"So, run me through it again?" Birkhoff rubbed his eyes, attempting to catch up with everything Nikita had been unloading on him. For the past week, the two had been working on a gameplan for capturing Heidecker and having him work for them. Nikita took the majority of the reins, diving head first into any mission that she believed would make her husband happier. Birkhoff simply went along for the ride. He did what he could to keep her safe, and tried to convince her that she didn't have to do all that. But he had never been able to make her listen. Also, he was curious about how Heidecker made Bechiraj a new leg.
From what the agent and the hacker could tell, it wasn't just a prosthetic. Bechiraj's flesh had grown over carbon fiber bone. His leg was as real of a new limb as science could achieve. Though, maybe it was a little more science-fiction than reality. That was some of Birkhoff's reservations to what they were doing. Nikita, on the other hand, was obsessed with the idea. She had to get something like that for Michael. She had to get him a new hand, even if her plans to do so weren't the most flushed out she'd ever had. "You know, the usual. 'I'm Nikita. Here's my gun. Come with me if you want to live'."
"And how are you going to get Heidecker at gunpoint?" It was strange for Birkhoff to be the voice of reason. He wasn't the one on the team to question wild plans or try to make the others pause and think. Sure, he had had his reservations about dangerous ideas before. But he wouldn't try to talk reason to make the others change their minds; he'd simply crack a harsh joke. That time was different, however. There was no one else around to talk Nikita off the edge. He had to make her realize how insane she sounded.
"Heidecker meets with Bechiraj the first three days of the month, then he goes into hiding and we lose him. But, we can make Bechiraj force Heidecker to stay if we make him think something's wrong with his leg," After Nikita explained herself further, however, Birkhoff didn't think it was possible to talk her down. She had thought through her operation and prepared everything she believed she needed to. She was well on her crazy path. All he could do was join her and ensure she didn't pull another stupid stunt.
"And how are you going to mind-fuck the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo?" Birkhoff kept asking questions. Although it wouldn't make Nikita stop and think, he could at least ponder the mission and find ways to help. He really did want to help, despite his negative reservations. Heidecker, Bechiraj, and the miraculously grown limb weren't things they should be messing around with. But Birkhoff would do anything to help give Michael a better opportunity. The dangers and uncertainties were worth the risk. Also, the operation allowed them to fuck with corrupt people in power. How could that be a bad thing.
"Through his mistress. And with this mostly non-lethal cocktail," Nikita had done her research. She knew the breaches in Bechiraj's security. She knew how to inflict enough damage to only cause a scare. And she knew how she'd smuggle Heidecker out of Kosovo. With Birkhoff watching her back, all the plans and contingencies she had created could come to fruition. No one had to worry. She could be in and out of danger. Nothing would ruin her operation- whether it was completely carefully crafted or not. She refused to let Michael down again.
"Looks like you have it all figured out," Sighing, Birkhoff tried to think of anything else he could make Nikita prepare for. Despite his presence over coms, she was going in alone. He had to make certain she was ready for that. The former rogue could take care of herself, though. She could thrive on her own. Birkhoff didn't have to worry so much about her. What he should've been considering was how they were going to hide the mission from Division. It wasn't sanctioned. They could get in trouble if they were caught, especially since she was crossing international borders, "What am I supposed to say when people ask where you are?"
"Alex and Sean are gone for the weekend visiting his family. So just say I'm doing stuff with her," Nikita shrugged. She honestly hadn't thought about a cover. She knew she couldn't drag any other agent on her mission. Heidecker wasn't a Dirty Thirty, so the others shouldn't waste energy or resources on an operation that wasn't part of their deal. What Nikita had in mind was strictly personal. She should be the only one at risk. Besides, if anyone else on her team discovered what she was doing, they'd put a stop to it. She couldn't be stopped. She was determined to bring one good thing into her husband's life.
The nagging feeling that he should involve the others in Nikita's plan boiled in Birkhoff's stomach again. He had kept things quiet because of what she had told him the week previously; she was fueled by her guilt, and he didn't want to make that worse for her. But lying that much to the team, especially to Michael, just seemed to take it too far. Ryan and regular Division agents could be lied to for safety's and not-get-in-trouble's sake. But Michael should know what they were doing. Not only did it concern him, but his wife was putting herself in danger. He needed to know. Then wasn't the time to keep him in the dark, "You want me to lie to your husband?"
"He suffered enough false hope. Wait until it's a sure thing," Softly, Nikita replied. She twisted her wedding ring and refused to look Birkhoff in the eyes. A part of her did want to tell Michael everything about Heidecker and Bechiraj. But she didn't want to break his heart again in case it turned out to be nothing. Until she had solid proof that she could give him something more, she was going to keep her husband in the dark. She extended that thought to the rest of her team, as well. Before she left for Kosovo, Nikita told Ryan she was taking time off to get her head on straight. He didn't even question her. He just let her go.
Covering her tracks with her husband didn't go as smoothly. Nikita fumbled on a lie and claimed something that wouldn't hold long. Maybe her subconscious had overruled her and was forcing her to tell the truth. But since Michael didn't question her immediately, she just took off. She needed to focus on her mission. A long plane ride thankfully gave her that opportunity. By the time she landed in Kosovo, Nikita was ready to put everything in motion. She was going to trick Bechiraj. She was going to grab Heidecker. And he was going to make Michael a hand.
