"Michael sweetie I changed my mind. I don't want French tonight, how about
we just stay in and order pizza." She said her tone happy, which was
anything but what she felt. "I hope you get this message before you leave.
I'll try your cell too. Love you." Lauren hung up the phone, a frown
crossing her face. She'd already tried his cell, he wasn't answering. She
was in the car heading toward his place, hoping that she'd catch him before
he left. It was already passed the time they'd agreed to meet, but knowing
Michael Vaughn, he was running late.
She cursed the Gods for sending Kovalev to the restaurant. He was the last person in the world she wanted to see. He oh-so-suave attitude gave her the creeps, not to mention the several incidences where his hand had accidentally ended up in her ass. She cringed. That man was nothing but trouble and she wasn't going to let Michael anywhere near him. Kovalev was the type that would say something that Michael would find suspicious, just to get a rise out of Lauren. Not to mention Kovalev would make some obscene comment in front of Michael, which would quite probably lead to an all out brawl. She was going to have to find a way to get rid of him. LA was her territory now, and there wasn't room for two Covenant operatives.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Then it's settled." Kovalev said finishing off the last of his Martini.
"Where can we make the exchange?" Sydney said smiling.
"I have a room in the hotel up the street. That will do nicely." He smiled. "You have the money with you , of course?" He said glancing around for the waiter.
"Of course." She smiled.
Kovalev returned his attention to her. "Shall we go now, or wait for the food." He smiled, arching an eyebrow.
Sydney leaned in and lowered her voice. "I don't think I can't wait much longer." She smiled back.
Without a word Kovalev stood and dropped a hundred dollar bill on the table. He turned immediately to help Sydney up and began making his way toward the exit. Sydney followed closely behind.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
He found himself at a full out run as he made his way through the cars in the parking lot. He slowed to maneuver between two tightly parked cars. Just as he'd squeezed past the side mirrors of both cars, he glanced up at the entrance of the restaurant. Exiting the Restaurant was a couple, who hurriedly rushed past the incoming crowd. Something about the man, made Vaughn stop in his tracks. He racked his brain trying to remember where he'd seen the man's face before. It hit him just as he started walking again. "Christos Kovalev" know as just "K" to his friends, was a CIA informant in LA. He worked mostly with Russian operations within the city, but he also had connections to some major organizations around the world. What struck Vaughn the most was that he knew Kovalev through Jack Bristow. And Jack Bristow had used Kovalev as an informant looking into Sydney's death. The thing was that before Vaughn and Jack had gotten the intel out of Kovalev he'd skipped town with their money and all of their hopes.
Losing all reason, and care for what he was doing Vaughn followed the man as he and his lady-friend turned the corner. At a discreet distance he tailed them walking up the street. Staying in the shadows Vaughn watched them closely assuring that they didn't detect that they were being followed. The woman on Kovalev's arm was obviously a very recent acquaintance. She held him arm casually but kept her distance.
It was as they turned to walk into the Hilton Hotel, that Vaughn noticed a black sedan was also following the couple. As the two went inside, the man in the passenger seat of the car jumped out and discreetly followed them in. The other man sped off, presumably to park. Vaughn nonchalantly followed the couple, and their tail, into the hotel. They were just stepping into the elevator, and Vaughn watched as the doors closed.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As the elevator doors closed, Sydney laughed to herself. As if she didn't recognize the man in the dark suit who had followed them into the elevator. Her tail-ers were the worst she'd ever seen, and she decided to say something to her superiors when she had a chance. The night was going well, except for the fact that Kovalev wouldn't take his hand off of her butt. She shrugged it off, she would do almost anything to get the intel she needed, and her mission accomplished.
The doors opened automatically on the fourth floor and Kovalev stepped out quickly pulling her with him. He walked straight across the hall, to the room facing the elevator and slipped the key into the door. The entered quickly, and Kovalev switched on the lights.
"Would you like some champagne?" He said strolling toward the mini bar.
"No thank you." She said looking around the room. Within a few seconds Kovalev was handing her a glass of champagne and motioning for her to sit down on the bed. She obliged.
"How long have you been working for the Covenant, Ms. Thorne?" He said sitting down beside her.
"Far too long." She said pretending to sip from her drink.
"Ahhh, I know the feeling. But you are still so young, are you not still enthralled in the danger, the excitement.?" He said smiling at her.
"Will the standard price for your intel be sufficient?" She said standing and walking toward where she'd set her purse.
"Julia." He said softly, as if calling her back to where he sat.
