Mission Log: "Darkness Visible"
The Balkans...
War is raging -- howitzers firing, fighting in the streets, a hilltop village is racked with explosions. Everywhere there is carnage, death, ruin...
VOICE OF OPERATIONS: The situation in the Balkans is deteriorating rapidly. The loss of life is staggering....
Section One, Briefing Table...
Operations is pacing on the other side of an active holoscreen from Michael, Nikita, Birkoff and two others, seated at the table.
OPERATIONS: A destabilized rebel force is in the process of a violent and comprehensive ethnic cleansing. Now, we have been given the task of cutting of one of their pipelines in the international arms community. The man you picked up at the warehouse has given us the identity of the primary buyer inside the rebel faction. Radovan Luca. Luca was once the head of his government's secret police. He is now awaiting the arrival of a significant cache of weapons. If the deal is consummated it will be nearly impossible to prevent the government from falling.
MICHAEL: How much reconnaissance has been done so far?
BIRKOFF: Not enough. The country is in chaos. Half of our contacts have been killed. The CIA is evacuating their people.
OPERATIONS: Take out Luca. Stop the deal.
He puts down the holoscreen control and walks away. The others get up and leave the table.
Somewhere in the Balkans...
Michael and Nikita are traveling in a white Land Rover, the former driving. The road is clogged with refugees. The wayside is littered with discarded belongings and some corpses. Nikita sees other bodies out in the snow-covered fields. A woman is weeping over one of them.
NIKITA: Why does Birkoff think Luca is going to be at this place?
MICHAEL: An in-country source. Luca's been leading raids through the villages in that area.
NIKITA: So we're just going to show up and look around.
MICHAEL: If he's there, people will know.
NIKITA, checking a map: The next crossing, take a right.
The road takes them over a hill. They see a roadblock ahead. Two soldiers are escorting a pair civilians into a nearby field. Two more men armed with submachineguns stop the Land Rover. One of them goes to Michael's window.
FIRST SOLDIER: Identification.
Michael hands him an envelope. The man checks the documents it contains.
FIRST SOLDIER: We have no need for medical relief workers.
MICHAEL: Some people need attention.
FIRST SOLDIER: Get out of the truck.
He opens Michael's door, while the other soldier opens Nikita's. As she gets out, Nikita sees that the two civilians taken out into the field are being made to kneel in the snow. The soldier with Michael and Nikita's papers motions for one of his cronies to check the Land Rover. The two civilians are executed. The soldier checking the Land Rover reappears holding up two boxes of morphine.
FIRST SOLDIER, to Michael: Your papers are not in order. We are taking the jeep.
MICHAEL: I can't let you do that.
FIRST SOLDIER: Really.
Another soldier comes up behind Michael, shoves him. Michael strikes, and the man sprawls in the roadway. Nikita draws a pistol, shoots the first soldier in the chest. With the submachinegun of the man he knocked down, Michael shoots through the open doors of the Land Rover, mowing down the pair of soldiers who had just executed the civilians. Nikita shoots two more soldiers, killing both.
MICHAEL: Let's go.
Back in the Land Rover, they leave the roadblock behind.
Section One, Systems...
Madeline enters, walks to a station where Birkoff is working.
MADELINE: What's our configuration?
BIRKOFF: We have five two-man cells approaching possible locations on Luca. None have reported back yet.
MADELINE: Let me know.
She walks away. Gail is leaning over the shoulder of someone at another station. She walks over to Birkoff's station.
GAIL: How late do you think we'll be working tonight?
BIRKOFF: Depends on what comes in.
Gail walks around behind Birkoff, then spins his chair around and leans over him, placing a hand on his thigh.
GAIL: I don't care how tired you are, I am not taking a raincheck.
She walks away. Birkoff looks around, suppresses a smile, and turns back to his computer as Michael's comm-link appears on the monitor. The message is transmitted by voice and text.
VOICE OF MICHAEL: We have an unconfirmed report that Luca was seen near a farmhouse in the area. We're checking it out.
Somewhere in the Balkans...
