Noise Transcript

By Jean

The song "Tape Loop" by Morcheeba is playing. Nikita wanders through a bar in slow motion and shrugs out of a long black overcoat, revealing a silk sleeveless pink top and pink and gold shiny pants as she looks around. (Continuity note: After she has the coat off, the camera shifts to a shot of the people in the bar. When it comes back, Nikita shrugs out of the coat again.) As she continues to case the joint, Nikita slides over to a barstool and sits down.
Nikita: I still don't see him. Do you want me to abort, Michael?
Michael: No, stay in position. He'll show up.
A man sits next to Nikita, obviously looking for attractive female companionship.
Jay: Buy you a drink?
He sees she already has a drink.
Jay: That's okay. I'll get the next round. (to bartender) Cosmopolitan, straight up. (to Nikita) You have incredible eyes.
Nikita: (still looking for her target) Thanks.
Jay: Wanna hear about my day?
Nikita: No thanks.
Jay: Look, I've been watching you for the last twenty minutes. He's not coming.
Nikita: (turns to look at Jay) What do you mean?
Jay: You got stood up. It happens. But that's why I'm here. Jay Yerkovich. I'm in for the trade show.
Nikita comes to the conclusion that he is just what he appears--a loser lounge lizard--and continues her surveillance of the bar.
Jay: You are, uh...?
Nikita: (to Michael in the com as she spies the target) Michael?
Jay: Your name is Michael?
Michael: Is it him?
Nikita: (to Michael) Yes.
Jay: Okay, hi, Michael. What do you do?
Michael: Keep a visual. We won't take him until he leaves the bar. Perimeter teams are in place.
Jay: C'mon, talk to me. I'm a good listener-.
Nikita: (interrupting) This is a bad time.
Jay: What's the deal, blue-eyes? You fidget, you talk to yourself. You're all alone.
Nikita: What did you say your name was?
Jay: Jay.
Nikita: This is the deal, Jay. I'm a secret government agent and I'm working right now and you're in my way.
Jay: Really? (he grins) You show me your gun and I'll show you mine.
Nikita: Can't do that. Against regulations.
Jay: Are you on a mission right now?
Nikita: Yep. See you in a minute.
Nikita leaves the counter.
Jay: (calls to Nikita's retreating back) Be careful.
Nikita follows Golden outside. Cut to outside: the Section van pulls up out of the city night. Golden walks past van.
Nikita: Excuse me.
Golden turns, surprised and Nikita belts him in the face. The van door opens to reveal Michael. He snatches Golden into the van, the door slides shut and the van glides away. Nikita returns to the bar. Inside the bar, she pulls out money to pay for her drink at the counter.
Jay: Mission accomplished?
Nikita: Yep. (she takes drink) Good luck at the trade show. (she winks at Jay and leaves)
Jay: (sighs) Chicks are crazy, every last one of 'em.
A brunette woman takes Nikita's place at the bar.
Jay: Buy you a drink?

CREDITS ROLL
Open on a top view of the white room. Golden is strapped in a chair in the middle of the room. The door opens and Madeline, wearing a sable suit with trousers, enters.
Madeline: Hello.
Golden: Who ever the hell you think you are you don't know who you're dealing with.
Madeline circles Golden.
Golden: My people will carve you up and feed you to the dogs.
Madeline: (still circling) Let's talk about your people. They have recently done business with a man named Cyrus Kavali.
Golden: You are so far out of your league. You should have done your homework before you picked me up. You are dead and you don't even know it!
Madeline gazes at Golden with terrible knowledge. The White Room door opens again and the torture twins enter, each bearing a sinister yellow case.
Madeline: (to her coworkers) Shouldn't take long. Let me know when you're through.
Golden: Gee! Look who they sent in now to spook me! And who are you guys? A couple of accountants, I'm scared now.
Nervous laughter from Golden fades as the scene dissolves.

