Authors Note: Hello! Thanks for the wonderful feedback. I'll try not to
take so long between updates this time but I do have quite a busy schedule
at the moment. Also my betas took a while to read this chap so the late
update isn't my fault (entirely)!
Seth Johnson patiently waited in his car for some sign of movement near the ambulance parked outside the CIA warehouse. He grabbed his mobile as it started to ring and waited for the person on the other line to speak.
"Well?"
"I heard gun shots about half an hour ago. There's an ambulance now but no one has been taken out of the building yet."
"Can you get any closer?"
"No, there are too many agents."
"Are you sure your subject is still in the building?"
"Positive."
"Did anyone else leave the building?"
"Not that I saw."
"Stay with the ambulance when it leaves. I'll call you within the hour."
Seth dropped the phone and watched as they wheeled his subject out alive. He had been hired three weeks ago by an unknown source. He'd always been contacted by phone and had never met the man on the other line. Not that he cared, given the amount of money he was receiving. He pulled out slowly as the ambulance drove away in a hurry.
***************
Once Sydney had run far enough away from the warehouse she found the nearest bush and was sick. She was breathing heavy and still had tears streaming down her face. She shakily sat down and tried to compose herself. But it was impossible. Not only did she still have the taste of vomit in her mouth, but also Vaughn's face kept appearing in her mind- the mixed look of shock and pain he had given her before she had run off. She looked down at the box she was still carrying. This was the reason she had betrayed Vaughn, the reason she had shot him. This is what would help save Dixon. She ripped of the masking tape that was keeping the box shut and opened it to find a small wooden box. There was something carved into the top, but she couldn't make it out. She tried to open it but realised it was locked; she searched the rest of the box for the key but couldn't find it. "Must be the second part I have to steal," she thought to herself.
****************
Cassy awoke with a start to a man bending over her, scared and disorientated. She panicked and grabbed the man's shoulder and flipped him onto his back. She put her foot to his throat so that he had restricted movement. "What do you want?" she demanded, trembling slightly.
"Nothing," he gasped.
She moved her foot slightly to allow him to speak.
"I'm sorry I startled you. Look, I'm stuck here as well."
With a closer inspection she realised that the man in front of her was badly hurt. He was bleeding from various places and he looked tired and worn. She helped him, slightly guilty that she had probably caused more damage.
"Sorry,"
"Don't be, I would have done the same thing," he smiled. "That was if my shoulder wasn't dislocated. I must say you're pretty strong."
Cassy shrugged, embarrassed for some reason. "I can probably help you with that shoulder."
He raised his eyebrows at her, "So you not only can flip a guy twice your size but you can also fix my shoulder? You wouldn't happen to be an agent would you?"
"What gave it away," she said sarcastically and then held out her hand. "Agent Cassy Barry, CIA."
"Agent Dixon, CIA."
Cassy paused, and she immediately regretted waking up. "Sydney's partner?"
"You saw her? Is she alright?"
Cassy knew not only had she blown her cover, she might have also just blown Sydney's.
**************
Vaughn awoke groggily to find Weiss sitting next to him shaking his head.
"It's about time you woke up."
Suddenly the day's event flooded back to him in a rush, going to the warehouse, finding Sydney, getting shot. He sat up and waited for his head to stop spinning. "Sydney?"
"She wasn't there when I arrived. I told you not to go until we had arrived. What the hell were you thinking?"
"That she wouldn't shoot me."
"Well look how that turned out."
Vaughn looked down at his leg, which was bandaged and grimaced. "There has to be a reason."
"Look, I'm not saying that Sydney is a traitor or anything, but I really can't see an appropriate reason to shoot you."
"It must have something to do with Dixon. Does Jack know anything?"
"We haven't been able to contact him, we keep getting his voice mail."
"Excuse me, Mr Vaughn."
Vaughn turned to see a young woman standing in the doorway to his room. "Yes?"
"Hi, I was your doctor. I thought I'd check up on you before I left. How are you feeling?"
"Fine, a little tired."
"That's normal. We were able to remove the bullet; you should be able to get out of here in a couple days. I'm afraid you won't be able to go back to work for a couple of weeks though. Doctor Hudson will come and explain in more detail later."
"Thanks."
Vaughn waited for her to leave before he turned to Weiss. "There is no way I'm staying in here."
"No, NO. I will not be a part of this. You can't be serious."
"I can't stay in here. Not while the CIA is hunting Sydney. There has to be some explanation."
