Hard Landing

By Dana

TEASER - SECTION ONE

Six months after Nikita disappeared.
Michael walks through Section thinking of Nikita. Flashback to Mercy. We hear the dialog "Michael, get them out of there" - "It's not the mission profile" - "Not the mission profile? Nikita's in there!" and the explosion on which the image comes back to Michael. The Love Thieves song is playing.
Michael is in a training session with a recruit and an operative passes by looking just like Nikita.
Trainer: Michael, are you ready? Second set.
Madeline and Operations are watching from the Perch. Michael fights the recruit and kicks him in the leg. The recruit falls down with a moan.
Trainer: (to the recruit) Don't move. (to Michael) You broke his leg.
Michael: Sorry.
Madeline: He's still out of sync.
Operations: Out of sync? He's out of control. That stunt he pulled in Liberia could have gotten everybody killed. I'm looking at my recruits.
Madeline: He's still not over Nikita.
Operations: So he's taking it over on us.
Madeline: No, not on us. Himself.
Operations: That was six months ago. He's got to let it go.
Madeline: What if he can't?
Operations: He got over Simone, he can get over Nikita.

Michael steps into his office and sends Nikita the message "Nikita. Are you there" On the PDA there's a message "Checking for message", followed by "No reply to encoded inquiry" (actual spelling).
The message "Nikita. Are you there" appears on Nikita's PDA in her apartment. Zoom out to show a sculpture she's been working on, a messy kitchen table, her sunglasses on a string.

BRIEFING

Operations: These are terrorist attacks perpetrated by Freedom League. Latest intel came in just last night. A tourist charter in the Aegean exploded killing all 23 passengers and crew. We suspect these attacks are a response to our incineration of one of their locations six months ago. (Season one finale)
Walter: (cuts in) We all remember THAT!
Michael looks down.
Operations: Do you have something to contribute, Walter?
Walter looks again and everybody seems uneasy.
Michael: Do we have new intel of the location of their headquarters?
Operations: That's why we're here. This is Steward Sherrin, the proprietor of a resort in Thailand that caters to the vices of an elite and perverse clientele: prostitution, drugs, high ball gambling, he provides it all.
Madeline: Recreation isn't Sherrin only business. He launders money. Sharon acts as a firewall to isolate terrorists from their transactions. Buying weapons, contracting fires.
Ackerman: There's dozens of people like Sherrin. Why do we think he's in business with Freedom League?
Birkoff: I backed into a couple of his off shore accounts. Within 2 days of each of the last six Freedom League hits large deposits were made into them. It's no coincidence.
Operations: Your mission profiles are on your PDAs. Study them. Transport for Thailand leaves in 2 hours. All teams report to Ackerman.
Michael: I'm not leading the teams?
Operations: No.
Exchange of hard looks between Operations and Michael. Everybody leaves but Michael and Madeline.
Madeline: You can't bring her back, Michael. Stop trying.

BANGKOK, THAILAND

Michael is in a bar of some sort owned by Sherrin.
Michael: Cha. (translation: tea)
He speaks in Cantonese to a man then switches to English.
Michael: I provide security for him when he's in Northern Europe.
Ackerman and Birkoff are watching and listening.
Man: Quite right. Another guy whispers something to the first guy in Cantonese. Michael throws some tracking chips on the ground and the new guy steps on them on the way out.
Birkoff: Michael, tag Sherrin's gopher. He's heading in. Here we go. It looks like he's got two bodies with, small, probably female. Right inside the door there's four more, larger. Probably bodyguards.
Ackerman: Any sure egress?
Birkoff: Only one way out.
Ackerman: Good. Download the game path to the on stage ops.
Birkoff: It's done.
Ackerman: Start sequencing.
Birkoff: Michael, 5 seconds. 20 meters down to the entrance.
A woman approaches Michael, flirting. He responds absent-mindedly, then kills the guy he was talking to while kissing the woman on the cheek. He leaves her with a charming smile and she's totally unperturbed by what he has just done and continues to smile at him professionally. Operatives burst into Sherrin's quarters.
Birkoff: Just watch for Sherrin.
Michael grabs Sherrin.
Michael: Come with me, please.

