"Hey. Birkhoff told me you were holed up here. I guess the emphasis is on 'hole'," When Michael and Nikita returned to Owen's safehouse, Alex was already waiting for them. She had gotten the address from Birkhoff, and the second she could reasonably split from the strike team, she rushed to join the others. Her excuse was that she was following down a lead. Fortunately, thanks to her position as team leader, no one questioned her on it. She technically was getting more information about the mission anyway, just from a source Division hated. They'd help her understand what was happening, even if they were battered as hell, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah. Why are you here and not Kelly?" Nikita immediately brushed aside Alex's concern. She was already feeling a lot better than she had after the fight. Also, Michael was already over-anxious about her wellbeing (he was trying to grab her any ice or medication he could find for her bruising and swelling); Alex didn't need to add to it. Especially since the greater concern was why the young agent was running point on that operation instead of Kelly. The change up didn't make sense, unless Amanda had more in mind than just a simple switch. If that was the case, the team of rogues better start preparing for it.
"I don't know. But we don't really have the time to figure it out," Alex sighed. Since Amanda had approached her that morning in Division, the young agent had had no clue what was going on. She tried to understand it as she traveled to London, yet she was still lost. She wished she had more time to figure things out and clear up Amanda's motivations; however, the rogues didn't have time to just sit and think. They could only deal with one problem at a time, and the Guardian and black box were the more pressing issues.
"She's right. We just need to find Owen before Division does. Where do you think he'd go right now?" Returning with ice for both himself and his girlfriend. Michael asked. Nikita knew Owen- and the regimen- the best. She could possibly discover where his obsession led him next. While they tracked him down, the two should also update Alex and Birkhoff on their crazed teammate. With how terribly things went on the bridge, and with how much worse it was going to get with Division in the mix, the rogues had to all be on the same page. They couldn't afford any more disastrous surprises.
"Somewhere to upload the box. But he can't do it without the Guardian's blood. Each box is biometrically sealed. So if Owen wants to release secrets, he needs to attack- or kill- the Guardian," Nikita explained what she knew about the black boxes. Owen had told her about the extra security measures on the boxes to keep others from poking around in the secrets. It also prevented people from releasing those secrets and destroying everything. Yet Owen was on an obsessive mission. He would find a way around the preventative measures if it was the last thing he did- literally. Both he and the Guardian were going to kill each other over the stupid box.
"We can't let them come together," Michael decided. If the team intercepted Owen before the Guardian found him, they could destroy the black box and avoid a major catastrophe. They'd have to deal with Division and the Guardian eventually, yet Alex could help with that. The rogues just had to focus on de-escalating the situation and getting the hell out of London. As Michael, Nikita, and Alex hopped into the car to drive around and search for Owen, Birkhoff scanned through security and street cameras. The former Cleaner could hide from them for long. After all, he was about to make a lot of noise soon.
All of Alex's and Birkhoff's questions about what was going on were answered while they searched. Michael gave them a run down of events, and Nikita shared the story of the agent with regimen withdrawal in Division. The seriousness of the situation truly began to set in then. They couldn't let that be Owen's fate. He couldn't be killed by something Division forced into him. He deserved a choice- a life. Unfortunately, he was never going to have that while Division was around. They were going to kill him before he could ever be saved, "We may be too late. Division's found Owen, and the Guardian's on his way."
"How far away is your team?" After Alex shared what she had been texted, Nikita asked. There was still a chance the rogues could save Owen and destroy the black box. They could piggyback on Division's intel and beat them to the scene. They might not have all the time in the world to fight the Guardian and a brain-fried Owen, but whatever they could do without Division's influence would be worth it. The Guardian absolutely could not have back up. And Owen couldn't be distracted, or given a chance to be more destructive.
"Closer than we are," Grumbling, Alex admitted. She wished that wasn't the case. But after traveling around London in their search, the rogues were further from the church Owen was found in than the strike team. As soon as Alex gave the order- and she had to give it soon, or Amanda and Percy would be suspicious- Division would swoop in and kill Owen. The rogues wouldn't be able to stop them. What use was Alex really to the rogues then. If she couldn't help them win the day, then what was she supposed to do- just sit aside and hope for the best.
"When we get there, can you order your strike team to back off?" Nikita figured she could at least ask. Maybe if she and Michael had five minutes alone with Owen, that'd be enough to talk him off the edge. It certainly wasn't long enough to take care of the Guardian. Yet if Owen was sane, the three rogues could just destroy the box and split. Since they already had what they wanted, killing the Guardian didn't have to be one of the team's goals; and with the regimen in the mix, it probably shouldn't be. To escape Division, the rogues just had to focus on the bare necessities, and that'd always be destroying the black boxes so they could kill Percy.
"If Owen's as crazy as you say, maybe. But I can't control the Guardian; he's under Percy's orders," A dangerous Owen could give Alex enough of a reason to hold back the strike team for a bit. She could make them change their plan so they wouldn't risk their life against someone on drug withdrawal; she couldn't tell them about the regimen, but simply calling it a drug would be enough to make them stop and think. The young agent wasn't sure how much time that'd give the two rogues. However, it could be enough. They'd make sure of it.
