DISCLAIMER: No ALIAS character wanted to be mine. I even bribed them by offering my house for a new quarter. No one accepted the offer. So sad it is. Hu-ha! Aha… aha. I heard that Jack did something about Irina in Season Four and it made me sad. I'm so sad. Really, it broke my heart. I don't own ALIAS.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Sokolov."

"Yes?"

"Tell me the truth, is she…?" her voice faded as she had second thoughts of asking. It was too dark inside, and he had to call on him to ask him about the matter she, herself, wasn't sure.

Sokolov tried to keep the classified issue away but he could read that she will try everything to know. Her thoughts cannot be hidden with his skills- Sokolov is a telepath.

"She is what you think… she is."

"Seriously. That's not a concrete answer," she replied. But it seemed though that the question was answered right. Is she really… alive? Clio asked herself. Sokolov had been reading her mind. "You have the same impression as hers. You both seem to read… between the lines. I'm done."

"I'm done as well," he replied as they both turned to face each other. They got into guard suits. Sokolov held the knob and gestured a silent instruction.

"I'm going back inside the building."

"Wait. What do you think you're doing back there?"

"I told you Ilinova, this is not a part of your instructions. I suggest that you leave for your extrac--"

"Hold it! Turn around!" a guard shouted on them in French. The two turned slowly, hoping the disguise would work. "Did you see signs of them?"

"We saw two figures enter the stock room, sir."

"Targets were cited near the exit," the guard radioed and ordered his men to go to the direction Sokolov pointed. "Proceed to the stock room. I repeat, proceed to the stock room."

The two quickly sneaked out of sight, running towards the backdoor. Sokolov glanced at Clio.

"Cover!"

His warning came off but it was too late before Clio felt her heart leapt out of her. He triggered an explosion from the stock room and the explosion killed everyone who entered. She tried to keep herself on the ground as the parking area almost shattered. She had watched the large smoke fill the area, making a scene. She knew it was too reckless, and it was a desperate attempt for distraction.

"Sokolov?!" He was gone even before she noticed. She hastily ran towards the backdoor and ran down the corridor. "Irina, I haven't left yet."

"What!? I gave you my instructions, why weren't you following?"

"Because-". She halted at her sentence. Two figures finally came in view running towards her, rushing to her direction. The first was Sokolov and it was then she realized he was dragging someone behind. "Reyes??"

"RUN!!!!!"

They dashed past her but Reyes managed to grab Clio by the arm. Bullets came running after them on the walls and AK-47s chased them out of the backdoor to the parking area. They were following them again. Scurrying across the hall, almost tripping on their own speed, another group crossed them.

"ZORAN!" Reyes called as their extraction vehicle appeared instantly. The door opened and Sokolov jumped in, pulled Reyes and they both reached to Clio. "GO! GO! GO!!"

Guards tried to shoot on them but the vehicle rolled out of sight.

"Are you together!?" was the first question that escaped her, still catching her breath. They didn't reply, maybe because they're still trying to get some air but Reyes pulled her up to a seat. "We were almost got there."

"I was surprised to see you at the end of the hall."

"Me too. Someone didn't tell you I was there," then she glanced at Sokolov and shifted back to Reyes. "You look… different."

"I know. I'm dying in this gown," she answered and gave an irritated look. Sokolov kept quiet. He was trying to cope up with the conversation. Reyes glanced over her shoulder at him and he froze in his seat.

"I'm leaving the perimeter," she radioed back to Irina. "I've been extracted."

"What?? Your team reported you were missing! Who are you with? How did you get away?"

"I'm fine. I'll have my extraction moved."

"I'll make sure it will. We'll talk when you get back."

"Let me talk to her," Reyes asked as she reached her hand for the transmitter. "Irina, it's Reyes. She's safe with us."

It was somehow a relief that Clio was with them. Although having not a slight idea about how it happened. Irina sighed as she reached for her phone to call the president.

"Reyes asked me to call you."

"What's the problem?"

"She has troubles with The Covenant… and she had been exposed to Ilinova. She knows now."

