Chapter 7- Rembaldi's Message
Lynx walked out onto the diving board. The pool was located in the center of the manor in what was once an outside garden. It had been added by Sark, even though he seldom used it. Lynx sat down on the edge of the diving board, her khaki pants allowing her to cross her legs. She usually came here to think. Tonight she was contemplating a play she had just seen a few hours ago. She stared up into the starry night:
Come, gentle night; come loving, black-browed night; give me my Romeo; and when he shall die,
Take him, and cut him into little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love With night and pay no worship to the garish sun. O, I have bought the mansion of a love, but not possessed it; and
Though I am sold, not yet enjoyed. So tedious is this day as is the night before some festival to an impatient child That hath new robes and may not wear them.
Lynx stood up and continued to recite her favorite monologues:
What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. So Romeo would were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title. O, Romeo doff thy name; and for thy name which is not part of thee, take all myself!
"I take thee at thy word!" Sark had snuck up from behind her.
"Aaaahh!" Lynx screamed as she slipped off the edge of the diving board and fell into the pool. She gasped loudly as she resurfaced and started to tread water. "What was that for?"
"I knew the line, so I said it," Sark said. "You look cold,"
Lynx swam over to the side of the pool, "Of course I'm cold. I'm swimming outside in the middle of January! I'm just lucky you keep the heater on,"
"Looks okay to me," Sark said, looking around as he took off his jacket. Then, without another word, he dove into the pool.
"What on earth are you doing?" Lynx laughed as he came up. "There's something wrong with you. You're not yourself,"
"You were right, it's bloody freezing," Sark said, hanging onto the side.
"You're usually reserved, calm, collected, and completely unspontanious. There's something wrong with you," Lynx said.
Sark nodded, "Yes, there is. Sloane wants you to activate Rembaldi's device tomorrow night, and I don't want you to,"
"Why not? This is what you've been waiting for, hasn't it?" Lynx asked.
"Well, yes, but, I'm not sure what will happen when you do. Will this be good or bad? Will you have to leave, or will it just play a song and we get on with our lives? There's too many unanswerable questions to be certain of a future," Sark stared at the dark sky.
"True, but if you never take chances, you have no hope for a future in the first place," Lynx said a she swam over to the ladder of the pool. "I mean, the Americas or any of the world's islands would never had been found if people hadn't risked everything,"
"True," Sark followed her. He spun her around in the water before she managed to climb up the ladder.
"Sark?" Lynx asked uncertainly as he leaned into her.
"Ssshh," He hushed. He kissed her, pulling her close. And this time, instead of feeling nothing when he kissed her, Lynx felt a stirring in her heart.
* * *
"Michael, do you want steak or chicken at the reception?" Sydney asked as he drove them to work.
"I'm partial to steak myself," he said as he pulled into the agency parking lot.
"Okay, I'll call Angelo and tell him," Sydney entered that into her palm pilot. "Also, have you picked a best man?"
"Yeah, Weiss," Vaughn turned off the engine.
"Are you sure he's the best candidate?" Sydney asked as they walked to the main doors.
"It was either him or my college friend David. You know, the one who works at Chippendales,"
"Oh," Sydney nodded. "Good choice,"
"Miss Bristow, Agent Vaughn, Director Dixon wants to see you in the meeting room as soon as you got in," Marcia the intern said as they walked into the office.
"Sure Marcia," Vaughn said.
Ten minutes later, they were in the meting room as well as Weiss and six other agents. Dixon sat at his desk quietly, seeming to wait for someone. When Marshall finally huffed into the office with a steaming cup of coffee, Dixon finally spoke, "I have gathered all of you here this morning because you are the best of the best. And, as some of you know, we are going to move in on Sark and his associate, Lynx, tomorrow evening. You will form the team that will apprehend them and bring them back here for unrestricted interrogation as to the whereabouts and all the information they have about the Rembaldi device, Ildire. And, if possible you are to bring back the device in one piece. Marshall has the order of operations for this mission,"
"Right, now, Sydney will break into the house herself while the others wait outside in the surrounding trees," Marshall brought up the map and floor plans of Greenshire Hall. "After she has disabled the security system, she will affirm it on the communicator and the rest of you will infiltrate the house and find Sark, Lynx, and any other people you find. Now, the security system is pretty tight. The dogs will have to be avoided with scent killer, but the infrared sensors will be harder. Our best bet is to just get the job done as soon as possible. There are wire triggers all over the grounds, but I've made a map of those so you can avoid them,"
"Good, Marshall," Dixon said. "Now, are you all clear with the plan?" The agents all gave nods and affirmatives. "Good, you all set out at this time tomorrow morning. Get your affairs in order, and good luck,"
* * *
"Are you ready?" Sloane asked her, handing Lynx the Rembaldi amulet.
