She began to put the room back to the way she found it. Her
heart was pounding once more as she exited the room, stepping over the
bodies of the two guards. She started to run down the basement of the
building and veered off of the staircases and headed to the bathroom off of
the second floor staircase. She bolted into the bathroom painted black
with silver stalls and a large mirror boarded with large light bulbs. Her
mind wasn't even thinking. She found and empty stall and cautiously
entered it. She opened the black purse in her hands and revealed a tightly
folded dress. Her body kept going..she changed quickly into a long red
dress. Strapless was the style for that night. Good, Vaughn would get to
see her shoulders. Her wig was changed to a more natural looking color for
her. It was browner, curlier, and shorter. While standing in the stall,
she pressed her exposed skin against the cold metal stall walls. The op
hadn't caused her to sweat but feeling Vaughn's body against hers only a
few hours ago had made her sweat in ways that she had only around Danny.
Danny. Guilt filled her heart as her brain struggled to decide. Was it
possible to love the dead and be able to love someone now, in the present?
The wall was cooling to her body but not her mind or her spirit. She
couldn't stop. They were racing the clock. She exited the bathroom but not
before checking herself out in the mirror. She smiled at her hooker-like
reflection but stopped. Did Vaughn like her normally or just when she
looked like she should be standing on the corner of 42nd street? No
matter, there was no room for romance. She left the bathroom and went back
to the stairs. Her high heels clicked against the stairs and soon she
reached the lounge. It obviously sound proof. There was no loud vibrating
of the bass from upstairs. The club music had all but disappeared. She
regained her composure and entered the club. Vaughn, dressed in a suit,
was sitting at the bar. She tapped her ear phone. "Whatcha drinking?"
"Water."
"Water?"
"Yeah, I don't drink when I'm on an op." Vaughn looked back into his glass. "Sark's not here."
"Good." She replied nervously.
"Why don't you come over here and sit?"
"Yeah, good idea." She followed her feet over to the bar, where Vaughn sat. "Hey, this seat taken?" Why couldn't they just be seen out in public as themselves?
"No, course not." He turned his body towards her. "Can I buy you a drink?"
"Just water, please. I don't like to drink much." She spoke with a faint English accent to match his. She felt drawn to him as she watched him order the water for her. The bartender brought it and she smiled and mouthed a thank you.
"Now we have some time." He laughed a little. He wanted to feel her body pressed up against hers again. "Sark didn't follow us so this isn't urgent."
"What are we suppose to be doing now?"
"Technically, we have to do a brush pass with another agent." He sighed and frowned. "Your father still doesn't trust me."
"He never will." She replied, placing her hand on the cool glass. "And we'll never trust him."
"We?"
"Let's not go there. Not tonight."
He forgot. Today was the anniversary of their parents' death. Vaughn took one hand off of the glass and touched his neck. There was a chain fastened around his neck where there was a tiny metal of Saint Michael-a gift from his father two weeks prior to his death. He sighed as the pain of the funeral, of learning his father's killer, of learning of her daughter came rushing into his mind. His eyes scanned the dance floor, avoiding Sydney.
Vaughn wanted to turn to her, pick her up and kiss her right at that moment but he knew better, "We're going to do that brush pass wh- They're here and they're on the dance floor." He leaned over towards her and continued to whisper. "We need to get to the dance floor, shall we?" He stood up and took Sydney's hand his, placing the vile from his pocket into her palm.
"Of course."
The music was slow and sensual. It was a jazz singer with a belting low voice. The words were lost on the two agents but the mood was right. Vaughn had positioned them near the other two agents and "by mistake" bumped into them. "I'm so sorry." Sydney gasped. She patted the female agent's shoulder. "Are you all right?"
The female agent responded by pulling her hand off of her shoulder. She switched her hands and took the vile from Sydney's. Mission accomplished. "You know what love? This club is getting tired. We're leaving." She spoke with a heavy accent from some foreign country.
"Yeah..yeah." The other male agent replied looking at Vaughn looking at Sydney. "Let's get out of here." He wrapped his arm around the female agent and they left.
