DISCLAIMER: Desperate times need desperate measures. I tried not to look on spoilers in the Internet for season four, but I just can't help it! I need ALIAS!! As for anyone here, I know you need ALIAS, too. X If you know something, please do have me informed. Maybe it's because ALIAS is not mine to own. Tsk, tsk. When will I have the chance to lay my paws on the ALIAS itself?
CHAPTER TWELVE
"I was about to tell you."
"Clio."
Her gaze shifted from Alex to Ada. She couldn't understand why all of them she trusted needed to lie to her. There was no reply; she reflected no sign of response.
"I devised a plan, I hope this works," Ada informed without much consideration of Clio's feelings. She unshackled Alex first then Clio. "I can tell my men that you were here to turn Clio in. But she escaped. I haven't put much thinking to it because I didn't know what to do when Alexei tracked that you're with Clio."
"Thanks for coming," Alex answered rubbing his wrist. "It might be useful of doing so. But your husband will be hostile enough to use some other way to investigate."
Clio was even surprised how Alex and Ada had been interacting. For years she had never noticed that they had even a single conversation, things became really intricate. And even before anything became to be like that, she believed she'd been killed. Killed by Alex.
"Who's your husband?" The two looked back at her. Alex was just trying to simulate the satellite footage that covers his villa. They still looked puzzled at her first question. "I thought he never came back to you."
"I'm sorry, I know you're really upset. We need to talk about so many things but not now. I'm so sorry."
"Ada," Alex interrupted as he decided to do so perceiving Clio's thoughts. She wouldn't accept the apology anyway. "Tell me where he is."
"He's in his house," Ada replied, trying to ease her tension. "A French property near the coast. He's been preparing for—"
The heavy solid wooden door slammed shut. They hastily ran to get to her but it was too late. Before they could get out, the next sounds were clicking of guns and shouts of orders trying to put Clio in restraint. They pinned her down on the cold damp ground, trying to disarm her. She kept fighting back and with her last kick, a cold steel hit her on the cheek. Her head dropped weakly and she fell helplessly on the pavement.
The rocking movement of the truck had already awakened her, even before Ada tried to wipe the blood staining her face. The wound made by the gun's blow was clearly visible from her unscathed face. Her mouth tasted so with blood and her vision is still blurred. She tried to blink it away but she wished she hadn't after seeing them.
"Didn't it help your planning?" Clio smiled impassively. "Did it not make it easier?"
"I know you didn't listen to any of what I've said back there but…" Ada still worriedly wiped the blood, "what you did, you shouldn't have ran outside. Now it'll be more difficult to escape from the Covenant."
"The plan was for you to escape, not to get caught! What were you thinking?!" Alex angrily glared at her. "This is getting worse. We should get you off this truck now. Before we could reach the compound."
"It's too dangerous. It'll compromise us with Alexei's expectations. They've already informed him that we-"
"Don't bother planning for me. You'll get yourselves compromised, you're right. Stop making things as if I can't do them myself. All I want to know now is everything. Everything, and not a single lie."
Alex pulled away his glare, Ada sat back across her. They've transported her through a police truck. Something the Covenant must have provided for cover. Clio's head was still bowed from the heaviness; her mind couldn't really calculate their location.
"Well, Alexei- Tsakinov is my husband. His cover was to leave, he is in the Covenant all along."
"You knew he's Covenant?"
"No. And neither did he knew that I worked for the government," she answered defending. "The day when he pulled me out of the FSB, he tried to convince me that I'd be sued both by the agency and the Covenant if they find out that I'm married to him. It was then that I realized that when you asked me of Alex' investigation, it is possible that his warning is true, and not just to take me away from the FSB."
"So you faked your death and you made me believe you died."
"Yes. And Alex had nothing to do with any part of the plan. He didn't kill me, as you believed. It was greatly considerate of him not to tell you himself and let me instead after I revealed to you his involvement in the Covenant. He helped me to have this chance to explain."
"You've wasted your efforts," Clio bluntly replied but deeply jealous. "Why didn't you people choose better than worse? If truly your intentions were for real, why do you choose this situation over a happy one?"
"Because we both don't know what it feels like to be in each other's situation. And for our side, this had come to us even before we knew it, Clio. Things were bound to happen as they are now. And for both our sakes, we had to make this decision."
