Nikita (2010–2013): Season 3, Episode 5 - The Sword's Edge - full transcript

I only need one of you.

Did Nikita send you...

or Michael?

Where is your hit team?

Or is it their
precision strike squad?

Or does Division not believe
in that kind of killing anymore?

Ah, I'd heard
they'd gone soft--

redemption, forgiveness.

Whatever stooge the president
put in charge has no clue

what Division is about.

You want forgiveness?



Sir, do you need help?

I forgive you.

Yeah.

Thousands
gathered to celebrate

the special election
of Alexi Markov

as President of the Republic
of Uzbekistan.

His swift rise to power
came on the heels

of the sudden death of former
President Zelensky last month.

This guy was Division?

To the world,
he's Alexi Markov.

To us, Edward.

Sent into deep cover
six years ago to infiltrate

the People's Liberty Movement--

Uzbekistan's main
opposition party.



- How the hell did he become--
- Master of his domain?

A little luck,
a lot of cojones.

He carved out a role for himself
as the party's enforcer.

He wormed his way
up the ranks,

then when the PLM
rose to power last month,

he found himself
a heartbeat away.

He made sure that heart
didn't beat very long.

One of the dirty thirty is
the leader of a foreign country.

My God, this is a disaster.

We talked about these rogues
being loose cannons.

This one's a loose nuke.

At least we know where he is.
We head to Uzbekistan.

You and what army?

'Cause this guy
literally has an army.

He already wiped out
our advance team.

He's gonna be
on high alert.

This can't be an away game.

He's got a White House
state visit on the books

for next week.

That's our window--
when he's in our backyard.

Tricky. If a leader
dies on American soil,

whether real or if we fake it,
it'll look suspicious.

That's why
he's not going to die.

We take him and swap him
with a double.

Then we plot his death
on our own timeline.

Look, I have read the files.

I know Division's
done this before.

Yeah, with carefully
selected assets,

months of vetting,
and plastic surgery.

We don't have the time.

Unless you ask the president
to delay the meeting.

The President?

And what do I tell her
when she asks why?

That she'd be helping us
get one of our targets.

I'm not telling the president
that a rogue Division Agent

is currently running
Uzbekistan.

Now, we intercept Markov
after he arrives in the states

but before he gets
to the White House.

I want conops and mission
breakdown on my desk

by close of play.

I'm just gonna say it.

There are lots of brands
of decaf that are just as tasty

as the real thing.

I say we make the switch.

You know, there is still
a little piece of my head

you didn't bite off,

in case you want to go
for seconds.

I know. I'm sorry.

But this is
a volatile situation.

We realize that.

We all know
how high the stakes are.

You need to trust that
we know what we're doing

and we're not
gonna let you down.

Can you do that?

- Of course.
- Okay.

But, I mean, based
on how tightly wound

you've been lately,
I'm not so sure.

I'm not just talking
about today.

Birkhoff and Sonya
came to me with something.

Looks like Amanda knew exactly
when the attack on medical

went down.

Knew how?

The bad version--
somebody told her.

A mole.

Well, I guess
we shouldn't be surprised.

Probably too much to hope that
this was one big, happy ship.

The Titanic was a happy ship
right until the end.

Let me put Alex on it.
She's experienced with this.

Right.

It takes a mole
to catch a mole.

You sure that's all?

The Markov situation
isn't helping.

I knew these rogues
would be trouble.

I had no idea how much.
Don't worry about it.

We'll catch this guy.

Talk to Birkhoff and Sonya.

They can get you access
to the entire network.

Keep it quiet.
Right. Sneakysneak.

You're authorized
to question anybody

you think is of interest.

Yeah?
Where are you going?

Except me.

Ryan Fletcher.

Did anyone see you
enter the tunnels?

Nope. Maybe someday
I'll get to use the front door.

Madame President.

Gentlemen,
let's make this quick.

This PDB highlights an incident
at Senator Herek's rally

as a matter for concern.

The briefing before that
flagged the theft

of an experimental
explosive from...

Fort Granville.

Fort Granville as the work
of possible coverts.

Madame President,
in both cases, we--

I have thrown them
off the scent.

I told them that we had
more important work to do,

which we do.

We are making progress.

We brought down
some serious threats.

We have strong leads
on several others.

My priority is the running
of this country.

