"It's as bad as we thought," After watching the video tape Nikita had found at the murdered engineer's trailer, and trading intel with Ryan and Kendrick, Alex echoed everyone's thoughts. The explosion at the plant was barely a small part of Percy's plan. It was a sick demonstration of the type of power he could control the world with. The team couldn't even be surprised about his powerplay. Of course he was doing all he could to subject others to his rule. They just didn't expect it to involve supervillain-like nuclear warfare.
"I'd say it's worse. Not only does Percy have one of the deadliest weapons ever created, he's using it to blackmail the President into committing political suicide," Michael tried not to be a pessimist, but it was impossible to look on the bright side. Unless the rogues or someone intervened, the world would end. There was no doubt. Despite their best efforts, Percy won.
"The President's gotta have something up his sleeve. The Air Force could try to shoot a missile at it, or the Seals can do a ground assault," Sean believed there was something they could do, however. Why else would Ryan still be talking to Kendrick; the two were attempting to strategize a plan. Maybe the team could help with that, provide intel or aid to the troops that had to be swarming in. It wasn't a complete loss yet.
"It's too risky. If Percy gets word of an attack, he'll trigger the weapon immediately," Sighing, Michael wasn't certain if there was anything the team could do. They had exhausted their resources and themselves. Yes they had come up against terrible odds before, but the current situation was so beyond them. The government didn't even know what to do.
"Cross Bow can get another shot off before a missile hits it. Let's face it. Percy won. We're probably next," Birkhoff shared Michael's thoughts. He believed in the team- he did. But they had met their match. Percy had nuclear material, deathray satellites, and the President under his thumb. They were just a bunch of rogue agents, crowded in a small safehouse after barely surviving yet another attack against them. Their guns were no match for a nefarious plot straight out of a B-movie sci-fi. They were trapped in a horror story.
Shaking her head, Nikita vehemently disagreed. The team hadn't given up before. They had gone through hell and back multiple times, yet they never gave in. Then couldn't be different. Even if it was incredibly dangerous and the risk of death was too great, no one could call it quits. After everything, they weren't allowed to lose, "No we're not. He is."
Wary eyes cast around the room. The team wanted Nikita to be right. They wanted there to be an easy fix that they could cling to. They just didn't have the power. Percy had everything. Hope and spunk wasn't going to get them out of trouble that time. Not even their level of intel gathering and planning could. It was all too much. Although she tried to believe that they could do anything, Alex was overwhelmed by those thoughts, "Nikita, I get that. But what do we do?"
"We take away his trump card, the satellite he controls from Division," Crossing her arms, Nikita hoped she seemed more commanding than terrified. She knew she was grasping at straws. It was a last-ditch effort that had more of a potential to harm the rogues than help them. But she had been beyond reckless and stupid and sacrificial before, and it had worked in her favor. Maybe it could happen again.
That was a massive 'maybe' to rely on, however. The team couldn't compare their current situation to the past. They had never encountered something so atrocious or perilous. A nuclear strike coming from a satellite was completely out of their league. All of their usual tricks meant nothing to it. Birkhoff couldn't even hack it, "You think I haven't thought of that? This is ancient tech. It's all about the motherboard, not the software. You can't hack it."
"I'm not talking about hacking it. I'm talking about going into Division," Nikita hoped that saying it simply would ease the impact of it. She was the last person who wanted to return to that hellhole. She hadn't escaped and fought to destroy it because she wanted to return one day; she was absolutely terrified of those walls swallowing her whole. She couldn't die in there.
"Are you kidding? We can't go at that place," Birkhoff didn't care that his voice cracked with emotion. Nikita had to know how ridiculous she was being. If the team went at Division, they'd die. At least running gave them a fighting chance. They wouldn't have the life they wanted or the life they tried to achieve. But at least they'd be alive. With all of the hell that had been thrown at them, that would've been substantial enough. If they managed to survive, they could consider that as a success.
"Why not?" It wouldn't be a success enough for Nikita, though. Running wasn't surviving, especially with Percy and Division on their tails.
"Because it's suicide," Michael's voice was soft. His gaze was set and serious, unwavering in its intensity. Risking their lives on their missions was one thing, they could always find a way to make it back to the safehouse. But intentionally throwing their lives away at a brief chance of success was different. It was almost as if they didn't care about their lives, only the world. That couldn't be true. The team was just as important as everyone else.
"So is the alternative. I've been running from Division for five years. Running and running and running, while Percy gets stronger. I'm not running anymore!" She just wanted to go home. Nikita had had her taste of it- of happiness- and it was all she wanted. The end was so close, she couldn't give up on it. The team couldn't give up on it. They all deserved to go home and be happy and be free, "I don't want to go in there, Michael. I have to. This ends today."
No one could argue against her. The others might not have liked her plan, yet they knew they had to do something. Maybe being stupid and reckless was their best bet. Sean and Alex were coming around to that idea. They could put their lives on the line one last time. The payoff could be worth it. Birkhoff on the other hand, didn't see it the same way. All he could see was destruction, "Nikki, you have flirted with the crazy before, but this is flat out starkers."
"I'm not talking about knocking on the front door, genius. I'm talking about a surgical strike," Since she was on a roll, Nikita was going to stick to her idea. Alex and Sean silently agreeing with her insanity fortified her. The team could scheme, as they always did, and possibly win it all. A slim glimmer of hope began to be created.
"Let's approach this tactically. What exactly are we talking about here?" Michael did his best to be reasonable. He knew he wouldn't be able to talk Nikita down. But if the team thought through their actions enough, he could assure himself. What else were they going to do. It was either run or fight. And hadn't they done enough running from their pasts.
