B) Jack takes Irina to Langley, but the plane crashes in the Rocky Mtns. What happens is the basis for this story - action/adventure.
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DEADFALL
The female coyote stood on a promontory high over the valley. She was listening, but heard nothing after the initial roar. Then there were noises she’d never heard during her short life. The air had a different smell. Something she had never sensed before this night. She glanced down. There was a wisp of smoke rising from the edge of the meadow below. Using her eyes, she spied a silver mass close to the smoke. Curious, she started down the mountainside, thinking about food and what might be in the strange object.
Five hundred feet below, at the edge of the meadow, the crumpled airplane was silent. The wings had been torn back when the plane plowed into the trees. The front of the airplane was smashed. It was almost certain the pilot was dead. There was a smell of jet fuel and a small leak from the right gas tank was visible. The tail had broken off and was tipped forward to the ground. This had happened when the plane smashed into the trees. The fuselage, however, seemed to be intact. The pilot had done a masterful job of bringing his aircraft down, even though the power was gone from both engines. Looking back in the direction it had come; the plane had torn a long path thru the meadow, scarring it for a half a mile.
The tall Douglas firs towered over the wreck. Looking up, the midnight sky was barely visible. The stars were bright and the suns in the heavens twinkled. The oily smell of jet fuel was strong and it permeated the inside of the plane. The crisp, sharp air and pine tree aroma soon overcame the smell. Moonlight covered the meadow, surrounding mountains and what was left of the airplane. Moonlight filtered through the windows.
“Irina! Are you all right?” Jack pulled her upright in her seat.
She opened her eyes, and then moved her hands and feet. She took deep breaths as though checking to see if her ribs had been hurt. “I think so.”
He reached in his pocket and took out a small set of keys. He used them to unlock the handcuffs on her wrists. “I’m taking these off. I think we’re going to need both of us to get out of this mess.”
Irina, rubbing her wrists, looked at him. “Where are we?”
He looked out the window, not seeing much. “We’re in the Rocky Mountains somewhere in Colorado. I wasn’t paying attention. You seemed to be meditating and I was dozing.”
Irina nodded. “Shouldn’t we see if the pilot is o. k.?”
Jack grimaced, “I did. He’s dead.”
“So what now?”
“I think we wait until it gets light. Stumbling around in the dark would be foolish. We need light to see what’s in the plane that we can use.”
“We’re in real trouble, aren’t we?” She said quietly and then shivered.
“Are you cold?”
“Well, the clothes I wear in the cellblock are not exactly the furs I would wear in Moscow.”
Jack stood up and walked to the front of the plane.
“Where are you going?”
“The pilot’s down jacket. It was hanging up behind the door. He won’t need it. You do.” Moments later he was back with a down parka. “Put this on now.”
She did, gratefully. She felt warmer almost immediately. “What do you think happened?”
He shrugged, “I don’t know exactly. However, I expect they’ll order search planes to rescue us. Langley expects us,” he glanced at his watch which he could barely see in the moonlight, “in another four hours, seven o’clock precisely. For the present we’re just going to have to wait.”
Los Angeles
Three days ago, Kendall had come to Jack with a request. Langley wanted Derevko to listen to some audiotapes for the purpose of identifying the speakers. Kendall had been to see her and told her she was needed in Maryland at headquarters. She had agreed to go.
“And you want me to do what?” asked Jack.
“Baby-sit her across the country. We’re going to send you with her on one of our small Lear jets.”
Jack stared at him. “Why me?”
Kendall stared right back. “Why not? You’re her husband, right?”
“Then I’ll have to insist she not go shackled.”
“Handcuffs are all that are required. We do recognize she has been invaluable, especially with the Echelon project. Is that acceptable?”
“Fine.”
Jack called Sydney. The time she had spent Sloane’s prisoner had been hard her. He wanted her to know where he would be incase she needed to talk. “Your mother will be at Langley for a couple of weeks, but I’m coming right back. I’ll call you.”
“O. K.” There was a pause, “Where are you flying from – LAX or Burbank?”
“Burbank.”
“By the way, I’m going to take a few days off. Francie and I will go to the beach somewhere. Michael’s in Virginia already.”
“Then I’ll talk to you when I get back.” He said.
Rocky Mountains
Jack was half dozing, thinking about what he was going to do, when suddenly, he heard a sound at the rear of the plane near the tail section. It sounded like an animal of some kind. He glanced at Irina next to him. She had heard it too. Her eyes were open as she turned to look at him.
“What is it?” She whispered.
“Don’t know.” He stood up, pulling the gun he had found in the pilot’s jacket. “I’ll check.”
“Be careful.”
He walked back along the short aisle, through the debris, and looked around. Then he saw her, the coyote. She was nosing around the jagged edges of the tail and fuselage. He leaned down, picked up a piece of debris and threw it. The coyote yelped, turned and ran away. Jack glanced out the window and saw the sun was almost up.
“I think there’s enough light. You start back here and I’ll go through the cockpit and front of the plane. Bring anything you think we might use back here.”
Thirty minutes later the two of them looked at what they had found: two thermal sheets, two pillows with pillow cases, a small first aid kit, a flight map, binoculars, an emergency kit which included pliers, knife, screwdriver, 3 flares, matches, a small flashlight, some c- ration food and a canister of water. He also found a paper sack with two sandwiches, two apples and a bag of chips. Evidently the pilot had planned on having something to eat while they were asleep. They also located two cans of Pepsi. He found some paper and pens. Jack took these and stuck them in his pants pocket. The .38 gun he found held nine shots and was fully loaded and his search had not found any additional ammunition.
