Chapter 3
The meeting was set for 9pm. At 8:30 Sydney came out of the bedroom dressed and ready, the complacent expression drawn back across her face as if it'd never left.
Sark eyed her carefully, but made no comment.
"What? Is there a problem?" She asked.
"No, nothing. It's good." He answered quietly, looking away and placing his glass on a nearby table.
"Good?"
He turned to her. His eyes traveled up and down her form. "That look suits you." He said finally.
Sydney rolled her eyes. "I should of guessed you would get into this dominant male/submissive female bit," she observed wryly, "it's so you."
"It's so me?" Sark countered. "Interesting observation since you haven't taken the time to learn the first thing about me. For your information, I don't 'get into' anything of the sort. I was simply thinking that you look astoundingly pretty in that nightgown, in this light. The color brings out your complexion. I had thought it might. I'm sorry I mentioned it. It won't happen again, I assure you. Now, shall we get started?" He demanded irritably, waving his hand in the direction of the bedroom.
Sydney nodded, angry with herself for engaging in personal conversation with him at all. She had long ago decided it would be best if she didn't interact with him in any way other than professionally and then only when ordered to do so. She knew better. "Fine," she sighed heavily, "let's get this over with."
They walked over to the bed and she sat down on the edge in front of him.
"How do you sleep?" He asked her.
"On my side."
"Left or right?"
"Left."
"Fine. Lie down as you would normally." He instructed her.
She lay down on her left side with one hand under the pillow. Looking thoughtfully down at her, he reached under her pillow and pulled her arm further up so her hand reached the antique frame. Without taking his eyes off hers, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. He locked one end to her wrist and the other to the bed frame. Gripping the second cuff, he pressed hard against the frame and rubbed it several times back and forth. Pulling out a set of keys, he took one off the ring and set it next to her on the pillow. He pocketed the other. Reaching under his coat behind his back, he pulled out a gun. Raising it up to show her, he placed it under the bed directly beneath her.
"If you need to shoot me, Sydney, please try to be considerate."
"I'll try." She deadpanned.
"I'll be meeting with Korin in his office suite. He should have arrived by now, so I'll be going. From prior dealings with him I estimate you will have 15 minutes from start to finish. We will maintain our coms but obviously I won't be able to speak to you directly. Now, should he suspect, you know what to do. Stick to the profile exactly. I will be depending upon you to do so." He paused. "Hopefully we won't have any problems. Ideally, we'll simply meet back here, I'll feign that I've been called away to business, and we'll be on our way. Are you ready?"
"I'm ready."
"Good luck Sydney." He said seriously.
****************
On his way to Korin's suite, Sark was pulled away from his thoughts by a small cry. Looking around he spied a young girl being led by the hand down the hall to one of the rooms. Sark's blood went cold. The girl couldn't have been more than six or seven years old. She wasn't resisting, just sobbing quietly. She knew well where she was going. Sark gazed after her. She had chestnut hair, .... like Sydney, he thought. But he had somewhere to be right now, and he continued on his way.
***************
Upon his arrival at Korin's suite, Sark passed a man coming out. The man nodded to him and Sark nodded back. Sark recognized him from photos he'd seen in the SD-6 databases. That was how he had learned the man was Korin's contact in supplying arms to various radical military groups.
"Was that General Slovak I passed earlier?" Sark inquired after the requisite pleasantries were expressed.
"Yes it was." Korin was pleased Sark had noticed. "He comes here periodically as a guest of mine. It's a perk of our relationship that I provide him with access to entertainment that, outside the boundaries of The Chateau Davincci would be, how shall I say it....., frowned upon."
"It's been rumored he has a thing for little girls," Sark ventured, putting two and two together.
"Distasteful compulsion, it will be his undoing someday." Korin confided.
A knowing look passed between the two men. Sark didn't try to hide his admiration. "Congratulations. That's quite a coup," he complimented him.
"As was the disk I've procured for you." Korin reminded him, getting down to business.
"Yes, it seems you may becoming even more useful than we'd anticipated."
