"Turn it off." She said softly, turning averting her gaze from the laptop
screen. Jack leaned forward and closed the lid of the computer. They were
sitting on the couch together. Jack sat with his arm around Irina, whose
legs were curled up underneath her.
"How did you get this?" Jack asked, struggling though his disbelief.
"I still have friends in the Russian government." She sighed resting her head on his shoulder. "We have proof she's alive; something more that just my maternal instinct." She said softly, trying her best to sound hopeful. Jack sighed heavily, and sat for a long moment with the information he'd just received.
"Who was this Lazarey?" His question breaking the silence.
"He's a diplomat, with various ties throughout Russian intelligence." Irina said lifting her head and looking at Jack's resigned expression.
"Has the Kremlin seen this tape? Are they investigating?" Jack asked almost impatiently.
"I only received this tape a few hours ago. I am still waiting to hear from a few assets. Be patient Jack. Sydney's alive, that's all that matters now." Irina said putting her hand to his face. She brushed her thumb across his cheek.
"She's alive." Jack breathed, closing his eyes and just feeling Irina's touch.
Irina leaned in and brushed her lips against his, thinking about all that had changed between them. "And we're going to find her." She breathed back.
"Is it so preposterous to you, that I want to know where you are at all times." Kendall yelled into the phone.
"You and I both know that that is an impossible expectation. I am under deep cover, the DEEPEST cover, and I don't appreciate the added pressure that of your constant patronizing inquisitions. I am working for you, because I have to, not because it's my choice. Now I have work to do here, I can't put you before the Covenant I have no other option. I have to complete this mission."
"Ms. Bristow, I understand all of that." Kendall's resolve wavered for a moment. "I just want to be able to keep track of you. It's not about your ability as an Agent, it's about how much this project needs you. In case you haven't noticed you're invaluable, and I won't be careless and have this whole operation flushed down the tubes." He sighed, mentally kicking himself for sounding so emotional.
Sydney was taken aback at his words. She'd never heard him like this before. "Kendall I understand all of this it's just that I have to be careful, really, really careful. One slip and this will all go straight down the tubes."
"Alright as long as we understand each other."
"We do. I will finish my mission here, and then cover to meet you in Nevada."
"I assume you'll use the usual protocols."
"Yes. See you then."
"Be careful Sydney."
She hung up the phone gently. Usually her conversations with Kendall ended in an angry slam of the phone, but tonight Kendall had opened up a little. He's actually told her what he was really thinking and not the usual bull shit he flung around. She looked down at the phone for a long moment, and then back up at the mirror in front of her.
She was standing in the bathroom of a gas station just outside of downtown LA. She taken off her wig, but her hair remained in a tight fitting hairnet. Her pink latex skirt was abandoned as well, and her black nylons removed. She stood for a long moment gazing at herself. She looked so different than she had just one year ago. She had new scars, new marks. Her hair was different, her skin tone more tanned. But it was her eyes that had changed the most. She looked tired. She looked desperate. But most of all she looked angry. Which she was.
She couldn't think of time in the last year where she had been anything but angry. Except for maybe the times when she was just plain sad. The times when overcoming grief took hold of her. She seemed to live in a place of perpetual darkness, where anger and fear were the only things keeping her alive. She felt like a caged animal; scared, alone, hungry for attention, and waiting for any opportunity to get out. All she wanted was out. The laughed in her head for a moment, thinking back to all of the times she'd wanted out of something. She'd wanted out of boarding school when her father had sent her there at age 12. She'd wanted out of Shakespearean literature when the professor had given her a horrendous grade. She'd wanted out of SD-6, the CIA, a life of deception and lies. But at this point she would have given anything to be back there. To be back at SD-6, lying to Sloane and Dixon, being a double agent. Hell she's even go back to when she was naïve and being deceived by Arvin Sloane.
She shook her head, trying to physically remove the thoughts from her brain. She couldn't go back. There was nothing she could do, but pace back and forth in her cage, and watch the people who controlled her life. But one day, at some moment she'd have the opportunity to strike. And when she did, she'd kill anyone that got in the way of her freedom. Anyone.
