Same Disclaimer Applies: I totally just thought up another plot twist to
my story but it won't appear for another few chapters. I seem to have bad
luck with geography. In my other story I wrote about Israel and they had
fundamentalist suicide bombings (not unusual but still) then I wrote about
Morocco and look what happened, so I thought I should incorporate it into
the story. ENJOY!
CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Irina and Jack had decided to stay within the property perimeters while the city slid into turmoil. The suicide bombers had shaken the government and caused an uproar with the people. Jack had scoffed at the quick reflex of the US to connect the bombings to al-Qaede networks and had been commenting on the investigation every time Irina walked by the study.
Sloane had called earlier that day and outlined the operation for the code retrievals that was to take place in three days, causing Irina's anxiety to mount. Neither she nor Jack anticipated moving on the codes so quickly and were still trying to piece together information that would take them to the Rambaldi machine.
"Jack!" Irina called from one end of the house.
"Yes?" He called back. Jack heard Irina's foot falls grow closer on the marble floors.
"I need your input on the operation sequence. Could you please pull yourself away from the computer for two minutes." She finished in a huff, standing directly over his seated form.
"I've found four unsubstantiated reports of a young American woman wandering the streets of Hong Kong a few days ago. This is more of a lead on Sydney than we've had in almost two years." Jack didn't look up from the screen and managed to grab Irina's attention as well.
"Have there been any further reports?" Irina placed her hand on Jack's shoulder as she leaned closer.
"The initial contacts are it. Whoever this girl is, she has disappeared as quickly as she appeared." Jack turned in his chair causing Irina to jump back. "I suspect Sloane knew about the sightings."
"I agree, but we still don't know why Sydney is so valuable to him and until we do, we can't cut our ties." Jack jumped up from his chair and walked to the open French doors.
"I know. I just find it more difficult every day to put on a front for Sloane's benefit. Once we get the code he wants, we will be even further behind him. And I'm sick of being behind." His arms crossed over his chest as Irina watched her husband's profile.
"We'll take care of the codes. Sloane won't get the originals and we will find Sydney." Irina said softly, marveling at how often they switched role of pacifier.
"Did Sloane send the final coordinates for the codes?" Jack asked.
"Yes, he did. They're in Alger, Algeria."
"That is only three or four hours from here." Jack moved closer to his wife.
"Mmhhum." Irina sighed then tilted her head to the side. "Were you anxious about being away from home? Is that why you've been so tense lately?"
Jack ran his palm down the back of Irina's head and rested it at her neck. "We can't afford to trust anyone Irina."
"I know Jack. We won't be in Alger long; we'll get in and out as quickly as possible, so stop worrying or your blood pressure will rise." Irina smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss before moving toward the door. "We still have three days to finalize the plans and to get thing settled here for the day we'll be gone. I left the plans on your desk; I'll be upstairs after you're finished with them to iron out any of the flaws." She winked at him, making sure he knew no flaws would be found in her plan.
Jack knew he had to finish the project Sloane had shackled he and Irina with before being able to devote himself to following up on the leads in Hong Kong. He sat back down at his computer and found even more progress had been made in the search in the short span of time he had been away. Two more sightings about four and seven days before the ones in Hong Kong had been reported in Bangladesh and Myanmar with his brow furrowed he left the computer and turned to the operation outline Irina had so carefully prepared.
CIA HEADQUARTERS - L.A.
Barely able to keep her eyes open, Sydney listened as Kendall droned on about the task force's accomplishments during her absence. From the looks tossed her way around the table she gathered that Kendall was getting a little carried away with the stories. Sleep was sporadic and hard to come by the night before as memories flooded her mind intermittently.
Flashes of red, yellow, snow, flesh, and a warm environment were all she had gained from her sleepless night. It frustrated the hell out of her, but she was determined to understand the images as soon as possible.
"Mr. Tippin, have you found anything of use for us?" Kendall asked Will, regarding Sydney's whereabouts.
"Actually, we tried to quell the reports of Sydney sightings in Hong Kong to keep Sloane and her uh mother and father from knowing she is back, but further reports have come in recently from-" Will stopped to look down at his sheet. "Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam."
Kendall turned to Sydney. "Do any of those places seem familiar to you? Can you remember being to any of them in the past few weeks?"