COMM AREA
Madeline: Where are we?
Birkoff: Give you the punch line first: we're nowhere. Kavali could be anywhere from the Straights of Gibraltar to the Caspian Sea.
Madeline: You put markers on his known contacts?
Birkoff: Satellite and ground based. Everyone we know or think is involved with him.
Madeline: What about the military in his country? Any sign of defections?
Birkoff: Our intel there's scarce. So far nothing's shown up. They seem to be remaining loyal to the ruling democratic government.
Female Torture Twin: (via com) Birkoff?
Birkoff: (looks away) Yeah?
Female Torture Twin: Tell Madeline he's ready.
Birkoff nods to Madeline.
Madeline: Till further notice this is the only thing on your desk.
Birkoff: You got it. (he pops junk food in his mouth and settles into his work)

WHITE ROOM
Madeline: How were the new units?
Female Torture Twin: I think you'll be pleased with the results.
Madeline: Thank you.
Madeline lifts Golden's lowered head. Twin slashes inflame his cheeks. She gently brushes back thick hair from one side of his face and then the other.
Madeline: Are we ready to talk, Mr. Golden?
Golden nods his head, steadied by Madeline's hand.

BRIEFING TABLE
Birkoff, Walter, Michael, Madeline and three unidentified ops are seated at the table. Operations walks in. Without preamble, he begins the meeting and activates the holographic imager. Information and a picture emerge into existence. Each time he talks, he paces energetically. Birkoff bites his nails. The other ops sit quietly with stony faces.
Operations: Three years ago Cyrus Kavali's regime was overthrown and replaced with a democratic republic. Embargoes were lifted and political prisoners freed. The economy is finally starting to show signs of recovery. In his exile, Kavali has been mobilizing support around the globe to re-claim his seat to power.
Michael: There are dozens of hostile countries in that region. Why are we concerned about his?
Operations: Because it's in the midst of so many of our enemies. Geographically, it is perfectly positioned for tracking and reconnaissance. Madeline?
Madeline: R. J. Golden is one of Kavali's arms suppliers. He has been kind enough to reveal to us the location of a stockpile of Stinger missiles about to be delivered to Kavali.
Operations: The plan's simple. We tag the crates, follow them to their destination. That's where we find Kavali.
Michael: Where are the Stingers now?
Operations: Above an art gallery. The owner is a Kavali sympathizer who uses his international export privileges to ship him arms.

