#321 "Playing With Fire"
Written by: Peter M. Lenkov
Directed by: Joseph L. Scanlan
Edited by: Richard Wells
Original Airdate: August 22, 1999
Transcript by: Cathy from The Official Alberta Watson Home Page
Teaser: Section One, Van Access. Medical ops wheel a patient into Section One.
Medical Operative: He’s going into shock. Stabilize, push. Get him into one. Let’s move, let’s move!
Operations: His condition?
Michael: Barely alive.
Operations: This man cannot die.
Michael: Of course.
Med Op #1: We better stabilize him quickly.
Med Op #2: Pressure? Pressure?
Med Op #1: Blood pressure’s dropping. 30/50. Watch it.
Section One - Madeline’s Office. Madeline’s typing at her desk.
Female Op on intercom: Madeline?
Madeline: Yes?
Female Op: The target has been preserved.
Madeline: I’m on my way. (She walks down to the Med Lab, takes the mask off the man’s face. He’s awake) Mr. Terik. We almost lost you.
Terik: Where am I ?
Madeline: Section One.
Terik: Section One? Why am I alive?
Madeline: We saved your life, and now we’d like something in return. The group you belong to, Crimson Storm? We’d like to know where their base camp is.
Terik: Antakya.
Madeline: Thank you. (She presses a button, he looks at her…flatlines. She walks away)
Scene Two - Nikita’s Apartment. There is a knock on the door. She looks in the viewer; Mick’s there.
Nikita: You just never quit. (Opens the door) Yes, Mick?
Mick: Picture this. Venice, it’s five in the morning, I’m just walking back to my hotel - from where, you don’t have to know - and I see this in a window (he shows off a silver brooch) and I say to myself “Nikita”. Here, look at it, it’s fun, isn’t it? Look at it, look at it!
Nikita: I can’t take gifts from you, Mick.
Mick: Pity. Still, I do need a favor. (He walks in)
Nikita: What would that be?
Mick: Me mom. She’s coming to town next week for a quick visit.
Nikita: What’s the favor?
Mick: Well she’s got a certain - what can I say - impression of who I am.
Nikita: What does she think you do?
Mick: She thinks I’m a dentist.
Nikita: A dentist?
Mick: An oral surgeon, actually.
Nikita: Who’s married to…
Mick: A gorgeous leggy blue-eyed blonde chippy. That’d be you.
Nikita: No way, Mick, no, I can’t do it.
Mick: Oh, come on. One night, dear, I’ll cook. She’s old, I might never see her again. It would mean the world to her.
Nikita: If I say yes, will you leave?
Mick: Yes. And could you take that one down (points at a picture) ‘cause it’s a bit much, isn’t it? And Mom’s a bit conservative when it comes to art.
Nikita: Mick. Don’t push. (She kind of shoves him out the door)
Scene Three - Section One, Hallway. Nikita and Michael meet up.
Nikita: I hear it went well in Monrovia.
Michael: We got what we wanted.
Nikita: Congratulations (Nikita walks past him and moves on)
(from the loft, Madeline and Operations watch)
Madeline: It looks like the directive is holding.
Operations: Michael and Nikita seem to have made a clean break.
Madeline: Unless they’re putting on a show for us.
Operations: What are their levels?
Madeline: Nikita is 98%, Michael is essentially 100 - as good as ever.
Operations: We’ll see. (leans over to watch Michael walking by)
Scene Four - Section One, War Room.
Operations: Yesterday, Gunter Terik provided us with a location of his primary base camp. Birkoff.
Birkoff: It’s heavily fortified. Wetwear in the triple digits. Shadow approach is the best way in.
Operations: Make no mistake - Crimson Storm is a paramilitary liberation cell, but their kamikaze behavior makes them unpredictable. They hit hard and fast. Their message of freedom is delivered in bold, public displays. They consider their fight more noble than political, which makes them a class “A” threat. We’re estimating a high degree of resistance. 20% casualty rate.
Michael: What about their arsenal?
