"Vaughn," Jack's voice came through the phone loud and clear. "We're about
two blocks from the Lexington on Park street, in an underground parking
garage."
"Alright, I'm on my way there now. I'm going to position my self on the other side of the building." Vaughn replied.
"Meet me here for gear." Jack said.
"I'll be there in less than five." Vaughn answered.
Jack turned off his cell and looked at Irina who was sitting in the passenger seat. She looked back at him, and they both stared for a long moment.
"He does love her." Irina said softly.
"Whether or not he loves her is irrelevant. It is his resolve that counts. He has no idea of the person Sydney has become." Jack said shaking his head.
"Is my love for you irrelevant." Irina said, arching an eyebrow.
"Never. But we're talking about an entirely different situation." Jack said taking her hand in his.
"Is it so different Jack? They have found each other again, after one thought the other dead, and one was forced to hide to save him. No, Jack the situation is more alike than you'd like to remember." She smiled softly squeezing his hand. It wasn't often that they spoke of past deceit and infidelities.
"I suppose I don't like to think that Vaughn could possibly feel for Sydney, what I feel for you." Jack smiled reluctantly, before leaning forward and kissing her lightly on the lips.
"She's my daughter too Jack, and her love for Vaughn is no different than mine was for you. Her life, ironic as it may sound, is not as complicated as mine once was." Irina shook her head, trying not to think about her youth. It was too hard.
"We don't know that yet. From what Vaughn said all we know is that Sydney is desperate and scared. We have no idea what the Covenant has done to her." Jack said, his jaw tightening in fierce anger.
"Sydney's strong Jack, she's survived this far. You have to trust her." Irina's voice was eerily calm.
"She'll always be a child in my eyes." Jack said relaxing a little as Irina's hand touched his face.
"She always was Daddy's little girl." Irina smiled before kissing him vigorously.
Their moment was interrupted by the flash of headlights, and Vaughn pulling up next to them.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jack got out of the car slowly with a small black bag in his hand. Vaughn got out as well and stood by his door.
"Here, pistol, Coms, and CIA badge. Just in case." Jack said sliding the package across the top of Vaughn's car.
"Thanks. Any sign of her yet?" Vaughn questioned, unzipping the black bag and peering inside.
"The team hasn't seen anyone go in or out of the building in almost and hour." Jack responded turning to get back in his car.
"Jack," Vaughn said loudly as Jack began to get into his car. Jack immediately stood up and looked at him. "I will do anything for Sydney." He said before quickly getting into his car. Jack stood for a moment and watched him drive away before getting back into the passenger seat.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Getting downtown was faster than Sydney had remembered it to be. Her green Saturn sedan whirled through the streets. As she drove Sydney recognized several of the landmarks and hot spots. She tried desperately to stay focused on the task at hand.
When she was about three blocks away from her target, she stopped and parked her car along a side street. Grabbing her small pack of supplies she began walking in the shadows toward the building. It took only a few minutes until her approach to the building was visible. She scanned the area for any signs of life, but eerily there were none. This part of the city became almost entirely deserted after dark. She walked swiftly toward the building and flattened herself against its tall, cold wall. The bushes surrounding the building provided excellent cover. She worked her way to a side entrance into the building and pulled her lock picking tools out from her shoe. She worked meticulously to open the lock, all the while unaware of the presence who had been following her every more.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A call from her superiors was the last thing Lauren needed. They'd wanted to know all about Kovalev. She's told them the truth. Or parts of it. She'd told them that she found him with a bullet wound to the leg. But left out the appearance of Jack Bristow and his companion altogether.
She took a left at the corner and was soon on the highway, headed back to Vaughn's place. Her GPS scanner told her that was where he'd gone after he'd left the restaurant.
A large part of her just wanted to open a bottle of wine and curl up with Michael in front of the fire. So much of her head told her that, that was a mistake. All too often she let her emotions control her. Part of her loved Michael Vaughn. Part of her wanted him to ask her to marry him. The rest of her screamed "NO" as loud as possible. Most of the time she listened to her own reason. But when he was with her, it was almost impossible.
It wasn't long before she approached the apartment. And as she did she realized suddenly that he wasn't there. His car was usually parked right on the street, but it was gone. Lauren frantically searched her purse for the GPS system. Pulling it out forcefully she checked the screen. There was no signal. Either Lauren had been made, or her night of mistakes had gotten terribly worse.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Alright, I'm on my way there now. I'm going to position my self on the other side of the building." Vaughn replied.
