Author’s Note: This story idea popped into my head suddenly without warning. I am in the midst of TURNABOUT, but it kept nagging me. I have to do this story because I am still angry about the ending of the fifth season. I have the complete boxed set and in the book they included with it, there was a comment made that they wished they’d been able to do more stories about/with Irina as she was such an awesome character. She is and so I decided we needed to know why she became the power-mad woman of Alias.
SUMMARY: Irina Derevko is dead. There is only one Derevko left, Katya. Jack promised to get her released from Federal Prison if she would help. Since we heard nothing more, we will assume she was released and returned to her homeland, Russia. Did she learn of Irina’s fate? Is there more to the Derevko story? Of course there is…as Sydney Bristow-Vaughn will find out very soon.
RATING: R for violence, language and sex
All characters belong to JJ Abrams and ABC Television except those I develop.
PROLOGUE
Aunt Katya
Sydney stood outside the hotel trying to decide if she was going to go ahead with the meeting. Michael was seeing to their luggage and she had two and a half year-old Isabelle in her arms. She’d received the phone call from Russia two days ago. It was her Aunt Katya who was the last of the Derevko sisters. Yelena was dead. Her mother, Irina, was dead having fallen to her death less than a year and a half ago. Now Katya wanted to talk
“You’re not going to kill me, are you?” Sydney said it lightly, remembering Katya holding a gun on her in Palermo.
Katya laughed, “No, Sydney, I won’t even have a knife with me. Please, I have something for you that you will need.”
“What is it?”
“Papers, journals, other things belonging to your…to Rishka.”
Sydney felt a chill. “My mother’s?”
“Da.”
“I—I don’t know.” Sydney bit her lip, forcing back the strong emotions that hit her. It conjured up the scene in Hong Kong when they’d fought and it ended with Irina Derevko falling to her death through a skylight even though Sydney offered her a hand. She closed her eyes for a second, hearing Irina saying ‘no’, and then crashing onto the floor below moments later.
“Sydney, these belong to you.” Katya said softly. “She wanted you to have them. You are her daughter. I think you need to read them.”
“I don’t need anything from her.” Sydney’s eyes clouded remembering her and her mother’s last fateful meeting.
“Just meet me. And…” she paused for a moment, “…could you bring Isabelle? I would like to see my grand niece.” She seemed to be struggling to keep her voice neutral as she pled for the visit.
Sydney frowned, “I don’t know…”
“Please,” Katya said softly, stifling the strangulated feeling in her throat. “These are your legacies…and Isabelle’s...”
“Legacies?”
“You’ll know when you go through her papers.”
Interesting? Sydney made up her mind. “Very well. Where did you want to meet?”
“Rome? I’ll send you three first class tickets.” She paused. “One for Mr. Vaughn.”
Sydney’s spirits rose. Vaughn wasn’t being excluded from this. Perhaps they could make it a vacation. “When?”
“Given you need some time to get ready…so how would next week at the Ritz-Carlton?”
Sydney’s eyebrows rose, “We can’t afford that.”
“My treat. I’ll see you in the afternoon of the 15th. The reservations will be made in the name of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Vaughn.”
“Thanks.” Sydney heard her hang up.
She looked down at Isabelle, who was staring at all the activity going on around her. Her daughter was continually surprising both her and Vaughn. She seemed to absorb everything, everyone and all the activity that happened around her day after day. When she was awake, her eyes never stopped roving unless either parent was talking. She already mastered a multitudinous amount of words. She was in the midst of her terrible twos, which, so far, had not proved so terrible. There were times, however, when Sydney felt the other ‘shoe’ was about to drop.
“Everything okay?” She glanced at Vaughn who put the last bag onto the bell boy’s luggage truck.
“Yes.” He took her arm after planting a kiss on the top of Isabelle’s head. She was sporting a thick crop of light brown hair with red highlights. Sydney’s thought her hair would darken as she grew older. Hers did as she remembered.
Inside at the check-in desk, Sydney gave the clerk their names. The clerk immediately became almost subservient in his response. “Everything has been taken care of Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn. You are in the penthouse B.” He motioned the bell boy to the desk. “Take them to Penthouse B.”
Sydney and Michael’s eyes widened. “Penthouse?” She looked at the clerk.
“Yes! Miss Derevko is in Penthouse A. We hope you will have a pleasant stay.” He smiled.
Sydney eyes widened in surprise as they entered the penthouse. It was as beautiful as she expected, but even more so. She knew Katya loved luxury and those months in Federal Prison had not been her favorite place to stay. In a flash, Sydney wondered how her aunt could afford to rent two penthouses, but then she shrugged it off. There were two bedrooms and the second one next to the master bedroom was a child’s room. The hotel had furnished it with a young child in mind.
She put Isabelle down for a nap because it had been a tiring trip in from the airport to Rome. The child was asleep almost immediately. Sydney smiled at her daughter. In the sitting room she found Vaughn who was pouring some champagne, courtesy of the hotel.
He handed her a glass. “To us,” he whispered.
Sydney kissed him. “Let’s go out into the patio.” She gestured toward double doors at the end of the room.
Outside, they saw the sun shining off St. Peter’s dome. All of Rome seemed to be before them in all its Romanesque glory.
“As many times as I’ve been to Rome, I never saw it like this,” Sydney said, her dark eyes taking in everything.
Vaughn chuckled. “Yes, and most of the time you had a gun with you or it was at night. This time you can see it the way a tourist should see it.”
“Gosh yes, I hope so.”
The phone rang. She glanced at Vaughn. “You get it.”
He grinned and walked to the phone on the small desk. “Yes?”
“Mr. Vaughn. It’s Katya. How are your rooms?”
“Fine.” He motioned to Sydney. “For you,” he mouthed.