Operations: All we need are the detonation chips. Nikita will be handling retrieval. Operatives are all on standby.
Scene Five - Section One - Operations Loft. Operations is there, Madeline enters.
Operations: I’ve given some more thought about our earlier conversation.
Madeline: About Michael and Nikita?
Operations: I suggest planting an observer.
Madeline: Already done.
Operations: Who?
Scene Six - Section One - Main area.
Davenport: You’re on the bench for this one.
Michael: What are you doing?
Davenport: Snow’s out. I’m in.
Michael: Under whose authority?
Davenport: Operations.
(Michael walks away, Davenport following)
Scene Seven - Section One - Munitions. Walter is doling out weapons.
Walter: No, not that one - this is yours.
Nikita: Thanks.
Walter: It’s a pleasure. (She starts to walk away) Take care of yourself. (She turns, gives him a “look”) then walks away.
Scene Eight - Section One, Madeline’s Office. Birkoff enters.
Birkoff: You wanted to see me?
Madeline: When Michael’s team returns, I want you to sweep their panels.
Birkoff: Why?
Madeline: That’s no concern of yours.
Birkoff: Uh, what am I looking for?
Madeline: Anything under the wire. Most likely, it will be encrypted.
Birkoff: You’re looking for sub-contact between operatives?
Madeline: Exactly.
Birkoff: I’ll get on it as soon as they get back.
Madeline: Good.
Scene Nine - The Mission. SUV drives along, Michael at the wheel, Nikita next to him, Davenport watching them like a hawk. Then they’re outside doing the mission.
Michael: Nikita, move to your first position.
(Nikita running, on top of a building)
Birkoff: (Back at Section) First team is in the target zone.
Michael: Okay, Nikita, go.
Birkoff: Nikita, you’re clear, move to your second position.
(Looks like a big warehouse or hangar…men are guarding it, they look Arabic. Nikita drops down from the ceiling on a rope, runs inside. She takes out a few guards and goes over to a device, typing in a numerical sequence. It doesn’t work.)
Nikita: Birkoff, they changed the entry code.
Birkoff: OK, jack me in. Try it now. (She does, a drawer slides open and she extracts the detonation chips)
Nikita: Got it.
Birkoff: Nikita has possession.
Operations: Evacuate and eliminate.
Birkoff: OK, we’re out of here. (He hears gunfire) Retrieval?
Nikita: Birkoff, I’m surrounded. I need immediate egress.
Birkoff: Michael, retrieval’s under fire.
(Michael and Davenport run for the building, shooting guards. Michael enters the building, steps over the guards Nikita shot. Davenport follows.)
Davenport: Where’s Nikita?
Michael: They’ve got her. Retrieval’s gone grey.
Birkoff: We’ve got a hostage situation.
Operations: Tell Michael to proceed with a contingency three. Davenport has flank. The rest of the team is on return.
(Michael running, shoots a man off a motorcycle. The motorcycle keeps going and Michael swings up on it and rides off - way cool scene)
Michael: We’ll stagger approach. Stay close. (Davenport runs off; Michael rides down the street.) Birkoff, take us off follow-up.
Birkoff: Michael wants to go dark.
Operations: Is that prudent?
Birkoff: Makes sense…the entire perimeter’s a hot zone. And Crimson Storm has satellite tracking capabilities.
Operations: Drop him.
Birkoff: Dark approach granted.
(Michael on motorcycle; Davenport follows in the SUV but Michael goes between some pillars and loses him)
Davenport: Damn it!
(Michael rides up to the docks…hey, it’s the boat from Hard Landing, I cannot imagine what is going to happen next…LOL. Michael goes inside, Nikita’s there already.)
Michael: We have one hour. (They start kissing. He takes her jacket off and the scene ends.)
Scene Ten - Section One, Van Access. Michael comes in, helping Nikita who looks badly beaten up and very dazed.
Operations: What happened?
Nikita: I um…um…they grabbed me. Everything just went black…I…
Michael: She was drugged.
Operations: Was she interrogated?
