If there were any positives to the story, it was that he got to talk to Sonya. It wasn't anything he should've been focusing on, but it was true. The two tech nerds had been contentious in the past; she was probably the one hacker that could possibly best Birkhoff. Yet they had been forced to cooperate recently. That wasn't necessarily a terrible thing. They were attempting to capture Percy. And they got to see one another. Maybe that was more of a perk to Birkhoff than to Sonya. He was really starting to like interacting with the rival hacker. She could've felt the same. The way she snarked him back seemed more budding romance than rivalry. At least that was what he hoped it was.

He wasn't sure how he thought or felt about how he thought and felt for Sonya. He knew he liked the challenge she presented, and the banter they had shared (if Nikita found out he was thinking like that, she'd tease him about a crush just like her brother). But she was with Division. It wasn't her fault; Birkhoff was beyond aware of that. The crusade simply complicated things. And not just whatever he would describe his relationship with the other hacker. The whole team was suffering on that front. Who wasn't having some kind of drama with friends, family, and any attempts of romance they found themselves in. It was a huge mess they were desperately trying to survive.

It started out okay, at least. Nikita's plans to stop Carla and locate Percy was a sound one. The next time she messaged or called him, they'd trace the signal to his location. They had to trick both Ms. Bennet and Sonya to do so, however. Birkhoff didn't want to admit that he wasn't fond of duping the fellow hacker. At least he parted with a compliment- something he truly meant. That could make up for things. Well, with her. The nerd couldn't even guess how it was all going to fare with the Pierces' former teacher. He knew Nikita was already upset with her actions, wanting desperately to forgive her. But that more than likely wasn't going to happen. Not the way that war was going.

Ms. Bennet's further betrayal was predictable enough, after all. Despite knowing it was going to happen, and planning around it, Nikita held out hope that it wasn't all lost. She could have everything she had lost back. She didn't voice that outloud, but Birkhoff knew that was what she was thinking. He didn't blame her in the slightest for it. If it was his family, he'd do the same. Maybe not the forgiveness part, however. There were a lot of things from his past that he hadn't released his grudge on. The rogue definitely had more love in her heart than the nerd. But he could still support her. He'd have her back, and won't make one of his quips. Everything could be for the better.

For instance, they got Ryan Fletcher back. The team had the opportunity to save him from Division's clutches. His faked death continued to be confusing, but knowing Amanda it wasn't too difficult to wrap their heads around it. She needed information. Breaking a CIA analyst out of prison by faking his death was certainly a way she would've done that. However, that wasn't necessarily important at the moment. Percy had to be brought in, and a meet had to be set to make a trade. Birkhoff let the agents handle the smug bastard, while he established the rest of Nikita's plan. His eyes never left Carla as she paced the safehouse. After the news of her working with their enemy, he didn't think he'd ever be able to trust her.

To be honest, Birkhoff never really trusted Carla. Since Nikita and Sean brought her to the safehouse, she had been contentious. The Pierces' emotions were definitely put through the wringer by her connection to Division and the words she had said to them. He didn't want to be around someone who hurt his team so much. Then, of course, there was that whole incident with his tablet and Alex. That could've gone so wrong, so fast. Being able to talk the former teacher down had been a miracle. But as the rogue had discovered, it didn't last long. Percy had badly manipulated her.

Or maybe she was always corrupted. Birkhoff didn't think Percy was entirely to blame. Carla hadn't changed in the numerous years she was away from Division. She might have been a great teacher to the Pierces, and probably cared for them a lot. Yet she was still a part of that organization. And she found no fault in it. The nerd had no idea how Nikita was going to reason with her. Things hadn't changed from their discussion after Ms. Bennet threatened to let Alex die at Gogol's hands. If the rogue really wanted to believe in the possibility of good, however, then he wouldn't say anything. Focusing on the mission would be better for him anyway.

Birkhoff could cling to the conversation he had had with Sonya; he got to see her again. He could also cling to the fact that he got to punch Percy. Sure, the hand that had just fully healed from Amanda's torture months ago was reinjured. But the act of hitting the bastard was cathartic. His frustrations and confusions were released in a single moment. It felt good, and it felt right. It seemed as though the end of that damned crusade was near. Oversight was gone, Alex was making steps against Semak, Gogol and Ari would fall as a result of that, and Percy and Amanda would wipe each other out. The team was going to make it out alive.

