DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, except for the original ones, dead or alive. The SpyHerd just dropped by in our house to analyze how I passed physics and math midterms without studying. Thank you and have a nice day. :D

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Irina is sitting patiently in one of the crates in a supposedly abandoned warehouse, waiting for Gabrielle Rinaldi and Co. to arrive.

Waiting for Gabrielle Rinaldi who is killing her men one by one.

Waiting for Gabrielle Rinaldi whose ruthlessness led to the death of forty seven men in three days.

Waiting for Gabrielle Rinaldi who was most probably ordered to kill everyone who stands in her way.

Waiting for Gabrielle Rinaldi, her child, her daughter, her confidante, her friend.

Ana.

Katya informed her of Ana's 'resurrection'. She told her that the Covenant fooled them and the CIA by using Project Double Vision, a rip-off of Project Helix. Project Double Vision, like Project Helix, could copy an individual's face, body shape, metabolism, voice and fingerprints, but unlike Project Helix, it could not copy and individual's DNA.

The 'Ana' they saw being shot by Mackenas Cole was the first victim of Project Double Vision. The real Ana was being held in Bern, watching the whole 'rescue', while at the same time, being brainwashed by her captors.

'Dammit, Irina. You've been mourning for two months while all this time your daughter is being tortured and brainwashed by those morons.' Irina thought, berating herself. She knows that they couldn't brainwash Ana.

Ana was already programmed not to be brainwashed. It was something she tried very hard to prevent but failed. And it was something Andrei Vanlevko, her friend, tried to prevent and paid with his life.

But they found a way around that. A certain individual proposed that they implant a microchip on her so that they could just order her around without worrying about being questioned. However they didn't count on the fact that Ana has will of steel. She somehow manages to break free from the control of the microchip and creates havoc in the Covenant. Thus, to be able for the Covenant to take total control, they resort to electrocution.

'Dump her in a tub full of water and then start the electrocution.' Irina thought angrily. She once vowed to destroy the Covenant for destroying Sydney's life. This time, she vows to destroy not only the Covenant, but also Arvin Sloane. Destroy and pulverize to nothingness.

Irina heard running footsteps coming her way. She hid behind the crate and readied her silenced gun. She will subdue her daughter, no matter what.

She took a peek and saw Nadia. 'What is she doing here?' Irina asked herself as she observed her second daughter. She seemed out of breath and confused.

"Nadia, really, why are you running away from us?" A voice asked. Mackenas Cole owns that voice.

Irina saw the fear in Nadia's face. She looks like she feels trapped in the room.

"You can't hide anywhere, dear. We're still gonna get you." Mackenas appeared together with Ana and three men. "Gabrielle, could you be a darling and finish this for me? I think your Uncle Arvin is calling me."

He patted Ana in the shoulder and left the room. Ana smiled and then looked at Nadia. She looks so… robotic.

"Gabe? Please, don't listen to them." Nadia said looking for an exit. She wants to escape from her father's hell. And Katya offered to help. And she told her to go to this warehouse. When her father found out, he planned to have her killed. And he ordered Gabrielle to kill her.

She doesn't want to hurt Gabrielle. She can't do that to her friend. Nadia looked at the other three men with her future killer.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to respond to that." She replied. Her gray eyes seem so hollow. So blank.

Suddenly the three men slumped forward, their heads bleeding. They are dead.

"Gabrielle. I heard so much about you." Nadia turned around and saw her mother holding a gun.

"What are you doing here?" Nadia asked, stunned. Irina just looked at her and then to Gabrielle.

"I'm sorry but, I don't know you." Gabrielle answered, looking at her interestedly.

The three of them just stared at each other. Nadia could see that there were tears forming around Irina's eyes. She then looked at Gabrielle. Her gray eyes still looks blank.

"I'm sorry to break this hypnotizing silence but I have a job to do." Gabrielle suddenly said and took her knife from the sheath. She was going to throw it to Nadia when she abruptly stopped then looked at Irina.

"Mom, help… I don't want to do this anymore."

"Ana." Irina said almost rushing towards her. But Ana raised her hand as if to stop her.

"No, go. They'll find out I'm out of the bloody microchip's control and they'll crank up the order and then I'll forget all about you and Jacob and Sydney and… just take Nadia and go away!" Ana said, her voice cracking a bit.

"Ana, I can't leave you here." Irina said, looking at her daughter. Nadia was just transfixed at the scene.

"I will be fine. Julian will find a way." Ana replied. Just as then, her face contorted in pain and she clutched the temple of her head.

"We have to go. They got her now." Nadia said to Irina.

All of a sudden the knife flew from Ana's hands and to Nadia. Irina rushed towards Nadia and pushed her out of the way. She felt the knife slice and nick her in the arm. Blood began to stain her shirt.

Irina pushed Nadia towards the exit. "Go out, there's a car outside and get in. There's a man inside. Tell him who you are. He'll help you."

Nadia just looked at her, perplexed at her order.

