Chapter 11: She's going to be mad
Jack was in the bathroom finishing his hair. As he looked up into the mirror he felt his heart skip a beat. He froze the only time he had that feeling was when Irina was in trouble. His suspicion was confirmed when he felt the pain spread like his heart was being ripped apart.
"Irina" he whispered to the air. As soon as he spoke he felt the pain dwindle to an annoying twinge. He relaxed she was okay. He walked out of the bathroom to see Leslie still trying to strap up her stilettos.
"Let me." he said kneeling down.
"Jack about earlier." she started.
"Don't worry about it. Just know I'm never going to cheat on my wife." he said standing up again.
"You did it before."
"Yeah I did and it was the biggest mistake of my life. Every since that day I've tried to forget what I did but the memory still haunts me. I already have enough ghosts of my past surrounding me I don't need another." he said pulling on his suit jacket.
Leslie smiled she admired this man his devotion, his love for his wife, his willingness to make her happy before he thought about himself. Then she asked the question that had been on her mind since she meet him.
"If you and your wife are so happy why are you on Wife Swap."
Jack looked at her as he adjusted his tie.
"Because I lost sight of who I really am. I got so caught up in work, in my promotion and what it could do for me that I forgot about Irina. I ignored her attempts to bring me back to myself. I ignored her," he paused sighing heavily "I forgot to let her know I love her."
"You tell her all the time don't you." Leslie inquired."Actions speak louder than words." he said.
Before she could speak again he turned on his comms.
"Base Ops this is Watchtower we are headed downstairs for the rendezvous."
"Copy that, security cameras will pick you up once you enter the restaurant. We have your back."
"Copy that."
Leslie turned on her comms, she was getting excited.
"Base Ops this is Sunny."
"Yeah Sunny are you ready."
"Yeah."
"Copy that."
"Over and out." Leslie said once again evoking laughter from Weiss and Vaughn.
Jack opened the hotel door for Leslie and linked arms with her as they walked toward the elevator.
"You nervous." Jack asked once the doors closed.
"A little I usually deal with Girl Scouts." Leslie said laughing to try to ease the butterflies in her stomach.
Jack chuckled the thought of Irina with a troop of Girl Scouts was hilarious. She had yanked Sydney out of the Girl Scouts when she was four because they weren't teaching her how to make fire.
As the elevator door opened onto a smoke filled lounge Jack put his arm around Leslie's waist.
"Here we go." he said stepping out.
He searched the room for their contact, he spotted him in a booth surrounded by women.
"Mess up your hair." he whispered to Leslie.
"What?"
"Just do it."
Leslie hastily ruffled up her hair. Jack undid his tie and ran his hand through his hair making it look disarrayed.
"What do I have to do to get a drink around here." he said his Australian accent flawlessly delivering the previously agreed upon identity message.
"That depends on who you ask." the man at the booth answered.
"Well I'm asking you aren't I."
The man dismissed the women and stood up.
"Devin Fredrick, nice to meet you I am Tahiro Yamoda a.k.a The Dragon."
"Likewise. This is my wife Stacey she assists me with my business."
"From the looks of you, you have already been busy."
Leslie's face turned pink.
"What can I say she can't keep her hands off me."
"Ahh yes, you they did say you were a ladies man. Please take a seat."
At the wave of Yamoda's hand a busboy appeared.
"Pick your poison Mr. Fredrick." Yamoda said taking a sip from his half empty glass.
"I'll have a Scotch, neat." Jack said coolly.
"And you Mrs. Fredrick."
"I'll have a…" her mind came up blank she didn't drink.
"Say a vodka on ice." Weiss said through her comms.
"I'll have a vodka on ice." she said trying to copy Jack's calm demeanor.
A few seconds later the boy came back with their drinks.
Leslie took one sip of hers and gagged.
S**t Jack said.
He reached over and took a sip of her drink spitting it onto the floor.
"What is this dishwater." he said feigning anger.
"I'm sorry sir," the boy said cleaning up the spilled drink "I'll get you another."
"Don't bother." Jack said waving him away.
He then turned back to Yamoda.
"Now," he started "Let's talk business. I have the offer of a lifetime for you. My guys are the best thiefs around. They are only after good quality equipment. I'm talking new stuff, bullets, guns, armor, you name it we can get it, and believe me you'll need it for your compound."
"Ah yes my compound. I am proud to say the plans were just finished would you like to take a look."
"Your trusting me so soon." Jack fired back teasingly but he had to admit it was a little strange.
"Yes Mr. Fredrick I have heard of your work and I must say I am impressed."
"Really."
"Yes there is one problem though."
"And that is what." Jack said reaching for his gun under the pretext of placing his had on Leslie's thigh.
"All of your past clients have been busted by the cops either the day of or a few days after your meetings."
"Because the rest of them made stupid mistakes. You I know are much smarter."
"You flatter me Devin or should I say Jack."
"Who?" Jack said clenching his jaw, how did he know.
"Ah yes Jonathan Donahue Bristow, a.k.a Jack 56 years old married to one Irina Derevko Bristow."
Leslie began to whimper and clutched Jack's arm.
"Hmm. So much for trying to get the plans diplomatically." Jack said whipping out his gun and pointing it at Yamoda.
"Ahh, you fool guards."
A dozen men jumped up from seats in the restaurant training their guns on the couple seated with their boss.
"You underestimated me Jack."
Jack looked defeated and lowered his gun.
"How did you know who I was?" Jack asked.
"Because I recognized you." a voice said from the shadows. Arvin Sloane walked from the shadows a sickly smile painting his face.
"You son of a…" Jack up and lunged for Arvin. Two guards jumped in the way grabbing him by the arms. Arvin walked up and punched him squarely in the stomach sending Jack to his knees. He lobbed more body shots at Jack until he was unconscious. The guards let him go making him slump down on the floor.
"Now throw him out the window." Yamoda ordered.
"What about the woman."
"Her too."
The guards picked up Jack and Leslie taking them to the window overlooking the water.
They tossed both of them at once. Leslie screamed she didn't want to die like this. Jack's eyes snapped open and he grabbed her pulling her to his chest.
"Take a breath." he yelled moments before they hit the water.
From above Arvin only saw them hit the water. They stood for a few minutes waiting for them to resurface, they never did.
"Thanks for holding on to the plans for me." Yamoda said to Arvin.
"No problem.""Now may I have them back." he said extending his hand.
"Of course." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the folded blueprints.
Yamoda opened it, a look of anger crossed his face.
"What is this, your idea of a joke." he said.
"What are you talking about." Arvin asked bewildered.
Yamoda turned the page around. There printed in Jack's steady hand was one word.
BOOM!
"That son of a"
The 13th floor of the hotel exploded crushing the occupants thereof, but not causing damage to any other floors.
Two miles away a man and his wife were boarding a plane headed back to Los Angeles after a long tourist trip to Tokyo. The woman looked stressed out her eyes were wide with horror or wonder. The man had a smile playing on his lips. As Jack stared out the window of the plane as Tokyo faded beneath them he couldn't help but think of what Irina would say when she returned, he had killed Arvin Sloane without her. She would be thoroughly pissed. He closed his eyes, he really missed Irina. Leslie was ok but she wasn't Irina by any means. He hadn't noticed until now, the gun he had hidden in his bag now was hers.