Part 4 - Farewell (28 days later)
Jack entered the nightclub and looked around. He hated missions like this, where he was the one in the front. He was better in the back where he could come up with strategies... now he depended on the strategies of his colleagues - not that he didn't trust them, but he felt safer devising his own gameplans.
His anger reflected in his face when he remembered the discussion he had had about this topic with Kendall.
"Why do I have to go in?"
"Because you fit the profile of men who're ususally go there! Because of your immense field experience... do I have to go on?"
"You're sending me off into a brothel in Athens on the chance the owner might trade security codes to our facility in Tessaloniki to Arvin Sloane... an intel that wasn't even approved by anyone! This is a witchhunt!"
"Jack, why are you so upset about this?"
Yeah, why had he been so upset? It was a mission like so many other he had been active in. His mental state wasn't the best lately. Since that incredible night with Irina, he had been thinking about her constantly - he felt stupid about it! Her face had haunted him in his dreams for the weeks... he thought he was going crazy over her. And now even his job was influenced by these emotions... which were totally inappropriate. You just don't fall in love with No. 7 on CIA's most wanted list, he reminded himself. That was treason.
"Why don't you just relax and enjoy the evening? Remember, you're going into a noble brothel... all paid for by CIA. You're lucky!" Kendall had tapped him on the shoulder, his face covered with a wide smirk and Jack had felt the need to punch him. He was an ass and worst of all, he seemed to really enjoy being an ass.
Jack went to the bar and ordered a drink. He sat down on one of the bar stools and looked around. He didn't know any of the men, although they did all look like men who had political influences or at least a lot of money. Almost all of them where sitting with one or more women around them on a couch, kissing... some of them were even standing in the small niches in the wall. The dark secrets of diplomats, he thought amused. Ignoring the attempts of the woman next to him trying to draw his attention to her, he got up again. He passed by the dance-floor and went to the rooms in the back. There was no sign of Sloane or his assets and Jack doubted that any one of them would show up. He hadn't been able to find out where this intel had come from and so he expected it to be a setup... maybe a diversion. Kendall had discarded every theory of his going into that direction, but now it seemed as if his fears proved right.
He had just wanted to tell exactly that to Kendall on the other end of his microphone, when he saw her.
Irina Derevko wore a short red dress which revealed almost all of her beautiful legs. Her red heels completed her outfit in the most perfect way. Her hair was down and framed her face in a wild, and yet not tousled manner. She looked like she belonged to this place and yet there was something about her that made her different from the other women around. She had a classy and elegant style - even dressed up like this - that made her look like a true lady. Her moves were slow and he noticed that she took care not to touch any of the men around. She was hot and yet unapproachable - out of the reach of any of the men who now looked at her and undressed her with their looks.
When she passed by the bar she grabbed one of the glasses with champagne, while shooting her most seductive look to the man next to her.
She strolled across the room and disappeared behind a small curtain that led into the back of the establishment. Jack waited a minute and followed her, careful to not draw her attention to himself. What was she doing here?
She crossed a small floor. It was decorated in a noble and yet depraved way. The walls were painted in a warm red-brown tone and a few lamps on the wall washed room in an intimate light. Broad niches with greek statues of gods were set in the wall.
Irina didn't pay attention to the couple making out on the wall - actually it seemed to go a little beyond making out - but went up a wooden staircase at the end of the floor. It lead to the upper level of the building where the private rooms of the owner were located.
Jack watched her disappear and for a moment he thought about following her upstairs, but then he decided that it was too dangerous. She would notice him up there and so he chose to wait for her right here. She would have to come back down. It was just Irina-style to come and go back the same way, without anyone realizing what had happened.
He was right. It didn't even take five minutes until she came back down. He concealed himself in one of the niches in the wall and waited until she passed him by.
Before she could even scream in surprise, he had grabbed her, pulled her into the niche and pressed her to the wall. His lips silenced her protest immediately, buying him time to disable the small microphone on the button of his tuxedo. Her hands, prepared to push him away, were lying on his chest, now loose. He ended the kiss in the most tender manner and looked at her. Her head was leaning against the wall, her eyes closed.
"What are you doing here, Jack?" she whispered softly without opening her eyes.
"How did you know it was me?" he asked back in the same tone and she smiled at him. His fingers went up the skin of her arm. "I hope you're here because of a mission... dressed like that!"
"What do you think?" Her body touched his softly, the heat almost overwhelming him. God, she was sexy... "Do you really think I would let one of those pathetic idiots touch me without breaking his arm?"
"Should I feel scared?"
"I did not mean you... although I should break your arm as a little reward for stealing my disk!"
"Technically it wasn't yours!" he replied, trying to concentrate to look into her face, not lower.
"Ah, I see. The thief has been robbed! Maybe I should change my mind... maybe you are an idiot!"
"Poor loser?" he teased her, his mouth playfully brushing over the skin of her neck. She inhaled deeply, trying to ignore the feelings that came up inside her. "So, you don't see me as an idiot in general?"
"Why should I do that? You're smart, you're tough and you're an equal opponent! What are you doing here by the way? I hope this is not the kind of establishment you hang out in." she whispered back and he chuckled.
"Would it bother you?"
She didn't answer that question... well, he hadn't expected her to, her eyes told him the answer.
"I'm on a mission..." he finally answered her question. "And no, I don't really appreciate locations like this. Although I could come to like it with you here..."
"What's your mission here?" she asked curiously and pressed herself closer to him when one of the doormen passed them by, shooting them a suspicious look. Their cheeks touched lightly, his hands running down her back. Finally the doorman went away, convinced that they were just one of the couples who wanted to have a little privacy.
"We've received intel that Sloane wants to purchase codes to our facility in Tessaloniki here." Jack finally answered her question.
"Where did that come from?" she asked and he noticed a hint of shock in her voice.
"The source was untraceable..." He nibbled at her earlobe and a soft moan escaped her lips. "We've got a problem..." he whispered and she held closer to him, feeling his erection pressing into her thigh.
"I agree..." she replied and he chuckled softly.
"Actually I was talking about a whole CIA operation team waiting outside the building, under the direction of Kendall!"
"That son of a b****..." she breathed into his ear. "I don't like him... I never have!"
"Neither have I... but he'll most likely recognize you if you walk out of here."
"Why are you telling me?" Her lips and hands caressed his neck, making it hard for him to understand her question at all.
"Maybe I've come to enjoy our little games..." he answered and caught her mouth with his in a passionate kiss. His hands ran down her body and she shivered against him when they touched her waist. "God, you're so sexy..." His voice was a moan and she smiled against his lips.
"Kendall would have you taken to Camp Harris for treason if he knew what you just said..."
"Kendall is a fool not to notice how beautiful you are..." His tongue traced her chin and then her neck.
"Oh God, Jack... we shouldn't... I have to get out of here!" Her words were a desperate whimper and he pulled her closer.
"What do you want with our codes?" he asked, his mouth running over her collarbone. She laid her head back against the wall.
"I can't tell you..."
"Are you working for Sloane...?"
She lifted his head and pressed her mouth to his in desperate need of a kiss. "You should know, that I am not working for anyone... but I'm working with him... at least I thought I did."
He looked into her eyes, his hands buried in her hair. "What do you mean?"
"I think that bastard tried to set me up... someone had to tell you that the deal was taking place here tonight... and no one else but Sloane knew about it. He asked me to come here personally since that Mr. Konstakis was an old friend of his, but as it turned out, Konstakis didn't even know the name Sloane."
He bent to her ear and let his tongue play at her lobe. She bit her lip to not cry out at the warmth that set her blood on fire. His hand stroke slowly down the front of her body, over her breasts and her belly. She bent towards him. The world started to spin around her. Okay, there was no getting out of here without release or she would not be able to sleep for days.. correct that: weeks.
His hand wandered under her dress, teasing the center of her desire through her panties. She clasped her hands into the material of his jacket. Her skin was burning everywhere his mouth touched her, it came to the point of being unendurable and yet she didn't want him to stop.
Suddenly his mouth touched hers. "Shhh... we're breaking several laws with what we're doing here." he whispered and only now she realized that she had been moaning. She gave a short laugh.
"Yeah, I can see the headline. No. 7 terrorist Irina Derevko arrested for making out in public..." Her hands ran over his back, pulling him closer. "How ironic... but totally worth it!"
He chuckled against her lips and silenced her next moans with his deep kisses.
She opened his pants impatiently, her desire was far beyond the point of were she had been able to control it.
"I need you, Jack... now!" her voice was a mixture of whimpering and urging. He helped her trembling hands to open his pants and pulled her behind the Greek statue. He caught her when she stumbled and pressed her against the wall, his mouth devouring hers fiercely.