Cut to Nikita who is working as a waitress. She serves sandwiches to a table with 3 guys who are laughing as if they prepare to make fun of her.
Guy: Hey, sweetheart. (Nikita looks at him) Come here.
Nikita reluctantly approaches the table.
Nikita: Is there a problem?
Guy: Yeah, I got a problem.
Nikita: You wanna talk about it?
Guy: Now, you see, you didn't put butter on my toast.
Nikita: I'm sorry. I'll get you another order.
She takes his plate and as she goes back to the counter with it, mumbling something, the guy grabs her arm.
Guy: I don't like your attitude.
Nikita: Really?
Guy: Yeah, really.
Nikita: Then leave this place. (The guy pulls her closer) You're hurting me.
Guy: Well, someone gotta teach you some manners.
Co-worker: Let her go.
Nikita pulls her arm free.
Guy: No problem.
Co-worker: Hey, you want me to toss this guy out?
Nikita: Let him be. He'll be fine once he gets his butter.
Later, a man in black comes in, sits at a table. He looks out of the window where two more guys are waiting. Nikita friendly slaps the co-worker on the but with the menu that she brings to the guy, but then notices the two guys outside. The guys are coming inside and the man in black grabs her hand and shows her a gun under his vest.
Man: We only want you.
Nikita agrees to go with him.
Nikita: I'll be back in a few minutes, ok?
The get out through the back door and once outside Nikita fights the man and tries to escape. She jumps a fence and is running away, but the other two guys are waiting for her. They grab her, put a bag over her head, push her into a car, and leave.

FREEDOM LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS

They bring Nikita in with the bag still on. They take it off when she's in front of their leader. The leader examines her. Next she's attached to a chair and interrogation lights are on her. She's being filmed for Section's benefit.
Leader: As you can see, we have one of your operatives. No latex, no special effects. She's been very cooperative. That's enough. Send it. (to Nikita) We've been trying to track you down ever since the conflagration won our post. One of my man saw you escape.
Nikita: What do you want?
Leader: You. You're very fortunate, actually. How much longer would you have lasted out there? Days, constantly looking over your shoulder.
Some terrorist: He just called.
Leader: And?
Terrorist: Section One knows about tomorrow night. What you wanna do?
Leader: We go as planned. The more operatives they send, the greater their loss. Get of rest. Take her to the room.
The leader leaves and Nikita smiles at the terrorist as if she has a plan.

SECTION ONE

In the white room, Sherrin is on the ground and Madeline's high heeled elegant black shoe steps next to him.
Madeline: Is there anything else you'd like to tell me, Mr. Sherrin?
Sherrin is obviously incapable to say anything at this point. Madeline examines him one last time and gets out.
Briefing table. Madeline comes in and gives an operatives a disk and he inserts it in a drive.
Madeline Sherrin has provided intel to its Freedom League contact. Location and access of the nuclear research lab in Lyons, France. They plan to kidnap an engineer who has security clearances.
Operations: When?
Madeline: Tomorrow.
Michael: Do we intercept?
Operations: No. We'll wait for their exits and we'll pursue on our own set. Hopefully, they'll take their hostage back to their command. That's our target. Birkoff...
Birkoff: It's ready.
Operations: Bring it up. (A neon 3D holographic image of a building pops up.) This is a sim wrap, study it. Ackerman, get your transport ready, you leave in the morning.

FREEDOM LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS

Nikita's asleep when a terrorist puts a gun to her face. She wakes up.
Terrorist: Don't make a sound.
He proceeds to undress her.
Nikita: I can make it easy for you.
Terrorist: Show me.
She smiles at him and then cuts his throat with a piece of glass she has taken from a mirror. She takes his gun and coat and gets out. Outside she sees some terrorists leaving for the mission and remembers the words "The more operatives they send, the greater their loss." She is obviously worried about Michael.

