Unexplained
Chapter Five
Slip
Plane Ride to Los Angeles
Sydney Bristow tucked her feet up under her as she watched the people in the plane. Jack sat in the front across from Weiss and Marshall. Marshall was conversing animatedly with Weiss, regaling some tale of a child Marshall and his adventures. Jack looked utterly bored and disinterested, but seemed to tolerate the story. Vaughn was in the middle of the plane, reading over some briefs, concentrating on what was before him, wrinkles spreading over his forehead. Jarod, seated next to Vaughn, seemed almost as intent at studying the people on board as she was. Sydney finally turned her attention to Sark, who had settled at the rear of the plane in shackles. She almost laughed at her father's paranoia. Sure, Sark could steal a parachute and jump out, but that was about his only option. She stood carefully and walked to the back, seating herself in front of the handsome terrorist. She pushed a strand of brown hair behind her ear before unlocking the cuffs on Sark. She felt a little guilty for beating Sark up when he was helpless, though he certainly proved that he was always far from helpless. She ignored the pointed looks she received from both Vaughn and Jack and placed the bindings beside her. Sark raised his eyes to meet hers and he smiled slightly. "Thanks. Those buggers are quite obnoxious."
"I've never heard you sound so British."
"It's something I picked up over the years."
Sydeny stopped short, unable to believe that Mr. Sark had just made a joke.
His eyes were sparkling an unusual shade of blue, making it nearly impossible to not stare at him. Sydney started to grin, spreading from ear to ear. She finally stopped grinning, forcing herself to focus on what she had intended to speak with Sark about.
"Where do you think Mr. Sloane is?"
"I honestly do not know. The last known place he was to go to was Italy. I'm not sure where he would take the mechanism, but I do know who might know."
"Who? Can we talk to them?"
"I think I should."
"Why?"
"He's my father."
"Your...father?"
"Yes. He's-a scientist."
"Why shouldn't I speak with him?"
"He already knows about you. He's the one who introduced Sloane to Rambaldi's work."
"He what?"
"He's part of the Alliance, Sydney. The only part you know nothing of."
Jarod, who sat by Vaughn's, ears perked up. He edged towards the couple, listening to the conversation.
"The Alliance is gone."
"No. Not this branch. If you let me have access to a phone, I can find out where Sloane is. They need me. They need you. And they need-"
Sark cut himself off, darting a look at the agent next to Vaughn. Jarod Masters. Jarod! That it!
The Centre
April 13, 1976
Andrew had been looking for Angelo since he'd met Angelo. But unfortunately, Angelo was no where to be found. He hadn't seen any more children around the Centre or Catherine Parker lately. He padded his way down a wiry floor and heard a scream after a gun shot.
"Nooo!!! MAMA! NOOOOOOO!!!!"
A little girl, about ten, stood struggling in a man's arms. She had tears streaming down her face and she continued to scream. "MAMA!"
He turned his head and saw a boy struggling with another man.
"No, Sydney, I need to help her! Let me go!"
"No, Jarod. She needs to be alone."
Andrew watched as a pained expression fell over the boy's face and turned his attention back on the girl. She had freed herself from the iron grip holding her arms and run to the elevator that wouldn't open. She collapsed to the ground, wailing.*
"It couldn't be."
Jarod turned at the sound of his voice, meeting Sark's suddenly understanding gaze. Sark had figured it out. He muttered quietly, "Yeah."
Sark instantly stood and sat down next to Jarod. Jack looked like he was about ready to put a slug in Sark's head, but stayed in the uncomfortable seat. Sark became aware of the stares he was being sent, and he noticed Sydney's more than anyone elses. She inched towards them, kneeling in front of Jarod.
"Jarod!"
"Andrew. Please. You can't tell them."
Sydney pried in, not even thinking that she had just heard Sark's first name. "Tell them what?"
"About the Centre. About me."
"What about the Centre and you?" Sydney broke in. She seemed to be angry and she looked like she was about ready to cuff Jarod.
