Part 7 - Cold War
"Everything is onboard, we're ready to start!"
Omar entered the bridge and laid the sheet of paper on the table.
"We should have enough water for one week now... provided that you don't take three showers a day!"
She shot him a warning look and got up from her chair. "What are you waiting for? Let's get started!"
Omar sighed and turned to his instruments. Irina's mood wasn't the best since they had returned to the yacht and he blamed that on Jack Bristow.
It was a puzzle to him how a man could be courageous enough to piss Irina off like Jack did, and even worse, enjoy doing so - on the other hand he didn't seem to be endangered by Irina.
He had seen her kill a man once because he had - as he had said accidentally - grabbed her ass. It had only taken her seconds and she hadn't even had a weapon. Since then he was careful to not outrage her more than absolutely necessary, although he knew, she would never harm a friend - but this was Irina Derevko, you could never be sure.
He started the machine, it spluttered lightly, then went back into silence. Omar looked at his instruments and tipped at one of the displays, then he gave a new try on starting the machine. This time it didn't even give a slight splutter.
"What's up?" Irina looked up from the list of supplies she was viewing and Omar turned around, shooting her an unsure look.
"I'm not really sure!"
"What do you mean, you're not sure?" she got up and he lifted his hands.
"Calm down, I'm sure it's just a slight defect."
He grabbed a box with tools and left the bridge, Irina following him.
"DIMITRJII!" he barked and Irina didn't doubt that the whole island could hear his words.
"Yes..." The old man stepped out of the door to the gas tank. His face was black from oil and he shot Omar an confused look. "I'm not deaf.. no nee to yell, man. What's up?"
"What's with the machines?"
"The machines?" The old man looked at him, then at Irina and he had obviously no clue what they were talking about.
"Yes, the machines!" Omar repeated annoyed. "Why are they dead?"
"The machines are okay, I checked them this afternoon!" Dimitrjii contradicted.
"Well, they don't start now! I want you to clear that up in thirty minutes. As you should recall, we don't have an unlimited amount of time!" Omar handed the box with the tools to him and Dimitrjii took it sighing.
"Are you sure you opened the gas pump?" he asked and Omar glanced at him as if he was ready to kill him. Dimitjii lifted his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! Don't worry. I'm sure it's just a slight mistake! As I said, they worked perfectly three hours ago." The old man opened the hatch to the machine room and climbed down the ladder into the darkness, Irina and Omar following him. When they had arrived at the ground, Dimitrjii stood still for a short time.
"That's weird..."
"What?" Irina asked and Dimitrjii knocked with his screwdriver against one of the small pipes next to him. The metallic sound echoed in the large room.
"Listen..."
"I don't hear anything!" Omar answered impatiently and Dimitrjii shot him a short glance.
"Exactly! It seems all dead!" He got to his knees and looked at one of the displays. "There is no pressure in the system."
"Dimitjii..." Omar's voice was threatening now. "What does that mean in time? How long until you have this thing working again?"
"In hours?"
Irina moaned. "Hours?" she repeated in disbelief.
"Well, actually two days... at the least! To find the error I'll have to check the whole machine system and as you can see it's huge. And then I have to repair it... how long that's going to take depends on what caused the breakdown."
"With other words we're stuck here for at least two days!" Irina asked and Dimitjii shot her a sympathetic look.
"I'm afraid so, yes!"
She slammed her hand against one of the metallic containers and looked furiously at Omar.
"Dammit! Did I mention that we're on a schedule? Not to think of the fact that a high member of the Covenant and most likely the whole CIA are following us and are just waiting for the chance to catch up with us! I thought this boat was the absolute best we could get and would certainly not break!" she repeated the words, Katya had used in their conversation. "Well, thanks to your f*cking boat we will either be caught or shot... which for me will both end with death!"
She turned and climbed up the ladder to leave the room. Omar shot one last glance at Dimitrjii.
"I expect you to do the best you can!" he hissed and Dimitjii nodded, then Omar hurried to follow Irina and calm her down. He found her at the rail on the main Deck, staring at the dark ocean.
"Irina, I'm sorry! I don't know how this could happen!"
"It's not even about me!" she hissed and looked at him. "But if they find Yuki in my company... the CIA won't hesitate to arrest and torture children if suspected of collaboration with a wanted terrorist. You know that... better than anyone else!"
He lowered his eyes as she painfully reminded him of his son.
She turned her attention back to the calm water. "If the machine isn't working again when the sun rises, Jack and I will leave the ship. We'll try to find a way to get to Spain, maybe one of the other tourists can take us. I expect you to carry out the mission as planned. Take Yuki to Japan..."
"I will..." he nodded and Irina turned to face him.
"I count on you to protect her with your life... but I doubt that it will be necessary. Without any sign of me or Jack they won't be able to make any connection from her to us." She set herself in motion and was about to leave the ship.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know..." she replied, still lost in thought about what was the best thing to do. "I just need to get away and free my mind."
She almost fled the ship and didn't notice the eyes that were following her. Yuki had been about to enter the main deck when she had heard Irina's words, but thought it better not to show up.
As she heard her leaving the ship now she went the last steps up and looked after the woman.
Damned, this hadn't been her plan. She needed all the time she could get and now they were very close to continuing there way alone and leaving her, Yuki, here! She had to find a way to prevent that.
Yuki ran to the open hatch that led into the machine room and looked down. In a pale orange light she could see Dimitrjii working at the machine.
"Hi!" she waved at him and he smiled when he saw her happy face.
"Hi little one! Watch your step at the ladder!" he reminded her when she climbed down to him.
"What is wrong with the machine?"
"If I just knew! I've checked it and it was all fine... now it seems all broken! It must have been overloaded somehow, but I just don't know how."
"Is it true that we won't be able to start until tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?" he laughed out loud and turned to her. "Hand me that hammer, would you?" She handed the requested tool to him and he crawled under one of the pipes. "There is absolutely no change to get this baby working until tomorrow! Maybe tomorrow evening... maybe!" he moaned while trying hardly to loosen a screw that was all rusty.
Yuki looked around. She had to do something. She must not let Irina and Jack get away without her accompanying them.
"Okay, I'll help you! Maybe we can get this done by tomorrow morning!" she announced and Dimitrjii laughed at her.
"No way... but you can help me! Get me the torch and my measuring instruments from the storage room!"
"Okay!" she jumped up and he watched her climbing up the ladder like a little monkey. He shook his head smiling. Irina was right in protecting this girl. She deserved better than a live like this in hiding...
Yuki hopped over the deck and ran down the stairs, taking two at once. She was just about to push the door to the storage room open when she heard a voice. At first she thought it was Jack, but then, as she went closer she was sure that is was definitely not Jack.
Not making any noise, she pressed her head to the wooden door of the private room of Jamis.
"No, Sir, everything went as planned."
She pressed herself closer as the voice went lower.
"It will take them some time to figure out what's broken! Two days, I'd say, plus the time they need to repair it. No way they can get away from here until you arrive!"
Yuki gasped for air, pressing her hands to her mouth to prevent herself from crying out in surprise. Jamis, of course - she had known that there was something wrong with him since she had seen him the first time. His eyes had been false and he had never looked into her eyes while talking.
"Thank you... When will you be here?" Jamis continued, then a short silence followed. "Tonight already? How am I supposed to go on... shall I use the poison for the little brat? ...Yes... I see... Yeah, she could be useful. Derevko might be a little more willing to cooperate. She seems to really love her. What about Bristow? Do we need him?"
The voices got too low for her to understand anything. Her mind was working feverishly - what was she supposed to do?
"Sir, it took you over a year to come that far. I'm sure, there is no way you will fail tonight!"
When she heard steps coming closer to the door, Yuki dashed away, bursting into the next room she could find. When she closed the door behind her, leaning breathlessly against it, she looked directly at Jack's confused face - of course, this was his room.
"Yuki... what's up?" he asked, getting up from his chair.
The girl gasped for air, buying herself time to come up with an answer, that sounded at least a little believable.
"It's Irina..." she finally managed to say.
"What about her?"
"She wants to meet you... now!"
"Really?" Jack grabbed her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You look pale! Are you alright?"
"I've been hurrying because it's urgent! I am to tell you to meet her immediately at the bar down at the beach!"
"At the bar!" Jack repeated, not really believing the girl's words. "Did she tell you why?"
"No! But she told me, that if she needed to come to get you, she would break your arm... and maybe more than that!"
Well, that sounded like Irina, Jack mused and for a moment he seriously considered to piss her of, but discarded that thought immediately. They were on a mission with the purpose to find Sydney after all, and the more he outraged her, the less they would be able to work together.
"Okay..." he nodded. "I'll be there in a few minutes!"
Yuki looked at him, but there was no sign in his face that he was giving her the answer she wanted, just to get rid of her and so she left his room, strolling along the corridor as if nothing had happened. When she reached the main deck again, she started to run. She had to prepare everything, and there wasn't much time left...
~*~*~*~
Irina had indeed gone to the bar. The lively music and laughter of the people had drawn her here. She needed a little distraction and the happy people around her gave her at least the illusion of living a normal live - if only for a few moments.
Some natives played on drums, creating the atmosphere of a Caribbean night as it could be seen in every Travel-TV Show - obviously a show for the tourists, but nonetheless very beautiful. It delighted her and helped her to free her mind from unwanted thoughts and fears.
Irina looked down at her glass of water. Why did her life have to be so complicated? Why couldn't she just be like one of those women on the small wooden dance-floor, who enjoyed their second honeymoon with their husband on this beautiful island. Instead she was always on the run...
Suddenly she felt somebody's eyes on her and turned around. Jack smiled lightly and went towards her. Irina sighed and turned back to her glass of water.
"Are you following me?" she asked irritated and took a mouthful of water.
"Excuse me?" he shot her a confused look and ordered a water himself. "As far as I can recollect you asked me to come here!"
She looked at him, her eyes reflecting anger now. "Definitely not! Are you out of your mind, Bristow?" she snapped and wanted to leave, but Jack held her hand.
"What kind of game is this? Did you ask for me just to turn me down?"
"I DID NOT ask for your company!" she replied slowly, emphasizing every word, and it was impossible to miss the threatening fury in her voice.
"But Yuki told me you wanted to meet me in the bar at the beach... here I am!"
"Yuki told you..." she started at him in disbelief, then she shook his hand of hers. "That little brat, remind me to have a conversation with her when I see her! "
Irina left the wooden pavilion, crossed the dance-floor and made her way down to the water. She had no idea how Yuki had known where she was going, and actually it didn't really matter at the moment.
Jack paid for their drinks and followed her, catching up with her about fifty meters away from the dancing couples.
"Wait, what is up with you?" he asked and she turned to face him, her arms wrapped around her waist.
"The engine of the yacht is broken, Jack! We're stuck here and I have no idea how to get away before the CIA or Conzales arrive. We had an advantage as long as we kept moving, but now..."
"I see..."
"No you don't!" she interrupted him, harsher than she had intended to. "If the CIA arrives, they will take Yuki into custody as well! I don't care about what happens to me, but she is innocent! I don't want her to become a victim in all this."
He followed her eyes to the horizon. "They will see that she was innocent! The CIA would never harm a child. They will most likely take her to a safehouse... that's it!"
