| Subject: Re: All that we leave behind |
Author:
Mervah
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Date Posted: 13:35:32 02/26/03 Wed
In reply to:
Mervah
's message, "All that we leave behind" on 13:33:10 02/26/03 Wed
Act 2:
We see a PDA displaying Nikita’s profile, then the whole interior of Madeline office. Nikita comes in.
Nikita:
You asked to see me?
Madeline:
Yes, Nikita, sit down. (Nikita sits) What do you already know about Karicia Montesino?
Nikita:
She’s a prized psycologist at an expensive clinic. Her specialty are sexual neurosis.
Madeline:
These are exactly the symptoms you are going to display. Your name is Jennifer O’Donnel, you’re American and a rich heiress.
Nikita:
(not too amused at her cover)
And you?
Madeline:
I’m your very concerned aunt Barbara.
Nikita doesn’t bother to hide her displeasure, Madeline hands her a disk.
Madeline:
This contains the basic details about you “illness”. Memorize it. To ensure the accuracy, we’ll mend the details as you attend to the therapy sessions.
Nikita:
(indiferent tone)
Is that all?
Madeline:
For now. (Nikita raises to leave, Madeline calls her back) We won’t get an opportunity like this any time soon, so, we have no margin for error, you realize that, Nikita, don’t you?
A beat…
Nikita:
Sure.
Nikita passes near Michael’s office. He signals her in through one of the windows.
Michael:
We have some time before the mission. Would you like to go to lunch?
Nikita:
No, thanks, I’ve eaten.
Pause…
Michael:
(after attentively studying her face)
Is everything allright?
Nikita:
(looks away, then sighs and looks straight at Michael; opens her mouth to say something only to pause again)
Not really, Michael, but I’ll be fine. Just give me some time to work it over, OK? I can’t tell you anything right now, but trust me on this one… please.
Michael:
(stares back at her, almost… worried, though he tries to seem composed)
OK. And the mission?
Nikita:
Focusing will keep my mind out of anything else.
Off Michael who nods.
Veracruz, Mexico
Nice interior. An elegant-furnished room. Pleasantly lit. Nikita’s lying on a couch and Karicia Montesino is sitting on a chair near her. The latter is beautiful brunette in her mid-thirties, smartly dressed.
Montesino:
That will be all for today, Jennifer. Let’s go and see your aunt.
Nikita nods and they exit to a waiting room. Madeline is there apparently nervously looking through a magazine. She wears a floral-pattern dress, matching make-up and her hair is down.
Madeline:
How did it go?
Montesino:
You have nothing to worry about, Ms. O’Donnel. Me and Jennifer, we got along just fine.
Nikita plays along, nodding and smiling.
Madeline:
I’m very glad to hear it.
Montesino:
If that’s all, I’ll see Jennifer on Friday.
Madeline:
Unless, of course, you allow us to invite to lunch.
Montesino:
I can’t see why not.
Nikita:
If you’ll excuse me, I have to make some phone calls first, but go along, I’ll catch up with you.
Montesino:
All right.
Madeline smiles pleasently at the two of the.
Veracruz, on the porch of a restaurant:
Madeline:
(continuing with a previously started conversation)
You see, I don’t have children of my own, so, after Jennifer’s parents died, she was my only family.
Montesino:
I don’t have much of a family, myself, except for my son.
Madeline:
And your husband?…
Montesino:
He left me years ago.
Madeline:
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.
Montesino:
No problem, I got over it... So, Jennifer refused to go to a therapist back in the United States.
Madeline:
Yes, she said she couldn’t reveil such private details to a complete stranger, that it made her feel helpless and her problem wasn’t, by any means, serious. I brought her to Veracruz, because she used to spend many holidays here with her parents. I thought it would make her ease up a bit.
Montesino:
You did well. She is not very accesible now, but from what she told me so far, this place seems to have a positive influence on her.
Madeline:
No wander, it’s more beautiful than Paradise itself.
Montesino laughs a bit. They click glasses, then Nikita shows up and sits down, too.
