All The World's A Stage
Originally Aired in the U.S. February 4, 2001
Transcript by Cathy and Dana

TEASER
"Previously on LFN" segment is shown, with clips from In Through The Out Door.

Section One - Systems
Everybody is working and nobody looks happy. Quinn and Nikita both look tired, cranky, like they've been at it for hours. Finally, Nikita gets up.
Quinn: What are you doing?
Nikita: Going to bed.
Quinn: No, you're not. We've got work to do.
Nikita: I've been up all night.
Quinn: We're all running on fumes here. No one's taking a break until we find The Collective's cripple point.
Nikita: I'll see you in four hours.
Nikita leaves.
Quinn races back to her computer and hits a button. Meanwhile, Nikita is in the hallway. An masked man comes out of nowhere, knocks her down. He continues on, takes out another Section Op. Nikita catches up to him as he's going up stairs, and grabs him from behind. He gets away. She chases him. Another operative cuts him off at Van Access; he fights him and leaves. Nikita runs down the hall, gets into the elevator. He's outside and we see him running - they're on the paved area by the Toronto waterfront (so this is where Section is now? LOL) He climbs a chain link fence and she follows. They keep running. He goes over a fence and lands on a motorboat, speeding away. Nikita stands on the bridge, gasping for breath.

Scene Two - Section One - Corridor
Nikita enters and hits a code to enter another area. She walks in and removes a piece from the wall. It's a scanner; she uses it to scan the area. She pulls up some information on the computer - it's a Nigerian identification card.

Scene Three - Section One - Systems
Operations and Quinn enter; Nikita's sitting at a desk.
Operations: What have you got?
Nikita: Roni Bourla. Nigerian schoolteacher. Died, nine years ago.
Operations: The print was a mislead. What do you think the person was looking for?
Nikita: I don't know. Why don't you ask Quinn?
Quinn: Me?
Nikita: Well, you did try to stop me going to my room.
Quinn: I won't even dignify that with a response.
Operations: Is everyone accounted for?
Quinn: Yes. It wasn't one of ours.
Operations: Then it was someone who knew us very well.
Jasmine: I have the visual.
Operations: Upload it. (He moves over to where she is working and watches her screen) Break it down.
Jasmine: We have a male. 6'2. 182. Left-handed.
Operations: Let me see the reconstruct. Does this person look familiar to anybody? That's all.
Nikita and Quinn trade flaming looks of death. Quinn and Operations leave.

Scene Four - Section One - Operations Perch
Quinn enters.
Quinn: I looked closer at the data from the reconstruct. There were no matches.
Operations: If it wasn't Michael, it was someone close to him. Check through all the L'Heure Sanguine files.
Quinn: I'm doing it now.
Operations: Good. Michael will never turn his back on Nikita. That's his weakness.
Quinn: Caring for someone isn't necessarily a weakness. (she moves closer) I'd like you to feel you can count on me... whatever you need.
Cathy in: Slut.
Operations: What do you think? Go to bed with me, wake up with Madeline's job?
Quinn: Can't I be attracted to you without having an ulterior motive?
Operations: (laughs) You could. But you're not. Yes, Madeline and I spent time occasionally in the Tower, but that had nothing to do with the way we felt about each other.
Quinn: That's too bad.
Operations: (angry) Madeline wasn't who she was because she slept with me. You're not ready for the Tower yet.

Scene Five - Section One - Walter's Quarters
Nikita wakes him up, he's sleeping.
Nikita: Sorry.
Walter: Oh, it's okay sugar.
Nikita: The security breach a couple of hours ago...
Walter: Yeah, I heard about it.
Nikita: Whoever it was, went through my room.
Walter: Any idea who?
Nikita: Quinn and Operations put on quite a show trying to convince me it was someone from the outside.
Walter: Maybe, maybe it wasn't a show.
Nikita: I have to talk to Mr. Jones
Walter: Mr. Jones? What's he going to tell you?
Nikita: I'm not sure, but he knows more than he's saying. I'm sure of that.
Walter: You'll never get him out of Center.
Nikita: I know, but with your help I could get Mick Schtoppel out.

