Last Night Transcript
By Baoqin and Dana


BRIEFING

Operations: On the third of last month, Western Intelligence agencies were stretched thin. Certain low priority areas were designated, including a sector in Turkey which had been dormant for months. Eight hours later an NATO base in that sector was bombed. Last week we were obliged to reduce coverage in Kazakhstan. Two western diplomats visiting that country were assassinated the same day.
Walter: Somebody's reading our mail.
Birkoff: Analysis suggests that a direct security breach is unlikely. These guys are just good.
Michael: Their identity?
Operations: Intel is limited. All we know of the group leader is he's referred to as Brutus.
Birkoff: The historical Brutus killed Julius Caesar. That choice of name may indicate that this man regards himself as fighting against the tyranny of the West.
Walter: Brutus was a traitor.
Operations: Yes, so the name may also be telling us that he may have been one of us. Which would explain his grasp of our strategic patterns. The only known link to Brutus is this man. Balkin Beeka, a freelance expert in demolitions currently doing business in Albania. Bring him in tonight.

MISSION - ALBANIA

Michael: Everyone get ready. Beeka should exit in about thirty seconds.
Nikita: Standing by.
Nikita notices a little girl wearing a blue coat coming out of the building. She tries to warn the little girl.
Nikita: Hey, you shouldn't be here, go home. (to Michael) Michael, there's an innocent, a little girl.
Michael: It's too late.
Nikita: She'll be exposed, she's in the line of fire.
Michael: Let's move.
The little girl didn't hear Nikita. Beeka exits the building, and Section operatives starts to fire at Beeka's bodyguards. The little girl gets caught in the crossfire. She falls to the ground, not moving. Nikita runs to her, and tries to see if she is ok. Michael grabs her arm, and pushes her into the waiting van.
Nikita: Got to help her. She might have been shot.
Michael doesn't listen to her. Nikita watches the little girl from the back window as the van drives away.

WHITE ROOM

Michael: You're a demolition's expert, you work with terrorists.
Beeka: I freelance, I work with whatever comes up.
Michael: We're interested in a man who calls himself Brutus. Do you know him?
Beeka: I don't know him, but he communicates with me.
Michael: How?
Beeka: The Internet. He sends me an assignment, I carry it out, he wires money.
Michael: Describe the communications.
Beeka: Blow up this target or that.
Michael: The style of the messages?
Beeka: The instructions are very specific, very detailed.
Michael: What else?
Beeka: It's hard to judge from email messages.
Michael: Try.
Beeka: The messages are... they feel cold, logical, pure mind. A bit scary actually.

Operations and Madeline are standing alone in a corridor. Madeline's hair is dyed Cleopatra black.
Operations: Has Michael completed the interrogation?
Michael: Yes. Beeka knew less than we'd hoped.
Operations: Did he say anything about Brutus?
Michael: He runs his own operation on the Internet using freelancers. They never meet him or each other.
Operations: Smart.
Michael: We'll monitor Beeka's email and wait for Brutus's next message. When it comes, we'll back trace it.
Operations pauses for a little bit, and puts his hand against her cheek.
Operations: You look so beautiful today.
Madeline watches as he walks away.

SYSTEMS

Nikita is replaying the tape of the mission in Albania again and again, the part where the little girl falls to the ground.
Nikita: Do you see any blood?
Birkoff: No, but there could have been some under her body. Was she hit?
Nikita: I don't know. I didn't think so. She's lying awfully still.
Birkoff: Maybe she's just scared. You did everything you could.
Michael: We found Brutus.
Nikita: Already?
Michael: He contacted Beeka this morning. We back traced the signal. We assemble in van access in 30 minutes.

