As the pilot announced their decent into Paris, Sydney stole a glance at
Agent Moore. She had avoided eye contact throughout the plane ride, but
decided to finally discuss the mission with him. He appeared to be
sleeping, but as she watched him for another moment, Hayden suddenly opened
his eyes and looked right at her.
"Can I help you?" He said, the sarcasm reflecting in his eyes.
"Anything you want to go over?" She threw the sarcasm right back at him.
"Nope," He said closing his eyes and resting his head against the wall.
"So you're totally clear on the mission parameters?"
Hayden didn't answer but nodded slightly without opening his eyes. Sydney stared at him for a second longer, before returning her attention to the file in front of her. It was a fairly easy op. Pursuit, surveillance, and capture, nothing difficult. The more Sydney thought about it the more she realized that this wasn't a job should have been doing. A much lower level agent could have done this mission with ease. Why had Kendall sent her and Moore on such an easy recon mission?
Her thoughts were interrupted as the plane touched down and she began to gather up her things. One parked Sydney led the way off of the plane and to the car awaiting them. Hayden followed closely behind her and carefully scanned the surrounding area as they exited the plane. The sun was just setting and the changing light cast strange and shifting shadows all around the airstrip. Hayden sat down in the back seat of the car next to Sydney and the car pulled away immediately.
After a long drive the car stooped in front of an old hotel, where the two would be staying. Sydney exited the car wearing the same black suit, but now wore a shoulder length blonde wig, and much more make up. Hayden had altered his appearance as well, and had put on a fake goatee and colored contacts. The two of them looked like a married business couple as they wheeled their matching suitcases into the hotel. Sydney waited in the lobby while Hayden checked in.
As she sat waiting she noted the entrance to the restaurant, as well and the side entrance to the street. She also took notice of the seven security cameras places around the lobby. She mentally noted the placement of each one, and weather they were stationary or revolving.
"Room 407." Hayden said walking toward her from the counter. Sydney stood and the two made their way to the elevator. On the ride up Sydney noted the camera in the car, and the security pad near the floor buttons. She wondered what a hotel would need with this extreme amount of security, but pushed it to the back of her mind, and smiled as more passengers entered the car.
When Hayden and Sydney finally reached their room, they quickly searched it for bugs, and used a special frequency jammer, that allowed the survielling party to hear a variety of ambient sounds, as well as some random conversations.
"Clear," Hayden said replacing the jammer in his bag.
"There were seven cameras in the lobby, one in the elevator car, and at least two in the hall. What could they need that much security for?" Sydney said hauling her suitcase onto the bed.
"From the looks of the staff, I'd say the hotel is only a front company. Drugs maybe, but in this part of France weapons are the better bet." Hayden said as he went into the bathroom to remove his false facial hair.
Sydney didn't respond to this, but was impressed by Hayden's evident knowledge and observations. She hadn't pegged him for an overly observant person. He was annoying: yes, but useful: she hadn't though so.
"So what's the plan fearless leader?" Hayden said as he came out of the bathroom.
Sydney shot Hayden an unpleasant look before responding. "I want to check out the restaurant. Boreznev was seen there several times. And I would also like to get a hold of the security tapes from the times her was in the restaurant."
"Alright. Why don't you go get us a table, and I'll see if I can't get us the tapes?" Hayden said opening up his suitcase.
"We haven't located the security office yet. Why don't we both go to dinner and then locate the tapes late tonight." Sydney said as she headed to the bathroom.
"Fine. But do I have to wear that stupid hair on my face again." He said approaching the bathroom door. Sydney was inside touching up her make-up.
She looked up from what she was doing and caught his eyes in the mirror. She didn't respond but looked right back at her cosmetic bag.
"Yes Ma'am." He said entering the bathroom and applying the false goatee.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I'll have the fillet mignon, medium, with the house salad." Hayden said. His New York accent flawless.
"Merci." The waitress said gathering their menus and walking away.
"No mashed potatoes?" Sydney said taking a sip from her wine glass.
Hayden leaned across the table and smiled. "I don't even bother anymore, no one can make 'em as good as I can." He'd let his accent slip, but had spoken softly enough that only Sydney heard.
Sydney smiled and began to scan the room. It was a Wednesday night, and wasn't packed, but several other couples sat around the small dining room. More cameras canvassed the room, but fewer than inside the actual hotel. As Sydney's eyes fell across Hayden she noticed him staring at her.
"What?" She said loudly, in a much softer accent than his.
"Nothing." He said grinning, and then looked over her shoulder. A man sat alone, in the booth in the corner over Sydney's shoulder. Hayden watched him carefully as he checked his watch every few seconds and nervously sipped his wine. After a moment Hayden looked at Sydney quickly and made a slight motion with his head indicating what he was looking at. Sydney didn't turn around at first, but a moment later turned to reach into her purse, which was hanging off of the chair. As she reached into it she stole a glance and the man sitting in the booth. When she looked back at Hayden she noticed the waitress coming toward them again, and decided against saying anything.
The waitress did indeed come to their table and filled their water glasses. As the waitress walked away Sydney let her gaze wonder across the room again. After scrutinizing the several sets of couples, her eyes crossed the door, and she paused long enough to notice someone entering the restaurant. Sydney quickly realized that she recognized the person, and without a word she shot an intense look at Hayden and then over to the door, indicating him to look there. As he turned to look, Sydney stood up and walked away from the table briskly and made her way to the women's bathroom. As she closed the door firmly behind her she let out a deep breath and prayed that Sark hadn't seen her.