"Hell no," She said. In all honesty, Lynx felt as if she was about to throw up.
"Don't use that type of language young lady," Irina Derevko said as she stepped into Sark's study, followed by Carson.
"You're not my mother," Lynx said, snapping at her as Carson rushed over to her, picked her up and spun her around in a circle.
"Lynx! I haven't seen you in so long!" Carson hugged her tight. "I heard you were apprehended by the CIA and tortured. They will pay dearly for that,"
"Huh, whatever," Lynx unwrapped herself from him and went to stand by Sark. The Rembaldi device was to his right. It was a simple dark brown and black box the size of a standard dishwasher that Sark said only weighed about twenty pounds. Standing on his desk, the only indentation on the smooth surface was a small inverted square shape with an inverted diamond cut into it. The diamond would fit the amulet perfectly.
"I don't understand," Derevko said. "Why can't you or Arven activate the device, Mr. Sark? Why must it be this girl?"
Sloane answered her, "I believe Rembaldi made it so only his Chosen could activate the device. She must have a certain pressure, I believe, at which she places the amulet in the device. Only one person can exert a certain amount of pressure like that, so Lynx is the only one who can do this,"
Carson stepped closer to her, "Lynx, may I speak to you outside for a moment?"
"She's about to change history, you little idiot,' Sark said, putting his arm on Lynx's hip. "She doesn't have time for you,"
"No, Sark, I need to talk with him," Lynx went to the painting and knocked to open the passage. "Let's go,"
When she and Carson were safely in her room, Carson immediately began to kiss her. "It's been a long time since we were alone," he said with a smile.
"Carson, I can't be with you anymore," Lynx said, turning around.
"Why not?" Carson's eyes blazed. "It's him isn't it? It's that damned English bastard, isn't? He's forcing you to do this!"
"No, he's not. I'm doing this because I have to," Lynx said.
Carson grabbed her arm, "But I love you,"
"Well I don't love you. You're a good person and I like you as a person, but I don't love you," Lynx said, twisting out of his grip. "I'm sorry,"
"Tell me why," Carson said, trying to contain his anger.
"Because I like, I mean love, someone else," Lynx climbed back into the wardrobe. She turned around and waited for Carson. "Coming?"
"No," He said, turning his back on her.
"Where's Carson?" Derevko asked as Lynx walked through the wardrobe.
"He's not coming," Lynx took the amulet from her pocket and stood in front of the device. She turned around, "Ready?"
"Yes," Sloane said. Sark and Derevko nodded. Lynx took the amulet and gently pressed it into the device.
At first nothing happened. The amulet just stayed in its spot in the square of the box. Then, a low rumbling issued forth. The device began to shake violently and the rumbling got louder. Lynx ran back to where Sark was and he put his arms around her to comfort her. The others stood in awe as the shaking of the device got worse, almost to the point where it could have fallen off of the desk. The rumbling grew to a high pitched, wailing screech that made everyone flinch. Then, at one of the seams in the device, a piece of parchment began to roll out of the machine as if it was coming out of a regular printer. About a meter came out before an ink drawing appeared on the paper. Sloane made to go get it, but the screech grew to be too terrible that everyone had to cover his or her ears. The harsh ringing went on for about two minutes before the room was silent again. Everyone gathered around the fallen paper, faces eager with excitement. This was it, the final message of Rembaldi. Sloane picked up the parchment. The inscription comprised of two ink drawings and a three-word message.
