Michael Vaughn rose early Saturday morning. He knew he had all the time
in the world.he didn't have to go to work but waking early made him
appreciate the day more. The daylight had barely broken outside but
everything seemed calm and peaceful. It was a needed day of rest and
calmness for him. It was beautiful and it was nothing less than euphoric.
He wouldn't think about anything pertaining to the CIA..did that include
Sydney? He pushed any thoughts of her out of his mind. Yes, that
included Agent Bristow. He emphasized her title in his mind. Agent Sydney
Bristow.
Anyway, he got up from his warm bed, Donovan trotting around near his feet. It was nice to just be to himself. Alice hadn't spent the night; she had gone to a party with few of her closets friends. It was like a girl's night out or something. He had tuned her out when she started to babble about Jeanie or Jeanette or whatever her newest friend's name was. It didn't matter, he was all alone early this morning. It was beautiful and peaceful. He quickly showered and it was somewhere beyond soothing. Okay, he knew it and he needed to lay off all of the karma stuff. But things seemed so uncontaminated. The hot water created steam that fogged his bathroom but clarified his mind. With a clear head and conscious, Vaughn went through his morning routines a little more slowly than usual. Everything he did was more deliberate, consciously not thinking about Sydney. His routine stopped in front of the mirror where he stood, starring in his own deep green eyes. There were not filled with passion or rage or worry but were just there. It must have been the first time in months that he was absolutely calm. He stood in front of the mirror, debating whether or not shave. He decided against it and stepped out of the bathroom, letting the steam that had bottled up escape as the door opened to his bedroom. He stood there in a towel wrapped around his waist as he resolved where to go. His feet brought him to his closet and then his wardrobe. Without really thinking, he pulled his jog pants and t-shirt out and started to dress in the dark. He didn't bother switching the lights on in his room. The sun had barely risen over the LA sky but he didn't care. The worry lines that normally appeared on his face weren't evident and he seemed the calmest he had in months. "I'm coming, Donnie." His voice echoed through his empty house as his faithful little dog began to whimper. "Donovan, I'm coming." He hurried his dressing and grabbed the leash from his dresser and attached it to the dog's collar. "See? All ready." He pulled the dog out of the bedroom, down the hall, and out the door. "We're running to the park, circling to the café and back home." Vaughn locked the door behind him, shoved the keys into his pocket, and started a brisk run down the block.
The sun was halfway in the sky as Vaughn made it to the park.the poor dog nearly having a heart attack on the way. Vaughn's feet fell into a steady rhythm against the pavement. Everything seemed right. The day was perfect. He wouldn't think about his love life or work life or anything. All that mattered was running. His feet pounded into the pavement in a rhythmic pattern that soothed his tattered soul. As he continued, he realized that he was pulling something along. Donovan. "Do you want a break?" He asked him in the most patronizing matter. Donovan collapsed to the ground as Vaughn neared a park bench. He pulled him onto his lap and stroked his head. "You're a good dog, Donovan. Fat, maybe. Good, yes." Vaughn grew quiet for a moment and sat there in thought. He loved watching people hurrying about in their own little lives. He tried to listen in on some of their normal conversations. They at least had normal lives. Well, he theoretically could have a normal life but it would require erasing Sydney from his life and going back to pushing papers and dying underneath his desk. There wasn't an acceptable answer to his desire for a normal life. Oh well.
"And the bluebird will fall at 0800 hours." Vaughn became suddenly aware of a man talking somewhere behind him, talking in Russian. Vaughn tensed up and scanned the area in front of him. It was definitely coming from behind him. His instincts kicked in and he concentrated very hard translating Russian. Russian was not his strongest language.in fact it was one of his weakest.
"Yes.the bluebird has become a threat and my employer feels that she may not be loyal." Replied another voice, closer to Vaughn. "Anything else?"
"Ah, yes. The (his voice hushed)..will be pleased. He will make up for the Emily mistake. We are done here."
"Yes"
Bluebird? Wasn't that Sydney's name at SD-6? They couldn't be talking about Sydney. No. But the bluebird will fall..may not be loyal? It sounded like something Sloane would order. And Emily? Wasn't that Sloane's wife? Vaughn gasped as he came to the realization. He picked up Donovan tighter in his arms and got his feet. He walked out of the park but as soon as he cleared the rod iron gate, he began to sprint the four blocks to his home. He had never ran so fast in his life. As the scenery became more familiar, he silently thanked his trainer for making him do all those laps during training and his gym membership card. He pushed opened the door and practically threw Donovan on the ground. The dog barked and whimpered at the sudden change but quickly got over it, collapsing to the ground. Vaughn knew he had to remain calm but the panic began to rise in his throat. He searched around for his cell phone and dialed the office's number.
