"I should have stayed home and got really drunk," Amy said as she slid down
onto one of the beds. "I'm going to kill Jason when I see him."
Francie was agreeing with her. A nice stiff drink would do her good. However, Amy could handle killing Jason alone; Francie was going to be too busy strangling Amy's brother when they got out of this mess.
"Are you okay?" asked a friendly voice across the way.
Francie looked into some of the greenest eyes that she'd ever seen and smiled. She knew it was probably scary, but it was the best she had to give. "Besides being hauled out of my home like we were sacks of groceries, we're fine."
To her amazement, Jack Bristow actually smiled at her words. He rubbed the head of the little boy asleep in his lap, and Francie recalled the smile that had been on Sydney's face when she'd talked about her father and little boy's close relationship. "He's getting tired of the game."
"The game?"
The great-looking man that Francie could only assume was Sydney's husband nodded. "We told him that we're playing a game of hide and seek. He's been waiting for his mommy to find us for a long time. Now, he just wants to go home."
"We'll have to get new identities--" Jack hesitated before calling the man 'Michael'. Francie could tell from the sad sigh the other man emitted that it was a name he hadn't been called in years.
Reaching over, he stroked the young boy's hair which was so much like his own. "Yeah, but he'll think it's another game. Especially if Grandpa tells him it is."
Francie was stunned by the look of sadness that crossed Jack's face. He looked up at her and smiled wistfully. "I lied to Sydney for so many years. I never wanted to lie to him."
Her mouth dropped open. He didn't look upset by her surprise. "It's been several years, Francie. I've even stopped watching my back as closely as I did when you and Sydney were children."
"But you still watch it?"
The serious expression that she was used to seeing appeared. "Always. With good reason, as you can tell."
He studied her and Amy, and Francie had an uncomfortable feeling that he knew them much better than she knew him. She wondered what Will had shared with him all those years ago. But after seeing Jack smile down at a small boy, Francie was starting to understand why her husband held him in high regard.
"How did you end up here?" Michael asked.
Amy groaned. "I'm dating the most perfect man in the world. Or at least he was perfect. Until tonight. I thought he was getting ready to propose-- not tonight but soon--and he says he wants to slow things down! Slow them down!" She grunted and bunched her fist.
She sighed and shook her head. "I can't believe I'm upset about Jason. I've been kidnapped, and I'm complaining about a man. You know me, Francie; I never let men get to me. Say or do something I don't like, and I'm on to the next." Tears welled in her eyes.
Francie went and sat down next to her. She laid her arm around Amy's shoulder and then leaned her head onto hers. "It's okay," she whispered. "That brother of yours will find us."
Amy nodded and rested heavier against Francie, who sighed and looked over at the men. "Will came home for a few minutes around eight o'clock. He got a phone call and left, and Amy showed up around ten."
Jack nodded. "Khasinau's men forced their way into the house a short time later?"
Francie nodded. "Yeah, there was a knock at the door, and the guy claimed he was from the CIA." Her voice cracked. "He told me that had information about Will."
She felt a shudder course its way through Amy, and she remembered her own horror at hearing those words. Opening that door had been the hardest thing she'd ever done in her life. Images from TV shows and movies had run through her mind: military wives and families getting the notification that their husbands and sons and daughters were never coming home again. Instead of telling her that her husband was dead, the man and his friends had forced their way into their home.
"What about John?" Jack asked.
"You know about my son?" Francie asked and then shook her head. "I'm sorry. I guess you get to keep up with us better than we do you."
Michael was looking over at Jack with his eyebrows drawn up into a question. Jack looked uncomfortable as he admitted, "I read the Register every day online."
Francie stared at the man she used to think of as the coldest bastard ever born. A man who had made her best friend cry through most of her high school years. Who had barely made it to her high school graduation--and had left immediately after it was finished--and had missed her college graduation completely.
Jack Bristow, who had never had even one decent conversation with his daughter from Francie' perspective, was not the man she thought he was. "John's at his grandparents," she told him.
Jack nodded and ran a hand across the little boy's head again. Francie watched the boy grin and snuggle down deeper into his grandfather's lap. She thought about Johnny snuggling with her, and she felt tears prick at her eyes.
"Will's going to come," she said, more to herself than anyone. Just hearing the words gave her comfort. She might think Will was a lying jerk right now, but she also knew that he was dependable.
"He's never let me down." Jack's words echoed her thoughts. At her look, he explained, "I trained him, Francie. I'd seen men who had volunteered to be a spy, who had trained for it for years, fall apart in the situations he faced before he even knew what was happening. He won't let us down."
Amy shook her head. "No, he won't."
Silence filled the air for several minutes. Finally, Francie asked, "Would you mind telling us exactly what it is that Will and Syd are going to rescue us from?"
