Disclaimer First Chapter
Chapter Three
Vaughn knocked quietly on the door to Devlin's office.
"Hello, Sir."
"Agent Vaughn. Please, take a seat."
Vaughn did as he was told.
"The situation with Miss Bristow, we need to choose a course of action." Devlin began.
"She won't want to go into the witness protection program."
"You've talked to her about it."
"Not exactly, sir. But I do know Syd...Agent Bristow."
"What? You don't even need to discuss this with her?"
"Sydney will not give up. I bet the best we can do is put her in a safe house in Los Angeles."
"She will not be far enough away from Sloane."
"Sydney won't care."
"What about her friends?"
"I don't know about them."
"We will set up new identites for all three of them. I cannot force them to go into hiding, but I highly recommend it."
"Yes, sir."
"Where are they right now?"
"At my apartment, sir."
"Your apartment."
"Yes."
"You think that is wise?"
"I feel better when Miss Bristow is with me. Her friends are safe with both me and Miss Bristow available."
"So you don't want to transfer the three."
"Not until I have a further discussion with Sydney."
"Very well, then."
"Has Mr. Bristow contacted anyone?"
"Yes. He does not think his cover is comprimised."
"Okay, sir."
"You are dismissed, Mr. Vaughn."
"Thank you, Mr. Devlin."
Vaughn exited the office and prepared to go talk to Sydney.
Vaughn walked in the garage. He felt like he was being followed and his heart sink. He unholstered his gun and continued his descent to his car. He picked up his pace until he heard a gun cock in his ear and felt the cold, metal barrel in his ear.
"I suggest you stop walking, Mr.Vaughn."
He did as was told.
"Go ahead and drop your gun."
Vaughn closed his eyes and tossed it to the side of Weiss's car. The man smiled.
"Good boy, Mr.Vaughn." He hit the butt on Vaughn's neck and he crashed to the floor.
Sydney paced frantically.
"He's only twenty minutes late, Syd." Francie comforted.
"You don't understand, Fran. Michael Vaughn is never late for anything. He is annoyingly on time. He would have called by now."
"Don't worry. I'm sure he's fine."
"Sloane's got him. Just so he can get to me. He knows about Vaughn and he knows I won't allow him to be...tortured."
Sydney's eyes welled up. She sat down on the sofa, breathing in Vaughnn's sweatshirt, a mixed scent of Tide and Dial. "I told him to be careful, but he didn't listen. He thought I was being paranoid."
"Syd..."
"I've got to do something. Weiss! I'll call Weiss!"
She picked up the phone and dialed the number.
"Is Eric Weiss available? It's Alice."
Weiss immediately took the call.
"Alice?"
"Weiss, Vaughn hasn't called me back yet."
Weiss tilted his head. That wasn't Alice. It was Sydney.
"He hasn't?"
"No. He said he would call me almost thirty minutes ago."
"Mike is never late."
"Please see if you can find Michael."
"I saw him heading out to the garage. I'll go see if I can catch him."
"Thanks."
Weiss put down the phone and rushed down the hall. He scoured the garage and saw a gun near the tire of his car. He lifted it up and the initials W.V. were on the handle. William Vaughn. Mike's dad. He ran into the office.
"I just missed him. My car had a birthday present by it, though, for me. It was a gun from Vaughn."
Sydney looked at Will.
"He's probably on his way home or maybe he has a surprise."
"Yeah. Thanks, Eric."
"Don't go looking for him, Alice. He'll be home soon. Promise."
"I wouldn't go looking..."
"Promise, Alice."
"Fine. I promise." Eric sighed, knowing she was lying.
Sydney hung up the phone and looked at her friends.
"He's gone."
"Sydney, I'm sorry."
She nodded and headed into the bedroom, curling up in Vaughn's bed. It smelled like him, a mixture of shampoo, cologne, and something that was specifically him. Will stood in the doorway. He watched Sydney breath in the pillow. Sydney was in love. Not with him. With Michael Vaughn. She was worried. She had been caused so much pain from this jerk, Arvin Sloane. Now he was trying to kill all three of them and he was using Vaughn against Sydney. He just hoped Vaughn could hold his own against this adversary.
Vaughn was awakened by a sharp pain shooting in his side. He opened his eyes and saw Arvin Sloane standing over him.
"How nice of you to join me, Mr. Vaughn."
Vaughn narrowed his eyes.
"I'm going to state this simply. You give me Sydney Bristow's location and I'll let you off easy."
Michael smiled, "Sydney Bristow? Beautiful name, but I have no idea who you are speaking about."
"I don't like liars, Mr. Vaughn."
"Then how on Earth do you look yourself in the mirror?"
Sloane rubbed his lips together.
"You seem to know a lot about me."
"Well, you are quite an evil guy. Deserves a reputation in our world."
Sloane smiled wanly.
"Lovely. So, Sydney, tell me where she is."
"I don't have any idea, Mr. Sloane."
"We already know she's a double with the CIA."
"She is? I admire her, then."
