Jack unlocked the door to his house and reset the multiple security systems that guarded his privacy. Bleakly he regarded the interior of the dwelling that had served as his home since Sydney had left for college. He was unlikely to see it again. He'd need to pack up the few things he valued and store them somewhere safe. He had the feeling he'd be moving around quite a bit over the next few years.
He started as he heard a small sound in the next room. He glanced back at his alarm system - it blinked at him reassuringly. Cautiously drawing his gun, he advanced to the doorway, and spun around it, only to find Irina sitting rigidly on his bed, staring at a picture of Sydney, seemingly oblivious to his entrance. He lowered the gun and cleared his throat, dreading the next 5 minutes. Hoping that Irina wasn't armed.
Irina looked up slowly, still transfixed by the photo. "When was this taken?"
"She was 16. She had just started to blossom, but hadn't realized it yet."
"I don't have any pictures of her that age. I was...otherwise occupied then." Irina swallowed, her control beginning to crack. "I missed so much, but always told myself there would be time. That there would be one day in the future that I'd have the chance to explain." She took a ragged breath as her tears began to flow. "I've run out of time, haven't I, Jack?"
Any doubt that Jack had had about Irina's love for Sydney evaporated as he beheld one of the world's most feared crime bosses openly weeping over the picture of her daughter. Ruthlessly he suppressed the urge to wrap her in his arms and console her. She had made her own choices. As he was making his.
"Irina."
Irina continued to weep, ignoring him.
"Irina!"
She looked up, confused by his tone. Jack opened his mouth, then closed it again, unsure where to start. Irina studied his face for a few seconds longer, then a spark of hope flared in her eyes. It was, Jack noted glumly, swiftly replaced by fury.
"You b*stard," she hissed, slowly getting to her feet. "You faked this, didn't you?"
Jack stood his ground as Irina advanced. "If you had bothered to tell me where you were I could have warned you," he replied indignantly.
"Where is she?"
"With Sloane," Jack answered, jaw clenched. It hurt just for him to say it.
"How could you let that happen?" she demanded angrily.
"How could I - ?" Jack was stunned by her attack, thrown off-balance. "How could I?" he repeated heatedly. "*You* knew that Francie was a double, you must have. Our daughter's closest friend, working for Sloane? And you did nothing? How did you imagine that was going to end?"
"I had nothing to do with putting her in place," retorted Irina. "I was a guest of the CIA at the time. I couldn't do anything afterwards without compromising myself. Besides, weren't you the one who stood by while her fiancé was murdered? I don't think you're in any position to give me lectures."
Jack could have strangled her in frustration. "I don't have time to argue about our relative parenting skills, given the *vast* amount of ground that we'd have to cover. The bottom line is that Sloane has her now."
"What does he want?" Irina asked. Jack reflected grimly that of course she would ask that. Their world only dealt in deals, quids pro quos. "Not me..." she said to herself thoughtfully. "He wouldn't trust me. Again."
No, thought Jack. Only one person was crazy enough to do that. "The Rambaldi artifacts...," he began hesitantly. He wanted to hear it from her.
Irina sighed with irritation. "I finally had them, Jack. Or thought I did. And once we had gotten them from Arvin we could have finished him off at our leisure."
"And set Sydney free," said Jack softly, finishing her thought. They had been so close. "It would have been nice if you had told me your plan first. In Panama," he said meaningfully. Any time that night, he thought to himself. God knows they hadn't slept much.
"Would you have let me go?"
"No," he admitted. "The risk -,"
"...was worth the prize," finished Irina flatly.
Jack glared at her. "I thought we were working together."
"There are many different ways to work together," said Irina airily. "Which reminds me...you still haven't told me what Sloane wants."
"Me. As a partner."
"You. Of course. So what's your plan?"
Jack licked his lips. "I leave the day after tomorrow," he replied, not meeting her eyes.
"You're going to do it?" she asked, surprised.
"And the other options are...?" Jack replied with irritation.
Irina glanced at him in puzzlement. "I would have thought one of the first would have been to get Sydney back. And to then kill Sloane slowly and painfully."
Jack bit his lip. "There's more that I haven't told you. Sydney's...badly hurt. She's in a coma, and needs intensive medical attention. Sloane's in a position to provide everything she needs. I," he glanced at her defiantly, "am not."
"Well I am," snapped Irina. "And I can access those funds in hours. Despite how you feel about my maternal instincts."
"No," said Jack quickly. "You can't do that."
Irina cocked an eyebrow at him arrogantly.
"Irina." Jack swallowed. "I...I've seen things. You know I'd do anything to keep her out of Sloane's hands. You have too many enemies to be tied down in that way. You'd only put yourself and Sydney at risk. This is the only option. Please."
Irina looked at him thoughtfully for several seconds. What on earth had provoked that reaction? Deferring this particular puzzle until later, she asked, "Why did you fake her death?"
"There was no other way to stop the search."
Irina nodded, then looked up, appalled. "Vaughn?"
"Thinks she's dead."
"Jack!" she gasped. "That's cruel."
