Author's Note: Thanks everyone for the reviews! Luckily, today was another snow day. You gotta love the county, giving us snow days all the time. Sorry it took me awhile to get this up. I had to think exactly what I wanted to happen. My story is winding down now. There are a few more twists and turns left, however, so don't be disappointed yet! Keep reading and reviewing!

Chapter 14

Sydney looked at Kendall with fear in her eyes. Vaughn was now silent, and both were watching Sydney.

"We'll make the trade," Sydney said determinedly.

"Syd,--" Vaughn started.

"I was sworn into this job, maybe not willingly, but it doesn't matter. My father is enough of a reason to go back." Vaughn could see the sadness in her eyes, but he also knew she wasn't about to change her mind.

"We have no guarantee that Sloane will hold true to this bargain," Kendall said. He then realized that the agent before him was still under suspicion for treason. "What exactly do we know about Agent Bristow's behavior?" Vaughn took the paper that Sydney had written on and handed it to Kendall. He read it. "Any chance the transmitter can be removed?" Kendall asked after he had read it.

"No," Sydney said simply. Kendall understood. Most likely it had some type of mechanism that would cause it to explode.

"We can infiltrate the facility and get Jack out of there," Vaughn suggested.

Kendall shook his head. "That would rise alerts in all other SD-cells which may result in them taking this thing underground. We can't risk that."

"Make the trade," Sydney said. "It's the only way."

"We can't!" Vaughn insisted. "The CIA doesn't negotiate with terrorists."

"There's no way I can escape them!" Sydney cried, frustrated. "Just do it!"

The three of them were silent. Sydney sighed. "What were the terms?"

"We enter that shipping warehouse on Fadell Street. The exchange is made there," Kendall explained.

"How long has it been?" Sydney asked.

"Half an hour," Kendall said.

"Get a vehicle assembled," Sydney said taking charge. "We should go soon." Neither Kendall nor Vaughn protested. Kendall left the room to take care of the accommodations.

Vaughn stood there just watching Sydney, as if memorizing every little detail. He bent down and untied her from the chair. They stood there looking at each other.

"I don't want you to go," Vaughn whispered.

Sydney approached him slowly. She took her hand and placed it on her cheek. He closed his eyes keeping his cheek close to her hand.

"I don't want to go either," Sydney whispered back. "But if I'm the only thing that can guarantee my father's safety, then I'm going to go."

Vaughn kept his eyes closed, as Sydney slowly lowered her lips to his. Vaughn's arm slid around her waist, the other hand became tangled in her blonde hair. Sydney's hand had left his cheek and both arms were wrapped around Vaughn's neck in a tight embrace. Neither wanted to pull away, but when it came time to get air, they remained close, their foreheads touching each other.

"I don't want it all to end," Vaughn said miserably.

Sydney looked away and placed her head on his shoulder. "Me either. Not when it has just begun."

"You'll come back to us," Vaughn said with determination. "I'll find a way."

Sydney pulled away. "The only way for that to happen is to bring down all the SD-cells. Alliance leaders are taking a double glance at all field agents. You must realize that I may not come back."

"Sydney, don't--" Vaughn protested.

Sydney had to hold her tongue from saying his name. The last thing she wanted was another person for her to worry about anytime she didn't satisfy Sloane. "It's true! Face it, there are twelve facilities to take down, and we are no where near taking even one down. As much as I want to stay and help the CIA, I can't." Sydney suddenly reaches for the pen again, and writes: Please put Francie and Will in the WPP.

Vaughn nods just as Kendall enters the room once again. "We're ready." Sydney heads to the door and Vaughn follows. Sydney looks around at the familiar building. People are working at their desks frantically to meet deadlines, sounds of phones ringing are coming from every direction, and all of them are working happily for their country. Something she could no longer do.

Sydney remembered all the times she had stepped into the building. Whether it be for a counter mission, a news update, or just to talk to Vaughn, her father, and even her mother. That was another thought that sunk her into a deeper depression. She would no longer see her mother any more. She was already forced away from her father, Vaughn, and her friends, but she was also forced to leave her mother. What was she saying? She was leaving her life. Both of her lives, as she was forced to side with the enemy. Nothing was more miserable than to leave your life behind and betray your country at the same time.

The three of them took the elevator down to the garage where two black CIA vans were located. Sydney gave Kendall a questionable look, while Kendall explained that they were sending in a team to surround the building. He wasn't taking any chances. Sloane wasn't going anywhere if he didn't hold true to their deal.

Sydney and Vaughn climbed into the back of the van, holding hands the whole way. The very idea that this could be the last time Vaughn was to see Sydney, was enough to keep him at her side until they were forced to separate. For the rest of the ride, they remained silent.

