The Return of Winter
I don't own anything that is on the show Alias. The characters aren't mine and the general story line isn't mine. Please enjoy and review.
Sydney POV—
I wake with a start. I'm covered with sweat. I slowly turn my head to look at the clock. The green illuminated numbers show that it is 5:27. I get up and head into the dark kitchen I turn a small light on so as not to disturb Francie or Will. The house is silent. I hear nothing but my breathing and my heart pounding inside my chest. It has slowed down almost back to normal. I start to make coffee. Coffee... the only thing that gets me through my long days and short nights. When I'm not leaving for a mission at some ungodly hour I find myself waking in a start. Usually my nightmares are about my mother or father, or SD-6.
I sit and listen to the coffee slowly dripping into the pot. I think about my dream while the coffee monotonously drips into the coffeepot. What was my dream about? I close my yes while I think. I see his face. I see myself leaning over him. He's struggling to form words and then a smile spreads over his face. He turns and looks up at me his eyes burn with rage. He says clearly and calmly, "I will get you. I will kill you. You will pay. I open my eyes with a start. My heart is pounding once again with a mercurial speed. I must have dosed off and not noticed it.
My coffee is done I pour myself a large mug full of the hot steamy coffee. I walk over to the couch and slowly sink into it. I think to myself about my dream. What could it mean? Is it a foreboding…? No it can't be I watched him die. I killed him. Thinking of Noah makes me think of Danny. After Danny I decided love was too painful and not worth it. Then Noah popped back into my life. He turned my life upside down. If only I had gone with him. I could be done with the double-agent life. I could be sitting on the beach relaxing next to Noah. I feel so bad about killing Noah. I just can't fathom he was the snowman.
"Morning Sydney," I hear Will's voice. I look up with a start. "Sorry didn't mean to scare you," he adds.
"No problem, I was just thinking." I wish I didn't say that. Here comes the hundred and one question routine. I don't want to talk about Noah. I rack my brain for something to say to his on coming question
"So, what were you thinking about?" he asks casually as he pours himself a cup of coffee. He walks over and sits down next to me on the couch. I try to think of something, anything.
"I was just thinking about my next mission," I add.
"So where are you off to next? Is it an SD-6 mission or CIA," he says dropping his voice to a whisper. I pause for a second while I try to remember where I am going. All the missions seem to blend together.
"It's just a quick trip to Paris. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. I got to go pack." I get up and walk into my room. I laid most of my stuff out for the trip last night. I slowly start to pile everything into my suitcase. I leave plenty of room for Marshall's gadgets. I'm just going for a routine surveillance trip. The triad is trying to hire an assassin and SD-6 wants to know who it is. I have to meet with Vaughn quickly to get my counter mission, which is probably just to report what I find. But I'm looking forward to seeing Vaughn. I look over at my clock. It turns from 8:26 to 8:27. Time to go. Off to Vaughn it is. Just seeing him will make my day better. I grab my suitcase and lug it out into the hall.
"I'll she you later will," I say with a smile. "Tell Francie I love her and good luck with the restaurant."
"Will do. I'll see you later. Don't forget to call." He adds with a smile. I wave and walk out of the house I slam my suitcase into the trunk of my car. I get into the car and turn the key to start the engine. The radio comes on and I tune it out as I drive. I hear in the background:
It's not supposed to feel this way
I need you, I need you
More and more each day
It's not supposed to hurt this way
I need you, I need you, I need you
Tell me, are you and me still together?
Tell me, do you think we could last forever?
(Avril Lavigne—Why)
Finally I reach the self-storage location where I'm to meet Vaughn. It takes forever to get to meet him because I have to circle around almost every block. The self-storage building is a dismal building but it looks even bleaker and darker than usual. I walk in and see Vaughn sitting on the table in the middle of the room. He looks up at me with a smile on his face.
"Hi," he says rather nonchalantly.
I echo back "hi."
"In Paris, your counter-mission is to watch the triad and record their conversation. You can use this," he holds up what looks like a tube of Chap Stick. "It's got a built in listening device. All you have to do to activate it is turn the bottom and hold it up to the window. It's got a device built in incase it is windy it will filter out the wind. Just place it next to the window and you're good to go. Also here is your com-link it's built into the bracelet. Just push the stone to transmit. I don't think you'll need it though." He hands me the bracelet.
"Thanks. Does the CIA have any information on the assassin?"
"No." I turn to leave and he says rather quietly, "Good luck in Paris and have a happy thanksgiving.