Alex was right. He never wished to be born a Covenant. And Ada, she never wanted an evil husband. She's a very fragile woman and even working inside the reality of national crises makes her so scared and lonely. They were opposites. But they would both never be capable of betraying their country or people they loved. And now the big difference was she loved someone to make her betray her country and her. And for Clio
"And you chose these," Clio continued, "for nothing."
"You know we're not alike." Ada's voice lowered. "If what I feel you're doing in your same situation is contrary."
"Don't judge me." She replied with bitterness in her voice. Obviously that Alex had been consulting her about them and it was so envying- that she should have known better than Ada does. She blinked sleepily, tried to fight back the inviting rest in her sleep. But she was too weak; she hadn't even recovered from her wounds back in China. Her eyelids dropped shut to block her view but her hearing was still alert. She heard Ada and Alex trying to awake her. But for a second longer or so, she blacked out completely.
FRANCE. The chilly, pitch-black cell she had been sitting in for four days never changed, and it was her fifth day in there. But she was not expecting death out of some sort of self-pity. Because in the hollowness of her stare at the only light she could look on for hope, were plans of revenge and so mush hatred. At some times that she couldn't help thinking of betrayals to her, she would keep herself away from the truths. She wrapped her arms tighter around her limbs and at the first shadow cast at the light below the steel door, she scrambled to get there, hoping that it would be
"'Your food." The guard informed in French.
She suddenly felt losing hope. She returned to her corner; her eyes almost streaming with tears at the certainty that it wasn't him. She tremblingly covered her mouth from crying out. It took her a moment before she could reply.
"I'd rather drink water," her voice choked.
"Are you sure? This would be your first true meal after four days. You need to eat something… humane. You won't survive longer with your wounds from torture, miss. You should eat, I'm telling you," his voice warned. Her guard was somewhat considerate to her. He would sometimes warn her about whenever the men would come to her for interrogation. And convincing her about eating would be another warning.
"I'm going in for interrogation again, am I not?" she sobbed. Days and days of waiting had turn into hell of interrogation days.
"I'm not sure. They must've known I'd been talking to you so I was not informed. But prepare yourself."
"I'm pulling you out of the Covenant after I get out of here."
"Thank you but… I wasn't here for nothing. It's for my family." His words reminded her of the same reason Ada and Alex told her. She felt weaker to move or speak. "And it'll be impossible for you to escape."
Clio didn't answer. She lied on the cold paved floor for there was no bed inside her remote cell. The guard slid the steel door open to check her out and handed her a glass of water. She tremblingly drank it but after having a short time of relief, the familiar men entered; pulling her up to stand. She was viciously escorted toward the interrogation room again.
She was cuffed at a steel chair. They encircled her; started asking her again those questions, morbidly hitting her every time she wouldn't answer. A choked cry would come out of her, as every blow would hit her with stabbing pain. She could feel her internal organs getting crushed. But they didn't stop. They poured a pail of cold water to her. Charging the conductors, then they started electrocuting her.
She could die, she knew. But she didn't want to think about it. The steel chair stumbled as all her weight was shifted to her side. Trying to have a clear vision, all she could see was blood mixing with water. Cleverly, she reached the chord and successfully, turned the electricity to them. But her body soon stiffened, as she couldn't move any longer. The electricity was still flowing from the batteries, to the water, to the men and to her. She coughed blood out.
Soon, the men that would take her back to her cell arrived. She would have been hit again for almost killing the interrogation men but instead, she was seated back to the chair. The men steadily held her, trying to pin a needle into her skin. It instantly crept to her veins, her gasping making the process easier. The men stood back as they watched her body convulsion at the spreading of the medication. The sound of her voice was unbearable- the scream of pain of the killing poison seeping, forcibly stopping her heart. For ten seconds it echoed and it finally slacked to a slow, heavy breathing. Her gasp would come out every other second now, as she would choke at every intake of air. And with a final intake of breath, her mouth stopped at an open plea for air. The poison won her life, her heart stopped beating. Her dark blue pupils, still staring, dilated and dimmed.
A man kneeled to her. His finger landed on her neck.
"She's dead." He quickly stood up and glanced down at her. His gun pointed towards. "We have to be sure."
The two gunshots broke the silence of the night. Along the broad highway of the French national road was an ambulance truck, speeding as an E150 Ford van proceeded behind, shooting at the chase. Cut off by the vehicle, the truck stopped at the middle of the road. Two black figures boarded off the van. Guns pointing at them, the drivers carefully tried to reach for the radio but the men quickly shot on them. Soon they were asleep with the tranquilizers and the two men hurriedly went behind the truck. They cranked the back open.
