Summary: Sydney returns home to learn that she and a special companion will soon be taking down SD-6 for good...
Shattered Snowglobe, chapter 8
Sydney Bristow awoke to the sun's bright rays streaming through the windowpane.
She drowsily dragged herself to the bathroom, splashing her face with lukewarm water to wash away her dried tears.
She looked at herself long and hard in the mirror.
"I can't do it," she thought, her mind set on returning home. "I can't stay here any longer."
Just days prior, she had considered quitting SD-6. Now, that seemed like a foolish copout. SD-6 had double crossed her, and now she knew that they had double crossed her mother.
Double crossing Sydney was one thing. She could fend for herself. But no one messed with her mother, especially since she was no longer here to defend herself.
"Sloane is going to pay," she said to her reflection through clenched teeth.
-------
Sydney had called for a cab on her cell phone. She left the cottage, not bothering to clean up from her hunt. She now waited in the airport for the next flight to Los Angeles.
She was tired, disheveled, and hungry. But she didn't care.
Her flight was finally called, and Sydney boarded the plane full of resolve.
-------
When she emerged from the 747 twelve hours later, she almost walked right past Vaughn, who was standing in front of a nearby newsstand. Sydney stopped next to him and pretended to leaf through the new issue of Vogue.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed.
"Our computers traced that you had booked a flight back. Your father told me where you went - and he told me about your mother," Vaughn whispered.
Sydney had to fight hard to keep back her tears. "I'll meet you at the old mine outside of town in two hours," she said, knowing that the warehouse was out of the question. "Sloane won't know I'm back, so surveillance shouldn't be a problem," she muttered before rushing off.
Vaughn could see her wipe away a tear as she wove herself through the crowd.
-------
Sydney drove to the abandoned mine an hour and a half later, freshly showered, changed, and fed.
She turned on the radio to calm her nerves. The DJ announced, "this next song is called `Spies' by Coldplay! Enjoy!"
"I awake to find no peace of mind,
I said how can you live as a fugitive?
Down here, where I cannot see so clear..."
The lyrics trailed off as Sydney shut off her radio. "How appropriate," she mused sadly.
She pulled up in front of the mine and parked. Vaughn was already there.
She emerged from the car and was engulfed by Vaughn's comforting arms. But Sydney couldn't cry any more.
They stood embracing, sharing in a mutually understood silent reverie.
Sydney finally broke the silence.
"We have to take them down," she commanded, "soon."
"Well then I have good news for you," he smiled. Sydney pulled away and raised one eyebrow, silently urging him to continue.
"The CIA received some intel last night while you were still in Oslo," he began. "We checked it out and everything has been confirmed. The Alliance is meeting a week from today in Milan. Sloane thinks that he and your father are going to that meeting. However, since Sloane is not a top Alliance member, he is unaware of what goes on in the Alliance meetings. Your father, being a member, is. We are sending eleven other agents to replace the other real agents in a fake meeting, at a different location - Athens. Your father has already given Sloane all the fake intel about the meeting. Basically, the CIA is going to have a sting like never before. The agents posing as Alliance members will demand everything from Sloane, his client list, his budget expenses, his payroll, even many of the contents of his vault, and Sloane won't suspect a thing. The agents will send the information back to you while Sloane is still staying in Athens, and you will take everything from the SD-6
headquarters. Then the CIA can capture anyone on any of his lists, plus we'll have all his weapons and other toys." Vaughn let out a huge breath when he was finally finished.
Sydney was bursting with joy. This was the moment she had been waiting for. She was going to take down that bastard Sloane. But there were still a few bases to cover.
"I can't possibly do all that alone," she said.
"Ah, that's where I come in," he winked. "I'm going in with you. We're going to take SD-6 down together." Grins spread across both of their faces, and Vaughn pulled Sydney closer for a deep kiss.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Shattered Snowglobe, chapter 8
Sydney Bristow awoke to the sun's bright rays streaming through the windowpane.
She drowsily dragged herself to the bathroom, splashing her face with lukewarm water to wash away her dried tears.
She looked at herself long and hard in the mirror.
"I can't do it," she thought, her mind set on returning home. "I can't stay here any longer."
Just days prior, she had considered quitting SD-6. Now, that seemed like a foolish copout. SD-6 had double crossed her, and now she knew that they had double crossed her mother.
Double crossing Sydney was one thing. She could fend for herself. But no one messed with her mother, especially since she was no longer here to defend herself.
"Sloane is going to pay," she said to her reflection through clenched teeth.
-------
Sydney had called for a cab on her cell phone. She left the cottage, not bothering to clean up from her hunt. She now waited in the airport for the next flight to Los Angeles.
She was tired, disheveled, and hungry. But she didn't care.
Her flight was finally called, and Sydney boarded the plane full of resolve.
-------
When she emerged from the 747 twelve hours later, she almost walked right past Vaughn, who was standing in front of a nearby newsstand. Sydney stopped next to him and pretended to leaf through the new issue of Vogue.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed.
"Our computers traced that you had booked a flight back. Your father told me where you went - and he told me about your mother," Vaughn whispered.
Sydney had to fight hard to keep back her tears. "I'll meet you at the old mine outside of town in two hours," she said, knowing that the warehouse was out of the question. "Sloane won't know I'm back, so surveillance shouldn't be a problem," she muttered before rushing off.
Vaughn could see her wipe away a tear as she wove herself through the crowd.
-------
Sydney drove to the abandoned mine an hour and a half later, freshly showered, changed, and fed.
She turned on the radio to calm her nerves. The DJ announced, "this next song is called `Spies' by Coldplay! Enjoy!"
"I awake to find no peace of mind,
I said how can you live as a fugitive?
Down here, where I cannot see so clear..."
The lyrics trailed off as Sydney shut off her radio. "How appropriate," she mused sadly.
She pulled up in front of the mine and parked. Vaughn was already there.
She emerged from the car and was engulfed by Vaughn's comforting arms. But Sydney couldn't cry any more.
They stood embracing, sharing in a mutually understood silent reverie.
Sydney finally broke the silence.
"We have to take them down," she commanded, "soon."
"Well then I have good news for you," he smiled. Sydney pulled away and raised one eyebrow, silently urging him to continue.
"The CIA received some intel last night while you were still in Oslo," he began. "We checked it out and everything has been confirmed. The Alliance is meeting a week from today in Milan. Sloane thinks that he and your father are going to that meeting. However, since Sloane is not a top Alliance member, he is unaware of what goes on in the Alliance meetings. Your father, being a member, is. We are sending eleven other agents to replace the other real agents in a fake meeting, at a different location - Athens. Your father has already given Sloane all the fake intel about the meeting. Basically, the CIA is going to have a sting like never before. The agents posing as Alliance members will demand everything from Sloane, his client list, his budget expenses, his payroll, even many of the contents of his vault, and Sloane won't suspect a thing. The agents will send the information back to you while Sloane is still staying in Athens, and you will take everything from the SD-6
headquarters. Then the CIA can capture anyone on any of his lists, plus we'll have all his weapons and other toys." Vaughn let out a huge breath when he was finally finished.
Sydney was bursting with joy. This was the moment she had been waiting for. She was going to take down that bastard Sloane. But there were still a few bases to cover.
"I can't possibly do all that alone," she said.
"Ah, that's where I come in," he winked. "I'm going in with you. We're going to take SD-6 down together." Grins spread across both of their faces, and Vaughn pulled Sydney closer for a deep kiss.
TO BE CONTINUED...