"To begin with," Sloane said, beginning the meeting, "I would like to introduce our new agent, Mr. Andrew Sark." Sark gave the group a small wave that made Sydney's eyes narrow. "He will be working as a field agent, and most likely will be working with Dixon and Sydney." Sydney hid her horror at the thought of working with Sark, but not before Sark caught her gaze and smiled.
"Now, for the bad news," Sloane said, facing the group with a grave smile. "We have found a mole in our office." Sydney looked at Sloane surprised. "Agent Roderick turned out to be an agent of the Alliance. At this point, we're not sure of the extent of damage he has made, but we want to make sure that if any of you have any information about Roderick or anyone else, please report it to security section." Sydney couldn't believe it. She and Roderick had been good friends. Sydney never thought that he could possibly be a traitor.
"Sydney?" Sydney turned her thoughts back to Sloane when she realized that he was talking to her.
"Yes?"
"You feeling okay?" Sloane asked with concern.
"Yes, much better," Sydney replied earnestly.
"Good, because I'm sending you, Dixon, and Sark to Morocco. Apparently one of our clients has documentation that shows who Agent Roderick was contacting within the Alliance. Agent Sark and Agent Bristow will meet our client and obtain the tape. Dixon, you'll work tech. You leave tomorrow morning."
* * *
"Agent Kendall," Vaughn said running briskly into Kendall's office, a folder in hand. Kendall hung up the phone and turned to face him.
'Yes, Agent Vaughn?" Kendall asked, looking slightly annoyed at the interruption.
"We've got information about SD-6's next mission. They're apparently sending out three agents to Morocco to recover a tape that shows a meeting between Agent Grayson and me. Sir, if they get that tape-"
"They won't. When are they leaving?" Kendall interrupted.
"Tomorrow morning."
"Then you will leave tonight. You know who the client is that they're meeting?" Vaughn nodded. "Find their contact and get the tape before the SD-6 agents do."
"Good luck, Agent Vaughn." Vaughn gave Kendall a brief nod and headed out the door. He walked out the room and took a deep breath. This was not a mission he could afford to mess up on. If SD-6 got that tape, than his life would be in grave danger.
MOROCCO
Vaughn looked all around him as he stood with his back against the hotel's brick building. Night had fallen, and in order to blend, Vaughn was dressed in all black with a ski mask over his head. He took out his rope gun and aimed for the roof of the building. He fired and when he heard it cling, he gave it a tug to make sure it was secure. He then took off the hold button, which left him hundreds of feet above the ground as he headed for the eleventh floor.
Counting windows he soon found himself face-to-face with the window that was designated as belonging to Mehjan Kalmean, SD-6's client. He put the hold back on hold, and stood on the windowsill. The blinds had been closed, which made his life easier. He removed a small laser from the black belt he was wearing and made a hole just big enough for him to fit through as he gently set the removed glass against the window.
Quietly he slipped into the room, being careful not to make any noises or get tangled up in the curtain too much. He removed his gun from its holster as he finally found the curtain's exit and stepped into the room. All the lights were out as he found himself standing in the "living room" of this massive hotel suite. Vaughn knew that it would be useless for him to search the living room for the tape, Kalmean most likely kept the tape with him in his bedroom.
Vaughn started moving towards the door on his left, hoping it was the bedroom. Upon reaching it, he grabbed the knob and turned it slowly. This was indeed the bedroom. He could make out the form of Kalmean himself, lying asleep in bed. Vaughn decided his best bet would be an up front confrontation. He didn't have time to waste.
Vaughn headed to the bed and pulled out the cord to the telephone. Then he turned on the light and at the same time released the release on his gun and held it at the man's temple. Kalmean awoke with a start.
"Don't move or you'll be dead before you can say the letter 'I.'" Vaughn threatened. "You had a tape that you planned on giving to two SD-6 agents. Where is it?" Vaughn asked.
"I do not have it!" The man rushed out in accented English. "A man. A man is supposed to meet me before our meeting and give me the tape."
Damn, Vaughn thought. "Does this man have a name?"
"I do not know his name. Please don't hurt me," he cried out pitifully.
"Listen clearly to what I'm about to say. SD-6 is not to get a hold of that tape. You will give it to me," Vaughn ordered.
"I cannot!" Kalmean protested. "If I do not do as they ask, they will surely kill me."
Vaughn thought for a second, and decided to be honest with the man. "Look, I work for the CIA. If you give me the tape I can assure you protection in the WPP, but if SD-6 obtains it, I can't be responsible for your safety. Those are your only choices. Think about it." Vaughn hit the man with the gun just behind the ear with the butt of his gun, and the man lost consciousness. Vaughn headed for the window and without worrying about the glass, he headed back down to the ground and disappeared into the darkness.
* * *
"I must say, Agent Bristow, that that outfit is very becoming," Sark commented as Sydney stepped out of the women's bathroom. Sydney glared at Sark. She knew she that she looked good in her satin and sequin blue dress with the low neckline and pearl necklace, but she didn't want Sark commenting on it.
