Disclaimer: I own none of these characters or situations. It all belongs
to the people who own Alias whoever they may be.
Chapter Seven
They were the perfect couple, a wealthy, older American businessman and his still beautiful trophy wife. As their limousine came to a stop in front of one of the many skyscrapers in the respectable financial district of Stockholm, a building bearing the name of an international bank came into view. Jack and Irina, however, were both well aware of the fact that it was really a front for Arvin Sloane's operations.
Jack was the first to step out of the limousine, when the driver opened the door. He stepped out and glanced casually around, noting the location of the obvious security as he buttoned his suit jacket. Turning back to the car, he offered Irina a hand out of the car.
"Are you ready, Dear," he asked casually.
"Of course, Sweetheart," she replied easily as she stood, brushing his cheek with a loving kiss as she straightened up.
He shut the door and placed one hand at the small of her back to guide her towards the entrance. They were all the gestures of a couple madly in love and totally at ease with one another. Jack allowed himself a smile as they approached the reception desk. Not only was everything going as they had planned, but he was able to watch Irina in action. He had seen her before on missions, but now, it was as if her semi-break down on the plane had allowed him to tell the difference between the real Irina and the identity she was portraying.
It was breathtaking. Still he couldn't keep the sarcasm and bitterness out of his voice as he leaned down the mere inches necessary to bring his mouth next to her ear. "You should have been an actress, Irina," he observed, unable to forget that she had duped him for over a decade, no matter how much he respected her skills. To anyone walking by however, it would have looked as if he was simply whispering sweet nothings into her ear. "It's a safer career with a relatively similar pay scale."
To his surprise Irina responded as if it was the compliment it seemed to be, not the verbal jag they both knew it was. "Why thank you, Jack, but then I would never have met you."
Her response succeeded in silencing him, for the moment at least. It wasn't the response that he had expected. He didn't have time at that moment however, to mull over her words in an attempt to discern what she really meant. They were already at the receptionist desk, where the young woman was asking them in accented English, how she could help them.
"We're here to see Arvin Sloane," Jack said abruptly, looking up to gaze fully at the security camera in the corner that was monitoring their area.
"I'm afraid there is no one here by that name," she said and Jack believed her or at least believed that she was telling the truth as far as she knew it.
Still it didn't really matter what she thought as long as someone with more knowledge than her was watching. Fortunately everything was going as planned because before they could speak again, the security guards they had noticed on their way in began to converge on them.
Within moments, Jack and Irina had been ushered into an elevator and delivered to a small room. Neither spoke as they waited. This mission was dangerous, but neither of them were inclined to talk on the off chance of revealing something to Sloane. No, the success of this mission depended largely upon the outcome of their meeting with Sloane. If it went as planned, then Sydney at least would be free. If they weren't successful then they would likely be killed or at least joining their daughter in Sloane's custody.
"Well, well, Jack and Irina. I would say it was a surprise, Jack, but I've been expecting you." Arvin Sloane's condescending voice broke the room's silence and Jack was glad that for the moment his back was to the man that had done so much to hurt his daughter, because all he wanted to do at the moment was kill him.
"I am a little surprised Irina brought you here though. I was under the impression that the two of you weren't on speaking terms."
"Actually that's where you're wrong, Arvin," Jack said turning to face Sloane, and wrapping a casual arm around Irina's waist at the same time. "Irina didn't bring me here, I brought her here." Jack looked down at his wife with an adoring smile, smile that quickly changed from adoring to vicious as he spoke. "You see, Arvin," he said slowly, "My gullible wife here, actually thought I would join forces with her to free Sydney."
Before Jack had finished speaking, Irina had spun around, fury and hurt flashing in her eyes as she aimed a backhanded blow at his head. "You bastard!"
"Such language, Irina," Sloane said calmly, watching with interest as Jack grabbed her arm and pinned it behind her. After a few more moments of struggle Jack managed to subdue Irina for the moment, although both men suspected that she was simply biding her time.
"I have a proposal for you, Sloane," Jack said harshly. "Irina in exchange for Sydney. You get to keep your secrets safe by insuring Irina's silence and I get what I want, Sydney."
The cold look in Sloane's eyes suggested that he was considering it as Jack waited impatiently for his response. "How is giving up Sydney to my benefit?"
Jack sighed. "Arvin, I no longer work for you, so simply put. I. Don't. care. ." He paused. "However, I will point out that if you accept this deal, I won't be forced to kill you for kidnapping my daughter and obviously I won't put any effort into finding Irina as I would Sydney. Also we both know that Irina is the person referred to in the prophecy, not Sydney."
Arvin smiled ominously, seeming to not be disturbed at all by Jack's death threats. "You were always an excellent tactical planner. Very well, Jack I will consider your proposal. However, I'm sure you will understand if I have to take a few precautions."
The word "precautions" set off alarm bells in both Jack and Irina's heads and instantly both of them were moving quickly to insure their own safety. Hindered by the others close presence though, both of them were too slow and were subdued with some assistance from the clubs and tazers that had suddenly materialized in the guards hands. The last thing Jack, head and body pressed painfully into the floor, saw before loosing consciousness was the look of panic mixed with impotent fury in Irina's eyes that somehow seemed to call out to him for help.