"Mr. Sark, it's you," Sloane said, looking at the top drawing. And indeed it was; a perfect rendering of the man who now stood in shock.
Derevko recognized the second drawing, "It's Lynx. It's the same drawing from the Rembaldi manuscript,"
"What's this mean, Mr. Sloane?" Sark said, pointing at the message at the very bottom of the parchment.
Sloane frowned slightly, "It says, 'Love each other'. But, this is it? This is what Rembaldi wanted us to know?"
Derevko sighed, "Almost thirty years of gathering and deciphering research, and all we get is that Sark and Lynx like each other! Tsk, I'm leaving. Lynx, where's Carson?"
"Probably still in my bedroom," Lynx said, bending over to study the drawings.
"Good bye, Arven, Mr. Sark, Lynx," Derevko left the room without another word.
"I must be going as well," Sloane said, making for the door. "Mr. Sark, I want you to analyze every part of that parchment from top to bottom and preserve it in the best way you know how,"
"Yes, sir," Sark said, showing both of his superiors out of the room. He turned back to Lynx who was still looking the parchment over. "So, that was an interesting message,"
Lynx looked over at him, "Yeah, interesting and creepy,"
"Still surprised at how accurate Rembaldi's prophecies are?" Sark sat down beside her.
"A little, but I'm getting used to the idea of surprises," Lynx flipped her hair out of her eyes.
"Really?" Sark suddenly grabbed her, and kissed her hard as he stood her up. He pushed her against the mantle, continuing to kiss her mouth and neck. He reached over to one of the griffin shaped mantle embellishments and pulled down. The entire fireplace swung around and revealed a short hall. Sark unlocked himself from her and led Lynx down the hall. It was a large bedroom he led her to; his bedroom. Sark threw her down on the bed and she quickly pulled him down to herself.
* * *
Sydney sat in silence as she flew on the jet with the seven other agents. Vaughn sat down beside her, giving her a steaming cup of coffee, "Here, drink this,"
"Thanks," she sighed and stared off into the air in front of her.
Vaughn looked at her, "What's wrong?"
"I don't feel right about this mission," Sydney said. "Something's going to go wrong, I can feel it."
"How can you tell?" Vaughn asked.
Sydney shrugged, "It's just a feeling. Something inside me is telling me we're wrong in doing this, that this goes against something someone has meant to happen," She looked at Vaughn. "I don't think we should do this,"
"Hey, it'll be alright," He said, putting a comforting arm over her shoulder. "Just remember we're finally going to get Sark and his female counterpart once and for all. We have great evidence against them now. They won't be able to get away his time,"
"The girl still worries me," Sydney said. "I know the story she fed us was false, but, I still can't help but feel like she does have some sort of tragic past, even if she herself doesn't know about it,"
"What makes you say that?" Vaughn asked.
"Her eyes, there's something about them that's shaded," Sydney took a sip of coffee. "Not that she's blind, just metaphorically shaded. She's hiding something, something she might even be hiding from herself. Something bad happened to her, Michael, and when I interrogate her, I'm finding out what,"
"Hey, Vaughn," Weiss walked over from the other end of the plane, "do you have a cell phone?"
"No," Vaughn answered. "Why?"
"Marcia wanted me to call her right before we leave the East American coastline, and we're flying over Manhattan right now," Weiss looked out the nearest window and pointed to the tiny blurb of city.
"Weiss, are you two?" Sydney asked.
"Because you know forming a personal relationship between agents and interns is against our policy," Vaughn said, half smiling.
"Hey, and so is a personal relationship between an agent and her handler, but that didn't seem to stop you two," Weiss pointed out.
Sydney sighed, "True, but we waited until the downfall of SD-6. You two didn't," She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. "Just don't get caught," she said as she handed him the phone.
"Thanks for the advice," Weiss walked over to a more secluded part of the jet's cabin.
"So, who do you think the girl really is?" Sydney asked Vaughn.
Vaughn considered, "I have an idea,"
* * *
To: Michael Vaughn, vaughnm@cybermail.comFrom: Jack Bristow, bristowj@cybermail.com
Re: Project Files
Vaughn, here are the files you asked for. I think you'll find everything in order.
