here's chapter four and happy new year's to all my readers! ^_^ the chapter's pretty short but here it is anyways. ^_^ don't forget to R&R!
Chapter Four
"Mission a failure…sir."
"What? What do you mean, failure?"
"The subject is still…walking, sir."
"Did she fight you?"
"Sort of…sir. Someone intervened."
"Who is this someone?"
"I…I don't know, sir."
"'I don't know' is not good enough. Hmm…someone obviously is watching over her as well. Nevertheless, I want the subject eliminated---along with her little guardian angels, whoever they may be---ASAP."
"Yes, sir."
"Don't fail me, Folken, or you'll disappear as quickly as Agent Bristow will."
"Yes, sir."
"I'm calling it a day," Will told his boss as he started packing his things into his briefcase. He felt like a drunkard for he had consumed over ten cups of coffee in the matter of the day. As much as he drank the coffee at remarkable rates, he couldn't say the same for his article. There was nothing that was coming into his mind.
It was a classic case of writer's block.
His boss rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Will," she told him grouchily. "There just better be an article for me tomorrow morning on this desk."
"Yes, ma'am," he told her but her back was already facing him. What a bitch, he thought sullenly. At the corner of his eyes, he could see Jenny etch towards him, looking dark and shy. He looked up from what he was doing and saw that she really was looking down. He sighed and stopped what he was doing. "What's wrong now, Jenny?"
"Oh, Will," she said passionately, "I feel so bad for yelling at you this morning."
"It's all right, Jenny," he told her as gently as he could.
"No, it's not!" she insisted, frowning miserably and bolting her fists up.
He suddenly felt guilty, and he felt it stab him in the heart. Will took a step forward and placed his hands on her sagging shoulders. The girl looked so unhappy over their little argument that morning. She looked so crushed and the sudden wave of guilt tripled on its own. "Hey, it's all right," he repeated gently with a smile. "It's no problem. Look, I got to get going now, just let go of the entire thing and we'll talk about this…over lunch tomorrow, okay?"
"Um…okay."
Will smiled. "Okay. Call me if there's a message for me, okay?"
She gave him a crisp salute. "Yes, sir!"
He tried hard not to roll his eyes as he lifted his briefcase and left.
You sure this information is reliable?
Of course I'm sure, what do you think I am, absent-minded?
Yes.
Let's not go there.
Agreed. Anyways, are you positive about the information?
I haven't failed you yet, Nads.
So don't start.
Okay, okay, I can't believe how low you think of me.
Trust me, you don't want to know how low I think of you.
Whatever. I know you're lying.
Do you? We're using a messenger for crying out loud!
I just know this stuff.
So what are you now, a technomage?
Maybe. Look, this is pretty serious info I got here. What are you going to do about it?
I don't know…tell my uncle, I suppose.
And what will he do? Tell the higher-ups about this? They won't listen to us. To you.
I'll make 'em.
How? You're not even in the CIA.
Not completely yet. My teacher and Uncle are almost ready to give the recommendation---if I don't screw up this little mission, that is.
Still, they'll start dissing you about your age and all.
Nonetheless, I will notify them…before we lose it all.
I won't stop you, Nads, but…be careful.
Trust me…I will.
Sydney did not know why she was roused out of bed in the early hours of the morning. She just got the "Joey's Pizza" wrong number, which was her signal to meet Vaughn at the abandoned warehouse. She was still half asleep but managed to drive the entire trip there. She wondered why Vaughn had called her; was it work-related or something otherwise? If it was something else, she had better hurry before she made Vaughn annoyed at the long wait---
It was probably work-related, she thought glumly.
She entered the silent warehouse. It was dark but not completely dark. She made her way across the corridor, her work all memorized out. It was a peculiar meeting place, but it was away from normal society where they wouldn't be recognized. In a way, it was as though they were excluded from civilization, in a world of their own. Away from her problems. Away from her life. Away from SD-6 and all the complications with them for a brief moment.
She saw Vaughn standing at his usual spot as their usual meeting place. He wasn't in his suit and it was clear he too was roused out of bed unwillingly. His hair was a lot messier than usual and his face was an aura of undying concern and worry, even underneath his unshaved face. This isn't good, she realized, noticing how fully awake she had become. Though he does look cute with the rugged look, she added slyly.
"Vaughn," she greeted, closing the gate behind her.
"Sydney," he greeted in a hoarse voice, "sorry about waking you up this early."
"It's all right," she lied with a brief smile, leaning on some craters. Inside, she could hear her inner voice growling at his untimely call for a meeting. Of all the things, it said, must you wake a tired woman for this? This has better be good.
Shut up, she told it. "What's up?"