****************
Sydney stayed where she was a full minute before using the tiny key to unlock the cuffs. She began to undo her wrist but then thought better of it and simply detached them from the frame. She leapt up and pulled a bag out from underneath the bed. She slipped on her shoes and tossed the nightgown off over her head. Underneath she wore a black bodysuit. Slipping out onto the terrace, she took out a length of rope and tossed one end up and looped it around a sconce attached to the roof. She scrambled up it and over the ledge. Jogging across the rooftop and peering over the opposite edge of the building, she could see there were only two guards stationed below and they were engaged in some type of debate and smoking. Reaching into the sack slung over her shoulder Sydney took out the propulsion cable.
****************
Flashback to Marshall's briefing earlier back at SD-6~
"What you have here is a simple propulsion cable," he explained to her, "but with a twist. Prior to now you needed a target point to which the cable could wrap itself around. It wasn't always practical." He flashed her a commissary look. "So now, I've devised what I like to call the 'Marshall Butterfly Propulsion Cable'."
Sydney had to hold herself not to laugh. He was so proud.
"Well," he continued, "I'm still working on the name. What it does is, instead of needing something to attach itself around, it now carries it's own attachment in the form of a butterfly clip." He held up the clip to emphasize his point. "The cable enters the structure, in this case a stone wall, and snaps tight with the butterfly catch opening in the wall structure itself anchoring the cable to the wall with a weight capacity of approximately 473 lbs. Give or take a few. Simply hold the device over the edge of the building, angle it to ensure the proper direction and press this release. Voila! You'll be walking the tightrope." He smiled to her; apparently the mental image pleased him. "Of course you may want to just hang on it and cross that way."
****************
Back to Sydney~
Pulling out the small key to the handcuffs, she stuck it between her teeth. She placed the empty cuff around the cable and lowered herself down on to it, sliding silently along the wire to the adjacent wing across the courtyard. She extended her legs in front of her to break her impact against the wall. Landing just inches from the window, she peered in from the side to make sure it was empty. Seeing it was, she reached over and pulled the window open. Taking the key from her mouth she gripped the cable with her free hand and unlocked the cuff connecting her to the wire. Gripping the window frame for leverage she swung her legs over the sill and entered the room silently. She could hear Sark's voice coming from behind the door. They had already begun to talk business. She would have to hurry. She reached up and turned on her com unit.
"I'm in." She whispered.
Sark responded by upping his voice an octave. Indiscernible to the man he was speaking with, whom Sydney guessed to be Korin, but enough to signal to Sydney that he'd heard her. She had no problem finding the safe. It was exactly where Sark said it would be. She got right to work taking the combination decoder out of her bag and placing it against the dial.
****************
Flash back to Marshall's briefing back at SD-6~
"Looks just like a cell phone," he was saying, now hardly able to control his excitement. "Right? Well actually it is, but I just threw that in as a bonus." He smiled specifically to Sydney. "In reality it's a metal detector, or rather an amplified version of that. Now you just place the speaker outlet over the dial - this part right here, oh.... you know what the speaker looks like, huh? Okay, then you press the *star* button and this baby will do the rest for you. The locking mechanism on the safe is a set of wheels. The trick is to line up each notch with contact points. Now, once each notch is lined up part of the combination will appear. When they all line up and the combination is revealed, the "phone" will then dial up the combination and Bip Bop Bang, the door will open." He mimed a door opening with his hands to give her a visual. "It should take about 30 seconds. Well, 29 really. But who's counting. Oh, I guess I did. We'll just say 30 to be on the safe side."
****************
Back to Sydney~
29 seconds later, the door swung open. She pulled out the disk and took it over to the computer, slipping it into the reader. She arranged the duplicator on top of the monitor and inserted the jack into his hard drive. Then she inserted a disk into her reader. When that disk was completed, she pulled it out and reached into her pocket, pulled out a second disk, and repeated the operation. Then she erased the original. Collecting her gear and replacing it into her bag she quickly typed the IP address, containing the virus, onto his keyboard and hit enter. She heard voices approaching. Sark asked about someone connected to Korin and she realized he was trying to stall.
"I'm not finished," she hissed.
Reaching up to his com as if to scratch his face, he answered her and Korin both -
".. That's too bad."
She wouldn't have time to see if the virus was successful. At the sound of them approaching the door she turned and lept up onto the edge of the window opening her cuff and just looping it around the wire in time. She jumped out into the night, propelling herself across the courtyard along the cable. Unfortunately, she launched herself a little too quickly and she wasn't able to slow her stop enough, causing her to slam into the opposite wall, her face taking the worst of it. The key slipped out of her mouth on impact and she could only watch it fall. She searched franticly for the guards but as luck would have it they'd already moved off to patrol the grounds. Sark heard the impact and her whimper in his ear and he inwardly cringed. He could do nothing to help her.