"You're going to help her aren't you?"
"She's not a traitor."
"How do I get myself into these things?
****************
Sydney wasn't sure where to go. She knew her home was probably being watched and her father was probably waiting for her at SD-6. So she just sat in her car, watching people go in and out of the petrol station she was parked at. She sat there for at least an hour before she decided she needed to come up with a plan. She needed help, and there wasn't anyone she could turn to. She pulled out her cell and called the only person she could think of.
"Tippin"
"Will, It's me."
"Hey Syd."
"I need you to do me a favour."
"Sure, what's up?"
"This is going to sound weird and I don't have time to explain but I need you to get some things for me."
"What's this about Syd?"
"Will, please this is important."
"Okay. What do you need?"
"I need you to go to my house, but you can't let anyone know where you're going or that you've talked to me. No one."
"Syd, this sounds ridiculous. Please tell me what kind of trouble you're in."
"I can't. Please Will, I need your help."
"Okay, okay. What do you need?"
"In my bottom drawer you'll find some clothes and a small bag. I need those and also next to the bed you'll find some money and my passport."
"Okay, what do I tell Francie?"
"Nothing. You'll have to distract her and get them out."
"Syd. this is crazy."
"I know, I'm sorry. Arrange to meet Francie for dinner. On the way back, stop in for petrol at the Petrol Station on the corner down the road from your work. Bring the stuff inside, I'll be waiting."
"This is insane."
"I know, I wish I could explain. I have to go." Sydney hung up before he could say anything. She felt bad about sending him to get her stuff, but Sydney knew she couldn't get to it herself. She'd sent him to get her emergency bag. Ever since she found out the truth about SD-6 she'd kept a bag with some things in it, just in case something went wrong. There was an extra gun and phone plus a disguise. She hoped Will wouldn't be caught and that she'd be able to pull this off.
***************
Will couldn't believe he was doing this. He kept repeating the story he'd worked out in his head and waited for Francie to open the door. He was carrying the bag he kept his laptop, but the bag was empty. He was planning to hide Sydney's things in there. He could hear Francie coming to answer the door. He took a deep breath and smiled.
"Hey Will."
"Hey, you won't believe what's happened to me," he said following Francie inside. "I have this deadline and there's been a blackout in my area. I was wondering if I could finish my story here."
"Of course, you might want to use Sydney's room or my room though, because I've taken the kitchen hostage. I'm trying out this new recipe and I might be a bit loud."
"No that's fine, I'll use Syd's. She won't mind I use her phone line will she?"
"No, go ahead."
"Thanks," Will was surprised how easy it had been to get past Francie. He felt guilty that he'd lied to her, but Sydney's voice on the phone had been so serious and scared. He couldn't understand what trouble Sydney could be in.
He headed over to her bed and grabbed her passport and the money beside it. He shoved it into his bag and moved over to the set of draws against her wall. He could hear Francie banging around in the kitchen and singing along to the radio. Glad for the noise she was creating, he opened the third draw. Inside he found several items of black clothing. He chose the items that would fit in his bag and then hunted around for the backpack she had talked about. He knew he shouldn't open it, it was Sydney's and he didn't have any right. However he needed to know what kind of trouble she was in. He opened the bag and slowly tipped the contents on to her bed. He stood there frozen as the first thing he noticed was the small gun standing out against the red of Sydney's bedcovers.
"Will?"
Will jumped at the sound of Francie's voice and quickly threw his bag on top of the gun and the rest of the bag's contents. He quickly headed for the kitchen still having trouble grasping the fact Sydney had a gun. "Hey, what's up?"
"I want you to try this," she held out something on a spoon for Will to taste.
He swallowed the food without tasting it or noting what it was. "That's great Francie."
"Yeah, good. I was worried I made it too hot."
"No, it's fine. Hey, I was wondering you and Syd want to go out for dinner. I need something to take my mind off this story."
"Sounds good, but I think Syd's working. She was supposed to meet me for lunch, but never showed."
"She works too hard," Will said, more out of habit than anything else, but then he started to worry. What if the trouble she was mixed up in had something to do with the bank? "I'll pick you up around seven?"
"Sounds good. I want to check out that new Chinese place."
"Great."
"You better get back to your story."
"Yeah." Will reluctantly headed back to Sydney's bedroom, where he started heading to the bed. He lifted up his bag and carefully placed the gun back inside her backpack. He looked over the rest of the contents of Sydney's bag. There was a mobile phone, a short blonde wig, make up, hair dye and extra ammunition for the gun. Will shoved it all into his bag and took a deep breath. What the hell was going on?