He sighed. It was clear how heavy the things he was going to say were. "My informant's got some new information regarding the higher-ups in SD-6," he said softly. He rubbed his eye with the hilt of his hand. "Apparently, we're dealing with about five fractions in the entire system who want SD-6 for their own. Each one of them knows how SD-6 is running right now and the current political balances that they are dealing with. They know who's involved and what's coming in and out. God, they know the place inside out, practically!!! Each one with trump cards up their sleeves."
"Each one of them knows about me," she concurred.
He didn't want to confirm that but he didn't want to lie either. "Yes."
She sighed. "Well, that was certainly interesting."
"That's not all," he said gravely. "They've known the transactions going in and out. They know that there's a mole or two in SD-6 and they want them eradicated. And they certainly don't want the blood on their hands so they're keeping tight-lipped about it all. You got to be more careful. They're slowly moving their men into position against SD-6. They're waiting for the perfect moment to advance in. I don't know if Sloan's aware of this, but if he is, he'd better start some defence. Fast."
"I thought we were out to bring down SD-6."
"We are. But not like this, Sydney," he told her, sitting on his feet before her so their eyes would meet directly. "I mean, God, from what my informant can gather, these people are ruthless. They are far worse than SD-6, far deadlier, far more darker than them. We can't allow them to take over SD-6 by all means necessary."
She turned away, deep in thought.
Do the right thing, he urged her silently, wishing he could tell her a loud. Don't let your hate get in the way. Think it over, Sydney, do the right thing. "I'm sorry, Sydney," he said, hoping his voice was a little light-hearted than a moment ago, "if this is going to give you nightmares…"
She smiled reservedly and breathed in heavily. "What do I do?"
He sighed. Thank goodness. "I got orders---"
Suddenly, a gun went off.
Nads woke up with a start.
Her phone was ringing.
"Son of a bitch," she muttered, turning over her cot and drifting back to sleep.
Her cell phone rang again, playing "My Way or the Highway" by Limp Bizkit. She groaned out a colourful array of words as she turned back the other way and grabbed the cell phone. The lights were flashing and the call display read Weiss. Of course, she groaned unenthusiastically. Vaughn's little amusing friend who was more of a jack ass than a clown when it came to his jokes.
She turned on her cell. "What do you want?" she slurred with a hint of anger.
"Whoa, chill out, Xena."
"You have thirty seconds to tell me why the hell you're calling me or I hang up."
"Wait, wait! Hang on, girl---"
"Twenty-five seconds…"
"All right! Geez us…cripes, what's up with you?" he croaked unintelligibly. She couldn't help smiling; she loved to put Weiss on the spot. She considered it one of the reasons she was still alive. "Okay, okay. I've been trying to get a hold of Vaughn for a while…something came up on the SD-6 server that we hacked in some time ago and I thought he'd want to see it. Instead, his cell phone's like all wacked and I don't know where the hell he is!"
Uh-oh, she thought in distress.
"Nads, can you help me out here a bit and call him at his place?" he pleaded.
But Nads had already bounded off the bed and clamoured to the window. Her car wasn't parked where it was supposed to be. Tell me this isn't what I think it is, she prayed. She quickly brought up the spy camera program on her computer screen to see the assassin was not at the room he was currently residing in. She swore beneath his breath and checked another camera view. The street was empty under the street lights. She slammed her fist on the cold bench.
"Dammit, the hit man's on their tail!" she cried into the cell phone, her nerves all bright and alert now. "He must been at the warehouse to give Sydney some info that I passed on to him a few hours---dammit, he's crazy to even think of having a meeting this early in the morning! The hit man will know for sure that something's up and our entire mission will be going straight to hell before you can say 'What the freak?' Agh!" she yelled, slamming her fist against the wall again.
"Now what?" Weiss asked softly.
Nads breathed in slowly, carefully. She had to calm down. She brushed her dishevelled hair back and rocked herself back and forth, deep in thought. She forced her last reserves of calm upon her before speaking again to Weiss. It was partially his fault for bringing this all up to her, but it sounded as though he didn't have a choice here. "Look, I think I know where they're at. I'll go check it out while you try to plug up whatever problem you got going on there."
"But Vaughn's got to see this!"
"Call Sydney's dad and get him to look at it."
"But you can't go there alone! Standard protocol. And…um, you're a little on the young side."
Nads snorted derisively. "Who cares about that right now?" she demanded huskily, pulling on some pants over her boxers at the moment and searching for a hooded sweater. "I got a couple of tricks up my sleeve. Just call me if something goes wrong, all right?"
"Okay. But I don't like Agent Bristow," Weiss added with a squeal. "He scares me."
Nads shrugged. "Tough luck, Weiss."
"Be careful."
"Of course I will." How many times have I said that today? She asked herself as she closed her cell phone and pocketed it in her leather jacket. With one final defiant glare at the computer screen, she ran out the door with the car keys.
