La Femme Nikita (1997) s03e08 Episode Script

Outside the Box

One drink. I'm buying.
No, thanks.
I like drinking alone.
Come on.
- You'll see me in a whole new light.
- I said no.
What are you looking at?
- How much do you weigh?
- What's it to you?
- I'm just curious.
- 220. So what?
I didn't realize they could pile
that much crap on a bar stool.
- Really glad you did something like that.
- Lf I hadn't?
Then I would be where he is
and he'd be back at the bar
hitting on you
which is something
I figured you didn't want.
All right, can I buy you a drink?
No, I don't much feel like being around
when he wakes up.
I got a place a few blocks from here.
We could go there for a drink.
This way.
- You new around here?
- No, not really.
That's weird. I thought I knew
this side of town pretty well.
Well, life's just full of surprises, isn't it?
Get in the van, Mr. Kruger.
- Who are you people?
- We're called Section One
and we need to make use
of your special talent.
- My memory.
- Yes.
- And if I don't cooperate?
- You'll be killed.
But if I do, I'll be set free
when you don't need me anymore.
You had a confrontation
with this man
Last night in a bar
in front of several witnesses.
Yes. So?
You murdered him 20 minutes later
in a nearby alley.
Traces of skin with your DNA
were found under his fingernails.
This is the murder weapon.
It has your fingerprints on it.
And a clerk at a hardware store
distinctly remembers selling it to you.
If you were on the outside
we estimate
you'd be taken within 12 hours.
Your chances for acquittal are nil.
You'd be imprisoned for life or executed.
The point is, Mr. Kruger,
there's no escape.
Accept that
concentrate on doing what we tell you
and maybe we'll let you live.
This is the manifesto of a group
which calls itself Par Epistemen Taksis.
Loosely translated:
"Through science, order. "
They have access to a broad range
of destructive technologies
and they have the will to use them.
Our objective is their CICL,
their Cover Ident Correlation List.
It contains their leaders, their agents,
their entire network of global contacts.
Acquiring it presents certain
unique difficulties.
The file is guarded
by an advanced digital sensor system.
Any attempt to copy or download
will trigger a self-destruct mechanism.
What about photographs and video?
No, if this system detects any
electromagnetic activity, it shuts down.
We have to put technology aside,
think outside the box.
The CICL can't be copied
can't be filmed, but it can be looked at.
The man you picked up last night
will do the looking.
Benjamin Kruger.
A high-school dropout.
Drifts from job to job. Lives alone.
He has a genetic mutation
that occurs roughly
in one in 50 million individuals.
He has a perfectly-developed
photographic memory.
The CICL is moved periodically.
When we find its current location,
Kruger will provide the human download.
In the meantime
you're all on close-quarter standby
until further notice.
Any questions?
Yes. Will Kruger be joining
the Section permanently?
No, it's a shadow recruitment.
If he behaves and performs
he will be free to resume his old life
after the mission such as it was.
Any other questions?
What's this for?
For getting me out of Data hell
and giving me a chance
to work in Comm
as your assistant, no less.
You earned it.
- I promise, I will not let you down.
- I know you won't.
And don't worry about the plant.
I'll water it for you.
- Thanks.
- Thank you.
- You remember Greg Hillinger?
- I remember.
He's going help you
find the new location for the CICL.
- I don't need any help.
- It's not a criticism, Birkoff.
It's a question of time.
I want everyone on board for this one.
And I expect you two to fully cooperate
with each other, understood?
So what'd you screw up
this time, Seymour?
Everything's on here. Study it carefully.
We've narrowed the possible locations
to three sectors.
Two in Europe, one in Asia.
- That's what this is?
- That's right.
- How long did it take you to get this far?
- Couple of days.
You're kidding.
We have ten other projects
on the go at the same time.
Well, that's as good an excuse as any.
- Backups you wanted.
- Thank you.
- Hello, who's this?
- Tatyana.
My assistant.
You have an assistant.
That's very impressive.
Hi. I'm Greg Hillinger.
Resident genius. They call me Lifeguard.
Lifeguard.
Yeah, I'm always saving people's asses.
Right. Nice to meet you, Greg.
You missed me, didn't you?
