Day 2
BRAZILIA 12 p.m.
An alarm clock broke the silence in the safe house. Michael got up, fast as a thunderbolt. Usually, though extremely disciplinated to wake up early, he tended to slack a little. But today he has no time to waste. The sooner he began searching for Sydney, the better. He had a quick cold shower to wake himself up, he put on his clothes and left the house.
Already in the car, he sent an encoded message to Weiss " Search activated. Agent on the way. I'll have a look around the bunker to check for signs" was the message text.
He started the jeep and, putting the GPS in an accesible place, he programmed the coordinates Sydney left the last time she contacted him. He went straight along the freeway and he set his way towards Maçois Bay, with a hope of one who has nothing to lose.
MAÇOIS BAY - MILITARY GROUP CAMP
Sark got off the light aircraft. Flavio was waiting for him at the landing way, with a jeep started
Good morning, sir. Did you have a good journey? Leave compliments for better occasion. Journeys in this sort of plane are always infernal, and you know it by hearty. Has Kreschnick arrived already? He hasn't, sir, but we've just received a communicate from his part that he's on the way. He comes from Mexico, O.K. Take me to the camp. I need some food and drink. I foresee this is gonna be a long long day.
Arriving to the camp took them about five minutes. Compared to the sweaty mercenaries, Sark seemed a smart Wall Street broker, faultlessly dressed, so out of place that it carried a sinister note. They went into the canteen and sat around a table.
And, how is our guest? - Sark asked with an ironic smile It seems to me that she mustn't have gone through a good night. She's hurt in her right shoulder and it also was hard to get her name. Suppose you're still keen on such coarse methods as a whip, Flavio. And not even have you managed to get her true identity. Pardo, sir? - Flavio was surprised I don't think I'm wrong and I truly believe that we've captured SD-6 star agent, friend, Sydney Bristow. The intel she'll provide us with will be very useful. From now on, I'll take charge personally of her, got it? Of course, sir. She's all yours. Take her to the interrogation room, tie her and blindfold her eyes. Let me know when she's ready. I need refreshing. It's infernally hot in here.
Sark went upstairs. He entered his room and changed his clothes. He was almost unable to cope with the excitation he felt: at least, after such a long time, he had Sydney at his mercy. A diabolic smile was drew in his face, while he thought in the success of getting the last intel about SD-6. Somebody knocked at his door.
Sir, the prisoner is ready.
Sydney was nervous. She couldn't have slept during all the night. When she finally began to feel asleepy, she was waken up. She was given a new shirt and was told to change. It was violent to feel those two men's eyes while she was changing, slowly, with the little mobility she had. She was tied and her eyes covered. Where were they taking her? She had no strength to resist. They sat her in a chair, fixing strongly her hands and feet. She could hear that both men left the unknown room.
Some minutes passed and the door was opened again. She heard nearing steps, while she desperately tried to perceive something through the bandage which covered her eyes.
She notice the noise from a chair, an unknown man sat beside her. Sydney was in tension, she had no control at all over the situation. The only thing she could do was trying to gain time, waiting for someone to rescue her. She heard the unknown one was pouring a glass of water, and only then she realized the thirst which was burning her. She hadn't eaten nor drunk anything since she was captured. Seconds passed and, suddenly, she felt a knife edge in her neck and his agressor's breathe, quietly. She had to say on her ground, he only wanted to disorient her. He opened her shirt's neck, discovering her shoulder wound. He cut the bandage with the knife. Sydney trembled. Then, he laughed. Sydney felt her blood becoming ice through her veins: she knew that victorious laughter: he was Sark.
Sark... - she whispered
Things couldn't go worse. She knew what he was able to. She'd seen it many times.
Well, well, well... look what mouse had gone into the trap! So we've caught my dear Sydney Bristow... I had imagined it, but I didn't wanna fall into fake illusions. Too wonderful to be true. You... son of a bitch - Sydney answered - You've had to wait for others to make the dirty business, haven't you? Shut up, darling! Don't get me angry, because thanks to you I'm in an excellent humour today. You know me, Sydney and if something makes me angry... - Sark hit her on her face.
