Disclaimer: If I owned Alias, then Lauren Reed would be somewhere in
Antarctica, Francie would still be alive, Will would still be in the
picture, and Irina would be back in the show! None of those things are in
the show, so apparently I don't own it
Melanie sat in her daddy's lap, watching her grandpa and Marcus intently. They had always intrigued her before she was kidnapped because they had this sense of action that her parents lacked. Well, she wasn't too sure about that now since she had seen her mother risk her life more than once in order to get Melanie and Molly away from the Covenant.
But now, as she looked at Sydney in Molly's hospital room, she didn't see that strong, tough, kick-ass woman Melanie knew and loved. She saw a heartbroken, broken woman, who was emotionally shattered all because of her daddy. Well, she took that back. It wasn't her daddy's fault. It was the CIA. Life in general. It was always moments like that that made Melanie think twice before making up her mind so surely on becoming a CIA agent. She had known she wanted to be an agent when she was three-years-old and her mommy and daddy always told her stories about their missions and when their lives had been on the line, and the other had saved them. Those were Melanie's favorite bedtime stories.
She desperately longed to lay in her old canopy bed with Mickey and Minnie Mouse sheets, being tucked in by Sydney and Vaughn, taking turns telling about their mission to steal a priceless Rimbaldi artifact in Taipei and how they had to keep it a secret from the bad guys. SD-6. But, looking at her daddy's emotionless face, and Sydney's broken one, she knew those times were long gone. That they would be nothing more than a memory.
"What do you mean, a CIA agent from right in this building is a double? How is that possible?" Sydney asked disbelievingly.
"Well, according to a source outside the JTF, there is a double agent somewhere out there and it was erased from the hard-drive of Project Helix because it was so top-secret they didn't want anyone to know about it. We are making it our top priority to find out who was doubled, and bring them to justice." Jack said.
"Wait! What about the damn Covenant?! Since when is the Covenant's demise your second priority?" Sydney asked incredulously.
"For the time being, this doubled agent is to be considered dangerous, and if he or she was intentionally doubled as a CIA agent because they were going to steal classified documents, they need to be caught. This is basically no different than finding out there is a mole." Dixon said.
"But Mommy's right! The Covenant is dangerous too! They're trying to take over the world!" Melanie exclaimed. In spite of all the drama, everyone cracked a smile at her statement.
"Sydney, we know you're trying to heal, but we'd really appreciate it if you'd help out in this investigation." Dixon continued as soon as he had regained his composure.
Sydney couldn't believe these people. People she had risked her life to save.
"Do you not see the arm in the cast? Do you not remember the resignation paper I turned in to you? Or are you expecting me to drop everything to help bring this person to justice?" she asked, looking at them with the stare she gave people when she was tired of their bullshit.
Jack and Dixon hesitated, knowing what would happen next. A free Sydney explosion, free of charge.
"Listen, Syd...we know you're going through a difficult time...everything's been happening so fast. But...if you could hear us out first. Remember in 2003 when I refused to come to the CIA because I said I had moved on and wasn't going to put my family's life in danger because of my job. I wasn't going to have a job where my wife and kids were going to wonder if I would come home afterwards. But I came back, didn't I? Because you were in danger? This is the same thing. This double agent could put this agency and all the lives involved in danger. We could really use you Syd." Dixon said desperately.
Sydney considered that. He did have a point. When she needed him and was counting on him to save her life he came through. He was counting on her to do the same thing.
"Yes, but only because of the lives that are at stake." She said, making sure they knew that. Dixon smiled.
"I need to see you in debriefing in ten minutes. Vaughn, can I count on you to help Sydney down there?" Dixon asked, although it wasn't really a question.
"Yes Dixon." Vaughn assured him. As soon as they left Melanie started up again.
"Where will I stay? I can't go into debriefing, can I?" Melanie whined, although it was the sad kind of whine that always made Sydney feel like jello.
"You can stay in here with your sister. She wouldn't want to be left alone, even though she's in a coma. This hospital has a DNA sampler. Anyone who enters this hospital that isn't a patient or a visitor has to put their finger into a little slot. It will take a miniscule sample of it, scan the DNA, and if it matches the DNA in the database, it will allow them to enter, but if it isn't then a silent alarm will be triggered, and agents and trained doctors will apprehend them, and question them. If it is Lauren, Sark, or Cole, they will automatically be arrested and sent to a cellblock in the CIA headquarters where they will remain without a trial. At least, for a couple months. So you have nothing to worry about." Sydney reassured her.
