Although she had no idea what was occurring at the safehouse or anywhere outside of her immediate vicinity, she didn't care. She wanted to be concerned for her team, but she had her own problems to face. Out running Gogol was the most pressing one. At least Alex had a walkie-talkie to hear Ari's directions and the agents' path with. She could avoid them and attempt to escape from the hotel. No, she wasn't just going to attempt. She had to succeed. Her mother was waiting for her. Sean was waiting for her. Revenge against Semak and Division was ahead of her. She had survived the brothels, the streets, and a drug addiction. She could slip out of Gogol's grasp.

That confidence really was going to be her guiding light. The skills Alex had learned helped her keep light footing and listen closely for enemy agents. However, there was no active fight for her to partake in. If she got caught, sure she'd be able to throw fists. But running through the hotel wasn't the training she had received. It kind of went against her instincts to stand her ground and fight until the bitter end. A part of her screamed that she shouldn't be running. But sometimes, retreating was the only way to survive and continue the war another day. Others were counting on her to live. And what was she if not a survivor.

Ryan and Sean were on their way to ensure that stayed true. And Nikita, Michael, and Birkhoff were assisting where they could from the safehouse. At least, Alex thought that was the case. The Seal and former Division agent were coming to help her escape. However, the three at the beach house were facing a disastrous situation. Despite the gun pointed at her, Carla wouldn't relinquish the nerd's tablet. She was determined to enact whatever she was planning. It couldn't have been good if she felt the need to steal from the team. Or if she was keeping her distance with a glare. Nikita attempted to take a step towards her, but her old friend pulled back harshly, "Don't try to stop this."

"Stop what?" Full of wounded confusion, Nikita stared at Carla. The team only wanted to save Alex. How could that have upset her. Why did she feel the need to steal the equipment and so boldly face down a pistol. The rogue had the sinking suspicion that it had something to do with Amanda. Her old friend continued to be angry and furious at the bitch, even after years apart. The new development about her relationship with Ari only seemed to anger her more. She was probably aiming to hurt her at the expense of everyone else. Nikita could see that; she had been blinded by revenge and hurt before. But they weren't going to give up Alex for a chance at their enemies. That wasn't a fair trade.

"Carla. You can't play that audio. Gogol will turn on Ari and Alex will be trapped," Carefully moving closer, Michael was able to read the woman's intentions. Her finger was hovering over the tablet for a reason. She planned to play the audio recording of Ari and Amanda working together. Although that was a solid plan on taking down both leaders, the situation was too volatile to enact it. The team wouldn't be able to control the security or stop Russian agents from running around in chaos. They also had no idea how Semak would react to the news. Ari had to stay protected for the moment. It was the only way to ensure Alex's safety.

But she wouldn't listen to them. Nikita had never seen Carla that stubborn before. In the past, she had been to one stubbornly stuck in her ways unwilling to grow or change. Their roles shouldn't have reversed. The woman should've been open and understanding, while the rogue was uncaring and reckless. Apparently, no one was immune to Amanda's claws. She'd dig them into anybody, over decades and continents. The team had fallen prey to it enough times, but they had struggled to overcome it. Out of everybody, Nikita thought Carla would've been able to as well. She hated whenever she was wrong, "So you're going to kill me, Nikita? To get what you want."

"That's not fair. We're protecting our friends," Whereas Nikita was stunned into silence, Michael snapped. Carla was the one holding the tablet, Alex's life in her hands. The gun Birkhoff was pointing at her was just a precaution; no one actually believed the nerd could pull the trigger. He was many things, but he wasn't a killer. There was also no chance in hell he could hurt someone his friend cared so much for. Though, Nikita was rethinking how she felt for Carla. She could've easily said she loved her before- she had considered her a mother, after all. But not then, not with her threat hanging in the air.

"Carla, please. Just put the tablet down," Nikita tried not to plead too much. Yet hurt choked her voice anyway. She couldn't be overwhelmed by her old friend's actions. She still needed to run a rescue mission; she had to continue destroying Division and Gogol. She couldn't be distracted by Carla's betrayal. Those emotions had to be locked away, so she could focus on more important matters. Who knew her old friend would ever fall on the unimportant list. But unfortunately, they lived in an ever changing world, "When Alex is safe, you can do whatever you want to Ari and Amanda. Just let her get to safety first."

"Sean and Ryan are on their way to her. And she's more than capable of saving herself. This is our only chance at Amanda," Pulling further away from Nikita and Michael, Carla clutched the tablet tighter. There was no use talking to her at all. She had to kill Amanda. The bitch had tried to get rid of her first. She was only returning the favor. It was only fair in that war to take out all of their enemies, and rebuild everything in the aftermath. If only Carla's point of view matched with the teams'. But they were only focused on saving people, no matter the great opportunities they were missing.

