"April Fools!" The young cashier at the supermarket checkout flashed a
toothy grin at Sydney after the register had rung up her purchase of
alcohol and Tylenol as one hundred dollars. She attempted a weak smile in
return, but the bitterness only grew inside of her. The rage, the pain
associated with those words still haunted her, even after six years.
Six years earlier
It had been April 1st, of course, and Sydney reported for her Joey's Pizza call as usual. The feel of it was so routine, going through the motions. They were getting achingly close to bringing down SD-6. In fact, the last time she had met with Vaughn he managed to place a bet with her. He said it would be less than six months, she said six months to a year. Loser bought the other dinner on their first night out in public together. The thought of their wicked banter on the matter distracted her, keeping her from realizing that the suit back she was looking at was broader and shorter than Vaughn's.
He heard her approach and inhaled deeply. She snapped out of her reminiscing and realized Weiss stood in front of her rather than Vaughn.
"Sydney.." Weiss began, "Vaughn is out of commission."
Sydney's face distorted into something more horrible than Weiss had ever witnessed, but then he could tell she grasped the point.
But she started laughing.
"Weiss, I always knew you were a prankster, but don't you think even this is going to an extreme? I know it's April Fools' Day and that makes people feel invincible from judgement, but I will never forget this moment." Sydney chuckled again to herself, but halted when Weiss cleared his throat.
"No April Fools' here Syd. It's Vaughn, he's gone. Disappeared, presumed dead. We have no idea who perpetrated it, but he was at Alice's apart-" he stopped, reluctant to go into further detail, but then forced himself to continue. "And they were in bed, when the windows flung open. Alice saw one man dressed completely in black who cuffed Vaughn and escaped back out the window."
"Who? I want them dead. I want them to suffer. I want this to be over. I want him..I need him..what the hell am I supposed to do now?" With that, Sydney broke down, racked with sobs. Her strength had been sucked out of her by this unknown vacuum who had taken her only ally, her guardian angel.
"We have no leads. There is no evidence. There's nothing, Sydney, nothing left."
"Certainly my hope is gone, why should I even go on?" Sydney's mind was still clouded by the shock and the pure depression the announcement had brought on.
"Syd, remember why you started this in the first place. We need to take them down. We will take down SD-6."
Present
Six long years had passed, as had SD-6, as had Arvin Sloane, as had Sydney's life. She had gone into protection on her own accord once all was said and done. Francie's business had absorbed all her time and so had Will. Those two together were too much for Sydney to handle, especially when her love life was one dark abyss.
Continuing the walk to her quaint cottage not far from the small town's main street, she noticed a package at her doorstep. Her instincts always led back to spy mode; she approached the large brown box with caution. No return address, and the box was labeled with her name.
This was a serious security breach. One of the former alliance members gone rogue could be sending a bomb, or even worse a former agent could be trying to stir up the CIA.
When she opened the box, she was surprised to find only more boxes. Each successive box made Sydney almost give up, a false sense of hope the only force she used to continue.
It was nothing like she had imagined. Finally the last box had given her something. Her head began to cloud and she fell to the ground with a sharp thud.
A picture of Vaughn in Times Square, yesterday's headlines scrolling behind him. A note that read only "Not April Fools."
Six years earlier
It had been April 1st, of course, and Sydney reported for her Joey's Pizza call as usual. The feel of it was so routine, going through the motions. They were getting achingly close to bringing down SD-6. In fact, the last time she had met with Vaughn he managed to place a bet with her. He said it would be less than six months, she said six months to a year. Loser bought the other dinner on their first night out in public together. The thought of their wicked banter on the matter distracted her, keeping her from realizing that the suit back she was looking at was broader and shorter than Vaughn's.
He heard her approach and inhaled deeply. She snapped out of her reminiscing and realized Weiss stood in front of her rather than Vaughn.
"Sydney.." Weiss began, "Vaughn is out of commission."
Sydney's face distorted into something more horrible than Weiss had ever witnessed, but then he could tell she grasped the point.
But she started laughing.
"Weiss, I always knew you were a prankster, but don't you think even this is going to an extreme? I know it's April Fools' Day and that makes people feel invincible from judgement, but I will never forget this moment." Sydney chuckled again to herself, but halted when Weiss cleared his throat.
"No April Fools' here Syd. It's Vaughn, he's gone. Disappeared, presumed dead. We have no idea who perpetrated it, but he was at Alice's apart-" he stopped, reluctant to go into further detail, but then forced himself to continue. "And they were in bed, when the windows flung open. Alice saw one man dressed completely in black who cuffed Vaughn and escaped back out the window."
"Who? I want them dead. I want them to suffer. I want this to be over. I want him..I need him..what the hell am I supposed to do now?" With that, Sydney broke down, racked with sobs. Her strength had been sucked out of her by this unknown vacuum who had taken her only ally, her guardian angel.
"We have no leads. There is no evidence. There's nothing, Sydney, nothing left."
"Certainly my hope is gone, why should I even go on?" Sydney's mind was still clouded by the shock and the pure depression the announcement had brought on.
"Syd, remember why you started this in the first place. We need to take them down. We will take down SD-6."
Present
Six long years had passed, as had SD-6, as had Arvin Sloane, as had Sydney's life. She had gone into protection on her own accord once all was said and done. Francie's business had absorbed all her time and so had Will. Those two together were too much for Sydney to handle, especially when her love life was one dark abyss.
Continuing the walk to her quaint cottage not far from the small town's main street, she noticed a package at her doorstep. Her instincts always led back to spy mode; she approached the large brown box with caution. No return address, and the box was labeled with her name.
This was a serious security breach. One of the former alliance members gone rogue could be sending a bomb, or even worse a former agent could be trying to stir up the CIA.
When she opened the box, she was surprised to find only more boxes. Each successive box made Sydney almost give up, a false sense of hope the only force she used to continue.
It was nothing like she had imagined. Finally the last box had given her something. Her head began to cloud and she fell to the ground with a sharp thud.
A picture of Vaughn in Times Square, yesterday's headlines scrolling behind him. A note that read only "Not April Fools."