DISCLAIMER: This is it! This is it! It took me forty-seven (47) years to upload. Yeah! All I can say is… I love Gunbound! But I love ALIAS more. Though, I am not the owner of ALIAS and its characters. I disclaim them! But guys, yeah, I love you all. So don't fret.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN"We have an emergency call," an operator announced. Sudden beeping echoed in the hall. "A plane to China is reportedly heading to crash landing. A signal is coming off from it."
"What signal?" She quickly jumped to her feet.
"One of our agents'— Agent Ilinova's."
"What?" Irina hurried to the monitors and confirmed it was hers. Oh, God. No. All her thoughts suddenly unscrambled, blood pumped in her veins as plans became hard to put back together in panic. What? What- "call Air Force team! Order for emergency landing! I need immediate attendance to that plane!"
Irina stared alarmed on the monitors; the red warning signal made her panic more.
"Whatever it takes! Get that plane!"
"We are now tracking where the plane is currently landing."
"I want all stationed men be there in that site!"
"We've called the station where the plane should've landed. They are now sending men to…"
"Irina, what's happening?" the director came rushing towards the crowding agents. She was too frantic to answer and the director learned about it himself. "I'll send contacts to the site-"
"Maybe we should call the president."
"The president mustn't be bothered with such-"
"Our agents are getting killed! We need security from the president!"
"They're heading-" the operator interrupted. The screen flashed with the trajectory of the plane. "They're going to crash… To a forest- at the boundary of Mongolia and China."
"Get me back-ups! I'm going to Mongolia!"
-
"Alex!" she called on him once again.
Snapping out from his own shock, he looked at his wife. Terror filled her eyes. She was too shaken, almost breaking down. He soon couldn't move, his thoughts taking him over for their survival. At the first push of his legs, he rushed and took his wife by the arm and grabbed her away from the cockpit.
"NOOOO!"
The plane was charging towards the land. Alex wrapped his arms around her and with the final effort he could do for the other passengers-
"Everyone! GET DOWN!"
They hit hard on the floor. The plane shattered completely as its body got stripped from one of its wings. It swiftly twisted to the side heading to the trees and everyone else scurried madly. Alex' arms loosened and Clio slid away from him. He dove closer to her, reaching for her desperately.
"Reach my hand, honey," Alex called calmly. Clio tried bravely to get to him but the plane banged on the other side, crashing on the trees hurdling its way. "Hold on there! Don't let go!"
"I need to get closer!" Clio shouted back.
"I know! I'll get you there! Just don't let! Clio!"
Finally grasping her hand, he forcefully held trying to pull her up. The glass windows started to smash all at once and the walls are starting to tear apart. Shrills resounded in their heads; they also wanted to save everyone else- their duties extend up to their situation.
Clio glanced at Alex that they save more people first. But it was a call for survival and not for selfishness, and Alex had already made a decision.
He can't lose his wife.
So before the windows nearby smashed on them, he tugged her again, turned over her to cover her.
-
"Lieutenant," the soldier saluted and got Irina in the rescue vehicle.
The convoy made their way to the crash site as fast as they can. As fast as Irina's mind and heart fused in anxiety. As fast as she could try to assess what else is waiting for her and everyone that has been involved.
She had been in these situations before, but her involvement this time is taking too much of her. This has to be settled. She finally resolved. Irina looked out of the window. The trailing dust covered the view of the distant dunes as they started to cross the desert to get to the forest. I'm sorry.
-
Dangerous creaking warned any movement. All electric cords dangled along the pathways and all entrances and exits are blocked with rubble.
"Ha—" a hoarse cough scratched her throat with all the dust in her larynx. The cough continued, depriving her of air. It was a while before she could recall what had happened. Moans soon followed her stirring.
Clio tried to get up but she couldn't; a heavy weight on top of her is restraining her; she pushed hard to put away the weight. But it has her securely. She tried to wiggle it off when it finally came to her—
"Oh, God. Alex… Alex?"
"…"
"Honey," she pushed gently from his embrace and got up to sit on the floor. Clio gently pulled him to her and rested his head on her shoulder. She calmly felt his pulse and listened to his breathing. "Come on, your breathing. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up please."
"…"
"Aleksandr Liun, I'm calling on you to wake up," she pleaded. Clio's voice is starting to fade. Her arms held him tighter. "OPEN YOUR EYES ALEX!"