"Which brings us back to, put my hardware down, bitch," Although he didn't cock the pistol, Birkhoff pointed it fiercely at Carla. That was the zero hesitations the team had reached. Despite rough beginnings, they would all do anything for each other. They were teammates and friends in that wild crusade; their bond was tighter than anything. It caused Nikita to take a step away from Carla. She'd rather have both of her friends saved. She didn't want to have to choose between the two. But when everything was all said and done, she'd rescue Alex. The young woman would never betray her for their enemies.

Shouting through the coms distracted the room for a second. Ryan and Sean were demanding an update, arriving at the hotel. Michael moved to direct them to Alex. Between Nikita, who had a connection to Carla, and Birkhoff with his gun, they could talk sense into the woman. He wasn't needed there. Though he wanted to continue supporting his fiancée, he knew helping the team was her utmost priority. It was his too. So while she raised appeasing hands, he instructed the Seal and the agent of what to do. Whether Carla was going to add her two cents on the matter or not, was ignored. They had to get her to put the tablet down, "A few more minutes, then you can ruin Ari's world. Just wait."

"With Amanda there is no waiting," Carla was just going to keep arguing. Alex was almost safe, but she didn't care. It was beyond clear by that point. She didn't care for the team, for Nikita, as much as it first seemed. She only joined them because they were in a crusade against Amanda. Sure, her old friend had been a major factor. Yet when she learned of her involvement in Division, all she became focused on was that hellhole. The team's plight didn't appear to have been a concern for her. She'd help them take out Amanda, but that was all. It was all she wanted.

"We've waited this long," But Nikita was pretty good at changing people's minds. Well, more opening them to greater things than just a narrowed view. She got Ryan, Birkhoff, and Sean on her side. And she helped Michael and Alex realize the realities of the world they found themselves in. She could get to Carla. They would have other opportunities to make their enemies pay. There was a reason why people said patience was a virtue; it was going to pay off. They had plans they could enact, and a long-run game strategy. Just because they couldn't act then, didn't mean all was lost.

"What about saving the program?" Or maybe it was. Birkhoff's grip on his weapon faltered and Michael was torn away from the computer monitors at Carla's question. Nikita simply froze. It really was just one thing after another when it came to betrayals. And it was one thing after another when she realized how much Division could take from her. She thought she had shown that hellhole the finger when she saved Alex and Michael, escaped, ruined missions, turned agents to her side, and got Percy thrown in a cell. But they returned the favor by ensnaring someone she had once loved.

"There is no saving Division, only each other. Are you really going to kill us for that?" Bitter anger and numbness forced Nikita to throw Carla's words back at her. The whole situation wasn't fair, so why should she be. By that point, she'd force her former friend to hand over the tablet. The woman read the expression on the rogue's face and halted. That glare wasn't something to mess with. Reluctantly, she handed over the device. They were never going to see her point of view, anyway. It was better to give in and readjust. Relief didn't wash over the team once the tablet was out of play. There was going to be more surprises to come from Carla. Nikita had the sinking suspicion that it wasn't going to be pleasant.

Alex, on the other hand, had a clean breakaway through the parking garage. There were no Gogol agents to worry about, simply an empty alley she could hide out in. As she sprinted through the area however, shouts started to ring out behind her. She didn't have a weapon to defend herself with. She had to weave through the parked cars and wait for her assailants to get closer before she could attack. Lucky for her, just as she reached the exit a van screeched to a halt in front of her. Sean threw open the side door and shot at the agents following her. She hopped into the vehicle, and Ryan tore out of there. Her attempt at sarcasm fell flat against her panted breath, "Took you long enough,"

"There's something going on at the safehouse," Ryan responded in clipped tones. Michael hadn't said as much, but if he was leading the op instead of Nikita then something had happened. Besides, they hadn't heard Birkhoff's quips for a while. The team was obviously dealing with some kind of drama. Sean wasn't too concerned with that at the moment, though. He was more focused on ensuring Alex was alright. Other than her lack of breath, and lingering anxiety, she was okay. In fact, she was beyond ready to make another move against Semak. And that time, she wasn't going to pull her punches.

"Of course there is," For the moment, though, she was going to focus on lighter things. Making fun of how dramatic her team could be was one of them. Sean chuckled, as did Ryan. They just saved Alex, but they had to return to the safehouse to possibly save their team. They might have been a band of rebels, yet they did their fair share of recusing. No one minded, however. It only solidified the fact that they really were the good guys. And all the bastards in the world had to bend to their will eventually.

Sorry for the delay. There's been power outages in my area. Wi-fi's going to continue to be spotty for a bit. But luckily I had enough of it to post this.