"How have you found the working with the F.A.C.?" He addressed Korin, and he hoped Sydney as well.
"Ah, they're a volatile group."
"I'm okay." She managed in response.
"Yes, my own interaction with them has been limited, but my employer has nothing but the greatest respect for their operation." She could hear Sark's voice simultaneously talking to both of them. She understood, 'I copy, I'll try to stall, and, I know you can do it'.
All at once Korin began yelling.
"What is this? Someone has been in here."
Korin turned to the computer and banged at the keys. The screen was blank. He found the disk in the reader and he knew.
"Someone has been in here just now, they've destroyed the disk."
Sydney could hear the cursing and barking of orders. Sark remained silent. She reached into her belt and pulled out a thin stick of metal and began picking the lock on her cuffs. Her adrenalin now kicking into high gear.
"Check the rooms, check the halls," He turned to Sark. "You don't move." He ordered.
"I wouldn't dream of it." Sark replied evenly.
"The window is open! Get a flashlight."
Locating one, they flashed it out and up until they spotted the cable.
"He escaped out here. He couldn't of gone far. Call the guards, tell them to kill anything that moves." Korin instructed them.
"Sir, look!" Korin's guard pointed the light to far end of cable. Along the roofline they spied Sydney's shadow just ducking out of sight.
"He's over there" he shouted, "quickly! Don't let him escape!"
Guards were running now in all directions, covering the grounds. On the rooftop Sydney yanked her rope back out of the bag and tossed it over the South edge of the building, attaching the end to a pipe. Then she turned and ran the opposite direction to the North end and shimmied down the drainpipe. When she got down to the second floor she slipped silently into their darkened suite. She immediately set about dismantling the equipment.
****************
Korin's office~
Korin looked up at Sark with a steely expression. "You! It was you. I knew something felt wrong. You are not the same." He accused.
"Mr. Korin, I don't know what you're referring to but I can assure you my employer will tolerate no disrespect." Sark reminded him.
"You've never brought a guest before. You work alone. You never travel without security. You, Mr. Sark are as predictable as rain. Where is the woman?" He demanded.
"Which woman?" Sark asked in a confused tone.
"The woman traveling with you. You are not a man to engage in the activities offered here. Such a weakness is not in your character. I make it a priority to study my friends as well as my enemies." He said, emphasizing the word 'enemies.'
"A woman is hardly a weakness. A diversion perhaps. Regardless, she is not your concern. I came here as an invited guest and I resent what you're implying. I have come to make a purchase. Why would I destroy that which my employer has dispatched me to buy?"
"Why indeed?"
"Mr. Korin, I think it is time for me to leave now."
Upon Korin's signal his guards pulled out their guns and leveled them at Sark.
"Good idea." Korin countered. "We will all go with you. I want to see this woman of yours."
****************
Once the equipment was dismantled and disguised, Sydney pulled the disks out of her pocket and then slipped out of her bodysuit. She kicked her shoes off and knocked them under the bed. She could hear commotion through her com but there was too much static and it was difficult to make out exactly what was happening. Korin was barking orders and she detected movement. She lunged for her nightgown. She needed to pass the disk.
'Stick to the profile exactly' Sydney remembered Sark instructing her, 'I will be depending on you ...'
"Yeah, well, you just don't know all of the profile," she thought to herself as she crept over to the door and turned the handle, silently opening it. The door directly opposite hers did the same and suddenly, unexpectedly, Sydney was face to face with Vaughn. She smiled at the surprise. Vaughn started to smile too until he took in her appearance. She hadn't thought of what she must look like. He took in the filmy pink negligee, the disheveled hair, her welted cheek, her tiny bare feet; He blinked in shock at the sight of handcuffs dangling from her wrist. It was as if time momentarily stood still, and yet it was instantaneous. Angry voices could be heard approaching and with simultaneous panic they both ducked back into their rooms before being seen.
Sark was the one talking. "You will find nothing." He was saying loudly.
Sydney raced for the bedroom, her hand just locking the cuff to the frame as the door to their suite swung open.