"Horrible, gruesome death. First, we would have to disable the Cross Bow control boards. Break in. Fight our way through teeming hordes of psycho killers. And make our way down to the server room, which is on the ninth sublevel. AKA: the basement of hell," Growing more anxious and angry with each word, Birkhoff listed off the absolute hell and devastation the rogues were thinking about walking into. They couldn't simplify it. It was pure chaos.
"We take the abandoned silo all the way down, we pass the main levels. Think about it. If we go in through the exhaust vent, it would lead straight to the server room," Easily, Nikita suggested. No one would catch them in the air vents. Even after she and Alex used to sneak around and escape through the vents, Division continued to have that one vulnerability. The team could keep exploiting it.
"The hatch was removed when Nikita escaped Division," Alex disagreed, though. As much as she wanted to accept the idea and run with it, she remembered what happened after Nikita broke out of Division for the umpteenth time. Percy had controlled all points of entry in the bunker. Anyone invading wouldn't have a chance.
Unless they had previous knowledge of Division. Michael shook his head, denying Alex's statement. That might've been what the recruits and agents believed. But those in charge knew better, "No, it wasn't removed. It was sealed by me. I welded it shut with steel brackets."
"We could blow through that," Perking up, Sean exclaimed. He had been ready to back his sister since she had first threatened Percy. He wanted her home just as much as she did. That could be their chance; he wouldn't accept any other alternative.
"Okay. Let's not forget that to even get to the hatch we have to get past the farm. Which is manned by two full time sentries. And don't let their civilian cover fool you. Ma and Pa Kent are still Division agents," Fine, the rogues could break into Division. Yet Birkhoff had to remind them that the always-scheming Percy had multiple contingencies. Nothing was ever simple and easy to plan for. They were just meant to suffer.
"Sean and I can handle them," Despite the warning, Alex decided. Sean nodded. The two of them could take care of the contingencies while Nikita and Michael infiltrated Division. Splitting up maybe wasn't the smartest move, yet it would allow them to handle so many things. They were stretched thin, but maybe they could make that finally work in their favor.
"And you can't kill them. They die, their trackers go offline. Somebody in Ops notices that, horrible gruesome death," Birkhoff did want to defeat Percy. He just had to be realistic. Death was everywhere. If they planned around that, great. Otherwise, they had to face the facts.
"So we go non-lethal," Sean stated it as the simple statement that it was. He and Alex could just render the two agents unconscious and tie them up in the barn. That would give the others enough time to get in and out of the server room. They'd blow the charge and escape, and Percy would be too busy left scrambling to go after them. Hopefully then, the CIA and the military could step in and shut things down for good.
Squaring her shoulders and setting her jaw, Nikita nodded. So that settled things. The rogues were going to do it. They were going to risk everything on one mission, so help them God, "Alright. Birkhoff, you quarterback. Sean and Alex, you get us in. Michael and I will infiltrate. We get down to the server room. We plant a charge that we can remotely detonate. When we exfil, we blow the charge."
Alex and Sean took off to prepare for the operation without another word. Michael remained rooted in his spot, continuing to think things over. As did Nikita. Birkhoff, however, had to move forward. The team was going to be reckless regardless; he had to accept it and settle his nerves, "Hey, listen, Nikki. I really hope this isn't the last time we see each other."
"Thanks for reminding me, Nerd. I'm the one who's ass is on the line," Rolling her eyes, Nikita huffed. She wasn't in the mood for the nerd's quips. Her thoughts were too loud for jokes.
"I know," Birkhoff was completely serious, however. He closed the gap between him and Nikita, and kissed her. She was surprised at first, but then she soon smiled. It was a simple affection, one born of friends needing to express how much they care for one another. Once the two separated, she knocked her forehead against his. He grinned, "May the Force be with you."
Nikita laughed despite herself. Birkhoff did as well. Except, as he passed by Michael on the way to his computer, he swallowed hard and ducked his head. He was going to pay for that later, "Mikey, you can kick my ass when you get back. Okay buddy?"
"Will do," Gruffly, Michael promised. It wasn't so much that he hated what Birkhoff did; he knew it meant nothing, and a part of him understood the need for it. He was simply annoyed.
"It's crazy, right?" Ignoring the men, Nikita muttered. Michael glared at Birkhoff, and she rolled her eyes once more. That wasn't what she meant; though, she was certain the kiss was going to be brought back up again. At least it was a good distraction from their drama and potential death. For a brief moment, "The attack."
"It's definitely a hail Mary, but I think we can pull it off," Michael moved closer to her, their shoulders brushing. He was being more positive than he normally was, yet that was how he battled the overwhelming anxiety that gripped him so tightly. He kept that at bay, he and the rest of the team really could pull through.
"Michael, I don't want to do the thing where I'm deciding for everybody," Whispering, Nikita confessed. She was afraid she had led everyone to their deaths.
"You're not. We all know what we're getting into," Quickly, Michael reassured. Nikita wasn't at fault for anything terrible that might happen. The rogues were a team for a reason. They did things together- that included planning and deciding. They were all for the infiltration, even if apprehensions said otherwise. She didn't force them into anything.
She heard Michael's words, yet Nikita didn't quite yet believe them. She didn't want any more people to die. She didn't want to cause any more pain. That would be worse than Percy winning, "If this goes wrong, my worst nightmare is dying in that hellhole without you."
"That's never going to happen. You can't get rid of me that easily," Taking a hold of Nikita's hand, Michael squeezed tightly. He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. She returned the affection immediately. It was going to be difficult. It was going to be hell. But the team had a chance at success. With each other by their sides, they could pull it off. They could be the miracle the world needed.