He kept being the same unpredictable sadistic one she already knew. She had always feared of being in this situation, everyone knew Sark's fame as interrogator. From his period under the KGB he still have a great skill to put the interrogated ones on the limit of the humanly bearable. And, to make things worse, he has sworn revenge on her since McKennas Cole's dearth. McKennas was his great friend and colleague.
Sydney... Sydney... We can do this in two waits. It's up to you. One: you tell me what I need to know and this will cease soon.
Sydney didn't answer.
I knew you wouldn't make the thing easier. Better for me. We'll go the hard way and I assure you that I will enjoy this even more. You'll end begging for an end. But I'm gonna wait for a friend of mine you have a debt with, since you escaped from Bucarest.
Sydney's inner discussion become bigger. Kreschnick, he was talking about Kreschnick. She had lost the battle. She didn't feel herself able to stand in their hands. It may be better to give up, tell them all she knew and wait for a quick end. It will damage the SD-6 anyway, and that was the primary target. It was sure that Vaughn won't find her on time. But in her deep, she knew that, even though she told Sark what he wanted to know, he would not have piety. He had so much desire of revenge on her as to leave them and kill her quickly. Terror was beginning to invade her.
What happens, Bristow? Your beloved SD-6 guys don't have a clue about your location, do they? O.K. so there's no hurry at all, we have all the time of the world to be together.
Sark stood up and went towards the door. But suddenly, he seemed to remember something and went back to Sydney. She received the kick in her stomach and felt she ran out of breathe.
This is for McKennas, bitch. He'd love to stay here now to see how you're going to pay for all.
Sark went out of the room, leaving Sydney bent over herself, trying to breath. The two warders untied her and brought her back to her cell. Sydney couldn't even reach the bed. Shuddering, frightened, she fell on the ground. She was cold, it was fever probably, and felt sick. She looked at her shoulder. It looked nasty, and the wound seemed to have become infected
- Michael, take me out of here, please... - she sobbed
She had never felt such fear, even she had found herself in desperate and difficult situations. But now she saw her future so dark...
AMAZONIC FOREST - WAY TOWARDS MAÇOIS BAY
Michael had left the freeway time ago. The road he went by was in a very bad state, full of holes and dust. Both sides, it could be seen that he was near the forest. The GPS sent glints out, showing the range was good, at least by then. It was almost 3 p.m., and it was very hot. According to the GPS indications he was still 200 miles away from the location of the coordinates. Given the state of the road, that meant that he wouldn't reach the place before 6 p.m. Michael stepped on the gas.
Finally, three hours after, deadly tired and hot, and eating the road dust, he reached a place situated five miles from the coordinates. Two miles ago, he had deeply entered the forest. He parked his jeep out of the way, in a place which seemed covered enough, and decided to walk to the bunker. It was likely that there were people around and he didn't want to announce his arrival. Michael picked his bag, the GPS and began to walk.
Hot wasn't so dreadful covered by the trees shadows, but it was sticky and wet. He hadn't walked for ten minutes when he saw the building. He checked his GPS: Sydney had managed to run three miles away from her pursuers.
With all his senses on, he went near the bunker. It seemed desert, no movement could be notice around. He was true, there was nobody around there. The bunker door was open, and he could see it was empty. He entered the building and explored around. He didn't find any evidence about where Syd had been taken. It was desperating, he had no clue about her location.
He went out of the bunker. It was darkening, night came soon in the forest. Michael saw a path starting near there, and he went towards it. That was! There were vehicles tracks, so he supposed they belonged to a heavy convoy. It was his only clue, so he decided to follow the tracks. But he would make a stop before, to eat something and contact Weiss. It was half past seven in Brazil, so it would be half past three in LA. Perfect, Weiss would be having lunch, and nobody would care about their talk. He connected the GPS and waited for Weiss' answer.
Vaughn? - Weiss' voice sounded online - How is it going, pal? I'm in the bunker. I'll be concise, I don't wanna waste battery. Bunker has been abandoned. There's a path going east, and there are clear recent track of a convoy there. I can be sure, but I truly believe that it's the way I must follow. I need you to look for anything in that direction, going into the forest. OK. I'll call you as soon as I have news. Here everything is quiet. Kendall has made no mention about this issue, nothing is heard about this, they seem to have this matter suspended until new data arrive. Fucking bastards! - Michael was really angry - They would let her die if that means problem-saving. Quiet! Be quiet! You've found a good track, let's see what can we do with it. Follow that path, as soon as I find something I'll contact you, OK? Thanks Weiss. I'll wait for your intel. And hope the news will be good ones. Every single minute which passes is vitally important.