Sydney pulled the gun from her purse and turned immediately upon hearing the name. "How did you know my name?" She said, abandoning her nicey-nice façade.
"I know more about you than you know about you Julia." He smiled, with a slight laugh.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
She cursed the Gods for sending Kovalev to the restaurant. He was the last person in the world she wanted to see. He oh-so-suave attitude gave her the creeps, not to mention the several incidences where his hand had accidentally ended up in her ass. She cringed. That man was nothing but trouble and she wasn't going to let Michael anywhere near him. Kovalev was the type that would say something that Michael would find suspicious, just to get a rise out of Lauren. Not to mention Kovalev would make some obscene comment in front of Michael, which would quite probably lead to an all out brawl. She was going to have to find a way to get rid of him. LA was her territory now, and there wasn't room for two Covenant operatives.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Then it's settled." Kovalev said finishing off the last of his Martini.
"Where can we make the exchange?" Sydney said smiling.
"I have a room in the hotel up the street. That will do nicely." He smiled. "You have the money with you , of course?" He said glancing around for the waiter.
"Of course." She smiled.
Kovalev returned his attention to her. "Shall we go now, or wait for the food." He smiled, arching an eyebrow.
Sydney leaned in and lowered her voice. "I don't think I can't wait much longer." She smiled back.
Without a word Kovalev stood and dropped a hundred dollar bill on the table. He turned immediately to help Sydney up and began making his way toward the exit. Sydney followed closely behind.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
He found himself at a full out run as he made his way through the cars in the parking lot. He slowed to maneuver between two tightly parked cars. Just as he'd squeezed past the side mirrors of both cars, he glanced up at the entrance of the restaurant. Exiting the Restaurant was a couple, who hurriedly rushed past the incoming crowd. Something about the man, made Vaughn stop in his tracks. He racked his brain trying to remember where he'd seen the man's face before. It hit him just as he started walking again. "Christos Kovalev" know as just "K" to his friends, was a CIA informant in LA. He worked mostly with Russian operations within the city, but he also had connections to some major organizations around the world. What struck Vaughn the most was that he knew Kovalev through Jack Bristow. And Jack Bristow had used Kovalev as an informant looking into Sydney's death. The thing was that before Vaughn and Jack had gotten the intel out of Kovalev he'd skipped town with their money and all of their hopes.
Losing all reason, and care for what he was doing Vaughn followed the man as he and his lady-friend turned the corner. At a discreet distance he tailed them walking up the street. Staying in the shadows Vaughn watched them closely assuring that they didn't detect that they were being followed. The woman on Kovalev's arm was obviously a very recent acquaintance. She held him arm casually but kept her distance.
It was as they turned to walk into the Hilton Hotel, that Vaughn noticed a black sedan was also following the couple. As the two went inside, the man in the passenger seat of the car jumped out and discreetly followed them in. The other man sped off, presumably to park. Vaughn nonchalantly followed the couple, and their tail, into the hotel. They were just stepping into the elevator, and Vaughn watched as the doors closed.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As the elevator doors closed, Sydney laughed to herself. As if she didn't recognize the man in the dark suit who had followed them into the elevator. Her tail-ers were the worst she'd ever seen, and she decided to say something to her superiors when she had a chance. The night was going well, except for the fact that Kovalev wouldn't take his hand off of her butt. She shrugged it off, she would do almost anything to get the intel she needed, and her mission accomplished.
The doors opened automatically on the fourth floor and Kovalev stepped out quickly pulling her with him. He walked straight across the hall, to the room facing the elevator and slipped the key into the door. The entered quickly, and Kovalev switched on the lights.
"Would you like some champagne?" He said strolling toward the mini bar.
"No thank you." She said looking around the room. Within a few seconds Kovalev was handing her a glass of champagne and motioning for her to sit down on the bed. She obliged.
"How long have you been working for the Covenant, Ms. Thorne?" He said sitting down beside her.
"Far too long." She said pretending to sip from her drink.
"Ahhh, I know the feeling. But you are still so young, are you not still enthralled in the danger, the excitement.?" He said smiling at her.
"Will the standard price for your intel be sufficient?" She said standing and walking toward where she'd set her purse.
"Julia." He said softly, as if calling her back to where he sat.
Sydney pulled the gun from her purse and turned immediately upon hearing the name. "How did you know my name?" She said, abandoning her nicey-nice façade.
"I know more about you than you know about you Julia." He smiled, with a slight laugh.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++