A/N – Welcome to my first "Nikita" fanfic.

As I'm not familiar with the actual location of Division, I've made the following assumptions: First, since Percy and the people from Division seem to be close to senators and political figures, I'm assuming Division is close to Washington DC. Second, since recruits are kept hidden until activated, I've assumed Division is in a remote location with limited access in/out - probably in a forest or other comparable desolate area.

This story is inspired by the episode "One Way" where Alex got Jaden to team up and help her out. It doesn't revolve around Nikita/Michael incident at the airport but it will become a factor. There's no romantic relationships or slash explored in this fanfic – it's all action. Story rating is "T" for some action and bad words (nothing too heavy).

I certainly welcome feedback and constructive criticism on this fanfic.

They were on the run. They ran in the dark of night as far and fast as they could only having the light of the full moon and a small flashlight to help them see. They ran, with one of them carrying the few items they could gather in a small shoulder bag. They ran as the burning in their legs and lungs begged them to stop. They ran even though they knew the likelihood of succeeding in their quest was minimal. They ran even though they could hear the dogs in the distance behind them. They ran even though they knew a sweeper team was on their tail. They ran even though the tracking devices in their bodies revealed their position no matter where they went.

Even so, they ran anyway.

Neither of the two young women thought it would come to this. Division had slated them for cancellation: one was caught helping a rogue agent on the outside; the other found out about a top-secret mission that had major worldwide repercussions. The former woman had nothing but loathing for Division; the latter owed them her life and would gladly give it in service of Division. It was a paradox and juxtaposition of personalities, motives and desires.

And yet, they were now unlikely comrades in the escape of their lives.

After fifteen minutes of running, Jaden stopped panting for breath. "Alex! Stop! I can't keep running!"

Alex stopped and turned around to face her new companion. "We can't. They're not that far behind us. We've got to reach the road!"

"What road? We're in the middle of nowhere, you stupid bitch!" Jaden spat back. "How do you even know where we are anyway, let alone where we're going?"

"Trust me…I know," was Alex's only reply…

(Six months ago)

"This is where Division is located," Nikita said as she pointed to an open area on a map. Her finger rested on an area west of Washington DC in a remote part of the District of Columbia. It was the perfect place to hold recruits: away from the busy cities, remote, desolate, secluded, and devoid of many roads. Alex nodded as she took in this information.

Nikita continued: "If things go bad, get out and head east. Follow the flight paths of the jets flying into Reagan National…"

(Present Day)

Alex looked to the sky to see airplanes on their arrival path. "We need to keep heading east – there's a highway another couple of miles from here. Once we get there, we can hitch a ride to the city…"

"Then what?" Jaden interrupted. "They'll track us no matter where we go. We're as good as dead."

Alex marched right up to her companion and looked her right in the eye. "We're already dead! We were slated for cancellation, remember? At least, out here, we've got a chance. Now MOVE!"

With that, Alex turned and started running again. Jaden rolled her eyes and followed her comrade through the forest regardless.

"Strike team is half a mile and closing," Birkhoff noted, watching as a number of red dots raced across a computer image of a map.

"A mobile strike team is also en route to intercept if they make it to the highway," Michael added, slamming a phone down in the control room.

Percy pursed his lips before speaking: "It's vital that we get them before they reach the highway. I want them taken down."

Michael didn't like what his director had just said. He turned to Percy and asked, "Sir, is that really necessary? If we bring them in…"

Percy slowly turned to face Michael with a look that stopped him mid-sentence. "Michael, we have two rogue recruits on the run with knowledge of a highly classified mission. It is also possible that they have leaked that information to outside sources. I intend to make sure that information stays as classified as possible, which includes their termination! So, DON'T ask me if this is 'really necessary'!"

Birkhoff whistled staring at the screen before him. "You know…it's a shame really. I kinda liked Alex – she had some potential. Jaden…not so much – she was too much of an up-tight, stuck-up bitch."

Percy didn't even look away from Michael as he asked, "How long before the team reaches them?"

"Estimated five…possibly ten minutes. However, they're approaching the fence just as we speak."

Percy smiled and turned back to look at the monitors. "Good. Perhaps this foolish game will be over just as soon as it's begun."

"Dammit!" Jaden swore walking up to a twelve-foot high electrified fence that went straight up. "How the hell are we supposed to get past this?"

Just then, Alex shoved two gloves and shoe covers into Jaden's hands. Alex told her, "Put these on."

