A/N: Hi, everyone!!! Hope you've enjoyed the story thus far. Just started writing some more stuff for this fic. Plan to post it really soon. Same disclaimers apply.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

(And review)

Chapter 8: Family Ties

Previously...

"And you need me to find her?"

"Yes. She's in the hands of the Covenant."

"I know where she is. And I know this has been a week full of surprises, but Irina?"

"Yes?"

"Do you still need a reason to hate your sister?"

Present time...

Did he say "sister"?

Dear God, there's two of them?

"Actually, there are 5. Elena, Danilov, Katya, Mikhail, and Irina. Mikhail is Irina's twin brother. The sister he's referring to is Katya," Jack piped up.

Thanks, Jack.

"Why would I need another reason?"

My dad gulped. He was obviously hiding something from Irina, and he was pretty horrible about hiding it. Some things never change. He could never hide what he was getting anyone for Christmas. Why should this be any different?

"No, never mind. It's not important."

"Bill, I know you're hiding something. You're as obvious as Michael."

Great. I'm obvious when I'm hiding something. What a wonderful attribute for a spy.

"Bill. What are you hiding from me?"

Now Dad looked even more nervous.

"Irina, Katya...she's the head of the Covenant. The group that had Sydney kidnapped."

After the longest pause in known history, she exploded.

"The Covenant?! The same bitch of a sister that was holding me was holding my own daughter?! Her niece?! She was the one torturing my little girl?!

"Irina, calm down."

"No, I won't calm down, Bill! This is my daughter! God knows what Katya will do if she finds Nadia!"

Nadia? Was that the affair daughter? I'm losing track.

Thankfully, Jack chose to cut in there and make things a little more clear.

"Irina, what is so important about Nadia that the Covenant might want, other than a jealous sister holding her own nieces over her little sister's head as bargaining chips?"

"Because the Covenant is focused on Rambaldi, an obsession I recently gave up on. I'm sick of the destruction it causes, and I want my family back," Irina said bitterly. "Sydney and Nadia are both in the Prophecy."

I finally found my voice. "Irina, I thought only Sydney was in the prophecy."

"No. The Passenger that you were looking for is Nadia. There is another page that describes them both. I have it here."

Irina took out a worn piece of manuscript written in Italian. She then reluctantly pulled out a translation sheet.

"A woman from the north will bear two daughters; one conceived in love, the other in violation. The latter will be the second born, raised a Spanish rose; the former will be the first-born, who will raise herself into a chameleon. Both will grow strong, intelligent, headstrong, enigmatic, and beautiful. The younger sister will be tempted by her father, and will follow in his unfortunate footsteps should her older sister not save her from such a horrible fate."

"So basically what you're saying here is that not only do we want to find Sydney, we have to find Nadia as well," Jack finished.

Irina nodded slowly. "Yes. I want to protect both of my little girls. I will not rest until they are both safe," she nodded towards me, "and happy."

My father stood up. "I know where Sydney is, but she will not be there by tomorrow night. We have to move."

"Where is she?"

"If you'll believe it, she's being held in Madagascar."

REVIEW RESPONSES

AgentFlamingo – By far, my first and most avid reviewer, and I thank you for that. And yes, Irina in the capital. I hope to have the West Wing characters back in this story soon.

Total Vaughn Lover – Thank you for reviewing, and I'm glad you found (and seemed to like) the story! I'm writing as fast as I can, and I hope to have another chapter up soon.