Irina laughed bitterly and went on. "There are obviously a few things you don't know about the people you work for!"
"What are you implying? That they might torture her?" He shook his head. "No way. She's still a child and there is no indication that she worked with you..."
"She was with me, Jack!" Irina stepped closer to him. "I know you won't believe me but I have seen them treating suspects... even children!" She lowered her eyes. "It was about twelve years ago. I was on a mission with Omar, we retrieved something he wanted to have. I helped him, because he had helped me before. Just a favor I paid back. It was supposed to be a pretty easy mission, but something went wrong... the CIA was able to follow us, we were set up by one of Omar's informants who turned out to be an undercover agent."
She didn't look at him and turned away as she felt her eyes burning with tears. Her view became blurred when she looked at the dark horizon.
"We didn't even realize they were following us until we entered Omar's house and found them already waiting for us. Ali was only a child, he was seven years old and didn't know anything. He was Omar's son... and therefore for them he was as guilty as Omar himself. They tortured him to make him talk about his fathers plans, and as he couldn't say anything they tortured him to blackmail us. I may have done the same things, Jack, torturing people to get information, but I never harmed a child! Never a helpless creature who didn't even understand what was going on. His son died during that torture. We had told them everything we knew, but they just kept asking and asking questions - questions we didn't knew an answer for, but they didn't believe us. They raped two of his women and would have killed all of us, if Katya hadn't gotten us out! The agents were all killed by Katya and her team and I swear to god, they deserved it, although they were honored like heroes by your government!"
Her eyes met his again, rage filling her expression now.
"They were CIA agents, Jack! Partly high-ranking officers! So don't you dare tell me, the CIA wouldn't hurt Yuki!"
Jack had listened to her story and didn't know what to say. He could only guess which operation she had been talking about - Operation 'Desert Sand'. The operation was officially reported as a failure, all agents killed in a cruel assassination. He had read the reports, but there had been no clue in the files that would have proved anything that she had just said.
"I can't believe that!" he finally murmured. "I knew about the operation, I've read the files on it and went through the profiles of the killed agents. There was nothing that would approve your accusations. They were all exemplary and very successful agents."
"Of course!" Her eyes sparkled with fury and - he caught his breath - deep hurt. "No government likes to admit that their agents have raped women and even killed a child! It's easy to hush up the facts in a classified operation. No one will ever ask questions, and no one ever did."
"Why didn't you say anything? You were a witness, as well as Omar. It was a crime, they could have been..."
Her sharp laughter cut him off. "Because things like that happen, Jack! It's just the way people of your country treat people from 'poor countries'. I could spend a lifetime on accusing agents like them, it would do nothing, because someone would always back up for them or hush up the facts, and in the end the victims become the bad guys! Either you're able to defend yourself against acts like that, or you suffer. That's how the world works and there's nothing any legal action could do about it."
She turned to go away but he held her softly. The pain in her eyes was just too real... it made him be sure that she didn't came up with the story. During her last words, a question had come up in his mind... he needed to ask her, although she would probably refuse to answer.
"Irina..." His voice was soft. "Have you been... did they... do anything to you?"
"You mean, did they rape me?" she corrected his sentence softly and shook her head. "No... I was quite capable of defending myself and prevent them from doing so... unfortunately the other women were not." She added bitterly.
"Was that why you refused to talk to any agents when you turned yourself in?"
"No. You were right, I didn't trust them, but my walk-in was not about trust. I had an agenda, you know that. Refusing to talk to anyone except for you and Sydney was the only possible way to... " She caught her breath, obviously weighing her next words. "...to see you again."
Her voice was low and she didn't turn around, feeling his body at her back. "I knew you would never agree to talk to me, if not absolutely necessary, so I made it necessary. But actually it was useless for my agenda. I could have pulled it through without you or Sydney being involved."
"So then why didn't you? You betrayed us again by involving us!" Jack noted dryly. "It broke Sydney's heart to find out that you've lied to us the whole time!"
"I did never betray you or Sydney! I betrayed the CIA... there's a difference! Everything personal between us was true... unfortunately you and Sydney have difficulties distinguishing between things that involve the CIA and things that don't! You're just too much into your work. You live for your work!"
"Is that an accusation?" he asked amused, holding her closer. For the first time he didn't see a terrorist and murderer, but a woman who had been hurt.
"No, that was an observation!"
He turned her around, softly stroking a strand of hair our of her face. He loved her eyes... he could drown in them, especially in moments like this, when there was no hate or lies between them and they could just talk like normal people - well, 'spy-normal' he corrected silently.
She laid her hand to his which was resting at her cheek now, softly entwining their fingers. Her eyes were still connected with his and she stepped almost invisibly closer to him.
He lowered his lips slowly to hers, his eyes never leaving hers. He wanted to kiss her and this time not because of desire or the fact that he wanted her. For the first time in twenty years he wanted to kiss her because of love. He wanted to comfort her and make her forget about their past - about her past.
Their lips were just about to touch when an ear-splitting crash could be heard all over the beach. They separated immediately and spun around to see flames of fire bursting out of a ship - their ship!
Irina cried out the worst Russian curses that existed and stared in total disbelief at the burning yacht. Then she finally set herself in motion and started to run towards the landing stage, followed by Jack. The flames had already extended over almost the whole ship. It was impossible to rescue anything, and yet they had to try.
Before she and Jack had reached the pavilion, Yuki jumped out of the bushes. She pulled them behind some palms.
"You can't go back there!"
"Yuki!" Irina grabbed the girl by the shoulders. "Oh god, I thought your were still on that ship!" She hugged the girl hard and pulled back after a short while. "Yuki, what happened?"
"They're waiting for you!"
"Who?" Jack interrupted and Yuki turned her attention to him.
"Two men! When you had left the ship, I could overhear a conversation between Jamis and another men he had on the phone. They were planning to set you up, Irina... and they wanted to use me to make you cooperate with them."
"Yuki, what about Omar and Dimitrjii!" Irina's voice was louder than normal and she didn't even bother to try to control her emotions.
"Don't worry, they are safe! I warned them. They left the ship right in time." She walked away a few feet and pulled back some leafs. "Here is your stuff! We have to leave! They will soon search the island for you if you don't return!" Yuki threw the bag to Jack and disappeared between the palms. Jack looked at Irina, who was sitting on her knees in the sand, staring at the burning yacht. Some people were already running towards it and trying to extinguish the wild flames with water, which they brought in buckets, and save at least the last intact remains of it.
"Come one, we have to leave..." he finally decided and grabbed her arm. When she didn't react, he pulled her up and dragged her behind him, following the path Yuki had chosen before. They had soon caught up with the girl.
"Yuki, where are we going?"
"There is a big harbor on the other side of the island. A passenger ship is lying there. I managed to get three tickets for us."
"How?" Irina asked absently, not really interested in the answer. Her mind was still at the ship. Her plan, everything was ruined. They hadn't even had time to cover their tracks.
"I'm pretty good at poker!" Yuki said, not willing to give any more details and Jack chuckled, when the girl continued. "The ship leaves tomorrow at 9 am. We should have crossed the island by then. And if you feel bored, you could come up with aliases! I understand you're more experienced in things like that than I do!"
Jack didn't answer but looked at Irina who hadn't said a word the whole time.
"You okay?" he asked softly, when Yuki was ten yards ahead of them. Irina shot him one of her looks.
"Am I okay? That's the most stupid question of all time, Bristow!"
"Obviously you are!" he commented dryly at her mood and she shot him a murderous look.
"Look, some guys have just blown up my ship and ruined all of my plans. I don't like things like that..."
"You're pissed... understandable!" he nodded and she laughed bitterly.
"I'm more than that! I want to find out whom I have to thank for this action in order to send my best greetings!"
For one second he was really glad that he was not the one she was angry at, because that person would most likely soon curse the day he was born. Then he noticed something else.
"I thought it wasn't your ship, but you had just borrowed it!"
"I told you 'kind of borrowed'!" she replied shortly. He accepted her unwillingness to talk and kept silent himself. They had to come up with a Plan B as soon as possible. But first of all they had to reach the ship on time.
~*~*~*~
"Welcome onboard our wonderful ship!" The steward bowed slightly. "May I have your names please?" he asked with a short glimpse at their tickets.
"Katherine and John Miles. This is our daughter Nina!"
"Welcome! May I see your passports, please?"
Jack handed the young man a sheet of paper, his arm never leaving Irina's waist. The man read it shortly, then he looked up.
"I'm sorry for your loss. It's a shame that so many tourists fall victim to thieves. We have a consultant onboard. He may be able to take care of the problem and call the ambassador in Melbourne to make sure, that you will receive temporary passports in the US embassy."
"Thank you!" Jack smiled dryly and took the sheet of paper back from the steward.
"Apartment 47 A, down the main corridor and up the stairs, floor 2 C is yours." He gave them a last smile and Jack, Irina and Yuki followed his direction.
"I thought my heart would stop when he asked for our passports!" Irina whispered when they were out of reach. "I hadn't thought of that problem!"
"Well, I did!" he whispered back. "It was quite likely that he wanted to see them, since we're on a ship that crosses international borders! You're being careless not thinking of the possibilities! One mistake could ruin everything... or cost our lives!" he lectured, but she didn't react to his comments.
"What did you give to him?"
"A letter from the local chief of police, confirming that all our property was stolen from our hotel room. It's practical if the tourist information is the police station at the same time." Jack replied.
"You're priceless!" she whispered back, pecking him slightly on the cheek.
"What was that for?"
"For saving me - us from being discovered... which would have happened if we hadn't had a passport!" she replied and he grinned.
"Your life is worth more than a small kiss on the cheek... how about..." he teased, but she didn't let him finish the sentence.
"Shut up, Jack, before you start a fight again!" she warned and he laughed. They had reached their apartment and Irina opened it with the small key, they had been given by the steward.
Yuki, Jack and Irina entered it and closed the door behind them. It was a worthy replacement to the rooms in their yacht, maybe even more luxurious.
They had three rooms to themselves. One small one with a bed, which was meant for a child, a large living loom and another bedroom - with one huge bed - meant for the lucky couple.
"I'll take the small room, you and Yuki can take the big one!" Jack offered generously, but Yuki crossed their plans.
"No way! I take this one! A room all for myself, I love it!" She hopped into the room and Jack and Irina looked at each other.
"I don't mind!" Irina sighed. "If she wants the room, she can have it. I think we can get along with each other... and if not, you'll have to sleep on the couch!" She announced and entered their sleeping room.
They put the small bag on the bed and Irina opened the curtains to look out of the small window. She saw the busy harbor right under them.
She just wanted to turn around and unpack the few things they had brought when her eyes were caught by a person who was standing down there, looking around and obviously searching for something - or someone. She gasped for air and pulled the curtains shut abruptly, when the person looked up into their direction.
"What's up?" Jack asked and lay down on the soft bed.
"Sloane!" Irina breathed and slammed her first against the wall. "That son of a b*tch is here - and most likely responsible for our situation!"
"What?" Jack sat up and looked at her in disbelief. "You must be mistaken! Sloane is running a company in Switzerland. He's a humanitarian and been granted immunity by the US government. Many things have changed in nineteen months."