The Land Rover pulls up near an old farmhouse. A barn stands nearby. Michael kicks in the door of the farmhouse, enters with gun drawn. Nikita follows. An instant later a semiautomatic rifle is fired by someone just outside. Bullets stitch a pattern in the wall near where Michael and Nikita stand. They dive for cover. Then Michael goes to a window, sees someone standing in the snow a few dozen feet away, struggling with a jammed weapon.
NIKITA: Michael, it's just a boy.
The boy throws down the rifle, turns, and runs for the barn. Nikita and Michael follow. The boy squirms underneath a door.
NIKITA, calling through the door: It's okay. We're not going to hurt you. We can help you. We're looking for someone. Maybe you can help us. Please. Look, we can help you. Give you a ride somewhere. You hungry? We've got some food.
The door opens. Michael goes in first, gun ready. Nikita follows him. The boy is backing away.
PETER, warily: Are you with the others?
NIKITA: No, we're not.
PETER: You're soldiers.
MICHAEL: No. We're fighting the soldiers.
A little girl emerges from some hay bales. She stands beside Peter.
NIKITA, smiling at the little girl: What's your name?
PETER: Sasha.
NIKITA: You cold, Sasha?
Peter communicates with Sasha using hand signals. Sasha signals back.
PETER, to Nikita: Yes.
NIKITA, draping her parka over Sasha's shoulders: Is that better?
In the barn...
As Michael questions Peter, who is sitting on one of the hay bales, Nikita gives Sasha part of a nutrition bar.
MICHAEL: What did they do after they grabbed your parents?
PETER: They just left.
MICHAEL: Where were you and Sasha?
PETER: We were hiding.
MICHAEL, taking a panel from a pocket of his jacket: Have you ever seen one of these? (he punches up an image of Luca, turns the panel so that Peter can see it.) Is this the man who took your parents?
Peter nods.
MICHAEL: Do you know where they went?
PETER: To the trainyards. That's where they take everyone.
MICHAEL: Where are the trainyards?
PETER, shaking his head: I've just heard about them.
MICHAEL, turning away from Peter: Nikita, let's go. We have a location.
NIKITA: What about Peter and Sasha?
MICHAEL: They've told us everything they know.
NIKITA: We can't leave them here alone. We have to take them somewhere, Michael.
MICHAEL, already at the door: No.
But Nikita won't budge. Sasha stands close beside her, clinging to her arm.
In the Land Rover...
Michael is driving. Peter and Sasha are in the back seat.
MICHAEL, via cell phone: He said Luca took them to the trainyards.
VOICE OF BIRKOFF: That's all he said? Trainyards?
MICHAEL: That's it.
Section One, Communications...
BIRKOFF, checking a computer readout: I've got dozens of locations that could be classified as trainyards in that region.
In the Land Rover...
MICHAEL: It's probably a detention camp.
VOICE OF BIRKOFF: Check out a man named Vincent Vukovich.
Section One, Communications...
BIRKOFF: You're not far from him. He's CIA. If he's alive and in the country he'll be able to help you.
In the Land Rover...
VOICE OF BIRKOFF: I'm attaching the address.
MICHAEL: Good.
Section One, Communications...
Gail comes up behind Birkoff.
GAIL: How's it going?
BIRKOFF, wearily: I'm not getting out of here tonight. Most of the teams haven't even checked in.
GAIL, with a groan of disappointment: You're no fun.
She circles around to his other side and kisses his neck.
BIRKOFF, fearful that someone might see: Gail!
GAIL: Come on. Let's go to the White Room. There's no one around.
BIRKOFF: They can hear you! (Into his comm unit) Team Six, you're getting close to the border. Move to B Channel.
GAIL: Alright, be that way. I'll just be that much harder on you when we get together.
Birkoff smiles as she walks away. Then he notices the monitor at her work station.
BIRKOFF: Gail, you're still online....
But she's gone. He goes to her station. His smile fades as he takes a closer look at the monitor. Then he sits down, and he frowns as his fingers fly over the keyboard.
Somewhere in the Balkans...
Negotiating a debris-littered city street, Michael pulls the Land Rover to a stop.
MICHAEL: This is it. Vukovich's office.
NIKITA: I'll stay here with them.
MICHAEL: No. There's a refugee camp a block back. Take them there. We'll meet back here.
Ignoring her look of displeasure, he gets out, enters a building.