The voice took a while before answering.

"I'm disappointed. Get back here. Now. That's an order."

Clouds of dust surrounded them as they arrived at their transferal point. The three got off the E150 van and bade the team to go as two other vehicles were waiting for them.

Clio glimpsed at them and watched; she somehow enjoyed the whole trip. There was so much to explain, everything from Reyes' mock death and the reason why the information was held back from anyone. Though there was Sokolov, someone that Clio felt could be trusted about Reyes. Reyes glanced back at Clio before they boarded their own vehicle, they'll be heading straight back to Russia. A soft smile carved in her face and she waved goodbye. Clio smiled back.

She looks happier now than ever. The thought came to her and she felt contented. I know she's contented with her life now.

"I'll be driving you to the airport for your trip back to Russia, ma'am."

"What?" Clio asked puzzled. "Irina's still back at Ukraine, I'm heading there first."

"Derevko left three hours ago and she ordered that I take you straight to your plane. You'll then have a conference when you arrive."

"I wonder why. All right. Thanks for waiting anyways."

"It's nothing. It's my job."

Was it too classified that I was not to know about Reyes? Clio asked herself. She knew why Irina was called so suddenly. There's more about what their keeping. I know it. But it seems I had them compromised. I'm sure my return would be difficult. She turned trying to pass the thoughts on the buildings that passed by them. Reyes… and Sokolov.

"Good morning."

"Good morning," she greeted back. Her head aches from jetlag and she's close to throwing up everything she'd eaten in her plane. She crossed the parking hall and reached the backdoor. Finally, she was walking with the current of employees roaming inside the FSB HQ.

It had been months after she had last seen the rotunda. It was comforting for her to sit back in her cubicle as she waited for her call. She arrived pretty early.

She sat on her table, looking at everything in view. Then she glanced at the cubicle at the front. The thought of worrying came to her but she waved it off. Soon, she noticed someone from afar that just came out of the conference room. He looked vaguely familiar and she had a known feeling about him.

"Clio," Irina waved at her and she approached. "You're debriefing starts in five minutes. Here, take this."

She reached for the aspirin capsule Irina handed and took it.

"What's he doing here?"

"That's a thing you should settle with him," Irina answered. She handed another thing to her. "Your husband looks good with his new hair."

"Really," Clio rolled her eyes. She felt the key in her palm. "What's this?"

"I'll tell you later. Let's get inside."

She gave another glance at him; he had his haircut. There were strict orders for them not to see each other yet for both security and personal reasons. Much more, it was all because of their job; issues about an FSB and a Covenant.

"Please sit down," the president gestured. A set of officers sat around the round table, including Irina. "We were informed about your success back in Paris and we congratulate you for that."

"Thank you sir," she smiled and started to notice that there were unfamiliar men sitting with them.

"Your value as an agent is most significant in this agency and we would like you to know that we're privileged that you're working for the good of Russia."

She had a short moment about the complimented feeling but it bothers her that too much praise was given. The FSB director continued.

"For years of your service in this country, both in the former KGB and FSB, your efforts were commendable. You are one of the best and most importantly, that can be relied on. We expect that you can keep this information by which our country had also been protected for years."

Clio listened in confusion. She glanced at Irina, asking her what it is. She gave no response.

"We received reports about your reunion with your former companion, Mikaela Reyes and based from the protocol applied to all of you, you were made to believe she was dead. And now we would like to confront you, about the truth of her absence."

"The truth?"

"There is another agency, an organization managed by the president himself. The organization is called Black Guard. And Reyes is one of the Guards."

"Black Guards? Reyes is a Guard?"

"And Sokolov," Irina added. There was more confusion. Clio's face was unreadable. The next words became incomprehensible.

"I never knew."

Black Guard? What the heck is with everything around me? She left the Black Guard's document folder on her desk. She wanted to rest for a week but she promised Irina to have a review and update about the current issue of the Black Guard's involvement with the Covenant. Whatever the organization is, how it works and how it deals with them, she will soon find out, she made sure. Things are killing me! I'm starting to get uncertain with everything. 'Seems like I've missed a lot. Everything slacked when she found the site. She had traveled six hours from Paris to Moscow and ten hours from Moscow to the eastern state without rest, considering the conference. And she's dying to touch a pillow. Finally, I'm home.

