Chapter 4
I'm sitting on the ground, an unconscious Rodriguez lying next to me, and just look up in pure shock.
"Dixon? What.what are you doing here?" He extends his arm and helps me rise from the floor. I dust myself off and look back up to him, a million questions rushing through my head.
"They sent me at the last moment, thought you might need an extra hand. We've got to get out of here Syd, and fast before they find us." He takes my hand and I grab the disk as he leads me out of the study and back out to the party. We're rushing through the crowd, trying to make a quick exit, when I spot the other agent whom I need to make the switch with. He's walking our way, but Dixon and I are moving rapidly. I see him hold out the fake disk and I'm almost close enough to make the exchange when Dixon pulls sharply in the other direction, trying to avoid the crowd. I swore under my breath as Dixon took another sharp turn. This is not good.
It all happened in a flash, Dixon and I were pushing through the throngs of people when I saw them again. Those brilliant green eyes stood out of the crowd and had caught my attention once again. There was no avoiding them. In one swift movement, I ran into someone and almost fell over. Dixon caught me, but my shoe fell off in the process and I had to limp as fast as I could to get outside. Once out of the mansion, I followed Dixon into a black van and he slammed the door behind me. I lay sprawled on the floor of the truck, both of us out of breath. My ankle was throbbing with pain by now and I clutched it tightly.
"That went smoothly" He chuckled and got into the drivers seat.
"Are you okay Syd? Did you get the disk?" I panicked before answering.
"I'm fine. Uh.yes, I did get it. Dixon?"
"Yes?" I removed my wig and curled up against the side of the van.
"Thanks for saving me" He smiled and nodded his head.
"Sure Syd, anytime" For some reason I found this extremely comforting as I closed my eyes and removed my other shoe. I tried not to blame myself, but I couldn't help it. I had failed. Again. The pain and shame I was feeling was beginning to overwhelm me, I tried to hold the tears back, but one escaped, slowly rolling down my cheek as I lay in anguish. If I kept screwing up like this we would never take down SD-6. I grabbed a blanket from the back of the van and wrapped it around me, slowly drifting off to sleep.
***
I came home to my surprisingly empty house, exhausted. Will wasn't here to feed off of our food since he was away at a course for work. And as for Francie, I wasn't exactly sure where she was. I hadn't seen her in a while, but I just shrugged it off figuring it was probably because I was always working.
After taking a quick shower I grabbed an apple from the kitchen and sat down at the table, my hair still slightly wet. I had a lot of thinking to do, and I just wanted to relax, so I decided to go for a walk. I threw away the core of the apple and slipped on my coat as I left through the door, the cool air nipping at my nose.
Walking through the park always calmed me, ever since I was a little girl. Of the few memories I have of my mother, there was one that always made me feel warm inside; it always made me smile. A memory of my mother and I walking down a pathway in a park and holding hands. Almost every little detail is fresh in my mind, our matching scarves, the way she ruffled my hair and put on my hat, the ice cream cone she bought me even though it was freezing. I remember it all, but most of all I remember the feeling of peace, of happiness, of safety, of love. It must be why I enjoy taking a walk in the park so much.
I realize I've come to a stop and smile to myself. I remember meeting Vaughn here, when we were 'stretching after a jog'. I sit down on the bench, both of my hands grasping the seat. I've gotten somewhat over what happened on the mission, but it's hard for me, knowing that every time I fail I'm one step farther from taking them down, rather than one step closer. Rather than one step closer to being free, to not having to lie, to being able to have a normal life, to being able to talk to my handler and be with him in public. All of these little, yet huge, issues all matter to me, and with every day they obtain more value. A person I can trust and confide in becomes more important to me. These are the little things I need to survive. It startles me when someone sits down next to me. I had been so deep in thought, partially dead to the world.
"Dad? What are you doing here?" He smiles at me and then looks straight ahead, as if there were something very interesting before us.
"I know you feel bad about the mission Sydney, but it's okay.it's not your fault." I smile, but nevertheless, I still blame myself.
"Dad, it is my fault. If I hadn't screwed up the CIA would have the disk right now and we would know what SD-6 wanted so badly" I sighed heavily and he turned to look at me, it was my turn to look at the fascinating tree in front of us.
"Sydney, I don't know what is on that disk-" I cut him short,
"You don't? Didn't Sloane tell you?" He shook his head.
"No, he didn't. But, he did tell me that it was very important to SD-6. We need to find out what is on that disk, and I have an idea on how to do it." I nodded my head, but just then my beeper went off.
"It's Vaughn" Jack nodded his head and stood up.
"We'll discuss this later, okay?" I nodded my head in response and called out to him as he walked away.
"Bye Dad" I sat there quietly for a while, just staring out at the trees, letting the silence soothe me. My father and I would figure out a way to get those files back, and then everything would be okay. As I was leaving the park, I heard the familiar song of the ice cream truck as it passed by and came to a stop. I watched as all of the children begged their mothers and fathers for some money and as the lucky ones who got ice cream smiled and giggled in delight. It was such a cheerful scene that I couldn't help myself. I walked up to the ice cream truck and took out some money.
"Hey, can I have a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough please?" I remember the ice cream my mother had bought me; it had been one scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough. As the ice cream man handed me my ice cream I gave him the money and walked away slowly. I licked my ice cream cone and then took a bite out of it. I smiled, it was just like that day, more than 20 years ago, in which so many wonderful memories had been made.