"I'm not really Jarod Masters. In fact, I don't know who I am. I just know I'm Jarod and I'm a pretender who can become anyone I want to be. I went undercover to find Sloane, because he's the last link to Miss Parker and the scrolls and ending the Centre. Rambaldi is the one who wrote the scrolls that involve myself and Miss Parker, the Centre, all of that. We're part of something called the Heptagon. All three of us. And Miss Parker, Angelo, Ethan and Mr. Lyle."
"Who are all they?" Sydney asked.
Sark clarified, "Who are Mr. Lyle and Ethan?"
"Mr. Lyle is Miss Parker's twin brother and Ethan is, well the both of our brothers."
"You and Miss Parker are related?"
"Just by Ethan, I guess. Catherine Parker and my father were forced to have a child, Ethan. But you're related to Miss Parker."
"What?"
Sydney just bounced back and forth between the two's hushed conversation.
"Mr. Raines is Parker and Lyle's father, making you her brother."
Sark sunk against the seat, staring ahead.
"I have a sister."
"And an awful brother."
"Can't be any worse than me."
"I have personal experience with Lyle, so I'm kind of biased."
"Who the heck are these people?" Sydney finally burst out.
Jarod chuckled quietly. "A twisted little family of ours. You'll find out more about them soon. For now, don't tell, Sydney. And let Andrew talk to Mr. Raines. I'd call, but you know, I don't know if he'd be forthcoming with information."
Sark nodded. "But he'd follow you wherever he told you to go."
"You kind of become accustomed to it."
Sark smirked. "I'd make a killing if I took you home with me."
"Literally. I can't believe you think of that place as home. That's like me saying I'm glad I was kidnapped."
"You're stuck with what you get, Jarod."
"Like you got stuck with your job?"
Sydney's head perked up and Sark shook his head imperceptibly. Jarod took the hint and didn't finish his thought.
"What did he mean by that, Sark?"
"Nothing, Sydney. Jarod, I..."
"You really shouldn't be getting familiar with the agents in charge of your incarceration, Mr. Sark." Vaughn towered over the trio, many more wrinkles in his forehead. He looked almost outraged that the three sat comfortably, appearing quite chatty. "Sydney, you shouldn't have taken him out of his bonds."
"Kinky."
Sydney glared at Sark, who immediately began to smirk.
"He looked uncomfortable."
"He's supposed to be. He's a prisoner!"
"I'm not getting into this with you right now, Vaughn. Sark, looks like you should be put back under lock and key. You know, you might kill us with your deadly looks."
She didn't want to disguise her sarcasm. She was getting sick of Vaughn lately with all of his obsession with rules and such. He wouldn't listen to her, even if she had found out more information from Sark than she would have if they'd kept him locked up. Sark voluntarily moved back to his spot and Sydney locked him up. He closed his eyes as a sign that he wasn't interested in conversing any further. Sydney sighed before glancing around the plane. She quickly brushed a strand of hair off of his forehead before returning to her own spot. She'd felt closer to Sark this plane ride then she'd felt to anyone else in a long time. And Jarod! He seemed to be a font of information about their favorite terrorist. Yes. She needed to remind herself that Sark was a terrorist. She had been impulsive in touching him and she shouldn't have. She'd have to keep this impersonal. Sark hadn't reopened his eyes, so she held out the unrealistic hope that he hadn't noticed.
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker flung open the door to her house and immediately began searching the rooms for anything out of the ordinary. Broots and Sydney hung back, still not knowing what she was looking for. "Ethan?! Ethan?! Where are you?"
She received no answer.
"Ethan, did anyone stop by while I was gone?"
Still no answer. Only one more room remained unexamined, Catherine Parker's studio. Parker took a deep breath before slowly turning the door knob. She stepped inside and found a beautiful music box sitting on the desk. She lifted it carefully and opened it. A small flower spun in the box, a red rose, a song tinkling from it's mechanism. Inside a slip of paper laid peacefully against the woodgrains. Miss Parker removed it, reading it carefully.