End Act 2
Act 3:
We get the feeling of the time passing. We see Nikita on Dr. Montesino’s couch talking, Madeline and Montesino walking in a park together talking, having tea together, then Montesino showing Madeline her house and introducing her to her seven-years son or laughing together on the beach. Nikita and Montesino talking in the doctor’s consulting room. No dialogue, just Enya’s Orinoco Flow playing in the background. The song stops. Madeline and Montesino are in a living-room together, with a glass of wine in their hands. Madeline is still wearing pastel. It seems that Madeline succeeded in befriending with the other woman.
Madeline:
So, Karicia, when is your mystery man going to show up?
Montesino:
I have no idea. He never lets me know. He just comes. And I can’t tell how happy that makes me?
Madeline:
(Monalisa smile)
What’s with all this mystery? He’s not somekind of Intelligence Service, is he? Though, I’ve heard they are utterly charming, not to mention exciting.
Montesino:
(laughs)
No, nothing so secret. He’s just a very busy bussiness man who travels a lot. Sometimes, I wish he’d be poor and ordinary, just to have him near me all the time.
Madeline:
You must love him.
Montesino:
He gives a meaning to my entire existance.
Madeline looks away and for a brief moment, there is far-away look in her eyes which she, of course, supresses quickly.
Munitions:
Nikita comes by.
Walter:
Hi, Sugar, how are you having fun with the last mission?
Nikita:
What can I say? Playing a frustrated, over-spoiled rich girl… hardest act I’ve ever put for Section.
Walter laughs relieved that Nikita is in a better mood.
Back to Montesino’s:
Telephone ringing. Karicia rushes to pick it up. We can hear only her side of the conversation.
Montesino:
Hallo. Yes?
(huge grin)
Oh, hi, darling, I’ve missed you so. You are? Today? Great! I can’t wait to see you coming in.
Camera to Madeline who’s as serene as ever, but her hand discritly reaches in her purse to press a button on a pen; the button flashes red once.
Section1, Comm:
A red light start pulsing on Birkoff’s computer screen.
Birkoff:
(in the intercom)
Sir, Carroway’s on his way there.
Operations:
(from the Perch)
Have Red Team on stand-by.
Section1, interior:
Michael and Nikita are walking together in a corridor.
Nikita:
Michael, what will happen to Karicia Montesino and her son once Carroway shows up?
Michael:
According to Madeline’s latest report, she knows nothing of his bussiness. Our job is to extract Carroway the quietest way possible. It’s in Section’s best interest that none of them notices anything.
Nikita:
She’s in love with this man, Michael. How do you think she’ll react when he just disappears?
Michael:
Section will arrange for her to believe he left her. After a while, she’ll get over him.
Nikita:
(stares at him)
Do you really think it’s that easy?
Michael doesn’t look like he’s going to answer and he won’t have to as their cell phones ring.
Montesino’s house, at night:
Madeline:
Won’t you prefer to be alone when he comes? You’ve waited so much for this moment.
Montesino:
Listen, Barbara, I really want you to meet Austin. We’ll have plenty of time to be alone afterwards, after Aldo goes to sleep, too.
As she says this, there is a knock at the door, the boy comes in running and hurries to open the door. Austin Carroway is on the other side, with two goons dressed in black behind him.
Carroway:
(bents to pick the child in his arms)
How’s my champion? Guess what I’ve brought you? A T-shirt with Ronaldo.
The boy:
Wow…
Montesino:
(comes to kiss him on the lips)
Oh, Austin, you’re spoiling him.
Carroway:
(puts the boy down and hugs her)
Honey, children are to be spoiled, it’s one of the laws of the Universe.
Montesino:
Come, I want you to meet somebody.
Carroway:
Don’t tell me! The ten men you’ve been seeing since I left.
Montesino:
(laughs and elbows him)
Shame on you for even considering it! No, it’s just my new best-friend.
Madeline comes along and Montesino introduces her. We can’t hear the actual conversation, but pleasant smiles are exchanged. Sudden cut to outside. A huge, black jeep is parked in front of the house, with the driver still at the wheel ready to speed off any minute. Carroway’s guards are everywhere. Section’s team is approaches silently from the shadows. They all wear infra red glasses. Nikita is leading the first team. She looks around, the speaks in her comm link.
Nikita:
Team1 in position.
Davenport:
Team2 also in position.
