Irina_Derevko
Cadet
I really like this fic! It's totally interesting and keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting for more! Post more soon!
And the story only keeps getting better
CHAPTER 15
VANISHED
Vaughn swung the rapier again at her and again Irina leaned out of his reach. She had a good grip on her own weapon, but he was being aggressive enough that she had to watch where he was aiming the blade. She knew he didn’t know how to use the weapon, but for that matter she had only a rudimentary knowledge of it herself. KGB Alpha Team training had not included dueling with a rapier.
She watched him. He was the aggressor at this moment. She, however, knew she had to make a move. It had been a challenge of sorts and she was not going to land on her Russian butt as he had so succinctly put it. Irina suddenly turned, darting toward Kabir and his guards. She ran around the startled men, keeping them between herself and Vaughn.
“Come on out here,” he yelled, “and fight.”
She didn’t say anything, but watched him again. Then she heard the distinct click of a shell being injected into a chamber. She looked at the guard nearest to her. He was pointing a gun at her and the other guard was pointing his at Vaughn.
“Keep the fight in front of us.” Kabir ordered. One guard grabbed her and shoved her out into the open room.
Vaughn almost caught her off guard. The rapier nearly slashed her free left hand. Irina again jumped back, this time with a counter swing, which caused Vaughn to stumble in order to get out of her way. She followed immediately with another swing of her weapon. He threw up his rapier and parried her blow. Again she followed with another thrust at him. He jumped back and parried her weapon before she slashed him.
Mohammad watched the action with a smile on his face. He was enjoying seeing the pair who obviously did not like each other, fighting with weapons they were not familiar with. He had a feeling of satisfaction knowing that even if one died, the other would be worth the ransom to either the husband or the bride to be.
Both Irina and Vaughn were struggling with their rapiers. Neither was very good and the only thing driving each was to be the winner. As Vaughn whipped the rapier in the air toward her, Irina whirled in the opposite direction. She took a quick glance about her before returning to front him. The room was large, but Kabir and the guards had taken positions that cut down the fighting space to about two-thirds its size. There was not much maneuvering room.
She had to watch Vaughn carefully as he was like a bull in a china shop when thrusting and swinging the rapier. She parried once, twisted out of his way and in doing so, caused him to lose his balance. He went sprawling, the rapier slipping out of his grasp and sliding a few feet away.
Kabir looked at Irina, who looked surprised. “Cut him, if you want to win.”
Irina ran toward Vaughn and instead of slashing him with the rapier, kicked it to him as he picked himself up. “I don’t want to win that way.” She snapped at Kabir. She was becoming used to the thin bladed weapon.
Vaughn picked up his rapier, looking at her strangely. What was she up to? Playing fair didn’t seem to fit her, at least as he knew her. Warily, he circled Irina, who was watching him. She waited until Vaughn had his back to Kabir, so she could see the three men behind him, what they doing and where exactly they were. Kabir still sat at the table, but the guard on his left had moved to join his colleague on his right.
She lunged forward, thrusting the rapier at Vaughn who jumped back, surprised by her sudden attack. She had been in a defensive position almost the entire time, but now Irina began a furious series of lunges and thrusts, driving him backward. He was not aware of how close he was coming to Kabir and his men. She slashed, lunged and thrust quickly. The blade caught him on his sleeve, but didn’t cut him. Vaughn could do little but parry away her blade.
Suddenly, as he took a step back, Irina rushed him and, with a feinting move, she dodged under his own thrust and shoved him backward fiercely. Vaughn hit the table hard, knocking it and Kabir over onto the floor. The two guards fell also. Irina took only one look. The four of them were tangled together. She raced toward the door, which she knew was locked and veering to the left, she threw herself into the window using the hilt of the rapier to help break it. The window gave way with a crash. Moments later, she had disappeared. They all heard a high-pitched wailing as wind funneled into the room through the broken window.
Kabir jumped up. “You fools, she’s trying to escape!”
The three kidnappers rushed to the window and through it. Vaughn rushed after them. Kabir looked to the right. The wind was now almost howling with ferocity. Irina was running, but with difficulty, toward the parapet at the far end. The two guards raised their rifles.