LYONS, FRANCE

Michael and another operative are watching the building from a car.
Michael: The engineer is coming out. Any sign of the kidnappers?
Birkoff: They should be there now.
The engineer is kidnapped and pushed into a car.
Michael: They're heading the target. They're approaching the gate.
The Freedom League car leaves with the engineer and Michael's car follows. They are stopped at the gate for an ID check and while Michael shows the ID some hostile behind them prepares a missile launcher. Michael notices him in the rear view mirror.
Michael: Get out.
Michael escapes just in time but the other operative doesn't. Other hostiles are shooting at Michael.
Michael: Birkoff, we've been ambushed. Send backup.
Michael continues to shoot hostiles. He hears two shots coming from behind him, and turns around just in time to see two men fall, and Nikita holding a gun. She just saved his life. They stare at each other for what seems like eternity.
He turns around when he hears guards coming toward him, when he turns back again, Nikita is gone.
Birkoff: There's an exit point out. Transport will be there in four minutes.

SECTION ONE

Michael walks in and Ackerman joins him.
Ackerman: I'm sorry. There should have been more backup.
Operations: Michael, it was an inside job. Someone got on to our frequency and knew we were coming.
Michael: How could that happen?
Operations: Birkoff's working on it now. Did you see anything on site? Any anomalies?
Michael: No.
Operations: Something's not right.
Michael goes to his office and send another message to Nikita, " "Nikita, are you there?" This time there is an answer, "YES."

Michael is outside the section, walking toward a boat docked at the harbor. He looks inside the boat and sees Nikita sleeping. He opens the door, and Nikita jumps up and points her gun at him. She is obviously surprised. Michael knocks the gun out of her hands, and pushes her onto the bed. He kisses her.
Michael: I thought I lost you.
Nikita: You never had me.
They kiss again. You can almost see the violence/passion between them.
The next thing you see, Michael is completely nude staring out the window. Nikita, also nude, walks behind him.
Nikita: Is everything ok?
Michael: Fine.
Nikita: Where does the 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 why I didn't. I put everything out of my mind. Even the things that I didn't want to forget. (Meaning, Michael.) Do you know, for three years all I did was dream about getting out of the Section. When I did, it wasn't what I expected. This isn't freedom. This isn't freedom . . .

NEXT MORNING

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. It's 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'll know you helped me to escape. Can't be done.
Michael: After the explosion, I started to believe you didn't make it out in time. I 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. (pause) I've got to go back.
Michael starts leaving.
Nikita: So, who you're gonna say gave you the location for Freedom League?

SECTION ONE

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. (on the comm) Ackerman, get up here, we've got an attack to prep.
Ackerman: I'll be right there.
Operations: There is one other thing, Michael. It's about Nikita.
Madeline: She's alive.
Michael: Alive?
Operations turns on the screen showing the clip of Nikita filmed by Freedom League. "As you see, we have one of your operatives. No latex, no special effects. She's been very cooperative." Michael looks very disturbed.
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 know that?
Operations: She was equipped with receivers when she was captured. They must have been able to use encryption keys to telnet into some of our communications.
Michael: Are we gonna extract her?
Operations: Ackerman will make that decision when he's on site.
Madeline: They'll try, Michael.
Madeline is kinda smiling. They examine each other for a moment, then Michael leaves. He runs into Birkoff in the commons area.
Birkoff: Michael, did you hear about Nikita?
Michael: Pull up a log file for delta com.
Birkoff: Why?
Michael: Just do it.
Birkoff: They think she's been leaking intel but that's hard to believe. They could've gotten some mileage out of those receivers, but not for long. Ackerman had me change all the codes. Here you go.
Michael: Ackerman. (he looks behind as if for Ackerman) When did he do that?
Ackerman is in the Perch talking to Operations.
Birkoff: As soon as Operations put him in charge. The guy doesn't trust anybody, not even me. Look, he has all these transmissions locked.
Michael: Why?
Birkoff: It's the way he wants it.
Michael: I want you to do something for me.

