DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, except for the original ones, so don't sue. Christmas is near; can you feel the warmth of the season?
A/N-Hello... wow, I got nice reviews from the people :D Don't worry I did not kill off our beloved spymommy. :D hehehehehe
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
"Sorry, Irisha. Rambaldi's calling."
Yelena wasted no time and shot her sister directly in the heart.
Irina felt the impact of the bullet in her chest. The pain spread like wildfire in her body and air seems to be jammed in her throat. She can't breathe.
"Hmm… I knew you wouldn't die that easily."
Yelena looked at her younger sister. She admires Irina's mistrust of the people around her.
Imagine, wearing a Kevlar vest inside her own home.
"Always the paranoid one. Aren't you, little sister?" Yelena said and approached her. She disposed of her gun and took out a tranquilizer.
"It's been you all along." Irina wheezed. The bullet seems to be drilling on her chest, desperate to have contact with her body. She can see a crazy look on Yelena's face. 'My god. What has happened to her?' She thought as she tried to stand up.
Yelena grinned at her and posed the tranquilizer in her sister's neck. "Katya loves you too much. And she adores her nieces and her little nephew. How can she do what I'm doing?" She said and injected the sedative in Irina's neck.
She saw the fear and anger in Irina's eyes before the tranquilizer took effect. A flash of thrill went through her when she felt her sister's pulse slowing down.
'If everything falls into place, we will see it. And Irina will be dead when Rambaldi's endgame happens.'
-x-x-x-
December twenty-eight, two days after Christmas and the Bristow's, together with Michael Vaughn, Eric Weiss and Marshall Flinkman are sitting inside the conference room of the CIA rotunda. They were all called to an emergency meeting by Dixon.
Dixon entered the room, together with the Ben Devlin. The minute Jack saw him he knew that this meeting is a very important meeting.
"It's good to see that all of you are here. As some of you know, this is Director Devlin; he is my superior in this division." He started as he and Devlin sat down. Devlin looked at Ana and Nadia, and is amazed at the resemblance to their mother. He then looked at the other agents in the room. All of them are very interested to know what their meeting is going to be all about.
Devlin cleared his throat. "An important agent of the Agency was kidnapped three days ago by the Covenant. The CIA wants her back due to the great help she has given."
Nadia looked at him inquiringly. "Who is this agent? And why is she so important?"
Dixon and Devlin looked at each other.
"We are under a great deal of secrecy with her identity-" Dixon said but was cut off by Sydney.
"Yes, but we are the agents who will extract her, aren't we? How can we rescue someone whom we haven't seen?"
Dixon sighed. He is torn between telling his friends the truth and his promise to the agent.
"Arvin Sloane kidnapped Irina Derevko three days ago."
All the agents inside the room gaped at him. Dixon sighed. He promised Irina that Jack and their daughters will only know what she is doing only after she has apprehended and delivered Sloane to the CIA or she dies doing so.
"Irina Derevko is working for the CIA? How? And why?" Vaughn asked, looking at Sydney and then to Jack. Jack looks so shocked.
Devlin took a deep breath. "She gave us her organization, the remaining researches she has on Rambaldi and her money. She also volunteered to deliver Sloane to the CIA in exchange for immunity."
"Mom gave the CIA all her money? Ana asked. She knows that her mother has a lot of money. A whole lot.
"Not all. The government allowed her to keep the money made from her legal business."
Jack stared at him. "Irina has a legal business?" He couldn't imagine her being a law abiding citizen at all. And she kept that from him. Again. Is that how she trust him?
"Yes. Real estate."
Sydney felt like panicking and yet she's very confused. "Do we have a location? Do we know where she is being held?"
Vaughn, who is seated beside her, took her hand and squeezed it gently.
Everything will be okay.
"Our mole within the Covenant knows where. But he refuses to give it." Dixon answered, looking at his agents faces. Ana and Nadia looked dazed; Sydney, concerned; Weiss, confused; Marshall, intrigued; Vaughn, tormented; and Jack, angry.
"The mole refuses to give it? Why?" Weiss asked.
Dixon sighed once again. If he answers this question, he will most probably be forced to tell them the identity of the mole.
