The Perfect Weapon Chapter 2007: Part 2 Section 2 of 2
Chapter 2007: Part 2 section 2 of 2
Irina laughed, while Sydney stared in amazement. She didn’t understand her parents’ relationship sometimes. Irina fastened the necklace herself, and then asked, “Jack, do we have C-4 jewelry or exploding watches or-“
“That’s about all we don’t have,” Vaughn noted, walking up as he looked down Jack’s list that was in his hand.
Sydney looked up and burst out laughing. “The turban is so you!”
“How about the beard?” Weiss asked as he too walked up. “Does that work for you?”
Sydney wrinkled her nose. “It would scratch, I think.”
“I liked it this one time your father had to grow a moustache....” Irina said softly. “It...tickled. In the right places.”
“MOM!” Sydney squeaked. Weiss laughed softly, while Vaughn looked bemused.
Jack groaned. “I think it’s time for me to get dressed....” he mumbled, shooting a dirty look at his wife and walking off.
“And I liked how your hair was longer back then too-“ Irina called out as she hurried toward the truck entrance.
“Get over it!” Jack called over his shoulder.
Zamir laughed softly as he scurried to keep up with Jack. “Dave was right, all those years ago. When he teased you about how your wife was..a hairy woman?”
Jack laughed too, as he remembered Dave’s teasing remarks about Laura playing with his hair. He could probably grow it a little longer if it would make her happy. He paused and called out to Irina, “What did you want again?”
“An inch longer on top-“ Irina called out as Jack disappeared from sight. But at least she had a chance to watch him walking away from her. That was good.
“Just on top?” Sydney asked, when her mother seemed inordinately interested in watching her father walk away.
“His... length below is just fine.” Irina winked as she turned around.
“MOM!” Sydney stopped and closed her eyes. She decided to remember their last family outing and getting ready to embark on the train trip. Her mother had been so proprietary about fixing her father’s fake moustache. Which meant... Oh no. She popped her eyes back open. “Must you two be so.....in public?”
“We always were,” Irina shrugged. “You...don’t....remember...” Irina’s voice disappeared as the folds of the underrobe fell over her head. She shook it out as her head emerged. “We were separated for months after Panama. I missed your father. I missed your father.” She smiled at Sydney. Nia looked thoughtful before looking back into the trunk and adding a bracelet, then removing it to strap a knife to her forearm. She handed one to Irina, who took it with a silent nod as she hefted it in her hand.
Sydney stared at her mother. It might have been nice if she had said that she missed her daughter, Sydney decided and snapped, “And did you miss him those twenty years you were gone?”
Irina’s hands stopped their smoothing of the robe. She stilled and then looked into Sydney’s eyes. “Yes. I did. I missed you. Terribly. But... As I told Sark, I don’t want you to make the mistakes I have made. So, I tell you this. Stubborn pride kept me from contacting your father after that first attempt. Stubborn pride kept me from taking the step that would have brought us back together, made us happy and...set Dave free. Arvin knew that. He knew of my weakness, just as he knew of your father’s weakness, and Dave’s weakness and he used those weaknesses against us. Be very careful in your choice of weakness, Sydney - it can help determine the rest of your life.”
Sydney looked down and busied her own hands with the folds of her robe. Did one choose their weakness? She would have thought.... Oh. Her mother was implying that one could overcome a weakness if one chose. Which meant... She had to confront unpleasant truths rather than avoid them with both of her parents. She took a deep breath before saying, “I thought you said it was ideology that kept you from me-“
“That was...a...” Irina brushed her hands against the blue fabric that enveloped her. “A cover for the truth. That was what I told myself to...justify my actions. Actions I took for many reasons, actions that were a mistake. I knew, deep down, that it was a mistake. That’s why I tried the one time to contact him. But the far more serious mistake was that I didn’t try again. If I had, so much...” Irina gestured around the truck, with its boxes of toys and ammunition. “So much would have been different. But now we will play this hand. And win.”
“I suppose...” Sydney said slowly. “That as bad as Dad and I had it-“
“Badly...” Irina said automatically.
Sydney nodded. “Yes. But Dave had it even worse. Are you... Are you worried that he will hate you?”
