A/N: The original fic ended at Chapter 12. Part II was written
subsequently (although prior to ADT), and closes out this universe.
*******
Jack stood impatiently at the airport phone, waiting for the call. It was a busy Monday evening and there were many travelers attempting to use the phones. His escort, however, managed to keep Jack's free by staring menacingly at anyone that tried to approach. When it finally rang, he snatched it up with irritation.
"Bristow."
"Jack, I have someone here that would like to talk to you." Jack's hand clenched the phone tighter as he heard Sloane's mocking voice.
"Jack?" He closed his eyes as he heard Irina's voice. Where was she? God, how he missed her already.
"Yes," he responded brusquely, trying to cover his emotions.
"You're at the airport? And ok?"
"Yes."
"Who was Sydney's best friend in kindergarten?"
"What?" Jack was startled. That was certainly not one of the conversation topics he had anticipated. "That obnoxious boy down the street. Freddie. The one that always wanted to hold her hand."
"Right." He heard the relief in her voice, and understood. She was verifying that he was who he said he was. And letting Sloane know he couldn't pull a fast one in 3 months.
"Irina -,"
"Sorry Jack, conversation's over. I'm paying, after all," interjected Sloane. Jack heard a click at the other end of the line. Bastard. He slumped dejectedly against the phone for a moment, then straightened up.
He looked over at his minders. "Now what?" he said evenly.
"See you in 3 months," one of them grunted. And they both turned on their heels and departed.
Jack watched them go with pleasure, then realized he was penniless. With a sigh, he picked up the phone again. "Collect call, please. 213-867-5564 to Sydney Bristow. From Jack Bristow."
** Irina hung up, her face not betraying any of the inner turmoil she felt. Relief that Jack was safe. Dejected that she was on her own, once more.
"You've had your phone call. Where's the artifact?" said Sloane impatiently.
Irina glanced at him in irritation. She was going to need to take Arvin down a peg or two.
"First we'll need to activate my network. Then we'll use them to collect the artifact."
"No, the artifact first." Sloane glared at Irina. Irina stared back, unconcerned.
"It's pointless to give you the coordinates. Your people will botch the job. I'm not responsible if they are unable to retrieve it."
Sloane ground his teeth in frustration. "Fine," he spat out. "But if you double-cross me, I'll kill you and Jack both."
"Don't threaten me, Arvin," said Irina coldly. "I'm your partner, not your employee. If you didn't need me, you wouldn't have made this deal." She locked gazes with Sloane. He glanced away first.
**
Sydney looked curiously at her father as she threaded her way through traffic. She had been surprised to get his phone call, stunned to find he was at the airport with no id and no cash, and alarmed to find that he was without her mother. His only words to her so far had been, "Don't worry, your mother's fine." He certainly looked the worse for wear - but there was no penetrating his mood. She had dropped him off at his apartment and then returned to work.
Jack turned on the hot water and adjusted the shower head until needles of water pulsed against his aching muscles. Cautiously he checked himself out; besides a number of multi-color bruises, he appeared to be fine. He tried to suppress the memory of Irina's cool fingers against his skin, stroking his chest. Unsuccessfully. He took a deep breath and turned the water to cold. She was counting on him; he needed to concentrate.
He changed quickly and drove into the Ops Center. Best to get the mission debrief out of the way as soon as possible. It was likely to be ugly.
Jack stood impatiently at the airport phone, waiting for the call. It was a busy Monday evening and there were many travelers attempting to use the phones. His escort, however, managed to keep Jack's free by staring menacingly at anyone that tried to approach. When it finally rang, he snatched it up with irritation.
"Bristow."
"Jack, I have someone here that would like to talk to you." Jack's hand clenched the phone tighter as he heard Sloane's mocking voice.
"Jack?" He closed his eyes as he heard Irina's voice. Where was she? God, how he missed her already.
"Yes," he responded brusquely, trying to cover his emotions.
"You're at the airport? And ok?"
"Yes."
"Who was Sydney's best friend in kindergarten?"
"What?" Jack was startled. That was certainly not one of the conversation topics he had anticipated. "That obnoxious boy down the street. Freddie. The one that always wanted to hold her hand."
"Right." He heard the relief in her voice, and understood. She was verifying that he was who he said he was. And letting Sloane know he couldn't pull a fast one in 3 months.
"Irina -,"
"Sorry Jack, conversation's over. I'm paying, after all," interjected Sloane. Jack heard a click at the other end of the line. Bastard. He slumped dejectedly against the phone for a moment, then straightened up.
He looked over at his minders. "Now what?" he said evenly.
"See you in 3 months," one of them grunted. And they both turned on their heels and departed.
Jack watched them go with pleasure, then realized he was penniless. With a sigh, he picked up the phone again. "Collect call, please. 213-867-5564 to Sydney Bristow. From Jack Bristow."
** Irina hung up, her face not betraying any of the inner turmoil she felt. Relief that Jack was safe. Dejected that she was on her own, once more.
"You've had your phone call. Where's the artifact?" said Sloane impatiently.
Irina glanced at him in irritation. She was going to need to take Arvin down a peg or two.
"First we'll need to activate my network. Then we'll use them to collect the artifact."
"No, the artifact first." Sloane glared at Irina. Irina stared back, unconcerned.
"It's pointless to give you the coordinates. Your people will botch the job. I'm not responsible if they are unable to retrieve it."
Sloane ground his teeth in frustration. "Fine," he spat out. "But if you double-cross me, I'll kill you and Jack both."
"Don't threaten me, Arvin," said Irina coldly. "I'm your partner, not your employee. If you didn't need me, you wouldn't have made this deal." She locked gazes with Sloane. He glanced away first.
**
Sydney looked curiously at her father as she threaded her way through traffic. She had been surprised to get his phone call, stunned to find he was at the airport with no id and no cash, and alarmed to find that he was without her mother. His only words to her so far had been, "Don't worry, your mother's fine." He certainly looked the worse for wear - but there was no penetrating his mood. She had dropped him off at his apartment and then returned to work.
Jack turned on the hot water and adjusted the shower head until needles of water pulsed against his aching muscles. Cautiously he checked himself out; besides a number of multi-color bruises, he appeared to be fine. He tried to suppress the memory of Irina's cool fingers against his skin, stroking his chest. Unsuccessfully. He took a deep breath and turned the water to cold. She was counting on him; he needed to concentrate.
He changed quickly and drove into the Ops Center. Best to get the mission debrief out of the way as soon as possible. It was likely to be ugly.
