Disclaimer: I own none of these characters or situations. It all belongs
to the people who own Alias whoever they may be.
Chapter Nine.
The locks to their cell door clicked noisily and the door slid open, all of it somehow much louder than usual in the more or less comfortable silence that had fallen in the room since Sydney and Irina's emotional conversation.
"Well, wasn't that a touching family conversation," Arvin Sloane said as he walked into the room, his usual nice act gone for the moment. "To bad it's not real isn't it, Sydney?" he asked with something that sounded like sympathy and only made Sydney furious and nauseous, simultaneously.
Involuntarily her eyes flickered to her mother and then she fixed them steadily back on Sloane. Their trust was still fragile, but she would trust her mother, at least until she had better proof than Sloane's off hand dig.
"You mistake me, Sydney," he said, noticing her glance, "It's not you mother who did the betraying this time, but your father."
Sydney blinked in shock, but that was her only involuntary reaction. Despite the fact that her mind was shocked and confused and she desperately wanted to demand and explanation from her father, she wouldn't give Sloane the satisfaction of seeing her reaction.
"Why are you here, Arvin," broke in Jack, "If you're not going to interrogate us, I would appreciate it if you left. I've been catching up on my sleep."
"This is not a game, Jack," Sloane said calmly, with the air of a patient parent rebuking an errant child.
"Everything is a game, Arvin," rebuked Irina, speaking for the first time since he had come in. "The only question is what you're playing for."
"You don't already know, Irina, I thought you would have guessed by now." He sighed, as if disappointed and turned back to face Sydney. He smiled at her kindly and if someone who was unaware of the current conditions had simply looked at he and Sydney, they might have thought him a kindly teacher looking at his favorite protégé. "Despite your betrayal Sydney, and that of your father and mother for that matter, I have decided to accept the deal that Jack presented me, with a few of my own modifications, of course."
He shook his head, "I'm agreeing to this because I do not wish to hurt you, unless you cross me or my organization. It would also be beneficial for me to release you and your parents, so that for a time the CIA would cease to focus so intently on me. However, as much as it would be to my advantage, I fear I cannot release both of your parents. Despite their malicious feelings for one another, their combined knowledge might provide the CIA with enough information to become a nuisance."
He paused dramatically and Sydney felt her stomach clench. Sloane's little speech was infuriating and not what she had been expecting, although she knew he had another motive. He wouldn't be Arvin Sloane if he didn't.
"I thought Sydney, that I would leave the final decision to you. Decide which of your parents will go with you."
Chapter Nine.
The locks to their cell door clicked noisily and the door slid open, all of it somehow much louder than usual in the more or less comfortable silence that had fallen in the room since Sydney and Irina's emotional conversation.
"Well, wasn't that a touching family conversation," Arvin Sloane said as he walked into the room, his usual nice act gone for the moment. "To bad it's not real isn't it, Sydney?" he asked with something that sounded like sympathy and only made Sydney furious and nauseous, simultaneously.
Involuntarily her eyes flickered to her mother and then she fixed them steadily back on Sloane. Their trust was still fragile, but she would trust her mother, at least until she had better proof than Sloane's off hand dig.
"You mistake me, Sydney," he said, noticing her glance, "It's not you mother who did the betraying this time, but your father."
Sydney blinked in shock, but that was her only involuntary reaction. Despite the fact that her mind was shocked and confused and she desperately wanted to demand and explanation from her father, she wouldn't give Sloane the satisfaction of seeing her reaction.
"Why are you here, Arvin," broke in Jack, "If you're not going to interrogate us, I would appreciate it if you left. I've been catching up on my sleep."
"This is not a game, Jack," Sloane said calmly, with the air of a patient parent rebuking an errant child.
"Everything is a game, Arvin," rebuked Irina, speaking for the first time since he had come in. "The only question is what you're playing for."
"You don't already know, Irina, I thought you would have guessed by now." He sighed, as if disappointed and turned back to face Sydney. He smiled at her kindly and if someone who was unaware of the current conditions had simply looked at he and Sydney, they might have thought him a kindly teacher looking at his favorite protégé. "Despite your betrayal Sydney, and that of your father and mother for that matter, I have decided to accept the deal that Jack presented me, with a few of my own modifications, of course."
He shook his head, "I'm agreeing to this because I do not wish to hurt you, unless you cross me or my organization. It would also be beneficial for me to release you and your parents, so that for a time the CIA would cease to focus so intently on me. However, as much as it would be to my advantage, I fear I cannot release both of your parents. Despite their malicious feelings for one another, their combined knowledge might provide the CIA with enough information to become a nuisance."
He paused dramatically and Sydney felt her stomach clench. Sloane's little speech was infuriating and not what she had been expecting, although she knew he had another motive. He wouldn't be Arvin Sloane if he didn't.
"I thought Sydney, that I would leave the final decision to you. Decide which of your parents will go with you."