He lifted her up with his arms and pushed her panties aside. Then he entered her, silencing her and his own moans with another passionate kiss. Both of them were caught in an unbelievably strong ecstasy of desire, unable to break their kisses until they reached climax almost at the same time.
Still breathing heavily, Jack held Irina until her body stopped trembling and he was sure that he could let her down and she wouldn't fall.
He leaned his forehead against hers, her hands softly lying at his cheeks. Her eyes were still closed, her cheeks flushed... a color that made her even more beautiful than she was.
"You okay?" he asked softly and she laughed slightly.
"More than okay." She opened her eyes to meet his and found him smiling tenderly.
Suddenly she remembered where they were and that she was in danger of being discovered. She lowered her eyes and brounght a little distance between them. Then she rearranged her clothes and tried to comb her hair with her hands.
"Do I look normal?"
"Define normal..."
"Jack!" she replied in an accusingly voice.
"Yeah, you look perfect." He smiled and she let her hands smooth out her dress for the last time.
"I gotta go..." she took a deep breath and wanted to go, but he caught her arm with his hand and pulled her into him in a last tender kiss.
Oh God, I'll miss him, she thought when they finally separated. What was she doing? She mustn't miss him, because missing him implied that she had feelings for him... and she had done everything to convince herself that that was just not the case during the last two weeks.
He returned her look, wanting to hold her and never let her go again. He knew that this was not only impossible but also inappropriate to want... he shouldn't even think of it.
"See you, Jack!" she murmured and he watched her hurry away.
She needed a little distance. Her mind was distracted, obviously. What had she been thinking to have sex with Jack Bristow here. Hell, she was on a mission! Her incompetence to control her emotions, especially when she was on a mission, was dangerous, not to mention foolish. She was a grown-up, not a sixteen year old high school girl.
From now on, she ordered herself, no making out, especially not with Jack Bristow!
She caught a deep breath and entered the main room with the bar again. She felt still a little too enthusiastic and weak, but she had to focus now. She couldn't go out the front and she was sure that Kendall had as well placed men in the back.
Well then she had to play out her cards as a woman...
She went to the bar and ordered a drink, her eyes wandering around. She had seen the photos of many diplomats and politicians, all she needed was someone who had so much influence that Kendall wouldn't dare to control his girlfriend. She needed a good cover.
"Hi Irina!" She froze when she heard the voice next to her ear. There you see what you get from being unable to focus, she lectured herself. All her instincts were gone... normally she had felt someone behind her even before he was standing there.
"Hi, Paolos!"
"Can you imagine my surprise, when I just saw you? The woman who betrayed me and stole my best information!" he whispered with a strong Greek accent. His hand ran over her belly, pulling her close to his body. "Rumors say, that you're working for the CIA now, others that you're dead! The second one is obviously wrong... what about the first one?"
Irina took the drink the barkeeper offered to her and took a sip. "You know me, so you know the answer to your question!"
"Stop playing games with me, you little whore! Because of you my boss had me tortured..."
"How tragic..." she replied sarcastically and his hand grabbed her hair. She bit her lips in order to not cry out in pain.
When Jack entered the main room, he saw her standing at the bar, obviously having trouble. He was still thinking about whether to help her or not, when he saw the men right behind her pulling out a knife. There was absolutely no way that she knew about the knife. He would stab her... Jack grabbed a drink from the bar, ignoring the protest of the drunken owner of it, and went to them. He pushed the man cleverly so he lost the knife and it fell to the floor. He let go of Irina in confusion and both turned around, Irina's face getting pale when she saw the knife.
"I'm really sorry!" Jack said in a perfect British accent. "I just wanted to get to the bar!"
"Well, feel free to go!" Paolos answered unfriendly, still holding Irina's wrist.
"Lady, is he bothering you?" he asked, blinking at her with his eyes.
"She's not a lady!" Paolos growled and shot Irina a sharp glance. "She's my wife. Could you mind your own business now, please!"
"Your wife!" Jack looked at him. "Really... you don't look like a happy couple!"
"Listen, friend!" He let go of Irina and grabbed Jack. That was her chance. She shot Jack a thankful look and disappeared in the mass of people on the dancefloor.
"Okay, okay... I'll leave you alone!" Jack said giving way. Paolos let go of him and wanted to grab Irina again. He let out a furious cry when he found her disappeared.
"Hey! That's your fault you son of a..."
Jack's fist hit his face unexpected and he went to the ground before he had even realized what had happened. Ignoring the man on the floor, Jack went away. He waited a moment until he felt that he could handle Kendall, then he turned on his microphone again. He could hear Kendall's voice almost immediately.
"Jack, what was up? Why did you go on radio silence?"
"I.. um... had a little problem with my microphone, but I fixed it."
"Any sign of Sloane or one of his assets yet?"
"Nothing!" Jack replied dryly and fully in control again. It wasn't even a lie... he hadn't seen Sloane or one of his assets. Technically Irina was not one of Sloane's assets, but his partner.
A fact which made his actions even worse. He had not only lied to his superiors, but also helped an international terrorist to escape twice. Okay... this had to stop. Irina was absolutely not worth the risk. She had betrayed him twenty-one years ago and he was sure she would betray him again if it served her personal goals, so the best move would be to arrest her next time and turn her in to a federal prison where she would most likely be executed. But why did he feel so bad about this thought?
*~*~*~*~*~*~
It started out as the worst day ever. Jack hadn't slept well... in fact he had barely slept at all. Astounding since he hadn't slept for almost three days now. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her face. He had fallen for her again... it was like a deal with the devil - no, worse, he corrected himself grimly.
He had always thought he was over her, her face nothing more than an unpleasant memory. After all she had done to him, to Sydney, he should want her captured, executed, at the very first opportunity. But instead he'd helped her escape. Not to mention that he had broken several laws by doing so.
If Sydney acted as foolish as he was, he'd have her medically examined for brainwashing.
When he entered the office about an hour and a half later, he saw Vaughn shooting him an accusing look, then turning around and going away. He had stopped wondering about agent Vaughn's behavior, but as he saw Sydney face, he considered the possibility that there might be something wrong. She stepped towards him and pulled him aside.
"Dad, Kendall wants to talk to you, but I wanted you to be prepared."
"Sydney, what's going on?"
"They interrogated Mr Konstakis - the owner of the nightclub. They had him tortured in Camp Harris and he told them, that he traded the codes that evening - to a woman!"
"Really?" Damned, he should have seen that one coming.
"The description fits Mom... Dad, she was there at the same time you were! You should have seen her! That and the fact that theoretically she couldn't have gotten out without being seen by anyone on our team, makes Kendall believe that you... conspired with her!" Her eyes pierced him, her fists clenched. "Dad, is that true? Did you help Derevko to escape?"
"No, of course not! Why would I do that? You know that she betrayed me more than once... last time being two months ago in Panama!"
"That's another thing. Kendall thinks that you might have helped her to escape back then."
"That's ridiculous! Yes, it was a mistake to let her convince me to remove the transmitter in her shoulder, but if I wanted to help her to escape, there would have been a dozen of other possibilities! He needs a scapegoat for the CIA's failures concerning Derevko!"
"I know, but you better make sure that you're not going to end up as his scapegoat!" She pointed at Kendall's office and Jack nodded.
"I will, thanks... for preparing me."
Sydney smiled and went away. Jack sighed silently. This was just perfect. See what you get for fooling around with a wanted terrorist, he thought grimly. He prepared his usual pokerface and entered Kendall's office.
"Jack, sit down!" Kendall greeted him.
"Thanks, but I don't think I need to!" Jack replied coldly and Kendall looked up from the file at his desk.
"Fine, then I'll get straight to the point. Since I saw you talking to Sydney, I assume she has already informed you of what this is about."
"Vaguely!" Jack replied and Kendall got up from his chair, pressing his ball-pen against his lips.
"Jack, I have to admit I was shocked when the results of the interrogation came in. I thought 'Irina Derevko, how could that be? Jack was in there, he must have seen her!'. And then I reflected about everything that's happened. It's most likely that she had an accomplice inside the CIA who helped her to escape and who warned her two days ago." Kendall walked around in the office in his usual slow move. "And I couldn't think of anyone but you!"
"Interesting!" Jack replied neutrally. "I would have considered anyone except for me!"
Kendall ignored the last comment. "You had the means, you were alone with her more than once and you have a past with her. Maybe she offered you something that..."
"What could she be offering me that might convince me to commit treason?" Jack's voice was level, he seemed totally under control and that set Kendall off.
"I don't know..." he finally admitted.
