Chapter Fourteen
Jack walked into the office as if everything was normal. He had a file tucked under his arm and he went to his desk. He was taking a gamble by coming to work, but he had to risk it for Sydney. If he didn't show up, Sloane would immediately know that something didn't smell right-if he didn't already from the aborted assassination attempt. The thought of a hitman going after Sydney made Jack's blood run cold and he thought how easy it would be to simply walk into Sloane's office and blow the man away. But things were not that easy and to make things run according to his plan, he needed to play it safe. He had to. For Sydney.
Checking he watch, he calculated that she was on the plane with her handler and his mother. The situation was so ridiculous that Jack couldn't believe it had gotten that far. It was a nightmare, but he knew how hard it was to stay away from someone you loved. He also knew how easily things could get out of control. Sydney was young, but he'd expected more from her. He respected Michael Vaughn, but he also had his youth working against him. Jack didn't doubt Vaughn die for Sydney, he just didn't want it to come to that. He didn't want to see the same look on his daughter's face that he'd seen once before when her fiancé had been killed. She was too young to have been through what she had.
Before Jack could even sit at his desk, his phone rang and he knew that it was Sloane.
"Yes?" he said.
"Please come into my office," Sloane said, his tone brooking no argument.
"I'm on my way."
Jack dropped the file on his desk and buttoned his jacket as he walked back out his door. His face was as hard as granite, but his heart was beating fast. He met Sloane's equally stoic countenance with a cool look as he entered the other man's office. He didn't sit down, opting to stand with his hands clasped in front of him. Sloane didn't sit either. He went to stand next to his desk and they regarded each other silently. They weren't friends, but they did respect each other; Sloane because of Jack's ability, Jack because if he didn't, he and his daughter would be dead.
"Sydney has disappeared," Sloane stated calmly.
Never a man to show emotion, Jack allowed his mouth to open slightly to convey his surprise. "What do you mean disappeared?"
"She can't be found. I've had people searching for her all day, but it's like she's dropped off the face of the Earth. Would it be stupid of me to ask you if you knew where she was?"
"Yes, it would," was the response laced with venom. "I expected to see her here today. What happened to make her run?"
Sloane didn't even hesitate. "I put a shooter on her tail. She spent the night with her CIA agent last night. I slipped by allowing her to date him and it got to be too dangerous to let it go for much longer."
Jack bristled, something he didn't have to pretend. "You were going to make Sydney pay for your mistake. Not very professional, is it?"
"You realize your life is in danger right now, don't you?" Sloane said matter-of-factly. "I'm not an idiot. You and Sydney may not be your average father and daughter, but you're an honorable man, Jack. You would make sure you knew what she was up to because of the danger she put herself in."
"Why did you put a shooter on her instead of him?"
"And have the CIA come after me? No. It was safer to take her out." Sloane smiled without humor. "What a man you are, to stand here and discuss an assassination attempt on your daughter without even breaking into a sweat."
Jack took a step towards Sloane, towering over the shorter man and looking down his nose at him. "Don't tempt me, Arvin," he hissed. "She ran because she's a good operative and she knew something was going to happen to her. I'm not lying to you when I say I have no idea where she's run to, but I can't say I'm sorry she ran."
"At least I know you have a heart."
They stared at each other.
"Everyone is after her," Sloane said, breaking eye contact. "I've put the word out. Every operative the Alliance has on its payroll is looking for her. She's not going to make it very far. I didn't say I wanted her back alive."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Your job. Can you still function after this nasty shock?"
"I'm a professional."
"Good. That'll be all."
Jack nodded and went out the door. Things were progressing as he'd expected. He was too valuable an asset to Sloane, his skills and his contacts were too good to lose, but he would be watched like a hawk from now on. If SD-6 was to be taken down, it would have to be soon, or else all he, Sydney, and the CIA agents who had worked with them had achieved would all go to hell. As he racked his brain for solutions, he nearly ran into Dixon who had stood from his desk.
"She's gone, isn't she?" he demanded.
"Yes, she is."
"Do you know where she is?"
"No."