Sydney turned back around towards Vaughn. "We're all done." She smiled and let her tense body finally relax. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "How about that dance?"
"I would absolutely love it." He smiled his drop-dead sexy smile that made her knees want to buckle. His soft hands found the sensitive spot on the small of her back. They were dancing close again and all they wanted to do was hold the other one closer and closer. Sydney rested his head against his strong chest and wished she could feel him closer and more often. Her reverie was about to come to a crashing halt. Lost in the feeling of his body so close to hers, she lifted her head up to see Sark standing in the doorway, surveying the room. Her heart jumped up higher into her throat.
Vaughn noticed her change in body language. "I'm not that terrible of a dancer."
"What? No. Sark's here."
"He's in the building, I know."
She pulled herself closer to his face. "He's standing in the doorway right behind you and I don't know if he saw me yet."
"And if he does, we're screwed." Vaughn replied, searching his brain for a solution to this potentially deadly discovery.
She knew how to hide her face but it would be so forward. There wasn't time to argue with herself. "C'm-here." She placed her hand on his face and drew her lips closer to hers.
"Sydney." He breathed, inhaling her breath. He wanted this more than she could ever know. His lips were so sweet and pure but so hesitant. They paused for a moment just before their lips were about to touch, her face completely eclipsed by his. She was safe and as their lips touched, everything clicked. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. Nothing could be more perfect. He smelled so good and his lips were more addictive than any drug known to man. They kissed and through every kiss, they grew more passionate. He wanted to kiss her neck but suddenly knew better. A small, silent moan escaped her lips. He pulled close to her and her arms wrapped up around her neck.
There was a tapping on her shoulder. "Knock it off, Michael." She spoke between kisses.
"What?"
"That tapping?" a new voice whispered in her ear.
A cold sweat drifted down her back. It was Sark. Sydney didn't even bother to reply. She turned Vaughn around and they bolted from the room. There was no time for thoughts except the one that they both needed to get out of there and fast. They ran up the stairs three flights until they reached the main floor. It was silver and black, just like the rest of the building. Her heart was pounding so hard. Things were moving too fast. The dancing, the kiss, everything. Life needed to be put on pause.
They reached a dead end. "Stop right there, Ms. Bristow, Mr. Vaughn." Sark replied and sighed a little bit to catch his breath. "All right now you two. Turn around very slowly or I will kill her then him." Sydney and Vaughn had their back to Sark. They were so close to freedom. They turned around but not before Vaughn reached into his pocket and pulled his gun. "Very good. Hands on your head." They obeyed, looking at the ground. Sark came closer to Sydney. "Look at me, Ms. Bristow." Sydney followed the orders of the man with the gun. He had it pointed at her abdomen. "Why, I believe that you're sweating and it can't be from that little jog we just had." He clicked his tongue in mocked shame. "Answer me, Ms. Bristow."
"What do you want Sark?" Vaughn spoke up, his gun still pointed at Sark.
"Ah, Mr. Vaughn! You really don't know went to keep your mouth shut, do you? Well, fine. I'll cut to the chase. Either give me the vile or-"
"You want the vile? Let me get into my pocket then." Vaughn replied sharply. He would give him the dummy vile that was still stashed in his jacket pocket.
"Fine. Then drop your weapon" Sark replied and pointed the gun at Sydney. "You have thirty seconds." He cocked the gun and began to count in Russian. Vaughn dropped his gun and began to fumble through his jacket and reached the dummy vile. He ran his fingers over the cool glass. It was the size of a nail polish bottle but was a square container. His hand appeared from his jacket as Sark cocked the gun. "29, 30. Time's up, Mr. Vaughn." He clicked the gun once more and began to pull the trigger. Sydney couldn't think. She raised her leg to kick the gun out from his hand but it was too late and he was too far away. Vaughn started to fight with him too but Sydney was his target. She heard the gun being shot but felt no pain. This is what it was like to die. A soaring pain came through her leg and then again and again. It buckled from underneath her. She laid on her back and watched in horror as the gun was being pointed at her once more. Vaughn jumped in and did hand to hand combat that ended in Sark's fleeing. As they fought, Sydney held back her tears and heard the gun being shot. Was she being shot again? She tried to sit up and felt a body on her leg, searing with pain. Vaughn had jumped in front of her to save her and had collapsed to the ground, leaving the vile in the open. Sark smiled, grabbed the dummy vile and ran off, leaving them there for dead.