The Lighthouse Inn Room Five ASAP
The slanted, precise handwriting told her who it was from, as if she didn't know. Was Jarod wanting to meet her there or was he just sending her on another wild goose chase? Probably the latter, she thought bitterly. This couldn't have come at a worse time. Why was it that Ethan always went missing? Why did he always disappear? He hadn't even left a note this time, which was unusual. He always tried to let her know where he was, even if he didn't finish the thought. She quickly decided to bring Broots and Sydney with her, but they wouldn't tell the Centre about this. All they had left to do was find out where the Lighthouse Inn was, exactly. She handed the paper to Broots with the order to research the Inn. They would be leaving in a few hours, so he had better discover what they needed quickly. Sydney made himself comfortable in the chair as Parker packed a bag. Broots found out that the Inn was a small place outside of Los Angeles. He called his friend to watch Debbie while they were gone. And away they went, on the goose hunt, as usual.
Nairobi, Africa
Ethan had roamed around the small village in Nairobi, looking for any clue as to where he was supposed to be. There had to be a reason for them to be in Africa, he just didn't know what it was. He sat down at the town's water well, looking down into the cool, crisp liquid. He contemplated taking a sip, but decided he would rather wait for it. He took another quick scan of the town and swore he saw Mr. Lyle walking to a store, the only one in the town. Ethan rushed over to it, ducking behind one of the poorly made wooden shelves. Angelo was being transferred from Willie to Mr. Lyle and looked quite confused. He'd never been outside the Centre. They never let him leave and here he was in a whole other country, a whole other continent. Angelo had greatly enjoyed the plane ride, exploring all the buttons and levers and controls the small enclosement had. It'd been wonderful until Willie had made him stay seated. And now Mr. Lyle was taking him some place else. They left the store, so Ethan knew he had to follow. He trailed the couple to a building outside of town in which Lyle and Angelo disappeared in to. Ethan rounded up the back when he heard the click of a gun lock turn off. He turned around slowly and he saw a short man with salt and pepper colored hair. "Ethan. I'm glad you could join us. Mr. Raines has told me so much about you."
Chapter Five
Slip
Plane Ride to Los Angeles
Sydney Bristow tucked her feet up under her as she watched the people in the plane. Jack sat in the front across from Weiss and Marshall. Marshall was conversing animatedly with Weiss, regaling some tale of a child Marshall and his adventures. Jack looked utterly bored and disinterested, but seemed to tolerate the story. Vaughn was in the middle of the plane, reading over some briefs, concentrating on what was before him, wrinkles spreading over his forehead. Jarod, seated next to Vaughn, seemed almost as intent at studying the people on board as she was. Sydney finally turned her attention to Sark, who had settled at the rear of the plane in shackles. She almost laughed at her father's paranoia. Sure, Sark could steal a parachute and jump out, but that was about his only option. She stood carefully and walked to the back, seating herself in front of the handsome terrorist. She pushed a strand of brown hair behind her ear before unlocking the cuffs on Sark. She felt a little guilty for beating Sark up when he was helpless, though he certainly proved that he was always far from helpless. She ignored the pointed looks she received from both Vaughn and Jack and placed the bindings beside her. Sark raised his eyes to meet hers and he smiled slightly. "Thanks. Those buggers are quite obnoxious."
"I've never heard you sound so British."
"It's something I picked up over the years."
Sydeny stopped short, unable to believe that Mr. Sark had just made a joke.
His eyes were sparkling an unusual shade of blue, making it nearly impossible to not stare at him. Sydney started to grin, spreading from ear to ear. She finally stopped grinning, forcing herself to focus on what she had intended to speak with Sark about.
"Where do you think Mr. Sloane is?"
"I honestly do not know. The last known place he was to go to was Italy. I'm not sure where he would take the mechanism, but I do know who might know."
"Who? Can we talk to them?"
"I think I should."
"Why?"
"He's my father."
"Your...father?"
"Yes. He's-a scientist."
"Why shouldn't I speak with him?"
"He already knows about you. He's the one who introduced Sloane to Rambaldi's work."
"He what?"
