Chapter 19 – Plans
I fish through my purse for the key and the piece of paper with the address on it. I feel so empty; this is the first night in months without Vaughn. I'm almost tempted to just go stay at his house, to be surrounded by his smell, to close my eyes and pretend that he is still with me. I can't wait five days for the trade off, I need Vaughn now. I end up pulling the picture I stole from Cassie's house. There he is, as if it was a hint at what was to come, if only someone would have noticed him, Vaughn would be with me. I smash the picture back into my purse and dig deeper, I finally feel the paper and the set of keys.
I pull them out and read the address, then slip them into my pocket. I don't know what to do, should I go see Dad, and wait for Vaughn or go rogue. I don't even know what they are doing to Vaughn that's the worse part. I know they must keep him alive, for he is their only bargaining tool, but that doesn't mean he's comfortable. I flash back to when I was captured by Sloane, Michael and Dixon where there as fast as they could be, is it fair for me to make him wait five days. I get into the car and start driving away from the airport, still trying to make-up my mind as to what to do.
*****
She just sits and stares at me, watching me, waiting for me to give her information. She's going to have to wait a long time. I'm practically paralyzed in my spot from a mixture of sedatives and the new drugs she's inducing into my system. I know Sydney will come; I just have to wait it out.
Cassie moves the pouch of needles and drugs back on to her lap. I try to slip into my memories, detach myself from this situation, yet something is keeping me in the present, the pain. I feel another needle slip into my skin and a hot rush of liquid is added to my blood. Slowly the agony is intensifying in my muscles, they feel like someone is slowly pulling them apart, shredding them piece by piece. "Now, Mr. Vaughn. What happened to Zanna?" I drop my head down, trying not to scream. I just sit there trying my best to not look at her, not to let her win.
She swoops her head down and looks me straight in the eyes; I turn my head away. "Mr. Vaughn, what seems to be the matter? I'm only asking a few simple questions. It would be for your benefit if you would simply divulge the information to me, then I could stop all this torture." She pats the bag of needles.
I have a million words I want to yell at her right now, all of them words that I would never use in church. The sedative is wearying off, but the new drugs are just as effect at making my muscles use less. I lift up my head and just stare into her eyes, my skin begins to crawl. It's as if looking into a corpse, she's completely dead on the inside.
I try to speak, but it feels as if my throat is closed. I close my mouth, and try again, still no sound escapes. Cassie notices my attempts to speak, "Charles, get some water!" The large shadow moves in the background, leaving my vision, and then returning, handing her a plastic cup of water. She tilts the glass to my lips, and water begins to pour. I'm able to swallow about half of it; the rest follows down the corner of my mouth and on to my shirt. I try to speak again, and random sounds come out.
I roll my tongue around in my mouth a bit and try again, "Why are you so concerned about Zanna?"
She cocks her head to the side, and gives a chilling laugh, "Mr. Vaughn, I don't think you have the power to ask the questions right now." She sits there for a second and contemplates my request, "I'll tell you what. I'll answer your question if you answer mine first."
A deep boom comes from the other man, "Mel, I'm not sure you should do that."
She whips her head around and barks back, "I'm the one in charge here; I think I know what I can and can not do." The other man backs down and returns to watching the TV. She turns her head back to me, "Now, Mr. Vaughn do we have a deal?"
*****
Sydney's flight returned to LA almost an hour and a half ago and still I haven't heard from her. I pace my office, debating if I should call her or not, when the phone rings. I urgently pick it up. "Jack Bristow."
"Dad, there's an envelope waiting for you in Vaughn's office. It contains the card that Cassie left me. I'm going after Vaughn."
My heartbeat quickens, "SYDNEY!" but the lines dead. She's already hung up on me. I could call her back, but she won't respond I know her to well.
I storm out of my office, and down the empty hall towards Vaughn's office. I didn't even hear her come in. I always hear people come through here. I pick up the manila envelope. She's written 'sorry' across it. I open it up and pull the card out and read it.
This is suicide. What is she thinking? She's not thinking that's the answer. I wander back into my office, how is she even going to track down Vaughn? Will.