"No, I have yet to remember anything substantial." Sydney shook her head and felt another headache come on.
"Do you feel as though you are ready to go back to work in the field?" Kendall's tone was condescending as he leaned back in his chair.
"I'm prepared to enter the field again." Sydney answered evenly.
"Good. I want you and Agent Vaughn to work through some fighting routines to sharpen your skills. I want everyone to remain at high alert during the next few days. The CIA believes Sloane, Derevko and Bristow will be making a move soon."
Sydney tensed at name attached to the end of the list but remained quiet.
"Dismissed." Kendall ordered.
Sydney and Vaughn changed before entering the CIA gym. Vaughn moved to hold the heavy bag for Sydney to begin take shots on it.
"Kendall has become even more of an ass in the time I've been gone." Sydney stuck the bag.
"When your father was here, there was someone to keep Kendall in line, now he feels he has free reign." Vaughn said in response.
"I've been over it again and again in my head and I still can't figure out why my father would do something as foolish as joining Sloane and my mother. He's smarter than that." Sydney added a kick to the bag. "I wish I-" Sydney stopped speaking and began to sway on the mats. Vaughn let go of the bag and grabbed her shoulders.
"Syd! Syd!" Vaughn held her and moved them both softly to the ground. He watched Sydney's eyelids flutter and move with her rapid thoughts.
Behind the closed lids Sydney saw her apartment in shambles. The image was blurry but she was able to see her bed and the shards of glass that surrounded her. A piece of red caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Whatever it was, was moving toward her cautiously. More red seemed to file into the room as an anxious feeling overtook her. A prick on her arms and a warm hand on her head relaxed her body and sent her spiraling into darkness once again.
Sydney came back to herself to find Vaughn above her in the gym. With his help she sat up slowly and felt the headache abate slightly.
"What just happened Syd?" Vaughn stroked her head carefully.
"I saw my apartment after the fight with Fran- Allison. And then I saw the red again. I don't what it means Vaughn but the red is always there. It has to be important."
"We'll find out what it is Sydney. Trust me." Vaughn spoke softly.
"Always." Sydney whispered.
Please Review (-:
I know this was a long time coming. Promise to never make you wait this long for a story. If you promise to send reviews. Just kidding. (-;
CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Irina and Jack had decided to stay within the property perimeters while the city slid into turmoil. The suicide bombers had shaken the government and caused an uproar with the people. Jack had scoffed at the quick reflex of the US to connect the bombings to al-Qaede networks and had been commenting on the investigation every time Irina walked by the study.
Sloane had called earlier that day and outlined the operation for the code retrievals that was to take place in three days, causing Irina's anxiety to mount. Neither she nor Jack anticipated moving on the codes so quickly and were still trying to piece together information that would take them to the Rambaldi machine.
"Jack!" Irina called from one end of the house.
"Yes?" He called back. Jack heard Irina's foot falls grow closer on the marble floors.
"I need your input on the operation sequence. Could you please pull yourself away from the computer for two minutes." She finished in a huff, standing directly over his seated form.
"I've found four unsubstantiated reports of a young American woman wandering the streets of Hong Kong a few days ago. This is more of a lead on Sydney than we've had in almost two years." Jack didn't look up from the screen and managed to grab Irina's attention as well.
"Have there been any further reports?" Irina placed her hand on Jack's shoulder as she leaned closer.
"The initial contacts are it. Whoever this girl is, she has disappeared as quickly as she appeared." Jack turned in his chair causing Irina to jump back. "I suspect Sloane knew about the sightings."
"I agree, but we still don't know why Sydney is so valuable to him and until we do, we can't cut our ties." Jack jumped up from his chair and walked to the open French doors.
"I know. I just find it more difficult every day to put on a front for Sloane's benefit. Once we get the code he wants, we will be even further behind him. And I'm sick of being behind." His arms crossed over his chest as Irina watched her husband's profile.
"We'll take care of the codes. Sloane won't get the originals and we will find Sydney." Irina said softly, marveling at how often they switched role of pacifier.
"Did Sloane send the final coordinates for the codes?" Jack asked.
"Yes, he did. They're in Alger, Algeria."
"That is only three or four hours from here." Jack moved closer to his wife.