Jack and Michael both looked down at the sleeping boy. He continued to smile and snore. Michael looked to Jack to make the decision--Francie could see that if Jack decided that they didn't need to know, Michael wouldn't try to go around him. Years of respect for Jack were etched on his face.
"Alexander Khasinau blames Sydney for her mother's death. He's looking to get revenge," Jack answered as he picked up his grandson and walked him over to the empty bed.
Francie stared at him. "Sydney was a little girl when her mom died! She wasn't even in the car at the time."
Michael looked over at Jack, and Francie was stunned at the sympathy in those eyes. It was only then that she realized that Jack wasn't looking at her. He was arranging pillows and pulling a blanket over Syd's Will, but that was only an excuse to hide his face. Whatever he was sharing with her was painful to him.
"My wife was an undercover KGB agent," Jack told her as he put a stuffed animal next to the sleeping boy's arm. "She married me so she could steal secrets and assassinate other CIA agents. She faked her death in that accident."
Amy shifted around and sat up straight. "Did Sydney always know that?"
Jack looked at her. "Of course not. She was devastated when she was told."
"The family who spies together lies together," Francie muttered and then shook her head. "What happened when she really died?"
"Over the years--" He hesitated. "Laura had become the head of a large criminal organization. Sydney and I encouraged SD-6 to wage war against that organization. She had attacked SD-6 headquarters once, and I knew Sloane had taken it personally. He overextended SD-6's resources, making it vulnerable to the CIA."
Michael took over the narrative. "An unexpected bonus for us--I worked for the CIA at the time. I was Sydney's handler--her liaison." He leaned against the stone wall behind him. "We had the unexpected bonus of watching her organization also overextended itself. We sent in agents on the same day to both headquarters, toppling them both."
"I lead the team into SD-6," Jack said as he sat down. He was stiff and straight next to his relaxed son-in-law. "I was the senior agent, and it was decided that I was needed there."
"I was with Jack. Sydney led the team--with Will--against her mother. Laura Bristow almost managed to kill Sydney, but Will was watching her back. He saved her, and then Sydney shot her own mother." Michael's eyes glazed over, and Francie knew he was remembering Sydney's reaction. It must have been a tough time for him, helping Sydney deal with her own grief and guilt.
"Thus fulfilling the prophecy of 'vulgar cost'," he muttered.
"Prophecy?" Francie was glad that she wasn't the only one who didn't understand. Amy's voice was dripping with confusion.
"It doesn't matter," Jack answered.
"You really don't want to know," Michael answered with a grin.
"So, who is this Khasinau?" Amy asked as she leaned forward.
Michael glanced over at Jack. "Her partner."
"And her lover." Jack's voice was even and precise, but Francie could hear the pain in it, and she wondered if she--and Sydney--had missed hearing other emotions in his voice over the years. She used to think that flat voice was so cold, unemotional.
"The organization lost everything when its leader fell. We managed to get into their core database that night, too. The CIA froze assets and arrested various cells. Khasinau escaped, but I don't think they spent a lot of time looking for him," Michael told them.
"Of course, they didn't; they thought he was unimportant. They made the same mistake with him that they made with Laura." The bitterness in Jack's voice cut into Francie. She wondered what prices he'd paid over the years, and how many times the CIA had let him down.
Michael drew his knees up, resting his feet on the bed. "Probably," he admitted.
"So why kidnap you? Wouldn't it have been better to just kill you? Or kill her?"
Francie looked over at her sister-in-law in surprise. Her voice was cool and calm. She sounded like a reporter asking the mayor about his recent sex scandal.
"You are related to Will Tippin," Jack said. He smiled and Francie found herself returning it.
Amy laughed. "Well, I learned a few things off of him over the years."
"He's Russian," Jack supplied, answering Amy's question. "Straightforward revenge doesn't fill he need for drama."
Michael laughed. "That's the old Cold War Spy in you coming out, Jack. I'm not sure I've ever met any great agent who didn't need a little drama. It's like you all crave it, even as you hate it."
Jack threw a grin Michael's way. "True."
"So, do you know the plan?"
Nodding, Jack answered, "It fits his sense of justice for Sydney to die by her government's hands. He planned on her following his instructions: break into a government facility and steal documents that the US would never forgive her for taking."
"He wanted her to be executed for treason?" Francie leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. She shook her head in disbelief. "I-- that's--"
Michael looked down at his hands. "She knows his game though. She knows him."
"She came to Will and the CIA instead of trying to do it alone," Francie realized.
"It took him longer to figure it out than I expected. I think he gets Sydney confused with her mother," Jack said. "But, yes, she forced him to change his plans."