THE ART GALLERY
The gallery's logo says "Gallery 6Sixth". The song "Inion/Daughter" by Afro Celt Sound System is playing. Nikita is in the art gallery. Her hair is crimped and she is wearing a black satin wrap over a barely-there backless red silk dress. Beautiful men and women have been used as canvases for artistic expression. They slowly gyrate for the entertainment of the clientele. Cut to Birkoff in the van, typing on the computer. Cut back to the gallery and painted ladies. Cut to Michael prying open crates upstairs. Cut back to the gallery.
Nikita: There's one more of theirs at the southeast corner, ten feet from the stairs.
Birkoff: I've got him. (he manipulates data on the computer) Okay, that brings it to four inside. Any more outside Lonnie?
Lonnie:(outside) No. Just two at the front.
Birkoff: Alright. Outside team stay in position.
Cut to Michael above the gallery.
Birkoff: (via com) Michael? How much longer?
Michael: Another five.
Cut to Nikita, drinking in the gallery. Cut to Michael as he fishes a missile out of the styrofoam peanuts. Cut to the number four hostile by the door as he checks his watch.
Nikita: Birkoff, number four is headed for the stairs.
Birkoff: Don't let him. Michael's still up there.
Nikita goes over to number four by the door to the upstairs.
Nikita: Excuse me....excuse me? I'm sorry. Don't take this the wrong way but I represent models who pose for artists and...
Number Four: What?
Nikita: I'm sorry, let me start over. I've got a client who's an artist who's requested a model with a body type exactly like yours from what I can tell. Is there any way I could see you without your clothes on?
Birkoff: (in van) Lame!
Cut to outside. Knife-wielding hostile sneaks up on Lonnie. A knife arcs down, then cut to Michael as he finishes placing trackers on missiles.
Birkoff: C'mon, Michael. Nikita can't hold this guy forever.
Michael: (via com) Two more crates. Alert the perimeter teams we'll be coming out.
Cut to outside. Hostile takes his com unit as Lonnie's dead face stares blankly on, places it in his ear.
Birkoff: (via com) Hurry up. This van is freezing tonight. (he sees trouble on his monitor) Lonnie, what's going on?
Cut to Lonnie, dead on the sidewalk, staring into nothing.
Birkoff: Lonnie, can you hear me?
Hostile walks toward van.
Birkoff: Nikita, switch to "B" channel now!
Nikita: (turns head and touches her ear) I'm here.
Number Four: Who are you talking to?
Birkoff: I've got a sequence anomaly.
Nikita: Hang on Birkoff.
Nikita punches number four and shoves him through the door. Suddenly the dancers seem menacing. Cut to Michael completing his task.
Birkoff: Nikita, where are you?
Nikita: I'm here. What's wrong?
Birkoff: Someone's coming.
Nikita: What do you mean?
Birkoff: Someone took out Lonnie.
Nikita: How do you know?
Birkoff: He's got his com unit. I'm tracking it. What do I do? What do I do?
Nikita: Birkoff, just stay calm.
Birkoff: (panicked) I can't!
Nikita: (firmly) Yes y'can. Listen to me carefully. There's a 9-millimeter in the floor.
Birkoff finds the gun in a sunken panel in the floor of the van, takes it out.
Nikita: There should be a clip right beside it.
Birkoff: It's not here! It's not here!
Nikita: Look in the case.
Birkoff: What case?
Nikita: Underneath your seat to the left. See it?
Birkoff: Yeah.
Nikita: Well, chamber the damn thing.
Birkoff: I don't know how!
Nikita: Bullet end up into the handle of the gun. Do it! Birkoff, do it!
Birkoff slams the clip home. Cut to outside the van. Hostile approaches the van, shoots the lock and opens the door, spraying the interior with a hail of bullets. From behind the bench seat, Birkoff stands and empties his gun into the hostile, screaming defiantly, continuing to pull the trigger after the bullets are gone. He climbs over the back of the seat and collapses to the bench, stunned. Nikita enters the van, sits next to a now limp and shocked Birkoff, quickly assesses the situation.
Nikita: Everybody in. We've been breached.

SECTION
Operations meets the team as they disembark from access. He and Michael walk quickly down the hall.
Operations: Shipment's already moving.
Michael: Are they on a plane?
Operations: Simon's monitoring the Stingers but he's having problems with some of the frequencies.
Birkoff walks by, still looking stunned.
Birkoff: (distractedly) I'll check it out. (he walks on by)
Operations: Is he okay?
Michael: He'll be fine.
Operations: We can't be far behind those missiles. Everybody stays in.

WALTER'S AREA
Nikita walks up to Walter as he sits working on electronics. He's wearing a leather coat and plastic reading glasses as he works.
Walter: (to Nikita) Heard they shot holes in my van.
Nikita: (peeved) Why wasn't the clip under the nine-mil? (she throws the gun on the table)
Walter: Should have been.
Nikita: Well, it wasn't and Birkoff almost got killed.
Walter: I hate to get in your face, sugar, but that clip was close enough. And the reason Birkoff almost got killed is because he doesn't know how to shoot. Now, believe me, I have tried to teach him but tearing him away from those computers is almost impossible.
Birkoff: (in background as he is working in the com area) Can't you fix it?
Com Op: No, that's okay.
Simon: There's nothing to fix. I'm not having a problem with the frequency. It's just a bit fuzzy because we're bouncing it off the repeater.
Birkoff: Yeah, let's work around it then. Use the deconvolution filter.
Simon:  I did at the same frequency as the repeater.
Birkoff: It's twice the frequency as the repeater. It's called the sampling theorem...? (he waits a beat as it sinks into Simon. Simon makes the adjustment and the correction works) Duh!
Nikita enters the com area and approaches Birkoff.
Nikita: Hey, Birkoff.
Birkoff: Oh. Hi.
Nikita: You okay?
Birkoff: Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?
Nikita: Look, Birkoff, no one expects you to be a cold op.
Birkoff: I'm kinda busy right now.
Nikita: (realization dawns on her and shows in her eyes)This was your first time, wasn't it?
Birkoff: What are you talking about? (he pushes at his equipment in frustration) These keyboards are dead!
Nikita: You've never killed anyone before, have you?
Birkoff: (looks at her over his glasses) I'll deal with it, okay?
Nikita: You told me that you killed your sister. That's why they brought you in.
Birkoff: I lied.
Nikita: Why?
Birkoff: (ignoring Nikita's question and turns away) Why isn't "B" channel up?
Nikita walks away, leaving Birkoff to take some trembling breaths as he re-composes himself.

