Sean couldn't get any other word out of Alex after he had confronted her in the locker room. She had completely shut him out, and wouldn't tell him anything else- especially about Larissa. Under normal circumstances, Sean probably would've left to give her space. Unfortunately, whatever was going on with her was not normal. So, Sean continued to hover. He pretended that it was only because they were investigating the rebellion together. But, in all honesty, it was mostly because he wasn't done studying her. He was dying to finally figure out what was wrong with Alex. Yet he kept slamming into dead ends.
The investigation into the saboteurs didn't help Sean in understanding Alex. Her reactions to the developments in the case were so odd. She was acting exactly how the team would expect her to act, but her words and expressions seemed forced, like they weren't exactly what she was thinking. A part of Sean told himself that he was reading too much into things. But he wouldn't listen to that part. The little excuses he had been making for Alex's behavior had to stop. She wouldn't start acting like herself again if he kept ignoring the problem. He had to keep pushing- keep digging- until he knew everything that had happened in South Ossetia.
While Alex began checking the armory for any missing inventory, Sean snuck away for a moment to try and dig into her time in South Ossetia. He used some hacking techniques Birkhoff, Sonya, and Nikita had taught him to set up a search for the things she had encountered there- namely, anything on the medic Larissa. He made sure that any alert would be sent to his phone, then he returned to Alex's side. She continued to not say anything; she didn't even ask where he had gone. He was fine with that, though. He was tired of lying to her.
The two worked in silence as they checked the armory's inventory. Although Sean wanted to say something, he knew the silence was for the best. It gave him a moment to think and to just watch Alex. She was too focused on her task to truly notice him. She did eventually talk to him, though. But it was only to tell him that she hadn't noticed anything missing. Sean sighed as he reported the same.
However, when he finally took his eyes off of Alex, he noticed something off about one of the bricks of C4; it appeared to have been rewrapped. Slowly undoing the wrapping, Sean noticed that it was in fact rewrapped and at least half of it was gone. He pulled out his phone to update Ryan immediately. Alex, on the other hand, stood still and stared at the C4 in deep contemplation. Sean once again noted her strange reaction, yet he couldn't do anything about it then. The saboteurs had a lot of explosives in their possession that they could do irreparable damage with. They had to be discovered and stopped immediately.
After also texting Sonya about the missing C4, Sean snapped Alex out of her thoughts and pulled her with him to Ryan's office. They had to start changing their investigation now that the rebels were armed and extremely dangerous. They weren't just saboteurs; they were the mutineers that Ryan had feared. Discovering who they were was of utmost importance. Unfortunately, there was still a lack of progress, even with half the team searching.
Eventually, Sean grew frustrated with only reacting to the clues they were discovering. Just like with whatever was going on with Alex, he was sick of being kept in the dark. There had to be something more proactive they could do. He had discovered what to do to get more information on Alex and South Ossetia. Maybe after some time, he could find a way to get ahead of the rebels. It was possible that the team could lure them out, make them reveal themselves. If so, then things would be a lot easier. The rebels would soon be caught, and Sean could focus all his energy on Alex. It'd all be a win-win if he could just tackle one problem.
As Birkhoff rigged the prion with an explosive and Michael prepped for their mission, Nikita was left to pace Division and think. She talked to Ryan about the rebel investigation, hoping there was something she could do while she waited to leave. There wasn't much to do at the moment, though, so she was left only with her thoughts. Nikita was beginning to hate that. Thinking too much about what was occurring and the uncertainty of the future she wanted was driving her insane. She needed things to change. Hopefully, getting Michael a better prosthetic would do that. And, hopefully, things wouldn't change for the worse.
When Nikita eventually stumbled into Alex as she wandered Division lost in thought, she was greatly relieved. Although the two were still fighting, talking to Alex would at least give Nikita a reprieve from her torturous thoughts. She'd eagerly take the judgmental way Alex regarded her if it meant she could stop thinking. She didn't want to contemplate the Shop, the President's contingency, the rebellion, never being able to return home, or the consequences to her actions anymore. And she'd take any form of escape, even Alex's anger, "Seriously. You're gonna leave again?"
