Little Child Lost

Chapter Twenty

Rescue

            Sydney waited outside the Operations Center, feeling incredibly worried.  Weiss had called in sick today, just so he could stay home and watch Rogan for her.  She intended to tell the CIA today about Rogan, but without telling them who the father is.  If they knew Rogan was The Passenger her son would be ripped from her arms so he could be studied.  That was the last thing she would let happen.  So, if she didn't tell them all about Rogan's origins, he would probably be safe.  But that was only if they didn't arrest her for deserting the CIA with an enemy of the country.  She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.  The Operations Center was buzzing, as usual, but the minute some saw her, they stopped what they were doing.  Pretty soon, the entire staff had stopped to stare at her.  Dixon emerged from his office to find out why all activity had ceased to find himself face to face with Sydney.  Marshall rushed to her, excited to see his friend again.

"Sydney!  I'm so glad you're back.  Again.  I've been really worried about you.  You left with Mr. Sark and Mr. Sark isn't known for being nice.  I mean, he could have tortured you if he decided that was what he wanted to do.  Did he-"

"I'm glad to see you, too, Marshall."

Dixon and Jack had made it over to Sydney, as had Vaughn and Lauren.

"Sydney, what are you doing back here?"  Jack asked, cautiously. 

"I wanted to come home.  I found what I needed to find, so I didn't need to stay away from here anymore."

Vaughn was watching her, with a great amount of relief.  He'd been worried about Sydney's sudden decision to leave with Sark.  It was very possible that Sark would even brainwash her again.  In fact, he may have brainwashed her.  Sydney and Sark could both be working for The Covenant.  But Sydney was standing before him looking completely normal, though not quite relieved and safe.  She seemed to be the Sydney they'd all known before she'd left two and a half years ago.  Looking at the pain on her face, he though she was just trying to adjust to being back in Los Angeles.  He didn't realize that it was Sark's words that had worried her.  Sark plagued Sydney's every thought, his motions, his out of the ordinary kindness, his protectiveness.  Then she'd see his anger and his hurt and she'd feel guilty all over again for doubting him.  She had to push it from her mind, though, to focus on telling them about Rogan.

"Dixon, can we have a meeting in your office?  All of us?"

Dixon nodded, slowly, trying to get over the shock at seeing Sydney back in the CIA again.  He knew he should arrest her for questioning on her hiatus with Sark.  But Dixon just didn't have the heart to do it.  The group headed on into Dixon's office where they could talk privately.

            Sark was at a firing range, shooting with great ease.  He was tired of sitting around and worrying about Sydney.  So he'd decided to go practice his aim, not that it needed much help.  He'd always been talented with guns.  All the same, Sydney's face haunted his thoughts.  Her worry, her pain, her frustration and her confusion had seeped into him, making him feel the same way she did.  He wanted to kiss her and kill her all at once.  He needed to get over her.  He needed to move on from the feeling of relief he'd had when he was with Sydney.  He needed to become the cold, unfeeling assassin all over again.  He'd never had a problem, not after seeing his mother murdered, by The Covenant, no less.  When Irina had taken him in at the boarding school, giving him special lessons, he'd felt like he was powerful.  He was powerful.  He'd easily shed his emotions with no problem; he didn't need them.  He had power and prestige now.  But Sydney had broken through and forced him to feel again and then she'd left him out in the cold to fend for himself.  Well, he'd always been good at fending, so there should be no problem.  Sark fired another shot, hitting the dummy in the heart. 

"Mr. Sark, Sir?"

Sark turned to find one of his minions, of sort, holding a phone. 

"What?"

"Irina Derevko is on the line.  She says it's vital that you take her call."

Sark removed his earphones and took the phone.

"That will be all."

The man nodded subserviently and exited the firing room. 

"Irina?  Why are you calling me?"  He sounded tired, more so than he'd intended.

"It's Sydney."
"Sydney is not here.  She stubbornly chose to go home with her son to get herself killed."

"That's why I'm calling you.  Sloane knows she's in Los Angeles."

"Bully for him."

"Don't be so sarcastic, Julian.   You know he's going to kill Sydney.  I would go to her myself, but Jack will have me killed before he lets me near Sydney again.  You could go, though."

"Sydney told me she'd have me arrested if I came to the US again."

"And when has the fear of prison ever stopped you from doing anything?"

