"Lady. Put that down. Now," Birkhoff commanded with a gun held tightly in his grasp. How did it all go so wrong, so fast. Sure, the Gogol agent broke into Alex's room and tried to kill her. But she had been able to handle herself. Semak's goal to sell a story that Alexandra had overdosed and died failed drastically; she was more furious and determined than ever to end his terrible reign of power. The real shock came with Ari Tasorov. Apparently, he and Amanda had some sort of deal for her. Nikita honestly didn't pay much attention to the asinine offer. She let the young woman come to her own conclusion on what to do with the couple from hell. However, once her life was threatened, the team was ready to attack.
Instantly, Sean and Michael were deployed to help Alex escape from the hotel. Ari promised to direct her past the Gogol agents prepared to kill her, but they weren't willing to trust him. Birkhoff was hacked into the hotel's security system; he could watch after her to ensure she really was safe. And Nikita could direct from the safehouse. She'd much rather be out in the field, having a more active hand in helping her team. But her relations with Gogol and Division weren't the greatest. It was better for everyone if she oversaw everything and shouted her commands through the coms. They were going to save Alex without a doubt.
Or so they thought. As Nikita and Birkhoff searched for his tablet to use, they horrifically realized it was missing. Carla stole the device while they were distracted. She had seen the nerd upload the audio they had captured through Alex's com of Ari and Amanda working together. And she wanted to use it to burn the pair; that was their chance to destroy all of their enemies. Except in doing so, Gogol would turn on Ari and he wouldn't be able to help Alex. Her safety had to have been put above their revenge. Despite a gun pointed at her, Carla didn't seem to understand that, "Is that what you want, Nikita? You want to kill me to save Amanda?"
That wasn't what she wanted at all. She had been angry at her former teacher, but that didn't mean she wanted her dead. Nikita didn't want any more people that she cared for to die. The team just couldn't sacrifice one of their own for the chance at Amanda; it wasn't a fair trade. If she explained that to Ms. Bennet, then she'd understand. Her teacher had always been reasonable and rational when dealing with overly emotional teens. That shouldn't have changed. Nikita simply had to have Birkhoff lower his weapon, "Birkhoff. Just. Put the gun down, I can handle her. Ms. Bennet…"
"I hate to tell you this. But your teacher is coo-coo for a certain cereal," Birkhoff snapped. Neither he nor Ms. Bennet moved. His finger was placed stubbornly on the trigger, while hers hovered above the tablet. Only Nikita was willing to try to appease them. She could hear Alex struggling over the coms, and Michael and Sean's report of their ETA. Yet she had to ignore them. None of that would have mattered if something disastrous occurred at the safehouse. She needed control if she was going to bring everybody back home.
"Birkhoff, just put it down and disable the tablet. Please," She didn't think she had ever pleaded, at least not with Birkhoff. He glanced at her full of concern. The weapon in his grasp lowered slightly. Fighting to keep her calm, Nikita focused on Ms. Bennet. Her shift in behavior didn't make any sense. Well, she wanted it not to make any sense. The teacher's motives surrounding Percy and Division were bewildering. She would've thought she'd have been more loyal to the team. Two of her former students were a part of it. Instead, Carla was willing to see everything burn.
"I can't do that. The audio file has already been uploaded to the hotel system," Explaining, Birkhoff sounded apologetic. He didn't want to shoot his friends' former teacher; he didn't think he could shoot anybody. Yet that was what it was going to come to if she didn't put down the tablet. He was willing to take a life to save his team. Nikita knew that, and she continued to try and reason with Ms. Bennet. She didn't blame the nerd for being so protective. When it came down to it, she'd sacrifice her teacher for Alex. She really hoped it wouldn't, however. She wanted to have both women in her life. Why did she have to choose who lived and who died.
"You see. It's our only chance while Ari's in that hotel," Ms. Bennet wasn't making it easy, either. She wouldn't listen to Nikita or Birkhoff. The rogue had never seen her teacher so stubborn before. If the gun wasn't pointed at her, she'd have pressed play and joyfully watched Gogol turn on Ari for working with their enemy. She continuously didn't understand it. Carla wanted nothing more than to shift blame on Amanda. Although the bitch deserved it, there were so many other bad guys out there. They couldn't only focus on one piece; they had to study the whole game board to know what risks were worth it or not.
And Alex's life was not worth a move against Amanda and Ari. The audio file damning them both had been downloaded. There would be other chances to expose the two. Alex, on the other hand, only had one chance to escape that hotel. Semak was going to keep sending people to kill her, if they didn't get her out and formulate a new plan. Couldn't Nikita's smart and rational teacher understand that, "You do this, Alex loses her support. She could die."
"Oh come on. You already blinded the cameras. Michael and Sean are on their way to help. And from what I can see, she is more than capable of handling herself," Maybe she didn't. Maybe Ms. Bennet was so wrapped in whatever vengeance was in her heart to see the truth. Nikita could understand that. Hadn't she been in situations like that before. But then wasn't the time for crusades; it was a rescue plain and simple. Besides, weren't they supposed to be the good guys. Wasn't saving people supposed to be the goal.