"You were her handler."
"Really? Are you sure?"
Sloane growled lowly.
"We'll have to find something to persuade you to talk. This is called the Conversation Room. Perhaps you've heard of it."
"The room where you hold conversations."
"You could say that."
Sloane squirted a syringe. He stabbed it into Vaughn's arm. He closed his eyes and divided his attention, keeping Sloane from the truth and Sydney's beautiful face.
It had been seven hours since Vaughn had been kidnapped. Alice had heard, but all the same moved out. Sydney was at the table when the doorbell rang. She jumped. "You guys get in the closet or something. At least get out of eyesight."
The two nodded and moved to the corner. Sydney prepared to fight. She opened the door a crack. She tried to see who it was but they pushed their way inside.
"Sark!"
Will's mouth dropped open in shock and anger.
"What are you doing here?" Sydney asked, immediately.
He smirked, his accent strong in his voice, "You need my help, Miss Bristow."
"No, I don't. How did you know I was here?"
"You're cover as a double agent has been known in my organization. In the intelligence world, everyone knows that Sloane has discovered your cover. I am here to help you take down SD-6 and help your Mr. Vaughn escape."
"How'd you..."
"Stop asking questions, Sydney. I know. That's all you need to."
"You think she's going to trust you?" Will interjected, trying to play hero.
"Ah, the loyal Mr. Tippin. Delightful to see you again."
"Wish I could say the same."
"To answer your question, Sydney does not have much of a choice. She has no one else to trust."
Sydney glanced around the room. As if he could read her mind, he said, "I do not mean to corner you, Luv, only to help you. Here's my card. My offer expires in twelve hours."
Sydney sighed. Sark disappeared, leaving Sydney, Will, and Francie alone in Vaughn's apartment.
"AHHHHH!" Vaughn cried out as a man he did not know twisted his arm way behind his back.
"Where is Sydney?"
"Australia."
The man smiled, feeling accomplished, then realized what Vaughn was saying. He pulled the arm harder until a loud crack was heard. Vaugh called out in pain.
"I can end all this, Mr. Vaughn, if you give her up." Sloane said from the doorway.
"You're a dirty, evil traitor and you'll get yours, I guaranteeeeeeEEEEEEEEEE!"
The man kicked his stomach.
"I will ask you again. Where's Sydney Bristow hiding?"
"I have no idea." Vaughn replied, calmly.
He would never give Sydney up, even if he was tortured to death. He needed Sydney safe and the only way he would have a small peace of mind was knowing she was at his apartment.
Chapter Three
Vaughn knocked quietly on the door to Devlin's office.
"Hello, Sir."
"Agent Vaughn. Please, take a seat."
Vaughn did as he was told.
"The situation with Miss Bristow, we need to choose a course of action." Devlin began.
"She won't want to go into the witness protection program."
"You've talked to her about it."
"Not exactly, sir. But I do know Syd...Agent Bristow."
"What? You don't even need to discuss this with her?"
"Sydney will not give up. I bet the best we can do is put her in a safe house in Los Angeles."
"She will not be far enough away from Sloane."
"Sydney won't care."
"What about her friends?"
"I don't know about them."
"We will set up new identites for all three of them. I cannot force them to go into hiding, but I highly recommend it."
"Yes, sir."
"Where are they right now?"
"At my apartment, sir."
"Your apartment."
"Yes."
"You think that is wise?"
"I feel better when Miss Bristow is with me. Her friends are safe with both me and Miss Bristow available."
"So you don't want to transfer the three."
"Not until I have a further discussion with Sydney."
"Very well, then."
"Has Mr. Bristow contacted anyone?"
"Yes. He does not think his cover is comprimised."
"Okay, sir."
"You are dismissed, Mr. Vaughn."
"Thank you, Mr. Devlin."
Vaughn exited the office and prepared to go talk to Sydney.
Vaughn walked in the garage. He felt like he was being followed and his heart sink. He unholstered his gun and continued his descent to his car. He picked up his pace until he heard a gun cock in his ear and felt the cold, metal barrel in his ear.
"I suggest you stop walking, Mr.Vaughn."
He did as was told.
"Go ahead and drop your gun."
Vaughn closed his eyes and tossed it to the side of Weiss's car. The man smiled.
"Good boy, Mr.Vaughn." He hit the butt on Vaughn's neck and he crashed to the floor.
Sydney paced frantically.
"He's only twenty minutes late, Syd." Francie comforted.
"You don't understand, Fran. Michael Vaughn is never late for anything. He is annoyingly on time. He would have called by now."
"Don't worry. I'm sure he's fine."
"Sloane's got him. Just so he can get to me. He knows about Vaughn and he knows I won't allow him to be...tortured."
Sydney's eyes welled up. She sat down on the sofa, breathing in Vaughnn's sweatshirt, a mixed scent of Tide and Dial. "I told him to be careful, but he didn't listen. He thought I was being paranoid."
"Syd..."
"I've got to do something. Weiss! I'll call Weiss!"