Cut to Section1’s Comm. Birkoff’s there and Michael stands behind him, monitoring the mission. Operations watches from the Perch.
Birkoff:
OK, everybody, wait for the signal.
End of Act 3
Act 4:
Montesino house, later on:
Montesino and Carroway are sitting on a couch, hand in hand; the boy is very happy wearing his Ronaldo T-shirt. Camera pans around the house to show us Madeline in kitchen filling some glasses with wine. Then, she takes a glass of juice from the fridge. One of the guards from outside passes in front of the window. Madeline raises her eyes just a bit, waits until the guard goes away, then, she takes off one of her long silver earings, splits it in two, removes a few tiny capsules of somekind of a medicine from it and slips them in all the glasses, but one. Then, she put the earing back on, takes the tray with the glasses and calmly exits.
Montesino:
(seeing Madeline entering with the tray)
Thank you, Barbara, you’re so nice. Isn’t she, Austin?
Carroway:
If you say so, then, it must be true.
Madeline:
Well, I couldn’t let the trite duty of a hostess to interrupt two lovebirds like you two.
Cut to the Section team waiting outside, then to Comm where the atmosphere is rather tensed while Operations is pacing in the Perch.
Operations:
Is Madeline out yet?
Birkoff:
(forcing the stress out of his voice)
Nope… Wait…
Flash to Madeline, all dressed-up, taking her leave from Montesino’s.
Birkoff:
(at Comm)
She’s moving out right now. OK, Nikita, the drug will make its effect any time now.
Nikita:
VO
Ready…
Flash to the Montesino residence: Karicia is sleeping on a couch with her son in her arms, making a truly endearing view. Carroway is asleep on the other couch. ‘Looks like Madeline treated them a sleeping pill. Cut back to Comm.
Birkoff:
Madeline just sent us the signal.
Operations:
(in the Perch)
Send the extraction team the bring her in.
Michael:
(comes a step closer to Birkoff)
Team1, proceed to your first mark.
An operative from Nikita’s team points a gun with a silencer towards the jeep’s driver and shots him dead. Then, Nikita and her team move closer to the house and begin taking out the guard before they even suspect they’re attacked.
Nikita:
First mark acquired. Target eliminated.
Birkoff:
(in Nikita’s com)
OK. Proceed to the house.
Michael:
(in Davenport’s com)
Team2, eliminate the rest of the guards.
But one of the guards smell something fishy going on.
Guard:
(in his walkie-talkie)
Roger, come in. Roger, are you there?
He gets no reply, take out a gadget looking like a pager and pressed a buton on it. In the house, a loud beep can be heard, but nobody awakes. The guard signals another guy to follow him and rush into the house, their guns drawn. The boy shifts by his mother and awakes.
The boy:
Mamita, I’ve had a nightmare. Mamita…
The guard jumps and puts a hand on the boy’s mouth while the other shakes Carroway to awaken him, but to no avail. Nikita and her team storm into the room. She sees the child up, prepares to yell a warning, but it’s too late, one of the operatives shoots the guard and takes down the child in the process, too.
Nikita:
(horrified, in her comm)
We have a complication. The boy’s down.
Michael:
VO
Nikita, do you have Carroway? Nikita, you have to extract Carroway.
Resigned, Nikita signals her team to take Carroway when Montesino wakes up, too, sees her son dead, scream in terror and before anyone can stop her, she grabs a gun from one of the dead guards and points it to a Section operative who promptly shoots her. The entire scene is filmed in slow motion. The camera shows us a teary-eyed Nikita. The operatives drag Carroway out. Cut to Comm:
Birkoff:
We have Carroway. The woman and child are dead.
Michael:
(he briefly closes the eyes, but his face is devoided of any emotion)
Move to egress.
Flash to the Section van who extracted Madeline. The Executive Strategist is listening to the news in her com link. She also closes her eyes for a second. When she opens them, they are sad and Madeline barely supresses the emotion.
Section1, Madeline’s office:
Operations is standing in front of Madeline’s desk, watching her closely, though, she seems as serene and collected as usual.
Operations:
George had Carroway transferred an hour ago.
Madeline:
I know.
Operations:
This has been a difficult mission for every one and for you, above all. It’s the first time you went out in over a year.
Madeline:
(cold)
Irrelevant.