A cough stirred Alex as she hit him on one of his pressure points. He finally opened his eyes and getting back to his adrenaline when he saw the place wrecked.
"Oh, ouch," his hands tried to reach on his back but he was too injured. There were shrapnel on his back and on his right arm. But they were thankful that the plane hit the trees before hitting the solid ground; that they still survived. "We need to get these people off this plane. The plane might explode any minute now."
The two got up and walked around the area to aid people. Many survived, though almost everyone was fatally wounded. As for the others, they were already dead.
"We need men to get the children off first," Alex ordered. "Get your children off the plane first. Then the women."
"The Headquarters might be sending men now. I can't find any cellular phone or anything. The baggages are all smashed up." Clio informed.
"Then we have to find a safe place for them while the team hasn't arrived yet." Alex planned. "Somewhere they can hide."
"What's happening Alex?" Clio immediately sensed. She looked at him deeply. "What's happening?"
"I don't know… But The Covenant," he confessed. Clio was taken aback again by her husband's concealment. She quickly felt anger swarm in her again but it was not the right time and moreover, she trusted his husband's commitment for the two of them. Alex somehow felt his wife's detest. "Honey, I need you to stay outside. Watch for the rescue team that nears our perimeter."
"'You can manage here?" Clio asked concerned.
"…I will get out as soon as everybody had." Alex assured. "Please stay hiding with them. Stay safe."
"I'll get back here when I've taken them to safety," and she quickly turned and left to get back soon.
They landed in a forest at the edge of a desert. Clio carefully led the children to start across the woods towards the city buildings when she noticed vehicles coming from the desert.
"Amiel, please take everyone across the forest." He called on to a passenger that helped them. "I'll go back to check out the coming vehicles."
Almost everyone else was off the plane as Clio can see Alex getting the last of the passengers. Hurrying past the evacuating passengers, she watched the vehicles as they approached. The vehicles stopped from afar and then Clio realized—
"RUN!"
The men fired on the passengers. Clio carried a boy and dashed to escape from the bullets for cover. She tumbled behind a large piece of the broken wing. Her heart pumped trying to get out of her chest as she had a chance to breathe for the temporary safety.
"…Are you okay?"
"Mummy…" the child cried, trembling in fear. Clio embraced the boy as stray shots hit their shield. She felt something warm on his side.
"Oh my, your hurt," the child's arm was bleeding profusely because of a bullet. The boy was crying continuously but the boy was smart that he didn't panic. Clio tried to put tourniquet on his wound because he's not capable to have a makeshift surgery. "I'll take care of you, ok? 'Just trust me, alright?"
Clio skillfully fled towards the forest. Her limbs are trying to keep on running though she was too worn out. He needs immediate aide. Alex… Where are you? She glanced at her side and suddenly spotted Alex with her. He has another wound, at the back of his shoulder and his speed is losing its pace. He continued to run but soon stopped."Let's go, Alex." Clio panted and managed to get his arms around her shoulder. "Get up."
"They'll have you if you don't run. Go!"
"You can't just stay there! You must get moving!"
"I SAID GO! Take the child away!"
"Come on!"
"You don't understand! The Covenant is after you!"
Clio was struck in terror. Her mind pressed on to run but her body turned numb. She wanted to collapse but the child has to live. But then, she couldn't stand to think that innocent lives were killed because of her. She pushed to stand; her body is shaking in dread and alarm. Alex glanced away, crying in anguish towards himself. Footsteps sounded behind them.
"Amiel…"
"It's all right. You all should've died already in the crash," the man told them. He loaded his gun and took closer steps. All passengers are now dead. "I just had to polish my task."
"Why did you need to kill all of them!"
"Get on the ground. Put the child down," he ordered. Clio kneeled on the ground beside Alex and placed the crying child down. The man stepped closer. "We warned you, Alex. Tsakinov has told you to turn your wife in. You're just so underestimating."
The man placed the gun on the child's head when Alex stroked him with a broken branch. Clio took the advantage and hit the man and knocked him down. She lunged to grab the gun when another gun shot from behind them. Clio looked at the man, and he's dead.
"What a waste of time," the man behind spoke in dismay. His men pointed their guns on them while he approached the body and took the gun. He stared at Clio, and turned to Alex. "I see… Agent Ilinova, we finally meet. …Is that why you couldn't turn her in?"
