Michael did everything he could to break his restraint. He was only chained to a stone pillar by one wrist. Yes, that made him uncomfortable; and, yes, that made moving around awkward. However, he could ignore that as he tried to rip his wrist free. There was no way that was his end. He refused to be trapped in Division while Nikita, Birkhoff, and Alex were in danger. Once he managed to escape, there had to be something he could do to help the team. Maybe he could finally shoot Percy. That'd certainly be helpful.
Unfortunately, hours passed without progress. Michael's wrist was bloody and bruised, yet the restraint held. He had been close to ripping his own hand off- he'd sacrifice a hand if that meant saving his loved ones- but his energy failed him. His hope began to fail him as well. The fact that four rogues had escaped Division before was a mistake Percy wouldn't allow to happen again. Even if Michael removed the restraint, he was still trapped in a room hundreds of feet below ground. And even if he could get up top, he wouldn't be able to reach Birkhoff, Nikita, Alex, and Ryan in time. He was useless. He just had to pray the others were more successful.
Never having been a religious man, praying for the others was difficult. His conviction waned just as quickly as his hope. Michael could trust in his team's abilities, but what good would their skills serve them when they didn't have a clue about what was really going on. Percy was several moves ahead, and he was going to crush the rogues before they ever realized that. If it happened to Michael, it'd happen to the others. Hell, there was a chance that Alex was already in a similar situation he was in. She was trapped and suffering and unable to help. The next victims would be Nikita and Birkhoff.
As Michael wallowed in his defeat, he heard the door to his cell unlock and open again. He didn't even make an attempt to break his restraint and sprint towards the opening. He knew there was no use. All he could do was sit there awkwardly and prepare himself for whatever horror Percy was going to gloat about next. Except, it wasn't Percy who came through the door. The clacking high heeled shoes definitely didn't belong to the bastard. Michael then believed he was going to look up and see Amanda. Surprisingly, though, it was Kelly who had entered and who was staring at him with a blank expression, "I didn't expect you."
"Can't say the same about you," Kelly replied to Michael dryly. Although the corner of her lips pulled upwards in what appeared to be a smirk, her tone didn't reflect her desire to taunt him. Michael honestly couldn't care less about why that was. Whatever was going through Kelly's mind didn't matter. So what if she was upset or if something had happened to her. There were worse things going on outside the hellish walls of Division; things Michael couldn't draw his attention or despair away from.
"What does Percy want you to tell me now?" Sighing, Michael turned away from Kelly. The only way she could've come to see him was if she was acting as Percy's mouthpiece again. When he had been the head of agents and she had been a recruit, they hardly ever interacted- except when she had gotten in trouble. And when Kelly had graduated to agent, Michael only dealt with her when she was paired on missions with Nikita. The two hadn't been close- definitely not close enough for her to come see him when he was captured. She was just there to fulfill an order. She would never do anything else.
"I just came to say goodbye," Again, Kelly attempted to be smug, but it fell flat. It was almost as if it wasn't in her at the moment to gloat. What did Michael care if it was or not, though. He didn't even respond to her 'goodbye'. He just slumped against the pillar and waited. He waited for the horrendous news that the rogues lost and couldn't stop Sparrow. He waited for a cleaner to come kill him- Percy would never get his hands dirty like that. And he waited for Kelly to leave. She didn't move a muscle, however. She just kept staring at him until she was finally able to ask, "Was it worth it?"
"What do you care?" Michael scoffed. Kelly still sounded subdued. She didn't seem like she was actually there to brag or anything. It almost seemed as though she was genuinely curious about whether or not the rogues' cause was worth it. But that couldn't have been right. Since day one, her mission had been to capture and kill the rogues. There was no way Kelly would deviate from that. She wouldn't even think of deviating from that. So how could she actually care about what the rogues thought or did. What could it serve her on her mission.
"I just think it's funny that you rogues really thought you could take down Division," Finally, some snark coated Kelly's tone. She actually sounded like herself- gloating over what she perceived as other people's stupidity. After all, she somewhat had a point. It had been an impossible task to take down Division when Michael had been the only one rogue, and it was impossible when there was a whole team of agents trying to burn the hellhole. The rogues were no match for the black ops group of the government. Division had corrupt government officials at their back; they had power. The rogues had nothing.
Though, that nothing had gotten them far in their war. That was a fact that couldn't be forgotten. They had had Division beat several times. And, as of that moment, they were still alive. Awkwardly getting to his feet, Michael turned to face Kelly. He honestly didn't have any bravado left in his system to taunt, yet he could muster some for the agent. His hopelessness, despair, and anger could be unleashed on her, "So you came to gloat too. I know you set us up. Percy told you to bait Alex so we could fall into his trap. When you asked what Sparrow was, you knew. You were dropping breadcrumbs, just like the good little follower you are."
That sentiment struck a chord with Kelly. The fact that (after her rough transition into Division) she always followed her orders was besides the point. Of course she did as Division told her; she would die otherwise. What pissed her off was that Michael really believed that any of them really had a choice. Couldn't he see where he was. Going against Division had led to his and his team's death. So, who cared if Kelly was a follower. At least she was alive, "I'm doing what I can to save my life. I'm not letting them, or you, or anyone kill me."
"You know Percy's corrupt, but you turn a blind eye to save your own skin. That's your choice, and you have to live with it," Michael bit. He knew Division agents had no real choice. If they wanted to live (and most people wanted to live when it came down to it) they had to do as they were told. However, most agents knew Percy was corrupt. The missions they performed were definitely not sanctioned. By blindly following, by never fighting, the agents were being complicit. For recruits, that was the only thing they could do. But for agents like Kelly, they had power and agency. They could stand up. They could fight back. They just chose not to.