Sydney took the phone from his hand. “Katya?”
“Sydney. It’s wonderful to hear your voice. When did you arrive?”
“About fifteen minutes ago.”
“Then suppose I give you time to settle in and come over in about…say, an hour?”
“Good. We’ll see you then.”
Sydney spent the time unpacking. When she was finished, she and Vaughn walked again outside to gaze over the city. It was beautiful in late afternoon as the sun fell in the west. The domes of the various cathedrals including the massive St. Peter’s were gorgeous as the yellow light caressed them.
“Vaughn, it’s so beautiful.”
He put his arm around her shoulders. “It certainly is lovelier than what we usually saw.” He was referring to the times she’d been in Rome on assignment for the CIA or APO. Some of them had not been particularly safe. She’d been arrested by the Italian police and sent back to the U.S. in chains, accused of terrible crimes which occurred when she was Julia Thorne…an identity she’d assumed when the Covenant had taken her.
“What’s more,” she said, leaning against him, “it’s the perfect spot to tell you we’re going to have another child.”
He picked her up and swung her around, his face beaming. “Oh Syd, what a wonderful surprise.” He enfolded her in his arms and kissed her hard. “When?”
“About eight months from now.” She grinned. “I just found out before we left. Isabelle will be a little over four…and out of diapers.”
Vaughn chuckled. “Good planning.”
“I thought so,” she responded laughing. “You know what…” She continued before he could answer. “…I wish we could stay in Florence for awhile. It was a favorite city of Dad’s.”
“We’ll see. After all, I do have a job and I only took off a couple of weeks.”
Sydney nodded solemnly, “Yes, I know. Maybe sometime later.”
“Why not our second week? Katya’s business can’t possibly take longer than a few days.” Vaughn folded her into his arms.
“Yes. Let’s wait until we see what she wants me to read or do; then we can plan the rest of the trip.”
As she finished speaking, she heard the penthouse door bell ring. “I bet that’s Aunt Katya,” said Sydney walking to the door.
When the door opened, it was Katya. In a flash, Sydney noted she had aged, there were more lines on her face and her hair was graying. Sydney thought it strange that her aunt had not dyed the gray. However, she was dressed stylishly in green dress, Jimmy Cho shoes, and wearing very little jewelry. What she was wearing, however, was exquisite and expensive.
“Sydney,” said Katya and quickly stepped forward to kiss her on both cheeks. “You look wonderful.”
Sydney smiled. “Thanks. Come in.”
Katya swept into the room and reached out for Vaughn’s hand. “Mr. Vaughn. I’m pleased to meet you. I never had the pleasure.”
He grinned. “Before I forget, I want to thank you for getting Syd and I out of North Korea.”
“I’m glad I did.” She glanced around the room. “Isabelle?”
“She’s down for a much needed nap. However, it won’t be for long before she’s raring to go.” Sydney indicated the tapestry covered sofa. “So how have you been?”
“Good. I…I’ve been busy managing your mother’s estate. I find that finance and investments are what I do best.”
“Estate?” Sydney’s eyebrows shot up.
“Yes. Your mother was not destitute.”
Sydney blushed. “I—I didn’t mean that. It’s just that I never thought about Mom and money.”
Katya laughed, “Sydney…your mother…”
Sydney held up her hand. “Sounds like Isabelle. Excuse me.”
Katya’s eyes sparkled. She had heard much about Isabelle’s birth from Irina. Her sister returned to Russia on her way to Hong Kong, telling Katya about delivering her own grandchild. Katya was surprised and asked how that happened. Irina simply said Jack and Sydney caught her in a bank and that they were waiting for extraction when her daughter’s water broke. She and Jack delivered the child. She escaped while they were ‘cooing’ as she put it, over the baby.
“Where were you when the child was born?” Katya broke the silence.
“In Bhutan recuperating.” He was trying to minimize the conversation.
“Sorry,” said Katya.
The door opened and Sydney came out allowing Isabelle to walk, alone, in front of her. She was wearing a new pair of red jeans, white tee shirt, shoes and socks. Katya saw nothing but Isabelle’s face.
“Moya boje,” she whispered. She thought she was seeing a ghost. Other than the startling green eyes, Isabelle was nearly the twin of Irina when she was the same age. “Moya boje.” She saw Sydney staring at her. Katya smiled. “Oh, Sydney, she’s…she’s adorable!” She held out her hands as the child toddled toward her.
Sydney bent down, touching Isabelle on the shoulder. “This is your Aunt Katya. Can you say hello?”
“Hwello!” Mimicked Isabelle, as she wobbled closer. She looked up and smiled.
“May I?” Katya asked Sydney, who nodded. She picked up the toddler with such joy on her face that both parents were startled. “Isabelle…I’m your Aunt Katya. I’m pleased to meet you.”
Isabelle grinned, staring at Katya, whose low accented voice seemed to fascinate her. She swung her head around to see her mother who walked over and sat down next to Katya.
“Oh Sydney, she’s beautiful.” She glanced at Vaughn. “…and has your eyes. She’ll turn some boy’s heart into butter some day.”
“Hwello,” Isabelle said again. She reached out with her hand and touched Katya’s cheek.
Katya laughed. “I—I hope you will come to visit often. She’s a charmer.”
“We’ll see.”
“I want you to be my guests for dinner tonight at the hotel. They have a private room so Isabelle is welcomed to come.”
“Thanks!” Sydney answered. “About the other…when…?”
“Tomorrow morning. I’ll come with the laptop, financials and journals.”
“Laptop?”
“Yes! It has her financial records on it. You’ll need to review those.” Katya stood up. “It’s nearly six. Suppose we meet in an hour downstairs in the Da Vinci Dining Room?”
