Chapter 17: A New Threat

"Dad? Have you hear anything new?" Sydney asked as Jack walked into the restaurant and sat down.

"Nothing new, they're doing everything they can." He patted her hand awkwardly. Vaughn wasn't on his favorites list but he'd proven himself by helping Sydney. He felt obligated to Vaughn and he'd decided to pull in some favors to find him. "Will told me that you're not taking care of yourself."

"I'm doing fine. He's been gone for 37 hours." Sydney ran a hand through her hair distractedly.

"Sydney, WHEN we find Vaughn, we're going to need you in top form if we're going to get the cure. That means you need to eat and get some sleep."

"Alright Dad." She smiled at him. It was nice to have a parent. She thought the parental concern was unnecessary but it made her happy to see him acting like one.

"I ran a search of Sarah and Sebastian Radcliff-King in both the CIA and the SD-6 databases and I didn't find anything. If Sebastian did ask for the CIA's help 8 years ago, there would be some kind of record. If I can get an exact day of when Sebastian went to the CIA, I might be able to verify who met with him. "

"The Mathews have disappeared. The last time anyone talked to them was when they checked out of the hotel. Did you find out anything about the Seekers? Were they real?"

"Sydney, give me some more time." He looked away from her.

"Dad, you know something, tell me! What do you know about the Seekers?" She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"The information I have can't be verified." He leaned back into his chair, pulling away from her.

"Dad, please, tell me." The determination in her eyes told him that like a pit bull, she wouldn't let it go. If he didn't tell her, she'd find someone who would and expose herself to untold danger.

"Sydney, I need you to disassociate yourself from this investigation. I mean completely." There was urgency in Jack's voice. Sydney knew something was going on and she didn't want to be kept out of the loop.

"But Dad!"

"I mean it Sydney. I will do everything I can to find out what happened to Sarah and why. I'll even let you know what I find, if you promise that you'll stop your investigation."

"Do I have a choice?" She said resigning.

"I mean it Sydney, if I find out that you haven't.." Jack warned.

"Ok, Dad. I'll stop investigating. What did you find out?" She didn't let her dad finish his threat. She knew that he'd destroy any information he found so well that she'd never be able to find it.

"According to my sources there was secret a group that called themselves the Seekers. They were founded in 1921 after a Rembaldi notebook was found in Waterbury, Connecticut. The notebook is purported to hold information about the Prophecy."

"It's an extension of page 47 in the notebook we found. The one with the picture of a women who looked just like me." Sydney said dazed.

"We don't know for sure until we get that notebook. It just might be a coincidence." He tried to reassure her.

"Are they going to come after me?" She felt a chill go through her.

"They disbanded 8 years ago after the death of Sarah." Jack said quickly seeing her shiver.

"So I'm safe?" She looked at him hopefully.

"Yes!" Jack looked into his daughter's eyes and lied. He didn't tell her about the body of a woman found in New Jersey, a women that fit Sydney's description. She was never going to find out because he was going to find and destroy them before they came within 10 yards of her.

Jack's cell rang.

"Yes? You have? I'll come right away. I'll let her know." Jack hung up the phone and looked at his daughter. "They found Vaughn, he's being detained in a mental hospital."

"I'm coming with you." Sydney said standing up.

"No, I'll bring him back myself. You're going to eat and then go home and sleep. No arguments!" He left the restaurant giving the maitre de instructions to not let her leave until she ate her dinner. The maitre de approached the table and took Sydney's order himself.

"And would you like a glass of wine with your dinner?" The maitre de asked.

"She'll have a bottle of Chateau Petruse '47." Sark said sitting down.

"I'm sorry sir but we don't have that particular bottle available. We do have a bottle of the Cheval Blanc or Lafleur."

"He'll have neither since he wont be staying. I'll have a glass of water."

The maitre de looked expectantly at Sark. He wasn't about to lose a huge gratuity.

"Lafleur will suffice. I'll have the filet mignon with truffles." Sark dismissed him. He then gave Sydney his full attention. "Are you ready to talk?"

"Where can I get the cure?" Sydney asked getting to the point.

"So you've found the missing Mr. Vaughn."

"Yes, about the deal." She looked into his eyes, hoping to find some kind of weakness or emotion. She didn't find anything.

"In spite of my urgings you haven't discontinued the investigation of Sarah. I'm afraid you no longer have anything I want." The maitre de appeared and opened the bottle of wine handing the cork to Sark who smelled it before setting it down. He then whirled the recently poured wine in his glass, inhaling it's scent before taking a sip. He smiled and nodded prompting the maitre de to pouring him a full glass. Sydney covered her glass before the maitre de could pour hers. As the maitre de left, a waiter appeared silently and set a organic green salad with a raspberry vinaigrette in front of Sark and Sydney and then he too disappeared.

"But I do have something you want Sark." She pushed her salad away.

"Really?" Sark picked up his knife and fork and took a bite of the salad. He motioned for her to eat.

"You're obviously trying to hide any information about Sarah from not only me but anyone that wants to know. Would you like to let me in on why?" She picked at the salad hoping that Sark couldn't see through her poker face.

"No, but please continue." He took a sip of wine.

"Working for SD-6 and the CIA I'll be able to find information about her that you won't have access to." She forced down a bite of salad.

"And this should interest me how?" He took another bite of salad and dabbed his mouth with his napkin.

"Whatever I find, I can destroy." She played her card hoping that he would take the bait.

Sark pushed his plate away and leaned sideways into his chair. His knuckles covered his bottom lip and he looked at her thoughtfully. "Interesting. It would be a worthy bargaining chip. Unfortunately for you that is under the assumption there is something to find. I don't think there is." He gestured to the maitre de.

"I'll bring you something tomorrow." Sydney bluffed knowing full well that there wasn't anything.

"You've intrigued me Ms. Bristow. I'll give you a call as to the meeting time and location." He turned to the maitre de handing him a white card with 'Sark' and a phone number engraved on it. "Call the number and they'll give you instructions regarding the bill." Sark left before the maitre de could ask if anything was wrong with the dinner.

After assuring the maitre de that everything was fine, Sydney racked her brain for some something that Sark would want. She unconsciously grabbed Sark's glass of wine and sipped it. It was incredibly good and it relaxed her. It helped her get into into Sark's mind. There was only one thing that would convince Sark to help her. She smiled as a plan formulated in her head. Sark wasn't going to know what hit him.