Irina closed her eyes. “Da.” She shook her head, forcing that concern down into a safe little box, focusing instead on the present in which Sydney had shown an understanding that someone else had had a worse time. “But that is the least of our worries. Do you have your knives strapped on?” Irina asked.
Nia looked up from sorting Barbies and pretending not to listen. Patting herself down, she recited her inventory. “Yes. Two knives, a gun, tranq darts, and the Barbies in the pack. I believe I have everything I need.”
“And a queen’s ransom in gold,” Sydney reminded her, pointing to the necklaces and earrings they all wore. No bracelets, however, to inhibit movement.
“And I have a camera,” Irina smiled as she reached for her pack. “Because I will get a photo of your father in that beard and turban.”
“We should get a picture of all of us, yes?” Zamir asked as he and Jack approached the truck.
“Is that a camera?” Jack asked, pointing at Irina.
“Is that a beard or did a badger die on your face, Jack?” Weiss asked.
“Is that an extra burka I see in the truck?” Jack retorted.
“Is this a camera?” Irina repeated.
“Don’t even think about it!” Jack shook his head.
“Jack, ten seconds, just ten seconds.” Irina elbowed her daughter.
“No,” Jack said firmly and took his list from Vaughn.
“C’mon, Dad...” Sydney wheedled. “We should have a picture. Just think we can email it to Arvin--”
Jack sighed. “Okay. One quick picture of the group and then we really need to go. The horse ride will take hours after the truck drops us off-“
Sark said to Irina as they all huddled together and Zamir’s brother took a few snapshots, “I presume that you did notice that Jack agreed to the photo when the princess asked him?”
“Of course he did. I would have presumed that you noticed that I elbowed her in order to encourage her to ask.”
“But...Isn’t that manipulative?” Sark asked in mock surprise.
“Who, me?” Irina put her hand on her chest and then smiled up at her husband, who gave her a small shake of his head as he once again consulted his list. Irina took the list from him. “I’m sure you’ve memorized it. You’ve covered every contingency, every just in case-“
“Did you call?” Sark asked sarcastically, as he attempted to get into the truck with the long robes on.
“Sydney...” Zamir gestured and Sydney walked over. “I want you to see this.” He pulled a small copy print photograph out of his turban and showed it to her. “When we were all young and foolish.”
Sydney gaped at the image of her father, surrounded by a group of youngish men. “Mom!” She waved at Irina. “Come and see this.”
Irina held the picture in her hand and shook her head. “So young, all of you. Jack, you - Mr. Zamir, Dave...Arvin and the rest of you, some I don’t recognize of course.”
“Most of us are gone now,” Zamir said sadly. “Such is life.”
“Can I see?” Sark asked slowly. He squatted down and looked at the photo over Irina’s shoulder. “Which one....” Then he stopped and pointed. “That one. That’s Dave.”
“You remember him?” Irina asked eagerly.
“No. I recognize the eyes from the last time I saw him,” Sark told Irina. “He...looked quite different otherwise.”
“How?” Irina looked up at Julian. His eyes were similar to Dave’s but that could just be coincidence. Yes, it had to be just coincidence. She had known Dave when he was close to Sark’s apparent age and they were not similar. Julian was much more similar to Jack, who was not his father. Oh, who knew? Did it matter? She looked down at the picture again and then up at Sark and knew what Jack saw. Potential. Would he fulfill that potential or throw it away? Would they find Dave or would they be too late? Was her return too late?
Sark shook his head. “Here he is obviously a young man, in the prime of life and now...” He looked at Irina. Startled by the anxiety in her eyes, for once he told the simple truth in simple language. “He is gaunt, Irina. Skin and bones. Tired. I could not see much of his face - he had a beard. But I could see his eyes. Time has taken its toll-“
“Not time, Arvin Sloane,” Irina corrected. Her eyes grew cold.
“I stand corrected, of course.” Sark stood up and backed away from the hostility emanating from Irina. She was deadly when she was in this mood. Experience had taught him that discretion and distance were wise in these situations.
