A/N – Text in *asterisks* is in Chinese.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE – INNOCENCE LOST

Jack Bristow sat in an uncomfortable waiting area chair at Charles de Gaulles Airport.  Sydney had gone to grab them some coffee while they were waiting for their connecting flight.

She had conveniently delayed until after he had spoken to Kendall and they were on their way to the airport to inform Jack of where they were going.  Frankly, he was surprised at his own lack of curiosity in their destination.  She wanted me to come with her, he thought with a small smile. Of course, I'd go anywhere she wanted me to go.

Actually, Sydney's plan was exactly the action he had wanted to take, but Jack hadn't expected Sydney to be so determined so soon. 

He knew that she needed to do this… to rid herself of this plague that had destroyed her life.  Now that Sloane and Sark had been eliminated, there was only one remaining roadblock standing in her way… Il Dire.

"Le Vol de lignes aériennes Alitalia 403 à Florence montent maintenant tous passagers de première classe et les passagers avec les petits enfants au portail G17. Tous passagers de première classe et les passagers avec les enfants, s'il vous plaît commencer l'embarquement au portail G17."

Jack cocked his head slightly, listening to the announcement for their flight.  After a quick scan of the area, he saw Sydney heading his way with two steaming coffee cups in hand.  He stood as she approached and took the cup she offered.  "We've only got a couple minutes," he informed her.

"Well, drink up!" she smiled, "It's only a couple hours until we arrive, and I don't plan on taking any time to rest.  You'll need the caffeine."

Jack nodded and quickly drained his cup, tossing it into a nearby trashcan.  He handed Sydney her boarding pass, and they quickly moved to join the rest of the passengers in the line.

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For a moment, the only sounds that could be heard in the dark room were those of Vaughn's labored breathing.  Then, a blood-curdling scream came from the woman standing in the doorway.  The scream was instantly followed with a tirade of angry Chinese, as Jie came running up to the two men who were still frozen in shock.

She pulled her father roughly away from his position hovering over her husband, her adrenaline and fury giving her more power than she usually possessed.  En Kai stumbled back, barely able to keep himself upright as his daughter, who was supposed to be hundreds of miles away, stalked right up to him, ranting in a high-pitched voice which he was sure he had never heard from her before.

She prodded him with a well-manicured finger in his breastbone.  He was too shocked to do anything other than back away hurriedly until he felt the soft edge of the sofa behind his calves.

"*What are you doing?  Are you hurting him?  How could you ever think of hurting my husband?  What have you done?  Is this why you sent me away... so you could do THIS?*"  She gestured to the chair where Vaughn was trying desperately to translate her angry words.  "*Did you think I would never find out?*"

She shoved her father down onto the sofa and turned to the man strapped into her dining room chair.  She fell to her knees in front of him and began desperately tugging at the ropes tied around his legs.  Before she was able to release the tight knots, he father had regained the use of his tongue. 

"*He's not who you think he is.  This man has been lying to you since the day you met.*"

Her hands stilled on the ropes as the concept of what her father was telling her settled into her mind.  Jie had always known that Erik had secrets, but she assumed that none of them related to her or their life together.  He loves me… he would never lie about something important, she reminded herself.

But, something he had done had triggered her father's anger.  Jie had always avoided discovery of exactly what kind of business her father and husband were involved in, but she knew that her father was formidable when angered… to the point of being dangerous. 

But Jie also knew that her father kept his anger away from her and her mother.  Something must have gone horribly wrong if he was willing to do this.  Could what her father said be true?  She needed to hear the truth from the one person who could give it to her.

"Erik?"

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Even with the coffee, Jack's body had finally succumbed to sleep not long after their flight took off.  It was as though his unrelenting stoicism had been traded for Sydney's sudden resolve and vigor.

When she had made her announcement back in the safehouse, he had silently complied and allowed her to take the lead.  When she told him in the cab that they were going back to Florence, he did not look startled at all.  He simply nodded and handed her a packet containing a passport, credit cards, and birth certificate… false identifications for her that he had been keeping just in case this type of thing was necessary.

Sydney smiled as she looked at her father's relaxed face.  By this time tomorrow, it will be done.  Nobody will want to hurt me or the people I love anymore.  Dad will finally be able to enjoy a quiet life…and I… Her thoughts drifted another continent over, to the real reason why this final mission was so important.  I will be able to be with Vaughn.  I'm doing this for him.  I'm doing this for us.

As she turned her head to look out the small airplane window, she wondered if she'd said the same thing to herself when she began her hunt for Sloane.

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