"Mr. Sloane, there is someone here to see you, but she doesn't have an appointment."

Sydney waited impatiently as Sloane's secretary announced her presence. She had been trying to devise a way to murder Sloane, ever since Sark had dropped her off at her apartment, nearly 42 hours ago. And here she was seconds away from seeing him and she still had no idea what she was going to do.

"Yes sir, I will send her right in."

"Thank you." Sydney nodded to the secretary and strutted past her, into Sloane's office. "Mr. Sloane, thank you for seeing me. My name is Julia Thorne." Sydney presented herself with her flawless English accent and a polite smile that made the meeting seem like a first time introduction.

Sloane gave Sydney a careful look and smiled knowingly. "It's a pleasure, Miss Thorne. To what do I owe this visit?"

She cleared her throat trying to decide on a split-second cover story. "I work for Jensen's law firm and I was asked to come and see you involving your part in…"

"Your father would be ecstatic to know that you are alive and well." Sloane told her. "He has been most concerned about you, Sydney."

"I'm sorry, but you must be confused…" She kept her face straight, determined not to reveal herself to Sloane. "My name is Julia Thorne and my father died many years ago."

Sloane gave her a slight smile. "Sydney, you should know that I have the utmost respect for you and your professional abilities, however, I have also known you for too long for you to fool me." He poured a glass of water and handed it to her. "I assure you that your secret will be well-protected by me."

She paused, trying to figure out how to respond. "Mr. Sloane, let me again say, my name is Julia Thorne, and I am here to…"

"Assassinate me." Sloane finished.

Again Sydney was silent.

"You should know by now that I am aware of everything, particularly when it involves my death." Sloane reminded her. He cleared his throat. "Whether or not you wish to confide in me, I think you should know that you're not as convincing as you believe."

"Excuse me?" She hadn't been so frustrated or confused for a while. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Sydney do you think it's a coincidence that the Covenant has instructed you to murder me? Do you think it was coincidence that they put you on assignment with Allison Doren? Or what about the time they set you up on a mission involving the kidnap of Eric Weiss?" He paused. "Or perhaps you would like to consider more recent events…Julian Sark, for instance."

"What are you getting at exactly?" She interrupted, not at all eager to discuss Sark with Arvin Sloane, of all people.

"The Covenant has never been fooled by your charade." He told her. "They know that their conditioning was unsuccessful. They used you to do their works, knowing all along that you were still working for the CIA."

"I don't believe you." She shook her head. "Why would they have let me out?"

"They clearly have a purpose." Sloane decided. "Now I believe that you should be aware that you're not as safe as you believe."

Sydney was silent as she considered what he had said. "Sloane, how do you know all this?" She realized that as much as she hated him, she knew he wouldn't lie to her without reason.

"It's my job to know, Sydney." He motioned to a chair. "Perhaps you would like to discuss this with me, now that you believe me."

She sat down shakily. "What do you want to discuss exactly?"

"You were sent here to murder me, correct?" Sloane clarified and she nodded. "Why do you think they have chosen to eliminate me now?"

Sydney shrugged. "Maybe they got to know you."

"Yes, I believe so. I believe they realized I was close to discovering something that they didn't want me to know." He sat down in a chair across from her. "They must have known that I had already learned that they were using you."

"How did you find that out Sloane? And don't say it's just your job." Sydney questioned.

"I have a contact, who is gullible enough to think I am trustworthy."

"What an idiot!" Sydney shook her head. "Who is it?"

"Allison Doren."

"Allison?" Sydney frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Why not?" Sloane questioned casually. "She used to be a very reliable partner for me, and even though she has joined the Covenant, she still pays me the professional courtesy of giving me information every now and again."

"But she is fully Covenant! Sark tells me that she was working for them before you hired her. She has been playing you!" Sydney shook her head. "It doesn't make any sense. Why would she tip you off about the Covenant's activities?"

"If that's true, then you pose a very good question." He adjusted his position and leaned towards her. "Do you trust Sark though, enough to believe what he tells you?"

