Authors note: Well I got sick and then their was a death in my family, so I
really didn't have the time to write, but I'm back now and no longer busy
beyond belief. I would like to say thanks to George and Alex for keeping my
bus interesting.
Vaughn awoke to the shrill ring of his mobile. He glanced at the clock and realised he'd only been asleep for an hour. Still groggy, he grabbed for his phone. "If you call this me getting some sleep Weiss then your mistaken."
"What?" Sydney's voice questioned.
At the sound of her voice he was instantly awake and a million thoughts rushed through his head. He tried to speak but his throat closed up. Maybe he was imagining her voice, or dreaming. Yeah, he was probably dreaming.
"Vaughn are you there?"
Hearing her for the second time confirmed that he wasn't dreaming and he suddenly realised he still hadn't spoken. "Where the hell have you been?" His voice came out harsher than he expected, and he instantly regretted it. "Sorry Syd it's just I've been so worried about you. I've practically got everyone I know looking for you. I've practically nearly even asked Devlin to help!"
"Devlin? So you're working on my case again?"
Vaughn had expected her to be happy, but instead her voice was filled with disappointment. He refused to look into it deeper, telling himself she was just tired.
"Yes. I was reinstated to help find you."
Sydney's heart stopped. He'd been reinstated, she couldn't tell him now. She wouldn't let him risk his job for her again. She choked back a sob and wiped the newly formed tears. "That's great," she forced the words out.
"Where are you? What happened?"
Sydney repeated the story that she had been given. Tears rolled down her face freely now and she didn't know if it was because she was lying to Vaughn or if because she was worried about Dixon. All her emotions had rolled into one and she was too tired to hold it all in.
"Syd they'll find him, they will. Sloane's back and they have Veitch in custody. He'll break." Vaughn said misinterpreting Sydney's tears.
"Veitch?"
"He was an impostor. SD-6 has been interrogating him since Sloane came back. Your dad has been updating us. They haven't got much out of him."
"He must work for the people who have Dixon."
"We think so. The information.." Vaughn was cut of and a deep voice took its place.
"I hope you were only calling to let him know your safe."
"How did you know who I was talking to?" Sydney asked, only just realising she was using the phone they had given her.
"You're a smart girl, I'm sure you can figure it out. I'd be careful what you mention to Mr Vaughn. We wouldn't want him finding out about our arrangement now would we? My friends would hate to have to do anything to him, they've been enjoying their time in America so much."
"He doesn't know anything."
"Then there is no reason for you to worry about the men following him now is there?"
"If you hurt him."
"I really don't think you're in a position to make threats. Now, lets get down to business shall we? We understand that two Rambaldi artefacts that we want are in America. One at the CIA and the other was stolen by SD-6. We want you to get them for us and fly back here."
"What then?"
"Your partner will be returned to you and all units following your friends and family will be removed."
Sydney's heart stopped, they weren't just following Vaughn but her friends as well. "Who are you following?"
"What would be the point in telling you? They are there to make sure you don't decide to back out of our agreement."
"I won't."
"Good, then I suggest you find a way to get those artefacts," and with that Sydney was left with a dial tone.
Will had a nagging feeling in his gut as he walked up to the café he was meeting Francie in. He was sure the guy who had just passed him had also passed him a few minutes ago. He shrugged it off as being paranoid and heading inside to face the long rant he was going to receive from Francie. He was going to have to speak to Josh.
"Will, over here," Francie called out.
She certainly didn't look angry. Will searched for any signs that she had been drinking but couldn't find any. "Hey."
"Thank-you so much!"
"For what?" Will asked confused. She must have been drinking it was the only explanation.
"For setting me up."
"Josh turned up?"
"No, that pig rang half an hour later saying he'd forgotten." "I don't understand."
"I met this totally gorgeous guy at the bar. We're going out tonight!"
Will smiled, "That's great Francie."
"Are you ready to order?" a waitress said coming up to them.
As Francie started ordering Will's nagging feeling grew; as sitting across from them was the same man as before.
Jack entered the Interrogation room to find Mr Veitch unconscious. He still hadn't revealed anything and Jack felt it was time he help motivate him. He was just about to start when his mobile rang. Jack cursed and answered it reluctantly. "Hello?"
"Jack, good news," it was Sloane.
Jack moved back into the hallway as he spoke. "What?"
"Sydney just called. She's fine and on her way back. Dixon isn't with her, but we'll find out more when she comes in."
"Thank-you," Jack said as he hung up. He looked towards the still unconscious form of Mr Veitch. "You're lucky she alright." And with that he left.
Dixon awoke in pain. He cried out and his cries came back to him echoing. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the gloom and tried to take in his surroundings. He was in some locked room with no windows. He sat up warily and then noticed the outline of another person collapsed on the floor. "Hello?" He got no reply, and so moved closer to the unconscious body.