"Ok. But can you lock the door after you? Just in case they try to kill us after they pull the alarm?" Melanie asked.
"Yes. And, if the silent alarm has been set off, that little red dot will start to flash, so you'll be alerted ahead of time. You are 200% safe in this hospital. We'll be right back. Ok?" Sydney asked.
Melanie hesitated, but nodded. Sydney smiled. "That's my brave Melly Belly. Watch over your sister for me, ok? If anything goes wrong with her heart or brain waves, push that button ok? Even if you're not sure, but have doubts in your mind, pull it, because you might save her life. We'll be back soon, I promise." she told her, hugged her, kissed her on the forehead, and she and Vaughn left the room, locking the door behind them as Melanie requested.
"As you all know, an agent of ours has been doubled, and a full investigation has been started. No one is under suspicion but, hopefully, we will have a clue as to who this double is. Right now I'm sending Agents Bristow and Vaughn to Moscow. There is a man named George Rotusof who could lead us in the right direction of who the double really is. Since Sydney's arm is broken, Jack, you will be accompanying Agent Vaughn to Moscow. Your plane leaves in 2 hours." Dixon informed them.
As soon as he dismissed everyone, Dixon called Sydney over to him. "First off, I want you to know that I am very glad to have you back." He said, making sure she knew that he was, indeed, very glad. She gave him a warm smile.
"Well, I can't tell you I'm glad to be back, but at least it's something to do other than lie around the house. Listen, I'm sorry to cut this short, but my daughters are at the hospital, and Melanie's really shaky right now, I need to get back to..." she was cut off my Dixon's cell phone.
"Yeah?" he said. Instantly his face changed from happy, to absolutely joyful. "Yes, thank you." He said then hung it up.
"Well, this should make you really happy. We've apprehended Lauren."
A/N: Chapter 18 up!!! I got tons of reviews for the last chapter so I'm feeling as joyful as Sydney is feeling now that Lauren is in CIA custody! If I get more reviews I'll do a double update!! REVIEW!!
Melanie sat in her daddy's lap, watching her grandpa and Marcus intently. They had always intrigued her before she was kidnapped because they had this sense of action that her parents lacked. Well, she wasn't too sure about that now since she had seen her mother risk her life more than once in order to get Melanie and Molly away from the Covenant.
But now, as she looked at Sydney in Molly's hospital room, she didn't see that strong, tough, kick-ass woman Melanie knew and loved. She saw a heartbroken, broken woman, who was emotionally shattered all because of her daddy. Well, she took that back. It wasn't her daddy's fault. It was the CIA. Life in general. It was always moments like that that made Melanie think twice before making up her mind so surely on becoming a CIA agent. She had known she wanted to be an agent when she was three-years-old and her mommy and daddy always told her stories about their missions and when their lives had been on the line, and the other had saved them. Those were Melanie's favorite bedtime stories.
She desperately longed to lay in her old canopy bed with Mickey and Minnie Mouse sheets, being tucked in by Sydney and Vaughn, taking turns telling about their mission to steal a priceless Rimbaldi artifact in Taipei and how they had to keep it a secret from the bad guys. SD-6. But, looking at her daddy's emotionless face, and Sydney's broken one, she knew those times were long gone. That they would be nothing more than a memory.
"What do you mean, a CIA agent from right in this building is a double? How is that possible?" Sydney asked disbelievingly.
"Well, according to a source outside the JTF, there is a double agent somewhere out there and it was erased from the hard-drive of Project Helix because it was so top-secret they didn't want anyone to know about it. We are making it our top priority to find out who was doubled, and bring them to justice." Jack said.
"Wait! What about the damn Covenant?! Since when is the Covenant's demise your second priority?" Sydney asked incredulously.
"For the time being, this doubled agent is to be considered dangerous, and if he or she was intentionally doubled as a CIA agent because they were going to steal classified documents, they need to be caught. This is basically no different than finding out there is a mole." Dixon said.
"But Mommy's right! The Covenant is dangerous too! They're trying to take over the world!" Melanie exclaimed. In spite of all the drama, everyone cracked a smile at her statement.