"I think she was working for someone else."
His words, spoken so calmly, nearly made Jack lose control of his emotions. He looked hard into Dixon's eyes.
"Sydney is a patriot," he said forcefully. "She would never betray her country, Dixon. You know that as well as I do."
"That doesn't mean she couldn't have been deceived. I agree with you. Sydney is as good as they come, but her perceptions can be manipulated as well. If my hunch is right, finding out who she worked for can put an end to all this."
This was an unexpected problem and Jack thought quickly for a solution. Taking Dixon by the arm, he led the other man into his office. He took out his signal jammer from his jacket pocket and turned it on.
"Listen to me. Things are happening that are beyond your control and understanding. If you go to Sloane with this information, you'll put us all in danger. Let me handle this."
"I can help. I would do anything for Sydney."
Vaguely, Jack wondered what it was in his daughter that instilled such loyalty in people.
"You can help by keeping what you believe under wraps until this is over. The information is too sensitive, even for you. I'm asking you to trust me with this. She's my daughter and I would do anything to protect her."
Dixon seemed to be sizing him up and Jack had to force himself to meet his eyes. He knew Dixon's devotion to his family outweighed everything else in his life, including this job. Jack was the opposite, sacrificing his relationship with Sydney to his job-but not anymore.
"Alright," Dixon finally said. "But tread lightly, Jack. I'll be watching."
As he left the office, Jack sagged against the wall. He took a moment to get himself together and then, straightened once more. There was work to be done and as always, time was working against him.
* * *
Geneviève did not enjoy flying. It was the reason why she hadn't been back to France in ages. As much as she missed her homeland, she hated flying more. It just didn't seem natural to her that a large man-made object was made to rise up in the air to soar above the clouds. Even birds were smart enough not to fly this high. It was a phobia she'd passed on to her son, though outwardly, he was handling it better than she was.
Sydney could sense Vaughn's tenseness and see his mother's. She wanted to reach over and take his hand, but somehow didn't think it would be too welcome. He'd almost been able to get his mother to sit between them, but she'd protested the move, insisting that she wanted the aisle seat. He hadn't even bothered to hide his reluctance as he took the seat next to her. It was hard to believe that they'd spent the night before in each other's arms the way he was doing all he could to avoid touching her. His actions cut Sydney to the quick, but she took the pain the way she always did--quietly. She turned her attention to the blue skies and wispy clouds outside her window, pretending it was just another trip.
Weiss had gotten them seats in the next available flight out to Montana and carted them off with only a soft 'good luck'. He disappeared into the crowd before they even boarded the plane. Sydney had never felt more helpless in her life, and regret made her want to curl up into a ball and cry her eyes out. She knew it was her selfishness that got them here. She'd wanted to be with Vaughn, wanted to make it all work out for them even though she knew better. Her love for him blinded her to the harsh realities that governed the way people in their line of work acted. Now, they were barely speaking and being shipped off to the middle of nowhere.
The location was a blessing and a curse. It would be difficult to find them, but once found, they had nowhere to run. Weiss had given her and Vaughn a file folder full of information about the secluded homestead they were going to. Vaughn had set up a working ranch of sorts to provide good cover and they would be set up as the relatives of the owner, James Clancy, coming to visit. There were even profiles set up, Weiss mentioning that all this was Vaughn's doing even though he had no recollection of it. Vaughn and Sydney would be a married couple, Leo and Adrianne Warner, wanting to take a break from the big city and taking his mother, Claire Warner, along for the ride. It was simple enough.
Before long, the plane was preparing for landing. As the regular shudders and noises went through the plane, Sydney heard Vaughn's mother take a sharp breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him take her hand. Without looking at Sydney, he put a hand over hers. Feeling her heart warm at the touch, she turned her hand over and twined their fingers together. They didn't let go until they got the luggage carousel and he had to retrieve their luggage. Sydney tucked her hand in the crook of his arm as he pushed the cart with their bags--clothes all newly bought--partly for show, mostly because she needed to touch him. His mother trailed behind them, a small smile on her face.