This week I am hosting
a delegation from Uzbekistan

because they finally have
a president who is willing

to work with us.

That is the work
that this administration

needs to be doing.

I can't let the specter
of some rogue Black Ops group

overshadow that.

If the public gets even a hint
of what Division has done,

my entire agenda
becomes an afterthought.

Do you understand
what I'm saying?

Yes. Yes, I do.

And we are working on improving
our containment strategies.

We are scrubbing the place clean
of Percy's legacy.

Was Percy really the problem?

Excuse me?

Or is Division
the disease itself?

Evan.

Ma'am, you have
to be politic. I don't.

What does that mean?

You know damn well
what it means.

Special Forces have been placed
on ready alert.

We made a deal.

Commander Danforth is not
saying this has to happen.

But you need to know that
it will happen if necessary.

Within minutes
of the scramble order,

they will raid your compound
and scrub it clean.

The objective was to shut
Division down discreetly.

The objective
is not being met.

So you go the other way...

with an attack so loud
it can't be covered up?

The cover story's pre-written.

Dead assassins
can't contradict it.

Okay, Evan, stop.

The only person that
can give that order is me,

and I'm not giving it yet.

The purpose of this meeting
was to get on the same page

and to get our priorities clear.

Fletcher is promising
to color within the lines.

Danforth is saying
keep your junk in your pants,

or we'll cut it off.

Is that politic enough?

The next time we hear
of Division in a negative light

will be the last time
we hear of Division.

♪ Nikita 3x05 ♪
The Sword's Edge
Original air date on November 30, 2012

== sync, corrected by elderman ==

How the hell
are we gonna get this guy?

His security profile's
pretty solid.

Once his personal guards turn
him in to the Secret Service

he's basically untouchable.

So the White House
is the end zone.

We can't let him in.

The most secure building
in the world?

That's kind of a nonstarter.
That leaves his hotel.

He's gonna be there one night

before he meets
President Spencer.

Even if we grab him there,
how are we gonna replace him?

Ah, the miracle
of science.

It's an electro-active polymer.

It changes shape when you
run a current through it.

DARPA's been developing it
to create artificial muscle

for wounded soldiers.

If you have
detailed enough data,

you can achieve...

A mask.

Is that you?
Mmhmm.

It's pretty, ain't it?
The perfect replica--

same tone and consistency
as real skin and muscle.

So who's gonna wear it?

Someone the same height
and build as Markov,

someone who speaks Russian
and has experience

in cover missions.

- You.
- Da.

Only hitch is, we need
ultra-detailed measurements

to get this thing to work,
which means a laser scan

of Markov's face.

Should take about two hours.

So we need to build in
a two-hour gap

between grabbing Markov
and replacing him--

I mean, me.

So I can see how we get to him,
but extraction?

It's not gonna be easy
transporting him out of there,

not quietly.

We don't have
to transport him.

He's gonna transport himself.

Da.

How's whack-a-mole?
Ryan brought me up to speed.

Mm. I'm glad.
I could use your help.

I've been scanning
server traffic.

Find anything?

No. I've been checking
for incursions,

but all of the packet filters
are intact.

If anyone hacked in, they've
covered it up really well.

Look for
a protocol-wrapped tunnel.

A shell program?
First thing Seymour had me do.

I told him it would be pretty
obvious, and he got all huffy.

I don't know what's worse
for Birkhoff--

the fact that someone
pulled one over on him

or that it was me and Nikita.

Someone's breached
an internal firewall.

Are they contacting someone
on the outside?

No, they're
on an older server--

archived records,
low-level data.

The access point is medical.

Whoever's doing this
is there right now.

Nikki's on approach.

Detaching from glider...now.

Ops, Nikita.
Touchdown.

Copy that.
Target's in the zone.

Okay, you're looking
for the H-VAC unit.

It's at the southeast corner.

Tap the number three line.

Got it.

All right.

Is he ready
for room service?

Almost.

Hey, bring me back some
of those chocolates, will you?

They'll be
on your pillow tonight.

- Thanks.
- Sprucing the place up?

Making it homier.

No, they're retrofitting
the place

with new
biocontainment safeties.

Because of Amanda's
Sarin gas attack.

It's the gift
that keeps on giving.

Hey, guys, you want to give us
a couple minutes?

