Mission Log: "Hard Landing"
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Section One, training area...
   Present are a martial arts trainer and three recruits -- and Michael. The trainer is instructing one of the recruits while the other two look on. Michael is standing there, lost in thought...
He sees Nikita in his mind's eye, hears Walter -- "Michael, we're armed. Get 'em out of there now." His reply -- "That's not the mission profile."  Walter -- "Nikita's in there!" He sees a building explode.
TRAINER: Michael. He's ready.
Michael steps in. The recruit throws numerous punches, but Michael blocks and parries them all, then knocks the recruit off balance with a kick. As the trainer steps in to instruct the recruit further, Michael looks across the common area -- and thinks he sees Nikita walking into Communications. But when she turns his way he realizes it isn't Nikita.
TRAINER: Michael. Are you ready? Second set.
The recruit again throws numerous strikes, but none connect. Michael's kick at the recruit's leg drops the man, shouting in pain. He writhes in pain on the floor. The trainer and another man kneel beside him.
TRAINER, looking up at Michael: You broke his leg.
MICHAEL: I'm sorry.
He walks away.

The Perch: Section One's command center. It's nickname is derived from the fact that it contains a row of windows overlooking the facility's central hub, including Communications and Ordnance. The briefing table is located right below The Perch.

Section One, The Perch...
Operations and Madeline have been watching the goings-on in the training area.
MADELINE: He's still out of synch.
OPERATIONS: Out of synch? He's out of control. That stunt he pulled in Liberia could have gotten everybody killed. Now he's beating up our recruits.
MADELINE: He's still not over Nikita.
OPERATIONS: So he's taking it out on us.
MADELINE: No, not on us. Himself.
OPERATIONS: It's been six months. He's got to let it go.
MADELINE: What if he can't?
OPERATIONS: He got over Simone. He'll get over Nikita.

Section One, Michael's office...
Michael closes the blinds on the windows, then sits at his desk and computer, keys in to access a restricted file. The message  NIKITA, ARE YOU THERE? is overlaid by a window as the system checks for message, then the answer: NO REPLIES TO ENCODED INQUIRY.

An apartment, location unknown...
Nikita's PDA, with the message NIKITA, ARE YOU THERE? onscreen, sitting on a table beside an unfinished sculpture of wood, which stands beside a counter atop which is a bowl, a plate of fruit, some bread, and near that a line strung from one place to another, draped with an array of cheap sunglasses...

Holograms (at a sim-rep table in Systems) and holoslides (at the table beneath The Perch, the S1 command post) were often used as visuals during briefings. In Season 2, holograms could be generated from Operation's control panel rather than separate panel on the briefing table.

Section One, briefing table...
Madeline, Michael, Walter, Birkoff and Ackerman are sitting at the table. Operations is pacing back and forth on the other side.
OPERATIONS: Recently there has been a barrage of terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Freedom League. (He activates the holoscreen.) Latest incident came in just last night. A tourist charter in the Aegean exploded, killing all twenty three passengers and crew. (On the holoscreen: image of the plane exploding into a ball of flame as it plunges into the sea.)  We suspect these attacks are in response to our incineration of one of their locations six months ago.
WALTER, glaring at Michael: We all remember that.
OPERATIONS, glowering at Walter: You have something to contribute, Walter?
MICHAEL: Do we have new intel on the location of their headquarters?
OPERATIONS: That's why we're here. This is Stuart Sherron.  (An image of Sherron appears on the holoscreen.)  The proprietor of a resort in Thailand that caters to the vices of an elite and perverse clientele. Prostitution, drugs, outlawed gambling -- he provides it all.
MADELINE: Recreation isn't Sherron's only business. He launders money. Sherron acts as a firewall to isolate terrorists from their transactions. Buying weapons. Contracting players.
ACKERMAN: There's dozens of guys like Sherron. Why do we think he's in business with the Freedom League?
BIRKOFF: I backed into a couple of his offshore accounts. Within two days of each of the last six Freedom League hits large deposits were made into them. It's no coincidence.
OPERATIONS, deactivating the holoscreen: Operation profiles are in your PDAs. Study them. Transport for Thailand leaves in two hours. All teams report to Ackerman.
MICHAEL: I'm not leading the teams?
OPERATIONS: No.
Everyone but Michael and Madeline leave the briefing table.
MADELINE: You can't bring her back, Michael. Stop trying.