Jack and Irina looked carefully at the extent of their find, then at each other. “We’re going to have to be careful to ration the food and drink, although I think there is water in this valley. We can do without food, but not water.”
She nodded. “Have you a plan?”
“I checked and the plane is sort of under these trees. The tail section might be visible, but I don’t want to waste time waiting for someone to check on us.” He glanced at his watch. “We’ve got to make time while it’s light.”
“Are you sure we shouldn’t stay in case they send in helos or light aircraft to locate the plane?”
Jack grimaced. “The fuel from the right tank is leaking. I would ordinarily stay with the plane, but it’s too dangerous. If that fuel ignites…?”
Irina stared at him for an unbearable ten seconds. “What are you not telling me?”
“The plane was probably sabotaged.”
“Who told you that?” She knew the pilot died on impact.
“Kendall told me there might be trouble. That was the reason he sent me to escort you.”
“Someone’s after me?” Her eyes narrowed. “No one knows I’m here except the CIA. Are you telling me there’s a mole in the CIA?”
He nodded. “Sorry, but I didn’t want to worry you unless it became necessary. Now I think it has.”
“Let’s go,” she said.
“Irina,” he put his hand on her arm, “one thing more.” He looked at her guilelessly. “I remember Sydney telling me how you asked her to trust you and on the trip to Kashmir you said we need to trust one another. Now I need to know that I can trust you fully.”
She smiled, “Jack, I promise you can trust me. I won’t cause any problems. If I’m the target, then I have to since my life presumably is in your hands.” She began rolling her hair into a French knot. There would be less chance it would get tangled.
Irina picked up a thermal sheet and one pillowcase which had the food and water packed inside. Jack took the other one with the Emergency kit and First Aid Kit. At the door, he helped her down. A few steps later, they were on the edge of the meadow, looking back at the way the plane had come down. Then, with Jack leading the way, they walked out into the open heading for the sound of rushing water.
Los Angeles
Rick, the prime computer operator, walked over to Kendall’s desk, a worried look on his face. “Mr. Kendall?”
Kendall looked up. “What?”
“The Bristows are missing.”
“When?”
“Three hours ago. Langley copied me Intel that the plane never arrived at the field.”
“They know where it went down?”
“Not exactly. They have the flight plan. They’re going to use Satellite Spy to locate them if possible.”
“Keep me posted on any change, and I mean, any change.”
Rick nodded. “Should I call Sydney? She’s on a short vacation.”
“Not until we know something definite.”
Colorado
Jack and Irina reached the small running stream in the middle of the meadow. They turned and started in the direction the water was running. It was cool, but comfortable while wearing their jackets. At the end of the meadow, the stream began to drop off. They were lucky to be on the right side. On the other side, the brush, rocks and trees were thicker. It would have been impossible to get through. Jack was hoping they did not have to deviate from their course. He wanted to believe they would have no trouble other than discomfort during their trek to find help.
Suddenly a wind came up. He glanced at the sky. It was getting darker. In the distance behind him, he heard a crack of thunder. He looked around. There was no cover other than up under the trees. He pulled Irina to his side. “I think we’d better see if there’s cover. Looks like a summer storm is about to break.”
It did. Thunder and lightning ripped through the meadow and small canyon. A huge explosion overwhelmed the sound of rain and rushing water.
“What was that?” Irina cried.
“The plane. Lightning must have struck it. Fuel just exploded.” He yelled back in her ear.
They were deep into the forest. The rain barely penetrated. He put his arm around her as they stood underneath a tree. “This is not the safest place to be, but it’s drier here.”
Then as suddenly as it began, the rain stopped. The thunder and lightning moved on down the canyon. They moved back out into the open. “Let’s keep going.”
Langley, Virginia
Vaughn sat at a computer running some files he had been requested to pull up. Irina Derevko had promised to listen to some tapes and she had asked if it were possible for her to have access to the files of those voices she recognized. They might help her give a more definitive answer. So he was gathering some of the suspects’ files so they would be on hand.
There was a knock on his door.
He looked up to see Director Devlin. Vaughn jumped up. “Sir?”
“You can sit. I came to tell you some bad news. The Bristows are missing.”
Vaughn felt a chill, “how?”
“We think their plane crashed somewhere in Colorado. The plane’s GPS signal was lost there. We have not been able to get a plane or helos into the area because of weather.”
“Does Sydney, I mean, their daughter know?”
“I don’t think so. She’s supposedly away with a girlfriend.” Kendall had told Devlin about the vacation.
“Francie,” Vaughn filled the name in for Devlin. Then a sudden thought struck him. “You know, I haven’t heard from her for a couple of days and she usually calls.” Everyone knew the two had fallen in love.
“Give me twenty-four hours to find the plane,” said Devlin. “If we don’t locate it in that time, then give her a preliminary report. Until we see dead bodies, we cannot be positive about anything.” Devlin left the office and a very worried Michael Vaughn.
Colorado
Jack kept to the left of the stream. He didn’t want to cross it if he could help it. Irina stayed close to him and silent. He smiled inside. She was unlike most women, he thought. No talking when it wasn’t necessary. He put out a hand, stopping her. Using the binoculars, he checked the area ahead. It was clear. He started forward, glancing back at her. She smiled at him, giving him a thumbs-up sign. Glancing at his watch, he saw it was nearing three thirty and the sun was already beginning to disappear behind the tall mountains. He calculated they had walked about five or six miles over some fairly tough terrain. Irina hadn’t complained nor asked for anything to eat. They both had drunk water, filling up the bottle again from the stream.