"Well, however, he's standing down there... obviously looking for someone - I assume us! And he's with two guys who don't look as if they are here to help people!" she replied ironically, having a look through the curtains.
"But how did he..."
"Conzales." Irina cursed and didn't even let him finish his question. "That is exactly his way of revenge. He sends someone after you... and he knew that Sloane was after me."
"He was after you? I thought you were allies... and he betrayed you, not the other way around!" Jack had gotten up and peeped through a small chink down at the figure. It was indeed Arvin Sloane, standing there in a beige tuxedo and looking like a tourist. Two men in black tuxedo stood next to him, obviously reporting to him.
"You know me, Jack... I don't like being played, and I don't like people who make decisions for me!"
Jack sighed. "You took revenge!"
"Of course, you idiot! Or how else did you think, Sark went into your custody?" she snapped and Jack chuckled.
"It was you? Well, that was a great job. We always thought he had pissed off Arvin - we all know loyalty isn't one of his strengths."
"Actually I had planned to play Arvin Sloane himself. I had collected everything, letters, files... even footage that could prove that Arvin was up to more with Rambaldi. But the whole thing went a little wrong. I hadn't expected Arvin to be more paranoid than I am... well, I underestimated him. All I could get was Sark... so I handed him over to the CIA, because I knew, that was the only way to get him out of my way. Then I went into hiding, because Arvin was, of course, mad as hell and swore to kill me." She explained and he shook is head in stunned amazement.
"It's astounding. You seem to have a natural talent for making people want to kill you!"
"It's my second nature!" she replied neutrally and looked out of the window again. "The ship is already moving! There is no way he can catch up with us now!"
Jack went back to the bed. "We should get some rest. We haven't slept the whole night and need to recover from the long walk."
When she heard his words she became aware of how tired and weary she was. She supressed a yawn and pulled off her jeans. Without caring, she kicked them aside and crawled under the sheets. Jack watched her amused and she shot him a warning glance.
"Stick to your side if you don't want to start the next Cold War, agent Bristow!" she warned and he laughed.
"I wouldn't dare to risk..."
She turned her face and looked at him for a long time. He smiled slightly.
"I'm glad I have you here with me." He finally said and she returned his smile.
"Why?"
"Because you're the best asset one could ever find to work with!"
"Oh..." she replied, turning away from him. What had she hoped for? That he told her that he liked to be with her? Her mind drifted away over this thought and only a few minutes later both of them were sleeping soundly.
When Irina awoke about six hours later, she found herself softly entangled in Jack's arms... but obviously he wasn't the one to blame. She was lying on his side of the bed.
Carefully she freed herself from him and got up. She opened the bag and growled. Yuki had packed everything, except for clothes.
"Great!" she murmured. They would have to buy new clothes in the boutique of the ship. But first of all she had to find a phone. She had to call Katya and confess what had happened. Besides they needed help. The ship would land in Melbourne and they would need valid passports to go on from there. All that had to be arranged for.
She pulled on her jeans and cursed herself when she stumbled by doing so, falling onto the bed.
"Irina?" Jack sat up, still sleepy, looking at her through half closed eyes.
"Shh, go back to sleep!"
"What are you doing?"
"I'm getting us new clothes. I'll be back in an hour!" she whispered back and tied her hair together at her back. He was too tired to contradict and was almost asleep again before she had even left.
Irina peeped into Yuki's room and found the girl sleeping on her bed. She stole out of the room and pulled the door close behind her. Then she checked her money and counted. Not as much as she had thought, but it would be enough until they arrived in Melbourne.
"Excuse me!" she asked a steward who came along the corridor. "I need to make an international phone call..."
"Down in the shopping mall. There's a shop where you can make phone calls and access the internet. You can get there by taking the elevator."
"Thank you!" she replied courteously and headed to the elevator.
About five minutes later she entered the small shop. She went to the counter and looked at the young woman.
"I need to make an international phone call!"
"Yes, Cabin No. 3 is free! What's your Room Number?" she asked and looked at Irina.
"I'd like to pay in cash!" she replied and caught a confused glimpse of the woman.
"As you wish, Ma'am!" She handed a card to Irina. "Insert this card and your fees will be counted."
"Thank you!" Irina entered the cabin and closed the door behind her. Then she inserted the card into the telephone and dialed the number of a cell phone. She let it ring two times and hang up the phone. It didn't take twenty seconds until the phone rang.
Irina hurried to pick it up.
"Yes?" she asked and heard the familiar voice of her sister on the other end.
"Iri, where are you?"
"I'm on a ship!" Irina replied. "Listen, our yacht has been..."
"I know! Omar already called me!" When she heard her sisters words, Irina exhaled relieved. Omar was safe. "He confessed what happened and I had him executed."
"Katya!" Irina exclaimed shocked, louder than she had wanted to and heard her sister laugh.
"Don't worry! I had a conversation with him. I had told him not to hire a man without having him approved by me. He hired Jamis without notifying me... that could have almost cost your life! Any idea who Jamis was working for?"
"Arvin Sloane obviously!"
"That lousy prick! Where is he?"
"He's hopefully still searching for us in Panoubla. Listen, Kat, we need passports and money in Melbourne in order to get to Japan."
"Already arranged. I knew you would need them, I just didn't know where to deliver them. I have a contact in Melbourne. His name is Marcel!" Katya gave her the details of how and where to find Marcel and switched to a different topic. "Another thing, little sister. Omar told me, Bristow is with you!"
"Kind of, yeah!" Irina replied evasively.
"Irina, be careful! This man is CIA... no matter whether you're still married or not. Have fun with him, do whatever you want, but please don't get emotionally attached to him! If the time comes for him to decide between his country and you, he'll choose his country."
Too late. I got emotionally attached thirty years ago, Irina thought to herself and let out a sigh. "I am not emotionally attached to him!" she answered and wondered who she was trying to convince in saying so - Katya or herself.
She was far beyond 'emotionally attached', but she knew, that her sister was right. No matter what had been between Jack and her... or what would be, if given the choice, he would never stay with her. Her life was just like their situation right now - she lived in hiding, moving from place to place, her way paved with death and danger.
In a way his life was similar, but his actions were approved by his government. He would never be able to give this life up. In a paradox, he was still someone who needed structure and safety in at least the basics of his life - a life with her would offer him none.
"Iri, you still there?"
"Yes... yes, I'm here!" Irina murmured. "About the money, could you,... um..., transfer twenty thousand US Dollars to my personal account?"
She felt it hard to focus on what was important now, when the reality of the chances of her relationship with Jack Bristow dawned on her.
"I'll arrange for it."
"I... I have to cut you off now. We've lost everything on the ship and I need to buy some things." Irina ended. "Thanks for everything!"
"Never mind..."
"See you soon!" Irina wanted to hang up, when the voice of her sister held her back once more.
"Irina!"
"Yeah?"
"Be careful and stay safe..."
"You too!" She finally hang up the phone and leaned her head against the thin wall of the cabin. Katya was definitely right about everything she had said about Jack. It was wrong to fall in love with Jack and that was not even because of some rules. It was wrong because there were too many differences, too many misunderstandings and too much past between them - not to mention a government.
And yet, she thought to herself, I can't do anything about it.
If it was wrong to love him, why did her heart tell her the opposite?
~*~*~*~
"Here..."
Jack reacted quickly and caught the bag Irina threw at him.
"What's that?"
"Clothes..." she replied dryly and handed another bag to Yuki.
"I thought it might draw unwanted attention if we kept wearing the same clothing the whole time on this ship." She explained ironically and Jack shot her one of his looks.
"What's up with you?"
"Nothing!"
"Nothing in common or Irina meaning?" he asked and his eyes blinked.
"What?" she asked stunned and he didn't even care to look up while answering her question.
"Common-nothing is nothing. Irina-nothing is something like 'I've got my problems, but they're none of your business so don't you dare poke your nose in'!" he explained and checked if there were any heavy things within her reach she could throw.
Yuki started to giggle at Jack's explanation and caught Irina's attention. "Go change!" she ordered and turned to Jack. "And you go to hell! I'm damned hungry and I don't want to miss dinner! You can join us or not, I don't care!" she stated dryly, but Jack could clearly hear the aggression from her voice.
"Aren't you going to change?" he asked with a look at the clothes she still wore, her dirty jeans and the white - correct that - gray blouse.
"I'm about to!" she snapped back and he sighed. Cold War after all, he thought to himself. Obviously it was inevitable for them to fight.
When Irina entered Yuki's room about thirty minutes later, she wore the white dress she had bought. It had been the only dress in the store that came close to what she had looked for. Actually she had wanted a simple dress with the only purpose to not draw attention to her at the luxurious evening dinners. The woman in the shop had instead showered her with extravagant dresses and accessories, until she had finally came up with this dress. Irina had decided to buy it since it was obviously the only dress on this whole ship that came close to 'casual evening wear'.
It fitted her and outlined the shape of her slender body in the most elegant manner. Yuki was standing in front of the mirror, doing her hairs, but when she caught a glimpse at the reflection of Irina, she turned around, her mouth falling open.
"Wow!" she murmured, then she started to grin. "Are you trying to seduce him?"
"Am I trying to do what?" Irina asked. "You read too many of those girl magazines! I'm just wearing the appropriate dress for a happy married wife... which I'm playing here. You're hopefully not going to wear these dirty jeans, are you?"
"You know, you do really sound like my Mom!" Yuki replied slightly annoyed. "And just so you know, I'm pretty sure you want to seduce him!"
"Would you please stop? This is a normal dress!"
"That might be, but it looks incredibly hot on you!"
"I can't believe I'm told that by a fourteen year old girl!" Irina murmured and Yuki laughed.
"And I can tell you, wearing this dress you might really succeed!"
"Succeed in what?" Jack's voice suddenly asked from the door and Irina spun around in shock. She noticed the look in his eyes when he examined her with delight.
"In..." Yuki started, but Irina interrupted her hastily.
"In convincing the people that we're a family."
Jack frowned his forehead and looked from her to Yuki and back at her.
"However," he finally said. "are you ready to go?"
"I am!" Yuki turned around, her hair finally tied together in two pigtails.
Irina decided that every comment on her dirty jeans was a waste of time... she wouldn't change anyway, and so she went to the door.
"Then lets go!"
Jack offered her his arm. He wore a black suit and she had to admit that he looked incredibly sexy. "Mrs. Miles..." he said with the hint of a smile and she linked her arm gracefully with his.
"Don't you dare get wrong ideas!" she hissed and he shook his head.
"Always have to keep up our good old hostility, don't we?"
She avoided his eyes. She was too afraid that he might be able to look through her and see what was behind her. In fact she was afraid. Playing the happy family with him was more than her nerves could bear. She had absolutely no problems with playing the role of the devoted wife, but not if Jack Bristow was her husband. Emotionally uninvolved, she reminded herself, just try to lock your emotions behind a door as you have learned to do.
It annoyed her that he was obviously completely emotionally uninvolved - another fact that proved that he didn't have the slightest feeling for her apart from physical need.
She couldn't have been more wrong. It took him all of his mental control to keep his face neutral and treat her as if they had been married for quite some time when all he wanted to do was devour her with his eyes... his lips.