“We’ll be there.”
When the door closed behind her, Sydney looked at Michael. “What do you think?”
“About what?”
“Katya.”
“I think I’ve never met the woman before, so I can’t exactly decide what it is you’re asking?”
“About her…do you think she’s to be trusted?”
Vaughn laughed, pulling Sydney into his arms and kissing her. “Darling, your aunt is getting older and probably wiser. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”
The Will
The next morning Vaughn put Isabelle into a stroller the hotel had provided and went out for a walk. Sydney was going to start reviewing the laptop and papers Katya was going to bring. It was nearly ten, however, before her aunt showed up with a bellboy who was using a trolley to bring in a large steamer trunk. Katya was carrying a briefcase in which was a laptop.
They sat down together. Katya took a key from her purse and opened the trunk. Inside were several drawers on the bottom and small boxes stacked in the trunk’s lid. Sydney stared. It was a funny way to carry her mother’s possessions. She looked at Katya.
“What?”
“Did Mom pack her papers in a trunk?”
“No, I did. She had them in a desk she kept in her Moscow home.”
“Home?”
“Actually an apartment…it’s yours now.”
Sydney blinked. “Mine?”
“I told you…you and Isabelle are her heirs.”
“But you…”
Katya smiled, “do not worry. She gave me a key to a vault she had at a certain bank. Everything in it she left to me. You’ll see when you read her will.”
“Where is it?”
Katya opened the top drawer in the trunk and took out a thick file folder. She handed it to Sydney. “You can start reading it.”
“But—but shouldn’t it be read by an attorney?”
“We do things differently in Russia. Irina prepared the will and I witnessed it as well as a friend of mine. He only witnessed her signature. I witnessed everything. Before you start reading it there is a letter on top addressed to you.”
Sydney flipped open the folder and saw the envelope. She had not seen much of her mother’s writing, but if Katya said it was hers…then it was.
Dearest Sydney,
When you read this, I will be dead and Katya has given this to you.
First, I wanted to tell you that I lied that night in the bank when you gave birth to your little girl. I told you that I knew it was a mistake when the nurse placed you in my arms, because I knew I couldn’t be both a good mother and a good agent. I lied because I wanted you to hate me for being your mother. I know you had romantic notions about me, but I am what I am. I was a trained assassin and a spy, working for the KGB and for my country when I was sent to the U.S.
However, now I must tell you the truth. I loved you and I loved your father. I was a good mother to you for six years and a good agent too. It was difficult at times, but I never gave up. I loved you dearly, you were my heart. You represented the only good in me.
Now that I am dead, I want you to know I would give anything if I’d been able to stay married to your father and watch you grow up. Remember at the ice rink…when I said our relationship would be complicated as it usually is between mothers and daughters? I think that might not hold true for us. We had a wonderful relationship when you were so young that I think we might not have had the trouble some expect had I been able to stay.
Sydney, you have always been my heart even when we were so far apart while you were growing up. Thoughts of you kept me alive when I was sent to Kashmir. When I was free again, I came to know all about you and Jack, because someone was watching you for me. They kept me apprised of everything—your school, your friends and yes, even your boyfriends.
When you were at UCLA, I learned about your scholarship and was thrilled when I was told you were studying to be an English Literature teacher, just as I was. I was so happy for you when you fell in love with Danny. Then Arvin contacted you and took you from the course I thought you were heading for—marriage, children and yes, even teaching. You fell under the spell he cast and that ended with Danny’s murder. Then you contacted the CIA and the rest is our history. My heart ached for you then, because I knew that someday, somewhere you and I would meet and it would or could end badly.
From the beginning, when I found out about your involvement with SD-6, it was my most fervent wish that you’d leave the world of spies and agents. When I was at the CIA, I spoke with your father and begged him to help you leave. I knew he’d used the Project Christmas protocols on you and told him so.
Now you have a child and, I hope, more children in your future. Please, if you haven’t already, please be just a mother and wife and get out of the CIA. Go back to school and finish. Get your degree.
If you are reading this, you also know you are my heir…you and Isabelle and any other children you have. Trust your Aunt Katya. She has promised me she will help you in any way possible. I have also given her my journals which are yours to read. I know you must wonder how I came to be who I am…or maybe I should say, was.
I regret that we shall never see one another again, but the night Jack and I helped you give birth to Isabelle, was the second most incredible highpoint of my life. The first was when I gave birth to you.
You are my heart, Sydney Anne.
I have always loved you,
Mom
Sydney found that she was crying. Katya sat quietly. She had not read the letter but she remembered Irina also crying when she wrote it. She waited patiently as Sydney’s tears ran their course. The younger woman ran to the bathroom and washed her face. Oh God, she thought, why did her mother continue on her own path of self-destruction? She returned to the sitting room.
“I’m sorry, Aunt Katya.” Sydney sat down. “Would you like to read it?”
Katya shook her head and put her hand over Sydney’s. “No. This is a letter written to you and, I believe, for you only. Perhaps one day you’ll want Isabelle to have it.”
“Thank you. Oh dammit, why did she…” Sydney stopped, feeling the tears beginning again. She gulped.
“Let me read her will while you dry those tears.”
“Okay.”
Katya pulled out a document which was several pages long from the manila folder. “It’s fairly straightforward.” She began…
“I, Irina Derevko Bristow, leave all of my personal belongings, monies, properties, stocks, bonds and everything I possess to my daughter, Sydney Anne Bristow-Vaughn and her children. I have appointed my sister, Ekaterina Derevko, as my executor.
She will, with Sydney’s permission of course, take care of the financial aspect of my estate, including investing those assets. She has been compensated and shall not seek further reimbursement.
Attached to this is a simple list of my assets. All documents relating to each one of my assets are also included.”
