"Michael, I'm ready to go to the police. I can't tell if I'm more afraid,
or more angry. Where are you. I love you. Come home." Lauren found herself
in true tears as she spoke the words into his voice mail. She was fully
composed when she'd set off to leave her sixth message in 30 hours. It was
his voice on the recording that set her off. She hated herself for missing
him so. She hated what it meant that he'd left so abruptly. Something was
terribly wrong.
Sark's assurances didn't help at all. Hell, why should she even trust him. The pompous bastard had been broken out of CIA custody, blackmailed into handing over his father's money and forced to become loyal to an organization he'd never even heard of. She knew she couldn't count on him, not the way she needed to. But in the end she had no choice. Her cover could not be blown. She'd made far too many mistakes already.
In all of her efforts to find Michael and keep her cover, she'd totally put aside her mission. At the moment she was supposed to investigating the murder of a top Russian official. The trial had gone cold, that was until Irina Derevko had made her way mysteriously to LA, and then disappeared just as quickly. Something about Derevko's presence in the States caused Lauren to believe she was involved. She needed information, she need Michael. He was her only reliable source regarding Derevko and her activities. He hated her. But he understood her.
Lauren contemplated her situation. She could sit back and wait for Sark to call her and tell her what Michael was up to. Or she could work. She decided on the latter, and pulled out her cell phone once again.
"It's me. I need all records involving communication between CIA and the office of Andrian Lazarey. The last three years. Echelon transmissions, and hard communiqués. Yes, I'll be waiting." She said, hanging up the phone quickly.
0
"You know we should get going soon." Vaughn said, hating to break the comfortable silence between them.
"You're right. I just don't want to." Sydney said pulling her head from his shoulder and looking up at him.
"We could always stay here and hide forever." Vaughn said, his eyes lighting up.
"Don't tempt me." Sydney smiled admiring his green eyes.
Vaughn sighed deeply. "It's freezing out here."
"I haven't really noticed." Sydney laughed, noting the frost on her breath. Vaughn smiled and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. Closing his eyes he let his lips linger near her, as he breathed her in. "Vaughn," Sydney breathed. Vaughn opened his eyes and looked into hers. Before he knew it Sydney's hand was running through his hair, and pulling his mouth down on hers.
Their kiss was short but hungry. Vaughn broke away first, against his better judgment or desire. He knew if he didn't stop right away, he would only regret it later.
"Vaughn," Sydney protested, kissing his jaw line. He stood for a moment, before reaching up to stroke her hair.
"Syd, I can't shake the feeling, of all I have to atone for with you. I need to make things right before I can let myself go." Vaughn blurted out, unsure of what he was really saying.
Sydney stood for a moment watching his eyes. He was right, and she knew it. They need to get to know each other again. They needed time. But so much of her wanted to be close to him again. She wanted him to hold her, to love her. She wanted to be intimate with him again, knowing that they were once again only for each other. But he was right, and she knew it.
"I'm sorry Syd." He said shaking his head. "I'm just so sorry."
Sydney put her finger to his lips. "Shhhh," She soothed. "We both need time. And we both have so much to be sorry for." She said removing her finger and kissing him softly on the lips. "We should go." She said taking his hand and leading him back into the suite.
0
"The NSA has assigned a new agent to investigate the murder of a top Russian official. She'll be working with the CIA in the office her in LA." Jack said, his concern obvious in his voice.
"Can you keep the investigate from discovering anything." Irina questioned with equal concern.
"I am hoping to. The only problem is that this agent is Lauren Reed. Michael Vaughn's girlfriend." Jack said cautiously.
"I see. Do you believe her to be the Covenant operative."
"I do."
"Then we must find out if she knows the truth, and what she has been instructed to do about it."
"Sark seems to have established a rapport with this woman, I will alert him of the problem." Jack said, reluctant that their conversation was ending.
"There is no need. We will both be in Marseilles soon, I will speak with him there." Irina replied.
"Marseilles may be far too great of a risk." Jack said, his tone changing drastically.
"Sydney needs me. I'll be alright Jack. I can take care of myself." Irina tried to sound reassuring.
"I've never doubted that. But I do not trust Sark. And I suppose I am jealous that you and Sydney get to be together."
"Oh Jack, you've had her for thirty years. It's my turn." Irina laughed.
"Yes well it won't be just Sydney I'm missing." Jack laughed as well.