"He's part of the Alliance, Sydney. The only part you know nothing of."
Jarod, who sat by Vaughn's, ears perked up. He edged towards the couple, listening to the conversation.
"The Alliance is gone."
"No. Not this branch. If you let me have access to a phone, I can find out where Sloane is. They need me. They need you. And they need-"
Sark cut himself off, darting a look at the agent next to Vaughn. Jarod Masters. Jarod! That it!
The Centre
April 13, 1976
Andrew had been looking for Angelo since he'd met Angelo. But unfortunately, Angelo was no where to be found. He hadn't seen any more children around the Centre or Catherine Parker lately. He padded his way down a wiry floor and heard a scream after a gun shot.
"Nooo!!! MAMA! NOOOOOOO!!!!"
A little girl, about ten, stood struggling in a man's arms. She had tears streaming down her face and she continued to scream. "MAMA!"
He turned his head and saw a boy struggling with another man.
"No, Sydney, I need to help her! Let me go!"
"No, Jarod. She needs to be alone."
Andrew watched as a pained expression fell over the boy's face and turned his attention back on the girl. She had freed herself from the iron grip holding her arms and run to the elevator that wouldn't open. She collapsed to the ground, wailing.*
"It couldn't be."
Jarod turned at the sound of his voice, meeting Sark's suddenly understanding gaze. Sark had figured it out. He muttered quietly, "Yeah."
Sark instantly stood and sat down next to Jarod. Jack looked like he was about ready to put a slug in Sark's head, but stayed in the uncomfortable seat. Sark became aware of the stares he was being sent, and he noticed Sydney's more than anyone elses. She inched towards them, kneeling in front of Jarod.
"Jarod!"
"Andrew. Please. You can't tell them."
Sydney pried in, not even thinking that she had just heard Sark's first name. "Tell them what?"
"About the Centre. About me."
"What about the Centre and you?" Sydney broke in. She seemed to be angry and she looked like she was about ready to cuff Jarod.
"I'm not really Jarod Masters. In fact, I don't know who I am. I just know I'm Jarod and I'm a pretender who can become anyone I want to be. I went undercover to find Sloane, because he's the last link to Miss Parker and the scrolls and ending the Centre. Rambaldi is the one who wrote the scrolls that involve myself and Miss Parker, the Centre, all of that. We're part of something called the Heptagon. All three of us. And Miss Parker, Angelo, Ethan and Mr. Lyle."
"Who are all they?" Sydney asked.
Sark clarified, "Who are Mr. Lyle and Ethan?"
"Mr. Lyle is Miss Parker's twin brother and Ethan is, well the both of our brothers."
"You and Miss Parker are related?"
"Just by Ethan, I guess. Catherine Parker and my father were forced to have a child, Ethan. But you're related to Miss Parker."
"What?"
Sydney just bounced back and forth between the two's hushed conversation.
"Mr. Raines is Parker and Lyle's father, making you her brother."
Sark sunk against the seat, staring ahead.
"I have a sister."
"And an awful brother."
"Can't be any worse than me."
"I have personal experience with Lyle, so I'm kind of biased."
"Who the heck are these people?" Sydney finally burst out.
Jarod chuckled quietly. "A twisted little family of ours. You'll find out more about them soon. For now, don't tell, Sydney. And let Andrew talk to Mr. Raines. I'd call, but you know, I don't know if he'd be forthcoming with information."
Sark nodded. "But he'd follow you wherever he told you to go."
"You kind of become accustomed to it."
Sark smirked. "I'd make a killing if I took you home with me."
"Literally. I can't believe you think of that place as home. That's like me saying I'm glad I was kidnapped."
"You're stuck with what you get, Jarod."
"Like you got stuck with your job?"
Sydney's head perked up and Sark shook his head imperceptibly. Jarod took the hint and didn't finish his thought.
"What did he mean by that, Sark?"
"Nothing, Sydney. Jarod, I..."