MADELINE'S OFFICE
Madeline: Yes, Nikita?
Nikita: It's about Birkoff.
Madeline: What about him? I heard he was quite efficient last night.
Nikita: Are you planning on sending him out right away?
Madeline: Why shouldn't we?
Nikita: I think he may need a little extra time to recover.
Madeline: (inhales deeply) Well, extra time isn't something we have in abundance here.
Nikita: I know but...
Madeline: What is it you're not telling me?
Nikita: Nothing.
Madeline: We've known Mr. Birkoff longer than you have. We appreciate your concern, but we know what he is and is not capable of. Is that all?
Nikita: Yeah.
Birkoff: (via com) Madeline, we've got a destination on the Stingers.
Madeline: (to Birkoff) Good. Prepare transport. (to Nikita) You better get ready.
Nikita smiles to cover her unease and bows out of Madeline's office.

THE VAN
The Section van races along the dreary countryside. Naked trees and overcast skies surround it. Cut to van interior. Nikita, Michael and several ops are waiting. Birkoff is working on the computer.
Michael: The signal has stabilized. We'll drive within a kilometer. From there we'll approach on foot.
Birkoff: Kavali has satellite surveillance throughout the entire area. I can only scramble it 100 meters at a time.
Michael: When we get into position set the coordinates on your transmitters so Birkoff can monitor.
Birkoff: We need to be in constant communication so I can keep you protected in the blackout radius.
The van draws up and stops.
Michael: Let's go.
The team members rush from the van in slow motion, guns held ready, all dressed in black. Nikita gazes at Birkoff, a worried and affectionate smile on her face he ignores. The team walks through man-high dead grass. Mist clings to the ground.
Birkoff: Hold your position. I've got to keep you centered. (he adjusts setting on his computer) Okay. Proceed.
The team continues. Cut to the van exterior. Something is approaching the gray vehicle noisily.
Birkoff: Michael are we still intact?
Michael: Yes. Why?
Birkoff anxiously checks the exterior cameras, sees nothing.
Birkoff: Nothing. (he gulps a breath) It's okay.
Something makes more noise outside the van. Inside, Birkoff gnaws on a much-abused straw, listening with all his might as the unidentified something clatters about the van and rattles the door handle. Birkoff, sweaty, scared and distracted gets the gun from the floor of the van. He points it at the ceiling momentarily as the noise migrates there. The computer beeps as the team reaches the edge of a safe zone. Birkoff panics as the noise escalates, ignoring the computer. He dashes outside into the dubious shelter of winter trees. Inside, the computer is beeping frantically: the team has left the safe zone. On top of the van stands the noisy invader: a raccoon.
Birkoff: (to self, remorseful) They're exposed! (he can hear the screaming of artillery)
Birkoff dashes back into the van and slides behind the computer, trying desperately to provide some help, but it is too late. Kavali's satellite defenses have worked and the team is under attack. Explosions chasing the team members are superimposed over Birkoff's face as he frantically taps on the keyboard.
Michael: (entering the van with the other team members) Go. What happened?
Birkoff: I don't know! Is everyone all right?
The mission is aborted, but everyone is safe. Nikita looks worried, about the mission and about Birkoff. Cut to Madeline's office.
Madeline: What happened?
Nikita: I dunno. One minute we were fine then suddenly we were exposed.
Madeline: Not today. The other night at the art gallery.
Nikita: I already told you...
Madeline: I know what you told me. What didn't you tell me? Did something happen to Birkoff that's interfering with his ability to help our people?
Nikita remains silent.
Operations: If you're withholding to protect him, you're doing more harm than good and endangering yourself. You forget what we do here. I don't need hard data to draw a picture but I do need to know where my operatives stand at all times-including you.
Nikita: (protesting) I'm here for the Section!
Operations: I hope so.
Madeline: For the time being, Birkoff will be held in abeyance.
Nikita: Held in abeyance? That's one step away ... (she trails off in disbelief) You'd cancel Birkoff?
Operations: If he can no longer perform his function here . . . Yes.
Nikita, Madeline and Operations watch from Systems as Birkoff bounces from station to station, agitated and distracted.