Thanks.

What's up?

Still having problems
with your memories?

No change,
if that's what you mean.

It must be really frustrating

knowing Amanda's got
all the answers.

Probably very tempting
to try and reach out.

What are you talking about?

A restricted server
was breached

coming from this location.

Did anyone ask you
to go looking for something?

I don't know
what you're talking about,

but, yeah, I was hunting...
For information on my past.

The file Nikita gave me
had nothing,

so I figured
I'd search the archive.

Yeah, on a classified volume.
How did you break in?

Just 'cause I was a cleaner

doesn't mean I didn't go through
the rest of the training.

I didn't realize
you were watching me.

Hey, hey, hey.

Why are you asking about Amanda?
Can't be too careful.

If you're worried about her
getting into the system,

why are you monitoring
internal traffic?

You think she has a mole.

That's it, isn't it?
Let me help you find him.

Hey. Wake up.

Yeah, there's a com in your ear.
That's why you can hear me.

In your mouth is a modified
M67 frag grenade...

Which is now armed.

Do exactly as I say,

or you're gonna have
a very, very unhappy dentist.

Ah, no, no, no.

I wouldn't do that
if I were you.

There's a bag next to you.
In it is a rappelling harness.

There's a line
already outside the window,

get yourself down to the street
and don't let security see you.

Oh, also...

you have three minutes.

Hands!

You stupid bitch.

Do you even know
what you've done?

Taken a murdering psychopath
with delusions of grandeur

out of commission--
am I in the ballpark?

This could lead to Amanda.

I can't talk to you
about this.

You said it yourself.

Amanda has answers
about my past.

- Shut up.
- Look, I'm not gonna let you--

No, no, seriously shut up.

You hear that?

Get in the car.

You have ensured
the destruction of Division.

- Is everyone okay?
- Yeah.

Owen and Alex were the only
ones here--they got clear.

I'm fine.

How long do we have before
we have to get Markov back?

Four hours, tops.

Let's get him to Birkhoff.
Start the scan.

We got to get you changed.

I still have
to sample his vocals.

Traces of corrosive
on the edge.

This was planned.
You sure?

I know my acids.

That mole
does not want to be found.

You weren't supposed
to say anything.

I didn't tell him.
He guessed.

Why do I get the feeling
you all think I'm an idiot?

Okay, pull all the duty rosters,
find out who had access,

and start questioning them.

If anybody asks,
this was an accident.

Everyone's jumpy already.

Go to the arms locker,
get a sidearm.

The mole knows
you're on the hunt.

All right, once
the mapping's done,

it shouldn't take long
to shape the polymer.

Sampling of his vocals
are complete.

How's the hair going?

I'm on it.

All right.

So...

How long
are you going to be in cover?

A couple of weeks--

just long enough
to go to Uzbekistan

and arrange
for a nice, natural death.

I got to say, I'm not
really crazy about you

leaving for so long.

We've been apart before.

Well, not since
we've been engaged.

It makes a difference, huh?

- Surprisingly, yes.
- Ah.

Pitiful.

Percy gave you a gift,

a new life,
a chance to serve you country.

And what did you do?

Could you stop him
from moving?

He's gonna screw up the scan.
You betrayed him.

You turned your back
on your duty, and for what--

to play house?

Division used to stand
for something.

Now what do they do?

They hunt down
and kill their own.

You had a chance
to do the right thing

and turn yourself in.
I did the right thing...

With a little help
from Amanda.

Amanda?

Yeah, she helped me craft
a message for you.

What message?

You know me as Alexi Markov,

duly-elected President
of Uzbekistan.

But for ten years,
I was an undercover operative

with a covert American Black-Ops
group known as Division.

My public background
and my life--it's a lie.

I was placed in this country

to spy on and disrupt
local government through murder,

torture, and violence.

Just like I spied on and
disrupted other governments--

some of them U.S. allies.

The file has
a text attachment--

names, dates, places.

This video gets released
to every major media outlet

unless I give my people
a password every morning.

Let me go, or in a few hours,

Division will be exposed
to the world,

and the full force and fury
of the U.S. military

will be turned on you.

That's a nice bluff.

I think he knows
it's not a bluff.

Ryan?

That's not gonna happen,
is it?

How did you find out?

Amanda assumed
that the president

would have a kill contingency
in her back pocket.

