DISCLAIMER: Wahaha!!!! My voice will hold still! I will sing unto your merry greetings! The agents will sing along with me! Anyway, our thesis paper is trying to squeeze in- that, I won't let it happen! Thesis or not, Alias characters are not mine. My father might want me to own them, but I don't. Promise. When I borrowed them, I said I'm gonna take care of them. Be nice to them, ok?

2nd Piece

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Alex," she called calmly. But the mystery crept to her. For the past months that she had without a sure memory from what she believed was an accident, all that she knew was to trust her husband. And the fear of doubting him finally came to her way. "…I'm waiting."

He stared. Despite his loyalty, he was torn between his wife and his orders.

"Clio-"

"I just asked you a question," Clio broke out. The panic appeared in her rising tone. "Who is she?"

"You wouldn't understand." Alex' words made it harder for her. Clio felt more vulnerable. Is the man she married someone that she doesn't know? Then doubt became deep- distrust surfaced.

"W-why do you say that?"

"You leave me with no other choice."

There was horror in her thoughts. She tried to understand what Alex was saying but the more she thought of it, the more she gets frightened. Then the idea struck her.

"…Are you with her?"

"…"

There was no answer. Clio halted in Alex' gesture; her endless questions finally came to an end.

"… Who… Who are you people…?"

Who are you people? …Who are you people? …Who are you…?

She burst into a cry. Sitting upright in shock, she clasped her hand on her mouth. She was shaken, her every muscle trembling. The pain shooting from her brain seemed to split her head in two. And then there were the mirrors, surrounding her; she saw the bandage on her head. A trembling scream escaped her and the trauma she had from the sabotage was freaking her out more. The memory of the metal shrapnel almost slicing through her back, the fire consuming their house, the explosion that almost killed her and the bullets flying everywhere. They all flashed, terror haunting her. She recklessly tried to reach for her back and another rib started to ache. She choked in the sudden shot of pain. She climbed down from the bed, approached the mirrors then slammed her palm against it.

"Help!" her voice called at the top of her lungs, almost coughing in her effort. "Anyone, please help!"

"Agent Ilinova," a man in uniform called as his men filled the room, "try to be still."

"What are you doing?!" she asked as the men held her.

"We're here to help you."

"Let go!" she kicked hard to fight back. The men laid her down on the bed. She struggled, they pinned the syringe on her arm. "Please let me go! Please no! Please no… No… No…"

The men released her. The shout ended in furious breathing. She felt her body lose the strength she needed more that time. She helplessly watched them do what they intended to do.

"Listen!" a female among the doctors called as she took of her medical mask. "Listen carefully Clio."

"Are you FSBs?" Clio asked, her voice trembling in fear. The woman looked at her concernedly as she saw how frightened she was.

"Yes, yes we are! We saw you unconsciously floating on the water," the voice lightened up in contentment that she knew about them. "Please, Clio calm down. We need to speak to you but you must first keep yourself calm."

"Where's Alex?" she asked, starting to cry again. "Help him please! He's dying!"

"He'll be fine. He's condition is stable, we're helping him in our best."

She finally slacked down. Her tears were held back in a sigh. Her brows rested back above her clouded eyes.

"Thank you," Clio told the woman. The worry on the woman's expression finally changed to a smile. She gestured to the others to leave and they were left alone inside.

"I'm Agent Reyes," she informed as she took the seat beside her bed. Clio remembered her when she called them before all the attacks happened. "I'm sorry we weren't there in time."

"You're Agent Reyes," she repeated. "Who are they? What did they want from us?"

Reyes halted. Clio's question was the moment she was getting ready for in months. She looked away.

"I need you to come with me," she pleaded. "We need to get out of here first. And to where, I can't tell you right now, just, please, come with me."

----------

You're a former KGB agent. The president's voice resounded back on her head. You had been gone for almost two years since you came back from a mission with the CIA. You've saved lives of your countrymen, Clio. But more of them need your help now. She entered the room and reluctantly followed. Not only your own country… She sat down. She rested her head as she sat straight. The government had finally persuaded her to come back. The CIA needs your help. Back to where it used to be, back to where she had left it. We ensure that the therapy would be well. Trust us.

The sound of the resuscitator stirred the room. Her body jerked as the electric shock tried to revive her. It was charged once, then twice then thrice. Clio was not breathing, the machine beeped in flat line. The panic did not cease. The room dissolved in the voices.