Bangkok, Thailand - night, a city street bathed in neon...
Michael walks into Sherron's place, a smoky den with muted neon, women everywhere, entertaining the male clientele. Going to a semi-circular bar and orders cha (tea). The bartender pours some from a kettle into a small cup. As Michael drinks, a short, wiry Thai (Xing) wearing a heavy silver necklace approaches him. They converse at first in Cantonese.
XING: We are very happy you have the opportunity to do business with us tonight. How did you meet my boss?
MICHAEL: He didn't tell you?
XING: He did. But I want you to tell me.
MICHAEL, switching to English: I provide security for him when he's in northern Europe.
XING: He does a lot of business in Finland, doesn't he?
MICHAEL: He's never been to Finland. He works out of Stockholm.
XING: Quite right.
A man walks up, whispers something to Xing. Michael surreptitiously takes what appears to be small metal filings from a pocket and drops them on the floor. As the man walks away, he steps on some of the filings, which attach to the sole of his shoe.

Section One, Communications...
Birkoff is at his station, with Ackerman looming over him.
BIRKOFF: Michael tagged Sherron's gopher. He's heading in. (On Birkoff's screen, blips begin to appear.) Here we go. Looks like he's got two bodies with him. Small, probably female. Inside the door there's four more. Larger, probably bodyguards.
ACKERMAN: Sherron's egress?
BIRKOFF: Only one way out.
ACKERMAN: Good. Download the game plan to the outside ops.
BIRKOFF: It's done.
ACKERMAN: Start sequencing.
BIRKOFF: Michael? Five seconds. Twenty meters south of the entrance.

Bangkok, Sherrin's place...
A young woman comes up to Michael. He seems to be paying her attention, but when Xing sees three Section ops enter and draws his gun, Michael strikes, crushing the man's windpipe without looking away from the woman. Xing crumples to the floor. One of the Section ops shoots a Sherron bodyguard. They go up a short flight of steps.
BIRKOFF (voice): We're flushing Sherron.
Michael enters a metal-sheathed corridor, gun drawn. Sherron emerges through a door and Michael slams him into the wall, puts the gun to his head.
MICHAEL: Come with me, please.

A diner, location unknown...
Working as a waitress, Nikita bring three men their breakfast, heads back to the kitchen. One of the men smirks at the other two, then turns to look across the diner at Nikita.
MAN: Hey, sweetheart. Come here.
Nikita walks back to their table.
NIKITA: Is there a problem?
MAN: Yeah, I got a problem.
NIKITA: You want to talk about it?
MAN: Yeah. You see? There's no butter on my toast.
NIKITA: I'm sorry. I'll get you another order.
As she turns away, the man grabs her arm.
MAN: I don't like your attitude.
NIKITA: Really.
MAN: Yeah, really.
NIKITA: Don't do this, please. You're hurting me.
MAN: Well, you see, I'm just trying to teach you some manners.
A stocky black man in an apron (Matty) arrives and puts his hand on the man's neck.
MATTY: Let her go.
MAN: No problem. (He lets go of Nikita.)
MATTY, to Nikita: Hey, you want me to toss this guy out?
NIKITA: Leave him be. He'll be fine once he gets his butter.
Later, the diner is nearly empty. One man walks in, takes a table by the windows. He glances outside at two other men who stand, talking, across the street. Nikita brings him a menu. Then she sees the men outside. Her instincts warn her that something's wrong. She starts to turn away but the man at the table grabs her wrist. He pulls aside his jacket, revealing the gun under his belt.
MAN: We only want you. Nobody else needs to get hurt.
He gets up, and Nikita leads the way, telling Matty she'll be back in a few minutes. Just outside the door, she whirls, driving an elbow into the man's face, knocking him down. Another man is charging up the stairs to the door; with a kick Nikita sends him sprawling back down to the bottom.  She runs, but a black van disgorges two men who grab her. One puts a sack over her head. They hustle her into the van.