"I'm telling you. I'll kill you Alex." Irina murderously warned him as she pulled off her mask and helped Alex pull the heavy body bag.
"Quickly!" Alex informed as the simulations in the satellite he programmed only has five seconds left. And after a while, they were able to roll off away from the scene.
"An hour before the sodium morphate wares off." The water that she drank earlier was with sodium morphate, an instruction Alex gave the guard. Alex was unnerved but carefully placed down the body on the soft bed. She was covered in white blanket that Irina wrapped around her after taking her off the plastic body bag. Her color is frighteningly dead, her look so creepy to look at. Alex immediately pulled off the syringe, injecting on her neck. Waiting in prayer, whispering softly. Suddenly, the first gasp was taken. She has been revived.
His arms wrapped around her; eyes lining with tears and his mind so dying to say his sorry. Irina was so thankful; looking at her wheezing as her colors quickly came back to life. He watched as Alex and Clio hold for a moment, crying in terror and gratitude.
"Oh thank God," was all Alex can mutter. Clio brokenly cried out her agony. His tight embrace trying to wash away her fears and worries. "Sshh… Hush now honey. I'm here. I'm here."
She held him back as his words tried to comfort her, her body still shaking from crying.
"Let her go now," Irina ordered, pointing her gun at Alex. But her stare was with great worry and concern "You've had my trust already. I cannot trust you with her life again after what you did."
Alex pulled slowly, raising his hands on the air. Irina had seen that what she did was wrong but she must for all of them. Alex' eyes still streamed with tears as he watched Irina take away his wife. Before she could get her out, he shot him with the tranq gun and Clio was so traumatized, trying to run to him. But Irina quickly restrained her. She immediately called for an escort team and they quickly went away.
UKRAINE.
Clio had finally slept after sobbing and talking frantically for the whole day. Irina sighed as she held her, who had become a child to her. She kissed her forehead and stroked her hair with maternal care as her head rested on her. Irina remembered singing to the young Clio whenever the KGB doctors would have made her cry angrily after forcing her to do something for an experiment. She watched the beautiful child as she had grown now into a stunning woman. Her face quickly recovered from the wounds as soon as only hours ago. Irina stood up to check the dextrose and went out of the room.
"'Unt… 'Unt!" a bright voice delighted Clio's senses. Opening her eyes, she saw the child eagerly looking at her, but not even wondering why she looked hospitalized. Something else has her enthusiasm. The girl spoke in Russian as Clio told her. "Mommy in the park. Mommy talked with me."
"Mommy?" Clio repeated. She sat up and pulled the child on the bed. The child nodded excitedly.
"Unc'l Alex."
"Uncle Alex took you to the park?" The child nodded again. Clio's eyebrow twitched. "Did you see Irina, sweetheart?"
"Gnunny?"
"Yeah. Just don't call her like that when she's around all right? That's just between us." The little guide escorted her outside the room as she dragged the dextrose pole. Irina was sitting with her laptop. Her chin nested on her palm, indicating she's really preoccupied- a mannerism she observed from the Derevkos. She turned away from the screen.
"Sit down," she exclaimed getting to Clio.
"I'm fine, thanks. I need to know something. Did you let Alex take the child?"
"Yelena did," Irina replied irritably. She has still has loathing with Alex.
"The child saw her mother."
"I was informed. It was just amazing that she remembers her after a year. I mean, she was only one when she left her." Irina commented, trying to compensate Clio's feelings as she tells that.
"She's her mother, of course. All I worry about are her confusions with these situations." She stroked the child's hair as the child watched doe eyed. "What were you doing?"
"The arrangements for Paris. I had to make the changes."
"What changes? I thought it was all set."
"Well, you're not going there, are you? So I'm going myself."
"Of course not." Clio replied with a frown. "I'm good and I'm going."
Irina wouldn't argue with her. She knew that her wounds wouldn't stop her from doing her mission. All that Irina was thinking of is the great possibility that they meet again.
"Promise me first that no matter what happens, you'll stay with and what only I will instruct you."
PARIS.
"Good evening. May I see your invitation?"
"Of course."
She could spot the grand hall was so crowded, with all beautiful people, elegantly socializing with each other. The entrance was no different. People kept coming in and she first thought that the security's not really that heavy; she was even able to enter without a valid pass. She walked down the carpet.