Suddenly Irina stopped, “Jack, you have to do something.”
He turned to look at her. “What?”
“I’m still wearing the GPS tracer. I want you to take it out.” She started for the tree line a few yards away.
“Irina, are you sure?” He walked after her. “They could use that to find us.”
“And if you’re right about the mole? What’s to prevent him or her from doing the same?” She shook her head. “Take it out.” At the first line of trees, she stopped, putting her pillowcase down. She spread the thermal sheet quickly.
Then, to Jack’s astonishment, began disrobing the lower half of her body. “Good grief, where is it?”
“Here,” she looked at him pointing. “Use the knife.”
Minutes later they were on their way. Jack had smashed the tracking device against a tree and then stomped on it with his heel. He used a dressing from the first aid kit to cover her wound.
They made good time. He was glad he had insisted on Irina being given a pair of walking shoes. Darkness began to melt into the twilight. He began searching for some cover. Suddenly Jack’s right foot slipped on a loose rock and he fell about fifty feet down a steep slope. He was stopped by some deadfall; several logs that had formed a pile near a stand of pine.
When he came to a stop, he hit his head hard enough to lose consciousness. Irina was horrified. “Jack!” She cried slipping and sliding down the slope. He didn’t move. She checked the back of his head. There was a little bit of blood, mostly from the small rough patch of skin and hair that had hit the log. Checking his pulse, it seemed steady. Now what? She sniffed. There was an animal smell near by. She checked the deadfall. There was an opening on the other side. She crawled inside. Big enough, she thought. She stored their stash from the plane and then she pulled Jack inside. She was glad he didn’t weigh more than he did.
She wondered if they could be seen from the outside of the deadfall. It was going to be dark in a matter of minutes. Well, for sure, she wasn’t going to light any matches or use the flashlight. She hurried up to the spot where Jack had slipped. She used a fallen pine branch to sweep the area of any prints or gouges that would provide a clue of their whereabouts to anyone following.
Irina looked around and listened. There was nothing, but the sound of the forest and its animal inhabitants. She looked up into the lighter sky then at her own watch. It was five o’clock. Tossing the pine branch on top of the deadfall, adding to the detritus already there, she slipped inside.
Jack was still out, but his breathing was regular and steady. She put two fingers on the jugular. He had a good pulse. He was going to wake up with a splitting headache, she thought. She spread the thermal sheet across his body. She thought about the last time. Irina smiled, thinking how wonderful it felt being close to him.
Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps above them. She froze. It was heavier than most night prowlers were and definitely human. She tried looking between the logs, but couldn’t see anything. She glanced around. Jack’s legs began to move. He was waking up. Irina turned and lay down beside him, pulling the other thermal sheet up and over them both. Then gently she put her hand over his mouth.
Putting her mouth close to his ear, she murmured, “Quiet!”
He stirred again. She rolled over on top of his body to keep him still. She pressed her hand harder across his mouth. Lifting her head, Irina turned a little toward the place she had heard the first sound.
Her heart nearly stopped. There was someone standing near the deadfall.
Colorado Sky
The two parachutes opened and the pair dropped out of sunlight and into shade. The sun was now below the line of mountains behind them even at this early hour. They landed in the meadow. The parachutes were discarded. They opened the canvas bags and brought out lightweight rifles that were quickly assembled and fitted with scopes. Clips of ammo were stuffed into their pockets after the rifles were loaded. The two then turned on their mini com-links.
The Deadfall
Irina was staring into the shade. The figure was talking on a com-link, but she was too far away to hear anything. Dressed in dark fatigues, battle helmet fitted with night glasses, the figure was scary. Her intuition was to keep quiet for the present.
Jack’s eyes opened and he was aware of a hand over his mouth. It was Irina’s hand. “What the devil?” he thought. He tried moving. Almost immediately, Irina, while still keeping her hand over his mouth, leaned close to his left ear, the furthest away from the dark figure nearby.
“Quiet. Don’t move. We have a visitor.” Her voice sounded like it was coming over a loud speaker.
He froze. His ears picked up a soft murmuring. Someone was using a com-link. His heart beat so loud he thought anyone would hear it even the person outside. So he said nothing more and didn’t move although that was impossible with Irina holding him down. He closed his eyes feeling the warmth of her body next to his.
“Stop,” he thought. “We’re in danger.” But he couldn’t help the thoughts intruding into the situation. Then he realized Irina would never leave his mind again. No matter where they were, separated or not, she was his destiny. There had been no illusion when he first saw her in the cell at the op center. He had kept his distance, making outrageous statements to both Sydney and to Dr. Barnett. He had hidden his feelings for so many years. He both hated her and now, God help him, loved her again. He looked at her in the dim light, barely able to discern her head. She had turned it to her left looking out of their hiding place.
“Jack,” she whispered, moving off him. “He’s gone. How do you feel?”
“Not bad, although I might have a headache in the morning.” He reached his hand up to her cheek and stroked it. “Thanks. Where are we?”
“Some animal’s den, I think,” she whispered. Her breath stopped for a moment. What was he doing? She took his hand in both of hers. “The man outside is armed with a scoped rifle and God knows what else. Funny equipment to have when on a rescue mission. And they have remained silent – no calling our names.”