"What about you? You're bleeding." Nadia pointed out. She doesn't know if she should feel angry at her for abandoning her or touched that she saved her life.

"I'll follow you. Just go." Irina answered. She watched as Nadia ran to the exit.

Irina took one last look at her daughter. She looks disconcerted but alert.

"Gabrielle, are you done?" Irina heard Katya asked. That's her signal to leave. Irina quietly slipped from view and departed the warehouse. She tried to contain her tears, knowing that it might be a long time before she could see Ana again.

'Yes. Julian will find a way.'

-x-x-x-

Nadia is watching Irina bandage her knife wound. This is the first time she had seen her mother in person. And Sark was right. She is breathtaking.

"Did the knife get you?" Irina asked and looked at her.

Nadia shook her head and continued staring.

Irina tilted her head a bit. "Why aren't you… screaming at me? You're supposed to be angry."

"Because you abandoned me?" Nadia asked.

Irina shrugged a bit.

"Well, I am. But after everything that happened to me, I don't really know what I'm supposed to be feeling."

Irina's mouth twitched upwards. "Sloane wasn't what you expected?" she asked, looking at her daughter in the eye. Nadia is so beautiful. She inherited the Derevko features and, according to Katya, the determination and the stubbornness.

Nadia didn't reply and instead looked out the window. Katya didn't tell her that Irina is the one who will extract her.

Silence reigned for a few minutes until Nadia spoke again.

"Were you expecting me? Back in the warehouse?"

"No. I was expecting Gabrielle." Irina truthfully replied. She was really surprised that Nadia would want to escape her father's clutches. 'He seemed really nice.' Irina thought a bit mockingly.

"Oh, you mean Ana." Nadia said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Irina looked at her, a bit surprised that she knows about Ana. "Someone informed me that she would be there. I wanted to see for myself who's been killing off my men."

"She's your daughter with Jack Bristow." Nadia said accusingly.

"She's my daughter. Who her father is, is not an issue." Irina replied. She is half-lying but, that doesn't mean that she loves Nadia any less.

Nadia had this look on her face that reminds Irina of Sydney and Ana. It was their 'I'm-being-stubborn-so-don't-mess-with-me' look. Irina sighed. Nadia's an adult now. She grew up without knowing either of her parents and when she did find out about them, she discovered that the source of her genes are diabolically evil manipulators, resident evils of the intelligence world. Nadia could decide for her self.

"Father told me that you love Ana more because she's Jack Bristow's daughter. He said that, that was the reason why you begged for your superiors to keep her." Nadia said. Her tone is still accusing.

"My children aren't puppies to be kept or given away. Nadia, when you were born, I was in jail. They took you away from me when you were a day old. When I got out of prison, they refused to tell me where you were. I searched the whole of Russia, but you I couldn't find you. I did not know you were in Argentina. Do you understand me? I DID NOT WHERE THEY PLACED YOU."

Nadia felt that she has just been reprimanded. She kept her mouth shut.

Irina sighed once again. "I'm sorry, dear. This is the first time I've seen you since you were a baby and I can't believe that you grew up to be a beautiful woman who has no resemblance, whatsoever, to her father. I'm sorry if you think I'm insulting your father's looks, I know how much you adore him, but-" she was cut off by Nadia.

"I don't adore him."

Her tone was a bit gruff and dismissive but in a blunt, factual way. Nadia actually sounds more like… Jack.

"Excuse me?" Irina asked, a bit stunned with the realization.

"I said, I don't adore him."

"Yes, I heard that but… oh hell, never mind." Irina said, waving away the thought.

The affair with Arvin Sloane was one of the most despised incidents she ever had and she blocked off that scene from memory. She can't remember that day.

A few minutes later, Byron called out to her.

"Ms. Derevko? We're in the airport."

-x-x-x-

(A few days later)

Irina is sitting cross-legged on the sofa, stirring her black coffee. Her eyes are closed.

"Irina."

"Hmm…?" Irina replied, not opening her eyes.

"I'd appreciate it if you look at me."

Irina opened her eyes and saw Katya standing in front of her, holding a folder.

"I'm looking at you now."

"Where's Nadia?" She asked.

"In her room. I think she's sleeping. It seems that she doesn't really get some rest when she was with Sloane." Irina answered and sipped her coffee.

"I think you better take a look at this." Katya said. She took Irina's mug and replaced it with the folder she was holding.

"What's this?" Irina asked as she opened the file.

"I found it in Ana's apartment."

Katya watched as her sister's face go from exasperation to shock. The documents she's holding is a vortex of knowledge that sucks you to its center. It sucks you in to the truth it shouts.

"Is this real? You mean… Nadia's not…? She's not…?" Irina stammered. Her hands are shaking. She doesn't know whether to be happy or sad, to be joyous or to be sorrowful.

"I'm not what?" Nadia asked. She is standing by the doorway.

Irina looked at her. Her eyes are filled with tears.

'Damn it, Rambaldi. You just made my relationship with him more complicated than before.'