JACK'S HOME – L.A.
After coming in from the office, Jack had grabbed a drink and parked himself on the couch in the living room, waiting for Irina's call. He toyed with the idea of a stiff drink but decided it was best if he was in control of all his faculties when dealing with issues regarding Sydney's capture. His daughter was counting on him to find her.
His daughter.
Knowing Sloane was the one who had her troubled him in ways he wished were impossible. The man would not hesitate to hurt Sydney if it served his purpose but he would likely exhaust all avenues before taking such measures. Truly, it was what he might tell Sydney that had Jack worried. Sloane's ability to play mind games were notorious during his time with the CIA and later when he ran SD-6 and while he respected his abilities, any professional courtesies vanished when the game was played with Sydney.
Sloane had just enough information to blow Sydney's life apart at the seams once more. And with Sydney's current state of mind regarding her mother, she was sure to believe anything he said.
Flashback
The day was hotter than usual on the island, consuming the cool breeze with its demonic flames. Even the dust seemed to melt under the sun's rays. Jack and Irina had taken refuge in the house after their breakfast by the pool and although late afternoon was approaching, had not attempted to venture back outside.
"Tell your son to stop kicking me in the head." Jack spoke distractedly.
Irina was sitting on the couch with a book in hand, while Jack lay with his head on her lap, reading one of the many pages she had supplied him with about the UN restructuring. Every few minutes her hand would loop through his hair and play over his cheek before returning to her side.
"My son?" Her eyes moved off the page she was reading to look down at Jack, whose cheek pressed snuggly against her distended stomach. "Tell me, is an immaculate labour going to follow the immaculate conception of MY son? Or is he only mine when he's kicking you in the head?" She raised one eyebrow and pursed her lips.
"He isn't even that large and yet I can feel his kicks through your stomach." Jack complied.
"Yes, well it's my insides he's kicking. And no one said you had to lay out on me like some poor imitation Greek God." She turned back to her book with a satisfied grin pulling at her lips.
"Did you here Mommy insulting Daddy like that." Jack turned his head enough so he could talk to her stomach. "But that's okay, because this 'poor imitation of a Greek God' still snagged himself a Glorious Goddess." Irina felt his lips press against her abdomen in a loving caress.
"I can't find any measure of pleasure in teasing you when you sweet talk me." She grinned down at him. "You fight dirty." She whispered, leaning down as far as she could before her stomach impeded her descent.
"Only with you Action." Jack raised himself up the rest of the way to capture her lips.
"Jack, there is something I should tell you."
Dropping his head back down on her lap, Jack prepared himself for whatever she was about to say. Over a week of such confessionals that generally cast her in a better light and he still felt a nervous dread encompass him.
"If we weren't dealing with him on a regular bases I wouldn't even consider it of consequence but Sloane could make it an issue." She set her book on the table to the side of the couch and looked down at him.
"There is a reason Arvin continues to spare Sydney's life." She paused to compose her thoughts. "He believes he may be Sydney's father."
She waited. Waited for the meaning of her words to resonate. Waited for the scowl to form on his features. Waited for the explosion of hurt and anger boiling beneath the surface. But they never came. Instead Jack had set his mouth in a grim line with the expectation that she would finish telling her truth.
"Why don't you start from the beginning?" He raised his eyebrows. "You have this tendency to jump into the middle of the story and leave me questioning your sanity and motive."
"Your good friend Arvin had made more than a few passes at me before he married Emily. My superiors at the KGB were clear that allowing anything to happen would be a detriment to the mission, a decision I fully supported, yet turning Arvin down time and again could possibly prompt him to destroy my reputation and discover my secret in the process."
"And?" Jack encouraged.
"I was an opportunist. Even at that time I was building my arsenal of information to blackmail people in places of power and lucky for me I had the foresight to corner Arvin Sloane. You were out of the country and Emily was visiting her cousin in Pennsylvania for the weekend; Arvin came by to drop off a file for you to look over when you returned on Monday." She took another steadying breath, thankful Jack had reacted more calmly to this declaration than he had earlier in the week.
