Despite the many things stacked against the rogues, the lack of movement on the hunt for black boxes, the limitations in the resources they could acquire, how their war against Division seemed ever ongoing and never ending, Michael couldn't help but be cheery. Maybe he suffered one too many blows to the head- that was Birkhoff's assumption. Maybe being on the run for so long made him snap. Yet Michael knew it wasn't any of that. There was one singular thought that made him smile. His mind should've been on other things, but he couldn't shake it. Even when Birkhoff questioned him about it, he couldn't stop grinning, "What has you so happy?"
It would've been easier if Michael just shared his thoughts with Birkhoff. It wasn't like it was some big secret. The hacker knew what happened on the Dadich mission. Nikita had helped destroy the coordinates to the nuclear material. She also saved Michael. There was a moment where everything seemed normal again for the two rogue agents. They worked as perfect partners, screwing over Division together. And afterwards, when they stood hand in hand on the sidewalk, there was another moment between them- a better moment. Although she pulled away, there was so much promise and something like hope in her eyes. It made him smile, "Nothing."
"Whatever. I think I got another Division target," Birkhoff simply decided to ignore the dopey grins. That was always best whenever Nikita was brought up- or even when she wasn't. Since Michael had found her on the street, she was constantly on his mind. The hacker couldn't completely blame him. She did have the uncanny ability to show up wherever he was. It was impossible to escape her, especially when Michael never let her go in the first place. Birkhoff never pushed him about it, or tried to have a serious talk about the complicated mess of a situation. Letting it go and only focusing on the mission was better for everyone.
"You sure?" Controlling his features, Michael neared the hacker and his computer set-up. He was right to focus on Division. Ruining missions and saving targets were things the rogues could actually control. Though, it was the things he couldn't control that enraptured Michael. He wanted the black boxes destroyed, and he wanted Nikita… he wanted Nikita on his team. That was his only motive for having her join him and Birkhoff. The three would be safer and stronger together. He just wanted those he cared about safe. That was all that was about.
"Shadownet is always sure. I set up an algorithm to pick up Division chatter in the news, or random breaks in police procedure and patterns, basically all the tricks we pulled before missions and the new ones Nikki told us about. Their next hit is going to be a journalist. Jill Moretti," Birkhoff was thankfully too focused on his prized computer program to notice Michael's whiplash of thoughts. The agent took the opportunity to ignore whatever was running through his mind and pay attention to the new information.
"First, Shadownet is still a stupid name. Second, give me the name and place," With a pat on the nerd's back, Michael moved to prepare for the new operation. A mission to save a Division target's life would be a great way to get his priorities back in order. He should be placing all his energy into stopping the black ops group and destroying their harddrives full of secrets. He had to remember that he went rogue to save innocence from corruption of power. Nikita had become a distraction. She didn't want his help, so he had to focus on those that did.
"Shadownet says 'you're welcome'," Shouting after him, Birkhoff did as Michael requested. Division was making movements against a freelance journalist in a parking garage downtown. At least that was what the new algorithm he plugged into Shadownet stated. He really hoped his hard work paid off. They were running short on information against Division. Saving innocent people, getting revenge for what Percy had done, even Nikita wouldn't matter if the rogues just spluttered out. If the new upgrades to Shadownet didn't work, they'd start to drown. Michael was about to save a journalist, though, maybe that could help them.
Alex stared at the computer screen in utter confusion. She didn't do something right. She hardly ever did when it came to computers. That was the reason she had to stay behind while the others were given a break. She couldn't leave her chair until she got it right. Amanda couldn't save her that time- at least, that was what Jaden snarked as she left. Alex sighed. Each new step forward sent her further over her head. She had to gain her footing. Figuring out how to hack seemed like a simple step to take. Yet, she couldn't do it. All she managed to do was pull up a chatbox. Hopefully, she could pass that off as something right, "Is this a test or a chatbox?"
A chime from her computer startled Nikita out of her daze. She had been staring off into space, attempting to think of her next move. Following the news wasn't helpful. The only recent story that could possibly be Division was a journalist murdering her boss. But that wasn't substantial. She had to rely on something else. Maybe since she was getting vengeance for herself, she could do the same for her victims. If she found the people who hired Division to kill them, she could find a link to Percy. That seemed plausible. Except, she became too distracted by the message. How did anyone discover a way to contact her, "Depends how you found this."
