War Transcript

By Marina

NIKITA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Nikita is exercising hard and someone is watching her through a small hand-held mirror. She grabs a bottle of water and drinks. She starts to undress, and goes up the stairs to her bathroom. She gets in. Someone gets into her apartment. Nikita hears his footsteps, turns slowly, closes the door, and turns on the shower. She takes a deodorant from the top of the bathroom mirror and a lighter and turn out the light. The man comes up the stairs. Nikita hides and waits. Two men burst into the bathroom and begin shooting the shower door. Nikita comes out, lights the lighter and presses the deodorant. It goes up in flames and one of the men is on fire. He screams and drops his gun. She grabs it and at the same moment she pulls the trigger and shoots the other man who starts firing on her. They both lie dead on the floor. She comes out the bathroom and takes a look at the apartment down. She sees the shadow of a third man. She opens the window and steps out. We see her bare feet go up an iron ladder. The third man comes up the stairs inside Nikita's apartment, holding his gun. He goes to the shower, takes a look, and then quickly turns to the window. He intends to climb out, but Nikita, down from her apartment shoots him. She looks upset, now. She doesn't come out from where she is crouched. The telephone rings and makes her jump. She realizes its only the phone, and carefully, -never leaving her gun - picks it up.
Michael: (on the phone) Josephine.
Nikita:: Michael, what's going on?
Michael: (off scene) Come in.
Nikita: I've been compromised.
Michael: (off scene) Is it under control?
Nikita: I think so.
Michael: (off scene) Come in.

SECTION ONE HEADQUARTERS - THE BRIEFING ROOM
They are all in a hurry. Birkoff, Operations and Madeleine come in. Nikita follows.
Nikita: Madeleine, what's going on?
Madeline: We're under attack. Operatives are been hit worldwide. Section's being evacuating.
They sit around the table.
Operations comes in.
Operations: Red Cell broke our directory. They've launched an invasion.
Birkoff: Three more agents have been hit. One in Tokyo, two in Hong Kong.
Operations: Will break in two men cells. Get your specific assignments from Birkoff. We have to locate their command center before they find ours. We're moving to a substation.
Madeline: If you are taken, and some of you will be, Red Cell will do anything to make you talk.You cannot give them the location of the substation, therefore will be kept secret, even from you.
Operations: Understand this very clearly, we are at war, and right now we are losing.
Michael and Nikita approach Birkoff who gets data on his computer. Other people are moving around in a hurry.
Birkoff: One of our operatives who's working counter intel in Tunisia managed to send a message before he got hit.
Michael: Garsha.
Birkoff: He brought them assassins. Red Cell must have given him a massive contract when they cracked the directory.
Michael: Do we have an address?
Nikita watches the two of them.
Birkoff: Rabat, Morocco.
Michael: Great.
He and Nikita walk away. Birkoff stops them.
Birkoff: Michael, Operations wants to see you before you leave. Alone.

SECTION ONE: MUNITIONS
Walter is packing his stuff, when Nikita comes in.
Nikita: Hi Walter.
Walter: I don't have enough boxes.
Nikita: Well, just take the important staff. Leave the rest.
Walter: Everything's important. They've given me twenty minutes. I cant do it. What's the difference? We're all going get whacked any way.
Nikita: Don't say that.
Walter: It's true. Well, they wont tell you that, they only go through their procedures but our safety net is not adequate to repel this kind of attack. We should stay right here and fight it out.
Nikita takes a look at Operations' room upstairs. Michael, Madeleine and Operations are there. Michael leaves. Operations and Nikita look at each other.

SECTION ONE: ACCESS HALL
Michael and Nikita walk away carrying their bags. Michael grabs her arm and stops her.
Michael: Nikita, the location of the substation.
Nikita: What about it?
Michael: I want you to know where it is.
Nikita: I thought Operations wanted to kept a secret.
Michael: If something happens to me I want you to go there. It's the only safe place. It's the sub-basement of the abandoned factory plant, at the end of a canal, in Frankfurt.
They both leave.

