Chapter Five
Sydney woke up and looked at her surroundings. This, she thought, looks strangely like the SD-6 hospital wing. Her eyes flew open and she sat up. She saw the IV in her arm and went to work on pulling it out.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Sark came into her room.
"Why not?" she continued working the IV out of her arm.
"They'll put you in restraints." He moved the sleeve of her hospital gown up past her shoulder, gently avoiding the bandage covering the place where the bullet had grazed her shoulder.
"Where's my mother?"
"Sloane's interrogating her. She hasn't told him anything, except for that she turned herself into the CIA, in case that was your next question."
"Who shot me?"
"Sloane did."
"He can run that fast?"
Sark chuckled. "Surprisingly, yes."
She grimaced as she raised her right arm to help pull herself into a sitting position. Sark helped her, and she comfortably leaned back into the pillows.
She couldn't help but feel slightly attracted to him. Stop, she mentally told herself. He almost killed Vaughn, he kidnapped and tortured Will, and he took your mother prisoner.
She saw another face at the door.
"Dad!" he hugged her and said coldly to Sark, "Get out." Sark merely nodded and left.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Sloane shot me. The bullet just grazed my shoulder." She pointed to her right arm.
"He did?"
"Sark told me."
"And you trust him?"
"Dad, I trust him over Sloane. He was here when I woke up. He gave me a five-minute head start. It was my own fault that I didn't notice Marshall's tracer. Sark was the one who told me what happened. Sloane wouldn't have."
Jack looked skeptical. "I guess you're right," he said, giving up the argument. He kissed her forehead. "Get some rest."
"Dad?" she asked as he turned to leave.
"Yeah?"
"Are you guys getting mom out of here?"
"We don't have a choice."
"What?"
"Vaughn got a call from Sark saying that if we didn't hand over the one hundred grand and get Irina, they'd kill you. Weren't you there?"
"No, I had passed out and when I woke up, I was tied to a chair. Sark came in with Sloane behind him. He told me that it was Vaughn."
"Interesting." He turned to leave.
"Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Tell Vaughn I love him," she said, completely not caring about protocol. Jack nodded, his face showing no expression and watched as Sydney fell back against the pillows and fell asleep.
She woke up an hour later to find Sloane entering the room.
"And how is our disloyal agent doing this afternoon?"
"Define disloyal," she shot back coldly.
"Double-agent," he smiled smugly.
"I have no earthly idea what you are talking about."
"Oh you know, Sydney. Three letters- C.I.A. You don't have to lie to me and I just might spare your life."
"SD-6 is the CIA, or at least a branch of it," she lied.
"You know what SD-6 really is."
"You know that you shot me," she retorted.
"Prove it."
"Get the bullet analyzed."
He held up a syringe. "Do you know what this is?"
"More than likely poison."
"It's 100 milligrams of morphine, Sydney. Not only will it end the pain in your shoulder, you will just simply drift away, until your brain ceases to function."
Her eyes widened, but she remained calm. "An autopsy could easily tell that someone in the SD-6 hospital wing killed me."
"But they couldn't tell who."
Sark pulled out his gun and held it to her head. "Do you work for the CIA or not."
"Blow my brains out Sark, I dare you," she coldly challenged.
She heard the trigger being pulled back, and closed her eyes, preparing for the end to come. She felt the cold gun being pulled away and opened her eyes.
"Why were you in Russia?"
"I was taking a vacation."
"With your mother?"
"My mother died in a car accident."
"Then who is Irina Derevko?" "She was someone that I met in Russia."
"Where is your father?"
"What is this, twenty questions?"
"Sydney, don't lie to me."
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
Sloane spun on his heel. "Mark my words, Sydney, I will find out your secret.
As soon as Sloane had left, Sark burst into laughter. "Twenty Questions?" he asked.
She gave him a cold stare. "You tell Sloane about my double-agent status, and he will find out about your plans."
Sark held up his hands in mock surrender. "He won't find out."
A few days later, the pain was completely gone from her shoulder. She entered SD-6 headquarters and found her father.
"Hey," he said. "Sloane wants you."
She dodged the statement. "How's Mom?"
"Not good," Jack replied grimly. "Sloane's starving her. He's moved onto a new target- you. He's convinced that you're a traitor."
Sydney just nodded and headed for Sloane's office. She stood in front of his desk.
"You will be interrogating Irina. She refuses to talk. We need to find out where her former KGB base is."
Sydney nodded, and turned to leave.
"Sydney?" she turned around.
He tossed her an apple. "Bribe her with this.
***
Sydney stood in front of her mother's cell and boldly stared up at the camera. She knew that Sloane was watching and riding her loyalty on interrogating Irina.
"Where is you former KGB base?" she asked, casually tossing the apple.
Irina looked desperately at Sydney, then to the apple. Sydney moved her eyes to the surveillance camera, and then back to Irina.
