Jack and Irina crept uphill through the pre-dawn darkness toward the
extraction point. Jack was tense - they had had to dodge two patrols on
the way, an unusual level of activity. As they reached the edge of the
clearing where they were to meet the CIA helicopter, he saw Irina pause and
hold up her hand, listening. Stopping in his tracks, he listened too, and
heard what Irina had heard. Silence. No birds, no night snuffling sounds.
Alarmed now, he attempted to peer through the gloom, but could see
nothing.
Irina, still listening, picked up the whomp-whomp-whomp of the helicopter's rotors as it approached. She looked around carefully. Still no movement. The helicopter came into sight, flying low and fast. It swooped in and swiftly touched down. Protocol demanded minimum time on the ground, where the helicopter was unable to maneuver. At a signal from Jack, they both stood up and raced towards it.
And stopped abruptly as a flash of light streaked from the opposite side of the clearing and the helicopter exploded in a ball of flame. Jack cursed viciously. They had walked into a trap. Sloane had somehow managed to get access to their mission plan - which couldn't have been too difficult, considering how many people were involved, he thought to himself savagely. In the middle of the clearing, framed against the light from the flames, they were visible to anyone who might be watching.
Jack grabbed Irina's hand and they dove back into the underbrush. They had to get make their way back to the city and regroup. Maybe, he grimaced, use some of Irina's contacts. They dodged and ran as bullets flew over them, oblivious to the branches whipping their faces. Irina was in front, trying to work a path through the thick vegetation, Jack in back, covering their retreat. They had not had much of a head start, and he could hear their pursuers close behind. He turned and fired twice to slow their progress. He scowled - with only one gun, and no spare ammunition, he might be throwing rocks soon.
As they ran, he calmly he assessed their options. The shots he had fired had bought them time, but had also pinpointed their location. He could hear other pursuers converging towards them. Many more than the 3 bullets he had left. He realized with a start why the bullets aimed at them were flying high - they must be under orders not to harm them. Harm her, Jack corrected himself, looking at Irina; she would be of little use to Arvin dead. He must find a way to keep her away from Sloane.
"Irina!" she heard him whisper urgently. "We need to split up. Head off that way," he gestured uphill, "and circle back to the building. I'll lead them off this way," gesturing downhill, "and meet you there." Irina stopped and looked at him blankly. What kind of plan was that? She could count the number of people behind them as well as he could. "Irina, there's no time!" Jack hissed. "Go! You. must. not. be. captured!"
Suddenly, with a sickening lurch, Irina understood. Unfamiliar terrain, no firepower, a large number of pursuers. Jack had worked out all the options, and concluded that capture was inevitable. They only had to choose whether it would be one of them or both. And Jack had chosen. The only logical choice. He knew that it was unlikely he would meet back up with her. Ever. He was trusting her to complete her journey. Alone.
Numbly, Irina nodded. They were professionals, and this was the right decision. The one which, had their positions been reversed, she would have made. "Irina!" said Jack frantically, willing her to move, as their pursuers closed in. Fighting back tears, she embraced him, then turned and ran.
Jack watched her go with relief. He had seen the dawning realization in her eyes of what he was asking her to do, and had been afraid she would refuse. He stifled his feelings of regret, of wondering what might have been. Those were a luxury he could no longer afford. They had had last night, and that would have to be enough.
He could hear footsteps now. Sighing, Jack waited until they were almost upon him. Then, making as much noise as possible, he sprinted off downhill.
Irina, still listening, picked up the whomp-whomp-whomp of the helicopter's rotors as it approached. She looked around carefully. Still no movement. The helicopter came into sight, flying low and fast. It swooped in and swiftly touched down. Protocol demanded minimum time on the ground, where the helicopter was unable to maneuver. At a signal from Jack, they both stood up and raced towards it.
And stopped abruptly as a flash of light streaked from the opposite side of the clearing and the helicopter exploded in a ball of flame. Jack cursed viciously. They had walked into a trap. Sloane had somehow managed to get access to their mission plan - which couldn't have been too difficult, considering how many people were involved, he thought to himself savagely. In the middle of the clearing, framed against the light from the flames, they were visible to anyone who might be watching.
Jack grabbed Irina's hand and they dove back into the underbrush. They had to get make their way back to the city and regroup. Maybe, he grimaced, use some of Irina's contacts. They dodged and ran as bullets flew over them, oblivious to the branches whipping their faces. Irina was in front, trying to work a path through the thick vegetation, Jack in back, covering their retreat. They had not had much of a head start, and he could hear their pursuers close behind. He turned and fired twice to slow their progress. He scowled - with only one gun, and no spare ammunition, he might be throwing rocks soon.
As they ran, he calmly he assessed their options. The shots he had fired had bought them time, but had also pinpointed their location. He could hear other pursuers converging towards them. Many more than the 3 bullets he had left. He realized with a start why the bullets aimed at them were flying high - they must be under orders not to harm them. Harm her, Jack corrected himself, looking at Irina; she would be of little use to Arvin dead. He must find a way to keep her away from Sloane.
"Irina!" she heard him whisper urgently. "We need to split up. Head off that way," he gestured uphill, "and circle back to the building. I'll lead them off this way," gesturing downhill, "and meet you there." Irina stopped and looked at him blankly. What kind of plan was that? She could count the number of people behind them as well as he could. "Irina, there's no time!" Jack hissed. "Go! You. must. not. be. captured!"
Suddenly, with a sickening lurch, Irina understood. Unfamiliar terrain, no firepower, a large number of pursuers. Jack had worked out all the options, and concluded that capture was inevitable. They only had to choose whether it would be one of them or both. And Jack had chosen. The only logical choice. He knew that it was unlikely he would meet back up with her. Ever. He was trusting her to complete her journey. Alone.
Numbly, Irina nodded. They were professionals, and this was the right decision. The one which, had their positions been reversed, she would have made. "Irina!" said Jack frantically, willing her to move, as their pursuers closed in. Fighting back tears, she embraced him, then turned and ran.
Jack watched her go with relief. He had seen the dawning realization in her eyes of what he was asking her to do, and had been afraid she would refuse. He stifled his feelings of regret, of wondering what might have been. Those were a luxury he could no longer afford. They had had last night, and that would have to be enough.
He could hear footsteps now. Sighing, Jack waited until they were almost upon him. Then, making as much noise as possible, he sprinted off downhill.
