Title: The Test
Author: Jenn
Rating: PG-PG13?
Summary: AU~ syd and vaughn meet in a totally different way

Chapter 2



Lily Stevens walked down the hallway, balancing a few pieces of paper between her chin and chest as her fingers worked to put her hair in a high ponytail. Clean-faced and clad in a striped shirt and a pair of clean jeans, she was the fresh new face of Barnard and King.

"So what exactly am I supposed to be doing?" Sydney looked down at her new name, her new past... which would now become her present.

"Barnard and King is a suspect in one of our cases. It's a really simple one but one where we have to be patient-"

"-which is why you chose me. It's one where I don't have to do anything, I'm expendable, and it'll actually accomplish something."

The man smirked. "Yes."

She had no idea that she was playing an integral part in a heavily-funded, full-scale CIA experiment.

She walked up to the receptionnist, smiling. "Hi, I'm the new intern for Barnard and King. Lily Stevens. I'm just wondering where I should be right now."

The receptionnist didn't smile. "Yes. Mr. Keeley is expecting you. Twelfth floor, three to the right. Can you find it?"

"Sure."

"You'll be working generally on the twelfth floor which is where we suspect most of this business is going on-"

"What 'business' is this? What am I looking for?"

The man's brow furrowed, an action that it was obviously used to executing considering the deep creases in his forehead.

"What have you heard about someone named Rambaldi?"

She knocked on the door.

"Come in." She walked into the office, taking in the room- it's structure, it's tone... and the man sitting behind the desk. He's a lot younger than I thought he would be. She smiled, handing him the papers.

"Hi, I'm Lily Steven-"

"-Right, the new intern. You're..."

She waited.

"... a lot younger than I thought you would be."

"I could say the same for you."

"I suppose."

"But I won't."

He smiled, a quick flash of teeth that was all that was needed to make her realize just how handsome he was. "Thanks. I get enough of that here."

"Who the hell is he?"

"He lived in the 16th century, was the chief architecht for the Pope until he was executed for heresy."

She shot the man a look. "And Rambaldi affects this how?"

She smiled back. "I'm sure."

Stuck out her hand.

He took it, flushing a little.

"Am I supposed to believe that?"

"I care very little for what you believe, actually. I'm here to tell you what the CIA wants. And you're supposed to get it."

She sat back down and shut up.

"You're going to be the new intern for Adam Keeley, who will be new himself. This will be advantageous for you because he'll be feeling the place out himself."

He handed her the specs on Adam Keeley.

Hmm... cute.

"That should contain all the information we need. Once we get more situated, we'll get you deeper so that you can intercept the artifacts as they come through."

She flipped through the pages, memorizing herself, him, what, who, where, why, when.

"Okay."

-------



"They like eachother."

The man looked up from his notes, jarred from the voice of the other agent. "Good. The fact that they're compatible will make the test even more efficient."

Agent Kelly shook her head, pointing at the screen. "No. I mean they like each other."

The man looked at the screen quizzically. "They just met. What are you talking about?"

"Trust me."

"Well then... if it's true, I suppose it will only add another dimension to the test. If they do indeed become emotionally invested, it will make it harder for them to see the truth."

"And when they find out everything? What's the plan then? Just jump out and say "Surprise, you passed!"?"

"Well... something like that I suppose."

There was a silence.

The man went back to his notes.

"She's doing well."

"She's a genius. I should hope that she's doing well."

"He's doing well too."

The man scribbled some more. "Not surprising."

"This has the option of going horribly wrong you know."

The man looked at the screen again, watched as Agent Bristow sat at her desk, rifling through papers. Watched as Michael Vaughn sat hunched over encoded CIA files.

"Oh... I don't know."


















tbc...

more?


Haha, okay, I got so confused as to where I wanted to go with this and I couldn't figure it out so I just did what I always do when I'm in this quandry: I just started writing whatever I felt like writing without pre-writing.

And this is what came out so sorry if it was screwed up... but the story is officially launched AAANNNDDDD even if it turns out that I have no idea what I'm doing doing until then, i have the end figured out~!


thanks all!!!! (can't believe i'm on page 7 already... you guys ROCK!)

-jenn