Chapter 49
About 30 minutes later, all the agents assigned to the takedown, now dressed into their tactical gear, were reunited once again in the briefing room. This time, it wasn't Devlin addressing them, but the man in charge of the operation, named Kendall. He took a few minutes to briskly go over the upcoming manoeuvre once more.
Sydney felt like she was in a dream as she listened to him. This was the moment she had been waiting for. This was the moment her father, she and Vaughn had worked so hard for.
"Our tactical team will surround the Credit Dauphine building, which houses the target SD-6 office. Team will get as close to the perimeter as possible and disable the security system. On operational leader's call, teams around the globe, including yours, will raid all SD offices, Alliance headquarters, and partners' residences. Now, most SD-6 agents are desk-trained and won't fight back. But their security team will respond with lethal force. And they're the ones you'll want to take down."
Standing right beside her, Vaughn shot a look at Sydney, a look that clearly showed the moment's gravity. A look that conveyed both his hopes and his fears. She would have liked to be able to hug him, to tell him that they would be okay. But she couldn't, so she just returned his gaze for a couple of seconds before returning her attention on what Kendall was saying.
"People, it's a hazardous job. Do it well and come home."
XXX
Sydney and Vaughn were silently heading to the SUV that would take them to the Credit Dauphine building, both deep in their thoughts. But Vaughn knew that this moment was going to be their last one alone before the action began and there was something he wanted to say.
"Syd?"
She swiftly raised her head to look at him.
"Yeah?"
"Promise me you'll be careful. Promise me I'll wake up next to you tomorrow morning," he whispered, not wanting to be overheard by other agents.
"Oh, Vaughn…"
She paused briefly, trying to stay in control. The love she felt for him was just overwhelming.
"I promise you I'll be careful. But you know as well as I do that anything could go wrong tonight."
Seeing Vaughn's dejected expression, she quickly added:
"I'd like nothing more than to wake up next to you, Vaughn. Tomorrow and all the days after that."
A smile lightened his face and he was about to say something when the team leader approached them. He wanted to speak with Sydney, so Vaughn left them and continued to walk. Seconds later, he was joined by Weiss.
They took a dozen steps without talking, until Eric suddenly said:
"Okay, whenever you want to have that talk."
"What talk?" Vaughn looking at his friend with widened eyes. He was completely nonplussed.
"About that cologne or whatever the hell it is you're wearing."
"I'm not wearing any cologne."
"Well, something's going on. No man naturally smells as good as you do right now."
Vaughn sighed.
"It's aftershave. It's a new aftershave."
"Yeah well, I'd lighten up on it. Like to the point of non-use," Weiss deadpanned as they reached their black SUV.
Vaughn was too preoccupied to comment. As he climbed in, he could only pray everything would go well.
XXXXXX
Riding fast through the empty Los Angeles streets at this late hour, the CIA team made it to the SD-6 underground parking garage in only a few minutes.
As soon as his vehicle stopped, Vaughn jumped out and hurriedly cut the cable for the security camera. The whole team then ran into the building and headed to the elevator, at which point Sydney removed a panel from the control board and tripped a wire. Vaughn then proceeded to open the elevator doors.
Seconds later, the armed agents were positioned by an entranceway outside of the SD-6 offices, ready to begin the raid. They were only waiting for Kendall to give the command to move in.
At that moment, one concern gripped Sydney: she was hoping she wouldn't have to shoot anyone she knew. Those working for Security Section knew that SD-6 wasn't part of the CIA and she wouldn't hesitate to take them out. But what if an unsuspecting agent, maybe even Dixon, tried something? What would she do?
"You okay?" Vaughn asked, concerned, as the rest of the team pulled ski masks over their faces.
Once again, he demonstrated his ability to read her. But she needed to concentrate right now, they both did. So she resisted opening up to him.
"Yeah," she replied firmly before she pulled the mask over her face, too.
He nodded once, keeping his eyes on her a moment longer before pulling down his own mask. Sydney felt convinced he knew exactly what she was doing and was grateful he accepted it.
Seconds later, the team leader received the signal he was waiting for and the raid began.
XXX
While Sydney and the team moved in and began the raid, Marshall, still at work and unaware of what was happening, wheeled over to Dixon's desk.
"Hey, you want some, uh, pigs in a blanket?"
"No thanks," answered Dixon politely.
"What? Hey, nobody can resist a little pig in a blanket. They're hot, fresh out of the oven," he said as he took a bite. "I just got them at the little place across the street, you know, uh… It's funny how I have this photographic memory but can't even remember the name of that place, huh?"
Seeing that Dixon was still absorbed in the file in front of him, Marshall continued:
"We could have used Miss Bristow's help on this case tonight, huh?"
Dixon finally raised his head.
"Yeah. She's lucky her pager doesn't seem to be- what's going on?" he suddenly exclaimed as he saw agents wearing the usual CIA black tactical gear entering the room. Before he could even think about drawing his gun, men from Security Section started shooting at the intruders.
"Marshall, get down!" Dixon yelled as he grabbed his co-worker.