RABAT, MOROCCO - DAY
We see some brief scenes of the city and its people. Michael and Nikita wander around. She wears black glasses and a black scarf on her hair. Someone that smokes a cigarette comes out a tend with a woman. They have talk and smile. He walks away from her and his companions, and Nikita falls on him.
Nikita: Excuse me Sir.
He smiles when he sees her, but Michael quickly approaches from behind and sticks his gun to his guts.
Michael: Please. Come with us.
He obeys, and they walk away, as a young boy by the fire looks at them. They had him on a corner.
Michael: Who's your contact and how do you get paid?
Man: I don't know what's you're talking about.
Michael: (coldly) Step back Nikita.
She nods and takes a step back. Michael puts his gun on the man's throat. The man laughs anxiously, as he realizes Michael is very serious about shooting him.
Man: Wait. I get paid from an office at the back of a warehouse.
Michael: On your knees.
He forces him down and Nikita kicks the back of his knees. He falls, and Michael points his gun on his head.
Man: Got no reason to lie. It's where Red Cell does all the business. All their records, whatever you want, it's there.
Michael lifts him up on his feet.
Michael: Show us.

OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
Nikita climbs up a wall using her legs and her back. Down Michael holds the man.
Michael: Are there any guards?
Man: Maybe.
Nikita upstairs cuts a round hole on a window, using a laser beam. She opens the window and gets inside. She is at the top roof of the warehouse. She climbs down the joist holding her gun on her mouth. She notices the shadow of a man behind a glass door, in a lit room inside the warehouse. We see the guard step outside. Nikita watches carefully. The guard goes inside the room again, as he sees nothing suspicious. As she climbs down she makes a noise and the guard rushes out the room pointing his gun at the roof of the room, but Nikita is already down and shoots him. She steps inside the room.

OUTSIDE
Michael and the man outside.
Nikita: (on Michael's earphone) I'm in.
Michael: (to the man) Where do they keep the records?
Man: In a safe. On the far end of the room.

INSIDE
Nikita crawls to the far end of the room, and finds the safe.
Nikita: It's open.
She open wide the door and something inside the safe explodes. She falls down.

OUTSIDE
Outside, the man, taking advantage of the commotion caused by the explosion, escapes from Michael's hold and starts to run. He doesn't go far. Michael shoots him and he falls down the small hill to the wire fence.

INSIDE
Nikita sees a distorted ceiling. Two men look at her, and they grab her from the arms. She tries to free herself and screams in rage.
Outside Michael looks worried and upset.

THE SUBSTATION
Madeline comes into the substation. Operations and Birkoff watch Michael on a computer screen.
Michael: (on the screen) We found Garsha.
Operations: And?
Michael: He brought us to a location. When we were trying to penetrate Nikita was grabbed.
Operations: Is she alive?
Michael: I don't know. Should we bring in a team?
Operations: Go alone!

WAREHOUSE
Two men take Nikita up some iron stairs, to a metal corridor. She is wearing a hood that covers her head, not letting her see. They drag her and position her on a metal board where they begin to strap her on. Someone comes in, - it's Garsha, - as they put electrodes on her throat, head and hands. Those electrodes are linked with wires to a monitoring device behind the metal board. We hear the bipping from Nikita's heart.
Garsha: (to one of his men, speaking in a low voice) .... I'll do it.
The man nods and leaves. Garsha walks to Nikita, and another guard takes off the hood from her head. Nikita looks at Garsha in rage.
Garsha: Good. You look at me. You realize it's important to know the inquisitor.
He approaches her. Nikita stares at him coldly.
Garsha: You're well trained. Even now, even here, you look to find an edge. What you see? Tell me. What will soften my heart? Tears? Courage? ... I have your file. (He looks at his hands, at the portable PC he is holding) Josephine.
Nikita looks as if she is impressed, but is more of an irony.
Garsha: Right here in my hand is everything that Section knows about you. Says here that you're strong will. They consider than your great strength, and your personal flaw. Doesn't always follow orders, thinks for herself, add a developed sense of honor.... I like this one. Fair play.
Nikita presses a smile on her face, again full of irony.
Garsha goes close to her.
Garsha: I need to know the location of Section's 1 new command in control. Where did Section relocate?
Nikita: Toledo. Everything's in control from Toledo, Spain, not Ohio.
Garsha: Your file doesn't indicate a sense of humor. That should be updated.
Nikita: (ironically) I'll be sure to tell them.
Garsha walks away and the two guards move the metal board with Nikita forward, following him. We see a cage at the end of the metal corridor.
Garsha: I'm told that everybody's afraid of something. Something that causes an emotion beyond terror. A horror, that defies description or definition. And the senses shot down. The mind leaves the body, and.... reason is no more. Do you believe that?
The cage is full of rats and Nikita looks at them frightened. Her heart rate goes up.
Garsha: I looked at your file. I know where your fear lives. (He touches her head with his hand, and she retracts.)
Garsha looks at the rats.
Garsha: Cant take your eyes off them. Can you? (Goes around to see the monitor) Look at my meters. Files were accurate. (Her heart beat is now 99)
Nikita: It's an abandoned military base.
Garsha:What?
Nikita: Remote command in control for Section 1 camouflaged as a garbage scum. Go check!
Garsha: I don't have to. It's a lie. You're not ready to tell the truth yet. Just in a bit. This is a very simple technique. (He touches the cage with the rats) The case fits onto your head. I will remove the wire screen and torch the rats. Until they do anything to get away from the fire. Anything - including .... eat through you to escape. Of course, this is all theory. It's going to be a first for both of us.
Nikita looks away, now terrified. They move the metal board close to the cage. She makes little noises of fear and disgust. Her heart beat goes up to 134. She screams as her head fits the opening on the cage.

OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE
Someone is falling from the top. Michael looks down on him.

SUBSTATION
Operations is talking on the phone as he walks down.
Operations: Why not George? That's not good enough. We are under fire. They are not. (He listens) Then bring it to them. Get it signed off. I don't need to hear that. This conversation is over, George.
He hangs up the phone nervously.
Walter: Let me guess. They're hanging us out to dry.
Operations: In effect.
Walter: (Not looking at Operations, holding a riffle) I knew it. They'll treat us like an infected limb. Cut us off without even blinking.
Operations: No one's getting cut off.
Walter: (laughing) Oh, do you believe that?
Operations: Look, Walter, we're in a situation. If you have something constructive to contribute, I'm all ears. If not do your job and stay out of my face.
Walter gets up, faces Operations
Walter: What gives you the right to talk to people like that?
Operations: I'm in command. That's what. Wanna try to relieve me? Go ahead.
He hands Walter a gun, but Walter hesitates.
Madeline: Are you two finished? Because all that stands between Section 1 and extinction is the decisions we make. Right now. We have to be clear headed. Not divisive.
Walter: Nobody's challenging your authority. Just... worked up.
Walter hands the gun to Operations.
Madeline: We all are.
Operations leaves.

WAREHOUSE
Garsha is holding a fire.
Michael goes in and kills one guard.
Mad rats run about Nikita's face as they try to escape the fire. She moans in agony. Garsha is smiling.
Michael goes down a ladder and kills another one. He jumps down the stairs in a hurry. Suddenly, some kind of grenade fall down the stairs. Michael looks at it. He jumps to avoid the explosion, but he didn't make it, and he is knocked out unconscious. Two men grab him and carry him out a door.
They remove Nikita from the cage. Her face is full of blood and bites from the rats. She is almost unconscious, but not entirely. Garsha turns her head on his direction.
Garsha: She wont crack. Kill her.
The two guards begin to move the metal board with Nikita towards the other end of the corridor. As they reach the end she sees Michael between the two guards. They look at each other. Nikita bends her head back in desperation. Garsha has approached them.
Garsha: A rescue attempt by a fellow operative. How romantic.
Michael and Garsha look at each other in silence. Nikita's heart beat goes up to 163. Garsha notices that and goes around to the monitor.
Garsha: Don't kill her yet. Put them both in the cages. Find out who he is and why he is on this heroic mission.
The two guards push Michael in one human size hanging cage from the roof, the other unstraps Nikita, as she moans, and takes her on his arm, throw her in the other cage, next to Michael's.