Scene Six - Section One - Systems
Nikita and Quinn and working.
Nikita: Quinn, take a look at this. (Nikita brings up a brunette woman on the holoscreen - Alannah Myles) Her name is Massima Valenti. She's an arms dealer with ties to the Collective. I've been shadowing her movements for a couple of weeks. She's been close to every one of their tactical strikes.
Quinn: That's all fine and good, but how do we get to her?
Nikita: I've done a couple of sims. She's very protected. Grab and bag could blow up in our face. Best way in's a soft approach. I've back-referenced some other independents we've subbed out in the past. Very interesting name came up. (Nikita brings up a visual of Mick/Mr. Jones)
Quinn: (Amused) Mick Schtoppel? Do you really expect Mr. Jones to cooperate?
Nikita: If it's our only way into The Collective, he won't have a choice.

Scene Seven - Center
Nikita walks in. Michelle is at the desk.
Michelle: Good morning.
Nikita: Is he in?
Michelle: He'll be a minute. Have a seat.
Nikita: How'd you get here, Michelle?
Michelle: You know that I can't tell you that.
Nikita: Well, what can you tell me?
Michelle: (looking down at a transmitter) He's ready to see you.
Nikita goes in to Mr. Jones.
Mr. Jones: Operations informs me that you have a situation that requires my attention.
Nikita: Massima Valenti.
Mr. Jones: A woman of small talent and big ambitions.
Nikita: Our intel suggests that she's supplying The Collective. We'd like to talk to her about that.
Mr. Jones: What's your plan?
Nikita: Preliminary profile suggests that a direct approach from Mick Schtoppel would be the most effective course of action.
Mr. Jones: Putting Mick into the field is a poor allocation of resources.
Nikita: Not if we succeed. She does deal directly with The Collective.
Mr. Jones hits an intercom button.
Mr. Jones: I'm going offline for 48 hours. Routing protocol Alpha-Seven is in effect.
Next scene, Michelle has entered and is speaking with him.
Mr. Jones: And if you need to reach me, I'll be available over the red line. Clearance 12 matters only.
Michelle: Fine.
Mr. Jones: Are we ready?
Nikita: Yeah.
Mr. Jones: Then, let's go.
Nikita: The lady should be there at the designated time.
Another operative walks up.
Nikita: Who's he?
Mr. Jones: That's Deming. Hello, Deming.
Deming: Sir.
Mr. Jones: You don't really think that Center would let Schtoppel out on his own, do you?

Scene Eight - The Mission - A Limo
Mr. Jones: Valenti has promised The Collective 20 Anthrax rockets by next Friday. 15 minutes ago, she was informed that her supplier was detained at the Turkish border.
Nikita: That was us.
Mr. Jones: Right about now, she's calling everybody she knows. What she doesn't realize is that the only man that can help her is Mick Schtoppel. Deming, how are we doing?
Deming: We're clear to our first mark.
Mr. Jones takes out cologne, douses himself in it.
Nikita: What are you doing?
Mr. Jones: (assuming the cockney accent) What am I doing, luv? I'll tell you. I'm becoming Mick. (he puts on a hat) I am becoming Mick. Would you like a drink?
Nikita: No.

