Title: "Recoil"
Author: Waterdancer aka AquarianLady
Email: jch114@hotmail.com
Website: none at this time.
Feedback: YES YES YES
Distribution: CD ALL DAY. Anyone else please ask.
Disclaimer: Anything Alias related (Vaughn, Devlin, SD-4,SD-6, Weiss, Donovan the dog) are all the property of ABC and Touchstone Pictures. It is the creation of JJ Abrams and Bad Robot Productions. Diana Rochelle is mine.
Summary: A woman from Vaughn's past comes back.
Rating: PG-13 for language.
Classification: Action/Adventure, Drama, and a dash of Romance.
A/N: A big thank you to Robin and Thorne. You guys have been a well of encouragement, and you don't know how much I appreciate it. It helped out tremendously. Thank you to Robin for the great beta. This is my VERY first attempt at a Vaughn fic. Hope you guys like it.
****
"Diana Rochelle," Michael Vaughn said as he slid a photo of a woman running out of an office building across the table.
"Who is she?" Sydney asked, running her hand over the picture.
"Former co-worker of mine who now works in the black ops division of the CIA. She's been in deep cover for 5 years. She was photographed by SD-4 cameras after she had broken into their archives." He could tell from Sydney's frown that she heard the concern in his voice, but he couldn't hide all of it. He had tried.
"What did she take?" Sydney asked.
"It's not important. What is important is that we get her out of there. The Alliance is after her, and the CIA can't help her out, because if the rescue goes bad, the whole operation within the Alliance and SD-6 could go down with it." He sighed as he slid more photographs over to Sydney. "What you're looking at is Diana's work. We got these photos from Rio. Those were two men that SD-4 sent to take her out; as you can see, she won."
He could see the shock on her face as she stared down at the black and white glossies. It mirrored the look that had been on his face when he had first seen the images. No matter how long someone was in this business, seeing what another human being could do when provoked was always startling. Intel had told him that the two men--barely recognizable as men in the surveillance film--were alive, but Vaughn could not believe it. His stomach twisted at the thought of Diana having to hurt someone so much. He had seen men who enjoyed hurting others inflict less injuries; it must have been devastating for Diana.
"And she's supposed to be on our side?" Sydney looked up at Vaughn with her eyebrow raised.
"She is," he vowed, running his hand through his hair. "I know she is."
"Vaughn, she's been gone for almost five years. How do you know that she hasn't been working for K-Directorate or someone else?" He could see old memories playing across her face. He knew immediately what she was thinking about, but somehow he managed to bite back the retort, "Diana isn't Noah". Instead he told her, "Sydney, Agent Rochelle is one of the best we have out there. If she's been turned, I—we'd know it."
In the dim light of the warehouse, he saw a flash of surprise in Sydney's eyes because of his outburst. "What's her last known location?"
He slid an envelope across the table. "Chile. Your father was able to gain some intel from SD-6 after she broke into the archives: the Alliance put a hit out on her. She's a marked woman, and since SD-4 couldn't get the job done, they want Sloane to eliminate her and get back the information that she's taken. He's sending you, Dixon, and another team in to take her into custody. You will be going into a party as an art dealer. Diana will be there working as a bodyguard for the Countess Cassia. She's knows that the CIA is sending someone to get her out. In that envelope, there is explicitly coded extraction information for her. When she makes contact, give her the coded information, and tell Dixon that you couldn't find her, or that she got away."
Sydney looked up from the pictures again. "Why doesn't she leave the information somewhere and get out before we show up?"
"She doesn't know who to trust, nor does she know how close SD-6 is to her. We can't just walk in there and take her out of there. But we just can't leave her there to die, either. Sydney, she's worked a long time to help bring down the Alliance. She deserves to be brought home, to get her life back. I know that I'm asking a lot, but I need your help. Please."
As much as he tried to hide it, he knew that his worry for Diana's safety showed in his plea for Sydney's help. If he had been allowed, he would go get her himself. But that was against protocol, he thought bitterly.
Sydney looked at him and nodded curtly. "When do I leave?"
****
"Diana Rochelle is our top priority. She's stolen from SD-4, and for that she must be dealt with accordingly," Sloane said as he slid Sydney and Dixon a dossier on her and turned on the monitors. "This is the most recent picture that we have of her." He pointed at the screen. "Her last known location is Chile. You and Dixon will go there posing as art dealers. There you will attend the party of one Dominique Cassia. We are sure that Rochelle is there as her bodyguard. When you find her, take her into custody. If she resists, kill her."
As they all left the briefing room, Jack noticed his daughter trying to catch his attention. He nodded towards his office, and she followed him. Once the door closed, He pulled out his frequency jammer. "We have two minutes."
"What can you tell me about Diana Rochelle?" Sydney asked him hesitantly.
"Just what Vaughn and Sloane have already told you. She's part of the real black ops division of the CIA. She recently took some items from SD-4, and SD-6 has been chosen to recover her and the information that she stole from the Alliance. However, you should made aware that she's out of control and bringing unnecessary attention to our operations. Containment is necessary. Which is why Devlin agreed when Vaughn requested to have you sent in to rescue her and get the intel."
"Is Vaughn's concern professional or personal?" Sydney asked.
Jack wasn't sure who was more surprised by the question: Sydney or himself. His daughter was relaxing around him, and while a part of him enjoyed it, another part feared the possible consequences. "Why do you ask?"
"The information is important, but he kept talking about rescuing her instead."
Devlin had already discussed his concerns about the same issue with Jack. Vaughn was too close to this mission to think through it logically, but he was also the only one that had any contact with Diana. She *had* to be brought in before something happened. "She and Vaughn were involved before she started working in the black ops division."
Sydney nodded "Yes, he told me that they were partners."
Jack remembered Devlin's earlier words "More than partners, Sydney. He was the reason she left."
He saw the disbelief and a hint of pain in his daughter's eyes before she could hide it. He wanted to tell her that she shouldn't be surprised that Vaughn had a life before they met. So had she. He wanted to warn her against being personally involved with her handler--even though he was afraid that warning would be coming too late. But he did neither.
Clearing her throat, Sydney said, "Is there anything else?"
Information was the only thing he had to give her, the only way he could help keep her safe. "She's dangerous, Sydney, and you need to approach her with caution. It is imperative that you convince her that you are with the CIA, because if you don't, and SD-6 finds her--it will mean the end for both of us."