“Look, we’d better stay here tonight.” He was comfortable in spite of lying on the ground. “We’ll see what happens in the morning.”
Part two
DEADFALL
Los Angeles
Kendall had been up all night. He had been talking to Devlin in Langley because they needed the satellite coverage over the flight of the plane carrying the two Bristows. He stopped a moment, thinking about how he had placed them in their current situation, as man and wife. He was getting used to the idea and it momentarily bothered him. Damn it, she was the enemy. She had killed CIA agents. She had spied for Russia. He wanted to keep her as an enemy, but she had been helping them so much, it was almost impossible.
Now it seemed both of them had gone down in the plane carrying her to Virginia. The satellite would be passing over about noontime according to what Langley had emailed him. He glanced at his watch. Six hours until it got into orbit to make the pass.
He glanced up from his desk. Rick, his top computer guy, was watching him. Marshall Flinkman, the new op tech they had debriefed and hired from the old SD-6 employees, was looking at him too
“What?” He snapped.
Marshall flinched and turned back to his computer. Rich got up from his seat. “I think we want to know about them too!”
“Satellite pass will come about noon. I’ll keep everyone posted.”
The Deadfall
Jack’s eyes opened suddenly. He heard two voices. He glanced down. Irina’s head was lying against his shoulder. She was still asleep. He quickly placed his hand gently over her mouth. Her eyes opened, looking up at him.
“Company,” he mouthed. She nodded. He took his hand away.
Moving carefully, he reached down and picked up the binoculars. It wasn’t really light enough to see features, but he focused them toward the sound of the voices. Finally he saw two people standing, drinking. They were about a hundred yards away toward the stream. And they were both armed with heavy weapons! Why would they be carrying those when they were on a rescue mission?
As he watched the two armed hunters split up. They had evidently come to some decision. One turned along the river and the other, the assault rifle slung over the right shoulder, walked straight down the hill toward the rushing stream below. He was going to cross and continue in the direction Jack and Irina had been heading.
Jack lay back down. He took the map and flashlight out of the Emergency kit. He studied it for a moment, then, looked up at Irina who had not said a word. “They’re going in this direction.” He brought the map closer and showed her. “I figure we’re about here. In a couple of hours, they’re going to be at this point.” She looked at the map and then at him. “That’s a lake.”
“Yes,” he continued whispering. “We’ve got to go back and quickly. Are you up to it?”
“Of course, but why?”
“There’s a small town over this pass. Fortunately we don’t have to go too far up. I think we’re about ten thousand feet now. We’ll follow the tree line. I have no doubt they’ll turn back. So we’ve got to be at the pass as soon as possible.”
Without a word, she gathered up the little bit of food they had and the water bottle. She drank from it and handed it to him. “How long will it take to get to the top?”
“Let’s not think about that. Let’s just move.”
She emerged from the deadfall den, moving across the slope going back in the direction of the plane or what was left of it. He moved in behind her.
They had not spoken to each other for three hours when they arrived at the crash site. Jack noticed animal tracks around the area. He decided they would head into the trees. Irina followed. Once inside the forest, he held up his hand for her to stop. He took the binoculars and turned them toward the lower end of the valley. He wished they were more powerful, but they weren’t. He thought he saw movement, but he didn’t want to wait to confirm it. He and Irina were fifty-three and fifty-two respectively. The two “hunters” were definitely younger, therefore stronger and able to cover the territory faster.
“See anything,” she asked.
“No. I thought I did, but we’re too far away.”
“Let’s keep moving,” she suggested. “How far to the top of the pass?”
“A couple of miles.” He turned and led the way back into the forest.
Langley
Vaughn was perplexed. He had tried to reach Sydney on her cell, but she didn’t answer. “Wonder where she could be?” He wanted to tell her about Jack and Irina.
Colorado
One of the hunters stopped, looked around, “I think we’re going in the wrong direction. I haven’t seen any tracks for an hour.”
“Yeah,” came her companion’s voice over the com-link.
“I think they’ve gone up to the pass.”
A couple of minutes later, the two met. One had the map out and they both looked at it. They turned the binoculars in the direction they had come. Nothing was visible, but then there was plenty of forest between them and the pass.
“If we are going to catch them, we’ve got to hurry.”
The Pass
It was nearly noon. Jack sat cross-legged on the ground, studying the other side of the mountain. Thank goodness the sun was out. It was really comfortable. Irina sat next to him, munching the rest of her sandwich. He frowned, thinking. They were not going to make it all the way to the little town before it got dark. If the hunters moved fast, they might be caught and he didn’t want to be the target of those rifles.
“Jack, can I look?” Irina held out her hand. He gave her the binoculars and pointed in the direction of the town. “How far is it?”
“Four, maybe five miles, but here and the town is some rough going. Look just down below us. See that massive rocky area? There must have been a landslide. We are going to have a rough time getting through.”
“Then, why don’t we go around?” She pointed off to their left. “See, if we travel along this ridge, then drop down to the point where the trees begin to show…” She looked at him. “It might take us an extra hour, but the trees will give us the cover we need when our pursuers get to this point.”
Damn if she wasn’t right Jack thought. “Come on, let’s go!” He led the way.
They hadn’t gone but a quarter of a mile, when Jack noticed they seemed to be traveling a path. It was faint, but discernible. He looked back behind Irina. From this direction, it was not visible. He hoped the two following them wouldn’t see it. They continued on down, hurrying but being careful at the same time.