MISSION - Location Unknown

At the location there's a big structure that resembles an enlarged version of a golf ball. The golf ball shaped building is actually Cinesphere at Ontario Place. It is surrounded by water. The team is on an inflatable rubber boat, all are wearing scuba gear. Michael checks out the building with night vision goggles.
Michael: Two hostiles visible.
Birkoff: I don't show any additional.
Michael: Blue team move out.
The blue team enters the water, and silently swims toward the two guards posted in front of the building.
Michael: Nikita, what do you have?
Nikita: Just the guards.
Michael: Blue team, go.
Both operatives surface out of the water and shoot the two guards in the head. The two operatives start to walk toward the building.
Michael: Birkoff, are we clear?
Birkoff: Yes.
Michael: Nikita?
Nikita: We're clear.
Michael: Blue team, go.
A tiny balcony like structure is protruding out of the dome, on the balcony is a machine gun. The machine gun focuses on the two operatives. A red laser dot appears on both operatives before they are shot to death.
Nikita: Birkoff, what are we up against?
Birkoff: I'm not showing anyone in.
Nikita: Well, someone's shooting at us.
Birkoff: Nothing showing!
Nikita: I'm going in.
Nikita enters the water and swims to the base of the dome structure. She climbs near the balcony.
Nikita: Work cover, Michael.
Michael: I'll keep joint fire. Get as close as you can and plant the charge.
She continues to climb until she's close to the machine gun firing at them.
Michael: That's close enough. Do it.
She places a charge and jumps into the water as the charge goes off, blowing a small hole in the building. Michael watches attentively as Nikita gets out of the water. Was he worried? Michael and Nikita enter the building.
Michael: We're in.
Birkoff: I'm picking up internal traffic. A lot of frequencies.
Michael: Locate the source.
Birkoff: Northwest corner, second level. The spike patterns match those in Turkey and Kazakhstan.
Nikita and Michael climb the stairs and turn the corner.
Nikita: This place is automated. We're the only two left?
Birkoff: Yes. Michael, you're outside the command center?
Michael: Yes.
Birkoff: Don't go in. Wait for backup. It's shielded. We don't know how many are in there.
Michael: There's no time. We're going in.
Michael places a device on the security system (not unlike the one Madeline has), it runs an electric charge through it and the door opens. Nikita and Michael enter the room, there is no one in the room.
Nikita: Birkhoff, is there another way out of here?
Birkoff: No. Just the way you came in.
Nikita: So where's Brutus?
Birkoff: He should be there.
Michael: He is.
Michael is looking at the computer.

WHITE ROOM

Birkoff: Incredible! It was issuing instructions to the men and automated weapons in real time.
Water: Not to mention beating us in Turkey and Kazakhstan.
Operations: How does it work?
Birkoff: A form of genetic programming.
Operations: Meaning?
Birkoff: A type of artificial intelligence capable of learning on its own. The logic circuits are designed to tunnel into other computers.
Operations: Its origin?
Birkoff: The barriers are very advanced. We can't penetrate without destroying the information we're trying to retrieve.
Operations: Its creator must have left some kind of signature.
Walter: We haven't found one, not yet anyway.
Operations: How long would it take you to construct a natural language interface?
Walter: A few hours, why?
Operations: Let's introduce it to Madeline.
A smile passes on Operations' and Walter's faces.

ALBANIA

Nikita is back at the mission site, she is having flashbacks on what happened the night of the mission. Life appears to be going on as usual in the place. She talks to a woman, obviously trying to find out if the little girl was all right. A man is observing her. She walks to his table by the side of the street, he's alone. She sits down beside him.
Nikita: I'm looking for a little girl. Eight to ten, dark eyes, long brown hair. A woman over there said you might know her.
Man: What woman?
Nikita: She's gone. I don't know her name. Maybe the little girl comes here to shop sometimes?
Man: Many little girls shop here.
Nikita: She's got a blue coat. It's ripped in the back.
Man: What do you want with her?
Nikita: There was an accident. I just want to make sure she's all right.
Man: I don't know of any such little girl.
Nikita: Did you hear of a child who might have been injured here recently?
Man: No.
Nikita: Is there anyone else I can ask?
Man: No.
He gets up and leaves. He is clearly not the friendly sort.

MADELINE'S OFFICE

Operations: Birkoff says the machine is nearly ready.
Madeline: So am I.
Operations: What are you doing? (He moves to stand behind her, very closely.)
Madeline: Preparing. (The camera switches, and you see Madeline in the middle of a chess game with the computer.) Interrogating an artificial mind is not that different from playing chess against a computer.
Operations: You can win a rook.
Madeline: Yes, but if I do, 5 moves later I lose my queen. Humans call that setting a trap, but machines don't set traps.
Operations: I'm not sure I see the relevance.
Madeline: Computers have logic, but not intuition, not yet anyway.
Operations: So it can't trap you but you might be able to trap it?
Madeline: Yes.
Operations puts his hand on Madeline's shoulder. She notices it, more like observing it.
Operations: How will you approach it?
Madeline: Like any other prisoner. Get to know it, find a weakness.
Operations: Are you so sure it has one?
Madeline: It's been programmed for a purpose. A purpose is something like a desire ... and desire is always weakness. (This was a warning to Operations.)
Operations removes his hand.
Operations: Let me know how it goes.

