All the World's a Stage

504.  All the World's a Stage
Written by: David Wolkove
Directed by: Joel Surnow
Transcript by: Christine
 

SYSTEMS
Nikita works in Systems at a station before an activated holo-screen. Other operatives, including Quinn, are also at stations working. It is clear they have been working for a long time and are very tired. Nikita sighs heavily and runs her hands over her face. She glances about absently, deactivates the holo-screen, then stands, grabbing her jacket that’s draped over her chair back and puts it on. Quinn notices this.

QUINN: What are you doing?

NIKITA: I’m going to bed.

QUINN: No, you’re not.

Quinn gets up from her station to go confront Nikita.

QUINN: We’ve got work to do.

NIKITA: I’ve been up all night.

QUINN: We’ve all been running on fumes here.

She crosses her arms, as if to say she means business.

QUINN: No one’s taking a break until we find the Collective’s cripple point.

Nikita regards her dully, hardly interested in what Quinn may have to say. She glances to the side, looking around dismissively.

NIKITA: I’ll see you in four hours.

She walks off, leaving Quinn to watch her with an exasperated expression. Quinn then storms back to her desk, sitting heavily in her chair, her face perturbed.

NIKITA’S ROOM

Nikita rounds a corner in Section, on her way to her quarters. She strides closer, her eyes closed momentarily. She reaches her quarters, pressing the exterior keypad buttons to access her room. As the door opens, a figure rushes out without warning, knocking Nikita down, before bolting from the area. Nikita quickly recovers, jumping up and chasing the intruder down the hallway. The intruder is clothed in black, wearing a black ski mask. As he rounds a corner, he encounters another operative, whom he first kicks in the face, then tosses over a railing. Nikita rounds the same corner in hot pursuit. The intruder goes to run up a flight of stairs, but Nikita grabs him by the shoulders and tries to yank him back, however he manages to twist and kick her backward. She falls back, and he flees up the stairs.

She is slower to recover this time, but gets up and heads after him, going another route, hoping to head him off. He rushes across a catwalk, then jumps down to the level below, while Nikita heads into a different area still in pursuit. The intruder gets to Van Access just as another operative is entering. He kicks the operative in the groin. As the operative lurches forward in pain, the intruder kicks him in the face, followed by a kick in the gut, which sends the operative sprawling facedown to the ground.

Nikita continues to race through a different route, trying to reach the intruder, who rushes out Van Access. We see Nikita go through tunnels within Section that we’ve never seen before. She comes to an elevator chute, gets in, and we see her launched upward in the chute.

Now outside, the intruder continues to run for at high speed. Nikita is also now outside and has her sights on him. She is racing after him, chasing him across a dock area. Hoping to head him off, she races up some steps, a level above him. She can see him to her left and below as he runs. He comes to high cyclone fence, which he quickly scrambles up and over, not jumping to the ground below, but reaching for a railing above, lifting himself up. Nikita continues to race after him. Having gone an alternate route, she is now close behind him when he jumps over the railing. He comes to a small bridgeway, leaping over the side of it and jumping below. Nikita reaches him just as he lets go of the railing. She peers over the side to the water below, where she sees a motorboat has been waiting for him. Tired and breathing heavily, she watches the boat race off.

NIKITA’S QUARTERS

Back in Section, Nikita again heads to her quarters. This time she looks about her for clues and signs to explain the intruder. She pauses outside the door, sighing heavily as she glances about, before hitting the keypad. The doors slide open. She walks in slowly, heading to a far wall, where she removes a scanner unit. Turning off the interior lights, she begins scanning the area, holding the blue light scanner up high and moving it about the room. Going over the interior door keypad, she passes the scanner over the buttons. We see a clear fingerprint under the blue light.

SYSTEMS

Nikita sits behind a holo-screen, where she is looking for matches of the fingerprint she found. The computer finds a match that registers 100%. The identification of a Nigerian woman, Roni Bourla, is shown on the screen. Leaning in closer to what she’s discovered, Nikita continues to work the info about the Nigerian woman. She runs a Recycle Print program and watches as the computer searches for more information. Across the screen the word <DECEASED> appears. Nikita sits back in her chair, having hit a dead end.

Operations and Quinn walk into the area side by side, taking a stand before the desk. Nikita glances up at them, arms crossed over her chest.

OPERATIONS:  What have you got?

NIKITA:  Roni Bourla.  A Nigerian school teacher.  Died nine years ago.

Nikita regards them blandly, while Quinn looks over to Operations.

OPERATIONS:  The print was a mislead.  What do think the person was looking for?

Nikita is staring dully before her, but as she speaks, she deliberately looks over to Quinn.

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.

Operations inclines his head to glance at Quinn, who continues to look straight at Nikita.

QUINN:  I’m not even going to dignify that with a response.

Nikita merely returns Quinn’s look with one of her own, which registers complete mistrust.

OPERATIONS:  Is everyone accounted for?

Quinn glances over to him.