"Somewhere in Russia."
"I figured that out, Irina. Where in Russia?"
Irina sighed, but her eyes widened as she watched Sydney pull out a gun. "Where is it?"
Irina knew that she was putting on a show for Sloane.
"Ninety miles south of Moscow."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. Sydney lowered the gun and tossed Irina the apple. She turned and left the room.
"That was absolutely fabulous, you know," Sark came up behind her. "You played the Agent Bitch part perfectly. I'm sure that Sark was quite pleased."
"He's starving my mother."
"Come on," Sark pulled her into a room and tossed her a janitor's uniform.
"I am not wearing that."
"Do you want your mother to starve to death? Do you want Sloane to continue torturing her?"
"No," she said quietly, putting the uniform on and pulling her hair into a ponytail. She slipped the ponytail through the hat and grabbed her bucket and mop. Sark tossed her a key ring. "Your alias is Brenna Reid. You've been sent to clean the prison ward." He handed her a pair of earrings. "The right one is a com-link and the other one is a camera, so I can see you."
She nodded, put the earrings on, and went to work on rescuing Irina.
She began mopping the floor along Irina's cell and pulled out her key ring. She tried key after key and froze as she heard voices. Sloane and her father.
"Who are you?" asked Irina.
Sydney lifted her hat up a little.
"Sydney!" she breathed.
"Agent Bristow," Sark came over the com-link. "Sloane and your father are on their way. You need to hide or get out of there."
"Okay." Sydney opened the door to a utility closet and ducked inside.
"Good spot," said Sark.
"Thanks," said Sydney.
She heard Sloane and Jack approach Irina's cell.
"It has come to my attention that you assisted the CIA in stealing nuclear warheads in Kashmir. Tell me what you did at the base," said Jack. Sloane held an apple.
Irina sighed and said, "I was a prisoner."
Sloane threw her the apple. "And you learned the sewer system?"
She nodded.
"Thank you," he said with a nasty grin. He turned and stalked off.
"I'm getting a key. We're going to get you back to the CIA." Irina looked nervously at the camera.
"I disabled it."
Sydney stepped out of the closet. Jack pulled out his gun.
"Don't shoot!" She took off the hat and shook out her hair.
"Sydney."
She continued to insert key after key into the lock.
"Where'd you get those?" asked Jack.
"Sark."
"You really need to stop trusting him."
She finally found the right one. "Get her out of here. I'll meet you guys at headquarters."
Sydney woke up and looked at her surroundings. This, she thought, looks strangely like the SD-6 hospital wing. Her eyes flew open and she sat up. She saw the IV in her arm and went to work on pulling it out.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Sark came into her room.
"Why not?" she continued working the IV out of her arm.
"They'll put you in restraints." He moved the sleeve of her hospital gown up past her shoulder, gently avoiding the bandage covering the place where the bullet had grazed her shoulder.
"Where's my mother?"
"Sloane's interrogating her. She hasn't told him anything, except for that she turned herself into the CIA, in case that was your next question."
"Who shot me?"
"Sloane did."
"He can run that fast?"
Sark chuckled. "Surprisingly, yes."
She grimaced as she raised her right arm to help pull herself into a sitting position. Sark helped her, and she comfortably leaned back into the pillows.
She couldn't help but feel slightly attracted to him. Stop, she mentally told herself. He almost killed Vaughn, he kidnapped and tortured Will, and he took your mother prisoner.
She saw another face at the door.
"Dad!" he hugged her and said coldly to Sark, "Get out." Sark merely nodded and left.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Sloane shot me. The bullet just grazed my shoulder." She pointed to her right arm.
"He did?"
"Sark told me."
"And you trust him?"
"Dad, I trust him over Sloane. He was here when I woke up. He gave me a five-minute head start. It was my own fault that I didn't notice Marshall's tracer. Sark was the one who told me what happened. Sloane wouldn't have."
Jack looked skeptical. "I guess you're right," he said, giving up the argument. He kissed her forehead. "Get some rest."
"Dad?" she asked as he turned to leave.
"Yeah?"
"Are you guys getting mom out of here?"
"We don't have a choice."
"What?"
"Vaughn got a call from Sark saying that if we didn't hand over the one hundred grand and get Irina, they'd kill you. Weren't you there?"
"No, I had passed out and when I woke up, I was tied to a chair. Sark came in with Sloane behind him. He told me that it was Vaughn."
"Interesting." He turned to leave.
"Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Tell Vaughn I love him," she said, completely not caring about protocol. Jack nodded, his face showing no expression and watched as Sydney fell back against the pillows and fell asleep.
She woke up an hour later to find Sloane entering the room.
"And how is our disloyal agent doing this afternoon?"
"Define disloyal," she shot back coldly.
"Double-agent," he smiled smugly.
"I have no earthly idea what you are talking about."
