Chapter Three: Underneath a Silver Moon
With the Intelligence Oversight Committee's full attention, Sydney Bristow settled into her chair and began to tell the story of the mission that had started so right but had ended up so unbelievably wrong.
In her mind's eye, Sydney saw the day from beginning to end, every detail in sharp focus and every bad omen caught in the harsh spotlight of hindsight. And to think it had all started over a cup of coffee with Marshall Flinkman.
"Oh, hold still. You have an eyelash on your cheek." Sydney grimaced and spit the small, thin device into her hand. It was about the size and shape of a cough drop and made of clear, unbreakable plastic. She studied it for a moment and looked up at Marshall, who was sipping coffee from a ceramic mug. "Damn, Marshall. I'm fine until the "on your cheek" part. Then my tongue comes up to hit the roof of my mouth."
Marshall thought for a moment, his brow furrowed. "Do you have to say that part?" He questioned, shrugging. "Could you just leave it at "eyelash", do you think?"
Sydney set down her own mug of steaming java and looked once more at the device. She slid it back into her mouth and cradled it on her tongue. Sydney moved a foot or so closer to Marshall and smiled coyly. His eyes widened, as though he were a deer caught in headlights.
"Oh, hold still. You have an eyelash," Sydney repeated, this time leaning into Marshall, her face mere centimeters from his own. He held his breath, suddenly aware of the perfume Sydney wore, and even more aware that she had rested her hands on his shoulders, her touch tender but firm.
As if scattering the seeds of a dandelion, Sydney blew gently on Marshall's cheek. His knees started to feel weak and he nearly lost the grip on his cup of coffee.
Sydney pulled back suddenly and once more spit the device into her hand. "It worked, Marshall. Thanks," She smiled at him, her dimples sending his spirit into orbit. He fell all over himself, as usual.
"Oh, no, thank you, Syd, cuz you know - I've been trying to develop this for a while. I mean, I've had the idea for a long time to hide a sleep agent in a mouth capsule that can be innocently sprayed into the face of some guy or something. But I never had a chance to use it, but since you've got to flirt with this guy, I thought, you know -" Marshall paused only to take a deep breath. "And your flirting skills are, you know, top notch, Syd. I actually believed I had an eyelash on my cheek or something. I just, well, what's that perfume you're wearing? Cuz it's just amazing, I mean, it's really something."
During this, Sydney had picked up her coffee and was holding the cup before her mouth, trying to hide her laughter. Marshall reminded her of the computer geeks in high school who would practically walk into walls if a pretty girl happened to look their way. He was cute, in his own way, and Sydney did enjoy his company.
"It's a lavender body mist," Sydney replied, biting her lower lip to keep from laughing outright as Marshall's eyes widened.
"B-body mist?" He echoed, his voice distant. "Oh, wow."
Before Sydney could comment further, Dixon appeared in the doorway of Marshall's tech room, his expression serious. "Syd," He said, waiting until she'd turned to face him before he continued. "Our flight leaves in two hours. I'd like to review the plan once more before we leave."
"I'll be right there, Dixon," Sydney nodded. Satisfied, Dixon ducked back into the hallway and Sydney once more turned to face Marshall. "Thanks again, Marshall. And I'll remember what you told me about what not to do as soon as the sleep agent is released." She turned and started for the door.
"Oh, right." Marshall smiled, raising his coffee cup to her. "Uhm, what was that, again?" He still hadn't recovered from imagining Sydney's body mist.
Sydney smiled. "Inhale," She replied over her shoulder as she walked out the door. When she was gone, Marshall dropped into the nearest chair and concentrated on doing just that.
Less than an hour later, Sydney was at the warehouse. She was pacing as Vaughn stood and silently read the SD-6 dossier regarding her newest mission. Sydney was attempting to keep her mind in the game, but being so close to Vaughn was a temptation she lacked the strength resist. They'd already blurred the lines; she hated pretending they were once again in sharp focus.
"This is what we'd anticipated," Vaughn said suddenly, drawing Sydney out of the deep well of her thoughts. "The device Sloane wants is the same one we'd been tipped off about. He was just faster than we were at tracking it."
"If Sloane gets his hands on that transmitter, he'll be able to reprogram the Estess satellite, essentially allowing The Alliance access to unimaginable methods of communication." Sydney stopped pacing and slid her hands in her pockets. Her fingers were trembling.
Vaughn raised his eyes from the dossier only briefly, long enough to scan Sydney's face. When she met his eyes, he looked away.