“Don’t shoot,” Mohammed screamed over the wind. “She’s not going anywhere. It’s a straight drop from there.” Irina didn’t pause. She jumped to the top of the parapet, running to her right out of their sight. A funnel of wind whirled across in front of them, seemingly following Irina.
Mohammad yelled, “You can’t escape. It’s a thousand foot drop. Get back here, now!”
There was silence. Vaughn thought he heard wind wailing, as though it were a woman in pain. Then suddenly it tailed off and was gone. It was deathly quiet. He stood behind Kabir, the rapier still in his hand. Where was she?
“Derevko?” Mohammad took another step, motioning the guards to follow him closely.
Silence. The three men looked cautiously around the corner. Irina Derevko was nowhere to be seen, even in the fading twilight. The two guards looked at Kabir, who rushed to the parapet. His foot kicked something metallic. He bent down and picked up the rapier. He stared at it mutely.
“Where is she?” asked one of the guards, who looked around the terrace. He looked as frightened as Vaughn felt. The guard was holding the gun loosely in his hand not paying attention to his own vulnerability.
Suddenly Vaughn ripped the rifle from him. He fired; killing the guard, then swung the rifle at the other guard and fired. Kabir turned and rushed him. He grabbed at the weapon before Vaughn could turn it on him. They wrestled for possession back toward the other end of the terrace. Vaughn threw a kick at Kabir’s left knee and followed that with upward kick into his stomach, causing the kidnapper to drop his hold on the rifle. He fell backward onto the terrace. Vaughn leaped on him, throwing a hard fist into his jaw, knocking Kabir out.
“Oh my God!” He thought, jumping up. “Where is Irina?”
Gunfire erupted from in front of the prison. He picked up the dead man’s rifle, then walked over to the wounded guard and took his rifle from the ground beside him. The guard was not going anywhere. Vaughn checked Kabir. He was out, but for how long he didn’t know. He checked both rifles. They were loaded, each having had a shell injected into its chamber earlier.
He stood with his back to the locked door. If anyone came out, they would have to use the broken window. He heard a couple of more shots, then silence. A minute later he heard voices. Then he heard noises from somewhere in the front of the building. He didn’t move. He was not taking any chances in case it was another guard.
The doorknob rattled. Then someone came through the broken window. Vaughn had the gun ready. He recognized Dixon immediately and gave a heavy sigh of relief. Dixon saw him and grinned.
“Vaughn!” The two men hugged each other.
“Where’s Irina?” Dixon looked around and saw the two guards near the parapet and Kabir closer to the door.
“I don’t know.” Vaughn’s voice was anguished. “She –“
Someone else came through the window. It was Sydney, followed by Jack. Sydney saw Vaughn and leaped into his arms, tears of relief streaming down her face. Jack was looking around. Dixon had left the happy couple, going to the fallen guards. Jack spotted Kabir and leaned over him to check his pulse and the possibility of his regaining consciousness right away. He pulled out a pair of handcuffs and rolled the man over, handcuffing his wrists behind his back.
Standing up, Jack looked at Vaughn who was cradling Sydney’s head on his shoulder. “Where is my wife?”
Vaughn looked stricken. By now it was getting very dark. “I don’t know.” He explained what had happened. Jack ran to the parapet, taking out his flashlight and turning the beam downward. There was nothing. It was pitch black.
“Kabir said there was a thousand foot drop.” Vaughn managed to say in answer to Jack’s look.
The four stood quietly together, staring into the darkness, but seeing nothing. Irina had vanished, but where?
+++
Oh, oh!
CHAPTER 15
VANISHED
Vaughn swung the rapier again at her and again Irina leaned out of his reach. She had a good grip on her own weapon, but he was being aggressive enough that she had to watch where he was aiming the blade. She knew he didn’t know how to use the weapon, but for that matter she had only a rudimentary knowledge of it herself. KGB Alpha Team training had not included dueling with a rapier.
She watched him. He was the aggressor at this moment. She, however, knew she had to make a move. It had been a challenge of sorts and she was not going to land on her Russian butt as he had so succinctly put it. Irina suddenly turned, darting toward Kabir and his guards. She ran around the startled men, keeping them between herself and Vaughn.
“Come on out here,” he yelled, “and fight.”
