Wake me up inside,
Call my name and save me from the dark.
"Michael!"
The figure clad in black continued to walk on. Nikita rolled her eyes in frustration.
"I know you can hear me," she sang, hands on hips. He took two more reluctant steps and swung around with a face like thunder about to blow. It had become a customary look for him. And she didn't like it. "Amanda just told me you aren't coming on the Op."
He looked across the 30ft gap between them and was surprised he could match her challenging gaze with a steady one of his own. For a moment, he had doubted he would have the strength.
"I have other business," he said shortly.
She gave an astonished laugh, "We've been working on intel for five months and you're just going to bail?"
"Percy," he emphasised the name, "has ordered me to stay here."
"Of his own accord or by your suggestion?"
Michael blinked, "What's the difference, either way I'm out."
"It makes all the difference in the world."
For a moment, there was a silence, an awkwardness, and both considered turning away. Running away. But neither could move an inch. There was still that lingering sense that something needed to be said. It had been coming on for awhile, that nagging feeling that something needed to be said. Nikita bristled as Michael broke the stare. He was always the one who broke their stares.
"Look..."
"Oh, I'm looking," she piped sarcastically.
He gave an ugly grimace, "It's probably better if we didn't work on overseas missions together anymore."
She raised her eyebrow sardonically, "So...You've run out of vacation leave?"
He frowned, "We always lose sight of our priorities."
Tempted to close the yawning gap between them with several quick steps and a sharp slap, Nikita simmered. She told herself that she was angry because all their preparation was centred around them as a pair, and now, just two weeks before launch, the plans had to be completely redone. For a person who valued organisation and structure, the new development did not help her confidence on an already dangerous mission. At least that's what the loud, confident voice in her head said.
The soft, small one in the back whispered that it would the first overseas assignment where she wouldn't have Michael beside her. Not that she particularly needed him – but it was moral support. True, she could hardly be called a dependent worker...but Michael's presence would mean that nothing had changed. That no matter what their relationship might be, however strange and indescribable, they would still always be there for each other on the field.
"We always complete the mission," she countered.
It was Michael's turn to raise the eyebrow, "Unconventionally."
"What's wrong with that?"
"It's unnecessary complication."
Is that what you call it? Nikita thought bitterly, thinking back as far back as Operation Lily to the most recent Ungria. "No reward without risk."
The sentiment hung warily between them. Both were thinking the same. What kind of reward? And would it be worth the risk...
"You don't need me anymore," he said, voice softening to a tenderness that surprised her, "And this Op isn't hard."
She pushed down the bubbly feeling of flatter and narrowed her eyes, "We're going in blind."
"We have men on the inside and there's room for mistake," he reasoned, "You have a fifteen minute leeway, there's no need for any precision because you're going in hot and the fire will destroy all trace that you were ever there. Easy."
"Weren't you the one who always said that there's no such thing as an easy mission?"
"Well that was before I met you."
She was even more astonished, "Come on Michael, half of the missions I do with you end up getting us half killed."
He grinned, "And the other ones take about an hour."
"This is a two-man op," she stated, "Don't you want to be at least one of the men?"
He shook his head, turning away again. "You're worth both of them."
Nikita watched the retreating shape of his back. He was right, she knew. And she didn't like it.
You can't just leave me.
Breathe into me and make me real.
Bring me to life.
The property was huge. That was the only thing that registered in her mind for a long while. Still several miles off from the mansion, they were already technically inside Udinov borders. In the darkness, the pine forest was one big enveloping mass below their helicopter. Hovering slightly above the tree line with lights out, there was no way to tell how much time was passing. All she knew was that the chill air cut at the exposed parts of her wrists and neck and the swirl of the deadly blades above her thudded in a rhythmic beat that racked her body and brought on an onslaught of headaches.
Other than the grim faced pilot, she was alone. Other cells in the operation would come from within the compound itself or were already positioned on the outskirts of the forest, where it thinned as it sloped down towards the front drive. One of the five south side security guards would take out his comrades and lay accelerants to allocated parts of the house. The two men guarding the front entrance would be shot by the butler who would ensure that all operatives entered the building without opposition.
The right hand man, Sergei Semak, had already left the country. No one, not even the men in on the assassination would ever know what part he had played.
"10 minutes!" the pilot yelled over the roar of the propellers.