Vukovich's Office...
Michael enters. The place is in a shambles. A man is hastily shredding documents. A shortwave is on, and from it comes the sound of gunfire, the shouts and pleas of men and women.
MICHAEL: Clearance code K357. I'm Section One.
VUKOVICH: Did you bring transport?
MICHAEL: I'm not here for the evacuation.
VUKOVICH: These people helped us for years. They fed us information. Risked their lives. We promised them that if the day ever came we would get them out. (He gestures at the shortwave) Listen.
They listen for a moment to the chaos and the desperate voices.
VUKOVICH: It's been like this for three days. Everyone else is gone.
MICHAEL: I'm looking for Luca.
VOICE OF A MAN, over the shortwave: Please. Is anybody there? Can anybody hear?
MICHAEL: Where are the train yards?
VUKOVICH, disgusted: Train yards? Just north of the mines. You can't miss it. Just follow the smell.
VOICE OF A MAN, over the shortwave: Hello? Is anyone there? Come help us, please! If you do not come we're going to die. Please!
VUKOVICH: Listen. There's a family in that area. Do you have room?
MICHAEL, turning away: I'm sorry.
VOICE OF A MAN, over the shortwave: Please, come save us! Hello? Hello! Hello! We have children here. Please! Please, we have children...
In the street...
Exiting the building, Michael returns to the Land Rover. He sees that the children are still in the back seat. He gets in behind the wheel.
MICHAEL: What is this?
NIKITA: I couldn't leave them there. It wasn't safe.
MICHAEL: This is not a game. We're not playing house. Get rid of them. Now.
NIKITA: You get rid of them.
Michael gets out, opens the back door. Sasha looks to Nikita, but Nikita looks away. Once the children are out, Michael climbs back into the Land Rover, starts to drive away. He glances in the side view mirror.
MICHAEL: It was a mistake to bring them.
He stops the Land Rover, puts it into reverse, backs up.
Section One, Munitions...
Birkoff walks in. Walter, as usual, is working at his table.
WALTER: Hey. What'd you need?
BIRKOFF: I wanted to get the encrypt files on that filter simulator.
WALTER: Sure.
He opens a drawer, takes out a disk in a case, hands it to Birkoff.
WALTER: Why didn't you just download them?
BIRKOFF: Walter, I need your help. I don't know what to do.
WALTER: About what?
BIRKOFF: Gail.
WALTER, grinning: Oh. You've come to the right place.
BIRKOFF: She's using the Section computer to steal.
WALTER: What?
BIRKOFF: She walked away...
Walter holds up a hand, then takes Birkoff deeper into Munitions so that they won't be overheard.
BIRKOFF: She walked away from her system without logging off last night. The modification dates on some files didn't look right, so I checked it out. She's funneling money out of terrorist accounts that we're monitoring. What do I do?
WALTER: You think you have options?
BIRKOFF, in desperation: You know what they'll do to her.
WALTER, with a helpless shrug: I'm sorry, Birkoff.
Section One, Communications...
Birkoff enters, sits down at his work station, dejected. Gail saunters in, plants a kiss on his cheek.
GAIL: Oh, poor baby! Have you been up all night?
BIRKOFF: Yeah.
She goes to her work station. Birkoff looks over his shoulder at her. She smiles back at him.
A building, somewhere in the Balkans...
Stationed at a window of a derelict building, Michael watches a lorry filled with prisoners pull up to the heavily-guarded gate of a detention camp at the train yards.
NIKITA, joining him: What now?
MICHAEL: We wait.
NIKITA, going to the children: I want you guys to lay down in the other room, okay?
Some time later, Nikita is checking her automatic rifle. Michael is still at the window. Her cell phone rings.
NIKITA, into phone: Yeah? Okay, thanks. (To Michael) Birkoff just heard from Team Two. Luca's vehicle was spotted heading this way.
MICHAEL: Why didn't they take him out?
NIKITA: Transmission went dead. Birkoff thinks it was a land mine.
MICHAEL: How far?
NIKITA: Two kilometers.
MICHAEL: Let's get into position.
Nikita retrieves her AR. Going into the next room, she kneels beside Peter, who sits up.