"I would say the same about you, but I don't feel like lying right now," Sydney said with a smile. Sark looked down at his black tux.
"You don't think this outfit shows off my muscles and excellent taste in style?" Sark asked, pretending to be hurt.
Sydney smirked. "Nope, only your ego, and that is definitely not appealing." The morning plane ride had placed the two of them in Morocco in the evening. Their client was to meet them at nine in a conference room down the hall from where the ballroom was, but the dance remained their cover.
They still had a half an hour till they had to meet their client, which unfortunately meant that Sydney had to spend time in the ballroom with Sark.
"Shall we go, Madame?" Sark asked holding out his arm. Sydney didn't reach for his hand.
"We shall," Sydney said as she strode past him and headed down the hall. "Can you hear us Dixon?" Sydney asked into her com as Sark struggled to catch up with her.
"Loud and clear," Dixon said. "I've got a question though. Are you sure you and Sark aren't brother and sister?"
Sydney glanced over at Sark who smiled at Dixon's comment. "Keep your mind on the mission Dixon," Sydney said ignoring his question.
She and Sark headed into the hotel's ballroom that was decorated quite extravagantly. A grand chandelier hung from the ceiling over the dancers. The whole style of the room seemed to be targeted towards the wealthy with its gold colored decorations. A small bar was set up at the far end of the room that offered wines and champagnes along with various appetizers.
Unfortunately all the songs involved some sort of physical touching of which the very idea made her cringe. "Are you sure you can't come in here and take Sark's place?" Sydney asked Dixon. She heard him laugh.
"Sorry, Syd. Wish I could." The band began playing a slow song and Sark swept Sydney up in his arms as he slipped his hands around her waist.
"If you don't move your hands more north, I swear I'm going to kick your ass here and now," Sydney said through gritted teeth. Fortunately Sark replied to her demand, as Sydney slipped her arms around his neck. She did manage to leave plenty of space between her and Sark, which made her very happy.
"See, this isn't so bad," Sark whispered into her ear.
"That's what you think," Sydney whispered back. As soon as the song ended, Sydney broke out of Sark's grasp and headed towards the bar. On the way towards the bar however, Dixon came on over the com.
"Guys, I just got word that the debriefing room back home was bugged. Which means that whoever was listening may be there to retrieve the tape and cover their ass. I suggest you go to the meeting place early," Dixon told them quickly.
"Copy that," Sydney said. She and Sark changed their course and headed out into the hotel hallway. They took a left and found themselves standing in front of a door. A small plaque on the left side read "Conference Room A12."
Sydney opened the door and she and Sark entered the room. It was empty. Sark checked his watch.
"We've got ten minutes till our contact arrives," Sark commented. Sydney shrugged.
"We've got be on the look out in case the Alliance sent any men to retrieve the tape," Sydney said.
Sark nodded and found himself a seat in one of the cushioned conference chairs. Neither of them said anything, even though there were questions that Sydney wanted answering. Finally curiosity overpowered her.
"What the hell happened in Saudia Arabia?" She asked, watching Sark for his reaction.
"Oh come now, Agent Bristow," Sark said, his English accent treating her like she was a child. "It was just a little fun."
"Fun? You attempt to kill me when in the end it turns out that we work for the same people," Sydney said angrily.
"I wanted to see what the great Sydney Bristow was all about. Indeed, your skills are impressive. I hope the lamp didn't hurt you too much, but I did need a getaway," Sark said smiling. Sydney just glared at him, trying not to give him that satisfaction of answering.
Just then, the doorknob to the conference room started to turn and Sydney went for the gun that was held by a holster around her leg. A Spanish man with a black mustache and hair walked into the room. He was short, just a few inches under Sydney. He looked nervous.
"You have the tape?" Sydney asked him.
"Si," he replied, pulling out the tape and handing it to her. "But I must warn you comrades. Someone who claimed to be apart of the CIA approached me last night. He threatened to kill me if I gave you the tape."
Sydney looked at Sark. "Don't worry. He is not after you. He wants the tape. You head back to the ball." Sark stood up and Sydney stuck the tape down in the front of her dress. She nodded to Sark, "Let's go."
Sark opened the doors to the conference room, keeping an inconspicuous eye out for anyone who might be watching them. "Dixon are you ready for extraction?"
"Copy that Syd, meet you out back." The two of them started heading for the back when they heard a gun shot.
Sydney knew what had happened. The contact had been shot. Sark and Sydney increased their speed to a run when they saw two security guards heading down the hall, right towards them. "Split up!" Sydney yelled as she dove down the hallway to her right, and Sark went left. "Dixon can you tell me what is going on?"
"Someone's contacted security. They're on the look out for you two," Dixon answered. Crap.
Sydney went left and right, and right again, and paused. She didn't hear anyone following her, but just when she was about to go down a the hallway to her left she heard the safety being released on a gun somewhere very close behind her.