Chapter Five
Bogotá, Colombia
After searching the room for bugs, Sydney flopped onto one of the beds.
"So where is the map hidden?" she asked.
"Why? So you can take it back to the CIA?"
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"Remember?" he asked, baiting her, "I know you're a double. You can lie to everyone else, sweetheart, but you don't have to lie to me." He kissed her. "Sydney, regardless of what your father thinks, I want to help you and the CIA."
She stared blankly at him. Finally she just ignored his last statement and said, "Yes. I'm supposed to figure out where the real map is and give this fake one to Sloane."
"Ah," he nodded. "I see." He sat down next to her. "How is Vaughn doing?"
"Better," she said with a smile. "He's not completely better, but he's on the road to recovery."
"That's good," he said, knowing how much Sydney cared about Vaughn. "Get changed," he said, motioning to the darkening sky. "We leave in an hour."
***
Sydney allowed Sark to lead her in through the back way to get into the office. She punched in the access code and they entered the office.
"Any ideas to where it might be?" asked Sark.
"You're the leader of this mission. You tell me."
"You're the one with the orders to run off with the map," he said as she checked a filing cabinet.
"You're the one who wants to help the CIA."
"I think I found it," he said, pointing to an aquarium.
She peered in. "You think it's in there?"
"No, look." He opened the cabinet below and pointed to a keypad.
"Bootcamp, this is Mountaineer. We've located a possible location of the Rambaldi map, but there's an access code."
"Mountaineer, according to Derevko, the access code is 12970."
"Are we sure that it's not going to set off an alarm?"
"Did you get the code?" asked Sark.
"My mother gave me one."
"Let me talk to her."
"No."
"Sydney, we don't have time to argue," he took the microphone from her shirt and spoke into it.
"Agent Kendall, let me speak to Ms. Derevko."
"No."
"Kendall says no," she still had the earpiece in her ear.
"Either put her on or I will destroy the safe and the map."
"Kendall says fine," she handed him the earpiece.
"Irina, it's Sark. What is the real access code?"
"Nice to talk to you too," she said sarcastically.
"Tell me, Irina," his voice turned cold.
"It was nice to see you at your house," she changed the subject.
"Tell me, now."
"14790."
"Not 12970?"
"No. 14790. Tell Sydney."
"Sydney, 14790."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure."
She put in the code and the door popped open. She grabbed the canister with the map inside, closed the door, and they dashed for the exit.
"Back to the hotel?" asked Sydney.
"Yeah. Sloane made the reservation for us."
"How nice."
"I know."
They went back to the hotel and Sydney checked into a second room that Sloane had reserved. They agreed to leave first thing in the morning.
"Bye," he quickly kissed her and ducked into his room, grinning.
It just figures, she thought. Sark checks into a hotel and shuts the connecting door in my face. Some relationship, she thought as she changed into a tank top and lounge pants. Relationship, the thought struck her.
Vaughn.
She realized that without even thinking about it, she had made a choice, a choice to be with Sark.
She flopped down onto the bed. Vaughn, the man she had thought she loved from the day she laid eyes on him. Her Vaughn, her handler.
"Hey," Sark opened the connecting door to her room.
"Hey," she forced a smile.
"What's wrong?" his face turned serious.
"Nothing," she forced another smile.
"Sydney, I know you. There is something wrong."
"Sark.Andrew.nothing is wrong. I promise."
"Vaughn. He said quietly. "You're thinking about Vaughn." He knew that he had hit the jackpot when he saw her face. He could read her so well.
She nodded. "I feel bad."
"About what?" he knew that she wouldn't tell him.
"Not being entirely truthful with him. I went out with him after you and I got involved and I haven't even told him about us."
The phone rang. "Sydney Bristow," she answered.
"Sydney," it was Jack. "We have information necessary to take down SD-6. We're moving in as soon as we confirm the access code that you retrieved for us."
"Dad! Just wait until I get back!"
"Sydney, there is a new code each week. This one expires on Sunday. Sloane is gone. We need to take advantage of this."
"Gone where?"
"He's been gone for awhile. CIA Intel says that he left the country."
"He left for three days last week."
"I know."
"They may be connected. Anyway, Sark's here, so I need to get going. Hold off." She got ready to hang up.
"Mr. Bristow," Sark picked up the other phone. "In the future, please refrain from raiding my house. Thank you." He hung up in Jack's ear.
"That was.different," said Sydney.
"I agree," he kissed her. "I agree."
***
Astonishingly enough, SD-6 still existed inside the Credit Dauphine building the next day when Sydney walked into work. Sloane was still missing and he had left Sark and Geiger in charge, which she thought was a huge mistake.