Los Angeles
Kendall was on the phone with Langley. The pass had been made and NASA had faxed the photographs taken. The satellite would provide two sets: the first set would show the landscape in detail and the second was heat sensitive showing anything large moving through the area. He listened to what was being reported.
“O. K., but we can’t know who they are?” He nodded again. “Will the satellite make another pass?”
“Yeah, well that might be too late.” He hung up the phone and looked around. “Dixon! Phillips!”
Dixon came over quickly. Phillips, the young trainee followed. Kendall stared at the fax, waiting to see what Langley was sending. “I want you two to join me in the conference room in ten minutes.”
Ten minutes later, Kendall strode into the room. “O. K. here’s the plan. Dixon, I want you and Phillips to be on hand when the Bristows get to the town of Goldstone in Colorado. You have to be there tomorrow, so you’ll probably travel all night.”
The Forest
The sun was behind the mountains once more. It was getting darker by the minute. Jack noticed his step was becoming slower. They were between nine and ten thousand feet and the rarefied air was beginning to have its effect on his breathing and movement. He glanced at Irina. She was breathing heavy. There was a fine sheen on her face, indicating some perspiration.
They were in the forest and the going was difficult, as there was brush and stands of trees close together. He had had to lead them around heavy clumps of timber and thick brush. Twice it had impeded their progress. It became evident they were not going to make town before dark. They had to rest for awhile. He hated the thought of giving their pursuers the opportunity to get there first. His head hurt from the fall he had yesterday and lack of oxygen. It was stupid to keep pushing on when he was feeling so rotten and Irina looked tired. They had been on the move since dawn with very little rest.
“Let’s find a place to sleep.”
“How far are we from town?” She asked, while bending over to catch her breath.
“Too far. I’ve got a spitting headache and you look tired.”
“I’ll do anything you want.” She answered.
He was surprised. This was a rarity, but then he guessed she was as beat as she looked. He was not an experienced hiker and he suspected she wasn’t either. They were standing on an animal’s trail he could only faintly see now. There had been a series of trails that helped them come down from the pass.
“Look around. We need a place like last night’s.”
The Deadfall
The two hunters were making good time. They had found the same trail as Jack and were moving fast towards the tree line. It was starting to get dark so they were using their flashlights to check the trail. The footprints told them Irina and Jack were not too far, or at least they thought so. One checked a watch. It was now six o’clock and the forest was dark. He held his hand up and stopped the other.
“They ought to be closer than ever, but I don’t hear anything.”
The second hunter looked “Yeah. Maybe they’re going faster in order to get to the town before it really gets dark.”
The first frowned, “Yes, I suppose you’re probably right. Let’s hurry.”
A hundred yards away, Jack and Irina listened but couldn’t hear what was being said. They had found another deadfall, older than the one on the other side of the mountain, but also smaller. They had erased their tracks from the trail, and then crawled in through the narrow entrance. The smell of some animal from long ago told them there was a den inside. Irina had slipped inside first. Jack had to maneuver himself through the opening to make it inside. She helped him through and made a space for him next to her.
“Thanks,” he whispered. He used the flashlight, keeping the beam tight and low. “Not as big.”
She nodded, “We might be warmer. Our body heat won’t dissipate as fast.”
Jack put the thermal sheets over them and pulled her close. “Any water left?”
She handed him the water container. The food was gone, but there was water left. “Looks like a half a cupful apiece.”
He took a swallow and handed it back. She did the same, then capped it and placed it beside her. Neither said anything, grateful they could catch their breath and give their hearts a chance to slow down. He thought they had been very lucky. Aside from the bump on his head, they had managed to stay healthy. He sighed listening to his heartbeat.
“Jack?” Irina whispered, “I need to tell you something.”
He looked down at her. She felt good next to him. Her body heat was as powerful as it had been when they lived as husband and wife. “Yes?”
“I have always,” she paused, as she turned so she could see his eyes “thought of you as my husband. There was never a moment that I didn’t.”
“What does that mean?” His right arm was cradling her close. He reached up with his right hand and stroked her hair with his fingers. Somehow he thought he knew the answer.
“I care for you.” She put her right hand on his mouth. “I know I shouldn’t expect anything from you and I don’t, but I had to tell you. Ever since I was released from the KGB’s prison, I’ve had terrible longing to see you and Sydney.” She closed her eyes. “When I saw her in Taipei and again in Barcelona, I knew I had to see her again and not as ‘The Man’. So I turned myself in to the CIA.”
Jack was silent. He felt Irina was telling him the truth. He closed his eyes, remembering how awful it had been when the FBI had arrested him. They had told him of “Laura’s” real identity; that she had been living a lie with him for ten years; that she was a KGB spy and had used him, stealing secrets. They said she had killed other CIA agents. He had been so overwhelmed by their words that he was totally devastated. Then he was put in prison while the FBI investigated their whole life together. Arvin Sloane had helped find the truth then later, recruited Jack for SD-6.
His silence seemed deafening to Irina. Well, she had told him and that was all she could do. Expressing her feelings had been hard, especially with so much baggage between them. That was what he was thinking about, she thought, all the deceit and lies. Lying next to him brought back bittersweet memories. That they were in mortal danger did not matter. All that did was Jack’s knowing she was telling him the truth. Still she couldn’t blame him if he still hated her and didn’t want to hear what she said. She sighed, turning her head and closing her eyes.
“Irina,” Jack said whispering.
She turned to him, putting her hand over his mouth. “Don’t.”