"Where is she?" Korin demanded.
"She is sleeping, where I left her." Sark answered calmly, though he was clearly annoyed.
"Then you won't mind letting us have a look at her."
"I do mind, but it appears I haven't a choice in the matter."
Sydney heard him walk over to the door and quietly open it. He paused in the doorway and turned to them. "You will wait here." He instructed. "I will get her."
He opened the door wide and walked over to the bed where she lay as he left her. Her eyes were closed. She appeared to be sleeping. He knelt down beside the bed and softly caressed her cheek with his finger. His eyes adored her and his voice was very soft.
"Enya. Enya darling, I need you to wake up."
He slipped his fingers through her hair and moved it out of her face. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled brightly at him.
"Enya, there are some gentlemen here that need to see you."
Sydney didn't speak but her eyes got very wide and she turned to look. They were watching her from the doorway. If it had been anyone else but Sark they would of entered, but they understood that Sark would accept only so much. She looked back at him.
"It'll be okay, I promise." He said gently.
He stretched out his hand and she grasped it to pull herself into a sitting position on the edge of the bed. She lowered her eyes in the direction of the gun hidden below but a flick of his eyes told her no. She began to get up, and then sat back down suddenly, looking up at him quizzically.
"Of course. I'm sorry, I forgot."
He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a small silver key. He pulled away her pillow and unlocked her arm from the cuff. Then he helped her up from the bed and steered her towards the other room.
Displayed for them, they looked her over. Sydney kept her gaze down.
"Reports of her beauty were not exaggerated I see," Korin openly bated him. "Tell me, Mr. Sark, where did you find such a charming creature?"
"If you must know," Sark responded icily, "she was a gift."
Pretending not to be impressed, though he clearly was, Korin instructed one of his men to lift up her face. Looking to Sark, the guard was hesitant but quickly moved to do as he was told.
"Touch her and you will die." Sark warned.
The guard stopped. He looked back at Korin.
"Do it." Korin ordered.
Purposely looking away from Sark this time, the guard walked over to Sydney and carefully tilted her chin up with one finger. Her cheek was red and swollen. Sydney didn't look up, but kept her eyes to the floor.
"And how did she just happen to get this?" Demanded Korin.
"My personal affairs are none of yours." Sark responded evenly. "Now step back."
The guard did so without question this time.
The room was silent for several moments. All that could be heard was the crackling of the fire in the other room. Korin seemed to be weighing the matter over and Sark didn't rush him. Neither he, nor Sark, ever took their eyes off one another. A cell phone ringing broke the silence. Korin reached into his pocket and put it to his ear. After listening for several seconds he said, "Continue searching the grounds." He shut it off and replaced it to his pocket.
"It seems I may have been mistaken." Korin relented. "It appears that a rope has been found leading from the roof down to the South grounds. It is possible the perpetrator used this to escape." After a moment he added. "My apologies to yourself and the lady."
Sark didn't reply.
"Apparently our transaction will have to wait until I can sort this out." Korin continued. "I assume you will be leaving first thing in the morning? I believe I can be in touch within a few days," he offered. "I will get the disk back, Mr. Sark." He added pointedly.
Again Sark didn't respond. He seemed to be thinking it over.
"I think I'll wait," he announced a moment later, to the utter surprise of everyone in the room, especially Sydney.
"Here at The Davincci?" Korin asked, taken aback, and then stammered, "That's very generous of you Mr. Sark. Once again you surprise me. I will be contacting you soon."
Korin and his men turned to leave.
"One moment."
They all turned.
Sark turned to Sydney. "Go back to bed now." He instructed her gently. "I will be in shortly."
She smiled gratefully and nodded her head as she turned and went back into the bedroom.
"We aren't finished," he declared, the moment the door was shut. Then he whipped out his gun and shot Korin's guard between the eyes, killing him instantly. The man slumped noiselessly to the ground. Korin and his remaining guard instinctively drew back, stunned.
"I warned you if he touched her he would die."
Korin panicked. "Surely, Mr. Sark, you can understand our need to verify -
"I understand nothing of the sort." Sark cut him off. "I think you need to remember who you're dealing with here, Mr. Korin."
A mixture of fear and recognition slowly crept across Korin's face. Perhaps Sark wasn't so different after all.