Freedom League base, location unknown...
Her head still covered, Nikita is escorted, roughly, down a series of underground tunnels by two men wielding flashlights. When they reach a large chamber  illuminated by  klieg lights, the bag is removed from Nikita's head, and she is confronted by a tall, gaunt, bearded man -- Field, the leader of Freedom League.
Later, Nikita is seated on a metal chair, surrounded by four racks of klieg lights. Field walks up behind her, lifts her head; her image appears on a monitor -- she is being recorded...
FIELD, to the camera: As you can see, we have one of your operatives. No latex, no special effects. She has been very cooperative. (To the video operator) That's enough, send it. (To Nikita) We have been trying to track you down. Ever since the conflagration at one of our posts. One of my men saw you escape.
NIKITA: What do you want?
FIELD: You. You're very fortunate, actually. How much longer would you have lasted out there, hmm? Aliases. Constantly looking over your shoulder.
A man walks up to Field.
MAN: He just called.
FIELD: And?
MAN: Section One knows about tomorrow night. What do you want to do?
FIELD: We go as planned. The more operatives they send, the greater their loss. (To another man) Get her dressed. Take her to her room.

The White Room: An interrogation room at Section One. Access is by two heavy steel doors. Prisoners are usually strapped to a steel chair.

Section One, White Room...
Sherron is laying on the floor, on his stomach, unable to speak, staring blankly at nothing, as Madeline walks slowly around him.
MADELINE: Is there anything else you'd like to tell me, Mr. Sherron?
When he makes no reply, she leaves.

Section One, Systems...
Madeline enters, hand a disk to an operative, approaches Operations. Michael and Birkoff are at the sim-rep table.
MADELINE: Sherron has provided intel to his Freedom League contact. Location and access at the nuclear research lab in Lyon, France. They plan to kidnap a nuclear engineer who has security clearances.
OPERATIONS: When?
MADELINE: Tomorrow.
MICHAEL: Do we intercept?
OPERATIONS: No. We'll wait for their exit. Then we'll pursue with an offset. Hopefully they'll take their hostage back to their command. That's our target. Birkoff.
BIRKOFF: It's ready.
OPERATIONS: Bring it up.
Birkoff activates the sim-rep table -- a four-dimensional hologram of a building hovers and revolves above the table.
OPERATIONS: This is a sim-rep. Study it. Ackerman, get your transport ready. You leave in the morning.

Freedom League base...
Nikita seems to be asleep on a narrow cot in a stone cell when the man assigned to guard her enters. He puts a gun to her head and begins tugging at the fastenings of her pants.
MAN: Don't make a sound.
NIKITA: I can make it easier for you.
MAN: Show me.
Nikita smiles -- then strikes, using a shard of glass to slash the man's throat. She checks outside the room, throwing down the piece of glass. On the wall of the cell is a mirror, with a piece of glass shaped much like a knife blade missing.
Nikita tries to find her way through a labyrinth of tunnels. She opens a door, closes it quickly. Two men are approaching. She discovers a boarded-over door; one of the boards is loose. She squeezes through, spots an old spiral stairwell. Up this she climbs, then pushes through a heavy grate to the outside. Hidden in the bushes, she sees a half-dozen men loading heavy cases into the back of a pickup truck. The words of the Freedom League's leader echo in her mind: "The more operatives they send, the greater their loss"....

Lyons, France - outside the nuclear research lab, at night...
Michael and another Section operative sit in a car across the street from the lab. The other operative is behind the wheel. Using night-vision binoculars, Michael is watching a man emerge from the buiilding.
MICHAEL: The engineer's coming out. No sign of the kidnappers.
VOICE OF BIRKOFF: They should be there now.
A car pulls up quickly in front of the building. Two men jump out, grab the engineer, and force him into the vehicle.
MICHAEL: They're hitting the target.
The car pulls away. Michael glances at his driver, who follows.
MICHAEL: They're approaching the gate.
The other car has passed through the gate, which closes. Michael's driver stops at the guard house, shows a pass to the guard. Michael glances in his sideview mirror -- sees a man on a rooftop with a rocket launcher.
MICHAEL, to the driver: Get out.
Michael leaps from the car. The driver can't get out -- his door is blocked by the guardhouse. Seconds later the rocket strikes the car, which explodes . Michael shoots the man on the roof.
MICHAEL, via comm link: Birkoff, we've been ambushed. Send backup.
Two men appear near some parked cars, start shooting. Michael kills them both. He hears shots behind him, and turns to see two more men go down. Then he spots Nikita in the light cast by the burning car. She has a gun in hand. More men are coming -- Michael glances at them, then back at Nikita. But she has disappeared. Michael climbs up and over a chain-link fence, looks back once more for Nikita.
VOICE OF BIRKOFF: Get to exit point Alpha. Transport will be there in four minutes.

