Chapter 5

Jack took the stairs 2 at a time up to the 4th floor of the Fairmont Hotel. Once there, he found himself oddly reluctant to go the last 50 feet. Hesitantly he made his way along the hall until he reached room 452. Looking both ways down the hall to make sure it was clear, he drew his gun. He took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.

The door swung open to reveal Irina, her gun raised, a wary expression on her face. For a moment they stood there frozen, each pointing a gun at the other. Irina watched Jack uncertainly. After what she had done to him in Panama, she wouldn't have blamed him for pulling the trigger.

"Lower your gun, Jack," Irina said evenly, masking her thoughts. "Nothing happens if I don't leave here with the disk." After a moment's consideration, Jack dropped his gun and followed her into the room.

Irina disliked being manipulated. And Sloane's transparent effort to drive a wedge further between her and Jack, insisting that this transfer take place in a hotel room - where the bed was the dominant architectural feature - made her wonder what he had guessed about that night in Panama. What did he hope to gain by twisting the knife in Jack yet again? Or was it just a recreational exercise for him?

Jack intercepted her glance of distaste at the bed, misinterpreting her thoughts. "Don't worry," he sneered, ignoring the stab of pain he felt, "you don't need to f*ck me every time you screw me over."

Irina's hand flew through the air, hitting Jack's face with a resounding slap. "You bastard!" she said with fury, breathing hard, "don't. you. ever. -,"

"What?" said Jack mockingly.

Irina hissed angrily, "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, and why would that be? Perhaps because you can't be bothered to tell me? Did it *slip your mind* that Kendall had offered you the Rambaldi manuscript? Did it not give you just the *tiniest hint* that Sloane was expecting us?" Jack roared.

"I don't have time for this, Jack," replied Irina coldly. "Give me the disk."

Jack grabbed her by the shoulders, oblivious to the gun in her hand, and shook her. "Tell me now! Why didn't you tell me the truth in Panama? Why can't you ever-," he stopped short, catching himself in time.

Irina looked into Jack's eyes, dark with anger, and sighed with exasperation. "I couldn't trust you," she grudgingly replied.

"What?!"

"Come on, Jack. Figure it out. Kendall gave me the manuscript. You agreed to take out the tracking device. It was obvious you were both working for Sloane. I had no choice but to try to do it on my own from the inside."

"So why are you telling me this now? What changed your mind?"

"The passive transmitter," Irina said with irritation. "When we have more time, Jack, we're going to discuss that in a *lot* more detail." Her expression suggested to Jack that that might be a conversation to be avoided. "You never would have injected me with that if you were working for Sloane."

Jack paused, trying to make sense of what she had just told him. "OK, then, why-,"

"Jack. There's no time for this. If I am not out this door with the disk in," Irina glanced at her watch, "2 minutes and 15 seconds, Sloane's going to his backup plan. And that's not good news for Sydney."

Sydney. How could he have forgotten? "Where is she?" he demanded.

"She'll be delivered back to her apartment as soon as we've authenticated the information. She's been sedated. Sloane didn't want to risk having her conscious around him," she finished maliciously.

"What assurances do I have that she'll be returned?"

"None. But Sloane views you as a "resource". He'll honor this deal because he's expecting others."

Jack looked grim. Irina didn't blame him. Silently he removed the disk from his jacket and handed it over. He watched as she removed a small device from her pocket and waved it over the diskette. "Clean. Good decision. Now give me your gun."

"Why?"

"I need to make sure you don't have any plans to follow me." As Jack hesitated, Irina snapped, "Let me repeat. Nothing happens with Sydney until I leave this room, Jack." And then, more mildly, "I can't take the risk you'll do something stupid. I want her out of Sloane's custody as much as you do. He's.changed, Jack. And not in a good way."

Jack handed her his gun. "Knife? Backup gun?" Jack scowled at her and removed the offending items from his clothing.

"Sit down on the bed. Hands behind your back." Swiftly Irina secured his hands and tied him to the headboard.

"Is this necessary?"

"Was the passive transmitter? Good-bye, Jack. Housekeeping should be here in a couple of hours."