QUINN:  Yes.  It wasn’t one of ours.

Operations looks directly at Nikita as he speaks.  Nikita looks up at him with a poker face.

OPERATIONS:  Then it was someone who knew us very well.

Just then Jasmine calls from a nearby station, having found new intel.

JASMINE:  I have a visual.

They all look over to her.

OPERATIONS:  Upload it.

She activates a screen, as Operations comes to stand behind her.

OPERATIONS:  Break it down.

An image appears of a face-masked man.  Jasmine taps at her keys, calling up the info.

JASMINE:  We have a male,  6’ 2”, 182, left-handed.

Nikita remains seated at her station, with Quinn standing close by, as they watch the results Jasmine calls up.

OPERATIONS:  Let me see the reconstruct.

Jasmine types quickly at the keys.  The screen reads <RECONSTRUCTING>.  The image of the face-masked now only shows a sketch of a face.  As the computer cycles, the face image becomes clearer and clearer.  Operations glances back to Nikita and Quinn.

OPERATIONS:  Does this person look familiar to anybody?

Nikita doesn’t respond, but instead glances over challengingly to Quinn.  Quinn returns her look, but says nothing.  Operations nods shortly, seeing neither one of them are going to be of help.

OPERATIONS:  That’s all.

Perturbed, he walks off.  Nikita however continues to silently accuse Quinn, staring at her intently, and swiveling her chair so she faces Quinn directly.  Quinn maintains eye contact a moment, before heading off to follow after Operations.

After Quinn is gone, Nikita sits up in her chair, elbows on the desk and resting her chin on her folded hands, as she tries to solve the puzzle.
Meanwhile, the computer completes its reconstruction, and a clear image of a man’s face appears.  We’ve never seen the man before.

OPERATIONS' LOFT

Operations stands in his loft watching a wall monitor, when Quinn saunters in.  She also looks to the monitor.

QUINN:  I looked closer at the data from the reconstruct.  There were no matches.

OPERATIONS:  Then if it wasn’t Michael, it was someone close to him.  Check through all the L’uere Sanguine files.

QUINN:  I’m doing it now.

Operations shuts off the monitor and steps away.  He stops, continuing to speak to her without looking at her.

OPERATIONS:  Good.  Michael will never turn his back on Nikita.  That’s his weakness.

QUINN:  Caring for somebody isn’t necessarily a weakness.

She slows steps closer to him, her hands clasped behind her.  She drops her hands, and tilts her head to the side.  When she speaks, her voice is soft.

QUINN:  I’d like you to feel that you can count on me.  Whatever you need.

Operations hasn’t bothered to look at her, but he now removes his glasses, and with an amused smirk, glances over to her.

OPERATIONS:  What do you think… go to bed with me, wake up with Madeline’s job?

Quinn smiles as if his idea is preposterous.

QUINN:  Can’t I be attracted to you without having an ulterior motive?

He laughs shortly, looking away from her.

OPERATIONS:  You could.

Now he looks back to her, his smile gone and his voice disgusted.

OPERATIONS:  But, you’re not.

She continues to regard him with a slight smile.

OPERATIONS:  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.

Quinn merely watches him, with a passive expression.  Operations returns her look before glancing away dismissively.

OPERATIONS:  You’re not ready for the Tower yet.

OPERATIVE REST QUARTERS

Walter lies on his back on an egg-crate foam mattress napping when Nikita sits at the edge and wakes him.  He looks up startled.

NIKITA:  Sorry.

WALTER:  That’s okay, Sugar.

He sits up, while she sits at the edge of the bunk.  She is still wearing the same black slacks, top, and jacket and boots.

NIKITA:  There was a security breach a couple hours ago.

WALTER:  Yeah, I heard about it.

NIKITA:  Whoever it was, went through my room.

WALTER:  Any idea who?

He leans over, propped on his right side.  She shakes her head.  Her voice is flat, as she is clearly untrusting and unhappy with all that has transpired.

NIKITA:  Quinn and Operations put on quite a show trying to convince me it was someone on the outside.

WALTER:  (grunts)  Maybe… Maybe! it wasn’t a show.

Still upset, Nikita shakes her head.

NIKITA:  I have to talk to Mr. Jones.

This amuses Walter, and he smiles as he flips his legs over to a sitting position beside her.

WALTER:  Mr. Jones!  What’s he gonna tell you?

NIKITA:  I’m not sure, but he knows more than he’s saying.  I’m sure of it.

WALTER:  You’ll never get him out of Centre.

NIKITA:  I know, but with your help I could get Mick Schtoppel out.

She looks over to him to see his reaction.  Walter turns his head to look at her with a slight grimace, knowing he’s going to help her.

SYSTEMS

Nikita sits at a station before an activated screen.  We see a red-headed woman’s face and her information.

NIKITA:  Quinn?

Nearby Quinn reclines a bit in her chair, and looks over to Nikita.

NIKITA:  Take a look at this.