She didn’t say anything, but watched him again. Then she heard the distinct click of a shell being injected into a chamber. She looked at the guard nearest to her. He was pointing a gun at her and the other guard was pointing his at Vaughn.
“Keep the fight in front of us.” Kabir ordered. One guard grabbed her and shoved her out into the open room.
Vaughn almost caught her off guard. The rapier nearly slashed her free left hand. Irina again jumped back, this time with a counter swing, which caused Vaughn to stumble in order to get out of her way. She followed immediately with another swing of her weapon. He threw up his rapier and parried her blow. Again she followed with another thrust at him. He jumped back and parried her weapon before she slashed him.
Mohammad watched the action with a smile on his face. He was enjoying seeing the pair who obviously did not like each other, fighting with weapons they were not familiar with. He had a feeling of satisfaction knowing that even if one died, the other would be worth the ransom to either the husband or the bride to be.
Both Irina and Vaughn were struggling with their rapiers. Neither was very good and the only thing driving each was to be the winner. As Vaughn whipped the rapier in the air toward her, Irina whirled in the opposite direction. She took a quick glance about her before returning to front him. The room was large, but Kabir and the guards had taken positions that cut down the fighting space to about two-thirds its size. There was not much maneuvering room.
She had to watch Vaughn carefully as he was like a bull in a china shop when thrusting and swinging the rapier. She parried once, twisted out of his way and in doing so, caused him to lose his balance. He went sprawling, the rapier slipping out of his grasp and sliding a few feet away.
Kabir looked at Irina, who looked surprised. “Cut him, if you want to win.”
Irina ran toward Vaughn and instead of slashing him with the rapier, kicked it to him as he picked himself up. “I don’t want to win that way.” She snapped at Kabir. She was becoming used to the thin bladed weapon.
Vaughn picked up his rapier, looking at her strangely. What was she up to? Playing fair didn’t seem to fit her, at least as he knew her. Warily, he circled Irina, who was watching him. She waited until Vaughn had his back to Kabir, so she could see the three men behind him, what they doing and where exactly they were. Kabir still sat at the table, but the guard on his left had moved to join his colleague on his right.
She lunged forward, thrusting the rapier at Vaughn who jumped back, surprised by her sudden attack. She had been in a defensive position almost the entire time, but now Irina began a furious series of lunges and thrusts, driving him backward. He was not aware of how close he was coming to Kabir and his men. She slashed, lunged and thrust quickly. The blade caught him on his sleeve, but didn’t cut him. Vaughn could do little but parry away her blade.
Suddenly, as he took a step back, Irina rushed him and, with a feinting move, she dodged under his own thrust and shoved him backward fiercely. Vaughn hit the table hard, knocking it and Kabir over onto the floor. The two guards fell also. Irina took only one look. The four of them were tangled together. She raced toward the door, which she knew was locked and veering to the left, she threw herself into the window using the hilt of the rapier to help break it. The window gave way with a crash. Moments later, she had disappeared. They all heard a high-pitched wailing as wind funneled into the room through the broken window.
Kabir jumped up. “You fools, she’s trying to escape!”
The three kidnappers rushed to the window and through it. Vaughn rushed after them. Kabir looked to the right. The wind was now almost howling with ferocity. Irina was running, but with difficulty, toward the parapet at the far end. The two guards raised their rifles.
“Don’t shoot,” Mohammed screamed over the wind. “She’s not going anywhere. It’s a straight drop from there.” Irina didn’t pause. She jumped to the top of the parapet, running to her right out of their sight. A funnel of wind whirled across in front of them, seemingly following Irina.
Mohammad yelled, “You can’t escape. It’s a thousand foot drop. Get back here, now!”
There was silence. Vaughn thought he heard wind wailing, as though it were a woman in pain. Then suddenly it tailed off and was gone. It was deathly quiet. He stood behind Kabir, the rapier still in his hand. Where was she?
“Derevko?” Mohammad took another step, motioning the guards to follow him closely.
Silence. The three men looked cautiously around the corner. Irina Derevko was nowhere to be seen, even in the fading twilight. The two guards looked at Kabir, who rushed to the parapet. His foot kicked something metallic. He bent down and picked up the rapier. He stared at it mutely.