They made their way to the huge dining hall in silence. When they entered it, Yuki caught her breath and looked around in amazement. The dining hall was divided into three floors, the upper two floors were built like balconies from which you could look down to the ground floor with its bar and the dancing stage. Yuki leaned over the balustrade to catch a glimpse of all of the happenings in the lower two floors.
"Yu... Nina?" Irina turned around and saw the girl at the balustrade. "Nina, honey! Be careful... James, would you say something, please?" she shot Jack one of her looks and he grinned.
"John, darling. My name is John!"
"Oh, I'm sorry! Must have mixed that up with one of my affairs!" she replied coldly, which caused him to chuckle as one of the waiters passed by, shooting them a slightly shocked look when hearing Irina's words.
"You're ruining our cover!" he hissed, still smiling and she didn't even bother to look at him.
"I'm just trying to play the married woman in a convincing way!"
"How nice, so you think that every woman who is married as long as we pretend to be, has dozens of affairs?"
"No, not every woman... but I do." she replied. "You know, if a wife is faithful and loves her husband, but he accuses her of having affairs without believing her when she says that she hasn't ever had an affair, there comes a time when she gets annoyed and thinks 'well, if he accuses me anyway, why not at least have the fun'... NINA!"
"You're always going to reproach me for that, aren't you?" he asked slightly annoyed and she shot him a kind look.
"Honey, I'm not reproaching you for anything! I'm just fulfilling your... expectations concerning my behavior!" she replied friendly, but when he looked into her eyes he could see that they blinked with everything else than kindness. He groaned frustrated and turned to look at Yuki.
"Nina, would you mind to join us at dinner?" he asked irritated and the girl finally jumped towards them, almost causing a waiter with glasses on his tablet to stumble. Irina and Jack caught their breath and sighed relieved when the man could catch his balance without losing any of the glasses from his tablet.
"Okay, listen!" Irina grabbed the girl's hand, her voice reflecting her anger when she dragged Yuki with her now. "Did I mention that we don't have an unlimited amount of money at the moment? I don't want to waste any to pay for some glasses that got broken because of you, understood?"
Yuki shot her a confusing look, then looked at Jack.
"Although your ...mother could have chosen her tone differently, she has a point!" Jack said and caught Irina's warning glance. Yuki grinned when she realized, that he was obviously mocking Irina.
They sat down on a free table, Yuki hastily occupying one chair so that Jack and Irina couldn't do otherwise but sit next to each other.
Almost immediately a waiter came to them.
"Good evening. What do you wish to drink?"
"Vodka."
"A bottle of white wine!"
Jack and Irina said at the same time, then looking at each other. Jack shook his head.
"Katherine darling, you can't drink vodka now..."
"Why not? I'm not telling you to not drink wine either!"
Jack smiled at the waiter. "A bottle of wine, two glasses, please!"
"Correct that!" Irina interrupted. "I'd love to have a glass of vodka!"
Jack and Irina started a heavy discussion now, followed by Yuki with confusion and amusement. The poor waiter had obviously no idea how to react and stood helplessly in front of the table, following the heavy dispute with uneasiness until Yuki finally turned to him.
"For me an orange juice, please... it seems that it might take some time until my parents have decided, so could you already bring me the juice, please?" she asked smiling and the waiter bowed and went away, glad that he had a reason to leave the table.
"Stubborn!" Jack murmured finally, tired of the discussion which obviously didn't lead anywhere. Irina gave a slight scoff.
"I just don't like if other people claim the right to make my decisions!"
"Fine!" Jack turned away from her and Irina nodded.
"Fine!" she said as well and turned, her face showing confusion when the waiter was gone.
"I... um... told him to bring me an orange juice, since he felt obviously uneasy observing your little... discussion! Honestly, Parents, this is pathetic! And you're telling me to behave?" Yuki shook her head and Jack shot her a warning look.
"Careful with what you're saying, daughter!" he growled but Irina sighed regretful.
"She's right, Jack! If we keep behaving like this, we'll ruin everything!"
"This is not my fault!" he snapped back coldly and she moaned frustrated.
"No! No, of course it's not... everything is my fault - as it has always been!" she replied with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"There we go again!" Yuki interrupted, seeing another fight coming up. "You do really act like a couple that's been married for about twenty years... and about to divorce now!" she added. "But keep going! I didn't mean to interrupt you!" She smiled at the waiter who returned with her orange juice now. "Thanks!"
"Have you decided?" The man asked with an uncertain glance at Jack and Irina.
"Yes." Irina replied and shot Jack a short look. "We'll take a bottle of white wine with two glasses please."
"As you wish!" He went away and for a moment the 'happy family' sat in silence. Then Irina finally turned to look at Jack.
"Yuki was right, you know?" she finally said. "We should... overcome our differences. We're trying to find Sydney, but we can't do so if we start a fight each time the other one opens his mouth. Let's just... act professionally... both of us!" She suggested and sighed silently. Act professionally, easier said than done when working with Jack Bristow.
"Seems fair enough!" he agreed and Yuki looked from one to the other. Their definition of acting professionally was obviously not talking at all, and so the dinner passed in silence. When they had finished eating, the waiter took away their plates and smiled at Yuki.
"There's an adventure evening for children today. It starts down in the lobby and there will be many games and challenges!"
Yuki smiled. "That sounds fun! I will leave you two alone in your... important conversations!" she winked at Irina and left the room. Irina sighed and got up as well.
"Excuse me..."
"Where are you going?"
"I just need to breathe some fresh air! Don't wait for me!"
With these words she left. It didn't take her long to enter the main deck. The fresh, salty breeze greeted her face and she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She had to think of a way to act professionally and the fact that it was so hard for her to think of a way confirmed that she had already went too far with her emotions.
She strolled along the rail, looking at the waves deep under her. When she had finally reached the end of the ship, she looked at the horizon where the sun was about to set, making the water glow like burning lava.
She closed her eyes as the wind started to play with her hair and sighed deeply. She was a professional, and she had managed to act like that twenty years ago... then why couldn't she act like that now?
When she entered their rooms about two hours later, she had recollected herself and was fully in control... at least until Jack greeted her.
"Where have you been?" he asked suspiciously and Irina passed him by without turning a hair.
"Up on the deck, breathing some air."
"May I ask a question?"
"Sure!" she replied peeking into Yuki's room to look if the girl was alright.
"She's asleep!" Jack said and waited until she had closed the door again. "You've thought of everything, evening clothes, casual wear, even swimming clothes, but why didn't you think of nightwear?"
She turned to him and it took her some time to realize where his point was. Then it dawned on her. Of course, she hadn't bought anything for the night.
"Don't get wrong ideas, Bristow, I simply forgot!" she said. "Don't forget that I had to buy a whole new set of clothing for three persons. So I focused on the really important things! I think you will find some shirt you can wear tonight." Her voice was cold as she entered their bedroom with him following her. She searched her own clothes for something she might wear in the night and finally ended up with a tight white top. She turned around and found him staring at her.
"What?"
He didn't overhear the threatening tone in her voice and chuckled.
"Am I not allowed to stare at my wife?"
"Considering the fact that I'm your FAKE-wife: No, you're not!" she snapped and wanted to pass him by since he had obviously no intention to leave her some privacy to change. The next moment she found herself in his arms.
"I remember someone once saying 'Technically we're still husband and wife'." He replied, his face close to hers. She shot him a cold look.
"Yes, I remember! Oh, and you know, what else I remember? Someone saying 'How much is sleeping with you going to cost me?'." She replied and pushed his arms away. "And I told you it was more than you could afford. As far as I recollect that's not the usual phrase a husband uses to make his wife sleep with him - at least not where I come from."
He moaned frustrated.
"Irina! I told you I was sorry!"
"Yes, you did, but words are nothing more than that - just words!" She turned to face him, her eyes not showing any emotion - which he knew was pretty dangerous. "I'll give you a chance, Jack! Tell me right here in the face that you're absolutely sure that I have never slept with one of these..." she hesitated and swallowed the insult she had meant to come up with. "...men. Look me in the eye and make me believe that you don't think of me as a slut and I will..." Make love to you she had wanted to say, but could stop herself from doing so. "...f*ck you right here on this bed. Apologies are made very easily. I need you to convince me. Make me believe that you mean what you're saying - that you're worth spending a night with."
He returned her stare, not sure what to say. He wanted to believe that what she told was true, and yet, she had lied to him too often. "Irina, why is that so important to you? I... I don't care whether you've slept with these guys or not." Bad lie, he thought to himself.
"Wrong answer!" she replied emphatically and turned around to leave the room. Jack followed her.
"I don't understand you. Obviously you want me as badly as I want you."
"Yes!" she replied, in the bathroom now. She loosened the clips out of her hair, looking into his eyes in the mirror. "I have to admit that I want you. But I don't want to be your cheap whore, Bristow. As you've correctly stated earlier, I am your wife! I don't want to sleep with you and then the next morning feel as if it wouldn't make any difference if you just left money."
"Technically!" he emphasized outraged. "Technically you are my wife. Practically I don't think you can still claim that status! And when have I ever treated you as a whore?"
"Oh, let me think! You make clear that you don't believe me when I say that I'm not a slut, then you suddenly deny my status as your wife, when only two minutes earlier you brought that as a reason to convince me to sleep with you. And to top all of that you still expect me to jump into your arms when you want to f*ck me. You're right, it's really hard to recollect when you treated me as a whore!" she said with bitterest sarcasm in her voice. He grabbed her arm and turned her around, harsher than he had intended to.
"The fact that I want to sleep with you doesn't automatically make you a whore!"
"Well, the way you act does, not the fact itself, you idiot! And now get your hands off me before I break your arms! I'm tired and I want to go to sleep!" Her tone made clear that her words were meant to dismiss him.
"Stubborn b*tch!" he growled, but let her go. He knew that she was quite capable of breaking his arms in her momentary mood. He left the bathroom and shut the door with a slam. Then he realized that Yuki was leaning in the doorframe of her room, shooting him an accusing look.
"Weren't you already asleep?" he asked lost in thoughts and Yuki nodded.
"Yes, but you guys make it hard to be able to sleep. Do you have to fight so loud that the whole ship can witness your discussions?"
"Sorry..." Jack murmured and wanted to enter his room, when Yuki's call held him back.
"Jack! By the way, she is right! You are indeed an idiot!" The girl stated dryly and shut the door to her room behind her. Jack looked perplexed at the closed door and growled in frustration. Damn it, Irina was the one who had betrayed him and abandoned her family, not the other way around.
He entered the bedroom and tossed his shirt aside - his pants followed thirty seconds later - then he let himself fall to the bed and stared to the ceiling. He wanted to trust her but she gave him absolutely no reason to. To start with she didn't tell him who Katya was.
When she entered the room about five minutes later he caught his breath at her appearance. She was only wearing her panties and a tight white top that revealed some of the delicious skin of her belly.
She ignored him gloriously and crawled under the sheets on her side of the bed.
"Do you mind if I turn off the lights?" she asked courteously, but coldly and waited for his answer. When she got none she shrugged her shoulders. "Fine, then... goodnight, Jack!" With these words she turned the lights off and snuggled up in her sheets.
