NOTE: Thank you to anyone who reviewed chapter one. I really appreciated
all the pointers you have given me. As I said before, I haven't watched
much of Alias, and I know that I will make mistakes. I really appreciate
reviews that can help me out in any way. I will stalk sky one until they
show reruns of Alias, until then, I have two episodes to go before the
series finishes on my TV. That makes it four episodes in all! (*does
happy dance*)
Thanks again.
CHAPTER TWO
Sydney stood just inside the entrance to the hospital, cradling her arm. It was covered with a white cast. Outside, the snow had been falling heavily. A blanket of white snow covered the entrance to the busy hospital. She watched as a janitor spread salt over the sidewalk. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a modest black car drive slowly to the entrance. It slowed down discreetly enough for her to realise it was for her.
Walking to the car carefully over the snow, she opened the back door with her good hand, and slid in gently. The throbbing in her arm was getting worse, as she had refused to be given drugs to stop the pain. She had to be completely aware of what was going on. Whether she wanted to admit it to herself or not, there was someone after her. She hoped Vaughn had found a lead. What good was working for the CIA, if they can't find out who's stalking you?
The driver of the car was someone Sydney had seen in the offices of the CIA before, but never really talked to. She wasn't sure if she should talk, but did so anyway. Leaning forward, she spoke quietly.
"So, where are we going?"
"I've to take you to the airport. You'll meet the agent assigned to you there. You' will be with him on the flight. He'll be sitting beside you." There was a long silence. "Tickets are in your case."
"Ok." Sydney sat back in the seat, and closed her eyes. Everything had happened so fast. She was being carried off somewhere out of the way, while her position with SD-6 was in jeopardy. She had worked hard to ensure her own safety, and the safety of everyone else. Now someone was threatening her with exposure. She wanted to know who, and more importantly, why. She couldn't think straight, with the constant throbbing in her arm.
Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep. The driver pulled into the airport a few minutes later. He left the car, and opened the trunk for her suitcase. Another Agent had packed it for her. She hadn't even visited her home since coming back from Barcelona. He lifted it from the trunk, and set it carefully down on the sidewalk beside the entrance. It was snowing heavily, and the driver was covered in snow. Sydney was still asleep, as he opened her door.
"Ms. Bristow?"
She stirred, but didn't open her eyes.
"Ms. Bristow? We're here."
He leaned over, and shook her shoulder. This time she woke. "What… Oh, sorry." Sydney stepped out the car, rubbing her eyes with one hand. "Thanks." The snow was settling softly on her hair, as she looked at the case.
"No problem. Do you want me to put this on a trolley for you?" He motioned to her cast. "Is it broken?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Hairline fracture. It's ok, I'll take it." Lifting the handle of the case, she started to wheel it away from the car. Brushing snow off his lapel, he watched her leave.
"Good Luck."
She smiled, and walked into the airport. Shaking the snow from her hair, she realized that she had no idea where she was going. Sydney leaned over and pulled an envelope from the side pouch on the case. Trying to lift the flap with one hand was difficult, so she sat it against the case, and tipped out the contents. Instead of there being tickets, there was one piece of white paper, with a note scribbled.
*Meet at the 'I'. No need for alarm.*
Sydney recognized the handwriting instantly, and turned to walk outside. The large sign at the front of the building was 'airport', and she walked to the spot just under the 'I'. She knew whom to look for. He drove up moments later, and she watched the car door open to the sleek black spider convertible, and Vaughn stepped out. He wasn't smiling, but she knew that he was glad to see her. He still wore his suit, which by now was crinkled. He hadn't been home all night.
"Hey" He almost whispered, walking up to her. He tried to take the case from her hand, but she pulled it back.
"Hi. The doctor says I've got a hairline fracture." He steadied her, as they stepped out on to the snow. "He also says I have a mild concussion, but that it's nothing to worry about." He placed his hand on the small of her back, as she stepped over a not-yet-salted piece of ground.
"That's what you get for fighting with a K-Directorate Agent." He guided her slowly to the passenger door.
"It was a security guard." Opening the door, she stepped carefully inside.
"It was K-Directorate."
"It was a sec…" He closed the door on her, mid-sentence. She rolled her eyes, as he stepped around the snow, to his side of the car. He put the case in the trunk, and walked to his door. Sliding slightly, he managed to steady himself by holding on to the car. The car door opened, and he slid inside.
"Ok. Sorry for the change of plan. The CIA doesn't want a lot of people knowing where you're going." He started the engine.
"They're doing a good job, because I don't even know where I'm going." She watched him laugh, and raised her eyebrow. "Well? Where am I going?"
"Somewhere safe." Pulling out of the space on to the road, he indicated to go right.
"Can't you just tell me?"
"No." The traffic was quite sparse, so Vaughn sped through the lanes.
"Why not?"
"It's more fun this way." He chuckled, but stopped almost straight away.
"Fun? It's not fun. It's terrible. I don't know where I'm going, why I'm going, or who I'm going with." She sat back in the seat, exasperated. No one had a clue.