----------

"Wait here."

The convoy of the black government vehicles lined at the shoulder. The marble markers were standing out in whiteness at the hill of moist green grasses. Her pants swept the raindrops on the grass blades as she marched across the hill. Kneeling, she did not mind how the rain almost submerged the place. She wiped the mud then placed the bouquet on the marble plate. She finally stood up but she couldn't leave. Soon the rain started to pour again. She sat down beside the grave. The clouds went darker; they crowded the sky. The rustle of the rain on the ground failed to make her leave. There was nothing else she could hear but the sound in her head- her own grieving.

"We need to go," one of them informed. He held the umbrella to cover her. She didn't move. "We have to go."

----------

"The briefing awaits you in the conference room," an employee told her, she didn't even halt to listen. She speeded off to the door.

"Clio," the assistant director exclaimed as she stepped in. She continued to walk to her seat. "You don't look well, what happened?"

"It's raining," she answered. She finally had a look around and she saw a few familiar faces- the former KGB director, the president on the monitors and Reyes. And there was the FSB director and other officers. She stared at Reyes. "Let's start please."

"The Covenant," the assistant, or the former KGB director, started awkwardly. The folders started to flip open. "It seems that they come as replacement of the former Alliance. We've been dealing with this problem for more than two years. And as most of us know, this group is responsible for too many black propagandas."

"According to intel, this organization was long been in pursuit for information and power posing like other mafia groups. But they feared that this org has been a threat enough that even the U.S. government cannot protect itself from them. Moles had been walking up and down in the halls of the White House, but none of them could be identified," the director added.

"We have you here to investigate both the premises of the US government and all other government powerhouses. And if necessary, all other leads that you can rely on for the tracking of this organization. We would just like to inform you that this operation is still under secrecy from all other international countries except us and also no other organization, not even the whole CIA. That's why the FSB has been ordered by the president with this operation."

"I have informally prearranged this already with the US president and so no other legalizations should be feared for this joint operation. You're source would primarily be the CIA."

"And we believe too that the president or the CIA is not an exemption to this case," the assistant cleared. "You do understand now the reason why you were called, don't you?"

"Honestly," Clio finally spoke, "I was confused. I see a better agent in front of me."

"Agent Reyes had been dealing with certainly equally serious matters," the president interrupted. Clio has somehow realized her stubbornness.

"We'll be sending you and Liun to Los Angeles," the director informed. Clio looked away. Of all the matters that she didn't want to discuss, about him was her most likely to avoid. "The operation's manual and lay-out will be handed to you soon in 24 hours. Also Liun's briefing papers for you to brief him. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," she reluctantly answered.

"We're going to provide a new residence for you as for your house. But for the meantime, you can stay in the safe house as long as Liun doesn't recover. Anyway, we were told that he'll gain consciousness in two more days."

"We're leaving you to Reyes to discuss to you another of these matters." The director and the assistant quickly organized and left as they were all dismissed by the president. Soon they were alone enough to speak together. Reyes reluctantly slid the papers across the table to Clio. She opened it. And to her surprise, she couldn't believe what she just read.

"Your prearranged agreement," Reyes informed.

"What does this mean?"

"It was me who helped him find you after we were ordered not to interfere. We both wanted to protect you."

"You proposed this?" Her tone rose.

"The agency did. As privilege for cooperating, they have prepared an arrangement for this. Just sign it," Reyes informed bluntly from being annoyed. She handed the pen, underestimating Clio's decisions.

"You offend me." Reyes was surprised but she held it back. At first, she didn't even try to read what she wanted to say. Clio compelled her. "What would you do if you were me?"

"I want you to understand, Clio, that I don't wish, myself, for you to be back here. Or so, that I am not to be blamed."

"And so I remembered someone told me before that whatever life I choose if I had the therapy, this country shall not be taken responsible." Reyes didn't answer back. She knew what Clio meant. "So don't be."

Clio stormed out of the room. Reyes reached for the folder on the floor. She held it tight but threw it in dismay. The papers flew noisily in the room. Reyes left, too, as then.

----------

Her phone vibrated noisily on the table. She woke up from lying on the couch and resting for only two hours.

"Agent Ilinova."

"We need you before midnight here in the headquarters. The Covenant is believed to be moving inside the US just now. One of the CIA's elite agents was reportedly killed inside her own residence.

