DISCLAIMER All of 'Alias' belongs to JJ Abrams, etc. Any unfamiliar names are my creation. Some of the script comes directly from the show.
A/N: I've had some questions about the confusion on what happened to Sark to land him back in CIA custody. I am planning on explaining in detail what happened to both him, as well as how Sydney lost her memories (This is different from the show). I'm not sure how soon this explanation will come, I think it's coming to be a gradual explanation through the next few chapters! So I hope that clears some stuff up for people. I hope youre all still enjoying this story, and I hope everyone who likes it will review! Reviews are super encouraging!!! Thanks.
"Once the exchange is initiated, Sark and Agent Rotter will be released simultaneously." Sydney was explaining the steps of the retrieval operation to the rest of the team. The team nodded their understanding and began to unload from the van. She climbed out after the guys and headed over to the second van where their prisoner was waiting.
When she slid open the side door of the van, Sark was waiting, chained to his seat. She knelt in front of him and began unfastening his chains. The silence was overwhelming. Sark knew exactly what he wanted to say, but he didn't know how to say it.
"I can't imagine why the Covenant wants to make this trade." Sark stated simply. "They've had me for two years and they've nearly exhausted my resources. I don't know what more they want me for."
Sydney glanced up at him and shrugged. "You're about to find out." She reached for his hands and began to unchain them.
"My life's in danger, isn't it?" His voice was very quiet.
Sydney didn't answer. Usually she wouldn't give a damn what happened to Sark, but for some reason this time felt different. As she slipped the handcuffs over his wrists she let her hands rest over his for a moment.
He drew in a breath. Feeling the touch of her fingers exhilarated him, bringing back all the amazing memories. He couldn't handle the feelings at the moment and quickly pulled his hands away from her. She frowned, confused by her concern for him, and also by his reaction to her touch.
"Let's go." She stood and motioned for him to follow her out of the van.
They stood with the other agents in front of the two vans, staring out across the vast desert where two vehicles were approaching. Sark felt nervous as the cars neared. He knew that they were going to take him back to the Covenant, but from there he didn't know what to expect. They knew Sydney had returned to the CIA, so where did that leave him? They already had full access to his inheritance, and they knew he wasn't voluntarily on their team, so what more did they want him for?
As the cars stopped and three men emerged, one held a flare gun up into the air and sent out the signal. Sydney clicked on her transmitter. "Base ops, we've received a call signal. Should I confirm?"
Dixon replied on the other end from where he was observing at the office. "You're authorized, Mountaineer."
Sydney held up her own flare gun and shot the return signal. More people unloaded from the cars in the distance. They were pulling Rotter out of the car.
"We have a visual on Agent Rotter." Sydney spoke.
"Roger, Mountaineer." Dixon confirmed. "Release the prisoner."
Rotter was sent by his captives and he started making the long walk across the desert in between the two opposing teams. Sydney turned to Sark and removed his handcuffs. "You're up."
He nodded and began his own walk toward the waiting Covenant cars. Sydney watched him, feeling confused.
"You're quiet." Weiss stepped up beside her, noting her unusual mood.
She nodded.
"Is everything okay?" He inquired with genuine concern.
Sydney nodded again and smiled up at him slightly. "It's just going to take a while for me to get settled in." She sighed. "I'm still trying to figure out what the hell happened to me."
"I know, it's weird, but I know that you're going to be just fine." He squeezed her shoulder. "And you've got me to help you!"
"Thanks." Sydney touched his hand briefly. "Okay, here he comes." She snapped back to work mode as Agent Rotter neared them.
Weiss stepped forward to receive the disoriented agent and lead him into one of the vans. The other agents took their positions in the van. Sydney watched as Sark was met by the Covenant agents and ushered toward their cars. He glanced over his shoulder, squinting against the sun. Sydney could tell he was looking at her. It made her uncomfortable, and she quickly turned away, speaking into her transmitter as she headed to the van.
"Base ops, exchange complete. Rotter secure. Coming home."
………………
Scenes not written:
Sydney learns that the man she killed on the video her dad showed her, was Sark's father. Though, I'm not following the show strictly, so this is the second time Sark has been released and this time it was not for his inheritance. The Covenant already had that. They had him released because they hoped he would be able to give them information that Sydney might have told him about the cube's hiding place.
………………
"I hate her!"
Vaughn sighed as his wife stormed past him after leaving a briefing, in which she and Sydney had once again not gotten along well. "Just remember, she's been through a lot."
Lauren spun around and stopped, forcing Vaughn to stop as well. She stared at him hard. "I've been on eggshells for two weeks since Sydney came back, trying not to say the wrong thing, trying to imagine what it's like for her. I am done!"
"Lauren…" He didn't know what to say, but she didn't give him a chance to speak anyway.
"Sydney Bristow is self-righteous and arrogant!"
"She just lost two years of her life!" Vaughn defended.
Lauren didn't care to hear it. "Was she any nicer two years ago? Because she's the most condescending person I have ever met!"
"I understand why you have a problem with her." He was still trying to soothe her anger.
"No, she's the one with the problem! I'm not going to apologize because I remember the last twenty-four months, or because I'm married to the man that I love!"
"You're reacting emotionally…"
"No! I'm reacting intelligently, as I expected Sydney to." Lauren insisted. "She's been gone two years, you'd think she'd listen to someone instead of talking all over them! She's horrible."
Vaughn carefully moved closer to his wife, taking hold of her arms sweetly. "Okay stop." He let go of her when he noticed her fiery eyes. "Sydney has only been back for two weeks. Give her time. I mean, the way things are, no one would blame you if the two of you hated each other. But I actually believe that you'll end up respecting her…you might even like her."