"Thank you, Jack," Vaughn said, leaning back in his chair as he read the e-files. He bypassed all of the male files before carefully shifting through the girls. Blonde, no. African American, no. Brown hair . . .yes! Wait, no she has blue eyes. Asian, no. Hey, there! Brown hair, green eyes, and she looks like the description Sydney gave: skinny, a little tall for her age, angular face. Hmm, what's her name? That would sound right.
* * *
Vaughn took out the printed sheet of information on his find, "Her name is Danielle Ruben. She matches the description you gave if you add about twelve years. Same physical attributes, strong, a bit spirited, I think this could be the girl,"
"So, you think she was in Project Lifetime?" Sydney asked, studying the five-year-olds face. "But, wouldn't that make her CIA? What would she be doing with Sark?"
Vaughn sighed, "Jack gave the syllabus and the project rules and guidelines a few nights ago. He said that he realized that this could actually mean something. What I found out is that after their twelve to thirteen years of training, all of the kids were memory-wiped. This would ensure that they would have a seeming innate sense of duty to their country and join the CIA when they were old enough. These kids were given back to their parents, who'd signed them up in the first place, and given a false set of memories. Some of the better ones, who were almost always orphans or foster children, were not given new memories, but a single sentence on which they would build a mission and ultimately, and inadvertently, work for the CIA."
"Why would any parent give their child over to such a program?" Sydney asked, a bit troubled.
"Most were military families with fathers or mothers high up in rank. They wanted their kids to love and serve their country as they did. They saw it as a way of being patriotic," Vaughn said.
Sydney scowled, "So they programmed them, like my father programmed me,"
Vaughn rubbed her shoulder, "Hey, don't be like that. It was the same idea, just on a grander scale. But, I've heard that the kids were perfectly happy when they were in the program. They saw it as a big game when they were young, and an honorable service to their country as teens and pre-young adults."
"So, Danielle Ruben," Sydney said. "Could she really be Lynx?"
Vaughn was a bit surprised by Sydney's calling of the girl by her name, "Could be,"
* * *
"Mama?" Lynx wandered through the dark hallway, her soft doll clutched in her arms. It'd been the dream with the ghosts and demons again that had scared her from her bed. She was going to Mama and Papa's room now, thy always let her in bed with them when she was scared.
Lynx cautiously opened the door and crept inside. "Mama?" Her papa was away again as he was most of the time. Mama was there, though, and she rolled over at the sound of her daughter's voice.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" She asked.
"I had a bad dream," Lynx said childishly and timidly.
"Ah, come here," Her mother beckoned her over. She picked up Lynx and held her tight as she lay down. "I won't let the monsters get you,"
* * *
"Won't let the monsters get me," Lynx mumbled. The room was still dark, it wasn't even close to morning yet. She tried to roll over as she slowly awakened. However, she found she was still being embraced tightly. But the dream's over, she thought stupidly before she remembered that this was Sark's bedroom, and Sark's bed. So there was only one person who could be holding her that tightly, and that idea frightened her. It wasn't the actual act of; she was more than fine with that. What really frightened her was that she was liking this, this loving another human being. She realized this was a perfectly normal feeling for any person, she just had never realized this could actually happen to her. Lynx wasn't afraid of Sark loving her, she was afraid of loving him.
Lynx settled back into the sheets and slept again.
* * *
Warm, summer day in the park. The trees were green and full; the grass, a sea of dark green. Nearby teenagers playing Frisbee and cricket. Lynx sat on a thin blanket. It was Family Picnic Saturday, a tradition of her family every Saturday in summer. A strange, new little curly haired boy sat quietly next to her, "Mama, why doesn't he talk?"
Her mother said his name, but of course in her dream Lynx couldn't hear it, "He's just adjusting. He'll be fine in a few days. Won't you?" The little boy, who seemed to be about eight or nine, nodded his head vigorously and caused his curly hair to swirl around his face. "See, he's fine,"
"Hey, you want to go play with the others on the jungle gym?" Lynx asked the boy, trying to make him have fun. He shook his head no. "Fine, but I'm going," Lynx ran away from her mother, father (he was actually there this weekend), and the boy who wasn't her brother. She ran fast and swift, the wind blowing her hair behind her shoulders. Then, with lightening speed, she felt herself lifted up. It was the man again, the man with the dark suit. He was taking her away, shielding her mouth with his hand to squelch her cries and pleas. Lynx watched her family get smaller and smaller as the man took her to the edge of the park and set her into a seat of a dark van. And the worst part, Lynx couldn't do anything about it.