“Where is she?” asked one of the guards, who looked around the terrace. He looked as frightened as Vaughn felt. The guard was holding the gun loosely in his hand not paying attention to his own vulnerability.
Suddenly Vaughn ripped the rifle from him. He fired; killing the guard, then swung the rifle at the other guard and fired. Kabir turned and rushed him. He grabbed at the weapon before Vaughn could turn it on him. They wrestled for possession back toward the other end of the terrace. Vaughn threw a kick at Kabir’s left knee and followed that with upward kick into his stomach, causing the kidnapper to drop his hold on the rifle. He fell backward onto the terrace. Vaughn leaped on him, throwing a hard fist into his jaw, knocking Kabir out.
“Oh my God!” He thought, jumping up. “Where is Irina?”
Gunfire erupted from in front of the prison. He picked up the dead man’s rifle, then walked over to the wounded guard and took his rifle from the ground beside him. The guard was not going anywhere. Vaughn checked Kabir. He was out, but for how long he didn’t know. He checked both rifles. They were loaded, each having had a shell injected into its chamber earlier.
He stood with his back to the locked door. If anyone came out, they would have to use the broken window. He heard a couple of more shots, then silence. A minute later he heard voices. Then he heard noises from somewhere in the front of the building. He didn’t move. He was not taking any chances in case it was another guard.
The doorknob rattled. Then someone came through the broken window. Vaughn had the gun ready. He recognized Dixon immediately and gave a heavy sigh of relief. Dixon saw him and grinned.
“Vaughn!” The two men hugged each other.
“Where’s Irina?” Dixon looked around and saw the two guards near the parapet and Kabir closer to the door.
“I don’t know.” Vaughn’s voice was anguished. “She –“
Someone else came through the window. It was Sydney, followed by Jack. Sydney saw Vaughn and leaped into his arms, tears of relief streaming down her face. Jack was looking around. Dixon had left the happy couple, going to the fallen guards. Jack spotted Kabir and leaned over him to check his pulse and the possibility of his regaining consciousness right away. He pulled out a pair of handcuffs and rolled the man over, handcuffing his wrists behind his back.
Standing up, Jack looked at Vaughn who was cradling Sydney’s head on his shoulder. “Where is my wife?”
Vaughn looked stricken. By now it was getting very dark. “I don’t know.” He explained what had happened. Jack ran to the parapet, taking out his flashlight and turning the beam downward. There was nothing. It was pitch black.
“Kabir said there was a thousand foot drop.” Vaughn managed to say in answer to Jack’s look.
The four stood quietly together, staring into the darkness, but seeing nothing. Irina had vanished, but where?
+++
Oh, oh!
Alias Fan Gillian
Cadet
I just read your whole story. It's excellent. Please post more soon.
Can I get a pm when you update.
Can I get a pm when you update.
Irina_Derevko
Cadet
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I can't wait! Where did Irina go? OH MY GOSH, I'M DIEING! (is that how you spell dieing?......i don't know I think it is) well anyway POST MORE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!Irina_Derevko
Cadet
-_- Oh my gosh I totally forgot I'm going to be gone for like 5 WHOLE DAYS! I don't know if I will have access to a computer or not......but thats OK! I'LL MISS YA'LL!! have a good time without me, but don't have too much fun without.......wait till I get back and then we'll PARTAY!! OH YA!
Breakthrough..a chapter a day after the other. I'm going to be gone part of tomorrow so you caught a break.
Enjoy.
CHAPTER 16
PREMONITION
Jack, Sydney and Vaughn stood in shock as they realized Irina probably had either jumped or fallen. She couldn’t possibly have survived a thousand foot fall. Jack finally moved, walking slowly without really seeing toward Dixon who was tending to the wounded man.
Jack paused looking at Kabir. “Is he all right?”
Dixon nodded. “Vaughn told me he had kicked him hard in the knee and in the stomach. He wasn’t shot.”
“Can you and Vaughn manage?”
“Yes, of course.”
His shoulders slumping, Jack walked to the other end of the terrace, took out his cell phone and made the call he was dreading. “Weiss? Yes, it’s Jack.” He paused, listening. “Yes, Vaughn is all right. Please tell Ginny for me. What?” he paused again? “Let me talk to the General.”
