Notes- Thanks to Jen and RED again for the beta and Susan for her help. This chapter was a hard one to write and I hope it is not too boring. Hugs again to all my reviews. One chapter left.

Added for FF.net: Hope that everyone how wanted to read the chapter was able to. I emailed everyone who asked. This is up a few days later than other places cause of problems with FF.net.

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Looking at the two men one would never guess they were brothers. Nikolai had more bulk to him, a dark complexion and his hair was dark and thin. They did not even share the same accent. One was English with trace of Irish descent, while the other had a Russian origin. Only thing that hinted relation was a pair of cold blue eyes they got from their mother.

Sark cautiously examined the situation in front of him. Only way of them getting out of there alive was for them to be let go or to wait till circumstances were drastically different. He would have to play by his brother's game for now.

"What do you want?"

"Straight to the point, just as I remember you," his brother Nikolai ridiculed. "Simply the coin in your hand."

"Wouldn't it just have been easier to get the coin yourself before we got here?"

"What would be the fun in that?"

Somehow Sark was not surprised his brother would risk such an important artifact for some entertainment.

"Always the wise one you were." He could not help but be sarcastic even in a time like this and besides Sark knew he was hitting his sore spot. Though bright, Nikolai knew his younger brother was the more intelligence of the two.

The expression on Nikolai's face showed that he no longer found the situation as amusing as he had seconds earlier. "Give it to me or we will find other sources of pleasure, Aidan," he threatened while tightening his grab on Sydney. "And when we're through you'll both be dead."

Sark despised giving in without a good fight, but Sydney's well being had become more important to him than his own. He'd deal with the consequence of Sloane's wrath later. "Alright." He threw the small box he was holding at his brother's feet. "Now let her go."

Nikolai nodded to one of his men, who picked up the object and pocketed it. Mocking Sark's earlier actions, he threw Syd to the ground in front of Sark.

"The irony of it all is astounding. For everything you aspire to do, I am sure our father would feel nothing but shame over you."

It was severe but true. "And I'm sure you're right but I am my own, not his." Or hers, he thought grimly.

Sark did not move till his brother was away and the guns were no longer pointed at them. He quickly untied Sydney and helped her off the ground. "You alright?" He gave her a small kiss, a gesture of comfort and reassurance that it would all be okay.

"I'm fine," she softly replied after their lips broke apart. "We should get to the safe house."

Sark's ambition screamed otherwise. "They're still close. We can follow them and when they're not expecting it, take the coin or at least we can track their movements."

"Safe house," She repeated. Syd looked so tired and broken. What had they said or even done that left her in this current state, Sark wondered. Swallowing his pride, he took her hand. Guiding them where she wished, Nikolai's words played over and over in his head. 'For everything you aspire to do, I am sure our father would feel nothing but shame over you.'

~

The safe house was a small family owned hotel, warm and welcoming, even after everything the evening they had. Sydney's first words to him, since the factory, were not the ones he expected. She asked for no more than to be fed, something he would gladly provide. Sark saw to getting them food and drink, while Syd remained in the room. The owners were kind enough to make a small meal, turkey sandwiches and a few cans of soda, at this late hour.

When he got back, he found Syd lying in the bed, which she patted, beckoning him to join her. He sat down and smiled as she hungrily took a bite of what he offered. For a moment, it felt like things were not as bad as they seemed. He laid back and closed his eyes to get some rest.

It was Sydney, who broke his tranquil state. "Sloane is going to be out for our necks after this; certainly yours at least. You should have taken the coin and ran." It seemed her mind was suddenly back on business just as his was trying to forget it. Sark remained quiet, hoping she would drop the subject. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"You couldn't possibly believe I would let them kill you over a coin?"

"It's not like you love me." He opened his eyes to see hers. They were as sad, just as sad as Sark felt.

"Sydney-"

Syd continued, "And it's not just a coin. It's a key to Rambaldi, which that man, your brother, now has. I want to know about him."

He pursed his lips and nodded. "I assumed so."

Sark knew it was possible to both dread and crave something, as he did now. The results in such a situation were usually based on which emotion out ruled the other. Telling her, he thought, would elevate her position in his life far beyond just being his lover. She would be his confidante. He had never allowed anyone close enough to know him. To possess her love, which he had accepted as being a desire for him, she would have to see the good with the ugly. It was quite possible though that by the end of the conversation he would earn no more than her despisement.

"I need to hear it all," she said cuddling up against him. Sark wondered if it would be for the last time.

"Very well." He yanked at his bottom lip as he thought on how to start. "I did not know about my brother untill I was fourteen."

Sydney glanced at him with an odd expression and then understanding. "Which is why you both have different accents. Why were you raised apart?"

This part would be more difficult.

"I grew up in Ireland, with my mother. We were well-off and I was given all the advantages, though I was innocent of knowing why." Sark stopped for a moment before continuing, "One day, my mother sat me down. She told me I was going to Russia to further my education."

"Spy school?"

Sark did not hear what she said. He was lost in the memories of the past. "I remember when we were introduced. It was by your mother."

Sydney scoffed, "That must have been lovely. Poor You." She kissed his hand like it would make it all go away but he was barely aware of her presence.

~Flashback

"This is Alexander Khasinau." A well-dressed lady, who called herself Irina gestured to a middle-age man behind her. A boy, a few years older than himself, stood off to the side.

