CHAPTER 5 - CONTACTS
Irina sat silently in the dreary cell, contemplating her plan, which was moving onto its second stage, the first having already been completed. This tiny, grey-walled room had been her home for almost 4 months and she missed her freedom and the intelligence world very much. "Freedom would be very useful right now," she mused. What Irina wanted to do for Sydney and Vaughn was extremely ambitious, especially considering her status - a prisoner, locked up in a CIA cell. However, she was confident that her plan might work; all she needed was a little help.
Luckily, she knew for a fact that Sydney was coming to see her some time within the next hour, to report on whether the CIA had obtained the disks Vaughn had asked her about before. Sure enough, 10 minutes later, a smiling Sydney strolled up to the glass pane of her mother's cell. "Thanks again," she said warmly, "the disks were exactly where you said and the mission was a success, Devlin was pleased." "You're welcome," replied Irina, glad to see Sydney at ease and with a smile on her face. That was one of the main reasons she helped the CIA so much - it's not like she really cared about America's success in espionage, she just liked helping her daughter, keeping her out of trouble and harms way and being rewarded with a lovely, dimpled smile when her missions were successful.
However now that the pleasantries were over, Irina decided to get to the point and ask Sydney for some help. She didn't want to and she knew that it would be far better to arrange things herself however, that obviously wasn't possible and Irina needed to get a message to a well know contact. To do that, she needed someone to take it for her. Of the three people she had frequent contact with; only one would even consider trusting her and taking the message - Sydney.
She must have had a look of deep concentration on her face because Syd suddenly asked her, "What's wrong? What are you concentrating so hard on?" a hint of worry just barely traceable in her voice. "Nothings wrong, as such, but I need your help" Irina stated. Sydney didn't reply but continued listening and nodded for her mother to continue. "Well, I have something..er..planned but I need to contact an old friend who can sort it out and I need." Irina was interrupted by Sydney finishing off her sentence - "You need me to take a message to him," she said unemotionally. "Right," Irina nodded, waiting to see Sydney's reaction to her request. "Mom, I'm sorry but you can't expect me to do that. I may trust you but the CIA certainly doesn't and judging by your KGB past, I have to question your motives. What is it that you are trying to sort out? If I am to carry a message for you, you'll have to assure me that it had nothing to do with espionage, arms dealing etc. and I need to know what it's about," Sydney explained slowly.
Irina, seemingly shocked that her daughter wasn't as willing to help as she had anticipated, replied, "Sydney, I assure you that it has NOTHING to do with the things you just mentioned. The contact is merely a good friend from back when I lived here with your father. He owns several properties, one of which is a beautiful villa about 70 miles north of L.A.." again, she was interrupted by her daughter. "Why do you want access to a villa?" Sydney asked, obviously confused. "That's a secret, but I promise you, it's purely for your and Agent Vaughn's benefit," Irina quickly answered. Then, upon realising her slip, instantly tensed up. It wasn't like her to slip up so easily, it must be the effect of being 'out of the business' for a while. Sure enough, her super-spy daughter picked up on her mistake and asked cautiously, "What does Vaughn have to do with all this?" "Please Sydney," Irina pleaded, "stop asking so many questions! "You understand why I have to though, don't you mom?" Sydney said, "If I take a message for you and ANYONE finds out, I'll be in worse trouble then you can imagine."
Irina realised this and had thought about it a great deal, she had no intention of getting her daughter into any kind of trouble and if she could do this another way, she would. Unfortunately, this was the only was she could think of. Besides, she knew that Syd wouldn't be suspected for anything - the guy she needed to contact also owned a jewellery store downtown and was frequently there. Even if someone was watching Syd, they wouldn't suspect anything if she simply went into a jewellery store.
"Ok, Sydney I understand your concerns but I'm certain that you will be in no danger. All you have to do is take this letter," she gave Syd the letter written on a scrap of paper she had kept after Sydney had given her some, along with a pencil a few months ago - "to Bling's Jewellery Store on the corner of Mason and O'Farrell and give it to a guy called Peter Wright."
"That's it?" Sydney asked, surprised. "Yep, that's it. And you have my word; this is nothing to do with the KGB or any other intelligence agency. Think of it as my gift to you." Irina said, hoping that this time Sydney would accept.
"Ok, I'll do it. But you have to understand that if this is not what you say it is, and something bad happens as a consequence, you will be arrested again and this time, I won't be able to get you out." Sydney stated. She really didn't want to have to threaten her mother but she felt the need to. Irina had to understand what a huge risk Sydney was taking by offering to deliver the letter.
"Thank you" Irina added genuinely. She smiled reassuringly at Sydney, who still seemed unsure of what she was doing. Syd then proceeded to leave, her once confident steps, now a little shaky as she no doubt went over the risks of this 'mission' in her head.
Once Sydney was gone, Irina breathed a sigh of relief. It hadn't gone as well as hoped but at least Sydney had agreed eventually. Now all she had to do was wait for confirmation from her contact and everything would be set.