What the hell
is this guy talking about?

It's okay.

I don't want that video
out there any more than you do.

How would I go back
to being president?

So I'm gonna make you a deal.

Once I sign
this military aid agreement

with President Spencer,

billions of U.S. dollars
will be flowing into Uzbekistan.

Once I skim my fair share
off the top,

you'll never hear
from me again.

So let me go.

And hurry up, eh?

I got to clean up
before I meet the Prez.

Get him ready for transport
back to the hotel.

You can't be serious.

Tell me this isn't true,

that you're playing
some kind of con.

Nikita.

What does he mean
that the government

will destroy Division?

The president has made it
clear she can't let Division

become a liability
to her administration.

If it does, Special Forces
will come in here

and wipe us out.

And unlike the Marines who
were set to attack last time,

these troops are fully prepped,
with complete floor plans

and a full roster of every agent
and where they live.

Plans and rosters--
how could they get them?

I gave it to them.

It was the price for sparing
this place the first time.

Look, the president had
to have a contingency.

A contingency?

You're talking
about mass murder.

How could you keep this from me?
Because that's my job!

Do you want to do it?

I didn't think so.

We will get Markov
another day.

I'll give your best
to the president.

Uzbekistan's army--
how big is it?

'Cause you're gonna need
every last man to stop me

from getting you.

Those are big words.
And for what?

Your pathetic new Division
is not worth saving.

Now, if we have any more
questions, we'll be in touch.

This is going nowhere.

Anyone could have gotten
to that oxygen tank.

Don't they restrict access
to the sublevels anymore?

No. We let people
roam around more freely now.

Oh, good...

'Cause I may move,
you know, get out of here.

Gas attacks, explosions--

I was safer
in a Russian prison.

Well, if you hadn't
been there today,

I would be dead.

Actually, I wasn't supposed
to be there today.

How could anyone
have planned for that?

You weren't the target.

- Who would want you dead?
- In here?

Who wouldn't?

I was a reaper.

I killed agents
and their loved ones.

That's why Percy kept me
out of here for so many years.

What are you doing?

Cross-referencing your mission
files with the duty roster.

Do you recognize
any of these names?

Yeah.

No, I'm telling you,
I can find the source video.

We still have the cryptograph
we nabbed from Amanda.

Now, I can get into any system--
Birkhoff-

No! I can get into any system
in the world with that thing!

Okay? We delete all
the copies of the video,

neutralize the threat, huh?

And Markov
makes another video.

- You got a better idea?
- There aren't any better ideas.

Yes, there is.

We run...

Tell everyone in here
that their government

is trying to kill them,
and then we open the barn doors.

You can't be serious.

And have 300 agents panic
and go rogue?

Or what--
wait to be slaughtered?

It's not gonna come to that.

Can you guarantee that?

Are you giving me
your word, Ryan?

I got another idea.

We can go public, and we can
tell our story to the press.

If we go loud enough,

the government
wouldn't risk touching us.

There'd be too much scrutiny.
No.

- Why not?
- It won't work.

Well, why not?

Because we're criminals,
Michael.

There's a reason the president
doesn't trust us.

Most of us are ex-prisoners.

Some of us are
convicted killers.

If we go public, they send us
right back to where we were.

And for me,
that's death row.

Maybe they're right.

Maybe we can never change
who we are.

No, Nikita,
you have to trust--

You have lost the right
to ask for my trust!

Nikita. Nikita!

Let her be...

For your own safety.

I ain't going
back to prison, man.

I'm just putting together
an accident report.

Okay.

Uh, you've been working
in medical this week, right?

Yeah, I've been upgrading
the biofilters.

Right.
Do you know Owen?

- Excuse me?
- Owen, the patient in medical.

No.

Owen used to carry out
what Percy called

"internal sanctions,"

which basically means
killing other agents.

And I had Owen look
through some old files,

and he remembered your name
from a mission profile

a few years ago.

There was something
about you having a relationship

with another agent.

I can't remember her name.

Um...

I don't know.
Was it, um...?

Julia.
Her name was Julia.

Right. Julia.

I canceled her.

Owen, we agreed
I would handle this.

Percy gave the order,
but I carried it out.

You were right to target me.

Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.
Carl, drop it.

Owen, move.
Drop the knife, now!