~*~*~*~
TBC
"Everything is onboard, we're ready to start!"
Omar entered the bridge and laid the sheet of paper on the table.
"We should have enough water for one week now... provided that you don't take three showers a day!"
She shot him a warning look and got up from her chair. "What are you waiting for? Let's get started!"
Omar sighed and turned to his instruments. Irina's mood wasn't the best since they had returned to the yacht and he blamed that on Jack Bristow.
It was a puzzle to him how a man could be courageous enough to piss Irina off like Jack did, and even worse, enjoy doing so - on the other hand he didn't seem to be endangered by Irina.
He had seen her kill a man once because he had - as he had said accidentally - grabbed her ass. It had only taken her seconds and she hadn't even had a weapon. Since then he was careful to not outrage her more than absolutely necessary, although he knew, she would never harm a friend - but this was Irina Derevko, you could never be sure.
He started the machine, it spluttered lightly, then went back into silence. Omar looked at his instruments and tipped at one of the displays, then he gave a new try on starting the machine. This time it didn't even give a slight splutter.
"What's up?" Irina looked up from the list of supplies she was viewing and Omar turned around, shooting her an unsure look.
"I'm not really sure!"
"What do you mean, you're not sure?" she got up and he lifted his hands.
"Calm down, I'm sure it's just a slight defect."
He grabbed a box with tools and left the bridge, Irina following him.
"DIMITRJII!" he barked and Irina didn't doubt that the whole island could hear his words.
"Yes..." The old man stepped out of the door to the gas tank. His face was black from oil and he shot Omar an confused look. "I'm not deaf.. no nee to yell, man. What's up?"
"What's with the machines?"
"The machines?" The old man looked at him, then at Irina and he had obviously no clue what they were talking about.
"Yes, the machines!" Omar repeated annoyed. "Why are they dead?"
"The machines are okay, I checked them this afternoon!" Dimitrjii contradicted.
"Well, they don't start now! I want you to clear that up in thirty minutes. As you should recall, we don't have an unlimited amount of time!" Omar handed the box with the tools to him and Dimitrjii took it sighing.
"Are you sure you opened the gas pump?" he asked and Omar glanced at him as if he was ready to kill him. Dimitjii lifted his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! Don't worry. I'm sure it's just a slight mistake! As I said, they worked perfectly three hours ago." The old man opened the hatch to the machine room and climbed down the ladder into the darkness, Irina and Omar following him. When they had arrived at the ground, Dimitrjii stood still for a short time.
"That's weird..."
"What?" Irina asked and Dimitrjii knocked with his screwdriver against one of the small pipes next to him. The metallic sound echoed in the large room.
"Listen..."
"I don't hear anything!" Omar answered impatiently and Dimitrjii shot him a short glance.
"Exactly! It seems all dead!" He got to his knees and looked at one of the displays. "There is no pressure in the system."
"Dimitjii..." Omar's voice was threatening now. "What does that mean in time? How long until you have this thing working again?"
"In hours?"
Irina moaned. "Hours?" she repeated in disbelief.
"Well, actually two days... at the least! To find the error I'll have to check the whole machine system and as you can see it's huge. And then I have to repair it... how long that's going to take depends on what caused the breakdown."
"With other words we're stuck here for at least two days!" Irina asked and Dimitjii shot her a sympathetic look.
"I'm afraid so, yes!"
She slammed her hand against one of the metallic containers and looked furiously at Omar.
"Dammit! Did I mention that we're on a schedule? Not to think of the fact that a high member of the Covenant and most likely the whole CIA are following us and are just waiting for the chance to catch up with us! I thought this boat was the absolute best we could get and would certainly not break!" she repeated the words, Katya had used in their conversation. "Well, thanks to your f*cking boat we will either be caught or shot... which for me will both end with death!"
She turned and climbed up the ladder to leave the room. Omar shot one last glance at Dimitrjii.
"I expect you to do the best you can!" he hissed and Dimitjii nodded, then Omar hurried to follow Irina and calm her down. He found her at the rail on the main Deck, staring at the dark ocean.
"Irina, I'm sorry! I don't know how this could happen!"
"It's not even about me!" she hissed and looked at him. "But if they find Yuki in my company... the CIA won't hesitate to arrest and torture children if suspected of collaboration with a wanted terrorist. You know that... better than anyone else!"
He lowered his eyes as she painfully reminded him of his son.
She turned her attention back to the calm water. "If the machine isn't working again when the sun rises, Jack and I will leave the ship. We'll try to find a way to get to Spain, maybe one of the other tourists can take us. I expect you to carry out the mission as planned. Take Yuki to Japan..."
"I will..." he nodded and Irina turned to face him.
"I count on you to protect her with your life... but I doubt that it will be necessary. Without any sign of me or Jack they won't be able to make any connection from her to us." She set herself in motion and was about to leave the ship.
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know..." she replied, still lost in thought about what was the best thing to do. "I just need to get away and free my mind."
She almost fled the ship and didn't notice the eyes that were following her. Yuki had been about to enter the main deck when she had heard Irina's words, but thought it better not to show up.
As she heard her leaving the ship now she went the last steps up and looked after the woman.
Damned, this hadn't been her plan. She needed all the time she could get and now they were very close to continuing there way alone and leaving her, Yuki, here! She had to find a way to prevent that.
Yuki ran to the open hatch that led into the machine room and looked down. In a pale orange light she could see Dimitrjii working at the machine.
"Hi!" she waved at him and he smiled when he saw her happy face.
"Hi little one! Watch your step at the ladder!" he reminded her when she climbed down to him.
"What is wrong with the machine?"
"If I just knew! I've checked it and it was all fine... now it seems all broken! It must have been overloaded somehow, but I just don't know how."
"Is it true that we won't be able to start until tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?" he laughed out loud and turned to her. "Hand me that hammer, would you?" She handed the requested tool to him and he crawled under one of the pipes. "There is absolutely no change to get this baby working until tomorrow! Maybe tomorrow evening... maybe!" he moaned while trying hardly to loosen a screw that was all rusty.
Yuki looked around. She had to do something. She must not let Irina and Jack get away without her accompanying them.
"Okay, I'll help you! Maybe we can get this done by tomorrow morning!" she announced and Dimitrjii laughed at her.
"No way... but you can help me! Get me the torch and my measuring instruments from the storage room!"
"Okay!" she jumped up and he watched her climbing up the ladder like a little monkey. He shook his head smiling. Irina was right in protecting this girl. She deserved better than a live like this in hiding...
Yuki hopped over the deck and ran down the stairs, taking two at once. She was just about to push the door to the storage room open when she heard a voice. At first she thought it was Jack, but then, as she went closer she was sure that is was definitely not Jack.
Not making any noise, she pressed her head to the wooden door of the private room of Jamis.
"No, Sir, everything went as planned."
She pressed herself closer as the voice went lower.
"It will take them some time to figure out what's broken! Two days, I'd say, plus the time they need to repair it. No way they can get away from here until you arrive!"
Yuki gasped for air, pressing her hands to her mouth to prevent herself from crying out in surprise. Jamis, of course - she had known that there was something wrong with him since she had seen him the first time. His eyes had been false and he had never looked into her eyes while talking.
"Thank you... When will you be here?" Jamis continued, then a short silence followed. "Tonight already? How am I supposed to go on... shall I use the poison for the little brat? ...Yes... I see... Yeah, she could be useful. Derevko might be a little more willing to cooperate. She seems to really love her. What about Bristow? Do we need him?"
The voices got too low for her to understand anything. Her mind was working feverishly - what was she supposed to do?
"Sir, it took you over a year to come that far. I'm sure, there is no way you will fail tonight!"
When she heard steps coming closer to the door, Yuki dashed away, bursting into the next room she could find. When she closed the door behind her, leaning breathlessly against it, she looked directly at Jack's confused face - of course, this was his room.
"Yuki... what's up?" he asked, getting up from his chair.
The girl gasped for air, buying herself time to come up with an answer, that sounded at least a little believable.
"It's Irina..." she finally managed to say.
"What about her?"
"She wants to meet you... now!"
"Really?" Jack grabbed her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You look pale! Are you alright?"
"I've been hurrying because it's urgent! I am to tell you to meet her immediately at the bar down at the beach!"
"At the bar!" Jack repeated, not really believing the girl's words. "Did she tell you why?"
"No! But she told me, that if she needed to come to get you, she would break your arm... and maybe more than that!"
Well, that sounded like Irina, Jack mused and for a moment he seriously considered to piss her of, but discarded that thought immediately. They were on a mission with the purpose to find Sydney after all, and the more he outraged her, the less they would be able to work together.
"Okay..." he nodded. "I'll be there in a few minutes!"
Yuki looked at him, but there was no sign in his face that he was giving her the answer she wanted, just to get rid of her and so she left his room, strolling along the corridor as if nothing had happened. When she reached the main deck again, she started to run. She had to prepare everything, and there wasn't much time left...
~*~*~*~
Irina had indeed gone to the bar. The lively music and laughter of the people had drawn her here. She needed a little distraction and the happy people around her gave her at least the illusion of living a normal live - if only for a few moments.
Some natives played on drums, creating the atmosphere of a Caribbean night as it could be seen in every Travel-TV Show - obviously a show for the tourists, but nonetheless very beautiful. It delighted her and helped her to free her mind from unwanted thoughts and fears.
Irina looked down at her glass of water. Why did her life have to be so complicated? Why couldn't she just be like one of those women on the small wooden dance-floor, who enjoyed their second honeymoon with their husband on this beautiful island. Instead she was always on the run...
Suddenly she felt somebody's eyes on her and turned around. Jack smiled lightly and went towards her. Irina sighed and turned back to her glass of water.
"Are you following me?" she asked irritated and took a mouthful of water.
"Excuse me?" he shot her a confused look and ordered a water himself. "As far as I can recollect you asked me to come here!"
She looked at him, her eyes reflecting anger now. "Definitely not! Are you out of your mind, Bristow?" she snapped and wanted to leave, but Jack held her hand.
"What kind of game is this? Did you ask for me just to turn me down?"
"I DID NOT ask for your company!" she replied slowly, emphasizing every word, and it was impossible to miss the threatening fury in her voice.
"But Yuki told me you wanted to meet me in the bar at the beach... here I am!"
"Yuki told you..." she started at him in disbelief, then she shook his hand of hers. "That little brat, remind me to have a conversation with her when I see her! "
Irina left the wooden pavilion, crossed the dance-floor and made her way down to the water. She had no idea how Yuki had known where she was going, and actually it didn't really matter at the moment.
Jack paid for their drinks and followed her, catching up with her about fifty meters away from the dancing couples.
"Wait, what is up with you?" he asked and she turned to face him, her arms wrapped around her waist.
"The engine of the yacht is broken, Jack! We're stuck here and I have no idea how to get away before the CIA or Conzales arrive. We had an advantage as long as we kept moving, but now..."
"I see..."
"No you don't!" she interrupted him, harsher than she had intended to. "If the CIA arrives, they will take Yuki into custody as well! I don't care about what happens to me, but she is innocent! I don't want her to become a victim in all this."
He followed her eyes to the horizon. "They will see that she was innocent! The CIA would never harm a child. They will most likely take her to a safehouse... that's it!"