Quinn looks at Nikita’s screen from her position.  Different pictures of the woman flash, showing difference angles of the woman’s face.

NIKITA:  Her name is Massima Valenti.  She’s an arms dealer with ties to the Collective.  I’ve been shadowing her movements for a couple weeks.  She’s been close to every one of their tactical strikes.

QUINN: (blandly)  That’s all fine and good, but how do we get to her?

NIKITA:  I’ve run a couple of sims.  She’s very protected.  Grab and bag could blow up in our face.  Best way in’s soft approach.  I’ve back-referenced some of our independents we’ve subbed out in the past.  An interesting name came up.

Nikita taps at her keyboard and Massima’s Valenti’s image is replaced on the screen by Mick Schtoppel’s.  All the time Nikita has been talking, Quinn has mostly been looking at her own monitor, where everything that is showing on Nikita’s screen is also showing on Quinn’s.  Quinn now sees Mick’s face.  She smiles with disbelief.

QUINN:  Mick Schtoppel?

With a tiny smile, Nikita nods.

QUINN:  Do you really expect Mr. Jones to cooperate?

Nikita has a crafty look on her face.  She’s been waiting to see Quinn’s reaction to her plan, and Quinn seems to not have a problem with it.  Nikita makes her case.

NIKITA:  If it’s our only way into the Collective, he won’t have a choice.

Quinn shrugs.

CENTRE

We see the stark hallways and walls within Centre.  Nikita walks up to a barren desk, behind which sits Michele, the young woman we’ve previously seen inside
Centre.

MICHELE:  Good morning.

NIKITA:  Is he in?

MICHELE:  He’ll be a minute.  Have a seat.

Nikita is wearing a long white faux-fur coat, and she merely continues to stand a moment, before leaning over Michele’s desk to talk to her.

NIKITA:  How’d you get here, Michele?

MICHELE:  You know that I can’t tell you that.

NIKITA:  Well what can you tell me?

Michele has a slight, secretive smile on her face, and she glances down at a small handheld LED device before her, which reads “Send Nikita in”.  Michele looks back at Nikita.

MICHELE:  He’s ready to see you.

Nikita only nods with a somber face, seeing she’ll get nothing out of Michele.  She heads off to join Mr. Jones.

Inside Mr. Jones’ office, he sits behind his stark white desk in a gray suit, hands clasped before him.  He speaks in his usual dry, humorless manner.  Nikita stands with hands on her hips.

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 efficient course of action.

Mr. Jones is clearly not pleased with this suggestion.  His tone is sharp.

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 sees the need for Mick is real, and he hits his intercom.

MR. JONES:  I’m going offline for 48 hours.  Routine protocol Alpha 7 is in effect.

Nikita is pleased to have gotten her way, but merely accepts it silently.

We next see Michele standing beside Mr. Jones in his office as he explains his plans.

MR. JONES:  … and if you need to reach me, I’ll be available over the red line.  Clearance twelve matters only.

MICHELE:  Fine.

Mr. Jones looks over to Nikita.

MR. JONES:  Are you ready?

NIKITA:  Yeah.

MR. JONES:  Then let’s go.

He stands from the desk, buttoning his jacket.

MR. JONES:  Are we confirmed on location?

NIKITA:  Valenti should be there at the designated time.

At the office door, a man appears in a beige trench coat, and steps in with them as they head out of the office.

NIKITA:  Who’s he?

MR. JONES:  That’s Demming.  Hello, Demming.

DEMMING:  Sir.

They continue down the hallway.

MR. JONES:  You don’t really that think Centre would let Schtoppel out on his own, do you?

Nikita doesn’t respond, but it’s clear she isn’t pleased with Demming being along.

LIMO EN ROUTE TO VALENTI MEET

A two-tone, steely silver limo drives down a street in the night.  Within the limo, Mr. Jones sits with a laptop on his lap, while Nikita sits beside him, in a black fur coat smoothing her hair.

MR. JONES:  Valenti’s promised the Collective twenty anthrax rockets by Friday.  Fifteen minutes ago, she was informed that her supplier was detained at the Turkish border.

NIKITA:  That was us.

Jones sets the laptop onto the seat between himself and Nikita, and removes his glasses.

MR. JONES:  Right about now she’s calling everyone she knows.  What she doesn’t realize is that only man who can help her is Mick Schtoppel.

He reaches forward and takes up a black hat, shaping it, as he speaks to his driver.

MR. JONES:  Demming, how are we doing?

DEMMING VOICE:  We’re clear to our first mark.

Nikita has been sitting all this time beside Mr. Jones, not really paying any attention to what he’s doing.  He then takes up a bottle of cologne and begin spritzing himself all over with it.  Only Nikita’s eyes glance sideways to him, then she turns her head to see what he’s doing, seeing that he’s rubbing cologne into his wrists.

NIKITA:  What are you doing?

He handles the hat in his hands, and when he speaks, he is now suddenly Mick Schtoppel, his voice and manner lively ala Mick.

