FAMILY MATTERS
Eyghon
Chapter 7: First job"Goodbye Mom."
"Goodbye, Sydney. Drive safely." She gave her an easy smile and stepped around her car.
"You too."
It seemed like an asinine comment but it held much meaning. They both needed to say it and were happy to hear it. Sydney stayed for a few minutes, lost in thought, and then reluctantly made her way up to the surface, blending in the dark California night.
'Monday, 8h00, LAX, hangar #9. Pack for business' said 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold', the book Sydney had received this morning. She found the package with her mail after her run at the park. It was one of those typical, brown cardboard boxes labeled all around it. She had read the story in college and found it amusing that her mother would choose this particular book as it told about a spy during the Cold War period.
Sydney was pleased Irina had respected her promise of two day's notice, leaving time for her to tell her boss she was taking a vacation.
On the day agreed on, Sydney was ready to leave for her vacation in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Her new position within APO forbade her from leaving the United States but she actually couldn't care less because it was only a cover. She would never set foot in Louisiana.
When she got to her mother's jet, Irina confirmed she had found Doctor Varnina as Sydney suspected. The scientist was assuming her position of 'Director of Research' from one of Cadmus' laboratories in Gillette, Wyoming.
Cadmus' facility seemed huge in the edge of the small city lost in the middle of nowhere. The building seemed newly built, with a futuristic look and the latest security measures available on the market, hence Irina's reluctance to just break in and look for the files.
Irina and Sydney had no choice but to get into the lab through the front door. Irina, the most knowledgeable, was posing as a biochemist. Sydney was her assistant. Their cover would grant them a meeting with Amelia Varnina. From then on, they would have to improvise.
"Hello, my name is Natalia Barstow and this is my assistant, Nina Myers," said Irina, shaking the doctor's hand.
"Hello. I was told you wanted to visit our facilities…"
"Well, not exactly. Actually, we're here to talk to you about one of your projects."
"Oh…well, I am not allowed to discuss the specifics of ongoing research but…"
"Please, allow me to explain," said Irina with a pleasant smile, seating herself without waiting for her host's invitation. Some of the Derevko magic was displayed.
"By all means," said the doctor, trying to hide her displeasure at the woman's boldness.
"It's quite simple actually. I want everything you have on Doctor Frankel's project."
The doctor looked stunned for a few seconds, but quickly recovered her composure. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you are referring to. If there's nothing else I can do to help…"
"It is I who am sorry. I know Dr Frankel gave you copies of what he was working on. I want those copies, Doctor Varnina." Again, Irina flashed her a warm, inviting smile.
"Thomas was a dear friend of mine, but he retired from Cadmus' and passed away recently...I think you should leave now." Varnina got up to walk them to the door but Irina didn't budge. She took a thin stack of photos out of her bag, deliberately dropping them one by one on the doctor's desk. The woman sat back down, shocked, and Sydney peered at the pictures curiously before gasping in shock. There were only three pictures but they were explicit enough.
The first picture was of a boy, asleep in his bed. The second was of a girl playing in a little plastic pool with a yellow duck.
"I took that one," explained Irina, motioning to the last picture. It showed brother and sister walking in the park with their mother, but the photo was focused on the man behind them. "He took the other two. He has a…history with children, especially little girls," she added, motioning to the man.
Both Sydney and Amelia Varnina looked horrified, though Sydney hid it better. The doctor looked from one woman to the other. She didn't notice Sydney's inability to hold her gaze, as disgusted as she was. She didn't voice her revulsion though. The aim was to convince the doctor without having to get to the children. While Sydney found her mother's methods extreme, she had to admit they were efficient. The pictures weren't indecent, but they caught the children in innocent moments, hinting how easy it had been to approach them.
"I think you should reconsider your answer, Doctor Varnina."