Irina laughed bitterly and went on. "There are obviously a few things you don't know about the people you work for!"
"What are you implying? That they might torture her?" He shook his head. "No way. She's still a child and there is no indication that she worked with you..."
"She was with me, Jack!" Irina stepped closer to him. "I know you won't believe me but I have seen them treating suspects... even children!" She lowered her eyes. "It was about twelve years ago. I was on a mission with Omar, we retrieved something he wanted to have. I helped him, because he had helped me before. Just a favor I paid back. It was supposed to be a pretty easy mission, but something went wrong... the CIA was able to follow us, we were set up by one of Omar's informants who turned out to be an undercover agent."
She didn't look at him and turned away as she felt her eyes burning with tears. Her view became blurred when she looked at the dark horizon.
"We didn't even realize they were following us until we entered Omar's house and found them already waiting for us. Ali was only a child, he was seven years old and didn't know anything. He was Omar's son... and therefore for them he was as guilty as Omar himself. They tortured him to make him talk about his fathers plans, and as he couldn't say anything they tortured him to blackmail us. I may have done the same things, Jack, torturing people to get information, but I never harmed a child! Never a helpless creature who didn't even understand what was going on. His son died during that torture. We had told them everything we knew, but they just kept asking and asking questions - questions we didn't knew an answer for, but they didn't believe us. They raped two of his women and would have killed all of us, if Katya hadn't gotten us out! The agents were all killed by Katya and her team and I swear to god, they deserved it, although they were honored like heroes by your government!"
Her eyes met his again, rage filling her expression now.
"They were CIA agents, Jack! Partly high-ranking officers! So don't you dare tell me, the CIA wouldn't hurt Yuki!"
Jack had listened to her story and didn't know what to say. He could only guess which operation she had been talking about - Operation 'Desert Sand'. The operation was officially reported as a failure, all agents killed in a cruel assassination. He had read the reports, but there had been no clue in the files that would have proved anything that she had just said.
"I can't believe that!" he finally murmured. "I knew about the operation, I've read the files on it and went through the profiles of the killed agents. There was nothing that would approve your accusations. They were all exemplary and very successful agents."
"Of course!" Her eyes sparkled with fury and - he caught his breath - deep hurt. "No government likes to admit that their agents have raped women and even killed a child! It's easy to hush up the facts in a classified operation. No one will ever ask questions, and no one ever did."
"Why didn't you say anything? You were a witness, as well as Omar. It was a crime, they could have been..."
Her sharp laughter cut him off. "Because things like that happen, Jack! It's just the way people of your country treat people from 'poor countries'. I could spend a lifetime on accusing agents like them, it would do nothing, because someone would always back up for them or hush up the facts, and in the end the victims become the bad guys! Either you're able to defend yourself against acts like that, or you suffer. That's how the world works and there's nothing any legal action could do about it."
She turned to go away but he held her softly. The pain in her eyes was just too real... it made him be sure that she didn't came up with the story. During her last words, a question had come up in his mind... he needed to ask her, although she would probably refuse to answer.
"Irina..." His voice was soft. "Have you been... did they... do anything to you?"
"You mean, did they rape me?" she corrected his sentence softly and shook her head. "No... I was quite capable of defending myself and prevent them from doing so... unfortunately the other women were not." She added bitterly.
"Was that why you refused to talk to any agents when you turned yourself in?"
"No. You were right, I didn't trust them, but my walk-in was not about trust. I had an agenda, you know that. Refusing to talk to anyone except for you and Sydney was the only possible way to... " She caught her breath, obviously weighing her next words. "...to see you again."
Her voice was low and she didn't turn around, feeling his body at her back. "I knew you would never agree to talk to me, if not absolutely necessary, so I made it necessary. But actually it was useless for my agenda. I could have pulled it through without you or Sydney being involved."
"So then why didn't you? You betrayed us again by involving us!" Jack noted dryly. "It broke Sydney's heart to find out that you've lied to us the whole time!"
"I did never betray you or Sydney! I betrayed the CIA... there's a difference! Everything personal between us was true... unfortunately you and Sydney have difficulties distinguishing between things that involve the CIA and things that don't! You're just too much into your work. You live for your work!"
"Is that an accusation?" he asked amused, holding her closer. For the first time he didn't see a terrorist and murderer, but a woman who had been hurt.
"No, that was an observation!"
He turned her around, softly stroking a strand of hair our of her face. He loved her eyes... he could drown in them, especially in moments like this, when there was no hate or lies between them and they could just talk like normal people - well, 'spy-normal' he corrected silently.
She laid her hand to his which was resting at her cheek now, softly entwining their fingers. Her eyes were still connected with his and she stepped almost invisibly closer to him.
He lowered his lips slowly to hers, his eyes never leaving hers. He wanted to kiss her and this time not because of desire or the fact that he wanted her. For the first time in twenty years he wanted to kiss her because of love. He wanted to comfort her and make her forget about their past - about her past.
Their lips were just about to touch when an ear-splitting crash could be heard all over the beach. They separated immediately and spun around to see flames of fire bursting out of a ship - their ship!
Irina cried out the worst Russian curses that existed and stared in total disbelief at the burning yacht. Then she finally set herself in motion and started to run towards the landing stage, followed by Jack. The flames had already extended over almost the whole ship. It was impossible to rescue anything, and yet they had to try.
Before she and Jack had reached the pavilion, Yuki jumped out of the bushes. She pulled them behind some palms.
"You can't go back there!"
"Yuki!" Irina grabbed the girl by the shoulders. "Oh god, I thought your were still on that ship!" She hugged the girl hard and pulled back after a short while. "Yuki, what happened?"
"They're waiting for you!"
"Who?" Jack interrupted and Yuki turned her attention to him.
"Two men! When you had left the ship, I could overhear a conversation between Jamis and another men he had on the phone. They were planning to set you up, Irina... and they wanted to use me to make you cooperate with them."
"Yuki, what about Omar and Dimitrjii!" Irina's voice was louder than normal and she didn't even bother to try to control her emotions.
"Don't worry, they are safe! I warned them. They left the ship right in time." She walked away a few feet and pulled back some leafs. "Here is your stuff! We have to leave! They will soon search the island for you if you don't return!" Yuki threw the bag to Jack and disappeared between the palms. Jack looked at Irina, who was sitting on her knees in the sand, staring at the burning yacht. Some people were already running towards it and trying to extinguish the wild flames with water, which they brought in buckets, and save at least the last intact remains of it.
"Come one, we have to leave..." he finally decided and grabbed her arm. When she didn't react, he pulled her up and dragged her behind him, following the path Yuki had chosen before. They had soon caught up with the girl.
"Yuki, where are we going?"
"There is a big harbor on the other side of the island. A passenger ship is lying there. I managed to get three tickets for us."
"How?" Irina asked absently, not really interested in the answer. Her mind was still at the ship. Her plan, everything was ruined. They hadn't even had time to cover their tracks.
"I'm pretty good at poker!" Yuki said, not willing to give any more details and Jack chuckled, when the girl continued. "The ship leaves tomorrow at 9 am. We should have crossed the island by then. And if you feel bored, you could come up with aliases! I understand you're more experienced in things like that than I do!"
Jack didn't answer but looked at Irina who hadn't said a word the whole time.
"You okay?" he asked softly, when Yuki was ten yards ahead of them. Irina shot him one of her looks.
"Am I okay? That's the most stupid question of all time, Bristow!"
"Obviously you are!" he commented dryly at her mood and she shot him a murderous look.
"Look, some guys have just blown up my ship and ruined all of my plans. I don't like things like that..."
"You're pissed... understandable!" he nodded and she laughed bitterly.
"I'm more than that! I want to find out whom I have to thank for this action in order to send my best greetings!"
For one second he was really glad that he was not the one she was angry at, because that person would most likely soon curse the day he was born. Then he noticed something else.
"I thought it wasn't your ship, but you had just borrowed it!"
"I told you 'kind of borrowed'!" she replied shortly. He accepted her unwillingness to talk and kept silent himself. They had to come up with a Plan B as soon as possible. But first of all they had to reach the ship on time.
~*~*~*~
"Welcome onboard our wonderful ship!" The steward bowed slightly. "May I have your names please?" he asked with a short glimpse at their tickets.
"Katherine and John Miles. This is our daughter Nina!"
"Welcome! May I see your passports, please?"
Jack handed the young man a sheet of paper, his arm never leaving Irina's waist. The man read it shortly, then he looked up.
"I'm sorry for your loss. It's a shame that so many tourists fall victim to thieves. We have a consultant onboard. He may be able to take care of the problem and call the ambassador in Melbourne to make sure, that you will receive temporary passports in the US embassy."
"Thank you!" Jack smiled dryly and took the sheet of paper back from the steward.
"Apartment 47 A, down the main corridor and up the stairs, floor 2 C is yours." He gave them a last smile and Jack, Irina and Yuki followed his direction.
"I thought my heart would stop when he asked for our passports!" Irina whispered when they were out of reach. "I hadn't thought of that problem!"
"Well, I did!" he whispered back. "It was quite likely that he wanted to see them, since we're on a ship that crosses international borders! You're being careless not thinking of the possibilities! One mistake could ruin everything... or cost our lives!" he lectured, but she didn't react to his comments.
"What did you give to him?"
"A letter from the local chief of police, confirming that all our property was stolen from our hotel room. It's practical if the tourist information is the police station at the same time." Jack replied.
"You're priceless!" she whispered back, pecking him slightly on the cheek.
"What was that for?"
"For saving me - us from being discovered... which would have happened if we hadn't had a passport!" she replied and he grinned.
"Your life is worth more than a small kiss on the cheek... how about..." he teased, but she didn't let him finish the sentence.
"Shut up, Jack, before you start a fight again!" she warned and he laughed. They had reached their apartment and Irina opened it with the small key, they had been given by the steward.
Yuki, Jack and Irina entered it and closed the door behind them. It was a worthy replacement to the rooms in their yacht, maybe even more luxurious.
They had three rooms to themselves. One small one with a bed, which was meant for a child, a large living loom and another bedroom - with one huge bed - meant for the lucky couple.
"I'll take the small room, you and Yuki can take the big one!" Jack offered generously, but Yuki crossed their plans.
"No way! I take this one! A room all for myself, I love it!" She hopped into the room and Jack and Irina looked at each other.
"I don't mind!" Irina sighed. "If she wants the room, she can have it. I think we can get along with each other... and if not, you'll have to sleep on the couch!" She announced and entered their sleeping room.
They put the small bag on the bed and Irina opened the curtains to look out of the small window. She saw the busy harbor right under them.
She just wanted to turn around and unpack the few things they had brought when her eyes were caught by a person who was standing down there, looking around and obviously searching for something - or someone. She gasped for air and pulled the curtains shut abruptly, when the person looked up into their direction.
"What's up?" Jack asked and lay down on the soft bed.
"Sloane!" Irina breathed and slammed her first against the wall. "That son of a b*tch is here - and most likely responsible for our situation!"
"What?" Jack sat up and looked at her in disbelief. "You must be mistaken! Sloane is running a company in Switzerland. He's a humanitarian and been granted immunity by the US government. Many things have changed in nineteen months."