Young and innocent, Aidan Sark grinned. "Alexander is my middle name."

The two adults greeted his words with laughter. "Yes, Aidan Alexander." An earnest expression came to her eyes. "How would you feel if I told you this man was your father?"

Father? Confusion overwhelmed him. Everyone had one but Sark had accepted his was of no consequence to himself. Being across from the man now, that acceptance turned to guilt. It was not right to feel so little for someone who was suppossed to mean so much.

~End Flashback

Sark went silent as the memory of that day continued to weigh on him. He felt Sydney by his side, trying to soothe him by running her thumb over his. He gripped her hand to tell her he was okay.

"I was there for an education, it turned out. They initiated me into their world. I missed my mother, but was given little time to think about it. I was kept busy with training, which came naturally to me. My brother, who spent almost his whole life doing the same, has yet to forgive me for surpassing him so quickly."

"I would ask you how much older he is but I find myself distressed over the fact I don't even know how old you are."

"Twenty-five." He looked over to see if she had any reaction to this revelation. There was none. "Nikolai is thirty-two. Perhaps a more appropriate age to be with someone like yourself," Sark questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"It doesn't matter."

"Four years."

"Little difference."

Syd propped herself up, bringing her lips lightly to his. Gentle and pleasing as it was, one kiss was not enough. It lead to another and yet another; each more lingering than the last. Slowly, his tongue teased her lips apart, seeking her hot mouth. She was so alluring, even if Sark wanted to, he would never be able to resist. Needing her closer, he pulled her on top of him. To his disappointment, Sydney withdrew and looked down upon him.

"Besides," she whispered, "you are incredibly talented for your age." With a smile, their lips found each other's again but it didn't last. "Tell me more."

"Later." He was annoyed by the disturbance but the look in her eyes said now.

"How is it that you left. Why SD-6?" Sydney asked as Sark shifted beneath her. This was dangerous territory. "You can confide in me. After my actions concerning you, I would be regarded as a traitor myself. No excuses could save me."

Sydney was right. CIA would not look to kindly on her revealing their most classified documents on Irina and her current assets to him. Unless they knew and he was in for a setup.

He wanted to say more but each word and each phrase reeked of mistrust so he only gave a simple answer back to Sydney, "I can't."

She grew cold and yanked away from him. "If I wanted to turn you in; if I wanted to kill you, it would have been done by now. I've had the chance and don't think I haven't." Her stormy eyes cleared and became calm. "Though, I suppose, one is destined to feel this way sleeping in the bed of an enemy."

"Indeed," he sighed. "And I suppose if you took the time to think it all over you'd figure it out anyway. My father, Sydney, your mother killed him and you were there so you should know. She had treated me like her own those years, which is more than I can say for him, but he was my father. When he died, I should have felt something but I didn't. It was only after Irina turned herself in that I learned how it happened."

"You want revenge?" The disbelief in her voice spoke more than her words, she seriously doubted he would ever archive such a goal.

"I could do it. Between what I knew from working with her and SD-6's knowledge, and what you have given me, it seems so close."

"Why bother? You said it yourself, you felt nothing for the man," Sydney replied.

"I may have not had a sense of loss but there was anger, it was almost a betrayal to me than to him and, she was nowhere in sight. Irina had disappeared. At the time I thought how lucky she was because I would have taken her life, just as she had taken my father's. That doesn?t matter now. I know more greater things can come from this than revenge."

"You'd be doing the world a favor." Sydney's words troubled him more than they should, it was as if she did not know him at all after everything.

"Don't mislead yourself. That is not my intention. What would better this world means nothing to me." He grumbled in a harsh tone. Her eyes remained steady on him. Sark guessed this was the time to find out if she would take him as he was. "If not for that event. I'd still be working for her. My work was unscrupulous, as it is now and I gave it no more consideration than what it would do for me. I wanted to rise in the ranks and I did not then, nor do I now, feel sorry for one act committed."

"I understand," and it seemed Sydney did. She got up, kissed his cheek and headed towards the bathroom. "Tell me what you plan to do." He heard the water running and when she came back she held out a glass for him, sipping her own.

"I've discovered the weaknesses in Irina's organization," he said before drinking some of the cool liquid down his throat. "They are so evident, I am ashamed I didn't see them while I worked for her."

"What does this have to do with killing her?"

"It doesn't, my objective is higher now. Sloane and I have agreed to split her resources once this is all over," Sark answered Sydney's question.

She in returned laughed at him. "You really think you can do it? The CIA can't but you are so certain you can. No more hints, how it you are going to accomplish this grand task?"

"The information you gave me. One of the documents has all one would need; accounts, locations, access to security codes, the flaws, her contacts and her inner circle. It's all there. The CIA just does not know how to filter what is valuable from the rest of the nonsense included. With this information and the resource Sloane could supply, your mother could be taken down within a day."

"Where are you keeping the documents?"

"Safely away." Sark noticed he felt particularly drowsy after their long talk. He closed his eyes and found it hard to reopen them but somehow he was able to. Sydney was gazing down at him with a strange smile on her face.

Sark heard her speak before he faded away. "Never again. I promise."

End of Chapter 15

Well there is is. Hope who the father is did not cause to many "Ewwwws." I don't think he is on the show but for the purpose of this fic I made him so. In fact the idea for this fic came from the idea of Sark getting revenge for his father's death. It has changed alot but I kept that the same.