NIKITA: Peter, listen to me carefully. This is very important. If you want to see your parents again, you have to stay here and take care of your sister. Do you understand?
PETER: Yeah.
Nikita touches his cheek, leaves.
In the street outside the building...
Michael and Nikita are concealed behind debris as a lorry packed with prisoners pull up to the detention camp gate.
MICHAEL, via cellphone: Birkoff, we're here.
Section One, Communications...
BIRKOFF: Any sign of Luca?
VOICE OF MICHAEL: Not yet. Did you patch this location to the other teams?
BIRKOFF: Yeah. They're on their way.
In the street, outside the building...
Another lorry arrives. A woman [Anna] is sitting in the back; she looks up in time to see Peter emerge from the building -- and jumps to her feet.
ANNA: Peter!
A man who had been sitting near her stands and grabs her: No!
ANNA: Peter!
PETER, starting to run: Mama! Mama! Papa! Mama!
Michael grabs Peter and pulls him behind cover, a gloved hand over the boy's mouth.
MICHAEL: I know you want to see your parents. You'll have to be smart, Peter. Okay?
Peter nods. The truck passes through the gate.
Later, in the street, outside the building...
Michael and Nikita have taken up separate positions, with different angles of fire on the gate. A car pulls up.
MICHAEL, via comm unit: This must be Luca. Stay alert.
NIKITA, armed with a sniper's rifle complete with scope and suppressor: I'm in position.
MICHAEL: If you get a shot, wait till they're stopped at the gate. It will give me time to back you up.
NIKITA: Got it.
Two men from the contingent at the gate head for the building where Peter and Sasha are hiding.
NIKITA: Michael, there are two guards heading toward Peter and Sasha. What should I do?
MICHAEL: Forget it, Nikita. He's here. (Another car passes his position.) He's on your side. Take him.
The two soldiers are dragging Peter and Sasha from the building.
PETER: Sasha! Leave us alone!
MICHAEL: Nikita, what are you waiting for? Shoot now.
Though she has a clear shot at Luca, Nikita swings the rifle around and, with two shots, drops the two soldiers. The car passes through the detention camp gate. Nikita runs to the children. More of the guards at the gate are moving toward the building, uncertain what is happening. Michael arrives, driving the Land Rover. Nikita and the children pile in and Michael races off, clips one of the soldiers and sends him flying. A hail of bullets slam into the back of the Land Rover as it pulls away.
Another abandoned building, at night...
Stationed at a window, Michael watches a pair of soldiers walk down an otherwise empty street. Nikita lays with Sasha nearby; they are lighting three candles.
NIKITA: here. That's for your Mama and that's for your Papa.
PETER, to Michael: When are we going back to the train yards?
MICHAEL: We have to wait.
PETER: For what?
MICHAEL: Others are coming to help us.
PETER: Help us? Or help you?
MICHAEL: We'll do what we can, Peter.
PETER: I don't believe you. As soon as you get what you want you'll get out of here. Why would anyone want to stick around here a second longer than they had to?
Section One, Madeline's office...
Birkoff enters.
MADELINE: What is it? I'm busy.
BIRKOFF, turning to leave: I'm sorry. I'll come back.
MADELINE: Birkoff. Sit down.
BIRKOFF, sitting: The new keyboards are really ergonomic. Thanks for getting them approved.
MADELINE: I've got a coup attempt in the Balkans, a missing warhead in Eastern Europe, and a hostage situation in the Azores. Is there something about these keyboards you feel will assist me in any way in these operations?
BIRKOFF: Gail is stealing money.
MADELINE: How do you know?
BIRKOFF: She's using our encryption programs to do it. I think if you just confronted her with it, she'd stop doing it. She's one of my best analysts.Not one of my best -- my best. We don't have to make a big deal of this.
MADELINE: But it is a big deal. Otherwise, why would you turn in a woman you're having intimate relations with?
BIRKOFF, startled that they know: What are you going to do with her?
MADELINE: I'm going to take care of it.
BIRKOFF: I'm sure if you spoke to her she would not do it again.
MADELINE: This must have been a difficult decision for you.
Birkoff gets up and walks out of the office.
The abandoned building, at night...
Michael is on watch at the window. Nearby, Peter and Sasha are on the floor, asleep.
