Tomorrow's Promise
Disclaimer: Everything Alias is the property of JJ Abrams, Bad Robot Productions, ABC, and Touchstone. Please consider this a humble tribute to the genius of the Alias characters and plotlines. No harm intended.
The titles for some of the chapters are from Police songs. Again, no harm intended. The lyrics of these songs seemed to relate to the story I wanted to tell.
Rating: PG for mild language.
Archive: Please ask first.
Feedback: Appreciated, especially on writing techniques.
1 Chapter 6 - Visions
Sydney woke from a nightmare in a cold sweat. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind, but all that did was make her dizzy. She tried to make sense out of the images and thoughts racing through her mind.
She was filled with despair, anxiety, and anger but didn't know why. Scenes played endlessly in her mind: raging water; syringes filled with liquid; desperate running; guns; an office inside a cave; speeding vehicles; hand cuffs and chains; a bazaar in a foreign country; fist fights; an engagement ring.
And faces. The faces scared Sydney the most. She would see a person and desperately try to put that person in some kind of context. A young, blond- haired man in an expensive suit. A middle-aged woman with long brown hair and intense brown eyes. A middle-aged man with a salt and pepper beard and a smug smile. The face of a young man with striking hazel eyes trapped behind a small window. And the song Build Me Up Buttercup played on an endless loop. It was enough to drive her insane.
Sydney searched for anything in her mind that would explain the visions, the people, her life. She was unable to find any answers. Where was she? What time was it? What day was it?
Sydney moved her head rapidly as she looked for answers in her surroundings. Panic overwhelmed her as she realized that she was on an airborne plane, tied to a cot. The panic increased when she saw a man sitting on the floor staring at her.
Sydney wanted to scream out all her questions, "Who are you? Where am I? Who am I?" Her instincts, however, told her to remain silent.
Will watched Sydney as she struggled for consciousness. Perspiration began to form along her hairline and she started breathing erratically. She rolled her head from side to side and then suddenly opened her eyes. She pulled at the restraints and lifted her head up to look down at her wrists and ankles. Her face became pale as her fear was physically manifested.
When she finally made eye contact with Will, her eyes were wide and filled with fear. She was terrified and unable to disguise it. This was not at all what Will had expected. Sydney was the bravest person he knew. How could this woman who had leaped across tables to prevent his death possess such fear? Will much preferred her pulling a gun on him than being so terrified of him.
"Hey guys," Will called to Jack and Vaughn.
Vaughn, who had been sleeping fitfully on his cot, woke easily and quickly joined Will. He knelt down next to Will and looked in her eyes. Vaughn too was unaccustomed to seeing Sydney show fear.
He put on his warmest smile and said, "Hey Syd."
Sydney looked into Vaughn's eyes. She studied his face carefully. She recognized his face from one of the visions – the hazel eyes behind the window. The fear on Sydney's face was replaced with a puzzled look as she tried to put the pieces together.
"Do I know you?"
"Yes, you do," Vaughn replied.
"You tell me how I know you," Sydney challenged.
"He is one of your co-workers," Jack said.
Jack was standing behind Vaughn and Will. Sydney's anxiety level increased with his sudden appearance. He knelt down on the other side of Will. Seeing his daughter in such a state bothered Jack, but he maintained his usual stone cold exterior.
"Sydney, please relax. You're safe here with us. We have no intention of hurting you," Jack said softly.
"If you have no intention of hurting me, why am I tied up?" she asked.
"That is for our protection, as well as yours."
Sydney's emotions started fluctuating wildly. Her fear was quickly giving way to anger. One moment she was ready to burst into tears and beg for her life, and the next moment she was certain that she could give each of these men the ass kicking they deserved. One minute she was thinking of all the horrible things these men might be capable of and the next minute she was calmly thinking about how to get out of the restraints.
These emotions were so intense that the three men could see them. Her eyes, her face, every muscle in her body changed to match the emotion.
"That's a good one," Sydney spat. "It's for MY protection." She was mocking Jack.
"We're on our way home, Sydney. Once we get there we'll explain everything."
Sydney was becoming aggressive. "Why not just explain everything now?"
"You're not well. You're in the final stages of a serious infection. You're suffering hallucinations, fever dreams, and paranoia. The doctors have assured us that this is not unusual in cases like yours. Once you're completely cured, we'll explain what has been happening to you."
Sydney narrowed her eyes, clenched her jaw, and tensed every muscle in her body. "I don't believe you," she said in an icy tone.
Sydney pulled at the restraints with all her strength. She jerked and twisted her body as much as the restraints would allow. Will was startled by Sydney's actions. He leaned back as if he were trying to avoid Sydney's punches. He lost his balance and ended up falling backwards onto his butt. Vaughn also distanced himself slightly from her flailing. Jack remained beside her and waited calmly while she raged.
Once her strength was exhausted, Sydney's entire body relaxed. Her eyes became wide and glassy again. She stared out into nothingness.
"Sydney," Jack called her attention back to him. "Why don't you try and rest?"
"Okay," she said as she slid back into unconsciousness.