"I'll take care of him then," Nikita decided to go after the Guardian. She had assumed that Alex couldn't control him. Even if she did have some sort of authority over him, he wouldn't have listened to her. The Guardian was almost as obsessive over the box as Owen was- almost. Nikita could fight him off while Michael reasoned with their teammate. Michael wanted to argue with Nikita that it might've been better if she talked to Owen and he faced the Guardian- she was injured and she knew Owen best. Yet the former Cleaner had already made it clear that he wasn't going to listen to Nikita. It was Michael's turn.
Michael also knew that, when it came down to it, he was the one who had to take Owen out. Nikita's story proved that the psychosis of regimen withdrawal was too much for a person; it was better to kill them than let them continue to hurt themselves and others. After all she had experienced, Nikita wasn't up for the shot. But Michael could do it. To save everyone, especially Owen, Michael could kill him. He simply had to ensure the others were on the same page as him, "Nikita, if it comes down to it, I'll put down Owen."
"It won't come to that," Nikita swore. She didn't tell Michael not to do it, though. She knew it was a possibility with the regimen withdrawal. She knew the lack of drugs was going to kill Owen eventually. She simply refused they were at that point yet. The rogues weren't going to lose anyone else. Their actions in Division had caused so much death and destruction. Outside of that hellhole, they had to do everything in their power to save others. The rogues were better than what they were made to be. They should fight tooth and nail to ensure everyone had the best life possible, even if it put them at risk.
That was all the time for an argument the rogues had. Michael and Nikita dropped Alex off a few blocks from where she was to meet with the Division strike team, then they raced to the church. Owen and the Guardian were well into their fight by the time the two arrived. There went just destroying the black box and splitting. Regardless, they didn't hesitate to jump into the fray. Without the distraction of passing cars on the street, the Guardian was an even more formidable foe to neutralize. Owen's splintered attention didn't help. Yet Michael and Nikita managed to kill the Guardian. They were then left to their other crises.
Owen wasn't able to return to the black box he was trying to upload, so that was somewhat of a good sign. The reason why, however, was because Division crashed the scene. Alex had tried to hold them off for as long as she could, but there was only so much she could manage as a double-agent. Michael and Nikita couldn't blame her. They were grateful they could at least stop the Guardian without interference. But there was still too much chaos to destroy the goddamn black box. They needed first before they worried about that stupid thing.
While Michael and Nikita fended off the attack from the strike team, Alex decided to go after Owen. She knew with the regimen, he'd easily get the upperhand in the fight. Yet she wasn't aiming to kill him. She simply wanted to help the rogues and keep her cover intact. Besides, there were enough objects in the church for her to duck and cover around. She could stay alive and keep Owen engaged in the fight until Michael and Nikita finished what they had to do- as long as it didn't take them too long.
Once the strike team was handled, Nikita rushed to the black box and Michael rushed to Alex. The young agent had held her own for a while. However, Owen was able to break her right arm and move in for the kill. Michael reached him just in time. He drove the former Cleaner away, and distracted him from what Nikita was doing. He considered just shooting Owen, but not all hope was lost yet. After all, the rogues were still alive, and the black box was finally destroyed. Owen was enraged by that fact, but Michael silenced him with a strong blow to the back of his head. That'd keep him down for a bit and hopefully solve their regimen problem.
Nikita helped Alex to her feet. She repeatedly asked if she was alright and checked to see if there were any other injuries. Alex shrugged her off. She was fine. Besides, having a broken arm and some cuts and bruises would help sell her story to Percy and Amanda. Nikita smirked at the thought, then helped the young agent with a quick makeshift splint. In the meantime, Michael checked on Owen. He'd be fine once back at the safehouse and with some regimen in him. The rogues didn't lose anyone the day. A fact Nikita was grateful for as she joined Michael's side, "Thanks for not taking the shot."
"I still don't like the guy," Michael hid his soft smile with an irritated mutter. Nikita rolled her eyes. She also began to move away from him, yet he gently grabbed her hand and pulled her back. He placed a tender kiss on her cheek, and her annoyed expression was replaced with a bright smile. Despite where they were and what just happened, he couldn't help but chuckle. The team would be alright. They were on the mend, and they thankfully had access to tools that'd help them be the best again, "Alex, you think you can recover the regimen pills from the Guardian's safehouse for us?"
"Absolutely," Alex easily agreed. Although it was awful that the other agents had been killed, the fact that they were dead gave Alex more freedom to move around the city. She could help the rogues with Owen before she had to report back to Division. Michael and Nikita expressed their thanks- especially Nikita- then hurried to bring Owen to the safehouse. Alex would make certain to bring him the lifesaving regimen soon. Until then, she'd try not to sound too proud as she updated Amanda on Division's failure, "The rogues slipped our grasps. Box was destroyed, and the Guardian and strike team are dead."