MICK: What am I doing, love?  Huh.  I’ll tell ya.

He sets the hat on top of his head and positions it, laughing shortly.

MICK:  I’m becoming Mick.  I am becoming Mick.

He smoothes the hat sides, nodding, then points to the interior bar.

MICK:  Would you like a drink?

Nikita is stunned by the transformation, says nothing, but shakes her head in refusal.

NIKITA:  No.

Mick reaches up and begins to undo the tie Mr. Jones had been wearing.

NIGHT CLUB

We see the interior of a club, filled with gyrating people dancing to pounding music.  Mick and Nikita walk in, holding onto each other about their waists.  Mick wears the black fedora, and fur-lapel coat, while Nikita wears a black jacket and slack ensemble with a white button up blouse beneath.  They have adapted a party mood, wearing big smiles, and bounce in their steps as they enter the club.

MICK:  Oh, yes!  Love it!

They begin making their way into the club, mingling past the dancing people.

MICK:  You know I used to run a club just like this.  Had that kind of Republic meets former Saigon vibe.  Very…

NIKITA: (smiles) Really?

MICK:  Yeah.  Had to close down…

They continue walking through the place, their eyes peeled for Valenti.

NIKITA:  Really.

MICK:  Yeah.

He sees someone he knows, and goes up to a blond woman, hugs her and kisses her.

MICK:  Jackie!  Look at you!  You look scrumptious!  Give a twirl.

The woman giggles, twirling in a circle.  Nikita watches with amusement.

MICK:  You look well.  Where were you?  I missed you in Milan!  Where were you for heaven’s sake?

The woman just laughs, and Mick spies another acquaintance.  He grabs Nikita and heads over.

MICK:  Hans!  Hans!  Look at Hans.  Look at you!

HANS:  Look at you!

Mick goes up to the guy, gesturing wildly.  Nikita just stands to the side, keeping time with the music and glancing about absently, while Mick does his routine.

MICK:  Give us a kiss, Hans.  C’mon.

Hans leans forward to kiss him, and Mick pulls back.

MICK:  Watch it, Hans.  Hey.  Uh-uh.

Mick steps away, takes Nikita’s arm and starts to walk off, but he turns back to shoot parting words to Hans.

HANS:  See ya.

MICK:  Oh by the way, told you about Bombay, uh… get together for the boat races, yeah?

Mick and Nikita walk off.  Nikita cannot believe the act that Mick has down so flawlessly.

NIKITA:  How… how do you do this?

Mick is walking beside her, completely in Mick-mode, shimmying and rocking with each step.

MICK:  How?  Well, as Mr. Jones, I’m a great observer of every strata of humanity.  Every strata.

He spies someone in the distance.

MICK:  Hello.

He nods to indicate someone in the distance.  Nikita follows his gaze.

MICK:  There she is.

We see just a mass of people dancing. Mick continues to gyrate his way closer.

NIKITA:  You want me to go with you?

MICK:  Stay close.

With that Mick forges ahead without Nikita, who remains where she is, keeping beat with the music.  A tall woman stops Mick’s advancement.  She towers over
him.

WOMAN:  Can I help you?

MICK:  Well, maybe later…  but first I’d like to say hi to Valenti.

WOMAN:  She’s busy.

Mick takes off his hat.

MICK:  Well, tell her that Mick’s here.  Mick Schtoppel.

The woman gives him the once over, then turns to speak to Valenti, who is not there in person, but rather on a large monitor watching everything going on.

WOMAN:  Mick Schtoppel.

Valenti wears a bored expression, but indicates she’ll speak to him.  The tall woman goes back over to Mick, who is just moving to the music, and glancing about.

WOMAN:  You have one minute.

MICK:  Thank you.

Mick heads over the large monitor, making his way through the crowd, bumping into people.

MICK:  Excuse me, how are ya?  Excuse me, how are ya?

We see Valenti’s point of view, seeing Mick through her monitor in another location.

MICK:  Massima!  Darling, how are ya?

In the meantime, we see Nikita dancing on the dance floor with another woman, looking about for Mick and her surroundings as she does.

VALENTI:  Mick, I can’t talk right now.

MICK:  Is that any way to treat an old friend?

VALENTI:  This is a bad time.

MICK:  That’s what Mick’s here for.  To make the bad times good.  Right?

He smiles.

VALENTI:  Unless you have twenty anthrax rockets, we have nothing to talk about.

MICK:  Twenty?  (snorts)  Twenty?  Is that all?

At the bar, leaning against a wall is Demming, the guard.  Nikita shimmies away from the woman she’d been dancing with, and with hands in her pockets, nonchalantly heads over to Demming.  He stands with hands folded before him, keeping an eye on Mick.  Nikita stands next to him, getting closer, still moving to the music.

NIKITA:  Do you want me to cover the outside?

DEMMING:  Nah, I’ve got it under control.

