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Date Posted: 21:23:21 11/19/07 Mon
Author: Mary
Author Host/IP: cpe-72-224-142-55.maine.res.rr.com / 72.224.142.55
Subject: Characters & Shadows - Chapter 7 Warning: A few bad words
In reply to: Mary 's message, "Characters & Shadows - Cont." on 14:30:27 11/11/07 Sun

Chapter 10

“This scene is very focused on Michael. He comes to your apartment distraught. A friend from his past life has reappeared, having thought Michael was dead long ago. Only now they are on opposite sides. It’s Michael’s job to stop this friend and his group of terrorists. If Michael doesn’t complete the mission he knows he will be cancelled. But he’s not sure he can do it. Your role is more supporting here. We want to see you emotionally react to Michael without words.”

Nikita tried to listen to Madeline but her stomach was in turmoil and her heart was beating in her ears.

“This scene isn’t nearly as painful for your role as the last one.” Nikita heard Michael’s soft words and hoped that he was right.

Right after she met Walter, who she really liked almost immediately, Paul and Madeline returned with more words of praise and pushing her to do this second scene with Michael. She was very hesitant, not to mention tired, but when Walter gave her a wink and a nod she agreed.

Now standing on the stage and looking at Michael, she took a deep breath and began to immerse herself in the scene.

<i>Nikita moves upstage to open the door. Michael stands there.

NIKITA (K): Come in.

Michael enters. Nikita closes the door and follows him into her living room.

NIKITA (K): I was surprised to get your call.

MICHAEL(P): Did you finish the Debrief?

NIKITA (K): Yes. ... Why?

Michael turns and studies her.

MICHAEL(P): You did the right thing, Nikita.

NIKITA (K): It's how you trained me, Michael.

Michael is obviously ill at ease. He turns and walks into her living room, looking around briefly before crouching down next to her glass coffee table to stare into a candle's flame. While he does this he continues to run his gloves through his hands.

MICHAEL(P): Rene and I were students together at the University. We shared similar beliefs ..., mostly that a change was needed. ... We organized demonstrations ..., shouted slogans, made speeches ....

NIKITA (K) (matter of fact): Made bombs?

Michael briefly looks in Nikita's direction before glancing back off into space.

MICHAEL(P): Yes. I don't even remember how it started. ... I was angry at everything ..., at the world around me. ... When I met Rene, everything he said seemed so true. ...

NIKITA (K): Why are you in his debt?

Michael stands, pauses, then turns to look at Nikita.

MICHAEL(P): My sister.

A look of surprise shows on Nikita's face.

NIKITA (K): Your sister?

Michael walks toward Nikita.

MICHAEL(P): After my parents died, I ... took care of her. ... She was still very young. ... When I was arrested there was no one to help her. Rene took her in. ... Even after he thought I was dead he kept providing for her. ...
Nikita moves to sit on her couch.

MICHAEL(P): He had no reasons to do it, except out of kindness.

NIKITA (K): Didn't you tell me once ..., that you can't separate the man from his actions?

Michael joins her on the couch. He sits awkwardly, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation.

NIKITA (K): He's still a terrorist.

MICHAEL(P): To me, his actions are ... that of a friend.
Nikita realizes Michael is near his breaking point, and a look of concern appears on her face. Michael just stares off into space.

NIKITA (K): Michael ..., disengage. ... Let the Section sort this out.

MICHAEL(P): It's too late. A profile's been set. ... I'm not sure I can do it.

Michael's voice almost breaks as he tells Nikita this. Nikita's expression changes to foreboding as she realizes where this conversation may be heading.

NIKITA (K): Why are you telling me this?

MICHAEL(P): (Sighs) I wanted you to know.
As he says this he looks up and meets Nikita's gaze. There is a look of weary defeat and sorrow in his eyes.

MICHAEL(P): ... In case something happens to me.
Nikita briefly shakes her head at what she is hearing — Michael telling her good-by. She reaches out and gently rests her hand on his knee. Michael lightly clasps her hand with one of his.

Scene ends.</i>

*****

He was growing furious. The day had been full of incompetent idiots all trying to tell him how he should run his organization. Didn’t they realize that he had built all of this without any of them and he could certainly run it without any of their advice. He dealt with people all over the world that sought the services that only he could provide. They trusted him with their deals, he didn’t care what they wanted him to take care of. If anyone else had failed, they came to him to clean it up. He didn’t care what he had to be successful and to get paid.

Through the years he had some members of his organization question his judgment in these matters. A simple bullet through the brain took care of anyone who dared to question his authority. This was not a democracy and he was not to be questioned. Ever. This latest deal was turning out to be trickier than originally thought and he was not pleased with the latest reports from Prague.

But that was not what kept him up at night. No the mundane tasks of running a business were tiny in comparison to the reason that he lost sleep on a regular basis. No, his coffee sat cold in the cup as it grew very dark well into the night. He switched to scotch as per his norm and began to feel almost better as the familiar warmth began.
Nothing had been right since she had left. Nothing. That bitch, after everything that he had sacrificed and done for her. She just runs off like she was a victim or something. He pulled her off the streets and gave her the finest of everything. Made her the lady that she was meant to be. Bought her diamonds that dripped on her body and furs that she had refused to wear. Designer everything, only the best for her. He wanted her to have a nice house, cars, gardens, trips, everything. He had given her everything.

Even that goddamned wedding that she had just had to have. He should have killed her that day, should have, but he had unfortunately grown into a complete obsession with her and she had to be his. There was no other way it could be. Everyone they knew had been there, all his business associates and she had embarrassed him in front of them all when she had decided she wasn’t sure about marrying him. He had quickly changed her mind, the ceremony continued on with the lights greatly dimmed, a veil over her face and some carefully applied makeup.

As he had done many times before his angry just grew as he thought about her and her utter betrayal. The scotch glass went flying across the office and shattered. He picked up another one and it followed the same path. By the time he was done most of the crystal behind the bar was destroyed, his hand cut and bleeding. He didn’t care. He needed to destroy something the way that she had destroyed him.

Only the persistent ringing of the phone brought him out of his rage long enough for him to grab the offending device, “This better be pretty fucking good! What?”

The gravelly voice on the other end of the phone said the words he had been waiting to hear for a long time, “Sir, I believe I may have located your wife.”

He smiled.

*****

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