Set after 2x21 "Dead Drop". The team tries to catch each other up on things they missed.
Everyone was still trying to settle at the new safehouse after Division raided the old one. Technically, it was Ryan's safehouse, the team was just occupying it. Nikita, Michael, Birkhoff, Alex, and Sean crashed into the small space, ruining his peace. The analyst claimed he didn't mind. He could dig up intel while the team's antics unfolded around him; they didn't have to be separated anymore. However, there were moments where he wanted to take back his words. Apparently, Nikita was right to set him up apart from their insanity. Analyzing amidst rogue agent antics was a whole other level of difficult. Ryan couldn't focus.
At that moment, he blamed Nikita and Michael for his lack of concentration. The two weren't doing anything particularly distracting. They were simply washing dishes. Yet as they did so, they splashed each other with water, shared flirty teases, and giggled. Ryan had always been confused by their relationship, never quite understanding what was happening between the two. Since he had been in prison and then Division, it had only gotten worse. If there was one thing the analyst hated, it was not having all the answers, "When exactly did this happen again?"
The couple paused at his question. They hadn't even noticed he was working at the table behind them. As Michael turned off the water, Nikita turned to stare at her friend in confusion. After a moment, the two caught onto what Ryan was asking- mostly because he was studying how they stood so close they touched. Nikita sighed, "Remember when Kasim Tariq was shot and killed? Around then."
"It took killing a terrorist to get you two together?" Ryan gave up on reading through the newspapers he had gathered. Yes he needed to continue tracking Percy's movements since he had plutonium and bomb casings, but Nikita's revelation was far more interesting. Besides, if he gave himself a sort of break, he could return to his work with a clear head and fresh eyes. Things might jump out at him then.
"Well, he was the Division plant that bombed my family when Percy tried to kill me," Michael tried for a nonchalant attitude with his reply, yet acidity still slipped into his tone. His fists clenched as he tightly crossed his arms. The fact and memory continued to fill him with so much anger, it was nearly blinding. Thankfully, he had Nikita beside him to anchor him. She laid a comforting hand on the small of his back, and he took a deep breath.
Whereas the couple was unfazed, Ryan was left in shock. He knew about the death of Michael's family and that he was recruited on a lie. But Kasim had him rattled. Division was responsible for an infamous terrorist. He had so many questions. However, the first one that formed was that Michael, the head of agents, was originally a target, "Percy wanted you dead?"
"He wanted me out of the way, which was why he recruited me and then lied to me for ten years," Michael clarified. His fury over the past had calmed a little, turning inward at how he fell for Percy's lies and stayed loyal to him for so long. Nikita moved her hand from his back to settle in the crook of his arm. Despite how worked up he had become, he couldn't help but relax at her touch.
"See, Fletch. I illuminate the truth," Grinning proudly, Nikita pulled Michael's tensely crossed arms loose. A chuckle broke free against his will. She certainly had her way with people, and he would forever be grateful for that.
"You knew famous terrorist Kasim Tariq was Division?" Finally able to wrap his head around the horrific information he had learned, Ryan blurted. If Nikita had known a prominent member of Al-Qaeda was Division when she first roped him into the war, that would've been an important fact to know. He could've potentially helped the CIA hunt him down, or he could've possibly had more damning intel for his 'ghost unit'. How could she have kept that from him.
"No. Just that Michael lost a wife and daughter. The rest I found out with him," Nikita negated, calming Ryan. Of course she didn't sit on that valuable of information. Though, if she had, she would've told Michael first. He deserved the truth a long time ago.
"You had a wife and daughter?" Birkhoff nearly shouted. He, Alex, and Sean had been in the other room fortifying the safehouse's security and internet connection. They eventually joined the rest of the team, but apparently at the worst moment possible. Uneasy glances shot around the room as each realized they all knew varying amounts of information about Michael's past. Obviously, Nikita knew the most. Sean had some intel because of Oversight. And Alex had been briefed when he joined her as a mole. But Ryan and Birkhoff remained in the dark.
That wasn't fair to Birkhoff. He had known Michael for a decade; he should've been told what family members had been killed by Division, not just the vague response that it was people he had loved. Before the agent could begin apologizing and explaining to the nerd, however, Sean interrupted with a rivaling shout, "Kasim Tariq was Division?"
More awkwardness shifted around the room. At least Birkhoff knew that. Unfortunately the Navy Seal and the CIA analyst tasked with shutting down Division hadn't. The lack of information was strong, somewhat surprising Nikita, "We're really that bad at catching up?"
"I still don't know how you found Alex," Michael decided to reply to Nikita instead of Birkhoff. Although the nerd definitely deserved an explanation, he'd talk to him more in depth about his family when the rest of his anger subsided. A real conversation between them was long overdue. It should be done right.
"Yeah. I don't know that either," Alex chimed in. She was certain Nikita had her reasons for holding back. But she still wanted to know how the rogue managed to track down a human trafficking victim that eventually managed to escape.
"I want to know how you got an Udinov into Division without anyone knowing," After Michael gave him a nod that they would talk later, Birkhoff was able to move along with the conversation. There were a lot of things Nikita had slipped past the black ops group that the nerd continued to have questions about. The shell program was a particular former annoyance. Yet how she had slipped a supposedly dead Division target into the ranks was something else.
Nikita only shrugged, however. After she realized she could save targets under Percy's Amanda's noses- Alex, Ari, the guy she stole the counterfeit money from- she knew she could slip a lot more past them. The two weren't as smart as they thought they were. Dangerous, yes. But they underestimated their opponents too much, "That was actually pretty easy."
