Those kidnappers were rebels from Dadich's home country. Birkhoff mostly found information on their leader. The woman who had attempted to grab the former dictator as he slipped past the press had also revealed herself at the hotel suite. She was easy to track after that. Apparently, she was the daughter of a nuclear scientist who had worked with Dadich. When the dictator went under, he made sure everyone who worked for him couldn't speak out against him. The woman obviously wanted revenge. Michael and Birkhoff understood her motives well. It was keeping the bastard alive that confused them. Why kidnap when she could've killed him.
Michael theorized it had to do something with nuclear material. Maybe it was the dramatic leap Birkhoff claimed it was, yet that was the clear link the agent could build between the kidnappers and Percy. They both wanted something from Dadich- why else would they make a deal with him, or kidnap him. If the former dictator had worked with a nuclear scientist, then he must've been in possession of nuclear material. The rebels would need that for their revenge, and Percy would need that for whatever sick power play he had in mind.
A battle for nuclear material made sense, even if it was horrific to think about. Both Division and the kidnappers had to be stopped. Birkhoff couldn't argue with that point. He used street cameras to track down the rebels and their van. If Michael could intercept them before the black ops group could, then the supposed nuclear material would no longer be an issue. That was the best possible outcome. No one should have had the perverse power nuclear weapons gave, especially not Percy and an uncontrollable group of rebels.
Birkhoff followed the kidnappers' van to a subway station in the city. The rebels shoved Dadich deep underground at gunpoint. No doubt, whatever they wanted was in that station. Michael quickly geared up to follow. If he hurried, he'd be able to beat Division and find some way to get rid of the nuclear threat. His partner helped as best he could, manipulating traffic lights in his favor. The hacker also tried to clear out the station and deter any cops or security guards. They didn't need innocents hurt on top of everything else. Also, if the police found out what was occurring, Division's attempt to stop the information spill would be disastrous.
Nikita managed to track the people with the guns fairly quickly. She remembered the license plate number and reported the stolen van to the cops. They believed her false story and her false panic easily. All she had to do was listen to her police scanner for when they found the van for her. The entire time she waited, she paced her safehouse and cleaned the weapons she had stolen from Trevor. She should've relaxed. The pressure she was forcing on herself was burning her out. She was already stressed and anxious over recent events. She needed to lay down- breathe. But she was too worked up. Staying active was the only thing she could do.
Fortunately, there was a hit on her missing van before any thoughts could invade her actions. Nikita was able to run off again into the unknown. She wasn't that interested in the armed kidnappers. She didn't care what they wanted with a former dictator. She only wanted Dadich. Whatever he was up to could lead her to Percy. She'd need all the information she could gather before she could go after the bastard. Maybe Michael was right in waiting until those stupid black boxes were out of the way; it would give her a chance to actually plan. She should slow down and think. That could be the difference between her living and dying.
She found herself not caring either way, however. Nikita took off towards the subway station, stealing a car along the way. The faster she arrived, the better chances she had at ensuring Dadich led her to Percy. She couldn't risk the chance of running into Division, or Godforbid Michael. Both would deter her. Only one would kill her; though, she'd rather face that option than hear another plea from Michael. She knew his heart was in the right place, which made it worse. He was always the good guy- the hero. And she was always going to hurt him.
Kelly knew more was going on than what she was being told. She knew that would always be the case with Division. Percy and Amanda loved to control the information agents and recruits received; it kept them loyal and in-line. She had made her peace with that a long time ago. She was perfectly fine only being told what she needed to in order to survive. Only caring for herself kept her alive that long. It could continue to be her saving grace. She just needed to keep her mouth shut and her focus shifted towards her next mission.
However, the newest recruit, Alex, continued to be a troubling mystery. Something about her was off. First of all, Nikita tried to make her escape. Kelly's Russian might have been subpar, but she at least knew the rogue had wanted the teenager to run, and she had called her 'Alexandra'. The situation didn't make sense. Why would a star like Nikita risk everything for some random recruit. She couldn't have just snapped. Kelly didn't believe that for a second. Something about Alex drove Nikita away from Division.
Attempting to know what that something was never went in Kelly's favor. Percy and Amanda had her shut out. Although they gave her the position that was supposed to go to Nikita, she wasn't appeased. Alex unnerved her. Not only was she almost forced to escape, Amanda paid her special attention. It was more than normal new recruits would face. It was as though the teenager was the woman's pet. She was clearly the favorite. She received far more special treatment than the rest of them, and she knew it. That fact made Alex so superior- so seemingly untouchable. It was annoying.
And it was made so much worse when she was activated for an op. Alex had barely been in Division, yet off she went to join Kelly at the hotel with Dadich. Kelly thought it was ridiculous. She didn't care that the recruit was only there to make the former dictator comfortable so Percy could obtain something from him. She was activated too soon; it was unfair. It was also puzzling that despite her lack of training, she managed to survive the attack that had occurred. Everyone else died, but she remained. Obviously, she lied about how that came to be. She was holding back. Kelly was determined to discover what she was hiding.