"There's our pickup," Vaughn murmured.
A wiry man in a faded blue plaid shirt and equally faded black stetson holding a sign that said 'Warner' was standing near the exit. He saw them heading his way and he nodded in acknowledgement. He held out his hand to Vaughn when they reached him.
"Eric told me you were coming," he said easily. "L.A.'s a bitch this time of year, isn't it?"
Vaughn nodded at hearing the key phrase. "Yeah. We needed some time away. Thanks for meeting us here, Jim," Vaughn said.
"Ladies," Jim said, touching the brim of his hat. "Follow me. I've got my car in front."
Geneviève tucked her hand into Jim's proferred arm, leaving her son with his "wife". Sydney fixed an easy smile on her face and slid her hand into Vaughn's. They followed Jim out to his SUV. The two women got into the back while the men loaded up the suitcases.
"What a nice man," Geneviève said.
"He is."
They talked about the weather and the ranch on the way there. It was a good forty-five minutes away and Sydney kept her eyes on the countryside, noting that Jim and Vaughn did the same. Jim's sharp gray eyes continuously glanced at the rearview mirror to make sure they weren't being followed, which would be very obvious on the dusty road that made up the last few miles of their journey.
Jim pulled into the long drive leading up to a grand one level house sitting on top of a small hill. It overlooked the green land surrounding it, and Sydney immediately fell in love with it.
"Oh, it's beautiful," she breathed, nose pressed up to the window.
She caught Vaughn's eye on the side mirror and he smiled at her. "It is."
They stopped in front of the house and they got out. The house was as spacious as the lands outside of it. The wood floors were polished until they shone and it seemed like they walked for miles until they reached their rooms. Vaughn and Sydney found themselves sharing one while Geneviève had one down the hall. Seeing Vaughn's slightly troubled expression as he put their bags down, Sydney felt her heart sink.
"Um.I can go over to your mom's room at night if this is too uncomfortable for you," she murmured.
Sighing, he reached for her and took her in his arms. She hugged him tightly, closing her eyes.
"I'm just having a hard time letting the information settle in," he whispered. "I think I knew deep down that there was more to you than meets the eye, but I just didn't want to think about it. I can't even describe how I feel when I'm with you, Syd. I'm happy and I feel complete, cheesy as that sounds. I may have forgotten how we got here, but my heart doesn't. I love you. I always have. Don't think I'm angry. I'm not. I'm just."
"Thank you," she said, kissing him. "I needed to hear that."
He smiled at her and pulled away. "How about we unpack then take a tour of the place? Well, the house anyway."
"Sounds good."
Working in silence, they got their clothes put away, neither missing how domestic their actions were. Their clothes hung together in the closet and Sydney stared at them for a moment, a small smile on her face. It quickly disappeared when she remembered just why they were there. It was her fault. Squaring her shoulders, she moved to the hidden compartment in her suitcase and pulled out a handgun. Vaughn's lips tightened when he saw it, but he didn't say anything. He had one too. She put it and an extra magazine in the bedside drawer. What he didn't know was that she had another, smaller gun resting in the small of her back. What she didn't know was that he had a small knife in a sheath strapped around his ankle. It was something Weiss had insisted he have.
Together, they walked out of the room just as Geneviève was emerging. For a second, Sydney thought she saw a strained expression on her face, but it was immediately hidden with a smile.
"You two had the same idea as I did then," she said. "I hope Jim is not too busy to show us the grounds."
"If he is, I'm sure we can do it ourselves," Vaughn said, putting an arm around his mother. He'd seen the same worry that Sydney had. "How are you holding up?"
"Good," she said, patting his cheek. "I've been through worse."
Jim was nowhere to be seen, but they ran into a cook and a cleaning woman- both employed by the CIA. For all intents and purposes, the ranch was run by CIA personnel, save for the ranch hands who had been given a background check before being hired. They were as safe as they could be, but that could easily change in the blink of an eye, as the three of them knew first hand. That thought tempered their walk through the house as Sydney noted at the windows were bulletproof. She made a mental map of the place in her mind, just in case.