NIKITA: How long before we move?
MICHAEL: As soon as they're done with the Tactical. The teams are in place.
NIKITA: When does Luca's arms deal go down?
MICHAEL: Eight hours.
NIKITA, glancing at the children: So what about them? Do you think we can get them across the border?
MICHAEL: Probably. But they won't want to leave their parents.
NIKITA: Well...I mean, if there's time, we should try and get them all out.
MICHAEL: There won't be time."
Nikita turns away.
The abandoned building, morning...
Michael is still at the window, watching a street filled with debris but empty of people. His cell phone rings.
MICHAEL, speaking into the phone: Yeah. Okay. (To Nikita) They're ready.
In the street...
Another truckload of prisoners is on its way to the detention yard. Michael and Nikita are crouched hidden in the debris.
MICHAEL: Birkoff, we have visual.
Section One, Communications...
BIRKOFF, at his station, with Operations standing behind him: Teams Three and Four, you're on.
In the street...
A car and a van collide, blocking the truck. The drivers jump out and an argument ensues. Several guards are distracted, and Michael and Nikita run to the back of the truck, undetected. Nikita inserts a tool into the padlock on the door in the iron bars that enclose the truck bed. The lock opens and she climbs in, followed by Michael.
NIKITA, to the prisoners in the truck: It's okay. We're not here to hurt you.
The car and van are moved out of the way and the truck proceeds to the detention yard, with Michael and Nikita hidden inside among the prisoners.
Section One, Communications...
BIRKOFF, to Operations: They're in.
Section One, Communications...
Later...
Troubled, Birkoff glances over his shoulder at Gail's workstation. Then he hears footsteps, and, amazed, turns to see her sitting down at her station.
BIRKOFF, in disbelief: Gail?
GAIL, cheerily: Oh, I didn't have a chance to finish that program last night, so I thought I'd do it now. Is that okay? What's wrong?
BIRKOFF, relieved: Nothing. That's fine. Everything okay?
GAIL: Sure. Why shouldn't it be?
BIRKOFF: No reason. I'll be right back.
He hurries out of Communications.
Section One, Madeline's office...
The door opens, revealing Birkoff, standing there.
MADELINE: I've been expecting you.
BIRKOFF, stepping inside: I don't understand.
MADELINE: We're not going to cancel Gail.
BIRKOFF: You're not?
MADELINE: We've known about her extracurricular activities for some time now. It's what brought her to our attention in the first place.
BIRKOFF: What about the money?
MADELINE: Those accounts don't exist. We create them for the sole purpose of satisfying her habit.
BIRKOFF: Her habit?
MADELINE: After an extensive profile, we came to the conclusion that stealing is something she'll never be able to give up. So we allow it. Keeps her productive.
BIRKOFF: How long can this go on?
MADELINE: Indefinitely. She doesn't want to spend the money. She just wants to steal it. Anything else, Birkoff?
Amazed, he simply shakes his head, starts to turn away.
MADELINE: By the way, it took you longer to discover this than we expected. Keep your people closer.
The detention yard...
Nikita and Michael are moving through a milling crowd of detainees. Many are dazed, some are bleeding, all are cold and afraid.
NIKITA: Is that Luca?
Several men are standing in a doorway, smoking, talking. One of them looks around, then steps out into a small group of detainees.
MICHAEL: Luca.
Luca grabs a man, pushes him to the ground, brandishes a pistol, and shoots him at point-blank range. He turns away, passes through an open gate. Michael and Nikita follow. Using a pistol fitted with a silencer, Michael shoots a guard posted on the roof of a building. He and Nikita pause between a building and a large truck.
NIKITA: Michael.
They look across the way at an old warehouse. One of the bay doors is open, and inside several men are going through the possessions confiscated from the detainees.
Michael and Nikita run around the warehouse, surprise two guards escorting a handful of prisoners into the woods. Michael kills one, Nikita the other. The prisoners flee into the woods. Michael leads the way up a flight of steps. At the top he grapples with a guard, shoots him, and shoves the body down the steps. He and Nikita enter a building. She shoots another guard, who is descending a wooden staircase. They ascend the staircase, and find Luca seated at a desk. When he sees them he stands, arms held away from his sides.
