COLLATERAL DAMAGE
EyghonAuthor's notes: Sorry for the long hiatus, I had writer block until a few days ago. Suddenly at 1 in the morning, I just had the urge to get up and write. Ideas wouldn't stop coming, I started two more chapters after this one. It seems this fic won't be over before May as I had hoped. So many things to do and so little time... I'm leaving for Morocco Wednesday night so don't expect an update soon. Thanks to Lenafan for correcting this chapter so fast!
Chapter 14: I'm sorry, I miss you, I need you
A few minutes after the girl's car had left, followed by a first Sedan and two minutes later by a second identical Sedan, a young woman stepped out of the shadows. She went over to where the Bristow girl and the Agent had stopped. From her place of hiding, she couldn't see precisely what it was that was so interesting. Now, looking around, she realised there was only one grave with flowers. She bent over and picked up a bouquet with a card attached on it. That must have been what interested the man in the dark suit. Her target had deposited her at the grave of a 'Laura Bristow'. The note simply read 'I'm sorry. I miss you. I need you.' Hesitating, the young woman pondered what her choices were. Eventually she took out her cell phone and pressed speed dial one.
"Yes?"
"It's me."
"You're early. What is it?"
The young woman was running surveillance on a young woman going by the name 'Sydney Bristow'. Her target was barely younger than she was. She made daily reports to her boss at 22h00.
"No. It's just…something unusual happened, I thought you would want to know immediately."
"What is it?"
"The girl, she went to a cemetery, she left flowers at the grave of a 'Laura Bristow'."
Irina inhaled sharply, "and?" she prompted.
"There is a card with it. One of the agents assigned to her went to read it. I went to check it out too, I have it in my hand."
"What does it read?"
"'I'm sorry, I miss you, I need you'. Cryptic huh?"
"Thank you for informing me. Resume your surveillance. I'll expect another report tomorrow at 22h00 as usual."
"Yes Ma'am." The young woman wished she knew what the message meant, but she knew better than to ask questions. Setting her curiosity aside, she put on her helmet and climbed on her bike. It was her favourite way of transportation. It allowed her to go anywhere she wanted. She could slip in alleyways and hide. The CIA agents didn't pay attention to bikes; they were on the look out for cars and vans. Moreover, her Yamaha was a common model and she regularly switched helmets, just in case.
Another agent was making his report. Jack Bristow had ordered the men in charge of his daughter's surveillance to report to him every twelve hours. The agents were to tell him every detail of Sydney's day: where she had stopped, whom she had talked to…her cell phone and he also order the house's phone lines tapped.
Tonight, it was time for the evening report. Jack Bristow answered on the first ring. "Bristow."
"Agent Bristow, Agent Maddox here."
"I'm listening."
The agent started to detail the every move of his target, and Jack interrupted him at the mention of her stop at the cemetery.
"Which grave did she visit?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
"A 'Laura Bristow' sir. She brought flowers with a card. I checked it and it was nothing."
"What was written on it?"
"Err…I'm not sure, it wasn't important you know…"
"It is important Agent Maddox. Do you often leave cards on the graves you visit?"
"Uh…No sir," sheepishly replied the agent.
"Go back there if you have to but I want the exact words you read."
"Yes Sir."
Sydney had had two full days to ponder what she would tell Irina, if her mother ever showed up. She had come up with nothing. She felt guilty for driving Irina away. Maybe her mother hadn't shown up because the CIA agents were following her like her shadow.
Sydney was currently at the UCLA library. It was her first day back. It helped take her mind off things and she hated missing classes. It was so hard to catch up with only a friend's notes. The agents had followed her all day. They didn't even look like professors, more like businessmen than academics. If Sydney could spot them, then so could Irina. Sydney had to find a way to meet her mother without her escorts suspecting anything. The only safe place she could think of was her best friend's house.
"Hey Fran!" Called out Sydney a few hours later. She picked up her pace to catch up with her friend who was walking toward the university parking lot.
"Hey you, what's up?"
"I was wondering if we could have another movie night at your place. You know, with your parents out for their weekly dinner and all…I'll bring the food."
"Sure, sounds great."
"See you tomorrow night then? Seven?" Francie turned and walked toward her car.
"You got it," called Sydney after her.