Sydney adjusted her weight and sat up, fighting the pain in her leg. She leaned against the wall, starting to pray, something she seldom did. "Vaughn, Vaughn." She gasped and moved aside, cradling his head in her arms. There were four bullet holes. Somehow, she managed to pull his body over her legs and she leaned even more against the wall for support. "Relax, relax. You're gonna be fine."
He gasped for air more rapidly than she did. "Oh Syd."
"Don't try to talk." She placed her fingertips over his lips. It was possible that he would die. She had lost too many men to her job.
"I need to. Please, tell my mother-tell my mother I didn't die like Dad. Promise me!" His speech was broken and he began to shake from pain.
"I won't need to. You're going to be fine. Please."
"Syd!"
"I promise. I swear. I swear." She leaned in close to him and pressed her forehead against his. "Please relax." She tapped her earphone. "Anybody there? Vaughn and I have been shot! Please help!" The tears escaped her eyes and flooded Vaughn's face. "Please!"
She cradled him in her arms. She knew she needed to follow Sark and take him down but in too much pain to fight "I'm here, I'm here."
"Oh Syd." He wanted to reach up and touch her but the pain in his shoulders was too much to bear.
"I'm right here. She felt more tears coming to her eyes but tried to keep her emotions in check.
The pain was getting more and more intense. "You know, when I first me Irinia, she said how I looked like my father. I couldn't help but think how much she looks like you but Syd. Sydney, you're nothing like her." He fell silent but started to groan in pain. "Are you shot?"
She had never been in such intense pain. "Yeah but I'm okay." The blood from his wounds began to spill over her legs. "I guess we're even. You saved my life."
"No." He groaned again. "I still need to save you once more."
"But you saved me that first day when I came to CIA, you saved my life."
He tried to smile again. "Good to know."
She couldn't let him die. She was absolutely in love with him and there was no way on this earth that she would let another man in her life die because of her job. "I won't let you die, Vaughn."
"Just know that." his voice trailed off. He was losing so much blood. His eyes just looked up at her blankly. Her body was beginning to turn on her: she was losing just as much blood.
"Base ops, this is mountaineer, Vaughn and I have been shot! We need assistance! Please! Where the hell is the team?" She was getting weaker by the second. The world was becoming blurry and was crashing before her eyes. She tapped her earphone once more. "Please, if anyone's there! Help me!"
The gasps of air from Vaughn became more rapid and his eyes rolled back into his head. The pain was too great to stay conscious anymore. Her body was becoming more feeble and as the blood seeped from her veins onto the floor and her eyes began to flutter. Her spine collapsed and she landed onto his chest, letting his blood escape onto her face.
"Water."
"Water?"
"Yeah, I don't drink when I'm on an op." Vaughn looked back into his glass. "Sark's not here."
"Good." She replied nervously.
"Why don't you come over here and sit?"
"Yeah, good idea." She followed her feet over to the bar, where Vaughn sat. "Hey, this seat taken?" Why couldn't they just be seen out in public as themselves?
"No, course not." He turned his body towards her. "Can I buy you a drink?"
"Just water, please. I don't like to drink much." She spoke with a faint English accent to match his. She felt drawn to him as she watched him order the water for her. The bartender brought it and she smiled and mouthed a thank you.
"Now we have some time." He laughed a little. He wanted to feel her body pressed up against hers again. "Sark didn't follow us so this isn't urgent."
"What are we suppose to be doing now?"
"Technically, we have to do a brush pass with another agent." He sighed and frowned. "Your father still doesn't trust me."
"He never will." She replied, placing her hand on the cool glass. "And we'll never trust him."
"We?"
"Let's not go there. Not tonight."
He forgot. Today was the anniversary of their parents' death. Vaughn took one hand off of the glass and touched his neck. There was a chain fastened around his neck where there was a tiny metal of Saint Michael-a gift from his father two weeks prior to his death. He sighed as the pain of the funeral, of learning his father's killer, of learning of her daughter came rushing into his mind. His eyes scanned the dance floor, avoiding Sydney.