Katya handed the document to Sydney, whose tears were finally dry. “She said that there were no strings attached and that whatever you wanted to do with those assets, she left up to your judgment.”
Sydney’s eyes began scanning the document attached. There were ten pages. As she read, Sydney’s mouth opened in astonishment. “My God,” she whispered. Multiple bank accounts located world wide, stocks and bonds from the New York Stock Exchange, as well as Tokyo and Hong Kong took up five pages single spaced. Another three pages listed property she owned, again world-wide. Another three pages listed her personal belongings including jewelry, watches, clothes and…weaponry. One page listed businesses that she owned, world-wide. The last page listed storage units, again world wide, with their contents—mostly stolen electronics of all kinds.
“Good grief, what am I to do with…” Sydney waved the pages at Katya.
“Whatever you decide.” Katya chuckled. “You are in charge of her organization.”
“The Man’s?”
Katya nodded, “Of course—however, she knew you would never take it over. I believe she wanted you to disband it and perhaps pay off her key men…and women.”
“What about all those contacts she had?”
“I’d use them whenever you can.” Katya was perfectly aware that Sydney did an occasional job for the CIA, especially since her good friend, Marcus Dixon was now the Deputy Director for Operations for the CIA. “If it were me…” she paused, “I’d pay them all a visit and secure their loyalty to you.”
“Perhaps…” Sydney said flipping the pages back to the front. “How much is everything worth?”
“Close to nine hundred million…and probably more, maybe even a billion. Each day the estate grows.”
Sydney blinked. Her voice squeaked when she repeated the amount. “A billion? You’re kidding me.”
Katya shook her head. “No, I’m not kidding. Everything related to the items she listed is in the trunk: bank books, CD’s, stocks, bonds, bearer bonds, titles to properties, everything you need to do with whatever you want to do with it. Your mother took care to see that your name was included on all the documents.”
“What are you doing with it—the financials?”
“Investing and re-investing: managing the stocks and bond portfolio. I’ve found that I’m quite good at it. I will, of course, continue if you wish.”
Sydney shook her head. “What am I going to do with all this? It’s too much.”
“Sydney, your mother said you could do with it as you wished.” Katya flipped over to the last page of the document. “By the way, these last storage units contain some very valuable assets. I would like to suggest they be moved into banks.”
“What?”
“Gold bullion!”
“In storage units?” Sydney’s voice squeaked.
Katya nodded. “Don’t worry. They are packed away in regular storage boxes. No one would ever realize what is in them. However, I think it wise to put them someplace safe like a bank vault in an off-shore bank where there will be no questions asked.”
“How many bars?”
“Three hundred.” She pointed to the list. “Each unit has fifty bars.”
Sydney’s head was swimming. She was close to shock, but gathered herself. “Look, I’m going to have to think about all of this.” She glanced at the smaller boxes in the trunk’s lid. “What is in those?”
“I brought her personal jewelry that she had in her Moscow apartment. Other jewelry is in safe deposit boxes in some of the banks. Your mother always said that diamonds, emeralds and rubies were as good as cash if not better.”
“Aunt Katya, what did she leave you? I mean, you were close. Why not leave you most of this?”
“Sydushka,” again she put her hand on Sydney’s, “she left me a vault with more than I could possibly use. I’m single without any family. If there’s anything left when I die, you’ll inherit more.”
“Why did you call me Sydushka?”
“It is the Russian custom to call those closest to you by a nickname. The same goes for good friends whom one gets to know. Do you mind? I’ve always thought of you by Sydushka since your mother returned home. She called you by the same name when speaking of you.”
“No, I—I kind of like it. It reminds me of my Russian heritage.”
“Good!” Katya stood. “Why don’t I leave you until lunchtime to go through the trunk? You might have some ideas…or not. By the way, all of her journals are in that bottom drawer. I sorted them to begin from the beginning…she started when she was 14.”
“Thanks.” Sydney looked at her watch. “Oh what about the laptop?”
Katya handed over the briefcase. “The password is ‘malish devochka’.” She stood up. “I’ll leave you for now.”
Sydney stood and gave her a hug. “Spasibo. I won’t go over this today. I’ll start tonight. I’ll probably have some questions for you tomorrow.”
“Good. I plan to have an afternoon in the spa. Rome is beautiful. Enjoy your afternoon.”
Katya kissed Sydney on both cheeks and left.
Sydney sat down looking at the laptop, the trunk and the little boxes. She reached out and picked a long rectangular box and opened it. A watch…a Pidet watch that was diamond encrusted. Holy cow, she thought, where am I going to wear that? She closed the box and picked another. This was a small square box. She opened to stare at a pair of emerald cut diamond earrings.
By the time Vaughn returned with Isabelle, she’d opened them all. Her head was spinning with the diamonds, emeralds, rubies, in various kinds of jewelry: necklaces, rings, earrings, and watches. Her mother had extremely good taste…and she paid good prices for them all.
Vaughn entered the room after putting Isabelle down for a nap. “How did it go?”
Sydney smiled. “Fine.” She handed him the will. “Check it out.”
Glancing at the first page he looked at her, “Pretty straight forward.” He riffled the pages. “What’s on these?”
“Mom’s assets—ten pages. I haven’t read all of it.”
“Looks like you have your work cut out. What do you want to do?” He handed the will back, not looking at the contents. Irina Derevko had not been his favorite person as she had assassinated his father in the line of duty.
“I want to see Rome this afternoon and we can take Isabelle. I want to walk, sit and drink a latte or cappuccino. I want to listen to the sounds of the city.”
“Good, then close the trunk, put the laptop away and let’s make a few calls.”