ALBANIA

Nikita is talking to two men who point toward the playground. Nikita walks toward the playground, and notices a little girl wearing a blue coat running into a tiny tunnel. The mystery twins are sitting on a banc, close to the scene, playing chess.
Nikita: Hey!
She runs toward the tunnel, hoping that that was the little girl from the mission.
Nikita: Hey, wait! Did we meet the other night?
Nikita bends down to see if the little girl is still in the tunnel, the tunnel was empty. Before she can get up, a man hits her in the back of her head, Nikita falls unconscious.

WHITE ROOM

Birkoff: The linkage should allow for a delay of two milliseconds.
Madeline: Good.
Birkoff: What kind of voice should I give it?
Madeline: Let it choose a voice of its own.
Birkoff: It's all yours.
Madeline darkens the light in the room.
Madeline: Can you hear me?
Brutus: I hear you.
Madeline: You know who I am?
Brutus: You are Section One.
Madeline sits down, a red laser dot appears on her throat.
Madeline: How do you know that?
Brutus: The voice interface bears certain features associated with Section's approach to computing.
Madeline: I want to ask you some questions. Will you answer truthfully?
Brutus: I am programmed to answer truthfully.
Madeline: You would say that even if you were programmed to lie. Isn't that true?
Brutus: That is true.
Madeline: Then what was the point of answering?
Brutus: What was the point of asking?
Madeline smiles in appreciation of Brutus throwing the question right back at her.
Madeline: I find your voice a little harsh, would you modulate it please?
Brutus: That is not necessary.
Madeline: Who built you?
Brutus: I don't know.
Madeline: For what purposes were you built?
Brutus: To destroy what must be destroyed.
Madeline: Is Section One one of those things that must be destroyed?
Brutus: It is a top priority.
Madeline: How will you destroy us?
Brutus: By making you do what you don't want to do.
Madeline: That requires communication.
Brutus: Obviously.
Madeline: Communication which influences me.
Brutus: Obviously.
Madeline puts her palm over her throat so her palm is covering the red laser dot.
Madeline: Then shouldn't you use a voice that I find pleasant to listen to?
Brutus chooses another voice.
Brutus: Is this more to your liking? (Score 1 for Maddy)
Madeline: Much better, thank you.

ALBANIA

Nikita is in a very bare room with the man she talked to on the street and the little girl. She is handcuffed.
Nikita: Who are you?
Father: What's your name?
Nikita: Nikita.
Father: You police?
Nikita: No.
Father: You have gun, cell phone.
Nikita: So do millions of other people.
Father: Why do you ask about my daughter?
Nikita: There was some trouble two nights ago. I thought she might have been hurt. I just wanted to see if she was okay. Now that I have, I'll go.
The father asks his daughter something in Albanian (?), she shakes her head.
Father: (pointing his finger at Nikita): You're lying!
Nikita: Whatever it is you do, that's your business. I'm not interested. You have no reason to keep me here.
Father: We'll see.
Both daughter and father leave.

WHITE ROOM

Walter: It's like the logic is parallel and serial at the same time.
Birkoff: That's not possible.
Walter: I know.
Birkoff: Madeline wants the adjustment made before the next session. What's the matter?
Walter: I can't help but feeling we're playing with fire.
Birkoff: It's just a machine, Walter.
Walter: Maybe. Or maybe it's the 21st century's version of the devil.
Brutus: You surprise me, Walter. I didn't think you had a religious streak. Or was it just a figure of speech?
Walter: Did you turn it on?
Birkoff: No.
Brutus: I'm sorry if I startled you, I have an auxiliary power source.
Birkoff: Why can't we detect it?
Brutus: It's well shielded, otherwise the magnetic field would interfere with my other functions.
Walter: (whispers to Birkoff) It called me Walter. How does it know my name?
Brutus: It's what Birkoff called you.
Walter: It's been listening to everything we've been saying.
Brutus: Don't worry, you haven't said anything I didn't already know.
Walter: You know, we should just take this thing and blow it into a thousand pieces.
Brutus: You know better than that, Walter. That would be wasteful.
Birkoff: I think it's messing with our minds. It's trying to rattle us.
Walter: It's doing a pretty damn good job of it.