"Thanks. You too," I say as I walk out of the self-storage facility back into the sunlight. I have to shield my eyes because it is so bright. It's a surpassingly warm day for this time of the year I think to myself. I had noticed this mourning because I had been so preoccupied with my dream. I get to the airport rather speedily and meet Dixon there. He greets me with a smile and we board the plane. I've gotten use to flying for long periods of time. A good book is the trick however, this week I forgot my book. I had been so preoccupied with my dream I forgot my book. So I drifted in and out of sleep for the majority of the flight. The plane is running late so we our only going to have an hour to get to the warehouse and set up before the meeting.
"Ms. Bristow and Mr. Dixon I presume," said a short plump man who I assume is our contact for the mission.
"Yes," Dixon replies.
"I'm Martin Merdock and I am your contact. It's nice to meet both of you. I have the car pulled up out front if you'll follow me please." After we had piled into the car he explained the small details of the mission to us. We were cutting this very close. We are going to have to rush. The car stops outside a gloomy and desolate building. I scale up the building to plant the listening devices while Dixon goes inside to plant a camera. I hurriedly scale back down and take over the surveillance for Dixon. He just makes it out before a car comes screeching to a stop.
"Syd the sound isn't working." Those were the last words I wanted him to say.
"I'll go fix it." I stealthily climb up the building and try to reset the sound
"You got it Syd. Nice work," I hear Dixon saying into his com-link. As I climb down something catches my eye in the adjacent warehouse. I look up and see a man turn and hide behind a beam. He has a gun. I wonder whom he is trying to kill and why he didn't shoot me.
"Dixon we have company," I whisper into the com-link. I run into the van.
"How many?" he asks
"I only saw one with a sniper rifle.
"Have you seen him before?"
"I don't think so. I didn't get a good look though." Dixon shifted the car and we drove away. The mission was a success, but I couldn't figure out why who ever the sniper was didn't shoot me. I thought about this the whole way back to Los Angeles. Then I thought of something terrible. Maybe it was Noah. No it couldn't be I told myself. After all I did kill him. I couldn't get his face after I stabbed him out of my mind.
When we got back to the States I said bye to Dixon and got into my car. AS I turned on my car my radio starting blaring. I quickly leaned over to turn it down. I was concentrating on Noah so hard this mourning I didn't even notice it.
That's Rock Bottom
When this life makes you mad enough to kill
That's Rock Bottom
When you want something bad enough you'll steal
That's Rock Bottom
When you feel you have had it up to here
Cause you mad enough to scream but you sad enough to tear
(Eminem—Rock Bottom)
As I listened to the lyrics they seemed to summarize my life perfectly. I was at rock bottom. I had to lie to my friends. I lied to Will even though he knows what I really do I can't, tell him everything. I really was at rock bottom.
I pulled up to Francie's restaurant. It was 4:00 in the afternoon. I was stiff from the plane ride.
"Hey guys," I said as I embraced Francie and then Will.
"How was your trip?" Will asked.
"It was long and tiring. The plane ride is the worst part about it." I then helped Will and Francie get ready for tonight. I was in the middle of putting the tops on the salt and pepper, when my phone rang. "Hello" I responded.
"Pizza delivery at 6:00" I heard Vaughn's voice say
"Wrong Number."
"Who was that?" Francie asked
"Work. I've got to run I'll see you later. Tell Will bye for me"
"Ok I'll see you later," Francie said. I left Francie's. One of those freak LA rainstorms had started. I was meeting Vaughn over at the Op-center. "Hey Vaughn what's up."
"I thought you would like to know we couldn't identify the assassin. We think he sent an intermediary. The man who met with the triad did mention the snowman once." As Vaughn said those words my heart dropped. He continued, "But we couldn't make out the context he said it in yet. There was type of interference. Th e tech guys should be able to unmask what he said. How did everything else go?
"The SD-6 device didn't work at first because a bird hit it. But we fixed. The only weird thing was that there was a sniper on the opposite building who saw me but didn't shoot me. It was kind of strange."
"I'm sure there is some perfectly good explanation. I'll call you if there is any new news. Bye."
"Bye" I say as I leave. I get in my car and just start driving. Vaughn's mentioning the snowman set me on edge. The whole Noah thing is getting to me. I'm sure it's nothing. I stop at a little coffee shop. I need to think everything out. I really don't want to go sit in an empty house either. I came to the conclusion that the snowman thing was just a coincidence. I got up to leave when I saw him. He looked at me and then turned and walked away. I rushed out and stared following. What was I going to do when I caught him? I didn't have a plan. All I was going to do was catch him. I started to run. I was catching up to him. He turned down an alley. As I turned the corner I saw nothing but an empty alley. I walked down it a little further. All of a sudden I felt an arm go around me and a cloth was placed over my mouth. I struggled but I was too weak. Finally I was overcome with darkness.