*****
"Jesus!" Will said after a few moments. "WHAT the hell was that?"
Jack moved away, leaving Vaughn to answer Will's question. "THAT is what we call a psychotic episode," Vaughn said. He moved back from the cot and joined Will on the floor. He brought his knees up and grasped his shins again.
"You guys told me she would wake up and want to kick ass. Instead she woke up some bizarre mix of Scarlet O'Hara and Bobby Knight!" Will said.
"Hence the term psychotic," Vaughn replied. The unexpected comment made Will chuckle.
Both men stared at Sydney. She was twitching and pulling at the restraints even though she was unconscious.
"What's happening to her?" Will asked.
Vaughn took a deep breath. "When drugs are used to brainwash, a combination of drugs are given at intervals over several days. The dosage starts small and increases gradually, peaking about half way through the process. Then the dosage is gradually decreased. Once the process is complete, a person's memory is stripped clean and you can start building them back up however you want.
"Now, if the process is interrupted at any point, especially near the peak, the person will go into withdrawal. What happens during the withdrawal depends on what drugs are used and, in some part, the person's physiology. But generally speaking, it is like any other drug withdrawal."
"So, that episode was normal? I mean, as far as withdrawals go?" Will asked.
"Well, no. I think they used some aggressive drugs on her. Her reaction was a bit extreme." The entire time Vaughn spoke, neither he nor Will moved his eyes from Sydney.
"Is she through the withdrawal now?" Will asked.
"I don't think we've seen the end of it yet."
"Swell," Will said.
They sat in silence for a while then Will said, "You ever…" he looked at Vaughn, "You know…" he bobbed his head towards Sydney.
Vaughn looked him in the eyes. "Experience brainwashing?"
Will nodded.
"Naw," Vaughn said. "I'm not a field agent."
"Oh," Will said. "Could have fooled me."
They returned their attention to Sydney. After several minutes of silence, Vaughn said, "So, you're in love with Sydney."
It was strange, but Will felt comfortable being totally honest with Vaughn, a man he hardly knew. Maybe it was because he was having the most bizarre experience of his life and Vaughn had been there to see him through part of it. Maybe it was because after seeing Vaughn in action Will respected him too much to lie to him. Maybe it was because he realized after all he had been through that he should not be ashamed of his feelings for Syd.
"Oh, yeah," Will said nodding his head hypnotically. "Have been for years."
Silence again.
"You too?" Will asked without taking his eyes off Sydney.
Vaughn hesitated before saying, "Naw, the Agency discourages that."
"That's good," Will nodded again. Will knew it was a lie, but he also knew why Vaughn had to do it.
Disclaimer: Everything Alias is the property of JJ Abrams, Bad Robot Productions, ABC, and Touchstone. Please consider this a humble tribute to the genius of the Alias characters and plotlines. No harm intended.
The titles for some of the chapters are from Police songs. Again, no harm intended. The lyrics of these songs seemed to relate to the story I wanted to tell.
Rating: PG for mild language.
Archive: Please ask first.
Feedback: Appreciated, especially on writing techniques.
1 Chapter 6 - Visions
Sydney woke from a nightmare in a cold sweat. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind, but all that did was make her dizzy. She tried to make sense out of the images and thoughts racing through her mind.
She was filled with despair, anxiety, and anger but didn't know why. Scenes played endlessly in her mind: raging water; syringes filled with liquid; desperate running; guns; an office inside a cave; speeding vehicles; hand cuffs and chains; a bazaar in a foreign country; fist fights; an engagement ring.
And faces. The faces scared Sydney the most. She would see a person and desperately try to put that person in some kind of context. A young, blond- haired man in an expensive suit. A middle-aged woman with long brown hair and intense brown eyes. A middle-aged man with a salt and pepper beard and a smug smile. The face of a young man with striking hazel eyes trapped behind a small window. And the song Build Me Up Buttercup played on an endless loop. It was enough to drive her insane.
Sydney searched for anything in her mind that would explain the visions, the people, her life. She was unable to find any answers. Where was she? What time was it? What day was it?
Sydney moved her head rapidly as she looked for answers in her surroundings. Panic overwhelmed her as she realized that she was on an airborne plane, tied to a cot. The panic increased when she saw a man sitting on the floor staring at her.
Sydney wanted to scream out all her questions, "Who are you? Where am I? Who am I?" Her instincts, however, told her to remain silent.
Will watched Sydney as she struggled for consciousness. Perspiration began to form along her hairline and she started breathing erratically. She rolled her head from side to side and then suddenly opened her eyes. She pulled at the restraints and lifted her head up to look down at her wrists and ankles. Her face became pale as her fear was physically manifested.
When she finally made eye contact with Will, her eyes were wide and filled with fear. She was terrified and unable to disguise it. This was not at all what Will had expected. Sydney was the bravest person he knew. How could this woman who had leaped across tables to prevent his death possess such fear? Will much preferred her pulling a gun on him than being so terrified of him.
"Hey guys," Will called to Jack and Vaughn.
Vaughn, who had been sleeping fitfully on his cot, woke easily and quickly joined Will. He knelt down next to Will and looked in her eyes. Vaughn too was unaccustomed to seeing Sydney show fear.