I just saw the mission debrief.
Kruger was framed for murder.
He'll be more focused
knowing escape is pointless.
The frame was real. Dobbs is dead.
He was in abeyance.
I thought Operations said this was going
to be a temporary recruitment.
Further analysis indicated
that we might need Kruger in the future.
So we just took him off the street?
An innocent man?
Do we do this kind of thing often, Michael?
No, not often.
- What's up?
- How do I get hold of my file?
You don't.
All right.
Then how do you get hold of my file?
I don't know any way,
and if I did, I wouldn't tell you.
- I have to see it, Walter.
- Why? It's too risky.
The crime that got Section's attention,
the reason I'm here.
Yeah?
I didn't do it.
That may be true, but what the hell
difference does it make now?
Suppose I was framed in the first place
because they wanted me here.
Why?
Yeah. Why?
It's doing well.
Helps when you have someone around
to care for it.
I'm glad you're around.
Thanks.
You know what? I got to go.
I'm running a filter program.
The one you designed yourself?
- Do you want me to have a look at it?
- You wouldn't mind?
- No.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
- The debriefis starting in systems.
Right.
I'll be back in an hour.
Tatyana.
I know about filters. You can run
that program from this station.
From Birkoff's station?
Yeah, I mean,
he's got all the best software.
You want to do a good job, don't you?
Think how impressed he's going to be.
He gets back, it's all done.
- I'll need a password.
- Right, I'll give it to you. No problem.
He won't mind?
No. I mean, he gave it to me.
Told me to use my discretion.
I trust you.
Thanks. I'm flattered.
Hey, kid, want to earn $5?
It's nothing like that.
I need you to dump these
in the alley down the street.
I can't leave. I'm the only one here.
Be the easiest $5 you'll ever make.
- Excuse me.
- Yeah?
I'm sorry.
I thought you were somebody else.
I'm looking for a guy,
maybe he worked here.
He's 6 feet tall,
blond hair, scar on his left cheek.
- No one like that worked here.
- Would have been three years ago.
Lady, I've been here ten years.
Never been anybody with a scar.
You all right?
Yeah. Thanks.
Be the easiest $5 you'll ever make.
Got you.
Kruger isn't working well with his trainer.
I want you to take over.
And what makes you think
he'll be different with me?
- You connected with him at the bar.
- Yeah, right before I betrayed him.
Nevertheless, the connection was real.
So reestablish it and use it.
Whatever you say.
What do you want?
- I still owe you a drink.
- You owe me a lot more than a drink.
Is that how it's going to be?
In fact, I ought to break your neck
for what you did to me.
You won't.
Because you're
some kind of martial arts chick
like every other freak in this place?
- Some kind.
- Figures.
Bad boy.
That was worth it.
I heard you'd been a bad boy.
Look, the memory thing I can do
but the rest of the stuff
they're putting me through, forget it.
They're just trying to help you stay alive.
It's a waste of time.
I'm no fighter, as you saw.
So why don't you just kill me
and get it over with?
All right.
Just take this pill, drop it in your drink.
You'll be dead in 10 seconds.
So we're not so anxious to die after all.
Maybe not.
Then I suggest that you stop
playing games and behave yourself.
I'll help you.
- Why would you help me?
- Because I owe you.
And because I might need your help.
Until then, I suggest that we concentrate
on keeping you alive.
Deal?
Deal.
Is he progressing?
I think so.
We'll need him as soon as
Birkoff and Hillinger locate the CICL.
He'll be ready.
What were you doing in the system node
without clearance?
I needed to take
a look at Kruger's psych file.
There wasn't time for clearance.
You didn't know
he was going to be assigned to you
until Madeline told you.
She made it official,
but I knew before she told me.
How?
I'm a veteran here, Michael.
I have my own sources, you know.
Did you find anything useful?
Yeah. I think I did.
Good.
Do you have a minute? It's about Kruger.
I thought he was making progress.
He is.
It's just that he only has a few days
to acquire a year's worth of knowledge.
- That can't be helped.
- I think maybe it can.
- What do you have in mind?
- A live sim.
The machines have been useful
but I think Kruger needs
to get out in the field
get a sense of what he's going to be in for
during a real mission.