"He said that it's a trap for the Bristows."
"Who is this mole, Dixon?" Jack asked. Irina left Jacob with him because she thought that she's going to die with what she's going to do. She's crazy if she thinks he'll let that happen.
"Julian Sark."
The agents gaped at them once again.
"You're kidding, right?" Ana asked.
"Seriously speaking, it's Sark?" Nadia remarked.
"Julian Sark and Irina Derevko are working for the CIA? Has the world gone mad?" Jack exclaimed, glaring at Devlin.
"Mr. Bristow, please, maybe Ms. Derevko just wanted to have a second chance with you and her children and Mr. Sark, a second chance with Ana." Marshall remarked.
When Jack heard those words, he suddenly looked at Ana, who turned beet red.
"They can't do that if they're on CIA's most wanted list." Marshall added.
Jack stare of death was so scary, and everybody knows that he is angry. "Okay, fine. Let's give them a second chance." Jack said sarcastically, gritting his teeth.
"Where is Mr. Sark?" Ana suddenly asked.
Jack sharply looked at her. "You are not-"
"I'll go with her." Nadia immediately said.
"Me too." Sydney piped in.
They looked at their father, their stubborn stares boring into him.
Jack sighed and looked at Dixon and Devlin.
"Where is he?"
"He's in LA, staying in the Sheraton.
-x-x-x-
Jack caught up with Ana before she set off with her sisters to leave for the Sheraton.
"Ana, wait."
His daughter turned to face him. Ana gave her father a smile.
"Julian Sark doesn't deserve a second chance."
Ana sighed. "Dad-" She knows that her father will dissuade her from getting the information from Sark.
"Please hear me out first." Jack said. "I know that I've only been your father these past few months. But… what I'm saying is that Sark is a selfish, immature, and dangerous young man. He can get you killed if you're not careful. He cowers when he is afraid. I don't want you hurt-"
Ana cut him off. "Dad, I'm just going to ask him about mom's location. But, don't worry, I'll bring that up when I ask him to marry me."
A horrified look crossed Jack's face.
Ana smiled a bit and hugged Jack. "Dad, I'm just kidding. You're so sweet, did you know that?"
-x-x-x-
Julian Sark stepped out of the shower and took the towel from the rack. As he tied it to his waist, he used his hands to wipe off the steam in the mirrors that were created by the hot water.
He looked at his reflection. A boy stared back at him.
Sark shook his head. The young, innocent boy is gone. It's only an impression created by his outer appearance.
He walked out of the bathroom and found the three Bristow daughters inspecting the contraptions in his hotel room.
Ana, who is wearing a light red shirt and denim pants, is playing the James Bond Aston Martin remote control car she gave him for Christmas. Nadia who is wearing a green scarf over a dark blue shirt and dark skirt is sitting at the edge of his bed, flipping through the channels of his big screen TV while Sydney, who is wearing an orange sweater, is checking the mini bar.
"What are you three doing here?" Sark asked incredulously. "And how did you know I'm in LA?"
Ana looked up from the toy. "Hi, Julian. Devlin told us where you are. By the way, I love the car." Her cheeks reddened when she saw him wearing only a towel.
"Thank you, you gave that to me. But you haven't answered my first question." Sark replied.
"The television has one hundred and twenty two channels." Nadia announced and turned off the TV. She looked to Sark and then smiled. "Nice view. Ana are you appreciating this panoramic sight?" Nadia asked teasingly and looked at her youngest sister. Ana just gave her a glare, but her face turned to a darker shade of red.
Sark sighed and looked Sydney, hoping that he'll receive a straight forward answer.
"Take a guess." Sydney said and approached Nadia.
He watched them. Ana is not meeting his eye and is still making his toy car move around the room.
"You want your mother's location." He stated. "I'm afraid I can't give you that information. It's a trap."
"What do you mean a trap?" Nadia asked, looking at him.
"Sloane wants Rambaldi."
Sydney rolled her eyes and stood in front of him. "Rambaldi's endgame is not going to happen. Now give our mother's location, or else."
"Or else what?" Sark sneeringly challenged.
"Or else we'll strip you of your immunity." Nadia replied. She glanced at Sydney who then looked at Ana. They have a plan.