Francie had been climbing up and down the stairs for two hours now. She was going from one room to another, throwing things away, moving others. Her mother demanded she clean her bedroom. It was a much needed cleaning. She had stuff piled everywhere, coming from everywhere in the house. Sydney would be arriving in less than one hour and Francie's mother threatened to deprive her of her monthly allowance if her room wasn't spotless by the time she returned.
Her hands full of CDs that didn't belong to her, the young woman entered her brother's room. He had gone away to another university in North Carolina. They had family there and he had had a scholarship to help. She had borrowed some CDs of his a few months ago, but didn't listen to them anymore so she might as well put them back.
She pushed open the door and found the switch. She gasped. A woman was standing in the middle of the room, coolly looking at her.
"Who are you?"
The woman merely tilted her head, smiling.
"Oh my God!" as the realisation hit her. The shoes, the jacket. It was the scary masked woman. She wasn't wearing a mask anymore. "I didn't tell anything to anyone, I swear! Even Sydney doesn't know you're the one who brought her here…"
"Oh she knows, but don't worry, I am not here for blood Miss Calfo," smiled Irina reassuringly, slightly bowing her head. She was impatient to see her daughter. She was also dreading that meeting. Her last encounter with Sydney had proven that her daughter had no negative feelings toward her, but still, Irina needed to protect herself, emotionally. She couldn't handle another 'attack'. For now, she had to deal with a half hysterical eighteen years old who had caught her in a room that was supposed to be safe for her to hide in until Sydney arrived.
"Why are you standing in my brother's room in the middle of the night?" asked Francie, holding her breath.
"It's barely seven. I'm waiting for someone. Don't mind me, go back to your business, I'll make myself scarce."
"Waiting for someone? Who?" Thinking about it, the response was obvious. "Is it Sydney? Because if you think I'm going to let you…"
"You don't need to threaten me Miss Calfo. I'm deeply sorry to show up uninvited but I must see Sydney and this is the only place we could meet."
"Meet? You kidnapped her for God's sake."
"I'm well aware of that. I can promise you I wish her no harm." The young girl wouldn't let it go. If Sydney didn't show up soon, Irina might have to defend herself judging by Francie's tightly clenched fists.
The doorbell rang, interrupting any reply Francie might have had.
"Are you going to get that?" prompted Irina.
"No," Francie stubbornly replied. This woman was clearly here for Sydney, though her motives were still unclear, Francie wouldn't take any chances. That Russian chick would not get her hands on Sydney.
"Francie?" Repeated Sydney, shutting the door behind her. Over the years, both girls had grown closer and closer. They had a key to each other's house and often spent the night in one or the other's house. Francie hadn't answered the door nor had she replied to her calls. Maybe she was listening to some music with her headphones. Today was another movie night, but it was a special movie night. Sydney hoped her mother would have overheard her talking to Francie in the parking lot. She had purposely asked Francie outside, where Irina had a chance to overhear. It was a long shot but it was worth it, and Sydney had no other way of contacting her mother.
"We're here!" eventually called out a feminine voice from upstairs. Sydney was certain it was not Francie's voice. Sydney raced up the stairs. It was her mother's, she realised when Irina came on the top of the staircase to greet her.
"You came!" Sydney said, fiercely hugging Irina.
"You wanted to see me. Of course, I came."
"You wanted to see her?" questioned Francie, bewildered by the two women's ease around each other.
"Yeah…what are you doing here?" Why were her mother and her best friend not surprised to be in each other's company?
"This is my house," replied Francie sternly. "You invited her here?" she added, as if an afterthought.
"Yeah…more or less," mumbled Sydney, still shocked at seeing the most two important women in her life standing next to her.
"Are you insane?" shouted Francie. "She kidnapped you! She hit me! She's crazy and dangerous!"
"Francie, she's…"
"Sydney," interrupted Irina in a warning tone. It was bad enough the girl had seen her. She didn't need to know her name or who she was.
Sydney sighed, knowing what her mother implied. "Listen, I need to talk to her, privately. Can you go downstairs or something?"
"What?" shouted Francie, outraged.
"Please, Fran."
"I'm not leaving you alone with that psycho!"
There was a silence. Francie realised the woman she just called 'psycho' was probably carrying a gun and was dying to use it on her. Sydney was at a loss of what to say to convince her friend she would be fine. Finally, Irina broke off the stand off. Smiling reassuringly, she locked eyes with Francie, trying to convey her sincerity.