BRIEFING

Ackerman: Our primary objective, gentlemen, is to take out Freedom League's server. Birkoff...
Birkoff: Their central control is here. (holographic image of the building comes out of the table) There's a redundancy backup every 24 hours and lasts for 5 minutes. That's our window.
Ackerman: If we can destroy their computer at that time, that'll bring down the entire network.
Michael: Is there a secondary objective?
Ackerman: Birkoff is working on a possible location of Nikita based on the tape. Any egress in three, you're responsible. If you can extract her without sacrifice, fine. If not, incinerate that wing.
Michael: My team will do that.
Ackerman: In need you hors point.
Michael: I can do both.
Ackerman: Fine. We'll set charges here, here, and here.
Michael: What about this cauldron?
Ackerman: What about it?
Michael: It's a potential retreat point.
Ackerman: Mark it off for two synchronised charges.
Michael: Make it four.
Ackerman: Go ahead. We're gonna meet at bay access in 5 minutes.
Michael walks in his office, and sends another message to Nikita.

Nikita, I have found a way.

The team leaves for the mission.
Ackerman: I'll be right back.
Ackerman As he turns around the corner, Michael blocked his way.
Ackerman: Michael.
Michael: I thought we were going out.
Ackerman: We are. I just had to check on something. Why didn't you give Walter the inventory?
Michael: I did.
Ackerman: He can wait. Let's go.
From the exchange you can see that none of them is very happy with the other one. Ackerman was forced to leave Section 1 without doing what he was planning to do.

FREE LEAGUE HEADQUARTERS

Leader: Any transmission from Ackerman?
Some hostile: No.
Operatives get out of the van and move into the building.
Birkoff: First mark completed. Go to B.
Nikita sneaks in too.
Birkoff: Michael, they're mobilizing east.
Michael leaves the group. He knocks down a guy and gets out. More hostiles follow him but he evades them.
Leader: Keep alternating transmissions. Let me know when he calls. Reach me on channel 3.
Michael: Birkoff, teams in position.
Michael places some explosives.
Michael: Everyone out now.
Michael shoots some more hostiles then goes to find Nikita.
Ackerman: Where's Michael?
Birkoff: (shakes his head to indicate he doesn't know) Michael, where are you? We gotta get out of here.
Michael find Nikita. They exchange a look, she exposes her neck, and he puts a hand on her shoulder.
Michael: Are you ready?
He proceed to beat her.
Michael: (stops) Enough.
Nikita: NO, I am not taking any chances.
Michael beats her again.
Ackerman: Get us out of here.
Birkoff: What about Michael?
Ackerman: He's run out of time. Set off the charges.
An explosion follows while Michael and Nikita get out. Michael carries her on his back. They get into the van. Michael holds Nikita tightly to him.
Birkoff: (pleased) Nikita!
Michael and Ackerman exchange a dark look.
Michael: Go.

SECTION ONE

Nikita lies in the infirmary, asleep. Madeline and Operations watch her.
Operations: What do you think?
Madeline: Her body marking indicate interrogation and torture.
Operations: Of what period of time?
Madeline: That's what bothers me. The bruises appear to be fresh.
Operations: Which means she may have cooperated until only recently.
Michael: She never cooperated with them.
Operations: Meaning what?
Michael: They used her to divert our attention.
Madeline: From what?
Michael: Their real source. (gives them a disk) Birkoff put this together.
Operations: Ackerman?
Michael: He was a mole for the Freedom League. They got to him in Singapore. It's a roll of decoded transmissions since then.
Madeline: Where is he now?

Cut to the white room where they put magnets on Ackerman's hands and on the back of his head and pin him to the chair. Madeline comes in.
Madeline: For the next three days you'll 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 canceled. Any questions?

MEDLAB

Michael: How are you feeling?
Nikita: I'll be fine.
Michael walks to the male nurse in the room.
Michael: Would you excuse us please? (The nurse leaves)
Michael: You will stay in observation for another day. Then you'll be transferred down to level-3.
Nikita: Level-3?
Michael: Reprogramming. You've been out for a long time. We need to make 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) Will we be able to see each other on the outside?
Michael just stares at her. The answer is obvious.
Nikita: I had a dream last night, you said some things to me, you revealed your feelings.
Michael: Sometimes all we have is our dreams.
Nikita: Closer.
Michael moves closer to her, and Nikita caresses his chin.
Nikita: You went through a lot of trouble to bring me back here . . . I want to know why! (She obviously wants Michael to admit that he loves her. Tough luck!)
A long moment of intensely looking at each other.
Michael: Be patient.
He leaves. Nikita gets out of bed, and watches through the glass door as he walks away . . .

The end

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