In The Air Tonight, Part 25
- - -
Michael Vaughn and Eric Weiss were just pulling out seats around the square conference room table when Director Kendall turned and addressed the room. "Well, now that we're all here…we can begin."
A quick glance around the room revealed all the usual agents, with a marked difference: both Jack and Sydney Bristow were missing.
"For those of you who might not be aware, the identity of the second double has been identified," Kendall began, pushing a button on the remote he was holding. Instantly, the viewing screens lit up with a picture of a young black girl, "as Alison Georgia Doren. She is one of the children identified earlier by research provided by Analyst Tippin as having been involved in the KGB's version of "Project Christmas" . She had supposedly been killed several years ago in a bus crash. We have now determined that she, as the second double, assumed the identity of this woman," Kendall continued, hitting the remote again,"Francine Calfo, friend of Agent Bristow and Analyst Tippin."
Dixon's eyes flashed in recognition and Marshall's mouth hung open. "You…you mean it was Sydney's other friend that…?"
"Yes, Mr. Flinkman," Kendall interrupted abruptly. "She was the one that planted the bugs and other surveillance in Agent Bristow's home, not to mention a listening device was found planted in one of your ties, Agent Vaughn." Kendall gave Vaughn a pointed look that said much more.
Kendall did not have to tell Vaughn which one. Obviously the "gift" he'd received held more than met the eye…
"We cannot ascertain at this time how much damage intel-wise has been done by the placement of this double, however, we now know that this current threat has been neutralized…at great cost to the Agency."
"How so?" Dixon spoke up for the first time.
"Last evening Ms. Doren was found dead inside Agent Bristow's apartment. Apparently there was a struggle that included both Agent Bristow and Analyst Tippin. Both were critically injured and are fighting for their lives, although it appears that Agent Bristow was able to inflict the deadly wounds before slipping into unconsciousness. Senior Agent Bristow is currently on assignment at the hospital providing 24 hour protection for Tippin and Bristow."
Dixon was stunned into silence. Sydney may have been his SD-6 partner for many years, but he cared about her like she was family. He hazarded a glance over at her CIA partner, Michael Vaughn. Even if Dixon hadn't been aware of their relationship, he would have known this man was in love with Sydney. There was a broken, almost haunted look in his eyes that he couldn't hide, one that could only come from the kind of devastated heartbreak he himself had felt when he'd lost Diane. He knew with a sudden certainty that Vaughn had been the one to discover the scene at Sydney's apartment last night.
"As you're aware," Kendall continued, apparently impervious to the undercurrents flowing through the room, "Sloane is still in possession of the Rambaldi device and appears poised to activate it, and as yet, we have no idea where he is or what this device does. Irina Derevko is still at large and may or may not be helping Sloane. And, as of now, we have no leads on Sloane, Derevko, or the device."
"Sir?" Vaughn interrupted hesitantly.
Kendall turned and focused his complete attention on Vaughn. "Yes, Mr. Vaughn. You have something to add?"
Vaughn fidgeted in his seat, cleared his throat, and said, "Actually, I may have leads on all of those things."
Kendall looked nonplussed. He crossed his arms before him and replied, "Care to fill us in, Mr. Vaughn?"
- - -
Vaughn spent the next twenty minutes explaining the intel he'd received from Irina Derevko the night before about Il Dire, Sydney's involvement, the Order of Rambaldi, the Storyteller…everything. The only thing he carefully steered away from was the specifics of the actual encounter, other than explaining she'd been at his apartment when he got home from the hospital.
When he finished speaking, he looked around the room. Everyone appeared thunderstruck, at a complete loss for words, even Weiss, who had heard part of it before.