Sydney walked up looking grief-stricken. “Dad!” She put a hand on his arm.
He put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed gently. “Yes, General? Listen, I have some bad news. I’m afraid.” He took a deep breath, swallowing hard. “Irina is – is missing.”
“What? Missing? Is the young agent missing too?” The General always spoke loudly on the phone. He was a little hard of hearing.
“No, we found Vaughn all right, but he tells me Irina managed to escape, but that she – she disappeared when Kabir and his men chased her around the corner of the building.” He closed his eyes for a moment, and then asked, “Is there any secret door or stairway?”
“Chased her…from where?” The General asked.
“They were being held at the old KGB prison near Muzaffarabad.”
“In Kashmir?”
Jack held the phone away from his ear. The General’s voice was audible to even Sydney. He was swearing in Russian. “No? Look, General, it’s dark now and there are no lights. We’ve got to wait until daylight to search further.”
“Are you telling me she could have fallen over the parapet?” The General was remembering the prison. He had gone to get his daughter who had been taken there unbeknownst to him. He had learned five months after the fact that Fedorchuk, then head of the KGB, had ordered her be interrogated as a possible CIA double agent. Then he heard from the Prison Commander she was also pregnant. He had been furious with Fedorchuk, but by then, he had been replaced. There was a new man in charge and Mikhail Probukov had gotten Irina released.
“Yes, I’ll call you tomorrow morning as soon as … what? Marshall? Sure put him on.”
Marshall took the phone from the General. “J-J-Jack, can Vaughn tell you what Irina was wearing?”
At the prison, Jack turned to Vaughn who was standing next to Sydney. “Marshall wants to know what Irina was wearing.” He looked at the cell phone quizzically.
Vaughn thought a moment, and then said, “Well in Florence she changed into slacks, shirt, boots and a jacket, a brown one.”
Jack repeated this to Marshall. “So…?”
“Sir, it’s possible she was wearing a jacket I made for her. It might have been the one with a compressed high glide tactical parachute. Ask S-S-Sydney about it. Your wife asked me to make her one. I d-d-did. She paid me quite well.”
Jack looked at Sydney. “Very well, Marshall. Thanks for the information. I’ll talk to Sydney. Tell everyone to get some rest. We’re going to be checking for her tomorrow. And thank you!” The possibility Irina had parachuted to the floor of the canyon below was a welcomed answer to his prayers.
By this time, the prisoners had been put into the big SUV that belonged to Kabir. Jack, Dixon and Vaughn carried the dead bodies and pushed them over the parapet. They did not want to leave any evidence that they had been there, especially since they were in the country illegally. Jack and Dixon would “sweep” the place clean in the morning.
Back at the plane, which was parked at the small Srinagar airfield, Jack began outlining what they were going to do. Sydney was to go back with Vaughn. His mother must be terribly worried. Sydney protested, but Jack was adamant. She was to go back. Kabir was carried on board the plane drugged and handcuffed. Jack was going to make sure he paid for the kidnapping. Kabir was going back to France for trial. Vaughn had to file charges and give the Suerte evidence.
“Lets all get some sleep. There’s a lot to do tomorrow.” Jack turned to a bench on the side of the C-5 and made himself as comfortable as possible. He tried to sleep, but he couldn’t keep his mind free from imagining too much. Sweat broke out on his forehead. He sat up, shaking, not only from fatigue, but also from the terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach that Irina was not at the bottom of that cliff.
Enjoy.
CHAPTER 16
PREMONITION
Jack, Sydney and Vaughn stood in shock as they realized Irina probably had either jumped or fallen. She couldn’t possibly have survived a thousand foot fall. Jack finally moved, walking slowly without really seeing toward Dixon who was tending to the wounded man.
Jack paused looking at Kabir. “Is he all right?”
Dixon nodded. “Vaughn told me he had kicked him hard in the knee and in the stomach. He wasn’t shot.”
“Can you and Vaughn manage?”
“Yes, of course.”
His shoulders slumping, Jack walked to the other end of the terrace, took out his cell phone and made the call he was dreading. “Weiss? Yes, it’s Jack.” He paused, listening. “Yes, Vaughn is all right. Please tell Ginny for me. What?” he paused again? “Let me talk to the General.”