"This is Sydney's problem now.   Not mine.  I don't think it was ever my problem."  He had effectively evaded the question, but he hadn't been able to disguise the feeling of remorse in his voice.  The line fell quiet and Sark wondered if Irina had hung up on him.

"You love her."

"Now you want to meddle in my private life, Irina?"

"You never had a private life, Sark."

"That's the way to win me over to your point of view."

"You love Sydney.  You have to help her."

"I don't have to.  And I won't."

"Sark, you don't understand.  Sydney won't be able to protect herself from Sloane.  This is all part of The Prophecy.  The Passenger will be a danger to her.  This is why.  There is a struggle between Sloane and Sydney and Sydney will die."

Sark closed his eyes.  He could feel his defenses falling down.  He didn't want Sydney to die.  If anyone was going to kill her it was going to be him.

"Fine.  I'll go, Irina." 

Irina didn't want to patronize Sark by telling him she'd known he would go.  That would probably prompt him to stay behind.  She wasn't sure what to say, so she simply said goodbye before disconnecting.

"Xander?  Get the plane ready.  Seems I'll be going to the United States."

            Sydney stood at the center of Dixon's office, all eyes on her.  There was no reason to skirt around the topic of the meeting.  Sydney knew it would be best to take a direct approach.  So she blurted it out bluntly.

"I found that I had a son in my two years gone.  He's a year and four months old.  I've brought him home with me, but we will need to protect him from Sloane."

The concept of Sydney having a child settled into each person's mind.  No one had even suspected Sydney having a child, not even Sydney herself.  But even more than that, they needed to know why they needed to protect him from Sloane.

"Why do we need to protect him from Sloane?"

"Because Sloane is the head of The Covenant.  He's the one who has kept my child from me for the last few months, he's the one who brainwashed me and kidnapped me and faked my death.  And I finally took Rogan away from him and he'll come after us.  He'd rather kill us both than let me have him."

Every person's curiosity was piqued, except Jack's of course.  They waned to know who the child's father was and why Sloane wanted him so bad.

"Why is Sloane after your son?"

Sydney didn't hesitate.  She didn't want to make them suspicious.  She'd assumed they would ask her that question and she'd been prepared to lie to them about it.

"I didn't find that out.  But I don't care.  I just can't let Sloane get to him."

"Who's the father, Sydney?"  Dixon asked the question cautiously.  He didn't want to hurt her or make her angry.  But the possibility that Sloane was the father was too strong in his mind.  That would give Sloane a reason for coming after Rogan.

"Rogan's father is dead."

She left no room for questions regarding the father after that.  The group accepted it.  Sydney didn't exactly lie about that.  The father was dead. 

" Weiss heard me come into my house last night. Weiss is at home with Rogan right now.   So, I'm going to go home to get him and I'll bring Rogan in so you all can see him."

The last touch of that sentence was full of softness.  She spoke of her son so fondly, in a way a mother should. 

"All right, Sydney.  We'll help you protect Rogan from Sloane."  Dixon said calmly. 
"I'll start setting up guards at the house and surveillance and all that.  It may take a few hours though."

"That's okay.  He'll be here, so he'll be safe.  I doubt that Sloane will break into the Operations Center."

Sydney smiled warmly at her father, trying to convey happiness to the only man in the room that knew the truth.  She knew he didn't buy it, but he didn't try to corner her.  Maybe he thought Rogan would be safer at the Op Tech center also.  Sydney exited the office and headed home.  It was time to see her son again.

            Sydney had sent Weiss on ahead to the CIA.  She wanted to spend some alone time with Rogan before she took him in to be cuddled and studied.  She lifted him in her arms and rocked him calmly.  She couldn't imagine how she'd forgotten him.  He was beautiful and perfect in every way and she vowed at that exact moment that she would never lose him.  Rogan was so important to her.  There was no way to describe how she felt being a mother.  She prayed that she would be a better mother than her's had been.  Hopefully, it wasn't genetic.  Rogan giggled as Sydney twirled him in the air and called out a happy, "Mama!"  But soon the giggle turned into complete silence as the child stared behind her.  His big brown eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly open.  He stared so intently that Sydney turned around slowly, feeling a bit anxious.  She hadn't heard anyone come in.  And she had locked the door, so she would have heard someone pick the lock.  At least she thought she would have.  Sydney's eyes locked on the person standing in the doorway.  Apparently she had been wrong.