****************
The meeting was set for 9pm. At 8:30 Sydney came out of the bedroom dressed and ready, the complacent expression drawn back across her face as if it'd never left.
Sark eyed her carefully, but made no comment.
"What? Is there a problem?" She asked.
"No, nothing. It's good." He answered quietly, looking away and placing his glass on a nearby table.
"Good?"
He turned to her. His eyes traveled up and down her form. "That look suits you." He said finally.
Sydney rolled her eyes. "I should of guessed you would get into this dominant male/submissive female bit," she observed wryly, "it's so you."
"It's so me?" Sark countered. "Interesting observation since you haven't taken the time to learn the first thing about me. For your information, I don't 'get into' anything of the sort. I was simply thinking that you look astoundingly pretty in that nightgown, in this light. The color brings out your complexion. I had thought it might. I'm sorry I mentioned it. It won't happen again, I assure you. Now, shall we get started?" He demanded irritably, waving his hand in the direction of the bedroom.
Sydney nodded, angry with herself for engaging in personal conversation with him at all. She had long ago decided it would be best if she didn't interact with him in any way other than professionally and then only when ordered to do so. She knew better. "Fine," she sighed heavily, "let's get this over with."
They walked over to the bed and she sat down on the edge in front of him.
"How do you sleep?" He asked her.
"On my side."
"Left or right?"
"Left."
"Fine. Lie down as you would normally." He instructed her.
She lay down on her left side with one hand under the pillow. Looking thoughtfully down at her, he reached under her pillow and pulled her arm further up so her hand reached the antique frame. Without taking his eyes off hers, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. He locked one end to her wrist and the other to the bed frame. Gripping the second cuff, he pressed hard against the frame and rubbed it several times back and forth. Pulling out a set of keys, he took one off the ring and set it next to her on the pillow. He pocketed the other. Reaching under his coat behind his back, he pulled out a gun. Raising it up to show her, he placed it under the bed directly beneath her.
"If you need to shoot me, Sydney, please try to be considerate."
"I'll try." She deadpanned.
"I'll be meeting with Korin in his office suite. He should have arrived by now, so I'll be going. From prior dealings with him I estimate you will have 15 minutes from start to finish. We will maintain our coms but obviously I won't be able to speak to you directly. Now, should he suspect, you know what to do. Stick to the profile exactly. I will be depending upon you to do so." He paused. "Hopefully we won't have any problems. Ideally, we'll simply meet back here, I'll feign that I've been called away to business, and we'll be on our way. Are you ready?"
"I'm ready."
"Good luck Sydney." He said seriously.
****************
On his way to Korin's suite, Sark was pulled away from his thoughts by a small cry. Looking around he spied a young girl being led by the hand down the hall to one of the rooms. Sark's blood went cold. The girl couldn't have been more than six or seven years old. She wasn't resisting, just sobbing quietly. She knew well where she was going. Sark gazed after her. She had chestnut hair, .... like Sydney, he thought. But he had somewhere to be right now, and he continued on his way.
***************
Upon his arrival at Korin's suite, Sark passed a man coming out. The man nodded to him and Sark nodded back. Sark recognized him from photos he'd seen in the SD-6 databases. That was how he had learned the man was Korin's contact in supplying arms to various radical military groups.
"Was that General Slovak I passed earlier?" Sark inquired after the requisite pleasantries were expressed.
"Yes it was." Korin was pleased Sark had noticed. "He comes here periodically as a guest of mine. It's a perk of our relationship that I provide him with access to entertainment that, outside the boundaries of The Chateau Davincci would be, how shall I say it....., frowned upon."
"It's been rumored he has a thing for little girls," Sark ventured, putting two and two together.
"Distasteful compulsion, it will be his undoing someday." Korin confided.
A knowing look passed between the two men. Sark didn't try to hide his admiration. "Congratulations. That's quite a coup," he complimented him.
"As was the disk I've procured for you." Korin reminded him, getting down to business.
"Yes, it seems you may becoming even more useful than we'd anticipated."