"I saw my opportunity and I seized it. I offered him something to drink and drugged his glass. We sat and talked for twenty minutes or so and right as I saw the effects of the drug, I leaned in and kissed him." She made a face, illustrating her disgust while Jack's gaze narrowed on her lips, reminding himself it had been almost thirty years since they had touched Arvin Sloane's.
"Thank God it was only one kiss and then he passed out of the couch. I moved him to the bedroom and undressed him; not an experience I'd ever wish to repeat, and grabbed my camera. I manipulated both of us into a few compromising positions, all looking far worse than they were, considering he was dead weight, and then left him to sleep off the drug."
Jack sat up, running a hand through his hair, before returning his gaze to her.
"I didn't even have to get undressed, just put on a tank top for the shots." She reassured for both their sakes. "I slept on the couch but made sure I was up before him the next morning. When he woke, although he said he couldn't remember what happened, it didn't take long for him to guess. We both promised never to speak of the incident again. I was pleased that I had received retribution for the passes he had made at his friend's wife but I became worried about what he might do when I found out I was pregnant with Sydney two months later."
"She as conceived when I returned that Sunday." Jack nodded along. "Or at least some time that week. Why didn't you tell me Arvin had been bothering you? I wouldn't have tolerated that."
Irina tilted her head, considering him. "And what would you have done Jack? Excommunicated him? I couldn't risk him wanting to tear me down in your eyes and gone looking for ghosts in my closet; he would have found plenty." Her dark, low voice held the sad truth.
"So why did he never say anything if he thought Sydney was his?"
"He was without proof and I don't believe he wanted to risk losing Emily over a child that may not have been his own." The shrug of her shoulders told him there may have been an alternate motive neither were aware of. "But the pictures came in handy as I believed they would, once I had been extracted by the KGB. I was able to use them to my advantage in dealing with him on more than one occasion during the last twenty years. He refused to ever allow Emily to find out about his indiscretion and he never figured out it hadn't happened in the first place. But when Emily died, or when I believed she died the first time, I didn't have a hold over him any longer. I turned myself in shortly after, hoping to destroy him and get him away from Sydney before he could torment her with his faulty truths."
"That's why he didn't show me the disk he obtained with all the blackmail information on it. The pictures you had taken were on that too." Jack worked out the situation quickly.
Irina nodded along with his theory. "He felt indebted to you I believe, thinking he had betrayed you. No matter how many times he had insinuated something happening between he and I; I don't believe he could have done it. He did value your friendship."
"How come you didn't have a stronger hold over him? He was obviously willing to do anything to cover up his imagined betrayal."
"Using the photos often would have reminded him of his believed ties to Sydney and I didn't want him anywhere near her so I used them only when it was absolutely necessary." She could still see Jack was mulling over the information in his head, putting her on edge.
"You really should learn to start recounting stories from the beginning." He teased her. "This one could have given me a heart attack. But I admit that the thought of you lugging around Arvin Sloane is slightly humorous."
Irina gaped at him, with eyes wide. "I cursed quite a freely that night." She admitted.
"I had Sydney tested in the early nineties to determine parentage." Irina willed herself not to feel hurt as he had not been fully informed at that point. "And I've never been jealous of Arvin, although I do pity him plenty." His smiled blossomed. "I am worried now that Emily is gone that Sloane may decide to claim Sydney as his, but I'll make sure Sydney knows it isn't a possibility."
End Flashback
He hadn't gotten around to telling Sydney that Sloane mistakenly thought himself a candidate for her father; it wasn't a conversation that was easily started, nor explained. And now his daughter was at the mercy of a man who would gladly share the lie with her.
The phone on the table in front of him rang, cutting through his nervous thoughts.
"Irina?" He answered.