"Don't try to measure me, Tsakinov. Stop this at once," Alex warned.
"We were always the opposite, Liun. I wondered how it feels for you to be in this situation, because I didn't have a problem like this," Tsakinov continued. He turned again to Clio and suddenly, pointed the gun and fired.
"STOP! NOOOOOOOOO!"
The child dropped on the floor. Clio trembled as she fell on the ground to the child. She held the boy's chest, putting pressure on his wound. But the bullet hit his heart and the child was already struggling for survival. He choked for air and finally he let go.
"Did you want to end it this way, Liun? Even if I give a knife now to fight me alone, you'll never make it at your state," he loaded his gun again. "The Covenant has offered you a better option. But you ran away with your wife. And the intolerable, you're a mole… a spy inside the Covenant. "
"I'll kill you Tsakinov."
"It has to end here." Again, he pointed his gun and aimed on Clio.
"CLIO!"
-
Three days ago.
"Good morning."
There was silence as the president stood firmly at the podium, his eyes meeting all those who are watching him. His presence was commanding authority; his voice is waiting to be heard. The best of his men were also standing, waiting, poising on guard. A black clad woman stood away from the stage. She is one of them, but she preferred not to be seen. Her eyes met with the president's and a blink signaled for the announcement.
"Three days ago…" the president started, "…we have lost enough people for this country. A plane of ours crash-landed at the boarders of Mongolia and China. And with the crash are fifty of your countrymen. Innocent lives living helplessly at the claws of terrorism. Lives that we've been trying with our best to protect. And with those lives that we came to protect, are two agents whom dedicated their lives for the same purpose we served…"
The president continued on his speech for the press conference. The woman gave a discreet gesture and left the hall, confused and lost in her thoughts. A limousine parked outside the walls of the Red Square stood by for the woman and as soon as she got in, the vehicle rolled off.
A concerned look crossed Irina as she took her seat. The younger woman took her glance at Irina, waiting for what she might say next. The limo continued on subtly, carrying delicately its passengers.
"The president has done the announcement. He's finishing his speech now… I need you to do something for me," Irina started, her voice unusually soft. The woman instantly felt something tingle in her spine, something that that starts to pierce in her heart. A pained gaze lingered.
"…What is it?"
"I'm sending you away. Somewhere… away. I don't know yet."
"This is not an ordinary mission, is it?" she assumed, her head bowed down. "I'm not going to be away temporarily."
Irina felt a lump in her throat. She can't be blunt, especially with the guilt she's feeling about their situation. Clio is a part of her life, and also one of the most important lives she's been protecting.
"…Remember when I told you that," she paused. Irina tried to fight back the fear and grief that is holding her back. She was too scared to cry and to have Clio see her like that. And most importantly, to know the truth, "…Sydney might have had a sister?"
The reality started to reveal itself, and the obvious can't be kept. Clio's head turned right to her, startled and waiting at the same time, looking at her in great bewilderment. Clio wanted to speak but there were no right words, uncertainty is all she can utter.
"When I found out," Irina continued. "I secretly got you out from the orphanage where the KGB had taken you. They took you away right in the very day you were born. And years after that did I only find you. They got furious about what I did. And when they had the chance, they performed on you therapies, just to change your memory on everything while you were young enough to be capable of the therapies. It was the deal, so I can keep you with me…"
Irina's voice trembled, her body slightly shaking as the tears started to skim her cheeks. Clio watched more confused, trying to grasp it all in her mind. There was more than doubt; again she's feeling distrust like she'd felt when she found out the truth about her identity from her husband. And again, distrust is in her again, about knowing now another truth of her identity, and most importantly, her existence.
"…They made you believe you lost your parents during the Cold War. You were so young then, to understand if ever I'll be able to have the chance to tell the truth…" the tears started to fall uncontrollably. "And I was so stubborn then, trying to think that I can make it up to you and your sister when you get older. I tried. And everything mixed up… I ended compromising everything about you both. I was so foolish, so selfish to decide everything on my own; I never considered what it would be on you two."
The limousine continued on, seemingly unmindful of its own destination, the path where it was going.
"Irina," Clio smiled out, a mix of reaction in her face, trying to find answers in the eyes of her true mother. "What is this? What are we talking about?"
"Clio, however I tried to pretend that I just told you this and nothing else will happen, I couldn't. Clio—"
"Y-you can't just say this."