Clio's heart pounded hard as she tried to figure out who the agent was. Reyes told her that Irina has been freely working then on the CIA already after the trial had proven her innocence.

"Agent Sydney Bristow."

She was not relieved. The same horror that she expected struck her and she couldn't help standing. Her phone trembled too on her hand.

"Agent Ilinova?"

"Yes sir," she whispered.

"The attacks were done at her apartment and her body was recovered but badly burnt," the voice informed. "We suspect that the Covenant had been behind all these."

Clio listened carefully as the information passed to her weakened her in grief. The call ended and she glanced at the clock- three more hours before midnight, when suddenly, someone moved from behind.

"How long have you been awake?"

"I just woke up," he answered weakly. "I heard you talking so I woke up."

There was a smile on her face but it did not last. She stepped closer but held distance.

"I have an emergency call before midnight. Sydney had been attacked inside her apartment." There was silence between them but Alex couldn't believe what he just heard. Partly because of he news but something between them scared him more form being a man. He felt that she had been quietly grieving. "I guess I have to report too that you have awaken."

She sat back to the couch. Watching the clock, she tried to pretend the agony she felt about him. She could break down at any moment, with so many problems she did not even expect. But she knew Alex was watching her closely, trying to think too of what to say.

"Try to review your papers." She dropped the papers on his side, not even caring to hand it over. "I'm leaving. I suggest that you get ready too."

She talked outside with a nurse. Clio glanced at him before she left. He opened the folder, and the fear that he had been trying to hide finally surfaced. He read the paper. He knew there was nothing he can do.

----------

"Yes sir, we're heading straight to the station," he reported then ended the call. He carefully turned to prevent his wounds from opening; he knew that he still needs the rest but he wanted to come along. The jet plane was almost halfway the European sky at 2000 the next day. And they still haven't talked. He watched Clio as she was sitting quietly, occupying herself with the papers. He wanted to, but she won't mention about anything that happened especially at the therapy. He walked past her then sat behind her.

"How are your wounds?" her voice called onto him but obviously she wasn't even looking away from busying herself.

"Fine," he reluctantly answered.

"I had the therapy three days ago. The day we were attacked. They had me undergo regression therapy, the memories were not erased they were just replaced," she finally revealed. "I almost died."

"The therapy had side effects. Did they not take medical measures?" Liun asked. But she didn't answer. "Who rescued us?"

"Reyes did," she informed. They felt awkwardly speaking without facing each other. "I realized that you did not only place a bomb on my wristwatch but you also asked Marshall to give me this necklace before I left. You tracked me through this."

"It was my only way." There was a pause. Clio stood up and finally took a seat across him.

"I remember the first time we were introduced. I started as Class B but you were already a Class A strategist. You have been one of the best and I don't know how much more you have planned for this that we are now arguing. But I'm not blunt. Is this all part of your job, or do you have your own endgame?"

"You're not thinking about what you're saying right now. I don't have anything behind this, Clio."

"Don't tell me that as if I'm doing this in vain. You know you have your responsibilities."

"But your question paranoids me. You know I don't want being questioned. Especially about loyalty."

"I am aware of that. But then why do I feel so victimized on this? We haven't seen each other for a year and the next time we met again, it was tragic. You know I trusted you. And after marrying, there are so many things that had happened between us. And not even a single minute I suspected you were lying about your own identity or about mine. You didn't even try to explain to me."

"I was given orders."

"They ordered for anyone in the agency to leave me alone. You pursued despite the orders," she told him, informing him of how she was acquainted. "And whatever the reason was, I am your wife. Secrecy does not apply to us."

"Do you blame me?"

"Should I? Do you feel responsible?" The tension did not cease. Alex could not stand the guilt on the consequence he had taken. The room was closing in, the air was getting tight; he realized that she had lost her trust because of this decision. He couldn't answer again. "I do question your loyalty now."

"We need Agent Liun immediately," a pilot interrupted. Her stare did not pull away.

"I'm coming," and Alex followed quickly.

----------

The plane landed temporarily at the Chicago Aircraft Station. Alex went back to the deck where he left her agonizing. But Clio had already climbed down the aircraft.

"…Yeah and you know, I'm having a baby," Alex overheard Marshall as he approached them. "Hey, Agent Liun. I mean, Mr. Liun."

"Marshall," he greeted in English and shook hands with him, surprised when Marshall pulled him for a hug. "I'd like to speak to the new director."