*** Feedback Please!
I'm sitting on the ground, an unconscious Rodriguez lying next to me, and just look up in pure shock.
"Dixon? What.what are you doing here?" He extends his arm and helps me rise from the floor. I dust myself off and look back up to him, a million questions rushing through my head.
"They sent me at the last moment, thought you might need an extra hand. We've got to get out of here Syd, and fast before they find us." He takes my hand and I grab the disk as he leads me out of the study and back out to the party. We're rushing through the crowd, trying to make a quick exit, when I spot the other agent whom I need to make the switch with. He's walking our way, but Dixon and I are moving rapidly. I see him hold out the fake disk and I'm almost close enough to make the exchange when Dixon pulls sharply in the other direction, trying to avoid the crowd. I swore under my breath as Dixon took another sharp turn. This is not good.
It all happened in a flash, Dixon and I were pushing through the throngs of people when I saw them again. Those brilliant green eyes stood out of the crowd and had caught my attention once again. There was no avoiding them. In one swift movement, I ran into someone and almost fell over. Dixon caught me, but my shoe fell off in the process and I had to limp as fast as I could to get outside. Once out of the mansion, I followed Dixon into a black van and he slammed the door behind me. I lay sprawled on the floor of the truck, both of us out of breath. My ankle was throbbing with pain by now and I clutched it tightly.
"That went smoothly" He chuckled and got into the drivers seat.
"Are you okay Syd? Did you get the disk?" I panicked before answering.
"I'm fine. Uh.yes, I did get it. Dixon?"
"Yes?" I removed my wig and curled up against the side of the van.
"Thanks for saving me" He smiled and nodded his head.
"Sure Syd, anytime" For some reason I found this extremely comforting as I closed my eyes and removed my other shoe. I tried not to blame myself, but I couldn't help it. I had failed. Again. The pain and shame I was feeling was beginning to overwhelm me, I tried to hold the tears back, but one escaped, slowly rolling down my cheek as I lay in anguish. If I kept screwing up like this we would never take down SD-6. I grabbed a blanket from the back of the van and wrapped it around me, slowly drifting off to sleep.
***
I came home to my surprisingly empty house, exhausted. Will wasn't here to feed off of our food since he was away at a course for work. And as for Francie, I wasn't exactly sure where she was. I hadn't seen her in a while, but I just shrugged it off figuring it was probably because I was always working.
After taking a quick shower I grabbed an apple from the kitchen and sat down at the table, my hair still slightly wet. I had a lot of thinking to do, and I just wanted to relax, so I decided to go for a walk. I threw away the core of the apple and slipped on my coat as I left through the door, the cool air nipping at my nose.
Walking through the park always calmed me, ever since I was a little girl. Of the few memories I have of my mother, there was one that always made me feel warm inside; it always made me smile. A memory of my mother and I walking down a pathway in a park and holding hands. Almost every little detail is fresh in my mind, our matching scarves, the way she ruffled my hair and put on my hat, the ice cream cone she bought me even though it was freezing. I remember it all, but most of all I remember the feeling of peace, of happiness, of safety, of love. It must be why I enjoy taking a walk in the park so much.
I realize I've come to a stop and smile to myself. I remember meeting Vaughn here, when we were 'stretching after a jog'. I sit down on the bench, both of my hands grasping the seat. I've gotten somewhat over what happened on the mission, but it's hard for me, knowing that every time I fail I'm one step farther from taking them down, rather than one step closer. Rather than one step closer to being free, to not having to lie, to being able to have a normal life, to being able to talk to my handler and be with him in public. All of these little, yet huge, issues all matter to me, and with every day they obtain more value. A person I can trust and confide in becomes more important to me. These are the little things I need to survive. It startles me when someone sits down next to me. I had been so deep in thought, partially dead to the world.
"Dad? What are you doing here?" He smiles at me and then looks straight ahead, as if there were something very interesting before us.
"I know you feel bad about the mission Sydney, but it's okay.it's not your fault." I smile, but nevertheless, I still blame myself.
"Dad, it is my fault. If I hadn't screwed up the CIA would have the disk right now and we would know what SD-6 wanted so badly" I sighed heavily and he turned to look at me, it was my turn to look at the fascinating tree in front of us.
"Sydney, I don't know what is on that disk-" I cut him short,
"You don't? Didn't Sloane tell you?" He shook his head.
"No, he didn't. But, he did tell me that it was very important to SD-6. We need to find out what is on that disk, and I have an idea on how to do it." I nodded my head, but just then my beeper went off.
"It's Vaughn" Jack nodded his head and stood up.
"We'll discuss this later, okay?" I nodded my head in response and called out to him as he walked away.
"Bye Dad" I sat there quietly for a while, just staring out at the trees, letting the silence soothe me. My father and I would figure out a way to get those files back, and then everything would be okay. As I was leaving the park, I heard the familiar song of the ice cream truck as it passed by and came to a stop. I watched as all of the children begged their mothers and fathers for some money and as the lucky ones who got ice cream smiled and giggled in delight. It was such a cheerful scene that I couldn't help myself. I walked up to the ice cream truck and took out some money.
"Hey, can I have a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough please?" I remember the ice cream my mother had bought me; it had been one scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough. As the ice cream man handed me my ice cream I gave him the money and walked away slowly. I licked my ice cream cone and then took a bite out of it. I smiled, it was just like that day, more than 20 years ago, in which so many wonderful memories had been made.
*** Feedback Please!