"Made some mistakes while hacking. I don't think this is how you run a cyber intrusion," Shrugging, Alex admitted. She figured she was talking to someone in Division. No one else could access the terminals; she had been told that countless times. Apparently, not even the famed Birkhoff who created the system could hack back in. If Alex was talking to an agent or another recruit, then they could possibly help her with her hacking. She needed allies besides Amanda. Since everyone seemed to hate her, an anonymous chat could work in her favor.
"Definitely not. This is a shell program. It's a two-way chat, but only if you have the code. Or stumble upon it accidentally," Nikita's fingers typed faster than her thoughts could process what was occurring. When she had set-up her computer, she installed the shell program she had left on the Division terminals as a recruit. She wasn't completely sure why she did; she sort of hoped she could find a way to utilize it. Though, the shell program was only a paper cup phone into Division. It wasn't actual hacking. She'd need someone to feed her information if she was to use it. But maybe if she pretended to be an agent, that could happen.
So Alex definitely didn't do anything right. She groaned in defeat. She was never going to understand that intrusion thing, she was never going to get a break, and she was never going to kill Semak. All the trials and games and hoops Percy was making her jump through were going to burn her out before she could ever enact her revenge. All she wanted was to return the hell Semak put her through. She couldn't do that if Percy kept dangling the prize just out of her reach. She had to find a way around him. The person she was talking to could possibly help her- hopefully, "Who am I talking to, then? Are you going to rat me out? Or can you help me?"
"As long as you don't rat me out first," Nikita wasn't pretending as she responded. There was no use in engaging with the recruit- it had to be a recruit, no agent was that bad at hacking to not understand a simple cyber intrusion- if the conversation was only going to be reported. She could logout of the program, and her messages would disappear. But how could she gain any new intel if the recruit was only going to turn her in. She needed to build trust. And she had to get rid of the pang of guilt she felt about tricking someone into being a mole.
"Don't worry. I have pull. We won't even get punished," There was a chance Alex was laying it on thick, but she really needed to make the agent help her- she figured it was an agent, they seemed to know what they were talking about. She was sure Amanda would give her leniency if she found out, though. She knew how much the young recruit was struggling. The woman was also the one to tell her that there was power in trusting other people. Alex couldn't get in that much trouble, and she could extend that nicety to whoever helped her.
"Well, these messages disappear once we logout. As long as we do that, we're good. As for your intrusion, rely on those flashdrives they gave you," Quickly, Nikita informed the recruit. The sooner they got what they wanted, the sooner she could gain intel. After a few minutes, the recruit typed what seemed to be a hundred 'thank yous'. Nikita found herself smiling for just a moment. It was a simple joy, brought on by the young recruit's excitement. She couldn't let the feeling completely distract her, however. She had business to attend to, "What kind of pull do you have, by the way? You know what's going on?"
"Just that they're after some journalist about a possible leak. Though, I think Michael and Nikita are far more dangerous leaks," Alex wasn't sure why she responded so easily. It was probably just her excitement about finally getting the training hack right. Besides, no harm could come from telling an agent. They might be activated for the op later on. With the journalist still on the run, more of Division's resources would be utilized to find her. Sooner or later, everyone would know about the blundered op. Alex mostly knew about it through rumors, anyway.
Nikita could pat herself on the back for guessing the latest big news story was Division related. Though, that wasn't too hard to guess once you knew the black ops group's pattern. It was getting more intel to be able to do something about their missions that was the problem. She had to keep pressing the young recruit. Or simply warn them about the actual dangers out there, "At least Michael and Nikita know they'll get killed if they tell. This country won't recover from Division's secrets. That poor journalist has no idea what they stepped into."
"I heard Michael stepped in and helped her," Although Alex knew she needed to logoff and leave the computer lab, she continued to talk to the stranger. It was the realest conversation she had had with a person in a long time. She didn't have to lie in any capacity. There wouldn't be any repercussions, not with an anonymous chat. She almost felt as though she could express her true feelings about Division. The agent seemed to have reservations about what they were doing. That made them better than judgmental Jaden and Kelly, and too-nice Thom.