COMM AREA
Three unidentified operatives sit or stand around listening along with Michael.
Operations: Have the tags on the Stingers been compromised?
Simon: Yep. They've all been removed. There's no way to trace them now.
Operations: (exasperated) So we're back to square one!
Simon: Not quite. I was able to compensate for Birkoff's miscue. I used one of my programs to salvage enough data to run another sim.
Michael: On what?
Simon: I took infrareds of the shootout, pinpointed the source of the artillery then linked that with the movement afterwards.
Operations: You picked them up.
Simon: Picked several things up, but what got my attention was this area. Here some of the exit movement converged outside Istanbul with two high level Kavali contacts we've been watching.
Michael: If Kavali's in Turkey then he's ready to make his move.
Operations: (leans down to be face to face with Simon) How sure are you about this, Simon?
Simon: I ran the analysis three different ways.
Operations: All right, then we'll proceed quickly, carefully. Run a recon first and if the information's consistent: escalate.

MADELINE'S OFFICE
Nikita enters the office, troubled. Madeline is seated at her desk.
Madeline: Yes, Nikita?
Nikita: You told me when I first came here that Section One would become my family. It's taken me some time but I'm beginning to accept that. I don't know much about Birkoff-
Madeline: (interrupting) You feel protective of him, like an older sister.
Nikita: How can I help him?
Madeline: He has to help himself.
Nikita: He's just a kid.
Madeline: What is it you think you could do?
Nikita: I dunno. I could be a friend. (sighs) Maybe he needs that more than anything right now.
Madeline: I doubt it. (Nikita looks disappointed) But you can try.
Nikita: (smiles a little) Where is he now?
Madeline: At home.
Nikita: Where's he live?
Madeline: (amused) You don't know?
Nikita walks down a lonely stretch of Section hallway marked with SL2-4. She passes through a door with a round window, down a shorter hall and knocks on the door she finds there.
Nikita: Birkoff? Hey can I come in?
The rectangular view screen on the door activates, showing Birkoff.
Birkoff: Yeah.
Nikita walks in, looks around. Half-a-dozen TV monitors ring the room. Posters-one of Hal the computer from 2001, another of a comic-book babe, decorate the walls. One wall serves as projection screen. Birkoff, wearing a green tee-shirt and black pants, moodily bounces a ball off the images flashing there, catching the ball over and over.
Nikita: So you really do live in Section. Madeline showed me your file. Except for the van, seems you haven't been outside Section over seven years-that's not healthy.
Birkoff: (angry) You killed a cop in cold blood: don't tell me what's healthy.
Nikita: I didn't kill--(she gives up explaining, exasperated)
Birkoff: (voice thick with anger) Get out of here.
Nikita: I'm sorry. I didn't come here to fight with you. I wanna help.
Birkoff: Simon can't do my job. He's linear. "A" to "B" to "C"...click, click, click. There's more to it than that. (lifts head) You got to make connections that aren't there. (stares at ceiling again) No one gets that.
Nikita: Look I don't understand the stuff you do but I just know you do it very well. You should be upstairs right now doing it. What happened?
Birkoff: You can't protect me. I always thought I could just go on doing my work. You guys would always be around keeping me safe. Never occurred to me that anyone would get close enough to shoot at me. (his voice betrays his deep fear)
Nikita: Oh. So you used to think you were safe. Now you know you're not. None of us are. Birkoff, it happens to everyone. It's called...growing up. Doesn't mean you have to stop living.
Birkoff: (with emotion) I can't live knowing that I could die.
Nikita pulls out her gun and leaps cat-like to straddle Birkoff on his bed, her gun barrel pressed to his forehead between his eyes.
Nikita: You will die. (she pulls the trigger CLICK) See? You just did.
Birkoff scrambles away from her, eyes wide.
Birkoff: You're crazy!
Nikita: (still standing on the bed) Am I? Then you better get crazy too.
Birkoff succumbs completely to his fear and cries.
Birkoff: I'm so scared.
Nikita leaves the bed to crouch by Birkoff's side.
Nikita: (tenderly) Scared? Birkoff, you've got it backwards. Death's easy-you don't have to do anything. It's life you have to face.
Nikita takes Birkoff's hand, drawing him up.
Birkoff: Where are we going?
Nikita: (smiles) M'm! We're going out.