He took her hand away. “You’ve been living a life of deceit, blackmail and even violence. It’s hard to know who you really are and, if you don’t mind, I think you’re still hiding something, “ he paused, “but I believe you about us, I mean.”
“God help you though,” he said, “if this is a ploy, a part of a bigger plan to use Sydney or me. I will destroy you!”
She laughed. “She is my daughter too, Jack. I won’t use her.” She hesitated, wondering if she shouldn’t tell him about Moscow. It wouldn’t do any good she decided, at least for the moment. He’d know everything one day and so would Sydney,
The Deadfall
The Bristows had fallen asleep, totally exhausted. It was five o’clock in the morning when Jack opened his eyes. He felt much better. He took out the flashlight and while shielding the beam, looked at his watch. He shook Irina.
“Wake up!”
She stirred, yawned and opened her eyes. “What is it?
“Time for us to sneak into town. I’m going to play a hunch: I think Kendall has sent someone to pick us up.”
“Satellite?”
“Yes.” He watched her slide out the narrow opening. She reached back with a hand, helping him navigate the narrow entrance. She took a drink of water and handed him the bottle. He finished it off and gave it back. He could barely make out her face in the early dawn. “Irina! Let me hold you.”
She took a step forward into his arms. He embraced her, then bent down and kissed her on the lips, holding her tightly. She felt the mutual warmth and attraction they had had for each other since the beginning of their relationship thirty years ago. It felt good. It felt so right.
“I’ve wanted to do this a lot lately,” he murmured. “Sorry about this though.” He took the handcuffs from his jacket pocket.
She looked at him, “How romantic?” then shrugged, “In front or behind.”
“Easier in front,” he said. “I don’t want you falling.”
Part Three
DEADFALL
Sydney’s Home
Irina reached into the right front pocket of her pants, taking out the keys and unlocking the handcuffs. Jack had told her to keep them handy if she took them off. She had earned his trust. Irina checked the bedrooms. Will wasn’t there nor was Francie. The place was empty. They had driven straight through from Colorado with Dixon and Phillips taking turns. Because the plane had been sabotaged, Jack wanted to talk to Kendall first. It was too bad the satellite phone had been damaged in the crash. He thought his daughter’s home would be the safest place for Irina until other arrangements were made.
She went to the refrigerator and looked inside. There wasn’t much. There was a pizza container. She looked inside to see one piece left from who knows when. Irina took it out and ate it quickly. It tasted wonderful in spite of it being cold and of uncertain age. She wandered around, wondering how long he would be and if Sydney would come home first. She walked into the bathroom, then to the bedroom. She sat on the bed, glancing at her daughter’s personal things. As her eyes roamed past the television, she blinked. There was a faint reddish light coming from underneath the set.
Irina got up and walked over. She located and removed the cover hiding the television’s adjustment buttons. Now she clearly see a red light blinking. She reached in and around it and her fingers came in contact with the miniaturized camera.
“Now why would Sydney…?” She walked out of the bedroom into the next and, by the looks of it, Francie’s room. She looked at her TV and didn’t see any light. However, she took the cover off the compartment
containing the adjustment buttons and looked at it. There was a mini tape machine. She took the camera out of her pocket, looking at it and then at the tape. Irina swore. Something was terribly wrong here.
Los Angeles
Jack asked Kendall to speak with him in his office. The two men entered and shut the door. Jack then reported what had happened.
“So you really believe it was sabotage?”
“Definitely! I think you have a mole here in the ops center.” Kendall was shocked. “Who knew we were flying out of Burbank?” Jack asked.
“No one, just you.”
Jack felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He had told Sydney! He couldn’t believe it. He had to be mistaken. He looked at Kendall who was staring at him suspiciously.
“Jack, did you tell anyone?”
“God, yes! I told Sydney! I was worried about her and wanted her to know I would only be gone two days taking Irina back to Langley.”
“Did you tell her or did she ask?”
“She asked what airport we were flying out of and I told her.” Jack’s shoulders sagged. “Something’s wrong. She wouldn’t sabotage the plane. She’s my daughter…our daughter!” Thinking of Irina. He looked at Kendall. “Have you her cell number in…wherever she went with Francie?”
Sydney’s Home
Irina sat in the dark thinking. She did not want to leave the house, because this was where Jack would come for her. She decided to wait in Will’s bedroom until he turned up.
What was going on here? Why was Sydney’s friend, Francie, videotaping what went on in Sydney’s bedroom? She hadn’t seen Sydney since—Irina remembered those terrible words she had spoken to her daughter before she left on a mission to get Sloane. Only it was Sloane who had captured her. Jack had read her the riot act about her insensitivity. Circumstances had prevented her from seeing Sydney at all after the CIA recovered her from Kandahar.
Irina heard a noise. It was two people coming in the front door. She hoped one of them wasn’t Will. She moved silently to the door straining to hear the voices. They were coming down the hall. Will had left his door ajar, so Irina stood silently behind it and looked through the crack. She caught her breath. It was Francie and Sydney, both of whom were wearing dark fatigues, carrying helmets with night glasses attached.
“Let me shower first,” said Francie. “Then I’ll get in touch with Sloane.”
“O. K.’ agreed Sydney. “But hurry, I feel grungey. Two days in the mountains tends to get one dirty.”