Fade in - Fade out

MICHAEL AND NIKITA IN THE CAGES
Michael looks at Nikita, but she is not.
Michael: How are you holding up?
Nikita doesn't answer, she doesn't even bother to look at him. Her eyes are red, wet with tears.
Michael: I'm sorry Nikita.
A moment of silence. Then Garsha comes up the stairs and stops in front of Michael's cage.
Garsha: Michael, this is a very impressive file. It also indicates that there's a certain closeness between you and Nikita. You're her guide and mentor. Perhaps something more. Now. I want to try and save time and any further discomfort for either of you. Section will be breached. We have other Section operatives, one of them will brake. When they do, you will be killed. Right now I can make this easy on everyone. I can offer you money, new identities, a safe place to live.
Michael stares at him silently.
Garsha: Oh, well, don't say I didn't try. So, Michael,... says here that you're subject to dreams. Nightmares. Perhaps that has something to do with the death of your child.
Nikita, siting down, looks up in surprise, but in the same time trying to hide it. Garsha goes to her cage and bends down at her height.
Garsha: (to Nikita) Oh, you didn't know... Yes, his wife, Simone, had a boy. But unfortunately the child died. It seems that Michael thought that somehow Section 1 was involved. Now, why would he think that. Perhaps because Section believes that having a child might alter the effectiveness of an operative. That's very sad.
Garsha stands up. Michael looks at him, still silent.
Garsha: (to his men) Take him.
Nikita grabs the cages wires, and watches them as they leave down the ladder. She whispers his name.

SUBSTATION
Operations: (on the phone) All right, I hear you George. Oh, yeah.
He hangs up.
Operations: We're on our own. Birkoff, where are you with the Zurich operatives?
Birkoff: The ones that survived the initial hit are safe and in passage.
Operations: And North Africa?
Birkoff: Nothing's changed. We won't know until tomorrow.
Madeline: (to Operations) There's nothing we can do for now. Why don't you get some rest.
Operations: I couldn't.
Birkoff: What's gonna happen?
Operations: What do you mean?
Birkoff: If we cant maintain structure integrity?
Birkoff is very worried.
Walter: You mean if we loose? If Section 1 goes down, we all go down with it.
Birkoff: What do you mean? All of us in here are still safe. Right?
Madeline, Operations look at him, but no one answers. Their faces are sad. Walter looks at Operations.
Walter: Go on, tell him the truth. He deserves it.
Operations: If we don't sustain critical mass of our personnel, the agency will disenfranchise.
Birkoff: What about survivors?
Operations: No, risk is too high.
Madeline: We'll be exterminated. All of us. But let's hope that doesn't happen.
She tries to press a smile but with no much success. She knows the extermination is a very close possibility.

WAREHOUSE
The two guards bring in Michael unconscious. Blood is running down his nose and his ears. They throw him inside the cage. His feet block the door, and it doesn't closes. One of the guards kicks them inside and closes the door. Nikita holding on the cage's wire net, looks at him with tenderness, her fingers as if she wants to touch him, to relieve him from the pain.
Nikita: (almost whispering) Michael.
He doesn't answer. His breath is heavy. He starts moving his legs, causing the cage to swing. When the two cages are close enough, he grabs on hers, looking at her face.
Michael: We're OK so far.
They stare at each other, their eyes speaking. It's a magic moment.
Michael: When I was in there and it started to get bad...
Nikita: (interrupting him) Michael, don't. Save your strength.
Michael: (continuing) I thought I was gonna break, but I didn't. I though of you. You're the only one of us who still has a soul. (Nikita tries to smile) I'm so, sorry, Nikita. (Nikita smiles now) We'll never leave this place alive. I don't know what love is anymore... but the only part of me that's not dead is you.
Touched by his words, Nikita places her fingers over his, holding him tight, and closes her eyes in pain. Michael is crying, letting his emotions out of him, sharing the moment with Nikita.
Garsha is coming up once again.
Garsha: Very touching. Both of you, so strong, so... committed.
Be kicks the cages, and brakes their hold.
Garsha: We will try again. I think I have the key.
He hands a suitcase to one of his men, who is holding it for him to open.
Garsha: Michael's great fear is that he would dishonor himself.
The other guards bring in the metal board. They open the cage and take out Michael. Garsha now is holding an ampoule with red fluid and a syringe. Nikita gets on her feet, and grabs the cage's wire net.
Nikita: (to Garsha) Why don't you just kill him.
Garsha: (holding the red filled ampoule) I'm going to fill his mind with madness. Later, I will dump him on the streets of some remote city, and... let him wonder. (He fills the syringe with the red fluid from the ampoule) ... Out of control.
The Guards strap Michael to the metal board, as Nikita watches. Garsha approaches with the syringe.
Garsha: This is your hell.
Nikita: He wont tell you.
Garsha: Amongst the gibberish, he'll speak, he'll reveal the location.
Nikita: He wont break.
Garsha: Then we both just watch him go mad.
With a decisive gesture he stabs Michael's neck with the syringe's needle.
Nikita: (screaming) PLEASE!!!
Garsha looks at her.
Nikita: (lowering her head, her forehead touching the cage's wire) Please!!!
Nikita is now crying. Her agony for Michael's fate is very obvious. She will do anything to save him.
Garsha: Tell me the location.
Nikita bending her head down, holding on the wire net, is mumbling something, and we can make out the word "Frankfurt".
Garsha: (with interest) What did you say?
Nikita still mumbles her words. She has lowered herself to the cage's floor.
Garsha: Louder so I can hear.
Michael: Nikita, NO!!!
Nikita: (Loud, almost screaming, crying) It's the sub-basement of the abandoned factory plant at the end of the canal...
Garsha: (to his men) Put him back in the cage. (walking in front of Nikita's cage) Till I check the information.
They leave them alone. Nikita is crying and looks at Garsha with hate.