VAN ACCESS
Operatives are running to and fro, preparing for a mission.
Simon: pull out the 240's and replace them with these. Set the scanners for one meter. And delete Birkoff's code and upload my program. (Simon runs into Birkoff and Nikita) Oh. Hi.
Birkoff: What are you doing?
Simon: We're going out.
Birkoff: What's wrong with the 240's?
Simon: My algorithms need more storage.
Michael: (as he passes by) Let's go Simon.
Simon: Gotta run. (to another operative) Give me that, will you?
Birkoff: What are you doing with a K.L. transform?
Simon: I used it to train my program.
Birkoff: (figures out what Simon did) You used a K.L. transform to do a location sim.
Simon: Pretty slick, huh? (pleased with himself)
Nikita: What is it Birkoff?
Birkoff purses his lips and shakes his head, trying to grasp something mentally, but it won't come.
Nikita: Let it go. It's not our problem. (to Michael before he leaves) Michael...?
Michael: What?
Nikita: It's nothing. It's just . . . be careful. See you when you get back.
Michael follows other operatives down van access and the door slams shut.

IN THE BAR
Nikita and Birkoff walk up to the bar. Nikita is still wearing the suit without a blouse she confronted Birkoff in. Birkoff is wearing a different green tee-shirt.
Birkoff: This is the place we picked up Golden, right?
Nikita: Yep. Sit down. Relax. (they sit and look around, enjoy the pounding music) So, do you ever talk to anyone outside of Section?
Birkoff: No. Why?
Nikita: Take a look around. What do you see?
Birkoff: (obediently looking) People.
Nikita: Anyone look interesting to you? Anyone you might want to talk to? (indicates a woman down the bar from them) What about her?
Birkoff: (with an expression of distaste) She smokes.
Nikita: Well, what about them?
Birkoff: (his eyes go from girls down the bar to Nikita) What about you?
Nikita: Me?
Birkoff: (smiling with bravado) Yeah. You, me. The two of us. Why not? You're the best looking girl in Section . . . and you care about me, right?
Nikita: Sure I care.
Birkoff: Then what's the problem? (Nikita cannot hide the regretful truth on her face and Birkoff can hear her unspoken words) I'm a little brother, right.
Nikita nods, conveying sisterly concern and regret for hurting his feelings, then moves the awkward moment along.
Nikita: Birkoff, what about her?
Birkoff: Out of my league.
Nikita: (exasperated) Birkoff, we don't even know what league you're in!
Birkoff shakes his head, uncertain.
Birkoff: Where are you going?
Nikita slinks off with a definite ulterior motive, leaving Birkoff to stew at the bar alone. A sudden memory of the scene at Van Access demands his attention.
Birkoff: What are you doing with a K.L. transform?
Simon: (smugly) I used it to train my program.
Birkoff: You used a K.L. transform to do a location sim ...
Nikita arrives with a girl in tow, interrupting his musing.
Nikita: Birkoff, say hello to Ginger.
Ginger: Hi.
Birkoff: Hi.
Nikita: I told her about your band. I hope you don't mind.
Birkoff: (woodenly) My band ...
Ginger: Yeah. Sounds pretty cool. You got a CD coming out?
Nikita pushes up the corners of her lips, a signal to Birkoff to smile. He smiles brilliantly.
Birkoff: Yeah.
Ginger: Are you guys, like, doing a video or something?
Nikita: I'll be right back.
Birkoff: Nikita! Wait...!
Ginger: So what do you play?
Birkoff: (without hesitation) Drums.
Ginger: Really? My brother played drums, but y'know my parents kicked him out of the house. He made too much noise. The whole neighborhood was complaining.
Birkoff: (distracted) Noise...
Ginger: You could hear him a mile away.
The nagging flaw that had teasing him since he spoke to Simon at Van Access suddenly resolved. With single-minded purpose, he pushes past Ginger and rushes up to Nikita, leaving Ginger abandoned at the bar.
Birkoff: Nikita, Kavali's gonna be waiting for them. The frequency domain delta's way too large for the bandwidth-
Nikita: Woah, woah, slow down! Birkoff, what are you talking about?
Birkoff: Simon used a K.L. transform to track Kavali. Those transforms are way too noisy for the kind of electronics Kavali must have.
Nikita: So?
Birkoff: Michael's taking the whole team in exposed. We've got to stop them. Their plan's gonna be shot down.