Michael: No. I got there before they started.
Operations: How many?
Michael: Three, but they had contingency.
Operations: They escaped?
Michael: Birkoff’s tracing the location. (They move off; Operations looks suspicious)
Scene Eleven - Section One, Med Lab. Nikita is lying on a bed, Birkoff comes in and goes up to her.
Birkoff: Nikita. Nikita? (He takes her hand)
Nikita: Hey (smiles)
Birkoff: They didn’t hurt you, did they?
Nikita: No, didn’t get a chance to do any real damage.
Birkoff: Could I get your panel?
Nikita: Well, I usually hand it in to Walter.
Birkoff: I know. But this is coming straight from Madeline.
Nikita: (tightens her grip on his hand) What’s she looking for, Birkoff?
(Birkoff says nothing, goes to get her panel)
Nikita: Birkoff? (He walks away with it. She sits up, worried. Walter walks in)
Walter: Are you okay, sugar?
Nikita: Oh, I’ll live. There’s a problem. (A med op is still working on Nikita; he goes to swab her cut face) Th-that’s fine, thanks. (He moves away)
Walter: What is it?
Nikita: Birkoff picked up my panel.
Walter: What? But I didn’t sanitize it.
Nikita: I know. You think he’ll find it?
Walter: Are you kidding? Birkoff? He’ll find it all right. You just take it easy, okay?
Birkoff: What is this? Whoa. (He pulls out the panel and goes walking to Walter with it.)
Walter: That’s what I’m looking for.
Birkoff: Madeline asked me to do a sweep for debrief.
Walter: Any particular reason?
Birkoff: Mm-hmmm. She’s looking for intercommunication between Section ops - anything under the wire. What were you thinking???
Walter: I was helping two friends.
Birkoff: Being a messenger for Nikita and Michael is not helping them. It’s digging their graves, and yours.
Walter: (angry) You weren’t supposed to even see that panel.
Birkoff: But I did. Now I have to turn it in.
Walter: You can’t be serious.
Birkoff: If Madeline sent this down to cryptoanalysis, they’d spot it in a second. I have to.
Walter: When’s she expecting your report?
Birkoff: 3:00
Walter: OK, give me ‘til then.
Birkoff: To do what???
Walter: I don’t know, I’ll think of something. Look, we are talking about Michael and Nikita, remember?
Birkoff: And you.
Walter: Oh, come on Birkoff!
Birkoff: No. I’m not going down with you guys. (Birkoff walks away)
Operations: I read your debrief. I see everything went according to contingency.
Michael: Not everything.
Operations: Is there something you want to tell me?
Michael: I’ve detected a secondary layer.
Operations: You think there’s another base camp?
Michael: Yes.
Operations: Our intel says no.
Michael: I’d like to take a small recon team into the field to make sure.
Operations: Who do you recommend?
Michael: Sinclair, Mignola, Nikita.
Operations: (nods) I’ll consider it.
Nikita: Have you spoken to Walter?
Michael: Yes.
Nikita: What are we going to do?
Michael: Nothing.
Nikita: And if Birkoff tells Madeline?
Michael: Deny everything.
Nikita: Michael, we’re playing with fire. (He kisses her hand)
Michael: I know.
Birkoff: It’s 3:00 .
Walter: Do what you’ve got to do. (Birkoff and Walter look at each other, then Birkoff walks away and into Madeline’s office)
Madeline: Find anything?
Birkoff: Yes.
Madeline: What is it?
(He hands her the panel)
Birkoff: It’s a communiqué between Nikita and Michael.
Madeline: What does it say?
Birkoff: Off profile information.
Madeline: Personal?
Birkoff: Yes. It details a rendezvous point and time.
Madeline: Was this the Antakya mission?
Birkoff: Yes.
Madeline: Who planted it?
Birkoff: A third party.
Madeline: (gives him a look)
Birkoff: Walter.
Madeline: Thank you, Birkoff. You can leave now.
Madeline: Michael and Nikita are having outside contact.