Michael cut communications and began walk back to his jeep. It took him twenty minutes to reach the car. Everything was silent, night was falling and he didn't know if he could find what he was looking for before it was late.
He went along the path. That road was even more hellish, and he had to go slow to make the less noise he could. It was 8 p.m. and Sydney had been in who-knows hands for a day long
MAÇOIS BAY - MILITARY GROUP CAMP
One of the soldiers entered Sydney's cell. She was sleeping, agitated, fever was making its way. He looked at her sleeping. He had brought a water bowl; they could kill her of thirst or she wouldn't be of any help. He woke her up. Sydney emptied the last drop of water, before falling exhausted again. The soldier stood there, looking at her.
What do you think you're looking at? - somebody's voice surprised the man - Go out of here, now! - Kreschnik's eyes get the soldier flustered. He murmured an excuse and went out.
Kreschnik went towards Sydney, with a triumphant smile in his lips. He had arrived an hour ago and he'd been told that the prisoner seemed to be sick. He didn't want to let her die before they get all the information and his revenge was complete. He wanted to see her suffering as he suffered when his old superiors, the K Directorate, noticed she had managed to escape from Bucarest. He was a doctor, so he looked expertly at her shoulder. She looked almost unconscious, she was burning in fever. Kreschnick opened the little case he carried and took a syringe out, he filled it with a liquid and injected her with it. He wanted her to be better for next morning. She would be let resting all the night. As silently as he had came, he went out and locked the cell again.
ON THE WAY
Michael was driving at a snail's pace. He had been driving more than an hour, y he'd only covered six or seven miles. GPS rang; it was Weiss. Michael breaked and attended the calling.
Vaughn online. Tell me Weiss. Michael, I'd not been able to find much but hope this is some useful. Are you still on the way you commented? Yes, I am. I've found an area, forty miles from the bunker, following that path, which seems to be populated. No town no settlement is registered there and it seems to be movement around. I've passed the satellite and there must be around twelve or fifteen persons. A mile from that zone I've caught a landing strip too. Maybe this is what you're looking for, 'cause I haven't found anything more in a hundred miles around. Good work, Weiss. Hope it's the place, otherwise she'll be done for. I'll condecorate you personally if I bring her back. Wait... because there are a pair of comments I wanna do. First of all, hide your car and make the last fifteen or twenty miles on foot. The path reaches directly that place and five miles before, there's some sort of store because there's occasional movement. OK. I'll need you to sep for an alternate refuge, in case I rescue her. If she's wounded I'll not able to take her to Brazilia and even less, to catch a flight. CIA must have some location nearer than Brazilia. I cannot promise anything, but I'll have a look. There's another issue and I think you'd better know it. Kreschnick is there. What? Kreschnik? From the K-Directorate? We've intercepted a message. It may have nothing to do with this, but someone has asked him to go Brazil. How old is the message? Yesterday's night. For God's sake! He might have already come! I have to find Syd in any case. Vaughn, I think that all this could be a trap. I've got my suspects that SD- 6 knows perfectly where is Sydney. I've tried to but I cannot contact Jack Bristow. We've caught partial transmission showing the SD-6 is preparing a Rampaldi-related operation in Mexico. I didn't want to say this to you now, but I must. A communication from an hour ago mentions possible connections SD-6/CIA, so it wouldn't be weird that SD is trying to kill two birds with one stone, they check if Sydney has other help that theirs and at the same time the distract 'The Man' group which are delighting in Sydney's capture. Damn it! Everything fits. I must hurry, get her out of there and go to a safe place. We'll think of acceptable covers for Sydney later. Right now, I. I only want her alive, I don't mind she eventually has to leave SD-6. Keep me updated, OK? OK, Vaughn. And.
Vaughn cut the transmission. He was paralysed behind the driving w-heel. Everything fitted together. Sydney had been sent to the lion's mouth to allow the SD-6 to carry out another operation. SD-6 had a heavy suspect about her and if Michael managed to rescue her, then she'd have to be protected against the SD-6 whose suspicion will be confirmed. He set off: time was pressing more than ever.