Jack looked at her sardonically. "Yes," he agreed, "but I had no choice. He never would have let it go. And, after all," he continued softly, eyes glinting, "it's not like he'd loved her for 10 years, is it?"
Irina had the grace to look away. After a moment, she asked, "How long for Sydney to recover?"
"Months, years. No one can tell."
"You know that if she recovers, and Vaughn has moved on-,"
"I know," said Jack wearily. "She'll see it as another betrayal. But she'll be alive."
Irina wondered how many more betrayals her daughter could tolerate. Another thought struck her. "You'll be really working with Sloane? No doubling?"
Jack hesitated, then nodded, his face impassive. "The risks are too great," he said simply.
Irina scrutinized him carefully. She had always been amazed by people who couldn't read his "poker face". His eyes were so expressive. And right now, watching them, she could almost drown in their anguish. "It won't be easy for you, Jack," she said quietly. "Are you sure?"
Jack shrugged his shoulders impatiently, unwilling to say more. Her sympathy unnerved him more than he cared to admit. "You wouldn't understand," he blurted out.
"Oh?" replied Irina dangerously, her body tensing.
"Never mind," he muttered, suddenly finding himself in water much deeper than he had expected. He shifted uncomfortably and changed the subject. "Irina, there's something I need your help on."
Irina gazed at him coolly.
"You said there are many ways of working together," Jack said defensively. "Arvin and I, as partners - we could be dangerous. No one at Joint Ops understands how we think." He looked at Irina hopefully. Perhaps she would finish his thought.
Irina looked at him blandly. "And?"
Jack gave an exasperated growl. Of course she'd make him beg. "I need you to work with the CIA. To slow us down."
Irina snorted in amusement. "I *really* enjoyed it last time, Jack. And Kendall and I make such a good team."
"Irina, please. Do it on your own terms. Just do it."
"Why? To ease your conscience?"
"No. Sydney's."
Irina looked at him thoughtfully. He was right, of course. Sydney would not be able to comprehend evil done in her name. Or that her parents would sell their souls to protect her. As Jack was about to. She nodded. It would be one less betrayal. And an opportunity to irritate Sloane. "But I have two conditions."
"What?" Jack ground out. God, why did she always have conditions?
"I want progress reports on Sydney. Monthly."
Jack nodded.
"And I need to know where she is," said Irina with finality.
"No," Jack spat. "How do I know you won't try to come get her yourself?"
"You don't," said Irina uncompromisingly. "But if something happens to you, it will just be Arvin and Sydney..." She paused to let Jack fill in the blanks.
Jack turned abruptly and walked to the window, looking out, weighing her words. "Hong Kong," he finally replied.
He started as he heard a small sound in the next room. He glanced back at his alarm system - it blinked at him reassuringly. Cautiously drawing his gun, he advanced to the doorway, and spun around it, only to find Irina sitting rigidly on his bed, staring at a picture of Sydney, seemingly oblivious to his entrance. He lowered the gun and cleared his throat, dreading the next 5 minutes. Hoping that Irina wasn't armed.
Irina looked up slowly, still transfixed by the photo. "When was this taken?"
"She was 16. She had just started to blossom, but hadn't realized it yet."
"I don't have any pictures of her that age. I was...otherwise occupied then." Irina swallowed, her control beginning to crack. "I missed so much, but always told myself there would be time. That there would be one day in the future that I'd have the chance to explain." She took a ragged breath as her tears began to flow. "I've run out of time, haven't I, Jack?"
Any doubt that Jack had had about Irina's love for Sydney evaporated as he beheld one of the world's most feared crime bosses openly weeping over the picture of her daughter. Ruthlessly he suppressed the urge to wrap her in his arms and console her. She had made her own choices. As he was making his.
"Irina."
Irina continued to weep, ignoring him.
"Irina!"
She looked up, confused by his tone. Jack opened his mouth, then closed it again, unsure where to start. Irina studied his face for a few seconds longer, then a spark of hope flared in her eyes. It was, Jack noted glumly, swiftly replaced by fury.
"You b*stard," she hissed, slowly getting to her feet. "You faked this, didn't you?"
Jack stood his ground as Irina advanced. "If you had bothered to tell me where you were I could have warned you," he replied indignantly.
"Where is she?"
"With Sloane," Jack answered, jaw clenched. It hurt just for him to say it.
"How could you let that happen?" she demanded angrily.
"How could I - ?" Jack was stunned by her attack, thrown off-balance. "How could I?" he repeated heatedly. "*You* knew that Francie was a double, you must have. Our daughter's closest friend, working for Sloane? And you did nothing? How did you imagine that was going to end?"
"I had nothing to do with putting her in place," retorted Irina. "I was a guest of the CIA at the time. I couldn't do anything afterwards without compromising myself. Besides, weren't you the one who stood by while her fiancé was murdered? I don't think you're in any position to give me lectures."
Jack could have strangled her in frustration. "I don't have time to argue about our relative parenting skills, given the *vast* amount of ground that we'd have to cover. The bottom line is that Sloane has her now."