"Meet me here for gear." Jack said.
"I'll be there in less than five." Vaughn answered.
Jack turned off his cell and looked at Irina who was sitting in the passenger seat. She looked back at him, and they both stared for a long moment.
"He does love her." Irina said softly.
"Whether or not he loves her is irrelevant. It is his resolve that counts. He has no idea of the person Sydney has become." Jack said shaking his head.
"Is my love for you irrelevant." Irina said, arching an eyebrow.
"Never. But we're talking about an entirely different situation." Jack said taking her hand in his.
"Is it so different Jack? They have found each other again, after one thought the other dead, and one was forced to hide to save him. No, Jack the situation is more alike than you'd like to remember." She smiled softly squeezing his hand. It wasn't often that they spoke of past deceit and infidelities.
"I suppose I don't like to think that Vaughn could possibly feel for Sydney, what I feel for you." Jack smiled reluctantly, before leaning forward and kissing her lightly on the lips.
"She's my daughter too Jack, and her love for Vaughn is no different than mine was for you. Her life, ironic as it may sound, is not as complicated as mine once was." Irina shook her head, trying not to think about her youth. It was too hard.
"We don't know that yet. From what Vaughn said all we know is that Sydney is desperate and scared. We have no idea what the Covenant has done to her." Jack said, his jaw tightening in fierce anger.
"Sydney's strong Jack, she's survived this far. You have to trust her." Irina's voice was eerily calm.
"She'll always be a child in my eyes." Jack said relaxing a little as Irina's hand touched his face.
"She always was Daddy's little girl." Irina smiled before kissing him vigorously.
Their moment was interrupted by the flash of headlights, and Vaughn pulling up next to them.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jack got out of the car slowly with a small black bag in his hand. Vaughn got out as well and stood by his door.
"Here, pistol, Coms, and CIA badge. Just in case." Jack said sliding the package across the top of Vaughn's car.
"Thanks. Any sign of her yet?" Vaughn questioned, unzipping the black bag and peering inside.
"The team hasn't seen anyone go in or out of the building in almost and hour." Jack responded turning to get back in his car.
"Jack," Vaughn said loudly as Jack began to get into his car. Jack immediately stood up and looked at him. "I will do anything for Sydney." He said before quickly getting into his car. Jack stood for a moment and watched him drive away before getting back into the passenger seat.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Getting downtown was faster than Sydney had remembered it to be. Her green Saturn sedan whirled through the streets. As she drove Sydney recognized several of the landmarks and hot spots. She tried desperately to stay focused on the task at hand.
When she was about three blocks away from her target, she stopped and parked her car along a side street. Grabbing her small pack of supplies she began walking in the shadows toward the building. It took only a few minutes until her approach to the building was visible. She scanned the area for any signs of life, but eerily there were none. This part of the city became almost entirely deserted after dark. She walked swiftly toward the building and flattened herself against its tall, cold wall. The bushes surrounding the building provided excellent cover. She worked her way to a side entrance into the building and pulled her lock picking tools out from her shoe. She worked meticulously to open the lock, all the while unaware of the presence who had been following her every more.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A call from her superiors was the last thing Lauren needed. They'd wanted to know all about Kovalev. She's told them the truth. Or parts of it. She'd told them that she found him with a bullet wound to the leg. But left out the appearance of Jack Bristow and his companion altogether.
She took a left at the corner and was soon on the highway, headed back to Vaughn's place. Her GPS scanner told her that was where he'd gone after he'd left the restaurant.
A large part of her just wanted to open a bottle of wine and curl up with Michael in front of the fire. So much of her head told her that, that was a mistake. All too often she let her emotions control her. Part of her loved Michael Vaughn. Part of her wanted him to ask her to marry him. The rest of her screamed "NO" as loud as possible. Most of the time she listened to her own reason. But when he was with her, it was almost impossible.
It wasn't long before she approached the apartment. And as she did she realized suddenly that he wasn't there. His car was usually parked right on the street, but it was gone. Lauren frantically searched her purse for the GPS system. Pulling it out forcefully she checked the screen. There was no signal. Either Lauren had been made, or her night of mistakes had gotten terribly worse.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++