Drop the knife!

- Alex? Alex--
- Nikita, stay back.

What the hell?

Carl's the one
who sabotaged medical.

- Do you know what he's done?
- Yes, I do. Believe me, I do.

Then you know
why he has to die.

Carl, listen to me.
Owen's a different person now.

No, he isn't.
He's Division.

That part of you--
that never changes.

You want to kill me?
Go ahead.

Owen.

'Cause if we really can't
change and you're right,

I don't deserve to live.

There's a lot of my past
that I don't remember,

and some people say I should
be able to live with that.

But I can't.

I need to remember...

The good...

And especially the bad.

Otherwise how am I going
to make up for my sins?

So, yeah...

I remember Julia.

I remember her apartment.

She wore a blue shirt
with yellow flowers.

She fought.

She fought so hard.

It should have been me.

She didn't deserve that.

She didn't deserve it.

No one does.

I'm sorry.

The last head of Division
lied to me too. He's dead now.

Percy was lying
to protect himself.

I was trying to protect
all of you.

And you lost
everyone's trust,

and you let the bad guy
get away.

We've still got
another shot at Markov.

We've got time
until he gets his money,

time to figure out
how to bring him in.

No, we don't.

I used the cryptograph to get
into Markov's personal server.

I found this.

By now, the world knows
that President Spencer is dead.

What you don't know
is why I had to kill her.

It was her fear and cowardice
that lead directly to the murder

of a truly great leader.

Percy was a patriot
and a visionary.

He took me from the gutters and
made me into one of the elites--

someone who could do anything.

I owe my life to Percy.

He's the greatest man
I've ever known.

We got a die-hard Percy
loyalist on a suicide run.

It's scheduled
to hit in six hours.

He pre-recorded this.

He could snap her neck
at any second.

He became president
of Uzbekistan

just to get into range.

Where's Markov now?

Motorcade already
left the hotel.

White House itinerary calls
for the greeting ceremony

in three hours.

What are you doing?

Warning the president.

Whoa! Whoa!
No, no, no.

You tell her the truth
about Markov,

she triggers the attack
on Division.

Tell him, Mikey.

Birkhoff, we have a duty
to our country.

Screw the country.
I'm not becoming seal chow.

Then I suggest you join Nikita
and start running.

No one's running.
You're right, Birkhoff.

Damn straight.

You tell her the truth,
they'll kill us.

- We say nothing, he kills her.
- No.

We are going to stop Markov.

Division is going to save
the president's life

without her even knowing
her life was in danger,

because she is wrong about us.

We have changed.

Not that I haven't seen you
do the impossible,

but how exactly
are we planning on doing this?

Same as before--

we grab him, make the switch,
fake his death later.

But he's headed
for the White House now.

So are we.

Okay. I am in
the White House security system,

courtesy of the cryptograph.

I'm gonna miss
that little beauty.

You sure
we gotta give her up?

Unless you've got a better
idea on how to get an audience

with the president
on short notice.

Ryan Fletcher.

Okay, here we go.

Guys, another 500 yards,
then turn east.

That will dump you out
in the main artery.

It's a good thing
I mapped out this level

during the underground
nuclear reactor situation.

"Yes, Birkhoff.
Good job, Birkhoff."

Shut up, Birkhoff.

Birkhoff, we clear?
Good to go.

- Anyone on the radar?
- No.

What's Markov's 20?

Markov is approaching
the diplomatic reception area.

This is Rover 1.

V.I.P. has arrived.
He's in the D.R.R.

President Markov.

On behalf of the president
of the United States,

I'd like to welcome you
to the White House.

Thank you.

I, uh, am most eager
to meet the president.

She is very eager
to meet you.

- Madame President.
- This is gonna have to wait.

I'm sorry but this is
a matter of national security.

I'm gonna be a few minutes.

This...

This is the cryptograph.
Division recently recovered it.

How's it look?

Heh. So cool.

Okay, Mikey...

Secret Service office
is just up to the right.

Rover 1, do you
have a visual on V.I.P.?

Affirmative.

Did you give him clearance
to blue sector?

Negative.

Bring him here.
We need to sort this out.

Excuse me, sir.
Would you come with me?

Are we going
to see the president?

Not just yet.

With its ability to hack

into any computer system
in the world,

the cryptograph can be
an incredibly powerful weapon.

