Chapter 30

Jack reached the top of the stairs first and went into the spare bedroom, where he opened his safe-to which he had just changed the combination on Saturday-and pulled out the briefcase that Arvin had given him. He was back out in the hall just as Laura reached the top of the stairs on her crutches.

He preceded her into the bedroom, opened the briefcase, and found the box containing the pregnancy test kit. Laura came in, saw it, and looked up at him, confused. "You're supposed to use this before," Jack said. "Just a precaution."

She nodded. "Good idea. I think they did a pregnancy test at the hospital, too, but it doesn't hurt to make sure." She paused for a moment, and must have read the pain in his face, because she added, "Jack, we need to talk about.the baby issue."

He swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, but not now." She smiled sadly as he turned and went into the bathroom, where he put the pregnancy test down on the counter.

She went in and shut the door behind her, and Jack busied himself with setting things up. A few minutes later, she came back out, and he turned. "Should I change into my nightgown?" she asked.

"Probably; you'll be more comfortable," he answered. "The test was negative?"

"Yes." Irina quickly changed into her nightgown, then nervously approached the bed. She was certainly planning to tell the truth, but the thought of being unable to lie at all, no matter what question was asked, was quite frightening; if it had been anyone other than Jack, she wouldn't have been able to do it. "Let me know when you're ready."

"I'm ready now," he said as he finished hanging an IV bag from the bedside lamp. "Go ahead and lie down." She did, lying on her back and making herself as comfortable as possible. Jack picked up a tourniquet, and she lifted her right arm. "The IV will just be saline for right now," he said as he tied the tourniquet around her upper arm. "I'll inject the drug into the line when you're ready. I won't tell you when I do it because that tends to make people tense up."

She nodded and watched as Jack felt her elbow for a vein, then rubbed it with alcohol. He uncapped the needle at the end of the IV line and easily slid it into the vein, then taped the line to her arm. "You're good at this," she said with a slight smile.

"Thanks," he said after a pause. He picked up the pillow that he had set aside and carefully settled her arm on it. "Is that good?" he said. She nodded. Then Jack picked up some kind of electronic device with a cord attaching it to what looked like watch strap. "This is a heart rate monitor, so I know when you're relaxed enough to give you the drug." He put the strap around her right wrist, then looked down at the device for a moment and nodded. He sat down on the chair he'd moved over to the bed. "All right, Laura, whenever you're ready, just close your eyes and relax."

"What if I fall asleep?"

He gave her a slight smile. "Then you'll be the first person ever to fall asleep before you get the drug."

Suddenly she got very, very nervous. What in God's name had she gotten herself into? "What are you going to ask me?" she asked suddenly. Jack handed her a sheet of paper, and she read the typed list of questions. It was what she had expected, questions about her loyalties and if she intended to cooperate fully with the CIA. She handed the sheet back to Jack. "These are the questions Dawson gave you." He nodded. "You don't have any questions of your own?"

He frowned for a moment. "I'll ask if you've been telling me the truth since you were discovered, and if you plan to continue telling me the truth." He looked nervous as he spoke, as if he were afraid she would suddenly refuse.

She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile, then put her head back down and closed her eyes. She had learned as a child how to make herself relax even when she was frightened or in pain, and had even found that relaxation could sometimes lessen the pain, and so her relaxation techniques were well-practiced. Still, she found it difficult to relax fully. She breathed slowly and deeply, telling herself that she was with Jack, that he wouldn't let any harm come to her, that he wouldn't ask her surprise questions.

She felt the moment when her mind finally stopped struggling and relaxed completely. Jack must have realized it, too, because she heard the slight rustling of movement, and then felt a slight twitch of the IV tube against her skin. She kept her thoughts calm and focused on breathing.

Suddenly a chill ran through her body, and her limbs grew heavy. She almost panicked for a brief moment, but caught herself just in time. She managed to relax again, and then felt warmth come over her, and with it a sense of peace and safety like she'd never experienced before. It was like she was floating in warm water, completely at ease. She heard muffled sound, a male voice, filter down to her. A slight shadow of worry passed over her as she realized that she couldn't understand the words, but disappeared as she felt and heard another part of herself answer him.

She could have stayed like this forever, but it was not to be. Her sense of peace was shattered abruptly when she suddenly felt as if she were spinning, faster and faster. She grew cold again. Then, suddenly, she was falling into blackness.