Krycek and Marita negotiate an alliance

She was syndicate, organized, smart enough to recognize my name and realize I'd eventually come looking for her. And she was prepared. She knew she'd have to make herself valuable to me to save herself, and she pulled it off in a way that topped anything I could've asked for: she had a plan to save the world, or whatever reasonable part of it she could. Because unlike the stuffed suits sitting in the group's board room, she realized that none of us could survive alone. Real survival meant numbers. For the price of Lev's vaccine--or the old man's, the way she had it figured--I could buy in. The organizational end of things was what I wasn't equipped for and that's what she had in place... or said she did.

I tried not to act too eager, and it was probably easy enough for her to read my numbness as detachment, a good thing because my mind was reeling. As far as I could tell, I made it out the door in one piece but by the time I was in the elevator going down, I was shaking. It wasn't until that moment that it hit me: I'd never really expected to have viable chance to survive. Scary, if you think about it, the things your subconscious can hide from you. Now here was that one-in-a-million shot at staying alive, but it shifted the responsibility for what would follow squarely onto me. If I didn't survive now, it was my own damn fault. 

If the race didn't survive, well, maybe that could be laid at my feet, too.

And Covarrubias'.

I wondered how well she slept at night.

20 May - 10 p.m.
Added another four days to my room reservation. Have a mail out to Ché re Covarrubias--anything he can find on her I need to know. She's bound to know more about me that she let on tonight and I can't afford to be behind. Wonder what her gripe is with the old man. And does she know the Brit's only half-invested in the project? There's always the chance she could have some sort of agreement with him.

If she's married to this plan the way she wants me to think, then she'll do whatever it takes to pull it off, including taking the vaccine and cutting me out if it suits her. I need to make myself so valuable she won't be able to think about getting rid of me. Ditto for Lev's project. If they catch me trying to take some of the vaccine, I have to be too valuable to cut loose.

Strange kind of overload. I should be flying, high on the possibilities, but all I see are how many ways I could blow it or be left on the outside, banging on bullet-proof glass. But then I guess it's what I know best--being left behind. Whatever he intended me to learn, maybe that's the real lesson the old man taught me. Too bad for him.

Left the Farabloc Ché gave me at his place so I'll have to make it through these few days on my own. At least Covarrubias didn't notice the arm. Hopefully we'll be into this too far to turn back before she does.

21 May - 7 a.m.
Received some initial info from Ché. Covarrubias' father was a Peruvian diplomat who came to New York in 1984. Brought the family, though his wife, some British socialite, decided to split a couple of years later. Marita did three years at a private high school, then went on to Columbia and stayed around for a Masters in international relations. Got picked up by the U.N. as soon as she graduated. Daddy died 10 months later and she took over his apartment. She doesn't seem like the sentimental type, but maybe a little nostalgia would explain the babushka flavor the place has that doesn't seem to belong to her. Her old man was only fifty-four. I'd give a lot to know what he died of.

No time for speculation now, though. The first of her people that she promised to connect me with is ready to meet, so I've got to pick a location and get back to her ASAP. I need to make sure they're on the level. Taking them one at a time, it should be easy enough to spot any inconsistencies in their stories.

I keep trying to check myself, make sure I'm not falling for something too good to be true. Guess I'll find out soon enough.

21 May - 4 p.m.
Miguel Ansbach (doctor, long-time Covarrubias family friend and--my guess--syndicate researcher) arrived at our meeting more nervous than I was. Nothing slick about him: no offering me money/power/influence to join up, just 100% professional. Wanted to know about the vaccine's properties, side-effects, etc., and how soon they could expect to get their hands on some. Talked about the problems inherent in mass-producing the stuff, moving it, and how it's going to be important to maintain genetic diversity over the long haul by spreading the vaccine worldwide.

He let slip a little about Covarrubias' family. I think he was under the impression she'd already given me the backstory. Anyway, I just let him talk. Evidently this plan was her father's idea. He was some kind of populist, came from money but (Ansbach's words) "valued the stable boy as much as the banker." Wonder how he got mixed up with the syndicate. I bet once he decided to sidestep the official agenda, he planted Ansbach inside the research program.

Seems legit so far. Another meeting's on tap in an hour, this one in Battery Park because the woman uses a guide dog. I'm out the door again.