"I..you…" Her mouth moved but no sound came out of it. She collapsed on her chair, putting her hand to her mouth, she whispered, "Monster, you're a monster…"
Irina didn't flinch and merely dipped her head in acknowledgement. "I want those files, Doctor, and I'm willing to go as far as I have to get them."
"I'm calling the Police," stated the doctor, reaching for the phone.
Irina stood and placed her hand over the receiver, blocking her action. "It's not necessary. Tell you what, I'll give you a few days to think about it. Keep the pictures; I have others. No need to call Security either, we'll see ourselves out. Thank you for your time, doctor."
She exited the office, briskly followed closely by an irate Sydney. She didn't speak a word until they were in Irina's car.
"I can't believe you," started Sydney coldly. "What were you thinking?"
"What were you expecting? I knew she wouldn't just give in, so I brought a little incentive. It's only pictures; no harm was done to the children. I had to be convincing, so it wouldn't have to go further. Sadly, it didn't work."
"So what do we do now?"
"We have to get to the doctor's house while her children are still vulnerable."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"I did what I could to convince her and it didn't work. It leaves us no choice Sydney."
"Mom!"
"I don't enjoy doing this but it has to be done. Are you with me?"
"No! Of course not!"
""I warned you, Sydney, and you said not to worry, that you were willing to do whatever it took." She softened and took Sydney's hand, giving it a squeeze. "I need you. I can't do this on my own. Please Sydney, I'm not asking you to throw away your ethics or hurt anybody. I'm asking you, I'm begging you to help me save your sister."
"Alright," whispered Sydney, admitting they had no other choice and couldn't afford to wait for another opportunity that may never arise. "I'll do it."
"Thank you."
"Don't." After a pause, she asked, out of curiosity, "what will you do once you have them? What if Varnina doesn't cooperate?"
"We, Sydney. What will 'we' do. Because if you don't help me, I can't do anything and we'll never get those files." On a softer note, she added, "we'll only take the girl, and leave the boy behind. One child will be enough, and he would be more trouble than his sister. She's little. She'll stay put. We just have to keep her away from her mother for a few days and the woman will eat out of our hands. I'm surprised I have to say that but be assured I won't lay a finger on her, no matter what the circumstances. I have a house in Honolulu. Open the glove box."
Sydney obeyed and flinched as she saw two handguns. "We're not doing it like this Mom," she declared, shoving the lid shut.
"Look behind the guns, Sydney," calmly ordered Irina, frustrated.
Sydney did and found a black pouch. Peering inside, she discovered several needles and as many bottles of clear liquid. "What's that?" She asked, already knowing the answer.
"It will put them to sleep instantly for several hours. It's painless and efficient. They won't have time to understand a thing. I'll take care of the boy while you get the girl. Be careful to inject only half of it, she's still very young so much lighter than her brother is. A full dose might be too much for her to handle."
"Did you have it all planned since the beginning?" Asked Sydney.
"No," replied her mother, surprising her. "I hoped the good doctor would just give us the files today." Nodding to the pouch, she explained, "I always keep that kind of thing handy. You never know when you might need it. I also have a shotgun, a rope, a Kevlar jacket, and a sniper rifle in the trunk. That doesn't mean I use any of those items everyday."
"It's your 'just in case'?" She had similar equipment in her car, though she had permits, which she doubted Irina had. Not genuine ones at least.
"Exactly. Stop assuming the worst about me, Sydney."
"Sorry."
"Stop apologizing and just think before speaking. Fill two of the syringes and be careful not to prick yourself."
"I'm not an amateur, Mom," mumbled Sydney, offended at the rebuff and the comment.
"Then stop acting like one. Sorry, I'm on edge," said Irina a few seconds later. I don't like what we're doing anymore than you do."
"I thought kidnapping people was your credo, you know, 'cause it's easy to get someone to do anything you want if you're holding their loved ones hostage." Her tone was acerbic but Irina chose to ignore it.
"Yes, you're right, but I am never personally involved."
