Beyond The Horizon

lenafan

Cadet
Author's Note: This is a WHAT THEY DIDN’T TELL US type of story. It came about because of the last episode called The Horizon when we were all floored by the identity of the voice directing Dr. Burris to interrogate Sydney Bristow, who was soon, very soon, to give birth. It was Irina Derevko, her mother. What happened? She left Jack and Sydney in good terms to make her way back to Moscow, or at least to escape the fate of other still-living Sovogdans…death by the hands of the Russian Military. How did she end up on board a freighter in the middle of who-knows-where with her daughter and Kelly Peyton of all people? Therefore, this is my version and it’s being posted BEFORE the March (maybe) return of Alias.
SUMMARY: This starts in Budapest. When she last left her, Irina thought Sydney would be married. She knew Sydney would take care of Nadia. She still had her mole in place to keep her informed. All she needed was to stay safely hidden for a while to wait for the news that Sydney was married Agent Vaughn. Instead the news she was sent was horrific. Michael Vaughn was dead, murdered by a group called Prophet 5. Sydney was pregnant. Other information supplied by her contacts confirmed it and other news. Irina had to act.
DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to JJ Abrams (Bad Robot Productions) and ABC-Television except those I develop, then they belong to me.
RATED: PG-13

BEYOND THE HORIZON
By Lenafan


Part 1

“Good Lord!” Jack stared at the room.

Renee Rienne stood behind him puzzled. It looked to her like a nursery with crib, rocking chair, small chest of drawers, changing table and many other small baby items. What the hell?

“What is wrong?” Renee stepped up beside Jack.

“I think I know who has Sydney.” He turned on his heel.

Renee followed him still puzzled. “Who?”

“My wife…her mother!”

“Irina Derevko?” Renee knew about the Bristows from what Vaughn told her. “But, but how did she…”

“I don’t know…yet. However, I think I will soon.” He walked out of the condemned apartment house knowing it probably wasn’t, but that Irina owned it and had it condemned thus controlling who went in and out of the building. He started to enter the driver’s side of the car when his cell rang.

“Bristow.”

“Jack,” the voice was low, throaty and always tied his stomach in knots.

“Irina, what did you do to Sydney? So help me, I’ll…” His voice was cold steel.

“She’s fine and she’s safe. You were aware that the Prophet 5 group was after her and the baby?”

“Not until Renee told me she’d been kidnapped.”

“The Raven?”

Jack’s eyebrows shot up. “You know her?” He turned around to look at Renee who stood at the passenger side door waiting for him to unlock it.

“Of course.” She paused. “I need to talk to you and I want to take you to Sydney. Bring Renee along also. I understand she has a vested interest in this affair too.”

“Where?” She told him.

Jack snapped the phone shut. “You willing to go on a short trip?”

“I don’t have a passport.”

Jack smirked. “You won’t need one.”

A half hour later, Jack and Renee drove up to what looked like a deserted warehouse outside Budapest. He parked the car where Irina had indicated and the pair waited. There was no activity. In fact, there didn’t seem to be anybody around anywhere. The building was at least ten kilometers outside the last suburb on the northern outskirts of the capitol city. Looking around Jack saw no homes or farms, just a dirt road leading to the small dilapidated building where he was parked. He glanced at his watch. He was a bit early, but then it was not often Jack Bristow was late for any appointment.

His cell rang. “Bristow.”

“Jack, come inside the building. Renee can come with you.”

The pair exited the car and stepped up to the small porch. Jack opened the door to find Irina sitting at a small table with a computer on it. She stood facing him holding a gun, loosely but still gripped. She gave him the warmest smile he’d seen in a long time. He did not smile back. His eyes regarded her coldly.

“What did you do to Sydney?”

“She’s safe. What did you do to Sydney when she was put through the Project Christmas protocols? What else did you add?” Her dark eyes searched his face.

“Why?”

“Because she lied to me. She gave me the wrong information under stimulated hypnosis and that was impossible, at least Dr. Burris tells me it was.”

“What are you talking about?” Jack was confused and upset. “What do you mean stimulated hypnosis? I swear if the baby was…”

“No, the baby was not hurt nor was Sydney. We do have to get to her though.”

“Irina, answer my question.” He reached out and gripped her right arm as concerned as he could be.