Section One...
As Michael enters the hub at Level One, Ackerman approaches him.
ACKERMAN: I'm sorry. Should have been more backup.
Michael keeps walking. Operations falls in alongside.
OPERATIONS: Michael. It was an inside job. Someone got on to our frequency and knew we were coming.
MICHAEL: How could that have happened?"
OPERATIONS: Birkoff is working on it now. Did you see anything onsite? Any anomalies?
MICHAEL: No.
OPERATIONS: Something's not right.
He moves away. Michael goes to his office, closes the door, activates his computer, initializes a network, sends the encoded message: NIKITA ARE YOU THERE? This time there is an answer. YES.

Somewhere on the water's edge, a two-masted schooner, docked...
It's night. The moon is full. Michael boards the ship, peers through a small window set into a door and sees Nikita inside the cabin. He opens the metal-plated door. Nikita jumps up, aims a gun at him as he walks in. Michael sweeps her gunarm aside and throws her down.  They kiss.
MICHAEL: I thought I'd lost you.
NIKITA, a fierce whisper: You never had me.
They kiss again, a long and passionate kiss...
Later, Michael stands naked at a window, gazing out into the night. Nikita crosses the cabin to join him.
NIKITA: Everything okay?
MICHAEL: Fine.
NIKITA: So, where does Section think you are?
MICHAEL: Gathering intel. Why didn't you let me know you were alive?
NIKITA: I almost did, once. I don't know why I didn't. I put everything out of my mind. Even the things I didn't want to forget. Do you know for three years all I did was dream about getting out of Section? When I did it wasn't what I'd expected. This isn't freedom. (a whisper) This isn't freedom.

On the deck of the ship, the next morning...
Michael is standing, looking out across the water at a city in the distance. Nikita comes up on deck, walks up to him, sits down.
MICHAEL: What will you do now?
NIKITA: Keep moving.
MICHAEL: Let me help you.
NIKITA: Michael, it's better if you don't know where I am. Better for both of us.
MICHAEL: Come back to the Section. I'll bring you in.
NIKITA: Even if I wanted to, how could I? Michael, they'd know you helped me escape. It can't be done.
MICHAEL: After the explosion I started to believe you didn't make it out in time. Thought you were dead. When I saw you in Lyons, it brought me back. I never realized I needed you so much.
NIKITA: So what do we do now?
MICHAEL: I don't know. I've got to go back.
He starts walking away. Nikita rises, calls after him.
NIKITA: So, uh, who you going to say gave you the information about the Freedom League?

Section One, The Perch...
Michael is there, with Operations and Madeline.
MICHAEL: Purcell, my contact in South Africa.
MADELINE: How much did it cost us?
MICHAEL: He was happy to trade the location for some local protection.
OPERATIONS: Good. (He activates the internal comm) Ackerman, get up here. We have an attack to prep. (He turns to Michael as the latter begins to leave The Perch) There's one other thing, Michael. It's about Nikita.
MADELINE: She's alive.
MICHAEL: Alive?
Operations activates a screen. They see Nikita, hear Field's voice...
VOICE OF FIELDS: As you can see, we have one of your operatives. No latex, no special effects. She has been very cooperative.
MADELINE: They must have grabbed her just before the explosion.
OPERATIONS: It explains quite a bit. How they were able to elude us these past months. How they knew we were in Lyons.
MICHAEL: How could she have known about that?
OPERATIONS: She was equipped with receivers when she was captured. They must have been able to use the encryption keys to tunnel into some of our communications.
MICHAEL: Are we going to extract her?
OPERATIONS: Ackerman will make that decision when he's onsite.
MADELINE: We'll try, Michael.

