Chapter 2
Sloane. Jack's hand swung instinctively to the center of his back, reaching for his holster, then froze. The unmistakable pressure of a gun barrel pressed into his ribs from the other side.
"Don't be stupid, Jack. Of course I'm not here alone. And before you try to get creative, look slowly over your right shoulder."
Gritting his teeth, Jack glanced to his right, knowing what he would see. Two burly men sat at a table 10 feet away, their hands under the table.
"Why don't you put both hands back on the bar?" purred Sloane. Jack complied, his face impassive, masking his irritation at being caught unawares.
"What can I get you gentlemen to drink?" inquired Jimmy, bustling up to the new arrivals.
"I'll have what my friend here is having," said Sloane, gesturing to Jack's scotch. The Neanderthal on Jack's left grunted something that sounded like 'beer'.
Jimmy looked at Jack curiously. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a friend with him. "Anything else for you, Mr. Bristow?"
"No," said Jack, tersely. "I'm just.fine."
When Jimmy had left, Jack turned to Sloane. "What do you want?" he said coldly.
"Jack, is that any way to greet an old friend? You know that you were my closest associate. The one person that I thought I could trust." The sarcasm in Sloane's voice was unmistakable.
Jack stared at Sloane, struggling to maintain his self-control. "Friend?" Jack began, his voice low and dangerous. "You recruited my daughter to SD-6 behind my back to keep me in line. You murdered her fiancé. You set me up for Emily's murder. You tipped off that psychopath Geiger that I was a double-agent." Jack paused for breath, realizing it was more than a personal hatred. "Friend?" he spat. "You've murdered hundreds, maybe thousands of people on this misbegotten quest. We were friends once, Arvin. About the time you decided to take over the world, I got off."
Sloane remained unfazed by Jack's words. "Friendship is relative in our business, Jack. I could have had you killed months ago, but didn't for old times' sake. Speaking of old times' sake," Arvin smirked, "Irina sends her regards."
"Get on with it, Arvin," snapped Jack, not amused to have Irina's latest betrayal thrown back in his face. "I assume you didn't come here to chat."
"No, you're right. I wanted to congratulate you on your promotion. 'Director' Bristow. Very impressive."
Jack waited in stony silence, trying to suppress the feeling of foreboding generated by Sloane's words.
"Your security clearance was increased with that promotion, of course." Sloane looked at Jack to see if he was following. "I need some.assistance. That you are now in a position to provide."
"Go to hell."
Arvin sighed. "I hope it will be big enough for all of us, Jack. Have you spoken with Sydney lately?"
Sloane. Jack's hand swung instinctively to the center of his back, reaching for his holster, then froze. The unmistakable pressure of a gun barrel pressed into his ribs from the other side.
"Don't be stupid, Jack. Of course I'm not here alone. And before you try to get creative, look slowly over your right shoulder."
Gritting his teeth, Jack glanced to his right, knowing what he would see. Two burly men sat at a table 10 feet away, their hands under the table.
"Why don't you put both hands back on the bar?" purred Sloane. Jack complied, his face impassive, masking his irritation at being caught unawares.
"What can I get you gentlemen to drink?" inquired Jimmy, bustling up to the new arrivals.
"I'll have what my friend here is having," said Sloane, gesturing to Jack's scotch. The Neanderthal on Jack's left grunted something that sounded like 'beer'.
Jimmy looked at Jack curiously. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a friend with him. "Anything else for you, Mr. Bristow?"
"No," said Jack, tersely. "I'm just.fine."
When Jimmy had left, Jack turned to Sloane. "What do you want?" he said coldly.
"Jack, is that any way to greet an old friend? You know that you were my closest associate. The one person that I thought I could trust." The sarcasm in Sloane's voice was unmistakable.
Jack stared at Sloane, struggling to maintain his self-control. "Friend?" Jack began, his voice low and dangerous. "You recruited my daughter to SD-6 behind my back to keep me in line. You murdered her fiancé. You set me up for Emily's murder. You tipped off that psychopath Geiger that I was a double-agent." Jack paused for breath, realizing it was more than a personal hatred. "Friend?" he spat. "You've murdered hundreds, maybe thousands of people on this misbegotten quest. We were friends once, Arvin. About the time you decided to take over the world, I got off."
Sloane remained unfazed by Jack's words. "Friendship is relative in our business, Jack. I could have had you killed months ago, but didn't for old times' sake. Speaking of old times' sake," Arvin smirked, "Irina sends her regards."
"Get on with it, Arvin," snapped Jack, not amused to have Irina's latest betrayal thrown back in his face. "I assume you didn't come here to chat."
"No, you're right. I wanted to congratulate you on your promotion. 'Director' Bristow. Very impressive."
Jack waited in stony silence, trying to suppress the feeling of foreboding generated by Sloane's words.
"Your security clearance was increased with that promotion, of course." Sloane looked at Jack to see if he was following. "I need some.assistance. That you are now in a position to provide."
"Go to hell."
Arvin sighed. "I hope it will be big enough for all of us, Jack. Have you spoken with Sydney lately?"