That's great.
Get it over to NSA.

I also believe
that recovering the cryptograph

is proof of Division's benefit

and not just with regards
to the rogue agents.

This isn't high school,
Fletcher.

You don't get extra credit.

Just pointing out
we're on the right path.

- We can discuss this later.
- Sorry, Madame president.

But we have an ongoing
security incident.

You're gonna have
to stay here.

President Markov,
thank you for coming.

What is this about?

You understand
we need to investigate

any uncleared incursions
into the restricted sections

of the White House.

What does this
have to do with me?

I was just wondering
how you got into this area.

What?

Okay, Markov is
with the Secret Service.

I'm gonna draw them away
with a distraction.

You should have a 30-second
window of opportunity.

Copy that--30 seconds.

I've wiped your images
off the cameras.

If it was due to a breakdown
in our security,

we need to make sure
it's addressed.

This is ridiculous.

Take care of your business
on your own time.

Sir, if you don't mind--

Oh, no, that's not good.

Killer in the White House!
Killer in the White House!

- What happened?
- He just took out the agents.

He's making tracks to
the Oval Office, and he's armed.

So, whatever you're gonna do,
do it now.

We just brought an assassin

within 50 yards
of the president.

Hey, Eddie.

I think I saw him
down this corridor.

No. No sign of him.

President Markov, there you are.
Get away from me.

Get away from me!

They're coming back this way.

Go.
I got him.

He's down this way.

I think there's something
wrong with him.

They dragged me into a room.
It was like the refugee camp.

Come on, Nikki,
get out of there.

Come on. Come on.

What happened?

Where am I?

Security has contained
the situation.

Apparently President Markov

had some kind of
post-traumatic stress episode.

He attacked two agents,
but it's under control now.

Things are, uh, not clear.

- How is he?
- I should leave.

Guys, Nikita's
in the northwest corridor.

Birkhoff...

We're clear.

Copy that.

Only ten days after
his first visit to the U.S.,

President Alexi Markov
of Uzbekistan has died

from a ruptured brain aneurysm.

His unexpected death
brings a dramatic end

to a growing scandal
regarding his recent election.

Last week multiple reports of
voting improprieties surfaced,

calling into question
the results

that swept him into power.

The scandal was a nice touch.

I figured
it would deter anyone

from looking too closely
into the death.

Was it hard
to find the evidence?

Not when you're
the president.

You guys can count the video
as dead and buried too.

I fed a worm
into Markov's servers.

Anything with even a whiff
of that guy is gone.

There might be
a few side effects, though.

The entire country's

gonna be without Internet
for the next couple of days...

possibly Afghanistan too.

Apply the ointment
for two weeks

and let me know
if there's any pain.

Thanks.

You're lucky scars are sexy.

Yeah?
'Cause I could go find Carl

and ask him
to grab his knife again.

No, that's just
being greedy.

Okay.

- Can I ask you something?
- Yeah.

What you told Carl
about Julia...

Do you remember that much
about all of your victims?

If I don't remember them,
who will?

What's the butterfly?

I don't talk
about that one.

Some memories I like
to keep for myself.

Or maybe I used
to catch bugs as a kid.

I don't know. Who knows?
My memory's shot.

Right.

I got to go.
Try and stay out of trouble.

I will.

When I agreed to run Division,
I told the president

that I couldn't do it
without you...

All of you,
and that is still true.

So, if I no longer
have your support,

I will step down immediately,
no questions asked.

This was never
about our support.

This is about trust, Ryan.

You didn't have to carry
this burden alone.

If I told you
when we started this

that the president
had a gun to our heads,

how would you have reacted?

The real question is,

how would everyone else
in Division react?

Exactly.

Under Percy,
it was obey or die.

I come in
and promise a way out.

Then people learn
there's one small catch.

There'd be no predicting
their actions.

A lot of people in here
are still volatile.

Tell me about it.

So what, we're just supposed
to keep this on the low?

For now.

I know we're not all
one big, happy family,

but we are
in this together...

for better or worse.

I need to believe
it's for the better.

If we continue hunting
the dirty thirty,

we have got to do it
smarter, quieter.

Forget small footprint.
It's got to be no footprint.

So can we do this?

Let's find out.

== sync, corrected by elderman ==