"I can answer the last two. You're going away because someone, we don't know who, has threatened to expose…"
"I know that. I want to know why."
"Because you're a double agent. People don't like double agents." He looked at her out the corner of his eye. "I don't think its anything personal to you, but there's definitely something there that we're overlooking."
"Ya think?" She replied, sarcasm dripping from her words.
"And you'll be going with me. I've been told to keep you out the way. Well… not out the way…" He corrected himself, as he watched her get angry. "Just safe. I've to keep you safe."
"I can look after myself Vaughn. You weren't there to hold my hand any other time."
"This is different. This is going in blind. We have to be very careful. I don't want you getting hurt."
"I don't get hurt."
He eyed her cast before he spoke again. "Of course you don't. You're made of steel."
"Whatever. So how come you're with me on this? They would frown on you being with me normally." Secretly, she was glad Vaughn was with her. He was someone to talk to. She trusted him… She l… The thought stopped abruptly. She couldn't even finish it in her own head. It was over the line, even for her to think it.
"Their reasoning for putting me on the case, is that I know you best out of the whole team. They know I wouldn't be the one to threaten you with exposure. They said I was too… involved. I would be the only sure bet to protect you. They… we really care about you, Sydney."
Sydney looked down. "When it suits them, yes." She looked at him honestly, and asked in a small voice. "So you definitely wouldn't threaten me?"
Vaughn almost crashed the car. "What?!? Ofcourse not!!!" He glanced at her, shocked. "How could you even ask me that!" He was breathing heavily. "I… I could never do that to you!" The car weaved slightly on the road, as he glanced back and forth between Sydney and the road. Sydney took a deep breath. He had given her the answer she needed.
"I'm sorry… I had to ask. I have no idea what's really going on." Suddenly, a though occurred to her. "What about SD-6? When they know I'm not there…"
"Your father's taken care of it. He said he would say you were ill. Don't worry. We've got everything covered…"
"Yeah, everything except the actual threat."
He threw her an irked look. "We're doing our best, Syd. Until we find out, you and I have to be somewhere safe. You have a broken arm. It's not as if you will be able to fight your way out of a confrontation."
"I could kick your ass." She laughed.
"Careful. I wouldn't be too confident if I were you." He smiled at her, a mischievous twinkle in his green eyes.
She smiled back, and settled down into the seat. "Let me know when we get there." Closing her eyes, she began to snooze.
"We'll get there. I promise." Vaughn reached into the back, and pulled a soft blanket out. With one hand steering, he used the other to drape it across Sydney. "Sleep tight."
*****
Chapter three will be up soon. Hope to see your reviews!
Thanks again.
CHAPTER TWO
Sydney stood just inside the entrance to the hospital, cradling her arm. It was covered with a white cast. Outside, the snow had been falling heavily. A blanket of white snow covered the entrance to the busy hospital. She watched as a janitor spread salt over the sidewalk. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a modest black car drive slowly to the entrance. It slowed down discreetly enough for her to realise it was for her.
Walking to the car carefully over the snow, she opened the back door with her good hand, and slid in gently. The throbbing in her arm was getting worse, as she had refused to be given drugs to stop the pain. She had to be completely aware of what was going on. Whether she wanted to admit it to herself or not, there was someone after her. She hoped Vaughn had found a lead. What good was working for the CIA, if they can't find out who's stalking you?
The driver of the car was someone Sydney had seen in the offices of the CIA before, but never really talked to. She wasn't sure if she should talk, but did so anyway. Leaning forward, she spoke quietly.
"So, where are we going?"
"I've to take you to the airport. You'll meet the agent assigned to you there. You' will be with him on the flight. He'll be sitting beside you." There was a long silence. "Tickets are in your case."
"Ok." Sydney sat back in the seat, and closed her eyes. Everything had happened so fast. She was being carried off somewhere out of the way, while her position with SD-6 was in jeopardy. She had worked hard to ensure her own safety, and the safety of everyone else. Now someone was threatening her with exposure. She wanted to know who, and more importantly, why. She couldn't think straight, with the constant throbbing in her arm.
Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep. The driver pulled into the airport a few minutes later. He left the car, and opened the trunk for her suitcase. Another Agent had packed it for her. She hadn't even visited her home since coming back from Barcelona. He lifted it from the trunk, and set it carefully down on the sidewalk beside the entrance. It was snowing heavily, and the driver was covered in snow. Sydney was still asleep, as he opened her door.
"Ms. Bristow?"
She stirred, but didn't open her eyes.
"Ms. Bristow? We're here."
He leaned over, and shook her shoulder. This time she woke. "What… Oh, sorry." Sydney stepped out the car, rubbing her eyes with one hand. "Thanks." The snow was settling softly on her hair, as she looked at the case.
"No problem. Do you want me to put this on a trolley for you?" He motioned to her cast. "Is it broken?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Hairline fracture. It's ok, I'll take it." Lifting the handle of the case, she started to wheel it away from the car. Brushing snow off his lapel, he watched her leave.