As he got closer he realised it was a young woman. She was badly beaten and her clothes were torn. He shook her gently, "Miss?" He didn't get any response and he was left alone with the shallow sound of her breathing.
Vaughn awoke to the shrill ring of his mobile. He glanced at the clock and realised he'd only been asleep for an hour. Still groggy, he grabbed for his phone. "If you call this me getting some sleep Weiss then your mistaken."
"What?" Sydney's voice questioned.
At the sound of her voice he was instantly awake and a million thoughts rushed through his head. He tried to speak but his throat closed up. Maybe he was imagining her voice, or dreaming. Yeah, he was probably dreaming.
"Vaughn are you there?"
Hearing her for the second time confirmed that he wasn't dreaming and he suddenly realised he still hadn't spoken. "Where the hell have you been?" His voice came out harsher than he expected, and he instantly regretted it. "Sorry Syd it's just I've been so worried about you. I've practically got everyone I know looking for you. I've practically nearly even asked Devlin to help!"
"Devlin? So you're working on my case again?"
Vaughn had expected her to be happy, but instead her voice was filled with disappointment. He refused to look into it deeper, telling himself she was just tired.
"Yes. I was reinstated to help find you."
Sydney's heart stopped. He'd been reinstated, she couldn't tell him now. She wouldn't let him risk his job for her again. She choked back a sob and wiped the newly formed tears. "That's great," she forced the words out.
"Where are you? What happened?"
Sydney repeated the story that she had been given. Tears rolled down her face freely now and she didn't know if it was because she was lying to Vaughn or if because she was worried about Dixon. All her emotions had rolled into one and she was too tired to hold it all in.
"Syd they'll find him, they will. Sloane's back and they have Veitch in custody. He'll break." Vaughn said misinterpreting Sydney's tears.
"Veitch?"
"He was an impostor. SD-6 has been interrogating him since Sloane came back. Your dad has been updating us. They haven't got much out of him."
"He must work for the people who have Dixon."
"We think so. The information.." Vaughn was cut of and a deep voice took its place.
"I hope you were only calling to let him know your safe."
"How did you know who I was talking to?" Sydney asked, only just realising she was using the phone they had given her.
"You're a smart girl, I'm sure you can figure it out. I'd be careful what you mention to Mr Vaughn. We wouldn't want him finding out about our arrangement now would we? My friends would hate to have to do anything to him, they've been enjoying their time in America so much."
"He doesn't know anything."
"Then there is no reason for you to worry about the men following him now is there?"
"If you hurt him."
"I really don't think you're in a position to make threats. Now, lets get down to business shall we? We understand that two Rambaldi artefacts that we want are in America. One at the CIA and the other was stolen by SD-6. We want you to get them for us and fly back here."
"What then?"
"Your partner will be returned to you and all units following your friends and family will be removed."
Sydney's heart stopped, they weren't just following Vaughn but her friends as well. "Who are you following?"
"What would be the point in telling you? They are there to make sure you don't decide to back out of our agreement."
"I won't."
"Good, then I suggest you find a way to get those artefacts," and with that Sydney was left with a dial tone.
Will had a nagging feeling in his gut as he walked up to the café he was meeting Francie in. He was sure the guy who had just passed him had also passed him a few minutes ago. He shrugged it off as being paranoid and heading inside to face the long rant he was going to receive from Francie. He was going to have to speak to Josh.
"Will, over here," Francie called out.
She certainly didn't look angry. Will searched for any signs that she had been drinking but couldn't find any. "Hey."
"Thank-you so much!"
"For what?" Will asked confused. She must have been drinking it was the only explanation.
"For setting me up."
"Josh turned up?"
"No, that pig rang half an hour later saying he'd forgotten." "I don't understand."
"I met this totally gorgeous guy at the bar. We're going out tonight!"
Will smiled, "That's great Francie."
"Are you ready to order?" a waitress said coming up to them.
As Francie started ordering Will's nagging feeling grew; as sitting across from them was the same man as before.
Jack entered the Interrogation room to find Mr Veitch unconscious. He still hadn't revealed anything and Jack felt it was time he help motivate him. He was just about to start when his mobile rang. Jack cursed and answered it reluctantly. "Hello?"
"Jack, good news," it was Sloane.
Jack moved back into the hallway as he spoke. "What?"
"Sydney just called. She's fine and on her way back. Dixon isn't with her, but we'll find out more when she comes in."
"Thank-you," Jack said as he hung up. He looked towards the still unconscious form of Mr Veitch. "You're lucky she alright." And with that he left.
Dixon awoke in pain. He cried out and his cries came back to him echoing. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the gloom and tried to take in his surroundings. He was in some locked room with no windows. He sat up warily and then noticed the outline of another person collapsed on the floor. "Hello?" He got no reply, and so moved closer to the unconscious body.
As he got closer he realised it was a young woman. She was badly beaten and her clothes were torn. He shook her gently, "Miss?" He didn't get any response and he was left alone with the shallow sound of her breathing.