AT THE CRASH SITE
Michael and his team are disentangling themselves from parachute lines. Simon is on the ground, injured.
Simon: Michael! Michael!
Male Op: (finding Simon under parachute silk shows Michael) Here, here.
Simon: (groans) My legs are broken.
Michael: Do you have the microwave uplink?
Simon: Can't use it. They'd pick us up.
Michael: We'll have to take the chance.
Simon: No, we don't! We just can't use the voice link. I sent out a low frequency beam-if they're looking for us they'll pick it up without giving away our position.
Michael: Hold this. (he hands Simon his weapon and picks him up. Simon screams in pain)
Michael: Shut up.

SECTION, COMM AREA
Gail: It's been nine minutes since the last transmission.
Madeline: Were they shot down or did they land?
Gail: We can't tell yet.
Operations: Why are all communication channels dead?
Gail: We received a short burst on the alarm frequency just before we shut down.
Birkoff: (rushing up with purpose, Nikita on his heels, speaking fast) Switch to LAN sat coverage. Scan both visible and inferred channels. Start transmitting in the "C" band from any satellite we have in the area. (to Gail) What's on "B" net?
Gail: I'm getting thirty-second pulses.
Birkoff: Good. At least someone's still alive.
Operations: Birkoff, what's going on?
Birkoff: Our team was breached. Whoever is alive is on the ground. I jammed all satellite and radar.
Operations: For how long?
Birkoff: Maybe six hours. What do you wanna do?
Operations: (to Madeline) Where's Koi?
Madeline: He's in the Middle East.
Operations: What about Pollach?
Madeline: He's on a plane due back tonight.
Operations: (with significant look at Nikita) Is she ready to, uh . . . run a team?
Madeline: It's a risk.
Nikita: I can get him out but I'll need Birkoff.
Birkoff: Nikita, I don't know if I'm ready to go out in the field.
Nikita: (with no-nonsense confidence) You are. (to Ops) Well?
Operations: Alert mobile com, tell them to have an inventory from Nikita in three minutes. (he turns to Birkoff) Go. (Birkoff sits, frozen) Go, Birkoff!
Birkoff shoots from his seat into action.