Maybe if she had stayed at the hotel with Alex, she would've known exactly what had happened. But Kelly had more important things to do than wait for Dadich to give up the information Percy wanted. She needed to figure the young recruit out. That continued to be her mission even when Division had one of the rebels who kidnapped Dadich to interrogate. She didn't care about the former dictator or whatever Percy wanted from him. Her sights were on Alex. Once that mystery was solved, she'd make certain that little recruit wasn't so superior.
Unfortunately, Kelly was called away before she could corner a recovering Alex in her room. Division's hackers were able to locate Dadich and his kidnappers. They had taken him to a subway station where- according to their captive- he had hid a way to find the nuclear material he had buried. Percy wanted that material, so Kelly and a team had to steal the coordinates. She couldn't disobey the order; it never mattered what she wanted instead. But maybe she could use that mission to her advantage. She could ask Dadich what really happened in the hotel room. All of Alex's lies would come to light, and she could steal her stardom.
Gun at the ready, Michael weaved through the halls of the subway. Chances were, the kidnappers and Dadich were at the storage lockers. Where else would they be if he had something hidden for years. No one touched those lockers if they didn't have to. Birkhoff watched Michael's back through security footage as he made his approach. He warned him of nearby police and of the possibility of Division. The rogue didn't have to worry about either, however. As he rounded a corner and spied on the rebels and former dictator, he ran into a whole other problem. Nikita was there.
Her gun was drawn, and she was formulating an approach towards Dadich. Except, the instant she spotted Michael out of the corner of her eye, she stopped dead in her tracks. Both glanced at one another in shock. That could not be happening again. The universe must've loved fucking with them. They couldn't stay away from one another if they tried- and God did they try. However, the two didn't have time to hash that out or run away from each other. Dadich passed a duffel bag to his kidnappers.
That must've been the nuclear material. Michael had to intercept it immediately. He signaled for Nikita to help him flank the kidnappers. She glanced at them then at him before she nodded. He was actually surprised that she had agreed, but he didn't question her help. Together, the two trapped the rebels and Dadich at gunpoint. Michael grabbed the duffel from them, while Nikita held them in place. He was relieved to see that nuclear material wasn't actually inside the bag. It was simply coordinates that more than likely led to nukes. But that didn't matter. He could neutralize the threat and everything would be over.
Sadly, Michael was never that lucky. First, Dadich decided to make a run for it. Then, the rebels started shooting. And finally, Division arrived on the scene. Birkhoff's warning was a little too late on that one. But Nikita managed to get herself and Michael behind pillars. They were shielded from the flying bullets as they shot back. They wouldn't be able to hold there for long, though. As soon as Kelly spotted the two, she was on a warpath. She wanted them dead more than she wanted the duffel. The rogues had to get out of there.
It was a good thing neither of them were alone. Birkhoff sent cops down into the station as a distraction, and Michael and Nikita covered each other as they sprinted from the storage lockers. Whereas he wasn't sure where to go to completely escape, she pulled him after her. She spotted the best exit for them amidst the chaos. Sprinting across the tracks, the two headed towards the service tunnel. With the oncoming train, the rogues would be able to slip away unseen. Although Kelly caught up to them, she couldn't reach them.
Both Nikita and Michael flashed smug grins at the fact. They shared the smiles with one another before turning towards Kelly. She had her weapon aimed at the rogues, but it was of no use. The train was coming, and they were going to make their escape. Before they took off, however, Michael tossed the duffel onto the tracks. The passing train destroyed the coordinates to the nuclear material and covered the rogues' disappearance. They slipped out of the station completely unseen.
The two couldn't help but laugh as they reached the surface and ran away from the scene together. Birkhoff informed Michael through their coms that Division was trying to spin the botched mission as an FBI operation, and that Dadich was working with the rebels before he died. The rogue didn't care what kind of cover story Percy created and Kelly had to enforce. He stopped the bastard from gaining even more power. And Nikita had helped him. They had made a wonderful team. They saved each other and the day. That was worth celebrating; it was worth holding onto as they slowed to a walk on the sidewalk.
He held her hand. She glanced at their interlocked fingers, then at his determined green eyes. He didn't say anything; he didn't need to. He just squeezed her hand. She canted towards him, unable to stop herself. But her feet remained planted where she stood. She stared at him and his pleading green eyes for far two long. She tried not to portray anything in her brown eyes. Yet it was of no use. He knew her too damn well. The look she gave him was an invitation. He squeezed her hand tighter and stepped closer to her. Her chest beat for her to close the gap between them, and she almost followed the call. Except, as she moved, a truck blared past them.
Michael and Nikita were violently ripped from their moment. Green and brown eyes split to stare at the honking truck. It wasn't worth their curiosity- the honk meant nothing. Yet their hands dropped regardless. She pulled away from him. His attention snapped back to her, and he took another step in her direction. She pulled further away. He had to stop. The look they gave one another was different than before. So much so that he couldn't put a name or feeling to it. He just had to watch her turn around and walk away. The urge to follow her was strong; it took everything in him to fight against it. And she fought the urge to look back at him.