Wincing, she put the gun in her waistband. “I learned about the Prophet 5 group several years ago and I had the information on the Mueller device. Jack, they want the Horizon and Sydney knows where it is.”

“The Horizon? Sydney knows?” Jack’s eyes narrowed. “What is the Horizon?”

“A genetic formula that Rambaldi devised and hid in a manuscript. Mueller found it and began experimenting. He hid it when he was being chased by certain governments: both mine and yours were among them.”

Jack eyed her suspiciously. “My government?”

“Well, Dean wasn’t exactly a Russian, now was he,” Irina snapped. “When I returned from Sovogda, I heard about Vaughn…and Sydney. Contacts of mine thought I’d be interested since it had to do with her and they knew she was my…our daughter.” She stared at him hard. “Jack, they were making plans to kidnap and torture her for the information.”

“What information?”

“Let me tell you what I know.” Irina indicated two metal chairs. “When I received the information, I knew I had to get to Sydney first. She was on her way to Hungary with,” she looked at Renee, “her. I gathered my contacts there. We kept an eye on Sydney. We too were in the park, but then we spotted the Prophet 5 van and I had ours pull up behind it. Sydney spotted two men she assumed were after her and Renee. She was trying to escape as Renee shot them down and then she turned to see Sydney pulled into a van.

“Yes, I saw her.” Renee interrupted.

“But as soon as she was inside, my men opened the rear door, shot De Santis and pulled her out into my van, and it drove off, making a left turn down the street, just as you were shooting at the other van. You didn’t find her inside, did you?”

“No, I did not. I thought it funny that she disappears so quick.”

“Who were these men?” asked Jack.

“I don’t know which government or it could be a consortium representing them.”

“Sydney never indicated she knew about The Horizon.”

Irina shrugged, “I’m not sure, but I believe it has to do with something Vaughn told her or showed her. It is a Rambaldi formula.”

“I would kill that man if he was alive,” growled Jack, his face flushed with anger. “But if Sydney doesn’t know about the Horizon, how does she know its location?”

“Vaughn knew something,” interrupted Renee excitedly. “We don’t know what it was, but Vaughn found out the Prophet 5 wanted it, so he kill the man who told him where it was. He insure no one ever find it.”

”Did he write down the location?”

“Yes. He put it on map of SD-6’s genealogy. He showed the map to Sydney for a different reason, when she come to CIA to turn herself in because of what happened to Danny.” Irina looked at them both. “That map disappeared. I think Vaughn burned it…destroyed it, so no one would find it.”

“Why is it so important you get that information and what do you mean hypnotic stimulation?”

Irina glanced at her watch, “We’ve got to get moving. You drive.” She handed him a slip of paper. “That’s the address. We’re due to take off in an hour.”

Once in the car with Irina in the front seat with Jack, she explained. “My father told me that when my mother was pregnant with me, she was given a series of injections. He didn’t know why, but that his KGB bosses wanted to experiment with a pregnant woman. He volunteered Mama, because it would get him a promotion. He didn’t know anything more except that the scientists who were in charge were murdered by Stalin’s orders. There was nothing more about the injections or what they were for was never found, even in old records.” She shrugged.

“Then I heard that R and D of the new SVR were looking for the woman who received certain injections in 1950. I was no longer KGB and was out on my own. I still had friends in SVR. They did not know it was Mama. I start digging for information. It was sparse. Nothing.

“However, I heard about Prophet 5 and learned that five countries were banded together trying to find a formula dealing with genetics and neuron pathways.”

“Did you find it…the formula, I mean.” Jack glanced at her.

“No, but I learned more when I disposed of my father’s papers. The scientist who developed the formula was named Mueller. He escaped Stalin’s wrath and disappeared.”

“Irina, damn you, why didn’t you contact me?”

“Jack, Sydney was on her way to Budapest. What could you do from Los Angeles?”

“Warn her…”

“That would not be enough. Our daughter is stubborn. Once she got it in her head that she was getting close to the people who murdered Vaughn, she would not stop. You know how stubborn she is.” Irina smiled, knowing Jack thought Sydney got her stubbornness from her.

Jack was taking the freeway around the city to the airport. “Where is she?”

“Where she can’t get away until we come for her.”

“Who’s with her? Obviously, you left. Who is protecting her? Is there a doctor on board? She’s about to give birth to our granddaughter and has a wonderful obstetrician back home.”

