Michael absolutely hated what was going on. He was glad Division was doing all it could to save Stefan from Amanda. Yet, he didn't like what else was occurring. Alex and Nikita were alone. Either he or Sean should be with them. However, someone had to run Ops, and someone had to watch Ryan's back. Sending a strike team should've been another option. Except, they couldn't frighten Stefan and Krieg, nor could they alert Amanda. So Nikita and Alex were on their own. Even though they could handle themselves, it was still stressful to think about. If anything happened- and it could with Amanda- there was hardly anything anyone could do.
That left Michael to pace Division, battling to keep his anxiety in check. He shouldn't be so worried. Alex and Nikita were both very capable agents; they'd watch each other's backs and save Stefan. The two would be back soon. Then, they could figure out what to do with the fifteen year old. Even with Amanda in the mix, it should be that simple. Ari was on Division's side, after all. Nikita and Alex could convince Krieg to help them, and they'd all escape Switzerland and Amanda together. It'd work out, especially with Alex and Nikita on top of things.
However, with Amanda in the mix, things were never that simple. So many plans had gone wrong because of her involvement. She knew Division too damn well. With Ari on their side, they had a slight edge. But their victory wasn't secured. Amanda could find some way to fuck it up, putting Alex and Nikita in serious danger. After all, they were without backup because of her. Whereas that fact left Michael increasingly anxious, the fact pissed Owen off. They all should've known by then that no one was supposed to be alone. So how could the two be alone then when the stakes were so high, "Michael. What the hell, man?"
"What is it now, Owen?" Michael sighed. Although he was appreciative to have his anxious thoughts interrupted, he was not in the mood for whatever Owen was upset about that time. He had heard his half formed plan to use Stefan as a bargaining chip against Amanda. If Owen offered up any more solutions like that, Michael would have to punch him. Division was not in the business of hurting innocents, not any more. No matter what was occurring, they'd find other solutions- other ways to save the day- that didn't involve civilians or children.
"You sent Nikita and Alex to chase Amanda with no backup? Why didn't you send me?" Owen shot in front of Michael to stop him from walking away. He'd admit that he didn't have the best ideas at times, and he should probably not suggest them any more. Yet that wasn't the problem. The problem was that Amanda was a bitch with an army of mercenaries, ex-Gogol agents, and a few Division Dirty Thirties in her arsenal. Alex and Nikita, despite how capable they were, were not enough to take her. They needed backup- a whole team to match the bitch's. So why wasn't at least Owen with him. Wasn't anyone thinking anymore.
"Because there's a chance they'd run into Amanda. The last time you ran into her, she was able to neutralize you just by saying a name," Michael quickly shared his reasons for not sending Owen with Nikita and Alex. It was more dangerous to have the compromised former Cleaner along than to not have him. The women had agreed before they left. Owen had to stay as far away from Amanda as possible. It'd not only protect him, but those around him. Amanda couldn't be allowed to play her mind games on him. He might not survive the next encounter.
"No, not just a name. Mine, my real name, Sam. I need to know who I was before Amanda wiped my memory," Bitterly, Owen argued. Amanda wasn't able to neutralize him because she had some kind of supernatural power over him. She had all the information about his past that he had been digging for for the past few years. His name wasn't even Owen for God's sake. He knew absolutely nothing about himself or what he had been through. Yet Amanda did. She could tell him something- anything- that'd help him investigate his past. She might've been evil, but she was someone Owen desperately needed.
"Exactly. This is too personal for you. You'd be distracted," Michael continued to explain his decision. Owen wouldn't be able to kill Amanda if she was able to lord his past and real name over him. He'd be rendered useless by just a tidbit of his past. Yes, it was awful that Owen had no clue who he was or where he came from; it was awful that he had had his memory wiped. However, he couldn't compromise the mission and put other agents in danger just for shreds of information. Amanda couldn't have any power in any way. Owen needed to stay away from her.
Although Owen would love to keep arguing with Michael, and he would love nothing more to prove him wrong, he couldn't think of what else to say. He couldn't join the mission- it was too late. And he honestly didn't have a defense prepared for if Amanda attempted to neutralize him again. But maybe that wasn't his only solution. Division had Ari- they had Ari talking. Owen could ask him about himself. He had to have known. Amanda had told him a lot about Division and Nikita; she had to have talked about him as well, "Let me talk to Ari. They were partners in crime, he knows what she knows."
"Too personal. Last time you saw Ari, he stabbed you in the back. You might want revenge," Repeating himself, Michael shook his head. Ari could definitely get under Owen's skin just as much as Amanda could. When the former Cleaner had made that stupid decision to work for Gogol, Ari very quickly turned on him and threw him into a Russian prison. Obviously, Owen still held resentment for him. Ari could dig that in and force the former Cleaner off his mission and snap. Michael wasn't going to risk that. Division needed both Ari and Owen. they couldn't have a chance to antagonize and possibly kill one another.
"I don't care. I wanna know who I was before she took that from me," Owen wasn't looking for revenge. He didn't care about what Ari had done to him anymore. All he wanted more than anything was to know who he was. Unfortunately, Michael wouldn't budge; he refused to take the risk. Fortunately, Owen didn't have to rely on him. The former analyst wasn't in charge of anyone. Ryan ran the place. If Owen wanted something, he should turn to him, "I don't even know why I'm asking you. You're not even in charge. I'll ask Ryan."
"Ryan's not here. He's overseas trying to shore up our funding. Sean's with him for protection, or I'd send him to Switzerland with Nikita and Alex," Blocking Owen, Michael informed him. The only reason Alex and Nikita were alone was because Sean was gone and because they didn't want to give Amanda power. It wasn't all about Owen or Michael's annoyance for him (though, that was a factor). But Owen still didn't have to suffer. He should have answers about his past. It'd just have to wait, "Look, when this op is completed I will try and schedule some time for you to talk with Ari. He's not going anywhere."