She picked up the phone and dialed the number.
"Is Eric Weiss available? It's Alice."
Weiss immediately took the call.
"Alice?"
"Weiss, Vaughn hasn't called me back yet."
Weiss tilted his head. That wasn't Alice. It was Sydney.
"He hasn't?"
"No. He said he would call me almost thirty minutes ago."
"Mike is never late."
"Please see if you can find Michael."
"I saw him heading out to the garage. I'll go see if I can catch him."
"Thanks."
Weiss put down the phone and rushed down the hall. He scoured the garage and saw a gun near the tire of his car. He lifted it up and the initials W.V. were on the handle. William Vaughn. Mike's dad. He ran into the office.
"I just missed him. My car had a birthday present by it, though, for me. It was a gun from Vaughn."
Sydney looked at Will.
"He's probably on his way home or maybe he has a surprise."
"Yeah. Thanks, Eric."
"Don't go looking for him, Alice. He'll be home soon. Promise."
"I wouldn't go looking..."
"Promise, Alice."
"Fine. I promise." Eric sighed, knowing she was lying.
Sydney hung up the phone and looked at her friends.
"He's gone."
"Sydney, I'm sorry."
She nodded and headed into the bedroom, curling up in Vaughn's bed. It smelled like him, a mixture of shampoo, cologne, and something that was specifically him. Will stood in the doorway. He watched Sydney breath in the pillow. Sydney was in love. Not with him. With Michael Vaughn. She was worried. She had been caused so much pain from this jerk, Arvin Sloane. Now he was trying to kill all three of them and he was using Vaughn against Sydney. He just hoped Vaughn could hold his own against this adversary.
Vaughn was awakened by a sharp pain shooting in his side. He opened his eyes and saw Arvin Sloane standing over him.
"How nice of you to join me, Mr. Vaughn."
Vaughn narrowed his eyes.
"I'm going to state this simply. You give me Sydney Bristow's location and I'll let you off easy."
Michael smiled, "Sydney Bristow? Beautiful name, but I have no idea who you are speaking about."
"I don't like liars, Mr. Vaughn."
"Then how on Earth do you look yourself in the mirror?"
Sloane rubbed his lips together.
"You seem to know a lot about me."
"Well, you are quite an evil guy. Deserves a reputation in our world."
Sloane smiled wanly.
"Lovely. So, Sydney, tell me where she is."
"I don't have any idea, Mr. Sloane."
"We already know she's a double with the CIA."
"She is? I admire her, then."
"You were her handler."
"Really? Are you sure?"
Sloane growled lowly.
"We'll have to find something to persuade you to talk. This is called the Conversation Room. Perhaps you've heard of it."
"The room where you hold conversations."
"You could say that."
Sloane squirted a syringe. He stabbed it into Vaughn's arm. He closed his eyes and divided his attention, keeping Sloane from the truth and Sydney's beautiful face.
It had been seven hours since Vaughn had been kidnapped. Alice had heard, but all the same moved out. Sydney was at the table when the doorbell rang. She jumped. "You guys get in the closet or something. At least get out of eyesight."
The two nodded and moved to the corner. Sydney prepared to fight. She opened the door a crack. She tried to see who it was but they pushed their way inside.
"Sark!"
Will's mouth dropped open in shock and anger.
"What are you doing here?" Sydney asked, immediately.
He smirked, his accent strong in his voice, "You need my help, Miss Bristow."
"No, I don't. How did you know I was here?"
"You're cover as a double agent has been known in my organization. In the intelligence world, everyone knows that Sloane has discovered your cover. I am here to help you take down SD-6 and help your Mr. Vaughn escape."
"How'd you..."
"Stop asking questions, Sydney. I know. That's all you need to."
"You think she's going to trust you?" Will interjected, trying to play hero.
"Ah, the loyal Mr. Tippin. Delightful to see you again."
"Wish I could say the same."
"To answer your question, Sydney does not have much of a choice. She has no one else to trust."
Sydney glanced around the room. As if he could read her mind, he said, "I do not mean to corner you, Luv, only to help you. Here's my card. My offer expires in twelve hours."
Sydney sighed. Sark disappeared, leaving Sydney, Will, and Francie alone in Vaughn's apartment.
"AHHHHH!" Vaughn cried out as a man he did not know twisted his arm way behind his back.
"Where is Sydney?"
"Australia."
The man smiled, feeling accomplished, then realized what Vaughn was saying. He pulled the arm harder until a loud crack was heard. Vaugh called out in pain.
"I can end all this, Mr. Vaughn, if you give her up." Sloane said from the doorway.
"You're a dirty, evil traitor and you'll get yours, I guaranteeeeeeEEEEEEEEEE!"
The man kicked his stomach.
"I will ask you again. Where's Sydney Bristow hiding?"
"I have no idea." Vaughn replied, calmly.
He would never give Sydney up, even if he was tortured to death. He needed Sydney safe and the only way he would have a small peace of mind was knowing she was at his apartment.