.
BIRKOFF: Who is that?
VOICE OF NIKITA: Birkoff, it's me. Nikita.
BIRKOFF: Nikita, what are you doing? Get off that channel.
Inside Enquist's enclave, the cellar...
Nikita is trying to put a coat on Madeline, who is half-conscious.
NIKITA: I'm onsite. Madeline is safe. Call off the hit on Michael. Now.
Outside Enquist's enclave...
Michael emerges from the house, moving along one wall. From the woods beyond, Stillman puts him in his sights. His finger tightens on the trigger.
Section One, Communications...
Operations thinks it over -- then nods to Birkoff.
Outside Enquist's enclave...
Stillman is a heartbeat away from firing.
VOICE OF BIRKOFF: Rescind orders on Michael. Hostiles only.
Stillman stands down.
Inside Enquist's enclave...
Enquist rushes down a hallway, checking the rooms. As he hurries across a large room he spots the chauffeur's hat and coat that Michael had worn, now lying in a chair. He hears something, whirls to see Michael pointing a gun at him.
ENQUIST: You kill me, she dies.
Expressionless, Michael stares at Enquist for a moment. Enquist starts to smile, thinking he has saved himself. Michael fires, killing him. As he steps closer to look down at the dead man, he hears a sound, turns and aims -- then sees that it's Nikita supporting a groggy Madeline. He walks up to them and takes the comm unit from Nikita's ear.
MICHAEL (into the comm unit): Target terminated. Material secured.
Section One, Medical...
Operations enters, approaches Madeline's bed.
OPERATIONS: You had quite a sleep.
MADELINE: I'll be fine.
OPERATIONS: I want you to take some time off.
MADELINE: No. That's the last thing I need to do. I just want to get out of here and back to work.
OPERATIONS: How bad was it?
MADELINE (with a half-hearted smile): It could have been worse.
OPERATIONS: What did he do to you?
Madeline simply shakes her head.
OPERATIONS: This is my fault. I should have listened to you.
MADELINE: No.
OPERATIONS: I should have protected you.
MADELINE (with a weary smile): It doesn't matter now.
OPERATIONS: I'm sorry. (Reaching out, he takes her hand.)
MADELINE: This is who we are.
OPERATIONS (in a husky voice): Yeah.
Section One, Madeline's office...
Some time has passed. Nikita enters, stands in front of the desk behind which Madeline is seated.
MADELINE: Do you know why you're here, Nikita?
NIKITA: I acted autonomously. I broke regulations.
MADELINE: I thought we'd been through this enough times. We serve a greater entity. We're not here for each other. In no scenario do we put ourselves before the unprotected public.
NIKITA: You've got it backwards. Had Michael been allowed to proceed, none of this would have happened. Enquist would have been killed, and so would you. It was Operations who acted on emotion. Because of you he tried to stop Michael.
MADELINE (with a frozen smile): His mistake doesn't justify yours.
NIKITA (indignant): His mistake?
MADELINE: That's all, Nikita.
Section One, Common Area...
Nikita is passing through, meets Michael walking in the opposite direction.
MICHAEL: I hope you understand why I did what I did.
NIKITA (nods): Going home now?
MICHAEL: After I debrief, yes.
NIKITA: It looks like we both may have some downtime. (When Michael fails to respond, she grows impatient.) Two days ago you asked me out to dinner, Michael. Obviously you've changed your mind. (She starts to walk on by.)
MICHAEL: If it were anyone else who came after me, I would have killed them. I can't allow you to become my weakness.
NIKITA (touching his arm, a trace of sarcasm in her voice): Of course not.
As she walks away, Nikita glances up at The Perch. Operations is watching her. Their eyes meet -- and Nikita moves on.
End
Written by David Ehrman
Guest stars
Gregory Hlady...Dorian Enquist
Roman Podhara...Mowen
Christopher Clements...Stillman
Chantal Quesnel...Sonia Martine
Transcript by Jason M.
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