Nikita pulls a small stunning device out of her pocket, and smoothly jabs Demming in the gut with it.  It knocks him out, causing his to slump backwards on a chair behind him.  From the bar counter, Nikita sticks a drink in Demming’s hand, then adjusts his head, so he appears to just be lounging at the bar.  She kisses the side of his face, pats it, then heads off.

Back at the monitor, Mick continues to converse with Valenti.

VALENTI:  I can’t deal with anything flaky right now.  These people I’m dealing with simply won’t stand for it.

MICK:  Flaky.  Massima…  I’ve always delivered.  My guys are reliable, all right?

She thinks about this a moment.

VALENTI:  Bring me a sample of the anthrax, prove the toxicity levels… we’ll be in business.

MICK:  When?

VALENTI:  Two hours.

MICK:  (laughs)  Two hours!  Two hours.  Two hours.

VALENTI:  Tick-tock, Mick.

MICK:  Right.  Two hours.

He turns from the monitor to leave, encountering the tall woman.

MICK:  You’re a rather tall woman.

He heads off, putting his hat back on.  Nikita falls into step with him, slipping her arm through his.

NIKITA:  How’d it go?

MICK:  Quite well, I think.

NIKITA:  Good.

They head out of the club, and get into their limo.  It pulls off.

SYSTEMS

Operations heads into the area where all the reel-to-reel tapes run.  Quinn is in there working on something.

OPERATIONS:  Have you finished the analysis of the (unintelligible) recon?

There is a tiny disc lying on the table she’s working at.  She reaches for it and slides it closer to her, and away from him.

QUINN:  I need another hour.

Operations sees the disk and goes to pick it up.

OPERATIONS:  I’ll look at it now.

Quinn quickly presses her fingers down on it, so he cannot.

QUINN:  It’s not ready.

OPERATIONS:  I can connect the dots.

She refuses to let go of the disk, regards him challengingly, and speaks through clenched teeth.

QUINN:  I said it’s not ready!

OPERATIONS:  Give it to me.

They now both have their hands on it, both of them trying to yank it from the other’s grasp, and refusing to let go.

QUINN:  It’ll be done in an hour!

They have a staring match for a few tense moments, before Operations lets go of the disk.  He steps over to the door, opens it, looking back at Quinn.

OPERATIONS:  Why don’t you bring it up to the Tower later.

He leaves, and she stares after him, her face switching to a slight smile.

LIMO

Mick and Nikita are seated inside.  They are both quiet and Mick is now back to being Mr. Jones.  He takes off his hat and discards it aside.  Nikita is clearly planning something.  She closes her eyes a couple times, as if steeling herself.

NIKITA:  Pull over.

MR. JONES:  What for?

She yanks out her gun, holding it in his face.  Mr. Jones stills, knowing she means business.  He instructs the driver.

MR. JONES:  Pull over, Steve.

The limo pulls over to a side road.  Nikita continues to hold Mr. Jones at gunpoint.

MR. JONES:  What do you want?

NIKITA:  Some answers.

We next see that Steve the driver has been handcuffed to the steering wheel.  Mr. Jones exits the limo, followed by Nikita.  She pushes him back to lean against the rear of the limo, while she scans his body for location devices.  It beeps.

NIKITA:  Left shoe.

Mr. Jones sighs, but pulls a small chip out of his shoe heel.

MR. JONES:  I will not tolerate this insubordination.

Nikita takes the chip from him, drops it on the ground and grinds her heel into it, disabling it.

NIKITA:  The watch.

He removes his watch, and she also grinds it to pieces with her heel.

NIKITA:  The ring.

He begins removing it.

MR. JONES:  You know you just signed your death warrant.

She merely crushes the ring also with her heel.

NIKITA:  Why was I brought into Section?

MR. JONES:  Because of your particular skills.

She’s angry and has gone too far to turn back now.

NIKITA:  I’m gonna ask the question again.  Why was I brought into Section One?

MR. JONES:  I don’t know.

Slowly she stalks closer to him, her face set.

NIKITA:  Who’s my father?

Mr. Jones looks away, as though he’s thinking.

MR. JONES:  I don’t know.

Angry, Nikita smacks him across the face, then grabs him by his fur collar and gets in his face.  He is alarmed.

NIKITA:  I’ve been waiting for seven years for an answer.  I’m out of patience!  You’re the only person who knows.  If you don’t help…

He is rapidly losing his composure.

MR. JONES:  I can’t help.  I can’t help you.

NIKITA:  That’s not what I want to hear, Mr. Jones.

He breaks, and begins panicking.

MR. JONES:  I… I… I’m not Mr. Jones.

Furious, Nikita throws him to the ground.

NIKITA:  Try again!

He cowers on the ground fearfully, as she kicks him over and over.  He grunts with each kick.  She stands back, giving him another chance to speak.

NIKITA:  Why was I brought into Section?

But, he merely rocks on the ground, whimpering with fear and pain.  He’s sobbing and breathing hard, unable to speak.  Nikita turns her back on him, and cocks her gun.  When she turns back to face him, she begins firing shots right near his head.

