Sydney slowly, uncertainly walked towards the disused warehouse. She rubbed
the back of her neck and touched her shoulder. She reached out and pulled
the handle to open the door noticing where she chewed at the nail of the
forth finger of her left hand "That nail gets so much punishment" she
mused, wondering why she only ever bit that one. Wondering the significance
of that kept her from running away She stood inside the door of the
warehouse enjoying the cool air after the ferocious heat of the sun
outside. She pulled at the side of her black shift dress where the lining
had stuck to her side but wished she'd brought her jacket because the air
was dank and she felt very vulnerable. "Come on" she told her self,
throwing her hair back, squaring her shoulders and lengthening her stride.
The click of her court shoes echoed around the warehouse as she sauntered
with a confidence she didn't feel towards the cage door. Pulling back the
wire door she felt suddenly dizziness and stumbled through the gap.
"Are you ok?" a voice said from inside as a man emerged from the
gloom.
Sydney looked up but it wasn't Vaughn. He actually looked a bit like Vaughn
slightly wavy brown hair but his eyes didn't have that sparkle and his tie
was perfect. Vaughn's tie was always without fail loosened sometimes with
the top button opened. Sydney looked up
"Fine, thank you," she said curtly whilst sitting down on one of the
wooden storage creates.
It was more than five years since Sydney had been here. After the destruction of SD6 and eventually the Alliance she was exhausted and wanted out. The CIA had reluctantly let her go but released her eventually. Vaughn asked her to stay but after all the fighting, the place only held bad memories so she fled to England. She got a job teaching in a high school in the North of England and was rapidly promoted to a senior position. She loved her job, she loved teaching but she regretted leaving. By the time she realised that she loved Vaughn it was too late. She couldn't risk the pain of coming back, for all those horrible memories to be dragged up only for him to reject her. She'd dated occasionally but nothing serious. She always compared them to Vaughn and they never measured up. Then on a rainy Monday a call was put through to her office; the receptionist said it was a parent but when the call was put through a male voice said "Joey's Pizza?" Automatically Sydney replied "wrong number" She'd sat there for half an hour after staring at the phone in a complete daze. When the bell rang for change of lessons she rushed to the principal's office telling him that her mother had been taken seriously ill back in America and could she have some leave. That's how she found herself back in the warehouse.
"Miss Bristow," The agent interjected breaking her thought process. "Miss Bristow. I am Agent Smith from the CIA. We have something to need to discuss with you. Are you willing to come with me? "I am but I need to ask you something first. Why did you contact me?" Sydney asked "All will be explained please follow me." With reservations Sydney followed the agent to a black SUV and climbed in the back. ********
The van stopped after an hour and a half. Sydney heard the front door open and then her door was slid open and she climbed out of the car into blazing sunshine. She was in front of a regular office building. It was grey and in no way memorable or recognisable. The agent led her through an innocuous front door and into a lift with walnut panelling. "We'll have somebody collect your car from the warehouse Miss Bristow" The agent informed her. The lift beeped and she and the agent stepped out off the lift. The led her into a plain office with a desk and two chairs one on either side of the desk and a photograph frame although she couldn't see the picture. There was another door to her right. "Somebody will be here to see you in a moment, Miss Bristow." Sydney sat in a chair and waited. Something she was adept at doing after working in the education department.
