Chapter 11
She didn't say anything. In fact, Sark watched as her jaw almost dropped. Then she started to laugh.
It wasn't the reaction he expected or hoped for; in fact, it unnerved him a bit. Sark shifted his weight.
"If our roles were reversed, would you even consider this?" Sydney finally said. Sark looked down at the ground and ran a hand through his hair.
"Yes, especially when I've learned my employer is a fraud." Perfect answer, Sark, he congratulated himself.
"You can't expect me to just go off what you've told me. You certainly wouldn't do that," Sydney said. She had that stubborn look on her face to which Sark was becoming quite accustomed.
"You're right. Not only would that be stupid, but dangerous too. So I'm prepared to offer you a chance to verify my information." Here it was—the gamble that could potentially cost Sark some serious lip from Irina if he failed.
Sydney stared at him, a little unsure of what to think about what was coming. Sark took a deep breath.
"My plan is to kidnap you for a bit, long enough for SD-6 to know something's gone wrong. During that time, I would like to show you what I have, to prove to you that SD-6 is part of the Alliance. Then I'll let you decide. And either way you decide, SD-6 will not suspect you of anything other than falling victim to being abducted by some rival," Sark said. He held his breath as he observed her reaction.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Here's the problem, Sark," Sydney began. Anytime she said his name, Sark tried not to shiver. "You said you would show me your proof. How do I know your 'proof' isn't fabricated?"
Her mistrust was really making him admire her more and more. Sark found her incredibly intoxicating when she suspected him.
Focus!
"This is where we truly face a dilemma. Obviously, you should conduct your own investigation," Sark said. "But equally obvious is the mistrust I must place in you. If I let you go to investigate, what assurances would I have that you would actually consider my offer and come back? Not to mention that you could set a trap for me with your employer."
That got her to think, and hopefully realize she wasn't the only one at risk.
"We should go, at any rate. I don't want your agency to track us," Sark said, moving toward Sydney. He stopped in front of her, considering how to handle her now. "Hmmm. This could be interesting." Sark whipped out his cell phone and called a local associate for backup.
"Can't do it yourself, Sark?" Sydney teased after he hung up. Sark smirked.
"You're hard to handle, and easily my equal in skill," Sark said. Sydney seemed to stop short of sticking her tongue out at him.
"I'll take that as a compliment," she said. Sark nodded.
"Please do."
Two hours later, Sark and Sydney were in Uruguay, accompanied by two men loyal to Irina. The extra manpower made Sydney a lot more cooperative.
They were at a warehouse 50 miles from the Brazilian border. As soon as Sydney was secured, Sark turned to one of the men.
"Go buy some food, and a bottle of wine. Get something good," Sark added. He doubted the man's sense of "good" was near his when it came to wine, but Sark didn't want to deal with that now.
"Sark!" Sydney called out. Sark turned in her direction.
"Yes, Miss Bristow, I'm coming," he said, partially mocking her. He walked over to where she was seated, and cuffed.
"Let's get this over with so I can go home," Sydney said testily. "What's the deal?"
Sark sat down opposite her.
"The deal? I let you go to find out for yourself about SD-6. We meet at . . . Hogle Zoo, in Salt Lake City in one week. You tell me what I already know, and you come to work with me."
"Okay, two questions: one, why Utah?" she asked. Her bewilderment was quite clear, and Sark had to hold back a laugh.
"It's a place I doubt SD-6 will be looking for you, and I doubt the Alliance has any presence there. Your second question?" Sark prompted.
"How do I know working for you would be any better than the supposed Alliance?"
There was a lot of meat to the question, which made Sark respect her even more. He knew this would come up.
"You don't. But based on what I've observed about you," Sark started, "you will want to." Sark knew that wasn't true, but he tried to be convincing anyway.
"Based on what I've observed about you, I wouldn't want to join you," Sydney said. Her tone was calm but low. Her words had the effect of a punch on Sark.
He knew she referred to his actions again, and a sense of guilt and shame started to surface. Sark swallowed it back, and merely smirked at her.
"I'm not the monster you think I am," Sark said firmly. He almost believed himself. Sydney just scoffed at that.
"Whatever. What happens if I don't want to join you?" Sark often thought about the same question. For now, he didn't have an answer.
"Let's not think negatively, Miss Bristow. You'll be free to go in a little while, and then you can start verifying my information." He stood up. "But I need your assurance that you will consider everything, and that you'll meet me, alone, in Salt Lake next week."
She didn't say anything for several moments. Then she lifted up her chin in that beautifully defiant way and nodded.
"I will."