They arrived at the warehouse within ten minutes, giving them fifteen minutes before the end of the hour. Sydney, Vaughn, and Kendall stepped out. Kendall surveyed the area, but was unable to spy any of Sloane's men if there were any. Vaughn and Sydney headed towards the warehouse doors, Sydney feeling as if she was approaching her execution. Vaughn feelings were not unlike those of Sydney's because he was dying inside. He had thought she was dead for a week, and then she appeared back in his life. Now she was being taken again, and there was nothing he could do but watch.

Vaughn opened the doors and he and Sydney stepped in. They were instantly met with four gun barrels. Vaughn and Sydney were thrown against the wall, soon to be accompanied by Kendall. Two men approached them and performed a body search on the three of them, looking for any weapons. Kendall and Vaughn's guns were thrown across the warehouse where they landed at Sloane's feet.

Finally, after a thorough search, the three were released and Sloane's men dispersed, two to either side of the warehouse. Sloane remained where he was, exactly opposite from the new comers. Jack Bristow remained beside him. His hands and legs were tied, but otherwise he looked unhurt.

"Good evening," Sloane said with that awful sly grin that Sydney had seen so many times before in Sloane's states of triumph. "I'm glad you all could arrive before things became messy."

"Let's get this over with," Kendall said trying to take charge.

"Of course," Sloane said with a smile. He motioned one of the guards over, and he bent down to untie Jack's feet. "Now, this is how things are going to go down. Agent 3471 will walk towards me accompanied by one of my guards, and Jack will walk towards you accompanied by one of my guards. They will begin walking on the count of three." Sydney looked up into her father's eyes as he stood. He was doing everything he could to remain the intimidating man he had always been, but it was hard. He had thought his daughter to be dead, and here she was alive and well, trading her life for his.

"One," Sloane began, "two, three." Sydney and Jack started moving across the warehouse floor in opposite directions. A guard was located at Sydney's right, and the other at Jack's right. As Sydney and her father crossed paths, Sydney reached out and touched his arm briefly, but the move did not go unnoticed.

"Tsk, tsk, Agent 3471," Sloane said, removing a black device from his pocket. "There is to be no physical contact between the two of you." Sloane pushed the button on the detonator, and Sydney fell to the floor in agony as she shook. By this time Jack had stopped and had turned around as he watched his daughter's pained motions.

Vaughn was watching too, a pained expression on his face. "Stop it!" he yelled as he made a motion to go towards her.

"Don't move," Sloane said threateningly. "You want it to end? Then stay where you are." Vaughn did as Sloane requested, but not easily. There wasn't anyone Vaughn hated more than Sloane at that moment. Jack too, was having a hard time watching the tortured expression on his daughter's face. His face remained its normal mask, but his eyes shot daggers in Sloane's direction.

Sloane held on to the button for a few more seconds and stopped. Sydney stopped her sporadic motions and slowly made an attempt to stand up. "Keep walking!" Sloane ordered to both Sydney and Jack. Sydney walked shakily towards Sloane. She couldn't do this. She couldn't live her life like this. Separated from everything she loved only to live her life in pain and betrayal. She knew what she had to do.

Sydney continued walking forward until she had reached Sloane. When she was about twenty feet away from him, she ran. Before Sloane even knew what was happening, she had kicked the detonator out of his hands and delivered a quick punch to his stomach. Sydney took her foot and slid the nearest gun behind her. "Vaughn!" She yelled, hoping she knew what she was referring to, as she reached down and grabbed the other gun, Kendall's gun, and held it to Sloane.

"Everyone drop your weapons!" She yelled. "I will shoot him!" Sydney glanced back quickly to analyze the situation. A couple guards were down, killed by Vaughn's gun. Kendall meanwhile was attempting to release Jack from his bonds.

Unfortunately in this attempt to size up the situation, Sloane had moved a hand into his coat. Sydney heard Vaughn call her name only seconds before she heard the gunshot. She dropped her gun in surprise and lowered a hand towards her abdomen. Her hand came back bloody.

She felt herself fall, but she couldn't really say that she was falling. She felt like she was a feather caught in the wind, until her head finally hit the clouds. Sydney blinked once and saw Vaughn's anxious face. He was calling her name, somewhere far off in the distance. However, the explosion of gunfire that seemed to echo through her head drowned his voice out. If I'm dying, she thought to herself, it's really not so bad. Especially if the last thing I get to see is Vaughn.

Sydney lifted her hand up and placed it on his knee. She felt him grab it, and squeeze. She squeezed back and then stopped. Sydney Bristow was silent.