She parked at the garage of the new house. It was reasonable that it took the agency a year before they've provided a new one. It was so beautiful, a house built near the Baikal Lake. She was so entranced and couldn't help but get excited to enter the house.

A year ago, their house was burned in the attempt of a sabotage of Covenant men. It was then also that Clio was asked by the agency to come back, which brought once more her erased memories. Her life had been too intricate but somehow she survives everyday deception and lies.

"And lies, ever again," the thought went into her. She walked across the foyer and placed her trench coat at the coat rack. The season's getting a lot chilly but the house exuded warmth. And it comforted her.

She was about to reach the living room when she sensed something wrong. Her instincts are telling her to proceed with caution. She quickly drew her gun hidden in her slacks and peeked in the living room. A figure stood by the large window, enjoying the sunset that brought the orange tinge in the room. The figure glanced and was surprised as the same.

"…"

"…What are you doing here?"

"…Getting home before nightfall." He pushed his glasses up. His voice seemed that he waited for her but in truth, he never even knew that she had been informed about the house. Clio walked in and was seemingly trying to start a conversation again.

"What were you doing in the agency this morning?"

"I had been called," he replied. "I still am a double-agent for the FSB… if you have forgotten."

"No I haven't forgotten. I think I can never forget that."

"What was that? My lies?" Alex crossed his arms as he repeated his question. He attempted to make the conversation as peaceful as it could be, hoping that it wouldn't end up in a violent way. But he couldn't keep himself from perceiving what it is. "That I lied to you?"

"This issue is endless. It can never be settled. Your attempt will just be wasted."

"Of course it could be settled. We should've settled this already."

"Where exactly are we going to Alex?"

"Last night, I asked you to meet me after your spying inside the Covenant ball. I was about to tell you that I'm leaving the Covenant. And it was so important… I wanted to ask you to come home with me here."

"I didn't know."

"Because you never came! I was compromised in waiting. My recognition in the Covenant is now vulnerable. I can't just leave now without any one of us getting killed."

Clio tried to keep herself composed, trying to justify both his reasons and hers.

"And you were with Sokolov."

"What? Is that--?" she cut her own sentence at the sudden anger she felt. It was like her character had been underestimated- that he doubted him as his wife. She sighed deeply. "When you told me to see you, I had my orders. And it was so unfair for the agency for me to disobey another order. That's what's so important to me then. Sokolov was just coincidentally there. He was being chased and I wanted to help. And with that I found out a--."

She stopped remembering the information that she might pass on to him. But she felt she wouldn't be different from him if she does the same, doubt him.

"It can never be settled if we don't try. I'm asking you if you can give me the chance."

Chance? Clio suddenly felt stinging at the back of her eye- the thought was hopeless for her.

"It'll be better if…" She quickly turned and decided to leave.

"Clio. Clio!"

He caught up with her and grabbed her wrist. The force pulled her and the action leaned her on the wall. Alex' left hand was holding her right wrist and the other pinning her left shoulder. She tried to struggle but he was holding her firmly.

"You haven't rested from your trip this morning. This is our house. Why can't we both stay here together?"

"Stop asking questions."

His hands slid down to her waist and he wrapped them around her. Clio slightly leaned on the wall from him to push him away but he closed in and embraced her. She soon couldn't do anything but sigh. The moment took a while before she completely gave up her anger. She embraced back tighter; the agony lost but then she slightly pulled away.

"I need to rest."

"Of course," he answered understandingly. He tucked the fallen strand of her hair and looked deeply into her eyes. "Do you want to eat? I'll cook."

"I'm not hungry," she shook her head then smiled. She thought he was going to ask something again.

"I- I'm sorry."

"Everything will heal in time. I'm sorry, too. I never meant to make you… doubt me."

"I was just jealous."

"You don't need to be."

