A/N: Sorry I took so long to post but with school and finals, I had a lot on my mind. But now that it's summer…it's time to party Alias style! I want to let you read so here's a BIG thanks to all who reviewed, and I hope you'll continue to review and enjoy!
Chapter 3
Vaughn didn't sleep a wink. In fact, Vaughn couldn't recall what he did most the night. All he did know was that he needed to stay by the phone. If Sydney wanted to reach him, he'd be there waiting, but that night, no call came.
After a night of no messages, Vaughn had resolved to ignore Kendall's advice and go into work. He needed to know what was going on, what was being done, and what had be found. He headed into his bedroom and chose one of his typical black suites. As he was buttoning his shirt there came a sound of a key in the door. Vaughn's heart quickened and he jumped up and ran to the door looking expectantly outside when it was opened, but it was just Eric Weiss. Vaughn had forgotten that he had asked Weiss to watch Donovan while he was gone, which was most likely the reason for his visit.
"Hey, Mike! What are you doing here?" He asked. Then he got a look at Vaughn's baggy eyes and frowned knowing immediately that something was wrong. "What's going on?"
Vaughn walked despondently into the living room and Weiss followed. "Sydney's missing," Vaughn said bluntly after taking a seat on the couch.
"What?" Weiss exclaimed. "What do you mean 'missing?'" Vaughn looked at Weiss and slowly retold the events of last night. When Vaughn was done, Weiss could do nothing but stare at Vaughn in horror. Neither of them said a word for a full minute.
"Well what are you waiting for?" Weiss asked him standing up.
"What are you talking about?" Vaughn asked only mildly interested.
"You've got to go into work. We've got to go into work and find her," Weiss said determinedly.
Vaughn looked down at his half dressed body. "Just give me five minutes. I was just getting ready to go when you came over." Vaughn easily took less than five minutes and the two agents headed off to work.
Vaughn and Weiss walked into the office. It was a mad house. People were running every which way, and the sound of rustling papers and ringing phones became the background music of the office. Kendall spied Vaughn the minute he walked through the door and immediately walked over to him as Weiss continued to his desk.
"Why did you come in today? I told you not to," Kendall asked.
"I want to help. I am her handler after all," Vaughn said determinedly.
"Agent Vaughn, I assure you that we've got every one available working on this. You don't need to be here," Kendall hinted.
Vaughn looked at Kendall in confusion. "What does it matter? Why do you want me to leave so badly?"
Kendall watched him carefully. "Your relationship with Agent Bristow wasn't as inconspicuous as you may have thought. I think that it would be in your best interest for you not to be involved, depending on what we may find."
"I see," Vaughn said flatly. "Unfortunately I don't agree with you, Sir. I want to find her more than anything in the world, and you are not going to stop me."
"Agent Vaughn," Kendall said getting frustrated. "Any man can do your job. You're not needed."
Vaughn just stared at him. "If you ever get a wife or girlfriend that you finally get to be with and God forbid lose her for what ever reason, you'll know what I'm feeling. But since you don't, don't try to convince me to do something that you don't even understand," Vaughn threatened as he headed to his desk.
He logged on his CIA account and educated himself on the latest news surrounding Sydney's disappearance. Unfortunately, the folder was mostly empty. There were a few documentations of phone calls that led to dead ends and that was it. Vaughn sighed, not sure of where to begin. The CIA had no leads so there was nothing to research, nothing to check up on, and nothing to verify. Vaughn sighed and decided to go and see if the forensics team had found out anything that had yet to be recorded in Sydney's folder.
He passed Kendall on his way to the lab offices, but Vaughn ignored him. Kendall was the least of his problems. Vaughn only wanted one thing at the moment. And for some reason she had been snatched out of his life. It was killing him.
Vaughn entered the lab at the surprise of the lab technician Dr. Phillip Jenson. "May I help you?" Dr. Jenson asked upon Vaughn's entry.
"I'm Agent Michael Vaughn. Director Kendall asked me for an update on the samples you obtained from Agent Sydney Bristow's house," Vaughn lied.
Dr. Jenson believed him. "There isn't much to say. I've lifted prints off the gun and found two sets. After putting it through the data system, I've found that they belonged to Agent Bristow and a Miss Francine Calfo." Vaughn shook his head, that was expected since whoever was playing Francie had been doubled to look and act exactly like the real Francie. "The Curious thing," Dr. Jenson continued, "was that the gun is registered under the name Loan Ravine Sr. It is said that he is currently living in Greene County, Colorado."
Vaughn approached him, excited. "Can I get a copy of that address?" It may be a slim lead but for the moment it was the only one he had. Dr. Jenson wrote down the Colorado address and gave it to Vaughn. "Anything else?" Vaughn asked. "Any idea of who the double is?"
Dr. Jenson shook his head. "Our resources told us that a build up of proteins would be seen in the eyes of the double. However, that hasn't been found in Miss Calfo. There are eye drops that can be used to reduce protein counts. Minimal amounts are actually put in contact solutions to reduce protein irritation. Unfortunately, we have yet to find any evidence of this usage among Agent Bristow's or Miss Calfo's things."
