Part Three
The analysis and interpretations took awhile longer than Sark expected, even for the CIA, but eventually the agency came around to his way of thinking. The guards around him didn't assault him and the NSC was nowhere to be found as Sark waited in one of the interrogation rooms.
Sark even fell asleep for awhile, using his charcoal suit coat as a pillow. He woke up to Jack Bristow and a cup of coffee, which was scary but he let it go.
"Thank you," he said groggily, taking the Styrofoam cup.
Jack studied him. "Perhaps I should thank you. Sydney has been released. She's coming now."
Sark sensed the tension emanating from the man. "But?" he pressed.
"But I should blame you for her plight in the first place."
"Because she came to see me?" Sark said. "Please, Mr. Bristow, I hardly seduced your daughter to the dark side."
"Maybe, maybe not," Jack said. "But you will not win her over. I expect her to be able to be herself when all this is over."
Sark pursed his lips. He was somewhat surprised at Jack's casual discussion of his daughter's personal life. "Do you not approve of me, Mr. Bristow? I can't be nearly as bad as Agent Wrinkles."
Jack actually looked confused, a look Sark stored away for his amusement. "You're either referring to Agent Vaughn or Assistant Director Kendall, but either way, you needn't worry. Neither has won my approval. But don't think that gives you the right to pursue my daughter."
His eyes bore into Sark, and Sark couldn't help but feel exposed. This is what I missed as a teen, dating girls with overprotective fathers.
The staring contest ended as the door opened. Speak of the devil. It was Agent Vaughn.
"They're ready in the briefing room."
Sydney sat calmly, looking quite refreshed despite the fact she'd just come from a cell. She'd had time to change even, and sported her normal dark business suit. Her eyes widened when she saw Sark, but then she quickly went passive again. Sark's heart swelled.
A number of agents and officials sat around the briefing room, and Sark took a seat where Jack indicated.
"Based on the newest Rambaldi document we have, courtesy of Mr. Sark," Kendall began, "a major Rambaldi prophecy is about to be fulfilled. Agent Sydney Bristow has been restored to active duty, and is mentioned in the prophecy as one who can stop it."
Sydney's jaw was noticeably open, and Sark almost smiled at her. He would have, and maybe more, if her dad wasn't sitting next to him.
"Arvin Sloane. He disappeared a month ago, but supposedly will be responsible for carrying out this prophecy," Kendall said. There was quite a bit of evident disdain in his tone, and Sark glared at him.
"Something wrong, Mr. Sark?" Kendall challenged, noticing the disapproval. Sark nodded.
"If I may take over, Assistant Director," he said, accent purring with enough civility to be mocking. "This prophecy is to be believed. Rambaldi says that someone will find his destiny and carry it out at full cost of the world, which," he paused, getting everyone's attention, "will burn to its destruction."
All eyes were on him. "If nothing else, I doubt this agency wants to stand by when such a risk threatens us all," he finished.
"So what's next?" Agent Weiss said, speaking up while most were sulking like Vaughn.
Sark knew the hardliners wouldn't like his plan, but he didn't care much, so long as things went his way.
"Sydney and I will use my contacts to track down Arvin Sloane. We will call you in as needed—"
"There are just so many things wrong with that scenario, Mr. Sark," Kendall began. Sark quickly cut him off.
"We will, of course, keep you informed," he said. He knew that wouldn't appease the assistant director, but it was a start.
"Why your contacts? Does that include Irina Derevko?" Kendall was on a tirade. "How do we know you aren't going to go help Sloane? He knew about you somehow; for all we know you could be working for him. You are a terrorist."
Sark smirked at the man with an additional look that said "are you finished yet?" When the man quieted down, Sark continued.
"We'll use my contacts because I don't trust you. Ms. Derevko is privy to more information than you, so she's a possible source, but I hardly trust her either. And I don't intend to help Sloane, especially since I do not know the man. If he knows something about me, I'll find out right before I kill him."