"Well, however, he's standing down there... obviously looking for someone - I assume us! And he's with two guys who don't look as if they are here to help people!" she replied ironically, having a look through the curtains.
"But how did he..."
"Conzales." Irina cursed and didn't even let him finish his question. "That is exactly his way of revenge. He sends someone after you... and he knew that Sloane was after me."
"He was after you? I thought you were allies... and he betrayed you, not the other way around!" Jack had gotten up and peeped through a small chink down at the figure. It was indeed Arvin Sloane, standing there in a beige tuxedo and looking like a tourist. Two men in black tuxedo stood next to him, obviously reporting to him.
"You know me, Jack... I don't like being played, and I don't like people who make decisions for me!"
Jack sighed. "You took revenge!"
"Of course, you idiot! Or how else did you think, Sark went into your custody?" she snapped and Jack chuckled.
"It was you? Well, that was a great job. We always thought he had pissed off Arvin - we all know loyalty isn't one of his strengths."
"Actually I had planned to play Arvin Sloane himself. I had collected everything, letters, files... even footage that could prove that Arvin was up to more with Rambaldi. But the whole thing went a little wrong. I hadn't expected Arvin to be more paranoid than I am... well, I underestimated him. All I could get was Sark... so I handed him over to the CIA, because I knew, that was the only way to get him out of my way. Then I went into hiding, because Arvin was, of course, mad as hell and swore to kill me." She explained and he shook is head in stunned amazement.
"It's astounding. You seem to have a natural talent for making people want to kill you!"
"It's my second nature!" she replied neutrally and looked out of the window again. "The ship is already moving! There is no way he can catch up with us now!"
Jack went back to the bed. "We should get some rest. We haven't slept the whole night and need to recover from the long walk."
When she heard his words she became aware of how tired and weary she was. She supressed a yawn and pulled off her jeans. Without caring, she kicked them aside and crawled under the sheets. Jack watched her amused and she shot him a warning glance.
"Stick to your side if you don't want to start the next Cold War, agent Bristow!" she warned and he laughed.
"I wouldn't dare to risk..."
She turned her face and looked at him for a long time. He smiled slightly.
"I'm glad I have you here with me." He finally said and she returned his smile.
"Why?"
"Because you're the best asset one could ever find to work with!"
"Oh..." she replied, turning away from him. What had she hoped for? That he told her that he liked to be with her? Her mind drifted away over this thought and only a few minutes later both of them were sleeping soundly.
When Irina awoke about six hours later, she found herself softly entangled in Jack's arms... but obviously he wasn't the one to blame. She was lying on his side of the bed.
Carefully she freed herself from him and got up. She opened the bag and growled. Yuki had packed everything, except for clothes.
"Great!" she murmured. They would have to buy new clothes in the boutique of the ship. But first of all she had to find a phone. She had to call Katya and confess what had happened. Besides they needed help. The ship would land in Melbourne and they would need valid passports to go on from there. All that had to be arranged for.
She pulled on her jeans and cursed herself when she stumbled by doing so, falling onto the bed.
"Irina?" Jack sat up, still sleepy, looking at her through half closed eyes.
"Shh, go back to sleep!"
"What are you doing?"
"I'm getting us new clothes. I'll be back in an hour!" she whispered back and tied her hair together at her back. He was too tired to contradict and was almost asleep again before she had even left.
Irina peeped into Yuki's room and found the girl sleeping on her bed. She stole out of the room and pulled the door close behind her. Then she checked her money and counted. Not as much as she had thought, but it would be enough until they arrived in Melbourne.
"Excuse me!" she asked a steward who came along the corridor. "I need to make an international phone call..."
"Down in the shopping mall. There's a shop where you can make phone calls and access the internet. You can get there by taking the elevator."
"Thank you!" she replied courteously and headed to the elevator.
About five minutes later she entered the small shop. She went to the counter and looked at the young woman.
"I need to make an international phone call!"
"Yes, Cabin No. 3 is free! What's your Room Number?" she asked and looked at Irina.
"I'd like to pay in cash!" she replied and caught a confused glimpse of the woman.
"As you wish, Ma'am!" She handed a card to Irina. "Insert this card and your fees will be counted."
"Thank you!" Irina entered the cabin and closed the door behind her. Then she inserted the card into the telephone and dialed the number of a cell phone. She let it ring two times and hang up the phone. It didn't take twenty seconds until the phone rang.
Irina hurried to pick it up.
"Yes?" she asked and heard the familiar voice of her sister on the other end.
"Iri, where are you?"
"I'm on a ship!" Irina replied. "Listen, our yacht has been..."
"I know! Omar already called me!" When she heard her sisters words, Irina exhaled relieved. Omar was safe. "He confessed what happened and I had him executed."
"Katya!" Irina exclaimed shocked, louder than she had wanted to and heard her sister laugh.
"Don't worry! I had a conversation with him. I had told him not to hire a man without having him approved by me. He hired Jamis without notifying me... that could have almost cost your life! Any idea who Jamis was working for?"
"Arvin Sloane obviously!"
"That lousy prick! Where is he?"
"He's hopefully still searching for us in Panoubla. Listen, Kat, we need passports and money in Melbourne in order to get to Japan."
"Already arranged. I knew you would need them, I just didn't know where to deliver them. I have a contact in Melbourne. His name is Marcel!" Katya gave her the details of how and where to find Marcel and switched to a different topic. "Another thing, little sister. Omar told me, Bristow is with you!"
"Kind of, yeah!" Irina replied evasively.
"Irina, be careful! This man is CIA... no matter whether you're still married or not. Have fun with him, do whatever you want, but please don't get emotionally attached to him! If the time comes for him to decide between his country and you, he'll choose his country."
Too late. I got emotionally attached thirty years ago, Irina thought to herself and let out a sigh. "I am not emotionally attached to him!" she answered and wondered who she was trying to convince in saying so - Katya or herself.
She was far beyond 'emotionally attached', but she knew, that her sister was right. No matter what had been between Jack and her... or what would be, if given the choice, he would never stay with her. Her life was just like their situation right now - she lived in hiding, moving from place to place, her way paved with death and danger.
In a way his life was similar, but his actions were approved by his government. He would never be able to give this life up. In a paradox, he was still someone who needed structure and safety in at least the basics of his life - a life with her would offer him none.
"Iri, you still there?"
"Yes... yes, I'm here!" Irina murmured. "About the money, could you,... um..., transfer twenty thousand US Dollars to my personal account?"
She felt it hard to focus on what was important now, when the reality of the chances of her relationship with Jack Bristow dawned on her.
"I'll arrange for it."
"I... I have to cut you off now. We've lost everything on the ship and I need to buy some things." Irina ended. "Thanks for everything!"
"Never mind..."
"See you soon!" Irina wanted to hang up, when the voice of her sister held her back once more.
"Irina!"
"Yeah?"
"Be careful and stay safe..."
"You too!" She finally hang up the phone and leaned her head against the thin wall of the cabin. Katya was definitely right about everything she had said about Jack. It was wrong to fall in love with Jack and that was not even because of some rules. It was wrong because there were too many differences, too many misunderstandings and too much past between them - not to mention a government.
And yet, she thought to herself, I can't do anything about it.
If it was wrong to love him, why did her heart tell her the opposite?
~*~*~*~
"Here..."
Jack reacted quickly and caught the bag Irina threw at him.
"What's that?"
"Clothes..." she replied dryly and handed another bag to Yuki.
"I thought it might draw unwanted attention if we kept wearing the same clothing the whole time on this ship." She explained ironically and Jack shot her one of his looks.
"What's up with you?"
"Nothing!"
"Nothing in common or Irina meaning?" he asked and his eyes blinked.
"What?" she asked stunned and he didn't even care to look up while answering her question.
"Common-nothing is nothing. Irina-nothing is something like 'I've got my problems, but they're none of your business so don't you dare poke your nose in'!" he explained and checked if there were any heavy things within her reach she could throw.
Yuki started to giggle at Jack's explanation and caught Irina's attention. "Go change!" she ordered and turned to Jack. "And you go to hell! I'm damned hungry and I don't want to miss dinner! You can join us or not, I don't care!" she stated dryly, but Jack could clearly hear the aggression from her voice.
"Aren't you going to change?" he asked with a look at the clothes she still wore, her dirty jeans and the white - correct that - gray blouse.
"I'm about to!" she snapped back and he sighed. Cold War after all, he thought to himself. Obviously it was inevitable for them to fight.
When Irina entered Yuki's room about thirty minutes later, she wore the white dress she had bought. It had been the only dress in the store that came close to what she had looked for. Actually she had wanted a simple dress with the only purpose to not draw attention to her at the luxurious evening dinners. The woman in the shop had instead showered her with extravagant dresses and accessories, until she had finally came up with this dress. Irina had decided to buy it since it was obviously the only dress on this whole ship that came close to 'casual evening wear'.
It fitted her and outlined the shape of her slender body in the most elegant manner. Yuki was standing in front of the mirror, doing her hairs, but when she caught a glimpse at the reflection of Irina, she turned around, her mouth falling open.
"Wow!" she murmured, then she started to grin. "Are you trying to seduce him?"
"Am I trying to do what?" Irina asked. "You read too many of those girl magazines! I'm just wearing the appropriate dress for a happy married wife... which I'm playing here. You're hopefully not going to wear these dirty jeans, are you?"
"You know, you do really sound like my Mom!" Yuki replied slightly annoyed. "And just so you know, I'm pretty sure you want to seduce him!"
"Would you please stop? This is a normal dress!"
"That might be, but it looks incredibly hot on you!"
"I can't believe I'm told that by a fourteen year old girl!" Irina murmured and Yuki laughed.
"And I can tell you, wearing this dress you might really succeed!"
"Succeed in what?" Jack's voice suddenly asked from the door and Irina spun around in shock. She noticed the look in his eyes when he examined her with delight.
"In..." Yuki started, but Irina interrupted her hastily.
"In convincing the people that we're a family."
Jack frowned his forehead and looked from her to Yuki and back at her.
"However," he finally said. "are you ready to go?"
"I am!" Yuki turned around, her hair finally tied together in two pigtails.
Irina decided that every comment on her dirty jeans was a waste of time... she wouldn't change anyway, and so she went to the door.
"Then lets go!"
Jack offered her his arm. He wore a black suit and she had to admit that he looked incredibly sexy. "Mrs. Miles..." he said with the hint of a smile and she linked her arm gracefully with his.
"Don't you dare get wrong ideas!" she hissed and he shook his head.
"Always have to keep up our good old hostility, don't we?"
She avoided his eyes. She was too afraid that he might be able to look through her and see what was behind her. In fact she was afraid. Playing the happy family with him was more than her nerves could bear. She had absolutely no problems with playing the role of the devoted wife, but not if Jack Bristow was her husband. Emotionally uninvolved, she reminded herself, just try to lock your emotions behind a door as you have learned to do.
It annoyed her that he was obviously completely emotionally uninvolved - another fact that proved that he didn't have the slightest feeling for her apart from physical need.
She couldn't have been more wrong. It took him all of his mental control to keep his face neutral and treat her as if they had been married for quite some time when all he wanted to do was devour her with his eyes... his lips.