He grabs his head protectively.

MR. JONES:  Stop!  Stop!

Nikita fires off more shots.

NIKITA:  Why was I brought into Section?  Tell me!

By now, he’s scared to death and crying.

MR. JONES:  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.

Nikita kneels down to him, stunned.  He continues to sob with fear.

MARTIN:  Please.  Just let me up.

She stands, incredulous to hear this, and irritated.

NIKITA:  Get up!

Martin stands, coughing and gasping as he stumbles to the rear of the limo.  He faces her, still sobbing, his hands up beseeching her to understand.

NIKITA:  Who are you?

MARTIN:  Look…

NIKITA:  What’s going on?

MARTIN:  I know that this is…  hard for you to believe.  But… I… I… I’m… I’m an actor, that’s it.  I’m an actor.  Hired to play a part.  Many parts.

They hear cars coming and Nikita turns, seeing a convoy of black Hummers coming toward them on the main road.  She realizes she did not destroy all the locators.  Spinning, she aims the gun at Martin.

NIKITA:  Where is it!

He immediately gives it up.

MARTIN:  It’s here!  It’s… it’s here.

Inside one of the oncoming trucks, an operative checks a panel, zeroing in on Nikita and Martin’s location.

Martin reaches to a tooth and pulls out the locating device.  The trucks are very nearby and advancing.

MARTIN:  They’re here.  That… that won’t work.

Nikita places the device on one of her bullets in her clip and reloads the cartridge.

NIKITA:  You better hope it does.

She fires into the air, sending the locator blasting away.  The operative inside the truck notices the direction change, and the trucks pass by the side road where Nikita and Martin are crouched behind the limo.

When the coast is clear, Nikita stands.

We next see Nikita and Martin back inside the limo.  Nikita listens intently as Martin explains his role.

MARTIN:  It was about nine years ago.  I was in a rep company near Wales…

Martin doesn’t sit beside Nikita, but across from her.  His knees are pulled up to his chest and his hands rest over his knees.  He wrings his hands nervously as he speaks.  He speaks haltingly.

MARTIN:  … Shakespeare, some Shaw.  Nothing fancy.  No money.  No money.  I 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.

Nikita says nothing, just listens carefully.

MARTIN:  It’s every actor’s dream.  How could I know that the world would end up being my stage?

NIKITA:  Who was in charge?

MARTIN:  The real Mr. Jones.

NIKITA:  Did you ever meet the real Mr. Jones?

MARTIN:  No.

NIKITA:  Tell me more.

Martin now moves from his seat and comes to sit closer to Nikita.

MARTIN:  Two years learning the world and the languages… the people… and the nuances.

NIKITA:  Then you went into Centre?

MARTIN:  First I was Mick Schtoppel.  I was Mick Scht…  I was… GOOD as a Mick Schtoppel.  I was very good.  It was so very easy for 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 Michele.

NIKITA:  Michele.  Is she related to me?

MARTIN:  I… couldn’t tell you because I don’t have the… clearance.

Nikita calls to the driver.

NIKITA:  Take us back to Centre!

MARTIN:  What are you doing?

NIKITA:  We’re going back to Centre.  I have to speak to Michele.

Martin panics.

MARTIN:  No!  No, no!  Trust me… that would be… that would be… committing suicide.

He slaps the seat for effect.

NIKITA:  Why?

MARTIN:  If they know wh... what I told you, they wi… will kill us both.  They will.  Trust me.  We… we get Valenti the anthrax.  We go through with the deal, and afterwards we sort this out.  Afterwards.

TOWER

Operations lies on the bed wearing a robe.  Quinn is beside him, wearing her slip, stroking his hair.

QUINN:  What are you thinking?

He turns away from her, obviously not about to confide in her.

QUINN:  I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to…

Operations cuts her off by sitting up, and swinging to sit at the edge of the bed.   His back is to her, but he looks over his shoulder.

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.

She takes that opportunity to slide up to him.  She leans in closer.

QUINN:  I know that you’ve feel under siege, and undermanned.  We can turn this place around.

He doesn’t respond.

QUINN:  I’m very good at what I do.

He nods, and looks at her.

OPERATIONS:  Yes, you are.

She glows under that praise.

QUINN:  Then give me a chance.  I know things.

OPERATIONS:  What do you know?

QUINN:  There’s a Directive about to be implemented to undermine your tactical jurisdiction.

OPERATIONS:  Who sourced you?

QUINN:  I pulled it off an Oversight relay.

He looks over at her at moment, before getting up and going behind a screen.  Quinn looks around.

OPERATIONS:  Go on.  I’m listening.

QUINN:  If you let me, I can circumvent their shadow with a field juncture.

As she speaks, she removes a contact lens from her left eye and places it inside a unit that sits beside the bed.  It’s obviously some type of bug.

QUINN:  It’s a short window, but it’ll give you time to re-establish your power base.