It was a half-promise, but it was the best Michael could do. He left Owen in the hallway and wandered back to Ops. The conversation hadn't had a negative or positive affect on his anxiety. But neither had pacing. Maybe actively working on the mission could help. When he returned to Ops, Nikita and Alex had made tons of progress. There had been some bumps along the way, but they had Stefan and were ready to smuggle him out of the country. Michael could definitely help with that. His nerves were finally silent while he did. And eventually, Birkhoff had what he needed, "Alright, Tasarov offspring is in the system, passport ready."
"Okay. I'll let Ari know his son is alright. Patch me through to interrogation," Michael sighed in relief. Since Stefan had a fake passport, Nikita and Alex could successfully bring him to Division. He'd be safe with them for a while until they found a more permanent place for him. Hopefully by then, Amanda wouldn't be a threat anymore. But Michael wouldn't think too far ahead of himself. He should just focus on giving Ari great news and bringing Alex, Nikita, and Stefan home. Further plans could be made after their victory eased their anxiety.
"No answer," Things being easy unfortunately didn't last long in Division. Birkhoff soon informed Michael that he couldn't get in touch with Ari's interrogation room. Something was wrong with the com system. Somehow, in the time since Nikita had last talked to the former head of Gogol, the system had gone offline. Ari was left handcuffed to a table; he had also been fairly docile since they had brought him in. So he couldn't have broken it. The system must've just gone down. Though, since the tech was maintained by Shadowwalker, that wasn't likely either.
"Start their exfil," Heading towards interrogation, Michael ordered Birkhoff. He believed he had an idea as to what happened to Ari. While he checked it out, Ops should continue bringing Alex, Nikita, and Stefan in. After all, what was going on in interrogation didn't concern them. If Michael's hunch was right, which it probably was, then the only person who should be worried was Owen. The former analyst had thought the former Cleaner would join him and the others in Ops to help Nikita and Alex. Yet Michael hadn't seen Owen since their conversation. He knew where he was then, though- causing too much fucking trouble.
When Michael reached interrogation, however, the door was locked. He attempted to shove it open, yet it wouldn't budge. Owen must've done the same thing to the lock that he had to the com system. He wanted complete privacy as he talked to Ari, probably so he could torture the information out him. Even through the door, Michael heard the distinct sounds of a beating. He tried even harder to burst down the door. Owen couldn't kill Ari. Division still needed information, and the former head of Gogol still needed to see his son again. Fortunately, Michael soon managed to open the door. It was just in time too, "Owen, let him go!"
"Wait, he's telling the truth," In a daze, Owen stepped away from Ari. After a few good punches, he had had him pinned against the wall. He had also had him talking. Finally, Owen had answers about his past. He still had a million more. But at least he had a first and last name. He also had a former job. And former friends. And a former purpose. He wouldn't be stumbling around in the dark anymore. He could find out more about himself. He was Samuel Erikson, not Owen Elliot. And he was a former soldier, not just a former Cleaner.
"No, I'm not. Could you come and take him now, please? I told you the truth the first time. I don't know who you were. You wouldn't listen so I made that story up to buy time. Like Scheherazade," Ari immediately took Owen's hope away with a roll of his eyes. He had absolutely no idea who Owen was before he was recruited into Division; Amanda had never talked about his past. Ari only told Owen the obvious lie so he could hold off the unnecessary beating until Michael arrived. Since he was there to rescue him, Ari could tell the actual truth. And that truth was that Owen had been and always would be nothing.
For a second, Owen swore he only saw red. He wasn't aware that he had knocked Ari out cold until Michael began to pull him off. Owen shoved Michael off of him. He wasn't done with Ari yet. How dare he play him like that. All he wanted was the truth, yet he was constantly taunted and belittled. That wasn't fair. None of it was fair. However, before he could truly enact his rage, Michael punched him and sent him flying. He barely held onto consciousness enough to understand how that happened, "By the way, I learned how to make that fist."
Proudly, Michael flexed his prosthetic. If he was being honest, he had been waiting to punch Owen for a while. But he couldn't revel in it for long. He had to get Ari and Owen to Medical. After he explained what had happened, some agents handled that for him. He was free to return to Ops as chaos seemed to be unfolding. Amanda had caught up to Alex and Nikita and a firefight broke out. Although the bitch managed to grab Stefan, the women were okay. Well, Alex was okay. Her voice could be heard loud and clear over the coms. Nikita, on the other hand, "Ops, I'm tracking Nikita, but she's not responding."
"She's parked in an industrial zone ten miles from your staging area," Birkhoff replied to Alex instantly. Michael stared at the monitor, trying to remind himself to breathe. Just because Nikita wasn't responding didn't mean that anything bad had happened. Maybe she had chased after Amanda and was waiting for Alex to arrive before she striked. The reason she couldn't respond was because it'd give her position away. Nothing detrimental had to have happened because Alex couldn't get Nikita to answer. There had to be a perfectly rational explanation- a rational, easy, safe, non-horrifying explanation.
"We've got a problem. I have the com, but no Nikita," Alex informed Ops, fear beyond evident in her voice. Michael stopped breathing. His prosthetic balled into a shaking fist of its own accord. And unshed tears blurred his vision as he continued to stare at the monitor. That couldn't have been happening. Not again. His wife couldn't have been kidnapped while hundreds of thousands of miles away again. And that time with Amanda. No. Michael wouldn't believe that that was happening. She couldn't be in danger. He couldn't live if she was.