"He does that," Glancing at her television, Nikita typed. The news continued to cover the story of the dead newspaper editor. The journalist that was suspected to kill him was on the run. Division must've framed her for the murder and then were planning to kill her too. Fortunately, Michael was there to stop it. He and Birkhoff were getting better at jumping ahead of Division's plans. Her information must've helped a lot. She should've gone back with them. No doubt they'd be an indomitable team. But there were some things she had to do on her own.
"You know him?" Alex just had to wonder. Michael had gone rogue a long time ago. Only the older and far more experienced agents knew him. There weren't that many left of those. The high rate of turnover in Division kept information on former agents limited. That probably worked in Amanda's and Percy's favors. The less the agents knew about the rogues, the less likely they were to follow them. But Alex wanted to know about the agents brave enough to defy orders. They were able to break the chokehold Division had on them.
"I know Nikita and Birkhoff too. Those three aren't ones to mess with," Nikita wasn't bragging. It was a fact. It was also a little bit of a warning. The young recruit shouldn't involve themselves with the war against the rogues. The missions were only going to get more messy and destructive. That was fine if Percy or Amanda were getting hurt. And Roan too; Nikita never liked or trusted Percy's attack dog. But the recruits that were being used and abused just as she had been didn't deserve to be caught in the crosshairs. They deserved freedom.
"I know. I ran into a rogue Nikita. I can see why Kelly hates her," Alex shared too much. The agent could guess who she was. Hardly any agents had run into Nikita since she went rogue. But no one knew what truly happened in the hotel with Dadich. So maybe her identity was safe.
Except, Nikita knew about the hotel. She also knew which recruit was still new, and wouldn't know who Birkhoff or Michael were. She cursed as she typed, "Alexandra?"
"Wait. Are you Nikita?" The thought was instant. She was the only person to have called Alex 'Alexandra' inside of Division. Not even Amanda called her by her full name. Nikita was also the only agent she could think of that'd talk about Michael and Birkhoff like that. Either no one talked about them at all, or- like Kelly- they'd rail against them. Alex didn't just stumble across a random chatbox; she discovered a rogue's attempt to invade Division. She should've said something. Regain the favor she had lost. Instead, she decided to have Nikita's back. She had saved her first, after all, "Don't worry. All your secrets are safe with me."
"Why?" The three letters were the most difficult to type. There was a lot Nikita wanted to ask. Why was Alex still alive. Why was she still with Division. Why does she seem so sure and confident in aligning with the group that killed her family and nearly killed her. And why was she not completely loyal to them. None of what Nikita could rationalize made sense. If Alex was so afraid of Division that she'd rather work for them than run, then shouldn't she be willing to rat the rogue out. Keeping her a secret didn't benefit the young recruit in any way. None of that did.
"I made a deal. I get recruited and they use me as an agent, and in exchange they give me what I want most. But, I know better now than to give them everything they want," For some reason, that was all Alex was willing to share. She trusted Nikita to level some serious blows against Division. And she trusted the rogue's desire to keep people safe. But she didn't trust her with her mission. Alex wanted that to stay a secret. Her family had been for a long time. She wasn't going to break it over a chatbox.
"Be careful," It was the only advice Nikita could give. She wanted to ask a million more questions. She wanted to be biting and admonish Alex for what seemed like a stupid decision. Yet she understood. She sold her soul to Amanda after Michael and Birkhoff went rogue. And Michael sold his soul to Percy after his wife and daughter died. It took them years to realize their mistakes. Hopefully it wouldn't take Alex that long. She'd snap out of it, and realize there were other ways to get what she wanted. Whatever that was.
"You too. Jill Moretti needs you," Alex quickly logged out of the shell program. Panic just as quickly shot through her. She gave a rogue agent information. If Amanda or Percy found out, she was dead; it didn't matter who she was. Telling Nikita about the reporter was worse than hiding her involvement with Dadich in the hotel room. However, as Alex continued to think about the consequences, she became proud of her actions. The more the rogues hurt Division, the more pressure they would feel to complete their operations. Alex's revenge mission could be fast tracked. Helping both the rogues and Division could get her everything she ever wanted.