They made their way to the huge dining hall in silence. When they entered it, Yuki caught her breath and looked around in amazement. The dining hall was divided into three floors, the upper two floors were built like balconies from which you could look down to the ground floor with its bar and the dancing stage. Yuki leaned over the balustrade to catch a glimpse of all of the happenings in the lower two floors.
"Yu... Nina?" Irina turned around and saw the girl at the balustrade. "Nina, honey! Be careful... James, would you say something, please?" she shot Jack one of her looks and he grinned.
"John, darling. My name is John!"
"Oh, I'm sorry! Must have mixed that up with one of my affairs!" she replied coldly, which caused him to chuckle as one of the waiters passed by, shooting them a slightly shocked look when hearing Irina's words.
"You're ruining our cover!" he hissed, still smiling and she didn't even bother to look at him.
"I'm just trying to play the married woman in a convincing way!"
"How nice, so you think that every woman who is married as long as we pretend to be, has dozens of affairs?"
"No, not every woman... but I do." she replied. "You know, if a wife is faithful and loves her husband, but he accuses her of having affairs without believing her when she says that she hasn't ever had an affair, there comes a time when she gets annoyed and thinks 'well, if he accuses me anyway, why not at least have the fun'... NINA!"
"You're always going to reproach me for that, aren't you?" he asked slightly annoyed and she shot him a kind look.
"Honey, I'm not reproaching you for anything! I'm just fulfilling your... expectations concerning my behavior!" she replied friendly, but when he looked into her eyes he could see that they blinked with everything else than kindness. He groaned frustrated and turned to look at Yuki.
"Nina, would you mind to join us at dinner?" he asked irritated and the girl finally jumped towards them, almost causing a waiter with glasses on his tablet to stumble. Irina and Jack caught their breath and sighed relieved when the man could catch his balance without losing any of the glasses from his tablet.
"Okay, listen!" Irina grabbed the girl's hand, her voice reflecting her anger when she dragged Yuki with her now. "Did I mention that we don't have an unlimited amount of money at the moment? I don't want to waste any to pay for some glasses that got broken because of you, understood?"
Yuki shot her a confusing look, then looked at Jack.
"Although your ...mother could have chosen her tone differently, she has a point!" Jack said and caught Irina's warning glance. Yuki grinned when she realized, that he was obviously mocking Irina.
They sat down on a free table, Yuki hastily occupying one chair so that Jack and Irina couldn't do otherwise but sit next to each other.
Almost immediately a waiter came to them.
"Good evening. What do you wish to drink?"
"Vodka."
"A bottle of white wine!"
Jack and Irina said at the same time, then looking at each other. Jack shook his head.
"Katherine darling, you can't drink vodka now..."
"Why not? I'm not telling you to not drink wine either!"
Jack smiled at the waiter. "A bottle of wine, two glasses, please!"
"Correct that!" Irina interrupted. "I'd love to have a glass of vodka!"
Jack and Irina started a heavy discussion now, followed by Yuki with confusion and amusement. The poor waiter had obviously no idea how to react and stood helplessly in front of the table, following the heavy dispute with uneasiness until Yuki finally turned to him.
"For me an orange juice, please... it seems that it might take some time until my parents have decided, so could you already bring me the juice, please?" she asked smiling and the waiter bowed and went away, glad that he had a reason to leave the table.
"Stubborn!" Jack murmured finally, tired of the discussion which obviously didn't lead anywhere. Irina gave a slight scoff.
"I just don't like if other people claim the right to make my decisions!"
"Fine!" Jack turned away from her and Irina nodded.
"Fine!" she said as well and turned, her face showing confusion when the waiter was gone.
"I... um... told him to bring me an orange juice, since he felt obviously uneasy observing your little... discussion! Honestly, Parents, this is pathetic! And you're telling me to behave?" Yuki shook her head and Jack shot her a warning look.
"Careful with what you're saying, daughter!" he growled but Irina sighed regretful.
"She's right, Jack! If we keep behaving like this, we'll ruin everything!"
"This is not my fault!" he snapped back coldly and she moaned frustrated.
"No! No, of course it's not... everything is my fault - as it has always been!" she replied with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"There we go again!" Yuki interrupted, seeing another fight coming up. "You do really act like a couple that's been married for about twenty years... and about to divorce now!" she added. "But keep going! I didn't mean to interrupt you!" She smiled at the waiter who returned with her orange juice now. "Thanks!"
"Have you decided?" The man asked with an uncertain glance at Jack and Irina.
"Yes." Irina replied and shot Jack a short look. "We'll take a bottle of white wine with two glasses please."
"As you wish!" He went away and for a moment the 'happy family' sat in silence. Then Irina finally turned to look at Jack.
"Yuki was right, you know?" she finally said. "We should... overcome our differences. We're trying to find Sydney, but we can't do so if we start a fight each time the other one opens his mouth. Let's just... act professionally... both of us!" She suggested and sighed silently. Act professionally, easier said than done when working with Jack Bristow.
"Seems fair enough!" he agreed and Yuki looked from one to the other. Their definition of acting professionally was obviously not talking at all, and so the dinner passed in silence. When they had finished eating, the waiter took away their plates and smiled at Yuki.
"There's an adventure evening for children today. It starts down in the lobby and there will be many games and challenges!"
Yuki smiled. "That sounds fun! I will leave you two alone in your... important conversations!" she winked at Irina and left the room. Irina sighed and got up as well.
"Excuse me..."
"Where are you going?"
"I just need to breathe some fresh air! Don't wait for me!"
With these words she left. It didn't take her long to enter the main deck. The fresh, salty breeze greeted her face and she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She had to think of a way to act professionally and the fact that it was so hard for her to think of a way confirmed that she had already went too far with her emotions.
She strolled along the rail, looking at the waves deep under her. When she had finally reached the end of the ship, she looked at the horizon where the sun was about to set, making the water glow like burning lava.
She closed her eyes as the wind started to play with her hair and sighed deeply. She was a professional, and she had managed to act like that twenty years ago... then why couldn't she act like that now?
When she entered their rooms about two hours later, she had recollected herself and was fully in control... at least until Jack greeted her.
"Where have you been?" he asked suspiciously and Irina passed him by without turning a hair.
"Up on the deck, breathing some air."
"May I ask a question?"
"Sure!" she replied peeking into Yuki's room to look if the girl was alright.
"She's asleep!" Jack said and waited until she had closed the door again. "You've thought of everything, evening clothes, casual wear, even swimming clothes, but why didn't you think of nightwear?"
She turned to him and it took her some time to realize where his point was. Then it dawned on her. Of course, she hadn't bought anything for the night.
"Don't get wrong ideas, Bristow, I simply forgot!" she said. "Don't forget that I had to buy a whole new set of clothing for three persons. So I focused on the really important things! I think you will find some shirt you can wear tonight." Her voice was cold as she entered their bedroom with him following her. She searched her own clothes for something she might wear in the night and finally ended up with a tight white top. She turned around and found him staring at her.
"What?"
He didn't overhear the threatening tone in her voice and chuckled.
"Am I not allowed to stare at my wife?"
"Considering the fact that I'm your FAKE-wife: No, you're not!" she snapped and wanted to pass him by since he had obviously no intention to leave her some privacy to change. The next moment she found herself in his arms.
"I remember someone once saying 'Technically we're still husband and wife'." He replied, his face close to hers. She shot him a cold look.
"Yes, I remember! Oh, and you know, what else I remember? Someone saying 'How much is sleeping with you going to cost me?'." She replied and pushed his arms away. "And I told you it was more than you could afford. As far as I recollect that's not the usual phrase a husband uses to make his wife sleep with him - at least not where I come from."
He moaned frustrated.
"Irina! I told you I was sorry!"
"Yes, you did, but words are nothing more than that - just words!" She turned to face him, her eyes not showing any emotion - which he knew was pretty dangerous. "I'll give you a chance, Jack! Tell me right here in the face that you're absolutely sure that I have never slept with one of these..." she hesitated and swallowed the insult she had meant to come up with. "...men. Look me in the eye and make me believe that you don't think of me as a slut and I will..." Make love to you she had wanted to say, but could stop herself from doing so. "...f*ck you right here on this bed. Apologies are made very easily. I need you to convince me. Make me believe that you mean what you're saying - that you're worth spending a night with."
He returned her stare, not sure what to say. He wanted to believe that what she told was true, and yet, she had lied to him too often. "Irina, why is that so important to you? I... I don't care whether you've slept with these guys or not." Bad lie, he thought to himself.
"Wrong answer!" she replied emphatically and turned around to leave the room. Jack followed her.
"I don't understand you. Obviously you want me as badly as I want you."
"Yes!" she replied, in the bathroom now. She loosened the clips out of her hair, looking into his eyes in the mirror. "I have to admit that I want you. But I don't want to be your cheap whore, Bristow. As you've correctly stated earlier, I am your wife! I don't want to sleep with you and then the next morning feel as if it wouldn't make any difference if you just left money."
"Technically!" he emphasized outraged. "Technically you are my wife. Practically I don't think you can still claim that status! And when have I ever treated you as a whore?"
"Oh, let me think! You make clear that you don't believe me when I say that I'm not a slut, then you suddenly deny my status as your wife, when only two minutes earlier you brought that as a reason to convince me to sleep with you. And to top all of that you still expect me to jump into your arms when you want to f*ck me. You're right, it's really hard to recollect when you treated me as a whore!" she said with bitterest sarcasm in her voice. He grabbed her arm and turned her around, harsher than he had intended to.
"The fact that I want to sleep with you doesn't automatically make you a whore!"
"Well, the way you act does, not the fact itself, you idiot! And now get your hands off me before I break your arms! I'm tired and I want to go to sleep!" Her tone made clear that her words were meant to dismiss him.
"Stubborn b*tch!" he growled, but let her go. He knew that she was quite capable of breaking his arms in her momentary mood. He left the bathroom and shut the door with a slam. Then he realized that Yuki was leaning in the doorframe of her room, shooting him an accusing look.
"Weren't you already asleep?" he asked lost in thoughts and Yuki nodded.
"Yes, but you guys make it hard to be able to sleep. Do you have to fight so loud that the whole ship can witness your discussions?"
"Sorry..." Jack murmured and wanted to enter his room, when Yuki's call held him back.
"Jack! By the way, she is right! You are indeed an idiot!" The girl stated dryly and shut the door to her room behind her. Jack looked perplexed at the closed door and growled in frustration. Damn it, Irina was the one who had betrayed him and abandoned her family, not the other way around.
He entered the bedroom and tossed his shirt aside - his pants followed thirty seconds later - then he let himself fall to the bed and stared to the ceiling. He wanted to trust her but she gave him absolutely no reason to. To start with she didn't tell him who Katya was.
When she entered the room about five minutes later he caught his breath at her appearance. She was only wearing her panties and a tight white top that revealed some of the delicious skin of her belly.
She ignored him gloriously and crawled under the sheets on her side of the bed.
"Do you mind if I turn off the lights?" she asked courteously, but coldly and waited for his answer. When she got none she shrugged her shoulders. "Fine, then... goodnight, Jack!" With these words she turned the lights off and snuggled up in her sheets.
~*~*~*~
TBC