Sydney walked up looking grief-stricken. “Dad!” She put a hand on his arm.
He put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed gently. “Yes, General? Listen, I have some bad news. I’m afraid.” He took a deep breath, swallowing hard. “Irina is – is missing.”
“What? Missing? Is the young agent missing too?” The General always spoke loudly on the phone. He was a little hard of hearing.
“No, we found Vaughn all right, but he tells me Irina managed to escape, but that she – she disappeared when Kabir and his men chased her around the corner of the building.” He closed his eyes for a moment, and then asked, “Is there any secret door or stairway?”
“Chased her…from where?” The General asked.
“They were being held at the old KGB prison near Muzaffarabad.”
“In Kashmir?”
Jack held the phone away from his ear. The General’s voice was audible to even Sydney. He was swearing in Russian. “No? Look, General, it’s dark now and there are no lights. We’ve got to wait until daylight to search further.”
“Are you telling me she could have fallen over the parapet?” The General was remembering the prison. He had gone to get his daughter who had been taken there unbeknownst to him. He had learned five months after the fact that Fedorchuk, then head of the KGB, had ordered her be interrogated as a possible CIA double agent. Then he heard from the Prison Commander she was also pregnant. He had been furious with Fedorchuk, but by then, he had been replaced. There was a new man in charge and Mikhail Probukov had gotten Irina released.
“Yes, I’ll call you tomorrow morning as soon as … what? Marshall? Sure put him on.”
Marshall took the phone from the General. “J-J-Jack, can Vaughn tell you what Irina was wearing?”
At the prison, Jack turned to Vaughn who was standing next to Sydney. “Marshall wants to know what Irina was wearing.” He looked at the cell phone quizzically.
Vaughn thought a moment, and then said, “Well in Florence she changed into slacks, shirt, boots and a jacket, a brown one.”
Jack repeated this to Marshall. “So…?”
“Sir, it’s possible she was wearing a jacket I made for her. It might have been the one with a compressed high glide tactical parachute. Ask S-S-Sydney about it. Your wife asked me to make her one. I d-d-did. She paid me quite well.”
Jack looked at Sydney. “Very well, Marshall. Thanks for the information. I’ll talk to Sydney. Tell everyone to get some rest. We’re going to be checking for her tomorrow. And thank you!” The possibility Irina had parachuted to the floor of the canyon below was a welcomed answer to his prayers.
By this time, the prisoners had been put into the big SUV that belonged to Kabir. Jack, Dixon and Vaughn carried the dead bodies and pushed them over the parapet. They did not want to leave any evidence that they had been there, especially since they were in the country illegally. Jack and Dixon would “sweep” the place clean in the morning.
Back at the plane, which was parked at the small Srinagar airfield, Jack began outlining what they were going to do. Sydney was to go back with Vaughn. His mother must be terribly worried. Sydney protested, but Jack was adamant. She was to go back. Kabir was carried on board the plane drugged and handcuffed. Jack was going to make sure he paid for the kidnapping. Kabir was going back to France for trial. Vaughn had to file charges and give the Suerte evidence.
“Lets all get some sleep. There’s a lot to do tomorrow.” Jack turned to a bench on the side of the C-5 and made himself as comfortable as possible. He tried to sleep, but he couldn’t keep his mind free from imagining too much. Sweat broke out on his forehead. He sat up, shaking, not only from fatigue, but also from the terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach that Irina was not at the bottom of that cliff.
Uh,oh Sloanes' back
CHAPTER 17
SLOANE
The body lay crumpled on the floor. Three men hurried inside the room. One took a wrist and felt for a pulse. There was none. He looked at his companions.
“Adrenaline. Go directly into the heart. Hurry.”
Another man had a hypodermic with fluid inside. He plunged the hypo into the body’s heart. The first man watched carefully for any signs of life. The third man stood watching with sardonic smile of great satisfaction on his face. There was a knock at the door and two more men pushing a gurney came inside.
“Lift her up carefully,” Sloane directed. “Let’s get her to the surgery room.” He stood to one side as the two men placed Irina Derevko on the gurney. The two doctors were on either side of her, checking for a pulse, one at the wrist and the other at the jugular. Sloane followed. The doctor pressing Irina’s jugular nodded triumphantly at Sloane. He had a pulse.