In an instant, Irina knew their pursuers had been these two young women. They had been carrying rifles with scopes and perhaps other weapons also. They had tracked Jack and Irina with the idea they would capture or kill both of them. Or was she the only target? Fifteen minutes later, Francie left the house again after making a phone call. Irina, who couldn’t hear what was being said, assumed she was talking to Sloane, somewhere in the world. How long she would be gone was problematical. She thought a moment and then decided that talking to her daughter while she was bathing was a better idea than waiting until she was dry and dressed.
A Dead Fall
“Hello, Sydney.” Irina opened the door to the bathroom.
Sydney was standing in front of the mirror, toweling off. When she saw Irina, she gasped in total complete shock, “Mother!”
Irina smiled. “I’m sorry to drop in unannounced. I thought we ought to talk about the last time we met, before it went too far.”
“How did you get here?” Sydney cried.
Irina took the towel from her daughter and began rubbing her back and legs. Then she handed the towel back, saying “Your father brought me. He had to run an errand close by, then he’s taking me back to the ops center.”
Sydney stared. “How did you get in?”
“Your father had a key. You must have given it to him.”
Irina’s mind raced. “Strange you would forget that.”
“But I thought you were going to Langley.”
“We were, but we had a bit of trouble along the way. Our plane crashed. It was sabotaged we think. The pilot was killed.” Irina’s words were spoken in crisp, short sentences. She was watching Sydney who was combing out her long hair.
“Why don’t you wait in the living room, mother? I’ll get dressed and join you.”
Irina stood behind Sydney watching her. She smiled, turned and left the room. Sydney felt cold and shivered. The look on Irina’s face did not look promising. She knew something or suspected it. Sydney hurried to her bedroom and dressed quickly.
She walked down the hall. At the end, as she entered the living room, an arm reached out, grabbed her neck and left arm, throwing her down hard to the floor. Sydney lashed out with her left leg, catching Irina on the thigh, staggering her backward.
The pair without speaking fought each other in deadly earnest. Irina was still feeling the effects of the trip and so she used the Krav Maga techniques of the Mossad. She caught Sydney across her back with a lamp and staggered her. She used almost every trick there was to keep Sydney off balance and on the defensive. Two chairs were destroyed. Vases and photographs and figurines were smashed. Blood showed at the corners of Sydney’s mouth. Irina had a cut on her cheek and another on her forehead, both of which bled.
They carried the battle into the kitchen and out again. Sydney had tried to get to the knives, but Irina had grabbed her and with an almost superhuman effort, threw her to the floor again. She ended up sliding into the couch. Sydney had time to reach in her pocket and bring up a gun, pointing it at Irina, who leaped feet first catching her on the knee, knocking her down.
Irina heard a shot, but Sydney had missed. Irina’s other foot caught her on the left elbow and she dropped the gun, howling with pain. Irina jumped on her, pinning her down. “Where’s my daughter?” She was breathing with difficulty.
“You stupid b---h,” yelled Sydney.
Irina slapped her hard, then grabbing her by the hair, leaned down into the young woman’s face, “I said, where’s my daughter? You’re a fake!”
“You’re crazy,” Sydney screamed!
“Do you want to die?” Irina hissed vehemently. She pulled Sydney up to her feet.
Suddenly the young woman backed up, wrapped her hand around the only thing left in the room that hadn’t been smashed, a tall glass vase, and brought it down on Irina’s head. She staggered. Sydney hit her in the rib cage and as Irina turned in pain, hit her again in the kidney. Irina went down to one knee. The younger woman then threw a punch to the side of her face. She fell forward onto both hands. This time Sydney kicked her hard. Irina rolled over and over. Sydney followed intent on delivering a final blow. She bent down over her quarry. She had her where she wanted her. Then without warning, Irina whipped her legs around Sydney’s neck and twisted hard, throwing her advisory to the floor, her head at an unnatural angle. Her neck was broken.
Irina got to her feet, gasping. Her ribs hurt. Her back hurt. Looking at herself, she saw bleeding cuts on both arms. They didn’t look deep. She moved slowly to the bathroom. “Son of a b---h,” she swore in Russian. “I must be out of shape.”
She leaned over the basin, washing her hands and arms with warm soapy water. She looked into the medicine cabinet and found antiseptic cream and band-aids. She looked at her face. Both cuts were still bleeding a little but looked superficial. She put the cream on them, but eschewed the band-aids.
Feeling a little better, she returned to the livingroom. The young woman was lying crumpled on the floor. Irina walked over and kneeled beside her. She felt for a pulse, but knew there would be none. She bent over for a close look at the face. It was a masterful piece of plastic surgery. She studied the eyes and the back of the ears.
The click of a hammer being cocked made her freeze. Francie? She turned her head slowly to face the barrel of a gun being held by Jack. Her heart stopped. There was a terrible furious look on his face. It was as though he had been betrayed again by her. “Jack, it’s not what you think!”
“I warned you.” His voice was so cold.
“She’s not Sydney!” She cried.
“I was a fool to believe you!” Not listening, he reached out and slapped her hard sending her sprawling.
Fighting back tears of pain, Irina scrambled to her feet. “Jack, Listen!! It’s not Sydney! It’s a surgical double.” She walked up to him, her eyes never leaving him. “We were being hunted by two people and I think it was Francie and this one, but it isn’t Sydney,” she repeated.
He stared at her.
“I don’t know where Sydney is, but this isn’t her! Come here.” She made him kneel, ignoring the gun that was pointing at her head.
“Look at these.” She pointed to small, very tiny scars around the ears, jaw line and eyes. “Plastic surgery was done, extensively.”