“Yeah, let’s make it a fun afternoon.” Sydney agreed thinking that when she started reading Mom’s journals, it might not be fun anymore.
RUSSIAN TRANSLATION
malish devochka – baby girl
TBC
SUMMARY: Irina Derevko is dead. There is only one Derevko left, Katya. Jack promised to get her released from Federal Prison if she would help. Since we heard nothing more, we will assume she was released and returned to her homeland, Russia. Did she learn of Irina’s fate? Is there more to the Derevko story? Of course there is…as Sydney Bristow-Vaughn will find out very soon.
RATING: R for violence, language and sex
All characters belong to JJ Abrams and ABC Television except those I develop.
THE DEREVKO JOURNALS
By Lenafan
By Lenafan
PROLOGUE
Aunt Katya
Sydney stood outside the hotel trying to decide if she was going to go ahead with the meeting. Michael was seeing to their luggage and she had two and a half year-old Isabelle in her arms. She’d received the phone call from Russia two days ago. It was her Aunt Katya who was the last of the Derevko sisters. Yelena was dead. Her mother, Irina, was dead having fallen to her death less than a year and a half ago. Now Katya wanted to talk
“You’re not going to kill me, are you?” Sydney said it lightly, remembering Katya holding a gun on her in Palermo.
Katya laughed, “No, Sydney, I won’t even have a knife with me. Please, I have something for you that you will need.”
“What is it?”
“Papers, journals, other things belonging to your…to Rishka.”
Sydney felt a chill. “My mother’s?”
“Da.”
“I—I don’t know.” Sydney bit her lip, forcing back the strong emotions that hit her. It conjured up the scene in Hong Kong when they’d fought and it ended with Irina Derevko falling to her death through a skylight even though Sydney offered her a hand. She closed her eyes for a second, hearing Irina saying ‘no’, and then crashing onto the floor below moments later.
“Sydney, these belong to you.” Katya said softly. “She wanted you to have them. You are her daughter. I think you need to read them.”
“I don’t need anything from her.” Sydney’s eyes clouded remembering her and her mother’s last fateful meeting.
“Just meet me. And…” she paused for a moment, “…could you bring Isabelle? I would like to see my grand niece.” She seemed to be struggling to keep her voice neutral as she pled for the visit.
Sydney frowned, “I don’t know…”
“Please,” Katya said softly, stifling the strangulated feeling in her throat. “These are your legacies…and Isabelle’s...”
“Legacies?”
“You’ll know when you go through her papers.”
Interesting? Sydney made up her mind. “Very well. Where did you want to meet?”
“Rome? I’ll send you three first class tickets.” She paused. “One for Mr. Vaughn.”
Sydney’s spirits rose. Vaughn wasn’t being excluded from this. Perhaps they could make it a vacation. “When?”
“Given you need some time to get ready…so how would next week at the Ritz-Carlton?”
Sydney’s eyebrows rose, “We can’t afford that.”
“My treat. I’ll see you in the afternoon of the 15th. The reservations will be made in the name of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Vaughn.”
“Thanks.” Sydney heard her hang up.
She looked down at Isabelle, who was staring at all the activity going on around her. Her daughter was continually surprising both her and Vaughn. She seemed to absorb everything, everyone and all the activity that happened around her day after day. When she was awake, her eyes never stopped roving unless either parent was talking. She already mastered a multitudinous amount of words. She was in the midst of her terrible twos, which, so far, had not proved so terrible. There were times, however, when Sydney felt the other ‘shoe’ was about to drop.
“Everything okay?” She glanced at Vaughn who put the last bag onto the bell boy’s luggage truck.
“Yes.” He took her arm after planting a kiss on the top of Isabelle’s head. She was sporting a thick crop of light brown hair with red highlights. Sydney’s thought her hair would darken as she grew older. Hers did as she remembered.
Inside at the check-in desk, Sydney gave the clerk their names. The clerk immediately became almost subservient in his response. “Everything has been taken care of Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn. You are in the penthouse B.” He motioned the bell boy to the desk. “Take them to Penthouse B.”
Sydney and Michael’s eyes widened. “Penthouse?” She looked at the clerk.
“Yes! Miss Derevko is in Penthouse A. We hope you will have a pleasant stay.” He smiled.
Sydney eyes widened in surprise as they entered the penthouse. It was as beautiful as she expected, but even more so. She knew Katya loved luxury and those months in Federal Prison had not been her favorite place to stay. In a flash, Sydney wondered how her aunt could afford to rent two penthouses, but then she shrugged it off. There were two bedrooms and the second one next to the master bedroom was a child’s room. The hotel had furnished it with a young child in mind.
She put Isabelle down for a nap because it had been a tiring trip in from the airport to Rome. The child was asleep almost immediately. Sydney smiled at her daughter. In the sitting room she found Vaughn who was pouring some champagne, courtesy of the hotel.
He handed her a glass. “To us,” he whispered.
Sydney kissed him. “Let’s go out into the patio.” She gestured toward double doors at the end of the room.
Outside, they saw the sun shining off St. Peter’s dome. All of Rome seemed to be before them in all its Romanesque glory.
“As many times as I’ve been to Rome, I never saw it like this,” Sydney said, her dark eyes taking in everything.
Vaughn chuckled. “Yes, and most of the time you had a gun with you or it was at night. This time you can see it the way a tourist should see it.”
“Gosh yes, I hope so.”
The phone rang. She glanced at Vaughn. “You get it.”
He grinned and walked to the phone on the small desk. “Yes?”
“Mr. Vaughn. It’s Katya. How are your rooms?”
“Fine.” He motioned to Sydney. “For you,” he mouthed.
Sydney took the phone from his hand. “Katya?”
“Sydney. It’s wonderful to hear your voice. When did you arrive?”