"The meet is three days from now in Calcutta. He most certainly will not be expecting the CIA." She spoke quickly, aware of how little time they had to speak over the line.
"Thank you. I'll bring her home safely Irina."
"I know you will." She could hear the threads of guilt weaving their way into his words. He felt as though he hadn't protected their daughter.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, knowing their time was running out.
"Tired, but fine otherwise." She took a deep breath. "I don't know when I'll be able to communicate with you again but give Sydney a hug for me and be careful, I'd tell you to send someone else but I know it's wasted breath." She sighed.
"Get some rest. I miss you." He counted down the last few seconds, aware of the stress in her voice.
"Me too." And the line went dead.
CIA JOINT TASK FORCE HEADQUARTERS – L.A.
For three days the men and women of the CIA worked tirelessly on developing a strategy that would boast the lowest risk to all agents involved in the extraction of Sydney Bristow. Vaughn had scowled when Jack announced he would be leading the team while Vaughn monitored the operation from a CIA base in Calcutta.
With two hours left before the jet departed for the operation, Jack was hold up in his office, taking care of last minute administrative details. A deceptive calm had settled over him since his last conversation with Irina; he knew that Sloane wouldn't hurt Sydney until Irina showed up but after the time of the meet came and went, that it was anyone's guess.
The phone on his desk beeped to let him know his secretary was paging him. Keeping his eyes trained on his computer screen, he picked up the phone.
"Yes Caroline." He barked into the offending device and appeared thoughtful before replying. "Send him in."
The heavy door to his office opened to admit Vaughn. Jack watched with interest as the younger man's cool eyes stared him down. His hands clenched at his sides while trying to remain nonchalant and his face was a perfect mask of emotions. Containing his smirk Jack recognized that Agent Vaughn was doing a fairly good imitation of himself.
"We're leaving in a short while Mr. Vaughn and I have plenty to keep me occupied until then. I'd appreciate you getting to your point and then leaving." Vaughn began to crack under the weight of Jack's gaze, not able to hold the stoic composure for long.
"Sloane took Sydney a week ago; he could be doing any number of things to her, assuming she's still alive and what have we done in that time? Nothing." His face contorted in anger. "Three days ago, out of the blue, you receive information that Sloane is going to be in Calcutta with Sydney. You don't release the source, nor do you allow us to follow up and determine whether the information is legit. So in a few hours we may very well be working on bad intel which means Sydney is still out there somewhere."
"Let me ask you something Mr. Vaughn; do you fancy yourself my daughter's protector?" Jack sat stiffly in his chair. "Do you lament the fact that Sydney can more often than not fend for herself? It means you can't play hero. Or perhaps it bothers you that my daughter and I have begun rebuilding our relationship; that you may not be the only one she comes to when she has a problem." He watched as the anger boiled with ferocity on Vaughn's face.
"You're young and your actions are more often than not rash. I have allowed it only until now because you often have Sydney's best interests at heart. But Agent Vaughn," He spit. "your righteousness is not only unappreciated but it is completely unacceptable. Whatever you may think of me as a father, my record as an agent speaks for itself." He leaned back in his seat, the tension seeming to drain out of him.
"For reasons you can't even begin to understand, Sloane will not kill Sydney. It is likely that he won't even torture her. And my sources, Agent Vaughn, will remain my own. I am not in the habit of compromising my information streams because you're uncomfortable." His sneer caused Vaughn to take a step backward. "Your relationship with my daughter does not entitle you to question my abilities in any facet of Sydney's life and you would do well to remember that."
There appeared to be a moment of indecision in Vaughn's eyes before he spoke again. He wanted to hurt Jack, to get a reaction from him that seemed to be lacking in the aftermath of Sydney's abduction. "Deep down, you've always hated Sydney haven't you. When you look at her all you see is Irina and the way she manipulated and deceived you."
