Chapter 9
Sydney nervously sits all alone in the conference room waiting for Sloane's arrival. She doesn't know what to expect from him. What would his reaction be to her failing the mission? She knew he had high expectations for her.
" Sydney . . ." Her tensions are eased because he doesn't seem too angry. There may even be a hint of satisfaction in his voice. " After the last mission, I hope you have reconsidered what we talked about earlier."
" Yes. I have." She says taking a deep breath.
" Good. I think you and Mr.Vaughn may work well together. I trust that you would guide him along and keep an eye out for our organization at the same time." He says cryptically.
Sydney is a little confused at what he is trying to communicate, and decides to add her confidence in Vaughn. "I haven't seen him in action, but I think he is quite capable of completing missions successfully. I don't think there is anything to worry about."
" Oh I don't question his . . .abilities . . .he has an impressive record at SD-4. Doing what we do, we have to always keep our guard up even if it seems unnecessary at the moment. I am always wary of new people, as I am sure you are too Sydney. If you even have the slightest suspicions, you won't hesitate to tell me right Sydney?"
" uh right . . . ." she agrees softly.
" Keep alert for now . . . until Mr.Vaughn gets more acquainted with how things are done at SD-6. That is all. I will be calling you two within the week for your first mission." Sydney stands up to leave and as she reaches the door, Sloane clears his throat for one last comment.
" We are trying to look into who got away with the disk. I assure you that we will find him." Sydney simply nods her head and steps out the door, vowing to herself that SHE will be the one to find out who he is.
* * * * * * * *
A man sits down at a small table in the corner of a café . A few minutes later, a tall redhead with sunglasses and the day's newspaper tucked under one arm walks past and sits in the chair directly behind his. They are back to back. She orders a small cup of chai tea. After it arrives, she opens up the newspaper and flips it to a random page.
" You're here early," she whispers under her breath.
" I wouldn't take you to be a cartoon reader . . ." he says casually as his takes a sip of his own coffee.
"What?!" She is confused until she sees that she actually did flip to the cartoon section. How did he guess that? As she looks up from the newspaper, she sees that he has strategically chosen this corner where the glass walls meet. She can almost see his face reflected on the glass, and he can obviously see her. She smiles a little and says, " Actually . . .I was looking for the horoscopes."
" Pardon moi. Of course the horoscopes are the most important. What does the week hold for you?" he inquires. Though she enjoys it when he tries to engage her in conversation about non-work related stuff, she knows she should be the one to end it.
" Same as usual. We looked into the contents of the disk. It is very informative on illegal trades for the last decade. Good work." She starts the focus of the meeting.
"That is the most boring horoscope I have ever heard. Nothing about finding happiness in the near future, getting a promotion, no encounters with mystery men?" he teases and she lets out a smile. If this continues any longer, she won't be able to get to business.
" No, none of the above. I know you were reluctant before . . . but, do you see how helpful that last mission was? We got the intel that without you, the enemy would have gotten. And now, you will have a secure position. There's just one thing . . ." She says softly and stops. She doesn't know how to bring up Weiss' cautions without getting him angry.
He doesn't hear her and wants to carry on about something else. " None of the above? What does mine say?"
She is starting to get impatient. "Have you even heard a word I said?" She sees from the glass that he takes a sip of coffee and nods his head. Well if you are, you are not acting like it, she thinks.
" Fine . . .your horoscope says," she is rattling her brain and he listens intently. " it says that you should be cautious of emotional attachments. Getting too close too fast may not always be good." She ends her sentence slowly to see if he understands.
He freezes for a moment to take in her message. " I don't know what that means."
" You forgot to turn off your camera on your way back. I was watching and so was Weiss. He thinks you should be careful not to get . . ." She can sense his changing mood.
" Not to get?" he challenges her to say it.
" You know . . ." she doesn't want to say it. Now she regrets ever bringing it up. Weiss voiced his concern, but it is still a little too early to give a warning. She wishes she could take it back, but now she can't step down.
" I don't. Get what?" he presses on.
" Get . . .emotionally attached to her."
" Company's favorite line . . ." he smirks.
" There is a reason for company protocol." She states firmly.
" I just don't think I am at that point where I need to be reminded. I have not crossed any lines."
" I know," she is quick to smooth his anger. " I didn't say you were. It's just a cautious warning. Take it only as that."
Then they both let silence settle in before they get so caught up in an argument that people start to notice. Kristine puts her newspaper down and takes her first sip of chai tea. It is already starting to cool down fast. Vaughn hangs his head down and plays with the spoon in his coffee cup. He doesn't see a brunette approach him.
" Hey," she waves her hand in front of his face to shake him out of his thoughts. He lifts his head up and immediately he feels his spirits lift slightly.
" Hi," he says with a smile. " What are you doing here?"
" um . . .I came for coffee?"
" Right. Coffee here is good." He immediately wants to hit himself at his response. "Um . .. . how is your shoulder?" he asks with furrowed concerned eyebrows. At that same moment, the women behind him shifts in her chair.
" It's doing a lot better. The bandaging was almost like professionally done. Thank you."
" No uh.don't thank me." The past few days, every time he thinks about the mission, his thoughts usually end with seeing her blood on his hands.
" You're too modest. Anyway, Danny and I are going to have a dinner party and are wondering if you and Alice would like to join us?"
Kristine shifts again in her chair and crumples her newspaper loudly. After thinking a moment he says, " I don't know . . ."
" Oh, but you two should come. Danny can't stop talking about Alice since that day at the restaurant. Please say yes." She gives him a warm smile.
" Sure."
" Great! We'll see you tomorrow night." He watches her walk off to the counter to order her coffee.
" There's no line being crossed," he whispers into his cup.
"Just be careful. We'll be in touch." the redhead whispers as she gets up to leave.