The Renaissance music reigned in the hall. Glances were exchanged as a woman dressed in glowing white walked down the carpet. The blonde with auburn eyes walked gracefully towards the middle of the grand hall and soon departed with the buzzing crowd. It was a view no one could miss. She was just so captivating, her wavy hair falling down so gently, her eyes gazing with a catch.
"Can you ID anyone?" the voice in her ear asked. She continued glancing and turning, looking for some familiar faces. Finally, a man dressed charmingly caught her attention. He was raising his glass to her. She took one glass and raised it back to him. The man approached proudly.
"How about a French millionaire?" she radioed back as the man closed in arrogantly.
"May I cut in?"
Clio didn't reply but she looked carefully at the French man, her gaze locked on his. He took her hand and guided her at the middle of the dancing crowd. Awkwardly holding her at her waist, he led the first step and then glided with her at the middle of the hall. More audience was caught by their scene- watching them with admiration and rumors, of course. The music ended, and the French man quickly resumed to ask her for another dance.
"We're done. Your glass has reached the kitchen. Go now," the voice ordered. The bug she attached to the glass she took earlier has finally got inside closer to the main technical room of the building. Now they can get a map through the bug.
"I'm sorry," she answered the man and she slowly walked away and turned.
Suddenly, someone caught her by the hand and took her arms close around him. She was taken aback, and tried to pull away.
"You're beautiful, darling."
"What are you doing?" Clio tried to discreetly go. "I need to go."
The man embraced her, and danced with her for a while. He leaned to her ear.
"I'm telling you something. Meet me at the entrance."
"I can't." She tried to make her voice normal. Her conversation was being transmitted back to Irina. And Irina wouldn't like her talking to him, especially with her promise.
"I blocked Irina's transmission. You need to meet me at the entrance," his voice whispered in plea. He kissed her cheek and he let her go and turned around. He glanced back again and disappeared.
"The transmission went off. Is something wrong there? Maybe I should call for backup." Irina radioed after Alex turned the transmission on.
"No," Clio replied awhile. She quickly waved off the idea and tried to concentrate. "I'm moving now to the next phase."
"Tell me which computer it is."
"The second," Irina replied through her transmitter. She sat down on a couch, monitoring back from the Ukraine safe house. "How is your progress?"
"I got the latest update of the server. I'm downloading it now."
"Copy. Your perimeter is still clear. I'm receiving the downlink… How's the party doing?"
"Great," she replied. Irina's question was trying to measure the truth in her words or trying to see if she hid something.
"What I meant was, you now my point-"
"I'm not sure. What would that be exactly?" Clio replied jokingly. "Just kidding. I'm done. Can I go now?"
Irina answered thought for a while before answering as she worked on her computer to call the extraction team.
"Alright. Move now to your extraction point. And one more thing- straightly to the extraction, clear?"
"Yes'm."
They turned to radio silence. Clio rushed down the corridor to get back to the crowd. Men standing as guards dressed in black with radio earpieces noticed her but they never suspected. Walking subtly out of the building and reaching the parking area, she glanced at the other direction and unexpectedly
"What are you doing here?"
"I ask you the same question," he replied panting, his voice almost inaudible. He shoved his arm to lean her on the wall. He gestured for silence, listening carefully to footsteps.
"Are you followed?" He glanced at her for a yes. "I have extraction in five minutes, you can come with me."
"I'm not leaving. You can go now," he replied and moved on walking as if he was searching or waiting for someone. He glanced back at the door where he came from, his face looked hoping in worry.
"I'd be delayed," she radioed to Irina. "Sokolov, if this is also classified, I should at least have been informed you were here. This is my assignment."
"It's none with the agency's concern," he answered, not even thinking about the possible uncovering.
"Do you have a personal reason?" He halted. He eyed her before turning to the corner, wondering if she was really there for her mission or because of knowing. That Reyes is alive. "I suggest that you go. This is--!"
A warning shot echoed through the hall and they quickly ran out of sight. The men followed swiftly and hunted. But after minutes of searching, they finally distanced from their location.
A/N: Please post your answer to my question "if I should end it already?"… There is only one left chapter before the decision of ending it or continuing it. What should I do? Oh what, oh what? Oh where is Jack anyway? I like this job! Waha! It's hard to say goodbye but... the twist is at the end- derevkobristowspawn.