TWENTY YEARS AGO – Mary is sleeping peacefully inside a big and luxurious room. She got bandages on and her clothes had been changed. Then, she finally opened her eyes and saw the environment she's in. She tried to get up but she felt the pain hit her body hard.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you. You took quite a beating. You're very tough. I don't know anyone who can withstand that kind of torture and not actually gave in", Alexei said.
"You…you killed Dimitri and his men. Why?" Mary asked.
"…to save you, of course. He's going to kill you. As you well know, he's not a patient man. I just have to step in. I have always wanted the network and I have everything laid out. I was going to take over next month but then you came in the picture so I made my move", he answered.
Mary tried to hold it in. He seems different, she thought.
"What are you going to do with me?" she asked again.
"You think I will torture you too? No, my love. I will not", he answered.
Mary got hang up on something he said.
"My love? Did you just said my love?" she asked.
"Yes…I know it sounds strange but believe it or not, I fell for you the moment I saw you here. I love you, Frost", Alexei declared.
She tried to sit right up and he helped her do that. The two looked at each other for a moment before Alexei put a kiss on her lips. Shocked, she returned the gesture then they parted.
"I know you're with CIA, Frost. No one can do what you've done. Anyone will spill their guts but not you because you're stronger. I will give you a choice. Stay here. Stay here with me", he said.
"They will look for me", she muttered.
"Your spy friends?" Alexei asked and then took out a small screen and showed it to her. "This is the CIA database. They have deleted everything about you, my love. You no longer exist for them. They have turned their backs on you. Trust me, no one will be looking for you…your husband, maybe, but we both know he will not get any close. Stay here with me, Frost and I promise you, no one will ever hurt you again", he offered.
Mary looked at the screen then back to Alexei who's looking back at her waiting for her answer.
"Alright…I will stay with you, Alexei", she accepted which put a big smile on the man's face.
Mary went to one of the mainframe's room in Volkoff's building. No one uses the room and it has been abandoned for a long time. She thought it's a great opportunity for her to have her own space of sanity. Spending time undercover with Alexei is getting to her and she's exhausted. She turned on a computer and recorded herself.
"Hi…it's day 300, I think. I sort of lost track after we went to Budapest. Hartley seems to remember. No one called me 'my love' other than him, not even you. This is a dangerous place but one thing I know for sure, he will never hurt me. He loves me. I don't know how that is possible but it is. It's like, he feels the same way about me the way he always does. Oh…Stephen…what have you done? I warned you Intersect is not ready yet and look what it did with Hartley. Your Intersect turned him into a monster who killed people out of sport. He's already driving me crazy and I am having trouble maintaining the line between my cover and actually enjoying killing people. I am becoming like him. I also know the CIA erased my file. Stephen, I missed you and the kids. I will continue to do my mission because that's my job but I hope you'll find this, hack to some system, to know I am alright. Do not look for me because Hartley…Alexei will kill you. I have to go now. I love you, Stephen. Tell Ellie and Chuck that I love them so much", she said and then turned it off.
PRESENT DAY - Chuck looked at Sarah and she already knows what she has to do. She got up and called her contacts in the CIA to do the research about Hartley and the Intersect.
Meanwhile, Chuck is still stuck in front of the computer. His mind is processing about her mother's message for his dad. His father created the Intersect and used it to someone named Hartley. According to his mother, his father turned him into Alexei Volkoff. If that's true, his father created the monster who kept his mother away from their family for 20 years.
"I already called it in. We will know about Hartley in a few minutes", Sarah said.
"Thank you", he muttered.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"I am not sure. I get this feeling that somehow she cares about Volkoff. I know he saved her life but like she said, he's turning her into being like him. Why would there be any affection in her voice while talking about him? And my dad…he got my mom into this mess. She warned him that it's not ready but I guess he went with it and something went wrong and she got sent there. I don't know what I'm going to feel, Sarah", Chuck answered.
"We will know the truth, Chuck. We will", she replied.
Mary and Alexei got back in Russia. They are both tired by the long flight. She rested on the couch in his office while he poured drinks for the both of them.
"Here, my love, it will help", he said as he handed her the glass.
"Thanks", she replied.
"Look, I am sorry about how I acted after the dinner. I was just upset that they alerted the CIA. I didn't mean to hurt your family. I just wanted to have a perfect night. I am sorry", Alexei apologized.
Mary looked at him and saw the sincerity in his eyes.
"I know that. You're forgiven just don't do that again", she said.
Alexei smiled.
"I promise, my love", he replied.