Finally, with a sneer, Kendall spoke. "What do you think this is, Science Fiction Theater!? Do you actually expect us to believe this…nonsense, Agent Vaughn!? You actually want us to believe that Sydney Bristow will activate the Rambaldi device with her thoughts!? And you got this crucial piece of intel from no less than Irina Derevko!? Have you forgotten just who and what that woman is!? Maybe I was wrong to have you join us today, Agent Vaughn, since your judgment is obviously impaired…"
Placing both hands palms-down on the conference table, his narrowed eyes alight with barely controlled frustration and anger, Vaughn dangerously spit out, "The last thing I need is a lecture from you as to who and what Irina Derevko is! You said you wanted leads. I provided you with leads. Maybe you find them ridiculous, preposterous. Fine. I think they're a little crazy myself. However, regardless of my personal feelings about the woman, or the intel she provided, I feel I owe it to Sydney, to Will, to the real Francie Calfo, to determine if there is any truth in her claims. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I can stop Arvin Sloane from activating that device in the process."
"You better watch your tone, Mr. Vaughn, if you expect to remain a part of this task force," Kendall threatened, his beady eyes dark and menacing.
But Vaughn was too upset to be chastised by Kendall's threats. "What kind of a task force is this if we don't follow the leads that we have? You can threaten and mock me if you like, but personally, I've had enough. I don't know what your problem is with me, and at this point, I don't care. I'm not just going to sit on my ass and listen to your bulls*** when I've got intel to verify. I don't know about you, but I've got work to do and I'll be damned if a pompous, egotistical, emotionally stunted jackass like yourself is going to stop me!"
With that, Vaughn pushed himself forcefully to a stand, sending the chair he'd been sitting in careening backward violently. Turning abruptly, he stalked toward the doors leading out of the briefing room.
"Agent Vaughn…Agent Vaughn! You get back in here now! Agent Vaughn!" Kendall called, but he ignored him and kept on walking. Vaughn knew that if he stopped now, he'd only say something even worse than he already had. God knew Kendall would probably have him suspended as it was. Not that he cared at that moment. All that mattered was Sydney.
He had almost made it back to the inner sanctum when Weiss came jogging up behind him. "Mike! Hey, Vaughn, wait up!"
Vaughn didn't bother to slow his pace.
Finally, Eric caught up with him, although he was walking fast to keep up. "Geez, Mike; where's the fire?"
"Hopefully under Kendall's ass," Vaughn retorted.
"Heh, funny you should mention him. You should have seen his face, Mike…it got so red and swelled up, I swear his head was about to pop off!" Weiss told him with relish. "I mean, I'd bet everyone in that room was thinking what you said, but, man! Balls of Steel, seriously!"
"Look Weiss, I'm really not in the mood at the moment," Vaughn informed him. "I've got a lot of work to do if I'm going to verify any of this intel." Reaching his desk, Vaughn sat down and pulled Irina's disc out of a side pouch on the bag containing his laptop.
"Lemme help," Weiss said, sitting down in his chair and scooting it over so it was next to Vaughn's.
Vaughn looked up, surprised. "Really? Because Kendall will probably suspend me as it is; I don't want to get you involved in that."
Eric looked at his friend as if he had three heads. "If you think I'm not going to be part of this investigation, you're crazy. Hey, Sydney's my friend, too. I mean, not in the way that she's your friend…"
Vaughn gave Weiss a pointed look, and he quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, if there's any truth to what Irina said, well…we gotta do something."
"Thanks." Vaughn gave his friend a grateful smile.
"Uh…Mr. Vaughn?" stuttered a hesitant voice from behind him. "We want to help, too."
Vaughn turned around and saw Marshall Flinkman, Carrie Bowman, and Marcus Dixon standing over him.
"You were right," Dixon said quietly, placing a hand on Vaughn's shoulder. "Even though the information came from Irina Derevko, there has to be some reason why she'd risk approaching you directly. We'll never find out that reason unless we investigate her intel."
"And…and…Carrie…uh, Miss Bowman and I might be able to decipher any Rambaldi-related documents she might have provided you," Marshall offered.
Standing next to Marshall, Carrie silently nodded her assent. "We'll all help," she said simply.
Watching this scene from around the corner, an unsmiling Kendall's jaw flinched in fury. It appeared that young Agent Vaughn had started a mutiny. Well, he thought as he stormed off in the direction of his office, I may not be able to control him, but I can think of one person who can…