Carly Morse, the agent who found out most of the information
regarding Project Helix, approached me.
"I couldn't help but overhear you talking and you're really lucky. You can start your life over." She said.
"Why? What do you get?" I asked.
"Well for starters, no big purchases, change phone number, quit 'state department' job, get a new car. You have to do all that, except you get a whole new life."
"You get to stay with your friends."
"What are you talking about? Isn't it 'ironic' that you and Vaughn get to stay together?"
"Yes, I suppose it is."
"Yeah, okay." She said with a smile. "The whole office knows about you two and most of us women are jealous."
I laughed. "I guess I am pretty lucky aren't I?" Now that I thought about it, Vaughn and I could be together, and the CIA was encouraging it. I'll have a boyfriend, better yet, a husband, and a good friend moving across the country with me. Only one friend. Friends. What was I going to tell Francie and Will. 'Hey guys, I'm moving to Norfolk, nice knowing ya?" Yeah right. I was going to have to talk to Kendall and I was dreading it. I was wearing a somewhat sexy top and he would probably repremand me or something. Oh well. It was now or never.
"Excuse me, sir"
"Ahh...Miss Bristow."
"How am I supposed to get out of the house without Francie or Will noticing anything? I mean, they live..."
I was interupted. "Read your folder thouroughly Miss Bristow."
Sure enough. Because only 6 people were being relocated, each person was designated a closing officers who would taking care of all bills, e- mails, death certificates (I died in a car crash), my new house, car and clothes, blah, blah, blah. All for the new "you."
I walked to my desk and sat down at it for the last time. I checked my e-mail. There was only one new one, from Kendall, announcing the meeting. Wouldn't do much good now. I wrote a e-mail to Vaughn, just trying to get into character.
Dear Hubby, I'm lucky to be married to you. Did you know that the whole office knows about 'us'? Your new wife.
A few seconds later, I glanced across the room and Vaughn nodded.
Why didn't you tell me.
I repsonded.
I was afraid you wouldn't want to be 'us' anymore.
Never.
Watching the lonely face across the room light up, I smiled. I went back to skimming through my folder. Plane Tickets. Leaves at 4:30 Wednesday morning. Norfolk at noon. What fun. Weiss would be craking jokes about Vaughn and me the whole time. Oh well, he intentions were good. Request for valubles to be send. Tonight is the my last night in LA. Getting a room at the airport. I started to look over my personal information. Jessica Barnes. 9-18-78. Moved from LA. Apartment burned down. Engaged once before. (To who? I wondered.) Married 2 months to Patrick Karvey. Roomate Robert Marcus. Mother, Annette Barnes died while giving birth. Father, Charles Barnes killed in bank robbery 3 years ago. No siblings. Used to work as a car saleswomen. Pages and pages of information. I guess that's what long plane rides are for.
By the time I read through all the information, it was late. The office was nearly empty except for Vaughn ,Weiss, my father and a few others.
"Hey Sydney, We better get going." "Yeah. Early flight." Silence
"Hey roomies!" Welcoming arms engulfed us.
"Ready?" Asked Vaughn.
"No. Introductions. Hi I'm Jessica Barnes. Call me Jess."
"Robert Marcus. Rob" Weiss said.
"Patrick Karvey." He still sounded sexy.
"Pat?" I asked.
He shook his head. "Nope. Just Patrick. Ready to get on with our new lives?"
Before we left, I glanced around the room, looking for my father. I couldn't see him. We walked out of the building, with a light at the end of a tunnel. (not exactly, but light=new life)
"Sydney!"
I whirled around.
"Sydney, good luck in Norfolk. I'm proud of everything you've done and will do."
"Thanks." I gave him a hug and he kissed me on my forehead.
"Sydney, I don't want to lose you again. In two weeks, contact an Uncle James at the number in your folder."
"I will. Where are you going?"
"Columbus."
"Ohio?"
My father nodded. "I have to go now." There was a lump in my throat. "Bye."
I went to join Weiss and Vaughn in the car. I got into the backseat and Weiss drove off. I saw my father, all alone, at the front doors of the very company that brought us together. Father and daughter.
We arrived at the hotel at 11 o'clock and checked in. The lobby was warm and welcoming with a crowed bar in an adjacent room. Our room was on the fourth floor and we took the elevators up. Weiss unlocked the door and walked in, Vaughn and I close behind.
"What were the Big Guys thinking??" Weiss exclaimed. He commonly referred to Kendall, Devlin and the other heads of the CIA the "Big Guys" "They only got us 2 beds...I call my own."
"Fine with me. Syd?" He had a greedy look on his face.
"Yeah, we're gonna have to get used to that, being married and all."