****************
Sydney stayed where she was a full minute before using the tiny key to unlock the cuffs. She began to undo her wrist but then thought better of it and simply detached them from the frame. She leapt up and pulled a bag out from underneath the bed. She slipped on her shoes and tossed the nightgown off over her head. Underneath she wore a black bodysuit. Slipping out onto the terrace, she took out a length of rope and tossed one end up and looped it around a sconce attached to the roof. She scrambled up it and over the ledge. Jogging across the rooftop and peering over the opposite edge of the building, she could see there were only two guards stationed below and they were engaged in some type of debate and smoking. Reaching into the sack slung over her shoulder Sydney took out the propulsion cable.
****************
Flashback to Marshall's briefing earlier back at SD-6~
"What you have here is a simple propulsion cable," he explained to her, "but with a twist. Prior to now you needed a target point to which the cable could wrap itself around. It wasn't always practical." He flashed her a commissary look. "So now, I've devised what I like to call the 'Marshall Butterfly Propulsion Cable'."
Sydney had to hold herself not to laugh. He was so proud.
"Well," he continued, "I'm still working on the name. What it does is, instead of needing something to attach itself around, it now carries it's own attachment in the form of a butterfly clip." He held up the clip to emphasize his point. "The cable enters the structure, in this case a stone wall, and snaps tight with the butterfly catch opening in the wall structure itself anchoring the cable to the wall with a weight capacity of approximately 473 lbs. Give or take a few. Simply hold the device over the edge of the building, angle it to ensure the proper direction and press this release. Voila! You'll be walking the tightrope." He smiled to her; apparently the mental image pleased him. "Of course you may want to just hang on it and cross that way."
****************
Back to Sydney~
Pulling out the small key to the handcuffs, she stuck it between her teeth. She placed the empty cuff around the cable and lowered herself down on to it, sliding silently along the wire to the adjacent wing across the courtyard. She extended her legs in front of her to break her impact against the wall. Landing just inches from the window, she peered in from the side to make sure it was empty. Seeing it was, she reached over and pulled the window open. Taking the key from her mouth she gripped the cable with her free hand and unlocked the cuff connecting her to the wire. Gripping the window frame for leverage she swung her legs over the sill and entered the room silently. She could hear Sark's voice coming from behind the door. They had already begun to talk business. She would have to hurry. She reached up and turned on her com unit.
"I'm in." She whispered.
Sark responded by upping his voice an octave. Indiscernible to the man he was speaking with, whom Sydney guessed to be Korin, but enough to signal to Sydney that he'd heard her. She had no problem finding the safe. It was exactly where Sark said it would be. She got right to work taking the combination decoder out of her bag and placing it against the dial.
****************
Flash back to Marshall's briefing back at SD-6~
"Looks just like a cell phone," he was saying, now hardly able to control his excitement. "Right? Well actually it is, but I just threw that in as a bonus." He smiled specifically to Sydney. "In reality it's a metal detector, or rather an amplified version of that. Now you just place the speaker outlet over the dial - this part right here, oh.... you know what the speaker looks like, huh? Okay, then you press the *star* button and this baby will do the rest for you. The locking mechanism on the safe is a set of wheels. The trick is to line up each notch with contact points. Now, once each notch is lined up part of the combination will appear. When they all line up and the combination is revealed, the "phone" will then dial up the combination and Bip Bop Bang, the door will open." He mimed a door opening with his hands to give her a visual. "It should take about 30 seconds. Well, 29 really. But who's counting. Oh, I guess I did. We'll just say 30 to be on the safe side."
****************
Back to Sydney~
29 seconds later, the door swung open. She pulled out the disk and took it over to the computer, slipping it into the reader. She arranged the duplicator on top of the monitor and inserted the jack into his hard drive. Then she inserted a disk into her reader. When that disk was completed, she pulled it out and reached into her pocket, pulled out a second disk, and repeated the operation. Then she erased the original. Collecting her gear and replacing it into her bag she quickly typed the IP address, containing the virus, onto his keyboard and hit enter. She heard voices approaching. Sark asked about someone connected to Korin and she realized he was trying to stall.
"I'm not finished," she hissed.
Reaching up to his com as if to scratch his face, he answered her and Korin both -
".. That's too bad."
She wouldn't have time to see if the virus was successful. At the sound of them approaching the door she turned and lept up onto the edge of the window opening her cuff and just looping it around the wire in time. She jumped out into the night, propelling herself across the courtyard along the cable. Unfortunately, she launched herself a little too quickly and she wasn't able to slow her stop enough, causing her to slam into the opposite wall, her face taking the worst of it. The key slipped out of her mouth on impact and she could only watch it fall. She searched franticly for the guards but as luck would have it they'd already moved off to patrol the grounds. Sark heard the impact and her whimper in his ear and he inwardly cringed. He could do nothing to help her.