"Wait. Go back to how a terrorist was in Division," Nikita might've had an interesting story to tell, yet Sean didn't care at the moment. The more time he spent with the team, the more he realized how much Oversight kept from him. A government sanctioned terrorist was beyond horrific. It made him sick that he had ever thought them better than the rogues.
"He was planted in Al-Qaeda by Division, but he eventually went rogue," With an indication that the team should move to sit in the makeshift livingroom, Michael responded. There were a lot of things they had to cover. They might as well be comfortable.
"I thought Nikita was the first rogue," Turning towards Nikita, Alex questioned. Everyone always said she was the first to break ranks. They could've been lying. But with how deeply Nikita's betrayal seemed to affect Division, Alex didn't think that was the case.
"I was. I'm a trendsetter," Nikita was way too proud of herself. Her bright grin caused the others to roll their eyes. At least the mood began to lighten again. They had all been through too much dramatics lately between Sean getting shot and the director of the CIA having a Division planted killchip; the team deserved the chance to relax and actually tell each other things.
"Yeah. But according to Amanda, you're a slut," As he settled next to Alex on the couch, Sean shared what the bitch had insinuated about the rogue. Nikita instantly paled.
Whether Michael held her to keep her from launching at Sean or to settle her was anyone's guess. He did glare at the Seal, though. Nikita, on the other hand, floundered for words and grew increasingly irritated. The color returned to her bronze skin hotly. How dare Amanda say that about her. She never wanted to go on all those seduction missions she was forced on. Just because she excelled didn't mean she liked it, "What? She sent me on those missions…"
"No, he meant that Amanda claimed you seduced all of us onto your team," Instantly, Ryan clarified. Nikita didn't need to go on her seduction mission rant. Though, she didn't so much rant about them as scream in anger. No matter what, her emotions were warranted. No one should've been used like that.
"I am disgusted, and revolted," Shuttering at the thought of sleeping with any of her teammates besides Michael, Nikita scrunched her nose in disgust. That was such a ridiculous thing to assume of her, of anyone. After all, who would ever sleep with Birkhoff.
"Yeah. We all know she only seduced Mikey," The nerd in question taunted the couple before Nikita could actually voice the rest of her thoughts. Birkhoff only received a throw pillow to the face instead of torment.
"And maybe Owen. I'm still confused on how he joined," Alex added. Michael's glare shifted towards her, unappreciative of the comment. Even if she was serious, it wasn't funny.
"His girlfriend was killed by Division," With a roll of her eyes, Nikita cleared that up. She thought she had told Alex about Emily, but it must've slipped her mind during the chaos of the moment. Around the time Owen came alone, Alex was going through hell in Division. She honestly didn't need too much thrown at her too fast. Being a mole as well as a recruit was a harrowing enough experience.
"Owen had a girlfriend? See, Mikey. You were jealous over nothing," Birkhoff threw the pillow back at the couple. Michael didn't glare that time. A slight blush marred his cheeks at how easily he had been read. There was no use in denying it. His feelings for Nikita really were as bad as the nerd taunted him for.
Laughter and light 'oohs' were thrown in Michael's direction. Alex and Birkhoff led the ribbing. Nikita simply stared at him in awe. She knew he was jealous once they were together. But before they had even admitted their feelings, that was just so much better, "Jealous, huh? We weren't even together yet."
"Who's Owen?" While Nikita playfully nudged Michael, Sean asked. He never received a file on Owen. And he thought the team would've told him about another rogue, but that wasn't always the case with them. Even in their catch up conversation, he continued to play catch up.
"It doesn't matter. He's not answering our calls. Besides, there's still other things we have to catch up on. Like Ryan's time in Division," Clearing his throat, Michael tried to redirect the topic. He was given amused glances, but no one argued with him.
In fact, Nikita tucked herself tighter against his side. She elbowed him in the ribs, but it was out of affection. For the second time with her, Michael couldn't help but chuckle. However, once Ryan expanded on being held in Division, all amusement died out, "There's not much else to tell. Percy choked me out. I think Amanda came onto me. Standard torture stuff as I figured out their plans and tormented them by praising you guys."
"I'm sorry. Go back. What?" Alex wanted to ensure she had heard him correctly before she vomited. She didn't want to be sick over nothing.
"I don't know which one's worse. Choked by Percy. Or just Amanda," Nikita shuddered once more. That time, disgust rippled throughout the whole team. Everyone's experience inside Division was hell. No one had come out of it with happy memories. Though, some of those memories were more horrific and worrisome than others.
"Amanda," Michael answered for everyone. He also made Ryan explain what had happened a little bit more so they could have context. The analyst was reasonably hesitant to go into detail about his time with monsters. However, if anyone would understand him and be able to provide empathy, it would be the team. They did have that whole shared trauma thing going on. They could always provide one another comfort.
"How crazy are you guys?" After a long moment of silence as the team registered Ryan's story, Sean huffed in exasperation. Every second with them was an adventure. In fact, he was starting to think they were more insane than his Seal unit. Maybe that just came with fighting a war. Yet the rogues really were something else entirely, not that he was opposed to it.
Instead of actually answering, the band of rebels laughed once more. If that only proved their insanity more, then so be it. It wasn't even the wildest or weirdest thing they had ever done. Birkhoff pointed that out, "Oh this is nothing compared to last year."
"You're right. We are bad at catching people up," Ryan commented off of Sean's bewilderment. More laughter rang throughout the makeshift livingroom. The team built upon that fun by sharing more stories and answering questions. They weren't able to cover everything, yet that was alright. It was enough to help them take a break from preparing for their next mission, and fill in a lot of the gaps in their information. Hanging out as friends also helped them settle into a gentle peace of mind. Ryan was especially grateful for that. He might've needed quiet for analyzing, but he needed the others more to keep him sane.