LATER
Nikita stares Michael, who's not moving, has his eyes closed. We hear his breath come out difficult. She probably feels guilty that she betrayed the Section, and that she didn't stand up to Michael's hopes. But, she could not let Michael go through this ordeal that would destroy him.
Nikita: Michael...

GARSHA'S OFFICE
He and his first lieutenant are looking to a map.
Lieutenant: It's difficult area to defend. They are vulnerable here, (he points), here, (points) and here.
Garsha: Good.
Lieutenant: We can start mobilizing now, or we can wait till night fall.
Garsha: Time is their weakness, not cover of darkness. Go now.
Lieutenant leaves the office.

SUBSTATION
Birkoff: The schemes are completed. Right now we're running at a 40% loss expectation.
Operations: That's too many bodies. Extrapolate for the next 10 hours.
Birkoff: Assuming we keep mobilizing at the same rate the projected loss will drop drastically in about 90 minutes.
Operations: (to Madeleine) What we're doing in Europe?
Madeline: The initial wave of hits sustained a lot of damage. We lost eight locations. Everyone else is webbed on the secondary sites.
Operations: Can we bring them here?
Madeline: Transports are already on it.
Operations: Get them here as son as you can. It's going to be a blood bath.
He leaves up the stairs.

WAREHOUSE
Michael opens his eyes.
Michael: You told them. (Nikita looks down silently, full of guilt) It doesn't matter. We've got to get out of here.
She looks at him as he takes out from his jacket's collar two strange crafted pins. He puts them at the edges of his cage floor.
Michael: Cover your eyes.
Nikita folds her hands over her eyes, and the two pins burst with fire. Michael kicks the floor and it opens. He jumps down. Nikita watches him as he runs to the other end of the area where a guard is on an upper corridor looking down, trying to spot him. Michael climbs and grabs the guard, pulling him down. The guard is knocked unconscious from the impact with the floor, and Michael takes his gun. He runs to Nikita's cage and points the gun at her direction. For one brief moment we think he's gonna shoot her.
Michael: Get back!
Nikita steps behind as Michael shoots the cage's floor. She jumps down, at Michael's arms. For a very brief moment he holds her, and they look at each other's eyes, a slight embarrassment is on the air. He leaves her on her feet. He moves away, but Nikita stops him.
Nikita: What's going on...
Michael: Later. We've got to go.
They run out. As they walk a corridor she hears Garsha talking to the phone.
Garsha: (off scene) ... I'll be not here to join you.
Michael: Forget him! We're finished here. We can't do anything to interfere.
Nikita: Interfere? With what?
Michael: Our job is to get back to the Section. Nikita, no.
Nikita leaves Michael, not listening to him when he calls her back with her name. She runs for Garsha. She enters the top ladder to his office, aiming at him with her gun. Garsha grabs his gun.
Garsha: I've read your file. (he puts the gun on his desk) You won't shoot unless provoked.
Nikita: (looking at him cruelly) They're going to have to update my file.
Then she shoots him. He fells back on his seat, dead (or almost). Out Michael shoots another guard.