Carefully, Nikita stepped towards Ms. Bennet. She placed herself between Birkhoff and her teacher, hand stretched out as though she was extending an olive branch. After watching Alex step into her own- proving how much she has grown- and joking around with Sean, she thought it was going to be one of those rare great days. She thought she was going to smile and laugh for the rest of the night. But that war liked to remind her that it could take everything if it wanted to. She was left pleading once more, "Wait. Just wait. Wait till I find out that she's okay."
Ms. Bennet hesitated for a moment. The strain in her former student's voice made her pause. Nikita was desperate to save her team. The consequences didn't matter to her. As long as everyone was alive, then it was all a success. Carla, sadly, didn't see it the same way. She believed the only way to truly save the people they cared for was to take Amanda out immediately. Who knew what kind of hell that bitch would enact if they didn't stop her right then, "We can't wait. With Amanda, you will never know when you will get another shot. She always finds a way out. We have to take her down, now."
"Which brings us back to, put my hardware down bitch," Birkhoff shouted over rising fury and frustrations. Their argument just kept circling around itself. They all believed themselves to be in the right, and stubbornness kept them rooted in their positions. Nikita thought for a horrid second that she was talking to Madeline all over again. They were already shouting and threatening. Soon enough, someone was going to burst. Hopefully, the three could come to a better conclusion. Carla had to change her mind.
"Ms. Bennet, you have my word. We will get Amanda," Sincerity filled Nikita's voice. Once again, she moved towards her former teacher putting herself in the way of the gun. She could make that promise easily; it was on their to-do list after all. The team will destroy all of their enemies in time. They simply had to be smart about it. If any of them had learned anything over the years, it was that they couldn't rush into things without thought. They had been burned enough times using that tactic. Waiting for the right moment was a good move.
"We can't wait," Despite the rogue's resolve that they would get Amanda, Carla just had to keep arguing. Oversight was no longer backing Division. Amanda was floundering, trying to find support. That was their time to strike. It was the perfect chance to kill her and Ari and return the program to how it once was. No more corruption or evil deeds, only saving, "You said so yourself, she's lost her funding. If she hooks up with the Russians, there will be no way for me to save the program."
Nikita stumbled backwards. She wasn't sure if she had heard that correctly. Did Ms. Bennet really want to save Division. Was she actually going to risk Alex, and potentially Michael and Sean, to ensure a stupid governement black ops group stayed operational. What the hell happened to the teacher who only wanted better for her students. How could she justify such actions. Nikita wanted to scream. She wanted to take Birkhoff's gun and shoot Carla herself. Instead, she barely spoke above a whisper. Shock and lividity had flooded her system, "Save the program?"
"We get rid of Amanda, and we can restore it to what it once was. I told you it can be saved," Carla squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. She thought herself superior with her argument. Even after everything she had heard and seen with the team, she believed Division to be inherently good. The horrendous situations they had faced were a result of Amanda and her corruption. Nikita's recruitment was included on that list as well. Once all of the power hungry leaders were displaced, the program would be pure and great like it had begun.
What was with the people she once cared for choosing vile organizations over her. Nikita was so close to screaming. Division and Oversight could never be used for anything other than harm. Protecting loved ones was the only cause worth fighting for. Avenging them and trying to earn a happily ever after were noble pursuits as well. But not believing a place had hurt someone you were once supposed to shield from harm was awful. It just proved how blinded by ambition you were, "We are so far past that. There's no saving Division."
"Yes, there is. We kill Amanda, and there is," Hovering her finger closer to the tablet, Ms. Bennet wasn't going to budge. She could be just as resolute as her former student. Whereas the rogue would do anything for her team, she'd do anything for her program. So many more lives could be saved with her or Percy back at the helm. The pained, heartbroken expression across Nikita's features could be ignored. Carla was fighting for the greater good. That had to have been more important than a single life.
"She pushes that button, and Alex is out in the cold. And we don't do that. We don't leave our friends to be Amanda's victims," Nikita and Birkhoff never talked about how she got recruited into Division. He knew about it, of course. The two simply didn't talk about her family drama or any of her complex emotions; he let the more empathetic Alex, Michael, and Sean handle those conversations. Despite that, he still knew what she was spiraling through. She was given to Percy and Amanda by her mother, and the effect of that was everlasting. She was determined to ensure no one else had to experience the same fate. And he was determined to help her at any cost.
Glancing at Birkhoff, Nikita wasn't sure what to say for a moment. She was aware that he had her back, and he'd fight alongside her no matter what. But she never expected him to be so angry for her. He was pissed that someone else in her life planned on sacrificing her for that hellhole. The rogue couldn't help but flash the nerd a small, appreciative grin. She was glad they were friends. It gave her the fortitude to keep going, "That's right. Ms. Bennet, I am promising you we will get her. Just let me make sure that Alex is safe. You waited years, give me one day. One. Please."
A long moment passed before Carla relinquished the tablet. Nikita doubted she had finally come around to their point of view; she probably just realized there was no use in fighting against the two. Relief washed over the rogues, nonetheless. They were able to focus on the coms again, hearing Michael and Sean's confirmation of arriving on the scene and Alex breaking free from Gogol. Although it was so close to being ruined, the mission was a success. They were going to live to see another day. They also had new information to plan more attacks on their enemies with. Despite that, dread settled around Nikita. She watched Carla sulk out of the room, frustrations radiating off of her. They weren't out of the woods yet. But how dark was the forest.