Irina sat silently in the dreary cell, contemplating her plan, which was moving onto its second stage, the first having already been completed. This tiny, grey-walled room had been her home for almost 4 months and she missed her freedom and the intelligence world very much. "Freedom would be very useful right now," she mused. What Irina wanted to do for Sydney and Vaughn was extremely ambitious, especially considering her status - a prisoner, locked up in a CIA cell. However, she was confident that her plan might work; all she needed was a little help.
Luckily, she knew for a fact that Sydney was coming to see her some time within the next hour, to report on whether the CIA had obtained the disks Vaughn had asked her about before. Sure enough, 10 minutes later, a smiling Sydney strolled up to the glass pane of her mother's cell. "Thanks again," she said warmly, "the disks were exactly where you said and the mission was a success, Devlin was pleased." "You're welcome," replied Irina, glad to see Sydney at ease and with a smile on her face. That was one of the main reasons she helped the CIA so much - it's not like she really cared about America's success in espionage, she just liked helping her daughter, keeping her out of trouble and harms way and being rewarded with a lovely, dimpled smile when her missions were successful.
However now that the pleasantries were over, Irina decided to get to the point and ask Sydney for some help. She didn't want to and she knew that it would be far better to arrange things herself however, that obviously wasn't possible and Irina needed to get a message to a well know contact. To do that, she needed someone to take it for her. Of the three people she had frequent contact with; only one would even consider trusting her and taking the message - Sydney.
She must have had a look of deep concentration on her face because Syd suddenly asked her, "What's wrong? What are you concentrating so hard on?" a hint of worry just barely traceable in her voice. "Nothings wrong, as such, but I need your help" Irina stated. Sydney didn't reply but continued listening and nodded for her mother to continue. "Well, I have something..er..planned but I need to contact an old friend who can sort it out and I need." Irina was interrupted by Sydney finishing off her sentence - "You need me to take a message to him," she said unemotionally. "Right," Irina nodded, waiting to see Sydney's reaction to her request. "Mom, I'm sorry but you can't expect me to do that. I may trust you but the CIA certainly doesn't and judging by your KGB past, I have to question your motives. What is it that you are trying to sort out? If I am to carry a message for you, you'll have to assure me that it had nothing to do with espionage, arms dealing etc. and I need to know what it's about," Sydney explained slowly.
Irina, seemingly shocked that her daughter wasn't as willing to help as she had anticipated, replied, "Sydney, I assure you that it has NOTHING to do with the things you just mentioned. The contact is merely a good friend from back when I lived here with your father. He owns several properties, one of which is a beautiful villa about 70 miles north of L.A.." again, she was interrupted by her daughter. "Why do you want access to a villa?" Sydney asked, obviously confused. "That's a secret, but I promise you, it's purely for your and Agent Vaughn's benefit," Irina quickly answered. Then, upon realising her slip, instantly tensed up. It wasn't like her to slip up so easily, it must be the effect of being 'out of the business' for a while. Sure enough, her super-spy daughter picked up on her mistake and asked cautiously, "What does Vaughn have to do with all this?" "Please Sydney," Irina pleaded, "stop asking so many questions! "You understand why I have to though, don't you mom?" Sydney said, "If I take a message for you and ANYONE finds out, I'll be in worse trouble then you can imagine."
Irina realised this and had thought about it a great deal, she had no intention of getting her daughter into any kind of trouble and if she could do this another way, she would. Unfortunately, this was the only was she could think of. Besides, she knew that Syd wouldn't be suspected for anything - the guy she needed to contact also owned a jewellery store downtown and was frequently there. Even if someone was watching Syd, they wouldn't suspect anything if she simply went into a jewellery store.
"Ok, Sydney I understand your concerns but I'm certain that you will be in no danger. All you have to do is take this letter," she gave Syd the letter written on a scrap of paper she had kept after Sydney had given her some, along with a pencil a few months ago - "to Bling's Jewellery Store on the corner of Mason and O'Farrell and give it to a guy called Peter Wright."
"That's it?" Sydney asked, surprised. "Yep, that's it. And you have my word; this is nothing to do with the KGB or any other intelligence agency. Think of it as my gift to you." Irina said, hoping that this time Sydney would accept.
"Ok, I'll do it. But you have to understand that if this is not what you say it is, and something bad happens as a consequence, you will be arrested again and this time, I won't be able to get you out." Sydney stated. She really didn't want to have to threaten her mother but she felt the need to. Irina had to understand what a huge risk Sydney was taking by offering to deliver the letter.
"Thank you" Irina added genuinely. She smiled reassuringly at Sydney, who still seemed unsure of what she was doing. Syd then proceeded to leave, her once confident steps, now a little shaky as she no doubt went over the risks of this 'mission' in her head.
Once Sydney was gone, Irina breathed a sigh of relief. It hadn't gone as well as hoped but at least Sydney had agreed eventually. Now all she had to do was wait for confirmation from her contact and everything would be set.