BRAZILIA 12 p.m.
An alarm clock broke the silence in the safe house. Michael got up, fast as a thunderbolt. Usually, though extremely disciplinated to wake up early, he tended to slack a little. But today he has no time to waste. The sooner he began searching for Sydney, the better. He had a quick cold shower to wake himself up, he put on his clothes and left the house.
Already in the car, he sent an encoded message to Weiss " Search activated. Agent on the way. I'll have a look around the bunker to check for signs" was the message text.
He started the jeep and, putting the GPS in an accesible place, he programmed the coordinates Sydney left the last time she contacted him. He went straight along the freeway and he set his way towards Maçois Bay, with a hope of one who has nothing to lose.
MAÇOIS BAY - MILITARY GROUP CAMP
Sark got off the light aircraft. Flavio was waiting for him at the landing way, with a jeep started
Good morning, sir. Did you have a good journey? Leave compliments for better occasion. Journeys in this sort of plane are always infernal, and you know it by hearty. Has Kreschnick arrived already? He hasn't, sir, but we've just received a communicate from his part that he's on the way. He comes from Mexico, O.K. Take me to the camp. I need some food and drink. I foresee this is gonna be a long long day.
Arriving to the camp took them about five minutes. Compared to the sweaty mercenaries, Sark seemed a smart Wall Street broker, faultlessly dressed, so out of place that it carried a sinister note. They went into the canteen and sat around a table.
And, how is our guest? - Sark asked with an ironic smile It seems to me that she mustn't have gone through a good night. She's hurt in her right shoulder and it also was hard to get her name. Suppose you're still keen on such coarse methods as a whip, Flavio. And not even have you managed to get her true identity. Pardo, sir? - Flavio was surprised I don't think I'm wrong and I truly believe that we've captured SD-6 star agent, friend, Sydney Bristow. The intel she'll provide us with will be very useful. From now on, I'll take charge personally of her, got it? Of course, sir. She's all yours. Take her to the interrogation room, tie her and blindfold her eyes. Let me know when she's ready. I need refreshing. It's infernally hot in here.
Sark went upstairs. He entered his room and changed his clothes. He was almost unable to cope with the excitation he felt: at least, after such a long time, he had Sydney at his mercy. A diabolic smile was drew in his face, while he thought in the success of getting the last intel about SD-6. Somebody knocked at his door.
Sir, the prisoner is ready.
Sydney was nervous. She couldn't have slept during all the night. When she finally began to feel asleepy, she was waken up. She was given a new shirt and was told to change. It was violent to feel those two men's eyes while she was changing, slowly, with the little mobility she had. She was tied and her eyes covered. Where were they taking her? She had no strength to resist. They sat her in a chair, fixing strongly her hands and feet. She could hear that both men left the unknown room.
Some minutes passed and the door was opened again. She heard nearing steps, while she desperately tried to perceive something through the bandage which covered her eyes.
She notice the noise from a chair, an unknown man sat beside her. Sydney was in tension, she had no control at all over the situation. The only thing she could do was trying to gain time, waiting for someone to rescue her. She heard the unknown one was pouring a glass of water, and only then she realized the thirst which was burning her. She hadn't eaten nor drunk anything since she was captured. Seconds passed and, suddenly, she felt a knife edge in her neck and his agressor's breathe, quietly. She had to say on her ground, he only wanted to disorient her. He opened her shirt's neck, discovering her shoulder wound. He cut the bandage with the knife. Sydney trembled. Then, he laughed. Sydney felt her blood becoming ice through her veins: she knew that victorious laughter: he was Sark.
Sark... - she whispered
Things couldn't go worse. She knew what he was able to. She'd seen it many times.
Well, well, well... look what mouse had gone into the trap! So we've caught my dear Sydney Bristow... I had imagined it, but I didn't wanna fall into fake illusions. Too wonderful to be true. You... son of a bitch - Sydney answered - You've had to wait for others to make the dirty business, haven't you? Shut up, darling! Don't get me angry, because thanks to you I'm in an excellent humour today. You know me, Sydney and if something makes me angry... - Sark hit her on her face.