"To me it's more likely, that it was a set-up! I'd been there the whole evening and you'd been standing outside... there was no sign of Derevko, Sloane or anyone of his assets. We had our people at every entrance and exit. There was no way she could have escaped without us noticing her. Maybe Mr Konstakis described another woman who looked similar to Irina."
At Jack's use of her forename, Kendall frowned his forehead. "We showed him a photo of Derevko. He said, it was her!"
"Let me make this clear: You had a civilian tortured... a man who isn't even trained to bear pain. He would have told you that the person was Elvis if you'd shown him a photo of him. By the way, I don't thing it's legal to have civilians tortured... even if they're suspects!"
Kendall shot him his typical 'I don't trust you, but I can't do anything to you' look and sat back down at his desk.
"Fine. But I want you to know that from now on I'm keeping an eye at you. If I find the slightest hint that you and Derevko are accomplices, I'll have you delivered to Camp Harris myself!"
"Is that all?" Jack asked coldly and Kendall nodded.
When Jack left the room Kendall observed the man disappearing in the large office. He was sure that Jack Bristow was hiding something... his intuition had never betrayed him.
When Jack had shut the door he exhaled deeply. That one had been close... too close. He wondered why he hadn't just admitted to having helped Irina two days ago. Of course Kendall would have drawn him off field duty and maybe demoted him, but when he discovered the truth, Jack would be charged with treason. And in this case treason would end with death penalty.
He would take two days off to get himself straightened out. He needed a little time to himself... and most of all he needed sleep!
*~*~*~*~
"Nice to see you again!"
Irina didn't even look up from her laptop when Arvin Sloane entered the small garage.
"I guess, I owe the nice evening in Athens to you?"
He sat down on the edge of the table and looked at her. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do! And just so you can't say I didn't warn you. Next time you betray me, I will kill you!"
"Charming..." He took her glass of wine and drank a large sip. "By the way, I've heard that you and Jack Bristow had an... interesting encounter."
"Really?" Still she didn't look up. "Well, let me guess... you had a nice chat with Sark!"
"Fortunately! Now, imagine what I thought when I heard that you had captured Jack Bristow... that you had a little fun with him and then just let him go!"
"I didn't let him go." She said emphatically and leaned back in her chair.
"I was just assuming that you might have changed sides... I like clarity about the loyalties of my employees!"
She shut her laptop with a loud CLACK. "I am not your employee!"
"Without me, you'd still be sitting in you glass cell!"
"And without me you'd be dead by now!" She pierced him with her eyes. "Nobody owes anything to the other! If you don't trust me, you can go wherever you want! I don't force you to stay here!"
"It's okay! If you tell me that you didn't betray me, I believe you! Well, then it shouldn't matter that I took care of Jack Bristow."
"What?!?" Her face went pale within a second. "What have you done to Jack?"
"Nothing! I just had a little chat with Mr Konstakis before he was caught by the CIA. Civilians can be scared so easily, even though Konstakis has contacts with the mafia and thinks of himself as a professional... I didn't even have to describe how he was going to die if he didn't help me. I told him to recognize you on the photo and to tell them that you purchased the codes. I assume, Jack Bristow is interrogated already! But I guess, since you don't have anything to do with him, it's not of interest to you!" Sloane smiled at her and took the last sip of wine of her glass. It had taken Irina only two seconds to regain her control. She took her glass out of his hands.
"Well, how nice of you. So you were the one who betrayed me!"
"Not really... your business there was done! Nothing will happen to you, even if the CIA knows that you were there."
"Yes, but since they know I purchased the codes, they'll have the facility in Tessaloniky strictly observed and the codes changed!"
"Let that be my problem!" He turned around and Irina watched him leave. When the metal door had shut with a loud crash, she leaned back in her chair and ran her hand nervously through her hair. Damned, allies like Sloane could kill you. She thought for a little moment. Her mind went of to Athens... to Jack. How was he doing? She imagined him being interrogated and tortured... maybe they'd arrest or killed him. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. What the hell was up with her? Jack Bristow was a grown-up, not to mention her enemy. She shouldn't even bother to worry about him. Then why did her worries about him almost drive her crazy?
~~~~~
***I don't know anymore when exactly it was... I just know that it was one of those beautiful, warm summer evenings. There was this huge festival at the beach... it had been incredibly hot the whole day, only in the evening the temperatures sank to a point that was bearable.
Every year they had this great beach summer festival where there were volleyball games, contests and stands, where you could try to shoot balloons.
I've always loved this festival... maybe because I didn't know occasions like that from my homeland Russia. Jack knew I loved it and he took me there that evening. It was the most beautiful night of my whole life. I remember one thing very clearly:
I was standing on a stand, trying to shoot one of those stupid ducks to win a prize. Of course I behaved as if I was holding a gun for the first time. Jack went off to get us a milkshake from another stand and shortly after he was gone those group of three guys came to me. They had this typical language of rude-mannered idiots who saw women as trophies or something. They surrounded me and I can still hear one of them say "Hey babe! Wanna have some fun?" I told them to leave me alone, but instead they started to make fun of me. I would have had no problem kicking their asses... in fact I was quite in the mood to do so, but it would have blown my cover. So I just left... at least I tried. The guys followed me and kept making their jokes... in fact pretty inappropriate jokes for a woman in that time.
"Could you just leave, please?" I turned around to face them, but I had never thought that they could be so misbehaved to really pester me. It was scandalous during the 70ties. Of course I had experienced situations pretty similar at the KGB, but I was in America..
Then suddenly Jack appeared. I hadn't even seen him coming, he just pushed the guys aside and pulled me out of their midst.
"I think, the lady has made her interest in you pretty clear, didn't she?" he asked and for a moment I feared that they might start a fight. But even back then Jack had this incredible way, something in his tone that just didn't allow any contradiction. The guys just looked at him and finally turned around to go away. Jack hugged and kissed me softly and for the first time in my whole life I felt safe, that feeling that you have when you really trust somebody. In that moment I knew that he was the one I could learn to trust, even with my life... Being with him gave me incredible inner peace, that made me forget about the fact that I was actually on a mission. For the first time in my whole life I didn't feel the need to be prepared to defend myself when I was with him.
It was on that same evening that he proposed to me. I didn't agree because my KGB superiors wanted me to, but because I really wanted to. Because that was the night I realized that I had truly fallen in love with Jack Bristow...***
~~~~~
Irina closed her eyes, trying to hold the picture of the happy times back then just a little longer, but it faded away too fast, shattered by the cruel surroundings of her reality. Determined she got up, taking her laptop with her. Jack had saved her life in Athens... and he was most likely in trouble because of her now - no, correct that, because of Arvin, but she had been the means to put him into trouble, so she would find a way to get him out. She had acted after other people's wills for so long and by doing so she had sacrificed everything in her life that had meant something to her. It was time that she started to act for herself... damn Rambaldi, she thought. He was worth working with a man like Arvin Sloane who was as trustworthy as a wolf promising not to eat the sheep.
*~*~+*~*~
Jack didn't know how long he had been sitting here, staring at the glass right in front of him... cognac. From the strange looks of the woman behind the bar he assumed that it might have been quite a while. He had ordered at least two glass of water in addition to his cognac, which he had drunk while staring at the alcoholic drink. He knew it hadn't been the best idea to come here, but maybe a little bit of alcohol could help him to forget her - on the other hand that thought had been exactly the mistake he had also made 21 years ago. He had wanted to stop thinking about her by drinking... and hadn't realized how much he had in fact been drinking.
Goddamned, one cognac wouldn't kill him. He lifted the glass and wanted to down it in one.
"Don't do that..."
He started and the content landed on the table.
"What the hell..." he scolded and turned around. Irina sat down next to him, her hand on his shoulder. She smiled at the woman who was just drying a glass with a towel while curiously examining her.
"Give me a vodka, please! A big glass!"
The woman frowned her forehead and filled a glass with vodka which she pushed over to Irina. She wondered what a woman like her might do in a bar like this. In fact she looked pretty elegant, not at all as if she frequented locations like this. Maybe she needed to prove herself... kind of a woman's midlife crisis, she thought grimly and grinned lightly. Well, let's see your face when you tried my vodka, she thought. She made this vodka herself and she had already seen tough guys fail on her vodka. With this picture in her mind, she leaned against the wall, interestedly observing the couple.
"What are you doing here?" Jack didn't look up.
"I was worried!" she replied, playing at her glass.
He laughed. "I don't believe a single word you've just said!"
"I've heard that you might be in trouble because of... me!" she looked at him.
"That could be true in more than one way!" he murmured grimly and took another sip of water.
"What?"
"Nothing!" He met her eyes. "Are you aware that I'm being observed by the CIA? They suspect me of treason... or better, conspiring with you... which is pretty much the same thing actually."
