Jack watched in despair as Irina took the gun and pointed it at him. Just
like she shot Sydney, he thought dully to himself. Only she wasn't aiming
for his shoulder, but for his heart. She had broken it once; this time it
looked like it would be permanent.
Hands behind his head, his fingers brushed his watch. The necklace. He could detonate the necklace and kill her instantly - maybe give himself a chance to escape. He closed his eyes. Could he do it? At one time he had thought it would be so easy, had almost reveled in the thought of her death at his hands. Now- now his stomach lurched at the thought of leaving her behind, dead, as he escaped.
He opened his eyes. The nightmare was still real - she was still pointing the gun as his chest. He paused as surprise rippled through him. They were both wearing Kevlar chest guards. She had insisted. Had she forgotten? Carefully masking his thoughts, he studied her more closely. Nothing in her face indicated that her intentions were anything other than murderous. She was speaking, he noticed. He tuned back in.
".looks like you've underestimated me as well, Jack. Just like the last time." Which 'last time'? he thought urgently to himself. When they were married? Or when they were in Kashmir? He saw her glance flick to the gun, then his chest, then her necklace. And again - gun, chest, necklace.
Irina could have screamed with frustration. Jack had to figure this out, and quickly. She gritted her teeth. This would be a lot easier if he would trust her. How could he have believed for a second that she would shoot him in cold blood? Arvin was restless beside her, tired of speeches. He reached over impatiently to take the gun back. She shrugged him off and squeezed the trigger.
The force of the blast hit Jack square in the middle of his chest, lifting him up off his knees and leaving him slumped on his side. He continued the motion and ended up face down, near the door. He lay still, not breathing, and carefully depressed the first button on his watch.
Irina turned to Arvin, a playful smile on her lips. "One problem solved," she said. She tucked her hair behind her ear, smoothly detaching the necklace as she did so. She closed her eyes in relief as the necklace failed to explode, and surreptitiously dropped it to the floor near the gunmen. "Let me just make sure he won't be bothering us again."
She strode across the room to where Jack laid, huddled on the floor. Pressing the gun to his head, she muttered, "Now." Jack depressed the other button.
The C-4 charge in the necklace exploded, sending gunmen flying. Jack scrambled to his feet and they dove out the hotel room door, charging for the stairway. He estimated that they would get a 10 second head start before whoever was left came after them. They were down the 3 flights of stairs and out the back entrance of the hotel in 9.
As they sprinted away from the hotel, Jack vowed to himself that he would never underestimate her again.
Hands behind his head, his fingers brushed his watch. The necklace. He could detonate the necklace and kill her instantly - maybe give himself a chance to escape. He closed his eyes. Could he do it? At one time he had thought it would be so easy, had almost reveled in the thought of her death at his hands. Now- now his stomach lurched at the thought of leaving her behind, dead, as he escaped.
He opened his eyes. The nightmare was still real - she was still pointing the gun as his chest. He paused as surprise rippled through him. They were both wearing Kevlar chest guards. She had insisted. Had she forgotten? Carefully masking his thoughts, he studied her more closely. Nothing in her face indicated that her intentions were anything other than murderous. She was speaking, he noticed. He tuned back in.
".looks like you've underestimated me as well, Jack. Just like the last time." Which 'last time'? he thought urgently to himself. When they were married? Or when they were in Kashmir? He saw her glance flick to the gun, then his chest, then her necklace. And again - gun, chest, necklace.
Irina could have screamed with frustration. Jack had to figure this out, and quickly. She gritted her teeth. This would be a lot easier if he would trust her. How could he have believed for a second that she would shoot him in cold blood? Arvin was restless beside her, tired of speeches. He reached over impatiently to take the gun back. She shrugged him off and squeezed the trigger.
The force of the blast hit Jack square in the middle of his chest, lifting him up off his knees and leaving him slumped on his side. He continued the motion and ended up face down, near the door. He lay still, not breathing, and carefully depressed the first button on his watch.
Irina turned to Arvin, a playful smile on her lips. "One problem solved," she said. She tucked her hair behind her ear, smoothly detaching the necklace as she did so. She closed her eyes in relief as the necklace failed to explode, and surreptitiously dropped it to the floor near the gunmen. "Let me just make sure he won't be bothering us again."
She strode across the room to where Jack laid, huddled on the floor. Pressing the gun to his head, she muttered, "Now." Jack depressed the other button.
The C-4 charge in the necklace exploded, sending gunmen flying. Jack scrambled to his feet and they dove out the hotel room door, charging for the stairway. He estimated that they would get a 10 second head start before whoever was left came after them. They were down the 3 flights of stairs and out the back entrance of the hotel in 9.
As they sprinted away from the hotel, Jack vowed to himself that he would never underestimate her again.