"Can I help you?" He said, the sarcasm reflecting in his eyes.
"Anything you want to go over?" She threw the sarcasm right back at him.
"Nope," He said closing his eyes and resting his head against the wall.
"So you're totally clear on the mission parameters?"
Hayden didn't answer but nodded slightly without opening his eyes. Sydney stared at him for a second longer, before returning her attention to the file in front of her. It was a fairly easy op. Pursuit, surveillance, and capture, nothing difficult. The more Sydney thought about it the more she realized that this wasn't a job should have been doing. A much lower level agent could have done this mission with ease. Why had Kendall sent her and Moore on such an easy recon mission?
Her thoughts were interrupted as the plane touched down and she began to gather up her things. One parked Sydney led the way off of the plane and to the car awaiting them. Hayden followed closely behind her and carefully scanned the surrounding area as they exited the plane. The sun was just setting and the changing light cast strange and shifting shadows all around the airstrip. Hayden sat down in the back seat of the car next to Sydney and the car pulled away immediately.
After a long drive the car stooped in front of an old hotel, where the two would be staying. Sydney exited the car wearing the same black suit, but now wore a shoulder length blonde wig, and much more make up. Hayden had altered his appearance as well, and had put on a fake goatee and colored contacts. The two of them looked like a married business couple as they wheeled their matching suitcases into the hotel. Sydney waited in the lobby while Hayden checked in.
As she sat waiting she noted the entrance to the restaurant, as well and the side entrance to the street. She also took notice of the seven security cameras places around the lobby. She mentally noted the placement of each one, and weather they were stationary or revolving.
"Room 407." Hayden said walking toward her from the counter. Sydney stood and the two made their way to the elevator. On the ride up Sydney noted the camera in the car, and the security pad near the floor buttons. She wondered what a hotel would need with this extreme amount of security, but pushed it to the back of her mind, and smiled as more passengers entered the car.
When Hayden and Sydney finally reached their room, they quickly searched it for bugs, and used a special frequency jammer, that allowed the survielling party to hear a variety of ambient sounds, as well as some random conversations.
"Clear," Hayden said replacing the jammer in his bag.
"There were seven cameras in the lobby, one in the elevator car, and at least two in the hall. What could they need that much security for?" Sydney said hauling her suitcase onto the bed.
"From the looks of the staff, I'd say the hotel is only a front company. Drugs maybe, but in this part of France weapons are the better bet." Hayden said as he went into the bathroom to remove his false facial hair.
Sydney didn't respond to this, but was impressed by Hayden's evident knowledge and observations. She hadn't pegged him for an overly observant person. He was annoying: yes, but useful: she hadn't though so.
"So what's the plan fearless leader?" Hayden said as he came out of the bathroom.
Sydney shot Hayden an unpleasant look before responding. "I want to check out the restaurant. Boreznev was seen there several times. And I would also like to get a hold of the security tapes from the times her was in the restaurant."
"Alright. Why don't you go get us a table, and I'll see if I can't get us the tapes?" Hayden said opening up his suitcase.
"We haven't located the security office yet. Why don't we both go to dinner and then locate the tapes late tonight." Sydney said as she headed to the bathroom.
"Fine. But do I have to wear that stupid hair on my face again." He said approaching the bathroom door. Sydney was inside touching up her make-up.
She looked up from what she was doing and caught his eyes in the mirror. She didn't respond but looked right back at her cosmetic bag.
"Yes Ma'am." He said entering the bathroom and applying the false goatee.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I'll have the fillet mignon, medium, with the house salad." Hayden said. His New York accent flawless.
"Merci." The waitress said gathering their menus and walking away.
"No mashed potatoes?" Sydney said taking a sip from her wine glass.
Hayden leaned across the table and smiled. "I don't even bother anymore, no one can make 'em as good as I can." He'd let his accent slip, but had spoken softly enough that only Sydney heard.
Sydney smiled and began to scan the room. It was a Wednesday night, and wasn't packed, but several other couples sat around the small dining room. More cameras canvassed the room, but fewer than inside the actual hotel. As Sydney's eyes fell across Hayden she noticed him staring at her.
"What?" She said loudly, in a much softer accent than his.
"Nothing." He said grinning, and then looked over her shoulder. A man sat alone, in the booth in the corner over Sydney's shoulder. Hayden watched him carefully as he checked his watch every few seconds and nervously sipped his wine. After a moment Hayden looked at Sydney quickly and made a slight motion with his head indicating what he was looking at. Sydney didn't turn around at first, but a moment later turned to reach into her purse, which was hanging off of the chair. As she reached into it she stole a glance and the man sitting in the booth. When she looked back at Hayden she noticed the waitress coming toward them again, and decided against saying anything.
The waitress did indeed come to their table and filled their water glasses. As the waitress walked away Sydney let her gaze wonder across the room again. After scrutinizing the several sets of couples, her eyes crossed the door, and she paused long enough to notice someone entering the restaurant. Sydney quickly realized that she recognized the person, and without a word she shot an intense look at Hayden and then over to the door, indicating him to look there. As he turned to look, Sydney stood up and walked away from the table briskly and made her way to the women's bathroom. As she closed the door firmly behind her she let out a deep breath and prayed that Sark hadn't seen her.