Operations is behind the screen, running water.  When he returns, she is reclining on the bed.  She sits up a bit and smiles up at him, but he regards her with no apparent emotion.

OPERATIONS:  Okay.  Do it.

NIGHT CLUB

Martin and Nikita return back to the nightclub.  Demming is still passed out.  Martin is back to being Mick, and starts slapping Demming.

MICK:  Demming!  Demming!

Demming comes up to, and stands up apologetically.

DEMMING:  I’m so sorry, sir.

When Mick responds however, he is back to being Mr. Jones.

MR. JONES:  I’m very disappointed about this, Demming.  We’ll talk about it later.

Mr. Jones rejoins Nikita, who says…

NIKITA:  Smooth.

As they continue to walk, the tall woman is waiting for them.  Martin again becomes Mick.

MICK:  Ahhh.  Yeah.

He walks up to a round table, fishing inside his coat, then pulls about an anthrax sample.  Nikita and Demming stand a few spaces away.

MICK:  Where is she?

WOMAN:  She wants me to take care of the preliminaries.

She takes the vial and attaches it to a unit that will verify its potency.  Pleased with the results, she smiles at Mick.

WOMAN:  Okay.

She and Mick then walk over to the large wall monitor, where we see Valenti’s image.

VALENTI:  Well?

WOMAN:  It checks out.

VALENTI:  Bring him to me.

WOMAN:  What about his friend?

She turns to indicate Nikita.

VALENTI:  No.  Just Mick.

MICK:  (wagging his finger)  Oh, no can do, Massima.  No.  She’s part of the package.

They wait for Valenti to make a decision.

VALENTI:  Sanitize them.

The nightclub is packed with people, all hanging around, some talking, some dancing.  Suddenly a cacophony of drawn and cocking weapons is heard as every person in that nightclub, pulls out a weapon and aims them at Mick and Nikita.  A woman standing beside Demming, stuns him and he falls.

Mick and Nikita watch in stunned silence, clearly outnumbered.

WOMAN:  Would you mind stripping down, please?

Mick just smiles, while Valenti’s face on the screen is expressionless.

VALENTI MEET

Outside in the night, the tall woman is leading Mick and Nikita, along with another guard to Valenti.  Mick is wearing tight, zebra-print boxers and a gray tee shirt, while Nikita has been stripped down to short black slip.  Mick tries to keep up with the long strides of the tall woman.

MICK:  I really should thank you, Sugar, I’ve been trying to get her knickers off for years.

Nikita is less than pleased to be parading unclothed through the night at gunpoint.  She glares at Mick.

NIKITA:  What is going on?  What kind of sick people do you work for?

Mick tries to kick up with the long strides of the tall woman, kind of skipping to catch up, watching her footsteps, as he mimics her long strides.

MICK:  It’s all… it’s all in good fun, love.  All in good fun.

As they come to the place where Valenti is holed up, they enter a round door cut out.  Mick throws up his hands, smiling broadly, as though he’s just delighted to see Valenti.

MICK:  Ha ha!

VALENTI:  Hello, Mick!

MICK:  Massima!

VALENTI:  Ah, you’re a savior!  You don’t know what my life has been like in the last twelve hours.

She takes his face in her hands and kisses the top of his head.  Beside Mick, Nikita waits, crossing her arms about her, feeling vulnerable standing there in just her short slip.  Mick couldn’t care less. He’s just smiling and as comfortable as can be.  The other guards enter and stand behind Nikita.

MICK:  It’s all right.  Really.

NIKITA:  Is this really necessary?

Valenti notices Nikita for the first time, and losing the smile she had for Mick, eyes Nikita up and down.

VALENTI:  Give them their clothes.

NIKITA:  Thank you.

The tall woman shoves Nikita’s pile of clothes at her.  Nikita takes up her long coat, her shirt and pants fall to the ground.  Bending to pick them up, she hurls them into the face of the guard standing behind her.  The tall woman goes to fire at Nikita, but Mick grabs for the gun.  Nikita grabs one of the guard’s guns, and shoots him, then shoots the other guard, then finally the tall woman, as Valenti watches it all happen very quickly.  Nikita extends one hand out, the other points her gun at Valenti, who holds the anthrax vial.

NIKITA:  Anthrax.

Valenti hands it over.

NIKITA:  Ready, Mick?

MICK:  Let’s… let’s get out of here.

OPERATIONS' LOFT

Operations stands inside his loft, when Quinn appears at the entry.

QUINN:  Nikita’s bringing in Valenti now.

OPERATIONS:  Fine.

He hasn’t even bothered to look at her.  Quinn makes to leave, then pauses.

QUINN:  Um…  I don’t know if I can make it later.

Now he glances over at her.

OPERATIONS:  And, why is that?

QUINN:  If we get anything out of Valenti, I’m going to want to process it.

Operations now turns and sits on the edge of his counter, watching her.

OPERATIONS:  Let Renshrow run the initial numbers.

QUINN:  I think this is something I should oversee personally.

He merely regards her with no expression she can read.  She gives him a coy smile.