You certain
he won't make an attempt to escape?
I'm certain.
Have you picked a location?
Mission profile hasn't been set yet
but it seems likely the CICL's going to be
somewhere in Europe.
So it should be somewhere typical
of what we might expect.
Vienna, maybe. Belgrade, perhaps.
Which do you prefer?
Belgrade.
All right.
I'll suspend the standby for four hours.
So, you going to explain
this live sim thing to me?
This isn't about training, is it?
- What do you mean?
- We're not here because of me.
We're here because of you.
You're very perceptive.
Where do I fit in?
- Right here.
- No.
Get in.
My wallet's in my back pocket,
left-hand side. Take it.
- I don't want your money.
- What do you want?
Look at my face.
Take a good, long look at my face.
Remember?
Three years ago,
"You want to earn $5, kid?"
I don't follow.
An assignment three years ago.
You were pretending to be
an employee at a pizza shop.
- Look, lady, you're making a big mistake.
- I was just a kid.
- That night ruined my life.
- I sell medical equipment.
Section One
is a secret government organization
that fights terrorism.
They have a station here in Belgrade
just off Slovakia Square.
I don't know what you're talking about.
If you really don't know
what I'm talking about
then I've said too much.
Under the rules that I have to live by
I'll have to kill you.
All right.
- You're an operative?
- Yes.
- And that night three years ago?
- I did what I was told.
There must've been a profile
saying who I was, why I was needed.
I only saw what I needed to do my job.
- You work in admin?
- Yeah.
Good. So you can get the file.
It's too risky for both of us.
I need to know why I'm here
why they picked me up off the street.
You take all the time you need.
Take as many precautions. Just do it.
Why should I?
Because you'll have a friend for life.
That could prove very useful someday.
Then lose the knife.
What makes you think you can trust me?
Because you're just like me,
and we're not animals.
We have to treat each other
like human beings
when we get the chance.
- Even in Section?
- Especially in Section.
I'll need 24 hours.
I'll surface your file
and all the cross-referenced files.
There may be a lot of data.
I'll be ready.
Subchannel 6. Code key: 7-John-4-Zulu.
And don't stay on more than 30 seconds.
Learn what you can and get off.
Hey, thanks.
- Get out. Come on, got to go.
- Thirty minutes.
Out.
Here's a summary of the sim
you supposedly just went through.
Memorize it.
- You're gonna be debriefed on it.
- I got it.
- All of it?
- All of it.
Look at this.
- What?
- Come here.
Someone's running a piggyback
on one of my programs.
What? Are you kidding?
How's that possible?
No one has access but me.
What about Tatyana?
She doesn't have access.
No, she does have access.
I saw her while you were in systems.
How'd she get the password?
No idea. I thought you gave it to her.
That's why I didn't say anything.
I've never given it to anyone.
Why would she do it?
Money?
Who knows? Maybe she's got
a grudge against Section.
You have to talk to her.
It's too late. The shield's been penetrated.
They'll be on to this in no time,
if they're not already.
You're going to turn her in?
I got no choice.
Look, Birkoff
maybe we can give her another chance.
Come on.
I have to tell Spec Ops,
let them look into it.
I have to do it now.
I saw something in the wrap sheets
about a live sim for Kruger.
Yes. Vencik just finished debriefing him
an hour ago.
And?
He appears to have done well.
Good. We're getting closer
to locating the CICL.
- We're just waiting for confirmation.
- The team will be ready.
There is another problem.
A data shield has been compromised.
Is anything missing?
A few files have been read.
That's all so far.
Have you put Birkoff on it?
The problem originated
from Birkoff's sector.
We need to call Spec Ops.
They're already on it.
- I'd hate to think Birkoff's turned.
- So would I.
On the other hand,
Hillinger's coming along quite nicely.
I'll keep you posted.
You wanted to see me?
I saw Kruger's debrief.
His answers seemed memorized
not experienced.
Well, his mind is different.
You have to expect
some irregularities, Michael.
I'd like to see the tapes of the live sim.
I didn't make any.
- Why not?
- I didn't think it was necessary.
If that was a mistake, then I apologize.
Stop playing games, Nikita.
What's really going on?
I need to know why Section chose me.