Jack walked into the office as if everything was normal. He had a file tucked under his arm and he went to his desk. He was taking a gamble by coming to work, but he had to risk it for Sydney. If he didn't show up, Sloane would immediately know that something didn't smell right-if he didn't already from the aborted assassination attempt. The thought of a hitman going after Sydney made Jack's blood run cold and he thought how easy it would be to simply walk into Sloane's office and blow the man away. But things were not that easy and to make things run according to his plan, he needed to play it safe. He had to. For Sydney.
Checking he watch, he calculated that she was on the plane with her handler and his mother. The situation was so ridiculous that Jack couldn't believe it had gotten that far. It was a nightmare, but he knew how hard it was to stay away from someone you loved. He also knew how easily things could get out of control. Sydney was young, but he'd expected more from her. He respected Michael Vaughn, but he also had his youth working against him. Jack didn't doubt Vaughn die for Sydney, he just didn't want it to come to that. He didn't want to see the same look on his daughter's face that he'd seen once before when her fiancé had been killed. She was too young to have been through what she had.
Before Jack could even sit at his desk, his phone rang and he knew that it was Sloane.
"Yes?" he said.
"Please come into my office," Sloane said, his tone brooking no argument.
"I'm on my way."
Jack dropped the file on his desk and buttoned his jacket as he walked back out his door. His face was as hard as granite, but his heart was beating fast. He met Sloane's equally stoic countenance with a cool look as he entered the other man's office. He didn't sit down, opting to stand with his hands clasped in front of him. Sloane didn't sit either. He went to stand next to his desk and they regarded each other silently. They weren't friends, but they did respect each other; Sloane because of Jack's ability, Jack because if he didn't, he and his daughter would be dead.
"Sydney has disappeared," Sloane stated calmly.
Never a man to show emotion, Jack allowed his mouth to open slightly to convey his surprise. "What do you mean disappeared?"
"She can't be found. I've had people searching for her all day, but it's like she's dropped off the face of the Earth. Would it be stupid of me to ask you if you knew where she was?"
"Yes, it would," was the response laced with venom. "I expected to see her here today. What happened to make her run?"
Sloane didn't even hesitate. "I put a shooter on her tail. She spent the night with her CIA agent last night. I slipped by allowing her to date him and it got to be too dangerous to let it go for much longer."
Jack bristled, something he didn't have to pretend. "You were going to make Sydney pay for your mistake. Not very professional, is it?"
"You realize your life is in danger right now, don't you?" Sloane said matter-of-factly. "I'm not an idiot. You and Sydney may not be your average father and daughter, but you're an honorable man, Jack. You would make sure you knew what she was up to because of the danger she put herself in."
"Why did you put a shooter on her instead of him?"
"And have the CIA come after me? No. It was safer to take her out." Sloane smiled without humor. "What a man you are, to stand here and discuss an assassination attempt on your daughter without even breaking into a sweat."
Jack took a step towards Sloane, towering over the shorter man and looking down his nose at him. "Don't tempt me, Arvin," he hissed. "She ran because she's a good operative and she knew something was going to happen to her. I'm not lying to you when I say I have no idea where she's run to, but I can't say I'm sorry she ran."
"At least I know you have a heart."
They stared at each other.
"Everyone is after her," Sloane said, breaking eye contact. "I've put the word out. Every operative the Alliance has on its payroll is looking for her. She's not going to make it very far. I didn't say I wanted her back alive."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Your job. Can you still function after this nasty shock?"
"I'm a professional."
"Good. That'll be all."
Jack nodded and went out the door. Things were progressing as he'd expected. He was too valuable an asset to Sloane, his skills and his contacts were too good to lose, but he would be watched like a hawk from now on. If SD-6 was to be taken down, it would have to be soon, or else all he, Sydney, and the CIA agents who had worked with them had achieved would all go to hell. As he racked his brain for solutions, he nearly ran into Dixon who had stood from his desk.
"She's gone, isn't she?" he demanded.
"Yes, she is."
"Do you know where she is?"
"No."