"One last job. Just me and Michael this time. I promise," Nikita swore. She was well aware of what going on personal missions looked like, especially to the rest of Division. But obtaining a new hand for Michael was something they had to do. Not only would it make up for all the pain Nikita had caused him, but it would also ensure that Jason didn't die for nothing. They couldn't quit now. If they did, then there would've been no reason for Jason to take a bullet for them. It would just be senseless violence, and Michael wouldn't not allow Jason's sacrifice to be boiled down to that.
"Nikita, finding these rebels isn't really gonna matter if you and Michael keep doing side missions. It's just going to make more people want to rebel. We can't just keep doing whatever the fuck we want. There's consequences to our actions- consequences that get people hurt," Alex's differing opinion reared its ugly head again. Although Nikita knew she had a point, she was growing tired of the constant arguing. What was going on that they couldn't come to an agreement. Did Amanda really fuck with her that badly. Or was Nikita missing something.
"I know. Trust me, I know. Just find this group for me, okay? We'll make an example out of them," Nikita struggled with the urge to just fight with Alex- if she really had had her mind fucked by Amanda, then arguing would be pointless. Nikita had been dealing with the horrific consequences to her stupid actions since she was eighteen. She was well aware of the kind of damage that could be caused. Alex didn't have to remind her.
"An example? What, torture and solitary? Haven't these people suffered enough?" Alex snapped. Honestly, Nikita wasn't surprised anymore to hear Alex be so violent and negative. That was the only way the young woman had thought of the former rogue since South Ossetia. It wouldn't change no matter what Nikita said or did. After all, that was how Amanda thought of her, and she had somehow influenced Alex to think the same. Sean was certain that it was some sort of brainwashing, yet Nikita didn't know. She agreed that something was wrong, but there was definitely more going on than they were aware of.
"We all have. Which is why we're going to march them out in front of everyone, and we're going to forgive them. This is not the old Division anymore. No one's getting killed because they fought for what they wanted," Softly, Nikita promised Alex. Of course the team wouldn't hurt the rebels. The agents were simply lashing out in desperation. They were tired of waiting for pardons and the chance to be free. That shouldn't be punished.
Not wanting to argue anymore, Nikita left Alex alone in the hallway to contemplate what she had said. She soon found Michael with their mission bags packed and the prion ready, and used that as a way to redirect her thoughts. They discussed the layout of the Bremmer building briefly, then took off for Buffalo. Along the way, Nikita only told Michael about her conversation with Ryan regarding the rebels; she didn't mention Alex at all, not up for that discussion. Her fiancé didn't press for more. His attention was more focused on the Shop anyway. Nikita's should've been as well. She couldn't go into that building distracted.
Once Nikita and Michael entered the Bremmer building, they were hit with a wave of deja vu. It was just like Bellfar Systems in Cincinnati: a completely empty space with no one around. That didn't stop Nikita from growing anxious, however. She worried about guards and unforeseen danger that could completely ruin their chance at securing the bio-prosthesis. Michael, on the other hand, was unconcerned. He believed the worst was over; they were in the homestretch now, "They're thinkers, not doers, remember? We'll be fine. Just make sure they're comfortable operating on me with a gun to their head."
"Honey, I am an expert at making people do things with a gun to their head," Somehow, Nikita managed to snark. It was at least one way to battle her anxiety to appease her fiancé: be overly confident. Michael smirked and rolled his eyes. No one could argue that Nikita couldn't find a way to get what she wanted. Even the Shop couldn't be a match to her stubbornness. Michael hoped it wouldn't come to that, though. He wanted things to go their way just once. After all they had gone through to get his new hand, then should've been that time.
For the second time, Nikita and Michael were lured to the back of the room by lights above a lone cubicle. They were surprised to not see a single person again. Instead, they were met with an incredible amount of technology. Some of it was so advanced that they had never seen it before. As the two cautiously approached, wondering if computers were going to perform the surgery, a familiar looking laptop suddenly turned on. The fake Heidecker greeted Michael and Nikita cheerily, "Great, you've made it. Michael, have a seat. Nikita, a car will meet you outside. Once you have given us the prion, we will begin the surgery."