Lauren let out a deep breath and remained silent. She gave her husband a smile and he believed he had won the argument.
"Just remember that I love you." He kissed her briefly.
"I love you too." She returned the kiss. "But that doesn't make this any easier."
"I know, sweetheart." Vaughn rubbed her back, thinking that she was getting over it, but the next instant he realized that she was just as furious as before.
"And then, she had the nerve to blame me for Sark being released!" Lauren pushed Vaughn back and held her hands up in frustration. "As though it were my choice!"
Vaughn shook his head. "She doesn't blame you. She's just upset about the whole situation, but she knows that was the NSC's decision."
"And I represent the NSC!" Lauren reminded him. "Therefore, she sees me as the reason!"
Vaughn couldn't argue with that logic. "Look, we're doing what we can to locate Sark and recapture him. Sydney will get over it eventually."
"Well, I wish she could deal with her issues on her own, without having to blame the rest of the world."
"Lauren, please." Vaughn shook his head. "Try to put yourself in her place for a moment."
She placed her hands on her lips. "I understand that she is in a very difficult position and I respect all that she has been through, but that doesn't mean I like her any more." She turned and walked away from her husband without another word.
…………………
"How was the briefing with Lauren?" Jack stopped his daughter as she left the meeting room.
Sydney stopped abruptly and rolled her eyes. "Wonderful." She started to walk again.
He caught up to her and touched her arm to stop her. "I'm not asking because I'm a fan of interoffice gossip. Tell me how it went."
She analyzed the tone of his voice and frowned. "Why?"
"Did she seem aggressive toward you?"
"Yes, as I'm sure I did to her." Sydney smirked, remembering the spat between Lauren and herself regarding Sark's release. "What is this about?"
"In here…" He pulled her out of the hall and into an alcove behind closed doors, which was a convenient place for private conversations. "Now that Lazarey's murder has been linked to the Covenant, the NSC has convened their own investigation into his death."
Sydney's eyes showed her concern. "You don't think they know?"
"That you're the murderer?" Jack clarified. "Not yet. But they've just received some footage, apparently of the crime."
"How?" Sydney was certain that when her father showed her the footage of her murdering Lazarey, he had taken care of the only recorded evidence.
"Another camera…security, from across the street. And as our current bad luck would have it, the NSC's assigned this investigation to Vaughn's wife."
"I know what you're thinking, but the longer we withhold this information from them, the more guilty I seem. The NSC and the CIA are going to learn that I killed Lazarey!" She told her dad firmly.
"And when they do, the NSC will not hesitate to subject you to every available procedure in order to capture your memory." He reminded her.
"So let them!" Sydney's voice rose. "Dad, I am losing my mind not knowing what happened to me, and if someone out there, someone has the answer…" She felt tears coming to her eyes.
"The techniques that would be employed to stimulate your memory are invasive surgical, dangerous procedures that could leave you with permanent brain damage. That is not happening to you; not as long as I'm alive." He was determined. "Sydney, we've discussed this. You need to stay focused. You have to do your job. Reintegrating into the CIA is the only way you're going to get the answers you're looking for."
"But if there was a faster way…" She shrugged. "Anything to help! You don't know what it's like to have these feelings that you can't understand…" She was thinking about the interaction she had with Sark before he was released. Touching his hand had given her such a strange feeling and she hadn't been able to get it out of her mind.
"Sydney, what are you talking about?" Jack inquired.
"Never mind." Sydney sighed, blocking the thoughts from her mind. "What are we going to do about this footage?"
"I've already talked with Lauren; I told her that I might be able to help the investigation. She agreed to let me see the footage. I'll do what I can to ensure this remains our secret."
"I want to watch it again, maybe there's something I missed." She stopped suddenly and bent over, pressing her hand to her head.
"Sydney, sweetheart, are you feeling alright?" Jack frowned at his daughter in concern. She clutched at her stomach. "Sydney!"
"Yea, I'm fine…" She smiled up at him reassuringly. "I just feel a little nauseas." She straightened up. "It's probably just something I ate."
Jack placed his hand on her back. "Want me to drive you home? It's been a hard day, or week actually, I'm not surprised you're worn out."
Sydney nodded, but her face turned into a grimace the next instant. "Oh god, someone should really talk to him about his drinking problem…" She covered her nose with her hand.
"What?"
"The man that just passed, I don't know his name. He's new. He reeked of beer. Couldn't you smell it?"
Jack shook his head. "I didn't smell anything."
"But it was so strong!" She insisted. Sydney clutched at her stomach. "I feel nauseas again."
"Come on, you're taking the rest of the day off." Jack held her arm gently and directed her towards the door. "Dixon will understand."
"Dad," Sydney gripped his hand tightly. He didn't miss the waver in her voice.
"Yes sweetheart?"
"Do you think there's something wrong with me?" She asked him fearfully.
"Not at all. You're just a little unwell…" Jack tried to keep his voice strong as he reassured her.
"But what if it's more than that." Sydney worried. "I've been home for three weeks and I still don't have any memories of what happened over the last two years! What if something was done to me?"
"Sydney, you are jumping to conclusions." Jack reprimanded her firmly, but softly. "I know that you rarely fall ill, but you may have to accept that this is simply one of those days."
"But what if…"
"No, put it out of your mind." Jack insisted. "You are going home to sleep and when you wake up you will feel completely refreshed!"
Sydney nodded. "You're right. I've just got to rest and get over whatever this is." She took a deep breath, but she had a feeling that she wouldn't be getting over this anytime soon.