Seth Johnson patiently waited in his car for some sign of movement near the ambulance parked outside the CIA warehouse. He grabbed his mobile as it started to ring and waited for the person on the other line to speak.
"Well?"
"I heard gun shots about half an hour ago. There's an ambulance now but no one has been taken out of the building yet."
"Can you get any closer?"
"No, there are too many agents."
"Are you sure your subject is still in the building?"
"Positive."
"Did anyone else leave the building?"
"Not that I saw."
"Stay with the ambulance when it leaves. I'll call you within the hour."
Seth dropped the phone and watched as they wheeled his subject out alive. He had been hired three weeks ago by an unknown source. He'd always been contacted by phone and had never met the man on the other line. Not that he cared, given the amount of money he was receiving. He pulled out slowly as the ambulance drove away in a hurry.
***************
Once Sydney had run far enough away from the warehouse she found the nearest bush and was sick. She was breathing heavy and still had tears streaming down her face. She shakily sat down and tried to compose herself. But it was impossible. Not only did she still have the taste of vomit in her mouth, but also Vaughn's face kept appearing in her mind- the mixed look of shock and pain he had given her before she had run off. She looked down at the box she was still carrying. This was the reason she had betrayed Vaughn, the reason she had shot him. This is what would help save Dixon. She ripped of the masking tape that was keeping the box shut and opened it to find a small wooden box. There was something carved into the top, but she couldn't make it out. She tried to open it but realised it was locked; she searched the rest of the box for the key but couldn't find it. "Must be the second part I have to steal," she thought to herself.
****************
Cassy awoke with a start to a man bending over her, scared and disorientated. She panicked and grabbed the man's shoulder and flipped him onto his back. She put her foot to his throat so that he had restricted movement. "What do you want?" she demanded, trembling slightly.
"Nothing," he gasped.
She moved her foot slightly to allow him to speak.
"I'm sorry I startled you. Look, I'm stuck here as well."
With a closer inspection she realised that the man in front of her was badly hurt. He was bleeding from various places and he looked tired and worn. She helped him, slightly guilty that she had probably caused more damage.
"Sorry,"
"Don't be, I would have done the same thing," he smiled. "That was if my shoulder wasn't dislocated. I must say you're pretty strong."
Cassy shrugged, embarrassed for some reason. "I can probably help you with that shoulder."
He raised his eyebrows at her, "So you not only can flip a guy twice your size but you can also fix my shoulder? You wouldn't happen to be an agent would you?"
"What gave it away," she said sarcastically and then held out her hand. "Agent Cassy Barry, CIA."
"Agent Dixon, CIA."
Cassy paused, and she immediately regretted waking up. "Sydney's partner?"
"You saw her? Is she alright?"
Cassy knew not only had she blown her cover, she might have also just blown Sydney's.
**************
Vaughn awoke groggily to find Weiss sitting next to him shaking his head.
"It's about time you woke up."
Suddenly the day's event flooded back to him in a rush, going to the warehouse, finding Sydney, getting shot. He sat up and waited for his head to stop spinning. "Sydney?"
"She wasn't there when I arrived. I told you not to go until we had arrived. What the hell were you thinking?"
"That she wouldn't shoot me."
"Well look how that turned out."
Vaughn looked down at his leg, which was bandaged and grimaced. "There has to be a reason."
"Look, I'm not saying that Sydney is a traitor or anything, but I really can't see an appropriate reason to shoot you."
"It must have something to do with Dixon. Does Jack know anything?"
"We haven't been able to contact him, we keep getting his voice mail."
"Excuse me, Mr Vaughn."
Vaughn turned to see a young woman standing in the doorway to his room. "Yes?"
"Hi, I was your doctor. I thought I'd check up on you before I left. How are you feeling?"
"Fine, a little tired."
"That's normal. We were able to remove the bullet; you should be able to get out of here in a couple days. I'm afraid you won't be able to go back to work for a couple of weeks though. Doctor Hudson will come and explain in more detail later."
"Thanks."
Vaughn waited for her to leave before he turned to Weiss. "There is no way I'm staying in here."
"No, NO. I will not be a part of this. You can't be serious."
"I can't stay in here. Not while the CIA is hunting Sydney. There has to be some explanation."
"You're going to help her aren't you?"
"She's not a traitor."
"How do I get myself into these things?