LUCA: Don't kill me. I give you information, hm? Troop movements. Locations of weapons stockpiles. Identities of our informers. Anything you want.
NIKITA, contemptuously: You're not even prepared to die for what you believe in.
LUCA: Who says I believe? I do what I have to do to survive. Like everyone in this country. (He looks into Michael's eyes, and grows more desperate) I can help you. I know things. You have nothing to lose by bringing me in. You can always kill me later.
Michael shoots him.
MICHAEL: Let's find the parents.
Surprised, Nikita follows him out. They move through the crowd in the yard.
MICHAEL, indicating a barracks: I'll go in there.
He pushes through running detainees in the barracks, while, outside, Nikita searches faces in the crowd before entering another barracks building -- where she finds Peter and Sasha's parents, Gregory and Anna.
NIKITA: It's you! I have Peter and Sasha.
ANNA: My God!
GREGORY: Take us!
ANNA: Are they alright?
NIKITA: Come with me.
The abandoned building...
When their parents arrive, Peter and Sasha fly into their arms.
GREGORY: My God! Peter! My God! Are you okay?
Michael moves to the window, cell phone in hand.
MICHAEL, into cell phone: We're ready to evacuate....What?....Yeah.
NIKITA: What's the matter?
MICHAEL: We can't get an airlift.
NIKITA: Why not?
MICHAEL: Our priority's been downgraded. We'll have to cross the border ourselves.
Nikita is worried, knowing that now it will be much more difficult to get Peter, Sasha and their parents out safely.
The border crossing...
Nikita and Michael walk, with Peter and Sasha and their parents, down a road that cuts through frozen fields and barren trees, to a border crossing. There are other people on the road, and guards at the barrier, checking cars, frisking individuals, checking papers.
NIKITA, to Gregory and Anna: Let us take them.
ANNA: No!
NIKITA: We have a better chance of getting through.
Peter walks beside Michael, while Nikita carries Sasha, and they move ahead of Gregory and Anna. Michael hands a guard his papers. The guard studies the documentation, then stares for a moment at Nikita, who looks away. He hands the papers back to Michael, nods to a comrade, who lifts the barrier, and they cross the border. Sasha looks back, sees her parents approach the barrier. Gregory gives their papers to the guard, who looks at them, then motions for other guards.
GREGORY: No?
ANNA: This is a mistake....
The guards began to escort them away.
GREGORY: You must let us pass!
ANNA: No! It's a mistake!
Hearing the cries of his parents, Peter starts to look back.
MICHAEL: Don't look back. Just keep walking.
ANNA: No! You must let us go!
The guards drag them away from the crossing.
GREGORY: Let us go!
ANNA: Let me go!
GREGORY: This is crazy!
Nikita and Michael keep walking; Sasha continues to stare at her parents on the other side of the crossing.
ANNA: Papa! You must let us go! You cannot take us now!
GREGORY: I beg you! Let us go!
ANNA: Do not take us away now! No!
Section One, Van Access...
Five operatives, including Nikita and Michael enter Section One. They are met in the corridor by Madeline.
MADELINE: Congratulations. We succeeded. The arms deal fell through once word of Luca's death got out.
NIKITA: What about Peter and Sasha?
MADELINE: We found a family from their country who just immigrated. They'll have a good home.
NIKITA: Any chance of getting their parents out.
Madeline just looks at her, then at Michael, and walks away. Michael glances at Nikita, but says nothing, and then leaves her. Nikita stands there a moment, alone, before walking in the other direction.
A church...
Peter and Sasha are alone in a church. She lights candle. He places a family photo beside it. They are kneeling in prayer when Gregory and Anna enter. The children run to their parents, who embrace them.
PETER: Mama! Papa!
GREGORY: Thank God!
Nikita's apartment...
With a gasp, Nikita awakes and sits bolt upright in her bed. Peter and Sasha's reunion with their parents had been but a dream....
END
Written by David Ehrman
Tara Slone.....Gail
Kyle Downes.....Peter
Kevi Katsuras.....Sasha
Ned Vucovich.....Radovan Luca
Andy Rukavina.....Gregory
Anna-Louise Richardson.....Anna
Transcript by Jason M.
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