Open Heart | |||||
La Femme Nikita | |||||
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Episode no. |
Season 2 Episode 9 |
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Directed by | René Bonnière | ||||
Written by | Elliot Stern | ||||
Production code | 209 | ||||
Original air date | April 5, 1998 | ||||
Episode guide | |||||
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"Open Heart" is the ninth episode of the second season of La Femme Nikita.
Summary[]
Red Cell has impacted a bomb inside a human subject, and Section only has two weeks to find out who it is before innocents are killed. Only one person exists who may know that information, but she is serving prison time on drug charges in a hostile country. Nikita is sent to infiltrate the prison, but once there, the challenge to win the contact’s trust and escape with her may be insurmountable.
Plot[]
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In the White Room, Michael interrogates Dr. Kerlock. He asks him about an operation he perfomed six weeks prior on behalf of Red Cell. He tells Michael that he can't say anything or Red Cell will kill him. "So will we," Michael answers. Michael asks about the identity of the patient. Dr. Kerlock tells Michael that it was a man in his late thirties or forties with fair skin. "I didn't want to die so I agreed," he says.
At the conclusion of his interrogation, Michael meets with Operations in the Perch. "He was paid by Red Cell to place explosives and a detonator inside someone's abdomen. Operations deduces that it's a suicide mission but Michael informs him that the man doesn't know what's inside him. The identity of the carrier, the target, and the time of detonation are all unknown. Operations is not pleased by the lack of information and he walks out of the Perch. Michael does so as well from a different exit.
Act 1[]
Operations opens a mission briefing by asking Michael for what's known about the explosive. "It's a plastique...Kerlock says there's enough to level a city block." Operations asks about how much time they have. Walter says that it has a half life of eight weeks and that the implant was six weeks ago. "So, we have two weeks at most to locate the carrier and identify the target," Operations summarizes. Birkoff has been analyzing Kerlock's patient files. Operations adds that they have one lead, He pulls up information on Jenna Vogler, one of Red Cell's top foot soldiers. "According to our intel, she was in the room during the surgical procedure. We need to bring her in. Michael asks about a location and Operations tell him that she's in prison. "Red Cell sometimes funds itself by dealing drugs. She was arrested at a border crossing a month ago." Local authorities won't cooperate because it's a hostile country and a direct assault is out of the question for political reasons. They're left with only one option.
Nikita sits in a bus that crosses a rural landscape. The bus is flagged by armed police to stop for an inspection. Officers board the bus and begin checking the paperwork of passengers onboard. When they approach Nikita, she pretends to be asleep. She hands over her passport for review. Suspecting something, one of the officers reaches for the backpack she clutches. Then he makes her stand up and lifts her shirt. Nikita has bundles of drugs taped to her torso.
Act 2[]
Nikita is held by two guards, she is shackled to the wall. The warden rips the back of her shirt over her head. The warden picks up a cane leaning against the wall. "Who was with you?" He demands. "I told you, no one," Nikita answers. The warden hits Nikita with the cane and she grimaces in pain.
Act 3[]
"What's the survival likelihood of the Abeyance team?" Birkoff asks just as Operations walks away. "Zero," Operations replies, succinctly. After hearing this, Birkoff logs into Belinda's file. He sees that her termination ranking is listed at 2. He changes it to an 8.
Nikita is lying face down on a cot. Jenna has been taking care of her and tending to her wounds. She brings Nikita cup of soup that she's warmed up. "You talk in your sleep. Who's Michael?" Jenna asks, curious. "My brother," Nikita answers. "I thought he might be your boyfriend," Jenna replies, fishing for information. "Not likely," Nikita answers, dismissive. Jenna caresses Nikita's back. "Um, these might scar, to early to tell. I want to go with you tonight. But I need to be sure. People who endure pain do it for a reason. What's yours?" Nikita tells her that she wants to get out. "What happens when we get out?" Jenna asks. Nikita wants to cross the border as soon as they can. "That's not what I meant." Nikita kisses her hand, and then kisses Jenna on the mouth. "Anything is possible."
Michael watches the guards from outside the prison. "I'm sending a tactical, now," Birkoff tells him from Comm. On a his handheld, Michael receives it.
Inside the prison Nikita and Jenna work their way through the tunnels. Birkoff informs Michael that they've almost reached egress. He asks for a location and once it's given to him, Michael and several other operatives are on their way.
Birkoff continues to track Nikita and Jenna through the tunnels until they eventually make their escape. The minute they step out of the tunnel, the darkness around them is illuminated by a helicopter spotlight. Michael and his team emerge from the woods and take Jenna away while Nikita remains with Michael.