After around five minutes the other door opened and an agent walked in followed by a man in a white coat. "Miss Bristow, I am Agent Brown this is Doctor White," While the agent continued to speak the door Sydney had come through opened. "Thank you agent Brown I will explain the rest to Miss Bristow" The agent and the doctor scurried out of the door. Sydney had to wait till they'd gone to turn around. Her heart was pounding. She recognised the voice but didn't know if she wanted to know who it was. "Vaughn?" "Hello Miss Bristow," He said professionally while walking to sit down behind the desk. He was wearing a dark grey suit, blue shirt and dark blue tie that were perfectly knotted. He didn't meet her eyes but she could see they were the same. Their expression guarded "I'm glad you responded to our call. We didn't know if you'd come." Sydney was trembling. She had to clutch the arms of the chair so that he couldn't see her shaking. "Why is he being so cool? Its almost as if he doesn't want me here. I didn't expect flowers but he is being so cold." "Vaughn why did you call? What do you want?" She asked trying unsuccessfully to keep her voice from breaking. Tears started to roll down her cheeks but his professional demur never broke. He didn't make a move to comfort her. "I'll try to be brief Miss Bristow, I understand this could bring back some unpleasant memories. We have received information from an agent in England that there is a leak and possibly a mole in the Government but this the agent was killed before he could investigate further." "Why can't the British investigate it themselves?" "It's far reaching up to the Cabinet and senior military and civil service. But if it's not all true their security services risk being disbanded. They'll see it as another Wilson affair. The security services trying to bring down a legitimately elected government. They asked us to send two agents but it has to be unofficial. If they get caught, they will be disavowed but even the rumours could damage the CIA. I was asked to find an ex-agent who would do the mission. I thought as you lived in England the accent would be less of a problem and your not officially on the CIA books any more. Miss Bristow, you were the best agent I ever handled." "Really?" Sydney looked up surprised that the new cool Vaughn could make a personal comment. "Yes, you're language and protection skills coupled with your instinct make you deadly." "Oh" Sydney looked down at her shoes again. "Are you willing to go, Miss Bristow?" Sydney snapped standing up, "Will you cut all the 'Miss Bristow' crap! You know my name. I'm Sydney remember. What's happened to you Vaughn? You've turned into a cold-hearted son of a bitch! We used to be so close and then when you do call after five years, you don't ask how I am, if I'm ok. I thought I'd left all this behind years ago. I was happy in England then you call, turn my life and my heart upside down and bring me back to where Will died and Francie betrayed me and all you can say is it might bring back some 'unpleasant memories'" She sat back down in her chair, exhausted by her tirade. The tears fell freely now. Sydney was powerless to stop them. "Sydney, I'm sorry I knew this was a bad idea but you were the best person on the job and when Devlin suggested you partner I jumped at the op." "You're coming with me?" Sydney asked incredulously "It's my op and if you decide to go it will be me coming with you." "Vaughn I need some time to think about this." "We booked you in at a hotel," he said returning to efficient mode "its on Broadside. It's a nice place." "Thanks, how do I contact you to let you know my decision?" "The old way" Sydney stood up too leave. She wiped her face to wipe away the remnants of her tears. "I need to go and unpack. Where will my car be?" "It will be parked out front. The keys will be in the ignition." He said standing up. Sydney turned to leave and began to walk towards the door. "Sydney" She stopped but didn't turn round "This is important it could be catastrophic if we are right and it doesn't get stopped." Sydney carried on walking out of the door.
It was more than five years since Sydney had been here. After the destruction of SD6 and eventually the Alliance she was exhausted and wanted out. The CIA had reluctantly let her go but released her eventually. Vaughn asked her to stay but after all the fighting, the place only held bad memories so she fled to England. She got a job teaching in a high school in the North of England and was rapidly promoted to a senior position. She loved her job, she loved teaching but she regretted leaving. By the time she realised that she loved Vaughn it was too late. She couldn't risk the pain of coming back, for all those horrible memories to be dragged up only for him to reject her. She'd dated occasionally but nothing serious. She always compared them to Vaughn and they never measured up. Then on a rainy Monday a call was put through to her office; the receptionist said it was a parent but when the call was put through a male voice said "Joey's Pizza?" Automatically Sydney replied "wrong number" She'd sat there for half an hour after staring at the phone in a complete daze. When the bell rang for change of lessons she rushed to the principal's office telling him that her mother had been taken seriously ill back in America and could she have some leave. That's how she found herself back in the warehouse.