"What are there?"

"Rubber gloves and rubber shoe covers. They're thick enough to insulate you against electricity…"

(Six months ago)

Nikita continued her briefing to Alex. "The entire facility is protected by an electric fence pushing 1,000 volts. It's not enough to kill you but it'll make you think twice about getting near it. It's about twelve feet high, but you can get over it if you have protective gloves and shoes - you can get those from the storerooms in Division. The best way over is to climb the fence poles. Just don't touch any of the fencing."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Ya think?" she replied sarcastically.

(Present day)

Jaden was wide-eyed in shock, staring at the gloves Alex handed her. "Where'd you get these?"

"Division's storeroom," Alex answered with a smile.

Jaden didn't believe her. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"How?"

"I have my ways."

"And where have you been hiding these?"

"Remember when you followed me through the ventilation shaft?" Alex patted the bag over her shoulder. "That's where I hid this 'Go Bag'. I would add stuff to it every so often when I could."

After putting on her gear, Alex turned to climb the fence; however, she was stopped by Jaden who grabbed her and turned her around. "You're seriously going to scale an electric fence?" Jaden asked.

Alex smiled and replied 'as-a-matter-of-factly': "Yeah."

Jaden could only look in disbelief. "Oh."

With that, Alex jumped onto the fence, grabbing the support pole and climbing to the top. As she ascended the pole, she could hear the hum of the power passing through the wires woven within the chain link fence. However, she knew she couldn't let it unnerve her from her task. Once she reached the top, she carefully made her way over to the other side and back onto solid ground. Alex looked at Jaden who was still on the other side of the fence, but her vision was distracted by a faint light coming from the flashlights of the Strike Team off in the distance. Alex started to worry. "Come on! They're coming!"

Jaden turned to see the growing light and could hear the faint barking of the dogs: the Strike Team was getting closer. "Oh, hell no!"

She quickly turned and started to climb the fence pole. Alex watched as Jaden ascended to the top while also keeping watch for the Strike Team. Jaden proved to be Alex's equal as she was able to ascend to the top in the same amount of time; however, she was half way down before Alex noticed that the Strike Team was getting too close for comfort. She yelled up to Jaden: "Jump!"

"WHAT? ARE YOU NUTS?"

"Jump, dammit, or we're dead!"

Jaden let go and fell the remaining six feet to the ground. However, Alex grabbed her to cushion some of Jaden's fall to the ground.

"Time to go!" Alex shouted as the Strike Team came into view.

The Team Leader saw them on the other side of the fence and raised his semi-automatic rifle. "STOP!"

The two women got up and ran as they ducked under the gunfire that ripped the trees above their heads. After a few seconds, the women were no longer in view.

The Team Leader swore as he pulled out his phone. "Alpha Team reporting: the targets are over the fence. We lost them."

"How the HELL did they get past the fence?"

Percy was livid. After staying in one place for almost ten minutes, the two recruits' tracking dots started moving eastward again.

Birkhoff was racking his brain trying to come up with a reasonable explanation. "Well, considering what they did to the rest of our defenses, it is quite possible they found a way to electronically reroute the energy field…"

He noticed Percy glaring at him. "…shutting up now."

"We still have Strike Team Bravo en route, sir," Michael informed Percy.

Still, Division's director was not impressed. "I want two more Strike Teams ready to go in case Bravo team fails."

"Sir…" Michael started to protest.

"NOW, Michael!"

After a few seconds, Michael nodded in obedience. "Yes, sir."

"Alex, stop."

Jaden collapsed down on the ground, exhausted from running. Alex stopped as well, resting against a tree to catch her breath.

In between breaths, Jaden asked her comrade, "OK…we've…made it… this far… now what?"

"We've got to…get to the…highway…hopefully…we'll get…a ride…out of here."

Jaden shook her head. "We've still got trackers on us…"

"One problem at a time," Alex interrupted. "Let's get out of here first, and then we'll deal with the trackers."

They continued walking, and after about an hour, the highway was in sight. However, both women stopped dead in their tracks, noticing a black SUV parked along the side of the road. The doors opened and a group of five men, all dressed in black, piled out of the SUV. The men started walking in their general direction and, once they were some distance away from the SUV, drew their weapons.

One of them looked familiar. Both women's eyes went wide.

"Thom?"

Please let me know what you think. I'd love to get your feedback.