* * *
Lynx woke with a start, twitching sharply out of her slumber. She breathed hard, she'd been holding her breath in her sleep. She felt Sark's arms tighten around her, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, it was just a dream," Lynx said, shuddering slightly. "Just a memory,"
"Of what?"
"I don't know. I just get images and impressions," Lynx sighed. "There's nothing tangible,"
Sark turned her around to face him, "I'm sorry I haven't been able to help. If I could-"
"I know you would. I've gotten used to the fact I may never remember my previous life. Maybe it's for the best" Lynx considered. "Maybe I need to stop dwelling on the past and think more about the present and the future,"
"Future, eh?" Sark smiled. He seemed to be going back to sleep. His lethargic attitude was beginning to affect Lynx. She felt her eyelids going heavier.
"Hey, what's your name?" Lynx asked him, closing her eyes. "Your first name?"
"It's not important," he whispered in her ear.
"It is to me," Lynx told him. "I want to know."
Then, right before he fell asleep again, he told her. Maybe it was
* * *
Sark woke up later in the afternoon. Lynx was gone; she'd left him about three hours ago. After a shower and change of clothes, Sark set out around the Keep, looking for Lynx. She usually never strayed from the main part of the manor, so he did not think she was in the outer wall. He found her in the library, sleeping on one of the couches with a half read copy of Puzo's The Godfather in her hands. "Lynx, Lynx wake up," He shook her shoulder slightly, smiling when as she blinked her eyes into focus.
"We're going to have visitors tonight," Lynx said as she sat up.
"What?" Sark's eye bulged and he sat down next to her. "How do you know?"
"Carson called an hour ago. Derevko made him. They caught an agent in Cairo trying to sneak into their house and questioned him. The CIA is planning a raid on this manor. Sydney Bristow will come first, disable our security, and then her team will come and arrest us."
"What do you propose we do?" Sark asked, even though he was already forming a plan in his mind.
"Let me take care of Bristow myself. I have a score I have to settle with her," Lynx's eyes grew dark and she stiffed in anger. "You have the guards take care of the team."
"I love it when you're like this," Sark said, bending over to kiss her.
* * *
Sydney moved stealthily toward the giant manor; the full moon shown bright above her head. Her team waited in silence for her in the surrounding trees. So far, everything had gone off without a hitch. They had swiftly and silently moved throughout the grounds for about an hour now, slowly moving closer and closer to Greenshire. "Boot Camp, this is Mountaineer," She said into her communicator. "I'm going in,"
"Roger, Mountaineer. Boy Scout, have the team ready for Mountaineer's signal," Dixon said more than five thousand
miles away.
"Yes, sir," Vaughn told Dixon from his perch in one of the large trees. Even though it was winter and there were no leaves, the thick branches hid him perfectly.
Sydney moved toward the front door. Taking out her tranquilizer gun, she shot both guards in the necks. They'd be fine when they woke up, just a little disoriented. She opened the door slowly and winced slightly when it groaned open. So much for a silent entrance. Sydney wandered through the dark, dank corridors. She was careful about turning corners; she never knew when that girl would show up. Sydney neared a tall staircase that led to the middle of the manor. There was a light at the top. The silhouettes of Sark and Lynx stood before it.
"Miss Bristow," Sark called down. "I believe you have met Lynx before. She wants to have a little conversation with you,"
"Go to hell," Sydney rebuked.
"That's not very nice," Lynx said, crossing her arms.
"I must excuse myself, Miss Bristow, forgive my rudeness. But I have to go take care of your friends before Lynx has her fun with you," Sark turned to his woman. "Have fun, darling," And after giving her a kiss, he left.