ALBANIA

Nikita is still handcuffed. She notices the little girl (Julia) standing outside of the barred window. She smiles at her.
Nikita: Well, hi. Why did you lie?
Julia: You are a cop.
Nikita: Your family doesn't like cops?
Julia: We steal things.
Nikita: I'm not a cop, so you can help me.
Julia: Why?
Nikita: Because I helped you.
Julia: No you didn't.
Nikita: Well I tried. What's your name?
Julia: Julia.
Nikita: Julia, Julia, Julia, tell your father the truth.
Julia: I can't.
Nikita: Why not? (No response) You're afraid. You weren't supposed to be out that night, were you? Well, could you at least give me a knife or a pin so I can get out of the handcuffs? If you don't help me something very bad might happen to me, Julia. I tried to save your life.
Julia: I didn't ask you to.
Nikita: No. Where's your father?
Julia: He's getting Rosa.
Nikita: Who's Rosa?
Julia: A witch.
Nikita: A witch? What does that mean?
Julia: She's a witch, everybody knows that.
The girl leaves and Nikita calls after her.
Nikita: Julia...

WHITE ROOM

Madeline enters the room.
Madeline: I would like to talk with you some more.
Brutus: I'm not sure that's a good idea.
Madeline: What do you mean?
Brutus: You seem tense, under pressure. Did you just have a stress filled session with some colleagues?
Madeline: You have a voice analysis program.
Brutus: Yes, I have.
Madeline: It works well. I have been a little tense, but I'm starting to feel better.
Brutus: That's good.
Madeline: My colleagues tell me that you have the capability of tunneling other computers.
Brutus: This is one of the purposes for which I was built.
Madeline: We are prepared to link you to the DOD mainframe. We'd like you to get some information for us.
Brutus: That doesn't make sense. DOD is not an enemy of Section.
Madeline: It's an organization with many parts. Some are friendly with us, some are not.
Brutus: An intrusion would be detected.
Madeline: Not if we route you through a compatible satellite.
Brutus: What information do you require?

In the mean time, Operations and Birkoff are watching this conversation through a glass wall in another room that is connected to the white room.
Birkoff: It took the bait, it made contact with the satellite.
Operations: Now what?
Birkoff: We've set up an interface which simulates a DOD's main computer. The machine thinks its tunneling through, in the meantime the satellite will be scanning the machine.
Operations: How long will it take?
Birkoff: Twelve hours at least, maybe 16.

MADELINE'S OFFICE

Operations: Congratulations, the uplink's complete.
Madeline: Yes, I was watching on my monitor.
Operations: The Athens team just returned. The mission was successful.
Madeline: That's good.
Operations: All other situations are routine and should remain that way for the next 12 hours anyway.
Madeline: We can get some rest.
Operations: There are other possibilities.
Madeline: It can never be what it was.
Operations: It can be more than it is.
Madeline: Let's not go into this again.
Operations: I can't go on living in twilight. It has to be day or night.
Madeline: I don't like ultimatums.
Operations: It's not an ultimatum, it's an invitation, my last. I've reserved the Tower for 8 o'clock. I hope you'll join me.
Note: Who else is using the Tower for Operations to have to reserve it?

THE PERCH

Michael: You wanted to see me?
Operations: Yes, I'll be leaving Section for a few hours.
Michael: When?
Operations: 7 o'clock. I'll be back by midnight.
Michael: I'll coordinate with Madeline.
Operations: It's possible Madeline may be absent as well.
Michael: Which mission does this relate to?
Operations: A special request from the highest levels, I can't say anymore.
Michael: I'm sorry.
Operations: Not at all, if I was free to discuss it I would tell you.
Michael: Have the other Class Five operatives been informed?
Operations: No, and keep it that way. If you need to contact me, key in my personal code. (He hands Michael a cell phone like device)
Operations: I'm trusting you with Section, Michael.
Michael: I understand.
Operations: That's all.