Section One, Communications...
Michael walks up to Birkoff.
BIRKOFF: Michael, did you hear about Nikita?
MICHAEL: Pull the log file for Delta Comm.
BIRKOFF: Why?
MICHAEL: Just do it.
BIRKOFF, going to his work station: They think she's been leaking intel, but that's hard to believe. (He sits down at his computer) They could have gotten some mileage out of those receivers, but not for long. Ackerman had me change all the codes. Here you go.
MICHAEL: Ackerman. When did he do that?
BIRKOFF: Soon as Operations put him in charge. That guy doesn't trust anybody. Not even me. Here you go -- look, he has all these transmissions blocked.
MICHAEL: Why?
BIRKOFF: That's the way he wants it.
MICHAEL: I want you to do something for me.

Section One, Systems...
Ackerman and Birkoff are at the sim-rep table, with Michael and the other team leaders.
ACKERMAN: Our primary objective, gentlemen, is to take out the Freedom League server. Birkoff.
BIRKOFF, pulling up the holograph of the Freedom League base: Their central control is here. With a redundancy backup every 24 hours. It lasts for five minutes. That's our window.
ACKERMAN: If we can destroy the computer at that time it will bring down their entire network.
MICHAEL: Is there a secondary objective?
ACKERMAN: Birkoff is working up a possible location on Nikita based on the tape. On egress, Team Three, you're responsible. If you can extract her without sacrifice, fine. If not, incinerate that wing.
MICHAEL: My team will do that.
ACKERMAN: I need you on point.
MICHAEL: I can do both.
ACKERMAN: Fine. We will set charges here, here, and here. (As his finger touches revolving holograph, red arrows appear)
MICHAEL: What about this culvert?
ACKERMAN: What about it?
MICHAEL: It's a potential retreat point.
ACKERMAN: Mark it off with two synchronized charges.
MICHAEL: Make it four.
ACKERMAN, glowering at Michael: Go ahead. We'll convene at van access in five minutes.

Section One, Michael's office...
Michael sits down at his desk, keys on his computer, types in a message to send. The message reads: NIKITA. I'VE FOUND A WAY.

Section One, Van Access...
Ackerman strides down the corridor to van access, followed by four men. He lets the other four enter Van Access.
ACKERMAN: I'll be right out.
He turns and heads down the corridor -- only to be met at the corner by Michael.
ACKERMAN, startled: Michael.
MICHAEL: I thought we were going out.
ACKERMAN: We are. I just had to check on something. Why don't you give Walter the inventory.
MICHAEL: I did.
ACKERMAN: Good. It can wait. Let's go.

Freedom League headquarters...
Field enters a room filled with computer equipment. A man sits at a monitor.
FIELD: Any transmissions from Ackerman?
MAN: No. Nothing.
FIELD: We should have heard by now.

Outside the Freedom League HQ, night...
A black van pulls to a stop on a narrow road through the forest. A door opens. Michael and his team emerge, move through the brush. Reaching the grate which provides access to the basement of the structure, they open the grate and descend into the basement.

Section One, Communications...
Birkoff is at his work station, with Ackerman observing.
BIRKOFF: First mark completed. Go to B.

Freedom League HQ, basement...
Michael and his team deploy.

Section One, Communications...
BIRKOFF: Michael, they're mobilizing east.

Freedom League HQ, basement...
A Freedom League terrorist is walking through the basement with a flashlight. Concealed in the pipes overhead, Michael reaches down and lifts the man off his feet, zapping him with a tazer. Michael drops the body, then jumps down. He and his team move on.
Nikita reaches the grate providing access to the basement, opens it...
A Section One operative uses a garrotte to kill a Freedom League guard. Another sets a timed charge as the team moves through a chain-link gate.
Freedom League HQ, comm room...
FIELD, turning to leave: Keep monitoring all transmissions. I want to know the moment he calls. You can reach me on Channel Three.