QUINN:  I’ll be there… if you don’t mind me being late.

He just inclines his head at her in response, and she leaves.

VAN ACCESS

Nikita and Mr. Jones, along with two operatives, lead Valenti into Section.  Operations meets them and instructs the two operatives.

OPERATIONS:  Take her to Containment.

As she is led off, Valenti throws a dirty look at Operations.  Operations now speaks with Mr. Jones.

OPERATIONS:  You want a simultaneous feed on her decomposition?

MR. JONES:  Please.

OPERATIONS:  (to Nikita)  You’ll handle it?

NIKITA:  Yes.

Operations then walks off, leaving Nikita and Mr. Jones alone.  As soon as he’s out of earshot, Nikita turns to Mr. Jones, who is back to being Martin.

NIKITA:  When do I talk to Michele?

MARTIN:  (nervously) Tomorrow, to… tomorrow morning.  I just have to make sure that there’s no fall out.

NIKITA:  Meaning what?

MARTIN:  We both know that if they find out that I broke…

NIKITA:  I’m the only one who knows.  See ya tomorrow.

Martin is scared and worried.  He begins heading into Van Access, but stops as Nikita calls to him.

NIKITA:  Hey.  I wasn’t crazy about Mick Schtoppel and Mr. Jones… but I think I really like Martin.

She smiles at him, and he just stands there a moment, before turning and shuffling away.

MUNITIONS

Walter is in the interior part of Munitions when Nikita walks in.  He goes over to her, where she stands beside his worktable.

WALTER:  Well that was fast.

NIKITA:  Valenti cracked in the first hour.  She had a lot to say.

WALTER:  Hmm.  Anything there to help dismantle a Collective?

NIKITA:  Quinn’s sorting through it now.

Nikita is restless, clearly having something on her mind.  Walter looks up at her inquiringly.

WALTER:  Okay, c’mon.  Tell me.  I’m all ears.

NIKITA:  I think I found “M”.  She works for Mr. Jones.

WALTER:  M?

NIKITA:  I hope she’s gonna lead me to my father.  I’m just… nervous.

WALTER:  Why?

NIKITA:  I’m finally gonna open the door and I’ll know what’s behind it.

WALTER:  Truth will set you free.

NIKITA:  Not in this place.

She walks out, her steps tired, as she passes a hand through her hair.

CENTRE

We see the same steely and barren interior of Centre.  Nikita walks up to the same desk Michele has previously sat at, but now a different woman sits there.

NIKITA:  Where’s Michele?

WOMAN:  Who?

NIKITA:  Michele.  She works for Mr. Jones.

WOMAN:  I work for Mr. Jones.

Nikita is puzzled.

NIKITA:  Let me speak to him.

WOMAN:  I’m afraid that won’t be possible.

Nikita disregards the woman and begins heading toward Mr. Jones’ office. The woman stands, meaning to stop her.

WOMAN:  Excuse me!

But Nikita keeps going.  When she gets to Mr. Jones’s office, a dark-skinned man sits behind the desk, tapping keys on a hand-held unit.  Nikita stops at the door.

NIKITA:  Who are you?

MAN:  I’m Mr. Jones.

NIKITA:  Where’s Michele?

MAN:  Do we have something to discuss?

Nikita shakes her head, and begins backing up.

NIKITA:  No.  We have nothing to discuss.

She heads off down the hallway, trying to understand this new twist, when a man passes by a side corridor.  She glances at him, flashing back to the face Jasmine had earlier reconstructed of the intruder Nikita had chased.  Nikita believes it to be the same man.  She presses herself against the wall, and waits as the man goes inside Mr. Jones’ office.  When he leaves, Nikita backtracks, surreptitiously following him.

OUTSIDE

We see the man driving a BMW wagon in the countryside.  Nikita, wearing her sunglasses, follows in her own car.  The man comes to very large home and pulls into the drive.  Nikita stops a distance away.  She gets out of her car and watches the man run into the house.  Taking a stand behind a tree, Nikita pulls out binoculars and zeros on the inside of the house.  She sees Michele, then the man join her and speak, before they walk out of eyesight.

Nikita crouches, running across the grounds toward the house.  She climbs to the 2nd floor, finds a side door and opens it.  Cautiously, she enters.  Classical music plays.  She steps in slowly, looking about the rich home, making her way further and further inside.  She takes two sets of stairs downward, then crosses a small area and steps up to another level.  Slowly walking toward Nikita is Michele.  Nikita stops, as does Michele, who leans against a wall and crosses her arms.

MICHELE:  Hello, Nikita.  We’ve been expecting you.

Nikita advances toward her, pausing when she comes face to face with her.  She then passes Michele, heading to a room just beyond her.  She removes her glasses, and looks back at Michele as she steps closer to the door of the room.  Michele merely waits and watches.  Nikita stops, looking inside the room.

NIKITA:  Father?

She then steps inside the room, but we don’t see what she sees.

The End.