"Tell me again how you're going to intercept the device," Vaughn requested, handing the dossier back to Sydney and taking a seat on the bench. She clutched the folder to herself, exhaling deeply.
"The man in the photos," She tapped her fingers against the dossier. "His name is Vincent Laughlin. He's a courier for Chouinard, the creator of this device. Laughlin is supposed to make the exchange with a courier for Sector Securities, the London based faction of the terrorist network Al-Ahed. Laughlin has a deep love for reading, it turns out, and spends at least two hours every afternoon at The London Library in St. James Square. It's an independent subscription library, but Dixon and I will have the necessary identification to get in." Sydney continued as she began to pace once again. "Laughlin is a history buff. The good news is that the history section is rather private. Laughlin will go there and read among the stacks, offering me a chance to render him unconscious and steal the device without being detected."
"And what will Dixon be doing?" Vaughn prompted, slipping out of his suit coat before folding it over his arm and laying it on the bench. The temperature in the warehouse seemed unusually high that day. He didn't stop to entertain the thought that perhaps it wasn't the warehouse that was warm.
"I'll be planting mini-cameras in key areas as I make my way through the library," Sydney replied. "Dixon will be hidden in the reference room-"
"The reference room?" Vaughn interjected suddenly, his eyes locking on Sydney's. She felt the heat from his gaze and sighed audibly.
"Yeah," She nodded. The mention had not gone unnoticed by either of them, and Sydney's mind wandered in search of the reason.
The pretending had ended three weeks before; their failed attempts to remain professional had finally led them to admit their true feelings. It had come about at the warehouse, when Vaughn had suddenly grabbed Sydney's arms and pulled her to him, his embrace all at once engulfing and sheltering her. She didn't struggle, and when Vaughn whispered to her that if she truly wanted to say no, he'd let her go and never mention it again, she had remained completely silent. Her only response was to reach up, slide her hand to the back of his head and bring his waiting lips to hers.
From that moment, they had been planning a way to be together, privately, completely. One week later they had gotten their chance. Vaughn called in sick to work; Sydney went to the UCLA library to work on her thesis. She knew the reference room had a back exit that was not monitored by security cameras. She told Vaughn when and where to park; she appeared through a light rain at his car window. They took off, Sydney huddled in the back seat of Vaughn's car. Before climbing out to follow Vaughn into his apartment, Sydney had pulled on a short blond wig and slipped on a pair of dark sunglasses. It was unlikely they were being watched, but they knew from experience that there was no such thing as being too careful.
Inside the apartment, they pretended to be interested in small talk. Vaughn poured them some wine and Sydney commented on his sparse décor and wide collection of DVDs. But suddenly, as lightning flashed outside and their hearts thundered inside their chests, Vaughn set down the wine glasses and pulled Sydney into his arms.
"Syd," He breathed, his lips pressed to her silken hair. "Let's not pretend anymore."
"Okay," Sydney nodded, her body immediately responding to his touch, her every nerve alive and tingling. She allowed him to take her hand and lead her into his bedroom. When she caught sight of the bed and she knew without a doubt what was about to happen, her emotions overwhelmed her and tears spilled, unrestrained, down her flushed cheeks.
Vaughn turned to Sydney and inhaled sharply upon seeing her tears. "Syd," He put his hands to her cheeks, wiping them clean. "What?"
"You've just become Michael to me," Sydney spoke his first name for the first time with a force of emotion that nearly knocked Vaughn off of his feet. He smiled as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her close, resting his cheek against her belly, feeling the warmth of her body as she began to run her fingers through his hair.
No more words were spoken, as none were adequate enough to speak the language only their bodies knew. It was everything they had hoped for and far beyond anything they had expected. Hours passed undetected and neither one of them became aware of the time again until the clouds had cleared and a full, silver moon shown through the partially open blinds in Vaughn's bedroom.
Now, two weeks later, as they sat together in the warehouse, the electricity that passed between them was hard to ignore. Both of them revisited the memories of that day as often as possible, and both of them longed for the time when they could re-create it. It was a near impossible task.
"So," Sydney finally spoke again after what seemed like a year of silence. "I'll render Laughlin unconscious and steal the device. Then Dixon and I will exit and head to Heathrow for the trip home."
"Good," Vaughn cleared his throat and his mind, getting back to the task at hand. "I'll meet you there with Agent Gelman, who will download the data from the device onto the CIA's hard drive before implanting a virus that will render the device unusable. You'll have to hang out with us for a minimum of an hour, no more."