Alex' heart tendered. He kissed her forehead and reached for her hand.

He took her to the bedroom and decided to better take his rest too. Ideas swarmed in him as he watched her lay sleeping next to him. They both missed each other a lot and he'd been wishing hard to be with her again. He hoped to make the best out of that time.

"It's cold."

"…Heater," she replied half sleeping.

"Yeah, I thought so… Can we have a visit to China?"

"That'll… be… wonderful." Clio yawned. "Can we please talk about it tomorrow, hmm? Good night."

"Sure. Good night. Good night."

"Aleksandr Liun, get yourself a sleep. And make me have mine," she opened her eyes and smiled. She placed her hand on his cheek. He soon felt dizziness from the warmth of her hand. "Sleep."

"I will."

The next day, a commercial plane flew over the frosting sky. Snow started to fall. The two decided to go to China that morning. Alex looked down at the sky from the window; the Baikal Lake seemed to glisten at the tickling fall of the snowflakes. By the time we get back, the Lake will start to get frozen. 'Snow's coming earlier this year, weather changes as time gets old. He felt something on his shoulder. Clio's head is resting on him; she didn't get her sleep at all. She stayed up when she felt the coldness of the first snow breeze. She watched the snow touch the Lake until the break of dawn. Alex was a bit jealous about it.

The trip was going to take another seven hours to reach Wuhan province. All in all, Clio had not taken any proper sleep for more than 24 hours of work and traveling. He was determined to make her rest all day when they arrive in China. They've only spent minutes in midair after the take-off and the lake started to disappear from view. He sighed at the popping of the pressure in his ears and closed his eyes.

Three hours ago, Alex felt a cold damp thing that touched his nose and he looked up and assumed that it was snow. And it was snow. His glasses quickly frosted and he took it off. Then, a blurred figure was approaching to the middle of the snowfield from where he's standing and it was seemingly waving. He moved toward the figure when all of a sudden, he felt his legs sinking deeper at every step. He halted and glanced again at the figure and was still waving at him. He took another step and the ground broke form beneath. He dared not to move and suddenly the whole ground collapsed.

"ALEX!" Clio had been waking him up and her last effort was to puncture him on the neck. "ALEX!!"

The plane was losing its altitude fast. The whole plane was shattering at the darting impact of the plane in the atmosphere. Another of the two small propellers busted in fire. Alex can see clearly from the window the flames. Clio was trying to attend to everyone, shouting instructions at the panicking crowd.

Alex quickly got to his feet and ran to the pilot's cockpit. Forcing the pressured doors to open, Clio followed close and helped him. With the help of the fire extinguisher frosting the lock and hitting it unlocked, the door cranked open and

"Oh my GOD!"

"They're not breathing!!"

"Hold the controls!!"

"Oh, God. The systems locked up!"

"We're heading straight to the ground!!"

"Call the nearest station!"

Another explosion occurred on the propellers. The plane banked on the left side and more screams rushed them as the plane swayed on its way down. The power systems started to disconnect.

"Alex!"

The clouds swiftly parted, ground below appeared unexpectedly at the midst of the clouds' sea. The two froze in terror, watching the coming of the site.

"We have an emergency call. A plane to China is reportedly heading to a crash landing. A signal is coming off from it."

"What signal?"

"Agent Ilinova's."

"What???" Irina hurried to the monitors and confirmed it was hers. "Call Air Force team! Order for emergency landing! I need immediate attendance to that plane! Whatever it takes! Get that plane!!"

A/N: Due to the tough situations and depressing truths I uncovered from the Alias spoilers, I may not be able to upload for the next seven days (just a week, alright? No suing.) Nyahaha! 'Still can't believe Jack did that (see or ), in that case I'll set Jack his boundaries! Haha! Vengeance is not mine but you'll see what's in the twist! Spazeeba readers, specially derevkobristow-spawn (please upload the other story soon!) And, of course! After all my waiting! The story that my fic has been tied to has been uploaded! Check out Mika V. Reyes' work titled The Agenda for your further acquaintance to the technical background of the whole story! Again, spazeeba. See you again.