"I know... thanks to Arvin Sloane, who you have to thank for it by the way!"
"Sloane?" Jack growled and she nodded.
"Yes... he set me up, too."
"And you're still working with him?"
"No, not anymore... although he most likely doesn't know it yet." She smiled at him and he smiled back lightly.
"Why are you here?"
"I already told you..." Suddenly she realized that the woman behind the bar was still looking at them. "Hey, lady, is something wrong?"
"No, why?"
"Then would you mind to stop staring at me?" Her voice was friendly but Jack could hear the threatening tone in her voice. The woman obviously didn't have that ability for she stepped closer to Irina.
"I was just wondering what a woman like you is doing here? You don't look as if places like this are the usual ones you hang out in."
"So, what do I look like?" Irina asked, an aggressive tone in her voice now. Jack sighed.
"Irina, let it go!"
"No, I want to know why this 'lady' thinks, I don't belong here!" she snapped and the manner in which she pronounced the word lady made clear that she thought of the woman as anything but a lady.
The woman laid her hands to the bar-table and lowered her face to that of Irina who was holding her eyes coldly.
"Lady, I bet you haven't ever seen vodka in your life before! And now you want a big glass."
"This is a bar, isn't it? And you're here to sell drinks... I bought one, so what's your problem?"
"My problem is missies like you, rushing in here like little princesses, only believe that they're better than the rest of the world because of a huge wardrobe and a big villa..."
Jack couldn't help but grin. The description would have fit any woman... except for Irina.
"Okay, let's have a little bet!" The woman challenged Irina. "I bet you will take one sip of the vodka and run to the woman's room to throw up!"
"Seems fair!" Irina replied dryly and smiled. "But if I win, you won't charge our drinks!"
"Fine by me!"
Jack, who had at first feared that the two women might start a fight observed the scene with a certain amount of amusement.
Irina lifted the glass without losing the eyes of the woman, then she downed the content in one drink without turning a hair. When she put the glass back down on the table she looked as if she had just consumed a glass of water.
"Would you mind to leave us alone now... please?" she asked firmly and the woman turned around, still unable to understand what she had just witnessed. "Back to us..." Irina looked at Jack whose eyes were sparkling with amusement. "What?"
"Amazing!" he just commented.
"What? That am here or that I arranged our drinks to be free?"
"Both! I will certainly never contest you in drinking."
"Jack..." her face got serious. "We need to talk... I am here because I need your help... kind of. I know that our past hasn't been the best and I don't expect you to forget everything that I've done to you and Sydney. But I need to know, Jack... do you still have feel..."
"Don't move!" he suddenly interrupted her with hissed words and Irina shot him a confused look.
"Why?"
"I knew Kendall would have me watched. Over at the door." He got up, grabbed his jacket and went towards the door as if nothing had happened. Without paying attention to the two men in tuxedos, which he had seen in Kendall's office once, he left the bar. Irina waited two minutes and followed him. She caught up with him at his car.
"Jack..."
"Irina, are you insane? They observing me and if they find you..."
"I know, I just need to know - Jack..." She looked into his eyes. "I have betrayed Sloane and Sark. I'll have to go into hiding, because they're surely going to kill me if they find me - and they're not the only ones..." she added humorously. "I just need to know, after everything that has happened between us during the last weeks... what did it mean to you?"
He looked at her stunned. "I don't know where you're going!" he finally managed to reply neutrally. "What should it mean?"
"Oh..." she looked at him, her eyes suddenly covered by a shadow. "Okay, then we're at the same point. I just wanted to make sure that neither of us has wrong expectations." She smiled, but to him it seemed as if her face was suddenly a mask.
Damned idiot, he thought, tell her that it meant something to you... tell her that you couldn't sleep the last days because of her...
No, he reminded himself. That would have just complicated everything. Okay,
maybe he wanted her, and yes, maybe he had troubles sleeping because of her, but that didn't have anything to do with feelings, especially not with love.
"FREEZE!"
Suddenly they seemed to be surrounded by agents. Irina saw the two men running out of the bar and on the other side of the parking lot, another agent appeared, all aiming their guns at them.
It didn't take Irina long to know what to do. She pulled out her own gun and grabbed Jack.
"You bastard, you set me up!" Her voice was filled with fury as she pressed the gun to his neck now. "Don't you dare move, or he's dead!" she ordered the agents, her eyes full of rage that convinced every single one of the man that she was determined to shoot if necessary.
"Irina, what are you doing?" Jack hissed. Her mouth was close to his ear.
"Shut up... I'm saving your ass here!"
"How exactly would that be?"
She pulled him with her towards a little alley. The agents looked at each other confused, obviously hesitating because they weren't sure what to do. As far as they knew, Jack and Irina were accomplices.
Irina grabbed for Jack's weapon. "Mind if I borrow that?"
"Would it make any difference if I said yes?"
She laughed slightly and kissed him on the neck then. "Since we'll never meet again... I'm sorry... for everything, but especially for what I'm going to do now! Maybe you won't forgive me, but I have to do it to prevent you from following me or even more foolish... trying to save me again!" He heard her taking a deep breath... was that a sob? "I never wanted it to end like that 21 years ago... in fact I'd do everything to change the past..."
With these words she pushed him away from her. "Don't you dare try that ever again, Jack Bristow! Did you think, you could fool me that easily?"
And then she shot him. He heard the typical sound of a firing gun, then he saw the blood on his shoulder... and the tears standing in her eyes. He had never seen her cry before.
Irina turned around and disappeared in the alley, not paying attention to Jack anymore, who fell to the ground, holding his shoulder. The pain was almost overwhelming him and it took all of his control to not let his conscious fade into darkness.
He saw the faces of the other agents over him, talking to him, but he could only guess what they were saying.
"Agent Bristow, don't move! The ambulance will be here in three minutes. Can you hear me?"
Despite all his efforts, the darkness finally surrounded him, haunted by just three words that repeated over and over again in his mind. She shot me...
"Dad?"
Jack felt as if he woke up after a long sleep... The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a white ceiling... almost too white for his eyes right now. Then he turned his head and found Sydney looking at him, her brown eyes wide in fear, her hand touching his cheek.
"Sydney..." he murmured and closed his eyes again.
"Dad, you're awake..." she answered and when he opened his eyes again he saw a single tear flowing over her cheek. "Oh god, I was so worried... when Kendall called me and told me that you were shot by Derevko... I feel so guilty for not having trusted you! Dad, why didn't you tell me that she had approached you to offer you to be your informant. We could have tried to arrest her together!"
"What?" he asked, unable to follow her words although he tried hardly to put together the meaning of her words.
"We've found the email. Oh Dad, you could have been tortured... why didn't you just tell them that you had a possibility to set Derevko up."
Jack looked at her and suddenly it dawned on him. Irina must have taken care of everything. It hit him like a rock. She had saved him by shooting him. Suddenly everything seemed to clear up. By playing that little scene in front of the bar she had made it look as if he, Jack Bristow, had betrayed her. She had planned everything to free him from the suspicion of having conspired with her. Of course she had known of the CIA agents who had observed him. That's why she had behaved so foolish and followed him to his car. And after getting away she must somehow have managed to hack into his mailbox and fake an email. She had risked her life to clear him of the charges of treason.
"Derevko approached me and her conditions were that she wanted to be granted anonymity like all of my other informants. I thought if I could gain her trust, I would be able to set her up and finally bring her back to prison. I guess it was a mistake to not tell Kendall or you about that plan, but I feared that she might guess that I was just trying to play her out. That's why I thought it best to follow her rules. I wanted to arrest her in a good moment when I had gained her trust. But unfortunately Kendall kind of messed that plan up."
Sydney smiled, her eyes still shimmering with tears. "Yeah, and he has one hell of a bad conscience."
"Did they at least get Derevko?" Jack asked and sat up. His shoulder was still hurting like hell, but it was bearable.
"No... she disappeared. We've been observing every airport, photos of her have been given to very single police station in the states, but there are no clues by now. I'm sure she has already managed to leave the country somehow."
"So I was shot for nothing!"
"Dad, I'm sorry I didn't trust you! I shouldn't have questioned your loyalty, especially concerning Mom. I mean... she could have killed you. And I didn't trust you!"
She laid her head to his chest and sobbed. He wrapped his arm around her and stared to the wall. He felt bad. He lied to Sydney. But she would never understand why he had helped and shielded Irina - he didn't understand it himself.
He remembered her last words, her promise that they would never meet again... and her tears. He knew he should be happy about never meeting her again - that she had finally left his and Sydney's life.
But it felt even worse than 21 years ago when he had thought that she was dead. Why haven't I told her the truth, he suddenly thought, why haven't I told her that it meant something to me - that she means something to me?