Chapter Four
"Mission a failure…sir."
"What? What do you mean, failure?"
"The subject is still…walking, sir."
"Did she fight you?"
"Sort of…sir. Someone intervened."
"Who is this someone?"
"I…I don't know, sir."
"'I don't know' is not good enough. Hmm…someone obviously is watching over her as well. Nevertheless, I want the subject eliminated---along with her little guardian angels, whoever they may be---ASAP."
"Yes, sir."
"Don't fail me, Folken, or you'll disappear as quickly as Agent Bristow will."
"Yes, sir."
"I'm calling it a day," Will told his boss as he started packing his things into his briefcase. He felt like a drunkard for he had consumed over ten cups of coffee in the matter of the day. As much as he drank the coffee at remarkable rates, he couldn't say the same for his article. There was nothing that was coming into his mind.
It was a classic case of writer's block.
His boss rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Will," she told him grouchily. "There just better be an article for me tomorrow morning on this desk."
"Yes, ma'am," he told her but her back was already facing him. What a bitch, he thought sullenly. At the corner of his eyes, he could see Jenny etch towards him, looking dark and shy. He looked up from what he was doing and saw that she really was looking down. He sighed and stopped what he was doing. "What's wrong now, Jenny?"
"Oh, Will," she said passionately, "I feel so bad for yelling at you this morning."
"It's all right, Jenny," he told her as gently as he could.
"No, it's not!" she insisted, frowning miserably and bolting her fists up.
He suddenly felt guilty, and he felt it stab him in the heart. Will took a step forward and placed his hands on her sagging shoulders. The girl looked so unhappy over their little argument that morning. She looked so crushed and the sudden wave of guilt tripled on its own. "Hey, it's all right," he repeated gently with a smile. "It's no problem. Look, I got to get going now, just let go of the entire thing and we'll talk about this…over lunch tomorrow, okay?"
"Um…okay."
Will smiled. "Okay. Call me if there's a message for me, okay?"
She gave him a crisp salute. "Yes, sir!"
He tried hard not to roll his eyes as he lifted his briefcase and left.
You sure this information is reliable?
Of course I'm sure, what do you think I am, absent-minded?
Yes.
Let's not go there.
Agreed. Anyways, are you positive about the information?
I haven't failed you yet, Nads.
So don't start.
Okay, okay, I can't believe how low you think of me.
Trust me, you don't want to know how low I think of you.
Whatever. I know you're lying.
Do you? We're using a messenger for crying out loud!
I just know this stuff.
So what are you now, a technomage?
Maybe. Look, this is pretty serious info I got here. What are you going to do about it?
I don't know…tell my uncle, I suppose.
And what will he do? Tell the higher-ups about this? They won't listen to us. To you.
I'll make 'em.
How? You're not even in the CIA.
Not completely yet. My teacher and Uncle are almost ready to give the recommendation---if I don't screw up this little mission, that is.
Still, they'll start dissing you about your age and all.
Nonetheless, I will notify them…before we lose it all.
I won't stop you, Nads, but…be careful.
Trust me…I will.
Sydney did not know why she was roused out of bed in the early hours of the morning. She just got the "Joey's Pizza" wrong number, which was her signal to meet Vaughn at the abandoned warehouse. She was still half asleep but managed to drive the entire trip there. She wondered why Vaughn had called her; was it work-related or something otherwise? If it was something else, she had better hurry before she made Vaughn annoyed at the long wait---
It was probably work-related, she thought glumly.
She entered the silent warehouse. It was dark but not completely dark. She made her way across the corridor, her work all memorized out. It was a peculiar meeting place, but it was away from normal society where they wouldn't be recognized. In a way, it was as though they were excluded from civilization, in a world of their own. Away from her problems. Away from her life. Away from SD-6 and all the complications with them for a brief moment.
She saw Vaughn standing at his usual spot as their usual meeting place. He wasn't in his suit and it was clear he too was roused out of bed unwillingly. His hair was a lot messier than usual and his face was an aura of undying concern and worry, even underneath his unshaved face. This isn't good, she realized, noticing how fully awake she had become. Though he does look cute with the rugged look, she added slyly.
"Vaughn," she greeted, closing the gate behind her.
"Sydney," he greeted in a hoarse voice, "sorry about waking you up this early."
"It's all right," she lied with a brief smile, leaning on some craters. Inside, she could hear her inner voice growling at his untimely call for a meeting. Of all the things, it said, must you wake a tired woman for this? This has better be good.
Shut up, she told it. "What's up?"