“About fifteen minutes ago.”
“Then suppose I give you time to settle in and come over in about…say, an hour?”
“Good. We’ll see you then.”
Sydney spent the time unpacking. When she was finished, she and Vaughn walked again outside to gaze over the city. It was beautiful in late afternoon as the sun fell in the west. The domes of the various cathedrals including the massive St. Peter’s were gorgeous as the yellow light caressed them.
“Vaughn, it’s so beautiful.”
He put his arm around her shoulders. “It certainly is lovelier than what we usually saw.” He was referring to the times she’d been in Rome on assignment for the CIA or APO. Some of them had not been particularly safe. She’d been arrested by the Italian police and sent back to the U.S. in chains, accused of terrible crimes which occurred when she was Julia Thorne…an identity she’d assumed when the Covenant had taken her.
“What’s more,” she said, leaning against him, “it’s the perfect spot to tell you we’re going to have another child.”
He picked her up and swung her around, his face beaming. “Oh Syd, what a wonderful surprise.” He enfolded her in his arms and kissed her hard. “When?”
“About eight months from now.” She grinned. “I just found out before we left. Isabelle will be a little over four…and out of diapers.”
Vaughn chuckled. “Good planning.”
“I thought so,” she responded laughing. “You know what…” She continued before he could answer. “…I wish we could stay in Florence for awhile. It was a favorite city of Dad’s.”
“We’ll see. After all, I do have a job and I only took off a couple of weeks.”
Sydney nodded solemnly, “Yes, I know. Maybe sometime later.”
“Why not our second week? Katya’s business can’t possibly take longer than a few days.” Vaughn folded her into his arms.
“Yes. Let’s wait until we see what she wants me to read or do; then we can plan the rest of the trip.”
As she finished speaking, she heard the penthouse door bell ring. “I bet that’s Aunt Katya,” said Sydney walking to the door.
When the door opened, it was Katya. In a flash, Sydney noted she had aged, there were more lines on her face and her hair was graying. Sydney thought it strange that her aunt had not dyed the gray. However, she was dressed stylishly in green dress, Jimmy Cho shoes, and wearing very little jewelry. What she was wearing, however, was exquisite and expensive.
“Sydney,” said Katya and quickly stepped forward to kiss her on both cheeks. “You look wonderful.”
Sydney smiled. “Thanks. Come in.”
Katya swept into the room and reached out for Vaughn’s hand. “Mr. Vaughn. I’m pleased to meet you. I never had the pleasure.”
He grinned. “Before I forget, I want to thank you for getting Syd and I out of North Korea.”
“I’m glad I did.” She glanced around the room. “Isabelle?”
“She’s down for a much needed nap. However, it won’t be for long before she’s raring to go.” Sydney indicated the tapestry covered sofa. “So how have you been?”
“Good. I…I’ve been busy managing your mother’s estate. I find that finance and investments are what I do best.”
“Estate?” Sydney’s eyebrows shot up.
“Yes. Your mother was not destitute.”
Sydney blushed. “I—I didn’t mean that. It’s just that I never thought about Mom and money.”
Katya laughed, “Sydney…your mother…”
Sydney held up her hand. “Sounds like Isabelle. Excuse me.”
Katya’s eyes sparkled. She had heard much about Isabelle’s birth from Irina. Her sister returned to Russia on her way to Hong Kong, telling Katya about delivering her own grandchild. Katya was surprised and asked how that happened. Irina simply said Jack and Sydney caught her in a bank and that they were waiting for extraction when her daughter’s water broke. She and Jack delivered the child. She escaped while they were ‘cooing’ as she put it, over the baby.
“Where were you when the child was born?” Katya broke the silence.
“In Bhutan recuperating.” He was trying to minimize the conversation.
“Sorry,” said Katya.
The door opened and Sydney came out allowing Isabelle to walk, alone, in front of her. She was wearing a new pair of red jeans, white tee shirt, shoes and socks. Katya saw nothing but Isabelle’s face.
“Moya boje,” she whispered. She thought she was seeing a ghost. Other than the startling green eyes, Isabelle was nearly the twin of Irina when she was the same age. “Moya boje.” She saw Sydney staring at her. Katya smiled. “Oh, Sydney, she’s…she’s adorable!” She held out her hands as the child toddled toward her.
Sydney bent down, touching Isabelle on the shoulder. “This is your Aunt Katya. Can you say hello?”
“Hwello!” Mimicked Isabelle, as she wobbled closer. She looked up and smiled.
“May I?” Katya asked Sydney, who nodded. She picked up the toddler with such joy on her face that both parents were startled. “Isabelle…I’m your Aunt Katya. I’m pleased to meet you.”
Isabelle grinned, staring at Katya, whose low accented voice seemed to fascinate her. She swung her head around to see her mother who walked over and sat down next to Katya.
“Oh Sydney, she’s beautiful.” She glanced at Vaughn. “…and has your eyes. She’ll turn some boy’s heart into butter some day.”
“Hwello,” Isabelle said again. She reached out with her hand and touched Katya’s cheek.
Katya laughed. “I—I hope you will come to visit often. She’s a charmer.”
“We’ll see.”
“I want you to be my guests for dinner tonight at the hotel. They have a private room so Isabelle is welcomed to come.”
“Thanks!” Sydney answered. “About the other…when…?”
“Tomorrow morning. I’ll come with the laptop, financials and journals.”
“Laptop?”
“Yes! It has her financial records on it. You’ll need to review those.” Katya stood up. “It’s nearly six. Suppose we meet in an hour downstairs in the Da Vinci Dining Room?”
“We’ll be there.”
When the door closed behind her, Sydney looked at Michael. “What do you think?”
“About what?”
“Katya.”