Jack entered the nightclub and looked around. He hated missions like this, where he was the one in the front. He was better in the back where he could come up with strategies... now he depended on the strategies of his colleagues - not that he didn't trust them, but he felt safer devising his own gameplans.
His anger reflected in his face when he remembered the discussion he had had about this topic with Kendall.
"Why do I have to go in?"
"Because you fit the profile of men who're ususally go there! Because of your immense field experience... do I have to go on?"
"You're sending me off into a brothel in Athens on the chance the owner might trade security codes to our facility in Tessaloniki to Arvin Sloane... an intel that wasn't even approved by anyone! This is a witchhunt!"
"Jack, why are you so upset about this?"
Yeah, why had he been so upset? It was a mission like so many other he had been active in. His mental state wasn't the best lately. Since that incredible night with Irina, he had been thinking about her constantly - he felt stupid about it! Her face had haunted him in his dreams for the weeks... he thought he was going crazy over her. And now even his job was influenced by these emotions... which were totally inappropriate. You just don't fall in love with No. 7 on CIA's most wanted list, he reminded himself. That was treason.
"Why don't you just relax and enjoy the evening? Remember, you're going into a noble brothel... all paid for by CIA. You're lucky!" Kendall had tapped him on the shoulder, his face covered with a wide smirk and Jack had felt the need to punch him. He was an ass and worst of all, he seemed to really enjoy being an ass.
Jack went to the bar and ordered a drink. He sat down on one of the bar stools and looked around. He didn't know any of the men, although they did all look like men who had political influences or at least a lot of money. Almost all of them where sitting with one or more women around them on a couch, kissing... some of them were even standing in the small niches in the wall. The dark secrets of diplomats, he thought amused. Ignoring the attempts of the woman next to him trying to draw his attention to her, he got up again. He passed by the dance-floor and went to the rooms in the back. There was no sign of Sloane or his assets and Jack doubted that any one of them would show up. He hadn't been able to find out where this intel had come from and so he expected it to be a setup... maybe a diversion. Kendall had discarded every theory of his going into that direction, but now it seemed as if his fears proved right.
He had just wanted to tell exactly that to Kendall on the other end of his microphone, when he saw her.
Irina Derevko wore a short red dress which revealed almost all of her beautiful legs. Her red heels completed her outfit in the most perfect way. Her hair was down and framed her face in a wild, and yet not tousled manner. She looked like she belonged to this place and yet there was something about her that made her different from the other women around. She had a classy and elegant style - even dressed up like this - that made her look like a true lady. Her moves were slow and he noticed that she took care not to touch any of the men around. She was hot and yet unapproachable - out of the reach of any of the men who now looked at her and undressed her with their looks.
When she passed by the bar she grabbed one of the glasses with champagne, while shooting her most seductive look to the man next to her.
She strolled across the room and disappeared behind a small curtain that led into the back of the establishment. Jack waited a minute and followed her, careful to not draw her attention to himself. What was she doing here?
She crossed a small floor. It was decorated in a noble and yet depraved way. The walls were painted in a warm red-brown tone and a few lamps on the wall washed room in an intimate light. Broad niches with greek statues of gods were set in the wall.
Irina didn't pay attention to the couple making out on the wall - actually it seemed to go a little beyond making out - but went up a wooden staircase at the end of the floor. It lead to the upper level of the building where the private rooms of the owner were located.
Jack watched her disappear and for a moment he thought about following her upstairs, but then he decided that it was too dangerous. She would notice him up there and so he chose to wait for her right here. She would have to come back down. It was just Irina-style to come and go back the same way, without anyone realizing what had happened.
He was right. It didn't even take five minutes until she came back down. He concealed himself in one of the niches in the wall and waited until she passed him by.
Before she could even scream in surprise, he had grabbed her, pulled her into the niche and pressed her to the wall. His lips silenced her protest immediately, buying him time to disable the small microphone on the button of his tuxedo. Her hands, prepared to push him away, were lying on his chest, now loose. He ended the kiss in the most tender manner and looked at her. Her head was leaning against the wall, her eyes closed.
"What are you doing here, Jack?" she whispered softly without opening her eyes.
"How did you know it was me?" he asked back in the same tone and she smiled at him. His fingers went up the skin of her arm. "I hope you're here because of a mission... dressed like that!"
"What do you think?" Her body touched his softly, the heat almost overwhelming him. God, she was sexy... "Do you really think I would let one of those pathetic idiots touch me without breaking his arm?"
"Should I feel scared?"
"I did not mean you... although I should break your arm as a little reward for stealing my disk!"
"Technically it wasn't yours!" he replied, trying to concentrate to look into her face, not lower.
"Ah, I see. The thief has been robbed! Maybe I should change my mind... maybe you are an idiot!"
"Poor loser?" he teased her, his mouth playfully brushing over the skin of her neck. She inhaled deeply, trying to ignore the feelings that came up inside her. "So, you don't see me as an idiot in general?"
"Why should I do that? You're smart, you're tough and you're an equal opponent! What are you doing here by the way? I hope this is not the kind of establishment you hang out in." she whispered back and he chuckled.
"Would it bother you?"
She didn't answer that question... well, he hadn't expected her to, her eyes told him the answer.
"I'm on a mission..." he finally answered her question. "And no, I don't really appreciate locations like this. Although I could come to like it with you here..."
"What's your mission here?" she asked curiously and pressed herself closer to him when one of the doormen passed them by, shooting them a suspicious look. Their cheeks touched lightly, his hands running down her back. Finally the doorman went away, convinced that they were just one of the couples who wanted to have a little privacy.
"We've received intel that Sloane wants to purchase codes to our facility in Tessaloniki here." Jack finally answered her question.
"Where did that come from?" she asked and he noticed a hint of shock in her voice.
"The source was untraceable..." He nibbled at her earlobe and a soft moan escaped her lips. "We've got a problem..." he whispered and she held closer to him, feeling his erection pressing into her thigh.
"I agree..." she replied and he chuckled softly.
"Actually I was talking about a whole CIA operation team waiting outside the building, under the direction of Kendall!"
"That son of a b****..." she breathed into his ear. "I don't like him... I never have!"
"Neither have I... but he'll most likely recognize you if you walk out of here."
"Why are you telling me?" Her lips and hands caressed his neck, making it hard for him to understand her question at all.
"Maybe I've come to enjoy our little games..." he answered and caught her mouth with his in a passionate kiss. His hands ran down her body and she shivered against him when they touched her waist. "God, you're so sexy..." His voice was a moan and she smiled against his lips.
"Kendall would have you taken to Camp Harris for treason if he knew what you just said..."
"Kendall is a fool not to notice how beautiful you are..." His tongue traced her chin and then her neck.
"Oh God, Jack... we shouldn't... I have to get out of here!" Her words were a desperate whimper and he pulled her closer.
"What do you want with our codes?" he asked, his mouth running over her collarbone. She laid her head back against the wall.
"I can't tell you..."
"Are you working for Sloane...?"
She lifted his head and pressed her mouth to his in desperate need of a kiss. "You should know, that I am not working for anyone... but I'm working with him... at least I thought I did."
He looked into her eyes, his hands buried in her hair. "What do you mean?"
"I think that bastard tried to set me up... someone had to tell you that the deal was taking place here tonight... and no one else but Sloane knew about it. He asked me to come here personally since that Mr. Konstakis was an old friend of his, but as it turned out, Konstakis didn't even know the name Sloane."
He bent to her ear and let his tongue play at her lobe. She bit her lip to not cry out at the warmth that set her blood on fire. His hand stroke slowly down the front of her body, over her breasts and her belly. She bent towards him. The world started to spin around her. Okay, there was no getting out of here without release or she would not be able to sleep for days.. correct that: weeks.
His hand wandered under her dress, teasing the center of her desire through her panties. She clasped her hands into the material of his jacket. Her skin was burning everywhere his mouth touched her, it came to the point of being unendurable and yet she didn't want him to stop.
Suddenly his mouth touched hers. "Shhh... we're breaking several laws with what we're doing here." he whispered and only now she realized that she had been moaning. She gave a short laugh.
"Yeah, I can see the headline. No. 7 terrorist Irina Derevko arrested for making out in public..." Her hands ran over his back, pulling him closer. "How ironic... but totally worth it!"
He chuckled against her lips and silenced her next moans with his deep kisses.
She opened his pants impatiently, her desire was far beyond the point of were she had been able to control it.
"I need you, Jack... now!" her voice was a mixture of whimpering and urging. He helped her trembling hands to open his pants and pulled her behind the Greek statue. He caught her when she stumbled and pressed her against the wall, his mouth devouring hers fiercely.
