Chapter Eighteen
July 30, 1999
10:36 AM
"Who the hell is trying to kill me?"
Hayden looked up from his desk into the eyes of Alex Krycek, "Why hello Krycek, how are you?" He said sarcastically.
Krycek glared back, "Cut the shit Hayden, who's trying to kill me?"
Hayden mirrored his expression, "Why don't you tell me where Sandra Ames is."
Krycek sat in the chair, crossing his ankle over the opposite knee, a look of disinterested settled on his face, "I have no idea."
"Really?" Hayden barely kept his eyes from rolling in their sockets, "Did you enjoy your cozy little dinner for two a couple of weeks ago?" He changed his tone from sarcastic to serious, "Krycek, you have a responsibility to The Resistance-"
"So you thought offing me would be proper punishment?" Alex interrupted.
Hayden could feel his temper start to rise but he kept his voice calm, "Whoever is trying to kill you, wants Sandra Ames dead as well, and you and I both know that if she dies, the world is over." Hayden paused for a minute, leaning forwards in his chair, "Don't be an idiot Alex, bring her in and I promise we'll protect her."
Krycek stood up but simply stared at a spot above Hayden's head, his mind deep in thought. He turned to leave and Hayden called out, "Every single day that passes, is a step against humanities survival."
Hayden watched Krycek leave, not sure if had been successful or not but just in case…He lifted his suit jacket off his chair and followed Krycek out.
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Sandra wasn't sure how long Alex was going to be gone but she knew an opportunity when she saw it. The closest she'd been to outside for the last two weeks was her patio.
As she walked along the crowded streets of New York, going from store to store, Sandra breathed in the fresh air, as it was for New York air. It was a beautiful sunny day with just a faint breeze passing through the streets, which would have made for an excellent day to go walking through Central Park.
She indulged and bought a few useless items including a book and a DVD she'd wanted to see. Then she walked a few blocks to a coffee shop, ordered a flavored coffee, took a seat on the patio and watched the people scurry around.
There were women carrying mounds of shopping bags, looking mad for no apparent reason, business men, entranced in their cell phone conversation and people just walking with no purpose, just like she had been doing moments before.
Every once in a while she'd see a couple holding hands, giving quick, passionate kisses and Sandra couldn't help but feel envious towards them. Although she'd never admit it, Sandra was a romantic. She believed that there is one person out there for everyone who will love you through anything and everything. It was a naïve hope in this day and age where most relationships consisted of a one night stand. She wasn't stupid, but she still held on to that wild notion, despite her experiences in the past.
She'd met Brandon in high school and at the time she'd had no interest him, but later, after her parents had died, he'd just been in the right place at the right time, so to speak. He was a bit of a bad boy but he'd been quick to consol her, though it had ended up being a more physical act then she had wanted. Only a week after they'd started 'dating' he convinced her to move with him to New York and her, being blindly in love, agreed.
After a month of draining all the money she got from her minimum wage waitressing job, Sandra had found Brandon 'consoling' another woman, on their kitchen table.
It had taken her a while and more than a few romance novels, to remind her, that she'd just met the wrong guy, a really, really, wrong guy. Still though, trust was hard to earn from her, which was why she questioned whether or not she was in love with Alex.
Could you be in love with someone you don't trust?
She remembered how he had held her until she had fallen asleep after she'd had that nightmare last night. How he'd run his hand gently over her hair, kissing her forehead and whispering that everything was going to be alright.
Did she trust him, then?
As if to answer her, Alex Krycek walked out of the building across the street. He looked mad and Sandra was about to go after him when she saw someone else exiting the building, James Hayden.
Alex had betrayed her.
Hayden must have realized that letting her go had been a mistake and now he'd re-hired Krycek to kill her. That's how those men had found her in Calgary, Krycek had told them. The tracking devices, then men bursting into his apartment, the escape, it had all been a ply, this was all a set-up.
Sandra ran for a cab, hoping to make it back to her apartment before Krycek and grab what she needed. As her mind rambled out incoherent though, doubts started to cast over her as she rode back, if Krycek was planning on killing her, why wait so long? And what about him getting shot in Calgary? Was she supposed to find him there, to bring him to her, no that couldn't be it because then John…maybe he was, was it possible he was in on this? And what about her parent's lawyer, John, had he told Krycek about all the money and that's why he hadn't killed her yet because he was looking for it?
All the questions that were lolling around in her brain were starting to make her dizzy and a little nauseous, so she concentrated on the road ahead. As she walked into her apartment building, she tried to hide her panic as she smiled at the doorman. She ran up the stairs, nearing the top when she heard the door at the bottom of the stairs opened. Not bothering to look, she ran to her door, opened it and ran to her bedroom.
Throwing off the painting above the bed, she turned the combination into the lock and took out her backpack. Before she could make it to her door, she heard the front door open.
Running to the window, she realized the only way out was through the bedroom across the hall, which had a fire escape.
She was crossing the hallway when she heard Krycek yell her name, ignoring him, she kept moving. She was just about to reach the door when she felt Krycek's arm's grab her around the waist.
"Don't run," he ordered, pressing her against the wall.
She tried to kick and punch her way out, but he wouldn't let go despite the beating, "You bastard! I won't let you kill me."
"Sandra listen to me, please," he yelled, looking into her eyes but she elbowed him in the stomach.
Lunging for the door, Sandra got it half-way closed when Krycek threw himself into it. Catching Sandra's arm, he pulled her to him, locking her arms in front of her and tripping her so she was lying on her back.
"Sandra, I'm not going to hurt you if you listen to me."
She was completely immobile, Krycek was sitting on her legs and he had her arms pinned to the floor. "Go to hell."
Alex sighed, he'd seen her back on the street just outside of The Resistance's headquarters. Judging from her expression he figured she must have seen Hayden, who was indiscreetly following Alex.
"There are things that are going on that you don't understand but I'll explain them if you just calm down."
Sandra glared at him, "I understand, I'm a threat to the world right, or is it that you want my money? Tell me Krycek, why did you stab me in the back?"
The use of his last name, it's cold delivery, stabbed at his heart but he ignored it, "Sandra, I didn't mean to hurt you, you have to believe me." He brought his head down to hers, hoping to convey his emotions to her.
Instead of understanding him, she butted her head into his, kicking him off her and bolting for the window. She was inches away, when she heard a bang. Turning, she saw James Hayden holding what looked like a tranquillizer gun and then everything went black.