“And so do I,” Irina said softly as she looked down at her hands before handing the photo back to Zamir. “It was my departure and my attempt to contact Jack that led to-“
Jack took Irina’s hands in his. She looked explosive. He touched her cheek and gently stroked along her jawline, as he said in a low, soothing voice, “Yes, honey, but Dave made the choice-“
“You’re just trying to soothe my conscience-“
“That’s a trip. I didn’t know she had one,” Vaughn muttered under his breath as he watched Jack and Irina talk quietly. They were both hiding. But this time, they weren’t hiding from each other, they were hiding, no transforming their fear and anxiety into very real determination and focus. This, Vaughn realized suddenly, was how they had found their way to each other again as well. Is that how Jack had forgiven her - through determination lit by desire? Vaughn looked over at Sydney who gave him a tentative smile as she spoke with Nia.
“How many children do you have, Nia?” Sydney asked curiously.
“Three. All girls.”
“Three is a good number,” Sydney said, nodding her head as she smiled cautiously at Vaughn who looked thoughtful as his gaze flicked over her parents and then to her.
Vaughn smiled automatically back at Sydney and then shook his head as he looked back at Jack and Irina.
“The Hot Wheels we bought at the toy store?” Weiss whispered to Vaughn to distract him. “You know... “
“What?” Vaughn looked away as Irina and Jack seemed to lean against each other for a moment, before they separated. Jack to speak to Zamir and Irina to place another call checking on the readiness of her helicopters. “What about the Hot Wheels?”
“I just picked them out pretty randomly, but...here’s the thing. I think there was one car with flames on the side.”
“There’s always a car with flames on the side,” Vaughn said automatically as he watched Irina. Then he blinked and turned his head slowly. “Karma... I don’t believe in it, but sometimes...”
“Yeah. It’s freaky. Should I get it out?” Weiss asked.
“What would Jack do?” Vaughn asked. “He’d find a way to use that Hot Wheels. Get it out.”
“Gold?” Jack read from his list.
Rattle, rattle
The women jingled their jewelry.
“Barbies?”
Nia put her hands on two large packs. “Secret Agent Barbie is ready for the mission.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “Guns?”
The men patted their sides. Sydney patted her thigh. Irina frowned. “I don’t know, sweetheart. That gun might be visible if the wind blows against it. Knives - the women would have them for cooking and other purposes, but...”
“Okay, already,” Sydney grumbled and turned aside to pull out her gun and hand it to Vaughn.
“Oh, still warm,” Vaughn whispered, raising his eyebrows. Sydney looked at him in surprise and then smiled broadly.
“Knives?” Jack asked in exasperation. If Vaughn was going to get hot and bothered about a warm gun, he could do it on his own time. And not in front of him, thank you very much.
The women pulled up their robes to show the knives strapped to their calves and then pulled up their sleeves to show smaller knives on their forearms.
“These burkas are useful disguises,” Sydney noted.
“I thought they would be,” Irina nodded. “We can hide knives, gold, the knock out drops-“
“And two men?” Sark sighed as he swung his hands ineffectually at the skirts around his legs. “This is-“
“An education in how the other half lives,” Irina snapped at him. “The burkas will allow us to hide ourselves as mere women and if need be, to impersonate the women in the settlement since women are invisible in the burkas,” Irina explained slowly. “Those burkas make it almost impossible for a man to recognize his own wife or... “ she grimaced. “Wives.”
“Wives,” Zamir shook his head. “It’s difficult enough, is it not, my friend, to handle one woman, let alone more?”
“I couldn’t even keep track of one, so I’d have to agree- Umph!” Jack laughed and touched his midsection, where his wife had just slapped him.
Nia looked at Irina curiously. Then she turned to Vaughn. “And the burkas can actually serve many other functions, which will be useful, because flexibility as I’m sure you know, is essential to one’s success in the field-“
“Nia, don’t lecture,” Jack said softly. “You’re not the big sister here.”
“My apologies, Jack,” Nia said sweetly. “But didn’t you say Vaughn was a little wet behind the ears?”
“Thank you!” Jack growled. “For repeating that at the appropriate time!”
“You’re welcome.” Nia smiled and straightened her robe.
“Did you really want Happy Family Midge or not?” Jack asked. “Because I can give it to your youngest daughter and then you’d never see it again because pregnant Midge would probably undergo a C-Section and-“
“Yes, true that is,” Zamir said proudly. “She will be a surgeon one day. She likes to cut.”
