Chapter Five: Something So Seductive
Michael had to admit, he'd been nervous preparing for his first meeting with Irina Derevko. Sydney had tried to calm him down, but honestly, she hadn't helped matters much.
"It's not like you have to act all thrilled to see her," she'd encouraged. She had fretted over what he would wear to the meeting for much longer than he'd thought necessary.
"I don't think you should wear a tie," she'd decided, biting her lower lip in concentration. "You need something that says, I'm at the end of my rope and I have a taste for blood."
"Great," he'd replied, rolling his eyes. "We'll just pick something out at the Gap, then."
Finally she had settled on a black long-sleeved button down and a pair of slate gray slacks. "Oh, you look great," she said, a delighted smile on her face.
"Uh-huh," he said wryly. "The perfect ensemble for making a deal with the devil. You're sure, no tie?"
"Hmm, maybe," she said, ducking into his closet. "Maybe something red. Do you have anything red?"
"What's the look you're going for, Syd?" he asked with a smile. "Mafia hit man, pimp--?"
"Well, we don't know exactly what your duties will be," she teased, emerging from the closet wearing a sheepish smile. "Okay, okay, so I'm a little nervous." She threw her arms around his neck. It was then that she'd said it. "You don't have to act all thrilled to see her."
Michael felt his face turn stony. "Good," he said. "Because I'm quite sure that would be impossible."
She pulled away from him, her smile sad, regretful. "Just act like you're in this because you have nowhere else to turn," she said, smoothing the front of his shirt with her hands. "And because I'm very, very persuasive."
"That won't be hard," he said, moving away from her to sit on the bed. "That is pretty much why I'm in this."
She came to rest gingerly next to him, as if she weren't sure he would appreciate her presence there. "And revenge." He didn't look at her, but he could hear the smile in her voice. "You're in this for revenge, too."
"Oh, that's right." He pulled her to him, and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I feel like I played you last night," she whispered. "Do you feel like that?"
He paused, considering the question. "I don't know. Maybe you did play me," he said. "Maybe I don't even care. Maybe this is exactly what I should be doing."
"But you're not sure," she said, pulling away to gaze up at him.
He opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by the sound of the ringing phone. "Shit, I'd better get that," he said. She nodded, and he reached toward the nightstand for the phone. "Vaughn," he answered.
"Mike, hey. It's Eric."
Michael tensed up at the sound of Weiss's voice. They hadn't exactly been on the best of terms when he'd left the CIA.
"I just thought I'd call and see how you were doing," Weiss continued.
"Great timing," Michael said, feeling his grip tighten on the phone. "If you'd called this time yesterday I would have been too drunk to answer."
"Oh, hey," Weiss said in a rush. "Mike, I wanted to check on you sooner, I just--"
"It's okay," Michael cut in. "Sydney's here. She's taking care of me quite well."
Beside him, Sydney raised her eyebrows, apparently surprised that he'd mentioned her. Honestly, he wasn't sure why he had.
"Oh." The tone of Weiss's voice was virtually unreadable. "So I guess she's okay, then. Devlin, her father-- no one's heard from her in a couple of days."
Michael closed his eyes. Fuck. He hoped he hadn't just made the mistake of the century, letting Weiss know that he and Sydney were together. He supposed everyone would have guessed it soon enough, anyway, when the two of them disappeared. "She's fine," Michael finally said. "She's just worried about me. Trying to help me." Sydney took his free hand and squeezed it. He smiled lovingly at her. God, she was beautiful. She was all he needed.
"Well-- good, I guess. I'm glad you're both okay."
Oh, Eric. We're about as fucking far from okay as you can get. In less than half an hour, I'll be in a car to see Irina Derevko. And guess what? I'm never coming back. Ever. But Michael didn't say that. He said nothing.
"And hey, Mike, if you're looking for a job--"
"Damn it, Eric!" he finally exploded. "I've been unemployed for less than a week, sober for less than twenty-four hours. I hardly think this is the time to start with some job search!"
"Fine! Fine, Michael! You know, I'm only trying to help you here!" Now Weiss sounded really angry. Good. That made two of them. "You brought this on yourself, Michael, I just--"
"Go to hell." That was the end of the conversation. Michael slammed down the phone.
Sydney didn't ask questions. Probably knew it was better not to.
"I shouldn't have told him you were here. I'm sorry," he said after a moment. "Devlin and your father are asking about you, apparently. I didn't realize you hadn't been in touch with them."
"Not since I went to my mother," Sydney said, staring down at her lap. "I knew that Dad would know something was up."
Michael squeezed her hand. "Maybe you should tell him about your plan," he suggested. "Then at least he won't look for you when you leave."
Sydney was shaking her head before he even finished his sentence. "No, Michael. No way. If he knew I was going to be spending time with that woman, for any reason--" she broke off, looking away. "This way at least maybe he won't know I went willingly."
Michael opened his mouth to respond, but she wasn't interested. She jumped up from the bed, letting him know the conversation was over. "We'd better go, Michael. A car's going to pick us up at the Texaco station a few blocks over."
"Why the Texaco station?" he asked.
She rolled her eyes. "Please, Michael," she said, the scathing in her voice startling him. "I don't want them knowing where you live any more than they want us knowing where their operation is." Then she frowned, as if she realized how harsh her tone had been. "I'm going to warn you, Michael, you're not going to like the way I act around my mother. I don't even like the way I act around my mother."
"How do you act around your mother?" Michael asked curiously.
Sydney shook her head, looking disgusted with herself. "Cold. Proper. Like I simultaneously despise her and fear her." She paused, biting her lower lip thoughtfully. "Maybe that's not so far from how I really do feel."
He moved to stand behind her, rubbing his hands over her arms soothingly. "Don't worry, darling." Darling. He'd never called anyone that before, and it had just dropped out of his mouth as naturally as if he'd been saying it his entire life. "By the time we've finished with her, Irina Derevko is going to fear you."
It had been the right thing to say. Sydney turned to him, roughly claiming his lips with hers. He didn't resist, arms around her waist as his mouth hungrily ravished hers.
There was something so seductive about revenge.