Jack’s eyes focused on the face of the dead woman. He saw what Irina had told him to see. He then took a good look at his wife. She had been hurt also. He shook his head as though to clear it. “What happened?”
She told him everything. He looked around, then, refocused on her. “I’ve got to get you back to the center.” He phoned operations and told them to send the Marshals. They also needed to send a sweeper crew to dispose of the body and put the house back in order.
“What about Francie?” Irina whispered. “If she comes back..” she left the sentence unfinished.
“I’ll take care of her.” He pulled her to her feet. “Are you all right?”
She nodded. He looked her over carefully. Other than the cuts and bruises that would show up in the next few hours, she looked to be in good shape. He pulled her to him. “I’m so sorry.” He meant it and hugged her. “You better get ready for the marshals. Where are the handcuffs?”
She pulled them from her pocket, handing them to him along with the keys. He put them on her, pocketing the keys. He’d hand them to the Marshals when they got here. The room was a mess. He cleared off some debris from the easy chair and put her into it. “Get some rest.”
The Pier
He was watching out the window when the Lincoln sedan pulled up in front. Not wanting to waste time, he gave Irina a hand, walked her to the door and outside. A moment later, he put her into the rear seat next to a marshal whom he couldn’t see fully. “She needs to see a doctor. Make sure it’s done.” He handed the handcuff keys to the driver.
“Umm humm,” muttered the driver.
Jack shut the door. The car drove off. He walked back to the house. He wondered how soon the sweeper crew would be there.
In the car, Irina sat back in the seat. She could still feel where Jack had hit her. She could also feel his body next to hers when he hugged her, apologizing. She guessed she couldn’t blame him. She looked out the window at the passing scenery. Where was this new found relationship going? She sighed, looking down at the handcuffs. It wasn’t going anywhere as long as she was a prisoner of the United States government.
A movement caught her eye. She had excellent peripheral vision and raised her head a little to look at the marshal in the right front seat. His hand was now hanging over the back of the seat. Irina’s heart almost stopped. That was not the hand of a man. Now she looked sideways at the other marshal. She turned cold. It was Francie! This was not an U. S. Marshal’s car. This belonged to someone else and the only name she could think of was Sloane. She was in trouble and Jack was no where around. She looked back at the hand of the other marshal. Unfortunately the marshal was leaning against the door and she couldn’t see her face, but she was going to bet it was Sydney! She covered her left hand with her right.
The driver was going to make a left hand turn. Irina would act then. As the driver pressed the accelerator, she grabbed Francie’s gun, which went off and then threw an elbow at if her face. The other woman hit the side of the car window hard. Irina reached over, opened the door, and kicked her out onto the street. As the car completed the turn, she pulled the door shut. The gun was now in her right hand as she drew the hammer back and pointed it into the ear of the driver.
As she leaned over, she confirmed that Sydney was sitting on the passenger’s side. She was not surprised to see Sark behind the wheel and he was scared.
“Fool,” she murmured in his ear. “Bring the car to a stop at the curb and don’t make any mistakes.”
“I’ve been shot,” he gasped, doing as she said.
“Too bad!” Her left forearm went around his throat. “I guess you’ll have to find your way to the hospital on foot.” She reached inside his jacket, found the gun in its harness and removed it. “Irina,” he cried. “Please.”
“You tied your hopes to the wrong master. Now you have to play the game he plays. I’ve had a bad week and I don’t care about anything you have to say. Get out of this car, now!” She released him.
He opened the door and staggered out, blood seeping from the wound he sustained when she fired the gun. She held the gun on him as he disappeared into the dark. She took his place behind the wheel. She looked at her daughter who was definitely under the influence of something. There was no smell of alcohol about her, so it had to be drugs.
“Sydney,” she said softly, pulling away from the curb.
“Ummm,” Sydney moaned.
Now she was faced with a problem. She was not familiar with the city and driving haphazardly without a purpose was stupid. She needed to disappear with Sydney who needed help. If she went back to the center… she cursed under her breath. There was a mole working there and until they found him or her, her life wasn’t worth a thing. And evidently Sydney had been in Sloane’s hands for several days. She bit her thumbnail, thinking.
Jack was checking the body over carefully. The doorbell rang. It wasn’t Francie or Will since they would have their own key. It must be the cleanup crew. He opened the door to find that was not the case. Two U. S. Marshals stood in front of him. “Here to pick up the prisoner, sir,” one said.
“I put her into a car,” he glanced at his watch, “twenty minutes ago!”
“Sorry, but we’re the marshals sent by the center.”
He stared at them in horror. Who had picked up Irina? “We’d better alert the police. It was a black Lincoln sedan, a town car, I think. There were three people in the car all wearing U.S. Marshals jackets. I didn’t get a license plate.”
The police car was cruising the streets of Santa Monica near the pier when the APB was broadcast to all on duty.
“Be on the lookout for a black Lincoln sedan. Report immediately when you see it. Do not try to interfere. The Feds want one of the occupants who has been kidnapped. Do not try to stop this vehicle.”
“Damn!” The driver saw the car turn onto the pier. Steadying the wheel, he turned on his radio. The Lincoln was speeding down the pier heading for the end at an increasing high rate of speed.
“What the hell is he doing that for?” yelled the cop. “I’ve spotted the Lincoln and its heading for the end of the pier.”
“Say again.”
“He’s heading…” The cop stared in astonishment. “The crazy Son of a b---h, he just crashed through the railing and has gone over.”
