Chapter 2
"You need me to what?" asked Jack incredulously.
"I need you to escort Ms. Derevko to Langley. They've been asking for her for weeks to help ID some voices on surveillance tapes. I held them off because we needed her for the intel on the Alliance. With the Alliance collapsing, I've agreed to let them have her for a couple of weeks."
Jack's heart sank. "Why do you need an agent for this? Surely this is fairly standard for the US Marshals?"
"If she travels under escort to Langley, we might as well put a neon sign over her head that announces that we've got her. The intel she is providing is too valuable to risk her recapture. Langley believes, and I concur, that the safest way to transfer her is undercover."
"I'm surprised she agreed to assist. Up until this point she has been fairly selective about the assistance she'll provide." Jack hoped that she hadn't been told yet. He was sure she would refuse.
"We worked something out," replied Kendall, deciding not to elaborate on the deal. "Look, Jack, it's just a plane flight out. You drop her off at Langley, then you can come back the next morning. Of course," he said, arching an eyebrow at Jack, "if you're not feeling up to it, you could always stay here and chat with Dr. Barnett."
Jack sighed in resignation. "When do we leave?"
"The last plane out leaves LAX in 2 hours. Go collect Irina from her cell, pick up your cover material, and head out," said Kendall, dismissing Jack.
On his way out the door, Jack paused. "What does Irina know about the last 72 hours?"
"As far as I know, nothing. Sydney's been at debriefings, you were in the hospital. You can tell her as much as you see fit." With that, Kendall turned away and began sifting through the papers on his desk.
Irina heard the clank of the gates rising. She had been told she was leaving for Langley that morning. She smiled. It was going to be worth it.
She saw, with surprise, that it was Jack that was coming to get her. Her eyes narrowed. Jack looked terrible. It wasn't just the dark circles under his eyes. He looked exhausted.
"You're the agent who will be escorting me? I thought you were busy running SD-6 this week."
"Sloane has been MIA for 10 days. SD-6 replaced him with Anthony Geiger." Jack watched her curiously to see what her reaction would be. They had jointly theorized that Sloane might have extorted the $100 million from the Alliance. Her reaction was not what he had expected.
"Geiger!" Irina replied explosively. "Jack, he's a psychopath. A paranoid psychopath. He'll watch every move you and Sydney make. You must be careful."
Great, thought Jack. He wished he had thought to ask her a couple of days ago. "He won't be much of a threat," Jack responded casually. Not anymore, anyway.
"You need me to what?" asked Jack incredulously.
"I need you to escort Ms. Derevko to Langley. They've been asking for her for weeks to help ID some voices on surveillance tapes. I held them off because we needed her for the intel on the Alliance. With the Alliance collapsing, I've agreed to let them have her for a couple of weeks."
Jack's heart sank. "Why do you need an agent for this? Surely this is fairly standard for the US Marshals?"
"If she travels under escort to Langley, we might as well put a neon sign over her head that announces that we've got her. The intel she is providing is too valuable to risk her recapture. Langley believes, and I concur, that the safest way to transfer her is undercover."
"I'm surprised she agreed to assist. Up until this point she has been fairly selective about the assistance she'll provide." Jack hoped that she hadn't been told yet. He was sure she would refuse.
"We worked something out," replied Kendall, deciding not to elaborate on the deal. "Look, Jack, it's just a plane flight out. You drop her off at Langley, then you can come back the next morning. Of course," he said, arching an eyebrow at Jack, "if you're not feeling up to it, you could always stay here and chat with Dr. Barnett."
Jack sighed in resignation. "When do we leave?"
"The last plane out leaves LAX in 2 hours. Go collect Irina from her cell, pick up your cover material, and head out," said Kendall, dismissing Jack.
On his way out the door, Jack paused. "What does Irina know about the last 72 hours?"
"As far as I know, nothing. Sydney's been at debriefings, you were in the hospital. You can tell her as much as you see fit." With that, Kendall turned away and began sifting through the papers on his desk.
Irina heard the clank of the gates rising. She had been told she was leaving for Langley that morning. She smiled. It was going to be worth it.
She saw, with surprise, that it was Jack that was coming to get her. Her eyes narrowed. Jack looked terrible. It wasn't just the dark circles under his eyes. He looked exhausted.
"You're the agent who will be escorting me? I thought you were busy running SD-6 this week."
"Sloane has been MIA for 10 days. SD-6 replaced him with Anthony Geiger." Jack watched her curiously to see what her reaction would be. They had jointly theorized that Sloane might have extorted the $100 million from the Alliance. Her reaction was not what he had expected.
"Geiger!" Irina replied explosively. "Jack, he's a psychopath. A paranoid psychopath. He'll watch every move you and Sydney make. You must be careful."
Great, thought Jack. He wished he had thought to ask her a couple of days ago. "He won't be much of a threat," Jack responded casually. Not anymore, anyway.