Operations: How?
Madeline: (Hands him the panel) They’ve been able to avoid surveillance by invoking dark approach.
Operations: Who’s the facilitator?
Madeline: Walter.
Operations: (Hands the panel back) Take care of it.
Madeline: (On intercom) Walter? I would like to see you in my office.
Walter: I’ll be right there.
Operations: Madeline told me about your discovery. We’re both pleased you made the right decision.
Birkoff: Is Walter going to die?
Operations: (smiles) Not if he cooperates. Walter’s a friend, I understand. Friendship is inevitable under these conditions. It’s something we tolerate - to an extent.
Birkoff: I don’t see how a relationship between two operatives can be dangerous.
Operations: (getting angry) It’s not just two operatives, is it? Walter facilitates the liaisons. There’s no telling how many other operatives Michael and Nikita used to conceal their relationship. (pauses, then starts telling a story) My mother was ill most of the time I knew her. She hardly left the house except for doctors appointments and spending time with her flowers. She found solace in her gardening. One day her favorite plant got sick and started to affect all the other plants. In no time, the entire garden was dying.
Birkoff: What did she do?
Operations: She went to the source. She found some of the roots were decaying, so she plucked the dead ones. Didn’t take long for the garden to start growing again. Stop by data. There’s a problem with a delta file.
Birkoff: Sure.
Madeline: Did you really think you could get away with this?
Walter: It doesn’t matter. It’s what they wanted. It’s called living.
Madeline: Living.
Walter: Look it up, it’s in the dictionary.
Madeline: Walter, you’re a 60 year old teenager.,i> (Walter smiles and takes a bow) By helping them, you’re only jeopardizing their future.
Walter: And what future might that be?
Madeline: We have bigger plans for Michael and Nikita.
Walter: All they wanted was to be together, that’s all.
Madeline: You and I aren’t privy to what goes on when they’re together, are we?
Walter: (sighs) What are you going to do to me?
Madeline: It depends on your level of cooperation.
Walter: What do you want to know?
Madeline: Everything.
Nikita: Walter’s gone?
Michael: He took some downtime.
Nikita: Is that what they told you or are you sure?
(Michael says nothing, walks to her)
Michael: Where’s Birkoff?
Nikita: Operations has him troubleshooting in data.
Michael: Walter won’t talk.
Nikita: We should never have brought him into this.
Michael: He offered to help.
Nikita: I don’t know what I’ll do if they hurt him. (Michael steps to her, puts his hand on her shoulder)
Michael: Go home, Nikita. You’re supposed to be on downtime. I’ll see what I can find out. (She leaves)
Mick: All right, where did I go to dental school?
Nikita:,i> (Zoning out, sitting on the floor with a glass of wine balanced on her knee) Oh, I give up, where’d you go.
Mick: You’re not listening. Bristol College. Pay attention. This is not a game.
Nikita: I’m listening.
Mick: If Mom suspects the slightest dissemblance, even for an instance-
Nikita: I’m listening!
Mick: -well I won’t get my inheritance, will I?
Nikita: Oh…so that’s what this is really about.
Mick: No. Absolutely not. I want her to know is that she’s produced at least one worthwhile member of society.
Nikita: I didn’t know you had a brother, Mick.
Mick: Don’t go there, all right? Bristol College, we met at the St. James Club, you come from a wealthy family of New Zealand sheep herders, if she asks for details tell them that they were all tragically killed in an avalanche. Whoosh.
Nikita: Avalanche?
Mick: Yes, and - (he takes her wine) You don’t drink. (Nikita looks fed up, goes over and flops on the bed) Oh, come on popsicle, stay with me, this is important. Mom arrives tomorrow.
Nikita: A lot can happen betqeen today and tomorrow.
Mick: Such as?
Nikita: Never you mind, Mick.
Mick: All right. Let’s have it. Come on. All of it.
Nikita: I just don’t fit into Section One, that’s all. And I think they finally figured that out.
Operations: How did it go with Walter?
Madeline: There was no resistance.