Sydney wasn't comfortable answering Sloane, but she was too anxious about the situation to lie to him. "Yes, I believe Sark fully."

Sloane gave her a doubtful look. "Really? I must say I never thought you would ever trust Julian Sark." He smiled. "Clearly things have changed."

Sydney cleared her throat. "Things have changed Sloane. But not between you and me."

Sloane nodded. "I would never have assumed so, Sydney." He stood and retrieved a folder from a cabinet across the room. "However, as the situation is at this time, I think you may want to have a look at these." He dropped the folder on the desk.

Sydney flipped open the folder and her mouth dropped. "Where did you get these?"

Sloane held out his hands. "Allison Doran."

"I really don't like her." Sydney shook her head and continued shuffling through the pictures. "May I use your phone?"

He nodded. "Does this mean you trust me?"

Sydney hesitated. "I don't know, but at this time I don't have many options." She took another brief glance at the pictures before dialing a number on Sloane's desk phone. She looked at Sloane, wishing he would leave, but clearly he had no intention of it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's me." She took a breath. "Are you alone?"

There was no answer.

She frowned and tried again. "Are you alone?"

"Yes. Whose phone are you on?"

"What?"

"The number you're calling from…" He was quiet for a minute. "I don't recognize it. Are you alone?"

Sydney smiled at his instincts. "No. I'm with Sloane. I'm using his phone because I left mine in my car."

"You're with Sloane? I thought you were suppose to be murdering him…"

"I'm not going to kill Sloane." She affirmed. Sloane smiled at her gratefully. "There's a mole."

"What do you mean?"

"The Covenant knows about me."

"But that doesn't make any sense."

"Sark, they have photos of us together."

Sloane raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised to find out whom she was speaking to.

"Photos of what, exactly? Sydney we have been in no incriminating situations together. What sort of blackmails photos could they have?" Sark questioned.

"Not blackmail, Sark." She corrected him. "Just evidence. They're pictures of us from London, meaning someone has been following us. Sloane has a source that informs him the Covenant has been playing along with us in order to use me…I don't know why yet."

"Who is his contact?"

"Allison Doran."

Sark was quiet for a minute. "Sydney, I need to see you in person. I don't like discussing this over the phone, especially not while Sloane is there hovering over your shoulder."

Sydney glanced up at Sloane before responding. "Okay. When?"

"Your place isn't secure. I have a flat here in the city. I'll pick you up at seven o'clock this evening."

"Okay." Sydney sighed.

"Sydney, be careful how much you say to Sloane. I'm not sure if he can be trusted."

Sydney smiled to herself. "I know. I will be." She hung up the phone. "I don't know what I'm going to do about all this Sloane, and I don't know where your loyalties lie, but I would appreciate your confidence as far as I'm concerned."

"Sydney, I'm sad that you even feel the need to ask. I will not betray you." Sloane offered her a gentle smile.

"I have to go now." She stood, straightening her skirt.

"I understand, but Sydney I do hope you'll be cautious of your acquaintances. There is no way for us to know who the Covenant's mole is." Sloane reminded her.

She nodded. "I don't need you to worry for me Sloane…"

"I am aware Sydney." He replied calmly. "And I am also aware that you have formed some sort of attachment to Julian Sark…"

"Sark and I have a business partnership…"

Sloane interrupted her quickly. "Yes, and you seem to have reached a certain level of trust with him, but do I need to remind you that he just might be the mole himself?"

Sydney frowned. She had been thinking the same thing since Sloane's first mention of a mole, but she had been determined to believe that it wasn't true. She shook her head, unable to deal with this in front of Sloane. "As far as I know, you could be the mole. Don't tell anybody I'm alive. Nobody." She looked at him directly in the eyes to make sure he understood her.

"You have my word." He sat at the desk and folded his hands in his lap. "It was good to see you Sydney."

She pursed her lips and resumed her English accent. "Mr. Sloane, Sydney Bristow died in a fire sixteen months ago. My name is Julia Thorne."

He nodded. "I understand entirely. Have a good day Miss Thorne."

She turned and left the office with a forced air of dignified control.