FRANKFURT
Trucks turn on a road.

SUBSTATION
Operations watches the trucks on the screen.
Birkoff: It's starting.
Men rush out of the trucks on the screen.

OUTSIDE
Men going inside the substation's facilities, holding guns. They fill the place.

INSIDE
Operations: Put the perimeter teams' fire at full bank.
There's a lot of gunfire going on as the invasion begins.
Birkoff: They're in!

WAREHOUSE
Nikita put new bullets in her gun. They are covered behind a wall.
Nikita: We'll have the Section know the location's been revealed.
Michael: They already know.
Michael stands up and moves forward. Nikita runs after him.
Nikita: Already know? How is that possible?
Michael for once more doesn't answer, only looks at her. Nikita realizes the truth.

SUBSTATION
We see Opeartions and Madeleine as a heavy armed door closes the entrance to the room. They walk away, and as Operations passes near Birkoff, he strokes his hair.
Red Cell troops come in. The first lieutenant comes down a ladder and stands in front the armed door. He steps to his left, as a man with a bazooka blows up the door. The troops enter the substation's command center. There is no one in there. They look around, see only the abandoned computers and their screens. Suddenly, all the doors are sealed. The troops realize they have fallen into a trap. We hear a slight ticking. The first lieutenant looks up the ceiling as the whole place explode with one big shinning burst.

WAREHOUSE
Nikita: (as if accusing Michael, as if she doesn't believe it) You used me? (Michael is silent) You fed me the location thinking I'd crack under torture.
Michael: We knew you wont crack that's why I was sent in.
Nikita: What about all your words?
Michael is silent again. He tries to say something, but he holds, and looks down.
Nikita: (with anger) I finally get it. I finally know... what attracts me to you. It's the character you pretend to be. The real Michael disgusts me, I'm sure.
Michael: Can we finish this later?
He moves to leave up the stairs, and Nikita puts her hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
Nikita: We're finished!
He walks up the stairs, when someone from the upper corridor shoots at Nikita. She falls down with a cry. Michael kills the man.

SECTION ONE: HEADQUARTERS
Operations and Madeleine walking in a hurry on a corridor.
Operations: Our Birkoff flash down all data bases. We put together a new directory in the morning.
Madeline: We also have to implement missions to restore morale. Our people have to get past these losses as quickly as possible in order to return to status quo.
Operations: Yeah, and in the meanwhile let's pump up recruitement.
Behind them are walking Walter and Birkoff.
Walter: Claiton didn't make it either?
Birkoff: No. You got my back ups?
Walter: Yeah, yeah, I got them stashed on. I'll get them to you.
The door to the sick bay opens and Operations with Madeline come in. Nikita is on a bed, full of IVs and machines that monitor her heartbeat. By her side is standing Michael, in white pajamas and an undershirt. He looks down at her full of worry. His wrists are bruised from the straps Red Cell had him on.
Madeline: How is she doing?
It takes a little while for Michael to turn his head, watch them, and answer. His voice is almost a faint whisper.
Michael: Better than any of us.
Operations and Madeleine leave the room. Michael makes the round of the bed, going to the other side, where Nikita's head is turned. She watches her, his face paler than ever, his eyes reddish. He bends over her, until his head is on the same level with hers. His eyes explore her face.
Michael: It wasn't all a lie.
He gets closer, and his lips touch hers, in a kiss. But in her sleep, Nikita realizes that, and retracts, not wanting anything from him. Slowly he gets up and leaves.
THE END

Some personal thoughts: Nikita should have known that Michael was expecting her to tell Red Cell the substation's location - that this was their mission - when she saw him open his cage. If he had that possibility, then he should have used it the first time they captured him, not waiting for them to torture him. Operations is a very cruel man, sending his operatives to wolf's mouth, knowing there was a possibility for them not to return alive. We realize he had something else in mind when he ordered Michael to rescue Nikita alone. He was hoping that Michael would be caught and Nikita would crack under pressure when his life would come to a threat.

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