"So your saying that it is possible that the person Sydney shot may or may not be a double?" Vaughn asked him in surprise.
"Either one is possible. Until we find the other Miss Calfo, we have to assume that the one we have in our custody is the real one and not the double."
"I see," Vaughn said disappointed. "And the…blood at the scene didn't show anything?"
"No, the blood at the scene proved to belong to Agent Bristow, Miss Calfo, and Mr. Will Tippin," Dr. Jenson explained. "A knife was also found in the kitchen sink with remnants of Mr. Tippin's blood on it, however all prints had been whipped clean."
Vaughn shakily gave his thanks and walked out of the lab room He needed to talk to Kendall, because he was going to Colorado.
GREENE COUNTY, COLORADO
Vaughn drove the CIA rental car accompanied by Agent Weiss and a few other agents to a house located on 6549 Hilton Dr. Greene County was located in the country and as they drove, the distance between the houses became farther apart. Farmhouses occupied more and more land that housed cows, horses, or fields growing agricultural products. It was really beautiful. However, Vaughn had other things on his mind.
He was unsure of what they would find at the house. He hoped most of all that this house would lead to the end of the search for Sydney so that they could once again live happily ever after, but for some reason, in the CIA life, things never turn out the way you want them to.
The agents reached the house off the dirt drive they had been traveling for nearly five miles. The house was a nice little farmhouse with a front porch furnished in wooden rocking chairs and a porch swing. There were no vehicles around and the grass had grown to an untidy sight making it seem as if it hadn't been mowed in a couple months. Just looking at the outside appearance of the house made his heart tighten. He had a feeling that they would not find Sydney here.
Vaughn and the other agents armed themselves. Half of them headed to the back of the house, the other half to the front of the house. Vaughn stood at the front door. With a swift kick he had the door down. A pounding sound from the back proved that the other agents had done the same thing. Vaughn held his gun up, ready to fire, and looked around. The house was deserted, and from the looks of it, it had been for a long time.
Dust covered the floors so much that the agents' footprints followed them into the room. The room itself was completely unfurnished. Vaughn and the rest of the agents took a minute or two to look over the rest of the one story house to find that it was indeed empty. There were no beds in the bedrooms or furniture of any kind. There were a few appliances including a stove, refrigerator, toilet, and a sink, but that was it. The house didn't even seem to receive water or electricity. Vaughn threw his gun down as the other agents gave the house the once over to make sure they hadn't missed anything.
Out of everything he had expected to find, this wasn't it. He had hoped there would be something. Something that would be in the house and point to Sydney's disappearance, but there was nothing. The gun apparently was registered to a fake name and a dead end.
"Agent Vaughn," Agent John Michels said calling him over. "Look at this." He was holding up a half burned piece of paper that had apparently been in the fireplace. Vaughn took the paper and read it.
In five years time will stop,
And with the Prophecy she will be sought.
The rest of the lines, before and after the legible lines, had been burnt off making it impossible to comprehend the meaning of the printed words. Vaughn didn't know what to think. The Prophecy? That could only relate to Rambaldi, but the CIA had never determined who Rambaldi had been talking about. Had it been Irina Derevko or Sydney? Vaughn shook his head. It can't be Sydney, Vaughn thought. She doesn't hold true to the prophecy because she's seen Mt. Sebacio.
The other puzzling part of this note was who had left it. This was a part of the prophecy that the CIA had never read before, and Vaughn didn't understand what it meant. It was written on normal paper which meant that it wasn't a copy of the Rambaldi manuscript, but that didn't mean that it hadn't been copied. Damn it, Vaughn thought angrily. Coming here was supposed to answer my questions. Not add more to the list.
Vaughn made his way outside to the car. He didn't want to be in there. Not any more. Every thing in that house pointed to ownership from people other than the CIA, and right now he didn't want to think of the possibility that Sloane and/or Irina Derevko had Sydney. He wanted answers, and soon. The house was a dead end, and it was time to get back to LA. Weiss had followed Vaughn outside and was soon standing next to him.
Vaughn handed the piece of paper over to him silently and waited.
"What does it mean?" Weiss asked, just as confused as Vaughn was.
"I don't know. We should get the team out and head back home. We're not going to find anything else here," Vaughn ordered. A couple people had already filtered out of the house when suddenly the house exploded. Vaughn and Weiss dropped to the ground and covered their face and head with their hands. Glass shards flew all around along with wood and shingles from the roof.
When the initial explosion stopped both Vaughn and Weiss stood up slowly. The two agents that had been on the porch were now lying face down on the driveway while the house burned an intense color of orange.
Vaughn and Weiss ran over to them and dragged them farther away from the burning building. Both of them were alive but they definitely needed medical attention. Vaughn looked at the building in sadness. Eight men had come out to Colorado following on a lead, but only four would be coming home.