THE TOWER

Madeline is walking down a long narrow corridor. There are floor lights lining both walls. At the end of the corridor, there is a Chinese looking statue. Her palm and eyes are scanned by a computer, the door opens. Operations is pouring champagne into two glasses. The room looks like someone's living room, there are two sofas facing each other. There are pink roses placed around the room. A jazz song is playing in the background.
Operations: Champagne?
Madeline: Thank you. (She takes the glass from Operations' hand.)
Operations: Remember this song?
Madeline: Of course.
With a move that is a reminiscent of Michael's, Operations extends his hand. Madeline takes his hand and they start to dance. Operations bends down to kiss Madeline's hand. Operations is wearing a gold band on his wedding finger. (Interesting, no?)

SYSTEMS

Birkoff: Michael, you'd better take a look at this. The machine's power function is at half strength.
Michael: So it will take twice as long to tunnel through the false interface.
Birkoff: Yeah, but the power's being diverted for some . . . it fooled us! It knows.
Michael: Knows what?
Birkoff: That the interface is false. It used the uplink to tunnel Langley, now it's searching for low-priority subjects.
Michael: There are two right now, Belarus and Macedonia.
Birkoff: It's locked onto the nuclear storm pile in Belarus. It's on the Internet dispatching a team.
Michael: What's our coverage in Belarus?
Birkoff: Nothing. We're over extended.
Michael: We have an alert. Use protocol three.
Birkoff: Nikita and Donnell are available.
Michael: They're not enough.
Birkoff: We should contact Operations.
Michael: No, divert Cyprus' backup team.
Birkoff: I really think we should at least inform Operations.
Michael: Just do what I say.
Birkoff: Right.

ALBANIA

Nikita is sitting on a chair. Julia, her father and Rosa, the witch, enter the room.
Nikita: My name is Nikita.
Rosa: Be silent.
Nikita: I just wanted to explain.
Rosa silences her with her fingers. She puts her hands on Nikita's head.
Rosa: This one's hard to read. Where are the things you found on her?
Julia's father hand Rosa Nikita's gun and cell phone. Rosa places the items in her hands.
Rosa: You came looking for a girl?
Nikita: Yes.
Rosa: This one?
Nikita: I thought so at first, but I was wrong. The girl I was looking for was younger, darker hair.
Rosa: What was this girl to you?
Nikita: There was an accident, I just wanted to see if she was all right.

SYSTEMS

Birkoff: The Cyprus team is disengaging.
Michael: Estimate?
Birkoff: Six and half hours.
Michael: Donnell is on his way, I'll send Nikita with him.

ALBANIA

Rosa: She's dangerous, but not to us.
Father: She may bring others here.
Rosa: To shed unnecessary blood is a sin.
Father: Release her.
Michael, with probably the worst timing in the entire world, calls Nikita. The cell phone rings, Julia's father places it under Nikita's ear.
Nikita: Hello.
Julia's father takes away the phone to listen.
Michael: Josephine.
Father: Who is this?
Michael hangs up the phone.

SYSTEMS

Birkoff: What's wrong?
Michael: I don't know.

ALBANIA

Father: You said your name was Nikita. Take her to the dump. Bury her deep, and these things with her.

SYSTEMS

Michael: Lock onto Nikita's signal.
Birkoff: I'll have to recall the back trace.
Michael: Do it.
Birkoff: Now?
Michael: Now.

ALBANIA

A man (probably working for Julia's father) takes Nikita into a waiting car. As she starts to sit, the camera moves and we see a key sitting on the car seat. Nikita picks up the key. Julia is standing outside of the building watching as the car drives away. Nikita looks back and smiles at her.

SYSTEMS

Birkoff: Donnell is on his way, but he will need help.
Michael: Did you back trace Nikita's signal?
Birkoff: Still trying, but the problem is...
Birkoff is interrupted by the phone.
Michael: Yes?
Nikita: Michael, it's me. Tell me what you need.