Scene Nine - The Mission - Nightclub
Mick and Nikita enter. He's hanging all over her.
Mick: Oh yes! I love it! You know, I used to run a club just like this. Had that kind of Weimar-Republic meets Fall-of-Saigon vibe.
Nikita: Really.
Mick: Very fin de siecle, yeah. Had to close after the bubonic plague scare. Pity that. (He spots a blonde girl he knows and they kiss) Jackie, Jackie, look at you! You look scrumptious! Give us a twirl! Where wer e you, I missed in Milan, where were you, for heaven's sakes? Oh, Hans! Look at Hans - look at you!
Hans: Look at you!
While Mick is schmoozing, Nikita spots a dark haired girl who gets her attention.
Mick: I love it. Give us a kiss, Hans, come on. All right? By the way, Tony's back from Marbella. Let's get together for the boat races, yeah?
Nikita: How do you do this?
Mick: How? Well, as Mr. Jones, I'm a great observer of every strata of humanity, every strata. Hello. There she is.
Nikita: Want me to go with you?
Mick: Stay close.
Sug: May I help you?
Mick: Well, maybe later, but first I'd like to say hi to Valenti.
Sug: She's busy.
Mick: Well, tell her that - (he removes his hat) - Mick's here. Mick Schtoppel.
The woman looks him up and down skeptically and moves off. She talks to Valenti and returns.
Sug: You have one minute.
Mick: Oh, thank you. Excuse me. How are you, all right, how are you? Massima, darling!
We see that Nikita is dancing with the brunette she spotted earlier. Other women are dancing together as well. Massima appears not in person but on a video screen.
Massima: Mick, I can't talk right now.
Mick: Is that any way to treat an old friend?
Massima: This is a bad time.
Mick: That's what Mick's here for - to make the bad times good.
Massima: Unless you have twenty anthrax rockets, we have nothing to talk about.
Mick: Twenty? Twenty? Twenty? Is that all?
Nikita dances her way up to Deming, who is standing at the bar.
Nikita: Do you want me to cover the other side?
Deming: No, I've got it under control.
Nikita zaps him with an electrical device and knocks him out. She puts him on a barstool leaning against the wall and places a beer in his hand so he looks like he just passed out. She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek before moving away.
Massima: I can't deal with anything flaky right now. These people I'm dealing with simply won't stand for it.
Mick: Flacky? Massima. I've always delivered. My guys are reliable. All right?
Massima: Bring me a sample of the anthrax. Prove the toxicity levels. We'll be in business.
Mick: When?
Massima: Two hours.
Mick: (laughs) Two hours... two hours... two hours.
Massima: Tick-tock, Mick.
Mick: Right. (as he leaves he talks to the woman who led him to Massima) Love a tall woman.
He rejoins Nikita.
Nikita: How did it go?
Mick: Quite well, I think.
Nikita: Good.
They proceed to their waiting limo, enter and drive off.

Scene Ten - Section One - Systems
Operations enters and talks to Quinn.
Operations: Have you finished the analysis of the Karasu recon?
She puts her hand on the disk.
Quinn: I'll need another hour.
Operations: I'll look at it now.
Quinn: It's not ready.
Operations: I can connect the dots.
Quinn: I said it's not ready.
Operations: Give it to me!
They are literally having a tug of war over the disk.
Quinn: It'll be done in an hour.
He gives up and lets her have the disk. She stood up to him; clearly this is what he was waiting for.
Operations: Why don't you bring it up to the Tower later?
Cathy in: I will admit, this makes sense. If he wanted Betty Brown-Nose, he wouldn't have been with Madeline, a very strong woman, all of those years.