Michael couldn't find Nikita. They hadn't gone home together the night before; she had given him an excuse about doing something important for Division. Yet she had never shown up at the apartment. And as he searched Division in the morning, she was nowhere to be found. Michael eventually asked Ryan if he knew where Nikita was, but he believed she had taken time off. That didn't make sense. She would've told her husband if she was taking a break, wouldn't she. Someone had to have been lying, and Michael seriously didn't want it to be Nikita.
After more long hours without his wife in sight, Michael decided to interrogate Birkhoff for information. He had wanted to give Nikita the benefit of the doubt; she'd turn up eventually with a reasonable explanation. Since that had become increasingly less likely, Michael went where he had seen her hiding out for the past week. Birkhoff had to have known something. She couldn't have just disappeared- like the hacker's work on the computer seemed to when the agent walked into his 'Nerd Cave', "Where's Nikita? Why's Ryan saying she took off for a few days?"
"I think a spa retreat with Alex?" Birkhoff thought questioning his own statement would make it more believable. He hadn't been able to come up with the perfect lie to tell Michael. He figured a spa day would excuse both women's long absences, and there wouldn't be any follow up questions; Alex and Nikita were best friends, after all, they did a lot together. But the hacker's spluttered sentence caused Michael to stare at him oddly. He didn't believe him for a second. And why should he. It wasn't believable that Nikita would leave town without telling her husband. At least, it shouldn't have been.
"That's weird. I don't remember going," Alex was glad she had walked past Birkhoff's office at that moment. She didn't want to be back in Division. She wanted to spend a free weekend with Sean and his family. Unfortunately, that was a bust. So, she decided she could at least see if Division needed any help. Apparently, they did. Not only was Nikita pulling away from the others, she was also lying to all of them. Whatever she was up to definitely wasn't good. Alex had to step in to correct it- and, of course, clear her name from the lies.
"You're supposed to be out of town with your boyfriend," Birkhoff gaped at Alex. He couldn't believe she wasn't with her boyfriend. The two were so excited to go on a trip. There was no way she would be back in Division while he wouldn't. Especially since Nikita was so sure they'd be away. Yet if she was wrong about Sean and Alex, what else could she have misjudged. She continued to sound okay over the coms; nothing seemed to have gone wrong yet. But she hadn't gotten to the hard part. Heidecker was still with Bachiraj. Her chances of grabbing him might not be as high.
"His sister's kids are sick. Sorry to ruin your deception," Rolling her eyes, Alex crossed to Birkhoff's computer. Before she and Sean could head out of town, his sister called and apologized for having to cancel; the kids had caught the flu, and she didn't want it spreading to them. Sean eventually drove to her house regardless. He wanted to help his sister take care of the young kids. Also, he hadn't seen her in a while, and he missed her. Alex let him spend time with his family, promising that they'd have time to hang out later. She wasn't so sure of that as she walked further into the Nerd Cave, however. Something terrible was going on.
She hoped she could figure out what was occupying because she doubted Birkhoff would tell her. He was avoiding Michael's harsh glare as best he could. He refused to crack under the pressure. Alex had no clue what Nikita must've told him to convince him to lie and stay quiet. But whatever it was, it definitely couldn't be ignored. His computer screen had been turned off, yet Alex knew some key commands that would bring back what he had been looking at. While Birkhoff was busy trying and failing to address a pissed off Michael, she snuck behind him and turned his computer back on. What she saw didn't clear any confusion, "What are you doing?"
There were tons of pictures and files scattered across Birkhoff's multiple monitors. The number and variety almost made them impossible to decipher. Alex stared in awe. Nikita must've roped Birkhoff into a mission. That was the explanation for what was on the computer. What kind of mission was still lost on Alex, however. It definitely didn't have anything to do with a Dirty Thirty or Amanda; if that was the case, the whole team would've been involved. Nikita was on her own path, one that seemingly dealt with technology. While the young woman studied everything, the hacker stammered for an excuse. He wasn't able to come up with one.
"Where's my wife?" Michael didn't have any more time for Birkhoff's floundering. He didn't even care that the nerd flinched at the sound of his dark, commanding voice. His wife had never come home the night before. She claimed she had to run errands for Division, but he hadn't seen her again after that. He had fallen asleep waiting for her. And when he woke, there was no message from her or any trace of her at home or in Division. No errand could've taken that long. Either she was in extreme danger, or she had lied to him. Considering how Birkhoff was acting, it was possibly both. He had let her get involved in something bad.
"Uh, Michael. You should take a look at this," Freezing at one picture she uncovered, Alex called Michael over. The file of a failed CIA mission brought her attention to the photograph of Kosa Bechiraj standing perfectly fine with two working legs. That shouldn't have been possible after the accident he had had. Either he was a walking miracle, or he was subject to advanced scientific experiments. Both Alex and Michael were leaning to the latter. Someone had made Bechiraj a new leg. Just what had Nikita gotten herself into.