Part 6: Recordare
December 1983
"Mama, do you think Aunt Katya will like me?"
Irina looked down at her daughter as they made their way through the airport along with Elena. "Of course she will like you, Anya," she answered, squeezing the child's hand.
She'd discovered when she'd gone out to buy things for Sydney that first day that the KGB papers were in the name of "Anna Ivanovna Derevko"; when she thought about it, she supposed it made sense for Sydney to have a Russian name, though she wished she'd been consulted about the name choice. She had told Sydney about the new name a few weeks after she'd arrived, when Sydney had started complaining that she didn't like the other kids calling her name strange. Sydney had taken to the new name quite happily, and now the nickname "Anya" was what she preferred to be called. Irina and Elena still called her Sydney at home, but the child insisted upon Anya in public.
Sydney had picked up the Russian language quickly, and though her vocabulary had been rather deficient when she'd started school in September, with some extra help from her teacher she was now almost caught up with her classmates. She still spoke with a noticeable accent, but Irina suspected that even that would disappear in another few months.
Their timing as they reached the gate was perfect; the passengers were just beginning to disembark. Irina kept a lookout for her sister, even though she knew that Elena would probably spot her first. Irina hadn't seen Katya in almost fifteen years, ever since Katya had gone on her first deep cover assignment around the time Irina had officially been recruited to the KGB. She had been stationed in Italy for the past ten years as the KGB's eyes and ears in the Soviet embassy; the last time she'd had a chance to return to Russia had been two years ago, while Irina had been in Kashmir.
"Elena! Irina!" Irina looked up to see her sister coming toward her, older, with much shorter hair than she remembered, but smiling. "Irina," Katya said when she reached them, putting her bag down and looking at her. "It's so good to see you." She pulled Irina into a hug. "And Elena, you haven't changed a bit," Katya said after a moment, pulling Elena in.
When the hug ended, Irina looked around for Sydney. Katya didn't know about her niece; Irina hadn't known how to write about it in a letter, and she and Elena had agreed that it was better to wait until Katya could come home. Irina finally located Sydney directly behind her and pulled her forward. "Katya, this is my daughter Sydney."
Katya stared for a moment, but then smiled, though she still looked quite confused. "Hello, Sydney," she said.
"Hello, Aunt Katya," Sydney replied politely. Then she leaned forward and whispered loudly, "You can call me Anya in public."
Katya laughed a bit forcefully. "All right, dear, Anya it is." She looked up at Irina and Elena. "Well, shall we head home? It seems we have a lot to discuss."
***
Several days later, Elena and Katya met for lunch at a small cafe. They had been having similar meetings whenever Katya was in town for years. As a matter of course, Elena took out a pen and pressed a certain spot on it before they began to talk; though there conversations were usually about unimportant matters, they sometimes found themselves discussing topics that could easily be viewed as treasonous if someone were listening.
Katya took a deep breath before speaking. What she'd found out the night before had shocked her, and she desperately needed to discuss it with her older sister. "Elena," she said softly after making sure they couldn't be overheard, "Jack Bristow is alive."
December 1983
"Mama, do you think Aunt Katya will like me?"
Irina looked down at her daughter as they made their way through the airport along with Elena. "Of course she will like you, Anya," she answered, squeezing the child's hand.
She'd discovered when she'd gone out to buy things for Sydney that first day that the KGB papers were in the name of "Anna Ivanovna Derevko"; when she thought about it, she supposed it made sense for Sydney to have a Russian name, though she wished she'd been consulted about the name choice. She had told Sydney about the new name a few weeks after she'd arrived, when Sydney had started complaining that she didn't like the other kids calling her name strange. Sydney had taken to the new name quite happily, and now the nickname "Anya" was what she preferred to be called. Irina and Elena still called her Sydney at home, but the child insisted upon Anya in public.
Sydney had picked up the Russian language quickly, and though her vocabulary had been rather deficient when she'd started school in September, with some extra help from her teacher she was now almost caught up with her classmates. She still spoke with a noticeable accent, but Irina suspected that even that would disappear in another few months.
Their timing as they reached the gate was perfect; the passengers were just beginning to disembark. Irina kept a lookout for her sister, even though she knew that Elena would probably spot her first. Irina hadn't seen Katya in almost fifteen years, ever since Katya had gone on her first deep cover assignment around the time Irina had officially been recruited to the KGB. She had been stationed in Italy for the past ten years as the KGB's eyes and ears in the Soviet embassy; the last time she'd had a chance to return to Russia had been two years ago, while Irina had been in Kashmir.
"Elena! Irina!" Irina looked up to see her sister coming toward her, older, with much shorter hair than she remembered, but smiling. "Irina," Katya said when she reached them, putting her bag down and looking at her. "It's so good to see you." She pulled Irina into a hug. "And Elena, you haven't changed a bit," Katya said after a moment, pulling Elena in.
When the hug ended, Irina looked around for Sydney. Katya didn't know about her niece; Irina hadn't known how to write about it in a letter, and she and Elena had agreed that it was better to wait until Katya could come home. Irina finally located Sydney directly behind her and pulled her forward. "Katya, this is my daughter Sydney."
Katya stared for a moment, but then smiled, though she still looked quite confused. "Hello, Sydney," she said.
"Hello, Aunt Katya," Sydney replied politely. Then she leaned forward and whispered loudly, "You can call me Anya in public."
Katya laughed a bit forcefully. "All right, dear, Anya it is." She looked up at Irina and Elena. "Well, shall we head home? It seems we have a lot to discuss."
***
Several days later, Elena and Katya met for lunch at a small cafe. They had been having similar meetings whenever Katya was in town for years. As a matter of course, Elena took out a pen and pressed a certain spot on it before they began to talk; though there conversations were usually about unimportant matters, they sometimes found themselves discussing topics that could easily be viewed as treasonous if someone were listening.
Katya took a deep breath before speaking. What she'd found out the night before had shocked her, and she desperately needed to discuss it with her older sister. "Elena," she said softly after making sure they couldn't be overheard, "Jack Bristow is alive."