"Sydney is safe with me. We're not going anywhere. We are just going to talk."
"I'm not budging," stubbornly replied Francie, firmly planting her feet in the ground.
Sydney was tempted to roll her eyes, but touched by her friend's devotion, she did nothing. Irina had hit her and yet she was ready to fight her for Sydney. Letting go of that train of thought, Sydney motioned for her mother to follow her across the hall to another bedroom. She closed the door behind her.
"You wanted to see me?" asked Irina flatly.
Her mother's detachment startled Sydney, who quickly lost her smile. Her mother was grim, and suddenly, Sydney remembered their last conversation. Remorse hit her full force. "Mom…I'm so sorry about what I said…"
"What do you want, Sydney?" interrupted Irina. The fact that Sydney tried to contact her should have delighted her, but it didn't. She knew better than to hope for something that was unlikely to happen. She had been disappointed many times over the years. She had learned not to expect anything, from anyone. There was no disappointment, if there was no hope.
Irina had had a hard time deciding whether to come back to Los Angeles. She could have easily sent someone to ask Sydney what she wanted. Chloe was already on site, she was twenty years old, it would have been easy for her to approach Sydney discreetly and then convey to Irina whatever message she had received. No, Irina had to see Sydney. She couldn't let go so easily; she needed a 'fix'. She had willed herself though not to get involved in that meeting.
"I…" Sydney winced at her mother's cold tone. She deserved it, okay, but it was still a side of Irina she didn't know. Even when she didn't know it was Irina, who kidnapped her, she had been kind to Sydney, reassuring. Now she was chilling. "I'm really sorry; I didn't mean anything of what I said. I was upset, I…" She could feel her eyes sting from unshed tears. "That night in Italy, when we talked, it was amazing…I…I needed some time to think before I got back to LA. You took that away from me without telling me."
Irina was still staring at her, unflinching. "When I woke up in this hospital bed…I realised I would never see you again, ever." She was so intent on explaining how she had felt that she missed the pained look that crossed her mother's face. "I didn't want that. I wanted to stay around you some more, to talk about stuff. I wanted my mother. Instead, I got an interrogation from Dad!" After a silence, she thought about what she had just said, and lamely added, "I have no excuse for what I told to you." She lowered her head in shame, praying her mother would make some sort of contact with her.
"Sydney…" Irina's plan was not to succumb to any feelings she might feel for her daughter. She was going to stick to that plan, no matter what. Still, she softened a little. "What do you want me to tell you, Sydney?" She was dying to hug her daughter, or at the very least, to step closer to her. However, she couldn't get hurt again.
Irina Derevko was a prominent agent of the SVR, one of the best, if not 'the' best. People respected her or feared her. In both cases, no one in their right mind would try to hurt her. Figuratively speaking of course, as she had been shot, stabbed, punched, captured, tortured, and had any number of unspeakable things done to her, but no one had ever caused her pain as great as Sydney had with words.
Sydney realised her mother had been really hurt by her words, though she didn't show it. However, the fact she was keeping her distance from Sydney and refusing to acknowledge her apologies was speaking volumes. Sydney had treated her mother like…scum. She had been disrespectful and above all, hurtful. Of course, giving vent to her feelings wasn't all her fault. After all, her mother did drug her, kidnapped her, and drugged her again. Still, she had the feeling she had caused a great deal of pain to her mother and she wished she could take it back. She couldn't. It was too late.
Sydney sighed. "I just needed to talk to you…I thought it was going to be different, with Dad…"
"What happened?" Irina stiffened slightly.
"Nothing! That's the problem! At first he was kind of nice, nicer than usual I mean. He acted as if he cared…and then, one morning I woke up and he's gone. He left without telling me, just as he did before. He got back to ignoring me and leaving me alone…"
"Sydney, I'm so sorry…" Irina's hand affectionately brushed against Sydney's cheek.
"I think he knows I'm hiding something," gravely added Sydney.
Irina sighed. "What do you want from me, Sydney?"
"I don't know…I'm not sure. I had my mom and my dad for the first six years of my life. For the last twelve years, I only got my Dad and he was never much of a Dad to me. I got a taste of my Mom and I want more. I want to be with you."
Irina was stunned. She hadn't expected that. Needing to be certain, she asked, "What do you mean you want to be with me?"
"I want to live with you. If you want me," quietly added Sydney, unsure of what to expect.