Sark stared at her. "They want Rambaldi's endgame to happen. And his endgame involves you three. Do you want to die?!?!"
Nadia and Sydney just looked at him. They want their mother's location and they want it now.
"Julian, please. Just tell us where they are keeping her."
They all turned to Ana. She is seated on one of the stools and her gray eyes are focused on Sark and they are filled with tears.
Sark swallowed the ball of exasperation that was formed after talking to Ana's two older sisters and walked towards her. He is totally oblivious to the fact that he is wearing only a towel. "Ana, the three of you will die if I give you Irina's location. I can't… risk that."
"Please?" Tears spilled out of her eyes.
He sighed and shook his head. He slowly made his way to the closet and took out a suitcase.
"Here. The blueprints and the design of the security system of the building where your mother is being held. She's in Prague."
Nadia took the papers in his hands and took a look. She fully inspected them before handing it to Sydney. "Thank you."
Laughter suddenly rang out throughout the room. Ana is laughing.
Sark gaped at her. 'Was I just manipulated?' he thought looking at the laughing girl seated on the chair.
"I told you he'll fall for it." She said to Sydney and Nadia, smilingly. The beautiful dimples are winking in her cheeks as she stood from the chair and approached Sark.
"You tricked me." Sark said accusingly.
Ana smiled and hugged him. "I'm sorry. But we had to choose between torturing you and crying like babies. We are pressed for time."
He saw Sydney and Nadia trying to hide their laughter. Sark sighed and hugged Ana back, trying hard not to wish that they be more than friends.
"Thank you." She whispered to his ear and gently pulled back. "We'd better get going."
"Be safe."
They were turning to leave when Ana suddenly looked at him again. "You know, lilac really smells nice on you."
When they finally left the room, Sark immediately went to the bathroom.
He's going to smell the soap.
-x-x-x-
Irina groggily opened her eyes and found that she is lying on the bed inside a drab, dark room. She feels so tired and her head hurts. She tried to move her arms but felt pain in her chest. She groaned as the past incidents flooded back.
'Oh god. Sydney, Nadia and Ana. They shouldn't…' she tried to pull herself up but she is bound to the bed.
"Dammit." She hissed.
"Hush, Irina."
She stiffened when she heard Byron's voice. "You were with her?"
He sighed. "You'd understand in time."
Irina tried to wiggle free from the binds.
"Don't do that. You have a horrible bruise in your chest due to that bullet. You'll hurt yourself even more if you try to squirm free from the bloody straps."
"Who are you to tell that to me?!?! I trusted you, you asshole. And you were in league with my recently deranged sister." Irina said angrily. "What did you do to Dante and Francis?!"
Byron sighed once again. "Nothing. Now stop doing that or else you'll break your ribs." He said, knowing full well the extent of Irina's strength.
The door to the room opened and Arvin Sloane, accompanied by Lauren Reed, went in.
"Ahh, Irina. You are awake." He greeted. "I'm sorry if the accommodations are less than hospitable. We don't really have good, decent rooms in this building."
He looked at her. Irina is glaring at him. "Rambaldi's endgame is going to happen. Don't you want to see his divinity?"
"Not at the expense of my daughters, you bastard." Irina replied. Lauren is just looking at her, a silent spectator to their conversation.
Sloane sighed. "I remember when you were so passionate about discovering Rambaldi's message. We shared that passion. What changed you?" he asked gently, as if he's talking about a very sensitive issue.
Irina stared at him stonily.
"Was it the baby, Irina? Did he change what life means for you?"
Her eyes widened. Yelena told him about Jacob!
"Don't you dare lay a finger on my son, Arvin." She hissed. "Or you'll pay with your life. I swear to you."
Sloane chuckled. "I'm not that heartless to take your son away from you. I'll never lay a finger on Jacob Sebastian, and that's a promise." He then looked at Byron. "Feed her, no matter what Yelena says, she's going to have three meals a day, is that understood?"
Byron nodded his head.
And then, he and Lauren left the room.
A/N- three more chapters left. Next chapter's going to be long. I hope you like it and I hope you leave a review. Thanks Ü