Vaughn wanted to turn to her, pick her up and kiss her right at that moment but he knew better, "We're going to do that brush pass wh- They're here and they're on the dance floor." He leaned over towards her and continued to whisper. "We need to get to the dance floor, shall we?" He stood up and took Sydney's hand his, placing the vile from his pocket into her palm.
"Of course."
The music was slow and sensual. It was a jazz singer with a belting low voice. The words were lost on the two agents but the mood was right. Vaughn had positioned them near the other two agents and "by mistake" bumped into them. "I'm so sorry." Sydney gasped. She patted the female agent's shoulder. "Are you all right?"
The female agent responded by pulling her hand off of her shoulder. She switched her hands and took the vile from Sydney's. Mission accomplished. "You know what love? This club is getting tired. We're leaving." She spoke with a heavy accent from some foreign country.
"Yeah..yeah." The other male agent replied looking at Vaughn looking at Sydney. "Let's get out of here." He wrapped his arm around the female agent and they left.
Sydney turned back around towards Vaughn. "We're all done." She smiled and let her tense body finally relax. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "How about that dance?"
"I would absolutely love it." He smiled his drop-dead sexy smile that made her knees want to buckle. His soft hands found the sensitive spot on the small of her back. They were dancing close again and all they wanted to do was hold the other one closer and closer. Sydney rested his head against his strong chest and wished she could feel him closer and more often. Her reverie was about to come to a crashing halt. Lost in the feeling of his body so close to hers, she lifted her head up to see Sark standing in the doorway, surveying the room. Her heart jumped up higher into her throat.
Vaughn noticed her change in body language. "I'm not that terrible of a dancer."
"What? No. Sark's here."
"He's in the building, I know."
She pulled herself closer to his face. "He's standing in the doorway right behind you and I don't know if he saw me yet."
"And if he does, we're screwed." Vaughn replied, searching his brain for a solution to this potentially deadly discovery.
She knew how to hide her face but it would be so forward. There wasn't time to argue with herself. "C'm-here." She placed her hand on his face and drew her lips closer to hers.
"Sydney." He breathed, inhaling her breath. He wanted this more than she could ever know. His lips were so sweet and pure but so hesitant. They paused for a moment just before their lips were about to touch, her face completely eclipsed by his. She was safe and as their lips touched, everything clicked. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. Nothing could be more perfect. He smelled so good and his lips were more addictive than any drug known to man. They kissed and through every kiss, they grew more passionate. He wanted to kiss her neck but suddenly knew better. A small, silent moan escaped her lips. He pulled close to her and her arms wrapped up around her neck.
There was a tapping on her shoulder. "Knock it off, Michael." She spoke between kisses.
"What?"
"That tapping?" a new voice whispered in her ear.
A cold sweat drifted down her back. It was Sark. Sydney didn't even bother to reply. She turned Vaughn around and they bolted from the room. There was no time for thoughts except the one that they both needed to get out of there and fast. They ran up the stairs three flights until they reached the main floor. It was silver and black, just like the rest of the building. Her heart was pounding so hard. Things were moving too fast. The dancing, the kiss, everything. Life needed to be put on pause.
They reached a dead end. "Stop right there, Ms. Bristow, Mr. Vaughn." Sark replied and sighed a little bit to catch his breath. "All right now you two. Turn around very slowly or I will kill her then him." Sydney and Vaughn had their back to Sark. They were so close to freedom. They turned around but not before Vaughn reached into his pocket and pulled his gun. "Very good. Hands on your head." They obeyed, looking at the ground. Sark came closer to Sydney. "Look at me, Ms. Bristow." Sydney followed the orders of the man with the gun. He had it pointed at her abdomen. "Why, I believe that you're sweating and it can't be from that little jog we just had." He clicked his tongue in mocked shame. "Answer me, Ms. Bristow."
"What do you want Sark?" Vaughn spoke up, his gun still pointed at Sark.