"And that's why we are here," Amy whispered.
No one answered. They didn't need to.
Francie was agreeing with her. A nice stiff drink would do her good. However, Amy could handle killing Jason alone; Francie was going to be too busy strangling Amy's brother when they got out of this mess.
"Are you okay?" asked a friendly voice across the way.
Francie looked into some of the greenest eyes that she'd ever seen and smiled. She knew it was probably scary, but it was the best she had to give. "Besides being hauled out of my home like we were sacks of groceries, we're fine."
To her amazement, Jack Bristow actually smiled at her words. He rubbed the head of the little boy asleep in his lap, and Francie recalled the smile that had been on Sydney's face when she'd talked about her father and little boy's close relationship. "He's getting tired of the game."
"The game?"
The great-looking man that Francie could only assume was Sydney's husband nodded. "We told him that we're playing a game of hide and seek. He's been waiting for his mommy to find us for a long time. Now, he just wants to go home."
"We'll have to get new identities--" Jack hesitated before calling the man 'Michael'. Francie could tell from the sad sigh the other man emitted that it was a name he hadn't been called in years.
Reaching over, he stroked the young boy's hair which was so much like his own. "Yeah, but he'll think it's another game. Especially if Grandpa tells him it is."
Francie was stunned by the look of sadness that crossed Jack's face. He looked up at her and smiled wistfully. "I lied to Sydney for so many years. I never wanted to lie to him."
Her mouth dropped open. He didn't look upset by her surprise. "It's been several years, Francie. I've even stopped watching my back as closely as I did when you and Sydney were children."
"But you still watch it?"
The serious expression that she was used to seeing appeared. "Always. With good reason, as you can tell."
He studied her and Amy, and Francie had an uncomfortable feeling that he knew them much better than she knew him. She wondered what Will had shared with him all those years ago. But after seeing Jack smile down at a small boy, Francie was starting to understand why her husband held him in high regard.
"How did you end up here?" Michael asked.
Amy groaned. "I'm dating the most perfect man in the world. Or at least he was perfect. Until tonight. I thought he was getting ready to propose-- not tonight but soon--and he says he wants to slow things down! Slow them down!" She grunted and bunched her fist.
She sighed and shook her head. "I can't believe I'm upset about Jason. I've been kidnapped, and I'm complaining about a man. You know me, Francie; I never let men get to me. Say or do something I don't like, and I'm on to the next." Tears welled in her eyes.
Francie went and sat down next to her. She laid her arm around Amy's shoulder and then leaned her head onto hers. "It's okay," she whispered. "That brother of yours will find us."
Amy nodded and rested heavier against Francie, who sighed and looked over at the men. "Will came home for a few minutes around eight o'clock. He got a phone call and left, and Amy showed up around ten."
Jack nodded. "Khasinau's men forced their way into the house a short time later?"
Francie nodded. "Yeah, there was a knock at the door, and the guy claimed he was from the CIA." Her voice cracked. "He told me that had information about Will."
She felt a shudder course its way through Amy, and she remembered her own horror at hearing those words. Opening that door had been the hardest thing she'd ever done in her life. Images from TV shows and movies had run through her mind: military wives and families getting the notification that their husbands and sons and daughters were never coming home again. Instead of telling her that her husband was dead, the man and his friends had forced their way into their home.
"What about John?" Jack asked.
"You know about my son?" Francie asked and then shook her head. "I'm sorry. I guess you get to keep up with us better than we do you."
Michael was looking over at Jack with his eyebrows drawn up into a question. Jack looked uncomfortable as he admitted, "I read the Register every day online."
Francie stared at the man she used to think of as the coldest bastard ever born. A man who had made her best friend cry through most of her high school years. Who had barely made it to her high school graduation--and had left immediately after it was finished--and had missed her college graduation completely.
Jack Bristow, who had never had even one decent conversation with his daughter from Francie' perspective, was not the man she thought he was. "John's at his grandparents," she told him.
Jack nodded and ran a hand across the little boy's head again. Francie watched the boy grin and snuggle down deeper into his grandfather's lap. She thought about Johnny snuggling with her, and she felt tears prick at her eyes.
"Will's going to come," she said, more to herself than anyone. Just hearing the words gave her comfort. She might think Will was a lying jerk right now, but she also knew that he was dependable.
"He's never let me down." Jack's words echoed her thoughts. At her look, he explained, "I trained him, Francie. I'd seen men who had volunteered to be a spy, who had trained for it for years, fall apart in the situations he faced before he even knew what was happening. He won't let us down."
Amy shook her head. "No, he won't."
Silence filled the air for several minutes. Finally, Francie asked, "Would you mind telling us exactly what it is that Will and Syd are going to rescue us from?"