"What does he want?" Irina asked. Jack reflected grimly that of course she would ask that. Their world only dealt in deals, quids pro quos. "Not me..." she said to herself thoughtfully. "He wouldn't trust me. Again."
No, thought Jack. Only one person was crazy enough to do that. "The Rambaldi artifacts...," he began hesitantly. He wanted to hear it from her.
Irina sighed with irritation. "I finally had them, Jack. Or thought I did. And once we had gotten them from Arvin we could have finished him off at our leisure."
"And set Sydney free," said Jack softly, finishing her thought. They had been so close. "It would have been nice if you had told me your plan first. In Panama," he said meaningfully. Any time that night, he thought to himself. God knows they hadn't slept much.
"Would you have let me go?"
"No," he admitted. "The risk -,"
"...was worth the prize," finished Irina flatly.
Jack glared at her. "I thought we were working together."
"There are many different ways to work together," said Irina airily. "Which reminds me...you still haven't told me what Sloane wants."
"Me. As a partner."
"You. Of course. So what's your plan?"
Jack licked his lips. "I leave the day after tomorrow," he replied, not meeting her eyes.
"You're going to do it?" she asked, surprised.
"And the other options are...?" Jack replied with irritation.
Irina glanced at him in puzzlement. "I would have thought one of the first would have been to get Sydney back. And to then kill Sloane slowly and painfully."
Jack bit his lip. "There's more that I haven't told you. Sydney's...badly hurt. She's in a coma, and needs intensive medical attention. Sloane's in a position to provide everything she needs. I," he glanced at her defiantly, "am not."
"Well I am," snapped Irina. "And I can access those funds in hours. Despite how you feel about my maternal instincts."
"No," said Jack quickly. "You can't do that."
Irina cocked an eyebrow at him arrogantly.
"Irina." Jack swallowed. "I...I've seen things. You know I'd do anything to keep her out of Sloane's hands. You have too many enemies to be tied down in that way. You'd only put yourself and Sydney at risk. This is the only option. Please."
Irina looked at him thoughtfully for several seconds. What on earth had provoked that reaction? Deferring this particular puzzle until later, she asked, "Why did you fake her death?"
"There was no other way to stop the search."
Irina nodded, then looked up, appalled. "Vaughn?"
"Thinks she's dead."
"Jack!" she gasped. "That's cruel."
Jack looked at her sardonically. "Yes," he agreed, "but I had no choice. He never would have let it go. And, after all," he continued softly, eyes glinting, "it's not like he'd loved her for 10 years, is it?"
Irina had the grace to look away. After a moment, she asked, "How long for Sydney to recover?"
"Months, years. No one can tell."
"You know that if she recovers, and Vaughn has moved on-,"
"I know," said Jack wearily. "She'll see it as another betrayal. But she'll be alive."
Irina wondered how many more betrayals her daughter could tolerate. Another thought struck her. "You'll be really working with Sloane? No doubling?"
Jack hesitated, then nodded, his face impassive. "The risks are too great," he said simply.
Irina scrutinized him carefully. She had always been amazed by people who couldn't read his "poker face". His eyes were so expressive. And right now, watching them, she could almost drown in their anguish. "It won't be easy for you, Jack," she said quietly. "Are you sure?"
Jack shrugged his shoulders impatiently, unwilling to say more. Her sympathy unnerved him more than he cared to admit. "You wouldn't understand," he blurted out.
"Oh?" replied Irina dangerously, her body tensing.
"Never mind," he muttered, suddenly finding himself in water much deeper than he had expected. He shifted uncomfortably and changed the subject. "Irina, there's something I need your help on."
Irina gazed at him coolly.
"You said there are many ways of working together," Jack said defensively. "Arvin and I, as partners - we could be dangerous. No one at Joint Ops understands how we think." He looked at Irina hopefully. Perhaps she would finish his thought.
Irina looked at him blandly. "And?"
Jack gave an exasperated growl. Of course she'd make him beg. "I need you to work with the CIA. To slow us down."
Irina snorted in amusement. "I *really* enjoyed it last time, Jack. And Kendall and I make such a good team."
"Irina, please. Do it on your own terms. Just do it."
"Why? To ease your conscience?"
"No. Sydney's."
Irina looked at him thoughtfully. He was right, of course. Sydney would not be able to comprehend evil done in her name. Or that her parents would sell their souls to protect her. As Jack was about to. She nodded. It would be one less betrayal. And an opportunity to irritate Sloane. "But I have two conditions."
"What?" Jack ground out. God, why did she always have conditions?
"I want progress reports on Sydney. Monthly."
Jack nodded.
"And I need to know where she is," said Irina with finality.
"No," Jack spat. "How do I know you won't try to come get her yourself?"
"You don't," said Irina uncompromisingly. "But if something happens to you, it will just be Arvin and Sydney..." She paused to let Jack fill in the blanks.
Jack turned abruptly and walked to the window, looking out, weighing her words. "Hong Kong," he finally replied.