Chapter Seven
They were the perfect couple, a wealthy, older American businessman and his still beautiful trophy wife. As their limousine came to a stop in front of one of the many skyscrapers in the respectable financial district of Stockholm, a building bearing the name of an international bank came into view. Jack and Irina, however, were both well aware of the fact that it was really a front for Arvin Sloane's operations.
Jack was the first to step out of the limousine, when the driver opened the door. He stepped out and glanced casually around, noting the location of the obvious security as he buttoned his suit jacket. Turning back to the car, he offered Irina a hand out of the car.
"Are you ready, Dear," he asked casually.
"Of course, Sweetheart," she replied easily as she stood, brushing his cheek with a loving kiss as she straightened up.
He shut the door and placed one hand at the small of her back to guide her towards the entrance. They were all the gestures of a couple madly in love and totally at ease with one another. Jack allowed himself a smile as they approached the reception desk. Not only was everything going as they had planned, but he was able to watch Irina in action. He had seen her before on missions, but now, it was as if her semi-break down on the plane had allowed him to tell the difference between the real Irina and the identity she was portraying.
It was breathtaking. Still he couldn't keep the sarcasm and bitterness out of his voice as he leaned down the mere inches necessary to bring his mouth next to her ear. "You should have been an actress, Irina," he observed, unable to forget that she had duped him for over a decade, no matter how much he respected her skills. To anyone walking by however, it would have looked as if he was simply whispering sweet nothings into her ear. "It's a safer career with a relatively similar pay scale."
To his surprise Irina responded as if it was the compliment it seemed to be, not the verbal jag they both knew it was. "Why thank you, Jack, but then I would never have met you."
Her response succeeded in silencing him, for the moment at least. It wasn't the response that he had expected. He didn't have time at that moment however, to mull over her words in an attempt to discern what she really meant. They were already at the receptionist desk, where the young woman was asking them in accented English, how she could help them.
"We're here to see Arvin Sloane," Jack said abruptly, looking up to gaze fully at the security camera in the corner that was monitoring their area.
"I'm afraid there is no one here by that name," she said and Jack believed her or at least believed that she was telling the truth as far as she knew it.
Still it didn't really matter what she thought as long as someone with more knowledge than her was watching. Fortunately everything was going as planned because before they could speak again, the security guards they had noticed on their way in began to converge on them.
Within moments, Jack and Irina had been ushered into an elevator and delivered to a small room. Neither spoke as they waited. This mission was dangerous, but neither of them were inclined to talk on the off chance of revealing something to Sloane. No, the success of this mission depended largely upon the outcome of their meeting with Sloane. If it went as planned, then Sydney at least would be free. If they weren't successful then they would likely be killed or at least joining their daughter in Sloane's custody.
"Well, well, Jack and Irina. I would say it was a surprise, Jack, but I've been expecting you." Arvin Sloane's condescending voice broke the room's silence and Jack was glad that for the moment his back was to the man that had done so much to hurt his daughter, because all he wanted to do at the moment was kill him.
"I am a little surprised Irina brought you here though. I was under the impression that the two of you weren't on speaking terms."
"Actually that's where you're wrong, Arvin," Jack said turning to face Sloane, and wrapping a casual arm around Irina's waist at the same time. "Irina didn't bring me here, I brought her here." Jack looked down at his wife with an adoring smile, smile that quickly changed from adoring to vicious as he spoke. "You see, Arvin," he said slowly, "My gullible wife here, actually thought I would join forces with her to free Sydney."
Before Jack had finished speaking, Irina had spun around, fury and hurt flashing in her eyes as she aimed a backhanded blow at his head. "You bastard!"
"Such language, Irina," Sloane said calmly, watching with interest as Jack grabbed her arm and pinned it behind her. After a few more moments of struggle Jack managed to subdue Irina for the moment, although both men suspected that she was simply biding her time.
"I have a proposal for you, Sloane," Jack said harshly. "Irina in exchange for Sydney. You get to keep your secrets safe by insuring Irina's silence and I get what I want, Sydney."
The cold look in Sloane's eyes suggested that he was considering it as Jack waited impatiently for his response. "How is giving up Sydney to my benefit?"
Jack sighed. "Arvin, I no longer work for you, so simply put. I. Don't. care. ." He paused. "However, I will point out that if you accept this deal, I won't be forced to kill you for kidnapping my daughter and obviously I won't put any effort into finding Irina as I would Sydney. Also we both know that Irina is the person referred to in the prophecy, not Sydney."
Arvin smiled ominously, seeming to not be disturbed at all by Jack's death threats. "You were always an excellent tactical planner. Very well, Jack I will consider your proposal. However, I'm sure you will understand if I have to take a few precautions."
The word "precautions" set off alarm bells in both Jack and Irina's heads and instantly both of them were moving quickly to insure their own safety. Hindered by the others close presence though, both of them were too slow and were subdued with some assistance from the clubs and tazers that had suddenly materialized in the guards hands. The last thing Jack, head and body pressed painfully into the floor, saw before loosing consciousness was the look of panic mixed with impotent fury in Irina's eyes that somehow seemed to call out to him for help.
