Jack Bristow hated emotional anomalies.

Since the discovery of Laura's true identity Jack had lived by a strict policy of emotional detachment. Every reaction was carefully measured and thought out. His six months in solitary confinement had all but destroyed the Jack Bristow that loved and enjoyed life. In his place stood a clinically perfected agent with impenetrable fortifications around the place that had once housed his heart.

Emily Sloane was an emotional anomaly.

As he stood on the front steps of the Sloane home Jack reflected on the wife of his enemy. It should have been a straight forward case, become a trustworthy college of her husband who was considerate to her. Providing her with goodwill gestures of her birthday or having tea with her when Sloane was away on "business". All his efforts were for the sole purpose of finding out valuable idiosyncratic about the leader of SD6.

Fingering a delicate petal of the bouquet of lilacs he held Jack forced his stern features into a relaxed smile. Emily was intelligent and dangerously astute, and if he gave away any hint of the stress he felt could raise Emily's already high suspicions.

Jack had developed a genuine affection for her, or as much affection as he allowed himself to feel anymore. Over the years he had grown to respect her as an honorable person with ideals similar to his own. It was disconcerting to realize that he often forgot that she was supposed to be nothing more then expendable collateral that also doubled as a source of Intel.

"Jack"

Emily smiled warmly as ushered Jack in accepting with delighted the proffered flowers. As he hang his coat up Jack automatically surveyed the happy woman as she led him through the hallway into the lounge. He noted with concern the slowness in her once buoyant steps and deep weariness etched into her every movement.

"Are you alright Emily?" he asked as they sat in the adjoining lounge chairs.

Emily busied herself in placing the lilacs into the vase on the table between them "Of course I am Jack, it's Arvin I'm worried about." Jack tensed instantly alert. "Is he still in Norway?" he asked, knowing perfectly well that her husband was at a meeting of the SD-6 financiers.

Emily sighed. "Yes, he sounded awful on the phone last night"

Jack felt a perverse sense of guilt as he filed that piece of information for future use.

"Has he been to his doctor?" he asked carefully knowing that Sloane always flitted any medical information he gave to his wife for security reasons. If his wife were ever captured Sloane would not want her revealing any potential weaknesses.

"It's a particularly nasty form of influenza according to Charles. He's given Arvin meds but my husband is a stubborn old fool when it comes to taking them." She smiled fondly.

It was always vaguely disconcerting to Jack hearing Sloane described so gently but after years of association with them both Jack had forced himself to accept the idea that the sardonically cruel man had more then one side, the may be all focused to a common goal but it was still and important distention to make.

"Jack.." Emily began hesitantly

The veteran CIA agent lend forward encouragingly, squeezing her alarmingly thin hands gently.

"Would there be anyway for you to take over some of my husband's more stressful responsibilities? Arvin says that you've the only one he trusts."

Jack considered her words carefully. He doubted that Sloane trusted him, at least not completely; he wouldn't be foolish enough to do that. Jack had known doubt that his years of continual work had earned him partial trust, but he was also aware that Sloane's words were said out of the desire to fit the physiological profile he had spent a decade creating. The guise of being the hard working director of Credit Dauphine was an illusion that Sloane used to integrate himself into regular society.

"I will do what I can Emily." he assured her, feeling another sharp pang of guilt when her face lit up in a relieved smile. ***

Driving rapidly through dimly lit streets Jack revaluated his plan. Sloane had 3 doctors; one was a GP who had no knowledge of SD-6 this person was used for the sole propose of reinforcing a front of normality. The other two were fully aware of their patient's identity and thus were constantly on alert for any poisons or contaminations entering Sloane's system. One of the doctors was situated within the LA cell but if it became necessary to evacuate SD6 for any reason one doctor was preeminently on the outside.

As he parked his car outside a standard looking, non descript building Jack habitually scan that parking lot. Getting out he forced down a wave of uncharacteristic apprehension, this could go very wrong but if the CIA did not investigate this they could be neglecting a invaluable opportunity.

Stepping confidently into the frigid late night air Jack strolled to the entrance of the building

"Please come back during office hours" The mechanical voice greeted him as he pressed the doorbell. Directing his words to the speakerphone above the bell Jack said "Jack Bristow to see Dr. Klic"

There was brief pause before the door open leading him into a narrow hallway. A thin man of Indian decent was standing outside the last door to the left.

" Agent Bristow" he said respectfully as Jack approached him and followed the nervous albeit composed doctor into his office.

Jack surveyed the office quickly as he accepted the seat in front Dr. Klic's orderly desk.

"Sloane has asked me to collect the latest test results" Jack said, watching the doctor's reaction carefully. Being fully aware of Sloane's occupation Dr. Klic would be used to receiving odd request and unusual hours.

But would he accept this request without Sloane customary prior confirmation?
Jack was relieved when the doctor nodded without question and left to gather the samples, which as Jack had calculated would take him exactly 3 minutes. He felt a tightly controlled sense of pride that Sloane trust extend to such key personal. He expelled a long breath as the door closed.

Moving swiftly behind the desk Jack booted up the computer, removing a single disk from his jacket. It slotted into the computer with a soft click. Marshall's ingenious program rapidly bypassed the extensive security protocols. Jack scrolled through the resulting files before highlighting "SL891"

Only years of the harshest training prevent the agent revealing any emotion as he read it's content His hands were steady as he waited for the computer to finish copying. Seating himself in his assigned position Jack struggled to fix his features into a neutral mask as the door opened.

Getting up he accepted the small package from the doctor offering a toneless thanks as he left.

It was only after his was miles away from the office thus out of any tracking range that Jack Bristow allowed himself to comprehend the knowledge he had learned.

Arvin Sloane was dying.