Jenna sits confined to a chair in the White Room. She stares off into a distant corner. Michael enters. "Eight weeks ago you were present a surgical procedure. A human being was turned into a walking time bomb." He approaches her, but Jenna refuses to look at him. "The target is the United Nations within the next four hours. Who's the carrier?" He asks. Michael leans in over Jenna and she turns to face him. "We will break you," he tells her and walks out of the room.
Act 4[]
Jenna sits in the White Room and a device is affixed to her head that displays images.
In the observation room, Birkoff indicates that he is initiating the sequence. "There are twenty one potential carriers we haven't eliminated. We'll show her visuals of each candidate. If there's recognition, we'll see it," he explains to Operations, Nikita and Michael. They watch as the sequence cycles through with no indication of recognition from Jenna. Birkoff notes that her blood pressure is steady as are her EKG and her cortex fluctuations. "She might as well be looking at a blank wall," he observes. The cycle concludes and the lights in the White Room come on. "That's it. She gave us nothing," he tells them. Michael tells Birkoff to play it again. "It's pointless. She's too controlled," Birkoff answers. "Maybe I can change that," Nikita offers and she exits the room.
Nikita enters the observation room and tells the technician to get her out of the device. Michael, Operations and Birkoff observe Nikita in the White Room with Jenna. After the technicians are done and have left, Nikita removes the diodes from Jenna's forehead. "I can help you," Nikita tells her but she gets no reaction. She leans closer. "Jenna, look at me," she tells her gently. Jenna turns her eyes towards Nikita. "You're going to die. We both know that. I can make sure it's over quickly. I don't really want to see you suffer." The two women continue to stare at each other. "Tell me the truth. Did you feel anything at all?" Jenna asks. Nikita nods her slightly and says that she did. "Pity? Contempt?" Nikita tells her not contempt. "Desire?" Jenna asks. "Yes," Nikita answers softly. Operations and Birkoff reacted subtly to the exchange of the two women. "Love?" Jenna suggests. Nikita pulls back and considers the question. Michael watches as she does so. "I don't know," Nikita answers. "Say it," Jenna prompts her. "Say you loved me." Nikita continues to consider her feelings. Then she concludes that she did. "I loved you," she answers matter of fact. Jenna spits at her suddenly. "You're a whore," she sneers. With one final look at Jenna, Nikita walks out.
Nikita joins the others in the observation room. Operations orders that Jenna be taken to the White Room, be subjected to neuroshock and then have the sequence run once more. Birkoff points out that she beat it ten times. Michael looks at one of the read outs and questions Birkoff about the result. Birkoff dismisses it as a post sequence read out. "What was she looking at?" Michael asks. "A blank screen," Birkoff tells him. "Run the last part of the sequence again," Michael tells him and he leaves to room. He seats himself in Jenna's now empty chair and orders Birkoff to proceed. The lights go out and the sequence runs again. When it's done, the lights come back on. On the screen, Michael can see his reflection. "She was looking at herself," Michael tells them. "The blip came because she was looking at her own reflection." He asks Birkoff what type of scar the carrier would have from the operation. "Five centimeters long, left side, below the ribcage," he tells Michael.
Nikita quickly approaches the operatives escorting Jenna to the White Room. She reaches for the bottom of Jenna's tank top and raises it to see the type of scar Birkoff had described. "Get her to Containment, now," Nikita tells the guards. They quickly rush Jenna away. Nikita follows. Jenna blows Nikita a kiss before the door closes on her.
Tag[]
Michael and Nikita stand in a hallway together. "How much time does she have?" Nikita ask. "Not long," Michael tells her. "I thought I was manipulating her," she confesses. "She obviously wanted to be brought back here the whole time." Michael gives her some reassurance. "Our intel was faulty from the start. Planted by Red Cell to divert our attention from the real target--us." Michael tells her that Dr. Kerlock lied to them about the carrier being a man. Operations approaches them and Michael takes his leave. "The assignment you were given you carried out well," Operations compliments Nikita. "The blame lies elsewhere." He starts to walk away but stops and turns back. "Good work," he adds before he leaves. Nikita remains alone, contemplating recent events. In the distance a loud but muffled explosion can be heard. The bomb has detonated and Jenna Volger is dead. Nikita looks emotionally affected by that realization.
Cast[]
Main Cast[] |
Special Guest Stars[]
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Episode Quotes[]
- Jenna: "Tell me the truth. Did you feel anything at all?"
Nikita: "Yes."
Jenna: "Pity...contempt."
Nikita: "Not contempt."
Jenna: "Desire."
Nikita: "Yes."
Jenna: "Love."
Nikita: "I don't know."
Jenna: "Say it."
(Nikita pulls back silently)
Jenna: "Say you loved me."
Nikita: (thinks it over) "I loved you."
Jenna: (Spits at Nikita) "You're a whore."
Music[]
No third party music was licensed for this episode.
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