Operations: Did he tell you how he did it?
Madeline: He’s been layering their panels with encryption.
Operations: Why do you think he helped them?
Madeline: He thinks it’s harmless. It could be what they’re telling him.
Operations: Do you think they’re just using Walter? Making him think that it’s something to do with their relationship when it’s really about something else?
Madeline: Maybe. Michael was comfortable running Section while you were at Section.
Operations: Will Walter cooperate with us?
Madeline: Yes.
Operations: Good. Have him prepare their panels. We’ll send them back into the field.
Madeline: I think that’s wise. We should find out exactly what they’re doing before determining a course of action. (Operations leaves, Madeline looks thoughtful)
Operations: Michael, I’ve approved your request for field recon.
Michael: I’ll inform my team.
Operations: Isn’t necessary. This is intelligence gathering only; I was thinking a two man team; it’ll reduce our exposure.
Michael: Who else did you have in mind?
Operations: Nikita.
Michael: She’ll work.
Operations: I think so.
Michael: How was your downtime?
Walter: It was very relaxing.
Michael: Good.
Walter: Word has it you’re going out?
Michael: Recon.
Walter: Nikita, too?
Michael: Yes.
Walter: It’ll be on your panel and Nikita’s.
Michael: Thank you.
(Walter looks to be trying to give Michael a warning look)
Operations: A secondary layer was detected during the Antakya mission. A substation manned by Crimson Storm’s head strategist, Viles Navaro.
Birkoff: We’re going to need a broad sweep with a hard target search; full air support is on standby in case of a confirm.
Operations: Further details are on your panels. That’s all. (He starts to leave)
Nikita: Birkoff (stage whisper)
Operations: Birkoff, come with me. (Birkoff does)
Nikita: Hey. So which one’s mine?
Walter: (Extracts a panel from the wall) Here.
Nikita: You all right?
Walter: Yeah, fine.
Nikita: You want to talk about it?
Walter: Nothing much to say, sugar. Just - take care of yourself, okay?
Operations: Walter gave us the rendezvous point, the location’s been prepped. Stay one layer out until we give you the signal.
Davenport: Sir, Nikita and Michael will resist capture.
Operations: You’re cleared for extreme force.
Davenport: I’m sorry, sir. I’ll need you to be more explicit.
Operations: They are not to escape. Kill them if necessary.
Birkoff: What do you know about this shadow team attached to recon?
Walter: Operations is setting a trap for Michael and Nikita.
Birkoff: Walter, I’m sorry.
Operations: (appears) Birkoff, what are you doing here?
Birkoff: I was just-
Walter: These are the two I want you to sweep, right here. (hands him panels)
Birkoff: Thank you.
Walter: Welcome.
Operations: I need you in Comm. Recon team’s about to hit their first mark.
Birkoff: Yes, sir. (Birkoff leaves, Walter and Operations nod at each other)
Birkoff: (In Section) First team report.
Michael: I’m detecting a kappa signal.
Birkoff: I’m not picking up anything.
Michael: It’s here. We have to disconnect.
Birkoff: I don’t think that’s a good idea, Michael.
Operations: Just do it, Birkoff! Do as he says, take them off the board. We don’t want to take a chance on Navaro tunneling into the system.
Birkoff: All right, first team. You’re on your own.
(Madeline and Operations are up in the loft)
Operations: It’s just a matter of time.
Madeline: It’s a pity it had to come to this.
(Flash back to the “mission”…Nikita slowly approaches Michael. It looks like they’re in an old barn or something. Meanwhile the secondary team is hiding in the brush. They’re looking at the boat. Which is of course not where Michael and Nikita are.)
Operations: (in Section) Proceed to your first mark, team two.
(Everyone’s on edge in Section - Walter, Birkoff nervous. Operations pacing in the loft, takes off his jacket and throws it on the ledge. Madeline of course is standing still and silent in the loft.)
Davenport: Sir? How long do you want us to wait?
Operations: As long as it takes!
Birkoff: Sir?