What do you mean?
They brought me in, Michael,
just like they did Kruger.
It's been three years.
If you were brought in here for
some other reason, you'd know by now.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
If you won't help me, will you at least
not interfere?
Would you do that much for me? Please?
Yes.
What if you don't like what you find?
Anything's better
than not knowing.
We've located CICL.
The target is on the second floor.
Michael's team has secured the perimeter.
Nikita, you'll stay with Kruger.
Guide him to the target.
How long will we be on site?
The actual download window
will be a few minutes at most
depending on the exact
security configuration
in effect when we make penetration.
That'll be all.
- Are you all right?
- No. I'm scared to death.
Don't be. Your job is to memorize.
My job is to keep you alive.
I plan to do my job very well.
Let's go.
I've created the video loop.
Cameras are blind
and I'm triggering the alarm
in the southwest sector, now.
Let's go.
We're in.
I can only divert the alarm vector
for four minutes.
You have to be out by then.
- Four minutes? That's
- Come on.
All right, go. It's on.
Three minutes.
We have an anomaly.
- Hostile in the hall.
- Is he coming in here?
No way to tell.
- The screen.
- Sorry!
- Nikita, are you okay?
- Yeah.
You got 30 seconds.
- Done.
- You sure?
Yeah, I'm sure. Get me out of here.
Hector Jiminez
69 Montezuma, Mexico.
- How's he doing?
- Very well.
We estimate in 72 hours
that Par Epistemen Taksis
will no longer exist.
- I'd like to work with him a little more.
- On what?
For the future
keep his concentration under live fire.
There was a minor lapse or two.
I'm sure I could smooth it out
in a few days.
All right, fine.
- Let's go.
- Excuse me?
- You need to come with us.
- What's going on?
Birkoff
you did what you had to do.
I just don't get it.
She's not good enough
to hack my password.
What?
But you are.
You set her up.
Wait a minute, Birkoff.
Yes, I set her up, okay?
Look, because she was setting you up.
All right?
I did not trust her from the start.
Miss Sweetness-and-Light
in a place like this? No.
So I hacked her station.
She has a subchannel to the outside.
She was going freelance.
Why didn't you tell me?
I couldn't tell you.
You hate me. You had the hots for her.
Would you have believed me?
I don't believe you now.
Look. Check her terminal. See for yourself.
That won't prove anything.
You could've planted a subchannel
without her knowing it.
This is what I'm saying.
You're blaming me.
This is why I couldn't tell you.
Birkoff, she was a shark in disguise.
Face it.
I saved your butt.
- Why?
- Why?
Why? Because
an unauthorized subchannel is a big deal.
If they found it, they might've blamed
you and me for not catching it.
I could not take that chance.
So I framed her for something smaller.
Birkoff, I don't know.
They might not even cancel her.
But I'm telling you
it was her. Not me.
I swear it.
All right. I swear something, too.
I find out you're lying to me
I'll kill you.
Am I interrupting anything?
- No. We're fine.
- Good.
I wanted to let you know
that as soon as Hillinger
has completed his training
he'll be taking Tatyana's place
as your assistant.
- Congratulations.
- Thanks.
We're going to make a great team.
Sure this is okay? I thought
I wasn't supposed to leave my cell.
I have authority to remove you
for training purposes.
Fine. Can we use a car
with a bigger trunk this time?
We're not going to leave Section.
I told you once I might need your help.
Well, this is it.
You want me to memorize something.
A file, maybe several.
You're only going to have 30 seconds.
I need to know everything,
and I mean everything.
Okay.
Dead?
Who?
The man who was helping me.
When?
This morning.
It doesn't say how.
- The Galloway file.
- Is it formatted for the C-9?
No. System's going to do
that automatically.
- I like to pre-format.
- There's no point.
Do it.
Yeah, well, you're the boss, for now.
Joking.
- You all right?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
A friend of mine
was killed yesterday in Belgrade.
I want to know how it happened.
Key is 7J4Z.
According to this,
no such key was ever assigned.
It's like he never existed.
- Not under that key code.
- He was there yesterday.
Not according to this.
My mistake.
Good night, Michael.
She wants to know why she's really here.
It was inevitable.
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