"How have you found the working with the F.A.C.?" He addressed Korin, and he hoped Sydney as well.
"Ah, they're a volatile group."
"I'm okay." She managed in response.
"Yes, my own interaction with them has been limited, but my employer has nothing but the greatest respect for their operation." She could hear Sark's voice simultaneously talking to both of them. She understood, 'I copy, I'll try to stall, and, I know you can do it'.
All at once Korin began yelling.
"What is this? Someone has been in here."
Korin turned to the computer and banged at the keys. The screen was blank. He found the disk in the reader and he knew.
"Someone has been in here just now, they've destroyed the disk."
Sydney could hear the cursing and barking of orders. Sark remained silent. She reached into her belt and pulled out a thin stick of metal and began picking the lock on her cuffs. Her adrenalin now kicking into high gear.
"Check the rooms, check the halls," He turned to Sark. "You don't move." He ordered.
"I wouldn't dream of it." Sark replied evenly.
"The window is open! Get a flashlight."
Locating one, they flashed it out and up until they spotted the cable.
"He escaped out here. He couldn't of gone far. Call the guards, tell them to kill anything that moves." Korin instructed them.
"Sir, look!" Korin's guard pointed the light to far end of cable. Along the roofline they spied Sydney's shadow just ducking out of sight.
"He's over there" he shouted, "quickly! Don't let him escape!"
Guards were running now in all directions, covering the grounds. On the rooftop Sydney yanked her rope back out of the bag and tossed it over the South edge of the building, attaching the end to a pipe. Then she turned and ran the opposite direction to the North end and shimmied down the drainpipe. When she got down to the second floor she slipped silently into their darkened suite. She immediately set about dismantling the equipment.
****************
Korin's office~
Korin looked up at Sark with a steely expression. "You! It was you. I knew something felt wrong. You are not the same." He accused.
"Mr. Korin, I don't know what you're referring to but I can assure you my employer will tolerate no disrespect." Sark reminded him.
"You've never brought a guest before. You work alone. You never travel without security. You, Mr. Sark are as predictable as rain. Where is the woman?" He demanded.
"Which woman?" Sark asked in a confused tone.
"The woman traveling with you. You are not a man to engage in the activities offered here. Such a weakness is not in your character. I make it a priority to study my friends as well as my enemies." He said, emphasizing the word 'enemies.'
"A woman is hardly a weakness. A diversion perhaps. Regardless, she is not your concern. I came here as an invited guest and I resent what you're implying. I have come to make a purchase. Why would I destroy that which my employer has dispatched me to buy?"
"Why indeed?"
"Mr. Korin, I think it is time for me to leave now."
Upon Korin's signal his guards pulled out their guns and leveled them at Sark.
"Good idea." Korin countered. "We will all go with you. I want to see this woman of yours."
****************
Once the equipment was dismantled and disguised, Sydney pulled the disks out of her pocket and then slipped out of her bodysuit. She kicked her shoes off and knocked them under the bed. She could hear commotion through her com but there was too much static and it was difficult to make out exactly what was happening. Korin was barking orders and she detected movement. She lunged for her nightgown. She needed to pass the disk.
'Stick to the profile exactly' Sydney remembered Sark instructing her, 'I will be depending on you ...'
"Yeah, well, you just don't know all of the profile," she thought to herself as she crept over to the door and turned the handle, silently opening it. The door directly opposite hers did the same and suddenly, unexpectedly, Sydney was face to face with Vaughn. She smiled at the surprise. Vaughn started to smile too until he took in her appearance. She hadn't thought of what she must look like. He took in the filmy pink negligee, the disheveled hair, her welted cheek, her tiny bare feet; He blinked in shock at the sight of handcuffs dangling from her wrist. It was as if time momentarily stood still, and yet it was instantaneous. Angry voices could be heard approaching and with simultaneous panic they both ducked back into their rooms before being seen.
Sark was the one talking. "You will find nothing." He was saying loudly.
Sydney raced for the bedroom, her hand just locking the cuff to the frame as the door to their suite swung open.