He lifted her up with his arms and pushed her panties aside. Then he entered her, silencing her and his own moans with another passionate kiss. Both of them were caught in an unbelievably strong ecstasy of desire, unable to break their kisses until they reached climax almost at the same time.
Still breathing heavily, Jack held Irina until her body stopped trembling and he was sure that he could let her down and she wouldn't fall.
He leaned his forehead against hers, her hands softly lying at his cheeks. Her eyes were still closed, her cheeks flushed... a color that made her even more beautiful than she was.
"You okay?" he asked softly and she laughed slightly.
"More than okay." She opened her eyes to meet his and found him smiling tenderly.
Suddenly she remembered where they were and that she was in danger of being discovered. She lowered her eyes and brounght a little distance between them. Then she rearranged her clothes and tried to comb her hair with her hands.
"Do I look normal?"
"Define normal..."
"Jack!" she replied in an accusingly voice.
"Yeah, you look perfect." He smiled and she let her hands smooth out her dress for the last time.
"I gotta go..." she took a deep breath and wanted to go, but he caught her arm with his hand and pulled her into him in a last tender kiss.
Oh God, I'll miss him, she thought when they finally separated. What was she doing? She mustn't miss him, because missing him implied that she had feelings for him... and she had done everything to convince herself that that was just not the case during the last two weeks.
He returned her look, wanting to hold her and never let her go again. He knew that this was not only impossible but also inappropriate to want... he shouldn't even think of it.
"See you, Jack!" she murmured and he watched her hurry away.
She needed a little distance. Her mind was distracted, obviously. What had she been thinking to have sex with Jack Bristow here. Hell, she was on a mission! Her incompetence to control her emotions, especially when she was on a mission, was dangerous, not to mention foolish. She was a grown-up, not a sixteen year old high school girl.
From now on, she ordered herself, no making out, especially not with Jack Bristow!
She caught a deep breath and entered the main room with the bar again. She felt still a little too enthusiastic and weak, but she had to focus now. She couldn't go out the front and she was sure that Kendall had as well placed men in the back.
Well then she had to play out her cards as a woman...
She went to the bar and ordered a drink, her eyes wandering around. She had seen the photos of many diplomats and politicians, all she needed was someone who had so much influence that Kendall wouldn't dare to control his girlfriend. She needed a good cover.
"Hi Irina!" She froze when she heard the voice next to her ear. There you see what you get from being unable to focus, she lectured herself. All her instincts were gone... normally she had felt someone behind her even before he was standing there.
"Hi, Paolos!"
"Can you imagine my surprise, when I just saw you? The woman who betrayed me and stole my best information!" he whispered with a strong Greek accent. His hand ran over her belly, pulling her close to his body. "Rumors say, that you're working for the CIA now, others that you're dead! The second one is obviously wrong... what about the first one?"
Irina took the drink the barkeeper offered to her and took a sip. "You know me, so you know the answer to your question!"
"Stop playing games with me, you little whore! Because of you my boss had me tortured..."
"How tragic..." she replied sarcastically and his hand grabbed her hair. She bit her lips in order to not cry out in pain.
When Jack entered the main room, he saw her standing at the bar, obviously having trouble. He was still thinking about whether to help her or not, when he saw the men right behind her pulling out a knife. There was absolutely no way that she knew about the knife. He would stab her... Jack grabbed a drink from the bar, ignoring the protest of the drunken owner of it, and went to them. He pushed the man cleverly so he lost the knife and it fell to the floor. He let go of Irina in confusion and both turned around, Irina's face getting pale when she saw the knife.
"I'm really sorry!" Jack said in a perfect British accent. "I just wanted to get to the bar!"
"Well, feel free to go!" Paolos answered unfriendly, still holding Irina's wrist.
"Lady, is he bothering you?" he asked, blinking at her with his eyes.
"She's not a lady!" Paolos growled and shot Irina a sharp glance. "She's my wife. Could you mind your own business now, please!"
"Your wife!" Jack looked at him. "Really... you don't look like a happy couple!"
"Listen, friend!" He let go of Irina and grabbed Jack. That was her chance. She shot Jack a thankful look and disappeared in the mass of people on the dancefloor.
"Okay, okay... I'll leave you alone!" Jack said giving way. Paolos let go of him and wanted to grab Irina again. He let out a furious cry when he found her disappeared.
"Hey! That's your fault you son of a..."
Jack's fist hit his face unexpected and he went to the ground before he had even realized what had happened. Ignoring the man on the floor, Jack went away. He waited a moment until he felt that he could handle Kendall, then he turned on his microphone again. He could hear Kendall's voice almost immediately.
"Jack, what was up? Why did you go on radio silence?"
"I.. um... had a little problem with my microphone, but I fixed it."
"Any sign of Sloane or one of his assets yet?"
"Nothing!" Jack replied dryly and fully in control again. It wasn't even a lie... he hadn't seen Sloane or one of his assets. Technically Irina was not one of Sloane's assets, but his partner.
A fact which made his actions even worse. He had not only lied to his superiors, but also helped an international terrorist to escape twice. Okay... this had to stop. Irina was absolutely not worth the risk. She had betrayed him twenty-one years ago and he was sure she would betray him again if it served her personal goals, so the best move would be to arrest her next time and turn her in to a federal prison where she would most likely be executed. But why did he feel so bad about this thought?
*~*~*~*~*~*~
It started out as the worst day ever. Jack hadn't slept well... in fact he had barely slept at all. Astounding since he hadn't slept for almost three days now. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her face. He had fallen for her again... it was like a deal with the devil - no, worse, he corrected himself grimly.
He had always thought he was over her, her face nothing more than an unpleasant memory. After all she had done to him, to Sydney, he should want her captured, executed, at the very first opportunity. But instead he'd helped her escape. Not to mention that he had broken several laws by doing so.
If Sydney acted as foolish as he was, he'd have her medically examined for brainwashing.
When he entered the office about an hour and a half later, he saw Vaughn shooting him an accusing look, then turning around and going away. He had stopped wondering about agent Vaughn's behavior, but as he saw Sydney face, he considered the possibility that there might be something wrong. She stepped towards him and pulled him aside.
"Dad, Kendall wants to talk to you, but I wanted you to be prepared."
"Sydney, what's going on?"
"They interrogated Mr Konstakis - the owner of the nightclub. They had him tortured in Camp Harris and he told them, that he traded the codes that evening - to a woman!"
"Really?" Damned, he should have seen that one coming.
"The description fits Mom... Dad, she was there at the same time you were! You should have seen her! That and the fact that theoretically she couldn't have gotten out without being seen by anyone on our team, makes Kendall believe that you... conspired with her!" Her eyes pierced him, her fists clenched. "Dad, is that true? Did you help Derevko to escape?"
"No, of course not! Why would I do that? You know that she betrayed me more than once... last time being two months ago in Panama!"
"That's another thing. Kendall thinks that you might have helped her to escape back then."
"That's ridiculous! Yes, it was a mistake to let her convince me to remove the transmitter in her shoulder, but if I wanted to help her to escape, there would have been a dozen of other possibilities! He needs a scapegoat for the CIA's failures concerning Derevko!"
"I know, but you better make sure that you're not going to end up as his scapegoat!" She pointed at Kendall's office and Jack nodded.
"I will, thanks... for preparing me."
Sydney smiled and went away. Jack sighed silently. This was just perfect. See what you get for fooling around with a wanted terrorist, he thought grimly. He prepared his usual pokerface and entered Kendall's office.
"Jack, sit down!" Kendall greeted him.
"Thanks, but I don't think I need to!" Jack replied coldly and Kendall looked up from the file at his desk.
"Fine, then I'll get straight to the point. Since I saw you talking to Sydney, I assume she has already informed you of what this is about."
"Vaguely!" Jack replied and Kendall got up from his chair, pressing his ball-pen against his lips.
"Jack, I have to admit I was shocked when the results of the interrogation came in. I thought 'Irina Derevko, how could that be? Jack was in there, he must have seen her!'. And then I reflected about everything that's happened. It's most likely that she had an accomplice inside the CIA who helped her to escape and who warned her two days ago." Kendall walked around in the office in his usual slow move. "And I couldn't think of anyone but you!"
"Interesting!" Jack replied neutrally. "I would have considered anyone except for me!"
Kendall ignored the last comment. "You had the means, you were alone with her more than once and you have a past with her. Maybe she offered you something that..."
"What could she be offering me that might convince me to commit treason?" Jack's voice was level, he seemed totally under control and that set Kendall off.
"I don't know..." he finally admitted.
