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Date Posted: 17:08:16 12/24/07 Mon
Author: Mary
Author Host/IP: cpe-72-224-142-55.maine.res.rr.com / 72.224.142.55
Subject: Characters & Shadows - Chapter 22
In reply to: Mary 's message, "Characters & Shadows - Cont." on 12:34:19 12/19/07 Wed

Chapter 22

A week later and things had gotten extremely hectic. After a great night with Michael that included them finally eating dinner and then making love again, she had signed the contracts that next morning and he took it with him. Nikita called Petrosian to say she would be in just to gather her personal affects, he seemed not to care what she did at all. She had then started a job hunt for a part time position that would allow her to make enough money to keep the apartment.

She didn’t have a whole lot of choices. She needed a position where they wouldn’t ask a whole lot of questions or need references. A waitress or cleaning job seemed the most likely and considering that she had experience and knew that tips could be good, she went for the waitress job. The fifth place she went to was a 24 hour diner that she could walk to from her apartment, she could also save on gas that way. Kip the owner, who seemed like a poster child for run down diner owner’s, didn’t ask many questions just hired the blond on the spot if she could start that night. He needed someone for the late shift that all the other girls hated. She would go to work at 9pm and get off at 4am at least five nights a week. At times she might have to fill in for other girls or work a second shift. But she had a job and she could keep the apartment.

Back at her apartment Madeline had been on the answering machine informing her of her obligation to lose weight as quickly as possible and to not be late for the gym nor the rehearsal the next day.

So after six days of being at the gym at 5:00, rehearsals starting at 8:00 and going all day, then dinner with Michael most nights and she was at work at the diner by 9:00. It hadn’t been too hard to convince Michael that staying the night wasn’t a good idea, she told him that she needed her sleep and that their evenings needed to end early. He easily bought the lie, she felt guilty but at the same time she couldn’t very well tell him the truth.

There had not been any further contact from Marco. Nikita continued to tell herself that if she just went about her life that Marco would make sure that she was safe. The diner job was more than she had bargained for. There were regular clientèle that had been used to the previous waitress and they weren’t too happy that she had left. These guys primarily worked second shift and came in for food after their shift. It took her a few nights to get them to calm down but now they were calling her Nik and a couple were starting to leave tips. The last few hours of her shift were the hardest. The drunks would wander in after the bars closed and want to eat, if they could remember how to order and then how to pay. Kip had a good cook in overnight and he helped Nikita when a couple of guys got too rowdy.

She was very tired as she got home from the diner at 4:30 a.m. and had only been asleep for about four and half hours on this early morning. Today was her day off from rehearsals and she was looking forward to spending a good part of it sleeping. She had to be back at the diner at 9:00 tonight, but the rest of the day was hers. Or so she thought until she was awoken with the phone ringing. Groggily she reached for it, “Hullo.”

“Nikita, so glad I caught you. I was hoping we could spend some time today working on your voice projection.”

“Today?”

“Yes today. Meet me in an hour. Just you and I.” Nikita heard the line go dead. She groaned and made herself get out of bed and head to the shower. An hour later she was at the theater and Madeline was waiting with coffee in hand.

“You look tired.”

“I’m fine.”

Madeline hesitated only a second, “Good then we won’t waste time.”

“I have a scene between you and Maxine that I want to rehearse. You voice projection will be especially important in this scene.”

“I’d like to discuss this scene. I have some questions.”

Madeline arched an eyebrow in question but agreed, “All right.”

“I know that this scene is at the beginning and it begins to really set the relationship between Maxine and Katernya. But why is there hostility already between the two of them?”

“There is distrust at this point, not really open hostility yet. Katernya knows that Maxine is hiding a lot of information from her. But Katernya is still trying to figure out if there is malicious intent. She still wants to believe that she is part of the Section One family. She craves a family and needs one, so she doesn’t want to believe the worst about them. But she is starting to see that all may not be what Maxine has led her to believe.”

“So her distrust is growing as she learns more and more about Section One and there ways.”

“Exactly. Remember the theme here, does the ends justify the means, that is really the question.”

“Maxine feels that they do.”

“Yes she does.”

“Are you ready to start now?”