"Yeah..." He pulled me in close and kissed me.
"We're gonna have to get used to that too!" I added. He threw his head back and laughed.
"Enough with the love fest." We had forgotten that Weiss was in the room. "Wanna go down to the bar and get a drink with me, Mike?"
"It's Michael and sure. Sydney, do you want to come?"
"No, I think I'll take a bath or something."
"Okay. See you later." He left after giving me a quick kiss...We didn't want Weiss to feel TOO akward.
Once the left, I got undressed and put a towel around me. I walked into the bathroom. Screw the bath, there wasn't a tub. I took a quick shower using up most of the hotel shampoo and conditioner. When I got, I put on the clothes I was wearing, except my skirt. There was no way in hell that I was going to wear a skirt to bed.
I heard the guys voices in the hall so I quick jumped into the real bed, not the couch bed and turned on the TV. The only thing on was a soap opera rerun, so I left it on and pretended to be intrigued.
"How come you get the good bed and I get stuck on the crappy couch bed??"
"Because there's two of us in it!!"
Weiss quickly jumped onto the space next to me. "You know what? I think I want to share a bed now."
"Get Out!" Vaughn and I yelled simutaneouly.
"Geeze. Maybe I am a loner with no friends. I'm gonna take a shower." We laughed at him as he walked away.
"I'm gonna take a shower in the morning. okay?" Vaughn asked.
"That's fine." I watched him take off his shirt, leaving only his undershirt. He tossed it on the chair where I had left my skirt. He stopped.
"Whoa. I think you don't have any bottoms on."
"I think you're right." He looked both surprised and excited. Guys. Vaughn slid out of his pants.
"Is this good?" He asked me as he stood with his boxers and his undershirt.
"Hmmm....Lose the shirt."
"Ooo...naughty Sydney." As he slipped his shirt over his head and approached the bed. "Is this the only thing on?" He asked, motioning at the TV.
"The remotes all yours." He flipped to a baseball game on ESPN. I laid my head on the pillow and watched some of it, while trying to fall asleep.
"Score two for me!" Weiss exclaimed when he walked out of the bathroom. "No chic TV, man-ly sports!!!" He threw a blanket on the couch, not bothering to pull it out or put sheets on it. I closed my eyes and laid perfectly still until the TV turned off and Weiss's snores became louder. Vaughn curled up around me and I was able to drift into a deep sleep.
"I couldn't help but overhear you talking and you're really lucky. You can start your life over." She said.
"Why? What do you get?" I asked.
"Well for starters, no big purchases, change phone number, quit 'state department' job, get a new car. You have to do all that, except you get a whole new life."
"You get to stay with your friends."
"What are you talking about? Isn't it 'ironic' that you and Vaughn get to stay together?"
"Yes, I suppose it is."
"Yeah, okay." She said with a smile. "The whole office knows about you two and most of us women are jealous."
I laughed. "I guess I am pretty lucky aren't I?" Now that I thought about it, Vaughn and I could be together, and the CIA was encouraging it. I'll have a boyfriend, better yet, a husband, and a good friend moving across the country with me. Only one friend. Friends. What was I going to tell Francie and Will. 'Hey guys, I'm moving to Norfolk, nice knowing ya?" Yeah right. I was going to have to talk to Kendall and I was dreading it. I was wearing a somewhat sexy top and he would probably repremand me or something. Oh well. It was now or never.
"Excuse me, sir"
"Ahh...Miss Bristow."
"How am I supposed to get out of the house without Francie or Will noticing anything? I mean, they live..."
I was interupted. "Read your folder thouroughly Miss Bristow."
Sure enough. Because only 6 people were being relocated, each person was designated a closing officers who would taking care of all bills, e- mails, death certificates (I died in a car crash), my new house, car and clothes, blah, blah, blah. All for the new "you."
I walked to my desk and sat down at it for the last time. I checked my e-mail. There was only one new one, from Kendall, announcing the meeting. Wouldn't do much good now. I wrote a e-mail to Vaughn, just trying to get into character.
Dear Hubby, I'm lucky to be married to you. Did you know that the whole office knows about 'us'? Your new wife.
A few seconds later, I glanced across the room and Vaughn nodded.
Why didn't you tell me.
I repsonded.
I was afraid you wouldn't want to be 'us' anymore.
Never.