"To me it's more likely, that it was a set-up! I'd been there the whole evening and you'd been standing outside... there was no sign of Derevko, Sloane or anyone of his assets. We had our people at every entrance and exit. There was no way she could have escaped without us noticing her. Maybe Mr Konstakis described another woman who looked similar to Irina."
At Jack's use of her forename, Kendall frowned his forehead. "We showed him a photo of Derevko. He said, it was her!"
"Let me make this clear: You had a civilian tortured... a man who isn't even trained to bear pain. He would have told you that the person was Elvis if you'd shown him a photo of him. By the way, I don't thing it's legal to have civilians tortured... even if they're suspects!"
Kendall shot him his typical 'I don't trust you, but I can't do anything to you' look and sat back down at his desk.
"Fine. But I want you to know that from now on I'm keeping an eye at you. If I find the slightest hint that you and Derevko are accomplices, I'll have you delivered to Camp Harris myself!"
"Is that all?" Jack asked coldly and Kendall nodded.
When Jack left the room Kendall observed the man disappearing in the large office. He was sure that Jack Bristow was hiding something... his intuition had never betrayed him.
When Jack had shut the door he exhaled deeply. That one had been close... too close. He wondered why he hadn't just admitted to having helped Irina two days ago. Of course Kendall would have drawn him off field duty and maybe demoted him, but when he discovered the truth, Jack would be charged with treason. And in this case treason would end with death penalty.
He would take two days off to get himself straightened out. He needed a little time to himself... and most of all he needed sleep!
*~*~*~*~
"Nice to see you again!"
Irina didn't even look up from her laptop when Arvin Sloane entered the small garage.
"I guess, I owe the nice evening in Athens to you?"
He sat down on the edge of the table and looked at her. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do! And just so you can't say I didn't warn you. Next time you betray me, I will kill you!"
"Charming..." He took her glass of wine and drank a large sip. "By the way, I've heard that you and Jack Bristow had an... interesting encounter."
"Really?" Still she didn't look up. "Well, let me guess... you had a nice chat with Sark!"
"Fortunately! Now, imagine what I thought when I heard that you had captured Jack Bristow... that you had a little fun with him and then just let him go!"
"I didn't let him go." She said emphatically and leaned back in her chair.
"I was just assuming that you might have changed sides... I like clarity about the loyalties of my employees!"
She shut her laptop with a loud CLACK. "I am not your employee!"
"Without me, you'd still be sitting in you glass cell!"
"And without me you'd be dead by now!" She pierced him with her eyes. "Nobody owes anything to the other! If you don't trust me, you can go wherever you want! I don't force you to stay here!"
"It's okay! If you tell me that you didn't betray me, I believe you! Well, then it shouldn't matter that I took care of Jack Bristow."
"What?!?" Her face went pale within a second. "What have you done to Jack?"
"Nothing! I just had a little chat with Mr Konstakis before he was caught by the CIA. Civilians can be scared so easily, even though Konstakis has contacts with the mafia and thinks of himself as a professional... I didn't even have to describe how he was going to die if he didn't help me. I told him to recognize you on the photo and to tell them that you purchased the codes. I assume, Jack Bristow is interrogated already! But I guess, since you don't have anything to do with him, it's not of interest to you!" Sloane smiled at her and took the last sip of wine of her glass. It had taken Irina only two seconds to regain her control. She took her glass out of his hands.
"Well, how nice of you. So you were the one who betrayed me!"
"Not really... your business there was done! Nothing will happen to you, even if the CIA knows that you were there."
"Yes, but since they know I purchased the codes, they'll have the facility in Tessaloniky strictly observed and the codes changed!"
"Let that be my problem!" He turned around and Irina watched him leave. When the metal door had shut with a loud crash, she leaned back in her chair and ran her hand nervously through her hair. Damned, allies like Sloane could kill you. She thought for a little moment. Her mind went of to Athens... to Jack. How was he doing? She imagined him being interrogated and tortured... maybe they'd arrest or killed him. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. What the hell was up with her? Jack Bristow was a grown-up, not to mention her enemy. She shouldn't even bother to worry about him. Then why did her worries about him almost drive her crazy?
~~~~~
***I don't know anymore when exactly it was... I just know that it was one of those beautiful, warm summer evenings. There was this huge festival at the beach... it had been incredibly hot the whole day, only in the evening the temperatures sank to a point that was bearable.
Every year they had this great beach summer festival where there were volleyball games, contests and stands, where you could try to shoot balloons.
I've always loved this festival... maybe because I didn't know occasions like that from my homeland Russia. Jack knew I loved it and he took me there that evening. It was the most beautiful night of my whole life. I remember one thing very clearly:
I was standing on a stand, trying to shoot one of those stupid ducks to win a prize. Of course I behaved as if I was holding a gun for the first time. Jack went off to get us a milkshake from another stand and shortly after he was gone those group of three guys came to me. They had this typical language of rude-mannered idiots who saw women as trophies or something. They surrounded me and I can still hear one of them say "Hey babe! Wanna have some fun?" I told them to leave me alone, but instead they started to make fun of me. I would have had no problem kicking their asses... in fact I was quite in the mood to do so, but it would have blown my cover. So I just left... at least I tried. The guys followed me and kept making their jokes... in fact pretty inappropriate jokes for a woman in that time.
"Could you just leave, please?" I turned around to face them, but I had never thought that they could be so misbehaved to really pester me. It was scandalous during the 70ties. Of course I had experienced situations pretty similar at the KGB, but I was in America..
Then suddenly Jack appeared. I hadn't even seen him coming, he just pushed the guys aside and pulled me out of their midst.
"I think, the lady has made her interest in you pretty clear, didn't she?" he asked and for a moment I feared that they might start a fight. But even back then Jack had this incredible way, something in his tone that just didn't allow any contradiction. The guys just looked at him and finally turned around to go away. Jack hugged and kissed me softly and for the first time in my whole life I felt safe, that feeling that you have when you really trust somebody. In that moment I knew that he was the one I could learn to trust, even with my life... Being with him gave me incredible inner peace, that made me forget about the fact that I was actually on a mission. For the first time in my whole life I didn't feel the need to be prepared to defend myself when I was with him.
It was on that same evening that he proposed to me. I didn't agree because my KGB superiors wanted me to, but because I really wanted to. Because that was the night I realized that I had truly fallen in love with Jack Bristow...***
~~~~~
Irina closed her eyes, trying to hold the picture of the happy times back then just a little longer, but it faded away too fast, shattered by the cruel surroundings of her reality. Determined she got up, taking her laptop with her. Jack had saved her life in Athens... and he was most likely in trouble because of her now - no, correct that, because of Arvin, but she had been the means to put him into trouble, so she would find a way to get him out. She had acted after other people's wills for so long and by doing so she had sacrificed everything in her life that had meant something to her. It was time that she started to act for herself... damn Rambaldi, she thought. He was worth working with a man like Arvin Sloane who was as trustworthy as a wolf promising not to eat the sheep.
*~*~+*~*~
Jack didn't know how long he had been sitting here, staring at the glass right in front of him... cognac. From the strange looks of the woman behind the bar he assumed that it might have been quite a while. He had ordered at least two glass of water in addition to his cognac, which he had drunk while staring at the alcoholic drink. He knew it hadn't been the best idea to come here, but maybe a little bit of alcohol could help him to forget her - on the other hand that thought had been exactly the mistake he had also made 21 years ago. He had wanted to stop thinking about her by drinking... and hadn't realized how much he had in fact been drinking.
Goddamned, one cognac wouldn't kill him. He lifted the glass and wanted to down it in one.
"Don't do that..."
He started and the content landed on the table.
"What the hell..." he scolded and turned around. Irina sat down next to him, her hand on his shoulder. She smiled at the woman who was just drying a glass with a towel while curiously examining her.
"Give me a vodka, please! A big glass!"
The woman frowned her forehead and filled a glass with vodka which she pushed over to Irina. She wondered what a woman like her might do in a bar like this. In fact she looked pretty elegant, not at all as if she frequented locations like this. Maybe she needed to prove herself... kind of a woman's midlife crisis, she thought grimly and grinned lightly. Well, let's see your face when you tried my vodka, she thought. She made this vodka herself and she had already seen tough guys fail on her vodka. With this picture in her mind, she leaned against the wall, interestedly observing the couple.
"What are you doing here?" Jack didn't look up.
"I was worried!" she replied, playing at her glass.
He laughed. "I don't believe a single word you've just said!"
"I've heard that you might be in trouble because of... me!" she looked at him.
"That could be true in more than one way!" he murmured grimly and took another sip of water.
"What?"
"Nothing!" He met her eyes. "Are you aware that I'm being observed by the CIA? They suspect me of treason... or better, conspiring with you... which is pretty much the same thing actually."