Sydney nervously sits all alone in the conference room waiting for Sloane's arrival. She doesn't know what to expect from him. What would his reaction be to her failing the mission? She knew he had high expectations for her.
" Sydney . . ." Her tensions are eased because he doesn't seem too angry. There may even be a hint of satisfaction in his voice. " After the last mission, I hope you have reconsidered what we talked about earlier."
" Yes. I have." She says taking a deep breath.
" Good. I think you and Mr.Vaughn may work well together. I trust that you would guide him along and keep an eye out for our organization at the same time." He says cryptically.
Sydney is a little confused at what he is trying to communicate, and decides to add her confidence in Vaughn. "I haven't seen him in action, but I think he is quite capable of completing missions successfully. I don't think there is anything to worry about."
" Oh I don't question his . . .abilities . . .he has an impressive record at SD-4. Doing what we do, we have to always keep our guard up even if it seems unnecessary at the moment. I am always wary of new people, as I am sure you are too Sydney. If you even have the slightest suspicions, you won't hesitate to tell me right Sydney?"
" uh right . . . ." she agrees softly.
" Keep alert for now . . . until Mr.Vaughn gets more acquainted with how things are done at SD-6. That is all. I will be calling you two within the week for your first mission." Sydney stands up to leave and as she reaches the door, Sloane clears his throat for one last comment.
" We are trying to look into who got away with the disk. I assure you that we will find him." Sydney simply nods her head and steps out the door, vowing to herself that SHE will be the one to find out who he is.
* * * * * * * *
A man sits down at a small table in the corner of a café . A few minutes later, a tall redhead with sunglasses and the day's newspaper tucked under one arm walks past and sits in the chair directly behind his. They are back to back. She orders a small cup of chai tea. After it arrives, she opens up the newspaper and flips it to a random page.
" You're here early," she whispers under her breath.
" I wouldn't take you to be a cartoon reader . . ." he says casually as his takes a sip of his own coffee.
"What?!" She is confused until she sees that she actually did flip to the cartoon section. How did he guess that? As she looks up from the newspaper, she sees that he has strategically chosen this corner where the glass walls meet. She can almost see his face reflected on the glass, and he can obviously see her. She smiles a little and says, " Actually . . .I was looking for the horoscopes."
" Pardon moi. Of course the horoscopes are the most important. What does the week hold for you?" he inquires. Though she enjoys it when he tries to engage her in conversation about non-work related stuff, she knows she should be the one to end it.
" Same as usual. We looked into the contents of the disk. It is very informative on illegal trades for the last decade. Good work." She starts the focus of the meeting.
"That is the most boring horoscope I have ever heard. Nothing about finding happiness in the near future, getting a promotion, no encounters with mystery men?" he teases and she lets out a smile. If this continues any longer, she won't be able to get to business.
" No, none of the above. I know you were reluctant before . . . but, do you see how helpful that last mission was? We got the intel that without you, the enemy would have gotten. And now, you will have a secure position. There's just one thing . . ." She says softly and stops. She doesn't know how to bring up Weiss' cautions without getting him angry.
He doesn't hear her and wants to carry on about something else. " None of the above? What does mine say?"
She is starting to get impatient. "Have you even heard a word I said?" She sees from the glass that he takes a sip of coffee and nods his head. Well if you are, you are not acting like it, she thinks.
" Fine . . .your horoscope says," she is rattling her brain and he listens intently. " it says that you should be cautious of emotional attachments. Getting too close too fast may not always be good." She ends her sentence slowly to see if he understands.
He freezes for a moment to take in her message. " I don't know what that means."
" You forgot to turn off your camera on your way back. I was watching and so was Weiss. He thinks you should be careful not to get . . ." She can sense his changing mood.
" Not to get?" he challenges her to say it.
" You know . . ." she doesn't want to say it. Now she regrets ever bringing it up. Weiss voiced his concern, but it is still a little too early to give a warning. She wishes she could take it back, but now she can't step down.
" I don't. Get what?" he presses on.
" Get . . .emotionally attached to her."
" Company's favorite line . . ." he smirks.
" There is a reason for company protocol." She states firmly.
" I just don't think I am at that point where I need to be reminded. I have not crossed any lines."
" I know," she is quick to smooth his anger. " I didn't say you were. It's just a cautious warning. Take it only as that."
Then they both let silence settle in before they get so caught up in an argument that people start to notice. Kristine puts her newspaper down and takes her first sip of chai tea. It is already starting to cool down fast. Vaughn hangs his head down and plays with the spoon in his coffee cup. He doesn't see a brunette approach him.
" Hey," she waves her hand in front of his face to shake him out of his thoughts. He lifts his head up and immediately he feels his spirits lift slightly.
" Hi," he says with a smile. " What are you doing here?"
" um . . .I came for coffee?"
" Right. Coffee here is good." He immediately wants to hit himself at his response. "Um . .. . how is your shoulder?" he asks with furrowed concerned eyebrows. At that same moment, the women behind him shifts in her chair.
" It's doing a lot better. The bandaging was almost like professionally done. Thank you."
" No uh.don't thank me." The past few days, every time he thinks about the mission, his thoughts usually end with seeing her blood on his hands.
" You're too modest. Anyway, Danny and I are going to have a dinner party and are wondering if you and Alice would like to join us?"
Kristine shifts again in her chair and crumples her newspaper loudly. After thinking a moment he says, " I don't know . . ."
" Oh, but you two should come. Danny can't stop talking about Alice since that day at the restaurant. Please say yes." She gives him a warm smile.
" Sure."
" Great! We'll see you tomorrow night." He watches her walk off to the counter to order her coffee.
" There's no line being crossed," he whispers into his cup.
"Just be careful. We'll be in touch." the redhead whispers as she gets up to leave.