He kept being the same unpredictable sadistic one she already knew. She had always feared of being in this situation, everyone knew Sark's fame as interrogator. From his period under the KGB he still have a great skill to put the interrogated ones on the limit of the humanly bearable. And, to make things worse, he has sworn revenge on her since McKennas Cole's dearth. McKennas was his great friend and colleague.
Sydney... Sydney... We can do this in two waits. It's up to you. One: you tell me what I need to know and this will cease soon.
Sydney didn't answer.
I knew you wouldn't make the thing easier. Better for me. We'll go the hard way and I assure you that I will enjoy this even more. You'll end begging for an end. But I'm gonna wait for a friend of mine you have a debt with, since you escaped from Bucarest.
Sydney's inner discussion become bigger. Kreschnick, he was talking about Kreschnick. She had lost the battle. She didn't feel herself able to stand in their hands. It may be better to give up, tell them all she knew and wait for a quick end. It will damage the SD-6 anyway, and that was the primary target. It was sure that Vaughn won't find her on time. But in her deep, she knew that, even though she told Sark what he wanted to know, he would not have piety. He had so much desire of revenge on her as to leave them and kill her quickly. Terror was beginning to invade her.
What happens, Bristow? Your beloved SD-6 guys don't have a clue about your location, do they? O.K. so there's no hurry at all, we have all the time of the world to be together.
Sark stood up and went towards the door. But suddenly, he seemed to remember something and went back to Sydney. She received the kick in her stomach and felt she ran out of breathe.
This is for McKennas, bitch. He'd love to stay here now to see how you're going to pay for all.
Sark went out of the room, leaving Sydney bent over herself, trying to breath. The two warders untied her and brought her back to her cell. Sydney couldn't even reach the bed. Shuddering, frightened, she fell on the ground. She was cold, it was fever probably, and felt sick. She looked at her shoulder. It looked nasty, and the wound seemed to have become infected
- Michael, take me out of here, please... - she sobbed
She had never felt such fear, even she had found herself in desperate and difficult situations. But now she saw her future so dark...
AMAZONIC FOREST - WAY TOWARDS MAÇOIS BAY
Michael had left the freeway time ago. The road he went by was in a very bad state, full of holes and dust. Both sides, it could be seen that he was near the forest. The GPS sent glints out, showing the range was good, at least by then. It was almost 3 p.m., and it was very hot. According to the GPS indications he was still 200 miles away from the location of the coordinates. Given the state of the road, that meant that he wouldn't reach the place before 6 p.m. Michael stepped on the gas.
Finally, three hours after, deadly tired and hot, and eating the road dust, he reached a place situated five miles from the coordinates. Two miles ago, he had deeply entered the forest. He parked his jeep out of the way, in a place which seemed covered enough, and decided to walk to the bunker. It was likely that there were people around and he didn't want to announce his arrival. Michael picked his bag, the GPS and began to walk.
Hot wasn't so dreadful covered by the trees shadows, but it was sticky and wet. He hadn't walked for ten minutes when he saw the building. He checked his GPS: Sydney had managed to run three miles away from her pursuers.
With all his senses on, he went near the bunker. It seemed desert, no movement could be notice around. He was true, there was nobody around there. The bunker door was open, and he could see it was empty. He entered the building and explored around. He didn't find any evidence about where Syd had been taken. It was desperating, he had no clue about her location.
He went out of the bunker. It was darkening, night came soon in the forest. Michael saw a path starting near there, and he went towards it. That was! There were vehicles tracks, so he supposed they belonged to a heavy convoy. It was his only clue, so he decided to follow the tracks. But he would make a stop before, to eat something and contact Weiss. It was half past seven in Brazil, so it would be half past three in LA. Perfect, Weiss would be having lunch, and nobody would care about their talk. He connected the GPS and waited for Weiss' answer.
Vaughn? - Weiss' voice sounded online - How is it going, pal? I'm in the bunker. I'll be concise, I don't wanna waste battery. Bunker has been abandoned. There's a path going east, and there are clear recent track of a convoy there. I can be sure, but I truly believe that it's the way I must follow. I need you to look for anything in that direction, going into the forest. OK. I'll call you as soon as I have news. Here everything is quiet. Kendall has made no mention about this issue, nothing is heard about this, they seem to have this matter suspended until new data arrive. Fucking bastards! - Michael was really angry - They would let her die if that means problem-saving. Quiet! Be quiet! You've found a good track, let's see what can we do with it. Follow that path, as soon as I find something I'll contact you, OK? Thanks Weiss. I'll wait for your intel. And hope the news will be good ones. Every single minute which passes is vitally important.
