CHAPTER 3
After Sark left, Sydney and Vaughn were moved to a small room with 2 beds, and 1 table in the middle. Oh yeah, it DID have a bathroom, too. "Lauren, what's going on?" Vaughn tried, but she wouldn't answer him. He couldn't believe this...his own wife, betraying him. As soon as Lauren shut and locked the door, Sydney sighed. "Vaughn, I'm sorry...I thought I should tell you, but I didn't know it'd get us into this mess..." Sydney explained, as her thoughts were overwhelming her. Vaughn only shook his head. "No, it's not your fault, I should've known. I trusted her, but I guess too much...I'm sorry you got involved with this," Vaughn said, moving forward to hug Sydney, as she hugged him back. Oh, she missed him so much. She couldn't be without him, but she knew after those 2 years passed, he had moved on, and wasn't going back now. An unnoticed tear ran down Sydney's cheek, as Vaughn let go and threw himself onto the mattress. Sydney tried to smile reassuringly, but that was almost impossible. Vaughn let out a deep breath, "I'm sorry, Syd," He was apologizing for something, but for what? Sydney's head jolted up. "For what?" Vaughn sighed, "I'm sorry I hurt you; I should've waited...I'm sorry," Sydney knew what he was talking about now. Those 2 years. This was too overwhelming. A few tears ran down Sydney's cheeks as her bottom lip quivered. She nodded, as if to forgive him. She couldn't speak, not now. It would only make her cry harder. Sydney picked herself up and lied down quietly on her mattress. Sydney gathered up all the strength she could ever muster, "I-It's okay...I forgive you," She replied. Vaughn sniffed and nodded. As soon as Sydney turned the other way, he lied down, as well. He gazed at his gold wedding band. It had so many meanings. Faith...love...trust. Trust. A word he had grown to be quite accustomed with. It was what everything was about. Knowing who to trust, and who not to. He decided to make time pass faster and go to sleep- if he could. ***
Sydney awoke to the sound of Vaughn's voice. "Syd, wake up, someone's coming," He said anxiously. Sydney groaned a couple of times before she was fully awake. "What? Wha'ts happening?" She asked as she ran her hands through her hair. "Someone's coming," Vaughn repeated, helping her up to her feet. When he wasn't looking, Sydney gazed into his eyes. So much hurt and pain. She could tell he'd been crying. She'd heard him that night. Sydney put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her, smiling weakly. The door suddenly swung open, and their attention turned to the door. Lauren and Sark. Lauren looked confident, her pulled back in to a tight pony tail, and Sark had a smile on his face. They stepped in. "Well, Sydney, it looks like your little codes didn't work...could there be a possible error?" Lauren said, stepping toward Sydney in somplete and utter anger, raising a hand to strike her. Sydney flinched, closed her eyes, but nothing happened. She opened her eyes, to find that Sark had caught Lauren's arm, and was restraining her. "It's alright, we'll just try again," Sark said. Lauren lowered her arm, and stormed out of the room. Vaughn stepped forward aggressively. "What do you want?" He asked angrily. Sark smiled, and chuckled. "Oh, Michael, you always were the stupid one...always oblivious to what was actually going on," Vaughn's fists clenched and he gritted his teeth. "Oh, we just want the codes, is that so hard?" Vaughn didn't answer, but kept eye contact. Sark searched his eyes for a weakness. Then he thrust a fist at Vaughn, punching him in his stomach. Vaughn fell, crouched over trying to catch his breath. He was gasping by now. Sydney closed her eyes. She couldn't stand seeing someone she loved be hurt, especially Vaughn. Sark picked him up from the concrete floor, thrusting him against the hard wall, hands on his throat. "Did you think you could get by me? Did you think I could be fooled?!" Sark exclaimed, his anger was overflowing. Sydney couldn't stand this. She stepped forward and lunged at Sark. He fell, but recovered quickly and punched Sydney in the mouth. She fell back, surprised at his strength. "Come with me, now," Sark ordered. They followed him out of the room. Vaughn helped Sydney off the floor. They were led into the same room they had been to before. Sydney was put in the chair on the right, this time. Lauren had been awaiting them. Vaughn glared at Lauren, and she laughed at him. Sark stood back, admiring the scene he'd made. They were both in the chairs. Sark cleared his throat. "Now, I think you know what these chairs can do, so, let's try not to make this too difficult," Sark said. He turned to Vaughn. "Mr. Vaughn, do you know the codes?" He asked. Vaughn kept on staring at Lauren, digging his fingernails into the arms of the chair. Sark pushed a button, and a small electric shock was sent through Sydney's chair. She jumped, but wasn't hurt. "I don't know them," Vaughn replied. Sark cocked his head. "Oh, really?" Sark pushed another button and Sydney began shaking, she was going into convulsions. "How about now? Do you know them now?" Sark was only toying with them. Vaughn