“I think I’ve never met the woman before, so I can’t exactly decide what it is you’re asking?”
“About her…do you think she’s to be trusted?”
Vaughn laughed, pulling Sydney into his arms and kissing her. “Darling, your aunt is getting older and probably wiser. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”
The Will
The next morning Vaughn put Isabelle into a stroller the hotel had provided and went out for a walk. Sydney was going to start reviewing the laptop and papers Katya was going to bring. It was nearly ten, however, before her aunt showed up with a bellboy who was using a trolley to bring in a large steamer trunk. Katya was carrying a briefcase in which was a laptop.
They sat down together. Katya took a key from her purse and opened the trunk. Inside were several drawers on the bottom and small boxes stacked in the trunk’s lid. Sydney stared. It was a funny way to carry her mother’s possessions. She looked at Katya.
“What?”
“Did Mom pack her papers in a trunk?”
“No, I did. She had them in a desk she kept in her Moscow home.”
“Home?”
“Actually an apartment…it’s yours now.”
Sydney blinked. “Mine?”
“I told you…you and Isabelle are her heirs.”
“But you…”
Katya smiled, “do not worry. She gave me a key to a vault she had at a certain bank. Everything in it she left to me. You’ll see when you read her will.”
“Where is it?”
Katya opened the top drawer in the trunk and took out a thick file folder. She handed it to Sydney. “You can start reading it.”
“But—but shouldn’t it be read by an attorney?”
“We do things differently in Russia. Irina prepared the will and I witnessed it as well as a friend of mine. He only witnessed her signature. I witnessed everything. Before you start reading it there is a letter on top addressed to you.”
Sydney flipped open the folder and saw the envelope. She had not seen much of her mother’s writing, but if Katya said it was hers…then it was.
Dearest Sydney,
When you read this, I will be dead and Katya has given this to you.
First, I wanted to tell you that I lied that night in the bank when you gave birth to your little girl. I told you that I knew it was a mistake when the nurse placed you in my arms, because I knew I couldn’t be both a good mother and a good agent. I lied because I wanted you to hate me for being your mother. I know you had romantic notions about me, but I am what I am. I was a trained assassin and a spy, working for the KGB and for my country when I was sent to the U.S.
However, now I must tell you the truth. I loved you and I loved your father. I was a good mother to you for six years and a good agent too. It was difficult at times, but I never gave up. I loved you dearly, you were my heart. You represented the only good in me.
Now that I am dead, I want you to know I would give anything if I’d been able to stay married to your father and watch you grow up. Remember at the ice rink…when I said our relationship would be complicated as it usually is between mothers and daughters? I think that might not hold true for us. We had a wonderful relationship when you were so young that I think we might not have had the trouble some expect had I been able to stay.
Sydney, you have always been my heart even when we were so far apart while you were growing up. Thoughts of you kept me alive when I was sent to Kashmir. When I was free again, I came to know all about you and Jack, because someone was watching you for me. They kept me apprised of everything—your school, your friends and yes, even your boyfriends.
When you were at UCLA, I learned about your scholarship and was thrilled when I was told you were studying to be an English Literature teacher, just as I was. I was so happy for you when you fell in love with Danny. Then Arvin contacted you and took you from the course I thought you were heading for—marriage, children and yes, even teaching. You fell under the spell he cast and that ended with Danny’s murder. Then you contacted the CIA and the rest is our history. My heart ached for you then, because I knew that someday, somewhere you and I would meet and it would or could end badly.
From the beginning, when I found out about your involvement with SD-6, it was my most fervent wish that you’d leave the world of spies and agents. When I was at the CIA, I spoke with your father and begged him to help you leave. I knew he’d used the Project Christmas protocols on you and told him so.
Now you have a child and, I hope, more children in your future. Please, if you haven’t already, please be just a mother and wife and get out of the CIA. Go back to school and finish. Get your degree.
If you are reading this, you also know you are my heir…you and Isabelle and any other children you have. Trust your Aunt Katya. She has promised me she will help you in any way possible. I have also given her my journals which are yours to read. I know you must wonder how I came to be who I am…or maybe I should say, was.
I regret that we shall never see one another again, but the night Jack and I helped you give birth to Isabelle, was the second most incredible highpoint of my life. The first was when I gave birth to you.
You are my heart, Sydney Anne.
I have always loved you,
Mom
Sydney found that she was crying. Katya sat quietly. She had not read the letter but she remembered Irina also crying when she wrote it. She waited patiently as Sydney’s tears ran their course. The younger woman ran to the bathroom and washed her face. Oh God, she thought, why did her mother continue on her own path of self-destruction? She returned to the sitting room.
“I’m sorry, Aunt Katya.” Sydney sat down. “Would you like to read it?”
Katya shook her head and put her hand over Sydney’s. “No. This is a letter written to you and, I believe, for you only. Perhaps one day you’ll want Isabelle to have it.”
“Thank you. Oh dammit, why did she…” Sydney stopped, feeling the tears beginning again. She gulped.
“Let me read her will while you dry those tears.”
“Okay.”
Katya pulled out a document which was several pages long from the manila folder. “It’s fairly straightforward.” She began…
“I, Irina Derevko Bristow, leave all of my personal belongings, monies, properties, stocks, bonds and everything I possess to my daughter, Sydney Anne Bristow-Vaughn and her children. I have appointed my sister, Ekaterina Derevko, as my executor.
She will, with Sydney’s permission of course, take care of the financial aspect of my estate, including investing those assets. She has been compensated and shall not seek further reimbursement.
Attached to this is a simple list of my assets. All documents relating to each one of my assets are also included.”
Katya handed the document to Sydney, whose tears were finally dry. “She said that there were no strings attached and that whatever you wanted to do with those assets, she left up to your judgment.”