Michael cut communications and began walk back to his jeep. It took him twenty minutes to reach the car. Everything was silent, night was falling and he didn't know if he could find what he was looking for before it was late.
He went along the path. That road was even more hellish, and he had to go slow to make the less noise he could. It was 8 p.m. and Sydney had been in who-knows hands for a day long
MAÇOIS BAY - MILITARY GROUP CAMP
One of the soldiers entered Sydney's cell. She was sleeping, agitated, fever was making its way. He looked at her sleeping. He had brought a water bowl; they could kill her of thirst or she wouldn't be of any help. He woke her up. Sydney emptied the last drop of water, before falling exhausted again. The soldier stood there, looking at her.
What do you think you're looking at? - somebody's voice surprised the man - Go out of here, now! - Kreschnik's eyes get the soldier flustered. He murmured an excuse and went out.
Kreschnik went towards Sydney, with a triumphant smile in his lips. He had arrived an hour ago and he'd been told that the prisoner seemed to be sick. He didn't want to let her die before they get all the information and his revenge was complete. He wanted to see her suffering as he suffered when his old superiors, the K Directorate, noticed she had managed to escape from Bucarest. He was a doctor, so he looked expertly at her shoulder. She looked almost unconscious, she was burning in fever. Kreschnick opened the little case he carried and took a syringe out, he filled it with a liquid and injected her with it. He wanted her to be better for next morning. She would be let resting all the night. As silently as he had came, he went out and locked the cell again.
ON THE WAY
Michael was driving at a snail's pace. He had been driving more than an hour, y he'd only covered six or seven miles. GPS rang; it was Weiss. Michael breaked and attended the calling.
Vaughn online. Tell me Weiss. Michael, I'd not been able to find much but hope this is some useful. Are you still on the way you commented? Yes, I am. I've found an area, forty miles from the bunker, following that path, which seems to be populated. No town no settlement is registered there and it seems to be movement around. I've passed the satellite and there must be around twelve or fifteen persons. A mile from that zone I've caught a landing strip too. Maybe this is what you're looking for, 'cause I haven't found anything more in a hundred miles around. Good work, Weiss. Hope it's the place, otherwise she'll be done for. I'll condecorate you personally if I bring her back. Wait... because there are a pair of comments I wanna do. First of all, hide your car and make the last fifteen or twenty miles on foot. The path reaches directly that place and five miles before, there's some sort of store because there's occasional movement. OK. I'll need you to sep for an alternate refuge, in case I rescue her. If she's wounded I'll not able to take her to Brazilia and even less, to catch a flight. CIA must have some location nearer than Brazilia. I cannot promise anything, but I'll have a look. There's another issue and I think you'd better know it. Kreschnick is there. What? Kreschnik? From the K-Directorate? We've intercepted a message. It may have nothing to do with this, but someone has asked him to go Brazil. How old is the message? Yesterday's night. For God's sake! He might have already come! I have to find Syd in any case. Vaughn, I think that all this could be a trap. I've got my suspects that SD- 6 knows perfectly where is Sydney. I've tried to but I cannot contact Jack Bristow. We've caught partial transmission showing the SD-6 is preparing a Rampaldi-related operation in Mexico. I didn't want to say this to you now, but I must. A communication from an hour ago mentions possible connections SD-6/CIA, so it wouldn't be weird that SD is trying to kill two birds with one stone, they check if Sydney has other help that theirs and at the same time the distract 'The Man' group which are delighting in Sydney's capture. Damn it! Everything fits. I must hurry, get her out of there and go to a safe place. We'll think of acceptable covers for Sydney later. Right now, I. I only want her alive, I don't mind she eventually has to leave SD-6. Keep me updated, OK? OK, Vaughn. And.
Vaughn cut the transmission. He was paralysed behind the driving w-heel. Everything fitted together. Sydney had been sent to the lion's mouth to allow the SD-6 to carry out another operation. SD-6 had a heavy suspect about her and if Michael managed to rescue her, then she'd have to be protected against the SD-6 whose suspicion will be confirmed. He set off: time was pressing more than ever.