Instead of the eruption Vaughn expected, he watched as Jack relaxed further into his chair. "I'm not sure whether I should commend you your bravery or console you your stupidity; I don't believe there has ever been a person in the agency who has questioned my love for my daughter. With good reason." He added sternly. "But you're right about one thing Mr. Vaughn, I do see much of Irina in Sydney. It's why I have no doubt she is capable of taking care of herself, waiting for us arrive."
Vaughn was flabbergasted and struggled to say something to the imposing man before him. Finally it was Jack who saved the younger agent from himself.
"I have business to attend to before we leave. Don't miss the transport Mr. Vaughn." Jack ended the conversation by returning his attention to the computer monitor on his desk, dismissing Vaughn.
CALCUTTA
Sydney had been knocked out before being moved off the boat and to the meeting location Sloane and Irina had decided on. She had not seen Sloane since the day he claimed he may be her father, not questioning it too much as she was more than grateful for the reprieve from him.
It did cross her mind that staying away was all part of the manipulation on his part. The longer she went without answers to her many questions regarding him and her mother, the more likely she was to come to her own conclusions.
She hadn't quite figured out how her mother expected to pull of a meeting with Sloane while in her condition, especially since she had recognized the expression on Sloane's face when talking about her mother, as the one he reserved for those he intended to kill.
The hatred she had for the woman who birthed her had no bounds but that hatred did not extend to the child she carried. Her half brother or sister was not to blame for the sins of her mother as she would then be just as culpable. If her mother did decide to show up on her behalf to this meeting, it was very likely that she wouldn't make it out alive, which is why she had resigned herself to the fact that her mother no doubt was planning to kill everyone at the meet point, not even intending to make an appearance and not intending to spare her daughter's life.
"Did you get a chance to watch the sunrise this morning Sydney? It was absolutely beautiful." Sloane said upon entering the room.
So encumbered by fatigue and hunger, she had not heard him enter the room and was startled.
"I wish you would allow me to take care of you Sydney. No father wants for their daughter to suffer and yet you insist on not eating or sleeping. Your appearance will surely upset your mother; she would hate to think her decisions led you to this point." He walked further into the room where Sydney stood chained to the wall.
"I don't know why you think my mother is going to suddenly grow a heart and come to my rescue." Her voice was slurred slightly with sleep deprivation, her breath smelling faintly of alcohol from the fluctuations of insulin in her body.
"Such a beautiful young woman." Sloane placed his hand on the side of her face, sounding every bit like a proud father. She turned her head away, wanting to recoil further but held tight by her bonds. A manic gleam grew bright in Sloane's eyes as he stepped back from her. "You cannot deny the truth Sydney. I believe with everything in me that I am your father."
"And I pray with everything in me that you're not." She bit out, her teeth grinding together.
"You are so quick to forget how I have taken care of you for so long. When you first came to work for SD-6, I looked out for you. You came to my home for dinner and would seek guidance from me." Sloane did his best impression of an innocent man, seeming more guilty in the end.
"You're wrong. I haven't forgotten. I haven't forgotten that you murdered two people I loved. Or that you tricked me into believing I was serving my country when I was merely serving your own purposes." Her head dropped, unable to hold itself up any longer.
"I know in my heart you'll forgive me eventually Sydney. Every child must eventually second-guess the actions of their parents, it helps them grow as adults. But just as surely, they come to realize their parents know what's best for them." He missed the incredulous look Sydney gave him as he walked to the door and left.
CIA TRANSPORT EN ROUTE – CALCUTTA
"Buddy, you look like you've been steamrolled. I know your upset about Syd, but we'll have her back before you know it. Anyway, I'm sure she's fine, the girl can kick anyone's ass." Weiss studied Vaughn's listless expression, hoping to ease the tension that permeated the air around him.
"It's not that, I mean I'm worried about her but I…" He shook his head and glanced in the direction of Jack. "I spoke to Jack before we left and while the guy is no doubt going to win asshole of the year, I'm still in the running." His brow furrowed as he went over the conversation in the office once again.