laughed. "You know, it's actually kind of funny how you think you're going to get those codes from us," Vaughn retorted sarcastically. This only made Sark more angry, as he stepped toward Sydney, punching her in various places. Vaughn shouldn't have said that. Sydney was barely concious by now, as she tried to remain awake. Vaughn smiled at Sark. "What are you smiling about?" Sark asked. Vaughn only laughed. Suddnely, a gun was pointed at Sark's head. He slowly lifted his hands into the air. Sydney tried to open her eyes. Her vision was blurred, but she could make out the person with the gun. "Dad?" Sydney said weakly. Suddenly, 20 more men came in, and surrounded them. Lauren was thrust to the ground, as was Sark. Jack untied Sydney, then Vaughn. Vaughn rushed to Sydney to help her up. Jack motioned the team out of the building as Sark and Lauren were taken into custody "You're under arrest," Weiss stepped forward with handcuffs. He blushed, "Gee, I've always wanted to say that..." He said, laughing. Sydney couldn't help smiling at the remark her friend had made. ***
Sydney was lying in a bed in the CIA'a medical examination room. The doctor looked her over, then said, "I think she'll be fine. She just needs to stay off her feet for 2 weeks, I'd say, and needs to drink 4 glasses of water a day," Vaughn was standing next to her on the examination table, along with Jack. Vaughn had dislocated shoulder, hence the sling on his left arm. Sydney sat up slowly, and smiled. "Thank you," She said. Vaughn and Jack helped her off the table and helped her back to her apartment. "I'll take her back, Jack. You can get back to work," Vaughn offered. Jack nodded. "Sure," Jack said. They both said their thanks and walked out to the parking garage and into Vaughn's car. He helped Sydney in, putting a pillow behind her back. "Thanks," Sydney smiled. She was so happy that was over, but it was most likely to happen again. Vaughn got in on the other side, and stated the car. Sydney cleared her throat. "So, what's going to happen to Lauren?" Vaughn sighed. "She's going in for questioning in an hour, then they're going to decide then," Vaughn replied. Sydney nodded in acknowledgement. When they got onto the highway, Vaughn glanced at Sydney. "Are you okay?" Sydney's attention turned from the passing cars to her former lover. She nodded. "Yes, I'm fine, it's just...a lot's happened," Sydney replied. Vaughn nodded, smiling at her. Now that he thought about it, he really did miss her, too. Vaughn slipped his hand into Sydney's just before they reached Sydney's apartment. ***
After Sark left, Sydney and Vaughn were moved to a small room with 2 beds, and 1 table in the middle. Oh yeah, it DID have a bathroom, too. "Lauren, what's going on?" Vaughn tried, but she wouldn't answer him. He couldn't believe this...his own wife, betraying him. As soon as Lauren shut and locked the door, Sydney sighed. "Vaughn, I'm sorry...I thought I should tell you, but I didn't know it'd get us into this mess..." Sydney explained, as her thoughts were overwhelming her. Vaughn only shook his head. "No, it's not your fault, I should've known. I trusted her, but I guess too much...I'm sorry you got involved with this," Vaughn said, moving forward to hug Sydney, as she hugged him back. Oh, she missed him so much. She couldn't be without him, but she knew after those 2 years passed, he had moved on, and wasn't going back now. An unnoticed tear ran down Sydney's cheek, as Vaughn let go and threw himself onto the mattress. Sydney tried to smile reassuringly, but that was almost impossible. Vaughn let out a deep breath, "I'm sorry, Syd," He was apologizing for something, but for what? Sydney's head jolted up. "For what?" Vaughn sighed, "I'm sorry I hurt you; I should've waited...I'm sorry," Sydney knew what he was talking about now. Those 2 years. This was too overwhelming. A few tears ran down Sydney's cheeks as her bottom lip quivered. She nodded, as if to forgive him. She couldn't speak, not now. It would only make her cry harder. Sydney picked herself up and lied down quietly on her mattress. Sydney gathered up all the strength she could ever muster, "I-It's okay...I forgive you," She replied. Vaughn sniffed and nodded. As soon as Sydney turned the other way, he lied down, as well. He gazed at his gold wedding band. It had so many meanings. Faith...love...trust. Trust. A word he had grown to be quite accustomed with. It was what everything was about. Knowing who to trust, and who not to. He decided to make time pass faster and go to sleep- if he could. ***