"Ah, Mr. Vaughn! You really don't know went to keep your mouth shut, do you? Well, fine. I'll cut to the chase. Either give me the vile or-"
"You want the vile? Let me get into my pocket then." Vaughn replied sharply. He would give him the dummy vile that was still stashed in his jacket pocket.
"Fine. Then drop your weapon" Sark replied and pointed the gun at Sydney. "You have thirty seconds." He cocked the gun and began to count in Russian. Vaughn dropped his gun and began to fumble through his jacket and reached the dummy vile. He ran his fingers over the cool glass. It was the size of a nail polish bottle but was a square container. His hand appeared from his jacket as Sark cocked the gun. "29, 30. Time's up, Mr. Vaughn." He clicked the gun once more and began to pull the trigger. Sydney couldn't think. She raised her leg to kick the gun out from his hand but it was too late and he was too far away. Vaughn started to fight with him too but Sydney was his target. She heard the gun being shot but felt no pain. This is what it was like to die. A soaring pain came through her leg and then again and again. It buckled from underneath her. She laid on her back and watched in horror as the gun was being pointed at her once more. Vaughn jumped in and did hand to hand combat that ended in Sark's fleeing. As they fought, Sydney held back her tears and heard the gun being shot. Was she being shot again? She tried to sit up and felt a body on her leg, searing with pain. Vaughn had jumped in front of her to save her and had collapsed to the ground, leaving the vile in the open. Sark smiled, grabbed the dummy vile and ran off, leaving them there for dead.
Sydney adjusted her weight and sat up, fighting the pain in her leg. She leaned against the wall, starting to pray, something she seldom did. "Vaughn, Vaughn." She gasped and moved aside, cradling his head in her arms. There were four bullet holes. Somehow, she managed to pull his body over her legs and she leaned even more against the wall for support. "Relax, relax. You're gonna be fine."
He gasped for air more rapidly than she did. "Oh Syd."
"Don't try to talk." She placed her fingertips over his lips. It was possible that he would die. She had lost too many men to her job.
"I need to. Please, tell my mother-tell my mother I didn't die like Dad. Promise me!" His speech was broken and he began to shake from pain.
"I won't need to. You're going to be fine. Please."
"Syd!"
"I promise. I swear. I swear." She leaned in close to him and pressed her forehead against his. "Please relax." She tapped her earphone. "Anybody there? Vaughn and I have been shot! Please help!" The tears escaped her eyes and flooded Vaughn's face. "Please!"
She cradled him in her arms. She knew she needed to follow Sark and take him down but in too much pain to fight "I'm here, I'm here."
"Oh Syd." He wanted to reach up and touch her but the pain in his shoulders was too much to bear.
"I'm right here. She felt more tears coming to her eyes but tried to keep her emotions in check.
The pain was getting more and more intense. "You know, when I first me Irinia, she said how I looked like my father. I couldn't help but think how much she looks like you but Syd. Sydney, you're nothing like her." He fell silent but started to groan in pain. "Are you shot?"
She had never been in such intense pain. "Yeah but I'm okay." The blood from his wounds began to spill over her legs. "I guess we're even. You saved my life."
"No." He groaned again. "I still need to save you once more."
"But you saved me that first day when I came to CIA, you saved my life."
He tried to smile again. "Good to know."
She couldn't let him die. She was absolutely in love with him and there was no way on this earth that she would let another man in her life die because of her job. "I won't let you die, Vaughn."
"Just know that." his voice trailed off. He was losing so much blood. His eyes just looked up at her blankly. Her body was beginning to turn on her: she was losing just as much blood.
"Base ops, this is mountaineer, Vaughn and I have been shot! We need assistance! Please! Where the hell is the team?" She was getting weaker by the second. The world was becoming blurry and was crashing before her eyes. She tapped her earphone once more. "Please, if anyone's there! Help me!"
The gasps of air from Vaughn became more rapid and his eyes rolled back into his head. The pain was too great to stay conscious anymore. Her body was becoming more feeble and as the blood seeped from her veins onto the floor and her eyes began to flutter. Her spine collapsed and she landed onto his chest, letting his blood escape onto her face.