"Of course, I want you Sydney, you're my daughter! I've always wanted to be with you but…I don't have a 'Mom's lifestyle'. If you want to live with me, you'll have to leave the United States, your friends, your father! It demands many sacrifices and you're still so young…"
"I'm an adult, Mom, and I was going to move away from the house next year. It's too far from campus. I don't mind leaving the US, really. As long as I get to be with you I would follow you anywhere."
Irina was touched by her daughter's words. She did not expect this development. "If we do that, I can't go back to Russia either. The SVR will know I had a role in your escape. They'll want my head. I can't promise you it will be nice and comfortable everyday. It won't be easy, it's a complete change of lifestyle, Sydney."
"Mom, I had days to think about it. I made my decision, whatever the consequences, the changes, or the sacrifices; I want to live with you. You told me you want to live with me too but…how do we do that?"
"I'll need a few days to work on it. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. In the meantime, you have to act like usual. Don't say goodbye to anyone or lead people to believe you won't be there next week for a party or anything. No one must know, not even Francie. Do you understand Sydney?"
"Yeah," murmured Sydney, realising it would be harder than she thought.
"Good. You should go now; your friend must be worried."
"Yeah. Thank you, Mom."
"I love you Sweetheart." Irina smiled warmly as she kissed Sydney on the forehead. She had meant to say it for a long time, with reason behind it, just because she felt like it, and not as a reply like in Italy.
"I love you too Mom."
Sydney was grinning from ear to ear as she wandered in search of her friend. She eventually found her downstairs in the living room.
"Hey, you moved," she teased, plopping on the couch.
"Yeah, sorry I behaved like an idiot."
"Its okay, you just acted like a friend. I'm grateful for that. What's on tonight?"
Francie glanced at her. Sydney was literally glowing. Francie understood she didn't want to talk about whatever had happened upstairs with the woman. She cheerfully announced the films available and the evening went on as usual.
"Hello? Scary lady?" Francie quietly called out several times, hugging the walls as she progressed through her house.
"Are you looking for me?" Asked the woman, stepping out from the end of the corridor, behind Francie.
"Jesus Christ!" Francie backed into the wall, gasping for breath.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," apologized Irina softly. Francie nodded, too scared to talk.
"What do you intend on doing with that?" she asked, pointing to the umbrella Francie was clutching.
"Ow…Uh…Just in case…you weren't as friendly as Sydney seems to think you are. Sorry for calling you 'scary lady', you didn't exactly tell me your name last time I saw you…" After a silence, she added, "Syd didn't either. She left."
"Obviously. So, is there something you wanted to ask me before I leave?" inquired Irina politely. She had hit the girl hard, and she was Sydney's best friend. Making small talk with her was the least Irina could do.
"I…I don't understand why Sydney would want to see you, unless she's gone insane or suicidal, which I don't think she is."
"Your point?" prompted Irina.
"I…I was just curious. She seemed happy when she came back down. I was wondering what had happened."
"Curiosity killed the cat Miss Calfo," Irina gently scolded.
Francie drew in a shaky breath, "Yeah, I see. Goodnight." She ran back to her room and slammed the door behind her. Sydney was hiding something from her. Best friends didn't hide something from each other. It was just not like Sydney to lie to her face.
Irina couldn't help but smile at her daughter's best friend. She had waited until Sydney and her surveillance team left before leaving herself. She tried to concentrate on the task. She had a lot to think about now. It was time to leave and prepare for hers and Sydney's departure. There were many things to do and it would take some time to fall into place. The easiest would be to procure new ID's, but for that, she needed to find a new home. She needed a developed country, where an American wouldn't stand out. She needed it to be convenient to hide from both the American and the Russian authorities. She was thinking of a European country, preferably in a major city. Italy? Spain? France maybe?
Then there was the problem of leaving the United States. Sydney was under tight surveillance. They couldn't afford to be followed to the airport. She also had to warn Sydney before taking her anywhere. Her daughter would be furious with her, and rightfully so, if she was to take her away without warning. Irina needed to make sure that Sydney really wanted to leave the US with her and live in another country. She had come to Irina because her father wasn't acting like one. Irina couldn't have her change her mind, she would have nothing left then. She would be on the run from the CIA and the KGB on her own.
Irina needed to make sure it was what Sydney really wanted without a doubt.
TBC