Sydney could see that the girl was unarmed. She pocketed her own firearm and then rushed the girl, hoping to take her by surprise. The girl seemed bored though. She didn't even bat an eye as she pulled down on a tasseled rope hanging off a nearby tapestry. Sydney was caught by surprise as the floor beneath her fell into a trapdoor, and Sydney fell into darkness. She didn't even feel it when she hit her head on the stone floor and was knocked unconscious.
* * *
Sydney woke up in a dark, musty room. From the pressure of the air, she guessed she was in one of the dungeons. Her hands and feet were bound with manacles attached to a long piece of wood. She recognized this device; she'd learned about it in sophomore world history. It was a Medieval-style torture device called the rack. She struggled for a while to see if the rack was old enough for the manacles to come undone, but she then noticed the new bolts and screws. Sydney looked around the chamber. A single light hung from above in the middle of the ceiling. There were other torture devices around the room. What bothered her the most, though, was that the walls were tinted red. There had been blood on the walls, a lot of blood, and someone had tried to wash it all off but couldn't. She then saw a dark figure in the far corner, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and looking at the helpless Sydney.
"Welcome to my playroom, Agent Sydney Bristow," Lynx got up and slowly crossed the room. "I know why you are here: to bring Sark and myself to 'justice'," she said the last word with a mocking tone. "I, however, have different plans. Don't worry; you will not die, at least not yet. I have to ask you some questions. The first being, why do you continue to seek us? We are simple private landowners. We only wish to be left in peace,"
"Don't give me that! You killed five different people. You viciously slaughtered them! That, and you assaulted an agent of the United States of America, committed perjury, and associate with known terrorists!" Sydney's voice rang in the chamber.
Lynx smiled, "I never committed perjury. I wasn't under oath when I told you my little sob story. And, as I remember," Lynx knelt down and rested her elbows on the wood of the rack as if she was having tea or coffee, "you believed everything I said. That is, until you gave me that truth serum," Lynx studied the surprise on the agents face with fascination. "You really think that weak stuff would have affected me? I just told you what I knew so I could get away. And, as you can see with my memory gone, I can't remember much that would have been of importance to you. It really didn't matter,"
"I know who you are," Sydney said. "Another agent found your identity, Danielle Ruben,"
Lynx stood up, her face an unreadable mask, "That is not my name. I don't know where you get your intelligence from, but that is not my name!"
Sydney frowned, "But it has to be. It's the only answer."
"There are more answers in the world than questions, Agent Bristow," Lynx move towards the gear for turning the rack. "Now, how shall I do it? What do you fear worst in the world, Agent Bristow?"
Sydney stared at her in horror.
"Now that I think about it, you'd never tell me, that would be stupid. I'll just have to figure it out for myself," Lynx turned the gear once. The manacles pulled Sydney's limbs farther apart. It didn't hurt, just stretched uncomfortably. "I have a few questions for you, as I said before. One, why do you look so much like me? We have the exact same build and bone structure. The only difference is that my face is rounder and my eyes are green, not brown. Tell me, why do you think this is?"
"Wouldn't know," Sydney sighed in an attempt to relieve the pulling in her chest. "Coincidence?"
"I don't think so," Lynx turned the gear again. It began to hurt slightly time, right in her stomach. "Question Two, you think I am this Danielle Ruben. Who is she? What does she have to do with anything?"
"She was a subject in Project Lifetime. She can only be you. All of the other children were given back to their parents or to missions. We have records. Ruben can only be you,"
"What makes you think I was a part of Lifetime at all?" Lynx asked, genuinely interested.
"You have defensive moves only taught by the CIA. Your fighting style is that of the CIA, and you're too knowledgeable to have this just be coincidence," Sydney told her all of this without fear. She was Danielle Ruben; there was no reason to keep form her things she already knew.
"Who do you think I am?" When the agent didn't answer, Lynx turned the gear again, and now the pain was evident on Sydney Bristow's face. These answers didn't satisfy her. "I'll ask you again, who do you think I am?"
* * *
Vaughn and the team had waited for over an hour. Even if she was being stealthy, Sydney had taken too much time. After receiving orders from Dixon, they decided to move in. The team quickly went for a window in one of the four large towers. One of the agents quickly took out a tube filled with acid. He carefully applied it to the outer rim of the pane before allowing it to fall into the bush below. One by one, Vaughn and his team entered the manor. From the large study, they spread out into the hallway, careful not to make any noise. The team walked slowly down the corridor until they came to the steps leading to the keep.