He sighed. It was clear how heavy the things he was going to say were. "My informant's got some new information regarding the higher-ups in SD-6," he said softly. He rubbed his eye with the hilt of his hand. "Apparently, we're dealing with about five fractions in the entire system who want SD-6 for their own. Each one of them knows how SD-6 is running right now and the current political balances that they are dealing with. They know who's involved and what's coming in and out. God, they know the place inside out, practically!!! Each one with trump cards up their sleeves."
"Each one of them knows about me," she concurred.
He didn't want to confirm that but he didn't want to lie either. "Yes."
She sighed. "Well, that was certainly interesting."
"That's not all," he said gravely. "They've known the transactions going in and out. They know that there's a mole or two in SD-6 and they want them eradicated. And they certainly don't want the blood on their hands so they're keeping tight-lipped about it all. You got to be more careful. They're slowly moving their men into position against SD-6. They're waiting for the perfect moment to advance in. I don't know if Sloan's aware of this, but if he is, he'd better start some defence. Fast."
"I thought we were out to bring down SD-6."
"We are. But not like this, Sydney," he told her, sitting on his feet before her so their eyes would meet directly. "I mean, God, from what my informant can gather, these people are ruthless. They are far worse than SD-6, far deadlier, far more darker than them. We can't allow them to take over SD-6 by all means necessary."
She turned away, deep in thought.
Do the right thing, he urged her silently, wishing he could tell her a loud. Don't let your hate get in the way. Think it over, Sydney, do the right thing. "I'm sorry, Sydney," he said, hoping his voice was a little light-hearted than a moment ago, "if this is going to give you nightmares…"
She smiled reservedly and breathed in heavily. "What do I do?"
He sighed. Thank goodness. "I got orders---"
Suddenly, a gun went off.
Nads woke up with a start.
Her phone was ringing.
"Son of a bitch," she muttered, turning over her cot and drifting back to sleep.
Her cell phone rang again, playing "My Way or the Highway" by Limp Bizkit. She groaned out a colourful array of words as she turned back the other way and grabbed the cell phone. The lights were flashing and the call display read Weiss. Of course, she groaned unenthusiastically. Vaughn's little amusing friend who was more of a jack ass than a clown when it came to his jokes.
She turned on her cell. "What do you want?" she slurred with a hint of anger.
"Whoa, chill out, Xena."
"You have thirty seconds to tell me why the hell you're calling me or I hang up."
"Wait, wait! Hang on, girl---"
"Twenty-five seconds…"
"All right! Geez us…cripes, what's up with you?" he croaked unintelligibly. She couldn't help smiling; she loved to put Weiss on the spot. She considered it one of the reasons she was still alive. "Okay, okay. I've been trying to get a hold of Vaughn for a while…something came up on the SD-6 server that we hacked in some time ago and I thought he'd want to see it. Instead, his cell phone's like all wacked and I don't know where the hell he is!"
Uh-oh, she thought in distress.
"Nads, can you help me out here a bit and call him at his place?" he pleaded.
But Nads had already bounded off the bed and clamoured to the window. Her car wasn't parked where it was supposed to be. Tell me this isn't what I think it is, she prayed. She quickly brought up the spy camera program on her computer screen to see the assassin was not at the room he was currently residing in. She swore beneath his breath and checked another camera view. The street was empty under the street lights. She slammed her fist on the cold bench.
"Dammit, the hit man's on their tail!" she cried into the cell phone, her nerves all bright and alert now. "He must been at the warehouse to give Sydney some info that I passed on to him a few hours---dammit, he's crazy to even think of having a meeting this early in the morning! The hit man will know for sure that something's up and our entire mission will be going straight to hell before you can say 'What the freak?' Agh!" she yelled, slamming her fist against the wall again.
"Now what?" Weiss asked softly.
Nads breathed in slowly, carefully. She had to calm down. She brushed her dishevelled hair back and rocked herself back and forth, deep in thought. She forced her last reserves of calm upon her before speaking again to Weiss. It was partially his fault for bringing this all up to her, but it sounded as though he didn't have a choice here. "Look, I think I know where they're at. I'll go check it out while you try to plug up whatever problem you got going on there."
"But Vaughn's got to see this!"
"Call Sydney's dad and get him to look at it."
"But you can't go there alone! Standard protocol. And…um, you're a little on the young side."
Nads snorted derisively. "Who cares about that right now?" she demanded huskily, pulling on some pants over her boxers at the moment and searching for a hooded sweater. "I got a couple of tricks up my sleeve. Just call me if something goes wrong, all right?"
"Okay. But I don't like Agent Bristow," Weiss added with a squeal. "He scares me."
Nads shrugged. "Tough luck, Weiss."
"Be careful."
"Of course I will." How many times have I said that today? She asked herself as she closed her cell phone and pocketed it in her leather jacket. With one final defiant glare at the computer screen, she ran out the door with the car keys.