They got down on the floor to avoid being caught in the crossfire while Sydney separated from the rest of the group. As the team now came in on full charge, Sydney started running clear across the room, past the desks and turned a corner, heading down a hallway.
As she came in front of a glass door, she took off her mask.
She wanted to be the one to get Arvin Sloane and she wanted him to know it.
XXX
Sydney burst into the room, her gun pointed at Sloane. Seemingly still ignorant of the ongoing CIA operation inside the building, the SD-6 main man raised surprised eyes.
"What do- oh, Sydney."
He paused briefly, noting her automatic weapon and her black clothes, before adding:
"I see," he nodded, pressing his fingertips together and casting his eyes a little further.
Through the glass walls of his office, Sloane saw a few CIA men position themselves in front of the door, blocking any escape attempt on his part.
"When did you learn?" he asked calmly as he got up.
"The day you decided to kill my father."
Sloane nodded silently again.
"I considered you as my daughter, Sydney, that's why I didn't kill you right away. Now I see that I shouldn't have bothered with such considerations."
It was Sydney's turn to agree, with disgust lacing her voice.
"No, you shouldn't have."
Since there was nothing to add, Sydney motioned to the waiting agents by the door to come in. They did and wordlessly took Sloane away.
As she returned to the main office, Sydney could see that the raid had subsided. Only rare shots were being fired, computers and papers were lying on the floor and SD-6 employees were being handcuffed and led away.
The place was a picture of chaos and destruction.
On her left, Sydney could see a woman named Rachel, with whom she had worked for many years. Rachel cried as she was being handcuffed, about to be escorted out. Sydney took a step towards her, wanting to reassure her, to tell her that she had done nothing wrong. But at this moment, she noticed Marshall and Dixon. They both looked horrified as they were led out, as they begun to understand SD-6 wasn't a black ops division of the CIA.
Sydney walked up to them.
"Marshall, Dixon…"
It took a few seconds for them to react, to realise that Sydney was actually one of the intruders. Dixon looked at her with staggered eyes and said:
"Syd? What… You're involved in this?"
He just couldn't believe that his partner, the person he had trusted with his life for such a long time, could have had a secret agenda.
"Dixon, I'm sorry…" was all Sydney could think of saying.
"You knew and didn't tell me? How could you? I trusted you!" Dixon shouted as Marshall watched, still in shock.
"Believe me, I wanted to tell you, but it would have endangered you and your family."
"That wasn't your choice to make," he replied coldly.
"Dixon, I'm sorry. This will be over soon. I promise."
"Don't talk to me."
As her two friends were being escorted out, a saddened Sydney observed the devastation around her. SD-6 was now gone. The past seven years were gone, obliterated. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered that it had all been a lie, except maybe for the friendships she had forged with her co-workers. But would they ever forgive her? Even though she knew she had done the right thing by destroying the Alliance, she couldn't help thinking about all the pain she had caused to all those honest people who had thought they were working for their country.
Sydney exhaled loudly. She had to focus on the positive side of things.
Her father was now safe.
She and Vaughn were free.
Vaughn… Where was he now? Feeling apprehensive as she wondered how long it had been since she last saw him, she looked around the destroyed office, searching for him.
XXX
On the opposite side of the room, Vaughn took off his mask and silently surveyed the damage surrounding him. The building was now under the control of the CIA. They had succeeded.
As he glanced around, he caught sight of Sydney. Their eyes met and it was like a dam had broken inside of him. The world around ceased to exist and there was only the vision of her washing over him.
Swiftly, he walked towards her. She was probably thinking the same thing because she was coming to him, too. A fraction of second before she was engulfed by his open arms, he noticed her teary eyes. His heart broke for that brave, incredible woman he was now free to love in the face of the world. He held her tight and she responded immediately by capturing his waiting lips.
They couldn't let go of each other, only breathing when they had no choice to and immediately resuming their kissing. Nothing could've stopped them at this moment, and certainly not Eric Weiss.
XXX
All excited, Weiss approached to announce that they had succeeded in taking down SD-6, but he stopped dead when he saw Sydney and Vaughn in a tight embrace. He almost couldn't believe his eyes. Had he missed something? Last time he had checked, Sydney and Vaughn were friends again, but… Now Sydney shared Vaughn's feelings? He was about to tell them to stop but he finally realised that they now could do whatever they wanted. He smiled to himself, so ready to tease his friend about this movie-type kiss… In the meantime, he had news to deliver.
"Hey, guys… I just talked to the base, we did it. We kicked their asses," he said, but he didn't get any reaction. Sydney and Vaughn just kept on kissing, oblivious to his presence.
Amused, Weiss tried again to get their attention and repeated the good news.
"Hey... guys, did you hear what I said? Asses... kicked."
Realising his effort was futile, Eric conceded and walked away as Sydney and Vaughn continued to lose themselves in their passionate kiss.
When they finally stopped, they exchanged a shy smile. What had gotten into them, kissing like that for everybody to see?
"Let's get out of here," Sydney said.
"I'll take you home," Vaughn replied.
With a smile, she nodded.