As long as nothing happened during the trade for Ryan. Nikita told Carla their initial plan of where and when they were going to hand off Percy. As predicted, she tipped Roan off the second the rogue left. The actual scheme was to doublecross both Amanda and Ms. Bennet. The former teacher involved enemy agents that would no doubt take out the Division agents the bitch was going to hide around the place. The team would come out the victors, with Ryan in tow. Their enemies would be damaged, and they could take their final steps to bring them down.

Nikita didn't add Carla to that list of enemies, though. Birkhoff knew better than to say anything of the contrary. He had a feeling she didn't want to go through the same emotions and hurt her adopted mother had thrown her through. The two didn't talk about it at all. Yet he knew how terrible it was for a parent to treat you like that. She couldn't stand her former teacher doing the same. Even if it made her seem insane, she was going to hold on to the good side of Ms. Bennet. If Michael talked sense into her or not, the nerd didn't know. But he probably didn't. He had experienced the full front of the rogue's conflict. It was better to just calm her so they could move forward.

That worked for a while. Amanda and Carla were successfully doublecrossed. Nikita and Michael had Ryan, and they were escaping the shootout. From his safe perch at the beach house, Birkhoff was directing the agents out of there. When he was in Division, he was perfectly alright with being kept from the action. He'd help others, but as long as it didn't happen to him he was fine. That wasn't the case any longer. With his hacking skills, he could do almost anything to keep his team safe. But being out in the field with them would allow him to help them even more. Okay, maybe not much with his skills. Yet he'd at least be out there with them.

Adventure found its way to the safehouse, regardless. Birkhoff blamed himself. Carla had asked what happened to their original plan, and he told her everything; they were aware of her betrayal and schemed with it in mind. Honestly though, he was in the middle of a hack when he divulged the information. His mind couldn't focus on watching after the team and keeping things to himself at the same time. Besides, how was he to know Carla would try to turn on them again. There was a chance she would finally realize her mistakes and stop trying to defend a place that wanted her former students dead. No such luck.

Carla reached for the burner phone, and Birkhoff was forced to reach for his gun. They were in the same position as before. She had the power to destroy the team in her hands, while he held a weapon. And just as before, he didn't think he could pull the trigger. He had never shot someone. He never killed anybody. He couldn't start with the Pierces' former teacher. Especially when all Nikita wanted was to see the best in her. The nerd expressed as much to the traitor; she could stay with the team and it would all be okay again. But she wouldn't accept it. She grabbed a gun as well.

Everything happened so fast, Birkhoff wasn't sure if it had happened at all. Carla approached him with that fucking burner phone in one hand and a weapon in another, and his gun just went off. The trigger wasn't as hard to pull as he thought it would've been. The recoil didn't snap his wrist back like he thought it would either. Shooting Ms. Bennet was a very simple action. She fell to the ground, blood blooming along her side. A sort of numbness washed over the nerd. He couldn't think or feel. He just stared at what he had done in absolute horror. He hadn't meant to do it. It happened way too fast.

The agents came crashing back into the safehouse as Birkhoff was crouched over Carla. He had to stop the bleeding. If he stopped the bleeding, then she could be saved. He never would have killed anybody; he wouldn't have killed his friends' teacher. But Nikita's gasp was deafening. There was no helping Ms. Bennet. She was gone. The rogue collapsed on her knees, reaching desperately for her teacher. The nerd tried to explain what had occurred, but she only shook her head. Her focus was on the dying woman, tears falling heavy from her eyes. Although the team had saved Ryan, she still lost.

She wasn't angry, though. He expected her to be angry. She had snapped at Alex for staying with Division. She had yelled at Michael for digging into her past. She had shouted at Sean for working with Oversight and defending their mother. And she had seethed at Madeline. But Nikita wasn't mad at Birkhoff. The gun lying next to Carla explained it all. The nerd had done what he could to save himself and the team. Above all else, she'd rather have that. She'd rather her friends be safe than have a traitor in her life. But it still hurt. Her former teacher was dead. And she had died trying to kill her and her friends.

Eventually, Michael gently pulled Nikita away from Carla's dead body. He and Ryan would clean everything while she mourned. And while Birkhoff calmed down. It wasn't his fault, but he felt like it was. He had to apologize to Nikki. He had to call Sean and explain the whole situation. He had to help the other men clean his mess. They should've been victorious. They should've gotten back everything that was taken from them. But he had destroyed all of that. Not even the thought that he had talked to Sonya and punched Percy could comfort him any more. The light at the end of the tunnel was so far away.