His cool air and yet casual manner in such a serious discussion silenced everyone. He couldn't help but feel pride. Sydney even gave him a half-smile.
Jack cleared his throat. "The concern lies in trusting you, Mr. Sark. You said you'd call us as needed. To ensure we are kept in the loop, we'll send two agents with you."
"That'd be Sydney and who?" Sark quickly replied.
"I'll go," Agent Vaughn volunteered. Sark rolled his eyes.
"I'd prefer Agent Weiss," Sark said.
Jack quickly responded. "I bet you would."
"He's more objective," Sark said, cocking his head to one side.
Sark could have sworn he saw Vaughn's eyebrows spike up. Before he could launch a verbal assault, Jack Bristow stepped in again.
"Two additional agents will go then, to make sure objectivity and interests of national security are maintained. I suggest Agents Vaughn and Weiss." Jack dared Sark to challenge him.
Sark was quite prepared for this possibility, and being that Agent Twit didn't have a brain and Agent Weiss was manageable, he nodded his consent.
"I'll allow it on one condition," he said. "None of my sources, including Irina Derevko, will be pursued by the CIA." He saw Kendall's mouth open for the instant objection, but Jack was quicker.
"Agreed."
Sark knew Jack would see the sense in that, and smiled openly.
"We should leave right away."
Everyone was tense until they boarded the plane. Well, Sark maintained his cool air no matter what. Sydney loosened up on the plane, and even Weiss did. Agent Vaughn, however, was the determined sour puss of the journey.
"So where are we headed?" he asked Sark with a glare. Sark ignored it.
"We're going to meet with Derevko in Bangkok. She's gathering intel already. And we'll see from there."
Sark went to the kitchenette and helped himself to a drink. He felt Vaughn's eyes follow him and couldn't help but think he'd rather it were Sydney's eyes.
"I thought you didn't trust Derevko," Vaughn challenged. Sark sipped from his glass and surveyed the three agents in front of him.
"Blindly trusting Irina is suicidal. She's betrayed us all on some level. But she wants what we do this time, and I know how to read her."
Vaughn snorted at that. Sydney rolled her eyes, and went to Sark. He watched her come to him, every step and every move. How he missed her.
They stared at each other for a moment.
"You look amazing," he said softly. She smiled.
"I missed you," Sydney said. "I planned on coming back after the Alliance take-down, but ran into some trouble." Sark smiled at that.
"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. I just barely found out," he said. "I was waiting for you."
Sydney gave him a teasing smile. "Missed me bad, didn't you?" Sark grinned.
"I'm glad you're all right."
"Sydney." It was Agent Vaughn. He had the disapproving, protective look on his face as he stood and held out an arm to her.
Oh please, Sark thought, is he really going to be that anal?
Sydney looked at Vaughn but didn't move. Vaughn sighed.
"Are you really trusting this assassin?!"
Sydney stood up straight and glared at him. "Should I really trust the CIA? Who got me out of prison? It wasn't you, Vaughn." That fierce look in her eyes and her overall manner reminded Sark of a cat when its hair stands up on ends in anticipation of a fight. He smiled, proud of her.
"It wasn't me who got you in prison in the first place," Vaughn spat back. Weiss stood up, and laid a calming hand on his partner's shoulder.
"Okay, before this gets out of hand, you all should really just chill," Weiss said, glancing over each one. "Except for Sark. He's too chilly as it is."
Sark gave him a smirk.
"Perhaps we should all get some rest," Sark said. "Or we could have Agent Weiss monitor a round of The Bachelorette."
Those eyebrows on Vaughn went spiky again. Sark wished he had a camera handy.
"Both of you, back off on the egos," Sydney said, stepping between them with her hands on her hips. Sark was about to say something about that, but she shot him a warning look that made him shut his mouth.
Sark downed the rest of his drink after a mock cheers toward Vaughn. With that, he settled into a seat and tried his best indifferent and relaxed look.