I fish through my purse for the key and the piece of paper with the address on it. I feel so empty; this is the first night in months without Vaughn. I'm almost tempted to just go stay at his house, to be surrounded by his smell, to close my eyes and pretend that he is still with me. I can't wait five days for the trade off, I need Vaughn now. I end up pulling the picture I stole from Cassie's house. There he is, as if it was a hint at what was to come, if only someone would have noticed him, Vaughn would be with me. I smash the picture back into my purse and dig deeper, I finally feel the paper and the set of keys.
I pull them out and read the address, then slip them into my pocket. I don't know what to do, should I go see Dad, and wait for Vaughn or go rogue. I don't even know what they are doing to Vaughn that's the worse part. I know they must keep him alive, for he is their only bargaining tool, but that doesn't mean he's comfortable. I flash back to when I was captured by Sloane, Michael and Dixon where there as fast as they could be, is it fair for me to make him wait five days. I get into the car and start driving away from the airport, still trying to make-up my mind as to what to do.
*****
She just sits and stares at me, watching me, waiting for me to give her information. She's going to have to wait a long time. I'm practically paralyzed in my spot from a mixture of sedatives and the new drugs she's inducing into my system. I know Sydney will come; I just have to wait it out.
Cassie moves the pouch of needles and drugs back on to her lap. I try to slip into my memories, detach myself from this situation, yet something is keeping me in the present, the pain. I feel another needle slip into my skin and a hot rush of liquid is added to my blood. Slowly the agony is intensifying in my muscles, they feel like someone is slowly pulling them apart, shredding them piece by piece. "Now, Mr. Vaughn. What happened to Zanna?" I drop my head down, trying not to scream. I just sit there trying my best to not look at her, not to let her win.
She swoops her head down and looks me straight in the eyes; I turn my head away. "Mr. Vaughn, what seems to be the matter? I'm only asking a few simple questions. It would be for your benefit if you would simply divulge the information to me, then I could stop all this torture." She pats the bag of needles.
I have a million words I want to yell at her right now, all of them words that I would never use in church. The sedative is wearying off, but the new drugs are just as effect at making my muscles use less. I lift up my head and just stare into her eyes, my skin begins to crawl. It's as if looking into a corpse, she's completely dead on the inside.
I try to speak, but it feels as if my throat is closed. I close my mouth, and try again, still no sound escapes. Cassie notices my attempts to speak, "Charles, get some water!" The large shadow moves in the background, leaving my vision, and then returning, handing her a plastic cup of water. She tilts the glass to my lips, and water begins to pour. I'm able to swallow about half of it; the rest follows down the corner of my mouth and on to my shirt. I try to speak again, and random sounds come out.
I roll my tongue around in my mouth a bit and try again, "Why are you so concerned about Zanna?"
She cocks her head to the side, and gives a chilling laugh, "Mr. Vaughn, I don't think you have the power to ask the questions right now." She sits there for a second and contemplates my request, "I'll tell you what. I'll answer your question if you answer mine first."
A deep boom comes from the other man, "Mel, I'm not sure you should do that."
She whips her head around and barks back, "I'm the one in charge here; I think I know what I can and can not do." The other man backs down and returns to watching the TV. She turns her head back to me, "Now, Mr. Vaughn do we have a deal?"
*****
Sydney's flight returned to LA almost an hour and a half ago and still I haven't heard from her. I pace my office, debating if I should call her or not, when the phone rings. I urgently pick it up. "Jack Bristow."
"Dad, there's an envelope waiting for you in Vaughn's office. It contains the card that Cassie left me. I'm going after Vaughn."
My heartbeat quickens, "SYDNEY!" but the lines dead. She's already hung up on me. I could call her back, but she won't respond I know her to well.
I storm out of my office, and down the empty hall towards Vaughn's office. I didn't even hear her come in. I always hear people come through here. I pick up the manila envelope. She's written 'sorry' across it. I open it up and pull the card out and read it.
This is suicide. What is she thinking? She's not thinking that's the answer. I wander back into my office, how is she even going to track down Vaughn? Will.