"Oh you know, Sydney. Three letters- C.I.A. You don't have to lie to me and I just might spare your life."
"SD-6 is the CIA, or at least a branch of it," she lied.
"You know what SD-6 really is."
"You know that you shot me," she retorted.
"Prove it."
"Get the bullet analyzed."
He held up a syringe. "Do you know what this is?"
"More than likely poison."
"It's 100 milligrams of morphine, Sydney. Not only will it end the pain in your shoulder, you will just simply drift away, until your brain ceases to function."
Her eyes widened, but she remained calm. "An autopsy could easily tell that someone in the SD-6 hospital wing killed me."
"But they couldn't tell who."
Sark pulled out his gun and held it to her head. "Do you work for the CIA or not."
"Blow my brains out Sark, I dare you," she coldly challenged.
She heard the trigger being pulled back, and closed her eyes, preparing for the end to come. She felt the cold gun being pulled away and opened her eyes.
"Why were you in Russia?"
"I was taking a vacation."
"With your mother?"
"My mother died in a car accident."
"Then who is Irina Derevko?" "She was someone that I met in Russia."
"Where is your father?"
"What is this, twenty questions?"
"Sydney, don't lie to me."
"I have no idea what you are talking about."
Sloane spun on his heel. "Mark my words, Sydney, I will find out your secret.
As soon as Sloane had left, Sark burst into laughter. "Twenty Questions?" he asked.
She gave him a cold stare. "You tell Sloane about my double-agent status, and he will find out about your plans."
Sark held up his hands in mock surrender. "He won't find out."
A few days later, the pain was completely gone from her shoulder. She entered SD-6 headquarters and found her father.
"Hey," he said. "Sloane wants you."
She dodged the statement. "How's Mom?"
"Not good," Jack replied grimly. "Sloane's starving her. He's moved onto a new target- you. He's convinced that you're a traitor."
Sydney just nodded and headed for Sloane's office. She stood in front of his desk.
"You will be interrogating Irina. She refuses to talk. We need to find out where her former KGB base is."
Sydney nodded, and turned to leave.
"Sydney?" she turned around.
He tossed her an apple. "Bribe her with this.
***
Sydney stood in front of her mother's cell and boldly stared up at the camera. She knew that Sloane was watching and riding her loyalty on interrogating Irina.
"Where is you former KGB base?" she asked, casually tossing the apple.
Irina looked desperately at Sydney, then to the apple. Sydney moved her eyes to the surveillance camera, and then back to Irina.
"Somewhere in Russia."
"I figured that out, Irina. Where in Russia?"
Irina sighed, but her eyes widened as she watched Sydney pull out a gun. "Where is it?"
Irina knew that she was putting on a show for Sloane.
"Ninety miles south of Moscow."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. Sydney lowered the gun and tossed Irina the apple. She turned and left the room.
"That was absolutely fabulous, you know," Sark came up behind her. "You played the Agent Bitch part perfectly. I'm sure that Sark was quite pleased."
"He's starving my mother."
"Come on," Sark pulled her into a room and tossed her a janitor's uniform.
"I am not wearing that."
"Do you want your mother to starve to death? Do you want Sloane to continue torturing her?"
"No," she said quietly, putting the uniform on and pulling her hair into a ponytail. She slipped the ponytail through the hat and grabbed her bucket and mop. Sark tossed her a key ring. "Your alias is Brenna Reid. You've been sent to clean the prison ward." He handed her a pair of earrings. "The right one is a com-link and the other one is a camera, so I can see you."
She nodded, put the earrings on, and went to work on rescuing Irina.
She began mopping the floor along Irina's cell and pulled out her key ring. She tried key after key and froze as she heard voices. Sloane and her father.
"Who are you?" asked Irina.
Sydney lifted her hat up a little.
"Sydney!" she breathed.
"Agent Bristow," Sark came over the com-link. "Sloane and your father are on their way. You need to hide or get out of there."
"Okay." Sydney opened the door to a utility closet and ducked inside.
"Good spot," said Sark.
"Thanks," said Sydney.
She heard Sloane and Jack approach Irina's cell.
"It has come to my attention that you assisted the CIA in stealing nuclear warheads in Kashmir. Tell me what you did at the base," said Jack. Sloane held an apple.
Irina sighed and said, "I was a prisoner."
Sloane threw her the apple. "And you learned the sewer system?"
She nodded.
"Thank you," he said with a nasty grin. He turned and stalked off.
"I'm getting a key. We're going to get you back to the CIA." Irina looked nervously at the camera.
"I disabled it."
Sydney stepped out of the closet. Jack pulled out his gun.
"Don't shoot!" She took off the hat and shook out her hair.
"Sydney."
She continued to insert key after key into the lock.
"Where'd you get those?" asked Jack.
"Sark."
"You really need to stop trusting him."
She finally found the right one. "Get her out of here. I'll meet you guys at headquarters."