"I know... thanks to Arvin Sloane, who you have to thank for it by the way!"
"Sloane?" Jack growled and she nodded.
"Yes... he set me up, too."
"And you're still working with him?"
"No, not anymore... although he most likely doesn't know it yet." She smiled at him and he smiled back lightly.
"Why are you here?"
"I already told you..." Suddenly she realized that the woman behind the bar was still looking at them. "Hey, lady, is something wrong?"
"No, why?"
"Then would you mind to stop staring at me?" Her voice was friendly but Jack could hear the threatening tone in her voice. The woman obviously didn't have that ability for she stepped closer to Irina.
"I was just wondering what a woman like you is doing here? You don't look as if places like this are the usual ones you hang out in."
"So, what do I look like?" Irina asked, an aggressive tone in her voice now. Jack sighed.
"Irina, let it go!"
"No, I want to know why this 'lady' thinks, I don't belong here!" she snapped and the manner in which she pronounced the word lady made clear that she thought of the woman as anything but a lady.
The woman laid her hands to the bar-table and lowered her face to that of Irina who was holding her eyes coldly.
"Lady, I bet you haven't ever seen vodka in your life before! And now you want a big glass."
"This is a bar, isn't it? And you're here to sell drinks... I bought one, so what's your problem?"
"My problem is missies like you, rushing in here like little princesses, only believe that they're better than the rest of the world because of a huge wardrobe and a big villa..."
Jack couldn't help but grin. The description would have fit any woman... except for Irina.
"Okay, let's have a little bet!" The woman challenged Irina. "I bet you will take one sip of the vodka and run to the woman's room to throw up!"
"Seems fair!" Irina replied dryly and smiled. "But if I win, you won't charge our drinks!"
"Fine by me!"
Jack, who had at first feared that the two women might start a fight observed the scene with a certain amount of amusement.
Irina lifted the glass without losing the eyes of the woman, then she downed the content in one drink without turning a hair. When she put the glass back down on the table she looked as if she had just consumed a glass of water.
"Would you mind to leave us alone now... please?" she asked firmly and the woman turned around, still unable to understand what she had just witnessed. "Back to us..." Irina looked at Jack whose eyes were sparkling with amusement. "What?"
"Amazing!" he just commented.
"What? That am here or that I arranged our drinks to be free?"
"Both! I will certainly never contest you in drinking."
"Jack..." her face got serious. "We need to talk... I am here because I need your help... kind of. I know that our past hasn't been the best and I don't expect you to forget everything that I've done to you and Sydney. But I need to know, Jack... do you still have feel..."
"Don't move!" he suddenly interrupted her with hissed words and Irina shot him a confused look.
"Why?"
"I knew Kendall would have me watched. Over at the door." He got up, grabbed his jacket and went towards the door as if nothing had happened. Without paying attention to the two men in tuxedos, which he had seen in Kendall's office once, he left the bar. Irina waited two minutes and followed him. She caught up with him at his car.
"Jack..."
"Irina, are you insane? They observing me and if they find you..."
"I know, I just need to know - Jack..." She looked into his eyes. "I have betrayed Sloane and Sark. I'll have to go into hiding, because they're surely going to kill me if they find me - and they're not the only ones..." she added humorously. "I just need to know, after everything that has happened between us during the last weeks... what did it mean to you?"
He looked at her stunned. "I don't know where you're going!" he finally managed to reply neutrally. "What should it mean?"
"Oh..." she looked at him, her eyes suddenly covered by a shadow. "Okay, then we're at the same point. I just wanted to make sure that neither of us has wrong expectations." She smiled, but to him it seemed as if her face was suddenly a mask.
Damned idiot, he thought, tell her that it meant something to you... tell her that you couldn't sleep the last days because of her...
No, he reminded himself. That would have just complicated everything. Okay,
maybe he wanted her, and yes, maybe he had troubles sleeping because of her, but that didn't have anything to do with feelings, especially not with love.
"FREEZE!"
Suddenly they seemed to be surrounded by agents. Irina saw the two men running out of the bar and on the other side of the parking lot, another agent appeared, all aiming their guns at them.
It didn't take Irina long to know what to do. She pulled out her own gun and grabbed Jack.
"You bastard, you set me up!" Her voice was filled with fury as she pressed the gun to his neck now. "Don't you dare move, or he's dead!" she ordered the agents, her eyes full of rage that convinced every single one of the man that she was determined to shoot if necessary.
"Irina, what are you doing?" Jack hissed. Her mouth was close to his ear.
"Shut up... I'm saving your ass here!"
"How exactly would that be?"
She pulled him with her towards a little alley. The agents looked at each other confused, obviously hesitating because they weren't sure what to do. As far as they knew, Jack and Irina were accomplices.
Irina grabbed for Jack's weapon. "Mind if I borrow that?"
"Would it make any difference if I said yes?"
She laughed slightly and kissed him on the neck then. "Since we'll never meet again... I'm sorry... for everything, but especially for what I'm going to do now! Maybe you won't forgive me, but I have to do it to prevent you from following me or even more foolish... trying to save me again!" He heard her taking a deep breath... was that a sob? "I never wanted it to end like that 21 years ago... in fact I'd do everything to change the past..."
With these words she pushed him away from her. "Don't you dare try that ever again, Jack Bristow! Did you think, you could fool me that easily?"
And then she shot him. He heard the typical sound of a firing gun, then he saw the blood on his shoulder... and the tears standing in her eyes. He had never seen her cry before.
Irina turned around and disappeared in the alley, not paying attention to Jack anymore, who fell to the ground, holding his shoulder. The pain was almost overwhelming him and it took all of his control to not let his conscious fade into darkness.
He saw the faces of the other agents over him, talking to him, but he could only guess what they were saying.
"Agent Bristow, don't move! The ambulance will be here in three minutes. Can you hear me?"
Despite all his efforts, the darkness finally surrounded him, haunted by just three words that repeated over and over again in his mind. She shot me...
"Dad?"
Jack felt as if he woke up after a long sleep... The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a white ceiling... almost too white for his eyes right now. Then he turned his head and found Sydney looking at him, her brown eyes wide in fear, her hand touching his cheek.
"Sydney..." he murmured and closed his eyes again.
"Dad, you're awake..." she answered and when he opened his eyes again he saw a single tear flowing over her cheek. "Oh god, I was so worried... when Kendall called me and told me that you were shot by Derevko... I feel so guilty for not having trusted you! Dad, why didn't you tell me that she had approached you to offer you to be your informant. We could have tried to arrest her together!"
"What?" he asked, unable to follow her words although he tried hardly to put together the meaning of her words.
"We've found the email. Oh Dad, you could have been tortured... why didn't you just tell them that you had a possibility to set Derevko up."
Jack looked at her and suddenly it dawned on him. Irina must have taken care of everything. It hit him like a rock. She had saved him by shooting him. Suddenly everything seemed to clear up. By playing that little scene in front of the bar she had made it look as if he, Jack Bristow, had betrayed her. She had planned everything to free him from the suspicion of having conspired with her. Of course she had known of the CIA agents who had observed him. That's why she had behaved so foolish and followed him to his car. And after getting away she must somehow have managed to hack into his mailbox and fake an email. She had risked her life to clear him of the charges of treason.
"Derevko approached me and her conditions were that she wanted to be granted anonymity like all of my other informants. I thought if I could gain her trust, I would be able to set her up and finally bring her back to prison. I guess it was a mistake to not tell Kendall or you about that plan, but I feared that she might guess that I was just trying to play her out. That's why I thought it best to follow her rules. I wanted to arrest her in a good moment when I had gained her trust. But unfortunately Kendall kind of messed that plan up."
Sydney smiled, her eyes still shimmering with tears. "Yeah, and he has one hell of a bad conscience."
"Did they at least get Derevko?" Jack asked and sat up. His shoulder was still hurting like hell, but it was bearable.
"No... she disappeared. We've been observing every airport, photos of her have been given to very single police station in the states, but there are no clues by now. I'm sure she has already managed to leave the country somehow."
"So I was shot for nothing!"
"Dad, I'm sorry I didn't trust you! I shouldn't have questioned your loyalty, especially concerning Mom. I mean... she could have killed you. And I didn't trust you!"
She laid her head to his chest and sobbed. He wrapped his arm around her and stared to the wall. He felt bad. He lied to Sydney. But she would never understand why he had helped and shielded Irina - he didn't understand it himself.
He remembered her last words, her promise that they would never meet again... and her tears. He knew he should be happy about never meeting her again - that she had finally left his and Sydney's life.
But it felt even worse than 21 years ago when he had thought that she was dead. Why haven't I told her the truth, he suddenly thought, why haven't I told her that it meant something to me - that she means something to me?