"Get me Devlin. It's Agent Vaughn. Get Devlin-now!"
"I'm sorry Agent Vaughn, he's in a meeting right now." His secretary replied.
"Tell him that Agent Sydney Bristow is in grave danger. Her cover has been blown." Vaughn's speech was rapid. His tongue moved faster than it ever had before. "Get me Devlin now."
"Yes sir." The secretary replied. Vaughn heard a click and then silence. It took a few moments until he heard Devlin screaming into the phone.
"What the hell is so important it couldn't wait?" he screamed.
"SD-6 may have found out about Agent Bristow."
"Jack?"
"Sydney."
"What?"
"I was in the park and I heard two men talking about the bluebird, Syd-Bristow's code name at SD-6, falling because she is a threat and is not loyal. Those were their exact words."
"It doesn't sound like a credible threat."
"Well with all due respect, sir, I am concerned."
"Dammit Vaughn, when aren't you concerned? Your father-"
"Would be doing the same thing." Vaughn replied abruptly.
"Where are you?"
"I don't find that fact very relevant but I'm at home."
"Well, we'll look into it." Devlin sighed. "It doesn't sound credible. Don't come in..don't Agent Vaughn."
"These two men were speaking about the Emily incident and how the bluebird is not loyal." Vaughn persisted. If he had any other agent would he be doing the same thing? Probably not, he came to the conclusion.
"We'll look into it. Anything else, Agent Vaughn?"
"Bring Sy-Agent Bristow into headquarters or a safe house. And, bring her roommates in for protection. We have fifteen minutes. They said she will fall at 08 00 hours. It's 7:45." Vaughn managed to say. He knew how much her life was in danger. The clock was ticking.
"We'll consider it. Do not alert Bristow at all. Vaughn, are you listening to me? Do not alert Agent Bristow, Jack or Sydney." And hung up.
"Mr. Devlin, don't hang up on me! Mr. Devlin! Damn it, Devlin!" Vaughn scoffed as he heard the click. He clicked his phone off and had already made the decision. All he needed to do was to make sure Sydney was safe. He grabbed his badge and holster from their place in his bedroom and was out the door before Donovan even moved from the doorway. The holster fastened tightly around his waist, with his gun, a spare one, and enough ammo for the both of them. Sydney wouldn't have a gun in the house. She had said a thousand times she never would. The door locked behind him and he bolted to his car. It started and as the engine began to run, his heart began to pound harder and harder. What if he was too late? What if he got to her to late? What if she was killed before she knew how he felt about her? He picked up his cell and hit speed dial 101. The number had special meaning. October 1st, 10/1.
Anyway, he got up from his warm bed, Donovan trotting around near his feet. It was nice to just be to himself. Alice hadn't spent the night; she had gone to a party with few of her closets friends. It was like a girl's night out or something. He had tuned her out when she started to babble about Jeanie or Jeanette or whatever her newest friend's name was. It didn't matter, he was all alone early this morning. It was beautiful and peaceful. He quickly showered and it was somewhere beyond soothing. Okay, he knew it and he needed to lay off all of the karma stuff. But things seemed so uncontaminated. The hot water created steam that fogged his bathroom but clarified his mind. With a clear head and conscious, Vaughn went through his morning routines a little more slowly than usual. Everything he did was more deliberate, consciously not thinking about Sydney. His routine stopped in front of the mirror where he stood, starring in his own deep green eyes. There were not filled with passion or rage or worry but were just there. It must have been the first time in months that he was absolutely calm. He stood in front of the mirror, debating whether or not shave. He decided against it and stepped out of the bathroom, letting the steam that had bottled up escape as the door opened to his bedroom. He stood there in a towel wrapped around his waist as he resolved where to go. His feet brought him to his closet and then his wardrobe. Without really thinking, he pulled his jog pants and t-shirt out and started to dress in the dark. He didn't bother switching the lights on in his room. The sun had barely risen over the LA sky but he didn't care. The worry lines that normally appeared on his face weren't evident and he seemed the calmest he had in months. "I'm coming, Donnie." His voice echoed through his empty house as his faithful little dog began to whimper. "Donovan, I'm coming." He hurried his dressing and grabbed the leash from his dresser and attached it to the dog's collar. "See? All ready." He pulled the dog out of the bedroom, down the hall, and out the door. "We're running to the park, circling to the café and back home." Vaughn locked the door behind him, shoved the keys into his pocket, and started a brisk run down the block.
The sun was halfway in the sky as Vaughn made it to the park.the poor dog nearly having a heart attack on the way. Vaughn's feet fell into a steady rhythm against the pavement. Everything seemed right. The day was perfect. He wouldn't think about his love life or work life or anything. All that mattered was running. His feet pounded into the pavement in a rhythmic pattern that soothed his tattered soul. As he continued, he realized that he was pulling something along. Donovan. "Do you want a break?" He asked him in the most patronizing matter. Donovan collapsed to the ground as Vaughn neared a park bench. He pulled him onto his lap and stroked his head. "You're a good dog, Donovan. Fat, maybe. Good, yes." Vaughn grew quiet for a moment and sat there in thought. He loved watching people hurrying about in their own little lives. He tried to listen in on some of their normal conversations. They at least had normal lives. Well, he theoretically could have a normal life but it would require erasing Sydney from his life and going back to pushing papers and dying underneath his desk. There wasn't an acceptable answer to his desire for a normal life. Oh well.
"And the bluebird will fall at 0800 hours." Vaughn became suddenly aware of a man talking somewhere behind him, talking in Russian. Vaughn tensed up and scanned the area in front of him. It was definitely coming from behind him. His instincts kicked in and he concentrated very hard translating Russian. Russian was not his strongest language.in fact it was one of his weakest.
"Yes.the bluebird has become a threat and my employer feels that she may not be loyal." Replied another voice, closer to Vaughn. "Anything else?"
"Ah, yes. The (his voice hushed)..will be pleased. He will make up for the Emily mistake. We are done here."
"Yes"
Bluebird? Wasn't that Sydney's name at SD-6? They couldn't be talking about Sydney. No. But the bluebird will fall..may not be loyal? It sounded like something Sloane would order. And Emily? Wasn't that Sloane's wife? Vaughn gasped as he came to the realization. He picked up Donovan tighter in his arms and got his feet. He walked out of the park but as soon as he cleared the rod iron gate, he began to sprint the four blocks to his home. He had never ran so fast in his life. As the scenery became more familiar, he silently thanked his trainer for making him do all those laps during training and his gym membership card. He pushed opened the door and practically threw Donovan on the ground. The dog barked and whimpered at the sudden change but quickly got over it, collapsing to the ground. Vaughn knew he had to remain calm but the panic began to rise in his throat. He searched around for his cell phone and dialed the office's number.
"Get me Devlin. It's Agent Vaughn. Get Devlin-now!"
"I'm sorry Agent Vaughn, he's in a meeting right now." His secretary replied.
"Tell him that Agent Sydney Bristow is in grave danger. Her cover has been blown." Vaughn's speech was rapid. His tongue moved faster than it ever had before. "Get me Devlin now."
"Yes sir." The secretary replied. Vaughn heard a click and then silence. It took a few moments until he heard Devlin screaming into the phone.
"What the hell is so important it couldn't wait?" he screamed.
"SD-6 may have found out about Agent Bristow."
"Jack?"
"Sydney."
"What?"
"I was in the park and I heard two men talking about the bluebird, Syd-Bristow's code name at SD-6, falling because she is a threat and is not loyal. Those were their exact words."
"It doesn't sound like a credible threat."
"Well with all due respect, sir, I am concerned."
"Dammit Vaughn, when aren't you concerned? Your father-"
"Would be doing the same thing." Vaughn replied abruptly.
"Where are you?"
"I don't find that fact very relevant but I'm at home."
"Well, we'll look into it." Devlin sighed. "It doesn't sound credible. Don't come in..don't Agent Vaughn."
"These two men were speaking about the Emily incident and how the bluebird is not loyal." Vaughn persisted. If he had any other agent would he be doing the same thing? Probably not, he came to the conclusion.
"We'll look into it. Anything else, Agent Vaughn?"
"Bring Sy-Agent Bristow into headquarters or a safe house. And, bring her roommates in for protection. We have fifteen minutes. They said she will fall at 08 00 hours. It's 7:45." Vaughn managed to say. He knew how much her life was in danger. The clock was ticking.
"We'll consider it. Do not alert Bristow at all. Vaughn, are you listening to me? Do not alert Agent Bristow, Jack or Sydney." And hung up.
"Mr. Devlin, don't hang up on me! Mr. Devlin! Damn it, Devlin!" Vaughn scoffed as he heard the click. He clicked his phone off and had already made the decision. All he needed to do was to make sure Sydney was safe. He grabbed his badge and holster from their place in his bedroom and was out the door before Donovan even moved from the doorway. The holster fastened tightly around his waist, with his gun, a spare one, and enough ammo for the both of them. Sydney wouldn't have a gun in the house. She had said a thousand times she never would. The door locked behind him and he bolted to his car. It started and as the engine began to run, his heart began to pound harder and harder. What if he was too late? What if he got to her to late? What if she was killed before she knew how he felt about her? He picked up his cell and hit speed dial 101. The number had special meaning. October 1st, 10/1.