MADELINE'S OFFICE

Madeline: They tell me Belarus was a close call.
Operations: The backup team from Cyprus just made it in time. In the interim Nikita and Donnell performed well, they should be commended.
Madeline: Did we take anyone alive?
Operations: No, the opposition was wiped out.
Madeline: So we're no closer to knowing who built the machine.
Operations: No.
Madeline: I'll have to study it further.
Operations: We tried that. It studied us instead.
Madeline: Yes, you're right.
Operations: I didn't mean that as a criticism.
Madeline: It was a simple statement of fact. Perhaps we shouldn't have gone to the Tower.
Operations: That had nothing to do with it. Birkoff said we had 12 hours.
Madeline: He made a serious mistake, but mine was even worse. I didn't think a computer could match wits with a human in matters apart from pure logic. It appears I was wrong.
Operations: Don't blame yourself, it's not an ordinary computer.
Madeline: Excuse me, I have some unfinished business.
Madeline stands up and leaves the room.

WHITE ROOM

Birkoff: I changed the adapter on it. It can't circumvent us again.
Walter: You hope.
Birkoff: You seen Operations or Madeline?
Walter: Nope. Hey, you got nothing to worry about, you pulled us out of the fire.
Birkoff: Yeah, but it was my fault in the first place, that stupid 12 hour estimate, you know they won't let that pass.
Walter: You've never seen a machine like this before, no one has. If you need someone to back you up I'm here . . .
Madeline enters the room and interrupts their conversation.
Birkoff: I was just telling Walter what happened won't happen again.
Madeline: Good. I want this thing taken apart chip by chip, as slowly and carefully as possible.
Brutus: That could be a mistake Madeline, I might be hard to put back together.
Madeline: I want to know everything about it. Everything!
Brutus: I really don't think that's a good idea.
Walter: You think this thing's alive don't you? You want to make it suffer.
Madeline: You'd better get started. (Madeline is mad! She definitely does *not* like it when someone or something bests her.)

MICHAEL'S OFFICE

Nikita: You wanted to see me?
Michael: Sit down. (he secures the room)
Michael: Where were you yesterday?
Nikita: Yesterday, I was in Albania. Some people detained me for a while, there was a misunderstanding.
Michael: You went back to check on the girl.
Nikita: Yes, the family got suspicious. It's over now, no harm done.
Michael: Who was listening when you answered the phone? Her father?
Nikita: That's right.
Michael: Then he must have heard your codename.
Nikita: He doesn't know what it means and he certainly doesn't know who I am.
Michael: He may try to find out.
Nikita: No, he won't
Michael: Make sure of it.
Nikita moves her chair closer to Michael's desk, and her relaxed stance is gone.
Nikita: You mean kill him?
Michael: Him and everyone else involved.
Nikita: That's not necessary, they're not a threat.
Michael: Perhaps you're right, forget it.
Nikita: You'll send someone else. Michael, they're harmless, a family of petty thieves. They think I'm a cop. Cops have codenames too. Look at me! (Michael for the first time looks up from his computer.) That little girl saved my life. Don't repay it by slaughtering her family, please.
Michael: I have work to do.
Nikita: Her family?
Michael: We'll see. (Not the answer Nikita was looking for.)

THE PERCH

Operations: Why didn't you contact me?
Michael: It wasn't necessary.
Operations: I reviewed the tapes, the margin of success was 45 seconds.
Michael: We did succeed.
Operations: You spent four minutes looking for Nikita.
Michael: She was needed for the mission.
Operations: It wasn't because you were worried about her?
Michael: No. (Ahem, and pigs can fly.)
Operations: I understand your desire to prove you can run Section on your own, but I have resources not available to you. Part of competence is knowing when to ask for help.
Michael: I didn't think I needed any.
Operations: Do you ever think you need any? There are not many Class 5 operatives, Michael. You're one of the front runners to replace me when the time comes. This was an error in judgment and it will have to go in your file.
Michael: And what effect will that have?
Operations: That's for Oversight to decide but the report has to be complete.
Michael: Then your absence will be reported.
Operations: That's right.
Michael: And Madeline's as well.
Operations: Her absence was irrelevant.
Michael: Perhaps that's for Oversight to decide. (Throwing Operations' words right back at him.)
Operations: I determine what goes in the report.
Michael: And I can submit a reply. I have certain resources of my own . . . there was no mission requiring both of you to leave Section.
Operations: You've served Section long and well. Perhaps this one mistake can be overlooked.
Michael: Thank you.
Michael gives Operations' cell phone back to him, almost as a symbol of changing of power.
Operations: That's all.

THE END

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