"Alpha group go left, beta group go right," Vaughn said into his communicator.
"Roger Boy Scout," came seven replies one right after the other.
Then, a tall lanky figure appeared at the top of the stairs, "Agent Vaughn, nice to see you. Although when I have guests I usually like a bit of warning before they drop in," Sark said.
"Sark, in the name of the CIA of the United States of America, I put you under arrest as an enemy of the state," Vaughn announced, his voice echoing in the tall ceiling.
"Oh, is that so?" Sark gave a slight nod, and soon Sark's personal guard surrounded the team. "I'd love to go with you, but Lynx is playing with a friend, and I hate to disturb her when she's with a playmate. I believe you know her, Agent Sydney Bristow?"
Vaughn turned pale. He let his surprise be known by almost dropping his weapon.
"Ah, so you know how Lynx plays?" Sark taunted. He gave a slight chuckle, "I believe you know what happened to her last friend, Japanese diplomat Ngo Ichiro? He wasn't very nice and Lynx unfortunately got very angry with him when he didn't want to talk to her. She doesn't like being ignored, my kitten. But, Agent Vaughn, tell me this before I shoot you, why is Lynx such an interest to you? She's no different than any other operative of Arven Sloane,"
Vaughn steadied his mind. He had to think fast if he was going to get out of this one, "She has a value to us. We believe she is the Chosen One of Rembaldi," He lied quickly as he formulated a plot.
"Well, you're right on that one. She is," Sark smiled at the agent's surprise. "Now, Agent Vaughn, I must say adieu and good bye, for the last time," He raised his hand to signal his firing squad to shoot.
Agent Weiss suddenly whipped out a bomb. He threw it into the middle of the room and with a loud bang, a bright light flashed for about a second. This was enough for Sark's men to loose their focus. The CIA wasted no time gunning most of them down.
Shit, thought Sark as he rushed to a nearby tapestry. He ran behind it and down the narrow hidden passage that led to the torture chamber. I have to get to Lynx. We must get out.
* * *
The rack was almost pulling Sydney's arms out of their sockets now. Lynx was growing weary of all the boringness of it all. Idly, she turned the gear one last time. She gave a satisfied grin when she heard Sydney's left shoulder dislocate. The chamber was filled with Sydney's scared gasps and hard breathing. "Agent Bristow, that was your left shoulder. One more turn and I could do that to the other one. Or, I could rewind the gear and pop your shoulder back into place. It all depends on you, really. All you have to do is answer my question, who do you really think I am? Don't go on what you've been told. Tell me what you think,"
Sydney gasped for air, "I don't think you're Danielle Ruben,"
"Very good, Agent Bristow, what else?" Lynx rewound the gear once. The pain in Sydney's limbs lessened.
"I know you're one of Sloane or Derevko's operatives,"
"Very, very good," Lynx rewound it twice. The pain was almost gone now, except for the throb in Sydney's left shoulder.
"I think," Sydney hesitated to say. "You're Rembaldi's Chosen, no matter what they tell me,"
"Well done, Agent Bristow," Lynx rewound the gear all the way and took a syringe out of the inside of her jacket. "Don't worry, it's just morphine," She stuck Sydney in the crook of her good arm and undid the arm manacles. Lynx gently helped Sydney sit up. "Sit still and be quiet," Lynx told her as she grabbed her arm and shoulder. With a wrenching cry from Sydney, Lynx popped her shoulder back into its socket. Sydney suddenly felt numb. "Oh, forgot to mention," Lynx said, helping the agent lay back down. "I put a sedative in with the morphine. You'll be a bit numb and tingly for a few hours. I'd sleep if I were you,"
Sydney looked at the girl. She was either an utter, complete genius like Marshall, or totally insane.
Lynx pulled in her chair from the corner and sat down next to Sydney's head, "I like you, Agent Bristow. You're the first of my play mates who hasn't made me angry. I just might keep you for a bit longer than I planned,"
"My, don't I feel special," Sydney said sarcastically.