ON THE PLANE
Birkoff: The beacon is in this sector.
Nikita: How far away are we?
Birkoff: (looking at monitor) Another four hours till we land.
Nikita: What time zone are we going to be in?
Birkoff: It'll be morning.
Nikita: Do you think we might be able to land on top of them?
Birkoff: I'd leave a five kilometer buffer. We can use the van to pull in.
Nikita: Good.
The plane lands. Then we see the van driving though an industrial part of the city.
Birkoff: (via com) Check your comm-set.
Man: Copy P-2.
Birkoff: We're getting close to their beacon.
Nikita: Is it still low frequency?
Birkoff: Yeah. We won't be able to pinpoint the location.
Nikita: Get us as close as you can. Team one, you rake north/south. Team two, east/west. We'll spread into a dilution pattern. I'll run a small inter-radius from the van.
The van stops. Teams one and two pour out. Nikita hesitates before she leaves and nods soberly to Birkoff. The black-clad operative spread out from the van, searching for the missing team. Cut to Birkoff in the van, manipulating the computer. The operatives outside pick their way over mounds of broken concrete.
Nikita: 21, Birkoff? Signal strong?
Birkoff: You should be tripping over them any minute.
Two operatives cautiously search a building, weapons ready and senses alert, but still do not catch Michael unawares. He has them covered with his own gun until he realizes who they are.
Ellis: We've got 'em.
Birkoff: (cuts loose with a dazzling grin of relief) We found them, Nikita.
Nikita: (outside) All of them?
Birkoff: Yep!
Nikita: All right. All teams in.
Man: Copy net.
Birkoff: (sees bad news in the sensor sweeps) Nikita, I've got movement near you. Looks like some kind of transport. Can you hear anything?
Nikita: No. (via com) Can I come in Birkoff?
Birkoff: I can't tell yet.
Nikita: Birkoff, I hear it.
Birkoff: I see them now. There's two of them. They're coming from the south.
Nikita: Send team two.
Birkoff: There's no time. They're closing in on you.
Birkoff looks around, helpless, but makes a quick decision. He retrieves the gun from the van floor and slams the clip home into the handle. Armed, he leaves the van to provide what help he can to Nikita.
Nikita: Birkoff, where are you?
Two hostiles fire at Nikita, pinning her down in amongst the rubble and broken cement. She fires back with her automatic weapon, killing them both.
Birkoff: Nikita, over here! (he scrambles over to her, staying low) You okay?
Nikita: Yeah. How many were there?
Birkoff: I picked up two.
Nikita: Good. I got 'em both. Let's go.
Birkoff: (sees another transport) Oh no!
Nikita: Here. (she pushes her handgun at him, arming him with two weapons)
Birkoff and Nikita fire at the emerging hostiles. Birkoff kills one, then Nikita kills two more. More hostiles converge on them. Pinned down, outnumbered, they have little hope to escape alive. Suddenly, more hostiles drop quickly: Michael is firing from behind them. His weapon's fire hits a fuel tank and ignites a fireball among the attackers, and they fall back, screaming.
Michael: Go!
All the teams, including Nikita and Birkoff at the last, converge on the van and climb in. The door shuts.
Michael: (to the driver) Go.
Nikita looks at Birkoff, satisfaction in her face as they both catch their breath.

SECTION, COMM AREA
Normal activity moves around the computer stations. Simon is seated at one, Birkoff standing behind him.
Birkoff: Restore all the J-MEV files. Run a scan and make sure we didn't miss anything.
Simon: You sure you want me doing this?
Birkoff: Why not?
Simon: I messed up. I thought I had everything covered but I forgot about the noise on those transforms.
Birkoff: (taking a page from Madeline's book) You can do it. Work through it.
Nikita walks up.
Birkoff: Nikita!
Nikita: Hey. I see you're back in the saddle.
Birkoff: (enthusiastic) Yeah. You wouldn't believe how disorganized this place can get in a couple of days. I've got three F.L.T. chips that need total re-programming...
Nikita: (lays finger on Birkoff's mouth) Birkoff, shut up.
Birkoff: (abashed) Sorry.
Gail: Um . . . These E-proms are ready for you. Do you want me to put them on your desk?
Birkoff: I'll take them. That's great. Thanks. (Gail walks past, Birkoff stops her) Gail, are we still on?
Gail: I'll see you tonight, Seymour.
Nikita: (grinning) Seymour?
Birkoff: Don't tell anyone, okay?
Nikita: I won't.
Birkoff: Nikita, I'm . . . not very good at this sort of thing. (he looks around, bites his lower lip, obviously at a loss for words)
Nikita: Birkoff, you're welcome.
Nikita leaves, shaking her head and still grinning over his name as she says it again. She looks up at systems to see Ops and Madeline looking back down at her with stern approval. Madeline nods as if to say "Job well done." Nikita seems to find some comfort in the help she was able to give. She slips on sunglasses and leaves.
Birkoff is seated at his computer, confidently and casually working.
The End.

Back to Season 1 Episodes