Nikita nodded, “Yes.”

Maxine is in her loft, when Katernya enters the office and takes a seat on a chair. Walking along the catwalk above, Maxine leans over the balcony railing, looking at Katernya below.

MADELINE (Maxine): Congratulations, Nikita. You’ve crossed a milestone.

NIKITA (K): I have?

MADELINE (Maxine): You’ve completed what might be called the probationary period. You’re a full-fledged operative now, the equal of any operative in Section.

NIKITA (K): Equal… to Phillip (Michael)?

MADELINE (Maxine): Well… (said with a tone of almost humor)

NIKITA (K): Oh, some are a little more equal than others?
Madeline (Maxine) begins descending the stairs to the lower level.

NIKITA (K): So, do I get a cap? A gown? Maybe a merit badge?

Taking a seat on the couch opposite Katernya, Maxine crosses her legs.

MADELINE (Maxine): We’re very satisfied with your progress. So, are there any issues you’d like to raise?

NIKITA (K): (surprised) You’re inviting me to ask questions?

MADELINE (Maxine): That’s right.

NIKITA (K): Why should I bother? You’re not going to
answer them.

MADELINE (Maxine): You won’t know until you ask.

NIKITA (K): It’s just another way of building a data file labeled “Katernya”, isn’t it? See, any questions I ask, you have more insight to the way I tick, all the more for you to wind me up when you need it.

Madeline (Maxine): (impressed) You really have graduated.

NIKITA (K): Still, I do have one question. I see a lot of young people in Section, but very few old. Why is that, Maxine? Surely not everybody’s been lost in action.

MADELINE (Maxine): No, not all.

NIKITA (K): So what happens to us down the line? Do we get a condo in Miami? Or, is it a bullet in the back of the head?

MADELINE (Maxine): It’s a good question. Perhaps more profound than you know.

NIKITA (K): And the answer?

MADELINE (Maxine): Is highly classified.

NIKITA (K): Naturally. Maxine, I will be expecting my merit badge in the mail.

Katernya stands and begins heading to the door.

MADELINE (Maxine): Katernya, there is one more thing.
Katernya stops and looks back, while Maxine stands from the couch and goes to face her.

MADELINE (Maxine): From now on, you have to understand more will be expected of you. Don’t disappoint us.

NIKITA (K): I wouldn’t dream of disappointing you Maxine. You, or Michael. (The last line is delivered as she walks out of the office.

“How was that?” Nikita asked.

“Better, but not nearly good enough yet.” Madeline told the young woman standing before her.

Nikita wanted to sigh in frustration but she knew better, Madeline hated that as she had shown her displeasure at a previous rehearsal. “What am I doing wrong?”

“You have to put energy behind your voice. It comes from within. You have to be in the character 100% and you have to feel it, then let it pour out from the diaphragm. I know you have been taught to do this. Perhaps if you were better rested.” The last part of the statement was said lightly with a sarcastic tone that Nikita did not appreciate.

“Just what does that mean Madeline.”

“It’s obvious just looking at you that you haven’t slept and your mind is not here on this part. I know that you and
Michael are having ‘relations’. It isn’t like this is the first time that Michael has chosen to seduce his leading lady. But he is a seasoned professional and does not let it affect his work. Your exhaustion shows in every part of you and your work.”

“My being tired has nothing to do with Michael!” she protested.

“Mmm.” was Madeline’s only reply. “Well if it’s not Michael then what is the problem?”

Nikita knew that she could not tell this woman the truth. Madeline still scared her, a lot right now. The morning workouts were torturous and then she watched everything that Nikita ate all day long. Now she was inserting herself into her intimate life. How dare she?

When Nikita was silent Madeline continued, “Look, I want what is best for this production and for Paul first and foremost. Then I want what is best for every member of this company. But you are putting all of us at risk right now. Your role has to be perfect and you have make it perfect. My role is to make sure that all that happens. I will nat fail at my role. I suggest you not fail at yours. The consequences, to all of us, would not be pretty at all Nikita.”


Note: I took a small liberty with the above scene. I gave Nikita the last word in the exchange. I always felt that the scene really should have ended that way. I do hope no one minds too much.

Mary

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