“Fabulous,” Vaughn said with a grimace. “So did the guy from Psycho.”
“Don’t mind him,” Sydney suggested as Nia’s face tightened at the insult to her daughter. “He has PMS.”
“PMS?” Nia asked.
“Progressive Male Stupidity,” Sydney said portentously. “Haven’t you ever heard of it?”
Nia laughed. “No, but I will remember it.”
“What we need to remember,” Jack told them. “Is that once we get within sight of the settlement, Irina will call in her helicopters and we will have less than two hours to secure the location and Dave. The guards will be expecting an incursion from the air and given what Sark has told us, have the capability to shoot down the copters. And-“
Zamir knocked on the window separating the cab of the truck from the back. “Now, I think everyone is ready.”
Jack nodded. “Did everyone use the restrooms? Because we don’t intend to stop-“
“Yes, Dad!” Weiss called out. “All potty breaks are done.”
“Good,” Jack rolled his eyes.
“Another road trip. Wonderful,” Vaughn sighed. “But at least this one is short. Much better-“
“Oh, it gets worse,” Jack responded. “Much, much worse.”
“How?” Vaughn asked as he jumped up into the truck.
Jack waited until everyone was inside. He watched Zamir’s brother close the door and sat down on a box. “It gets worse because we have to ride horses next. Horses.” Jack sighed. “I hate horses.”
“Snakes, I hate snakes,” Irina said immediately.
“Raiders of the Lost...” Vaughn answered automatically, then stopped.
“I brought that movie for Dave,” Irina said into the air.
“Good choice,” Weiss said to fill the silence. “And I suppose one might say that we are going raiding today.”
“No, of course not,” Jack said quickly. We are trading. We’re just a family of traders, as so many have been before us on the crossroads of Afghanistan. That will be our entre. Then we will play on the assumption that, especially among the women, it might have been difficult for them to treat Dave as a prisoner for this long because he was always able to ingratiate himself-“
“Especially among the women!” Zamir called out from the front. “Do you remember that time in Cairo, the two of you-“
“I have no idea as to what you are referring, Zamir. And if I did, it happened before my marriage,” Jack gritted out, given that his wife’s hand was gradually reducing the flow of blood into his leg with a tourniquet-like grip on his upper thigh. Reaching out, he unwrapped her fingers from his pants and held her hand in his. “What I meant was that Afghani hospitality has been legendary for centuries. This hospitality is largely provided by women, who might feel a psychological disjuncture over time when their prisoner became a person to them and-“
“Thanks for the travelogue, Jack,” Irina said, patting his knee with more gentle hands as she registered the formality of his speech. “We will trade for the information we seek. First with gold and then...While the men - Dixon and Sark excepted - are securing the area, I -- through Nia-- will be responsible for negotiating with them. ” She held up her hands. “With whatever they hold valuable.”
“Arezou....” Yasmina whispered as she met her daughter at the well, the center of the settlement. “Daoud said something about today...”
Arezou looked startled at her mother as she lifted the bucket. “Today? He was that specific?”
“I think so.” Yasmina took a handful of water and splashed it on her wrists to cool them. A hot day for a trek.
“I will tell the children to be watching,” Arezou whispered and set off toward the tents.
“Do you have any reason to believe they might be waiting for us?” Sydney asked Irina as the truck trundled off to their drop off point.
“None whatsoever,” Irina said firmly. “This operation will be smooth. Perfect. And if not...” Irina shrugged and fluffed out her robes. “We have the perfect weapon.”
“What is that?” Sydney asked.
“Their children.” Irina nodded at her daughter’s shocked face. “As women we will be seen as less threatening, we will naturally be taken to other women and their children. And then, if the trading does not go as we hope...” She shrugged.
“But...we will hold children hostage?”
“Yes. It works-“
“The way Sloane recruited me to hold Dad hostage?” Sydney whispered.
“Yes. It was effective, wasn’t it?” Irina shrugged again.
“But...”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” Irina’s face changed in a flash from determined to concerned as she touched her daughter’s hand. “It won’t come to that. Everything is under control.”
“Famous last words,” Jack groaned and leaned his head back against the truck wall. He looked over suddenly at Sark, “And just in case...”
TBC at Chapter 2007 Part 3 Section 1 of 4