“The doctor in LA is in the pay of Prophet 5.”

Jack gaped at her. “That’s crazy!”

“No, she is and if they were not successful in the kidnap and Sydney returned, the doctor was to carry out certain instructions.”

“My God, will there be no end to this madness. What … why are you so interested?”

“Prophet 5 has access to a cure for Nadia.”

“Those gorram sons a-bitches,” Jack swore. “You were going to trade the information for the cure?”

“Of course. I want my daughter whole again as you should also.”

“Arvin’s back as a consultant. He goes to see her everyday.”

“Why? She is not his.”

Jack nearly drove the car off the freeway.

“Watch out,” cried Renee, who had been listening in fascination.

“Wait…you had another lover?” Jack snarled.

“If you weren’t driving, I’d slap you…hard.” Irina’s face hardened. “What gave you the idea that she was his?”

“He said so…”

“Jack, I was indiscreet, but not an idiot. I knew how to take care of myself! Nadia is your daughter, not his.”

Jack’s face was wet with perspiration. He tried to concentrate on his driving. His mind however, wouldn’t let him. All he could think about was Nadia, lying in a coma at the hospital and knowing he’d only been to see her a couple of times while Arvin was there almost everyday, holding her hand, whispering kind words to the young woman he thought was his daughter. That fact had changed him immensely. It made him feel that his life was at last worthwhile, that he had something, no someone, to live for. Jack groaned.

“What’s wrong?” Irina said.

“You still didn’t answer my original question. Who’s with her?”

“A girl I hired away from the Prophet 5 group?”

“Who?”

“Kelly Peyton…”

“Good grief, Irina, she’s a killer! She caused the deaths of dozens of people in Gordon Dean’s operations…” His voice trailed off, remembering Irina’s own history.

“I know, but then you can’t believe what some people are willing to do for as money…five million, to be exact.” Irina looked smug. “Besides, she thinks I’m part of Prophet 5.”

“She probably could get more for Sydney.”

“She won’t. She has no idea where she is.”

Jack snorted. He sometimes thought Irina believed that money was the answer for everything. He said nothing more because he wanted to get to the airport. The car moved swiftly down the highway. Minutes later, they pulled up to a small hanger opposite the main part of the international airport.

They entered the small hanger to find a sleek powerful helicopter waiting, its engines going. The three entered the cabin as the pilot who was waiting for them received permission from the tower to leave. He moved the machine upwards three feet then flew it through the open doors out and then upward into the late afternoon sky.

TBC
:confused:
 
I love this new story already! I'm glad you're doing it- I've been wondering what brought Irina to kidnap her own daughter.

Can I have a PM when you update, please?
 
Yay!!!! A new one a new one, (Erin does the happy dance)
Of course I loved it!!! I was hoping you would be writing a fic based on the newest Alias twist. Be sure to keep pming me!
 
Part 2

They flew west and south heading toward the Mediterranean. Two hours later, they were over a slow moving freighter heading toward Turkey. The pilot spoke to the radio operator and then motioned Irina who was wearing headphones also to listen. She went white and turned to Jack.

“We’re going down now. Sydney’s in labor.”

“Damn you, Irina, if anything happens to either of them I swear I’ll…I’ll…” He looked at her stricken face and stopped. “Hurry!” He yelled to the pilot.

Both Irina and Jack were out of the helicopter before the engines geared down. They ran toward a waiting crewman, who led them up stairs and into the forward portion of the ship where Sydney had been interrogated earlier. However, he didn’t stop there, but led them instead down another set of stairs, to a corridor with several doors on either side.

“In here,” he said pushing open the door.

Jack and Irina rushed inside to find the Captain bending over Sydney, patting her hand. Kelly Peyton was nowhere to be seen.

“Sydney,” said Jack and Irina.

Their daughter’s mouth dropped open in astonishment and then she huffed. Jack grabbed her hand as the Captain stepped back. Irina spoke to him quickly giving him orders as to what she would need.

“Where is the woman I left her with?” Irina was angry.

“She was unconscious in a room. I put her to bed in the cabin next to this one.”

“Go, get those things,” she ordered. She didn’t know what happened, but had a feeling Sydney knew. Irina looked at Renee who had entered after they had, but kept out of the way. “Renee, go to the room next door and see what condition Peyton is in. If it isn’t serious, stay with her, until we can speak to her.”