"That's not a problem," Sydney assured him. She thought for a moment, then asked, "How well do you know Agent Gelman?"
"I've worked with him before. Why?" Vaughn loosened his tie. He watched as Sydney walked over to the bench and took a seat next to him, pushing his suit coat to the side.
"Would he mention it to anyone if you and I went to get dinner together?" She smiled coyly, breaking the tension that had surrounded them moments ago. It was strange for them, now, to be together and be so professional after the rules had been so blatantly broken.
Vaughn smiled and looked down at his hands, folding them casually in his lap. "Are you flirting with me, Agent Bristow?"
Sydney grinned. "Only if you're flirting back, Agent Vaughn," She said, scooting even closer to him. He slid an arm around her waist, pulling her against him.
"I'd like to do more than that," He told her, his voice dropping as their faces drew close. They kissed, sweetly, tenderly, longingly. When they parted, they were both out of breath. "I want to be with you again, Syd," Vaughn breathed, his lips inches from her ear.
"I know," Sydney whispered. "I want that, too."
Several quiet moments passed as they kissed again, Vaughn's hands on Sydney's face, her hands clutching his shirt, the white oxford material between her fingers. She tried to memorize these moments exactly so that when she was alone later, she could disappear within the memory and not feel so broken about being away from him.
Vaughn broke the embrace suddenly, grasping Sydney's hands, holding them until she looked into his eyes. They bore traces of pain and longing and something else that Sydney couldn't quite identify.
"I want you to know, Sydney," Vaughn struggled with the words, hoping they would come out just right. "This isn't about sex. Not at all. This isn't just - well, I don't want to be with you only for that reason," He explained. Sydney's eyes never left his face as he continued. "I have deep feelings for you, Syd. I hope you know that."
"I do," Sydney said quickly. "And I have those feelings for you, too." She added, squeezing his hands. "I even think that -" Sydney was rudely interrupted by her cell phone. It rang sharply, causing them both to jump at least a foot apart from one another. Sydney grabbed the phone from her pocket and answered it. After a short conversation, she hung up and turned back to Vaughn. "Dixon," She explained. "I've got to go."
Vaughn rose to his feet as Sydney did, picking up the dossier. She turned to him, her lips curved into a bittersweet smile.
"I'll see you in London," She said, her eyes giving away the fact that she did not want to leave.
"Until then," Vaughn stepped close to her and placed a gentle kiss on her waiting lips, pausing to rest his forehead against hers when their mouths parted. "Stay safe," He said, his voice barely audible.
Sydney couldn't speak as tears burned the back of her eyes. She simply squeezed Vaughn's arm and walked away, daring not to look back. She was afraid that if she did, she would not be able to leave. It was hard enough as it was. Her whole body trembled with the realization of what would have happened if Dixon had not called. She was going to put her heart on the line and tell Vaughn she loved him. Every cell in her body ached for it while all the voices in her head screamed at her not to. The last time she had loved someone this much, he had ended up dead.
Sydney made it to her car and managed to slip into the passenger seat before she burst into tears, a sob escaping her throat. She laid her head on the steering wheel and allowed herself to cry for a moment before straightening and sliding the key into the ignition. It was then that she caught sight of the silver moon hanging in the night sky and she slipped back into memory, finding a smile and the strength to start the car and drive away.
Sitting before the committee in the uncomfortable wooden chair, Sydney paused, lost in thought. She was unaware for the moment of the faces fixed upon her, their attention rapt. It wasn't until Senator Marchard spoke that Sydney fully remembered where she was.
"Uh, Ms. Bristow," He said, his voice gruff but not without warmth. "What happened next? After you told Agent Vaughn that Dixon would be monitoring the mini-cameras?"
Sydney took a sip of water. "Agent Vaughn instructed me when and where at Heathrow I would meet Agent Gelman to have the device copied for the CIA." She explained. "Then we parted. I went home, packed lightly, and headed for the airport."
Sydney sat back in her chair and watched as the Senators made note of her words.
"That was in, then? At the warehouse," Senator Marchard said.
"Yes," Sydney nodded in reply. "That's all." She smiled inwardly, knowing full well that that was not all. But it was all she was willing to tell. The rest was for her alone, for those quiet moments when she just wanted to disappear.