"I just got done speaking with Geiger. He's in full command. Says I never was to be put in charge."
"Interesting," she said quietly.
"It is," agreed Sark. "Anyway, I have a meeting. I'll find you later." "All right," she smiled.
"Good. Love you," he said quietly as he left.
Her phone rang. It was Kendall.
"Takedown is tonight. It's a Saturday. No one will be here."
"Have you seen my dad?"
"No, he's supposed to be at SD-6 now."
"I'll find him later then. We'll be by later." She had to find Andrew. He'd be able to help.
She found the closed office door that he had gone into and stood outside, listening to see if she should go in or wait until later.
".Everything is going as planned, sir. Agent Bristow has leaked the information to the CIA. The takedown of the Alliance should be any day now."
Agent Bristow leaked the information to the CIA.that bloody song of a- Her thoughts were cut off.
"Yes, Mr. Sloane. All right. Yes, goodbye."
Sloane.
She heard him get up and flung open the door.
"Sydney," he smiled.
"You son of a bitch," she seethed. "You betrayed me! You told Sloane that I am a god damn double agent!"
"Sydney, it's not what you think," he started.
"I trusted you. I trusted you with my secret. You told me you wanted to help us. Well, guess what? You did. You helped me realize who you really are."
"Sydney, listen to me."
She pulled out her gun and aimed directly at him. "Give me one reason, one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."
"Sydney, listen to me."
"One reason Sark, one reason."
"Sydney, you have to get out of here. When I left the hotel last night, I had orders to report back here.
"Listen to me, Geiger knows you're a double. He knows that your father is one too. He's going to torture him for information, information on you."
Her phone rang. "What?" she snapped.
"Syd, get out of SD-6. Your father was discovered. You have to go," it was Vaughn.
"Vaughn, I'm a little preoccupied here. Sark told Sloane that I'm a double. I heard him."
"Syd, right now you have to go. Geiger knows. Jack said that they were sending a team to retrieve you."
Sark had told the truth.
"All right. I'll do what I can." She hung up.
"Now that Vaughn has told you, do you believe me?" She nodded, and then punched him square in the eye.
"That is for being a lying, cocky, son of a bitch," she said angrily, and then ran.
She made it to her car and took off for the CIA, desperately hoping that no one was following her.
Bogotá, Colombia
After searching the room for bugs, Sydney flopped onto one of the beds.
"So where is the map hidden?" she asked.
"Why? So you can take it back to the CIA?"
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"Remember?" he asked, baiting her, "I know you're a double. You can lie to everyone else, sweetheart, but you don't have to lie to me." He kissed her. "Sydney, regardless of what your father thinks, I want to help you and the CIA."
She stared blankly at him. Finally she just ignored his last statement and said, "Yes. I'm supposed to figure out where the real map is and give this fake one to Sloane."
"Ah," he nodded. "I see." He sat down next to her. "How is Vaughn doing?"
"Better," she said with a smile. "He's not completely better, but he's on the road to recovery."
"That's good," he said, knowing how much Sydney cared about Vaughn. "Get changed," he said, motioning to the darkening sky. "We leave in an hour."
***
Sydney allowed Sark to lead her in through the back way to get into the office. She punched in the access code and they entered the office.
"Any ideas to where it might be?" asked Sark.
"You're the leader of this mission. You tell me."
"You're the one with the orders to run off with the map," he said as she checked a filing cabinet.
"You're the one who wants to help the CIA."
"I think I found it," he said, pointing to an aquarium.
She peered in. "You think it's in there?"
"No, look." He opened the cabinet below and pointed to a keypad.
"Bootcamp, this is Mountaineer. We've located a possible location of the Rambaldi map, but there's an access code."
"Mountaineer, according to Derevko, the access code is 12970."
"Are we sure that it's not going to set off an alarm?"
"Did you get the code?" asked Sark.
"My mother gave me one."
"Let me talk to her."
"No."
"Sydney, we don't have time to argue," he took the microphone from her shirt and spoke into it.
"Agent Kendall, let me speak to Ms. Derevko."
"No."
"Kendall says no," she still had the earpiece in her ear.
"Either put her on or I will destroy the safe and the map."
"Kendall says fine," she handed him the earpiece.
"Irina, it's Sark. What is the real access code?"
"Nice to talk to you too," she said sarcastically.
"Tell me, Irina," his voice turned cold.
"It was nice to see you at your house," she changed the subject.
"Tell me, now."
"14790."
"Not 12970?"
"No. 14790. Tell Sydney."
"Sydney, 14790."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure."