“Oui,” she nearly shouted and hurried out of the cabin.

“Sweetheart, do you know the time between the contractions?” Jack asked. “Did your water break?”

“Yes. What’s Mom doing here? Where did you find her?” Sydney huffed again and groaned as another contraction hit her. “…like a minute…they are coming faster.”

“And so is our grandchild,” Irina said. “Jack, move Sydney so she can brace herself on the bunk rails. Get next to her and keep her going. Sydney, raise your legs so your heels are braced. Are you wearing underwear or did you take it off?”

“Irina…”

“Jack, stop! Sydney?”

“It’s off. As soon as…” she huffed several times. “I took it off when I started to have contractions. Where did you come from, Mom?”

“Never mind! Hurry, I’ve got to see if the baby is crowning.” She looked at Jack. “Did you do La Maze with her?”

“Good lord, Irina…” Jack’s face reddened.

“Don’t be an idiot. She’s going to have a baby and we’re going to deliver it.”

Irina pushed back the outer clothing Sydney was wearing and looked. She was well dilated she could see. It could only be a matter of minutes as she saw the head pushing through. She dropped the dress as the Captain knocked.

“Enter.”

“I have the things you wanted. Do you need any hot water?” Obviously, the captain had seen a few movies.

“Yes…go get us some, but be sure to knock.”

“Of course.” He turned and fled from the room.

Once the door shut, Irina threw back the dress and looked again. “Sydney, brace yourself against the bulkhead and then when I say to…push, push as hard as you can.”

Sydney nodded. Jack held her hand tightly. Ordinarily, he might have been queasy, but somehow with Irina in charge, he was confident he would soon be a grandfather. He watched Irina gather some scissors, string, a large white towel, and a blanket. She went to a chair nearby and dragged it over to the bunk. Making sure first that everything was ready, she looked at her daughter.

“Alright, Sydney. I want you to push and push hard.”

Sydney closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pushed. Sweat poured off her face. She took another breath and pushed again.

“Good, good Sydney.” Irina’s eyes were shining as she looked up at her daughter. “You did say it was a girl?”

“Y-yes.” Sydney took another deep breath and pushed hard, gripping Jack’s hand hard. He winced. She pushed harder.

“Almost here, Sweetheart,” said Irina. “What did you decide her name will be?” She reached under the blanket she had placed over Sydney’s knees.

“Unh…unh…Isabelle…Isabelle Bristow-Vaughn.” She gave another gasp.

“I believe…,” said Irina grinning, “that Isabelle is here.”

Suddenly there was a tiny cry of a baby squalling. Irina quickly checked fingers, toes everything she could. She proceeded to cut the cord, tying it off first on Isabelle and then on Sydney. She wrapped the baby in the white towel, held her for a brief moment, as her dark eyes studied the child, and then, smiling, gave her to Sydney, who was crying with joy.

“Jack, leave. Go next door and find out what happened to Peyton. I’m going to bathe Sydney and clean up.” As if to punctuate her statement there was a knock on the door and the Captain entered with a large pan. The steam coming from it let Irina know the hot water had come.

Jack followed the captain out, shutting the door behind him. Irina turned to Sydney who was still crying as she looked at her baby. Irina found washcloths and more towels in the small bathroom. She brought them back.

“Sydney, I need to clean you up and change the bedding. It will only take a few minutes. Can you take off the dress and shift. I’ll hold the baby.”

Her daughter did what she was told. Fortunately, the dress had escaped birthing matter, but the shift did not. Irina instructed her to put on the dress while she remade the bed, discarding the bloody sheets, blanket, and Sydney’s shift into a pile near the door.

“I can hold the baby while you wash yourself or you can let me do it for you.” Irina knew Sydney was tired. Giving birth was not a walk in the park.

Sydney blushed, but said quietly. “You do it, Mom!” She held her arms out for the baby.

“Nurse her,” instructed Irina. “That will keep her distracted and you too while…”

Just then Jack burst back into the room. He was furious. He saw nothing but Irina bending over Sydney and the baby. Jack grabbed at Irina, fingers closing over her shirt and jerked her backwards, off her feet, to the floor. He backhanded her hard across the face. “You conniving, lying monster!”