****** A/N: Thanks to all who have read & reviewed so far. I hope you're enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. There is more to come - I promise. (
With the Intelligence Oversight Committee's full attention, Sydney Bristow settled into her chair and began to tell the story of the mission that had started so right but had ended up so unbelievably wrong.
In her mind's eye, Sydney saw the day from beginning to end, every detail in sharp focus and every bad omen caught in the harsh spotlight of hindsight. And to think it had all started over a cup of coffee with Marshall Flinkman.
"Oh, hold still. You have an eyelash on your cheek." Sydney grimaced and spit the small, thin device into her hand. It was about the size and shape of a cough drop and made of clear, unbreakable plastic. She studied it for a moment and looked up at Marshall, who was sipping coffee from a ceramic mug. "Damn, Marshall. I'm fine until the "on your cheek" part. Then my tongue comes up to hit the roof of my mouth."
Marshall thought for a moment, his brow furrowed. "Do you have to say that part?" He questioned, shrugging. "Could you just leave it at "eyelash", do you think?"
Sydney set down her own mug of steaming java and looked once more at the device. She slid it back into her mouth and cradled it on her tongue. Sydney moved a foot or so closer to Marshall and smiled coyly. His eyes widened, as though he were a deer caught in headlights.
"Oh, hold still. You have an eyelash," Sydney repeated, this time leaning into Marshall, her face mere centimeters from his own. He held his breath, suddenly aware of the perfume Sydney wore, and even more aware that she had rested her hands on his shoulders, her touch tender but firm.
As if scattering the seeds of a dandelion, Sydney blew gently on Marshall's cheek. His knees started to feel weak and he nearly lost the grip on his cup of coffee.
Sydney pulled back suddenly and once more spit the device into her hand. "It worked, Marshall. Thanks," She smiled at him, her dimples sending his spirit into orbit. He fell all over himself, as usual.
"Oh, no, thank you, Syd, cuz you know - I've been trying to develop this for a while. I mean, I've had the idea for a long time to hide a sleep agent in a mouth capsule that can be innocently sprayed into the face of some guy or something. But I never had a chance to use it, but since you've got to flirt with this guy, I thought, you know -" Marshall paused only to take a deep breath. "And your flirting skills are, you know, top notch, Syd. I actually believed I had an eyelash on my cheek or something. I just, well, what's that perfume you're wearing? Cuz it's just amazing, I mean, it's really something."
During this, Sydney had picked up her coffee and was holding the cup before her mouth, trying to hide her laughter. Marshall reminded her of the computer geeks in high school who would practically walk into walls if a pretty girl happened to look their way. He was cute, in his own way, and Sydney did enjoy his company.
"It's a lavender body mist," Sydney replied, biting her lower lip to keep from laughing outright as Marshall's eyes widened.
"B-body mist?" He echoed, his voice distant. "Oh, wow."
Before Sydney could comment further, Dixon appeared in the doorway of Marshall's tech room, his expression serious. "Syd," He said, waiting until she'd turned to face him before he continued. "Our flight leaves in two hours. I'd like to review the plan once more before we leave."
"I'll be right there, Dixon," Sydney nodded. Satisfied, Dixon ducked back into the hallway and Sydney once more turned to face Marshall. "Thanks again, Marshall. And I'll remember what you told me about what not to do as soon as the sleep agent is released." She turned and started for the door.
"Oh, right." Marshall smiled, raising his coffee cup to her. "Uhm, what was that, again?" He still hadn't recovered from imagining Sydney's body mist.
Sydney smiled. "Inhale," She replied over her shoulder as she walked out the door. When she was gone, Marshall dropped into the nearest chair and concentrated on doing just that.
Less than an hour later, Sydney was at the warehouse. She was pacing as Vaughn stood and silently read the SD-6 dossier regarding her newest mission. Sydney was attempting to keep her mind in the game, but being so close to Vaughn was a temptation she lacked the strength resist. They'd already blurred the lines; she hated pretending they were once again in sharp focus.
"This is what we'd anticipated," Vaughn said suddenly, drawing Sydney out of the deep well of her thoughts. "The device Sloane wants is the same one we'd been tipped off about. He was just faster than we were at tracking it."
"If Sloane gets his hands on that transmitter, he'll be able to reprogram the Estess satellite, essentially allowing The Alliance access to unimaginable methods of communication." Sydney stopped pacing and slid her hands in her pockets. Her fingers were trembling.
Vaughn raised his eyes from the dossier only briefly, long enough to scan Sydney's face. When she met his eyes, he looked away.