"Oh, so you have people to do your dirty work. Why don't you call them and tell them to get their asses over here?"
Irina shook her head. "No. Those are children, I won't let any of my men near them."
Sydney looked at her, frowning. "You mean you never had children kidnapped before?"
"Never. While it's the only thing any terrorist or mafia leader truly values, while it's always sure to work, I've never, directly or indirectly, involved children in my business. Until this day, even when it would have been easier, I always found a way around it. Mrs. Varnina is a widow so I can't use her spouse like I would usually do. She has no other family, which leaves me no choice. And I can't afford to wait for another opening."
Sydney nodded. "Wow. I never thought you had rules," she said pensively. "Let alone a conscience."
Her mother ignored her and changed the subject as she pulled on the side of the road. "We're almost there. From what I know, it's only the two children and the nanny."
She rummaged in a bag on the back seat and offered Sydney a change of clothes. She traded her linen skirt and her stiletto heels for jeans and boots. She replaced her linen jacket with a leather jacket. The whole change made her look twice as dangerous, Sydney noted as she finished changing too. Irina got back on the road and handed her daughter a ski mask, which Sydney eyed dubiously.
"Their mother will know we're responsible but she won't call the police. That doesn't mean we need to give the nanny or the boy a chance to give a full description of what we look like."
Sydney nodded and took the item, stashing it in her pocket for later use. "You're equipped like a SWAT team," she said, eyeing the contents of the bag. Irina smiled at the compliment. Sydney could have sworn she saw her eyes twinkle. "A few months ago the CIA raided my house because of Elena. Nadia beat one of the agents up when he entered the bathroom without introducing himself. She almost blew another's head off."
"I'm sorry Elena caused you so much trouble…"
"It's not your fault. We should have been more careful. They searched the place but they put everything back the way it was once they knew we were not the bad guys. The funny part is that they found my little collection of weapons and they weren't happy about it. You should have seen the face of the agent who lectured me. He even made a list of all the 'lethal items' he found!"
"That bad?" Irina was curious to find out more about the Derevko in Sydney. Having weapons on hand was a major trait of the family.
"Oh, let's see, an assault rifle, a shot gun, four handguns, and two tasers. I think what really got to him was the, I quote, 'secret drawer of knives'.
"Oh darling, I'm so proud of you!" Irina said laughing ironically and making Sydney laugh also.
The break was welcome but short-lived. Irina stopped the car on the side of a house. "This is it," she said while opening the glove box. She handed a gun to Sydney and took the other one for herself. "Just in case we run into trouble. People tend to get less heroic when they see a gun," she said, tucking her piece in the waistband of her jeans. Sydney kept one of the needles for herself and gave the other to Irina. They walked through the gate and nonchalantly made their way to the door.
"Sydney, just consider this another one of your missions, a job, nothing more, and you'll be okay." Irina put on her mask and Sydney followed.
Sydney nodded and watched, surprised, when her mother simply rang the doorbell until she noticed there was no peephole. A woman in her thirties opened the door but her smile disappeared the second she spotted the visitors. Irina punched her square in the nose and she fell backwards, unconscious.
After searching the ground floor and finding it empty, they silently made their way upstairs, where the bedrooms were. Sydney's heart was pounding. The children were probably playing, with no idea of what was about to happen to them. She tried to reason with herself that they would not be hurt, but it did nothing to comfort her. The boy would only wake up with a headache, but the girl, 'Tanya' as it said on the door, would wake up with strange people, away from her home and her mother.
The third door she opened lead to the girl's room. She was sitting on the floor, playing with a Ken and a Barbie. She looked at Sydney with such an innocent look that it left her weak in the knees. She just stood there, frozen. The little girl's eyes turned fearful and she let out a high-pitched scream.
TBC
Next in FM, "Chapter 8: The Man", Syd has questions and tales to tell then finds out Irina, The Man and Laura are very real.