Operations: What is it, Birkoff?
Birkoff: First team has returned. They brought back Vilas Navaro.
Operations: What?
Birkoff: Michael was right. Navaro had a Kappa transmitter.
(Operations and Madeline look at each other, unsettled. Michael and Nikita walk back in. Walter and Birkoff look relieved.)
Mick: (on the phone) Yeah, yeah, I understand. But you’re absolutely sure she was on that flight? (Nikita sitting there primly in a pink dress) And it landed at six? Yeah, right. Yeah, thanks.
Nikita: Well?
Mick: I don’t know what could have happened to her. Maybe I should check the hospitals. I knew I should have gone to pick her up myself. I knew it. (phone rings, he answers) Hello. Mom! Mom, where are you? I thought they’d…right. Yeah, yeah, yeah, all right then. Thanks for calling.
Nikita: Well, where is she?
Mick: Um, she’s not going to be able to make it.
Nikita: Why?
Mick: She ran into somebody at the airport.
Nikita: Who?
Mick: Felix - he’s an old flame. He’s a bit of a cad, actually, used to make her pay for her own dinners when they went out. She’s going to spend a couple of hours with him instead of with me.
Nikita: Well, come on Mick, let’s have some dinner.
Mick: No, you know what, it’s fine, go ahead, it’s cool.
Nikita: Are you sure? It’s ready.
Mick: You are really great, you know that? It’s a nice thing you were going to do for me.(He walks away)
Birkoff: Walter.
Walter: Hmmm?
Birkoff: I, um…
Walter: Hey. Don’t sweat it. You didn’t have a choice.
Birkoff: I should have done something.
Walter: What, and risk your neck? I don’t think so.
Birkoff: You did. For Nikita and Michael.
Walter: Well, what can I say? I’m a sucker for seeing people happy.
Birkoff: So, how did they know about the trap?
Walter: Well, there’s a few tricks I haven’t told you about. Now first, you-
Birkoff: No, no, that’s okay, I don’t want to know. (he walks away quickly. Walter smiles)
Operations: I think we should proceed with our original plan.
Madeline: It’s dangerous.
Operations: Then proceed with caution.
THE END
Scene Twelve - Section One, Comm. Birkoff loads Nikita’s panel, reads the data on it.
Scene Thirteen: Section One, Operations Loft. Michael walks in; Operations is there.
Scene Fourteen - Section One, Hallway Alcove.
Scene Fifteen - Section One, Munitions. Birkoff comes up to Walter.
Scene Sixteen - Section One, Operations Loft. Madeline walks in and up to Operations.
Scene Seventeen - Section One, Munitions.
Scene Eighteen - Section One - Munitions Birkoff is walking around, probably looking for Walter, feeling guilty. A hand on his shoulder startles him. It’s Operations.
Scene Nineteen - Section One, Madeline’s Office.
Scene Twenty - Section One, Main Floor. Walter walks slowly across the floor, Birkoff watches, looks troubled.
Scene Twenty-One - Section One, Hallway. Michael and Nikita.
Scene Twenty-Two - Nikita’s Apartment.
Scene Twenty Three - Section One, Madeline’s Office. Operations enters, Madeline is at her desk.
Scene Twenty-Four - Section One, Staircase. Operations runs into Michael.
Scene Twenty Five - Section One, Munitions.
Scene Twenty-Six - Section One, Systems
Scene Twenty-Seven - Section One, Munitions. Nikita walks up; Walter is working.
Scene Twenty-Eight - Section One, Van Access. Operations watches Michael and Nikita leave for the mission. As soon as they’re gone, a second team comes along headed up by Davenport.
Scene Twenty-Nine: Section One, Munitions. Birkoff comes up to Walter.
Scene Thirty - The Mission. Michael walks alone
TAG - Nikita’s Apartment
Tag Part Two - Section One, Munitions.
Tag Part Three - Section One Operations Loft Nikita walks across the floor of Section, right past Michael, they don’t even look at each other. Madeline and Operations watch.