"I know, yes I know…" Irina poured out, her pain pleading for her daughter's comprehension. But Clio couldn't give any retort. She had always seen issues with concern to Irina's complicated life. She would have always helped, in return to having Irina as her mentor. And it couldn't be that the issue be her- that she's Irina's daughter.
There was stillness, and the silence between them is deafening. Neither each of them tried to ask why, neither one tried to confront any further. Struggling to compose herself, Irina concealed everything else she wanted to say.
"You'll change your ID, change your name. You'll be working in the Argentinean Intelligence. 'Working under the alias Talia Sokolov. You're real name will be Nadia Santos," Irina's voice continued to compel. Still her emotions are trying to break through, and more when it would come to her Clio's misery inside.
"You can't have me like this… What am I to you people! What am I to you, Irina!"
"Clio, listen to me! There is more than The Covenant that is after you! More than the FSB, more than the CIA! More than any other agency than can hunt you down! If I could only tell you now, if you can only know now."
"I don't understand this. What do you expect me to do? Believe in your preposterous truths!" Clio blurted, her voice bellowing. "Do you expect me to forget everything I believed? Have me live a new life because of who you said I really am? Do you want to change everything that I knew? Everything that I knew about you! That I loved you more than a mother! That I don't even care whatever the truth is!"
"…"
"Irina Derevko."
"You will hate that name. You will hate me. Because all you'll know is that you grew up in the orphanage, that I didn't take you there."
"…" Clio tried to say. Her tears finally fell as she deemed the solution that Irina imposed. "Irina, please don't."
"You'll believe that I never had the chance to raise you, that you never met your mother before. You'll hate her because she left you. You'll hate her because you believed she abandoned you."
"No. Please no."
"When you get back to the agency… they'll have immediate therapy on you. Take the therapy. Take what I'm telling you," Irina concluded. "…Stop the car."
"Please don't. Don't leave me now on this," Clio pleaded. She held on Irina's arm to stop her. Irina couldn't do anything but embraced her for the last time. She hushed Clio for all she can do now is let her go for her daughter's own protection. She soon pulled away and left boarded off the car.
He limousine was bound to head to the agency. The car went on, having its passenger like a prisoner. The rain started to fall and raindrops prodded on the windows like wanting to open them. The car halted to a stop and the door finally opened.
"Clio."
The voice called. And that was all, that she turned at the call to see her husband there for her. Alex took her in his arms and she held back tighter as he reassured her. Clio poured out on him, making him feel the desolation in her life. He held her tightly, not to let her go of his embrace and kissed her for all he could say. He finally had the courage to make her really feel his only presence.
"I love you… There is no need to fear if we're together."
"…I love you. I love you so much."
-
Alex stared at her, as she lay on the bed, dreaming, helpless of what will be done. Warmth prickled from his eyes down his face. The end is just so absurd. The end is just so awful.
"…and you real name is Nadia Santos," he whispered; his voice, fading, too soft to be heard. He took his minute for their last moment. The pain he has taken is unbearable. His voice turned o a sob. "You'll wake up… when you hear my car leave. You will never remember anything but only what I said…"
He kissed her then got up. The door closed and not soon that he left.
-
She watched the sun rise for the new day. But there will be no difference for everyday has always been a day to Irina. She took a sigh, and another, and another, to fight the surfacing anxiety again. Another sigh and for the last attempt, she failed. She failed and the result will be more bearable, she tried to tell herself. The dark clouds from the night turned red then orange then yellow. The sun melted her; it shone to her what she needed to see. But the light cast no brightness to her, for she never knew what brightness is.
Irina's phone rang. It was like she was vacuumed back to reality. She snapped out and took seconds to take notice of the vibrating phone.
"Hello?"
"…Mom?"
"…"
"…Mom?"
"…H—"
"Mom, it's Sydney… Please, answer me. I need to talk to you."
"Syd?"
A/N: Ahahah. Sorry it took me too long. It was just so, so, so unthinkable. So hard to put in words! I can't actually tell. I-it's… Oh never mind. Never mind. It's drained! WAAAAAAAAAAH! I'll get it to you next time. AAAAAAAARRRRRRR! Wala na akong masabi! Oh, thank you very much for reading. You people are so lovable! Love you! Love you! Love you! Hehehehe.
Ah, the ending? Well, one thing's for sure. This is not it.