"Miss Bristow," The agent interjected breaking her thought process. "Miss Bristow. I am Agent Smith from the CIA. We have something to need to discuss with you. Are you willing to come with me? "I am but I need to ask you something first. Why did you contact me?" Sydney asked "All will be explained please follow me." With reservations Sydney followed the agent to a black SUV and climbed in the back. ********
The van stopped after an hour and a half. Sydney heard the front door open and then her door was slid open and she climbed out of the car into blazing sunshine. She was in front of a regular office building. It was grey and in no way memorable or recognisable. The agent led her through an innocuous front door and into a lift with walnut panelling. "We'll have somebody collect your car from the warehouse Miss Bristow" The agent informed her. The lift beeped and she and the agent stepped out off the lift. The led her into a plain office with a desk and two chairs one on either side of the desk and a photograph frame although she couldn't see the picture. There was another door to her right. "Somebody will be here to see you in a moment, Miss Bristow." Sydney sat in a chair and waited. Something she was adept at doing after working in the education department.
After around five minutes the other door opened and an agent walked in followed by a man in a white coat. "Miss Bristow, I am Agent Brown this is Doctor White," While the agent continued to speak the door Sydney had come through opened. "Thank you agent Brown I will explain the rest to Miss Bristow" The agent and the doctor scurried out of the door. Sydney had to wait till they'd gone to turn around. Her heart was pounding. She recognised the voice but didn't know if she wanted to know who it was. "Vaughn?" "Hello Miss Bristow," He said professionally while walking to sit down behind the desk. He was wearing a dark grey suit, blue shirt and dark blue tie that were perfectly knotted. He didn't meet her eyes but she could see they were the same. Their expression guarded "I'm glad you responded to our call. We didn't know if you'd come." Sydney was trembling. She had to clutch the arms of the chair so that he couldn't see her shaking. "Why is he being so cool? Its almost as if he doesn't want me here. I didn't expect flowers but he is being so cold." "Vaughn why did you call? What do you want?" She asked trying unsuccessfully to keep her voice from breaking. Tears started to roll down her cheeks but his professional demur never broke. He didn't make a move to comfort her. "I'll try to be brief Miss Bristow, I understand this could bring back some unpleasant memories. We have received information from an agent in England that there is a leak and possibly a mole in the Government but this the agent was killed before he could investigate further." "Why can't the British investigate it themselves?" "It's far reaching up to the Cabinet and senior military and civil service. But if it's not all true their security services risk being disbanded. They'll see it as another Wilson affair. The security services trying to bring down a legitimately elected government. They asked us to send two agents but it has to be unofficial. If they get caught, they will be disavowed but even the rumours could damage the CIA. I was asked to find an ex-agent who would do the mission. I thought as you lived in England the accent would be less of a problem and your not officially on the CIA books any more. Miss Bristow, you were the best agent I ever handled." "Really?" Sydney looked up surprised that the new cool Vaughn could make a personal comment. "Yes, you're language and protection skills coupled with your instinct make you deadly." "Oh" Sydney looked down at her shoes again. "Are you willing to go, Miss Bristow?" Sydney snapped standing up, "Will you cut all the 'Miss Bristow' crap! You know my name. I'm Sydney remember. What's happened to you Vaughn? You've turned into a cold-hearted son of a bitch! We used to be so close and then when you do call after five years, you don't ask how I am, if I'm ok. I thought I'd left all this behind years ago. I was happy in England then you call, turn my life and my heart upside down and bring me back to where Will died and Francie betrayed me and all you can say is it might bring back some 'unpleasant memories'" She sat back down in her chair, exhausted by her tirade. The tears fell freely now. Sydney was powerless to stop them. "Sydney, I'm sorry I knew this was a bad idea but you were the best person on the job and when Devlin suggested you partner I jumped at the op." "You're coming with me?" Sydney asked incredulously "It's my op and if you decide to go it will be me coming with you." "Vaughn I need some time to think about this." "We booked you in at a hotel," he said returning to efficient mode "its on Broadside. It's a nice place." "Thanks, how do I contact you to let you know my decision?" "The old way" Sydney stood up too leave. She wiped her face to wipe away the remnants of her tears. "I need to go and unpack. Where will my car be?" "It will be parked out front. The keys will be in the ignition." He said standing up. Sydney turned to leave and began to walk towards the door. "Sydney" She stopped but didn't turn round "This is important it could be catastrophic if we are right and it doesn't get stopped." Sydney carried on walking out of the door.