Sydney now understood what it felt like to be her mother, a prisoner of the United States government. Considered as the enemy, you were treated like dirt. No one said a word to her as she was escorted down the hallway with chained wrists and ankles and brought to a room similar to the one she was interrogated in when Rambaldi's prophecy was being investigated.
A board of high CIA officials, including Kendall, were already around a c-shaped table. Two guards escorted Sydney into the room, and tied her hands to the chair. Her feet remained cuffed.
"Agent Bristow," Kendall started. "You are aware that the presence of a lawyer is not allowed because of the accusations, and the fact that this is a matter of national security?"
"Yes," Sydney said, looking at the board with empty eyes.
"Good, now please recap the events of the past week, beginning with what happened with the mission in Nevada," Kendall requested.
"My mission was to obtain documents about the latest Rambaldi artifact," Sydney said reluctantly. Before she could continue Kendall interrupted.
"For the record, Agent Bristow, we would appreciate if you mention all specifics of the past week," Kendall said coldly.
Sydney struggled to keep her expression from portraying her anger. "The documents were on a crystal that SD-6 desired to obtain. However, they had no idea that it was currently in the possession of the CIA, and neither did the CIA. Sloane hoped that the documents would tell what the crystal did and where it was located. My counter mission was to make copies of the documents that I had retrieved and place them in an unmarked manila envelope in a trashcan located on Demark Avenue. After this was completed, I was to head back to the hotel room where I was to be staying with my SD-6 partner, Marcus Dixon." Sydney stopped talking and waited for Kendall's next question. She wasn't going to give them any more answers than she had to. Unfortunately, Kendall was asking all the right questions.
"What did the documents say, and what went wrong with the mission?" Kendall asked, without looking up from whatever paper was located on his desk.
"I had obtained the documents from a man named, James LaRose, an associate of Henry DeLime. He had disappeared after the break-in. The documents were written by DeLime to LaRose stating that the crystal had been placed in the Rambaldi watch for safe keeping. Sloane up to that point had suspected me of being a double agent, and after a few calls, it was proved that I was the one who had stolen the watch in Rome, and that the CIA was then in possession of the watch.
"Sloane's team surrounded me as I was about to make the drop-off, and took me to a warehouse. There, I was knocked unconscious. Within that time frame they dyed my hair blonde, changed my eye color, inserted an audio transmitter and tracking device in my neck, and were transporting me back to the SD-6 facility. I managed to except for two hours when we reached the outskirts of LA. I cut through the cemetery, I spied," Sydney swallowed. "I saw Agent Vaughn at my grave. After that I ran, but they soon found me because of the transmitter they had placed in my neck. I was taken to the basement of the SD-6 facility awaiting the orders of the Alliance."
Kendall nodded. "Tell me about the basement agents."
Sydney sighed, this is hell.
* * *
Vaughn sat at his desk with his elbow on the desk's surface and his right cheek resting in his hand. Things had never gone so wrong. He didn't know how things were going to play out. He didn't even know who to turn to anymore. Jack Bristow seemed to want to put the agency before his daughter and Weiss was a good friend, but he didn't really fully understand his feelings for Sydney.
"How ya hangin', bro?" Weiss asked with sympathetic eyes.
"You heard?" Vaughn said, not really caring if he had or not.
"Heard? This place is like a high school. Rumors spread like crazy. I've heard about twenty versions of the event, but I want to know what happened from you."
Vaughn related the night's events, and Weiss let out a whistle. "Then you must not be looking forward to this," Weiss said holding up a white envelope in his hand with Vaughn's name on the front.
"What is it?" Vaughn asked, sitting up in his chair.
"A letter from the CIA security board," Weiss said handing the letter to Vaughn. Vaughn turned his attention to the opening of the letter. Once he had opened it, he pulled out the stationary and read its contents. Weiss could only watch Vaughn's expression as he read it.
"What does it say?" Weiss asked, unable to control his curiosity any longer.
"They're suspending me," Vaughn said throwing the letter on his desk. "I'm suspended until the board has fully reviewed my file upon which they will decide whether or not to fire me."
* * *
Sydney slumped tiredly in the uncomfortable chair she was tied to. She had answered all of Kendall's questions to the best of her ability, but she could tell he doubted every word. However, he couldn't prove that her words were false. The problem was, he didn't need to. Thus being a situation of national security, they had no reason not to hold her.
"Alright Agent Bristow, we're done for the night," Kendall said, as the other board members began to file out. Kendall motioned at the security guards who came to Sydney's side, and unhooked her from the chair. After recuffing her hands, she followed the guards out into the hallway.
Too tired to ask where she was going, she followed them in silence. They entered a door, guarded by a single man in a booth, three metal gates were lifted, and she found herself in front of a single window room. The room contained one bed, and one chair. Similar to a room that she had seen so many times while visiting her mother. She was now a prisoner of the United States government.
Sydney felt numb as the door to the room opened and she stepped in. Her chains were removed and the door locked, leaving her alone. She listened to the gates close one after another, and all she could think of was the word traitor. They thought her to be a traitor. The very word went against everything she believed in, and what was worse, was that her father thought her to be one too. Otherwise, he wouldn't have helped Kendall capture her.
Sydney headed over to the single bed, and lay down. The bed was hard, with no spring in it. Sydney pulled the single pillow close to her cheek, and let the tears flow from her eyes.
"When did everything go so wrong?" She asked the empty room. The walls stood sturdy and unresponsive to her question.
* * *
"I want to see Agent Bristow," Vaughn demanded to the guard in charge of Sydney's cell. With Weiss's help, he had tracked down exactly what had happened to Sydney, and where she was located.
The guard shook his head. "Name?"
Vaughn thought for a moment about giving the guard a fake name, but knew it was useless. The computer would pull up a photo ID. "Michael Vaughn." The guard tapped his name into the computer.
"Sorry, Agent Vaughn, but you don't have clearance. According to this you've been suspended from the CIA."
"It's not activated till the end of the day," Vaughn said through clenched teeth. "I still have clearance."
"Nope. Your name has been flagged. You're not allowed to see Agent Bristow. Orders of Agent Kendall," the guard said.
Agent Vaughn just nodded. He had figured that Kendall would have taken the liberty of making sure he wasn't allowed to see Sydney. Vaughn turned away and walked back to his desk, but soon changed his path when he came up with an idea.
"Weiss!" Vaughn said, walking over to his friend.
"Uh-oh," Weiss said, watching Vaughn.
"Has anyone called in after Sydney's broadcast?" Vaughn asked him.
"I don't know, maybe. Why?" Weiss asked.
"Depending on what information any callers may bring in, I may have a plan to take down the Alliance. Once, and for all."