"Sydney, we know you're trying to heal, but we'd really appreciate it if you'd help out in this investigation." Dixon continued as soon as he had regained his composure.
Sydney couldn't believe these people. People she had risked her life to save.
"Do you not see the arm in the cast? Do you not remember the resignation paper I turned in to you? Or are you expecting me to drop everything to help bring this person to justice?" she asked, looking at them with the stare she gave people when she was tired of their bullshit.
Jack and Dixon hesitated, knowing what would happen next. A free Sydney explosion, free of charge.
"Listen, Syd...we know you're going through a difficult time...everything's been happening so fast. But...if you could hear us out first. Remember in 2003 when I refused to come to the CIA because I said I had moved on and wasn't going to put my family's life in danger because of my job. I wasn't going to have a job where my wife and kids were going to wonder if I would come home afterwards. But I came back, didn't I? Because you were in danger? This is the same thing. This double agent could put this agency and all the lives involved in danger. We could really use you Syd." Dixon said desperately.
Sydney considered that. He did have a point. When she needed him and was counting on him to save her life he came through. He was counting on her to do the same thing.
"Yes, but only because of the lives that are at stake." She said, making sure they knew that. Dixon smiled.
"I need to see you in debriefing in ten minutes. Vaughn, can I count on you to help Sydney down there?" Dixon asked, although it wasn't really a question.
"Yes Dixon." Vaughn assured him. As soon as they left Melanie started up again.
"Where will I stay? I can't go into debriefing, can I?" Melanie whined, although it was the sad kind of whine that always made Sydney feel like jello.
"You can stay in here with your sister. She wouldn't want to be left alone, even though she's in a coma. This hospital has a DNA sampler. Anyone who enters this hospital that isn't a patient or a visitor has to put their finger into a little slot. It will take a miniscule sample of it, scan the DNA, and if it matches the DNA in the database, it will allow them to enter, but if it isn't then a silent alarm will be triggered, and agents and trained doctors will apprehend them, and question them. If it is Lauren, Sark, or Cole, they will automatically be arrested and sent to a cellblock in the CIA headquarters where they will remain without a trial. At least, for a couple months. So you have nothing to worry about." Sydney reassured her.
"Ok. But can you lock the door after you? Just in case they try to kill us after they pull the alarm?" Melanie asked.
"Yes. And, if the silent alarm has been set off, that little red dot will start to flash, so you'll be alerted ahead of time. You are 200% safe in this hospital. We'll be right back. Ok?" Sydney asked.
Melanie hesitated, but nodded. Sydney smiled. "That's my brave Melly Belly. Watch over your sister for me, ok? If anything goes wrong with her heart or brain waves, push that button ok? Even if you're not sure, but have doubts in your mind, pull it, because you might save her life. We'll be back soon, I promise." she told her, hugged her, kissed her on the forehead, and she and Vaughn left the room, locking the door behind them as Melanie requested.
"As you all know, an agent of ours has been doubled, and a full investigation has been started. No one is under suspicion but, hopefully, we will have a clue as to who this double is. Right now I'm sending Agents Bristow and Vaughn to Moscow. There is a man named George Rotusof who could lead us in the right direction of who the double really is. Since Sydney's arm is broken, Jack, you will be accompanying Agent Vaughn to Moscow. Your plane leaves in 2 hours." Dixon informed them.
As soon as he dismissed everyone, Dixon called Sydney over to him. "First off, I want you to know that I am very glad to have you back." He said, making sure she knew that he was, indeed, very glad. She gave him a warm smile.
"Well, I can't tell you I'm glad to be back, but at least it's something to do other than lie around the house. Listen, I'm sorry to cut this short, but my daughters are at the hospital, and Melanie's really shaky right now, I need to get back to..." she was cut off my Dixon's cell phone.
"Yeah?" he said. Instantly his face changed from happy, to absolutely joyful. "Yes, thank you." He said then hung it up.
"Well, this should make you really happy. We've apprehended Lauren."
A/N: Chapter 18 up!!! I got tons of reviews for the last chapter so I'm feeling as joyful as Sydney is feeling now that Lauren is in CIA custody! If I get more reviews I'll do a double update!! REVIEW!!