"What did you say to him? What, you blame him for Sloane taking Sydney?" Weiss joked, trying to show Vaughn how much worse it could be. But from the look Vaughn shot him, he realized his friend had indeed already gone there. "I know you don't think Jack's much of a father Mike but he is still you superior." Weiss admonished.
"I know. I know. I just lost it with him. His daughter is abducted by a lunatic and he doesn't even blink. I mean, he could care less what happens to her; if she wasn't such an asset to the CIA I doubt we'd even be going to find her." The hum of the plane drowned out Vaughn's rising voice.
"You said that to him?" Weiss' eyes widen in shock.
"I also told him that the reason he didn't care for Sydney was because she reminded him of Irina." Vaughn had to close his eyes at the memory, already feeling the shadow of remorse. Weiss pulled him away from the plane's interior wall and began inspecting his person. "What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm looking for fatal wounds. I can't believe you left Jack's office alive." Vaughn rolled his eyes but shivered at the thought. "Mike man, you're my friend but you were totally out of line with Jack."
"What, just because he's our superior doesn't-" Weiss cut him off, taking note of his friend's indigent glare.
"It isn't just that he's our superior." He sighed, not quite believing what he was about to say. "Listen, Jack may be lacking in many departments as a father but the one thing he doesn't lack is love for Sydney. He would do anything for her. He's killed for her and would likely be killed for her if it was needed. I don't agree with everything he's done but it's all been for her benefit."
Weiss let out a heavy breath, and leaned his head back against the plane. "Don't take this the wrong way but you kinda wear your heart on your sleeve. Everyone knows what you're feeling Mike, why do you think I gave you such a hard time about Sydney when you were first assigned to work with her? But that isn't how everyone operates, least of all Jack Bristow. He may not have gotten wired and visibly upset when Syd went missing like you did, but that doesn't mean he isn't; maybe you're too close to it to see."
Vaughn carefully assimilated the information, mindful of Weiss' eyes on him. He turned to the other end of the plane where Jack was sitting with his computer, avoiding any idle conversation with Dixon, who was seated beside him. He wondered not for the first time, what was going through Jack Bristow's mind; what nefarious scheme he was concocting to bring down Sloane and Derevko.
Jack's eyes remained on the screen of the laptop but his mind began to wander. For three days he deluded himself into believing the op would be simple and that Sydney would be fine but the closer they came to their destination, the more he began to worry.
He couldn't afford to be tense and distracted on this mission; it could mean Sydney's life. In an effort to prepare himself, he allowed his mind to drift to another time and place, when having to extract his daughter from the clutches of a madman was only a fleeting nightmare.
Flashback
A Saturday in June was best spent at one of the parks closest to their home in Virginia. Jack and Irina had decided to take Sydney for a walk and play, thankful that they had seen the last of winter for that year.
"I want down Mama." Two year old Sydney demanded, pounding her hands against the front of the stroller.
"We're almost there Honey." Irina soothed, glancing at her husband.
"Now. Now. Now!" Their daughter yelled in response.
"You're not going to get what you want by throwing a tantrum Sydney." Irina dismissed her daughter's attempt at being released from the prison of her stroller.
"How about I carry you the rest of the way Princess." Jack leaned over and smiled at his little girl.
"K Daddy." She lifted her arms, waiting for him to pick her up and settled against him.
"You give in too easily." Irina rolled her eyes at him.
"You don't complain when it's you I'm giving in to." He smiled slyly and chuckled when she ducked her head a blushed.
They got to the park and Jack placed Sydney on the grass and watched her take off running as fast as her little legs could carry her. The two adults left the stroller under a tree and chased after her. For a while they played, pretending not to be able to catch Sydney as she ran in loopy circles. Realizing Sydney was not tiring any time soon, Irina thought it might be a good idea to change the game.