Scene Eleven - The Mission - The Limo
Mick and Nikita are returning from the mission. Mick is taking off the Mick stuff like the hat.
Nikita: Pull over.
Mick: What for?
Nikita whips out a gun and puts it to his ear.
Mick: Pull over, Steve. (to Nikita) What do you want?
Nikita: Some answers.
Nikita and Mick exit the limo. Nikita marches him behind it and scans him with a beeping scanner.
Nikita: Left shoe.
Mick: I will not tolerate this insubordination.
Nikita: The watch.
She crunches it beneath her shoe.
Nikita: The ring.
Mick: You know you just signed your death warrant.
She crushes the ring as well.
Nikita: Why was I brought into Section?
Mick: Because of your particular skills.
Nikita: I'm going to ask the question again. Why was I brought into Section One?
Mick: I don't know.
Nikita: Who's my father?
Mick: I don't know.
Nikita hits him, violently, upside the head.
Nikita: I've been waiting seven years for an answer. I'm out of patience! You're the only person who knows. If you don't help me.
Mick: I can't help... can't help you. (he's starting to sob)
Nikita: That's not what I want to hear, Mr. Jones.
Mick: I - I - I'm not Mr. Jones.
She throws him violently to the ground.
Nikita: Try again!
She kicks the crap out of him as he lies on the ground trying to protect himself and crying out in pain.
Nikita: Why was I brought into Section?
She starts to shoot bullets against the ground, just inches from his head.
Mick: Stop, stop!
Nikita: Why was I brought into Section? Tell me!
Mick: I don't know! I'm not who you think I am. I'm not Mr. Jones. I'm an imposter. My - my name is Martin Henderson. Please... just let me up.
Nikita: Get up.
He does so, slowly.
Nikita: Who are you? What's going on?
Martin: I know that this is ... hard for you to believe but I-I-I'm an actor. That's it. I'm an actor, hired to play a part. Many parts.
She sees a whole line of vehicles approaching. Military type vehicles.
Nikita: Where is it?
Martin: It's-it's-it's here. It's here!
He hands her a tracker that was hidden in a tooth.
Martin: They're here! That won't work!
Nikita: You better hope it does.
She shoots the tracker out of her gun. The vehicles veer off and follow it. Next scene, they are back in the limo.
Martin: It was about nine years ago. I was in a rep company near Wales. Sh-Shropshire County. The old Shakespeare, some Shaw... nothing fancy. No money. No money. We used to survive eating peas and stale crisps. And- and then one day this bloke comes knocking on my door and he offers me a steady job. It's every actor's dream. Little did I know that the world would end up being my stage.
Nikita: Who was in charge?
Martin: Uh- the real Mr. Jones.
Nikita: Did you ever meet the real Mr. Jones?
Martin: No.
Nikita: Tell me more.
Martin: Two years, learning the world and the languages, the people, the nuances...
Nikita: Then you went into Center?
Martin: Well first I was Mick Schtoppel. I was good as a Mick Schtoppel, I was very good. They were so pleased with me that they gave me the plum role of Mr. Jones.
Nikita: How long ago?
Martin: Four years.
Nikita: And how does Mr. Jones communicate with you?
Martin: Through Michelle.
Nikita: She related to me?
Martin: I can't tell you because I don't have the clearance.
Nikita: (loud, to the limo driver) Take us back to Center!
Martin: What are you doing?
Nikita: We're going back to Center to speak to Michelle.
Martin: No! No, no, trust me, that would be committing suicide.
Nikita: Why?
Martin: For what I have told you, they will kill us both. They will. Trust me. We get Valenti the Anthrax, we go through with the deal, and then afterwards, we sort this out.

Scene Twelve - Section One - The Tower
Operations and Quinn are in bed together.
Quinn: What are you thinking?
He turns away from her. He looks disgusted.
Quinn: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-
He moves away from her, sits up.
Operations: Let's not turn this into something it isn't.
Quinn: I understand.
Operations: Do you?
Quinn: I could be good for you.
Operations: We'll see.
Quinn: (crawling over to him) Paul... I know you feel under siege, and undermanned. We can turn this place around. I'm very good at what I do.
Operations: Yes. You are.
Quinn: Then give me a chance. I know things.
Operations: What do you know?
Quinn: There's a directive about to be implemented that will undermine your tactical jurisdiction.
Operations: Who sourced you?
Quinn: I pulled it off an Oversight relay.
Operations: Go on. I'm listening.
He gets up and goes behind a screen. She pulls something off her eye like a contact disc and puts it into what seems like a tape recorder.
Quinn: If you'd let me, I can circumvent their shadow with a field juncture. It's a short window but it will give you time to reestablish your power base.
He comes back around. She smiles.
Operations: Okay. Do it.

Scene Thirteen - The Mission - Back at the Nightclub
Martin slaps Deming, waking him up.
Martin: Deming! Deming!
Deming: I am so sorry, sir.
Martin: I'm very disappointed by this, Jimmy. We'll talk about this later.
Nikita: Smooth.
He moves off, runs into the woman who took him to Valenti earlier.
Martin: Ha ha ha, yeah. Oh, hello. (pulls a strange device out of his pocket) Oh. Where is she?
Sug: She wants me to take care of the preliminaries.
She inserts the device into a test thingie. It looks like the test is satisfactory. Martin smiles, pleased with himself.
Sug: Ok.
Massina: Well?
Sug: Checks out.
Massina: Bring him to me.
Sug: What about his friend?
Massima: Just Mick.
Martin: Oh, no can do, Massima, no. She's part of the package.
Massima: Sanitize them.
Suddenly half the club has automatic weapons trained on Martin and Nikita. Deming gets shot - can't tell if he's dead or just with a tranq gun.
Sug: Would you mind stripping down, please?

