Chapter 2: Underground
Spoilers: Trust Me and The Enemy Walks In
Note: All this is slightly AU
Rating: PG 13 still
Vaughn arrived at the underground US joint task force building, relatively dry despite the rain. He straightened his dark suit and prayed that he looked halfway put together. He had pretty much thrown on the first thing he saw in his closet that looked professional. He didn't bother to check if it was wrinkled.
As he walked through the rotunda, he couldn't help but detest the surroundings. Everyone there looked so much alike. They resembled worker bees in a hive.
To think that before he met Sydney he had been one of those anonymous drones. All he cared about was doing the job and getting it right the first time. Affection and other tender feelings did not fit into his time-managed agenda.
Now as he surveyed his fellow workers, he wondered if any of them had ever been labeled emotionally attached. He was betting no.
"Agent Michael Vaughn." He turned at the sound of his name. Then felt his mouth automatically curl into a sneer.
"Agent Kendall," he replied, his voice clipped. It was one of the men who worked for the DSR. One of the bastards who shackled up Sydney, as Vaughn watched, all because she had her image on Rambaldi's page 47. That premature misconception could've cost Sydney her freedom and possibly her life. Vaughn found it difficult not to sucker punch him now for the incident. The man was Haladki without the annoying hair.
"Ah you remember me." Kendall looked pleased.
How could anyone forget a face that looked as though it never knew a joke?
"What brings you here? And more importantly when are you leaving?" Vaughn couldn't resist such a venomous crack.
"CIA. Always so diplomatic when it comes to interagency liaisons. It's what I love about them." Vaughn repressed a shudder. "Oh look, agent, I didn't come here to start a fight."
Too bad. I'm always up for kicking your ass, you smarmy little… Vaughn scowled. "So why are you here?"
"I'm here on a federal matter that somehow relates to you."
"If this is about Sy- Agent Bristow," Vaughn quickly caught himself, "I've been taken off her case." So whatever plan you may have to use her I am completely prepared to tell you to take a hike.
Kendall regarded him thoughtfully for a minute. "Come with me Agent Vaughn."
"Where?"
"You'll see."
Why do I not like the sound of that?
If Vaughn disliked the operations center of the building, he hated to holding cells even more. It was dark and overflowed with shadows. It practically screamed that the Agency had something to hide.
It's all a bit too Hannibal Lecter for me, Vaughn thought as the bars to the holding area opened and they were granted access.
Kendall gestured him to a particular cell and Vaughn suspiciously approached it and peered inside.
A woman stood right inside the middle of the cage with her back turned to him. With the way her chocolate brown hair spilled over her shoulders and the way her figure curved, she was a dead ringer for…
"Syd?" Vaughn whispered. His heartbeat quickened and Kendall's presence was forgotten in a beat as he pressed his hands against the glass.
The woman slowly turned to face him. Vaughn froze in his tracks and took the time to study her features. Same eyes, same cheekbones, same lip shape…but not. Something about this woman's beauty cast an icy spell over him. He took a step back.
"Not Syd," he murmured as he realized who he was face to face with.
The woman approached the glass. Her face considered him with feline curiosity. She tilted her head. "Syd," she purred thoughtfully. Her eyes widened. "Sydney. My daughter. You are acquainted with her?" Her words felt like cold fingers that brushed down his spine. He shivered.
"Irina Derevko." He hoped that the frost in his voice would halt the spinning in his head.
"Michael Vaughn. How lovely to finally meet you." Her tone was sing-song with a hint of knowing. She leaned forward; the expression on her face made him feel exposed as she took him in. She smiled. My God that's Sydney's smile.
"Might I comment," she breathed, "on how much you look like you father."
Vaughn slammed Kendall against the wall, well aware that he was irrational but not really giving a damn. The older agent made a nice little thud against the stone and said "Oomph."
Adrenaline and rage made a heady combination as they coursed through his system, ready to inflict hurt on the next asshole he saw.
Hey, I actually feel better.
Vaughn had Kendall roughly by his lapels and pinned to the wall. He got right up in his face and hissed "What the fuck do you think you're doing! Showing that woman to me! Knowing what she did to my father! To Sydney!"
"Agent Vaughn," Kendall said in an attempt to placate him, "Please calm down."
"Calm down?" Vaughn snarled. He yanked him forward and slammed him against the wall again. "Calm down! You show me the whore who killed my father, shot Sydney, and whose associate nearly made me scalpel fodder and you expect me to what?! Shake her hand? Is this some kind of strategy to see how mentally ill you could make me?"
"Vaughn, I can have you arrested for accosting a high ranking officer of the DSR!"
"I bet you'd love that." Vaughn forcefully released Kendall who stumbled back.
"Irina Derevko is here for a reason. If you'd let me explain-"
"There's nothing to explain," Vaughn interjected harshly. "That woman is a goddamn traitor to US government and a murderess. So unless we're giving her the award for worse homemaker of the year, haul her ass off to the nearest maximum security prison where she belongs."
"Derevko turned herself into CIA custody this afternoon. She wants to cooperate with the Agency." Vaughn felt his mouth drop open.
"And you believe her?" he asked incredulous. This guy outranks me? Seriously?
Kendall ignored his skepticism. "Derevko assures us that she has information that will prove useful and vital to taking down SD 6 and the Alliance."
"I'll bet," Vaughn scoffed. "So I guess the question is what the CIA is willing to compromise by taking her word."
Kendall studied his young and insolent counterpart. Then he smiled. "You are right in assuming there is a catch." Vaughn settled back. "The only person she is willing to talk to is Agent Bristow herself."
The light bulb finally clicked in Vaughn's head. "You want me to get Sydney to speak to her mother."
"The Agency is well aware of your close bond to Agent Bristow. It's nice to know that some good will actually come of it." Vaughn fumed at such a statement. He made it sound as if his friendship with Sydney was something that might be fun to exploit.
"Forget it."
"Well we certainly can't convince Ms. Bristow to see her mother. You remember that unpleasantness with page 47?"
"You mean when you chained her up and nearly blew her cover at SD 6? Can't imagine why she'd still be upset over that. I mean I am way over it," Vaughn said sarcastically. He crossed his arms. "Well as much as I'd love to help you manipulate her, I can't. Like I said before she's no longer my agent. One of her mother's agents killed a close friend and she's grieving."
But Kendall wouldn't budge. "Well, perhaps if you called her-"
"Might I add," Vaughn cut in, "that even if I was still her case officer, I would never force her to speak to her mother against her will."
Kendall gave a smarmy smirk. "Always Agent Bristow's great protector." The smug way he said that made Vaughn want to bitch slap the hell out of him. "Just like the time you broke her out of federal custody." Another arrogant smile. "To protect her."
Oh shit he knows about that?
"Agent Vaughn regardless of Agent Bristow's state, we have a job to do. Whether she likes it or not, she will aid us."
Vaughn stepped up to Kendall, his eyes smoldering. "Stay the hell away from Sydney," he hissed, his tone dripping with unsaid threats.
"I can't do that unless she speaks to her mother."
Manipulative jerk-off. An ugly way to resolve the situation came to mind. "What if I spoke to Derevko myself? Find out what I can from her without having to contact Bristow."
"Whatever intel you can get out of her would be fine. But sooner or later Agent Bristow will become involved." In a low, conspiratorial voice he said "You can't shield her forever." With those words, Kendall turned and left Vaughn alone with his conflict.
Vaughn watched him go and resisted the urge to knock him on his ass. He was angry with Kendall and also at himself.
You can't shield her forever.
"Don't I know it," Vaughn muttered.