"Tell me again how you're going to intercept the device," Vaughn requested, handing the dossier back to Sydney and taking a seat on the bench. She clutched the folder to herself, exhaling deeply.
"The man in the photos," She tapped her fingers against the dossier. "His name is Vincent Laughlin. He's a courier for Chouinard, the creator of this device. Laughlin is supposed to make the exchange with a courier for Sector Securities, the London based faction of the terrorist network Al-Ahed. Laughlin has a deep love for reading, it turns out, and spends at least two hours every afternoon at The London Library in St. James Square. It's an independent subscription library, but Dixon and I will have the necessary identification to get in." Sydney continued as she began to pace once again. "Laughlin is a history buff. The good news is that the history section is rather private. Laughlin will go there and read among the stacks, offering me a chance to render him unconscious and steal the device without being detected."
"And what will Dixon be doing?" Vaughn prompted, slipping out of his suit coat before folding it over his arm and laying it on the bench. The temperature in the warehouse seemed unusually high that day. He didn't stop to entertain the thought that perhaps it wasn't the warehouse that was warm.
"I'll be planting mini-cameras in key areas as I make my way through the library," Sydney replied. "Dixon will be hidden in the reference room-"
"The reference room?" Vaughn interjected suddenly, his eyes locking on Sydney's. She felt the heat from his gaze and sighed audibly.
"Yeah," She nodded. The mention had not gone unnoticed by either of them, and Sydney's mind wandered in search of the reason.
The pretending had ended three weeks before; their failed attempts to remain professional had finally led them to admit their true feelings. It had come about at the warehouse, when Vaughn had suddenly grabbed Sydney's arms and pulled her to him, his embrace all at once engulfing and sheltering her. She didn't struggle, and when Vaughn whispered to her that if she truly wanted to say no, he'd let her go and never mention it again, she had remained completely silent. Her only response was to reach up, slide her hand to the back of his head and bring his waiting lips to hers.
From that moment, they had been planning a way to be together, privately, completely. One week later they had gotten their chance. Vaughn called in sick to work; Sydney went to the UCLA library to work on her thesis. She knew the reference room had a back exit that was not monitored by security cameras. She told Vaughn when and where to park; she appeared through a light rain at his car window. They took off, Sydney huddled in the back seat of Vaughn's car. Before climbing out to follow Vaughn into his apartment, Sydney had pulled on a short blond wig and slipped on a pair of dark sunglasses. It was unlikely they were being watched, but they knew from experience that there was no such thing as being too careful.
Inside the apartment, they pretended to be interested in small talk. Vaughn poured them some wine and Sydney commented on his sparse décor and wide collection of DVDs. But suddenly, as lightning flashed outside and their hearts thundered inside their chests, Vaughn set down the wine glasses and pulled Sydney into his arms.
"Syd," He breathed, his lips pressed to her silken hair. "Let's not pretend anymore."
"Okay," Sydney nodded, her body immediately responding to his touch, her every nerve alive and tingling. She allowed him to take her hand and lead her into his bedroom. When she caught sight of the bed and she knew without a doubt what was about to happen, her emotions overwhelmed her and tears spilled, unrestrained, down her flushed cheeks.
Vaughn turned to Sydney and inhaled sharply upon seeing her tears. "Syd," He put his hands to her cheeks, wiping them clean. "What?"
"You've just become Michael to me," Sydney spoke his first name for the first time with a force of emotion that nearly knocked Vaughn off of his feet. He smiled as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her close, resting his cheek against her belly, feeling the warmth of her body as she began to run her fingers through his hair.
No more words were spoken, as none were adequate enough to speak the language only their bodies knew. It was everything they had hoped for and far beyond anything they had expected. Hours passed undetected and neither one of them became aware of the time again until the clouds had cleared and a full, silver moon shown through the partially open blinds in Vaughn's bedroom.
Now, two weeks later, as they sat together in the warehouse, the electricity that passed between them was hard to ignore. Both of them revisited the memories of that day as often as possible, and both of them longed for the time when they could re-create it. It was a near impossible task.
"So," Sydney finally spoke again after what seemed like a year of silence. "I'll render Laughlin unconscious and steal the device. Then Dixon and I will exit and head to Heathrow for the trip home."
"Good," Vaughn cleared his throat and his mind, getting back to the task at hand. "I'll meet you there with Agent Gelman, who will download the data from the device onto the CIA's hard drive before implanting a virus that will render the device unusable. You'll have to hang out with us for a minimum of an hour, no more."