He put on his warmest smile and said, "Hey Syd."
Sydney looked into Vaughn's eyes. She studied his face carefully. She recognized his face from one of the visions – the hazel eyes behind the window. The fear on Sydney's face was replaced with a puzzled look as she tried to put the pieces together.
"Do I know you?"
"Yes, you do," Vaughn replied.
"You tell me how I know you," Sydney challenged.
"He is one of your co-workers," Jack said.
Jack was standing behind Vaughn and Will. Sydney's anxiety level increased with his sudden appearance. He knelt down on the other side of Will. Seeing his daughter in such a state bothered Jack, but he maintained his usual stone cold exterior.
"Sydney, please relax. You're safe here with us. We have no intention of hurting you," Jack said softly.
"If you have no intention of hurting me, why am I tied up?" she asked.
"That is for our protection, as well as yours."
Sydney's emotions started fluctuating wildly. Her fear was quickly giving way to anger. One moment she was ready to burst into tears and beg for her life, and the next moment she was certain that she could give each of these men the ass kicking they deserved. One minute she was thinking of all the horrible things these men might be capable of and the next minute she was calmly thinking about how to get out of the restraints.
These emotions were so intense that the three men could see them. Her eyes, her face, every muscle in her body changed to match the emotion.
"That's a good one," Sydney spat. "It's for MY protection." She was mocking Jack.
"We're on our way home, Sydney. Once we get there we'll explain everything."
Sydney was becoming aggressive. "Why not just explain everything now?"
"You're not well. You're in the final stages of a serious infection. You're suffering hallucinations, fever dreams, and paranoia. The doctors have assured us that this is not unusual in cases like yours. Once you're completely cured, we'll explain what has been happening to you."
Sydney narrowed her eyes, clenched her jaw, and tensed every muscle in her body. "I don't believe you," she said in an icy tone.
Sydney pulled at the restraints with all her strength. She jerked and twisted her body as much as the restraints would allow. Will was startled by Sydney's actions. He leaned back as if he were trying to avoid Sydney's punches. He lost his balance and ended up falling backwards onto his butt. Vaughn also distanced himself slightly from her flailing. Jack remained beside her and waited calmly while she raged.
Once her strength was exhausted, Sydney's entire body relaxed. Her eyes became wide and glassy again. She stared out into nothingness.
"Sydney," Jack called her attention back to him. "Why don't you try and rest?"
"Okay," she said as she slid back into unconsciousness.
*****
"Jesus!" Will said after a few moments. "WHAT the hell was that?"
Jack moved away, leaving Vaughn to answer Will's question. "THAT is what we call a psychotic episode," Vaughn said. He moved back from the cot and joined Will on the floor. He brought his knees up and grasped his shins again.
"You guys told me she would wake up and want to kick ass. Instead she woke up some bizarre mix of Scarlet O'Hara and Bobby Knight!" Will said.
"Hence the term psychotic," Vaughn replied. The unexpected comment made Will chuckle.
Both men stared at Sydney. She was twitching and pulling at the restraints even though she was unconscious.
"What's happening to her?" Will asked.
Vaughn took a deep breath. "When drugs are used to brainwash, a combination of drugs are given at intervals over several days. The dosage starts small and increases gradually, peaking about half way through the process. Then the dosage is gradually decreased. Once the process is complete, a person's memory is stripped clean and you can start building them back up however you want.
"Now, if the process is interrupted at any point, especially near the peak, the person will go into withdrawal. What happens during the withdrawal depends on what drugs are used and, in some part, the person's physiology. But generally speaking, it is like any other drug withdrawal."
"So, that episode was normal? I mean, as far as withdrawals go?" Will asked.
"Well, no. I think they used some aggressive drugs on her. Her reaction was a bit extreme." The entire time Vaughn spoke, neither he nor Will moved his eyes from Sydney.
"Is she through the withdrawal now?" Will asked.
"I don't think we've seen the end of it yet."
"Swell," Will said.
They sat in silence for a while then Will said, "You ever…" he looked at Vaughn, "You know…" he bobbed his head towards Sydney.
Vaughn looked him in the eyes. "Experience brainwashing?"
Will nodded.
"Naw," Vaughn said. "I'm not a field agent."
"Oh," Will said. "Could have fooled me."
They returned their attention to Sydney. After several minutes of silence, Vaughn said, "So, you're in love with Sydney."
It was strange, but Will felt comfortable being totally honest with Vaughn, a man he hardly knew. Maybe it was because he was having the most bizarre experience of his life and Vaughn had been there to see him through part of it. Maybe it was because after seeing Vaughn in action Will respected him too much to lie to him. Maybe it was because he realized after all he had been through that he should not be ashamed of his feelings for Syd.
"Oh, yeah," Will said nodding his head hypnotically. "Have been for years."
Silence again.
"You too?" Will asked without taking his eyes off Sydney.
Vaughn hesitated before saying, "Naw, the Agency discourages that."
"That's good," Will nodded again. Will knew it was a lie, but he also knew why Vaughn had to do it.