"Where is she?" Korin demanded.
"She is sleeping, where I left her." Sark answered calmly, though he was clearly annoyed.
"Then you won't mind letting us have a look at her."
"I do mind, but it appears I haven't a choice in the matter."
Sydney heard him walk over to the door and quietly open it. He paused in the doorway and turned to them. "You will wait here." He instructed. "I will get her."
He opened the door wide and walked over to the bed where she lay as he left her. Her eyes were closed. She appeared to be sleeping. He knelt down beside the bed and softly caressed her cheek with his finger. His eyes adored her and his voice was very soft.
"Enya. Enya darling, I need you to wake up."
He slipped his fingers through her hair and moved it out of her face. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled brightly at him.
"Enya, there are some gentlemen here that need to see you."
Sydney didn't speak but her eyes got very wide and she turned to look. They were watching her from the doorway. If it had been anyone else but Sark they would of entered, but they understood that Sark would accept only so much. She looked back at him.
"It'll be okay, I promise." He said gently.
He stretched out his hand and she grasped it to pull herself into a sitting position on the edge of the bed. She lowered her eyes in the direction of the gun hidden below but a flick of his eyes told her no. She began to get up, and then sat back down suddenly, looking up at him quizzically.
"Of course. I'm sorry, I forgot."
He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a small silver key. He pulled away her pillow and unlocked her arm from the cuff. Then he helped her up from the bed and steered her towards the other room.
Displayed for them, they looked her over. Sydney kept her gaze down.
"Reports of her beauty were not exaggerated I see," Korin openly bated him. "Tell me, Mr. Sark, where did you find such a charming creature?"
"If you must know," Sark responded icily, "she was a gift."
Pretending not to be impressed, though he clearly was, Korin instructed one of his men to lift up her face. Looking to Sark, the guard was hesitant but quickly moved to do as he was told.
"Touch her and you will die." Sark warned.
The guard stopped. He looked back at Korin.
"Do it." Korin ordered.
Purposely looking away from Sark this time, the guard walked over to Sydney and carefully tilted her chin up with one finger. Her cheek was red and swollen. Sydney didn't look up, but kept her eyes to the floor.
"And how did she just happen to get this?" Demanded Korin.
"My personal affairs are none of yours." Sark responded evenly. "Now step back."
The guard did so without question this time.
The room was silent for several moments. All that could be heard was the crackling of the fire in the other room. Korin seemed to be weighing the matter over and Sark didn't rush him. Neither he, nor Sark, ever took their eyes off one another. A cell phone ringing broke the silence. Korin reached into his pocket and put it to his ear. After listening for several seconds he said, "Continue searching the grounds." He shut it off and replaced it to his pocket.
"It seems I may have been mistaken." Korin relented. "It appears that a rope has been found leading from the roof down to the South grounds. It is possible the perpetrator used this to escape." After a moment he added. "My apologies to yourself and the lady."
Sark didn't reply.
"Apparently our transaction will have to wait until I can sort this out." Korin continued. "I assume you will be leaving first thing in the morning? I believe I can be in touch within a few days," he offered. "I will get the disk back, Mr. Sark." He added pointedly.
Again Sark didn't respond. He seemed to be thinking it over.
"I think I'll wait," he announced a moment later, to the utter surprise of everyone in the room, especially Sydney.
"Here at The Davincci?" Korin asked, taken aback, and then stammered, "That's very generous of you Mr. Sark. Once again you surprise me. I will be contacting you soon."
Korin and his men turned to leave.
"One moment."
They all turned.
Sark turned to Sydney. "Go back to bed now." He instructed her gently. "I will be in shortly."
She smiled gratefully and nodded her head as she turned and went back into the bedroom.
"We aren't finished," he declared, the moment the door was shut. Then he whipped out his gun and shot Korin's guard between the eyes, killing him instantly. The man slumped noiselessly to the ground. Korin and his remaining guard instinctively drew back, stunned.
"I warned you if he touched her he would die."
Korin panicked. "Surely, Mr. Sark, you can understand our need to verify -
"I understand nothing of the sort." Sark cut him off. "I think you need to remember who you're dealing with here, Mr. Korin."
A mixture of fear and recognition slowly crept across Korin's face. Perhaps Sark wasn't so different after all.
****************