This has been the worst day of my life. And considering what I do for a
living, that means a lot. Whoever said that it was the little things that
count wasn't kidding. First, there was a power outage in my neighborhood
overnight so of course, I woke up late to my clock blinking 12:00 at me.
And then, seeing as I was busy the past weekend, I didn't really have the
time to get any laundry done. So when I show up at work half an hour late
wearing an over sized suit I borrowed from Francie, I am not at all
surprised at the stares I receive from everyone in the briefing room. Hell,
even Marshall is staring at me.
I was, however, quite amused during Sloane's rambling over a 'shift in power' that occurred over the weekend. One glance at dad stifles my inner grin and gets me just a bit ticked off as well. And once that's over, he yanks out the scrambler pen.
"Sydney you cannot let your guard down again like that."
"Excuse me, dad, but it is not my fault that the power went off last night! And you have got to admit that its pretty funny that. . ."
"Sydney I did not call you in here to chit-chat about the irony of our situation. I need to ask you about your knowledge of Agent Vaughn's whereabouts."
My smile is gone.
"I don't understand what you're talking about dad."
"Vaughn has not contacted the agency since he returned from Taipei. I requested for him to come in today so I could smooth things out but he failed to show and is not answering his phone calls."
"He Iwhat/I? Dad, are you sure he returned from Taipei as planned? Did you ask Weiss? They're friends, he might. . ."
"I confirmed his arrival earlier this morning and Agent Weiss has taken a day of leave. I need you to tell me if you know anything Sydney."
This is not happening. This cannot happen.
"No dad, I, I have no idea. He. . . "
And our minute is up. He closes his pen and exits the room, not before giving me his 'don't do anything stupid' look. But it's a little too late for that.
"Excuse me, Arvin? May I have a minute?"
"Of course, Sydney, come in."
"I want to apologize again for being late today, things just don't seem to be going my way lately."
Look up, smile, shake head. Ring hands nervously for effect.
"That's all right, Sydney, we all have those sometimes don't we."
"I was wondering if, well if I could have a few hours off today. I know that's a lot to ask for but things have been getting a little crazy lately and I. . ."
"Sure Sydney, go ahead. Take the whole day off if you need it. That's the least I can do for my best agent."
All right, that was a little unexpected. He seems nervous, almost apologetic, and there is a look of remorse in his eyes that I don't usually see.
"Thank you Arvin. I promise to be on time tomorrow."
Smile, share mutual laugh, shake hands, and exit.
It's become clockwork to me.
"Sydney, where are you going?"
"Hi, dad, uh, Sloane gave me the rest of the day off."
He looks like he is about to explode at me, and then it clicks. He can't tell me not to because why shouldn't dear old dad want his little girl to have a day off? So there.
"Oh. OK then. Uh, be sure to contact me."
And there's an extra emphasis on 'contact me', of course. I smile at all of my fellow coworkers, get into the elevator and finally reach the parking lot. I stop for a moment and lean against the cold concrete walls, taking a deep breath. I should have known something was wrong, I should have asked him. But I didn't. And now I'm paying for it.
*Flashback*
i"Tell her.tell her I loved her."
No. There is no way in hell she is taking him from me. He is going to tell me that himself. I feel my fingers pull the trigger over and over again, until there's no more. And she's finally gone.
"Vaughn, oh God Vaughn are you okay?"
He is just staring at the ground, cringing at my words. I finally untie his ropes and he gets up slowly, his face stricken with pain. After a moment he answers my question, his eyes never leaving Irina.
"You just killed your mother."
His voice is hushed, as if he isn't even talking to me. Searching for his eyes I try asking again.
"I know. Are you okay Vaughn?"
"I'm fine. We have to get out of here. Where's your father."
Why is he being so calm? He almost died for Christ's sakes.
"I, I uh."
"Sydney can you please focus."
Shocked at his words I notice his face is expressionless. This scares me. Normally you can read his feelings from his eyes, or sense it in his voice, but both are blank and emotionless
"He's waiting outside in the van with Will."
"Your going to have to lead, I have no idea how to get out of here. Sydney, come on."
Sydney. He never calls me Sydney. It's always Syd. Something is wrong. I look at him for a moment, wondering what it was she did to him. How it was she turned this man cold. But he does not return my gaze. So I lead us out. i/
*End Flashback*
I am so upset with myself I could cry. But I won't. I have to find him but I don't know how. I don't know where he lives, where he goes to eat, or where he goes when he needs to get away. The only thing I can think of is the train station, but as I head towards my car I notice my cell buzzing from inside my purse. Frantically I search my bag and finally find it.
"Hello?"