"You know what? You and Nikita sound exactly alike- saying the same shit over and over again. Is that what happens when you fuck someone?" Rolling her eyes, Kelly refused to let Michael's words affect her. She knew what she was doing. She knew that she was turning a blind eye. But that wasn't going to hurt her. It was the only thing that was saving her. Not everyone got to be like the rogues. Not everyone could survive blatantly disobeying those with too much power. Some people needed to stay subdued and silent if they wanted to keep breathing.
"That's because mine and Nikita's eyes are open," Leaning against the pillar, Michael glared at Kelly. Birkhoff had once made a quip that the couple had begun to sound more alike since they had gotten together (they had even once made the same joke about the same situation). But the hacker had called out the couple in jest. Kelly wanted to wound Michael. Yet she wasn't going to get under his skin. He and Nikita sounded alike because they were right. They were also unafraid to face the truth. It was something Kelly would never understand.
"No, Nikita is dead," Furiously, Kelly snapped. It finally became clear to Michael what the agent had been upset about when she had entered her cell. Despite their differences, Nikita and Kelly had been partners- a part of them still cared for one another. However, that was the last of his rational thoughts. Everything suddenly became muted and cold. He could barely focus on anything, let alone Kelly's next words, "She's dead, Michael. I was listening in over the com. She… I warned her what would happen if she went up against Percy. You warned her too. Then you let her join you. You encouraged her. That was your choice."
Michael's ears rang. All thought had rushed out of his head, making his ears buzz. His thoughts then settled in his stomach, pitting out his gut and leaving nothing behind. He felt as though he was going to throw them back up. However, he didn't have the strength to move. Kelly's words struck his heart, and almost instantly, his body shut down. Nikita was dead. Division had caught up to her, and they killed her. She was gone. His love was gone again. And, again, he wasn't there to save her.
It was lucky that Michael was leaning against the pillar. Otherwise, he would've completely collapsed to the ground. He had believed that he had lost all strength and fight in him before. But then- he had no way to accurately describe the kind of emptiness he felt. He just wanted to give up, to waste away forever. What was the point if Nikita was gone. If Nikita was gone. There was a chance that Nikita was still alive. Kelly had no reason to tell Michael the truth. She could've been lying. She just wanted to upset him. Nikita could still be alive. Michael could still have her, "No… No. I don't believe you."
"It's true. Alex shot her," Kelly stated matter of factly. Percy had had her listen to the com he had hidden on Alex. He wanted her to be actively involved in the rogues' set up and take down. She had already brought in Michael, and she had already staged the warehouse to put the blame of Operation Sparrow on Nikita. She just had to see it all through by witnessing Alex turn on Nikita. Honestly, the gun shot surprised Kelly. She didn't think that it would've gone that far. She truly didn't believe that Percy could've twisted Alex and the rogues like that. Yet she was drastically wrong. She should never doubt Percy like that again.
"You fucking liar!" Michael tried to surge forward to Kelly. His trapped wrist nearly broke against the restraint as he violently moved towards the agent. The pain didn't bother him. In fact, he couldn't even feel it. So much rage and anguish flowed through his veins, he couldn't feel anything besides his heart slowly breaking in half. There was no way Nikita was dead. There was absolutely no way she was dead and Alex had killed her. Kelly was just acting as Percy's mouthpiece for one of his fucked up games. The bastard wanted to break the rogue. But Michael wouldn't break because Nikita was alive.
"Nikita killed her father, so Alex killed her. That's what happens in this fucking place. Everyone turns on everyone. The only way to survive is to look out for yourself. You should've taught her that," Kelly spat at Michael. She didn't give him a chance to respond. After that, she stormed out of his cell and left him with his thoughts. Except, Michael didn't have anything. The fleeting moment of hope that Nikita could still be alive had left him. He was left empty, broken, and weak. He had no more fight left in him. He just let his body crumble to the ground despite the pain in his wrist, and he wept.
As Nikita's body hit the ground, Alex ripped away the com and camera Percy had forced her to wear. She made certain that she was truly disconnected from Division, then she ran towards the rogue. Just as she had expected, her rounds had hit Nikita square in the Kevlar. Her ribs were definitely broken, yet she'd be fine. Once she could catch her breath, she'd be running and gunning in no time. Yet Alex couldn't have her catch her breath just yet. There was still more to her plan. And more information to share, "Hey. Hey. Michael's in Division. You're gonna have to get him out after you fuck up Percy's plan."
Nikita immediately tried to get up, yet Alex held her back down. She removed the drug she had hidden in her pocket and prepared to inject it into the rogue. When she had been at the rogues' loft, Alex spotted a paralytic in their medical kit. She hadn't questioned why it was there. Instead, she had realized that the drug could be her third option. Watching Roan clean Jaden before she was carted away to Division was going to leave Alex with nightmares. However, it did teach her a few things. Like, whatever drug she gave the rogue would save her life, "This is tetrodotoxin. It will flush out of your system when Roan starts to clean you."
Tetrodotoxin should slow Nikita's heartbeat enough for Division to believe she was dead. Until Roan cleaned her, then she'd snap awake and tear Percy and Operation Sparrow to shreds. Alex wouldn't be around to watch that happen however. Her plan to create a third option wasn't just so she could save the rogue and fuck with Percy. It was also so Alex could get free. She wanted out of everything. No more lies with the rogues. No more torture from Division. She was going to go out on her own, kill Semak, and disappear. It was for the best. And it was how she could maybe eventually be happy, "Good luck. And goodbye."