"I think she was working for someone else."
His words, spoken so calmly, nearly made Jack lose control of his emotions. He looked hard into Dixon's eyes.
"Sydney is a patriot," he said forcefully. "She would never betray her country, Dixon. You know that as well as I do."
"That doesn't mean she couldn't have been deceived. I agree with you. Sydney is as good as they come, but her perceptions can be manipulated as well. If my hunch is right, finding out who she worked for can put an end to all this."
This was an unexpected problem and Jack thought quickly for a solution. Taking Dixon by the arm, he led the other man into his office. He took out his signal jammer from his jacket pocket and turned it on.
"Listen to me. Things are happening that are beyond your control and understanding. If you go to Sloane with this information, you'll put us all in danger. Let me handle this."
"I can help. I would do anything for Sydney."
Vaguely, Jack wondered what it was in his daughter that instilled such loyalty in people.
"You can help by keeping what you believe under wraps until this is over. The information is too sensitive, even for you. I'm asking you to trust me with this. She's my daughter and I would do anything to protect her."
Dixon seemed to be sizing him up and Jack had to force himself to meet his eyes. He knew Dixon's devotion to his family outweighed everything else in his life, including this job. Jack was the opposite, sacrificing his relationship with Sydney to his job-but not anymore.
"Alright," Dixon finally said. "But tread lightly, Jack. I'll be watching."
As he left the office, Jack sagged against the wall. He took a moment to get himself together and then, straightened once more. There was work to be done and as always, time was working against him.
* * *
Geneviève did not enjoy flying. It was the reason why she hadn't been back to France in ages. As much as she missed her homeland, she hated flying more. It just didn't seem natural to her that a large man-made object was made to rise up in the air to soar above the clouds. Even birds were smart enough not to fly this high. It was a phobia she'd passed on to her son, though outwardly, he was handling it better than she was.
Sydney could sense Vaughn's tenseness and see his mother's. She wanted to reach over and take his hand, but somehow didn't think it would be too welcome. He'd almost been able to get his mother to sit between them, but she'd protested the move, insisting that she wanted the aisle seat. He hadn't even bothered to hide his reluctance as he took the seat next to her. It was hard to believe that they'd spent the night before in each other's arms the way he was doing all he could to avoid touching her. His actions cut Sydney to the quick, but she took the pain the way she always did--quietly. She turned her attention to the blue skies and wispy clouds outside her window, pretending it was just another trip.
Weiss had gotten them seats in the next available flight out to Montana and carted them off with only a soft 'good luck'. He disappeared into the crowd before they even boarded the plane. Sydney had never felt more helpless in her life, and regret made her want to curl up into a ball and cry her eyes out. She knew it was her selfishness that got them here. She'd wanted to be with Vaughn, wanted to make it all work out for them even though she knew better. Her love for him blinded her to the harsh realities that governed the way people in their line of work acted. Now, they were barely speaking and being shipped off to the middle of nowhere.
The location was a blessing and a curse. It would be difficult to find them, but once found, they had nowhere to run. Weiss had given her and Vaughn a file folder full of information about the secluded homestead they were going to. Vaughn had set up a working ranch of sorts to provide good cover and they would be set up as the relatives of the owner, James Clancy, coming to visit. There were even profiles set up, Weiss mentioning that all this was Vaughn's doing even though he had no recollection of it. Vaughn and Sydney would be a married couple, Leo and Adrianne Warner, wanting to take a break from the big city and taking his mother, Claire Warner, along for the ride. It was simple enough.
Before long, the plane was preparing for landing. As the regular shudders and noises went through the plane, Sydney heard Vaughn's mother take a sharp breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him take her hand. Without looking at Sydney, he put a hand over hers. Feeling her heart warm at the touch, she turned her hand over and twined their fingers together. They didn't let go until they got the luggage carousel and he had to retrieve their luggage. Sydney tucked her hand in the crook of his arm as he pushed the cart with their bags--clothes all newly bought--partly for show, mostly because she needed to touch him. His mother trailed behind them, a small smile on her face.