Sydney’s eyes began scanning the document attached. There were ten pages. As she read, Sydney’s mouth opened in astonishment. “My God,” she whispered. Multiple bank accounts located world wide, stocks and bonds from the New York Stock Exchange, as well as Tokyo and Hong Kong took up five pages single spaced. Another three pages listed property she owned, again world-wide. Another three pages listed her personal belongings including jewelry, watches, clothes and…weaponry. One page listed businesses that she owned, world-wide. The last page listed storage units, again world wide, with their contents—mostly stolen electronics of all kinds.
“Good grief, what am I to do with…” Sydney waved the pages at Katya.
“Whatever you decide.” Katya chuckled. “You are in charge of her organization.”
“The Man’s?”
Katya nodded, “Of course—however, she knew you would never take it over. I believe she wanted you to disband it and perhaps pay off her key men…and women.”
“What about all those contacts she had?”
“I’d use them whenever you can.” Katya was perfectly aware that Sydney did an occasional job for the CIA, especially since her good friend, Marcus Dixon was now the Deputy Director for Operations for the CIA. “If it were me…” she paused, “I’d pay them all a visit and secure their loyalty to you.”
“Perhaps…” Sydney said flipping the pages back to the front. “How much is everything worth?”
“Close to nine hundred million…and probably more, maybe even a billion. Each day the estate grows.”
Sydney blinked. Her voice squeaked when she repeated the amount. “A billion? You’re kidding me.”
Katya shook her head. “No, I’m not kidding. Everything related to the items she listed is in the trunk: bank books, CD’s, stocks, bonds, bearer bonds, titles to properties, everything you need to do with whatever you want to do with it. Your mother took care to see that your name was included on all the documents.”
“What are you doing with it—the financials?”
“Investing and re-investing: managing the stocks and bond portfolio. I’ve found that I’m quite good at it. I will, of course, continue if you wish.”
Sydney shook her head. “What am I going to do with all this? It’s too much.”
“Sydney, your mother said you could do with it as you wished.” Katya flipped over to the last page of the document. “By the way, these last storage units contain some very valuable assets. I would like to suggest they be moved into banks.”
“What?”
“Gold bullion!”
“In storage units?” Sydney’s voice squeaked.
Katya nodded. “Don’t worry. They are packed away in regular storage boxes. No one would ever realize what is in them. However, I think it wise to put them someplace safe like a bank vault in an off-shore bank where there will be no questions asked.”
“How many bars?”
“Three hundred.” She pointed to the list. “Each unit has fifty bars.”
Sydney’s head was swimming. She was close to shock, but gathered herself. “Look, I’m going to have to think about all of this.” She glanced at the smaller boxes in the trunk’s lid. “What is in those?”
“I brought her personal jewelry that she had in her Moscow apartment. Other jewelry is in safe deposit boxes in some of the banks. Your mother always said that diamonds, emeralds and rubies were as good as cash if not better.”
“Aunt Katya, what did she leave you? I mean, you were close. Why not leave you most of this?”
“Sydushka,” again she put her hand on Sydney’s, “she left me a vault with more than I could possibly use. I’m single without any family. If there’s anything left when I die, you’ll inherit more.”
“Why did you call me Sydushka?”
“It is the Russian custom to call those closest to you by a nickname. The same goes for good friends whom one gets to know. Do you mind? I’ve always thought of you by Sydushka since your mother returned home. She called you by the same name when speaking of you.”
“No, I—I kind of like it. It reminds me of my Russian heritage.”
“Good!” Katya stood. “Why don’t I leave you until lunchtime to go through the trunk? You might have some ideas…or not. By the way, all of her journals are in that bottom drawer. I sorted them to begin from the beginning…she started when she was 14.”
“Thanks.” Sydney looked at her watch. “Oh what about the laptop?”
Katya handed over the briefcase. “The password is ‘malish devochka’.” She stood up. “I’ll leave you for now.”
Sydney stood and gave her a hug. “Spasibo. I won’t go over this today. I’ll start tonight. I’ll probably have some questions for you tomorrow.”
“Good. I plan to have an afternoon in the spa. Rome is beautiful. Enjoy your afternoon.”
Katya kissed Sydney on both cheeks and left.
Sydney sat down looking at the laptop, the trunk and the little boxes. She reached out and picked a long rectangular box and opened it. A watch…a Pidet watch that was diamond encrusted. Holy cow, she thought, where am I going to wear that? She closed the box and picked another. This was a small square box. She opened to stare at a pair of emerald cut diamond earrings.
By the time Vaughn returned with Isabelle, she’d opened them all. Her head was spinning with the diamonds, emeralds, rubies, in various kinds of jewelry: necklaces, rings, earrings, and watches. Her mother had extremely good taste…and she paid good prices for them all.
Vaughn entered the room after putting Isabelle down for a nap. “How did it go?”
Sydney smiled. “Fine.” She handed him the will. “Check it out.”
Glancing at the first page he looked at her, “Pretty straight forward.” He riffled the pages. “What’s on these?”
“Mom’s assets—ten pages. I haven’t read all of it.”
“Looks like you have your work cut out. What do you want to do?” He handed the will back, not looking at the contents. Irina Derevko had not been his favorite person as she had assassinated his father in the line of duty.
“I want to see Rome this afternoon and we can take Isabelle. I want to walk, sit and drink a latte or cappuccino. I want to listen to the sounds of the city.”
“Good, then close the trunk, put the laptop away and let’s make a few calls.”
“Yeah, let’s make it a fun afternoon.” Sydney agreed thinking that when she started reading Mom’s journals, it might not be fun anymore.
RUSSIAN TRANSLATION
malish devochka – baby girl
TBC