"No. No deal till the surgery's done," Immediately, Nikita refused. She refused to give the Shop the opportunity to renege on their deal. She wouldn't pass off the biotech only for Michael to be left disappointed. They were getting what they wanted first, then the Shop. It was the only way to ensure things worked in their favor, "We have a bad history with people like you. We're not gonna just blindly accept your terms and conditions."
"Since the day you first made contact with us, we have only offered to help. Now we have given you a gift in good faith. Why not give us ours in return?" The computerized Heidecker questioned. However, Nikita didn't waver from her position. She wanted to remind the computer that since the day she had made contact with the Shop, she had been made aware of the atrocities they could commit in the name of science. But she kept her mouth shut. Her point could be made by her obvious mistrust. The fake Heidecker sighed, "We knew it'd come to this, eventually. Fortunately, we have insurance."
Instantly, the machinery in the cubicle began to shut down, making it abundantly clear that it was the Shop's way or no way at all. Whereas Nikita surged towards the computer to fight for her point, Michael grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away. They couldn't afford an argument then. They should simply do as the Shop asked. It wasn't going to hurt them. It was a deal after all, not an ultimatum, "Hey, Nikita, we're talking about surgery here. This is going to take hours. At some point, we're gonna have to trust these guys."
"No. Not if it puts you in danger," Stubbornly pulling her arm away, Nikita refused to do as the Shop said. She was not going to just sit by for hours while her fiancé was being operated on by people she didn't trust. What if something happened. What if something went wrong during the operation, what if he got hurt, or- worst of all- what if he was killed. There was nothing Nikita would be able to do to stop that from happening. Michael would be left helpless, and she'd be left to watch him get hurt. No, she wasn't doing that. Giving all their control to the Shop was only going to backfire, especially since Michael's life was at stake.
"I know you're concerned. But it's not your decision. You can't control this anymore. Just let go. For me. Okay?" Gently caressing his fiancée's cheek, Michael asked. He completely understood her hesitation. If she had been the one getting a new hand from the Shop, he would've been just as skeptical and anxious. But she wasn't the one going under the knife; he was. And it was ultimately his decision to go through with the surgery or not. He didn't like the Shop or what they did. However, he knew that they could both be beneficial to each other. The Shop wouldn't renege on a deal that would help them, and neither would Michael.
Despite her instinct to say 'no' and to never give up an ounce of her control, Nikita considered what Michael was asking her. She didn't believe she could ever trust the Shop. However, she always trusted Michael and his instincts. If he believed everything would be okay, then so could she. Besides, she still hadn't finished making up for what she had done to him. Agreeing to the surgery was the least she could do, "Fine, you can start the procedure."
"Shortly before we revive Michael, we'll signal you to deliver the prion," The computer compromised, possibly for Nikita's benefit. They would meet halfway instead of one getting what they wanted first and then the other. It seemed like the fairest option. And it seemed like the best way to maintain the trust between them. Nikita did relax a little at the new stipulation; however, she'd always remain wary with her fiancé's well-being on the line.
"And if I don't, you'll kill him?" Nikita continued to hold back. The explosive she had made Birkhoff put on the prion would come in handy if the Shop dared to threaten to kill her fiancé. If they held a gun to his head, she'd hold a gun to theirs. She and Michael had done everything the Shop had asked up to that point; there was absolutely no way they could get away with killing him. Nikita would destroy everything the group of scientists wanted before they could ever get the chance.
"No, we'll revive him, but he will not get the necessary anti-rejection serum. He will lose the hand in a matter of days. And it will be painful," The computerized version of Heidecker clarified. No, Michael would not die if Nikita didn't comply. But, she would be putting him through even more pain. What she had already forced him through was enough; she couldn't make him scream again. So, slowly, she nodded along with the computer's demands. She'd deliver the device once she was told to. She wouldn't fight the Shop on it at all.