Sydney awoke to the sound of Vaughn's voice. "Syd, wake up, someone's coming," He said anxiously. Sydney groaned a couple of times before she was fully awake. "What? Wha'ts happening?" She asked as she ran her hands through her hair. "Someone's coming," Vaughn repeated, helping her up to her feet. When he wasn't looking, Sydney gazed into his eyes. So much hurt and pain. She could tell he'd been crying. She'd heard him that night. Sydney put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her, smiling weakly. The door suddenly swung open, and their attention turned to the door. Lauren and Sark. Lauren looked confident, her pulled back in to a tight pony tail, and Sark had a smile on his face. They stepped in. "Well, Sydney, it looks like your little codes didn't work...could there be a possible error?" Lauren said, stepping toward Sydney in somplete and utter anger, raising a hand to strike her. Sydney flinched, closed her eyes, but nothing happened. She opened her eyes, to find that Sark had caught Lauren's arm, and was restraining her. "It's alright, we'll just try again," Sark said. Lauren lowered her arm, and stormed out of the room. Vaughn stepped forward aggressively. "What do you want?" He asked angrily. Sark smiled, and chuckled. "Oh, Michael, you always were the stupid one...always oblivious to what was actually going on," Vaughn's fists clenched and he gritted his teeth. "Oh, we just want the codes, is that so hard?" Vaughn didn't answer, but kept eye contact. Sark searched his eyes for a weakness. Then he thrust a fist at Vaughn, punching him in his stomach. Vaughn fell, crouched over trying to catch his breath. He was gasping by now. Sydney closed her eyes. She couldn't stand seeing someone she loved be hurt, especially Vaughn. Sark picked him up from the concrete floor, thrusting him against the hard wall, hands on his throat. "Did you think you could get by me? Did you think I could be fooled?!" Sark exclaimed, his anger was overflowing. Sydney couldn't stand this. She stepped forward and lunged at Sark. He fell, but recovered quickly and punched Sydney in the mouth. She fell back, surprised at his strength. "Come with me, now," Sark ordered. They followed him out of the room. Vaughn helped Sydney off the floor. They were led into the same room they had been to before. Sydney was put in the chair on the right, this time. Lauren had been awaiting them. Vaughn glared at Lauren, and she laughed at him. Sark stood back, admiring the scene he'd made. They were both in the chairs. Sark cleared his throat. "Now, I think you know what these chairs can do, so, let's try not to make this too difficult," Sark said. He turned to Vaughn. "Mr. Vaughn, do you know the codes?" He asked. Vaughn kept on staring at Lauren, digging his fingernails into the arms of the chair. Sark pushed a button, and a small electric shock was sent through Sydney's chair. She jumped, but wasn't hurt. "I don't know them," Vaughn replied. Sark cocked his head. "Oh, really?" Sark pushed another button and Sydney began shaking, she was going into convulsions. "How about now? Do you know them now?" Sark was only toying with them. Vaughn laughed. "You know, it's actually kind of funny how you think you're going to get those codes from us," Vaughn retorted sarcastically. This only made Sark more angry, as he stepped toward Sydney, punching her in various places. Vaughn shouldn't have said that. Sydney was barely concious by now, as she tried to remain awake. Vaughn smiled at Sark. "What are you smiling about?" Sark asked. Vaughn only laughed. Suddnely, a gun was pointed at Sark's head. He slowly lifted his hands into the air. Sydney tried to open her eyes. Her vision was blurred, but she could make out the person with the gun. "Dad?" Sydney said weakly. Suddenly, 20 more men came in, and surrounded them. Lauren was thrust to the ground, as was Sark. Jack untied Sydney, then Vaughn. Vaughn rushed to Sydney to help her up. Jack motioned the team out of the building as Sark and Lauren were taken into custody "You're under arrest," Weiss stepped forward with handcuffs. He blushed, "Gee, I've always wanted to say that..." He said, laughing. Sydney couldn't help smiling at the remark her friend had made. ***
Sydney was lying in a bed in the CIA'a medical examination room. The doctor looked her over, then said, "I think she'll be fine. She just needs to stay off her feet for 2 weeks, I'd say, and needs to drink 4 glasses of water a day," Vaughn was standing next to her on the examination table, along with Jack. Vaughn had dislocated shoulder, hence the sling on his left arm. Sydney sat up slowly, and smiled. "Thank you," She said. Vaughn and Jack helped her off the table and helped her back to her apartment. "I'll take her back, Jack. You can get back to work," Vaughn offered. Jack nodded. "Sure," Jack said. They both said their thanks and walked out to the parking garage and into Vaughn's car. He helped Sydney in, putting a pillow behind her back. "Thanks," Sydney smiled. She was so happy that was over, but it was most likely to happen again. Vaughn got in on the other side, and stated the car. Sydney cleared her throat. "So, what's going to happen to Lauren?" Vaughn sighed. "She's going in for questioning in an hour, then they're going to decide then," Vaughn replied. Sydney nodded in acknowledgement. When they got onto the highway, Vaughn glanced at Sydney. "Are you okay?" Sydney's attention turned from the passing cars to her former lover. She nodded. "Yes, I'm fine, it's just...a lot's happened," Sydney replied. Vaughn nodded, smiling at her. Now that he thought about it, he really did miss her, too. Vaughn slipped his hand into Sydney's just before they reached Sydney's apartment. ***