"Joey's Pizza?"
"I, umm, wrong number."
As much as I want to think that was Vaughn's voice, I know it wasn't. But I do know that he is the only reason Weiss would call me. I run to my car and nearly yank the door off trying to get in. And I don't think I have ever driven so fast in my life.
I was, however, quite amused during Sloane's rambling over a 'shift in power' that occurred over the weekend. One glance at dad stifles my inner grin and gets me just a bit ticked off as well. And once that's over, he yanks out the scrambler pen.
"Sydney you cannot let your guard down again like that."
"Excuse me, dad, but it is not my fault that the power went off last night! And you have got to admit that its pretty funny that. . ."
"Sydney I did not call you in here to chit-chat about the irony of our situation. I need to ask you about your knowledge of Agent Vaughn's whereabouts."
My smile is gone.
"I don't understand what you're talking about dad."
"Vaughn has not contacted the agency since he returned from Taipei. I requested for him to come in today so I could smooth things out but he failed to show and is not answering his phone calls."
"He Iwhat/I? Dad, are you sure he returned from Taipei as planned? Did you ask Weiss? They're friends, he might. . ."
"I confirmed his arrival earlier this morning and Agent Weiss has taken a day of leave. I need you to tell me if you know anything Sydney."
This is not happening. This cannot happen.
"No dad, I, I have no idea. He. . . "
And our minute is up. He closes his pen and exits the room, not before giving me his 'don't do anything stupid' look. But it's a little too late for that.
"Excuse me, Arvin? May I have a minute?"
"Of course, Sydney, come in."
"I want to apologize again for being late today, things just don't seem to be going my way lately."
Look up, smile, shake head. Ring hands nervously for effect.
"That's all right, Sydney, we all have those sometimes don't we."
"I was wondering if, well if I could have a few hours off today. I know that's a lot to ask for but things have been getting a little crazy lately and I. . ."
"Sure Sydney, go ahead. Take the whole day off if you need it. That's the least I can do for my best agent."
All right, that was a little unexpected. He seems nervous, almost apologetic, and there is a look of remorse in his eyes that I don't usually see.
"Thank you Arvin. I promise to be on time tomorrow."
Smile, share mutual laugh, shake hands, and exit.
It's become clockwork to me.
"Sydney, where are you going?"
"Hi, dad, uh, Sloane gave me the rest of the day off."
He looks like he is about to explode at me, and then it clicks. He can't tell me not to because why shouldn't dear old dad want his little girl to have a day off? So there.
"Oh. OK then. Uh, be sure to contact me."
And there's an extra emphasis on 'contact me', of course. I smile at all of my fellow coworkers, get into the elevator and finally reach the parking lot. I stop for a moment and lean against the cold concrete walls, taking a deep breath. I should have known something was wrong, I should have asked him. But I didn't. And now I'm paying for it.
*Flashback*
i"Tell her.tell her I loved her."
No. There is no way in hell she is taking him from me. He is going to tell me that himself. I feel my fingers pull the trigger over and over again, until there's no more. And she's finally gone.
"Vaughn, oh God Vaughn are you okay?"
He is just staring at the ground, cringing at my words. I finally untie his ropes and he gets up slowly, his face stricken with pain. After a moment he answers my question, his eyes never leaving Irina.
"You just killed your mother."
His voice is hushed, as if he isn't even talking to me. Searching for his eyes I try asking again.
"I know. Are you okay Vaughn?"
"I'm fine. We have to get out of here. Where's your father."
Why is he being so calm? He almost died for Christ's sakes.
"I, I uh."
"Sydney can you please focus."
Shocked at his words I notice his face is expressionless. This scares me. Normally you can read his feelings from his eyes, or sense it in his voice, but both are blank and emotionless
"He's waiting outside in the van with Will."
"Your going to have to lead, I have no idea how to get out of here. Sydney, come on."
Sydney. He never calls me Sydney. It's always Syd. Something is wrong. I look at him for a moment, wondering what it was she did to him. How it was she turned this man cold. But he does not return my gaze. So I lead us out. i/
*End Flashback*
I am so upset with myself I could cry. But I won't. I have to find him but I don't know how. I don't know where he lives, where he goes to eat, or where he goes when he needs to get away. The only thing I can think of is the train station, but as I head towards my car I notice my cell buzzing from inside my purse. Frantically I search my bag and finally find it.
"Hello?"
"Joey's Pizza?"
"I, umm, wrong number."
As much as I want to think that was Vaughn's voice, I know it wasn't. But I do know that he is the only reason Weiss would call me. I run to my car and nearly yank the door off trying to get in. And I don't think I have ever driven so fast in my life.