****************
Sydney wasn't sure where to go. She knew her home was probably being watched and her father was probably waiting for her at SD-6. So she just sat in her car, watching people go in and out of the petrol station she was parked at. She sat there for at least an hour before she decided she needed to come up with a plan. She needed help, and there wasn't anyone she could turn to. She pulled out her cell and called the only person she could think of.
"Tippin"
"Will, It's me."
"Hey Syd."
"I need you to do me a favour."
"Sure, what's up?"
"This is going to sound weird and I don't have time to explain but I need you to get some things for me."
"What's this about Syd?"
"Will, please this is important."
"Okay. What do you need?"
"I need you to go to my house, but you can't let anyone know where you're going or that you've talked to me. No one."
"Syd, this sounds ridiculous. Please tell me what kind of trouble you're in."
"I can't. Please Will, I need your help."
"Okay, okay. What do you need?"
"In my bottom drawer you'll find some clothes and a small bag. I need those and also next to the bed you'll find some money and my passport."
"Okay, what do I tell Francie?"
"Nothing. You'll have to distract her and get them out."
"Syd. this is crazy."
"I know, I'm sorry. Arrange to meet Francie for dinner. On the way back, stop in for petrol at the Petrol Station on the corner down the road from your work. Bring the stuff inside, I'll be waiting."
"This is insane."
"I know, I wish I could explain. I have to go." Sydney hung up before he could say anything. She felt bad about sending him to get her stuff, but Sydney knew she couldn't get to it herself. She'd sent him to get her emergency bag. Ever since she found out the truth about SD-6 she'd kept a bag with some things in it, just in case something went wrong. There was an extra gun and phone plus a disguise. She hoped Will wouldn't be caught and that she'd be able to pull this off.
***************
Will couldn't believe he was doing this. He kept repeating the story he'd worked out in his head and waited for Francie to open the door. He was carrying the bag he kept his laptop, but the bag was empty. He was planning to hide Sydney's things in there. He could hear Francie coming to answer the door. He took a deep breath and smiled.
"Hey Will."
"Hey, you won't believe what's happened to me," he said following Francie inside. "I have this deadline and there's been a blackout in my area. I was wondering if I could finish my story here."
"Of course, you might want to use Sydney's room or my room though, because I've taken the kitchen hostage. I'm trying out this new recipe and I might be a bit loud."
"No that's fine, I'll use Syd's. She won't mind I use her phone line will she?"
"No, go ahead."
"Thanks," Will was surprised how easy it had been to get past Francie. He felt guilty that he'd lied to her, but Sydney's voice on the phone had been so serious and scared. He couldn't understand what trouble Sydney could be in.
He headed over to her bed and grabbed her passport and the money beside it. He shoved it into his bag and moved over to the set of draws against her wall. He could hear Francie banging around in the kitchen and singing along to the radio. Glad for the noise she was creating, he opened the third draw. Inside he found several items of black clothing. He chose the items that would fit in his bag and then hunted around for the backpack she had talked about. He knew he shouldn't open it, it was Sydney's and he didn't have any right. However he needed to know what kind of trouble she was in. He opened the bag and slowly tipped the contents on to her bed. He stood there frozen as the first thing he noticed was the small gun standing out against the red of Sydney's bedcovers.
"Will?"
Will jumped at the sound of Francie's voice and quickly threw his bag on top of the gun and the rest of the bag's contents. He quickly headed for the kitchen still having trouble grasping the fact Sydney had a gun. "Hey, what's up?"
"I want you to try this," she held out something on a spoon for Will to taste.
He swallowed the food without tasting it or noting what it was. "That's great Francie."
"Yeah, good. I was worried I made it too hot."
"No, it's fine. Hey, I was wondering you and Syd want to go out for dinner. I need something to take my mind off this story."
"Sounds good, but I think Syd's working. She was supposed to meet me for lunch, but never showed."
"She works too hard," Will said, more out of habit than anything else, but then he started to worry. What if the trouble she was mixed up in had something to do with the bank? "I'll pick you up around seven?"
"Sounds good. I want to check out that new Chinese place."
"Great."
"You better get back to your story."
"Yeah." Will reluctantly headed back to Sydney's bedroom, where he started heading to the bed. He lifted up his bag and carefully placed the gun back inside her backpack. He looked over the rest of the contents of Sydney's bag. There was a mobile phone, a short blonde wig, make up, hair dye and extra ammunition for the gun. Will shoved it all into his bag and took a deep breath. What the hell was going on?