Twelve hours later, the surgery completed, Irina was placed on a hospital bed. Her wrists were held in modified straps at her side. She could not move and she was still unconscious. Sloane entered the room looking at her. She was breathing normally now. He looked at the monitors. Heart rate and pulse were a little high, but that was to be expected. His doctors had done an excellent job, but then he was paying them a million dollars apiece, tax-free. Of course, if their patient died, they would get nothing.
He smiled. Although he’d been hunting for Jack, the very fact that Il Macchina, the transition-transport had worked was a triumph in itself. Rambaldi was a fantastic genius. To design such a machine in his era, his century, was incredible. Then to have it work that was, for Sloane, the confirmation the man had been a genius beyond imagination. So he ended up with Irina. That, he thought, was ironic also. He had not the slightest clue she had been anywhere near. But, he smiled, here she was.
Irina, of course, had been the biggest danger to his plans. He’d double-crossed her those many months ago, because if he didn’t do it to her first she would have taken the Rambaldi collection for herself. Now, he had her and she would be his bait. He wanted Jack and Sydney, too, especially Sydney. They had been a part of his family, of his plans, until Emily was killed. His heart gave a lurch as he thought of her. He had planned to have her live with him forever and now that was over.
He leaned forward close to the unconscious Irina. “My dear Irina, you have made my dreams come true.”
A nurse entered the room, hesitating when she saw him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—“
“No that’s alright. I was just leaving. Take good care of her. She’s someone very special.”
It was late afternoon before Irina opened her eyes. She stared wildly around the room. She was in shock. This was not where she last remembered being. Suddenly two men entered the room. They were looking at the monitors that were indicating increasing heart rate, pulse and breathing. They checked her over carefully lifting the sheet that covered her. This only caused her to become increasingly agitated.
“Who are you? What did you do to me?” She strained to lift herself, but with her wrists pinioned to her side, she could not use them for leverage. She could only lift her head a little.
“Calm down, Miss Derevko,” said one. “You’re alright.” He looked at the other man. “Any bleeding?”
“No, everything seems to be –“ “ he stopped, looking down.
“What’s wrong?”
The doctor looked at Irina then back at the wound. “What length of cut did we make?”
“Eighteen inches.” The other man said. Now he leaned down to look for himself. “Good grief.”
Her voice was cold and deliberate, as Irina said, “I swear I will kill you if you do not tell me what you did to me.”
They both looked at her. One doctor immediately covered the surgical wound loosely and the other placed the sheet over it. Neither said a word as they left the room with an angry Irina glaring after them. She glanced down at her arms, both of which were being used to tether her to monitors that she could hear gently beeping although somewhat fast.
Irina began to feel a little more pain. Frustrated by not being able to move, she almost lost it. Those bastards, what had they done to her? In the background, she could hear the soft insistent sounds of monitors, which were going faster. She knew the situation was stressing her.
Then concentrating on what the Master had taught her, Irina began to calm herself. She was going nowhere. She would have to get a grip on her emotions. Someone would be around to tell her. She would have to be patient, so why not meditate? It would certainly help to alleviate the pain. She could put herself into a deep meditation state until someone decided to tell her what had happened.
A few minutes later, the nurse entered the room to check the monitors. She looked, and then double-checked what she saw. Writing in the chart, she thought she had better tell Mr. Sloane and the doctors. Turning, she left, wondering about the woman lying in the bed now almost comatose. Her pulse was 40. Her breathing was shallow and her heart was pumping slowly but steadily without any signs of distress. This was extremely unusual for someone who had undergone open-heart surgery.
***
Now what?
CHAPTER 17
SLOANE
The body lay crumpled on the floor. Three men hurried inside the room. One took a wrist and felt for a pulse. There was none. He looked at his companions.
“Adrenaline. Go directly into the heart. Hurry.”
Another man had a hypodermic with fluid inside. He plunged the hypo into the body’s heart. The first man watched carefully for any signs of life. The third man stood watching with sardonic smile of great satisfaction on his face. There was a knock at the door and two more men pushing a gurney came inside.