"Why don't I grab the ball?" She nodded to the stroller and grabbed the soft ball, pausing to watch as Jack caught Sydney and flipped her upside down before hugging her tight in his arms.
"This game is just to me and Daddy, Mama." Sydney took the ball from her and turned back to her father.
"I think I've just been dismissed." She and Jack shared a smirk. "I brought a book with me; you two have fun." She gave Jack a kiss and a smile before heading back to the tree and taking out her book.
Sitting under the tree, she had a great view of her husband as daughter as they kicked and threw the ball back and forth between them. She figured Sydney wouldn't last much long as it was approaching her nap time. Just as she finished the third chapter her daughter flew into her arms.
"Did you and Daddy have fun?" She smiled and kissed her soft brown hair and Sydney's head nodded against her.
"Lots Mama, but we missed you." Her high pitched tone made it sound as though she were posing a question.
"Yeah Mommy, we missed you." Jack sat down beside her and shared a kissed with his wife.
"Did you?" Irina eyed them both. "It's almost someone's nap time." She said as she watched Sydney snuggle deeper in her lap.
"I love the park Mama." Her voice began to fade as her eyes closed and sleep claimed her.
"Are you as worn out as our daughter?" She smiled, turning toward Jack.
"If we get her home and in bed, we should have a good three hours to ourselves, she expended a lot of energy today." Jack captured Irina's lips in a heated kiss, leaving no doubt as to what he planned to do with their three hours.
"I suppose that's a no." She answered her own question, sharing another kiss.
"Come on, she's so tired even your screams won't wake her." Jack picked Sydney up and placed her in the stroller before taking Irina's hand and helping her up.
"Is that a promise to make me scream?" He pulled her close, sampling her neck.
"Oh yeah." He whispered.
"I love the park." Irina sighed as they pulled apart enough to walk the short distance home.
End Flashback
It was one of the first times he had looked back on a particular event during his marriage to Irina and not wondered what ulterior motive the scenario boasted. Jack almost smiled, realizing he was able to enjoy the memories he had of Sydney as a young girl now.
"Jack, how long have we known each other?" Dixon drew him out of his memory fog.
"Since SD-6 was first formed." Jack looked at the man beside him.
"I respect you Jack but even more I care about you and Sydney." Dixon held his eyes. "Which is why I'm going to ask you this one question. And know that I won't mention it to anyone else." Jack furrowed his brow in confusion as Dixon took a deep breath. "Do you know what you're doing with her?"
The confusion only seemed to deepen on Jack's face as he mulled over Dixon's words. "I'm not sure I understand." The other man glanced around the plane quickly, making sure they were alone.
"Like I said, I've known you longer than anyone else in here or in the field office. After you got back from your trip I assumed you had met someone while you were there, I even said as much to Sydney. What I wasn't sure of was the who." He noticed Jack was beginning to follow. "Who was the woman who was able to get past the Bristow Walls; who was it that was able to make you forget about past betrayals? And then you announce a source told you that Sloane believes he's meeting Irina Derevko in Calcutta. I just wanted to make sure you had the fire you're playing with under control."
Contemplating the man beside him, Jack tried to decide whether to outright deny seeing Irina or admit the truth. He knew Dixon wouldn't say anything but he didn't know if it was fair to put him in a position that may eventually make him an accessory in the eyes of American law.
"I don't know what you're talking about Marcus." Dixon didn't even try to hide the grin Jack's words ignited.
"After Diane died," he paused, knowing he had Jack's full attention. "I thought a lot about your situation. I tried to put myself in your shoes, and imagine how I would feel to find out my wife had betrayed me and my country and then walk back into my life." He paused again, sighing. "Maybe it was because it is still too fresh but I realized that betrayal or not, if I could get Diane back alive, I want it." The men regarded each other with an understanding unlike any other. "I guess I was just projecting." He shrugged.
"I guess." Jack responded and returned his attention to the computer, missing Dixon's satisfied smiled.
TBC