"How did you get this?" Jack asked, struggling though his disbelief.
"I still have friends in the Russian government." She sighed resting her head on his shoulder. "We have proof she's alive; something more that just my maternal instinct." She said softly, trying her best to sound hopeful. Jack sighed heavily, and sat for a long moment with the information he'd just received.
"Who was this Lazarey?" His question breaking the silence.
"He's a diplomat, with various ties throughout Russian intelligence." Irina said lifting her head and looking at Jack's resigned expression.
"Has the Kremlin seen this tape? Are they investigating?" Jack asked almost impatiently.
"I only received this tape a few hours ago. I am still waiting to hear from a few assets. Be patient Jack. Sydney's alive, that's all that matters now." Irina said putting her hand to his face. She brushed her thumb across his cheek.
"She's alive." Jack breathed, closing his eyes and just feeling Irina's touch.
Irina leaned in and brushed her lips against his, thinking about all that had changed between them. "And we're going to find her." She breathed back.
"Is it so preposterous to you, that I want to know where you are at all times." Kendall yelled into the phone.
"You and I both know that that is an impossible expectation. I am under deep cover, the DEEPEST cover, and I don't appreciate the added pressure that of your constant patronizing inquisitions. I am working for you, because I have to, not because it's my choice. Now I have work to do here, I can't put you before the Covenant I have no other option. I have to complete this mission."
"Ms. Bristow, I understand all of that." Kendall's resolve wavered for a moment. "I just want to be able to keep track of you. It's not about your ability as an Agent, it's about how much this project needs you. In case you haven't noticed you're invaluable, and I won't be careless and have this whole operation flushed down the tubes." He sighed, mentally kicking himself for sounding so emotional.
Sydney was taken aback at his words. She'd never heard him like this before. "Kendall I understand all of this it's just that I have to be careful, really, really careful. One slip and this will all go straight down the tubes."
"Alright as long as we understand each other."
"We do. I will finish my mission here, and then cover to meet you in Nevada."
"I assume you'll use the usual protocols."
"Yes. See you then."
"Be careful Sydney."
She hung up the phone gently. Usually her conversations with Kendall ended in an angry slam of the phone, but tonight Kendall had opened up a little. He's actually told her what he was really thinking and not the usual bull shit he flung around. She looked down at the phone for a long moment, and then back up at the mirror in front of her.
She was standing in the bathroom of a gas station just outside of downtown LA. She taken off her wig, but her hair remained in a tight fitting hairnet. Her pink latex skirt was abandoned as well, and her black nylons removed. She stood for a long moment gazing at herself. She looked so different than she had just one year ago. She had new scars, new marks. Her hair was different, her skin tone more tanned. But it was her eyes that had changed the most. She looked tired. She looked desperate. But most of all she looked angry. Which she was.
She couldn't think of time in the last year where she had been anything but angry. Except for maybe the times when she was just plain sad. The times when overcoming grief took hold of her. She seemed to live in a place of perpetual darkness, where anger and fear were the only things keeping her alive. She felt like a caged animal; scared, alone, hungry for attention, and waiting for any opportunity to get out. All she wanted was out. The laughed in her head for a moment, thinking back to all of the times she'd wanted out of something. She'd wanted out of boarding school when her father had sent her there at age 12. She'd wanted out of Shakespearean literature when the professor had given her a horrendous grade. She'd wanted out of SD-6, the CIA, a life of deception and lies. But at this point she would have given anything to be back there. To be back at SD-6, lying to Sloane and Dixon, being a double agent. Hell she's even go back to when she was naïve and being deceived by Arvin Sloane.
She shook her head, trying to physically remove the thoughts from her brain. She couldn't go back. There was nothing she could do, but pace back and forth in her cage, and watch the people who controlled her life. But one day, at some moment she'd have the opportunity to strike. And when she did, she'd kill anyone that got in the way of her freedom. Anyone.