"There's our pickup," Vaughn murmured.
A wiry man in a faded blue plaid shirt and equally faded black stetson holding a sign that said 'Warner' was standing near the exit. He saw them heading his way and he nodded in acknowledgement. He held out his hand to Vaughn when they reached him.
"Eric told me you were coming," he said easily. "L.A.'s a bitch this time of year, isn't it?"
Vaughn nodded at hearing the key phrase. "Yeah. We needed some time away. Thanks for meeting us here, Jim," Vaughn said.
"Ladies," Jim said, touching the brim of his hat. "Follow me. I've got my car in front."
Geneviève tucked her hand into Jim's proferred arm, leaving her son with his "wife". Sydney fixed an easy smile on her face and slid her hand into Vaughn's. They followed Jim out to his SUV. The two women got into the back while the men loaded up the suitcases.
"What a nice man," Geneviève said.
"He is."
They talked about the weather and the ranch on the way there. It was a good forty-five minutes away and Sydney kept her eyes on the countryside, noting that Jim and Vaughn did the same. Jim's sharp gray eyes continuously glanced at the rearview mirror to make sure they weren't being followed, which would be very obvious on the dusty road that made up the last few miles of their journey.
Jim pulled into the long drive leading up to a grand one level house sitting on top of a small hill. It overlooked the green land surrounding it, and Sydney immediately fell in love with it.
"Oh, it's beautiful," she breathed, nose pressed up to the window.
She caught Vaughn's eye on the side mirror and he smiled at her. "It is."
They stopped in front of the house and they got out. The house was as spacious as the lands outside of it. The wood floors were polished until they shone and it seemed like they walked for miles until they reached their rooms. Vaughn and Sydney found themselves sharing one while Geneviève had one down the hall. Seeing Vaughn's slightly troubled expression as he put their bags down, Sydney felt her heart sink.
"Um.I can go over to your mom's room at night if this is too uncomfortable for you," she murmured.
Sighing, he reached for her and took her in his arms. She hugged him tightly, closing her eyes.
"I'm just having a hard time letting the information settle in," he whispered. "I think I knew deep down that there was more to you than meets the eye, but I just didn't want to think about it. I can't even describe how I feel when I'm with you, Syd. I'm happy and I feel complete, cheesy as that sounds. I may have forgotten how we got here, but my heart doesn't. I love you. I always have. Don't think I'm angry. I'm not. I'm just."
"Thank you," she said, kissing him. "I needed to hear that."
He smiled at her and pulled away. "How about we unpack then take a tour of the place? Well, the house anyway."
"Sounds good."
Working in silence, they got their clothes put away, neither missing how domestic their actions were. Their clothes hung together in the closet and Sydney stared at them for a moment, a small smile on her face. It quickly disappeared when she remembered just why they were there. It was her fault. Squaring her shoulders, she moved to the hidden compartment in her suitcase and pulled out a handgun. Vaughn's lips tightened when he saw it, but he didn't say anything. He had one too. She put it and an extra magazine in the bedside drawer. What he didn't know was that she had another, smaller gun resting in the small of her back. What she didn't know was that he had a small knife in a sheath strapped around his ankle. It was something Weiss had insisted he have.
Together, they walked out of the room just as Geneviève was emerging. For a second, Sydney thought she saw a strained expression on her face, but it was immediately hidden with a smile.
"You two had the same idea as I did then," she said. "I hope Jim is not too busy to show us the grounds."
"If he is, I'm sure we can do it ourselves," Vaughn said, putting an arm around his mother. He'd seen the same worry that Sydney had. "How are you holding up?"
"Good," she said, patting his cheek. "I've been through worse."
Jim was nowhere to be seen, but they ran into a cook and a cleaning woman- both employed by the CIA. For all intents and purposes, the ranch was run by CIA personnel, save for the ranch hands who had been given a background check before being hired. They were as safe as they could be, but that could easily change in the blink of an eye, as the three of them knew first hand. That thought tempered their walk through the house as Sydney noted at the windows were bulletproof. She made a mental map of the place in her mind, just in case.