"Now, now, Agent Bristow, you don't want to suffer anymore, do you?" Lynx asked as Sark ran down the stone stairs.
"Lynx, we have to leave right now!" He told her as he jerked her out of her chair.
Lynx was worried. Sark was never this agitated unless, "They got through, didn't they?"
Her question was answered by shouts from Vaughn and Weiss as they rushed down the stairs to the chamber.
Sark took out his gun and Lynx did likewise. She rushed forward, "Sark, go! I'll follow,"
"No, Lynx!" Sark was cut off as gunshots filled the room from Weiss and Vaughn's guns.
Lynx took cover by an old rusted guillotine and began to fire back. Sark knelt behind the rack.
"Weiss! Don't hit Sydney!" Vaughn called from his position twenty feet from Lynx who fired at him without stopping.
"I know that!" Weiss dodged a bullet form Sark.
Sark didn't seem to want to waste anymore time. He rushed over to a wall that was covered by an old iron cage. He opened up what had looked like a brick and was punching in a security code to get Lynx and himself out of there.
Lynx saw this and stopped firing. She also saw that Sark entire torso was exposed to Vaughn's line of fire. Vaughn must have realized this and turned away from her to Sark. Lynx saw it all in slow motion. Sark was able to open the door, but realized too late that Vaughn's gun was aimed right for his heart. Lynx sprang up and sprinted over to him as Vaughn fired. "JULIAN!" she shouted as she pushed him out of the way into the passage. She saved him, but caught the bullet in her right shoulder. She fell into the passage after him, and stood up right away and closed the passage door. "Come on," she said, running down the passage; she didn't know where it led. The only thing keeping her going was pure adrenaline and determination.
"Lynx! Stop, you'll hurt yourself!" Sark sprinted after her, but she kept going. They came out some eight hundred meters later into the old stables that sat in the back of the grounds. Lynx saw a black sports car and immediately got into the drivers seat. Sark got in with her. "Maybe I should drive," he suggested, but Lynx gunned it anyway. She drove out of the open doors and onto the back road that lead out of the grounds without a single word. She turned on the radio as she gunned it out of the gates. An American puck rock song flooded the car as they drove off into the English countryside.
"I love this song," Lynx smiled. "I've become so numb, I can't feel you there," she sang as she drove along.
"You're crazy, and I love it," Sark said, pulling some gauze out of the first aid kit he found in the glove compartment. He started to dab her shoulder, even as she drove. He fixed it into place with some tape and took a cell phone out of his pocket. "Drive to the airport. I'll have my jet ready to go when we get there. I'll take care of you on the flight to Japan,"
"Japan?" Lynx questioned.
"Yes, I have a flat in Tokyo," Sark said, punching in the speed dial number. "They won't expect us to get far with you injured,"
"Julian," Lynx used his first name a bit hesitantly.
"Yes, love?" Sark looked at her as he heard the phone on the other end ring.
"When I was shot, I remembered," Lynx said, trying not to get emotional. "It must have been the trauma from getting shot or something,"
Sark shut his phone with a snap, "What do you mean remembered?"
"My name, Rena," Lynx cried a single tear. She was so happy, and yet sad at the same time because she finally remembered her name. "My name's Rena. Rena Derevko."
AUTHOR'S NOTE- dum dum dum! Sorry I haven't uploaded for a very long time, but you know how it gets when you get really busy and you only have time to write and not get on the Net, or fan fiction. Oh, I forgot my disclaimer (can't have that).
DISCLAIMER- I don't own the song, "Numb," or represent the band that performs it, whoever they are.
Phew, glad I got that out of the way. So, Lynx (or Rena as she will now be referred to as) finally remembers who she is, but will that be all she remembers. Also, is she related to Irina Derevko, or is the name just a coincidence? If she is, is she Sydney's half or full sister?
JULIAN! I just love Sark! Hee he! If they ever kill his character off, I swear I'll never like ALIAS the same ever again. I'll still watch, you know, because it's addicting, but it'll never be the same without Suave and English Sark.
Well, nightie night!
Tsuri