Scene Fourteen - The Mission - Outside
They are outside walking. Nikita is wearing only her slip. Martin is in a t-shirt and wild coloured shorts.
Martin: I really should thank you, sugar, I've been trying to get her knickers off for years. Nikita: What is going on? What kind of sick people do you work for?
Martin: It's all - it's all in good fun, love. It's all in good fun.
They are led into Massima's lair.
Martin: Ah! Massima!
Massima: Hello, Mick. Oh, you're a savior. You don't know what my life has been like in the last twelve hours. (She kisses his bald head)
Martin: It's all right, really.
Nikita: Is this really necessary?
Massima: Give them their clothes.
Nikita: Thank you.
Sug hands them back their clothes. Nikita throws the bundle into the face of some of the minions, creating a distraction and then shoots them all. She holds her hand out to Massima.
Nikita: Anthrax? Ready Mick?
Martin: Let's - let's get out of here.

Scene Fifteen - Section One - Operations Perch
Quinn: Nikita's bringing in Valenti now.
Operations: Fine.
Quinn: (hesitates) Um... I don't know if I can make it later.
Operations: And why is that?
Quinn: If we get anything out of Valenti, I'm going to want to process it.
Operations: Let Renshaw run the initial numbers.
Quinn: I think is something I should oversee personally. I'll be there, if you don't mind me being late. (playing hard to get now?)

Scene Sixteen - Section One - Van Access
Massima is brought in.
Operations: Take her to containment. (to what he thinks is Mr. Jones) You want a simultaneous feed on her decomposition?
Martin: Please.
Operations: (to Nikita) You'll handle it?
Nikita: Yes. (Operations leaves) When do I talk to Michelle?
Martin: Tomorrow. Tomorrow morning. I just have to make sure that there's not fallout.
Nikita: Meaning what?
Martin: We both know that if they find out that I broke...
Nikita: I'm the only one who knows. I'll see you tomorrow. Hey... I wasn't crazy about Mick Schtoppel or Mr. Jones, but I think I really like Martin.
He leaves.

Scene Seventeen - Section One - Munitions
Nikita approaches Walter.
Walter: Well, that was fast.
Nikita: Valenti cracked in the first hour. She had a lot to say.
Walter: Anything there to help dismantle The Collective?
Nikita: Quinn's sorting through it now.
Nikita looks troubled - Walter picks up on it.
Walter: Okay, come on - tell me, I'm all ears.
Nikita: I think I found "M". She works for Mr. Jones.
Walter: And?
Nikita: I hope she's going to lead me to my father. I'm just... nervous.
Walter: Why?
Nikita: I'm finally going to open the door and I don't know what's behind it.
Walter: The truth will set you free.
Nikita: Not in this place.
She walks away.

Scene Eighteen - Center - The Next Morning
Nikita walks in. It's not Michelle, it's a totally different girl.
Nikita: Where's Michelle?
Receptionist: Who?
Nikita: Michelle. She works for Mr. Jones.
Receptionist: I work for Mr. Jones.
Nikita: Let me speak to him.
Receptionist: I'm afraid that won't be possible. Excuse me!
Nikita goes past. A black man is sitting there.
Nikita: Who are you?
Man: I'm Mr. Jones.
Nikita: Where's Michelle?
Man: Do we have something to discuss?
Nikita: No. We have nothing to discuss.
She turns and leaves. As she goes, she sees out the corner of her eye the man we saw on the composite at the beginning of the episode - the man who she chased out of Section One.

Scene Nineteen - A country road
The man Nikita chased is driving a BMW station wagon. Nikita is following in her Boxster. He turns in to a large, modern house's driveway. As Nikita sits in her car, someone is watching from behind - we get their POV, don't see them. Nikita exits the car and walks toward the house slowly. She thinks she sees something and hides behind a try, looking through binoculars. Michelle is in the house. The Center operative enters. Says something to her. She follows him. Nikita watches. She tries to get closer to the house. Runs up to it. Climbs up to the top of an attached sunroom. She gets up to the roof and sneaks along. She opens the door of the balcony she's on. Inside, opera music is playing. She closes the door behind her and continues along. She goes toward the music, up some stairs. Michelle is there.
Michelle: Hello, Nikita. We've been expecting you.
Nikita passes by Michelle and continues on. She looks into a room.
Nikita: Father?

THE END
Back to Season 5 Episodes