Author's Note: I might use a middle name for Sydney in an upcoming chapter, so I just want to verify that we still don't know what it is beyond the fact that it starts with an If anyone has information that would discredit the no middle name as of yet, please let me know. Enjoy this chapter, sorry it's been a couple days. I'm itching to get to the good stuff, but there are some pesky details that I must deal with first before I can go there, so be patient if I don't have new chapters posted constantly. It was easier with Evasion,' every chapter had some kind of exciting bit in it. Anyways...enjoy chapter three;)



Trying



The next morning, Sydney went to meet with Kendall, her father, and Vaughn.

Absolutely not, Kendall was saying.

Why not? He could really help us, Sydney argued.

He cannot be trusted, Jack put in.

We need all the help we can get, Sydney pointed out, if we ever want to destroy SD-6.

Yes, I'm aware of that, but that help' is most certainly not going to come in the form of a trained assassin, Kendall stated.

Look, I'm more than aware of what Sark has done in the past, but it's clear to me that he wants to make up for his past mistakes by helping us. Sydney sighed. My mother turned herself in wanting to do the exact same thing, and she has helped us land a great many blows to SD-6.

Kendall shook his head. Agent Bristow, that is a completely different situation. Your mother is not in the field, she's locked up so that we can keep an eye on her, and—

Yes, in a fucking cage. You don't have to remind me of the ludicrous arrangements she has, Sydney snapped.

Kendall narrowed his eyes. It seems that I do because you still don't seem to understand that your mother is a prisoner. No matter what she has helped us with or whatever you might believe, she is still a prisoner of this country.

Sydney's lip trembled a bit as she spoke. She wanted to deal with the situation the CIA had her mother in, but she wanted to take care of the issue of Sark first. We got off-topic, let's go back to discussing what Sark could do for us.

You are the one who went off-topic, Agent Bristow, Kendall reminded her, and as far as Sark is concerned, I'm standing by my original decision.

Please, at least on—I don't know—some kind of trial basis. If he betrays us, we can easily remove him, Sydney said.

And raise suspicion with SD-6 when he magically turns up dead? Kendall said, raising his voice.

We can come up with an explanation, that he was killed on a mission, Sydney told him, her voice rising in volume as well.

Agent Bristow, I know what it means to you to take down SD-6, and I'm not denying the fact that we need all the assistance we can garner, but there is no way in hell that son of a bitch is going to work for the Central Intelligence Agency!

Sydney opened her mouth to speak, but Vaughn beat her to it.

Sir, with Sark's vast knowledge of Irina Derevko's organization and his experience in the field with everything he's done, I think he could be a worthy ally. Vaughn took a deep breath. I don't know about you, but I would much rather have him on our side than that of SD-6.

Kendall stared at Vaughn for a moment before letting his eyes travel to Sydney, Jack, and a far wall respectively. Jack cleared his throat and Kendall turned to look his direction as he started to speak.

I said a few minutes ago that I thought Sark could not be trusted. I still hold that belief. But, Mr. Vaughn is correct, it would be to our advantage if he were working with us. Plus, in the event that he does betray us, it would be as simple as Sydney suggested to remove him.

Kendall quirked his mouth into a frown as he mulled over Jack's words. He finally nodded. All right, we'll try it. He glanced at Sydney who was desperately trying to suppress a smile. Have him meet you somewhere after work. By then, we'll have a plan of how we want to proceed. I just hope this isn't a mistake.

Sydney nodded and turned to leave. Vaughn stopped her when she was out of earshot of Kendall and Jack.

Are you sure this is a good idea? he asked.

Yes, I do, and why are you asking when you were just defending my opinion a minute ago?

Yeah, but I wanted to be sure you know what's going to happen when Sark starts working for us, Vaughn stated.

Sydney crossed her arms over her chest. What do you mean?

Vaughn shrugged and stuffed his hands in his pockets. I just mean, that there will be another double agent inside SD-6. You and your father is one thing, but it's different with Sark. I mean, you're not exactly friends or anything, so I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's going to be more difficult.

We'll work something out, Sydney assured him. I have to go, so I'll see you later.

Yeah, see you.


Sydney opened the front door of her house and spied Will sitting on the couch.

she greeted him.

Oh hey, Will said, glancing at her from the couch.

Sydney hung up her coat and joined Will on the couch. She lifted her legs up and rested her calves on Will's lap. How are you doing?

Great, actually, I met with Vaughn to get the results of my psych test, Will told her.

How did that go?

Well, I would say it went pretty well since I have a job again. He grinned at her.

Sydney grinned back and touched his arm. I'm so glad things are— she paused, —working out, I guess it's safe to say. She looked down, guilt sweeping over her.

Will lifted her chin up. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sydney smiled and leaned back against the arm of the couch. Will was lightly drumming his fingers on Sydney's shins when a beeper went off. Sydney immediately checked to see if it was hers and was surprised to see that it wasn't. Will found himself smiling down at his beeper, remembering how Vaughn told him he would be contacted. He glanced back up and gave Sydney a grin.

I got to go to work.

Sydney giggled a bit. Will had uttered the words she had said so many times when her beeper had gone off in the middle of conversations with her friends. Will started to get up from the couch but Sydney kept her legs firmly planted in his lap. He chuckled a bit and finally Sydney pulled her legs back and sat pretzel-style on the cushions. She reached a hand out in front of him as he started to walk by her. It landed on his stomach.

One thing before you go, I wanted to tell you, uh— she sighed and shook her head slightly, —I'll just be blunt, Sark's going to be working for the CIA as a double-agent inside SD-6.

Will almost immediately plopped back down on the couch. His thigh grazed Sydney's feet. How and why? he asked, narrowing his eyes.

Sydney swallowed. He cornered me yesterday, he said he wanted to meet with me to talk. So we went to a park and he told me he knew I was a double-agent, and that he wants to do the same thing I do.

And the CIA is going to let him? Will asked in disbelief.

Sydney nodded. My father, Vaughn, and I all convinced Kendall to let him. I mean, Vaughn even pointed out, it would be better to have Sark on our side.

Will nodded slightly and looked down at his lap, thinking. So he's going to be doing the exact same thing as you? Going on missions and keeping things away from SD-6?

Yeah, basically, Sydney said with a nod.

How is that going to work, though? I mean, you two are like sworn enemies.

I guess we'll have to work past it, Sydney said with a shrug.