"That's not a problem," Sydney assured him. She thought for a moment, then asked, "How well do you know Agent Gelman?"
"I've worked with him before. Why?" Vaughn loosened his tie. He watched as Sydney walked over to the bench and took a seat next to him, pushing his suit coat to the side.
"Would he mention it to anyone if you and I went to get dinner together?" She smiled coyly, breaking the tension that had surrounded them moments ago. It was strange for them, now, to be together and be so professional after the rules had been so blatantly broken.
Vaughn smiled and looked down at his hands, folding them casually in his lap. "Are you flirting with me, Agent Bristow?"
Sydney grinned. "Only if you're flirting back, Agent Vaughn," She said, scooting even closer to him. He slid an arm around her waist, pulling her against him.
"I'd like to do more than that," He told her, his voice dropping as their faces drew close. They kissed, sweetly, tenderly, longingly. When they parted, they were both out of breath. "I want to be with you again, Syd," Vaughn breathed, his lips inches from her ear.
"I know," Sydney whispered. "I want that, too."
Several quiet moments passed as they kissed again, Vaughn's hands on Sydney's face, her hands clutching his shirt, the white oxford material between her fingers. She tried to memorize these moments exactly so that when she was alone later, she could disappear within the memory and not feel so broken about being away from him.
Vaughn broke the embrace suddenly, grasping Sydney's hands, holding them until she looked into his eyes. They bore traces of pain and longing and something else that Sydney couldn't quite identify.
"I want you to know, Sydney," Vaughn struggled with the words, hoping they would come out just right. "This isn't about sex. Not at all. This isn't just - well, I don't want to be with you only for that reason," He explained. Sydney's eyes never left his face as he continued. "I have deep feelings for you, Syd. I hope you know that."
"I do," Sydney said quickly. "And I have those feelings for you, too." She added, squeezing his hands. "I even think that -" Sydney was rudely interrupted by her cell phone. It rang sharply, causing them both to jump at least a foot apart from one another. Sydney grabbed the phone from her pocket and answered it. After a short conversation, she hung up and turned back to Vaughn. "Dixon," She explained. "I've got to go."
Vaughn rose to his feet as Sydney did, picking up the dossier. She turned to him, her lips curved into a bittersweet smile.
"I'll see you in London," She said, her eyes giving away the fact that she did not want to leave.
"Until then," Vaughn stepped close to her and placed a gentle kiss on her waiting lips, pausing to rest his forehead against hers when their mouths parted. "Stay safe," He said, his voice barely audible.
Sydney couldn't speak as tears burned the back of her eyes. She simply squeezed Vaughn's arm and walked away, daring not to look back. She was afraid that if she did, she would not be able to leave. It was hard enough as it was. Her whole body trembled with the realization of what would have happened if Dixon had not called. She was going to put her heart on the line and tell Vaughn she loved him. Every cell in her body ached for it while all the voices in her head screamed at her not to. The last time she had loved someone this much, he had ended up dead.
Sydney made it to her car and managed to slip into the passenger seat before she burst into tears, a sob escaping her throat. She laid her head on the steering wheel and allowed herself to cry for a moment before straightening and sliding the key into the ignition. It was then that she caught sight of the silver moon hanging in the night sky and she slipped back into memory, finding a smile and the strength to start the car and drive away.
Sitting before the committee in the uncomfortable wooden chair, Sydney paused, lost in thought. She was unaware for the moment of the faces fixed upon her, their attention rapt. It wasn't until Senator Marchard spoke that Sydney fully remembered where she was.
"Uh, Ms. Bristow," He said, his voice gruff but not without warmth. "What happened next? After you told Agent Vaughn that Dixon would be monitoring the mini-cameras?"
Sydney took a sip of water. "Agent Vaughn instructed me when and where at Heathrow I would meet Agent Gelman to have the device copied for the CIA." She explained. "Then we parted. I went home, packed lightly, and headed for the airport."
Sydney sat back in her chair and watched as the Senators made note of her words.
"That was in, then? At the warehouse," Senator Marchard said.
"Yes," Sydney nodded in reply. "That's all." She smiled inwardly, knowing full well that that was not all. But it was all she was willing to tell. The rest was for her alone, for those quiet moments when she just wanted to disappear.
****** A/N: Thanks to all who have read & reviewed so far. I hope you're enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. There is more to come - I promise. (