She nodded, focusing. She would enter through the front, move through the house and seek out the targets. Amanda had told her to prioritise Nikolai Udinov, other operatives would take down household staff and security.
"It's true that a rival company has ordered the attack, Nikita, but that is not the only reason Udinov is our target. Not only does he mine in non-regulation, protected areas for his resources but he uses coercion, fear and murder to keep Zetrov on its feet. He has a reputation for being very cruel and funds a suspected Black-ops group that does his dirty work."
"Will he be armed?"
"He's a businessman, I'm sure you're more than capable of taking him on."
Nikita nodded slowly, "What about Ekaterina Udinov? Without Michael, our window for taking her down narrows, I have to get to both in twenty minutes."
"With luck, they'll be hiding in the same room. He'll try to protect her," said Amanda.
"Two targets in twenty minutes, I guess I've had worse."
"Not quite," Amanda interrupted with a purse of her lips, "Michael's withdrawal isn't the only change in plans. We've had new orders that Pale Fire wants the entire Udinov empire to be destroyed."
She frowned uncomprehending, "I thought that was what we were doing."
The lady with the killer heels shook her head, "They want us to remove any possibility that Zetrov would return to power by any form of Udinov legacy."
Nikita was still mystified.
"You have three targets. Nikolai, Ekaterina and Alexandra, their daughter, who has been trained to take over the family business," Amanda explained, "Twenty minutes. But you're right – you've had much worse."
How can you see into my eyes like open doors,
Leading you down into my core,
Where I've become so numb.
"Operation Pale Fire is green. Go. Go. Go!"
Nikita pulled the gas mask over her face, levelled her pistol and ran inside. The exquisite interior, the crystal chandelier and gilded furniture, she barely noticed. It was the huge portrait hanging above the fireplace that stalled her. In between the faces of the regal woman and white haired man sat a little girl in a bright purple dress.
An Operative rolled a flash bomb down a corridor, and the East Wing went up in flames.
Bid my blood to run,
Before I come undone.
There was smoke. A lot of it.
She ran, looking left and right down hallways, kicking in doors only to whip her gun at empty rooms.
"Perimeter secured."
"Three guards down!"
"2 minutes until north-east corridor detonates!"
"Accelerants ready!"
"Ready!"
"Team Beta need extraction at the West Wing!"
"West Wing detonated!"
"Extraction point secure!"
Nikita rushed up a flight of stairs and stopped. Three hallways branched out in front of her. Two were burning, but her targets could already be behind those flames into the south side of the complex. Her heart raced. Sweat made her clothes cling to her. The heat was unbelievable.
"Any sign of targets?" she spoke into her Com, taking off the mask and wiping her face with a few hurried strokes of her jacket arm.
"Negative."
"Nope."
"North East corridor detonated!"
"Mother in atrium! Mother in atrium!"
"Team Alpha, father heading to south side."
"Mother down."
Running again, Nikita heard the woman's scream, cut terribly short with the finality that signalled certain death. Voices continued to chatter in her ear but the sound of the flames was starting to drown them out. She skidded on the polished floor and turned a corner. A wall of flame leapt up from the burning carpet, through the sudden glare, she saw two figures disappear into the last room on the right.
Backing a few steps, she sprinted down the length of the hall runner and jumped into the air. The toes of her boots were scorched and she landed in a messy crouch on the other side. Panting, she collected herself and pulled open the door.
Udinov's gun came into view. She fired. He fell.
Without a soul,
My spirit sleeping somewhere cold.
Frozen inside.
Over the sound her bullets, over the fire eating at every flammable thing in the room, over the voices in her ear...there was one thin, devastated shriek. A cry. A call for help. A scream of confusion.
"Father down."
Then she knelt, pulled on her mask and peered under the bed. Nikita found herself staring at the little girl in the picture. She cocked her gun and pointed it right at the target's head.
Alexandra looked back, wide eyed, covered in grime and tears, at the monster, the alien, with the strange head, all in black. The creature that had killed her father. Boots. Gun. Fire. She squeezed her eyes shut, more salt liquid pouring down her face. The thing would shoot her and she would die. Like her Mama.
Like her Papa.
Nikita fired. Alex slumped.
"Daughter down."
Save me from the nothing I've become,
Bring me to life.