22 May - 8 a.m.
Long night--bad night. I feel like a rat running on an electrified plate: no matter where I am, I should be somewhere else. Too many things to do: info to gather, contact stories to verify, plans to make... Oh, yeah, and a vaccine to secure--minor detail. No way to stop the clock from ticking.

Met with Mahta Ahsani (World Health Organization) yesterday at five. She described possible distribution routes and wanted to know what I knew about the vaccine's effect on a child's physiology, since third world kids will be the easiest to reach--just ship the stuff in with other medical/relief supplies and label it as vitamin shots. All kinds of details I'd never thought about. I'm way out of my depth here.

Came back too wound up to eat. Grabbed a bottle from the mini bar and fell asleep in front of the TV. Woke up about eleven from a crazy dream, soaked in sweat. Socket and harness were a mess. Tried to wash them the best I could but I don't know if the smell will come out. Like I need a new way to have people notice me.

Mixed-up dreams: the siege of an embassy combined with spies that melted and turned into the Oil, and I was inside with--of all people--Little Miss Upper Crust, Liliana the ambassador's daughter. For an eight-year-old the kid was one bitchy little powerhouse; I remember Vanya swapping shifts with me so he wouldn't have to watch her. In the dream we're holding them off, then all of a sudden I'm asleep and she's shaking me, saying, "Aren't you going to save me, Aleksei? Well, aren't you?" Giving me that iron glare she'd use.

Stump's a mess, rashy. Soaked it for a while, paced the room, ended up going through the Brussels exercises twice and then back to bed. Harness is still damp this morning, so I hope Covarrubias gives me some lead time before she drops her third contact on me. Anyway, I'm still half out of it.

23 May - 7 p.m.
Still waiting to hear from Covarrubias. She's got 24 hours left and she promised me three people. I'm going to hold her to that.

Made myself a long checklist with Tolya at the top. It's been nearly five months and the man's a magnet for good intel. I'll have to check in with him ASAP. Also have to check on Mulder again before I head for Moscow. Everything's so fluid I don't know what or who I can count on. Mulder might crumble if Scully takes a turn for the worse. Strange, thinking about all the time I've put into Mulder and wondering what the chances are it'll pay off. Sometimes I wonder why I bother. Other times I start thinking that I sound too much like the old man.

Andrei would be proud if he understood his vaccine's real potential. I owe him big time. Have to make it up to him someday.

24 May - 11 a.m.
Third meeting--a pharmaceutical exec. The plan is to manufacture where bribes will buy easy camouflage. Still, it sounds like a major project, each step of this plan a minefield. Hard to believe that once I figured just having that vaccine running through my veins was going to be my salvation.

Feel like I'm on a treadmill. Cut off a guy's arm, then shove him out the door to save the race. 

Hard to keep writing these logs but they've always been good reality checks at a distance. Never pays to throw away a resource--especially hindsight. Or so I keep reminding myself as I work on these entries. Sometimes I wonder what Mulder would think if he got ahold of them--like at a funeral, me gone and somebody handing them to him as next of kin. What would he think, once he was over the shock of finding out who I am? But he'd have to get past Che's encoding first.

I must really be losing it, thinking shit like this.

24 May - 3 p.m.
Waiting to see if Covarrubias makes the next move now that I've seen her people, or if I'm going to have to contact her. Don't want to look too eager, but I've got things to do in D.C. so I can't wait around forever.

Realized a couple of hours ago that I haven't eaten a decent meal since I've been here, though I've made a good dent in the stash in the refrigerator. Maybe that accounts for how I feel, like I'm running on empty. Got to get a grip, start taking better care of myself.

I'm getting a bruise on one side of the stump but I can't find anything in the socket it could be rubbing against.  Damn plastic arm.

24 May - 8:30 p.m.
She just mailed me asking if I have any further questions, so I said I'd be by in ten minutes. Let's hope this plays out well.

End
 

Author: bardsmaid
Archive: only complete, and please let me know where it is
Spoilers: for Sanctuary
Rating: worksafe
Keywords: K, Marita
Summary: Krycek and Marita negotiate an alliance
Disclaimer: These X-Files characters belong to Chris Carter and 1013 Productions; no infringement is intended.

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