“Lift her up carefully,” Sloane directed. “Let’s get her to the surgery room.” He stood to one side as the two men placed Irina Derevko on the gurney. The two doctors were on either side of her, checking for a pulse, one at the wrist and the other at the jugular. Sloane followed. The doctor pressing Irina’s jugular nodded triumphantly at Sloane. He had a pulse.
Twelve hours later, the surgery completed, Irina was placed on a hospital bed. Her wrists were held in modified straps at her side. She could not move and she was still unconscious. Sloane entered the room looking at her. She was breathing normally now. He looked at the monitors. Heart rate and pulse were a little high, but that was to be expected. His doctors had done an excellent job, but then he was paying them a million dollars apiece, tax-free. Of course, if their patient died, they would get nothing.
He smiled. Although he’d been hunting for Jack, the very fact that Il Macchina, the transition-transport had worked was a triumph in itself. Rambaldi was a fantastic genius. To design such a machine in his era, his century, was incredible. Then to have it work that was, for Sloane, the confirmation the man had been a genius beyond imagination. So he ended up with Irina. That, he thought, was ironic also. He had not the slightest clue she had been anywhere near. But, he smiled, here she was.
Irina, of course, had been the biggest danger to his plans. He’d double-crossed her those many months ago, because if he didn’t do it to her first she would have taken the Rambaldi collection for herself. Now, he had her and she would be his bait. He wanted Jack and Sydney, too, especially Sydney. They had been a part of his family, of his plans, until Emily was killed. His heart gave a lurch as he thought of her. He had planned to have her live with him forever and now that was over.
He leaned forward close to the unconscious Irina. “My dear Irina, you have made my dreams come true.”
A nurse entered the room, hesitating when she saw him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—“
“No that’s alright. I was just leaving. Take good care of her. She’s someone very special.”
It was late afternoon before Irina opened her eyes. She stared wildly around the room. She was in shock. This was not where she last remembered being. Suddenly two men entered the room. They were looking at the monitors that were indicating increasing heart rate, pulse and breathing. They checked her over carefully lifting the sheet that covered her. This only caused her to become increasingly agitated.
“Who are you? What did you do to me?” She strained to lift herself, but with her wrists pinioned to her side, she could not use them for leverage. She could only lift her head a little.
“Calm down, Miss Derevko,” said one. “You’re alright.” He looked at the other man. “Any bleeding?”
“No, everything seems to be –“ “ he stopped, looking down.
“What’s wrong?”
The doctor looked at Irina then back at the wound. “What length of cut did we make?”
“Eighteen inches.” The other man said. Now he leaned down to look for himself. “Good grief.”
Her voice was cold and deliberate, as Irina said, “I swear I will kill you if you do not tell me what you did to me.”
They both looked at her. One doctor immediately covered the surgical wound loosely and the other placed the sheet over it. Neither said a word as they left the room with an angry Irina glaring after them. She glanced down at her arms, both of which were being used to tether her to monitors that she could hear gently beeping although somewhat fast.
Irina began to feel a little more pain. Frustrated by not being able to move, she almost lost it. Those bastards, what had they done to her? In the background, she could hear the soft insistent sounds of monitors, which were going faster. She knew the situation was stressing her.
Then concentrating on what the Master had taught her, Irina began to calm herself. She was going nowhere. She would have to get a grip on her emotions. Someone would be around to tell her. She would have to be patient, so why not meditate? It would certainly help to alleviate the pain. She could put herself into a deep meditation state until someone decided to tell her what had happened.
A few minutes later, the nurse entered the room to check the monitors. She looked, and then double-checked what she saw. Writing in the chart, she thought she had better tell Mr. Sloane and the doctors. Turning, she left, wondering about the woman lying in the bed now almost comatose. Her pulse was 40. Her breathing was shallow and her heart was pumping slowly but steadily without any signs of distress. This was extremely unusual for someone who had undergone open-heart surgery.
***
Now what?
Irina_Derevko
Cadet
I'm back from my vacation and I've just read this update and OH MY GOSH it was wonderful! I totally luv your story and your writing style....................post more soon! ^_^Irina_Derevko
Cadet
GREAT, i'm lookin forward to it! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK 