Birkoff may have stumbled on Section One's biggest coups yet, a chance to nab a top Red Cell operative by the name of "The Cardinal", who has eluded Section One for more than 15 years. Unfortunately, Birkoff's arch-nemesis Greg Hillinger is convinced that Birkoff is wrong, and Hillinger convinces George that Operations and Section One are walking into a trap. Based on Hillinger's intellect, George moves against Operations on the assumption that the operation against The Cardinal is bogus. Is Birkoff right after all? And if Birkoff is wrong, is this the end of Operations, and Birkoff too?

After someone breaches Section and breaks into her room, Nikita is more determined than ever to find out the truth about why she was brought into Section. She arranges to get at Mr. Jones personally by having him go out as "Mick Schtoppel" on a mission against an arms dealer with ties to The Collective, by the name of Massima Valenti. Was Operations telling the truth in "Deja Vu All Over Again" when he told Nikita that "Mr. Jones is not what he appears to be...?" Is Nikita making a big mistake in pushing the issue? Meanwhile, Quinn continues to put the "moves" on Operations, but what is she really up to?