Freedom League, HQ, nearby...
Michael uses a piece of mirrored glass to see around a corner, then motions for his team to proceed. They hit the communications room, killing four Freedom League men in a blaze of gunfire. Michael places two explosive charges.

Section van...
VOICE OF MICHAEL: Birkoff, Team's in position.
Birkoff studies a schematic on his computer screen, sees that the charges are in place.

Freedom League HQ...
MICHAEL: Everyone out, now.
The Section One ops leave the way they'd come -- through the grate, melting into the woods. Inside the building, a half dozen Freedom League men close in on the communications room. Suddenly Michael appears, sitting in a desk chair, rolling backwards, a submachinegun in either hand, blazing away. He kills all the Freedom League terrorists.

Section van...
Michael's team piles into the vehicle.
ACKERMAN: Where's Michael?

Freedom League HQ...
Michael finds Nikita, crouched in shadow. She stands up. He puts his weapon down so that the light attached to it shines on her face.
MICHAEL: You ready?
He hits her three times, hard enough to knock her down. She gets back up, her face bleeding.
MICHAEL: Enough.
NIKITA, leaning on Michael for support: No. Not going to take any chances.
He hits her several more times.

Section van...
ACKERMAN: Take us out of here.
BIRKOFF: What about Michael?
ACKERMAN: He's run out of time. Ignite the charges.

Freedom League HQ...
Michael emerges via the culvert, Nikita carried on his back, running just ahead of a ball of flame that erupts from the culvert as the explosive charges go off inside the structure.

Section van...
Michael enters the vehicle,with Nikita.
BIRKOFF: Nikita!
MICHAEL, staring at Ackerman: Go.

Section One, Medical...
Operations and Madeline are watching a bedridden Nikita through an observation panel.
OPERATIONS: What do you think?
MADELINE: Her body markings indicate interrogation and torture.
OPERATIONS: Over what period of time?
MADELINE: That's what bothers me. The bruises appear to be fresh.
OPERATIONS: Which means she may have been cooperating until only recently.
MICHAEL, entering observation room: She never cooperated with them.
OPERATIONS: Meaning what?
MICHAEL: They used her to divert our attention.
MADELINE: From what?
MICHAEL: Their real source. (He hands Operations a panel) Birkoff put this together.
OPERATIONS, staring at the panel, then at Michael: Ackerman?
MICHAEL: He was a mole for the Freedom League. They got to him last year in Singapore. These are all the decoded transmissions since then.
MADELINE, coldly: Where is he now?

Section One, White Room...
Electrodes are being connected to Ackerman's wrists and the back of his neck; then he is strapped to the steel chair. Madeline enters.
MADELINE: For the next three days you will be subjected to an intense debriefing. You will cooperate with us because you know how things are done here. When we're done with you, you'll be cancelled. Any questions?
Ackerman says nothing. She walks out.

Section One, Medical...
Michael enters the room. Nikita is sitting up in bed.
MICHAEL: How are you feeling?
NIKITA: I'll be fine.
MICHAEL, to a med tech working with equipment: Will you excuse us, please? (The med tech leaves, and Michael turns back to Nikita) You'll stay in observation for another day. Then you'll be transferred down to Level 3.
NIKITA: Three?
MICHAEL: For reprogramming. You've been out for a long time. We need to be sure you can still meet Section standards.
NIKITA: Will I be doing that with you?
MICHAEL: No. You'll be assigned to someone else.
NIKITA, whispering: Are we going to be able to see each other on the outside? (Michael says nothing) I had a dream last night. You said certain things to me. You revealed your feelings.
MICHAEL: Sometimes all we have is our dreams.
NIKITA: Closer.
Michael bends down, his face very close to hers.
NIKITA, whispering: You went to a lot of trouble to bring me back in here. I want to know why.
MICHAEL, gazing for a moment into her eyes: Be patient.
He leaves. Nikita gets out of bed and goes to the door to watch Michael walking away.

End

Written by Michael Loceff

Guest stars:
David Nerman.....Ackerman
Earl Pastko.....Field
Valeri Outcharov.....Sherron
Arthur Eng.....Xing
Johnie Chase.....Matty
Patric Maserkevitch.....Field's Aide

Transcript by Jason M.