Operations:
(hesitates a bit, unsure of how exactly to approach her; then, seemingly making up his mind, moves to stand near her chair, right in front of her)
Netherless, it’s been a stressful job. I want you to take some downtime.
Madeline:
You know as well as I do that the timing isn’t favourable. We have too much work to do.
Operations:
(in a tone that shows just how personal this is)
Madeline, just five days to get some fresh air. You don’t even have to leave the country. (amused, here) Don’t make me order you, Madeline. Besides, work has always been more than too much in Section.
Madeline:
(sincere smile)
Three day and in case of the smallest problem, you call me back.
Operations:
You can count on that. (pause) You just take some rest.
Madeline:
(still smiling)
Thank you.
They hold a warm look and he exits.
Munitions:
Nikita is there, sitting on a chair, her head in her hands, looking down again. Walter comes in and sighes, concerned.
Walter:
Now, don’t you dare claim you’re all right, again!
Nikita just shakes her head.
Walter:
The Carroway mission, isn’t it?
Nikita:
I just can’t forget the look in that woman’s eyes when she saw her son’s dead body. (she gives Walter a pained look) Section would have allowed them to live and they died on my watch. I can’t blame Section for anything, this time. I made a mistake, I was careless, I was the one who had them killed. (stated matter-of-factly)
Walter:
No, Sugar, don’t do this to yourself! If there is anyone to blame, that’s bad luck. It was bad luck that the boy woke up, that the guard got into the house before the team…And you could do nothing about it. (he reaches to hug her; camera to Walter’s face who looks aggrieved)
Nikita:
Don’t worry, Walter, it will go away in time, but it’s not like I’ll ever feel less guilty or less… Section1. It’s getting in my blood and dangerously close to my soul, too.
Walter:
Sugar…
Nikita shrugs, breaks away and stands to leave. Walter looks after her, saddened. He understood all too well the meaning of Nikita’s last sentence.
Outside:
Soft, sad music playing. Camera pans around a large grave-yard, then, comes to rest on a grey gravestone which reads: KARICIA SANCHEZ DE MONTESINO - MADRE Y ESPOSA. A hand wearing a black glove places a bunch of white roses before the gravestone. Flash to another gravestone which reads: ALDO MONTESINO – QUERRIDO HIJO. The black glove puts a bunch of roses on this grave as well. Camera pans to give a wider view. Standing in front of the two graves, there is Madeline dressed in a long, black overcoat, wearing sun glasses and a dark scarf on her head. She takes one final look and then, turns to leave.
Tag:
Outside, in a rather poor neighbourhood:
~ Phil Collins’ Another Day In Paradise playing, again ~
Nikita’s mother is standing in the doorframe of a small house, talking to a man. We can’t hear the conversation, but we can see that Roberta is smiling. After a while, she nods and she leaves with the man. They walk down the street and Roberta is laughing at something the man said. On the other side of the street, Nikita is watching them going away. She crosses the street to the house, goes to the back door, touches her sun glasses so they show her a multi-dimensional view, then, she puts a small, rounded devise on the lock and rotates it a couple of times. The door cracks opened. Nikita gets in and prances a bit around the house. There are a lot of pictures of her on various pieces of furniture. She takes in her hand one in which she is little and her mother holds her. She smiles fondly and whispers to herself.
Nikita:
Where did you get this one, Mom?
She puts the photo down and stares around, thoughtful. Camera zooms in her eye. Nikita has a flashback of her childhood: a younger version of her mother is locking an old trunk. Next thing we see is Nikita climbing the stairs to the attic where she takes her glasses off and brings up a flash light. She searches a bit until she finds the old trunk. She tries the lock which gives up easily and then, she starts inspecting the things inside with the flash light until she uncovers a diary. She flips throught the pages and a piece of paper falls from the diary. Nikita takes it and unfolds it. It’s a letter beginning with: My Beloved Paul. Camera zoons in Nikita’s face who looks shocked and upset. She hastily puts the letter in a pocket and sets to search for more in the trunk, this time, she comes up with an album. She opens it and right on the front page, there is picture of her mother in the arms of a younger Operations. Camera back on Nikita who now looks like she is about to faint, then back on the photograph.
Cut to:
The end
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