"Mmhhum." Irina sighed then tilted her head to the side. "Were you anxious about being away from home? Is that why you've been so tense lately?"
Jack ran his palm down the back of Irina's head and rested it at her neck. "We can't afford to trust anyone Irina."
"I know Jack. We won't be in Alger long; we'll get in and out as quickly as possible, so stop worrying or your blood pressure will rise." Irina smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss before moving toward the door. "We still have three days to finalize the plans and to get thing settled here for the day we'll be gone. I left the plans on your desk; I'll be upstairs after you're finished with them to iron out any of the flaws." She winked at him, making sure he knew no flaws would be found in her plan.
Jack knew he had to finish the project Sloane had shackled he and Irina with before being able to devote himself to following up on the leads in Hong Kong. He sat back down at his computer and found even more progress had been made in the search in the short span of time he had been away. Two more sightings about four and seven days before the ones in Hong Kong had been reported in Bangladesh and Myanmar with his brow furrowed he left the computer and turned to the operation outline Irina had so carefully prepared.
CIA HEADQUARTERS - L.A.
Barely able to keep her eyes open, Sydney listened as Kendall droned on about the task force's accomplishments during her absence. From the looks tossed her way around the table she gathered that Kendall was getting a little carried away with the stories. Sleep was sporadic and hard to come by the night before as memories flooded her mind intermittently.
Flashes of red, yellow, snow, flesh, and a warm environment were all she had gained from her sleepless night. It frustrated the hell out of her, but she was determined to understand the images as soon as possible.
"Mr. Tippin, have you found anything of use for us?" Kendall asked Will, regarding Sydney's whereabouts.
"Actually, we tried to quell the reports of Sydney sightings in Hong Kong to keep Sloane and her uh mother and father from knowing she is back, but further reports have come in recently from-" Will stopped to look down at his sheet. "Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam."
Kendall turned to Sydney. "Do any of those places seem familiar to you? Can you remember being to any of them in the past few weeks?"
"No, I have yet to remember anything substantial." Sydney shook her head and felt another headache come on.
"Do you feel as though you are ready to go back to work in the field?" Kendall's tone was condescending as he leaned back in his chair.
"I'm prepared to enter the field again." Sydney answered evenly.
"Good. I want you and Agent Vaughn to work through some fighting routines to sharpen your skills. I want everyone to remain at high alert during the next few days. The CIA believes Sloane, Derevko and Bristow will be making a move soon."
Sydney tensed at name attached to the end of the list but remained quiet.
"Dismissed." Kendall ordered.
Sydney and Vaughn changed before entering the CIA gym. Vaughn moved to hold the heavy bag for Sydney to begin take shots on it.
"Kendall has become even more of an ass in the time I've been gone." Sydney stuck the bag.
"When your father was here, there was someone to keep Kendall in line, now he feels he has free reign." Vaughn said in response.
"I've been over it again and again in my head and I still can't figure out why my father would do something as foolish as joining Sloane and my mother. He's smarter than that." Sydney added a kick to the bag. "I wish I-" Sydney stopped speaking and began to sway on the mats. Vaughn let go of the bag and grabbed her shoulders.
"Syd! Syd!" Vaughn held her and moved them both softly to the ground. He watched Sydney's eyelids flutter and move with her rapid thoughts.
Behind the closed lids Sydney saw her apartment in shambles. The image was blurry but she was able to see her bed and the shards of glass that surrounded her. A piece of red caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Whatever it was, was moving toward her cautiously. More red seemed to file into the room as an anxious feeling overtook her. A prick on her arms and a warm hand on her head relaxed her body and sent her spiraling into darkness once again.
Sydney came back to herself to find Vaughn above her in the gym. With his help she sat up slowly and felt the headache abate slightly.
"What just happened Syd?" Vaughn stroked her head carefully.
"I saw my apartment after the fight with Fran- Allison. And then I saw the red again. I don't what it means Vaughn but the red is always there. It has to be important."
"We'll find out what it is Sydney. Trust me." Vaughn spoke softly.
"Always." Sydney whispered.
Please Review (-:
I know this was a long time coming. Promise to never make you wait this long for a story. If you promise to send reviews. Just kidding. (-;