“Dad,” screamed Sydney. Struck dumb for a minute, she placed the baby on the bed and grabbed at him. “Stop. For God sakes, STOP!” She screamed the words, and jumped on his back.

He blinked as he felt her on him and realized it was Sydney. He stood. Irina rolled over onto her knees, still numbed by his sudden attack. As she tried to stand, Jack reached out, grabbing a handful of hair, pulling her to him.

“I want you to tell Sydney what you did to her!” He raged.

Irina looked at the terrified Sydney. “Get back to the bunk. The baby…” Her voice was calm.

Jack let go of her, turning to see Isabelle lying alone on the bunk. She was crying. “Go Sydney. Your mother and I are going to have a little talk. We’ll be back shortly.”

Jack grabbed Irina’s right arm and began shoving her toward the door.

“Stop it!” Irina snapped. “I was about to bathe Sydney.”

Those words defused his anger more and he stopped. “Do it. I’ll wait in that chair.”

“Mom, what…” Sydney’s eyes met those of her mother’s.

“I’ll tell you later after I talk to your father. Sydney,” she leaned forward and kissed her daughter on the forehead, “please relax, while I clean you up. We’ll be leaving soon. I want you at a hospital.”

Jack watched his wife as she gently took care of their daughter. The woman was an enigma. She was manipulative, a liar, and dangerous beyond the comprehension of some, but when it came to her family…to Sydney. He shook his head. Why hadn’t he seen it? Why had he ignored the possibility she was behind it all? But why?

Sydney glanced at Jack, a bit scared at his actions. “Mom, were you the one who…”

Irina looked at her and knew she had to be honest this time. “Yes, but I will explain everything. Please trust me!” She whispered. She continued making the bed. When finished, she nodded to Sydney, who slipped in gratefully. She didn’t realize how tired she was. Irina put Isabelle onto Sydney’s left side. She knew her daughter was very tired and would probably fall asleep.

“Now, Irina!” Jack stood directly behind her. His voice, cold and menacing.

Irina’s right hand touched the right side of her face. It was still sore and probably was going to be for the next few days. She didn’t doubt she’d have bruising. She knew death was near unless she convinced Jack about her reasons.

“Sydney needs to rest.”

“Outside, now!”

“No, Dad,” Sydney opened her eyes. “I want to know why and what changed between us…Mom and me, that she felt the need to kidnap and torture me.”

“Sydney!” Irina gasped. “I—I didn’t torture you…I would never harm you…or the baby.”

“What do you call it then,” whispered Sydney, staring into the dark eyes of her mother.

“Sydney…I needed information. Vaughn had it and unknowingly, shared it with you when you walked in to CIA headquarters that day after Danny was killed and you raided my Taipei headquarters.”

“What information? He showed me nothing but a map of SD-6’s stranglehold on other organizations, men, and women working for it and everyone in a position of strength. He showed me the map, but he didn’t say anything about The Horizon.”

“He wouldn’t!” said Jack.

“He knew though, because he and Renee had been chasing the information for five years. They found it, but did not know what to do with it. Vaughn hid it in plain sight,” answered Irina. She looked at Sydney. “Sweetheart, Prophet 5 knows you have the answer. They were going to kidnap you AND they want the baby too!”

“What?” Jack grabbed at Irina. He was ready to throttle her again. “Why…answer me now…why, gorram it!”

Irina pulled out of his grasp. “Jack, stop!” She turned to Sydney, but glanced at her watch. “Sydney, we don’t have much time. We have to get you off this ship soon and I’d rather we go within the half hour. You need some rest.”

The last word was punctuated by the intercom. It was the Captain.

“Irina…our radar has picked up fast-moving boats heading this way.”

TBC
 
And it's getting interesting, well more interesting! lol.

Irina swoops in and saves the day of course. I love how blissfully clueless the rest are when she's around!
 
I agree with the previous reviewer- It's so funny that Irina always knows exactly what's going on and her family is so clueless. Thanks for the PM. It was a great chapter! I really love everything that I've read by you.
 
good chapter! Irina sure is enigma,like Jack said.and dont get these propethy things,but irina helping in labor was nice.jacks comment about underwear and lamaze breathing breathing was funny.I cant imagine jack going there.Otherwise he acted like himself,suspicious of Irina,and for reason.
 
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