Watching the lonely face across the room light up, I smiled. I went back to skimming through my folder. Plane Tickets. Leaves at 4:30 Wednesday morning. Norfolk at noon. What fun. Weiss would be craking jokes about Vaughn and me the whole time. Oh well, he intentions were good. Request for valubles to be send. Tonight is the my last night in LA. Getting a room at the airport. I started to look over my personal information. Jessica Barnes. 9-18-78. Moved from LA. Apartment burned down. Engaged once before. (To who? I wondered.) Married 2 months to Patrick Karvey. Roomate Robert Marcus. Mother, Annette Barnes died while giving birth. Father, Charles Barnes killed in bank robbery 3 years ago. No siblings. Used to work as a car saleswomen. Pages and pages of information. I guess that's what long plane rides are for.
By the time I read through all the information, it was late. The office was nearly empty except for Vaughn ,Weiss, my father and a few others.
"Hey Sydney, We better get going." "Yeah. Early flight." Silence
"Hey roomies!" Welcoming arms engulfed us.
"Ready?" Asked Vaughn.
"No. Introductions. Hi I'm Jessica Barnes. Call me Jess."
"Robert Marcus. Rob" Weiss said.
"Patrick Karvey." He still sounded sexy.
"Pat?" I asked.
He shook his head. "Nope. Just Patrick. Ready to get on with our new lives?"
Before we left, I glanced around the room, looking for my father. I couldn't see him. We walked out of the building, with a light at the end of a tunnel. (not exactly, but light=new life)
"Sydney!"
I whirled around.
"Sydney, good luck in Norfolk. I'm proud of everything you've done and will do."
"Thanks." I gave him a hug and he kissed me on my forehead.
"Sydney, I don't want to lose you again. In two weeks, contact an Uncle James at the number in your folder."
"I will. Where are you going?"
"Columbus."
"Ohio?"
My father nodded. "I have to go now." There was a lump in my throat. "Bye."
I went to join Weiss and Vaughn in the car. I got into the backseat and Weiss drove off. I saw my father, all alone, at the front doors of the very company that brought us together. Father and daughter.
We arrived at the hotel at 11 o'clock and checked in. The lobby was warm and welcoming with a crowed bar in an adjacent room. Our room was on the fourth floor and we took the elevators up. Weiss unlocked the door and walked in, Vaughn and I close behind.
"What were the Big Guys thinking??" Weiss exclaimed. He commonly referred to Kendall, Devlin and the other heads of the CIA the "Big Guys" "They only got us 2 beds...I call my own."
"Fine with me. Syd?" He had a greedy look on his face.
"Yeah, we're gonna have to get used to that, being married and all."
"Yeah..." He pulled me in close and kissed me.
"We're gonna have to get used to that too!" I added. He threw his head back and laughed.
"Enough with the love fest." We had forgotten that Weiss was in the room. "Wanna go down to the bar and get a drink with me, Mike?"
"It's Michael and sure. Sydney, do you want to come?"
"No, I think I'll take a bath or something."
"Okay. See you later." He left after giving me a quick kiss...We didn't want Weiss to feel TOO akward.
Once the left, I got undressed and put a towel around me. I walked into the bathroom. Screw the bath, there wasn't a tub. I took a quick shower using up most of the hotel shampoo and conditioner. When I got, I put on the clothes I was wearing, except my skirt. There was no way in hell that I was going to wear a skirt to bed.
I heard the guys voices in the hall so I quick jumped into the real bed, not the couch bed and turned on the TV. The only thing on was a soap opera rerun, so I left it on and pretended to be intrigued.
"How come you get the good bed and I get stuck on the crappy couch bed??"
"Because there's two of us in it!!"
Weiss quickly jumped onto the space next to me. "You know what? I think I want to share a bed now."
"Get Out!" Vaughn and I yelled simutaneouly.
"Geeze. Maybe I am a loner with no friends. I'm gonna take a shower." We laughed at him as he walked away.
"I'm gonna take a shower in the morning. okay?" Vaughn asked.
"That's fine." I watched him take off his shirt, leaving only his undershirt. He tossed it on the chair where I had left my skirt. He stopped.
"Whoa. I think you don't have any bottoms on."
"I think you're right." He looked both surprised and excited. Guys. Vaughn slid out of his pants.
"Is this good?" He asked me as he stood with his boxers and his undershirt.
"Hmmm....Lose the shirt."
"Ooo...naughty Sydney." As he slipped his shirt over his head and approached the bed. "Is this the only thing on?" He asked, motioning at the TV.
"The remotes all yours." He flipped to a baseball game on ESPN. I laid my head on the pillow and watched some of it, while trying to fall asleep.
"Score two for me!" Weiss exclaimed when he walked out of the bathroom. "No chic TV, man-ly sports!!!" He threw a blanket on the couch, not bothering to pull it out or put sheets on it. I closed my eyes and laid perfectly still until the TV turned off and Weiss's snores became louder. Vaughn curled up around me and I was able to drift into a deep sleep.