"He'll be at L.A. He's sent me to brief you about some 'household terms'," he proudly announced. There was no reaction. "I was the only one available."

"What time should we be there?"

"By six hours now," Clio informed from standing behind. "We should be leaving now. You're coming with us?"

"Well, uh, sure. If Alex here doesn't mind," Marshall answered but was already walking ahead them.

----------

LOS ANGELES. Clio walked cautiously down the hallway of the house where Dixon planned to meet them. And at the living room, they were greeted warmly for being back in the US.

"You see that it was a great loss, for us to be left by Sydney. I know you're wondering where Jack and Irina are. Jack is in the agency, but he hasn't said anything, as he usually does and for us, we know he's on something. As for Irina, she left the CIA the day we found out Sydney's murder. We received just right today a mail from her but only I and Jack knows about it. She's in hiding for assuming that the NSC had a lead on her, but we all no she is innocent."

"What's with the NSC?" Alex asked.

"The National Security Council has been watching, too, over us. And, as your contact under the order of the president, I broke the law they have implied of having no connection with other agency under no supervision of their own officer, Nathaniel Mannheim. He was, before, the replacement of Agent Kendall for assistant directorate before I had to take over. Watch out for him. He has a sharp eye with concerns to the Bristows."

"I'll set him as a subject," Alex informed.

"Is there anything else you would like to know?"

"When will they take Syd's ashes?" Clio asked.

"Tomorrow. But I don't suggest that you show up there." He firmly put on. "Have you also been informed about Agent Reyes?"

"Why? What's the problem?" Clio asked in surprised as Alex was too. They were told that the president and his team had left already the other day for security reasons.

"She hasn't returned to Russia yet, and still missing. She was last seen after the conference. If you could, track her down."

Clio was silent the whole night, maybe trying to soothe herself with all the problems. The briefing ended about 1800. They were told that the apartment would be their residence. Left then, they both sat down across each other on the couches and started on their laptops. Alex checked for their contacts in the US while Clio busied herself to communicate with someone very important- Irina. Alex secretly glanced at Clio. He wondered how long could he last with their relationship at trouble.

"What would you like to eat? I'm hungry," Clio started.

"Anything. Would you like me to cook?" He smiled warmly at his attempt to reconcile.

"Yeah, sure," Clio ended smiling back. It was the first time she did after she had confronted him. "Pasta."

He immediately left his seat and headed to the kitchen. Clio's smile faded. Just as she planned to- she stared at his laptop, reluctantly planning what's next and then finally stood up.

Alex sliced gently on the onion, feeling quite deeply intimidated at their situation. But somehow, the scenes are getting softer. Contented with his thoughts, he was interrupted when he heard something suspicious.

"What happened?" Alex asked as he found Clio worriedly putting on all her contacts.

"…Reyes called," she trembled. "We need to get to her."

"Have you called the FSB station here?"

"Yes but they said tracing her would take too much time. I don't think they're taking this very serious. I mean she's in trouble! She could even be dying this minute! We've just arrived and there's already too much trouble."

"There is nothing to be afraid of," he sat down then closed together her laptop's screen. "Worrying won't help. It's not reasonable for you to torture yourself with those thoughts. You said you contacted them already so don't pressure yourself now. You haven't really rested yet."

"I can't just stay here and take my rest. I need to find her."

"All we can do now is wait. Where do you think you could look for her in this place?" She sat down. She leaned her back, looking still on the computer, waiting. "Promise me you won't leave tonight."

Clio glanced at him. His gaze locked on hers.

"Your wounds aren't well enough. You should rest," she replied keeping the distance. Alex waited patiently for a while. But it felt hopeless. He even tried to think if she would still want to have dinner. He failed, and decided to give her space. "I'll wait here."

She last mentioned. He looked back then nodded.

(A/N: Burp! Shye-shye to all and one! So very kind of you to read and review! I hope the story's not killing you in boredom. Hehe. To derevkobristow-spawn, may idea na ako. Kaya lang nakakahiya blush, blush. Ikaw, anong gusto mo? To roter-kreuz and bloody-pudding, sorry guys, but I intend not to make mushy parts. If you have ideas, just say it and they'll be entertained. Anyways, I wanna say something to you two, you rock!!!!!! Thesis is not the way we're gonna spend this Holiday season! Harhar. To evryone! Have a nice Christmas!