She put in the code and the door popped open. She grabbed the canister with the map inside, closed the door, and they dashed for the exit.
"Back to the hotel?" asked Sydney.
"Yeah. Sloane made the reservation for us."
"How nice."
"I know."
They went back to the hotel and Sydney checked into a second room that Sloane had reserved. They agreed to leave first thing in the morning.
"Bye," he quickly kissed her and ducked into his room, grinning.
It just figures, she thought. Sark checks into a hotel and shuts the connecting door in my face. Some relationship, she thought as she changed into a tank top and lounge pants. Relationship, the thought struck her.
Vaughn.
She realized that without even thinking about it, she had made a choice, a choice to be with Sark.
She flopped down onto the bed. Vaughn, the man she had thought she loved from the day she laid eyes on him. Her Vaughn, her handler.
"Hey," Sark opened the connecting door to her room.
"Hey," she forced a smile.
"What's wrong?" his face turned serious.
"Nothing," she forced another smile.
"Sydney, I know you. There is something wrong."
"Sark.Andrew.nothing is wrong. I promise."
"Vaughn. He said quietly. "You're thinking about Vaughn." He knew that he had hit the jackpot when he saw her face. He could read her so well.
She nodded. "I feel bad."
"About what?" he knew that she wouldn't tell him.
"Not being entirely truthful with him. I went out with him after you and I got involved and I haven't even told him about us."
The phone rang. "Sydney Bristow," she answered.
"Sydney," it was Jack. "We have information necessary to take down SD-6. We're moving in as soon as we confirm the access code that you retrieved for us."
"Dad! Just wait until I get back!"
"Sydney, there is a new code each week. This one expires on Sunday. Sloane is gone. We need to take advantage of this."
"Gone where?"
"He's been gone for awhile. CIA Intel says that he left the country."
"He left for three days last week."
"I know."
"They may be connected. Anyway, Sark's here, so I need to get going. Hold off." She got ready to hang up.
"Mr. Bristow," Sark picked up the other phone. "In the future, please refrain from raiding my house. Thank you." He hung up in Jack's ear.
"That was.different," said Sydney.
"I agree," he kissed her. "I agree."
***
Astonishingly enough, SD-6 still existed inside the Credit Dauphine building the next day when Sydney walked into work. Sloane was still missing and he had left Sark and Geiger in charge, which she thought was a huge mistake.
"I just got done speaking with Geiger. He's in full command. Says I never was to be put in charge."
"Interesting," she said quietly.
"It is," agreed Sark. "Anyway, I have a meeting. I'll find you later." "All right," she smiled.
"Good. Love you," he said quietly as he left.
Her phone rang. It was Kendall.
"Takedown is tonight. It's a Saturday. No one will be here."
"Have you seen my dad?"
"No, he's supposed to be at SD-6 now."
"I'll find him later then. We'll be by later." She had to find Andrew. He'd be able to help.
She found the closed office door that he had gone into and stood outside, listening to see if she should go in or wait until later.
".Everything is going as planned, sir. Agent Bristow has leaked the information to the CIA. The takedown of the Alliance should be any day now."
Agent Bristow leaked the information to the CIA.that bloody song of a- Her thoughts were cut off.
"Yes, Mr. Sloane. All right. Yes, goodbye."
Sloane.
She heard him get up and flung open the door.
"Sydney," he smiled.
"You son of a bitch," she seethed. "You betrayed me! You told Sloane that I am a god damn double agent!"
"Sydney, it's not what you think," he started.
"I trusted you. I trusted you with my secret. You told me you wanted to help us. Well, guess what? You did. You helped me realize who you really are."
"Sydney, listen to me."
She pulled out her gun and aimed directly at him. "Give me one reason, one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."
"Sydney, listen to me."
"One reason Sark, one reason."
"Sydney, you have to get out of here. When I left the hotel last night, I had orders to report back here.
"Listen to me, Geiger knows you're a double. He knows that your father is one too. He's going to torture him for information, information on you."
Her phone rang. "What?" she snapped.
"Syd, get out of SD-6. Your father was discovered. You have to go," it was Vaughn.
"Vaughn, I'm a little preoccupied here. Sark told Sloane that I'm a double. I heard him."
"Syd, right now you have to go. Geiger knows. Jack said that they were sending a team to retrieve you."
Sark had told the truth.
"All right. I'll do what I can." She hung up.
"Now that Vaughn has told you, do you believe me?" She nodded, and then punched him square in the eye.
"That is for being a lying, cocky, son of a bitch," she said angrily, and then ran.
She made it to her car and took off for the CIA, desperately hoping that no one was following her.