"You really shouldn't be getting familiar with the agents in charge of your incarceration, Mr. Sark." Vaughn towered over the trio, many more wrinkles in his forehead. He looked almost outraged that the three sat comfortably, appearing quite chatty. "Sydney, you shouldn't have taken him out of his bonds."
"Kinky."
Sydney glared at Sark, who immediately began to smirk.
"He looked uncomfortable."
"He's supposed to be. He's a prisoner!"
"I'm not getting into this with you right now, Vaughn. Sark, looks like you should be put back under lock and key. You know, you might kill us with your deadly looks."
She didn't want to disguise her sarcasm. She was getting sick of Vaughn lately with all of his obsession with rules and such. He wouldn't listen to her, even if she had found out more information from Sark than she would have if they'd kept him locked up. Sark voluntarily moved back to his spot and Sydney locked him up. He closed his eyes as a sign that he wasn't interested in conversing any further. Sydney sighed before glancing around the plane. She quickly brushed a strand of hair off of his forehead before returning to her own spot. She'd felt closer to Sark this plane ride then she'd felt to anyone else in a long time. And Jarod! He seemed to be a font of information about their favorite terrorist. Yes. She needed to remind herself that Sark was a terrorist. She had been impulsive in touching him and she shouldn't have. She'd have to keep this impersonal. Sark hadn't reopened his eyes, so she held out the unrealistic hope that he hadn't noticed.
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker flung open the door to her house and immediately began searching the rooms for anything out of the ordinary. Broots and Sydney hung back, still not knowing what she was looking for. "Ethan?! Ethan?! Where are you?"
She received no answer.
"Ethan, did anyone stop by while I was gone?"
Still no answer. Only one more room remained unexamined, Catherine Parker's studio. Parker took a deep breath before slowly turning the door knob. She stepped inside and found a beautiful music box sitting on the desk. She lifted it carefully and opened it. A small flower spun in the box, a red rose, a song tinkling from it's mechanism. Inside a slip of paper laid peacefully against the woodgrains. Miss Parker removed it, reading it carefully.
The Lighthouse Inn Room Five ASAP
The slanted, precise handwriting told her who it was from, as if she didn't know. Was Jarod wanting to meet her there or was he just sending her on another wild goose chase? Probably the latter, she thought bitterly. This couldn't have come at a worse time. Why was it that Ethan always went missing? Why did he always disappear? He hadn't even left a note this time, which was unusual. He always tried to let her know where he was, even if he didn't finish the thought. She quickly decided to bring Broots and Sydney with her, but they wouldn't tell the Centre about this. All they had left to do was find out where the Lighthouse Inn was, exactly. She handed the paper to Broots with the order to research the Inn. They would be leaving in a few hours, so he had better discover what they needed quickly. Sydney made himself comfortable in the chair as Parker packed a bag. Broots found out that the Inn was a small place outside of Los Angeles. He called his friend to watch Debbie while they were gone. And away they went, on the goose hunt, as usual.
Nairobi, Africa
Ethan had roamed around the small village in Nairobi, looking for any clue as to where he was supposed to be. There had to be a reason for them to be in Africa, he just didn't know what it was. He sat down at the town's water well, looking down into the cool, crisp liquid. He contemplated taking a sip, but decided he would rather wait for it. He took another quick scan of the town and swore he saw Mr. Lyle walking to a store, the only one in the town. Ethan rushed over to it, ducking behind one of the poorly made wooden shelves. Angelo was being transferred from Willie to Mr. Lyle and looked quite confused. He'd never been outside the Centre. They never let him leave and here he was in a whole other country, a whole other continent. Angelo had greatly enjoyed the plane ride, exploring all the buttons and levers and controls the small enclosement had. It'd been wonderful until Willie had made him stay seated. And now Mr. Lyle was taking him some place else. They left the store, so Ethan knew he had to follow. He trailed the couple to a building outside of town in which Lyle and Angelo disappeared in to. Ethan rounded up the back when he heard the click of a gun lock turn off. He turned around slowly and he saw a short man with salt and pepper colored hair. "Ethan. I'm glad you could join us. Mr. Raines has told me so much about you."