Nikita threw her gun aside. It landed beside the rogue shot, fired at the floor. She reached for Alexandra's hands and pulled the girl out. The shock, or the smoke, or the whole horrible situation had knocked her out. The last thing she had seen in the girl's eyes was Evil.
A dark figure, faceless, emotionless. Hard black stone in a room of glowing red. No eyes. No soul. Just the barrel of a glinting gun. Robotic.
The girl stirred. Her limp arm reached for her father's. She grasped at his hand. Nikita tried to stand, to get her out. She didn't have much time. Soon, she would have to be at the extraction point. Alexandra Udinov needed to be safe.
She pulled Alex away.
"Papa...HET!"
"We have to go..." Nikita said, knowing the girl couldn't hear her anyway.
"HET!" she cried, holding onto her Papa's lifeless hand with an iron grip.
"Agent Nikita, update."
Forcefully pulling the girl away from her father, she felt like she was tugging a piece of her own chest with it. Children weren't supposed to be separated from their parents. It wasn't fair. It wasn't natural. She bent down and unclasped the watch around his wrist.
"Nikki, Gary says we have to go," Luke murmured, pulling at her jumper. Nikita knelt at the grave. Her mother lay in the freshly turned earth, watered by her tears. "Come on..."
"Nikita!" Gary cried.
She didn't move. Gary came up behind her and grasped at her shoulder. He squeezed harder than necessary and bodily yanked her into a standing position.
"It's time to go."
"No."
"What did you say?"
"I said no."
Grabbing her waist, he lifted her up and carried her away. She thrashed. Kicking and scratching at the binds that pulled her away from the only parent she had ever known. "NO! NO! You can't take me!"
He swung her around, still locked in his arms.
"NOOOOO!"
Passing the watch to Alex, the girl's eyes watered and she took it in her hands. But Nikita shook her mask, she tucked the heirloom into the girl's pocket and patted it. Then, holding her to her chest, stormed out of the room.
Without your touch,
Without you, love,
Darling only you are the light among the dead.
"Alpha Team report."
"This is Alpha Team, over," Nikita said hurriedly. An unconscious Alexandra was swung over her shoulder, a member of Nikolai's household who had escaped was at her gunpoint. Shots rang out in the distance, muffled by the snow that had started to fall.
"Why haven't I gotten an update?"
She didn't have much time.
"Executing affirmative sweep for survivors. Targets are down. Confirm with Roan," she lied breathlessly, not breaking eye contact with the man on the road. "будет думать дочь сжечь, понимаешь?"
He nodded, agreeing to keep the girl hidden.
"You're safe with him, I promise," she said, lying the girl gently in the back of the car. With her eyes closed, she almost looked asleep. Perhaps she would wake up and think it was a surreal nightmare. Perhaps she was still too young to register what had happened.
Nikita hoped that was the cased. And she wished it would be as easy for herself to forget what she had seen reflected in the innocence of the girl's eyes. Evil. Monstrous. Pale Fire had ordered the attack, yes, but she had been the one to carry it out. Almost carry it out. Almost.
"You're worth both of them," Michael's voice echoed in her head. She watched the car race away into the dark and rushed back up the hill to the extraction point.
But he was wrong. Because being worth two men would imply that she was human. And whatever she was, whatever she had become, whatever Division had moulded her to be – it was not that. It was not human.
"Team Alpha, extraction in five."
As she crested the hill, she stopped. The mansion was one huge burning silhouette against the dark night sky, against the white, crisp ground. Through the crackling, the gunshots and the noises of battle, Nikita could swear she heard laughter.
At first it sounded rather like Amanda on a good day. But on closer inspection, Nikita realised it was the sound of Fate. And she didn't like it.
She didn't like it at all.
Wake me up inside,
Call my name and save me from the dark.
Save me from the nothing I've become.
Bring me to life.
Lyrics from "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence (but I was listening to the Katherine Jenkins cover). Many of the lines during the actual Op were taken from the episode Alexandra. I tried to dictate the Russian straight from the episode but it was...difficult. So basically, HET = no, pronounced approx. 'niert'. будет думать дочь сжечь, понимаешь = This his daughter, they will think she burnt. Understood?, pronounced approx. 'bidyet dymat doich szhech, panmatye?' Any fluent Russian speakers feel free to correct me :)