Chapter 10 – Unexpected Confirmation

October 22, 2011

Vaughn dialed the first number from a payphone in LA the subway soon after his arrival back in the states.

"Yes?"

His hand tightened around the receiver and his throat closed up at the voice.

"Oh my god. Jack?"

"Good. Michael." Jack said rather brusquely, even though he was smiling to himself on the other end.

"Jack. I don't believe it."

"Try me."

Vaughn was silent for a moment. He remembered the cadence of Julia Thorne approaching, watching her fingers moving to tuck her hair behind her ear, both eerie reminders of the lowest point in his life. Had it been calculated? To what end? How much could she possibly know about Sydney's mannerisms? He didn't doubt that she'd done her homework on himself and Jack and would at least know the basics about Sydney as well. There was a high chance could this phone call was a trick. He decided on the test.

"March 17."

Jack's voice became softer. "When Sydney's case was closed, you changed. Became more and more reckless on missions, more and more insubordinate, disappearing for two or three days at a time, coming in hung-over and wouldn't listen to any of us that pleaded with you to take a leave and get yourself together. That night, I found evidence that you were still investigating her disappearance under the radar, and I went to your apartment. You were drunk, and talking like she was right there in the room with us. When I tried to get you to sleep, you tried to punch me. I punched you out cold. Early the next morning you were up with a black eye and an indignant attitude. I challenged you to a spar. You agreed that if I won, you'd take a six-month leave. If I lost, I'd step back. I won, and six months later you thanked me for it."

Relief and amazement had begun to creep over Vaughn as Jack had talked. Still, there was one last detail to be confirmed.

"What else did you take in the wager?"

"The ring you'd bought for Sydney that you'd had on you the night of the apartment fire and had carried since."

Vaughn closed his eyes as the lump in his throat grew. "Jack," was all he could manage to get out.

"What matters is when you came back to work, I actually started to like you," Jack admitted gruffly.

Vaughn couldn't stop his sarcastic chuckle, "Yeah, a lot of good that brought me."

"Michael, listen to me, I can't stay on the line much longer. If you've ever trusted me before, trust me on this: Julia wants the Covenant to go down just much as we do. However you can, convince Kendell to let you call the other number she gave you and agree to work with her. If you don't, it probably won't end well for any of us."

Vaughn digested that statement before asking, "Can I reach you at this number again?"

"No. It will be disconnected."

"So…is this is? Are you sure you're safe?"

"Yes and yes. I'll tell you one last thing: be careful who you discuss this with, the Covenant has ears everywhere. I can't stress how important is it that Julia not be compromised. "

Vaughn was at a loss for words. "Thank you, Jack," he managed.

"Goodbye, Michael."

The line died, Vaughn replaced the phone in the cradle, and slowly walked back to his car in a dumbfounded daze.

~to be continued~