"Weiss, what is it? Where's Sydney?"
"She's in Sark's car."
*********
"What?"
"The vehicle you saw Sark enter -- the green Volkswagen bus -- we have it on the sat feed. Sydney's tracker is transmitting from inside."
Without a word, Jack grabs the headset from a stunned Weiss.
"Mountaineer, Mountaineer, do you copy?"
Silence.
"Mountaineer, this is base. Mountaineer."
Silence.
Jack bangs his fist against the nearest console. Weiss begins rummaging underneath the consoles, trying to locate a second headset while speaking in his best let's-all-be-calm voice. "We don't know why she's with Sark. She may have him in custody."
"The bus is rigged with explosives."
"What? How do you--"
"What?" Vaughn's voice is dangerously loud through the headset.
"The bus will explode after Sark leaves if anyone tries to enter or exit."
"Jack, you can't be serious. How do you know this?"
"Boy Scout, keep your voice down until you have returned to the rendezvous point. We need to make certain you're not being followed."
Weiss stares at him, headset dangling from his hand. "Jack, how do you know this?"
"This is Sark's modus operandi. Whatever DNA evidence he's removing from the building, he's going to ensure we can't recover any traces of it. One way or another, that van will be neutralized after he exits."
They both jump at a bang on the rear door. Weiss presses a button and the door swings open, Vaughn jumping through and slamming it shut behind him.
"We need to pull out and follow now," Vaughn yells to the driver.
Jack glares at him. "Agent Vaughn, you do not have operational control of this operation."
"That's right, I do." Weiss turns to the console nearest Jack, adjusts some controls, and speaks to the driver. "I've switched the feed on your screen. Can you see the green vehicle I'm indicating?"
"Affirmative."
"Follow it, but stay out of sight."
The van pulls smoothly out of its spot Weiss connects his new headset and passes a second one to Vaughn, who removes the tiny comm link from his ear. Jack continues speaking into his.
"Mountaineer, this is base. It is imperative that you respond. Mountaineer, do you copy?"
Five seconds tick by in agonizing silence. Jack clenches his fist, knuckles white. Vaughn bangs his against the van's rear door. Weiss shakes his head.
"Mountaineer, this is base. Mountaineer?"
A faint rustling sound comes over the line. "Mountaineer, is that you?"
Another rustle. No words.
"Mountaineer, if you can hear me, activate and deactivate your comm."
A rustle. A crackle. The fourth light on Jack's console goes dark, then blinks on again. Weiss sighs in relief. Vaughn's head rocks back against the van doors.
"Mountaineer, it is imperative that you leave the vehicle with Sark. There are explosives set to detonate if anyone tries to enter or exit after Sark leaves. Do you copy?"
Another crackle. The light blinks off, then on again.
"Good. We will have a team poised for extraction. How many men are with you?"
The light flashes off, then on, remaining steady.
"It's just you and Sark? Once for yes, twice for no."
One blink.
"Are you injured?"
One blink. Then another. Vaughn sighs audibly. Jack's hand releases a bit, color returning to the knuckles.
"Are you in restraints?"
Two blinks.
"Does Sark have a gun on you?"
Two blinks.
Weiss and Vaughn exchange looks. Jack shakes his head, the side of his mouth twitching into something that, on another person, might be mistaken for a smile. He checks the location of the Volkswagen on the monitor, tapping the dark shape several blocks ahead.
"Is Sark aware of your presence?"
Two blinks.
"Mountaineer, you have backup within ninety seconds. Proceed as necessary."
Another rustle over the comm, and her voice comes through, the volume nearly causing all three men to jump.
"Pull into the next alley. Don't speed up; don't swerve. I will pull the trigger."
Another voice comes through, more distant, with a familiar British accent.
"Miss Bristow. I thought you might be in town."
"Don't try anything, Sark. Pull over."
The CIA van jerks and swerves around a corner, accelerating quickly as it comes within sight of the green Volkswagen. The Volkswagen jerks to one side, rear wheels skidding as it pulls into a narrow alley.
"Keep your hands on the steering wheel. Don't attempt to get out."
The CIA van swerves to one side, tires screeching as it pulls to a stop, blocking off one end of the alley. Vaughn throws the door open and all three men jump out, guns drawn and trained on the green bus in front of them.
The driver's door opens, slowly, Sark stepping out with his hands raised. Just as his foot hits the ground, he pivots, trying to swing clear of the door as he slams his left arm against it. The door collides with Sydney's arm, bouncing open as she jumps through. She's over the front seat in one motion, grabbing Sark's wrist and twisting it behind him as they both fall forward onto the asphalt. Sydney uses her free hand to slam the butt of her gun against the back of Sark's neck. He grunts as his face hits the ground, Sydney pulling up and placing her weight on her left knee, now positioned in the center of Sark's back. She keeps the barrel of the gun against his neck.
"How do we deactivate the explosives?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Answer me, or you're coming back to Langley."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sark, we have possession of the bus and the equipment inside. We will know everything you know, the only question is how easy this process is for you."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Fine." She slams his head against the asphalt, and his body goes limp. The three men lower their guns as Weiss climbs back into the van, emerging with a pair of handcuffs. Sydney steps away from Sark, allowing Weiss to do the honors.
Vaughn doesn't wait or even put his gun away before wrapping his arms around her, oblivious to the scene around them and to Jack, arms crossed, standing just behind them. That odd twitch of his lips is back again.