What if Sydney Bristow used the undercover mission with Simon to get out? What if she ditched Vaughn and Weiss as soon as she could? What if Sark had escaped after just a few months in custody, but had been captured again just before Sydney resurfaced? It starts within 'A Missing Link'. Everything previous more or less happened the way it is in the show.

"Agent Bristow got Bogdan to admit there is a second heist in the works. While we believe the stolen samples have already been delivered to the Covenant, Bogdan says they will not be used until after this second job." Lauren explained as she leant against the desk behind her.

"He said they were planning to modify the virus," Sydney added. She sat in the briefing room trying to focus on what the others were discussing. She knew it would be important and she knew she would scream if Vaughn sent anymore worried glances her way. She snapped back to attention when Marshall stood up nervously. Whatever he had to say would be key.

"Okay, well, um…what they nabbed, we'll call that…um, peanut butter…you know… yummy, nutty, creamy deliciousness," Dixon shot him a look. "…on its own, but you, um, mix something else in equally tasty…oh! Perhaps chocolat…"

"Marshall," Dixon warned.

"Sorry…they're most likely going after the means to mutate the virus to make it even more infectious…"

"Ebola is a level 4 pathogen; that's the highest classification…How could it be any worse!?" Sydney asked in confusion. She knew she probably would regret asking.

"They could make it airborne," Marshall replied. Sydney looked up at him in disbelief. Yup that is worse, she thought sarcastically.

"And we have no idea what the Covenant's endgame is," she added looking around at the others. For a group that for her had only just emerged she feared them quite a lot. Had they taken the two years from her? Or was it Sloane? She thought the latter was more likely.

"No. But we do know who the team is they hired for these jobs…Simon Walker…point man on the Damascus armoury job in '99…and the 2002 break-in at Vector. Cold-blooded contract guy; only uses other freelancers. This time his team included Javier Parez, former Lieutenant in Cuban Special Forces; munitions expert and tactical advisor to the group. Avery Russet, acquisitions…vehicles, equipment, weapons. Finally, Laszlo Bogdan, security…deceased as of twenty minutes ago…" She shared a look with Lauren over the news of Bogdan's death.

"You want me to take Bogdan's place on their team," Sydney stated.

"Walker's already been picked up on Echelon. We know he's in the market…" Lauren informed her. It would be so much easier if they would openly hate each other Sydney thought. Maybe it would stop the looks from Vaughn and the other Agents.

"It's deep cover." Sydney was pleased; it was a way to be out of the office, to get lost in someone else's life. "The risks are obvious…but this is an opportunity. The Covenant will take possession of whatever the team steals. If you can place a tracking device on that, we believe it will lead us to their centre of operations. Walker's in Sevilla; you'll go in as a freelance security expert," Dixon handed Sydney a folder. "Vaughn and Weiss, you're on backup." He turned his attention to Lauren. "Lauren, I want you to go see Sloane; have him use his contacts…find out what they're after." He faced Sydney. "You leave in two hours."

Sydney was deeply engrossed in studying the op notes. She was already half way through them when Vaughn slid into the seat opposite. She silently prayed he would get up again, but he didn't. Her pain was still fresh; after all for her it was only a few weeks ago that they had been on their way to Santa Barbara. She looked up at him.

"We can't risk them picking up any stray radio transmissions, so I'll be monitoring you with a laser mike; I'll be able to hear you, but you won't be able to communicate with me," he explained, then held out the tube he had been fiddling with.

"What's this?" she asked, taking it from him.

"That's the tracking device. Marshall put a transmitter chip there on the back. There's an adhesive." Marshall really was a genius. "Now, assuming Simon accepts you into the group, you'll use that to tag whatever it is you're gonna be stealing, and we'll track it back to the Covenant." Sydney removed the cover and rolled up the lipstick.

"You know, peach isn't really in this season," she joked.
"I heard peach was the new green." Vaughn replied, playing along. He smiled softly at her.
"I thought beige was the new green…" Sydney smiled.
"No, beige is the new peach." Vaughn's smile grew. He was happy he could still joke with Sydney. He blamed himself for the pain behind her eyes. He constantly wanted to comfort her, but he was married. Sydney nodded at him, grinning.

"Okay…" she replied, they smiled at each other for a few seconds until Vaughn's face clouded with angst. Sydney resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Their lives were different now.

"You've got a lot of reading to do," Vaughn said before vacating his seat.

Too different.

Sevilla

It was show time. Sydney felt the adrenaline flow through her veins. It happened every time she began a mission. Music drifted out of the doorway towards her. It was Spanish guitar music. Sydney could picture the people inside dancing to it; she could hear the sounds of people enjoying themselves. She ran a hand through her now longer brown hair and glanced at her outfit: a black tank and leather trousers. She took a breath and strutted into the club, it was exactly like she had pictured. Men and women flamenco danced as people watched and talked.

She saw a guard standing by a flight of stairs and headed over to him. Step one: get upstairs.

"You can't go up. Private party," the guard told her in Spanish.

"Let me make it worth your while."

"No, the gentlemen inside already have," he replied. Damn, would have been too easy.

"Please, walk away for your own good…" the guard added. He pulled back his coat and showed her his gun underneath. "…or I'll have to accompany you." Sydney looked at him and gestured that she didn't care. She turned to walk away. Her mind whirled over what she could do to get upstairs, was there another staircase? The guard grabbed Sydney's arm suddenly. She had seen him touch his comm. device.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Mr. Walker would like to speak to you," he told her, still in Spanish. Sydney thanked him and climbed the staircase. She saw the man she recognized as Walker walk towards her.

"Hello," Sydney started.

"Hello," Simon Walker replied. He moved closer to Sydney and gave her a long kiss. After he pulled back surprise flickered in Sydney's eyes, but she quickly hid it.

"Good to see you, Julia," he added. I was right, Sydney thought. Lazarey had called her Julia. I must have known him.

"Good to see you too." They shared a smile.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?"

"Isn't that the question of the day?" Sydney replied, as she lounged across her seat.

"Oh, come on, I know you can do better than that…"
"A girl's gotta have some secrets…" she replied mysteriously.
Walker: "All right, look, all right, at least tell me what's with the new look… I barely recognized you…"
"I hope you weren't disappointed…" she really didn't care if he was. She knew Brits weren't to be trusted, just look at Sark.
"No. No…but I've missed you…Julia…" She looked at him blankly.
"Uh, you know…I've missed working with you…"
"Why do you think I came back?" She liked this role, found it easy to play, with the exception of not fully understanding what relationship between him and Julia was. Walker laughed.
"You're a right nutter, you are…"

"I heard about Bogdan," she said, changing the subject. Walker looked away, he wiped his eye. He actually cared about Bogdan?
Yeah….that was too bad. Now, you never met Bogdan?" It was half question, half statement. Sydney shook her head slightly. Bogdan hadn't recognised her so it was safe to assume they had never met.
"No."
"Yeah, you'd have liked him."
"I wanna take his place," she told him.
"Well, as it happens, we do have a job coming up…but Bogdan was security."
"I know," she replied. Walker picked up his glass and took a sip. He smirked slightly.

"What? No future in murder?" Does that mean I was an assassin? It wasn't just Lazarey?
"I am…a girl with many talents," thank god the CIA taught me how to compartmentalise. Walker nodded in agreement.
"Yeah…"
"And I'm your man," she ignored the insinuation. Walker looked thoughtful.

Right, here I'm going to skip until when Sark comes to talk to Walker, if not it'll just be too much retelling. It all happens as it does in the episode until this point when I will be changing it. Review!