"I miss you too. Soon love, very soon." Irina said, her voice quieting.
"Contact me when you and Sydney are safe."
"I will."
"You know how much I love the both of you."
"We do."
0
Sark's assurances didn't help at all. Hell, why should she even trust him. The pompous bastard had been broken out of CIA custody, blackmailed into handing over his father's money and forced to become loyal to an organization he'd never even heard of. She knew she couldn't count on him, not the way she needed to. But in the end she had no choice. Her cover could not be blown. She'd made far too many mistakes already.
In all of her efforts to find Michael and keep her cover, she'd totally put aside her mission. At the moment she was supposed to investigating the murder of a top Russian official. The trial had gone cold, that was until Irina Derevko had made her way mysteriously to LA, and then disappeared just as quickly. Something about Derevko's presence in the States caused Lauren to believe she was involved. She needed information, she need Michael. He was her only reliable source regarding Derevko and her activities. He hated her. But he understood her.
Lauren contemplated her situation. She could sit back and wait for Sark to call her and tell her what Michael was up to. Or she could work. She decided on the latter, and pulled out her cell phone once again.
"It's me. I need all records involving communication between CIA and the office of Andrian Lazarey. The last three years. Echelon transmissions, and hard communiqués. Yes, I'll be waiting." She said, hanging up the phone quickly.
0
"You know we should get going soon." Vaughn said, hating to break the comfortable silence between them.
"You're right. I just don't want to." Sydney said pulling her head from his shoulder and looking up at him.
"We could always stay here and hide forever." Vaughn said, his eyes lighting up.
"Don't tempt me." Sydney smiled admiring his green eyes.
Vaughn sighed deeply. "It's freezing out here."
"I haven't really noticed." Sydney laughed, noting the frost on her breath. Vaughn smiled and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. Closing his eyes he let his lips linger near her, as he breathed her in. "Vaughn," Sydney breathed. Vaughn opened his eyes and looked into hers. Before he knew it Sydney's hand was running through his hair, and pulling his mouth down on hers.
Their kiss was short but hungry. Vaughn broke away first, against his better judgment or desire. He knew if he didn't stop right away, he would only regret it later.
"Vaughn," Sydney protested, kissing his jaw line. He stood for a moment, before reaching up to stroke her hair.
"Syd, I can't shake the feeling, of all I have to atone for with you. I need to make things right before I can let myself go." Vaughn blurted out, unsure of what he was really saying.
Sydney stood for a moment watching his eyes. He was right, and she knew it. They need to get to know each other again. They needed time. But so much of her wanted to be close to him again. She wanted him to hold her, to love her. She wanted to be intimate with him again, knowing that they were once again only for each other. But he was right, and she knew it.
"I'm sorry Syd." He said shaking his head. "I'm just so sorry."
Sydney put her finger to his lips. "Shhhh," She soothed. "We both need time. And we both have so much to be sorry for." She said removing her finger and kissing him softly on the lips. "We should go." She said taking his hand and leading him back into the suite.
0
"The NSA has assigned a new agent to investigate the murder of a top Russian official. She'll be working with the CIA in the office her in LA." Jack said, his concern obvious in his voice.
"Can you keep the investigate from discovering anything." Irina questioned with equal concern.
"I am hoping to. The only problem is that this agent is Lauren Reed. Michael Vaughn's girlfriend." Jack said cautiously.
"I see. Do you believe her to be the Covenant operative."
"I do."
"Then we must find out if she knows the truth, and what she has been instructed to do about it."
"Sark seems to have established a rapport with this woman, I will alert him of the problem." Jack said, reluctant that their conversation was ending.
"There is no need. We will both be in Marseilles soon, I will speak with him there." Irina replied.
"Marseilles may be far too great of a risk." Jack said, his tone changing drastically.
"Sydney needs me. I'll be alright Jack. I can take care of myself." Irina tried to sound reassuring.
"I've never doubted that. But I do not trust Sark. And I suppose I am jealous that you and Sydney get to be together."
"Oh Jack, you've had her for thirty years. It's my turn." Irina laughed.
"Yes well it won't be just Sydney I'm missing." Jack laughed as well.
"I miss you too. Soon love, very soon." Irina said, her voice quieting.
"Contact me when you and Sydney are safe."
"I will."
"You know how much I love the both of you."
"We do."
0