Jack and Michael both looked down at the sleeping boy. He continued to smile and snore. Michael looked to Jack to make the decision--Francie could see that if Jack decided that they didn't need to know, Michael wouldn't try to go around him. Years of respect for Jack were etched on his face.
"Alexander Khasinau blames Sydney for her mother's death. He's looking to get revenge," Jack answered as he picked up his grandson and walked him over to the empty bed.
Francie stared at him. "Sydney was a little girl when her mom died! She wasn't even in the car at the time."
Michael looked over at Jack, and Francie was stunned at the sympathy in those eyes. It was only then that she realized that Jack wasn't looking at her. He was arranging pillows and pulling a blanket over Syd's Will, but that was only an excuse to hide his face. Whatever he was sharing with her was painful to him.
"My wife was an undercover KGB agent," Jack told her as he put a stuffed animal next to the sleeping boy's arm. "She married me so she could steal secrets and assassinate other CIA agents. She faked her death in that accident."
Amy shifted around and sat up straight. "Did Sydney always know that?"
Jack looked at her. "Of course not. She was devastated when she was told."
"The family who spies together lies together," Francie muttered and then shook her head. "What happened when she really died?"
"Over the years--" He hesitated. "Laura had become the head of a large criminal organization. Sydney and I encouraged SD-6 to wage war against that organization. She had attacked SD-6 headquarters once, and I knew Sloane had taken it personally. He overextended SD-6's resources, making it vulnerable to the CIA."
Michael took over the narrative. "An unexpected bonus for us--I worked for the CIA at the time. I was Sydney's handler--her liaison." He leaned against the stone wall behind him. "We had the unexpected bonus of watching her organization also overextended itself. We sent in agents on the same day to both headquarters, toppling them both."
"I lead the team into SD-6," Jack said as he sat down. He was stiff and straight next to his relaxed son-in-law. "I was the senior agent, and it was decided that I was needed there."
"I was with Jack. Sydney led the team--with Will--against her mother. Laura Bristow almost managed to kill Sydney, but Will was watching her back. He saved her, and then Sydney shot her own mother." Michael's eyes glazed over, and Francie knew he was remembering Sydney's reaction. It must have been a tough time for him, helping Sydney deal with her own grief and guilt.
"Thus fulfilling the prophecy of 'vulgar cost'," he muttered.
"Prophecy?" Francie was glad that she wasn't the only one who didn't understand. Amy's voice was dripping with confusion.
"It doesn't matter," Jack answered.
"You really don't want to know," Michael answered with a grin.
"So, who is this Khasinau?" Amy asked as she leaned forward.
Michael glanced over at Jack. "Her partner."
"And her lover." Jack's voice was even and precise, but Francie could hear the pain in it, and she wondered if she--and Sydney--had missed hearing other emotions in his voice over the years. She used to think that flat voice was so cold, unemotional.
"The organization lost everything when its leader fell. We managed to get into their core database that night, too. The CIA froze assets and arrested various cells. Khasinau escaped, but I don't think they spent a lot of time looking for him," Michael told them.
"Of course, they didn't; they thought he was unimportant. They made the same mistake with him that they made with Laura." The bitterness in Jack's voice cut into Francie. She wondered what prices he'd paid over the years, and how many times the CIA had let him down.
Michael drew his knees up, resting his feet on the bed. "Probably," he admitted.
"So why kidnap you? Wouldn't it have been better to just kill you? Or kill her?"
Francie looked over at her sister-in-law in surprise. Her voice was cool and calm. She sounded like a reporter asking the mayor about his recent sex scandal.
"You are related to Will Tippin," Jack said. He smiled and Francie found herself returning it.
Amy laughed. "Well, I learned a few things off of him over the years."
"He's Russian," Jack supplied, answering Amy's question. "Straightforward revenge doesn't fill he need for drama."
Michael laughed. "That's the old Cold War Spy in you coming out, Jack. I'm not sure I've ever met any great agent who didn't need a little drama. It's like you all crave it, even as you hate it."
Jack threw a grin Michael's way. "True."
"So, do you know the plan?"
Nodding, Jack answered, "It fits his sense of justice for Sydney to die by her government's hands. He planned on her following his instructions: break into a government facility and steal documents that the US would never forgive her for taking."
"He wanted her to be executed for treason?" Francie leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. She shook her head in disbelief. "I-- that's--"
Michael looked down at his hands. "She knows his game though. She knows him."
"She came to Will and the CIA instead of trying to do it alone," Francie realized.
"It took him longer to figure it out than I expected. I think he gets Sydney confused with her mother," Jack said. "But, yes, she forced him to change his plans."
"And that's why we are here," Amy whispered.
No one answered. They didn't need to.
