During a stakeout in an industrial complex, her group was ambushed and almost completely annihilated: a booby trap blew up a tank filled with a corrosive mixture. The majority of her skin melted and hideously disfigured, Nikki joined the group as a result of the pioneering work of the medical team.

Thanks to epidermal replacement therapy, her skin, while totally organic and based on her own DNA, is now far tougher and stronger, due to her tissues creating a "weave" of materials, much like Kevlar. In essence, her own skin acts as bullet proof armour.