Chapter Twenty-One: Always Have A Plan
"Thank you."
Irina Derevko smiled down at Jack Bristow, finding that the haggard, dispirited look on his face pleased her, as did his surroundings. She realized that there had been great advances to the prison system in the past several years. Not in her universe. The accommodations she kept her prisoners in resembled something described by Alexandre Dumas in The Count of Monte Cristo or The Man in the Iron Mask.
"I can't imagine why you'd be thanking me," he said listlessly. In the beginning, he had been rather antagonistic and unpleasant to her on her many visits to his cell; now, he had clearly given up caring. Irina wasn't sure if this should make her happy or worry her. Honestly, she didn't care enough about the man for it to evoke much emotion in her at all.
"For planting lovely little seeds of knowledge in our darling Sydney's head." Irina paced about his cell confidently, gun in hand. She didn't intend to use it, but even in his weakened state, she couldn't be certain that he was incapable of overpowering her physically. She certainly wouldn't have put it past the bastard. "Letting her have hope that her Michael is alive."
Jack stared up at her, dark eyes lifeless. "Again, I'm not sure why you're thanking me. All I've done is tell her the truth. As far as I know, Michael is still alive."
"Oh, I know he is, darling."
The look of surprise on Jack's face nearly made Irina want to slap him. Surely the man knew better than to underestimate her by now.
"He's been working for me at another location for the last eight months, all the while believing that his precious Sydney is dead."
Irina enjoyed the look of shock and disgust on Jack's face. "And I believe I'm correct in assuming that you didn't tell Sydney this, even after I got her wondering about the truth about his death."
"Of course I didn't." Irina offered her former husband a mirthless smile. "There's no reason for me to tell her a thing. I assume Michael will be locating her any time now, if he hasn't already."
Jack merely stared at her. "And why would you allow for the possibility that he would do that?"
Irina merely smiled once more. "You know me, Jack darling. I always have a plan."