"See. That wasn't so difficult, was it, Nikita?" Although it was just a computer, Nikita glared at it menacingly. She would have no qualms in tearing apart machinery with her bare hands if her fiancé was harmed. The Shop was as smart as they claimed and figured that out quickly. The fake Heidecker cleared his throat and instructed the two on what to do next, "Place the bio-prosthesis on the table. The machine will do the rest. Michael, remove your prosthetic, position yourself in the chair. And Nikita, you will have to administer the anesthetic."
"Make sure you're the first thing I see when I wake up, huh?" Before doing what he was instructed to do, Michael made Nikita promise him. She did so easily, squeezing his hand reassuringly. She would never leave his side. She'd watch over him no matter how long the surgery took, and if the Shop tried anything, she'd be ready. One way or another, Michael's certainty that it was going to be alright had to be proven correct. Nothing bad was going to happen to him. He was going to wake up, and everything would finally be okay.
While Sean was working on his plan to lure out the rebels, Alex, Sonya, and Ryan returned to the server room to look for any clues that they might have missed. Ryan thought it'd be a great idea to dust for fingerprints. Unfortunately, just like all their other ideas, there was no lead. Eventually, he sighed in frustration and defeat, "You know, I thought this would be easier. There are no fingerprints at all. The casing was thrashed by the explosion, and the whole area around the server is clean too. Whoever's running this mutiny really knows what they're doing, and it's starting to worry me."
"Don't worry too much just yet. I may have something. It's residual code from a hack. There's an active script left inside the access terminal at the armory," Sonya piped up from behind her computer. Whereas Ryan rushed to her side in excitement- finally, they might be able to identify who stole the C4- Alex appeared panicked. The shock quickly left her face, though, almost as if it was never truly there. Sonya didn't know whether or not she should question it. She decided against it. It had been a long few days; Alex was probably just tired and couldn't regulate her emotions. Sonya certainly felt that way. But at least they finally had something.
"That was me. Sorry," Just as the others were reveling in their supposed victory, Sean entered the room with a tablet in hand and ruined their excitement. Bewildered gazes turned his way, demanding an explanation. He didn't hesitate to give one, "So, we know that the rebels got the explosive from hacking access to the armory, right? So I laid a dummy code. I figured it'd make them think they forgot to scrub it, so when they go back to correct that mistake, we get an alert. You wanna catch a fish, you gotta have a hook."
Instantly, Sonya praised Sean for his cleverness- he was actually putting hers, Seymour's, and Nikita's hacking lesions to good use. She took his tablet from him and copied the information into her computer. Although Alex also praised Sean for being clever, the panicked look returned to her eyes. Unlike Sonya, Sean didn't excuse it as something else when he saw it. He immediately wanted to understand what she was startled about and if that had anything to do with what else was going on with her.
Alex schooled her features before Sean could study her completely, and the two plus Sonya moved to Ops to better monitor the situation. He would have to wait until later to uncover the mystery that was his girlfriend at the moment. The mystery involving explosives called for immediate attention. The team was lucky to get a hit after only a couple of hours. That problem was finally coming to an end, "We got a bite. The thief is trying to erase the script. But it's not coming from the server room. It's coming from Ops."
Upon hearing Sonya's update, Sean scanned the room for the agent who was possibly hacking into the armory. He didn't have to search for long. As soon as one agent felt eyes on her- Sean was fairly certain that her name was Rachel- she bolted upright in her chair. She made eye contact with Sean, Alex, and Sonya, then immediately booked it out of Ops. Sean and Alex gave chase, "Stop!"
Sean caught up with Rachel first. He didn't want to fight her, only subdue her so she could be brought to Interrogation. Yet she took his approach as a threat on her life, and she lashed out with a knife. The blade struck Sean firmly in his bicep. He violently jerked away from Rachel's reach, but the knife remained in his arm. He managed to ignore the pain as he quickly whipped around and knocked Rachel unconscious with an elbow to the temple.
Alex caught up to the two then, and once again, she didn't look too happy that there was progress with the rebel investigation. She disguised it as concern over Sean's wound, but he saw right through her. Between the pain in his arm and his frustration over not understanding his girlfriend, he finally reached his limit. He let his tired body fall against the wall behind him, and screamed out in agony.