PART 2~ Syd's POV
One Week after Auditions
When I was in second grade, I had a goldfish. I called him Zeldo. Don't ask me where I came up with that name when I was eight years old. Anyway, I used to love Zeldo. Zeldo was my best friend. Whenever I came home from school, crying because Jimmy Thomas pulled my hair, Zeldo was right there, swimming around quietly in his bowl, waiting to help me get through it. But one day I came home and Zeldo was floating at the top pf his bowl.
I wouldn't believe that he was really gone. I refused to believe it. I even left it in its bowl stinking up my room for two weeks because I wouldn't admit that he was really gone. But at night I would cry myself to sleep because I knew that I was kidding myself.
Was this how it was with Vaughn? Something, a part of me knew he wasn't dead. I knew he was still alive to be my shoulder to cry on. But maybe this was just like my fish. Maybe I was in denial. Still, I kept onto the childhood hope that wishes could come true and he was still out there, waiting to give me my next 'Joey's Pizza' call.
I spotted my father in the parking garage on the way in to Credit Dauphine. "Dad, Dad! Did they find out anything else?"
He stopped and turned to face me. "Sydney, if I find out anything about Vaughn I'll tell you. I know just as little as you do."
I nodded, unsatisfied. "Ok. It's just that this new handler... Quigley. He's such a... such an asshole."
It could have been my imagination, but I thought I saw the slightest hint of a smile flicker across my dad's face. "Let's go. We have a meeting."
Inside the briefing room, Sloane was waiting. He always kind of struck me as a villain from a 1920's silent film. Like he should be flicking a little curled mustache and donning a cape. I smirked at the thought and looked up at the screen where Sloane was pointing.
"This is Angel Nunzeo. His name may sound innocent but he's far from it. He is a former agent here who 10 years ago retrieved a valuable artifact for us while on a mission, but ran off with it. We were unable to trace his whereabouts until just last week when we received intel that he has returned to LA, thinking that we'd forgotten about him," Sloane explained.
I wonder what Sloane would do if he knew what I've been doing with his 'valuable artifacts.' Maybe he'd whip out a sword and cut a 'z' in me like Zorro. Zorro was always one of those 'cape and mustache' guys. Wait... wasn't he a good guy? Oh well.
Sloane continued. "We found out that Nunzeo will be participating in the statewide dating game show, 'Strike a Match' under an alias. Sydney, you will also be on that game show as Lizzie Cohen. You get Nunzeo for us by, shall we say, winning the date with him."
I nodded.
Sloane gestured to Marshall. "Marshall?"
He stood, holing up a pair of sapphire earrings. "These look like a nice pair of earrings, right? I mean, you could put them on with a dress or you know... whatever. They'd look very pretty on you, Agent Bristow. Anyway, really they each contain a tiny microphone that allows them to act like head phones. Just put them on and you can hear the person on the other end. Dixon will be able to tell you which lucky bachelor is the one to pick," Marshall explained, blushing. "However, you can't talk back so just listen closely."
"Thank you Marshall," Sloane said.
Before sitting down, Marshall added, "By the way, has anyone ever seen this show? Cause I have and... you know, it's pretty good. I think you'll have fun, Agent Bristow..." Seeing Sloane glaring at him, he quickly sat down.
"Show's taping tomorrow at one o' clock. Good luck."
I got up and left.
A dating game show. So this is what my super spy life has been reduced to.
One Week after Auditions
When I was in second grade, I had a goldfish. I called him Zeldo. Don't ask me where I came up with that name when I was eight years old. Anyway, I used to love Zeldo. Zeldo was my best friend. Whenever I came home from school, crying because Jimmy Thomas pulled my hair, Zeldo was right there, swimming around quietly in his bowl, waiting to help me get through it. But one day I came home and Zeldo was floating at the top pf his bowl.
I wouldn't believe that he was really gone. I refused to believe it. I even left it in its bowl stinking up my room for two weeks because I wouldn't admit that he was really gone. But at night I would cry myself to sleep because I knew that I was kidding myself.
Was this how it was with Vaughn? Something, a part of me knew he wasn't dead. I knew he was still alive to be my shoulder to cry on. But maybe this was just like my fish. Maybe I was in denial. Still, I kept onto the childhood hope that wishes could come true and he was still out there, waiting to give me my next 'Joey's Pizza' call.
I spotted my father in the parking garage on the way in to Credit Dauphine. "Dad, Dad! Did they find out anything else?"
He stopped and turned to face me. "Sydney, if I find out anything about Vaughn I'll tell you. I know just as little as you do."
I nodded, unsatisfied. "Ok. It's just that this new handler... Quigley. He's such a... such an asshole."
It could have been my imagination, but I thought I saw the slightest hint of a smile flicker across my dad's face. "Let's go. We have a meeting."
Inside the briefing room, Sloane was waiting. He always kind of struck me as a villain from a 1920's silent film. Like he should be flicking a little curled mustache and donning a cape. I smirked at the thought and looked up at the screen where Sloane was pointing.
"This is Angel Nunzeo. His name may sound innocent but he's far from it. He is a former agent here who 10 years ago retrieved a valuable artifact for us while on a mission, but ran off with it. We were unable to trace his whereabouts until just last week when we received intel that he has returned to LA, thinking that we'd forgotten about him," Sloane explained.
I wonder what Sloane would do if he knew what I've been doing with his 'valuable artifacts.' Maybe he'd whip out a sword and cut a 'z' in me like Zorro. Zorro was always one of those 'cape and mustache' guys. Wait... wasn't he a good guy? Oh well.
Sloane continued. "We found out that Nunzeo will be participating in the statewide dating game show, 'Strike a Match' under an alias. Sydney, you will also be on that game show as Lizzie Cohen. You get Nunzeo for us by, shall we say, winning the date with him."
I nodded.
Sloane gestured to Marshall. "Marshall?"
He stood, holing up a pair of sapphire earrings. "These look like a nice pair of earrings, right? I mean, you could put them on with a dress or you know... whatever. They'd look very pretty on you, Agent Bristow. Anyway, really they each contain a tiny microphone that allows them to act like head phones. Just put them on and you can hear the person on the other end. Dixon will be able to tell you which lucky bachelor is the one to pick," Marshall explained, blushing. "However, you can't talk back so just listen closely."
"Thank you Marshall," Sloane said.
Before sitting down, Marshall added, "By the way, has anyone ever seen this show? Cause I have and... you know, it's pretty good. I think you'll have fun, Agent Bristow..." Seeing Sloane glaring at him, he quickly sat down.
"Show's taping tomorrow at one o' clock. Good luck."
I got up and left.
A dating game show. So this is what my super spy life has been reduced to.