"Good Luck."
She smiled, and walked into the airport. Shaking the snow from her hair, she realized that she had no idea where she was going. Sydney leaned over and pulled an envelope from the side pouch on the case. Trying to lift the flap with one hand was difficult, so she sat it against the case, and tipped out the contents. Instead of there being tickets, there was one piece of white paper, with a note scribbled.
*Meet at the 'I'. No need for alarm.*
Sydney recognized the handwriting instantly, and turned to walk outside. The large sign at the front of the building was 'airport', and she walked to the spot just under the 'I'. She knew whom to look for. He drove up moments later, and she watched the car door open to the sleek black spider convertible, and Vaughn stepped out. He wasn't smiling, but she knew that he was glad to see her. He still wore his suit, which by now was crinkled. He hadn't been home all night.
"Hey" He almost whispered, walking up to her. He tried to take the case from her hand, but she pulled it back.
"Hi. The doctor says I've got a hairline fracture." He steadied her, as they stepped out on to the snow. "He also says I have a mild concussion, but that it's nothing to worry about." He placed his hand on the small of her back, as she stepped over a not-yet-salted piece of ground.
"That's what you get for fighting with a K-Directorate Agent." He guided her slowly to the passenger door.
"It was a security guard." Opening the door, she stepped carefully inside.
"It was K-Directorate."
"It was a sec…" He closed the door on her, mid-sentence. She rolled her eyes, as he stepped around the snow, to his side of the car. He put the case in the trunk, and walked to his door. Sliding slightly, he managed to steady himself by holding on to the car. The car door opened, and he slid inside.
"Ok. Sorry for the change of plan. The CIA doesn't want a lot of people knowing where you're going." He started the engine.
"They're doing a good job, because I don't even know where I'm going." She watched him laugh, and raised her eyebrow. "Well? Where am I going?"
"Somewhere safe." Pulling out of the space on to the road, he indicated to go right.
"Can't you just tell me?"
"No." The traffic was quite sparse, so Vaughn sped through the lanes.
"Why not?"
"It's more fun this way." He chuckled, but stopped almost straight away.
"Fun? It's not fun. It's terrible. I don't know where I'm going, why I'm going, or who I'm going with." She sat back in the seat, exasperated. No one had a clue.
"I can answer the last two. You're going away because someone, we don't know who, has threatened to expose…"
"I know that. I want to know why."
"Because you're a double agent. People don't like double agents." He looked at her out the corner of his eye. "I don't think its anything personal to you, but there's definitely something there that we're overlooking."
"Ya think?" She replied, sarcasm dripping from her words.
"And you'll be going with me. I've been told to keep you out the way. Well… not out the way…" He corrected himself, as he watched her get angry. "Just safe. I've to keep you safe."
"I can look after myself Vaughn. You weren't there to hold my hand any other time."
"This is different. This is going in blind. We have to be very careful. I don't want you getting hurt."
"I don't get hurt."
He eyed her cast before he spoke again. "Of course you don't. You're made of steel."
"Whatever. So how come you're with me on this? They would frown on you being with me normally." Secretly, she was glad Vaughn was with her. He was someone to talk to. She trusted him… She l… The thought stopped abruptly. She couldn't even finish it in her own head. It was over the line, even for her to think it.
"Their reasoning for putting me on the case, is that I know you best out of the whole team. They know I wouldn't be the one to threaten you with exposure. They said I was too… involved. I would be the only sure bet to protect you. They… we really care about you, Sydney."
Sydney looked down. "When it suits them, yes." She looked at him honestly, and asked in a small voice. "So you definitely wouldn't threaten me?"
Vaughn almost crashed the car. "What?!? Ofcourse not!!!" He glanced at her, shocked. "How could you even ask me that!" He was breathing heavily. "I… I could never do that to you!" The car weaved slightly on the road, as he glanced back and forth between Sydney and the road. Sydney took a deep breath. He had given her the answer she needed.
"I'm sorry… I had to ask. I have no idea what's really going on." Suddenly, a though occurred to her. "What about SD-6? When they know I'm not there…"
"Your father's taken care of it. He said he would say you were ill. Don't worry. We've got everything covered…"
"Yeah, everything except the actual threat."
He threw her an irked look. "We're doing our best, Syd. Until we find out, you and I have to be somewhere safe. You have a broken arm. It's not as if you will be able to fight your way out of a confrontation."
"I could kick your ass." She laughed.
"Careful. I wouldn't be too confident if I were you." He smiled at her, a mischievous twinkle in his green eyes.
She smiled back, and settled down into the seat. "Let me know when we get there." Closing her eyes, she began to snooze.
"We'll get there. I promise." Vaughn reached into the back, and pulled a soft blanket out. With one hand steering, he used the other to drape it across Sydney. "Sleep tight."
*****
Chapter three will be up soon. Hope to see your reviews!